News Story not available This story has been published on: 2022-10-26. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. This story is no longer available on our site. 9 5,2% 1 2022 5,2% 699 553 . Participants from the seven parties ahead of Monday night's debate. Carlos Rosillo A seven-way debate on Monday evening between representatives of Spains national and regional parties with a presence in Congress did little to clear up the future of the countrys stalled political scene ahead of Sundays repeat general elections. Spain has been under a caretaker administration since the general election of December 20, in which no party garnered the 176 seats required to form a government. Attempts at reaching cross-party deals to reach this majority were futile, and new elections have been called for June 26. The Socialist speaker called Mariano Rajoys attitude a factory for creating new independence supporters But the two-hour volley of cross accusations on Monday left viewers wondering if there is any chance that parties will be able to reach post-election deals this time around, or whether Spaniards may be facing a third election later in the year. The event, aired live on Monday night by state broadcaster TVE, focused mostly on the issue of Catalan independence and on whether the region should be allowed to hold a referendum to decide if it wishes to remain part of Spain. The issue of Catalan independence had lately taken a back seat to other voter concerns such as political corruption and the economy. But on Monday it took center stage again, pitting anti-austerity grouping Podemos and regional parties against the Popular Party (PP), the Socialist Party (PSOE) and Ciudadanos. For two hours, Pablo Casado (PP), Isabel Rodriguez (PSOE), Inigo Errejon (Podemos), Juan Carlos Girauta (Ciudadanos), Gabriel Rufian (Catalan Republican Left or ERC), Carles Campuzano (Convergencia) and Aitor Esteban (Basque Nationalist Party, or PNV) attempted to hold a debate amid multiple cross-dialogues. Sign up for our newsletter EL PAIS English Edition has launched a weekly newsletter. Sign up today to receive a selection of our best stories in your inbox every Saturday morning. For full details about how to subscribe, click here. Catalan nationalists insisted they will only support a prime minister who respects their right to decide. Campuzano, of the Catalan party Convergencia, said that without a solution for Catalonia, it will be difficult for Spain to install a government. Rufian of ERC added that there will be no support for those who deny the full sovereignty of the people of Catalonia. Meanwhile, the representative for the Basque Nationalist Party said its support in an investiture vote would depend on the resolution of what he termed the Basque agenda. His party, which is in power in the northern region, has not called for outright independence but wants the central government to devolve more powers. It is necessary to recognize the difference between nationalities, he added. The overarching message was that neither the PP nor the PSOE, the two majority parties, will necessarily be able to count on the nationalists to reach the parliamentary majority required to form a government. Errejon, of Podemos, said his party supports the right to decide, but underscored that it would prefer Catalonia to remain part of Spain. Casado, representing the acting PP government, reiterated the conservatives clear opposition to an independence vote. The Socialists Rodriguez directed the discussion towards his partys defense of constitutional reform that would acknowledge Catalonias unique status without expressly granting sovereignty what the Socialists see as a third way out of the impasse. Rodriguez also criticized acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy for his refusal to budge on the issue, calling his attitude a factory for creating new independence supporters. The speaker for Ciudadanos which began life as a Catalan party opposed to independence said that the red line of sovereignty will never be crossed and highlighted the corruption of the Pujol family that governed in the region for decades. The issue of corruption brought all parties together against the PP, which was also attacked over its spending cuts. The conservative speaker again offered the possibility of a grand coalition with the PSOE and Ciudadanos, based on opinion polls showing that the PP will once again win the most votes but fall short of a majority. A similar offer was made to the Socialists by Podemos, which stands to come in second on June 26. But the PSOE already rejected that offer once before, and is showing no signs of having changed its mind. English version by Susana Urra. Arrowhead Credit Union employees recently handed out goodie bags, beverages and words of appreciation to hundreds of deploying Marines as they made their way through Bob Hope USO Ontario. Employees had gathered 7,500 snack items and beverages for the service members, according to a news release from the credit union. The Bob Hope USO Ontario offers members of the military free services such as meals, a place to rest, and media and family rooms. Information: bobhopeuso.org Contact the writer: community@pressenterprise.com A black border-collie mix that was found on the brink of death with a severed, stump leg is scheduled for surgery next week to fix the leg. The 6-year-old, 45-pound dog was found in a field alongside Harley Knox Boulevard and I-215 near Perris. The dog had been cared for by an unknown woman for about a year. In early May, authorities from a local animal shelter rescued the dog, along with her three puppies. She may have possibly been run over, which is why her arm is like that, said Liz White, director of Retrievers & Friends of Southern California, a nonprofit shelter that serves the Temecula Valley and Orange and San Diego counties. We were worried about infections spreading to the bones. Using a simple trap, animal control officials rescued the dog, who had been living under a shed to protect her babies from coyotes. A team of behavioral experts and veterinarians have been treating her at the Retrievers & Friends of Southern California clinic in Temecula. We werent sure how shed be when she first came in, White said. We expected a wild, aggressive alligator, but shes been nothing but kind, sweet and gentle. They are all very well behaved, and she is healing amazingly. Her caretakers have named the dog Faith and her puppies Isaiah, Jeremiah and Blessing. Faiths leg surgery is planned for June 29 at the Lake Elsinore Pet Clinic. Her caretakers have started a GoFundMe page to raise money for the procedure. Faith would do best as an indoor dog, White said, adding that the clinic is seeking families to care for the dogs. We have an extensive application, micro-chipping and home-visit process to make sure the adopted dogs are well cared for and loved, she said Retrievers & Friends of Southern California cares for different breeds of dogs and cats, with expanded clinics in Sun City (Menifee), Quail Valley and Lake Elsinore. The all-volunteer clinic currently cares for about 75 dogs and 30 cats. We rely fully on donations, volunteers and community support, White said. We especially have the elderly dogs close to our hearts. We provide these animals complete comfort, security, a nice facility, and we dont want to turn away any animal in need. Anyone interested in adopting Faith or her puppies can call 951-696-2428 or email info@retrieversandfriends.com Anyone interested in donating toward Faiths surgery can visit gofundme.com/caringforfaith Contact the writer: community@pressenterprise.com An electrical malfunction apparently sparked an attic fire at a Jurupa Valley apartment house, say Riverside County Fire Department officials. The blaze was reported at 4:43 p.m. Monday, June 20, at the Country Village Apartments along the 3500 block of Eve Circle, less than a half-mile northwest of Highway 60 and Country Village Road. The crews of eight fire engines and a ladder truck were dispatched to the incident and contained the flames to the attic at 5:24 p.m. Southern California Edison workers were summoned to shut off the electrical power before firefighters could fully extinguish the fire, fire department spokeswoman April Newman said in a written statement. Numerous power failures across Southern California on Sunday and Monday shut down air conditioners and snarled traffic for thousands of people. Yorba Lindas record 108 degree temperature was just the peak of an area-wide blast furnace. It was a reminder how much we are dependent on a fragile electric power and grid system. Of the more than 22,000 customers suffering outages, many are heat-related, Southern California Edison spokesman Paul Netter told us (although the blackout that hit the area of Orange County Registers building actually was caused by a mylar balloon that hit power lines). Its just basically stress being put on the system, which doesnt have time to cool down from the high heat. The heat-related outages will go at least through [Tuesday], he added. Conservation is the word for residences and businesses. This is nowhere near the highest usage of the Independent System Operators grid, estimated at about 43,000 megawatts Monday, compared to last years highest day of 47,300, Robert Michaels, an energy economist at Cal State Fullerton, told us. The difference could be the gas situation at Aliso Canyon, where a large natural gas leak forced well closures. Indeed, an April 5 report by the ISO, the California Energy Commission and other agencies warned the Aliso Canyon facilitys limited current operations create a distinct possibility of electricity service interruptions in the coming summer months. [T]he region faces up to 14 days this summer with gas shortages to electrical power plants that could be large enough to interrupt electrical service to utility customers. Mr. Michaels directed us to the ISOs daily Renewables Watch publication for Sunday, which showed more than 7,000 hourly megawatts production for solar during the sunny middle of the day, which is excellent, but close to zero from wind power. That shows, he said, how intermittent such power is, as solar also would drop when the clouds are heavy. Wind and solar really are not controllable. By contrast, with fossil-fuel plants, you can turn them on and off. In effect, the state is relying on two systems: the fossil fuel system (and nuclear from the Diablo Canyon plant as well as nukes in other states) and the renewables, with each system using separate power lines, the intermittent renewable lines sitting idle when not in use. Last October, Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law Senate Bill 350, which mandated that 50 percent of energy must come from renewables by 2030, up from the previous mandate of 33 percent by 2020. Were all basically going into unknown territory, Mr. Michaels said. So conservation is the word. Mr. Netter urged cutting usage as much as possible until after 9 p.m. Professional photographer Steve Kaye will present the program, Meet the Birds, at the July 5 meeting of the San Gorgonio chapter of the Sierra Club. He will show photos of mostly local birds, talk about his subjects and give tips for taking better photographs. The meeting, open to the public, is 7:30 p.m. at the San Bernardino County Museum, 2024 Orange Tree Lane, Redlands. One of eight people inside an SUV that drove off the freeway and rolled into the parking lot of Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar early Saturday died later at the hospital, the California Highway Patrol said in a news release. The driver fled after the crash, which left four other people with major injuries and two with minor injuries. The man who died was 22 and from Mexico, but his name is being withheld until family is notified. All of the injured passengers were between ages 19 and 29, and also from Mexico. CHP Officer Mike Lassig said they are being cooperative in helping authorities find the driver. They were all in a 1995 Chevy Tahoe that was heading north on Interstate 15 at an unknown speed, the CHP said in the release. About 3:45 a.m., just south of Clinton Keith Road, the SUV drove onto the left dirt shoulder, swerved back through all lanes of traffic and into the right dirt shoulder, then rolled down the embankment, the release said. The SUV came to rest in the hospital parking lot. As it rolled, the release said, five of the people inside were ejected onto the dirt embankment. Four of the patients the one who later died, and three with major injuries stayed at Inland Valley Medical Center. One person with major injuries and one with minor injuries was taken to Loma Linda University Medical Center, and the second with minor injuries went to Temecula Valley Hospital. The CHP asked that anyone with additional information about the crash contact the Temecula office at 951-506-2000. Jerry Rangel has lots of questions about his kids education. The 37-year-old Corona resident wants to know about Common Core academic standards, state tests, funding formulas and other issues. But he said its hard getting information because the office staff at his sons schools are so busy. You feel like a number, said Rangel, who has two sons in middle school and one in elementary school. Youre battling five other parents for attention. Rangel doesnt have to jostle for position with other parents any more. The Corona-Norco Unified School District opened a center June 7 to help Rangel and other parents get resources to help their children do better in school. The Parent Center, housed in a spacious brick building on Sixth Street in central Corona, offers ESL classes, leadership trainings, workshops, support groups and other services. The district, which is leasing the space from the city of Corona, spent about $600,000 on upgrades including new carpet, paint, dry wall, computers, tables and chairs. Parents can get free coffee and relax in a welcoming environment, said Cassandra Willis, the centers coordinator. Our goal is to help them build a relationship with their childs school, Willis said. Other Inland school districts from Temecula to San Bernardino have opened parent centers in recent years as part of the states accountability plan that calls for more parent involvement. In many districts, money for parent engagement comes from the states funding formula that took effect in the 2013-14 academic year. The focus is on helping the parents of low-income students, English learners and foster youth. MEETING BASIC NEEDS They come in saying, My kid is difficult to deal with and is not doing well at school, said Keyisha Holmes, coordinator of the Riverside Unified School Districts Parent Resource Center. I dont know what to do. The district helped more than 2,200 parents in the recently concluded school year at its main center on Magnolia Avenue next to Riverside Adult School and at two satellite offices. One satellite office is moving July 5 from Longfellow Elementary School to Bobby Bonds Park, while another is at the Ysmael Villegas Community Center. In addition to academics, Holmes said the centers connects families to food banks, shelters, health clinics, counseling and other social services. They can sign up for workshops and learn skills such as teaching their kids to read and preparing them for college. The center acts as a liaison with families and community partners to have basic levels of needs met so education can become a focus, Holmes said. The Moreno Valley Unified School District teaches Spanish-speaking parents who are new to the United States about the public education system and the importance of getting involved. Many immigrant parents view school officials as authority figures who shouldnt be questioned, said Beverly Lopez-Armijo, the districts parent involvement specialist. We need to start making those changes in our mentality, said Marisela Felix-Lopez, who has three children who graduated from Moreno Valley high schools and another starting eighth grade in August. Through the districts Parent Engagement Leadership Initiative, Felix-Lopez took classes to learn positive parenting, communicating and other skills. She no longer screams and yells when her kids do something to upset her. I learned how to talk to my children, how to engage, how to be patient, said Felix-Lopez, who grew up in Sonora, Mexico, and came to the United States in 1986. Its more important to sit down and help them instead of cleaning house or doing laundry. The Fontana Unified School District is helping Latin American-born parents improve their education through a partnership with the Mexican Consulate in San Bernardino. Parents learn how to use a computer, navigate the Internet, create an email account and monitor their kids academic progress. More than 400 parents have completed the nine-week program, which is available from September to May, since it started last year. EDUCATE EVERY CHILD To the east, the San Bernardino City Unified School District opened its Family Resource Center in fall 2006 and recently created parent centers at San Bernardino, San Gorgonio, Cajon, Arroyo Valley and Indian Springs high schools. Officials hope to open a center at Pacific High School by the time school starts in August, district spokeswoman Linda Bardere said. The Family Resource Center averaged 600 to 800 visits per month when it opened and continues to serve as many or more parents, Bardere said. The district has 50,000 students 91 percent of whom qualify for free or discount lunches. Almost 27 percent are English learners and 8 percent are homeless, Bardere said. Families can use computers to apply for jobs, check their students grades and attendance and seek other services. They can find out about college entrance requirements and get training on using Chromebook computers. While the Temecula Valley Unified School District doesnt serve nearly as many low-income students, it doesnt diminish the need to educate every child, said Gil Compton, a principal on special assignment who works in the districts Educational Support Services department. The district opened a central enrollment and welcoming center in summer 2014 that provides parents with resources and information. Temecula Valley has bilingual staff and translators who help with registration, navigating the system, requesting transcripts and receiving financial assistance and mental health services. Each school also has its own parent center, Compton said. As part of a federal grant, USC wrote the software for a mobile app given to Temecula Valley families when they enroll. It provides links to doctors, dentists, sports groups, churches and other organizations and businesses. The Temecula area has many military families because of its proximity to bases in Camp Pendleton and San Diego. In a given year, one in four students may be new to the district or one of its schools, Compton said. We have tremendous movement of parents and families coming and going, he said. The need for relationship building and communication is critical. Contact the writer: 951-368-9292 or swall@pressenterprise.com The exterior of the California Southern Law School is unimpressive. The schools name is strung in plain letters across the roofline of the low-slung building that was once the White Sands Supper Club. Its low profile is in distinct contrast to its reputation and the legal minds it has produced. Though it has never been an accredited school, some of the Inland Empires top attorneys and judges have emerged from its four-year night-school program. San Bernardino District Attorney Mike Ramos, Riverside defense attorney Virginia Blumenthal and 10 Superior Court judges or commissioners are among the 400 students it has graduated since it opened in 1971. But now, the school is getting ready to close down. Greg and Brian Rich, sons of the schools founder, Judge Elwood M. Rich, announced last week that the class starting this fall will be the last class admitted to the school. When that class graduates in 2020, the Riches plan the close up shop. Its tough to have a family business when you run out of family, said Brian, 65. And I want to retire. Neither he nor Greg, who is 60, care about matching their fathers work ethic. Elwood was still overseeing the school and working as a legal mediator at 91. Elwood started his legal career as an assistant district attorney for Riverside, then ran for and won a judgeship at age 32. He served on the bench from 1952 to 1980, when he retired. But he continued working part-time, helping to negotiate last-minute agreements between attorneys before they went to trial. He died in January 2015 at 94. While hes determined to leave the business, Brian said he has mixed feelings. Its been very enjoyable, he said of his 23 years as an administrator. Its been bittersweet, I suppose. For alumus Ramos, the schools closure will be more bitter than sweet. I think its going to be a big loss for people who want to get into the legal community, Ramos said. The school played a critical role for people like himself who wanted to study law, but couldnt afford to give up their day jobs. Ramos was working as a probation officer and raising a young family when he took on the challenge. He graduated from the school in 1988. Ramos, who was just elected as president of the National District Attorneys Association, credits the Riverside school for his success. If it wasnt for Judge Rich, Ramos said, I would not have been able to accomplish what Ive been able to. It gave me the foundation to get where I am. The school, which has always been a family operation Elwoods wife Lorna worked in the office and kept the books started almost by accident. Elwood had been teaching tort law for Riverside University Law School. That school was shut down by authorities for student loan violations. Brian said his father went about the task of trying to find places for his students to continue with their law classes. The dean of the University of La Verne, he said, suggested he think about starting his own school. I dont think he probably thought it was going to go on for 45 years, Brian said. It had humble beginnings, in rented space in the basement of the Security Pacific Bank now Bank of America on Magnolia Boulevard. Eventually it moved to its current location on Elisabeth Street, near Magnolia and Jurupa Avenue. It enjoyed a flush of students in the early 1990s due to a recession Greg calls students from those years the George H.W. Bush classes but lately, enrollment has dropped off. Greg, who started doing the schools accounting in 1980, says law school enrollment in California is down 30 percent in recent years. Current enrollment at California Southern Law School is 60. Both sons two other brothers are not involved in the school said while their father was well known as a mediator, he was also uncompromising. Before he was the settlement judge, he was the hanging judge and we knew it, Brian said. He was tough on drunk drivers before it was fashionable, added Greg. He maintained high standards at the school, they said. Retired San Bernardino Superior Court Judge Christopher J. Warner agreed. A lot of people go there with Pollyanna ideas that you can breeze through, he said of the nightschool program. They got a surprise, and most didnt last. Warner said he even considered dropping out after his second year. He was working as an insurance agent in Encino and the schedule had run him down. I was worn out and broke, he said. He called me and spent over an hour on the phone with me. He assured me I could do it. He always had a solution for whatever issue might come up. (He was) a very outgoing and a very kind man. Warner said he was surprised that the school would be closing. Im sorry to hear its not going to be there any more, he said. It served its purpose it was good for the community. Some real, real good first-class lawyers came out of that law school. Contact the writer: mmuckenfuss@pressenterprise.com or 951-368-9595 An 18-year-old Newbury Park man was arrested Friday on suspicion of making threats against fellow students at Universal Technical Institute in Rancho Cucamonga, sheriffs officials said. Albert Maida, the suspect, was released later that day. No court dates have been scheduled in this case, according to a San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department statement. On June 13, the Rancho Cucamonga station received a call from UTI Technical School regarding a student, Maida, who had been suspended for making threats against several students, officials said. Deputies interviewed the students who received the threats and determined that Maidas statements and actions were criminal threats, according to the statement. An arrest warrant for Maida was issued as well as a search warrant for his home in Ventura County. On Friday afternoon, Maida was scheduled to meet with UTI staff. When Maida arrived at the campus, he was immediately arrested and taken to the Rancho Cucamonga Police Station for an interview. He was then arrested and booked into the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga. Deputies seized several firearms from his home, sheriffs officials said. Anyone with additional information about this case is asked to call the Rancho Cucamonga station at 909-477-2800. A Barcelona summit on digital technologies. EFE Carl Sagan, the US astronomer who popularized science in the 1980s, said it better than anybody else: We are surrounded by science and technology, but nobody knows anything about science and technology. Digital life, the consequences of knowing whats inside our genome, artificial intelligence, Big Data, self-driving cars and even WhatsApp: scientific and technological innovation makes our life better, even if we dont quite understand how it works. Only 14% of Spanish citizens have an interest in science and technology, compared with 25% who have no interest at all, according to the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology. Being pro-science is the only way we make sure that America continues to lead the world US President Barack Obama And this traditional disregard for science at the popular level is reflected at the political level, turning a mistake into a downright disaster. Science, technology and innovation represent the fundamental productive factor in all the worlds biggest economies, and their main source of wealth. The United States, Sweden, Finland, Japan and South Korea do not invest in R&D&i because they are rich they are rich because they invest in R&D&i. The US spends over 2.8% of its GDP on science and technology, and its own government asserts that this effort can be credited for over half of the countrys economic and industrial development since WWII. Science and technology get constant cash injections, even during the worst crisis years. Science and technology helped make America the greatest country on Earth, said President Barack Obama in an interview on Popular Science. Meanwhile, Spanish investment falls and rises depending on how the economic winds blow: between 2002 and 2008 there was a considerable effort to catch up with our EU partners, but from 2010 to 2014 there was a 10% accumulated drop in the budget allocation for science and technology, according to the latest Cotec report. Sign up for our newsletter EL PAIS English Edition has launched a weekly newsletter. Sign up today to receive a selection of our best stories in your inbox every Saturday morning. For full details about how to subscribe, click here. This drop is very painful to Spanish scientists, which have been forced to seek out European funds or leave the country. And this is just the beginning. The effects of the public spending cuts on the results of research activity remain to be seen, due to the timeframes in research processes, warns the OECD in a report. However, Spanish companies and citizens are pioneers when it comes to adopting the results of innovation and technology. Spanish firms rank above average in digitalization, according to a recent report by PwC. Spain is also the European country with the greatest penetration of social networking and instant messaging apps. But the innovation is being produced by others, for the most part. Being pro-science is the only way we make sure that America continues to lead the world, said Obama in Popular Science. During their first and only televised debate, none of the four main candidates to be Spains next prime minister was asked about their plans to invest in science and innovation. Nor did any of them judge it relevant to discuss the consequences of living with our backs to science. Yet there are consequences: a report by the Civic Opinion Center says that if Spain had invested annually in R&D the same percentage as other OECD countries have been investing since 1970, our per capita income would have been 20% higher by the year 2005. English version by Susana Urra. The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Manhyia South has slammed President Mahama saying he is the cheapest President under the sun for accepting a second hand Ford Expedition car gift. Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh said Ghanas President lowered his standard and cheapened the highest office of the land when he walked himself into the car scandal. President Mahama is caught in what many have described as an untidy controversy following Joy News investigative journalist, Manasseh Awuni Azure's latest piece. Burkinabe contractor, Djibril Kanazoe sent a gift of $100,000 car to the President whom he told Manasseh Azure is his friend. Mr Kanazoe was behind the construction of the controversial $650,000 Ghana Embassy wall in Burkina Faso. Many political scientists and anti-corruption campaigners have expressed their misgivings about the gift the President received. They claim what the President Mahama did amounts to a conflict of interest situation which the many anti-corruption guidelines in the country frown on. Speaking on the Joy FM/MultiTVs news analysis programme, Newsfile, Dr Prempeh said if President received the car gift then it was obviously meant to compromise him. Why did he give the car when he went to salute the Vice President then? he asked adding there was an interest somewhere. If it walks like a duck, it barks like a duck and talks like a duck, then it is a duck, he said. He stated that If within a matter of a year after the relationship blossoms and he has since received two contracts then it amounts to a conflict of interest. The Communications Minister, Dr Edward Omane Boamah debunked claims President Mahama has engaged in a conflict of interest by receiving the car gift. He said the vehicle was a mere gift and has nothing to do with the number of contracts Messrs Oumarou Kanazoe Contractors of Burkina Faso received from the Ghana government. He stated that I am here this morning not to attack the work of Manasseh but I am here this morning to indicate that my President, your president, our president is incorruptible and not corrupt and this mud will not stick on President John Mahama. Source: Myjoyonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Today can confirm that over two hundred (200) Junior High School (JHS) pupils from both the public and private schools in the Ga West Municipality of the Greater Accra wrote the just-ended Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) under an erected shed. Out of 7,302 candidates who were spread into 16 examination centres by Ga West District Education Directorate, Today gathered that, about 1,600 were sent to one examination centre, which was the Amasaman Secondary Technical School (AMASTEC) to write the BECE. Today investigations revealed that the 200 who wrote under an erected shed were pupils from three separate public and private schools within the Ga West municipality. Today further established that, the candidates were left in the open under the shed in this raining season whiles their fellow colleagues wrote theirs in a confined examination hall. Some teachers who spoke to Today on condition of anonymity expressed disgust about the attitude of the examination officers and the supervisors as well as the invigilators. They did not understand why the problem should be there for all this where when something could have been done about it. To this end, the teachers appealed to the director of education of Ghana Education Service (GES) to, as a matter of urgency set up more examination centres before the next BECE. In an interview with Today, Ga West Director of Education, Mr. Akuffo welcomed the idea of more examination centres to be established. He assured his outfits support to that course to help ease up the overcrowding of candidates in examination centres in the area. Source: Today Newspaper Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Ministry of Transport has disclosed that it will commence the process of handing over the administration of the PSC Tema Shipyard and Dry Dock Company Limited (PSCT) to the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), later this week. This comes after cabinet officially wrote to the Ministry of Transport, instructing that the operations of the PSC Tema Shipyard and Dry Dock Company be placed under the supervision of GPHA. Recently, cabinet announced that it will direct the Ministry of Transport to hand over the operations of the PSC Tema Shipyard and Dry Dock Company Limited (PSCT) to the GPHA. The workers of the Tema Shipyard received the announcement and welcomed governments decision, asserting that the move will enhance efficiency and increase governments revenue. Speaking to Citi Business News, an Accra based radio station, the Chief Director of the Ministry of Transport Twumasi Ankrah Selby said the board of the company will be notified this week. It was a cabinet decision and the letter from cabinet just got to us last Friday. Now that we have received the information from cabinet we are supposed to formally write to the GPHA to take the necessary action for the processes for the takeover. We are supposed to get to both institutions that fall within the sector, he said. Ankrah Selby stated that the leaders have communicated the process to be engaged in taking over the company to the members. As to the time frame, Im hoping that we just started the week maybe within this week we should be able to issue the letter to communicate the process of the takeover, he assured. It is expected that the Transport Minister, Hon. Fiifi Kwetey and his outfit will soon conclude the official transfer to the GPHA within the next few days. It would be recalled that workers of PSC Tema Shipyard and Dry Dock Company Limited (PSCT) earlier in May 2016 demanded the withdrawal of the Chief Executive Officer over allegations of mismanagement. At that time, Transport Minister Mr. Kwetey assured the workers he was going to take their concerns into consideration especially the termination of the appointment of their two colleagues. Source: citifmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs has petitioned President John Dramani Mahama to reverse the decision regarding the supposed transfer of the registrar of the house, Harry Anthony Attipoe. According to the chiefs, the registrar has been a key element behind the reduction of chieftaincy disputes in the region within the two years he has been in office. The petition, a copy of which is in possession of The New Crusading GUIDE and signed by 10 members of the house, including the President, Nene Abram Kabu Akuaku III, stated, We have known Mr. Attipoe for the past two years that he has worked with the house as a person with a rare determination to get things done right. By virtue of this unique capability, he is able to co-opt any person needed in ensuring the implement of plans and programmes of the house. An example at the moment is the workshop that the house is organizing on installation and destoolment of chiefs and queen mothers for traditional councils in the Greater Accra Region. The house directed the registrar to be the key resource person and the workshop has been of immense benefit to chieftaincy in the region and has reduced disputes drastically. They were of a strong belief that the transfer of the Registrar when taken effect, would seriously have a negative effect on the smooth execution of projects of the Regional House of Chiefs. "The Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs has not experienced any new chieftaincy dispute since he (Attipoe) took over the administration of the House", the Chiefs disclosed. The House of Chiefs suspect the move to ship the Registrar out of the Region is the brainchild of the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs. "Our investigations revealed that the Regional Minister; Honourable Joseph Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo installed a Mankralo at Teshie and tried to impose him on the Registrar for his name to be registered in the National Register of Chiefs and because he refused, the Regional Minister became offended and master minded the Registrar's transfer" The Chiefs told the President that they met the Regional Minister who accepted being behind the said transfer of the Registrar but promised to reverse it. However, the Minister reneged on his promise and it is creating tension at the Secretariat. The New Crusading GUIDE has learnt that most of the Chiefs have refused to attend sittings because if the impending controversial transfer. However, this paper has further learnt that the office of the President has halted the transfer for peace to prevail. Source: New Crusading Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Deputy Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing, Mr Samson Ahi, has called on Muslims in the country to use this month of fasting (Ramadan) to ask for God's favour for Ghana. Mr Ahi, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Sefwi-Bodi, said the country's impending elections require the collective prayers of all Ghanaians to make it trouble-free. The MP made the call when he, together with the District Chief Executive of Sefwi-Bodi, Mr Solom Fuachie, visited selected Muslim communities in his constituency to donate assorted food items to its leadership. The items included rice, sugar, Milo, coffee and mats worth thousands of Ghana Cedis. The leadership of the Muslims expressed their gratitude for the donation, and advised Ghanaians, especially the youth, not to allow themselves to be used as tools by any politician to foment trouble before, during and after the elections. Source: The Finder Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video As the world marks International Day for the elimination of sexual violence in conflict, the government has been called upon to continue to safeguard Ghana from conflicts and its associated negative consequences, which mostly affect women and children. Although Ghana has not experienced the magnitude of conflict and civil wars that have destroyed neighbouring countries, we are of the view that it is extremely important that we safeguard the peace and stability that the country is enjoying especially in this election year. Violence is not inevitable. It can be prevented, Hope for Future Generation (HFFG), an NGO has said. The UN General Assembly in June 2015, approved by consensus, a new resolution to commemorate June 19, every year as the International Day of the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict. The Day was set aside to boost effort in the global fight against the horrors faced by women and girls in zones of conflict worldwide. At a stakeholders forum in Accra on Monday, HFFG in collaboration with Palladium Group, the National Population Council (NPC) and the Society for Women in Law and Development met with other stakeholders to commemorate the Day and to discuss the issues of sexual and gender based violence in Ghana. Dr Daniel Dotse, Deputy Executive Director of HFFG, said in Ghana several cases of sexual violence have been reported by the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Police Service. He said a number of instances of sexual violence, some related to domestic violence, and others arising from temporal hot conflict zones have been documented as well. In 2014, 1,296 girls were defiled whilst recorded cases of rape increased from 290 in 2012 to 342 in 2014, according to DOVVSU. Additionally, one in five women in Ghana (19 per cent), aged 15- 49 has experienced sexual violence, while defilement continues to be on the rise, accounting for around 66 per cent of all sexual offences reported to DOVVSU. Therefore at this forum we will like to draw the attention of the government, chiefs, religious bodies and all in our society to the consequences of violence against women and children during conflicts all over the world, Dr Dotse said. He said his organisation would also continue to partner relevant organisations and donors to continue to empower women and girls to access services in sexual and reproductive health rights which is in line with the Sustainable Development Goal Six. Mr David Logan, Team Leader of the Ghana Adolescent Reproductive Health Project, Palladium Group said while women should be committed to the fight and prevention against sexual violence, boys and men need to be engaged in ending the menace. He also called on all partners to engage more boys and men as main perpetrators of sexual violence to educate them on the effects on victims and how that affects overall society. Ms Efua Turkson, Head of Research, Monitoring and Evaluation of National Population Council, said sexual violence continues to be perpetrated globally, especially, in conflict zones, and in Ghana, cases continue to be recorded. She said it is important that stakeholders intensify their awareness creation as well as empowerment of girls and women for them to be able to guard against abusers. Ms Deborah Kwablah, Behavioural Change Advisor of Palladium Group, called on the media to help educate the society about sexual violence as well as empowering girls to stand and defend themselves. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Flagbearer of the largest opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) Nana Akufo Addo took time off his busy schedule to pay a visit to President John Mahamas home to sympathize with him over the loss of his mother. Madam Abiba Nnaba, mother of the President, died Tuesday. She reportedly died at the SSNIT Hospital in Accra after a protracted ailment. In a Facebook post Nana Akufo Addo said: I was at the residence of President John Dramani Mahama today to mourn and express my deepest condolences to him on the death of his mother, Abiba Nnaba. May her soul rest in perfect peace. Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video An international relations and security expert, Irbard Ibrahim has called on a journalist with Accra Based radio Station Joy Fm, Manasseh Azure to apologize to President John Dramani Mahama. This follows a story broke by the media practitioner that has generated huge public outcry. The said story alleged President Mahama had received a Ford Expedition vehicle from a Burkinabe contractor. Djibril Kanazoe as a gift in 2012. This action, many say, amounts to conflict of interest and corruption. Insinuation was also cast that the Vehicle was to bribe the president for giving contracts to the said contractor. The communication minister, Dr. Omane Boamah has however responded to the story indicating the said vehicle was received by the president and per-conventions at the presidency, the vehicle has been added to the pool of state vehicles at the presidency. The inference of conflict of interest is therefore absolutely false and untenable, he said. The minority caucus in parliament jumped into the argument and stated their resolve to institute an impeachment procedure against the president. Speaking on Radio Golds current affairs programme, the political talking point however, Irbaard Ibrahim described the story as a desperate political move of retrospective vendetta. According to him, the expose was irrational and not a killer punch that can win anybody power. He called on Manasseh Awuni to as a matter of urgency apologize to the president. Cautioning the opposition to be guided in their utterances, Mr. Ibrahim called on them to structure an appealing message that can win the party votes from Ghanaians or risk suffering the worst defeat since 1992 in November. The opposition misfired on Komenda and is misfiring again, he added. Source: The Daily Democrat Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Some aggrieved members in the Manhyia North Constituency of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have accused their regional executives of deleting their names from the voters album which the party used for the last Saturday constituency executives elections. The members who won in the polling station executives re -elections which was characterised by several chaos, went to the voting centre last Saturday only to be told that their names were not in the newly- created album for the constituency. Instead, they claimed, others who lost during the polling station elections had their names and pictures in the album a situation they said can affect the NPP in the national elections if not checked. The Ashanti regional Chairman of the party Mr. Bernard Antwi Boasiako and his Deputy Regional Organiser Daniel Boateng were the most vilified as the aggrieved members pointed accusing fingers at them as the main architects of the incident. Consequently one Madam Ama Bozen of CS polling station cursed the executives. She could not understand why her party leaders were always on the heels of the Electoral Commission (EC) but could not show same when it came to internal elections. Some others also invoked the dreaded Antoa deity and other water deities in the Ashanti region to avenge the expulsion of their names from the album which has rendered them incapable to vote in their parliamentary primaries. Meanwhile the newly-elected executives have vowed to work hard to retain the seat and as well increase the presidential votes of the partys flag-bearer, Nana Addo Dankwa-Akufo Addo. The new executives are, Chairman- Mr. Kwaku Oppong, First Vice Chairman- Kwaku Amofa Sarpong, 2nd Vice Chairman- Ernest Kwaku Agyei and Secretary- Tony Ameyaw Gyamfi. The rest are, Dep. Secretary- Francis Anane, Organiser- Isaac Boakye, Treasurer- Fred Addae, Women Organiser- Mrs. Margaret Baawuah and Youth Organiser- Moro Awudu. Source: Today Newspaper Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The circle of advisors around Donald Trump has been broken. The strongest link in the chain, Corey Lewandowski, Trumps campaign manager, was fired on Monday after making his mark on this presidential run thanks to his aggressive approach and several incidents, including one that resulted in a journalist filing a lawsuit against him. Lewandowski had been fighting to maintain leadership within his camp since the arrival of a new heavyweight advisor, Paul Manafort. He may now be the man to take the reins. Paul Manafort on NBC's Meet the Press. William B. Plowman (Getty Images) More information La corte de Donald Trump It is very clear that Paul has taken control of this campaign, one Trump worker told New York Magazine several weeks ago. Another one said the tension at their Manhattan headquarters was like a civil war. Several staffers said they found out about Lewandowskis departure on the news. So far, everything fits in with what has become normal in this Republican campaign. Only one candidate could, after a major electoral victory, put the spotlight on a campaign manager who has been accused of assaulting a female reporter at an event. Trump is that candidate. Lewandowski and his defiant style were on display as he escorted his boss to the podium for a victory speech in Florida. Before working for Trump, Lewandowski had helped Charles and David Koch build up the conservative lobby Americans for Prosperity in New Hampshire, one of the most important states in the primaries. His $20,000 monthly compensation included an apartment in the Trump Tower in Manhattan. Politico has described Lewandowski as an intense, Red Bull-chugging operative [who] has been accused of bullying and other inappropriate behavior. Slate says Manafort made a career out of stealthily reinventing the worlds nastiest tyrants as noble defenders of freedom Lewandowski has confronted attendees at Trump campaign events. Michelle Fields, a journalist, filed a lawsuit against him for assault but the prosecutor has dropped the case. Besides organizing the campaign and making statements on behalf of his candidate, Lewandowski was in charge of the search for Trumps running mate. That task may fall to Manafort now. The experienced lobbyist was first hired to design the strategy for the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, and he worked directly under Trump. Manafort has advised candidates such as Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagans rival in 1976, and he is a well-known expert on Republican conventions. Manafort is a familiar name in Washington, where he runs an international lobby. Slate says he made a career out of stealthily reinventing the worlds nastiest tyrants as noble defenders of freedom. The magazine listed his previous work for political leaders such as deposed Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and Somali President Siad Barre in 1989. A lobbyist who worked for him during that period said in her autobiography that Manafort tried to apply a mercenary strategy in Washington in order to defend the interests of his foreign clients, including government officials in Kenya, Nigeria, Somalia and the Philippines. Sign up for our newsletter EL PAIS English Edition has launched a weekly newsletter. Sign up today to receive a selection of our best stories in your inbox every Saturday morning. For full details about how to subscribe, click here. The K Street lobbyist has ties to the Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush administrations. In 1992, the Center for Public Integrity featured his firm on its report The Torturers Lobby as one of the top five American companies representing the interests of dictators and foreign presidents accused of human rights violations. Lewandowskis departure may also put the campaigns political director, Michael Glassner, at risk. His former boss was the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin. After that fiasco, he became a Tea Party advisor and lobbied for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. He has worked for several Republican candidates over the last three decades, including George W. Bush in 2000. After Trump tapped him as his political director, Glassner said he was proud of the opportunity and described the Republican candidate as the very definition of the American success story. English version by Dyane Jean Francois. The Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, has chuckled at the opposition New Patriotic Partys (NPP) promise of establishing a factory each in all 216 districts of the country. According to him, soon the NPPs leader, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will assure the electorates of "husband or wife" when they secure him the presidency in the November 7 polls. The next we will hear from Nana Addo and Dr Bawumia [His running mate], they will tell every young man and woman in Ghana that they will give you a wife, and those who have a wife they will give you a second wife and those ladies who dont have husbands they will supply them with husbands. I dont understand them, he said. Nana Addos one district, one factory has been a serious issue for discussion - speaking in the Central Region as part of a 5-day tour of the region, the NPP flagbearer, said his government would establish a factory in each of the 216 districts as part of plans to industrialize the economy. But speaking on NEAT FMs morning show dubbed 'Ghana Montie', Murtala Mohammed opined that the NPP leader always trivializes Ghanas economic issues with future impossible promises. What Nana Addo said is extremely funny. How are they [NPP] going to do that? he questioned. He told host Kwesi Aboagye that - the local industries promised by the opposition leader would not be able to compete with importers when the government is trumpeting a promise to scrap duties on imports. I think sometimes in their desperation to make promises, they always forget that they have made certain statements in the past . . . if you want to make promises, you should be mindful that the promises wont contradict the very position you took in the past, he said. Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/ Twitter: @Washman5/ Instagram: Washman007 Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The National Youth Coordinator of the Progressive Peoples Party, Mr. Divine Nkrumah has described President Mahamas Government as the most feckless and irresponsible regime to ever manage the affairs of this country. He attributed the worsening economic condition to governments mismanagement of the economy and its lack of understanding of the situation in order to institute appropriate policies to solve the problem. He maintained that, Governments shallow managerial expertise and lack of foresight has plunged the country in to the abyss of hopelessness. According to him, only Dr. Papa Kwesi Ndoum has the appropriate solution to rescue Ghana from the mess created by Government, and therefore called on Ghanaians to vote massively for him. Mr. Nkrumah made this statement at the partys National Youth conference held on the 18th of June 2016 at Peki, in the Volta Region. The conference which was under the theme Winning election 2016, through youth participation was aimed at sensitizing and empowering the Youth in PPP to engage in vigorous campaign for the party to win election 2016. Speaking further, Mr. Nkrumah explained that, under the current NDC Government corruption has become a norm, and made reference to the $100, 000 Ford expedition car gift as a clear case of corruption. He said, President Mahama lacks political will to fight corruption and that explains why corruption is thriving under his administration. He posited that Let us place Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, President Mahama and Nana Akufo-Addo on the same continuum. All 3 aspiring Presidential candidates have been members of Parliament and Ministers of State but Dr. Nduom was the only one who was unanimously accepted and elected by the people as an Assembly Member which gives him a better appreciation of the need for grassroots democracy and development. Dr. Nduom has done more in the private sector on his own to create jobs and promote made-in-Ghana goods and services in a practical manner better than any of them. If what Ghana needs are solutions to the economic, private sector and energy challenges, he is better qualified by education and experience than what either Prez Mahama or Nana Akufo-Addo combined can deliver. He has made a personal commitment against corruption by making public his income tax returns and asset declarations. He is committed to using the best talent that Ghana has to ensure rapid development. Ghana would obviously be a better place in terms of offering employment opportunities under the Progressive Peoples Party; under a Demonstrable, Incorruptible and Experienced leader, Dr. Papa kwesi Nduom. He therefore urged the youth to vote him out and give the mantle to PPP for good governance. The conference featured National officers, Regional youth organizers, Zonal Progressive Youth Movement (PYM) coordinators, Constituency youth organizers, representatives from each PYM, democracy and development advocates among others. Addressing the conference, Director of policy of the Progressive Peoples Party, Kofi SiawAsamoahcalled on the youth to embark on ripsnorting campaign to ensure that the party wins the November 2016 general elections to save Ghanaians from the current economic hardship. He reiterated PPPs commitment to give Ghanaians quality education, good health care and incorruptible leadership. He appealed to Ghanaians to use the 2016 general elections to test the PPP. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A P&O mini tour bus has crashed into a local bus in Port Vila killing two Vanuatu locals and injuring twelve Aussie tourists. The Aussie tourists were passengers of P&O cruise Pacific Dawn, which sails from Brisbane. The tourists are being airlifted back to Brisbane or Noumea a P&O spokesperson said that out of the 12 injured, 10 were deemed significant enough to warrant ambulance evacuations. In terms of the Australian passengers, 12 had significant injuries and 10 of those were at a level where we thought it was best to arrange air ambulance evacuations to Noumea and to Brisbane. Its fair to say that the Australian passengers were receiving excellent care in Vanuatu, but this is a very big event for Port Vila, so we thought the best way to deal with the situation was it airlift our guests back to Noumea for specialist care there or back to Brisbane for specialist care. P&O stated that they have already made contact with all of the families of the passengers affected. Its unclear whether the Pacific Dawn boat will make the rest of its stops on the remaining few days of the 11-night cruise. Three people have already arrived in Noumea, and the others are being airlifted to Brisbane today. Source: ABC. Photo: Vanuatu Daily Post / Facebook. GOOD. The 64-year-old idjit who left a series of extremely racist comments on outgoing Senator Nova Peris Facebook page has just pleaded guilty. Chris Nelson, a chiropractor from the Central Coast of NSW and a former Liberal party member, was charged with using a carriage service to cause offence in May, after comments he left on Peris page including calling her a black cunt who should go back to the bush and suck on witchity (sic) grubs and yams were shared by Peris herself. Be easy to block & delete your comment Sir Chris Nelson but Ill leave it there to continue to show the ugly side of this country as I have always done! she replied to him, posting a screenshot of their conversation to Facebook with the caption: Racism It stops with me. Nelson had previously claimed to be the victim of a very horrible hacking attack, citing South Koreans as the possible ones behind these very targeted and specifically racist messages from his Facebook account, and walking out the defence only used by the most obtuse members of our society: Im definitely not a racist. Ive got friends who are Aboriginal and family who are Aboriginal. He arrived at Woy Woy court earlier this morning sporting a dark shirt, very dark glasses, and hopefully an overwhelming sense for the consequences of being a racist dickbag. NSW chiropractor Chris Nelson arrives at Woy Woy court charged after Facebook posts about senator Nova Peris. #9News pic.twitter.com/tQRvVBF6Q9 Nine News Sydney (@9NewsSyd) June 20, 2016 Photo: Getty / Mark Metcalfe; Twitter / @9NewsSyd. As the world continues to grieve the horrific Orlando massacre, the FBI and Justice Department has released full transcripts of phone conversations shooter Omar Mateen had with police during the three-hour rampage at Floridas Pulse nightclub that claimed the lives of 49 innocent people. There were a total of three calls between the homegrown terrorist and 911 dispatch, during which he spoke in Arabic and pledged his allegiance to Islamic State. The FBI originally released partially edited transcripts, omitting Mateens statements about acting in the name of God to avoid revictimising those who went through this horror, but backtracked after major backlash from top Republicans who demanded more transparency. RT if you agree ? The Obama admin should release the full, unredacted transcript of the #Orlando shooters 911 call. pic.twitter.com/DAebXksTb7 Paul Ryan (@SpeakerRyan) June 20, 2016 Explaining why they bowed to pressure to release the full transcript of the conversation, the FBI said the redaction had caused an unnecessary distraction from the hard work that the FBI and our law enforcement partners have been doing to investigate this heinous crime. As much of this information had been previously reported, we have re-issued the complete transcript to include these references in order to provide the highest level of transparency possible under the circumstances, a statement read. Unlike the first-released transcripts, the new transcripts name Mateen as the shooter, and in it, he says: My name is I pledge of allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi of the Islamic State. Below are the redacted transcripts of the calls exchange with the police dispatcher: Mateen then spoke three times with the Orlando Police Departments crisis-negotiation team. The FBI also released a timeline of the actions of police to rescue those still holed up inside Pulse. FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Ron Hopper said that, though no doubt in the public interest, the audio of the calls would remain under wraps out of respect to the victims and their grieving families. Yes the audio is compelling, but to expose that now would be excruciatingly painful to exploit in this way, he said, adding: While were not releasing the audio, what I can tell you is that while the killer made these murderous statements he did so in a chilling, calm, and deliberate manner. Source: FBI / The Atlantic. Photo: Facebook. US authorities are charging a man for allegedly taking a crack at assassinating presumptive Republican nominee and possible future Earth dictator Donald Trump. British would-be-assassin Michael Steven Sandford made a grab at a gun in the holster of a Las Vegas police officer who was working security at a Trump rally on Saturday. Briton who tried to grab a police officers gun at a Trump rally said he wanted to shoot the presidential candidatehttps://t.co/f5ObHNkEak RTE News (@rtenews) June 21, 2016 Sandford allegedly told a US agent that hed made the drive from California to Las Vegas expressly with the purpose of shooting and killing Trump, and that hed do it again if he was free. The perp had visited a gun range on June 17th and fired 20 rounds from a Glock 9mm, which was his first time ever firing a gun. Apparently he had tickets to fly to Phoenix, Arizona to go to another Trump rally that afternoon, I guess just in case things didnt go to plan but he still managed to give cops the slip. Sandford will face a preliminary hearing July 3rd. Photo: Twitter / @JustinJM1. Source: The Guardian. PEDESTRIAN.TV has partnered with 20th Century Fox to celebrate the release of Independence Day: Resurgence, in cinemas June 23. Original cast members Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman and Vivica A Fox, in addition to our home-grown Liam Hemsworth, are back to give our alien invaders a bit of a left-right-goodnight. The first instalment was the second biggest blockbuster of the 90s, so the sequel is bound to be decent AF. Stay up to date with Independence Day: Resurgences action by getting around it on Facebook HERE. The universe is BLOODY UGEEEEEEEE. Given this, its obviously only a matter of time before a smarter, more cunning species of life stumbles upon our blue marble to claim it as their own. THEYRE COMING, PEOPLE. WERE SCREWED. HALP. Dont worry, good people of the internet. Weve got just the thing to quell any fears you may have RN or, yknow, constantly. Adhere to the following tips n tricks on surviving an alien invasion and youll be right as bloody rain. BE BOY-SCOUT LEVEL PREPARED WITH A SURVIVAL KIT Whats the best way of being prepared for an alien invasion? With an emergency survival kit, obviously. Youll want to keep your kit in something thats easily transportable such as a couple of backpacks. It doesnt matter if theyre Louis Vuitton or an $8 one youve picked up from Kmart its your choice to remain fashurn AF during disaster periods if thats what youre all about. Just ensure your backpack can hold the weight of your emergency kit + keep together when youre inevitably running for your life. It should include enough non-perishable food / a litre of water for everyone in your household. Other things to include in the survival kit are: extra threads first aid kit torches can opener (for ya tinned goodies) a gas-burner or means to heat food emergency blankets paper maps of your area tent Theres a whole heap of other stuff you could include, so check out the Red Cross website (yes, were serious) HERE. PRETEND YOURE A HIPSTER VEGAN AND / OR ENVIRONMENTALIST Some hardcore conspirators believe that aliens truly will come in peace, or at least, mostly in peace. Their belief is that the aliens purpose wouldnt be to conqueror us per se, rather theyd be more interested in saving us from our gluttonous, greedy and wasteful selves. Bonafide alien expert Jim Moroney, in his book The Extraterrestrial Answer Book, says: Sustainable development will be the future of humanity Human beings are part of the environment and we have the potential to live in harmony with it with minimal impact. Living green, Moroney proposes, will bolster the likelihood of alien invaders allowing you to evolve with them to achieve a joint consciousness and a better planet. tfw you become 1 wid da alienz. RUN LIKE YOU DAMN-WELL MEAN IT So, the aliens have arrived. Are you going to sit on your butt and continue watching GoT? HELL NAH. Hopefully youre in semi-decent shape / hit the gym regularly cause youll be needing to hit the pavement five minutes ago. hot tip: be Goldblum-level shredded b4 attack. If the advanced beings thatve landed havent, or are yet, to let off an EMP (electro magnet pulse for the uninitiated) kinda situation that renders all technology useless, get yourself a tough car and put some distance between yourself / densely populated areas. While getting out of the thick of it is vital to your survival, STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM LONG, DESOLATE ROADS. ANOTHER PRO TIP: Stay the hell away from national monuments. Theorist believe that aliens go out of their way to destroy these sentimental structures (like The White House in Independence Day) to really get under humanitys skin. CBF getting stuck in the fall-out? Dont go near em. CONTINUE BEING A CLEVER COOKIE Hollywood has many a lesson to share re: alien invasions if you care to pay attention. While on the run, try to brush up on flicks (such as: The Revenant, The Day After Tomorrow, Prometheus, The Day the Earth Stood Still) that have an element of alien insight, how to survive in the wilderness and most importantly getting through an alien invasion. As you might have heard / seen / been extremely excited by, Independence Day is back with its second instalment, Independence Day: Resurgence. Check out the trailer below if youve missed it: In short: THE FLIPPIN ALIENS ARE BACK. Thankfully, however, so are original cast members Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman and Vivica A Fox backed by our boi Liam Hemsworth to show em what for. Given how decent the last one was, we reckon the sequel is another classic in the making. Be sure to check out Independence Day: Resurgence, in cinemas June 23, to continue your alien invasion education. Why? Cause theyre coming, people. THEYRE COMING. Keep up with all things Independence Day by getting amongst them on Facebook HERE. Photo: 21st Century Fox. La primera bailarina Amaya Iglesias, en Giselle. Roberto Koltun (El Nuevo Herald) Miami Dade County Auditorium was packed on Saturday night while outside subtropical storms battered the city. Wind, thunder, lightning, and a lot of water. It seemed like the world could end in the space of just 10 minutes. But then the sun came out. The function was a unique experience, as is the custom when the Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami delivers its end-of-spring performance. The company is part of the Miami Hispanic Arts Center and both work under the artistic direction of Pedro Pablo Pena, its founder and the man who has become an icon in Florida and throughout North America thanks to his policy of welcoming defecting Cuban dancers no matter how they get to him. Just a few weeks ago, three talented and very young soloists left their Canadian tour and entered the US The international press had been reporting that Amaya Rodriguez, the lead ballerina from the Cuban National Ballet, had defected. She crossed the Mexican border and entered the United States. Just a few weeks ago, three talented and very young soloists left their Canadian tour and entered the United States. The Cuban Adjustment Act allows any Cuban citizen who lands on American soil to apply for legal residence. In 2014, eight Cuban artists defected while on tour in Puerto Rico and 84 more have fled to the United States since 2015. This cannot be overlooked, Pena told this newspaper, even if they talk about embassies, trips required by protocol and economic improvements in high politics. None of that has reached ordinary people. Dancers, like the Cuban people, lack freedom, livelihoods and possibilities to grow. More information Triunfal presentacion en Miami de los bailarines cubanos disidentes The gala reached its climax when Amaya Rodriguez and Arionel Vargas took the stage to dance the second act in Giselle. Vargas was the lead dancer at the English National Ballet. He has replaced Carlos Guerra, the principal at Miami City Ballet, another dancer who crossed the US-Mexican border. Guerra suffered a severe shoulder injury during dress rehearsal just 12 hours before the show. Vargas, who had never worked with Rodriguez before and who also had his own parts to dance, took on the challenge. The public gave the pair a standing ovation. Hilarion was played by another Cuban native who defected in 2014. Jorge Oscar Sanchez now enjoys a brilliant career at the Washington Ballet. His has become a name to remember. Sign up to our newsletter EL PAIS English Edition has launched a weekly newsletter. Sign up today to receive a selection of our best stories in your inbox every Saturday morning. For full details about how to subscribe, click here. Two of the artists who crossed the Canadian border a few weeks ago, Masiel Alonso and Mayrel Martinez, danced Pas de Trois in Swan Lake with Ignacio Galindez, another dancer who defected in 2014. Galindez is a young man who has a lot say, a perfect dancers figure, a natural grace that announces itself before he takes the stage and that is his great strength, along with the virtuoso skill that young Cuban dancers are known for. Marizel Fumero was delicate and yet confident in her technique as she danced Pas de Deux in Romeo and Juliet with Vargas. Then she took on the role of Queen of Willis in Giselle where she danced with authority, firm footing and presence. Fumero was invited to dance in London in 2012 but she fled to the Milwaukee Ballet where she would be safe from deportation. Pena created a demanding program that highlighted the role of Russian masters such as Azari Plisetski in Cuban ballet as well as the teachings of the Puerto Rican choreographer Jose Pares and, especially, the great maestro Fernando Alonso. The young people must know, they must be told where they came from, what they have been taught and why they are able to draw applause and enthusiasm everywhere. It is not a supernatural miracle. It is the union of talent and work, in this case, of daring and determination to start over while you can. Some of the members of the Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami will attend the Ravello Festival in Italy on August 20 to deliver an unprecedented performance that will bring Cuban dancers from the island and abroad together for the first since the United States and Cuba renewed diplomatic relations in December 2014. English version by Dyane Jean Francois. SUBSCRIBERS OF UCOMS ALL TIME BEST OFFER TO ENJOY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan Google Ad Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox UCOMS SPECIAL OFFER OF THE UNLIMITED INTERNET IS NOW TERMLESS There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol Armenia and Azerbaijan to do so without delay An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan". UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022 Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully Google Ad The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces LEVEL UP ONLY FOR STUDENTS: UCOM OFFERS X2 AND X3 MORE INTERNET STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments Delegation by Nancy Pelosi Accompanied by Alen Simonyan Visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi Arrives in Yerevan Armenian Revytech, global technology leader SAP and financial services software specialist SAP Fioneer sign a cooperation agreement With 120 million drams donated by Mikael Vardanyan, the defenders of the homeland will be treated in a new building OSCE Chairman-in-Office and OSCE Secretary General call for immediate cessation of hostilities along Armenia-Azerbaijan border Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh USA Embassy Message for U.S. Citizens ANCA Issues National Call to Action to Stop Taxpayer Funding of Aliyevs Aggression Europe must stop Aliyev regime: N. Karapetyans speech at PACE session Speech by Member of RA NA Delegation to PACE during PACE Session Dear colleagues, Today the Racism has become a real enemy to struggle, and Europe should unify in order to prevent its further development. Any single person with its any single demonstration of racism should be stopped and punished. Once Europe has had a very sad experience of escalation of violence, and intolerance that had a name Nazi Regime. Unfortunately, here, in the Council of Europe, we still have member states with regimes, which use strong wording of intolerance, strong wording of racism towards ethnics, nationalities, other countries, distributing so called horror and shaking spears towards other countries. Yes, dear colleagues, No Hate, No Fear, but also No Lie, dont lie to Europe, we have many facts about destroying Armenian ancient cultural heritage by Azerbaijan! DONT LIE TO EUROPE! The strong affirmation of my activities is the latest report of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) on Azerbaijan. In Article 25 we read: An entire generation of Azerbaijanis has now grown up listening to constant rhetoric of Armenian aggression. According to a 2012 survey, 91% perceived Armenia as Azerbaijans greatest enemy. At the same place we can also find: According to other sources, there is a conflict-ridden domestic political discourse and Azerbaijans leadership, education system and media are very prolific in their denigration of Armenians. Political opponents are accused of having Armenian roots or of receiving funds from Armenian sources. And this is not all about this issue. There are many examples, that in school-program there are different tasks and games in which the topic deals with too much intolerance and hate speech towards Armenians. Schoolchildren are learned to have an enemy from a very early age. And the enemy is ARMENIANS. It is not a surprise for the Council of Europe, that ECRI in its report also mentions Ramil Safarov case, the case, which was a basis for the PACE report Doc. 13540 by Mr. Chope, Measures to prevent abusive use of the Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons. Just to remind, that Ramil Safarov, Azeri military officer, that killed his Armenian colleague at the NATO seminar, while Gurgen Margaryan was sleeping, and killed only for reason of being Armenian nationality. Shortly after Hungarian prison he had been transferred from Hungary to Azerbaijan in order to serve there a sentence of life imprisonment imposed by a Budapest court for the murder of an Armenian army officer in 2004. Moreover, Ramil Safarov was promoted to the rank of major, given a flat and the pay he had lost since his arrest in Hungary. This was a glorification action to so called hero Safarov by president Aliyev. In its press release, ECRI pointed out the risk that such action could cultivate a sense of impunity for the perpetrators of racist crimes of the most serious nature. And this is also not surprise for Azeri regime style at all. Just a month or more ago another murderer, another Azeri military officer, who beheaded Karabakh Defence Army soldier Qyaram Sloyan, had pictured with his head and spread it on the internet, again was glorified and awarded by president Aliyev. Such kind of racism begins from high rank officials; and let me cite a sentence from president Aliyevs speech: There are also forces that dont like us, dont like our achievements; they are our evil-wishers. They may be divided into several groups. First of all, it is our main enemies the world-spread Armenians and bribed and corrupted politicians that are under their lobby. And these are examples of racism and intolerance only against Armenians. I call on the Parliamentary Assembly to STOP Nazism, to STOP Racism and Intolerance, to STOP ALIYEV REGIME. Ed. Nalbandian: Meeting in St. Petersburg was quite effective: Armenpress The June 20 trilateral meeting between the Presidents of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan in St. Petersburg was the logical continuation of Vienna meeting, which ended by achieving important agreements, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian told the reporters after the meeting of the presidents. Armenpress reports the whole interview of the Minister: According to those agreements conditions must be created for the resumption of negotiations. The ministers of the Co-chair countries issued an announcement in Vienna that expressed the agreements and commitments the side assumed. First of all it was about the settlement through exclusively peaceful methods, as well as respect for the trilateral indefinite agreements of 1994-1995. The ministers of the Co-chair countries particularly stated its importance, as well as the creation of investigative mechanisms that will detect incidents both on Armenian-Azerbaijani border and Karabakh-Azerbaijan contact line. There were also talks about enlarging the capacities of the OSCE team, the Minister mentioned. Nalbandian reminded that after the Vienna meeting ministerial meetings took place in Brussels and Paris, where the representatives of the Co-chair countries introduced their proposals, which were mainly about creating investigative mechanisms and enlarging the team of OSCEs monitoring mission. The Armenian side collaborates with the Co-chairs over those two proposals. Unfortunately, we can document that Azerbaijan had not demonstrated a constructive stance until today, Nalbandian said, clarifying that Azerbaijan impeded adding the funding of OSCEs monitoring mission, but today once again it was reconfirmed that the group must be enlarged and it was mentioned also in the joint statement of the presidents. Anyway, the issue remains the same, to bring into life the mechanisms, as it is not the first time that theme is touched upon. The sides had agreed upon creating such mechanisms at least twice at presidential level in Sochi in 2011-2012. The results were the same, Azerbaijan tried to step back. Besides, in the period between the Vienna and St. Petersburg meetings Azerbaijan made different announcements that can hardly be called constructive, while yesterday Azerbaijan conducted large-scale military exercises with 25 thousand servicemen and heavy armaments yesterday, prior to the summit. I would not assess it as a constructive act, the Foreign Minister added. According to him, the meeting in St. Petersburg was quite effective. With some caution, but any way, I can say that it went on in a constructive atmosphere. The Presidents agreed that if there is some agreement over some specific issues, it will be possible to go on with the negotiation process towards the conflict settlement. This is also mentioned in the statement issued by the presidents. An agreement was reached to continue meetings at ministerial and presidential levels, and this entire process will go on in the sidelines of the OSCE Minsk Group format. It is not accidental that the Ambassadors of the Co-chairing countries were invited to participate in the final part of the meeting. In addition, the Armenian President held a separate meeting with the Co-chairs introducing our impressions over this summit, Edward Nalbandian concluded. FILE - In this Feb. 4, 2016, file photo, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., gives a 'thumbs-up' as he takes his seat at the head table for the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington. Hillary ClintonAos search for a running mate is moving into a more intense phase, according to several Democrats, as aides contact a pared down pool of candidates to ask for reams of personal information and set up interviews with the vetting team. Those on the shortlist include Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Kaine, and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) Taxi drivers to hold action after Popes visit (video) Drivers Protection League protests against Yandex company entering into taxi service market. The vehicles of all the local taxi drivers undergo mandatory licensing, which will not operate in case of foreign company. The League demands so that Yandex also undergo licensing. They are sure that the state has its interest in this issue, if it allows the foreign company to enter the field. If Yandex is allowed to enter Armenia, it means that bribe was taken for it. Nothing happens in our country without it, noted member of the League Poghos Oghlukyan. In reply to the question who had taken bribe, he noted that the Ministry of Transport and Communication. He highlighted that at present taxi drivers dont earn well, instead of that they make a number of payments. One day someone said that taxi driver earns AMD 25000 in a day. I dont know where that dream comes from. I think in that case even todays ministers will drive a taxi. Whether it is gg or Yandex, dear Government, first you should pay for all the harm you have done to us. How much money has been taken from the World Bank in order to remove medical examination, technical examination, for violating the law, said Chairman of the Drivers Protection League Tigran Hovhannisyan. Touching upon the foreign company, he noted, We are angry about monopolization of Yandex. It will lie to the people that it is 200 drams, then it will become 1000 drams. It wanted to buy gg, but gg refused, at present it is taking revenge by entering into market with low prices. The representatives of the Drivers Protection League together with taxi drivers are going to stage an action after Popes visit to Armenia. Emmet County plans road work, new signs with ARPA funding Bids will be going out this winter for a Camp Petosega Road project and new road signs throughout the county. Sharmazanov on arrest of Sefilyan: Who am I to rule out anything? (video) The NA Deputy Speaker, the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) spokesperson Eduard Sharmazanov doesnt want to give assessments connected with yesterdays arrest of the member of the Founding parliament Jirayr Sefilyan, though, at the same time he doesnt share the opinions that it is a political persecution. The law enforcement bodies have given the whole information, the investigative activities are underway, investigation isnt over yet, Mr Sefilyan has a lawyer, everything will be public. It isnt the issue to be commented by me, especially, taking into consideration political motives. I cannot see anything political here, said Eduard Sharmazanov during the meeting with journalists, adding that this issue is in the legal field and it is the monopoly of the law enforcement bodies to deal with this issue. We should understand that the political figures should not comment on everything. It is a legal issue and according to the RA Constitution the Judicial body operates independently from the Legislative and Executive bodies, so we should give a chance to the Judicial body to fulfill its obligation set by the Constitution, noted the NA Deputy Speaker. In reply to the remarks of journalists that, nevertheless, there are accusations against the authorities that it is a political persecution, Sharmazanov answered. I rule out that in ArmeniaI dont rule out, who am I to rule out anything or not, I am expressing my personal opinion that the times of the political persecutions remained in the past in Armenia. Touching upon the trilateral meeting of the Presidents in St. Petersburg, the HHK spokesperson said that it was constructive and effective meeting. The Armenian side didnt expect serious progress from that meeting, as all we had heard Ilham Aliyevs absurd statements made the day before, which I even dont want to stoop to that level and comment on them. We have another task today; it isnt ensuring progress, but excluding resumption of war on the Line of Contact. At least in todays situation the meeting in St. Petersburg solved that issue and no one can say what will happen in the future, noted Sharmazanov. The latter noted that the NKR has never been and can never be in Azerbaijans composition. He considers determination of the NKR status to be a priority, but not speaking about territorial concessions. In reply to the question whether the handshake of Serzh Sargsyan and Ilham Aliyev during the meeting means a resumption of negotiations, Sharmazanov answered. It depends on what you understand by saying negotiations. If you mean great progress, naturally, there is no great progress. Sharmazanov also summed up the activities of the session of the NA, highlighting especially the Electoral Code, consolidation on which, he says, was unprecedented in the history of Armenian parliamentarism. SUBSCRIBERS OF UCOMS ALL TIME BEST OFFER TO ENJOY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox UCOMS SPECIAL OFFER OF THE UNLIMITED INTERNET IS NOW TERMLESS There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol Armenia and Azerbaijan to do so without delay An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan". UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022 Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully Google Ad The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces LEVEL UP ONLY FOR STUDENTS: UCOM OFFERS X2 AND X3 MORE INTERNET STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments Delegation by Nancy Pelosi Accompanied by Alen Simonyan Visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi Arrives in Yerevan Armenian Revytech, global technology leader SAP and financial services software specialist SAP Fioneer sign a cooperation agreement With 120 million drams donated by Mikael Vardanyan, the defenders of the homeland will be treated in a new building OSCE Chairman-in-Office and OSCE Secretary General call for immediate cessation of hostilities along Armenia-Azerbaijan border Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh USA Embassy Message for U.S. Citizens ANCA Issues National Call to Action to Stop Taxpayer Funding of Aliyevs Aggression Ruben Hakobyan, I dont think that the authorities are terrified of Sefilyan (video) We shouldnt make Jirayr Sefilyan a hero, he is more like Herostratus. By such phenomena, if they see that they dont have other capabilities, they must register sensational phenomena and you, journalists, assist it, says the NA Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) faction Head Vahram Baghdasaryan. According to Vahram Baghdasaryan, the law enforcement officers prevented a serious crime. He is sure that the bases to arrest Jirayr Sefilyan are more than enough. At least, there is no political persecution against him. Jirayr Sefilyan has been arrested at least for already third time. But Vahram Baghdasaryan cannot say that he [Jirayr Sefilyan] is so dangerous that he should be expelled from the Homeland as a person, who is not considered the RA citizen. It means that he has committed crime for the third time, if he committed for the fourth time, he would have been arrested for the fourth time. The lawmaker can understand the fact that the people dont believe that Sefilyan is guilty. The people are always skeptical about any action at the beginning. Independent lawmaker Ruben Hakobyan wont say that again by arresting Sefilyan the authorities show that they are not going to become a little more democratic. Sefilyan, who is a good freedom fighter, has good biography, but on the other hand I dont think that he is the political figure the authorities are terrified of. Mr Hakobyan hints that the isolation of the hero of Artsakh freedom fight doesnt have to have inner political reasons. At present certain actions can take place inside Armenia, which have nothing to do with inner politics. Tony G Fires 1 Million Charity Prop Bet Offer To Fellow Politician June 20, 2016 Mo Nuwwarah Editor Antanas "Tony G" Guoga has never been afraid to put his money where his mouth is, and he looks to be doing that once again after offering a massive prop bet one which stands to benefit charity to a fellow European politician, Politico reported. The war of publicity stunts began with United Kingdom Independence Party leader Nigel Farage heading to a local bookmaker's shop and firing a 1,000 bet on "Brexit" the possibility of a British exit from the European Union. The issue of Brexit has become a hot button topic that's starkly divided the country. While Farage got 2.5-1 odds on his bet, polls in the linked story above from DailyMail.com show 52 percent of citizens currently supporting the "Leave" faction while 48 percent are supporting "Remain." Campaigns are heated, and a British Parliament member who supported Remain was even murdered by a Leave fanatic recently. Read all about Brexit here. Farage was reported to be "very confident" he would be back for a payout. Guoga, a Lithuanian Member of European Parliament, upped the ante with a prop bet of slightly bigger stakes. In a letter posted here, Guoga offered Farage a 1 million bet to benefit the charity that "the British people will do the right thing and vote to remain in the EU." "Want to go all-in?" Guoga wrote. "Let me know! Everyone's a winner because the money would go to charity!" Guoga calls himself a huge advocate for EU reform in the letter but says the Union needs Britain to stay rather than leaving Europe to Germany and France. The vote on the issue comes up Thursday, June 23. TonyBet is also taking action and is guaranteeing the best price on customers who bet on LEAVE (Brexit). UK spokesman Warren Lush said: We have taken a very firm view that we think Remain will win so we want to attract as much business on Leave as possible. It really is a no lose bet if you back Leave with us as there is money back up to 20 if it doesnt happen. Want to stay atop all the latest in the poker world? If so, make sure to get PokerNews updates on your social media outlets. Follow us on Twitter and find us on both Facebook and Google+! Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca (Photo: LASD) Former Los Angeles Sheriff Lee Baca has been diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer's disease, according to court documents filed Monday, reports the Los Angeles Daily News. The diagnosis was revealed less than a month before Baca's sentencing in federal court for lying to federal authorities investigating corruption in the sheriff's department. The 74-year-old Baca, who commanded the largest sheriff's department in the nation for 16 years before his abrupt retirement in 2014, also was known as a fitness buff who loved running. The court filing that revealed Baca's diagnosis, written by prosecutors, says the former sheriff's cognitive impairment is mild for now but that "his long-term prognosis is bleak." They're asking that Baca be sentenced to six months in prison, the maximum allowed under his plea agreement. The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that evidence found by police officers after illegal stops may be used in court if the officers conducted their searches after learning that the defendants had outstanding arrest warrants, reports the New York Times. Justice Clarence Thomas, writing for the majority in the 5-to-3 decision, said such searches do not violate the Fourth Amendment when the warrant is valid and unconnected to the conduct that prompted the stop. Justice Thomas's opinion drew a fiery dissent from Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who said that "it is no secret that people of color are disproportionate victims of this type of scrutiny." The case, Utah v. Strieff, No. 14-1373, arose from police surveillance of a house in South Salt Lake based on an anonymous tip of "narcotics activity" there. A police officer, Douglas Fackrell, stopped Edward Strieff after he had left the house based on what the state later conceded were insufficient grounds, making the stop unlawful. Officer Fackrell then ran a check and discovered a warrant for a minor traffic violation. He arrested Mr. Strieff, searched him and found a baggie containing methamphetamines and drug paraphernalia. The question for the justices was whether the drugs must be suppressed given the unlawful stop or whether they could be used as evidence given the arrest warrant. "Officer Fackrell was at most negligent," Justice Thomas wrote, adding that "there is no evidence that Officer Fackrell's illegal stop reflected flagrantly unlawful police misconduct." Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print In a series of votes, Senate Republicans enabled ISIS radicalized domestic terrorists by voting against amendments that would have made it difficult for suspected terrorists to buy guns. Before the votes, Sen. Chris Murphy told reporters from The Washington Post, Weve got to make this clear, constant case that Republicans have decided to sell weapons to ISIS. Thats what theyve decided to do. ISIS has decided that the assault weapon is the new airplane, and Republicans, in refusing to close the terror gap, refusing to pass bans on assault weapons, are allowing these weapons to get in the hands of potential lone-wolf attackers. Weve got to make this connection and make it in very stark terms. Senate Republicans blocked an amendment that would have required background checks at gun shows by a vote of 44-56. Republicans also blocked a Chuck Grassley bill to expand funding for background checks, and an amendment by Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) by a vote of 53-47 that would have required a court order to delay gun sales to people on the no-fly list for 72 hours. The Senate ended their terrorist enabling walk of shame by blocking an amendment from Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) that would have blocked gun sales to suspected terrorists who are on the no-fly list 47-53. Sen. Bernie Sanders called the Democratic proposals common sense, Frankly, these Democratic amendments are no-brainers. It is incomprehensible to me, and I believe to the vast majority of Americans, as to why Republicans would oppose them. Sen. Feinsteins and Sen. Murphys proposals are common sense. In light of the terrible tragedies that have taken place in Orlando and other cities, its not very hard to understand that terrorists or potential terrorists, criminals and the dangerously mentally ill should not have access to guns. We have got to do everything we can to stop guns from falling into the hands of people who should not have them. Common sense is something that in short supply with Republicans controlling the United States Senate. If Republicans end up losing their Senate majority in November, they can look back on this series of votes where they defied the will of a vast majority of the American people on common sense gun legislation. When push came to shove Senate Republicans sided with keeping it easy for terrorists to buy deadly weapons in the United States. Senate Republicans showed what they are all about by enabling potential domestic terrorists to buy deadly weapons. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell sided with ISIS against the American people. It didnt matter to Republicans when 20 children were gunned down at Sandy Hook Elementary. It didnt matter to Senate Republicans when 14 people were gunned down in a terrorist attack in San Bernardino, and it still doesnt matter to Republicans after 49 innocent Americans were murdered in a terrorist attack in Orlando, FL. It will never matter to these Senate Republicans that they are enabling domestic terrorism, which is why America must elect Senators who will put the safety of the American people over catering to the NRA by allowing gun sales to ISIS. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Joe Scarborough, a Trump cheerleader for most of the 2016 campaign, has had some sharp words for Donald Trump in recent days. Last week, he suggested that the presumptive GOP nominee was throwing the election and it was time for Republican leaders to stand up to him. On Mondays episode of Morning Joe, he went even further by calling Trumps campaign an embarrassment. Video: Scarborough said: [Trump] could be doing so much better. It is an embarrassment, every day, the embarrassment deepens because he just simply refuses to stop playing to the lowest common denominator. That lowest common denominator over the weekend got Donald Trump saying that people drinking alcohol in a nightclub at 2:00 a.m., should have guns strapped to their waists and firing those weapons. He said it, bullets, gunfight at the O.K. Corral gunfight at an Orlando nightclub at 2:00 a.m. when bullets are flying across not just there, hes suggesting that people take guns, strapped to their waists, to nightclubs. Something that even the NRA will not follow him down that dark rabbit hole. Scarborough is referring to Trumps insistence that if more of those killed at the Orlando nightclub were armed, then the situation would not have been as bad. Trump, of course, pretended he never said that with this tweet today: When I said that if, within the Orlando club, you had some people with guns, I was obviously talking about additional guards or employees Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 20, 2016 Last week, though, Trump said, If some of those great people that were in that club that night had guns strapped to their waste or strapped to their ankles and if bullets were going in the other directionyou would have had a situation, folks. We all know what the presumptive GOP nominee meant. Trump himself knows exactly what he meant. But this is what Trump does when he is backed into a corner about something he said in the past: pretend he never said it. Its the kind of behavior that has forced Scarborough to say things like this about Trump: Does Donald John Trump want to actually win? And all of the evidence, if you look at all of the objective evidence on what is required to win a presidential race he is going to turn the White House over to Hillary Clinton. Hes going to turn the United States Supreme Court over to Hillary Clinton And were making a warning today, or at least I am, because its going to be too late, soon. We were talking about this six weeks ago, before we skidded into the ditch adds badly as he has. He doesnt have that much time to clean things up. And it just keeps getting worse every day. The rest of us can only hope that too late comes sooner rather than later. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Donations from the National Rifle Association (NRA) are more important than saving American lives. At least thats what the Republican Party has increasingly shown since the nation was traumatized after 20 first graders were killed in Newtown, Connecticut. Just after that tragedy, they shamelessly killed any attempt to make gun laws in the United States a little bit smarter. Now, barely a week after another American massacre took the lives of 49 innocent people in Orlando, Senate Republicans collectively responded in a similar fashion: So what? In four Senate votes on Monday evening, the GOP-controlled Senate rejected even the most modest and common sense of proposals, including universal background checks, a ban on terror suspects from buying guns, and even a funding increase for the countrys screening system. Not only is all of this legislation supported by the vast majority of Americans (90 percent of the general public and 80 percent of gun owners), but it would also make it harder for the deranged to get their hands on a weapon. It would almost certainly save lives. But Republicans have long since stopped caring about rational policymaking when it comes to this issue. Its not about preventing bloodshed or implementing legislation that we know would have a positive impact. Instead, theyve decided that the benefits of NRA donations outweigh the downside of over 30,000 gun-related deaths per year in the United States. Theyd rather be re-elected than make sure more first-graders arent mowed down in their classrooms. The 56 spineless Republican senators who voted against the gun measures on Monday have received a combined total of $36 million from the National Rifle Association. And every dime of that money has been well-spent as they consistently stand in the way of any meaningful action being taken. We can argue about policy differences all day its what American democracy is about. But on the issue of guns, its time to stop pretending this has anything to do with substantive disagreement. Anyone who has ever tried having a sensible discussion with a gun fanatic understands that thoughtful debate is not an option. This is about one political party being under the tight grip of an organization that profits when more Americans are slaughtered. As a result, cowards in Congress continue to ensure that no legislation is passed that might help save lives. Theres no money in that, after all. We can and should be angry about the Republican Partys refusal to choose American lives over money from the gun lobby especially in the face of such endless violence. But the only way to change the outcome is to punish them this November. An earlier version of this article mistakenly said that the 56 senators who voted against Mondays gun measures received a combined total of $56 million from the NRA. The correct figure is $36 million. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print * The following is an opinion column by R Muse * Republicans love claiming America is exceptional, and absent their definition of exceptional, meaning a nation created for the wealthy, America is exceptional. Where America may be extraordinarily exceptional is its sick love affair with firearms and a political party intent on putting more guns in more Americans hands to sate the lust of one of their biggest donors the National Rifle Association. By now most Americans are aware that despite the deadly massacre in Orlando Florida that targeted members of the LGBT community, Senate Republicans blocked four basic and sensible gun safety laws on Monday. Now, one might say that it is typical of conservatives to block any and all gun safety measures and that would be a partially correct assumption. However, yesterday while Senate Republicans were doing their due diligence in service to the NRA and gun manufacturing lobby, both conservatives and liberals on the nations highest court took a different course. Maybe it was because some Americans, and people from around the world, are reeling over the deadliest mass shooting in history, the Supreme Court refused to hear a challenge to one states sane ban on semi-automatic rifles. The Connecticut law was enacted shortly after a maniac with an assault rifle slaughtered 20 little children and six of their teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The Connecticut law made it illegal to sell or possess assault-style weapons and the high court decided it would not weigh in and allow the law to stand. As Adam Liptak of the New York Times reported, The decision not to hear the caseis part of a trend in which the Justices have given at least tacit approval to gun-control laws in states and localities that choose to enact them. That decision not to hear the Connecticut case was not the only rare win for gun safety advocates. The Courts Justices also left in place legislation in New York that bans assault rifles making New York and Connecticut two of the seven states that outlaw weapons similar to the one used last week to massacre 49 American citizens celebrating at a gay nightclub. Obviously, no matter what any American says, it appears that as influential as the NRA is on conservatives, they have not reached the juncture where the Justices on the Supreme Court bend to their demands. Sadly, that is not the case with Republican politicians. The current Republican leader (not Wayne La Pierre) Donald Trump is the perfect example of a Republican who dutifully obeys the NRA chief La Pierre when it is politically expedient. To hear Trump today is like listening to La Pierre or Ted Nugent calling for more guns in America. But in 2000 in a book, The America We Deserve, Trump endorsed assault weapons ban and railed on the GOP for serving the NRA. Trump wrote, The Republicans walk the NRA line and refuse even limited restrictions. And, after the Sandy Hook massacre in 2012, Trump tweeted, President Obama spoke for me and every American in his remarks in #Newtown Connecticut. Remember, President Obama spoke for Trump with an emotional appeal to Republicans for sane gun safety regulations after 20 children were gunned down in cold blood, but since he is running as a Republican for the presidency, Trump is firmly in the NRAs camp and dutifully parroting their call for more, not fewer, guns. Now, it would be easy to say that conservatives in general, and Republicans in particular, are blocking any and all gun safety measures due to the will of the American people. That would explain why the unelected Justices, including the conservative Justices, rejected the NRAs appeal to strike down the Connecticut and New York ban on assault weapons, except that is just not the case. In fact, despite what Republicans are wont to claim, the will of the people is to enact, at least minimal, gun safety measures. According to a brand new poll from CNN, 92 percent of the American people support expanded background checks and 85 percent support prevent people on the FBIs terror watch list from buying guns at all. Republicans in Congress do not agree with the overwhelming majority of the people, including 83 percent of gun owners nationally, who support criminal background checks on all sales of firearms. Obviously no sane American believes selling assault weapons or any weapons for that matter, to suspected terrorists and that is why yesterdays Senate vote informs there are either very, very few sane Republicans in the upper chamber or there is another motivation to keep Americans reeling from bloodbaths. What is more apparent is that it is not the GOPs lack of sanity driving Americas gun proliferation, but the gun lobbys outsized spending and influence in the [Republican] Congress preventing gun safety measure enactment. As reported by Think Progress, the 56 Republicans who voted to allow terror suspects unrestricted access to assault weapons received more than $36 million in political campaign donations. It is not the Republicans devotion to more guns and bloody massacres that is the problem; it is, as usual, the money. It is really getting to the point that there isnt much to comment on about Republican devotion to the National Rifle Association. For dogs sake they have no respect or devotion to Americans and their safety regardless their claims that blocking gun safety laws protect Americans. One might even understand their failure to act after a maniacal anti-LGBT madman slaughtered 49 innocent Americans, what with the GOPs hatred of gays, but this adherence to doing the will of the NRA has persisted even after 20 innocent children were slaughtered and nine innocent African American churchgoers were massacred as they worshipped. There is little doubt there are at least one or two Republicans who are sincere when they offer their worthless prayers for the victims of gun violence; it is, after all, human to mourn the loss of innocent life. However, now that Republicans have once again blocked what any conscious American would consider common sense gun safety measures, it is obvious that their comments of condolence after each massacre are as phony and worthless as their prayers for the victims. Prayers and comments, by the way, that are likely suggested by the NRA to pacify the overwhelming majority of Americans, including gun owners, who want gun safety measures enacted. What is particularly telling is that even the conservatives on the Supreme Court did not think banning assault weapons is an abomination. But then again, the National Rifle Association is not paying the High Courts Justices to do their bidding like they are the Republicans in Congress. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Justice Merrick Garland was nominated by President Barack Obama in March of 2016 to replace Justice Scalia . Republicans have blocked Garlands nomination refusing to even vote on it. The man they are keeping off of the highest court in the land was described in a report published Monday by the American Bar Association thusly, Garland has no weaknesses. Indeed, He may be the perfect human being. In a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee (where Obama nominations go to wither away and die from Republican obstruction), Karol Corbin Walker, chair of the American Bar Associations (ABA) Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary, wrote that in their opinion, Garland has no weaknesses. He may be the perfect human being. The Standing Committee unanimously concluded that Judge Garland merits our highest rating and is Well Qualified for appointment to the Supreme Court of the United States. A well-qualified rating is the highest score the ABA Committee gives. Along with this highest rating, the report cited praise upon praise from various sources for Garland. Judge Garland is considered a model lawyer, judge and person, who should be emulated. Judge Garland is a man of the highest competence and the highest integrity, and his temperament is an admirable one for any judge. Garland is also known for his hard work and ethical conduct. He is beloved by both sides of the aisle. A smattering of feedback on Judge Garland from the bar report: Many describe Judge Garlands professional competence as brilliant, exceptional, and phenomenal. Some of the specific comments include: His analysis is always very thorough and he is known as someone who puts in long hours, typically about 10 hours a day. He is a perfectionist in his written work. Judge Garland is obviously brilliant but lacks arrogance and that is refreshing. He deserves a well-qualified rating. What makes him uniquely well qualified is that he has tried cases as both a prosecutor and as a defense attorney. It is an important qualification for service on the Supreme Court for an individual to have tried cases on both sides and to be comfortable dealing with the facts and the law from both perspectives. The fact that Judge Garland has tried real cases makes him unique. He writes thoroughly reasoned opinions whether you agree with them or not. Judge Garland is extremely well qualified. He will be a terrific justice, absolutely phenomenal. He is intelligent, thoughtful, open minded and cares passionately about the law. He always is the best prepared because he wants to get it right. He is unnaturally blessed with brilliance, things come to him quickly. He is an incredibly competent lawyer and is very professional and principled. He was trusted by everyone with whom he worked at Justice, for the quality of his intellect, for his ability to listen, for his collegial approach to decision-making, ultimately, for his superb judgment. He is always extremely well prepared. When he hears cases, he carefully goes through the briefs and the record and prints out portions of the law on which he must focus. You can tell he has gone through materials very carefully. He is very sharp and works hard to find consensus among the panel. He decides the case but does not decide more than is necessary to resolve the case. He is a very smart, talented and careful writer. He is an exceptional lawyer, outstanding jurist, and person whom I recommend highly that the ABA rank him as well qualified for a position on the US Supreme Court. I consider him to be an outstanding candidate for the U.S. Supreme Court. He also is a scholar who managed to have published in the Harvard Law Journal two articles in two years while he was working full-time. He is a good listener and is very measured in how he processes and reacts to information. I would rate him 5 Stars in each of the categories the ABA takes into account. Thats just a bit of the praise. Its really incredible to read the seemingly relentless positive remarks about Garland. Makes a person think, Whoa, definitely sounds like someone we should pay Republicans to keep off the bench! A non-partisan hack, a Jimmy Stewart/Mr. Rogers of the bench? No, no, wed rather wait for Donald Trump to nominate someone. This great man is being kept off of our highest court for no reason other than Republican Obama Derangement Syndrome. Republicans have no objection to Garland. They are simply destroying the balance of power by denying the executive office the power bestowed upon it for purely political reasons. But they made a bad gamble. This is now a political issue in the upcoming elections. Republicans hoped to use the empty seat as a get out the vote tactic. They made this decision as epic disaster Donald Trump was leading their party presidential nomination. This brilliant political strategy belongs to Senator Mitch McConnell (r-KY), who has been diligently working to shrink the GOP tent since President Obama got elected the first time. A brilliant, ethical, fair man is being kept off of the Supreme Court to serve the Republican political agenda. This is why we cant have nice things. The ABA has been conducting independent evaluations of the qualifications of nominees to the federal bench since 1953. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print A new poll shows Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) tied with his Democratic challenger as years of lies about President Obama may be finally catching up the Congressman from California. According to a poll done by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee: Democratic challenger Doug Applegate ties Republican incumbent Darrell Issa in a DCCC poll of likely general election voters conducted on June 15-16, 2016 in Californias 49th Congressional District. Each candidate receives 43% of the vote, with just 14% of voters undecided. In addition to consolidating 85% of the Democratic base, Applegate performs particularly well with Decline to State voters, leading Issa by 32 points among this critical voting bloc (51% to 19%, with 29% undecided). He also leads Hispanic/Latino voters, who make up nearly 16% of the district, by 26 points (56% to 30%, with 14% undecided). Republican Donald Trump is extremely unpopular in the district with a -26 net profile (34% favorable to 60% unfavorable) and poor performance in the presidential head-to-head. Democrat Hillary Clinton leads Trump by 3 points in this district (41% to 38%, with 21% undecided). It would be easy to blame Trump if Issa loses, but Rep. Issa is the poster child for the modern House Republican majority. Issas tenure as chairman of the House Oversight Committee was a complete disaster that featured show hearings and endless political witch hunts in an attempt to bring down President Obama. Issa wasted years on Republican conspiracy theory investigations into Benghazi, Fast and Furious, and the IRS. Issas antics were so extreme that he was tossed off of the House Oversight Committee and driven into exile by then Speaker John Boehner. Issa was so angry after Boehner denied him a seat on the House Benghazi Select Committee that he tried to sabotage his own partys big plans to get Hillary Clinton with the Benghazi investigation. Issa tried to crash one of the Select Committees depositions and was tossed out by security. Darrell Issa has spent years as the embodiment of the very worst of the Republican Party, at least until Trump came along, but now Democrats have a chance to send him packing. Trump has put Issas seat in play, but the California Congressmans years of lies and conspiracy theories have given Democrats a golden opportunity to kick Issa out of Congress. It's no joke. Goonie's Comedy Club, Rochester's only comedy club, is closing in July, along with the connected McGoon's Taxi Co. restaurant, according to Mark Klampe, one of the owners. Klampe said he and the other five owners have accepted an offer to sell the 98-year-old building at 7 Second St. SW. The sale to Rochester Ventures, which is led by Rochester developer and Realtor Paul Meier and contractor Todd Severson, is expected to close at the end of July. Klampe said it was a decision that the owners have been considering for some time. "Unfortunately, what it comes down to is what's best for everyone," he said. The last day for McGoon's will be July 2 and the final weekend of comedy at Goonie's will be July 7-8. Since McGoon's already will be closed, there will be no food service at the final comedy shows. ADVERTISEMENT The business, which has been open since 2005, has 22 employees. While there are no plans at this point, Klampe did say he would be open to considering launching another comedy club in Rochester, if the right project came along. McGoon's and Goonie's are known for being decorated with local memorabilia, many created by Klampe and his wife, Jasmine Klampe. Those items and some furnishings will be available for purchase from July 7 to July 9. The doors will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for shoppers. The kitchen equipment won't be sold, since it's part of the sale to Rochester Ventures. Meier said a restaurant is in the tentative plans. He and his partner are still working out the details on the project. They expect to have a more specific plan by the time the sale closes at the end of July. "We do know that the biggest thing we're going to do is to completely renovate the building," said Meier. The building dates from 1918 and originally was the Olmsted County Bank and Trust. It later became the Olmsted County Bank and Trust and remained a bank until 1965. After that, it was home to Tinklers Restaurant from the 1970s to 1989, the Clubhaus Brew Pub from 1995 to 1997, and O'Neill's Pizza Pub from 2000 to 2005. Lately, America has been in a heated debate over whether transgender people should be allowed to use the bathroom that matches their gender identity. The debate, while provoking heartfelt, accepting responses from some, allowed bigots to express their deepest frustrations, calling trans people "rapists" and "child molesters" and telling trans people to "pee in the bushes" instead of being allowed to use their bathroom of choice. The hate against LGBT people is still here. After the massacre in Orlando, how much progress has the LGBT rights movement actually made? It feels surreal, to know that last June, people were celebrating marriage equality, and that this June will be spent mourning 49 men and women who were killed, and 53 others who were wounded when a gunman opened fire in Pulse, a gay nightclub. Gay bars have historically been sanctuaries for LGBT people. The gunman invaded that safe space. I do not want to say the gunman's name, which would give him the attention he wants. Instead, let's remember the victims, many of whom were in their 20s. The vast majority were Latino. They all had their lives cut short. They died because America is a homophobic country. ADVERTISEMENT LGBT people of color are twice as likely to experience violence as white LGBT people.they were straight, and if Pulse wasn't known as a gay bar, the gunman would not have targeted them. This was a homophobic attack. To be shocked that in a country that just still allows people to be fired for being gay in 31 states could inspire a madman to violently target LGBT people would be naive. After all, Ted Cruz attended a conference hosted by Kevin Swanson, a pastor who calls for gays to be put to death. His statement offering his condolences felt hollow and tone deaf, when he should have realized he is complicit in a culture that allows people to believe they should kill LGBT people. Though acceptance of the LGBT community has increased greatly in recent years, politicians, celebrities, and regular people who embrace homophobic thought, or let it slide without saying anything, should take this as a wakeup call, that hate speech leads to hate crimes, that homophobia and transphobia very easily turn violent if left to simmer in the hearts and minds of people unchallenged. Attending a memorial for the victims Tuesday night, a woman pleaded with straight people to not just be her ally, but to be her "accomplice," to be an active ally who does not only change their Facebook profile picture to a rainbow flag, but one who calls out homophobia and transphobia and isn't afraid to lose friends over it. This is also an issue of gun control, as it is now obvious the gunman should have never been allowed to have a gun. Some have used this as an excuse to demonize Islam, though nothing is ever an excuse to demonize an entire religion. This tragedy cannot be discussed without bringing up homophobia and transphobia, and the only way to prevent another Orlando is to jettison ourselves of homophobia and transphobia, and to call out others when their actions and words are homophobic and transphobic. Orlando teaches us that words hurt, and words can lead to violence. If one believes that LGBT people deserve to live lives without violence, one will challenge homophobia and transphobia wherever and whenever it is encountered. During a recent visit to my hometown, New Orleans, I had the opportunity to visit with grandparents from both sides of my family. My maternal grandmother greeted me with open arms and a "Hola, mi reina!" To which I responded, "Hola mi Abuelita!" She is originally from La Ceiba, Honduras, and immigrated to the U.S. in 1951 for a better life. As I enter her house, I see the familiar large portrait of a young woman in her 30s, seated in front of a bright window with Mexican sunshine pouring through. The woman pictured is my grandmother, painted by her brother Manolo 50 years ago in Mexico. Abuelita's thick Spanish accent and house filled with the aromas of beans and rice makes me appreciate the culture that has been passed on to me. Sometimes when I visit, she pulls out one of my favorite recipes, Pan de Banano, written in Spanish, and she teaches me how to mash the bananas and measure out the sugar. She slips the bread into the oven and teases me in her native language, saying, "Hola camaron sin cola!" (Which translated means hello little shrimp without a tail.) My grandmother wants to make sure our culture is preserved, so we sit down on a Sunday afternoon and she tells me stories of her childhood in La Ceiba and her travels to Ecuador and Mexico. ADVERTISEMENT My grandfather, Abuelito, also came from La Ceiba and was one of eight children. He served in the Air Force after immigrating to America in 1950 and now works as an accountant and lives in Houston, Texas, where he transplanted after Hurricane Katrina. I also visited my paternal grandmother, who greeted me in her heavy southern accent, "Hi darlin'!" Her grandfather, Giavonne Perrone, was a tomato farmer and merchant, and originated from Palermo, Sicily. He came to suburban New Orleans with almost nothing and started a small general store and grew most of his own produce. My grandfather grew up in America during the Depression and served his country through the Army Reserve. His father, my great-grandfather, came from Mexico for a better life in America, joined the Marines, and fought in World War II. My paternal grandmother teaches me today how to make her famous sweet red sauce and pasta and baked macaroni casserole, while my dad recalls a time when Grandma Anne (Congetta Perrone) taught him how to plant tomatoes like her father did. "She had a fierce dedication to her family," my dad said. "She was unbelievable." As you can see, my family, like our country, is a melting pot of cultures from all over the world. This gives us an opportunity to learn about other backgrounds and gain respect for all heritages. It provides us with a new perspective of acceptance and tolerance. Through hearing my grandparents' stories, I understand and appreciate the importance of knowing where I came from. Through their hard work and dedication to their family, they found success in America and blazed the trail for their future grandchildren and great grandchildren. ADVERTISEMENT As you can see, everyone has a story, and mine does not begin with me. Rescue Me was the theme for the 22nd annual Pet Walk, a benefit for Paws and Claws Humane Society , on May 7. The event raised $20,000 for the shelter. "We rely heavily on events like this, as we do not get any government funding," said walk coordinator Jenna Martindale. "Money raised goes directly to the animals for food, veterinary care and to keep us open and running." Longtime volunteer and weekly guest on KTTC-TV's Pet of the Week, Char Carey, said the pet walk is the kickoff to Be Kind to Animals Week . "We need to think more about that," she said. "It's their world, too." She said she enjoys seeing shelter alumni return for the walk. ADVERTISEMENT "I love to see the animals with their people," Carey said. "It's nice to see the bond." Owners and their pets began arriving well before the 10 a.m. start time to register, shop the vendor booths and have keepsake photos taken. And just before the walk began, participants watched a demonstration by the Olmsted-Rochester Law Enforcement K-9 Foundation. Attendee Crystal Guysebrought her three children, Kellan, Aliviaand Tea, and their pug, Sadie, to the walk. She said they attend every year. "This is a fun place to hang out with other pet owners," she said. Amanda Taylorbrought her 3-year-old daughter, Charlotte, and their dog, Sam, whom they adopted from Paws and Claws in 2000. Charlotte donated $820 to the event. Attendee Wendy Cookbrought her parents' dog, Cody, a 12-year-old golden retriever, to the event. "He's a lover boy," she said. Cook said they really enjoy being out with the other dogs and supporting the shelter. They had their photo taken as a remembrance of the day. ADVERTISEMENT Maria Guicciardihas been a volunteer at Paws and Claws since 2009. She walks and socializes dogs and takes them to adoption events. She was walking with Echo, whom she described as an "energetic guy." Tom Pike, a 10-year volunteer, was walking Izzy, a dog from the shelter that was almost ready to be adopted. Pike said he and his wife have a dog named Starthey adopted from the shelter. "She's mellow, obeys well," Pike said. "My wife takes her to the nursing home." Carrie Iverson along with 5-year-old Willow and Denise Kosterwere with Paws Abilities Dog Training . Willow was demonstrating agility. "She barks through the course because she's happy," Iverson said. Koster said agility training is "great for active dogs that need a job to do. It exercises their body as well as their mind." Fundraising chairwoman Lindy Hankelbrought her golden retriever mix, Duncan, also a shelter alumnus, to the walk. "He is the best dog ever," Hankel said. "He knows me. He understands my every need." ADVERTISEMENT Hankel said she and Duncan visit a nursing home each week. "If I don't bring him," she said, "they all ask, 'Where's Duncan?'" According to its mission, the Paws and Claws Humane Society is committed to partnering with the community to shelter, protect and seek adoptive homes for abandoned or lost companion animals. For more information, visit pawsandclaws.org . Get up close to nature at Zumbro Valley Audubon Society's family-friendly summer programming. A different program is offered each month in June, July and August. The fun kicks off this Sunday with Damsels & Dragons. "What most people don't know is that damselflies and dragonflies are both fierce predators. Damselflies tend to pick their prey off vegetation, while dragonflies catch theirs in the air," said Joel Dunnette, ZVAS member. "They are absolute carnivores. They are eating somebody every day minnows, mosquitos, tadpoles." The program kicks off outside at the kiosk near Chester Woods Park's boat landing. Families will get a short introduction to the insects, by Dunnette, then head out on an insect hunt near the park's lake. "We'll give kids butterfly nets so they can get a good close look at the insects," said Dunnette, noting that there are typically 30 to 100 participants at the ZVAS summer programs. "The big thing is to come prepared for being outdoors, for the weather. There are opportunities for the kids to get into the water if they want to, so come prepared for that, too." ZVAS finishes up the summer with Bug Out in July and Tagging Monarch Butterflies in August. Both programs follow June's Damsels & Dragons format, starting with a kid-friendly introduction to that day's insects and ending with hands-on, in-the-field opportunities. ADVERTISEMENT "The Bug Out in July includes a lot of insects," Dunnette said. "In addition to damselflies and dragonflies, we'll also be looking for bees, flies, butterflies, ants, and aphids. I'm sure someone will even catch a hornet, but we'll deal with that when it happens. Summer in Minnesota is so biologically rich and the insect life at Chester Woods is so diverse. "Then in August we'll be at Quarry Hill Nature Center learning about the monarchs' migration to Mexico and have the opportunity to tag and release the butterflies," he said. All three programs are free of charge. The June and July programs require a Chester Woods day ($5) or annual ($25) pass. No registration required. A graduation party turned into an assault Saturday afternoon, officials said today. Rochester police were called at 4:50 p.m. to the 300 block of Fourth Avenue Northwest, where the party was being held. According to the report, the graduate had invited some guests who didn't get along with his 14-year-old brother. The group of four allegedly assaulted the brother, punching and kicking him, said Lt. Mike Sadauskis. The guests fled before officers arrived, but three of the suspects were arrested early today after a routine traffic stop near 18th Avenue Northwest and the frontage road of U.S. Highway 52. Fawaz Mohamed Abukar, 18, faces possible charges of third-degree assault and third-degree riot, Sadauskis said. The other two, a 17-year-old and a 14-year-old, face identical charges. The fourth suspect, a 19-year-old, has possibly left the state, the report says. ADVERTISEMENT The victim sustained serious facial injuries. Two more women were arrested Monday night for their roles in an assault Sunday at a Rochester park. Caitlin Demara Bodine, 25, of Rochester, and Brittney Lynn Hoffman, 26, of Pine Island, could be charged as early as today with first-degree aggravated robbery, fifth-degree assault and third-degree riot, said Lt. Mike Sadauskis. They were identified by the victim, an 18-year-old woman who was allegedly in a relationship with Bodine's boyfriend, Sadauskis said. Authorities immediately suspected the assault and robbery were pre-arranged, he said. The incident began shortly after 10 p.m. Sunday, when police were called to a local emergency department for a report of an armed robbery. The victim told officers two friends whom she identified as Luis Angel Aguilera and Briannah Michelle McKee, both 18 had picked her up earlier in the evening to drive her to a drug deal. The woman said she bought some marijuana, and the three drove to Slatterly Park to smoke it. ADVERTISEMENT As she sat in the car preparing the marijuana, Aguilera allegedly pulled a handgun and told the victim to get out of the vehicle. She refused, then saw three people including Bodine and Hoffman run up to the car. Though the victim was able to identify the suspects, "we obtained video of the incident taken by one of the players," Sadauskis said this morning. The man at the center of the dispute may be the fifth suspect, he said. The five suspects then pulled the victim out of the car and punched and kicked her, the report says. As the assault was underway, a man on a bicycle rode up and threatened to call the police, sending the suspects scattering. The victim called her mother, who picked her up and took her to the hospital. Aguilera and McKee were located in the 1600 block of Marion Road Southeast and arrested Sunday night. No firearm was located. The woman wasn't seriously injured. Dear Answer Man, what's the new construction between the Comfort Inn on West Circle Drive and McDonald's? It looks like they're shoehorning in yet another motel. You're correct. It's a $ 6 million hotel that may have two brands , Sleep Inn and MainStay Suites, under one roof. The developer, SD Rochester LLC,is based in Rapid City, S.D., and bought the land from the Kwik Trip empire on Jan. 15 for $1.45 million. The estimated market value of the land is $1.18 million, according to Olmsted County property tax records, and they're tardy in paying a small part of their $43,028 in property taxes. Construction is well underway on the three-story building at 2109 Commerce Drive NW, and yes, it's right next door to the Comfort Inn & Suites , which is owned by a Grand Forks, N.D., LLC, called Zumbro Hospitality.That hotel was built in 2014, and according to county records, the estimated market value of that property (land and building) is $2.63 million. The plot thickens As promised, I have more today on the Mystery of the Disappearing Statues , the Italian-carved marble statues of Washington and Lincoln that unceremoniously vanished decades ago , and no one seems to know exactly where they went. ADVERTISEMENT People have wondered about the fate of those Mayo-donated artworks ever since they disappeared. Tony Knauer,the city's transit and parking manager, sent a photo of a calendar printed by Schmidt Printing in 1965 that has an old photo of the statues, with the question, "Does anyone know what happened to these statues?" Some people think they were dumped in a gully and buried somewhere near the Rochester Family Y and Soldiers Field Park, while John Krueselsays he's also heard they may have been moved to an island in the pond below Mayowood Mansion. The P-B's Lens on History columnist, Lee Hilgendorf,has done more legwork on this and found a paper trail leading from City Hall to the Rochester Public Schools. According to his research, the Lincoln statue was knocked down by vandals on March 26, 1938, and vandals also damaged the Washington statue. The Lincoln statue may have gone into storage at that time. Then the trail goes cold, but Lee picks it up 16 years later, when the minutes from a Jan. 6, 1954, Park Board meeting say, "On a motion by Mr. Benson, seconded by Mr. Bremer, it was voted to offer the statues of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln to the Rochester Pubic Schools. Mr. Lampmanvolunteered to talk to the school board about this matter. Mr. Van Hookwas instructed to remove the fountain from Statuary Park and find a place for it." The statue of Washington was hauled out of the park on March 3, 1954. There are apparently pics in the Post-Bulletin documenting the move. As I've lamented before, when the full archives of the Post-Bulletin are digitized someday, it will be like Ali Baba's cave of wonders opening up. Did the schools accept that gift? Apparently so. The minutes from the Park Board meeting on May 19, 1954, say, "The secretary read a letter from the Rochester Pubic Schools in which they thanked the Board for the gift of the statues of Washington and Lincoln. The superintendent was instructed to get these statues out of storage." That's where I'll leave the story for today. As my loyal readers know, a reader told me last week that the city tried to give the statues to the Rochester school district for placement at Washington and Lincoln schools, but that may not have gone forward and that may be when they were dumped. Someone who's reading this column at this moment knows what happened to those statues. It's not too late to share. Body recovered from Douglas County lake ALEXANDRIA A body has been recovered from a Douglas County lake after family members found the victim's empty boat. Sheriff's officials say the victim failed to return from fishing at 5:30 p.m. Monday. Family members began searching Lake Andrew, found the boat and called 911. Authorities launched a ground, water and air search. The body was found about 10 p.m. on the eastern shore of the lake and was taken to the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office. Associated Press Police: DWI suspect attacks Edina officer, briefly flees ADVERTISEMENT EDINA Authorities say an Edina police officer is recovering from head injuries after she was beaten by a suspected drunken driver. Police say the officer pursued the 25-year-old Lakeville man early Sunday after he drove too close to her squad car and the vehicle she had pulled over on Highway 169 in Edina. The officer arrested the man when a preliminary breath test measured his blood alcohol content at 0.15 percent. Police say the man got one hand free from the handcuffs, attacked the officer when she opened the door after he said he was going to be sick, and fled the scene. Police found and arrested the man, who faces charges, including assault of a police officer and driving while intoxicated. The officer was treated and released at a hospital. Associated Press Jury acquits priest accused of molesting girls HIBBING A jury on Monday acquitted a Minnesota priest accused of molesting four girls. After closing arguments, jurors deliberated about two hours before finding Brian Lederer, 30, not guilty on all counts. ADVERTISEMENT Lederer was facing four counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct and two counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct, all felonies. He was arrested and charged in May 2015, and then placed on administrative leave by the Diocese of Duluth. The alleged incidents happened during the 2014-15 school year after hours at Assumption Catholic School in Hibbing. Prosecutors said another incident happened at a home and others occurred on a school bus. The four girls ranged in age from 10 to 13 at the time of the alleged incidents. Lederer, who was the lone witness for the defense, took the stand Friday to deny the allegations. He had no comment after his acquittal. The girls and their parents were not present when the verdict was read. Lederer still faces a felony charge of possession of pornographic work. He pleaded not guilty to that charge in November. Judge David E. Ackerson separated that charge from the criminal sexual conduct charges before the trial. Associated Press Hennepin County to create system of weather stations PLYMOUTH Hennepin County is set to create a network of weather monitoring stations that could become a statewide system. The county will build 10 stations and each will cost about $9,500, according to Emergency Management Director Eric Waage. "We're saving a lot of money through installing them ourselves," Waage said. "We have our own meteorologist who does the instrumentation. We're using recycled fencing material from county construction projects." ADVERTISEMENT The stations will have 30-foot towers loaded with sensors. They will be able to record lightning strikes, temperature, wind direction and wind speed. Dew point and solar radiation will also be recorded. According to Waage, each station includes a probe that goes into the ground to measure moisture content and soil temperature. Once the data is recorded, observations will be transmitted via cell signal to a server and published on a website. Waage said he hopes the system will one day cover most of central and southern Minnesota, with at least one monitoring station in each county. Waage said the stations would also be beneficial to farmers. Associated Press Bail set at $1.5 million for sect leader PINE CITY A judge set bail at $1.5 million Monday for a religious sect leader who's charged with sexually abusing girls at a secluded compound in rural Minnesota. Victor Barnard, 54, made his first state court appearance since his extradition from Brazil. U.S. marshals delivered him to the Pine County Jail on Saturday. Pine County prosecutors charged Barnard in April 2014 with 59 counts of criminal sexual conduct for allegedly having sexual relationships with two girls in his "Maidens Group" at his River Road Fellowship compound near Finlayson, about 90 miles north of Minneapolis. The U.S. Marshals Service put him on its most wanted fugitives list, and authorities finally caught up with him in a Brazilian resort town in February 2015. Brazilian authorities said he had arrived in Brazil in March 2012. Barnard looked haggard, thin and pale during the brief hearing as attorneys argued over the conditions of his bail. Pine County Attorney Reese Frederickson argued for bail as high as $7 million, saying he'd received reports that Barnard's remaining followers were liquidating assets to try to free him. He said Barnard remains a flight risk. But defense attorney Dave Risk said his client had already spent more than a year in prison in Brazil and had agreed to extradition. He said the prison stay "took quite a toll on him. . His health has diminished significantly as a result." Judge James Router set bail at $1.5 million with conditions including Barnard's having no contact with the two women he allegedly abused starting when they were girls, surrendering his passport and being monitored by GPS. Barnard could also go free with no conditions if he posts $3 million. According to the criminal complaint, the two women told investigators they were among about 10 girls and young women who were chosen to live apart from their families in what was called the Shepherd's Camp. One alleged Barnard started abusing her when she was 13, continuing until she was 22. The other said she was abused between ages 12 and 20. Investigators have said Barnard used religious coercion and intimidation to maintain his control over them. They've also said they believe Barnard abused other girls but were unable to get others to come forward. Most of the counts against Barnard carry maximum sentences of 30 years in prison. Associated Press The city of Rochester will explore in more detail a policy change that could incentivize affordable housing creation in the city with the help of a national expert in affordable housing issues. The Rochester City Council on Monday took action to hire a consultant firm, Grounded Solutions Network, to provide recommendations on an inclusionary housing policy. The firm has provided consultations to more than 50 U.S. cities and organizations, according to a proposal it submitted to the city April 15. Olmsted County housing staff and a representative of the Greater Minnesota Housing Fund in May met with the city council and advised the city would need to create about 4,500 units of affordable housing in the next five years to keep up with growing demand. Market rate housing creation has kept pace with demand in Rochester but the majority of units, about 89 percent, are above affordable housing standards, John Errigo, a syndication officer with the housing fund, said in a May meeting. About 60 percent of area renters are unable to afford market rate rent, Errigo said at the time. The city has considered an inclusionary housing policy to address these issues and at a Monday city council meeting, council member Michael Wojcik asked for a decision on whether to hire a consultant to assist city staff in researching and drafting a policy. ADVERTISEMENT "This is a very simple, low-cost step to educate ourselves and bring in an organization that has a tremendous amount of capability in this, has designed these programs all over the country, and more importantly, they're engaging with the key stakeholders here," Wojcik said. Two council members maintained their earlier skepticism at the proposal after hearing inclusionary housing policies had been implemented in other Minnesota cities and had since been removed. "I've seen several examples of cities where this policy has failed or is in trouble, but I haven't seen any success stories," council member Mark Hickey said. "So just at a cursory level there should be some success stories out there that we can review before we decide if we want to go forward and hire a consultant to start the implementation process." Council member Ed Hruska said the $30,000 contract could be a "slippery slope" toward future spending. Hruska was in favor of Olmsted County leading the effort for a housing policy, with cities opting to join later. Council member Sandra Means supported the city's effort with the hope it would lead to more housing options for residents of mixed incomes. That type of housing could be incentivized by an inclusionary policy. "My issue is the concentration of affordable housing," Means said. "We want a more integrated approach to living and at this point those options are not evident to me." The council voted 5-2, with Hickey and Hruska dissenting, to pursue a contract with Grounded Solutions Network. The consulting firm provided a scope of work to include: engagement of stakeholders like housing developers, advocates and neighborhood leaders; a financial feasibility analysis; discussion of policy design considerations with an advisory group; and development of initial recommendations; presentation of recommendations to the advisory group and stakeholders; revision of recommendations; and presentation of recommendations to the council. ADVERTISEMENT The work was valued at $30,000. If the city later decided to implement an inclusionary housing policy, Grounded Solutions Network would offer to consult with city staff on ordinance development at an added cost of $2,400. The consultant's work was projected to last six months, including ordinance development, according to the group's proposal. Grounded Solutions Network is a nonprofit formed from a merger of Cornerstone Partnership and the National Community Land Trust Network. NEW YORK Wherever you look in this nation born of a bloody revolution of musket fire, chances are there's sharp disagreement over firearms. Democrats war with Republicans, and small towns are against cities. Women and men are at odds, as are blacks and whites and old and young. North clashes with South, East with West. "The current gun debate is more polarized and sour than any time before in American history," said Adam Winkler, a constitutional law professor at UCLA and author of the 2011 book, "Gunfight: The Battle Over the Right to Bear Arms in America." ___ EDITOR'S NOTE This story is part of Divided America, AP's ongoing exploration of the economic, social and political divisions in American society. ADVERTISEMENT ___ In the midst of debate over the latest mass shooting, in Orlando, it's easy to imagine that guns have always divided us this way. But a close look at survey data over decades shows they haven't. There was a time, not that long ago, when most citizens favored banning handguns, the chief gun lobbyists supported firearm restrictions, and courts hadn't yet interpreted the Second Amendment as guaranteeing a personal right to bear arms for self-defense at home. Today, in a country of hundreds of millions of guns, public opinion and interpretation of the law have shifted so much that outright gun bans are unthinkable. It's true that large segments of the public have expressed support for some aspects of gun regulation but when Americans have been asked to say which is more important, gun control or gun rights, they trend toward the latter. That shift has come, perhaps surprisingly, as fewer Americans today choose to keep a gun in their home. The General Social Survey, a massive study undertaken by NORC at the University of Chicago since 1972 and one of the foremost authorities on gun ownership, found 31 percent of households had guns in 2014. That was down from a high of 50.4 percent in 1977. "Institutions have repeated, 'More guns, less crime. More guns, less crime,' over and over again for almost 40 years, and it's hard to turn that belief around in any easy way," said Joan Burbick, an emeritus professor at Washington State University who wrote "Gun Show Nation: Gun Culture and American Democracy" and who owns a gun for hobby shooting. Among the longest-existing measures of public gun sentiment is a Gallup poll question asking whether there should be a law banning handguns except by police and other authorized people. When it was first asked, in July 1959, 60 percent of respondents approved of such a measure. By last October, only 27 percent agreed. ADVERTISEMENT Many point to a single date as crucial in the societal shift: May 21, 1977, when the National Rifle Association held its annual meeting at a convention hall in Cincinnati. "That was the moment, in one evening, when the gun debate in America radically changed," said Winkler. The turmoil of the country in the 1960s and 1970s roiled institutions of all kinds, the NRA included. The organization had fought gun laws in the past, but also had come to accept some, including the Gun Control Act of 1968. As the next decade wore on and the NRA entered its second century, it faced an identity crisis: Was it a coalition of sportsmen, or a political powerhouse? Leaders were set on the former, drawing up plans to move its headquarters from Washington to Colorado and to retreat from politics. Some of its most fiery members disagreed, staging a revolt that night that stretched into the next morning, and remade the group's leadership. Plans for a westward move were scuttled, and a rightward move politically was sealed. The gun lobby's increasingly powerful voice found receptive ears among a public that witnessed the country's civil rights battles, assassinations of beloved leaders and growing lawlessness in cities. Over time, statehouses and Congress bowed to the influence of the NRA and its allies. And in 2008, the U.S. Supreme Court finally declared Americans have the right to a gun for self-defense. "What they (gun rights advocates) did is a classic example of how you make constitutional change: They realized they needed to win in the court of public opinion before you could win in the court of law," said Michael Waldman, president of the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University and author of "The Second Amendment: A Biography." Pew Research Center data provides a sketch of what the gun-owning populace looks like today: 74 percent of gun owners are men and 82 percent are white. ADVERTISEMENT Those in rural areas are more than twice as likely as urbanites to own a gun. Ownership rates in the Northeast are lower than in the rest of the country. Gun owners are far more likely to identify with or lean toward the Republican Party. Data from GSS shows gun owners are more likely to have higher incomes and to vote. Taken together, this is a description of a motivated and politically potent group. But their clout sometimes obscures a simple fact: Though polarization appears in broad questions on gun rights, far more consensus emerges on individual proposals. A Pew poll released in August showed 85 percent of people support background checks for purchases at gun shows and in private sales; 79 percent support laws to prevent the mentally ill from buying guns; 70 percent approve of a federal database to track gun sales; and 57 percent favor a ban on assault weapons. "The fact is it's not divisive. The things that we're advocating in the American public, when you're talking about keeping guns out of dangerous hands, we all agree. We all agree on the solutions," said Dan Gross, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, and whose brother was severely hurt in a shooting. "The only place where this is truly a controversial issue is, tragically and disgracefully, in Congress and in our statehouses across the country." In the wake of the Orlando shooting that claimed 49 lives, Democrats mounted a 15-hour filibuster in the U.S. Senate to try to break a stalemate on a gun bill just as attempts to revive legislation have followed other recent mass shootings, though with little effect. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, a moderate Republican, likened it to "Groundhog Day," while Sen. Bill Nelson, a Democrat from Florida, said he couldn't see how even the NRA could object to a bill such as the one being considered, to keep those on a terrorist watch list from purchasing guns. There is little expectation that the Democratic bill will pass. "They are accustomed to getting their way around here," Nelson said of the NRA. The NRA did not respond to an interview request. Gross sees signs for hope for gun control supporters. Social media, he said, has helped get out a message that his side, for years, struggled to spread against the deep pockets of the gun lobby. The Democratic presidential primary, in which Hillary Clinton made gun control a flagship issue in differentiating herself from Bernie Sanders, showed it's not an untouchable political issue. And changing national demographics could further bolster the case of those who favor gun restrictions, because minorities are comprising a larger share of the populace and are less likely to own guns. Still, this debate remains one of the most toxic in America. Winkler, the UCLA professor, knows divisiveness. He worked on the defense teams of O.J. Simpson and Michael Jackson. His research has prompted impassioned debates on issues from free speech to campaign finance. "Nothing has ever come close to the level of vitriol I have seen with guns," he said. "Both sides feel that life and death is at stake." The fear expressed by many gun owners that the government seeks to confiscate their weapons harkens back to the time of the Constitution's framers. When James Madison first proposed the right to bear arms, Waldman said, it was specifically seen as a right for gun ownership in the service of militias, which were seen as a bulwark against the possible tyranny and risk of overreach from a central government. That rationale for gun ownership still exists among many today. "People were worrying about overreach from Washington when it was George Washington and not Washington, D.C.," Waldman said. ___ Sedensky can be reached at msedensky@ap.org or https://twitter.com/sedensky ___ Associated Press data reporters Larry Fenn and Angeliki Kastanis contributed to this report. New concepts for parking requirements in downtown Rochester could reduce the overall need for parking spaces by as much as 35 percent, city transportation experts said Monday. Rochester-Olmsted Planning Department staff proposed a parking overlay district for the Destination Medical Center Development Plan boundary area. The plan includes adding new minimum and maximum parking requirements for downtown developments based on a concept of "shared parking." Parking standards traditionally have relied on factors such as size and intensity of use commercial, residential and other uses to determine a development's needed number of parking spaces, said Charlie Reiter, principal transportation planner for Rochester-Olmsted Planning Department. Shared parking, described in the DMC Development Plan , looks at each use of a mixed-use development on an hourly scale; for example, residential parking spaces are most needed overnight, while commercial spaces are needed during business hours. "Typically, we will find that it probably will be somewhere between 20 to 35 percent overall less parking needed to meet the parking demand through the shared approach," Reiter said. ADVERTISEMENT The proposed DMC district parking overlay district could be an interim strategy to move the city toward the transportation goals envisioned in the DMC plan, said Mitzi Baker, Rochester-Olmsted Planning Department executive director. "There are questions about what are we doing now, what can we do in the near term, to address parking and other transportation issues," Baker said. "We think that a pathway for us to move forward on something we can do fairly quickly is to establish a parking overlay zoning district within the DMC Development Plan boundary to help us address some of the strategic issues we have around parking and around travel management," Baker said. The staff members presented the proposed parking policies in a Rochester City Council committee of the whole meeting Monday. Council members did not receive the proposal beforehand and were briefed at the meeting. Their reactions were mostly positive. Council member Mark Hickey said the proposed parking district "had a lot of promise," but he asked the staff to provide examples of other cities that had implemented similar policies and to show what effects the changes produced. Planning department staff agreed to bring back examples while continuing to work on draft policy language. A more detailed proposal could come forward next month. Winona State University announced a new graduate certificate program to help with the region's mental health needs. Winona State University was awarded a $75,000 grant to create graduate certificate program for an initial cohort of advanced practice registered nurses in psychiatric mental health beginning in summer 2017. The grant, through HealthForce Minnesota will create a Psychiatric Mental Health Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Collaborative to address mental health needs of communities throughout the state. "As with all our education programs, we be working closely with practicing mental health professionals throughout Minnesota to make sure our graduates are prepared to help address this critical area of need," said Bill McBreen, dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at WSU. The one-year, full-time program is for nurses with graduate degrees in nursing and want to be prepared as advanced practice prescribers, according to a press release from WSU. ADVERTISEMENT HealthForce Minnesota is a member of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and is a collaborative partnership to increase the diversity of the healthcare workforce. The program will provide a MnSCU option for preparing additional qualified mental health primary care providers. Interested clinical providers of psychiatric mental health care (PMH), experts in provision of graduate PMH nursing education, and community leaders in diverse communities concerned about mental health care are invited to contact Meiers at smeiers@winona.edu for an initial meeting being scheduled for June 2016. In Orlando, Fla., 49 people were killed and 53 people were critically injured, and in Congress there is another moment of silence. Again, there is no action to ban civilian use of a military-style assault weapon designed to efficiently kill people. My preference would be to limit all guns to the two-shot capacity, which should be sufficient for any sporting activity, but weapons of mass destruction should be regulated to the status of machine guns and limited to military and law enforcement use. David Rockne Zumbrota During his recent visit to Rochester, Gov. Mark Dayton recognized the importance of Rochester projects that didn't receive funding. He called on legislators to return to St. Paul to finish their work. I know my senator, Carla Nelson, wants to. But she can't until the governor announces a special session. He is the only one with the power to do so. As session ended, legislators had bipartisan agreement on funding for roads and bridges and important bonding projects, including the Rochester International Airport and the Rochester Reading Center. It was only derailed due to a last-minute amendment. It shouldn't be difficult to go back and finish, and there is universal support to fix the drafting error in the tax relief bill. Gov. Dayton can, and should, call a special session. Legislators must also fix the process that produces end-of-session chaos. There is no excuse to not to give the public and legislators time to read and review final agreements. ADVERTISEMENT Sen. Nelson attempted to address this problem. She sponsored a rule change to create a new legislative deadline requiring all bills to be finished a week prior to the end of session. This will add much-needed transparency and restore public faith in the process, and it should be at the top of legislators' to-do lists. Christian Holter Rochester Sahara Group, an energy and infrastructure conglomerate, has donated N120 million for the acquisition of Mobile Cancer Centres (MCC) to boost Nigerias effort to combat the deadly disease. The MCC is a clinic on wheels with state-of-the-art facilities for screening, follow-up and treatment, including surgeries for pre-cancer and early cancer cases. The centres would also offer screening services for 10 cancer-related killer diseases, including hepatitis, diabetes, and malaria, among others. Executive Director and Co-Founder of Sahara Group, Tonye Cole, said the ultimate goal of the project was to help in improving life expectancy in Nigeria where at least 100,000 cancer cases occur annually. Sahara Group made the donation when Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, and Patron of #GivingTuesday hosted stakeholders committed to tackling the cancer scourge across the nation through the supply of MCCs. The #GivingTuesday initiative was started by the United Nations Foundation in 2012 to drive philanthropy globally through private and public sector collaboration. The leaders of many nations, including Presidents and Governors have become patrons of the philanthropic movement, whose activities in Nigeria are powered by Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP-Nigeria) co-promoted by six core bodies of the Organized Private Sector (OPS Nigeria). Mr. Cole said Sahara Group was delighted to be part of the initiative, which he described as crucial to the success of addressing the cancer scourge sustainably. Through the interventions we continue to make via the vehicle of Sahara Foundation, we remain even more convinced that it is possible to address socio-economic and health challenges globally when willing stakeholders pool resources together, Mr. Cole said. He said the Group was passionate about sharing and giving to causes in line with its focus on Education & Capacity Building, Health, Environment and Sustainable Community Development, to transform lives, communities, businesses and nations. Nothing gives us more joy than touching lives since we started bringing energy to live as Sahara 20 years ago, Mr. Cole stated. He said already, Sahara Foundation hopes to adopt the extrapreneurship strategy to drive integrated economic empowerment programmes for 12 million beneficiaries over the next four years through skills acquisition training, mentoring and access to a network of committed stakeholders. The extrapreneurship framework is to produce a platform that finds, creates and connects young people with business interests in emerging markets. Over the years, Sahara has supported several cancer programmes within and outside Nigeria to raise awareness and reduce the stigma associated with cancer. Mr. Cole explained that the aim of the campaign was to enlighten the public about the disease, detect it at the early stage and promote long-term survival rates. The programmes, he said, were implemented through awareness walks, educative sessions, free screening for men and women and the provision of treatment for an agreed number of positive cases. Some of Sahara Foundations cancer awareness programmes include annual Sponsorship of Prostate Cancer Surgeries, Lagos. Prostate cancer, which occurs in a mans prostate, is one of the most common types of cancer found in men and more predominant among men of the black race and the risk of contracting increases as one advance in age. To reduce the preventable loss of lives from the scourge, Sahara Foundation supports the Thomas John Prostate Foundation annually to provide treatment of those suffering from prostate cancer. This has benefited nine men till date, Mr Cole said. A recent study by the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF), has identified Gambia as one of Africas top destinations for child sex tourism. It said on Tuesday in Banjul that poverty, corruption and weak law enforcement, has undermined the governments efforts to protect children from abuse. It noted that hundreds of girls and boys are sexually exploited in the country, where every second person lives on little more than a dollar a day. UNICEF accused some parents of trusting tourists for financial assistance, while the study revealed that others turn a blind eye to the sexual exploitation of their children to earn extra income. Sheriff Manneh, an officer with the Tourism Security Unit in Banjul, which was formed specifically to focus on curbing sex tourism, confirmed that in West Africa, Gambia remained the main destination for child sex tourism. He noted that yearly more than 150,000 people visit Gambia which is only a short flight from Europe. Most tourists come from Britain, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands and Germany. Omar Jarjue, a tour guide in Kololi, disclosed that many tourists are coming for only that reason, to have sex with children. We see it happening every day. It has become a normal thing. As child sex tourism is more and more heavily policed in Asian countries like Thailand and Cambodia, lesser known destinations like Gambia are gaining in popularity, he said. The Child Protection Alliance (CPA), an umbrella body of about 40 local non-profit organisations, opened up that sex tourists bluntly offer poverty-stricken parents money for their children. It said others befriend children who sell food and drinks on beaches. CPA said government has stepped in and reformed several laws to curb child sex tourism. It said that a Sexual Offences Act and a Responsible Tourism Policy are meant to protect children. It said that in 2014, the National Assembly signed off on a special tribunal to hand down hefty fines and stiff sentences to sex offenders. CAP said awareness programmes have been launched to educate hotel staff, community leaders, teachers and police officers. Hotels are now prohibited from allowing adults to take minors to their rooms. We check the identity documents of all visitors to determine their age, explains Sillah Darboe, a receptionist at the Bungalow Beach Hotel in Kololi. If staffs dont follow the rules, they are suspended or fired, he says. CPA National Coordinator, Njundu Drammeh, said that the alliance has formed dozens of watchdog groups, which monitor beaches, restaurants and bars in holiday towns and report cases of child sex tourism to the authorities. He lamented that corruption and weak law enforcement create stumbling blocks in the fight against child sex tourism. Drammeh identified prosecution as the major challenge to success, while sex tourists find ever new ways to circumvent the law. He said instead of the tourists to stay in the big hotels, they now stay in small motels or in privately rented out accommodation, he said. Drammeh said that part of the problem is also that government needs to carefully balance the fight against child sex tourism with the need to promote the Gambia as a thought-after tourism destination. Tourism makes up roughly 15 per cent of the countrys gross domestic product (GDP) and supports more than 80,000 jobs in the small nation of less than 2 million people. A Gambian single mother recalled that a tourist offered to pay for Sirreh, her daughters school fees and buy her clothes. He came to our house, took my daughter out for walks and he gave us a lot of money. I thought it was a kind-hearted, charitable act from a well-off European. Only much later, weeks after the man had returned to Europe, did Sirreh dare to tell her mother that he had sexually abused her. I destroyed my own daughter, all because of poverty, cries Sanneh, with tears rolling down her cheeks, she said. The woman said that every dollar spent by holiday makers and business people is important to keep the nation afloat, tempting law enforcement officers to look the other way. (dpa/NAN) The International Criminal Court has sentenced a former Congolese Vice President, Jean-Pierre Bemba, to 18 years imprisonment for war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Central African Republic. Mr. Bemba was found guilty by the Hague-based court in March of killings, mass rape and looting when he was the supreme commander of the Movement for the Liberation of Congo (MLC) in 2002-2003. He is the highest-ranking politician to have been sentenced by the court to date. Mr. Bemba is expected to appeal the judgment. Reacting to the ruling, Mr. Bembas brother Jean-Jacques told newsmen that it was painful. It really hurts; it is painful for those close to him, he said. He said an appeal against the ruling was a double-edged sword as it could lead to a longer sentence. We feel small in relation to the international judiciary, we feel impotent, Mr. Jean-Jacques Bemba said. The former vice president, who was arrested in Belgium in 2008, pleaded not guilty when his ICC trial opened in November 2010. Prosecutors had asked for at least 25 years in prison. Time spent in detention while awaiting trial would be deducted from the sentence. (NAN) Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, on Monday revived a controversy surrounding the role played by Aisha, President Muhammadu Buharis wife, in the messy bribery scandal involving U.S. Congressman, Williams Jefferson. Mr. Fayose distributed a link to the U.S. Department of Justice Web site holding court documents where Mrs. Buhari was alleged to have transferred suspicious funds to a convicted former American congressman, Williams Jefferson. In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, Mr. Fayose said President Buhari was far from being a clean man. Even the President cannot claim to be an angel, the governor said, in reaction to the freezing of his Zenith Bank account by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. The estate he built in Abuja is known to us. His wife was indicted over the Halliburton Scandal (sic). When that American, Jefferson, was being sentenced, the Presidents wife was mentioned as having wired $170,000 to Jefferson. Her name was on page 25 of the sentencing of Jefferson. We can serialize the judgment for people to see and read. The governors Special Assistant on New Media, Lere Olayinka, later circulated links to and copies of the court document detailing Mrs Buharis mention in the scandal. The documents showed that in some of the exhibits tendered in convicting Mr. Jefferson of bribery, a Mrs. Buhari was mentioned as transferring $170,000 to the American politician using a firm as proxy. Government Exhibits 36-87 (6/26/02 $170,000 wire transfer from account in Nigeria in the name of Aisha Buhari to an account in the name of The ANJ Group, LLC, identifying William Jefferson as Beneficiary), the U.S. Government Sentencing Memorandum said on page 22. Mrs. Buhari could not be reached for comments. And Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, declined comments, saying he would need to check the documents himself before issuing an official statement. Mr. Fayoses comment sparked a recollection of how Mr. Jefferson, between 2000 and 2005, used his position as member of the U.S. House of Representatives to offer illegal services to private companies for cash rewards. Mr. Jefferson and his family, according to U.S. authorities, received about $367,500 through through his firm, ANJ Group, for services rendered to iGate, an American broadband technology provider. An indigenous firm, Netlink Digital Television, had signed a joint venture with iGate to set up digital satellite TV and broadband Internet services in the country. NDTV was owned by Oyewole Fasawe, a PDP chieftain at the time. Mr. Jefferson was contracted to help promote iGate and NDTV partnership in Nigeria. Following a lengthy trial, Mr. Jefferson was convicted in 2009 and sentenced to 13 years in prison. Although Mr. Fasawe was arrested in 2005 by the EFCC, he was never convicted. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar were also said to be a person of interest in the allegations. A report released by the EFCC on June 22, 2006 about the bribery scandal indicated that the commission investigated accounts held by Mrs. Buhari, including one she had with Citizens Bank. A 2007 New York Times article detailed how Mrs. Buhari told an acquaintance in Washington that she was a daughter of a former Nigerian head of state and a friend of Mr. Jefferson. As the pair struck up a conversation and subsequently became friends, Mr. Assiba, then a security guard, said she told him that her father was the former military ruler of Nigeria, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, and that her American friends included politicians like Mr. Jefferson of Louisiana. The Nigerian Senate has summoned the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, to explain the basis for the forgery charges pressed against the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu. The resolution to summon Mr. Malami followed a motion by Dino Melaye who said on Tuesday that there is impending threat to democracy and that the executive arm of government plans to enthrone one man rule. The senate wants the AGF to explain and justify his action with evidence and why it does constitute gross abuse of his office. Six senators spoke in total support of the motion, saying it is time to defend democracy. The government accuses Messrs. Saraki and Ekweremadu of falsifying the Senate Rules used in electing Mr. Saraki as senate president in June 2015. The controversial election took place against the wish of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, which Mr. Saraki belongs to. The senators said Tuesday the Standing Rules used for the elections of their presiding officers were not forged. Speaking after the motion had passed, Mr. Ekweremadu said, those who are using their office to persecute others should remember no condition is permanent. Details later. Nigerias Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, has directed the chief medical directors and medical director of federal tertiary hospitals to fill the vacancies created by resident doctors who have abandoned their training programme by refusing to report for work. The directive was contained in a circular signed by the permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Amina Shamaki, and sent to medical directors of hospitals. It has come to the notice of the Management of the Ministry that some Resident Doctors in your establishment have voluntarily withdrawn from the Residency Training Program by refusing to report for training without authorization. Public Service Rule, PSR 030402 (e) is relevant. This is in spite of the ongoing negotiations on their demands put forward by the representatives of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) under the auspices of the Nigerian Medical Association. In view of this development, you are hereby directed to replace all the doctors that have withdrawn their services, with others from the pool of applicants for the training programs in the various disciplines in order not to create ominous gap in training with attendant disruption of health care delivery in your facility. Meanwhile, the ministry is working with the panel on the review of the Residency Training Program in Nigeria, led by Professor Wole Atoyebi, the Registrar of the National Postgraduate Medical College, to fast-track the development of a comprehensive blueprint for postgraduate training of doctors in the country. Please, ensure immediate compliance, the circular read. More details later. The Niger Delta Avengers, a militant group that has claimed responsibility for several attacks on oil and gas installations across Nigerias delta states, on Tuesday, restated its position that it had not entered into any ceasefire agreement with the Nigerian government. The NDA High Command never remember (sic) having any agreement on ceasefire with the Nigeria Government, the group said on its Twitter page in the afternoon. Avengers, alongside other militant groups, was purported to have entered into an agreement with the government. This is the second time the group, which has vowed to reduce Nigerias production level to zero, would be denying truce with the government. On June 8, the group tweeted that, This is to the general public, were not negotiating with any committee. If the federal government is discussing wth any group, theyre doing that on their own. The Avengers has, however, said it would welcome a genuine deliberation with the government if it includes reputable and independent foreign mediators. Earlier this month, the government announced a unilateral ceasefire and ordered combat troops deployed to the restive region to rout out the militants to stand down. The Senate, on Tuesday, summoned the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami to explain and justify with evidence the basis for the criminal charges of conspiracy and forgery against its presiding officers, Bukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu. The resolution of the Senate, after an executive session that held for close to two hours, followed a motion by Dino Melaye (APC-Kogi West). The federal government is accusing Messrs. Saraki and Ekweremadu as well as a former clerk to the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa, and his deputy, Benedict Efeturi, of forging the Senate Rules used for the election of the presiding officers June 9, last year. On Sunday, the Senate, in a statement through its spokesperson, Aliyu Sabi, said the Buhari administration was bent on forcing a leadership change in the Senate by, first, muzzling the legislature and criminalizing legislative processes. This was reiterated by Mr. Melaye on Tuesday, in his presentation, when he alleged that the forgery suit amounted to grand design to silence the National Assembly by the Buhari Administration and enthrone one man rule. He warned of impending danger to democracy, noting alleged defiant decision of Mr. Malami in disregard of Federal High Court ruling which he said had upheld the right of the Senate to regulate its internal affairs. He said all the Senators were given the Standing Rules used for the June 9, 2015 election two days earlier and on June 10, 2015, the Senate passed votes and proceedings of the previous day. By passing the votes and proceedings, Mr. Melaye said that meant the standing rules had been endorsed by the senators as valid and authentic. Our Rule is not fake, he said. While creating crimes where there is none, Mr. Melaye said the Buhari Administration was not paying attention to myriad of problems facing the country. He said the same allegedly forged rules had been used for the screening of ministers, including the AGF, and for treating presidential communications, and for the passage of the 2016 budget. In his contribution, Albert Bassey (PDP-Akwa Ibom) said power comes from God. The emergence of Bukola Saraki is a reflection of the reasoning of the majority. Its time to rise in defence of democracy. Peter Nwaoboshi (PDP-Delta State) said he was not sent to legislate by fear or be controlled by Executive. We never did that, adding that there is an attempt to strangulate the legislature. Enough is enough, said Chukwuka Utazi (PDP-Enugu State). Why should the internal affairs of the senate be worry of somebody outside? Isa Misau (APC-Bauchi Central) queried the process of the police investigation and the eventual prosecution. Mr. Misau, a retired police officer, said the police had to invite both complainant and those against whom complaint is made before approaching court. I am sacred for Nigeria and the president. AGF is being sponsored by other group somewhere, he said. Theres is calculated attempt to derail this democracy. The interference we are getting is to bring down image of the president. Many things are happening. We must on the stand on the path of justice and truth. Kabir Gobir (Sokoto East) also said, I totally and 100 per cent support this motion. He continued, We should be allowed to choose our own leaders. If anybody is against what we did on June 9, thats his own problem. The following day we approved the votes and proceeding which means we agreed with what we did. In its resolutions, the Senate summoned Mr. Malami to justify the court action against its leaders, and if his action does not amount to gross abuse of office. It also resolved that its Standing Rules was not fake or forged. In his remarks after the resolutions were passed, Mr. Ekweremadu said, I wont say much because I am also involved. But let me say those who are using their offices to persecute others should remember no condition is permanent. The South West leadership of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) on Tuesday met with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, requesting his intervention in the lingering crisis between the workers and governors of the six states of the region over unpaid salaries. The meeting, which lasted over an hour, held behind closed doors at Mr. Obasanjos residence in Abeokuta, Ogun State. The unions delegation led by the South West Coordinator of TUC, Olubunmi Fajobi. Speaking with reporters after the meeting, Mr. Fajobi said the labour leaders decided to seek the intervention of the former president over the matter since they were convinced he was the only person that commanded greater respect of the governors involved. He said some of issues the congress tabled before Mr. Obasanjo during the meeting included the continued non-payment of workers salaries running into about 13 months, unremitted contributory pensions deductions running to 19 months as well as the unremitted cooperative deductions from the workers salaries covering the same period, among others. The labour leader, who doubles as the chairman of the Ogun State Chapter of the Congress, emphasised that the meeting became necessary considering that Mr. Obasanjo weathered similar storms and was in best position to intervene on the matter. As labour leaders, we are particularly disturbed about the issue of unpaid salaries in our states and we believe the sweat of our workers must not be allowed in vain. We know that Obasanjo has the ears of these governors, he said. That is why we are seeking his assistance to intervene in the matter. Mr. Fajobi, however, disagreed with the some of the governors who vowed to invoke the no work no pay rule against the workers who have remained on strike over the crisis, saying such move would be against the rules of fair play in labour engagement. An order of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Jabi, trying a case of alleged forgery between the Federal Government and the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and three other alleged conspirators, has been served by substituted means. The court order was pasted on the notice board of the National Assembly, Tuesday evening. Joined with Mr. Saraki as accused are his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, former Clerk to the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasu, and his deputy, Benedict Efeturi. In the suit, with reference number CV/219/16, the four are charged for conspiracy and forgery of Senate Standing Rules used for the elections of Messrs Saraki and Ekweremadu last June 9. Justice Haliru Yusuf, Tuesday morning, had granted the leave to the Federal Government, represented by a Principal State Counsel, D.E Kaswe, to serve the accused by substituted means to wit; by pasting it (originating summons) at the Notice Board of the National Assembly, Three Arms Zone, Abuja. The initial inability of Federal Government to serve the accused, thereby preventing their appearances, stopped their arraignment today, Tuesday. Subsequently, Mr. Yusuf fixed June 27 for the arraignment of the four accused persons. At its session Tuesday, the Senate passed a resolution declaring that the Standing Rules was not fake. The Senate, following a motion by Dino Melaye, said it should be accorded the right to handle its internal affairs. It also resolved to summon the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, to, within two days, explain and justify with evidence the basis for the charges pressed against its presiding officers, Messrs. Saraki and Ekweremadu. The Senate accused the Buhari Administration of plotting to force leadership change in the National Assembly by muzzling the legislature and criminalising legislative processes. The late Justice Niki Tobi was a solid defender of human rights and the rule of law, according to human rights lawyer, Femi Falana. Mr. Tobi, a former Justice of Nigerias Supreme Court, died last Thursday. He was 75. Mr. Falana described the late judge as one of the finest minds to have been on the Supreme Court. He had become a professor of law before he was elevated to the high court bench, said Mr. Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. His intellectual background added value to the several verdicts of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. Notwithstanding the complexity of a case he was always quick to appreciate and identify the issues for determination. Justice Tobis language was colourful and flowery. In Mojekwu v. Mojekwu, Justice Tobi invoked the CEDAW to uphold the equality of women and men. In Mrs. Mary Okonkwo v. ACB the late jurist held that it was illegal and unconstitutional to arrest and detain a mother in lieu of her son However his lordship went too far in sticking to rules of procedure and legal technicalities. For instance, in Madike v The State, the Court of Appeal admitted the appellant to post conviction bail but Justice Tobi demurred and wrote a minority judgment wherein he upheld the continued detention of the appellant under decree 2 of 1984 .In his leading judgment in the case of Buhari v Yaradua, Justice Tobi upheld the validity of the 2007 presidential election on the ground of substantial compliance even though the ballot papers used for the election were not serialized. Notwithstanding some of his controversial judgments, the Nigerian judiciary will certainly miss the erudite Justice Niki Tobi who was a consistent defender of rule of law even under a military dictatorship that ruled with absolute powers. Also, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State said Mr. Tobis death was not only shocking but painful given his pedigree, capacity and contributions to the development of the law profession in Nigeria. In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Charles Aniagwu, Mr. Okowa said: Justice Nikki Tobi was a man of many parts who excelled wherever he found himself leaving behind trails of credibility and integrity. I am shocked and pained by this death. A man of humility, credibility and high integrity has passed on. Governor Okowa noted that late Justice Tobi was a pride to the Ijaw nation and Delta State, saying he made the country proud through his contributions to the development of law practice in Nigeria. Justice Tobi excelled in two difficult worlds. He was excellent in the academic world as a lecturer and became a reference point in the legal world. On behalf of the government and people of Delta State, I commiserate with the Niki Tobi family, the Ijaw nation and Nigerians on the demise of the erudite teacher and jurist Justice Niki Tobi. The Director General of the PDP Governors Forum, Osaro Onaiwu, has resigned. Mr. Onaiwu, in a letter to the chairman of the Forum and governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko, said his decision was to allow him pursue other endeavours. Mr. Onaiwu was an aspirant on the platform of the PDP but failed to participate in the party primaries that held on Monday in Benin City. The primaries produced Osagie Ize-Iyamu as its flag-bearer for the September 10 governorship poll. Mr. Onaiwus resignation letter reads: Unto every time there is a season, and in line with this Biblical truth, I wish to inform His Excellency of my resignation, effective June 21, 2016 as the Director General of the PDP Governors Forum. I am persuaded to call it quits in order to pursue my future endeavour in other capacity. During my years as DG of the Forum, I am consoled by the fact that my loyalty, competence and service was at no time in doubt, therefore will be leaving with gratitude. I wish to thank His Excellency and all his brother governors, present and former, for their support during my term as DG and wish the Forum the best. I profoundly thank His Excellency, Dr. Bukola Saraki, President of the Senate, who gave me the initial opportunity at the Nigeria Governors Forum, as well as their excellencies, former Governor Jonah Jang and Godswill Akpabio, who led the NGF and PDP Governors Forum at different times for their support and confidence. A source close to Mr. Onaiwu hinted that he might pick the nomination form of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA, on Tuesday in Abuja, to enable him run for governor on the partys platform. The Lagos State Government and the City of Dubai on Monday entered into a partnership that authorities say will see Lagos emerge as the first Smart City in Africa. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the Lagos Smart City was signed at the Emirate Towers, Dubai, by the Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Adeniji Kazeem and the Chief Executive Officer of Smart City Dubai LLC, Jabber Bin Hafez. The signing of the MOU was witnessed by the Chairman of Dubai Holdings, Ahmad Bin Byat who is also the Deputy Prime Minister and the Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode. A Smart City is a growing concept that draws from the success of Dubais innovative knowledge-based industry clusters to empower business growth for companies and knowledge workers all over the world. Governor Ambode in a statement signed on Tuesday by the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Steve Ayorinde, said the Smart City (Lagos) was expected to bring multi-billion dollars investments to the State, create thousands of jobs and transform the Ibeju-Lekki axis in particular and the entire Lagos State in general. This is a deliberate attempt by us to establish a strong convergence between technology, economic development and governance. The MOU is between Lagos State Government and Dubai Holdings, LLC, owners of Smart City (Dubai) to develop a sustainable, smart, globally connected knowledge-based communities that drive knowledge economy, Governor Ambode said. The Governor stated that the collaboration was part of the larger vision to make Lagos safer, cleaner and more prosperous. He said: A Smart-City Lagos will be the pride of all Lagosians just as we have Smart City Dubai, Smart-City Malta and Smart-City Kochi (India). We are encouraged by the fact that we do not, as a government, need to develop at a slow pace, but take full advantage of the digital age and fast track development of Lagos to a real megalopolis that we can all be proud of. The future is ours to take. It also marks the first smart city in Africa when completed. The Governor added that apart from creating jobs for the people, the project would also become the worlds first carbon neutral city. Lagos, he said, will become an important centre for innovation in smart technologies, wellness and destination for green tourism. Earlier in his remarks, the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Bin Byat said the Dubai authorities were impressed with the conduct and readiness of the Lagos State Government and were eager to proceed with the state government and the Smart City Lagos project. The management of the Obafemi Awolowo University has threatened to withhold salaries of workers who are on strike. The staff had started a strike action on June 6, in protest of what they considered the imposition of a Vice Chancellor on the institution. A directive containing the threat by the management was signed by the Registrar of the school, Dotun Awoyemi, and dated June 20. The university has viewed with grave concern the continued absence of some members of staff of SSANU and NASU and allied institutions from their duty post with the declaration of trade dispute since June 7, 2016, it read. The University Administration hereby directs all such members of staff to immediately report to their respective duty posts; otherwise the University Administration may not be in able to guarantee the payment of June 2016 salaries to this categories of workers. But the workers, who are also in court to challenge the appointment, have intensified their protest against non-payment of allowances and the alleged imposition of a vice-chancellor despite the threat by the universitys authorities. On Tuesday, the protesting workers appeared in red and black dresses, playing anti-oppression songs, and vowing to stop the new VC from resuming office on Friday. The workers went on strike when the Universitys Governing Council announced Prof. Ayobami Salam as the new Vice chancellor. Though the counsel to the university denied the appointment of a new VC at the Osun State High Court hearing last Friday afternoon, the Governing Council on Saturday officially announced Mr. Salami. The announcement made on the universitys website read: The Governing Council, at its Special meeting held on June 6, 2016, considered the report of the Joint Council and Senate Selection Board for the appointment of a new Vice-Chancellor for the University and decided to appoint Professor Ayobami Taofeek Salami as the eleventh Vice-Chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, for a term of five years with effect from June 24, 2015. Meanwhile, the protesting workers insisted they would continue with their protests till July 6, 2016, when another court hearing would hold. The Universitys Governing Council should keep committing illegality. On July 6, we would know if they actually received a court injunction or not, chairman of NASU, Wole Odewunmi, said. We will keep picketing the Senate building Immediately its 10am, we will assemble at motion ground to continue picketing, thats not more like a protest, its picketing. President Andrzej Duda The Interview with Polish President Andrzej Duda has been published in China Daily [20th of June 2016]. Polish President Andrzej Duda said his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping's arrival in Central and Eastern Europe for the second time in less than three months signalled his full recognition of the region's dynamics and importance. "I have no doubt President Xi Jinping perfectly understands the dynamic in this part of the world. We are developing fast; so is China," Duda told China Daily in an exclusive interview. Duda, 44, said his country is well prepared to welcome Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, to Poland today after his sojourn in Serbia. At the end of March, Xi paid a state visit to the Czech Republic, beefing up political ties and signing dozens of economic and trade projects. "This second trip (within less than three months) underlines how important Central and Eastern Europe is becoming for China," said Duda, who visited China in November. Recalling that during his first-ever trip to China he was deeply impressed by China's thousands of years of history and heritage, Duda stressed that President Xi will perceive Poland and the whole region as an extremely attractive market, a land of boundless opportunities for deeper economic cooperation. During his trip to China in November, China and Poland signed a cooperation document on the Belt and Road Initiative and Poland officially became a member of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. "We see it as an opportunity to find new ways of funding ambitious infrastructural projects in Poland and other countries in Central and Eastern Europe," Duda said. The Polish leader said that Poland has to improve the North-South axis, which has been neglected since it joined the European Union in 2004, and it needs to build more motorways and more railroads, which would form a link between the Baltics and the Balkans. "I am convinced this would give an enormous boost to all of us," Duda said. "And China can play an important role in this area." "On the other hand, we also hope that Polish companies will benefit hugely from the Belt and Road Initiative," Duda said, adding that they have experience and a highly qualified workforce and he is sure they can establish long-lasting and fruitful partnerships with Chinese firms. Duda said he realizes that Beijing is playing an increasingly crucial role in the international arena, that many Chinese companies are well-known and respected abroad, and that China has seen millions of people getting out of poverty over the last few decades. He said one of the biggest challenges these days is the social inequality and uneven growth in urban and rural areas, and he knows how much Chinese authorities have done to tackle this issue. "On the other hand, many European nations have had to cope with the very same problem recently," Duda said. Duda said dozens of bilateral agreements will be signed during the visit, which will be the foundation for further cooperation between China and Poland. "But our relations should not be solely of an economic nature," Duda said. "I am sure both President Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, will fall in love with Polish culture, Polish music and, last but not least, Polish cuisine as well," he said. For the New World Order, a world government is just the beginning. Once in place they can engage their plan to exterminate 80% of the world's population, while enabling the "elites" to live forever with the aid of advanced technology. For the first time, crusading filmmaker ALEX JONES reveals their secret plan for humanity's extermination: Operation ENDGAME. Jones chronicles the history of the global elite's bloody rise to power and reveals how they have funded dictators and financed the bloodiest warscreating order out of chaos to pave the way for the first true world empire. Watch as Jones and his team track the elusive Bilderberg Group to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. Learn about the formation of the North America transportation control grid, which will end U.S. sovereignty forever. Discover how the practitioners of the pseudo-science eugenics have taken control of governments worldwide as a means to carry out depopulation. View the progress of the coming collapse of the United States and the formation of the North American Union. Never before has a documentary assembled all the pieces of the globalists' dark agenda. Endgame's compelling look at past atrocities committed by those attempting to steer the future delivers information that the controlling media has meticulously censored for over 60 years. It fully reveals the elite's program to dominate the earth and carry out the wicked plan in all of human history. Endgame is not conspiracy theory, it is documented fact in the elite's own words. Space Jump Technology Now Beaming into LabChart DUNEDIN, New Zealand, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- ADInstruments (ADI) has released the Equivital LifeMonitor and accessories as a combined solution with their LabChart data analysis software for wireless physiological monitoring applications. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/381037 ADInstruments logo The Equivital LifeMonitor is a body worn sensor which measures multiple physiological parameters from a single device, has FDA 510K clearance and is CE marked. Used on Felix Baumgartner in his famous 2012 Redbull Stratos space dive leap from the stratosphere, the Equivital LifeMonitor withstood both environmental pressure and terminal velocity to collect high quality physiological data for the research team involved. This innovative technology is now available through ADI and can stream data directly into LabChart. The core recording system consists of a comfortable and unobtrusive sensor belt allowing for natural movement, a Sensor Electronics Module that slips into the belt during use, a bluetooth Dongle and the LabChart software. The sensor belt can record 2 channels of ECG, breathing rate, high resolution tri-axial acceleration, and skin temperature. A range of add-ons can be purchased for additional parameters including core temperature (recorded via an ingestible pill), galvanic skin response and oxygen saturation. Suggested applications for this system would include exercise and sport science studies as well as psychophysiology. By combining the novel Equivital technology with the powerful analysis of LabChart, researchers are now able to simultaneously acquire signals from this system and other multiple data sources and apply advanced calculations and analysis for their studies in real-time. With flexibility, ease of use, and data integrity at its core, LabChart acts as a platform for many data recording devices to work together, and tracks every actions and calculation made while never modifying raw data to ensure integrity of results. ADI and LabChart are used in the world's top 100 universities and cited in more than 30,000 peer reviewed papers. Equivital LifeMonitor solutions are now available for purchase in several countries via ADInstruments. For more information visit adi.to/equivital About EquivitalTM Equivital develops mobile human monitoring and real world physiological data management solutions to harness the power and value of data from real people, in real environments. Equivital offers 3 ranges of products; TnR for researchers, Orann for Pharmaceutical clinical trials and Healthcare applications and Black Ghost for Industrial and Professional safety and welfare applications. These products combine Equivital's human sensor capability with communications and software systems that allow efficient management of high volumes of variable, real time and retrospective data. Already used and trusted by over 200 organizations Equivital products bring the ability to measure and manage human data to the professional market, today. Visit www.equivital.co.uk for more about the company. About ADI ADI is a world leader in the provision of hardware and software for data acquisition in the life sciences. Their comprehensive, easy-to-use products are highly-cited in scientific journals and widely-used in classrooms and forward-thinking learning programs. For almost 30 years, they have been successful in developing quality products and providing great service. In research, the versatile PowerLab data acquisition system with LabChart software can be customized for use in virtually any life science application with a diverse range of amplifiers, Instruments and specialized analysis software. Visit www.adinstruments.com for more about the company. Related Links http://www.adinstruments.com SOURCE ADInstruments LONDON, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Appoints Keith Bragman, MD FRCP as Partner Alacrita, the life sciences consulting firm, today announced that it has appointed Keith Bragman MD FRCP FRCPath FFPM as a Partner in its London office. Dr Bragman will join the firm's drug development practice and the move helps consolidate Alacrita's position as a leading provider of clinical development advice to life science companies developing novel therapeutic agents. Dr Bragman is the immediate Past President of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom and has advised organisations such as the Science & Technology Committee of the House of Commons, DFID, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Imperial College London, and UNITAID. Previous appointments include Director and Head of Global Development at UCB, Vice President of Biotechnology and the Anti-Infectives Strategic Business Unit at Quintiles, European Head of Clinical Virology at Hoffmann-La Roche and Director and European Head of Clinical Oncology at BMS. Dr Bragman joins a growing team of specialists at Alacrita who have distinguished track records of developing novel therapeutic agents. Alacrita is supported by a team of Associates across Europe and the U.S., all of whom are carefully selected for their deep life science industry experience and expertise. The firm supports clients with product development, transaction support and transatlantic expansion advice. Keith Bragman said "I am delighted to be joining the Alacrita team, which has an impressive track record of advising client organizations in the life sciences. The pace of innovation in our industry is accelerating while the complexity of clinical development is increasing. I look forward to engaging with our clients on their drug development and commercialization efforts." Anthony Walker, Managing Partner at Alacrita, said: "We are delighted to welcome Keith to our product development practice as we build a best-in-class consulting practice to help companies develop better therapeutics. Keith is an experienced executive with deep and broad knowledge of the drug development process and a sound understanding of the challenges faced by senior management. He joins a high calibre team of seasoned consultants and underlines our commitment to providing exceptionally high quality advice to the industry." About Alacrita Alacrita is a rapidly growing, transatlantic management consulting firm providing expertise-based services to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and life science sectors. The firm is supported by an unrivalled team of experts who operate across the spectrum of life sciences. They combine extensive international industry experience (strategic, technical and commercial), broad functional capabilities and a track record of success across the industry. For further information, please contact: Alacrita Europe: London BioScience Innovation Centre 2 Royal College Street London, NW1 0NH Tel: +44 207 691 4915 www.alacrita.com Alacrita US: One Broadway, 14th floor Kendall Square Cambridge, MA 02142 Tel: +1 617 714 9696 www.alacrita.com Or please contact: Anthony Walker, Managing Partner awalker@ alacrita.com SOURCE Alacrita MONTREAL, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Visible Gold in Grab Samples Further Increases Expectations for Property's Potential ALGOLD RESOURCES LTD. (ALG: TSX-V - the "Corporation") is pleased to announce the first mineral resource estimate in accordance with the Canadian Securities Administrators' National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") for its recently acquired Tijirit Property ("Tijirit" or "the Property") in Mauritania. The 100%-owned Tijirit project, which encompasses an area of more than 1,000 km2, is situated approximately 25 kilometers southeast of Kinross' Tasiast gold mine. The resource estimation was prepared by SGS Canada Inc. - geological group Geostat ("SGS Geostat") with an effective date of June 15, 2016, using results from 294 reverse circulation holes ("RC") totalling 37,533 meters, 23 diamond drill holes ("DDH") totalling 3,813.08 meters and 16,239 meters of trenching carried out on the Property by past operators Shield Mining and Gryphon Minerals from 2009 to 2012. The supporting NI 43-101 Technical Report will be posted on SEDAR at http://www.sedar.com no later than 45 days after the date of this release. None of Algold's recent exploration work, the 10,000-meter RC program included, has been taken into account in the technical report. Algold expects to publish an updated NI 43-101 resource estimate in the latter part of 2016 that will include results from the current program. Highlights This report summarizes results obtained by previous operators and present the current mineral resources. M easured and i ndicated r esources of 28 , 9 30 ounces at a grade of 1.75 g/t Au and i nferred resources of 241 , 5 60 ounces at a grade of 1 . 71 g/t Au at a cut-off grade of 1.0 g/t Au M easured and i ndicated r esources of 27 , 63 0 ounces at a grade of 1 . 82 g/t Au and i nferred r esources of 226 , 650 ounces at a grade of 1 . 79 g/t Au at a cut-off grade of 1 . 05 g/t Au Resources by zone are shown in the following tables, at cut-off grades of 1.00 g/t Au and 1.05 g/t Au. Figure 1 show the Wire Frame over the mineralised zones on a Landsat Imagery of Tijirit. Note: Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. This disclosure does not include economic analysis of the mineral resources. Table 1: Tijirit maiden resources, 1.0 g/t Au cut-off Au Gold Zone Category (g/t) Tonnage Ounces Eleonore Indicated 3.62 51,000 5,980 Sophie I - II Measured 1.79 28,000 1,600 Sophie I - II Indicated 1.57 216,000 10,900 Sophie III Indicated 1.13 29,000 1,040 Lily Indicated 1.54 189,000 9,410 Total Measured & Indicated* 1.75 513,000 28,930 Eleonore Inferred 3.26 188,000 19,650 Sophie I - II Inferred 1.96 1,635,000 103,180 Sophie III Inferred 1.10 320,000 11,270 Lily Inferred 1.48 2,258,000 107,470 Total Inferred* 1.71 4,401,000 241,560 * Totals may not add up due to rounding. Table 2: Tijirit maiden resources, 1.05 g/t Au cut-off Au Tonnage Au Zone Category (g/t) (t) Ounces Eleonore Indicated 3.67 51,000 5,960 Sophie I - II Measured 1.86 26,000 1,530 Sophie I - II Indicated 1.61 200,000 10,380 Sophie III Indicated 1.16 23,000 870 Lily Indicated 1.59 174,000 8,900 Total Measured & Indicated* 1.82 474,000 27,630 Eleonore Inferred 3.28 186,000 19,590 Sophie I - II Inferred 2.03 1,522,000 99,460 Sophie III Inferred 1.14 192,000 7,020 Lily Inferred 1.53 2,050,000 100,580 Total Inferred* 1.79 3,949,000 226,650 * Totals may not add up due to rounding. The actual resources model does not capture the high-grade potential of the Eleonore zone, but rather illustrates, at this point in time, the considerable tonnage and relatively low-grade Lily zone. The high-grade nature of the gold bearing quartz vein of the Eleonore zone is expected to significantly increase the overall grade of the deposit by adding quality ounces. Increasing Potential of the Tijirit Project "For quite some time Algold has believed in Tijirit's potential, and we are pleased to report that recent geological work has significantly enhanced our comprehension of its gold mineralisation and further increased our confidence that a significant gold deposit may be uncovered on the property," stated Francois Auclair, Algold's President and Chief Executive Officer. Historical drilling over the Eleonore zone resulted in a number of high-grade intersections, including 6 m @ 17.63 g/t Au (ERC4) and 4 m @ 4.22 g/t Au (12TRC138). These historical results have been heightened by a rock chip sampling program over a large area, following recent work done by Algold geologists and field workers who discovered the presence of very high grade gold quartz veining over a strike length of more than three kilometers (reference Algold's press release dated May 19, 2016). (Figure 2) Rock Chip Sampling Sixty-eight (68) rock chip samples from the Tijirit property, including 33 from Eleonore, 11 from Sophie I and II and 24 from other potential targets have been sent for analysis. Assays are currently pending and expected shortly. The visible gold quartz vein samples shown previously (Algold's press release dated May 19, 2016) have not been included in this batch of samples. Resources Modeling and Estimation The database contains 317 drillholes and 197 trenches with 43,615 assay results. (Details are provided in the table below.) Hole Types Number of Sum of Number of Sum of Assayed Drillholes Length (m) Assays Length (m) DDH 23 3,813.08 3,764 3,763.93 RC 294 37,533.00 33,145 37,514.00 Trenches 197 16,239.00 6,706 10,656.00 Total 514 57,585.08 43,615 51,933.93 A modeling cut-off grade of 0.3 g/t Au and minimum thickness of two meters were used to delineate mineralised volumes. The 1,144 two-meter composites were capped at grades varying between 2.5 g/t Au and 16 g/t Au based on local extreme grades. Only nine composites were capped. The gold loss is approximately 15% for the 1 g/t Au cut-off resource. Densities are based on 413 readings from DDH holes. A density of 2.00 t/m3 was used for saprolite, 2.7 t/m3 was used for fresh rock in the Lily zone and 2.8 t/m3 was used for fresh rock in the other zones. The block model has a block size of 2 x 2 x 2 meters. Estimation was done by inverse distance squared with ellipsoid influenced distances. A total of 40 separate volumes were estimated with 40 composite sets. Two estimation passes were used with ellipsoids of 75 x 75 x 25 meters and 150 x 150 x 50 meters. The first pass uses a minimum of four and a maximum of seven composites, with a limit of two per drillhole. The second pass uses a minimum two and a maximum of seven composites, with a limit of two per drillhole except for Eleonore (E) and Sophie III (C) with a minimum of one. The smoothing of the estimation is adequate. The measured and indicated categories have been outlined by hand on longitudinals based on drilling density. Drilling every 40 meters was classified as indicated and drilling every 30 meters was classified as measured. The remainder is inferred with interpolation up to 200 meters and limited extrapolation. The SGS Genesis software was used for the modeling and estimation. Table 1 shows the base case resource with a cut-off grade of 1.00 g/t Au. Table 2 shows the effect of raising the cut-off grade to 1.05 g/t Au. Some whittle optimized open pits have been prepared, but are not considered for this maiden resource estimate. The base case resource extends from surface to a depth of 320 meters with 90% of it extending from surface to a depth of 210 meters. Acquisition of Properties from Gryphon In connection with the Corporation's exercise of its option on the Tijirit and Akjout properties granted by Gryphon Minerals Limited, announced on March 11, 2016, Algold incurred advisory fees of C$250,000. As announced on May 31, 2016, 1,250,000 common shares of the Corporation were issued in lieu of said advisory fee. Algold Retains the Services of Renmark Financial Communications Inc. Algold has retained the services of Renmark Financial Communications Inc. ("Renmark") to support its investor relations activities for an initial term of three months commencing June 1, 2016 subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. The initial term may be extended by mutual consent and the Corporation has agreed to pay C$5,000 per month in consideration for their services. Renmark Financial Communications Inc. does not have any interest, directly or indirectly, in Algold Resources Inc. or its securities, or any right or intent to acquire such an interest. About Algold Algold Resources Ltd. is focused on the exploration and development of gold deposits in West Africa. The board of directors and management team are seasoned industry professionals with extensive experience in the exploration and development of world-class gold projects in Africa. Algold is the operator of all of its exploration licenses in Mauritania. Algold owns 100% of the Tijirit and Akjout properties, which were acquired from Gryphon Minerals (Australia) through a transaction completed earlier in 2016. Algold owns 90% of the Kneivissat property, while the Legouessi property is being managed through a 51% earn-in interest agreement with Caracal (Electrum Group Companies). Algold can earn up to a 90% interest in the Legouessi exploration permit (reference Algold's press release dated October 10, 2013 for more details), however, Caracal has the right to participate in the joint venture at either 51% or 75%, by funding its share of expenditures. Quality Assurance / Quality Control (QA/QC) Analytical work for soil geochemical samples and rock chips samples is being carried out at the independent ALS Laboratories Ltd. in Loughrea, Co. Galway, Ireland, an ISO 17025 (2005) certified laboratory. Samples are stored at Algold's field camps and put into sealed bags until delivered by a geologist to the ALS preparation laboratory in Nouakchott, Mauritania, where samples are sieved and prepared for shipping. Until the end of 2015, samples were analysed at the ALS facility in Bamako, Mali. Since early 2016, samples have been analysed at ALS in Ireland. Samples are logged in the tracking system, weighed, dried and finely crushed to better than 70% passing a 2 mm (Tyler 9 mesh, US Std. No.10) screen. A split of up to 1,000 g is taken and pulverized to better than 85% passing a 75 micron (Tyler 200 mesh) screen, and a 50-gram split is analysed by fire assay with an AA finish. Blanks, duplicate and certified reference material (standards) are being used to monitor laboratory performance during the analysis. All of the results and press releases related thereto have been reviewed for accuracy and to ensure that they are in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 by Andre Ciesielski, DSc. PGeo, Lead Consulting Geologist and Qualified Person, Algold Resources Ltd. Yann Camus, P.Eng., of the independent firm SGS Canada Inc. - geological group Geostat is the qualified person under NI 43-101 standards who supervised the preparation of the resource estimate and approved all resource-related material in this press release. Yann Camus has visited the property from April 16 to 20, 2016, for current personal inspection requirements. All information supporting the resource estimation was verified for any inconsistencies. There was no limitation on the verification process. CAUTIONARY LANGUAGE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This news release contains and refers to forward-looking information based on current expectations. All other statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release are forward looking statements (or forward-looking information). The Corporation's plans involve various estimates and assumptions and its business is subject to various risks and uncertainties. For more details on these estimates, assumptions, risks and uncertainties, see the Corporation's most recent Annual Information Form and most recent Management Discussion and Analysis on file with the Canadian provincial securities regulatory authorities on SEDAR at http://www.sedar.com . These forward looking statements are made as of the date hereof and there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, such statements are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements that are included herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. For further information, please contact: Algold Resources Ltd. 1320, boul. Graham, bureau 132, Mont-Royal, Quebec, H3P 3C8, http://www.algold.com Francois Auclair M.Sc., PGeo President & CEO f.auclair@algold.com +1-(514)-889-5089 Yves Grou, CPA CA Executive Vice Chairman y.grou@algold.com +1-(514)-237-7757 Cloudian HyperStore-powered system provides innovative, deep learning capabilities to analyze traffic volumes and enable targeted roadside advertising with partners QCT, Dentsu Inc., and more SAN MATEO, California, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Cloudian, Inc., the only fully S3-compatible object storage provider and the leader in software-defined smart data storage, has announced the launch of a targeted roadside advertising project for digital signage using big data and deep learning in Tokyo, Japan. Together with Dentsu, Inc., Smart Insight Corporation, and QCT (Quanta Cloud Technology) Japan, and with support from Intel Japan, the project will conduct, at its first stage, deep learning analysisAI for recognition with automatic feature extractionof traffic patterns and volume, and automatic vehicle recognition to enable targeted advertising with roadside, digital signage. Led by Cloudian and utilizing deep learning and HyperStore's leading smart data storage capabilities, the project will focus on vehicle recognition and the ability to present relevant display ads by vehicle make and model. With the aforementioned companies, the project will shift from proof of concept into practical use within the next six to 12 months, starting with practical application in Tokyo, and then potential deployment outside of Japan. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120918/SF75609LOGO "This will become the world's first deep learning-enabled roadside advertising system with vehicle specific, real-time targeting. One major outcome of the project is demonstrating deep learning algorithms utilizing HyperStore's sophisticated meta-data to realize real-time recognition and classification. Big data that otherwise might have remained stagnant can be automatically turned into smart data, and highly efficient analysis can be provided," said Michael Tso, CEO and co-founder, Cloudian. "Cloudian's smart data storage was built on three principles: 100 percent native S3 APIs, hybrid cloud, and tight integration of analytics with storage. HyperStore's smart storage capabilities, which can be further enhanced by deep learning, rapidly and cost effectively turn data into actionable business insights and revenue opportunities. We look forward to deepening our partnerships to expand deep learning into transformational use cases in retail, healthcare, genomics, and IoT." Cloudian kicked off the project by providing the HyperStore software with training data that consisted of a large volume of vehicle information, images and video of car models, plus vehicle attribute inputs. This information was classified using HyperStore's smart data storage functionality and will be tested to accurately identify vehicle models on Tokyo roadways. As part of this experiment, HyperStore will also capture detailed, real-time data related to traffic volume at various times in the day, which can be made available to public institutions such as the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Tourism, local municipalities in Japan and to enterprises for retail location planning. "In today's fast-moving advertising world where consumers expect tailored experiences and uniquely relevant messages, we are thrilled to work with Cloudian and QCT to pilot an innovative, highly targeted advertising approach," said Ichiro T. Jinnai, director, Out Of Home Media Service Division, Dentsu, Inc. "We will bring our proven global advertising expertise to bear for planning, sales and media development of the ads that are automatically served based on the deep learning analysis from HyperStore about the approaching vehicle. Cloudian is the perfect partner to lead this effort and showcase its smart data storage capabilities for a new era of IoT experiences." An aim of the project is to apply the automated vehicle recognition to generate targeted display advertisements based on vehicle model; for instance, an eco-friendly product could be displayed to drivers of hybrid/electric vehicles. Large LED billboards will be used in this portion of the experiment. The system neither captures nor stores identifiable vehicle information, including license plates. While specific advertisers have not yet been identified, a recent press announcement in Japan has resulted in a number of inquiries to the participating companies. The project also plans other demonstration experiments of new real-time advertising based on the analysis of not only vehicles but also human behaviors, such as attributes matching ads at shopping malls and tourist sites. "Cloudian's deep learning solution, powered by the Intel Xeon processor E5 family on Quanta's servers, offers the flexibility and performance to deliver a high-impact experience for smart, connected cities," said Ron Kasabian, vice president, Big Data Analytics, Intel. "We are pleased to support Cloudian's deep learning work using Caffe optimized for Intel Architecture, as this solution will benefit customers that do infrastructure planning, business development, healthcare, digital advertising and more." "QCT is delighted to provide scale-out storage and compute to support this project," said Mike Yang, President of QCT. "Cloudian HyperStore smart object storage tightly couples analytics and storage, delivering unparalleled efficiencies for new use cases like responsive advertising and intelligent cities. I look forward to expanding this partnership and propelling QCT's renowned hyperscale infrastructures to the next frontier." For more information about Cloudian HyperStore's smart data storage and deep learning capabilities, please visit www.cloudian.com. About Cloudian Based in Silicon Valley, Cloudian is the leader in software-defined smart data storage. Our flagship product, Cloudian HyperStore, is a fully S3-compatible storage platform that enables service providers and enterprises to build reliable, affordable and scalable hybrid cloud storage solutions. Cloudian Media Contacts: U.S.: McClenahan Bruer cloudian@mcbru.com +1 503-546-1000 Touchdown PR cloudian@touchdownpr.com +44 (0)1252 717040 Related Links http://www.cloudian.com SOURCE Cloudian, Inc. TEL AVIV, Israel, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Correlsense, the leading enterprise application performance management (APM) company, recently announced a new strategic partnership with the company CVCS Korea LLC., to bring the benefits of application management and transaction tracing monitoring into South Korea. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160615/379801 ) As part of the company's philosophy that strong partnerships are essential to success, Correlsense is collaborating with CVCV Korea to bring its flagship SharePath software to enterprises in South Korea who seek a holistic perspective of their users' experience. "Technology is booming in South Korea, and enterprises are seeking an efficient way to monitor transactions and performance across a wide variety of platforms," says Jeouy Shin, CEO of CVCS Korea. "With Correlsense's SharePath, I can now confidently offer a solution that enables businesses to get an accurate real-time picture of application availability, response times and service-level performance." Lanir Shacham, CEO of Correlsense added: "We are excited to partner with CVCV Korea. South Korea has become a significant economic power after applying substantial resources to research and development. As part of this growth, the need for best-of-breed application performance monitoring has become pertinent, and together with CVCV Korea, we can offer businesses a way of effectively promoting continuous improvements in performance and user experience." About CVCS Korea CVCS (Cool Vendor Curation Service) Korea is a one-stop-shop for everything required to connect non-domestic IT solutions to the local market including sales-channel development, technical support and training, localization, and sales and marketing support. By identifying the latest technology trends, market demands, and IT solutions from around the globe, CVC Korea curates the perfect solutions for its B2B customers in South Korea. About Correlsense Correlsense is a leading enterprise Application Performance Management (APM) company, delivering customers value by ensuring that all business-critical applications perform effectively. SharePath, its flagship product, is the APM product of choice for business and IT operations managers who rely on complex enterprise applications. Correlsense paints a complete and dynamic picture of IT service levels and performance, and offers real-user monitoring of applications that span mobile, SaaS, cloud, data center and legacy platforms. SharePath customers include some of the world's largest financial, telecom, utilities and healthcare firms. For more information, visit http://www.correlsense.com . Correlsense Ltd. Contact: Daniela Morein Bar | Director of Marketing +972-50-3220777 | daniela.morein@correlsense.com SOURCE Correlsense LONDON, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Deloitte and Snow Software introduce end-to-end SAM for IBM and SAP in the Data Centre Deloitte and Snow Software have today announced the introduction of a new end-to-end Software Asset Management (SAM) offering to enterprises with IBM and SAP software, including inventory baseline, entitlement assessment, compliance assessment, license optimisation and audit/contract renewal preparation. The offering, which combines Snow's 4th Generation SAM platform with licensing expertise and SAM process knowledge from Deloitte, can empower organizations to realize significant savings and risk reductions across their SAP and IBM software licensing. Jan Gottlander, Group Vice President for Snow Software commented: "The data centre has become the area where organisations have the most to lose or gain in terms of software expenditure and risk. By joining forces with Deloitte we are offering mid and large-sized organisations the opportunity to take charge of the two most important datacenter software providers, establishing effective vendor management practices and stemming the ever-increasing cost of datacenter software licensing." Diederik Van der Sijpe, Partner at Deloitte, added: "At Deloitte, we engage with thousands of enterprises annually. The adoption of Software Asset Management (SAM) platforms with enterprises is accelerating. Companies realise that achieving license compliance and cost-efficiency are complex and even more so for some of the data centre vendors like IBM and SAP. IT organisations need a comprehensive solution for addressing these requirements in the short and long-term. The end-to-end offering from Deloitte and Snow Software fits that bill." Deloitte has more than 800 dedicated Software License and Asset Management professionals around the world. Snow is one of the technology providers that Deloitte has an alliance relationship with. Together with Snow's 4th Generation SAM platform, this meets the advice from leading analyst firms suggesting that organisations seek out full end-to-end SAM services covering all products and vendors, following the organization's internal governance processes. "We are excited to bring this integrated offering to the market place with Snow Software. By teaming together, we are able to better meet the need for a total solution for enterprises," concluded Diederik Van de Sijpe. About Deloitte A leading audit and consulting practice in Belgium, Deloitte offers value added services in audit, accounting, tax and legal, consulting and financial advisory services. In Belgium, Deloitte has more than 3,200 employees in 10 locations across the country, serving national and international companies, from small and middle-sized enterprises, to public sector and non-profit organizations. The turnover reached 390 million euros in the financial year 2015. The Belgian firm is a member of the international group Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, an organisation of independent member firms devoted to excellence in providing professional services and advice. We are focused on client service through a global strategy executed locally in more than 150 countries. With access to the deep intellectual capital in the region of 225,000 people worldwide, our member firms (including their affiliates) deliver services in various professional areas covering audit, tax, consulting, and financial advisory services. Our member firms serve over one-half of the world's largest companies, as well as large national enterprises, public institutions, and successful, fast-growing global companies. In 2015, DTTL's turnover reached over $35.2 billion. Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee, and its network of member firms, each of which is a legally separate and independent entity. Please see http://www.deloitte.com/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited and its member firms. About Snow Software Snow's mission is to stop organizations paying too much for the software they use, today and tomorrow. Whether it's through lack of control, poor understanding or compliance failures, Snow believes that organizations today end up paying too high a price for their software. To bring transparency and fairness to the consumption and licensing of software across the network, Snow provides on premise and cloud-based Software Asset Management (SAM) solutions that safeguard the US $326 billion spent each year on enterprise software: ensuring organizations realize the full benefit of optimized licensing for all software publishers. Today, more than 6,000 organizations around the world rely on Snow's SAM platforms to manage software licensing across more than ten million devices, from mobiles to desktops, datacenters to the cloud. For more information, visit http://www.snowsoftware.com SOURCE Snow Software SANTA CLARA, California, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Finesse Solutions, Inc., a manufacturer of measurement and control solutions for life sciences process applications, in partnership with One Hill Solutions, an innovative software developer in Massachusetts, announced the launch of the SmartLab platform for lab-scale bioprocess optimization. SmartLab is the first end-to-end data management system to integrate leading third-party design-of-experiment (DoE) software, multivariable data analysis (MVDA), recipe management, data visualization and seamless analyzer connectivity. SmartLab is based on the RECONN software engine developed by One Hill Solutions. It also includes the TruBio, TruPur and TruChrom bioreactor control software and SmartSystems developed by Finesse. SmartLab will allow both life sciences research and process development groups a novel and cost-effective data archiving solution, centralized data/recipe mining for DoE or statistical analysis and remote access to process reports, plots and live trend visualization against a "golden batch." The SmartLab software will also have the capability to notify users by email or text when batch reports are ready for viewing, when online values are out of range, or when network connections are down. "RECONN, as its name implies, was originally developed to obtain information about the activities of intelligent bioprocessing systems and to secure data of a particular batch," said Rami Mitri, president of One Hill Solutions. "We recognized the need for efficient execution of instant data visualization and analysis of experiments in laboratories having anywhere between 4 and 100 bioreactors. The SmartLab platform incorporates modern tools such as Microsoft.NET and the OSIsoft PI System historian." "By combining RECONN with Finesse's industry-leading bioreactor control software and SmartSystems into our SmartLab platform, Finesse continues to lead in providing state-of-the-art tools for bioprocess research and development," said Dr. Barbara Paldus, CEO and co-founder of Finesse. "The flexibility of harmonizing analyzers and bioreactor controllers from a wide variety of suppliers with statistical analysis tools and electronic batch reporting will enable our customers to gain efficiency in their development of new biologics. We are excited to extend the capabilities of our SMART platforms with a new data management tool that enables easy DoE configuration, a modern user interface and instant access to batch information. This is the first step in Finesse's goal of accelerating the adoption of both Automation 4.0 and the Internet of Things (IoT) in bioprocessing, which are both long overdue." About Finesse Solutions, Inc. California-based Finesse Solutions, Inc. has a proven record in providing turnkey, scalable solutions for single-use upstream bioprocessing and has begun innovating in solutions for downstream bioprocessing as well. The Finesse product platform includes state-of-the-art disposable sensors, modular automation hardware and intelligent software that can harmonize data and technology transfer globally. Finesse also offers a complete set of services, including commissioning and validation for rapid and reliable deployment of single-use equipment. For more information, please visit www.finesse.com. About One Hill Solutions, Inc. One Hill Solutions, Inc. is a software development company located in Hopedale, Massachusetts. One Hill Solutions focuses on all aspects of data management visualization and analysis along with OSI-PI integration, start-up support and commissioning. Related Links http://www.finesse.com SOURCE Finesse Solutions, Inc. COLOMBES, France, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- During the International Seminar attended by General Country Managers at the Groupe Fraikin head office in Colombes on 6 June, 2016, a new group governance was outlined. This governance has been effective from 17 June, 2016. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160211/332324LOGO ) The return to growth recorded by Fraikin since the start of 2015 has made it necessary to take the growth of activities outside of France into account in Group governance. This area of growth accelerated sharply at the end of 2015 and in during the first quarter of 2016, in terms of historical group activities as well as in the five new countries where trading begun in 2015 (Germany, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Italy, and the Netherlands). A Group Executive Committee has therefore been created so as to bring together, in a condensed Management Board structure, managers responsible for the main geographical areas with the highest contribution to profits. This Executive Committee now has five new members. Management Board: Chairman: Pierre-Louis Colin Deputy Managing Director responsible for Administration and Finance: Jean-Philippe Gregoire Deputy Managing Director responsible for Operations in France : Eric Dodin : Deputy General Manager responsible for Human Resources and Communication: Alain-Francois Pialat Members of the Executive Committee: Managing Director of Fraikin Alquiler ( Spain ): Marti BATALLE ): Marti BATALLE Managing Director of Fraikin Polska ( Poland ), Director for Central Europe ( Czech Republic , Slovakia , Hungary ): Artur Nowicki ), Director for ( , , ): Managing Director of Fraikin Limited (UK): Ed Cowell (as of August 1, 2016) (as of August 1, 2016) Director for Benelux, Switzerland , and International Development ( Germany , Italy , Benelux, Switzerland , Russia , Saudi Arabia ): Olivier Fossion , and International Development ( , , Benelux, , , ): Olivier Fossion Purchasing Director: Philippe Cuoc The Executive Committee will meet at least once per month. It will ensure that all potential European synergies are properly identified and implemented, in the areas of International Major Clients, Information Systems, Funding, Banking Relations, Purchasing, Insurance and Legal Affairs, HR, and Communication. About Fraikin: For over seventy years, Groupe Fraikin has been the leading European industrial and commercial utility vehicle rental firm and has the largest fleet of multi-marque and multi-purpose vehicles (55,000 vehicles of which 49,000 are directly owned, and 6,000 managed as part of the fleet). Fraikin has the largest dedicated integrated network with 180 agencies across the whole of Europe (France, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, the United Kingdom, Spain, Switzerland, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, the Netherlands, Italy, and Russia), as well as Saudi Arabia. Much more than just a rental firm, with 3,000 employees, Fraikin supports clients in developing solutions adapted to all requirements, using its unique expertise and its pro-active flexible approach. In 2015, it recorded total turnover of 656 M. For further information: http://www.fraikin.com SOURCE Fraikin DUBLIN, June 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Mercury Global Market Review 2015/2016" report to their offering. The report presents a thorough study of mercury, covering both global and regional markets. It aims to give a proper picture of the market, its trends, perspectives and opportunities. Comprehensive data showing mercury worldwide production, consumption, trade statistics and prices are provided. Each country's market overview covers the following: mercury production in the country, major manufacturers, mercury consumption, mercury trade. The report offers a 5-year outlook on the reviewed market, including mercury market volume predictions and prices trends. Reasons to Buy: - The report provides analysis of factors that affect the market. - Company's business and sales activities will be boosted by gaining an insight into the mercury market. - The report will help to find prospective partners and suppliers. - Detailed analysis provided in the report will assist and strengthen company's decision-making processes. Key Topics Covered: 1. WORLD MERCURY INDUSTRY 1.1. General data about mercury 1.2. Mercury market trends- Mercury resources globally- Production and consumption- Demand structure 1.3. Prices 2. MERCURY INDUSTRY IN EUROPE 2.1. Finland 3. MERCURY INDUSTRY IN CIS 3.1. Kyrgyzstan 3.2. Russia 3.3. Tajikistan 4. MERCURY INDUSTRY IN ASIA PACIFIC 4.1. China 5. MERCURY INDUSTRY IN NORTH AMERICA 5.1. USA 6. MERCURY INDUSTRY IN LATIN AMERICA 6.1. Chile 6.2. Mexico 6.3. Peru 7. MERCURY INDUSTRY IN AFRICA 7.1. Morocco 8. MERCURY INDUSTRY PROSPECTS TO 2020 8.1. Production forecast, projects 8.2. Demand future trends 8.3. Consuming industries For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/j64kkd/mercury_global Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com SOURCE Research and Markets DUBLIN, June 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Mercury Global Market Review 2015/2016" report to their offering. The report presents a thorough study of mercury, covering both global and regional markets. It aims to give a proper picture of the market, its trends, perspectives and opportunities. Comprehensive data showing mercury worldwide production, consumption, trade statistics and prices are provided. Each country's market overview covers the following: mercury production in the country, major manufacturers, mercury consumption, mercury trade. The report offers a 5-year outlook on the reviewed market, including mercury market volume predictions and prices trends. Reasons to Buy: - The report provides analysis of factors that affect the market. - Company's business and sales activities will be boosted by gaining an insight into the mercury market. - The report will help to find prospective partners and suppliers. - Detailed analysis provided in the report will assist and strengthen company's decision-making processes. Key Topics Covered: 1. WORLD MERCURY INDUSTRY 1.1. General data about mercury 1.2. Mercury market trends - Mercury resources globally - Production and consumption - Demand structure 1.3. Prices 2. MERCURY INDUSTRY IN EUROPE 2.1. Finland 3. MERCURY INDUSTRY IN CIS 3.1. Kyrgyzstan 3.2. Russia 3.3. Tajikistan 4. MERCURY INDUSTRY IN ASIA PACIFIC 4.1. China 5. MERCURY INDUSTRY IN NORTH AMERICA 5.1. USA 6. MERCURY INDUSTRY IN LATIN AMERICA 6.1. Chile 6.2. Mexico 6.3. Peru 7. MERCURY INDUSTRY IN AFRICA 7.1. Morocco 8. MERCURY INDUSTRY PROSPECTS TO 2020 8.1. Production forecast, projects 8.2. Demand future trends 8.3. Consuming industries For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/j64kkd/mercury_global Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com SOURCE Research and Markets PORT LOUIS, Mauritius, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The HotForex Brand has now Been Officially Licensed by the Financial Services Board (FSB) of South Africa, Solidifying its Commitment to Offering Clients the Highest Levels of Security The HF Markets Group has announced today that, in addition, to existing licenses and regulation from the Financial Services Commission (FSC) of Mauritius, the Financial Services Authority (SVGFSA) of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC); the HotForex brand is now licensed and regulated by the Financial Services Board (FSB) of South Africa, through HF Markets SA (PTY) Ltd, under Financial Service Provider (FSP) license number 46632. A spokesperson for HotForex commented, "This new license marks a new milestone in the steady growth of HotForex, which has become a truly global and multi-regulated brand. It also demonstrates the continued success of the HF Markets Group, made possible by our clients, partners and the dedicated efforts of the HotForex team to offer the safest trading environment possible to traders around the world." About HotForex HotForex is a leading, global FX broker that offers both retail and institutional trading services to clients from around the world. Since its foundation, the company has consistently won coveted titles from respected finance industry bodies for its innovative Forex trading service provision. For more information about HotForex, visit: http://www.hotforex.com Risk warning: Trading Forex and CFDs carries a high degree of risk to your capital. Media Contact: HF Markets Ltd Tel: +44(0)2033185978 Email: marketing@hotforex.com SOURCE HotForex TAIPEI, Taiwan, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Infortrend Technology, Inc. (TWSE: 2495) has announced the release of its "Quick Service" mobile app, available for iOS devices, to offer Infortrend storage users a quick and easy RMA, error reporting and service request tool everywhere for its EonStor DS Family. The Infortrend Quick Service App quickly scans a users' Infortrend system and sends system logs directly to Infortrend's support team, who then handle the RMA and the service request right away to eliminate the ticket issuing time and ensure that system problems are fixed more efficiently. With the app, Infortrend customers can: Automatically collect system logs and configuration information on Infortrend 's system to speed up the RMA process system to speed up the RMA process Provide quick technical reports and issue tickets via its easy one-click feedback process The systems can be monitored and easi ly access ed for the health check s from anywhere access for the health check anywhere Help users and Infortrend 's support team solve storage issues faster "Providing the best customer service is one of Infortrend's core values and with our users becoming increasingly reliant on their mobile devices, it was only natural for us to offer a mobile version of our already great desktop-based customer support," commented Thomas Kao, Senior Director of Product Planning at Infortrend. The Quick Service App for Android will be released later. For more information about Infortrend's Quick Service App, click here. About Infortrend Infortrend (TWSE: 2495) has been developing and manufacturing storage solutions since 1993. With a strong emphasis on in-house design, testing, and manufacturing, Infortrend storage delivers performance and scalability with the latest standards, user friendly data services, personal after-sales support, and unrivaled value. For more Information, please visit www.infortrend.com. Infortrend, EonStor, EonNAS, and ESVA are trademarks or registered trademarks of Infortrend Technology, Inc., other trademarks property of their respective owners. Infortrend Europe Ltd. Agnieszka Wesolowska Tel:+44-1256-305-220 E-mail: marketing.eu@infortrend.com Related Links http://www.infortrend.com SOURCE Infortrend Technology, Inc. DUBLIN, June 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Antifoaming Agent Market by Type, Application & Region - Global Forecast to 2021" report to their offering. The global market size of antifoaming agent is forecast to reach USD 6.59 billion by 2021. The growing manufacturing sector in all regions is expected to generate demand and drive the antifoaming agent market during the forecast period. The pulp & paper application dominated the antifoaming agent market during the forecast period, closely followed by paints & coatings in 2015. Paints & coatings application is also expected to witness high growth rate between 2016 and 2021 due to the growing paints & coatings industry in North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific, as a result increasing the demand for antifoaming agent in the respective regions. The growing manufacturing industry in the U.S., the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific countries such as China, Japan, and India is also driving the market. The antifoaming agent market is classified based on type: water-based, oil-based, and silicone-based. The market is dominated by silicone-based due to their enhanced properties such as low surface tension, chemical inertness, thermal stability, and complete insolubility in water. The silicone-based segment is also projected to be the second fastest-growing type of antifoaming agent during the forecast period. Currently, North America is the largest antifoaming market, in terms of value, closely followed by Asia-Pacific. Some of the factors driving the growth of the North American market are high growth of end-use industries, local manufacturing, and increased number of domestic players in various market segments. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing antifoaming agent market due to high demand from pulp & paper and paints & coatings applications. The presence of major countries such as China, India, and Japan is also a major driver of the antifoaming agent market in the region. Companies Mentioned: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. Ashland Inc. BASF DOW Corning Corporation Ecolab Inc. (Nalco) Elementis PLC Evonik Industries Kemira OYJ Shin-Etsu Chemical Company Ltd. Wacker Chemie AG Report Structure: 1 Introduction 2 Research Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Premium Insights 5 Market Overview 6 Industry Trends 7 Antifoaming Agent Market, By Type 8 Antifoaming Agent Market, By Application 9 Antifoaming Agent Market, By Region 10 Competitive Landscape 11 Company Profiles 12 Appendix For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/jdnntq/antifoaming_agent Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com SOURCE Research and Markets DUBLIN, June 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Fiber Cement Market by Material (Portland cement, Sand, Fiber, And Other Materials Including Paints and Additives), Application (Siding, Roofing, Molding & Trim, and Other Applications), End-Use (Residential and Non-Residential) - Forecast to 2021" report to their offering. The fiber cement market is segmented on the basis of material, application, end-use, and region. On the basis of material, Portland cement, which is the most widely used type of cement used for making concrete and mortar, held the largest market share. It is a low-cost material and is readily available, which makes it one of the widely used materials for construction globally. Based on application, siding held the largest share. This is because fiber cement siding does not require maintenance and is impervious to degradation. Fiber cement siding also improves the aesthetic appeal of the buildings. The market is segmented into residential and non-residential sectors, based on end use. This is primarily due to favorable and lenient lending policies initiated by governments across all regions, which is driving the sales of residential construction projects. On the basis of key regions, the market for fiber cement is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Rest of the World (RoW). Asia-Pacific is projected to grow at the highest rate from 2016 to 2021, because the countries in this region are expected to achieve high growth in the construction sector, thus triggering a huge demand for fiber cement. There are certain factors prevailing in the market that hinder the growth of this industry. Some of these are high costs of fiber cement products as compared to alternatives such as vinyl or aluminum. Further, installation process of fiber cement products is complex. Companies Mentioned: CSR Limited Cembrit Holding A/S Compagnie De Saint Gobain SA Etex Group NV Evonik Industries AG James Hardie Industries PLC Nichiha Corporation Plycem Corporation The Siam Cement Public Company Limited Toray Industries Inc Report Structure: 1 Introduction 2 Research Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Premium Insights 5 Market Overview 6 Fiber Cement Market, By Application 7 Fiber Cement Market, By End Use 8 Fiber Cement Market, By Material 9 Fiber Cement Market, By Region 10 Competitive Landscape 11 Company Profiles 12 Appendix For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/xsz6d9/fiber_cement Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com SOURCE Research and Markets STAVANGER, Norway, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Subsea 7 the world-leading seabed-to-surface engineering, construction and services contractor to the offshore energy industry has signed a 3 year contract with Xait. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130429/612675 ) About Subsea 7 Subsea 7 provides cost-effective technical solutions to enable the delivery of complex projects in all water depths and challenging environments. "Subsea 7 has been a client of Xait since 2005. Their solution XaitPorter enables us to reduce time spent on our tendering, while enabling us to focus on the content. In this current marketplace, concise, professional-looking tenders are key to winning new business. The renewed contract with Xait represents a strategic decision as we continue to focus on delivering cost-efficient solutions in a safe and responsible manner." Craig MacFarlane, Sales & Marketing Director, Subsea 7 Norway What is XaitPorter? XaitPorter is a cloud based software that enables several contributors to work on the same document at the same time. XaitPorter can be integrated with CRM, BI, DMS and other Business Process Solutions. Teams can become more efficient and productive, while functionality includes built-in workflow, easy reuse of content, automatic formatting, layout and numbering. With XaitPorter, companies can Focus - Collaborate - Create when writing their business critical documents. About Xait Xait is an innovative Norwegian company behind the software XaitPorter, which challenges the outdated methods of file based document collaboration. With some of the largest companies in the world using XaitPorter on a wide range of document types, Xait has been positioned as the leader in database driven document collaboration, co-authoring, information management and delivery. Xait was named "Gartner Cool Vendor 2013" in content management by Gartner in 2013. Xait is an Oracle Gold partner. Follow Xait: Xait Blog | Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook Contact: Kris Saether Chief Commercial Officer +47 51 95 02 00 kris.saether@xait.com https://no.linkedin.com/in/krissaether SOURCE Xait LONDON, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- George Osborne has lost the trust of business leaders because of the way he has manipulated economic data in the Brexit debate, a top Tory donor has warned, adding that the time has come to "think about a new Chancellor." In an interview with the Sunday Times, Alexander Temerko, energy industrialist and leading Conservative Party donor, singled out George Osborne as the driving force behind the 'Project Fear' aspect of the EU referendum debate. He highlighted that Mr Osborne's "manipulation" of the figures had done real damage to the credibility of the Treasury. Mr Temerko said: "Business has lost trust in the chancellor because of the big manipulations of figures in the referendum and very strange statements - so aggressive and without proper evidence - about what will happen if we leave the European Union. "For the political unity of the party, we need to return trust to our economic programme and we definitely need to think about a new Chancellor." In a recent article for CNBC, Mr Temerko also underlined the need to look beyond 23 June and focus on the bigger picture. According to him, particular attention should be paid to shoring up the Conservative Party's economic credibility as part of wider efforts to restore unity within the party and across Britain following the vote. He said: "Whatever the outcome - even though I hope it is Remain - restoring unity to the country and to the Conservative party will be vital after the referendum. The hardest part of all is likely to be restoring faith in our economic policy after the 'long-term economic plan' has become an essentially meaningless phrase, little more than a joke. "We need a shared vision for the future as well as confidence that it is achievable and realistic. The businesspeople who will ultimately drive our growth forward need to feel the government knows what it is doing on the economy. For that, we need reliable figures from the Treasury and a Chancellor who can be trusted." Mr Temerko concluded: "It is time to put an end to the politics of scare-mongering and to focus on developing a truly credible economic plan. Britain deserves better." SOURCE www.alexandertemerko.co.uk NEWARK, N.J., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Chidinma, a 14-year-old Make-A-Wish recipient, has longed to tour Europe's most famous cities for as long as she can remember. On Tuesday, amidst the cheers and applause of a crowd of United Airlines employees and customers, Chidinma and her family boarded United flight 40 bound for Rome, ready for her wish to come true. Wish kid Chidinma, with United Captain Curt Hinkle, gets ready for takeoff to Rome on United's 10,000th donated ticket to Make-A-Wish. Since 1986, United and Make-A-Wish have teamed up to send children diagnosed with life-threatening medical conditions on the trip of a lifetime. Over the past three decades, MileagePlus members have made more than 98,000 individual donations, and the company and its customers have donated more than a total of 550 million miles to Make-A-Wish through United's MileagePlus Charity Miles program. Tuesday's festivities at Newark Liberty International Airport commemorated the airline's 10,000-ticket milestone, along with its lasting commitment to fulfilling the wishes of children like Chidinma. "Here at United, our expansive route network enables us to connect passengers to exciting destinations all over the world. It also gives us an opportunity to connect thousands of special children to places they have only dreamed of," said Brett Hart, executive vice president and general counsel at United. "We are proud of our longstanding partnership with Make-A-Wish, and grateful to our customers who have generously donated their miles to help make children's wishes come true." "It is an honor and a privilege to work with United, who has shown their dedication to wish kids and their families through their extraordinary miles donation," said David Williams, president and chief executive officer for Make-A-Wish America. "With nearly 75 percent of the wishes granted each year requiring travel, travel costs are our largest expense. United and their customers make wishes possible through their generous donation of miles each year." Today, United also kicks off a miles drive to raise even more miles for Make-A-Wish. The airline invites customers to visit www.wish.org/united10K to donate miles to Make-A-Wish, and United will match donations up to a total of four million miles through July 31. For more information on United's Charity Miles program, visit secure.unitedmileageplus.com/CharityMilesSSO.jsp. About Make-A-Wish Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. According to a 2011 U.S. study of wish impact, most health professionals surveyed believe a wish-come-true has positive impacts on the health of children. Kids say wishes give them renewed strength to fight their illness, and their parents say these experiences help strengthen the entire family. Headquartered in Phoenix, Make-A-Wish is one of the world's leading children's charities, serving children in every community in the United States and its territories. With the help of generous donors and more than 28,000 volunteers, Make-A-Wish grants a wish somewhere in the country every 35 minutes. It has granted more than 270,000 wishes since its inception in 1980; more than 14,800 in 2015 alone. Visit Make-A-Wish at www.wish.org to learn more. About United United Airlines and United Express operate an average of 5,000 flights a day to 336 airports across six continents. In 2015, United and United Express operated more than 1.5 million flights carrying more than 140 million customers. United is proud to have the world's most comprehensive route network, including U.S. mainland hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. United operates more than 715 mainline aircraft, and this year, the airline anticipates taking delivery of 21 new Boeing aircraft, including 737 NGs, 787s and 777s. The airline is a founding member of Star Alliance, which provides service to 192 countries via 28 member airlines. Approximately 86,000 United employees reside in every U.S. state and in countries around the world. For more information, visit united.com, follow @United on Twitter or connect on Facebook. The common stock of United's parent, United Continental Holdings, Inc., is traded on the NYSE under the symbol UAL. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160621/382080 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130404/MM89155LOGO SOURCE United Airlines Related Links http://www.united.com CITY OF COMMERCE, Calif., June 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- On Tuesday, the 28th of June, at 8:00am, 99 Cents Only Stores will kick off the grand opening celebration of its new Chula Vista store by selling 40-Inch Flat Screen LCD TVs for only 99 cents to the first nine customers in line! 99 Cents Only Stores is excited to be opening its first store in Chula Vista and wants to spread the excitement by offering amazing deals! To celebrate this new store, the next 99 customers in line on the 28th may purchase a coffee maker for only 99 cents! The following 99 customers can purchase a steam iron for only 99 cents! The next 99 customers can buy a rice cooker for just 99 cents! Additionally, for the next three days, the new Chula Vista store will continue to offer many extraordinary grand opening specials including digital scales for only 99 cents for the first 99 in line on Wednesday, June 29th! The new Chula Vista store is located at 1030 3rd Ave and will feature a perishable food department, including produce, dairy and frozen foods. About 99 Cents Only Stores Founded in 1982, 99 Cents Only Stores is the leading operator of extreme value stores in California and the Southwestern United States. The Company currently operates 392 stores located in California, Texas, Arizona & Nevada. 99 Cents Only Stores offers a broad assortment of name brand and other attractively priced merchandise and compelling seasonal product offerings. Media Contact: Desiree Anderson, (213) 393-5736 or [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140211/LA62673LOGO SOURCE 99 Cents Only Stores Related Links http://www.99only.com WALKER, Minn., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Biking, fishing, boating, horseback riding Hiawatha Beach Resort offers it all. It also offers the healing power of a getaway for some Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) Alumni, their caregivers, and families. Wounded veterans and their families enjoy a weekend at Leech Lake, at an event hosted by Wounded Warrior Project. Wounded veterans and their families enjoy a weekend at Leech Lake, at an event hosted by Wounded Warrior Project. "Sometimes you go to events and feel rushed from one activity to another. This wasn't like that. We could sign up for what interested us or just do nothing, which is rare for my family," says Melissa Goldstein, whose husband is a U.S. Army service member. "My oldest daughter said it was one of the best weekends she's ever had. She got to spend time with other children who understand what it's like to have a dad go away and return with war injuries." Melissa's girls especially enjoyed the horseback riding the same for Chad Hindal's children. "They loved the horses," says Chad, a WWP Alumnus, who also suffers from chronic anxiety. "Usually, I get so stressed out when planning a family trip, but all we had to do was show up. WWP took care of everything else." Chad certainly needed the fresh air and relaxing weekend; along with having a 3- and a 5-year-old, his wife was eight months pregnant at the time, and they were in between houses. "A little chaotic to say the least," says Chad, "but this trip was perfect. Plus, it's nice to be in an environment where you don't feel out of place. You are with people who know what you've been through." The living is easy Hiawatha Resort, which is located on the famed Leech Lake. "Absolutely great." That's how U.S. Army veteran Ekundayo Falade described the weekend getaway. "My girlfriend and I got to see some familiar faces and make some new friends." Ekundayo says they enjoyed the horseback riding and the legendary fishing. Leech Lake is a favorite of anglers for walleye, northern pike, bass, muskie, and panfish. In addition to the fabulous family experiences, Ekundayo says he is grateful to WWP for many other reasons. "WWP helped improve my resume, got me a laptop, and even helped me out when I was short on rent." To learn more about how the passion of generous donors is bringing warriors together and providing services to warriors as they transition to the civilian workforce, visit https://goo.gl/YZE1Tr. About Wounded Warrior Project The mission of Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) is to honor and empower Wounded Warriors. WWP's purpose is to raise awareness and to enlist the public's aid for the needs of injured service members, to help injured servicemen and women aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs. WWP is a national, nonpartisan organization headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. To get involved and learn more, visit https://goo.gl/QYbvpg. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160617/380752 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160617/380753 SOURCE Wounded Warrior Project Related Links http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org IRVING, Texas, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Advanced Plan for Health, LLC (APH), a provider of data analytics technology to help organizations improve health benefits programs, today announced it is teaming with Tesser Health, a digital health company that offers WeRx, a prescription management tool designed to help self-insured employers and employees save money on prescription drug costs. Employers provide Tesser Health with drug claims data on all member transactions. The data is supplied by APH's Poindexter, a data analytics risk engine custom-built for population health management. With information on more than 1 billion drug prices at 60,000 pharmacies and the 8 Ways to Save engine, WeRx analyzes the claims data to find ways to reduce employee spending on medications. WeRx engages with employees to suggest how they can save money and offers rewards when switching to better prescription drug or pharmacy alternatives. "In 2015, amid significant growth (15 percent), the $364 billion pharmacy industry became the fastest-growing healthcare expense in America," said Dr. Ali Khoshnevis, chief health officer, Tesser Health. "Our platform uses evidence-based medicine and behavioral economics to help employees make better decisions on their medications." "We're pleased to join with Tesser Health to offer WeRx to our self-insured employer clients," said Neil Godbey, CEO, Advanced Plan for Health. "Through this relationship, we're advocating for individuals to take more of a consumer-like approach to managing their health that can help lead to savings and better health outcomes." About Tesser Health Tesser Health uses health care data, user engagement, and behavioral science to change employee actions. The company's products include WeRx and SmartMod360, which have been recognized by Harvard Health and Consumer Reports. The company is headquartered in Miami and also operates in North Carolina. Today, Tesser Health works with large healthcare provider systems, leading healthcare technology companies, and self-insured employers to lower healthcare costs. About Advanced Plan for Health, LLC Founded in 2004, APH continuously delivers customized and precise, cost-saving answers and actions that help brokers, employers, providers, health plans and others optimize health benefit programs to produce maximum value and savings. APH leverages custom-built technology and an unparalleled history in healthcare data mining and analysis to generate a distinct view with proven, practical action plans. From troublesome trends in population health to inefficient providers, APH has the data and expertise to help its clients implement speedy actions that achieve short-term results and support long-term strategies. Additional APH offerings include the design and management of Nurse Navigation services, engagement and relationship building with local healthcare providers, health risk assessments, employee outreach strategies, as well as education and program implementation. Learn more at www.aph-online.com and www.mypoindexter.com. Media Contact: Mercedes Carrasco MSLGROUP 781-684-0770 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/381275LOGO SOURCE Advanced Plan for Health, LLC Related Links http://www.aph-online.com LANSING, Mich., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- AF Group has announced Kevin Zielke as senior vice president and general counsel. Zielke will lead a talented legal team and has responsibility for all corporate legal matters and claims litigation. "Kevin's impressive background will be an incredible asset to our organization," said Lisa Corless, president of AF group. "He brings a wealth of experience in assessing scientific and medical information and formulating the best possible strategies for responding to mass product liability claims. His expertise will serve us well on the challenging pharmaceutical and medical management fronts." Prior to joining AF Group, Zielke was a member of the litigation department in the Detroit office of Dykema Gossett. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from Central Michigan University and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Michigan Law School. He is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, the American Bar Association and the Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association. A $1 billion company, AF Group is an exceptional collection of brands focused on reshaping how insurance is delivered. AF Group is committed to leading the industry with superior underwriting and innovative, best-in-class medical management strategies. To learn more about AF Group and its brands, visit AFGroupInsurance.com. About AF Group Founded in 1912, AF Group (Lansing, Mich.) and its subsidiaries are a premier provider of innovative insurance solutions. Rated "A-" (Excellent) by A.M. Best, AF Group is a nationally recognized holding company conducting business through its brands: Accident Fund, United Heartland, CompWest and Third Coast Underwriters. Contact: Bob Lapinski (517) 708-5664 or (517) 331-4890 [email protected] AFGroupInsurance.com Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160229/338522LOGO SOURCE AF Group Related Links http://AFGroupInsurance.com AGOURA HILLS, Calif., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Employees of Cydcor, the leading provider of in-person customer acquisition, along with more than 4,000 volunteers from a network of independent sales offices across North America and abroad, will join together to raise money June 25 and 29 as part of their annual Day of Smiles fundraiser benefitting Operation Smile. Cydcor has partnered with Operation Smile since 2010, helping children around the globe who were born with a cleft lip or cleft palate receive surgery. This year's Day of Smiles campaign should put the company's total giving to Operation Smile at more than $1 million. Money raised through Cydcor's previous Day of Smiles campaigns has been used to sponsor four Operation Smile medical missions to Brazil, Bolivia, Guatemala and Mexico. The ongoing fundraising efforts by Cydcor have resulted in more than 3,000 children receiving life-changing surgeries. "Cydcor is right on the cusp of raising a combined $1 million for Operation Smile, and this year's Day of Smile campaign will definitely put us over that incredible fundraising goal," said Cydcor President Vera Quinn. "Our corporate office team in Agoura Hills, Calif., and thousands of volunteers from sales offices will be out in their local communities, hosting events and going door-to-door, to raise not just money, but awareness of the incredible work Operation Smile continues to do. I've seen firsthand the profound change Operation Smile can make in the lives of these children and their parents. At Cydcor, we're proud to help deliver that life-changing smile through our Day of Smiles efforts." Volunteers from Cydcor and sales offices will be using the power of their own smiles and the leadership skills they use daily to canvas local businesses and communities raising funds for Operation Smile on June 25 and 29. They will be clad in matching blue shirts emblazoned with the Operation Smile logo. "Cydcor has used its reach to introduce how individuals can help somebody else halfway around the world. They just say to their employee base, 'Just give us one day -- one day to go out and tell some customers about Operation Smile,'" said Dr. William Magee, Co-Founder and CEO of Operation Smile. "It's about more than one child before and after (surgery), it's using that child as a metaphor to show that involvement can create change." Every three minutes, a child is born with a cleft lip or cleft palate. The surgery to correct the issue can cost as little as $240. By continuing to raise money for Operation Smile, Cydcor is working to ensure these children around the globe are given the opportunity to smile, to thrive and live successful lives. Added Kathy Magee, Operations Smile Co-Founder and President: "The world needs businesses like Cydcor; they have energy, they have enthusiasm and this is a group that can really come behind us. They are showing their social responsibility by being a part of a charity that makes changes everywhere." "By partnering with Operation Smile, we're able to deliver on a dream of creating a smile for a child that doesn't have that opportunity due to a facial deformity," added Cydcor's Quinn. "There is such a willingness to serve others that it has become second nature to include fundraising for Operation Smile into our goals. It is a point of pride for the company and for the network of offices across the country." To help support Cydcor's fundraising efforts for Operation Smile, visit www.operationsmile.org/cydcor. Learn more about Cydcor on Facebook and Twitter, or on the Cydcor blog. About Cydcor Cydcor is the leading provider of outsourced, face-to-face sales teams to a diverse client base of companies in a wide range of industries, including telecommunications, office products, retail, energy, and financial services. Serving Fortune 500 and emerging market clients in the business-to-business, residential, and retail channels through in-store marketing initiatives, Cydcor works with a network of more than 400 independently owned corporate licensee (ICL) sales offices, providing clients access to more than 4,600 sales professionals. The privately held company is based in Agoura Hills, California. For more information about Cydcor, visit www.cydcor.com. About Operation Smile Operation Smile is an international medical charity that has provided hundreds of thousands of free surgeries for children and young adults in developing countries who are born with cleft lip, cleft palate or other facial deformities. It is one of the oldest and largest volunteer-based organizations dedicated to improving the health and lives of children worldwide through access to surgical care. Since 1982, Operation Smile has developed expertise in mobilizing volunteer medical teams to conduct surgical missions in resource-poor environments while adhering to the highest standards of care and safety, and has provided hundreds of thousands of free surgeries. Operation Smile helps to fill the gap in providing access to safe, well-timed surgeries by partnering with hospitals, governments and ministries of health, training local medical personnel, and donating much-needed supplies and equipment to surgical sites around the world. Founded and based in Virginia, U.S., Operation Smile has extended its global reach to more than 60 countries through its network of credentialed surgeons, pediatricians, doctors, nurses, and student volunteers. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160621/381649LOGO SOURCE Cydcor Related Links http://www.cydcor.com Visible Gold in Grab Samples Further Increases Expectations for Property's Potential MONTREAL, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - ALGOLD RESOURCES LTD. (ALG: TSX-V the "Corporation") is pleased to announce the first mineral resource estimate in accordance with the Canadian Securities Administrators' National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") for its recently acquired Tijirit Property ("Tijirit" or "the Property") in Mauritania. The 100%-owned Tijirit project, which encompasses an area of more than 1,000 km2, is situated approximately 25 kilometers southeast of Kinross' Tasiast gold mine. The resource estimation was prepared by SGS Canada Inc. geological group Geostat ("SGS Geostat") with an effective date of June 15, 2016, using results from 294 reverse circulation holes ("RC") totalling 37,533 meters, 23 diamond drill holes ("DDH") totalling 3,813.08 meters and 16,239 meters of trenching carried out on the Property by past operators Shield Mining and Gryphon Minerals from 2009 to 2012. The supporting NI 43-101 Technical Report will be posted on SEDAR at www.sedar.com no later than 45 days after the date of this release. None of Algold's recent exploration work, the 10,000-meter RC program included, has been taken into account in the technical report. Algold expects to publish an updated NI 43-101 resource estimate in the latter part of 2016 that will include results from the current program. Highlights This report summarizes results obtained by previous operators and present the current mineral resources. Measured and indicated resources of 28,930 ounces at a grade of 1.75 g/t Au and inferred resources of 241,560 ounces at a grade of 1.71 g/t Au at a cut-off grade of 1.0 g/t Au Measured and indicated resources of 27,630 ounces at a grade of 1.82 g/t Au and inferred resources of 226,650 ounces at a grade of 1.79 g/t Au at a cut-off grade of 1.05 g/t Au Resources by zone are shown in the following tables, at cut-off grades of 1.00 g/t Au and 1.05 g/t Au. Figure 1 show the Wire Frame over the mineralised zones on a Landsat Imagery of Tijirit. Note: Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. This disclosure does not include economic analysis of the mineral resources. Table 1: Tijirit maiden resources, 1.0 g/t Au cut-off Zone Category Au (g/t) Tonnage Gold Ounces Eleonore Indicated 3.62 51,000 5,980 Sophie I - II Measured 1.79 28,000 1,600 Sophie I - II Indicated 1.57 216,000 10,900 Sophie III Indicated 1.13 29,000 1,040 Lily Indicated 1.54 189,000 9,410 Total Measured & Indicated* 1.75 513,000 28,930 Eleonore Inferred 3.26 188,000 19,650 Sophie I - II Inferred 1.96 1,635,000 103,180 Sophie III Inferred 1.10 320,000 11,270 Lily Inferred 1.48 2,258,000 107,470 Total Inferred* 1.71 4,401,000 241,560 * Totals may not add up due to rounding. Table 2: Tijirit maiden resources, 1.05 g/t Au cut-off Zone Category Au (g/t) Tonnage (t) Au Ounces Eleonore Indicated 3.67 51,000 5,960 Sophie I - II Measured 1.86 26,000 1,530 Sophie I - II Indicated 1.61 200,000 10,380 Sophie III Indicated 1.16 23,000 870 Lily Indicated 1.59 174,000 8,900 Total Measured & Indicated* 1.82 474,000 27,630 Eleonore Inferred 3.28 186,000 19,590 Sophie I - II Inferred 2.03 1,522,000 99,460 Sophie III Inferred 1.14 192,000 7,020 Lily Inferred 1.53 2,050,000 100,580 Total Inferred* 1.79 3,949,000 226,650 * Totals may not add up due to rounding. The actual resources model does not capture the high-grade potential of the Eleonore zone, but rather illustrates, at this point in time, the considerable tonnage and relatively low-grade Lily zone. The high-grade nature of the gold bearing quartz vein of the Eleonore zone is expected to significantly increase the overall grade of the deposit by adding quality ounces. Increasing Potential of the Tijirit Project "For quite some time Algold has believed in Tijirit's potential, and we are pleased to report that recent geological work has significantly enhanced our comprehension of its gold mineralisation and further increased our confidence that a significant gold deposit may be uncovered on the property," stated Francois Auclair, Algold's President and Chief Executive Officer. Historical drilling over the Eleonore zone resulted in a number of high-grade intersections, including 6 m @ 17.63 g/t Au (ERC4) and 4 m @ 4.22 g/t Au (12TRC138). These historical results have been heightened by a rock chip sampling program over a large area, following recent work done by Algold geologists and field workers who discovered the presence of very high grade gold quartz veining over a strike length of more than three kilometers (reference Algold's press release dated May 19, 2016). (Figure 2) Rock Chip Sampling Sixty-eight (68) rock chip samples from the Tijirit property, including 33 from Eleonore, 11 from Sophie I and II and 24 from other potential targets have been sent for analysis. Assays are currently pending and expected shortly. The visible gold quartz vein samples shown previously (Algold's press release dated May 19, 2016) have not been included in this batch of samples. Resources Modeling and Estimation The database contains 317 drillholes and 197 trenches with 43,615 assay results. (Details are provided in the table below.) Hole Types Number of Drillholes Sum of Length (m) Number of Assays Sum of Assayed Length (m) DDH 23 3,813.08 3,764 3,763.93 RC 294 37,533.00 33,145 37,514.00 Trenches 197 16,239.00 6,706 10,656.00 Total 514 57,585.08 43,615 51,933.93 A modeling cut-off grade of 0.3 g/t Au and minimum thickness of two meters were used to delineate mineralised volumes. The 1,144 two-meter composites were capped at grades varying between 2.5 g/t Au and 16 g/t Au based on local extreme grades. Only nine composites were capped. The gold loss is approximately 15% for the 1 g/t Au cut-off resource. Densities are based on 413 readings from DDH holes. A density of 2.00 t/m3 was used for saprolite, 2.7 t/m3 was used for fresh rock in the Lily zone and 2.8 t/m3 was used for fresh rock in the other zones. The block model has a block size of 2 x 2 x 2 meters. Estimation was done by inverse distance squared with ellipsoid influenced distances. A total of 40 separate volumes were estimated with 40 composite sets. Two estimation passes were used with ellipsoids of 75 x 75 x 25 meters and 150 x 150 x 50 meters. The first pass uses a minimum of four and a maximum of seven composites, with a limit of two per drillhole. The second pass uses a minimum two and a maximum of seven composites, with a limit of two per drillhole except for Eleonore (E) and Sophie III (C) with a minimum of one. The smoothing of the estimation is adequate. The measured and indicated categories have been outlined by hand on longitudinals based on drilling density. Drilling every 40 meters was classified as indicated and drilling every 30 meters was classified as measured. The remainder is inferred with interpolation up to 200 meters and limited extrapolation. The SGS Genesis software was used for the modeling and estimation. Table 1 shows the base case resource with a cut-off grade of 1.00 g/t Au. Table 2 shows the effect of raising the cut-off grade to 1.05 g/t Au. Some whittle optimized open pits have been prepared, but are not considered for this maiden resource estimate. The base case resource extends from surface to a depth of 320 meters with 90% of it extending from surface to a depth of 210 meters. Acquisition of Properties from Gryphon In connection with the Corporation's exercise of its option on the Tijirit and Akjout properties granted by Gryphon Minerals Limited, announced on March 11, 2016, Algold incurred advisory fees of C$250,000. As announced on May 31, 2016, 1,250,000 common shares of the Corporation were issued in lieu of said advisory fee. Algold Retains the Services of Renmark Financial Communications Inc. Algold has retained the services of Renmark Financial Communications Inc. ("Renmark") to support its investor relations activities for an initial term of three months commencing June 1, 2016 subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. The initial term may be extended by mutual consent and the Corporation has agreed to pay C$5,000 per month in consideration for their services. Renmark Financial Communications Inc. does not have any interest, directly or indirectly, in Algold Resources Inc. or its securities, or any right or intent to acquire such an interest. About Algold Algold Resources Ltd. is focused on the exploration and development of gold deposits in West Africa. The board of directors and management team are seasoned industry professionals with extensive experience in the exploration and development of world-class gold projects in Africa. Algold is the operator of all of its exploration licenses in Mauritania. Algold owns 100% of the Tijirit and Akjout properties, which were acquired from Gryphon Minerals (Australia) through a transaction completed earlier in 2016. Algold owns 90% of the Kneivissat property, while the Legouessi property is being managed through a 51% earn-in interest agreement with Caracal (Electrum Group Companies). Algold can earn up to a 90% interest in the Legouessi exploration permit (reference Algold's press release dated October 10, 2013 for more details), however, Caracal has the right to participate in the joint venture at either 51% or 75%, by funding its share of expenditures. Quality Assurance / Quality Control (QA/QC) Analytical work for soil geochemical samples and rock chips samples is being carried out at the independent ALS Laboratories Ltd. in Loughrea, Co. Galway, Ireland, an ISO 17025 (2005) certified laboratory. Samples are stored at Algold's field camps and put into sealed bags until delivered by a geologist to the ALS preparation laboratory in Nouakchott, Mauritania, where samples are sieved and prepared for shipping. Until the end of 2015, samples were analysed at the ALS facility in Bamako, Mali. Since early 2016, samples have been analysed at ALS in Ireland. Samples are logged in the tracking system, weighed, dried and finely crushed to better than 70% passing a 2 mm (Tyler 9 mesh, US Std. No.10) screen. A split of up to 1,000 g is taken and pulverized to better than 85% passing a 75 micron (Tyler 200 mesh) screen, and a 50-gram split is analysed by fire assay with an AA finish. Blanks, duplicate and certified reference material (standards) are being used to monitor laboratory performance during the analysis. All of the results and press releases related thereto have been reviewed for accuracy and to ensure that they are in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 by Andre Ciesielski, DSc. PGeo, Lead Consulting Geologist and Qualified Person, Algold Resources Ltd. Yann Camus, P.Eng., of the independent firm SGS Canada Inc. geological group Geostat is the qualified person under NI 43-101 standards who supervised the preparation of the resource estimate and approved all resource-related material in this press release. Yann Camus has visited the property from April 16 to 20, 2016, for current personal inspection requirements. All information supporting the resource estimation was verified for any inconsistencies. There was no limitation on the verification process. CAUTIONARY LANGUAGE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This news release contains and refers to forward-looking information based on current expectations. All other statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release are forward looking statements (or forward-looking information). The Corporation's plans involve various estimates and assumptions and its business is subject to various risks and uncertainties. For more details on these estimates, assumptions, risks and uncertainties, see the Corporation's most recent Annual Information Form and most recent Management Discussion and Analysis on file with the Canadian provincial securities regulatory authorities on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. These forward looking statements are made as of the date hereof and there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, such statements are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements that are included herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. SOURCE Algold Resources Ltd. NEW YORK, June 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/-- ALM has announced several promotions to its senior editorial leadership team as part of its ongoing company-wide integration of talent to embrace a new vision of how to provide professionals in complex industries with news, data, analysis, marketing solutions and events on the right platform, in the right format, and at the right time to successfully manage the business of business (http://www.alm.com/about-us/leadership/). "These changes are an important step in the creation of ALM's new global newsroom and the company's continuing evolution as a collaborative, innovative digital powerhouse," said Molly Miller, ALM Chief Content Officer. "We will continue to share more details about this transformation in the coming weeks." Editorial leadership promotions include: George Haj is now ALM Editorial Director. He was previously Regional Editor-in-Chief for the South. In this new role, Haj will oversee reporters, editors and copy editors across ALM's legal, finance, insurance and real estate verticals. He will focus on further integrating the ALM newsroom to accelerate the process of identifying content in each area that would be of interest to other audiences that ALM reaches, as well as creating cross-vertical content and products. Nichole Morford was promoted to Digital Editor-in-Chief. She will be responsible for the development of digital strategies to maximize web traffic, deepen audience engagement and effectively monetize ALM's digital products. Morford's experience is instrumental to the company's digital-first focus. She has helped lead digital-first initiatives across a number of different business models over the past decade. Morford was most recently Editorial Lead and Manager of the Digital Center of Excellence for the Insurance Group. Peter Westerman is now Vice President of Market Development & Audience Insights. He will continue to assess the cross-vertical appetite of markets covered by ALM for new products and services and work with other team members to create new products. He will also support the collection and analysis of data and recommend how to deliver the most valuable information to readers at the time and on the platform where they are most receptive. Tegist Legesse was promoted to Director of Design & Multi-Media Journalism. Legesse will oversee the visual look and feel of all ALM productsdigital and printas well as direct new video and audio efforts for daily journalism and larger projects. She will also establish the visual signature for all ALM brands and websites. Erin Harrison is now Editor-in-Chief of Multi-Platform Content. She will be responsible for developing and leading several cross-vertical news desks and implementing standards and procedures for sharing content across events and publications. Harrison was most recently Editor-in-Chief of Legaltech News. Zach Warren will take over as Editor-in-Chief of Legaltech News. He was previously Managing Editor of the magazine. Hank Grezlak's role as Regional Editor-in-Chief for the Northeast has been expanded to include oversight of all regional brands including the New York Law Journal, The Recorder, Texas Lawyer, Daily Report and the Daily Business Review. Grezlak, who will be reporting to Haj, will ensure seamless communications between brand editors and the new global newsroom. Greg Mitchell, Editor-in-Chief of Law.com, will now oversee all legal theme desks across the nation as part of the new global newsroom. He will report to Haj. Mitchell will focus his efforts upon further elevating the quality of ALM's content and developing more stories for multiple markets and national use. He will continue to oversee the editorial strategy for Law.com. Vanessa Blum, who will be reporting to Mitchell, has been promoted from Managing Editor of The Recorder to Editor of the litigation theme desk. Ginny LaRoe will be the acting Editor-in-Chief of The Recorder. Tasha Norman has been promoted to Manager of Content Operations. Norman will be helping ALM Editorial execute on new premium content solutions. About ALM ALM, an information and intelligence company, provides customers with critical news, data, analysis, marketing solutions and events to successfully manage the business of business. Customers use ALM solutions to discover new ideas and approaches for solving business challenges, connect to the right professionals and peers to create relationships that move business forward, and compete to win through access to data, analytics and insight. ALM serves a community of over 6 million business professionals seeking to discover, connect and compete in highly complex industries. For more information, visit www.alm.com. Media Contact Dana Taormina JConnelly (973) 850-7305 / [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160109/320646LOGO SOURCE ALM Related Links http://www.alm.com BOSTON, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- American Well, a national telehealth technology and services company, and operator of AmwellTM, the #1 most downloaded app for video doctor visits, today announced that it has appointed longtime executive team member and engineering lead Jon Freshman to become the Company's Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Jon Freshman, Chief Technology Officer, American Well. As CTO, Jon will oversee the three arms of American Well's technology creation research and development (R&D), technical services, and quality assurance and will help steer the company's telehealth technology innovation and strategy. Jon reports directly to CEO Dr. Roy Schoenberg. He previously served as senior vice president (SVP) of R&D. "It is with great pride that we recognize Jon in his expanded role as CTO," said Dr. Roy Schoenberg, CEO, co-founder, American Well. "As a veteran American Well-er, Jon led the buildout of our first foray into online care a decade ago. With his talents and dedication, he soon rose into the top R&D leadership role, helping us walk the fine line between fast-track innovation and accountable delivery. Jon has been instrumental in expanding what we are known for, from the first basic telehealth website to today's sprawling enterprise systems and mobile products. With Jon's leadership we will continue to imagine, design and deliver meaningful, elegant solutions that make telehealth a celebrated part of mainstream medical care." Since joining American Well, Jon has led the team responsible for developing the company's and the industry's most powerful telehealth services to-date, including the recently released AW9 featuring collaboration-capable Multiway Video, and the first Telehealth Mobile Software Development Kit (SDK) which allows healthcare entities to embed telehealth capabilities into their own, existing digital applications. Jon has also championed the integration and exchange of healthcare and business data to and from American Well technology, including data from e-prescribing services, medical record systems, APIs, medical billing, eligibility systems, biometric devices, and consumer solutions like Apple Health. "It's been an honor to work at American Well over the past decade to provide technologies that unlock simple and affordable access to care whether it's through our web platform, mobile apps, interactive kiosks, or Telemed Tablets," said Jon Freshman. "I know we'll continue to provide our customers and partners with cutting-edge technology innovations as we look to further simplify care delivery. I anticipate that as the ecosystem of healthcare technology and devices evolve, so too will our telehealth solutions, making for a future in which the best healthcare is delivered at home." American Well has a long history of promoting from within. Jon is one of several team members who were with American Well at the start, and have since been promoted to lead critical areas for the company's growth. These include original American Well team members who now lead Hosting, Services, Product Management, Visual Design, Human Resources, and Clinical Services. About Jon Freshman, Chief Technology Officer, American Well As CTO of American Well, Jon brings more than 20 years of software engineering experience with an emphasis on software-as-a-service, cloud-based technology, information technology strategy and vision, team-building and project management. He has a proven track record in delivering complex solutions for both emerging and established companies in healthcare and science, as well as the financial and insurance industries. Jon joined American Well in 2007, assuming progressively broader scope of responsibility, including web and mobile development, oversight of all product development, and in 2013, became the Company's first SVP of its R&D division. Prior to American Well, Jon served in several software engineering roles, including positions at BEZ, Amdocs, Charles River Development, and XChange, Inc. About American Well American Well transforms healthcare delivery through telehealth. We make online doctor visits accessible to everyone for one-off care issues like colds or infections, and chronic condition management, such as diabetes or depression. We deliver healthcare into people's homes and workplaces through our work with top health plans, health systems and employers, as well as our telehealth app, Amwell. A patient using Amwell can connect to a board-certified doctor of their choosing in just minutes for a visit carried out over smartphone, tablet, kiosk, phone, or desktop. American Well and Amwell are registered trademarks or trademarks of American Well Corporation in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners. For more information on our services, visit www.americanwell.com. To download Amwell and have a doctor visit now, visit www.amwell.com. Media Contact: Amanda Guisbond [email protected] 617-204-3500 x. 3697 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/381187 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150429/212541LOGO SOURCE American Well Related Links http://www.americanwell.com ORANGE COUNTY, Calif., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The medical field has been slow to adopt the innovative frontier of virtual reality, which was conceptualized in the late 1980s. However, recent advancements in the accessibility of this immersive technology have led to its steady adoption by healthcare providers. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160621/381749 Ampronix describes the latest medical virtual reality Developments in image quality, such as ultra-high definition 4K displays, as well as video gaming software, have paved the way for the election of virtual reality utilization within hospitals. Notably, Hoag Hospital and the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, have integrated Surgical Theater Surgical Planner (SRP) to their neurological surgery approach. As a combination of medical imaging procedures, gaming technology, and virtual reality, SRP is fundamentally changing how surgeons prepare for and accomplish surgical procedures. It works by translating CT and MRI scans into interactive 3D models with life-like tissues that can react to digital surgery tools. Since the simulation is based on actual medical images of the patient undergoing surgery, surgeons can virtually perform the procedure and plan ahead to avoid issues that were previously unforeseeable. The 3D virtual reality system has benefited these healthcare providers via its simulation capabilities and detailed brain map functionality. "It allows for increasingly minimally invasive procedures, which are much better for our patients because [there are] fewer complications, shorter hospital stays and overall faster recoveries and patient comfort," said Robert Louis, M.D, neurosurgeon and director of Hoag's Skull Base and Pituitary Tumor Program. However, virtual reality in the medical field is not strictly used for surgical applications. For instance, tele-healtha method of clinical diagnosis and monitoringis an ubiquitous way in which virtual reality can utilize four key facets of healthcare delivery: video conferencing, store and forward, remote patient monitoring, and mobile health. This particular application of augmented reality has transformed intercommunication between patients and physicians; liberating patients to seek specialized careregardless of distancewhile simultaneously facilitating open communication for physicians. In addition, remote patient monitoring and mobile health have placed the impetus on patients to consistently maintain and monitor their care. Tele-health exists in a multitude of iterations that urge patients to incorporate virtual reality in their treatment processes. With their pioneering Virtual Care Clinic System, USC Center for Body Computing is at the forefront of making augmented reality more user-friendly for patients. Spearheaded by Dr. Leslie Saxon, the program allows patients to receive medical care from their mobile device for easy accessibility and convenience. Saxon's likeness is digitally rendered to give patients the impression of receiving advice from a trusted professional. At the Institute for Creative Technologies at USC, physicians are utilizing virtual reality as a tool to help individuals with PTSD and anxiety disorders confront their psychological inhibitions. With the employment of Bravemind, a clinical and interactive virtual reality exposure therapy tool, physicians can configure reenactments of trauma inducing scenarios. Through recreation of these anxiogenic experiences, patients are able to reimmerse themselves in past pivotal events and reassociate the corresponding emotions, an instrumental step in the healing process. Although these applications for virtual reality are changing the nature of how medical care is delivered, wholescale adoption will remain a slow process, until the cost of these systems are reappraised. For instance, the previously cited Surgical Theater system's price point is upwards towards half a million dollars. Some argue that these systems will save money over time due to the services they provide; however, the initial cost is a great deterrence in acquiring this advanced technology. Nonetheless, virtual reality in the healthcare system has proven beneficial for both patients and physicians alike. Contact Ampronix: Media Contact: Jamie Nguyen Email: [email protected] International Sales: +1 949-273-8000 Domestic Sales: 1800-400-7972 for US and Canada Follow Us: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn View our Product Catalog Online Here About Ampronix Ampronix is a renowned authorized master distributor of the medical industry's top brands as well as a world class manufacturer of innovative technology. Since 1982, Ampronix has been dedicated to meeting the growing needs of the medical community with its extensive product knowledge, outstanding service, and state-of-the-art repair facility. Ampronix prides itself on its ability to offer tailored, one-stop solutions at a faster and more cost effective rate than other manufacturers. Ampronix is ISO 13485:2003, ISO 9001:2008, and ANSI/ESD S20.20-2007 certified. Related Images image1.jpg image2.jpg image3.jpg image4.jpg This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com SOURCE Ampronix Related Links http://www.ampronix.com WILKES-BARRE, Pa. and MESA, Ariz., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- If you want to know the secret to longevity, 91-year-old Anna Arnett of Chandler, Ariz., might have the answer. When she recently completed her master's degree in creative writing from Wilkes University, she became the school's oldest graduate in its 83-year history. She says that pursuing an advanced degree after her 90th birthday kept her young. "Finding Wilkes has added years to my life," says "Miss Anna," as her Wilkes classmates call her. Anna Arnett of Chandler, Ariz., is Wilkes University's oldest graduate. At age 91, she's earned a degree in creative writing with a memoir about her Mormon family. Arnett, mother of 7, grandmother to 28 and great-grandmother to 49, earned the degree at the Pennsylvania university's Mesa, Ariz., site. Next up for Arnett: a Master of Fine Arts degree and another memoir. The degree is the latest achievement in a life that reads like a novel. The energetic senior has raised a family of seven, directed and taught in a school for pregnant teens in the Mesa, Ariz., school district and been the wife of an Air Force pilot. She's moved 29 times, living in 16 states, Australia and Japan. A member of the World War II generation, Arnett's memoir, Forever Endeavor, was written as her creative thesis in the Wilkes program. It covers the story of her parents' early life in Utah as educators and farmers. The memoir includes details of her own life being raised in the Mormon faith and growing up on a farm. "They were real pioneers," she says of her parents. "My mother was born in 1886on a cattle ranch in a two-room log cabin with a dirt floor and a dirt roof. But a nice fireplace." Arnett's faculty mentor in the program was J. Michael Lennon, Wilkes professor emeritus of English and author of the acclaimed biography Norman Mailer: A Double Life. Lennon lauds his student's accomplishments, saying, "Working with Anna has been a distinct and unusual pleasure. She is a superb writer with an eye like a pair of tweezers for the telling detail." The memoir written for her master's degree thesis is the second in what Arnett envisions as a series of books about her extraordinary life. An earlier volume focused on her marriage to her late husband, Charles, who died in March 2008, his career as an Air Force pilot that ended in 1968, and raising their large family, which now includes 28 grandchildren and 49 great-grandchildren. While many her age might consider earning a master's degree as one more item to check off the bucket list, Arnett sees it as just one more stop on her journey. This summer she begins work on her master of fine arts degree. About Wilkes University: Wilkes University is an independent institution of higher education dedicated to academic and intellectual excellence through mentoring in the liberal arts, sciences, and professional programs. Founded in 1933, the university is on a mission to create one of the great small universities, offering all of the programs, activities, and opportunities of a large, research university in the intimate, caring, and mentoring environment of a small, liberal arts college. The Economist has named the University 25th in the nation for the value of its education to graduates. Learn more at www.wilkes.edu/oldestgrad Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160621/381935 SOURCE Wilkes University Related Links http://www.wilkes.edu/ BOSTON, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Gradifi, the industry's first provider of the Employer SLP Plan (Student Loan Paydown), today announced an exclusive partnership with Radius Bank to offer the only debit card to help pay down student loans - the Gradifi MasterCard Debit Card with Apple Pay. Cardholders will earn 1% unlimited rewards on all debit card purchases. These rewards will be applied directly toward any student loan via Gradifi's secure payment processing platform. The card is offered through a Radius FDIC-insured free checking account which can be opened online in minutes and provides additional convenient features, including unlimited ATM rebates. The partnership with Radius is an extension of Gradifi's free integrated Member Paydown Rewards platform. The card will be available in the fall of this year. Gradifi Debit Card The Gradifi-managed SLP Plan gives employers the ability to make extra monthly contributions towards any student loan for new and existing employees. "Our partnership with Radius enables Gradifi members to earn rewards on everyday purchases simply by using their debit cards, giving them the potential to shave years off of a student loan," said Gradifi Founder and CEO Tim DeMello. "With Radius, we are able to provide our Members another innovative way to get out of debt faster, offering them a best-in-class program from a technology-driven partner who shares our focus of delivering a state-of-the-art customer experience." "In partnering with Gradifi, we saw an opportunity to offer an innovative deposit product to be part of their solution to help pay down student debt while improving consumers' overall financial management," said Mike Butler, Radius President & CEO. "We are excited to have partnered with Gradifi to offer this one-of-a-kind service to their Members. Additionally, Radius is furthering their involvement by offering Gradifi's SLP Plan benefit to all of its employees, helping them pay down their own student debt. "We are excited to offer our employees with student loan debt this cutting-edge employee benefit." About Gradifi Gradifi is a Boston-based student loan pay down provider with the first innovative solution to the nation's $1.3 trillion student loan debt problem. The company was founded in 2014 and is led by a management team that brings decades of combined experience in consumer financial services and entrepreneurial ventures. By partnering with companies such as PricewaterhouseCoopers to develop employer SLP Plans (Student Loan Paydown), rewards programs and brand loyalty programs, Gradifi is shifting the focus on student loan debt from burden to empowerment. To learn more about Gradifi, visit www.gradifi.com or twitter.com/gradifi. About Radius Bank With assets of approximately $800 million as of March 31, 2016, Radius Bank is a forward-thinking community bank offering a full complement of convenient, leading-edge personal and business products and services. The Bank serves consumers, small and middle market businesses, unions, government entities and non-profit organizations as its core clients. The Bank offers anytime/anywhere banking via mobile device, 24-hour ATM service, provides additional services such as treasury management capabilities, and partners with innovative organizations including mobile payments leader LevelUp, online investment firm Aspiration, and online marketplace lender Prosper. Customers can readily access traditional, personalized branch banking at the Bank's Boston, MA financial center. Radius Bank is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and is an Equal Housing/Equal Opportunity Lender. For further information, visit the Bank's website at www.radiusbank.com. Media Contact: Elizabeth Yekhtikian 617-686-9541 [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/381423 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160531/373753LOGO SOURCE Gradifi Related Links http://www.gradifi.com ISTANBUL, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The $3.2 million Series A was led by new European marketplaces-focused venture capital fund Addventure, with participation also from existing seed investor Hummingbird Ventures. The investment is among the largest ever received by a startup in Turkey and brings the total investment received by armut to $4.2 million. The Istanbul-based company was co-founded by Basak Taspinar Degim and Erol Degim to make it easy to buy services online. Armut.com has become the local services marketplace in Turkey on the strength of its proprietary matching and pricing algorithm and unwavering focus on customer satisfaction. The company has raised the living standards of more than 90,000 professionals by introducing them to almost half a million service requesters in 2015. "Even though Armut.com is already the best way to buy services online, we see lots of room to improve our product to better serve our customers. We expect a decade of tremendous growth ahead of us," said co-founder Basak Taspinar Degim. Co-founder Erol Degim emphasized that Armut.com is looking at an unusually large opportunity due to the company's technological and operational innovations having helped capture the attention of consumers more than any other startup in this space. "Our intention is use the new funds to build a world class team so that we can take our unique model to new countries." The company has been invited to attend the Global Entrepreneurship Summit hosted by President Barack Obama at Stanford University, June 22-24 2016. The company's founders were also previously selected by the Endeavor Network as a high impact entrepreneur in 2015. About Armut.com http://armut.com/ About Addventure http://www.addventure.to/en/ About Hummingbird http://hummingbird.vc/ SOURCE Armut.com FREMONT, Calif., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Asterias Biotherapeutics, Inc. (NYSE MKT: AST), a biotechnology company with three clinical-stage development programs focused on the emerging field of regenerative medicine, today announced that a review of its AST-OPC1 (oligodendrocyte progenitor cells) spinal cord injury program will be presented during an oral session at the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) Annual Meeting, being held in San Francisco, CA from June 22-25, 2016. Presentation Details Jane S. Lebkowski, Ph.D., Asterias' President of R&D and Chief Scientific Officer, will be one of the presenters during the 'Road to the Clinic" session scheduled on Saturday, June 25th at 1:15pm (PT). Dr. Lebkowski's presentation, titled "Clinical Assessment of hESC-derived Oligodendrocyte Progenitor Cells (AST-OPC1) in Patients with Sensorimotor-complete Thoracic and Cervical Spinal Cord Injuries," is expected to begin at 2:30pm (PT). Panel Discussion Details During the same ISSCR annual meeting, Katy Spink, Ph.D., Asterias' Chief Operating Officer will participate on a Focus Session titled "Tools for Basic and Applied Stem Cell Biology." This session is organized by Stem Cell COREdinates, a consortium of human pluripotent stem cell-focused shared facilities that have joined forces to share experiences, expertise with protocols and reagents, and to establish "best practices." The session runs from 9:00am to 12:00pm (PT) on Wednesday, June 22nd. Following a series of presentations Dr. Spink will sit on a panel discussing pluripotent stem cell-based therapies, which begins at 11:00am (PT). The ISSCR is an independent nonprofit organization and the voice of the stem cell research community. The ISSCR was founded in 2002 to foster the exchange of information on stem cell research and now claims more than 4,100 members worldwide. The ISSCR Annual Meeting provides an opportunity to learn of groundbreaking research from all areas of stem cell science. The meeting attracts over 3,500 stem cell research professionals each year and provides an excellent forum for scientists to present and discuss their latest research with participants from academic, industry and government settings from around the world. About Asterias Biotherapeutics Asterias Biotherapeutics, Inc. is a leading biotechnology company in the emerging field of regenerative medicine. The company's proprietary cell therapy programs are based on its immunotherapy and pluripotent stem cell platform technologies. Asterias is presently focused on advancing three clinical-stage programs which have the potential to address areas of very high unmet medical need in the fields of oncology and neurology. AST-VAC1 (antigen-presenting autologous dendritic cells) demonstrated promise in a Phase 2 study in acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and completed a successful end-of-Phase 2 meeting with the FDA in advance of initiating planning for a single pivotal Phase 3 AML study. AST-VAC2 (antigen-presenting allogeneic dendritic cells) represents a second generation, allogeneic immunotherapy. The company's research partner, Cancer Research UK, plans to begin a Phase 1/2 clinical trial of AST-VAC2 in non-small cell lung cancer in 2017. AST-OPC1 (oligodendrocyte progenitor cells) is currently in a Phase 1/2a dose escalation clinical trial in spinal cord injury. Additional information about Asterias can be found at www.asteriasbiotherapeutics.com. SOURCE Asterias Biotherapeutics, Inc. Related Links http://www.asteriasbiotherapeutics.com DENVER, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Aventura, the leading provider of situational awareness technology for the healthcare industry, has received its eighth patent (U.S. Patent No. 9,367,512) from the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Aventura's situational awareness platform, Sympatica, leverages knowledge of the user and their location to present a highly secure, personalized clinical desktop. The patent relates to technology for the dynamic updating of virtual resources and applications based on location change, solving the fundamentaland cripplingproblem of roaming sessions on virtualized desktops and application. In healthcare, a caregiver's workflow involves working in a myriad of places and performing numerous functions. By personalizing the desktop based on a caregiver's role and location, Aventura is able to eliminate the frustrating, multiple login/logoff process by providing a consolidated desktop that is "always on." With a single gesture, a doctor or nurse is logged into every required application and when they move to another workstation, they gesture out and carry that active session with them "in their pocket." When they move to another workstation, the session resumes right where they left off. There is no need to log-in again or re-access the patient records. "Our latest patent validates and protects the critical underpinnings of our situational awareness platform," said John Gobron, CEO of Aventura. "By updating a user session based on location, our customers have reduced the time that their caregivers spend logging in and out of the computer, recouping between 30-45 minutes per shift." About Aventura Aventura is the leading provider of awareness computing for the healthcare industry. For decades, clinicians have had to adapt their workflow to the limitations of computers; with Aventura, computers can now adapt to how clinicians work. Through its patented technology, Aventura delivers awareness of a user's identity and role, their location within a facility, what device they are working on, and what patient they are treating. Based on this awareness, Aventura immediately delivers a virtual desktop and dynamically provisions the applications and exact screens a user needs to care for that particular patient, eliminating wasteful clicks and keystrokes. As a result, Aventura helps customers achieve their important initiatives in the areas of EHR adoption and Meaningful Use requirements, PHI security, mobility, and cost containment. Aventura is privately-held and its investors include: Safeguard Scientifics (NYSE: SFE) and Merck Global Health Innovation Fund (Merck GHI), Excel Venture Management, HLM Venture Partners and Memorial Care Innovation Fund. Visit www.aventurahq.com; follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook; or call 888-484-4643 to learn more. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160301/339157LOGO SOURCE Aventura Related Links http://www.aventurahq.com DALLAS, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- BenefitMall, a leading provider of employee benefits and payroll services, announced today its online benefits administration system, EmployerFocus, is now available in Colorado. EmployerFocus has been easing the complexity and burden of administering benefits for more than two decades. BenefitMall is excited to offer this technology to support its broker partners in Colorado in addition to their employer clients. "One of our goals at BenefitMall is to streamline and simplify benefits administration for every person we serve across the United States, including brokers, employers and employees. EmployerFocus is something we are proud to offer, and we know our partners in Colorado will continue to put their trust in us as a benefits administration leader," said Dennis Fallon, Senior Vice President, Insurance Field Sales and Service of BenefitMall. Benefits administrators in Colorado can use the online system to manage company benefits, edit or add employee information, manage contributions and share reports. The online system can even publish relevant news, links and documents to landing pages. With a few clicks, employees can also access comprehensive benefits information, update records of dependents, print relevant forms, order identification cards and see benefits elections. Overall, the system gives employees a clearer perspective of and access to their vital data, while offering educational resources to help make the best benefit choices. A benefits broker can provide more information on EmployerFocus, or visit www.benefitmall.com. About BenefitMall Headquartered in Dallas, BenefitMall partners with a network of 20,000 Brokers and CPAs to deliver employee benefits and payroll services to more than 200,000 small and medium-sized businesses. By combining payroll and benefits, BenefitMall empowers Trusted Advisors to develop the best employee programs while maintaining compliance with government regulations and Health Care Reform. BenefitMall, the largest national General Agency merged with the second largest privately held payroll company, CompuPay. BenefitMall also operates HealthCareExchange.com, the leading online community for information regarding the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. More information is available at www.benefitmall.com. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141118/159384LOGO SOURCE BenefitMall Related Links http://www.benefitmall.com ATLANTA, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Birch Communications, Inc., ("Birch") a leading provider of communications, network and cloud services to small, mid-sized, enterprise and wholesale businesses across North America, announced continued expansion of their Channel Partner program and promotion of Paul Masters to SVP of Alternate Channels. As a top-tier provider of unified communications (UC), advanced network service and cloud services, Birch partners have everything their customers need from one provider. By joining the Birch Channel Partner Program, partners have access to an extensive network of partners, sales and technical training, as well as product demos, and much more, to assist in providing Birch products to their customers. Together with Birch's outstanding partner compensation plans and robust product portfolio, Birch is the top choice for partners' and customers' business needs. "The channel partner community is an integral part of our organic growth strategy," said Tony Tomae, president and CEO of Birch. "Over the past twenty years, channel partners have known Birch as one of only a select number of providers with the ability to offer communications services to customers with locations nationwide. With our expansion of our Metro-Ethernet and Fiber footprint to more than 550,000 buildings over the past year combined with the strength of our Cloud portfolio, Birch can now offer partners much more. The relationships partners have with their customers provide the perfect opportunity to foster growth in advanced communications and technology products. Birch is committed to growing this community, and I am pleased to have Paul assume his new role to expand our channel partner program in this way." As SVP of Alternate Channels, Masters assumes responsibility for planning, developing and implementing a strategic roadmap for future growth of the channel which includes sales, marketing, partner development, sales engineering, and client implementation. Additionally, he will accelerate the adoption of Birch's advanced services with an emphasis on TotalCloud PBX, TotalCloud Data Center, TotalCloud File Storage, Metro Ethernet, and Fiber. "Transitioning to this new role at Birch is exciting, and it will enable us to continue to establish, maintain and enhance Birch's partner relationships with resellers and carriers through our next phase of growth. My main objective is to build strategic programs and alliances that position partners to gain greater opportunities in the market by providing them with the best product set to deliver to their customers. Whether it is a voice, cloud, hosted PBX, managed services, or turnkey solution Birch can fulfill all their requirements," said Masters. Masters has 20+ years of demonstrated accomplishments in the telecommunications industry. Throughout his extensive career, he has delivered successful channel and business development programs and built key relationships with resellers, MSPs, and other partners nationwide. Masters joined Birch in June 2013 when the company acquired Ernest Communications where he served as co-founder and president for fifteen years. He is a Graduate of Shorter University with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration and holds a Master of Business Administration from Emory University. About Birch Communications Birch Communications, Inc. is a leading communications, network, cloud and IT solutions provider celebrating 20 years in business (1996-2016). Recognized for exceptional customer experience, Birch delivers cost-effective solutions that assist small, mid-sized, enterprise and wholesale businesses to increase their productivity. Its industry-leading product portfolio is available across North America and includes Metro-Fiber, Metro-Ethernet, unified communications (UC), hosted phone systems, hosted data centers, and hosted file storage services. For more information, visit birch.com. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110606/CG14010LOGO SOURCE Birch Communications, Inc. Related Links http://www.birch.com BOSTON, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Boston Children's Hospital is ranked the number one pediatric hospital on this year's U.S. News & World Report Best Children's Hospitals. Boston Children's is first in more specialties than any other pediatric hospital in the nation. Boston Children's is first in 8 out of 10 categories: Cancer, Cardiology & Heart Surgery, Gastroenterology & GI Surgery, Neonatology, Nephrology, Neurology & Neurosurgery, Orthopedics and Urology; and second in Diabetes & Endocrinology and Pulmonology. "Our patients and families inspire us to do the best for them every single day and these rankings reflect that dedication," says Sandra L. Fenwick, President and CEO. "Families look to Boston Children's for answers and it's our job to provide them with the very best care." The U.S. News Best Children's Hospitals rankings help parents determine where to get the best medical care for their children. The rankings highlight the top 50 U.S. pediatric facilities in 10 specialties. "Boston Children's is a place where the most amazing stories come to life," says Kevin Churchwell, MD, EVP Health Affairs and COO. "Without our patients, families and the entire staff, we could not reach such a level of excellence and it's because of them that we are the only top ranked pediatric hospital in New England." Boston Children's is home to the largest research program at a pediatric medical center in the world with more than 1,300 researchers working to solve the most pressing challenges in pediatric medicine today. Making advances in stem cell, neurobiology, genetics and genomics to name just a few, the research conducted at Boston Children's helps develop new therapies, improve patient care and drive clinical advances to new levels. The Best Children's Hospitals rankings rely on more than 1,000 clinical data points and on an annual survey of pediatric specialists. Some data points analyzed include: survival rates, adequacy of nurse staffing, procedure volume and much more can be viewed here. The rankings will be published in the U.S. News "Best Hospitals 2017" guidebook, available for pre-sale August 1. Amazing stories come to life at Boston Children's celebrations of small joys and major milestones, everyday heroes and life-changing moments. To add your story to the greatest children's stories ever told, share your photo and testimonial on Twitter or Instagram using #ThisKidInspires. You can also learn more about Boston Children's on our website. Boston Children's Hospital is home to the world's largest research enterprise based at a pediatric medical center, where its discoveries have benefited both children and adults since 1869. More than 1,100 scientists, including seven members of the National Academy of Sciences, 11 members of the Institute of Medicine and 10 members of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute comprise Boston Children's research community. Founded as a 20-bed hospital for children, Boston Children's today is a 404-bed comprehensive center for pediatric and adolescent health care. Boston Children's is also the pediatric teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. For more, visit our Vector and Thriving blogs and follow us on our social media channels: @BostonChildrens, @BCH_Innovation, Facebook and YouTube. Contact: Erin Tornatore Boston Children's Hospital 617-919-3110 / [email protected] SOURCE Boston Children's Hospital Related Links http://www.childrenshospital.org MENLO PARK, Calif., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Bridge Bank today announced the opening of a new Menlo Park loan production office on famed Sand Hill Road, the headquarters for its Equity Fund Resources (EFR) Group. This move underscores Bridge Bank's continued commitment to being the go-to-resource for small and medium-sized businesses, the private equity community and the diverse industries they serve. The new office is part of Bridge Bank's broader plans to expand the EFR Group and Sand Hill Road is an ideal location to forge even deeper relationships with the neighboring venture capital and private equity communities focused on technology and life science companies. The Menlo Park location will not be a full service banking office and will not accept deposits or open bank accounts. "Our goal for Bridge Bank's EFR Group is to create a robust ecosystem of equity fund associates and venture capital investors," said Michael David, SVP and managing director of the Equity Fund Resources Group at Bridge Bank. "Sand Hill Road is at the epicenter of this world and our new office and EFR team are now well positioned as part of this community." Founded in September 2015 as a central hub for the venture capital and private equity communities, the group builds on Bridge Bank's success as a leading technology lender by offering a comprehensive suite of customized banking services. The EFR Group works with early- to growth-stage companies across a variety of sectors throughout the U.S. with locations in Silicon Valley, Southern California, the Northeast, and the mid-Atlantic region. It caters to the VC and private equity communities and the portfolio companies they back. The new Menlo Park office neighbors some of the world's most prestigious and long-standing VC firms an important factor considering most of Silicon Valley's success stories have received backing from one or more Sand Hill Road venture capital firms. Located at 2735 Sand Hill Road, the new Bridge Bank office was designed by Anne Sneed Architectural Interiors and has four executive suites, as well as a larger common area to accommodate the EFR Group's continued expansion. With the addition of this location, Bridge Bank now has 10 offices and is growing in major markets across the country. About Bridge Bank Bridge Bank is a division of Western Alliance Bank, the go-to-bank for business in its growing markets. Bridge Bank was founded in 2001 in Silicon Valley to offer a better way to bank for small-market and middle-market businesses from across many industries, as well as emerging technology companies and the private equity community. Geared to serving both venture-backed and non-venture-backed companies, Bridge Bank offers a broad scope of financial solutions including growth capital, equipment and working capital credit facilities, sustainable energy project finance, venture debt, treasury management, asset-based lending, SBA and commercial real estate loans, ESOP finance and a full line of international products and services. Based in San Jose, Bridge Bank has 10 offices in major markets across the country along with Western Alliance Bank's robust national platform of specialized financial services. Western Alliance Bank is the primary subsidiary of Phoenix-based Western Alliance Bancorporation. With $15 billion in assets, Western Alliance Bancorporation (NYSE:WAL) is one of the fastest-growing bank holding companies in the U.S. and recognized as #10 on the Forbes 2016 "Best Banks in America" list. For more information, visit www.bridgebank.com or follow us on Twitter @Bridgebank. PR Contact for Bridge Bank Barokas PR for Bridge Bank 206.264.8220 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160316/345241LOGO SOURCE Bridge Bank Related Links http://www.bridgebank.com VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- I'm Douglas Coupland, a writer and artist based in Vancouver, Canada. I'm currently crowd-sourcing the planet looking for the head of Vincent Van Gogh or rather, his closest lookalike. The head that comes closest will become the source material for a large bronze sculpture commission. I'm learning that most people have someone in their life who looks like Vincent van Gogh. It could be your next door neighbour. It could be a guy at work. It could be you. I'm asking people to submit photos of their suggested candidate to the website iamvincent.com. The one person who the artist thinks best resembles Vincent van Gogh, will be given 5,000 euros and will be flown with a guest to Vancouver for a unique experience. They will be 3D-scanned and their facial data will become Vincent van Gogh's likeness on Coupland's final 2 metre by 3 metre sculpture, forever immortalizing them in bronze and on a plaque bearing the lookalike's name. The Vincent van Gogh bronze will be the first in an ongoing series of commissioned monumental outdoor works titled "Redheads." Following Van Gogh there will be any number of redheads. Why redheads? "I'd like it to trigger discussion about new relationships between science, art and globalization," states Coupland. Redheadedness is the most recent successful human mutation. Between one and two per cent of the world's population is redheaded, and in north European and western countries, this number can rise to six per cent. It appears in people with two copies of a recessive allele on chromosome 16 which produces an altered version of the MC1R protein. This is a complex way of saying that there is no way of telling when a gene is going to change, and what sort of characteristic it will bring about. This genetic magic is a microcosm of the way in which all life on earth changes with time. I want this first bronze piece to be eternal but I also want it to be imbued with the twenty-first century. On making big head sculptures: Over the past decade Douglas Coupland has been making a lot of art and public art involving large heads. His "Gumhead" began as an outdoor public artwork in Vancouver in the summer of 2014, a fiberglass self-portrait. It was seven-feet-tall and over four months it accumulated a quarter-million pieces of chewing gum applied by the public. After Vancouver, "Gumhead" went to Toronto and to Sao Paulo and Brasilia in Brazil. For additional details visit: www.vanartgallery.bc.ca/the_exhibitions/exhibit_gumhead.html How to submit a photo: Simply upload a photo to iamvincent.com While you're on the website you can read Coupland's Vincent van Gogh Blog, view the latest entries and vote for your favorite photo. Photo entries will be accepted until August 20th, 2016 (midnight, Pacific Time). About Douglas Coupland: Douglas Coupland is a Canadian novelist, visual artist and designer. Since his 1991 novel, Generation X, Coupland has published fourteen novels and short story collections as well as several works of nonfiction including a 2010 biography of Marshall McLuhan. He has written and performed for England's Royal Shakespeare Company and in 2008 created a 13-episode TV series based on his 2006 novel, jPod. A 1984 art school graduate, Coupland's visual work in the 1990s was the creation of the Internet aesthetic in conjunction with Wired magazine as well as his own website and blogs. In 2000 he resumed the making of physical works. In recent years his work has been central to numerous international solo and group shows. Coupland is a contributor to the New York Times, e-flux, DISonline, Artsy, Vice online and has a fortnightly column with the FT Weekend Magazine in London. Since February 2015 he has been artist in residence at the Google Cultural Institute in Paris. https://www.coupland.com/ FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: For United States inquiries contact: Alysa Campbell, MSLGROUP [email protected] Tel: (312) 861-5277 For Canada inquiries contact: Laura Serena, Serena PR [email protected] Tel: (604) 842-4510 SOURCE Douglas Coupland Related Links https://www.coupland.com MORGANTOWN, W.Va., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute (BRNI) today announced that its lead Alzheimer's drug, Bryostatin, licensed to Neurotrope Bioscience, Inc., increases the levels of the synaptic scaffolding protein, PSD-95 and induces the movement of phosphorylated PSD-95 to the neuronal membranes. The study, conducted within the BRNI basic research programs showed that Bryostatin induced activation of PKC epsilon increased synaptic number, pre-synaptic vesicle density, and clusters of PSD-95. It is known that either A or tau, both toxic proteins in Alzheimer's disease brains, can induce reduction of PSD-95 in excitatory synapses in hippocampus. Furthermore, this PSD-95 reduction continues to occur as the Alzheimer's pathologies advance. A Phase II clinical trial (Neurotrope Bioscience, Inc.) is underway to test the efficacy of Bryostatin for the treatment of the causes and progression of Alzheimer's disease. The new study, demonstrating for the first time a close relationship between PKC epsilon () and its downstream target, PSD-95, is entitled "PKC epsilon Promotes Synaptogenesis through Membrane accumulation of the Postsynaptic Density Protein PSD-95" with lead author, Dr. Abhik Sen, as published online in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, June 21, 2016. "Dr. Sen, together with Dr. Tom Nelson, continue to reveal important new insights into the processes of brain degeneration and regeneration," said Dr. Alkon, Scientific Director of BRNI. "Our studies consistently demonstrate that the synaptogenic growth factors such as BDNF, NGF, IGF, etc. are increased by Bryostatin-induced activation of PKC epsilon. Bryostatin has the ability to regenerate the brain wiring lost in pre-clinical disease models and entirely restore memory capacity due to many causes of neurodegeneration such as Alzheimer's, Fragile X, and TBI. Dr. Alkon went on to say, "This latest article provides major new evidence that BRNI is developing and Neurotrope is clinically testing Bryostatin as a potential "universal" therapeutic for neurodegeneration in the brain, however it arises, even due to disease genes as distinct as Fragile X, ApoE, and Presenilin as recently described in a BRNI review article published in the June 2015 edition of Trends in Pharmacological Sciences (Vol. 36 No. 6. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tips.2015.04.004 ). Neurotrope is currently conducting a Phase 2B clinical trial to validate PKC epsilon activation therapy in Alzheimer's disease, a potential paradigm shift in the field, for which Bryostatin already has received Orphan Drug status from the FDA for Fragile X Syndrome (FRX). About The Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute Located in Morgantown, West Virginia, BRNI, at West Virginia University, is a unique, independent, non-profit institute dedicated to the study of memory and finding solutions to memory disorders. BRNI was founded in 1999 in memory of Blanchette Ferry Hooker Rockefeller, an Alzheimer's patient and mother of U.S. Senator John D. Rockefeller IV. BRNI is operated in alliance with West Virginia University. About Neurotrope Neurotrope BioScience, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Neurotrope, Inc., is at the forefront of biotechnology companies having a focus on developing a novel therapy for the treatment of moderately severe to severe Alzheimer's disease. The scientific basis of our treatment is activation of Protein Kinase C isozymes and by bryostatin, a natural product, which can result in repair of damaged synapses as well as synaptogenesis, reduction of toxic amyloid generation, and enhancement of memory and learning, thus having the potential to improve cognition and behavior in Alzheimer's disease. NTRP has exclusively licensed technology from the Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute for Alzheimer's disease, Fragile X Syndrome, stroke, and other neurologic disorders characterized by brain degeneration. Contact: Karen Stakem 304-218-8354 [email protected] SOURCE Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute Related Links www.BRNI.org FORT MYERS, Fla., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is a letter from Kenny Hinkle Jr., On Behalf of Bullsugar.org, to Mayor Randy Henderson of Fort Myers, Florida: 21 June 2016 The City of Fort Myers Mayor Randy Henderson City Hall 2200 Second St. Fort Myers, FL 33901 Send Via Email: [email protected] Re: Representative Caldwell bias & Lake Okeechobee Learning Collaborative Dear Mayor Henderson, I write to you on behalf of the 127,000 and growing followers of Bullsugar.org. Bullsugar.org is a non-profit 501(c)4 founded in August 2014 on the belief that stopping the damaging discharges to our coasts and restoring the Everglades is not a science or engineering problem. The science has been known for decades. Our problem is a political problem -- and it requires a political solution. Tomorrow, 22 June 2016, Florida League of Mayors, Inc., on which you serve as the Board of Directors President, will host Lake Okeechobee Learning Collaborative. Conspicuously missing from the Florida League of Mayors, Inc. website is the event agenda. We have attached a copy of the event page from your website (Exhibit A). If it is the case that you, as the President, have not seen the agenda, we have attached it to this letter as (Exhibit B). You will find that with agenda item 7 lists Representative Matt Caldwell as "Facilitator" for policy discussion. Bullsugar.org and its followers, who represent VOTERS and TAX PAYERS in each and every member city of Florida League of Mayors, strongly object to the inclusion of Representative Caldwell in your Lake Okeechobee Learning Collaborative. We urge you to find a non-biased facilitator who represents the constituents, not special interests - specifically BIG SUGAR. Should you have a question regarding the bias of Representative Caldwell, we have done a simple analysis of Representative Caldwell's 2016 campaign election cycle finance reports (Exhibit C) and of Florida Committee for Conservative Leadership (Exhibit D), which lists Representative Caldwell as associated with the ironically named political committee (Exhibit E). Please forgive us if our percentages are off a point or two, career politicians and their financiers do a good job smoke-screening money. Caldwell 2016 Campaign Total money raised through May 2016 : $206,733.00 Corporate contributions: 93% of total contributions Individual contributions: 7% of total contributions Corporate contributions from Lee County : 4% of total contributions Individual contributions from Lee County : 1.2% of total contributions Contributions from individuals in House District 79 (Mr. Caldwell's district): 1 (one) $75 ( seventy-five dollars ) .03% (three-hundredths of one percent of total contributions) Dominant industries on Representative Caldwell's finance reports: Big Sugar and its affiliates including Big Tobacco Developers Big Pharma / Big Insurance Soft Money PAC's, Lawyer and Lobbyists Florida Committee for Conservative Leadership Total contributions: $332,355.52 Speaks for itself Noteworthy Contributions: $32,500.00 from United States Sugar Corporation As the President of Florida League of Mayors, Inc. and the Mayor of the City of Fort Myers, through which polluted water is flushed from Lake Okeechobee, we urge you to remove Representative Caldwell and his special interests from tomorrow's forum. You have an opportunity to show your constituents and voters across the state, the Nation and the Globe that no longer will the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie estuaries be the dumping ground for polluted water. You have an opportunity to strengthen the economic viability of many communities and preserve the future for many communities. Show the world that in our water there are grasses, fish, salt and shells but not special interests. Best, Kenny Hinkle Jr. On Behalf of Bullsugar.org For more information, please visit: Bullsugar.org Exhibit A: http://origin-qps.onstreammedia.com/origin/multivu_archive/ENR/381946-Bullsugar-dot-org-Exhibit-A-Lake-Okeechobee-Learning-Collaborative.pdf Exhibit B: http://origin-qps.onstreammedia.com/origin/multivu_archive/ENR/381941-Bullsugar-dot-org-Exhibit-B-Lake-O-Learning-Collab-Agenda.pdf Exhibit C: http://origin-qps.onstreammedia.com/origin/multivu_archive/ENR/381943-Bullsugar-dot-org-Exhibit-C-2016-Cycle-Caldwell-Campaign-Money.pdf Exhibit D: http://origin-qps.onstreammedia.com/origin/multivu_archive/ENR/381945-Bullsugar-dot-org-Exhibit-D-2016-Cycle-FCCL.pdf Exhibit E: http://origin-qps.onstreammedia.com/origin/multivu_archive/ENR/381944-Bullsugar-dot-org-Exhibit-E-FCCL-Caldwell.pdf CONTACT: Allie Preston, [email protected] SOURCE Bullsugar.org Related Links http://www.bullsugar.org NAPERVILLE, Ill. and LONDON, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Calamos Investments, a global investment firm offering risk-managed investment strategies, is shortlisted for the European Pensions Awards "Emerging Markets Manager of the Year". "We employ a risk-managed approach to the emerging markets at Calamos, which we believe is beneficial both over the long term and in the current environment. Our ability to lower volatility levels for our clients while still providing exposure to the growth potential and opportunities of the emerging markets has proved valuable for investors," said Nick Niziolek, Co-CIO, Head of International and Global Strategies, Senior Co-Portfolio Manager. The European Pensions Awards are organized by European Pensions Magazine, Europe's highly authoritative information source for pension decision makers. The awards are free to enter and are open to any firm which serves pension funds in one or more European countries. Now in its ninth year, the awards have been designed to recognize outstanding achievement in the varied fields of European pension provision, honoring the investment firms, consultancies and pension providers across Europe that have set the professional standards in order to best serve European pension funds in these increasingly challenging times. The awards are independently judged and the winners will be announced at the annual gala dinner on 23 June 2016. More information about the awards, including the full shortlist, is available at http://www.europeanpensions.net/awards/shortlist.php. About Calamos Calamos Investments is a diversified global investment firm offering innovative investment strategies including U.S. growth equity, global equity, convertible, multi-asset and alternatives. The firm offers strategies through separately managed portfolios, mutual funds, closed-end funds, private funds, an exchange traded fund and UCITS funds. Clients include major corporations, pension funds, endowments, foundations and individuals, as well as the financial advisors and consultants who serve them. Headquartered in the Chicago metropolitan area, the firm also has offices in London, New York, San Francisco, and the Miami area. For more information, please visit www.calamos.com. Calamos Investments LLC, referred to herein as Calamos Investments, is a financial services company offering such services through its subsidiaries: Calamos Advisors LLC, Calamos Wealth Management LLC, Calamos Investments LLP and Calamos Financial Services LLC. SOURCE Calamos Investments LLP Related Links http://www.calamos.com SAN FRANCISCO, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has partnered with purpose activation platform in/PACT to invite delegates to shatter gender stereotypes by directing a portion of the proceeds from the Glass Lion award to the cause of their choice. Last year, Cannes Lions unveiled Glass: The Lion for Change, an award which celebrates culture-shifting creativity by recognizing work that implicitly or explicitly addresses issues of gender equality or prejudice through the conscious representation of gender in advertising. By partnering with in/PACT, the interactive purpose activation platform based in San Francisco, Cannes Lions celebrated the launch of the award in 2015 by allowing delegates to direct all of the Glass Lion proceeds to their favorite of ten featured gender equality nonprofits. The initiative successfully directed 87,340 to the ten causes in one week. This year, the campaign will return with even more impact. Throughout the festival, delegates will have multiple opportunities to direct Glass Lion entry proceeds to featured gender equality causes. Opportunities to take action will begin at the Glass Lion award ceremony and continue throughout the Festival with a custom campaign microsite and the Cannes Lions mobile app. Cannes Lions is proud to announce partnerships with nine causes this year: UN Women, Clinton Foundation, Men Engage (Boys and Men for Gender Equality), Gender and Development Network, Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, Women for Women, Pro Mujer, Equality Now and Global Fund for Women. "Last year, we had the opportunity to help the Cannes Lions Festival activate their purpose through the newly unveiled Glass: Lion for Change," said Kevin Eyres, CEO of in/PACT. "This year, we are honored and excited to amplify our efforts and allow each and every delegate the opportunity to play an active role in the fight for gender equality." ABOUT IN/PACT in/PACT is a technology platform that activates purpose for people, brands and causes by enabling people to engage more deeply with the causes they care about and support the brands that share their values. in/PACT's activation engine enables marketers to create shared moments of purpose through customer-directed giving campaigns, driving loyalty, advocacy and sales by empowering customer choice. For more information, visit www.inpactnow.com, follow @inpactnow on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram or email [email protected] to speak to a representative. ABOUT CANNES LIONS The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is a global event for those working in the creative communications, advertising and related fields. It is considered the largest gathering of worldwide advertising professionals, designers, digital innovators and marketers. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160107/320044LOGO SOURCE in/PACT Related Links http://www.inpactnow.com WASHINGTON, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Caregiver Action Network (CAN), the nation's leading family caregiving organization, announced its newest board member at the annual board meeting on June 15, 2016. "We are pleased to welcome an exceptional healthcare industry professional, Joff Masukawa, to CAN's Board," said John Schall, CAN chief executive officer. "Our organization will benefit from his extensive experience in the biopharmaceutical and healthcare arena and his understanding of the associated economic and access issues impacting the ability of caregivers to provide vital services to patients. His leadership and proven industry success will help to support CAN's critical role in ensuring the voice of the caregiver is included in the new value-oriented healthcare economy." Joff Masukawa is President of Diligentia, LLC, a Washington D.C.-based consultancy that develops commercialization and external engagement strategies for innovative rare disease and specialty biopharmaceutical companies. Prior to founding Diligentia, Mr. Masukawa was Vice President and Global Head of Government Relations and Public Affairs at Shire. He has over 20 years of commercial and corporate experience at Shire, Genzyme, Visible Genetics, Gentiva, Labcorp and Merck. Mr. Masukawa is an adjunct instructor at the George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences in the Department of Clinical Research and Leadership. He also serves on the Board of Directors of The Center for Healthcare Innovation. CAN's Board of Directors: Dean Stephens, CEO, Talix, Chair Wes Metheny, Partner, Penn Quarter Partners, Vice Chair Marion T.R. Watkins, Alston & Bird, LLP, Office of Senator Robert Dole, Treasurer Melissa Rowley, Secretary Michelle Baker; Powell Tate Joseph Delahunty; FTI Consulting Joff Masukawa; Diligentia, LLC Beth Merachnik Mike Shaughnessy About CAN Caregiver Action Network (www.CaregiverAction.org) is the nation's leading family caregiver organization working to improve the quality of life for more than 90 million Americans who care for loved ones with chronic conditions, disabilities, disease, or the frailties of old age. CAN serves a broad spectrum of family caregivers ranging from the parents of children with special needs, to the families and friends of wounded soldiers; from a young couple dealing with a diagnosis of MS, to adult children caring for parents with Alzheimer's disease. CAN reaches caregivers on multiple platforms. CAN (formerly the National Family Caregivers Association) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization providing education, peer support, and resources to family caregivers across the country free of charge. For further information contact: Lisa Winstel, Chief Operating Officer [email protected] Phone: 202-454-3970 SOURCE Caregiver Action Network Related Links http://www.caregiveraction.org PHILADELPHIA, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- CDI Corp. (NYSE: CDI) announced today that its CDI- Aerospace & Industrial Equipment (AIE) business has entered into a long-term service agreement with Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC primarily in support of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory National Ignition Facility (NIF) in Livermore, CA. The contract also allows CDI to provide engineering support to the entire Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory complex including; Defense Technologies Engineering Division, Engineering Technologies Division, National Security Engineering Division and Technology Resources Engineering Division. The service agreement has a term of four years and extends the Company's master services relationship with NIF begun in 2008. With this service agreement, CDI-AIE will provide Lawrence Livermore's National Ignition and Photon Science Directorate with engineering services across a wide variety of disciplines. The National Ignition Facility, the world's largest and most energetic laser, is a critical tool for ensuring national security, performing experiments that may lead to nuclear fusion in a laboratory setting and advancing basic science. These efforts allow scientists to help ensure the country's safety without nuclear weapon testing, define energy for the future and gain a better understanding of the universe. "We are pleased to announce this extension and enhancement of our strong relationship with the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory," said Patricia O'Connell, President of CDI-AIE. "During the course of our relationship with NIF we have provided mechanical, electrical and facilities engineering support. With this renewal, CDI will have an opportunity to deliver an expanded set of services across the entire lab complex. We look forward to continuing as a reliable, trusted and high-quality supply partner in meeting Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's varied engineering needs." CDI-AIE's Phoenix Design Center will serve as the program center for this agreement. Company Information CDI Corp. (NYSE: CDI) seeks to create extraordinary outcomes with our clients by delivering solutions based on highly skilled and professional talent. Our business is comprised of four segments: Enterprise Talent, Specialty Talent & Technology Solutions, Engineering Solutions and MRI. Our client offerings include an array of engineering design project solutions, information technology project solutions and managed services, specialty technology staff augmentation, and program and managed staffing services. Our clients are corporations in multiple industries, including energy, chemicals, infrastructure, aerospace, industrial equipment, technology, as well as municipal and state governments, and the U.S. Department of Defense. We have offices and delivery centers in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. In addition, we also provide recruiting and staffing services through our global MRINetwork of franchisees. Learn more at www.cdicorp.com SOURCE CDI Corp. Related Links http://www.cdicorp.com NEW ORLEANS, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Cendyn is proud to announce the worldwide release of the Cendyn Hospitality Marketing Cloud(CHMC), an integrated technology platform with the most complete set of solutions available in the industry. Designed specifically for travel and hospitality, the CHMC drives sales and marketing performance to generate profitable revenue growth through two main solution sets: Cendyn/ONE and Cendyn/EVENTS. CENDYN LAUNCHES THE CENDYN HOSPITALITY MARKETING CLOUD AT HITEC 2016 Cendyn/ONE drives transient leisure direct bookings and personalized guest engagement through integrated Hotel CRM and Data-Driven Digital Marketing technology. The solution centralizes data from multiple sources, including Property Management Systems (PMS), Point of Sale (POS), Central Reservation Systems (CRS), Call Center, ancillary systems, Guest Satisfaction Surveys (GSS), Social Media, Loyalty and more, into a single view of guest data that enables marketing automation across all digital media channels, and guest engagement throughout the entire guest lifecycle. The entire process is measured and optimized via a powerful analytics and reporting solution with real-time insights to maximize ROI. Cendyn/EVENTS (formerly Cendyn Arcaneo) offers Event Management and Hotel Sales technology that increases group business and streamlines the event sourcing, planning and execution process. These collaborative solutions connect hotels and resorts with planners, while venue management technology enables clients to automate and measure meetings and events. The Hotel Sales Suite provides a wide range of software modules for growing group business, including the award-winning eProposal, eMenus, getplanning, getregistered, eLeads and RFP Toolkit. "We are thrilled to announce the Cendyn Hospitality Marketing Cloud at HITEC today," said Charles Deyo, Cendyn President and CEO, "It represents the culmination of over two decades of experience focused on developing the most complete suite of innovative applications for driving bottom line results." Charles continued, "Now we are delivering these applications to our customers via a secure, integrated cloud platform built for scale and speed." About Cendyn Cendyn is the leading provider of travel and hospitality software solutions, delivered via the Cendyn Hospitality Marketing Cloud an integrated technology platform with the most complete set of applications available for driving sales and marketing performance. The Cendyn Hospitality Marketing Cloud delivers results via two main solution sets. Cendyn/ONE provides Hotel CRM and Data-Driven Digital Marketing solutions for growing transient leisure bookings, guest engagement, and loyalty. Cendyn/EVENTS provides Event Management and Hotel Sales solutions for capturing group business and streamlining the event sourcing, planning and execution process resulting in enterprise spend levels in excess of $1 billion USD annually. Cendyn proudly serves over 30,000 clients in 143 countries from office locations in Boca Raton, Atlanta, Boston, Toronto, London and Singapore. For over 20 years they have delivered profitable revenue growth through innovative products and services. For more information on Cendyn, please call +1-800-760-8152 or visit www.cendyn.com. Contact: Dee Surico, Marketing Manager Phone: +1-561-419-2147 [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160621/381674 SOURCE Cendyn Related Links http://cendyn.com PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Howard Fensterman and his son, Jordan Fensterman, were Guests of Honor at the Chabad of Port Washington's 25th Anniversary Dinner on June 8th. The celebration, attended by over 365 members and business and religious leaders, was held at the Chabad of Port Washington House at 80 Shore Road in Port Washington, New York. According to Rabbi Shalom M. Paltiel, the spiritual leader of Chabad of Port Washington, Howard and Jordan Fensterman are extremely deserving of this honor. They are compassionate and giving members of the Chabad of Port Washington family and outstanding leaders within Long Island's business and civic communities. "A father and son team for the ages, Howard and Jordan Fensterman proudly represent the true essence of Chabad's mission: tirelessly supporting our services that bring tangible benefits to the lives of our entire community," said Rabbi Paltiel. Howard Fensterman is the Managing Partner of Abrams, Fensterman, Fensterman, Eisman, Formato, Ferrara & Wolf, LLP, based in Lake Success, Long Island. Mr. Fensterman is involved in all facets of the law firm's practice, including representing corporations, partnerships, LLCs and LLPs, as well as other business entities and individuals in connection with litigation, settlement negotiations, purchase and sale of business entities, asset-based lending, shareholder and partnership agreements and real estate matters. Jordan Fensterman is a partner in the Health Law, Corporate, and Litigation departments at Abrams Fensterman. Jordan's clientele include various health care providers, large corporations, and substantial web based organizations. Jordan Fensterman also represents nursing homes and assisted living facilities in regulatory and compliance matters. "Being honored by the Chabad of Port Washington in any year would be a humbling and memorable occasion," Howard Fensterman said. "To be recognized as we celebrate our 25th Anniversary of service to the community and to stand, shoulder to shoulder with my son, is deeply and profoundly touching," he added. Jordan acknowledged the overflow crowd and expressed heartfelt appreciation for his honor and for Chabad of Port Washington's service to all the residents of the greater Port Washington community. "At a time when many are questioning the human condition and the nature of our collective spirit, Chabad of Port Washington stands as a shining example of the good that can come from a commitment to openness to all faiths, races and country of national origin," Jordan Fensterman noted. SOURCE Abrams Fensterman Worldwide IT Leader becomes part of Bit Stew's Reseller Program to Solve the Data Integration Challenge for Industrial Operations BURNABY, BC, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - Bit Stew Systems, developer of the premier platform that solves the data integration challenge in the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), today announced that Cisco, the worldwide leader in IT, has joined its reseller program to bring its MIx Core platform to new markets and geographies. As a top tier reseller, Cisco will resell Bit Stew's MIx Core to help their customers unlock the full potential of the IIoT by integrating, analyzing and gaining greater intelligence from operational and IT data generated throughout their organizations. Cisco partners and customers can now purchase MIx Core from the Cisco Global Price List (GPL). Creating Better Business Outcomes for the IIoT Ecosystem "With Cisco as a top tier reseller, we will extend the global footprint of our best-of-breed MIx Core platform into new vertical markets to solve the daunting data integration challenge for the IIoT, and substantially reduce the time to value for complex data integration projects in industrial environments," Jett Winter, EVP, Business Development at Bit Stew. Bit Stew recently launched version 10 of MIx Core, a platform purpose-built to handle complex data integration, data analysis, and edge intelligence from billions of connected devices in the IIoT. Jett adds, "Bit Stew's MIx Core solves the complex data integration problem first, and then converts that data into unprecedented insights for our customers." Cisco: Invested in Bit Stew In 2014 and 2015, Bit Stew raised 1$25.8 million in Series A & B funding from major players in the Industrial Internet including Cisco. Bit Stew recently announced the completion of the initial closing of Series C investment. Enhancing Edge Processing with Cisco's IOx Platform Bit Stew's MIx Core works in concert with the Cisco IOx technology and successfully operates on a number of Cisco hardware devices including the Connected Grid Router. MIx Core enables edge processing within the Cisco Fog network and brings a whole new level of capabilities to market. This end-to-end visibility enables industrial companies to gain actionable insights from the network in order to manage risks, improve asset performance and increase uptime. Read the Case Study to learn more about how Cisco and Bit Stew unlocked the benefits of the Industrial Internet for BC Hydro. Bit Stew's Broad Partner Ecosystem Bit Stew's partner program enables IoT ecosystem companies to deliver greater value to their industrial enterprise customers while generating additional revenue. About Bit Stew Systems Bit Stew provides the premier platform for handling complex data integration, data analysis, and predictive automation for connected devices on the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). Purpose-built for the IIoT, Bit Stew's MIx Core platform solves the data integration challenge at scale for complex industrial data environments. Bit Stew has earned global recognition by being named to Gartner's Cool Vendors List and as Frost & Sullivan's Entrepreneurial Company of the Year North American Service Solutions. In 2015, Bit Stew was ranked as one of the Top 100 Analytics Companies and Top 100 IoT Startups by Forbes. Incorporated in 2009, Bit Stew is a venture-backed private company that is headquartered in Canada with offices in the USA, Australia and Europe. Visit www.bitstew.com to learn more. 1 Unless otherwise noted, all financial figures are presented in Canadian dollars (CDN$). SOURCE Bit Stew Systems Inc. Related Links www.bitstew.com WASHINGTON, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The senior creditors of the Puerto Rico Sales Tax Financing Corporation ("COFINA") made the following statement today after the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ("the Commonwealth") issued its press release describing the proposals it made to certain holders of debt issued by COFINA and the Commonwealth. The communication also described counterproposals made by groups of COFINA senior bondholders and General Obligation ("GO") bondholders. The COFINA Senior Bondholders Ad Hoc Group's latest proposal is designed to help address Puerto Rico's fiscal crisis and stabilize the Commonwealth's economy while protecting both individual investors and institutions. "As creditors with strong legal property rights and alignment of interests with the Puerto Rican people, our group welcomed the opportunity to constructively discuss the Commonwealth's latest restructuring proposal. That is why we accepted the Commonwealth's first ever invitation to enter into a non-disclosure agreement and engage in direct discussions with principal bondholders. After assessing the latest proposal shared by the Commonwealth and its advisors, we developed a good-faith counterproposal that balances creditors' rights with Puerto Rico's liquidity needs and economic growth objectives. Unfortunately, after their negotiations lapsed with other creditors, the Commonwealth's advisors failed to make a counterproposal to us at this time. "Given our track record of constructive engagement with other stakeholders, we prefer to continue negotiations. Our latest counterproposal reflects our willingness to accept real principal haircuts and it adopts several concessions set forth in the Commonwealth's June 14 proposal, including acknowledgement of and respect for our first lien on all COFINA revenues and assets, and implementation through PROMESA with validation under Title III or VI. Our group also accepted a smoothing of our portion of the pledged sales and use tax base amount ("PSTBA") in order to provide interim liquidity relief to the Commonwealth as it struggles to address its economic crisis, subject to agreement on a sufficient collateral cushion and mechanism. "It is our understanding that the Commonwealth was working towards responding to our counterproposal, but it ultimately ran out of time with other creditor groups. We welcome the opportunity to continue engaging in constructive negotiations in the days and weeks to come. Our group believes that passage of PROMESA in the Senate will further support productive discussions between all stakeholders." About the COFINA Senior Bondholders Ad Hoc Group The Group is a coalition of creditors made up of retirees and individual investors in Puerto Rico and throughout the United States, as well as asset managers GoldenTree Asset Management LP, Merced Capital LP, Tilden Park Capital Management, Whitebox Advisors LLC, and others. The COFINA Senior Bondholders Ad Hoc Group has come out in support of many of the components of the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act ("PROMESA") released by the House Natural Resources Committee. The framework ensures that creditors are treated fairly and equitably based on their legal standing and provides a strong foundation for federal legislation to address the Commonwealth's economic crisis. Media Contacts Chris Mittendorf Edelman NY (on behalf of the COFINA Senior Ad Hoc Group) 212-704-8134 [email protected] Greg Marose Edelman D.C. (on behalf of the COFINA Senior Ad Hoc Group) 201-936-4126 [email protected] SOURCE COFINA Senior Bondholders Ad Hoc Group DETROIT, June 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- World-renowned automaker General Motors recently honored Continental with a Supplier IMPACT Award. Awards were presented to top suppliers that share the same economic vision and passion for inclusion of qualified diverse suppliers as the automaker. Continental representatives attended the automaker's annual Supplier IMPACT meeting at Cobo Hall in Detroit to celebrate the honor. "It is a key strategy for GM Global Purchasing and Supply Chain to ensure continued participation of diverse suppliers throughout our entire supply chain," said Reginald Humphrey, senior manager, Supplier Diversity, GM. "We are proud to award our Tier One Suppliers for their top performance in the utilization of minority and women owned businesses." With more than 20,000 suppliers globally, General Motors presented Continental with the GOLD Award for performance excellence. The GOLD award is given to automotive suppliers who have excelled in one of these areas -- Top 12 supplier performance based on their percentage of total spend, year over year percentage improvement, or total dollar spend value. Earlier this year, Continental Tire was named a GM Supplier of the Year. "Continental is very proud of the relationship that we have developed with General Motors. This award reinforces the importance of including multicultural and diverse companies to your supply chain and business operations. Our focus is on continuing to build positive supplier relationships by exceeding customer expectations globally," said Jeff Klei, president, NAFTA Automotive Divisions. About Continental Continental develops intelligent technologies for transporting people and their goods. As a reliable partner, the international automotive supplier, tire manufacturer, and industrial partner provides sustainable, safe, comfortable, individual, and affordable solutions. In 2015, the corporation generated sales of 39.2 billion with its five divisions, Chassis & Safety, Interior, Powertrain, Tires, and ContiTech. Continental currently employs more than 212,000 people in 55 countries. Online Media Database: www.mediacenter.continental-corporation.com SOURCE Continental Related Links http://www.continental-corporation.com EDINBURGH, Scotland, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- - UK's largest EdTech event to feature DOOM creator and record-breaking cyclist Left to Right are John Peebles, CEO and Andrew Williams, CTO of Administrate (PRNewsFoto/Administrate) Administrate Logo (PRNewsFoto/Administrate) - SaaS solution for training providers marks 4-day workweek anniversary Administrate, an EdTech SaaS solution for training providers and corporations, has plans to hire an additional 15 engineers before the end of 2016 to support its rapid growth in UK, US and international markets. As part of this expansion, Andrew Williams has been appointed as CTO. Prior to Administrate, he was a co-founder of Scotland's largest mobile apps developer, Kotikan, where he served as CTO and COO and helped grow the company to over 60 people before being acquired by FanDuel in 2015. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150202/727896 ) (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/381337 ) Administrate is also running LITE 2016 in Edinburgh this September, which has quickly grown to be the UK's largest EdTech gathering dedicated to exploring current and future trends in training and learning development. This year's conference features world record-beating Scottish cyclist, Graeme Obree, and id Software co-founder John Romero, the creator of many of id's games including Hexen, Doom and Quake. John Peebles, CEO of Administrate, said: "We're delighted to welcome Andrew to the team as he brings the experience we need to scale our technical capability. We're also proud of the fact that LITE isn't another stuffy conference, but brings together people from all walks of life to discuss how we can further education. As an avid gamer and cyclist, I'm really excited to hear from some of the top people in those fields!" The company is also celebrating the one year anniversary of its 4-day workweek. In May 2015, Administrate differentiated itself as a pioneer in the workplace by announcing the implementation of a 4-day, 32-hour work week for all employees without any change to remuneration. With teams working in shifts to provide 5-day coverage, the firm has experienced a sustained increase in productivity and employee wellbeing and views this workplace innovation as part of its underlying mission to build a sustainable and high-performing work environment. Administrate sells its software to large organisations that struggle to define, manage, report on and sustain employee engagement through training. Customers realise huge time savings, can drive strategic training initiatives and increase overall engagement. Clients include Elsevier, Scania, PwC, Becker Professional Education, FIVB, ForgeRock and the Brunswick Corporation. Administrate currently employs 40 people across its Edinburgh and Montana offices. 2015 saw the team more than triple in size in response to significantly increased demand for its products from North America , the UK and the Middle East . In January 2016 , Administrate was selected as one of the UK's most promising startups for Tech City UK's Upscale accelerator programme. The overall global market for training services is estimated at almost $300 billion according to TrainingIndustry.com, Learning Management Systems (LMS) and eLearning are the fastest-growing market segments and fit squarely with Administrate's product offering. Follow Administrate on Twitter @Adm1nistrate Nick Freer: +44-7841-571-871 [email protected] John Peebles: +44-131-460-7350 [email protected] SOURCE Administrate PHILADELPHIA, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Friday, June 24th and Saturday, June 25th at the St. Louis Grand Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri, the 2016 Democratic Platform Drafting Committee will hold its final meeting, and members will review and discuss a preliminary draft of the Democratic National Platform. The St. Louis meeting marks the third in a series of four regional events designed to engage every voice in the Party. Platform Drafting Chair Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) and DNCC CEO Rev. Leah D. Daughtry will deliver opening remarks at the meeting. Members of the public interested in attending the events can RSVP online at http://go.demconvention.com/page/s/midwest-forum; seating will be available on a first come, first served basis. Members of the media interested in attending must RSVP by emailing [email protected] by Thursday, June 23, 2016 at 5:00 PM ET. WHAT: Democratic National Platform Forum WHEN: Friday, June 24, 2016 9:00 a.m. CT Saturday, June 25, 2016 8:30 a.m. CT WHERE: St. Louis Grand Hotel 800 Washington Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63101 Meeting to be held in the Crystal Ballroom All Platform forums and meetings will be live streamed at www.demconvention.com/platform and open to press. Members of the media interested in attending must RSVP by emailing [email protected]. About the Democratic National Convention The 2016 Democratic Convention will be held at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia July 25-28, 2016. Working in partnership with the Philadelphia Host Committee, the City of Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, our goal is to make this the most engaging, innovative and forward looking Convention in history. The 2016 Democratic National Convention will leverage technology to take the Convention experience well beyond the hall in an effort to engage more Americans than ever before in the event. With the birthplace of American Democracy as a backdrop, the 2016 convention in Philadelphia will highlight our shared Democratic values and help put the Democratic nominee on a path to victory. The Democratic Convention is the formal nominating event for the Democratic candidates for President and Vice President. At the Convention, the Democratic Party also adopts the official Democratic Party platform as well as the rules and procedures governing party activities including the nomination process for presidential candidates in the next election cycle. The CEO for the 2016 Democratic National Convention is Reverend Leah D. Daughtry. The DNCC will hold platform events in the following locations: Mid-Atlantic Washington, DC on June 8 and 9 (forum with testimony); Southwest Phoenix, Arizona on June 17 and 18 (forum with testimony); Midwest St. Louis, Missouri on June 24 and 25 (drafting committee meeting); Southeast Orlando, Florida on July 8 and 9 (platform committee meeting). Members of the public will be admitted to platform events on a first come, first served basis. The official website of the 2016 Democratic National Convention is www.demconvention.com. MEDIA INTERESTED IN ATTENDING MUST RSVP HERE CONTACT: Jess Torres, Assistant Press Secretary, 215-964-3616, [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160420/357779LOGO SOURCE 2016 Democratic National Convention Committee Related Links http://www.demconvention.com The study showed a 13 percent increase in access to capital for small businesses (revenues less than $5M) since Q2 2012. The quarterly study also showed that in Q2 2016, personal funding sources appeared to be firmly entrenched as mainstream options for small businesses who accessed capital within the last three months. Thirty-four percent of small business owners transferred personal assets to their business over the last three months, compared to just 13 percent of owners of mid-sized businesses (revenues between $5 million - $100 million). The leading types of personal assets small businesses relied on for capital in Q2 were personal savings (72%), personal credit cards (45%), and cash from sale of personal assets (19%). Seventy-seven percent of the small business respondents qualified for personal credit cards for financing in the last three months, 70 percent qualified for business credit cards, and 68 percent relied on friends and family. By comparison, only 38 percent of small business respondents qualified for a bank loan within the last three months, compared to 70 percent of mid-sized businesses. Crowdfunding, a process of raising funds from many people across an online platform, is emerging as a major alternative source for small businesses seeking capital. Nineteen percent of small businesses that sought financing in the past three months utilized crowdfunding as a funding source, compared to seven percent of mid-sized businesses. "When we began the study four years ago, small businesses were reeling from the effects of the Great Recession," said Jeff Stibel, vice chairman of Dun & Bradstreet. "Since then, we have seen steady progress for small businesses being able to acquire the capital they need, although the financing is still predominantly not coming through traditional lenders. It will be interesting to see how the new option of crowdfunding will affect small businesses, as our study has shown more eagerness to use that option as compared to their mid-sized counterparts." While the study shows access to capital has increased for small and mid-sized businesses over the past four years, overall demand for capital is down. Among small businesses, demand dropped sharply between Q1 2016 and Q2 2016 (38% versus 32%), while for mid-sized businesses, demand decreased from 23 percent in Q1 to 21 percent in Q2. Since Q2 2012, the demand index among small businesses has dropped 19 percent (39 points versus 32 points) and 37 percent among mid-sized businesses (32 points versus 21 points). Researchers observed that despite an increase in operational stability, the economic climate remains uncertain for small businesses. Fifty-two percent of small business respondents indicated that the current business financing environment is hindering their businesses' growth opportunities, compared to 33 percent of mid-sized businesses in Q2 2016. However, 56 percent of small business respondents in Q2 2016 indicated a desire for financing in the next six months for planned growth or expansion, compared to 41 percent of mid-sized businesses. "Business borrowing habits suggest owners may not see a need for an immediate infusion of capital," said Dr. Craig R. Everett, assistant professor of finance and director of the Pepperdine Private Capital Markets Project. "However, these findings suggest business owners are still feeling the lasting impact of the recent recession and remain skittish about the future, as reflected in an abundance of caution when it comes to the economic environment." The PCA Index is a quarterly indicator produced by the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University with the support of Dun & Bradstreet. The Q2 2016 survey is based on 1,097 completed responses collected in April 2016. Download the latest index data here and follow us on Twitter at @GraziadioSchool, @DnBb2b, and @AccesstoCapital. About Dun & Bradstreet Dun & Bradstreet (NYSE: DNB) grows the most valuable relationships in business. By uncovering truth and meaning from data, we connect customers with the prospects, suppliers, clients and partners that matter most, and have since 1841. Nearly ninety percent of the Fortune 500, and companies of every size around the world, rely on our data, insights and analytics. For more about Dun & Bradstreet, visit DNB.com. Twitter:@DnBUS. About the Pepperdine University Graziadio School for Business and Management A leader in cultivating entrepreneurship and digital innovation, the Pepperdine University Graziadio School of Business and Management focuses on the real-world application of MBA-level business concepts. The Graziadio School provides student-focused, globally-oriented education through part-time, full-time, and executive MBA programs at our five Southern California locations and Silicon Valley, Santa Barbara and Dallas campuses, as well as through online and hybrid formats. In addition, the Graziadio School offers a variety of master of science programs, a bachelor of science in management degree-completion program, and the Presidents and Key Executives MBA, as well as executive education certificate programs. Follow the Graziadio School on Facebook, Twitter at @GraziadioSchool , and LinkedIn. Contacts: Pepperdine University Graziadio School of Business and Management Lisa Perry, (310) 568-2314 [email protected] Dun & Bradstreet Lauren Simpson, (310) 919-2230 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160617/380741LOGO Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150625/225845LOGO SOURCE Dun & Bradstreet Related Links http://www.dnb.com SANTA CRUZ, Calif., June 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Local business owner Ted Burke took 20 minutes out of a busy morning this week to make sure that his cardiovascular health is on track. Mr. Burke participated in Dignity Health Dominican Hospital's new Dare to C.A.R.E. free cardiovascular screening program, which is one of only six in the country and the only one available on the West Coast. Shadowbrook Restaurant owner Ted Burke and cardiothoracic surgeon Bilal Shafi, MD at the launch of Dominican Hospital's Dare to C.A.R.E. program. Mr. Burke was one of the first to be screened for cardiovascular disease through the new program. "I know that heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women and, after my screening, I'm delighted to say my results were better than I deserve!" said Mr. Burke, owner of the historic Shadowbrook Restaurant and also president of the Dominican Hospital Foundation Board of Directors. "Dominican gives to this community in so many ways. These free screenings are just another example of their mission to provide excellent care to everyone who walks through their doors." Every year, more than 600,000 Americans die of cardiovascular disease that's one in four deaths. Many of the conditions associated with cardiovascular disease can go undetected until they cause serious complications or death. The Dare to C.A.R.E. program screens for cardiovascular diseases that can lead to kidney failure and more sudden conditions like stroke and aneurysm. "We are pleased to be able to bring this important screening to our community," said Dominican Hospital President Nanette Mickiewicz, MD. "Our Dare to C.A.R.E. program further demonstrates Dominican Hospital's commitment to providing cutting edge care that wouldn't otherwise be available in Santa Cruz County." The 15-20 minute cardiovascular screenings offered through Dominican's Dare to C.A.R.E. program help identify at-risk individuals, so that doctors can intervene early when cardiovascular disease can be managed with lifestyle interventions and medications instead of invasive surgery. The free program was made possible through support from Dominican Hospital and private donations from the community through the Dominican Hospital Foundation. "We know that many older adults have risk factors for vascular disease, and we strongly advocate for screenings that can aid in detection of vascular disease at early stages," said cardiothoracic surgeon Bilal Shafi, MD, lead physician for Dominican's Dare to C.A.R.E. program. "This program is an important public health tool because the screenings are quick, pain-free, and non-invasive." The Dare to C.A.R.E. program screens for common vascular diseases: C arotid artery disease, which causes strokes. arotid artery disease, which causes strokes. A bdominal aortic aneurysm, which is highly deadly if the aneurysm bursts. bdominal aortic aneurysm, which is highly deadly if the aneurysm bursts. R enal artery disease, which when left untreated can lead to serious kidney disease requiring hemodialysis. enal artery disease, which when left untreated can lead to serious kidney disease requiring hemodialysis. E xtremity artery disease, which can cause serious complications in the lower legs and, in severe cases, may lead to amputation. Screenings are recommended for those meeting potential risk criteria, including adults age 60 or older, adults age 50 or older with one or more risk factors (high cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoker), and adults age 40 or older with diabetes. To learn about eligibility and how to make an appointment for a free screening, visit dignityhealth.org/dominican/medical-services/cardiac-care/dare-to-care or call 831.462.7788. About Dominican Hospital Dignity Health Dominican Hospital has been caring for the Santa Cruz County community for 75 years. Dominican offers emergency services and is a Certified Stroke Center and a Certified Chest Pain Center. Dominican's services include the only comprehensive Cancer Center in Santa Cruz County, a Total Joint Replacement program, advanced neurological and endoscopic services, and an expert heart and vascular team treating some of the most complex cardiac cases in the Monterey Bay area. Dominican has received national recognition for superior patient safety, cardiac care, and stroke treatment from Healthgrades, a leading provider of comprehensive information about physicians and hospitals. Dominican also has received several awards for environmental excellence. To learn more, please visit our website: dignityhealth.org/dominican. Join our community: facebook.com/DominicanHospital twitter.com/DominicanCares instagram.com/dominicanhospitalsc youtube.com/DominicanHospital About Dare to Care Dare to C.A.R.E. is a free screening program offered through a collaboration between local community health centers and the Heart Health Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded by John D. Martin, MD and Louise O. Hanson, CRNP of Cardiology Associates, PC in Annapolis, MD. Dr. Martin established Dare to C.A.R.E. to extend his passion for the prevention and early detection of heart disease, the number one killer in the United States. The main mission is to educate local communities about the risks of vascular disease and identify people at risk for major heart events. Unlike other screening services, Dare to C.A.R.E. is absolutely free to patients and their referring physicians. Since Dare to C.A.R.E. began screening patients in 2000, more than 100,000 patients have been screened. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/381565 SOURCE Dignity Health Dominican Hospital Related Links http://dignityhealth.org/dominican NEW YORK, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Nadeem Faruqi, founding partner at Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP, a leading national securities firm headquartered in New York City, is investigating the Board of Directors of Envision Healthcare Holdings, Inc. ("Envision Healthcare" or the "Company") (NYSE:EVHC) for potential breaches of fiduciary duties in connection with the sale of the Company to AmSurg Corp. ("AmSurg") for approximately $4.73 billion. The Company's stockholders will only receive 0.334 shares of AmSurg common stock for each share of Company common stock they own. Based on the closing price on June 20, 2016, the transaction values Envision Healthcare stock at a price of $26.99 per share. However, this consideration is below at least one analyst's price target of $36.00 per share and Envision Healthcare's 52-week high of $45.95 per share. Click here for more information: www.faruqilaw.com/EVHC. There is no cost or obligation to you. The investigation focuses on whether Envision Healthcare's Board of Directors breached their fiduciary duties to the Company's stockholders by failing to conduct a fair sales process and whether and by how much this proposed transaction undervalues the Company to the detriment of Envision Healthcare's shareholders. Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP is a national law firm which represents investors and individuals in class action litigation. The firm is focused on providing exemplary legal services in complex litigation in the areas of securities, shareholder, antitrust and consumer litigation, throughout all phases of litigation. The firm has an experienced trial team which has achieved significant victories on behalf of the firm's clients. To keep track of the latest securities litigation news, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MergerActivity or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FaruqiLaw. Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP is working together in this investigation with Juan E. Monteverde from Monteverde & Associates PC. If you own common stock in Envision Healthcare and wish to obtain additional information and protect your investments free of charge, please visit us at www.faruqilaw.com/EVHC or contact Nadeem Faruqi, Esq. either via e-mail at [email protected] or by telephone at (877) 247-4292 or (212) 983-9330. You may also contact Juan E. Monteverde, Esq. either via email at [email protected] or by telephone at (212) 971-1341. Contact: Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP 685 Third Avenue, 26th Floor New York, NY 10017 Attn: Nadeem Faruqi, Esq. [email protected] Toll Free: (877) 247-4292 Phone: (212) 983-9330 Attorney Advertising. (C) 2016 Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP (www.faruqilaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. We are happy to discuss your particular case. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120119/MM38856LOGO SOURCE Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Related Links http://www.faruqilaw.com WASHINGTON, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Electronic Transactions Association (ETA), the global trade association representing the payments technology industry, will host Atlanta's fintech world on the campus of Georgia Tech at TRANSACT Tech ATL on June 28. TRANSACT Tech ATL brings merchants, tech companies, investment and VC firms, and financial institutions together for a full day of fintech education and networking. Topics include startup disruption and innovation, how to invest in payments, the merchant perspective, and the evolution of financial technology. Space is limited, and registration is open at: http://www.electran.org/conferences-events/2016-transact-tech-atl/. "Payments technology is changing rapidly in Atlanta and across the country," said ETA CEO Jason Oxman. "TRANSACT Tech ATL is a unique opportunity for industry executives to make new connections and keep their businesses relevant, secure and growing." As the nonprofit trade association of the payments technology industry, ETA represents more than five hundred of the world's largest and most innovative companies. From partnerships between banks and startups to peer-to-peer lending, financial institutions, merchants and tech companies are linking up to revolutionize this growing industry. TRANSACT Tech ATL lets industry titans connect with innovative disruptors and delve into the future of financial services. Event highlights include: Disruption and Innovation featuring ATDC FinTech Entrepreneur in Residence Thiago Olsen and CEOs from innovative start-ups including Split, GreenLight Me, and Funding University featuring ATDC FinTech Entrepreneur in Residence Thiago Olsen and CEOs from innovative start-ups including Split, GreenLight Me, and Funding University Investing in the Payments Landscape with Payscape Co-CEO and CFO Adam Bloomston with Payscape Co-CEO and CFO The Merchant Perspective on Payments featuring The Home Depot and RaceTrac featuring The Home Depot and RaceTrac Cybersecurity of the Future: How to Stay One Step Ahead of the Hackers The Evolution of the Processors - a discussion with industry titans on changing consumer and industry needs. Transaction Tech ATL is the latest in ETA's series of networking and educational events in the fast-growing technology hubs around the country. Registration is now open, with rates starting at $49.00. Onsite registration will also be available. Questions? Press Inquiries: Meghan Cieslak at [email protected]/ 202.677.7406. Sponsorships: Laurin Talley Ensslin at [email protected]/ 202.677.7410 Event Content/ Speaking Opportunities: Rori Ferensic at [email protected]/ 202.677.7405. Membership: Del Baker Robertson at [email protected]/ 202.677.7404. About ETA The Electronic Transactions Association (ETA) is the global trade association representing more than 500 payments and technology companies. SOURCE ETA Related Links http://www.electran.org BELLEVUE, Wash., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Expedia.com released the results of the 2016 Expedia Flip Flop Report, an annual study of beachgoer behavior across North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Australia/New Zealand. In particular, the study looks at which country's residents are likeliest to disrobe fully, what beach behaviors are considered least appropriate, where the most attractive beachgoers can be found, and much more. Expedia.com 2016 Flip Flop Report: Austria wrests away global beach nudity title from Germany In particular, the 2016 Flip Flop Report found that respondents from Austria are most inclined to go au natural when visiting the beachmarking the first year that Austria has held the top spot. Report data also revealed that 23 percent of Americans would use beach WiFi to "share what [they] are currently doing on Instagram or Snapchat," and that beer is the world's favorite alcoholic beach drink, cited by 28 percent of respondents worldwide. To help more consumers reach the beach, Expedia is offering exclusive deals, promotions and package savings of nearly 20 percent every day. Expedia gives travelers freedom to book with a variety of different airlines, hotels, and more, often at double the rewards. This summer in particular, U.S. travelers can visit www.expedia.com/20-years-of-expedia to uncover a variety of coupons, including 20 percent off hotels, $20 off hotels, $150 off packages, and a surprise coupon offer where the discount could be as much as 96 percent off. Expedia also will offer hotel deals throughout the entire promotion, which runs through August 2, 2016. The 2016 Expedia Flip Flop Report was commissioned by Expedia.com and conducted online by Northstar, a global research and consulting firm. The study was conducted with 11,155 adults 18 years of age and older, across 24 countries and on five continents. "Year in and year out, travelers tell us that there's no vacation they prefer more than one at the beach," said John Morrey, vice president and general manager of Expedia.com. "When they leave the beach, they immediately begin dreaming of their next visit. So we use the Flip Flop Report to get more insights on what people prefer to do when they're there, and the answer is, basically, a whole lot of nothing." Austrians are the most likely beachgoers to sunbathe fully nude The Flip Flop Report dates back to 2012, and in previous iterations, respondents from Germany won or tied for first place. This year, 28 percent of Austrian respondents report having disrobed fully at a public beach, edging Germans (25 percent) and Americans (18 percent). Worldwide, 10 percent of beachgoers claim to have gone nude. The world's most modest beachgoers can be found in Asia; only 2 percent of Malaysians and South Koreans and 3 percent of Thai and Japanese respondents have sunbathed in the nude. American respondents largely disapprove of toplessness or nudity at public beaches. A whopping 62 percent describe themselves as "somewhat or very uncomfortable" with that level of exposureup from 44 percent in 2014. Further, 77 percent of American female respondents report that they would "never" go topless at a public beach. Americans split on the Speedo When asked their opinion of Speedo-style beachwear on men, American respondents were not fans. About 48 percent of Americans feel Speedo-style swimwear is "acceptable" attire for men, but only 6 percent of American men claim to wear it. Worldwide, 63 percent of responding beachgoers approve of Speedo-style bathing suits. Europeans the world's best-looking beachgoers The most attractive beachgoers can be expected to be found in Europe, according to Flip Flop Report findings. Worldwide, 24 percent of survey respondents cited European beachgoers as most attractive, with Caribbean (17 percent) and American (14 percent) beachgoers rounding out the top three. American respondents displayed a bit more patriotism, with 46 percent suggesting that the most attractive beach populations can be found right at homein particular at beaches in Florida and Hawaii. Beach etiquette: a look at the most annoying beach behaviors The 2016 Flip Flop Report also asked respondents to gauge the most annoying beachgoer behaviors. "The Slob," the person who doesn't clean up after himself and leaves garbage on the beach, occupies the top slot worldwide. For Americans, the 10 least popular beach personas are: 1. The Slob 48 percent 2. The Inattentive Parent 44 percent 3. The Loud Mouth 37 percent 4. The Encroacher 35 percent 5. The Boozer 34 percent 6. The DJ 28 percent 7. The Sand Flinger 28 percent 8. The Paparazzi 23 percent 9. The Ogler 18 percent 10. The Canoodler 18 percent Theft, sunburns, and sharks Having possessions stolen is the most prevalent beach fear worldwide, cited by 34 percent of respondents. Respondents from America agree, with 26 percent ranking it as the top worry. Sunburns are American respondents' second-biggest fear (18 percent), with bad weather (15 percent) and shark encounters (13 percent) taking third and fourth place, respectively. About 53 percent of Hong Kong residents state that they simply avoid swimming entirely rather than risk a shark bite incident. Roughly 22 percent of American respondents do so as well. To avoid sunburns, 33 percent of worldwide respondents and 38 percent of respondents from the United States wear high-SPF (45 or higher) sunscreen and reapply frequently. Forty-one percent of American respondents wear mid-range SPF (15-30) and reapply "when I remember." Ten percent of American respondents said they wear no sunscreen whatsoever. Beach breakdown: top destinations and vital factors Survey respondents certainly continue flocking to the beach. About 46 percent of Americans said they had taken a beach vacation in the past 12 months, and 48 percent of respondents said they intend to do so in the next 12 months. Among those who have taken a beach trip in the past year, 57 percent said they did so to an international destination. Based on responses as to where vacations took their most recent beach vacation, the most popular international beach destination for American sun-worshipers is Mexico. Within America, Florida's beaches are the favorite. Worldwide, Spain's beaches were the most visited by study respondents, followed by beaches in Australia, Italy and Mexico. Relaxation/doing nothing is the world's favorite beach indulgence (cited by 74 percent). Reading and napping are the next-most preferred activities, at 44 percent. However, about 17 percent of Americans work while sunbathing. Americans are the second-likeliest people worldwide to work when at the beach, trailing only Indian respondents (32 percent). For more information about the 2016 Flip Flop Report, visit the Expedia Viewfinder blog. Survey Methodology This study was conducted on behalf of Expedia by Northstar, a globally integrated strategic insights consulting firm. This survey was conducted online from April 6 to April 21, 2016 across North America, Europe, South America and Asia Pacific using the Kantar-owned GMI (Global Market Insite) and Lightspeed Research amalgamated group of panels. The study was conducted among 11,115 adults aged 18 years of age and older across 24 countries. Sampling quotas and weighting were used to ensure the sample is representative of each country's population in terms of age and gender. Assuming a probability sample, the margin of error would be +/-0.93 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. About Expedia.com Expedia.com is one of the world's largest full service travel sites, helping millions of travelers per month easily plan and book travel. Expedia.com (https://www.expedia.com/, 1-800-EXPEDIA) aims to provide the latest technology and the widest selection of top vacation destinations, cheap tickets, hotel deals, car rentals, destination weddings, cruise deals and in-destination activities, attractions, services and travel apps. With the Expedia Best Price Guarantee, Expedia.com customers can get the best rates available online for all types of travel. Expedia, Expedia.com, Expedia Rewards, Find Yours, Vacation Deprivation and the Airplane logo are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Expedia, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be the property of their respective owners 2016 Expedia, Inc. All rights reserved. CST # 2029030-50. About Northstar NORTHSTAR is a strategic marketing insights and consulting firm that aligns leading edge, customized research techniques and cultural context with proprietary and proven strategic marketing frameworks and models to drive insights to impact. Northstar's suite of services relate to the most critical elements of brand, customer and marketing strategy, with sector expertise in travel and tourism, retail, automotive, CPG, food & beverage, financial services, pharma / health care, transportation and fashion / luxury. For more information, please go to www.northstarhub.com. Web site: https://www.expedia.com/ Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/381355 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110121/SF33870LOGO-b SOURCE Expedia.com Related Links http://www.expedia.com MIAMI, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- It was a Sunday in spring. Four friends gathered to feast on classic Spanish dishes like paella in an al-fresco dining setting. The friends ate and enjoyed fine cuisine along with a pairing of their best sangria recipe. In conversation, a medley of ideas began to brew to create a sangria not currently available in the market. Their idea was to fine-tune their recipe, mixing it with fine wines and the best ingredients of fruit and aromas. The result: a premium, natural sangria called Sangria Lolea. Imagine being greeted at your party with a festive bottle of Sangria Lolea, a gourmet sangria from Spain. It transports you to experience the Mediterranean way of life: family, friends and festivities. Each bottle is a blend of select wines, combined with fruit and spices which gives it its unique characteristic. Share a refreshing glass of frizzante to break the ice and set the mood. The party begins when SANGRIA LOLEA arrives! What began as a Mediterranean celebration is now the "perfect sangria experience." Today, we toast the Sangria Lolea brand and all the friends who have made it possible by exhibiting at the Fancy Food Show, New York scheduled Sunday, June 26 - Tuesday, June 28, 2016, Jacob K. Davits Convention Center, North Hall. Visit booth #5453 to see the latest Sangria Lolea product offerings: SANGRIA LOLEA , a gourmet and frizzante sangria from Spain brings tradition and heritage to make a perfect combination of wine and fruit with a touch of fizziness. New! Mini size, perfect for picnics. Mini size, perfect for picnics. New! Sangria Lolea Red n1 in Magnum size (1.5L) for big celebrations. Sangria n1 in Magnum size (1.5L) for big celebrations. New! Gift & Holiday Sets: Ice bucket kit with 2 x 750ml bottles Boxed gift special - one bottle of Sangria Lolea red and a mason jar A carton ice-bucket that includes 8 mini bottles (4 of each No. 1 & No. 2) and 8 cups and straws ideal for parties. Gift & Holiday Sets: New for 2017 season! Lolea No.4 Organic Red Sangria Crafted with Organic Garnacha varietal, lemon juice and cardamom. Lolea No.4 Organic Red Sangria ABOUT SANGRIA LOLEA, a gourmet and frizzante sangria from Spain brings tradition and heritage to make a perfect combination of wine and fruit with a touch of fizziness. Available in 30 countries and 1,300 locations worldwide, Sangria Lolea continues to grow with numerous accolades and recognitions. This award-winning drink is available at Whole Foods Market nationwide and other independent retail locations, hotels and restaurants. Visit www.sangrialolea.com for more information. The FANCY FOOD SHOW is the largest specialty food trade event in North America and the leading showcase of industry innovation, bringing specialty food's top buyers, manufacturers and thought leaders together under one roof for three days of delectable discovery. Visit www.specialtyfood.com/shows-events. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sangrialolea.USA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sangrialoleaus Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/sangrialolea Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160616/380166 SOURCE Sangria Lolea Related Links http://www.sangrialolea.com MONTCLAIR, N.J. and CAMP HILL, Pa., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Feliciano School of Business at Montclair State University announces the addition of a fully-online MBA program to its degree offerings. It will enroll its first cohort of students in Fall 2016. "This format allows us to offer our high quality, work-ready MBA to non-traditional students who aren't able to join us on campus," said Feliciano School of Business Dean Greg Cant. "Our goal is to give students the flexibility they need to accommodate their work schedules as well as an innovative curriculum that develops the talents and skills necessary to compete in an increasingly global marketplace." The Feliciano School of Business offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate business degree and certificate programs that provide students with the analytical thinking, communication and leadership skills that are the foundation of lasting professional success. The new Online MBA program joins the School's popular Weeknight, Executive and Saturday ("Hybrid") MBA degree program options, as well as its Master of Science in Accounting. Built on themes of academic rigor, business theory and practical market relevance, the Online MBA program curriculum is designed to prepare rising business leaders for career growth and success. Online MBA students may pursue a general MBA (with no specialization), or will be able to specialize in Digital Marketing, Project Management, Marketing or Human Resources Management. The Feliciano School of Business is launching a wide-ranging marketing, lead generation and student recruitment campaign to support the new program, with the help of Emerge Education, a Pennsylvania-based firm dedicated to higher education solutions. "We are honored to be working with the Feliciano School of Business to help broaden the visibility and reach of its online MBA program," says Kim T. Coon, President and CEO of Emerge Education. "To remain competitive in today's environment, public institutions of higher education must offer high-quality online degree programs to reach students who demand flexibility. Montclair State is doing just that." Montclair State University Building on a distinguished history dating back to 1908, Montclair State University is a leading institution of higher education in New Jersey. Designated a Research Doctoral University by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, the University's nine colleges and schools serve more than 20,000 undergraduate and graduate students with more than 300 doctoral, master's and baccalaureate level programs. Situated on a beautiful, 252-acre suburban campus just 14 miles from New York City, Montclair State delivers the instructional and research resources of a large public university in a supportive, sophisticated and diverse academic environment. montclair.edu More information about Montclair State University's online MBA program can be found at https://business.montclair.edu/programs/graduate-programs/online-mba Emerge Education, LLC. Emerge Education provides higher education solutions to colleges and universities interested in 21st-century relevancy by growing revenues through enrollment. The Pennsylvania-based firm works with its partner institutions by investing its own capital and service resources to support lead generation, marketing and recruiting, allowing its partners to focus on what they do best: educating students. Emerge forges unique partnerships with each client institution. For more information about Emerge Education (www.emergeedu.com), please call 800-208-5499 or email [email protected]. Media Contacts: Montclair State University Erika Bleiberg Interim Director, Media Relations 973-655-4333 [email protected] Emerge Education Tim Prusha VP for Marketing Emerge Education [email protected] 952-807-8909 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160621/381790LOGO SOURCE Emerge Education Related Links http://www.emergeedu.com NEW YORK, June 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- After six seasons as one of the highest-rated television series in history, "Game of Thrones" will finally get its own fan convention. A Con of Ice and Fire will be held in Nashville June 30-July 2, 2017. The event will feature three days of programming, including panels, performances, workshops, keynotes, autograph and photo opportunities, concerts, meet-and-greets, Q&As and an Ice and Fire Marketplace where fans will find one of the largest selections of "Game of Thrones" merchandise and memorabilia from vendors and exhibitors from around the world. The event will be presented by Watchers on the Wall, the largest "Game of Thrones" fan site; Game of Owns, the leading fan podcast; and Mischief Management, organizers of such fan events as BroadwayCon, LeakyCon and GeekyCon. Additional information and tickets will be available at AConOfIceAndFire.com. "This will be a celebration of all George R.R. Martin has given to the world and what HBO and we the people have created because of it," said Zack Luye, co-director of Watchers on the Wall and Game of Owns. "The event will be led by die-hard fans of the series and no detail will go unnoticed; the time is right to celebrate with the people who love 'Game of Thrones' most." The George R.R. Martin book series has sold more than 60 million copies worldwide since the first volume, "A Game of Thrones," was published in 1996. The HBO series based on the books attracts an estimated 10 million viewers every week making it one of the most-watched programs on television. "A Con of Ice and Fire will be fan-driven with compelling programming and events that will celebrate and perpetuate this phenomenon," said Melissa Anelli, co-executive director of Mischief Management. "In addition to a full schedule of programming, the event will bring the 'Game of Thrones' community together under one roof in a positive environment where people can connect with one another and share their common interests." Mischief Management, LLC develops and produces events and conventions around the world created for specific interest groups. Among the shows currently operated by the company are BroadwayCon, the ultimate theater fan experience; GeekyCon, celebrating fantasy film, television and young adult books; and LeakyCon, the largest and most recognized Harry Potter fan event. More information is available at MischiefManagement.com. Contact: Steve Honig The Honig Company, LLC 818-986-4300 [email protected] SOURCE Mischief Management, LLC Related Links http://mischiefmanagement.com MIAMI, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- For the third year in a row, Florida Quality Roofing (FloridaQualityRoofing.com) has been voted among the top roofing contractors in the state of Florida by readers of the Florida Community Association Journal (FCAJ). "This honor means a great deal to us because we value the work we do with condominium boards and associations. We take great pride in being able to offer roofing solutions that protect residents and their property, and that meet the strict budgetary restraints many boards are under," said Florida Quality Roofing Vice President Stella Amador. Florida Quality Roofing specializes in silicone roof restoration, a solution that is both energy efficient as it is cost effective. They work closely with condominium boards and property managers throughout the state to create awareness of the benefits of a silicone roof coating that ensures the protection of the property and extends the life of a roof. "Our work with condominium and residential associations has increased over the years because of our focus on education as well as advocacy for energy efficient and cost effective roofing solutions through the use of silicone restorations," Amador said. "Communities like it because they don't have to deal with major construction, disruption to residents, it's eco-friendly, adds between 10 to 20 years to the life to an existing roof and costs about a third of total roof replacement." The Florida Community Association established the Reader's Choice Awards through the Florida Condominium Journal three years ago to showcase contractors and other service providers that are committed to working with condominium boards. The Reader's Choice Awards has grown in popularity since its launch in 2013. This year, 265 service providers were nominated and 5000 votes were cast, but only 75 received honors. Florida Quality Roofing received the platinum status, awarding it one of the highest honors for a Florida-base roofing company. About Florida Quality Roofing Florida Quality Roofing (FQR) was established in 2002 and is a family-owned and operated roofing company serving clients throughout the state of Florida. FQR has a successful reputation for award winning and professional services, catering to the needs of condominium associations working with board presidents and board members. We are a full service roofing company specializing in sustainable solutions through silicone roof coating restorations. Visit FloridaQualityRoofing.com. Connect With Us Facebook.com/floridaqualityroofing Twitter.com/FLQualityRoof Instagram.com/flqualityroofing LinkedIn.com/company/florida-quality-roofing-inc- Contact: Patricia Maldonado [email protected] 305-490-8831 SOURCE Florida Quality Roofing Related Links http://floridaqualityroofing.com/ SEATTLE, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- PEMCO Insurance is proud to announce it has once again earned the highest ranking for customer satisfaction in the Northwest Region from J.D. Power for the fourth consecutive year. Since J.D. Power began evaluating the Northwest Region in 2013, PEMCO has achieved the highest ranking each year among award-eligible auto insurers in a five-state region. To earn the top spot, J.D. Power's 2016 U.S. Auto Insurance Study ranked PEMCO the highest in customer satisfaction with a score of 847 points based on a 1,000-point Customer Satisfaction Index Ranking scale. In 2016, PEMCO surpassed its own 2015 score by 10 index points. It scored 41 index points higher than the next-closest competitor and bested the Northwest Region's average by 44 index points. "We're beyond ecstatic that those we serve in the Northwest have ranked us highest for customer satisfaction for the fourth year in a row," said PEMCO CEO Stan McNaughton. "The prestigious J.D. Power award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of all PEMCO employees who consistently show our customers that we're truly local and a lot like them, which gives us special insights to serve them like no one else can." The J.D. Power study, conducted from January to March 2016, reflects consumer opinions from 44,681 total responses nationally. In the Northwest Region, it measures 11 award-eligible auto insurers that do business both regionally and nationally. Though PEMCO serves Washington and Oregon residents exclusively, it has routinely outperformed larger insurance companies, earning higher customer-satisfaction rankings than its regional and national-carrier competitors within the Northeast. This year, PEMCO earned top scores in the region for the study's five measured categories: interaction, price, policy offerings, Billing Process and Policy Information, and claims. J.D. Power's Northwest Region includes Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. Disclaimer: PEMCO Insurance received the highest numerical score among 11 providers in the Northwest in the J.D. Power 2013-2016 U.S. Auto Insurance Studies. 2016 study based on 44,681 total responses measuring the experiences and perceptions of consumers with their auto insurer, surveyed January - March 2016. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com. About PEMCO Insurance PEMCO Insurance, established in 1949, is a Seattle-based provider of auto, home, boat, and umbrella insurance to Northwest residents. PEMCO Insurance is sold to consumers by the method they choose phone, local community agents, or online. For more information, visit pemco.com. J.D. Power has ranked PEMCO "Highest in Customer Satisfaction among Auto Insurers in the Northwest Region, Four Years in a Row." For J.D. Power award information, visit jdpower.com. About J.D. Power J.D. Power is a global marketing information company that represents the voice of the customer. For more information, visit www.jdpower.com. CONTACTS: Derek Wing PEMCO Insurance 206.628.4622 [email protected] Kristi Herriott Firmani + Associates Inc. 206.443.9357 [email protected] SOURCE PEMCO Insurance Related Links http://www.pemco.com FRANKLIN, Tenn., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Franklin Financial Network, Inc. (NYSE: FSB), the parent company (the "Company") of Franklin Synergy Bank (the "Bank"), today announced the appointments of Sarah Meyerrose as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and Terry R. Howell as Senior Vice President, effective June 21, 2016. Sally Kimble, who has served as EVP, CFO and Chief Administrative Officer since joining the Company in 2012, continues her role as EVP and CAO. Both Meyerrose and Kimble will report to Richard Herrington, the Company's President and Chief Executive Officer. Herrington commented, "We are very pleased to announce that Sarah Meyerrose is joining our team. With more than 35 years of banking experience, Sarah brings in-depth senior and executive management expertise to the Company. Most recently, she was the President, CEO for Civic Bank & Trust in Nashville. She also served First Horizon National Corporation for 26 years in a variety of senior and executive management roles, including CFO of the Retail and Commercial Bank. "At a time of substantial continuing growth for the Company and the Bank, the addition of Sarah to our executive management group enables us to separate the positions of CFO and CAO, allowing Sally to focus fully on her ongoing CAO responsibilities. We appreciate Sally's significant contributions as CFO over the past four years, which include her key role in our initial public offering and our acquisition of MidSouth Bank." Prior to joining the Company, Meyerrose was the President, CEO for Civic Bank & Trust, a $140 million community bank based in Nashville, Tennessee, which she joined in October 2014. From 2009 until joining Civic, Meyerrose was President of Sarah Meyerrose Strategic Solutions LLC, a consulting company in Nashville serving regional and community banks. Previously she was with First Horizon National Corporation, the parent of First Tennessee Bank, which she joined in 1982. Among her senior or executive management roles at First Horizon were five years as Senior Vice President, CFO for the Retail and Commercial Bank; five years as President of the Northeast Tennessee regional bank; and eight years as EVP, Chief Operating and Administrative Officer. Meyerrose received her BA, magna cum laude in Finance and Economics from Vanderbilt University and an Executive MBA from the Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management. Herrington added, "We also welcome Terry Howell to the Company as Senior Vice President. Terry brings a wealth of banking experience to the Company in a wide range of operations and finance positions in which he has served for nearly 35 years. We believe a key aspect of our Company's long-term success has been our diligence in hiring experienced bankers with demonstrated strengths for each position, and we expect Terry will be an outstanding addition to our team." Howell joins the Company from Civic Bank & Trust, where he has served since October 2015. Previously, he was the EVP and Chief Operating Officer of Red River Bank, a $1.5 billion asset community bank in Alexandria, Louisiana. From 1982 to 2009, he served in a variety of senior operations, finance and sales positions at First Horizon National Corporation in Memphis, Tennessee. Howell received a BSBA degree from the University of Tennessee and an Executive MBA from the Fogelman College of Business and Economics, University of Memphis. Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements This media release contains forward-looking statements. Such statements include, but are not limited to, projected sales, gross margin and net income figures, the availability of capital resources, and plans concerning products and market acceptance. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates" and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which cannot be predicted with accuracy and some of which might not even be anticipated. Future events and actual results, financial and otherwise, could differ materially from those set forth in or contemplated by the forward-looking statements herein. Future operating results of the corporation are impossible to predict, and no representation or warranty of any kind can be made respecting the present or future accuracy of such forward-looking statements or the ability of the corporation to meet its obligations, and no such representation or warranty is to be inferred. About the Company Franklin Financial Network, Inc. is a financial holding company headquartered in Franklin, Tennessee. The Company's wholly owned bank subsidiary, Franklin Synergy Bank, a Tennessee-chartered commercial bank founded in November 2007 and a member of the Federal Reserve System, provides a full range of banking and related financial services with a focus on service to small businesses, corporate entities, local governments and individuals. With consolidated total assets of $2.3 billion at March 31, 2016, the Bank currently operates through 12 branches and one loan production office in the demographically attractive and growing Williamson and Rutherford Counties within the Nashville metropolitan statistical area. Additional information about the Company, which is included in the NYSE Financial 100 Index and the FTSE Russell 2000 Index, is available at www.FranklinSynergyBank.com . Contact: Aimee Punessen Chief Marketing Officer SVP, Public & Investor Relations (615) 236-8329 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151026/280628LOGO SOURCE Franklin Financial Network, Inc. Related Links http://www.franklinsynergybank.com PUNE, India, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The report "Functional Composites Market by Type (Metal Matrix Composites, Polymer Matrix Composites), Function (Thermally Conductive, Electrically Conductive); End-User (Consumer Goods & Electronics, Transportation), Region - Global Forecast to 2021", published by MarketsandMarkets, The market is expected to grow from USD 28.62 Billion in 2016 to USD 43.35 Billion by 2021, at a CAGR of 8.7% from 2016 to 2021. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 ) Browse 86 market data Tables with 67 Figures spread through 159 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Functional Composites Market" http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/functional-composite-market-164726061.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report. Increase in the use of functional composites in various end-use industries is expected to drive the growth of functional composites market. Thermally Conductive: Largest segment of functional composites market based on function The thermally conductive function holds the largest share in the global functional composites market. The growth of this segment can be attributed to the increasing use of composites in eco-friendly constructions to improve energy efficiency in case of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) and lighting applications. Ceramic matrix composites are widely used in this industry in comparison to metal matrix or polymer matrix composites. Graphite fibers are usually added to ceramic matrix composites for thermal conduction. Polymer Matrix Composites: Largest segment of functional composites based on matrix type The polymer matrix type holds the largest share in the global Functional Composites Market among various matrix types. This growth can be attributed to the significant rise in demand from consumer electronics, aerospace & defense, and transportation segments, with a high impetus on weight reduction and less complex manufacturing methods, such as injection molding. Polymer matrix composites are primarily used in the aerospace industry, since they are lightweight and provide better strength, stiffness, and other structural benefits. Make an Inquiry @ http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=164726061 North America: Largest market for functional composites, globally North America was the largest market for functional composites in 2015. The rise in demand for functional composites in the North American region can be attributed to the growth of various end-use industries, such as automotive, aviation, electrical & electronics, and energy & power, among others. The aerospace & defense and wind energy end-use industries are expected to drive the growth of the functional composites market in North America during the forecast period. Key players operational in the functional composites market include 3M Company (U.S.), 3A Composites (Switzerland), Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (U.S.), Bayer AG (Germany), E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (U.S.), AMETEK Inc. (U.S.), Applied Materials, Inc. (U.S.), Kyocera Corporation (Japan), Momentive Performance Materials Inc. (U.S.), and Materion Corporation (U.S.), among others. Browse Related Reports: Advanced Composites Market By Type (Carbon, S-Glass, Aramid), Manufacturing Process, Resin Type (Thermoplastics and Thermosetting), Application (Aerospace & Defense, Automotive, Wind, Sporting Goods, Pipe & Tanks, Construction, Marine), and Region - Global Forecast to 2020 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/advanced-composites-market-3930953.html Advanced Ceramics Market By Material (Titanate Ceramics, Alumina Ceramics, Zirconia Ceramics, Silicon Carbide Ceramics, and Others), Class (Monolithic Ceramics, Ceramic Coatings, and Ceramic Matrix Composites), Application (Electrical & Electronics, Medical & Bio-Medical, Transportation, Industrial Machinery, Environmental, Chemical, Defense & Security, and Others), Region - Global Trends & Forecasts to 2020 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/advanced-ceramic-market-78409610.html About MarketsandMarkets: MarketsandMarkets is the world's No. 2 firm in terms of annually published premium market research reports. Serving 1700 global fortune enterprises with more than 1200 premium studies in a year, M&M is catering to a multitude of clients across 8 different industrial verticals. We specialize in consulting assignments and business research across high growth markets, cutting edge technologies and newer applications. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. M&M's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. The new included chapters on Methodology and Benchmarking presented with high quality analytical infographics in our reports gives complete visibility of how the numbers have been arrived and defend the accuracy of the numbers. We at MarketsandMarkets are inspired to help our clients grow by providing apt business insight with our huge market intelligence repository. Contact: Mr. Rohan Markets and Markets UNIT no 802, Tower no. 7, SEZ Magarpatta city, Hadapsar Pune, Maharashtra 411013, India Tel: +1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Visit MarketsandMarkets Blog @ http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/chemical Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets SOURCE MarketsandMarkets CLEVELAND, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Gas Natural Inc. (NYSE MKT: EGAS) (the "Company"), a holding company operating local natural gas utilities serving approximately 68,000 customers in four states, announced that it has filed its definitive proxy materials with the U.S Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") in connection with the Company's 2016 Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on July 27, 2016. Gas Natural shareholders of record at the close of business on May 27, 2016 are entitled to vote at the 2016 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. The Gas Natural Board of Directors strongly recommends that shareholders vote on the GREEN proxy card "FOR" all six of Gas Natural's qualified and experienced director nominees: Michael B. Bender, James P. Carney, Richard K. Greaves, Robert B. Johnston, Gregory J. Osborne and Michael R. Winter. In conjunction with the filing and mailing of its definitive proxy statement, Gas Natural is mailing a letter to shareholders detailing the significant progress and accomplishments under the leadership of the Gas Natural Board and management team over the past two years. The letter also addresses Richard M. Osborne's committee, which has not provided an alternative strategic plan to drive additional value for Gas Natural shareholders, and is only suggesting different director nominees. Gas Natural's definitive proxy materials, letter to shareholders and other materials regarding the Board's recommendation for the 2016 Annual Meeting of Shareholders can be found at http://proxy.egas.net. The full text of the letter follows: June 21, 2016 Dear Fellow Shareholder, Your Board of Directors and management team are transforming Gas Natural. We have been and will continue to be the agents of change for your Company. Within the last two years, we have overhauled management and the Board of Directors and brought greater sophistication and experience to Gas Natural. We are taking decisive actions to become a premier natural gas utility in the regions in which we operate and are restoring relationships with our stakeholders that were lost under the watch of the previous management team and board. to become a premier natural gas utility in the regions in which we operate and are restoring relationships with our stakeholders that were lost under the watch of the previous management team and board. We disposed of resource-demanding, low return operations. We made significant progress, ridding the Company of transactions, contracts and entanglements with companies related to the former Chairman and CEO, Richard M. Osborne , that raised the concern of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio ("PUCO"). with companies related to the former Chairman and CEO, , And, we gained shareholder support, with our largest shareholder being represented on our Board. At our 2016 Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on July 27, 2016, you face an important decision regarding the future of Gas Natural and your investment. You are being asked to elect the directors who you believe are the most qualified to complete the transformation of Gas Natural. Your current Board is the change that Gas Natural has needed in a time of significant regulatory and shareholder scrutiny. We have led this transformation to an inflection point and have the knowledge and expertise to drive our strategy forward to deliver superior value. We strongly recommend that you elect our highly qualified leaders by voting FOR ALL of your Board's experienced nominees Michael B. Bender, James P. Carney, Richard K. Greaves, Robert B. Johnston, Gregory J. Osborne and Michael R. Winter. To elect Gas Natural's Board of Director nominees, we encourage you to vote TODAY by signing and dating the enclosed GREEN proxy card and returning it in the postage-paid envelope provided. Remember, if you hold your shares at a bank or broker you can vote your shares by telephone or via the internet. As you may recall, Richard M. Osborne, Gas Natural's former Chairman and CEO, was removed in 2014 amidst regulatory inquiries, derivative lawsuits and an unprecedented investigation in Ohio. In retaliation, he brought several lawsuits against the Company and started a business that competes with our Ohio utilities. Now he has formed "The Committee to Re-Energize Gas Natural" and has nominated six of his own director candidates for election to your Board. Please DO NOT return or vote any WHITE proxy card sent to you by Richard M. Osborne and his so-called "committee." When Richard M. Osborne was dismissed from Gas Natural, our regulatory relations were at an all-time low. Under Richard M. Osborne's leadership, two consecutive regulatory audits in Ohio (covering periods from 2009 through mid-2012) resulted in significant losses for the Ohio utilities and directives by the PUCO to end related party transactions. Ultimately, Richard M. Osborne refused to follow the direction of the regulators and in November 2013 the PUCO ordered an investigative audit into the management practices under Richard M. Osborne. We are successfully transforming Gas Natural to drive greater earnings power and growth Since Richard M. Osborne's dismissal in May 2014, we began the long process of repairing relationships with our regulators, restoring morale throughout our organization, improving corporate governance, right-sizing the organization, redirecting capital investment to improve the opportunity for higher returns and strengthening our relationship with our lenders. As evidence of the progress we are making with our regulators, the PUCO recently approved a stipulated settlement between our Ohio utilities and the PUCO staff regarding the investigative audit. The audit was completed in January 2015 by Rehmann Corporate Investigative Services. The order specifically states: "The findings of Rehmann were noteworthy in part, because all of the issues identified with respect to the operations and management of the Companies, took place during the time Richard Osborne was CEO and chairman of the board of directors of the companies." (emphasis added) Since Richard M. Osborne's removal, with strong leadership and positive direction for the Company, we have: Strengthened our financial structure. We recently requested regulatory approvals for a complete refinancing of our debt that simplifies our balance sheet, provides greater financial flexibility and will further facilitate growth. Improved internal controls and procedures. We retained an independent audit firm to assist in the establishment of processes, procedures and documentation for effective processing of transactional data, informed decision-making, required checks and balances, and sound corporate governance. This included changes in personnel. Eliminated related-party transactions. We unwound prior relationships with Richard M. Osborne's companies, other than those to which we are contractually obligated or are necessary to serve customers, and we established additional practices for engaging with independent third parties. Disposed of resource-consuming assets and directed resources toward core earning assets. We sold non-core assets and operations in Wyoming, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Ohio and generated nearly $20 million in cash from the divestiture. Grew our customer base. During the two year period ended March 31, 2016, we realized customer growth of 31% and 26% in our emerging markets of Maine and North Carolina, respectively, in addition to moderate growth in our more mature markets of Ohio and Montana. These accomplishments are a product of our tireless efforts to fix the damage caused to your company under Richard M. Osborne. We are poised to realize the benefits of our Strategic Plan We made tough business decisions to establish a solid foundation for stronger earnings power and improved returns. We have achieved this goal while building a healthy work environment for our employees and providing our customers with safe, reliable, competitively-priced natural gas service. The foundation of our Company is stronger as a result of the following: Reduced headcount by over 25% to improve efficiency and morale; Re-prioritized investments and borrowed capital to advance our growth plan; and Aligned the dividend with current earnings and capital needs to execute our growth plan; lowered the payout ratio to be commensurate with peers by reducing the dividend to an annual rate of $0.30 per share from $0.54 per share. We have a growth plan that includes increasing our customer base and expanding throughput with capital investments aimed at higher returns, as well as finding strategic smaller, incremental acquisitions or larger, transformative acquisitions to supplement that organic growth. Our goal is to achieve returns on equity significantly above the roughly 5% we have averaged over the last five years and, ultimately, to surpass the level of our past dividend. Your Board is highly qualified and independent, with the experience necessary to drive lasting shareholder value Over the last two years since the ouster of Richard M. Osborne, we have measurably strengthened your Board and improved corporate governance. The Board is now comprised of six highly experienced and qualified directors, four of whom were newly elected to the Board since Richard M. Osborne departed, replacing the directors that were on the Board when he was Chairman. departed, replacing the directors that were on the Board when he was Chairman. Five of the six directors are independent, contributing to strong corporate governance. Two of the directors represent our largest shareholder, with almost 10% of our outstanding shares, and we believe their interests are aligned with yours. The board adopted a new code of conduct, a new policy on insider trading and also adopted a nepotism and personal relationships policy on September 9, 2015 . Our directors are actively engaged in overseeing management as we execute our plans and strategies for creating long-term value for all our shareholders. WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THE FACTS Richard M. Osborne's platform is based on misrepresentations and distorted analysis IN FACT, during Richard M. Osborne's tenure, the PUCO initiated an investigation into the management practices at our Ohio utilities, primarily due to significant concerns over related party transactions between our Ohio utilities and Richard M. Osborne's companies, as well as what the PUCO described as flawed, unreasonable, and imprudent purchasing practices and designs. Richard M. Osborne has criticized us for customer refunds in 2015: IN FACT, the refunds were required by the PUCO for the 2013-2014 Gas Cost Recovery audit period, when Richard M. Osborne was Chairman and CEO. During Richard M. Osborne's tenure, significant amounts of cash were deployed that have not delivered returns for our Company. For example, from 2009 through 2013, his last five years leading Gas Natural, capital expenditures were nearly double the earnings of the Company. IN FACT, under Richard M. Osborne, our outstanding common stock increased more than two fold, from 4.4 million shares at the end of 2009 to 10.5 million shares four years later. IN FACT, these share issuances more than doubled the total annual dividend payment from $2.4 million in 2009 to $5.2 million in 2013. Continuing to pay that level of dividend was disproportionate to our earnings and unsustainable, leading us to the difficult decision of reducing it. Richard M. Osborne's slate of directors possesses questionable business experience or lacks relevant utility experience and commitment to shareholder interests Several of Richard M. Osborne's companies are undergoing bankruptcy proceedings, including John D. Oil and Gas Company, Great Plains Exploration, LLC, and Oz Gas, Ltd. IN FACT, Richard M. Osborne currently has multiple actions pending before the bankruptcy court against him or his companies. IN FACT, the November 2013 PUCO order initiating the investigative audit, noted that during Richard M. Osborne's tenure as Chairman and CEO of Gas Natural: "The evidence shows that there is a severe organizational dysfunction within the companies and between the regulated companies and their non-regulated affiliates." "Senior management lacked basic utility experience." The recommendation for an audit "comes following a series of extremely frustrating audits of the companies, rife with self-dealing that demonstrates a remarkable lack of control." IN FACT, on June 15, 2016, an order was issued by the PUCO calling for the investigation and audit of all pipeline companies owned or controlled by Richard M. Osborne and under the jurisdiction of the PUCO. While Richard M. Osborne's Ohio pipeline companies are under further regulatory scrutiny by the PUCO, he is asking you to vote for him to lead Gas Natural. Richard M. Osborne's interests do not appear to be aligned with the majority of our shareholders, as evidenced by his significant divestiture of Gas Natural shares. During the period from January 31, 2010 through April 15, 2016, Richard M. Osborne sold nearly 2.5 million shares of Gas Natural stock. He now owns fewer than 5,000 shares. One of Richard M. Osborne's board nominees, Darryl L. Knight, was hired by Richard M. Osborne and served as the general manager of our North Carolina utility from October 2012 until September 2014. That utility was cited with a disallowance in excess of $2.4 million by the North Carolina Utility Commission regarding gas cost procurement practices under the management of Darryl L. Knight. None of Richard M. Osborne's remaining four nominees has any experience in the highly regulated utility industry. Protect your investment; please vote the GREEN proxy card TODAY Discard Richard M. Osborne's WHITE proxy card. We believe Richard M. Osborne and his nominees lack the experience to properly lead, manage and govern public utilities, and they own less than 0.1% of our outstanding shares. Furthermore, Richard M. Osborne's history demonstrates his disregard for our regulators, lack of understanding of utility operations and furtherance of his own self-serving interests. Your vote matters and we believe your current Board is the most qualified to provide you the best future returns on your investment. On behalf of the Board of Directors, thank you for your continued support. Sincerely, Michael R. Winter Chairman of the Board YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT, NO MATTER HOW MANY OR FEW SHARES YOU OWN Please follow the easy instructions on the enclosed GREEN proxy card. If you have any questions or need assistance in voting your shares, please contact: Proxy Solicitor: D.F. King & Co., Inc. 48 Wall Street New York, NY 10005 Banks and brokers call collect: (212) 269-5550 All others call toll free: (800) 821-8780 About Gas Natural Inc. Gas Natural Inc., a holding company, distributes and sells natural gas to residential, commercial, and industrial customers. It distributes approximately 21 billion cubic feet of natural gas to roughly 68,000 customers through regulated utilities operating in Montana, Ohio, Maine, and North Carolina. The Company's other operations include interstate pipeline, natural gas production, and natural gas marketing. The Company's Montana public utility was originally incorporated in 1909. Its strategy for growth is to expand throughput in its markets, while looking for acquisitions that are either adjacent to its existing utilities or in under-served markets. Further information is available on the company's website at www.egas.net. Important Shareholder Information Gas Natural will hold its 2016 Annual Meeting of Shareholders on July 27, 2016. The Company has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and mailed to its shareholders a definitive proxy statement together with a GREEN proxy card in connection with the 2016 Annual Meeting. The definitive proxy statement contains important information about the Company, the 2016 Annual Meeting, and related matters. COMPANY SHAREHOLDERS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO READ THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT, THE ACCOMPANYING GREEN PROXY CARD, AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT SOLICITATION MATERIALS WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE AS THESE DOCUMENTS CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. The Company and its directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the stockholders of the Company in connection with the matters to be considered at the 2016 Annual Meeting. Information regarding the Company's directors and executive officers is contained in the Company's annual report on Form 10-K/A filed with the SEC on April 27, 2016, and definitive proxy statement filed with the SEC on June 21, 2016. The proxy statement and other relevant solicitation materials (when they become available), and any and all documents filed by the Company with the SEC, may be obtained by investors and security holders free of charge at the SEC's web site at www.sec.gov. In addition, the Company's filings with the SEC, including the proxy statement and other relevant solicitation materials (when they become available), may be obtained, without charge, from Gas Natural Investor Relations at (716) 843-3821. Such materials are also available at http://proxy.egas.net. Safe Harbor Regarding Forward-Looking Statements The Company is including the following cautionary statement in this release to make applicable and to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 for any forward-looking statements made by, or on behalf of, Gas Natural Inc. Forward-looking statements are all statements other than statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, those that are identified by the use of the words "anticipates," "estimates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "predicts," "believes" and similar expressions. Such statements are inherently subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed. Factors that may affect forward-looking statements and the Company's business generally include, but are not limited to the Company's ability to consummate the corporate reorganization and debt refinancing on terms that are acceptable to the Company, or at all; the Company's ability to successfully integrate the operations of the companies it has acquired and consummate additional acquisitions; the Company's continued ability to make or increase dividend payments; the Company's ability to implement its business plan, grow earnings and improve returns on investment; fluctuating energy commodity prices; the possibility that regulators may not permit the Company to pass through all of its increased costs to its customers; changes in the utility regulatory environment; wholesale and retail competition; the Company's ability to satisfy its debt obligations, including compliance with financial covenants; weather conditions; litigation risks; and various other matters, many of which are beyond the Company's control; the risk factors and cautionary statements made in the Company's public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission; and other factors that the Company is currently unable to identify or quantify, but may exist in the future. Gas Natural Inc. expressly undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement contained herein to reflect any change in Gas Natural Inc.'s expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based. For more information, contact: Gas Natural Inc. Investor Relations James E. Sprague, Chief Financial Officer Deborah K. Pawlowski or Karen L. Howard, Kei Advisors LLC Phone: (216) 202-1564 Phone: (716) 843-3908 / (716) 843-3942 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] / [email protected] SOURCE Gas Natural Inc. Related Links http://www.egas.net ANCHORAGE, Alaska, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- GCI today announced it will expand high-speed terrestrial broadband service to the Northwest Arctic Borough and Norton Sound, delivering services to 10 new communities this year. GCI's Terrestrial for Every Rural Region in Alaska (TERRA) network delivers low latency network connections and high-speed internet access. These speed increases, supported by Ericsson technology, will dramatically improve the performance of online health, education and government services. "GCI has brought high-speed internet to some of the most remote locations on earth," said Greg Chapados, executive vice president and COO of GCI. "We've seen how much a community can benefit from the improved medical care, improved education and improved economic opportunities that accompany access to broadband. We're truly connecting Alaskans to the rest of the world. The projects are hard and the environment unforgiving, but we're an Alaska company and we don't expect things to be easy." "Ericsson's technology is enabling the Networked Society for everyone, regardless of where they live or the difficulties presented by their environment," said Angel Ruiz, Ericsson Chairman Americas. "Working with GCI on this project and multiple others throughout the last decade has shown the impact that high-speed connectivity can make on communities across Alaska." Ericsson, a world leader in communications technology and services, has been a key GCI business partner for 10 years. Both companies have worked together to pioneer the delivery of telecommunications in the Arctic, where construction projects can be hampered by some of the harshest conditions on earth. Terrestrial broadband provides high-speed data streaming which is a transformational service for many rural Alaska communities. By the end of 2016, Buckland, Kiana, Noorvik, Selawik, Koyuk, Elim, Golovin, White Mountain, Stebbins and St. Michael will join the growing list of rural Alaska communities with access to TERRA. With TERRA, these communities will have access to high-quality video conferencing, a critical tool for health care and education that can result in long-term cost savings for Alaskans and the agencies that serve them. Through video conferencing, students can take field trips without leaving their village, interact with highly qualified teachers regardless of location and collaborate with students across the globe. Rural patients have access to specialty doctors who can diagnose and treat ailments and are able to consult with physicians at larger hospitals. "With high-speed internet access, our schools are able to leverage digital tools at a level that was not possible before. Giving students in remote communities access to cutting-edge technology to prepare them for the future workforce is critical," said Dr. Annmarie O'Brien, superintendent of Northwest Arctic Borough School District. "Part of our district has been on TERRA for more than a year, and the impact is phenomenal. We're thrilled for the other districts to follow suit." About TERRA GCI's TERRA project launched in 2010 and currently delivers broadband services to 72 communities and services more than 43,000 residents. TERRA won the 2013 NATOA (National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors) Community Broadband Wireless Network of the Year award and the 2014 Engineering News Record (ENR) Best Projects Regional Award. About GCI GCI delivers communication and technology services in the consumer and business markets. Headquartered in Alaska with additional locations in the U.S., GCI has delivered services for more than 35 years to some of the most remote communities and in some of the most challenging conditions in North America. Learn more about GCI at www.gci.com. SOURCE GCI Related Links http://www.gci.com RICHMOND, Va., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Genworth Mortgage Insurance ("Genworth"), a subsidiary of Genworth Financial, Inc. (NYSE: GNW), today released results from its study of industry executives conducted at the 2016 Mortgage Bankers Association Secondary Conference in New York City. Key findings showed that, when forecasting existing home sales, 78 percent of respondents expect first-time homebuyer market share to either continue at current levels or increase by at least three percentage points. This surge in new purchasers has driven demand, leading to tighter inventory. "Our industry, via this year's survey data, acknowledges the first-time homebuyer's rise as a key component of the homeownership mix," said Rohit Gupta, President and CEO of Genworth Mortgage Insurance. "To support this demand, we must stay true to the great strides we have made in improving underwriting quality, making private capital available, and expanding the availability of prudent and affordable low down payment mortgages. Under these circumstances, it is important that all industry participants continue work to ensure we have an accessible, efficient, and innovative environment for new mortgage originations." First-Time Homebuyers Creating Excess Demand As mentioned, when forecasting existing home sales, almost eight of every ten (78 percent) respondents expect first-time homebuyer market share to either continue at current levels (47 percent chose this option) or increase by at least three percentage points (31 percent chose this option). Twenty-two percent expect to see a decrease of at least two percentage points. The added demand created by this group has played a factor in the tightening inventory seen in today's housing market. But Home Accessibility Still an Issue When identifying the top obstacle limiting borrower access to mortgage credit, 64 percent of respondents cited the lack of a sufficient down payment. An additional 16 percent believe a lack of adequate income when applying for a loan was the greatest obstacle. Nine percent indicated home price affordability was the biggest hurdle, and an additional eight percent cited poor borrower credit scores. Only three percent of respondents believe there are not any major hurdles with borrowers' access to mortgage credit in today's environment. So Lenders Look for Alternate Solutions to Meet Demand The return of piggyback mortgages (80-10-10s) is a growing concern for industry executives. At this year's MBA Secondary Conference, 49 percent of respondents expressed concern about the return of this vehicle, whereas only 38 percent of respondents voiced the same concern in Genworth's 2014 MBA Annual Conference survey. Of the 49 percent who expressed concern in 2016, 31 percent believe those who sign up for these loans may not understand the full risks involved, and 18 percent believe borrowers run the risk of over-levering themselves. The 51 percent of respondents who do not view piggybacks as a concern believe borrowers are responsible for their own decisions. Technology: Industry Sentiment Still Divided While many firms in the industry have begun investing in improving their technological infrastructure, these investments can carry long lead times before showing a true impact. This seems to be influencing the industry's perception of where it ranks in terms of technological integration. Almost half of respondents (49 percent) believe that technological integration into the home lending process is subpar. This represents only a three percent improvement from when Genworth asked the same question to industry executives at the 2014 MBA Annual Conference (52 percent at the time believed technology integration was subpar). Thirty-eight percent of respondents believe that technology integration today is average, and only 13 percent believe technology integration is strong. Methodology: The survey of 120 mortgage professionals was administered in person at the Mortgage Bankers Association Secondary Conference in New York City from May 16-17. About Genworth Financial Genworth Financial, Inc. (NYSE: GNW) is a Fortune 500 insurance holding company committed to helping families achieve the dream of homeownership and address the financial challenges of aging through its leadership positions in mortgage insurance and long term care insurance. Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, Genworth traces its roots back to 1871 and became a public company in 2004. For more information, visit genworth.com. From time to time, Genworth releases important information via postings on its corporate website. Accordingly, investors and other interested parties are encouraged to enroll to receive automatic email alerts and Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds regarding new postings. Enrollment information is found under the "Investors" section of genworth.com. From time to time, Genworth's publicly traded subsidiaries, Genworth MI Canada Inc. and Genworth Mortgage Insurance Australia Limited, separately release financial and other information about their operations. This information can be found at http://genworth.ca and http://www.genworth.com.au. SOURCE Genworth Mortgage Insurance Related Links https://www.genworth.com NEW YORK, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Get Our Jobs Back Inc. (GOJB) is the Trump Super PAC where every day, common-sense and law-abiding Americans can financially support, Jobs President, Donald Trump. Millions of Americans... $.99 cents at a time! To visit our website go to: http://getourjobsbackinc.net/ GOJB, Super PAC CEO, Steven Hoffenberg, filed documentation last Tuesday with the Federal Election Commission, (FEC) for $50 Million Dollar Digital Marketing campaign, which can be viewed at http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/207/201606149017580207/201606149017580207.pdf. Mr. Hoffenberg said, "This Presidential race is about the American job voters, and the economy, that have left too many Americans, either unemployed or in part-time, zero-wage growth jobs. Only, Jobs President, Donald Trump has the experience, toughness and legacy to bring back job and wage growth to the broken US jobs market!" In a recent article, Jobs President Donald Trump said, "I will be the greatest jobs president that God has ever created," http://nypost.com/2015/06/16/i-will-be-the-greatest-jobs-president-that-god-ever-created-trump/. The filing with the FEC further details why Mr. Hoffenberg, who is also Chairman of TowerInvestors.com and the former owner of the New York Post, founded the Get Our Jobs Back Inc. this past in April, http://getourjobsbackinc.net/. Spokesman for the PAC, Theodore Fotsis said, "Our marketing campaign is tailored to the American job voters, whose growing concern, is about their working future." Mr. Fotsis added, "The American job voters, is the sleeping giant, in the White House race for victory who don't want anymore talk or politics, they want a Jobs President, plain and simple that is President Donald Trump." Media Contact Theodore Fotsis Chairman/CEO WHAM INC. (WFMC) PH: (312) 780-0238 Email: Email http://whaminc.us/ Trump Super PAC Contact Information Steven Hoffenberg CEO/Get Our Jobs Back Inc. 235 E. 40 Street Pent House E. New York, NY 10016 Email: Email SOURCE Get Our Jobs Back Inc. Related Links http://getourjobsbackinc.net DALLAS, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Wins the 'Best Cloud Business Transformation' Award at Microsoft Cloud & Hosting Summit, 2016 - Seattle GlobalOutlook announced today that it has been awarded the Business Transformation award from Microsoft Corp at the worldwide Hosting and Cloud Summit in US. GlobalOutlook was chosen out of an extensive field of Microsoft partners for completely transforming their hosting business to Microsoft Cloud and demonstrating stupendous success. The award recognizes how a partner has impacted their customer's business by leveraging technology to address business challenges. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/10148762 ) (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/10148762-a ) "Being the first and largest Microsoft CSP in India for Office 365, we are highly excited to receive this award and also take the next path of our cloud journey into US. Equipped with deep rooted experience of over seven years providing hosted exchange services, hybrid mail service environments, complex migrations and Office 365, we are confident of providing world-class services at low cost and winning customer accolades across all regions," said Rajeev Vij, CEO of GlobalOutlook. "We are gearing up to provide 'value additions' to O365 by offering customized solutions like integrated Voice and Cloud PBX solutions to Skype for Business, automated mail attachment solution (Rettach), 4K Video Conferencing USB Plug and Play panoramic camera and so on," added Rajeev. "GlobalOutlook continues to deliver flexible solutions that combine Microsoft technologies with its unique expertise and services," said Aziz Benmalek, Vice President, Worldwide Hosting and Managed Service Providers, Microsoft Corp. "We congratulate GlobalOutlook on this achievement and for the outstanding value it continues to provide for our mutual customers." About GlobalOutlook: GlobalOutlook (GO) is a leading provider of unified cloud-based communication and collaboration services to customers on a global scale. GO was founded in 2007 by a team of industry veterans and business leaders who have contributed their experience and expertise in the mobile, enterprise and consulting sectors. With offices in Dallas, Texas and Hyderabad, India, GlobalOutlook collaborates with both direct customers and partners to define technology standards and to provide communication and collaboration services and tools to global enterprises. Media Contact: Garrison Walls Marketing Executive +1-817-875-3411 [email protected] http://www.globaloutlook.com SOURCE GlobalOutlook SIMI VALLEY, Calif., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- For most high school students, graduation is not just a celebration of academic achievement but it is also a final farewell. But for students enrolled in the full-time, online charter school, Insight Schools of California (ISCA), graduation day is full of hellos and goodbyes. More than 100 graduates will attend the ceremonies on June 22nd and 24th for ISCA students. At graduation, many of the faculty, teachers and students will be meeting each other for the first time outside of their online classrooms. ISCA offers a tuition-free education with a unique and highly supportive approach to help students overcome obstacles and get back on track and excel in their schooling. At graduation, many of the students will be meeting each other for the first time outside of their online classrooms. Addressing the graduates on June 22nd will be student-selected speakers Elizabeth Daly and Stephanie Martinez. ISCA provided Daly the support to catch-up in her school work after falling behind at a traditional school. After graduation she plans on purse training to become an Emergency Medical Technician. A parent to a one-year old and five month old, Martinez credits the flexible school environment of ISCA for enabling her to graduate from high school. Student-selected speaker Rainisha Isom will address her peers at the June 24th ceremony. ISCA provided Isom the support to catch up in her school work after falling behind at a traditional school. After graduation she will be going into Job Corp in Utah to study Culinary Arts. "The ISCA staff is so proud of our graduates and our students have much to celebrate," said Melissa Garcia, Director of Insight Schools of California. "I am so happy that our teachers and staff have been able to play a role in these students' lives. Each of our graduates has shown amazing persistence, I know they will do great things after graduation." Media is invited to attend the celebrations and event details are provided below. Insight School of California Graduation Brea Location Brea Community Center 659 Madison Avenue; Brea, CA 92821 June 22, 10:00 A.M. and 12:00 P.M. Insight School of California Graduation Tracy Location Terahishi Event Center 31400 S. Koster Road; Tracy, CA 95304 June 24, 2:00 P.M. About Insight Schools of California Insight Schools of California are full-time, tuition-free, online public charter schools for students in grades 9-12 who are behind in their education or need additional support to graduate from high school. The schools are available for students in Los Angeles, Imperial, Ventura, Orange, Kern, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties, and offer a comprehensive and holistic approach to learning to help students excel. Learn more at http://ca.insightschools.net Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150420/199868LOGO SOURCE Insight Schools of California Related Links http://ca.insightschools.net NEW YORK, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading US hair extension brand, Her Imports, (http://www.herimports.com/), teamed up with iHeart Radio and The Breakfast Club for the ultimate beauty gift for 100 students from graduating class of 2016 across the United States. The gift of free hair extensions and hair install makeovers. The promotion was created by Her Imports as a vehicle to empower young women as they move on to the next stage of their lives. The gifting partnership was an immense success where, in the end Her Imports gifted a whopping combined total of $40,000 in hair and install services for 100 number of students. Winning students were scattered across the United States in locations such as Maryland, Georgia and California with students going on to attend Howard University and Spelman College. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/381417 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/381416LOGO African American women is the largest group within the United States, both in terms of race and gender, enrolled in college. We wanted to really show them that these efforts are celebrated. As a Beauty company where our strongest demographic is African American women and being that hair is our business we could not think of a more exciting time for a makeover with our hair than a large life change such as graduation. We wanted to wrap these beautiful minds up in everything beauty, if only for a short period of time. Her Imports has taken over the global hair extension business with a who's who list of celebrity and media clients. Touting products made using authentic human hair from temples in India. The company sells thousands of bundles daily online and through retail locations across North America, Africa & Europe. The promotion kicked off with renowned hair and makeup artist Anthony Cuts transitioning the hair and makeup look of radio personality Angela Yee of The Breakfast Club. The company's graduation give-away was featured on The Breakfast Club and saw over 25,000 requests for gifting. About Her Imports Her Imports has been the leading retailer for virgin, human hair extensions in the US since 2008. Created to provide women with the highest quality and easily accessible hair extensions, Her Imports is an industry favorite amongst some of the most elite hair stylists. Stylists for Beyonce, Rihanna and Kerry Washington have all used and love the premium quality hair extensions. Visit www.herimports.com to learn more about the brand and their products. Shemika Harmitt Beautiful Planning Marketing & PR (877) 841-7244 Email SOURCE Her Imports Related Links http://www.herimports.com HILLSDALE, Mich., June 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Hillsdale College's free, online courses on the subject of the Constitution, politics, economics, and other subjects surpassed 1,000,000 total unique students, the College announced today. "Hillsdale College was founded to provide 'sound learning' that will help preserve 'the blessings of liberty' in America," said Bill Gray, director of marketing at Hillsdale College. "For more than 170 years, we have provided that kind of education to our students. Now, with our online courses, we can invite citizens nationwide to learn from the same professors who teach on campus. Achieving this milestone is a great accomplishment, and indicates just how many people are eager to learn from Hillsdale." Hillsdale College's first online course, "Introduction to the Constitution," launched in September 2011. Currently, Hillsdale offers more than a dozen courses, including: Constitution 101: The Meaning and History of the Constitution The Presidency and the Constitution History 101: Western Heritage, From the Book of Genesis to John Locke History 102: American Heritage, From Colonial Settlement to the Reagan Revolution Economics 101: The Principles of Free Market Economics Public Policy from a Constitutional Viewpoint The Federalist Papers Winston Churchill and Statesmanship and Statesmanship An Introduction to C.S. Lewis : Writings and Significance More than 868,800 people have enrolled in Hillsdale's Constitution courses since they were first offered, making it Hillsdale's most popular online course. Most Hillsdale online courses last for 10 weeks and consist of weekly video lessons. Hillsdale College faculty members teach the 40-minute lessons. Students may begin an online course at any time and work through them at their own pace. For new courses, one session is released each week. Older courses are archived and available to view online indefinitely. For more information or to register for an online course, go to online.hillsdale.edu. About Hillsdale College Hillsdale College, founded in 1844, has built a national reputation through its classical liberal arts core curriculum and its principled refusal to accept federal or state taxpayer subsidies, even indirectly in the form of student grants or loans. It also conducts an educational outreach effort promoting civil and religious liberty, including a free monthly speech digest, Imprimis, with a circulation of more than 3.4 million. SOURCE Hillsdale College Related Links http://online.hillsdale.edu WESTCHESTER, Ill., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Insurance Auto Auctions, Inc. (IAA), a business unit of KAR Auction Services (NYSE: KAR), and the leading live and live-online salvage auto auction company, today announced its newest offering, IAA Express Notary, which allows for the electronic assignment of title documents, significantly shortening the cycle time for total loss settlements. This is the newest development in the IAA Total Loss Solutions first-of-its-kind suite of products that directly allows for more management of costs, while simultaneously boosting customer satisfaction and retention. Carriers that choose Express Notary as their document delivery service can tap into a national network of mobile notaries who will travel directly to the vehicle owner and execute documents on the spot. The electronic assignment ability allows the notary requirement to be satisfied at a faster rate, leading to an overall enhancement of the customer experience. In addition, improved cycle time leads to a reduction in costs, as insurance carriers are able to save on vehicle rental fees and to better allocate employee bandwidth. "The mobile aspect of Express Notary markedly reduces the time typically required for a total loss settlement to be processed," said Pat Walsh, senior vice president of business development, IAA. "Because the notary can meet the vehicle owner at a place and time of their choosing, rather than requiring the vehicle owner to execute the entire process on their own, the results are distinctively more efficient and more accurate, giving customers a greater sense of relief." "By deploying mobile notaries, insurance carriers remove the step in the claims process that customers find most inconvenient, which in turn leads to increased policyholder satisfaction and retention," said John Kett, CEO and president, IAA. "Every feature added to IAA Total Loss Solutions further demonstrates IAA's dedication to consistently innovating as an industry leader to provide a seamless suite of technologies that streamline the total loss claims process for our customers and theirs." About Insurance Auto Auctions, Inc. Insurance Auto Auctions is the leading live and live-online salvage vehicle auction company and a business unit of KAR Auction Services (NYSE: KAR). Headquartered in Westchester, Illinois, IAA has over 170 auction facilities throughout North America offering towing, financing and titling services. With the most auction facilities in North America, IAA provides registered buyers from around the globe with millions of opportunities to bid on and purchase donated and salvaged vehicles. Since 1982, IAA has sold millions of vehicles through its weekly auctions for insurance companies, fleet and rental companies, financing companies, charity organizations and the general public. IAA also leverages its business model to assist charitable organizations in the US through its One Car One Difference campaign. To date IAA has provided millions of dollars in additional funding to charities by assisting in the processing of donated vehicles. Learn how we are making a difference by visiting www.1car1difference.com. With a talented team of over 2,700 employees, IAA is committed to providing customers with the highest level of services in the salvage auto industry. Go to www.IAA-Auctions.com to learn more, and follow IAA on Facebook and Twitter. Jeanene O'Brien | Vice President, Global Marketing 708-492-7328 | www.iaai.com Media Inquiries 814-714-0585 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150617/223790LOGO SOURCE Insurance Auto Auctions, Inc. NEW YORK, June 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The first annual National Bridal Sale Day- Bridal Saturday- will take place on July 16, 2016. More than 700 independent locally-owned bridal retailers coast to coast- including some top bridal salons in the United States and Canada- will participate in this day meant to offer brides, bridesmaids, and wedding guests an unprecedented opportunity for substantial savings (in some salons up to 80% off) while supporting local bridal retailers. "Conceptually, National Bridal Sale Day- Bridal Saturday- is intended to become a tradition for the bridal industry much like a Black Friday or Small Business Saturday is for other retail. It will be scheduled annually on the third Saturday in July," says the event's creator, Sue Maslowski, owner of Jay West Bridal in Haddonfield, N.J. "At the same time, brides would not have to shop the Internet for price," Maslowski says. "They could walk into any participating bridal salon across the country that day and touch, see and feel what they are purchasing with no surprises." Organizations supporting this event are The Knot, Brides, Wedding Wire, Bridal Guide, My Wedding, BrideClick, Vows Magazine, Association of Wedding Gown Specialists, International Bridal Manufacturers Association (IBMA). A list of participating retailers can be found at www.nationalbridalsaleday.com. For more information, contact Sue Maslowski at [email protected] CONTACT: Sue Maslowski E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.nationalbridalsaleday.com Logo- http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160610/377903LOGO SOURCE International Bridal Manufacturers Association Related Links http://www.nationalbridalsaleday.com NEW YORK, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Investcorp, a global provider and manager of alternative investment products, today announces that it has reached an agreement with the Corneliani family to acquire a majority stake in the luxury Italian menswear specialist Corneliani for an enterprise value of approximately $100 million. As part of the transaction, certain members of the Corneliani family will remain as shareholders alongside Investcorp. Corneliani menswear Corneliani menswear Corneliani menswear Founded in 1958, Corneliani is a luxury clothing brand best known for its men's suits and chic casualwear and is one of the oldest independent Italian luxury brands. Founder Carlalberto Corneliani has, alongside his brother Claudio Corneliani, built a business whose clothing line has become reputed across the international luxury apparel industry. The firm's expansion into the casual wear market has seen its international presence grow significantly, with stores established across Europe, the U.S., Asia and more recently, into emerging markets. Corneliani employs approximately 1,100 people and benefits from a global sales presence in 68 countries through ten directly operated stores, approximately 850 multi-brand stores, more than 75 franchise stores and 50 store-in-stores, including Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bloomingdale's. As the luxury clothing market has shifted towards more casual lines of clothing, the Corneliani brand has adapted well to the changing conditions, combining tradition, quality and modernity into each new collection. In 2015, the company reported revenues in excess of 110 million. Carlalberto Corneliani said, "After over six decades building Corneliani, I believe the time is right for me to pass the company to a trusted custodian who can build on the vision and journey that I embarked upon with my brother in 1958. I am confident that Investcorp is the best partner Corneliani could hope for, and I have no doubt that they will develop this business to become one of the leading players in its market, similar to the success stories they have cultivated in Gucci, Tiffany & Co and Dainese." Hazem Ben-Gacem, Head of Investcorp's Corporate Investment business in Europe, said, "We are honoured that the Corneliani family selected us to engage in a bilateral discussion and ultimately entrusted us to take their business forward. With our extensive experience developing family-run businesses in the luxury fashion industry, we believe that we are well-positioned to build greater brand awareness and add further value to the firm as it looks to expand internationally in both existing and new markets. We very much look forward to working alongside the Corneliani family, whose ambitions and values we share, and working with the management team." Investcorp's M&A advisor on this transaction was Banca IMI, and its legal advisor was Gattai, Minoli, Agostinelli & Partners. About Investcorp Investcorp is a leading provider and manager of alternative investment products and is publicly traded on the Bahrain Bourse (INVCORP). The Investcorp Group has offices in New York, Bahrain, London, Saudi Arabia, Doha and Abu Dhabi. Investcorp has three business areas: corporate investment in the U.S., Europe and the Gulf, real estate investment in the U.S and global hedge funds. As at December 31, 2015, the Investcorp Group had $10.7 billion in total assets under management ('AUM'), including assets managed by third party managers and assets subject to a non-discretionary mandate where Investcorp receives fees calculated on the basis of AUM. Further information, including our most recent periodic financial statements, which details our assets under management, is available at www.investcorp.com. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/381600 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/381601 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/381602 SOURCE Investcorp Related Links http://www.investcorp.com NEW YORK, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- InVision, the world's leading product design platform, announced today it has raised $55 million of new funding. ICONIQ Capital led the round, joined by existing investors Accel Partners and FirstMark Capital. This investment brings the company's total funding to $135 million since it was founded in 2011. InVision, which has seen revenue more than double in the last year, is revolutionizing the way companies create digital products by enabling teams to manage, prototype, test and iterate on the design of web and mobile experiences collaboratively. The company now boasts more than two million registered users, with thousands signing up daily. Nearly 70 percent of the Fortune 100 use InVision to build better digital experiences, including Capital One, IBM, Disney, Apple, Verizon, Pinterest, Adobe, and Facebook. The company will use this financing to broaden its product offerings and invest in the InVision platform. "We're excited about this next leg of our journey and what it means for the advancement of digital product design as a whole," said InVision CEO and Co-Founder Clark Valberg. "With so many of the world's leading brands recognizing that the screen has become the most important place in the world, digital product design has evolved from an individual craft into an organizational discipline reaching far beyond the walls of the design department. This latest funding will support our aggressive product roadmap, addressing the full breadth of challenges and opportunities defining the future of digital product design." InVision has made five acquisitions in 2016, welcoming Macaw, Waybury, Easee, Napkin and Silver Flows to the team. The company employs more than 200 team members working in 14 countries around the world, including hubs in New York, San Francisco, London, Austin, Portland, and Boston. "Design has become integral to the business of technology and will shape the enterprise in the future," said Matthew Jacobson, General Partner at ICONIQ Capital. "As software plays an increasing role in the world around us, and as customer experience increasingly drives competitive advantage, we are excited about the large and growing opportunity ahead." About InVision InVision is the world's leading product design platform, powering the future of digital product design through our deep understanding of the dynamics of collaboration. We provide two million people with the power to prototype, review, refine, manage and user test web and mobile products. InVision drives the product design process at leading Fortune 100 companies, including at Disney, IBM, Walmart, Apple, Verizon and General Motors. Backed by Accel, ICONIQ Capital, FirstMark Capital, Tiger Global and others, InVision is headquartered in New York City with a workforce of over 200 employees worldwide. InVision on social channels: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Plus, YouTube About ICONIQ Capital ICONIQ Capital is a global multi-family office and merchant bank for a group of influential families. Their recent investments include Sprinklr, Datadog, Intercom, Adyen, Coupa, Procore, Fastly, Flipkart, and Uber. Media Contact Leah Taylor Director of PR and Communications [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160325/348153LOGO SOURCE InVision Related Links http://www.invisionapp.com TORONTO, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - iSIGN Media Solutions Inc. ("iSIGN" or "Company") (TSX-V: ISD) (OTC: ISDSF), a leading provider of interactive mobile advertising solutions that serves brands, commercial locations, retailers and service providers throughout North America announces that Mr. Asad Sultan has resigned from the Company's Board of Directors effective June 15, 2016. Mr. Sultan has accepted a position with an international asset management company, whose policies require him to resign any directorships in public companies, in order to avoid any potential conflicts of interest. "On behalf of the Board and the Company, I would like to thank Asad for his time and dedication to iSIGN over the past few years," stated Mr. Alex Romanov, iSIGN's Chief Executive Officer. "We wish him the very best in his future endeavors." About iSIGN Media iSIGN Media, based in Toronto, is a data-focused, software-as-a-service (SaaS) company that is a pioneering leader in gathering point-of-sale data and mobile shopper preferences to generate actionable data and reveal valuable consumer insights. Creators of the Smart suite of products, a patented interactive proximity marketing technology, iSIGN enables brands to deliver targeted messaging, personalized offers and loyalty perks to consumers' mobile devices in proximity and with real-time proof of redemption. iSIGN's data gathering capabilities provide analytics on price points, typical purchases, in-store dwell time and other shopper metrics that identify emerging consumer behaviors. These insights enable smarter business decisions and provide increased ROI metrics for more transparent marketing. iSIGN delivers relevant, timely messages on an opt-in basis at no charge to consumers, transmitting rich media to consumer mobile devices via Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity in complete privacy as opposed to iBeacons, apps, downloads and required surrendering of personal information. Proven to increase brand engagement and customer loyalty, iSIGN generates preference-based, predictive "clean data" without compromising consumer privacy. Partners include: IBM, Keyser Retail Solutions, Baylor University, Verizon Wireless, TELUS and AOpen America Inc. www.isignmedia.com 2016 iSIGN Media Solutions Inc. All Rights Reserved. All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor Its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility or accuracy of this release. SOURCE iSIGN Media Corp Related Links www.isignmedia.com RICHLAND, Wash., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- IsoRay Inc. (NYSE MKT: ISR), a medical technology company and innovator in seed brachytherapy and medical radioisotope applications for the treatment of prostate, brain, lung, head and neck and gynecological cancers, today announced David G. Brachman, MD, FACRO, Director of Radiation Oncology, Barrow Neurological Institute, and Clinical Professor of Radiation Oncology, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, presented the findings of a prospective trial entitled: "Prospective trial of surgery and permanent intraoperative brachytherapy (S+BT) using a modular, biocompatible radiation implant for recurrent aggressive meningiomas," at the Society of Neuro-Oncology Conference on Meningioma, Toronto, Canada. Highlights of the presentation included: The study treatment involved a new means of delivering Cesium-131 brachytherapy to the brain, with the seeds embedded in collagen tiles and applied directly to the brain tissue after the tumor was removed (the GammaTile approach, which is not commercially available). The trial included 16 patients and 20 tumors. The patients in this study had recurrences of tumor after prior surgery and external beam radiation treatment and were considered by their physicians to be at an increased risk for additional recurrence. 95% of the treated tumors had no radiographic evidence of regrowth of tumor at the operative site (local control). The incidence of radiation side effects to the brain a problem in previous attempts to perform brain brachytherapy occurred in only two of the 20 treatments. Dr. Brachman stated, "These are aggressive meningiomas that have recurred in patients despite previous surgery and radiation. These tumors pose a serious challenge to physicians due to their presence in the brain and the failure of prior treatments. Use of the Cesium-131 tiles, which were able to be implanted very quickly at the time of surgery, and starting radiation therapy at the time of resection as opposed to weeks after resection when using external beam radiation were advantages of our novel approach. We are seeing 95% local control of the treated tumors in our study using surgery and Cesium implants. In addition, we observed a very low rate of radiation injury, which has been a major concern in the past, for patients who have undergone multiple treatments for their brain tumors." Tom LaVoy, CEO of IsoRay, Inc., stated, "We are encouraged to see this preliminary response to these challenging cancers. We are pleased Dr. Brachman had the opportunity to present his findings at such a prestigious forum of his peers." Dr. Brachman concluded, "While we look forward to a future where systemic therapies are available for aggressive meningioma, our team believes the GammaTile approach using Cesium-131 offers a promising treatment option for patients." About IsoRay IsoRay, Inc., through its subsidiary, IsoRay Medical, Inc. is the sole producer of Cesium-131 brachytherapy seeds, which are expanding brachytherapy options throughout the body. Learn more about this innovative Richland, Washington company and explore the many benefits and uses of Cesium-131 by visiting www.isoray.com. Join us on Facebook/IsoRay. Follow us on Twitter @IsoRay. About GammaTile GammaTile, LLC is an Arizona-based privately held medical device company dedicated to advancing the treatment of intracranial tumors of all types. Safe Harbor Statement Statements in this news release about IsoRay's future expectations, including: the advantages of our products and their delivery systems, whether the GammaTile approach will be successful in future treatments, whether any future studies of the GammaTile approach will produce similar results to those reported in the presentation, and all other statements in this release, other than historical facts, are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 ("PSLRA"). This statement is included for the express purpose of availing IsoRay, Inc. of the protections of the safe harbor provisions of the PSLRA. It is important to note that actual results and ultimate corporate actions could differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements based on such factors as physician acceptance, training and use of our products, our ability to successfully manufacture, market and sell our products, our ability to manufacture our products in sufficient quantities to meet demand within required delivery time periods while meeting our quality control standards, our ability to enforce our intellectual property rights, whether additional studies are released and support the conclusions of past studies, whether ongoing patient results with our products are favorable and in line with the conclusions of clinical studies and initial patient results, patient results achieved when our products are used for the treatment of cancers and malignant diseases, successful completion of future research and development activities, whether we, our distributors and our customers will successfully obtain and maintain all required regulatory approvals and licenses to market, sell and use our products in its various forms, continued compliance with ISO standards as audited by BSI, the success of our sales and marketing efforts, changes in reimbursement rates, changes in laws and regulations applicable to our products, and other risks detailed from time to time in IsoRay's reports filed with the SEC. Unless required to do so by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160301/339505LOGO SOURCE IsoRay, Inc. Related Links http://www.isoray.com ROME, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- His Holiness Pope Francis, Israel's 9th President Shimon Peres, Chairman of the International Board of the Friends of Zion museum in Jerusalem and Dr. Mike Evans, the Museum's Founder made a joint statement promoting peace and calling for an end to acts of violence in the name of religion. Peres also presented his Holiness Pope Francis with a unique piece of art from the Friends of Zion Founders gallery. The piece depicts a dreamlike biblical scene of Abraham answering to the high calling on a backset with the Hebrew word Hinneni, meaning Here Am I. His Holiness Pope Francis, Israels 9th President Shimon Peres, and Dr. Mike Evans Founder of the Friends of Zion Museum His Holiness Pope Francis, Israels 9th President Shimon Peres, and Dr. Mike Evans Founder of the Friends of Zion Museum Peres and Evans also shared the story of Irena Sendler, one of the heroes depicted in the museum. Sendler, a young Catholic nurse, smuggled approximately 2,500 Jewish children out of the Warsaw Ghetto and then provided them with false identity documents and shelter outside the Ghetto. In 1965, Sendler was recognized by the State of Israel as one of the Righteous among the Nations. Dr. Mike Evans, founder of the FOZ museum, spoke of the importance of friendships between all people and nations, which is even more important today with rising anti-Semitism worldwide. The FOZ museum is one of the newest attractions in the very heart of Jerusalem, inviting visitors from all over the world to experience the courageous stories of those who stood by in support of the Jewish people and the state of Israel in the last 200 years. Magnificently told, the museum uses groundbreaking technology, allowing visitors to experience the unfolding story as though stepping back in time. From 3D presentation and giant touch screens to projection mapping on unique sculptures and complex roto scope animations that transform live-action video footage into a painted media. The heroes presented in the museum include US President Harry Truman, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Prof. George W. Bush, Orde Wingate, and Righteous Among the Nations such as Oskar Schindler, Raoul Wallenberg, Irena Sendler and the Ten Boom family, who risked their lives to save Jews persecuted throughout the world The Friends of Zion Museum opened in Jerusalem last September and has set itself a goal of serving as a bridge, connecting people from around the world and motivating more communities to come out in support of Israel. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160621/381702 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160621/381703 Museum Address: Friends of Zion Museum, 20 Yosef Rivlin Street, Jerusalem. The Museum is currently open to visitors, reservation recommended on the Museum's website: www.fozmuseum.com or by emailing our reservation department at [email protected] or +972-2-532-9400. SOURCE Friends of Zion WASHINGTON, June 20, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- U.S. News & World Report's Jamie Page Deaton has been selected to join the North American Car & Truck of the Year jury, a distinguished group of automotive journalists from Canada and the United States. In its 24th year, the NACTOY jury recognizes the most outstanding new vehicles in each model year. Ms. Page Deaton is the managing editor of U.S. News Best Cars, a leading automotive website that attracts over 45 million car shoppers annually. An auto industry expert, Page Deaton oversees U.S. News' car reviews, new and used Best Car Rankings, car-buying advice content and annual awards, including Best Vehicle Brands, Best Cars for the Money and Best Cars for Families. Page Deaton is also a member of the New England Motor Press Association and the Washington Automotive Press Association. Page Deaton is among 60 NACTOY jurors from leading magazines, newspapers and online outlets, including Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds, Automotive News and Car and Driver. "Jamie has made U.S. News Best Cars the go-to website for anyone in the market for a new or used car," said Brian Kelly, editor and chief content officer of U.S. News. "Her deep understanding of what car shoppers want will be valued among this prestigious group of automotive journalists." Since 2007, U.S. News Best Cars has published rankings of the majority of new vehicles sold in America. Bageshri Ghate is the Vice President and General Manager of U.S. News Best Cars and Chris Ciccone is the Product Director. About U.S. News & World Report U.S. News & World Report is a digital news and information company that empowers people to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives. Focusing on Education, Health, Personal Finance, Travel, Cars and News & Opinion, USNews.com provides consumer advice, rankings, news and analysis to serve people making complex decisions throughout all stages of life. More than 37 million people visit USNews.com each month for research and guidance. Founded in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100603/PH13717LOGO SOURCE U.S. News & World Report Related Links http://www.usnews.com SEATTLE, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Heinlein Prize Trust announced today that it is awarding its prestigious Heinlein Prize to Jeff Bezos, founder of Blue Origin, for his vision and leadership in commercial space activities that have led to historic firsts and reusability in the commercial spaceflight industry. The Heinlein Prize honors the memory of Robert A. Heinlein, a renowned American author. The purpose of the Heinlein Prize is to encourage and reward progress in commercial space activities that advances Robert and his wife Virginia's dream of humanity's future in space. In addition to the award, recipients receive a Lady Vivamus sword from Robert Heinlein's novel, Glory Road. Under Bezos' leadership, Blue Origin developed a number of technology firsts that are driving U.S. space competitiveness. The reusable BE-3, a liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen engine, is now being used in Blue Origin's New Shepard spacecraft. New Shepard is the first rocket ever to fly above the Karman line into space and then land vertically upon the Earth. Furthermore, it has done so multiple times with the same rocket hardware not even removing the engine between flights. In late 2014, Blue Origin reached a commercial agreement with a private launch company to develop the BE-4 engine which could be used to power the next generation of U.S. launch vehicles. "Under Jeff's visionary leadership, Blue Origin has developed launch vehicles and a commercially-financed line of engines that pave the way to reusability in space transportation," said Art Dula, Trustee of the Heinlein Prize Trust. "As a recipient of the Heinlein Prize, we recognize Jeff and the efforts of the Blue Origin team in its development of technologies that could revolutionize the industry and provide commercially-available launch capabilities to a variety of customers." "Robert Heinlein inspired millions with his visionaryand incredibly entertainingstories, and it's an honor for all of us at Blue Origin to receive this award," said Jeff Bezos, founder of Blue Origin. "Heinlein foresaw a thriving future with humans throughout the solar system. We won't stop working to make that vision come true." Bezos is the third recipient of the Heinlein Prize. The first award was to Dr. Peter Diamandis in 2006 for the Ansari XPRIZE and SpaceShipOne, the first manned commercial vehicle to fly to space. The second prize was awarded to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk in 2011 for the Falcon 1, the first privately-developed launch vehicle to orbit the Earth. Announcement of the award was made today at the NewSpace conference in Seattle. This event attracts space industry leaders, startups, policymakers, the investment community and technology innovators. The Heinlein Prize is a sponsor of NewSpace, where it is exhibiting the Have Space Suit Will Travel educational program that includes the spacesuit worn by former astronaut and current NASA Administrator, Charles Bolden. The Heinlein Prize will be awarded to Bezos in a ceremony in Washington, DC on September 14, 2016. For more information, visit the Heinlein Prize Trust website. Follow the Trust on Twitter and Facebook. Contact: Diane Smiroldo 1-703-8191963 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/381466LOGO SOURCE Heinlein Prize Trust Related Links http://www.heinleinprize.com NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) will host a conference call for investors at 8:30 a.m. (Eastern Time) on Tuesday, July 19th, to review second-quarter results. Alex Gorsky, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dominic Caruso, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Louise Mehrotra, Vice President, Investor Relations, will host the call. Investors and other interested parties may access the conference call in the following ways: The webcast is accessible at Johnson & Johnson's website: www.investor.jnj.com. A webcast and podcast replay will be available approximately one hour after the conference call concludes. By telephone: for both "listen-only" participants and those financial analysts who wish to take part in the question-and-answer portion of the call, the telephone dial-in number in the U.S. is 877-869-3847. For participants outside the U.S., the dial-in number is 201-689-8261. A replay of the conference call will be available until approximately 12:00 a.m. on July 27, 2016 . The replay dial-in number for U.S. participants is 877-660-6853. For participants outside the U.S., the replay dial-in number is 201-612-7415. The replay conference ID number for all callers is 13639782. on . The replay dial-in number for U.S. participants is 877-660-6853. For participants outside the U.S., the replay dial-in number is 201-612-7415. The replay conference ID number for all callers is 13639782. Presentation materials will be available on www.investor.jnj.com. The press release will be available at approximately 6:45 a.m. (Eastern Time) the morning of the conference call. About Johnson & Johnson Caring for the world, one person at a time, inspires and unites the people of Johnson & Johnson. We embrace research and science - bringing innovative ideas, products and services to advance the health and well-being of people. Our approximately 127,500 employees at more than 250 Johnson & Johnson operating companies work with partners in health care to touch the lives of over a billion people every day, throughout the world. SOURCE Johnson & Johnson Related Links http://www.jnj.com NEW YORK and SOUTHBOROUGH, Mass., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- K2 Intelligence, an industry-leading investigative, compliance and cyber defense services firm, and Confer, a leader in behavior-based endpoint detection and response, announced a joint initiative to deliver a new managed security service that enables organizations to proactively defend themselves from cyber attacks. K2 Intelligence, an investigative, compliance and cyber defense services firm K2 Intelligence is known for its investigative excellence and multidisciplinary team of cyber defense and technology experts, which includes former FBI Cyber Division Special Agents and other law enforcement and intelligence professionals. K2 Intelligence combines this expertise with a suite of cyber defense products and services to provide a holistic and innovative approach to minimize cyber risk. K2 Intelligence selected Confer's Converged Endpoint Security Platform as the foundation for its new managed security service. The combination of simplified and intuitive management, the ability to conduct robust, efficient and cost effective investigations and analysis, and proactive detection of attacks made Confer the best choice as partner. Confer's patented technology replicates the analytics that highly sophisticated security professionals would perform, yet does it in an automated, high-speed fashion within the product. Coupled with the ability to prevent the attacks that typically evade anti-virus and other security products, Confer forms an adaptive defense that gets smarter and stronger over time. "Our partnership with Confer changes the paradigm of traditional cyber defense and retained-based incident response. Having K2 Intelligence and Confer in your network detecting and responding to threats in real time eliminates the need to search for an expert when a breach is first discovered," said Austin Berglas, Senior Managing Director and head of Cyber Defense at K2 Intelligence. "This partnership will allow our team of world-class investigators to take our cyber defense services to the next level." "Our goal was to create groundbreaking technology that greatly increases prevention and detection of cyberattacks, with zero impact to the end user, while also performing the best in its class," said Mark Quinlivan, CEO and Founder, Confer. "We're very pleased that security visionaries like K2 Intelligence have not only recognized the merit of our technology, but are relying on it to help protect their clients' assets. Together we're setting a new level of cyber threat intelligence and prevention." In deploying Confer's platform, K2 Intelligence will install lightweight sensors on its clients' endpoints which includes any device with a remote connection to the network such as laptops, smartphones and virtual servers. These sensors analyze and monitor all application processes on a device, providing granular visibility into the activities of malicious threats on the endpoint, accelerating attack response and strengthening threat intelligence. Once a threat is detected, K2 can respond and investigate in near real-time. Using Confer, K2 Intelligence can move quickly towards remediation, by terminating malicious processes across the network, or deleting a single file which may be the root cause of the incident. About K2 Intelligence K2 Intelligence is an industry-leading investigative, compliance and cyber defense services firm founded in 2009 by Jeremy M. Kroll and Jules B. Kroll, the originator of the modern corporate investigations industry. Over the last 40 years, Jules, Jeremy, and their teams have built a reputation not only for investigative, analytic and advisory excellence but for the independence and insight they bring to investigations. With offices in New York, London, Madrid, Tel Aviv, Geneva, and Los Angeles, K2 Intelligence advises governments, companies, boards and individuals in business areas including: Complex Investigations & Disputes; Anti Money Laundering and Regulatory Compliance; Construction and Real Estate Project Oversight Monitoring & Compliance; Data Analytics & Visualization; and Cybersecurity Investigations & Defense. In 2015, American International Group, Inc. (AIG), a leading international insurance organization and the market leader in the underwriting of cyber insurance, endorsed the work of K2 Intelligence by acquiring a minority stake in the firm. For more information, visit www.k2intelligence.com About Confer Confer offers a fundamentally different approach to endpoint security through a Converged Endpoint Security Platform, an adaptive defense that integrates prevention, detection and incident response for endpoints, servers and cloud workloads. The patented technology disrupts most attacks while collecting a rich history of endpoint behavior to support post-incident response and remediation. Confer automates this approach to secure millions of devices, regardless of where they are, allowing security teams to focus on more important activities. For more information, visit www.confer.net. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140115/NE46445LOGO Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160617/381112LOGO SOURCE Confer; K2 Intelligence Related Links https://www.confer.net NEW YORK, June 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The following statement is being issued by KIRBY MCINERNEY LLP regarding the MOL Global Inc. Securities Litigation. UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK IN RE MOL GLOBAL, INC. SECURITIES LITIGATION Civil Action No. 14-Civ-9357 (WHP) SUMMARY NOTICE TO: ALL PERSONS WHO PURCHASED MOL GLOBAL, INC. ("MOL") AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES ("ADS") DURING THE PERIOD FROM OCTOBER 9, 2014 THROUGH AND INCLUDING NOVEMBER 21, 2014 YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED, pursuant to an Order of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (the "District Court") and Rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, that a hearing will be held at 11:00 a.m. on September 16, 2016 before the Honorable William H. Pauley III, United States District Court Judge, in Courtroom 20B, at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse, 500 Pearl Street, New York, New York 10007 for the purpose of determining (1) whether the proposed settlement of the Consolidated Action for the principal amount of $8,500,000, plus accrued interest, should be approved by the District Court as fair, reasonable, and adequate; (2) whether the Final Approval Order and Judgment should be entered by the District Court dismissing the Consolidated Action with prejudice; (3) whether the proposed Plan of Allocation is fair, reasonable, and adequate and, therefore, should be approved; and (4) whether the Fee and Expense Application should be approved. In connection with the Fee and Expense Application, Lead Counsel will request attorneys' fees of 22.5% of the Gross Settlement Fund, plus expenses (exclusive of administration costs) not to exceed $80,000. If you purchased MOL ADS during the period from October 9, 2014 through November 21, 2014, inclusive, your rights may be affected by the settlement of the Consolidated Action. If you have not received a detailed Notice of Settlement of Class Action and Settlement Fairness Hearing, and Motion For an Award of Attorneys' Fees and Reimbursement of Litigation Expenses (the "Notice") and a copy of the Claim Form, you may obtain copies by sending an email to [email protected] , or by writing to In re MOL Global Inc. Securities Litigation, c/o GCG, PO Box 10294, Dublin, OH 43017-5894, or by calling (855) 907-3255, or on the internet at www.MOLGlobalSecuritiesLitigation.com , or from Lead Counsel's website at www.kmllp.com . If you are a Settlement Class Member, in order to share in the distribution of the Net Settlement Fund, you must submit a Claim Form, postmarked on or before October 4, 2016, establishing that you are entitled to recovery. If you desire to be excluded from the Settlement Class, you must submit a request for exclusion postmarked by no later than August 26, 2016, in the manner and form explained in the detailed Notice referred to above. All members of the Settlement Class who have not timely and validly requested exclusion from the Settlement Class will be bound by any judgment entered in the Consolidated Action pursuant to the Stipulation of Settlement dated as of April 11, 2016. If you properly and timely exclude yourself from the Settlement Class, you will not be bound by any judgments or orders entered by the Court in the Action and you will not be eligible to share in the proceeds of the Settlement. Any objections to any aspect of the proposed Settlement, the proposed Plan of Allocation or Lead Counsel's application for an award of attorneys' fees and reimbursement of expenses, must be filed with the Court and delivered to designated representative Lead Counsel and counsel for the Defendants such that they are received no later than August 26, 2016, in accordance with the instructions set forth in the Notice. PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THE DISTRICT COURT OR THE CLERK'S OFFICE REGARDING THIS NOTICE. If you have any questions about the Settlement, you may contact Lead Counsel: Daniel Hume, Esq. Ira Press, Esq. Meghan Summers, Esq. KIRBY McINERNEY LLP 825 Third Avenue, 16th Floor New York, NY 10022 Tel: (212) 371-6600 DATED: JUNE 20, 2016 BY ORDER OF THE DISTRICT COURT, UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK SOURCE KIRBY MCINERNEY LLP Related Links http://www.kmllp.com OREM, Utah, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Legrand, North America today announced the release of a new two-button, programmable keypad to provide wireless, full scene control. The Vantage RadioLink EasyTouch II keypad is perfect for transition areas such as corridors and hallways in modern luxury homes, hotels, and offices. The new keypad provides seamless scalability and is designed for quick installation without the need to run new wires. RadioLink EasyTouch II can be used in retrofit projects to replace standard 3- or 4-way switches. The keypad also fits the needs of any new construction project; with its robust communication protocol, incremental system expansionbased on user need and growthis greatly simplified. In addition, the proprietary Vantage wireless two-way communication protocol provides fully synchronized on/off and ramp up/down of lighting loads for whole home applications. Keypad-to-controller communication distances are significantly greater than traditional repeater based wireless solutions. RadioLink EasyTouch II keypads feature: Laser engraved button text with full range, RGB, adjustable backlighting Multi-event programming and control of discreet loads or scenes on a single button Hidden, ambient light and IR sensors Instant response to button press, regardless of system size Consistent look and feel with other EasyTouch II keypad stations Custom color options to mix or match finishes for trims, buttons, and faceplates "The RadioLink EasyTouch II keypad is an excellent addition to our comprehensive wireless product line," explained Andrew Wale, vice president of product marketing for Legrand's Building Control Systems division. "It's about delivering the best experience by offering cutting edge products like our new keypad. Like all products in the EasyTouch II aesthetic range, this keypad combines contemporary aesthetics and functionality that complement any lighting project." To learn more about the RadioLink EasyTouch II keypad please visit dealer.vantagecontrols.com. About Vantage Vantage, a Legrand group brand, is a leading manufacturer of intelligent, energy efficient lighting control systems for luxury residential and commercial applications. For more than 30 years, Vantage has employed the latest technologies in its products to create fully integrated, easy-to-use lighting automation solutions that save energy, comply with energy codes, and meet green initiatives. Vantage has been part of the Legrand group since its acquisition in 2006. For more information, visit http://www.vantagecontrols.com. About Legrand Legrand is the global specialist in electrical and digital building infrastructures. Its comprehensive offering of solutions for use in commercial, industrial, and residential markets makes it a benchmark for customers worldwide. Innovation for a steady flow of new products with high added value is a prime vector for growth, including in particular connectable products, enhancing value in use. Legrand reported sales of $5.3 billion in 2015. Legrand has a strong presence in North America, with a portfolio of well-known product lines that include C2G, Cablofil, Electrorack, Middle Atlantic, Nuvo, On-Q, Ortronics, Pass & Seymour, QMotion, Quiktron, Raritan, Vantage, Wattstopper, and Wiremold. Legrand is listed on Euronext Paris and is a component stock of indexes including the CAC40, FTSE4Good, MSCI World, ASPI, Corporate Oekom Rating, and DJSI (ISIN code FR0010307819). www.legrand.com. Media Contact: Reid Cram, Vantage PR 801-226-4522 [email protected] SOURCE Legrand Related Links http://www.legrand.com FAIRFAX, Va., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) has officially been awarded the Sensor Systems - Aerial Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (SS-AISR) task order on the R2-3G indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract vehicle by the U.S. Army Contracting Command Aberdeen Proving Ground (ACC-APG). Under this one-year base/two one-year options contract valued at $733 million, Lockheed Martin will support the ACC-APG to modernize sensor equipment and platforms that support AISR data collection, air- and ground-based processing, exploitation and dissemination for missions worldwide. Lockheed Martin Information Systems & Global Solutions (IS&GS) will provide personnel to manage, operate, train and maintain reliable and efficient systems, equipment, facilities and logistical infrastructures in order to operate, sustain and improve equipment performance, as well as reduce life-cycle costs for the systems supported. The team will also conduct Airborne Sensor Operator, Sensor Maintainer, Intelligence Analyst and Airborne Crew Coordination training of U.S. Army soldiers at multiple stateside and overseas locations. "Our team is bringing the latest airborne technology advancements to the soldiers in the field, ensuring greater mission success and warfighter protection," said TW Scott, vice president, Technical Services, Lockheed Martin IS&GS. The contract transition period will span from late May through late July 2016. Performance could extend through March 2019 if the two one-year extension options are exercised. About Lockheed Martin Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 125,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110419/PH85737LOGO-b SOURCE Lockheed Martin NEW YORK, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Lower Manhattan Historical Society (the LMHS"), in conjunction with the Bowling Green Association, the Sons of the Revolution of the State Of New York, The New York Veteran Corps of Artillery, the Sons of the American Revolution, is pleased to announce very exciting and unique historical activities in Lower Manhattan for the July 4, 2016 weekend. "The following activities are the most ambitious and interesting July 4 historical activities in Manhattan in forty years," said James S. Kaplan, the Society's President. I. JULY 2: INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE IN HONOR OF THE IRISH II. Old Fashioned Independence Day Parade marching through the streets of Lower Manhattan from the Irish Hunger Memorial to Evacuation Day Plaza (Bowling Green),). The theme of the parade will be the contribution of the Irish to the City of New York in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rebellion 2. JULY 3: ALEXANDER HAMILTON IMMIGRANT ACHIEVEMENT AWARD CEREMONY This award is designed to honor New Yorkers born outside the United States who have made an outstanding contribution to Lower Manhattan. The four recipients of the Award are: (1) Rick Rescorla, the English born security director of Morgan Stanley saved the lives of more than 2600 Morgan Stanley employees on 9/11. (2) Adrian Flanelly, a prominent Irish radio show host (3) Margaret Chin, , the Councilwoman from Lower Manhattan, and (4) Mathieu Eugene, a New York City Councilman born in Haiti that represents a district in Brooklyn. 3. JULY 4 ACTIVITIES IN LOWER MANHATTAN The LMHS and allied groups will be coordinating a number of historical activities in Lower Manhattan, including the following: A 7 am wreath laying ceremony on the graves of General Horatio Gates , Alexander Hamilton and Marinus Willett in Trinity Churchyard . wreath laying ceremony on the graves of General , and in . A 50 gun salute at Historic Castle Clinton by the New York Veteran Corps of Artillery. reading out the dates of admission to the Union of all the states. reading out the dates of admission to the Union of all the states. An interfaith and interracial ceremony at the African Burial ground with speakers from Trinity Church and the New York Board of Rabbis. and the Board of Rabbis. More information can be found online at: www.july4thinnewyork.com THIS PROGRAM IS OFFERED WITH THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF THE HOWARD HUGHES CORPORATIONmDEVELOPERS OF THE SOUTH STREET SEAPORT. SOURCE Lower Manhattan Historical Society AUSTIN, Texas, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Lumos Pharma, Inc. has further expanded its management team with the appointment of Carol A. Dutch as Senior Director, Patient Engagement. Ms. Dutch will create and lead global patient engagement projects to support the clinical development and pre-commercial phases of Lumos' rare and orphan disease pipeline projects. Over the course of her 25-year career, Ms. Dutch has led successful global launches of ultra-rare products and developed innovative awareness programs, partnering with professional societies and patient advocacy organizations. Prior to joining Lumos, Dutch worked with Recordati Rare Diseases, Inc. in marketing and advocacy roles. She is actively involved with many disease patient organizations (NUCDF, APF) as well as umbrella groups such as Global Genes, the National Organization of Rare Disorders (NORD) and Rare Disease Legislative Advocates (RDLA). "Disease awareness and patient advocacy relationships are so important in the rare disease space. Carol's robust global experience in these areas will help guide us during this pivotal time as Lumos starts clinical trials," said Rick Hawkins, Lumos Pharma Founder and CEO. "We are so excited to be working with Carol. Her unique insight will assist in driving patient identification projects aimed to help our kids get accurate and swift diagnoses,"said Kim Tuminello, president of the Association Creatine Disorders (ACD). Ms. Dutch holds a Masters in International Economic Management (MIEM/MBA) from the SDA Bocconi University, Milan, Italy and a B.S. from the University of Southern California (USC) in Business Administration. "I am truly excited to be part of the dynamic leadership team and organization whose mission is so close to my heart," noted Ms. Dutch. "I am looking forward to working with groups that are critical to disease identification and treatment so that Lumos may deliver unique medicines to patients with rare diseases around the world." About Lumos Pharma Founded in 2011, Lumos Pharma is a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on bringing novel therapies to patients with severe, rare, and genetic diseases, whose medical needs are unmet. Lumos Pharma is led by an experienced management team with longstanding experience in the rare disease space. It's lead compound, LUM-001, is being developed to treat Creatine Transporter Deficiency, a relatively new and rare disorder, that results in intellectual disability and development delay in boys. Contact: MP Mueller, 512-775-9227, [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160405/351848LOGO SOURCE Lumos Pharma CHESTERFIELD, United Kingdom, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Mallinckrodt plc (NYSE: MNK), a leading global specialty biopharmaceutical company, will report third quarter fiscal 2016 results on Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2016. A conference call for investors will begin at 8:30 a.m. U.S. Eastern time. The call can be accessed in three ways: At the Mallinckrodt website: http://www.mallinckrodt.com/investors . website: . By telephone: For both listen-only participants and those who wish to take part in the question-and-answer portion of the call, the telephone dial-in number in the U.S. is (877) 359-9508. For participants outside the U.S., the dial-in number is (224) 357-2393. Callers will need to provide the Conference ID of 34055287. Through an audio replay: A replay of the call will be available beginning at 11:30 a.m. U.S. Eastern time on Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2016 , and ending at 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on Tuesday, Aug.16, 2016. Dial-in numbers for U.S.-based participants are (855) 859-2056 or (800) 585-8367. Participants outside the U.S. should use the replay dial-in number (404) 537-3406. All callers will be required to provide the Conference ID of 34055287. ABOUT MALLINCKRODT Mallinckrodt is a global business that develops, manufactures, markets and distributes specialty pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical products and therapies, as well as nuclear imaging products. Areas of focus include autoimmune and rare diseases in specialty areas like neurology, rheumatology, nephrology and pulmonology; immunotherapy and neonatal respiratory critical care therapies; analgesics and hemostasis products; and central nervous system drugs. The company's core strengths include the acquisition and management of highly regulated raw materials and specialized chemistry, formulation and manufacturing capabilities. The company's Specialty Brands segment includes branded medicines; its Specialty Generics segment includes specialty generic drugs, active pharmaceutical ingredients and external manufacturing; and the Nuclear Imaging segment includes nuclear imaging agents. To learn more about Mallinckrodt, visit www.mallinckrodt.com . Mallinckrodt uses its website as a channel of distribution of important company information, such as press releases, investor presentations and other financial information. It also uses its website to expedite public access to time-critical information regarding the company in advance of or in lieu of distributing a press release or a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission disclosing the same information. Therefore, investors should look to the Investor Relations page of the website for important and time-critical information. Visitors to the website can also register to receive automatic e-mail and other notifications alerting them when new information is made available on the Investor Relations page of the website. CONTACTS FOR MALLINCKRODT Investor Relations Coleman N. Lannum, CFA Senior Vice President, Investor Strategy and IRO 314-654-6649 [email protected] Media Rhonda Sciarra Senior Communications Manager 314-654-8618 [email protected] Meredith Fischer Senior Vice President, Communications and Public Affairs 314-654-3318 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150105/167103LOGO SOURCE Mallinckrodt plc Related Links http://www.mallinckrodt.com SEATTLE, June 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Moss Adams LLP, one of the largest accounting and business consulting firms in the nation, today announced it has agreed to combine with Dallas, Texasbased firm CF Accountants & Consultants. Effective June 30, 2016, the combination further strengthens the resources of Moss Adams in Dallas, one of the fastest-growing markets in the United States. The combination will increase the firm's capabilities to serve the financial services industry, especially broker-dealers and hedge funds, as well as real estate clients and high net worth individuals. "This combination with CF positions us well to meet the growing needs of our local client base and creates an excellent platform for our continued expansion in the Dallas market," said Clay Sturgis, partner in charge of the Dallas and Austin offices at Moss Adams. "CF Accountants & Consultants has a 60-year history serving clients in the region, and we look forward to welcoming its talented professionals to Moss Adams." Established in 1956, CF Accountants & Consultants provides audit, tax, accounting, business valuation and business advisory services to clients in a variety of industries, including real estate, construction and financial services. The combination will continue to build the Moss Adams office in Dallas, which has resources in these areas along with strong capabilities in the technology, communications and media industries, among others. "This combination with Moss Adams felt like a natural step in the growth strategy of our firm," said Bret Robertson, managing partner of CF Accountants & Consultants. "Our firms have similar company cultures, business ideals and long-term goals, and we couldn't ask for a better partner to carry us into the future. Our clients will benefit from the expanded resources and opportunities available to them from a firm the caliber of Moss Adams." In June, 57 CF Accountants & Consultants professionals, including seven partners, will officially begin working as part of Moss Adams. The combined group will occupy CF's current office space. The addition of these employees grows the Moss Adams Dallas presence to nearly 90 professionals. "Over the last 18 months, we've worked hard to round out our tax, assurance and consulting capabilities, more than doubling our head count in Dallas," Sturgis said. This combination is the latest outcome of a focus on growth in Texas and California for Moss Adams. The firm entered the Texas market in January 2015 through a combination with a local telecom consulting practice, which included six professionals in Dallas, and has steadily increased its service offerings in the area by adding 27 local hires and intercompany transfers. Additionally, Moss Adams announced the establishment of a Fresno, California, location earlier this month, expanding the firm's presence in the region and further bolstering its expertise in food and agriculture, manufacturing and real estate. About Moss Adams Moss Adams and its affiliates provide insight and expertise to help organizations and individuals gain traction, manage risk, and seize opportunity. Moss Adams LLP is a national leader in assurance, tax, consulting, risk management, transaction, and private client services. Moss Adams Wealth Advisors LLC provides investment management, personal financial planning, and insurance strategies to help clients build and preserve their wealth. Moss Adams Capital LLC offers strategic advisory and investment banking services, helping clients create greater value in their business. SOURCE Moss Adams LLP BOSTON, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Mustbin, an encrypted cloud storage and messaging platform, announced today that it has been granted a seminal security and privacy patent for secure cloud storage and communications, the first in the industry. U.S. Patent No. 9,369,445, based on an application filed in 2013, is titled "Bin Enabled Data Object Encryption and Storage Apparatuses, Methods and Systems." The patent covers how Mustbin handles key management and encrypts users' information and communications on the platform, giving them complete security and privacy. Mustbin awarded patent for military-grade encryption technology "This patent covers the incredible technology that powers Mustbin and enables our users to own their data entirely it protects everything they do on Mustbin," said Mustbin CEO Satyender Mahajan. "We believe our technology should be widely adopted and we're currently exploring how we can make it available to partners. It is critical that everyone have the technology to ensure their employees', users', or clients' digital communications and information are safe, private, and secure." The framework of the patent allows privileged applications, such as the Mustbin app on iOS and Android, to access and decrypt the user's data on their device by opening it with the user's key. This framework can be expanded to allow other apps and services to leverage this patented technology. The patent covers how Mustbin encrypts and stores documents, bins, and messages and how users access their data. When a user creates a bin, saves a password, captures a card or document, uploads a photo or video, creates a note, or sends a message, Mustbin uses its patented technology to secure user keys and encrypt information. A user's data is stored encrypted both in the cloud and on the user's device, enabling them to access their information anytime while ensuring it's safe and secure. No Mustbin employee can ever see a Mustbin user's data on the platform. About Mustbin Mustbin is an encrypted cloud storage and messaging platform. Available on iOS and Android, Mustbin enables people to save sensitive information on their device and in the cloud and share it securely with encrypted messaging. Mustbin is built with patented technology with end-to-end encryption and AES-256 encryption, ensuring Mustbin users' data is always safe and secure. Mustbin is available on iOS and Android. Contact Mustbin Matt Fiorentino 857-268-1601 [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/381326 SOURCE Mustbin Related Links http://www.mustbin.com WASHINGTON, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This week, Will Shafroth, president of the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America's national parks, welcomed Lise Aangeenbrug to her new role as the Foundation's executive vice president. In this role, Aangeenbrug will serve as second in command of the Foundation and play a primary role in managing the organization and executing key functions related to fundraising efforts including the $350 million Centennial Campaign for America's National Parks, programs, partnerships, marketing and communications, and government relations. "Lise's passion around conservation, getting kids involved in outdoor activities, and connecting all people to open spaces aligns perfectly with the National Park Foundation's mission," said Will Shafroth. "Lise's extensive expertise will greatly contribute to our efforts to ensure that we build the strongest second century possible for America's national parks." "I am excited to work with the accomplished National Park Foundation team, the dedicated employees of the National Park Service, and the network of partners that make up this unique community," said Lise Aangeenbrug, executive vice president of the National Park Foundation. "Working together we can tap into new resources and cultivate ideas to ensure our parks are protected and supported today and for future generations." Aangeenbrug comes to the Foundation from the Great Outdoors Colorado Trust Fund (GOCO), where she served as the executive director. In that capacity, she was responsible for the overall management and operation of the State of Colorado's constitutionally chartered fund that benefits the state's river, trail, parks, and open spaces. Her experience includes working with a 17-member Governor-appointed board, grant-making, managing a 20-member staff, fundraising, and governmental affairs. Prior to GOCO, Aangeenbrug held a series of increasingly responsible positions in public and nonprofit organizations, including serving as a presidential management fellow at the Department of the Interior, Office of the Secretary. ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION The National Park Foundation is the official charity of America's national parks and nonprofit partner to the National Park Service. Chartered by Congress in 1967, the National Park Foundation raises private funds to help PROTECT more than 84 million acres of national parks through critical conservation and preservation efforts, CONNECT all Americans with their incomparable natural landscapes, vibrant culture and rich history, and INSPIRE the next generation of park stewards. In 2016, commemorating the National Park Service's 100th anniversary, the Foundation launched The Centennial Campaign for America's National Parks, a $350 million comprehensive fundraising campaign to strengthen and enhance the future of these national treasures for the next hundred years. Find out more and become a part of the national park community at www.nationalparks.org. MEDIA CONTACT: Alanna Sobel 202-796-2538 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140324/DC89075LOGO SOURCE National Park Foundation Related Links http://www.nationalparks.org WASHINGTON, June 20, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Press Club expressed deep concern Monday over the Egyptian government's decision to uphold death penalties for three journalists. On June 18, a Cairo court confirmed Egypt's Grand Mufti had upheld the May 7 verdicts for the three journalists who had been accused of passing state secrets to Qatar. The reporters affected are: Ibrahim Helal, former director of news at Al Jazeera's Arabic channel; Alaa Sablan, a former Al Jazeera correspondent; and Asmaa Alkhatib, a journalist with the pro-Muslim Brotherhood Rassd News Network. All three journalists were given the death penalty in absentia. Authorities could demand their extradition to execute them back in Egypt. "The verdict shows the rest of the world the authorities continue to have a complete disregard for the freedom of the press, and are abusing the law to censor a free and independent news media," said Thomas Burr, the NPC president. "Journalism is not a crime,'" Burr said. "As several human rights organizations have repeatedly stated, this was a sham trial, and the verdict will have a further chilling effect on the press in Egypt. We ask the Egyptian government to reconsider." It has been five years since protests in Egypt toppled the government of Hosni Mubarak and gave many in the country hope for a more democratic society. However, since then, journalists have come under increasing attacks from political forces as well as the government. Egypt is one of the world's worst jailers of journalists, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. The verdict is the latest evidence of the deteriorating situation there. The National Press Club is the world's leading professional organization for journalists. Through its Press Freedom Committee, the Club works to promote freedom of expression and transparency at home and abroad. The National Press Club Journalism Institute, a non-profit affiliate, equips news professionals with the skills to innovate, leverages emerging trends, recognizes innovators and mentors the next generation. Contact: Ferdous al-Faruque, vice chairman, NPC Press Freedom Committee: 573-239-3343; [email protected]. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20080917/NPCLOGO SOURCE National Press Club WASHINGTON, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, the National Puerto Rican Coalition (NPRC) released the following statement urging United States Senators to vote 'no' on the egregious Puerto Rico Oversight, Management and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA) and oppose cloture: "Throughout the past two weeks, we have heard a consistent message from Senate offices: In private, Senators overwhelmingly oppose PROMESA. However, these Senators are afraid that if they vote against this bill, they will be labeled as someone that contributed to Puerto Rico's demise, and will be blamed for the island's economic crisis. "As leaders from the Puerto Rican communities in the U.S. and on the island, we are here to tell every single U.S. Senator that if they vote against this legislation, they will be viewed instead as the champions who saved the Puerto Rican people. They will be viewed as leaders who stood up against greedy hedge fund managers and their powerful lobbyists, and protected the hard working families of Puerto Rico. "We know of senior Senators that are quietly working on an alternative legislation that addresses the economic crisis, while protecting the democratic values that we all cherish. "We strongly urge Florida Senators Marco Rubio and Bill Nelson to vote their conscience and do what is right by voting 'no' on the PROMESA legislation and opposing cloture." For more information about NPRC's efforts and the fundamental flaws with PROMESA, visit www.NoPROMESA.org. In the past 32 years, the National Puerto Rican Coalition, a non-profit organization, has emerged as one of the most respected and effective organizations advocating for the concerns of the Puerto Rican community. NPRC's mission is to systematically strengthen and enhance the social, political, and economic well-being of Puerto Ricans throughout the United States and in Puerto Rico with a special focus on the most vulnerable. SOURCE National Puerto Rican Coalition WASHINGTON, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, the National Puerto Rican Coalition (NPRC) released the following statement urging United States Senators to vote 'no' on the egregious Puerto Rico Oversight, Management and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA) and oppose cloture: "Throughout the past two weeks, we have heard a consistent message from Senate offices: In private, Senators overwhelmingly oppose PROMESA. However, these Senators are afraid that if they vote against this bill, they will be labeled as someone that contributed to Puerto Rico's demise, and will be blamed for the island's economic crisis. "As leaders from the Puerto Rican communities in the U.S. and on the island, we are here to tell every single U.S. Senator that if they vote against this legislation, they will be viewed instead as the champions who saved the Puerto Rican people. They will be viewed as leaders who stood up against greedy hedge fund managers and their powerful lobbyists, and protected the hard working families of Puerto Rico. "We know of senior Senators that are quietly working on an alternative legislation that addresses the economic crisis, while protecting the democratic values that we all cherish. "We strongly urge Illinois Senators Dick Durbin and Mark Kirk to vote their conscience and do what is right by voting 'no' on the PROMESA legislation and opposing cloture." For more information about NPRC's efforts and the fundamental flaws with PROMESA, visit www.NoPROMESA.org. In the past 32 years, the National Puerto Rican Coalition, a non-profit organization, has emerged as one of the most respected and effective organizations advocating for the concerns of the Puerto Rican community. NPRC's mission is to systematically strengthen and enhance the social, political, and economic well-being of Puerto Ricans throughout the United States and in Puerto Rico with a special focus on the most vulnerable. SOURCE National Puerto Rican Coalition Related Links http://nprcinc.org/ WASHINGTON, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, the National Puerto Rican Coalition (NPRC) released the following statement urging United States Senators to vote 'no' on the egregious Puerto Rico Oversight, Management and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA) and oppose cloture: "Throughout the past two weeks, we have heard a consistent message from Senate offices: In private, Senators overwhelmingly oppose PROMESA. However, these Senators are afraid that if they vote against this bill, they will be labeled as someone that contributed to Puerto Rico's demise, and will be blamed for the island's economic crisis. "As leaders from the Puerto Rican communities in the U.S. and on the island, we are here to tell every single U.S. Senator that if they vote against this legislation, they will be viewed instead as the champions who saved the Puerto Rican people. They will be viewed as leaders who stood up against greedy hedge fund managers and their powerful lobbyists, and protected the hard working families of Puerto Rico. "We know of senior Senators that are quietly working on an alternative legislation that addresses the economic crisis, while protecting the democratic values that we all cherish. "Puerto Rico is economically unstable and the situation must be addressed, but PROMESA is not a solution to this problem. New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez should be applauded for standing strong in their dedication to finding a balanced, equitable solution for Puerto Rico. We strongly urge Senator Menendez's colleagues should join him in standing up to protect Puerto Rico and its citizens by OPPOSING cloture and voting 'NO' on PROMESA." For more information about NPRC's efforts and the fundamental flaws with PROMESA, visit www.NoPROMESA.org. In the past 32 years, the National Puerto Rican Coalition, a non-profit organization, has emerged as one of the most respected and effective organizations advocating for the concerns of the Puerto Rican community. NPRC's mission is to systematically strengthen and enhance the social, political, and economic well-being of Puerto Ricans throughout the United States and in Puerto Rico with a special focus on the most vulnerable. SOURCE National Puerto Rican Coalition Related Links http://www.NoPROMESA.org WASHINGTON, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, the National Puerto Rican Coalition (NPRC) released the following statement urging United States Senators to vote 'no' on the egregious Puerto Rico Oversight, Management and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA) and oppose cloture: "Throughout the past two weeks, we have heard a consistent message from Senate offices: In private, Senators overwhelmingly oppose PROMESA. However, these Senators are afraid that if they vote against this bill, they will be labeled as someone that contributed to Puerto Rico's demise, and will be blamed for the island's economic crisis. "As leaders from the Puerto Rican communities in the U.S. and on the island, we are here to tell every single U.S. Senator that if they vote against this legislation, they will be viewed instead as the champions who saved the Puerto Rican people. They will be viewed as leaders who stood up against greedy hedge fund managers and their powerful lobbyists, and protected the hard working families of Puerto Rico. "We know of senior Senators that are quietly working on an alternative legislation that addresses the economic crisis, while protecting the democratic values that we all cherish. "We strongly urge Pennsylvania Senators Bob Casey Jr. and Pat Toomey to vote their conscience and do what is right by voting 'no' on the PROMESA legislation and opposing cloture." For more information about NPRC's efforts and the fundamental flaws with PROMESA, visit www.NoPROMESA.org. In the past 32 years, the National Puerto Rican Coalition, a non-profit organization, has emerged as one of the most respected and effective organizations advocating for the concerns of the Puerto Rican community. NPRC's mission is to systematically strengthen and enhance the social, political, and economic well-being of Puerto Ricans throughout the United States and in Puerto Rico with a special focus on the most vulnerable. SOURCE National Puerto Rican Coalition Related Links http://www.NoPROMESA.org WASHINGTON, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, the National Puerto Rican Coalition (NPRC) released the following statement urging United States Senators to vote 'no' the egregious Puerto Rico Oversight, Management and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA) and oppose cloture: "Throughout the past two weeks, we have heard a consistent message from Senate offices: In private, Senators overwhelmingly oppose PROMESA. However, these Senators are afraid that if they vote against this bill, they will be labeled as someone that contributed to Puerto Rico's demise, and will be blamed for the island's economic crisis. "As leaders from the Puerto Rican communities in the U.S. and on the island, we are here to tell every single U.S. Senator that if they vote against this legislation, they will be viewed instead as the champions who saved the Puerto Rican people. They will be viewed as leaders who stood up against greedy hedge fund managers and their powerful lobbyists, and protected the hard working families of Puerto Rico. "We know of senior Senators that are quietly working on an alternative legislation that addresses the economic crisis, while protecting the democratic values that we all cherish. "We strongly urge every US senator to vote their conscience and do what is right by voting 'NO' on the PROMESA legislation and OPPOSING cloture." For more information about NPRC's efforts and the fundamental flaws with PROMESA, visit www.NoPROMESA.org. In the past 32 years, the National Puerto Rican Coalition, a non-profit organization, has emerged as one of the most respected and effective organizations advocating for the concerns of the Puerto Rican community. NPRC's mission is to systematically strengthen and enhance the social, political, and economic well-being of Puerto Ricans throughout the United States and in Puerto Rico with a special focus on the most vulnerable. SOURCE National Puerto Rican Coalition Related Links http://www.NoPROMESA.org WASHINGTON, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, the National Puerto Rican Coalition (NPRC) released the following statement urging United States Senators to vote 'no' on the egregious Puerto Rico Oversight, Management and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA) and oppose cloture: "Throughout the past two weeks, we have heard a consistent message from Senate offices: In private, Senators overwhelmingly oppose PROMESA. However, these Senators are afraid that if they vote against this bill, they will be labeled as someone that contributed to Puerto Rico's demise, and will be blamed for the island's economic crisis. "As leaders from the Puerto Rican communities in the U.S. and on the island, we are here to tell every single U.S. Senator that if they vote against this legislation, they will be viewed instead as the champions who saved the Puerto Rican people. They will be viewed as leaders who stood up against greedy hedge fund managers and their powerful lobbyists, and protected the hard working families of Puerto Rico. "We know of senior Senators that are quietly working on an alternative legislation that addresses the economic crisis, while protecting the democratic values that we all cherish. "We strongly urge Wisconsin Senators Tammy Baldwin and Ron Johnson to vote their conscience and do what is right by voting 'no' on the PROMESA legislation and opposing cloture." For more information about NPRC's efforts and the fundamental flaws with PROMESA, visit www.NoPROMESA.org. In the past 32 years, the National Puerto Rican Coalition, a non-profit organization, has emerged as one of the most respected and effective organizations advocating for the concerns of the Puerto Rican community. NPRC's mission is to systematically strengthen and enhance the social, political, and economic well-being of Puerto Ricans throughout the United States and in Puerto Rico with a special focus on the most vulnerable. SOURCE National Puerto Rican Coalition Related Links http://www.NoPROMESA.org NEWARK, N.J., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Neurotrope, Inc. (OTCQB: NTRP): today announced that Paula T. Trzepacz, M.D., has joined Neurotrope BioScience, Inc., the Company's wholly owned operating subsidiary, as its Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer. Prior to joining Neurotrope, Dr. Trzepacz was at Eli Lilly and Company for over 15 years where she was most recently a Senior Medical Fellow in Neurosciences drug development. She served on the global drug development team for Amyvid, the PET radiotracer indicated for estimation of beta-amyloid plaque density in brains of cognitively impaired persons suspected of having Alzheimer's disease. Prior to that, she led the Phase 2 medical team investigating mibampator, a novel AMPA receptor potentiator, for agitation and aggression in Alzheimer's disease patients. As Senior Medical Fellow on the global Strattera team for over three years Dr. Trzepacz was the medical lead for registration and regulatory related issues for its Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder indications for both adult and pediatric populations, including design of new Phase 3 registration trials and collaborations with the European and Japanese Lilly teams. As Senior Medical Director of U.S. Neurosciences, she was responsible for a large medical team of physicians and other scientists including for the design and execution of many Phase 4 double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials over a five year period. Some of those trials were used to support registration work in addition to answering key patient-relevant questions for practicing physicians. Importantly, the products her team supported included Prozac, Zyprexa, Cymbalta, and Strattera and their multiple indications, line extensions, and formulations. Dr. Trzepacz is a geriatric psychiatrist and neuropsychiatrist. She is currently Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Indiana University School of Medicine where she has served since 2004. In the past Dr. Trzepacz was Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology at the University of Mississippi Medical School, where she directed clinical services and participated in NIH-funded research. She served as President of the American Neuropsychiatric Association in 2009-2011 and of the Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine in 2004-2005. Dr. Trzepacz serves on four journal editorial boards, most recently joining "Alzheimer's and Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment and Disease Monitoring." Dr. Trzepacz earned her B.A. at Wellesley College and M.D. at Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College. After a year of Internal Medicine residency she completed a Psychiatry residency and Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Fellowship at Dartmouth. "We are pleased to welcome Paula to the Neurotrope team as our Chief Medical Officer," said Charles S. Ramat, President and Chief Executive Officer of Neurotrope. "Paula has a demonstrated track record of success in leading clinical development efforts in multiple therapeutic areas, most importantly Alzheimer's disease and other neurological disorders in adult and pediatric populations and has a strong academic medicine background. This broad clinical research expertise will be invaluable to Neurotrope as we continue advancing and expanding our pipeline of Bryostatin and Bryologs." About Neurotrope Neurotrope BioScience, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Neurotrope, Inc., is at the forefront of biotechnology companies having a focus on developing a novel therapy for the treatment of moderately severe to severe Alzheimer's disease. The scientific basis of our treatment is activation of Protein Kinase C isozymes and by bryostatin, a natural product, which can result in repair of damaged synapses as well as synaptogenesis, reduction of toxic amyloid generation, and enhancement of memory and learning, thus having the potential to improve cognition and behavior in Alzheimer's disease. Neurotrope is also conducting preclinical studies of bryostatin as a treatment for Fragile X Syndrome and Niemann-Pick Type C disease, two rare genetic diseases for which only symptomatic treatments are currently available. The Food and Drug Administration has granted Orphan Drug Designation to Neurotrope for bryostatin as a treatment for Fragile X Syndrome. Bryostatin has undergone testing in over 1400 people establishing a large safety database. Neurotrope has exclusively licensed technology from the Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute for Alzheimer's disease and Fragile X Syndrome, has a world-wide, exclusive license with the Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai for Niemann-Pick Type C. The company has also entered into a collaboration with RettSydrome.org and is partnered with Stanford University to synthesize and find the next generation bryostatin called bryologs. Forward-Looking Statements Any statements contained in this press release that do not describe historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include statements regarding the proposed study and timing of initiation, and continued development of use of bryostatin for Alzheimer's disease and other cognitive diseases, and the Company's ability to list its common shares on a major stock exchange. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties and other influences, many of which the Company has no control over. Actual results and the timing of certain events and circumstances may differ materially from those described by the forward-looking statements as a result of these risks and uncertainties. Factors that may influence or cause actual results to differ materially from expected or desired results may include, without limitation, the Company's inability to obtain adequate financing, the significant length of time associated with drug development and related insufficient cash flows and resulting illiquidity, the Company's patent portfolio, the Company's inability to expand the Company's business, the Company's inability to meet listing requirements for major stock exchanges, significant government regulation of pharmaceuticals and the healthcare industry, lack of product diversification, availability of the Company's raw materials, existing or increased competition, stock volatility and illiquidity, and the Company's failure to implement the Company's business plans or strategies. These and other factors are identified and described in more detail in the Company's filings with the SEC, including the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2016. The Company does not undertake to update these forward-looking statements. Please visit www.neurotropebioscience.com for further information. For additional information, please contact: Neurotrope Bioscience Charles Ramat, Chief Executive Officer 973-242-0005 [email protected] SOURCE Neurotrope, Inc. Related Links www.neurotropebioscience.com CINCINNATI, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Newsy's daily news reporting is now available via Alexa, Amazon's voice-activated virtual assistant for users of Amazon Echo and all Alexaenabled devices. Newsy, the over-the-top news network, delivers the day's top stories to Amazon Alexa's news feature called "Flash Briefing." Newsy joins an elite roster of publishers whose content is available on the service, including Huffington Post, NPR, CNN and The Wall Street Journal. Alexa is the voice service that powers Amazon Echo, an innovative device capable of answering questions, playing music, providing news and information and controlling smart devices. Newsy content within Flash Briefings is also available to Echo Dot, Amazon Tap and Amazon Fire TV users. "We know that our audience is always busy, they're technologically savvy and always thirsty for up-to-the-minute news and information," said Blake Sabatinelli, general manager of Newsy. "The Flash Briefing will now help our audience stay on top of the day's news while they pour their morning coffee or get the kids ready for school without being tethered to a device." To listen to Newsy, users choose "Flash Briefing" within the Alexa app for Android, iOS or Fire devices and select Newsy as one of their preferred news sources. Then, when users request, "Alexa, give me the news," or "Alexa, what's my flash briefing?" the Alexa-enabled device will deliver the audio feed from Newsy. Newsy entered the audio space in 2015 with the release of its free Newsy Radio app for iOS. Newsy also continues to expand its video distribution across the leading OTT services, including Sling TV, Roku, Watchable from Comcast and Apple TV, which named it a Best New App of 2015. Newsy is a wholly owned subsidiary of The E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE: SSP). About Newsy Newsy is an over-the-top news network that provides "news with the why," built to inform and engage by delivering today's top stories across platforms. Its content is available in on-demand and linear formats on overthetop (OTT) services including Apple TV, Sling TV, Watchable from Comcast, Channel Master, Pluto TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Google Chromecast; connected television including Xumo; on mobile for iOS, Android and Kindle Fire; and at newsy.com. SOURCE The E.W. Scripps Company Related Links http://www.scripps.com WASHINGTON, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The next SpaceX commercial cargo resupply services mission for NASA to the International Space Station now is targeted for launch no earlier than 12:45 a.m. EDT Monday, July 18. An uncrewed SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, carrying crew supplies and station hardware, will lift off on a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), adjacent to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This is the ninth mission by SpaceX under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services contract. Among the almost 4,900 pounds of supplies, equipment and science research Dragon will carry is the first of two international docking adapters, which will allow Boeing's CST-100 Starliner and SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft to dock to the station when transporting astronauts in the near future as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. Media prelaunch and launch activities will take place at CCAFS and at Kennedy. Accreditation for international media is closed. The deadline for U.S. citizens to apply for media access to Kennedy is 5 p.m. Friday, July 8. All media accreditation requests must be submitted online at: https://media.ksc.nasa.gov All media representatives must present two forms of unexpired legal, government identification to access Kennedy. One form must include a photo, such as a passport or driver's license. Questions about accreditation should be directed to Jennifer Horner at [email protected] or 321-867-6598. For additional information, contact the Kennedy newsroom at 321-867-2468. For launch countdown coverage, NASA's launch blog, and more information about the mission, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/spacex Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20081007/38461LOGO SOURCE NASA Related Links http://www.nasa.gov CHICAGO, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Nobu Hospitality officially commenced development of the Nobu Hotel in Chicago at a groundbreaking ceremony with partners Chef Nobu Matsuhisa, Academy award-winner Robert De Niro, Hollywood producer Meir Teper, and Australian business tycoon James Packer. Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Alderman Walter Burnett Jr. were also in attendance to show their support of the project and offer their hands in the official first dig. James Packer, Robert De Niro, Chef Nobu Matsuhisa, and Meir Teper break ground on Nobu Hotel Chicago. Photo Credit: Francis Son Photography Scheduled to debut in late 2017, the Nobu Hotel will be situated in the vibrant area of Chicago's west loop at 854 W. Randolph Street and will feature 103 rooms and suites; a 10,000 square foot signature Nobu restaurant located on the ground level with an indoor and outdoor bar opening on to Randolph's famed Restaurant Row; an exquisite 3,000 square foot, multi-use suite available for private social functions and meeting space; an indoor pool; a state-of-the-art fitness center; spa treatment rooms; and a unique rooftop indoor and outdoor bar and lounge. "We are extremely pleased to begin development of the Nobu Hotel Chicago as the west loop neighborhood is not only a culinary epicenter for renowned restaurants and chefs but also a highly desired destination for national and international travelers seeking world-class, enriching experiences," said Trevor Horwell, Chief Executive of Nobu Hospitality. "We're excited to introduce Nobu Hotel to Chicago and embrace the vibrant energy of the city." The Nobu Hotel Chicago joins the rapidly expanding global collection of Nobu Hotels all with their unique design elements. Spearheading the transformation at Randolph and Peoria streets are Chicago based Centaur, General Contracting and Development Management firm, in close collaboration with renowned Modif Architecture and local interior design firm, Studio K. The design team will take inspiration from Japanese aesthetics and principles while incorporating the west loop's stylish, sophisticated, well-worn and timeless appeal. About Nobu Hospitality Named one of luxury's 25 Most Innovative Brands by Robb Report, Nobu Hospitality is ranked among an elite selection of global luxury hospitality brands. The natural growth of the Nobu luxury brand built on service, image and hospitality, offers the complete spectrum of hotel and restaurant management for unique projects around the world. With operations spanning five continents, the Nobu brand thrives in the world's capitals as the destination lifestyle experience. The first Nobu Hotel opened in 2013 as a boutique hotel within Caesars Palace Las Vegas and was subsequently named one of the Hottest New Hotels by CNN Travel, Top North America Hotel Opening by Luxury Travel Advisor and subsequently Luxury Travel Advisor's Award of Excellence. The first Nobu Hotel in Asia opened at City of Dreams Manila in December 2014 and will be followed by Nobu Hotels in Riyadh, Chicago, London Shoreditch, Eden Roc Miami Beach, Malibu, Bahrain, Los Cabos amongst other global locations. Nobu is strategically focused on further expanding its global portfolio of Nobu Hotels through a solid development pipeline. www.NobuHospitality.com Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/381584 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/381609LOGO SOURCE Nobu Hospitality Related Links http://www.nobuhospitality.com DALLAS, June 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Permian Basin Royalty Trust (NYSE: PBT) ("Permian") today declared a cash distribution to the holders of its units of beneficial interest of $0.034538 per unit, payable on July 15, 2016, to unit holders of record on June 30, 2016. This month's distribution increased from the previous month due to an increase in the pricing of oil and gas but offset by a decrease in production due to a shorter month of April for the Waddell Ranch. Also, with the increased pricing of production, the Waddell Ranch Properties are no longer in a deficit balance and contributed $1,012,222 to this month's distribution. WADDELL RANCH Production for the underlying properties at the Waddell Ranch was 74,177 barrels of oil and 403,249 Mcf of gas. The production for the Trust's allocated portion of the Waddell Ranch was 22,498 barrels of oil and 120,459 Mcf of gas. The average price for oil was $37.06 per bbl and for gas was $1.89 per Mcf. This would primarily reflect production and pricing for the month of April for oil and the month of March for gas. These allocated volumes were significantly impacted by the pricing of both oil and gas. This production and pricing for the Underlying Properties resulted in revenues for the Waddell Ranch Properties of $3,512,055. Deducted from these would be the Lease Operating Expense (LOE) of $1,481,990, taxes of $352,410 and Capital Expenditures (CAPEX) of $328,025 totaling $2,162,426 resulting in a Net Profit of $1,349,630 for the month of May. With the Trust's Net Profit Interest (NPI) of 75% of the underlying properties, this would result in a net contribution by the Waddell Ranch Properties of $1,012,222 to this month's distribution. ConocoPhillips has revised the 2016 capital expenditure budget which will total $2.45 million for the entire Waddell Ranch Project and $1.08 million net to the Trust. There will be no new drilled wells, no recompletions, and only some facilities projects. Underlying Properties Net to Trust Sales Volumes Volumes Average Price Oil (bbls) Gas (Mcf) Oil (bbls) Gas (Mcf) Oil (per bbl) Gas (per Mcf) Current Month Waddell Ranch 74,177 403,249 22,498 120,459* $37.06 $1.89** Texas Royalties 26,300 34,250 24,985 32,538* $35.80 $2.94** Prior Month Waddell Ranch 85,634 416,723 33,713 162,544* $33.32 $1.50** Texas Royalties 25,101 28,556 18,826 21,417* $31.68 $3.02** *These volumes are the net to the trust, after allocation of expenses to Trust's net profit interest, including any prior period adjustments. **This pricing includes sales of gas liquid products. TEXAS ROYALTY PROPERTIES Production for the underlying properties at the Texas Royalties was 26,300 barrels of oil and 34,250 Mcf of gas. The production for the Trust's allocated portion of the Texas Royalties was 24,985 barrels of oil and 32,538 Mcf of gas. The average price for oil was $35.80 per bbl and for gas was $2.94 per Mcf. This would primarily reflect production and pricing for the month of April for oil and the month of March for gas. These allocated volumes were impacted by the pricing of both oil and gas. This production and pricing for the underlying properties resulted in revenues for the Texas Royalties of $1,042,201. Deducted from these would be taxes totaling $197,423 resulting in a Net Profit of $844,778 for the month of May. With the Trust's Net Profit Interest (NPI) of 95% of the Underlying Properties, this would result in net contribution by the Texas Royalties of $802,539 to this month's distribution. General and Administrative Expenses deducted for the month were $205,040 resulting in a distribution of $1,609,776 to 46,608,796 units outstanding, or $.034538 per unit. The worldwide market conditions continue to affect the pricing for domestic production. It is difficult to predict what effect these conditions will have on future distributions. Permian's cash distribution history, current and prior year financial reports and tax information booklets, a link to filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission and more can be found on its website at http://www.pbt-permian.com/. The new toll free number customer service number for the trust is 1-855-588-7839. SOURCE Permian Basin Royalty Trust Related Links http://www.pbt-permian.com SAN DIEGO, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- On June 10 at the 11th Annual San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) Energy Showcase event, Petco was honored by SDG&E for its remarkable results in energy efficiency and conservation. Petco, a leading specialty retailer of premium pet food, supplies and services, was awarded a Grand Energy Champion Award for its dedication to energy sustainability at its national support center located in San Diego. The 300,000-square-foot, pet-friendly facility was a former semi-conductor plant that expanded and relocated Petco's support center from multiple buildings to one. The energy-efficient building increases employee interaction and productivity allowing for better team building through the use of common spaces throughout the building. Now home to about 650 Petco partners, the facility was built with the support of SDG&E's Savings by Design program, which helps commercial construction projects get an early start on energy efficiency. More than 75 skylights and nearly 3,000 solar panels on the roof produces an 86 percent energy offset, provides ample natural lighting throughout the campus and allows the building's lighting systems to run at only half capacity. "Petco's two key goals when we started this project were to use the least amount of energy possible for our needs and to minimize the long-term impact it has on the environment," said Charlie Piscitello, Petco's Senior Vice President, Chief People Officer, "Our company, our people, our culture and this wonderful facility are all a reflection of our commitment to our vision of healthier pets, happier people and better world." Throughout the construction process, about 85 percent of all demolition materials were recycled, and eco-friendly materials were used whenever possible. Inside, the Petco Cafe uses highly efficient appliances to cook and prepare food for Petco's partners. Outside, rain and runoff water flows through landscape elements around the building and parking lot that filter water through soil sediments. In return, water evaporates, instead of draining and polluting the ocean. The building's energy efficiency is further accented by drought tolerant landscaping and electric car charging stations for employee use. "The energy efficient upgrades that these forward-thinking customers have implemented this past year are commendable, and we look forward to continuing to work with our customers to help them achieve their sustainability goals," said Caroline Winn, chief energy delivery officer for SDG&E. "The energy industry is changing rapidly and we are committed to improving the way energy is delivered by utilizing new, smart technologies that benefit all of our customers, whether in your home or at your business." SDG&E offers its business customers solutions to manage and save energy including energy rebates, demand response programs, free onsite energy-efficiency assessments and zero-interest financing programs. To take advantage of the money-saving programs made available to SDG&E customers, call 800-411-7343, or visit sdge.com/good4biz. For more information about Petco and its San Diego-based national support center, visit about.petco.com. About Petco and the Petco Foundation With more than 50 years of service to pet parents, Petco is a leading pet specialty retailer that focuses on nurturing powerful relationships between people and pets. We do this by providing the products, services, advice and experiences that keep pets physically fit, mentally alert, socially engaged and emotionally happy. Everything we do is guided by our vision for Healthier Pets. Happier People. Better World. We operate more than 1,430 Petco locations across the U.S., Mexico and Puerto Rico, including more than 115 Unleashed by Petco locations, a smaller format neighborhood shop; prescription services and pet supplies from the leading veterinary-operated pet product supplier, Drs. Foster & Smith; and petco.com. The Petco Foundation, an independent nonprofit organization, has invested more than $135 million since it was created in 1999 to help promote and improve the welfare of companion animals. In conjunction with the Foundation, we work with and support thousands of local animal welfare groups across the country and, through in-store adoption events, help find homes for more than 400,000 animals every year. Contact: Lisa Stark, [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150817/259044LOGO SOURCE Petco NEW YORK, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Philippines is one of the major economies of the ASEAN region. Backed by government initiatives and rapid infrastructure developments, tire market in the Philippines is anticipated to witness modest growth over next five years. Further, on account of attractive investment schemes for OEMs, favorable trading environment coupled with various encouraging initiatives taken by the Government of Philippines, such as implementation of Motor Vehicle Development Program, an increasing number of OEM companies are establishing their manufacturing / assembling plants in the country, which is positively influencing the country's tire market. Few of the major global tire brands operating in the Philippines include Goodyear, Bridgestone and Yokohama. Yokohama is the only tire manufacturer operating in the country, while all other tire companies operating in the Philippines import tires from countries such as Japan, the US, China and other Asian countries. According to the TechSci Research report, "Philippines Tire Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2021'', tire market in the Philippines is expected to surpass $ 900 million by 2021 on account of expanding passenger car fleet, continuing infrastructure growth and large scale construction activities being undertaken in the country. In 2015, tire market in Philippines was dominated by the replacement tire segment, which grabbed around two-thirds of the market share. With sales of two-wheelers, commercial vehicles and passenger cars in the country cumulatively witnessing a CAGR of around 7% during 2011-2015 and reaching 1,139,118 units in 2015, replacement tire demand is expected to remain high over the next five years. With sales of around 850,509 two wheelers in the country in 2015, the two-wheeler tire segment accounted for a major share in the Philippines tire market. Moreover, increasing private sector investment is expected to boost the construction, agriculture and industrial sectors of the country in the coming years, which would act as a catalyst for commercial vehicle tires segment during the forecast period. "Philippines Tire Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2021" report elaborates following aspects of tire market in Philippines: ? Philippines Tire Market Size, Share & Forecast ? Segmental Analysis Two Wheeler Tires, Commercial Vehicle Tires and Passenger Car Tires ? Policy & Regulatory Landscape ? Changing Market Trends and Emerging Opportunities ? Competitive Landscape and Strategic Recommendations Why You Should Buy This Report? ? To gain an in-depth understanding of tire market in Philippines ? To identify the on-going trends and segment wise anticipated growth over next five years ? To help industry consultants, tire companies and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies ? To obtain research based business decision and add weight to presentations and marketing material ? To gain competitive knowledge of leading market players ? To avail 10% customization in the report without any extra charges and get the research data or trends added in the report as per the buyer's specific needs Report Methodology The information contained in this report is based on both primary and secondary sources. Primary research included interviews with tire manufacturers, importer, distributors and industry experts. Secondary research included an exhaustive search of relevant publications such as company annual reports, financial reports and proprietary databases. Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p03914686-summary/view-report.html About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. http://www.reportlinker.com __________________________ Contact Clare: [email protected] US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 SOURCE Reportlinker Related Links http://www.reportlinker.com NEW YORK, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Pigments are compounds that impart colors by transmitting or reflecting absorbed light of selected wavelengths. Besides coloration properties, pigments help to improve several functional features such as hiding power, opacity, transparency, light fastness, and durability. Pigments are widely employed in various end-users industries such as paints & coatings, printing inks, plastics, construction materials, personal care, and paper. Synthetic pigments are broadly classified into three major product segments: inorganic, organic, and specialty pigments. Inorganic pigments dominated the pigments market in the recent past. In terms of volume. Asia Pacific accounted for the largest share of the pigments market in 2014, followed by North America and Europe. Asia Pacific is expected to be the largest consumer of pigments during the forecast period. The report estimates and forecasts the pigments market on the global, regional, and country level. The study provides forecast between 2015 and 2023 based on volume (kilo tons) and revenue (US$ Mn). The report comprises an exhaustive value chain analysis for each of the product segments, which provides a comprehensive view of the market. Value chain analysis also offers detailed information about value addition at each stage. The study includes drivers and restraints for the pigments market along with their impact on demand during the forecast period. The report analyzes opportunities in the pigments market on the global and regional level. Drivers, restraints, and opportunities mentioned in the report are justified through quantitative and qualitative data. These have been verified through primary and secondary resources. The report includes Porter's Five Forces Model to determine the degree of competition in the pigments market. The report comprises a qualitative write-up on market attractiveness analysis, wherein end-users and countries have been analyzed based on attractiveness. Growth rate, market size, raw material availability, profit margin, impact strength, technology, competition, and other factors (such as environmental and legal) have been evaluated in order to derive the general attractiveness of the market. The report includes price trend analysis for inorganic, organic, and specialty pigments between 2014 and 2023. The study provides a comprehensive view of the pigments market by dividing it into product segments such as inorganic, organic, and specialty pigments. These product segments are further bifurcated into various sub-segments. In terms of end-users, the pigments market has been segmented into paints & coatings, printing inks, plastics, construction materials, and others. Product segments and end-user segments have been analyzed based on historic, present, and future trends, and the market has been estimated between 2015 and 2023 in terms of volume (kilo tons) and revenue (US$ Mn). Regional segmentation includes the current and forecast demand for pigments in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa (MEA). Additionally, the report comprises country-level analysis in terms of volume and revenue for application segments. Key countries such as the U.S., Germany, Italy, the U.K., France, Spain, China, India, Brazil, and South Africa have been included in the study. Market segmentation includes demand for individual applications in all the regions and countries. The report covers detailed competitive outlook that includes market share and profiles of key players operating in the global market. Key players profiled in the report include The Chemours Company, Huntsman Corporation, BASF SE, Lanxess AG, Clariant AG, Altana AG, and DIC Corporation. Company profiles include attributes such as company overview, number of employees, brand overview, key competitors, business overview, business strategies, recent/key developments, acquisitions, and financial overview. Secondary research sources that were typically referred to include, but were not limited to company websites, financial reports, annual reports, investor presentations, broker reports, and SEC filings. Other sources such as internal and external proprietary databases, statistical databases and market reports, news articles, national government documents, and webcasts specific to companies operating in the market have also been referred for the report. In-depth interviews and discussions with a wide range of key opinion leaders and industry participants were conducted to compile this research report. Primary research represents the bulk of research efforts, supplemented by extensive secondary research. Key players' product literature, annual reports, press releases, and relevant documents were reviewed for competitive analysis and market understanding. This helped in validating and strengthening secondary research findings. Primary research further helped in developing the analysis team's expertise and market understanding. The pigments market has been divided into the following segments. Pigments Market Product Segment Analysis Inorganic Pigments Titanium Dioxide Iron Oxide Cadmium Pigments Carbon Black Chromium Compounds Others (Including bismuth vanadium, etc. Organic Pigments Azo Phthalocyanine Quinacridone Others (Including quinophthalone, etc.) Specialty Pigments Classic Organic Metallic High Performance Organic Light Interference Complex Inorganic Fluorescent Luminescent/phosphorescent Thermochromic Pigments Market End-user Analysis Paints & Coatings Printing Inks Plastics Construction Materials Others (Including personal care, paper, etc.) Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p03902657-summary/view-report.html About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. http://www.reportlinker.com __________________________ Contact Clare: [email protected] US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 SOURCE Reportlinker Related Links http://www.reportlinker.com ROCHESTER, N.Y., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), Rochester chapter hosted its annual PRism Awards, presented by PR Newswire. The ceremony honors excellence in the public relations industry. Nearly 250 professionals from Rochester advertising agencies, public relations firms, colleges, corporations and nonprofits attended the event emceed by Don Alhart, the legendary 13WHAM-TV anchor, and his son, Jon Alhart, vice president of social and digital media at Dixon Schwabl. Rising Star: Ryann Bouchard, public relations manager of Dixon Schwabl Executive of the Year: Gerard J. Rooney, Ph.D., president of St. John Fisher College The duo presented awards in over 30 categories ranging from media relations initiatives, creative works, digital campaigns and special events. In total, 52 first-place PRism awards and 42 second-place Awards of Excellence were presented in the corporate and not-for-profit categories. Causewave Community Partners took home the Not-for-Profit Best of Show award for the successful rebranding of its own organization. Text100 won the Corporate Best of Show award on behalf of client Xerox Corp., for elevating its health care brand at a large international health information tradeshow. "The PRism awards show is the highlight of the year for many PR professionals in our area," said James Mignano, PRSA Rochester chapter president. "Our chapter hosts one of the top PRSA award shows in the northeast, which is a testament to our outstanding membership and the industry's continued growth here in Rochester." The following organizations also took home the most first-place PRism awards: Martino Flynn , LLC 15 PRisms , LLC 15 PRisms Dixon Schwabl 9 PRisms University of Rochester Medical Center 4 PRisms Medical Center 4 PRisms Carestream Health 3 PRisms Rochester Institute of Technology 3 PRisms 3 PRisms Excellus BlueCross BlueShield 3 PRisms Text100 2 PRisms Nazareth College 2 PRisms The following professionals also received individual awards: Executive of the Year: Gerard J. Rooney , Ph.D., president of St. John Fisher College , Ph.D., president of Rising Star: Ryann Bouchard , public relations manager of Dixon Schwabl For the full list of winners, go to http://prsarochester.org/. Media Contact: Emily Drzewiecki PRism Committee, PRSA Rochester [email protected] 585-331-9573 About PRSA The Public Relations Society of America, based in New York City, is the world's largest organization for public relations professionals. The Society has more than 28,000 professional and student members. PRSA is organized into 114 Chapters nationwide, 19 Professional Interest Sections, along with Affinity Groups, which represent business and industry, counseling firms, independent practitioners, military, government, associations, hospitals, schools, professional services firms and nonprofit organizations. The Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) has 255 Chapters at colleges and universities throughout the United States. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/381256 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/381258 SOURCE PRSA Rochester Chapter Related Links http://prsarochester.org SANTA MONICA, Calif., June 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Mississippi hip-hop duo Rae Sremmurd will release their eagerly awaited second album, entitled SremmLife 2, on August 12th via Ear Drummer Records/ Interscope Records. SremmLife 2 is the follow-up to brothers Swae Lee and Slim Jxmmi's platinum selling album SremmLife, which debuted atop Billboard's R&B/Hip Hop Albums and Rap albums chart, while cracking the Top 5 on the Top 200 Albums chart its first week. SremmLife scored the duo five platinum-selling singles, including the Mike WiLL Made-It-produced "No Flex Zone," and "No Type," which is co-produced by Swae Lee. The album was executive produced by Mike WiLL Made-It (Rihanna, Beyonce, 2 Chainz,) who is also a producer on SremmLife 2. The current single from SremmLife 2, "Look Alive," is available for purchase now from all digital retailers. Watch the video for "Look Alive" HERE. Rae Sremmurd are currently featured on the cover of FADER's summer music issue. Read the story HERE. They also recently performed "Look Alive" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Watch HERE. www.raesremmurd.com SOURCE Interscope Records Related Links http://www.raesremmurd.com NEW YORK, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- David Paragamian has been named Managing Director for Razorfish Health, a division of Publicis Health, the largest healthcare communications group in the world. In his new role, effective immediately, Paragamian will be responsible for overseeing Razorfish Health businesses across North America, including offices in New York and Philadelphia. Paragamian will report to Matt McNally, Group President, Publicis Health. "Dave's deep experience on both the client and agency sides of healthcare communications makes him the perfect leader to take Razorfish Health to the next level," said McNally. "I look forward to his contributions and leadership at Publicis Health." "Healthcare communications has changed dramatically over the last few years and the transformation of our business will only continue to accelerate," said Paragamian. "Razorfish Health's positioning as a unique health and wellness agency with the deepest digital roots, strong analytics and outstanding creative makes us a unique full-service partner to drive our clients' brands now and into the future. I'm delighted to join the Publicis Health family." Paragamian began his career in brand management at Procter & Gamble. He also worked as a product director at the McNeil unit of Johnson & Johnson, then spent five years at Roche in a series of marketing and sales management roles leading to the head of both marketing and sales for Roche Diagnostics US. Later, he moved to the agency side, leading several major global healthcare agencies, including as a partner and president of the flagship U.S. office of Havas Health, Euro RSCG Life LM&P and Huntsworth Health. Paragamian is a published author on the subject of branding, a noted speaker on agency management and communications issues and an adjunct professor at St. Joseph's University Erivan Haub School of Business in Philadelphia, where he teaches product management. He holds a B.A. Cum Laude from Hamilton College and an M.A. from La Salle University. About Razorfish Health Razorfish Health is a full-service health and wellness agency that works harder, thinks smarter and goes deeper to uncover the basic human truths that will help your brand be a success. Our strategic insights, unrivaled expertise across technology platforms and flawless creative execution cuts through the clutter of typical healthcare marketing. We are brave enough to be bold, but thoughtful in partnership. We have integrity in our work, in our actions and in all the things that make us who we are. For more than 15 years, we have been creating truly personalized customer experiences across the healthcare ecosystem. About Publicis Health Publicis Health is the largest health-oriented agency network in the world. A division of Publicis Groupe, Publicis Health manages top-tier agencies specializing in promoting innovative solutions in advertising, digital, branding, message delivery, market access and medical communications. Publicis Health is dedicated to creating experiences that compel action, change lives and amplify business outcomes. With more than 6,000 employees, Publicis Health manages 15 agency brands through 60 offices located in 10 countries. Publicis Health's brands are Saatchi & Saatchi Wellness, Digitas Health LifeBrands, Publicis Life Brands, Razorfish Health, Heartbeat Ideas, Discovery, in-sync Customer Insights, Publicis Health Media, Publicis Touchpoint Solutions, Maxcess, Verilogue, Langland, PDI, Real Science Communications and Tardis Medical Consultancy. Web: www.publicishealth.com Facebook: @PublicisHealth Twitter: @PublicisHealth Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160619/381001LOGO SOURCE Publicis Health Related Links http://publicishealth.com CHICAGO, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- ReviewTrackers, the award-winning customer feedback platform, announces the release of Trending Topics. Using natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning, Trending Topics analyzes the text in customer reviews, surfaces the most relevant keywords and attaches positive or negative sentiment to them in one, easy-to-understand word cloud. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160621/381740 Trending topics - product visual According to research completed by Cornell University, analyzing the textual information from reviews can unlock insights not commonly found in star ratings alone. Within today's data-driven landscape, the challenge is to look beyond numerical star ratings and to dive deeper into what the customer is saying within a review to achieve a more accurate understanding of the customer experience. "Trending Topics makes sense of unstructured data while surfacing invaluable customer insights which is not readily made available by traditional approaches in online reviews and feedback management," said Eric Marden, vice president of engineering at ReviewTrackers. "This feature leaps ahead of the competition, operating at any scale and provides an easy-to-digest analysis at any level from the C-suite to the frontline." "We have helped over 20,000 businesses capture the voice of the customer through more than 10 million online reviews and comments across multiple feedback channels," said Chris Campbell, founder and CEO of ReviewTrackers. Trending Topics is positioned to have a transformative impact on enterprises across a wide range of industries. A number of ReviewTrackers clients have already adopted the feature, including Freebirds, an Austin-based fast-casual restaurant brand with nearly 90 locations. "With Freebirds releasing a new app this year, the Trending Topics feature could not have come at a better time. The feature will play a major role in the successful completion of our app launch, and was one of the main reasons we renewed with ReviewTrackers," said Erin Levzow, vice president of marketing for Freebirds. "Trending Topics will help to provide a depth of customer understanding we cannot get anywhere else." Levzow also commented, "Using innovation to help better the experience for our customers is a huge initiative for us. This feature will not only help us to focus on what immediate needs our customers have, but it will help us to forecast and strategize for the future." For more information on ReviewTrackers and Trending Topics, visit their site or watch their Trending Topics webinar. About ReviewTrackers ReviewTrackers is the award-winning software that elevates the voice of the customer and enables brands to innovate based on customer feedback. The platform empowers businesses by unlocking actionable customer intelligence that helps them manage their online reviews, improve brand reputation and make data-driven decisions that result in increased profitability. Trusted by tens of thousands of client locations, ReviewTrackers is the premier customer feedback solution for enterprise businesses. Contact: Mandy Yoh ReviewTrackers Head of Communications Email: [email protected] Office: (866) 854-7670 Website: http://www.reviewtrackers.com This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com SOURCE ReviewTrackers Related Links http://www.reviewtrackers.com NEW YORK, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Robb Report, the leading voice in luxury, will host its second annual Health & Wellness Summit July 1417, 2016, at the Montage Deer Valley in Park City, Utah. After the overwhelming success of the inaugural event in 2015, the Health & Wellness Summit returns with an enlightening, energetic, and educational program that features exclusive conversations with the leading minds in medicine and cutting-edge health, including J. Craig Venter, PhDone of the first scientists to map the human genomeand world-renowned physicians from the nation's top hospitals: Brigham and Women's Hospital, Johns Hopkins Medicine, UCLA Health, and more. Laird Hamilton, Gabby Reece and J. Craig Venter, PhD, Among Headliners at Robb Report Health & Wellness Summit July 14-17, 2016 at The Montage Deer Valley Big-wave surfer Laird Hamilton will serve as co-host for the weekend, bringing with him a roster of top trainers and fitness gurus including Gabby Reece, former pro volleyball player and host of NBC's fitness reality show Strong; Brian Mackenzie, XPT Co-Creator and author of the acclaimed Power Speed ENDURANCE; Steve Jordan, trainer to the stars; and George Foreman III, former pro boxer and founder of the at-home workout series FIIT Club. A comprehensive study recently conducted by Robb Report and Ipsos, a leading global expert in luxury research, queried more than 1,000 affluent adults on the state of luxury today, including favored interests, brands, influencers, and spending intentions. More than 8 in 10 respondents stated their interest in health and wellness , with 54% of respondents interested in luxury health and wellness offerings. The proportion was even higher (66%) among the Wealthy demographic (annual household income above $500,000). Janice O'Leary, editor of Robb Report Health & Wellness, said, "We've seen a growing awareness nationally that good health remains our greatest individual wealth. This year at the Summit we have even more new ways for attendees to reach optimal wellness through the latest medical research, lifestyle changes, and cutting-edge technology. This is an opportunity to not just hear the talk about healthy living but also walk the walkquite literally." The Summit will kick off each day with a selection of wake-up wellness activities ranging from sun salutations with celebrity yoga instructor Rainbeau Mars to hikes through the beautiful mountains of Deer Valley with "America's Fitness Ambassador" Steve Jordan. A thought-provoking morning of health talks will follow, focused on hot-button topics such as "Sitting Smart for Your Heart" with cardiologist Dr. Erin Michos of Johns Hopkins Medicine, "The Longevity Lifestyle" with Dr. Gary Small of UCLA Health, and "The Secrets of Sleep" with Dr. Charles Czeisler of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Afternoons will be filled with a number of intimate fitness offerings, among them XPT Extreme Performance Training sessions with Laird Hamilton, Gabby Reece and Brian Mackenzie, Pilates with Erika Bloom, and agility training with Olympian Shannon Bahrke. Guests will enjoy a holistic approach to health and wellness throughout the entirety of the Summit, with healthy cooking classes from James Beard Foundation Awardwinning master chef David Bouley, relaxing spa treatments including custom facials by Natura Bisse, luxury automotive rides and drives, wine tastings with premier sommeliers, and a Luxury Lounge featuring the latest innovations in wellness gear and the finest luxury products. To learn more about Robb Report's Health & Wellness Summit and register to attend, visit http://robbreport.com/health-wellness-summit/2016/register. About Robb Report Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2016, Robb Report is the authoritative voice in the global luxury market. Widely regarded as the single most influential journal of living life to the fullest, Robb Report covers the newest in what matters most to its discerning and exceptionally affluent audience, including luxury automobiles, aircraft, fine dining, travel, timepieces and fine jewelry, style and design, arts and culture, spirits, and cigars. For more information, visit the Robb Report website at RobbReport.com and connect with us on Twitter (@robbreport), Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. Uncover the best brands and designs and access real-time news on the latest luxury products and services with Robb Report's daily newsletter, Robb Report Insider. Sign up today for your daily dose of luxury. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/381319 SOURCE Robb Report Related Links http://www.robbreport.com SAN FRANCISCO, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Rocana, the digital transformation company, today announced the release of Rocana Ops 1.5 containing breakthrough capabilities for search, ingest, and analysis of operational data. Rocana Ops 1.5 forever changes the way technology leaders think about operational visibility, enabling them to connect all data and fearlessly lead digital transformation. Total Operational Visibility Delivers Competitive Advantage Digital leaders measure everything in their environment and use that vast knowledge to gain competitive advantage in the form of continuously improving efficiencies and customer experiences. To compete, companies must acquire the same deep operational visibility as digital leaders and turn that insight into business value. Rocana Ops 1.5 helps technologists collect and analyze data across all sources -- machine, wire, application, and customer data -- and become the primary catalyst for digital transformation. See Forever: Using the Past to Improve the Present and the Future In life, past experiences help us process new information and make better decisions now and in the future. Yet most legacy IT organizations often keep less than a few hours or days of operational data online and accessible. They struggle to answer basic yet critical business questions like "Are our systems ready for Black Friday based on last year's experience?" or "When did that advanced persistent threat first penetrate our infrastructure?" With Rocana Ops 1.5's limitless search technology, companies now have the ability to keep all data online and available for analysis, from the moment it's captured until years later. Technologists can use this vast digital information to better serve customer needs and create competitive differentiation. Built for demanding enterprise customers, Rocana's limitless search technology delivers up to ten times faster daily data collection than leading open source alternatives and retains arbitrarily large amounts of indexed data online so performance is never impacted by data size or age. As a result, technologists can now see and search all data in real time with performance that doesn't degrade with growing data sets: millions of events per second, petabytes ingested per month, with breakthrough efficiency that leverages the fewest compute and storage resources possible. Enterprises can analyze what happened a year ago as effortlessly as one hour ago, and questions that used to be impossible to answer can now be addressed. See the Unexpected: Detect Anomalies and Accelerate Resolution Legacy monitoring approaches leave significant blind spots and actually inhibit a company's ability to transform digitally. Point solutions will not detect issues on systems for which they were not designed, and brute force searches will not detect issues you don't already know to look for. Rocana Ops eliminates blind spots and gives enterprises self-learning, anomaly-based monitoring out of the box. As operational data is captured, Rocana Ops automatically examines all new information to develop an understanding of what behaviors are normal across the entire environment. This is then used to identify abnormal behaviors and surface them to IT operators through an intuitive visual interface. The result is fewer unexpected problems and more consistent customer experiences, even in complex and ephemeral IT environments. With Rocana Ops 1.5, the guided visual interface has been enhanced to simplify drill down to the root cause of any anomaly, so IT operators can quickly find and resolve problems instead of wasting cycles trying to identify them from multiple disparate tools. The accuracy of anomaly detection has been greatly increased resulting in fewer false positives, while new date management and type-ahead assistance further accelerate time-to-resolution. See More: Leverage Wire and Network Data to Connect the Dots Digital leaders recognize the power of consolidating and connecting all IT and business metrics to improve the end-to-end customer experience. Operational issues affecting customer experience can be impossible to detect or identify without rich wire data or network metrics and logs. Customer experience often deteriorates while IT teams scramble to understand what is happening, and potential breakthrough customer offerings are overlooked. Adding to its integration of rich wire data, Rocana Ops 1.5 now contains native integration of Cisco NetFlow sources, enabling network metadata to be captured, analyzed, and correlated with operational data from all other sources, providing a complete end-to-end view of what happens behind the scenes whenever a customer interacts with the system. For more information: Join the upcoming Rocana Ops 1.5 webcast with CTO Eric Sammer on Thursday, June 23 at 2:00 p.m. EDT /11:00 a.m. PDT! Click here to register the upcoming Rocana Ops 1.5 webcast with CTO on at /11:00 a.m. PDT! Click here to register Read the blog post: Starting a Digital Revolution with Total IT Operational Visibility Supporting Quotes Omer Trajman, CEO & Co-Founder, Rocana "Total Operational visibility is the catalyst for digital transformation," said Omer Trajman, CEO and Co-Founder, Rocana. "Today's digital leaders have total visibility and measure everything from poor customer experiences to inefficient systems -- and they leverage this information to drive innovation. With Rocana Ops 1.5, now all enterprise technologists can leverage total operational visibility to create competitive advantage and lead digital transformation." Nancy Gohring, Senior Analyst, 451 Research "Companies that adopt modern infrastructures are learning that their IT operations generate huge amounts of potentially valuable data," said Nancy Gohring, senior analyst at 451 Research. "But many traditional IT tools aren't able to effectively scale so that businesses can efficiently retain and analyze that information. The result is a missed opportunity for enterprises to glean important business and IT insight from their operational data." John Leon, Vice President of Business Development, ExtraHop "As the pioneer in wire data analytics, we believe in an open data stream approach that enables performance and behavioral analyses alongside any other datastore for correlation, like Rocana," said John Leon, Vice President of Business Development at ExtraHop. "Despite clear value, customers have been hesitant to stream wire data because of its sheer volume and the cost imposed by other vendors for ingestion. Rocana Ops 1.5 delivers high-scale visibility and a cost-effective business model that will significantly impact how data-driven insights are delivered to impact key business decisions." Ryan Latreille, CTO, Three Wire Systems "With the latest anomaly detection enhancements and re-invention of Search, Rocana has raised the stakes for the enterprise value CIOs and IT departments can bring to the organization," said Ryan Latreille, CTO at Three Wire Systems, an IT consultancy designing efficient, effective, sustainable IT solutions that modernize the infrastructure of federal organizations, "Rocana Ops 1.5 powerfully consolidates machine data, wire data, synthetic data, and agent data into one application and stands apart as a disruptive technology that provides total operational and security intelligence." About Rocana Rocana gives technology leaders total operational visibility, eliminating the boundaries of legacy IT monitoring and empowering technologists to lead digital transformation. Rocana Ops captures and analyzes all data from all sources, keeping it online and available for instant and future access. By combining event data warehouse capabilities with advanced machine learning, Rocana Ops gives technologists the ability to see emerging issues anywhere in the environment, minimize security risks, and surface opportunities for innovation. Rocana was founded by big data veterans and is backed by proven digital leaders like Google Ventures (GV), Vinny Smith (Quest Software and Toba Capital), Paul Sagan (Akamai), Brian Smith (Google), and General Catalyst. Learn more at www.rocana.com. Press Contact Mike Tomlinson Public Relations Manager, Rocana +1 (877) 762-2621 Ext. 3 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/381605LOGO SOURCE Rocana Related Links http://www.rocana.com NEW YORK, June 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Rocketrip, the leading platform for reducing corporate travel costs, announced that the company has raised $9 million in Series B financing led by Bessemer Venture Partners. Existing investors Canaan Partners and Genacast Ventures also participated in the round. Alex Ferrara, Bessemer's New York-based partner, joins Rocketrip's board of directors. Rocketrip will use the funding to expand marketing, sales, and research and development. Rocketrip motivates business travelers to save money on trips by rewarding them with points that can be redeemed for gift cards, charitable contributions, travel benefits, and other rewards. For each itinerary, Rocketrip generates a personalized "Budget to Beat" based on real-time prices for flights, hotels, trains, and rental cars. When employees book under budget, they split the savings with their company. In Q1 2016, Rocketrip's clients saved an average of $301 per trip, or 27.6% against their trip budgets. Among Rocketrip users, average travel savings increased 5% from Q4 2015, and more than 28% since Q1 2015. Rocketrip was recently named "Top Employee Rewards Solution" in the Citi Smarter Worklife Challenge, a competition for digital human resources solutions. "At this point, we have proven product-market fit, a scalable business model, strong industry partners, and support from outstanding investors. This funding round enables us to focus on continued exponential growth," said Dan Ruch, founder and CEO of Rocketrip. "We welcome Alex Ferrara to the board and look forward to working with him on this exciting stage in Rocketrip's development." Alex Ferrara is a partner in Bessemer's New York office, where he focuses on investments in B2B cloud software, mobility, and financial services. "Misalignment of incentives in business travel results in massive unnecessary costs for enterprises, which spend $1.25 trillion per year on business travel. Rocketrip solves this problem by aligning employee and employer incentives, and the company's impressive customer traction demonstrates that its system works," said Ferrara. "Here you have this small, very talented and driven team based in NYC that has a bold vision to fix a big problem in the corporate travel market. They've established Rocketrip as the market leader in its space, and they're having a lot of success." About Rocketrip Rocketrip is the leading technology platform for reducing corporate travel expenses. By letting employees keep half of what they save on their business trips, Rocketrip motivates responsible spending. The platform's algorithms integrate a company's travel policy with real-time trip pricing and availability to create a personalized "Budget to Beat" for each trip. Employees book using their favorite travel websites or a travel management company, and Rocketrip provides employers with insights and analytics on company spending, savings and employee travel behavior. Rocketrip is based in New York City and has received funding from Canaan Partners, Bessemer Venture Partners, Genacast Ventures, Crunchfund, Y Combinator, and angel investors. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/381228LOGO SOURCE Rocketrip Related Links https://www.rocketrip.com BOSTON, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Santander Bank today announced it has awarded more than $3.1 million in new grants to 73 organizations located throughout the Bank's Northeastern U.S. footprint. Each year, Santander contributes millions of dollars and thousands of hours in volunteer time to community-based organizations making a measurable difference for underserved individuals and communities. "The organizations we support reflect our values as a company and provide opportunities that enrich the lives and economic futures of underserved children, young adults and families," said Jerry Plush, Chief Administrative Officer for Santander US. "Part of becoming the best bank in the communities we serve includes embracing the important responsibility we have to drive change and make meaningful contributions where we live and work." The Bank awards grants three times a year to support initiatives in financial education, neighborhood revitalization, small business development, community services and affordable housing. In this round of funding, the largest percentage of dollars awarded - more than 38% will support innovative financial education programs for low- and moderate-income teens and young adults, particularly those between the ages of 16 and 24. As part of these programs, Santander employees volunteer to teach money management skills at local schools and non-profit organizations. The company also launched a password-protected, proprietary website where participants can access additional courses and secure online tools to help them set personal financial goals, create savings plans and track their progress. In 2015, the Bank awarded more than $4.5 million in charitable grants to 286 organizations throughout the Bank's footprint and more than 1,500 employees across the Bank volunteered close to 13,700 hours in support of local non-profit organizations. For grant application guidelines, please visit the Santander Charitable Contributions Program or send questions to [email protected]. Santander's second and third round of grants in 2016 will be awarded in September and November, respectively. Santander Bank, N.A. is one of the country's top retail and commercial banks by deposits and a wholly owned subsidiary of Banco Santander, S.A. - one of the most respected banking groups in the world. With its corporate offices in Boston, Santander Bank's more than 670 branches and nearly 2,100 ATMs are principally located in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. The Bank's 9,400 employees are committed to helping our 2.1 million customers make progress toward their financial goals with the support of our call centers, interactive online banking platform and easy-to-use mobile app. Madrid-based Banco Santander (NYSE: SAN) serves more than 117 million customers in the U.K., Europe, Latin America and the U.S. Through its local affiliates, including Santander Bank, Banco Santander is the largest corporate contributor to higher education in the world, investing over $165 million annually in colleges and universities across more than 20 countries, including the U.S. For more information on Santander Bank, please visit www.santanderbank.com. Media Contacts: Ann Davis 617-757-5891 [email protected] Nancy Orlando 617-757-5765 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130724/PH52209LOGO SOURCE Santander Bank Related Links http://www.santanderbank.com AMSTERDAM, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Goal is to establish the EMEA short distance electronic transportation market Ninebot Mini Pro. (PRNewsFoto/Segway Europe) Segway, world leader in electric personal transport, opens a new European office in Amsterdam. With this office, Segway aims to better serve the EMEA market with a comprehensive range of iconic business-to-business Segway products as well as new consumer products, under the brand Ninebot by Segway. The Segway Europe office was opened on June 21, 2016, in the presence of CEO Lufeng Gao. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/381043 ) The establishment of Segway Europe ensures availability of the full product line-up of both brands for the business-to-business as well as the consumer market. From the new office, Segway Europe can now serve these markets for the entire EMEA region, enabling professional distribution, central management and increased marketing activities. In the next few months two new mass market models will be launched - the Ninebot One S2 and Ninebot Mini Pro. Dennis Hardholt is responsible for the introduction of Segway and Ninebot by Segway products in the EMEA region as the President of Segway Europe. "From our new European office we are able to serve all the European, Middle Eastern and African markets. We will immediately make a range of exciting new consumer products available that complement our existing line up. With these affordable models we will further open up the market for smart, green personal transportation. They will add a touch of fun and excitement to the daily lives of consumers, while answering to the practical need for short distance transportation and leisure activities." About Segway Segway Europe has been founded by Ninebot Ltd. from Beijing, bringing together the brands Segway and Ninebot - both leading in electronic personal transportation. Both brands focus on research and development, design, manufacturing, sales and service in short-distance personal transportation, in order to increase the industry and to lead the revolution of mobile robotics solutions. Segway and Ninebot devote a great deal of attention to seamlessly connecting robotic solutions to smart phones and integrating existing technologies and future concepts, such as voice interaction and facial recognition with its robotic products - products that will be highly interactive and encourage smarter living. Segway Europe opened its first European office in Amsterdam in June 2016. For more information, visit http://www.segway.com. SOURCE Segway Europe Sherwin-Williams Global HQ Banner Update: 1. A Sherwin-Williams banner, This Land is Our Land, will appear for 90 days, spotlighting the company's 150th anniversary and extending a warm welcome to summer visitors. 2. The 10-Story Nike/LeBron banner remains in place through July 4th. 3. The Nike/LeBron banner will return in the fall. FAIRFAX, Va., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Joe Sifer, executive vice president, Booz Allen Hamilton, has been elected to serve as AFCEA International's chairman of the Board of Directors. In this role, he oversees the affairs of AFCEA, presiding over the council, the board of directors and the Executive Committee. He also serves as ex officio member of all association committees and subcommittees, the AFCEA Educational Foundation Board of Directors and the AFCEA Building Service Corporation. Joe Sifer, executive vice president, Booz Allen Hamilton, is AFCEA International's new chairman of the Board of Directors. Sifer has been an AFCEA member since 1992. He currently serves as a member of the Executive Committee. Commenting on his selection, Sifer said, "It will be my true honor to serve as the chairman of the AFCEA International Board of Directors. I began my career many years ago working on electronics, avionics, sensors and communications solutions for various industrial and military applications. AFCEA was critical to me then as a source of insights regarding the operational needs of the women and men in our armed forces. Many years later, AFCEA and all that AFCEA represents remains relevant and essential. I am very proud of my continued affiliation with AFCEA, particularly under the leadership Lt. Gen. Bob Shea, USMC (Ret.), with his commitment to keeping AFCEA relevant, engaged, focused and well managed." Sifer has nearly 30 years of experience in engineering and technology consulting in mission and business systems for U.S. government and global commercial clients. He currently leads Booz Allen's horizontal engineering and science business, encompassing nearly 3,000 engineers and scientists delivering professional services and solutions to clients in the defense, intelligence, homeland, civil, commercial and international markets. He has been at Booz Allen for 20 years. Most of his career has been focused on C4ISR solutions. Prior to his current position, Sifer was a senior vice president responsible for Booz Allen's Army and Missile Defense Agency business after having led the firm's Army C4ISR business. Before that, he was a vice president based in London, where he led the firm's telecommunications technology business in the United Kingdom and Ireland. In addition, he shared in its leadership across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. Prior to his tenure in London, Sifer played a key leadership role in establishing and expanding Booz Allen's U.S. federal government wireless systems and C4ISR consulting businesses. Before joining the firm, he worked as a senior technologist at EDS/A.T. Kearney, a project engineer at The Aerospace Corporation and a research engineer in support of NASA's Ames Research Center. Sifer has a master's degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and a bachelor's degree with highest honors from the University of Notre Dame, both in electrical engineering. He also holds a master's degree in science, technology and public policy from George Washington University. He is a member of several professional associations and honor societies and received the Career Achievement Award as Outstanding Networking Professional from the Network Professionals Association. Lt. Gen. Bob Shea, USMC (Ret.), AFCEA's president and CEO, is looking forward to working with Sifer."I appreciate his willingness to guide the association as we look at new opportunities and growth initiatives," Gen. Shea states. AFCEA International, established in 1946, is a non-profit membership association serving the military, government, industry and academia. Join online. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160617/380703 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130410/DC92618LOGO SOURCE AFCEA International Related Links http://www.afcea.org OCEAN VIEW, Delaware, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Li-Fi Market size was evaluated at $630 million for 2015 and is predicted to register 80.8% CAGR during the forecast period. Global Li-Fi market is segmented into key geographical regions that include North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America and MEA. Asia Pacific is predicted to grow owing to heavy requirement of online connectivity across Japan, China, South Korea and India. U.S. Li-Fi market is predicted to grow rapidly from $190 million in 2015, during the forecast period thereby contributing towards regional NA growth. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160418/799556-a ) To access sample pages or purchase this report titled, "(Light Fidelity) Li-Fi Market Size By Component (Microcontroller, Photodetector, LED), By Application (Indoor Networking, Aerospace, Automotive, Healthcare, Location Based Services, Underwater Communication, Defense & Security, Intrinsically Safe Environments), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., UK, Germany), Application Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2016 - 2023", please click on the link below: https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/lifi-market Li-Fi is an evolving technology that has witnessed specialized LED bulbs offering low-cost wireless digital connectivity almost everywhere. The technology is a true enabler of Internet of things. Its reliable communication, improved network facility and robust connection offer it an edge over other technologies. Light's inability to penetrate walls makes it potentially secured. It promises to be cheaper and more power efficient than existing wireless technologies. LED components for this industry could see more than $33 billion revenue by 2023, driven primarily by favourable regulatory outlook. Location-based services and healthcare applications offer exciting opportunities for industry participants. Benefit of using Li-Fi technology in hospitals, nuclear power plants and aircraft cabins is that it does not cause electromagnetic interference. Though it is cheaper and has greater capacity than other technologies it has limitations like higher deployment costs and shorter range that can hinder its growth. Get a sample copy of this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/462 Li-Fi has varied applications owing to its exceptional features like power efficacy, integrated network capacity, directional lightning, built-in security, high data transmission capacity and signal blocking. Dense urban environments have complete lighting infrastructure which provides high rate of data access to users. Li-Fi technology will allow high data connectivity for each air craft passenger at all times. It is also used in cellular and underwater communications. In cellular communications, the technology provides high speed data communication 24/7 while in underwater communications it enables communication between divers, diver to drilling rig and diver to mini sub. This modern technology is also utilised in intelligent transportation systems, indoor navigation and homes. In homes it not only connects the electronic devices like computers, televisions and Hi-Fi but also connects appliances of daily use such as washing machines, vacuums, refrigerators and microwaves. European industry is an early adopter of Li-Fi technology. Heavy demand for wireless communications and significant research and innovation in technology is predicted to drive the growth of the industry in Europe. To purchase this report email us at [email protected] with subject line and your contact details OR call us at +1-302-846-7766 Key industry players profiled in the report include: Koninklijke Philips N.V. Lucibel LVX Minnesota Corporation PureLifi Limited Fujitsu Oledcomm S.A.S Acuity Brands Incorporation Panasonic Corporation GE Lighting IBSEN telecom Limited Renesas Electronics Corporation Axrtek Lightbee corporation Qualcomm Incorporated Velmenni Philips has developed the Li-Fi system for buyers. In 2014, Sisoft, a Mexican firm transmitted data at 10G bits/sec speed across LED bulbs light spectrum emission and created a new record. All these key industry players are growing their business through mergers and acquisitions and by forming strategic alliances and joint ventures with local/regional players. During 2015, LVX collaborated with NASA to launch the Li-Fi products for space missions. Lucibel and PureLifi formed alliance for marketing Li- Fi luminarie. Acuity Brands acquired Distech controls to improve the lighting and control device portfolio. Global Market Insights has segmented the Li-Fi industry on the basis of component, application and region: Global Li-Fi Market Component Analysis (Revenue, USD Million, 2013 - 2023) LED Photodetector MCU Global Li-Fi Market Application Analysis (Revenue, USD Million, 2013 - 2023) Automotive Indoor networking Aerospace Healthcare Intrinsically safe environments Location based services Defense Underwater communication Global Li-Fi Market Regional Analysis (Revenue, USD Million, 2013 - 2023) North America U.S. Europe UK Germany Asia Pacific Latin America MEA Related Reports: Unified Communications (UC) Market Size: https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/unified-communications-market https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/unified-communications-market 5G Technology Market Size: https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/5g-technology-market Read our insightful industry blogs: About Global Market Insights: Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology. Contact Us: Jack Davis Corporate Sales, USA Global Market Insights, Inc. Phone: 1-302-846-7766 Toll Free: 1 888-689-0688 Email: [email protected] Web: https://www.gminsights.com SOURCE Global Market Insights Inc. PUNE, India, June 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Solenoid Valve Market 2016 Research Report initially provides a basic overview of the industry that covers definition, applications and manufacturing technology, post which the report explores into the international players in the market. Complete report on Solenoid Valve market spread across 136 pages providing 30 company profiles and 79 tables and figures is available at http://www.deepresearchreports.com/200174.html . This report studies Solenoid Valve in Global and China market, focuses on price, sales, revenue of each type in global China. This report also focuses on the sales (consumption), production, import and export of Solenoid Valve in North America, Japan, Europe, Others, Southeast Asia and China, forecast to 2020, from 2015. On basis of segments by Types, this report focuses on price, sales, revenue and growth rate of each type, as well as the types and each type price of key manufacturers, through interviewing key manufacturers. Split by product types of solenoid valve market covering, direct-acting Solenoid Valve, sub-step direct-acting type and pilot-type Solenoid Valve. On basis of segments by regions, this report focuses on the sales (consumption), production, import and export of Solenoid Valve in North America, Japan, Europe, China and Others. Split by Regions, covering North America, Europe, Japan, China and Others. On basis of segments by manufacturers, this report focuses on the sales, price of each type, average price of Solenoid Valve, revenue and market share, for key manufacturers Top players, covering ASCO, Kendrion, Parker,Saginomiya, CEME,CKD,Danfoss, Sirai,Burkert, SMC, Norgren, PRO UNI-D, YPC,ODE,Airtac, Takasago Electric,Zhejiang Sanhua,Dongjiang Valves, Shanghai, angyuan, KEBO ELECTRICAL, Zhejiang Yongjiu, Wuhan Chuangli, Anshan Electromagnetic, alue, Ningbo KeXing, KAILING PNEUMATIC, YONG CHUANG, Yuyao No.4 Instrument factory, BOSHUN INDUSTRY, Fuyida Electrical and HONGLIN MACHINERY. Order a copy at http://www.deepresearchreports.com/contacts/purchase.php?name=200174 . On basis of segments by applications, this report focuses on consumption and growth rate of Solenoid Valve in major applications. Split by applications, covering Laundry and dry-cleaning equipment, Industrial washing equipment, Autoclaves/sterilizers, Compressors and vacuum, pumps, Plastic molding machinery, Steam boilers and others with 136 pages, 168 charts and eight chapters, to display the market present situation and future, clearly and deeply. Similar research titled "2016 Market Research Report on Global Pilot Type Solenoid Valve Industry" is spread across 159 pages and profiles 08 companies that provide a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Global Pilot Type Solenoid Valve Industry 2016 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Pilot Type Solenoid Valve industry. The report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Pilot Type Solenoid Valve market analysis is provided for the international market including development history, competitive landscape analysis, and major regions' development status. Then, the report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials, equipment and downstream consumers analysis is also carried out. What's more, the Pilot Type Solenoid Valve industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed. Finally the feasibility of new investment projects are assessed and overall research conclusions offered. Few key manufacturers included in this report are ARO, ASCO, PARKER, REDHAT, DYNAQUIP CONTROLS, DAYTON, ISM ENTERPRISES and SPEEDAIRE. 2016 Market Research Report on Global Pilot Type Solenoid Valve Industry is available at http://www.deepresearchreports.com/195233.html . Explore more reports on Machines & Equipment market at http://www.deepresearchreports.com/cat/machines-equipment-market-research.html . Connect with us: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deepresearchreports Twitter: https://twitter.com/DResearchReport Google+: https://plus.google.com/117151957945248166335 About Us: Deep Research Reports is digital database of syndicated market reports for global and China industries. These reports offer competitive intelligence data for companies in varied market segments and for decision makers at multiple levels in these organizations. We provide 24/7 online and offline support to our customers. Contact: Ritesh Tiwari UNIT no 802, Tower no. 7, SEZ Magarpatta city, Hadapsar Pune - 411013 Maharashtra, India. + 1 888 391 5441 [email protected] SOURCE Deep Research Reports SHAWNEE, Kan., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Wireless solutions company Source Inc. received the top honor at this year's Cradlepoint Partner Awards ceremony. Cradlepoint, a leading provider of software-defined wireless and wired network solutions, presented Source Inc. with its 2016 Partner of the Year award for exceptional dedication and achievement. The ceremony was held at the Cradlepoint headquarters in Boise, Idaho on April 26 27, 2016, and celebrated the successes of organization partners from around the globe. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160621/381879LOGO "On behalf of the Source Inc. team, we are honored to have received Cradlepoint's Partner of the Year award," said John Schissel, President of Source Inc. "Our team has worked extremely hard to grow our business utilizing Cradlepoint's networking solutions and products. Receiving this award is certainly an accomplishment and speaks to our dedication to providing the best wireless networking solutions for our clients." To be considered for the awards, companies had to display continued commitment as a Cradlepoint partner, show remarkable year-over-year growth during the previous three years, and maintain a ranking in the top 20 of Cradlepoint's best performing partners in the nation. Source Inc. generated 90% year-over-year growth with Cradlepoint, solidifying itself as a top partner. "Source Inc. has demonstrated outstanding achievements in growing its business and its partnership with Cradlepoint. The Partner of the Year award is a direct reflection of that," said Ed Walton, VP, North American Channels & Alliances, Cradlepoint. "Partnerships like this are critical to our ability to address networking challenges across the enterprise and make it easier to create and extend reliable connectivity from the branch office to in-vehicle networks and everywhere in between. We congratulate Source Inc. and look forward to working together on many more successes in the future." About Cradlepoint Cradlepoint is the global leader in software-defined 4G LTE network solutions. Enterprise adoption of cloud, mobile and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies is driving the need for always-on connectivity for people, places and things anywhere. Cradlepoint's cloud-based platform combines software-defined networking and radio technologies with virtualized services to deliver 4G LTE and overlay networks that are secure end-to-end, agile to deploy and ultra-reliable. Over 15,000 enterprise, SMB and government customers around the world rely on Cradlepoint to keep their critical sites, remote workforces, vehicles, assets and machines always connected and protected. Founded in 2006, Cradlepoint is a privately held company headquartered in Boise, Idaho, with offices in Silicon Valley, Canada and the UK. About Source Inc. Source Inc. offers businesses comprehensive wireless solutions through a diverse assortment of hardware, software, connectivity, and helpdesk services. They assess the individual needs of organizations and efficiently provide tailored, integrated wireless solutions to support and promote the success of the organization's people and mission. Source Inc. prides itself on unparalleled client support and satisfaction through a combination of tech-city innovation and Midwest charm. Related Images image1.jpg image2.jpg This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com SOURCE Source Inc. Related Links http://www.sourceinc.com ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading travel insurance comparison site Squaremouth has added Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection to its network of providers. The company's ExactCare travel insurance policy is now available to travelers creating a travel insurance quote on Squaremouth.com. "We are excited about bringing our innovative products, technology and speed of claims payments to Squaremouth customers. Squaremouth shares our passion for innovation and we look forward to working together," said Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection President Dean Sivley. Berkshire Hathaway's ExactCare plan features Primary Emergency Medical coverage that includes pre-existing conditions when purchased within 15 days of the initial trip deposit. The comprehensive travel insurance policy also offers Trip Cancellation and Interruption, Medical Evacuation and Repatriation, AD&D, and Loss and Delay benefits. ExactCare comes with around-the-clock travel assistance and simple claims processing, which allows travelers to upload receipts through a mobile app when documentation is required. "We are pleased to add another provider to our network that shares our dedication to customer service and innovation," said Squaremouth CEO Chris Harvey. "Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection offers an excellent travel insurance option for our customers." The addition of Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection increases Squaremouth's network of travel insurance providers to 23, with over 100 different policies available. About Squaremouth Squaremouth is an online company that compares travel insurance products from virtually every major travel insurance provider in the United States. Using Squaremouth's comparison engine and third party customer reviews, travelers can research and compare insurance products side-by-side. More information can be found at www.squaremouth.com. About Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection is the trade name for the travel protection services of Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Concierge, LLC, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company, part of the National Indemnity group of insurance companies. Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection created AirCare flight and other travel related protections. The AirCare product is provided by Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company or National Liability & Fire Insurance Company. Visit bhtp.com for more information. Media Contacts: Squaremouth Rachael Taft [email protected] (727) 264-5174 Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection Brad Rutta [email protected] (715) 295-9030 SOURCE Squaremouth Related Links http://www.squaremouth.com HOUSTON, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Texas Medical Center accelerator (TMCx) program announced its 2016 graduate companies, demonstrating broad innovation born in Houston and ready to be unleashed on the health care industry. TMCx couples the resources of the world's largest medical center to facilitate the development of early-stage digital health and medical device companies. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/381482 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/381481LOGO Cognetyx, one of this year's graduates, has developed a patented "Ambient Cognitive Cyber Surveillance" system that empowers the healthcare industry with a breakthrough solution to predict, detect and mitigate security threats, data breaches & privacy violations in real-time. Cognetyx uses advanced artificial intelligence to provide cognitive decision support on detection of anomalous users interacting with any application a new, virtual defense shield - to shift the odds of success in favor of the defender against cyber security threats. Cognetyx co-founders Amit Kulkarni, CEO, and Santosh Varughese, President, joined eleven other early-stage medical industry companies to develop their products and bring them to market. The TMCx specifically selects a handful from hundreds of applicants nationwide. Companies with breakthrough innovative ideas, concepts, prototypes, products, and accelerates them toward the market through a detailed, rigorous curriculum, meetings with advisers and introductions to the Texas Medical Center member hospitals. The curriculum addresses FDA regulation, HIPAA and HITECH compliance, clinical trials, hospital procurement, commercial pilots, intellectual property and licensing, fundraising and more. The program features a network of more than 120 advisors, including clinical experts, medical researchers, executives, and entrepreneurial leaders, all from the front lines of health care delivery. "The Texas Medical Center accelerator helped us overcome many of the hurdles new companies face in commercializing early stage medical technologies," said Varughese. "Dr. Erik Halvorsen, director of the TMC Innovation Institute, has put together an exciting, fun & comprehensive program aimed at dramatically increasing the odds of startup success in healthcare. Equally valuable was the stimulating interaction, idea exchange and friendships with my cohorts in this accelerator program. I congratulate each and every one!" Other graduate companies include: -Aprenda Systems -CareSet Systems -Doc Response -ePreop -Greenlight Medical -moving analytics -Qidza -Sensely -The Right Place -Valera Health -Xpress "The TMCx advisors gave their time and expertise generously to help us refine both our technology and our approach to the market," said Kulkarni. "Advisors such as Larry Luck, Jacqueline Gilford, Delayne Wren and Erin Flores guided us and inspired us in our venture. We wish all the best to this year's roster of talented companies. Technology is leading the way for a new age in health care." Learn more about Cognetyx at http://www.cognetyx.com. Learn more about TMCx at http://www.tmcinnovation.org/tmc-x/. About Cognetyx Cognetyx provides healthcare organizations a new, high-performance solution to safeguard patient health records. Our patented "Ambient Cognitive Cyber Surveillance" system reduces the risk of cyber security threats, data breaches and privacy violations. Cognetyx is a virtual defense shield that is cognitive, adaptive and evolving, monitoring and surveilling all user activity and interactions across your information ecosystem in real-time. Leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning, Cognetyx learns normal user habits, patterns and behavior as they use applications in their day-to-day work. Cognetyx is then able to predict and detect anomalous or aberrant user patterns in real-time, mitigating risk quickly before damage is done. Cognetyx is simple to use and increases efficiencies by streamlining workflows related to HIPAA and HITECH compliance and regulations. For more information, visit www.cognetyx.com. Media Contact: Len Fernandes, 1-888-317-4687 ext. 702, Email SOURCE Cognetyx Related Links http://www.cognetyx.com CORAL SPRINGS, Fla., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The attorneys at The Asset Protection Law Firm, P.A. are trained and experienced in asserting successful legal claims related to deceptive lender and foreclosure practices. Their approach to foreclosure defense involves aggressively pursuing full disclosure from the banks. The assembly of highly skilled, Florida bar licensed attorneys strip down each client's unique case to expose the facts, revealing any errors made by the lenders. They are well versed on Florida foreclosure law and excel in developing and executing a sound foreclosure defense, resulting in stopping foreclosure throughout the state of Florida. To learn more, contact them directly at 561-480-2202 or visit www.NewBeginningServices.us This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com SOURCE The Asset Protection Law Firm, P.A. BRUSSELS, June 20, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Earlier today, EU Ministers of the Environment unanimously endorsed the EU Action Plan against Wildlife Trafficking published by the European Commission last February. The European Union now has the much-needed frame to coordinate a strategic approach on endangered wildlife trafficking. "IFAW rejoice on the decision from the council and congratulates the EU on this decisive step for wildlife." Sonja Van Tichelen, EU Regional Director for IFAW explains, "Over the last 4 years, IFAW has been tirelessly advocating for the EU to adopt an action plan against wildlife trafficking, as there was some already in place to fight drugs trafficking or counterfeiting. Wildlife trafficking ranks fourth globally in terms of value, behind the trafficking in drugs, people and counterfeiting and not only harms ecosystems and individual animals: it also threatens our own security as highlighted once again last month by the UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime) in its inaugural report on wildlife crime throughout the world." Several European countries now have adopted stricter legislations against wildlife trafficking. However they can be fully efficient only if actions and legislations in neighbouring countries are coherent. This is a tough challenge the EU action against wildlife trafficking will help meeting. Notably, the plan defines wildlife trafficking as a serious crime and sets forth the framework for better implementation of laws and greater cooperation between police forces and governmental agencies, within a country as well as with their foreign counterparts. "We are delighted that the Council also considered further measures to halt trade in ivory and includes special concerns and actions on cybercrime, trophy hunting and import," continues Sonja Van Tichelen. "The EU is definitely in line with a worldwide dynamic to stem an illegal trade that is valued several billions of euros." Last week, more than 36,700 citizens had asked the EU Environment Ministers to endorse the action Plan on Wildlife Trafficking. EDITORS: Last month, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) released its inaugural report on wildlife crime throughout the world. The report gives an overview of wildlife seizures from 120 countries and sheds light on "the way poaching and illegal trade of thousands of different species throughout the world cause real environmental dangers, as well as threaten in the long run the rule of law by potentially fostering conflict." The 2013 IFAW report, Criminal Nature: The Global Security Implications of the Illegal Wildlife Trade, documents the threat the illegal wildlife trade poses to elephants, rhinos and people. About IFAW (The International Fund for Animal Welfare) Founded in 1969, IFAW rescues and protects animals around the world. With projects in more than 40 countries, IFAW rescues individual animals, works to prevent cruelty to animals, and advocates for the protection of wildlife and habitats. For more information, visit www.ifaw.org. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. SOURCE International Fund for Animal Welfare Related Links http://www.ifaw.org RYE BROOK, N.Y. and WASHINGTON, June 20, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and the American Society of Hematology (ASH) are teaming up to raise awareness and provide education about the need for new treatments for acute myeloid leukemia (AML), one of the most deadly blood cancers that has not seen a change in the standard of care for more than 40 years. AML is a complex group of approximately 20 different types of blood cancers with a very poor survival prognosis. AML impacts approximately 20,000 Americans annually, and causes more than 10,000 deaths in the U.S. each year. As the world's largest voluntary health organization dedicated to fighting blood cancers, LLS is leading the charge to change the paradigm of treatment for patients with AML. ASH, the premier medical society dedicated to hematologic malignancies and other diseases of the blood, will assist LLS in its efforts to make both patients and healthcare practitioners aware of the importance and availably of AML clinical trials, a critical step in the development of new treatments. "LLS exists to find cures and to ensure access to treatments for all blood cancer patients, and both LLS and ASH are dedicated to advancing the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of blood cancers, so our missions are truly aligned," said Louis J. DeGennaro, Ph.D., LLS's president and CEO. "In AML, we face one of the most critical unmet medical needs in cancer and by joining forces we aim to promote greater understanding of and participation in clinical trials to help bring more effective therapies to patients, faster." In 2013, LLS launched its Beat AML initiative, bringing together key stakeholders researchers from multiple institutions, patients, pharmaceutical companies and physicians - to go on the offensive against AML. The initiative is focused on analyzing the genomic causes of the disease really a constellation of many subtypes and then identifying agents with the potential to bring these diseases under control. Ultimately, the goal is to develop more precise, individualized and effective treatments for AML patients. LLS invests approximately 26% of its research budget in AML and currently supports 66 academic research projects and five biotechnology partnerships in AML through its strategic Therapy Acceleration Program. With its broad access to the medical community, ASH will collaborate with LLS to inform physicians and other healthcare providers about the services LLS offers AML patients and families, particularly through LLS's Information Resource Center, a toll-free call center staffed with master's level healthcare professionals armed with the latest information about blood cancers. Among the support services provided by LLS's information specialists is assistance finding appropriate clinical trials. ASH will disseminate information about LLS's services through its multiple communications channels and publications, both digital and print, and during its cancer conferences. "ASH has more than 16,000 members clinicians and scientists from all around the world, who are focused on conquering blood diseases," said ASH President Charles S. Abrams, MD, of the University of Pennsylvania. "AML continues to present one of our greatest challenges, and ASH welcomes this opportunity to work with LLS to encourage greater participation in clinical trials to advance more therapies and potential cures." About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the world's largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world, provides free information and support services, and is the voice for all blood cancer patients seeking access to quality, affordable, coordinated care. Founded in 1949 and headquartered in Rye Brook, NY, LLS has chapters throughout the United States and Canada. To learn more, visit LLS.org. Patients should contact the Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET. About the American Society of Hematology The American Society of Hematology (ASH) (www.hematology.org) is the world's largest professional society of hematologists dedicated to furthering the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disorders affecting the blood. For more than 50 years, the Society has led the development of hematology as a discipline by promoting research, patient care, education, training, and advocacy in hematology. The official journal of ASH is Blood (www.bloodjournal.org), the most cited peer-reviewed publication in the field, which is available weekly in print and online. Contact: Andrea Greif, LLS (914) 821-8958 [email protected] Stephen Fitzmaurice, ASH 202-552-4927 [email protected] SOURCE The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Related Links http://www.LLS.org NEW YORK, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Rising automobile sales, expansion of automobile fleet and favorable government policies to increase demand for tires in Denmark over next five years New Age TechSci Research Logo (PRNewsFoto/New Age TechSci Research) According to TechSci Research report, "Denmark Tire Market Forecast and Opportunities, 2021", tire market in Denmark is projected to cross 380 Million ($ 435 Mn) by 2021 on the back of the country's reviving automobile sector, increasing automobile sales, expanding automobile fleet and implementation of favorable government policies. Moreover, rapidly growing construction industry in Denmark is expected to fuel demand for M&HCV & OTR vehicles over next five years, which is expected to positively influence the country's tire market over the next five years. In addition, anticipated increasing in demand for passenger cars on account of rising per capita income is also expected to augment demand for passenger car tires during 2016 - 2021. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140117/663730 ) Browse 12 market data Tables and 26 Figures spread through 102 Pages and an in-depth TOC on "Denmark Tire Market" http://www.techsciresearch.com/report/denmark-tire-market-forecast-opportunities-2021/702.html During 2011-2015, automobile sales in Denmark grew at a CAGR of around 15%, with unit sales in the country increasing from 0.21 million units in 2011 to 0.24 million units in 2015, resulting in expansion of the country's automotive fleet (including passenger cars & commercial vehicles) from 2.68 million units in 2011 to 2.83 million units in 2015. Among several global tire companies such as Continental, Michelin, Bridgestone, Yokohama, etc., selling their tires in the country, Continental accounted for the largest volume share in Denmark tire market in 2015, followed by Michelin. Download Sample Report @ http://www.techsciresearch.com/sample-report.aspx?cid=702 Customers can also request for 10% free customization on this report. "Expanding vehicle fleet size in Denmark positively influenced demand for tires from replacement segment during 2011-2015. The passenger car tire segment is expected to be the fastest growing segment in the coming years and is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of more than 4% during the forecast period.", said Mr. Karan Chechi, Research Director with TechSci Research, a research based global management consulting firm. "Denmark Tire Market Forecast and Opportunities, 2021" has evaluated the future growth potential of Denmark tire market and provides statistics and information on market size, structure and future market growth. The report intends to provide cutting-edge market intelligence and help decision makers take sound investment evaluation. Besides, the report also identifies and analyzes the emerging trends along with essential drivers, challenges and opportunities in Denmark tire market. Browse Related Reports Poland Tyre Market Forecast and Opportunities, 2020 http://www.techsciresearch.com/report/poland-tyre-market-forecast-and-opportunities-2020/216.html Finland Tyre Market Forecast and Opportunities, 2020 http://www.techsciresearch.com/report/finland-tyre-market-forecast-and-opportunities-2020/138.html France Tyre Market Forecast and Opportunities, 2020 http://www.techsciresearch.com/report/france-tyre-market-forecast-and-opportunities-2020/206.html About TechSci Research: TechSci Research is a leading global market research firm publishing premium market research reports. Serving 700 global clients with more than 600 premium market research studies, TechSci Research is serving clients across 11 different industrial verticals. TechSci Research specializes in research based consulting assignments in high growth and emerging markets, leading technologies and niche applications. Our workforce of more than 100 fulltime Analysts and Consultants employing innovative research solutions and tracking global and country specific high growth markets helps TechSci clients to lead rather than follow market trends. Contact: Mr. Ken Mathews 708 Third Avenue, Manhattan, NY, New York - 10017 Tel: +1-646-360-1656 Email: [email protected] Connect with us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/TechSciResearch Connect with us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/techsci-research SOURCE TechSci Research LOS ANGELES, June 20, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Is Jesus relevant for today's world? Can faith in God go beyond time-worn platitudes and dull religion? Does the Bible actually have meaning and life-changing power for needy, hurting people here and now? Popular Canadian pastor and author Leon Fontaine says an emphatic "YES" to all of the above and is on a mission to encourage Christians that they can use their faith to genuinely touch individuals every day by simply being "Spirit Contemporary." Tuesday, June 21st, Fontaine will join hosts Matthew and Laurie Crouch on TBN's signature talk show Praise the Lord, to introduce his new book, The Spirit Contemporary Life, and to talk about how every Christ follower, from the youngest believer to the most seasoned saint, can impact their world by embracing a Spirit Contemporary lifestyle. Fontaine said that there is nothing complicated or difficult about being Spirit Contemporary. It simply means "living so in tune with Holy Spirit that you are guided and empowered to help others in natural, authentic, contemporary ways. It's not just about putting a new face on Christianity; it's about getting back to the basics of what Christianity was always meant to be and then presenting that reality to the world." Having grown up in a church where faith and miracles were a regular occurrence, as a young man Fontaine was confronted with the need to take that faith outside the church walls when he served as a paramedic. "My experiences in emergency rescue raised questions that seemed to have no answers," he writes in The Spirit Contemporary Life. "I was confident in Holy Spirit's miraculous power yet now I was faced with a hurting world, with people in desperate need, with blood, and tears, and pain, and death. And the church seemed so . . . irrelevant." That desperation to reach people with a meaningful representation of God's love ultimately led Fontaine to a dynamic model of ministry and outreach he calls Spirit Contemporary, which he emphasizes is all about "learning to be led by God's Spirit in everyday life situations. It's an ability to live passionately for Jesus, communicating and demonstrating our faith with a relevance that attracts others to follow Him." Fontaine's new book has gotten solid endorsements from leaders throughout the Christian community. "I believe The Spirit Contemporary Life has the potential to become the next 'Azusa Street,' moving us forward in the winning of our world to Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit," said Dr. Elmer Towns, co-founder of Liberty University. "The Spirit Contemporary Life reminds us all of our need for the Holy Spirit in our lives on a daily basis," said Dr. James Merritt, President Emeritus of the Southern Baptist Convention. And Glenn Burris, President of the Foursquare Church, said that The Spirit Contemporary Life challenges readers "to become agents of God's miraculous intervention as He leads us in tune with our current culture without sacrificing our spiritual moorings." TBN Chairman Matthew Crouch said that the message of The Spirit Contemporary Life is poised to shape the way an entire generation of Christians reaches the world with the love of Jesus. "This timely book shines a light on a truly important concept," he said: "the gifts of the Spirit can and should be better adapted to our modern-day culture and powerfully utilized by each and every one of us in our daily lives to minister to those around us. If we dare to adopt this mind-set, we will be more effective, attractive, and culturally relevant." Join Matthew and Laurie Crouch as they welcome pastor and author Leon Fontaine for a special edition of TBN's Praise the Lord program Tuesday, June 21st, at 7 p.m. Pacific (9 p.m. Central, 10 p.m. Eastern). And immediately following the program stay tuned for the exciting debut of a six-part teaching and life series with Pastor Leon Fontaine, entitled Discovering Spirit Contemporary, airing Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. Pacific and Fridays at 1:30 p.m. Pacific, only on TBN. Click Here to watch TBN live online. About the Trinity Broadcasting Network With more than thirty global networks, the Trinity Broadcasting Family of Networks is the world's largest faith-and-family television group, airing a broad range of church and ministry programming, Christian music, family-friendly movies, children's programming, and shows for teens and young adults 24 hours a day to every inhabited continent via 82 satellite channels and thousands of television and cable affiliates. In addition, TBN's most popular networks are available on computers, smart phones, and other mobile devices, and over 40,000 entertaining and inspirational On-Demand programs are accessible via TBN's innovative online network, iTBN.org. To find out more about the Trinity Broadcasting Family of Networks, log on to www.tbn.org. Media Contact Colby May E-Mail: [email protected] Tel: 972-313-9500 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160531/373466LOGO SOURCE Trinity Broadcasting Network Related Links http://www.tbn.org NEW YORK, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- UBM Fashion Group, the pre-eminent trade event partner to the US fashion industry and organizer of key trade events such as MAGIC, Coterie, Project and Stitch today announced the launch of [email protected], a juried collection of world-class factories. Coterie is the premier global marketplace that bridges women's apparel and accessories designers to the international 'Who's Who' of retailers. Its new addition, [email protected], will feature a VIP selection of factories with a maximum of 100 booths and will include apparel, accessory and footwear factories, along with fabric mills. Launching September 18-20, 2016, [email protected] will run annually and take place during Coterie New York inside the Javits Center in New York City. "We are thrilled to be launching a Sourcing event in New York during Coterie. Our brands there have been asking for this, and now they will be able to walk over and meet with some of the best factories in the world, all under one roof at Javits," said Christopher Griffin, President, [email protected] SOURCING executives from the eastern U.S. and Midwest look to New York based shows as a research tool for finding interesting international and U.S. resources specializing in lower minimums and higher quality production. [email protected] will consist of a selection of world-class factories, from countries such as the USA, Japan, Europe and South America, that will appeal to Coterie brands. Participating factories must go through an application process in which they are evaluated based on certifications, current customers, and industry awards. Current show partners include: Made in NY, Designers Guild Expo and Sourcing Journal Summit. "Manufacture New York is excited to represent the cutting edge of Made In NYC design and manufacturing bridging women's apparel and accessories at [email protected] this September," said Bob Bland, CEO and Founder of Manufacture NY. "We are very excited to be a part of [email protected]," added Susan Power, Founder and Director of DG Expo Fabric & Trim Show. "It is a natural collaboration for us at DG Expo many of our Fabric Suppliers already work with Coterie brands. As publisher of the Sourcer's Guide and Designer's Guide, I've had a long, valued, relationship with [email protected] MAGIC. [email protected] in New York will be an amazing new and unique opportunity for Buyers & Exhibitors!" In support of the new show, industry publication Sourcing Journal moved their annual summit up from October to September, with [email protected] providing shuttle service between the shows.. "We understand that executives are time-starved, so now those from out of town can make the best of one trip to New York City," Sourcing Journal Founder and Publisher, Edward Hertzman said. "Not only will they gain insight from the industry's top thought leaders at our Sourcing Summit, they'll then have the option to meet and discover new factory and mill partners at [email protected] the same week. The trade needs to think more about the needs of the industry, and providing value by collaborating is one way to do that." For additional information or to apply, please visit http://www.enkshows.com/sourcing-coterie. About [email protected] Taking place every September at Coterie New York, [email protected] will host a juried selection of world-class factories and fabric providers. This exclusive sourcing event will connect the most influential luxury and designer brands to a curated selection of manufacturers specializing in lower minimums and high-quality production. The September show runs from September 18-20, 2016 at the Javits Center in New York City. For more information, please visit http://www.enkshows.com/sourcing-coterie. About Coterie Coterie is the premier global marketplace that bridges apparel and accessory designers to the international 'Who's Who' of Retailers. Coterie builds exclusive shopping experiences from the ground up so that designers and buyers can create a synergy that fuels their businesses. Coterie is a platform for generating revenue and inspiring trends. For more information, please visit: http://www.enkshows.com/coterie. About UBM Americas UBM Americas, a part of UBM plc, delivers events and marketing services in the fashion, technology, licensing, advanced manufacturing, automotive and powersports, healthcare, veterinary and pharmaceutical industries, among others. Through a range of aligned interactive environments, both physical and digital, UBM Americas increases business effectiveness for customers and audiences through meaningful experiences, knowledge and connections. The division also includes UBM Brazil's market leading events in construction, cargo transportation, logistics & international trade, and agricultural production; and UBM Mexico's, construction, advanced manufacturing and hospitality services shows. For more information, visit: www.ubmamericas.com. Media Contact: Kathleen Flaherty K21 Communications. [email protected] 310/203-8444 SOURCE UBM Related Links http://www.ubmamericas.com LOS ANGELES, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Tesla's third album, Psychotic Supper, the band's third studio album, released on August 30, 1991, was the follow-up to the live Five Man Acoustical Jam, peaking at #13 on the Billboard 200, featuring an aggressive change in direction from the previous disc, landing an impressive five songs on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, including "What You Give," which went to #7 and even cracked the Billboard Hot 100 at #86. Other memorable songs include "Edison's Medicine," which spotlights how its subject received credit for harnessing electricity over the band's own namesake, Nikola Tesla, which climbed to #20 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks, along with "Call It What You Want" (#19), "Song & Emotion" (#13) and "Stir It Up" (#35). Produced by Michael Barbiero (Metallica, Guns N' Roses, Anthrax) who also helmed the band's first two studio efforts -- the album was eventually certified platinum in 1993 by the RIAA, and was included in German magazine Rock Hard's book of "The 500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time." The band themselves have been quoted as considering Psychotic Supper their best record. UMe MARKS 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF TESLA'S 1991 PSYCHOTIC SUPPER ALBUM WITH TWO-LP VINYL RELEASE, ON JULY 22: Classic Geffen release includes five Mainstream Rock hits in "Edison's Medicine," "Call It What You Want," "What You Give," "Song & Emotion" and "Stir It Up" To help mark the album's 25th anniversary in August, UMe is reissuing the album for the first time as a two-LP standard issue vinyl set on July 22. Tesla was formed in Sacramento in late 1981 by bassist Brian Wheat and Frank Hannon, with lead vocalist Jeff Keith, drummer Troy Luccketta and guitarist Tommy Skeoch joining them by 1984, settling on the name Tesla two years later. Their debut album, Mechanical Resonance, came out in 1986, with many of the band's themes and song titles inspired by the electrical engineer who gave them their name. In the early days of their career, the band toured extensively, opening for David Lee Roth, Alice Cooper, Def Leppard and Poison. And while their first two albums, Mechanical Resonance and 1989's The Great Radio Controversy, both charted on the Billboard 200, 1990's live Five Man Acoustical Jam, proved a breakthrough, peaking at #12, producing the Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 single "Signs," a cover of the 1971 song by the Five Man Electrical Band. On Psychotic Supper, the band largely eschewed the live album's acoustic bent and let loose with a stripped-down production that enhanced the band's bluesy take on rock and roll. "Edison's Medicine" is highlighted by Jeff Keith's frenetic, yet soulful vocals and some scorching guitar solos by Tommy Skeoch and Frank Hannon. Skeoch also rocks out on theremin, while Hannon straps on a bass for a memorable solo. 25 years after its release, Psychotic Supper still holds up for its impressive musicianship by the band and its mix of hard rock and anthemic ballads. The complete album track list is as follows: SIDE 1 1. Change in the Weather 2. Edison's Medicine 3. Don't De-Rock Me SIDE 2 1. Call It What You Want 2. Song & Emotion 3. Time 4. Government Personnel SIDE 3 1. Freedom Slaves 2. Had Enough 3. What You Give SIDE 4 1. Stir It Up 2. Can't Stop 3. Toke About It Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160617/380895 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150324/184009LOGO SOURCE Universal Music Enterprises Related Links http://www.universalmusicenterprises.com PALO ALTO, Calif., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- UpWest Labs, the leading Silicon Valley early stage fund investing in Israeli entrepreneurs, announced today, the unveiling and funding of their portfolio startup, Airobotics, the world's first fully automated drone platform. Airobotics secured $28.5 million in combined A and B rounds from leading US investors including BlueRun Ventures, CRV, UpWest Lab as well as private individuals such as Noam Bardin, the CEO of Waze, and Richard Wooldridge, Google ATAP's COO. UpWest was the first institutional investor to identify and invest in Airobotics. The automated drone company joined the fund's strong portfolio companies that are focused on transforming today's enterprises through cutting-edge technology. As a completely automated industrial aerial system, Airobotics provides companies with the technology to run missions to monitor, inspect, survey and secure large industrial facilities and other strategic sites. Led by Co-Founders Ran Krauss (CEO), and Meir Kliner (VP R&D), the entire Airobotics' team of 70 people, has extensive technological background as well as practical drone expertise. "We believe that Israel has some of the most intelligent, experienced and creative minds across a variety of technologies. Specifically, there is a large knowledge base in UAV technologies and we identified Airobotics as a leader with unique experience and expertise in the area. We are proud to bridge this knowledge between Israel and the global economy," explains Gil Ben-Artzy, Founding Partner at UpWest Labs. "UpWest has been a strong believer in our vision from the first time we met. Their partnership and hands-on support have enabled us to better understand the market needs, engage with large enterprise clients and attract world-class investors that have impacted and accelerated our growth," shared Ran Krauss, Founder and CEO of Airobotics. About UpWest Labs UpWest Labs is a Silicon Valley early-stage fund investing in Israeli entrepreneurs aspiring to build large US-based companies. The fund, founded in 2012, has a growing portfolio of more than 60 startups in a wide variety of domains and company maturities. They seek out companies innovating in industries such as: IoT, Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Security, Enterprise solutions, Networked Markets, AR/VR, and more. UpWest provides their portfolio the essential ingredients for rapid success: access to capital, proximity to their target markets, and a supportive community of advisors and talented peers. To learn more, please visit www.upwestlabs.com and follow us on Twitter @upwestlabs About Airobotics Airobotics provides an end-to-end, fully automatic solution for collecting aerial data and gaining invaluable insights. The industrial grade platform is available on-site and on-demand, providing industrial facilities with premium aerial data collection, processing and analysis in a faster, safer, more efficient way. The team at Airobotics fuses expertise in aerospace hardware design, robust electronic systems, leading software engineering, and years of experience in commercial drone operations. This varied experience has allowed them to design a solution suited to address the needs of the world's most complex industrial environments. To learn more, visit: www.airobotics.co.il and follow us on twitter @airoboticsUAV or on LinkedIn SOURCE UpWest Labs Related Links http://www.airobotics.co.il AUSTIN, Texas, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/-- General John R. Allen (USMC Ret.), former commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), deputy commander of US CENTCOM and most recently Special Envoy to the President, today joined SparkCognition's Board of Directors. A long-time leader in defense cyber security, General Allen brings his extensive knowledge and experience to one of the world's leading cognitive security and analytics firms. SparkCognition makes products that identify, analyze, learn, anticipate and adjust to impending and real time cyber security threats. General John Allen, retired USMC, joins board of directors of SparkCognition. Pictured with CEO Amir Husain By adding General Allen to its Board of Directors, SparkCognition secures the insights, experience, and leadership of one of the United States' most accomplished military commanders. Currently a Senior Fellow and the Co-Director of Brooking's Center for 21st Century Security and Intelligence, General Allen's appointment reinforces recent achievements and recognition SparkCognition has earned as a formative leader of the emerging Cognitive Security Industry. "General Allen brings gravitas, experience and tremendous leadership acumen to SparkCognition," said Amir Husain, Founder and CEO of SparkCognition. "As President Obama eloquently noted, General Allen is one of our nation's most respected and experienced military experts. He has served our country with distinction for almost forty years and understands how critical AI and related advanced technologies are for securing our nation's cyber and physical assets. General Allen is not only one of our most brilliant wartime military commanders, he is also a statesman and scholar with immense policy experience. This makes him one of a handful of global leaders with a profound understanding of the growing cyber-physical challenges the world faces. He brings a unique commitment to enabling us to find solutions we need to address those challenges in the national interest. We could not be more honored to have him on our Board and look forward to working closely with General Allen to build and deploy an Artificial Intelligence capability second to none." General Allen, a retired United States Marine Corps four-star General and past Deputy Commander of U.S. Central Command, previously served as Commander of the International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces Afghanistan (USFOR-A). President Barack Obama appointed General Allen as Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL, where he led the complex assignment of building, from conception, a robust international coalition that would undertake a wide range of political, diplomatic, military, economic, and other efforts to degrade and ultimately defeat ISIL. "Joining SparkCognition's Board of Directors," said General Allen, "opens the next chapter in my life-long commitment to ensuring our country's security and defense. I look forward to working with SparkCognition's founder and CEO, Amir Husain, and my fellow Board Members. Amir is an inspirational leader who is a true innovator and recognized technologist. His contributions have already made important advances in AI technology in an astoundingly short period of time." "SparkCognition's impressive team is driving innovation in a field that is vital to our national security," General Allen continued. "Today, our country faces a great many challenges, but perhaps none as significant as the rapidly evolving cyber threats that compromise our nation's critical infrastructure. SparkCognition is deploying next generation cognitive technology that is necessary to address these realities, and I consider their work a national asset." "General Allen is one of the finest military leaders and strategists of our generation," said Manoj Saxena, Chair of SparkCognition's Board of Directors. "He has served our country with distinction and is a thought leader on defense and security issues through his work at the Brookings Institute. We are honored to welcome him to our Board and I look forward to working alongside a national hero." About SparkCognition SparkCognition develops cutting-edge machine learning that models physical and virtual assets, continuously learns from data, and derives intelligent insights to secure and protect infrastructure round the clock. The company's technology is capable of harnessing real time sensor data and learning from it continuously, allowing for more accurate risk mitigation and prevention policies to intervene and avert disasters. The company's cybersecurity centered solution analyzes structured and unstructured data and natural language sources to identify potential attacks in the IT and IoT environments. The uniqueness of the cognitive platform is underscored by the fact that it can continuously learn from data and derive automated insights to thwart emerging issues, without the need to build manual models. SparkCognition, Inc., the world's first Cognitive Security Analytics company, is based in Austin, Texas. The company is successfully building and deploying a Cognitive, data-driven Analytics platform for Clouds, Devices and the Internet of Things (IoT) industrial and security markets by applying patent-pending algorithms that deliver out of-band, symptom-sensitive analytics, insights, and security. SparkCognition was named the 2015 Hottest Start Up in Austin by SXSW and the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce. The Company was the only US-based company to win Nokia's 2015 Open Innovation Challenge. In 2015 as a Gartner Cool Vendor, SparkCognition garnered the Frost and Sullivan's Technology Convergence Award. Recently, the Edison Award recognized the company's achievements. About Amir Husain SparkCognition's Founder and CEO, Amir Husain, is a highly awarded serial entrepreneur and prolific inventor with nearly forty patents and applications to his name. Amir has been named the top technology entrepreneur in Austin by the Austin Business Journal, is the 2016 Austin Under 40 Award Winner for Technology and Science, has been named a Top 100 Global AI Influencer by Onalytica, and serves as an advisor to the IBM Watson Group and the University of Texas Computer Science Department. For more information on the company, its technology and team, please visit http://www.sparkcognition.com. About General John Allen During his nearly 38-year military career, Gen. Allen served in a variety of command and staff positions in the Marine Corps and the Joint Force. As a general officer, General Allen served as the principal director of Asia-Pacific policy in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. General Allen's contingency and combat operations assignments included Operation Sea Signal in the Caribbean in 1994, Operation Joint Endeavor in the Balkans from 1995 to 1996, Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq from 2007 to 2008, and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan from 2011 to 2013. Beyond his operational credentials, General Allen has also led a number of professional military educational programs including service as the director of the Marine Infantry Officer Program; commanding officer of the Marine Corps Basic School; and commandant of midshipmen in the United States Naval Academy. He has served as the Marine Corps fellow to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a commandant of the Marine Corps fellow, and was the first Marine officer to serve as a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He remains a permanent and active member of the Council. General Allen holds a Bachelor of Science in operations analysis from the U.S. Naval Academy, a master's degree in national security studies from Georgetown University, a Master of Science in strategic intelligence from the Defense Intelligence College, and a Master of Science in national security strategy from the National Defense University. General Allen is the recipient of numerous US military awards. For his leadership of their forces in combat and crisis, he has also been decorated by NATO and multiple countries including Afghanistan, Australia, France, Italy, Poland and Mongolia. He was the co-recipient of the 2015 Eisenhower Award of the Business Executives for National Security (BENS). Contact: Laura Beck, for SparkCognition 512-786-1098 [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/381606 SOURCE SparkCognition Related Links http://www.sparkcognition.com PALO ALTO, Calif., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR) announced it is hosting an investor day at its headquarters in Palo Alto, Calif., today, Tuesday, June 21. The company's corporate and business management will discuss global growth strategies in its Oncology Systems, Imaging Components and Particle Therapy businesses. Presentations will focus on emerging technologies, product portfolios, and market trends that will support the expansion of Varian's businesses. The meeting will take place in auditorium of the company's Palo Alto Campus Center from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. PT and lunch will be served. It will also include a tour of the company's primary manufacturing facility for Oncology Systems. The meeting will also be webcast for those who cannot attend in person, and details will be posted on Varian's Investor Relations website at https://event.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1108144 About Varian Medical Systems Varian Medical Systems, Inc., of Palo Alto, California, focuses energy on saving lives by equipping the world with advanced technology for fighting cancer and for X-ray imaging. The company is the world's leading manufacturer of medical devices and software for treating cancer and other medical conditions with radiation. The company provides comprehensive solutions for radiotherapy, radiosurgery, proton therapy and brachytherapy together with software for managing comprehensive cancer clinics, radiotherapy centers and medical oncology practices. Varian is also a premier supplier of X-ray imaging components, including tubes, digital detectors, cables and connectors as well as image processing software and workstations for medical and industrial applications such as inspection and cargo screening. Varian Medical Systems employs approximately 7,400 people who are located at manufacturing sites in North America, Europe, and China and sales and support offices around the world. For more information, visit http://www.varian.com or follow us on Twitter. Contact Katie Glenn Varian Medical Systems +1 (650) 305-8741 [email protected] SOURCE Varian Medical Systems, Inc. Related Links http://www.varian.com RALEIGH, N.C., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- WebAssign, a leading provider of digital instructional solutions for faculty and students, today announced it remains the market leading technology solution for calculus. WebAssign has maintained a 60% market share in the education technology space among calculus students and instructors for the last three years. Amid growing competitive interest in the digital learning industry, WebAssign continues to experience strong overall growth. The edtech company reports an 11% increase in net revenue over the past year and a 13% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for the last five years of student registrations. "More than ever, educators are looking for edtech solutions that support student success while minimizing the growing cost of course materials," said Alex Bloom, WebAssign president and CEO. "We are proud that WebAssign is the digital instructional system of choice for much of the academic community." In addition, WebAssign increased the number of its content partnerships by 27% over the past year, adding a wide range of academic content providers. WebAssign works not only with large publishers, but is unique in developing alliances with universities, small publishers, open educational resource (OER) providers, and individual authors and instructors to offer its customers a robust and varied content selection supported with WebAssign's powerful technology. About WebAssign WebAssign is a flexible and fully customizable online instructional system that puts powerful tools in the hands of teachers, enabling them to deploy assignments, instantly assess individual student performance, and realize their teaching goals. More than eight million students have used WebAssign to submit over 1.7 billion answers to homework assignments, tests, and assessments. Headquartered in Raleigh, NC, WebAssign is an independent, employee-owned benefit company dedicated to education technology. For more information, visit www.webassign.com. Media Contact Annie McQuaid Senior Marketing Communications Manager WebAssign [email protected] 919.829.8181 x124 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130906/CL75373LOGO SOURCE WebAssign Related Links http://www.webassign.net TAMPA, Fla., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- In the wake of the Orlando tragedy, WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG), through the WellCare Community Foundation, donated $25,000 to the OneOrlando Fund to support the needs of the victims and their families, and the healing of the broader community. WellCare Community Foundation Logo (PRNewsFoto/WellCare Health Plans, Inc.) "The WellCare family stands with Orlando and the LGBTQ community in this time of mourning and healing," said Ken Burdick, WellCare's chief executive officer. "We are committed to supporting organizations like the OneOrlando Fund in their efforts to improve the quality of life for all people, regardless of sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, religion, color or ethnicity." The OneOrlando Fund, established by Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, will support victims and their families; the LGBTQ, Hispanic and faith communities; underlying causes of the tragedy; and other needs that cannot yet be anticipated. The distribution of funds will be overseen by a newly created board of community leaders. "Our city has just begun to recover from the impact of the Pulse tragedy. The support of major corporations, like WellCare, sends a signal to our city that we are not in this alone," said Mayor Dyer. "The money we are raising will provide a way to help us respond to the needs of our community. Words cannot begin to express how grateful we are for the outpouring of support from across the globe." To date, the OneOrlando Fund has raised more than $7.5 million, much of which will go directly to families and survivors. They are in need of quick assistance for groceries, rent and medical expenses, Dyer said. For more information about the OneOrlando Fund or to donate, go to oneorlando.org. About WellCare Health Plans, Inc. Headquartered in Tampa, Fla., WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG) focuses exclusively on providing government-sponsored managed care services, primarily through Medicaid, Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans, to families, children, seniors and individuals with complex medical needs. The company serves approximately 3.7 million members nationwide as of March 31, 2016. For more information about WellCare, please visit the company's website at www.wellcare.com or view the company's videos at https://www.youtube.com/user/WellCareHealthPlan. About the WellCare Community Foundation The WellCare Community Foundation was established in 2010 and is a nonprofit, private foundation. Its mission is to foster and promote the health, well-being and quality of life for the poor, distressed and other medically under-served populations including those who are elderly, young and indigent and the communities in which they live. The WellCare Community Foundation carries out this mission by supporting work that helps people live healthy, safe and productive lives, and by assisting groups with serious and neglected health needs. Underscoring this mission is the WellCare Community Foundation's goal to serve as a national resource that fosters an environment where there is a continuum of education, access and quality health care, all of which improve the overall health, well-being and quality of life of targeted beneficiaries. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150701/227667LOGO Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151120/289928LOGO SOURCE WellCare Health Plans, Inc. Related Links http://www.wellcare.com BENTON HARBOR, Mich., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- This month, Whirlpool Corporation was named No. 204 on Newsweek's 2016 Green Rankings list, one of the most reputed corporate rankings assessing environmental efforts of the 500 largest publicly-traded companies in the United States based on corporate sustainability and environmental impact. "This latest recognition speaks to Whirlpool Corporation's leadership in corporate sustainability -- responsibility has always been a core commitment embedded throughout our operations from sustainable manufacturing and supply chain to high performing, lower impact consumer products," said Ron Voglewede, Global Sustainability Director, Whirlpool Corporation. "We are proud to pioneer high performing, lower impact technologies and help our consumers reduce their own environmental footprint." Whirlpool Corporation's commitment to corporate sustainability begins with manufacturing and supply chain. Recently, the company reaffirmed its zero waste to landfill goal in every manufacturing facility across the globe by 2022. Additionally, in the last year, Whirlpool Corporation has announced three major on-site wind farm projects totaling $31.5 million that will help power various manufacturing plants across Ohio. On the consumer appliance side, Whirlpool Corporation has received 38 ENERGY STAR Awards since 1998 -- more than any other appliance manufacturer in the U.S. and Canada. Washers built today use 74 percent less energy and 43 percent less water than those built in 1992, while their capacity has increased by 42 percent.1 Additionally, Whirlpool brand's HybridCare dryer merges both heat pump and ventless technologies to solve key challenges when it comes to dryers energy usage, gentle care for specialty clothing, installation and placement flexibility and eliminating outdoor venting. With the Eco Dry setting, the dryer uses up to 73 percent less energy.2 "In the current global business and political climate, no company can continue to ignore its environmental footprint and there's good news: Newsweek's 2016 Green Rankings show that the world's biggest companies are improving when it comes to energy productivity and in limiting greenhouse gas emissions," said Elijah Wolfson, Senior Editor for Newsweek. "Our hope is that the rankings will propel leaders to start looking at their environmental impact not just in terms of carbon use, but comprehensively, and make the changes necessary to sustain both business growth and environmental viability." About Whirlpool Corporation Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) is the number one major appliance manufacturer in the world, with approximately $21 billion in annual sales, 97,000 employees and 70 manufacturing and technology research centers in 2015. The company markets Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, Consul, Brastemp, Amana, Bauknecht, Jenn-Air, Indesit and other major brand names in nearly every country throughout the world. Additional information about the company can be found at WhirlpoolCorp.com, or find us on Twitter at @WhirlpoolCorp. About Newsweek Newsweek is a premier news magazine and website, bringing high-quality journalism to readers around the globe for over 80 years. Newsweek provides the latest news, in-depth analysis and ideas about international issues, technology, business, culture and politics. In addition to its online and mobile presence, Newsweek publishes weekly English print editions in the United States, Europe/Middle East/Africa and Asia as well as editions in Japanese, Korean, Polish, Serbian, Spanish and Czech. Newsweek is owned by IBT Media. For more information, visit: newsweek.com or corp.ibt.com. Based on measured efficiency from DOE test procedures 2 Compared to pre-2004 traditional dryers, when paired with a matching washer, normal cycle, electric only Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20040202/DETU004LOGO SOURCE Whirlpool Corporation Related Links http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com BENTON HARBOR, Mich., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumer-focused innovation that helps builders connect with homeowners' needs and sell more homes is the focus of the Whirlpool Corporation booth at the PCBC conference June 22-23 in San Francisco. Colette Matthews, PhD, the Director of Global Innovation for Whirlpool Corp., will lead a group of expert speakers at the booth each day. Matthews, who is responsible for identifying customer-centric disruptive innovation opportunities at the world's leading manufacturer of major home appliances, will speak about "Consumer-Focused Innovation" at 2:30 p.m. June 22 and 23 at the Whirlpool Booth (#1123). "Innovation is a core competency at Whirlpool Corporation," Matthews said. "We are constantly evolving our products around what consumers will want and need next. It's part of the fabric of how we function and allows us to provide enduring value for our builder partners." Matthews, who previously served as the Global Marketing Director of Connectivity and the SMART Home at Whirlpool Corporation, has more than a decade of experience in the consumer products and durable goods industries. Joining her at the Whirlpool Corporation booth will be Daniel Chow, an industrial designer in the Global Consumer Design Center who will discuss the innovation and design process for the groundbreaking Whirlpool Smart French Door Bottom Mount Refrigerator. "Our innovation and design leaders embrace the entrepreneurial mentality of a start-up, collecting insights throughout the globe, collaborating on a consistent basis and focusing on purposeful innovation that resonates with people every day," said Bob Bergeth, general manager of Contract Builder Sales at Whirlpool Corporation. "In our booth, our builder partners can learn more about appliances that solve problems for consumers with exceptional design and purposeful technology." Featured products include: The Whirlpool Smart French Door Bottom Mount Refrigerator, which won top honors with two 2016 Consumer Electronics Show Innovation Awards in the Smart Home and Home Appliances categories. It features 32 cubic feet of total storage space and is the industry's easiest refrigerator to organize with its revolutionary, pantry-inspired layout and unique shelving system, helping users find and fit it all. Featuring special storage spots, this refrigerator cuts down on clutter and can efficiently store 30% more. The Whirlpool Smart Top Load Washer, which allows consumers to remotely start cycles and options and download specialty cycles with a mobile laundry app. If connected with the Nest Learning Thermostat, consumers can take advantage of the Rush Hour Rewards program to avoid running the washer during peak energy usage hours. In addition, the app can connect with the Amazon Dash Replenishment Service to let users know when they're running low on detergent and help them order more. The KitchenAid Window Dishwasher, which features a tinted exterior window and lighted interior that illuminates dishes upon completion of the washing cycle. It is ENERGY STAR qualified and includes sound-dampening components that contribute to a quiet home environment. The KitchenAid Counter-Depth French Door Bottom Mount Refrigerator, which has the largest capacity, most tall item storage with the slide-away shelf, and most shelf space among leading premium 3-door counter-depth French door bottom mount brands. The latest Jenn-Air 30" Connected Wall Ovens feature wireless connectivity and a fully functioning application for IOS and Android devices. The app gives users control of the oven's functions and performance from their smartphones and tablets, including cooking innovations unique to Jenn-Air. Further enhancing this connectivity is the Jenn-Air brand's integration with Nest that will come as an update in the Jenn-Air Wi-Fi app at the end of the month. The update will allow the Jenn-Air connected wall oven to work with Nest to provide benefits focused on peace of mind and comfort. In addition, Whirlpool Corporation recently partnered with Innit, a leading food tech innovator, to bring a new layer of food intelligence to help people eat and live better. Jenn-Air brand WiFi connected ovens will be the first to offer the Innit platform to enable advanced automated cooking and dynamic digital recipes to help people cook more at home. The Whirlpool Corporation booth will feature a Kitchen of the Future Virtual Reality (VR) station, another example of how the company is helping housing industry customers sell product and homes for years to come. Whirlpool Corporation also will be the exclusive sponsor of the PCBC Hub for Social (booth #2119). For more information on all Whirlpool Corporation products, please visit InsideAdvantage.com. ABOUT WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) is the number one major appliance manufacturer in the world, with approximately $21 billion in annual sales, 97,000 employees and 70 manufacturing and technology research centers in 2015. The company markets Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, Consul, Brastemp, Amana, Bauknecht, Jenn-Air, Indesit and other major brand names in nearly every country throughout the world. Additional information about the company can be found at WhirlpoolCorp.com, or find us on Twitter at @WhirlpoolCorp. Among leading french door mount refrigerator brands Rush Hour Rewards not available in all locations Contact: Bob Musinski, 312-661-1050, [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160118/323191LOGO SOURCE Whirlpool Corporation Related Links http://WhirlpoolCorp.com FAIRFIELD, Conn., June 20, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, on World Refugee Day, Carolyn Miles, Save the Children's President and CEO, released the following statement: "A record 65 million people around the world have had to forcibly leave their homes, and the need to help refugees has never been greater. Too often, refugees are thought of in the abstract. Today, on World Refugee Day, it is critical to remember that refugees are people like you and me, and deserve the same rights, protections and respect. "We are heartbroken and horrified by reports that as many as 11 people, including three children, who risked everything to escape war in Syria, were shot and killed this weekend as they tried to cross the border into Turkey to find safety. We need to do everything we can to help and protect people who are fleeing war and persecution. Rather than close our borders and turn our backs, we need to welcome them and offer supportjust as we would want done for us. "More than half of the world's refugees are under the age of 18. They have had their childhoods interrupted, and half of all refugee children are out of school. Save the Children calls on the international community to ensure that every refugee child has access to education and is learning. No refugee child should be without education for more than one month after being displaced. "Education sets children up for success, provides hope and opportunities for the future, as well as a sense of stability and normalcy for those who are overcoming traumatic events. It also prepares children with the skills needed to rebuild and help develop their home countries if and when they return. "We need negotiated political solutions to the multiple conflicts forcing families to flee their homes, from Syria to South Sudan. But for the child who is 10 years old, the dream is simply safety for her family and to attend school. World leaders, aid organizations and private corporations who care about our future can and must do more to make that dream a reality." Save the Children experts are available for additional comment. Save the Children gives children in the United States and around the world a healthy start, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We invest in childhood every day, in times of crisis and for our future. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Media Contact: Erin Taylor, [email protected], 267.250.8829 SOURCE Save the Children Related Links http://www.savethechildren.org NEW YORK, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Carrefour, the second largest retail chain in the world, has selected YuniquePLM to manage its large amounts of data and to unify its design and product development process. Carrefour operates more than 12,500 retail operations in over 35 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Middle East. The French multi-national retailer offers a wide range of products, from apparel goods to kitchen appliances and fresh produce. With such a large network of retail partners and suppliers, Carrefour sought a platform to provide a single version of the truth for their private label brand Tex by understanding where products are from concept to consumer in the supply chain. Organizing product information in a common platform was one of the first steps in streamlining and optimizing the economies of scale enjoyed by the retail giant's impressive supply chain. Carrefour looked to YuniquePLM for its strong integration with design tools and its ability to deeply integrate with their assortment tools. Bill Brewster, vice president and general manager of Enterprise SW Solutions, said, "With YuniquePLM's Design Suite, Carrefour's technical designers will be able to create, access and modify styles, color palettes, images and, more directly in their design program of choice, including Adobe Illustrator. Updates can be seen immediately within YuniquePLM. This integration reduces cycle time and fosters the adoption of the full development chain, while streamlining the entire process of delivering new products to market." A representative from Carrefour said, "With YuniquePLM, we look forward to increase creativity, quality and productivity. We will communicate product specifications, technical drawings, tech packs and issue sample requests. YuniquePLM will serve as the fulcrum for Tex's global supply chain. We have selected Gerber Technology for their in-depth knowledge of the French business landscape, combined with their expertise in integrating the tools used by our creative teams." About Carrefour: Carrefour was founded in France in 1959. The first Carrefour hypermarket opened in 1963 in Sainte-Genevieve-des-bois. In 1999, Carrefour merged with Promodes and became the leader of the retail business in Europe, and the second largest company worldwide. Over the past 40 years, the Carrefour group has grown to become one of the world's leading distribution groups. The world's second-largest retailer and the largest in Europe, the group currently operates four main grocery store formats: hypermarkets, supermarkets, hard discount and convenience stores. The Carrefour group currently has over 12,500 stores, either company-operated or franchises. Visit www.carrefour.com/content/history for more information. About Gerber Technology: Gerber Technology delivers industry-leading software and automation solutions that help apparel and industrial customers improve their manufacturing and design processes and more effectively manage and connect the supply chain, from product development and production to retail and the end customer. Gerber serves more than 78,000 customers in 130 countries, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies in apparel & accessories, home and leisure, transportation, packaging and sign & graphics. The company develops and manufactures its products from various locations in the United States and Canada and has additional manufacturing capabilities in China. Based in Connecticut in the USA, Gerber Technology is owned by Vector Capital, a San Francisco-based, global private equity firm specializing in the technology sector and managing more than $2 billion of equity capital. Visit www.gerbertechnology.com for more information. Contact: Jamie Bibb Tel: +1 419 244 7766 [email protected] SOURCE Gerber Technology Related Links http://www.gerbertechnology.com 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 Mumbai, June 15 : India Inc. and various stakeholders on Wednesday welcomed the Indian government's new civil aviation policy which will permit carriers fly abroad, promote affordable regional connectivity and boost cargo operations. Terming it as 'outstanding', FICCI's Civil Aviation Committee co-chairman Palash Roy Chowdhury said it's a progressive policy-framework towards ensuring a safe and sustainable development of the aviation sector in India. "The comprehensive, well-thought-out policy will pave the way for a balanced aviation growth in the country. It will help in stimulating growth and competitiveness of Indian aviation sector when implemented effectively, make flying more affordable for domestic flyers and India more accessible to international travellers", added Roy Chowdhury. Asocham Secretary General D.S. Rawat termed the policy as "a turning point" which would help attract more investments which had become quite viable after a sharp correction in fuel prices. "While capping of airfares will propel the regional connectivity and provide an affordable alternative to first class rail travel, the economics of the concept should be properly worked out to ensure that the operators are not made to suffer losses on the short-haul routes," Rawat urged. Noting that the policy covers 22 aspects of aviation, KPMP India's Partner and Head of Aerospace and Defence Amber Dubey said it was creditable that Civil Aviation secretary R.N. Choubey managed to bring together all stakeholders for the first integrated aviation policy since 1947. However, Dubey said it remains silent on government-owned entities and aspects like forming an independent Civil Aviation Authority, Air India privatisation, market listing of AAI, hive-off of Air Navigation Services from the AAI. "It is a significant step forward in ensuring the interests of all stakeholders -- the consumers, existing operators and new entrants -- are protected and enhanced. It will go towards making Indian an 'aviation-friendly' regime and help broadbase the coverage and network," said Roland Berger India's Rahul Gangal, Partner of Aerospace and Defence. "With the new policy, the ministry has now consolidated its policies and intended actions on various sub-sectors providing directional guidance to the industry," remarked Deloitte India Partner Peeyush Naidu. He said the new policy seeks to provide a fillip to the sector through putting in place a mechanism for providing transparent VGF for regional connectivity and measures for a segment like MRO. Yatra.Com President Sharat Dhall said the long-awaited policy has some path-breaking changes which could unlock regional connectivity and open up opportunities for carriers entering the Indian markets. "The abolition of the 5/20 rule will be a respite to many carriers that have entered the market in the last few years and enable them expand services internationally now," Dhall pointed out. By subsidising the shorter domestic routes for airlines, the government has given a strong push to regional connectivity by capping fares and help expand the market. "A cap of Rs 1,200 for a 30-minute flight and Rs 2500 for a 60-minute flight should really drive growth in a hugely under-penetrated domestic air market and catalyse economic growth in tier II and III markets," Dhall noted. The new policy aims to create an eco-system to handle 300 million domestic fliers by 2022 and 500 million by 2027, besides 200 million international passengers by 2027, against the 139 million domestic and more than 50 million international air travellers last year. PwC Partner, Aerospace and Defence, Dhiraj Mathur said the amendment to 5/20 rule will attract new entrants and the requirement of 20 aircraft is a reasonable one on which the government finally took a call. Moreover, no company can start international operations with one-two aircraft, so this will not only augment supply and increase investment in the aviation sector in India but offer more choices to consumers. "The five-year clause was irrational as it constrained Indian players. Anyway, a totally new entrant with no experience will hardly be able to start international operations. So only someone who ties up with an existing player would be able to do so," Mathur pointed out. However, this could put existing airlines at a disadvantage, but something that is irrational must go sooner than later, he noted. Welcoming the cap on domestic fares, he said this will increase penetration of regional aviation in India which the railways alone cannot do owing to various limitations. However, Mathur sought a 100 per cent FDI in the sector as the cap on it is inconsistent with the government's objective of expanding the aviation sector. Islamabad, June 16 : Pakistan will become a formal member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) next week, a foreign office statement said on Thursday. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is scheduled to hold a summit on June 23 and 24 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, that will pave way for opening new avenues for Pakistan to secure funds for energy and other infrastructure projects. The process of granting Pakistan the full membership of SCO got underway in July 2015 during Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's visit to Ufa, Russia, for a summit. It outlined the organisation's status as an important and effective multilateral forum that discusses actual problems of international policy, economy, regional stability and security. These four elements have been very important in stimulating investment. SCO was founded in Shanghai on June 15, 2001, by six countries -- China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Afghanistan, India, Iran, Mongolia and Pakistan have been accorded observer status. A full SCO membership will help Pakistan strengthen its role in regional and global politics, economies and infrastructure by promoting regional connectivity through the One Belt One Road and Eurasian Economic Union projects, the statement stated. New Delhi, June 17 : Lawyer R.K. Anand has lodged a complaint with Chandigarh Police against media baron Subhash Chandra, who won the recent Rajya Sabha election from Haryana with the BJP backing, and others, a lawyer said on Friday. The complaint was filed against Chandra, BJP legislators Aseem Goel and Bhai Jai Parkash, and certain officials from the returning officer's office and other "unknown persons". "Anand has lodged a complaint with Chandigarh's Inspector General of Police Tajender Singh Luthra against Chandra and others for offences dealing with cheating, forgery, mischief and theft under the Indian Penal Code and the Representation of the People Act," Anand's lawyer V.K. Arora said. "...accused Subhash Chandra hatched a criminal conspiracy with accused Aseem Goel and Bhai Jai Parkash, certain officials from the office of the Returning Officer, and other unknown persons to sabotage the process of election and secure a victory through fraud," the complaint said. "... they got the original pen removed from the polling area in a clandestine and dishonest manner in order to cause sabotage to the election and wrongful loss to the complainant (Anand), thereby giving benefit of victory to accused Subhash Chandra," the complaint added. Subhash Chandra -- an Independent candidate supported by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party -- was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Haryana, defeating Congress-backed Independent R.K. Anand. Chandra got 24 votes while Anand managed 15. As many as 14 Congress votes were rejected in the 90-member assembly, leading to Anand's defeat. He was otherwise expected to win the Rajya Sabha seat. The complainant said that Chandra and other accused interfered with the free exercise of electoral right of the legislators, thereby committing an offence under Section 171-C (undue influence at elections) of the IPC. The complaint said that the accused changed the original pen and substituted it with a new pen which diminished the value of votes through the ballot papers and committed the offence of mischief. Anand claimed that Chandra and others committed the offences of theft and breach of trust by allegedly entering the polling area. Thiruvananthapuram, June 18 : The southwest monsoon that set over Kerala on June 8 is gathering force with rains expected to become progressively heavier until next Wednesday, Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Saturday. There were heavy rains in Kerala on Friday night on account of the southwest monsoon which arrived a week late in the state. Strong winds also uprooted trees and damaged property here in the state capital. While it got strengthened in Kerala, the monsoon further advanced into remaining parts of Rayalaseema and Bay of Bengal, most parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Sikkim and some parts of Odisha, Jharkhand and Bihar, said an IMD statement. It said conditions are favourable for further advancement of the southwest monsoon, over the next two to three days, into the remaining parts of central Arabian Sea, entire Konkan, Goa, some parts of central Maharashtra, Marathwada, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh and East Madhya Pradesh, remaining parts of North interior Karnataka, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Gangetic West Bengal, entire Telangana and some more parts of Jharkhand and Bihar. Strong winds here on late Friday evening uprooted more than 50 trees and caused damage to vehicles and other property. A 122-metre tall transmitter tower of the All India Radio (AIR) also got damaged in the strong winds causing suspension of radio services. More than 40 relief camps have been opened, mostly in Alappuzha, Kollam and Pathanamthitta district, in anticipation of the inclement weather and the damage it might cause. Los Angeles, June 18 : Hollywood star Charlie Sheen, who announced last November he was HIV-positive, says he only had unprotected sex twice and always promoted the use of condoms but was incredibly unlucky. "(It happened) a couple of times. Twice. And we would be having a different dialogue," Sheen told The Sun newspaper, reports femalefirst.co.uk. Asked if that meant he had only had unprotected sex twice, he added: "Oh yeah. I was always the guy that promoted it and said you have got to use condoms, this and that. I was too drunk or too bored one night and here we are". The 50-year-old star is grateful he was able to speak out about his diagnosis as he has been able to help others through his own battle. "I have mad gratitude, 100 per cent. Thank you. My life is more fluid, it is more courageous, it is more heroic. If I had known it was going to move towards that, I would have come out a lot sooner," Sheen said. Meanwhile, Sheen tries to stay in good spirits about his diagnosis and insists he doesn't miss having sex. "HIV is not the best pick-up line. So it has happened as a result of everybody else and myself having the knowledge, and that's fine," he said. "(I miss sex) but not to the extent where something is missing. Not to the extent where I'm saying, 'Oh that night could have been so much better'. It's fine. I mean, sex isn't going anywhere. It's still there. And if available, awesome. If not, no big deal. I'll spend more time hanging with my parents, you know?" he added. United Nations, June 18 : The "most diverse" International Yoga Day observances are slated to be held over two days at the UN headquarters where the ancient holistic science of India will be celebrated by a microcosm of the world's nationalities, religions and cultures, blending its practice and yogic meals with digital interactivity, glamour, and an examination of its relevance to the global body's mission. On Yoga Day June 21, "Sadhguru" Jaggi Vasudev will lead the celebrations at the circle in front of the glass-fronted UN headquarters tower by holding a session of simple yoga practice and yogic chants. General Assembly President Morgens Lykketoft is to be the the chief guest at the event and Cristina Gallach, the Under Secretary General for Communication and Public Information, a featured speaker. "Yoga teaches us how to achieve inner peace and lead healthier lives," Gallach told IANS Friday explaining the relevance of the celebration. "The International Day of Yoga gives us an opportunity to bring this message to the United Nations." "We expect a huge turnout at Yoga Day gathering at the UN Secretariat Circle," India's Permanent Representative Syed Akbaruddin told IANS. "We hope that it will be the most diverse gathering of Yoga participants ever." Nina Davuluri, Miss America 2014, is expected to add a touch of of glamour to the event. Special Yogic meals are on the menu for the celebration. A day earlier on June 20, which is the Summer Solstice Day this year, a meeting at the UN will focus on how yoga can promote the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by world leaders last September. The inner peace and healthy lifestyles that yoga inculcates "is crucial if we are to respect each other, and to respect all forms of life on Earth and below water," Gallach said. "In that way it helps us to achieve the SDGs." "Emphasis is on enhancing awareness that Yoga is a holistic approach rather than only physical activity," Akbaruddin said. "Hence we are having for the first time 'Conversations with Yoga Masters' on how Yoga can help in achieving SDGs." He added, "Ambassadors and diplomats from various countries will also share their own experiences of how yoga has influenced their life styles at this seminal event." Vasudev will be the lead speaker at the event organised jointly by India's UN Permanent Mission and the UN Department of Public Information. The meeting will incorporate a digital interactive element by welcoming questions about yoga on the Twitter handle #Yoga4SDGs that will be answered by Vasudev and Tao Porchon-Lynch. The 97-year-old Porchon-Lynch is considered the world's oldest yoga teacher in a formal setting, and is an author and a former actress, documentary film-maker and screenplay writer. In a unique demonstration of how yoga can promote peace, the 7,695 Indian peacekeepers are to join in the celebrations. "Indian peace keepers are also practising to observe International Yoga Day in 13 Peace Keeping Operations that they are deployed in, tangibly demonstrating the role of yoga in promoting peace and harmony," Akbaruddin said. The International Yoga Day was proclaimed unanimously in 2014 by the General Assembly following up a proposal made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Making the case for the international day, Modi told the Assembly, "Yoga embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between man and nature; a holistic approach to health, and well being." The first Yoga Day celebrations were held last year at the UN and around the world. Yoga is relevant to achieving at least four of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. These are ensuring healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages; making cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable; ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns, and promoting just, peaceful and inclusive societies (Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in) Baku, June 18 : Indian boxers Satish Kumar (+91kg) and Sumit Sangwan (81kg) registered easy wins over their respective opponents to enter the second round of the World Olympic Qualification tournament here. Satish thrashed Manase Kaho Raikadroga of Tonga 3-0 in his first round clash while Sumit outclassed Trinidad's Andrew Fermin by a similar margin. Satish is expected to face a stern test in the next round as he will be up against an experienced opponent in Dean Gardiner of Ireland. Things are not expected to be too easy for Sumit either as the 23-year-old will fight eighth seed Juan Carlos Carrilo Palacio of Colombia in his second-round contest. However, the joy in he Indian camp was tempered by the fact that Dheeraj Rangi (60kg) crashed out after putting up a brave fight against top seed Lindolfo Garza of Mexico in a well-contested bout. Rangi, a silver medalist at last year's World Military Games, gave his fancied opponent some anxious moments before going down 1-2 in the second round contest. The ongoing tournament offers a total of 39 Olympic spots. The flyweight (52 kg), bantamweight (56 kg), lightweight (60 kg), light welterweight (64 kg), welterweight (69 kg), middleweight (75 kg) and light heavyweight (81 kg) categories will see the top five boxers in each class make the cut for Rio while both finalists in the light flyweight (49 kg) division will qualify. However, only the gold medal winners in the heavyweight (91 kg) and super heavyweight (91+ kg) divisions will be able to travel to Rio. New Delhi, June 18 : The change in the policies for medical research can help India excel in the field of stem cell technology, which has been found effective in various types of serious health complications including paralysis, according to the Stem Cell Society of India (SCSI). The organisation said on Friday the health ministry should consider new rules and regulations on stem cell research, which can break various types of stereotypes in medical world. "Our health ministry is on the way to considering proposal on new rules and regulation on stem cell research. Stem cells will break all stereo type in medical world," said Pradeep Mahajan, a stem cell expert and treasurer of SCSI. He was speaking at the 3rd annual national conference of SCSI here. Mahajan said that India will not be far from countries like the US, Japan, Korea and China in research on stem cell technology, who have excelled in the arena only due to the policies which have supported the research. The conference was attended by researchers and doctors from all over the country who specialize in cellular therapy. The event was inaugurated by Balram Airan, Dean (Academics) of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). Mr. Nguyen Thien Nhan presented flowers to Editor-in-Chief Dao Ngoc Dung CPV Online Newspapers Editor-in-chief Dao Ngoc Dung briefly reported the operation of the online news in recent times, while stressing its weekly audience is now about 17 million. Specifically, in 2015, it built and ran the Ho Chi Minh and 12th National Party Congress (NPC) pages with more than 30 million hits during the NPC.Currently, CPV has over 83 central and local news agencies and branches signed for popularization cooperation. Numerous news pieces and articles were used by other newspapers. With 14 specialized Departments, including those in English, Chinese and French, the news made significant contribution to external communication activities, fighting to protect the sovereignty over national sea and islands.In 2016, the news provider focuses on communicating, disseminating to bring the Resolution of the 12th NPC into life, preparations and works of the election of 14th NA and all-level Peoples Council deputies; and struggling to refute information and wrong views of the hostile forces.In his speech during the visit, Mr. Nguyen Thien Nhan congratulated CPV Online Newspaper on its achievements made over the past year, while affirming that it significantly contributes to constructing and protecting the regime and the Party; firmly advancing the flag of building the socialist Vietnam in the market economic integration.He hailed the newspapers continuous and active companionship with the operation of VFF and expressed his expectation that the future would continue to see updates, developments and create breakthroughs and new impetus for the countrys communications system.The VFFs leader suggested opening a new page specifically on VFF, which should focus on the implementation of the campaign of the whole people uniting to build new-style rural areas, building transparent and strong Governments at the grassroots level, supervising food safety and measuring peoples satisfaction with the Government./. Bhubaneswar, June 18 : The central government has given the nod for the development of Greenfield Electronic Park with an investment of Rs 205 crore in Odisha, said an official on Saturday. The Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO) is developing the electronic park in an area of 203 acres within InfoValley, Bhubaneswar. Conceptualised in 2014, it is now getting ready to house around 100 units of an electronic manufacturing cluster with state-of-the-art infrastructure and common facilities, said a release of the industry department. Jurong Consultants, Singapore has done the master planning. The cluster has been accorded final approval under (EMC) Scheme of the Ministry of Electronic and Information Technology at a high-level meeting held in New Delhi on Friday. Core infrastructure like roads, provision of power and water for the park is almost ready and finalised, said the release. The electronic park is expected to attract investment to the tune of Rs 1,000 crore. For the project, the Odisha government has given 203.367 acres of land in Larapur village and Durgapur in Khurda district and provided around Rs 110 crore, said Odisha Industry Minister Debi Prasad Mishra. In the proposed park, around 10,000 skilled and semi-skilled persons will be engaged, said IT Minister Pranab Prakash Das. Notably, electronic manufacturing has been recognised as one of the five focus sectors by the state to attract investments. The state government has formulated attractive investor-friendly policies such as Industrial Policy Resolution 2015 and ICT Policy 2014 to facilitate and incentivise investors in the electronic manufacturing sector. Several national and international companies operating in the electronics sector have shown interest in setting up manufacturing facilities in Odisha. Bengaluru, June 19 : Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday removed 14 ministers and inducted 13 new faces in a major reshuffle of his three-year-old ministry. Governor Vajubhai R. Vala administered the oath of office and secrecy to nine new cabinet ministers and four ministers of state at Raj Bhavan here. The nine cabinet ministers are Kagodu Thimmappa, K.R. Ramesh Kumar, Basavaraja Rayareddi, Meti Hullappa Yamanappa, Tanveer Sait, S.S. Mallikarjuna, M.R. Seetharam, Santosh S. Lad and Ramesh Laxmanrao Jarkiholi. The four ministers of state are Priyank M. Kharge, Eshwara Kandre, Pramod Madhwaraj and Rudrappa Manappa Lamani. Their names were cleared by the Congress high command - President Sonia Gandhi and Vice President Rahul Gandhi - over two days of consultations with Siddaramaiah and state party president G. Parameshwara. Though 14 lawmakers were short-listed, M. Krishnappa, who represents a Bengaluru assembly segment, was left out from the final list without any reason being specified. As part of the revamp, on Siddaramaiah's recommendation, the governor dropped 14 ministers - Srinivasa Prasad, M. H. Ambareesh, Qamar Ul Islam, Shamnoor Shivashankarappa, Vinay Kumar Sorake, Satish Jarkiholi, Shivraj Tangadagi, S.R. Patil, Manohar Tahasildar, K. Abhaychandra Jain, Dinesh Gundu Rao, Kimmane Ratnakar, Baburao Chinchansoor and P.T. Parameshwar Naik - from the council of ministers with immediate effect. Enraged supporters of Islam vandalised an old Congress office at Kalburgi, about 650 km from Bengaluru, protesting his sacking as minister for minority welfare, Haj and Wakf board. "Our office at Kalburgi was ransacked by Islam's supporters after they learnt that he was dropped in the cabinet reshuffle," a party official told IANS. Protest rallies were also taken out in Mandya and Mysuru districts in the state's southern region for sacking Kannada actor Ambareesh and Prasad. Chinchansoor blamed Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge for his ouster from the 34-member ministry. In a related development, supporters of Congress lawmaker Mallikayya Guttedar of Afzalpur in Kalburgi district set a state-run bus on fire to protest against denial of a ministerial berth for him despite assurances. Among the new ministers, Thimmappa is currently the assembly speaker while Ramesh Kumar held the same post during the previous Congress rule over a decade ago. Priyank is the son of Kharge, while Lad returns to cabinet nearly three years after he resigned in November 2013 as minister of state for information and infrastructure development over the mining scam that rocked the state during the then BJP rule. S.S. Mallikarjuna replaced his father Shivashankarappa from Davangere, while Ramesh replaced his elder brother Sathish from Belagavi district. "The revamp will ensure proportionate representation to all the people across the state, spanning castes and regions," a party official told IANS earlier. Karnataka is the only major state where the Congress is in power after the party lost in Assam and Kerala in the recent assembly elections. Siddaramaiah and Parameshwara are hoping the revamp will restore the party's image, tainted by drought crisis, farmers' suicides and a spate of controversies. "Siddaramaiah wants to inject new and young blood in the cabinet and move some of the ministers for party work in the run-up to the next assembly election, due in early 2018," a source added. Playing down the crisis brewing over the revamp, Siddaramaiah denied rift in the ruling party after 14 ministers were sacked. "I will talk to all our MLAs. Nobody will resign. There is no rift in the party over the reshuffle," Siddaramaiah told reporters after a brief meeting of the revamped cabinet at the state secretariat here. Patna, June 20 : Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) former chairman Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh and his wife Usha Sinha were arrested on Monday in connection with the state Class 12 examination toppers scam, police said. Lalkeshwar Prasad and Usha Sinha were arrested from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Patna Senior Superintendent of Police Manu Maharaj, who heads the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Class 12 toppers scam, said. He said the couple will be brought here on Monday and interrogated by a separate team of the SIT. Meanwhile, Bihar Police recovered a country-made pistol and five live cartridges from the office of Amit Kumar alias Bachcha Rai, the alleged kingpin in the toppers scam. He was arrested on June 11 after he surrendered to the police. Said to be a supporter of the ruling Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Bachha Rai is the principal of the V.R. College in Bihar's Vaishali district. He is alleged to have been manipulating, in collusion with the BSEB, the merit list of Class 12 examinees in favour of students who paid him bribes. "Police have lodged a case against Bachcha Rai under the Arms Act after recovery of the pistol and five live rounds. We will now again seek his custody," Maharaj said. After facing flak from the opposition over the toppers' scam, leaders of Bihar's ruling Grand Alliance of Janata Dal-United (JD-U), Rashtriya Janata Dal JD and Congress said the guilty will not be spared. "Whoever has committed crime and corruption cannot escape the long hands of rule of law. The guilty will be punished," state JD-U President Vashisht Narain Singh said, reacting to the arrest of the couple. RJD leader and Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav said he has full faith in Bihar Police who have already arrested Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh and his wife Usha Sinha. Bihar state Congress President and Bihar's Education Minister Ashok Choudhary said the accused will face justice. Opposition leader Jitan Ram Manjhi, however, demanded that the toppers scam should be probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Manjhi is former Bihar Chief Minister and belongs to the Hindustani Awam Morcha party. Last week, a Patna civil court issued an arrest warrant against Lalkeshwar Prasad, who until recently headed the BSEB which conducts the Class 10 and 12 examinations in Bihar. Lalkeshwar Prasad went underground after resigning from the board. His wife Usha Sinha, who is former Janata Dal-United (JD-U) legislator of Bihar, was also missing since the time her name surfaced in the scam. So far, 10 persons have been arrested in the case, the police said. The scam surfaced after Aaj Tak TV channel showed a sting in which two Class 12 toppers could not answer even elementary questions about the subjects they 'topped' in. The sting showed Rubi Rai, who topped the Class 12 exam in the Arts, saying: "Prodikal (read political) science is about cooking." It also showed Saurabh Shreshtha, a Science topper, saying: "Most reactive element in the periodic table is aluminium." Both Rubi Rai and Saurabh Shreshtha belonged to Bachha Rai's V.R. College. The sting suggested that education in Bihar continues to be a very dubious affair with the possibility that cheating and fraud continue on a large scale. New Delhi, June 20 : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday reiterated his demand for the arrest of a BJP MP over the murder of a NDMC officer. A fuming BJP stepped up its attack on the AAP leader. Kejriwal also urged Delhi Police, which does not report to him, to probe the relationship between the MP, Mahesh Girri, and hotelier Ramesh Kakkar, the main accused in the murder of NDMC's legal adviser M.M. Khan. "Girri forwarded a letter written by Kakkar to the Lt. Governor which asked for the removal of Khan. The LG forwarded the letter to the NDMC chairman on Girri's reference," Kejriwal told reporters here. "Murder cases are not solved in an open debate. The police should arrest him first and interrogate him about his relationship with Kakkar. Why did he write a letter to LG on Kakkar's behalf?" He added: "Is this how criminal justice system works in the Modi government that whoever is accused of murder will sit on dharna outside my home?" The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader has accused the central government of shielding Girri. "He should be arrested and interrogated in Khan murder case. Modi police shielding him," Kejriwal tweeted earlier, referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi whose government controls Delhi Police. The Bharatiya Janata Party denied Kejriwal's allegations. "We stand by our MP Mahesh Girri who has never written any letter to the Lt. Governor in the context of M.M. Khan or the NDMC hotel case in question," the BJP's Delhi unit said in a statement. "All that AAP and Chief Minister have said is a fresh bunch of lies." Girri has been on hunger strike outside Kejriwal's residence after the latter didn't appear for an open debate with him at the Constitution Club here. Meanwhile, BJP Rajya Sabha members Subramanian Swamy and Vijay Goel, Lok Sabha Member Manoj Tiwary and several other leaders including BJP veteran Vijay Kumar Malhotra joined the hunger strike led by Girri. Swamy demanded Kejriwal's apology and also slammed Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung, saying he must be dismissed. "There is no surprise the way in which Kejriwal is acting. He is a Naxalite by nature. All allegations levelled against Girri by him are completely wrong," Swamy told the party workers here. "If there is a letter, then Kejriwal should present it, if not he should apologize," he said. Attacking the AAP ministers, Swamy said: "All AAP ministers are thieves. Look how each one of them is resigning." NDMC official Khan who was shot dead in Jamia Nagar here on May 16. Girri on Monday also wrote to the Delhi Police chief, asking him to investigate his role in the case. "Probe the matter impartially and fearlessly. If you feel, please question me and if needed please arrest me," Girri said. Khan, an estate officer with NDMC, was shot dead a day before he was expected to pass an order on the terms of the lease of The Connaught, a four-star hotel. The hotel's owner, Ramesh Kakkar, was arrested along with six others for Khan's murder. Both Girri and Karan Singh Tanwar, another BJP leader, have denied they are linked to Khan's murder. Delhi Police has reportedly said they have not come across any evidence against Girri and Kanwar in the murder probe. Girri, who represents East Delhi in the Lok Sabha, has dared Kejriwal to a public debate over the allegations and asked him to produce evidence to back the charges. Beijing, June 20 : In a blow to India's NSG hopes, China said on Monday that the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) was still divided over admitting the country and that New Delhi's application for membership was not on the agenda of the plenary of the 48-member bloc in Seoul later this week. Beijing's statement comes a day after India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj exuded confidence in getting China's support for membership at the NSG - the global nuclear trade regulatory body. "The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) is still divided about non-NPT (Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty) countries entry into the NSG and under the current circumstances we hope that NSG will make thorough discussions to make a decision based on consultation," Hua Chunying, spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry, told the media here. "The inclusion of non-NPT members has never been a topic on the agenda of NPT meetings. In Seoul this year there is no such topic," Hua said. The NSG, which controls global nuclear trade, is to hold an important plenary June 23-24 in Seoul when the membership application of India, along with Pakistan, were scheduled to be taken up. On Sunday, Swaraj said China "is not opposed to India's entry" into the NSG but was "only talking about the criteria procedures" to New Delhi's entry to the nuclear grouping. China has been opposed to India's membership to the bloc on the grounds that it is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Beijing has also said if New Delhi is admitted, then so should Islamabad, its all-weather ally, be given admission to the elite bloc. India, which finds the NPT discriminatory in nature, has been backed by the US, Switzerland, Mexico, Italy, Russia and Britain. However, some member countries like New Zealand, and South Africa have been opposing India's entry. Consensus among all member countries is essential to allow a new entrant. On Sunday, Sushma also said India "will not oppose entry of any other country. What we want is all the applications are decided on their own merits". Sushma Swaraj's remarks came close on the heels of Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar's unannounced trip to Beijing last week to discuss India's NSG bid with Chinese government. President Pranab Mukherjee had also been to China in the last week of May when he had taken up the issue with the top Chinese leadership. The Chinese media has said that India's entry to the NSG will "shake the strategic balance in South Asia and even cast a cloud over peace and stability in the entire Asia-Pacific region". The state-run Global Times daily in an opinion piece this week said that China could support India's inclusion to the elite nuclear club if New Delhi "played by the rules". (Gaurav Sharma is the IANS correspondent in Beijing. He can be contacted at gaurav.s@ians.in) Moscow, June 20 : Russian President Vladimir Putin will pay an official visit to China on June 25 when he plans to sign a series of bilateral agreements, the Kremlin said in a statement on Monday. Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping will study "concrete steps" to develop cooperation between the two countries on trade, economy, technology, science, humanitarian aid and investment, EFE news reported citing the statement as saying. The two leaders will also discuss international key issues, as well as the interaction of their countries within multilateral and regional organizations such as the UN, the G20 and BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) groupings. Putin will travel to China from Tashkent, capital of Uzbekistan, where he is attending an annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on June 23-24. The SCO consists of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Chandigarh, June 20 : Authorities were busy giving last-minute touches to the Capitol Complex here for the International Yoga Day event on Tuesday morning, to be led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as fears of a washout loomed large after showers in the City Beautiful on Monday evening. The showers notwithstanding, preparations continued in full swing and officials were busy sprucing up the venue after the rain. "There are high chances of rain in Chandigarh and nearby areas on Tuesday too," Surinder Paul, director of the meteorological office here, told IANS. A total of 30,000 participants -- 10,000 each from Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana -- donning T-shirts and black or blue tracksuit lowers, will perform deep breathing and stretching exercises against the backdrop of the Capitol Complex, one of the acclaimed creations of French architect Le Corbusier. While the main event will be held at Capitol Complex, other participants will do yoga at 100 centres spread across the city, for which nearly 45,000 people have enrolled. More than 30,500 India-made coloured mats with the Yoga Day logo will be laid out over a 12 lakh square feet area for the participants. "We have made special arrangements for the participants, like 40 LED (light-emitting diode) screens and 300 prefabricated bio-toilets, at the main venue," Home Secretary Anurag Aggarwal told reporters. Likewise, LED screens have been put up at the other 100 venues for the live telecast of the main event. "This will certainly benefit the residents who can't participate in the main event due to space constraints," he said. Aggarwal said after the 45-minute event -- which will start at 6.30 a.m. -- the participants would be allowed to take the mats home. Each participant would be given one T-shirt and a bag containing printed material. Before the yoga session, Modi will make a short speech. Deputy Commissioner Ajit Balaji Joshi, the event's nodal officer, said 600 special buses would be deployed for transporting participants from Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana. The administration has allowed participants to carry their mobile phones. It has even set up a selfie zone at the venue entrance where participants can click selfies. For streamlining public entry, Aadhaar-linked radio frequency identification cards have been issued to participants. Modi will arrive in the city late on Monday evening and spend the night at the Punjab Raj Bhavan here. He will arrive at the Capitol Complex at 6.30 a.m. for the event and leave for Delhi later in the day. Punjab and Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki, along with Punjab and Haryana Chief Ministers Parkash Singh Badal and Manohar Lal Khattar respectively, will receive the Prime Minister at the airport. Eight VIPs -- Solanki, Badal and Khattar, union Minister of State for AYUSH Shripad Yesso Naik, Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal, Haryana Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kanwar Pal, local Member of Parliament Kirron Kher and Secretary (Ayush) Ajit M. Sharan -- will share the dais with Modi. A 24-member team of public broadcaster Doordarshan equipped with 22 cameras will cover the event live. Officials said all places, including those to be visited by Modi, will remain open to public though restrictions will be imposed on movement of vehicles on routes to be taken by the dignitaries. This is the second visit of Modi in six months to Chandigarh's Capitol Complex. On January 24, Modi received visiting French President Francois Hollande at the Capitol Complex. In the run-up to the second International Yoga Day, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and Baba Ramdev along with thousands of followers participated in the four-day yoga festival in Chandigarh. New Delhi, June 20 : The world is ready to observe the second International Day of Yoga (IDY) on Tuesday as Indian missions abroad held many practice sessions to prepare thousands of people for the day. Indian missions in countries like China, Australia, the US, Britain, Pakistan and others organised Yoga practice sessions on various postures that are to be performed on June 21. Pictures on websites of Indian missions across the world showed that people gathered in large numbers to be part of the international event. Also, the iconic United Nations (UN) building in New York displayed different Yoga postures. Syed Akbaruddin, who serves as India's permanent representative at the United Nations, shared the pictures of the building on Twitter. "Yoga lights up UN, To celebrate #IDY2016, Yoga postures light up @UN headquarters in New York," he said in one of the tweets. The Yoga postures, the pictures suggest, could be seen from far off places in the US city of New York. The Indian High Commission in Britain held a session at Potters Fields Park, Tower Bridge in London. Similarly, a mass Yoga practice session was organised in Australia's capital Canberra as part of the celebrations of the second IDY. Yoga sessions were also held by Indian missions in China and Pakistan to prepare Yoga enthusiasts for the event. Chandigarh, June 21 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday urged the people to embrace yoga for better physical and mental health. "Make yoga a part of your life," the prime minister told thousands of yoga enthusiasts here on the occasion of the International Yoga Day. "Just as the mobile phone is now a part of your life, make yoga too a part of your life," he said, drawing applause. In his brief address, the prime minister said the International Yoga Day had become a mass movement like no other in the world. The UN last year declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga. Underlining that yoga was not a religious activity, Modi said it helped to control the mind and maintain a healthy body for a healthy balance between the two. Yoga, he said, helped people to lead a disciplined life. Chandigarh, June 21 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged people to embrace yoga for better physical and mental health as he led thousands here on Tuesday morning to mark the second International Yoga Day. Simultaneously, hundreds of thousands across the country began the day with yoga exercises. Modi oversaw some 30,000 yoga enthusiasts in Chandigarh's Capitol Complex performing deep breathing and stretching exercises before joining them. The complex is one of the acclaimed creations of Chandigarh's founder-architect French architect Le Corbusier. "Make yoga a part of your life," the prime minister said in a brief address. "Just as the mobile phone is now a part of your life, make yoga too a part of your life." He said the International Yoga Day had become a mass movement like no other in the world. The UN last year declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga. Underlining that yoga was not a religious activity, Modi said it helped to control the mind and maintain a healthy body for a healthy balance between the two. Yoga, he added, helped people to lead a disciplined life. The prime minister later got down from the stage from where he addressed the gathering to shake hands with specially-abled yoga enthusiasts. Donning T-shirts and track-pants, yoga enthusiasts, shortlisted to perform yoga, began lining up around the spruced up complex around 4 a.m. on Tuesday. Over 96,000 people had registered themselves to take part in the event. Of this, over 30,000 were picked, including 10,000 each from Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana. These included school and college students, youths, elderly, specially challenged, security personnel and yoga activists. Those taking part in the event have been training for the past 15 days. Unprecedented security was in place around the venue in Chandigarh's high-security area of Sector 1. The area was sealed off by paramilitary commandos and security agencies ahead of the event. The Capitol Complex wore a new look with the concrete floor covered with a green carpet. Besides the main event, yoga day was held at 100 other locations across Chandigarh. Yoga guru Ramdev started his record-breaking yoga event in Faridabad town in Haryana, adjoining the national capital, early on Tuesday. Organisers said over 100,000 people performed yoga with Ramdev, setting a world record. The main event of the first International Yoga Day celebration was held on Rajpath in the heart of New Delhi last year. President Tran Dai Quang receives Lao Minister of National Defence Chansamone Channhalat (Photo: VNA) President Tran Dai Quang made the remark at a reception for Lao Minister of National Defence Chansamone Channhalat in Hanoi on June 20th. He said the growing bilateral collaboration will significantly contribute to successfully implementing the Resolution adopted at the 12th Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam and another approved at the 10th Congress of the Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party (LPRP). The President congratulated Chansamone Channhalat on his election as a Politburo member of the LPRP and Defence Minister. Chansamones selection of Vietnam as his first leg as Defence Minister shows that the Lao Party, State and army attach much importance to the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, Quang said. He hailed the outcomes of the talks between the two countries defence ministers and agreed on their cooperation orientations in the coming time. He also congratulated the Lao Ministry of National Defence on the successful organization of the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM), which helped consolidate the blocs solidarity and increase the position of Laos as Chair of ASEAN in 2016. Both host and guest highlighted the special relationship between Vietnam and Laos, which was founded by late Presidents Ho Chi Minh, Kaysone Phomvihane, and Suphanouvong, and nurtured by the two countries generations of leaders and people. President Quang said Vietnam pledged to do its utmost to support Laos in organising successfully ASEAN events this year as well as celebrating the 55th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties and 40 years of the signing of Vietnam-Laos Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation in 2017. For his part, the Lao minister thanked the Vietnamese Party, State and people for supporting Lao counterparts, and confirmed that Laos will spare no efforts to nurture the special relations between the two nations. He informed the outcomes of the talks between the two defence ministers, which focused on cooperation orientations in the fields of training and delegation exchanges, following the spirit of agreements reached at the annual high-level meetings of the two politburos, the 38th session of the inter-governmental committee on bilateral cooperation, and the defence cooperation protocol./. Jammu/Srinagar, June 21 : Scores of people performed yoga exercises in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday to mark the second International Yoga Day. The main function was held at the Maulana Azad Stadium in Jammu, the winter capital of the state. Union minister Jitender Singh was the chief guest at the event where yoga enthusiasts, mostly young boys and girls, took part. A similar function was held in the summer capital Srinagar as well as at Leh and Kargil towns of Ladakh region. In Udhampur town of Jammu region, where the Indian Army's Northern Command is headquartered, civilians and soldiers took part in yoga exercises. A senior army officer told IANS that yoga was increasingly becoming an integral part of the military's fitness regime. San Francisco, June 21 : Facebook has approved the creation of 5.7 billion new shares of Class C stock that will keep its CEO Mark Zuckerberg in control as long as he is associated with the social networking giant. The decision, taken at its annual shareholders' meeting on Monday, will help Zuckerberg keep voting control and allow him and his wife Dr Priscilla Chan to boost philanthropic activities without diluting the voting control, venturebeat.com reported. "I am planning on running the company for a very long time," Zuckerberg told the members during the question and answer session of the meeting. The company also re-elected its board of directors, including investors Marc Andreessen and Peter Thiel. According to a Fortune report, the move gives current shareholders a 3 for 1 stock split. "It means for every share of Class A or B stock an investor owns, Facebook will offer them two Class C shares as a one-time dividend. Class C stock does not come with shareholder voting power," the report added. In December, Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan pledged to donate 99 per cent of their Facebook shares -- about $45 billion -- to advance human potential and promote equality for children. Declaring the "Chan Zuckerberg Initiative" as they welcomed their first girl child Maxima Chan Zuckerberg or "Max", the couple said they have created a new foundation that would initially focus on "personalised learning, curing disease, connecting people and building strong communities." "We will give 99% of our Facebook shares during our lives to advance this mission. We know this is a small contribution compared to all the resources and talents of those already working on these issues. But we want to do what we can, working alongside many others," the couple wrote in a post. Zuckerberg owns about four million of Class A shares in Facebook and approximately 419 million Class B shares. Each Class B share is worth 10 votes apiece which gives Zuckerberg majority voting power and control over Facebook's strategic direction. Facebook currently has over 1.6 billion monthly active users. Agartala, June 21 : At least three lion cubs and 10 python snakelets have been born in Sepahijala Wildlife Zoo and Sanctuary in Tripura. "The three newly born lion cubs were named Amar, Akbar and Anthony by Forest Minister Naresh Jamatia," Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) Atul Kumar Gupta told IANS. "Last July, the Sepahijala zoo authorities brought one lion and a lioness from Bannerghatta National Park in Karnataka under an animal exchange programme. The lioness recently gave birth to triplets in the zoo hospital," he said. Gupta, also the state's chief wildlife warden, said a python had also given birth to 10 snakelets last week in the zoo. "In captivity, birth of lion cubs is not a rare event but it is very uncommon. We have taken all kinds of steps to take care of the three cubs and their mother," the official said. He said the offspring of the python were on Saturday released in the natural habitat of Sepahijala Sanctuary. "Normally a python gives birth 90 days after laying eggs but in this case snakes were out in 45 days and found to be healthy." Gupta said Sepahijala zoo had also provided three spectacled Langurs, three pig-tailed Macaque and two Himalayan Black Bears to Bannerghatta zoo. Last year, Visakhapatnam's Indira Gandhi Zoological Park and the Sepahijala Zoo had also exchanged animals. Tripura's wild life department officials were holding talks with the West Bengal forest department and the Rajkot Zoological Park to exchange certain rare species of animals. West Bengal wildlife wing officials are keen to send some surplus animals to Tripura. Sepahijala Zoo, situated in the Sepahijala Sanctuary and National Park, is one of India's 22 large zoos. "Sepahijala is the only zoo in India located within a wildlife sanctuary. A portion of the sanctuary was also declared Clouded Leopard National Park," Gupta said. The zoo, national park and sanctuary attract thousands of tourists from within and outside Tripura. Gupta said the state government has decided to create two elephant reserves in Tripura for the protection of wild elephants and a Rs 10 crore project was sent to the Forest and Environment Ministry to sanction funds. Gupta said, according to a census in 2013, there are 58 wild elephants in Tripura, bordering Bangladesh. (Sujit Chakraborty can be contacted at sujit.c@ians.in) Chennai, June 21 : Thousands of people performed yoga across Chennai on Tuesday to mark the second International Yoga Day. Some schools asked students to reach early on for the yoga exercises. At the sprawling YMCA grounds, thousands performed yoga for two hours. The event was organised by Pyramid Spiritual Societies Movement. Officers of the Indian Navy celebrated the International Yoga Day by performing yoga on INS Adyar. According to a defence official, a large number of employees at the Ordnance Cloth Factory here also did yoga. At the University of Madras, 34-year-old K.P. Ranjana, an advocate and a martial art student, is progressing steadily to set a world record of continuous yoga performance for 53 hours. "She has completed 48 hours of yoga and will soon break the world record set by Uttam Muktan of Nepal who performed yoga for 50 hours and 15 minutes in December 2015," Ramesh Rishi of the Mahamaharishi Foundation Charitable Trust Mahayogam told IANS. He said Ranjana was expected to complete her feat at 3 p.m. on Tuesday. "She performs around 600 asanas with five minute rest after every hour of yoga exercise," he said. Kolkata, June 21 : In a bid to make children's commute to and from schools safe, a team at IIT-Kharagpur has designed an electronic tracking system through radio frequency identification (RFID) tags which would soon be flagged off at a school here. The low-cost technology will help address concerns of parents and arrest the proclivity towards private vehicles as a transport option for school goers, the experts say. RFID is the use of radio waves to read and capture information stored on a tag attached to an object. It consists of a tag or label and a reader. "The student ID cards would be tagged with RFID. On the bus there would be a RFID reader and when the card is 'read', the student is identified in the database. The buses would be enabled with GPS devices which is an inexpensive addition. Once the child boards a bus and the system detects him or her, a text message is sent to the parents registered in the database," Bhargab Maitra, a professor at IIT-Kgp's civil engineering department, told IANS. Similarly, a message would alert the parents when and where the child deboards. The RFID system will begin on a pilot basis at the South Point School here in a couple of weeks, Maitra said. The tracker is also linked to an app which would let parents track their children's movement on a real-time basis "without sacrificing on security and safety". Maitra worked in collaboration with S.K. Ghosh, of the institute's computer science and engineering department, institute's students and the Kolkata Traffic Police following a survey to understand the concerns of parents, under the 'Improvement of School Safety' project as part of the larger 'Future of Cities' initiative supported by the central government. "If the bus halts at a place for some time, or there is an anomaly, then the police is also alerted so that action can be taken immediately," he said. "We have collected data from more than 7,000 parents, primarily from South Point School and St. Xavier's and we identified where interventions are required. Safety and security came across as two key points," Maitra added. Mumbai, June 21 : Budget airline SpiceJet celebrated International Yoga Day by conducting practice sessions on all its two-hour flights across the network, a top official said on Tuesday. The Yoga practice was carried out in collaboration with Sadhguru's Isha Foundation in which 40 trained crew members helped passengers to practice the ancient Indian art, said SpiceJet's Kamal Hingorani, Senior Vice President and head of Inflight Services. The instructors performed 10-minute capsule 'Upa-Yoga' exercises on the long-haul flights and the participants joined it while seated and helped activate joints, muscles and energy systems which would overcome jetlag, fear of flying and breathing difficulties. "Having pioneered 'High On Yoga@35,000 feet' last year, SpiceJet gifted on-board Yoga to flyers in India and abroad and uphold India's cultural heritage in a unique manner," Hingorani said. Designed for all its domestic and international flights exceeding two hours' duration, SpiceJet will offer the initiative on an ongoing basis. Mumbai, June 21 : Superstar Salman Khan has courted controversy after comparing himself to a "raped woman" when he was asked to comment on his experience of shooting for his forthcoming film "Sultan". In a media interaction here on Saturday, Salman was asked how difficult it was to shoot wrestling scenes for the movie. "While shooting during those six hours, there was so much of lifting and thrusting that it was unbelievable. If I was lifting a 120 kg person and dropping him down, I had to do it 10 times," he said. "(I did it) 10 times from five different angles. So, six and half or seven hours. Either, I was picking him and throwing (him) or else, he was picking me up and throwing me... So it was like the most difficult thing. "When I used to walk out of the ring, I used to feel actually like a raped woman walking out... I don't think you... It was most difficult ...I couldn't take steps. I would eat and then, head right back to weight training. That couldn't stop." Journalists present broke into a chatter and laughter after the comment. This can be heard in the audio recording of the interaction too. However, the comment sent social media users into a tizzy, with many slamming the actor for his "callous remark" after a website, SpotboyE, carried the detailed quotes of Salman Khan as an "interview" on Monday. Designer-politician Shaina NC tweeted: "Rape is an exercise of power to destruct a woman's self esteem, from what I know of Salman Khan, he respects women, so he must apologise." One Twitter user posted: "Salman Khan says he felt like a 'raped woman'. Wow... What a way to express your tiredness", "If you are a Salman Khan fan, it's good, but if you support his pathetic statement, you are nothing but a disgusting creature". However, several journalists who were present at the interaction session said Salman has been misquoted. "Why doesn't the media put out the entire quote rather than pick the `r..e'. I remember even Aamir Khan's quote was chopped and put out to create controversy. Should listen to the recording of the interview," posted seasoned journalist Bharati Dubey of Absolute India. A popular radio jockey Alok also tweeted: "Salman Khan is misquoted for his statement. I was present in that interview and he never meant it in wrong sense. Listen audio before trolling him." He possibly meant the interaction with about thirty journalists which is often called a "group interview" by media managers who arrange the event. The National Commission for Women has taken note of Salman's comment and have asked him to apologise for it within a week. Bangkok, June 21 : Wildlife advocates on Tuesday called to protect the dwindling populations of wild giraffes, whose numbers have fallen by 40 per cent over the past 15 years. Marking World Giraffe Day on Tuesday with a call to protect the 80,000 to 90,000 giraffes left roaming the African savannahs -- down from 140,000 in the early millennium and two million 150 years ago, the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) has launched a campaign to put "people at the centre of giraffe conservation" to stem the long-necked herbivores' silent extinction. According to GCF, giraffes are often overpassed for protection or advocacy when compared to rhinos or African elephants, despite elephant populations being 5.6 times higher, Efe news reported. Habitat loss and poaching threaten the survival of the gentle giants, who stand up to 5.7 metres tall and are "easily killed", according to the African Wildlife Foundation. By raising peoples' awareness of the plight facing the ungulate mammals, advocates hope to create better government policies to protect them. The effort has been successful in Niger, where West African giraffe numbers have quadrupled since the government started to protect them in the 1990s after numbers fell to only 50 animals left in the whole country, reports the National Geographic. The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) continues to list giraffes as an animal of "least concern" because only two of the nine giraffe subspecies are endangered, but conservationists say this is inaccurate due to a lack of information and interest in studying the unassuming creatures. "It's a hell of a lot of work to gather the necessary information (to change the endangered listings)," said GCF Executive Director Julian Fennessy, as cited by the Scientific American journal. "Giraffes are the forgotten megafauna. They're really not getting the attention they deserve," Fennessy added. New Delhi, June 21 : A high-level official team is headed for Mozambique to explore imports of pulses and also the feasibility of contract farming in the southern African nation. The team is being led by Consumer Affairs Ministry Secretary Hem Pande, official sources said. "The delegation consisting of senior officials from the Ministries of Commerce, Agriculture and the Metals and Minerals Trading Corporation of India (MMTC) will explore both short-term and long-term measures to import pulses from Mozambique on government to government basis," a statement from the union Food and Consumer Affairs Ministry said here. A similar official delegation is already in Myanmar to discuss the availability of pulses for import, the statement said. The government is planning government-to-government contract with countries like Myanmar to import the commodities for enhanced buffer stocks in the country. During a recent meeting of a high-powered inter-ministerial team headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, the government decided to enhance the buffer stock of pulses in view of growing prices to 8 lakh tonnes, a significant jump from the previous target of 1.5 lakh tonnes. The visit of a delegation led by Consumer Affairs Secretary to Mozambique is significant as the government is also in favour of exploring the feasibility of contract farming of pulses in some of the African countries, including Mozambique. "The farming remains highly unorganised in Mozambique and other African countries like Tanzania. Agriculture is also done at a very small scale compared to the land available, hence the team can explore the option to take land for contract farming with the involvement of private players," a Food Ministry source told IANS. Pulses like Tur, Arhar and a few similar to Indian varieties are grown in these countries, the source said. India, the largest producer of pulses and also consumer, imported about 5.5 million tonnes last fiscal through private trade, but it was not enough due to growing demand to keep the prices under check. Production of pulses is estimated to have declined to 17.06 million tonnes in 2015-16 crop year (July-June) due to drought, whereas domestic demand is around 23-24 million tonnes. The union Food Ministry is anxious about the stocks too as the states are not showing enough enthusiasm for procuring pulses from the buffer stock. The government has so far prepared a stock of 1.15 lakh tonnes and is also offloading pulses to the states for retail distribution at a cheaper rate. The central government has urged states to procure pulses from the buffer stock at a subsidised rate of Rs 66 per kg and sell in retail markets at Rs 120 per kg. Cooperation in various sectors including agro-industry were explored during the visit of Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi to India last year and during his talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sources said. Los Angeles, June 21 : "Conjuring 2" actress Vera Farmiga has said women have to fight for opportunities in Hollywood. Farmiga acknowledges that sexism in Hollywood is still rampant, but insists that many women are working to change it, reports telegraph.co.uk. "You have to fight for that opportunity, you are not given it. And that's where we are becoming ballsier," Farmiga said. "You create your opportunities -- 'Higher Ground' was an example of that. It is happening more. Yes, in all aspects of production. Pay cheques as well. We are only just learning how to operate, really. And to seize the day," she added. Thiruvananthapuram, June 21 : Several movie stars as well as Kerala and Tamil Nadu ministers are likely to attend the engagement of Congress legislator Adoor Prakash's son with businessman Biju Ramesh's daughter here on Thursday. Informed sources said that apart from Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his predecessor Oommen Chandy is also expected at the event. Ramesh, who owns nine bar hotels here, hogged the limelight after he accused the then Finance Minister K.M. Mani of accepting bribe to open bars closed by the Oommen Chandy-led United Democratic Front government as per their 2014 liquor policy. Ramesh also levelled similar allegations against Congress ministers K. Babu, Ramesh Chennithala and V.S. Sivakumar. Mani finally quit last year. The UDF had then alleged that Ramesh was being used as a political tool by the Communist Party of India-Marxist, then in the opposition, and that they had conspired to bring down the Chandy government. Prakash, a former Revenue Minister, has invited all his former colleagues in the Chandy cabinet for the engagement ceremony. Ramesh personally went to Chandy's house to extend an invite to him, an aide of the former Congress Chief Minister told IANS. Ramesh contested the Thiruvananthapuram assembly seat on an AIADMK ticket this year but, notwithstanding a high-profile campaign, lost his security deposit. Udhampur, June 21 : Indian soldiers celebrated the International Yoga Day on Tuesday at Siachen Glacier -- the world's highest battlefield. The army's Fire & Fury Corps at Siachen, Leh, Kargil and other forward posts in Jammu and Kashmir conducted yoga asanas or exercises, a statement from the military said. Besides giving an impetus to physical fitness, the event was meant to popularise yoga and spread awareness on its benefits, the statement said. The Indian Army has incorporated yoga asanas into the daily routine of the soldier in high altitude areas where harsh climatic conditions prevail. "Practice of yoga by soldiers in such an environment helps them to combat various diseases such as high altitude sickness ... psychological stresses of isolation and fatigue," the statement said. "The respiratory adaptations of pranayama (breathing exercise) help the soldiers to better adapt to the low oxygen environment in high altitude areas," it said. It said the yoga sessions were organised by trained instructors who explained and demonstrated the correct yogic postures for various asanas and explained their benefits. India controls the heights of Siachen. The harsh weather is said to claim more lives of Indian and Pakistani soldiers there than actual fighting. New Delhi, June 21 : Millions of Indians on Tuesday morning stretched and twisted their bodies and performed breathing exercises to celebrate the second International Yoga Day, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Chandigarh urging people to delink the ancient Indian practice from their religious beliefs. "Yoga is not a religious activity. Many people do not understand yoga completely. It is not what you will get from yoga, but what is important is what you will give to yoga and what all (ailments) will it rid you off," he said early in the morning in a nearly 30-minute speech before the yoga session. Yoga, the prime minister said, could give "health assurance at zero budget" and it should be made a part of everyone's daily life for peace and harmony. Mass yoga events were held in schools, public places, lawns of residential localities and office complexes across thousands of Indian villages, cities, and towns -- from the deserts of Rajasthan to eastern planes and from the Himalayan heights to high seas -- on naval warships -- down south. The celebrations of the day and yoga performances even went high up in the sky at 35,000 feet above Earth on some morning flights. Modi, in a white T-shirt and a payjama with a stole around his neck, led from the front in Chandigarh's Capitol Complex. Stretching on a mat and staring at the overcast Chandigarh skies, he himself performed the asanas among the crowd of over 30,000 yoga enthusiasts. "Yoga binds body, mind, intelligence and soul. It provides a balance to mind and body. Anyone can do it anywhere," said Modi, a keen yoga enthusiast on whose proposal the UN marked June 21 to be celebrated as the International Yoga Day every year. In the run-up to the celebrations, the government had created a huge hype to popularize the event, asking people to organise ceremonies for mass participations. In Delhi, as the morning sun broke through the overnight clouds, tens of thousands of its residents performed asanas. Over 10,000 people gathered at Central Park in the heart of Connaught Place and the circular road around it, making it one of the largest yoga events in the city. It rained heavily in Mumbai but that did not deter lakhs of school and college students and men and women of all ages from doing yoga exercises in many parts of the city and suburbs. The Indian Navy in Mumbai completed a three-week long capsule to train 25 personnel and popularise yoga among thousands of its sailors and civilians while over 2,000 took part in a yoga programme at Kohli Grounds. Tamil Nadu capital Chennai also saw thousands of people performing yoga. The navy marked the day with its officers and personnel performing yoga on INS Adyar. And it wasn't just the metro cities. In Jammu and Kashmir, scores performed yoga exercises and the main function was held at the Maulana Azad Stadium in Jammu. Similar functions were held in Srinagar and Leh and Kargil towns of the Ladakh region. In Himachal Pradesh, the day was observed amid cloudy conditions and yet thousands did asanas in hundreds of camps across the state. In Left-ruled Kerala, the day sparked a controversy as Health Minister K.K. Shailaja was irked by Sanskrit kirtans rendered at an event. She pointed out that yoga doesn't belong to any particular religion and is also practised by atheists. Celebrations were also held in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Bihar and northeastern states. High up in the sky, budget airline SpiceJet conducted practice sessions on all its two-hour morning flights. It was a special 10-minute 'Upa-Yoga' onboard capsule for its passengers and crew. The participants performed while seated. The special asanas are believed to help activate joints, muscles and energy systems to overcome jetlag, fear of flying and breathing difficulties. Beijing, June 21 : An annual dog meat festival began in China's Yulin city on Tuesday amid opposition from local and foreign activists, who have called for an end to the slaughter and consumption of the animals. Hundreds of people gathered in a local market of the city in Guangxi province where dogs were crammed into small cages ready to be sold, Efe news reported. From around 7.00 a.m. (local time), a heavy police presence of both uniformed and plainclothes officials could be seen amid palpable tension between festival participants and animal rights activists. A number of activists were among the crowd, with many attempting to speak to vendors and some buying dogs to save them from the slaughter. People were heard being quoted prices of between 300 yuan and 700 yuan (around $45-$106) per dog. Yulin festival is held annually during the summer solstice, with dog meat traditionally consumed during the summer months in countries such as China and South Korea because of beliefs that it wards off the heat. Residents and vendors in Yulin maintain the animals are slaughtered humanely while critics argued they are brutally killed, and sometimes even cooked while still alive. Dogs on Tuesday were slaughtered away from the gaze of reporters and activists, before being taken to restaurants to be cooked. Activists this month handed authorities in Beijing a petition with some 11 million signatures protesting the festival, which is expected to result in the deaths of thousands of dogs. Animal protection organisation Humane Society International has dubbed the event "a living nightmare, not a festival". A number of international celebrities have also joined calls for the festival to be banned. In a recent campaign video released by the Animal Hope and Wellness Foundation, stars including Matt Damon, Joaquin Phoenix and Pamela Anderson called on Yulin to "stop the cruelty, stop the beatings, stop the burning, stop the hangings, stop skinning them alive". New Delhi, June 21 : Bollywood's drug-themed movie "Udta Punjab", which braved a tough battle for release in India, will now see the light of the day in Pakistan, albeit with cuts -- and mutes on expletives and references to the country. "All the foul language, including swearing at and derogatory words, remarks have been muted along with certain excisions of scenes. The movie has been granted 'A' rating by the Full Board of CBFC (Central Board of Film Censors)," Mobashir Hasan, chairperson, CBFC, told IANS from Islamabad in response to queries through social media. He also said that references to Pakistan "have been excised". Hasan added: "Scenes which even subtly refer to Pakistan, word '786', words 'Maryam kee seerat' and all the foul language and such words have been excised, muted and beeped." A well-placed source in the neighbouring country's film distribution market told IANS that about eight minutes of "basically abusive language" have been cut. However, a release date is yet to be fixed. Meanwhile, the Sindh Board of Film Certification, which works independent of the CBFC, is yet to grant a release certificate to the movie. "We have asked a local distributor and importer to mute all abusive language as that is a direct violation of the existing censor code, and a few cuts. The film will be certified soon and hopefully released soon," Fakhr-e-Alam, chairperson of the Sindh censor board, told IANS from Karachi. They are now waiting for the film's Pakistan distributor to do the needful. "Only after that, the certificate will be issued," Alam said. A hard-hitting but entertaining message-based drama, "Udta Punjab" features power-packed and convincing performances by Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Diljit Dosanjh. "It's powerful cinema," Alam said, adding: "Alia Bhatt has just set the bar too high for all the leading ladies." The film's story delves into the drug problem that the youth in Punjab is facing, and this has been told through actors Shahid, a youth icon and music star who remains high on drugs; Alia, a Bihari woman who falls in the trap of drug peddlers; Kareena, a doctor on a mission to break the drug nexus in the state; and Diljit, a police officer who dares to take on the system after his brother falls victim to the drug menace. With its unapologetic use of abusive language, "Udta Punjab" wasn't deemed fit for release even with an 'A' certificate by the Indian censor board which initially ordered 89 cuts and removal of reference to the state. The makers -- led by Anurag Kashyap who has been credited as being the face of a new wave of cinema in India -- moved the Bombay High Court, and walked away victorious after agreeing to make one cut and adding three disclaimers. The controversy stretched for almost two weeks, and became a larger issue when political bigwigs stepped in with their comments. The row also raised questions -- once again -- about the feasibility of having a censor board -- and brought filmmakers to demand an organisation which only certifies films and not excise parts of it. The movie got a favourable response in India for its anti-drug message and also for its strong performances. It made Rs 38.30 crore in four days of its release. (Radhika Bhirani can be contacted at radhika.b@ians.in) Cairo, June 21 : A court in Egypt on Tuesday nullified a deal signed between Cairo and Riyadh on maritime border demarcation that placed the two Red Sea islands of Tiran and Sanafir in Saudi regional waters. Egypt's Administrative Court said waiving all rights of the two islands to Saudi Arabia is null and void, Xinhua news agency reported. The agreement should have been submitted to the House of Representatives for debate and ratification. "It violated the country's 1906 demarcation agreement and cannot be submitted to parliament for approval based on the constitution," the court said. On April 12, the Egyptian Cabinet said the joint Egyptian-Saudi technical maritime border drawing has determined that the islands of Tiran and Sanafir fall within Saudi waters. The agreement of the two islands, which lie at the south entrance of the Gulf of Aqaba in the north of the Red Sea, also provoked an immediate backlash in Egypt, with hundreds of people protesting the act of "selling the islands". The islands had historically been Saudi and were "leased" to Egypt in 1950, the cabinet said. Based on the historical sequence and documents, the two islands, which are currently administered by Egypt, should be restored under the Saudi sovereignty, it added. The two islands are of a strategic significance in the area, as they form the narrowest section of the strait of Tiran, which is an important sea passage to the major ports of Aqaba in Jordan and Eilat in Israel. The Islands are currently inhabited only by military personnel from Egypt and a multinational force and observers. Patna, June 21 : A special vigilance court here on Tuesday dismissed the interim bail pleas of Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) former chairman Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh and his wife Usha Sinha, police said. The court dismissed their pleas on the ground that granting them interim bail will hamper ongoing investigations by the Bihar Police SIT. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Monday arrested the couple from Varanasi in connection with the Class 12 toppers' scam. Earlier, the SIT brought the duo for presenting them in court amid tight security. Scores of people had gathered in the court premises to catch a glimpse of the couple, who had their faces covered. Last week, a Patna civil court issued an arrest warrant against Lalkeshwar Prasad, who until recently headed the BSEB which conducts the Class 10 and 12 examinations. Prasad went underground after resigning when the scam surfaced. A TV channel broadcast a sting in which two Class 12 toppers could not answer even elementary questions about the subjects they had 'topped' in. Usha Sinha, a former Janata Dal-United legislator in Bihar, was also missing since her name surfaced in the scam. So far, 10 persons have been arrested in the case. Islamabad, June 21 : President Mamnoon Hussain will lead Pakistan's delegation to the meeting of the Head of States Council of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Tashkent on June 23-24. According to Pakistan's Foreign Office, the president will also hold important bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the SCO Summit. SCO is an important organisation founded in Shanghai in 2001 with China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as member-states. The SCO Heads of States Council is the highest decision-making body of the Organisation. Pakistan was invited to start the process of becoming full SCO member at the Heads of State Council meeting held in Ufa, Russia, in July 2015. Pakistan is expected to sign the "Memorandum of Obligations" at the Tashkent summit, which will be major step towards becoming a full member of the SCO. The SCO comprises six Member States, five Observers and three Dialogue Partners. Pakistan became an Observer in SCO in 2005 and was the first country to apply for full membership in 2010. India and Iran, together with Pakistan, were accorded observer status in 2005. The SCO aims at strengthening friendly relations among states, maintenance of peace, stability and security in the region, building a new, just and rational international political and economic order, joint efforts in combating terrorism, extremism, separatism and the menace of narcotic substances. Bengaluru, June 21 : Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday laid the foundation stone for a 370 MW gas-based combined cycle power plant of Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd (KPCL) at Yelahanka, near here. "Work is about to start... Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) has been awarded the contract. BHEL has in turn lined up its sub-contractors," said KPCL Managing Director Kumar Naik. "Today, formal inauguration of work has been done by the chief minister...." Naik said the new gas-based power plant -- coming up on 105 acres near Doddaballapur beside the wheel and axle plant -- would cost about Rs 1,570 crore. Scheduled to be completed by May 2018, the new plant will act like a dedicated power plant to Bengaluru city to meet its peak demand. As the new power plant is being built near to the city, there will be minimum transmission and distribution losses. Kolkata, June 21 : Cruise enthusiasts will soon be able to sail in luxury from Kolkata to Dhaka and relish the sights of the celebrated Sundarbans mangrove forests, courtesy a river cruise service between India and Bangladesh, an official said. "The guidelines are being finalised by the Director General of Shipping and it will commence soon," Arvind Kumar, assistant director of Inland Waterways Authority of India, told IANS. The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) is looking after the part in the neighbouring country while IWAI is monitoring the Indian part. Currently only cargo vessels are allowed across the border via waterways. "It will be a 14-day cruise through the Indian and Bangladesh part of Sundarbans. It is likely to begin end of the year,a said Lt Col. (Retd) SR Banerjee, consultant of Vivada Cruises. Shimla, June 21 : The southwest monsoon on Tuesday reached Himachal Pradesh in advance with many areas witnessing moderate rainfall in the past 24 hours, the weather office here said. "The southwest monsoon arrived almost a week in advance in the state," Manmohan Singh, director of the meteorological office, told IANS. The monsoon normally hits the state by June 27, he said. Nahan town in Sirmaur district got 49 mm till 8.30 a.m., the highest in the state, while Gaggal and Dharamsala both in Kangra district recorded 43 mm and 21 mm rain, respectively. State capital Shimla got 16.6 mm rain, while Dalhousie received just two mm rain. Agriculture is the main occupation of the people in Himachal Pradesh, which saw deficit rainfall in the past two southwest monsoons, providing direct employment to 69 percent of its workforce. The state recorded a deficit rainfall of 27 per cent last year. In 2014, the monsoon rain deficiency in the state was 38 per cent, making it the driest monsoon in the decade. This season the state may see good rainfall, state Additional Chief Secretary Tarun Shridhar has said. Quoting the India Meteorological Department's station here, he said timely preparedness for the monsoon is being ensured and alerts have been issued to the authorities concerned. Hyderabad, June 21 : Two Telugu youth, including a student, met a watery grave in two separate incidents in US, according to information reaching their families. Namboori Sridatta (25), who was working with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in Arizona, drowned while picnicking with friends at a waterfall. According to his family in Vanasthalipuram in Hyderabad, the incident took place on Sunday but they received the information late on Monday. Sridatta, who was on weekend with friends, slipped and fell down in the water. Rescue workers recovered his body. The youth had gone to the US five years ago and after education at Arizona University, got a job at TCS. "He was to come home next month but yesterday we got this shocking news," said Sridatta's father N.V.M. Swamy, a private employee. The family has appealed to the Indian government to ensure that the body is brought home early. In another incident, P. Naresh (24), a student in California, drowned in a river during picnic. The incident occurred in Livermore River Park on Sunday. According to information reaching his family in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh, he was on a picnic with his friends on a boat when he slipped and fell in the water. The body was recovered during a search operation launched by the local police. Naresh was studying MS second year. His death shattered dreams of the poor family in Bandipalem village. His father Purnaiah, a small farmer, said he had telephoned him recently to inform that he will be doing a part time job and send money home from next month. Naresh's family has urged the Indian government to make arrangements for bringing the body back home. Gurgaon, June 21 : A Gurgaon couple and their accomplice from Jaipur have been booked for duping a businessman of Rs 40 lakh on the pretext of selling property, police said on Tuesday. Ranju Gupta and her husband Praveen Gupta, residents of Gurgaon's Sector 15-1, and Audichya from Jaipur's Govind Nagar have been booked under Sections 420 (cheating), 406 (breach of trust) and 120B (hatching criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code at the Civil Lines police station. The trio took Rs 40 lakh last week from Dheeraj Gupta, a businessman, as a token money for selling a business outlet in Gurgaon's Sector 15-2 but later refused to furnish the sale deed. "The registry of property was scheduled on June 15 but the accused refused to do so and also did not refund the token money they had taken," Gupta, a resident of Gurgaon's Sector 39, said in his complaint. Police are looking into the matter. Beijing, June 21 : China on Tuesday said it was not against India's entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and the "door is open" for discussions over admitting non-NPT countries in the elite grouping. Beijing's statement comes a day after it said the NSG was divided over admitting India and the issue would not figure in the agenda of the NSG plenary in Seoul this week. The US has appealed to the member countries of the 48-member bloc to support India's bid for membership. Beijing maintained that it was the US which laid down the rules of non-signatory countries of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty not being allowed membership of the bloc. "The door is still open. There is always room for discussion," China's foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Tuesday. "We never said we are against (any country). We did not target any country, India or Pakistan," Hua said in a media briefing. Responding to US' backing India for membership of the global nuclear trade regulator, Hua said: "I have not seen the US statement supporting India. But US is one of those who made the rule that non-NPT countries should not join the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)." Hua said that NPT was the "cornerstone" over admitting countries into the NSG. She said it was up to the NSG members to decide whether rules for entry into the group needed to be changed. Her remarks come as the NSG is to hold an important plenary June 23-24 in Seoul when the membership application of India, along with Pakistan, are likely to be taken up. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also likely to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) when the issue is likely to be discussed. The Chinese spokesperson's statement on Tuesday is at variance with her remarks a day ago, when she said that NSG members were still divided over admitting India and it was not right to talk about the issue now. She had also ruled out the inclusion of the issue of admission of non-NPT members -- mainly India and Pakistan -- being taken up at the Seoul meet. "The inclusion of non-NPT members has never been a topic on the agenda of NPT meetings. In Seoul this year, there is no such topic," Hua had said. The US, which has strongly backed India for membership to the grouping, said that it continues to urge member countries to back New Delhi's application. US State Department spokesperson John Kirby said in Washington that the US reaffirms that India was ready for membership to the NSG. "We continue to call on the participating governments of the NSG to support India's application at the plenary session in Seoul," he said. "India's application is something we have routinely talked to other NSG participating members," he added. China has been opposed to India's membership on the grounds that it is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Beijing has also said if New Delhi is admitted, then so should its all-weather ally Islamabad be given admission. Consensus among all member countries is essential to allow a new entrant. (Gaurav Sharma is the IANS correspondent in Beijing. He can be contacted at sharmagaurav71@gmail.com and gaurav.s@ians.in) Ghaziabad, June 21 : An inmate serving life term in Dasna Jail here has committed suicide by hanging himself, police said on Tuesday. Police said Babloo, a resident of Abupur in Ghaziabad district, hanged himself in the toilet with his towel on Monday night. He was rushed to the hospital where doctors pronounced him dead. "His behaviour was normal... but suddenly he committed suicide. It is being investigated and a magisterial inquiry has been ordered," said Dasna Jail Superintendent M.S. Yadav. Babloo and his brother were arrested in 2004 for killing their neighbour and eventually sentenced for life in 2011. Islamabad, June 21 : Sartaj Aziz, Pakistan's top foreign affairs advisor, on Tuesday said that Islamabad was "making successful efforts" against New Delhi's Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) membership bid, ahead of the bloc important plenary in Seoul this week. Aziz's remarks come days after India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said that New Delhi was "not opposed" to Islamabad's entry to the 48-nation bloc. India and Pakistan have both applied for the NSG membership and both countries are lobbying with member nations to seek support for their bids. Pakistan's all-weather friend China has been consistenly opposing India's bid for NSG membership. Aziz was briefing the National Assembly to counter opposition criticism that Pakistan lacks a foreign minister and was losing out in influencing friendly countries in the face of India's growing diplomatic outreach. Aziz rejected the accusations and said that Indian Prime Minister Narender Modi's recent visits to Muslim countries -- Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Iran -- haven't led to "deterioration" in Islamabad's relation with those countries. The advisor strongly denied that Modi's visits to the Islamic countries were an example of the "failure of Pakistan's foreign policy" and added that Islamabad is "working upon its policy of non-interference" in the affairs of other states. "The impression was given that our (Pakistan's) relations with Muslim countries have deteriorated after Modi paid visit to two such countries," he said. He highlighted Pakistan's "historic and religious" relations with Muslim countries, saying that ties with Iran are "moving in the right direction", and that after the lifting of sanctions against Tehran, Pakistan-Iran relations are getting strengthened. He said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), CASA-1000, TAPI and Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline Project are concrete achievements which will help increase connectivity with the region. He pointed out that with the SCO membership, Pakistan's political role in the region will be enhanced. Aziz reaffirmed that Pakistan has not been isolated in the region, but "after 9-11 Muslim countries suffered hostilities" and that Islamabad's "successful foreign policies helped in securing Pakistan". The foreign affairs advisor said that compared to other countries in the region, Pakistan's foreign ministry budget is very low. "In the last three years the budget has only increased by 14 percent." However, National Assembly members were unmoved by Aziz's long speech, and many slammed him. "At this age Sartaj Aziz should pray on a prayer mat," opposition lawmaker Jamshed Dasti said, taking a jibe at Aziz, who is 87. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Shireen Mazari too lamented the absence of a foreign minister in the country. "As a result, there is no direction to the country's foreign policy," she said. New Delhi, June 21 : A day after he was booked in the water tankers scam along with his predecessor Sheila Dikshit, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi wanted to scare him through such actions. "Modi ji has intimidated everyone else through false complaints and probes. He wants to scare me as well. So, he got the FIR registered against me," Kejriwal told the media here. He, however, did not take any questions from the media. Kejriwal said the FIR was registered on Modi's direction and that he was not afraid of any probe by a central agency. "Respected Narendra Damodardas Modi, get as many FIRs registered against me (as you can), I will keep raising my voice. I won't bend, break or back off. You will find me struggling over the issues of the farmers and Dalits," the AAP leader said. "Six months back, they (Modi government) conducted a CBI raid at my office but got nothing. Now, they have lodged an FIR against me. The fact is that I am the only one who stands like a rock against Modi. He cannot tolerate this," the Delhi Chief Minister said. Taking a dig at the Congress top brass, the Aam Aadmi Party leder said he was not Congress President Sonia Gandhi or its Vice-President Rahul Gandhi "who can be scared" by the Prime Minister. "Modi ji, I am not a Rahul Gandhi or Sonia Gandhi that you can scare me. I am not a Robert Vadra, with whom you can stage-manage or strike any unscrupulous deal. The Modi government doesn't file cases against Rahul Gandhi or Sonia Gandhi or Vadra but targets me," Kejriwal said. The Chief Minister said Modi has admitted to a direct political confrontation with him. "Modi ji, you do your work and I will do mine. You will see me raising my voice if you try to save Sonia Gandhi in the AgustaWestland helicopter scam. I will also raise voice if your BJP leaders try to save the killers of an honest NDMC (New Delhi Municipal Council) officer M.M. Khan," Kejriwal said. He said he will raise voice if Modi tried to save Bharatiya Janata Party's Chief Ministers Shivraj Singh Chauhan and Vasundhara Raje in the Vyapam scam and Lalit Modi scam respectively. The Delhi Anti-Corruption Branch registered the case on Monday against the Aam Aadmi Party leader and Dikshit, a former Congress Chief Minister. ACB chief M.K. Meena said the FIR against Kejriwal was registered on the complaint of BJP legislator Vijender Gupta "for causing delay and not cancelling the contract for water tankers". Tokyo, June 21 : Global technology major SoftBank Group (SBG) on Tuesday announced that its representative Director, President and COO Nikesh Arora would be an advisor from July 1. "Nikesh and I have decided that he would move to an advisory role and continue to support SBG, while he zeroes in on his next challenge. He will continue to be friend of SBG, and I will have my hand on his shoulder," SBG Chief Executive Masayoshi Son said in a statement here. Lauding Arora for bringing world class execution skills to the Group, as evident from its investments over the last year, complex monetisation of its stake in Alibaba (China's e-tail behemoth) and selling its equity stake in Finnish game developer Supercell for $7.3 billion, Son said he was indebted to him for his contributions. "Nikesh is a unique leader with unparalleled skills around strategy and execution. He should be the CEO of a global business. I had hoped to hand over the reins of SBG to him on my 60th birthday, but I feel my work is not done. "I want to cement SBG 2.0, develop Sprint to its true potential and work on a few more crazy ideas, which will require me to be CEO for another five to ten years, not a time frame for me to keep him waiting for the top job," he said. SoftBank acquired the US-based telecom major Sprint Corporation in July 2013. Commenting on development, Arora said helping "Masa" (Son) began the transformation of SBG and sowing the early seeds had been a great experience. "I have enjoyed working with Masa and the SBG team and I look forward to my next challenge. In the meantime, I will continue to support the Group and our investee companies," he said in the statement. Arora joined SBG in September 2014 from global search engine major Google, where he was the Chief Business Officer. During his tenure, the Group invested in a set of ground-breaking growth stage companies in India like Snapdeal, Ola, Oyo, Grofers, Housing and extended its footprint in Asia with the mobile e-commerce firm Coupang in Korea and the ride-share player Grab in Southeast Asia. "Nikesh and I have been partners in creating SoftBank 2.0. He has been able to help think through our vision, future growth plans and articulate our strategy," Son added. The development came a day after SBG said a special committee found allegations against Arora in a purported shareholder demand were "without merit". "A special committee of independent members of SBG's Board of Directors has completed its review of allegations against Nikesh Arora in a purported shareholder demand. The committee has concluded that the claims concerning the conduct of Arora during his tenure at SBG are without merit," the company said in a statement on Monday. SBG said allegations had been raised in a number of letters from a law firm which claimed to represent the interests of certain unidentified SBG and Sprint Corporation shareholders. "As I said when these allegations first became public, I have complete trust in Nikesh and I am pleased the special committee has looked into these claims thoroughly and concluded they are without merit," said Son. As a holding company, SBG provides advanced telecommunications, media and internet services, robotics and clean energy technology. Thiruvananthapuram, June 21 : The decisions taken at the cabinet meetings will now be available for Right to Information applicants with the Kerala State Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) Vinson M Paul on Tuesday issuing an order bringing cabinet decision under the purview of the RTI Act. The Chief Information Commissioners ruling came on a petition filed by RTI activist and lawyer D B Binu. The petitioner had filed an RTI query seeking details of cabinet decisions taken by the Oommen Chandy-led United Democratic Front government during the last three months of its tenure. However, his RTI query was declined by the government saying that cabinet decisions would be made public as and when the decisions were implemented. The new Left Democratic Front government led by the CPI(M) too turned down the RTI query seeking details of cabinet decisions made at the first cabinet meeting. It was in this context that the State CIC gave a ruling bringing cabinet decisions under the ambit of the RTI Act. The Kerala CIC also suggested that the government should consider publishing cabinet decisions on the government website within 48 hours of the cabinet meeting. The ruling also assumes significance given that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has done away with the practice of the Chief Minister holding a press briefing after the weekly cabinet meeting. New Delhi, June 21 : Monsoon arrived drought-hit Vidarbha and Marathwada regions of Maharashtra, and the Bundelkhand region in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh as well as the northern states of the country, IMD said on Tuesday. The monsoon has however hit only few areas of Maharashtra and was delayed by over two weeks, as it was predicted to strike the region on June 3. "Monsoon has arrived in central part of Maharashtra, including some parts of Vidarbha and Marathwada. It has also arrived in eastern Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, East and some (other) parts of Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir," said the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Heavy rains are also expected in parts of Uttarakhand on Wednesday and Thursday and may obstruct the Char Dham yatra. "We had placed the region only under watch category and not alert catagory yet. Regions of plains and Kumaon received good rainfall. We are expecting heavy rains around Rudraprayag as well," an IMD official told IANS. Dwarahat of in the hill state's Almora district received 48 mm and Banbasa received 62 mm rainfall on Monday. "Continuous rainfall of even 30 mm could lead into landslides, obstructing the road transport," a an IMD official said. However, Delhi, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana and Punjab will have to wait till June 30 at least before monsoon. Till then the National Capital Region will continue receiving pre-monsoon rain showers. It is not a bad thing for us, that the route known as the Goldene Strae or the Golden Road as we will get to know it- has escaped the attention of so many. It has been spared being overrun by hordes of tourists and as you will discover the Shillong/Kohima, June 21 : Thousands of people from all walks of life participated in International Yoga Day celebrations across Meghalaya and Nagaland on Tuesday. Meghalaya Governor V. Shanmuganathan visited the Assam Regimental Centre in Happy Valley, Sri Aurobindo Institute of Indian Culture and Ward's Lake where he participated in yoga exercises. A large number of people, including students, soldiers and leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party joined in the yoga exercises. The BJP's Meghalaya unit also observed the day at the U. Tirot Sing stadium in Shillong. BJP national spokesperson Nalin S. Kohli, who is also the party in-charge in the state, was also present on the occasion. Yoga exercises was also held at the Indian Air Force's Eastern Air Command headquarters, where they were inaugurated by the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Air Marshal C. Hari Kumar. Similarly, the international event was also held at the North-Eastern Hill University which witnessed a large number of students, teachers and non-teaching staff, who particularly showed their enthusiasm in the practice of the various yoga protocols. NEHU Vice-Chancellor Prof. S.K. Srivastava later gave away various prizes to the winners of the events organised during the yoga Fest and to the winners of yoga practices. The Nagaland government also observed second International Day of Yoga across various place in that state. Nagaland Governor P.B. Acharya was accompanied by BJP MPs Jugal Kishore Sharma, Yashwant Singh, and Ram Narain Dudi along with ministers, parliamentary secretaries and a host of top government officials. Senior citizens and students from different schools and colleges turned out for the programme. "Yoga is an invaluable gift of ancient Indian tradition which helps in balancing of mind, body through an action. It helps in changing our life styles and creating consciousness. Yoga has nothing to do with religion and is a science and an exercise to keep our body fit," Acharya said. New Delhi, June 21 : BJP's East Delhi MP Maheish Girri, who was protesting outside Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence since Sunday, broke his fast-unto-death on Tuesday on the urging of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. Rajnath Singh on Tuesday evening reached the Civil Lines where Girri was sitting on a hunger strike and persuaded him "not to put his life at stake". Girri was on fast-unto-death since Sunday after Kejriwal declined to join an open debate over his accusation that the Bharatiya Janata Party MP was involved in the murder of a New Delhi Municipal Council estate officer M.M. Khan. Rajnath Singh assured Girri that the police in its investigation has not find anything against him and hence he should not be disturbed by the allegations levelled due to political malice. "Everywhere in the society people are praising the moral courage and the works of Maheish Girri. It is necessary that he should disregard the allegations levelled due to political malice and concentrate on human service," he said, while addressing the gathering. The Home Minister offered Girri a glass of juice, which he drank to break his two-day fast. "I challenged Kejriwal for a debate over his accusation. It has been three days but he didn't turn up. So, its their defeat. I am going to end my hunger strike," Girri said in presence of Rajnath Singh. Union Minister Harsh Vardhan, who also reached the venue said: "Delhi is passing through a phase of anarchy and if this does not end soon, then there will be constitutional crisis in Delhi." He, too requested Girri to continue his fight against the mis-propaganda of Kejriwal government but end his hunger strike in view of human life being precious. Earlier in the day, Girri performed yoga at the agitation venue to mark the second International Yoga Day here. "On IDY2016 today, participated in a Yoga Session with all karyakartas, here at the venue of my Anshan," he tweeted. BJP's Delhi unit President Satish Upadhyay, MP Pravesh Verma and several other leaders joined the hunger strike led by Girri. Khan was shot dead in Jamia Nagar here on May 16 -- a day before he was expected to pass an order on the terms of the lease of The Connaught, a four-star hotel. Kejriwal had reiterated his demand for the arrest of Girri and urged Delhi Police to probe the relationship between Girri and hotelier Ramesh Kakkar, who ran The Connaught and is the main accused in the murder of Khan. YogaUN: United Nations General Assembly President Mogens Lykketoft, from left in the foreground, his wife Mette Holm and India's Permanent Representative Syed Akbaruddin during the practice of the ... Image Source: IANS News YogaValluri: Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev at the International Yoga Day celebrations at the United Nations on Monday, June 21, 2016. Behind him is Miss America 2014, Nina Davulluri, who was the emcee of ... Image Source: IANS News United Nations, June 22 : People of 135 nationalities joined the International Yoga Day festivities on Tuesday at the UN, celebrating its universality and relevance to the world body's mission. Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev led several hundred people through a series of simple yoga exercises in front of the glass-fronted UN tower under a brilliant midday sun, with a cool breeze floating in from the East River. He demonstrated 'Upayoga,' the simplified introductory form of the ancient holistic science, which, he said, can easily be adapted to practice in everyday settings. The Yoga Day celebrations at the UN this year, emceed by Miss America 2014, Nina Davuluri, focused on the ancient Indian tradition's role in achieving the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that were adopted by world leaders last year. UN General Assembly President Mogens Lykketoft said yoga can act to strengthen our unity with nature and with one another. With the world facing the challenges of climate change and disorder, he said he hoped that the International Yoga Day can spur action to attain the SDGs. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon sent a message that the Yoga Day this year "highlights the important role healthy living plays in the realisation of the SDGs." "Practicing yoga can also help raise awareness of our role as consumers of the planet's resources and as individuals with a duty to respect and live in peace with our neighbours.," he said. "All these elements are essential to building a sustainable future of dignity and opportunity for all." Under Secretary General Cristina Gallach, who read Ban's message, added that she felt the celebration "reflects the positive impact that yoga has on all of us." Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his message relayed at the event said it was natural that the celebration that brings together everyone across the world is held at the UN headquarters where it all began when the General Assembly in 2014 declared June 21 International Day of Yoga. India's Permanent Representaive Syed Akbaruddin said that the 135 nationalities that were present "at the altar of multilateralism" set a record for largest such representation. He invoked the sloka, "Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu," and said that its message, "May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all," was apt for the occasion. (Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in) Residential property sales in Spain are continuing to rise but this may be due to sellers accepting lower offers as prices are falling. The latest data from the General Council of Notaries show that sales increased by 16.2% in April year on year and in seasonally adjusted terms were up 18.9%. But prices are not following the growth trend, down 5.1% on average to stand at 1,241 per square metre. Both houses and apartment prices are falling, down 1.6% and 5.9% respectively. The growth is also reflected in lending with the number of mortgages for the purchase of a home rising by 38.3% year on year. The average amount was 120,125, a reduction of 4.9% compared to a year ago, also suggesting that people are paying less for properties. Meanwhile demand for prime property is also rising, especially in the most sought after areas. Well prices properties are being snapped up fast, often in just a matter of days, according to the latest report from Lucas Fox International Properties. Multiple agencies often find themselves competing with each other for the same clients, all of whom are looking to take advantage of the current low prices, according to the Barcelona based firm. We're having to remove around 40 sold properties from our website each week as the market has picked up significantly. We currently have around 40,000 mainly overseas clients actively searching for homes to buy, the majority of whom want to invest in Barcelona, Madrid and key coastal areas such as the Costa Brava, said head of listings at Lucas Fox Ivan Belmonte. The report suggests that the lack of supply is due to the fact that new developments are still fairly slow to come onto the market and some owners are still waiting for prices to rise before they sell. According to Rod Jamieson, head of operations, published price data is often based on asking prices rather than actual sales prices so prices paid are not actually rising. Our statistics show very minimal price increases, even in prime districts, he said. The firms data also shows that 50% of visitors to its website are from overseas and 50% national buyers. This compares to 56% and 44% respectively during the same period in 2015. The British continue to represent the biggest proportion of overseas visitors to the website at 10%, a slight drop from 2015, most likely due to fears over the European Union referendum outcome. After the UK, most overseas demand for Spanish homes comes from France, the United States and then Sweden. We at PropertyRoom.com are happy to support the furthering of education of law enforcement officers, Donald E. Nemer, Senior Vice President of Sales Leading online auction site, PropertyRoom.com, which conducts $1 No Reserve public auctions for law enforcement, government and municipal agencies nationwide, awarded the 3rd Annual Chief Daryl Gates Memorial Educational Scholarship Grant at the 2016 California Association of Property & Evidence (C.A.P.E.) Training Seminar. The annual Chief Daryl Gates Memorial Educational Scholarship Grant was created to honor the late Chief Daryl Gates of the Los Angeles Police Department who was a senior advisor and mentor to PropertyRoom.com since their start in 1999. He was dedicated to education his entire career both for internal improvements in the law enforcement world and for the greater public community at large as the originator of the D.A.R.E. program taught in many schools around the nation. We at PropertyRoom.com are happy to support the furthering of education of law enforcement officers, said Donald E. Nemer, PropertyRoom.com Senior Vice President of Sales. This grant was created to not only honor the late Chief Daryl Gates, but also continue supporting his passion for education by offering a scholarship in his name to attend the annual California Association of Property & Evidence (C.A.P.E.) Training Seminars. On behalf of law enforcement agencies, municipalities and commercial clients, PropertyRoom.com markets and auctions both unclaimed and surplus assets. Goods for sale cover a wide range, varying from tablets, TVs and smartphones to collectible coins, luxury purses, watches and jewelry. The site also regularly auctions cars, trucks and heavy equipment, open to public bidding nationwide. To browse and bid on public assets from these clients, visit PropertyRoom.com. The company lists hundreds of new auctions daily. About PropertyRoom.com PropertyRoom.com makes it remarkably easy for our 3,000+ clients to manage and sell surplus assets. We streamline the entire auction process on a clients behalf and ensure delivery to the winning bidder. There is always a unique deal to be found, with hundreds of new auction listings added daily. Top categories include jewelry, watches, collectible coins and consumer electronics along with cars, trucks, heavy equipment, and firearms through a partner website, eGunner.com. Working with law enforcement agencies, municipal surplus departments, state/county fleet programs, airports and even museums, PropertyRoom.com has generated and distributed millions of dollars to local communities nationwide. Financial Education Without a Sales Pitch We're proud to be on the list and proud of T. Rowe Price for recognizing the growing need for this type of tool Four Seasons Financial Education (FSFE), a provider of workplace financial wellness programs, was recently named in the T. Rowe Price Financial Wellness Program Evaluator as a "popular independent program" among other vendors. The new evaluator tool was built to help retirement plan professionals and employers better understand financial wellness program types and vendors. "To our knowledge, T. Rowe Price was one of the first firms in the US to publicly release such a tool about financial wellness vendors," said Travis Freeman, President of FSFE. "We're proud to be on the list and proud of T. Rowe Price for recognizing the growing need for this type of tool." Freeman noted that other firms and third-party research teams have contacted FSFE in recent months to offer similar reports and tools. A copy of the T. Rowe Price Financial Wellness Program Evaluator is available on T. Rowe Price's website. FSFE is not affiliated with T. Rowe Price. About Four Seasons Financial Education Four Seasons Financial Education is positioned to provide workplace financial wellness services to companies throughout the US to help them improve their bottom line. Since 1986, we have helped corporations increase workplace productivity by focusing on the most important asset of the company - the employees. Services provided through RFG Advisory Group, an SEC Registered Investment Adviser. ACDs Vice President of Operations, Brian Bray, was honored with a Bronze Stevie at the 14th Annual American Business Awards last night. Brays impressive leadership and results have helped drive ACD forward to one of the most successful years in the history of the company. Hes been a key catalyst in establishing ACDs name and image as a leading national InsurTech firm. More than 3,400 nominations from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted this year for consideration in a wide range of categories, including Startup of the Year, Executive of the Year, Best New Product or Service of the Year, Marketing Campaign of the Year, Live Event of the Year, and App of the Year, among others. To be recognized by the Stevie Awards is very exciting and truly and honor, stated Bray. This award is a testament to our incredible team and only reinforces ACDs commitment to providing our clients with quality service, world-class software, and high-value solutions, added Bray. About ACD In an era of connectivity and rapid change, ACD's AutoLink claims workflow platform is a market leader in innovation that connects and unifies a fragmented auto insurance claims industry with digitally empowered solutions. ACD's technology and claims service group has processed over $3B in claims, smoothing the way for insurers and their customers. ACD is a leading Insurtech firm located in Carlsbad. #insurtech For more information visit ACD http://www.acdcorp.com i2i Population Health, a national leader in population health management (PHM) technology, has added industry veteran Kili Chivers to take ownership of the entire client life-cycle. Kili has over 10 years of broad, hands-on experience in managed care across all Medicare and Medicaid populations, with a special focus on serving the underserved and highest needs populations across several states, says Justin Neece, president. Her expertise and insight will be valuable to us as we deliver on the promise of meaningful population health. At i2i, Chivers is responsible for business development and client success with the objective of driving significant growth in sales and maintaining long-term relationships with new and existing clients. Most recently, Chivers was an executive vice president of the payer division for PointRight, Inc. She developed the payer division, which leverages predictive analytics to develop long term care solutions. Prior to PointRight, Chivers held leadership positions for leading managed care organizations in several states, including the procurement, implementation, and launch of WellCares Hawaii plan. During her tenure, the Hawaii plan grew to over $450 MM in revenue and was a flagship success for WellCare. About i2i Population Health A KLAS Leader in the delivery of actionable population health, i2i Population Healths integrated Population Health Management and Analytics solutions have proudly served healthcare organizations for more than 16 years. The company offers a depth of experience gained from over 2,500 U.S. healthcare delivery sites across 35 states supporting 20 million lives. With i2i, healthcare providers optimize the clinical, financial and operational success of physician group practices, community health centers, health center controlled networks, hospitals, health plans and integrated delivery networks. i2is flagship product, i2iTracks, is 2014 PCMH NCQA pre-validated to ignite real-time, proactive care management. i2i Systems big-data platform, PopIQ, delivers a cloud-based comparative analytics toolset to leverage multiple customers data sets and provide cross-population views into global population health management. To learn more visit http://www.i2ipophealth.com. Contact: Amanda Cecconi 615-473-7536 amandac(at)i2ipophealth(dot)com Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino and elder law attorney Anthony J. Enea, Esq., managing partner at Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano, LLP It is an honor and a privilege to be recognized for work that I find so personally rewarding. Judge Daronco was a highly regarded Italian-American jurist and someone I greatly admired. On Friday, June 17, elder law attorney Anthony J. Enea, Esq., managing partner of Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano, LLP of White Plains and Somers, was honored with the Honorable Richard J. Daronco Distinguished Service Award at the Columbian Lawyers Association of Westchester Countys 33rd Annual Dinner Dance. The event, held at The Fountainhead in New Rochelle, raised funds for the non-profits scholarship program, which awards thousands annually to deserving Italian-American law students. The Honorable Richard J. Daronco Distinguished Service Award is named for the former deceased Justice of the Supreme Court of Westchester County. At the time of his assassination in 1988 by the father of a litigant, Judge Daronco was sitting as a federal Judge for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The service award presented in his name recognizes an attorney or jurist who has given unselfishly and served as an outstanding example and asset to Italian-Americans. This years award recipient, Anthony J. Enea, was presented with a special proclamation from Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino declaring June 17th to be Anthony J. Enea, Esq. Recognition Day. Named Westchester Countys Leading Elder Care Attorney at the Above the Bar Awards and Best Lawyers 2016 Elder Law Lawyer of the Year in White Plains, Enea has spent the past three decades educating and protecting the rights of seniors, the disabled and their families. It is an honor and a privilege to be recognized for work that I find so personally rewarding, said Enea. Judge Daronco was a highly regarded Italian-American jurist and someone I greatly admired. A strong leader in the Westchester legal community, Enea has been a member of the Columbian Lawyers Association of Westchester County since 1990 and currently serves as Second Vice President. He is president of the Westchester County Bar Foundation, past chair of the New York State Bar Associations Elder Law Section, and a former president of the Westchester County Bar Association. His practice areas include elder law; Medicaid planning and applications; Medicaid nursing home and home care; special needs planning; wills, trusts and estates; and guardianships (contested/uncontested). Past recipients of the Honorable Richard J. Daronco Distinguished Service Award include the Honorable Janet DiFiore, Chief Judge of the State of New York and the Court of Appeals; Carl A. Vergari, former Westchester County District Attorney; the Honorable Mario Cuomo, former Governor of the State of New York; the Honorable Francis A. Nicolai, former Chief Administrative Judge for the Ninth Judicial District of the State of New York; and many other distinguished Italian American jurists and attorneys. Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano, LLP is located at 245 Main Street in White Plains, N.Y. with additional offices in Somers, N.Y. Elder law attorney Anthony J. Enea can be reached at 914-948-1500 or a.enea(at)esslawfirm(dot)com. For the latest news, visit Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano online at http://www.esslawfirm.com. 2016 Business Intelligence Software TrustMap for Enterprises The BI market has undergone significant change in the last couple of years. This updated analysis of an evolving market is based on real user reviews and will help buyers make informed product purchase decisions. TrustRadius, the most trusted review site for business technology, announced today the publication of its 2016 Buyers Guide to Business Intelligence software. Included in the guide are TrustRadius TrustMaps for Business Intelligence (BI) software which rank products based on end-user satisfaction ratings and research frequency by prospective buyers among small businesses, mid-size companies, and enterprises. TrustMaps help software buyers quickly locate solutions most highly rated and adopted by their peers and therefore most closely aligned to their needs. Each TrustMap plots business intelligence software on two dimensions that include overall trScore based on satisfaction ratings from end-users, and research frequency by prospective buyers on TrustRadius as measured by unique page views. Because success is not solely contingent on software selection, the guide includes a discussion of key factors for achieving success with software, drawn from interviews with highly regarded independent experts, including Claudia Imhoff, Wayne Eckerson, Rick Sherman and Barry Devlin. The guide also includes a discussion of key 2016 market dynamics and trends in the BI software market, and detailed profiles of 22 business intelligence tools, including customer demographics and pros & cons as cited in 2,250 authenticated end-user reviews and ratings. The BI market has undergone significant change in the last couple of years with a major shift away from centrally-governed IT-led tools toward agile, self-service BI, and self-service data preparation. Along with that shift, the explosion of big data initiatives and the broad adoption of Hadoop have made the technology ecosystem much more complex," said Megan Headley, Research Director, TrustRadius. "This updated analysis of an evolving market is based on real user reviews and will help buyers make informed product purchase decisions based on the experiences of others like them." Claudia Imhoff, President of Intelligent Solutions, Inc. agreed stating, This guide is invaluable for helping buyers negotiate the significant shift in the industry from IT systems of record to more agile self-service tools. It includes cogent analyses of market trends, along with summaries of detailed reviews from real users of the leading products, and expert advice on on how to get the most from the technology. This is a must-have for anyone considering, or planning an investment in BI and analytic technologies Best BI Software for Small Businesses (1-50 employees) Based on average user ratings, the Top Rated products for Small Businesses are: Tableau Desktop SAP Crystal Reports Pentaho TIBCO Jaspersoft Looker Dundas BI Chartio Zoho Reports Best Business Intelligence Software for Mid-Size Companies (51 1,000 employees) Based on average user ratings, the Top Rated products for Mid-Size companies are: Tableau Desktop QlikView Tableau Server Alteryx Analytics TIBCO Spotfire Sisense MicroStrategy Analytics Birst Entrinsik Informer GoodData Looker SAP BusinessObjects Lumira Dundas BI Best Business Intelligence Software Software for Enterprises (more than 1,000 employees) Based on average user ratings, the Top Rated products for Enterprises are: Tableau Desktop Microsoft BI Tableau Server TIBCO Spotfire Alteryx Analytics SAP BusinessObjects Lumira GoodData Dundas BI Additional Insights on Business Intelligence Software Market Since the last publication of the guide, several major trends have occurred or strengthened in the BI software market space including: 1. The shift away from centrally governed, IT-led tools to agile, self-service BI 2. Data discovery and Visualization vendors building more enterprise-level features 3. Big Data has greatly increased in importance and Hadoop is now much more widely adopted 4. Emergence of self-service data preparation 5. Co-existence of multiple types of data storage 6. Growing Importance of Embedded BI You can read more about these trends in the 2016 edition of the Buyers Guide to Business Intelligence Software which is free and available at http://www.trustradius.com/guides/bi About TrustRadius TrustRadius is the most trusted review site for business technology, serving both buyers and vendors. We help buyers make better product decisions based on unbiased and insightful reviews. We also help vendors scale and harness in-depth reviews to accelerate sales. Unlike software directories, TrustRadius collects reviews that are structured and substantive, averaging more than 400 words. Every reviewer on TrustRadius is authenticated and every review vetted by our Research Team before publication. Founded by successful entrepreneurs and backed by the Mayfield Fund, TrustRadius is bringing transparency and efficiency to the $3.7 trillion business technology market To learn more, visit http://www.trustradius.com Media Contacts Bertrand Hazard bertrand(at)trustradius(dot)com VP Marketing TrustRadius 512 782 8842 Chaitanya Rajebahadur To have one of UKs largest and most well-known high street retailers, like John Lewis entrust us with their cost-optimization mandate holds huge significance for us in the region. Zensar Technologies, a leading provider of digital solutions, software and infrastructure services, announced a multimillion multi-year Managed Services Deal with John Lewis, UKs largest department store retailer. Zensar has been partnering John Lewis through its business transformation process with next gen applications management solutions for many years now. As part of this agreement spread over a five-year period, Zensar will be responsible for application management and technical analysis services for buying, selling, supply chain, financial management, management information systems, digital and online order management, customer delivery and mobile applications. This deal underlines Zensars position as one of two key IT Operational Support partners at John Lewis. Sandeep Kishore, CEO and MD, Zensar Technologies said, The partnership between John Lewis and Zensar has been a longstanding one with proven outcomes over the years. Zensars unique combination of digital solutions and domain expertise across our retail offerings make for a winning formula to help John Lewis in their ambitious transformational IT operational excellence initiative. John Lewiss leading Omni channel retail strategy will help rewrite retail for retail customers worldwide. Paul Coby, IT Director, John Lewis said, John Lewis aims to be the leading omni channel retailer in the UK and technology is of course one of the key enablers for this strategy. IT is critical in providing the foundations of the omni channel business in online, order management and supply chain; it is also vital in how we provide a great omni-channel experience for our customers and support our Partners in serving our customers. Finally and certainly not least IT is key for innovation in retail. I look forward to working with Zensar in delivering our Strategy. Their expertise and in-depth understanding of our business will, I am sure, help us in delivering our objectives. To have one of UKs largest and most well-known high street retailers, like John Lewis entrust us with their cost-optimization mandate holds huge significance for us in the region. Our focus will be on working towards delivering same or more for less to help them achieve clear business goals, said Chaitanya (Chai) Rajebahadur, SVP and Head of Europe Business Zensar Technologies. John Lewis has embarked on a service and productivity improvement initiative across its business operations in the last 12 months. One of the key outcomes of this partnership involves the establishment of a predictable IT Operations cost structure to optimize both direct and indirect costs. This also includes commitment by the Zensar team to improve performance against pre-defined service KPIs on a year on year basis. As part of the scope, both entities have agreed on building a joint Innovation framework that gives both parties the opportunity to identify, invest and develop solutions of mutual interest. About John Lewis John Lewis operates 46 John Lewis shops across the UK (32 department stores, 12 John Lewis at home and shops at St Pancras International and Heathrow Terminal 2) as well as johnlewis.com. It is part of the John Lewis Partnership, the UK's largest example of worker co-ownership and all 30,000 John Lewis staff are Partners in the business. John Lewis stocks more than 350,000 separate lines in its department stores and johnlewis.com across fashion, home and technology, and was named Best In-Store Experience, 'Best Clothing Retailer, Best Electricals Retailer, Best Furniture Retailer, Best Homewares Retailer and Best Click & Collect Retailer' in the 2016 Verdict Customers Satisfaction awards. Johnlewis.com is consistently ranked one of the top online shopping destinations in the UK. John Lewis Insurance offers a range of comprehensive insurance products - home, car, wedding and event, travel and pet insurance and life cover - delivering the values of expertise, trust and customer service expected from the John Lewis brand. About Zensar (http://www.zensar.com) Zensar is a leading digital solutions and technology services company that specializes in partnering with global organizations across industries on their Digital Transformation journey. A technology partner of choice, backed by strong track-record of innovation; credible investment in Digital solutions; assertion of commitment to clients success, Zensar s comprehensive range of digital and technology services and solutions enable its customers to achieve new thresholds of business performance. Zensar, with its experience in delivering excellence and superior client satisfaction through myriad technology solutions, is uniquely positioned to help them surpass challenges around running their existing business most efficiently, helping in their legacy transformation, and planning for business expansion and growth through innovative and digital ways. Follow Zensar via: Zensar Blog: http://www.zensar.com/blogs Twitter: https://twitter.com/Zensar LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zensar-technologies Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Zensar PR Contacts (Global Headquarters - India): PR Contact (Europe+UK) Lavanya Jayaram Chief Marketing Officer Zensar Technologies +91 9922243544 lavanya.jayaram(at)zensar(dot)com Janki Sampat Manager - Marketing and PR Zensar Technologies UK Ltd. Tel: +44 (0)1753505972 M: +44-(0)7950524639 Janki.sampat(at)zensar(dot)com Aradhana Prabhu Public Relations Zensar Technologies +91-9765999749 aradhana.prabhu(at)zensar(dot)com Safe Harbor Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in earnings, our ability to manage growth, intense competition in IT services including those factors which may affect our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, withdrawal of governmental fiscal incentives, political instability, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, and unauthorized use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our industry. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company. 18 NovaStor knows that our users and partners cannot put their businesses on hold, waiting for their vendors to support the latest technologies, and this is why it is our priority as a company to react immediately to new OS and application releases. NovaStor announced the highly anticipated release of NovaBACKUP Version 18. A committed Microsoft partner, NovaStor continues to perform as one of the data protection leaders with first to market support for the latest technologies coming out of Redmond. In this release NovaStor unleashes a powerful combination punch of support for the latest technologies including Microsoft Server 2016, Exchange 2016, and SQL 2016 and is ready to backup and restore these technologies when you are. Enhanced Virtual Machine Support Including Hyper-V 2016 NovaBACKUP 18 arrives with functionality not common to this price point with complete support and several new enhancements for the latest versions of Hyper-V and VMware virtual machine environments. FREE - New Central Monitoring Application The NovaStor Backup for the Rest of Us philosophy is further emphasized in this new release by building on the promise of offering a more convenient way for users to monitor their backups with the all new CMon central monitoring application. Based directly on customer feedback, engineers have designed CMon to let users oversee NovaBACKUP installations and specific backup jobs. Whether in the same building, from remote locations, or on-the-go with a smartphone, clients and IT providers now have immediate insight into the status of critical data. Resellers can quickly setup clients and arrange them into groups for convenient status checks at a glance. By defining the CMon users and roles within your company, you control who has the visibility into client backup jobs. Define which staff member will take responsibility over certain customers or be given specific access privileges. Designed with flexibility in mind, the dashboard adapts to users individuals needs and allows them to prioritize alerts. Available for users on any Microsoft support browser or smartphone, version 18 makes it easier than ever to monitor all backups and activities from one easy to navigate console. The CMon is now available for FREE as a complimentary download from the NovaBACKUP.com website. A Backup Engineer At Your Side Since its introduction, NovaBACKUP software has become one of the leading server backup solutions on the market. Holding true to the company philosophy off providing Backup for the Rest of Us NovaStors winning support team provides complimentary setup and data restoration assistance with all server backup solutions, ensuring that customers and partners always have an expert standing at their side. NovaStor backup engineers, based locally in the USA, remotely install the software and configure initial backup jobs to guarantee that critical data is protected from day one. If for whatever reason you cannot restore your data, NovaStors recovery experts are standing by. Partner Requested Features NovaBACKUP now automatically detects the users operating system and installs the proper technologies, taking advantage of 64-bit architecture. 64-bit operating systems benefit from greater memory resources and performance enhancement, while 32bit users are supported for all current Microsoft operating systems. NovaBACKUP 18 offers real-time information about the status of virtual backup jobs, initiated directly from the NovaStor Virtual Dashboard. In just a couple clicks users will now be notified of the backup status of virtual environments running under VMware or Hyper-V. With detailed configuration options, users are able to decide who to send notifications to as well as send them to multiple email addressses. The custom email settings allow an individual notification per server so users know which server is having trouble in the event of an issue. This feature allows users to get updated on multiple servers to any device including a cell phone in real time. NovaStor knows that our users and partners cannot put their businesses on hold, waiting for their vendors to support the latest technologies, and this is why it is our priority as a company to react immediately to new OS and application releases. Our new CMon monitoring application offers something absolutely priceless, the power of knowledge about critical data and were giving it away FREE to our users and partners. Its an example of why we continue to build enduring relationships., said Michael Andrews, Managing Director at NovaStor. About NovaStor NovaStor (http://www.novastor.com) is an international provider of powerful, affordable, all-inclusive data-protection solutions for physical and virtual environments. NovaStor provides backup & restore solutions to small and medium business (SMB) as well as heterogeneous environments to protect data on both sides of the cloud. NovaStors SMB solution NovaBACKUP is rated #1 for businesses requiring local and remote protection of Windows Servers, VMware, Hyper-V and NAS environments with advanced monitoring capability, detailed reporting, and administration from a centralized monitoring console. NovaStors network backup solution NovaBACKUP DataCenter brings F500 references, scalability, reliability and speed to heterogeneous environments; a single pane of glass designed to reduce administrative effort and lower TCO. NovaStor Setup Assistance is an industry first where experts relieve clients from the complexity of installation and support. NovaStor is management-owned with over 1,000 partners, and millions of seats distributed. With global headquarters located in Zug, Switzerland and offices in Germany (Hamburg) and the USA (Agoura Hills), NovaStor is also represented in numerous other countries through partnerships. The Alelo Workplace Coach Learners engage in spoken dialog with virtual role-players, and the software automatically evaluates learner inputs and adapts instruction Employees of global organizations from the U.S. Government to small companies need to interact at a working level with foreign nationals, ideally in their native languages. Recognizing the unmet need for effective, relatively inexpensive foreign-language learning, the Office of Naval Research (ONR) has awarded a $3 million contract to Aptima Inc. and Alelo Inc. to develop ALLEARN, a system to accelerate foreign-language learning using artificial intelligence technologies. The Office of the Secretary of Defense and ONR funded ALLEARN (Adaptive Language Learning) to bring learners quickly to an intermediate level of language proficiency and ensure they retain their skills over time. Learning a foreign language with conventional classroom-based instruction is generally expensive, inconvenient and not very effective for most people. Learners come to class with different levels of skill and learn at different rates, making it difficult for teachers to meet the needs of each individual. Moreover, learners have difficulty maintaining their language skills over time, so most who study a foreign language eventually lose the ability to speak it. Self-paced learning solutions, including software-based interactive courses, are even less effective. The envisioned ALLEARN system will be a self-paced adaptive learning solution that will let learners, whether active duty personnel, civilians or contractors, develop and practice their skills through computer simulations of real-life language use. The system will automatically collect data on learner performance and use machine-learning techniques to optimize each learners learning trajectory. The system will combine the latest advances in natural language processing, automated speech recognition, and machine learning. ALLEARN will combine the proven technologies of Alelos Enskill platform and Aptimas Higher Adaptive Learning technology (HAL). Enskill uses speech and language technology to deliver virtual role-play simulations that practice and assess communicative competencies, in any HTML5-compliant Web browser. HAL mines learner performance data (from the aggregate of users), identifying the most effective lessons and content, customizing an adaptive training plan for the individual to accelerate learning. ALLEARN will bring new efficiency to language learning, said Jared Freeman, Chief Scientist at Aptima. It will pilot each learner on a unique personalized route through the huge space of training opportunities, and that navigation will improve over time as we apply educational data mining to the data from the first users of ALLEARN. This approach has shown strong, positive effects in research studies. Now it is time to apply it to provide those benefits to DoD in an operational training system. According to Dr. Lewis Johnson, CEO of Alelo, ALLEARN technology will help learners master communicative skills more rapidly, while reducing instructor workload. We see broad demand for this capability, from elementary-grade education through adult education and workforce training. It will greatly enhance Alelos Enskill platform and has huge market potential. The ALLEARN project is being funded by the Office of Naval Research under Contract #N00014-16-C-1041. ABOUT APTIMA INC. Aptima's mission is to engineer tools and systems that increase human capabilities. The companys scientists study how humans think and learn in today's technology-rich networked environments, and use that knowledge to solve problems and provide solutions in defense, homeland security, healthcare, aviation and cyber security. Aptima's solutions span the human continuum from the micro to the macro from the neural and individual level, to teams and large groups, to complete societies. http://www.aptima.com ABOUT ALELO INC. Alelo creates learning solutions that help people acquire new skills and apply them when it counts, changing the way people communicate. The company is a technology spinout of the University of Southern California that has been delivering game-based solutions for learning communication skills using virtual role-play technology since 2003. Alelo is now applying virtual role-play to workplace competencies and interpersonal skills. http://www.alelo.com Today, the social media world is oozing with excitement with the announcement of the official release of Check, a social-networking app that allows customers to playfully interact with businesses and be the first to know about special promotions and events. Check is the first mobile social application powered by iBeacon technology that has landed today on the app store and is available for free because who isnt a fan of anything thats free?! to all iPhone users in North America. Check enables valued customers to discover who is in the same location as themselves and to interact with those that have visited the same businesses as them. The user experience focuses on a neo-phenomenon of gamification (a game-playing experience), similar to a treasure hunt that is catalyzed by unlocking businesses that you visit. After visiting and unlocking a location, users can contact and engage with each other in real time, browse profiles, share photos, and develop relationships that have the potential of blossoming into something more. For our valued businesses, Check has already made a name for itself as a leader in the European market with the help of an iBeacon-equipped network that is estimated to have 5,000 outlets by the end of the year. Check offers businesses a turnkey solution to attract, retain, and monetize customers on a local scale. The application Check Pro, combined with a Bluetooth iBeacon installation, efficiently enables businesses to communicate information, promotions, and events directly with their customers through their smartphones. At the same time, Check facilitates access to data and statistics to help businesses better understand consumer shopping/spending habits, which helps create an effective and interactive digital experience for venues. The iBeacon Check network deployment has begun with the long-awaited introduction of the application targeting the greater Los Angeles area as a test market in North America. Regional bars, restaurants, night clubs, concert venues, gyms, and other retail chain outlets are jumping on the bandwagon and setting up beacons at their locations to provide their customer base with a one-of-a kind digital social experience. With an emphasis placed on the importance of an efficient management system of inflow and outflow of information and an easily organized customer database, Check Pro aims to generate traffic to brick and mortar stores by mobile interaction with consumers. With Check, we want to birth a generation of social network and business-interactive applications that start in real life and works in real time. iBeacon technology allows the general public to break the wall between the virtual world and the real world. We have been feverishly working on Check for over two years now and our team is proud to bring its expertise and knowledge to the technological forefront of North America. As pioneers of social and digital advancement, we have learned a great deal about this technology and are excited to finally be in a position to be able to provide brick and mortar businesses in the U.S. with user friendly, integrated, customized proximity marketing tools, giving venues a chance to connect with their customers on an interactive digital level to maximize their profits, says Kevin Crouvizier, co-founder of Check. For more information about Check, you can view the trailer here: https://vimeo.com/168935016 View the the press-kit with videos and screens here : http://bit.ly/1ZSyBNK Download Check here: iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/check./id1053158691 Download Check Pro here: iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/check-pro/id1067279578?mt=8 ## About Check Check is the first social application powered by iBeacon technology. Founded in 2014 by a team of four with a background in advertising, video games, and IT, Check aims at changing social interactions within local venues. The application allows mobile users to discover and interact in real time with people located within the same venue thanks to an ultra geolocalized technology. Check will be available in more than 5,000 partner locations by the end of 2016, enabling businesses to retain and recruit new customers using a customized tool. KICventures portfolio companies include Less Institute, SpineFrontier, AxioMed and many more. In addition to patience and the highest level of passion, we care more than any other company to realize this vision over long term. The shift towards smaller health centers, such as the Cancer Treatment Center of America, are examples of the deconstruction of the traditional hospital as we know it. Is orthopedics and spine surgery next in this move from hospital to outpatient? Harvard-Trained Orthopedic Spine Surgeon, Entrepreneur and CEO of KICVentures, Dr. Kingsley R. Chin says yes. He has the track record and published papers to prove it. He also states I took inspiration from Dr. Sidney Garfield, the founding surgeon of Kaiser Permanente, to embark on a bold mission to create outpatient orthopedic and spine surgery centers of excellence in major cities worldwide. As the medical field transitions to more outpatient focused treatments and digital health platforms to connect doctors and patients, Kaiser Permanentes success is admirable but their focus on the traditional hospital model is becoming outdated. I founded KICVentures in 2005 with the goal of revolutionizing the Kaiser model into an outpatient center model on a global scale. We are now emboldened by our successes over the past ten years of deploying over $190 M to fund the current portfolio of companies in our ecosystem. Raising this new $250 M fund will provide us with tremendous abilities to execute boldly. The foundations of Kaiser Permanente began in 1933, when a young surgeon, Dr. Sidney Garfield was put in charge of a 12-bed hospital in the middle of the Mojave Desert, and called upon to care for workers injured while building the Colorado Aqueduct. His hospital was soon nearly bankrupt, as Garfield refused to turn away anyone who needed treatment, regardless of their ability to pay. The solution that Garfield and his business partners devised was to take a small portion of each workers daily salary and put it into a pool that would then pay for medical procedures as needed. This practice is now known as prepayment. Garfield saw such success with this practice that he was soon approached by businessman Henry J. Kaiser, and the two created a partnership that would change the face of healthcare forever. Garfield and Kaiser proposed what was, at the time, a radical new approach to providing healthcare: combining prepayment for services with group practices. It created networks of practicing physicians who were still free to practice independently, and were reimbursed from the fees paid by subscribers. The result was known as Kaiser Permanente, and it lives on to this day. The Kaiser Permanente model features networks of physicians and affiliated hospitals, and a large insurance pool of patients. Patients in this pool pay a subscriber fee, and physicians are compensated from this revenue stream. From its inception, it has revolutionized healthcare by controlling costs and encouraging preventative, rather than reactionary care. Dr. Garfield's story is a reminder to think long term in our mission to create an outpatient healthcare ecosystem, Dr. Chin said. Today, the surgeon is still a key player in any comprehensive healthcare system, and being a practicing surgeon like Dr. Garfield, I am right at the patient's side, understand their changing needs. I have the opportunity to apply targeted solutions that can be tested and developed over time with financial means. KICVentures also has the advantage of being self-funded, says Chin. We do not need a Henry Kaiser to validate us. We have proved this model with LESS Institute in Florida since 2008 and have invested our own money to grow this model to five locations, from Miami to Orlando. This is all backed with multiple symbiotic companies developing the ecosystem into an outpatient health system. There are several key differences between the Kaiser model and the one employed by KICVentures and LESS Institute. Rather than relying on hospitals for inpatient procedures, LESS Institute focuses on less invasive outpatient procedures that cost less and have shorter recovery times. This was not possible until recently. New implant technologies and techniques have made tedious procedures much simpler. KICVentures own medical device companies, SpineFrontier, Inc and Axiomed, LLC are both positioned to lead the industry with cutting edge outpatient technologies for surgeons in the LESS Institute network, states Chin. KICVentures has a 21st Century focus on the transformative benefits of digital healthcare. One of their other companies, Less Institute Online, provides a web-based software platform for doctors and patients to connect, share findings, and book appointments seamlessly. This means if you are a patient anywhere in the world with access to the internet you can access a surgeon in our network. This empowers patients, providing a high standard of care under one brand. Aditya Humad, CFO of KICVentures comments In 2015, Kaiser Permanente performed over 140,000 surgeries and generated over $60 B in revenues. In addition to patience and the highest level of passion, we care more than any other company to realize this vision over the long term. After deploying $190 M in the last 10 years, we are now launching our new KICVentures Health and Technology Fund I, LP to raise $250 M to invest over the next ten years to grow the portfolio. About LESS Institute The Less Exposure Surgery Specialists (LESS) Institute is an academic center of excellence which provides outpatient treatment for spine and orthopedics. The LESS Institutes mission is to tailor treatment to each patient, to pinpoint the problem, fix it and let the patient go home the same day to recover quickly. It was founded by Harvard-trained, orthopedic spine surgeon and professor, Kingsley R. Chin MD, based on a new philosophy of Less Exposure Surgery utilizing the least invasive techniques and technologies to achieve the quickest and best outcomes. About KICVentures KICVentures is an investment holding company that creates, invests and manages several portfolio companies in the health-tech sector. University of Toronto Facilities and Services Department Invoice Workflow System Team Our partnership with Dolphin allows us to leverage our existing SAP investment with an easy to use, tailored Accounts Payable solution that provides enterprise-wide visibility and most importantly, a significant cost savings for the university. Dolphin Enterprise Solutions Corporation (Dolphin), an SAP partner and provider of solutions in support of SAP software, congratulates the internationally-renowned University of Torontos Facilities and Services Department for receiving a Canadian Association of University Business Officers (CAUBO) Quality and Productivity Honorable Mention Award. The CAUBO Quality and Productivity Award recognizes and shares achievements in higher education with administrators across Canada. University of Toronto partnered with Dolphin in 2014 to standardize its accounts payable process using Dolphins end-to-end Process Tracking System (PTS). The partnership has yielded a superior return on investment for the Facilities and Services Department since going live with its invoice workflow solution. Specific measurable results of the project include: Total cost savings of over $200K each year Complete transparency into invoices, providing individuals and departments a detailed breakdown of spending to support accountability and audit capabilities Shortened vendor payment cycles which prevent late payment penalties and help obtain discounts Online processing eliminates duplicating efforts, freeing employees to concentrate on more high-value tasks Removal of 80K sheets of paper from the accounts payable process, saving money, and reducing office and storage space while being more environmentally conscious We are truly honored to receive a CAUBO Award recognizing the success of our fully optimized Accounts Payable Solution, said Darrel Fernandopulle, Director of Financial Services at University of Torontos Facilities and Services Department. Our partnership with Dolphin allows us to leverage our existing SAP investment with an easy to use, tailored Accounts Payable solution that provides enterprise-wide visibility and most importantly, a significant cost savings for the university. Seeing our customers recognized for their achievements among their peers is the best compliment we can receive as an organization, said Brian Shannon, Chief Strategy Officer, Dolphin. We are extremely proud of the work we were able to accomplish together and the transformative results the University of Torontos Facilities and Services Department were able to achieve using our Process Tracking System for Accounts Payable (PTS-AP). Dolphins solutions are utilized by more than a third of the FORTUNE 100 companies deploying SAP environments. A 100 percent employee-owned business, Dolphin has averaged annual growth of 15 percent each year over the last five years thanks to increased demand of its business process management and data management solutions, as well as sales of newer products such as nearline storage (NLS) for archiving data from applications running on the SAP ERP and the HANA platform. About CAUBO Founded in 1937, CAUBO is a non-profit professional organization representing the interest of administrative and financial officers in Canadian universities and affiliated colleges. It is an umbrella organization for the many players in university administration. About the University of Toronto The University of Toronto has assembled one of the strongest research and teaching faculties in North America, presenting more than 85,000 top students with an intellectual environment unmatched in breadth and depth at any other Canadian school. U of T is a global research leader, second in the world only to Harvard in its volume of published research and sixth among all universities in the world for highly cited papers. It is number one in Canada and among the top universities in North America in the number of new research-based start-ups. The University of Toronto has campuses in downtown Toronto, Mississauga and Scarborough and is fully affiliated with nine renowned research and teaching hospitals. About Dolphin: Dolphin leads the way in business performance improvement for companies running SAP solutions and manages both data and processes. From data and information lifecycle management to end-to-end solutions for procure-to-pay and order-to-cash processes based on SAP software, Dolphin helps deliver a competitive advantage that drives cost savings, optimizes cash flows and fosters a lower total cost of ownership. Leveraging SAP technology, Dolphins data lifecycle and business process management solutions and add-on applications with SAP-certified integration have built-in flexibility, and are designed to be tailored to each customers specific business processes and IT environments. The company was founded in 1995 and has offices in San Jose, CA, Philadelphia, PA and Toronto, Canada. Dolphins smart, adaptable and proven solutions are implemented by hundreds of companies across North America and around the world. To learn more, email us at contact(at)dolphin-corp(dot)com or visit http://www.dolphin-corp.com/ The seal of excellence we receive from LendingTree, the nations foremost online loan marketplace, is the best endorsement any lender can receive..." Americash has been ranked first out of over 350 lenders on the quarterly Top Ten Lenders List by LendingTree (TREE) for the first quarter of 2016. LendingTree is the nations foremost online loan marketplace, and draws on an extensive record of reviews to generate its list of top lenders. This list lets new customers searching for the best loan to evaluate lenders based on the experiences of other real customers. The coveted Top Ten list incorporates mortgage rates, fees and closing costs, responsiveness, customer service, and over all experience to provide a comprehensive ranking of lenders in the LendingTree network. This marks the second consecutive year Americash has received the highest rank on the list. Based in Southern California, Americash has been in business for over 18 years with a steady track record of customer satisfaction. The company offers a full line of products including fixed-rate mortgages, FHA loans, Home Equity Lines of Credit, and high-interest debt consolidation. Since joining the LendingTree network in 2003, Americash has consistently achieved a Top Ten Lender rank, due in part to positive Certified Reviewsreviews from customers who applied through LendingTree.com after comparing lenders on the site. Currently the company holds a 99% approval rating with over 1000 reviews, up from 97% in the same period last year. The seal of excellence we receive from LendingTree, the nations foremost online loan marketplace, is the best endorsement any lender can receive, says Paul Giangrande, President of Americash. To be number one in customer satisfaction so many times is a great accomplishment. Top Ten LendingTree Lenders (Mortgage Category) Q1 2016 (Based on LendingTree Lender Ratings and Reviews 1/1/2016 3/31/2016) Americash Veterans United Home Loans Wyndham Capital Mortgage Howard Bank Pulaski Home Bank Lending AmeriSave Mortgage Corporation Triumph Lending First Midwest Bank CBC National Bank First Direct Lending, LLC About Americash Americash is based in Southern California and offers mortgage products for new home purchases, refinance, consolidation, and home improvements. Established in 1998, it has grown to become one of the nations largest mortgage lenders. Americash emphasizes low-costs and excellent customer service, and has the distinction of being a Direct Lender licensed in 21 states rather than a mortgage broker. For more information, go to AmericashLoans.com, dial 800-843-6565, join our Facebook page, or follow us on Twitter at @AmericashMB. Enabling Precision Genomics with Next Generation Sequencing Reagents We believe that patients and their physicians are in critical need of meaningful information to help them select the best targeted treatment options, which are sometimes experimental treatments or the off-label use of FDA-approved drugs. TOMA Biosciences, Inc., announced today that it has received a notice that the European Patent Office intends to grant TOMA a patent based on a European patent application titled Methods for Stratifying and Annotating Cancer Drug Treatment Options. The European patent application includes fundamental claims describing methods of determining cancer drug treatment options by sequencing validated and non-validated molecular markers in a subjects sample. TOMA also owns a related U.S. patent. Our intellectual property basically describes a comprehensive model for a personalized medicine business, said Wolfgang Daum, President and Chief Executive Officer of TOMA Biosciences. Our methods provide an efficient way to disseminate scientific findings, regarding treatment efficacy and identified molecular markers found in patient tumors, to health care providers. Wolfgang Daum continued, We believe that patients and their physicians are in critical need of meaningful information to help them select the best targeted treatment options, which are sometimes experimental treatments or the off-label use of FDA-approved drugs. Peer-reviewed scientific literature provides examples where the efficacy of a cancer drug can be correlated with the status of a molecular marker. We at TOMA provide the tools to clinical laboratories to make this information easily accessible to physicians and their patients. TOMA continues to pursue a broad and robust patent portfolio, which also includes rights to a recently issued U.S. Patent for oligonucleotide selective sequencing (OS-Seq) technology and pending applications for many aspects of the TOMA library preparation assays both in the U.S. and worldwide. This combined patent portfolio provides TOMA with an exceptionally strong intellectual property position. For more information, attend our webinar, The Rapidly Evolving Cancer Genomics IP Landscape Or contact: Victoria Lavi TOMA Director of Marketing Operations Email: victoria.lavi(at)tomabio(dot)com Cellular: 650-281-3501 TOMA Biosciences provides the most effective sequencing solution to identify clinically meaningful changes in the DNA of cancer tumors. TOMA has commercially launched TOMA OS-Seq reagent kits to help laboratories and researchers uncover genomic changes in tumors, including many missed by other methods. With an exclusive license to the oligo selective sequencing (OS-Seq) technology invented at Stanford University, TOMA has developed a fast, simple and efficient way to comprehensively analyze all types of tumor samples even those with limited volume and poor quality. A team of renowned industry specialists is leading the product development, commercialization and regulatory pathways to bring these products to laboratories, hospital systems and research institutions around the world. TOMA is a commercial stage, private venture-backed company headquartered in Foster City, California. Aarki now offers a unique app marketing solution for streaming video and music mobile apps. Aarki has historically been a leading provider of app marketing to mobile apps in this vertical, enabling it to develop deep expertise and data-driven insights. With this new solution line, streaming video and music app developers can now benefit from the companys expertise to tackle their specific app marketing challenges in their industry vertical. As the popularity of streaming video and music skyrockets, app marketers are more focused on acquiring high quality users who are more likely to actively use their app and make in-app purchases. Over the past year, Aarki has provided app marketing to several leading apps in this vertical. On a recent Movile campaign, for example, the company developed ad creatives in various formats including video, animated, interactive, and static specifically tailored to their target audience. Dynamic creative optimization was then performed using machine learning and multivariate technologies. As a result, Aarki was able to help their streaming video app acquire high quality users and conduct post-install performance optimization at scale. Aarki has leveraged its deep expertise to deliver high-performing app marketing results for scores of key post-install performance indicators. On a recent campaign for a popular streaming video app, for example, the company utilized its proprietary machine learning technology and multivariate testing to select the best performing creative variants and media placement. This dynamic optimization enabled Aarki to deliver a large volume of high quality users with a day-1 retention rate of over 50%. As the streaming video and music vertical expands, the quality of users acquired is becoming integral to the growth and viability of mobile apps in this vertical said Sid Bhatt, ceo of Aarki. With this new solution line, clients can leverage Aarkis deep expertise to rapidly grow their user base of high quality users. For more details on Aarkis custom offering for streaming video and music apps, please visit http://www.aarki.com/streaming-video-music-mobile-apps About Aarki Aarki is transforming mobile app marketing through unified optimization of creative and media. It delivers superior results using proprietary machine learning technology for performance optimization. The company's customer base includes leading brands, agencies, and app developers. Headquartered in Mountain View, California, Aarki is a global company with offices in Beijing, London, Manila, Tokyo, and Yerevan. For more information, please visit http://www.aarki.com or follow us on Twitter: @aarkimobile. Contact Raj Misra svp and global head of marketing media(at)aarki(dot)com UJUC Rabbi Nancy Tunick That we are one with G-d, even as each one of us maintains our individuality and contributes to the One in our own unique and irreplaceable way." UJUC Rabbi, Nancy Tunick, will affirm her spiritual voice to bring the world-wide community a little closer in joyous song, prayers for healing, in honoring a Yahrzeit or mourn the loss of a loved one, on Wednesday evenings at 7:00pm EST. Just a click away join her and other Sim Shalom Rabbis for summer Ma'ariv services. As one of four Sim Shalom Rabbis offering Ma 'ariv week night services, Rabbi Nancy's cantorial sound provides a joyful vehicle to connect congregants in beautiful Judaic rituals while building community. At past services her daughter and son have accompanied her in song. A live chat feature allows participants to type in the name of those in need of healing, while singing the Mi Shebeirah Prayer as well as names for the Mourner's Kaddish and Yahrzeit. Jewish tradition teaches to honor a deceased loved one by speaking their names out loud. By reciting names, the lives are not just a memory, but live on within us, an inspiration for eternity. Rabbi Tunick is a founding UJUC Rabbi which celebrates acceptance and plurality. She graduated from Temple University with a B.M. in Voice Performance and earned her Rabbinical Ordination from JSLI. In addition to being an author of two Judaic books she travels 5 1/2 hours round trip to lead Shabbat services as the Rabbi of Temple B'nai Israel in Florence, Alabama. In her roles as spiritual leader Rabbi Nancy inspires to read and sing, and meditate together. The essence of the physical and spiritual meld in the mobile Sim Shalom E Synagogue. Rabbi Tunick's message when referencing Moses and the Book of Numbers, "Every soul traveling through the desert are traveling through life today... That we are one with G-d, even as each one of us maintains our individuality and contributes to the One in our own unique and irreplaceable way." Click here to log on to the Sim Shalom services. Services are live Monday-Friday at 7PM EST and 11:30 am EST Saturday mornings. About Sim Shalom Sim Shalom is an interactive online Jewish Universalist synagogue which is liberal in thought and traditional in liturgy. Created in 2009 by Rabbi Steven Blane on Manhattan's Upper West Side, Sim Shalom offers a means of connecting the unconnected. Rabbi Blane leads accessible and short Kabbalt Shabbat services every Friday night using a virtual interface and additionally Sim Shalom provides online education programs, Jazz concerts, conversion and life-cycle ceremonies along with weeknight services at 7:00PM EST led by Rabbis and students of this online community. Rabbi Blane is also the founder and director of the Jewish Spiritual Leader's Institute, http://www.jsli.net, the online professional rabbinical program. Sim Shalom, a non profit 501 (3) tax-exempt organization, nurtures a Jewish connection through its mission of innovative services, creative education and dynamic outreach to the global community. For more information visit http://www.simshalom.com or call 201-338-0165. Through our unique partnership, we will enable families to transfer their utility bill savings into a college savings account. WattzOn was a featured presentation at the Clinton Global Initiative - North America conference this past Tuesday. WattzOn and its partner, The El Monte Promise Foundation, spoke about a new initiative to help families save energy at home, and transfer those energy savings to a college savings account. "Our commitment, featured at the closing plenary session of the CGI conference, is a unique opportunity to connect the dots, enabling families to save energy and deposit the funds into an emotionally meaningful college savings account. In addition, our technology platform will enable multiple households to provide deposits to a single bank account, creating a tangible network for support for the college-bound student," said WattzOn's CEO, Martha Amram. "We are delighted to partner with the El Monte Promise Foundation, and to work closely with their team provide easier access to energy savings, bank accounts and asset creation. As part of our two-year commitment, we invite other communities and cities to join in the conversation, so that we might replicate this offering across the U.S." The remarks presented by Martha Amram, and Norma Garcia, Board President, The El Monte Promise Foundation, provide more program detail: "Good afternoon, I am Martha Amram. At WattzOn, our software tools help families gain control over their energy spending through personalized data about their usage, tips for good habits, and awareness of cost savings potential." "And I am Norma Edith Garcia. At the El Monte Promise Now Foundation, we work to close the educational achievement gap for immigrant and working poor families in El Monte, California and neighboring communities by developing partnerships among governments, school districts, businesses, and families to help prepare students for college." (Amram) "For low- and middle-income families, the monthly utility bill takes a disproportionate bite out of monthly income. Families with annual incomes below $30,000 spend over 11 percent of their income on home energy costs a rate that is three times higher than the national average. We also know that these same families find it nearly impossible to pay for their children to go to college. That is why we are here today to announce our new commitment -- Transforming Energy Savings into College Savings. Through our unique partnership, we will enable families to transfer their utility bill savings into a college savings account. (Garcia) "Even modest utility bill savings of $15 to $20 per month deposited into a college account make a big difference in families mindsets about their children going to college. And El Monte will match families deposits between $2 and $6 per month as well as provide college-readiness support services. WattzOn will provide the technology and energy-savings know-how. Together, we will enroll 300 households in the program over the next two years. With a college education increasingly out of reach for so many families, this public-private partnership is a unique opportunity to blend environmental awareness,technology, family budgeting, and financial support in helping more low-income students go to and graduate from college." About WattzOn: WattzOn provides utility data connections, energy analytics and mobile web tools that help people and communities save energy and money. With national utility coverage 90% of US homes WattzOn has a unique platform that helps communities across the country serve their residents, and helps business partners provide a single user experience in multiple locations. WattzOns mobile web app is a white-label SaaS offering that provides communities an immediate software platform for energy savings, and the detailed reporting needed for data-driven program management. WattzOn serves customers across the U.S., with a strong track record of consumer engagement and energy savings Learn more at http://www.wattzon.com. About The El Monte Promise Foundation: El Monte Promise Foundation is a non-profit organization that helps prepare students for college at an early age. Our foundation brings key people and organizations together so our partners can coordinate systems, resources, and activities to benefit El Monte students education. El Monte Promise Foundation is focused on making population level change by institutionalizing and strengthening partnerships between local government, multiple school districts, colleges, businesses and families in the El Monte region. Learn more at https://promisenow.org/. About the CGI: Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) America brings together leaders from the business, philanthropic, nonprofit, and government sectors to develop solutions that encourage economic growth, support long-term competitiveness, and increase social mobility in the United States. CGI Americas annual convening is designed to be a working meeting that promotes collaboration. Each CGI America participant makes a Commitment to Action: a new, specific, and measurable plan that supports increased economic growth and opportunity. To date, CGI America participants have made more than 500 commitments, which have improved the lives of nearly 2.4 million people. Learn more at https://www.clintonfoundation.org/clinton-global-initiative/. The Naples Hotel Group, a leading hotel Development and Management Company, has officially opened the Fairfield Inn & Suites Orlando East/UCF. Naples Hotel Group was awarded the contract to oversee development and management with owners CJ University Hotel LLC. Located off University Boulevard, the Fairfield Inn & Suites Orlando East/UCF is about one mile from the main University of Central Florida campus and the Central Florida Research Park. The property features 112 guest rooms, 1,088 sq. ft. of meeting space, an outdoor swimming pool, and an expanded outdoor patio with a fire pit and gas grills. Other amenities of the hotel include a fitness center, complimentary wireless Internet, complimentary breakfast and the Fairfield 100% Guarantee. Were excited to bring the new Fairfield Inn & Suites into the Orlando University market, commented Mike Bou-Sliman, Managing Partner of Naples Hotel Group. We made several enhancements to the lobby and exterior pool area to accommodate both the corporate and leisure guests in this market. New product hasn't been added into this market for several years making this hotel the best lodging offering in the market. For more information or media inquiries, please contact Brittany Bou-Sliman at brittany(at)napleshotelgroup(dot)com or 239-206-4273. _________________________ About Naples Hotel Group Naples Hotel Group is a hotel development and management company founded in 1999. NHG has achieved superior results and has a proven ability to enhance the performance of hotels through the use of their experience, responsiveness and extensive resources. NHG, based in Naples and Orlando, prides itself on building long-term relationships with quality people and organizations. To learn more visit, http://www.napleshotelgroup.com. Monica Eaton-Cardone, COO of Chargebacks911, discusses their new Intelligent Source Technology and how it addresses eCommerce challenges. This information not only allows merchants to effectively dispute unjustified chargebacks, but it also enables them to assess and change practices that may be contributing to errors or approval of unauthorized transactions. According to the 2016 LexisNexis True Cost of Fraud Study, online and mobile channel merchants worry about catching the bad guys without alienating the good ones, particularly as fraud costs, successful fraud attempts and false positives continue to rise.(1) To help remote retailers address these challenges, dispute mitigation and risk management firm Chargebacks911 introduced its proprietary Intelligent Source Detection solution, which accurately differentiates between fraudulent and legitimate chargebacks and enables merchants to develop an effective prevention and representment strategy. LexisNexis latest fraud survey revealed that the cost of fraud as a percentage of revenue increased 11% over last year, climbing to 1.47%; in other words, for every $1 billion in sales, retailers experience nearly $15 million in losses. Large multi-channel, eCommerce and mCommerce merchants report between 707 and 880 fraud attempts each month, with upwards of 60%or as many as 2 in 3of those attempts succeeding. Large eCommerce and mCommerce merchants also revealed that 1 in 3 declined transactions turned out to be a false positive. However, remote merchants that employ a multi-layered fraud solution have far fewer successful fraud attempts (1 in 3) and false positives (1 in 5).(1) Most merchants realize they need to undertake efforts to prevent and fight fraud if they expect to minimize losses and maximize revenue. But without the right solutions in place, merchants face a greater risk of successful fraud attempts and false positives, warns Monica Eaton-Cardone, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Chargebacks911. One of the biggest challenges merchants face today is how to distinguish legitimate customers, orders and chargebacks from fraudulent ones. Chargebacks911 uses advanced technology and human expertise to help retailers solve that challenge, and Intelligent Source Detection is a vital part of our comprehensive solution. Eaton-Cardone notes that static, single-layer solutions allow a high proportion of friendly fraudunwarranted chargebacks filed on legitimate ordersto slip past, so she set out to develop a dynamic solution that could accurately identify the actual cause of each chargeback. By leveraging her insider knowledge as a former merchant and her technical expertise in the chargeback management area, Eaton-Cardone created Intelligent Source Detection to address this gap in retailers fraud mitigation strategy. Intelligent Source Detection uses patent-pending technologies and expert personal analysis to examine each chargeback claim and determine the real reason behind the consumers action, whether it was a case of merchant error, criminal fraud or friendly fraud. Chargebacks911 officials says Intelligent Source Detection is the only technology capable of helping merchants manage all three chargeback triggers. This information not only allows merchants to effectively dispute unjustified chargebacks, but it also enables them to assess and change practices that may be contributing to errors or approval of unauthorized transactions, stated Eaton-Cardone Several recent awards attest to the effectiveness of Intelligent Source Detection, which was honored in the 2016 American Business AwardsSM with a Gold Stevie Award for Best Business-to-Business Product and a Silver Stevie Award for New Software Product of the Year in the Electronic Commerce Solutions category. Chargebacks911 was also named as the Customer Choice winner for Best Chargeback Management Solution in the 2016 CNP Awards. In addition to Intelligent Source Detection, Chargebacks911 offers a range of products and services as part of its dynamic, multi-layered solution. These include: Merchant Compliance Review to pinpoint and correct merchant errors Chargeback Alerts to eliminate the risk of chargebacks associated with credit card fraud Affiliate Fraud Alerts to identify campaign threats before they become liabilities and Tactical Chargeback Representment to help merchants win more disputes and improve the merchant-issuer relationship. Collectively, these solutions can help eCommerce and mCommerce merchants minimize chargebacks and fraud while addressing one of their most frequently cited challenges for selling both inside the U.S. and internationally: excessive manual order reviews.(1) While Visa and MasterCard data indicates that the average merchant wins just 21% of chargeback disputes,(2) Eaton-Cardone maintains that a comprehensive, multi-layered solution with Intelligent Source Detection can help merchants achieve a much higher win rate, thereby lowering chargeback-related losses. And while roughly half of large eCommerce, mCommerce and international merchants cited the fraud control costs as a major concern,(1) Chargebacks911 offers a guaranteed return on investment to ensure clients achieve measurable and cost-effective results. As part of Chargebacks911s ongoing commitment to educate merchants on best practices for fraud prevention, Monica Eaton-Cardone will be speaking at the upcoming Ticket Summit in Las Vegas and the Affiliate Summit East in New York. She is also available for interviews and future speaking engagements. For more information on Chargebacks911 and its comprehensive risk management solutions, including Intelligent Source Detection, visit http://chargebacks911.com. About Global Risk Technologies and Chargebacks911: Chargebacks911 is a division of Global Risk Technologies, which is internationally recognized as a leading provider of comprehensive risk management solutions to the payment processing industry. With offices in Europe and the United States, Global Risk Technologies manages over 200 million transactions worldwide each month. Chargebacks911 is headquartered in Tampa Bay, Florida, and specializes in chargeback mitigation and dynamic loss prevention. Founded by merchants in direct response to rising chargebacks and friendly fraud, Chargebacks911 combines insider expertise with proprietary technology and deep analytics to isolate threats, resolve disputes and maximize revenue. From small merchants to the nations largest retailers, today thousands of businesses rely on Chargebacks911s scalable, customizable and fully turnkey solutions to achieve sustainable growth and guaranteed ROI. For more information, visit http://www.chargebacks911.com. 1. LexisNexis. 2016 LexisNexis True Cost of Fraud Study; May 2016. lexisnexis.com/risk/insights/true-cost-fraud.aspx 2. Chargebacks911. Disputing Chargebacks: 8 Common Myths & Misconceptions; May 3, 2016. chargebacks911.com/disputing-chargebacks-8-common-myths-misconceptions/ Cylon are delighted to be members of BACnet International. The BACnet International community welcomes Cylon Controls Ltd to BACnet Internationals growing membership as a corporate affiliate. Cylon Controls, based in Dublin, Ireland, is an international leader in the development of smart energy management systems for the buildings industry. Working through a worldwide network of system integrators, Cylon has customers in Europe, North America, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Cylon are delighted to be members of BACnet International. As a global Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS) manufacturer and energy management solutions provider with a complete end to end BACnet solution, it is important, from both a product development and commercial point of view, that we can continue to develop and offer our international customers innovative and progressive products that not only conform to international standards but are also accredited by such a prestigious and important organization as BACnet International, said Sean Giblin, CEO of Cylon Controls Ltd and vice president of American Auto-Matrix. Cylon Controls joins more than 125 of the leading building automation vendors and integrators in the world advocating BACnet as a communication protocol. We are excited to welcome Cylon Controls to the increasing BACnet International community, stated Andy McMillan, president and managing director of BACnet International. Cylon complements our association very well and they support our commitment to promoting and supporting the BACnet protocol and development of BACnet products for building management. More information on BACnet International members can be found here. Companies interested in enjoying the benefits of BACnet International membership can get more information here. About BACnet International BACnet International is an industry association that facilitates the successful use of the BACnet protocol in building automation and control systems through interoperability testing, educational programs and promotional activities. BACnet International oversees operation of the BACnet Testing Labs (BTL) and maintains a global listing of tested products. The BACnet standard was developed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and has been made publicly available so that manufacturers can create interoperable systems of products. BACnet International complements the work of the ASHRAE standards committee and BACnet-related interest groups around the world. BACnet International members include building owners, consulting engineers and facility managers, as well as companies involved in the design, manufacturing, installation, commissioning and maintenance of control equipment that uses BACnet for communication. iTeos Therapeutics SA announced today the appointment of Alain Thibault, M.D., to the role of chief medical officer. Dr. Thibault will bring a critical expertise to the development team, strengthening the companys ability to expand its clinical pipeline of immunomodulators for cancer therapy. "We feel very fortunate to have Alain join iTeos management team. His experience overseeing product development and approvals worldwide is essential at this crucial stage of iTeos programs," said Michel Detheux, chief executive officer of iTeos. Dr. Thibault has extensive experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, both in the US and Europe. Prior to joining iTeos, Dr. Thibault was the chief medical officer of argenx, where he oversaw the early development of monoclonal antibodies targeting immuno-oncology targets, supporting the successful IPO of the company. Earlier, Dr. Thibault was therapeutic area head of Oncology at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals where he led the clinical development and approval of VEGF Trap (ziv-aflibercept). Dr. Thibault has expertise across all stages of biopharmaceutical clinical development, having previously held senior research positions at Johnson & Johnson and HoffmanLa Roche. Dr. Thibault received his Doctorate of Medicine from McGill University and his certification in medical oncology from the US National Cancer institute. About iTeos Therapeutics SA Based in Gosselies, Belgium, iTeos, a spin-off of Ludwig Cancer Research (LICR) and de Duve Institute (UCL), has built a discovery platform to identify therapeutics targeting the immune tumor micro-environment and is now positioned to help deliver the next generation of cancer immunotherapies. iTeos combines expertise in tumor immunology with drug discovery of small molecules and biologics. The company entered into a strategic collaboration with Pfizer in December 2014. iTeos is developing partnerships with top-tier academic and industrial partners to develop new programs. iTeos is supported by the Walloon Region of Belgium and the FEDER (European Fund for Economic and Regional Development). After a three-week trial, a Los Angeles jury returned a rare defense verdict in favor of Hotel Bel-Air and its Wolfgang Puck restaurant. Seeking $5.1 Million in compensatory damages plus punitive damages, Carney Shegerian and his team of three lawyers and other technical support staff -- California plaintiffs' attorneys advertising a 95% success -- was defeated by Stokes Wagner, including Arch Stokes, Peter Maretz, Diana Dowell, Adam Parry, Shirley Gauvin and paralegal Eleanor McCloskey. Mr. Stokes asked the jury to award Zero, and that is what they did. In the complaint filed against Hotel Bel-Air and the Wolfgang Puck restaurant (Felix Huerta v. Kava Holdings, Inc., et al.), Plaintiff Felix Huerta originally claimed 12 causes of action, including race discrimination, harassment, failure to prevent, negligent supervision, breach of implied contract, intentional infliction of emotion distress, etc. Huerta claimed that while working as an evening restaurant server at the iconic Hotel Bel-Air's famed Wolfgang Puck Restaurant he was subjected to racist taunts, bullying, assault and battery, and attacks by another server, in front of supervisors and managers. Huerta alleged vile and demeaning conduct, including calling him "mother-f___ing Mexican, "f___ing Mexican," "little b__ch," "beaner," etc. According to court documents, on December 21, 2013, the tension between the two servers resulted in an altercation. The matter was investigated and both were terminated. During the trial, the defense was able to show Hotel Bel-Air had implemented a progressive employee handbook/contract that guaranteed no employee would be retaliated against for reporting bad behavior. Court documents show that the hotel even had a 24/7 "hotline," making it easy for employees to complain. Further, the hotel conducted regular training, encouraging employees to report any concerns. Mr. Huerta failed to report anything for almost two years. At trial, in his Closing, Mr. Shegerian summoned images of Cesar Chavez and Martin Luther King, Jr., in his impassioned pleas to the jury for millions. Hotel Bel-Air's counsel, Arch Stokes, turned that argument on its head, quoting Dr. King's saying, "he who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps perpetuate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it." The Los Angeles Superior Court jury returned a verdict in favor of the defense on all claims. One of the Dorchester Collection hotels, the Hotel Bel-Air is a Five Star/Five Diamond luxury hotel property located in Bel-Air, California. Stokes Wagner specializes in the representation of hospitality and restaurant clients in labor and employment matters throughout the nation. Case Information: Case Title: Felix Huerta v. Kava Holdings, Inc., et al. Case Number: BC554145 Court: Los Angeles Superior Court, Central Nature of Suit: Harassment, Discrimination, Failure to Prevent Harassment/Discrimination Judge: Hon. Ruth Ann Kwan Date Filed: August 8, 2014 Law Firms: Arch Stokes, Peter Maretz, Diana Dowell, Adam Parry, Shirley Gauvin and paralegal Eleanor McCloskey, Stokes Wagner, ALC (Defendants); Carney Shegerian, Anthony Nguyen, Shegerian & Assoc. (Plaintiffs) RouteOne announced today that Southeast Toyota Finance, a premier provider of automotive financing for 176 Toyota dealers in the southeastern United States, has expanded their partnership to include eContracting on RouteOnes automotive finance platform. We have a shared commitment to customer service and making it easier for dealers to sell and finance vehicles, states Justin Oesterle, RouteOne Chief Executive Officer. RouteOne eContracting improves the customer experience by reducing errors, ensuring all required signatures are captured, and validating deal data; all of which can contribute to faster funding for dealers. Through these and other efficiencies, RouteOne eContracting delivers a positive impact for dealers, customers, and finance sources. RouteOne continues to be an industry leader in eContracting, which is evident through its eContract volume; exceeding 5 million funded deals since the inception. This momentum continues to accelerate as leading finance sources, like Southeast Toyota Finance, have elected to implement RouteOne eContracting. RouteOne continues to invest in enhancements to its eContracting platform to provide dealers the optimal technology solutions to sell and finance vehicles. The most recent enhancements to the RouteOne eContracting platform include electronic signature capture on mobile devices, the ability to switch associated credit applications, and self-service ability for dealers to convert eContracts to paper when necessary. RouteOne is committed to offering the best, most transparent experience possible to dealers in a market with evolving demands. Our number one business goal is to help our Toyota dealer partners achieve success," said Joanna Sherry, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Southeast Toyota Finance. "eContracting is an initiative that will position our dealers to streamline the contract process and produce faster funding. It will deliver a superior experience to both our dealers and Toyota customers. ### About RouteOne RouteOne was formed in 2002 by Ally Financial, Ford Motor Credit Company, TD Auto Finance, and Toyota Financial Services to improve the F&I process for automobile dealers and their customers. Connecting thousands of dealers and finance sources in North America for vehicle financing, RouteOnes platform delivers a comprehensive suite of F&I solutions across multiple channels: in-store, online, mobile, and via third-party solutions. Its flagship products include credit applications, eContracting, compliance, desking and digital retail services. In addition, RouteOne enables dealer choice across a wide variety of best-in-class providers through open integrations with over 125 DSPs. More information is available at http://www.routeone.com. About Southeast Toyota Finance Southeast Toyota Finance is an operating division of World Omni Financial Corp., established in 1981 as the first import automotive captive finance company in the United States. The company offers financing to Toyota dealers and consumers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Southeast Toyota Finance is the leading provider of retail and lease financing for new Toyota purchases within its operating footprint, consistently ranking at the top of its class in market share and dealer satisfaction. The company owes its success to its innovative finance retail and lease programs, loyalty programs, college graduate and military rebate programs, and its commitment to strong dealer relationships and customer service. The company's portfolio of dealer loans includes inventory financing, as well as working capital, real estate and construction loans. World Omni is a subsidiary of JM Family Enterprises, Inc., a diversified automotive corporation ranked No. 23 on Forbes list of "Americas Largest Private Companies." JM Family is also ranked No. 34 by FORTUNE as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For, its 17th consecutive year on the list. Were happy to support the Alliance for the Great Lakes in its efforts to conserve one of the worlds most valuable natural resources. Stratosphere Networks, a Chicago-based IT managed services provider, has announced it will be one of the sponsors of Taste of the Great Lakes 2016, an annual fundraiser to support the Alliance for the Great Lakes. The event will take place on Thursday, June 23 from 6-9 p.m. at the Columbia Yacht Club at 111 North Lake Shore Drive. The lakefront party raises funds for the Alliances Great Lakes work. The environmental organization aims to conserve and restore the Great Lakes the worlds largest freshwater resource through education, policy and local efforts. Executives and local civic leaders who support the restoration of the Lakes are expected to attend. Were happy to support the Alliance for the Great Lakes in its efforts to conserve one of the worlds most valuable natural resources, said Steve Melchiorre, CEO of Stratosphere Networks. At Stratosphere Networks, we feel its important to better our community not only by providing IT support and services but also by protecting the environment. Stratosphere Networks provides Chicago IT support in addition to serving businesses across all industries nationwide. Stratosphere focuses on delivering comprehensive services and solutions to meet the constantly evolving needs of its clients. To learn more about Taste of the Great Lakes 2016, purchase tickets, and/or make a donation, visit the Alliances website. About Stratosphere Networks Stratosphere Networks is a Chicago-based multifaceted IT managed service provider focused on delivering comprehensive technology services and solutions to meet and exceed the always-changing, diverse business needs. Since 2003, Stratosphere Networks has grown exponentially and continues to provide the best-in-class and cost-effective solutions to businesses in all industries. Visit http://www.stratospherenetworks.com for more information. For more information contact: Lori Leonardo 847-440-8608 LoriL(at)stratospherenetworks(dot)com Everyone on the Petro Home Services team is proud to have been a part of this program. To all of our active and veteran armed forces members and their families around the world, we thank you. Petro Home Services is delighted to announce that the winners of their Always Remember program will be getting up to 1,000 gallons of oil or propane delivered to the home of a serving military member, veteran or their family, Petro Home Services is dedicated to taking care of its customers' home service needs and honoring those who served or who are serving in the armed forces, along with their families, for all that they have fought for and lived through to give us our freedom. Thats why, leading up to Memorial Day 2016, Petro Home Services ran its Always Remember program. The program invited customers and community members throughout the companys service areas in Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Virginia, to nominate a current or veteran armed forces member or military family in their neighborhood to receive up to 1,000 gallons of free oil or propane. From World War II veterans to active service members who have survived many deployments in dangerous locations and more recent veterans, along with their families who sacrifice so much, the stories shared with us truly are a testament to their strength and bravery. Petro Home Services is happy to announce that all of these very deserving winners have been notified and the Petro Home Services team is coordinating with them to make sure that they get their heating oil or propane as quickly as possible. We want to thank all of our customers and members of the community for their hundreds of nominations, commented Joe McDonald, Senior Vice President Sales & Marketing for Petro Home Services. We are delighted that this program raised awareness of the true meaning of Memorial Day, when we remember all those who died in active service. The Always Remember program also gave us an opportunity, as a community, to give back to those who gave, and continue to give, so much for us. Petro Home Services is also continuing collections for Operation Shoebox, for active armed forces members at various locations throughout their service areas. Visit http://www.petro.com/blog/join-petro-in-donating-to-armed-forces-heroes to find out how to make a donation at a location near you. Joe McDonald added that "Everyone on the Petro Home Services team is proud to have been a part of this program. We employ many veterans, and are pleased that the Always Remember program demonstrates what our company is all about, one that cares about its community. To all of our active and veteran armed forces members and their families around the world, we thank you. From heating oil, natural gas and propane services to AC, generators, plumbing and more, helping customers save on energy costs and keep comfortable at home is what drives the Petro Home Services team every day. You can learn more about Petro Home Services, its services and special offers by visiting petro.com or by calling 1.800.645.4328. Petro Home Services is the country's #1 home heating oil provider with over 100 years of industry experience. A large network and resources enables them to support each customer's home comfort needs better than any other heating oil company. With local customer service professionals, drivers and technicians, Petro Home Services is always there, whatever the weather--24/7, all year. For more information about Petro Home Services, call 1.800.4328 or visit http://www.petro.com. New York Academy of Sciences logo The science community is defined by innovators and pioneers, and this years National Laureates are leading the way in their fields. Three young scientists are being recognized for discovering novel ways to fight the most challenging human diseases and explore the depths of space with todays announcement of the winners of the 2016 Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists. The Awards, given annually by the Blavatnik Family Foundation and administered by the New York Academy of Sciences, honor the nations most exceptional young scientists and engineers, celebrating their extraordinary achievements and recognizing their outstanding promise. Each of the three National Laureates receives $250,000the largest unrestricted cash award given to early-career scientists. This years Blavatnik National Laureates are: David Charbonneau, Professor of Astronomy, Harvard University: Dr. Charbonneau is honored for his numerous pioneering discoveries of exoplanets and for the development of novel observational methods that astronomers use to search for chemical fingerprints of life in space. Dr. Charbonneaus recent results include a landmark discovery of an Earth-like planet orbiting a very nearby star, dubbed arguably the most important planet ever found outside the solar system, and the best-possible target for future exploration with the worlds most powerful observatories. Phil Baran, Professor of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute: Dr. Baran is honored for his transformative research in the field of natural product synthesis and his development of new synthetic methodology that enables chemists to design scalable, efficient, economically-viable synthetic routes to potential new drugs. One of the recent successes in the Baran laboratory is the synthesis of the plant-derived ingenol, derivatives of which have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat skin cancer. Michael Rape, Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Berkeley: Dr. Rape is honored for his fundamental discoveries related to ubiquitylation a process of cellular signaling dependent on the protein ubiquitin which has emerged as a complex cellular language essential for information transfer and communication in nearly all organisms. By deciphering the ubiquitin code, Dr, Rapes basic science work has opened the door to new and unique ways to manipulate ubiquitylation for next-generation therapies in oncology, immunology, and inflammation. The Blavatnik Family Foundation is pleased to recognize and promote the extraordinary work of our Laureates and to provide resources that support and encourage further exploration, said Len Blavatnik, Founder and Chairman of Access Industries, head of the Blavatnik Family Foundation, and an Academy Board Governor. I am encouraged about the future of scientific thought and look forward to how the Laureates and National Finalists will inspire the next generation of scientists. The three National Laureates were selected from a pool of nominations submitted by 148 of the nations leading universities and research institutions. Each institution was invited to nominate one physical scientist or engineer, one chemist, and one life scientist. The names of highly qualified nominees were also submitted by members of the Blavatnik Awards Scientific Advisory Council. Starting with a pool of 308 nominations of exceptional faculty-rank researchers, the awards jury, composed of some of the worlds most eminent scientists and engineers, conducted a rigorous review. The judges first narrowed down the selection to 31 National Finalists, and then to three National Laureates. The science community is defined by innovators and pioneers, and this years National Laureates are leading the way in their fields, said Dr. Brooke Grindlinger, Chief Scientific Officer, Scientific Programs & Blavatnik Awards, The New York Academy of Sciences. The Academy is honored to collaborate with the Blavatnik Family Foundation to recognize these scientists. We congratulate the Laureates and National Finalists on their achievement. The three Laureates and 28 National Finalists will be honored at an annual awards ceremony on Monday, September 12, 2016, at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Meet the 2016 Blavatnik National Laureates David Charbonneau, PhD 2016 Blavatnik Laureate in Physical Sciences & Engineering Harvard University PhD, Harvard University BSc, University of Toronto Pioneering the study of planets beyond our solar system Growing up in a family of scientists, David Charbonneaus interest in science was encouraged from a young age. As a scout, he used to take a star chart with him on canoe trips in Ontario, Canada. At the end of high school, he read A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking, and many of the ideasrelativity, quantum mechanicsseemed magical at the time, and compelled him to study further. When he arrived at Harvard to begin graduate school in astronomy, Charbonneau was certain that he would work on theoretical astrophysics and cosmology. However, in 1995, the first exoplanet (a planet outside the solar system) orbiting a Sun-like star had just been discovered. This discovery posed so many simple, unanswered questions that Charbonneau was encouraged by his mentor, Dr. Robert Noyes, to try his first project in planets. He never looked back. For generations, humans have looked up at the stars and wondered if there existed inhabited worlds other than our own. We are the first generation in human history with the technological ability to answer that question, says Dr. Charbonneau when asked about the inspiration behind his work. At 41, David Charbonneau is considered very senior in exoplanet researcha field that has gone through a remarkable transformation from its infancy only 20 years ago into one of the most active and competitive directions in astrophysics. Charbonneau is being recognized for his literal out-of-this-world discoveries, which have opened the floodgates for search and discovery outside of our cosmic neighborhood. In 1999, Charbonneau, then still a graduate student, was the first to observe a transiting exoplaneta planet that eclipses its parent star. The transit method proved to be extremely fruitful in discovering new exoplanets and granted new access to characterizing their propertiestheir atmospheres, weather, and the degree to which they are similar to Earth. Throughout his career, Charbonneaus unifying purpose has been to develop new methods to answer key questions about exoplanets, and a number of his methods have become standards of the field. With more than 3,000 exoplanets discovered thus far, one major question remains unanswered: Is there life elsewhere in space? To answer this question, Earth-like planets and their atmospheres need to be studied for the presence of elements that indicate life. Ever the celestial detective, one of Charbonneaus latest projects is MEarth, a network of eight robotic telescopes in Arizona and Chile, which searches for candidate planets orbiting the closest and smallest stars to undertake more detailed studies. Just last year, MEarth discovered a rocky planet approximately the same size as the Earth, transiting a very nearby star. This small, rocky planet was dubbed arguably the most important planet ever found outside the solar system, because astronomers will be able to scrutinize its atmosphere with the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope. The big question Dr. Charbonneau is working on now is the detection of atmospheric biomarkers, such as oxygenthe molecules that we can detect in the atmosphere of a distant world that might permit us to infer the presence of life. Phil Baran, PhD 2016 Blavatnik Laureate in Chemistry The Scripps Research Institute PhD, The Scripps Research Institute BS, New York University Transforming organic synthesis for medicinal and industry applications A New Jersey native, Phil Baran spent his early years in Florida, where he first became interested in science, particularly in his high school astronomy class. But it was not until he discovered chemistry, his life-long passion, that he found an outlet for his creative energies. As an undergraduate at New York University working on the design and synthesis of artificial photosynthetic systems, Baran would often work through the night and in the morning surprise his mentor, David Schuster, with new results. Today, Dr. Baran is transforming what was thought to be a mature field of natural product synthesis, solving some of the toughest problems that have defied chemists for over a decade. The earliest medicines known to man were natural productscompounds derived from natural sources such as plants or micro-organisms. Available in only the smallest of quantities, the modern chemists conundrum has long been how to efficiently and economically synthesize these compounds in practical quantities for routine use. Dr. Baran has established a breakthrough new approach for efficient, commercially-scalable syntheses of biologically active natural products, in the process inventing new reagents and reactions that have swiftly found widespread use in pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries seeking easier, cheaper, and greener chemistry. His ultimate goal for each synthesis is to obtain larger quantities of these natural products than can be feasibly extracted from their natural sources. This better equips pharmaceutical companies to investigate the therapeutic properties as well as ensure that the compounds are both stable and safe enough for use in drug development. If you think of medicines as planets, our lab is building rockets, says Dr. Baran when asked about the ultimate goal of his research. Over the last decade, the Baran Laboratory has recorded a remarkable number of accomplishments, completing the syntheses of dozens of molecules from over 15 classes of highly complex and biologically active natural products. Dr. Barans approach to simplifying total synthesis and rendering it practical (gram-scale) represents a sea-change in the way such efforts are undertaken. One of the recent successes in the Baran Laboratory is the synthesis of the plant-derived ingenol, derivatives of which have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat skin cancer. In 2011, Dr. Baran co-founded Sirenas Marine Discovery, to generate marine-inspired pre-clinical drug leads for larger biotech and pharmaceutical companies targeting cancer, HIV, and infectious diseases. The company aims to bridge the gap between private enterprise and academia, combining its chemistry expertise and resources with collaborative and flexible business models with both institutions and industry partners. In 2013, Sirenas was voted a San Diego top 30 Cool Company by the San Diego Venture Group. What next? Now is perhaps some of the most interesting times of our lab, says Dr. Baran. On the methodology front, we have invented a method that allows chemists to dramatically expand the chemical space they can explore in a simple and cost-effective fashion. On the synthesis front, this year we have completed half a dozen natural product syntheses in a fraction of the number of steps that were previously required. Dr. Barans creative approach has led to a number of useful methodologies that have been broadly utilized by both academic and industrial chemists. His accomplishments show great promise in the development of new drugs and therapies that can help cure and manage disease. Michael Rape, PhD 2016 Blavatnik Laureate in Life Sciences University of California, Berkeley PhD, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry Diploma, Bayreuth University Translating basic science into new approaches for drug discovery At the age of 12, Michael Rape created his first laboratory in the basement of his parents house, interested in exploring the complex relationship between nature, environmental pollution, and human health. Moved by the stories of his friends who suffered from illnesses caused by air pollution in his native Bavaria, a highly industrialized state in south-east Germany, he pledged to make his own contribution to our understanding of how nature, human development, and diseases are linked together. Today, Dr. Rapes research is still following this path. At the core of his work is understanding signal transduction within cells and the words and phrases used by cells, to decode the vocabulary or sentences that influence the activity and behavior of the cell. We are trying to dissect principles of information transfer in human cells that shed light on fundamental mechanisms of early human development and can be translated into novel therapies against developmental diseases and cancer, says Dr. Rape of his groups work. The Rape Lab studies a complex process critical to nearly all organisms: ubiquitylation. The term describes the attachment of a regulatory protein called ubiquitin onto other proteins. This vital system pre-emptively tags damaged or bad proteins for destruction in an effort to keep cells healthy. Dr. Rape, through use of elegant biochemical, biophysical, and cellular techniques, has made groundbreaking insights into ubiquitin and its role in regulating fundamental processes in human development and disease, including cell division and survival. Abnormal ubiquitylation contributes to a variety of diseases, including cancer and neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS and Parkinsons. By cracking the ubiquitin code, Dr. Rapes basic science work has opened the door to new and unique ways to manipulate ubiquitylation for next-generation therapies in oncology, immunology, and inflammation. In 2009, Dr. Rape co-founded a biotechnology company Nurix, to develop next-generation therapies that work by modulating the protein machinery of the cell. Dr. Rape and his team pioneered an innovative approach that attaches small molecules to oncogenic proteins. After the cancer cells are tagged, they are redirected for ubiquitylation and degradation and then ultimately destroyed. In 2015, the company was recognized by Forbes as one of its top startups. Nurixs recent partnership with Celgene, a leading pharmaceutical company, will allow researchers to bring their first therapeutic compounds to the clinical stage. In doing so, Dr. Rape will have successfully translated results from basic scientific work into new approaches for drug discovery. To follow the progress of the Blavatnik Awards, please visit the Awards website (http://blavatnikawards.org/) or follow us on Facebook and Twitter (@BlavatnikAwards). For media requests, please contact Marina Blinova (mblinova@nyas.org; 212-298-8626). About The Blavatnik Family Foundation The Blavatnik Family Foundation is an active supporter of leading educational, scientific, cultural, and charitable institutions in the United States, Europe, and throughout the world. The Foundation is headed by Len Blavatnik, an American industrialist and philanthropist. Mr. Blavatnik is the founder and Chairman of Access Industries, a privately-held U.S. industrial group with global interests in natural resources and chemicals, media and telecommunications, technology and e-commerce, life sciences, and real estate. For more detailed information, please visit: http://www.accessindustries.com. About The New York Academy of Sciences The New York Academy of Sciences is an independent, not-for-profit organization that since 1817 has been driving innovative solutions to societys challenges by advancing scientific research, education, and policy. With more than 20,000 members in 100 countries, the Academy is creating a global community of science for the benefit of humanity. Please visit us online at http://www.nyas.org and follow us on Twitter at @NYASciences. "How do we navigate past heartbreak and betrayal? How do we heal the deep wounds of the heart? This book is both a story, and a roadmap." Amazon.com, the worlds largest bookseller, has chosen Where the Heart Lives for their June 22nd one-day Romance promotion. For one day only, the book will be downloadable for $2.99. This book is an emotional road trip, Purl explained. How do we navigate past heartbreak and betrayal? How do we heal the deep wounds of our past? Where do we locate a road-map that can help us find where our heart really wants us to live? These are some of the questions my characters---and my readers---are asking themselves. Purls novels are often called the Heart novelsthat word being featured in each title. The head rules when it comes to making key navigational decisions in our lives, she explained. But we all need to pay more attention to the OTHER map, the one that guides us toward where the heart is leading. The author writes both from her imagination, and from her own experience. She had just become a best-selling author, when her mother was diagnosed with a terminal illness. Mara spent the last three years caring first for her mother, then her father, seeing each of them through hospice care at home. This was an intense period for my family. I was able to spend most of my time caring for our extraordinary parents, who had given us a life so rich in theatre, in world travel, in core values and creativity. They were my biggest supporters and I miss them very much. But the time spent with them was precious, and now I know theyd be thrilled Ive gotten back to work on my series. Where the Heart Livesthe second best-selling book in Purls well-known Milford-Haven sagarecently won its seventh book award, bringing the total number of awards for her book series to twenty-nine. Just as the publisher brings out the soft-cover edition for the first time, Amazon has chosen the ebook edition for their mammoth Daily Deal promotion. Meanwhile, the audio book version is being featured on Audible. Its synchronicity, the author commented, that brings focus to this book from so many avenues at the same time, and for all of its editionsprint, ebook and audio book. Im grateful for all the attention to the book, which was both a challenge an a joy to write. But Im even more grateful that this will bring the book to the attention of more readers. Its a book that truly speaks to the hearts of women, encouraging them to honor their own goals, respect their own time and energy, and take better care of themselves. Far from interfering with their many responsibilities, this helps them be even more effective in caring for their families, doing their jobs, and contributing to their favorite local activities." Purl, a firm believer that books can transform the way we think, also believes in pure escape. "Many of us---especially women---tend to live on permanent 'overwhelm' and sometimes we can give ourselves a great gift by escaping to a fictional world where we have instant perspective. Never underestimate the power of pure escape!" Purl has become a leading spokeswoman for Womens Fictiona genre read by 55 million readersand is a frequent speaker at events for womens organization that support health and freedom from domestic violence. She has been a keynote speaker for the American Heart Association and several other heart-focused health organizations, as well as serving on advisory boards for womens shelters. This is the third-in-a-row promotion bestowed on the well-known author by the behemoth bookseller. In May, her novella "When Hummers Dream" was their monthly romance pick. In June, her novella "When Whales Watch" is their adventure pick. Not to be out done, Audible is featuring the audio versions of both novels and both novellas that are part of the ongoing saga. The third novella"When Otters Play," a prequel to the third novelis due out September 29th. And the long-awaited third novel, "Why Hearts Keep Secrets," makes its debut in February 2017. Purl first made a name for herself playing Darla Cook on "Days of Our Lives." I learned so much from performing on that show, having the opportunity to work with excellent writers, directors, and fellow actors. The discipline, the ongoing story structure, the character arcsall intrigued me and became the starting point for my own storytelling. Not long after leaving the show, she did, in fact, create her own soap opera, but for radio rather than television. After a successful test-marketing period in the U.S., the show became the first American radio serial ever broadcast by the BBC, where it earned a following of 4.5 million listeners. This, in turn, laid the foundation for the book series she writes now. Book two, "Where the Heart Lives," takes the reader through an expanded trip through her home territory. Id never written about my home city Los Angeles, Purl admitted. My readers will get an in-depth look at the L.A. of the 1990s as my protagonist Miranda Jones, a wildlife artist, travels from the Palos Verdes lighthouse, to Hollywood, then winds her way through the Angeles Crest Mountains out to the Mojave Desert. As she travels, of course she uses her head to find her way. But the real story is how shes trying to use her heart to navigate. Is she too focused on her career? Will this new relationship work? What is the resistance she still feels? What should she trust? An unsolved mystery runs through the book, keeping an ever-present tension lurking as Deputy Delmar Johnson conducts what is at this point only a missing person case. But the reader knows what the investigator suspects: that a dangerous killer still roams free somewhere on the Central Coast. One of the more interesting cross-overs between fiction and fact is that readers are taken to a Doobie Brothers rehearsal, then to a major rock concert, then backstage---a thrill most readers have never experienced. Author Purl has been close friends with the Doobie Brothers for two decades. Members of the band appeared in her original hit BBC radio drama and now appear as themselves in her new novel. The Doobies are long-time friends, and truly great musicians whove always had my respect. Their creativity and musicianship are just superb on every one of their recordings. But to see and feel their energy in front of a live audience is transforming. Being backstage for their first reunion concert several years was an experience thats never left me. Thats what inspired this storyline. I cant thank them enough. Of course, backstage is only one of several locations where Purls various romance storylines play out. Purls books---part romance, part mystery, and part soap opera---would defy categorization were it not for the encompassing Womens Fiction genre, which includes Romance, but is larger in scope with room for Purls less predictable and more realistic plot and character development. My writing is romantic---which is why several of my awards are the Romance category. But my stories dont follow a strict set of rules that a classic Romance Novel would, Purl said. My concept of romance is a good deal more complex. Things dont wrap up neatly at the end of each book. But believe me, the romance storylines will have thrilling and satisfying conclusions by the end of book five. These are the pentalogy---What, Where, Why, Who and When---the five questions of the heart asked in each these first five book titles. Purl has always been a trail-blazer, with her original radio drama Milford-Haven U.S.A becoming the first American radio serial on the BBC where it gathered 4.5 million listeners throughout the U.K. Now shes blazing a trail in the U.S., where stories usually appear first an novels, then as scripted media. No other novel series began first as a dramatic series. The former "Days of Our Lives actress" has garnered critical success for her fresh, original novels. She may be taking readers on an expansive road trip in this book but she puts the magnifying lens on what matters most to her readers: the heart. # # # From Trade Reviews: Kirkus Review noted Purl imbues her soap opera finesse into the fictional setting of Milford-Haven and summed up book one with This may be Apple Pie, USA, but hearts are on the line, professions are at stake and a possible murder has tainted the landscape. Kirkus again praised the authors work in book two by saying Skillfully interspersing the moment-to-moment thoughts of her characters with their actions and dialogue, Purl effortlessly moves from one personal story to another. Publishers Weekly: PW noted the authors aptitude for long-form story-telling with Purl presents the first novel in her Milford-Haven series, which . . . features a setting of unadulterated beauty . . . and a cast of successful, sexy, sometimes quirkily independent characters. . . The novel is poised to convince readers to continue with the series. ForeWord Reviews: ForeWord praised Purls deft handling of her artist-protagonist by noting Miranda the artist . . . is creative, outdoorsy, and very concerned with the environment and animal welfare. Her thoughts while painting, sketching, or considering her work bring the reader deep inside her psyche and illuminate her seascapes and animal portraits. Of a cheetah named Lia who waits on the easel to be completed, Miranda says, My job is to reveal her spirit, not to encase her in paint. This simple sentence conveys the values and vision of the artist both in her work and her life. # # # Awards for this book: IBA - International Book Award Winner, Womens Lit USA Regional Excellence Book Award Winner, Western Region Beverly Hills Book Award Winner, Regional Lit Southern California Book Award Winner, Regional Lit USA Book News Best Book Award Finalist, Romance NIEA - National Indie Excellence Award Finalist, Romance EVVY Awards Winner, Fiction Sommetrics, Inc., a company focused on providing products and services that improve sleep quality, announces the hiring of Sarah Polk as Senior Vice President of Marketing and Stephen Maine as Vice President of Bioinformatics to facilitate the advancement of the companys cNEP (continuous negative external pressure) technology, products and services focused on obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and sedation-related apneas. Ms. Polk brings over 20 years of experience in leading commercialization, marketing and public relations efforts with multiple medical device companies. Before joining Sommetrics, Ms. Polk was President/CEO of Marketing Intelligence, LLC where she developed successful business expansion strategies that elevated client sales and company growth. Ms. Polk has also held positions as Chief Sales and Marketing Officer for Inline Distributing Company and VP of Marketing at Immersion Corporation. She has vast experience in negotiating and establishing key partnerships, advancing market development, and leading product launches spanning multiple product lines. Ms. Polk is a dynamic marketing executive with a proven track record of achieving exponential sales growth for global healthcare, medical device and technology firms, says Dr. Richard Rose, Chief Executive Officer of Sommetrics. As we begin to commercialize the cNEP Airway System and continue development work for our technology in the sleep markets that address OSA and snoring, Sarahs expertise in product launch and navigating businesses through national and international expansion initiatives, coupled with her ability to inspire and develop cross-functional global teams that build highly profitable, long-lasting business relationships will prove to be valuable assets for Sommetrics. I am delighted to be a part of the Sommetrics executive team, says Ms. Polk, I look forward to the opportunity to introduce cNEP technology to the market and making a difference in the millions of lives that are impacted by sleep disorders and sedation-related airway issues. Mr. Maine, a pioneer in broadband, video and consumer electronics, has worked extensively in early stage technology companies to bring innovative products to market. He has consulted with Sommetrics for the last two years, and is the systems architect for the current implementation of product software and hardware. Mr. Maines experience includes working at SONICblue where he held multiple positions as Executive Vice President, Senior Vice President, and Chief Technology Officer. Mr. Maine was also CEO of iCache, Inc., a business he started while a subsidiary of Sensory Science. Mr. Maine was also Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at Sensory Science. He has also held positions as Senior Director New Business Development at Broadcom, and VP Business Development Satellite & Data Network Division at GI-VideoCypher, VP Business Development at General Instrument Corporation, and VP Marketing and Business Development for Microchip Technology. He holds numerous patents and was recognized by EE Times as one of 30 people who made the most significant contributions to the development of the integrated circuit industry. Successfully integrating bioinformatics data with our cNEP technology is an essential part of our vision aimed at improving sleep quality, said Dr. Rose. Mr. Maines leadership experience and software expertise will significantly help us bring optimal solutions that complement our innovative technology. Im thrilled to be joining Sommetrics at this stage in the companys growth to help advance the technology programs, said Stephen Maine. About Sommetrics: Sommetrics, a privately funded San Diego based company, is committed to improving the health and well-being of individuals through improved sleep quality. The company is developing innovative solutions that help assess and prevent the narrowing of the upper airway. These problems range from obstructive sleep apnea to snoring and other disruptive sleep patterns that affect a large number of adults worldwide. Sommetrics proprietary technology, cNEP (continuous negative external pressure), provides a comfortable way of keeping the airway open during sleep and during mild to moderate sedation. The Companys first product, the cNEP Airway System, gained FDA clearance in December 2015. For more information, visit http://www.Sommetrics.com. cNEP is a registered trademark of Sommetrics, Inc. Sommetrics and the logo are trademarks of Sommetrics, Inc. Contact: Richard M. Rose, M.D. President and CEO rrose(at)sommetrics(dot)com 858.943.4566 On June 22, Tony Kerekes will join HRsoft for an exclusive total rewards webinar titled "The Employee Value Proposition." On June 22, HRsoft, an award winning talent management software company will host a webinar with Tony Kerekes, Partner at NVision Consulting, Ltd. The webinar, titled "The Employee Value Proposition: How to Increase the Perceived Value of Your Total Rewards Program", will be hosted by HRsoft's Chief Marketing Officer, Brian Sharp. "Our HR community is always looking for effective way to communicate the value of employment to an expanding number of roles in extremely competitive job markets. We are excited to have Tony share advice and tips from his 20+ years of experience designing and implementing total rewards programs for leading organizations," said Sharp. Topics covered will include: keys to building an effective total rewards engagement strategy, how to develop a calendar of just-in-time communication, tips and strategies for communicating total rewards to today's workforce, how to leverage varied communication styles and approaches, and how to turn total rewards into retention. Don't miss this free, exclusive opportunity to learn from an experienced total rewards expert as he shares insights and ideas on how to adapt to the changing workforce and job market with a more effective total rewards program! Click here to register! About HRsoft: HRsoft is a cloud-based talent management software company that specializes in improving manager effectiveness and business results for North American employers. Our suite of HR solutions includes modules for compensation planning software, applicant tracking software, performance management software, total rewards communication software, stay interview software and content management software. Discover more about HRsoft at HRsoft.com or follow us on Twitter @HRsoft_inc. For more information: Brian Sharp Chief Marketing Officer Email: brian.sharp(at)hrsoft(dot)com Direct: 407-475-5500 ext. 771 Jon Henschen Midsize broker dealers reflect the sweet spot for overall advisor satisfaction. Jon Henschens most recent article featured June 16, 2016 on ThinkAdvisor, Which Broker-Dealers Will Survive? Malcolm Gladwell Offers Some Answers, explores Gladwells use of the Inverted U Curve principle and the rule of 150 to discuss ideal broker dealer size and survival. Henschens article was also featured as a Top Story of the Week on ThinkAdvisor. Henschen discusses Gladwells use of the Inverted U Curve Principle to demonstrate ideal class size, which has been a hotly debated topic for a number of years. Gladwell explains that there are three parts to the inverted U curve, and each part follows a different logic. On the left side of the curve, doing more or having more makes things better. On the flat middle, doing more does not make much of a difference. On the right, doing more or having more makes things worse. Gladwell discusses the advantages and disadvantages of various class sizes, concluding that 18 students is the perfect class size. This is because there are enough bodies in the room so that no one feels vulnerable, but everyone can feel important. Henschen observes a similar inverted U curve principle at work when looking at the size of independent broker-dealers, with midsized broker-dealers reflecting the sweet spot for overall satisfaction. When reviewing broker-dealer surveys, Henschen sees a clear pattern of rankings for overall satisfaction that is concentrated in the midrange, with the low-end of midrange being broker-dealers having approximately $50 million of revenue. On the top end of midsized BDs, satisfaction starts to decline when they reach the size of 2,500-3,000 reps. Firms with very high satisfaction levels also have average production per advisor numbers on the higher end for the industry, which is about $200,000 or higher. According to Henschen, the low end of midrange broker-dealers with approximately $50 million of revenue is probably the minimum level of revenue for managing the increasing burden of regulation and achieving good satisfaction results. At $50 million to $75 million of revenue, firms are less concerned with their ability to handle staffing costs and are able to maintain robust net capital levels. At the $100 million level, concerns regarding regulation are minimal to nonexistent as the company scale enables them to easily manage proper staffing levels. For the smaller firms, the obvious strength is service and their ability to have deep relationships with the advisors. Where these smaller firms come up short is access to capital, ability to supply services that will help advisors grow to the next level and the ability to compete for recruits in the marketplace when they are not able to offer competitive amounts of transition money. Henschen then turns to Gladwells Rule of 150, which states that the size of any grouping of people is a subtle contextual factor that can make a big difference to that groups behavior. Gladwell uses the example of successful manufacturer Gore Associates (makers of Gore-Tex fabric), quoting their founder as saying, We found again and again that things get clumsy at 150, so 150 employees per plant became the company goal. Henschen applies this rule to the back office, discussing how the Rule of 150 applies to the back office contact points where advisors regularly interact with their BD. These include but are not limited to business processing, answering the phones, trading, cashiering, service desks, new accounts and direct business. The article continues by discussing how producer groups are stepping in to fill the service void at large broker-dealers, the trend of back office consolidation at multi-broker dealer owners, and how larger firms want to look smaller and vice versa. Read the full article at: http://henschenassoc.com/which-broker-dealers-will-survive-malcolm-gladwell-offers-some-answers/#sthash.bMhzm8oK.dpuf Jon Henschen is President of Henschen & Associates, an independent broker dealer recruiting firm located in Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota. With more than 20 years of industry experience, Jon is a staunch advocate for independent financial advisors, and is widely sought after by both reps and broker dealers for his expertise and advice on independent broker dealer topics. He is frequently published and quoted in a variety of industry publications, including ThinkAdvisor, Investment Advisor Magazine, Wealth Management Magazine, Financial Advisor IQ, Financial Advisor Magazine, Investment News and others. Sea turtles affected by starvation and severe dehydration returned to the Caribbean Sea after a brief but emotional liberation carried out by Xcaret Park specialists. Workers found three 8- to 9-month-old juvenile hawksbill turtles with serious medical conditions. and brought them to Xcaret Hospital. The hospital provided special care for more than a year, helping the turtles recover their ability to survive in the ocean. The sea turtles treated at Xcaret Hospital arrived with flipper injuries caused by fishing lines and nets, damages in the digestive tract from swallowing hooks, skull and shell fractures caused by boat propellers, dog and jaguar bites in the head and limbs, as well as dehydration and anorexia. In addition, nine green sea turtles came to the hospital a few days after being born with serious health conditions. Xcaret Hospital provided the turtles with proper nourishment that allowed them to grow to their ideal size and, in turn, increase their survival rates. After 12 months of care, the turtles were returned to their habitat. With a rehabilitation success rate of 67 percent, Xcaret Park in Cancun and Riviera Maya is the most prominent center of rescue and rehabilitation of sea turtles in Mexico. It is an altruistic work committed to preserving the deterioration of marine reptile populations in our country, particularly the species of white or green hawksbill, loggerhead and leatherback. With more than 30 years of uninterrupted work helping more than 10 million sea turtle hatchlings, Xcaret Park, together with Flora, Fauna y Cultura de Mexico, has the most successful turtle conservation program in Mexico. ABOUT XCARET Xcaret is one of Mexico's ecotourism destinations located on the shore of the Caribbean Sea. There are three Underground Rivers surrounded by magnificent natural scenery. The area also features amazing marine and land species, protected by Xcarets conservation programs. More than 300 performers exhibit the history, culture and folklore of Mexico and delicious varieties of international cuisine are featured in the Park. Xcaret Park was recognized as the Best International Theme Park and the Best Water Park in the world by US travel agents, in the 2016 Travvy Travel Awards. Their commitment to providing care to individuals with mental health needs encourages us all to be at our best. The American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) is thrilled to announce the recipients of the 2016 APNA Annual Awards. Each year, extraordinary psychiatric-mental health nurses are nominated for consideration by their colleagues and chosen by a committee of their peers. APNA is pleased to announce the eleven nurses who have been selected because of their diligence in advancing psychiatric-mental health nursing through leadership, dedication, and vision. These recipients will be honored in person at the APNA 30th Annual Conference this October, in Hartford, Connecticut. Psychiatric-mental health nurses are natural leaders in healthcare, and the APNA Annual Awards are our opportunity to celebrate their accomplishments, said APNA President Mary Ann Nihart, MA, APRN, PMHCNS-BC, PMHNP-BC. Their commitment to providing care to individuals with mental health needs encourages us all to be at our best. Barbara Jones Warren, PhD, RN, PMHCNS-BC, FNAP, FAAN, is the recipient of the 2016 APNA Psychiatric Nurse of the Year Award. This award recognizes a nurse who demonstrates vision, perseverance, and dedication in the delivery of mental health nursing care to the community. Throughout her career of more than 20 years, Warren has advocated both for vulnerable populations and for nurses, with work focusing on enhancing standards of cultural competence and developing leadership skills in both student and practicing nurses. Warren currently serves as a Clinical Professor at The Ohio State University (OSU) College of Nursing and as a therapist. In her role at OSU, Warren developed the Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner online program and served as interim program director. Her commitment to this program saw a 100% pass rate for its students. "Dr. Warrens dedication to improving the mental health of the state is reflected in her resolve to offer a quality program that prepares students to be successful clinicians," says Bernadette Melnyk. "[Her] research activities have continued to evolve to include the importance of integrating mental and physical healthcare services." Warren also developed and published the first model for assessing depression in middle class African American women. Her nominator, Jeanne Clement, says, "[Warren's] willingness to take risks in changing long established practices helped nursing administrators...work toward development of recovery-based interventions." Warren will be presented with the Psychiatric Nurse of the Year Award at the APNA 30th Annual Conference in Hartford. Julie Carbray, PhD, FMHNP-BC, PMHCS-BC, has been awarded the 2016 APNA Award for Distinguished Service in recognition of her exceptional and meritorious service to APNA. Carbray has been a member of APNA for more than 25 years, during which time she has served on a variety of committees, coauthored a publication on advanced practice , and served on the APNA Board of Directors. Carbray has chaired the planning committee for the Clinical Psychopharmacology Institute (CPI), APNAs annual psychopharmacology conference, since 2011. In addition, Carbray has served as the Chair of the Child and Adolescent Council since 2013. "Dr. Carbray is renowned for her innovative work as a child psychiatric nurse clinician, program manager, nurse researcher/scholar, and clinical educator in implementation research," says Janet York in her nomination, citing Carbray's work with the Pediatric Mood Disorders Clinic at the University Of Illinois Institute Of Juvenile Research in Chicago. "The work of Dr. Carbray and her interprofessional team addresses a population need, youth with bipolar disorder.... The program is considered an exemplary clinical and empirical model with strong evidence of effectiveness, national funding, and replication in five countries." In addition to Warren and Carbray, nine psychiatric-mental health nurses are being honored with APNA Annual Awards for their commitment to excellence in specific aspects of psychiatric-mental health nursing: (Quotations taken from each recipient's nomination letter) Mindy Cohen, RN, APN, CGP, DRCC, CARN: Award for Excellence in Practice APRN "Mindys group members develop resilience through her efforts, which allows them to successfully manage their illness with optimism and empowerment." Heikie Barnette, RN-PMH, Pueblo, CO: Award for Excellence in Practice RN "Ms. Barnett has a deep concern and passion for level of psychiatric nursing care of the seriously mentally ill and if that care contributes to their recovery." Kathryn Johnson, MSN, PMHCNS-BC, PMHNP-BC, Santa Cruz, CA: Award for Excellence in Leadership APRN "Kathy Johnson is an exceptional leader...dedicated to our profession, organization, and making a difference in how care is delivered to those impacted by mental health issues." Kristen Kichefski, MSN, MBA, RN-BC, Providence, RI: Award for Excellence in Leadership RN "Over the last two years, Kristen has proven herself to be an innovative thinker, with the energy and openness to new ideas." Joy Lauerer, DNP, PMHCNS-BC, RN, Charleston, SC: Award for Excellence in Education Dr. Lauerer is a wealth of knowledge... Her teaching methods foster critical thinking and creativity, and encourage self-directed learning and problem solving. Janice Goodman, PhD, PMHCNS-BC, Charlestown, MA: Award for Excellence in Research "Dr. Goodmans research is an exemplar of the holistic, individual and family focused, prevention-intervention targeted research priorities." Jeannine Loucks, MSN, RN-BC PMH, Orange, CA: Award for Media "Jeannine Loucks has taken collaboration with first responders to an added height by developing training videos for police departments demonstrating how to work with people with psychiatric and emotional disorders in the field." Elaine McGrane Olmstead RN MS, PMHCNS, Acton, MA: Award for Innovation Individual "Elaine has held true to the ideals of community health as she joins forces with programs established to aid people at critical stages in their lives and within community based organizations." APNA Colorado Chapter: Award for Innovation Chapter "The Chapter's organization and activities in this effort is an exemplars of the principles of APNA at the highest level." The APNA 30th Annual Conference will be held the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, Connecticut, October 19-22. In addition to honoring this year's awards recipients, the APNA Annual Conference will feature more than 3 days of networking and over 100 continuing education sessions for psychiatric nurses, including RNs and advanced practice nurses. The American Psychiatric Nurses Association is a national professional membership organization of more than 10,500 members committed to the specialty practice of psychiatric-mental health nursing and wellness promotion, prevention of mental health problems, and the care and treatment of persons with psychiatric disorders. APNAs membership is inclusive of all psychiatric-mental health registered nurses, including associate degree, baccalaureate, advanced practice (comprised of clinical nurse specialists and psychiatric nurse practitioners), and nurse scientists and academicians (PhD). APNA serves as a resource for psychiatric-mental health nurses to engage in networking, education, and the dissemination of research. The American Psychiatric Nurses Association is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. St. Louis Children's Hospital is the only St. Louis hospital to rank in all 10 U.S. News specialty categories. At St. Louis Childrens Hospital, we strive to be Guardians of Childhood, to protect a childs right to have a healthy childhood. These rankings serve as a reminder of the importance of that mission, and remind us that we are accomplishing our goals. In each of the 10 specialties surveyed, St. Louis Childrens Hospital-Washington University School of Medicine again rank among the best in the nation, according to U.S.News & World Report. The publication released its annual Best Childrens Hospitals edition, along with the methodology used to prepare the rankings. Of the 183 pediatric hospitals surveyed nationwide, only 25 ranked in ALL 10 specialties including St. Louis Childrens Hospital-Washington University. St. Louis Childrens Hospital was the only hospital in St. Louis to rank in all 10 specialties. At St. Louis Childrens Hospital, we strive to be Guardians of Childhood, to protect a childs right to have a healthy childhood. says Joan Magruder, hospital president. These rankings serve as a reminder of the importance of that mission, and remind us that we are accomplishing our goals. The 10 pediatric specialties are cancer, cardiology/heart surgery, diabetes & endocrinology, gastroenterology and GI surgery, neonatology, nephrology, neurology & neurosurgery, orthopedics, pulmonology and urology. Surveyors measured hospitals in three categories: resources which refer to staffing, technology and specialty services; delivery of healthcare which includes infection prevention methods, best practices and overall reputation; and clinical outcomes, such as patient survival, infection rates and complications. St. Louis Childrens Hospital is the teaching hospital for Washington University School of Medicine, and many of the medical innovations that attract families to the hospital arise from that academic partnership. We are constantly expanding on the delivery of exceptional cutting-edge care to all children in need, says Gary Silverman, MD, PhD, who became the head of the department of pediatrics at Washington University School of Medicine in 2016. The U.S.News survey results confirm that both institutions continue to foster a shared dedication to excellence in medical education, care and community outreach. U.S.News introduced the Best Childrens Hospitals rankings in 2007 to help families of sick children find the best medical care available. The rankings open the door to an array of detailed information about each hospitals performance. For a full listing of hospital rankings and methodology, visit http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/pediatric-rankings. ABOUT ST. LOUIS CHILDRENS HOSPITAL St. Louis Childrens Hospital has provided specialized care for children for more than 130 years. US News & World Report ranks St. Louis Childrens among the best pediatric hospitals in the nation. In 2015 the hospital again received the Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the nations highest honor for nursing excellence. St. Louis Childrens Hospital is affiliated with Washington University School of Medicine, one of the leading medical research, teaching and patient care institutions in the nation. The hospital is a member of BJC HealthCare. For more information, visit StLouisChildrens.org, or find us on Facebook and @STLChildrens on Twitter. ProMIS Neurosciences (ProMIS or the Company), a company focused on the discovery and development of precision treatments for neurodegenerative diseases, today announced that it has identified and submitted a provisional patent application for a fifth novel therapeutic target on prion-like strains of misfolded Amyloid beta (A), implicated in the development and progression of AD. Multiple therapeutic candidates against all five of the novel targets we have identified demonstrated, during the screening phase, selective binding to misfolded strains of Amyloid beta, with no measurable off-target binding, said Dr. Elliot Goldstein, ProMIS CEO. These candidates are currently being evaluated for their binding profiles in cadaveric brain tissue from patients with a confirmed diagnosis of Alzheimers. We are looking forward to the results of these validation studies, which will enable the selection of therapeutic products for drug development. ProMIS Neurosciences submitted a provisional patent application for its fifth novel Alzheimers disease target to the United States Patent Office on June 20, 2016, pursuant to its expanded license agreement with the University of British Columbia (announced on October 8, 2015). The Company applied its unique, proprietary discovery platforms, ProMIS and Collective Coordinates, to identify this fifth, novel target (epitope) on prion-like strains of misfolded A. About ProMIS Neurosciences, Inc. The mission of ProMIS Neurosciences is to discover and develop precision medicine therapeutics for effective treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, in particular Alzheimers disease and ALS. ProMIS Neurosciences proprietary target discovery engine is based on the use of two, complementary techniques. The Company applies its thermodynamic, computational discovery platformsProMIS and Collective Coordinates to predict novel targets known as Disease Specific Epitopes (DSEs) on the molecular surface of misfolded proteins. Using this unique "precision medicine" approach, ProMIS Neurosciences is developing novel antibody therapeutics and specific companion diagnostics for Alzheimers disease and ALS. The company has also developed two proprietary technologies to specifically identify very low levels of misfolded proteins in a biological sample. In addition, ProMIS Neurosciences owns a portfolio of therapeutic and diagnostic patents relating to misfolded SOD1 in ALS, and currently has three preclinical monoclonal antibody therapeutics against this target. The TSX has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This information release may contain certain forward-looking information. Such information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by statements herein, and therefore these statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. All forward-looking statements are based on the Company's current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to it as well as other factors. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Due to risks and uncertainties, including the risks and uncertainties identified by the Company in its public securities filings, actual events may differ materially from current expectations. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. For further information please consult the Company's website at: http://www.promisneurosciences.com Follow us on Twitter Like us on LinkedIn NATIONAL Equicom Michael Moore: mmoore(at)national(dot)ca Abby Garfunkel: agarfunkel(at)national(dot)ca or contact Dr. Elliot Goldstein President and Chief Executive Officer, ProMIS Neurosciences Inc. Tel. 415 341-5783 Elliot.goldstein(at)promisneurosciences(dot)com Stetson Law alumna Katherine Hurst Miller is the new president of the Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division. Stetson University College of Law presented its annual awards to outstanding alumni and friends of the college during the Florida Bar meeting in Orlando on June 16. Stetson also celebrated the installation of Katherine Hurst Miller J.D. 06 as president of the Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division. Alumni and friends honored this year by Stetson included: Judge Mac McCoy B.A. 98, J.D. 01 was honored with the Distinguished Alumnus Award, recognizing individuals who are outstanding in their profession, who have brought honor to themselves and to the College of Law through service to humanity and dedication to the ideals of the College of Law; Kayla Richmond J.D. 13 received the Outstanding Alumni Representative Award for her dedication and service to the Stetson Lawyers Alumni Association through local district involvement and for encouraging other alumni involvement in local district activities of the Stetson Lawyers Alumni Association; Frank Hearne received the Distinguished Service Award, presented to recognize his significant, meritorious, and continuing contributions which have benefited the College of Law; Larry Miccolis J.D. 09 received the Paul M. May Meritorious Service Award for showing his continued support of the Alumni Association and the College through contribution of time and gifts; Judge Catherine McEwen J.D. 82 received the Ben C. Willard Award for expending great effort for the benefit of the citizens of Florida and for her humanitarian achievements bringing distinction to herself and to the College of Law; Marc Levine J.D. '06 received the Presidents Award, presented to the current Stetson Lawyers Alumni Association president at the end of his/her term for service and leadership and for constantly striving to improve the on-going efforts of the SLAA for the betterment of all alumni. Our Pennsauken location! In by 9AM - out by 4PM! Fun fact - women's dry cleaning bills are typically 73% higher than that of mens. Sadly, predatorial tactics at the neighborhood cleaners counter are predictably unpredictable. For once, Any Garment Cleaners, home of gender-neutral pricing on all services, reveals their industry price gauging tactics targeting women. Up-charging for the following female garments: linen pants, silk shirts, pants with lining, pleated skirts, beaded dresses, dresses with 2 colors, red pieces. Female customers entering the cleaners wearing nice shoes, will receive a higher dry cleaning bill. Female customers driving a European vehicle into the cleaners parking lot will receive a higher dry cleaning bill. 25% percent off Tuesdays and Wednesdays signage. However, what is the 25% off of? And last but not least, the notorious triple charge on female dress shirts because they are too small to fit on the machine At the four Any Garment Cleaners locations in Southern New Jersey, women and men both pay only $1.99 per piece. Since 2001, this upfront pricing approach has made Any Garment Cleaners South Jerseys premier dry cleaning brand throughout Camden and Burlington Counties. No tricks, no gimmicks, always one-low-price, and never an up-charge. All garments in by 9 am are cleaned, pressed, and ready for pickup that afternoon. Thats Same Day Service for the Same Low Price! Lastly, General Manager Kevin proudly declared The $1.99 brings new clients in, but 15 years. Same Owner. Same Faces. Same price for Women and Men makes them stay! Four locations 1. Cherry Hill, NJ 1444 Route 70 in Pine Tree Plaza (856) 857-1808 2. Pennsauken, NJ Route 70 & Route 38, With Super Wawa on Rte 38 Side (856) 320-4439 3. Stratford, NJ White Horse Pike & White Horse Rd. Across from Lindenwold Train Station (856) 435-8169 4. Cinnaminson, NJ 1204 Route 130 North just north of Riverton Road (856) 303-0090 Dr. Fang Xie, a registered patent attorney and co-leader of Greenberg Traurig, LLPs Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Industry Group in the firms Boston office, was recognized as one of the worlds top IP value creators in the 2016 edition of the Intellectual Asset Managements (IAM) Strategy 300 The Worlds Leading IP Strategists 2016. According to the publication, the guide identifies the individuals who are leading the way in the development and implementation of strategies that maximize the value of IP portfolios. Fang Xie, Ph.D. is of counsel in the firms Intellectual Property Practice, focusing on developing, evaluating, and enforcing intellectual property rights. She has broad experience in worldwide patent and trademark portfolio development, intellectual property due diligence, licensing and technology transfer, patentability and product clearance studies, patent infringement and validity analyses, freedom to operate evaluations, as well as intellectual property litigation and pre-litigation counseling. Dr. Xies primary technical areas include biotechnology, synthetic biology, and pharmaceuticals, with a focus on nucleic acid synthesis, protein and organism engineering, antibody and biologics/biosimilars, stem cell technology, regenerative medicine, biomarkers, genetic diagnostics, small molecule drugs, analytical chemistry, and cosmetics. She regularly works with clients in the life sciences sector, including biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and chemistry companies, as well as venture capital and institutional investors. Dr. Xie also frequently works with early-stage bio-pharmaceutical companies to enhance their IP position and develop licensing and partnership strategies. About Greenberg Traurigs Boston Office Established in 1999, Greenberg Traurigs Boston office is home to more than 65 attorneys practicing in the areas of corporate, emerging technology, governmental affairs, intellectual property, labor and employment, life sciences and medical technology, litigation, public finance, and real estate. An important contributor to the firm's international platform, the Boston office includes a team of nationally recognized attorneys with both public and private sector experience. The team offers clients the value of decades of legal experience and hands-on knowledge of the local business community, supported by the firm's vast network of global resources. About Greenberg Traurig, LLP Greenberg Traurig, LLP is an international, multi-practice law firm with approximately 1,900 attorneys serving clients from 38 offices in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. The firm is No. 1 on the 2015 Law360 Most Charitable Firms list, second largest in the U.S. on the 2016 Law360 400, Top 20 on the 2015 Am Law Global 100, and among the 2015 BTI Brand Elite. More information at: http://www.gtlaw.com. By using our CAD quoting technology and mixed proprietary mold design and process, we can create custom plastic packaging in 75 percent less time than the industry standard, said tForm founder and CEO, Ben Moore. What once took nearly two weeks to quote and three months to deliver can now be done in less than half that time. tForm, a graduate of Silicon Valleys esteemed Founder Institute and provider of thermoformed packaging, can transform custom packaging design to finished parts in the customers hand in less than three weeks. The drastic improvement in both quote time and delivery prompted the Founder Institute to name the South Carolina-based company as a disruption to the $10 billion custom packaging industry. Not only is the California accelerator program making bold statements, they have also distinguished the manufacturing start-up by inviting the company to Silicon Valley to take part in FounderX, an elite selection of the organizations top founders alongside the Founder Institutes CEO, Adeo Ressi. The South Carolina manufacturer is vertically integrated to handle design, mold manufacturing, and plastic packaging production for a variety of industries including automotive, electronics, medical, and industrial. By using our CAD quoting technology and mixed proprietary mold design and process, we can create custom plastic packaging in 75 percent less time than the industry standard, said tForm founder and CEO, Ben Moore. With a team of designers, machinists and mold makers on staff, the company houses all of its equipment and processes under one roof and includes engineering and design, machine shop and plastic forming lines, he said. Located in a 6,000 sq. ft. facility in Upstate South Carolina, tForm bench-marked 168 thermoformed packaging companies before innovating their own processes. T-Form has been very helpful in designing and developing quick and effective thermoformed packaging prototype solutions for our automotive clients, said Mike Heath, Packaging Sales Engineer at PackIQ. The automotive community operates within very tight packaging development schedules and working with tForms design team has been very helpful in meeting the deadline, he said. We are looking forward to working with the company on more projects going forward. While embracing a lean philosophy and team approach, tForm employs CNC equipment and proprietary mold technology to reduce both mold manufacturing time and machine set-up time. Although tForms products and services extend beyond the automotive industry, the Upstate has become a hub for the sector since BMWs arrival in the 1990s, and the leading car maker relies on an efficient and ever-ready supply chain working behind them. Leading-edge innovation and a fast-forward strategy are essential in a just-in-time supply chain market, said Franz Linner, Vice President of Supplier Network America, BMW Manufacturing, Co., LLC. BMWs future is determined, in part, by its suppliers creativity and competitiveness - that also requires consistency and flexibility, he said. Suppliers must be customer-focused with a strong alignment of cost, flexibility, quality and innovation. Delta Education, part of the School Specialty family of brands, is a 2016 REVERE Awards Golden Lamp Winner. The companys Full Option Science System (FOSS) Next Generation curriculum, the leading active-learning science program in the United States, received the recognition from the Association of American Publishers (AAP) PreK-12 Learning Group. FOSS won the Whole Curriculum, Science category and took top honors as the best Whole Curriculum program of the year. What an incredible honor for FOSS Next Generation, said Bodie Marx, senior vice president of School Specialty Curriculum. To win a Golden Lamp, one of the most prestigious awards in education publishing, is truly phenomenal and we are extremely proud of our team for its continued commitment to developing powerful and engaging blended learning resources. The Golden Lamps are recognized as one of the most prestigious honors any learning product can receive. This year marks the 50th year the Golden Lamps were awarded to the best of the best in learning resources. To ensure the Golden Lamps honor the absolute best resources, Golden Lamp eligibility is limited to winners of the other REVERE award categories and subcategories. Working with FOSS is one of the most significant experiences that stays with my teachers after they graduate, said Tina Cartwright, PhD, assistant professor of elementary and secondary education at Marshall University, who uses FOSS in her college classrooms and with local after-school programs. They know first-hand the power of learning through investigation and see what good science instruction looks and feels like. They understand how FOSS lessons can support them in facilitating this type of student-centered science instruction in their classrooms. Developed at the Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of California, Berkeley, FOSS Next Generation is an active learning science program for grades K-5, with modules featuring comprehensive teacher support materials, informative student books, class access to online multimedia, and durable student equipment. The full program consists of 18 modules aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) with three modules per grade focused on life, earth and physical science, including many opportunities for integrating engineering. The FOSS program seamlessly blends engaging, hands-on science investigations with science writing, language development strategies, reading in informational texts, online technology, outdoor experiences, and research-based formative assessment strategies. This multi-modal combination promotes the construction of increasingly complex understanding of science concepts over time. Science is active and engaging, and the process of learning it should be as well, said Linda De Lucchi, co-founder and lead developer of FOSS at the Lawrence Hall of Science. We are proud that FOSS has been recognized as a comprehensive curriculum that embraces first-hand learning by providing meaningful science and engineering experiences for all teachers and students. FOSS Next Generation Middle School, geared toward grades 6-8, is launching for the 2016-2017 school year. The REVERE Awards identify and honor excellence in educational products that support evolving trends in teaching and learning for PreK-12 students. It is the only program that recognizes learning resources in all media, for all ages, and covering a wide array of educational subject areas and learning environments. Entrants for the 2016 REVERE Awards came from many fields including educational, trade, and magazine publishers; museums; university affiliated programs; non-profits; membership associations; and game and app developers. About the American Association of Publishers (AAP) The Association of American Publishers (AAP) is the voice of the US book and journal publishing industry. AAP represents the industrys priorities on policy, legislative and regulatory issues regionally, nationally and worldwide. These include the protection of intellectual property rights and worldwide copyright enforcement, digital and new technology issues, funding for education and libraries, tax and trade, censorship and literacy. Its 400 member companies represent major commercial, educational and professional companies as well as independents, non-profits, university presses and scholarly societies. About School Specialty, Inc. School Specialty (OTCQB: SCOO) is a leading distributor of innovative and proprietary products, programs and services to the education marketplace. The Company designs, develops, and provides educators with the latest and very best school supplies, furniture and both curriculum and supplemental learning resources. Working in collaboration with educators, School Specialty reaches beyond the scope of textbooks to help teachers, guidance counselors and school administrators ensure that every student reaches his or her full potential. Through its SSI Guardian subsidiary, the Company is also committed to school, healthcare and corporate workplace safety by offering the highest quality curriculum, training and safety and security products. Through its recently launched SOAR Life Products brand, the Company offers thousands of products that sharpen cognitive skills and build physical and mental strength in fun and creative ways. From childhood through adulthood, they help individuals live life to the fullest engaged, happy and well. SOAR Life Products is a customized offering for hospitals, long-term care, therapeutic facilities, home care, surgery centers, day care centers, physician offices, and clinics. For more information about School Specialty, visit http://www.schoolspecialty.com. Delta Education, part of School Specialtys family of brands, delivers the best of hands-on, inquiry-based science education to K-8 students. Trusted products from Delta Education include FOSS, Delta Science Modules (DSM) and engaging informational texts including Delta Science Content Readers. For more information about Delta Education, visit http://www.deltaeducation.com. NEJM Resident 360 offers clinical content targeted to residents needs. We want to provide the next generation of physicians with better tools to efficiently manage their training years. NEJM Group announces the launch of NEJM Resident 360, a website and discussion platform that supports medical residents with the essential information they need to successfully and confidently navigate residency and beyond. We want to provide the next generation of physicians with better tools to efficiently manage their training years, said Dr. Jeffrey Drazen, M.D., Editor-in-Chief, NEJM Group and the New England Journal of Medicine. They need a trusted place to turn. NEJM Resident 360 is that place. NEJM Resident 360 offers clinical content targeted specifically to residents needs, guidance in career decisions, and a way to connect with peers. Rotation Prep helps residents solidify their foundational medical knowledge with materials that have been written and curated by a team of physician experts, fellows, and residents, and mapped to 14 common residency rotations in internal medicine. Each rotation includes brief topic overviews, links to landmark clinical trials and review articles from NEJM and other highly-respected sources, and a selection of procedure videos and test questions from NEJM Knowledge+. Learning Lab provides further educational and interactive tools that explain the medical literature and hone diagnostic skills. Resident Lounge and Career sections feature resources that address social pressures and aim to inspire and assist with professional growth, including podcasts, blog posts, and professional articles. Discussions engage residents with experts and one another on a variety of clinical, career, and resident life topics. Access to NEJM Resident 360 starts with the creation of a user profile; access to Rotation Prep requires proof of a subscription to any NEJM Group product as an individual or through a site license. For more information, visit https://resident360.nejm.org. On Twitter: @NEJMres360 About NEJM Group NEJM Group creates high-quality medical resources for research, learning, practice and professional development designed to meet the demand for essential medical knowledge among academic researchers and teachers, physicians, clinicians, executives and others in medicine and health care. NEJM Group products include the New England Journal of Medicine, NEJM Journal Watch, NEJM Knowledge+, and NEJM Catalyst and NEJM Resident 360. NEJM Group is a division of the Massachusetts Medical Society. For more information visit http://www.nejmgroup.org. Moen Align Spring Faucet Now, cleaning up messes at the kitchen sink is simplified, said Tom Tylicki, senior product manager at Moen. Sticky, caked-on messes are all too common in the kitchen sink. It can be frustrating rinsing dishes, pots or pans with a lackluster spray that may still need extra scrubbing to get dishes clean. And if the spray does have force behind it, water splash back around the sink area can make a big mess. Delivering on its commitment to fulfill unmet consumer needs, Moen is introducing new Power Clean technology to select kitchen faucets, providing more force to get tough jobs done. Now, cleaning up messes at the kitchen sink is simplified, said Tom Tylicki, senior product manager at Moen. Power Clean has the spray force consumers desire without the worry of unnecessary splashing. Peanut butter, tomato sauce and other tough-to-rinse foods are no match for this powerful spray. Power Clean technology provides 50 percent more spray power versus most of our pulldown and pullout faucets without the Power Clean technology, while containing splashing and minimizing mess. Now, users can clean dishes faster while reducing the amount of residual water in and around the sink. Greater force means faster clean-up with less water used. Kitchen faucets offering Power Clean technology feature Moens limited lifetime warranty* to ensure superior quality. Power Clean more force, less splash. For more information about Moen kitchen faucets with Power Clean, visit moen.com or call 1-800-BUY-MOEN (1-800-289-6636). *For complete warranty information, visit moen.com. LINKS TO ADDITIONAL ASSETS PHOTOGRAPHY http://www.moen.com/pressroom/image-library/results VIDEOS http://www.moen.com/pressroom/videos MOEN PRESS ROOM http://www.moen.com/pressroom MOEN LOGOS http://www.moen.com/pressroom/image-library/results?type=logos ABOUT MOEN As the #1 faucet brand in North America, Moen offers a diverse selection of thoughtfully designed kitchen and bath faucets, showerheads, accessories, bath safety products, kitchen sinks and garbage disposals for residential applications each delivering the best possible combination of meaningful innovation, useful features, on-trend styling and lasting value. In addition, Moen Commercial offers superior-performing products that can deliver lower lifetime costs for today's facilities. Moen is part of Fortune Brands Home & Security, Inc. (NYSE: FBHS), which creates products and services that help fulfill the dreams of homeowners and help people feel more secure. The Company's trusted brands include Moen faucets, Master Lock and Sentry Safe security products, MasterBrand cabinets and Therma-Tru entry door systems. Fortune Brands holds market leadership positions in all of its segments. Fortune Brands is part of the S&P MidCap 400 Index. For more information, please visit http://www.FBHS.com. CONTACT Jennifer Allanson or Kristi Stolarski Falls Communications (216) 696-0229 jallanson(at)fallscommunications(dot)com kstolarski(at)fallscommunications(dot)com Sonny Kakar, Sevatec Founder & Chairman The award recognizes outstanding entrepreneurs who demonstrate excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance, and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. Sevatec, Inc. (Sevatec), a leading provider of Agile software, data, and cyber engineering solutions for the federal government, today announced that Sonny Kakar, Founder & Chairman, received the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2016 Award in the Government Services category in the Mid-Atlantic region. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award program. The award recognizes outstanding entrepreneurs who demonstrate excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance, and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. Mr. Kakar was selected by an independent panel of judges, and the award was presented at a black-tie gala at the Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner on June 15, 2016. It is such an honor to be chosen as a winner and to be in the company of such an exceptional group of entrepreneurs and leaders, said Sonny Kakar. I credit this recognition to the wonderful leaders across our firm who demonstrate every day what being a servant leader is all about. I thank my family for the loving support they provide me and to my faith for giving me the strength and discipline to work through challenges with integrity and honesty. Mr. Kakars perseverance, entrepreneurial spirit, and personal integrity supporting his team and community contributed to this recognition. He founded Sevatec in 2003 and worked tirelessly to grow the company into one of the fastest growing federal IT services companies. As a Mid-Atlantic Region award winner, Mr. Kakar is now eligible for consideration for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2016 national program. Award winners in several national categories, as well as the Entrepreneur of the Year National Overall Award winner, will be announced at the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Awards gala in Palm Springs, California, on November 19, 2016. The awards are the culminating event of the Strategic Growth Forum, the nations most prestigious gathering of high-growth, market-leading companies. The US Entrepreneur of the Year Overall Award winner then moves on to compete for the World Entrepreneur of the Year Award in Monaco in June 2017. About Sevatec Sevatec is a high-technology services firm specializing in Agile, data sciences, cyber engineering, and cloud solutions, leveraging experience and trusted talent to solve the federal governments most pressing business and technical challenges. Sevatec has achieved CMMI Maturity Level 3 ratings for both Development (DEV) and Services (SVC) and maintains ISO 9001:2008, 20000-1:2011, and 27001:2013 certifications. In practice, Sevatec optimizes current industry best practices and incorporates Agile principles to accelerate performance and outcomes for their clients. Sevatec was founded in 2003 on the concept of Seva, which means, Inspired to Serve. The mission, Trusted Talent, Inspired to Serve, Partnered with Government, to Protect and Improve the Lives of Americans, captures the essence of the firms culture. Their portfolio of mission-critical technology and consulting initiatives across the federal government supports Homeland and Law Enforcement Agencies, Department of Defense, Department of Transportation, Department of State, and multiple Civilian Departments and Agencies. To learn more about Sevatec, please visit http://www.sevatec.com. As pharma and insurance company behemoths lock horns in a battle over profits, Consumer Reports finds consumers are reeling from the rampant rise in drug prices. Nearly one-third of Americans polled by Consumer Reports said they had experienced a drug price hike in the past year, shelling out a total of $2 billion more for a drug they routinely take. Americans are being bled dry by corporate profiteering that is completely legal. And their pocketbook pain is reverberating through virtually every facet of their lives from retirement plans to family time to the essentials of daily living, such as buying groceries, said Lisa Gill, deputy editor, Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs. In its investigation, Consumer Reports unveils findings from its nationally representative poll of consumers, in addition to a survey of doctors on how they handle the issue of medication affordability. The investigation centers on the forces of profit that work counter to consumer interests to allow most drug costs to go unchecked without regulation or limits. The report is published in the August issue of Consumer Reports and available free online at ConsumerReports.org/drugprices. It includes a discussion of what the government can do to control drug prices, along with tips for consumers to help them find the best prices at the pharmacy. Consumers told us they had to make sometimes scary tradeoffs between their medications and necessities like groceries or other medical care. Very high deductible plans also forced many consumers to shop around for the lowest prices and not use their insurance, Gill said. Consumers arent used to questioning prices for pharmaceutical drugsnor are they used to shopping around and haggling - but they could save themselves a lot of money if they do. According to Consumer Reports nationally representative poll, consumers who were hit with higher drug prices in the last 12 months were more likely to economize in possibly dangerous ways with their health. Consumers told us they took the following steps to save money on their medications (The results below compare all respondents who currently take an Rx drug with those who experienced a price increase): Did not comply with RX to save money (33% of all respondents who currently take an Rx drug /47% of those who experienced a price increase in their Rx drug) Put off a doctors visit because of cost (18%/28%) Declined a medical test or procedure because of cost (14%/23%) Switched insurance plans for better coverage (14%/20%) Did not fill a prescription because of cost (17%/30%) Took an expired medication (12%/19%) Did not take a scheduled dosage or a prescribed medication, not at their physicians or pharmacists direction, to save money (10%/17%) In the past year, consumers took the following steps in order to pay for their prescription medications (results below compare all respondents who currently take an Rx drug with those who experienced a price increase): Spent less on entertainment and dining out (24% of those who currently take a prescription drug/38% of those who experienced a price increase) Got an insurance policy that covered their medications (20%/24%) Spent less on groceries (17%/31%) Used their credit card more often (15%/25%) Spent less on family (14%/25%) Postponed paying other bills (11%/19%) Postponed retirement to maintain their health insurance coverage (6%/10%) Took a second job (4%/7%) Yet in spite of the financial burden associated with drug costs, only one quarter of those polled said they had a conversation with their practitioner about the cost of their treatment. Of those consumers who did have a conversation, 64% said they initiated it. In CRs survey of internal medicine doctors, the same finding was evident. In a typical week, doctors said they discuss drug costs with just 2.6 out of every 10 patients. Meanwhile, eight out of 10 doctors said they were concerned about their patients ability to afford their treatments. The ability to afford a medication can have a huge effect on patient compliance, said CRs Chief Medical Adviser, Marvin M. Lipman, M.D. If there are no less costly alternatives, the doctor should go to bat with the insurance company or the drugs manufacturer on behalf of the patient. Considering that doctors prescribed an estimated 4.4 billion drugs last year, not talking to a patient about cost could be an expensive oversight. In its investigation into the forces of profit, Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs identifies five key reasons behind the rampant rise in drug prices. Heres a look at those findings: 1: Drug companies can charge whatever they want For commercial and Medicare plans, there is no government body including the FTC, FDA, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Servicesthat has rules or laws that dictate or restrict the price a pharmaceutical company can set for a drug. And in most cases, theres nothing that restricts how much a company can raise that price. Major pharmaceutical firms raked in an additional $25.6 billion in 2015 simply by raising prices on their brand name drugs, according to IMS Health, a group that tracks drug sales and marketing. The firm estimates that figure to grow to $155 billion over the next five years. 2: Insurance companies are also charging you more Insurance companies exist to protect people from unexpected high healthcare costs. But more and more people are experiencing higher deductibles; increasing monthly premiums; bigger co-pays from drugs put on more expensive tiers; or by other drugs being paid for with co-insurance, where a consumer pays a percentage of the medications price (instead of a flat co-pay). Ten years ago, less than 10 percent of employees with health insurance were enrolled in a plan with a high deductible of $1,000 or more. Today, almost half of Americans have those plans, according to figures from the Kaiser Family Foundation. 3: Old drugs are reformulated as costly new drugs Reinventing old medications, a tactic known as evergreening, can amount to greater profits because the government grants a new patent every time a drug company creates a new pill. The tweak could involve combining two older drugs into one pill or developing an extended release version. A new patent is worth up to 20 years of total exclusivity. A prominent example of evergreening that affects a broad population of consumers is the diabetes drug insulin, which is almost 100 years old with no generic available in the U.S. 4: Generic drug shortages can trigger massive price increases The ballooning price hike for the generic hydroxychloroquine, used to treat arthritis, exemplifies how a shortage can impact prices. For Marlene Condon, a nature writer from Virginia profiled in Consumer Reports investigation, the drug that was once available for $32 for a three- month supply skyrocketed in price to $500. Using discount drug coupons, Condon has managed to buy the drug for less than $300, but she still struggles to afford her medication. Consumer Reports explains that Condons experience is not an isolated event. Overall, prices of generics increased by almost 9 percent between November 2013 and November 2014, according to Elsevier. 5: Specialty drugs are costing all of us The rise of super-expensive, so- called specialty drugs is a new threat. Examples include the hepatitis C medications Solvadi ($84,000) and Harvoni (up to $95,000), which are driving up overall costs for the healthcare system. Currently, a report by the Congressional Research Service shows very expensive drugs that account for less than 1 percent of prescriptions in the U.S., but represent about one-third of total drug spending by consumers, employers and government, and will likely comprise a bigger proportion of overall spending. Also worrisome: More than half of the 56 medications approved by the FDA in 2015 were specialty drugs. One thing thats clear: Consumers costs will rise. Medicare Part D prescription plans require patients to pay one-third or more of the costs of specialty drugs. Experts worry that consumers will likely see higher insurance premiums and deductibles. Although much of drug pricing is out of consumers hands, consider these tips to find the best deals at the pharmacy: Talk to your doctor about the cost of the drug she is prescribing. Ask about generics, which can cost up to 90 percent less. If your insurance drops or reduces coverage of a drug, your doctor can help by appealing to your insurance company for an exception. Shop around and negotiate. CRs secret shoppers have found that retail prices can vary widely, even within the same zip code. Check online (with caution). If you pay out of pocket, check GoodRx. See CRs advice about using low- cost online pharmacies at ConsumerReports.org/drugprices. Choose a plan that covers the medications you need. Compare plans during your open-enrollment period because coverage may change year to year. Survey Methodology Consumer Poll The Consumer Reports National Research Center conducted a telephone survey using two nationally representative probability samples: landline telephone households and cell phones. 2,139 interviews were completed among adults 18+ who currently take prescription drugs. Interviewing took place over March 10-27, 2016. The sampling error is +/-2.2 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. Doctor Survey Online surveys were conducted over April 8-18, 2016, among 600 members of three physician specialty panels (Internal medicine: 200; Gastroenterology: 200; Oncology: 200). The sampling error for each group of physician respondents is +/-7.1 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. __________ About Consumer Reports Consumer Reports is the worlds largest and most trusted nonprofit, consumer organization working to improve the lives of consumers by driving marketplace change. Founded in 1936, Consumer Reports has achieved substantial gains for consumers on health reform, food and product safety, financial reform, and other issues. The organization has advanced important policies to cut hospital-acquired infections, prohibit predatory lending practices and combat dangerous toxins in food. Consumer Reports tests and rates thousands of products and services in its 50-plus labs, state-of-the-art auto test center and consumer research center. Consumers Union, a division of Consumer Reports, works for pro-consumer laws and regulations in Washington, D.C., the states, and in the marketplace. With more than eight million subscribers to its flagship magazine, website and other publications, Consumer Reports accepts no advertising, payment or other support from the companies whose products it evaluates. FlightStats, Inc., a leader in global flight data and information services, announces an agreement to work collaboratively with one of the UKs top data science firms, Black Swan Data Ltd. Using its intelligent prediction and analytics platform, The Nest, Black Swan will evaluate data provided by FlightStats to improve airline data analytics. As part of the agreement, Black Swan will be evaluating FlightStats APIs for real-time flight data, trip monitoring, delay prediction, and reference data. By exchanging data and technical knowledge, the partnership will enable FlightStats to develop services that help address problems faced by airline operations, revenue management, passenger service sectors and airline supply chain partners. We see a great deal of alignment in our skills, data sets and market focus. Theyre one of those companies that leave me energized every time I meet with them, said David White, Chief Customer Officer at FlightStats. Its exciting to work with people who share our passion for using data and technology to help customers solve problems. Theyre a remarkable group of people and were eager to explore the possibilities of our alliance. Black Swans robust and intelligent prediction and analytics platform The Nest has been used globally by a number of high-profile customers including Panasonic, Disney and Vodafone. The platform monitors international trends across the internet to create predictions to power product innovation solutions. The company was also recently named as having the fastest-growing international sales of any small and medium sized enterprise in the UK over the last two years, according to The Sunday Times SME Export Track 100. Were excited to be working with FlightStats. There is a huge amount of data within the aviation industry thats ripe for analysis and, understood correctly, will offer useful, actionable insight for various organizations within the sector, said Steve King, CEO, Black Swan. The combination of our respective data sets has the potential to open up new market opportunities for both of us and were looking forward to seeing where this agreement takes us. About Black Swan Data Ltd: Black Swan is the UKs top data science start-up and has been in business since 2011. The company was ranked as the UKs fastest growing private business in 2015 and in 2016 was named to have the fastest-growing international sales of any UK SME, both by The Sunday Times. The business proposition is a smart predictive data analytics and activation company providing an array of data driven solutions for prestige brand clients operating in the marketing space, creating insight, activation and efficiencies. Today Black Swan employs 210 people worldwide across offices in the UK, Hungary, USA, Canada, Singapore and South Africa. We work with some of the worlds leading consumer-focused brands including Vodafone, Pepsico, Disney, Panasonic, Tesco, and GSK. About FlightStats: FlightStats is a cutting-edge data services company focused on commercial aviation. We are the leading provider of real-time global flight data to companies and individuals across the travel ecosystem. The company manages multiple data sets that relate directly to flights, and multiple data sets that intersect with flights trips, weather, and much more. FlightStats has invested heavily in a data management platform that enables us to ingest, process, store and deliver data efficiently and at scale. The company delivers real-time global flight and airport data that powers aviation operations and many of the worlds most popular consumer-facing travel applications. The company also provides web and mobile applications helping travelers to better manage their travel day. FlightStats data is viewed by millions of people each month, and with our capabilities, we are well positioned to be a critical hub in the travel ecosystem for years to come. For more information visit http://www.flightstats.com Follow us on Twitter @flightstats. I am aware of the level of care and perfection desired by patients and these events allow us to publicly showcase our commitment to quality results. - Parsa Mohebi, MD Parsa Mohebi Hair Restoration announces its Summer Open House on July 23rd. The continuing changes and improvements in hair restoration techniques inspired Dr. Mohebi to create a series of Open House events at his medical practice in order to educate potential patients in need of more information before making the final decision to have a procedure. Patients who want more information about, as well as insights into, hair transplants can get the information they desire in a one-on-one setting during the Open House. Patients can view a live hair transplant performed during the event and also ask questions of former Parsa Mohebi Hair Restoration patients. Dr. Mohebi will also take questions from everyone during the event. According to Dr. Mohebi, the Open House series is a way to spotlight advances made in the field of hair transplants over the past few years. Dr. Mohebi states, Holding an Open House allows people who are curious about hair transplants to get more information about the procedure without feeling out of place or awkward. They are surrounded by others who are also interested in having a transplant so they dont feel alone. Our Open House visitors can watch a live surgery performed in our office as well as chat with a number of our previous patients who have undergone the procedure. Having the rare chance to witness a procedure being performed in person, as well viewing the results of others, is a vital step in becoming more comfortable with the idea of undergoing a procedure. I am aware of the level of care and perfection desired by patients and these events allow us to publicly showcase our commitment to quality results. Statistics from The International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) show that 397,048 hair transplant procedures were performed in 2014. This number was an increase of over 25% from the previously reported year of 2012. The increase in the number of patients having procedures in the United States increases Dr. Mohebis desire to provide information in a personal setting to patients. Anyone interested in learning more about hair transplant procedures in person is invited to the Open House event on July 23rd from 3pm-5pm at Dr. Mohebis Encino medical facility. Dr. Mohebi says that holding the event on a Saturday is designed to allow those interested in a hair transplant to attend the event without the worry of having to rush back to work. The deadline to register for the event is July 20th. About Dr. Parsa Mohebi: As former chairman of the FUE Research Committee and creator of several methods and techniques in modern hair restoration, Dr. Mohebi, along with his incredible staff, provides the most advanced techniques in the industry. Dr. Mohebi prides himself in advancing new research and developing the latest technology to improve the quality of hair restoration. The overall goal at his office is to restore patient's self-esteem through the use of quality hair restoration techniques. PreCheck Wins Two 2016 Hermes Creative Awards We are committed to helping healthcare educators manage their student background screening, drug testing, and immunization and health record tracking needs for clinical rotations. PreCheck, an employment and background screening firm specializing in the healthcare industry, recently received two Hermes Creative Awards during the 2016 international awards competition. This years honors included a Gold Award for the StudentCheck student background screening brochure for the category of Marketing Materials and a Gold Award for trade show banners for the category of Trade Show Exhibit. Each year, Hermes Creative Awards recognizes outstanding work of creative professionals involved in the concept, writing and design of traditional and emerging media. There were over 6,000 entries from throughout the United States and other countries in the Hermes Creative Awards 2016 competition. The competition is administered and judged by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals who look for companies and individuals whose talents exceeds a high standard of excellence, and whose work serves as a benchmark for the industry. PreCheck is honored to be recognized once more by the Hermes Creative Awards, stated Bryan Barajas, Marketing Director at PreCheck. PreChecks StudentCheck suite of student screening solutions for health sciences colleges and allied health education programs was recognized during this years competition. We are committed to helping healthcare educators manage their student background screening, drug testing, and immunization and health record tracking needs for clinical rotations. Winners were selected from 195 categories grouped under advertising, publications, marketing/branding, integrated marketing, public relations/communications, electronic media and pro bono. This year, about 17% of the entries won the Platinum Award, the organizations top honor, while 22% won the Gold Award. About PreCheck, Inc. Founded in 1983, PreCheck, Inc. has focused exclusively on serving the healthcare industrys background screening and employment qualification needs since 1993. PreCheck serves over 3,500 hospitals, long-term care facilities, clinics, educational institutions, and other ancillary healthcare organizations, across the U.S. PreCheck has evolved over time from a background screening provider into a turnkey outsourcing solutions provider, offering a full suite of background screening, compliance, and credentialing solutions all designed to help its clients adhere to the complex laws and regulations governing the healthcare industry. Based in Houston, PreCheck has been recognized as an Inc. 5000 company from 2013-2015 and has achieved Background Screening Credentialing Council Accreditation by the National Association of Professional Background Screeners. http://www.precheck.com About Hermes Creative Awards Administered and judged by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP), Hermes Creative Awards is an international competition for creative professionals involved in the concept, writing and design of traditional materials and programs, and emerging technologies. Entries come from corporate marketing and communication departments, advertising agencies, PR firms, graphic design shops, production companies, web and digital creators and freelancers. http://www.hermesawards.com Hawthorne Cat makes it easy for you to keep your business up and running. With Parts.Cat.Com, everything you need is just a couple of clicks away. Hawthorne Cat, the exclusive Cat equipment dealer in San Diego, the Hawaiian Islands and the Pacific Region, officially launched Parts.Cat.Com, a new website for buying genuine Cat parts online. Its fast, reliable, easy-to-use, and carries over 1.4 million Cat parts in stock. The new mobile-friendly interface makes ordering from your smartphone or tablet easier than ever before. Parts.Cat.Com allows customers to see prices, check availability, compare specifications, view electronic manuals, and even choose delivery or pick up from a local dealer. Other new features include Quick Order, which purchases multiple parts simultaneously, and a bulk order option. Past customers can log in with their existing account information and instantly access the new site. New users can attend free online webinars to learn more about the updated interface. According to Bob Hutter, San Diego General Parts Manager, Hawthorne Cat makes it easy for you to keep your business up and running. With Parts.Cat.Com, everything you need is just a couple of clicks away. Hutter continues, Ordering genuine Cat parts has never been this quick and convenient. Lisa Kong, Hawaii General Parts Manager, adds, New added features let you easily reorder based on past purchases and even choose from brand-new, refurbished, or used options. Kong concludes, Parts.Cat.Com streamlines the entire ordering process for increased efficiency. Sign up or sign in to Parts.Cat.Com today. Visit the Hawthorne Cat website to learn more. About Hawthorne Cat Hawthorne Cat is the authorized dealer for Cat construction and power equipment in San Diego, Hawaii, Guam, Saipan and American Samoa. Hawthorne sells, rents, provides parts and service, training and emission solutions to various industries including general building construction, landscaping, marine, paving and power generation. For more on Hawthorne Cat, visit http://www.hawthornecat.com. Dr. Andrew Abraham accepting the Orange County EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2016 Award for Health & Education with his two children on stage This award is especially meaningful to me because Orgain was born out of my own battle with cancer and the desire provide clean, healthy, organic nutrition to others, whether battling illness or fueling wellness. Orgain, makers of doctor-developed, high-quality nutritional products, today announced that founder Dr. Andrew Abraham was named EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2016 for Health & Education in Orange County, California. He received the honor at a gala in Dana Point, Calif. on June 17th and will now advance to the national level. The awards, in their 30th year, recognize best-in-class entrepreneurs who demonstrate excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance, and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. This award is especially meaningful to me because Orgain was born out of my own battle with cancer and the desire provide clean, healthy, organic nutrition to others, whether battling illness or fueling wellness, says company founder, physician and cancer survivor, Andrew Abraham, MD. Every day I am grateful for the difference Orgain is making in peoples lives and I am so honored and humbled by this recognition. I share it with my wife Kathy, who has a Masters in Holistic Nutrition and helped me start Orgain, as well as our entire team who works tirelessly to create the best possible nutritional products to improve peoples health and their lives. During his treatment for a rare form of cancer called Rhabdomyosarcoma during his teen years, Andrew Abraham did intensive research on nutrition and began searching for healthy nutritional products made with real food and organic ingredients to fuel his recovery. Unable to find anything that met his standards, he made organic nutritional shakes at home, and saw a meaningful improvement in how he felt. This experience inspired Dr. Abraham, after medical school and during his residency, to start Orgain in order to provide the same high quality organic nourishment to so many others, whether fighting an illness or in search of high-quality nutrition for a healthy lifestyle. Since its inception in 2008, Orgains portfolio has grown from the original ready-to-drink nutritional shakes to include a wide assortment of organic nutritional products, including vegan and kids shakes, organic plant-based protein powder and protein-fortified almond milk. Dr. Abraham will join winners from 25 other U.S. programs at the Strategic Growth Forum in Palm Springs November 16-20, where the national winners will be named. This event, which is the largest gathering of entrepreneurs in America, is an inclusive forum by invitation only and every year 2,000 of the most renowned business leaders are in attendance. The forum concludes with the National Entrepreneur of the Year gala. To learn more about Orgain and Dr. Abrahams story, watch a video here. About Orgain Founded in 2008, Orgain makes delicious organic nutritional products including nutrition shakes, protein shakes and protein powders to help people lead healthy, vibrant lives. Orgain was created by Dr. Andrew Abraham, whose own experience seeking high-quality organic nutrition during his cancer treatment years ago inspired him to develop products for active people in need of great-tasting wholesome nourishment on the go. Available online and in 30k stores nationally, Orgain is perfect for busy lifestyles, weight management & fitness training/recovery. Learn more at Orgain.com. About EY Entrepreneur Of The Year EY Entrepreneur Of The Year is the world's most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs. The unique award makes a difference through the way it encourages entrepreneurial activity among those with potential and recognizes the contribution of people who inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievement. As the first and only truly global award of its kind, Entrepreneur Of The Year celebrates those who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses, recognizing them through regional, national and global awards programs in more than 145 cities in more than 60 countries. The Kravis Children's Hospital at Mount Sinai has once again been ranked among the countrys top childrens hospitals by U.S. News & World Report, in its Best Childrens Hospitals guidebook for 2016-2017. The Kravis Childrens Hospital ranked in seven of ten specialties, and achieved top 25 rankings in Urology and Pulmonology. The rankings, published annually, recognize the nations top 50 childrens hospitals in ten pediatric specialty areas. This was the fourth year in a row that Kravis was nationally ranked in seven specialties. "This years rankings reflect the excellent and cutting-edge care provided to our pediatric patients and their families, said Kenneth L. Davis, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Mount Sinai Health System. We are grateful to each one of our employees from the physicians and nurses to the social workers and staff for making this recognition possible through their tireless work. "As we continue to recruit renowned experts to our medical teams, the excellence they bring to the Kravis Childrens Hospital is demonstrated in these rankings," said Dennis Charney, MD, Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and President for Academic Affairs, Mount Sinai Health System. "Innovative programs, such as our partnership with the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, will expand access for children in the New York area to unparalleled care. The Kravis Childrens Hospital, which sees more than 70,000 outpatient visits and 3,000 inpatient stays each year, ranked in the following specialties: Cardiology & Heart Surgery: No. 45 Diabetes & Endocrinology: No. 38 Gastroenterology & GI Surgery: No. 27 Nephrology: No. 29 Neurology & Neurosurgery: No. 30 Pulmonology: No. 21 Urology: No. 21 Our clinical teams, including doctors, nurses, and child life specialists, work to make sure that each patient and their families are as comfortable as possible as they receive treatment, said David L. Reich, MD, President of The Mount Sinai Hospital. We strive to provide the highest quality of care to children of all ages. Our goal is simply to ensure that every single patient receives the best possible care, leading to the best possible outcomes, in a supportive environment focused on the child and his or her family, says Lisa Satlin, MD, System Chair of Pediatrics for the Mount Sinai Health System. About the Mount Sinai Health System The Mount Sinai Health System is New York Citys largest integrated delivery system encompassing seven hospital campuses, a leading medical school, and a vast network of ambulatory practices throughout the greater New York region. Mount Sinais vision is to produce the safest care, the highest quality, the highest satisfaction, the best access and the best value of any health system in the nation. The System includes approximately 7,000 primary and specialty care physicians; 10 joint-venture ambulatory surgery centers; more than 140 ambulatory practices throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and Florida; and 31 affiliated community health centers. Physicians are affiliated with the renowned Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, which is ranked among the highest in the nation in National Institutes of Health funding per investigator. The Mount Sinai Hospital is ranked as one of the nations top 10 hospitals in Geriatrics, Cardiology/Heart Surgery, and Gastroenterology, and is in the top 25 in five other specialties in the 2015-2016 Best Hospitals issue of U.S. News & World Report. Mount Sinais Kravis Childrens Hospital also is ranked in seven out of ten pediatric specialties by U.S. News & World Report. The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai is ranked 11th nationally for Ophthalmology, while Mount Sinai Beth Israel is ranked regionally. For more information, visit http://www.mountsinai.org/, or find Mount Sinai on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. # # # The homage recalled the extraordinary bravery of 'Kharko', whose resilience persisted despite the barbarity of both the Gestapo and the NKVD Yes, I knew Akmed Michel; he was very brave and always smiling. On 20 June, overdue homage was duly paid to Ahmadiyya Jabrayilov (aka Ahmed Michel) and other Azerbaijani members of the French Resistance who participated in the Maquis de Cabertat and the Third Hussars Regiment during the Second World War. Taking place in front of the Mausoleum of Cabertat, close to Montauban 50km from Toulouse that houses the remains of the Resistance heroes, including those from Azerbaijan, the commemoration included the unveiling of a plaque in the presence of Ayaz Gojayev, Cultural Advisor, Azerbaijani Embassy in France; Valerie Rabault, MP, Tarn-et-Garonne region; Pierre Amestoy, Director of the local branch of the Office of Veterans under the Ministry of Defence; and Robert Bonhomme, representing the Sons of those Murdered in Tarn-et-Garonne and mayors and dignitaries from the surrounding cities, including Montauban, Monclar, Vaissac, Negrepelisse, Montricoux and Puygaillard. The ceremony, attended by around 150 people, was organised by the Friends of the Maquis of Cabertat Association and the French office of The European Azerbaijan Society (TEAS). The ceremony began with a religious ceremony in front of the mausoleum commemorating the French Resistance members who were killed on 20 June 1944 by Nazis invading the Maquis. This was followed by a welcome address by Francis Delmas, Mayor of the City of Vaissac, and a keynote by Michel Poux, President, Friends of the Maquis de Cabertat Association. This was followed by a performance of the Azerbaijani and French National Anthems, paying utmost respect to the Brothers in Arms who fought alongside each other against Fascism. The flag carriers, followed by the Azerbaijani and French delegations, moved to a second site, a few meters away, where the plaque in memory of all Azerbaijanis who fought within the French Resistance, including Ahmadiyya Jabrayilov, was unveiled by Ayaz Gojayev, on behalf of the Azerbaijani Embassy; Marie-Laetitia Gourdin, TEAS; and Michel Poux, Friends of the Maquis de Cabertat Association. Marie-Laetitia Gourdin, Director, TEAS France, commented: Today, we wish to honour the Azerbaijanis who fought in the Maquis de Cabertat and the Third Hussars Regiment in the Midi-Pyrenees, Vosges and Alsace Regions, and in particular to Ahmadiyya Jabrayilov, also known as Akmed Michel, or Kharko by his Brothers in Arms. Engaged in the Red Army against the Nazis during World War II, Ahmadiyya was imprisoned in the camps in Ukraine and in France, before escaping and entering the French Resistance in Spring 1944 in the Tarn-et-Garonne Region, where he joined the Maquis de Cabertat. After participating in the liberation of several cities in the Midi-Pyrenees Region, and meeting General de Gaulle in Toulouse in September 1944, Ahmadiyya left for Alsace, where he participated in the liberation of the cities of Mulhouse and Belfort. TEAS wanted to make sure that the name of Ahmadiyya is not forgotten, and this is why our foundation collaborated with the Friends of the Maquis de Cabertat Association in organising a joint ceremony to pay respect to those who joined forces to fight the Nazis in the name of liberty. Mr Gojayev recalled: Since the start of the Second World War, Azerbaijan was engaged in the campaign by the former Red Army of the Soviet Union against the Nazis. The war itself did not spread to Azerbaijani territory, but Azerbaijanis felt its weight, as more than 600,000 of its citizens participated in the war, of which half were killed. Azerbaijan played an important role in the war, given its essential oil resources. Hitler had a plan to invade Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, to access these reserves. Azerbaijanis fought alongside many members of the Resistance in Europe, including in the former Yugoslavia, Italy, Poland and, of course, France. Ahmadiyya Jabrayilov, also known as Akmed Michel, played a key role. He received the Legion dHonneur, one of the highest official recognitions from the French Republic for those who made a difference by their actions, and was declared National Hero of France. The Azerbaijani and French anthems were played once again, closing a moving ceremony in the midst of the woods in which Resistance members used to hide. The Mayor of Vaissac then welcomed all participants to share drinks and a lunch. Andre Terrassier, one of the last surviving members of the French resistance from the Maquis de Cabertat, recalled: Yes, I knew Akmed Michel; he was very brave and always smiling. The son of one another Resistance member, named Rene Chambard, was also present. He shared his loving memories of Ahmadiyyas last visit to his father in 1977. He recalled the letters they exchanged where his father called Ahmadiyya his Brother in Arms. The story of Ahmadiyya born near Sheki is one of patriotism, valour, luck, and tenacity. As one of the 240,000 Soviet soldiers taken prisoner whilst launching an offensive against the Nazis near the Izyum Bridge over the Don, Ahmadiyya was transferred to many camps, eventually ending up in a camp in Frankfurt-an-der-Oder, near the Polish border, for Soviet soldiers from the Soviet Republics. Refusing to join the Nazi cause after promises were made regarding the independence of Azerbaijan following a Nazi victory, he decided to escape and rejoin the Red Army. Surviving forced labour and considered to be Jewish, he underwent sadistic experiments with hydrogen cyanide, was assisted by a Turkish-speaking cleaning woman and escaped using a the ruse of a fake burial, thereafter joining the French Resistance. Often disguised in womens clothing, he blew up those restaurants and cafes known to be frequented by Nazi officers, and sabotaged bridges and railway lines. Nicknamed Kharko, the Gestapo placed a price of DM10,000 on his head, and he joined the Marquis of Cabertat in 1944. Following the liberation of Toulouse in September 1944, he met General Charles de Gaulle, and after the liberation of the MidiPyrenees, he joined the Third Hussars Regiment, with whom he participated in the Battle of the Vosges and the liberation of Mulhouse and Belfort. Thereafter, he was forcibly repatriated to the Soviet Union, following the FrancoSoviet Pact, where was tortured by the NKVD and condemned to forced labour. However, his bravery was belatedly recognised in 1966, when President General de Gaulle made his second visit to the Soviet Union. By this time, he had returned to Sheki, but General de Gaulles request to see him resulted in overnight fame. He became a National Hero of France, and received the Croix de Guerre, the Cross of Military Valour and the Medal of the French Resistance, amongst other acknowledgements. Ahmadiyya also toured the regions of France that he helped to liberate, and met many of his Resistance friends. His life was ended at the age of 74 by a car accident in Sheki. The story of Ahmadiyya Jabrayilov has formed the basis of several books and documentaries, and it is only fitting that his memory is revered in France his second homeland. Turing is strongly committed to transparency, said Jeff Casimir, Executive Director of the Turing School of Software & Design. Turing School of Software & Design announced today the release of a full-scale, third-party reviewed data report detailing student outcomes. The outcome report includes data about completion rates, academic success, demographics, employment, salary, tuition costs and more. Turing strives to set the standard in accelerated computer engineering programs. The school will continue to openly publish results and will use it as a guide for how to improve its program year after year. The data, calculations and methodology of this report were third-party audited by Joseph Kozusko, Ph.D and co-founder of Skills Fund. In summary, Kozusko stated: "The conclusion of Skills Fund is that the Turing School of Software and Design 2015 Outcomes Report is reflective of strong data integrity, uses consistent standards measures and indicates markers of a high-quality accelerated learning program." Turing is strongly committed to transparency, said Jeff Casimir, Executive Director of the Turing School of Software & Design. By releasing this data, we are held accountable for the promises we make to prospective students and the community. We publish our programs lesson plans and tutorials, so it only makes sense to be just as transparent with our student outcomes. In March of 2015, Turing joined a collective of other computer training programs to form the New Economy Skills Training Association (NESTA). The organization put together a list of outcomes data points that member organizations would publish in the future. Beyond NESTA, Turings internal and external culture is based on transparency. Turing publishes all of its lesson plans, tutorials and a few hundred class videos all online free for non-commercial use. Go to any major bootcamp website and youll see become a web developer, use our full-time course as a springboard to a career in web development, become a world-class, entry-level web application developer. But if you ask them what percentage of their graduates are employed as full-time software developers, they wont give you their numbers. That is just wrong, said Jorge Tellez, Director of Growth & Operations at the Turing School in a recent article published on Medium.com. Here is snapshot of Turings 2015 outcomes report. The following data represents cohorts of the Turing School who graduated between December 2014 and December 2015. Completion Rates Students enrolled: 136 Students who are still enrolled: 4 (due to repeated modules / breaks) Students with complete outcomes: 136 - 4 = 132 Number of graduates: 101 (76.5%) Early Employment Departures: 9 (6.6%) Satisfactory outcomes: 110 (83.3%) (represents total of graduates + persons employed before graduation) Academic Success Each of our four modules is pass/fail. How did graduates do? Among 94 respondents: Graduated with no repeats: 86 (91.5%) Demographics Each category is broken down by total students and graduates women: 38 enrolled (28% of enrollees), 27 graduated (27% of graduates) non-white: 33 enrolled (24% of enrollees), 27 graduated (27% of graduates) military veterans: 5 enrolled (4% of enrollees), 4 graduated (4% of graduates) students without a 4-year degree: 27 enrolled (20% of enrollees), 20 graduated (20% of graduates Salary average salary of employed graduates: $74,535 average increase of yearly salary compared with previous job: $32,929 Overall we are proud of these results. Some of our key takeaways and intentions for the future are that we must attract, enroll and graduate more women, people of color and veterans. We also must graduate a higher percentage of students without any sacrifice in academic rigor, said Casimir. Even mixing in those who leave early due to employment, we're looking at a graduation rate in the 80s. MIT hovers in the area of 91-93%. Stanford boasts a 94% graduation rate. We can do better. To view the full report, visit http://report.turing.io/. About Turing School of Software & Design Turing School of Software & Design is a non-profit professional software developer school specializing in Web Application Development and Front-End Engineering. Turing values come from a desire to create a more diverse workforce and to properly prepare students to enter the workforce upon program completion. As a registered Colorado non-profit, Turing answers to no investors or outside interest, strategies and decisions are guided solely by what will lead to the best learning experience for students. For more information please visit https://www.turing.io/. Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center this month began recruiting volunteers to participate in a clinical trial aimed at decoding the human immunome, the genetic underpinnings of the immune system. The study is the first phase of an international effort led by the Human Vaccines Project, a public-private partnership of academic research centers, industry, non-profits and government agencies designed to accelerate the development of next-generation vaccines and immunotherapies. I am tremendously excited to launch the Projects Human Immunome Program, and look forward to generating important new data that should facilitate vaccine design for both infectious diseases and cancers, said James Crowe Jr., M.D., director of the Vanderbilt Vaccine Center, in a news release. The Project remains committed to rapid, open source communication of these data, to enable the community of global scientists to advance new and fundamental insights on how the human immune system can be mobilized more effectively to fight disease, Crowe said. Progress against infectious diseases and cancer has been hampered by inadequate understanding of the principal components of the immune system, particularly the massive collection of receptors on B and T cells. These cells and their receptors enable the immune system to recognize, adapt to and attack an extraordinarily large number of disease threats. Thanks to recent advances in genomics, systems biology and bioinformatics, researchers have been able to sequence and characterize many of these receptors. Such information is critical to engineering highly targeted vaccines and therapies to confront major infectious diseases and emerging pandemics, as well as autoimmune disorders and cancer. For the first time we have the technological tools to undertake such an ambitious project to decode the human immune system, said Wayne C. Koff, Ph.D., President and CEO of the Human Vaccines Project. As the Human Genome Project has ushered in a new era in precision medicine, the Human Vaccines Project has the potential to enable a new era of vaccine and immunotherapeutic development against some of the worlds most pressing diseases, Koff said. As a first step of the pilot study at VUMC, two healthy individuals will undergo leukapheresis, a blood donation process in which large numbers of circulating white blood cells are removed by filtration, while red blood cells are returned to the donor. After the genetic sequences of all of the receptors on the white blood cells from each individual have been determined, the study will be expanded to include about 100 subjects, representing different ages, genders, ethnicities and geographies. This will then form the baseline set of data to expand the study to more than 1,000 subjects, a subset of whom will be vaccinated with licensed and experimental vaccines. Insights about the fundamental principles of human immunology gained from this study will help guide next generation vaccine development. The number of sequences acquired from them could be in the billions, and will constitute the first detailed account of the immunome, said Crowe, who is the Ann Scott Carell Professor and professor of Pediatrics and Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology. Crowe and his colleagues will collaborate with one of the Projects scientific hubs in La Jolla, California, which is made up of the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI), La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, University of California, San Diego and The Scripps Research Institute. JCVI and the San Diego Supercomputer Center at UC San Diego will serve as the Projects global Bioinformatics Core. The Human Vaccines Project will fund the project. Because it can cost more than $100,000 to acquire the genetic repertoire from each individuals white blood cells, due to the large amount of sequencing required, eventually more than $100 million will be needed to fully decipher the human immunome, officials said. But if the complete sequence of the human immunome could be achieved in a decade, it would be a major achievement, said Nobel Laureate Peter Doherty, Ph.D., a member of the Human Vaccines Project Scientific Steering Committee and Professor at the University of Melbourne. It would greatly advance our understanding of the human immune system, enabling rational and targeted design of vaccines and immunotherapies for major global diseases, Doherty said. About the Human Vaccines Project The Human Vaccines Project is a non-profit public-private partnership with the mission to accelerate the development of vaccines and immunotherapies against major infectious diseases and cancers by decoding the human immune system. The Project, incubated initially at the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), has a growing list of partners and financial supporters, including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Aeras, Crucell/Janssen, GSK, MedImmune, Pfizer, Regeneron, Sanofi Pasteur, J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, UC San Diego, The Scripps Research Institute, and the Vanderbilt University Medical Center. The Project brings together leading academic research centers, industrial partners, nonprofits and governments to address the primary scientific barriers to developing new vaccines and immunotherapies, and has been endorsed by 35 of the worlds leading vaccine scientists. About Vanderbilt University Medical Center Vanderbilt University Medical Center is home to Vanderbilt University Hospital, The Monroe Carell Jr. Childrens Hospital at Vanderbilt, the Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital and the Vanderbilt Stallworth Rehabilitation Hospital. These hospitals experienced more than 63,000 inpatient admissions during fiscal year 2016. Vanderbilts adult and pediatric clinics treated more than 2 million patients during this same period. Both the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and School of Nursing are recognized by U.S. News & World Reports annual Best Graduate Schools as among the nations best with the School of Medicine ranked 15th and the School of Nursing 13th. The School of Medicines biomedical research program has earned its place among the nations top 10 in terms of public and private research funding, receiving more than $500 million in total funding during 2015. Vanderbilt University Hospital and the Monroe Carell Jr. Childrens Hospital at Vanderbilt are recognized by U.S. News & World Reports Best Hospitals as among the nations best with 18 nationally ranked specialties. OpenWorks, one of Americas leading integrated facility services franchises, continues to be a top industry employer in attracting, training and maintaining talented young employees. The company recently created an internal training program to provide ongoing instruction for employees throughout the system. OpenWorks Academy is a learning management system for ongoing training and development for all OpenWorks employees. The program, which started in May, is internally created and produced by Scott Sandberg, OpenWorks Manager of Training and Development. He joined the company in January after having a background in corporate university programs. OpenWorks has adapted their training strategies to incorporate newer methods of learning and retention, particularly those used by younger employees. Typically, OpenWorks Academy offers a series of videos lasting between 90 seconds to 5 minutes, organized by specific function within the company such as equipment, sales, cleaning processes or account executive training. The platform also includes video messages from OpenWorks executives and regional directors. The training sessions are designed to be brief and capture employees attention in short periods. The sessions do not exceed 30 minutes at a time. OpenWorks Academy has developed 80 videos with more being added each month. OpenWorks Academy is a great example of how methods of learning has migrated from lecture-based teaching to interactive training sessions, said Sandberg. Learning management systems like these focus on instruction through visual and interactive methods over shorter periods of time in which people can learn and process the information faster. After employees view each video on OpenWorks Academy, the platform provides a series of questions related to the previous topic. Viewers are encouraged to answer the questions through a thread of posts on the topic. Sandberg feels that employees also can learn a great deal from the answers and comments given by their co-workers. OpenWorks Academy also incorporates gamification techniques into its platform to give users the opportunity to pass quizzes, like individual posts, leave comments and gain points. This method encourages overall engagement and fosters a fun sense of competition among employees. OpenWorks Founder and CEO Eric Roudi said the new training and development system reflects a successful transition to current methods in which employees best learn and process information. We want to reach all of our employees to teach them about the processes of the company in the most instructive and engaging way possible, said Roudi. OpenWorks Academy provides effective instruction while creating a fun and interactive learning environment. In addition to the new training program, OpenWorks offers a number of other appealing benefits to attract and retain young employees in their offices around the country. The company provides a competitive pay structure, bonuses and incentives, promotions and a culture that rewards employees for positive results. Last year OpenWorks started the Presidents Club, which annually rewards the companys top producers with a trip to a resort destination. ### About OpenWorks: Established in Phoenix, AZ in 1983, OpenWorks is a leading national commercial cleaning franchise that offers integrated facility services through highly reputable local affiliates. In 30+ years, the company has grown to 330 franchise locations in eight states from Florida to California. OpenWorks is guided by a simple philosophy: a cleaner, safer and healthier environment means a more productive workplace. The OpenWorks franchisees and preferred partners who serve more than 1100 facilities each day offer more than simple cleaning and maintenance - they help their clients fundamentally improve their work environment. Each OpenWorks representative implements an environmentally friendly Green Clean program using the highest quality equipment. The OpenWorks difference is all about open, flexible relationships. Each OpenWorks customer receives customized solutions that fit the needs of their specific facility. For more information on OpenWorks, please visit http://www.openworksweb.com. United Benefit Advisors (UBA), the nations leading independent employee benefits advisory organization, is pleased to welcome The DeHayes Group as its newest Partner Firm. With two offices in Fort Wayne, Indiana, The DeHayes Groups mission is to go beyond just providing insurance and to exceed the expectations of their clients. For more than three decades, the staff at The DeHayes Group has viewed themselves as one of their clients employees in order to seek improvement on price, products, and services, all while monitoring the ever-changing governmental and industry trends. We are extremely excited and honored to be the newest UBA Partner Firm, says Kevin Burns, Group Benefits Practice Leader at The DeHayes Group. The UBA partnership further enhances the services and capabilities we have to offer to the market, and it directly benefits our clients with increased carrier leverage and improved access to leading national resources. What makes The DeHayes Group different is their personal approach by providing unique solutions for their unique clientele. They do this by being locally owned, independent, and client centered yet still having the buying power of a large national company. Furthermore, they practice the ART of Insurance, which is a practice of managing the risks that their clients Avoid, Retain, and Transfer. Through this process of risk management, they are able to round out their clients insurance coverage so that they only buy the insurance they need. As a well-respected and well-established agency, I am pleased that The DeHayes Group is going to be part of UBAs growing list of Partner Firms, says UBA CEO Les McPhearson. I am particularly impressed with how they embrace the concept of immersing themselves into their clients organization in order better understand their insurance needs. As the newest Partner Firm of UBA, The DeHayes Group joins a network of employee benefits advisory firms that serve employers of all sizes across the United States, Canada, and Europe. As a combined group, UBAs annual employee benefit revenues rank it among the top five employee benefit advisory organizations in the U.S. ABOUT The DeHayes Group The DeHayes Group is one of the largest privately-owned insurance agencies in Northern Indiana. We began in 1982 as a property-casualty insurance agency and have grown rapidly into many other areas. Through acquisition and continued sales efforts we have expanded into personal insurance, group employee benefits and financial services. We represent more than 40 multiline insurance companies and insure more than 1,100 business and 1,700 households. For more information, visit http://www.dehayes.com. ABOUT United Benefit Advisors United Benefit Advisors (UBA) is the nations leading independent employee benefits advisory organization with more than 200 offices throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. UBA empowers more than 2,000 Partners to both maintain their individuality and pool their expertise, insight, and market presence to provide best-in-class services and solutions. Employers, advisors and industry-related organizations interested in obtaining powerful results from the shared wisdom of our Partners should visit http://www.UBAbenefits.com. # # # Jessica QA Graphics, an Iowa based design firm, is pleased to announce the hiring of Jessica Johnson as the companys new Content Marketing Manager. At QA Graphics Jessica will work closely with the sales and production team to develop marketing strategies directed towards our target customers to further expand the companys initiatives and ensure a consistent brand. She will direct QA Graphics marketing efforts by being responsible for managing and implementing email marketing campaigns, as well as managing social media outlets, assisting with website updates, writing blog posts, and creating other communication pieces. Prior to beginning at QA Graphics, Jessica worked as the Marketing Coordinator for a non-profit based in Ames, Iowa. She was responsible for website management, handling social media accounts, communication piece creation across the state, and the development of the marketing program. After joining the non-profit, Jessica earned her Bachelors of Science in marketing and with a minor in advertising from Iowa State University, where she also completed several internships in the marketing industry. QA Graphics is excited to welcome Jessica to the team! About QA Graphics - QA Graphics is a leader in the building automation and green building industries, providing HVAC graphic development services, system graphics, floor plan graphics, and energy dashboards to help organizations educate occupants about building performance and sustainability. The company also provides marketing solutions such as interactive applications, 3D design and animation, mobile app development, videos, and other multimedia. Visit http://www.qagraphics.com to learn more. James Sulikowski, Ph.D., professor of Marine Sciences at the University of New England, will be featured in the premiere episode of Shark Week on the Discovery Channel. The episode, titled Tiger Beach, follows the journey of Sulikowski and research collaborator Neil Hammerschlag of the University of Miami as they travel to a region in the Bahamas where tiger sharks are known to congregate. Their team of researchers, including 2015 UNE Marine Sciences graduate Carolyn Wheeler, sets out to discover why so many tiger sharks gather there. To study the sharks reproductive behavior, the team uses an ultrasound machine similar to the technology used on pregnant humans. Its a technique refined by Sulikowski and Hammerschlag that allows researchers, for the first time in history, to test sharks for pregnancy without killing them first. Tiger Beach airs Sunday, June 26 at 8 p.m. on the Discovery Channel. To learn more about the University of New Englands Center for Excellence in Marine Sciences, visit http://www.une.edu/research/msc To apply, visit http://www.une.edu/admissions About the University of New England: The University of New England is Maines largest private university, an innovative educational community with two distinctive coastal Maine campuses, a vibrant new campus in Tangier, Morocco, and a robust offering of degree and certificate programs online. UNE attracts accomplished faculty and internationally recognized scholars who engage students in research and scholarship. It is home to Maine's only medical and dental schoolspart of a comprehensive health education mission built on a pioneering interprofessional approach that includes pharmacy, nursing and an array of allied health professions. UNE. Innovation for a healthier planet. Visit http://www.une.edu. Wealth-X, the global authority on wealth intelligence, today announced that Chief Commercial Officer Marc Cohen and Chief Financial Officer Richard Green have each been named Co-President of the company and will join the Wealth-X Board of Directors. In addition, Wealth-X has announced the appointments of Prasanth Ramanand as Vice President of Product Development and Christine Noh as Director of Legal Affairs. Having more than doubled in size following its acquisition of Ledbury Research in February of 2015, Wealth-X has seen tremendous growth since it was launched in 2010. As such, the company is evolving its operational capabilities and developing innovative research practices and product support to provide the highest level of client service. As we continue to deploy new initiatives, Marc and Richards new roles will ensure that Wealth-X has seasoned leadership for its continued growth, said Wealth-X Chairman, Euan Menzies. Both have a demonstrated track record of success and I look forward to working closely with them as we build upon our market-leading position. Cohen joined Wealth-X in early 2015 further to the acquisition of Ledbury Research, which he co-founded in 2003 and built into a leading specialist HNW research agency. Prior to Ledbury, Cohen was a Product Manager and Sales Specialist at Forrester Research, the global consumer technology consultancy. He is based in the companys London office. Green joined Wealth-X from Roubini Global Economics where he was CEO. Prior to that he served as COO and CFO of Roubini which he joined during its startup phase in 2006 and was instrumental in leading the companys global expansion. Green is a Chartered Accountant in England and Wales, and also holds a membership with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He is based in the companys New York office. Wealth-X has also created leadership roles focused on product development and legal counsel to further elevate its preeminent wealth intelligence services. As Vice President of Product Development, Ramanand is responsible for leading the development and implementation of product strategy for the companys data offerings. He joins Wealth-Xs New York office from LexisNexis where he served as Director of Product Management, leading strategy for two high-growth software products. Ramanand holds a Bachelors in Technology with honors from Cochin University, an M.S. in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University and earned his M.B.A. from Columbia Business School. Also based in New York, Noh is responsible for providing legal counsel and guidance related to Wealth-Xs products and research services. Prior to joining Wealth-X, she was Assistant General Counsel at HBI Incorporated, the New York representative office of the Hinduja family, and served as Group Counsel to Hinduja Global Solutions, Inc., HGS (USA), LLC, and the other U.S. subsidiaries of Hinduja Global Solutions, Ltd. Noh began her career as a mergers & acquisitions associate at Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP. She received her J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and her B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley, and is admitted to practice law in New York. These new roles are representative of our ongoing investment into enhanced business practices and superior client service, said Cohen and Green in a joint statement. Prasanths background will be of tremendous benefit as we refresh and enhance our products, and Christines expertise will provide an added level of insight as we strive to meet our ever-increasing client demand. In conjunction with these organisational changes, Wealth-X founders Mykolas Rambus and David Friedman will be stepping down in September of 2016 from their positions as CEO and President, respectively. I would like to thank both Mykolas and David for their significant contributions to the creation and growth of Wealth-X, Mr. Menzies said. Their vision to develop a leading global platform of wealth intelligence has provided a strong base on which we will continue to build. About Wealth-X Wealth-X is the global authority on wealth intelligence, providing sales, marketing, strategy and compliance solutions to clients in the financial services, luxury, not-for-profit and education sectors. Its award-winning research and thought leadership are regularly cited by the worlds media such as CNBC, Financial Times, Thomson Reuters and BBC. Wealth-X has more than 250 staff in 10 global centers, including Singapore, London and New York. Real estate agent Tracy Chan has joined Century 21 Cedarcrest Realty in Caldwell, N.J. Tracy is a talented and successful real estate agent and a wonderful addition to our team. Having her at Century 21 Cedarcrest Realty will greatly enhance our customer service offerings and expand the breadth of our listings. Past News Releases RSS Bloomfields 5th Annual Restaurant... Century 21 Cedarcrest Realty in... Century 21 Cedarcrest Realty Walks... John Sass, broker/owner of Century 21 Cedarcrest Realty in Caldwell, N.J. has expanded his roster of award-winning real estate professionals with the addition of Tracy Yaw Chan. She has been helping homeowners and commercial real estate owners sell their single homes and multifamily and commercial properties in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, and Passaic counties for 14 years. A native of Hong Kong, Chan is fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese (in addition to English), making her the go-to real estate agent for clients seeking to buy or sell real estate in those languages. Chan has been a Century 21 real estate agent since 2002. Tracy is a talented and successful real estate agent and a wonderful addition to our team, said Sass. Having her at Century 21 Cedarcrest Realty will greatly enhance our customer service offerings and expand the breadth of our listings. Prior to entering the real estate field, Chan was the operations manager for a Turkish shipping company, where she became an expert at working with international business professionals. She holds an MBA in computer science from City University of New York and plays and teaches piano in her spare time. My computer science background has enabled me to take full advantage of the latest real estate listing technology tools with ease, noted Chan. And, my experience teaching different students has enhanced my listening and communication skills, which are so vital when working with home buyers or sellers. Like her colleagues at Century 21 Cedarcrest Realty, Chan has earned several prestigious real estate industry awards over the years from the New Jersey Association of REALTORS (NJAR) and the Century 21 system. These are the NJAR Circle of Excellence Award, bronze and silver levels, and the following Century 21 honors: Masters Award in the ruby, emerald and diamond levels; and the Centurion Award, Presidents Award, and the Quality Service Award. She is also a member of the NJAR Distinguished Sales Club, recognized for 10 or more years of excellence. Century 21 Cedarcrest Realty, Inc. is located at 460 Bloomfield Avenue in Caldwell; it works with home buyers and sellers throughout Essex County and surrounding areas. To contact Tracy Chan, call (973) 228-1050; to learn more about Century 21 Cedarcrest Realty, Inc., visit http://www.Century21Cedarcrest.com. ### About Century 21 Cedarcrest Realty, Inc. An award-winning real estate agency, CENTURY 21 Cedarcrest Realty, Inc. (Cedarcrest Realty) in Caldwell, N.J. won the coveted 2015 Best of Essex Readers Choice Award, voted Best Essex County Realtor. Cedarcrest Realty works with property buyers and sellers throughout northern New Jersey, including Essex, Morris, Passaic, and Bergen counties under the guidance of broker/owner John Sass and approximately 50 real estate professionals in both residential and commercial real estate. Sass joined the CENTURY 21 Real Estate System as a real estate associate in 1984, and advanced to management in 1988. He is a licensed broker in the State of New Jersey, as well as a graduate of the REALTOR Institute (GRI) and he prides himself in leading the way in Essex County real estate. CENTURY 21 was ranked by J.D. Power as Highest Overall Satisfaction for First-Time Home Buyers and Sellers and Highest Overall Satisfaction for Repeat Home Buyers and Sellers among national real estate companies two years in a row. For more information, visit http://www.Century21Cedarcrest.com RMC, North Americas largest privately owned destination management company, is pleased to announce Kristin Starmer as the new Director of Business Development and Sales for the West Coast and Cabo San Lucas offices. Starmer comes to RMC with a passion for both Mexico and California, impressive sales accomplishments, and years of experience working with high-end corporate clients as a Sales Director for Ritz-Carlton Hotels. Destination management requires personal connections and local expertise. For this reason, RMC invests in great people and strong relationships, ensuring that the team is passionate and engaged with each destination and every client. Starmer exemplifies the essence of RMC. Over the past nine years, she has built lasting relationships with many of Ritz-Carlton Hotels most prestigious clients. At The Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Lake Tahoe, California, Starmer worked as the Director of Group Sales for over seven years. She was then promoted to Area Director of National Accounts for all of The Ritz-Carlton Hotels in the Caribbean and Mexico. For her exemplary work, Starmer received the Chairman's Circle Award in both 2013 and 2014, and the Hotelier of the Year award in 2015. With RMC, she will continue to work with many of the same high-end clients and further broaden her services to include destination experiences and events. Starmer also has strong personal connections with Lake Tahoe, Cabo San Lucas, and RMC. Her primary home is in Lake Tahoe, and her connections in the Lake Tahoe area are unparalleled. In addition, Starmers grandmother was born in Mexico, so Mexicos distinct culture is a part of her personality. She first came to Cabo in 1996, then visited La Ventana on an all-girls kiteboarding trip in 2002, bought land in 2007, and finished building her Cabo home in 2009. When RMC opened its Cabo DMC office in 2014, Starmer was struck by this exciting opportunity. RMC and The Ritz-Carlton have the same core values, Starmer said. The people at RMC are truly passionate. The Ritz-Carlton will open a new reserve brand hotel in Cabo in 2017. RMC is a preferred partner of Ritz-Carlton Hotels. This relationship has caused Starmer to work directly with RMCs employees and allowed her to understand the intricacies of RMCs destination management services. RMC is the only company Id leave The Ritz-Carlton for, she said. At RMC, I will continue to work with exceptional clients, and further broaden my experience. Shawn Thomson-Palermo, RMCs CEO, is excited to expand RMCs services in Mexico and across the West Coast. Kristin Starmer represents the new direction of RMC, Thomson-Palermo said. Starmer will continue to drive RMCs success through lasting relationships on the West Coast and in Mexico. We look forward to Kristin creating many extraordinary destination experiences and events for our clients. RMC: Resorts, Mountains, Cities was founded in 1989. From its first location in Aspen, Colorado, RMC has expanded to thirteen distinguished destinations across North America and Mexico. Through a powerful network of destination offices and preferred resort partners, RMC creates custom designed experiences and events for premier clients. For more information, contact: Nathan Boyd Since having weight loss surgery, we have lost a total of 310 pounds and weve never felt this healthy in our lives." - Frankie B. Washington Haggman Advertising today launched a new advertising campaign called Real People The Frankie and Jess Story for its client The Center for Surgical Weight Loss at Care New England in Rhode Island. The campaign debuts with creative featuring the compelling story of a real Rhode Island couple who both underwent surgical weight loss surgery and lost a total of 310 pounds. These are not actors - they are real people an illustrator and a writer, who tell their story in their own words, said Eric Haggman agency creative director and CEO. Both Frankie and Jess struggled with weight their whole lives so they know first hand how challenging it can be to lose weight, adds Haggman. Surgical weight loss was an invaluable tool to help them lose the weight and live better, healthier lives. By sharing their story they hope to reach other people facing similar issues. The multi media campaign includes advertising on major television and cable stations in the Providence, Rhode Island market including NBC, ABC, Fox, CBS, Bravo, CNN, HGTV and more. The campaign is also supported with radio, print, digital and outdoor advertising. As part of the campaign, Care New England has created a dedicated web landing page to provide more information about Frankie and Jess's journey and also offer information on upcoming free weight loss surgery seminars which are held at Care New England hospitals Kent in Warwick, RI and Memorial in Pawtucket, RI. The seminars are free and an invaluable first step in deciding if surgical weight loss surgery is the right treatment option. The advertising campaign was created by Haggman with Eric Haggman as creative director and senior copywriter along with Julia Leonard as copywriter, Ann Messenger as senior art director, and television production by RedTree Production in Boston, MA with Martin Albert as first camera director and Steve Polakiewicz as editor. The campaign was developed for the agencys client Care New England Health System of Rhode Island with Jim Beardsworth, Kent Hospitals Director, Marketing and Public Relations. Haggman Advertising Design and Public Relations was founded in 1991 celebrating its 25th anniversary. Haggman is a full-service strategic, creative, design and public relations company with clients in energy, healthcare, food, hospitality and other sectors. ### Cyber-criminals will continue to build malvertising campaigns because the payout is high and their risk low, said Sagi Elgavi, VP of R&D. It is our mission to protect companies and their users from the nonstop barrage of attacks, whatever the source. GeoEdge, the premier ad security and verification company, has released their latest security report, Security Aspects of Flash, HTML5, and Video in the Ad Tech Industry. In the report, GeoEdge examines the latest malvertising attacks and explores Flash and HTML5 vulnerabilities that allow for malicious code insertion. For the last several years, Adobe Flash has become an enemy of the online community with more than 300 vulnerabilities found in Flash Player during 2015 alone, making it the most vulnerable PC software of the year. These vulnerabilities have been, and continue to be, heavily used by cyber criminals in some of the most dangerous and prevalent malvertising attacks today. In response to the problems with Flash, the community has turned to HTML5, considered the more secure option. However, GeoEdge reports that the use of HTML5 will ultimately not prevent malvertising attacks. Summary of findings: There are many techniques for malvertising infection that don't require the use of Flash in the ad creative. Even with HTML5 video ads, malicious code could be inserted into the ad itself or VAST parameters. One of the key features of malware attacks is an inserted JavaScript code. JavaScript is the base language for HTML5, so malicious code can be packaged in HTLM5 without much difficulty. Cyber-criminals can insert malicious code because of third-party code allowance. There is nothing to prevent an attacker from injecting a malicious URL using third-party code into the VAST or XML, or from direct injection of a malicious ad unit into the sites self-designed video player. (Other options exist which are just as effective.) Cyber-criminals will continue to build malvertising campaigns because the payout is high and their risk low, said Sagi Elgavi, VP of R&D. It is our mission to protect companies and their users from the nonstop barrage of attacks, whatever the source, be it Flash, HTML5 or JavaScript injections. GeoEdge provides publishers, platforms and networks with full-scale malware protection, specializing in comprehensive video ad scanning. About GeoEdge GeoEdge is the premier provider of ad security and verification solutions for the online and mobile advertising ecosystem. The company ensures high ad quality and verifies that sites and apps offer a clean, safe, and engaging user experience. GeoEdge guards against non-compliance, malware (malvertising), inappropriate content, data leakage, operational, and performance issues. Leading publishers, ad platforms, exchanges, and networks rely on GeoEdges automated ad verification solutions to monitor and protect their ad inventory. To find out how GeoEdge can enhance your quality assurance and verify your online and mobile campaigns, head to http://www.geoedge.com. The Kneerim & Williams Literary Agency has announced that Katherine Flynn is joining founders Jill Kneerim and John "Ike" Taylor Williams as the groups newest partner. Flynn, based in the agency's Boston office, joined K&W in 2008 after pursuing her Ph.D. in history at Brown University and following time at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates and Bedford/St. Martin's Press. "I'm thrilled, or, as Jill likes to say, 'over the moon,' to become a partner," Flynn said in a statement. Flynn is the publishing consultant for Harvard University's Radcliffe Institute, and serves on the board of the Boston chapter of the Women's National Book Association. She represents authors of fiction and nonfiction, and handles film and television rights for a number of the agency's clients. Katherines calm, insightful, and collaborative presence at the agency has marked her as a valued colleague and potential partner from her earliest days, Ike Williams said in a statement. This view is equally shared by her growing number of devoted authors. Penguin Random House has reached an agreement to sell its travel division, Fodors, to Internet Brands, a Los Angeles-based online media and technology company. The deal is expected to be completed soon. No price has been disclosed. The travel guidebook business has been totally transformed in recent years and in announcing the sale, PRH and Internet Brands said the deal reflects the growing value and potential of digital and mobile consumer engagement with travel information and content. Under PRH, Fodors launched the Fodors.com website in 1996 and the site now receives more than 4.5 million unique visitors a month. Fodors also publishes more than 150 print guides, over 250 e-book titles, and 25 mobile apps, and has more than one million cumulative subscribers to its daily and weekly newsletters. As part of the agreement, PRH will continue to sell and distribute Fodors print guides to the book trade. While PRH CEO Markus Dohle pointed to the success the company has had in transforming Fodors from a print company to digital business he said that for Fodors to now reach its fullest e-commerce potential we believe the best path forward is for it to become part of Internet Brands: highly motivated tech entrepreneurs and content creators who share our passion for the brand, and have the focus, drive, and resources to deliver greater benefits to consumers and to business partners from Fodors online presence. Fodor's will continue to be based in the Random House offices in New York and will be overseen by Joy Lai who heads Internet Brands travel division. Fodor's publisher Amanda D'Acierno will work with Internet Brands executives to help with the transition to IB. An Internet Brands spokesperson said that once the transition is completed "we will provide an update on the post-acquisition leadership roster." Among IBs travel properties are the websites FlyerTalk.com and Wikitravel.org. The Internet Brands spokesperson said the company is "extremely committed" to the print business and plans to move ahead with Fodor's plans to publish 38 guidebooks this year. The company is also the parent company of Nolo Press. This article has been corrected to fix a typo. Unlike her bestselling devotional Savor (Zondervan, 2015), Shauna Niequists newest book, Present over Perfect (Zondervan, Aug.), doesnt have any recipes. Instead it offers plenty of food for thought about the demands and decisions women face today. In a series of thematically organized reflections, Niequists fifth book in a decade describes her spiritual development over the past three years, moving from the frantic of the subtitle (Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living) to spiritual peace and quiet. This book is so much about being alone, Niequist told PW. So much of my spiritual journey has been into silence and reflection. Niequist, who has over 100,000 combined followers on Facebook and Instagram, is one of a growing roster of female Christian authors whose observations on life and its quotidian concerns and relationships speak to a sizeable readership. Faith-driven books written for women continue to gain traction, with authors such as Jen Hatmaker, Ann Voskamp, and Priscilla Shirer regularly showing up on general market bestseller lists. According to Niequists publisher, Zondervan, Savor racked up more than 100,000 sales in less than a year, and Niequists four books together, beginning with Cold Tangerines (Zondervan, 2007), have sold more than 400,000 copies. In Present Over Perfect, Niequist reflects on the stress-induced migraines, vertigo, and withdrawn personality she experienced before acknowledging the need for change: I need a new way to live, she writes at the outset of the book. Compared to her previous books, its a little more intense, she said. Theres less humor, less about the tribe of people I walk with, she said. Niequists old way of living involved a lot of fake-restingdoing housework in pajamas while her family relaxed on the couchand traveling to promote her books. She did more than 100 events to promote Cold Tangerines, and 50 in connection with the follow-up Bittersweet. The traveling and speaking wasnt good-hard, she said. It was bad-hard. I had to get to a point where I said, Thats not the kind of career I want. Work also dominated Niequist's childhood; she was raised to think of ministry as a way of life requiring time, dedication, and travel. She regularly traveled with her father, Bill Hybels, founder of Willow Creek Church, the institution that helped to define the contemporary megachurch movement. Today, Niequist does less traveling and public speaking than she did for earlier books. She and Aaron, her husband of 15 years, have two children, Henry and Mac; the family lives in suburban Chicago. The more you put into [family life], the richer it is, she told PW. I had been paying the minimum balance for a long time. Now I am more conscious of being connected, being there for bedtime. Sharing her experiences in Present Over Perfect, Niequist comes to know more clearly who she is and what she wants: a slower, simpler life. She hopes the book invites others to leave behind the heavy weight of comparison, competition, and exhaustion, and recraft a life marked by meaning, connection, and unconditional love, she said. A national Christian and mainstream publicity campaign is planned for Present Over Perfect, including coverage in Relevant, Success Magazine, and Homecoming Magazine. A pre-order incentive includes a free 28-day devotional journal download, e-book copies of Niequists previous books, and laptop and phone screensavers. Backlist Memoir by Escobar's Lover Heats Up Spanish agency Casanovas & Lynch is making new deals for an old book: Loving Pablo, Hating Escobar by Virginia Vallejo, drug kingpin Pablo Escobar's one-time lover. The book, originally published in 2007 by Debate in Spain and Latin America, details the years Vallejo spent with Escobar up through his 1993 death. A film adaptation of the book, starring Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz, is set to be released by Millennium Films in English in fall 2017. The book was recently preempted by Objectiva in Portugal and Agora in Poland. There are also eight offers on the title in Italy (it is auctioning now there), and two in from houses in France. Casanovas & Lynch is handling worldwide rights to the book on behalf of the Liepman Agency (except in Germany). French Biblio-Therapist Novel Sells in Italy Michael Uras' Take Two Chapters and Call Me In the Morning, about a therapist who helps his patients through literature, has sold in Italy. The French book will be published in September by Preludes Editions; in Italy it was acquired by Nord. The 2 Seas Literary Agency is handling world rights to the book on behalf of Preludes. In the novel, a man who works as a "biblio-therapist" begins to wonder if he should start using his own literature-based healing process in order to deal with his own problems. Uras is the author of two previous novels, including Chercher Proust. Swedish Book on Youthful Living Goes Global 10 Tips: The No Frills Guide to Living 10 Years Longer by Bertil Marklund, M.D., has now sold in nine territories, with offers in from publishers in six other countries. Swedens Ahlander Agency is handling all rights for the book, which was originally self-published in Sweden. Marklund is a medical doctor, professor of general medicine, and a specialist in public health. The slim books clocks in at just over 100 pages, because, according to Ahlander Agency, the author wanted to keep it simple and easily accessible for readers. In the book, Marklund explains that the key to longevity is preventing the occurrence of low-grade inflammation in the body. Spanish House Buys Bestselling Italian Memoir The Italian bestseller My Brother Runs After Dinosaurs: My Story and Giovannis, Who Has An Extra Chromosome (Mio fratello rincorre i dinosauri), which was originally published by Italy's Einaudi Editore in April 2016, has been preempted, in a world Spanish rights deal, by Penguin Random House. The memoir, by Giacomo Mazzariol, is currently in its sixth printing in the country and has its roots in a video the author took of his brother, who has Downs Syndrome. Einaudi Editore controls all rights. Novel on Dalis Wife Sells in France Gala-Dali by Carmen Domingo, which was published this month in Spain by Espasa Calpe/Grupo Planeta, has sold to Presses de la Cite in France. In a previous deal, Polish rights to the book were acquired by Swiat Ksiazki. The novel chronicles the life of painter Salavdor Dali's wife and muse, Gala, who, according to promotional material, was obsessed with money and satisfying her dreams. Barcelona-based Pontas Agency controls all rights to the book. ROCK ISLAND Three felons entered pleas of guilty in separate, unrelated cases Thursday in federal court in Rock Island. Each remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending their Oct. 20 sentencing hearings. According to a news release from U.S. Attorney James A. Lewis: Gregory F. Young, 37, South Bend, Ind., admitted possessing a loaded .40 caliber Smith & Wesson semi-automatic pistol, an SKS-type 7.62mm rifle with folding stock and bayonet, about 13 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition and about 221 rounds of 7.62 ammunition loaded in eight SKS high-capacity magazines when stopped in Henry County Nov. 20, 2015, by Illinois State Police. At the time, he also was wanted in Indiana, where he has prior felony convictions for burglary and other offenses. He faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and up to three years of supervised release for possession of firearms and ammunition by a felon. Assistant U.S. Attorney Don Allegro is prosecuting the case which was investigated by the Illinois State Police and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. Robert Ford, 22, of Rock Island, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. He was stopped by Moline Police early Dec. 2, 2015, after an alert stated Mr. Ford and others might be planning retaliatory action in connection to a shooting in Rock Island. Mr. Ford, who has prior felony convictions for aggravated battery and burglary in Rock Island County, was found to be carrying a loaded .38-caliber, 2-shot handgun. He faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and up to three years of supervised release for possession of firearms and ammunition by a felon. Mr. Allegro also is prosecuting his case, which was investigated by the Moline Police Department and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. Walker Hampton, 41, of Viola, pleaded guilty to robbery of U.S. government property from a post office, brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of stolen firearms. He admitted to the Jan. 24, 2015, robbery of the Taylor Ridge Post Office, during which he brandished a firearm at two postal workers and took money from a postal bag. After his Feb. 25 arrest, a search of his home uncovered a 9 mm pistol used in the robbery, a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun and a Smith & Wesson Wesson .40 caliber handgun. The last two firearms had been taken during a Rock Island County burglary that Mr. Hampton admitted committing. He has a prior felony conviction for possession of a controlled substance in Muscatine. He faces up to 25 years in prison for the robbery, a consecutive seven years for brandishing a firearm during the crime, and up to 10 years in prison for the possession of a firearm and stolen firearms, as well as a fine up to a $250,000 and up to five years of supervised release. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Linda Mott. The Rock Island County Sheriffs Office, the Mercer County Sheriffs Office, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the charges. A Rock Island man is charged with sexually abusing a minor. Michael Eugene Dickerson, 29, made an initial court appearance Friday before Rock Island County Judge Norma Kauzlarich on two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. Charges allege Mr. Dickerson committed acts of sexual conduct with a girl younger than 12 during September 2015 and again in March this year. He was held Monday at the Rock Island County Jail on a $100,000 bond and must post 10 percent or $10,000 to be released. He also is prohibited from having contact with the alleged victim. He has a preliminary hearing scheduled June 28. Both charges are Class 2 felony offenses, punishable by up to seven years in prison if convicted. MILAN The Quad City Animal Welfare Center is expanding its operations in Milan but needs more money to be successful, the village board learned Monday night. In October 2015, the no-kill shelter bought a second property at 612 W. 1st St. The project is nearing completion, but more money is needed to buy equipment for the planned wellness clinic and surgical building. QCAWC community services director Stacey Teager said she is excited about the new opportunities and is hoping for help from the community. The shelter still needs $275,000 for veterinary equipment, she said, noting the building and its renovations were funded by donations. The shelter has been having some "real growing pains" while waiting for the new building, Ms. Teager said. She anticipates being able to double the amount of spay and neuter surgeries with the new facility, noting appointments currently are booked through November because of the lack of time and space. "We're very glad that the shelter stayed in Milan and bought a vacant building," Mayor Duane Dawson said. "They do a great service to the Quad-Cities, and we're happy to have them here." The renovations are expected to be completed by the end of the month, with a grand opening planned 4:30-7 p.m. Also on Monday, the board learned the village is getting ready for the annual fireworks display and Milan Fireworks Fun Run on July 3. Run registration is $20 per person, with proceeds funding the annual fireworks display. The village on Monday also accepted a $500 donation from the Lion's Club for the fireworks. CAMBRIDGE Possible solutions to the radium level of village water were reviewed Monday by engineer Leo Foley of Veenstra and Kimm. Currently, the village is using a blend of two wells pumping eight hours a day from one and three hours from the other to stay under the limit of five parts per million. The village could run the good well as much as 12 to 13 hours per day and not be over the standard. The bottom line is you could run that well more, said Mr. Foley. He said the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency was thinking along the lines of a new well, but they have turned the matter over to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. He also talked about zeolite water softening but said that process could create high-hazard waste. Both current wells are 1,377 feet deep, according to Mr. Foley. A deep well would cost $1 million just to drill; a shallow well, with a filtration plant to remove iron, would be half that. He said the first plan would be to remove radium from the water with a filtration plant that would be needed sometime later if another well is drilled. Were going to move in the right direction, but we want a long-term plan, he said. Trustees deferred talking about rate changes until they have a rate comparison showing charges for a typical household level of 4,000 gallons per month. Mr. Foley will also return with the completed study next month. The board commissioned the report in April. Trustees also learned Trustee Randy Boberg has bought a lot at the villages commercial park and plans to put in a storage business. Three other firms have bought land at the park two are in business there and three additional lots are available. The board endorsed the idea of putting in four street lights. Village administrator Dwaine Van Meenen presented a balanced 2017 budget showing estimated general fund expenditures of $1,028,328 and projected revenue of $1,030,030. Estimated cash on hand and receipts is $1,251,537. The budget also projects tax-increment-financing revenue at $394,000, with estimated expenditures of $329,193. Of those expenses, $92,298 goes to Cambridge schools, the county and the fire department through intergovernmental agreements and approximately $30,000 goes for commercial reimbursement. Press release submitted by Jean McAdam Quad City Chapter No. 50 of the National Association of Women In Construction (NAWIC) will meet on Thursday, July 7, 5:30 pm at the corner of Third and Ripley Streets, Davenport, Iowa for a guided tour of the Davenport Central Fire Station at 331 Scott Street. Lynn Washburn-Livingston will conduct the tour of the old fire station building which is under construction. This will include discussion of the historic nature of the old building and the importance of preserving the past. The second part of the tour will be the new building. Going from one to the other will give everyone a sense of the improvements in space and functionality as well as the need to meet present needs and being prepared for the future. Guests are welcome and should wear closed toed shoes, hard hats, safety vests and safety glasses. Parking is available on Ripley Street or Third Street. Dinner will follow from 6:45 7:45 at Sippis American Grill, 406 W. 2nd Street, Davenport, Iowa, with a brief business meeting after dinner. Dinner will be ordered from the menu. Please RSVP by Thursday June 30th to Julia Anderson at 309-314-6508 or janderson9829@yahoo.com Press release submitted by Scott County Iowa NOTICE OF PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING FOR A ZONING ORDINANCE TEXT AMENDMENT REGARDING SPECIAL PERMITTED USES IN COMMUNITY AREA DEVELOPMENT PARK VIEW COMMERCIAL DISTRICT Public Notice is hereby given as required by Section 6-31 of the County Code (Zoning Ordinance for Unincorporated Scott County), that the Scott County Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a Public Hearing to consider a Zoning Ordinance text amendment requested by Patrick and Lora Dierickx on Tuesday, July 5, 2016. The meeting will be held in the 1st Floor Board Room of the County Administrative Center, located at 600 West Fourth Street, Davenport, Iowa. The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. The Scott County Zoning Ordinance (6-31B) states that any zoning text or map amendment of the Zoning Ordinance be reviewed by the Planning and Zoning Commission for compliance with the Land Use Policies of the 2008 Comprehensive Plan of Scott County. The Planning and Zoning Commission will consider the request of Patrick and Lora Dierickx for an amendment to the Special Permitted Use regulations of the Community Area Development Park View Commercial CAD-PVC District outlined in Section 6-15D of the Scott County Zoning Ordinance. The applicants intend to establish a single-family residence in an unoccupied church located at 11 Grove Road, being legally described as Lot 106 Park View 1st Addition, Section 31 of Butler Township. The property is currently zoned CAD-PVC, which does not allow single-family residences as a Principal or Special Permitted Use. As such, the applicants request that Section 6-15D be repealed and replaced: Existing: D. Special Permitted Uses: None. Proposed: D. Special Permitted Uses: Single-family dwellings. The Commissions recommendation on this proposed zoning text amendment would be forwarded to the Board of Supervisors for final action. If the requested amendment is approved, the applicants would then need approval of a Special Use Permit from the Zoning Board of Adjustment before such a conversion could take place. If you have questions or comments regarding the meeting, please call, write or email the Planning and Development Department, 500 West Fourth Street, Davenport, Iowa 52801, 563-326-8643, planning@scottcountyiowa.com or attend the hearing. CALDCs Halloween Celebration A Real Treat! The Central Astoria LDCs 7th annual Batty Over Halloween Celebration held on Sunday, October 23rd was a real treat for everyone who came out. Despite... Meng Brings NASA Astronaut To Queens On October 17, U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens) brought NASA astronaut Dr. Jonny Kim to Queens where he met and spoke with students at Francis... Celebrating Columbus The Federation of Italian-American Organizations of Queens (FIAO) held their annual Columbus Day parade in Astoria, on Saturday, October 8, during Italian Heritage Month. The... Sold Out This item is no longer available, but theres still much more to discoverkeep shopping to find something new to love! Oro Nuovo Bold Polished Flat Twist Hoop Earrings 14K is rated 4.8 out of 5 by 10 . Rated 5 out of 5 by startship from Excellent If you are thinking about ordering these do it you will not regret it. Rated 5 out of 5 by legs2012 from Pretty Very pretty. These are unusual. Got them in the rose. Rated 5 out of 5 by houston gem lover from beautiful I like a hoop that is substantial and bold..... this is it! It is gold yet lite weight on the ear..... love the twisted hoop look...wonderful earrings for the price. Highly recommend. Rated 5 out of 5 by Capitol Hiill from Years of Gold These hoops have been a regular daily, special events, and causel jewelry wear for me. Always looking outstanding with each outfit for the occasion. Rated 5 out of 5 by porcelain doll from My favorite I truly looooove these earrings for many reasons. They are unique in design and available in three colors. I have the yellow but would love to have the white or rose. They are lightweight ,can be worn in two different ways for a reasonable price. These earrings can be dressed up and down. They are so pretty on the face and noticeable. Every time I wear them ,l get complimented. That's why these earrings are my favorite. I can't wait to order another pair. Rated 5 out of 5 by MyElla from Has flair!!! 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Kyiv's Holosiyivsky district court has ordered to halt all payments on Ukraine's $3 billion eurobonds issued as part of the trust agreement with The Law Debenture Trust Corporation Plc dated December 24, 2013 and bought by Russia using funds from the National Welfare Fund (NWF). The ruling was issued on May 30, 2016 under a claim of an individual or a company whose name is not disclosed against Russia. The claimant asked for compensation for moral and material losses caused by Russia's military aggression against Ukraine and occupation of a part of the territory of Luhansk region by Russia. "[The court orders] the arrest of any claims under the trust agreement and prohibit any public agencies from making any steps aimed at changing and terminating of the agreement," the court ruling says. The court banned Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers, Finance Ministry, the State Treasury and the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) and other public agencies from carrying out any actions linked to payments on these eurobonds. The ruling shall have immediate effect. The ruling can be appealed in Kyiv's court of appeals during five days from the moment of its announcement. The challenging procedure does not suspend its execution of this ruling. G'day! It's Murray here. I've put together a little quiz to test your musical knowledge. Think you can score top marks in Murray's Magic Music Quiz? Give it a go now! After being out of action for over four years, Peru's only international railway, which connects the southern town of Tacna with Arica in northern Chile, restarted operations on June 1. The Tacna Arica railway (FCTA) is Peruvian-owned and administered by the Tacna regional government and in recent decades has been almost exclusively passenger-carrying. The reinitiated service was interrupted on June 7 when the lines only railbus broke down, leaving stranded passengers to be rescued by bus. The service did not recommence until June 14 and passenger usage numbers were low, due to rail fares being higher than those charged by bus and shared taxi operators. However, these numbers soared a few days later when truck drivers, protesting about fines imposed by the Peruvian customs authority, blocked the parallel Pan-American Highway. FCTA responded by increasing service frequency by 50% until June 18, when Chilean lorry drivers threatened to block the rail line. The foreign affairs ministries of both Chile and Peru are monitoring the situation to avoid any potential misunderstandings. The terms of a 1929 treaty which fixed the border between the two countries allows Peru special rights regarding the stretch of the FCTA which lies in Chilean territory. Welcome to Railway Gazette. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. By continuing to browse this site you are agreeing to our use of these cookies. You can learn more about the cookies we use here. OK The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) has placed Eurobank (Kyiv) to the list of insolvent banks. The regulator said last week that this is outlined in NBU Board's decision No. 73 of June 17, 2016. Bolat Nazarbayev, who on May 18 was permitted to buy 50% of the bank, has not become the shareholder. The curator at Eurobank revealed transactions aimed at splitting deposits to accounts having under UAH 200,000 at the bank. Due to a loss of liquidity the bank has stopped settling client transactions on time. The NBU recalled that the central bank is obliged to place a bank to the list of insolvent banks if transactions, after which liabilities to individuals within the guaranteed limit (UAH 200,000) are increased thanks to the reduction of liabilities to companies, are established. The regulator said that 98% of depositors (8,000) will receive their deposits in full. The sum to be refunded as of June 15, 2015 totaled some UAH 217 million. Early May Nazarbayev informed about his plans to acquire 63.335 million shares or 50% of the share capital of the Ukrainian bank. In addition, Gulmira Sarsembayeva sought to buy 50% of shares in Eurobank. According to the Antimonopoly Committee, Nazarbayev is affiliated with nonresident entities that operate in the construction, consulting, cargo and passenger transportation, distillation and mixing alcohol spheres. The companies do not operate in Ukraine. According to the NBU, as of May 20, 2016, 50% of shares in the bank belonged to Finance Analit Service LLC with the ultimate beneficiary Adarych. Other 50% indirectly via Marketing Technologies consulting firm LLC belonged to Vadym Pushkarev. Eurobank was founded in 2005. Its assets as of April 1, 2016, were estimated at UAH 1.728 billion, which ranked the bank rank 47th among 109 operating banks, according to the NBU. Having reached over five million households in Mexico since it launched three years ago, Hola! TV is expanding distribution to Argentina, Chile and the US. Although already distributed by DirecTV throughout Latin America, Hola! TV - a joint venture between Atresmedia and Hello! - has reached its height in Mexico, where its also part of Televisa and Dish portfolios. This rapid growth has enabled the network to acquire Ibope audience measuring services, through which it will release official ratings in the coming weeks.Tapping Ibopes research was very important to quantify advertising, to formalise advertisement investments in our channel, Ignacio Sanz de Acedo, CEO, Hola! TV, told TelevisionHispana.news . Reaching this distribution is not easy. We have had a positive welcome and we have reached a loyal audience, we had to quantify it.But the CEO admits that Hola! TVs growth in Mexico wont always be as it was during the last 12 months. 2016 has been a record year, very important for us, which is why we have to be cautious now, stated Sanz de Acedo.This caution, together with Mexicos maturity as a pay-TV market, have led to Hola! TV targeting other Spanish-speaking markets at a local level, mainly Chile, Argentina and US Hispanics. In the near future, there are no plans to launch in Brazil or Spain.The networks CEO puts Hola! TVs quick growth in the Americas down to the brand, which is already well-known by the audience, and the production of its own content. In fact, the channel has produced over 600 hours of programming during last year alone.Content is king, that is known. And we aspire to create 100% of our content, so we mainly have to worry about advertising and distribution, concluded Sanz de Acedo. Russia violates cancer patients right for adequate medical care in detention ECHR MOSCOW, June 21 (RAPSI) The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled that the rights of a Russian national with rectal cancer, who complained about inadequate medical care in detention and about the conditions thereof, were violated, granting the applicant compensation in the amount of 16,500 euros. According to the judgment published on Tuesday with regard to application No. 42526/07, the applicant residing in Russias Omsk region, whose name remained undisclosed under Rule 47 of the Rules of the Court, was charged with largescale bank fraud by abuse of position. After being questioning by the police he was released, but on 1 November 2006 detained by a court in spite of an appeal alleging that the applicant had serious health problems. The detention had been repeatedly extended. In February 2008, Russias Supreme Court upheld the detention. However, just a few days after the applicant was released on medical grounds upon a written undertaking not to leave his place of residence. The application was lodged with ECHR on 1 October 2007. In late November, the court notified Russian authorities that the applicant should urgently have surgery in a specialist hospital and full medical examination. Later ECHR decided to lift the interim measure because the authorities had fully complied with it. Nevertheless, the Court held that the applicants rights were violated under Article 3 on the accounts of the quality of the medical treatment in detention and the conditions of detention on remand, as well as under Article 5 (right to liberty and security). The applicant requested compensation amounting to 150,000 euros and 7,000 for legal expenses. However the court granted him 16,500 euros and 4,000 euros respectively. Russian Internet companies may have to keep and disclose online data report MOSCOW, June 21 (RAPSI) Irina Yarovaya, the Chairperson of the State Duma Committee for Security, has introduced amendments to the anti-terrorist bills package submitted to the Russian Parliament in April relating to storage and disclosure of online data, Vedomosti newspaper reports on Tuesday. The main changes proposed by Yarovaya concern keeping of online correspondence between Internet users and provision of the respective data on demand of certain state authorities. The Committee for Security has recommended adopting of the proposed amendments simultaneously in the second and third reading at the Duma meeting on 22 June. In case these amendments are adopted, they will enter into force on 1 July 2018. While the original amendments to the package of anti-terrorist bills introduced by Yarovaya and Viktor Ozerov, the Chairperson of the Committee for Security of the Federation Council, the Russian Parliament upper house, concerned only mobile operators obliging them to keep users data, now they should include organizers of dissimilation of information in Internet, i.e. practically all Internet services. It is envisaged that the data including both the correspondence between users and files they exchange be kept for six months, the newspaper reports. Yarovaya has also insisted that Internet companies should be obliged to provide law enforcement agencies with decryption keys in case the users correspondence or files are encoded. Those failing to provide the authorities with information on decoding of data or using uncertified encryption products should be subject to fines from 3,000 rubles ($45) for individuals to 1 million rubles ($15,000) for legal entities. However, it should be noted that although this initiative concerns practically all Internet companies operating in Russia, some largest services like Facebook, WhatsApp, and Telegram have no representation in the country. TOLOnews.com, June 19, 2016 By Nabeela Ashrafi Up to 600 cases of violence against the women have been reported in the country over the last three months, the Ministry of Women Affairs (MoWa) announced on Sunday. The Ministry called on president Ashraf Ghani and his CEO Abdullah Abdullah to take action against the growing trend. MoWa also insisted on the implementation of justice after Aziz Gul was brutally murdered by armed men after being accused of escaping from home. The incident occured in Ghor province in northern Afghanistan. Human rights groups slammed the atrocity as a public trial. MoWA has also asked the Ministry of Hajj and Religious Affairs to ban institutions that are engaged in promoting extremism and hatred against the women. "Up to 600 cases of violence against women have been registered across the country. The majority of the cases are physical assault and family violence," Minister of Women Affairs Dilbar Nazari said. "To eliminate violence, we need to expand cooperation between the ministries of Women Affairs, Hajj and Religious Affairs and of Education. The ministries need to outline comprehensive programs to this end," women rights activist Humaira Saqib said. "Children at schools must be taught lessons about the fundamental rights of the girls and women," deputy minister of women, technical affairs and planning, Spozghmai Wardak said. "The Ministry of Hajj and Religious Affairs is considering a number of programs to eliminate violence and extremism in the country. The start of training programs for mosque Imams demonstrates that commitment," deputy minister of Hajj and Religious Affaris DaiulHaq Abid said. The ministry of women affairs has also launched nationwide lawsuits on behalf of victims of violence. Women rights activist have asked the Afghan government, particularly judicial institutions, to ensure the arrest of a man who has rapped a 23 year-old woman named Suhaila. Suhaila was allegedly raped in Yangi Qala village of Takhar province by an armed man, Rahimullah, a former police security guard of Takhar province Malik Tatar. Takhar women affairs department has said the man still serves as a local policeman. "An individual apparently associated to powerful commanders has raped Suhaila, a 23 year-old girl, but the rapist is now living freely. I asked the security organs to arrest Rahimullah and refer him to the judicial institutions," Razm Ara Hawash, head of Takhar women affairs department said. Takhar provincial council has, however, said that local government is unable to arrest the man. Former police chief of Yangi Qala district told TOLOnews that Rahimullah and Suhaila have had telephonic conversations and that they were now legally married. "Rahimullah and Suhaila had friendly relations, their relations led to their marriage. They are happy now," he said. "Lawbreakers create problems for the people in Takhar. In another recent incident, armed men associated with powerful individuals have raped a girl in Yangi Qala village. The criminals are moving about freely and there is no one to arrest them," a member of Takhar provincial council Mohammad Yaqoub Nazari said. The Wall Street Journal, June 21, 2016 By Michael Kugelman Syrias refugee crisis dominates the headlines, but the crisis of Afghan refugees is significantand has the potential to undermine the future of a country in which the U.S. has invested so much. Here are four things about a crisis that gets relatively little attention in the West. 1. The numbers: Long home to one of the worlds largest global refugee populations, Afghanistan has nearly 3 million externally displaced people, according to the United Nations refugee agency. Only Syria has more. Employees at Afghanistans passport agency reportedly said in September that they were issuing an average of 2,000 passports dailytriple the number from six months earlier. These figures may have risen amid increasing destabilization and economic struggles. Hundreds of thousands of Afghans [were] moving toward Europe last year, U.N. refugee chief Filippo Grandi said this weekend. More than 40,000 Afghans have arrived in Europe by sea in 2016again, more than from any country other than Syria. 2. The undesirability of previously desirable destinations. Pakistan and Iran have historically been the top two destinations for Afghan refugees. In recent months, however, both have cracked down on Afghan refugees, including those who have lived in these countries for decades. Human rights groups and journalists are chronicling cases of discrimination and expulsions in both places. In Pakistan, where Afghan refugees are often accused of involvement in terrorism and the drug trade, authorities have threatened to send them back to Afghanistan and are building structures to restrict access at the border. Many Afghans are fleeing to Europe in part because of the increasingly unpleasant treatment of refugees in Iran and Pakistan. Afghans increasingly negative perceptions about policies toward their countrymen in these nations are sharply captured in a new study by the Barcelona Centre for International Affairs. 3. Discrimination in Europe. Europe, though, presents its own perils. Those refugees who survive the dangerous journey face discriminationand not just anti-refugee sentiment from host populations. European policy makers are often less accommodating to Afghans, who are perceived to be fleeing conditions less dire than those in Syria and Iraq, where full-fledged civil wars are being fought. In February, five European countries barred Afghans from entering. Some countries, including Germany, have actively tried to arrange repatriations of recently arrived Afghan refugees. 4. Afghanistans inability to handle large numbers of returnees. Afghan officials, meanwhile, are in no position to accommodate droves of returnees. During the presidency of Hamid Karzai, U.S. officials deemed Afghanistans Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation so corrupt that financial support was drastically cut. And theres no reason to believe that Afghan refugees, whether those who left recently or long ago, are keen to return to a nation experiencing record civilian casualties and where the Taliban controls more territory than at any time since U.S. troops entered in 2001. Worse, one of the largest U.N.-run refugee camps in Afghanistan is in Jalalabad, the provincial capital of Nangarhar, home to most of Afghanistans fighters aligned with Islamic State. This means that many returnees could face a double threat of the Taliban and ISIS. In short, Afghans are fleeing their country in droves, are increasingly unwelcome in their traditional destinations, face major challenges in new regions, and cant count on smooth returns home. The exodus of those who can escape is leaving Afghanistan without the generation of professionals who are vital to the countrys future success. Yet for many Afghans, neither staying nor going is a viable option. The European Union Permanent Representatives Committee (COREPER), which met in Brussels on Tuesday, agreed another six-month extension of economic sanctions against Russia, a European diplomatic source told Interfax on Brussels. "The sanctions will be extended for six months, and further discussions on them upon their expiration will be linked with the implementation of the Minsk agreements," he said. The EU Council will now have to confirm the legal act approved by COREPER, he said. It is still unclear when this will happen, but it should be done before the EU summit on June 28-29. Another source in EU institutions told Interfax on Monday that the issue of extending economic sanctions had been included in the agenda for the COREPER session on Tuesday, but it would be decided without any discussion. Property details: Taylor Creek Department of Land Transfer Info Equipment Feedback Other Claims for Sale Contact Us Add To Favorites MURDIE GOLD Mine SN: CMC288273 20 Acre Unpatented Placer Mining Claim on Federal Land / Montezuma County, Colorado (Scroll down to see all pictures) Buyer will receive the following with their completed transaction:Quitclaim deed showing full ownership of the claim. This will be stamped, recorded and verified with the County and the BLM offices.Welcome packet with all of the rules a... Price: $ 660 Seller State of Residence: California Property Address: Taylor Creek Rd Dolores, CO 81323 Zip/Postal Code: 81323 Type: Unpatented Mining Claims Zoning: Mineral Rights City: Boulder State/Province: Colorado Location: 813**, Dolores, Colorado You will be redirected to eBay Nearby Colorado Property details: The house is an iconic Greek Revival with large white columns and often sought after for pictures, movies and special events. It features a dining room, living room, parlor, library wall, and there is a 30 x40' 'man-cave' on the second floor. The 2000 sq ft Carriage House is a unique structure and has plenty of room for a workshop and storage.If you are looking for THEE place to live in Angelica you have found it. Almost all the major events occur right on your doorstep. From Cruise Nights, Farm... Price: $ 98,400 Seller State of Residence: New York Property Address: 2 West Main St. State/Province: NY City: Angelica Number of Bedrooms: 4 Number of Bathrooms: 2.5 Property Type: House Sale Type: Existing Homes Year Built: 1847 Zip/Postal Code: 14709 Location: 147**, Angelica, New York You will be redirected to eBay Nearby 14709 Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale Buy real estate. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale in US and Canada. Search Real Estate Property details: Time To Share RealtyLicensed Real Estate Broker & Sales Associates For Sale:West 57th Street by Hilton ClubTimeshare in New York, New YorkBUY this ANNUAL DEEDED Timeshare NOW at a fraction of the developer's price: ANNUAL USE STUDIO PREMIER. This is a GOLD SEASON interest receiving 5,100 POINTS every January, and with Float Week capabilities for weeks 1-6; 29-34. The ANNUAL MAINTENANCE FEES and taxes are due every January in the amount of $1,328.73 approximately. The new owner will receive use o... Price: $ 12,900 Seller State of Residence: Florida State/Province: New York City: New York Type: Attractions Location: 337**, Saint Petersburg, Florida You will be redirected to eBay Nearby Attractions Pharmacy sales in Ukraine 15% up in five months in 2016 Pharmacy sales in Ukraine in January-May 2016 in monetary terms increased by 15% compared to the same period in 2015, to UAH 22.539 billion. Business Credit company told Interfax-Ukraine for the five months of 2016 pharmacy sales in natural terms rose by a mere 3%, to 572.214 million packs. According to the company, in particular, retail sales of medicines in January-May in monetary terms increased by 15%, to UAH 18.555 billion, in real terms by 5%, to 356.198 million packs. In addition, Business Credit said in May 2016 pharmacy sales grew by 21% compared to May 2015, to UAH 3.454 billion in monetary terms and by 15%, to 66.244 million packs in natural terms. The average weighted price of a pharmacy goods basket in May 2016 was UAH 39, medicines UAH 52.1 per pack, which is 3% more than in May 2015. As reported, pharmacy sales in Ukraine in January-April 2016 increased by 14% compared to the same period in 2015 in terms of money, to UAH 18.324 billion. Groysman hopes tax reform in Ukraine to be drawn up in Sept Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman has expressed hope that the tax reform will be drawn up in September, and the Office for Accompanying Investment will be created soon. The press service of Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers reported last week that Groysman said at a meeting with representatives of U.S. business and members of the American Chamber of Commerce in Washington that the creation of favorable business climate in Ukraine, rooting out of obstacles and provision for macro-economic stability are top priorities of the Ukrainian government. The Office for Accompanying Investment under auspices of the Ukrainian government will be created soon, he said. "I am ready to take each investor by hand and bring to Ukraine, so that you can achieve your goal. I am interested in each of you be successful. If your business is success, Ukraine will be successful," the prime minister said. Groysman thanked representatives of U.S. business for their interest in Ukraine and urged them to invest in the country. He said that the agenda also includes changes of tax legislation and then keeping it unchanged. He said that the task of the Ukrainian government is to provide for the openness of the operation of the State Fiscal Service. The government is working to change the tax administration system, he said. Groysman said that the government continues cooperation with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Ukraine's Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman met with on Friday with U.S. Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power to discuss cooperation in countering the Russian aggression and the process of reforms in Ukraine, the department of information and communications of the office of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine reported on June 17. The prime minister said that Ukraine has "three enemies: Russia, corruption and populism. These are three serious enemies, which currently hinder the development of Ukraine." At the same time, Groysman noted that the government intends to conduct the necessary reforms, and continue the cooperation with the IMF and spoke about the government's priorities - ensuring macroeconomic stability, enhancing institutional capacity, the fight against corruption, the national security and improvement of the business climate. Power said that Ukraine has been fighting on two fronts countering the Russian aggression and holding the necessary reforms, and stressed the need for holding the successful reforms that will allow effectively respond to the challenges posed by Russian aggression. The two officials also discussed the plans of the new ministry for the temporarily occupied territories and internally displaced persons. The Ukrainian prime minister noted the need for medium-term strategy for the reintegration of the temporarily occupied territories. "My message is - we love Donbas. I will spend no less time in the east of Ukraine than in the west. I think this is very important," Groysman said. Groysman also thanked Power for her support of Ukraine: "Your voice and your personal position are very much appreciated in Ukraine, I thank you for it." While many students were away during the summer studying abroad, interning or otherwise, a few amendments were made and changes were proposed to state and local law and university policy which could have an affect on students when they return to the University of Georgia campus. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close SHARE By Damon Arthur of the Redding Record Searchlight The Shasta-Trinity National Forest has not yet seen the die-off from drought and beetles that has killed large swaths of forest in the Sierra Nevadas, a forest official said Monday. However, Forest Service officials are watching to see if the number of trees being killed by beetles spreads to Northern California, said Ben Newburn, the Shasta-Trinity National Forest's fire management officer. "Right now it's not worrisome. What's worrisome is what is happening in the Sierras and seeing that move north," Newburn said Monday following a roundtable discussion with state and local officials about the 2016 fire season. Newburn said 50 percent to 70 percent of the trees in the Sierra, Sequoia and Stanislaus national forests have died from insects attacking drought-weakened trees. Last year alone 29 million trees died at the height of California's drought, now in its fifth year, the Forest Service reported. Since 2010, about 40 million trees have died in the southern and central Sierra, according to the Forest Service. About 5.6 million trees have died in the Sierra and Sequoia forests from bark beetles, wood borers and drought, according to 2015 aerial surveys. The Stanislaus National Forest has had about 1.2 million trees die from drought and beetles, according to the Forest Service regional office in Vallejo. "If that were to happen on the Shasta-Trinity, that would be pretty devastating," he said. The Shasta-Trinity had an estimated 570,000 dead trees in 2015, while the Lassen National Forest had 831,000 dead trees. Aerial surveys for this year were recently completed and results should be released soon, Phyllis Swanson, a spokeswoman for the Shasta-Trinity, said during the roundtable. Forest Supervisor Dave Myers asked Swanson to put together a presentation on the tree die-off to present to county officials around the North State. "We're getting a lot of questions from the public, in general" about the tree die-off, Myers said. "They see this wave coming at them." A certain amount of dead trees is typical on the forest, Newburn said. He said the forest's management plan expects three to four standing dead trees per acre. With 2.2-million-acres on the Shasta-Trinity, there could be hundreds of thousands of dead trees under normal conditions, Newburn said. Tehama County Supervisor Dennis Garton said the tree die-off has already arrived in that county. "It's time that we do something to get ready," Garton said. "I wish I knew what that is. I wish I had a crystal ball." In the Sierra Nevada forests hardest hit, officials there are taking a triage approach to tree removal, said Terri Simon-Jackson, deputy forest supervisor on the Shasta-Trinity. She said trees around roads, buildings, campgrounds and other structures are removed first to prevent hazards from trees falling. So many trees have begun to pile up on those forests that state and federal officials have brought in a fleet of 10 portable incinerators to burn them. Called air-curtain burners, the 20-foot long, steel containers blast a sheet of air over the open top, disposing of up to eight trees an hour, state officials told the Associated Press. The state bought them for roughly $1 million, part of a $5 million investment in equipment to meet the epidemic. Environmentalists say the tree incinerators will contribute to air pollution, while state officials say they pollute less than forest fires. Andreas Fuhrmann/Record Searchlight Cypress State Preschool teacher, Michele Santos gives her students lunch Friday at Cypress Elementary School. SHARE By Alayna Shulman of the Redding Record Searchlight Almost every Shasta County child eligible for free or discounted school lunches falls into a "nutrition gap" once school's out and those meals aren't readily available, an advocacy group's recent report found. But it's not for lack of options free meals are available to anyone under 19 almost every weekday this summer, regardless of whether one is a student or even truly needy. The meals are available at various spots throughout Shasta County through the Seamless Summer Feeding Program, an offshoot of public schools' discounted lunch programs that unlike the meals served May through August doesn't require you to be a student or prove your income eligibility. There's also a slew of sites serving free meals to children under 18 through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, from Shasta Lake to Cottonwood. "They see that there's a YMCA camp up at Boulder Creek, for example, they might not necessarily assume they're welcome there for lunch," said Denise Ohm, Enterprise Elementary School District Food Service director. "It's just unclear who can come, and the answer is any kid up to age 19." While income statements aren't required, Ohm said the lunch sites are strategically placed in lower-income areas so that those who truly need a free meal are more likely to get it. That's especially important in Shasta County, where 94 percent of kids who qualify for free or discounted school lunches or 7,506 of them suffer from a "nutrition gap" in the summer, according to a report from California Food Policy Advocates. That compares to 85 percent of students statewide, the organization said. Ohm said almost all of the sites through the Seamless program also provide activities for children. The only restrictions are that the food must be eaten on site and the child must be well-behaved. The only weekday that won't have a meal program is July 4. Ohm recommends calling the site you plan to stop by in advance in case meal times have changed. Those sites are: Seamless Summer Feeding Program: Breakfast: Buckeye School of the Arts, from 8 a.m. to 8:20 a.m. July 25-Aug. 5 First Church of the Nazarene, from 8:45 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. July 18-22 Shasta Lake School, from 8 a.m. to 8:20 a.m. July 25- Aug. 5 Sycamore School, from 8 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. through June 29 West Cottonwood School, from 7:45 a.m. to 8:10 a.m. through June 30 Lunch: Anderson River Park, from 11:30 a.m. to noon through July 29 Anderson Teen Center, from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. through Aug. 12 Boulder Creek Elementary School, from noon to 12:30 p.m. through July 29 Buckeye School of the Arts, from 11:30 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. July 25-Aug. 5 Caldwell Park, from noon to 12:30 p.m. through Aug. 12 Clair Engle Park, from 12:15 p.m. to 12:45 through June 30 Cypress School, from 11:30 a.m. to noon through Aug. 9 Enterprise High School, from 10:30 a.m. to 10:55 a.m. through July 8 First Church of the Nazarene, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. July 18-22 Happy Valley Community Center, from 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. through July 29 Junction School, from noon to 12:30 p.m. through July 29 Kid's Kingdom, from noon to 12:30 p.m. through Aug. 12 Manter House, from noon to 12:30 p.m. every weekday except Fridays through July 21 Manzanita School, from 11:30 a.m. to noon through Aug. 11 Martin Luther King Jr. Center, from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. through July 29 Shasta Family YMCA, from 11:30 a.m. to noon through Aug. 5 Shasta Lake School, two sessions: one from 11:30 a.m. to noon through Aug. 5; one from 11 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. through Aug. 7 Sycamore School, from 11:30 a.m. to noon through June 29 Redding Christian Fellowship, from 5 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. through June 24 Other meal options: 9348 Deschutes Road in Palo Cedro, from 11:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. through July 29 Turtle Bay School, from 11:30 a.m. to noon through Aug. 19 SHARE By Ryan Sabalow and Phillip Reese, Sacramento Bee Federal officials have begun releasing more water from Shasta Dam following nearly two weeks of pressure from California's powerful farming lobby and members of Congress who argued that too much water was being held back to protect endangered fish. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and federal fisheries officials on June 17 adopted a temporary plan that would increase the amount of water rushing down the Sacramento River below Shasta Dam from 8,000 cubic feet per second to 9,000 for the rest of June, spokesman Shane Hunt said Monday. "We need to start increasing releases to meet our commitments to our contractors," Hunt said. The news led to sighs of relief throughout the state's agricultural industry, since it means there will be more water for crops in the short term, particularly for rice farmers in the Sacramento Valley. However, Federal officials still haven't formalized a plan to protect endangered salmon and smelt later this summer by managing water behind Shasta and other Sacramento Valley dams. The lack of a formal plan has left growers anxious they won't get enough water going into the hottest months. Environmentalists worry that fish won't get the water they need to stave off extinction. Hunt said he hopes an agreement will be finalized sometime this week. After two years of fallowing fields, rice farmers in the Sacramento Valley significantly ramped up planting this spring. Heavy storms this winter fueled expectations that water deliveries were returning to normal. But some farmers have said Sacramento River flows are lower than expected, and they're concerned about having enough water to sustain their crops. More water from Shasta could help. The additional flows also could help San Joaquin Valley farmers reliant on water pumped from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. "It's good news for the entire state," said Johnny Amaral, deputy general manager for the sprawling Westlands Water District in the San Joaquin Valley. "It's not just good for us. It's good news for the people who drink water or use water. ... I would say level heads have prevailed." Environmentalists countered that increased releases from Shasta could threaten endangered fish that need cool water in the Sacramento River to survive. Maintaining a deeper pool of water behind Shasta makes for colder water. The idea is to release that colder water later in the summer and early fall, when critically endangered winter-run salmon make their annual return to their spawning grounds below the dam. Releasing water now could mean less cool water available later. The past two summers, excessively warm water in the Sacramento River killed off nearly all of the juvenile Chinook. Scientists say a third year of die-offs could mean the extinction of the winter-run as a wild species. Jon Rosenfield, a conservation biologist at the nonprofit Bay Institute of San Francisco, said not maintaining cool temperatures in the Sacramento River "would push the winter run Chinook salmon very close to extinction." He noted that the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has confidently increased water releases from Shasta in prior years, only to later fail to hold temperatures down. "I'm dubious that they actually know they have enough water," Rosenfield said. "It's an irreversible thing once the water is released, it can't be put back. The damage done to the fish is irreversible, particularly if they go extinct." The increase in Shasta releases follows a June 9 letter from 15 members of Congress from California urging the Obama administration to reject two dam-management proposals they said could hurt the state's water supply. The first proposal involves keeping a substantial amount of water in Shasta Lake until summer to protect juvenile winter-run Chinook salmon. The second plan aims to rescue the Delta smelt, which also teeter on the brink of extinction. The plan for Shasta could have implications for Folsom Lake, since it may mean a second year in which regulators draw more heavily on Sacramento region's primary drinking water reservoir to help control salinity levels in the Delta. The Bureau of Reclamation, which operates dams in the federal government's Central Valley Project, is considering letting more water flow to the Pacific Ocean through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta this summer to protect the smelt. State and federal dam operators are required to maintain flows that ensure downstream fish survive. They're also required to ensure that enough fresh water flows through the Delta to keep seawater from rushing into the estuary and compromising salinity levels. The fresh water pumped from the Delta helps provide irrigation for millions of acres of farmland in the San Joaquin Valley and drinking water for 25 million residents. Friday's action to release more water from Shasta comes amid fairly bleak news from state officials about the snowmelt, which provides a substantial portion of the state's summer water supply. In addition, federal forecasters say California faces a 75 percent chance of a potentially dry La Nina weather pattern during the fall and winter. The Sierra snowpack has all but disappeared, state officials say. The vast majority of the Sierras has no measurable snow. The snowline in Yosemite National Park sits at roughly 10,000 feet, mostly covering just a portion of the eastern side of the park. Normally at this time of year, the Sierra has an average of about 3.3 inches of snow-water content. As of Monday, it averaged 0.1 inches. It has not been abnormally warm in the Sierras. At the South Lake Tahoe airport, average high temperatures in May were 61 degrees; so far in June they have been 72 degrees, almost even with the historical average, federal data show. At the Yosemite National Park ranger station, average high temperatures were 72 in May and 81 so far in June, also on par with historical averages. But the mountains did not get much snow after the start of April. The Central Sierra received the equivalent of about five inches of precipitation between April 1 and Monday, a couple of inches below average, state data show. Late season precipitation can keep snowpack around longer. On April 1, 2010, the central Sierra had a similar amount of snow as it did on the same date this year. But after 11 inches of precipitation in April and May 2010, snow lingered that year into early July. Lake Shasta and Lake Oroville, the state's two largest reservoirs, remain above average levels for this time of year, state figures show. Folsom Lake and Don Pedro Reservoir are near average levels. All told, eight of the state's 12 major reservoirs are above 75 percent of average for this time of year. All of California is abnormally dry, according to the National Drought Mitigation Center. Almost 43 percent of the state is either in extreme or exceptional drought. One year ago, about 71 percent of the state was in extreme or exceptional drought. The most parched area stretches from around Fresno County in the north to Orange County in the south. Most of Sacramento County is in severe drought, one step below extreme drought. Hunt, the Bureau of Reclamation spokesman, said that the state is far better shape this year than it was last year, and there's hope that the water in the Sacramento Valley reservoirs could carry over to next year. "We haven't had that since probably 2011," Hunt said. "We're hoping we can work through everything and keep some water in Folsom. I'm optimistic right now." SHARE Speed limits on Shasta Lake agenda Shasta Lake's City Council will consider on Tuesday a consultant's recommendation to change speed limits on 33 stretches of streets. The 2016 Engineering and Traffic study, prepared by professional engineer Matthew Manjarrez with Traffic Works, recommends increasing speeds on 11 spans of city roads, primarily on Ashby and Hill roads and Twin View and Lake boulevards. The highest new speed would be 55 mph on Lake Boulevard after it enters the southern end of town. One stretch of Shasta Street and of Grand Coulee Boulevard, both in the area of Shasta Dam Boulevard, would drop by 5 mph to 30 and 35, respectively. Pine Grove Avenue's speed limits would not change other than between Cascade Boulevard and Smith Road. Manjarrez suggests posting mostly 25 mph speed limit signs in 20 areas, almost all in the more rural or residential areas. The meeting begins at 6 p.m. at the council chambers, 4488 Red Bluff St. Trial delayed again in double murder A 33-year-old Cottonwood man charged with murder in the shooting deaths of his ex-wife and her father saw another pre-trial conference delayed Monday because his defense attorney is continuing to recover from a medical issue. John Wayne Noonkester is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and other charges in connection with the fatal July 3 shootings of his ex-wife, Kimberlee Thomas, 29, and her father, Keith Thomas, 53, outside the Little Country Store in Lake California. Noonkester is being represented by attorney Joe Gazzigli, who is under a doctor's order not to work for at least four months, according to a court document filed in an unrelated case. In addition to murder, Noonkester is charged with attempted murder in the wounding of bystander Anthony Maitias Baugher, then, 25, of Cottonwood. Noonkester is being held in Tehama County Jail without bail. Attacker wants out of mental hospital A July 26 hearing was set Monday in Shasta County Superior Court for a 29-year-old Redding man who wants to be released from Napa State Hospital on an outpatient basis. Jason George Dunn, who cut off his own hands with a radial saw after attacking and stabbing his father with a pair of scissors in June 2013, was committed in June 2014 to the state mental health hospital. Dunn, who had both hands surgically reattached, took a plea bargain in 2014, pleading guilty to assault with a deadly weapon and a related enhancement. As part of the plea bargain, Dunn was found not guilty of his crimes by reason of insanity and committed to Napa State Hospital for treatment. Alleged robber ordered to trial A Ventura man has been ordered by a Shasta County Superior Court judge to stand trial for allegedly robbing a Redding bank in 2015. Michael William Michaelis, 26, who was recently arrested on a warrant in connection with the Jan. 21, 2015 robbery of Tri Counties Bank on Westside Road, is due back in court June 30 to set a trial date. He has pleaded not guilty. As he submitted his May revision of the state budget, now mostly enacted, Gov. Jerry Brown won praise both for its relative stinginess and for the fact it included one addition aiming to ensure more attention to safety from big utilities regulated by the state's Public Utilities Commission. At almost the same moment, the PUC opened a reconsideration of its 2014 decision on distributing costs from the 2012 failure of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, a ruling that previously dunned consumers more than 70 percent of the $4.7 billion cost for closing San Onofre. And Brown signed a bill requiring extensive testing of wells at the Aliso Canyon storage facility maintained by the Southern California Gas Co. in northern Los Angeles before that site can reopen and once again produce large profits for the company. And yet, all this is plainly too little and too late. Brown inflicted no penalties at all not even a word of criticism on his PUC appointees who repeatedly voted for the San Onofre ruling, even after the revelation that it was negotiated in a secret meeting between the PUC's disgraced former president and an executive since departed from the Southern California Edison Co. He said not a word about blackmailing lies from the PUC, the state Energy Commission and other state agencies that co-wrote an April study threatening electricity blackouts unless Aliso Canyon is reopened soon. Those falsehoods exposed, even conceded during a May legislative hearing have nevertheless been repeated often since. Brown also punished no one at the state prison department after it admitted the falsehood of a longtime claim that serious criminals have never been sent to low-security firefighting camps. There's been more since then, even some direct Brown hypocrisy over shipping coal from Utah through Oakland to Asian markets. Turns out Brown, who famously told Pope Francis last spring that "90 percent of the coal" reserves worldwide "can never be taken out of the ground" because of climate change, has a financial interest in coal trains and ships. Oakland magazine reported that public records show he owns a stake valued between $100,000 and $1 million in Evergreen Park Plaza LLC, a real estate venture that figures to profit if coal is exported through the former Oakland Army Base, where its parent company is the master developer. The parent firm is controlled by Brown's friend Phil Tagami, who also hosted his 2005 wedding. Then there's the small matter of the PUC and Energy Commission quietly entering into a confidentiality agreement without any public hearings. Their pact would "ensure the nondisclosure of any inspection, investigation or enforcement-related confidential information shared between the (commissions)." This deal was part of the consent calendar in the Energy Commission's May 17 meeting, where it passed without comment. It aims to keep the public in the dark about new safety problems that might arise at utilities regulated by both powerful commissions. This is all the very opposite of the transparency the governor promised in 2010 while campaigning to return to the office he held for eight years in the 1970s and '80s. Plus, this spring Brown vetoed a bill requiring that people s trying to influence state procurement practices register as lobbyists. The Fair Political Practices Commission had already labeled this bill, possibly influencing billions of dollars in state spending, as a "significant burden" in which there is no "significant problem." Brown echoed this in his veto statement, saying "I don't believe this bill is necessary." But that bill just might have helped save his former chief of staff, Gray Davis, who later became governor, only to be undone in part by a procurement scandal in which the Oracle software company donated $25,000 to his campaign less than a day after getting a large state contract. No one knows if a measure like this could have spared Davis all that trouble and humiliation and prevented Arnold Schwarzenegger from becoming governor. What's certain is that Brown's administration is anything but open and transparent, with few, if any, consequences for corruption and lies, even when they are copiously documented. The small positive moves Brown made in May didn't go nearly far enough to fix this problem and he has yet to speak his first words about much of what's been happening on his watch. Email Thomas Elias at tdelias@aol.com. SHARE Meeting in a disarmingly modest room in postwar Philadelphia, this country's founders managed to hash out a document that has served us for better than 200 years through every imaginable kind of change and challenge. How did it last so long, so well? The answer, in no small part, is simplicity. The U.S. Constitution is not a terribly long document, even in its elaborate 18th century script. And the Bill of Rights fits on a single large page. The entirety of press and speech freedom is protected by 10 of the First Amendment's 45 words. We would do well to remember this when writing new laws today. Yes, it's a long way from the august heights of our nation's founding document to the workaday language of a city of Redding ordinance that seeks to crack down on massage parlors acting as fronts for prostitution. But the principle applies. Council members will have a busy night Tuesday, but one of their decisions should be a relatively easy one. Make the darned thing simpler. City Attorney Barry DeWalt has recommended the council consider a pair of amendments to an ordinance that's less than a month old, regulating businesses that provide massages. Whether or not the issue should have been brought up sooner, it's good to see the willingness to immediately go back and fix a mistake. Both changes would eliminate over-specific requirements. While we don't claim to be experts on these issues, they seem to be matters of common sense, and worthwhile in the interest of allowing honest businesses to thrive without undue regulation. First, it seems a little absurd to require a doctor's note for a massage therapist to work on the muscles of the gluteus. They are, after all, the largest muscles of the human body. They get sore and tight just like those of the calves and shoulders. We all understand what the ordinance is trying to do here, but the micromanaging language goes too far. Let massage therapists and clients work out for themselves whether that's a needed, and welcome, part of the treatment. Second, DeWalt proposes to drop the language about businesses that offer massage serving alcohol. Again, common sense should prevail. If a spa with a license from the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control offers its clients a glass of chardonnay between a pedicure and a back massage, is it all of a sudden a house of ill repute? We strongly support the efforts to rid our community of human trafficking and to try as hard as possible to keep the world's oldest profession from intruding on our shopping centers. Those goals ultimately will be undermined by rules that are too restrictive and written with the hope of anticipating every problem that might arise. This isn't just a good point to make about the massage parlor ordinance. It's good policy, in general, if we hope to craft local rules that can stand the test of time and that don't needlessly intrude on businesses and individual rights in the process. The council should start by adopting the proposed amendments and thanking its attorney for quickly suggesting them. A toast to summer solstice, a new ping pong emporium and more things to do in Chicago on Tuesday, June 21. EAT Now Open Advertisement Aire 100 W. Monroe St. 312-236-1234 Advertisement Sip cocktails ($13-$14) or craft beers ($8-$9) paired with snacks including steak empanadas ($11) and Korean barbecue chicken lettuce wraps ($14) around an open fireplace or beneath an umbrella at the rooftop bar on the 24th floor of Hyatt Centric The Loop Chicago. 3:30-11 p.m. DRINK Fountainhead (Daniel Blackman / ) Summer Solstice Sunset Toast Fountainhead 1970 W. Montrose Ave. 773-697-8204 Raise a glass of Anderson Valley Summer Solstice ale or other beers from the California brewery, including Briney Melon gose and Rosy Barl sour ale ($6-$9), on the Ravenswood bar's rooftop. 7 p.m. No cover. Summer Kick-Off Party The Harding Tavern 2732 N. Milwaukee Ave. 773-697-9340 Play bags on the Logan Square bar's patio against a team from Brooklyn Brewery for a shot at winning swag and try their Summer Ale ($5), Sorachi Ace farmhouse saison ($9) and Bel-Air sour ale ($9) or a flight of all three ($13). 7-10 p.m. No cover. Advertisement Now Open Eat. Watch. Do. Weekly What to eat. What to watch. What you need to live your best life ... now. > AceBounce 230 N. Clark St. 773-219-0900 The 14,500-square-foot pingpong emporium opens with a restaurant and bar, which feature a roster of craft cocktails, beer, wine and bar bites alongside a full menu. 4 p.m.-midnight. No cover. DO Read With Literacy Works The Taproom at Lagunitas Brewing Company Advertisement 2607 W. 17th St. 773-543-2784 Pulitzer Prize finalist Luis Urrea reads from his books and discusses the themes of his writing. Tickets include tamales, and beers are available for $5. 5:30-8:30 p.m. $15. Tickets: litworks.org HAPPY HOUR OF THE DAY Smack Shack (326 N. Morgan St. 312-973-1336) offers two mini lobster rolls and a draft beer at the bar for $10 from 3-6 p.m. Ten people suspected of misappropriating gas have already been remanded into custody in Ukraine. On June 19, Kyiv's Solomiansky District Court ordered that Vasyl Pyhuliak, who has been accused of misappropriating gas extracted in Ukraine, be remanded into custody for two months or post bail. Ukrainian Anti-Corruption Bureau Director Artem Sytnyk said on June 15 that criminal group members had been identified as part of an investigation into abuses committed by a number of MPs and high-ranking officials when selling gas extracted jointly with PJSC Ukrgazvydobuvannia. MP Oleksandr Onyschenko is implicated in this case. Sytnyk also said that ten out of the criminal group's 20 members had been detained and investigators were working with them. PJSC Ukrgazvydobuvannia employees are among the 20 people involved in this criminal scheme, he said. On June 17, the head of the Ukrainian Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, Nazar Kholodnytsky, said that the investigating judge had ordered that the enterprise's head, whom law enforcement agencies accused of being involved in the criminal arrangements when selling gas extracted jointly with PJSC Ukrgazvydobuvannia, be remanded into custody or post bail of UAH 200 million. Early on June 18, the Holosiyivsky District Court of Kyiv ordered that Naftogaz Ukrainy's former Deputy CEO Oleksandr Katsuba be remanded into custody for two months or post bail of UAH 450 million. Later on Saturday the 112 Ukraine television station reported that Kyiv's Solomiansky District Court had ordered that Valeriy Posny, one of the ten suspects in the gas misappropriation case, be remanded into custody for 60 days or post bail of UAH 1 million. Another suspect, Oleh Riaboshapka, was also remanded into custody for two months or may post bail of UAH 1.5 million. One more suspect, Vladyslav Kupriyanenko, was remanded into custody for two months or may post bail of UAH 20 million. The 112. Ukraine TV channel also said on Saturday evening that Kyiv's Solomiansky District Court had ordered that Lesia Zhelezniak, another suspect in this case, be remanded into custody for 60 days or post bail of UAH 50 million. Mykyta Ivanov was remanded into custody for two months or may post bail of UAH 50 million. Dissenting voices appear over the perception of the internet as a driver of growth, says Ajit Balakrishnan This is not how it is supposed to happen in a country where the internet, smartphones and hot apps have been all pervasive for the past decade: US labour productivity, a measure of how much output you achieve per hour of work, declined during the first quarter of 2016. That is to say, every American (excluding farm workers) had to work more hours to achieve the same output. Our belief and faith in technology since the Industrial Revolution has been technology's magical power to help humans achieve more for the same amount of work, be it spinning yarn, weaving cloth, transporting people or cooking our dinner. We love this because you can use that extra time to do more work and earn more or just have fun. Looked at from another angle, this additional productivity that technology provides allows employers to pay their workers more per hour because of the extra output achieved. This statistic of US productivity decline had led to much speculation. It must be because of all those young people in offices spending most of their time sending text messages to their friends and making social media postings instead of working, say the techno-sceptics, who in any case had not laid much store on these devices and apps as productivity enhancing innovations. Others blame falling educational standards, which do a poor job of imparting job-related skills and attitudes. Others, outside America, raise the question, if the internet and related innovations have not resulted in productivity increase in America where the internet is affordable and used by practically the whole population, what is in store for countries like India, where the internet reaches barely a tenth of the population? Is the internet just a fun thing to do like TV and radio and not really a cornerstone of future economic growth and prosperity as we imagined it to be? What is even more unsettling is that the productivity decline just reported is the fourth such decline in the past six quarters. And, looking farther back, it is part of nearly a decade of poor productivity growth in America, which some thinkers predict will have profound effects on American society because of the accompanying side effects: wages not growing for a decade or more leading to falling living standards and, hold your breath, the rise of populist politicians who then blame outsiders, imports, people of other religions, and so on. There is even a well-regarded book by a Northwestern University economics professor Richard Gordon, The Rise and Fall of American Productivity, which cautions against excessive techno-optimism. Prof Gordon has for a long time argued that the information technology breakthroughs of our time are not of the same level as the Five Great Inventions of the 1870 to 1970 period: electricity, sanitation in cities, chemicals, the internal combustion engine and the telephone. He even sees those inventions and the prosperity they generated as probably a one-time event, not to be seen again, and predicts a future of falling living standards! What makes all this intriguing is that scholars have not yet fully deciphered the complex ways technologies and societies interact with each other. Take, for example, the path through which e-commerce is working its way through Indian society. By far the largest category of goods transacted in India's e-commerce is mobile phones and accessories. These typically start out in a Chinese factory, from which wholesale importers in India buy it, add a three to five per cent margin and sell it to, for example, a state-level distributor for Maharashtra, who in turn adds a three to five per cent mark-up and sells it to a city-level distributor, say, in Pune. This distributor in turn adds a mark-up of three to five per cent and sells it to a shop in Pune, which then adds a mark-up of three to five per cent and sells it to you and me. When an e-commerce player enters this scene, it procures this stuff directly from the Chinese factory, saving itself the 12-20 per cent margin that the intermediaries in the chain enjoy and sells it directly to you and me through its e-commerce website at a price 10-15 per cent lower than we would get from a normal shop. Whether this disintermediation, the elimination of multiple intermediaries, is a good thing or a bad thing depends on which side of the social and economic fence you sit on. As a consumer, you love the savings, as an economist you love the idea of more being accomplished with lesser human beings (that is after all productivity), but if are one of these intermediaries, you will howl with outrage at your means of living being taken away from you. India being India, there is an additional twist to this tale: the total value of all these mobile phones and similar electronic stuff imported into India in a year is about $ 50 billion, so the amounts that are distributed throughout these chain of intermediaries is about $6-8 billion, and so, these "intermediaries" are very well-to-do folks indeed and are big investors in real estate and have strong links to political parties. How fast and deep e-commerce penetrates in India is going to depend on which of these forces play out. Prof Gordon, in his book, provocatively asks us to choose between two options: with one option you keep 2002 electronic technology, including your Windows 98 laptop and you can keep your running water and indoor toilet, but you cant use anything invented since 2002. With the other option you get everything invented in the past decade, including social media, your smartphone with 4G connection, but you have to give up running water and indoor toilets. You have to haul the water into your dwelling, he says, and carry out the waste. "Even at 3 am on a rainy night, your only toilet option is a wet and perhaps muddy walk to the outhouse. "Which option would you choose? The perplexing productivity statistics that have been reported in America, and which may start appearing in other countries as well, may be the result of such complex choices that individuals and groups within a society make when faced with technological innovation. Image: An employee in the start-up village in Kinfra High Tech Park in Kochi, Kerala. Photograph: Sivaram V/Reuters. Image has been used for representational purpose only. Ajit Balakrishnan, the founder and CEO of rediff.com, is the author of The Wave Rider: A Chronicle of the Information Age. You can reach him at ajitb@rediffmail.com. Businesses have been reluctant to talk about contingency plans for Brexit Jaguar Land Rover, Britain's biggest carmaker, estimates its annual profit could be cut by 1 billion pounds ($1.47 billion) by the end of the decade if Britain leaves the European Union, according to two sources familiar with the company's thinking. The worst-case-scenario estimate is in internal documents seen by both sources that were prepared by the firm's chief economist, David Rea, to outline the possible consequences if Britons vote to leave the world's biggest trading bloc in Thursday's referendum. It gives an insight into the level of concern at a major company about the uncertainties of a future outside the EU. The rapidly-expanding firm, which traces its history back to 1922 and is headquartered in Coventry, central England, has also looked into opening a European office were Britain to quit the bloc, both sources said. It has also put on hold starting major work on a plant in Slovakia announced in December as well as negotiations on a deal to lease property at Silverstone race track because of the uncertainty surrounding Thursday's vote, they said. The 1 billion pound decline in pre-tax profit by 2020 would apply if Britain returned to World Trade Organisation rules for trade with Europe, involving a 10 per cent tariff on exports and an inbound tariff of roughly 4 per cent on components, the sources said. "It may at worst cost us about 1 billion pounds," said one of the sources when asked how Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) had phrased the wording in the 89-page report, entitled 'Referendum: The View'. A second source said the number had featured in an internal presentation shown to the board. The company made a 2015/16 pre-tax profit of pound 1.6 billion. JLR, which is owned by India's Tata Motors, sold almost a quarter of its over 520,000 cars in its largest market Europe last year, confirmed it had looked into the impact of Brexit. "As part of our standard business planning process, we regularly look at macro-economic and geo-political developments around the world," a JLR spokesman said in an emailed statement. "Like any other responsible global business, we have analysed the impact of any potential UK departure from the EU. However, we are not discussing details of any internal business analysis." Businesses have been reluctant to talk about contingency plans for Brexit but carmaker Ford, which only builds engines in Britain, said it could face tariffs of 2.7 per cent on engine exports and import tariffs of up to 10 per cent on incoming vehicles, according to a copy of a letter sent to employees on Monday seen by Reuters. 'Leave' campaigners argue that Britain should be able to negotiate a tariff-less trade with France and Germany for its cars because French and German models are so popular with British drivers. Deeply worried The work, which has been updated several times since it was first prepared for the board with input from the company's sales, marketing and tax departments last summer, features three other scenarios including Britain remaining in the single market, the second source said. The two other post-Brexit scenarios look at Britain taking several years to negotiate a deal to remain in the single market or agreeing a trade deal imposing low tariffs costing JLR in the low hundreds of millions, the source said. A hit to JLR would be a big blow to Britain's resurgent car industry, which has been lauded by politicians as a sign of the country's manufacturing prowess and is on course to reach an all-time production high of nearly 2 million cars by 2020. JLR, which built nearly one in three of Britain's 1.6 million cars last year, is undergoing a major expansion of its lineup, and has joined the rest of the overwhelmingly foreign-owned car industry in calling on Britons to remain in the bloc. It opened a small overseas facility in Brazil last week. However, a hit to profit could impact the company's ability to fund further expansion. Some projects have been put on hold until the outcome of the referendum is clear, according to the sources. JLR fully funds its investments without support from parent Tata Motors, executives have said. The cost of investment contributed to a 40 per cent decline in its 2015-16 pre-tax profit. "They are deeply worried about being outside of the EU...They have been holding off on meaningful expenditure," the second source said. In December, JLR sealed a deal to build a 1-billion pound plant in Slovakia with an annual output of 300,000 cars partly in a bid to help it better deal with fluctuations in the value of sterling. But the sources said construction of the factory, which could become vital for JLR's European businesses if a vote for Brexit brought new trade tariffs, has yet to start. The sources also said a decision on Silverstone had been delayed until after the referendum. European office JLR could open an office in Brussels were Britain to leave the EU to maintain influence with European policymakers, both sources said, with the first source saying Luxembourg was also an option. That source said JLR could make the office its European headquarters but the second source said JLR would retain its British HQ. A spokesman at the firm said: "Jaguar Land Rover is a British company and our headquarters will remain in the UK." JLR is Britain's biggest builder of high-end and premium models and is one of the many small and premium automakers benefiting from more lenient EU rules including on emissions, due to low sales volumes compared to mass manufacturers. "Having an office close to Brussels would allow them to maintain influence post any deal," the second source said. CEO Ralph Speth, who has consistently spoken out in favour of continued EU membership, wrote to workers on Monday warning of the possible consequences of a Brexit on the firm. "It is inevitable that we would face increasing and higher tariffs, making our products less competitive in Europe," he said in a copy of the letter seen by Reuters. Additional reporting by Tatiana Jancarikova in Bratislava Photograph: Alex Domanski/Reuters The limit of foreign direct investment in domestic carriers was raised from 49 per cent to 100 per cent to attract investments. Foreign investors, barring overseas airlines, can now have up to 100 per cent stake in local carriers, the government said on Monday. The government also eased the process for 100 per cent foreign direct investment in brownfield airport projects (or expansion of existing projects). FDI in brownfield projects will now be through the automatic route and this can boost development of government and privately owned-airports. The limit of foreign direct investment in domestic carriers was raised from 49 per cent to 100 per cent to attract investments. The announcement, coming a week after the national civil aviation policy was unveiled, aims to make flying affordable by attracting more players. But the note came with a rider -- the cap on investment by a foreign airline in an Indian carrier remained at 49 per cent. Foreign airlines would continue to be allowed to invest in capital of Indian companies operating scheduled and non-scheduled air transport services up to the limit of 49 of their paid-up capital, said a statement from the government. This ruled out the possibility of, say, Singapore Airlines, Air Asia Bhd or Etihad assuming controlling stakes in their Indian arms or ventures. The relaxation of rules in 2012 saw Etihad, AirAsia and Singapore Airlines invest in India. At present Etihad owns 24 per cent in Jet Airways while AirAsia and Singapore Airlines own 49 per cent in AirAsia India and Vistara respectively. We are happy with the partnership that we have with Tata Sons and at this point there are no plans for changes to our 49 per cent ownership of Vistara, a Singapore Airlines spokesperson said. We value our strategic partnership with Jet Airways and will carefully examine the government decision made on a revision of the FDI rules in the civil aviation sector, Etihad Airways said in a statement. In a television interview AirAsia's group chief executive officer Tony Fernandes termed the modification in FDI norms as progressive and said AirAsia would like to increase its stake in its Indian airline if rules permit it. However aviation experts were cautious in welcoming the policy. Experts said the risks associated with the Indian aviation sector would keep investors away from airline stocks. While the increase in FDI for aviation is welcome as it will allow flexibility, we are unlikely to see investors suddenly rushing to invest in airlines just because the cap of 49 per cent has been removed, said Peeyush Naidu, partner, Deloitte India. Also, remember that investment by foreign airlines is still capped at 49 per cent -- so it remains to be seen whether other investors such as private equities and the likes would have the risk appetite to make such investments. Foreign institutional stake in Indian carriers is still low and remains in the single-digit zone despite the sector growing at 20 per cent, primarily due to low crude oil price. Stakes of foreign institutional investors in the three listed Indian airlines of Indigo, Jet Airways and Spice Jet stood at 6.06, 4.61 and 3.03 per cent, respectively. With non-airline investors now being allowed to own 100 per cent in an airline, some have said that foreign airlines might exercise the option of forming a joint venture to set up an airline. A foreign airline can join hands with its sovereign fund or private investors and set up a 100 per cent foreign-owned airline in India, said Amber Dubey, partner and India head of aerospace and defence at KPMG. While the government relaxed the FDI norms it has not clarified on whether it is amending the rule pertaining to ownership and control of airline by Indians. The image is used for representational purpose only. Photograph: Sean Gallup/Getty Images Arora will resign less than two years since he joined the Japanese Internet conglomerate Nearly 24 hours after Nikesh Arora, representative director, resident and chief operating officer of SoftBank Group (SBG) was given a clean chit, he decided to resign. Arora, however, would remain an advisor to SoftBank. Masa to continue to be CEO for 5-10 years, respect that. Learnt a lot. Clean chit from board after thorough review. Time for me to move on, Arora tweeted. The man behind big-bang investments in start-ups such as Snapdeal, OYO Rooms and Housing.com, has been in the eye of the storm. He recently faced investor ire for allegedly making a series of questionable transactions and having a poor track record with the investments made. There were also allegations of conflict of interest. Arora, who took over as president of SoftBank in May 2015, was the heir apparent to billionaire CEO Masayoshi Son. However, in a statement on Tuesday, SoftBank said differences between Arora and Masayoshi Son, chairman and CEO of SBG, over when the former ought to take over the leadership of SoftBank led to Aroras departure. Masayoshi Son, chairman and CEO of SBG, had been considering Arora as a strong candidate for succession. Sons intention was to keep leading the group in various aspects for the time being, while Arora wished to take over the lead in a few years time. The difference of expected timelines between the two led to Aroras resignation from the position of representative director and director of SBG, with the expiration of term of office, SoftBank said in a statement, on its company website. Arora, on Monday, had received a clean chit from a special committee of independent members of its board of directors set up to review allegations. SBG further said Arora would resign from the position, with the expiration of term of office at the conclusion of the 36th annual general meeting of shareholders. Son, in a statement, said he would continue as CEO longer than planned and Arora, who he recruited two years ago, would step down to pursue a different path. I was thinking of handing over my job as CEO when I turn 60, but thought maybe Im still a bit too young, and still have energy to continue, said 58-year-old Son in a statement. Arora, who was earlier with Google, assumed the position of vice-chairman of SBG and CEO of SB Group US, Inc. (former SoftBank Internet and Media, Inc) in September 2014, and has been involved in the execution of the growth strategy of the group. In January this year, when Son came to India to take part in Startup India, he said he was betting on India emerging bigger than China. He also said SBG has invested around $2 billion in Indian firms in the past one year and will look at scaling up investment to $10 billion the following year. The Japanese telecommunications major has been on a selling spree. Earlier this month, it said it planned to sell $10 billion worth of Alibaba shares to help pare interest-laden debt. Not just Vietnam, but other countries in the region like Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand have also expressed an interest in acquiring the BrahMos cruise missile. Debalina Ghoshal explains the significance of the move. The range of the BrahMos cruise missile, a joint venture between India and Russia, was restricted to 290 km since Moscow was a member of the Missile Technology Control Regime. The MTCR does not permit member-States to co-develop missiles with other countries or sell missiles (nuclear-capable) above the range of 300 km and a payload capacity of 500 kg. When the BrahMos was developed, India had not been granted membership of the MTCR. Thus, the 290km-range cruise missile opened the doors for India to make this missile for export in the future even if it was not granted MTCR membership. However, in June 2016, India was granted membership to the Missile Technology Control Regime. The MTCR membership further strengthens Indias legitimacy for the sale of missile technology to other countries. One of the countries that had for long expressed interest in acquiring the BrahMos cruise missiles was Vietnam. The possibility of the sale of the BrahMos cruise missiles to Vietnam has drawn attention, as also criticism from China. Recent reports confirm that India and Vietnam are once again discussing the possibilities of the sale of the BrahMos missiles; both the countries are involved in territorial disputes with China, the former over the Line of Actual Control and the latter in the South China Sea. India and Vietnam have discussed the possibility of the sale of BrahMos cruise missiles for quite some time now, but India was careful to not annoy China with any strategically destabilising move. However, Chinas string of pearls strategy vis-a-vis India in the South Asian region, especially Chinas alliance with Pakistan, its efforts to strengthen defence ties with Sri Lanka are all an annoyance for New Delhi. Moreover, India is also concerned about Chinas One Belt One Road initiative. On the other hand, Chinas increased assertiveness and muscle-flexing in the South China Sea through increased naval presence, has not been viewed in positive light by many of the South East Asian countries, Vietnam being one. In January 2015, Vietnam's vice minister of defence, Senior Lt Gen Nguyen Chi Vinh, was quoted saying: Because of the very drastic change in regional security, it has set the need for a closer cooperation between our two countries -- mostly in terms of strategic partnership. Vietnam had realised long back its navys weakness of not being able to project its force in the outer areas of the Exclusive Economic Zone and such cooperation will only enable Vietnam to at least contain China. Vietnam is modernising its defence forces as a result of its territorial disputes with China, and India could be a crucial partner. In May 2015, India and Vietnam signed the joint vision statement on defence cooperation from 2015-20 to bolster defence ties, including naval cooperation between the two countries. During his recent visit to Vietnam, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar met his Vietnamese counterpart Gen Ngo Xuan Lich to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation. Recently, Indian naval ships arrived in Vietnam and Philippines to discuss naval cooperation between the nations. This was during Indias participation in the Malabar joint naval drills between the US, Japan and India near Diaoyu or Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, an island China and Japan dispute over. As India strengthens its Act East policy, defence, technological and economic cooperation with South East Asian countries would remain a priority. Not just Vietnam, but other countries in the region like Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand, have also expressed an interest in acquiring the BrahMos cruise missile. On the economic front, India has also restarted its oil exploration in the disputed South China Sea in the Vietnamese exclusive economic zone despite Chinas objections. Reports also suggest that the Indian Space Research Organisation has a satellite tracking and data receiving station and a data processing facility in Vietnam for the Association of South East Asian Nations members to use. Indias sale of BrahMos would likely be a strategic decision which would be determined by Chinas growing influence in the Indian Ocean and its unprecedented support to Pakistan, as also Beijings OBOR initiative and its objection to India's NSG membership. The author is an independent consultant who was previously associated with Delhi-based think tanks Centre for Air Power Studies and the Delhi Policy Group. A Bihar court on Tuesday remanded Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh, the alleged mastermind of the toppers scam in the Bihar intermediate examination, and his former JD-U MLA wife Usha Sinha, to a 14-day-long judicial custody. M I Khan/Rediff.com reports from Patna. Former Bihar School Examination Board chairman Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh, his wife Usha Sinha and five others were on Tuesday remanded in 14 days judicial custody in connection with the intermediate toppers scam. Special vigilance judge Raghvendra Kumar Singh passed the order after the seven were produced in his court in the wake of the special investigation team, probing the intermediate toppers scam, slapped charges against them under the provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The court has sent both Singh and his wife to Beur jail in Patna, a police official told Rediff.com. Lalkeshwar and Usha, a former Janata Dal-United MLA, besides Prabhat Jaiswal who had provided refuge to them for over a week when they went into hiding, were produced before the court a day after they were arrested from Varanasi in connection with the scandal. They were brought to Patna on Tuesday on transmit remand. Four other accused - Kumari Shakuntala, principal of Rambriksh Benipuri Mahila Vidyalaya, Muzaffarpur; Rita Kumari, a teacher of Gandhi Higher School, Bharwal, Muzaffarpur; Nandkishore Yadav, a committee member of Kishun Rai College, Bhagwanganj, Muzaffarpur; and Nishu Singh, of Bidupur in Vaishali district, were arrested from different places by the SIT and were also produced in the vigilance court. All the seven accused have been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The scam had rocked Bihar earlier this month after Ruby Rai, a student of Vishun Roy College in Vaishali district who had topped in the arts category, failed to answered basic questions and went on to describe political science as 'prodigal science' that taught cooking. Embarrassed by the irregularities, the state government had ordered a SIT probe in the matter during which Bachcha Rai, the principal of VishunRoyCollege, was arrested besides some other accused persons. The SIT subsequently booked Lalkeshwar and his wife Usha, a former principal of the Ganga Devi women's college in Patna, in the intermediate toppers scam, but the couple dodged arrest and went underground for over a week before being finally arrested from Varanasi. If Jaitley is finalised for the First Citizen's post, Modi will have scored two strategic goals, reports Rajeev Sharma. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is emerging among the frontline candidates of the Bharatiya Janata Party for the Presidential election due in July 2017, it is reliably learnt. This may well be the biggest national political news since Narendra Modi was made the BJP's prime ministerial candidate in September 2013. Jaitley is perhaps eminently qualified to pull off a Pranab Mukherjee, considering the fact that he is the only minister in the Union Cabinet whom Modi regularly consults on political and administrative issues. Unarguably, Jaitley is as close to Modi as Mukherjee was to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, and the prime minister would have to accommodate his personal choice just as Sonia Gandhi had done in Mukherjee's case. For his part, Modi seems to have realised that he can't have everything as per his wishes as it's an open secret as to how much he is dependent on Jaitley and has always been loath to the idea of replacing him with someone else as finance minister. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has been pressing Modi to allocate the crucial finance portfolio to someone else as the economy under Jaitley hasn't exactly fired on all cylinders. But Modi has stood his ground and fobbed off all attempts to replace Jaitley. Other strategic considerations seem to have changed Modi's mind and he is perhaps now more open to the idea of a Cabinet without Jaitley, not unlike the manner in which Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi reconciled themselves to the idea of running UPA 2 without that reservoir of all political and parliamentary knowledge, Pranab Mukherjee. That's why Modi is learnt to have communicated to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat his personal opinion about the BJP's two potential Presidential candidates, the other being veteran BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi. Dr Joshi's name was included at the RSS' behest and he is not Modi's Presidential choice. Joshi is known to be fairly close to influential sections within the RSS and just a few days ago shared the stage with Bhagwat at a function in the national capital. Now a word about the other strategic considerations that Modi may have if Jaitley becomes the BJP's Presidential candidate. By doing so, Modi will get a chance of having another go at kickstarting the economy with a new finance minister at the helm, thus showing the world how serious he is in his efforts at economic and political reforms in tune with the international community's aspirations. Second, Modi will build a new rapport with the RSS leadership, particularly Bhagwat, ahead of the crucial Uttar Pradesh assembly election, a luxury he did not have during the Bihar assembly election six months ago. Tthe Presidential race is at a very early stage. It's like a page-turner thriller where you should expect the unexpected. Rajeev Sharma, an independent journalist and political analyst, tweets @kishkindha In an unusual move, Chinas state media on Tuesday defended Pakistans nuclear record, saying it was A Q Khan who was responsible for atomic proliferation which was not backed by the government and argued that any exemption to India for Nuclear Suppliers Group entry should also be given to Pakistan. While India strives for Nuclear Suppliers Group inclusion, it prevents Pakistan from joining by insisting on the latters bad record of nuclear proliferation. Actually, the proliferation carried out by Pakistan was done by Abdul Qadeer Khan, Pakistans chief nuclear scientist, and was not an official policy of the Pakistani government, an article in the state-run Global Times said. Khan was punished by the government afterwards with several years of house arrest. If the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty and the NSG can give India an exemption, it should apply to Pakistan as well, it said. This is probably the first time Chinese official media has directly made a case for Pakistans inclusion in the NSG. China officially maintains that there should be consensus about admitting all members. China and other countries are opposed to NSG including India while excluding Pakistan, because it means solving Indias problem but creating another bigger problem. If India joins hands with Pakistan to seek NSG membership, it seems more pragmatic than joining alone, said the article titled China no barrier to India joining NSG. India and Pakistan conducted nuclear tests in 1998, which were condemned by the international community, and the United States, the European Union and Japan all imposed harsh sanctions on the two countries. After the September 11 attacks, the sanctions were gradually lifted. The US even signed with India a Civil Nuclear Agreement and backs Indias bid to join NSG. But the issue of the legitimacy of Indias nuclear status has not been solved, it said. If India and Pakistan are allowed to join the NPT and adopt the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, it will tarnish the authority of both. How can nuclear weapons development in other countries such as North Korea, Iran and Israel be dealt with, the article said. The article put the blame of proliferation from Pakistan squarely on nuclear scientist Khan. Khan was disgraced in 2004 when he was forced to accept responsibility for nuclear technology proliferation and was made to live a life of official house arrest. In 2009, the Islamabad High Court declared Khan to be a free citizen of Pakistan, allowing him free movement inside the country. The article came as the NSG began its meeting in Seoul, even as the Chinese foreign ministry said Indias admission is not on the agenda. The NSG remains divided over non-NPT countries like India becoming its members, Chinas foreign ministry had said on Monday less than 24 hours after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had exuded hope that we would be able to convince China to support our entry to the NSG. We understand that non-NPT countries are concerned about their entry into the NSG. But since NSG is still divided about the issue, so it is still not mature to talk about the entry issue in the annual conference in Seoul, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying had said. The NSG plenary meeting started Monday and will end Friday in Seoul. In a bid to become a member of NSG, the Indian government has launched a diplomatic offensive and Indian President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have embarked on foreign visits to win support from NSG member states, the article said. The NSG was set up by a group of countries that have civil nuclear technology, equipment and material export capabilities. It aims to achieve nuclear non-proliferation by preventing civil nuclear technology and material from being used to develop nuclear weapons, it noted. A country must meet four requirements to become a member of the NSG. It must have the capacity to export civil nuclear technologies; it must abide by the guidelines of the NSG; it must have signed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons or other regional non-proliferation treaties, the article said. It also needs to provide overarching and integrated legislation prohibiting unlawful activities in relation to Weapons of Mass Destruction and their delivery systems, it said. As a nuclear power, India has acquired the ability to export civil nuclear technologies. The NSG allows member countries to export civil nuclear technology, equipment and material to India. Indias struggle to enter the NSG is also aimed at joining the global civil nuclear market, it added. The article stated that despite not being an NSG member, India has been sticking to NSG guidelines and implementing rigorous export control policies to prevent nuclear proliferation. India also meets the last requirement and was admitted to membership of the Missile Technology Control Regime early this month, it said. The direct obstacle for India joining the NSG is that it has not signed the NPT or any other regional non-proliferation pact. The only exception for a non-NPT signatory is if it obtains consent from all NSG members. Countries such as Norway, New Zealand, South Africa and China all hold reservations about Indias inclusion into the NSG, the article said. But some Indian media and scholars simply put the blame on China, accusing China of being hostile toward India, which misses the point, the article said. India joining NSG does not harm Chinas own interests. India advocates nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament and commits itself to no-first-use of nuclear weapons as China does. It could also help enhance bilateral cooperation in civil nuclear energies. Measures that can boost mutual trust could be established among China, India and Pakistan, the three nuclear powers in Asia, it said. Is it that simple that as long as India signs the NPT, it can join NSG? The source of conflicts comes from the dilemma of such mechanisms in accepting both India and Pakistan, the article said. It is generally reckoned that countries that conducted nuclear tests before the UN General Assembly adopted the CTBT in 1996 are legitimate nuclear countries, while those that did so after the adoption of the CTBT are considered illegitimate, it argued. If the US is sincere in supporting Indias NSG membership, it should not just cast its eyes on Indias nuclear market. It should solve Indias nuclear status first so as to eradicate the contradictions between India and the existing international nuclear non-proliferation mechanism, it said. Pakistan's Interior Minister on Monday alleged that Hindu "extremist groups" like the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Shiv Sena are the "biggest hurdle" to normalisation of Indo-Pak ties as he asked External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to name the "forces" which she said are against good bilateral relations. "If the Indian foreign minister is serious and determined for (good) ties with Pakistan, then she should not talk through riddles or try for political point scoring. In fact, she should clarify and point out which forces in her opinion were against good ties between Pakistan and India," Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan said. Khan was reacting to Swaraj's remarks that there are forces which do not want good relations between the prime ministers of the two countries and better ties between the two neighbours. The Pakistani minister said in his opinion "extremist groups like the RSS, the Shiv Sena and the Abhinav Bharat were the biggest hurdle in the way of normalisation of ties as such groups have influence over the Indian government." "If the Indian government was serious in normalisation of ties, then why it has closed doors for talks," Khan said. He also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech in the United States Congress, sarcastically saying that "each word used by him showed his friendship policy" for Pakistan. Khan said Sharif's relations with any world leader were above his personal relations and Indian foreign minister should not try to portray Sharif-Modi relations as personal. Swaraj on Sunday said Pakistan has not refused to allow an National Investigation Agency team to visit that country to probe the Pathankot airbase attack case and just sought "more time". She had said the "warmth and ease" in relationship between Modi and Sharif can help resolve complex issues between the two neighbours. Actor-turned-politician Ambareesh, who resigned as a MLA after being dropped as a Karnataka minister, on Tuesday hit out at Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over the move, saying are we like slippers to use and throw away. We should have been sent in a dignified way. That is only my objection nothing else. Are we like slippers to use and then throw? said Ambareesh, as the ruling Congress grappled with the flare up of discontent in the aftermath of Sundays major ministry reshuffle. The sulking actor-turned-politician said he was ill-treated by Siddaramaiah. Maintaining that he was not informed by the chief minister about dropping him, Ambareesh also asked: Is it dictatorship or Hitlers rule to just throw away (ministers)? The rejig that saw 14 ministers being axed and 13 others inducted to give a face-lift to the three-year-old Siddaramaiah government before the 2018 assembly polls has created problems for the chief minister who took up the exercise after getting the Congress high commands nod. Ambareesh on Monday sent a one-line resignation letter addressed to the assembly speaker through his personal assistant but it is yet to be accepted as he himself did not submit it. When Im incapable why should I continue? When chief minister has called me incapable what can I do as an MLA? So I have resigned, Ambareesh told reporters. He said: I will go and give it (resignation) personally. Asked about the one-line resignation letter, he said Only one line should be there (in the resignation letter), reasons should not be given... Ambareesh, who was the housing minister before being dropped, also said the chief minister has not called up to convince him not to resign as MLA. Responding to a question whether Siddaramaiah had contacted him, he said: No... as chief minister, there should have been at least some dignity. I was also a central minister, have been a three-time MP; have worked along with him in his cabinet. If he had called me and asked me to make way for others, I would have resigned happily. Dont I command at least that amount of respect? he questioned. When reminded that the chief minister during the meeting of council of ministers had indicated that a few ministers will be dropped and sought cooperation, he said: not in wholesale, we are not wholesale, Im not saleable... I have led a respectable life, I command certain amount of dignity in public life. He said he had never lobbied for power, adding now they have felt that Im incapable and dropped me. The chief minister calling up and informing him about dropping him from the ministry would have added value to the post Siddaramaiah holds, he added. Russia must answer for violation of human rights, Ukrainian MP Nadia Savchenko has said at the session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). Savchenko recalled that she was seized. "This is violation of human rights and this must be punished in the European court," she said. "All Ukrainians who are staying in Russia now were seized. Crimean Tatars in Crimea are being seized too," she said. Savchenko said that she wishes peace for Ukraine and for the whole Europe. "I am ready to work for this constructively. I hope that I would be useful for this Assembly and Ukraine will be useful for Europe. I want everyone to understand that by pardoning me and all Ukrainians Putin has not made a conciliatory gesture, but showed his disrespect," she said. She said Russia, which signed the Budapest Memorandum (in 1994, promising to respect Ukraine's sovereignty) has stabbed Ukraine in the back. Savchenko believes that the Russian delegation cannot return to PACE. The Maharashtra government on Tuesday approved a proposal to grant minority status to Jews in the state. The decision was taken at a meeting of the state cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Maharashtra cabinet approves minority status to Jew community. This decision will benefit students from these communities to avail scholarships from the state government and setting up of educational institutions, Fadnavis said. The move, which was announced by then Maharashtra Minority Affairs Minister Eknath Khadse, is expected to make life easier for members of the community in the state. After being officially recognised as a minority community, the Jews would enjoy several privileges like other minority communities. It would become easier for them to register their marriages. They would also be able to set up their own educational institutes and practise and promote their culture. Jews have been a part of the Indian society for over 2,300 years now. According to 2001 Census, the number of Jews living in India was 4,650 with 2,466 of them residing in Maharashtra. However, principal secretary of minority department Jayashree Mukherjee said the state government has no official record of the number of people from the community in Maharashtra. She also said that there will not be an additional burden on the state exchequer with their inclusion in minorities. The Jews should have been given (minority status) long back, but somehow they werent given. The government has no official records of the number of people in the community as their population is too less. But, according to them (community members), their population in the state is 2,466, she said. When asked why the community was given the minority status now, she said, They asked for it now so we gave it. As far as financial aspects are concerned, their inclusion will not have any effect on the state exchequer and the burden will borne from the existing budget itself, Mukherjee said. The Jews of Manipur and Mizoram identify themselves as Beni Menashe. There are also some in Andhra Pradesh who call themselves Bene Ephraim Jews. India is one of the few countries in the world where Jews have never faced any harassment or persecution. The cabinet also approved setting up of counter insurgency and anti-terrorist school at Surabuldi, Nagpur. This will provide state-of-the-art training facilities to police department for jungle and field tactics, map reading, ambush and handling of different weapons. The Centre and Maharashtra government will jointly contribute funds for this school. The Cabinet also sanctioned creation of various posts for this school. The cabinet approved handing over of the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital from Ichalkaranji Municipal Council to the state government. It also decided to hand over 1440 sq mt of govt land to Gondia Municipal Council for construction of a Samaj Bhavan. Cabinet considers this decision as a special case and the government fulfilled its assurance given on the floor of the house, Fadnavis tweeted. The meeting approved giving wages to employees from Industrial & Labour Courts, Commissionerate of workmens compensation & wages board, Mumbai as per Shetty Commission recommendations and the difference of wages would be paid in two equal installments. At least two Ola cabs and a media vehicle were damaged allegedly by the cabbies and auto drivers who staged a protest against taxi aggregators over their pricing model in South Mumbai on Tuesday. The police have detained seven persons on charges of rioting following the incident. "While coming out of the protest site at Azad Maidan, the agitators vandalised one or two Ola cabs and a press vehicle," said a senior officer attached to Azad Maidan police station. The protest was staged at Azad Maidan by newly-formed "Jai Bhagwan Taxi Rickshaw Sanghatana" seeking an inquiry and action against the app-based taxi aggregators such as Uber and Ola over their pricing strategy to attract customers. Scores of cabbies and auto drivers participated in the protest. Addressing the gathering, Sanghatna president Bala Sanap said, "We are forced to gather here to raise our voice Against the cab aggregators Ola and Uber. We want to know how they offer services at just Rs 6 per km when the fixed rate is Rs 8 per km for taxis." Alleging that the government is in collusion with cab aggregators, he said, "We feel there is a conspiracy to take our taxis and rickshaws off roads. But we will not let this happen whatever it may take." Sanap threatened to take taxis off roads from July 26 if the government failed to order an inquiry against the cab aggregators. "We have written a letter to Chief Minister (Devendra Fadnavis) and have urged him that services of Uber and Ola be treated at par with taxis," he added. However, one of the largest unions in city, the Mumbai Taximen's Union, did not participate in the protest. Pakistan has successfully blocked Indias bid to gain membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharifs advisor on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz told Pak parliament on Tuesday. Pakistan has a strong case to gain NSG membership on merit and non-discriminatory basis, Aziz said in a statement. We have been making successful efforts against Indias Nuclear Suppliers Group membership, he said. His remarks came ahead of the key meeting of the 48-nation NSG this week in Seoul when it will take up the applications of India and Pakistan. Aziz also told lawmakers that Pakistan was not being isolated and its official foreign policy was being tuned to the new alignments in the world. He said Pakistan would continue to follow the policy of non-interference in affairs of other countries. He said foreign policy was geared for the protection of national interests and nuclear assets. Aziz said that Pakistan's political role would increase after becoming full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. He said Pakistan enjoyed historical relations with the Muslim world which were based on common religion and recent visits by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Muslim countries will not affect Pakistans ties with them. Earlier, opposition parties blamed the government for failing to safeguard national interests saying Pakistan was being isolated in the region and demanded a review of its foreign policy. Last updated on: June 21, 2016 14:23 IST People across the world woke up to an early-morning call to celebrate the second International Yoga Day on Tuesday with much enthusiasm. From China to Uruguay, people from all walks of life performed postures of the ancient discipline. The United Nations General Assembly declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga in December 2014. Over 190 countries, including 40 Islamic nations, supported the move to have a special day for yoga. People participate in a yoga class at a Times Square event in New York, US. Photograph: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters People practise yoga on a glass bridge on the outskirts of Beijing, China. Photograph: China Daily/Reuters People do yoga during an open air yoga event organised by the city government at Reforma Avenue in front of the Angel of Independence monument in Mexico City. Photograph: Henry Romero/Reuters Hundreds participate in a mass yoga event in front of the Sydney Opera House on World Yoga Day in Sydney, Australia. Photograph: Jason Reed/Reuters Nepal's Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli, also known as KP Oli, takes part during World Yoga Day in Kathmandu, Nepal. Photograph: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters Washington, DC celebrates the Second International Day of Yoga. Photograph: MEAIndia/Flickr Celebrations of Second International Day of Yoga takes place in Beijing. Photograph: MEAIndia/Flickr Second International Day of Yoga celebrated in Montevideo, Uruguay. Photograph: MEAIndia/Flickr Rain or shine is no hindrance for the people in Osaka, Japan to perform yoga asanas. Photograph: MEAIndia/Flickr Yoga followers congregate near the Tower Bridge in London on the second International Yoga Day. Photograph: MEAIndia/Flickr From ice-capped Siachen, the highest battlefield in the world, to the warships off South Korea, Indian armed forces on Tuesday joined the International Yoga Day celebrations. Coverage: Yoga Day 2016 Army Chief Dalbir Singh Suhag, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha and Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba joined defence personnel and their families in Yoga sessions to commemmoorate the occasion. Scroll below to see photographs: Image: Sailors and officers do Yoga on the helo-decks of Indian Navy warships INS Sahyadri, Shakti & Sahyadri off Korea. Photograph: @SpokespersonMoD/Twitter Image: Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha joins Indian Air Force personnel at Wellingdon Camp, Air Force Station, New Delhi. Photograph: @SpokespersonMoD/Twitter Image: Coast Guard personnel performing yoga onboard Indian Coast Guard Ship Sagar. Photograph: @SpokespersonMoD/Twitter Image: 3000 National Cadet Corps cadets performing Yoga at Maidan Grounds in Kolkata. Photograph: @SpokespersonMoD/Twitter Image: Yoga onboard aircraft carrier Viraat. Photograph: Sahil Salvi Image: Indian Army soldiers at Siachen permorm yoga. Photograph: DRDO/Twitter Image: The DRDO team at the research station in Antarctica observe Yoga Day. Photograph: DRDO/Twitter Image: Another view of yoga being performed on board the Indian Navy stealth frigate INS Sahyadri off the Korea coast. Photograph: @SpokespersonMoD/Twitter Image: Chief of Army Staff General Dalbir Singh joins Army personnel and families for a Yoga session at Delhi Cantonment. Photograph: @SpokespersonMoD/Twitter Image: ITBP troops perform Yoga in Aundhi, Rajnandgaon (Chhattisgarh). Photograph: PIB/Twitter Image: Sailors and officers at sea in the North West Pacific ocean perform Yoga on the docks in South Korea. Photograph: @SpokespersonMoD/Twitter Image: On international yoga day the Madurai district police organised a yoga camp for the men in khaki, which saw a full turnout. Photograph Courtesy: Vijyendra Bidari/Facebook Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday joined over 30,000 people in Chandigarh for the second International Yoga Day celebrations as he pitched for treating diseases like diabetes through the ancient spiritual discipline. Modi, dressed in a white-coloured t-shirt and trouser along with a scarf, led over 30,000 participants, including defence forces personnel and school children, for the second International Day of Yoga celebrations here at the Capitol Complex amid tight security. The prime minister, who arrived in Chandigarh last night, participated in a mass demonstration of 'Common Yoga Protocol'. A yoga enthusiast himself, he performed yoga asanas along with the people at the event. Over 30,000 people from all ages -- 10,000 each from Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana -- performed yoga 'asanas' on pink and blue coloured mats during the event. Separately, about 10,000 people also performed yoga at over 100 other locations in Chandigarh itself. Earlier, addressing the gathering, Modi pitched for treating diabetes through yoga. "I want to request trainers who are associated with yoga, from this public platform. From next year when we celebrate yoga day, in this one year, you continue to do what you do for yoga but focus on one subject and this is my subject -- diabetes -- Diabetes and yoga," he said. "All people belonging to the yoga field, whatever knowledge they have, they must continue with the rest of their yoga activities but this (diabetes) must be the main focus," Modi said. Expressing concern over rising number of patients suffering from diabetes, Modi asked yoga trainers to help in controlling the disease. "In India, patients suffering from diabetes are rising. We might be able to get rid of this disease or not but with the help of yoga, diabetes can be controlled. Can we start a public campaign to suggest measures in yoga to the common man suffering from diabetes. "It will be an achievement if we can help in treating diabetes. From next year, we can take another disease. But I want that for good health, we should address any one disease every year. We should run a public campaign with an aim to address one disease," he said. Yoga is not only a way to get rid of a disease but it also guarantees wellness. For holistic development of lives, yoga is a great way, he said. "India has given invaluable heritage to the world as we celebrate the second International Yoga Day. The world has accepted it in their way. Today from Indian government side, I am going to announce two awards. Next year, when yoga day will be celebrated on June 21, then from India, there will be a selection for two awards," Modi said. "One at the international level for those putting in excellent work in the field of yoga and the second one for those working in the field within the country. One International Yoga Award and the second National Yoga Award," he said. After performing Yoga, the prime minister mingled with the people at the event, some of whom even took selfies with him. He also met handicapped participants during the event. Further asserting that some people do not understand the science behind Yoga, the prime minister said that the disciple was not a religious practice and was the path to salvation, adding that it provides health insurance for zero budget. "Yoga is for the believer and non believer as well. It does not differentiate between the rich and poor or the literate and illiterate. Just like the cell phone has become a part of your daily life, I call on the world to embrace Yoga," he said. The prime minister also said that it needs to be ensured that while Yoga spreads across the globe as a popular practice, its sanctity is maintained, adding that it must not be dragged into any controversies either. Talking about Yoga as a roaring business success, he said that the form was gaining popularity as a major business and profession as well and that the demand for Yoga trainers across the globe was growing every day. Defence forces personnel, ITBP personnel, Punjab Armed Police personnel, Punjab University students and school children were among the participants. Elaborate arrangements had been put in place to ensure a smooth performance, officials said. The Capitol complex was divided into 8 blocks where 500 master trainers along with their team members performed asanas. Several LED screens were put up at the venue, where 300 bio-toilets and 30,000 mats had been put in place. Tight security arrangements were made with more than 5,000 police and paramilitary personnel keeping a vigil at the venue. Private vehicles were also barred from going near the venue. Punjab and Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki, who is also Union Territory Chandigarh'a Administrator, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar were among those present at the event. The prime minister stressed that yoga was not about taking or receiving but about a healthy body. Sometimes, people cannot understand it (Yoga) fully because of their lesser ability to understand it. This science is not for taking and receiving. Yoga is not for what one gets, yoga is what I can give and how I can get relief from different things, it is way to get mukti (salvation). All religions, communities etc. emphasise on what we will get after death in parlok (heaven). They say if you pray this way, then you will get this thing in parlok. Yoga is not for parlok, he said. The PM said yoga is a science for life and not a religious activity. It is not a religious activity. How will you get peace in your mind, how will you get healthy body, how unity remains in society, it gives power in that direction. Yoga is not a science for parlok. It is a science for this life, he said. Therefore, Yoga gives training to help body, mind, intelligence, spirit working in a synchronrised way. If we see ourselves, if we walk or not, we may be alert or lazy, our body can be anything. But our mind can never be stable, Modi said. The PM said countries like India can save on their healht budget by adopting preventive healthcare measures like yoga. Therefore, it is necessary to connect Yoga with life. I request all people, to know yourself, to increase your capability, do not wait and make Yoga part of your life. The way mobile has become a part of everyday life, you can make yoga a part of your life easily. It is not a difficult job, he said. There is no health insurance in world with zero budget. But yoga provides health assurance in zero budget. Yoga does not understand difference between rich and poor, intelligent and illiterate, even poorest of poor and richest of rich can perform yoga easily, he said. Mind is unstable and body is stable. It is Yoga which shows how to keep your mind stable and make our body moving...If this is balanced, then our body can become committed to achieve our aims in our lives. Yoga is meant for both believer and non believer, he said. Urging people not to put Yoga into any controversy, Modi stressed upon people to adopt Yoga for good life. You must have seen, gynaecologists request pregnant women to do Yoga. They send them to Yoga trainers. As time goes by, we have become very busy...We have become cut off from ourselves. Yoga unites us with ourselves. Without putting Yoga in any controversy I want, for benefit of the masses, we should connect with Yoga. To unite with yourself, yoga is the great way, I am confident that we will move ahead in this path, he said. Modi noted that all countries across the world were associated with Yoga Day celebrations. Through United Nations, International Yoga day is being celebrated throughout the world. The whole world supported it whether it was developed or developing nations. Every section of the society supported it. There are several days celebrated by UN including World Cancer Day, World Health Day, World Mental Health Day, and several others. In the field of sports, there are several days which are celebrated. But this (IDY) is the only, which has direct relation with health and also with physical, mental and social health, he said adding, I think, this speaks about the power of this heritage, identity of this heritage which was given by our ancestors. The prime minister also noted that Yoga has turned into a very big business and has been offering job opportunities for youth. In his nearly 25 minute address, he said the Centre was working in the direction of fixing protocols and norms for promoting Yoga across the world. Before performing Yoga asanas himself, the prime minister first met the physically challenged and then walked around surveying people performing asanas. Towards the end, Modi freely mingled with the participants, who surrounded him and took the opportunity to take selfies with the PM. Over 30,000 people from all ages -- 10,000 each from Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana -- performed yogasanas on pink, red and blue coloured mats during the function. Separately, about 10,000 people also performed yoga at over 100 other locations in Chandigarh itself. Pointing to Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal who was seated on the dais, Modi said, I was asking Badal sahib whether he had seen such good use of this (Capitol) Complex before. The PM also reminded people of his association with Chandigarh. I used to live in Chandigarh, I stayed here for five years (in the 1990s)...When it was proposed that the event be held in Chandigarh, I said there is no better place than this Complex to hold the mega event, he said. And I am very happy to see best use of this place, said Modi. On the occasion, the PM was presented with a replica of Surya Namaskar by Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki. The replica was made by famous Rock Garden creator late Nek Chands son Anuj Saini. We had prepared this replica, depicting Surya Namaskar asana, which was given by the governor to Modiji, Saini said. Saini also said that 23 sculptures prepared depicting several Yoga asanas were installed at various points in the sprawling Capitol Complex. For the main event, the emphasis this year was on participation of divyangs, the term coined by the PM for the physically challenged. For the first time, 150 divyangs were assisted in performing yogasanas at the Capitol Complex. The Capitol complex was divided into 8 blocks where 500 master trainers along with their team members performed. LED screens were put up at the venue, besides 300 pre-fabricated bio-toilets and over 300 dustbins and 30,000 mats were used on the occasion. Tight security arrangements were put in place with over 5,000 police and paramilitary personnel securing the venue. Private vehicles were barred from going near the venue. On Monday, rains had lashed Chandigarh which drenched some areas where participants had to perform the asanas. Solanki, in his address, said, We are very fortunate that second edition of International Yoga Day is being celebrated here (in Chandigarh). He talked about how International Yoga Day is now being celebrated around the world and thanked efforts made by the PM in this regard. About the mega event held in Chandigarh today, Solanki said, Everyone cooperated to make the event a success. All sections including police, Army came forward to make the event a success. He also said that Yoga celebrations had helped build a bond amongst people who may belong to various castes and regions etc. Solanki also made a mention of the second phase of Jat quota agitation dharna which had ended two days ago in Haryana. In Haryana, a dharna which had been going on as a part of the agitation too came to an end yesterday (On Monday). They too made an announcement that they will not hold dharna, Solanki said, referring to how everyone had come forward and cooperated to make the Yoga Day event a success. Solanki also thanked Punjab government for its efforts in making the event a success. He also said that a series of events were held in Chandigarh before the mega event. Even though over 30,000 people participated in Tuesdays event, online registration for the mega event had touched nearly one lakh, Solanki said in his speech on the occasion in Chandigarh. Swedish authorities have written to the Ecuadorean foreign office in United Kingdom seeking a meeting with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, as he begins his fifth year holed out in the Ecuadorean embassy in London. It could prove to be a major breakthrough in the protracted standoff between 44-year-old Assange and Sweden, where he is wanted in relation to a 2010 rape allegation. Interviewing Assange inside the embassy has been Ecuadors request for four years. Over 1,400 days we have been asking the Swedish government to come and interrogate him in our embassy. So it has been a welcome change of heart and some sign of political will, said Ecuadors Foreign Minister Dr Guillaume Long. Since November 2010 and March 2015, Sweden made 44 such requests to other countries to interview suspects in other cases. So it is very common and could be easily done, but we faced total refusal for years, he added. Long confirmed that the Swedish attorney general had made a formal request that was being considered, The Guardian reported. The Australian national has been living inside Ecuadors UK mission for four years after the South American country offered him asylum. Assange denies the rape charges and has fought against being extradited to Sweden, saying he fears he would then be transferred to the US to face charges on WikiLeaks activities. A United Nations working group had ruled that in February, Assange was being arbitrarily detained. However, the UK Foreign Office had called for the UN decision to be reviewed, saying Assange was staying in the embassy voluntarily and that the UK had a legal duty to extradite him to Sweden. Long said Ecuadors legal department will now examine Swedens request and would also want assurances that the UK would not seek to prosecute Assange for avoiding arrest. A Yoga-Tai Chi jugalbandi at the iconic Great Wall was among the many events held in China on Tuesday to mark the second International Day of Yoga as thousands of enthusiasts of the ancient Indian spiritual discipline participated in the celebrations. The Indian embassy in Beijing in association with state-run Chinese People's Association or Friendship with Foreign Countries, hosted yoga events at different places in the run up to the second UN International Yoga Day. A large group of enthusiasts of Yoga and ancient Chinese martial art Tai-Chi took part in a Jugalbandi exercises at the iconic Great Wall. Counselor Culture of the Indian embassy Vanaja K Thekkat and four Indian Yoga teachers along with senior officials of the CPAFFC attended the event. Earlier, visiting Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan who is on a five-day visit to China joined Kundalini yoga enthusiasts at a hotel in central Beijing along with the charged'affaires of the Indian embassy, B Bala Bhaskar, and members of his delegation and took part in the exercises. Indian Consulates in Shanghai and Chengdu have been arranging a series of yoga events in a number of events culminating with similar events. Ahead of the second UN Yoga Day, Yogi Yoga a well known Yoga centre established by an Indian and his Chinese wife has been selected by the China's PekingUniversity to conduct research in yoga. A Memorandum of Understanding in this regard has been signed. This is first time a Chinese university has come forward to do research in yoga. Local teachers trained by Yogi Yoga will take part in the research programme, he said. Mohan along with his wife Yinyan, a former China editor of the Elle Magazine established the centre which has become immensely popular all over the China. Over the years, yoga has become popular all over China with all most all gyms conducting yoga classes. Last year, China established first yoga college in assistance with India. Based in the Yunnan Minzu (Nationalities) University, the country's first yoga college has become popular with participation of over 3,000 people participating in free yoga sessions offered by the college. India has deputed yoga teachers to conduct training. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen have discussed the steps to promote Ukraine's interests in the international arena, including those in the framework of the ongoing Russian aggression in Donbas. According to the press service of the Ukrainian president, during a meeting in Kyiv Rasmussen informed Poroshenko about the outcome of his latest contacts with representatives of European official and expert circles and assessment of the situation in Ukraine. Poroshenko stressed the importance of a further consolidation of international support for Ukraine in countering Russian aggression and the restoration of its territorial integrity. "We need to work together to promote Ukraine's interests in the world. The extended sanctions against Russia, the increase in investment in our country, the growth of financial assistance in support of reforms, the EU's introducing a visa-free regime for Ukrainian citizens are our top priorities," Poroshenko said. Russian, Ukrainian ombudsmen to discuss handover of Ukrainian citizens imprisoned in Crimea to Kyiv A meeting of the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada's Human Rights Commissioner Valeria Lutkovska and her Russian counterpart Tatyana Moskalkova will take place in Minsk on Tuesday. The objective of the meeting is discussion of the issue of the handover of Ukrainian citizens being held in custody in Crimea to the territory of Ukraine, the Ukrainian ombudsman's press service said. Moreover, the press service said that Lutkovska plans to discuss the issue of observance of rights of the Crimean Tatars and Ukrainians, who currently have national minority status in Crimea. As reported, the Ukrainian ombudsman said earlier that the meeting with her Russian counterpart will be a humanitarian conversation without any political overtones. On first anniversary of Mali peace accord, Ban welcomes President's commitment to peace Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 20 June 2016 Cite as UN News Service, On first anniversary of Mali peace accord, Ban welcomes President's commitment to peace, 20 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5768ef7140b.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. 20 June 2016 - On the occasion of the first anniversary of the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the renewed commitment to peace expressed by the country's President, Ibrahim Boubakar Keita, and his Government. In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban noted with satisfaction the President's decision to appoint Mr. Mahamadou Diagouraga as his High Representative to follow-up on the Agreement, as well as the signing by the Government and signatory armed groups of the Protocole d'Entente on the interim authorities and other related arrangements. These are important steps forward, the UN chief said through the statement. He also trusts that the signatory parties will ensure the swift and full implementation of the agreement, bearing in mind the many challenges that lie ahead. The Secretary-General in his statement commended the members of the international mediation, particularly Algeria as Chair of the Comite de Suivi de l'Accord, for their support to peace in Mali. He encouraged them to remain steadfast in their efforts. The Secretary-General reiterates the United Nations' full support to the peace agreement, the statement continued, adding that strengthening of the posture and capabilities the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission (MINUSMA), as well as the fulfillment by the parties of their commitments will enable the Mission to effectively support the Government and the Malian people in achieving lasting peace, stability and development in the country. UN emergency fund allocates $15 million to support people fleeing Fallujah Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 20 June 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN emergency fund allocates $15 million to support people fleeing Fallujah, 20 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5768f063412.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. 20 June 2016 - The top United Nations relief official chief today released $15 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to provide urgent life-saving assistance for people affected by the recent fighting and military operations in Fallujah. "People escaping Fallujah are in desperate need of assistance now, this minute. We must act fast before this situation becomes a humanitarian catastrophe. These funds are time critical; however they only offer a small portion of what is urgently needed," said Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O'Brien, in a statement issued by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). "I call on donors to immediately support our humanitarian response and leverage this CERF allocation with additional resources so that together we can effectively address the growing humanitarian needs throughout Iraq," he added. Since this past month, more than 85,000 people have been forced to flee the city, displacing families from their homes, communities and livelihoods. Those remaining in the city face dire shortages of food, medicine, electricity and safe drinking water, OCHA said. "The families who have managed to flee Fallujah have escaped with nothing: they need everything," warned Lise Grande, Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq. "Humanitarian partners are working around the clock to provide shelter, water, health care, household kits and specialized support for the victims of gender and sexual-based violence. This CERF grant will allow us to rapidly scale up our efforts, so it could not be more timely," she added. Temperatures in the region are averaging 115 degrees Fahrenheit and rising. Many people are unable to access clean drinking water, and shade is limited, while already vulnerable communities are more susceptible to outbreaks of communicable diseases and there is a real risk of a cholera outbreak, OCHA said. Response efforts will include improvements to hygiene and sanitation in order to help prevent the spread of disease. UNHCR distribution of emergency relief items for displaced families from Fallujah who've arrived in camps from Ameriyat al-Falluja. Photo: UNHCR/Caroline Gluck OCHA indicated that the CERF funds will enable the UN humanitarian agencies in Iraq, including the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), the Office of the UN Higher Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the World Health Organization (WHO), to quickly assist the newly displaced people. OCHA is working with the Government of Iraq to quickly set up camps to provide additional shelters. Humanitarian partners will also focus on relief efforts to assist women and children who are particularly vulnerable in the conflict. In addition, mobile psychological support teams are being established to provide specialized care for victims of the violence. The CERF funding will also enable health teams to provide critical care for newborn babies and children who have had limited health support and who have not yet been immunized. The UN Humanitarian Response Plan in Iraq has called for $861 million to address the needs of people affected by the current crisis. To date, the appeal is only 36 per cent funded, OCHA said. A further $65 million will be needed to respond to the current situation in Fallujah. This is expected to further strain already stretched resources and force humanitarian partners to reprioritize existing relief supplies and services, OCHA noted. Contingency stocks are nearly depleted, which could leave other communities in the country potentially vulnerable. While agencies have been preparing for the Fallujah situation for some time, the number of displaced people and the scope of their needs have outpaced humanitarian capacity, OCHA emphasized. Humanitarian update on Fallujah In a humanitarian update released earlier today, OCHA reported that more than 83,000 people have fled the besieged city of Fallujah and surrounding areas as of this past Saturday, and thousands more could still be on the move amid ongoing fighting. Civilians in Fallujah, Iraq, are at extreme risk and need urgent help. Photo: OCHA Iraq OCHA highlighted that since military operations led by Iraqi security forces to retake Fallujah in Anbar from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh) began on 22 May, people have fled Fallujah in rapidly increasing numbers. Most people initially fled outlying areas of Fallujah, but on 7 June, reports were received of some families leaving Fallujah city itself, as military operations began to enter the city centre. In the past few days, tens of thousands of people have been allowed to leave the centre of town, OCHA said. "The sudden increase in displacement in early June follows both increased opportunities for families to flee as well as hundreds of other families demonstrating a willingness to take extremely high risks to try to escape, sometimes with grave consequences," OCHA noted in the bulletin. There are reports of people drowning as they tried to escape, or being injured or killed by snipers or improvised explosive devices. Many families are separated during their escape, with men and teenage boys being separated from their families for security screening, OCHA said. The families still trapped inside Fallujah are thought to have only limited, if any, food, and there appear to be few sources of safe drinking water. The risk for disease outbreaks is high, OCHA noted. While it is not clear how many civilians remain in the city, OCHA said that UN estimates indicate there could still be thousands of families. "Nothing is more important than ensuring that civilians are protected and have access to life-saving assistance. The UN and partners continue to call on all parties to the conflict to do everything possible to meet their obligations under international humanitarian law," OCHA said in the update. Emergency response is ongoing in multiple locations Most displaced people from Fallujah have been taken to Ameriyat al Falluja, a town located about 30 kilometres south of the city, where the Government of Iraq and partners had previously prepared tents as well as water, sanitation and hygiene facilities. These camps are now full, although the Government and humanitarian partners are working to quickly set up others, including in the nearby towns of Khalidiyah and Habbaniyah Tourist City, OCHA said. People are also fleeing areas north of Fallujah towards the east, and are being hosted in local schools and in the Al Ahal camp. OCHA said that major efforts are being made to provide emergency assistance to the newly displaced, including shelter, water, food, basic household items and health care. Specialized activities for children and women are being established and mobile teams are providing psychological support. The UN has not been able to access Fallujah since it came under the control of armed opposition groups in January 2014. Humanitarian partners have worked with about 50,000 civilians remaining in Fallujah, although OCHA stressed that the number of displaced people is well above that planning figure and that the scope of the crisis has outpaced humanitarian capacity. "Contingency stocks are nearly depleted, every agency requires funds and there are few frontline partners," OCHA stressed. "With rising temperatures and lack of shade and clean drinking water, outbreaks of communicable diseases are likely." OCHA also emphasized that there is only limited support for newborn babies, and nearly all of the children who have been outside Government control have not yet been immunized. The low level of antigens, coupled with poor hygiene and substandard sanitation, raises the risk of disease outbreaks further. Prior to the most recent military operation, more than 75,000 displaced people from other locations within Anbar were already residing in camps near Fallujah in Khalidiyah, Habbaniyah and Ameriyat al Falluja. Humanitarian partners also continue to provide emergency assistance to other conflict-affected people, including in the transit sites Al Wafaa and Kilo 18 in western Anbar, OCHA said. Report: Turkish forces kill 55 IS militants in Syria Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 9 May 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Report: Turkish forces kill 55 IS militants in Syria, 9 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576900d24.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. May 09, 2016 Turkish media reported on May 8 that Turkish forces have targeted the Islamic State (IS) extremist group in northern Syria, killing 55 militants. The state-run Anadolu news agency as well as the Dogan news service said the army that struck IS targets near Aleppo also destroyed three vehicles and three rocket launchers. Anadolu said Turkish military planes also struck positions of the banned Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, in northern Iraq on May 8. The reports cannot be independently verified. The PKK and IS have separately claimed several major suicide attacks in Turkey in recent months. The Turkish border region of Kilis which lies opposite IS-controlled areas in Syria has been battered by rocket fire from the other side of the border which has claimed at least 20 lives since mid-January. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said earlier this month Turkey is ready to send troops into Syria "if necessary." Based on reporting by AP and AFP Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Six police wounded in militant attack in Russia's Chechnya Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 9 May 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Six police wounded in militant attack in Russia's Chechnya, 9 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576900d39.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. May 09, 2016 Six policemen have been wounded in a militant attack at a security checkpoint in Russia's North Caucasus region of Chechnya. Chechnya's Interior Ministry said the incident near Grozny on May 9 left three of the police officers in a grave condition. Security measures have been beefed up in Chechnya as Russia and some other former Soviet republics mark the 71st anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. May 9 also marks 12 years since the former President of Chechnya Akhmad Kadyrov was killed in a bombing in the central stadium in Grozny during the Victory Day parade. Islamic insurgents took responsibility for that attack which killed more than a dozen other people. Akhmad Kadyrov's son, Ramzan Kadyrov, is Chechnya's Kremlin-appointed leader. Based on reporting by TASS and RIA Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Militant forces have stepped up their activity along the entire contact line and have conducted strikes using weapons banned by the Minsk agreements on a number of occasions, the press center of the Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff said. "Militants forces intensified their activity along the entire contact line in the afternoon [on Monday] and opened fire on positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces 41 times," the press center said on its Facebook account. Twenty-one strikes by the militia were recorded in the Donetsk region, it said. Militants units used small arms and 120mm mortars against Ukrainian army checkpoints near Avdiyivka, Nevelske and Novosilki 2. The Putilovska (Butovka) mine and the area near Verkhniotoretske came under 82mm mortar fire. Militant forces also fired large-caliber machineguns and grenade launchers of different systems at Ukrainian Armed Forces fortifications in the vicinity of Zaitseve and Mayorsk. In a separate development, a sabotage and reconnaissance group made up of up to eight people, acting under the cover of 82mm mortar fire, tried to approach the Ukrainian army's checkpoint near Avdiyivka at around 7:00 p.m. on Monday, the press center said. The Ukrainian Armed Forces fired for effect, forcing the group to retreat, it said. Large-caliber machineguns and grenade launchers were used against Ukrainian military positions in the vicinity of Maryinka, Hranytne, Taramchuk and Hnutove, near the city of Mariupol, 18 times, while anti-aircraft guns and 82mm and 120mm mortars were fired on Ukrainian positions near Krasnohorivka. Small arms, infantry fighting vehicle weapons and 82mm and 120mm mortars were used against Ukrainian army fortifications near Shyrokyne. Snipers were active in the vicinity of Shchastya in the Luhansk region, the press center said. Russian opposition activist forcibly placed in psychiatric clinic Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 9 May 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Russian opposition activist forcibly placed in psychiatric clinic, 9 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576900d4d.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. May 09, 2016 By RFE/RL's Russian Service A Russian opposition activist has been forcibly admitted to a psychiatric clinic in the southwestern city of Voronezh. Dmitry Vorobyevsky's friends said police and medical personnel forcibly moved the activist to a psychiatric clinic from his home on May 6. A local rights defender and lawyer, Olga Gnezdilova, said on May 9 that Vorobyevsky had to be released 48 hours after his admission. But she said due to the public holiday marking Victory Day the court hearing into the legality of Vorobyevsky's forced hospitalization will be held on May 10. (https://www.facebook.com/gnezdilova.org/posts/10201337717320328) Vorobyevsky is well-known for taking part in anti-Kremlin protests. In the former U.S.S.R., Soviet authorities often forcibly placed individuals in psychiatric clinics to crack down on dissent. Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Tajikistan detains four alleged Islamic State supporters Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 9 May 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Tajikistan detains four alleged Islamic State supporters, 9 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576900d511.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. May 09, 2016 By RFE/RL's Tajik Service Tajik authorities say they have detained four suspected supporters of the Islamic State (IS) extremist group who were allegedly planning to carry out terrorist attacks in the country during the celebrations marking Victory Day on May 9. Tajikistan's Interior Ministry said on May 9 that information provided by Russian police led to the arrest of Tajik national Duston Menglikulov on his arrival in Dushanbe from Moscow on May 6. The tip off came after police in Moscow detained several Central Asian migrants on May 2 on suspicion of preparing a series of terrorist attacks in the Russian capital. Menglikulov's three associates were arrested in the south of Tajikistan. All are suspected of planning attacks in Tajikistan ordered by IS leaders in Syria. Tajik authorities have said that hundreds of the Central Asian nation's citizens are fighting alongside IS militants in Syria and Iraq. Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Erdogan says EU membership is Turkey's 'strategic goal' Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 9 May 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Erdogan says EU membership is Turkey's 'strategic goal', 9 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576900d615.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. May 09, 2016 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (file photo) Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on May 9 that European Union membership was Turkey's strategic goal and that he hoped the visa liberalization deal with the bloc would accelerate Turkey's accession process. "I hope that the visa exemption... will constitute a positive step in fulfilling the promises made and speed up the accession process," Erdogan said in a statement, reaffirming EU membership as a "strategic goal" for Ankara. His remarks came after he lashed out at the bloc on May 6 for demanding that Turkey change its terrorism laws to meet EU political requirements to ease European travel for Turks. The EU has asked member states to grant visa-free travel to Turks in return for Ankara stopping migrants from reaching Europe, but said Turkey still has to change some legislation. Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Lawmaker says up to six Iranian personnel captured in Syria Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 9 May 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Lawmaker says up to six Iranian personnel captured in Syria, 9 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576900d8e.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. May 09, 2016 By Golnaz Esfandiari A photo allegedly showing a member of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps after being captured by opposition forces in Syria. A senior Iranian lawmaker says around six Iranian military personnel have been taken captive in Syria following May 6 clashes with Islamist insurgents that left 13 "military advisers" dead and more than a dozen injured. The statement by Esmail Kowsari appears to be the first official confirmation by Tehran that its fighters have been taken prisoner in Syria. Islamist insurgents known as Jaish al-Fatah that carried out the attack on Khan Tuman, some 15 kilometers southwest of Aleppo, had previously posted photographs on social media purportedly showing Iran-backed forces that had been killed or taken captive in the village. It was Iran's biggest loss of forces in a single day since the Islamic republic deployed military forces to bolster its regional ally, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Tehran claims it is providing Assad with military advisers. "According to the latest figures I have, 13 Iranian defenders of the shrine were killed, 18 were wounded, and five to six Iranians were taken captive," lawmaker Kowsari said in a May 9 interview with the website Jamejamonline.ir. "Defenders of the shrine" is a phrase used to describe Iranian and other Shi'ite forces, including Afghans who are reportedly trained and deployed in Syria by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and the Basij force. Kowsari appeared to blame the United States for Iran's heavy casualties. "As [Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei] has repeatedly maintained, America cannot be trusted," he said. Kowsari added: "On the one hand, America speaks of peace and a cease-fire. But in practice, it acts differently." Another lawmaker, Mohammad Saleh Jokar, also confirmed that several Iranian security personnel were killed and captured in Khan Tuman, though he did not provide any numbers. Jokar also blamed the United States. "What happened in Khan Tuman in past days demonstrates that America cannot be trusted, as the cease-fire in that region had been established by the Americans," Jokar was quoted as saying by domestic media. "The U.S. should be held accountable for what happened in Khan Tuman and explain why the cease-fire was violated," he said. Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, warned that Iran will respond to the Khan Tuman incident along with its allies Russia, Syria, and the Lebanese militant group Hizballah. Fighting in Aleppo has escalated despite a February "cessation of hostilities" agreement backed by the United States and Russia. Earlier this week, Washington and Moscow said they had brokered a cease-fire between the Syrian government and rebels around the city of Aleppo. The two former Cold War foes said in a May 9 joint statement that they have agreed to "redouble efforts" to find a political solution to the Syrian conflict and "intensify efforts" to ensure the nationwide implementation of the cease-fire. Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 At least 10 killed in car bomb in eastern Iraq Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 9 May 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, At least 10 killed in car bomb in eastern Iraq, 9 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576900d915.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. May 09, 2016 Reports from Iraq say a car bomb has exploded in the eastern city of Baquba, killing at least 10 people and wounding more than 40. Officials said the bomb went off in Baquba's Shifta area on May 9. The Amaq news agency, which supports the Islamic State (IS) extremist group, said a suicide bomber had targeted Shi'ite militia fighters in the capital of Diyala Province. The death toll is expected to to rise. In January 2015, Iraqi officials declared victory over the IS group in Diyala, a mixed Shi'ite and Sunni Muslim area bordering Iran, after security forces and Shi'ite militias drove them out of towns and villages there. But Baquba and other towns in the province have been hit by a number of bomb attacks carried out by IS militants. Based on reporting by AFP and Reuters Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 U.S.: Islamic State leader in Iraq's Anbar province killed Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 9 May 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, U.S.: Islamic State leader in Iraq's Anbar province killed, 9 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576900db13.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. May 09, 2016 The United States says the Islamic State (IS) group's chief military official in the western Iraqi province of Anbar has been killed in an air strike by a U.S.-led coalition. Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said said Abu Wahib and three others were killed when their vehicle was struck on May 6. Cook said Wahib was a former member of Al-Qaeda in Iraq and has appeared in IS execution videos. There have been reports in the past suggesting Wahib was targeted by strikes, but this is the first time the Pentagon has said he was killed. The international coalition against the IS group has been carrying out air strikes on Iraq since 2014, when the militants seized large swathes of Iraqi and Syrian territory. Based on reporting by AFP, Reuters, and AP Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Iran rejects U.S. charges of supporting terrorism Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 5 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Iran rejects U.S. charges of supporting terrorism, 5 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901a929.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 05, 2016 Iran has rejected accusations by the United States that it is a sponsor of terrorism, saying it only supports "the legitimate struggle of nations that are occupied." Foreign Ministry spokesman Hossein Jaberi Ansari made the comments on June 5, shortly after the U.S. State Department issued its annual report naming Iran as the world's major state sponsor of terrorism. The U.S. report said Tehran is fueling conflicts in Syria, Iraq, and Bahrain. Ansari said, on the contrary, that the U.S. military has supported terrorist groups in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, and Yemen. He also said that Washington "turns a blind eye to the broad political and financial support [of terrorism] by Saudi Arabia and its other allies." He also criticized U.S. support for Israel and defended Tehran's support for Palestinian groups, saying they have the right to resist Israeli occupation. Based on reporting by AP, Reuters, and AFP Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Afghan lawmaker killed in explosion at Kabul home Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 5 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Afghan lawmaker killed in explosion at Kabul home, 5 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901aa28.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 05, 2016 Afghan authorities say a member of the country's parliament was killed and 11 other people injured when a bomb planted near his Kabul home exploded on June 5. The attack on Sher Wali Wardak, a lawmaker from the eastern Wardak Province, came hours after Taliban militants stormed a court building south of Kabul, killing at least seven people, including a chief prosecutor. Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said the explosive device was hidden in an electrical box attached to a wall and detonated as Wardak left his home. "It could either have been a bomb on a timer or one that was remotely detonated," Sediqqi said. Among the 11 others injured in the blast were five of Wardak's bodyguards, Sediqqi added. He said on Twitter that "police and other security forces have been advised to investigate the cause of today's explosion." No group had immediately claimed responsibility for the blast on June 5. A member of Afghanistan's parliament in March survived after he was targeted in a suicide attack that killed three people and wounded eight others. Based on reporting by Reuters and dpa Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Reports: Russian, Syrian forces step up Aleppo bombings Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 5 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Reports: Russian, Syrian forces step up Aleppo bombings, 5 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901ab1d.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 05, 2016 Residents and a monitoring group say Russian and Syrian government aircraft have pummeled rebel-held areas in Aleppo amid an escalating battle for what was Syria's largest city before the five-year-old war. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group, and residents recorded nearly 50 air strikes in and around Aleppo on June 5, saying at least 16 civilians were killed in the bombardments. Meanwhile, a civil defense worker was quoted by Reuters as saying that the air strikes killed at least 32 people in parts of the city controlled by rebels, with the bodies of 18 people having been pulled from destroyed buildings in Aleppo's Qaterji neighborhood. Syrian state media said insurgents killed at least 20 people in June 5 attacks on Hamadaniyah, Midan, and other Aleppo neighborhoods. Aleppo, about 50 kilometers south of the Turkish border, is divided between the government and rebels fighting to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who has been backed by the Kremlin in the war. A truce was brokered by Washington and Moscow in February. But the agreement has since unraveled, with fighting and bombardment in Aleppo playing a major role in its collapse. Based on reporting by Reuters, AFP, and the Telegraph Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Officials: Iraqi forces discover mass grave near Fallujah Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 5 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Officials: Iraqi forces discover mass grave near Fallujah, 5 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901acd.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 05, 2016 Iraqi officials say government forces have discovered a mass grave containing the remains of around 400 people near Fallujah during their push to retake the city from the extremist Islamic State (IS) group. Unidentified security sources were quoted by news agencies as saying on June 5 that Iraqi forces discovered the grave in the suburb of Saqlawiya northwest of Fallujah. "Most of the remains belonged to military personnel who were detained and killed by [IS fighters]," one military official told dpa on condition of anonymity. A police colonel in the Anbar Province, where Fallujah is located, was quoted by AFP as saying that the mass burial site was uncovered during a mine-clearing operation in the Shuhada neighborhood of Saqlawiya. "The mass grave contains about 400 bodies of members of the military. There are also some civilians," the police colonel told AFP on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. Rajeh Barakat, a member of the Anbar provincial council, confirmed the discovery to AFP. "The mass grave also includes civilians executed by [IS militants] on various charges such as spying or breaking the organization's rules," Barakat told AFP. Iraqi forces, with air support from the U.S.-led coalition and backing from Shi'ite militias, launched the offensive to retake Fallujah two weeks ago. Iraqi officials said earlier on June 5 that that they had secured the the southern edge of the city. Based on reporting by dpa and AFP Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Savchenko at PACE: 'I am ready to talk both with Russia and separatists, because I know what human life is worth' Ukrainian MP Nadia Savchenko at a session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has said that she is ready to hold talks with Russian representatives and separatists from Ukraine's east for the sake of freeing the hostages. "I am ready to talk with the Russian side and militants because I know what a human life is worth. I know that every day spent there may be your last one," the Ukrainian lawmaker said. She said she will never support conflict, per se, but she is prepared to defend her homeland. Savchenko mourned the fact that not all Ukrainian hostages have been freed. She said that as a PACE member she will work (for their release) for the sake of peace. "I would like Russia, which is the party that doesn't acknowledge that they are also killing, but claims, that we are the only ones who kill, I would like them to make at the same decision, [as I did]," Savchenko said. U.S. journalist, translator killed in Afghanistan Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 6 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, U.S. journalist, translator killed in Afghanistan, 6 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901ad4.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Last updated (GMT/UTC): 06.06.2016 12:16 NPR photojournalist David Gilkey is pictured at Kandahar airfield in Afghanistan on May 29. A journalist for the U.S.-based National Public Radio (NPR) and an Afghan translator have been killed while on assignment in southern Afghanistan. David Gilkey, an award-winning photographer and video editor, and his translator, Zabihullah Tamanna, were killed on June 5 when the Afghan Army unit they were traveling with came under fire near the town of Marjah in Helmand Province, NPR said. In a statement, NPR said that two other NPR journalists were traveling with them but were not hurt in the attack. Michael Oreskes, NPR's senior vice president of news and editorial director, said in a statement that Gilkey had covered the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. "As a man and as a photojournalist, David brought out the humanity of all those around him," Oreskes said. Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani called the attack cowardly and "completely against all the principles and values of Islam and humanity, and against all international laws." U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said that the attack was "a grim reminder of the danger that continues to face the Afghan people, the dedication of Afghan national defense and security forces to securing their country, and of the courage of intrepid journalists and their interpreters who are trying to convey that important story to the rest of the world." Gilkey, 50, won the prestigious George Polk Award and a national Emmy and in 2015 became the first multimedia journalist to receive the Edward R. Murrow Award. Tamanna, 38, was a freelancer who had also worked as a photographer and reporter for Xinhua and Turkey's Anadolu News Agency. Twenty-six journalists have now been killed in Afghanistan since the U.S. invasion of the country in 2001, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Based on reporting by AFP and AP Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Kazakh 'counterterror operation' continues after deadly attacks in Aqtobe Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 6 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Kazakh 'counterterror operation' continues after deadly attacks in Aqtobe, 6 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901ad46.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Last updated (GMT/UTC): 06.06.2016 12:47 By RFE/RL's Kazakh Service A screen grab of a YouTube video showing masked gunmen on the streets of Aqtobe after the attacks. Authorities in northwestern Kazakhstan are enforcing closures and asking residents to remain home as security operations continue following deadly attacks that spilled into the streets. With the country on high alert, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev was said to be taking personal control over the official response to the seemingly coordinated weekend assaults on gun stores, police, and a National Guard facility in the region of Aqtobe. The Kazakh Interior Ministry said on June 6 that 18 people had died in the attacks or the security response to them, including 12 suspected assailants. Dozens more people are reported injured. Officials have suggested Islamic militants are to blame, but the evidence for such a conclusion is unclear and no motive has been offered for the attacks, which have shocked the 18 million people of this sprawling, hydrocarbon-rich former Soviet republic. Aqtobe regional Governor Berdibek Saparbaev on June 6 called on residents to stay calm, adding that "a planned counterterrorist operation is under way." He added: "The situation is fully under control and is stable." But the Nur City neighborhood of Aqtobe, an industrial city and regional hub of more than 300,000 people, remains cordoned off by police. Local media reports said that gunshots rang out and police were checking all individuals entering or leaving the area. Residents told RFE/RL that local broadcasters were urging people to stay home, and mobile-phone users reported receiving text messages from local authorities saying the terrorist threat level was "red," denoting the highest level of danger. Local access to the Internet remains blocked. National tests scheduled at the city's two universities have been postponed indefinitely, residents said. On June 5, dozens of armed assailants carried out almost simultaneous attacks against two gun shops and a military base in the Nur City neighborhood, according to the Interior Ministry, killing two people at a gun shop and three police officers responding to the incident. Local media reported on June 6 that gun shops had been closed and security guards were stationed near stores in Aqtobe and several major cities, including the capital, Astana, Almaty, and Aktau. Via Twitter, Qasymzhomart Toqaev, the speaker of the Kazakh upper chamber of parliament, the Senate, called the violence a result of terrorism on the eve of Islam's holiest month. "The terrorist act in Aqtobe on the eve of the holy Ramadan is an expression of extreme cynicism and cruelty of the bandits. The strictest measures for their punishment are being undertaken," Toqaev wrote. Prime Minister Karim Masimov said on June 6 that President Nazarbaev was overseeing the authorities' response to the attacks. Aqtobe, which lies roughly 100 kilometers from the Russian border, was the site of Kazakhstan's first-ever suicide bombing, in 2011. The attacks in Aqtobe come with officials already nervous after public protests that led Kazakh police and security forces to detain more than 1,000 people across the country. The unsanctioned demonstrations were targeting land reforms whose implementation was eventually put on hold, with public anger at a boil. The Kazakh National Security Committee (KNB) announced on June 6 that it suspected a detained businessman from the South Kazakhstan region of organizing and funding those protests. The suspect, Toqtar Toleshov, was arrested in January on suspicion of financing criminal groups and possessing illegal drugs. The National Security Committee has said that Toleshov's "plan included destabilizing the situation in the country by creating flash points, organizing protests and mass unrest." National Security Committee spokesman Ruslan Karasev told reporters in Astana that several people, including a former deputy prosecutor-general and two high-ranking military officers, were been detained in early June on suspicion of aiding Toleshov. The head of the Kazakh office of the Russia-based Center for the Analysis of Terrorist Threats, Toleshov has advised the Kazakh parliament and is a former chief executive of one of the country's largest breweries. With reporting by Inform-Byuro, Tengrinews, Kazinform and Reuters Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Jailed Kazakh businessman accused of financing protests to seize power Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 6 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Jailed Kazakh businessman accused of financing protests to seize power, 6 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901ae3c.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 06, 2016 By RFE/RL's Kazakh Service ASTANA Kazakh authorities have accused a detained businessman of funding recent mass antigovernment protests against land privatization as part of a plot to seize power. Businessman Toqtar Toleshov from the South Kazakhstan region was arrested in January on suspicion of financing criminal groups and illegal drugs possession. Kazakhstan's National Security Service (KNB) said on June 6 that Toleshov's "plan included destabilizing the situation in the country by creating flash points, organizing protests and mass unrest." KNB spokesman Ruslan Karasev told reporters that several people, including a former deputy prosecutor-general and two high-ranking military officers, have been detained over the weekend on suspicion of being Toleshov's accomplices. Toleshov ran the Kazakh office of a Russia-based organization, the Center for the Analysis of Terrorist Threats. Thousands protested across Kazakhstan in April and May against the government's plans to privatize agricultural lands. Hundreds of activists were detained for taking part or calling for unsanctioned protests. The majority of them were released, but some were fined or sent to prison for 10 to 15 days. With reporting by Reuters Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Macedonian president revokes all remaining pardons in wiretap scandal Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 6 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Macedonian president revokes all remaining pardons in wiretap scandal, 6 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901af3b.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 06, 2016 By RFE/RL's Balkan Service In April, Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov issued pardons for 56 officials who were prosecuted over their involvement in the scandal, leading to nationwide protests and the cancellation of elections set for June 5. President Gjorge Ivanov has revoked all the remaining pardons he granted to officials implicated in Macedonia's wire-tapping scandal. The move on June 6 was demanded by Macedonia's opposition party and had been urged by the European Union and the United States. In an EU-brokered deal last year, Macedonia's political parties agreed to hold early elections and that a special prosecutor should investigate allegations that former Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski and his close allies authorized eavesdropping on more than 20,000 people. Ivanov in April issued pardons for 56 officials who were prosecuted over their involvement in the scandal. The pardons led to nationwide protests and the cancellation of elections set for June 5. Macedonia's parliament last month passed legislation that enabled Ivanov on May 27 to revoke his decision to pardon 22 politicians. On June 6, Ivanov announced the cancellation of the pardons for the other 34 people. With reporting by Reuters and Balkan Insight Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Kazakh officials: Death toll from Aqtobe attacks reaches 19 Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 7 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Kazakh officials: Death toll from Aqtobe attacks reaches 19, 7 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901b026.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Last updated (GMT/UTC): 07.06.2016 08:13 Kazakh authorities say the death toll from seemingly coordinated weekend assaults on gun stores, police, and a National Guard facility in the northwestern region of Aqtobe has reached 19. Police spokesman Almas Sadubaev said on June 7 that the dead include 13 suspected assailants, three civilians, and three National Guard servicemen. It was earlier reported that 12 attackers had been killed. Dozens more people were reported injured. Four suspects were wounded, eight were detained, and seven others were being searched for, Sadubaev said. He said that the situation in Aqtobe was now quiet, adding that businesses and public transport were operating normally. However, he said security forces across the country remained on "high alert." Officials have suggested Islamic militants are to blame for the assaults, but the evidence for such a conclusion is unclear and no motive has been offered for the attacks. Based on reporting by Reuters, Interfax, and TASS Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Centerra: Kyrgyzstan launches legal proceedings against Kumtor Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 7 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Centerra: Kyrgyzstan launches legal proceedings against Kumtor, 7 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901b124.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 07, 2016 By RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service Canada-based Centerra Gold Company says Kyrgyz authorities have launched more legal proceedings against its subsidiary, Kumtor Gold Company, and banned several of its expatriate managers from leaving the country. Centerra said on June 6 that Kyrgyz authorities launched a probe against Kumtor Gold Company's managers, accusing them of abusing their authority and engaging in transactions that deprived Kyrgyzstan's largest gold field, Kumtor, of its assets. Bishkek previously legally demanded a $220 million pollution fee from Kumtor Gold. Centerra said that on June 3 a court in Bishkek granted an interim order against Kumtor Gold to secure the pollution fee claim. A 2003 deal gave the Kyrgyz government a 17 percent stake ownership in the Kumtor operations, with Centerra controlling the rest. The agreement was renegotiated in 2009, giving the Kyrgyz government a nearly 33 percent stake. Bishkek has been demanding a 50-50 split in ownership. Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 UN deplores 'harsh' sentencing of Tajik opposition party leaders Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 7 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, UN deplores 'harsh' sentencing of Tajik opposition party leaders, 7 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901b215.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 07, 2016 By RFE/RL The UN special rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, David Kaye, has denounced the lengthy sentences imposed on the leadership of the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT). "The harsh sentencing of multiple opposition leaders reflects the steady increase of restrictions on freedom of expression in Tajikistan," Kaye said in a June 7 statement. "The crackdown on IRPT over the last year silenced one of the few opposition voices in the country." "Imposing such drastic and arbitrary measures against opposition and religious leaders is not only unacceptable but dangerous as it only helps to radicalize those pushed out of public debate," the UN special rapporteur added. IRPT deputy heads Saidumar Husaini and Muhammad Hayit were sentenced to life imprisonment on June 2, while 11 other high-ranking party officials were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 14 to 28 years. They were found guilty of conspiring in a supposed armed bid to seize power in early September 2015. Authorities blamed the IRPT for organizing the mutiny, while the Supreme Court banned the party, designating it an "extremist and terrorist organization." Party leader Muhiddin Kabiri, who now lives in exile, rejected the accusations. Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Assad vows to 'liberate every inch' of Syria Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 7 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Assad vows to 'liberate every inch' of Syria, 7 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901b345.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 07, 2016 Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has vowed to "liberate every inch" of the country from groups opposed to his regime. "Our war against terrorism carries on until it is uprooted," Assad said in a June 7 speech before the newly elected parliament, which convened for the first time since April elections that were held in government-controlled areas and boycotted by opposition forces. Assad said the situation on the ground was much better for government forces than it was months ago. "Our only option is victory, otherwise Syria will not continue," he said. Russia began an aerial campaign in Syria last September, helping pro-government forces capture areas from rebels. In March Syrian forces, backed by Russian air strikes, seized the central city of Palmyra from the Islamic State extremist group. Based on reporting by AP, dpa, AFP, and Reuters Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Azerbaijani leader warns Nagorno-Karabakh truce 'fragile' Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 7 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Azerbaijani leader warns Nagorno-Karabakh truce 'fragile', 7 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901b427.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 07, 2016 Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev (left) and German Chancellor Angela Merkel attend a press conference following their meeting at the Chancellery in Berlin on June 7. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has said he wants a peaceful resolution to the conflict over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh. "Recent developments in the region on the line of conflict show the cease-fire is not stable, it is fragile," Aliyev told a press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on June 7. "The status quo is not acceptable." In early April, a truce halted four days of fierce fighting in and around Nagorno-Karabakh between Armenia-backed separatists and Azerbaijan's military the worst fighting seen in the region since a fragile cease-fire deal was reached in the early 1990s. The Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents renewed last month their commitment to a cease-fire and to a peaceful settlement of the conflict. Baku and Yerevan have been locked in conflict over Azerbaijan's breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh for decades. Armenian-backed separatists seized the mainly Armenian-populated region from Azerbaijan during a war in the early 1990s that killed some 30,000 people. Diplomatic efforts to reach a permanent settlement have brought little progress. Based on reporting by Reuters and Interfax Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 UNHCR: More than 10,000 died trying to cross Mediterranean since 2014 Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 7 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, UNHCR: More than 10,000 died trying to cross Mediterranean since 2014, 7 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901b510.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 07, 2016 The United Nations refugee agency says more than 10,000 people have died trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea to get into the European Union since 2014. The UNHCR's report on June 7 came as the European Union unveiled new plans to try to slow down the flow of illegal migrants from Africa. With hundreds of people dying in recent weeks in a series of deadly Mediterranean shipwrecks, the UNHRC said the number of migrant deaths at sea has risen sharply in 2016 reaching a total of 2,814 since the start of the year. The UNHCR says the total number who have died trying to make the sea crossing since the start of 2014 is now confirmed to be at least 10,085. Europe's newly unveiled plans involve using EU funds to promote private investments of up to 60 billion euros ($68 billion) in key countries of origin for migrants particularly Ethiopia, Niger, Nigeria, Mali, and Senegal. The program also would make funds available to promote private investment in Lebanon and Jordan. Based on reporting by AFP, AP, and Reuters Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 MP from Poroshenko Bloc calls on PGO to probe tax evasion by Concern Stirol former owners A deputy from the Petro Poroshenko bloc in parliament Volodymyr Ariev has called on the Prosecutor General of Ukraine (PGO) to launch an investigation into possible tax evasion and illegal transfer of funds by the former owners of Concern Stirol, Mykola and Ihor Yankovsky. "I informed the PGO where they can catch 'big fish,' about the scheme used by former cronies of disgraced former President Viktor Yanukovych to evade hundreds of millions of USD in taxes in Ukraine, Hungary and other EU states. I am talking about the Yankovsky family," Ariev wrote on his Facebook page on Monday. According to Ariev's letter to the PGO, from 2003 to 2010 Open Joint Stock Company Concern Stirol exported its products to Friston LLP (UK) and Interprofit 2000 KFT (Hungary) at discounted prices (in order to minimize taxes) before selling them [to traders] at market prices. "The companies used the profit from these deals to make loans to other companies they owned in order to buy assets internationally, in addition to financing the election campaign of Yanukovych in 2009 and lobbying the interests of their Concern Stirol within Ukrainian government agencies," Ariev wrote in his letter to the PGO. The MP said another way the Yankovsky family evaded taxes was to extend credit lines and non-refundable financial assistance to companies they owned or controlled, including to Ukrainian LLCs Kamia, Kamia Plus, Kamia Securities Service, and Nereyinterans. The MP said Mykola and Ihor Yankovsky also avoided paying taxes following the sale of Concern Stirol to Group DF in 2010 by using the offshore Company Dotterbloem B.V. (Holland). As earlier reported, the Yankovsky family sold Concern Stirol to Group DF (Dmytro Firtash) in 2010. Erdogan signs law stripping Turkish lawmakers of immunity Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 7 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Erdogan signs law stripping Turkish lawmakers of immunity, 7 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901b6c.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 07, 2016 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (file photo) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has signed a bill into law that lifts the parliamentary immunity of lawmakers. The law paves the way for the prosecution of pro-Kurdish lawmakers and other legislators who oppose Erdogan's government. The legislation was proposed by Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party after Erdogan accused deputies from a pro-Kurdish party the People's Democratic Party (HDP) of being an arm of outlawed Kurdish rebels. Erdogan has repeatedly called for the prosecution of those lawmakers on terrorism-related charges. The vote has been criticized by officials in Germany and the European Union. It also has been condemned by Turkish opposition lawmakers, who have vowed to fight against it. The HDP backs Kurdish and other minority rights. It denies the accusations that it is the political arm of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). With support from 376 deputies in Turkey's 550-seat parliament, a May 20 vote in favor of the government-backed bill was enough to avoid a public referendum. Based on reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Ukraine: Savchenko says willing to hold peace talks with separatists Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 8 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Ukraine: Savchenko says willing to hold peace talks with separatists, 8 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901b715.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 08, 2016 By RFE/RL Ukrainian member of parliament Nadia Savchenko says she is willing to hold peace talks with separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian airwoman Nadia Savchenko says she is willing to talk with Russia-backed separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine to try to end the nation's two-year-old conflict. Savchenko told Ukrainian media on June 7 she believes direct peace talks with separatist leaders would be more effective than the current, unproductive talks that have included Russia, Ukraine, France, and Germany. "The first step is extending the anti-Russian sanctions, because Russia does not yet understand that it needs to step back. The second step is to establish direct communication with the [separatists] without the Minsk Agreements. To establish direct internal communication without the third and fourth sides," Savchenko said on Radio Era. She said she is ready to personally meet with leaders in separatist-held parts of Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions, Aleksandr Zakharchenko and Igor Plotnitsky. Zakharchenko was quoted as saying on June 8 that the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic is prepared to hold talks with Savchenko, but only as part of the Minsk peace process. "We do not choose negotiators from the Ukrainian side," he reportedly said. "We will talk to the ones they send." The separatist envoy to the four-party peace talks that began last year in the Belarusian capital, Denis Pushilin, earlier said both Zakharchenko and Plotnitsky would be willing to meet with her if Ukraine gave her formal envoy status. "It's truly strange, but Ms. Savchenko has so far been the only person to come up with the idea of starting a direct dialogue with Donbas representatives, while this is exactly what the Minsk Agreements stipulate," he told Interfax. "Therefore, if Nadia Savchenko is invested with all the necessary powers, we will be ready to maintain dialogue with her," he said. Savchenko was freed in a prisoner exchange with Russia last month after nearly two years in custody and was sworn in as a lawmaker in Ukraine's parliament last week. She was captured in eastern Ukraine by separatists in June 2014 and transported to Russia, where she was convicted of providing coordinates for a mortar attack that killed two Russian journalists. Based on reporting by AP, Interfax, and TASS Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Taliban kills 12 Afghan captives in east, abducts 40 bus passengers in north Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 8 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Taliban kills 12 Afghan captives in east, abducts 40 bus passengers in north, 8 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901b89.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 08, 2016 Afghan officials say Taliban militants have killed 12 members of the country's security forces whom they had captured in recent ambushes in the eastern province of Ghazni. Meanwhile, police in the northern province of Kunduz said on June 8 that Taliban fighters stopped a bus on a highway near the provincial capital and abducted 40 passengers the second such abduction in the province in less than two weeks. Police spokesman Mahfuzullah Akbari said seven other passengers managed to escape the Taliban gunmen who stopped the bus. Army intelligence officer Gulam Mohammad Tahiri said on June 8 that the 12 slain security officials in Ghazni Province included seven policemen, three soldiers, and two officials from the National Directorate of Security. He said the killings took place in the Andar district on June 7 and that Taliban militants forced local residents to watch the execution-style killings. Jawid Salangi, a spokesman for Ghazni's police, said the security officials were abducted by the Taliban on separate highways in the province on June 3 and 5. Travelers have faced a string of murders and kidnappings on roads in recent weeks, with the Taliban claiming responsibility. Based on reporting by AP and dpa Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Pakistani woman burns daughter alive Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 8 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Pakistani woman burns daughter alive, 8 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901b94.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 08, 2016 Pakistani officials say a woman has been arrested after burning her daughter alive because the young woman had defied her family to marry a man of her choice. Police said the killing took place in the eastern city of Lahore on June 8, and that the mother was arrested the same day. The suspect, Parveen Rafiq, confessed to pouring petrol on her 18-year-old daughter Zeenat Rafiq and setting her ablaze, with the help of her son, police official Sheikh Hammad Akhtar said. Police are looking for the son. Violence against women is not uncommon in Pakistan, where nearly 1,000 women are killed each year in so-called "honor killings." A 19-year-old schoolteacher, Maria Bibi, was tortured, doused with gasoline and set on fire last month for refusing to marry a man twice her age. Based on reporting by AP and Dawn Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Turkish police blame PKK for bombings near Syrian border, Istanbul Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 8 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Turkish police blame PKK for bombings near Syrian border, Istanbul, 8 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901ba38.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 08, 2016 Turkish police say a Kurdish rebel suicide bomber detonated an explosives-laden vehicle outside a police headquarters near Turkey's border with Syria on June 8, killing five other people. An Interior Ministry official said the victims included three civilians and two women police officers. A total of 51 people, including 23 civilians, were wounded by the blast. The attack in the town of Midyat, in Mardin Province, came amid a surge in violence in Turkey and a day after a car bomber hit a police vehicle in Istanbul, killing 11 people. The Interior Ministry official said authorities had strong evidence indicating that the outlawed rebel Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) had carried out the June 7 attack in Istanbul and the June 8 bombing in Mardin Province. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on June 7 signed a bill into law that lifts the parliamentary immunity of lawmakers a move that paves the wave for the prosecution of pro-Kurdish lawmakers that Erdogan accuses of being the political wing of the PKK. Based on reporting by AP, Reuters, and AFP Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Kazakhstan: Nazarbaev: Aqtobe attacks orchestrated from abroad Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 8 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Kazakhstan: Nazarbaev: Aqtobe attacks orchestrated from abroad, 8 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901ba6.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 08, 2016 By RFE/RL Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev was quoted by his official website as telling security chief Vladimir Zhumakanov that in the course of the continuing manhunt, suspects "should be eliminated in the case of armed resistance." Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev has claimed that the attackers who carried out the recent attacks that rocked the northwestern city of Aqtobe "received instructions from abroad," and suggested that suspects will face the death penalty. The June 8 comments were the first made by the Kazakh leader since dozens of gunmen carried out the attacks on June 5, prompting a "counterterrorism operation" and leaving a growing death toll of more than 20 dead, including attackers. There have been no credible claims of responsibility for the attacks, which targeted two gun shops and a National Guard base and have left the country in a state of high alert, with several attackers still at large. In separate statements posted to the president's official website, Nazarbaev said that "pseudo-religious radical movements who received instructions abroad" were behind the attacks, and that "a person who has taken up arms and killed people should be punished with the death penalty." The long-serving president introduced a moratorium on capital punishment in 2003 and the death penalty was officially abolished in 2007, but the country's constitution makes an exception in cases of terrorist acts. Also on June 8, Nazarbaev was quoted by his official website as telling security chief Vladimir Zhumakanov that in the course of the continuing manhunt, suspects "should be eliminated in the case of armed resistance." "We are aware that they are in the region, we have identified them, and local people have been warned about it," Nazarbaev said. The claim that the attackers had received instructions from abroad offered no indication of who may have given the instructions. The Interior Ministry told RFE/RL's Kazakh Service on June 8 that 13 suspected attackers were killed and four of them injured, while six remain on the run. Nine have been arrested, according to the ministry. Kazakhstan plans to hold a national day of mourning on June 9 to commemorate the victims, the president's website announced. Security chief Zhumakanov said during his meeting with Nazarbaev that the authorities had identified and questioned 20 people who allegedly "refused to take part in the preparation stage" of the Aqtobe attacks. Zhumakanov provided no further details. Kazakh police spokesman Almas Sadubaev has said the attackers are suspected to be followers of "nontraditional religious movements," a term often used in Central Asia to describe Islamic extremist groups. Kazakhstan's Senate, however, in condemning what it described as a "foul criminal attack" against the country's peace and stability, has said the perpetrators' actions had "nothing to do with religion." The country is in a state of high alert, but there are signs that life is returning to normal in Aqtobe. RFE/RL's Kazakh Service reported that businesses and schools have reopened and public transportation has resumed normal operations in the city of nearly 400,000. Funerals took place on June 8 for three of the civilians killed, the service reported. The Aqtobe incidents are a rare burst of violence in the tightly controlled country of around 18 million people. Kazakhstan witnessed major protests against planned agricultural-land reforms in April and May. More than 1,000 activists were detained around those demonstrations, and many received 10-15-day jail sentences after being convicted of planning or attending the unsanctioned rallies. Written by Farangis Najibullah, with reporting by RFE/RL's Kazakh Service, Tengrinews.kz, and Akorda.kz Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 UN: Iranian authorities inciting hatred, persecuting Baha'i minority Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 8 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, UN: Iranian authorities inciting hatred, persecuting Baha'i minority, 8 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901bb15.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 08, 2016 By RFE/RL UN human rights experts say Iranian officials are inciting hatred against members of Iran's Baha'i religious minority. A statement issued on June 8 by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights accused Iranian religious, judicial, and political authorities of making "verbal attacks" that show "extreme intolerance" toward the Baha'i community and that "could encourage discrimination and possibly acts of violence against the group by others." The UN special rapporteur on human rights in Iran, Ahmed Shaheed, said there was an "ongoing and systematic persecution" of Baha'is by the Iranian government that violates the country's international legal obligations. The UN says are currently at least 72 Baha'is in Iranian prisons "solely because of their religious beliefs and practices." Heiner Bieelfeldt, the UN special rapporteur on freedom of religion, said that "increasingly hostile rhetoric" now puts Iran's Baha'i community at "a very dangerous precipice where its very existence may be threatened." Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 U.S. suggests Russian planes drop food aid in besieged Syrian towns Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 9 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, U.S. suggests Russian planes drop food aid in besieged Syrian towns, 9 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901bc25.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 09, 2016 The United States has suggested that Russia use its planes stationed in Syria to drop food into communities that are under siege and blocked from receiving aid by the Syrian government. The UN' World Food Program has been unable to make deliveries in towns that have been blockaded by the government even though Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his ally Russia had agreed to allow them. U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner on June 8 accused Russia of not living up to its commitment and suggested Russia is well positioned to do the drops itself. "We are obviously disappointed, to put it mildly that...Russia has not taken any demonstrable steps to support the...delivery of humanitarian relief," he said. "But, you know...Russia actually has air assets on the ground in Syria and ostensibly has the permission of the Syrian government to fly." Asked if this meant he was suggesting that Russia itself carry out the food drops, since Assad was unlikely to block his ally's flights, a department official told AFP that Toner was "throwing down the gauntlet" to see if Moscow was serious about helping Syrian civilians. Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Islamist jailed for life over attack on Kyrgyz theologian Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 9 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Islamist jailed for life over attack on Kyrgyz theologian, 9 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901bd25.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 09, 2016 By RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service BISHKEK A Kyrgyz court has sentenced a man to life in prison over an attack against a well-known Kyrgyz theologian. Kadyr Malikov, the director of the Religion, Law, and Politics analytical center in Bishkek, survived the stabbing attack near his house on November 26. Bishkek's Birinchi Mai District Court found Alibek Tilek-Uulu guilty on June 9 of attempted murder motivated by hatred and sentenced him the same day. Tilek-Uulu refused to stand up and loudly said a prayer in Arabic when the judge was pronouncing the sentence. He and another suspected attacker, Ryskul Beishenaliev, were detained in Turkey, from where authorities said they planned to go to Syria to join Islamic State militants there. Tilek-Uulu was extradited to Kyrgyzstan in March. Kyrgyz authorities have said that hundreds of Kyrgyz nationals are fighting alongside IS militants and other extremist Islamic group fighters in Syria and Iraq. Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Iraq: At least 20 killed in Baghdad car bombings Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 9 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Iraq: At least 20 killed in Baghdad car bombings, 9 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901bd6.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 09, 2016 Reports from Iraq say at least 20 people have been killed in two separate bombings in and around Baghdad. Police said a car packed with explosives blew up in a commercial street of Baghdad al-Jadeeda (New Baghdad), a mostly Shi'ite neighborhood east of the capital, killing at least 15 people and wounding more than 30. A suicide car bomb also hit the town of Taji, just north of the capital, killing at least five people and wounding at least 12. There was no immediate claim for the blasts, but the Islamic State extremist group has claimed responsibility for nearly all such attacks in recent months. The latest bombings comes as Iraqi forces are trying to dislodge IS militants from their stronghold of Fallujah, west of Baghdad. Based on reporting by Reuters, AFP, and AP Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 MP and member of the People's Will faction of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Oleksandr Onyschenko has arrived at the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) to meet with NABU head Artem Sytnyk. "There have been a lot of accusatory words from the NABU about me, but no one until now has contacted me or given me anything. The first thing I request is that the presumption of (my) innocence be respected and the PR campaign and statements that I was in charge of some organized criminal group, etc. be stopped," Onyschenko told journalists in Kyiv on Tuesday before being questioned by NABU agents. Onyschenko said his colleagues have been pressured and coerced into making confessions implicating him. "It's as if we are back in 1937, when they arrested dozens, threw them into jail and beat confessions out them. My lawyer has been arrested, the lawyer who is supposed to defend me, and my 72-year old mother has also been put under suspicion," the MP said. Asked whether parliament could muster the simple majority of votes (226) to strip him of immunity from prosecution, Onyschenko replied: "Judging by the materials I have seen, there is no evidence of my wrongdoing. Therefore, I don't think the Verkhovna Rada will support this nonsense." On Wednesday June 15 the head of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Bureau of the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine (PGO) sent materials for review on bringing criminal charges against and arresting Onyschenko. Kholodnytsky said then that the materials were prepared from evidence obtained during a criminal investigation into alleged wrongdoing in the sale of natural gas by public joint-stock company Ukrgazvydobuvannia. Newly appointed PGO head Yuriy Lutsenko on Thursday wrote on his Facebook page on Thursday that the materials would be delivered to parliament on Thursday afternoon. NABU said that Onyschenko had left Ukraine, but said it had information that he returned to Kyiv. Onyschenko has said there is another PR campaign being waged against him in order to take away his business and has promised to convince Ukrainian MPs not to support the PGO request to strip him of his immunity from prosecution and arrest. U.S. levels terrorism charges against Islamic State defector Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 10 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, U.S. levels terrorism charges against Islamic State defector, 10 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901c037.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 10, 2016 U.S. authorities on June 9 leveled terrorism charges against a man who joined the Islamic State extremist group for two months before surrendering to Kurdish authorities in Iraq in March. In an affidavit that details the former militant's everyday life in the IS stronghold in Mosul, U.S. prosecutors charged Mohamad Khweis, 26, with material support for terrorists and agreeing to be a suicide bomber. A U.S. court in Alexandria, VIrginia, ordered him held without bond. Khweis, a Palestinian-American, surrendered to Kurdish forces in northern Iraq, saying he was initially attracted to IS because of its "peaceful and humanitarian efforts," but after joining he became disenchanted and decided to leave and renounce the organization's ideology. But the FBI said that IS asked Khweis whether he was willing to serve as a suicide bomber, and he agreed. Khweis said afterward he believed IS was testing his loyalty, and he never agreed to return to the United States and participate in attacks there. Khweis' attorney, John Zwerling, cautioned that the FBI's case is just one interpretation of Khweis' remarks. "Everything is not as it appears in the government's pleading," he said. Based on reporting by AP and AFP Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 U.S. watchdog says recent Taliban gains threaten costly Afghan reconstruction Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 9 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, U.S. watchdog says recent Taliban gains threaten costly Afghan reconstruction, 9 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901c06.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 09, 2016 The U.S. government's top watchdog on Afghanistan says the United States has wasted billions of dollars in reconstruction aid to Afghanistan during the past decade and renewed Taliban militancy now threatens the gains that were made. John Sopko, the special inspector-general for Afghanistan reconstruction (SIGAR), told Reuters on June 9 that "too much money was spent in too small a country with too little oversight." Sopko also said: "If the security situation continues to deteriorate, even areas where money was spent wisely and gains were made could be jeopardized." A series of reports by SIGAR conclude that nearly $113 billion appropriated by the U.S. Congress for Afghan reconstruction since 2001 has been plagued by corruption, waste, and mismanagement. Appointed by President Barack Obama nearly four years ago, Sopko also said the planned drawdown of U.S. troops from Afghanistan could exacerbate the problems with reconstruction aid and add to the amounts already wasted. Based on reporting by Reuters Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Islamic State blows up ancient Assyrian temple in northern Iraq Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 10 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Islamic State blows up ancient Assyrian temple in northern Iraq, 10 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901c115.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 10, 2016 Iraqi workers clean a statue of a winged bull at an archaeological site in Nimrud in 2001. The Islamic State extremist group has posted a video that shows it blowing up a 3,000-year-old temple in the Assyrian city of Nimrud in northern Iraq the militant group's latest assault on a priceless archaeological treasure. The United Nations confirmed on June 9 that satellite imagery showed "extensive damage to the main entrance" of the temple of Nabu, the Babylonian god of wisdom. Nimrud was a 13th-century B.C. Assyrian city, located 20 miles south of the modern city of Mosul, which the militants have controlled since 2014. The IS video also showed bulldozers razing the ancient Gate of Nergal, part of the historic Nineveh city wall in Mosul. A bearded man in the video said that the destruction was meant to prevent Muslims from returning to idolatry. The group considers all pre-Islamic culture idolatrous, along with any religion outside its own radical interpretation of Sunni Islam. Besides destroying important archaeological sites in northern Iraq, IS blew up temples and ancient buildings in Palmyra in neighboring Syria. It is also suspected of raising funds from selling looted artifacts. In the last two years, archaeologists say IS has inflicted incalculable damage on historic sites. Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Russia: Putin declines to pardon ex-Yukos security chief Pichugin Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 10 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Russia: Putin declines to pardon ex-Yukos security chief Pichugin, 10 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901c215.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 10, 2016 Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied a petition for a pardon by the ex-chief of security of the now-defunct Yukos oil company, the lawyer for Aleksei Pichugin said on June 9. "On the advice of human rights activists, Pichugin filed a petition for pardon with the president of the Russian Federation. Recently, we learned that he was denied that," Kseniya Kostromina told TASS. She said Pichugin, who is serving a life sentence in a penal colony for allegedly organizing the killings of businessmen who threatened Yukos, as well as a Russian mayor, considers himself unjustly convicted for crimes he did not commit, she said. His position has been upheld by the European Court of Human Rights, she said. Kostromina did not rule out Pichugin applying again for a pardon. "The law does not regulate the number of petitions," she said. Based on reporting by TASS and Interfax Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Kazakh security forces kill five suspected militants in Aqtobe Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 10 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Kazakh security forces kill five suspected militants in Aqtobe, 10 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901c34.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Last updated (GMT/UTC): 10.06.2016 09:39 By RFE/RL A Kazakh police officer blocks a street near the site of a firefight between Kazakh security forces and suspects linked to deadly attacks earlier this week on a National Guard base and several gun shops in Aqtobe. Kazakh security forces have killed five suspected militants in Aqtobe, the northwestern city near the Russian border where dozens of gunmen carried out deadly attacks on June 5. The militants were killed as part of a "counterterrorism operation," pushing the total death toll related to the attacks and the ensuing manhunt to 25, including attackers. Kazakhstan's National Security Committee announced that special forces stormed an apartment in Aqtobe on June 10 and killed four "terrorists." According to the statement, police killed "an accomplice of the terrorists" after he opened fire on police on the street. The statement also said two security officers were wounded, but their lives were not in danger. The National Security Committee said those targeted in the raid were suspected of taking part in the June 5 attacks against two gun shops and a National Guard base. Four civilians and three National Guardsmen died in those attacks. On June 9, Kazakhstan observed a national day of mourning to honor those victims. Security forces are continuing their search for other possible "terrorists" suspected of involvement in the attacks, the National Security Committee said in its June 10 statement. The Interior Ministry had said before the June 10 operation that 13 suspected attackers had been killed, four injured, and nine arrested. Six were believed to still be at large; it is unclear if they were among the five militants killed on June 10. There have been no credible claims of responsibility for the attacks. President Nursultan Nazarbaev has described the attackers as members of "pseudo-religious radical movements" that had received instruction from abroad. Shortly after the attacks, Kazakh police spokesman Almas Sadubaev described the attackers as followers of "nontraditional religious movements," a term often used in Central Asia to describe Islamic extremist groups. In condemning the attacks, however, the Kazakh upper house of parliament said the attacks were not related to religion. The rare outbreak of violence follows major protests against planned agricultural land reforms that took place in Kazakhstan in April and May. More than 1,000 activists were detained in relation to those demonstrations, and many received 10 to 15 day jail sentences after being convicted of planning or attending the unsanctioned rallies. With reporting by RFE/RL's Kazakh Service Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Anti-OSCE protest held in eastern Ukraine Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 10 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Anti-OSCE protest held in eastern Ukraine, 10 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901c415.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 10, 2016 A protest has taken place in the separatist-controlled eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk against the deployment of monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The rally on June 10 was organized by the Russia-backed leaders in the region of Donetsk. The OSCE's Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) has 580 unarmed staff based in the regions of Luhansk and Donetsk. Separatists leaders have accused the SMM of unfairly blaming much of the violence in the conflict zone on separatist fighters. More than 9,300 people have been killed in eastern Ukraine since hostilities erupted in April 2014. Amid an uptick in violence, Kyiv is hoping to get an armed police mission under the auspices of the OSCE deployed in separatist-held areas in Donetsk and Luhansk. "We have gathered here to say a firm 'no' to an armed OSCE mission," Donetsk separatist leader Denis Pushilin told the pro-Russia crowd. Based on reporting by AFP Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Ukrainian jailed in Crimea over Euromaidan 'murder' charge Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 10 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Ukrainian jailed in Crimea over Euromaidan 'murder' charge, 10 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901c51e.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 10, 2016 A 23-year-old Ukrainian who says he was tortured has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for attempted murder by a court in Russia-annexed Crimea. The court in Simferopol on June 10 said Andriy Kolomiyet had thrown a Molotov cocktail at two former Ukrainian Berkut riot police during the pro-Western Euromaidan protests in Kyiv in January 2014. Kolomiyets was arrested in Russia's North Caucasus region in May 2015 and transported to Crimea, where he has been held in custody ever since. Kolomiyets has said he was tortured into confessing to taking part in extremist Ukrainian organizations during protests in Kyiv in 2014 that led to the ouster of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych. Human rights activists in Ukraine have described the charges against Kolomiyets as absurd. Based on reporting by TASS and Interfax Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Savchenko: Ukraine needs early parliamentary elections Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 10 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Savchenko: Ukraine needs early parliamentary elections, 10 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901c635.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 10, 2016 Ukrainian parliamentary deputy Nadia Savchenko (file photo) Ukrainian military aviator Nadia Savchenko, who was sworn in as a lawmaker in May, says Ukraine needs early parliamentary elections to bring "fresh blood" into the country's politics. In an interview with the Associated Press on June 10, Savchenko said the "Ukrainian people deserve a better government than they now have." Savchenko said the government in Kyiv has failed to live up to public expectations raised by the ouster of Ukraine's former pro-Russian government in February 2014. Savchenko spent nearly two years in Russian captivity before she was released in May and returned to a hero's welcome in Ukraine.She was elected to parliament in 2014 while in custody. On June 7, Savchenko said she was willing to talk with Russia-backed separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine to try to end the nation's two-year-old conflict. Savchenko told Ukrainian media that she believes direct peace talks with separatist leaders would be more effective than the current, unproductive talks that have included Russia, Ukraine, France, and Germany. Based on reporting by AP, Interfax, and TASS Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Blast in mosque kills four in eastern Afghanistan Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 10 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Blast in mosque kills four in eastern Afghanistan, 10 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901c6c.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 10, 2016 By RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan A blast in a village mosque has killed at least four people and wounded nearly 40 others in the eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar, Afghanistan's Interior Ministry said on June 10. The explosion occurred when local men in the village of Hisara in Nangarhar's Rudat district had gathered for Friday prayers, the ministry said in a statement. The mosque's imam was among the dead, it added. The ministry said the "terrorist attack" was carried out by "the enemies of the Afghan people." There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the assault. Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Syrian government accused of bombing town after aid delivered Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 10 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Syrian government accused of bombing town after aid delivered, 10 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901c715.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 10, 2016 The United States and France have accused Syrian government forces of bombing a besieged town just hours after food aid was delivered for starving residents there for the first time in nearly four years. Local residents and a monitoring group said government forces bombarded the rebel-held town of Daraya outside Damascus from the morning on June 10, hampering the distribution of the food aid. A convoy of food aid was delivered to Daraya late on June 9 after the UN said the Syrian government had approved access to 15 of the 19 besieged areas within Syria. The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said government helicopters had dropped at least 20 barrel bombs "on many areas of Daraya." U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said "such attacks are unacceptable in any circumstance but in this case they also hampered the delivery and distribution of badly needed assistance." French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault accused Damascus of "extraordinary duplicity", saying the regime had finally granted access to aid convoys after heavy international pressure "and then the bombing restarted." Daraya, which has been under siege by government forces since November 2012, has witnessed some of the worst bombardment during the country's civil war. Severe cases of malnutrition have been reported among its few thousand residents due to severe food shortages. Based on reporting by AP and AFP Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 The losses of the Ukrainian army in the past 24 hours totaled two servicemen dead and five injured, Ukrainian presidential administration spokesman for military issues Oleksandr Motuzianyk said. "Most regrettably, two Ukrainian servicemen have been killed and five have been injured in hostilities in the past 24 hours," he said at a briefing in Kyiv on Tuesday. Russian opposition lawmaker who opposed Crimea annexation stripped of mandate Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 10 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Russian opposition lawmaker who opposed Crimea annexation stripped of mandate, 10 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901c815.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 10, 2016 By RFE/RL Russian oppositionist Ilya Ponomaryov Russia's State Duma has stripped Ilya Ponomaryov of his parliamentary mandate in the latest move taken against the opposition lawmaker. The lower house, which is dominated by lawmakers from the Kremlin-backed United Russia party, voted 413-3 to pass the widely expected measure. The lone Russian lawmaker to vote against the 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimea Peninsula, Ponomaryov had already been stripped last year of his legal immunity. That paved the way for a criminal investigation into allegations that Ponomaryov had embezzled money from the state-funded Skolkovo technological foundation, something he has repeatedly denied. Ponomaryov, who now spends much of his time in Ukraine and the United States, told RFE/RL in Washington that the vote was taken in anticipation of parliamentary elections scheduled for September. "That is a demonstration for future deputies to come, that they should be loyal and, especially in questions of foreign policy, they should never confront the president," he said. Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Argentina announces suspension of Russia's RT TV broadcasts Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 11 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Argentina announces suspension of Russia's RT TV broadcasts, 11 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901c929.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 11, 2016 Russian President Vladimir Putin and Argentinian President Cristina Kirchner launched a Spanish-language RT channel in 2014. Argentine authorities announced on June 11 that they are suspending the broadcast of Russia's news channel RT, effective in 60 days. RT's 24-hour newscasts in Spanish in Argentina began in October 2014 with considerable fanfare, launched with a joint televised linkup between Russian President Vladimir Putin and then-Argentinian President Cristina Kirchner. Argentina's agreement to include RT in Argentina's government-run television lineup was the first instance of a foreign broadcaster getting such an opportunity. The channel is available to more than 80 percent of Argentina's population. Political analyst Adrian Salbuchi said the reason Argentina gave for suspending the RT broadcasts is it wants to devote RT's frequency spot to domestic broadcasts. But he said the decision probably reflects the more conservative leanings of the new Argentinian government of President Maricio Macri, which was inaugurated in December. The government also is suspending a Venezuelan television channel that had been authorized by the previous left-leaning government, and is inviting the U.S. network CNN to establish a station in the country. Based on reporting by RT.com, TASS, and Sputnik News Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Ukrainian lawyer for Russian prisoner says Kyiv leaders libeled her Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 11 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Ukrainian lawyer for Russian prisoner says Kyiv leaders libeled her, 11 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901c9c.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 11, 2016 The Ukrainian lawyer for former Russian prisoner Yevgeny Yerofeyev has filed a libel lawsuit against Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Ukraine's chief military prosecutor Anatoliy Matios. The suit filed by attorney Oksana Sokolovska on June 10 demands that Poroshenko retract an allegedly false claim that she dragged out the procedure of setting her client Yerofeyev free to delay a prisoner swap of Yerofeyev and another Russian prisoner, Aleksandr Aleksandrov, for Ukrainian military aviator Nadia Savchenko, who was imprisoned in Russia. The suit says Poroshenko made that statement at a news conference on June 3. The prisoner exchange occurred on May 25. Sokolovska said the claim has been detrimental to her business reputation and dignity. She is demanding that Poroshenko call a news conference to withdraw the claim. The lawsuit also demands retraction of a televised statement by Matios charging that the lawyer had coordinated her actions with Russia's State Security Service, the FSB. It demands information about any unauthorized investigations of her by Ukrainian authorities as well as $4,000 in compensation for "moral damage." Matios told Ukrainian Channel 5 that he is prepared to prove the lawsuit is groundless. Based on reporting by TASS and Interfax Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Syria: Deadly twin explosions hit holy Shi'ite area near Damascus Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 11 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Syria: Deadly twin explosions hit holy Shi'ite area near Damascus, 11 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901ca15.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 11, 2016 The holy Sayyida Zeinab shrine has been a frequent target of suicide and car bombings in Syria's civil war. (file photo) Syrian state media say at least 12 people have been killed and 55 others, including children injured after two blasts rocked a Damascus suburb that contains Syria's holiest Shi'ite Muslim shrine. A suicide bomb attack and a separate car bomb blast occurred on June 11 at the entrance to the Sayyida Zeinab shrine located in a suburb with the same name, the SANA news agency said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based monitoring group, put the death toll in the twin attacks at 20 people. The Islamic State (IS) extremist group has claimed responsibility the attacks. The heavily guarded shrine to Sayyida Zeinab, the daughter of the first Shi'ite imam, Ali, and granddaughter of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, is revered by Shi'a around the world and receives thousands of pilgrims each year. Sayyida Zeinab has been a frequent target of suicide and car bombings in Syria's civil war, now in its sixth year. Some of them have been claimed by the extremist Islamic State group. On April 25, eight people died when a suicide bomber detonated his explosive-packed vehicle at a military checkpoint in the suburb. In February, a series of blasts ripped through Sayyida Zeinab, killing at least 83 people and wounding more than 170. Based on reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, and dpa Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Libyan forces say they recaptured port in IS stronghold Sirte Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 11 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Libyan forces say they recaptured port in IS stronghold Sirte, 11 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901cb15.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 11, 2016 Libyan forces say they have regained control of the port in the city of Sirte from the Islamic State (IS) extremist group. The government said two soldiers were killed and eight were wounded. Sirte, the hometown of ousted ruler Muammar Qaddafi, is the most significant IS stronghold outside Iraq and Syria. The Libyan forces, aligned to the UN-backed unity government in Tripoli, began the battle to retake the city last month. Spokesmen said that the forces also recaptured a residential area in the east of Sirte and that many militants were under siege in the city center. Based on reporting by AFP, dpa, and the BBC Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Afghan officials: 6 police killed in IS attack Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 11 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Afghan officials: 6 police killed in IS attack, 11 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901cc20.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 11, 2016 Afghan officials say gunmen affiliated with the Islamic State (IS) extremist group have killed six police officers in the restive eastern Nangarhar Province, which borders Pakistan. The insurgents reportedly attacked the administrative headquarters in Haska Mina district in the early hours of June 11. Officials said 15 IS fighters were killed and seven wounded in the battle. Nangarhar has long been plagued by insurgent groups. In recent months, government troops backed by air strikes have claimed success against IS fighters, who are believed to be former Taliban members. Based on reporting by AFP, dpa Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Bangladesh detains 900 in crackdown following hacking deaths Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 11 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Bangladesh detains 900 in crackdown following hacking deaths, 11 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901cd27.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 11, 2016 Bangladesh police say they have detained about 900 people as part of a crackdown on militants following a series of deadly attacks. Police launched the weeklong campaign on June 10, saying they were focused on arresting Islamist militants. About 40 people, including secular bloggers, academics, and members of religious minorities, have been killed in attacks in recent years. The latest was a Hindu monastery worker who was hacked to death in Pabna district on June 10. Reports said Nityaranjan Pande, who was in his 60s, died on the spot after several people attacked him. The police drive is sweeping up various types, not just terrorism suspects. Police are using lists of wanted criminals, but say the main goal is to disrupt the terror networks. It will be several days before it becomes clear whether they have managed to arrest members of the groups carrying out the sectarian killings. The government says home-grown militants with links to opposition parties such as the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami are seeking to destabilize the country. The international militant groups Islamic State and Al-Qaeda have claimed responsibility for some of the attacks. Based on reporting by BBC and dpa Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Thousands protest in Serbia against demolitions for UAE-investment project Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 11 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Thousands protest in Serbia against demolitions for UAE-investment project, 11 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901ce15.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 11, 2016 Thousands of protesters in Belgrade demanded that Mayor Sinisa Mali resign in the latest in a series of demonstrations against demolitions in a popular area marked for a real estate project financed by the United Arab Emirates. Thousands rallied in the Serbian capital on June 11 in the latest in a series of protests against demolitions in a popular Belgrade area marked for a real estate project financed by the United Arab Emirates. Protesters demanded that Belgrade Mayor Sinisa Mali resign and those behind the nighttime destruction of a block of houses in April be punished. That demolition took place on April 24 in the arts and nightlife district of Savamala, where several buildings were demolished in the night by mysterious masked men. Some protesters wore balaclavas to mock the demolitions, while banners read "Masks have fallen, when will the government?" or "Belgrade is our city." Prime Minister-designate Aleksandar Vucic's ruling Serbian Progressive Party dismissed the gathering as a "circus" organized by opposition parties. The Belgrade mayor a close ally of Vucic has played a key role in in the $3-billion deal with UAE investors to build a Dubai-style business and residential complex in the run-down urban area by the Sava River. Critics say the project in unsuitable for Belgrade and they also allege corruption. Based on reporting by AP and AFP Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Kazakh authorities detain two more suspects after Aqtobe terrorist attacks Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 12 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Kazakh authorities detain two more suspects after Aqtobe terrorist attacks, 12 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901cf15.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 12, 2016 A Kazakh police officer blocks a street near the site of an exchange of fire between security forces and suspected militants linked to deadly attacks this week in Aqtobe. Kazakhstan's security service says it has detained another two suspected terrorists in a security operation, six days after dozens of gunmen carried out deadly attacks in the northwestern city of Aqtobe near the border with Russia. Kazakhstan's National Security Committee announced the latest arrests on its website late on June 11. It said the two suspects were arrested during a raid by authorities near Aqtobe, suggesting the operation was linked to counterterrorism operations carried out in response to the June 5 terrorist attacks. Authorities on June 6 launched a raid in response to the attack that killed five suspected militants in Aqtobe, raising the death toll related to the attacks and the ongoing manhunt to 25 including attackers. Based on reporting by TASS and Interfax Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Islamic State militants hit Libyan pro-government forces in Sirte Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 12 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Islamic State militants hit Libyan pro-government forces in Sirte, 12 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901d029.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 12, 2016 Forces loyal to Libya's UN-backed unity government prepare a missile launcher during clashes with Islamic State (IS) militants west of Sirte earlier this month. Libyan forces began the battle to retake the city from IS in May. Forces allied with Libya's unity government battled on June 12 to retake the extremist Islamic State (IS) group's stronghold in Sirte, facing resistance and a series of suicide car bombings. IS took control of the coastal city in 2015 and turned it into its main base of operations for North Africa. Islamic State militants launched three suicide attacks against Libyan government forces in an attempt to stop them from advancing inside their stronghold, pro-government media reported. Reda Issa, a spokesman for the unity government's forces, said that at least one person was killed and four injured in the suicide bomb blasts. On June 11, Libyan forces said they regained control of the port in Sirte. Sirte, the hometown of ousted ruler Muammar Qaddafi, is the most significant IS stronghold outside Iraq and Syria. The Libyan forces, aligned to the UN-backed unity government in Tripoli, began the battle to retake the city last month. Based on reporting by dpa and AFP Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said that a number of conditions related to security must be met in order to hold the elections in Donbas. "During the 19-hour talks in Minsk, when Angela Merkel, Francois Hollande and I tried to get a constructive position from Russia and to get Putin to sign his obligations. The lion's share of the negotiations dealt with the task of stopping fire and saving lives. Therefore, it is obvious that there are preconditions for introducing amendments to the Constitution," Poroshenko said in an interview with French television channel Itele Tuesday. According to the Ukrainian president, the Russian troops should be withdrawn from the territory of Ukraine, the OSCE mission should have access to all areas in Donbas, including those where it is critical to ensure the withdrawal of heavy equipment and weapons. "Only after the pre-conditions are met, we can start the work to organize the elections," he said. Poroshenko said that these elections must be fair and transparent, which is impossible under current conditions. Bomb targets Lebanese bank embroiled in crisis over Hizballah finances Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Publication Date 13 June 2016 Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Bomb targets Lebanese bank embroiled in crisis over Hizballah finances, 13 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576901d115.html [accessed 26 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. June 13, 2016 A bomb has exploded near the headquarters of a bank in central Beirut that is involved in a dispute over how to deal with Hizballah finances. Lebanon's Red Cross said two people were injured, but there were no fatalities from the explosion outside the headquarters of the Lebanese Blom Bank. There were no immediate claims of responsibility for the attack. Lebanon's banking sector has been embroiled in crisis since the United States passed a law requiring banks to target the finances of the Shi'ite political and militant group Hizballah. Hizballah's parliamentary bloc has criticized the country's central bank over its push for commercial banks in Lebanon to comply with the U.S. law. Blom Bank is one of the financial institutions that has closed accounts belonging to people suspected of having ties to Hizballah. Hizballah had no immediate comment about the blast. Based on reporting by Reuters and AP Link to original story on RFE/RL website Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Halloween is nearly here. Find out when Trick-or-Treat is happening in Martinsville. Work continues in Vienna to form mechanisms for investigating border incidents in the Karabakh conflict area, French Ambassador to Armenia Jean-Francois Charpentier told reporters on Tuesday. "Forming mechanisms of trust is a key and important issue. The OSCE [Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe] continues to work on it," he said. The ambassador also said he was not ruling out new meetings between the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after Monday's talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in St. Petersburg that the three leaders noted the observance of the truce along the contact line in the conflict zone in their joint statement. In Cisco, you can have your pie and eat it, too. Or three. Or more ... TUESDAY Snake presentation BALLINGER A presentation on Texas snakes will begin at 10 a.m. at the Carnegie Library, 204 N. Eighth St. Live snakes will be featured. Summer reading program WINTERS A summer reading program for children ages 2 through fifth grade will be presented at 1:30 p.m. at the Winters Public Library, 120 N. Main St. The topic will be exercise for body and mind. For more information, call 325-754-4251. Business workshop Texas Tech Small Business Development Center Abilene will conduct a workshop, 'How to Start a Business,' from 6-8 p.m. in the Texas Tech Training Center, 749 Gateway St., Suite 301. To make a reservation, call 325-670-0300. Square dance workshop TYE The Wagon Wheel Squares will conduct a square dancing workshop at 6:30 p.m. at the Wagon Wheel. Other ... Mission on the Move Soup Kitchen, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Southwest Drive Community United Methodist Church, 3025 Southwest Dr. Abilene Southwest Rotary Club, noon, Beehive Restaurant, 442 Cedar St. High Noon Al-Anon, noon, Southern Hills Church of Christ, 3666 Buffalo Gap Road (south end; follow the yellow signs). Stroke/Aphasia Recovery Program support group, 1:30-2:30 p.m. West Texas Rehabilitation Center boardroom, 4601 Hartford St. 325-793-3535. Dystonia Support Group, 5:15-6:15 p.m., Not Without Us, 3301 N. First St. Suite 117. Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS), 5:30 p.m., Brook Hollow Christian Church, 2310 S. Willis St. 325-232-7444. Legacies Al-Anon Family Group, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Open Door Building, 3157 Russell Ave. 325-280-7584. Family (of Mental Health Consumers) Support Group, 6-7 p.m., Mental Health Association in Abilene, 333 Orange St. 325-673-2300. MHAA Bipolar/Depression Peer Support Group, 6-8 p.m., Ministry of Counseling & Enrichment, 1502 N. First St. 325-673-2300. Free certified nurturing parent class (pregnancy to toddler), 6-8 p.m., Mission Church, North Third and Mockingbird streets. 325-672-9398. Abilene Star Chorus, 6:15 p.m., First Baptist Church, 1333 N. Third St. 325-829-1470. Overeaters Anonymous, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Exodus Metropolitan Community Church, 1933 S. 27th St. Family Support Group for parents with special needs children, 6:30-7:30 p.m., West Texas Rehabilitation Center boardroom, 4601 Hartford St. 325-793-3500. Alzheimer's Association North Central Texas Chapter, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Chisholm Place, 1450 E. N. 10th St. 325-672-2907. Al-Anon Parents Group, 7 p.m., Hillcrest Church of Christ, 650 E. Ambler Ave. Use Church Street entrance. Al-Anon, 7 p.m., Doug Meinzer Activity Center, Knox City. 940-658-3926. Brigadier General John Sayles Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 366, 7 p.m., American Legion Building, 302 E.S. 11th St. Abilene Society of Model Railroaders, 7-8:30 p.m., 2043 N. Second St. Unity Group of Alcoholics Anonymous, 8 p.m., Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest, 602 Meander St. WEDNESDAY Overeaters Anonymous, 8 a.m., Hinds Square Building, Room 112, 100 Chestnut St. Blood drive, 8 a.m. to noon, AISD Administration Building, 241 Pine St. Abilene Cactus Lions Club, 11:45 a.m., Cotton Patch Cafe, 3302 S. Clack St. Abilene Wednesday Rotary Club, noon, Abilene Country Club, 4039 S. Treadaway. $12 for lunch. Jo Ann Wilson, 325-677-6815. Kiwanis Club of Abilene, noon, Abilene Country Club, 4039 S. Treadaway Blvd. Clearly Speaking Toastmaster Club, noon, Westgate Church of Christ, 402 S. Pioneer Drive. 325-795-5570. The Alzheimer's Association Brownwood Support Group, 2-3 p.m., Redstone Park Retirement & Assisted Living, 2410 Songbird Circle, Brownwood. 325-643-9056. Free swim class for people with multiple sclerosis, 5:30 p.m., YMCA, 3250 State St. Veterans Peer Support Group, 6 p.m., 765 Orange St. 325-670-4818. Mid-week Al-Anon Family Group, 6-7 p.m., Open Door Building, 3157 Russell Ave. 325-698-4995. Advanced Square Dancing, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Wagon Wheel. Al-Anon, 7 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 1501 N. Broadway, Ballinger. 817-689-2810 or 325-977-1007. DivorceCare support group, 7 p.m., Hillcrest Church of Christ, 650 E. Ambler Ave. 325-691-4200. THURSDAY Blood drive, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Health South/Abilene Diagnostic Clinic, 1665 Antilley Road. Chronic Pain and Depression Group, 11 a.m. to noon, Mental Health Association of Abilene, 333 Orange St., 325-673-2300. Abilene Founder Lions Club, 11:30 a.m., Al's Mesquite Grill, 4801 Buffalo Gap Road. Kiwanis Club of Greater Abilene, noon, Beehive Restaurant, 442 Cedar St. 325-695-0092. Mental Illness Open Support Group, 1-2 p.m., Mental Health Association of Abilene, 333 Orange St. 325-673-2300. Abilene 42 Club, 6 p.m., Rose Park Senior Center. Teen Recovery Group, 6-7 p.m., Mission Abilene, 3001 N. Third St. Free certified nurturing parent class (all ages), 6-8 p.m., Mission Church, North Third and Mockingbird streets. 325-672-9398. Take Off Pounds Sensibly, 6:30 p.m. Brook Hollow Christian Church. Weigh-in begins at 5:30 p.m. 325-665-5052. Free swim class for people with multiple sclerosis, 6:30 p.m., YMCA, 3250 State St. Gambler's Anonymous, 6:30 p.m., Unity Spiritual Living Center, 2842 Barrow St. 325-338-2575. Round Dancing, 7 p.m., Wagon Wheel. 325-829-1517. South Pioneer Al-Anon Group, 8 p.m., 3157 Russell Ave. Unity Group of Alcoholics Anonymous, 8 p.m., Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest, 602 Meander St. FRIDAY Racing The Lone Star Summer Shootout will open at 7 a.m. at Big Country Race Way, 5601 W. Stamford St. Admission is $15 for adults and free for children under 12 with a paid adult. Pet parade ALBANY The annual Fandangle Pet Parade will be held from 5:15-6:15 p.m. at First National Bank Park. Musical COTTONWOOD The Cottonwood Country Musical will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Cottonwood Community Center. A supper will be served from 5-7 p.m. 'Into the Woods' A production of the musical 'Into the Woods' will be presented at 7:30 p.m. at the Paramount Theatre, 352 Cypress St. Tickets range from $12 to $25. For more information, go to paramount-abilene.org. Dance OPLIN A dance featuring Muddy Creek will be 7:30-10:30 p.m. at the Oplin Community Center. Admission is $5. Information: www.grandoleoplin.com. Concert Dennis Jernigan will present a concert at 7:30 p.m. at First Baptist Church, 1333 N. First St. Admission is free, but an offering will be taken. Fandangle ALBANY The 78th annual Fort Griffin Fandangle outdoor musical will be presented from 8-10 p.m. at the Prairie Theater, 1490 FM 1084. Gates will open at 7 p.m., with a calliope concert at 7:30 p.m. Box seats are $20 and reserved seats are $10 or $15, depending on location. For tickets, call 325-762-3838. For more information, go to www.fortgriffinfandangle.org. Other ... Abilene Chinese Corner, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Abilene Christian University library. lld09a@acu.edu. Mid-City Al-Anon, 7 p.m., First Christian Church. 325-670-4304. 'Raymond Shaw is the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human being I've ever known in my life.' Frank Sinatra, as Maj. Bennett Marco. 'His brain has not only been washed, as they say ... It has been dry-cleaned.' Khigh Dhiegh, as Dr. Yen Lo. These lines from the 1962 classic film 'The Manchurian Candidate' came to mind after I listened to President Obama's endorsement of Hillary Clinton. The president said, 'I don't think there's ever been someone so qualified to hold this office.' Really? She would be equal to George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan and ... himself? Notice President Obama didn't say she is 'more qualified,' because that would diminish him and when it comes to narcissism, Obama and the Clintons make Donald Trump look like a shrinking violet. In his effusive praise of Hillary Clinton, the president did not mention specific accomplishments that might qualify her for the office. That is because there are none. There is a lot of symbolism, of course, but no substantive results as secretary of state, an unremarkable single term as a senator from New York, and eight years as first lady when, in 1993, she couldn't get the Clintons' health reform legislation through a majority Democratic Congress. There is, however, a long list of dubious and possibly criminal 'achievements.' Besides the questions surrounding Clinton's use of a private server and whether secret government documents were compromised and possibly hacked by America's adversaries, there is another issue the major media have completely ignored. Townhall.com columnist Guy Benson writes about it in a recent posting. It involves an institution known as Laureate Education, the parent company of Walden University, an online, for-profit school, which in its practices, according to Benson, sounds a lot like Trump University. Benson writes: 'Laureate Education has been sued over such programs as its Walden University Online offering, which many have alleged is a scam designed to bilk students of tens of thousands of dollars for degrees. Students say they were repeatedly delayed and given added costs as they tried to secure degrees, leaving them deeply in debt.' That's not the worst of it. Benson continues: 'The respected Inside Higher Education reported that Laureate Education paid Bill Clinton an obscene $16.5 million between 2010 and 2014 to serve as an honorary chancellor for Laureate International Universities. While Bill Clinton was the group's pitchman, the State Department funneled $55 million to Laureate when Hillary Clinton was secretary of state.' If this doesn't suggest conflict of interest, quid pro quo and possibly even bribery, these words have lost all meaning. You haven't read, heard or seen any of this mentioned in the major media, which are largely serving as an auxiliary to the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign. This and many other things from what conservative critics call 'the Clinton crime foundation' ought to be red meat for Donald Trump. He should ask why the media are engaging in a near total blackout of Laureate Education and the enormous flow of money to the Clintons and their foundation from governments, institutions and individuals. Speaking of qualifications, perhaps no president, or presidential candidate, has been bought and paid for more than Hillary Clinton. She comes to this contest not with a long list of accomplishments, but with a trail of 'receipts' and IOUs. If she becomes president, donors might reasonably be expected to collect on their investment. Email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@tribpub.com. There are no ISIL (terrorist group banned in Russia) training camps in Ukraine, Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) chief Vasyl Hrytsak said. "There are no jihadist training camps in Ukraine," he said at a briefing on Tuesday, commenting on a statement in the media made by French senator Nathalie Goulet alleging that there is an ISIL training camp in Dnipro (formerly known as Dnipropetrovsk). Advertisement - Continue Reading Below This just in... Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has urged Chairman of the National Assembly of France Claude Bartolone and French parliamentarians to help the soonest introduction of the visa-free regime between Ukraine and the European Union. "The head of state has called on French parliamentarians to promote a decision on the introduction of a visa-free regime by the EU for Ukrainian citizens in the near future," the president's press service reported on the results of Poroshenko's meeting with Bartolone in Paris on Tuesday. He also spoke about the difficult situation in Donbas, and the continuation of violations of international law by Russia. "This is what the international community should take into account in their response to Russia's actions," Poroshenko said. In addition, the president expressed his disappointment with the resolution of the National Assembly recommending the French government lift sanctions against Russia. The National Assembly, the lower house of the French parliament, passed a resolution in late April to call on the government to lift the sanctions from Russia. The resolution is recommendatory and not binding for the government. Ukraine's Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman has said that United States Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker will visit Ukraine. "In the economic sector we have agreed that U.S. Secretary of Commerce Ms. Pritzker and her first deputy will come to Ukraine soon. We have agreed that they will provide technical assistance for the formation of the Investment Support Office under the prime minister," he said at a press conference on the results of his visit to the U.S. in Kyiv on Tuesday. An official in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong has accused the Hong Kong media of "inciting, directing, and organizing" protests in the rebel village of Wukan after thousands of residents barricaded their streets and protested the detention of their leader at the weekend. Ren Shishuo, head of the press office of the city-level People's Congress in Shanwei, which administers Wukan, accused journalists from the former British colony of playing a part in fueling tensions in Wukan at a news conference on Tuesday, official media reported. "External news outlets like the Apple Daily and Initium Media, among others, have been inciting, planning, and directing activities in Wukan village," Ren told reporters. "We will be pursuing measures according to the law," Ren added, without elaborating. State media also carried news of the "confession" of detained former ruling Chinese Communist Party village secretary Lin Zuluan, as the authorities moved to tamp down public discussion of the renewed protests in the village, which was once touted as an example of grass-roots democracy by China's tightly controlled media. Lin was detained on Friday at his Wukan home ahead of a planned public meeting to discuss further protests over farmland which has yet to be returned to local residents in spite of promises made following clashes in 2011. Some 3,000 local residents took to the streets, waving banners and signing petitions for his release, as well as continuing the campaign for the return of their lost land. Taped 'confession' In what has become a familiar pattern in today's China, Lin was shown in a video released by the authorities, "confessing" to the bribery charges during the investigation. "Due to my negligence and ignorance of our laws, I accepted bribes from those involved in livelihood and procurement projects, which is my biggest criminal offense," Lin says in the video. "I confess this to the procuratorate." Lin reportedly also left a message on his wife's phone after his detention, which said: "Don't pay any attention to the rubbish people are saying. Corruption will out." Lin's grandson Lin Liyi was also detained on Monday after talking to international media, according to the family. Lin's wife Yang Zhen confirmed in a brief conversation on Tuesday that Lin Liyi was also detained by police. "That's right," she said. "It was yesterday." Land dispute Sunday's demonstrations reignited a bitter land dispute that saw days of street protests and clashes in 2011, after which the Guangdong provincial authorities took the villagers' side, overruling authorities in nearby Lufeng city, which administers Wukan more directly. Wukan residents say the authorities have still made no move to restore land sold out from under the villagers by the previous party secretary, who was charged with corruption and removed from his post in 2011. Tensions remained high in Wukan on Tuesday, where large numbers of riot police are standing guard over the main road into the village, residents said. "There are a lot of [police] outside the village," a resident who declined to be named told RFA. "It's pretty difficult for anyone to get in here." "This wouldn't be happening if they'd resolved [the land dispute]," he said. Internet blocked Meanwhile, there were signs that local authorities may have imposed blocks and filters to prevent residents from using social media to publicize their protest or communicate with the outside world, sources told RFA. "Some people continued petitioning today," a resident surnamed Zhao said. "It's about a half-hour walk from Wukan to the [Lufeng] city government, so a lot people were exhausted because the temperature is over 30 degrees Celsius today." "The internet is very erratic right now," said Zhao, who added that he "didn't dare" to join the protesters on Tuesday. Exiled former Wukan resident and protest leader Zhuang Liehong, who fled to the United States in the wake of the last protests, said he had had problems receiving messages from the village. "I think the authorities are blocking the internet in the village right now, because I've heard hardly anything from people there," Zhuang said. "This is in huge contrast to the situation yesterday and the day before." Zhuang added: "I'm basically not seeing any posts on WeChat from people in the village. There are two telecom vehicles there specifically to monitor phone conversations and online activities." No hope for now Shaanxi-based rights activist Fan Zhenyi, who has been supporting the Wukan protests from afar, said the authorities already seem to have a stranglehold on the situation. "It looks as if their movement has no hope of succeeding for the time being," Fan said. "But it has still had a huge impact on the broader civil rights movement." "It can perhaps act as a precedent for other civil rights movements that want to use the law to challenge the Communist Party over the protection of their rights," he said. Reported by Yang Fan for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by Wen Yuqing for the Cantonese Service. Translated and written in English by Luisetta Mudie. Jailed human rights activist Guo Feixiong refuses to end his six-week hunger strike despite shedding significant weight, his lawyers said after visiting him in prison in southern Chinese province of Guangdong. Lawyer Zhang Lei told RFAs Cantonese Service that the 50-year-old Guo, whose birth name is Yang Maodong, looked very weak during a visit Monday. Zhang is the first visitor to see Guo since May 6, four days after he began fasting. Many of his friends and his relatives hope he will stop the hunger strike. We passed their thoughts to him but he clearly expressed that he will not halt the hunger strike, said Zhang. This is a medical issue. From the viewpoint of a layman, I judge that it is very dangerous for a person not to eat for such a long time. Zhang said he understands that Guo has been drinking water while on hunger strike. Guo also discussed with his lawyer appealing his sentence. However, Guo refused to sign the appeal after prison authorities requested he delete part of the statement, Zhang said. Guos sister Yang Maoping, who last visited her brother on May 9, told RFA that the family is seeking approval from authorities to transfer Guo from Yangchun Prison to another facility. We are asking them to transfer him to another prison. Yang Maodong also wants to do so, she told RFA. He has blood in his stool and has gastrointestinal problems. I wanted to see him and persuade him to stop the hunger strike and bring him for a gastrointestinal checkup, said Yang Maoping. Guo began his hunger strike in early May after being subjected to a forced rectal cavity search at the instigation of state security police, as well as forced head shaving and verbal abuse from prison guards, rights groups have said. Guo was sentenced last November for "picking quarrels and stirring up trouble" and "gathering a crowd to disrupt social order" after a prolonged period in pretrial detention where he was held alone in a closet-size cell and denied access to the exercise yard for nearly two years. During his sentencing hearing, Guo shouted in protest at his treatment while in police custody, where he was held in solitary confinement in a small, dark cell and denied permission to exercise outdoors since August 2013. Reported by Hai Nan for RFA's Cantonese Service. Translated by Wong Lok-to. Written in English by Paul Eckert. Internet surfers at a cybercafe in Beijing. Lists of names from WikiLeaks cables circulate on websites and popular microblogging platforms. A blogger and social media commentator who compiled meticulous daily lists of protests in China, making the results public via Google, Twitter and Weibo, has been incommunicado for nearly a week, along with his girlfriend, rights activists said on Tuesday. Former migrant worker Lu Yuyu, who went by the Twitter nickname @wickedonnaa, called his online operation "Not the News," in a nod to the widespread censorship of "sensitive" stories of mass protests by the ruling Chinese Communist Party and the media outlets under its control. "I asked a friend of his, and he said Lu hasn't updated his information online for about four days," a friend of Lu's who gave only the surnamed You told RFA on Tuesday. "He would normally usually post at least once a day to Twitter or Weibo, so we'd usually have daily updates from him," he said. You said it is possible that Lu had recently traveled to the rebel village of Wukan in southern China's Guangdong province after protests flared there over the weekend following major clashes in 2011. "I'm thinking that perhaps he went to Wukan [to cover the protests] and got detained there on arrival," You said. He said the sort of data Lu compiled, which last year including details of more than 30,000 "mass incidents" not widely reported in China, could easily have made him a target. But he said Lu was typically secretive, communicating very little of his whereabouts to family and friends. Detained at any time Sichuan-based rights activist Huang Qi, who founded the Tianwang rights website, said Lu's work could get him detained at any time. "Reporting this kind of news, as he does, isn't the sort of thing the Chinese government wants to see," Huang said. "The authorities do everything they can to suppress stories like this that touch on press freedom and the welfare of ordinary people," he said. Huang said 13 former employees and volunteers at the Tianwang website have been jailed for their involvement in publishing the stories of ordinary people fighting for their rights through legal and peaceful means. Online writer and activist Wen Yunchao said Lu has reported, compiled and made archives of popular protest in China going back four or five years. "The statistical work Lu did wasn't just about the quality or amount of his data; it was really exceptional," Wen said. "Through Lu's statistics, it's possible to get an instant look at mass protest in China; it's a unique window on Chinese society," he said. Coercive measures Liu Feiyue, who heads the Hubei-based Civil Rights and Livelihood Watch, said he believes Lu has been detained or placed under "coercive measures" by the authorities. "He used [all kinds] of methods to disseminate news about people fighting for their rights," Liu said. "Most of them had a bearing of people's livelihoods, for example, forced evictions and demolitions, or the protests in Wukan." "The authorities won't let any of that go unpunished; the environment for [activists] in China is getting really bad," he said. Reported by Qiao Long for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by Wong Lok-to for the Cantonese Service. Translated and written in English by Luisetta Mudie. On Thursday, June 23, at 11.00, the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency will host a press conference entitled "Number of Whistleblowers for Corruption Triples. What's next?" The participants will include head of the anti-corruption campaign "They Wouldn't Keep Silence!," senior analyst at Transparency International Ukraine Oleksandr Kalytenko, lawyer working with those who expose corruption at Transparency International Ukraine Dmytro Kuzin, former volunteer of the Red Cross Society of Ukraine, Hanna Burdyliak, representative of the student government of the Institute of Political Sciences and Law of the Drahomanov National Pedagogical University Serhiy Zaichenko (8/5a Reitarska Street). The event is organized by Transparency International Ukraine on the results for the campaign for protection of whistleblowers of the anti-corruption campaign They Wouldn't Keep Silence!" Additional information by phone: (050) 352 9618 (Olha Tymchenko). Registration requires press accreditation. Days before Kong Maharath disappeared from a Thai fishing boat without a trace, the deckhand told his family that someone was trying to kill him, RFAs Lao Service has learned. Just as he had many times before, the 38-year-old native of the Lao province of Khammuane shipped out on a fishing boat from the Thai port of Phetchaburi, but not long after setting sail on May 17 he reported trouble in a cell phone call to his wife Charipha Phetmany. He was working on the boat on May 28 when he called and told me that someone would kill him, and then he asked me to inform police and military to help him, Charipha told RFA. On the night of May 29, the owner told me my husband had disappeared. Charipha told RFA she met with a representative of the Nor Douangdy 11 Company which owns the boat on June 30, where the owner told her he would take responsibility, but she added that the owner also asked me not to inform the police because if the police know I will have to pay them. While Charipha is Thai, her husband has lived legally in Thailand since 2006, and has never been in trouble, she said. An investigation Kongs disappearance has sparked an investigation as Thai police and military officers in Phetchaburi province are looking into the disappearance, a police official told RFA. Now the police and soldiers are investigating the cause of his death, a police officer at Bah Leam district police station told RFA, but authorities declined to discuss the case. Officials with the Thai and Lao government also declined to talk about the incident. Working on a Thai fishing boat is notoriously dangerous. Not only is ocean fishing a hazardous occupation in itself, but the Thai fleet is known for abusing workers, and slave laborers are often used to fill out boat crews. The Thai government estimates that 80 percent of the 145,000 working in its fishing industry are migrant workers, mainly from Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos. According to United Nations estimates, the Thai fishing fleet consistently faces a shortage of about 50,000 mariners. The shortfall is filled primarily with migrant workers desperate for a job and people forced to work on the boats against their will. In the Thai fleet murder is apparently a common occurrence, as the United Nations Inter-Agency Project on Human Trafficking found that nearly 60 percent of trafficked migrants interviewed aboard Thai fishing vessels reported witnessing the murder of a fellow worker. Unusual moves While authorities arent hazarding a guess as to the cause of Kong's disappearance, officials with the Labor Rights Promotion Network Foundation (LPN) thinks its more than an accident. The Thai-based LPN was founded to address discrimination against migrant workers in Thailand and to combat human trafficking. NPF has been active in labor issues involving the Thai fishing fleet. Kongs relatives, Lao embassy officials, and a foundation representative met the boat owner on June 15, but he disavowed any responsibility saying only that Kong Maharath had disappeared from the boat, Samak Thapthany, an LPN official, told RFA. The actions of the boat captain are also raising questions, as the usual procedure if a man is lost is to contact authorities while the vessel is still at sea, Samak explained. The boat was taken to a port and then the owner informed Kong's wife afterwards, which is not right, he said. The usual practice, if someone disappears on the boat, is that the boat isnt allowed in port until there is an investigation of the cause. Samak told RFA that the family gave the Lao government the right to sue the boat owner, and that one of Kongs relatives told the foundation the boats owner offered $600 to the family as compensation for Kongs death. When the family turned that down, the offer jumped to $8,600, Samak said. The family refused to accept the money, Samak told RFA. Kongs sister returned to Laos to collect all the necessary papers and documents to submit to the Lao embassy for the court filing, but so far the Lao embassy official handling this case would not give us any details, stating that it might affect the case. Reported by RFA's Lao Service. Translated by Ounkeo Souksavanh. Written in English by Brooks Boliek. The Myanmar government has ordered state-run media not to refer to the persecuted Muslim minority group that lives in western Myanmars Rakhine state by the divisive term Rohingya during a visit by a United Nations human rights official. The Ministry of Informations letter dated June 16 instructed official news outlets to describe the 1.1 million Rohingya who live in Rakhine as the Muslim community in Rakhine state during a visit by Yanghee Lee, the U.N.s special envoy on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, who is visiting the country from June 20 to July 1. We submitted the phrase Muslim community in Rakhine to the United Nations, and we will continue using it in the Burmese language in Myanmar, said Myo Myint Aung, deputy permanent secretary at the ministry of information. Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmars de facto national leader, told Lee on Monday during a meeting in the capital Naypyidaw that the government will avoid using the term Rohingya, Reuters reported. Lee is visiting Yangon, Naypyidaw, Sittwe, Myitkyina and Lashio to compile a report to submit to the U.N. General Assembly in September. The countrys majority Buddhists refuse to use the term Rohingya to refer to members of the group, whom they consider to be Bengalis, illegal migrants from neighboring Bangladesh, though many have lived in Myanmar for generations. The government does not consider the Rohingya to be full citizens of Myanmar and denies them basic rights, freedom of movement, and access to social services and education. More than 120,000 Rohingya, who were displaced during communal violence with ethnic Buddhists in 2012, currently live in displaced persons camps in Rakhine state, while thousands of others have risked their lives at sea in an effort to flee persecution. ANP to use Bengalis The Arakan National Party (ANP)a political party that represents the interests of the Rakhine people in Rakhine statehas issued a statement saying it rejects the mandated usage of the phrase of Muslim community in Rakhine and will continue using Bengalis for Muslims in Rakhine State, even though the governments order also forbids the use of this term. The ANPs statement also said that new government issued the order because it wants to portray Rakhine state as the Muslim minority groups home. We released this statement because the government asked media to use the phrase Muslim community in Rakhine state, while Muslims are being given the national verification cards, said ANC vice chairwoman Aye Nu Sein, in a reference to cards that let holders apply for full Myanmar citizenship after they pass a verification process. We feel that the government is giving favorable treatment to Muslims so they can easily become citizens, she said. All Rakhine people are unhappy about this. U.N. says end discrimination The U.N. on Monday issued a report on the situation of minorities in Myanmar, warning that continued human rights violations against the Rohingya could amount to crimes against humanity. Zeid Raad Al Hussein, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, urged the government to take steps to end systemic discrimination and ongoing human rights violations against minority communities in the country, and particularly against the Rohingya in Rakhine state, according to a U.N. press release. The report, which was requested by the U.N. Human Rights Council in July 2015, found that the Rohingya are suffering from arbitrary deprivation of nationality, severe restrictions on freedom of movement, threats to life and security, denial of rights to health and education, forced labor, sexual violence, and limitations to their political rights, among other violations. Zeid also called on the new government of Aung San Suu Kyi and her pro-democracy National League for Democracy (NLD) party to undertake comprehensive legal and policy measures to address the pattern of violations against minorities in Myanmar. She told U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in May that the government is working towards a solution that would allow the Rohingya to live peacefully and securely outside the camps. A week later, Aung San Suu Kyi, whose formal titles are state counselor and foreign minister, was appointed chair of a government committee to work on peace and development in impoverished and war-torn Rakhine state, including the resettlement of internally displaced persons, social development, and the coordination of the activities of U. N. agencies and international nongovernmental organizations. Yanghee Lee (C), the U.N.'s special envoy on human rights in Myanmar, leaves a camp for internally displaced persons in Myebon township in western Myanmar's Rakhine state, Jan. 9, 2015. Credit: AFP AFP U.N. envoys trips U.N. envoy Yanghee Lee has made three other trips to Myanmar since she was appointed special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar in 2014. During a visit to Myanmar last September, Lee asked Rakhine state authorities not to ignore the plight of the Rohingya, despite protests by majority Rakhine Buddhists angry over what they consider to be U.N. bias in favor of the group. She also visited refugee camps housing Rohingya who had fled deadly communal violence and met with lawmakers and community leaders in Myebon township of Rakhine states capital Sittwe. During another visit in January 2015, Lees call for the government to uphold the rights of the Rohingya prompted a protest by 300 ultra-nationalist Buddhist monks and nuns in the commercial city Yangon. They denounced Lee as she wrapped up a 10-day trip to the country to access its human rights situation, with influential, hard-line monk Wirathu calling her a whore. Authorities issue green cards In a related development, the government has been issuing new national verification cards, or green cards, to Rohingya as part of a citizenship verification pilot program in three predominantly Muslim townships in the state. But some Muslim villagers in the state capital Sittwe have refused to accept the cards, which do not state their race or religion, arguing they are afraid of losing the right to become citizens. We told immigration officers that we cant accept these cards if we cant go to school, travel and work by showing them, said villager Mamut Thuro. The villagers also said the government had violated the law by giving some young people green cards because their parents have national identification cards that make them full citizens of Myanmar. Only 50 Muslims in Sittwe have received the green cards, villagers said. The administrator of Thatkepyin village, about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from Sittwe, and his family also accepted their cards. Authorities are issuing Muslim residents older than 10 the cards while they conduct checks to see if they are eligible to become citizens. Those who possess green cards can apply for full Myanmar citizenship, but must first undergo a citizenship verification process. Reported by Wai Mar Tun and Min Thein Aung for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. Russia continues to strike targets across Ukraine, causing damage and killing civilians, as its forces are preparing for battle in the strategic southern region of Kherson, Ukrainian officials and the military said. Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's ongoing invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, Russian protests, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here. Ukraine on October 26 reiterated its call for the development of an air-defense system to repel the Russian missile and drone attacks. The immediate delivery of a sufficient number of air-defense systems is urgently needed to repel "Russian missile terror," the head of the president's office, Andriy Yermak, said after talks with the national-security advisers of the United States, Britain, and France in Kyiv on October 26. On October 25, the head of U.S. aerospace and defense corporation Raytheon Technologies told CNBC television that Washington has already delivered to Ukraine the first two NASAMS medium-range antiaircraft missile systems. We delivered two systems to the U.S. government a few weeks ago. They are currently being deployed in Ukraine," Greg Geis said. The General Staff of the Ukrainian armed forces said early on October 26 that more than 40 settlements were hit by Russian strikes during the previous day. Russia used a combination of air strikes, rockets, and missiles to hit Ukrainian targets, the General Staff said in its morning report. In the central city of Dnipro, at least two people, including a pregnant woman, were killed in the Russian bombardment, regional Governor Valentyn Reznichenlo said. In the southern city of Kherson, Russian forces are digging in for the "heaviest of battles," said Oleksiy Arestovych, adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. A Ukrainian counteroffensive has driven Russian forces back in the region, where the provincial capital of Kherson has been in Russian hands since the early days of the invasion eight months ago. "With Kherson, everything is clear. The Russians are replenishing, strengthening their grouping there," Arestovych said in an online video late on October 25. Russia-installed authorities are evacuating residents to the east bank of the Dnieper River as Russian forces prepare to defend the city, he said. "It means that nobody is preparing to withdraw. On the contrary, the heaviest of battles is going to take place for Kherson," he said. Zelenskiy on October 25 reiterated a pledge to retake the city of Kherson, the loss of which would be a big setback for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Of the four Ukrainian provinces partially occupied by Russia that Putin proclaimed to have seized last month, Kherson is arguably the most strategically important. It controls the only land route to the Crimea region that Russia illegally annexed in 2014 and the mouth of the Dnieper River that that bisects Ukraine. Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden warned Russia on October 25 that the use of a tactical nuclear weapon in Ukraine would be an "incredibly serious mistake." Moscow over the weekend claimed Ukraine is preparing to use a so-called dirty bomb on its own territory, drawing immediate dismissal from the United States and other countries that have backed Ukraine. Kyiv and its allies suspect Russia might have made the claim to set up a "false flag" attack in which it would use a dirty bomb itself but would blame the attack on Ukraine and use it to justify the use of conventional nuclear weapons by Moscow. "Let me just say Russia would be making an incredibly serious mistake were it to use a tactical nuclear weapon." Biden told reporters. "I cannot guarantee you that it is a false flag operation yet. We dont know. But it would be a serious mistake." Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu presented no evidence for the claim when he spoke on October 23 with his counterparts from several NATO countries, including Britain, France, and the United States, who dismissed the claim after the series of calls. WATCH: Speaking to Current Time in Riga on October 22, Latvian Defense Minister Artis Pabriks said Russian President Vladimir Putin cannot change the course of war in Ukraine by dropping nuclear bombs. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on October 26 that Russia would "vigorously" continue to make the case to the international community that it believed Ukraine intended to detonate a dirty bomb with radioactive contaminants. Peskov told reporters Moscow wanted to prompt an active response from the international community. A dirty bomb would use a conventional warhead to create an explosion that would spread radioactive, biological, or chemical materials over an area. Moscow took its accusations against Ukraine to the UN Security Council on October 25, and the country's UN ambassador, Dmitry Polyanskiy, said afterward that Russia was "satisfied because we raised the awareness." Speaking to reporters, he added: "I don't mind people saying that Russia is crying wolf if this doesn't happen because this is a terrible, terrible disaster that threatens potentially the whole of the Earth." The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said earlier on October 25 that it is preparing to send inspectors to two Ukrainian sites in the coming days in reaction to Ukraine's request for an inspection following Russia's claims. Enerhoatom, Ukraines nuclear energy operator, issued a statement on October 24 voicing its concern that Russias statements may indicate that Russia is preparing an act of nuclear terrorism. Russian troops have occupied Ukraines Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, Europe's largest, since March. It is still run by Ukrainian engineers though Russia claimed after its illegal annexation of the Zaporizhzhya region that it is on Russian territory. Enerhoatom said that Russian forces have carried out unauthorized, secret construction work over the last week at the plant in the area of the spent nuclear fuel storage facility. Russian officers controlling the area wont give access to Ukrainian staff or monitors from the IAEA that would allow them to see what they are doing, the operator said. Enerhoatom added that it assumes the Russians are preparing a terrorist act using nuclear materials and radioactive waste stored at the plant. With reporting by AFP, dpa, BBC, and Reuters Reports from Serbia say five tourists from Slovakia have been killed in a bus crash. Serbias state-run RTS television reports that the bus crashed on a highway in Serbia shortly before dawn on June 21 while it was returning to Slovakia from Corfu in Greece. Reports say the bus overturned about 200 kilometers south of Belgrade on the highway connecting Serbias capital and Skopje. Altogether, there were 29 passengers and two drivers on the bus at the time of the crash. Of the 26 survivors, 14 were treated at a nearby hospital. Based on reporting by RTS-TV and dpa The antipathy of many Daghestani voters to a regional leadership they appear to perceive as corrupt, venal, and totally indifferent to their problems was reflected in the crushing defeat of the ruling United Russia party in a local election in the remote mountain town of Buynaksk last year by the small Patriots of Russia party and its mayoral candidate, Osman Osmanov. Now a group with ties to the Muslim Spiritual Board of Daghestan (DUMD) has set up a chapter of the all-Russia extraparliamentary party The People Against Corruption (NPK) in the hope of tapping into that same vein of discontent and winning representation in both the Russian State Duma and the new Republic of Daghestan parliament to be elected on September 18. NPK was established in 2013 by Russian politician Grigory Anisimov, one of its slogans being "The country should know what its corrupt officials look like." (" !") Its Daghestan chapter was set up the same year but hit the headlines for the first time in April 2016 when its leader, Magomedkhabib Tazhudinov, a qualified lawyer and deputy rector of the Daghestan Humanitarian Institute, announced that Daghestan's first deputy mufti, Magomedrasul Saaduyev, will be one of NPK's candidates in the September ballot. Tazhudinov stressed the need to ensure the election to parliament of "honest" candidates who have not misappropriated "a single ruble." Republic of Daghestan head Ramazan Abdulatipov reportedly construed that announcement of NPK's plans as directed against him personally. As the independent weekly Chernovik has pointed out, Abdulatipov likes to claim personal credit for the crackdown on corruption since his appointment in January 2013 as acting republic head. Yet despite that crackdown, of which the mayor of Makhachkala and numerous district heads have been the most prominent victims, residents of Daghestan are still required to pay out hefty bribes to secure the most basic public services. Furthermore, given that Moscow tends to conflate the reliability of federation subject heads with the percentage of the vote the United Russia party receives in both local and national elections, a decline in popular support for United Russia would negatively affect Abdulatipov's standing at a time when his political future is already unclear. He turns 70 in early August, and Ilyas Umakhanov, who represents Daghestan in the Federation Council, is reportedly positioning himself as a potential successor. There is an unwritten rule that representatives of Daghestan's two largest ethnic groups, the Avars and Dargins, should alternately hold the post of republic head. Abdulatipov is an Avar, Umakhanov a Dargin. Abdulatipov's publicly stated reservations to NPK's parliamentary ambitions center on the argument that the clergy should not engage in politics. In addition to Saaduyev, its members also include Abdula Atsayev, rector of the Daghestan Theological University and the son of Said-Afandi Chirkeisky, a venerated Sufi sheikh killed by a female suicide bomber in August 2012; and theologian Khasmukhammad Abubakarov, the father of former Daghestani mufti Saidmukhammad Abubakarov, who was blown up in 1998. 'Islamic' Party? In light of the Daghestan NPK's close links to the DUMD, Russian journalists tend to refer to it as an "Islamic party"; but that is arguably both an exaggeration and an oversimplification. According to Chernovik, just 21 percent of NPK's prospective parliament candidates are from the DUMD and a further 30 percent are affiliated with it. Current and former members of the law enforcement agencies, including former republican Security Council Secretary Akhmednabi Magdigadzhayev, account for 11 percent, and persons close to those agencies for a further 15 percent; the remaining 25 percent of candidates have no ties to either group. Moreover, Daghestan's current mufti, Akhmad-hadzhi Abdulayev, has distanced himself and the DUMD from NPK while stressing that senior members of the clergy enjoy the same right as other Russian citizens to seek election. Abdulayev added, however, that in accordance with Russian law, if they are elected, they must quit their clerical post. In an implicit challenge to Abdulatipov, Abdulayev also said it was incumbent on the republic's leadership either to arrest those clerics if they have broken the law, or to resolve the problems they seek to focus attention on. NPK spokesman Robert Kurbanov for his part has categorically denied that NPK is an "Islamic" party. He stressed that NPK's membership comprises peoples of various religious beliefs and from different ethnic groups. (One of its recent recruits is Buybika Shalumova, deputy chair of Daghestan's Jewish community.) Earlier this month, Chernovik commentator Mairbek Agayev attributed growing popular sympathy toward NPK not so much to unquestioning support of its program and platform as to the bitter disillusion many Daghestanis now feel with a leadership in which they had pinned their hopes for positive change. Whether and to what extent that sympathy will translate into votes for NPK is difficult to predict. In an analysis for the website Regnum.ru, Konstantin Kazyonin says that by virtue of its association with the DUMB, NPK can count on the support of voters in those rural mountain districts where respect for the official clergy is strongest. Other analysts predict that NPK could win a minimum of five-to-15, and possibly as many as half, the 72 parliament mandates. The extent of the support the DUMD is capable of mobilizing can be gauged by the results of the annual unofficial poll conducted by Chernovik to determine which political figure its readers would like to see as republic head. For the past two years, Mufti Abdulayev has been the clear winner. It is worth noting that there has been no negative comment to date from the federal leadership on the emergence of NPK as a political player in Daghestan. That suggests that the tactic of augmenting the party's list of candidates with respected former law enforcement personnel has served to convince Moscow that NPK's Islamic affiliation has been overstated. And/or Mufti Abdulayev may have succeeded in reassuring and securing the backing of Igor Barinov, head of the Federal Agency for Nationality Relations, during their meeting in early May. Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit China at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping on June 25, the Kremlin press service announced. "The leaders of the two countries will discuss specific steps to further develop Russian-Chinese comprehensive equal confidence-based partnership and cooperation in the trade-economic, investment, technological, and humanitarian areas," it said. "The negotiations between the presidents will also address key international issues," including matters before the United Nations, the BRICS emerging nations, the Group of 20 economic powers, and the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Tashkent on June 23-24. The two leaders will also discuss the development of trans-border transport infrastructure, global navigation satellite systems, joint development of the Northern Sea Route, and the construction of the Belkomur railway, a link between the White Sea and the Urals, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said on June 20. Based on reporting by Interfax and TASS So here's a little statistic to consider as the European Union considers whether to extend sanctions against Russia. Since the beginning of this year, Ukraine has suffered 623 combat deaths in Donbas. What that means is that between three and four Ukrainian soldiers are dying every single day at the hand of Moscow and its proxies in eastern Ukraine. What this means is that dozens are dying every week. Scores are dying every month. And the only reason they are dying is because of decisions made in Moscow. The only reason they are dying is because Vladimir Putin's regime has made a conscious decision not to honor the cease-fire it agreed to in Minsk. The only reason they are dying is because Putin's Kremlin flat out refuses to leave Ukraine in peace. In fact, in one 24-hour period this week, pro-Moscow separatists attacked Ukrainian positions no less than 31 times with mortars, tank shells, and rocket-propelled grenades. It's, of course, pretty easy to miss all this. The war in the Donbas continues, but it has fallen off the world's front pages. It is not being covered with the same intensity. For much of the world, Russia's aggression in eastern Ukraine is now out of sight and out of mind. And the calls to get back to business as usual are growing. Which is exactly what Moscow is counting on as the European Union considers whether to extend sanctions. Keep telling me what you think on The Power Vertical's Twitter feed and on our Facebook page. BRUSSELS -- EU ambassadors have agreed to extend sanctions against Russia for another six months over Moscow's actions in Ukraine, despite some calls for a more conciliatory approach from within the bloc. Ambassadors from the 28 member states of the European Union approved the decision in principle. The measure will now go to EU ministers for formal approval, possibly on June 24, and EU leaders will have to okay it at a summit in Brussels next week, but diplomats said there was no doubt they would. The sanctions, which target the energy, financial, and defense sectors of Russia's economy, were due to expire at the end of July and will now run to January 2017. They were first imposed in June and July 2014 after Russia's annexation of Crimea and its support for pro-Moscow separatists in eastern Ukraine. The EU last week rolled over for another year separate measures regarding an investment ban and other economic sanctions applicable to Crimea. The EU has also imposed a separate set of visa-ban and asset-freeze measures against individual Russians and Ukrainians for backing the separatist cause in early 2014. These measures run until September. German Chancellor Angela Merkel had pushed for prolonging the sanctions, with reports suggesting she convinced countries such as Slovakia, Hungary, and Italy to set aside their objections and keep sanctions in place for another six months. RFE/RL's correspondent in Brussels says the June 21 decision appears to be a victory for EU states that have taken a harder line on Russia, such as Poland and Lithuania, as well as European Council President Donald Tusk, who sought a decision on the sanctions well ahead of the official July 31 deadline for renewal. Merkel has guided the bloc toward maintaining sanctions over Russia's occupation and seizure of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and its support for Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on June 21 that there was no alternative to the EU sanctions to pressure Russia to implement the cease-fire agreement it signed up to in Minsk in February 2015. "Sanctions are the only instrument left," Poroshenko said ahead of a meeting with French President Francois Hollande. "There is no alternative to that." However, there are signs of divisions emerging even within Merkel's own cabinet. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier recently suggested that the EU should gradually phase out sanctions against Russia if there were substantial progress in the peace process. "Sanctions are not an end in [and of] themselves. They should rather give incentives for a change in behavior," he told the RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland, a network of local newspapers. French lawmakers, meanwhile, signaled that they are becoming impatient with sanctions when the approved a resolution earlier in June urging that the sanctions be gradually lifted. But French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault on June 20 repeated his government's assurances that the sanctions will stay in place for now, saying that Russia and Ukraine are still not complying with their obligations under the Minsk accords. Ayrault said the EU needed to see "real, concrete, significant progress" toward implementing the Minsk agreements, which are aimed at resolving the conflict in eastern Ukraine between Russia-backed separatists and Ukrainian government forces. "Whatever sympathy we can have for the Russian people and for Russia, we must be clear," Ayrault said, "the Minsk agreements must be implemented and respected." European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, speaking at an economic forum in St. Petersburg last week, said he attended the event to keep the lines of communication open with Moscow, but added that he supported ongoing sanctions. The visit by Juncker, who was accompanied by Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, would have been unthinkable a year ago. Slovakia, one of the biggest skeptics on Russia sanctions, is due to take over the EU presidency in July and will be in that role in January when the issue of another six-month extension of sanctions is revisited. With reporting by Rikard Jozwiak in Brussels, Reuters, AP, AFP, dpa, and TASS Ukrainians have increasingly woken up to the sound of suicide drones as Russia turns to Iranian-made imports to destroy civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. Now they may have another deadly Iranian weapon to worry about -- ballistic missiles. Cheap but effective, Shahed-136 and Shahed-131 "kamikaze" drones have already made a deadly impact in Ukraine. If U.S. intelligence assessments pan out, Russia will soon be able to supplement its use of Iranian suicide drones and its own cruise and ballistic missiles with powerful short-range Iranian Fateh-110 and Zolfaghar ballistic missiles. Coming as the Kremlin is reportedly struggling to maintain its depleted stockpile of aerial weapons as it ramps up strikes, the missiles would potentially boost Russia's ability to continue its costly air campaign. Jeremy Binnie, a Middle East defense specialist at the global intelligence company Janes, said having more missiles gives Russia the ability to sustain the bombardment against Ukraine." Going Ballistic The Fateh-110, which was unveiled in 2001 and has a stated range of 300 to 500 kilometers, was developed from a heavy artillery rocket dating from the 1980s. To increase the weapon's accuracy, the Fateh-110 was given a guidance system and movable fins that allow it to be steered as it approaches its target. The Zolfaghar, which debuted in 2016 and also has guidance capabilities, comes from the same family as the Fateh-110 but boasts a much longer range due to its use of a lighter carbon-fiber airframe and a smaller warhead. Binnie said the Zolfaghar's use against the Islamic State (IS) extremist group in eastern Syria confirmed that the missile was capable of reaching at least 650 kilometers, which he said is "a statement of how much the Iranian tactical missile program has really advanced over the years." Iran's claim that the Zolfaghar can travel even farther -- up to 700 kilometers -- would put the western Ukrainian city of Lviv within range of strikes launched from Russian territory, while the more powerful Fateh-110 could potentially hit the city from Belarus, which has served as a staging ground for Russian attacks. While there has been no indication that Russia plans to purchase launching systems from Iran, Binnie suggests that the Russian military could pair the missiles with existing equipment because the Iranian launchers were adapted from a Soviet-era system. "It might be possible for the Russians to quickly adapt some old equipment they have lying around into launch systems," Binnie said. The Iranian military, he added, fitted the Soviet system to trucks, allowing for mobility and concealment. "Those civilian trucks can be covered over to make it hard to spot that they're actually missile launchers," Binnie said. 'Lawnmowers' And 'Mopeds' Iranian military drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), have been homing in on targets across Ukraine since late August, according to the United States. The buzzing sound of the Iranian Shahed-136 and Shahed-131 drones, built with off-the-shelf components, have earned them derisive monikers such as "lawnmowers" and "mopeds." But the slow-moving, low-flying drones, which are maneuvered to crash into their target, have proven themselves capable of hitting their mark both in terms of military effectiveness and cost. It is capable of extracting or delivering attrition and damage when launched, but it costs little compared to other UAVs that Russia has in its own arsenal," said Samuel Bendett of the Virginia-based Center for Naval Analyses (CNA). Ukraine alleges Russia has ordered 2,400 of the Iranian suicide drones, and its military has claimed to have shot them down in great numbers, often using conventional anti-aircraft guns or even small-arms fire. But their ability to be launched in bunches of five -- often from the cover of civilian trucks -- improves their chances of reaching their target. "The Ukrainians are stopping most of these, but the whole point of these drones is that they fly in a large mass," Bendett said. "The air defense does not always catch all of them. All it takes is for several or even one to make it through." The estimated range of the Shahed-136 varies, but Iran says it is capable of traveling 2,500 kilometers. The slightly smaller and older Shahed-131, which has been used by Huthi rebels in Yemen to attack Saudi targets in the Arabian Peninsula, has been estimated to have a range of 900 kilometers, according to tests conducted by the Ukrainian military. Ukraine's Defense Ministry has published multiple images of downed Shahed-136 drones in recent weeks, and the Ukrainian National Guard on October 19 claimed to have shot down a Shahed-131. Ukraine has also claimed to have shot down a more advanced Iranian combat UAV, the Mojer-6 drone capable of carrying out both reconnaissance missions and aerial strikes within a range of 200 kilometers. There have also been reports of Russian interest in obtaining Irans Shahed-129 and Shahed-191 combat drones. "When launched from any territory that Russia controls or is allied with -- anywhere from the south, from the Donbas, from Belarus -- they're able to strike a lot of Ukrainian targets," Bendett said. In addition to the U.S. intelligence assessment that Russia will soon boost its arsenal with Iranian ballistic missiles, as first reported by The Washington Post on October 16, the White House on October 20 said that Iranians are now "directly engaged on the ground" in Moscows war against Ukraine after sending "a relatively small number" of personnel from the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps to assist Russian forces in using the Iranian drones. Iran has denied sending combat drones to Russia, and Moscow has rejected claims that it is using Iranian UAVs. Images of downed Iranian drones appear to show that they have been rebranded to look Russian-made, experts say, with the markings in Cyrillic naming them as the Geran-1 (the Shahed-131) and Geran-2 (the Shahed-136). Observers are widely skeptical of Russia's denials, noting that the drones are essentially identical right down to the font of the serial numbers. Even Russian Defense Ministry experts have unwittingly admitted that the suicide drones are Iranian. But the rebranding of the drones to make them appear to be Russian has opened the possibility that Moscow could, if it is not already doing so, seek to manufacture or assemble the Iranian drones on its own territory. Sustaining A Campaign The new aerial weaponry fits well with the Russian military's renewed focus on striking military and civilian targets far from the front lines in southern and eastern Ukraine. The air assault has ratcheted up following the October 8 appointment of Colonel General Sergei Surovikin, a former Aerospace Forces commander, to lead the Russian war effort. Just days after Surovikin's appointment, Russia launched the biggest air strikes since the beginning of its invasion of Ukraine in February. Moscow said the drone and missile strikes, which targeted civilian areas and infrastructure in cities throughout Ukraine, were in response to a bomb blast that damaged a key bridge linking Russia to the occupied Crimean Peninsula. While the Kremlin has accused Ukraine's intelligence services of carrying out the "terrorist" attack on the Crimea Bridge, Ukraine has denied responsibility. Since the initial air assault in response to the bridge blast, Russia has continued to pound Ukrainian infrastructure, often targeting power plants in what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said is a deliberate effort to wear down the Ukrainian people by denying them heat and electricity as winter approaches. "Civilian infrastructure is obviously the new layer in this war. The Ukrainian economy is now the target, the Ukrainian population is now the target," Bendett said. Hard To Stop The hypersonic speed and high trajectory of Iran's Fateh-110s and Zolfaghars, should they arrive, would be extremely difficult for Kyiv to counter without a network of high-tech and costly antimissile batteries it currently does not possess. Ukraine has repeatedly requested more advanced missile-defense systems from the West, and in the face of the threat of the delivery of Iranian ballistic missiles reportedly sent an official request to Israel this week for components of its "Iron Dome" system. While the United States has said that it is seeking to expedite the process of sending two U.S. air defense systems known as NASAMS, Washington has appeared reluctant to provide more advanced Patriot missile systems. Janes' defense expert Binnie is skeptical that the delivery of the Patriot system, which has proven to be successful in shooting down ballistic missiles, is realistic for Ukraine. "It's eye wateringly expensive and it's probably not really practical because each [missile] battery only covers one city," he said. "You would never get enough batteries to get the coverage you would want. You just wouldn't be able to find them, produce them, and train enough Ukrainians." A woman examines goods on sale at an outlet of Wal-Mart Inc in Yichang, Hubei province. [Photo/China Daily] Wal-Mart Stores Inc is selling its e-commerce operation in China to JD.com Inc in exchange for the Chinese e-commerce major's five percent stake. Under the agreement, JD.com, which is the biggest rival of Alibaba Group, will take ownership of Wal-Mart's Yihaodian online marketplace and two companies will from a strategic partnership to further boost their businesses. The Chinese branch of Sam's Club also will open a store on JD.com, according to JD's statement released on Monday. The two companies will link up their supply chains as part of the deal to form a strategic partnership. Wal-Mart's customers in China can enjoy JD.com's delivery service and JD.com's online shoppers can get access to War-Mart's pool of imported food and beverage. The share price of JD.com jumped 4.62 percent on Monday trading and closed at $21.06. JD.com "has a very complementary business and is an ideal partner that will help us offer compelling new experiences that can reach significantly more customers," Wal-Mart CEO Doug McMillon said in Monday's statement. "We also look forward to offering customers a tremendous number of quality imported products not previously widely available in China through Wal-Mart and Sam's Club." JD.com CEO Richard Liu said: "We look forward to further developing Yihaodian, which has tremendous strength in important regions of eastern and southern China." A U.S. military commander in Baghdad says Iraqi forces have cleared only a third of Fallujah, contradicting a claim by Iraq's government that it had liberated the city from the extremist Islamic State (IS) group. Colonel Christopher Garver, spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition against IS, said on June 21 that a third of Fallujah had been "cleared" of militants. Most of the cleared terrain is in the south of the city and "clearing operations continue outward from the city center," Garver added. Iraqi forces pushed into the center of Fallujah on June 17, retaking a government complex. Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi said security forces had retaken most of Fallujah, and that remaining IS pockets would be "cleaned out within hours." But there have been persistent clashes between Iraqi forces and IS fighters holed up in neighborhoods along the city's northern edge. The city, located 50 kilometers west of Baghdad, has been under IS control since mid-2014. Based on reporting by AP and the BBC BISHKEK -- Kyrgyzstan's State Committee for National Security (UKMK) says its officers have arrested two foreign nationals who allegedly were trying to join so-called Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria. The UKMK did not disclose the identities or nationalities of the 24- and 50-year-old suspects. But authorities said on June 21 that the men are citizens of a country neighboring Kyrgyzstan. They have been charged with illegally entering Kyrgyzstan. According to the UKMK, the men crossed the border into Kyrgyzstan in February and were detained on June 10. With reporting by Kyrtag and Interfax The Orlando gunman who killed 49 people at a gay nightclub in the U.S. state of Florida described himself in phone calls with authorities as "an Islamic soldier" and demanded that the United States stop bombing Syria and Iraq. The U.S. air campaign against the Islamic State (IS) extremist group and its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, to whom gunman Omar Mateen pledged allegiance during the calls, was the reason Mateen gave for shooting people at the nightclub, according to transcripts of the calls released by the FBI on June 20. The heavily redacted transcripts provided details about the assailant's professed Islamist motives. Republican congressmen said that the redacted parts also showed he was motivated to kill gays. The FBI has said that while Mateen, whose family was from Afghanistan, derived inspiration from IS online, it has no evidence that the militant group funded or organized his June 12 attack. Mateen also warned during the incident that he would set off car bombs and suicide vests attached to hostages to cause even more mass carnage like that seen in the IS-inspired Paris attacks in November. Those proved to be empty threats, though they prompted police to end the negotiation, move in, and kill him. Based on reporting by AP, Reuters, and dpa A message on a Russian parenthood forum from June 2015 reads like an eerie precursor to the tragedy in northwestern Russia that took the lives of at least 14 children over the weekend. "Taking into account how the camp is organized, absence of accidents is a question of extreme luck," says the post on Mnogodetok.ru. On the evening of June 18, four camp instructors and 47 teenagers boarded two boats and a raft at a camp in Karelia. Soon after, a storm caused two boats to capsize and at least 14 children between 12 and 15 years of age to die. The rest of the children survived by making their way to nearby islands and spending the night there. Local authorities have insisted that the childrens camp, called Park-Hotel Syamozero, had not been suspected of any gross violations. But for at least three years, parents of the campers -- aged between seven and 17 -- have been complaining in online message boards about the camp. Poor Conditions Back in 2015, according to a Mnogodetok.ru user nicknamed LuckyDad, 600 children came to the camp at the same time. There were two or three adult instructors for each camp group of 50 children, he wrote. WATCH: Teenagers Killed As Boats Capsize At Russian Camp Some kids lived in tents previously used by the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry. "The mattresses and sleeping bags were terrible -- wet, dirty, and smelly, wrote one mother in July 2015 on another forum, Otzovik.com. Other parents complained that children were allowed to smoke inside their tents. "At night, one girls mattress caught fire because of a cigarette that wasn't put out (officially, they said it was caused by an antimosquito coil)," LuckyDad wrote in June 2015. Drinking And Gambling Most of the time, campers were left to fend for themselves, according to the complaints. They are simply sitting around a campfire for five hours and waiting for the soup to cook, an anonymous user wrote about his childs experience in September 2013. Message board posters claimed many children smoked, drank alcohol, played cards for money, and sold each other food. "Troubled teenagers beat up the weaker ones, especially those who try to complain to the camp instructors, and go unpunished," a mother wrote in July 2015. Other parents, some of whom paid as much as $470 for a childs two-week stay at the camp, complained of the opposite extreme, particularly for older campers. One mother wrote that her 15-year old went camping in the wild four times, and every time they stayed out for three or four days. And that was in spite of the weather. It was six degrees at night, northern wind, rain, she wrote in July 2015. Unsafe Rafting, Kayaking Another mother wrote that after a long hike, children were sent rafting down the Shuya River with only three hours of rest. LuckyDad wrote that there was no safety training before his child went rafting down the same river. They simply packed their things and left, he wrote. Commenting on his post, a mother added that her children were allowed to swim in nearby lakes without any adult supervision. Unskilled Camp Instructors Parents complained that the instructors were too young and didnt know how to communicate with teenagers. One mother claimed that the supervisors would beat up children. Another woman, nicknamed Irina Minina, wrote that her daughter was too scared to complain to the camp instructor about anything: [The girl was] so scared of her, the way she yelled. Often instructors would drink alcohol -- sometimes in the company of their young campers, according to the posts. A father, nicknamed ss111, wrote that an instructor would show up drunk to take the children hiking. He added that he had to pick his child up early from the camp: The kid cried and asked -- 'take me away from this hell.'" Absence Of Medical Help Young campers often required medical assistance, but Park-Hotel Syamozero failed in this respect, too, parents claimed. "If your child falls ill, the best-case scenario is that once a day hell get nose drops," wrote an anonymous parent in 2013. The doctor has no time to help everybody, its like a line to a museum there. In August 2015, a mother wrote that her child came back from the camp with pneumonia. He shares a hospital room with a boy from the same camp, she wrote. Overall, at least six parents who exchanged messages on the parenthood forums claimed to have filed complaints or aired their grievances with the Prosecutor-General's Office and Russian Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Well-Being. WASHINGTON -- A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has introduced a resolution condemning Russia for "dangerous and unprofessional" military actions in recent months. The measure, sponsored by Senator David Purdue (Republican-Georgia), reflects the toughening rhetoric among U.S. policymakers and lawmakers toward Russia. It also comes as large-scale NATO exercises wrap up in Eastern Europe, and on the eve of a major NATO summit in Warsaw. The Senate resolution takes aim specifically at a series of recent close-calls between Russian jets and U.S. naval ships and air force planes in the Baltic Sea and Sea of Okhotsk. In one incident in April, Russian jets and two helicopters came exceptionally close to a U.S. guided missile destroyer operating in the Baltic. The draft resolution also calls out Russia for violations, alleged by the U.S. State Department, of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, a landmark Cold War agreement that has come under growing stress. The proposed measure "condemns the recent dangerous and unprofessional Russian intercepts of United States-flagged aircraft and vessels." It also calls on Moscow "to cease provocative military maneuvers that endanger United States forces and those of its allies." For its part, Russia has accused NATO leaders of breaking promises not to expand into former Warsaw Pact countries in the 1990s. Moscow also says U.S. and NATO forces are conducting threatening maneuvers in Europe, and it has recently shifted several divisions to Russia's western borders. NATO rejects these accusations, saying no such promises were given and that it is up to individual nations to decide whether to pursue membership in the alliance. NATO also says it does not represent a threat to Russia and is not trying to encircle it. The Senate resolution was introduced on June 20 and must be voted on in committee before being taken up by the full chamber. Known as simple resolutions, such measures do not have the full power of laws passed by the two chambers of Congress and signed by the president. Instead, they are intended to express the sentiment of a chamber. DUSHANBE -- Tajikistan's consumer rights protection agency, Tajik Standard, has confiscated large amounts of counterfeit and low-quality toys from China over health and safety issues. Tajik Standard officials told RFE/RL on June 21 that more than 9,000 Chinese-made toys had been confiscated from shops and market places across the Central Asian nation in recent weeks. According to the agency, parts of the confiscated toys contain hazardous chemicals such as lead and cadmium. Many of the toys might have been imported to Tajikistan illegally, agency officials said. Earlier this month, Tajik Standard proposed new regulations aimed at preventing tainted toys from entering the Tajik market. The majority of toys, school items, and children's clothes in Tajikistan are imported from China. LONDONDERRY/DERRY -- Gavin Killeen says that whenever he thinks about the potential impact of a Brexit, he breaks into a cold sweat. Killeen's printing business -- making food and drink labels and packaging for everything from bottled Guinness to dairy spread -- sits just 2 kilometers from the United Kingdom's border with the Republic of Ireland. About one-third of his exports go to Ireland, and roughly one-quarter of his staff lives across the border in Donegal. "Northern Ireland came through a considerable period of the Troubles, where commerce and the economy didn't thrive," says Killeen, who's also president of the Londonderry Chamber of Commerce. "The thought of a Brexit and the damage it may do to our fragile economy is just not worth thinking about." Nowadays the main indication you have crossed the border into Ireland is a clutch of gas stations where drivers from the North fill their tanks for less. Speed limits are in kilometers instead of miles, and prices are in euros -- but at Bridgend's cafe, you can still buy a cup of coffee with British pounds. Such interconnectedness was unthinkable just a few years ago. Like elsewhere along the province's 500-kilometer border with Ireland, there was a permanent army checkpoint here during the decades of sectarian violence, known as the Troubles, between Protestant "unionists" loyal to the U.K. and largely Catholic "nationalists" who favored a united Ireland. That violence, which cost more than 3,600 lives, largely ended with the landmark 1998 Good Friday peace and power-sharing agreement, and the border security and customs checks are a thing of the past. Return Of Borders But along this western edge of the U.K., the border with Ireland looms large in the debate over whether the country should remain in the European Union. Some are concerned that the currently invisible dividing line, if it becomes the U.K.'s land border with the EU, will "harden" once again, harming the free flow of goods and people. If the U.K. leaves the EU, "we will be living in a non-EU country and we will be providing services into an EU country. Will we still be allowed to do that? We just don't know," says lawyer Philip Gilliland, whose firm, located within Derry's 400-year-old city walls, does around one-third of its business in the Republic of Ireland. "Uncertainty is bad in any business environment, and indeed in a wider sense we're already aware of inward investment decisions being stalled into Northern Ireland from the continent because they're waiting to see what happens with the Brexit result." The "leave" campaign dismisses the border fears as just another example of "remain" scaremongering. Theresa Villiers, the U.K. government minister for Northern Ireland, and other senior members of the "Vote Leave" campaign have given assurances that there will be no change to the border if the U.K. leaves the EU. "There has been a free-movement area since 1923," says local "leave" campaigner Kyle Thompson, referring to the Common Travel Area agreed nearly a century ago by the British and Irish governments. "There were border controls during the Troubles, but that was to stop terrorist activity.... I don't think there will be any great change to the border situation as it currently stands." But that "no change" claim is disputed by senior figures on the "remain" side, who also say any future border arrangement will need the agreement not just of Ireland but of the other 26 EU member states, too. And it doesn't wash with Jennifer McKeever, whose Derry family firm runs an airport bus service. "How could that possibly be?" she asks. "The ideological center of the argument to leave is based on restricting the movement of people." She says a Brexit would be "flat-out disastrous" for Northern Ireland's budding tourism industry. "Nine out of 10 international visitors enter the island of Ireland via Dublin, so we have to fight quite hard to get them to come all the way north," she says. "People think about Northern Ireland and unfortunately still they think about the Troubles, they think about security measures, so it's already a hindrance to what international visitors have in their head.... Northern Ireland is still quite an 'edgy' visitor destination and we don't need it to be too edgy." Claims, Counterclaims Northern Ireland is the only part of the U.K. where a governing party -- the Democratic Unionist Party -- is in favor of an "out" vote. The other main parties -- Sinn Fein, the Ulster Unionist Party, and the Social Democrat and Labour Party (SDLP) -- want the U.K. to remain in the EU. Polls indicate Northern Ireland's voters lean in favor of "remain" by double-digit margins, though "leave" has narrowed the gap in recent weeks. Border issues aside, many of the claims and counterclaims here mirror those in the wider U.K. debate. "Remain" says Northern Ireland is a net beneficiary of EU money, receiving a little more than its roughly 375 million-pound ($530 million) annual contribution; "leave" disputes that, and says EU funding to the province is going down and will reduce further as "peace" money ends in a few years. "Remain" says leaving Europe's single market is madness for a region that sends some 60 percent of its exports to the EU; "leave" counters that trade with the EU won't stop and exports to the rest of the world are growing the fastest. "Remain" rolls out top economists and institutions who predict a Brexit would hit U.K. economic growth and lead to deep spending cuts in key public services; "leave" scoffs that those same experts have been proven wrong in the past and leaving the EU will give the U.K. more money to spend on priorities like the national health service. For those favoring "leave" here, that notion of "taking back control" is key. On a sunny June afternoon, Thompson sits by the city's iconic Peace Bridge, which links the more Protestant east side of the city with the largely Catholic west. Some 14 million pounds ($20 million) of EU funding went into its construction, and it was opened five years ago by an EU commissioner, but Thompson, a community worker, is unimpressed with the notion of the EU as a beneficent presence. "There's no such thing as EU funding. It's our money that the EU gives us back, a proportion of it, and tells us how to spend it," Thompson says. South of the city, Robert Moore grows crops including barley and raises beef cattle at his farm just 500 meters from the border. He describes himself as a "reluctant" leave voter. He says he is annoyed by a tendency in the "remain" camp to dwell on worst-case scenarios, and says it would be in the best interests of the EU to come to a sensible deal with a post-Brexit U.K. that would minimize disruption to trade. "The benefit for the U.K. is that we at least get to make our own decisions, we bring back control of our own country, and as far as I'm concerned as a farmer, we can create an agricultural policy that is more targeted and helps us to become more sustainable," Moore says. "We have got to get away from this business of being totally dependent on a benefit check at the end of every year from Europe." There is one more, Northern Ireland-specific, dimension to the EU referendum: worries that a Brexit could destabilize the region by undermining the peace process. Such warnings have come from Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny, former British Prime Minister John Major, and U.S. diplomat Richard Haass, who perhaps went the furthest with his warning this month that Brexit "could trigger political gridlock, violence, or calls for partition." But on this issue at least, those on either side of the referendum debate in Derry appear to be in agreement: Yes, peace can't be taken for granted, but it's so deeply anchored, and has such solid support, that there is little risk of a return to violence. "I don't think the security and the safety that has been hard fought and worked over and won would necessarily deteriorate if the U.K. were to leave," McKeever says. "But I don't think it's so secure that we can be blase over it either." Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Hroysman has said his country will receive a total of $1.7 billion in financial aid from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) this year. Hroysman made the announcement in Kyiv on June 21 after returning from an official trip to Washington. The IMF approved a four-year $17.5-billion bailout last year for Ukraine, which is emerging from a political crisis and has been engulfed in a conflict with Russia-backed separatists for more than two years. The Washington-based organization has been frustrated by the slow passage of reforms in Ukraine. Kyiv has so far received $6.7 billion of the IMF's loan package and seen no new disbursements since August 2015. Hroysmans cabinet, which took over in April, has pledged to resume cooperation with the IMF to underpin recovery from a recession and boost reserves. The countrys economy, which declined by 9.9 percent in 2015, is expected to grow 1.5 percent this year, according to Hroysman. Based on reporting by Reuters, AFP, UNIAN, and Bloomberg SINGAPORE, June 21 -- Chinese mainland will continue to contribute the largest share of tourists to Asia Pacific in 2016, according to the MasterCard Asia Pacific Destinations Index released on Tuesday. According to the report, 50.4 million tourists from the Chinese mainland are projected to travel to destinations across Asia Pacific this year, making up 15.7 percent of total international overnight arrivals in the region at the city level destination. In 2016, Chinese travelers are expected to spend 45.3 billion U.S. dollars in Asia Pacific destinations, making up 18.2 percent of total tourist expenditure in the region. Four of the top five origin markets with the highest contribution of international overnight arrivals to Asia Pacific destinations are from Northeast Asia -- South Korea ranked second after Chinese mainland, followed by China's Taiwan, the United States and Japan. The four Northeast Asian markets are expected to contribute 38.4 percent of total international overnight arrivals in the region in 2016. In the meantime, of the top 10 Asia Pacific destinations, four have Chinese mainland as their biggest source of tourists, led by Seoul with Chinese tourists projected to make up 50.5 percent of international overnight arrivals, followed by Bangkok at 38.2 percent, Pattaya at 28.8 percent and Phuket at 25.6 percent. The dramatic expansion of outbound China tourism to Asia Pacific destinations can be seen in its growth. China propelled from sixth biggest contributor of tourists to Asia Pacific in 2009 to reach the top spot in 2012 with a 9.8 percent share. It has retained top position ever since with a 15.7 percent share driven by 25.9 percent compounded average annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2009 to 2016. Japan in contrast has seen its share of tourists to Asia Pacific destinations drop, from top spot in 2009 to fifth spot in 2016 with a 1.1 percent CAGR from 2009 to 2016. The United States at number four has consistently been the highest ranked non-Asia Pacific origin country since 2009. The United Kingdom is the only other non-Asia Pacific origin country within the top 10 at ninth place. "In the past few years, the mix of tourists in key Asia Pacific destination has changed significantly reflecting the economic rise of China and other emerging Asian economies. Where you might have found tourists from Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea and the United States, you are now much more likely to come across travelers from Chinese mainland," said Matthew Driver, executive vice president of Global Products &Solutions for Asia Pacific for MasterCard. The impact of the economic transformation of China and specifically the rise in disposable incomes is the biggest driver of tourism growth globally. "While we are expecting similar growth from India and Indonesia in the longer term, as well as other segments such as Halal tourism, Chinese tourists are more concentrated in Asia and impact markets at a larger scale," Driver said. "This growth is very positive for the Asia Pacific tourism industry and there remains a huge opportunity for industry players to tap into it and benefit from it. Like any other important market, players can gain advantage if they identify the relevant segments of the market for their business, understand their unique needs and then design products and services to best cater to their needs, complementing the services they provide to other key traveler segments." Shortly before his court appearance in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, investigators stopped by Hennadiy Afanasyev's holding cell to make sure he still planned to implicate his fellow Ukrainians, film director Oleh Sentsov and left-wing activist Oleksandr Kolchenko, as "terrorists." "I told them all 'yes, yes,' so they'd think that everything was fine," Afanasyev, 25, told RFE/RL's Russian Service in a recent interview. But Afanasyev, a photographer from Crimea who was arrested months after Russia annexed the Ukrainian peninsula and convicted of plotting a terrorist act against the Russian-imposed authorities, had a surprise in store. When he was brought before the judge on July 31, 2015, he recanted his earlier testimony that served as the basis of Russia's case against Sentsov and Kolchenko, saying he had been coerced into implicating them. Sentsov, whose jailing drew appeals from prominent figures in international cinema, responded with applause from his courtroom cage and yelled "Glory to Ukraine!" Afanasyev replied, "Glory to the heroes!" "Returning to my holding cell, I already felt free," said Afanasyev, one of two Ukrainians released from Russian prison last week in Kyiv's second recent high-profile prisoner exchange. "In that very moment I destroyed the shackles that had kept me in fear and pain." Complete redemption, however, remains elusive for Afanasyev, who expressed remorse that he testified in the first place against Sentsov and Kolchenko. The pair were sentenced in August to 20 and 10 years in prison, respectively, after being convicted of terrorism charges that rights groups and Western governments call a travesty of justice. Afanasyev claims he was beaten and tortured into implicating the men. "Even now I'm upset that I couldn't withstand the torture, and I feel very ashamed before the guys," he said. 'Maybe I Wouldn't Even Be Alive' Russia is holding more than 20 Ukrainian nationals on politically motivated charges, according to the Moscow-based Memorial Human Rights Center, though the Kremlin is showing signs that it's prepared to cut deals for their release. Moscow indicated in April that it was considering transferring Sentsov and Kolchenko to Ukraine at Kyiv's request, though both men remain in Russian custody as of June 21. Afanasyev and Yuriy Soloshenko, a 73-year-old former electronics plant chief convicted in Russia of spying in October, arrived in Ukraine on June 14 after being swapped for two Ukrainians charged with supporting Russia-backed separatists in the east of the country. The swap came three weeks after a prisoner exchange that returned Ukrainian airwoman Nadia Savchenko to Russia. Her nearly two years in Russian custody drew widespread condemnation from Western governments and rights activists. Afanasyev said he planned to give up professional photography and would like to use his legal education -- and his experience in Russian captivity -- to fight for the release of other Ukrainian political prisoners and others being held by separatist forces in eastern Ukraine. "I know what the people who are arrested want, and I know what the people controlling them want," he said. His decision to recant his testimony did not come without consequences. Afanasyev said after he was taken away from the courtroom, officers from Russia's Federal Security Service shackled him and "beat me up a little." Luckily, he said, journalists, lawyers, and rights activists made sure his case did not disappear from public view. "Otherwise, I don't know. Maybe I wouldn't even be alive," he said. 'We See That This Is A Political Case' Sentsov, Afanasyev, and other Ukrainians from Crimea imprisoned by Russia say they were targeted because of their opposition to the Kremlin's annexation of the peninsula in March 2014, which triggered international outcry and Western sanctions against Moscow. Afanasyev said that even during his time in Russian custody, his jailers acknowledged the political nature of his imprisonment. "The officers in the prison colonies told me numerous times: 'We see that this is a political case. But you've been convicted, and you're going to serve time for this,'" he said. His conviction on terrorism charges, he said, was a source of constant laughter among both law enforcement officials and his fellow inmates. "They would say, 'You, a terrorist?' Inmates would tell officers in front of me: 'Look at this terrorist. I'm more of a terrorist than he is,'" Afanasyev said. During his imprisonment, he added, he took deep consideration of the consequences he would face by recanting his original testimony against his countrymen. "At some point," Afanasyev said, "I decided that my life, my freedom, my future destiny cannot be more important than the lives of these two people who are not guilty of anything." Written by Carl Schreck based on reporting by Anton Naumlyuk of RFE/RL's Russian Service U.S. Vice President Joe Biden warned that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's anti-Muslim policies could backfire and hurt the United States. "Some of the rhetoric I'm hearing sounds designed to radicalize all 1.4 billion" Muslims around the world, Biden said on June 20 at the Center for New American Security, a Washington think tank. On June 19, Trump went beyond his previous calls for temporarily banning Muslim immigration by suggesting the United States should consider profiling Muslims already in the country. "Wielding the politics of fear and intolerance, like proposals to ban Muslims from entering the United States or slandering entire religious communities as complicit in terrorism, calls into question America's status as the greatest democracy in the history of the world," Biden said. Biden also questioned Trump's willingness to engage Russian President Vladimir Putin "at a time of renewed Russian aggression," which he said "could call into question America's long-standing commitment to Europe." And he said Trump's plan to build a wall on the Mexican border would only foment hatred in Latin America. "If we build walls and disrespect our closest neighbors, we will quickly see...a return of anti-Americanism and a corrosive rift throughout our hemisphere," he said. Based on reporting by Reuters and AP Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated the significance of cooperation between Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries and China, also known as 16+1 cooperation, in China-EU partnerships during his meeting with Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic last Saturday, the second day of his three-nation trip. China and CEE countries should build 16+1 cooperation into an important undertaking for the Belt and Road initiative to blend into the European economic zone and set it as a priority in the implementation of four major China-EU partnerships for peace, growth, reform and civilization, Xi said. As early as November 2015, Xi stressed as an important component and supplement to the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership, 16+1 cooperation will contribute to the four major China-EU Partnerships for peace, growth, reform and civilization. He made the remarks during his meeting with leaders attending the 4th ChinaCEE Summit. In recent years, China achieved steady progress in cooperation on trade, investments and infrastructure with CEE countries a region with the most development potential in Europe. In 2015, trade between the two sides reached $56.2 billion, a 28 percent growth from 2010. The trade structure and coverage were also further optimized. Chinese enterprises have invested over $5 billion in CEE countries, while the 16-member-group has channeled more than $1.2 billion into China. At the Tangshan Consensus, China and CEE countries pledged to integrate the Chinese market with European technology, following a local leaders meeting last Friday. At the meeting held in the industrial prefecture-level city in northeastern Hebei Province, they also agreed to devote more efforts in energy conservation and environmental protection by reinforcing cooperation in clean energy exploitation and pollution control. China has established 97 pairs of sister cities and 58 pairs of sister provinces/states with 15 CEE countries other than Estonia. The potential for China-CEE cooperation remains huge as Chinas investments in CEE countries only accounts for 2 percent of its EU investments. Infrastructure and cooperation in connectivity, production capacity and equipment manufacturing are believed to be new growth engines for 16+1 economic and trade cooperation. Charges stemming from a Richmond police officers alleged sexual assault of a juvenile were dropped Tuesday in a local court after he was named in a federal complaint filed Monday. Charles E. Church, 40, of the 1400 block of West Marshall Street, faced two charges of sodomy and one charge of raping of a child under the age of 13. On Tuesday, he was in Richmond Circuit Court where those charges were dropped to make way for federal prosecutors, according to Churchs attorney, Jim McLemore. Kelli Burnett, an assistant commonwealths attorney in Richmond, said Church was taken into federal custody Tuesday on child pornography charges and that the charges against him locally were withdrawn for the time being. Federal court records show Church was charged in a complaint alleging that from last Oct. 11 to Nov. 4, in Richmond, he received child pornography. The complaint was made by a Richmond detective assigned to an FBI task force. But the detectives affidavit outlining probable cause that a crime had been committed normally a public document was sealed and unavailable for inspection. The affidavit was ordered sealed by U.S. Magistrate Judge Roderick C. Young on a motion from the U.S. Attorneys Office to protect the personal safety and privacy of the victim in this case, as well as the rights of the defendant. The maximum punishment for the federal charge against Church is 20 years in prison. Last November, Church was arrested by the Richmond Police Department after it investigated an allegation that he had sexually assaulted a juvenile. He had been assigned to the citys 3rd Precinct and is now on unpaid administrative leave. He is a 12-year veteran of the department. A 54-year-old woman was injured at the lake Tuesday morning when her personal watercraft exploded. The incident happened sometime after 11 a.m., near channel marker R-26, according to Officer Shannon Smith with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. The victim, who was flown to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, has not yet been identified. Her injuries do not appear to be life-threatening, according to DGIF Lt. Chris Thomas. The explosion occurred when the victim attempted to start her Polaris personal watercraft while docked, according to DGIF Sgt. Karl Martin. The explosion threw the victim off the watercraft and into the water. The woman's husband heard the explosion and was able to pull his wife to shore before calling 911, Martin said. Thomas said the explosion appeared to have been caused by gasoline vapors that ignited. The Polaris was the only vehicle involved. In addition to DGIF and the Smith Mountain Lake Marine Volunteer Fire/Rescue squad, medics from Bedford County Rescue responded. Witold WaszczykowskiForeign Minister of Poland, gave a written interview to Peoples Daily before Chinese President Xi Jinping kicks off his state visit to Poland. Following is the full text of the interview: Question: This is the first time for Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit Poland. What are your expectations for this visit? What kind of the role do you think the visit will play to promote and deepen the relations between both sides? Answer: We greatly appreciate the visit of the President of Peoples Republic of China, Mr. Xi Jinping. We perceive it as a result of an excellent political climate that exists between Warsaw and Beijing as well as recognition of the importance of Poland in Europe as well as the role Poland can play within the Belt and Road initiative. The visit will contribute to advancing political and economic cooperation, opening a new chapter of our partnership. During the visit we will upgrade our strategic partnership to the next level, namely to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. By this we will open up new unprecedented opportunities for our cooperation. Poland and China during last decades shared path of economic reforms and development. We strongly believe that the shared goal of economic development and improving standards of lives is a strong reason for further strengthening the ties between our countries. The accompanying business delegation, which consists of Chinese market leaders, creates an opportunity to transform the political climate into contracts a measurable economic value. Question: What do you think of the current and future bilateral relations? Answer: Over the last few years we have observed frequent mutual visits by the officials of both countries that led to establishment of the strategic partnership, which is for us of the greatest importance. During the last visit of President of Poland Andrzej Duda to China, a memorandum between Poland and China supporting the initiative Belt and Road was signed, which confirms the dedication of our two countries to mutual cooperation. The relations are based on trust, understanding and promoting common values. The political cooperation during recent years has been dynamically accelerating. With the introduction of Belt and Road initiative we see the opportunity to implement the provisions of strategic partnership. There are already three cargo connections between Poland and China, connecting the most vibrant commercial cities in both countries. We see the chance for further Chinese-Polish cooperation especially in infrastructure, transportation and energy sectors. The Sinohydro success in a tender to build Odra Water Hub or CEE Equity Partners investment in Polish Energy Partners are just few examples of fruitful cooperation. China is a big country, the country of Confucius and economic miracle that happened over last three decades. Poland on the other side, as the biggest country of Central-Eastern Europe has a lot to offer too. We have a stable and rapidly developing economy based on highly educated youth, aspiring entrepreneurs that provide high quality goods and services, and we in the heart of Europe. If we connect that to the economy of China, the development potential is unlimited. Question: President Xi implements the initiatives to build the strategy One belt, One Road. Whats the significance of the strategy for the development of Poland and cooperation with China? Answer: We follow with curiosity each of the Chinese initiatives, especially those with international outreach. The Belt and Road initiative has the potential of bringing together the countries from different continents. Poland joined the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank as the only country from the Central and Eastern Europe to underline our interest in taking fully part in the project. The potential of the project is not to be underestimated. Through building infrastructure and facilitating trade an opportunity is created for the participating countries to develop their economies. We believe that our engagement can be to benefit of all. We hope to attract investors to Poland, as we are the most attractive country for investors in CEE region (which is 4th most attractive region globally, right after China itself). Chinese investors presence is increasing, yet we are waiting for greater engagement, especially in large and courageous investment projects. On the other hand we want to increase our trade volume and make our trade more balanced. There are many products in Poland that are of high quality. The Chinese customers are slowly recognizing that Made in Poland does not differ from other European products. Just to name one example, the citizens are paying more and more attention to the nutrition. Polish agricultural products, especially diary and meat are produced in ecological way, providing the highest possible quality. The Belt and Road initiative can help to export these goods to China by creating multimodal logistics and distributions centers. Question: Poland is an important participant of Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries and has a series of cooperation plan with China; Does Poland has any new plan to strengthen economic and trade cooperation with China since you took office on November 2015? In which areas does Poland hope to strength further cooperation with China? Answer: Poland joins China and other countries in efforts to finance the ambitious development plan of the Belt and Road initiative, including through our membership in AIIB. We also continue the 16 + 1 model of cooperation between China and CEE, our strategic partnership and strengthening the ties on local government levels. We also observe that both China and Poland are pursuing ambitious economic policies. What is more, a number of postulates defined in the XIII Economic Plan in China are converging with the Responsible Development Plan in Poland. We believe that many of the goals can be achieved through cooperation. Both countries put emphasis on: innovations through Research and Development, sustainable development, green energy. I would like to offer a simple example: Chinese investors are interested in financing energy projects in Poland and Polish entrepreneurs can help innovate the coal mines in China by offering clean thermal decomposition of coal technology. The synergy can be achieved on various levels to the mutual benefit. That is what we strive in our relations with China! MAPUTO, April 20, 2016 -- File photo taken on March 3, 2016 shows a piece of an airplane displayed during a news conference in Maputo, capital of Mozambique. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau on April 20, 2016 released a technical examination report, definitively saying the debris found in Mozambique was part of the lost Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. (Xinhua/Li Xiaopeng) CANBERRA, June 21 -- An Australian support group for family members of passengers who were aboard missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has released photographs of personal items this week that could belong to the missing travelers. Aircrash Support Group Australia (ASGA) has publicly released photographs which were recently found in Madagascar, but Australian authorities were hesitant to investigate the lead which could help rescuers identify where the airliner went down. A spokesperson from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) told Xinhua on Tuesday that it would be "difficult" to link the items in the photographs to passengers who were on the missing Boeing 777, as there were no names, labels or identifiable markers on the items. "It would be difficult to identify any item which does not have any unique markings and is not a part of the aircraft structure," the spokesperson said. ASGA is hoping that family members might be able to positively identify some of the items from the pictures so that authorities will further investigate the whereabouts of the missing plane. "These pictures are now being made public and the items are being handed to the authorities for further action," ASGA said in a statement on Monday. However the ATSB said it was hesitant to get involved at this stage; the spokesperson told Xinhua that "Malaysian authorities are responsible for the investigation into the disappearance of MH370 and would possess the most information about those lost aboard the aircraft and their possessions." The Australian-led search for the missing airplane is set to conclude in early August, when the ocean search in a designated 120,000 square km zone in the Indian Ocean is completed. Currently, search vessels have covered 105,000 square km. MH370 was a scheduled passenger flight carrying 239 passengers and crew from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, but went missing in the early hours of March 8, 2014. It looks like nothing was found at this location. Maybe try a search? Search for: Search The Rescue Challenge, hosted by the Technical Rescue Association of Virginia, brings teams in from all over the eastern part of the United States to conduct various types of technical rescue scenarios throughout the valley. These scenarios are designed to challenge these teams with problem solving, skills, teamwork and equipment usage. Roanoke Cement was proud to host the Monster High Line. Teams had to undergo a rescue of a child that is unconscious floating on an inner tube within our inactive quarry, with an added bonus of a rescue of the child's father that fell 50 to a top bench in the same pit. Other scenarios throughout the area were a cave rescue in the Murder Hole located just past Roanoke Cement, Structural Collapse, Co-fined Space Rescue in Gathright Dam, O Course moving 1000lb concrete blocks, Protester challenge at Mill Mountain Star with rescues from on top of the star, large animal rescue, Vehicle extrication with vehicles under logs from a log truck and finally a Search and Rescue in Rocky Mount. All eight teams were allotted three to four hours to accomplish their rescue. With the persistent rainstorms the challenges did not stop, it just increased the challenge. 166 rescue personnel visited Roanoke Cement over the four-day event to compete in the challenge. Two of the teams were the USAR Urban Search and Rescue Virginia Task Force Div2 and Div6 teams. Along with the rescuers we also had two E.R. doctors, a large animal rescuer, Virginia Department of Fire Programs, Virginia Department of Emergency Management, TRAVA, CBIRFThe Marines Chemical Biological Incident Response Force. Fire Departments ranged from New Jersey, Maryland and Michigan to Virginia Beach and our local Roanoke Valley fire and EMS departments Roanoke, Roanoke County and Salem. Submitted by Jason Oedel LONDON June 20 (People's Daily Online) - London Technology Week 2016 kicks off this week. To mark launch of the opening, a research showed that the technologies could transform our lives within the next 20 years. The findings highlight healthcare as a key industry set for change with Britons predicting that they will no longer visit the doctor when they get ill but will instead consult their GP from home using virtual reality technology. A large number of people also believe that 3D printers will be used to produce human organs, potentially removing the need for human donation, while just under half of those surveyed think the worlds first cloned human will have been born by 2036. The survey, which was commissioned by London & Partners, the Mayor of Londons promotional company, is inspired by a series of predictions put forward by Imperial College Londons Tech Foresight research team and reveals the technologies consumers think will disrupt traditional industries and drive forward the growth of Londons tech sector. The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: London Technology Week shines a light on this hugely important sector of the economy and demonstrates how our city is open to trade, ideas and people from across the globe. Tech-savvy Londoners welcome new digital advances that are going to revolutionise the way that we live and it is crucial that we harness those ideas to help the capital work even better as a city. As someone who has helped to run a successful business, I look forward to supporting the tech sector so it goes from strength to strength over the coming years. The study, which asked over 2000 people a series of questions about how they believed their lives would be transformed by technology also identified fashion as another industry ripe for change, with over half of Britons predicting that we will regularly wear clothing connected to the internet within the next twenty years. Professor David Gann, Vice President Innovation at Imperial College London said: Londons technologists, scientists, medics and entrepreneurs are creating the future. No city in the world enjoys Londons quotient of talent, technology culture and capital. It is a potent combination. London is an environment where ideas flourish, design and innovation is embraced and new technologies are transforming our lives for the better. In London, we dont stand still. Through our Tech Foresight team, Imperial Business Partners is taking some of the worlds finest minds from business and academia to predict how whole industries will transform within two decades. By considering breakthrough discoveries taking place in labs today, they help businesses look ahead to tech-driven trends and markets that will shape our future. London Technology Week is a celebration of the entrepreneurs, innovators and companies making the citys thriving tech hub one of the best in the world. A recent report from EY ranked London as second only to Silicon Valley as the most likely place to produce the worlds next tech giant. Eileen Burbidge MBE, Partner at Passion Capital and Chair of Tech City UK said: As a truly international city, London is one of the worlds largest, most inclusive and diverse technology hubs with a range of opportunities for talent of all backgrounds. The breadth, depth and creativity of our expansive talent pool has helped London to become a world leader in areas such as fintech, e-commerce and cyber security, just to name a few. We are already seeing technology disrupting traditional industries, but in years to come we will no longer be talking about the digital tech sector in isolation. Technology and digital will be integrated into every part of the economy. This years London Technology Week will focus on London as a centre for the convergence of disruptive technologies and their impact on traditional industries such as fashion, music, financial services and healthcare. London Technology Week 2016 will see a record number of events take place across the capital from 20-26th June. Hundreds of international companies and tens of thousands of visitors will come to London to take part in more than 300 events organised as part of London Technology Week. (Bai Tianxing) Madeleine Albright Photo: courtesy of She Zhijun Editor's Note: As China is raising support for its position in the South China Sea ahead of the arbitral tribunal ruling on the Philippines case, it faces a complicated international landscape. In an interview with Global Times (GT) reporter Wu Ningning, former US secretary of state Madeleine Albright (Albright) reiterated that the US is a Pacific power and that the Asia rebalancing strategy of the US, in her view, is misunderstood in China because it is not about limits or containment. GT: Many countries, including the US, consider China's rise as a looming threat especially in the South China sea, but China thinks of itself provoked, not provocative. How do we understand the security dilemma both China and the US face? Albright: Let me just say, as I have said so many times, that the US-China relationship is the most important relationship of the 21st century. It is a relationship that has many facets, and as many important relationships, there are some good days and bad days, and complications. We just had a very good set of talks at the Strategic and Economic Dialogue, but not everything was resolved in terms of currencies, negative lists and all that. I do think that the issue right now that is the most worrisome is the South and East China Seas. It is important for Chinese to understand the US is not just an Atlantic power, it is a Pacific power. We order the Pacific and the Japanese and South Koreans are US allies. We have a long-standing relationship with the Philippines and a relationship now with the Vietnamese, which is a positive one. I think those countries are very concerned about what China is doing on the reefs and why. And what's surprising, from their perspective and American is why the Chinese are not more interested in having freedom of navigation and developing a code of conduct that is not confrontational. But this clearly is a very difficult issue now and I think we need to be very careful there is not some kind of accident happens. GT: You value deeper or even personal relation between leaders. But your good relations with your then Chinese counterpart Li Zhaoxing didn't prevent the US bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade in 1999. Albright: The Chinese embassy bombing was a mistake, US has made that clear over and over again. I certainly did. Li Zhaoxing had been the permanent representative of China to the UN and when I became the secretary of state, he became the ambassador. I went to see him, for whatever reasons, and I don't know what they were, the Chinese refused to accept our explanation. It was a long time ago. It is not something that will help in terms of making sure this important relationship is done on the basis of facts, not on the basis of suspicions and made-up stories. GT: Political scientist David Shambaugh commented that China's reform is stagnating and lacks a big push in his recent interview with the Wall Street Journal. What do you think of the ongoing reforms in China? Albright: I think from coming here and also from a business perspective is that people are confused about what is happening. Xi Jinping came in with a lot of very forward-leaning ideas on the reform and various plans, but the growth has slowed and people don't quite understand what the steps forward are going to be in terms of welcoming outside investment, and what about what's happening on currencies. So there is more skepticism about what is happening and I think there needs to be more contact, not only government to government but businesspeople. I think that American businesspeople are finding it harder and harder to do things. My business partner and I were just talking in there and explaining there is a certain amount of concern that things are slowing down. GT: To what degree do you agree with US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter's claims that China is isolating itself? Albright: People don't quite understand what China wants to do and what is happening in South and East China Seas is very worrisome. I think people are looking at Xi as having a kind of more outward looking approach and concern about the rise of nationalism. GT: How do you evaluate rising nationalism? Albright: I think actually nationalism is very dangerous and is dangerous everywhere. I have said this in terms of what's happening in Central and East Europe and have said this about the US. Patriotism is one thing, to be proud of your country, but if you are nationalist, when you hate or mistrust another country and blame another country for your problems, that is very dangerous. GT: Will the rise of Donald Trump cause lasting damage to the US image overseas? Albright: Yes. I think it is very hard to explain it. I usually, as a former diplomat, do not like to criticize my country when I am abroad. But I have got so many questions about what Trump is saying or doing that I think it is confusing people because he is making statements that some of them have no basis in fact and are raising nationalism. I think that there is confusion between globalization and trade, but I do think that fair trade agreements are very important. They have to be fair to our workers and your workers, but simply saying that we are not going to deal with China or other countries is ridiculous. I mean he says things that from a US perspective, don't make any sense. GT: If Hillary Clinton is elected as the first female US president, what advice would you give her as a female diplomat who also once broke political glass ceilings? Albright: She does not need my advice. She understands the importance of the relationship with China, the rebalance which goes back to one of your earlier questions, I think there has been a misunderstanding in this part of the world, it has nothing to do with our trying to limit or contain. If you look at the map, we are a Pacific power, we have friends in the Pacific, we want to have very positive relations, and she understands how we state our relationship. One of the things that is frankly expected is that if one country has a problem with another, then you raise it with them. Recently a small village called Houzhang in Jinhua, Zhejiang province has gone viral. Thousands of people rushed into this village for treasure hunting all because several days ago there was news of people digging out rubies, and one sold for 50,000 yuan. After news spread out ever since June 17, it now has turned into a crazy collective digging event. Aside from people in the village, a lot of people are from other places and drive all the way to Houzhang to look for treasures. All people regardless of age and sex are now digging day and night, hoping to find a real ruby for themselves. According to local villagers, the shining stones on the back of the mountain have existed for a long time. 40 years ago, there was an expert team that came to do geological exploration and a survey and ended up with nothing definite. Local villagers used to go to the back of the mountain and dig stones for fun. It was completely unexpected that now so many people would come to do treasure hunting and it has now affected the ordinary life of people in the village. After journalists did investigations, they found that there are really a lot of red stones on the mountain in Houzhang, but almost all are of very small sizes and it cannot be determined whether or not they are real or pure. Some of the stones the size of a little finger nail were quickly purchased by a woman with 400 yuan. No matter how much these rubies turn out to be worth, rational and civilized treasure digging should be advocated. CHICAGO started life as a satirical play about the American legal system, penned by journalist Maurine Dallas Watkins in 1926. Outraged by the media frenzy which saw two accused murderesses controversially let off, she wrote a hard-hitting commentary on the cult of celebrity criminals. Only in 1975 was Chicago restaged as the raunchy, nylon-clad musical we know today, now the longest-running American musical on Broadway. The UK national tour production is a stylish, swinging spectacle. After shooting lover Fred Casely (Francis Foreman) for leaving her, Roxie Hart (Hayley Tamaddon) tells husband Amos (Neil Ditt) he was a burglar. Doting Amos takes the fall for his wayward wife, but soon learns the truth and drops her in it. Roxie is jailed awaiting her murder trial, where she meets double murderess Velma Kelly (Sophie Carmen-Jones) and prison warden Mama Morton (Sam Bailey). Morton has sweet talked top lawyer Billy Flynn (John Partridge) into defending Velma the plan, to get her off the hook by making her a tabloid darling. But Roxie catches Flynns eye as a better prospect and he works his media magic on her instead. She becomes the toast of society as Velmas light fades but only until a bigger crime pushes Roxie off the front pages. So she announces that shes having a baby, spurred into the desperate lie by her cellmates execution. But can she and Flynn pull off the ruse with enough razzle dazzle to spare Roxie the rope? Its a show which pulls on every heartstring, evoking fear, sympathy, hope and despair (and, it must be said, lust). Seeing ex-soap actors names next to lead stage roles isnt always welcome, but West End veteran Partridge has the chops to pull it off. Formerly EastEnders Christian Clarke, Partridge has also played about half of Cats male cast and been that shows lead dancer. His Billy Flynn is a sight and sound to behold slick and suave with outstanding vocal oomph. Tamaddon too a former Emmerdale and Corrie star is every inch the stage star, her Hart a real loveable rogue. X Factor winner Sam Bailey makes for a mean Mama Morton, belting out her boisterous numbers. And A D Richardson really thrills as high society reporter Mary Sunshine but thats all Ill say about that (youll see). The dance company too are excellent, carrying off the dazzling choreography to pinpoint perfection. In place of a set we see the orchestra, arranged in raked rows behind the actors. It seems the perfect visual accompaniment to a story all about the jazz age, in which period costume is swapped out for provocative lingerie. The effect is a show all about the height of cabaret which is itself a cabaret and it captures the mood of prohibition perfectly. In the third quarter of 2022, Norilsk Nickel produced 59,000 tons of nickel, 113,000 tons of copper, 712,000 ounces of palladium and 171,000 ounces of platinum According to Norilsk Nickel, in the third quarter of 2022, the company produced 59,000 tons of nickel (+22% QoQ), 113,000 tons of copper (+1%), 712,000 ounces of palladium (+0.4%) and 171,000 ounces of... Implats lifts stake in RBPlat to 40.66% Impala Platinum (Implats) has further increased its shareholding in Royal Bafokeng Platinum (RBPlat) to 40.66% from 40.49%. The platinum miner said it concluded agreements to acquire a further 507 000 RBPlat Shares constituting... Petra Q1 output, revenue dip Petra Diamonds first quarter production for the fiscal year 2023 dropped 13% to 763,220 carats compared to 876,411 carats, a year earlier. The decline was due to lower grades at Cullinan Mine and Finsch Mine in South Africa. Chinas billion-dollar cash-for-copper trade grinds to a halt According to Chinese physical traders, they expected Shanghais bonded copper stocks to drop further potentially to zero, or just a few hundred tons as market participants have lost confidence in the business of using metal to raise financing for... Screenshots of Xinhua News Agency's short film BEIJING, June 21 -- Xinhua News Agency released a short film Monday to commemorate the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC). The nine-and-a-half-minute video profiles the pursuit of independence and state prosperity. It features photographs and footage from Xinhua's China Photo Archives, a repository of more than 10 million images from 1892 to the present day. The film begins with "Internationale," sung in Russian by 95-year-old Qu Duyi, the only daughter of Qu Qiubai, a key leader of the CPC in its early days. Qu Duyi and her husband co-founded Xinhua's Moscow bureau, the agency's third foreign bureau. Eighty-one years ago, Qu Qiubai sang the same song on his way to his execution after being captured by the Kuomintang. "My father had a faith in communist society and fought for it," said Qu Duyi in the film. The video also features footage and images of outstanding CPC members across the years, including Lei Feng, a soldier who was known for selflessly devoting his time and money to those in need; Jiao Yulu, a local-level official role model; and Wang Jinxi, a model-oil worker who was dubbed "iron man." "For a person, 95 years is a very long time, but to a Party, which is ahead of the times, it is its prime. Our dreams, and those of our fathers, are in the distance," the narrator says at the end of the film. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCAU) said it would conduct an investigation of an accident involving a recalled 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee that killed Anton Yelchin, the actor known for playing Chekov in the new Star Trek films. The 27-year old Yelchin died when the car rolled backwards down his steep driveway and crushed him against a brick mailbox pillar and security fence. Fiat has issued a recall due to the risk that drivers could exit the vehicle without it remaining in park. "FCA US extends its most sincere condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Yelchin," FCA said in a statement. "The company is in contact with the authorities and is conducting a thorough investigation. It is premature to speculate on the cause of this tragedy." JJ Abrams, who directed two Star Trek films, paid tribute to Yelchin on Twitter by saying "Anton, You were brilliant. You were kind. You were funny as hell, and supremely talented. And you weren't here nearly long enough. Missing you." For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Biotricity Inc. (BTCY.OB) touched a new high on Monday, following the filing of a 510(k) for the company's flagship product bioflux solution with the FDA. The company expects to receive a response from the FDA on its 510(k) submission by early Fall. Upon final release, Biotricity's flagship product, the bioflux solution, will combine a proprietary mobile ECG monitoring device and an industry leading ECG viewer software package. The combination will enable physicians to remotely monitor and diagnose patients with cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease by detecting arrhythmias, using an accredited 24 hour, 7 day per week, ECG monitoring facility, according to the company. BTCY.OB touched a new high of $2.15 on Monday before closing the day's trading at $2.13, up 6.50%. Shares of ChromaDex Corp. (CDXC) plunged over 42% on Monday, following a report by short seller Bleecker Street Research, which details allegations of stock promotion and fraud. The report also claims that the profitability of the company for the quarter ended April 2, 2016, is likely fake and appears to be engineered. Responding to the short attack, Frank Jaksch, Founder and CEO of ChromaDex said, "The report appears to be a blatant and transparent attempt by a shortseller or shortsellers to profit from an immediate and precipitous decline in the company's share price through the use of an opinion piece published anonymously and laden with misinformation, innuendo and the use of selective historical information". CDXC closed Monday's trading at $2.84, down 42.97%. Cellectis (CLLS) announced that the first patient has been treated in a phase I study of UCART19 in pediatric acute B lymphoblastic leukemia at the University College of London. This UCART19 clinical trial is sponsored by French drug company Servier in close collaboration with Pfizer Inc. (PFE). Cellectis will receive a milestone payment from Servier of an undisclosed amount. CLLS closed Monday's trading 4.04% higher at $27.78. GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK) and Innoviva Inc.'s (INVA) phase III study of the investigational once-daily 'closed' triple combination therapy, in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease has met its two co-primary endpoints. The study, dubbed FULFIL, demonstrated statistically significant improvements compared with twice-daily Symbicort Turbohaler in both lung function and -related quality of life at the end of the 24-week study period. GlaxoSmithKline plans to make EU and US regulatory submissions for the closed triple combination therapy by the end of 2016. The closed triple therapy is a combination of three medicines - fluticasone furoate (FF), an inhaled corticosteroid, umeclidinium (UMEC), a long-acting muscarinic antagonist and vilanterol (VI), a long-acting beta2-adrenergic agonist delivered once-daily in GSK's Ellipta inhaler. Should the Closed Triple be successfully developed and commercialized, Theravance Biopharma Inc. (TBPH) is entitled to receive an 85% economic interest in the royalties paid by GlaxoSmithKline on worldwide net sales. Those royalties are upward-tiering from 6.5% to 10%. Additionally, GlaxoSmithKline is responsible for all development costs related to the Closed Triple with no costs being borne by Theravance Biopharma. GSK closed Tuesday's trading at $41.49, up 2.88%. Shares of Lpath Inc. (LPTN) soared over 43.75% on Monday on the company's receipt of a $1.45 million two-year grant awarded by the Defense Medical Research and Development Program, an agency of the U.S. Department of Defense. The fund will support the study of Lpathomab for the treatment of neuropathic pain associated with traumatic brain injury. The company reported favorable results from a phase I study of Lpathomab in healthy volunteers in April of this year. LPTN closed Monday's trading at $2.99, up 43.75%. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News OSI Systems, Inc. (OSIS) announced a definitive agreement to acquire American Science and Engineering, Inc. (ASEI), a provider of detection solutions for advanced cargo, parcel, and personnel inspection, for $37.00 per share in cash, representing a total purchase price of approximately $187 million, net of $82 million of AS&E cash and cash equivalents as of March 31, 2016. OSI said the acquisition of AS&E is consistent with its strategy to expand security offerings, enhance product development capabilities, and grow in attractive end and geographies. OSI Systems expects the transaction to result in at least $18 million of annual pre-tax cost synergies within the first two years post-closing. The transaction is expected to be accretive to OSI Systems' fiscal 2017 non-GAAP earnings per share excluding one-time transaction expenses and integration costs and at least 10% accretive to OSI Systems' fiscal year 2018 GAAP earnings per share. AS&E is a global provider of threat and contraband detection solutions for ports, borders, military, critical infrastructure, law enforcement, and aviation. AS&E offers advanced X-ray inspection systems to combat terrorism, drug smuggling, illegal immigration, and trade fraud. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. (CP,CP.TO) provided earnings outlook for the second-quarter of 2016, citing lower-than-anticipated volumes in bulk commodities, such as grain and potash, the unexpected and devastating wildfires in northern Alberta and a strengthening Canadian dollar. The earnings outlook is below analysts' estimates. For the second quarter, Canadian Pacific now expects revenues to decline approximately 12 percent from the year-ago period, adjusted earnings per share of about C$2.00, and an operating ratio of about 62 percent. On average, analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expect the company to report earnings of C$2.48 per share for the quarter on revenues of C$1.57 billion. Analysts' estimates typically exclude items. However, Canadian Pacific said it remains confident in its model and believes actions taken in the first half of the year - coupled with an anticipated improvement in commodity volumes - will provide a path for the company towards meeting its full-year guidance. Canadian Pacific will release its second-quarter financial and operating results at 8:30 a.m. eastern time on July 20, 2016. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Shares of Revolymer plc (REVO.L) were gaining around 4 percent in London trading after the company said it has unconditionally agreed to acquire, by merger, Itaconix Corp., a privately-owned based in New Hampshire, US, for an initial consideration of $7 million or about 4.9 million pounds. The deal price comprises $3 million in cash and $4 million in new Ordinary Shares, plus further deferred performance related consideration of up to $6 million payable in new Ordinary Shares, subject to the satisfaction of certain performance criteria. Itaconix is a high-growth specialty polymer company that develops and commercialises novel polymers based on its proprietary, commercially-proven and low production cost itaconic acid polymerization . The Directors believe that the deal will enhance the firm's ability to generate faster growth, based on broader customer engagement and expanded product solutions. The company said the admission of the $4 million initial consideration shares is expected to take place on June 27. In London, Revolymer shares were trading at 38.90 pence, up 3.73 percent. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News SoftBank Group Corp. (SFTBF.PK) Tuesday said it entered a definitive agreement to sell 72.2 percent stake in Finnish gamemaker Supercell to China based Internet value added services provider Tencent Holdings Ltd (TCEHY.PK). and affiliates. SoftBank and its two subsidiaries Kahon 3 Oy and SoftBank Group Capital Limited are holding the shares. Total cash consideration of the deal is $7.3 billion or 770 billion Japanese Yen. In another development, SoftBank Group president and COO Nikesh Arora will step down on Wednesday. Arora will continue as an advisor. Arora, who joined as president in May 2015, was one of the highest paid global executive, with an annual pay package of around $135 million in salary and bonus. He presumed to take over as CEO of SoftBank, but recently acknowledged Masayoshi will stay on for another 5-10 years. Arora has been with Google, before joining SoftBank. Arora has attracted criticism from shareholders for investing in startups and for bad deals. A special committee of independent members of the Board has given a clean chit to Arora on Monday and said no merit in allegations. As per the acquisition agreement, SoftBank's two subsidiaries will receive a dividend of approximately $0.4 billion or around 43 billion Japanese yen from Supercell prior to closing of the transaction. Upon transfer of the shares, Supercell will no longer be a subsidiary of SoftBank and will no longer be consolidated into SoftBank's financial results. On closing of the deal Tencent will have around 84 percent of Supercell. Supercell is a mobile game company headquartered in Finland, which became SoftBank's subsidiary in 2013. The implied valuation for 100 percent of Supercell's equity is approximately $10.2 billion. As per the transaction plan, the proceeds from the sale will be realized in three payments starting from August 5, with second and third payment on November 3 and August 5, 2019 respectively. The transfer of shares is expected to occur on August 5, 2016, with half of the shares being kept in an escrow account. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has seen increases in support in three key swing states, according to the results of a Quinnipiac University poll. Clinton has pulled out to a sizable lead over presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump in Florida and is now virtually tied with the real estate tycoon in Ohio and Pennsylvania. The poll found that 47 percent of Florida voters support Clinton, while 39 percent prefer Trump. Clinton's eight-point lead in the latest poll compares to the one-point advantage she held in the Sunshine State last month. Adding third-party candidates to the mix in Florida, Clinton has a slightly narrower 42 percent to 36 percent lead over Trump, with Libertarian Gary Johnson at 7 percent and Green Party candidate Jill Stein at 3 percent. Clinton has also seen an uptick in support in Ohio and is now tied with Trump at 40 percent. The billionaire had a 43 percent to 39 percent lead over Clinton in a poll released last month. The survey showed Clinton with a 38 percent to 36 percent lead over Trump in Ohio when the third-party candidates are included. Johnson comes in a distant third at 8 percent and Stein is at 3 percent. Looking at Pennsylvania, Clinton has a slim 42 percent to 41 percent advantage, virtually unchanged from her 43 percent to 42 percent lead in the previous poll. The inclusion of the third-party candidates gives the former Secretary of State a slightly wider 39 percent to 36 percent lead over Trump, with 9 percent for Johnson and 4 percent for Stein. "Secretary Hillary Clinton is pulling ahead in Florida, but the pictures in Ohio and Pennsylvania are much less clear," said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac Poll. "The at-times bitter verbal battles between Trump and some Republicans leaders is showing in these numbers," he added. "In these three key states, Clinton is doing better, and in the case of Florida much better, among Democrats than Trump is among Republicans." The Quinnipiac surveys of 975 Florida voters, 971 Ohio voters, and 950 Pennsylvania voters were all conducted June 8th through 19th. The margin of error for the polls is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points for both Florida and Ohio and plus or minus 3.2 percentage points for Pennsylvania. (Photo: Gage Skidmore) For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News A Shenzhen-based video-sharing company has sued the local market and quality supervision commission, demanding to call off a 260 million yuan ($39.5 million) penalty imposed on the company for alleged patent rights violations. Shenzhen QVOD Technology was fined in June 2014 by the market and quality supervision commission in Shenzhen in south Chinas Guangdong province, after the Internet giant Tencent reported to the commission, claiming that QVOD has infringed upon its patent rights to stream information online. The commission said QVOD streamed some 24 TV series or films on its platform without approval from the videos patent owner. It ordered that the company pay off the penalty within 15 days, otherwise more fines will be imposed at a rate of 3 percent per day, the Beijing Times reported. QVOD filed the lawsuit against the commission in September 2014 at a local court in Shenzhen, and appealed to the high court of Guangdong after the first trial ended with a ruling for the commissions decision, China Youth Daily reported. The Guangdong high court opened trial on Tuesday to hear the case. The company became notorious in April 2014 when it was raided by local police for suspected streaming of pornography. Four of the companys executives were prosecuted in January. According to prosecutors at a Beijing court, some 70 percent of 29,841 videos stored on its servers were allegedly found to contain pornographic material. However, the executives denied the accusations, Global Times reported. The prosecutors had recommended a ten-year sentence for Wang Xin, the companys CEO, but a final ruling is yet to be released. Enbridge Energy L.P. is planning to buy oil clean-up tools worth $7 million, in the next two years. The new tools will help the energy delivery company in case of an oil spill in Line 5 pipeline. The Line 5 has been the focus of a controversy surrounding 63 - year old underwater pipelines. A spill in this pipeline that pumps 23 million gallons of oil per day, is feared to create a disaster in Huron and Michigan lakes. The cleaning tools are capable of removing oil from open water surfaces. Enbridge is planning to buy oil skimmers, oil boom and containment devices that help them remove oil spill even in icy conditions. Recently, the National Wildlife Federation has filed a lawsuit in the District Court of the Eastern District of Michigan against the Administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to ensure pipeline safety that runs from Superior, Wisconsin, through the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, across the Straits of Mackinac, through the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, across the St. Clair River, and then to Sarnia, Ontario. Federation pleaded to stop transporting oil through the Line 5 pipeline. University of Michigan has warned that an oil spill in Line 5 might risk more than 17,000 square miles of open water in Straits of Mackinac. Earlier in 2010, Enbridge was responsible for one of the largest oil spills at Kalamazoo river, Michigan. The 800,000 gallon oil spill had damaged around 37 miles of river. Clean-up cost was around $1 billion. Enbridge stock was on the decline since June 8. However, it climbed 1.90 percent on Tuesday on the NYSE. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Renault India has launched extended warranty options on all their cars on sale in the country. Renaults Anytime Warranty Plan allows owners of Renault cars and SUVs to avail of an extended warranty by 1 year/20,000 kms, starting from the third year until the seventh year of ownership. However, there is a cap of 1 lakh kms under this scheme. This extended 7 year warranty is on all models in the company lineup except for the Kwid which comes in with a 4 year/1 lakh km standard warranty. Renaults Anytime Warranty Plan offers owners the chance to extend standard warranty to cover the vehicle for a period of 7 years or upto 1 lakh kms. This benefit is offered to customers if their current standard warranty pack has expired or if the car has not been serviced at the companys authorized service stations. The warranty covers all major components which include the engine, gearbox, ECM and starter besides the alternator, differential, AC compressor and steering box. Roadside assistance is also a part of this warranty package. This extended warranty covers all Renault vehicles which include the Triber, Lodgy, Duster, Captur and also the Koleos, Fluence and Pulse. For those cars serviced at the companys authorized service centers, prices of the Anytime Warranty Plans range from Rs.5,775 for the 3rd year for the Renault Kwid going up to Rs.21,550 for the 7th year for the Renault Lodgy. Detailed price list can be seen in the images in this post. In the case of vehicles that have been serviced at third party garages, these prices range from Rs. 8,390. In the case of the Koleos, Fluence and Pulse which have been discontinued from the company lineup, the extended warranty pack (for existing owners) is priced from Rs. 7,820 to Rs. 94,810 and will be as per model, year of coverage and service history. Along with the Anytime Warranty Plan, Renault India is also offering cash discounts on the Renault Duster, Kwid and Captur through the month of November 2019. Buyers of the Duster can avail benefits upto Rs.1.25 lakhs in addition to loyalty bonus of Rs.10,000 and Rs.20,000 as exchange. The Kwid also comes in with loyalty benefits upto Rs.50,000 on select stocks along with a 4 year/1 lakh km warranty while the Renault Captur SUV gets the highest discount of Rs.3 lakhs along with a corporate discount of Rs.5,000. Based on the Maruti Baleno on sale in India, a new variant has been launched called Baleno Cross The hatchbacks with rough road package and gimmicky suffixes to the nameplate didnt really work in India as the customers were willing to pay extra for proper crossover SUVs. There are still some hatchback-based instant crossovers in our market but they mostly spend their time on the sidelines. These species of spruced up hatchbacks may have better luck in some international markets. Suzuki thinks a slightly more rugged version of the Baleno hatchback would be well received in South American markets. The Suzuki Baleno Cross has been introduced in Colombia and from the looks of it, it doesnt even have what we call as the rough road package. The Baleno Cross receives a sportier and more expressive front bumper which is seen on the India-spec facelift, special dual-tone alloy wheels, side rub strips and roof carrier. There are no black lower body cladding, raised ground clearance or faux skid plates. It looks more like a dealer-level accessorized version than a new standalone variant in its own right. Interior is also identical to that of the regular Baleno save for updated colour theme for the fabric. The colour of the upholstery is matched with the exterior paint. There are no other changes whatsoever. Suzuki Baleno Cross Engine Suzuki Baleno Cross for the Colombian market is powered by the K14B 1.4-liter petrol engine which is tuned to produce 95 hp and 130 Nm of torque. The motor can be specified either with a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic gearbox. The Colombian Baleno Cross comes equipped with standard dual front airbags, ISOFIX mount and ABS with EBD. The higher end variant offers 6 airbags and LED DRLs. Maruti Suzuk India Ltd., is the sole manufacturer of the Baleno hatchback for the entire world. The Colombia-spec model is shipped from here and is converted into a cross of the local market by adding a few accessories. The Cross variant is not likely to be introduced in India. The Maruti Baleno for India received a facelift recently with subtle revisions. The hatchback competes with Hyundai i20, Tata Altroz, Honda Jazz and VW Polo. The Baleno has been dominating its segment since its inception and has clocked sales of over 7.2 lakh units. The hatchback is so popular in the India that one unit is sold every 3 minutes! Its primary rival, the i20, is set to receive a vastly improved replacement in the coming weeks. The battle between the titans is set to get fiercer. BEIJING, June 21 -- Experts say that the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague, the Netherlands, has no jurisdiction over South China Sea disputes between China and the Philippines, which unilaterally filed an arbitration case. The Philippines' move went against an agreement it reached with China in the mid-1990s on settling their disputes through negotiation. China has excluded maritime delimitation from compulsory arbitration in a declaration it made in 2006 in accordance with Article 298 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and has made it clear it will not accept or get involved in those proceedings. The experts voiced their viewpoints, saying the tribunal has abused its mandate granted by the UNCLOS by involving itself in a territorial dispute, as territorial issues are beyond the scope of the convention. Antonios Tzanakopoulos, associate professor of public international law at the University of Oxford -- For the most part, the tribunal hasn't answered satisfactorily with respect to why there is a dispute under UNCLOS, and also how these claims do not relate to sovereignty, and in my view they do (relate to sovereignty). Chris Whomersley, former deputy legal adviser to the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office -- Questions of territorial sovereignty, status of features and maritime delimitation are inextricably linked; to consider only one element out of these three is unreal and artificial, and worse it risks producing a distorted result. Peter Li, associate professor of the University of Houston Downtown -- The tribunal has abused its mandate granted by the UNCLOS by involving itself in a territorial dispute that it has no authority to rule over. Greg Austin, professor at University of New South Wales Canberra -- While the Philippines is quite within its rights to use UNCLOS, that will not answer any questions of territorial sovereignty and the Permanent Court will make no judgment and can make no judgment on territorial sovereignty. Yasser Gadallah, director of the Chinese-Egyptian Research Center at Helwan University -- Arbitration requires the consent of the two concerned parties that resort together to an international arbitration committee whose decisions are binding for both of them. Mahmoud Allam, former Egyptian ambassador to China -- The arbitration is apparently unlawful with China being absent. This is common sense in international law. China maintains that the tribunal handling of the arbitration proceedings has no jurisdiction over the case, which is in essence about territorial sovereignty and maritime delimitation. DAR ES SALAAM, June 21 -- African bank governors meeting in Tanzania said on Monday that the adoption of the Chinese yuan by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will make the currency play a major role in international financial markets. Economic experts from various African countries attending the eastern and southern African governors forum also believed that the adoption of the yuan was an important milestone in the integration of the Chinese economy into African financial systems. The IMF has adopted the yuan as part of its special drawing rights basket of currencies. "Tanzania is not left behind, already the Bank of Tanzania's five percent of foreign currency reserve is being held in Renminbi," Tanzania's Central Bank Governor Beno Ndulu told the forum facilitated by the Macro-economic and Financial Management Institute of Eastern and Southern Africa (MEFMI). Ndulu said the adoption of the yuan was a reminder that Africa should start giving the Renminbi due consideration as both reserve, investment and settlement currency given China's deepening engagement with the continent. He said the decision by the IMF reflected major shifts in the global economy and was a recognition of China's progress over the last few decades in moving towards a more open and market based economy. The governor said China played an increasingly prominent role in the global economy and it was entirely logical that its currency should also play a role in international financial markets. On the benefits of using the currency, Ndulu said it was profitable to transact bonds using the yuan than the euro and the U.S. dollar because the Chinese currency was stable. The yuan is the sixth currency to join the U.S. dollar, Swiss Franc, the euro, the Japanese yen and the British pound in the basket of currencies that make up the special drawing right. Caleb Fundanga, MEFMI Executive Director, said there was need for the region to put in place supportive measures to encourage use of the yuan amid growing global demand for the currency. "Greater usage of the currency in bilateral transactions will provide further impetus for trade and investments links between China and the region resulting in benefits for both sides," he said. Africa has been the leading aid recipient from China. Millennial Moms Review: 2022 Acura MDX is pretty close to the perfect family car I dont know if perfect is attainable, especially considering weve got the world of options when it comes to modern vehicles. Were spoiled and, as such, we have very specific needs and wants. Driving-wise, the 2022 Acura MDX is one of my favourite ... I give my consent to Sakshi Post to be in touch with me via email for the purpose of event marketing and corporate communications. Privacy Policy Here's who is on the ballot in Saline County Advance, in-office voting is underway in Saline County, as voters in the 2022 general election have several options on who and what to vote for. BUKHARA, Uzbekistan, June 21 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in the ancient city of Bukhara in central-southern Uzbekistan Tuesday, starting his state visit to this Central Asian country. Bukhara is a city-museum with a history of more than 2,500 years. Located along the route of the ancient the Silk Road, the city has long served as a center of trade, scholarship, culture, and religion. UNESCO listed the Historic Center of Bukhara, which boasts numerous mosques, as a World Heritage Site in 1993. Xi will later travel to the Uzbek capital Tashkent, where he will hold talks with his Uzbek counterpart, Islam Karimov, on promoting bilateral relations and jointly building the China-proposed Silk Road Economic Belt, as well as on major international and regional issues. China and Uzbekistan established a strategic partnership in 2012, and leaders of the two countries have met on multiple occasions over recent years. In September 2013, Xi paid a state visit to Uzbekistan. China has been Uzbekistan's second largest trading partner and biggest source of investment for three years in a row. In cultural cooperation, Uzbekistan opened the first Confucius Institute in Central Asia in Tashkent in 2005, and a second such institute was established in 2014 in Samarkand, a historic city in southeastern Uzbekistan. "Uzbekistan is a strategic partner of China and also an important cooperative partner in combating the 'three evil forces' (of terrorism, separatism and extremism) and jointly building the Silk Road Economic Belt," Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Li Huilai told reporters ahead of Xi's visit. "The China-Uzbekistan relations are at their best in history." In Tashkent, Xi will also attend the 16th meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Heads of State on June 23 and 24, to exchange views with other leaders on all-ranging cooperation within the organization and on major international and regional issues. Xi will chair a trilateral meeting of leaders of China, Russia and Mongolia on the sidelines of the summit, the third of its kind. He will also hold bilateral meetings with leaders of other countries. Uzbekistan is the third and final stop of Xi's three-nation tour, which has taken him to Serbia and Poland. JOHANNESBURG (AP) Oscar Pistorius and other relatives have been threatened in an extortion attempt ahead of the former track star's sentencing on July 6 for the murder of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, Pistorius' family said Monday. South African police said they are investigating alleged threats of violence made in WhatsApp messages to Arnoldus Pistorius, a cousin of the double-amputee Olympian. "We are aware of the allegations," said Brig. Hangwani Mulaudzi, spokesman for the Hawks, a police investigative unit. The man who sent the messages initially told Pistorius' cousin that he had evidence that would undermine testimony for the prosecution at Pistorius' sentencing hearing last week, said Anneliese Burgess, a spokeswoman for the Pistorius family. The man wanted payment for the alleged evidence and became "very abusive" when it became clear that he wouldn't get it, Burgess wrote in an email to The Associated Press. The man threatened to arrange for Pistorius to be assaulted in jail if he is sent back there, according to a transcript of a text message reported by City Press, a South African newspaper. Pistorius, who fatally shot Steenkamp in his home early on Valentine's Day in 2013, is currently under house arrest after an appeals court overturned an initial manslaughter conviction against him and changed that to murder. He served one year in prison for manslaughter. The minimum sentence for murder is 15 years in prison, though a judge can reduce that sentence in some circumstances. In March, South African police said Pistorius was the target of a scam in which a man posing as a prosecution official offered to quash his murder conviction in exchange for $16,400. A man was arrested in a police sting operation. Gatoaitele Savea Sano Malifa Editor in Chief Samoa Observer Vaitele Re: Sunday Samoa Observer 19th June 2016 Front Page Article Suicide in Church Hall Afioga Gatoaitele We are writing on behalf of Faataua Le Ola (Suicide Awareness) in regards to the article which appeared on the front page of the Sunday Samoa Observer, Sunday 19th June 2016. The article and picture reported the suicide by hanging of a 20 year old youth identified as Jeanine Tuivaiki at the Catholic Church hall in Taufusi on Friday morning. Faataua Le Ola wishes to lodge a complaint with your newspaper at the insensitive way this tragedy was reported. Firstly, the photo showing the hanging of this deceased person was hedious and frightful and should never have been printed. The article identifying the victim was callous and unfeeling. Secondly, the effect of this to the parents, relatives and friends of this poor soul must have been distressful and disturbing. To see this predicament publicized on the front page must have caused them embarrassment and sadness at this tragedy. Thirdly, we sincerely hope that the photo of the victim and the article does not cause a ripple effect and copycat incidents in future. Furthermore, Faataua Le Ola is requesting an urgent appointment with you to discuss the requirement of professional suicide reporting in Samoa and not rush into this type of sensational and heartless coverage which is a blatant and disrespectful disregard of victims and their families. We would appreciate your willingness to offer an apology to the family in an effort to minimize their sorrow and pain. Faataua Le Olas goal is to stamp out suicide in Samoa. We have a help lifeline 800-5433 that is accessible 24 hours 7 days a week. Suicide is not an answer to our problem. Calling up and talking about it will hopefully help. We have always admired the Observers leadership in raising concern and awareness of the hardship that is making life burdensome in this country. Social conditions in regards to poverty and education, especially the street vendor kids who should be in school has always been a priority of your newspaper. We are disappointed that your good works have been marred by yesterdays article. Ma le faaaloalo tele Yours sincerely Hans Joachim Keil Chairman Pp: Board, Management, Staff and Members of Faataua le Ola / Samoa Lifeline A new partnership agreement has been signed between the Australia-Pacific Technical College (A.P.T.C.) and the Fiji National University (F.N.U.) to allow the two institutions to work collaboratively over the next two years (2016-2018) on the delivery of A.P.T.C.s Painting and Decorating and Applied Fashion Design and Technology qualifications. The programs will be accredited and delivered by A.P.T.C. for the first three semesters, with the view that F.N.U. will establish an equivalent program from 2018. This will enable continuation of the courses at F.N.U. with the ability for graduates to also achieve an Australian qualification through the process of A.P.T.C.s Recognition of Prior Learning. A.P.T.C. is an innovative development project funded by the Australian Government, delivering Australian-standard skills and qualifications for a wide range of vocational careers for skilled workers across the Pacific. Under the partnership, a major focus is on the capacity building of F.N.U. trainers to ensure sustainability of the training in Fiji. A.P.T.C. will also improve the Fashion Design and Technology facilities at F.N.U. Nabua campus to ensure the training area and equipment is current and compliant with the Australian training package and the Health and Safety requirements. The agreement was signed on 10 June at the F.N.U. Nasinu campus by A.P.T.C. Chief Executive Officer, Ms Denise OBrien, and the F.N.U. Chancellor, Mr Ikbal Jannif. Ms OBrien said that highly skilled trades people are in demand across Fiji in a large number of industry sectors. She added that A.P.T.C. is delighted to join F.N.U. and industry to support the training requirements of local enterprises in Fashion Design and Technology and also Painting and Decorating trades. A.P.T.C. is committed to working with the garment manufacturing and broader fashion industry in Fiji. To date, we have delivered very successful work-based training programs to upskill existing workers in companies in the Suva area and in the West. This industry is poised for growth and relies on a skilled workforce to ensure quality and efficiency. A dedicated training facility will support the skills requirements of the industry, both now and into the future, she elaborated. In his remarks, Mr Jannif said that the signing of the M.O.U. with A.P.T.C. reaffirms F.N.U.s commitment towards providing quality education, tailor-made to meet the demand from the industry. This M.O.U. comes at an important time for F.N.U. and the Fiji Fashion and Garment Industry, as this sector is set to become one of the key drivers of our economy. F.N.U. has been working for some time now with industry partners to assist in developing the Fashion industry and we are happy to partner with A.P.T.C. to take our programmes to the next level. This is a historic occasion for F.N.U. and the Fashion Industry in Fiji. We are excited to partner with A.P.T.C. to enhance this important sector with support from the industry leaders. This M.O.U. lays the foundation for other new and exciting things and Im confident that A.P.T.C. and F.N.U. together will be able to transform this industry and strengthen Fijis footing on the world fashion stage, he added. The Counsellor, Regional Health, Education and Gender, Ms Sheona McKenna and A.P.T.C.s Executive Director, Training Delivery, Marian Wilkinson and A.P.T.C. Fiji Country Manager, Mr Jonathan Todd were also present at the signing. The multimillion project initiated to create development in Satitoa Aleipata will soon become another overseas based company. An overseas fishing company is interested in establishing a cannery in Samoa and is looking at the Satitoa Slipway at Aleipata. The Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Laauli Leuatea Polataivao told the Samoa Observer yesterday that they are not yet done with their report to the government and they will announce it soon. The announcement comes from the cabinet but we are still trying to put together the report, we will announce it very soon and will let you know, said Laauli when asked about the update on the Satitoa wharf. And according to a report on the Radio New Zealand International two weeks ago states that a Chinese fishing company will soon be taking over the Satitoa Wharf and make use of it. Representatives from the company also met with the government officials to discuss the proposal before handing it over to the cabinet for approval. Samoa Observer approached the Minister of Works, Transport and Infrastructure, Papalii Niko Lee Hang on the process of this development. However, Papalii said he heard that but there hasnt been any confirmation and the only people who can provide confirmation if there is a company who is interested is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He said the use of the wharf and the slipway is with the Samoa Shipping Corporation and the Samoa Ports Authority. "Whether we believe it or not, it doesnt matter because God uses different people to send his message to the world." So said Reverend Opapo Oeti yesterday during a press conference. Held at their home at Vaitele, Rev. Opapo said he and his daughter have just returned from New Zealand. We were there conducting ceremonies for some of our C.C.C.S. congregations in New Zealand, he said. And every time Toa speaks of her experience, the signs (Jesus Christ's suffering) will appear again but it wasnt until we came back thats when all of these things started to happen. Rev. Opapo said his daughter started to write in Hebrew. She said that these are the messages from God but not in English or Samoan language but it is in ancient and modern Hebrew, he said. She would know exactly when she will receive a message because the signs will appear and blood started to show as well. She will close her eyes and start writing in this language and she also told us that there are more messages to come. Its hard to believe in these kinds of things because people might think she is making this up but she is not and I also brought the Hebrew bible to prove that these things Toa wrote are actually true. The father of the 23 year old went on to say that all the messages his daughter wrote he had given it all to leaders of each congregation to investigate and translate into our own language. We dont know what these messages mean because it is not in our language which is why I have given copies to the Archbishop Alapati Mataeliga, the Principal of Malua Theological College and other leaders to have a look at it, he said. Toa said to me that God has told her that there are more messages coming so we need to find out what these messages are to get ourselves ready. I know that it is very hard to believe but if this is Gods way to reveal his message then my work is to tell the world about His message. Rev. Opapo was also asked about his family being ridiculed by unbelievers. When the first incident occurred I told my family and my wife that God will reveal the truth, he said. [But] I didnt know he was going to reveal the truth in a different language which is more difficult, but I guess He has his reasons because if God had revealed His message in English or Samoan then Im sure people would not have believed. But He is revealing His message in Hebrew so we should consider this a miracle and we should really find out what His messages are and we should be able to do what He is telling us to do. Rev. Opapo said his daughter does not want to talk to any media because she just wants to prepare herself for God when He reveals messages to her. Legendary entertainer and social worker, Cindy of Samoa, has spoken out to set the record straight in relation to comments she had made about the Samoa Observer and its coverage of Jeanine Tuivaikis death. During an interview yesterday, Cindy of Samoa, said she wanted to clarify a lot of the points that had been misconstrued during the past few days. She claims that she was misquoted by GayNZ.com in a story where she blasted the Samoa Observer, adding that the comments attributed to her were not the truth. [GayNZ.com] is not Cindy.com, is it? she said. When I got contacted by the media in New Zealand, I put something up on Facebook and said that I was being harassed by [them] on my day of rest. I declined all requests for interviews and what you can find on GayNZ.com is what they took out of my Facebook status. According to the entertainer, the quotes used by the website were taken out of context. They made up statements based on some of the things Ive said. It was not possible to obtain a comment from GayNZ.com yesterday. But Cindy criticized the role of social media in the case. Facebook is available to everybody. Thats one thing I was concerned about. She also clarified the point being debated about the deceased mans gender. According to Cindy, the point is irrelevant. She said she was more alarmed by the Samoa Observers decision to publish the image. I wasnt talking about a specific group [like] transgender or Pacific transgender. [On my Facebook status], I was talking about normal people in general or the youth in general. This involves anybody. I wasnt mentioning gender identity or anything like that. For me, people only focus on one point and [therefore] theyve actually missed the whole big picture about the whole thing. As a faafafine, she was not offended by gender reference in the article. I am offended by the picture [that was used in the article]. It concerns me, because I care about the young people. But identity-wise, that is a personal thing for each and every one. I am not speaking out against the transgender community, because everybody has their own identity. Identity she believes is an issue for individuals to decide. I was raised in a strict Christian Samoan family [] and I was told at a very young age how to cook [and] to be a caretaker for my grandmother and my younger brothers. And to the point at which my mom passed away, I became both, mother and father to my two younger brothers. That is my identity. Cindy also corrected comments attributed to her in relation to the Samoa Observers Editor-in-Chief, Gatoaitele Savea Sano Malifa. I have a lot of respect for him, because in the past, I remember [that] he was forever fighting for us people against the government and I remember one time when people burned [Samoa Observers] building down and they started again. I respected him so much for that. In a personal piece written by herself, Cindy pointed out the main parts of her criticism concerning the suicide case of last Sunday did not only affect the way it was covered by media. People are fighting for [the descendants] sexual identity, some for her right as a human being, her family and [some] were just rubbish. [] Pictures can tell about 90 percent of a story and a lot of us islanders can relate much better to pictures than to written stories. There are lots of copycats out there today and displaying exposing pictures like this can encourage them to take the same way out. Thinking that seeing it on the local paper [] is normal and its a natural thing to do. In Cindys opinion, the criticism as a whole in the case was missing its point. I am so surprised that no parents complained about having their [] children exposed to this. I think its because Jeanine was a Faafafine that was hanging from a beam. For them, its just a Faafafine. Let me remind you, that this Faafafine is someone elses child. It is Samoan. A member of a church and a member of the community, with Samoan parents and a Samoan family. She concluded: [With] the simple fact that she was Faafafine, you all decided to turn the blind eye, make fun and in that moment you were seeking glory and fame and in your stupidity, you missed the bigger picture. [] The media should take accountability for some of the lives they ruined and also deserves to be braced and to be credited for the good theyve done for the people. The husband of slain British lawmaker Jo Cox said Tuesday she worried about the angry direction of politics, and he believes she was killed because of her "strong political views." Brendan Cox said his wife had worried about politicians "creating division and playing on people's worst fears rather than their best instincts." Jo Cox, a 41-year-old Labour lawmaker who had championed the cause of Syrian refugees, was stabbed and shot to death outside a library in her northern England constituency on Thursday. The suspect gave his name in court as "death to traitors, freedom for Britain." Her death brought a shocked three-day pause in campaigning for Britain's EU referendum. The EU debate has seen fierce and often vitriolic argument about immigration and Britain's place in the world. In a televised BBC interview, Brendan Cox said his wife "was very worried that the language was coarsening, that people were being driven to take more extreme positions, that people didn't work with each other as individuals and on issues, it was all much too tribal and unthinking." He said "she had very strong political views and I believe she was killed because of those views." Some have urged Brendan Cox to run in the special election that will fill his wife's seat in the House of Commons. But he said she would want her replacement to be a woman, and "my only overriding priority at the moment is how I make sure that I protect my family and my kids through this." He said he was grateful for the "public support and outpouring of love" he and the couple's two young children had received. A fund set up to support charities Cox had backed has raised more than 1 million pounds ($1.47 million). -AP BEIJING, June 21 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday concluded state visits to Serbia and Poland, two of China's old friends in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and important links in China's Belt and Road Initiative. The CEE trip yielded positive outcomes, including the upgrading of China-Serbia and China-Poland relations to comprehensive strategic partnerships, and commitments to advancing cooperation in Belt and Road projects. Xi's visits to the two countries, both of which are strategically located, are aimed at further cementing ties with the two countries, and improving the alignment of the two's respective development strategies with those of China. Growth in bilateral cooperation will result in enhanced connectivity, greater investment and other practical benefits for CEE and Europe as a whole, experts observed. China-CEE cooperation, also known as the 16+1 mechanism, and China-Europe cooperation, "could serve as a driving force and a model for the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative," said Cui Hongjian, a China-Europe relations specialist with the China Institute of International Studies. BOOMING 16+1 COOPERATION Over the past four years, guided by the spirit of mutual respect, mutual benefit, openness and inclusiveness, the 16+1 cooperation has maintained strong momentum, expanded and deepened, and has become more mature and ready for harvest, the Chinese president said in a signed article published on a leading Polish newspaper last Friday. CEE, home to many emerging economies, makes up nearly one fourth of all countries along the Belt and Road. These countries' cooperation with China, the world's largest developing country, has been burgeoning, covering a wide range of fields such as trade, investment, infrastructure, finance, tourism and education. Trade volume between China and CEE countries reached 56.2 billion U.S. dollars in 2015, a 28-percent increase from 2010. Chinese investment in the 16 CEE countries exceeded 5 billion dollars, while CEE has invested more than 1.2 billion dollars in China. Connectivity has also improved. Recent years have seen a number of Chinese cities launch freight train services to Europe, including two lines linking China's Chengdu and Suzhou with Poland's Lodz and Warsaw. The trains, which transport goods faster than by sea and more cheaply than by air, could help build destination cities into regional logistics hubs and propel their economic growth. "China-Europe freight trains have played a significant role in boosting infrastructure connectivity among the Belt and Road countries, and meeting transportation needs in international trade," said Zhu Shuai, researcher with the China Center for Information Industry Development under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. At the bilateral level, China has signed cooperation documents with seven CEE countries, including Serbia and Poland, to promote the Belt and Road Initiative. Transport and energy infrastructure cooperation serve as a highlight of China's relations with CEE countries. Serbia, for example, has cooperated with China on a number of infrastructure projects, including the Mihajlo Pupin Bridge, the expansion and upgrading of Kostolac Power Plant, and the Belgrade-Budapest railway. Cooperation projects carried out under the 16+1 mechanism will "not only help accelerate CEE growth, but also balance development in different European regions and greatly promote Europe's integration process," Zhu commented. STRENGTHENED CHINA-EUROPE TIES With CEE serving as an important gateway to Europe, the 16+1 mechanism is important to China-Europe cooperation. Headway made in China-CEE cooperation supplements and promotes China-Europe ties. Leaders of European countries and China have on various occasions vowed to push for the integration of their development strategies, which place special emphasis on infrastructure development and industrial capacity cooperation. During German Chancellor Angela Merkel's visit to China earlier this month, the two sides agreed to boost cooperation on conjoining China's "Made in China 2025" blueprint and Germany's "Industrial 4.0" strategy. China and Europe are also seeking cooperation in projects like the Trans-European Transport Networks, China-Europe Land-Sea Express Line and New Eurasian Continental Bridge. High-level visits have helped bolster the cooperation. In recent years, President Xi has made several visits to European countries, including the Netherlands, France, Germany and Belgium in 2014; Britain in 2015; and the Czech Republic in March this year. Such visits could lead to better understanding and alignment of each other's strategies, new cooperation projects and more effective implementation of existing ones, Cui Hongjian with the China Institute of International Studies said. "After all, it is bilateral cooperation in concrete projects that shores up 16+1 cooperation, and the integration of China's and Europe's development strategies," Cui said. Airbus A330-200 owned by Air China. [File Photo: Carnoc.com] Seventeen people were injured, one of them seriously, after an Air China flight from Frankfurt to Shanghai hit severe turbulence on Sunday, the airport authority said on Monday. The Airbus A330-200 encountered turbulence around noon as it began its descent for Pudong International Airport, the nations flagship carrier said. An airline press officer said several passengers on flight CA936 had not fastened their seat belt leading to the high number of injuries. Passengers said luggage from overhead cabins fell on them. Some oxygen masks came off as well. A German couple in their 70s were among those injured, the health and family planning commission of Pudong New Area said. My wife was hit by a falling luggage. I fell down and hurt my knee because I had just removed the safety belt to change seat, the elderly German told Shanghai Television Station. Crew members kept reminding passengers to remain seated and fasten the belts, Air China said. Two of the crew members were among those injured. The flight captain asked the ground crew to call for ambulances, which waited at the apron as the flight landed. The injured were rushed to the nearby hospital, the airline said in a statement. Four of the injured were over 50 years old and were still receiving treatment at the Pudong New Area Peoples Hospital. A woman suffered a lumbar fracture and had bruises on her chest, belly and buttock. The hospital said 13 women and four male passengers were brought in. Most of them suffered head injuries. Few others hurt their ankles and wrists, said Qi Weigang, a hospital doctor. Twelve of them were released last night. One of them asked to be moved to the Shanghai No.6 Peoples Hospital. Air China had dispatched staff to accompany the injured passengers to the hospital, said Wang Tiezheng, a customer service official with the airline. The Civil Aviation Administration of China has already launched an investigation into the incident, Wang said. The airline again reminded passengers to fasten their safety belt for the entire journey as more heavy turbulence are expected in the coming days. The aircraft is relatively new and was handed over to the carrier in late 2006. 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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 WARSAW, June 20 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Polish counterpart, Andrzej Duda, on Monday attended an arrival ceremony of a CHINA RAILWAY Express freight train, which signaled increasing railway links between the two countries. The freight train carrying dozens of containers pulled into a cargo terminal in the Polish capital on Monday afternoon after travelling over 12 days from China. Xi and Duda congratulated each other on the historic moment for the arrival of the first China-Europe freight train under the family brand CHINA RAILWAY Express. The trans-continent train service began in 2011 before starting to use the family brand earlier this month. At present, there are39 cargo train routes connecting the two continents of Eurasia. Xi, who is on a state visit to Poland, has said he expects that cooperation projects like the China-Europe freight train service could play a pilot role in promoting the construction of the Belt and Road and China-Poland cooperation in inter-connectivity and industrial capacity. "The great Belt and Road Initiative fully complies with Poland's development strategy of transportation and trade, and plays a pivotal role in cementing bilateral ties," said Polish Infrastructure Minister Andrzej Adamczyk at the arrival ceremony. Proposed by Xi in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt that links China with Europe through Central and Western Asia by inland routes and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road connecting China with other Asian countries, Africa and Europe by sea routes. 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Along with being headquartered in Philadelphia, PA, the company operates additional offices throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware. The company has been assisting clients with recovering benefits from their insurance companies for over 25 years. For more information, please visit http://www.aaapublicadjusters.com/. Berlin, Germany -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/21/2016 -- AmstelHouse.de, one of the most sought after Berlin hostels in Germany that have been in the industry of providing high-class rooms at a budget-friendly rate offers affordable accommodation for seasoned travelers and guests. AmstelHouse.de is known for providing state of the art rooms with the lowest rates possible. Thus, it has been the go to Berlin hostel of seasoned travelers who are visiting Berlin and Germany as a whole. According to AmstelHouse.de, the large majority of the guests in the hostel are members of the millennial generation. This is due to the fact that most of the members of the millennial generation are drawn to the idea of visiting various places in order to learn and experience the culture and tradition of the location. Because of this, AmstelHouse.de aims to help the traveler in order to avail an affordable yet high-quality room where the guests can rest after long hours of roaming around the beautiful place of Berlin. What makes the AmstelHouse.de even better is the fact that it is strategically located near the sought after tourist spots. AmstelHouse.de is located near the best spots in Berlin. Aside from that, it is also located near the transportation terminals making it easier for the travelers to visit one place and the other. AmstelHouse.de offer single rooms and twin rooms with designated bathroom, twin rooms with bunk beds and shared bathroom, quadruple rooms and quadruple rooms with bunk beds and a shared bathroom, and dormitory rooms that have three to six bunk beds and can accommodate up to 12 people. AmstelHouse.de also takes pride in offering genuine service to the guests. AmstelHouse.de has its own reception and bar that is open 24 hours a day and seven days a week. AmstelHouse.de ensures that the guests can experience a seamless web surfing experience with the free WiFi and internet terminals. The guests can also use the kitchen to prepare foods and meals. Plus, AmstelHouse.de has a spacious laundry area for the guests. AmstelHouse.de also offers breakfast meals for guests who are always on the go. In order to roam around Berlin easier, AmstelHouse.de has its own bicycle rental. The bicycle is the most convenient means of transportation that can be used to the beautiful streets of Berlin. About Amstel House Simply good and affordable - Amstel House fits the Berlin scene like the proverbial hand in a glove. In the heart of a typical Berlin city neighborhood, this hostel is the perfect starting point for exploring Europe's secret capital. Contact: Dimitry Vital PR and Marketing @ Amstel House Telephone: + 49 30 395 40 72 Email Address: info@amstelhouse.de Website: http://www.amstelhouse.de New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/21/2016 -- Finding a comfortable and luxurious spot that feels like home can be a tremendous challenge for those travelling for business and tourism or those simply looking for a home between homes. Whether one finds themselves in any of these categories or any situation where they're looking for an apartment that meets a high standard of living, MyNyHousing offers the perfect solution. "Our fully furnished apartments with short term rental options are truly spectacular living spaces that keep tenants from the hassle of having to worry about getting stuck in long term contracts or the huge headache of finding, renting and moving furniture," shared MyNyHousing Owner David Assouline. "Such issues are the last thing those staying for business, travelling as a tourist, or simply looking for a short term stay have on their mind. We are a team of professionals that understands this and has built an entire company to service these needs of our customers by offering them the best deals on luxury housing." This month's featured listing on MyNyHousing is beautiful 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom on East 34th St & 1st Ave. Complete with a balcony, doorman, gym, dishwasher, washer and dryer, elevator and more, this stylish and modern space in the Murray Hill neighborhood has plentiful windows, allows pets, and is perfect for anyone looking who wants a place only a block from the East River. To learn more about this apartment complete with granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, and a host of other high end amenities, visit the listing on MyNyHousing's website here. About MyNyHousing MyNyHousing is a fully licensed, full service Real Estate Agency specializing in the rental of fully furnished apartments in New York City. They offer an inventory of over 400 listings, a professional website, and an international team of agents who will help apartment seekers to find housing based on your needs. Their clients include business travelers, relocating residents, tourists, students, and anyone looking for a great New York City apartment without having to sign a long term lease. Units are centrally located near multiple subway stops, parks, shopping, and other amenities. www.mynyhousing.com 718-496-3422 Pleasant Hill, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/21/2016 -- July 4th is all about celebrating independence. With cell phones and cars as two of the great symbols of the modern American lifestyle, what could say 'I'm free to express myself and my style' more than custom cases and frames for both? Northern California-based company GetExclusive.com has the answer. For those who are looking to protect their smartphone and give it a stylish look, GetExclusive.com sells Apple iPhone and Samsung Galaxy cases and covers in many different styles. They are proud that they're the only online store that allows visitors to their site to create their own personalized, exclusive, laser engraved Brazilian Cherry cases with their own one of a kind, unique designs. Their snap-on rubber cases and wallet covers are designed to provide phone users with an area to place their desired artwork in full color. GetExclusive.com also offers more than 20 different license plate frame shapes for cars, trucks, RVs, motorcycles and ATVs and can laser engrave one's personal message or advertisement for their business. For those customers who simply want a stylish look, GetExclusive.com's store also offers various decorative license plate holders. Their license plate frames are made out of different materials such as plastic, zinc, sheet aluminum and CNC machined aluminum with additional decorations like rhinestones and clear UV resistant domes available as add-ons. Most of their license plate holders are available in different finishes such as chrome, silver, gold and black. For drivers in states that don't require front license plates such as Florida, Arizona, Michigan, North Carolina, etc., GetExclusive.com has number of personalized front vanity license plates which are available in either plastic or aluminum. Exclusively for patriots they created a new line of license plate frames and premium aluminum wallets. Check out their Patriotic license plate frames in full color or stylish black and white look of CNC machined aluminum license plate frames and premium aluminum wallets with American flag. In celebration of independence and individuality, get 10% off all purchases on GetExclusive now through July 4th, 2016. Use coupon code: July4th. Explore, phone and tablet covers, license plate frames and plates, premium aluminum wallets and more at GetExclusive.com! About GetExclusive.com GetExclusive.com offers customers personalized products made and shipped by the family owned company located in Northern California. Their focus is on providing their customers with high quality, exclusive and unique ideas simply for a gift or to use in the promotion of their business. GetExclusive.com has a wide variety of personalized license plates and frames, custom made smartphone or tablet cases, exclusive wallets and other personalized gift products. All of their customers have a unique opportunity to choose products and customize them directly on screen. GetExclusive.com's professional team will work closely with customers to meet all of their needs and desires. www.getexclusive.com 925-876-9302 Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/21/2016 -- The telecommunications market in Japan generated $118.8bn (JPY 14,383.2bn) in service revenue in 2015. Telecom services revenue is expected to grow at a CAGR of 1.7% during 2015-2020, primarily driven by the growth in mobile data revenue. Mobile data will be the fastest-growing segment, registering a CAGR of 7.2% over 2015-2020, followed by pay-TV (2.2%). To offset the decline in traditional fixed and mobile voice and messaging revenue, operators are focusing on boosting the fixed broadband uptake through bundled offerings and mobile data via mobile broadband and data intensive mobile value-added services. In addition, the ongoing investment in network enhancements and advanced 5G technology will enable operators to support bandwidth intensive value-added services, such as mobile money, multimedia browsing, OTT, mobile TV and e-commerce apps, etc. Operators are focusing on diversifying their revenue streams via expanding their offerings in IoT/M2M and enterprise markets. View Full Report at http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/analysis/727456 Key Findings Overall telecom services revenue in Japan is estimated to generate $119.6bn in 2016 (up by 0.6% over 2015) and is estimated to reach $129.5bn by 2020, a CAGR of 1.7% during 2015-2020. The growth will be mainly driven by data segments (mobile and fixed). Mobile revenue will account for 60.4% of total telecom revenue in 2020, mainly driven by mobile data services, which is expected to grow at the highest CAGR of 7.2% during 2015-2020. We expect the contribution of Internet access to fixed services revenue to increase from 43.0% in 2016, to 49% by 2020, driven by the up-sell strategy of the operators. The Japanese telecom market will be dominated by NTT as the leading mobile and fixed operator, followed by KDDI and SoftBank. Due to market saturation and declining traditional service revenues, operators' focus will remain on multiplay services and innovative bundled offerings. Moreover, operators will continue to invest on LTE expansion, 5G, 8K ultra-HD and IoT/M2M technologies to have a competitive edge in the market. Download Sample Copy of this Report at http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/727456 Synopsis "Japan: Operators Focus on Core Service Convergence; Diversify Revenue Through New Business Lines" provides an executive-level overview of the telecommunications market in Japan today, with detailed forecasts of key indicators up to 2020. It delivers deep quantitative and qualitative insight into Japanese telecom market, analyzing key trends, evaluating near-term opportunities and assessing risk factors, based on proprietary data from Pyramid Research's databases. The Country Intelligence Report provides in-depth analysis of the following: Regional context: Telecom market size and trends in Japan compared with other countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Economic, demographic and political context in Japan. The regulatory environment and trends: a review of the regulatory setting and agenda for the next 18-24 months as well as relevant developments pertaining to spectrum licensing, national broadband plans, number portability and more. A demand profile: analysis as well as historical figures and forecasts of service revenue from the fixed telephony, fixed Internet, mobile voice and mobile data and pay-TV. Service evolution: a look at changes in the breakdown of overall revenue between the fixed and mobile sectors and between voice, data and video from 2013 to 2020. The competitive landscape: an examination of key trends in competition and in the performance, revenue market shares and expected moves of service providers over the next 18-24 months. In-depth sector analysis of fixed telephony, broadband, mobile voice and mobile data services: a quantitative analysis of service adoption trends by network technology and by operator, as well as of average revenue per line/subscription and service revenue through the end of the forecast period. Main opportunities: this section details the near-term opportunities for operators, vendors and investors in Japan's telecommunications market. Reasons To Buy Gain in-depth analysis of current strategies and future trends of the telecommunications market in Japan, service providers and key opportunities in a concise format, to build proactive and profitable growth strategies. Understand the factors behind ongoing and upcoming trends in Japan's mobile communications, fixed telephony, broadband markets and pay-TV markets, including the evolution of service provider market shares, to align product offerings and strategies to meet customer's demand. Leverage the graphical information (more than 20 charts and tables in the report based on the Pyramid Research forecast products), to gain an overview of the telecom market in Japan. Analysis of key telecom players in the markets and major business strategies being adopted by them, to identify the opportunities to improve the market share. Explore novel opportunities to align your product strategies and offerings to meet the requirements and succeed in the challenging telecommunications market in Japan. About MarketResearchReports.biz MarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries. Browse Latest Industry Press Release http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/pressreleases Contact Us State Tower 90 State Street, Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207 United States Tel: +1-518-621-2074 Website: http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz Marietta, GA -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/21/2016 -- Jewish people of the South recognize the significance of June 26-28, 2016, a date which marks the 14th Annual Education Conference hosted by the Institute for Southern Jewish Life (ISJL). The religious school curriculum/education program consists of 10 key content areas, and is attended by Jewish community leaders hailing from all parts of the country. Attendees have the opportunity to choose sessions that address the needs of their specific classrooms or schools, and there is no registration fee! Oy Toys is an organization that is very familiar with the conference, having attended the previous eight years in succession. Owner of Oy Toys RuthE Levy provides support to the conference with required books and other materials. The ISJL serves small congregations in 13 southeastern states, providing training and support to the religious schools. Most of these congregations have no access to a Jewish book store except when they come to ISJL or on the web. In addition to literature, Oy Toys also provide posters, educational toys, stickers, music, videos plus some secular materials to help the teachers in the classroom. The Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL) promotes Judaism and the Jewish heritage through innovative programs and shared resources. The ISJL delivers rabbinic services, an education program, and cultural events to communities seeking new solutions, or where Jewish resources are limited. The ISJL also provides historic preservation and community engagement throughout the South. The curriculum for the conference will cover the following: - Jewish holidays - Bible - God - Prayer - Israel - Jewish history - Culture and community - Basic Hebrew "All of us here at Oy Toys are excited to attend the 2016 ISJL Education Conference, and to support the ISJL in their important endeavor," explained RuthE Levy. She continued, saying "The curriculum at this conference is practical, and helps teachers with class-by-class lesson plans for each grade including both the big picture goals and the important details." About Oy Toys Oy Toys is a leading Jewish toy company that sells products online and at its Roswell, Georgia store. The company was established in 2004 and specializes in Jewish toys and gifts. Parent company, ATSR Enterprises, originally known as And Thou Shalt Read, specializes in books, toys, and other materials for the Jewish classroom. The two companies provide over 10,000 line items of Jewish educational fun to customers around the world. www.oytoys.com 866-694-1373 Landenberg, PA -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/21/2016 -- SPEAK Unlimited Inc., a nonprofit organization that is dedicated towards serving individuals who have special needs and supporting emergency responders, is excited to announce the launch, release and availability of their free 'communication boards' for first responders. Founded by Susan Rzucidlo (the mother of a young man who lives with a severe form of autism), and based in Chester County, Pennsylvania, SPEAK provides free advocacy services to families who have children and adults who live with disabilities. They also provide training on disabilities to police, paramedics, nurses, and more. Truth be told, emergencies occur daily around the world, and can happen to anyone. However, in certain emergency situations, it becomes a daunting task when first responders are unable to effectively and efficiently communicate with those they are trying to help as a result of a disability or language barrier. It was this realization that led Susan Rzucidlo to create a communication boards that would help first responders solve the problems of language and speech barriers in ways that are cost effective and efficient. "Because it has long been my desire to be able to provide these communication boards for hospitals, fire companies, and paramedics free of charge, we connected and collaborated with Widgit Health of the United Kingdom and now we are finally able to offer our communication boards free to download" said Rzucidlo. She continued; "I am thrilled to announce that SPEAK Unlimited and Widgit have just released a free download of a 'Police Symbol Communication Board.' Officers, departments, and other professionals, can now download and use this board free of charge in their communities." This partnership previously released a paramedic board (http://www.widgit-health.com/downloads/paramedic-board.htm) as well as a hospital board (http://www.widgit-health.com/downloads/school-nurse-board.htm) It is noteworthy to mention that many schools use these boards to teach their students how to interact with first responders before a crisis. Cody Edmondson, a fire fighter from Coates Bend Volunteer Fire Department in Alabama said about the paramedic board, "I wanted to send a thank you. I am a volunteer firefighter and recently had a call with Spanish speaking patients with little knowledge of English. While we were able to give them needed care and help them, it was frustrating for both us and the patients to communicate with hand signals and gestures. Thank you for having a free download we can use. As a volunteer, department funds are limited. So I personally wanted to thank everyone who helped in the English/Spanish board creation and allowing the download for free. I pray it's never needed but it will be better to know we have it." "I am absolutely elated that our communication boards have helped the First Responders who serve their communities. It is my hope that more first responders will learn about this project, download these boards and use them in their work. We are delighted that our police communication board is now available, and beyond pleased that we can now offer this product free of charge." Rzucidlo concluded. To know more about SPEAK Unlimited Inc., as well as how to download their remarkable police symbol communication board, visit - http://widgit-health.com/downloads/police-board.htm For More Information Visit : http://papremisealert.com/us/ For Media Contact: SPEAK Unlimited Inc. Name: Susan F. Rzucidlo Tel: 610-659-3145 Email: srzrrz@gmail.com Website: www.PaPremiseAlert.com Scattered stars were captured by the NASA, ESA Hubble Space Telescope when it pointed its cameras towards the direction of the constellation of Sagittarius, The Archer. According to the scientists from the space agency, the colorful and the star-studded image of the enormous Milky Way has revealed amazing view of the blue stars. The scattered stars could be viewed throughout the frame, which is set against the far off background of the red-colored cosmic companions. The blue litter is considered to have been likely formed at the same period from the similar collapsing molecular cloud. Based on the study about the newly-captured, scattered stars, the color of the stars could determine several of its mysteries. Stars under the shades of red implies that it is a lot cooler compared to the sun. This means that the star is much less enormous or it is already near the end of its cosmic life, as indicated in the official NASA website. Moreover, the lower-mass stars are also known as the "red dwarfs" and they are believed to be the most ordinary form of star in the massive Milky Way. At the same time, the brilliant color of blue shows that the stars are young, hot or massive - several times the mass of the sun. According to scientists, the mass of the star gives an idea of what its fate would be - the more massive stars have been observed to burn brightly over a short lifespan, while the star will die young following only some tens of millions of years. In addition to this, stars like the sun usually have longer lives and have the more sedentary lifestyles. On the other hand, the smaller stars live their lives in the slow direction and are expected to exist for trillion of years, which is well past the current age of the universe, according to Word Branch. Previous studies have already linked regular exposure to aircraft noises with sleep disturbances, breathing problems during the night, and nervousness. However, a new research suggests that aircraft noise maybe directly connected with hypertension and organ failure. According to Medical News Today, a Swedish research team has recently unraveled that there has been an increase in both hypertension and asymptomatic organ damage in those people who are constantly exposed to aircraft sounds over long periods of time. New data on this subject was presented during a EuroPReven 2016 assembly by Marta Rojek, from Jagiellonian University Medical College in Krakow, Poland. Rojek and her organization analyzed aircraft sound and how it can have an effect on hypertension and asymptomatic organ damage. "The volume of air traffic has skyrocketed since jet powered planes were introduced in the 1960s," said Rojek. "According to the International Civil Aviation Organization, there were 64 million take-offs and landings in 2013 and this figure is set to double in the next 20 years." She also said that the steady growth in air traffic and airport expansions along with the development of residential areas near airports, has led to an increase in the number of people exposed to aircraft noise. "There is emerging data to suggest that exposure to aircraft noise may increase the risk of hypertension, particularly at night, and of hospitalization for cardiovascular diseases - but more evidence is needed," she continued. Escardio.org reported that the current study's subjects are 201 adults aging between 40 and 66 who lived in a segment with possibly low or high aircraft sound for the past 3 years. Among them, there are 101 frequently gifted aircraft sounds of 60 decibels or more, and the remaining 100 lived in an area that experiences sounds of 55 decibels or lower. The subjects were all interconnected by age, gender, and a volume of time they had lived in the area. The individuals' blood pressure was measured, so was the rigidity of their aorta and a mass and duty of a heart's left ventricle (one of a heart's 4 chambers). According to a piece from medicaltimes.ca, Aortic stiffness is a marker for biological aging and is also associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events, such as stroke and myocardial infarction. As expected, those living nearest to airports, and enduring the highest air traffic noises, did poorly. Individuals living in an area where there was greater air traffic noise had increased hypertension, when compared with those living in quieter areas at 40 percent and 24 percent, respectively. "Our results suggest that living near an airport for 3 years or more is associated with an increased risk of high blood pressure and hypertension. These changes may then lead to damage of the aorta and heart which could increase the risk of having a heart attack," Rojek said. Although evidences of the detrimental effect of aircraft noise on human health is steadily increasing, more research is needed before solid conclusions can be made. However, it seems clear that there are at least some physiological complications of living close to an airport. Rojeck also said that the European Union regulations states that countries must assess and manage environmental noise. She also said that there are national laws regarding aircraft noise. Poland aircraft noise law states that there is a maximum of 55 dB around schools and hospitals and 60 dB for other areas. Noise can be kept below those levels by using only noise-certified aircraft, redirecting flight paths, keeping airports away from homes, and avoiding night flights. WARSAW, June 20 (Xinhua) -- China and Poland agreed on Monday to upgrade their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership during Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to the country. Xi and his Polish counterpart, Andrzej Duda, made the announcement after their talks in the Presidential Palace. The two countries lifted their ties to a strategic partnership in 2011. ALIGNING DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES During their talks, the two leaders agreed to align the two countries' development strategies and join hands to build a community of interests featuring mutual benefits and win-win cooperation. The two leaders also agreed to promote the development of the Belt and Road, and launch at an early date some major cooperation projects with exemplary significance for early harvest. Poland is located in the heartland of Europe, with nearly all of the regular China-Europe freight trains going through the country. With its unique location, Poland can play an important role in realizing the Belt and Road Initiative, which aims to revive the ancient trade routes stretching from China to the Middle East, Africa and Europe and even beyond. Xi urged the two countries to transform their political trust into tangible achievements of sustainable practical cooperation, hoping their cooperative projects, including China-Europe freight train service, could play a pilot role in the joint construction of the Belt and Road and enhance China-Poland inter-connectivity as well as industrial capacity cooperation. The two countries need to deepen their cooperation in such fields as economy and trade, finance, agriculture and high-tech industries, Xi said, adding that China and Poland should also promote their people-to-people exchanges and facilitate travels between the two countries. Duda, for his part, said Poland admires what China has accomplished in economic and social development and stands ready to deepen its cooperation with China in the areas of economy, trade, and people-to-people exchanges, and become a portal to Europe for the world's second largest economy. Duda also pledged to support China in hosting the 18th China-EU Summit scheduled in Beijing next month. EXPANDING EXCHANGES The two presidents agreed to expand high-level exchanges, as well as exchanges between legislative and administrative institutions, political parties and regions, and to enhance coordination in international affairs and within multilateral mechanisms such as the United Nations and the Asia-Europe Meeting. The two sides agreed to comprehensively push forward people-to-people exchanges, and to strengthen cultural and educational exchanges as well as cooperation in tourism. They also agreed to strive for more tangible achievements in cooperation at local level and promote exchanges in sports, so as to build a solid social basis for the long-term development of bilateral ties. As Poland is one of the first countries that recognizes and establishes diplomatic ties with the People's Republic of China, the two peoples have enjoyed a long-standing friendship, said Xi. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties 67 years ago, China-Poland relations have continuously made headway, he added. He noted that the two countries have witnessed frequent exchange of high-level visits, with fruitful results in cooperation and growing people-to-people exchanges, especially since they set up a strategic partnership five years ago. The two leaders encouraged companies from both sides to invest in each others' countries and expand cooperation in the areas of agriculture, finance, telecommunications, environmental protection, high-tech, aviation and new energy. Xi said China values its traditional friendship with Poland, and is willing to work with Poland to advance the continuous, healthy and in-depth development of bilateral ties. Before the meeting, Duda hosted a welcoming ceremony for Xi at the Presidential Palace. Poland is the second leg of Xi's current three-nation Eurasia tour. He visited Serbia before Poland, and is to travel to Uzbekistan for a state visit and attend a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Diplomats from countries involved in the stalled Six-Party Talks on the Korean nuclear issue are expected to convene at a gathering in Beijing this week. [File Photo: Baidu] Diplomats from countries involved in the stalled Six-Party Talks on the Korean nuclear issue are expected to convene at a gathering in Beijing this week. Experts said that although it is not clear if the six nations will have in-depth contacts or consultations during the meeting, the gathering gives hope for a resumption of the talks. The diplomats will meet at a forum on Northeast Asian security. The Six-Party Talks between China, the United States, Japan, Russia, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea stalled in 2008. Beijing hosted two international seminars on the talks in 2013 and last year, but not all the six countries sent key officials to attend. Choe Son-hui, deputy director-general of the DPRK Foreign Ministry's US Affairs Bureau, arrived in Beijing on Monday, the Seoul-based Yonhap News Agency reported. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying confirmed that key diplomats from all six countries, including Choe and China's special representative for Korean Peninsula affairs Wu Dawei, will attend the 26th Northeast Asia Cooperation Dialogue on Wednesday and Thursday. Other diplomats attending the forum include the US State Department's Special Representative for DPRK Policy, Sung Kim; and Kim Gunn, the Republic of Korea's deputy chief nuclear envoy. Zhang Liangui, an expert on Korean studies at the Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, said, "The most important contacts of officials on the sidelines and at the venue if there are any will be those between the DPRK and the US." Liu Qing, a researcher at the China Institute of International Studies, said that with the Six-Party Talks stalled, "there is no other multilateral mechanism to replace the talks in Northeast Asia", and some parties involved are looking to tweak policies. Liu Jiangyong, deputy dean of the Institute of Modern International Relations at Tsinghua University, said the stalled talks have reduced the chances of detente and given rise to military means to resolve the issue. The Northeast Asia Cooperation Dialogue is co-hosted by the China Institute of International Studies and the Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation at the University of California. WARSAW, June 20, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping(2nd L, rear) attends the welcome banquet held by Polish President Andrzej Duda (3rd L, rear) in Warsaw, Poland, on June 20, 2016. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) WARSAW, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping highlighted the long-standing friendship between his country and Poland at a welcome banquet held here Monday in his honor by Polish President Andrzej Duda. Xi, addressing the banquet, recalled that during World War II, Polish fighter pilot Witold Urbanowicz fought in China as a member of the allied forces assisting China, and Dr. S. Flato traveled long distances to provide medical support to China. The Chinese people, he said, will remember that Poland was among the first countries to recognize and establish diplomatic ties with the People's Republic of China and provided assistance and support for the country's reconstruction. At present, China and Poland enjoy ever solid political mutual trust, blossoming mutually beneficial cooperation and ever closer exchanges in all areas, which has brought tangible benefits to the two countries and peoples, Xi said. China-Poland relations, he said, stand at a new stage of history and are blessed with fresh historical opportunities. Xi said China is ready to take the opportunity of the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership to work with Poland to strengthen the synergy of their development strategies, deepen practical cooperation and open up a brighter future for bilateral ties on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit. Duda, for his part, said that though Poland and China are geographically far apart, their friendly interaction dates back to a long time ago, and that China's Belt and Road Initiative has brought the two countries closer to each other. Poland is willing to dovetail its sustainable development strategy with the Belt and Road Initiative and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in all fields, the Polish president said, adding that Poland-China cooperation will bring Europe and Asia closer to each other. The Chinese president traveled from Serbia to Poland on Sunday. His ongoing three-nation Eurasia tour will also take him to Uzbekistan. An official from the central bank of Nepal recently praised the quality of its banknotes printed by a Chinese company, saying that those banknotes are now improved in the regards of design, color and anti-counterfeiting techniques. The 210 million banknotes, each with a value of 100 rupees ($0.9), were printed by the China Banknote Printing and Minting (CBPM) for the Nepalese central bank. It is also the first time for a Chinese company to print paper currency for Nepal. The colorful banknotes printed by CBPM are of high quality yet produced at low cost, said Chinta Mani Siwakoti, Deputy Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), the central bank of Nepal. It is also the first time for Nepal to have braille on its currency. Due to the limited storage capacity of the NRB, the banknotes have to be shipped to Nepal in batches. It will take three to six months to ship all the notes. Compared with the banknotes of the same face value printed by another country for Nepal in 2012, the new ones printed by China cost much less, Siwakoti said, adding that it costed 2.69 rupee in 2012 and now it only takes 2.15. The first batch of China-printed banknotes entered circulation on June 12. Saurish Nandi, vice president of Rickmers Ship Management, said at the Shipserv Smart Procurement conference in Singapore, Vessels should be able to order online, for the future it is important that vessels are connected. Berge Bulk technical director Claus Jensen said companies needed to manage their resources better and decentralize giving the crew onboard the power over procurement. Empower the people onboard and giventhem the tools to do it, he said, adding it needed be a situation where the Master was the ceo of the ship. However, Steffan Tunge md of OSM Ship Management Singapore said it would be difficult to push the responsibility for procurement back to the vessel as the size of crews had been reduced and the workload created compliance and risk assessments for work carried out onboard. Its going to take time and we have to be selective, he said. Tunge added that another challenge would be persuading the superintendents that the crew were capable of the task. Echoing concerns of pushing procurement back to the vessel Peter Schellenberger, regional director Ship Supply Chain and Marcas Asia, managing director V.Ships Agency Group, said: We have to face the fact the quality of the crew has not really improved over the years. He said there would need to be standardization and solutions available in the ports that their vessels call at. Berge Bulks Jensen, however, disagreed with the notion that the crew were not capable of managing procurement. The people onboard are skilled but we have taken that [authority] away from them. Its a monster weve created in the office dont do anything unless you tell me. Nearly 20 Indonesian and Malaysian tugboat crew have been kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf militants this year, with Jakarta airing fears that the problem could reach levels seen off the coast of Somalia. Alarmed at the frequency of attacks, port authorities in some areas of Indonesia, particularly Kalimantan on the island of Borneo, have stopped issuing permits to ships taking coal to the southern Philippines. "The ministers have agreed in principle to explore the following measures, including a transit corridor within the maritime areas of common concern, which will serve as designated sea lanes for mariners," the defence ministers of the three nations said in a joint statement after a meeting in Manila. Analysts say $40bn worth of cargo passes through the Sulu and Celebes seas each year, including supertankers from the Indian Ocean that cannot use the crowded Malacca Strait. The three countries also agreed to step up air and sea patrols and escorts for commercial ships in the common maritime areas to fend off potential hijacks, kidnaps and robbery. Philippine Defence Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said the leaders agreed to share the best practices evolved by Indonesia and Malaysia during a joint effort to patrol the busy Malacca Strait waterway against pirates, as a model for three-way cooperation with the Philippines. It was the second meeting of officials of the three countries to tackle growing regional security challenges, after their foreign ministers met in Jakarta last month. In 2002, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, which share maritime borders, signed a pact to stiffen security against growing cross-border attacks by Abu Sayyaf militants. But they have not set up coordinated naval patrols, with navies operating in their own territorial waters. Kidnappings over the last 15 years have made the Abu Sayyaf militants notorious, with extorted ransoms running into millions of dollars. The seamen kidnapped this year were freed, with police and military officials saying at the time it was unclear if a ransom had been paid. The Philippines rarely publicises such payments, but few believe captives are released without them. There was no immediate comment from the Abu Sayyaf rebels. The project, to be budgeted under the current 11th Malaysia Plan, will cover a 13nm-long stretch of silted Sarawak River from the access point to the sea at Tanjung Po to Kuching Port's Pending Terminal. The Sarawak River has never been dredged before and has gradually silted up over the years. According to Kuching Port Authority (KPA) general manager Rosli Saup, the proposed dredging works, which are expected to take 24 months, would increase the draught of the access channel to 9m, from the current 4.5m. Most cargo vessels currently need to wait for high tide to gain access to the port, he added. Rosli noted that it would also pave the way for larger cargo vessels and cruise ships from Peninsular Malaysia and Asian countries to call directly at the Pending Terminal. Initial work will begin this year, with MYR50m set aside for an environmental impact assessment study and hydraulic study to be carried out, among other preparatory works. The marine department has been asked to submit a needs statement on the project. Dredging work has been slated to commence later this year. For the project to go ahead, the Sarawak authorities are required to fund the maintenance of the dredged channel. This is expected to be met by imposing a new tariff known as the Channel Maintenance Fee of MYR1 per tonne of cargo/passengers within its limit area since 1 June following the gazetting of Kuching Port Authority (Dues, Rates & Charges) (Amendments) Regulations 2016, Rosli said. The fee only applies to import and export cargoes. Rosli said he expected the fee to generate revenue of between MYR9m and MYR10m a year, which will go towards the maintenance cost of the dredged channel. (File photo) From June 20 to June 24, road and transport authorities of Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia and Liaoning will conduct a joint problem-addressing action on highways. In order to realize the full coverage of the road monitoring, drones are used to take aerial photos of illegal acts committed by drivers of vehicles. The purpose of this action is to improve the traffic order and reduce serious traffic violations. The collaboration of six provinces and municipalities will better guarantee the transportation safety in highways. Cheng Wei, director of highway detachment of Beijing Traffic Management Bureau, introduced that during this action period, road and traffic authorities will conduct 24 hour patrol and monitoring. Drones are used for shooting traffic violations and the driver will be punished after the information collected by drones is confirmed and recorded in the off-site enforcement system. During the Labor Day holiday (May 1-May 3), the Hebei Traffic Management Bureau used such drones for shooting traffic violations and the effect was good. With the joint work of a video monitoring system, fixed location cameras and drones, the traffic violations on highways will be more thoroughly detected and the violators will be more effectively punished. Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, group chairman and ceo of the Dubai-headquartered terminal operator, met President Nazarbayev on the side lines of last weeks St Petersburg International Economic Forum. Top of the agenda was the proposed escalation of DP Worlds involvement in the development of the inland Khorgos Eastern Gate Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and the Port of Aktau on the western shores of the oil and gas rich republic. Nazarbayev described DP World as an important strategic partner for Kazakhstan, highlighting the companys expertise in helping his country build its multi-modal transport system capability. By assisting in the seamless movement of cargo by connecting air, rail, road and sea, DP World has helped the Kazakhstan Government connect the dots in its strategically vital role on the New Silk Road. DP World signed an agreement with Kazakhstans national railway company, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), in November 2013 to provide management advisory services for the development of the Khorgos SEZ, which includes an inland container port. It also entered a similar agreement under a separate contract with the Port of Aktau, tasked with revitalising the terminal into the leading gateway destination for cargo on the Caspian Sea, the largest enclosed body of water on earth. We already have a fruitful relationship with the government of Kazakhstan that we are looking to build on and will work with them on projects which support the flow of goods and enable trade across the regionit remains an attractive market for us with huge long term growth prospects, said Bin Sulayem. The New Silk Road is the worlds largest economic corridor with a combined population of 4.4bn and economic output of $21trn, representing 40% of global GDP. Given those eye-popping numbers, it is hardly surprising that Bin Sulayem acknowledged DP Worlds desire to foster new joint ventures similar to those in Kazakhstan in other locations around the world. Kazakhstan, Russia, and more broadly the New Silk Road countries are key markets for DP World as are Kazakhstan and Russias three Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) partners, Armenia, Belarus and Kyrgyz. Trade corridors such as the New Silk Road [the overland rail transport route linking China, Russias far east and Europe via Kazakhstan] connect supply chains capable of remarkable global economic importance and as a global trade enabler, investment in infrastructure and developing that capability is part of our focus. We look at trade and logistics solutions, transport links and connectivity to the hinterland and how we can help improve efficiency for the benefit of economies. The Khorgos SEZ is strategically located on the border with China, the initiator of the bold New Silk Road alliance which is built on two key foundations, the land-based Silk Road Economic Belt and the ocean-going 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and is part of Chinas One Belt, One Road initiative. With a portfolio of 77 operating marine and inland terminals in 40 countries across six continents, DP World has described trade and investment opportunities in the New Silk Road as immense given that the route connects three continents and 65 countries, connecting the vibrant East Asia economic circle at one end to the developed European economic circle at the other. The Eurasian Economic Union, meanwhile, offers a combined market of 180m people and a total GDP of almost US$6trn. From our experience, New Silk Road countries need to continue developing trade centric solutions, said Bin Sulayem. They [need to] bring together all the ingredients required to encourage trade from marine and inland terminals, free zones, customs and logistics underpinned by smart technology, to create a thriving business environment. The latest investment in the AGVs is part of PSAs continued efforts in testing and developing advance port technologies. The AGVs, operating round the clock, will be used to transport containers between the quay side and the container yard completely without human drivers. Delivery is expected in the second quarter of 2017 and the new battery-powered units will join the existing eight hybrid-powered AGVs operating at Singapores Pasir Panjang Terminal. Investing in advanced port technologies remains a key element in PSAs development of our terminals in Singapore to meet the challenges of growing consolidation and mega-alliances calling at our port, said Ong Kim Pong, regional ceo Southeast Asia at PSA International. These new fully electric AGVs underline PSAs commitment towards ensuring an environmentally friendly port, as well as to enhance the skills of our people in managing these technologies. We look forward to seeing the results of the progress being made by our teams in preparing PSA for the consolidation of container operations at the future Tuas Terminal, Ong said. Singapores massive Tuas Terminal located on the far west of the island-state will replace all the countrys container port facilities close to the city centre over the long term. The terminal will be developed over a time span of 30 years with phase 1 reclamation works expected to be completed in the early 2020s. In a brief statement the two clubs said that talks on a merger that had been ongoing since February had been terminated. While a number of potential synergies and benefits were recognised, no agreement could be reached on acceptable terms, and the discussions have now been terminated, the two clubs said. The clubs said they would make no further comment. Had the merger been successful the clubs managers Thomas Miller and Tindall Riley had also planned to merge. It brings to an end the latest possible consolidation in the P&I insurance sector following the merger of North P&I and Sunderland Marine Insurance in 2014. Due to the heavy rainfall in recent days, a section of the Changjiang River which goes through east China's Jiangxi province has surpassed its warning water level, says the Jiangxi Flood Control Department. A dike was breached in a polder area called Xiangyangwei located on the right bank of the lower reaches of Changjiang river in Poyang county in east China's Jiangxi province at 7:20 p.m. on June 20, 2016. All the 5,600 people who are affected have been relocated by the end of the day, according to a phone interview. Xiangyangwei is a polder area without any reinforcement covering 3.35 square kilometers. The local authorities had already relocated villagers in an orderly fashion before the breach of dike. They accelerated the speed of relocating those affected since the dike was breached. Lu Xinshe, governor of Jiangxi province and Yin Jianye, the vice governor of Jiangxi province made an arrangement for the disaster relief work just at the moment they heard the news. They asked the departments involved to ensure that all the villagers affected by the flood in the Xiangyangwei should be relocated. The state and provincial level working groups on flood control and drought relief came to the flooded area and cooperated with the local authorities to carry out the disaster relief work. Twenty professional farmers from western China's Shaanxi province were recently admitted to a college, the Beijing News reported on Tuesday. They will receive a 3-year full-time higher vocational education starting this September. The 20 farmers, with an average age of about 38, come from Weinan city. They are all major local planters or land contractors, according to the staff of the local agricultural department. Enrolled through independent recruitment, they will attend Yangling Vocational and Technical College this September. They are also the first batch of professional farmers admitted by the college in Shaanxi province. Their education will be financed through public funds. Due to curriculum differences, the college will set up a particular class for the 20 students. They will receive formal college degrees after three years of full-time study. Since the farmers have to deal with farm work, they will only attend classes four days a week. Additional vocations during the busy season will also be set up. Chu Zhaohui, a research fellow at National Institute of Education Sciences remarked that it is important that the farmers can learn from the curriculum. Meanwhile, the demands of these farmers should be taken into consideration during their study. A record-setting heatwave is tormenting residents of the Southwest and southern California and already has caused four people to die from heat-related ailments. And unfortunately, the worst may be yet to come. The National Weather Service says that dangerous heat levels will continue, and that temperatures of 120 degrees will be possible in some places. RELATED: Forecasting When Heat Waves Turn Deadly The culprit is a high-pressure air mass in the mid to upper-levels of the atmosphere, which will remain anchored from the southern plains to the Southwest through the next two days, according to NWS. Government forecasters predict that some relief will start to come by mid-week, as the high pressure weakens slightly, though the thermometer still will remain high. Temperatures on Tuesday and Wednesday are projected to remain 10 to 20 degrees above average across much of the Southwest, as well as portions of the Rockies and the central/southern plains. Temperatures in Phoenix, Flagstaff, Tucson and other parts of Arizona broke daily records Sunday afternoon, with temperatures in Phoenix reaching 118 degrees. At least four hikers on area trails died due to the heat, the Arizona Republic reported. "It really shows how critical this heat can be and how it can really sneak up on you," said Capt. Larry Subervi, a Phoenix Fire spokesman, told the newspaper. RELATED: Extreme Heat is the New Norm The hot, dry weather made it more difficult for firefighters to contain wildfires that raged in eight states over the weekend, USA Today reported. In southern California, one such blaze in Santa Barbara County and Los Padres National Forest has consumed 7,893 acres already, according to the Los Angeles Times. WATCH VIDEO: How Does Extreme Heat Kill You? Italian researchers have identified the earliest representation of limb transplant in an ancient altar piece, suggesting that physicians dreamed up such intervention more than 1,500 years ago. Made by an obscure painter, Matteo di Pacino, the artwork can be found at the North Carolina Art Museum in Raleigh. It dates to the 14th century and depicts, at the base of the altarpiece, a 5th-century tale about the healing of a man suffering from a leg disease. "Historic sources describe the event as a miracle that occurred in 474 AD," Antonio Perciaccante, at the department of medicine of Gorizia hospital, told Discovery News. RELATED: 1,500-Year-Old Prosthesis Found With Skeleton According to the story, Saints Cosmas and Damian, two physicians converted to Christianity who practiced in a Roman province of Syria, severed the limb of the patient and replaced it with a healthy leg taken from a deceased Ethiopian male. Then they placed the amputated leg inside the Ethiopian's coffin. Perciaccante and colleagues Frank Ruhli, director of the Institute of Evolutionary Medicine (IEM)at the University of Zurich, Francesco Maria Galassi, principal investigator of Italian Paleopathology Project at IEM, and Raffaella Bianucci, senior author and bio-anthropologist in the Legal Medicine section at the University, carefully examined the painting -- a tempera and gold leaf on panel -- and found the leg suffered from a peculiar disease. "Morphologically, the amputated limb appears to be edematous, soft and putrid, with some skin lesions consistent with wound drainages," the researchers wrote in the Journal of Vascular Surgery. "Based on these characteristics, we speculate the man had suffered from an infected gangrene of the right leg," they concluded. RELATED: Famed Warrior Medici Died From Gangrene According to an 18th-century book on the life of the Saints, the patient most likely was the sacristan of a church dedicated to Cosmas and Damian. Whether the "miraculous" healing occurred or not, the 5th-century tale represented in Matteo di Pacino's painting shows that physicians considered amputation the best treatment for infected gangrene at that time. Most importantly, the concept of organ transplant was already rooted in their knowledge. "Until now, we have though of transplant as a medical concept that developed around 1900. Our research predates it by fifteen centuries," Perciaccante said. Paleopathographist Raffaella Bianucci speculated that 5th-century physicians and later colleagues may have tried to perform transplants of amputated limbs. However, due to the strict necessity of compatibility between donor and recipient and the occurrence transplant rejection, any attempt would have inevitably failed. "Indeed the transplant is reported as a legendary act. It not casual the miracle was attributed to Saints Cosmas and Damian, which were two physicians," Bianucci said. WATCH: Why Do Limbs Come in Pairs? U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry recently accused ISIS of committing genocide against certain ethnic and religious groups in Iraq and Syria. As an official proclamation from the U.S. State Department, the statement carries a lot of weight and actually represents a change in U.S. policy. That's because the term "genocide" has a very specific connotation in the international arena. Laura Ling breaks down the significance in today's Seeker Daily report. In 1948, the United Nations officially defined the term "genocide" as "acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group." The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide was adopted in response to the Holocaust during World War II, and the earlier Armenian Genocide of World War I. The Convention originally included the phrase "political groups" as well, but that was later removed when the Soviet Union objected. The systematic killing of large groups in the pursuit of political goals is now officially termed a "crime against humanity." That label also applies in cases of mass slavery, deportation, torture, rape, apartheid, and other crimes. RELATED: The Controversy Over The Armenian Genocide An official accusation of genocide is designed to spur the international community into immediate action. At least, that's what Secretary of State Kerry is hoping. His proclamation is only the second time that the U.S. has designated acts of genocide during a conflict. The first was the 2004 genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan. "My purpose here today is to assert, in my judgment, [ISIS] is responsible for genocide against groups in areas under its control including Yazidis, Christians and Shiite Muslims," he said at a State Department news conference. The State Department cited evidence that ISIS is targeting minority groups in Iraq and Syria in a deliberate effort to wipe them out. The campaign against Yazidis has been particularly brutal. In August 2014, ISIS members stormed the northern Iraqi town of Sinjar, murdering around 3,000 men and older women and taking thousands of women and girls into sexual slavery. By officially condemning ISIS actions as genocide, the U.S. is hoping to strengthen support for coalition forces and spur the international community into taking stronger action in Iraq and Syria. The good news is that there's been some recent progress: Just last week, the United Nations followed the U.S. lead, accusing the Islamic State of genocide against the Yazidis. -- Glenn McDonald Learn More: Newsweek: ISIS Is Committing Genocide Against Yazidis, Christians And Shiites: John Kerry The Atlantic: What's the Difference Between 'Crimes Against Humanity' and 'Genocide?' The Economist: Was it genocide? United Nations: War Crimes, Crimes against Humanity and Genocide Press Release June 20, 2016 Legarda Urges Citizens to Cooperate in MMDA Quake Drill As concerned government agencies and private institutions prepare for the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority's (MMDA) second Metro Manila Shake Drill on June 22, Senator Loren Legarda today urged citizens to cooperate in the exercise. Legarda, UNISDR Global Champion for Resilience, said, "Everyone is encouraged to participate in the earthquake drill and take the exercise seriously. Earthquakes can occur without warning, there is no way to predict what will happen when it does, but there is a way to be able to survive and minimize casualties and damages. Preparation is half the battle won." "We need to accept that we are constantly exposed to natural hazards but we do not have to live in perpetual fear of it. There are laws that aim to help us become proactive to addressing these natural hazards so they would not turn into disasters. We need to take disaster preparedness seriously and cooperation among all sectors of society is very important," Legarda added. The exercise is based on the Metro Manila Earthquake Impact Reduction Study (MMEIRS) of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in 2004. According to the 2004 MMEIRS study, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Metro Manila may destroy 40% of residential buildings, cause 34,000 deaths, injure 114,000 individuals, and the ensuing fires may also result in 18,000 additional fatalities. The Senator has insisted that the regular conduct of fire and earthquake drills in schools, offices and residential communities would effectively instill disaster preparedness among citizens. Legarda also wants the establishment of early warning systems for earthquake and tsunami; determine open spaces for safe refuge when temblors occur; and craft evacuation plans that would help citizens find out the fastest and safest way to reach open spaces and other safe areas.*** What to do before, during and after an earthquake? Visit this link to access the Disaster Preparedness and First Aid Handbook: http://issuu.com/oslegarda/docs/b_sll_pamphlet_2/7?e=0/2581750 Press Release June 21, 2016 Drilon lauds strong PHL-Japan relations Senate President Franklin M. Drilon thanked the Japanese government for honoring the late President Elpidio Quirino with a memorial at the Hibiya Park in Tokyo, Japan, which is a testament to the strong Philippine and Japanese relations. Drilon was in Tokyo, Japan over the weekend to lead the unveiling of the memorial to President Elpidio Quirino in Hibiya Park, and the Philippine Festival 2016, which were attended by Filipino and Japanese officials, and members of the Filipino community in Japan. "This is a testament to the deep relationship between the Philippines and Japan, a relationship that thrives on trust, respect, and understanding," Drilon emphasized. Drilon called the unveiling of the memorial to the President Elpidio Quirino in Hibiya Park "a milestone in Philippine-Japan relations." This year, the Philippines and Japan will mark 60 years of normalization of diplomatic relations. The Senate chief stressed that it was President Quirino's "merciful act that paved the way for the healthy and productive relations that the Philippines and Japan have today." It was the late President Quirino who ordered the release of Japanese prisoners of war amid much controversy and criticism. "It was President Quirino's act of forgiveness that made it easy for the Filipino nation to heal and move on," Drilon said. He then recalled that during a personal audience with Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko in 2004, the royal couple shared how they were warmly received by Filipinos during their first visit to the country in 1962 - less than two decades after WWII ended, which gave them a deeper understanding and appreciation for Filipinos. "Healing only comes when forgiveness replaces anger in the hearts of the people," he said. Meanwhile, the Senate leader encouraged the around 200,000 Filipinos in Japan to maintain the trust and good recognition held by the Japanese for the Filipino people. Noting that Filipinos are now the 3rd largest ethnic group in Japan, Drilon urged Filipinos to build upon the good name of Filipinos in Japan. He asked them to continue to "work hard so that the respect, trust and recognition that we have earned as a people here in Japan will grow over the years." Drilon also thanked them for their growing contributions to the nation even while in foreign lands. He said that the country expects the total OFW remittances to reach $25 billion this year. For years now, OFW remittances have been the main driver of growth, he noted. Drilon also praised them for not forgetting their roots, even if they are working and living abroad. "I know that even if you are now citizens of another nation, you are Filipinos in heart, thought and deed. Our law says that you remain Filipinos in all aspects of life, do not forget that," he said, referring to the Dual Citizenship Act (RA 9225) that allows dual citizenship to Filipinos who chose another nationality, which he authored. Drilon said he is particularly pleased to note the high degree of interest, involvement and enthusiasm shown by the Filipino community in Japan in the last elections, where he topped the senatorial race. "The very active participation of volunteers during the election is a very good sign of the rekindling of the love for our country by Filipinos here in Japan," he concluded. Statement of Senate President Franklin M. Drilon on the passing of former Senator Ernesto M. Maceda I join the entire nation in mourning the passing of a statesman and an esteemed colleague, former Senate President Ernesto M. Maceda. I send my sincerest condolences to his family and I pray that the Lord will give them strength throughout this difficult time. A Cabinet member at the young age of 29, Senator Ernesto Maceda went on to become an effective bureaucrat and a principled lawmaker who always acted based on the people's interest. In the time that we shared in the Senate floor, I have known him as a tireless worker and a very "hands-on" Senate President, whose unique zeal and work ethic had led to many important laws that benefited our people. I am proud to have worked alongside such a distinguished public servant. He will remain an inspiration to all of us. I have ordered Senate Secretary Oscar G. Yabes to lower the flag at the Senate at half-mast to honor Senator Maceda. The Senate will also coordinate with the family of the late senator to provide honor guards during the wake and arrange for a necrological service for him. Baku, Azerbaijan, June 21 Trend: Armenian armed forces have 12 times violated the ceasefire with Azerbaijan on the line of contact over the past 24 hours, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry said in a message June 21. Armenian armed forces stationed in the Paravakar village and on nameless heights of Armenia's Ijevan district opened fire at positions of the Azerbaijani armed forces in the Kohnegishlag village of the Aghstafa district and on nameless heights of the Gazakh district. Moreover, Azerbaijani positions underwent fire from the positions located near the Shuraabad village of the Aghdam district, Garakhanbeyli, Gorgan, Ashagi Seyidahmadli villages of the Fizuli district and Kuropatkino village of the Khojavand district. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Baku, Azerbaijan, June 21 Trend: OSCE is expected to monitor the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops June 22, Azerbaijani Defense Ministry told Trend June 21. It is planned to hold the monitoring under the mandate of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative on the contact line near the Aghdam village of Azerbaijan's Tovuz district, the ministry said. On the Azerbaijani side, the monitoring will be held by the field assistants of OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative Hristo Hristov and Simon Tiller. On the opposite side, the monitoring will be carried out by the field assistants of OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative Jiri Aberle and Peter Svedberg. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. U.S. Marine Cpl. Alexis Aaron Alcaraz, fell out of a unit hump at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Officials concluded that he died of heat stroke during a six-mile hike last summer. The question that arose; is whether this incident could have been prevented with adequate heat stress awareness training? Air Force personnel perform unique functions that could have negative effects on their health without taking proper preventative medicine precautions. Certain occupations can be at a particularly high risk for heat-related injuries. Heat-related injuries are a significant threat to the health and operational effectiveness of military members and their units. Based on a 2015 publication of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch, there were 417 cases of heat stroke (the most serious of the heat illnesses caused by overheating) and 1,933 cases of other heat injury among active component service members. In North Carolina, individuals ages 19-45 often visit emergency departments for occupational heat-related illness. Therefore, it is especially relevant for us to know how to prevent heat stress illnesses and injuries since we have several weeks of hot weather ahead here at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. Throughout the summer months, the 4th Aerospace Medicine Squadron Bioenvironmental Engineering Flight monitors the risk of thermal injuries with the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT). The WBGT measurement takes into account humidity, air temperature, work load, clothing type, and radiant heat effects. With this information, bioenvironmental engineers determine the appropriate heat stress risk flag colors and develop a work/rest cycle recommendation for base workers. The work/rest cycle is intended for those who are involved in outdoor work, such as flight line personnel and civil engineers. These work cycles are recommendations only, and actual work schedule decisions remain in the hands of commanders and shop supervisors. To prevent heat stress, it is important to adapt the wingman concept and watch yourself and others for the signs of headaches, dizziness, nausea, profuse or decreased sweating, cramps, convulsions, confusion, fast heartbeat, weakness, and red, hot, dry skin. Seek medical attention if you or your Airmen develop these types of symptoms. Remember to drink water even if you are not thirsty and rest in cool, shaded environments. Dont be a victim! Heat-related injuries are preventable. For more information on WBGT or work/rest cycles, contact bioenvironmental engineering at 919-722-5401. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate After a day of confusion, state officials backed down late Monday on an assertion that Mayor Libby Schaafs plan to have the Oakland Police Department function without an acting police chief violated California law. Officials at the state Police Officers Standards and Training agency, or POST, had said earlier Monday that Oaklands plan to have police commanders report to City Administrator Sabrina Landreth was illegal. They cited both California government code and a state attorney generals opinion backing their argument that the city needed to name an acting chief to head the department, which is embroiled in multiple scandals and has gone through three chiefs in less than two weeks. Acting Assistant Chief David Downing is in charge of day-to-day decisions for the Police Department, Schaafs office said, while Landreth is overseeing administrative and personnel decisions. Late Monday, POST conceded it had made its argument before the city attorneys office cited more recent federal case law, from 2011, exempting charter cities such as Oakland from the requirement. Ralph Brown, a spokesman for POST, confirmed that it appeared Oakland was correct after all in determining that, as a charter city, it was exempt from state law requiring general law cities to name an acting police chief. According to the 2011 case law, charter cities have the authority to constitute, regulate and govern police departments meaning Landreth can run Oaklands police administrative and personnel matters. Acting Assistant Chief of Police David Downing is the highest-ranking member of the Police Department and is the Citys POST designee in charge of tactical and operational matters, mayoral spokeswoman Erica Terry Derryck said in a statement late Monday. Schaaf had said Friday that police commanders would be reporting to Landreth. At the same time, she said Assistant Chief Paul Figueroa, whom she had installed as acting chief just two days before, had backed out of the job, gone on leave and said he wanted to return to the force as a captain. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. The mayor wouldnt explain Figueroas decision but said it had nothing to do with a scandal in which several officers are under suspicion of having sex with a teen sex worker, in some cases when she was still underage. She also said Figueroa wasnt connected to another investigation, this one involving racist text messages that Schaaf says several African American officers sent. Separately, an Oakland homicide cop is under investigation for allegedly having his then-girlfriend help him write his reports. The sex scandal resulted in Chief Sean Whents resignation June 9. His interim replacement, BART Assistant Police Chief Ben Fairow, was fired Wednesday. Schaaf wouldnt say why, but his old boss at BART, Police Chief Kenton Rainey, said Fairow had admitted to an extramarital affair more than a decade earlier, when he worked for the Oakland Police Department. San Francisco Chronicle columnists Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross normally appear Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KPIX-TV morning and evening news. He can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call (415) 777-8815, or email matierandross@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: matierandross When Angela Alioto says the city of San Francisco has embraced her, she means it literally. People hug me all the time, she said. They come up and say, I just want to hug a little of the old San Francisco. I tell them, Im not that old. Ever since family patriarch Joe Alioto was the mayor from 1968 to 1976, the unofficial rule of San Francisco politics has been that an Alioto must be in office somewhere. But since Angelas niece Michela Alioto-Pier left the Board of Supervisors in 2011, there had been an Alioto drought. No longer. Alioto easily won a seat on Democratic County Central Committee in the June 7 election, finishing first in District 19 and outpolling well-known politicians like Supervisors Mark Farrell, Eric Mar and Norman Yee. Im trying to be humble, Alioto said. But it was a nice victory. For the huge slate of candidates in what turned out to be an extremely competitive race, Aliotos victory had to be maddening. While others raised large sums, blanketed neighborhoods with mailers and pushed big-name endorsements, Alioto seemed to treat the campaign as a lark. Brant Ward/The Chronicle First, she dialed up some of San Franciscos most established names, from Salesforce founder Marc Benioff to theatrical producer Carole Shorenstein Hays to socialite Dede Wilsey, for donations. Once she got the money, she put together a distinctly low-key campaign. I decided to run the afternoon before the filing deadline, she said. We put up nine billboards that said, Angela Alioto. We paid into one mailer, and I did a robocall the night before the election. And she won in a walk. It reminds us of the power of the Alioto name, but it was also very Angela. Shes a bit of a character, strong of opinions and always ready to take a controversial stand. When she pushed through the first city smoking ban in 1993 as a member of the Board of Supervisors, she was a political lightning rod. People used to spit at me, she said. They were so angry. They hit me with their canes. Shes been out of the arena since she was termed out in 1998 after eight years as a supervisor, including a stint as board president. She ran for mayor three times, coming closest in 2003, when she finished just over three percentage points behind Matt Gonzalez for a spot in the runoff against eventual winner Gavin Newsom. It would be safe to say Alioto, an attorney who is proud of her record in discrimination trials, has not mellowed. Shes already in a dustup with District Three Supervisor Aaron Peskin because she thinks he is working behind the scenes to stop her plan for a courtyard plaza in North Beach called Piazza Saint Francis, or the Poets Plaza. You know how Aaron ran on the Im-a-changed-person thing? she said. Are you kidding? I think he is worse than before with a vengeance. Expect more of the same. Winning a DCCC spot is often a precursor to a run for a bigger office. Alioto says she doesnt have a master plan, but... I get calls to run for mayor all the time, she said. Im not passionate about politics. I am passionate about the issues. As for Peskin, when I texted him for a comment, he replied: I will continue to take the high road and stay above the fray. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Rainbow rider: Bay Area BikeShare bicycles are so commonplace that most San Franciscans hardly give them a second look. But during Pride week, it will be worthwhile to keep an eye out for a rainbow. One, and only one, BikeShare bike has been painted in rainbow colors. If you see the bike, you can take a photo of it and post it on social media with the hashtag #pridebike. That will enter you in a contest for which the grand prize is a ride on the bike in Sundays Pride Parade. The contest is a way of attracting attention to a major expansion of the program, which lets people rent a bike at one location and return it at another. The current 700 bikes will be increased to 7,000 over the next two years 6,999 of which will not have a rainbow paint job. Judging the judge: Everyone in charge emphatically denies that this has anything to do with recent public outcry about smash and grab burglaries from parked cars, but its worth noting: On Friday, Judge Loretta Giorgi of San Francisco Superior Court sentenced an auto burglary defendant to three years in state prison. There have been many complaints that the district attorneys office is reluctant to bring such cases to trial and that judges have been unnecessarily lenient, often knocking a felony charge down to a misdemeanor. Not this time. C.W. Nevius is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. His columns appear Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Email: cwnevius@sfchronicle.com Twitter: cwnevius Steven G. de Polo / Getty Image A 79-year-old woman died Monday morning after being hit by a car in a residential neighborhood in Pittsburg, police said. Valentina Pascua of Pittsburg was crossing Stoneman Avenue near Meadow Brook Avenue around 10:30 a.m. when she was struck by a car, said Lt. Patrick Wentz, a Pittsburg Police Department spokesman. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The Bay Areas first Dunkin Donuts outpost in more than 15 years opens Wednesday in Walnut Creek, but the sign went up a week ago. Since then, franchise owner Matt Cobo has seen more than a hundred people knock on the glass doors each day, anxious to find out exactly when the shop will be open for business. The wait ends this week, when the shop opens in the former Taco Bell at 1250 Newell Ave., on the corner of South Broadway and just a few blocks from downtown Walnut Creek. The East Coast doughnut chain, which originated in Canton, Mass., in 1950, once had 15 stores scattered across California, but closed them all by 2000. The last known location in San Jose is now a Sunny Donuts. Dunkin Donuts has made a resurgence on the West Coast in recent years. But until now, if Bay Area residents wanted a Dunkaccino or a Boston Kreme, they had to drive an hour and a half to the nearest shop in Tracy. Cobo, along with general manager Karla Lainez and a team of 48 employees, are expecting large crowds on Wednesday. According to Cobo, they are making more than 10,000 doughnuts to meet demand; daily hours will be 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. No stranger to the franchise business, Cobo owned a Panera Bread franchise near AT&T Park in San Francisco for nine years. He sold that business last year, and in March began construction on the Walnut Creek doughnut shop. Born and raised in Walnut Creek, he wasnt familiar with Dunkin Donuts until a few years ago when he tried its coffee. From then, he was hooked, he said. It should be called Dunkin Coffee, said Cobo of the easy-to-drink coffee, priced at $1.89 for a small, $2.19 for a medium and $2.49 for a large. This is everymans coffee. Over the next eight years, Cobo plans to open a dozen Dunkin Donuts locations in Contra Costa County, and has already signed letters of intent for locations in San Ramon and Brentwood; he is also looking in San Pablo and Concord. Regarding the emotional connection that many East Coasters have for the brand, Cobo likened it to the California obsession with In-N-Out. Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. That seemed to ring true for Walnut Creek resident Judy Mears, who stopped by the Newell Avenue shop on Monday afternoon, curious to see if it had opened yet. Originally from Connecticut, Mears said she has been waiting for one to come to Walnut Creek for a long time. Its iconic. The colors, the name, the image. Its been imprinted on us since we were babies, said Mears. Mears favorite are the Munchkins, the chains version of doughnut holes, because you can pace yourself, she said. And not surprisingly, Mears is also a fan of the coffee: On the East Coast, this is a blue-collar treat. Starbucks is for yuppies. Dunkin Donuts is owned by Dunkin Brands, also the parent of Baskin-Robbins ice cream. After its 2000 exit, the company has long plotted a return to Northern California. In 2002, the company opened an outlet in Sacramento, with plans to open up to 50 more in the state. Those plans didnt come to fruition, and the Sacramento location ultimately closed. It now plans to open more than 300 locations in the state. Sarah Fritsche is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sfritsche@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @foodcentric WASHINGTON Just eight days after Omar Mateen turned his newly purchased guns on patrons in an Orlando nightclub, Senate Republicans defeated legislation by Sen. Dianne Feinstein that would have prevented him from legally buying the weapons had the law been in place. Three other gun measures also went down to defeat. The bill by Feinstein, D-Calif., would have banned Mateen and all others who had been on government watch lists as known or suspected terrorists from legally obtaining firearms. Mateen had twice been on watch lists before purchasing a semiautomatic rifle and semiautomatic pistol from a Florida store about a week before the rampage at the gay Pulse nightclub that killed 49 people and wounded 53 others. Only two Republicans, Mark Kirk of Illinois and Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, broke party lines to support the bill. One Democrat, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, voted no. The legislation was defeated 45-53. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., reflected Republican opposition during the floor debate, arguing the federal government makes mistakes all the time in putting people on watch lists. He also contended that the bill has no due process at all for those wrongly added to the list, a point denied by Feinstein. The power of the gun lobby over certain members of the Senate seems boundless, Feinstein said after the vote. As long as I have breath in me, Im going to fight this. Its about the survival of innocent people, she added at a news conference minutes later. Killer taken off watch lists The FBI had put Mateen on federal terrorist watch lists for suspicious activity two times but removed him after investigating him. Feinsteins bill would have provided some leeway to the U.S. attorney general to decide on a case-by-case basis whether an individual on a watch list should be barred from gun purchases. Republicans offered an alternative bill by Texas Republican John Cornyn that would delay gun purchases by people on a watch list and provide federal authorities 72 hours to investigate them and convince a judge that the would-be buyer was involved in terrorism. That bill was defeated on a 53-47 vote seven short of the 60 needed to move ahead. The Cornyn bill had the support of the National Rifle Association, the powerful gun lobbying group that has thwarted multiple efforts in recent years to restrict gun purchases despite a spate of mass killings, and it garnered more Republican support than the other bills. But Democrats voted against it, saying it was much too weak and impractical. Broader net for terrorists The federal government operates several watch lists, the broadest of which is the Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment, or TIDE, which has covered as many as 1.1 million people. The FBIs Terrorist Screening Database, commonly known as the Terrorist Watchlist, contains about 800,000 names. The no-fly list is a subset of that data set and contains about 64,000 names. Feinsteins bill would have applied to TIDE, but her office said less than half of 1 percent, or about 5,000 people, within the United States would be affected. During the Senate debate, Feinstein argued that using the broader watch list is essential to block terrorists from buying weapons, saying the names are provided by domestic and foreign intelligence agencies. The narrower lists, she said, leave out 90 percent of known or suspected terrorists. She noted that 22 million tourists and other travelers are allowed to buy weapons, including 100,000 who dont go home when they should. To me this isnt a gun control issue, its a national security issue, said Feinstein, the top Democrat and former chair of the Intelligence Committee. Just last week, she said, the committee heard testimony from CIA Director John Brennan that the Islamic State group is actively recruiting sympathizers in the United States to commit acts of terror. Feinstein had tried just in December to pass the no-fly, no-buy ban in the wake of that months gun massacre in San Bernardino by an armed couple who, like the Orlando shooter, had claimed allegiance to Islamic State. All but one Republican voted to defeat her bill. Multiple gun measures The Feinstein and Cornyn bills were among four gun measures two by Democrats and two by Republicans that the Senate voted on Monday evening. Senate Republican leaders agreed to take up the bills after Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., conducted a filibuster last week, insisting the Senate address gun violence. Murphy offered a bill that would close a loophole in gun laws to prevent firearms from being sold on the Internet or at gun shows without background checks. That bill failed 44-56 Monday. A competing measure by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, needed 60 votes for passage but failed 53-47, seven votes short. It would have added a mental health component to gun background checks and provided more money for the National Criminal Instant Background Check System. Grassleys bill also would have commissioned a study on the causes of mass shootings by the directors of the National Institutes of Justice and National Academy of Sciences. Federal research into gun violence has been under a de facto ban since 1996, when Congress threatened to strip the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of its funding after Republicans complained that the agency was promoting gun control. Congress has ignored two budget requests by President Obama for gun violence research. William Vizzard, professor emeritus of criminal justice at California State University Sacramento and a veteran of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, said several dynamics in the United States work powerfully against every effort to restrict guns. The gun lobby itself thrives on conflict, not compromise, he said. The more conflict there is, the more members they get, the more contributions they get, the more publicity they get, the more power they attain, Vizzard said. Protection of gun rights has become institutionalized in the Republican Party, he said, partly out of fear that the NRA can fund primary challenges, and partly because opposition to gun controls works in the GOPs favor in some swing states such as Ohio or Pennsylvania. Huge volume of weapons More fundamentally, however, the Second Amendment and Supreme Court decisions upholding gun rights, combined with the huge volume of guns now in existence, make the problem extremely difficult to tackle. Youve got somewhere north of 300 million guns in the United States, nobody knows how many, Vizzard said. Even if you decided that there are certain classes that are particularly dangerous semiautomatic paramilitary rifles, and semiautomatic pistols well thats millions and millions and millions of guns, and millions of stakeholders, theres no way you can get enough political incentive to do anything about the existing inventory. Carolyn Lochhead is The San Francisco Chronicles Washington correspondent. Email: clochhead@sfchronicle.com Twitter: carolynlochhead A pack of young assailants stabbed a 35-year-old man on Golden Gate Parks Hippie Hill on Monday evening, critically wounding the victim in the latest violent episode in the park, police said. The suspects, described as a group of four to six men in their late 20s, fled the area and have not been identified or arrested. Police said the attack happened around 6:30 p.m., when the victim walked passed the group on the grassy hill while drinking a beer. For an unknown reason, the suspects got up and chased him. When they caught him, police said, the mob began punching and kicking the victim while one of the men stabbed him multiple times in the stomach. The group then took off on foot. Paramedics transported the victim to San Francisco General Hospital, where he was in critical condition. Mondays knife attack happened in the area of the park that was once the epicenter of San Franciscos peaceful 1960s counterculture movement. The park hosted the famous 1967 Human Be-In that preceded the Summer of Love and ushered in the hippie movement. But more recently, the east end of the park has turned from a site of peace and love to a site of disturbing violence after two recent killings. Earlier this month, two men were charged with torturing and killing a 66-year-old homeless man whose body was dumped in Alvord Lake, a pond between Hippie Hill and Stanyan Street. Nikki Lee Williams, known by the street name Evil, and Stephen Billingsley, nicknamed Pizza Steve, were charged in the killing of Stephen Williams, who died from multiple traumatic injuries. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Police are searching for additional suspects in that brutal slaying. In October, three drifters were arrested in the killing of 23-year-old Audrey Carey, a Quebec native on a solo backpacking trip, who was found slain in the park during the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival. The suspects were later arrested in Portland, Ore., and charged in Careys murder along with the killing of well-known tantra teacher Steve Carter, 67, on a Marin County hiking trail. Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky Baku, Azerbaijan, June 21 Trend: President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has today reviewed newly reconstructed Mashtaga-Bilgah highway in Sabunchu district, as well as the Absheron and Nasrulla Asgarov streets in Nardaran settlement (Sabunchu district, Baku). Chairman of Azeravtoyol OJSC Saleh Mammadov informed the president about the construction work carried out in Sabunchu district. The reconstruction of Mashtaga-Bilgah highway started in March 2016. The highway links three settlements with the population of 63,000 people. The highway is 9 km in length. Its width was expanded from 7 to 9.5 meters. President Ilham Aliyev was also informed about the project of reconstruction of the Absheron and Nasrulla Asgarov streets. The president was informed that before the reconstruction work the total length of the two-lane road section was 2,360 meters, while its width was 8 meters. After the reconstruction, the number of lanes will be increased to four, and the width of the road will be extended to 18 meters. New 2m-wide sidewalks were built along the street in both directions. A new circle at the intersection of Absheron and Nasrulla Asgarov Streets was built. Nasrulla Asgarov Street was 6 meters in width. The reconstruction saw the width of the road extended up to 16 meters. A completely new infrastructure was created here. The head of state was also informed about Ramana-Mashtaga highway which is under construction. The length of Ramana-Mashtaga highway is 11,500 meters, while its width is 6-7 meters. The width of the highway will be extended up to 8-9 meters. The road will have two lanes. President Ilham Aliyev cut the ribbon symbolizing the official opening of Mashtaga-Bilgah highway after the major overhaul, as well as the Absheron and Nasrulla Asgarov Streets. The president tested the highway by driving a car. Undercover detectives arrested a 54-year-old man on suspicion of trafficking women out of a Pleasant Hill residence that he billed on the Internet as an upscale private club while luring sex workers with a website advertising a bogus modeling agency, police said Tuesday. Dominic Salazar was arrested Friday and charged with false imprisonment and pimping. Authorities say he ran Mad Girls Fitness, which through its website promised clients modeling gigs with fancy photo shoots. But on June 14, authorities were tipped that the Mad Girls Fitness site was a front for a prostitution ring that Salazar was running out of his home at 555 Mesa Verde Place, a two-story house at the end of a cul-de-sac in an upscale residential neighborhood, Pleasant Hill police Lt. Scott Vermillion said. Detectives went undercover into the home, where they spoke with several women who were being trafficked, Vermillion said. Salazar allegedly lured the women through the guise they would be working at a modeling business. Mad Girls is primarily a professional modeling, advertising and artistic ad photography company, a description on the companys website says. We also offer professional private training services such as private modeling, private dance, private massage and private pole dance and private pole fitness training and job placement. For $100 anytime of the day or night, clients can receive sensual training, the site says. A message on the companys website asks callers to send it a text message to make an appointment. Salazar allegedly cultivated his customers through the site, inviting them to an upscale private club at his Pleasant Hill home, Vermillion said. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Advocates from Pleasant Hills Community Violence Solutions program were providing assistance to the victims. The investigation is continuing, and authorities asked anyone with information about the case to call police at (925) 288-4630. Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky Matt Rourke/Associated Press Philadelphia is now the largest American city to levy a tax on soda, a powerful win for public health and a setback for beverage makers who have fought off nearly every attempt to curb this countrys harmful appetite for sugary drinks. The East Coast victory could be a turning point, not just for the size of the city and scale of the tax but also for its appeal and design. Instead of imposing a few cents more per can or bottle, with the proceeds scattered among do-good programs, Philadelphia went in a savvier direction. Two recent studies from the Pew Research Center confirm what many in the U.S. have long suspected: The great economic engine of America the middle class is in full retreat, with its children stuck living at home. As we look for answers, its become clear that there are none to be found in the boorish 2016 presidential campaign. What we hear are government solutions that are too expensive (free tuition), too fanciful (a big wall) or too much Uncle Sam (single-payer health care). While liberals and conservatives bicker, the middle class burns. They want their jobs back, along with the security that comes with them. But those jobs arent coming back. Not because we cant build a wall or levy a huge tariff on imports. No, the jobs arent coming back because automation, machine learning and robotics are fundamentally changing the nature and future of work. So what might we do to revive the middle class? Theres increasing support here and in Europe for the universal basic income movement, which promises citizens a guaranteed annual revenue. Though usually the domain of Marxists, libertarians and Alaskans, the idea of basic income is gaining support from a collection of surprising bedfellows in the tech industry. Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes recently joined innovators Marc Andreessen, Sam Altman and Albert Wenger in supporting the concept. The reason? They see a future economy that needs fewer workers and feel an obligation to handle the human fallout. Altman, in particular, is exploring the nuts and bolts of this idea, launching a short-term pilot project in Oakland. But he faces one notable critique: Universal basic income would be prohibitively expensive. Still, its an idea worth studying, especially when considering the consequences of a dying middle class. As Silicon Valley luminaries explore whether and how to scale this idea, they ought to look to a traditional angel investor to underwrite their efforts: foundations and their nearly $1 trillion in assets. Tech titans could persuade foundation elites to double their current grant making of $55 billion and commit to 10 years of funding. With this new pool of resources, they could invest $12,000 annually in nearly 4.5 million middle-class and poor Americans. (Should they need more funding, they might ask fellow Silicon Valley innovators to levy a data-mining royalty on their operations.) After 10 years of beta testing and without a dime of new taxes or government intervention private industry and civil society will have created a wealth of data that could answer basic questions about universal basic income. For instance, what were the characteristics of people who used their money to innovate and be entrepreneurial? Conversely, who instead bought an Oculus Rift virtual reality system and ran up their marijuana bill? What explains the difference? Fundamentally, our countrys private sector could help find a solution for the collapse of the middle class. No doubt, Silicon Valley would probably encounter notable headwinds from many philanthropic organizations. And yet, the true philanthropic innovators may well embrace an idea whose time has come for national study. After all, this beta test would profoundly help the very people whom foundations are created to assist the middle class and the poor. Bryan Dean Wright is a former CIA covert ops officer who lives in Oregon. Twitter: BryanDeanWright This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SACRAMENTO In front of state lawmakers weighing a slate of gun-control measures, the Dalai Lama said Monday that ending violence requires inner disarmament and an education system that focuses on teaching moral values, compassion and what it means to be a global citizen. In a speech to lawmakers in the state Capitol, the Tibetan spiritual leader called a sense of community the basis of our own happy future. His comments came in the wake of the mass shooting in Orlando and the deadly attack in San Bernardino in December, which led California lawmakers to introduce more than a dozen gun-control bills. Real gun control must come from here, the Dalai Lama said, pointing at his heart. The Nobel Peace Prize laureate also spoke to the Legislature of the need to care for the planet and the threat of climate change a hallmark concern for Gov. Jerry Brown in an address that diverged widely from his prepared comments. Earlier in the day, the Dalai Lama met with Brown in a small, private luncheon at the historic Leland Stanford Mansion, the governors office said. As he waded through the crowded Assembly chambers to the dais, the Dalai Lama quieted the room by urging clapping politicians to sit, saying he did not like such formalities. He praised California for its focus on climate change, something he said he understands firsthand. He said his home, Tibet, is warming three times faster than the rest of the planet. This planet is the only place we can live happily, we can breathe happily, he said. There is no other choice but fully protect our home. Education is the best platform The Dalai Lama also called on educators to do more to ensure that compassion, love and citizenry are at the core of what they teach. The generation who come from (the) existing sort of society (have a) very much materialist life, materialist culture, he said. I feel the existing education system (is) very much oriented about material value and not talking about our inner value. The Tibetan spiritual leader said that his generation has witnessed much violence and that todays youths have an opportunity and a responsibility to create a better world. However, he said, many places in the world are not preparing young people to grow into compassionate adults, noting religion is helpful in promoting inner peace, but that in a world of many nonbelievers, education is the best platform. It was the Dalai Lamas first trip to Sacramento and came five days after he met with President Obama at the White House, a session that angered China. Beijing leaders accuse the 80-year-old Dalai Lama of leading a campaign to divide Tibet from the rest of China by using religion as a cover for the political talks. Tensions with China Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said in a statement that meetings in the U.S. with the Dalai Lama send the wrong message to separatist forces that support Tibetan independence and could jeopardize the relationship between China and the U.S. White House press secretary Josh Earnest said in a press briefing after the meeting last week that the U.S. has not changed its position on Tibet. Tibet, per U.S. policy, is considered a part of the Peoples Republic of China, and the United States has not articulated our support for Tibetan independence, Earnest said, according to a transcript of the media briefing. The Dalai Lama has called for a higher degree of autonomy under Chinese rule. He and his followers have lived in exile in the Himalayan hillside city of Dharamsala, India, since 1959, when they fled Tibet following a failed uprising against China. The Tibetan government-in-exile, which elects its own prime minister and parliament, is not recognized by China. Earlier this year, the exiled government renewed calls for China to grant it autonomy. The Dalai Lama led the exiled government until 2011, when he stepped down to focus on his role as a spiritual leader. Melody Gutierrez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mgutierrez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: MelodyGutierrez This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Gliding into the SoMa loft of designer Ken Fulk, famed fashion model Carmen DellOrefice was picture-perfect proof of why she still reigns as a cover girl. Her impeccable silver mane framed deeply lidded doe eyes and exquisite cheekbones upon which diamonds could be cut. As the 5-foot-9 stunner slid into a thronelike seat for an In Conversation with celebrated fashion illustrator David Downton, the crowd broke into wild applause. Age, she declared, is not a dirty word. Well, only if one is as genetically blessed as DellOrefice. But she clearly cherishes her health and longevity, having just celebrated her 85th birthday while continuing her 70-year fashion industry career. Downton, artist in residence in London at Claridges Hotel, is something of a duo with DellOrefice, who is featured with 149 other fashion and film stars in the monograph David Downtown: Portraits of the Worlds Most Stylish Women, which debuted last fall. Our visit here coincided as Carmen has a shoot in Los Angeles, so Ken offered his loft for our dialogue, Downton said. But Portraits is an ongoing adventure: I was just in Dublin to launch the book again. Its become the biggest project of my professional career. Fortunately for his many EssEff fans, his visits here also involve delightful dinners and leisurely lunches. Following the Q&A, Fulk hosted Downton and DellOrefice to join his squad at Mariannes, a private club within restaurateur Anna Weinbergs the Cavalier. Naturally, Downtons local grand dame Denise Hale (whose Downton portrait graces her place cards and KQED sponsorship of Downton Abbey) gathered her tribe (including restaurateur Tolan Florence; Mary Beth and David Shimmon; Chronicle Editor Audrey Cooper; Gary Danko GM Gregory Lopez; restaurateur Nancy Oakes; philanthropist Pam Baer; PR pro Allison Speer; venture capitalist Ajay Royan) amid the Palm Springs-meets-Tiki perfection at Leos Oyster Bar, another Weinberg resto. Art school grad Downton toiled for years on numerous commercial art assignments (including cookbooks, wine labels and the odd sex manual) before illustrating his first couture shows in Paris at age 37. His exquisite portraiture now regularly graces the pages of such high-ended glossies as Vogue, Harpers Bazaar and Vanity Fair. And his subjects are typically glamorous gals. Models get bad press mainly due to envy. But Im very pro-model as theyre how we understand fashion, Downton says. Our first interpretation of fashion is seen on a model. Otherwise all the clothes in Vogue would just be shot on a hanger. Not surprisingly, the dashing and dry-witted Downton often forms friendships with his subjects, including DellOrefice whom he counts as one of the singular people in his life. Since I met Carmen, Ive wanted other people to know her, hear her voice, he said. She grew up in New York during the Depression and began modeling at 14, earning money for her family. She roller-skated to her first job at Vogue. And not to shoot childrens things it was a seven-page fashion spread. Yet its not just her beauty. Downton describes DellOrefice as funny and inspirational. Respect must be paid, Downtown emphasizes. Rather than saying, Wasnt she great? I believe in the now and say, Isnt she great? He also gamely raised his glass, toasting the hardworking Weinberg and hostess Hale. Anna had to leave as shes probably opening another restaurant. Before lunch is done, shell surely have signed a lease on her next one, Downton said, with a laugh. And Mrs. Hale is a diamond string in my life who organizes me. Perhaps all of you, too, more than you know. It wouldnt surprise me to discover Denise is running a small country weve no idea about. Oscar-time: If youre not summering in EssEff, then its time to break out the big, flouncy hats. Especially if youre heading for the sandy shores of Lake Tahoe. Once again, on the first Saturday in August, Saks Fifth Avenue presents the Oscar de la Renta Resort 2017 Collection in support of the League to Save Lake Tahoe. Organized by event chairs Barbara Brown, Edith Tobin, Jessica Hickingbotham, Hillary Marble and Heidi Cary, this alfresco Incline Village afternoon features philanthropy and fabulous fashions by designer Peter Copping. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Advancing that endeavor, and upcoming fall fetes, elegant Oscar exec-at-large Boaz Mazor recently visited Union Square and Stanford Shopping Center, where he presided over trunks shows at Saks and Neiman Marcus. In between shopping sprees, which netted almost $1 million worth of sales, Mazor was wined and dined by his posse of pals, including Sally Debenham, Gail Glasser and Frances Bowes. Hot stuff: It was a Big Top kind of night in tony Tiburon, where Maxwell Drever and his family hosted their annual Hotbed Gala with a Cirque du Nuit theme. Organized by son Galen Drever, events director for the Drever Family Foundation, the colorful confab featured an art auction, circus performers, a Tony Ward fashion show and emcee, actress Sharon Stone. Organizers report that revelers raised more than $330K for Planet Hope, the nonprofit founded by Stone and her sister, Kelly Stone, in support of underprivileged children and families. Stone even sweetened the pot, auctioning her classic 1958 Chevrolet Apache truck, which garnered the events highest bid of $45K. But Stone felt like a winner, too: Operatic great Andrea Bocelli stopped by en route to the Hollywood Bowl. Spies said he sweetly asked Mr. Drever to open up his living room so he could serenade Stone with Ave Maria on the familys baby grand. Catherine Bigelow is The San Francisco Chronicles society correspondent. Email: missbigelow@sfgate.com Instagram: @missbigelow The opening night of the Frameline LGBT film festival began on a somber note as audience members at the Castro Theatre June 16 observed a moment of silence for the victims of the shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando. But as Frameline board president Michael Colaneri said, there was power in being together. Community was one of the founding principles of the 40-year-old festival that began with a few films projected on a clothesline sheet for roughly 100 audience members. Four decades later, the festival packed the 1,400-seat Castro and was recognized by State Sen. Mark Leno for its years of increasing representation of LGBT issues and giving us a f good time. Festival director Frances Wallace noted that there were people there for the opening celebration that had been attending Frameline for years and even a few founding members, like Castro impresario and filmmaker Marc Huestis. The opening-night film, Kiki, reflected both festival themes of community togetherness and the spirit of DIY queer glamour. The documentary by Sara Jordeno (who was in attendance) is about the Kiki dance subculture of the vogue ball scene in New York, which features over-the-top costuming, kabuki style makeup transformations and balletic-meets-hip-hop-meets-gymnastic moves. The performers and leaders in the Kiki community (or houses, as they are called) are primarily queer people of color, which several festival-goers applauded as reflecting the LGBT communitys need to expand the groups representation. A California regulator is approving Aetnas proposed acquisition of rival health insurer Humana. California Department of Managed Health Care Director Shelley Rouillard announced her decision on Monday. As a condition of the approval, Aetna agreed to limit premium increases in the small-group market and to allow greater state oversight of its rates. The company will also have to keep certain decision-making functions in California and must invest in various health initiatives. The proposed $35 billion cash-and-stock deal would make Aetna a sizable player in the rapidly growing Medicare Advantage business, which offers privately run versions of the federally funded health care program for the elderly and some people with disabilities. The merger still requires approval by the U.S. Department of Justice. Paso Robles Fallen oaks, winery woes A Central California winery hailed as one of the best in the country is facing boycott calls and enforcement actions after it clear-cut hundreds of old oak trees to make way for more vineyards. Justin Vineyard and Winery west of the town of Paso Robles has been under stop-work orders since June 9 from San Luis Obispo County and a resource-conservation district on the expansion project. Officials ordered the halt to the clear-cutting after neighbors and at least one pilot reported spotting lumber crews and hillsides newly cleared of oak groves. In an email Monday, the winery said its felling of the oaks was in compliance with the law, and that it would be planting 5,000 young oaks. California billionaires Stewart and Lynda Resnick, who also market popular lines of pomegranate juice, almonds and bottled water from Fiji, own the business, which is known for its upscale Bordeaux-style wines. Wine Enthusiast magazine named Justin its winery of the year in 2015, and Wine Spectator magazine has rated some of the winerys offerings among the worlds best. The waves of praise turned to criticism, however, after the winery removed what authorities say were hundreds of oak trees. Oaks can live for 250 years or more, and are known as a keystone species in California, providing food and shelter for other native species. New York Ad law would hurt Airbnb A proposal to outlaw online ads for short-term New York City apartment rentals on sites like Airbnb has cleared the state Legislature. Its already illegal to rent apartments for less than 30 days in the city. The measure heading to Gov. Andrew Cuomos desk would establish graduated fines of up to $7,500 for advertising online or elsewhere for short-term rentals, which have expanded with online platforms. Airbnb has created a black market for illegal hotel operators, said Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, a bill sponsor. The practice reduces affordable housing, she said. Josh Meltzer, Airbnb head of public policy, said lawmakers cut a last-minute deal with the hotel industry to pass the bill. He called it a bad proposal that will make it harder for thousands of New Yorkers to pay the bills. Venture capital Morgenthaler founder dies Venture capitalist and former National Venture Capital Association chairman David Morgenthaler died in Cleveland on Friday. We was 96. Mr. Morgenthaler founded the eponymous Morgenthaler Ventures in 1968 and served as president then chairman of the association from 1977 to 1979. The company has been involved in several major projects in Silicon Valley. He received the first Lifetime Achievement Award from the group in 1998 for his work in investing. Hes also a member of the Venture Capital Hall of Fame. To say that David Morgenthaler was a pioneer would be an incredible understatement. David was much more than a pioneer, he was an icon of venture capital, titan of the entrepreneurial ecosystem and champion of innovation, NVCA CEO Bobby Franklin said in a statement. Chronicle News Services Baku, Azerbaijan, June 21 Trend: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has met with residents of Nardaran settlement, Sabunchu district of Baku. The president made a speech at the meeting. President Aliyev touched upon the reconstruction of roads in the district and surrounding areas, and said measures will be continued to ensure socio-economic development of Baku suburbs, including Nardaran. President Aliyev stressed the importance of the creation of new jobs. The president said residents of Nardaran, which is one of the ancient Baku settlements, have always been loyal to statehood. President Aliyev noted that all freedoms, including freedom of religion, are fully provided in the country. The president said Azerbaijans achievements in this field are highly appreciated by international organizations. President Aliyev hailed Nardaran residents` contribution to strengthening Azerbaijans independence. On behalf of Nardaran residents, Agasaid Orujov expressed his gratitude to President Aliyev for his care and attention. President Aliyev then talked with local residents. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Pacific Gas and Electric Co. announced Tuesday it will close Californias last nuclear plant, Diablo Canyon, in 2025, ending atomic energys more than a half-century history in the state. The move will shutter a plant whose construction on a seaside cliff surrounded by earthquake faults helped create the antinuclear movement. And yet, some conservationists have fought to keep Diablo Canyon open, arguing California needed its output of greenhouse gas-free electricity to not exacerbate global warming. As part of an agreement with several environmental groups that have long sought to shutter the plant near San Luis Obispo, PG&E will replace Diablo Canyon exclusively with electricity sources that dont pump carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The company also promised to get 55 percent of its total electricity from the sun, wind and other renewable sources by 2031. Federal regulators had been weighing whether to extend Diablo Canyons operating life for another 20 years after its initial licenses expire in 2024 and 2025. But PG&E CEO Tony Earley told The Chronicle that as the company looked into Californias energy needs for the coming decades, it didnt see a place for Diablo Canyon. A rising flood of renewable power is pouring onto the states electricity grid, and, under California regulations, that power has priority over electricity generated from nuclear reactors or fossil fuel plants. In addition, energy efficiency and the rapid spread of public power projects like San Franciscos CleanPowerSF are cutting the amount of electricity that PG&E will need to generate or buy for its customers. Our analysis continues to show that instead of continuing to run all the time, there will be parts of the year where Diablo will not be needed, said Earley, who flew to San Luis Obispo to break the news to Diablos 1,500 employees in a series of staff meetings Tuesday. At a plant like Diablo, with large fixed costs, if you effectively only run the plant half the time, youve doubled the cost. To environmentalists who have called the coastal plant an American Fukushima waiting to happen, the agreement caps a decades-long fight. It makes your skin tingle, said Damon Moglen, senior adviser with Friends of the Earth, a group that formed to oppose Diablo Canyon. The organization had been challenging efforts to extend the plants licenses and has now signed the agreement with PG&E to shut it down. 21st century solution This was a 20th century mistake, and weve got a 21st century solution, Moglen said. Were not only going to close this plant, but were going to do it with greenhouse gas-free energy. While Diablo Canyons closure remains years away, it comes as another blow to the nuclear industry. Hopes that the battle against climate change would trigger a nuclear renaissance in the United States have evaporated, with many utilities and investors concluding that new reactors are too expensive and time-consuming to build. Meanwhile, competition from power plants burning cheap natural gas has driven several older nuclear plants out of business. While California entered the 21st century with two operating nuclear plants, the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station near San Diego shut down in 2012 after a small leak of radioactive steam revealed defective equipment. Its owner, Southern California Edison, decided the following year to close it for good. California law forbids building more nuclear plants until the federal government comes up with a permanent solution for disposing of their radioactive waste. Bittersweet decision To PG&Es Earley, the decision to shut down Diablo Canyon is bittersweet. As the former chairman of the Nuclear Energy Institute lobbying group, he is a longtime believer in nuclear power. But he says PG&E can find enough affordable renewable power and energy storage solutions to replace Diablo Canyon without significantly raising rates. Renewable prices have been going down, particularly photovoltaics, and we have no reason to believe thats not going to continue, he said. In addition, several actions by California officials threatened to complicate Diablos future. The intake and outflow chutes for the plants cooling system rest on tidelands leased from the state. Next week, the State Lands Commission is scheduled to decide whether to require a full environmental impact report before extending those leases, which are due to expire in 2018. Another panel, the California State Water Resources Control Board, was considering forcing PG&E to replace the cooling system with another that would kill fewer fish. One estimate pegged the cost of replacement as high as $14 billion. I am sorry to see it go, because from a national energy policy standpoint, we need greenhouse gas-free electricity, Earley said. But we are regulated by the state of California, and Californias policies are driving this. Im not criticizing those policies, but its a fact. Weve got to decide whats best for the state, for the company and for the employees. Employees future The closure agreement calls for determining which employees will be needed to decommission the plant and which can be transferred to other jobs within PG&E, with severance payments planned for the rest. The agreement which also includes the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the Coalition of California Utility Employees, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Environment California and the Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility needs the approval of the California Public Utilities Commission to take effect. Decommissioning the plant removing most of its systems and buildings will cost an estimated $3.8 billion. PG&E customers have, for decades, been slowly paying into a fund to cover that work, whenever it may have been needed. According to documents PG&E filed with the utilities commission in March, the fund had $2.6 billion in it by the end of 2015. PG&E has requested increasing electricity rates by about 51 cents per month to make up the shortfall. Profound moment Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, a member of the State Lands Commission who raised questions about Diablos leases as chair last year, said he was pleased that PG&E could shut down Diablo Canyon without a major impact on rates. The idea that the economics from PG&Es perspective work for renewables is a pretty profound moment in energy policy, Newsom said. Weve been asserting it for decades. And here you have a major utility acknowledging a low-carbon, green future. David R. Baker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dbaker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @DavidBakerSF Americans are well-versed in how awful our country's federally mandated maternity policy is primarily because it doesn't really exist. However, here in California, we do have at least a little bit of government backing for our new moms thanks to short-term disability coverage. That's all great, save for the fact that those benefits aren't always extended or afforded past the mother or primary caregiver. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Camp Parks, a U.S. Army reserves base in Dublin that houses around 800 people, was under lockdown for several hours Tuesday, after authorities received unconfirmed reports of shots fired and an intruder on the grounds. Emergency personnel from at least eight different area agencies responded to the camp around 11 a.m. and began a massive search for a potentially armed intruder that lasted through much of the afternoon. Just before noon officials from Alameda County Sheriffs Office said no intruder had been spotted and no shots had been confirmed as fired. Officials said they had secured the perimeter of the base by 12:30 p.m. and by 3:30 p.m. had searched more than 100 buildings at the camp before lifting the lockdown and deeming the reports false. There has been no evidence, no additional reports, no eyewitness accounts, nothing, said Sgt. Ray Kelly, a spokesman for the Alameda County Sheriffs Office. We are leaning toward this being a false alarm. However, Kelly said that every report made has to be properly vetted especially one of such potential magnitude. Anytime you have a report of an active shooter you have to go with a full-scale response, Kelly said. Youre either all in or youre not there is no in between. Given the nature of things that have gone on across the nation, youre going to get a serious priority response. During the search, officers methodically swept through the numerous buildings on the several-hundred-acre camp dressed in full-gear despite the nearly 100 degree temperatures. They even brought in drones to assist in the search. Dublin Unified School District officials said earlier Tuesday that all of its schools were placed under a shelter-in-place order from the superintendent as a precautionary measure. Kevin Schultz is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kschultz@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kevinedschultz Two San Francisco police officers tore a 65-year-old mans rotator cuff when they mistakenly grabbed him after his wife called for help amid an outburst by the couples son-in-law, according to a federal lawsuit. Melchor Javier Ortega sued the city Thursday, saying the two unidentified officers used excessive force when they encountered him July 11 in his Bayview home. The city attorneys office said it had not seen the lawsuit and declined to comment. The city responded to Ortegas administrative claim in January, denying any liability. At the time of the incident, Ortega and his wife, Elena, lived on the top level of a two-story home while his daughter, her husband and their children lived on the lower level. According to the lawsuit, Ortega and his wife heard their son-in-law and daughter arguing, and Ortega, knowing that his son-in-law could become violent when he drank alcohol, tried to calm him down. After speaking to his son-in-law, Ortega left to buy plastic pipe for home repairs, the suit states. But the argument continued while he was gone, and his wife, who had gone downstairs, saw their son-in-law throw a pan of cooking oil. Elena Ortega called police, describing her son-in-law as a tall, fair-skinned, bald man. Her husband returned home and was in the garage cutting the plastic pipe with a handsaw, when officers arrived, the lawsuit says. She let the two officers in, and as she closed a door and gate behind them, they walked ahead and opened the inside door to the garage, the suit states. The first officer grabbed Melchor Ortegas left arm without announcing himself or saying a word, while the second officer grabbed his other arm, the suit alleges. It states that both officers twisted his arms until he heard a pop and felt pain in his left shoulder. Youre breaking my arm! he recounted saying. His wife yelled for the two officers to stop and pointed them to the in-law unit, where they found and arrested the Ortegas son-in-law. Melchor Ortega, a retired truck driver, said doctors told him he needs surgery to reattach the rotator cuff tendon to the bone by inserting screws in the bone and muscle, followed by months of recovery and physical therapy. Rachel Lederman, his attorney, said her client did not fit the suspect description. Instead of being tall and bald, he is short with a full head of hair. Its an example of poor training and overreaction by San Francisco police officers, Lederman said. My client didnt match the description at all, and they simply burst in and immediately used a high degree of force on him when he actually wasnt even the person they were looking for. He wasnt resisting. Hes quite a mild-mannered person, and there was no reason for them to jerk his arm back so forcefully that they damaged the tendon. According to the lawsuit, the officers supervisor apologized to Melchor Ortega and offered to call him an ambulance. But they purportedly told him hed have to pay for the ambulance himself. Vivian Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: vho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: VivianHo A 37-year-old woman who went to jail after allegedly stealing a San Francisco ambulance this month was arrested again Sunday night this time on suspicion of burglary in the Bayview neighborhood. Veronica Barahona forced herself through the sliding glass door of a home on the 1700 block of McKinnon Avenue around 10:20 p.m. Sunday, police said. She made her way into a bedroom, where the homeowner was awakened and started screaming. Barahona fled out of the home but was arrested after the homeowner called authorities to tell them she was hiding in the backyard, police said. She was booked on a first-degree burglary charge. Sundays incident comes less than two weeks after Barahona led police on a chase in a stolen ambulance that went through the city, onto the Bay Bridge, and ended when she crashed on Yerba Buena Island. On June 7, she jumped into the San Francisco Fire Departments emergency rig around 8 a.m. at 55 Mason St. and sped through city streets, said Officer Grace Gatpandan, a San Francisco police spokeswoman. The ambulance had been left running while paramedics responded to a medical call at the Ambassador Hotel, and when they returned with the patient, the rig was gone. Police used a tracking system on the vehicle to pinpoint the driver as she careened through city streets and slammed into several vehicles. Barahona led police on a chase over the bottom deck of the Bay Bridge, police said, where she took a hard left turn on the Treasure Island Road off-ramp. But a sharp curve in the road proved too challenging to negotiate, and she slammed into a concrete barrier, firefighters said. The ambulance became stuck and burst into flames as Barahona got out and ran, police said. She was taken into custody. It was not immediately clear when Barahona was released from jail before the Sunday burglary. She was booked into county jail on the recent charges early Monday and was being held on $150,000 bail. San Francisco Chronicle staff writer Evan Sernoffsky contributed to this report. Jenna Lyons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jlyons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: JennaJourno This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate PITTSBURGH As expected, the Giants recalled outfielder Mac Williamson from Triple-A Sacramento and placed Matt Duffy on the 15- day disabled list with a left Achilles strain. Williamson will give the Giants another right-handed bat in the lineup against left-handed starters, which they they will face Wednesday and Thursday. Williamson is 3-for-20 against lefties this season, no great shakes, but like left-handed counterpart Jarrett Parker he does have the ability to run into a pitch and hit it out, as he did against David Price on June 8 for his first big-league home run. As much as the Giants like to think their lefty hitters do well against lefty pitchers, the need for another right-handed bat is apparent. At some point before Hunter Pences return I suspect we will see recently signed Chris Denorfia, but he needs a spring training in Arizona before he even gets at-bats in Sacramento. I know many fans wanted to see Christian Arroyo, the Giants top prospect, get the call and play third base. And I stoked the fire some with a comment from manager Bruce Bochy saying all options including Arroyo would be discussed. But very quickly the club decided to hand third base to Ramiro Pena and Conor Gillaspie while Duffy is out, at least initially, and add Mac Williamson as a much-needed right-handed bat. Gillaspie will start Tuesday night against right-hander Wilfredo Boscan. See the lineup below. Not sexy, I know. But the more I thought about it, the more I understood why they decided to leave Arroyo at Double-A Richmond, Va. For one thing, he is not swinging a hot bat at the moment. The Giants also feel he could use more time in the minors considering his age he just turned 21 and paucity of at-bats above Class A (242). There are roster implications, too. It might not make sense to start his major-league service clock for a short stay. Assuming Duffy is out two or three weeks, Arroyo would return to the minors to play every day, forcing them to use 2016 as one of his three option years. Moreover, if Arroyo takes a 40-man spot now, thats one fewer spot they can use in December to protect players from being taken in the Rule 5 draft. Arroyo does not need to be added to the 40-man until after the 2017 season. The Giants tend to tread very conservatively with position-player prospects. The results can be aggravating. Remember, they delayed promoting Brandon Crawford in 2011 and Joe Panik in 2014 and gave starts and at-bats to the aging likes of Miguel Tejada, Orlando Cabrera and, for four inglorious games, Dan Uggla. Then, when they called on Crawford and Panik, the Giants discovered they could play in the big-leagues. The one difference now is that Pena and Gillaspie are not old. They are 30 and 28, respectively, and might be able to hold the fort and produce some until Duffy returns. Now, if Duffy is out longer than expected, I can see the Giants revisiting Arroyo later this summer, all those roster implications notwithstanding. If they need him, they need him. Whether the Giants turn to recently signed Ruben Tejada, or go outside the organization for an Omar Infante or Jose Reyes, remains to be seen. But a move like that is not likely at the moment. Incidentally, the Giants face three right-handed starters this weekend against the Phillies at AT&T Park. ***** A leftover from Monday nights 1-0 loss to the Pirates that got lost in the Duffy news: Lefty Jeff Locke was throwing a shutout and had only 84 pitches when Pirates manager pulled him with two outs in the seventh inning, a runner at second and Madison Bumgarner due up. Hurdle went for right-hander Neftali Feliz, who got a groundball. Now that is respect for a pitchers bat. Im not their manager, but I was certainly happy about it, Bumgarner said. Locke was really good. He had his changeup going and his location was great. Id rather face a power righty who throws strikes, and I know Im going to get fastballs. But the guy in that spot did the job, so I cant fault (Hurdle) for it. ***** Johnny Cueto seeks his 11th win Tuesday. The lineups: GIANTS Span CF Panik 2B Belt 1B Posey C Crawford SS Pagan LF Blanco RF Gillaspie 3B Cueto P PIRATES Jaso 1B Polanco RF McCutchen CF Freese 3B Marte LF Harrison 2B Mercer SS Stallings C Boscan P Henry Schulman is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: hschulman@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @hankschulman. Baku, Azerbaijan, June 21 Trend: Azerbaijans Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Population and Tajikistans Ministry of Labour, Migration and Employment of Population signed an agreement on cooperation in the sphere of labour and employment of population, the Azerbaijani ministrys press service told Trend. A delegation led by the Azerbaijani Minister of Labour and Social Protection of Population Salim Muslumov is on a visit to Tajikistan, said the press service. The visit is implemented at the Tajik ministrys request for the exchange of good practice related to the labour market regulation, active labour market policy, human resource planning and development, labour protection, vocational rehabilitation of people with disabilities and others. Delegations of the two countries discussed the directions of further cooperation and the work to be done in these directions. Azerbaijani Minister Salim Muslumov and his Tajik counterpart Sumangul Tagoyzoda signed an agreement on cooperation in the sphere of labour and employment of population on the results of the meeting. Stacey Feeley was initially laughing when she saw her 3-year-old daughter standing on the toilet. Silly, mischievous girl! But when the Michigan mom realized what her little girl was doing, she was shocked and broke down. "She was practicing for a lockdown drill at her preschool and what you should do if you are stuck in a bathroom," Feeley wrote in a June 15 Facebook message accompanied by a photo of the girl on the toilet that's going viral. She added: "At that moment all innocence of what I thought my three-year-old possessed was gone." Feeley posted the image to make a statement to politicians about gun control and made a call-out for their attention, writing: "Politicians - take a look. This is your child, your children, your grandchildren, your great grand children and future generations to come. They will live their lives and grow up in this world based on your decisions. They are barely 3 and they will hide in bathroom stalls standing on top of toilet seats." She then goes on to make demands for stricter gun laws, sharing, "No one thinks gun control will be 100% crime control. But maybe, just maybe, it helps 1% or 2% or 50%? Who knows unless we try? Why on earth are there not universal background checks? Where is a universal registration database? Why are high capacity magazines ever permitted to be sold to anyone other than direct to the military?" Feeley's message has been shared more than 12,ooo times and received more than 8,000 likes. It came days before the United States Senate rejected four measures to enact stricter gun laws. These proposals were spurred by the worst mass shooting in U.S. history in which 49 people were killed by a lone gunman in Orlando, Fl., on June 12. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The San Francisco Jewish Film Festival announced a wide-ranging lineup Tuesday, June 21, that includes a salute to some of the most important comic geniuses of our time, including Norman Lear, who will receive the festivals coveted Freedom of Expression award. The 36th annual festival, which runs from July 21 to Aug. 7 in five Bay Area cities, will open in San Francisco with The Tenth Man, a gentle romantic comedy about a successful Jewish man in New York who ventures back home to Argentina. The closing-night feature in San Francisco, on July 31, will be For the Love of Spock, an easygoing documentary about the professional and personal life of Jewish actor Leonard Nimoy, who played the beloved Star Trek character. The light touch continues with the centerpiece film, Robert Klein Still Cant Stop His Leg, a profile of the comedian (who will appear at the Castro Theatre for the July 25 screening); The Last Laugh, in which comics Sarah Silverman, Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner take on Holocaust humor; and Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You, a documentary about the creator of All in the Family and other groundbreaking TV comedies. Lear, who is also famous for his progressive activism, will be on hand July 24 at the Castro to accept his award. It is a star-studded lineup where Jewish comedic sensibilities come to the foreground, said Lexi Leban, executive director of the festival. But the diverse program 65 films from 15 countries will offer plenty for everyone, including episodes of three dynamic Israeli television series: The Writer, about an Israeli Arab man who faces an identity crisis; Shtisel, about a Haredi family living in Jerusalem; and False Flag, a highly addictive espionage thriller about five ordinary Israelis who get ensnared as suspects in the abduction of an Iranian official. Israel has developed an international reputation for its outstanding TV programming (Showtimes Emmy award-winning Homeland was based on the Israeli show Hatufim). Fox International Studios has already acquired rights to False Flag, which will be broadcast in 127 countries, and expectations are high for the show to be remade into an American series. Program Director Jay Rosenblatt said this years festival offers one of the strongest lineups that he has been involved in: It is a year when we were able to get just about every film that we wanted. It is a very diverse program with lots of comedy, drama and thought-provoking work. We are fortunate to have many filmmakers coming to represent their films. Other highlights include: Natasha, the story of a doomed romance between a young man and his even younger Russian step-cousin. The tale is based on a collection of short stories by acclaimed writer David Bezmozgis. A Tale of Love and Darkness, the story of a mother-son relationship that is set during the birth of Israel. Oscar-winning actress Natalie Portman, who plays the mother, wrote and directed the film, which is in Hebrew. Wrestling Jerusalem, a one-man show in which Bay Area performer Aaron Davidman plays 17 characters who grapple with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In Search of Israeli Cuisine, an exploration of Israeli cuisine, which takes its inspiration from more than 100 cultures. David Lewis is a San Francisco freelance writer. The San Francisco Jewish Film Festival July 21 to Aug. 7. Castro Theatre in San Francisco, CineArts Theatre in Palo Alto, Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center in San Rafael, Berkeley Repertory Theatre in Berkeley and Landmark Piedmont Theater in Oakland. Opening-night party: 9 p.m. July 21 at the Contemporary Jewish Museum, 736 Mission St., S.F. For more festival information, go to www.sfjff.org. To view a teaser trailer of For the Love of Spock, go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMpjG9HNT5Y To view a trailer of Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You, go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JHtl0UD3BU To view a trailer for Natasha, go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh9h7iX3u8E Franck and Debussy Classical The Takacs Quartet is best known for its gritty but stylish approach to the music of German and Eastern European composers Bartok, Beethoven, Haydn, and so forth. So theres a certain frisson in hearing the group tackle the French chamber repertoire, and do it with a characteristically weighty brand of elegance. Pianist Marc-Andre Hamelin joins the proceedings for a wonderfully forthright and probing account of Francks F-Minor Quintet, a reading that brings out both the dark-hued density of the score and the more tender, limpid vein that predominates in the central slow movement. But in spite of getting second billing, its the Debussy String Quartet that really stands out on this disc. Its rare to hear this music played with such corporeal presence, or such a telling blend of suavity and dramatic urgency. Joshua Kosman FRANCK & DEBUSSY CHAMBER WORKS TAKACS QUARTET; MARC-ANDRE HAMELIN HYPERION $18.99 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate LOS ANGELES New wildfires erupted Monday near Los Angeles and chased people from their suburban homes as an intense heat wave stretching from the West Coast to New Mexico blistered the region. Towering columns of smoke rose from the San Gabriel Mountains as two fires burning less than 2 miles apart devoured brush on steep slopes above foothill suburbs. Police in the city of Azusa and parts of Duarte ordered several hundred homes evacuated. Others were under voluntary evacuations. Its crazy. Its super close, said 17-year-old Tawni Atencio, whose family was evacuating their home in Bradbury. She said the flames were just a couple of miles away and were making the house hot despite air conditioning. She watched as smoke from the fire billowed outside and helicopters dropped retardant on the flames. It looked like a bomb exploded, she said. Its scary. Were just praying it doesnt get to our house. The two fires grew to a combined 7 square miles and brought fears they could soon merge into one. The first was sparked by a fatal car crash, the California Highway Patrol said. The second was much closer to foothill neighborhoods and brought quick evacuations. Its cause has not been found. Officials had warned of extreme fire danger in the region as the heat peaked. Temperatures surpassed 100 degrees across much of Southern California well before noon, while some desert cities sizzled in the 120s. Elsewhere, crews made progress against a nearly week-old blaze in rugged coastal mountains west of Santa Barbara. Overnight winds pushed flames into previously burned areas, allowing firefighters to boost containment to more than 50 percent. Most mandatory evacuations will be lifted Wednesday morning and nearly all by Saturday, authorities said Monday night. About 270 homes and other buildings were threatened by the blaze, which has charred more than 12 square miles since Wednesday. Another wildfire was growing near Potrero, a small desert town close to the Mexico border. It surged to nearly 3 square miles and forced the evacuation of about 75 people from the ranching community about 40 miles southeast of San Diego. Three firefighters suffered heat-related injuries and were taken to a hospital. Other blazes burned wide swaths across Arizona and New Mexico, where firefighters also faced blistering temperatures. In central New Mexico, a 28-square-mile fire that erupted last week and destroyed 24 homes in the Manzano Mountains south of Albuquerque was largely uncontained. In eastern Arizona, a fire doubled to nearly 42 square miles and led officials to warn a community of 300 residents on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation to prepare to evacuate. Snowy, a popular grizzly bear cub in the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, was killed Sunday night following a possible hit-and-run with a car. The cub, named so for its white face, was thought to be the last offspring of the famous (or perhaps infamous) 20-year-old Grizzly 399. After the incident, the mother was seen "frantically" trying to help her baby near the Pilgrim Creek drainage. In 1975, grizzly bears were placed under protection in the United States as a threatened species. Over the last few decades, their population has grown steadily, and according to National Geographic, it may now reach as high as 600 to 1,000 in the greater Yellowstone Park area. But although they are protected, Grizzly 399 has been the subject of controversy. In 2007, she mauled a man who stumbled over an elk carcass she and her three cubs were eating. She might have been euthanized following the attack, had the victim not come forward to ask park rangers to spare her life. Earlier this year, the mother emerged from hibernation with her new cub Snowy in tow, despite an apparently fraudulent claim by a man who said he poached the storied bear. On Sunday night, however, 399 was spotted along the road in sadder circumstances next to her deceased Snowy. Jolene Mohr, a biologist and member of the Grand Teton Park's Wildlife Brigade, quickly called the law enforcement dispatch to report the finding, and a nearby wildlife photographer named Bernie Scates reported that a "distraught" 399 attempted to drag Snowy into the brush off the road. "399's cub, known as Snowy or Spirit by the bear watchers of Grand Teton, was adored for its antics and notably white face and will be sorely missed," the Wyoming Wildlife Advocates wrote on their Facebook page of the loss. Rangers are investigating the death as a hit-and-run. Alyssa Pereira is a staff writer for SFGATE. Follow her here on Twitter. Baku, Azerbaijan, June 21 Trend: The State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) sold $50 million to 28 banks through an auction held by the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA), SOFAZ said June 21. SOFAZ will continue selling foreign currency through auctions in 2016. The foreign currency is sold as part of SOFAZ's transfers to the Azerbaijani state budget, which are envisaged to stand at 7.615 billion Azerbaijani manats in 2016. SOFAZ was established in 1999 with assets of $271 million. As of April 1, 2016, SOFAZ's assets increased by 2 percent and amounted to $34.25 billion compared to early 2016 ($33.57 billion). Making grades, affording tuition and finding balance between work, school and social life are all commonly acknowledged points of stress for university students. But there are two other, lesser recognized concerns on the minds of a shocking number of students: homelessness and food insecurity. California State University is the first public university system to take a close look at these largely underreported issues. Initial research found that among the 474,600 students spread across 23 campuses, 8 to 12 percent are living with unstable housing conditions, while 21 to 24 percent lack reliable access to food. "The issue that one in five Cal State students is food insecure is a gasp when you think about it," Chancellor Timothy White said Monday at a conference presenting the study's findings. "It's a gasp when you talk to someone in my neighborhood or an elected official because when they come to the campuses, they see the lights on, the lawns manicured, the classes full, the energy high and they don't see the fact that one in five students on any five of our campuses is food insecure at any time and that one in 10 have an issue with respect to their housing." "Homeless" is most often used to describe someone living on the street, but for this study, it also applied to students who were couch-surfing, staying with friends, living in their cars or finding other less-traditional accommodations. Students without housing aren't required to report their situation to the university and often keep quiet due to the stigma associated with it. While it might seem logical that low-income students receiving financial aid are most likely to experience homelessness and food insecurity, preliminary research finds that "middle income students who had not previously experienced poverty are also experiencing basic need issues due to the high cost of living in California," according to a statement from CSU. CSU will be conducting the study over two years with the goal of identifying the problem as well as best practices and solutions for addressing it. Currently, less than half of CSU campuses offer food and housing programs, and only 15 percent are proactively seeking out students who need help. For the first phase of the study, 92 students and four focus groups were conducted at urban and rural campuses, according to the LA Times. University staff, faculty and administrators were also surveyed and asked about their awareness of homelessness on their campuses. The initial findings are being presented at CSU's Housing and Food Stability Conference on June 20 and 21. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The national women's advocacy group that commissioned a plane to fly over Stanford University on graduation day with a banner reading "Protect Survivors. Not Rapists. #PerskyMustGo" is now paying for a billboard with a similar message. UltraViolet's highway sign calls for the removal of Judge Aaron Persky and encourages passersby to "Tell the California Commission on Judicial Performance that #PerskyMustGo." Judge Persky has come under international scrutiny over sentencing former Stanford student Brock Turner to six months in jail for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman. When Turner, an all-American swimmer, was convicted in Santa Clara County Superior Court of three counts of sexual assault in late March, he faced up to 14 years of prison, as reported in a previous SFGATE story. The judge opted for a lighter penalty, saying a stiffer sentence would have a "severe impact" on the 20-year-old. Persky's sentence also includes three years of probation with alcohol and sex-offender treatment as well as lifetime registration on the sex-offender list. A national judicial-recall movement has unfolded since the trial and UltraViolet is at the center of an effort to oust Judge Persky. The organization sponsored a full-page ad in the Stanford Daily's graduation issue inviting students to take a stand against rape culture and delivered the signatures of more than 1 million UltraViolet members to the California Commission on Judicial Performance office in San Francisco calling for the removal of Persky from the bench. The billboard is its latest effort and will appear on Highway 92, a half-mile west of the Clawiter Road exit, near the Easy Bay entrance onto the San Mateo Bridge. "Santa Clara County prosecutors, Bay Area jurors, thousands of Stanford students and more than 1 million UltraViolet members from California to New York agree: Judge Aaron Persky should be removed from the bench. By protecting a rapist over the survivor of his crimes, Persky has undermined confidence in our judicial system and is unfit to provide justice for the survivors of sexual assault," UltraViolet co-founder Nita Chaudhary said in a statement. "The California Commission on Judicial Performance should take this opportunity to restore public trust in our courts by removing Judge Persky immediately and declaring that rape apologists have no place in our justice system." Some experts don't agree that the judge should be removed. While Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen has expressed disappointment over the outcome and said, "The punishment does not fit the crime," he doesn't support the judge losing his job. In an editorial for The New York Times, Georgetown law professor Paul Butler points out that a recall of Persky would inevitably lead to harsher punishments all around as judges will fear public backlash. "The people who would suffer most from this punitiveness would not be white boys at frat parties," Butler writes. "Almost 70 percent of the people in prison in California are Latino and African-American. Those are the groups that would bear the brunt of zealous punishment." A pack of young assailants stabbed a 35-year-old man on Golden Gate Parks Hippie Hill on Monday evening, critically wounding the victim in the latest violent episode in the park, police said. The suspects, described as a group of four to six men in their late 20s, fled the area and have not been identified or arrested. Police said the attack happened around 6:30 p.m., when the victim walked passed the group on the grassy hill while drinking a beer. For an unknown reason, the suspects got up and chased him. When they caught him, police said, the mob began punching and kicking the victim while one of the men stabbed him multiple times in the stomach. The group then took off on foot. Paramedics transported the victim to San Francisco General Hospital, where he was in critical condition. Mondays knife attack happened in the area of the park that was once the epicenter of San Franciscos peaceful 1960s counterculture movement. The park hosted the famous 1967 Human Be-In that preceded the Summer of Love and ushered in the hippie movement. But more recently, the east end of the park has turned from a site of peace and love to a site of disturbing violence after two recent killings. Earlier this month, two men were charged with torturing and killing a 66-year-old homeless man whose body was dumped in Alvord Lake, a pond between Hippie Hill and Stanyan Street. Nikki Lee Williams, known by the street name Evil, and Stephen Billingsley, nicknamed Pizza Steve, were charged in the killing of Stephen Williams, who died from multiple traumatic injuries. Police are searching for additional suspects in that brutal slaying. In October, three drifters were arrested in the killing of 23-year-old Audrey Carey, a Quebec native on a solo backpacking trip, who was found slain in the park during the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival. The suspects were later arrested in Portland, Ore., and charged in Careys murder along with the killing of well-known tantra teacher Steve Carter, 67, on a Marin County hiking trail. Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky Baku, Azerbaijan, June 21 By Huseyn Veliyev - Trend: Azerbaijan has increased the export of food products to Russia, Vusal Gasimli, executive director of the countrys Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication, told reporters in Baku June 21. He noted that Azerbaijan is increasing the export of non-oil products to Russia and this suggests that the trade relations between the two countries are reaching to a more qualitative level. Azerbaijan has great potential to export a wide range of food and agricultural products to Russia, said Gasimli. It is observed against the background of the deterioration of Russias relations with the EU and Turkey. This gave an even greater opportunity to Azerbaijani entrepreneurs and producers to enter the Russian market. Moreover, Azerbaijan and Russia have very good relations in the spheres of transportation and logistics, he said, adding that this is an advantage for Azerbaijan. Azerbaijans Guba-Khachmaz and Sheki-Zagatala zones especially have a competitive advantage in supplying fruit and vegetable products to Russia, said Gasimli. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Some of the 58 people displaced by a massive weekend fire in the Outer Mission District were allowed to briefly return to their damaged homes Monday to salvage belongings as investigators pinpointed the origin of the blaze that has altered their lives. Alejandro Juarez and his family were among those who returned to their apartment building at 37 29th St. near Mission Street. While the familys unit did not burn, it was heavily damaged by water while serving as an attack point for firefighters battling Saturdays five-alarm fire that gutted several other neighboring buildings along Mission Street. On Monday, Juarez, 36, and his family sorted through their water-soaked and disheveled apartment after city inspectors deemed the structure sound and granted them temporary access. Everything is messed up, said Juarez as his family members emerged from their unit with their belongings, including a surviving turtle named Daisy and a beta fish still in its bowl. But faced with a limited amount of time to grab belongings, the family was most concerned with finding essential items. We really want our IDs and passports and other documents, Juarez said. Two buildings east of the home stood the remains of the badly damaged Graywood, a single-room-occupancy hotel thats known to the city for its history of code violations. Residents there will have to wait to get into their apartments and were turned away Monday by city inspectors. They may be cleared to return on Tuesday, officials said. Investigators with the San Francisco Fire Departments Fire Investigation Task Force continued to sort through the rubble, which included the charred remnants of Cole Hardware and other burned-out apartment buildings and businesses. Investigators traced the fires origin to 3312 Mission, the mixed-use building that included Cole Hardware just south of the Graywood, said Lt. Jonathan Baxter, a San Francisco Fire Department spokesman. Investigators continued working to determine what caused the fire. No one was killed, but three people suffered minor injures from smoke inhalation. The Graywood remained intact even though its south wall was badly damaged by the fire. Tom Hui, director of the Department of Building and Inspection, was optimistic the building could be saved and with it ground-floor businesses like the 3300 Club and Taqueria El Taco Loco. Hopefully they can fix it structurally, Hui said Monday amid the bustle of city workers, residents, firefighters and investigators. If they want to get a permit, we will work with them to expedite it. The owners of the Graywood, though, have had trouble with the city in the past. They were given a notice of violation in March by the Department of Building Inspection for a heating system that was installed without a permit. That case remains unresolved, but the building has racked up nearly 20 other violations, stemming from 50 complaints over the past two decades that range from busted heaters to the owners failing to obtain proper permits for other work. One resident reported the fire sprinklers did not turn on when she evacuated Saturday. Hui said that the sprinklers worked, but they likely hadnt kicked on by the time some residents fled. Fire sprinklers are designed to go off only when flames reach a certain level of intensity in order to spare units from damage where fire is not burning, Baxter explained. While the list of city violations at the Graywood could seem staggering, tenants rights advocates say the citys single-room-occupancy hotels, one-room units with shared bathrooms known as SROs, are notorious for their squalor. An important point about this hotel is that all the violations got corrected and we didnt have to sue them, said James Sanbonmatsu, who works with the citys SRO Collaborative. Whats more, neither the Graywood nor the building at 3312 Mission St., which was also damaged, had any notices of violation with the Fire Department, Baxter said. Officials with the citys Office of Economic and Workforce Development are working with the business owners and employees affected by fire to help them recover while the Red Cross continues to provide aid to those left stranded by the fire. Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: EvanSernoffsky Wall Street banks remain the employers of choice for new business school graduates, despite competition for talent from Silicon Valley, hedge funds and private equity firms, according to a study released on Tuesday, Reuters reported. More than a quarter of those surveyed by Wall Street training firm Training the Street said they were looking to join large banks upon receiving their MBAs, followed by 17 percent who chose consulting firms. Only 7 percent of business school graduates chose start-ups as their top employment destination. The results come as Wall Street banks are taking more active steps to both retain employees and attract new types of candidates. Barclays PLC said earlier this month it was launching an internship program in New York to target people who had taken a career break from the finance industry. The British bank also said it is letting U.S. staff take more time off after having a baby. In the last several months, Credit Suisse AG established a fast-track program for top performing junior bankers, and Goldman Sachs Group Inc made changes designed to retain younger staff, including promoting them more quickly. Although the majority of MBAs said they were positive on their job prospects after school, a smaller percentage are earning an annual base salary of $125,000 or more compared to last year. Forty percent of respondents will make $125,000 or more, down from 43 percent last year, the survey found. Training the Street said it conducted the survey by email in the spring with 300 respondents. Undercover detectives arrested a 54-year-old man on suspicion of trafficking women out of a Pleasant Hill residence that he billed on the Internet as an upscale private club while luring sex workers with a website advertising a bogus modeling agency, police said Tuesday. Dominic Salazar was arrested Friday and charged with false imprisonment and pimping. Authorities say he ran Mad Girls Fitness, which through its website promised clients modeling gigs with fancy photo shoots. But on June 14, authorities were tipped that the Mad Girls Fitness site was a front for a prostitution ring that Salazar was running out of his home at 555 Mesa Verde Place, a two-story house at the end of a cul-de-sac in an upscale residential neighborhood, Pleasant Hill police Lt. Scott Vermillion said. Detectives went undercover into the home, where they spoke with several women who were being trafficked, Vermillion said. Salazar allegedly lured the women through the guise they would be working at a modeling business. Mad Girls is primarily a professional modeling, advertising and artistic ad photography company, a description on the companys website says. We also offer professional private training services such as private modeling, private dance, private massage and private pole dance and private pole fitness training and job placement. For $100 anytime of the day or night, clients can receive sensual training, the site says. A message on the companys website asks callers to send it a text message to make an appointment. Salazar allegedly cultivated his customers through the site, inviting them to an upscale private club at his Pleasant Hill home, Vermillion said. Advocates from Pleasant Hills Community Violence Solutions program were providing assistance to the victims. The investigation is continuing, and authorities asked anyone with information about the case to call police at (925) 288-4630. Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky Baku, Azerbaijan, June 21 By Maksim Tsurkov Trend: Turkey imported 8.24 billion cubic meters of gas from Russia in January-April 2016, as compared to 9.39 billion cubic meters in the same period of 2015, says the report posted on the website of the Turkish Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EMRA). Russia supplied 26.78 billion cubic meters of natural gas to Turkey in 2015, as compared to almost 27 billion cubic meters in 2014. The report also says Turkey imported 16.72 billion cubic meters of gas in January-April 2016, 13.33 billion cubic meters of which were imported via pipelines, and 3.39 billion cubic meters accounted for the import of the liquefied natural gas (LNG). Russias share in the total volume of Turkeys gas import was 49.28 percent in January-April 2016. Russia supplies gas to Turkey via the Blue Stream and the Trans-Balkan pipelines. Blue Stream is a major trans-Black Sea gas pipeline with the capacity of 16 billion cubic meters per year that carries natural gas from Russia into Turkey. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @MaksimTsurkov Baku, Azerbaijan, June 21 By Maksim Tsurkov - Trend: Iran exported 2.83 billion cubic meters of gas to Turkey in January-April 2016, as compared to 2.66 billion cubic meters in the same period in 2015, said the report issued by Turkey's Energy Market Regulatory Authority. Iran delivered 7.83 billion cubic meters of natural gas to Turkey in 2015, as compared to 8.93 billion cubic meters in 2014. The report said that in January-April, Turkey imported 16.72 billion cubic meters of gas, of which 13.33 billion cubic meters were delivered via pipelines, while 3.39 billion cubic meters accounted for the import of liquefied natural gas (LNG). Iran accounted for 16.91 percent of the total volume of Turkey's gas import in January-April 2016. Iranian gas is delivered to Turkey via the Tabriz-Ankara pipeline with the capacity of 14 billion cubic meters per year. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @MaksimTsurkov Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, June 21 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: Turkmenistan and China have discussed a wide range of issues on the international agenda. The discussions were held in Ashgabat during a meeting with Special Envoy on Afghan Affairs of Chinas Foreign Ministry Deng Xijun, said the message from Turkmenistans Foreign Ministry. The parties emphasized that Turkmenistan and China have similar positions on ensuring peace, security and sustainable development in the region and in the world in general. They also expressed commitment to further developing the regional and international cooperation. The parties further pointed out the strategic nature of the partnership and the necessity of bringing the bilateral relations to a higher level. They also emphasized the necessity of regular political consultations between foreign ministries of Turkmenistan and China in order to further improve and expand the dialogue on a mutually beneficial basis. China is the largest foreign trade partner of Turkmenistan. Beijing hopes to increase the annual gas purchases from Turkmenistan to 65 billion cubic meters. Baku, Azerbaijan, June 19 By Fatih Karimov Trend: Seven Iranian airlines have held talks with Boeing over aircraft and aircraft parts purchase, Maghsoud Asadi Samani, secretary of Iran's Airlines Association, said. The countrys flag carrier, Iran Air, has involved in direct talks with Boeing, meanwhile other airline companies also are pursuing talks which were held earlier, Asadi Samani said, Mehr news agency reported June 19. He did not unveil the names of the Iranian companies which have conducted talks with the US aircraft manufacturer. The parties continue their talks, aimed at reaching an agreement, he said, adding requests have been made for purchase of various types of aircrafts. However, he said, Boeing 737 will enjoy the greatest demand as it is a proper plane for Iran. Asadi Samani also underlined that the Iranian airlines lack the financial resources for buying new aircraft so foreign financers should be hired for financing the purchases. Earlier today Ali Abedzadeh, head of Iran's Civil Aviation Organization said that Iran Air has reached an agreement with Boeing for purchase of 100 aircrafts. Tehran and Boeing have reached a written agreement on the issue, Abedzadeh said, adding the deal will be finalized once the US Treasury issues the final permission for the deal. Abedzadeh added that Boeing has submitted an official request to the US Treasury on final authorization for the aircraft sale. The Islamic Republic has announced its need for about 400 passenger planes in the next decade to modernize its ageing fleet. Iran signed a major deal worth $27 billion with Airbus in January to purchase 118 planes from the company. The deal with Airbus was sealed during a state visit to Paris by Iran's President Hassan Rouhani. Baku, Azerbaijan, June 21 By Umid Niayesh Trend: Tehran is hosting a meeting to introduce an ambitious energy proposal dubbed the Caspian Energy Hub. The meeting called "The Specialized Meeting of Caspian Energy Network Theory" is focused on the idea of converting gas to electricity to export it to the regional and trans-regional markets, including the EU. The issue was raised for the first time in 2014 by Chris Cook, former director of the International Petroleum Exchange, who currently heads the UK-based Petro Scotland Research Institute, at a conference in Ashgabat convened by the Energy Charter organization under the auspices of the UN. Under the thesis, it will be more economical for Caspian countries, which enjoy huge gas reserves, to convert their gas to electricity and export it instead of direct gas exports. Addressing the meeting in Tehran on June 21, Azizollah Ramazani, the National Iranian Gas Companys manager for international affairs said Iran, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan, as well as regional energy suppliers can form a power grid in order to generate and export electricity, adding the electricity generated from gas can be exported to regional countries, which would be more beneficial than exporting gas itself. Mahmoud Khaghani, former CEO of the Iranian Oil Ministrys Caspian and Central Asia Affairs Bureau, told Trend June 21 that Caspian countries should be considered mainly as the gas holder countries, as their natural gas reserves are very high compared to their oil resources. However, Khaghani believes that sending gas to the destination markets is more difficult than sending crude oil. Gas can not be supplied to the market as easy as oil can be, laying pipeline imposes high costs and it has become a very politicized issue in recent years, said Khaghani, who served as the director for energy, minerals and environment at the ECO Secretariat in 1996-2000. On the other hand, in recent two years the German Siemens and some other engineering firms have made big achievements in HVDC (high-voltage direct current) technology, making possible and economical transfer of electricity for long-distance transmission, which offers promising prospect for the Caspian Energy Network, said Khaghani. He also said a trilateral memorandum of understanding was signed June 20 by Iran's Tehran University, the countrys private sector and Petro Scotland Research Institute to cooperate in studies with focus on converting gas to electricity and exporting it to the EU and Asia. Based on the document inspired by the Caspian Energy Network theory, the three sides will launch a comprehensive study on the issue, he said. He further touched upon the recent innovation of Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia and Georgia on establishing the North-South energy corridor, saying Turkey also has reached a deal worth $4.2 billion with Iran to build seven natural gas power plants to produce electricity from gas and export it. So, a new energy corridor from north to south and east to west, and vice-versa, can be formed, so that we can call it the New Energy Silk Road, said Khaghani. Early in February, Azerbaijani Minister of Energy Natig Aliyev said Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia are working on the establishment of the North-South energy corridor between the three countries. Tehran and Baku have reached an agreement to synchronize their power grids, and via Azerbaijan the Iranian electricity network will join Russia's power grid. Tehran also has expressed readiness to link its electricity network with Europe through Russia. Given all this, the Caspian Energy Hub, however still a theory, promises a new age of energy cooperation in the region, as a result of which the gas-rich Caspian states will contribute to the EU energy security not by direct gas exports, but by converting the gas to the electricity and transferring it through the New Energy Silk Road, which will be more profitable and secure for all the parties. --- Umid Niayesh is Trend Agencys staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @UmidNiayesh Baku, Azerbaijan, June 21 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Israeli government wants Turkey to close down the offices of the Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS) on its territory for reaching an agreement on full normalization of relations between the two countries, the Haber7 newspaper reported June 21. Israel has officially designated HAMAS as a terrorist organization. The parties have nearly agreed on full normalization of the relations, except for the closure of HAMAS offices. After reaching a final agreement, the ambassadors who were recalled due to the crisis in Turkish-Israeli relations in 2010 will be returned to their posts. Earlier, Ibrahim Kalin, spokesperson for Turkey's presidential administration said that the talks on normalizing the relations between Turkey and Israel continue and the parties have achieved serious results. The removal of the Gaza Strip's blockade by Israel is one of the important issues, according to Kalin. After the deterioration of relations between Russia and Turkey, some Turkish media outlets reported that Turkey and Israel will resume the previous relations. Earlier, Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu confirmed that Turkey and Israel held private talks. Relations between Israel and Turkey deteriorated after the Freedom Flotilla incident in 2010, when a convoy of six ships, including one under Turkey's flag, tried to approach the Gaza Strip with humanitarian aid and activists on board. The flotilla was blocked and stormed by Israeli forces, with eight Turkish citizens being killed. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Israel should apologize for the Freedom Flotilla incident, pay compensation to the families of those killed and end the blockade of the Gaza Strip. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Alex Wong/Getty Images I pledge allegiance to [omitted] may God protect him [Arabic], on behalf of [omitted], said the man who killed 49 innocent people in an Orlando gay bar on June 12. Or so reported a redacted transcript of phone conversations between the shooter and police. The transcript airbrushed all reference to Islam and the Islamic State. U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch told ABCs This Week that her department was releasing a partial transcript because were not going to be, for example, broadcasting his pledges of allegiance. We are trying not to revictimize those who went through that horror. After House Speaker Paul Ryan chided the administration for its preposterous selective editing, the Department of Justice realized its error and released a transcript that included the words Islamic State. It was no surprise. The shooter had paid homage to the Islamic State and Allah when he posted on Facebook during his killing spree. Did Allah make an appearance in the less edited transcript? Not quite. I got no answer when I asked the the Justice Department if the killer said Allah in what the 2.0 version transcript recorded as God [Arabic]. Taiwan Sex Video Couple (Photo : LiveLeak) Hotel windows play a prominent role in two sex video scandals that has become viral in China. The first one, based on the view of nearby skyscrapers, established that the two-minute sex video involving a young Chinese woman and her male lover was shot in May inside a hotel in Shanghai. The second one involved a naked Taiwanese couple who were having sex in front of their hotel window, reported The Sun. The pair were initially unaware that although their glass window was closed, the blind was open. Advertisement As a result, a large crown gathered in front of their room on the hotels courtyard and watched the two have sex. Some took out mobile phones and filmed the couple making love. Others jeered and cheered. The pair were providing a sex show for about one minute when they finally realized there is a crowd outside watching them. One of the two quickly closes the blind. But it was a bit too late because someone eventually uploaded their video on Friday on Liveleak where it has become viral and played more than 4,000 times. Observers noted that the voyeur crowd was not shocked but pleased by the behavior of the Taiwanese couple. At least the Taiwanese pair, upon realizing they were doing a free sex show, were embarrassed and closed the blind. In February, an exhibitionist Russian couple at the Partisan Club in Russia took off their clothes and had sex in front of club goers who were cheering them. The club is notorious for offering sparkling wine to guests who would go naked and allow their genitals to be pained, reported The Mirror. The original Barclay, designed by Tiffany Co. architects Cross & Cross, opened in 1926, designed to host rail passengers from the Grand Central Terminal beneath it. Recently reopened after a 20-month, $180 million comprehensive renovation, the InterContinental New York Barclay now lays claim to being a destination unto itself, with a more opulent but welcoming lobby, updated American Colonial and Federalist decor inspired by nearby Park Avenue residences, and a clubby gin bar that pays tribute to the citys Dutch and English roots. Setting: In Midtown Manhattan at Lexington Avenue and 48th Street, the Barclay is within walking distance of St. Patricks Cathedral, United Nations headquarters, Bryant Park and Times Square, depending on how much you like walking. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates Boeing Co. said Tuesday that it signed an agreement with Iran Air expressing the airlines intent to buy its aircraft, setting up the biggest business deal between the Islamic Republic and America since the 1979 U.S. Embassy takeover in Tehran. Already, one Iranian official has said the deal could involve 100 aircraft, while another has suggested Iranian airlines may purchase airplanes worth $25 billion from Chicagos Boeing, welcome news to workers on its massive assembly plants around Seattle and company stockholders. Boeing shares were up 25 cents Tuesday to $132.75 on the New York Stock Exchange. However, the long-standing enmity between the U.S. and Iran, as well as other sanctions, still could complicate any agreement even after last years nuclear deal. Boeing said it signed the Iran Air agreement under authorizations from the U.S. government following a determination that Iran had met its obligations under the nuclear accord reached last summer. Boeing will continue to follow the lead of the U.S. government with regards to working with Irans airlines, and any and all contracts with Irans airlines will be contingent upon U.S. government approval, it said. Boeings statement offered no further details. Fakher Daghestani, a spokesman for the manufacturer in Dubai, declined to elaborate. Iran Air, the countrys national carrier, said Monday that it wanted to buy new Boeing 737s and 777s. Earlier Tuesday, Irans Transportation Minister Abbas Akhoundi said possible deals between the Islamic Republic and Boeing could be worth as much as $25 billion, on par with the countrys earlier agreement with its European rival, Airbus. Iran also has ordered 20 airplanes from French-Italian aircraft manufacturer ATR. If the deal goes through, Akhoundi said the first Boeing plane could arrive in Iran in October. The overall size of the proposed Boeing sale to Iran remains unclear. Ali Abedzadeh, the head of Irans Civil Aviation Organization, said the sale would involve 100 Boeing aircraft, something the manufacturer has declined to discuss. Iran Air, whose website lists 43 airplanes in its fleet, has direct flights to 35 international destinations. The European Union eased its restrictions on Iran Air last week. Iranian airlines have some 60 Boeing airplanes in service, but most were purchased before the 1979 Islamic Revolution that ousted Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and brought Islamists to power. LONDON David Cameron, the British prime minister, has no one to blame but himself. In 2013, besieged by the increasingly assertive anti-European Union wing of his own Conservative Party, Cameron made a promise intended to keep a short-term peace among the Tories before the 2015 general election: If re-elected, he would hold an in-or-out referendum on continued British membership in the bloc. But what seemed then like a relatively low-risk ploy to deal with a short-term political problem has metastasized into an issue that could badly damage Britains economy, influence the countrys direction for generations and determine Camerons political fate. As the nation prepares to vote on Thursday, the betting markets are signaling that Britain will choose to remain in Europe, but polls suggest that the outcome is still too close to call. On Tuesday, speaking in front of No. 10 Downing St., Cameron warned that a decision to leave would be an irreversible choice. Appealing to older voters, many of whom tend to favor leaving the EU, Cameron urged them to think about what they would bequeath to the next generation. Above all it is about our economy, he said. The bluff, ruddy Cameron is famously lucky, having pulled out last-minute victories in numerous other scrapes. But in this case, many analysts say, he will be damaged goods even if he wins, with rivals circling to succeed him and Conservatives more divided than ever. If he loses, he will come under pressure to resign, and even if he hangs on for some portion of the four years left in his governments term, whatever substantive legacy he might have built will be lost to what many consider to be a wholly unnecessary roll of the dice. Martin Wolf, the economic columnist of the Financial Times, wrote that this referendum is, arguably, the most irresponsible act by a British government in my lifetime. Summarizing the nearly unanimous opinion of economists that a British exit Brexit would be followed by a major shock and permanent loss of growth, he concluded: The outcome might well prove devastating. Who put Britain in this situation if we leave? asked Steven Fielding, a professor of political history at the University of Nottingham. Cameron has made the case against himself, and hes damaged either way. If the Remain side loses, both Cameron and his deputy, the chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, are likely to be gone within months, said Charles Lewington, a former director of communications for the Conservative Party. BRUSSELS A man wearing a fake explosive belt filled with salt and cookies sparked a major security alert in Brussels and an emergency meeting of key government ministers Tuesday by claiming he would be blown up outside a shopping center. Police said the man claimed to have been abducted and dropped off at the downtown City 2 complex. He said that the suicide belt would be detonated remotely, prompting a response that highlighted the state of frayed nerves among the security services and government. The suspect later admitted that he had made the whole story up. Belgium has been on at least its second-highest security alert level for about eight months since the Nov. 13 massacres in Paris that killed 130 people. On March 22, suicide attacks on the Brussels underground and airport killed 32 people and injured hundreds. Extra police and military have been mobilized, guarding major buildings, nuclear plants and parts of the transport network. Police searched the home of the mother of the suspect, a man in his 20s identified in official documents only as J.B., finding materials that had apparently been used to make the fake belt, Brussels prosecutor Rym Kechiche said in a statement. Confronted with this information, J.B. admitted falsifying his story. He said he had given police the license plate number of a car he spotted on a street. The driver of the vehicle was questioned and then quickly released, Kechiche said. Prosecutors said J.B., who had recently informed police that he had been enlisted to join the Islamic State extremist group in Syria, was known to police and is thought to have had psychiatric problems. He has been remanded in custody over the hoax and a psychological assessment has been ordered. Straight after the predawn alert, Prime Minister Charles Michel changed his morning program and a meeting of the Belgian crisis center was called. At the scene, police in hoods and military wearing helmets were seen patrolling around at least one major entry to the City 2 shopping center, and the demining squad was also called in. Some entries to the subway station were blocked, and underground traffic disrupted. Meanwhile, Belgian investigators searched seven homes Tuesday in the probe into an attempted attack last year on a high-speed train from Amsterdam to Paris that was thwarted by three American passengers. 1 Iraq fighting: An Iraqi military commander said Monday that his forces are battling Islamic State militants in the northern neighborhoods of Fallujah days after most of the city was declared liberated. Brig. Gen. Haider al-Obeidi said militants are holed up in houses and buildings, saying he hopes to clear them out in the coming few days. The Fallujah offensive began in late May, and Islamic State defenses in much of the city collapsed Friday. It is located 40 miles west of Baghdad. 2 Tycoon sentenced: A Serbian court sentenced one of the richest businessmen in the Balkans to five years in prison for tax evasion Monday in a trial that the government sees as a major effort to curb corruption as it seeks European Union membership. Miroslav Miskovic was once among the most influential people in Serbia, with close political ties. He was found guilty by the antigraft court for helping his son Marko evade paying about $3.4 million in taxes linked to his road construction business. Miskovic, 70, created a business empire under the rule of strongman Slobodan Milosevic in the 1990s, and expanded it after Milosevics ouster in 2000. The New Zealand dollar edged higher after Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen told policymakers the looming British referendum on whether to leave the European Union was among the global risks being closely watched by the Fed. The kiwi increased to 71.21 US cents at 8am in Wellington from 71.12 cents yesterday and rose to 48.70 British pence from 48.51 pence. Markets are in a holding pattern ahead of the June 23 vote where the British public will decide whether or not to stay part of the European bloc. The Fed's Yellen told the Senate's banking committee that the central bank is watching the situation carefully. Still, she said she didn't "want to overblow the likely impact" of a successful 'leave' vote, which would likely stoke investor demand for safe-haven currencies, such as the greenback. However, she said she didn't anticipate it would induce a recession in the world's biggest economy. "Yellens testimony to the Senate offered few new clues on the path of normalisation. However, there was a subtle change in tone from being on watch for whether, rather than when, the US economy would show clear signs of improvement," ANZ Bank economist Philip Borkin said in a note. The kiwi is "range bound for now, but the Brexit vote later in the week and opinion polls leading up to it will no doubt shape direction." In local trading, New Zealand's May migration and tourism figures are released at 10.45am, which will likely show net migration remains strong. Reserve Bank data on credit card spending at 3pm is also on the radar. The kiwi rose to 95.45 Australian cents at 8am in Wellington from 95.04 cents yesterday after the release of minutes to this month's Reserve Bank of Australia policy review showed some economic data had beaten the bank's expectations. The local currency gained to 63.26 euro cents from 62.72 cents yesterday after European Central Bank president Mario Draghi urged policymakers to push through economic reforms to support the eurozone's recovery, and that he was prepared to stabilise markets and provide liquidity if the UK voted to leave the EU. The kiwi rose to 74.63 yen from 74.09 yen yesterday and advanced to 4.6929 Chinese yuan from 4.6462 yuan. The trade-weighted index increased to 75.68 from 75.40 yesterday. BusinessDesk.co.nz Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: October 25th Morning Report Mainfreight Investor Day / Market Update GFI - Greenfern - Offer closes 27th Oct MCY - Quarterly Operational Update VCT - Operational performance for the 3 months ended 30 Sept 2022 NZL - Forestry Estate Acquisition October 21st Morning Report Air New Zealand Limited Retail Bond Offer Books Close Spark welcomes C-band spectrum allocation AIA - 2022 Annual Meeting Chair & Chief Executive Addresses Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce has warned more needs to be done to promote New Zealand as a tech hub to investors in Asia because they mainly view the country as a food producer and film location. Speaking in Wellington at the launch of a report showcasing the value of the technology sector to the New Zealand economy, Joyce said more had to be done to tell the country's technology stories overseas. I had a discussion with Singapore investors around NZ as a tech hub and they're still thinking of us as hobbits and food," he said. "We've got a long way to go to explain the story in some markets". He added that the US was much better in its view of the country's tech industry. The report, 'Digital Nation New Zealand: From Tech Sector to Digital Nation', says the technology sector provided 9 percent of New Zealand's exports in 2015, employing 5 percent of the national workforce or just under 100,000 people. Those employed in the industry are amongst the most highly paid and highest qualified of all sectors of the economy. In his remarks at the launch, Joyce also argued more needed to be done to attract foreign capital to invest in the country's technology industry. "We have to get to a stage where were telling a more consistent story offshore and dragging more of the international venture capitalists to New Zealand who are in more of a specialist space. He added that industry specialists were willing to come. "Theres a lot of interest being shown in New Zealand and the emerging tech story and weve got to find a way to harness that proactively". Joyce also said that technology was now instrumental in almost all areas of New Zealand business. "Last week at Fieldays, it has become an Agri-tech expo. Its all about precision agriculture now which is amazing stuff which brings that balance about productivity vs commodities". The tech sector contributes $16.2 billion to New Zealand's gross domestic product, the report says. BusinessDesk.co.nz Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: October 25th Morning Report Mainfreight Investor Day / Market Update GFI - Greenfern - Offer closes 27th Oct MCY - Quarterly Operational Update VCT - Operational performance for the 3 months ended 30 Sept 2022 NZL - Forestry Estate Acquisition October 21st Morning Report Air New Zealand Limited Retail Bond Offer Books Close Spark welcomes C-band spectrum allocation AIA - 2022 Annual Meeting Chair & Chief Executive Addresses Australian-listed dairy company Bega Cheese has released an opening farmgate milk price for the 2016/2017 season of A$5 per kilogram of milk solids, claiming analysts are not expecting an improvement in dairy commodity returns until the first half of next year. Fonterra Cooperative Group and Australias biggest dairy processor Murray Goulburn are yet to announce their opening forecast for the new season in Australia though last month Fonterra set an early price of $4.25 for New Zealand suppliers. That was up 35 cents on the forecast milk price for the 2015/2016 season. Murray Goulburn said it would release its opening forecast after a board meeting at the end of this month. Bega Cheese stuck to its announced A$5.60/kgMS farmgate milk price payout in the 2015/2016 season despite its major competitors slashing the prices they paid for raw milk very late in the financial year, prompting calls from farmers for an independent review of Australia's dairy industry. Murray Goulburn dropped its farmgate price from an average of A$5.60 to A$4.75-$5 in April for the 2015/16, after saying it would struggle to meet even half of the profit forecast in its partial float on the ASX less than a year ago. Fonterra, which is obliged to at least match Murray Goulburns price under its Bonlac supply agreement, followed suit, cutting its 2015/16 season price from an average A$5.60 to A$5. The revised Australian milk price reduces the cost of goods sold for the loss-making Fonterra Australia by about A$48 million. Fonterra had already reduced payments for its New Zealand suppliers to $3.90/kgMS for that season. Bega executive chairman Barry Irvin said the company could not insulate farmgate milk prices from the reality of the markets. BusinessDesk.co.nz Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: October 25th Morning Report Mainfreight Investor Day / Market Update GFI - Greenfern - Offer closes 27th Oct MCY - Quarterly Operational Update VCT - Operational performance for the 3 months ended 30 Sept 2022 NZL - Forestry Estate Acquisition October 21st Morning Report Air New Zealand Limited Retail Bond Offer Books Close Spark welcomes C-band spectrum allocation AIA - 2022 Annual Meeting Chair & Chief Executive Addresses Rupert Murdoch's News Corp has bought APN News & Media's Australian regional newspaper business for A$36 million, leaving APN to focus on its radio stations and outdoor advertising business, according to Australian media reports. In its 2015 financial results released in February, APN said it was looking to sell its regional newspaper business, which has a portfolio of 12 daily and more than 60 non-daily Australian regional newspapers, so it could focus on its digital growth strategy. In those results, the Sydney-based APN reported a loss of A$10.2 million, including an A$48.3 million charge against the mastheads of its Australian regional newspapers, from a profit of A$11.5 million a year earlier. The Australian Financial Review and The Australian, which is owned by News Corp, this morning both report the deal worth A$36 million was completed last night. The Australian reported yesterday that APN wanted A$50 million for its regional newspapers and that NewsCorp and Singapore-based social media marketing firm Fetch Plus had lodged binding offers when final bids were due on Friday. APN received Overseas Investment Office approval yesterday for its plan to split out its NZME unit, which owns its New Zealand media assets, ahead of a potential merger with rival Fairfax Media's New Zealand operations. Its shareholders last week overwhelmingly backed the plans to carve out the New Zealand unit as a standalone listed company, freeing up APN to focus on Australian radio and outside advertising business. Analysts said exiting the New Zealand assets would allow APN to better participate in the consolidation of the Australian media sector, where media ownership laws are expected to be relaxed next year. BusinessDesk.co.nz Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: October 25th Morning Report Mainfreight Investor Day / Market Update GFI - Greenfern - Offer closes 27th Oct MCY - Quarterly Operational Update VCT - Operational performance for the 3 months ended 30 Sept 2022 NZL - Forestry Estate Acquisition October 21st Morning Report Air New Zealand Limited Retail Bond Offer Books Close Spark welcomes C-band spectrum allocation AIA - 2022 Annual Meeting Chair & Chief Executive Addresses Chinese President Xi's Visit to Central and Eastern Europe to Enhance Partnership Projects: Foreign Ministry Officials President Xi Jinping is visiting Serbia, Poland and Uzbekistan to improve ties with Central and Eastern Europe. (Photo : Getty Images) Foreign ministry officials stated last week that Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to the countries in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) is expected to enhance partnership projects, China Daily reported. Advertisement The itinerary of the eight-day trip, which began on Friday, includes Xi attending signing ceremonies for cooperation papers with Serbia, Poland and Uzbekistan, assistant foreign ministers Liu Haixing and Li Huilai said. Liu also said that Xi is visiting Serbia's Smederevo steel mill. The firm, founded in 1913, was recently acquired by Hesteel Group, China's largest icon and steel business group in terms of production capability, for 46 million euros. Liu added that the construction of Serbian highways and power stations in ventures with Chinese firms is going smoothly. Back in 2014, Serbia's Zemun-Borca Bridge, the first Chinese company-built bridge in Europe, was successfully opened, marking a good start for construction projects involving Chinese companies. Additionally, Chinese authorities are inviting local firms to invest in Poland's nuclear power energy. The country has been China's biggest trading partner in CEE for the past 11 years. Poland is coincidentally the only CEE country that has joined the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Liu noted. For Liu Zuoki, an expert from Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of European Studies, enhancing China's ties with Poland and Serbia will be beneficial in propelling the Sino-CEE relations. As for boosting the China-Uzbekistan cooperation, Li said that Xi is attending a ceremony for a tunnel completion, a project which involves a Chinese firm. The Chinese leader is also attending the meeting of Shanghai Cooperation Organization's (SCO) Coouncil and Heads of States. The gathering will tackle the applications of Pakistan and India to join the group. The SCO summit, coinciding with its 15th founding anniversary this year, is expected to create a huge impact on the organization's further growth. The revamped board of listed software company Wynyard say a restructure of the business into two units and tight control on costs should see a turnaround on the disappointing 2015 performance that has seen the share price tank 59 percent in the past year. At todays annual general meeting in Auckland, long-time director and newly appointed chairman Guy Haddleton told shareholders the board and management were working hard to apply the many lessons it has learnt in recent months. The share price rose 5 cents to 69 cents. Shares have been on a downward trend this year since a disappointing annual result in February where revenue of $26.3 million was well below the forecast $40 to $45 million with several expected deals slipping. The company then did a heavily discounted rights issue in March to raise working capital in a hurry. Haddleton addressed shareholders concerns in his speech, asking what went wrong and why had chief executive Craig Richardson kept his job? The failure to close expected government contracts in December meant cash didnt arrive as expected through December and January although the board still thought it could achieve the lower end of its revenue guidance range, he said. That would have been okay if the capital raising planned for December had occurred but it slipped into the New Year and then global market turbulence derailed the process. Although the market disruption was unkind to us, lets not blame this. Bluntly we didnt execute a solid game; no doubt influenced by our previous capital raising successes and not placing sufficient weight on the value of having an investment banker as a partner, he said. A board-commissioned independent review of chief executive Craig Richardson found he was a leading salesperson and inspirational leader. Haddleton said Richardson has been receptive to guidance and the board agreed he should continue as ceo, although the revamped board which has three new directors with more commercial experience will play a more active operational role in future. The business has been divided into two units government which Richardson will head, focused on the criminal intelligence market, and commercial headed by Paul Stokes, which will focus on its new cyber security product ACTA (Advanced Cyber Threat Analytics). The narrower focus of the business should yield annualised cash savings of around $17 million through a combination of reducing staffing levels through attrition and redundancies and further operating cost and capital expenditure reductions. The company wouldnt say how many staff have lost their jobs. Haddleton said no-one was happy with last years sales performance and to address that the company was no longer selling everything, everywhere. The government side will sell to the law enforcement and corrections market in North America and national security in Europe, the Middle East and New Zealand. Commercial will sell to large corporates and managed security service providers in Australia, New Zealand, and the UK this year before expanding into other regions next year. The opportunity pipeline for ACTA, our cyber security product, is the strongest I have personally seen for such an early stage enterprise software company, he said. Its already signed deals for ACTA with Telstra and Deloitte. Richardson said the market opportunity in front of the company has reduced from an $8 billion market to a $4.7 billion one but that wont impact the qualified sales opportunities for this financial year. There is no change to the revenue guidance for this financial year of $54 to $65 million plus an additional contract of $14.3 million that has taken some time to close. The cash position for the first half is expected to be broadly in line with forecast and the board said the company has sufficient working capital to fund its business plan announced in February. One woman turned up at the annual meeting to drum up shareholder support for a class action to recover share price losses from August 2016 to February 2016. A critical mass of affected shareholders needed to pursue a class suit would be losses of around $17 million. Two fund managers - Logic Funds principal Greg Marshall, who successfully waged a campaign that led to a $60 million settlement for Credit Sails investors, and Australian-based Millinium Capital managing director Tom Wallace are behind the campaign. Neither men are shareholders in Wynyard and will receive part of a 20 percent of so fixed percentage fee from any successful court order or settlement if the class action proceeds. Marshall said preliminary investigations indicate Wynyard may have misled investors over statements relating to two key areas: reported 2015 revenue falling short of guidance and comments on the status of the deeply-discounted $30 million capital raising in March. Richardson said he was aware of the class action campaign but that he had had no contact with those behind it. Directors and management had disclosed all financial information relating to the guidance as soon as it became clear to them, he said. Im a shareholder too and Im not happy with the 2015 performance, Richardson said. But we have a significant market opportunity, the makings of a good business, a great board and strong executive team. I understand shareholders disappointment but the board and management are working relentlessly to revive their confidence. BusinessDesk.co.nz Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: October 25th Morning Report Mainfreight Investor Day / Market Update GFI - Greenfern - Offer closes 27th Oct MCY - Quarterly Operational Update VCT - Operational performance for the 3 months ended 30 Sept 2022 NZL - Forestry Estate Acquisition October 21st Morning Report Air New Zealand Limited Retail Bond Offer Books Close Spark welcomes C-band spectrum allocation AIA - 2022 Annual Meeting Chair & Chief Executive Addresses New Zealand shares dropped, defying global trends, as a lack of news and Brexit nervousness kept the market quiet. Tegel Group and Vital Healthcare Property Trust declined while A2 Milk rose. The S&P/NZX 50 Index fell 30.15 points, or 0.4 percent, to 6,839.39. Within the index, 24 stocks rose, 20 fell and six were unchanged. Turnover was $144 million. "The market's fall is unusual because there was an almighty rally overnight from the international markets, in particular the UK and Europe, and a material rally out of the US - we're bucking the trend by being in the red," said Mark Lister, head of private wealth research at Craigs Investment Partners. "We haven't suffered the way markets like Europe or the UK have over the last several days, so we haven't participated in the rebound today." That rebound was due to Brexit fears easing overnight. Local market participants have been happy to bide their time due to the uncertainty ahead of Friday morning's vote (NZ time), combined with a dearth of stock-specific news, Lister said. "The Brexit vote is keeping people nervous and keeping markets volatile, and it's going to be close from everything we can see," Lister said. "A lot of investors seem happy to sit on the sidelines rather than make any big bets while you've got that looming later in the week." Tegel Group fell 0.6 percent to $1.67. The poultry group, which was taken public by private equity firm Affinity Equity Partners in April, reported annual sales and profit ahead of its prospectus forecasts and said it was on track to achieve its targets for the current year. "It was pretty much in line with expectations, very marginally higher - there was nothing really there to provide drivers one way or another," Lister said. "When you're a new company there's always going to be a bit of a spotlight on you when you report your first results, I don't think anyone expected them to deviate too much." Vital Healthcare Property Trust was the worst performer, down 4.1 percent to $2.13. The trust plans to raise $160 million to pay down debt, giving it headroom to pursue a pipeline of developments on both sides of the Tasman. It will sell shares at $2.08 apiece in a two-for-one pro rata renounceable rights offer. Lister said the sell-off was normal as the proposed share price was below the current share price. Spark New Zealand shed 2.9 percent to $3.38, Kathmandu Holdings fell 2.1 percent to $1.39, and Ebos Group dropped 1.5 percent to $16.05. A2 Milk gained 2.3 percent to $1.81. Last Wednesday the milk marketing company raised its full-year guidance and said it is well placed to cope with changes to infant formula regulations in China. It has gained 15 percent since then, though is below its record of $2.27 from last December. "It was one of the strongest movers last week after the profit upgrade, that just continues to respond in the wake of that update," Lister said. Orion Health gained 1.7 percent to $4.89. The health software developer said it has signed an agreement with Minnesota state-certified health information organisation (HIO) Koble-MN to use its Amadeus precision medicine platform for an undisclosed amount. Westpac Banking Corp gained 1.8 percent to $31.19 and Comvita rose 1.7 percent to $12.30. BusinessDesk.co.nz Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: October 25th Morning Report Mainfreight Investor Day / Market Update GFI - Greenfern - Offer closes 27th Oct MCY - Quarterly Operational Update VCT - Operational performance for the 3 months ended 30 Sept 2022 NZL - Forestry Estate Acquisition October 21st Morning Report Air New Zealand Limited Retail Bond Offer Books Close Spark welcomes C-band spectrum allocation AIA - 2022 Annual Meeting Chair & Chief Executive Addresses T&G Global, the fruit marketer controlled by Germany's BayWa, is opening a new office in Thailand as it looks to further its global expansion after posting an 83 percent gain in profit last year. In notes from its annual meeting posted to the NZX, chief executive Alastair Hubert said T&G would shortly open a new office in Bangkok, adding to its Asian footprint with an office in Shanghai, China. "This expansion builds on our new joint venture with Zespri and will be a gateway into the region not only for sales of kiwifruit but other categories as well, notably our popular Jazz and Envy apples," Hubert said. In February, T&G reported an 83 percent gain in annual profit to $19.5 million in 2015. Hubert said the company had given its staff a results-based incentive payment for the first time in 2015, and discussed 'Strategy 2022', "an evolution and optimisation of T&G's current strategy." The strategy will focus on sustainable growth, accountability, diversity, and health and safety, he said without providing details. The company's shares were unchanged at $2.75 and have gained 31 percent so far this year. BusinessDesk.co.nz Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: October 25th Morning Report Mainfreight Investor Day / Market Update GFI - Greenfern - Offer closes 27th Oct MCY - Quarterly Operational Update VCT - Operational performance for the 3 months ended 30 Sept 2022 NZL - Forestry Estate Acquisition October 21st Morning Report Air New Zealand Limited Retail Bond Offer Books Close Spark welcomes C-band spectrum allocation AIA - 2022 Annual Meeting Chair & Chief Executive Addresses 'For Cities, It's Time for Action': Shenzhen Forum Encourages Cities to Lead Battle Against Emissions A U.S. scientist has received recognition from China for his contribution in the country's efforts to research about global climate change. (Photo : Getty Images) "For cities, it's time for action, not celebration." This is what Paris Deputy Mayor Patrick Klugman told on the sidelines of the 4th Shenzhen International Low Carbon City Forum, emphasizing that cities should lead the battle in combatting emissions, SCMP reported. Advertisement "Cities are important because they can move quicker and go further than states," Klugman said. Signed in Paris last December, the landmark climate change deal states that 195 countries agreed to set their own emission reduction goals. This is part of the global efforts to limit the rise of temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The deal, however, will only take place if at least 55 countries will ratify it domestically. France became the first major country to do so after ratifying the agreement on Wednesday. The Western nation joined the ranks of 17 smaller countries, which currently represent less than 1 percent of the cumulative emissions. Klugman added that the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, an 83-member organization composed of some of the world's megacities, was "making all the commitments of the Paris agreement real before 2020," when the deal was signed last year in the French capital. "What we are now doing in the frame of the C40 is taking the Paris agreement into action before it's taken into action by the states," the deputy mayor noted. According to C40 Director of Regions Simon Hansen, most of the network's members are "already setting clear targets for emissions peaks or cuts, as well as laying out how those goals would be achieved," SCMP wrote. "We are not descriptive, so we do not tell cities what their target should be . . . but we do encourage all of our member cities to have an action plan and they should set a target," Hansen said. Hong Kong, along with six mainland cities (Shenzhen, Nanjing, Guangzhou, Dalian, Chengdu and Wuhan), is part of C40. Chinese capital Beijing and Shanghai are observers, meaning they are not obliged to hand over any information on their emissions to the network. Hansen shared that C40 is already in talks with the two Chinese megacities to become full-pledged members of the group. "When we expand, we would like to expand in the areas of the world where cities are growing most rapidly and where the potential to reduce carbon emissions is the highest," he said. "So I think the Chinese cities are prime examples of that." C40 is looking forward to having Beijing and Shanghai as full members this 2016. Underground radio stations illegally earn by unlawfully hawking fake medicines. (Photo : Reuters) Over 300 radio stations were caught by northeast China's police illegally hawking fake medicines, threatening aviation safety via transmissions and promoting scams, state-run Xinhua News Agency reported. Advertisement According to the outlet, authorities from Liaoning Province's Shenyang busted a total of 66 underground radio stations from January to April this year. In 2015, 225 stations were busted. Lui Weidong, Shenyang's wireless regulator, remarked that the cracking down on the stations "was like harvesting garlic chives." "A new batch would always spring up soon after you cut the previous batch," Lui added. The report noted that these radio stations did not have the permit to operate and ran via home set-ups. Back in 2014 when illegal stations were still a novelty, a set of radio broadcasting equipment can be purchased at 20,000 yuan. Nowadays, the facilities can just be ordered online for a few thousand dollars. Through the illegal businesses these radios do, the capital people have poured in can easily be recovered. The article stressed that "majority of the illegal radio stations in Shenyang were used to promote illegal medicines, with treatments for venereal diseases accounting for over 80 percent of their business." Furthermore, the investigations have found out that the stations also sold low-quality medicines for over 1,000 yuan. The items' original price was only less than 20 yuan. People who run such business get commissions apart from the income they earn from selling the drugs. This easy source of income, though illegal, has attracted many people in the province, which currently faces a struggling economic growth. Liaoning is among the slowest growing provinces in the country. Meanwhile, as for stations hindering aviation, the report cited as an example the disruption of the landings of four flights at Dalian airport in the province. Based on wireless communication regulations, radio stations caught doing such illegal acts could be fined with a maximum of 5,000 yuan. President Xi Jinping speaks during the 8th round of U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogues in Beijing. (Photo : Reuters) Chinese President Xi Jinping is looking at possibilities of collaborating with Serbia on several major projects, ahead of a planned state visit to Belgrade, China Daily reported. In an article published by Politika, a Serbian newspaper, Xi called for increased bilateral trade and investment between the two countries, adding that China wants to share its achievements and development opportunities with Serbia. Advertisement The Chinese leader also stressed the bilateral relations between China and Serbia, whom he called as an "eternal friend and sincere partner." He said that China's friendship with Serbia dates back to the 1950s when the country established its diplomatic relations with Yugoslavia. "There is a saying in Serbia that friends are the fruits of time," Xi said. The Chinese foreign ministry said that the two countries are set to sign several documents on cooperation in areas that include trade, finance, economic affairs, and production capacity. Serbia, which is seeking membership in the European Union, is one of the places favored by investors in Europe because it has the lowest production costs and a high availability of technical workers, according to Denis Depoux, deputy president of Roland Berger Strategy Consultants for Asia. Depoux added that Chinese companies and investors have found many business opportunities in the growing economies of Central and East European countries. Xi's visit to Serbia is seen to bring more investments to the country, especially from Chinese companies engaged in rail, highway and bridge construction projects, Xiang Junyong, an international relations researcher at Renmin University of China, said. In an interview with China Central Television, Sinisa Mali, the mayor of Belgrade, said that an agreement worth 500 million euros ($561 million) as an investment in the city's sewage facilities will be signed by the two countries, as well as a deal to build an industrial park in Belgrade with a Chinese company. Xi is set to visit the Smederevo steel mill, which was acquired in April by Hesteel Group, China's largest iron and steel business group, said Liu Haixing, assistant foreign minister. Serbia established strategic partnership with China in 2009 and is the first country in CEE to form such alliance with China. Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic, with other European troops, attended the 70th anniversary of victory in the World Anti-Fascist War in Beijing in September last year. Finding Out Where the Best and Worst Places to Live in China This collage shows some of Qingdao's notable landmarks (clockwise): Qingdao skyline, St. Michael's Cathedral, Qingdao harbor by night, a temple at the base of Mount Lao and May Fourth Square. (Photo : Wikimedia) Couples wanting to raise a family and retirees seeking for a vacation home may consider Qingdao as a top priority. The recent China Livable Cities Research Report conducted by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has named Qingdao as the "most livable city in China," a recognition that was previously bestowed upon the area in 2012. Advertisement The study analyzed 29 indicators based on six perspectives, namely, access to public services, social and humanistic environment, safety, natural environment, environmental health hazards, and public transport. Located in eastern Shandong Province and home to more than 9 million people, Qingdao scored the highest in all six categories. The cities of Weihai, Sanya, Kunming and Dalian join Qingdao in the top five. "Kunming's ranking benefits from its pleasant natural environment and characteristic cultural environment," wrote China Daily. "Sanya wins for its air quality and Dalian performs well in city safety and natural environment. Weihai, meanwhile, cracks the top five due to its natural and cultural environment." Beijing was named as the least livable city in the country, primarily due to its worsening problem of air pollution. "[A]mong four livability studies about Beijing in 2005, 2009, 2013 and 2015, the city continued to register poorer scores as time went on due to potential health hazards in the environment," CAS said in a press release. "Beijing scored higher than average in other aspects, especially in safety, overall social environment and transportation." Taiyuan, Nanchang, Guangzhou and Harbin are also at the bottom of the list. The report stressed that China "has a long way to go to build livable cities," as highlighted by the 59.92 percent average score of all 40 cities evaluated. The benchmark for livability is 60 points. Zhang Wenzhong, a researcher at CAS and the report's main author, said that the assessment system excluded home prices on purpose to avoid possible hype by developers. Didi Chuxing to Take On Uber After Raising $7.3 Billion in Funds Chinese ride-sharing company Didi says that it is now ready to take on Uber after raising $7.3 billion in funds. (Photo : Twitter) Chinese ride-sharing company Didi Chuxing is set to take its rivalry with global giant Uber on a new level, as the latter has reportedly gathered more than $7 billion in its latest fund-raising run. According to the company, they have managed to close more than $4.5 billion in its recent fundraising round. Additionally, it has secured a syndicated loan worth $2.5 billion, which was provided by the China Merchant Bank Co., The Wall Street Journal reported. Advertisement Didi also secured several smaller loans, including $300 million provided by insurance firm China Life. The new funds bring Didi's total value to more than $28 billion. The company also reported that it now has $10.5 billion in disposable cash. Didi said that it plans to use the money to invest in big data research, as well as improving their services, particularly in the area of rider and driver experience. Uber currently has a value of $62.5 billion. The San Francisco-based company has also reportedly secured $3.5 billion from the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund. It also announced that it has hired Stanley Morgan and Barclays PLC to attract more investors through the selling of $1 billion to $2 billion worth of leveraged loans. However, more than the influx of funds, Didi proudly announced that it has gained the backing of major domestic companies Alibaba and Tencent, as well as global technology giant Apple. Company founder and CEO Cheng Wei welcomed the development, adding that the arrival of these big investors reflects growing confidence in Didi's business potential, CNBC reported. Didi, formerly Didi Kuaidi, was formed in 2015 by the merger of ride-sharing companies Didi Dache and Kuaidi Dache. NEW DELHI: Wind Turbine maker Suzlon Group on Monday said it has entered into a pact with CLP India for a 100 mw solar project at Veltoor in Telangana. CLP India acquired 49 per cent stake in SE Solar, a special purpose vehicle (SPV) set-up by Suzlon, as per the agreement signed between CLP India and Suzlon last week. CLP India, a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based power company CLP, has the option to acquire the remaining 51 per cent in future, the company said in a statement. The project is expected to be commissioned by May and will be funded 80 per cent by debt and 20 per cent by equity. India is a primary growth market for CLP, and the Veltoor solar project will make an important contribution to CLP's expansion plan. Besides, it will help CLP to meet its target to generate 20 per cent of power by renewable energy by 2020. The 100 mw project will be Suzlon's first venture in the solar energy sector. Recently, CLP India signed an MoU with Haryana government to set up a 132 MW solar project at its Jhajjar power station. "We have been keen to invest in solar in India to complement our wind portfolio, and have evaluated projects that will be value-enhancing for our shareholders... We will continue to explore such projects to expand our renewable energy footprint in Telangana and across India," Rajiv Mishra, managing director, CLP India, said. Suzlon has won solar projects of 210 mw in Telangana through a competitive bidding process, and the Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) for the same were signed in February, 2016. These include one project of 100 mw, one of 50 mw and four projects of 15 mw each. "Globally, renewable energy is witnessing a paradigm shift from being considered alternate to mainstream source of energy. Investments in both wind and solar have garnered traction owing to the improving cost competitiveness enabled through technology advancements and the need to transition from fossil fuel dominated energy architecture," Suzlon Group's chairman and managing director Tulsi Tanti said. Read Also: Eros To Acquire 50pct Stake In Puja Entertainment Toyota's U.S. Robotics Boss Promises Results Within 5 Years NEW DELHI: India is monitoring the developments of 'Brexit' as it would have a bearing on the country's trade with European Union and the UK, Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said today. She said that although decline in exports is bottoming out, "we will have to watch the two obvious developments globally as a result of which your international trade related matters are going to have a bearing such as the Brexit". "We will assess the impact (as in) what happens if Britaincontinues or go out (from EU), she said when asked about the possible impact of Brexit on India. EU is one of the India's major trading partner. It accounts for about 15 per cent of the country's exports. She also said that the contracting economies and developments in nations, including Venezuela, too would have some impact on India's trade. "...EU demand is waiting for the outcome of Brexit. We still have some way to go before we say, yes there is a revival (in exports). But we can see it is bottoming out. To see the pick up (in exports), I want some international developments also to happen whichever way it happens," she added. The remarks assume significance as exports fell the 18th month in a row in May, though marginally by 0.79 per cent, to USD 22.17 billion as several non-oil sectors such as engineering and gems and jewellery saw a rise in outward shipments. When asked about start-ups, she said the government has taken lot of steps for the budding entrepreneurs like helping them in a way to find investors also. "There are issues with incubators...Start-ups are not going out of India," she said adding there would a start-up function in Hyderabad in September where investors would also participate. On the ongoing Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) negotiations, she said there is no pressure and talks are progressing. On the issue of pulses prices, she said the government is taking lot of steps to rein in the prices including importing from countries and getting into government-to-government deals. On GST, she said, the Finance Minister is talking to all the political parties. Tamil Nadu has certain issues as that is a manufacturing state and they have some natural reservations and "I expect that the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister will support the GST". Read Also: Lakhs Stretch For International Yoga Day, PM Leads Event India Most Open Economy For FDI: Modi CHANDIGARH: Lakhs of people across India and abroad stretched themselves in various postures to mark the second International Yoga Day today as Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the main event in Chandigarh, performing asanas, maintaining that yoga is not a religious activity. Dressed in a white T-shirt and trousers with a scarf around his neck, Modi joined over 30,000 people including defense forces personnel and school children for the event and asked people to embrace yoga like they have taken to mobile phones, saying "it gives us health assurance at zero budget". He also pitched for treating diabetes through Yoga and announced two awards including international Yoga awards for excellent work in the field. President Pranab Mukherjee kicked off the celebrations at Rashtrapati Bhavan with around 1,000 persons participating in a mass yoga event. The day had its share of controversies with Kerala Health Minister and senior CPI(M) leader K K Shailaja expressing reservations over rendering of a Sanskrit 'shloka'. Taking part in the state-level Yoga event in Thiruvananthapuram, the Minister asked the officials whether the 'shloka' was necessary to be included in the programme schedule and suggested a commonly accepted prayer could have been included at the event. No official programme was organised by the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar where Union minister Ravishankar Prasad, led thousands of people in observing the fitness regime. In Puducherry, Chief Minister V.Narayanasamy and his ministerial colleagues, who were scheduled to participate in the yoga day celebration, were conspicuous by their absence. Lt Governor Kiran Bedi led participants at the mass yoga demonstration. Union Ministers fanned out to various states to lead the yoga day celebrations. Braving rains, Home Minister Rajnath Singh participated in the main programme at KD Singh Babu Stadium in Lucknow. In Jaipur, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and Union Minister Uma Bharti were present at the event venue. However, Bharti was seen sitting on a chair and did not perform asanas due to health reasons. She only did some breathing exercises. While Governor Vidyasagar Rao and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis led the functions in Mumbai, the event in Madhya Pradesh was led by HRD Minister Smriti Irani. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu performed asanas at the state level event in Vijaywada. The day also saw nearly 2,000 pregnant women setting a record by performing yoga in Gujarat's Rajkot. At the United Nations, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon asked citizens across nations to embrace healthier choices to mark the International Day of Yoga. "On this International Day of Yoga, I urge everyone to embrace healthier choices and lifestyles and to commit to unity with our fellow human beings, regardless of ethnicity, faith, age, gender identity or sexual orientation," Ban said. The UN Chief's message for yoga day was read out by Indian diplomat and currently his Special Advisor on Myanmar Vijay Nambiar during a special panel discussion organised by India's Permanent Mission to the UN. Ahead of the Day, several striking images of complex yoga postures illuminated the UN headquarters. Armed forces also marked the Day across the country by performing 'aasanas' at several events including on warships. In Kashmir, the main function was held at the official residence of Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh in Srinagar where several BJP leaders including MLAs took part. Officials said two events were conducted by the National Cadet Corps (NCC) exclusively for its girl cadets at Government School Kothibagh and Government Girls Higher Secondary School Nawakadal. At the main Yoga event in Chandigarh, the Prime Minister stressed that yoga is not 'Dharmik Karamkand' (a religious activity) but a "science for this life". He also urged people not to drag yoga into a controversy. Pitching for treating diseases like diabetes through the ancient discipline, he said, "All people belonging to yoga field, whatever knowledge they have, they must continue with the rest of their yoga activities but this (diabetes) must be the main focus". As participants bent and stretched themselves at the French architect Le-Corbusier designed Capitol Complex, he said Yoga is not about what one will get, but it is about what one can give up. He said with zero budget, Yoga provides health assurance, and does not discriminate between rich and poor. Urging people not to put Yoga into any controversy, Modi stressed upon them to adopt it for good life. On the awards for yoga, Modi said there will be a expert committee which will frame rules for giving out awards. "India wants that those associated with Yoga in the country and rest of the world be awarded. Those working for yoga in the country should be honoured. And this tradition be taken forward then. Gradually, we can take it to state and district level," he said. Modi noted that Yoga was turning out to be "very big" business. "Today yoga is becoming a very big business. It is developing as big profession. Demand for yoga trainers is growing. Employment opportunities for youth are rising. In many parts of the world, there are places where TV channels are dedicated to showing Yoga programmes only," he said Modi said Centre has started working towards fixing norms and protocols for Yoga training to take it to the world. "Today in every part of world, yoga has become a subject of prestige. Our ancestors, 'rishi munis', gave this science, to us and it is our responsibility to take Yoga to the world. We should do our capacity building. Expert Yoga teachers should be ready in the country. "Government's quality council has worked in the direction of fixing norms with regard to yoga training. Centre has started working in association with WHO to fix protocols and scientific ways for yoga," he said. The PM noted that the day got immense support from across the world, turning it into one of the biggest campaign. "I also express gratitude to the United Nations. It is a matter of pride that people across the world are connecting with it (Yoga Day) celebrations. We should give new power, new energy and new inspiration to Yoga," he said. Read Also: India Most Open Economy For FDI: Modi HP Govt Launches Skill Development Project WASHINGTON: Amid China's opposition, the U.S. has given a fresh push to India's NSG membership bid by asking members of the elite club to support India's entry into the grouping during the ongoing plenary meeting in Seoul. "We believe, and this has been U.S. policy for some time, that India is ready for membership and the United States calls on participating governments to support India's application at the plenary session of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters. "At the same time, participating governments will need to reach a consensus decision in order to admit any applicant into the group and the United States will certainly be advocating for India's membership," Earnest said as the 5-day annual plenary session of the 48-member club began in the South Korean capital yesterday. His remarks came after China said India's membership is not on the agenda of the NSG meeting in Seoul. The NSG remains divided over non-NPT countries like India becoming its members, China's Foreign Ministry had said yesterday less than 24 hours after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj exuded hope that "we would be able to convince China to support our entry to the NSG." U.S. President Barack Obama, Earnest said, had an opportunity to discuss the issue of India's NSG membership bid with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their White House meeting earlier this month. "The United States, as you know, strongly supports India's application to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group," Earnest said. "We have made our views known both publicly and privately, and we'll continue to do so," Earnest said when asked if the U.S. has reached out to members of the NSG in support of India's application. At a separate news conference, the State Department reiterated the same views. "As you know, during Prime Minister Modi's visit, the President welcomed India's application to join the NSG and reaffirmed that India is ready for membership. We continue to call on the participating governments, the NSG, to support India's application at the plenary session this week itself," State Department Spokesman John Kirby told reporters at his daily news conference. "India's application is something we have routinely talked to other NSG participating members. This is not a new topic of discussion that we've had privately with the members," Kirby said. Last week as well, the U.S. had called on members of the nuclear trading club to support India's membership. While majority of the elite group members backed India's membership, it is understood that apart from China, countries like Turkey, South Africa, Ireland and New Zealand were not in favour of India's entry into the NSG. China maintains opposition to India's entry, arguing that it has not signed Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). However, it has been batting for its close ally Pakistan's entry if NSG extends any exemption for India. Pakistan applied for NSG membership, a week after India submitted its membership application. India has asserted that being a signatory to the NPT was not essential for joining the NSG as there has been a precedent in this regard, citing the case of France. India is seeking membership of NSG to enable it to trade in and export nuclear technology. The access to the NSG, which regulates the global trade of nuclear technology, is expected to open up the international market for energy-starved India, which has an ambitious energy generation programme. India is looking at 63,000 MW energy requirement through the nuclear programme by 2030. The NSG looks after critical issues relating to nuclear sector and its members are allowed to trade in and export nuclear technology. Membership of the grouping will help India significantly expand its atomic energy sector. India has been reaching out to NSG member countries seeking support for its entry. The NSG works under the principle of consensus and even one country's vote against India will scuttle its bid. Read Also: Lakhs Stretch For International Yoga Day, PM Leads Event India Most Open Economy For FDI: Modi BENGALURU: The German car maker Volkswagen has impressed its Indian customers with its wide range of vehicles Polo, Vento, Passat and many more. The autocar manufacturer launched its Indian specific car Ameo in Bengaluru with a starting price of INR 5.33 Lakh (ex-showroom price). Ameo stands between the slot of Polo and Vento. This new sedan has same wheelbase as that of Polo with mechanically no changes. However, the German car maker has reduced the front overhang by 35 mm and added it to the rear, making the car look more proportionate. The hood, headlamps, side fenders, doors and the upper grille are the same as that of Polo. But the roof is lowered by 15mm, with a sweeping C-pillar making the car more aerodynamic than the hatchback Polo. Volkswagen Ameo is powered with a 1.2 litre, 3-cylinder MPI Petrol Engine producing power of 74bhp and torque of 114 Nm; also the company plans to launch the diesel variant boosted with a 1.5 litre, 4 cylinder TDI Diesel Engine. These engines are coupled with 5-speed manual transmission gear box. Volkswagen brings in three different variantsTreadline, Comfortline, and Highline with prices ranging from INR 6 to 8 Lakhs. These variants are equipped with features like cruise control, centre arm rest, rain sensing wipers, static cornering lights and anti-pinch power windows. Keeping safety on the frontline, Ameo empowers ABS and dual front bags. So, this weekend get out to visit the nearby showroom and you can have Ameo test drive to book it. Read Also: 6 Automobile Brands Making Their Entry To India Sometime Soon Datsun Continues To Focus On Entry-Level Cars In India STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- While muffins, rugelach and cinnamon buns cooled on a rack at Pastry Lover's Choice, Stephanie Tavarez scooped chocolate chip cookie dough into perfect balls. She aimed this Monday morning to replenish baked goods in a glass display case one batch at a time. The Stapleton pastry shop opened officially on Saturday, June 11. And, the owner is Sahera Threats, a Queens transplant who lives in St. George. Her desserts -- the chunky cookies, sugar-capped muffins and cupcakes with a plume of buttercream -- are all made from scratch. For this graduate of The Art Institute (formerly New York Restaurant School), Pastry Lover's Choice is "absolutely" a dream. "I've been baking for the past 10 years privately...I love the culinary world," said Sahera. Now from a brick-and-mortar storefront, she crafts triple-layer occasion cakes for patrons in carrot, red velvet, double chocolate and pineapple-coconut flavors. And word is beginning to spread about her store. "Everything is good there. There's something about really fresh pastries..." said Beniah Gray of Silver Lake, a line cook at Harvest Cafe who's become a fan of Sahera's operation. He highly recommends the generously frosted cinnamon buns. Hot and fresh from the oven on a recent morning, they indeed proved delicious -- a puff pastry dough rolled by hand to yield a molten center of cinnamon, brown sugar and butter. Stapleton resident Mike McWeeney loves the croissants, also made with puff pastry. They are not yet ready on this particular morning but Tavarez could coax such a pastry fan toward the chocolate rugelach made from the same dough. "People are excited. We even have people come back already!" enthused Bilao McClure, one of Ms. Threats' son. He gave notice at his job as a Cosi manager in Manhattan to run his Mom's shop full time. "They're excited because there's a bakery. We bake everything fresh every morning, from scratch," said Bilao who raves about the store's coffee. He reported that icy frappes topped with cupcake crumbles are very well-received among high school students who pass through the store. His brother Ammar Threats picked up a red bench and moved it outside the store. "He's out of school so we can use him today," said a smiling Bilao. "We're new and we're just starting to get on top of it all," said Bilao. McWeeney suggested to Bilao that Pastry Lover's Choice should carry bread. "Just a free-form bread," McWeeney offered. For now, the neighborhood foodie enjoyed fresh brewed coffee and whatever would be coming fresh and hot from the PLC oven. Pastry Lover's Choice is open weekdays at 7 a.m. Monday through Thursday the store closes at 7 p.m. Fridays the store closes at 9 p.m. Saturdays the store opens from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The store is located at 370 Van Duzer St., Stapleton; 917-830-0146; Info@pastryloverschoice.com. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- At Puglia of Hester Street, the hand-crafted bar is ready to be stained. Artist Gina Cannone continues painting trees throughout a section that's slated to be a private dining area at 4200 Hylan Blvd. in Great Kills. The Italian restaurant should be open in July, August at the latest, said owner Ben Mancuso, who's overwhelmed by the response he's getting from fellow Staten Islanders excited about the Hurricane Sandy-ravaged business rising again. "The response that we get out of here -- people I don't even know are coming over to us," said Mancuso. Puglia closed right after Hurricane Sandy in October 2012, when its Barclay Street building was bashed by waves and wind. The Huguenot spot, former home to Carmen's, was Mancuso's second location on Staten Island for his family's Little Italy spin-off. However, Mancuso's very first Puglia project came about in 2011 at 4255 Amboy Rd., a building where Patrizia's now lives in Eltingville. A short while after Sandy, Mancuso set up shop in Redbank, N.J., but gave up on the spot after a year. "I made a lot of friends on Staten Island -- anyway, I'm here," he said. The Princes Bay resident's restaurant resurrection in Great Kills comes to an address that is former home to two Chinese eateries and, years ago, beverage distributor Lug-A-Chug. Mancuso is looking for waiters, bartenders and a host. "All my kitchen help is back with me -- even my dishwasher. They're all back with me," said Mancuso. He's also kept the same number from the former digs -- 718-605-6009. And, he's including in the decor a portrait of his grandfather, Gregory Garafolo who started the original Puglia's in 1919 at 189 Hester St. "The restaurant was originally on Mott Street in the basement, then about a year later he opened the new place," said Mancuso. That Manhattan outpost still thrives. Garafolo's framed image survived the hurricane: "I took that with me. That picture wasn't touched at all. The glass didn't break on it. It didn't fall on the floor. Nothing at all," he said. "You know, I really took that place down there to heart," Mancuso added. "I hope the place here has the same meaning. My life's savings went into that place. Every corner was done over from Carmen's. I worked night and day and weekends to get that place open." The bottom line: "A lot of people can't believe I'm back. I don't give up; I just refuse to give up." The 2016 G20 Summit will be held in September in Hangzhou, China. (Photo : Getty Images) More than 250 industrial facilities in Shanghai will be temporarily shut down for 14 days during the upcoming G20 Summit in Hangzhou in order to reduce pollution in the city. According to Reuters, the Shanghai Environment Protection Bureau (SEPB) ordered hundreds of companies involved in industries such as power, petrochemical production, and logistics to temporarily stop operations to make the air cleaner ahead for Group 20 members' meet. Advertisement However, experts believe that if China really wants to tackle pollution, it should develop a long-term solution instead of "ad-hoc" orders. Temporary Shutdown According to the document cited by the outlet, the temporary suspension of operations will involve at least 255 industrial plants and other facilities within a 300-km radius of the setting of the economic leaders' meeting. The SEPB's counterparts in the nearby Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces are expected to do the same, which would run between Aug. 24 and Sept. 6, two weeks before the summit to be held on Sept. 4-5. Among the firms affected is the Shanghai Petrochemical, which is required to reduce at least 50 percent of production, per the SEPB document. "The company's 150,000 tonne/year C5 separation unit; 100,000 tonne/year methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) unit; two 100,000 tonne/year polypropylene (PP) units; 230,000 tonne/year monoethylene glycol (MEG) plant; and 300,000 tonne/year polyester facility will be taken off line for 14 days from 24 August," the document stated, per ICIS translation. Other companies covered by the order are the Shanghai SECCO Petrochemical, the Huayi Polymer Co., the Shanghai Chlor-Alkali Chemical, and the Oriental Petrochemical Shanghai. Long-term Solution China had previously conducted similar temporary shutdowns of the abovementioned industries, but some observers and experts believe that it would be better if the government developed a long-term solution to the problem instead. "Longer term China needs to work out a market-based approach to tackle pollution rather than an ad-hoc order. Apart from social responsibilities, business has its profit and loss to take care," China Center for International Economic Exchanges researcher Jing Chunmei told Reuters. Aside from being relatively ineffective, the ad-hoc order may also be detrimental to the industries affected as it did not make any mention of subsidies for lost profit. Some plants contacted by Reuters confirmed as much, with some using the time off instead to conduct maintenance of their facilities to minimize losses. "We will try to reschedule plant maintenance to that two weeks to minimize the production loss," Budenheim Fine Chemicals (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. manager Shi Yan told the outlet. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The basement of the Staten Island Museum on Stuyvesant Place was filled with the nerves and excitement of about a dozen high school students on Monday. The kids considered this as a chance to debut the work they've been perfecting all year: Sundog Theatre was selected to present music and spoken word from the Anti-Gun Violence Program at Curtis and McKee high schools. Councilman Debi Rose sponsored the initiative, originally brought forth by Mayor Bill de Blasio. According to the District Director of Communications Vincent Gragnani, Sundog Theater received $18,000 per school to fund the program, making a total of $36,000. It was a fifteen week program that met twice a week. "We have experienced such an uptick in gun violence in our communities that it's gotten to the point where we were, like, pulling our hair out trying to think 'What can we do to change this seeming paradigm of recklessness?'" said Rose. The program has been running strong for a year, with 12 students enrolled per school. Rose claims it's all about keeping young people safe on the streets. "It helped me to, like, open up more. Before I would have never thought to read in front of a crowd, dance in front of a crowd unless it was in school," said Salma Ramales, a Curtis student. "It's definitely made me more creative." Students had the chance to record their songs in a studio to present at the event. Jeannine Otis, one of the mentors in the program, said that a compilation album of the student's work should be available within the week. "The best way to get kids is through music," said Susan Fenley, executive director of Sundog Theatre. "They become change-agents instead of victims." The event started off with readings of original work from Ramales and her best friend Kamora Dortilus, both of whom go to Curtis. Next up: A band of young men -- who called themselves DASH -- freestyled a rap. They said William Starda Perry, known as Starda, has been their inspiration during their time in the program. Instead of peer pressuring young people into gun violence, the goal of the program, according to Rose, is to peer pressure young people out of it and inspire them to think in a more positive mind frame. "A lot of people wouldn't have taken advantage of the program like you guys did," said Starda, who joined D-Cross and Otis to perform a song to get the crowd of students inspired to perform. Students stressed that their club was about much more than free pizza, although they did confirm that to be a huge plus. "[The program] talks about violence and things that we can't really say out loud but we're able to write it on paper," said Araminta Lomax, Curtis student. "I've experienced a violent community so when we were doing this project, I had so many things to say." Lomax and her two friends, Kenny Oguntoyinbo and Anna Bindi, performed an original song called "Self Love." Kayla, a McKee student, did a solo performance of her song that ended with the lyrics, "my hands are up, don't shoot," that left the audience speechless and then roaring with applause. "If we're going to make a paradigm shift, it has to start with them," said Rose, who is a mother. "I've decided that I'm tired of standing on street corners, having vigils, because of gun violence." More about the troupe: Sundog Theatre is a Staten Island-based performing arts organization that presents professional theatrical productions for adults and children. They also offer acting and musical theatre instruction for young people. And, to help lessons come alive, they place professional teaching artists in NYC schools to supplement curricula through theatre, dance, art and music. More information: Check out SundogTheatre.org or call 718-816-5453. joannrestko.png This undated photo from the FDNY Women's Benevolent Association's Facebook page shows JoAnn Restko, who died Saturday while like in the Adirondacks. (Facebook) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The death of an FDNY EMS Lieutenant from Staten Island was ruled accidental after an autopsy in Sarnac Lake, New York, Monday afternoon. Joann Restko, 37, of Arden Heights, was hiking in the Adirondack Mountains when she went to a ledge to take a photo and fell. The autopsy, conducted by Dr. C. Francis Varga, determined that the official cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries from a fall, and that her death was accidental. Denise Restko, the sister of the victim, described her as "adventurous" and "fun." "She loved life and she loved the world," Restko said. "I can't believe she's gone out like this." Denise Restko said that one of the most important things in her sister's life was her job, saying she was "very devoted" to it. Robot waiters serve at a restaurant in Yiwu, China. (Photo : Getty Images) Chinas expanding robot industry might be at risk as the sector suffers from low-quality, too much duplication, and overinvestment, a top technology authority warned. A report from the South China Morning Post highlighted the country's speedy transformation of the manufacturing industry into a more high tech one. Advertisement Thanks to joint efforts by the private sector and the government, the robot industry had grown very quickly. Despite this, Industry and Information Technology Vice Minister Xin Guobin believes that China's robot sector had too much blind expansion over the years of its growth in the country. Robot Industry Growth China has always wanted to improve its too traditional manufacturing industry. It made efforts to reform manufacturing works by incorporating artificial intelligence into the process. However, the country somehow remains in trouble as Engineering.com featured the struggle of manufacturing companies in modernizing their plants. According to the article, some companies "have cheated to obtain subsidies" as indicated by the "Made in China 2025" economic policy, a.k.a. "MiC2025," which was launched earlier this year. The policy stipulates that local manufacturers who make use of advanced manufacturing technology and artificial intelligence in their operations will get incentives. Because of this, the sales of industrial robots in China increased by 16 percent from 2014 after reaching sales of 66,000 units, per estimates from the International Federation of Robotics as cited by the SCMP. Emerging Problems But insiders are already revealing industry secrets, with China Artificial Intelligence Robot Industry Alliance executive director Wang Cairong deeming it necessary for the country to launch a nationwide probe on these companies. "The industry is now in a subsidies-driven bubble," Wang said. "It's time to launch a nationwide campaign to investigate these companies which have received subsidies through deceit or illicit connections More recently, China's vice-minister for industry and information technology Xin revealed that the country's robot sector is not as advanced as it should be. In fact, many manufacturers use robots that function the same as others that have already been invented and only perform simple tasks like loading and carrying. Because of this, some onlookers and experts on the industry believe that there is a significant gap in innovation that should have been remedied by the MiC2025 incentive program. "There's such a huge gap that needs to be filled by innovative companies. Instead of repeating what others have done, domestic companies should focus on sorting out such bottlenecks," Guangdong Robotics Association Executive President Ren Yutong told SCMP. A brief history of fossil-fuelled climate denial Posted on 21 June 2016 by John Cook This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. The fossil fuel industry has spent many millions of dollars on confusing the public about climate change. But the role of vested interests in climate science denial is only half the picture. Interest in this topic has spiked with the latest revelation regarding coalmining company Peabody Energy. After Peabody filed for bankruptcy earlier this year, documentation became available revealing the scope of Peabodys funding to third parties. The list of funding recipients includes trade associations, lobby groups and climate-contrarian scientists. This latest revelation is significant because in recent years, fossil fuel companies have become more careful to cover their tracks. An analysis by Robert Brulle found that from 2003 to 2010, organisations promoting climate misinformation received more than US$900 million of corporate funding per year. However, Brulle found that from 2008, open funding dropped while funding through untraceable donor networks such as Donors Trust (otherwise known as the dark money ATM) increased. This allowed corporations to fund climate science denial while hiding their support. The decrease in open funding of climate misinformation coincided with efforts to draw public attention to the corporate funding of climate science denial. A prominent example is Bob Ward, formerly of the UK Royal Society, who in 2006 challenged Exxon-Mobil to stop funding denialist organisations. The veils of secrecy have been temporarily lifted by the Peabody bankruptcy proceedings, revealing the extent of the companys third-party payments, some of which went to fund climate misinformation. However, this is not the first revelation of fossil fuel funding of climate misinformation nor is it the first case involving Peabody. In 2015, Ben Stewart of Greenpeace posed as a consultant to fossil fuel companies and approached prominent climate denialists, offering to pay for reports promoting the benefits of fossil fuels. The denialists readily agreed to write fossil-fuel-friendly reports while hiding the funding source. One disclosed that he had been paid by Peabody to write contrarian research. He had also appeared as an expert witness and written newspaper op-eds. The bigger picture of fossil-fuelled denial Peabodys funding of climate change information and misinformation is one episode in a much larger history of fossil-fuel-funded misinformation. An analysis of more than 40,000 texts by contrarian sources found that organisations who received corporate funding published more climate misinformation, a trend that increased over time. The following figure shows the use of the claim that CO? is good (a favourite argument of Peabody Energy) has increased dramatically among corporate-funded sources compared with unfunded ones. Farrell (2015) In 1991, Western Fuels Association combined with other groups representing fossil fuel interests to produce a series of misinformation campaigns. This included a video promoting the positive benefits of carbon dioxide, with hundreds of free copies sent to journalists and university libraries. The goal of the campaign was to reposition global warming as theory (not fact), attempting to portray the impression of an active scientific debate about human-caused global warming. ExxonSecrets.org has been tracking fossil-fuel-funded misinformation campaigns for more than two decades documenting more than A$30 million of funding from Exxon alone to denialist think tanks from 1998 to 2014. Exxons funding of climate science denial over this period is particularly egregious considering that it knew full well the risks from human-caused climate change. David Sassoon, founder of Pulitzer Prize-winning news organisation Inside Climate News led an investigation into Exxons internal research, discovering that its own scientists had warned the company of the harmful impacts of fossil fuel burning as long ago as the 1970s. Even Inside Climate Newss revelation of industrys knowledge of the harmful effects of climate change before engaging in misinformation campaigns has precedence. In 2009, an internal report for the Global Climate Coalition, a group representing fossil fuel industry interests, was leaked to the press. It showed that the coalitions own scientific experts had advised it in 1995 that [t]he scientific basis for the Greenhouse Effect and the potential impact of human emissions of greenhouse gases such as CO? on climate is well established and cannot be denied. Nevertheless, the organisation proceeded to deny climate science and promote the benefits of fossil fuel emissions. Ideology: the other half of an unholy alliance However, to focus solely on industrys role in climate science denial misses half the picture. The other significant player is political ideology. At an individual level, numerous surveys (such as here, here and and here) have found that political ideology is the biggest predictor of climate science denial. People who fear the solutions to climate change, such as increased regulation of industry, are more likely to deny that there is a problem in the first place what psychologists call motivated disbelief. Consequently, groups promoting political ideology that opposes market regulation have been prolific sources of misinformation about climate change. This productivity has been enabled by the many millions of dollars flowing from the fossil fuel industry. Naomi Oreskes, co-author of Merchants of Doubt, refers to this partnership between vested interests and ideological groups as an unholy alliance. Reducing the influence To reduce the influence of climate science denial, we need to understand it. This requires awareness of both the role of political ideology and the support that ideological groups have received from vested interests. Without this understanding, its possible to make potentially inaccurate accusations such as climate denial being purely motivated by money, or that it is intentionally deceptive. Psychological research tells us that ideologically driven confirmation bias (misinformation) is almost indistinguishable from intentional deception (disinformation). The fossil fuel industry has played a hugely damaging role in promoting misinformation about climate change. But without the broader picture including the role of political ideology, one can build an incomplete picture of climate science denial, leading to potentially counterproductive responses. Former ambassador Wu Jianmin died in a car accident, along with university professor Zhu Xiaochi. (Photo : BBC) Renowned Chinese diplomat Wu Jianmin died in a car accident in the province of Hubei early Saturday morning, mainland media reported. The 77-year-old retired ambassador figured in a road accident at the south exit of Donghu Lake Tunnel in Wuhan, Hubei Province, at around 4 o'clock in the morning of June 18, China Daily wrote. Advertisement Wu's car reportedly crashed into a flower bed after going through an underpass. Five people were in the vehicle, including Wu, his secretary, professor Zhu Xiaochi and another university member. Wu and Zhu, who were both seated at the back of the car, suffered serious injuries and died in the hospital. The other three passengers sustained mild injuries. The car was said to be headed to the Wuhan University where Wu was supposed to give a talk. "We feel deep grief after hearing Wu Jianmin, former Chinese ambassador to France, passed away this morning," Maurice Gourdault-Montagne, French ambassador to China, said in a statement obtained by China Daily. "We French people have lost a great friend, who knew France and made great contributions to the relationship between France and China. Please allow me on behalf of the French people to express deep condolence to the family members of Wu." Before working as an ambassador, Wu had been an interpreter for Chinese leaders Mao Zedong and Chen Yi. A French major from the Beijing Foreign Languages Institute, Wu worked as China's ambassador to Geneva, France and the Netherlands. He was also known as "the most influential dove" in China, having established a solid career in international relations. "He had moral courage. He continued to speak out," Shi Yinhong, foreign relations expert at Renmin University in Beijing, was quoted as saying by the Financial Times. The former diplomat was also highly known for his moderate approach in dealing with the West. "Ambassador Wu was the flag-bearer as an academic and a diplomat. His words are particularly precious at the moment," said Jilin University's Sun Xingjie in the FT's report. Leather And Fetish Enthusiasts Converge (Photo : Getty Images) In January, the video of a mean Chinese grandmother kicking and spanking her granddaughter become viral on Weibo because the tot asked for money to buy a pen. On Sunday, another spanking video become viral on social media. However, the recipients of spanks on the bottom were not misbehaving kids but eight employees of the Rural Commercial Bank while on stage at a company event, reported Peoples Daily. The bank manager of the lender, based in Changzhi Province in northern China, got not only a reprimand from their boss for not exceeding themselves. Advertisement The manager also made them announce while on stage to fellow bank employees the reason for their underperformance. He then used a big ruler to hit the backsides of the eight workers. The manager gave them two rounds of spanking each, with yelling from the boss in between. However, the mean bank manager was also on the receiving end of netizen yelling after the video of the spanking was posted online. Besides calling the bank boss immoral for the manner he treated his workers, netizens sought his being kicked on the butt, or fired from his job. On YouTube where the video was reposted, Hitsai agreed that the bank manager should be fired for being pathetic and bringing negativity to the company. Marcin Antczak proposed that the eight employees with red butts spank the manager back in return. By clicking Agree, you consent to Slates Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and the use of technologies such as cookies by Slate and our partners to deliver relevant advertising on our iOS app to personalize content and perform site analytics. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information about our use of data, your rights, and how to withdraw consent. Agree New MacBook Pro, Air 2016 updates: MacBook Pro, Air models to have price adjustments, spec revamp or new hardware (Photo : YouTube/HandyAndy Tech Tips) It is end of the road for the non-Retina MacBook Pros while the 2015 13-inch MacBook Air has hit its lowest price at $799.99 in the latest round of killer deals, and these developments somehow indicate that the rumored release date of both the MacBook Pro and Air 2016 is happening real soon. And the long wait is likely to end in matter of weeks. Advertisement In a report, Apple Insider said that Apple has started pulling the non-Retina 13-inch MacBook Pro out of sight, disappearing from both the Apple Stores across the United States and the tech giant's online store. The report added that the model has been labeled as outdated and that store clerks have instead recommended the Retina MBPs and MBAs, moves that suggested the non-Retina MacBooks are on the way out. And the underway phasing out of the 2012 MacBook Pro further fueled the speculations that the 2016 refresh of the line is happening soon even as Apple authorized seller Adorama has again chopped off the 2015 13-inch MacBook Air, now down to $799, according to a separate report by Apple Insider. The unit to ship out boasts of a 1.6GHz processing chip, 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage space. The price off is pegged at $200. A bigger discount of $270 is in effect too for another 13-inch MacBook Air model with nearly similar specifications but with 8GB of RAM. Adorama's asking price on this is $830 and of note is that all packages come with free shipping and no sales tax provided the destination is outside of New York and New Jersey. Now for all Mac fans, the old MacBooks either exiting the scene or becoming part of fire sales only point to the one big thing this 2016 - the rumored launch of the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. Initially, analysts said that the MBA will be continued but Japanese blog MacOtakara insisted in a recent blog that the ultraportable will still be mass produced with decent specs bump and likely notable price adjustments. Rollout time is said scheduled no later than August. The MacBook Pro, on the other hand, is widely believed to see a major leap in the coming months. It will be a revamp that involves the inside and out of the MBP with analyst Ming-chi Kuo predicting that both the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro 2016 will be slimmest and lighter ever in the class, largely thanks to the use of Intel's sixth-generation Skylake processing chip. On release date, which Kuo said will happen as early as October, the MacBook Pro 2016 will unbox with Touch ID unlocking feature and configurable OLED touch bar and powered by macOS Sierra or the renamed OS X 10.12. Reuters; Education is no longer a priority for many poor and middle-class Venezuelans who are swept up in the all-consuming quest for food amid a wave of looting and riots. Between 30 percent and 40 percent of Venezuelan teachers fail to show up at school each day, mainly because they are standing in lines for food or medicine, their biggest union estimates. Pupils' attendance is also dropping because children have not eaten, know there will be no food at school, or must line up and help their parents shop, according to the union. Frequent power and water cuts are disrupting classes, and schools have been closed on Fridays for about the last two months. 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Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 125 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 157 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612efea44c0)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 948 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612ea5ad868)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612efea44c0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1302 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 955 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612ea5ad868)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612efea4e68)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1300 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 433 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612ea5ad868)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612ea5ad868)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612ea5ae988)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612ec304ef0)') called at (eval 592) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612ec304ef0)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 Vigils were held in Hong Kong after the Orlando shooting. (Photo : Getty Images) There is cause to say that China is still struggling to accept the LGBT community even after the baby steps it took toward tolerance of the third sex. A report from CNN noted that while Chinese courts did rule against the traditional notion that homosexuality is a mental illness and should be "corrected" through mental therapy, the LGBT community in the country is still far from sowing acceptance from their fellow men. Advertisement LGBT in China Until 2001, China had largely considered being gay as a mental disease that should be treated with medical therapies. Even if the courts have already ruled against the practice, many are left scarred by the experience of having been dragged by their own family to a mental illness treatment facility for coming out as a homosexual. Time featured a victim of this traditional mentality who is now striking back. The moment the 37-year-old man surnamed Yu signed his divorce papers, his wife and family had him admitted to the Zhumadian No. 2 People's Hospital to undergo "conversion therapy" to treat his so-called "sexual preference disorder." During his 19 days of stay in the facility, Yu said the nurses beat him, forced him to take drugs, and lashed him to sleep. Because of that, Yu filed a legal case against the mental hospital in the central province of Henan for "limiting his personal liberty and inflicting emotional distress." "He suffered a lot in the mental hospital, physically and mentally. He told me that several men took off all his clothes and laughed, 'we heard you are gay, let's see whether you are a man or a woman,'" Yu's lawyer Huang Rui explained. Progress In the nation's capital Beijing, people are still not allowed to participate in the PRIDE Parade due to the government's fear of a large group of people coming together to march on the city streets. Fortunately, the LGBT found a home in Shanghai where many gay, lesbian, transgender, and bisexuals join together for the PRIDE Parade. In this Chinese city, thousands of Chinese members of the LGBT community gather to express their true self via film and other artistic means the homosexuals are known for. "Last year we had 6,000 participants throughout the whole pride week. It's good progress," 43-year-old ShanghaiPRIDE co-founder Charlene Liu told the LA Times. "We're not as big as pride [festivals] overseas, like in L.A., San Francisco, Sydney and London. But given the situation we're in, I think we're progressing." 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29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:948 /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 125 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 157 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f04094d8)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 948 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f03daec8)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f04094d8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1302 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 955 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f03daec8)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f01b30c8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1300 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 433 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f03daec8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f03daec8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612ea5af340)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612f03fef08)') called at (eval 592) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612f03fef08)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 The ACT government has renewed a school cleaning contract to a company accused of underpaying and taking advantage of refugee workers, without waiting for the results of its own internal investigation. The decision to extend the cleaning contract to Phillips Cleaning Services was made this month, despite the company being embroiled in Federal Court proceedings. ACT school cleaner Htoo Ywai was among non-English-speaking workers who claimed they were being underpaid. Credit:Rohan Thomson The United Voice union launched the case on behalf of 22 workers, alleging in court documents that some are owed almost $25,000. The union's case also alleges that refugees from Myanmar and Thailand, who spoke little English, were signed to contracts they did not understand, and individual workers were variously paid from different business entities without explanation. Chief Minister Andrew Barr has warned he expects a "significant community backlash" when housing development begins on a massive area of national land owned by the cash-strapped CSIRO. Mr Barr said he would not have allowed the land to be rezoned for urban development, and fears many Canberrans are being left in the dark on the impact of a major project that is moving at lightning-speed. ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr urged the prime minister to rethink plans to move public servants to Armidale. Credit:Rohan Thomson "My concern there is, most planning changes in Canberra go through a significant process," he told an estimates committee on Monday. "Molonglo Valley was eight years from its initial concept of it being an urban development to when we actually started. TRUFFLE TIME Braidwood Central School has two days of truffle festivities, with talks, cooking classes and demonstrations. Saturday 10am-3pm and Sunday from 11am-3pm. 7pm LISA RICHARDS Lisa Richards celebrates the release of new single Water from upcoming album A Light From the Other Side. Her style is an exquisite mash-up of Edith Piaf, Billie Holliday, Bjork and Patti Griffin. Smith's Alternative. $10-15 from smithsalternative.com. 7.30pm MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL The ultimate comedy road trip is rolling into town with a side-splitting show. Funny-makers Gillian Cosgriff, Josh Early, Rhys Nicholson and Wil Sylvince will be on stage with MC Dave Callan. Also on Saturday night. Canberra Theatre. $46.90+bf at canberratheatrecentre.com.au. 8pm HANDS LIKE HOUSES Hands Like Houses are playing a one-off homecoming gig at Academy. Supported by Foreign Kings and DJ Johnny Third. Academy. $20+bf from moshtix.com.au. 18+. 8pm LIVE EVIL Live Evil is performing a tribute to heavy metal pioneers Deep Purple and the band's second incarnation as Whitesnake. Transit Bar. $20+bf. moshtix.com.au. 18+. 8pm WE LOST THE SEA The Sydney cinematic instrumental band is on their first headline Australian tour. The Basement. $13.80 from oztix.com.au. 18+. 8.30pm SPLIT SYNDICATE The Sydney hip-hop duo share first single Know Better from their upcoming album, to be released this year. Supported by Hau and D'Opus & Roshambo. Aviary Rooftop. $29+bf. moshtix.com.au. 18+. From 10am FASH N TREASURE Shop from the wardrobes of locals and grab a bargain at Fash N Treasure. There's also fashion designers, shops, milliners and stylists to shop from. 10am-3pm. Fitzroy Building, Exhibition Park. Entry $3. From 11am POP UP BEAUTY BAR On again at Canberra Centre, you can get a mini makeover or make-up touch up plus a glass of sparkling and learn about autumn/winter 2016 trends all for free. 11am-4.30pm outside Witchery on Level 1. 11am and 12.30pm INTERIOR DESIGN WORKSHOP Learn home styling tips and tricks and how to decorate on a budget at one of two free interior style workshops at Canberra Outlet Centre, hosted by the International School of Colour & Design. RSVP at canberraoutletcentre.com.au. 2pm DISGRACED When New York corporate lawyer Amir Kapoor (Sachin Joab) and his artist wife, Emily, host an intimate dinner party, what starts out as a friendly conversation soon escalates into something far more damaging in Ayad Akhtar's Pulitzer Prize-winning play that puts contemporary attitudes toward religion under the microscope. The Playhouse, Canberra Theatre Centre. Also 8pm. $40-$75 from canberratheatrecentre.com.au. From 3pm BURGER PARTY Grease Monkey in Braddon is turning one. It is celebrating with drink specials, burgers to be won, 50 wings, burger races and live DJs until late. Free entry. 3pm ARTHUR BOYD: TESTAMENT OF A PAINTER This 1994 film (rated PG) focuses on the Australian painter as he reflects on his life's work and the influences that helped create it. Free. National Portrait Gallery. Bookings not required. 6pm A STRANGE EVENTFUL HISTORY A selection of Shakespeare settings by Banister, Byrd, Johnson, Landsman and Morley, performed by The Song Company at Wesley Uniting Church. $20-$60 from songcompany.com.au. 6pm ROLLER DERBY The Black 'n' Blue Belles go up against the Surly Griffins in the third bout of the season for the Canberra Roller Derby League. Free entry for kids under five. The doors open at 6pm for first whistle at 6.30pm. Southern Cross Stadium, Tuggeranong. $5.70-$10+bf from moshtix.com.au. 7.30pm PIGMAN'S LAMENT Trapped in his Canberra apartment, Raoul is blitzed by his grandfather in modern day Australia. What ensues is a white-knuckle ride through the psyche of a man tormented by a fascist past. The Street Theatre. Also on Sunday at 6pm. $30-$39 from thestreet.org.au. 8pm LA PETITE MORT A night of cabaret, debauchery and murder hosted by the Smith's Sisters will transport you to 1930s Paris. Your ticket will assign you a character for the evening and includes a flute of champagne and appetisers. Smith's Alternative. $35 from smithsalternative.com 8pm LEPERS AND CROOKS Lepers and Crooks bring their funk rock show to The Basement. Hailing from Sydney's inner west, they have just released their EP The Heathen Circus and started out on their east coast tour in May. The Basement. $13.80 from kingdomsounds.oztix.com.au. 18+. 8pm ROCKABILLY VS PSYCHOBILLY Two rockabilly bands will rumble with two psychobilly bands. The line-up includes The Fire Katz, Bad Luck Kitty, The King Hits and Raygun. Transit Bar. $10 before 9pm, $15 after at the door. 18+. From 10am THREE SIXTY FASHION MARKET The fashion market with a focus on sustainable style is back on again at The Fitters Workshop, Kingston. There will also be coffee and live music. 10am-4pm. Free entry. 2pm WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION Agatha Christie's courtroom drama about a man accused of murder is on at Theatre 3, Ellery Crescent, Acton. Also Saturday at 2pm and 8pm. $36-$42 from canberrarep.org.au. 2pm BABY DOLL Elia Kazan's 1956 black comedy (unclassified 18+), written by Tennessee Williams and starring Karl Malden and Carroll Baker, screens at Arc Cinema, National Film and Sound Archive in a 16mm print. $12-$14 from nfsa.gov.au. 2pm IN CONVERSATION The creative and conservation team behind new Australian play Extinction will be joined by ANU's Professor David Lindenmayer to discuss how science, citizen science and drama can intersect in the issues around species extinction, conservation and climate change. Parliament House theatre. 2-4.30pm. Free. 2.30pm THE YOUNG ONES CONCERT The All Saints Youth Choristers and solo musicians from the church will be joined by pre-tertiary students from the ANU Open School of Music and a chamber group from Merici College for this afternoon of music. All Saints' Anglican Church, Ainslie. $5-$15 at the door. 3pm WINTER CONCERT Forrest National Chamber Orchestra conducted by Gillian Bailey-Graham will give a concert of works at Wesley Music Centre, Forrest from the baroque to the 20th century including pieces by Vivaldi, Mozart and Shostakovich. trybooking.com/LVPP or at the door. Tickets $15-$25 (children under 12 free). 6pm DAEMON PYRE A massive heavy metal session at The Basement headlined by Sydney's Daemon Pyre. Supported by Beast Impalor, Imperilment, CHUD and Wretch. $10 at the door 18+. 7.30pm ICONS CONCERT The Canberra Youth Orchestra conducted by Leonard Weiss will be performing Dvorak's Symphony No.8 and Mendelssohn's Concerto for Two Pianos in E Major with soloists Edward and Stephanie Neeman as well as Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue at Llewellyn Hall, ANU School of Music. Tickets at ticketek.com.au. In 1916 there was much talk of the New Woman emerging in the world as the war gave women opportunities to emerge at last. In Brisbane's Worker 100 years ago this week "Touchstone" rejoiced that "I very much admire the New Woman". "Her coming is a great event for the human race. Her claims for Equal Pay and an Equal Say are founded on the solid rock of equity." A typical New Woman But "Touchstone" knew the New Woman was going to horrify most men and women. They would want women to continue to be the weak "goody-goody girly-girly" heroine portrayed in stage melodramas, an empty-headed creature who "considerately gets married in the last act just before we rush to catch our trains". "Women have not been given a fair deal though the ages. The soul we men manufactured for our wives mothers and sisters was not a beautiful work of art. It was too obviously made for OUR satisfaction. It was half a lifetime ago, on a perilous expedition to remote Papua New Guinea, that Sir David Attenborough acquired three abstract works of art. Known as "garras", or hook sculptures, they were used as hunting and fishing aids for the local nomadic Biami community, and appealed to the then-45-year-old naturalist's artistic bent. Sir David Attenborough embarked on the expedition to the southern hinterlands of the Sepik River in Papua New Guinea in 1971. Forty-five years later Sir David recently turned 90 these sculptures are now on display in the National Gallery of Australia, after he generously donated them in recognition of the gallery's recent exhibition on the art of the Sepik River. It turns out the world-famous television personality is a long-time fan of the National Gallery, and takes a keen interest in its Pacific and south-east Asian collection. "You are already being sued, Mr Hanson. That you come in here under parliamentary privilege like a coward and make allegations like that demonstrates your appalling lack of character," he said. He was referring to the defamation action being taken by Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union ACT secretary Dean Hall against Mr Hanson. Mr Hall's action is over a comment on radio in which Mr Hanson said, according to court documents: "Do we want people like Dean Hall, who runs the CFMEU, or others who potentially are facing charges or have been convicted of charges, ah, given access to, ah, company documents". Mr Barr said the Liberals' ongoing attacks on the government's memorandum of understanding with unions showed a "bizarre ideological obsession and hatred for working people", and he said some of the Liberals appeared to be in politics "to destroy organised labour". Accusing Mr Hanson of muckraking, he attacked him for not asking questions more closely related to the budget, to which Mr Hanson responded that his questions were about ethical conduct. Senators Katy Gallagher and Zed Seselja have declined to join a Greens boycott of an event hosted by the Australian Christian Lobby. Candidates and members of the public were invited to the ACL's ACT Senate Meet Your Candidates forum at a Kambah church on Tuesday night. ACT Greens Senate candidate Christina Hobbs. Credit:Elesa Kurtz But Greens Senate candidate Christina Hobbs said she would not be attending, citing the ACL's anti-LGBTI views, and calling on other candidates to join the boycott. "The ACL do not represent the majority of Christians in this country and are nothing more than an extreme fringe group," Ms Hobbs said. A gift of 150 bibs has been made to newborn babies at Canberra's Centenary Hospital for Women and Children ahead of Red Nose Day. Red Nose Day, this Friday, is a fundraiser in support of SIDS and Kids, a not-for-profit that advocates for funding and research into stillbirth and other sudden child death. Kathleen Garvie of Crace with 24-day-old daughter Ivy-Rose receives a Sids and Kids's Red Nose Day bib from ActewAGL CFO, Steven Skourakis. Credit:Elesa Kurtz The bibs were purchased from Red Nose Day merchandise by ActewAGL. SIDS and Kids community fundraising manager of ACT and NSW, Lisa Ridgley, said funds raised from the day enable the organisation to continue delivering its Safe Sleeping Education Program to new and expecting parents and carers. Mark Zuckerberg remarked that virtual reality is poised to be the next big platform. (Photo : Reuters) Peter Thiel paid tribute to Mark Zuckerberg during the Shareholder's meeting recently held. The important board member is not losing his place despite the allegation of trying to put Gawker out of business. The re-election was done for the entire board of Facebook, including Mark Zuckerberg, Erskine Bowles, Sheryl Sandberg, Reed Hastings, Marc Andreessen, Susan Desmond-Hellmann M.D., and Jan Koum, Tech Crunch pointed. Advertisement Theil made it a point to mention Zuckerberg in his six-minute long speech. He also talked about the humanitarian aspects of Facebook, last week, Tech Crunch claimed in another report. Thiel is the longest standing member of the Board for Facebook but his act of harming a Facebook customer life Gawker put him under scanner. However, COO Sheryl Sandberg had previously announced that Theil is not going anywhere and that statement was proved true in the meeting. Re-election of Theil can raise many eyebrows as Gawker is already bankrupt and up for sale. It is not easy to digest that Facebook members spent millions of money to destroy a new media. It was not going to be an easy decision, Recode pointed. Facebook's attempt to promote uncensored press can also be put under scanner after this decision. Facebook launched "Instant Article" last year and encouraged news media to provide news directly to the user. So, why they bothered to destroy Gawker is not quite easy to understand. While this is still quite unclear, it is clear that Theil is not losing the place. In the Facebook Shareholder's meeting too journalists were not much concerned about it. It seemed that the re-election was quite evident. In his speech, Theil mentioned, "What Facebook has never been about [is] replacing people or substituting computers for people but instead using computers to bring out the best in existing human relations and in this way bring people back to the centre." Theil also said Zuckerberg has a big role in "building a social network that would respect people, value relationships and treat people in a reasonable kind of way." His speech may be quite flowery and glorifying, he is going to find it tough to maintain his reputation in the market. BHP Billiton has warned the glut in commodity markets may take a decade to work off as it works to squeeze costs while ramping up output so it can maximise its cash returns. "We've had such a long boom that to work that through, in my view, it may take another 10 years," the group's chief executive, Mr Andrew Mackenzie, said in a speech overnight Monday in New York. BHP chief executive Andrew Mackenzie Credit:Carla Gottgens "In the meantime, you've got to be at the bottom of the cost curve, you've got to be ... running things in the most productive way possible. "There are some commodities, like oil and copper, where there is a natural decline because pressure drops off, grade drops off," he said. "One of the markets that will take the longest to come back into balance is iron ore. The reality is we've settled down now to a price that we would say is more realistic on the basis of fundamentals of supply and demand." Issues come and go during election campaigns, but how to deal with the cultural problems in Australia's major banks looks like going the distance. The opposition is taking every opportunity to raise the prospect of a Royal Commission into banking behaviour while the government has countered by shoring up the resources of the "tough cop on the beat", the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). And all the while, more examples of failure are being made public. ASIC has now begun legal proceedings in the Federal Court against NAB alleging market manipulation and unconscionable conduct in relation to NAB's involvement in setting the bank bill swap rate. NAB will contest the claim. Sometimes rich people lose their wealth. Things can go wrong. Sometimes those things that go wrong are outside the control of the wealthy (that is, random bad luck) but more often than not they are things that are completely within their control. As a CPA [certified practising accountant], I've been advising wealthy individuals in money matters for more than 30 years. Plus, I spent five years studying the money habits of the rich and the poor in my Rich Habits Study. In my CPA business and from my research, I've documented a few all-too-common blunders wealthy individuals make that cause their wealth to evaporate. You would think they'd know better, but they don't. The wealthy who make these mistakes all seem to be reading from the same script. So, I thought I'd share a few of the most common blunders of the rich that steal their wealth like a thief in the night: While a UK exit from the European Union would almost certainly cause turmoil in Europe, its effects on Asian economies including China, the region's largest, may be much more benign. That's according to a note by London-based Capital Economics, which said a Brexit would cause at most a GDP drop of 0.2 per cent across Asia. The research company based its finding on a worst-case scenario estimate by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, a London-based think tank, which said Brexit would reduce British imports by 25 per cent worldwide within two years. Exports to the UK presently account for only 0.7 per cent of Asian countries' GDP, according to Daniel Martin, senior Asia economist at Capital Economics. "Even a 25 per cent decline in UK imports would knock less than 0.2 per cent off from regional GDP." Sanjay Valvani, a Wall Street hedge fund manager who was criminally charged last week in a major insider trading case, has been found dead in an apparent suicide, the police said on Tuesday. Valvani, 44, was discovered by his wife on Monday evening in the bedroom of his Brooklyn home with a wound to his neck, a New York Police Department spokeswoman said. A suicide note and a knife were recovered, she added. Sanjay Valvani was accused of having made $US25 million getting the drop on US regulators' drug approvals. Credit:Duke/The Fuqua School of Business The death marked a stunning turn in one of the US government's biggest recent insider trading cases. Valvani's lawyers, Barry Berke and Eric Tirschwell, called his death a "horrible tragedy that is difficult to comprehend." "We hope for the sake of his family and his memory that it will not be forgotten that the charges against him were only unproven accusations and he had always maintained his innocence," they added. APN News & Media has sold its regional newspaper business to its own shareholder, News Corp, for $36.6 million. However, major shareholders have expressed surprised at the price, given it was only two times annual earnings. APN's shares reached $4.90 on the news and closed at $4.75. APN recently completed a share consolidation that reduced the shares on the market from 1.3 billion to 196 million. The shares were this week using a temporary ticker code APNDA, and would revert to APN on June 23. APN chief Ciaran Davis said the remaining radio and outdoor media were terrific for advertisers. Credit:Louie Douvis But it remains to be seen if shareholders approve the deal, with the managing director of 16 per cent shareholder, investment firm Allan Gray, saying he was surprised at the bargain price. "I am very surprised at the price. It does seem very low," Simon Mawhinney told BusinessDay. An administrative court ruled two Red Sea islands should remain Egyptian and forbids the government from tampering with their status Egypt's State Lawsuits Authority the body representing the government in legal cases has appealed Tuesday's agreement-quashing ruling that voided a decision by the government to place two islands in the Red Sea under Saudi Arabia's sovereignty. In a statement issued late Tuesday, the cabinet stressed, nevertheless, that it respects the Egyptian judiciary. Egypt's Administrative Court ruled on Tuesday morning that the 8 April border re-demarcation agreement that placed the two Egyptian Red Sea islands of Tiran and Sanafir in Saudi waters is void, adding that they should remain under Egyptian sovereignty. The judge who issued the ruling, State Council Vice President Judge Yehia El-Dakroury, reasoned that since the agreement was void, "the islands should remain part of Egyptian territory and within Egyptian borders; Egyptian sovereignty over the islands holds, and it forbidden to change their status in any form or through any procedure for the benefit of any other state." The judicial source had told Ahram Online that "the ruling disregarded all [arguments] presented by the government," the source said. The source added that the government has not attempted a final administrative move to execute the deal. He claimed that the report by the State Comissioners Office - which issues recommendations to the administrative court - was unlawful, and that the judiciary has no jurisdiction over the islands issue since it is a question of sovereignty. The agreement, which was signed by Egypt and Saudi Arabia during a five-day visit by Saudi King Salman to Cairo, stipulated that the two islands in the southern entrance of the Red Sea's Gulf of Aqaba fall within Saudi waters, thus paving the way for a transfer of sovereignty to Riyadh. Egyptian rights lawyer Khaled Ali and a number of other lawyers had filed a lawsuit with Egypt's Administrative Court at the State Council arguing that Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, Prime Minister Sherif Ismail and Parliament Speaker Ali Abdel Al had wrongfully waived Egyptian sovereignty rights over the two islands. Future scenarios open: Expert The Administrative Court's ruling will be respected by all state powers until the Supreme Administrative Court issues a final decision in the case of an appeal, Shawki El-Sayed, a constitution expert told Ahram Online. Article 50 of the State Council Law reads: "An appeal before the Supreme Administrative Court does not stop the execution of a ruling which is being appealed, unless the Appeals Examination Department decides otherwise." The Supreme Administrative Court has the right to overturn the ruling or to uphold it, El-Sayed said, adding that its decision will depend on the reasoning given by the judge for Tuesday's ruling. El-Sayed explained that the content of the specific reasoning the judge gives for issuing the ruling would impact possible future actions, El-Sayed said. For instance, El-Sayed explained, a reasoning which is based on procedural considerations - such as parliament needs to discuss the agreement first then approve it - would be dealt with differently than a reasoning based on administrative considertions, such as documents the court examined to prove Egyptian sovereignty over the islands. "So we need to wait for the Supreme Administrative Court's ruling," El-Sayed concluded. "I expect that in case of a government appeal, the Supreme Administrative Court will issue a ruling quickly to settle the debate, since it is an important case related to international relations and sovereignty rights," El-Sayed said. Deal in limbo The deal sparked widespread street protests during which dozens of demonstrators were arrested and put on trial for illegally protesting. Most of those who stood trial were acquitted in court, but 47 defendants paid EGP 100,000 in fines. Lawyer Malek Adly, one of the lawyers who co-filed the lawsuit with Ali against the deal, has been in detention since late April, facing charges of spreading false rumours and inciting protests against the agreement. Egypt's House of Representatives had not yet discussed or ratified the agreement. However, the Saudi Shura Council approved the deal on 25 April and the Saudi cabinet followed suit on 2 May. Search Keywords: Short link: The global iron ore market will take longer to balance out than other commodities as excess supply takes time to be absorbed after a boom, according to BHP Billiton chief executive Andrew Mackenzie, who drew a contrast with the outlook for oil and copper. "There are some commodities, like oil and copper, where there is a natural decline because pressure drops off, grade drops off," Mr Mackenzie said in New York after making an address. BHP boss Andrew Mackenzie: "We've had such a long boom. To walk that through in my view may take another 10 years." Credit:Paul Jeffers "One of the markets that will take longest to come back into balance is the iron ore market." Iron ore dropped for three years to 2015 as low-cost miners including BHP and rivals Rio Tinto and Fortescue Metals Group ramped up output just as growth cooled in China, spurring a glut. The operator of a 7-Eleven store involved in rampant exploitation of its workers has been handed a record court penalty of more than $400,000. The penalty follows revelations in Fairfax Media about systematic underpayment of workers in 7-Eleven stores around the country. The Fair Work Ombudsman said the court-imposed penalty was the largest it had won after its investigation found 12 employees in Brisbane had been short-changed more than $82,000. The Brisbane store owner had allegedly asked his staff to secretly repay thousands of dollars after they had been paid back some of the money they were owed. Company directors must take greater responsibility for corporate culture within their organisations or face the consequences, the chair of the corporate watchdog has said. "Board members might be 'hands off', but I do think they should have their 'noses in'," Greg Medcraft, the chair of the Australian Securities and Investment Commission told an audience in Sydney on Tuesday. "What the board says, does and expects is absolutely critical in setting the tone of the organisation," he said. This included appointing the chief executive officer who has "values that are aligned with the company's desired culture". I am prepared to lend half an ear to such notions, even if they are paltry quibbles when set against the wonder of a borderless Europe at peace, access to a market of half a billion people, decades of growing prosperity since Britain joined the European Economic Community in 1973, and the British capacity to count in the world as a leader within a united Europe rather than become an insular minnow adrift in the English Channel. They argue that the EU is undemocratic, run by unaccountable bureaucrats, and that Britain can somehow reinvent itself, overcome geography and defy several authoritative predictions of economic disaster most recently from the International Monetary Fund by linking with fast-growing parts of the emergent world after it turns its back on a stagnant Europe. Reasonable people, some friends of mine, make reasonable arguments for Britain to leave the European Union. They say it lacks transparency. They say a union containing an inner club of nations with a common currency, but outliers without it, constitutes a set up that defrauds voters because it is intellectually dishonest. The euro nations require a political union that is ever closer for the euro to be sustainable. Other nations, like Britain, do not want that. The European Union has been through a tough decade. It has been beset by the structural flaws of the euro and a weak response to the financial meltdown of 2008. It has faced the ongoing difficulties of absorbing former Communist bloc nations and the challenge of mass immigration. It needs reinvigoration of a kind that Britain could lead. But none of this is what the British referendum has been about. It has been about jingoistic bigotry of the take-Britain-back variety; anti-European rants dished up by The Daily Mail (often on the basis of claims so flimsy they would make Donald Trump blush); the vileness of the UK Independence Party, whose latest poster screams "Breaking Point" next to a crowd of dark-skin refugees; the outrageous diatribes of the former London mayor Boris Johnson, who has compared the union's designs to Hitler's; the dim anger of a Little England troubled by globalisation. In other words, it has been about poison. That poison led not directly, but still to the murder last week of Jo Cox, a representative of the opposition Labour Party, and a mother of two, by a man shouting "Britain first!" Cox, a rising political star, had campaigned for Britain to remain in the European Union. She had declared in her maiden speech to Parliament that the Yorkshire towns and villages she represented had been "deeply enhanced by immigration, be it of Irish Catholics across the constituency or of Muslims from Gujarat in India or from Pakistan, principally from Kashmir". What struck her, she said, was that "we are far more united and have far more in common with each other than things that divide us". In her last article for The Yorkshire Post this month she had written, "Please don't fall for the spin prior to June 23 that the only way to deal with concerns about immigration is by voting to leave." Today we are off to the shops "In the fruit and veggie section of Woolworths in Hornsby I couldn't help noticing that while some items ("Jazz" apples, for instance) were "Australian Grown", others like "Envy" apples are a "Product of Australia," says Richard Murnane 'C8PhD', in Hornsby. "What's the difference? Wikipedia tells me that "Envy" is a Gala/Braeburn hybrid developed in New Zealand, but does not mention it being grown here. Does the act of sticking a label on it here change its nationality?" "This afternoon I saw a sign at the local Gloria Jeans coffee shop that advertised a combo of a drink and a handmade sandwich. Is there a machine out there that usually makes the sandwiches? asks Sue Threlfall, in Minto. Confused, John Reed, in Gwynneville, writes: "At my local bottle shop a particular brand of chardonnay was priced at $5.95 each. Next to the price was a "special" label, advertising that if I bought two bottles, I could pay just $15.90! When I pointed this out to the girl serving me, she got her calculator out, and confirmed that at the "special" price, I was paying $7.95 per bottle. She said "Well, yes, you are paying more per bottle - but you're actually saving money, in a weird kind of way!" "I have always been annoyed by the obvious lie that my call "will be answered by the first/next available operator" (C8). This is clearly untrue, given there may be many callers ahead of me who will almost certainly have their calls answered before I speak to anyone. Due to my new location, I try not to have to engage local services by phone." Alex Mayo, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Andrew Robb's response to concerns that Australia's recent spate of free trade agreements were being negotiated in secret was to claim that trade negotiations have always been conducted that way. That comment contains a splinter of truth but a plank of misinformation. Once, not lately, trade ministers routinely informed Parliament on Australia's aims, progress, and problems in important trade negotiations. More importantly, trade negotiations were much narrower in scope, solely concerned with the tariffs and quotas affecting trade in physical goods. The international trade agenda expanded in the WTO Uruguay Round. The ambit of Australia's FTAs is wider still and commonly includes commitments on our foreign investment policy, investor state dispute resolution, labour mobility and intellectual property law. Their broad scope now goes to the heart of national policy, law, governance and culture, and carries far-reaching legal and societal implications. FTAs also carry major foreign relations implications; the close economic intermeshing is only sustainable when the other party has a similar economic, foreign, and strategic policy mindset. In contrast the WTO is based (was based?) around the most favoured nation concept, which goes a fair way to neutralising bilateral relations as a determinant of trade flows because business can readily shift between competitive national sources of supply. Perhaps in no country in Europe is the possible departure of Britain from the European Union feared so much by so many as the Netherlands. The Dutch sympathy for Britain is genuine and widespread; it has old roots, as both countries, from time immemorial, have been mercantile nations, with an aversion toward protectionism. Which is to say that Dutch feelings are not representative of European feelings more broadly - nor should they be considered flattering for Britain. It was the Dutch who, in the 1960s, were already pleading for British membership in the EU, although the attempts of then Dutch foreign minister Joseph Luns were blocked by French president Charles de Gaulle. This is because in Britain, the Dutch see a like-minded partner: a partner who believes in free trade, and as a result, can serve as a counterweight to France and Germany, who traditionally advocate for more state-guided industrial policies. In Paris and Berlin, older notions about a socially responsible state still hold sway; in London, they were driven out 30 years ago, replaced by an ideology of privatisation. For France and Germany, the concept of Europe as a set of ideals and values remains strong; not so in Britain, where Prime Minister David Cameron, in calling for this week's referendum in the first place, has shown himself all too ready to risk a four decade-long partnership for the sake of political expediency. For British governments, and for the Conservative Party in charge of the current iteration especially, the EU was never intended to be more than a distribution outlet for British exports nowadays, mostly financial products. This vision of Europe as mainly a trade market is also shared by a lot of contemporary Dutch politicians. Older, idealistic notions of a political union as a means to uphold internal European peace have been mostly replaced by materialistic ones. The EU might, contrary to most popular opinion, benefit from a Brexit. Britain didn't join and stay inside the EU to make something of it, but rather, to prevent others from making something of it. Immediately after Moner's attack, news reports said that American officials didn't know anything about him; I read that they were looking for people to give them some background. So I called the FBI and offered to tell investigators a bit about the young man. It wasn't much we hadn't been close but I'm an American Muslim, and I wanted to do my part. I didn't want another act like that to happen. I didn't want more innocent people to die. Agents asked me if there were any other local kids who might resort to violence in the name of Islam. No names sprang to mind. Then, during the summer of 2014, something traumatic happened for our community. A boy from our local mosque, Moner Mohammad Abu-Salha, was 22 when he became the first American-born suicide bomber, driving a truck full of explosives into a government office in Syria. He'd travelled there and joined a group affiliated with al-Qaeda, the previous year. We had all known Moner; he was jovial and easygoing, the opposite of Omar. According to a posthumous video released that summer, he had clearly self-radicalised and had also done so by listening to the lectures of Anwar al-Awlaki, the charismatic Yemen-based imam who helped radicalise several Muslims, including the Fort Hood shooter. Everyone in the area was shocked and upset. We hate violence and were horrified that one of our number could have killed so many. (After an earlier training mission to Syria, he'd tried to recruit a few Florida friends to the cause. They told the FBI about him.) Since September 11, I've thought the only way to answer Islamophobia was to be polite and kind; the best way to counter all the negativity people were seeing on TV about Islam was by showing them the opposite. I urged Omar to volunteer and help people in need Muslim or otherwise (charity is a pillar of Islam). He agreed, but was always very worked up about this injustice. But as news reports this week have made clear, Omar did have a dark outlook on life. Partly, he was upset at what he saw as racism in the United States against Muslims and others. When he worked as a security guard at the St. Lucie County Courthouse, he told me visitors often made nasty or bigoted remarks to him about Islam. He overheard people saying ugly things about African Americans, too. After my talk with the FBI, I spoke to people in the Islamic community, including Omar, abut Moner's attack. I wondered how he could have radicalised. Both Omar and I attended the same mosque as Moner, and the imam never taught hate or radicalism. That's when Omar told me he had been watching videos of Awlaki, too, which immediately raised red flags for me. He told me the videos were very powerful. After speaking with Omar, I contacted the FBI again to let them know that Omar had been watching Awlaki's tapes. He hadn't committed any acts of violence and wasn't planning any, as far as I knew. And I thought he probably wouldn't, because he didn't fit the profile. He already had a second wife and a son. But it was something agents should keep their eyes on. I never heard from them about Omar again, but apparently they did their job. They looked into him and, finding nothing to go on, they closed the file. Omar and I continued to have infrequent conversations over the next few years. I last saw him at a dinner at his father's house in January. We talked about the presidential election and debated our views of the candidates that were running he liked Hillary Clinton and I liked Bernie Sanders. This banter continued through texts and phone calls for several months. My last conversation with Omar was by phone in mid-May. He called me while he was at the beach with his son to tell me about a vacation he'd taken with his father to Orlando the previous weekend. He'd been impressed by the local mosque. What happened next is well-known. We're still in shock. We're totally against what he did, and we feel the deepest sadness for the victims and their families. If you don't agree with someone, you don't have the right to kill them. We are taught to be kind to all of God's creation. Islam is very strict about killing. Even in war to say nothing of peace you cannot harm women, children, the elderly, the sick, clergymen, or even plants. You can't mutilate dead bodies. You can't destroy buildings, especially churches or temples. You can't force anyone to accept Islam. "If anyone slew one person, it would be as if he killed the whole of humanity," says the Koran. I had told the FBI about Omar because my community, and Muslims generally, have nothing to hide. I love this country, like most Muslims that I know. I don't agree with every government policy (I think there's too much money in politics, for instance), but I'm proud to be an American. I vote. I volunteer. I teach my children to treat all people kindly. Our families came here because it is full of opportunity a place where getting a job is about what you know, not who you know. It's a better country to raise children than some place where the electricity is out for 18 hours a day, where politicians are totally corrupt, or where the leader is a dictator. Judging from the news over the last week, police violence on the Gold Coast has become so commonplace that it's not even newsworthy. At the end of last week video emerged of a former Australian Federal Police officer being crash tackled to the ground by three police officers and handcuffed. He had let them into the Surfers Paradise apartment building, but felt intimidated by the way they behaved towards him and pulled out his phone to film them. Allegations of police violence is all too common on the Gold Coast. Credit:Tom Threadingham That's when the violence allegedly occurred, all caught on CCTV. The police officers allegedly released him when they discovered he was a former AFP officer, but not before the CCTV video appeared to show them deleting video evidence off his phone. More worrying than the incident is the way police violence on the Gold Coast seems to no longer be newsworthy. The Australian community recognises the value of attracting more high-yield international visitors to Australia and having them spend their money in our cities and regional and rural communities, accelerating growth and generating employment. This has to stop. As the Prime Minister has so eloquently put it, "If you want less of something, you tax it more". Travelling outside China has become easier as countries eager to welcome the high-spending Chinese have relaxed visa rules. Credit:Tamara Dean Each year the government ratchets up the fees and charges on the tourism industry if it's not the hiking of tourist visa fees and the passenger movement charge in one year, it's a new cash grab like the backpacker tax or increasing the cost of getting a passport in the other. Australia is a long-haul destination, there is no getting around that. So that means we need to work harder than other nations to convince prospective tourists to make the triphere. A key part of our enticement to these visitors should be a financially competitive and innovative visa system. China is the international visitor market with the most impressive growth for Australia. More than one million and growing at more than 20 per cent per year and these visitors are spending $8.9 billion in our country that is more than our next two largest tourist spending markets of Britain ($3.9 billion) and the US ($3.6 billion) combined. This sounds huge, but Australia is attracting less than one per cent of the more than 100 million Chinese travelling overseas and that will shrink to a smaller percentage when it hits 200 million travelling Chinese in 2020. Every one of these one million Chinese visitors is being charged $135 by the Australian government for a tourist visa, and when combined with the $55 "holiday tax", otherwise known as the passenger movement charge, it adds up to a whopping $190 going straight to the government. Visitors from the US can pay as little as $20 for the equivalent right to travel to Australia, and those from New Zealand and Britain pay nothing. That seems to be strange when China is our most lucrative visitor market they stay longer and spend more in Australia than other visitors. Chinese visitors spend on average $8730 per person during their visit. Olive Cotton Max c.1935 gelatin silver photograph National Gallery of Australia, Canberra Purchased 1998 How much collaboration there was between the two is at the heart of the exhibition. Theirs was a contentious relationship and difficult for both of them to talk about. Cotton always argued Dupain had little influence on her work and that she had little influence over him. In stark contrast, Dupain revealed not long before he died that for him, Cotton was one of the great Australian photographers, and that they were on a quest. He said: "We shared this problem together; these were the things we were interested in." To Lakin, it's clear they shared a mission. They were thinking about light, about how it hits a subject, how it casts a shadow. He says they were working not only on a style but on finding the right subject matter. They often photographed things in isolation, for example a body on the beach, or a body performing some sort of strange aerobic motion in space. They were not all that interested in the documentary potential of a subject. Olive Cotton Girl with mirror 1938 gelatin silver photograph National Gallery of Australia, Canberra Purchased 1987 "So the forest that Cotton was photographing in the 1930s was not photographed like a particular place where you have a particular experience but an environment or a landscape that has a set of conditions light, texture, patterns that lend themselves to the kind of photographs they wanted to take," he says. The subjects Cotton favoured during the 1930s and early 1940s were landscapes and still lifes. She was managing the studio during the daytime, so was somewhat constrained what she photographed reflected the practicalities of her daily life. "She wasn't taking shots during the day, she was taking shots after hours, by herself in the studio. It was dark ... there were some practical impediments to her capacity for taking shots of crowds, for example," Lakin says. The photographer's shadow (Olive Cotton and Max Dupain), 1935 (printed 1999), by Olive Cotton. Both photographers' work has distinct elements that illustrate their individual approaches. His photographs were colder and more formal, slightly removed, whereas Cotton's were slightly more immersive; she was interested in subtle relationships. Each brought a particular perspective to their work and, as with all art, their personalities influenced their approach. "I've read lots of interviews and spoken with lots of people who knew Dupain, who I believe was an incredibly charming man, but he also was quite aloof. He had an introspective personality and socially operated in a particular way," Lakin says. This is reflected in his relationship to his subjects there's often an arm's length between him and them. "He doesn't get into it in the way that Cotton did," says Lakin. She is often described as softly spoken and quiet but charming and gentle. "Again you can sort of see that in the photographs because they do have a gentleness, which is not about some feminine sensibility, but just about someone who is interested in a subject, in approaching it in a particular way." Untitled (sand and spinifex), by Olive Cotton, c.1935 gelatin silver photograph National Gallery of Australia, Canberra Purchased 2012 Credit:studio Dupain's relationship to landscape is more formal he makes a picture out of it, while she tries to find a picture in the landscape. It's a profoundly different perspective. "Maybe when Cotton says 'Max didn't influence me and I didn't influence him', she's thinking about that, the fact that for her it was very clear, she had a different approach to taking a photograph to the way he did," Lakin says. Olive Cotton The patterned road 1938 gelatin silver photograph National Gallery of Australia, Canberra Purchased 1983 gelatin silver photograph National Gallery of Australia, Canberra Purchased 2012 Credit:studio For all of the differences, there was a shared vision. The exhibition reveals how much their work had in common. "When you bring the work together and you place photographs alongside each other, sometimes it's difficult to tell who took what." They were not operating in a vacuum; both artists were looking at images shot by European and North American photographers. "It was simply by looking at photos taken in other places, they were both able to realise that the light was profoundly different here, the way that it worked, the way it cast shadows," says Lakin. "It's so much stronger, it's so much harsher." Berlin: Germany's coalition government has agreed to ban fracking for shale gas after years of fractious talks over the issue, but environmental groups said the ban does not go far enough. The decision means test drilling will be allowed, but only with the permission of the respective state government, officials said. Anti-fracking demonstrators in Melbourne in September. The debate over fracking has been just as controversial in Germany. Credit:Pat Scala German industry is keen to keep the door open to fracking which involves blasting chemicals and water into rocks to release trapped gas arguing it could help lower energy costs, but opposition is strong in the country, where a powerful green lobby has warned about possible risks to drinking water. If the law is approved by parliament, Germany will follow France, which has banned fracking, whereas Britain allows it subject to strict environmental and safety guidelines. The Greens' most venerated elder statesman has targeted the lower house seat of Brisbane as "inevitably Green", but Bob Brown conceded it could take an election or two. Former Greens leader Mr Brown and his successor, Christine Milne, were campaigning in Brisbane on Tuesday to boost the party's chances of picking up a second Queensland Senate seat. Bob Brown, Senator Larissa Waters, Christine Milne and candidate Andrew Bartlett pressed the flesh at a Brisbane pre-poll on Tuesday. Credit:Robert Shakespeare But Dr Brown, who was basking in poll results that showed a possible win in the Melbourne seat of Batman, said the Greens also had eyes on a lower house Queensland seat in the long term. "Brisbane is inevitably going to become a Green seat in the Federal Parliament, if not this time then further down the line," he said. Three of Canberra's frontline legal services would share in more than $600,000 to help domestic violence victims under federal Labor's pledge to restore funding to cash-strapped community law centres. Fraser MP Andrew Leigh said the Women's Legal Centre ACT and Region would receive $450,000, while Community Law ACT and its Street Law ACT homelessness outreach service would each get $120,000, over three years should Labor win next month's poll. Fraser MP Andrew Leigh announced Labor would boost funding for three community legal centres in the ACT under Labor's promised $43 million package for frontline legal services. Credit:Elesa Kurtz He announced the funding injection as part of a promised $43 million package for frontline legal services amid the Turnbull government's plan to rip 30 per cent of its funding from the centres over three years from 2017. Facebook shareholders have approved a proposal to create a new class of non-voting shares, a move aimed at letting Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg give away his wealth without relinquishing control of the social media company he founded. The company's plan to issue two "Class C" shares for each Class A and Class B share held by shareholders, in what is effectively a 3-for-1 stock split, was approved by Facebook shareholders at the company's annual general meeting on Monday. You would think Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg would hate his brainchild to be used for misinformation, but then again the share price isn't suffering. Credit:AP The Class C shares will be publicly traded under a new symbol. Zuckerberg said in December that he intended to put 99 per cent of his Facebook shares into a new philanthropy project focusing on human potential and equality. Spending on education will produce a bigger economic growth dividend in the long term than cutting corporate tax, according to a new survey of economists. As Labor and the Coalition go head-to-head on their centrepiece economic policies, a survey of 31 economists by the Economic Society of Australia and Monash Business School has found almost two-thirds agreed with the statement that: 'Australia will receive a bigger economic growth dividend in the long-run by spending on education than offering an equivalent amount of money on a tax cut to business.' The Coalition has budgeted, if elected, to spend $48 billion over 10 years to cut the corporate tax rate from 30 per cent to 25 per cent. Federal public servants will be based in Gungahlin for the first time if the Coalition wins the election. ACT Liberal senator Zed Seselja will announce on Wednesday he has won a commitment from the Coalition to transfer a federal government agency to Canberra's newest town centre. Liberal Senator Zed Seselja. Credit:Rohan Thomson The as-yet un-named agency will come from the parliamentary zone and is expected to be relatively small but the decision is significant as it establishes a precedent. "Remember things do go wrong," he said. "They go wrong every single day. We don't want to shift blame." Martin Bowles has encouraged public servants to listen, be courageous and learn from their mistakes. Credit:Melissa Adams The former Defence Department deputy secretary told a crowd of mostly senior public servants to resist thinking they were always the smartest people in the room. Health Department secretary Martin Bowles has recalled a nightmare experience at last year's budget lock-up and told his staff not to shift the blame for their mistakes. He urged colleagues to learn from the 2015 budget lock-up, which was slammed as a shambles by health professionals after budget papers were unavailable and public servants were unable to clarify changes. "We forgot what was actually happening and I got annihilated," he said. "I stood up on that stage for an hour and got absolutely pilloried, smashed." At the time, Australian Medical Association president Brian Owler told the media it was insulting to be locked-up in a room without information or an explanation of key changes. "I woke up the next morning to the media which was giving me another touch up," Mr Bowles said. "I turned up at estimates not that long after and of course the line of question was 'how did you [mess] that up'." Immigration Department secretary Michael Pezzullo has called for an "insurgency and revolution" within his workforce to disrupt a history of male dominance in senior positions. In a blistering speech, Mr Pezzullo called on women to take command of meetings just as men had taught themselves to do by holding senior positions for generations. Michael Pezzullo has told women in his department to lead an insurgency and revolution. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen "Own the issue and, as required, own the room," he told a room of women leaders. "Some people need to employ different tactics to own a room or an issue. You don't have to have the loudest voice. You don't need to put ego into every sentence." A Central Coast chiropractor and former Liberal Party member has pleaded guilty to posting racist and offensive messages on the Facebook page of former Senator Nova Peris. Chris Nelson, 64, initially claimed his Facebook profile had been hacked when messages were sent calling Ms Peris a "black c---" and telling her to "f--- off" and "go back to the bush and suck on witchity [sic] grubs".' However, he pleaded guilty to one count of using a carriage service to offend when he fronted Woy Woy Local Court for the first time on Tuesday. Police documents tendered in court state that Mr Nelson admitted to writing the posts when detectives visited him at his Woy Woy chiropractor and osteopath centre on May 30. The Budget allocates $146 million over four years to resettle refugees fleeing Syria, after Mike Baird led calls last year for Australia to lift its refugee intake and pledged that NSW was prepared to help. The money will fund English language centres, health, school enrolments, youth peer mentoring and a cultural transition program. NSW Co-ordinator General for Refugee Resettlement Peter Shergold said this month that most of the 6000 Syrians and Iraqis to be settled in NSW will be children, with around 1500 adults expected. Of this group, around 800 are expected to be looking for work, and the Baird government has called on the private sector to offer them jobs. The NSW public service will employ 100 refugees in the next 12 months. Police dogs $15 million for a new home. The vulnerable A $560 million boost over four years for the foster care system, which is in crisis. The extra funds include $190 million to "reform the system" with a greater focus on restoring children to their families by offering intensive help to 1000 families, half of which will be Aboriginal families. Another $370 million to meet the increased demand for foster care. See NSW to budget $560 million for at-risk children. Social housing reform to get $280 million extra over four years, with 73 per cent of new funds going to private rental subsidies to divert families in crisis, and women fleeing domestic violence, from the 60,000 family long waiting list for public housing. See $280m for families at risk of homelessness. Homeless youth to get $40 million over four years for a new fund to assist teenagers who are leaving state care find their feet in the community with education, housing and jobs. See $40 million to give homeless youth a head start. A $75 million boost over four years for drug and alcohol services including detox and treatment programs for young people and pregnant women. Women fleeing domestic violence Spending on specialist domestic violence services has doubled to $300 million over four years, including $53 million for the expansion of the Safer Pathway program to 19 more sites next year, and $43 million for housing support for women and children escaping domestic violence. The Women's Domestic Violence and Court Advocacy Program gets $6.3 million extra over four years to handle an increase in demand. Public transport users A $10.5 billion investment in public transport next year, including $1.4 billion to start the Metro City and Southwest, and $1.3 billion to build eight metro stations for the Metro Northwest. Buses get a $108 million boost for 12 new routes, double-decker buses for Rouse Hill-city services, Blacktown-Macquarie Park, and Liverpool-Parramatta, and all-night services for Green Square and Zetland. Light rail projects in Sydney and Parramatta will get $135 million, of which $64 million is planning money for the Parramatta project, for which a route is yet to be settled. See $1b for new suburban trains for Sydney rail network. Westmead Hospital The Westmead redevelopment will receive $100 million this year, towards the overall $900 million project, which is the biggest hospital redevelopment in NSW. See $1 billion boost to health but looming funding cliff not addressed. Western Sydney The $9.7 billion to be spent on roads next year delivers on projects already promised at the 2015 election, with a focus on western Sydney: the controversial WestConnex, and western Sydney road upgrades to support the second Sydney airport at Badgerys Creek. NSW is hunting for that rare start-up beast. Credit:act\ian.warden Unicorns A Sydney School of Entrepreneurship to be set up with $25 million as a joint venture between universities and TAFE. The idea is to give 1000 students a year the mentoring and practical training they need to kickstart innovative businesses. The unicorn? That rare beast that is the start-up that grows to a $1 billion company. NSW wants them. See Sydney entrepreneur school hunting for unicorns. Endangered animals $12 million towards the Taronga Institute of Science and Learning to promote global leadership in conservation science. Seniors The NSW Seniors Card program, which offers retail discounts to people over 65, will be expanded to include new businesses across a wider area of the state. The $500,000 expansion will help support the growing group of Seniors Card holders, which is forecast to increase from 1,478,000 people in 2015-16 to 1,580,000 in 2016-17. There will also be an extra 3500 places for computer literacy classes for older people over three years under the Tech Savvy Seniors program, at a cost of $500,000. Elder abuse, which was the subject of a parliamentary inquiry earlier this year, will also be addressed through a $600,000 fund to support the Elder Abuse Helpline and Resource Unit. People with disabilities The transfer of people with disabilities still living in large institutions to more suitable accommodation in the community will continue, with $22 million in funding to go towards new housing. There are still hundreds of people in large institutions in Sydney, the Central Coast and the Hunter who will be moved to small group homes as part of the wider roll out of the National Disability Insurance Scheme. The NSW government will spend $1.3 billion as part of its contribution to the implementation of the NDIS which begins a three year roll out from July 1. Chief executive of the NSW Council of Social Service Tracey Howe welcomed a move to extend funding for advocacy services supporting people with a disability. "With the roll out of the NDIS it's also crucial the advocacy services remain to support people with disability through on of the largest reforms this country has ever seen it's great to see funding for these service extended," she said. Opera Lovers $12 million for the first stage of a $202 million upgrade project for the Sydney Opera House. Lucy Turnbull Mrs Turnbull chairs the Greater Sydney Commission, which will get a $41 million boost ($62 million over four years) to overhaul Sydney's blueprint for growth to fit another million people in the next 10 years. The Commission will coordinate planning for transport, housing and jobs growth, and consult the community. See Lucy Turnbull's Sydney commission gets $62m boost. Public libraries After a persistent campaign against government MPs by their most loyal users, libraries will wring an additional $2 million in funding, but it's unclear if that will stop the letters. District court judges Waiting lists in the court system have ballooned, so the government will direct $39 million to address it in the next two years. New communities More than $260 million has been set aside to accelerate the development of new communities across Sydney, reports Melanie Kembrey. The funds will be spent on infrastructure projects, such as bridges, roads and intersections, to speed up the construction of new homes in areas that the state government has determined as "priority precincts" or "priority growth areas". Key projects to receive funding include the M4 off ramp at Hills Road in Lidcombe, Hambledon Road, Alex Avenue in Blacktown, the first stage of the Spring Farm Parkway in Camden and planning for the upgrade of Appin Road in Campbelltown. There will also be a $60 million investment in infrastructure to support new homes in The Hills and Blacktown local government areas and $40 million for building parks, paths and streets in other Sydney areas being redeveloped, including Carter Street in Lidcombe and Macquarie University Station. The funds are the fourth tranche of the Housing Acceleration Fund, which the government says will accelerate the construction of more than 160,000 homes. The Western Sydney Parklands Trust will receive $22 million to create and improve parks and business hubs at Horsley Drive and Eastern Creek, while there will be a more than $17 million investment in upgrading facilities in Centennial Parklands. As the forced amalgamation of dozens of councils across the state continues to cause headaches for the Baird government, the budget includes a record $700 million investment in local government. The funding includes the previously announced $10 million for merging councils, $14 million for other reforms like the creation of "joint organisations" between councils that are not merging, $79 million to subsidise council rates and charges for pensioners, and $1.5 million to create an online dog and cat register. Losers Foreign property investors Foreigners buying real estate will pay a 4 per cent stamp duty surcharge that starts on Budget Day. A 0.75 per cent land tax surcharge will begin in 2017. Similar surcharges for foreign property buyers have been applied in Victoria and Queensland, although NSW's new charges have been pitched slightly lower. Both new foreigner levies are expected to generate $1 billion over four years. See Foreign property buyers in NSW to be hit with stamp duty and land tax hikes. Criminals With $3.8 billion pledged to build 7000 new prison beds in the next four years, the prison overcrowding crisis will be eased, but Corrective Services Minister David Elliott clearly foresees an increasing number of clients. James Robertson reports: The government is touting an all-time record investment in the justice sector in this budget; spending will top $8 billion in the next year. Much of this money will go to address the state's bursting-at-the-seams prisons, which will receive $3.8 billion over four years for 7000 new beds. The state's prison population is at a record high. But a new initiative, worth about $570 million will try to stop people arriving at prison in the first place. The government is trying to overhaul the justice system and reduce the rate of reoffending by prisoners, one of Premier Mike Baird's top priorities. But it does not yet know how most of that money will be allocated. The money is yet to be attached to any programs for reducing reoffending, one of the toughest policy conundrums facing state bureaucrats at present. One in two people currently in prison in NSW will return; the state's recidivism rate is among the worst in the nation, behind the Northern Territory's. A small portion of that money has been allocated: $40 million over two years for the district court system, to address a growing backlog. Police also get a big funding increase. Their infrastructure budget is up by half to $57 million worth of new stations. Police will also have new capabilities and equipment, such as body cameras, helicopters and better drug testing technology. Drunk drivers The police forecasts the number of random breath tests it undertakes will grow from 5.8 million to 6.5 million a year. Public servants Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian will continue the unpopular "efficiency dividend" of 1.5 per cent a year, and a wages cap. It is expected to cost NSW government agencies $1.4 billion in cuts, although frontline workers in schools, health and police are exempt. Social Affairs editor Rachel Browne reports that the number of public servants providing community support for people with a disability, their family and carers will also drop dramatically in 2016-17 as the state government transfers services to the non-government sector. Budget estimates show the number of employees providing respite services, personal assistance and day programs for people with disabilities next year will decrease by 11.6 per cent from 2013-14. The number of staff providing short-term support such as transition to work programs will also drop in 2016-17. Services provided by Ageing, Disability and Home Care (ADHC), part of Family and Community Services, are being transferred to the private sector. Home Care was acquired by Australian Unity in February this year. The Public Service Association, which represents ADHC workers, is predicting the transfer of state services to the non-government sector will result in a workforce crisis in the disability sector. Disability support workers were surveyed by the PSA last month, with 40 per cent saying they would leave the sector under the privatisation. Under the transfer, staff and conditions for ADHC staff are only guaranteed for two years. PSA general secretary Steve Turner said the transfer had the potential to derail the NDIS in NSW. Nepean Hospital Only gets $1 million to plan for a badly needed upgraded, as the hospital faces the longest waiting list for elective surgery in metropolitan Sydney. Transparency The government has revised downward by 20 per cent the number of reviews of freedom of information requests received this year. Numbers are forecast to stay down. The environment Environment editor Peter Hannam reports that the environment appears to be a loser, with climate change entirely absent from Gladys Berejiklian's budget speech and garnering just two mentions in the 467-page Budget Estimates tome. That's despite NSW and Australia coming out of their hottest autumns on record and climate scientists predicting an increase in east coast lows bringing beach-eroding storm surges. New spending identified as climate-related includes $31 million to support Planning Minister Rob Stokes' new coastal and floodplain management plans, while $12 million has been set aside for "urgent repair works" at seven sites hard-hit by flooding in the Hunter Valley. There's also $49 million, up by $15 million, to make energy use more efficient, including just $1.4 million for renewable energy programs in a state that lags all but Queensland in the share of clean energy in the electricity sector. The cost of the Solar Bonus Scheme that bolstered solar panel demand shrinks to $109 million in 2016-17 from the $202 million last year. By contrast, the Coal Innovation Fund - to sustain the coal industry - will get $23 million, even as falling coal prices and export volumes slash royalties. The Baird government concedes they will reap $1.7 billion less in coal royalties over the next four years than was predicted just a year ago. Greens energy spokesman Jeremy Buckingham said the lower royalty forecast was just the latest of a series of cuts to projected funds from coal. (See chart below of actual versus forecast cuts.) "Treasury's courageous forecasts for coal royalties have again been proved wrong as the coal industry continues to decline in the face of global action on climate change and challenges from gas and renewable energy," Mr Buckingham said. The government, though, says it has found a further $50 million to lift the budget of the Office and Heritage about 3 per cent to a record $1.707 billion. There will be almost $170 million for the Environment Protection Authority, which will expand it staff numbers by about 7.5 per cent to 529. The EPA is also getting $10 million for its NSW Gas Plan (up from $5.6 million) supporting coal seam gas even after one of its main proponents AGL has signalled its exit from the industry. The government also hailed the allocation of as much as $15 million that it will set aside in 2016-17 as part of $240 million over five years to pay farmers for "strategic biodiversity conservation" when the government controversially replaces the Native Vegetation and Threatened Species acts later this year. The Save Our Species program, meanwhile , will get $16 million as part of $100 million promised over five years in this year's budget. However, Penny Sharpe, Labor's environment spokeswoman said the budget continued to ignore climate change, calling it "the biggest environmental issue facing NSW". Ms Sharpe also said there were reasons to doubt the planned spending would happen, noting that the Environmental Trust - which gives out grants to communities across the state - was again earmarked to have $100 million to spend, or 49 per cent more than it spent in 2015-16. According to previous years, the trust has underspent to the tune of $133 million budget over the past five years. (See table below). Major program grants, for instance, were supposed to number 20 in 2015-16 but came in at a revised number of 12 and only a similar number is expected this year. "Every year, the government crows about how much money there is available to support organisations, businesses and local groups for environmental projects across the state, but the numbers of grants are diminishing and up to 40% of the funding is never spent." A truck driver has been charged over a fatal crash in Appin in which a 25-year-old high school teacher was killed earlier this year. The 45-year-old male truck driver will face court next month charged over the death of John Therry Catholic High School teacher Melissa Bond on March 21. Melissa Bond, 25, died in a crash on Appin Road. Ms Bond was driving home from school just after 5.30pm when her Holden Cruz and the refrigerated truck collided on Appin Road about two kilometres south of Copperfield Road in Appin, about 16 kilometres south of Campbelltown. Police will allege in court that the truck driver was driving dangerously and negligently when his rig crossed to the wrong side of the road, crashing into Ms Bond's vehicle. A little girl, aged seven, had just been to church and first remembered seeing a window cleaner as she was driven into the garage of her Hunter's Hill home. When she came outside, the window cleaner allegedly asked: "Do you want to help?" and she replied: "Yes". Gregory John Vagg leaves the Downing Centre District Court on Tuesday. Credit:Ben Rushton On Wednesday, a Sydney court heard how Gregory John Vagg, 58, then allegedly lifted her up in the air and sexually assaulted her as she held a sponge in her hand. This was done while the girl's mother remained inside the house. Queensland Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath has asked the state coroner to investigate the death of an Australian security contractor in Iraq. Chris Betts, 34, was found shot dead at the Australian embassy in the capital Baghdad on May 12. Chris Betts was gunned down at the Australian embassy in Baghdad. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Mr Betts is reported to have been a former soldier from Hervey Bay and was a member of the Unity Resources Group security team based at the embassy. It is believed fellow URG employee Sun McKay was with Mr Betts when he died. Close to 18 months after it was first promised, the Palaszczuk Government has made no further moves on the inquiry into political donations it promised independent MP Peter Wellington in order to win power. Mr Wellington said it was "disappointing that nothing has happened", despite the Premier making the inquiry a key commitment to the Nicklin MP while wooing him for his support in forming government. Michael Rice spoke to Money News On May 31 Mr Wellington wrote to the Premier to ask for an update on his request for an investigation into real time donations, while referencing recent concerns over donations during the local government election. He is yet to get a response. Police in north Queensland have nabbed 10 alleged drug drivers in an operation outside a prison. Operation Oscar Prairie was set up as a joint operation between the Road Policing unit and the Corrective Services investigation unit to intercept vehicles entering Lotus Glen Correction Centre, about 25 kilometres south of Mareeba. Ten people were caught driving under the influence of drugs outside a prison. Credit:Leanne Pickett Sergeant John Ridgway of the Mareeba Road Policing unit said police had received intelligence that some people of interest might be intercepted at that location. "There were people indicated to us that were of interest to us," he said. The Palaszczuk Government will spend $40 million to attract new industry and businesses to Queensland, but a leading advisory firm said to be successful, the state first needed to get with the times. Queensland, along with Western Australia, which is also struggling to turn its economy around in the face of the mining boom downturn, and the Northern Territory remain the only jurisdictions to still impose a duty on the transfer on businesses assets Queensland Treasurer Curtis Pitt. BDO Tax Partner Leisa Rafter said the duty impacted on the growth of existing businesses and with an unemployment rate higher than the national average and a sluggish economy, every bit of help, helped. "The longer Queensland continues to enforce this the longer our state will remain less desirable to businesses looking to set up and operate, as duty will be imposed on any acquisitions and disposals of business assets," she said in a statement. Six dingoes have been found dead on Fraser Island in what has been described as a "very disturbing situation". Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service received reports of dead dingoes found around Orchid Beach on Friday, June 17. Fraser Island rangers were still searching the area for the killers of the dingoes. Credit:File On inspection, its officers found six dingo carcasses, with one of the bodies found buried in a shallow grave. Queensland Environment Minister Steven Miles confirmed the dogs had been poisoned and said autopsies revealed they were likely poisoned with 1080 (sodium fluoroacetate). Scientists have unearthed two distant infant worlds, among the youngest ever found, that shed light on how planets form. The two newborn exoplanets, as orbs outside our solar system are called, are estimated to be less than 10 million years old and orbit embryonic stars hundreds of billions of kilometres away. One of the planets, the fully formed K2-33b, is about 50 per cent larger than Neptune. Every 5.4 days, it makes a complete circuit around its youthful parent star. The other exoplanet is a giant Jupiter-like orb circling a star that is probably only 2 million years old - a true babe, in solar terms. But it's 100 times closer to its star than our gas giant is to the sun. If you prefer emoji to actual words, you can now read classic works like Moby Dick, the Bible and Shakespeare's plays adaptations include YOLO Juliet in pictograms, thanks to enterprising translators and an expanding palette of the little cartoons. What you will not be able to do is accurately transcribe The Patriot or American Sniper into emoji, simply because the rifle emoji does not exist. In the arsenal of emoji firearms, it's handguns all the way down. The revolver is one of a few weapons in an emoji vocabulary that contains some 1800 characters; an update scheduled to be released on Tuesday, Unicode 9.0, will bring 72 new emoji with it. A rifle emoji was planned. It did not make the cut. The 'modern penthathlon' and 'rifle' emoji, seen here as imagined by website Emojipedia, were dropped as emoji candidates. In a move spearheaded by Apple and supported by Microsoft, members of the Unicode Consortium decided to nix the rifle at the last minute, according to unnamed sources who spoke with Buzzfeed News. The Unicode Consortium quietly determines which emoji make it into the biggest tech platforms. The non-profit organisation includes some of the major players in Silicon Valley, like Apple, Google and Microsoft. Unlike bespoke emoji that require third-party applications to view like Kim Kardashian's Kimoji once introduced, emoji approved by the Unicode group become, essentially, universal. During Unicode's quarterly meeting in May, two emoji came up for discussion: number U+1F946 a rifle and U+1F93B, or "modern pentathlon," which included a man holding a pistol. Both emoji were proposed in anticipation of the 2016 Rio Olympics. Apple, according to an anonymous member of the meeting who spoke to Buzzfeed, argued that the rifle should not be encoded. (The pentathlon and rifle will become characters black and white pictograms but will not appear in colour in emoji keyboards.) Once the families of the victims are handed the death certificates, they will be able to receive $25, 000 'temporary' compensation from insurance companies Egypt's Civil Aviation Minister Sherif Fathy said on Tuesday that the death certificates of the victims of the EgyptAir MS804 flight would be handed to their families within hours. Fathy's statements came during the signing ceremony of a training contract between the Egyptian National Falcon Company for Airport Security and British company Restrata for Consulting and Training. The Egyptian civil aviation minister said the certificates were being accredited by Egypt's cabinet in accordance with the law and legislation. According to the minister, the families can then head to an insurance company to be compensated with $25,000. On Monday, EgyptAir Chief Safwat Mosallam said that the $25,000 worth of compensation was "temporary," as the full amount will be offered once the settlement with insurance companies is completed in accordance with international standards. Sixty-six people were killed when the EgyptAir flight MS804 on route from Paris to Cairo crashed in the Mediterranean Sea. The plane's two black boxes have been retrieved from the sea, though the data has yet to be unloaded to reveal the reason behind the crash and communication between the pilot and co-pilot in the final moments of the flight. Search Keywords: Short link: A Catholic priest who raped a student at a notorious boarding school and then told the boy he disgusted him has been jailed for 8 years. Michael Aulsebrook, 60, on Tuesday became the latest of a string of priests who taught at Salesian College Rupertswood in Sunbury to be jailed for sexually abusing children, after he was found guilty in April of raping the boy in 1988. Michael Aulsebrook lured the boy to his office one night, then drugged and raped him. Credit:Justin McManus The victim, who was a Year 7 student, was also raped by another priest at the school, David Rapson, in a separate incident that same year. Aulsebrook is no longer a priest but was the boarding co-ordinator in 1988 and lured the boy to his office one night with the offer of playing computer games. Motorists faced long delays on the Peninsula Link Freeway in Melbourne's south on Monday after a garbage truck dumped a massive 20 cubic metres of rubbish. It is understood a garbage truck lost a load of construction materials along the freeway at about 6am near Langwarrin. Traffic chaos on the freeway. Credit:VicRoads The rubbish was strewn for about a kilometre with the main dump near Skye Road in the left and emergency lanes. Almost 60 per cent of Melbourne students are bypassing their local school, according to world-renowned academic John Hattie. Professor Hattie said school choice had led to a "clogging of the motorways" as students avoided their neighbourhood school in pursuit of alternatives. Professor John Hattie is regarded as one of the world's leading researchers on education. Credit:Rodger Cummins School choice has also fuelled unhealthy competition between schools, he told a packed lecture theatre at the University of Melbourne on Tuesday evening. "Nearly all this choice is based on hearsay, the nature of the students, and rarely on whether the school is or isn't adding value to the students' learning," he said. Two students from a Glen Waverley school were rushed to hospital after they took LSD while on a school camp in the Gold Coast. Four Brentwood Secondary College students were involved in the incident, and two were taken to Gold Coast University Hospital on Tuesday morning after taking the psychedelic drug. Two school students were taken to hospital. Credit:Josh Robenstone Police cautioned the students after they were found with drugs at the Runaway Bay Sport and Leadership Excellence Centre. The camp runs sports and leadership programs for students and promises to "promote learning through action". A soaring apartment tower planned for Melbourne's CBD would gut its heritage "host" building, leaving only the husk behind, city planners have warned. Chinese developer AZX Group has applied to build 67-storey building rising from the centre of a late-1930s art deco factory on the western end of A'Beckett Street. The 67-storey skyscraper proposed for 183-189 A'Beckett Street. The City of Melbourne's heritage consultant has urged Planning Minister Richard Wynne to reject the 202-metre skyscraper due to its detrimental effect on the existing building, the former Grange Lynne factory. "The heritage host is reduced to a ruin that would no longer be seen as a whole building but would be only a symbolic or token retention, without roof, or sense of its internal, or general integrity," they said. He first saw the dog "casing" his chook-shed early in the morning. The chickens survived unscathed, but a few hours later, Sunbury farmer John Lakey saw the dog again, as well as the sheep it had mauled on his property. Farmer John Lakey on his Sunbury farm. Credit:Pat Scala Mr Lakey has hit out after the dog, from a nearby property, attacked 11 of his sheep. Two of them were so badly injured they had to be put down by a vet. Students at a southern suburbs primary school narrowly avoided tragedy after a ute ploughed into its playground shortly after the school day ended. Photos supplied to WAtoday show a vehicle entangled within play equipment at Gwynne Park Primary School in Armadale around 3.30pm on Tuesday. The ute, mounted the curb and knocked down a fence before landing on the play equipment. The car mounted the curb and knocked down a fence, before the driver, who had suffered an epileptic fit, became trapped in the vehicle. A St John Ambulance spokesman said the 30-year-old was rushed to Armadale hospital with unknown injuries. The sun will set in Perth at 5.20pm on Tuesday, marking the shortest day of the year - an astronomical phenomenon known as the Winter Solstice. The southern hemisphere will experience less than 10 hours of sunlight and 14 hours of night on June 21 when the sun is at its furthest point from the equator. Pagans celebrate the Winter Solstice in 2014. Credit:Steven Siewert To put it into perceptive, the day is four hours and 11 minutes shorter than Perth's longest day, summer solstice, on December 21. From Wednesday, Perth's days will gradually become longer and the nights shorter, marking the turning point between winter and summer. China's southern city of Yulin began its annual dog meat festival on Tuesday despite opposition from millions of animal rights activists. Residents of the city have complained of new government measures to keep the festival, during which thousands of dogs are expected to be killed and eaten, low key. Animal rights activists this month handed Beijing authorities a petition with 11 million signatures protesting against the festival, which they say is cruel. Yulin: China's southern city of Yulin is gearing up for its upcoming dog meat festival despite widespread opposition from activists calling for an end to the slaughter and eating of the animals. Street vendors in local markets are putting out metal cages containing hounds for sale for Tuesday's dog meat festival. Many cages hold one dog, while some have three crammed together, with a few cages even holding cats. Egypt's civil aviation minister says Egypt will decide later on Tuesday if the flight recorders will be sent abroad for repairs or mended locally Egyptian investigators will decide later on Tuesday whether to send the memory units of the crashed EgyptAir flight recorders abroad to be repaired or if they will be mended domestically, Civil Aviation Minister Sherif Ismail said. "In case the memory units are sent overseas, this will be under Egyptian supervision and for a 24-hour period," Fathy told reporters. Fathy added during the signing of an airport security deal with a British firm that Egypt has yet to decide on the country to which the units will be dispatched. The minister promised that the results of the probe into the crash would be announced with "complete transparency." The Airbus A320 passenger jet crashed into the Mediterranean on 19 May while en route from Paris to Cairo, killing all 66 people on board. The twin voice recorders were found last week, in a major step that is expected to greatly help investigators form a clear picture of what caused the crash of flight MS804. Both France and the United states have sent investigators to Cairo to take part in the probe. The plane was manufactured in France, who also had the highest number of foreign victims aboard. The Airbus A320 engine was made in the United States. Search Keywords: Short link: Nicosia: Two firefighters were killed and a third was critically injured while tackling one of the largest forest fires in Cyprus in years. The blaze, possibly started by an attempt to burn dry stubble, broke out on Sunday in the foothills of the Troodos mountain region of the eastern Mediterranean island. A firefighting aircraft drops fire retardant material in efforts to contain a huge forest fire that continues to rage out of control in the mountainous areas southwest of Cyprus' capital Nicosia. Credit:Philippos Christou It has been fanned by high winds and scorching temperatures, hampering efforts by firefighters backed by water bomber aircraft from Greece and Israel and helicopters from the British military bases in Cyprus. The two firefighters were killed when a water tanker overturned. A third firefighter was in a critical condition after a fire truck plunged down a ravine. Court documents show that the GPS device was attached to the 44-year-old man's prosthetic limb, which police said he removed and put in a box in the living room of his second-floor apartment before apparently putting on a spare leg and heading outside. Instead of cutting off or removing the bracelet, however, which would have alerted authorities, police said Green found another way to dupe the tracker: He took off his leg. The GPS device was attached to the man's prosthetic leg, which police say he then removed to commit a crime. Washington: When Dana Hamilton was fatally shot in Washington on May 19, the suspected shooter had what would seem an iron-clad alibi: A tracking bracelet secured to his leg after a previous gun arrest showed him in his apartment, a mile away from the crime scene. For 72 hours, police said in an arrest affidavit, "the device barely moved," still attached to the leg, even as Green himself moved freely without being noticed by officials tracking him under the District's most restrictive form of pretrial release. Repeated sightings of Green by officers and witnesses were dismissed, police said, with officials insisting Green was where the GPS said he was. "I don't understand how someone could put this device on a prosthetic leg," said Sergeant Matthew Mahl, chairman of the DC police union. "It is frustrating for us as police officers to have one of our defendants released, especially when talking about dangerous crime like guns - and then to know that the accountability for these defendants isn't always up to par." About 400 defendants awaiting trial in the District are free in the neighbourhood, wearing GPS devices. The trackers are not designed to monitor in real time, but can provide officials with a road map if the defendants abscond while wearing a tracking bracelet. Authorities are alerted should a defendant "disappear" from the grid, cut off or forcibly remove a device, or wander in an area the court put off-limits. Chris McDowell, director of communications for California-based Sentinel Services, which supplies and fits the bracelets on pretrial detainees in the District, said protocol for Green was "absolutely not" followed. He said the company technician who fitted Green put the device over a sock and apparently didn't realise the leg underneath was artificial. McDowell said regulations require that the devices be affixed tightly to skin, never over clothing. "We believe it was absolutely human error," he said. Indonesia has asked its Sri Lankan and Indian embassies to verify 43 citizens on board a boat beached in Aceh for more than 10 days and provide travel documents so they can return home. The Sri Lankan Tamils, who have been sheltering under makeshift tents on the beach at Lhoknga in the northern province of Aceh for three days, were also finally granted access to representatives from the International Organisation for Migration and the UN refugee agency. Heru Santoso, a spokesman for Indonesia's immigration directorate general, conceded there was only a small chance of their boat being towed back into international waters because "their boat can't be fixed anymore". On Monday, the top UN human rights official issued a report saying the Rohingya have been deprived of nationality and undergone systematic discrimination and severe restrictions on movements. Yangon: Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi has told the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights that her government will avoid using the term "Rohingya" to describe the persecuted Muslim minority. Members of the 1.1 million group in the country's north-west, who identify themselves by the term, are seen by many Myanmar Buddhists as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. Rohingya refugees from Myanmar living in temporary shelters, in Aceh Province, Indonesia, in January. Credit:Getty Images The UN human rights investigator, Yanghee Lee, met Ms Suu Kyi in the capital Naypyitaw on her first trip to Myanmar since the Nobel Peace Prize winner took power in April. Ms Suu Kyi is banned from presidency by the military-drafted constitution because her children have British citizenship, but she is State Counsellor, Minister for Foreign Affairs, and the de facto leader of the administration. Feted in the West for her role as champion of Myanmar's democratic opposition during long years of military rule and house arrest, Ms Suu Kyi has been criticised overseas, and by some in Myanmar, for saying little about the abuses faced by the Rohingya. Critics say she overlooks the issue in order to keep peace with the country's powerful Buddhist majority. "Once SWAT got there, they told us to retreat, that they'd take over because we were not really in tactical gear we were just in our police uniforms." A couch placed at the rapidly growing makeshift memorial at the Dr Phillips Centre for the Performing Arts in downtown Orlando. Credit:Orlando Sentinel via AP As the FBI continues its investigation of the worst mass shooting in modern US history, Cornwell and his fellow officers' early standoff with the shooter the second of three encounters between law enforcement and Mateen over more than three hours Sunday morning is being scrutinised by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's Public Integrity Squad. None of the officers involved have spoken publicly, though Cornwell and others are scheduled to be in attendance Tuesday afternoon when Attorney General Loretta Lynch holds a news conference on the shooting. That Cornwell was even in the vicinity of the Pulse Nightclub at 2am Sunday was largely a matter of coincidence. The tiny Belle Isle Police Department, situated just south of Orlando in a sleepy community of pale houses and Spanish moss, has an agreement to assist the community of Edgewood, which is near the Pulse nightclub. Cornwell, a second-year police officer who served with the Army National Guard in Iraq, said he was helping with a traffic stop when he heard the call on his radio that shots had been fired at Pulse. He said he arrived "in 38 seconds." "It was a straight shot there and I hit every green light," said Cornwell, who spoke with The Washington Post at Belle Isle's City Hall in the presence of the Belle Isle police chief, who occasionally stopped him from offering too much detail. Cornwell was one of the first seven or so police cars to arrive on the scene, where officers were getting out of their cars with their assault rifles, he said. "Some ran towards the building, some stayed back with people running out," he said. "There was tons of people running out of the club. I grabbed my assault rifle and ran toward the club. At this point the shooter is still actively shooting inside." Cornwell converged on the south side of the building near the main entrance with perhaps five other officers, all from the Orlando police department, which he referred to as OPD. "There happens to be an OPD lieutenant commander who was there, and he says we've got to go in," said Cornwell. "No one disagreed. One of the officers busted out one of those side windows ... and we just went in and went from there." He estimated that "no more than two minutes" had elapsed since they arrived, and they were now inside the club. Cornwell said Mateen was nowhere to be seen. The club was dimly-lit with a disco ball and coloured lights and quiet except for the sound of the shooter's gunfire, screams and cries for help, Cornwell said. "He was actively shooting," he said. "I can't say if he was targeting us. But he was still shooting in that location where he was at. There were bullet holes in the wall, so he had shot through the wall. But I couldn't tell you if he was shooting at us." Cornwell and the other officers immediately began "clearing rooms" one by one not knowing if there was one or possibly more shooters and trying to locate the source of the gunfire. The sound of the shots was echoing all around the club making it difficult to tell exactly where it was coming from, he said. But fairly quickly Cornwell said "within minutes" officers located Mateen in the bathroom area. At that point, he said, "we took up a tactical position by the bar standpoint in the middle of the club." As he aimed his AR-15 assault rifle toward the bathroom door, he said, the shooting stopped. And it was then that the "15 or 20 minute" holding pattern began, he said. Though Cornwell cannot recall exactly how he understood his orders whether it came on the radio or was verbal his clear understanding was that he and his fellow officers were to hold their position rather than attempt to go into the bathroom after the shooter. Minutes passed as he kept aiming toward the bathroom, he said. He could hear people scream. There were people lying all over the floor of the club. He kept aiming, waiting for SWAT. More screams. He and the other officers held their position, focused on the bathroom, where he could see "some movement inside," he said. Asked whether he felt an urge to pursue the shooter at that point, Cornwell said, "I couldn't tell you. I was following lieutenant's command." At some point during the 15 to 20 minutes it is unclear exactly when Cornwell and the others in the group of first responders withdrew to the outside of the club, he said. "We got word from higher up, and it was communicated to the OPD lieutenant that we needed to withdraw," he said. "So we came back outside. And waited for SWAT. SWAT arrived. SWAT handled everything from there." It was only the first half hour or so of the ordeal. Outside, Cornwell said he spent the next several hours helping to transport victims to ambulances. He arrived back at the Belle Isle police department Sunday afternoon, his uniform and all his equipment saturated with blood. Pretoria: Protesters burned buses and barricaded roads in South Africa's capital on Tuesday in an escalating dispute over the ruling party's mayoral candidate for local elections in August. The vote is expected to be closely fought and will pose a major test for the African National Congress (ANC) as it looks ahead to a 2019 presidential election in the face of a strong challenge from the opposition and an economic slowdown. A vehicle burns on a road outside Pretoria. Credit:AP Disturbances erupted on Monday night as residents of Pretoria's impoverished townships set vehicles and tyres on fire to block roads after the ANC's national leadership named a mayoral candidate not nominated by its regional branches. Harbour View:--- Today, the Governor of Sint Maarten, His Excellency drs. E.B. Holiday, announced the speakers for the 2016 Governors Symposium with as theme Securing National development. Dr. M. Arnold McIntyre, the Deputy Division Chief, Caribbean Division I and Western Hemisphere Department of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), is scheduled to provide the keynote address at the Symposium. Mr. McIntyre recently concluded his official working visit (mission) to Sint Maarten as part of the regular consultations under Article IV of the IMFs Articles of Agreement. In addition to the keynote address, the program for the 2016 Governors Symposium includes featured regional speaker Dr. Ryan Peterson and national speakers Ms. Fenna Arnell, Mr. Tadzio Bervoets, and Mrs. Candia Joseph. Each will highlight aspects of national development from their own perspective and discipline. The youth under the guidance of Ms. Nicole Maccow, will highlight the theme from an education and youth perspective. With the diversity of speakers, as well as a round table conference moderated by Ms. Marcia Illidge, the 5th Governors Symposium aims to inform those present and through them the broader Sint Maarten community about the actions required for securing national development. The Governor hopes that the selected speakers will cause the guests to reexamine how decisions and actions by government, by civil society, by the private sector and by the media have shaped and continue to influence the national development of our country and by doing such inspire attendees to identify opportunities and act to secure our nations national development. This years Symposium will be held on Friday June 24th, 2016 at the Westin Dawn Beach Resort and Spa and is by invitation only. POND ISLAND:--- Saturday 18 June 2016 The University of St. Martin celebrated its 22nd commencement ceremony on Saturday 18th June 2016 at Sonesta Maho Beach and Casino Resort. This year 33 proud graduates completed their Associates, Bachelors and Teaching Certificates. The night was filled with excitement and joy as the graduates, dignitaries, and Representatives of partnering Universities; including President, Dr. David Hall of the University of the Virgin Islands and Rector Magnificus, Dr. Francis de Lanoy of The University of Curacao, cherished and showed great appreciation to the long-awaited celebration. The President of USM Dr. Francio Guadeloupe stated this is a groundbreaking event as we celebrate the first time that a mother and son graduated together Carlens Michel, and Marie Michel-Elisme shared their celebration together as they both completed their Associate's degrees. Both mother and son expressed the joyous feeling of success as they stated: it was hard work but definitely worth it. The commencement address was delivered by The President of the Board of Directors Mrs. Valerie Giterson Pantophlet who encouraged the graduates to go out in the work field and continue striving for excellence. The Keynote speaker Ms. Ivy Dofoe, who is a developmental psychologist and behavioral scientist in training, shared her experience and motivating speech of her journey in completing her Ph.D. degree which she will finish in July 2016. USM aids to offer quality career and academic education that will provide students with a solid foundation to enter the field of their chosen career as well as to pursue further academic studies. The theme of the evening; Agents of Change: Consistently Contributing Towards an Educated Workforce emphasized on the brand promise that USM is set out to deliver. The Board of Directors of the University of St. Maarten Foundation would like to thank the Government of Sint Maarten, Businesses, USM Commencement Committee, Management & Staff, Faculty, Students, friends of USM, Ms. Prichard (Sagan) Gibson and others who have contributed to the 2016 Commencement Ceremony and to the success of the University of St. Martin. GREAT BAY:--- NAGICO Insurances recently partnered with the Financial Intelligence Unit to host a panel discussion on Anti-money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Fraud as it relates to St. Maarten and the insurance industry. This informative session was geared at raising the level of awareness amongst, local agents, brokers and practitioners who form part of the MAGICO network. Chief Risk Officer of NAGICO; Kyria Ali who was one of the presenters and a Certified Professional Fraud Examiner, said that it is important for insurance practitioners, especially our intermediaries to be aware of the emerging trends of fraud and Money Laundering and how it can impact our business and the local economy if we do not remain vigilant The session touched on a number of key areas such as: Fraud Indicators (red flags), suspicious transactions, the importance of Regulatory Compliance, the importance of implementation and fraud monitoring procedures, among other useful tools and techniques. Sustained the FCC's authority to reclassify mass market broadband Internet access as a telecommunications service (as opposed to an information service); On June 14, 2016, the D.C. Circuit upheld the FCC's 2015 order adopting its Open Internet rules against a wide range of legal challenges. (Our advisory describing the FCC's rules can be found here.) In a detailed and lengthy opinion, Judges Tatel and Srinivasan: Sustained the FCC's authority to reclassify mass market broadband Internet access as a telecommunications service (as opposed to an information service); Sustained its authority to include interconnection between broadband ISPs and other networks within the scope of its regulations; Sustained its authority to treat broadband wireless Internet access the same as wired broadband; Sustained its decision to forbear from applying most Title II obligations to broadband ISPs; Sustained its specific "open Internet" rules; and Rejected claims that the rules violate the First Amendment. Judge Williams partially dissented, arguing that there were fatal flaws in the economic analysis the FCC used to justify its rules. He argued that the FCC could not logically impose its specific rules no blocking, no throttling, and no paid prioritization without first concluding that broadband ISPs have market power, a conclusion that the FCC seems specifically to have chosen to avoid reaching. Judge Williams did not, however, question the legal authority of the agency to reclassify broadband Internet access as a telecommunications service. By confirming that the FCC's regulatory authority extends to the provision of mass market broadband Internet access, the court dealt a significant blow to claims that broadband providers either must as a legal matter, or should as a policy matter, be left to operate largely free of traditional common carrier (or "Title II") regulation. Those challenging the FCC's rules may continue to pursue those claims by seeking rehearing by the entire D.C. Circuit and/or review in the Supreme Court. The FCC's Open Internet rules took effect a year ago, in June 2015, and in that sense the court's ruling simply preserved the status quo. Notably, however, the agency has not yet undertaken any high-profile enforcement actions against any major broadband ISPs for alleged violations of the rules, perhaps in part because the agency has been awaiting a ruling sustaining the rules before doing so. Even if this is true, because additional legal challenges are quite possible, and because the issue might be politically sensitive in a contentious election year, it would not be surprising if the agency were to continue to maintain a relatively low enforcement profile, at least until after the election. Reclassification of Broadband as a Telecommunications Service The issue of reclassifying mass market broadband services from the category of "information service" to the category of "telecommunications service" applies to both landline and wireless broadband (although wireless presented some additional, specific issues addressed below). On the overall issue, the court rejected several arguments that the FCC could not lawfully interpret the definition of "telecommunications service" in the Communications Act to encompass broadband Internet access: First, the court rejected the claim that broadband Internet access unambiguously falls within the definition of an information service. In Brand X the Supreme Court had held that the relevant statutory definitions were ambiguous, which gives the agency authority to adopt any reasonable interpretation of the language. Second, the court rejected the argument that the FCC's decision reflected an unreasonable interpretation of the statute, specifically upholding the agency's conclusion that DNS and caching were best viewed as managing or facilitating the provision of broadband transmission and thus carved out of the definition of "information service" not as activities that converted the overall offering into an information service. (These are the key broadband-related functions on which the FCC relied to treat broadband as an information service in its original 2002 decision regarding cable modem service.) Third, the court ruled that the FCC had adequately explained the change from its previous position that broadband was an information service. Fourth, the court rejected Judge Williams' argument that the FCC was required to find that broadband providers exercised market power as a prerequisite to classifying broadband as a regulated telecommunications service, holding that nothing in the language of the statute requires such a finding. Fifth, the court rejected claims that the FCC had not adequately considered reliance by the industry on the previous classification of broadband. Finally, the court rejected the claim that before broadband providers can be classified as "telecommunications carriers" under the Communications Act, the FCC must show that they meet the common law test for "common carriers" under NARUC v. FCC. The court also rejected two procedural claims: First, it ruled that the FCC had provided sufficient notice that it was considering reclassification. Second, it ruled that complaining parties had had an adequate opportunity to address the Commission's reliance on consumer perceptions of what ISPs offer as a basis for its ruling. Regulating Interconnection between Broadband ISPs and Other Networks A particularly controversial aspect of the FCC's ruling was its decision to assert regulatory authority over interconnection arrangements between broadband ISPs and other networks. The agency stated that if such arrangements were not subject to its authority, broadband ISPs could undermine the effectiveness of the substantive Open Internet rules by restricting or manipulating the interconnection terms available to others. Those challenging the FCC's order first argued that the agency had not given adequate notice that it might regulate interconnection. The court, however, rejected that claim, pointing to FCC statements that showed that the issue had indeed been teed up for consideration. On the merits, the challengers argued that, under the court's earlier Verizon decision (see our advisory here), the FCC could not treat interconnection with other networks as regulated without finding that broadband providers were offering a telecommunications service, not just to end users, but also to "edge providers" (i.e., providers of online content, such as Google or Facebook). Some had argued that because edge providers do not pay broadband providers for service, the functions the edge providers receive do not constitute a "telecommunications service and, therefore, cannot be subject to common carrier regulation. The court ruled, however, that once the agency reclassified the end user offering as a telecommunication service, it was reasonable to extend regulation to interconnection as well, on the grounds that such interconnection was needed to provide the newly-regulated service. Regulating Mobile Broadband on the Same Terms as Wired Broadband The FCC's decision to regulate mobile broadband on the same terms as wired broadband was controversial both because of the generally-recognized differences in the technical characteristics of wired and wireless networks and because of a number of separate statutory provisions that apply to mobile services. The key legal question was whether mobile broadband meets the statutory definition of an "interconnected" mobile service, which in turn depends on whether mobile broadband service permits connections to the "public switched network." Historically, the FCC understood the "public switched network" to refer to the "public switched telephone network." In extending regulation to mobile broadband, the FCC changed its understanding of that term to include the Internet as well. On that basis, it concluded that mobile broadband was indeed an "interconnected" service. The court rejected claims that the FCC had not provided adequate notice of the possibility of extending regulation to mobile broadband, noting that various wireless industry parties had debated the issues in detail in submissions to the agency. On the merits, the court held that the FCC had acted within its authority. It noted that Congress had specifically empowered the agency to set the definitions of both the term "interconnected" and the term "public switched network," and rejected the claim that Congress itself required treating that term as limited to the telephone network. In the most technically complex part of its ruling, the court upheld the FCC's reliance on the fact that mobile broadband users can use VoIP applications to call standard mobile (and landline) telephone numbers, and vice versa, as sufficient grounds to conclude that mobile broadband was indeed "interconnected" both with the Internet at large and the traditional telephone network "because it gives subscribers the ability to communicate to all users of the newly defined public switched network." Forbearance from Applying Most of Title II to Broadband ISPs Although the FCC reclassified mass market broadband service as a telecommunications service subject to Title II, it also refrained from applying most provisions of Title II to broadband providers, relying on its authority to "forbear" from applying those provisions if certain conditions are met. One petitioner, Full Service Network ("FSN"), argued that the Commission could not exercise its forbearance authority on its own without following the same procedures the Commission had established for private party applications seeking forbearance. The court rejected that claim, noting that the Commission had wide discretion to interpret its own procedural rules, which in any event did not, on their face, apply to Commission-originated forbearance. The court also held that the Commission had provided adequate notice of its potential forbearance actions. FSN also objected to the FCC decision to forbear from applying the local competition provisions of Sections 251 and 252 of the Act (notably, its unbundling obligations) to broadband ISPs. First, FSN argued that the FCC had to make separate findings supporting forbearance for each affected statutory provision and each affected local geographic market. The court rejected this claim, affirming an earlier holding that the statute gives the FCC discretion to act on a nationwide basis. Second, FSN argued that in order to forbear from the interconnection requirements of Section 251, the FCC had to find that it would retain adequate authority to protect the public interest which, according to FSN, the FCC could not do because of supposed limitations on the scope of the Commission's authority to regulate interconnection under Section 201 (which the agency left in effect). The court rejected this argument, affirming the FCC's authority to regulate interconnection under Section 201. The court also rejected FSN's claim that forbearance from Section 251 would create problems in the case of purely intrastate broadband services, over which the FCC (absent Section 251) lacks jurisdiction. This FSN argument failed because as the FCC held and as the court had previously affirmed broadband Internet service is inherently interstate in nature. Finally, the court rejected FSN's claims that the FCC had not adequately justified its decision to forbear from applying Sections 251 and 252, citing the FCC's extensive discussion of the rationale for its actions. Challenges to Specific Open Internet Rules In 2015, the FCC promulgated five Open Internet rules. It banned blocking, throttling, and paid prioritization; it imposed a "general conduct" rule, banning any actions that unreasonably interfere with end users' or edge providers' ability to send and receive information; and it imposed an enhanced transparency/disclosure rule. (See our earlier advisory discussing these rules here.) In court, petitioners challenged the ban on paid prioritization as beyond the FCC's authority, and the "general conduct" rule as unconstitutionally vague. With regard to the paid prioritization ban, the court held that its earlier decision in Verizon v. FCC confirming the Commission's authority to promulgate rules under Section 706 showed that the Commission was empowered to impose the paid prioritization ban under that provision. (The obstacle to the FCC's prior action was that, in its 2010 Open Internet Order, the agency had not classified broadband as a Title II "telecommunications service" which is what it did in the order addressed by the court's ruling.) With regard to the general conduct rule, the court held that the Commission's discussion of the purposes of the rule, along with its articulation and discussion of seven specific factors that it will consider in assessing whether particular practices violate the rule, gave broadband ISPs enough of an understanding of what conduct was prohibited to defeat the vagueness challenge. How the general conduct rule may be applied in the context of specific enforcement actions, of course, remains to be seen. First Amendment Challenge Some petitioners argued that the Open Internet rules violated the First Amendment by requiring broadband ISPs to transmit information with which they might disagree. The court rejected this argument, noting that broadband ISPs, when acting in that capacity, were functioning as a conduit for the speech of others, and that their customers would not, therefore, attribute the views expressed in the transmitted information to the broadband ISPs. On the other hand, nothing in the Open Internet rules in any way restricts a broadband ISP from expressing itself, via the Internet or otherwise. Essentially, the court ruled that a common carrier's First Amendment rights are not infringed by being required as a common carrier to transmit or disseminate others' views. Judge Williams' Dissent Judge Williams' dissent raises several interlocking points: First, in his view, the FCC was required to determine that broadband ISPs had market power before it could impose common carrier regulation on them something the FCC had seemingly intentionally avoided doing in its ruling. Second, this failure to consider market power led to a flawed analysis by the agency of the likely effects of its rules on broadband investment and consumer welfare. Third, in his view, the FCC's decision to forbear from applying most of Title II to broadband ISPs necessarily implies that those entities lack market power, which means that applying Title II was unjustified in the first place. (Judge Williams noted that this so-called "strategic ambiguity" is "just a polite name for arbitrary and capricious decisionmaking.") Fourth, Judge Williams signaled his agreement with Judge Silberman's concurrence in Verizon that Section 706, on which the FCC relied in part to justify the ban on paid prioritization and other rules, does not authorize the Open Internet rules. Further Legal Challenges? Those opposing the Open Internet rules may seek rehearing by the D.C. Circuit en banc, and may also seek Supreme Court review of the panel's opinion. Either option will result in the final legal status of the FCC's rules remaining in limbo for quite some time perhaps a year or more. We will provide updates on any further challenges as they occur. Practical Impact of the Ruling This ruling is clearly an important step in the government's shifting stance towards regulating Internet access. As noted above, the FCC's Open Internet rules have been in effect since June 2015, and since that time the agency has not undertaken any high-profile enforcement actions against any major broadband providers under the rules; one possible reason for this is that the agency may have been awaiting a ruling sustaining its rules before undertaking any major actions under them. It is possible, therefore, that the court's ruling will embolden the agency to begin more aggressively enforcing its rules. Sustained the FCC's authority to reclassify mass market broadband Internet access as a telecommunications service (as opposed to an information service); Two factors suggest that any change in the FCC's enforcement stance may be more measured. First, as noted, additional legal challenges are quite possible, so the FCC could reasonably conclude that prudence in pursuing enforcement actions remains a sound path. Second, the issue of the FCC's authority over broadband providers has been politically controversial for several years. Given that we are in the midst of a contentious presidential election cycle, the agency may conclude that it should refrain from taking any potentially controversial enforcement action until after the election. Thus, while enforcement actions could be underway, these political factors may work to limit their scope, at least until further court review and the election season concludes. Finally, earlier this year the FCC initiated a major proposed rulemaking regarding the privacy obligations of broadband providers (see our advisory here). That action is legally premised on the FCC prevailing on the question of reclassifying broadband as a telecommunications service under the agency's jurisdiction. Had the court ruled against the FCC, the entire privacy rulemaking would have been placed into legal limbo. Several other British airlines have suspended their flight services to Sharm El-Sheikh for the rest of summer British Airways has "indefinitely" extended its suspension of flights to the Egyptian Red Sea Resort of Sharm El-Sheikh, the major British airline announced on Tuesday. A number of European airlines and governments banned flights to Sharm El-Sheikh over security concerns after a Russian passenger jet crashed in Sinai in October 2015, killing all the 224 people on board. The announcement by the airline on Tuesday came despite earlier statements by a regional BA official that flights would resume in September. "The safety and security of our customers will always be our top priorities and we have suspended our flights from Gatwick to Sharm El-Sheikh indefinitely," the British Airways Tuesday statement read. Customers who hold bookings on any cancelled services for the coming winter season can claim a full refund or can use the money to cover a new booking with us for an alternative destination," it added. Following the October 2015 crash, the British government halted direct flights between Sharm El-Sheikh Airport, from which the passenger jet had departed, and British airports. It has since deployed expert teams to assess security practices at Egyptian airports, but flights to South Sinai have yet to be resumed. Several other British airlines, including easyJet, Thomson and First Choice, had cancelled flights to Sharm El-Sheikh for the rest of the summer. Tourism, a pillar of the economy and a key source of hard currency for Egypt, has taken a blow since the plane crash, with Sharm El-Sheikh believed to be suffering the most. The country's travel industry is believed to have been hurt by two other incidents, including a hijacking of an EgyptAir flight in March by a man wearing a fake suicide belt that hurt no one and the crash of an EgyptAir flight in the Mediterranean in May, killing all 66 on board. Last month, Egypt's Tourism Minister Yehia Rashed called on the British and Russian governments to reconsider their flight ban. Search Keywords: Short link: Trump chooses Manafort to lead his campaign into the general election Donald Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski's abrupt firing Monday came down to a battle of ultimatums, reports FoxNews. And ultimately, Lewandowski lost. Paul Manafort, the veteran political aparatchik who since March has been amassing influence inside Trump HQ, recently told Trump through third parties he would quit in 48 hours if Trump didn't oust Lewandowski. Trump was reluctant to dump the man who had run his campaign from the time he declared his candidacy a year ago. But Manafort had had it with fighting Lewandowski and let the campaign know the two of them "just couldn't get along." From there, it became a family affair. Trump's daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner didn't want to lose Manafort, believing him to be the more experienced hand to guide the campaign into the general election. They convinced Trump to keep him and the only way to do that, given Manafort's terms, was to dump Lewandowski. Faced with a choice, Trump chose Manafort. This account was relayed to Fox News by a campaign source. The details shed light on arguably the biggest staff shake-up of the 2016 cycle. The Washington Post, which of course does not get along with Trump or Lewandowski (Understatement; the Trump campaign and the WaPo are at war); describes the firing of Lewandowski as a "desperate measure to save a floundering campaign:" Trumps dismissal of Lewandowski his combative campaign manager and one of his longest-serving aides was seen as an effort to calm allies, donors and Republican officials who have grown increasingly alarmed by recent missteps and unwanted dramas that threaten to undermine the presumptive GOP presidential nominees chances in November. A Trump loyalist whose mantra was Let Trump be Trump, Lewandowski chafed at suggestions that the candidate behave more presidentially. His departure consolidates power around veteran GOP operative and lobbyist Paul Manafort, Trumps campaign chairman and senior strategist, who has been trying with limited success to professionalize the campaign. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-fires-top-aide-in-an-urgent-move-to-reboot-his-floundering-campaign/2016/06/20/5f36ac9e-36f6-11e6-9ccd-d6005beac8b3_story.html The New York Times which, well, also does not get along with Trump or Lewandowski, described the move as an attempt to please establishment Republicans: Mr. Trump had faced increasing concerns from allies and donors, as well as his children, over whether Mr. Lewandowski, who had never before worked on a national race, was able to direct a battle against Mrs. Clinton. Among those who had voiced concern was Reince Priebus, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, who told Mr. Trump last week that relations between his committee and Mr. Lewandowski had become increasingly strained, and that a change would be welcome, according to three people briefed on the discussion. On March 10, 2016, Michelle Fields, a reporter for Breitbart News, wrote that, after she asked Donald Trump a question when she approached him after a March 8, 2016, press conference in Jupiter, Florida, she was forcefully grabbed by Lewandowski and almost fell to the ground Republicans across the spectrum welcomed the firing as a positive step, but they suggested that it needed to be followed by consistent changes in performance from the candidate himself. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/21/us/politics/corey-lewandowski-donald-trump.html?_r=0 Mr. Lewandowski was fired at a Monday morning meeting with Mr. Trump and Mr. Trumps two older sons, Eric and Donald Jr., said two others briefed on the meeting,who were not authorized to speak publicly. Mr. Trump and Mr. Lewandowski had what was described as a very open conversation. Corey Lewandowski (born September 18, 1973) is an American political operative. He was previously the campaign manager of businessman Donald Trump's 2016 campaign for President of the United States. Prior to joining Trump's campaign, Lewandowski worked for several campaigns and was a lobbyist. He worked for Americans for Prosperity in a variety of roles, and led the group's national voter-registration effort for 11 months.[5] Lewandowski also had previously run unsuccessfully for office himself twice, once in Massachusetts and once in New Hampsh Three people were caught on an alleged vigilante mission with an arsenal of weapons JERSEY CITY, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) - Three people were caught on an alleged vigilante mission with an arsenal of weapons, during a routine traffic stop at the Holland Tunnel on Tuesday, authorities said. John Cramsey, 50, and Dean Smith, 53, both of Zionsville, Pennsylvania, and Kimberly Arendt, 29, of Lehighton, each face several weapons charges. They were arrested as they passed through the tunnel around 7:40 a.m. The group claimed they were vigilantes on their way to "extricate" a teenage girl who was being held by a drug dealer, police said. Initial reports said the teenage girl was in Queens, though Facebook posts from Cramsey indicated the girl was believed to be in a hotel room in Brooklyn. Before getting busted with the cache of weapons, police said the trio of suspects certainly was not going for subtlety when they decided to head into the Holland Tunnel. Their big-wheeled sport-utility vehicle was hard to miss, trimmed with neon paint and plastered with decals for Higher Ground Tactical a Pennsylvania gun range. Cramsey is the owner of the gun range. A port authority policeman stopped the SUV when he noticed a crack on the windshield. He told driver Smith to step out, police said. "And upon approaching the motor vehicle, the officer observed in plain view a loaded pistol magazine," said Port Authority of New York and New Jersey police Supervisor Michael Fedorko. "He had the driver exit the vehicle, and when then driver got out, he noticed a .45-caliber handgun on the driver's seat." Inside the SUV were: A pump action shotgun with a pistol grip and collapsible stock An SAR-98 Salamander Arms assault rifle 7 clips of ammunition for the rifle 4 9mm pistols 1 .45 caliber pistol, with several magazines A Kevlar bullet resistant helmet with camouflage cover Tactical goggles Night-vision goggles Body armor Some of the guns were loaded, police said. Sources said the suspects told police they were on their way through the city to rescue a friend who was being held hostage by a drug dealer. NBC news said that three people were arrested today transporting multiple loaded weapons, rifles and ballistic vests at the Holland Tunnel Tuesday when police stopped them for driving with a cracked windshield, authorities tell NBC 4 New York. The three people, two men in their 50s and a woman in her 20s may be from Pennsylvania. Police stopped them for unknown reasons on the New Jersey side of the tunnel around 8 a.m., authorities said. A search of their vehicle revealed the weapons cache. Police confiscated weapons, including long-range weapons as well as handguns. A camouflage helmet with what appeared to be night goggles was also recovered. Two senior law enforcement officials say the three suspects are so-called "gun enthusiasts" and have no nexus to terror. There is no known threat. The Joint Terrorism Task Force is assisting in the investigation, police said. New York City, Buffalo, Albany, and Rochester have enacted their own assault weapon bans. Law enforcement and retired law enforcement are exempt from the assault weapons ban. Gun enthusiasts can easily run afoul of he law in transporting weapons, because different US States may have very different laws for handguns. For example, in New York State, no license is required for long guns. New York State has a handgun ban in place. Exceptions are to those who own a license. They are normally restricted to three types, residence or business premises permit (must issue generally), Target & Hunting and Unrestricted Carry. Target and hunting allows carry while engaged in those activities. Unrestricted allows carry at any time. All permits issued outside of New York City are not valid in New York City, EXCEPT for retired police and federal law enforcement officers with that status marked on their permit, and for armored car guards on duty. The minimum age to be issued a handgun license is 21 unless you are a former or current member of the armed forces or law enforcement. As for Concealed Carry Permits (CCWs), New York issues CCWs on a "may issue" basis for residents and part-time residents. CCW Issuance is different by county. Generally it is harder to obtain a permit in counties closer to large New York cities. (l-r) John Cramsey, 50, Kimberly Arendt, 29, and Dean Smith, 53, were arrested at the Jersey City entrance to the Holland Tunnel with an arsenal of weapons, as they headed into New York City for an alleged mission to "rescue" a teenage girl, authorities said. (Credit: John Cramsey, via Facebook) Most Counties that aren't a part of downstate New York have shall/reasonable issuance policies, but may administratively restrict where you can carry your weapon (such as only for target shooting or hunting). It is not a crime to carry a weapon under a Target or Hunting permit for other purposes, but if caught or reported the permit will likely be revoked. Concealed carry without any kind of permit must be charged as a felony unless the weapon is unloaded and no ammunition for it is in possession of the person carrying. All permits are effective throughout the state, except in the city of New York, unless validated by the police commissioner of that city, NY Penal Code 400. While New York law does not allow issuance of permits to non-residents, 2013 federal appeals court and State appeals court rulings clarified the residency requirement. This clarification allowed those domiciled outside of the State, with a part-time residence in New York, to be issued a permit at the discretion of the licensing officer. Last remaining nuclear power plant in California, started operations in 1985 Pacific Gas and Electric announced today their plans to close the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant in 2025. The power plant, located near Avila Beach in San Luis Obispo County, started operation in 1985 with much protest. Several earthquake fault lines run under and near the plant. PG&E claims that it plans to replace the nuclear energy output with other types of renewable energy. "California's energy landscape is changing dramatically," PG&E wrote in a press release from CEO Tony Earley. "As a result, we will not seek to relicense the facility beyond 2025." The Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant is distinctive due to it's twin reactor towers. It is not clear how a dramatically changing power landscape leads to a decision to keep the nuclear power plant going for the next nine years. PG&E claims rates will not rise as a result of the closing. However, we know from the dismantlement of the nuclear power plant at San Onofre, that the cost and process of decommissioning a power plant is high and is passed onto the power company's customers. Currently the nuclear waste at San Onofre is being stored on site since no place is willing to accept the dangerous material. The radioactive waste has been placed in canisters that are subject to cracking due to the chloride-induced stress corrosion of their location close the ocean. Kris Singh, CEO of Holtec International, the company who designed the canisters, admits there is no way to check for cracks, but claims they are working on developing inspection methods. Recreational Marijuana Initiative qualifies for the California's November Ballot. Will it be pre-empted by action of the DEA? Drug Enforcement Agents from the DEA conducting a raid in Los Angeles. The Federal Government will make Marijuana a Schedule Two drug on August 1, 2016, effectively legalizing weed throughout the US. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration will reclassify marijuana as a "Schedule Two" drug on August 1, 2016, essentially legalizing medicinal cannabis in all 50 states with a doctor's prescription, said a DEA lawyer with knowledge of the matter. Update 6/28: The Recreational Marijuana Initiative qualifies for the California's November Ballot. Will it be pre-empted by action of the DEA? http://www.smobserved.com/story/2016/07/04/news/dea-source-confirms-schedule-ii-medical-marijuana-is-in-the-works/1562.html The DEA Lawyer had told the lawyer representing a DEA informant of the DEA's plan to legalize medicinal cannibis nationwide on August 1, 2016. When questioned by our reporter, the DEA lawyer felt compelled to admit the truth to him as well. "Whatever the law may be in California, Arizona or Utah or any other State, because of Federal preemption this will have the effect of making THC products legal with a prescription, in all 50 states," the DEA attorney told the Observer. Federal Preemption is a legal doctrine that where the US Government regulates a particular field, State and local laws are overridden and of no effect. He explained that "there are five DEA schedules. Nothing on Schedule One is ever legal, and that is where Cannabis is today. Schedule Two drugs are available with a prescription." On Schedule Two, marijuana will join drugs like Percocet, Aderall, Oxycontin, Hydrocodone and other drugs that are legal, even common, with a prescription. There are also other drugs that are not on any schedules but that are illegal on a federal level, he said. Drugs like aspirin and ibuprofen are available over-the-counter. He opined that the 135 medicinal cannabis clinic owners in Los Angeles will no doubt oppose this move by the Federal government, because the rule change will eliminate any reason for people to visit medical marijuana clinics. But they needn't worry. "In my opinion, CVS pharmacy, Rite-Aid and Walgreens will sell Schedule Two THC products similar to what users call "edibles," but will not sell smokable weed because of the health risk smoking anything entails," said the DEA lawyer. The Los Angeles based DEA Attorney who spoke to us, asked to remain anonymous because he was not authorized to speak to the press about the matter. He speculated that this action will be taken in the closing days of the 2016 U.S. Presidential election, so as to motivate the Democratic base to turn out and vote for Hillary Clinton, and other down ballot candidates. She will certainly not reverse this policy decision taken in the waning days of the Barack Obama administration, he said. But Donald Trump might. "Marijuana enforcement is a big drain on DEA resources," he said was another reason for the change, noting that 75% of the American public favor the legalization of marijuana for medical use. Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson is in favor of legalizing marijuana and in fact owns a business which peddles pot in New Mexico. California will vote on November 7th, 2016, whether to legalize the recreational use of marijuana. Because of Federal preemption, the DEA's reclassification of cannabis as a Schedule Two drug, will have the legal effect of requiring a prescription in California--i.e., it will continue the status quo. Since the Golden State legalized medical marijuana almost 20 years ago, Federal authorities have occasionally raided medical marijuana clinics here. They have forced major banks, like Bank of America, to close clinic bank accounts. The Feds have even seized real estate belonging to landlords who rent space to pot clinics. The Federal war on medicinal marijuana will abruptly end on August 1, 2016. UPDATE 6/19 9 a.m. PDT: The Denver Post is now reporting that the DEA could reclassify Marijuana as a Schedule II drug, as early as July 1, 2016. https://www.denverpost.com/2016/06/17/how-the-dea-should-classify-marijuana/ UPDATE 6/22: The DEA wants to remove the barriers to cannabis research, a spokesman told aNewDomain in a lengthy interview. http://anewdomain.net/2016/06/21/on-cannabis-rescheduling-questions-the-dea-responds-exclusive/ 8/01 is the new 4/20! Medical cannabis, or medical marijuana, can refer to the use of cannabis and its cannabinoids to treat disease or improve symptoms; However, there is no single agreed upon definition, says Wikipedia. The use of cannabis as a medicine has not been rigorously scientifically tested, often due to production restrictions and other governmental regulations. There is limited evidence suggesting cannabis can be used to reduce nausea and vomiting during chemotherapy, to improve appetite in people with HIV/AIDS, and to treat chronic pain and muscle spasms. Its use for other medical applications, however, is insufficient for conclusions about safety or effects. In California, there are "weed doctors" who will write a prescription for cannabis to anyone claiming to suffer from anxiety, which means they passout prescriptions for pot like chocolate bars at a Halloween party. As with so many other trends that started in California, expect to see medicinal marijuana sold in your town soon! Medical cannabis can be administered using a variety of methods, including liquid tinctures, vaporizing or smoking dried buds, eating cannabis edibles, taking capsules, using lozenges, dermal patches or oral/dermal sprays. Synthetic cannabinoids are available as prescription drugs in some countries; examples include: dronabinol and nabilone. Recreational use of cannabis is illegal in most parts of the world, but the medical use of cannabis is legal in certain countries, including Austria, Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands (where it is also legal recreationally), Portugal and Spain. In the United States, federal law outlaws all cannabis use, while 25 states and the District of Columbia no longer prosecute individuals for the possession or sale of medical marijuana, as long as the individuals are in compliance with the state's medical marijuana sale regulations. The DEA lawyer gave us his legal opinion that if you happen to live where recreational marijuana is now legal, i.e. Colorado or Washington State; after August 1, you will need a prescription, as you would need throughout the U.S. However, an appeals court ruled in January 2014 that a 2007 Ninth Circuit ruling remains binding in relation to the ongoing illegality, in federal legislative terms, of Californian cannabis dispensaries, reaffirming the impact of the federal Controlled Substances Act. The Federal Government will make Marijuana a Schedule Two drug on August 1, 2016, effectively legalizing weed throughout the US. You may be able to buy pot at Rite Aid in Santa Monica by the end of the year. As explained above, moving marijuana from Schedule One to Schedule Two, would have the effect of legalizing medicinal marijuana, throughout all 50 States, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories. This action may be taken by the DEA unilaterally--i.e., without specific Congressional authorization -- because Congress has previously granted the DEA rule-making authority over what drugs are on which schedules. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice, tasked with combating drug smuggling and use within the United States. Not only is the DEA the lead agency for domestic enforcement of the Controlled Substances Act, sharing concurrent jurisdiction with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), it also has sole responsibility for coordinating and pursuing U.S. drug investigations abroad. Update: DEA Source Confirms Story, 7/04/2016. http://www.smobserved.com/story/2016/07/04/news/dea-source-confirms-that-schedule-ii-marijuana-is-in-the-works/1562.html Soha Systems Third-Party Advisory Group Shares Insights on the Current State of Secure Third-Party Access SUNNYVALE, CA (Marketwired) 06/21/16 , an innovator of enterprise access as a service, today released a number of key insights about secure third-party access based on candid interviews with a number of members from its . Members of the Advisory Group, which includes security professionals, analysts and industry influencers, were asked questions about trends in third-party access security, what IT professionals should be doing to secure their networks and what they are doing within their own organizations to secure third-party access. Advisory Group members who participated in this interview include Derek Brink, vice president and research fellow, Aberdeen Group; Slava Kavsan, founder and CEO, CKURE Consulting; Jim Rutt, CTO, The Dana Foundation; and Mark Carrizosa, CISO and vice president security, Soha Systems. Theres clearly growth in providing third parties with access. Why? Because its helpful to business! This is the enablement motive that security pros like to talk about whenever they can. Third-party access can also be referred to as a rewarded risk the type of risk associated with enabling assets, creating value and maximizing upside. Of course, theres also increasing attention on the traditional security concerns of providing third parties with access to corporate resources these are the unrewarded risks of defending assets, protecting value and minimizing downside. And as if these risk-based perspectives werent enough, theres also a growing wave of regulation that allows you to outsource an activity to a third party but the regulation does not allow you to abdicate your responsibility for complying with security and privacy requirements. As more organizations move their digital assets to public clouds, there is a need to better understand the security and privacy implications of third-party access within this environment, especially when the cloud provider itself is acting as the third party. Operators and cloud service providers often need to have high-level access privileges to their customers data and to the applications they host in order to configure and secure the resources in their custody. Im seeing third-party solution adoption in a number vertical-specific industries, such as the healthcare sector. Healthcare solutions, in particular, have been built with the underlying assumption that third-party access relationships have to be explicitly defined and implemented rather than be based on a more generic private cloud approach. The rise of standards such as will provide momentum toward a more universal approach to this problem. However, different business models will need their own implementations and abstractions for third-party access, as the regulatory and governance requirements are too specific to apply to disparate industries. The only trend Ive seen is inactivity, and thats part of the problem. Third party access methodologies have changed very little in the last decade. Whats worse, from a technology perspective, solutions assumed to be new and innovative continue to utilize the same underlying concepts that have been around for 20-plus years. Its evident that bad actors understand where the weak points are, and based on the number of breaches related to third-party actions, its clear they are actively exploiting them. If theres one thing IT and security professionals arent paying enough attention to its that these are business decisions, and as subject-matter experts and trusted advisors, they should be expressing these risks properly, in terms of likelihood and business impact. Risk should not be expressed through hand-waving, techno-babble or the latest headlines; it must be explained quantitatively and with a proper sense of the inherent uncertainties. When organizations deploy their digital assets to the public cloud, IT and security professionals need to pay special attention to requirements for achieving additional transparency into the providers access to their data, applications and networks. They also need to make sure that under normal conditions, provider operators and services do not have accounts on their customers Virtual Machines and are prevented from gaining any access to an organizations assets. In situations when provider operators and services need temporary access, the process of obtaining permissions for such access has to be justified, logged and approved (manually or automatically) for the specific asset and the period of time required to perform the maintenance operation. We still lack a cohesive third-party plan of access that includes other critical stakeholders peripheral to IT and tech security, such as traditional risk disciplines and line-of-business areas. IT professionals alone have traditionally borne the burden of both securitizing and assessing risk. However, IT professionals have not been as strong in formulating proper vendor management and vendor communications ecosystems that help close the gap on the human-factor influence on third-party security. There needs to be a better standard for contingency planning in the event of a third-party breach, rather than reinventing the wheel for every breach incident. The management of third-party access lifecycles has become one of the most tedious and time-consuming efforts within enterprise IT/security functions. As with other such tasks, such management is only given priority when absolutely necessary or when an event such as a data breach triggers a deep dive into existing processes. Organizations should re-prioritize their efforts and budgets to account for the new normal, where dependence on third parties is an integral component of current business models. : Weve created a vendor management plan in conjunction with our business units and developed a solid communications plan. This allows us to firm up our internal disaster-recovery plans, review third-party direct-report plans on a regular basis and enforce testing. In addition, we do a yearly insurance risk-review to ensure that we carry the correct amount of insurance. In cloud-based working environments, all users are considered remote and operate similarly to how third parties have historically been provided access. What is different in our approach is a fundamental change in access methodologies; we incorporate concepts such as zero-trust, network abstraction, extended identity validation and full-session recording to effectively reduce overall risk and isolate any potential impact caused by third parties or any remote users. Soha Systems formed the Advisory Group in May 2016 to act as a conduit for ongoing research on third-party access security. Most recently, the Advisory Group issued a and that revealed only two percent of IT experts consider third-party secure access a top priority, despite the growing number of security threats linked to supplier and contractor access. The Advisory Group includes a number of security professionals, analysts and industry influencers. In addition to the executives participating in this discussion, advisory group members include Shahed Latif, principal in the cybersecurity and privacy practice at PwC; Ajay Nigam, senior vice president, products, at Accellion; and Nico Popp, senior vice president, information protection, at Symantec. The groups next survey and recommendations are scheduled for Fall 2016. Soha Systems, named a Cool Vendor in Cloud and Emerging Technology Security, 2016 report by Gartner, Inc., is an innovator of enterprise access as a service for third parties, including suppliers, contractors and franchisees. The service, Soha Cloud, provides a painless, convenient, secure and centralized controlled approach to third party access that does not require device specific software or direct access to the network. The Soha Cloud service, compliant with PCI DSS 3.1, can be deployed in minutes for third party access to corporate applications in data centers and hybrid cloud environments. For more information, visit and join the conversation on Twitter @SohaSystems. Rick Popko 10Fold 415-800-5381 Asset management process from iET Solutions endorsed by PinkVERIFY ASCHHEIM, GERMANY, June 21, 2016 iET Solutions, a division of UNICOM Global, has received the PinkVERIFY certification for its ITIL-aligned asset management process, part of the iET ITSM service management solution. This latest certification recognizes iET Solutions as one of only three companies worldwide that fully comply with the PinkVERIFY asset management requirement criteria. With iET ITSM, iET Solutions now offers thirteen PinkVERIFY certified processes in one integrated solution. Two of these processes service asset and configuration management (SACM) and asset management provide significant support for companies that need to manage their software and hardware assets. Using the service asset and configuration management process, IT departments can take full control of their configuration items, components and attributes, including their interdependencies. The integrated automated variance comparison between the current IT infrastructure and configuration management database (CMDB) ensures that data is always up-to-date and correct, and database integrity is ensured. Asset management Asset management offers additional functionality for license management and maintains all its commercial aspects. Organizations can manage upgrade and downgrade rights, maintenance contracts, purchases and license sales as well as numerous license metrics such as, for example, per user, per device, per installation, concurrent use and rights for third party use. A traffic light system accurately controls and monitors the correct utilization and valid dates of software licenses. Tobias Muller, Product Manager at iET Solutions, said, Pink Elephant developed this additional process certification asset management in response to increasing calls from the market for qualified solutions in this area. The fact that we fulfill all of the assessment criteria for the new certification option shortly after publication demonstrates how closely iET ITSM is aligned with the requirements of our customers and the wider market. PinkVERIFY, an internationally recognized assessment of IT service management solutions, is developed and owned by Pink Elephant, a global training, consulting and service provider. PinkVERIFY was created in 1998 in order to help companies and organizations that are looking for ITIL-aligned software, to implement ITIL best practices. International Data Corporation (IDC) Lauds Innovations in Supercomputing with Innovation Excellence Awards Posted by Publisher Internet International Data Corporation (IDC) today announced the tenth round of recipients of the HPC Innovation Excellence Award at ISC16, a major international supercomputing conference, in Frankfurt, Germany. This years winners include The Centre for Computational Medicine, University of Toronto; Walt Disney Animation Studios; DreamWorks Animation; Fortissimo/Ergolines GPUdb; United States Postal Service; Novartis/Amazon Web Services (AWS)/Cycle Computing; and the University of Rochester Medical Center. They join the elite ranks of over 60 previous recipients from around the world, the first having been announced in 2011. The HPC Innovation Excellence Award recognizes noteworthy achievements by users of high performance computing technologies. The programs main goals are to showcase return on investment (ROI) and scientific success stories involving HPC; to help other users better understand the benefits of adopting HPC and justify HPC investments, especially for small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs); to demonstrate the value of HPC to funding bodies and politicians; and to expand public support for increased HPC investments. IDC research has shown that HPC can accelerate innovation cycles greatly and in many cases can generate return on investment. The ROI program aims to collect a large set of success stories across many research disciplines, industries, and application areas, said Earl C. Joseph, Ph.D., IDCs program vice president for High-Performance Computing (HPC) and executive director of the HPC User Forum. The winners achieved clear success in applying HPC to greatly improve business ROI, scientific advancement, and/or engineering successes. Many of the achievements also directly benefit society. Over thirty 2016 Innovation Excellence Award finalists were drawn from a broad pool of public and private sector organizations that have applied advanced supercomputing to realize breakthroughs of major scientific, economic, or artistic importance, often while saving millions (and even billions) of dollars. The HPC User Forum steering committee served as the initial judging panel for the awards. HPC Innovation Excellence Award Winners 2016 The Centre for Computational Medicine, University of Toronto: From genomics to medical imaging, almost every discipline in health care is dealing with a Data Deluge. Translating this into something that will ultimately benefit patients requires massive amounts of computation and storage in an environment that is fast, secure, and run with optimal efficiency. The University of Torontos SickKids Centre for Computational Medicine uses a supercomputer operating at 107 trillion calculations per second to predict the minute differences between individual children to identify the most precise treatment possible for each child under their care. Disney Animation Studios Frozen: Software engineers used advanced mathematics and physics, with assistance from mathematics researchers at the University of California Los Angeles (and 4,000 computers), to design breathtaking, believable scenes. Tangled: This film employed a unique artistic style by blending features of computer-generated imagery (CGI) and traditional animation, while using non-photorealistic rendering to create the impression of a painting. Disney developed unique techniques and tools to makes the computer as pliable as the pencil to create the ultimate (and most expensive) 3D movie of all time. Big Hero 6: Walt Disney Animation Studios created new software, called Denizen, to create over 700 distinctive characters. Another, called Bonzai, was used to create the citys 250,000 trees, and a new rendering tool, called Hyperion, offered new illumination possibilities. Disney had to assemble a new supercomputing cluster just to handle Hyperions intense processing demands, which consisted of over 2,300 Linux workstations in four data centers, backed by a central storage system with capacity of five petabytes. DreamWorks Animation How to Train Your Dragon 2: Over the five years before the films release, DreamWorks Animation overhauled its production workflow and animation software. How to Train Your Dragon 2 was the first DreamWorks Animation film that used scalable multi-core processing, developed together with Hewlett-Packard. This next revolution in filmmaking enabled artists for the first time to work on rich complex images in real time, instead of waiting eight hours to see the results the next day. Programs named Premo and Torch allowed unique subtlety, improving facial animation and enabling ?the sensation of skin moving over muscle instead of masses moving together. Kung Fu Panda: The computer animation used in this film was more complex than anything DreamWorks had applied before. They found help through the Department of Energys Innovative and Novel Computational Impact on Theory and Experiment (INCITE) program ? the company was awarded a grant to refine and test its redesigned software on the leadership-class supercomputer at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The prototype software was successfully tested and immediately put to use. Knowledge gained from the INCITE grant informed an entirely new rendering architecture and has become essential in creating all of DreamWorks animated films. But the biggest win was the raw speed at which those responsible for the films lighting could get back frames. Iterations were sped up by an order of magnitude ? a tenfold savings in total processing time. An iteration that once took hours was now accomplished in mere seconds. Kung Fu Panda 2: Building on what was learned during the making of Kung Fu Panda, Kung Fu Panda 2 is the first DreamWorks Animation film to use dynamic, physics-based crowd characters, such as the wolves. Intensive computational graphics require seven million render hours to produce 14,000 frames. Monsters vs. Aliens: It took approximately 45.6 million computing hours to make this film, more than eight times as many as the original Shrek. Several hundred Hewlett-Packard workstations were used, along with a render farm of HP ProLiant blade servers with over 9,000 server processor cores to process the animation sequence. Animators used 120 terabytes (TB) of data to complete the film. They used 6 TB for an explosion scene. Since Monsters vs. Aliens, all feature films released by DreamWorks Animation are produced in a stereoscopic 3D format, using Intels InTru3D technology. Fortissimo/Ergolines: Ergolines, an Italian small and medium enterprise (SME), is a world leader in supplying control systems to the steel industry. The focus is mainly on continuous casting, where liquid steel becomes a solid mechanical structure. Simulation of the casting process enables the design of the control systems, which allow steel-casting plans to operate at optimal levels. Without cloud-based-HPC support, Ergolines would not have the wherewithal to perform the simulations that have led to better control systems with remarkable benefits to customers, workers, and the marketplace, such as lower costs, greater productivity, and improved safety. This was the companys first experience with HPC and its benefits, but early results show that a total savings of up to ?670,000 per year, per medium-size steel plant, is very achievable. KINETICA/United States Postal Service: How does a company that makes daily deliveries to more than 154 million addresses, using several hundred thousand vehicles and employees, improve efficiencies using visualizations and analytics of real-time data? Its called Kinetica, an in-memory GPU accelerated database, and its how the United States Postal Service (USPS) is optimizing its operations. Faced with the daunting task of managing the nations postal service, which covers a larger geographical area than any other, with increasingly limited resources, USPS needs to continuously improve safety, efficiency, and services without overspending. The complexities and dynamics of USPS logistics have reached all-time highs, while consumers have greater demands and more alternative options than ever before; they require sophisticated services like the just-in-time supplies, tracking, and delivery updates, and dynamic shipment routing. Improving end-to-end business process performance while concurrently reducing costs requires the ability to make fast business decisions based on live data. The USPS has accomplished this with Kinetica, optimizing operational efficiencies to save time and money. Novartis/Amazon Web Services (AWS)/Cycle Computing: Novartis ran a project that involved virtually screening ten million compounds against a common cancer target in less than a week in 2013. They calculated it would take 50,000 cores and close to a $40 million investment if they wanted to run the experiment internally. Partnering with Cycle Computing and AWS, Novartis built a platform leveraging Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3), Amazon Elastic Block Store (Amazon EBS), and four Availability Zones. The project ran across 10,600 Spot Instances (approximately 87,000 compute cores) and allowed Novartis to conduct 39 years of computational chemistry in nine hours, all for a cost of $4,232. Out of the 10 million compounds screened, three were successfully identified. University of Rochester Medical Center: By combining genetics, neurobiology, and supercomputing, researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center, New York, identified a genetic mutation responsible for a potentially deadly seizure disorder found in infants and young children. Young people with the condition who survive beyond infancy often struggle for the rest of their lives with developmental disabilities, autism, and uncontrollable seizures. The researchers used a supercomputer cluster to quickly obtain a full genetic profile ? more than 20,000 genes ? for each study subject and to compare the results with data from other families. These findings opened up what was a black box, enabling researchers to more fully understand the biological pathways associated with these disorders and why some patients do not respond to treatment. International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. With more than 1,100 analysts worldwide, IDC offers global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries. IDCs analysis and insight helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based technology decisions and to achieve their key business objectives. Founded in 1964, IDC is a subsidiary of [url=http://www.idg.com/]IDG[/url], the worlds leading technology media, research, and events company. To learn more about IDC, please visit www.idc.com. Follow IDC on Twitter at [url=https://twitter.com/IDC]@IDC[/url]. Solar Novus Today Has Been Integrated With Novus Light Technologies Today Visit Novus Light Technologies Today to see all the cutting-edge stories and products that you have come to enjoy on Solar Novus Today. In addition, you will find more information on related light-based technologies. Get the latest solar and renewable energy news delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for the Green Technologies newsletter CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR GREEN TECHNOLOGIES NEWSLETTER State-owned flag carrier Iran Air confirmed on Tuesday it had struck an initial deal with US aerospace giant Boeing to buy 737 and 777 airliners, subject to US government approval. Iran's civil aviation authority had said on Sunday that it had reached agreement with Boeing to deliver 100 aircraft to the country's various airlines to renew their ageing fleets. The deals are subject to approval by the US government, which still imposes a range of sanctions despite last year's landmark nuclear deal between Tehran and the major powers. The agreement was signed in the past month after a visit by Boeing representatives to Iran and several rounds of negotiations, Iran Air said on its website. "If the necessary permissions are obtained from the two sides, a number of Boeing aircraft -- generally from the 737 Next Generation family and the 300ER and 900 models from the 777 series -- will be acquired by Iran Air under a hire-purchase deal," it said. Although most international sanctions were lifted when the nuclear agreement took effect in January, Washington still maintains some sanctions against Tehran over its ballistic missile programme and its alleged sponsorship of blacklisted terrorist groups. It is also not certain that Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will approve the purchase. "Suppose we modernise our air fleet. Okay, it's a very important and necessary move. But is it the priority?" Khamenei said in a speech last week. Apart from Iran Air, other, private Iranian airlines are expected to seek to purchase Boeing planes. The Islamic republic has ordered about 200 aircraft from three other Western manufacturers since the nuclear accord took effect. The biggest deal was in January when Iran reached a memorandum of understanding with European manufacturer Airbus for the purchase of 118 planes. That agreement is also still pending permission from the US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, since more than 10 percent of Airbus components are of American origin. Iran's civil aviation authority says it needs 400 to 500 aircraft over the next decade to modernise its fleet. Search Keywords: Short link: Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign up here for Somerset Live's latest coverage from Worthy Farm A man has died from serious burns suffered in a horrific incident at the Glastonbury Festival site. A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Constabulary said this morning (June 21): "We were called by the fire service after reports of a man on fire at the Glastonbury Festival site at about 5.20pm last night. "The man suffered serious burns and was taken by air ambulance to Southmead Hospital in Bristol. He was transferred to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, where he sadly later died." The spokesman added: "The man's family have been informed and our thoughts are with them at this time. "Our enquiries are continuing but we are treating the death as unexplained and do not believe it to be suspicious." An appeal had been set up to raise cash for the man, who was in his 20s. The money raised will be donated to his family, the organiser of the collection has said. The fire is believed to have involved a petrol spillage and to have occurred in the Green Field area. Firefighters on site were reported to be hampered by mud and access roads blocked by stuck vehicles as they tried to reach the scene. A helicopter from Great Western Air Ambulance (GWAA) was called to the festival site and took the patient to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. The picture above, shared by BBC Somerset, shows the Air Ambulance in a field at the site. A GWAA spokeswoman said: "We were called at 5.09pm to reports of person with burns. We flew there in around 14 minutes with a critical Care paramedic and a critical care doctor on board. "Once at the scene the Team provided critical care to the male patient and airlifted him to Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) in Birmingham." Festival goer Katrina Cooper has set up a Crowdfunder appeal to raise 1,000 for the victim of the fire. In a post written before the man's death was announced, Katrina said: "With the gates opening tomorrow, lets spread the Glastonbury love to the man who has suffered serious burns on site. "Really sorry I don't know his name but whoever he is he deserves our love and support." To donate, visit this crowdfunding page. Meanwhile, camper van owners have been told to delay their arrival at Worthy Farm to give the ground 36 hours to recover before they drive on to it. And forecasters are divided on the weather forecast for the festival. Sudan's powerful security service has released six student activists detained without charge since a wave of campus protests in the capital in May, their lawyer said on Tuesday. The unrest saw hundreds of students at the University of Khartoum clash with security forces as they demonstrated against government policies and demanded the release of detained protesters. Six student activists have been released in recent days but eight others are still being held by the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS), their lawyer Manal Khojli told AFP. "Those released had not been charged," Khojli said. Diplomatic sources close to the families of the detainees confirmed the release, and said that those still held could face charges. Khojli said talks were under way to try to ensure that the released students can return to the university after they were suspended from classes following the protests. The NISS has wide-ranging powers and in recent months has cracked down on students holding protests in universities. In April, two students were killed while demonstrating. Global rights groups had expressed concerns for the safety of the detained student activists. The "well-documented use by the NISS of torture and other forms of ill-treatment against detainees gives rise to serious concerns for their safety," rights groups including the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) said after the activists were detained. Search Keywords: Short link: South Bend Human Rights Commission director fired amid workplace concerns Yolanda Young-Smith, hired in December, oversaw the Human Rights Commission as it lost longtime workers with a combined half-century of tenure. Turkey and Israel will this weekend announce a deal on normalising ties, ending a six-year diplomatic crisis sparked by a deadly Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla in which 10 Turkish nationals died, a report said Tuesday. The Hurriyet daily said the two sides would make the announcement during final talks on June 26 after intensive diplomacy resulted in a compromise agreement on the partial lifting of Israel's blockade on the Gaza Strip. A Turkish foreign ministry official, contacted by AFP, neither confirmed nor denied a meeting between the two sides was planned this month. Previously tight relations between Israel and key NATO member Turkey were significantly downgraded after Israeli commandos staged a botched pre-dawn raid on a six-ship flotilla in May 2010 as it tried to run the blockade on Gaza. Nine activists on board the Turkish-owned Mavi Marmara ferry were killed, with a tenth person later dying of his wounds, sparking a bitter diplomatic crisis. Two of Turkey's key conditions for normalisation -- an apology and compensation -- were largely met, leaving its third demand, that Israel lift its blockade on the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, as the main obstacle. Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said in live televised comments that "definitive progress" was made during the talks but they were not yet finalised. "There are three things we have kept saying since the very beginning: apology, compensation and easing or totally lifting of blockade on Gaza," he told the private NTV television, saying Gaza had become an "open prison". "The agreement has not reached a final point," he said. "God willing, it will head toward a final point in a direction we want. Turkey is not at a point of making concessions." Under terms of the deal, Israel will allow the completion of a much-needed hospital in Gaza, as well as the construction of a new power station and a sea water distillation plant for drinking water, Hurriyet reported. Meanwhile, Turkey will send aid to Gaza but channel it via the Israeli port of Ashdod rather than sending it directly to the Palestinian enclave, the Turkish paper said. The announcement would be made after talks between top Turkish foreign ministry official Feridun Sinirlioglu and Israel's pointman on Turkish relations, Joseph Ciechanover, it added. Hurriyet did not say where the talks would be held. The two diplomats would then meet again in July to formally sign the agreement after which ambassadors would return to the respective embassies and full ties would be restored. Israel's Haaretz daily said Israeli and Turkish negotiating teams are to meet in a European capital on June 26 for a decisive round of talks on the reconciliation agreement. Hurriyet said if a deal is forged, then joint military exercises, energy projects and joint defence investments can go ahead again. Analysts have said Turkey may pursue a more conciliatory foreign policy following the departure of former prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who spearheaded an aggressive and interventionist strategy. His successor Binali Yildirim last week said he wanted no permanent tensions with Black Sea and Mediterranean neighbours after serious ruptures not just with Israel but also with Egypt and Russia. Israel imposed its blockade on Gaza in June 2006. The restrictions were tightened a year later when Hamas took control of the enclave, but eased significantly following a wave of international outrage over the flotilla carnage. *This story was edited by Ahram Online. Search Keywords: Short link: At least 18 members of Libyan pro-government forces were killed Tuesday in clashes with Islamic State group fighters as they prepared for a final assault on a key jihadist stronghold. The forces loyal to the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) said in a statement that the fighting took place in several parts of Sirte, where jihadists are pinned down in pockets of the coastal city. They said 18 loyalist fighters were killed. A medical source said 70 others were wounded. The GNA forces said "dozens" of IS fighters had also been killed in the past 24 hours. The anti-IS forces launched an operation in May to retake Sirte, hometown of the ousted and slain dictator Moamer Kadhafi which the jihadists have controlled since June last year. The pro-GNA forces said Tuesday that their "intelligence network is in full swing in preparation for the decisive battle" against IS fighters in the city, after repelling multiple counter-attacks. The statement said fighters were targeting IS-held areas of Sirte with heavy artillery while loyalist aircraft were carrying out sorties every day to strike IS or carry out reconnaissance missions. IS fighters "are besieged in a small area of Sirte and although they have sought to break out our forces have repelled all attempts," the statement said. It said that the jihadists had barricaded themselves in residential buildings and deployed snipers and explosive devices to fend off pro-GNA forces. IS has hit back with a string of suicide car bombings in a bid to defend their stronghold on the Mediterranean coast. At least 184 loyalist troops have been killed and hundreds wounded since the start of the offensive to capture Sirte, 450 kilometres (280 miles) east of Tripoli. An unknown number of jihadists have been killed. Search Keywords: Short link: 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. Jordan declared the desert border regions with Syria and Iraq "military zones" barred to civilians after a suicide bomber killed six Jordanian soldiers near the Syrian frontier on Tuesday. King Abdullah II vowed to hit back with an "iron fist" after meeting top civilian and military officials to discuss the attack in an area where thousands of Syrian refugees are stranded. There was no immediate claim of responsibility but Jordan is part of the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq, and has been targeted by IS jihadists before. The army said the dawn bombing killed four border guards, one member of the security services and one member of the civil defence. Fourteen soldiers were also wounded. It said the suicide bomber set off from a makeshift Syrian refugee camp in no man's land near the Rukban border crossing in Jordan's remote north. The driver entered Jordanian territory through an opening used for humanitarian aid deliveries and blew himself up as he reached a military post. King Abdullah condemned the attack and said Jordan's armed forces would strike back. "Jordan will respond with an iron fist against anyone who tries to tamper with its security and borders," he said. "Such criminal acts will only increase our determination to confront terrorism and terror gangs that target army personnel who protect the security of the country and its borders." Soon after, the army issued a statement declaring Jordan's desert regions that stretch northeast to Syria and east to Iraq "closed military zones". "We will deal firmly with any vehicle of individual that moves in the area without (prior authorisation) because they will be considered enemy targets," it warned. The army did not explicitly say if the border with Syria would be closed. But government spokesman Mohamed Momani told AFP the measure would not affect "humanitarian cases" -- a reference to refugees fleeing Syria's five-year war. Jordan hosts hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees and thousands more have been stranded at the frontier since January. Tuesday's bombing comes two weeks after a gunman, who was later arrested, killed five Jordanian intelligence officers in a Palestinian refugee camp north of the capital. Details of that attack have been kept under a gag order while the investigation continues. Jordan is a member of the US-led coalition against IS. It has carried out air strikes targeting the jihadists and hosts coalition troops on its territory. Maaz al-Kassasbeh, a Jordanian fighter pilot, was captured by the jihadists when his plane went down in Syria in December 2014 and he was later burned alive in a cage. In March, Jordan announced it had foiled an IS plot to carry out attacks in the kingdom in an operation that led to the deaths of seven jihadists. The US embassy in Amman denounced Tuesday's bombing and pledged "unwavering support" for the armed forces of its key ally. "We join the Jordanian people in their resilience and determination in the face of this cowardly terrorist act. The United States stands together with Jordan," it said. A flare-up in Syria's war last month sparked a new influx of refugees in the no man's land. Nearly 5,500 arrived at Rukban within days in early May, bringing the total since January to more than 60,000. Amman insists newcomers must be screened before entering the country to ensure they are genuine refugees and not jihadists from IS or Al-Qaeda trying to infiltrate the country. The kingdom's position has drawn criticism from the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). UNHCR representative Andrew Harper said he was not aware of any Syrian asylum-seekers being hurt in Tuesday's attack. Jordan says it hosts nearly 1.4 million Syrian refugees, of whom 630,000 are registered with the United Nations. Their presence has placed a massive strain on Jordan's economy and resources, and raised security concerns. On Tuesday the Jordanian government spokesman said his country does not expect to build more refugee camps on its soil or extend those already there. According to sources close to Islamists, almost 4,000 Jordanians have joined jihadist groups in Iraq and Syria, where an estimated 420 have been killed since 2011. Search Keywords: Short link: Welcome to SwanseaOnline - your home for the best news, sports and what's on coverage of the city. Never miss a Swansea story with our daily newsletter Sign up to comment on our stories here Follow us on Facebook and Twitter | Swansea City news | Ospreys news | InYourArea The dull, gray surface of the dwarf planet Ceres may come from graphite as organic material is bombarded by radiation from the sun. The gray surfaces of the dwarf planet Ceres (the asteroid belt's largest resident) and Pluto's biggest moon, Charon, both show signs of containing forms of graphite, the material in pencil lead. When NASA's Dawn spacecraft arrived at Ceres last year to embark on an orbital survey, it found a gray, icy world covered with debris left behind by impacts. Spectral observations of the object, which is both a dwarf planet and an asteroid, revealed evidence of a form of graphite called graphitized carbon on its surface, according to Amanda Hendrix, a senior scientist at the Planetary Science Institute in Arizona. The dark carbon suggests that similar processes could change the colors of both worlds, though they're significantly different environments. [Photos: Dwarf Planet Ceres, the Solar System's Largest Asteroid] Graphitized carbon forms when carbon is heated to high temperatures in the absence of oxygen. Hendrix studies how carbon forms in the inner solar system. She presented the results of her ultraviolet examination of Ceres at the Lunar and Planetary Sciences Conference in The Woodlands, Texas, in March. Throughout Ceres' history, carbon-filled meteorites and asteroids have crashed into the dwarf planet. The solar wind's charged particles have collided with the deposited carbon, repeatedly reprocessing it to release hydrogen and leaving behind a dull, gray graphitized carbon. The dark material has a low albedo, meaning it doesn't reflect a lot of light. "It hasn't evolved to proper graphite," Hendrix told Space.com. But it's close. Similar carbon processing may occur on other objects in the asteroid belt, she said. And earlier this year, scientists found that Mercury's surface has high levels of carbon, suggesting that it once boasted a graphite-rich crust. Pluto's largest moon, Charon, has a dull, gray surface marred by a bright-red spot at the poles. As the red material is deposited, radiation may slowly dull its color, changing it to gray like the rest of the moon. (Image credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI) A dull moon The inner solar system isn't the only place to find a gray world. Only a few months after Dawn reached Ceres, NASA's New Horizons spacecraftflew by Pluto and revealed that the dwarf planet's largest moon, Charon, has a grayish appearance. That color could have been caused by graphite on the moon's surface, according to lab results presented at the conference by Dale Cruikshank, a planetary scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center. The presence of graphite at Charon presents a puzzle because New Horizons didn't spot carbon on Charon, but it did so at Pluto. Before New Horizons arrived at Pluto, scientists hypothesized that the dwarf planet shared its atmosphere with its largest moon, and observations made by the spacecraft seem to confirm it. So carbon may travel from Pluto over to Charon, New Horizons scientists have said.. But although it is mostly gray, Charon also boasts a bright-red spot at its pole. Cruikshank performed several experiments to learn more about this unusual color combination. In dousing ices similar to those found on the dwarf planet with radiation, Cruikshank was able to produce a residual organic gunk known as tholin. The color of this substance named in 1979 by Carl Sagan and his colleague Bishun Khare, who performed similar space-themed experiments that left behind tholin as a sticky residue resembles the color of Charon's red spot, as well as the color of some features seen at Pluto. In fact, tholin may be involved in both the gray and reddish hues at Charon. "The neutral color of Charon is consistent with taking tholin material and irradiating it," Cruikshank said during his presentation. "You end up with graphite." The reddish region at Charon's pole is likely a newer deposit, whereas the rest of the moon is covered with an older layer, Cruikshank said. Hendrix called these results surprising. Radiation from the solar wind should be significantly weaker at Charon than it is at Ceres, because Charon lies, on average, about 10 times farther from the sun than Ceres does. If the moon's surface is covered with graphite, she said, "it likely formed a different way." [Editor's Note: This article previously stated that Charon lies about three times farther from the sun than Ceres does. Charon is actually, on average, about ten times farther from the sun than Ceres is.] Follow Nola Taylor Redd on Twitter @NolaTRedd Google+. Follow us at @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com. A series of shots of the full moon on June 20, 2016, taken from Duluth, Minnesota's Park Point beach. The Superior Entry Lighthouse can be seen in the foreground. The photo was sent in by photographer Grant Johnson. June's full moon known in some cultures as a "Strawberry Moon" greeted night sky watchers yesterday (June 20), and coincidentally fell on the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. Space.com received a flood of gorgeous photographs of this celestial sight from readers all over the world. It was apparently a very popular event; even an astronaut on the space station couldn't resist taking a snapshot of Earth's neighbor. The so-called "Strawberry Moon" may have gotten its name from Native American tribes because it arrives in June, when strawberry season is at its peak. But when the moon is close to the horizon, it also takes on a reddish tint, and in Europe, the June full moon is sometimes known as the "Rose Moon." [See More Reader Photos of the 'Strawberry Full Moon'] The composite photograph at the top of this article, captured by photographer Grant Johnson, shows how the color of the moon changes as it moves away from the horizon. "I caught this stack of shots from tonight's solstice moonrise on Duluth, Minnesota's Park Point beach on Lake Superior," Johnson told Space.com in an email. "I zoomed in on the Superior Entry Lighthouse with a 250mm lens from about 2 miles [3.2 kilometers] away to get the Strawberry Moon to rise large above the lighthouse." The full moon on June 20, 2016, as seen from southern Pennsylvania by photographer Jeff Berkes. (Image credit: Jeff Berkes A full moon hasn't appeared on the summer solstice since 1948. The romantic juxtaposition of a bright, colorful moon and the beginning of summer was perhaps best captured in the photo above, taken by sky photographer Jeff Berkes (whose super-awesome photos have been featured on Space.com many times). The image, taken in southern Pennsylvania, uses focus stacking to get the interesting view of both the moon in the background and the flowers in the foreground, Berkes told Space.com in an email. He said that he doesn't typically use this technique, but "I thought it [might] come out pretty neat." The final image is two shots combined, and was snapped with a Nikon D4 with 200mm lens. A Strawberry Moon themed animation (above) even appeared on Google's front page as a Google Doodle. The full moon of June 20, 2016, had a colorful tint, created by light passing through Earth's atmosphere. The color is exaggerated in these images by photographer Nate Laurant. (Image credit: Nate Laurant) Light passing through Earth's atmosphere can make the moon look as if it has a colorful tint. This effect is especially visible during a lunar eclipse. The above photos, taken by Nate Laurant, exaggerate the colored tint of Monday's full moon. The details of the moon's surface are crisp and clear in this image taken on June 20, 2016, from Sulmona, Abruzzo, Italy, during a full moon. (Image credit: Giuseppe Petricca) The above image may not be colorful, but the level of detail captured by sky photographer Giuseppe Petricca is absolutely breathtaking. Petricca, who lives in Italy, told Space.com the image is a mosaic composed of 30 panels. The images were taken using a SkyWatcher Black Diamond Newton 200/1000 telescope. The full moon, photographed on June 20, 2016, from the International Space Station by astronaut Jeff Williams. According to Williams, the shot was taken while the station was flying over western China. (Image credit: Jeff Williams Astronaut Jeff Williams took the above image of the full moon from the International Space Station, "just before sunset while flying over western China," according to his post on Facebook. Summer has just begun, and it's already a cosmic season. Check out our suggestions for how to bring even more space into your summer season. Follow Calla Cofield @callacofield.Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com. The UN special envoy to Yemen said on Tuesday he has proposed a roadmap for a peaceful settlement to end 14 months of armed conflict in the impoverished Arab nation. The war pitting Iran-backed Shiite Huthi rebels and their allies against pro-government fighters backed by a Saudi-led coalition has cost more than 6,400 lives since March 2015. Another 2.8 million people have been displaced and more than 80 percent of the population are in urgent need humanitarian aid, according to UN figures. The envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed proposed the roadmap after two months of negotiations in Kuwait. "The roadmap provides for the implementation of the security arrangements specified in Security Council Resolution 2216 and the establishment of a national unity government," he said in a briefing to the UN Security Council from Kuwait City. Security arrangements under Resolution 2216 require the Huthi rebels and their allies to withdraw from areas they occupied in 2014, including the capital Sanaa, and the handover of weapons. Under the roadmap, the national unity government would ensure the delivery of basic services, address the recovery of the economy and prepare for dialogue paving the way for a comprehensive solution, said Ould Cheikh Ahmed. "The delegations have responded positively to the proposals, but have not yet reached agreement on the sequencing of the different steps provided in the roadmap," mainly when would the national unity government be formed, he said. Ould Cheikh Ahmed urged the two sides to speed up the process of reaching a final accord. The government has resisted proposals for a unity administration before the rebels' withdrawal and handover of arms, fearing it would undermine the international legitimacy of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi. Search Keywords: Short link: A German man held in Yemen has been freed with the help of Oman and was flown to the sultanate on Tuesday, said the official ONA news agency. Authorities in Germany had approached Oman to negotiate the release of the man from the rebel-held capital Sanaa "for humanitarian reasons," it said. The identity of the man remains unclear, as do the circumstances of his detention, including who seized him and when. He was airlifted from Sanaa to Muscat on an Omani air force plane pending his return home, said ONA. Yemen has been at war since September 2014, when Iran-backed Huthi rebels and their allies drove the government out of Sanaa and much of the country's north. Oman is the only Gulf Arab country that has good relations with Iran and the rebels -- under fire from a Saudi-led military coalition. It has previously negotiated the release of foreigners held in Sanaa. In April, Omani armed forces evacuated an American from the capital following a similar request for assistance from the United States. And in September, Oman helped to negotiate the release of a Briton, two Americans and three Saudis held by the Huthis. Search Keywords: Short link: Optimization Are you frustrated with a slow pc or a hard disk not performing as it should? Try SLOW-PCfighter to speed up boot time on a slow PC, or try a free scan of FULL-DISKfighter to recover space on a full disk. The latest offering is DRIVERfighter to update your driver updater. Get complete PC optimization and extend the life of your PC with these must-have software tools. Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), June 21, 2016 (SPS) the President of United Republic of Tanzania, Dr. John Pombe Joseph Magufuli has sent condolences message to Sahrawi Interim President, Mr. Khatri Aduh following the death of the late President, Secretary General of POLISARIO Front, Mr. Mohamed Abdelaziz. I have learnt with profound shock and deep sorrow the sad news of the untimely demise of H.E. Mohamed Abdelaziz, President of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic and Secretary General of the POLISARIO Front. Dr. John Pombe Joseph Magufuli said in his message President of United Republic of Tanzania went on saying in his message At this difficult moment, I wish to convey, on behalf of the Government and people of the United Republic of Tanzania and indeed on my own behalf, our heartfelt condolences to Your Excellency and, through you, to the Government and the brotherly people of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic, particularly the bereaved family, for that great loss. H.E. the Late President Abdelaziz will be remembered for his great contribution he made to his country in an effort to ensure his people attain their right to self-determination. He will also be remembered for the interest and commitment he had for the POLISARIO Front and in ensuring the well being of his fellow Saharawi people, in general. His death therefore is a great loss to the country, the POLISARIO Front and the brotherly people of Saharawi as well as to the peace loving countries, Tanzania being one of them. he added. SPS 125/090 STAMFORD Middle schoolers did their part to combat hunger by donating 1,066 pounds of food to the Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County. Officials from the five city middle schools challenged their students to collect 375 items of food as a tribute to Stamfords 375th anniversary. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate STAMFORD A lightning strike likely sparked an attic fire in a North Stamford home early Tuesday morning, a fire spokesman said. The Thornridge Drive residents awoke to the crash of thunder, loss of electricity and smell of smoke shortly before 4:30 a.m. Tuesday. The homes smoke detectors then started beeping moments later, according to Capt. Tom Gloersen. Firefighters encountered heavy smoke coming from the attic of the home. Firefighters were able to contain the blaze to the attic space over the garage and family room, Gloersen said. The fire was declared under control by 4:48 a.m., he said. No one in the house was injured. Gloersen credited the homes smoke detectors, which had a battery backup when the power went out, for helping the residents escape the fire. The exact cause of the fire has not been determined, but a preliminary investigation by Stamford fire marshals indicated a lightning strike may have sparked the blaze, Gloersen said. Four engines, a ladder truck, a heavy rescue truck, Stamford Emergency Medical Service and units from the Turn of River Fire Department responded to the scene. jnickerson@scni.com; Egypt will allow wheat shipments with up to 0.05 percent ergot fungus, said the country's prime minister, Sherif Ismail, on Tuesday, according to the state news agency MENA, almost two weeks after two shipments were blocked for containing traces of the fungus. Earlier this year, the government's grain buyer GASC had to cancel tender offers for wheat in the international market due to minimal demand and unsuitable prices following the rejection of a French wheat shipment by the Egyptian Quarantine Authority. Recently, Egypt has been accepting 0.05 percent level of the fungus settling the contention between the quarantine authority that defended a zero tolerance policy and the supply ministry that accepted the international codex set by FAO at up to 0.05 percent. But the controversy resurfaced this month as Egypt rejected a Polish wheat shipment of 30,000 tonnes and a Canadian wheat shipment of 10,000 tonnes. Search Keywords: Short link: T he family behind luxury Italian menswear brand, Corneliani, whose sharp suits are sold in Harrods and Harvey Nichols, have sold a majority stake to private equity firm Investcorp for $100 million (68 million). Founded in 1958, Corneliani is one of Italys best-known independent brands and it recorded sales of 110 million (85 million) last year. Its products range from a 1675 cashmere-silk blazer to a 220 polo shirt. The firm trades in 68 countries, with 10 shops and a number of concessions. Other famous stores which stock its clothes include Saks Fifth Avenue and Bloomingdales. Certain family members of the business - launched by brothers Carlalberto and Claudio nearly 60 years ago and employing 1100 people will remain as shareholders. Investcorp previously bought and floated Gucci in the Nineties and has other investments in property and technology. Carlalberto Corneliani said: I have no doubt that [Investcorp] will develop this business to become one of the leading players in its market, similar to the success stories they have cultivated in Gucci. Investcorps Hazem Ben-Gacem added: We believe that we are well positioned to build greater brand awareness and add further value to the firm. International expansion is planned in existing and new markets. The purchase comes at a time when the designer menswear market is growing in the UK. The sector was valued at over 1.4 billion in 2015, from 1.37 billion the prior year, according to Euromonitor. Bahrain revoked the citizenship of the countrys most prominent Shia cleric, Sheikh Isa Qassim, as well as recently suspending the largest Shia political group, Al-Wefaq Egypt fully supports all measures taken recently by Bahrain in the face of attempts to destabilise the internal affairs of the country, a foreign affairs ministry statement read on Monday. In the past few days, Bahrain has revoked the citizenship of the most prominent Shia cleric, Sheikh Isa Qassim, in the Sunni-ruled kingdom, accusing him of sowing sectarian divisions. The gulf country has also suspended the largest Shia political group, Al-Wefaq, and froze its assets based on a complaint that accused the group of damaging Bahrain's national security, allegations about it causing unrest during the 2011 protests, as well as allegations of foreign funding. Bahrain is authorised to protect the principles of citizenship and peaceful coexistence in the face of organisations that have foreign political religious [agendas], Egypts statement read. Egypt also denounced attempts by some organisations, which receive foreign funding, to violate the Bahraini constitution, law and institutions and to fuel political sectarianism. The foreign ministry statement also expressed faith in the Bahraini judicial systems integrity in dealing with such cases. Search Keywords: Short link: I cant see too many voters being swayed to the Remain campaign by the sudden flood of support from French companies. Even setting aside the centuries-old rivalry between our two nations, when was there any great love among Brits for our French-owned utilities, or the EDF-designed Hinkley Point white elephant? The markets are pricing in a Remain victory. If theyre right, it wont be thanks to the amis francais who are profiting from every privatised UK asset in sight. Why the Google glitz? The OTT folly of Googles new St Pancras headquarters, with its 90-metre running track, luxury sleep pods and 17,000 sofas, would trouble me if I were a shareholder. Tech companies are supposed to thrive on being lean and hungry. The most revolutionary innovations have come out of dingy garages, university laboratories or cheap shared offices not hubristic corporate comfort zones with gourmet chefs on tap. Sergey Brin and Larry Page forged Googles magic code for internet search results in a rented garage in Menlo Park, California. As far as Im aware, there wasnt a 17,000 sofa in sight. S wiss watch exports to the UK dropped 2.5% in May, joining the trend in Europe for a slowdown in luxury sales. New data from the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry showed total exports fell 9.7% compared to last year, to 1.6 billion francs (1.1 billion). Over the first five months of the year, the level was lower than that of 2012. In Britain last month, the value of exports dropped compared to 3.7% growth in April. Other countries which saw declines included Italy and France. The slowdown in Europe reflects the ongoing aftermath of the Paris and Brussels attacks, in the form of a slower tourist flow in Europe, and perhaps concerns that Chinese are buying less in Europe based on taxes imposed on them when they return to home, said Alessandro Migliorini, an analyst at Mirabaud Securities, Bloomberg reported. Elsewhere watch exports to Hong Kong continued to fall- down 16.8%. The luxury goods market there has been battered by a crackdown on extravagant gift giving. The arrival of the Apple Watch and rival smart watches on the way, are among factors that have affected sales in the traditional watch market. A nalysts at Stifel today played down talk of a Brexit hit for WH Smith, arguing that the retailers long-serving management team has weathered more challenging headwinds in the past. The first, it said, was the disappearance of CDs, DVDs and video games from High Street stores, which only 12 years ago made up a quarter of all sales. And the second was the rise of US web phenomenon Amazon. We believe WH Smith management is well placed to prosper, irrespective of the Referendum outcome, said analyst Scott Ransley, whose upgrade from Hold to Buy helped the shares rise by 39p to 1719p, putting the stock among the top risers on the mid-cap index. Ransley, who tipped the share price to hit an all-time high of 1920p, argued that the recent fall makes it worth a punt for longer-term, income-focused investors with an eye for dividends. WH Smiths rise came as the wider market retreated after yesterdays surge. The FTSE 100 shed 12.97 points to 6191.03 as the cautious tone returned. Financial and insurance stocks were again in favour, with Barclays shifting 2p higher to 178.85p and RSA up 4.8p at 470.2p. After yesterdays devastating 66% crash for Circassia Pharmaceuticals, the cat allergy firm enjoyed something of a dead-cat bounce today, clawing back 11p to 102p amid a wave of broker downgrades. Icap, Michael Spencers interdealer broker, improved 11.1p to 425.6p as Bank of America Merrill Lynch claimed it can shrug off Brexit. The company soon to be known as NEX Group after its deal with Tullett Prebon is wrapped up should actually benefit from FX volatility and, at least optically, from sterling weakness, Merrill said. Shares in Go-Ahead Group reversed 8p to 2052p after being driven higher in early trade by an upgrade to Buy from Liberum. The company, the majority shareholder in GTR which operates the Thameslink, Great Northern and Southern Rail franchises, is dealing with train conductor strikes this week. Liberum reckons the franchise is not a disaster, despite warnings of lower margins which triggered a share slump last week. Investors lapped up Lebanese restaurants group Comptoir on its AIM debut as the shares surged from 50p to 64p. Photo-booth specialist Photo-Me dived 26.25p, or 16%, to 133.75p as its 10.6 million special dividend was lighter than the market was expecting. It came as revenues rose 3.8% to 184 million last year, with pre-tax profits 4.1% fatter at 40.1 million. Finally, engineer Senior slumped 28.62p or 13% to 196.68p after a profit warning at its tubes and pipes business. T wo American campaign strategists, one Democrat, the other Republican, were arguing the other day over what on earth is going on. The Democrat said that despite everything he applauded the victory of full- blooded, representative democracy. For years we have blamed voter apathy for our diminished political scene. Now the people are speaking. The Republican said there was nothing to celebrate in the destruction of party politics in favour of demagogues and mass movements. Political parties are bedrocks, creating an ordered set of values and a collective responsibility. He wanted his party back. Tessa Jowell wrote yesterday in The Evening Standard about the poisonous concoction of referendum politics. It would be wrong to link arguments about the European Union to the tragic death of Labour MP Jo Cox, yet something monstrous was unleashed in the course of the campaign. Last Thursday afternoon I received a horrified text from a young guy who had discovered a passion for politics, thanks to the referendum. He had volunteered to campaign for Brexit because it represented to him a noble, youthful cause of freedom. Then Jo Cox was killed. My young friends text read: How horrible for that poor woman and her family Brexit is not worth it if it leads to giving the far-Right a voice. We were supposed to go at it and then shake hands at the end. Makes it all so hollow and irrelevant now. Some commentators suggest that parliamentary protocol should prevail at this point. Charles Moore, Margaret Thatchers biographer, points out that Parliament was not recalled after the murder of Tory MP Ian Gow in 1990 by the IRA, nor was his constituency uncontested. But sometimes protocol is not adequate to deal with national trauma. Jo Cox was clearly a down-to-earth Yorkshire girl but there is also a kind of symbolic martyrdom about her death. Pope Francis asked last month during a speech: What has happened to you, the Europe of humanism, the champion of human rights, democracy and freedom? The question has hung over the UK like a pall these past days: What has happened to you? Jo Cox tributes - In pictures 1 /32 Jo Cox tributes - In pictures Tributes and candles left for murdered Labour Member of Parliament Jo Cox are seen in Parliament Square, London Stefan Wermuth/Reuters A white and red rose lie on Jo Cox's empty seat in the House of Commons, London PA The parents of Jo Cox, Jean and Gordon Leadbeater look at the flowers laid in memory of their daughter in Parliament Square, Londo Hannah McKay/PA Prime Minister David Cameron and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn lead MPs including George Osborne and Tom Watson as they process from the Houses of Parliament to St Margaret's Church, London, for a service of prayer and remembrance to commemorate Jo Cox MP Hannah McKay/PA A woman and child leave a floral tribute for murdered Labour Member of Parliament Jo Cox in Parliament Square, London Stefan Wermuth/Reuters Messages from well wishers for murdered Labour Member of Parliament Jo Cox are seen on a board in Parliament Square Stefan Wermuth/Reuters Tributes are paid at the Wapping house boat of Labour MP for Batley and Spen, Jo Cox Lucy Young Lucy Powell MP, Jeff Smith MP, Paula Sheriff MP and Karen Rawling arrive to leave floral tributes close to where Jo Cox MP was murdered Matt Cardy/Getty Images Hilary Benn MP for Leeds Central, Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow, Prime Minister David Cameron, Speaker's chaplain Reverend Rose Hudson-Wilkin and Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn arrive to pay their respects near to the scene of the murder Matt Cardy/Getty Images The flag above Buckingham Palace flies at half mast Yui Mok/PA Tribute messages at Parliament Square opposite the Palace of Westminster, central London, in respect of Labour MP Jo Cox Yui Mok/PA A young girl leaves flowers in Market Square, Birstall, for Jo Cox, 41, Labour MP for Batley and Spen Christopher Furlong/Getty Images Yvette Cooper (left) leaves St Peter's Church Birstall, West Yorkshire after a vigil following the death of Labour MP Jo Cox Peter Byrne/PA Floral tributes are left in Birstall, West Yorkshire, after Labour MP Jo Cox was shot in the street outside her constituency advice surgery Danny Lawson/PA Floral tributes and candles are placed by a picture of slain Labour MP Jo Cox at a vigil in Parliament square in London Daniel Leal-Olvas/AFP/Getty Images The Union Jack flag at half-mast on top of Portcullis House, London Yui Mok/PA People place tributes at Parliament Square opposite the Palace of Westminster Yui Mok/PA A woman leaves a floral tribute next to a photograph of murdered Labour Member of Parliament Jo Cox in Parliament Square, London Stefan Wermuth/Reuters A message is seen on a floral tribute left near the scene of the murder of Labour member of Parliament Jo Cox in Birstal Phil Noble/Reuters A woman arrives to leave a floral tribute near the scene of the murder of Labour Member of Parliament Jo Cox in Birstal near Leeds Craig Brough/Reuters A flag at half mast above the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh ane Barlow/PA People react as they look at tributes left for murdered Labour Member of Parliament Jo Cox in Parliament Square, Londo Stefan Wermuth/Reuters People place floral tributes and candles to slain Labour MP Jo Cox at a vigil in Parliament square in London Daniel Leal-Olvas/AFP/Getty Images Winston Churchill's statue stands in the foreground as Union Flags hang at half mast Stefan Wermuth/Reuters Full-blooded democracy includes the hideous and the unhinged as well as the brave and the free. It is the political version of the internet. It is a particular irony that the dark web, a filthy hiding place for criminals, was invented as a place for journalists in tyrannical countries to communicate safely. The internet has changed everything, so of course politics is transformed. Now we have to learn to manage it. The rebuilding of the traditional political system may be a necessary way of ordering our democracy. Parliament had a marvellous dignity yesterday. Everyone has gone at it, now everyone has to shake hands. The tragedy of Jo Cox has overshadowed everything but we have nevertheless seen democracy in action, passionate and adversarial. If Remain win, they will have earned it. Brexit have tackled them every inch of the way. But, alas for them, the ball has not yet come loose from the scrum. If in doubt, just listen to smart scientists Who do you trust? The scientists. As soon as Sir Paul Nurse from the Crick Institute spoke of the role of Europe in scientific progress, I listened. Then last week I visited the Royal Academy of Engineering, where idealists work on projects from quieter aircraft to aids for the disabled to biodegradeable tents for Glastonbury. We are short of engineers, especially female ones. We should be training our own and importing thousands more. There are probably some in that Ukip poster of fleeing refugees. The beauty of science is its reliance on empirical evidence rather than conjured statistics or scapegoats. It was the right time for Tim Peake to return to earth: we need him back. The geopolitics of his trip alone were instructive. The West may have some earthbound issues with Russia but we co-exist happily in space. Are there some space lessons from that? Peake said what he loved about being back on earth was the fresh air. In London we appreciate air quality especially because we are in danger of losing it. Switch is such a big boost for our arts scene The arts, too, have been broadly united in favour of Remain. At the opening of the extraordinary Tate Moderns Switch House last week, thousands tramped through the Turbine Hall and I would guess only a handful would have wanted Brexit. As the skies opened with battering rain it occurred to me that the Switch House could become a Noahs Ark for the arts hierarchy if we voted Leave. A new landmark for London has immediate consequences. You want to look at it, and from it, across the river. The Millennium Bridge is a silver pathway to contemporary art. On the other side of the river, St Pauls Cathedral looks more visible in its grandeur. I could not imagine the Switch House until it opened but Nicolas Serota has envisaged it for decades. We should be grateful for this London visionary. * The tributes to Jo Cox in Parliament were thoughtful, obeying the rule of eulogies that they must be about the subject and not about the speaker. It was an occasion, too, where women had an equal voice. Maybe that was why Jos value to her family was placed ultimately above her professional achievements. Her friend, Rachel Reeves MP, put it the most succinctly; Jo can be replaced as an MP but never as a mother. Perhaps it was Jos ability to project her private self onto her work which made her so luminous. Work-life balance should mean humanity as well as industriousness. A love story about an interracial romance between a British woman and an African king starring Rosamund Pike and David Oyelowo will open this years BFI London Film Festival, it was announced today. A United Kingdom, directed by Amma Asante, tells the true story of London office worker Ruth Williams, who married Seretse Khama, King of Bechuanaland later Botswana in 1947 despite fierce opposition from their families and the British and South African governments. The film, partially shot in the capital, will be the opening gala film for the 60th LFF which runs from October 5 to 16. Asante said: Its a great privilege. The festival means a lot to me, having showcased my first film, A Way Of Life (2004), here and been honoured with the UK Film Talent Award. Im a proud Londoner and in A United Kingdom weve been able to film in some of the most beautiful parts of the city. Oyelowo and Pike are due to attend the European premiere at the Odeon Leicester Square. Festival director Clare Stewart said the film was a testament to a defiant and enduring love story. She added: We are proud to be opening with a film that celebrates the triumph of love and intelligence over intolerance and oppression. @RashidRazaqES Follow Going Out on Facebook and on Twitter @ESgoingout I n Tudor times the open ground on the north side of the Queens House in Greenwich was where pageants were held. Imagine the jousting, the fireworks, the revelry. Its just the place, then, for the Greenwich + Docklands International Festival to begin a nine-day explosion of outdoor theatre, dance and circus with The House, its opening show this weekend. The Queens House is actually not as old as the Tudors. It was the first Stuart king, James I, who had it built in the grounds of Greenwich Palace for his wife, Anne. The architect was Inigo Jones, who applied all he had learned from trips to Italy to create the symmetrical lines of Englands first Classical house. The work began in 1616 but was left unfinished after the queens death and it was only completed in 1635 for the wife of Charles I, Henrietta-Maria. Jones also imported from Europe some concepts of theatre design that we now take for granted the proscenium arch and moving scenery. He collaborated with playwright Ben Jonson on a series of extravagant masques, some of which were performed in the Queens House. All of this history has a part to play in The House, a multidisciplinary mash-up of music, film, aerial thrills, dance, narration and pyrotechnics, written and directed by festival founder Bradley Hemmings. How to spend your summer 1 /60 How to spend your summer Royal Academy of glamour royalacademy.org.uk The soiree season doesnt start until the RA Summer Party. Grayson Perry, chairing the committee, has decreed the dress code as CLASH. Don your best vintage circus get-up for the equally riotous circus party on July 23. Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Happy birthday, Liz Until Jun 30, the-berkeley.co.uk Jun 12, petpavilion.co.uk The celebrations just keep coming. Take a Pret-a-Portea at Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley, before treating your hound at the Chelsea Bark Walk street party. Reuters/John Stillwell/Pool Breakfast at Tiffanys Jun 30-Sep 17, Theatre Royal Haymarket, SW1,trh.co.uk Pixie Lott makes her theatre debut as the carefree and capricious Holly Golightly, a role immortalised by Audrey Hepburn. Uli Weber We have Glastoff Jun 22-26, glastonburyfestivals.co.uk Its a British love-in at Worthy Farm with Muse, Adele and Coldplay headlining. Hotly tipped slots include a Prince Tribute set from Hot Chip and an acoustic session from Cyndi Lauper. Joern Pollex/Getty Rihanna June 24, Wembley Stadium, wembleystadium.com Its confusing release strategy set an awkward tone but Rihannas Anti album has provided some of her most impressive music. Her hits list was already bulging, which should make for a euphoric stadium experience. Kevin Winter/Getty British Summer Time Jul 2, Hyde Park, bst-hydepark.com Kendrick Lamars socially conscious rapping rubs up against the gothic grandeur of Florence + the Machine. Kristina Bumphrey/Starpix/Rex At the races Jun 14-18, ascot.co.uk Theres much more to Ascot than placing bets. Not least the spectacle that is the royal enclosure no fascinators please and the chance to drink your bodyweight in prosecco. Get battered suttonandsons.co.uk, poppiesfishandchips.co.uk, Fish and chip institution Poppies is opening in Soho and then theres Hackneys new Sutton & Sons (ask nicely and theyll deep-fry a choccy bar of your choice). Serpentine Pavilion Jun 10-Oct 9, serpentinegalleries.org Danish architect Bjarke Ingels created this years pavilion, the venue for the Summer Party on July 6. Co-hosted by Tommy Hilfiger and Salma Hayek, the event spells a chic close to Julia Peyton Joness tenure as co-director. Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) Ghostbusters From Jul 15 This comedy reboot has been pelted with the slime of scepticism. Still, were excited by the thought of Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig busting paranormal balls. Hopper Stone/CTMG The BFG From Jul 22 Whether menacing or menaced Mark Rylance is perfect as Roald Dahls gargantuan hero, while newcomer Ruby Barnhil is enchantingly non-cutesy. Storyteller Distributuion Co The Get Down Aug 12, Netflix If a Seventies NYC-set musical sounds too Fame, rest assured, the TV debut of Moulin Rouge director Baz Luhrmann also has tough-guy credentials. Its co-created by Shawn Ryan, best known for gritty cop series The Shield and look out for Will Smiths son Jaden as a graffiti artist. David Lee/Netflix Harry Potter and the Cursed Child From Jun 7, Palace Theatre, W1, harrypottertheplay.com Harrys back for his eighth adventure, written by playwright Jack Thorne in collaboration with J K Rowling. This time around Harry (Jamie Parker), Ron (Paul Thornley) and Hermione (Noma Dumezweni) are all grown-up. Charlie Gray Georgia OKeeffe Jul 6-Oct 30, Tate Modern, SE1, tate.org.uk Men put me down as the best woman painter, OKeeffe said. I think Im one of the best painters. See for yourself, with more than 100 works gathered for this major show. J. Paul Getty Trust Painters Paintings: From Freud to Van Dyck Jun 23-Sep 4, National Gallery, WC2,nationalgallery.org.uk Many great painters were also collectors. The National brings together more than 80 works owned by celebrated artists. The Trustees of The British Museum The New Tate Modern Opens Jun 17, tate.org.uk Herzog & de Meurons twisted pyramid adds three floors of exquisite new galleries, with collection displays rehung throughout. Charlotte Posenenske Victoria Late summer, ITV Jenna Coleman is destined for greater things than the Doctors sidekick. She will be elevated to a role more befitting her star power later this year when the eight-part series about the UKs second longest-reigning monarch reaches our screens. All hail Queen Jenna! Des Willie/ITV Field Day Jun 11-12, Victoria Park, E3, fielddayfestivals.com The East Ends weekender of choice celebrates its 10th birthday with James Blake and P J Harvey. Roots Manuva, Air and John Grant are also on board. Steve Gillett/Livepix Wireless Jul 8-10, Finsbury Park, N4, wirelessfestival.co.uk Wireless offers a mix of sounds the kids love, with stadium house from Calvin Harris, Eighties pop from The 1975 and bulldozing dance from Chase & Status. Stevie Wonder Jul 10, British Summer Time, Hyde Park, bst-hydepark.com Stevie Wonder playing every track from his 1976 album Songs in the Key of Life looks like a tantalising high point of summer. CBS Photo Archive David Bowie prom Prom 19, Jul 29, Albert Hall, SW7, royalalberthall.com The Proms pay tribute to Bowie with an appropriately left-field re-interpretation of his music from Berlins Stargaze collective. Express/Express/Getty Images Glyndebourne Festival Until Aug 28, Glyndebourne, East Sussex, glyndebourne.com Pack a picnic and head off for one of the seasons treats, which includes Annabel Ardens new production of Rossinis Il barbiere di Siviglia and David McVicars take on Wagners Die Meistersinger. Bill Cooper Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie From Jul 1 Most TV-to-movie adaptations are cack but were convinced Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley belong on the big screen. When Edina kills Kate Moss, she and Patsy are forced to hotfoot it to the South of France. Where they get married. Think of this as a Thelma and Louise for feral fashionistas (note the presence of Jon Hamm). David Appleby Tarzan From Jul 8 David Yates directs a live-action epic which combines elements of Heart of Darkness with King Kong. Expect quiet intensity from Alexander Skarsgard and Margot Robbie as Tarzan and Jane. Jonathan Olley Film 4 Summer Screen at Somerset House Aug 4-17, somersethouse.org.uk This open-air venture returns with a fortnight of classics and new hits. Catch the closing nights premiere of Viggo Mortensons Sundance hit Captain Fantastic. Life After Print Notting Hill Carnival thenottinghillcarnival.com Necking a bottle of rum, losing your friends and paying a stranger 5 to use their loo... Carnival is an experience like no other. Oli Scarff/Getty Images Star Trek Beyond 3D From Jul 22 Justin Fast & Furious Lin takes charge of Star Trek 3. The good news is that Simon Pegg (again playing Scotty) had a hand in the script. In the trailer Bones and Spock are flanked by enemies and Bones murmurs At least I wont die alone. Spock then teleports himself to safety. Pure Pegg! Finding Dory From Jul 29 The follow-up to the superlative Finding Nemo is in the news thanks to the rumour that it contains Disneys first gay mum(s). Ellen DeGeneres again provides the voice of forgetful surgeonfish Dory. Pixar The Deep Blue Sea Until Sep 21, National Theatre, SE1, nationaltheatre.org.uk Helen McCrory stars as Hester Collyer in Terence Rattigans most famous play, which looks at the inequalities of love in post-war Britain. And, indeed, now. The Entertainer Aug 20-Nov 12, Garrick Theatre, WC2, nimaxtheatres.com This final offering in Kenneth Branaghs year-long residency at the Garrick has been the most highly anticipated, as Branagh and John Hurt star in John Osbornes bitter modern classic about changing times. Johan Persson Edinburgh Fringe previews Jun 10-Jul 31, Pleasance London, N7, pleasance.co.uk Catch some of the best comics trying out their new material before they head up north. James Acaster, Luke Kempner, Feclity Ward and Rachel Parris are among the jokers on the bill. Henry V Jun 17-Jul 9, Open Air Theatre, NW1, openairtheatre.com Wonderful Michelle Terry assumes the crown to lead the band of brothers in this gender-swapped alfresco production. Hugo Glendinning London Pride Jun 10-26, prideinlondon.org The city will explode with rainbows and sparkles for the annual LGBT celebrations. Gear up for the main parade (Jun 25 & 26) with a starburst of events: comedy nights and more drag cabaret than you can shake a nipple tassle at. Rob Stothard/Getty Love all breadstreetkitchen.co.ukcamino.uk.com Its not all about the tennis Bread Street Kitchen will have grassy turf, picnic blankets and booze while Camino Banksides Gin Garden will show the action on a big screen. Bold Tendencies Until Oct 1, Rye Lane, SE15, boldtendencies.com Enjoy cocktails and great food on the roof (courtesy of Franks Cafe), check out the art, or attend a summer concert at this South London carpark-turned-arts venue. Rex Lad Bible Jun 1013, londoncollections.co.uk London Collections Men kicks off next weekend. Havent got a ticket? Head to Jermyn Street, where there will be a series of open air catwalk shows on Saturday for fashion fans and passers-by. Matt Crossick/Empics Entertainment Slice of the action Jun 5, youngandfoodish.com London Collections Men kicks off next weekend. Havent got a ticket? Head to Jermyn Street, where there will be a series of open air catwalk shows on Saturday for fashion fans and passers-by. Luciano Furia Grind Coffee 5th birthday Jun 13-17, grindandco.com The coffee chain celebrates five years with a week-long birthday bash. There will be giant cakes appearing at all seven sites and on June 17 theyll give away 500 espresso martinis at a hyper-caffeinated party at the Shoreditch flagship. Matt Writtle Carnaby Street Eat Jul 23, carnaby.co.uk Special offers and taster plates call to you from every corner of the pedestrianised streets, from brisket buns at Shotgun to varsity polos at Jack Wills via that bacon naan roll at Indian hotspot Dishoom. Chris Jackson/Getty Images New on the menu chicamalondon.com berberandq.com baolondon.com sardine.london Booking now? Start with confit seabass rolls at Peruvian joint Chicama (late June) before spit-roast at Berber & Qs Shawarma bar (July 4). Then theres Alex Jacksons much-awaited Med-inspired Sardine and cult Soho Taiwanese bun shop Baos second site in Fitzrovia. Meltdown Jun 10-19, Southbank Centre, SE1, southbankcentre.co.uk Guy Garvey of Elbow is in charge of the proceedings at this years festival, offering esteemed singer-songwriters Laura Marling and Richard Hawley as well as Femi Kuti and Connan Mockasin. Lorne Thomson/Redferns The Missing Late Summer, BBC1 The follow-ups to hit British crime thrillers dont have a great track record (ahem, Broadchurch) but theres good reason to be seriously excited about The Missings second effort. First, theres the prospect of a resolution to that infuriating cliff-hanger ending and then theres the return of everyones favourite grizzled, Gallic detective, Julien Baptiste. BBC Lambeth Country Show Jul 16-17, lambethcountryshow.co.uk Olde Worlde pastoral pursuits hit urban modernity at Brockwell Parks timewarp festival now in its 42nd year. Who needs a country retreat when its right here in SW9? Lambeth Country Show ArcelorMittal Orbit slide From Jun 24, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, E20, arcelormittalorbit.com Carsten Hollers vertiginous slide with 12 twists will offer 40-second thrills to brave art lovers. Glenn Copus David Hockney Jul 2-Oct 2, Royal Academy, W1, royalacademy.org.uk A huge group of Hockneys new portraits of friends, artists, collectors and writers. A surefire crowd-pleaser. Richard Schmidt Once night falls, the Queens House will become the backdrop for a projection by video designer Tal Rosner. He works with the architecture of buildings to emphasis their characteristics and beauty and often includes images of dancers, wafting like ghosts across the facade. A contemporary hip hop company, Avant Garde Dance, is also part of the mix on ground level in front of the house, echoing the dance element of the 17th-century royal masques. The music is by film and TV composer Dan Jones (The Hollow Crown was a recent work, Kursk at the Young Vic a memorable one). German company Pan.Optikum will provide some aerial anarchy from gigantic pendulum structures that recall the swinging timepieces celebrated at Greenwichs Royal Observatory. The recorded voice of Ian McKellen, meanwhile, will guide a lost soul to the house, and Sharon D Clarke (last seen at the National Theatre in Ma Raineys Black Bottom) will sing Stevie Wonders Heaven Help Us All. There is some medieval history and mythology in there, too, so dont expect a narrative line to carry you through. Its a more impressionistic, thematic production. Among the ideas that inspired Hemmings is the notion of Greenwich as a meeting place for different worlds. Long before the meridian line from the observatory was designated to separate east from west, the Vikings anchored on the Thames and pitched camp in Greenwich for more than three years, followed by the Normans. Later, Francis Drakes Golden Hind docked with Spanish loot while Sir Walter Raleigh visited with tales and tobacco from the New World and both men brought experience of the slave trade to London. House is partly about human rights, Hemmings says, and about a house as a place to welcome people about us welcoming people, being our best selves. Festivals in London this summer 1 /28 Festivals in London this summer Wembley Stadium June 5 to Sept 10, Wembley Stadium, wembleystadium.com Two epic shows from older legends bracket this summers stadium gig offerings, with Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band blasting off on June 5, and piano man Billy Joel wrapping up as autumn approaches. In between, there are two R&B superstars in the shape of Rihanna on June 24 and Beyonce on July 2-3. But even they cant outdo Coldplay, wholl play for four nights between June 15-19. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Anheuser-Busch British Summer Time July 1-10, Hyde Park, W1, bst-hydepark.com These six all-day shows in central London are the best opportunity to see music giants here this summer. Two classic albums will be aired in full when Carole King makes a rare appearance plays Tapestry on July 3, then Stevie Wonder plays Songs in the Key of Life on July 10. Theres also a pop day with Take That on July 9, hip hop from Kendrick Lamar, who appears alongside Florence + the Machine on July 2, folk rock from Mumford & Sons on July 8 and something edgier with Massive Attack on July 1. Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images Wireless July 8-10, Finsbury Park, N4, wirelessfestival.co.uk Former Hyde Park weekender Wireless is back in north London for its 11th event. Each of the three days offers a broad mix of sounds the kids love, with the stadium house of Calvin Harris and Eighties pop of The 1975 on July 8, bulldozing dance from Chase & Status and smooth hip hop from J Cole on July 9, then rowdy grime from the Boy Better Know crew and tropical house from Kygo on July 10. Field Day June 11-12, Victoria Park, E3, fielddayfestivals.com Hackneys Field Day this year, which is marking the occasion with exclusive headline sets from two Mercury Prize winners: electro-soul man James Blake and PJ Harvey, who will play songs from her powerful new album The Hope Six Demolition Project. The rest of the bill is a hipsters dream, with bigger names such as Roots Manuva and Air joined by Gold Panda, Parquet Courts and Meilyr Jones. Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Somerset House Summer Series July 7-17, Somerset House, WC2, somersethouse.org.uk When it isnt set up as a top ice-skating spot, the neoclassical courtyard by the Thames is an impressive place to watch hot bands. This year they include lively Aussie jazz-funk act Hiatus Kaiyote on July 7 and French electro-swing group Caravan Palace on July 14. Among the solo acts are the returning Laura Mvula on July 10, indie rocker Courtney Barnett on July 13 and the current holder of the Mercury Prize, Benjamin Clementine, on July 9. Lorne Thomson/Redferns Citadel July 17, Victoria Park, E3, citadelfestival.com The blasted heath that remains after the Lovebox Festival will become more civilised on the Sunday, when this sibling of Oxfordshires posh Wilderness Festival takes over. Therell be fancy street food, talks and pop-up theatre from the Old Vic. The music is sophisticated fare too, with Iceland dream-makers Sigur Ros, Canadian electronica man Caribou and soul star Lianne La Havas all playing. Samir Hussein/Redferns On Blackheath Sept 10-11, Blackheath, SE3, onblackheath.com A John Lewis sponsorship should ensure that this relative newcomer appeals to the middle classes with its chefs stage and posh food village. The music will suit indie fans mature enough to know their way around an avocado. Primal Scream and Belle and Sebastian top the bill, with Hot Chip and James playing high up too. Theres also a stage run by Heavenly Recordings for more esoteric fare. Hampton Court Palace Festival June 8-23, Hampton Court Palace, hamptoncourtpalacefestival.com These fancy events, which seem to exist purely so Jools Holland (June 10) and Van Morrison (June 14) have a reason to get out of the house every summer, allow you to picnic in the grounds of Cardinal Wolseys Tudor pied-a-terre before watching soul belter Anastacia (June 9), Dutch jazz lady Caro Emerald (June 17) and three concerts from Sir Tom Jones (June 8, 15, 16). Live at Chelsea June 17-19, Royal Hospital Chelsea, SW3, liveatchelsea.com Now in its second year, this series not only offers the opportunity to buy the ultimate picnic hampers (with the Gordon Ramsay Group keeping your sarnies free of ants) but also a chance to eat Michelin-starred food inside the Royal Hospital Chelseas state apartments. After that kind of spread, heading into the grounds to watch Wet Wet Wet (June 18) or Simply Red (June 19) might be a bit of a letdown. Mauricio Santana/Getty Images Greenwich Music Time July 5-10, Old Royal Naval College, SE10, greenwichmusictime.co.uk With Canary Wharf glittering over the water behind the main stage and the grand Naval College just next door, this is a pleasant spot to watch mainstream acts including veteran voice Seal on July 6, blues guitarist Joe Bonamassa on July 7 and big-selling Swedes Roxette on July 8. Jamie Cullum wraps things up with some fast-fingered piano work on July 10. Kew the Music July 12-17, Kew Gardens, kew.org A stage in front of the glass Temperate House in Kew Gardens cant afford to risk any heavy metal bands, so instead there are tasteful offerings from Simply Red (July 12), Will Young (July 13) and, of course, Jools Holland (July 15). Long-running ABBA tribute act Bjorn Again should liven things up a bit and shake a few leaves from the trees on July 14. Jo Hale/Redferns We Are FSTVL May 28-29, Damyns Hall Aerodrome, Upminster, wearefstvl.com The first major London festival offers more dance music than you can shake a glowstick at, across 14 stages in an airfield. Big names include regular party starter Fatboy Slim, Swedish giant Steve Angello and drum-and-bass dons DJ Fresh and Sigma. The rejuvenated Craig David will also be in attendance with his TS5 concept. Paul Underhill South West Four Aug 27-28, Clapham Common, SW4, southwestfour.com The bank holiday weekend will feel significantly livelier on Clapham Common, where an A-Z of DJs from Above & Beyond to Yotto (okay, A-Y) will keep the party going non-stop. Less serious clubbers will appreciate the presence of chart-friendly names such as Rudimental, Dizzee Rascal and The Chemical Brothers. Other live acts include Boys Noize, Nero and Netsky. Ollie Millington/Redferns via Getty Images Lovebox Victoria Park, E3, loveboxfestival.com Lovebox has been a more eclectic affair in the past, but these days its mix of hip hop and dance music seems to cater best to a severely up-for-it crowd who are as likely to be found dancing around the taco truck as the main stage. Madonna producer Diplo appears twice, in solo guise and with his band Major Lazer, theres rap from Run the Jewels, grime from Stormzy and a legend in the form of George Clinton. The biggest draw, however, ought to be the chance to see the reformed LCD Soundsystem. Richard Johnson Meltdown June 10-19, Southbank Centre, SE1, southbankcentre.co.uk Elbow frontman and beloved radio host Guy Garvey is in the prestigious curators hotseat for the latest Meltdown season on the Southbank. His band wont be playing but hell do a solo set on June 17. Other notable names plucked from his little black book include Laura Marling (June 18), Richard Hawley (June 16) and a rare reformation gig from short-lived Texan band Lift to Experience (June 10). Lorne Thomson/Redferns Stone Free June 18-19, O2 Arena, SE10, theo2.co.uk The classic rock crowd will take over the O2 for a weekend in June, with theatrical rocker Alice Cooper and prog man Rick Wakeman topping the bill. Relative youngsters The Darkness and Blackberry Smoke will also be engaging in heavy riffing, plus therell be film screenings, artists in conversation and a vinyl fair. AFP/Getty Images Visions Aug 6, London Fields, E8, visionsfestival.com Now in its fourth year, Visions sprawls across multiple hip Hackney venues including Oval Space, the Moth Club, the Laundry and St Johns Church. Wanderers should stumble upon performers including Scottish rap trio Young Fathers, the severely heavy Lightning Bolt and powerful singer-songwriter Anna Calvi. Camden Rocks June 4, Camden High Street, NW1, camdenrocksfestival.com More than 200 bands for 35 sounds fair enough, especially when they include indie favourites The Cribs, Carl Barat of The Libertines other band The Jackals, folk hero Billy Bragg and Glen Matlock of the Sex Pistols. Dozens of lesser names will rumble along Camden High Street in esteemed venues including the Electric Ballroom, the Barfly and Dingwalls. Danny Payne/REX/Shutterstock FOLD June 24-26, Fulham Palace, SW6, foldfestival.com It stands for Freak Out Lets Dance, which is what people have been doing in the vicinity of Nile Rodgers band Chic for many years. Because hes in charge of this one, Chic will play every night, joined by different acts each time, including Labrinth and Alison Moyet (June 24), Beck (June 25) and John Newman (June 26). Nile Rodgers Productions Caught by the River Thames Aug 6-7, Fulham Palace, SW6, caughtbytheriver.net Caught by the River, a nature website made by music-lovers, branches out into the real world with a new festival appropriately situated right by the Thames. Following smaller events in Cardigan and Hebden Bridge, this one is more ambitious, promising to bridge the previously unspanned gap between mind-bending psychedelic rock n roll shows and Springwatch. Performers include Low, Super Furry Animals and Beth Orton. Jeff Barclay/Music Pics/REX House of Common Aug 29, Clapham Common, SW4 , madness.co.uk A Madness gig by another name, this is the latest guise for the Nutty Boys enjoyable all-dayers. Theres a strong reggae feel to this one, with legendary DJ David Rodigan and Jamaican giants Lee Scratch Perry and Toots and the Maytals providing the build-up to Suggs and co. Julian Finney/Getty Images However the story unfolds the show will be a joyous celebration. Presented in partnership with the Maritime Museum, it marks the 400th anniversary of the Queens House, which is undergoing renovation. Its reopening later this year will begin a whole new chapter of an extraordinary place. The House is on at 10pm on Friday at the National Maritime Museum Greenwich, SE10 (festival.org) Greenwich + Docklands International Festival runs from Friday until July 2 at various venues and there is free entry to all events. Follow Going Out on Facebook and on Twitter @ESgoingout I n the wake of this months mass shooting at Orlando night club Pulse, people have flocked to tattoo parlours across the globe to pay tribute to those who lost their lives. Instagram users have taken to the platform to share pictures of their stunning inkings, many of which include the quote Love Is Love and an ECG of a beating heart. LGBTQ Nation reported that an artist at Orlandos Realm Tattoo parlour has also been giving out free One Pulse tattoos to people in the local area. According to the website, any proceeds that were donated have been handed over to a local LGBTQ nightclub, and will be distributed to those immediately affected by the attack. It's reported that people stood in line for as long as three hours to receive one of the tattoo shops six commemorative tattoos, many of which featured an electrocardiograph design over an equality symbol. A post on Realm Tattoos Facebook page said that the shop has pledged to continue offering tattoos until he has tattooed everyone that wants one. Soho vigil for the victims of Orlando massacre 1 /14 Soho vigil for the victims of Orlando massacre Vigil: Thousands of people have filled Old Compton Street Charlie Banks Vigil: Hundreds have gathered in Soho @MarkMcBW Crowds of people outside the Admiral Duncan pub Simon Rodgers A woman kneels over graffiti during the Soho vigil Reuters/Dylan Martinez People light candles at St Anne's church Reuters/Dylan Martinez Nigel Howard Nigel Howard Nigel Howard Nigel Howard Nigel Howard Nigel Howard At least 49 people were killed and dozens wounded after a gunman opened fire and took hostages at a LGBT-friendly nightclub in Orlando on June 12. But tattoos aren't the only way that people have been offering their condolences. Messages of support to those affected by the attack have been pouring in across the globe on social media, with illustrators, artists and celebrities paying tributes those killed in the shooting. Broadway's biggest stars also banded together to record a cover of What The World Needs Now is Love in the wake of the attack. Follow us on Twitter: @eslifeandstyle C hilling footage has emerged of brutish father Ben Butler shouting and swearing in front of his six-year-old daughter Ellie, who he killed in a fit of rage. The footage, filmed on a mobile phone camera, captures the brutal killer screaming on the phone near the little girl, telling someone to "f*** off." Dressed all in pink, and standing in what appears to be the kitchen of the family home, the child looks up at her father as he launches the aggressive verbal tirade. Little Ellie remains silent as her violent father screams and swears. The footage was released today by the Metropolitan Police after Butler was found guilty of Ellie's murder following a trial at the Old Bailey. Tragic: Ellie Butler was killed by her father Ben / Metropolitan Police His partner Jennie Gray was convicted of child cruelty, having already admitted perverting the course of justice. The trial heard that Butler battered his daughter to death in a momentary but volcanic loss of temper. He put off dialling 999 for two hours and instead summoned Gray back from work in the City of London, before the pair concocted an elaborate plot to cover up Ellie's death. They destroyed evidence and staged the scene of an accidental fall before calling the ambulance service. The killing came months Ellie and her sibling were returned to their parents following accusations that Butler violently shook Ellie when she was seven weeks old. Ellie Butler 1 /20 Ellie Butler Ellie Butler Metropolitan Police Ellie Butler PA Ellie Butler PA Ellie Butler Metropolitan Police Home video picture of Ellie Butler with her father Ben Metropolitan Police Ellie's chair Metropolitan Police Court artist sketch of Jennie Gray and Ben Butler in the dock at the Old Bailey in London Elizabeth Cook/PA Ben Butler being interviewed Metropolitan Police Jennie Gray's witness interview Metropolitan Police Westover Close in Sutton, south west London, where six year old Ellie Butler died from her injuries Beverley Rouse/PA Ben Butler Metropolitan Police Jennie Gray Metropolitan Police Home video picture of Ellie Butler with her father Ben Metropolitan Police Ellie Butler with her mother Jennie Gray pa Jennie Gray and Ben Butler apprearing on 'This Morning' TV on 19 October 2012 Rex Butler, of Sutton, south London, had been found guilty of assaulting Ellie in 2007 but his conviction was quashed on appeal. In November 2012, he was "exonerated" by a family court judge who declared a "happy ending" as she handed Ellie and her sibling back. Killed: Ellie Butler with her mother Jennie Gray / pa Mrs Justice Hogg had sided with Butler despite objections from police, social services and Ellie's maternal grandfather, Neal Gray. At the time, Mr Gray, who had cared for Ellie since she was a baby, had allegedly warned the judge she would have "blood on your hands". Speaking after the guilty verdicts were delivered, Detective Inspector Dave Reid, of the Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: There is no doubt that Ben Butler is a man with a ferocious temper and a short fuse. This was clear from the evidence we gathered during our investigation that showed how his volatile personality dominated family life. He regularly teetered on the verge of a violent outburst and displayed extreme contempt for his partner Jennie Gray, who despite this put him before everything and anyone - even six-year-old Ellie. Investigating Ellies murder and tragic story meant detectives gathered a huge amount of harrowing evidence that proved Butler did indeed kill Ellie and Gray helped him cover it up. "Whilst their convictions today will bring little comfort to Ellies beloved grandparents with whom she lived for the majority of her short life or to all those who loved her, I hope they will go some little way to assuring them justice has now been achieved. Volatile: Ellie Butler was murdered by violent father Ben / Metropolitan Police Malcolm McHaffie, CPS London Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor, added: Six-year-old Ellie Butler was murdered in her home, where she should have felt safe, by her violent father who should have loved and protected her. The CPS presented evidence of Ben Butlers contempt for his daughter and his aggressive nature and volatile temper through text messages and diary entries. We may never know exactly what happened in the last few hours of Ellies life but the CPS built a strong case to show that her death was the result of deliberate violence by Butler. D etectives are appealing for witnesses after a 16-storey block of flats were set alight in a suspected arson attack. Thick black smoke filled the air in Brixton after a blaze broke out at Chartham Court in Canterbury Crescent on June 11. More than 70 firefighters and 10 fire engines were called to the scene and more than 50 people were forced to flee their homes after the building was evacuated. Three people were treated by London Ambulance Service for smoke inhalation and two people were taken to hospital. They were later discharged. Aftermath: The scene after the blaze in Brixton / @LondonFire Police today said they were treating the fire as suspicious and believed it began in a shed belonging to one of the ground floor flats. The blaze spread to the flat before causing significant damage throughout the tower block. The fire started shortly after 1pm and detectives are appealing for witnesses who saw a woman within the vicinity of the flats from about 11am. Blaze: A fire ripped through a tower block in Brixton / @acumella Police said the woman in question is white, aged between 30 to 35 years old, 5ft 5in tall, of medium build and had long brown curly hair. She was seen wearing a red top and black leggings. A Metropolitan Police Service spokesman said the woman was seen outside the flats between 11am and 12.22pm and detectives are trying to establish where she was between the last sighting and the fire starting. DS Dick Nation, from Lambeth CID, said it was fortunate nobody was seriously injured in the blaze. He added: Due to the actions of the person or people responsible a number of the residents are still unable to get back into the properties and a small number of the flats have sustained significant damage. A 34-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of arson and has been bailed until mid-September. Enquiries are ongoing. Anyone with information should call Lambeth CID on 020 8649 2152 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. T wo brothers have been jailed after they sprayed a mother of six with drain cleaner in a barbaric acid attack that has left her blinded in one eye. Billy and Geoffrey Midmore inflicted life-changing injuries on Carla Whitlock, 37, in revenge for a botched 2,000 drug deal. Billy, 22, was jailed for 15 years on Tuesday after being convicted by a jury of grievous bodily harm, Hampshire Police said. Geoffrey, 27, was jailed for nine years, having admitted the same charge The brothers attacked Miss Whitlock outside the Turtle Bay restaurant on September 18 after they visited several DIY stores in search of powerful drain cleaner called One Shot. "Barbaric": Carla Whitlock was left blinded in one eye after she was attacked with powerful drain cleaner / PA The court heard they were seen on CCTV after the attack high five-ing and fist-bumping while on a train to a friends house. Chief Inspector Debra Masson, of Hampshire Police, said: The level of injury caused by such an attack is life-changing, and I know that Carla still faces many challenges, alongside the permanent loss of sight in one of her eyes, due to this barbaric act. The evidence shown in court of their behaviour directly after the attack, coupled with their concerted efforts to evade capture, served to expose them as the dangerous criminals they are. "Although things will never be the same for Carla, we hope that the sentence handed to Geoffrey and Billy Midmore today goes some way to giving her closure and allows her to feel that justice has been delivered." Describing the attack, Miss Whitlock told the trial: "I felt my face was on fire." Kerry Maylin, prosecuting, said the attack had been out of revenge after Miss Whitlock had introduced a man called Levi to the Midmore brothers and a deal with him worth 2,000 had gone wrong. She explained that Miss Whitlock and her partner were drug users and had recently purchased drugs from the brothers, who are of no fixed address but are originally from London with connections to Kent. Miss Maylin told the jury: "One Shot is all it takes to clear your drain and One Shot is all it takes to cause a serious injury to Carla Whitlock." She added: "Because that drug deal went wrong, these two brothers decided to enact their revenge by permanently scarring Miss Whitlock." Miss Maylin said that the brothers were seen on CCTV later that evening as they took a train to stay at a friend's house in Basingstoke. She said: "They weren't sorry, they were jubilant, they were high five-ing, they were fist-bumping, they were laughing." Additional reporting by Press Association (Beijing) By next year, according to one estimate, the value of China's red-hot, mobile app-based healthcare services market will hit 12 billion yuan nearly three times what it was in 2015. No wonder institutional investors as well as Internet giants such as Alibaba Group, Tencent Holdings and Baidu Inc. have been pouring money into startups whose app services help smartphone owners remotely consult doctors, schedule appointments and pay hospital bills. App service operators raised around 5 billion yuan in the first half of 2015 alone, according to the Beijing-based Internet analysis firm iResearch, which pegged the market's value that year at 4.3 billion yuan and predicted a near-tripling by 2017. Total fundraising in 2014, the firm said, was some 4.6 billion yuan. In recent months, however, the healthcare app business has attracted skeptics, including market observers who wonder whether the fundraising phenomenon may have gone too far. And some investors who jumped on the fundraising bandwagon in the early years now fear their returns may be less than expected. Among the hundreds of healthcare app service companies that opened for business over the past few years, and announced several rounds of fundraising, only 50 held successful first and second rounds, according to Caixin check of Chinese media reports. And only 10 managed to raise money in a third round. Several sources working for institutional investors who asked not to be named told Caixin their firms have already pulled out of healthcare mobile app services investing. Fueling their decisions are concerns that app operators have failed to meet expectations, particularly since none have found a way to tap the Chinese healthcare sector's most profitable pillar state hospital patients. State hospitals have balked at efforts to open their patient records arguably the nation's most valuable healthcare data to app service operators. Other investors have complained that app companies raised funds by promoting grand plans that proved weak, or even hollow. Some app service executives themselves have admitted that the market's period of rapid growth may have passed. Zhang Rui, CEO of the app service Chunyu Yisheng, which offers its customers a way to consult healthcare providers and is now expanding into insurance and property development, told Caixin he expects his company and others like it to see their market capitalizations rise moderately in 2016 following a two-year boom. Other industry players, however, have turned pessimistic. A manager whose investment firm invested in app startups said that, in his view, market capitalizations for most companies in the sector peaked in 2015 and have been declining ever since. In fact, said the manager who did not want his name published, over the next three years "a large number" of app services will likely go out of business. Several investors interviewed by Caixin agreed the bloodletting will probably start this year and continue at least through 2018. Tall Tales The nation's more than 2,000 healthcare app service providers counted more than 138 million smartphone installations in 2015, almost double from the previous year, iResearch said. Chunyu Yisheng's app helps users consult with any one of about 410,000 doctors at major hospitals across the country. Its much larger rival DXY, a Tencent-backed online healthcare company, advertises access to more than 1.37 million doctors, while smaller competitor Haodf says it has about 300,000 doctors available through its platform. Insurance services, access to online medical research and healthcare specialist headhunting support are just a few of the niche markets with explosive growth potential touted by app operators in recent months. Eye-catching statistics and niche ideas have been used by healthcare app service executives to drum up investor support. But some executives have withheld key facts about the business and failed to tell the whole story. For example, said a source at a startup app-based service provider who asked to remain anonymous, some consulting-related apps overlap. And not all doctors on app lists are available online. Even though consultant app operators go to great lengths to register doctors for their platforms, the source said, some of the best doctors are simply too busy to provide online consultation services. "Almost every doctor at each of Beijing's large public hospitals is registered with more than five healthcare apps," said the source. "But most of these doctors have never consulted online." Healthcare consumers with smartphones, meanwhile, are not necessarily regular mobile app users. In fact, according to the Beijing-based Internet sector consultancy Analysys International, a single consumer with a healthcare app uses it fewer than three times a year. And most of these apps are used to make doctor appointments. One investor said app operators "make up stories" and have frequently changed business strategies to the point where they've "made (investors) anxious." "Even after pouring money" into an app service "for up to five years, there still may be no clear direction," the investor said, adding that in his opinion "China's mobile healthcare market is a big bubble." Some frustrated financiers have been looking for a way to exit their healthcare app investments. For example, some have been pressuring app service companies to launch initial public offerings on the Shanghai or Shenzhen stock markets, or through the New Third Board, also called the National Equities Exchange and Quotations, in order to offload stakes. Few of healthcare app firms have listed since 2012, said an executive at the investment conglomerate Fosun International Ltd., which has invested in several app operators including Chunyu Yisheng. Zhang said Chunyu Yisheng is preparing an IPO that would involve a spinoff of profitable assets. But he said it wasn't his idea, as "the listing plan is according to investor demand." The Fosun executive, who did not want his name used, said that while healthcare companies overall are "still a hot spot" for investors, the healthcare app market overall is not hot. A lot of healthcare app companies have focused on medical consultation services yet have failed to generate much commercial value, said He Huaping, deputy investment management director at the investment consultancy firm Beijing Bestar Consultation Co. A lack of access to key healthcare information such as doctor prescription and diagnosis has held these companies back, he said. Hunting for Revenue App service operators who don't want to disappoint their investors have been eagerly hunting for new, better and ideally sustainable revenue sources. For example, DXY and the Beijing-based app service Xing Shulin, which offers industry information and services for physicians, have found new ways to serve doctors and pharmaceutical companies. DXY started a healthcare professional headhunting service that it says has been a good revenue source. Xing Shulin branched into services that help doctors conduct research and manage patient data. Xing Shulin CEO Zhang Yusheng said major pharmaceutical companies including Pfizer Inc. and AstraZeneca bought its services on behalf of partner hospitals and doctors. The company is also working to improve its data analysis capacity, he said. Chunyu Yisheng, DXY and the healthcare divisions of Alibaba and Tencent launched plans to build hospitals or partner with existing hospitals in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. These would be private hospitals that specialize in specific fields such as skin disease and pediatrics. Chunyu Yisheng's Zhang said his company expects two property developers to invest 200 million yuan each in the company's plan to build clinics attached to nursing homes. Other partnerships are being forged between healthcare app providers and insurance companies. Since last fall, Chunyu Yisheng and the property insurance arm of the People's Insurance Company of China (PICC) have worked together to offer PICC policyholders medical consulting and specialized hospital services. Moreover, through the partnership the insurer can access the app company's patient health data to help the insurer develop its health insurance policies and control business costs. Over the long run, said Chunyu Yisheng's Zhang, the partnership could lead to jointly developed, custom insurance policies. Zhang said his company is also looking at buying a company that specializes in long-distance diagnosis technology. Another app-insurance success story came in May when undisclosed investors injected 3.2 billion yuan into an app called Ping An Good Doctor. The app, developed and operated by a subsidiary of Ping An Insurance (Group) Co. called Ping An Health Cloud Co., offers users services such as doctor appointment and health consultation. The injection catapulted Ping An Good Doctor ahead of all other Chinese healthcare app companies in terms of market capitalization, pegging it at US$ 3 billion, according to company documents. App services have also tried to break into consumer sales of pharmaceuticals, but with little success. Government restrictions on doctor prescriptions and sales of prescription drugs through the Internet have prevented app companies from expanding into the potentially profitable prescription drug market. (Rewritten by Han Wei) A prisoner has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a notorious child killer was "battered to death" at Long Lartin prison. Sidonio Teixeria was found with severe head injuries at the Worcestershire jail at about 9am on Monday and he died at the scene. He was serving a life sentence for murdering his three-year-old daughter and trying to kill his nine-year-old son in 2007. A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said paramedics found a man in cardiac arrest when they arrived at the prison. They added: Crews immediately commenced advanced life support but unfortunately it became apparent nothing could be done to save him and he was confirmed dead at the scene. A spokesman for West Mercia Police said: West Mercia Police can confirm an investigation is underway following the death of a male prisoner at HMP Long Lartin in Evesham. A thorough and robust investigation has been launched. A male prisoner, who is in his 60s, was arrested on suspicion of murder. A man due to fly to Saudi Arabia has been arrested at Heathrow Airport on suspicion of terrorism offences. Scotland Yard said the 29-year-old was stopped from boarding a flight on Monday afternoon. He was initially detained under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act and arrested on suspicion of possessing information likely to be useful to a person preparing an act of terrorism. He was taken to a London police station where he remains in custody. Police said counter terrorism officers are searching an address in west London. Several electronic devices have been seized as part of the investigation while enquiries continue. P olice have warned people not to wear headphones and to avoid short cuts as they hunt a serial sex attacker who targets women walking home alone. Detectives today released new CCTV images of the suspect in the first of a string of attacks in Acton. The man first struck on January 3 when the 18-year-old victim, who was listening to music on her headphones, was grabbed from behind as she walked along St Andrews Road. The victim struggled and the suspect fled the scene. Detectives are linking the attack with three other assaults in the East Acton area, two in January and one in February. In an earlier appeal police released a CCTV image of the suspect wearing a parka-type coat running near the scene of an attack. Police had previously issued this CCTV image in a bid to track the man down / Metropolitan Police Detective Inspector Ash Hornsby, who is leading the investigation, said a man wearing a similar coat was involved in three of the attacks. He said: It is essential we identify and speak to the man or men in the CCTV images. I would ask the public to look carefully at the images and, if anyone recognises the suspect, or has any information as to who he is, or where he can be found, to contact police immediately. I would also urge anyone who was in any of these locations on the days and times of these offences and who may have seen any assault or anything suspicious to get in touch. In advice issued today, police said people "appear vulnerable" if they are wearing headphones or talking on the phone. They also advised people to "walk with confidence" and "avoid shortcuts and dark isolated areas", adding: "Never take your safety for granted". The suspect is described as being of white or Asian appearance, between 20 and 32 years, 6ft in height, of slim build with dark hair. Anyone with any information should all 020 7161 9702 or ring Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. A suspected thief allegedly disguised himself as a cyclist before making off with a bike worth up to 4,000. Theo Henry said he was walking near the River Thames in Barnes when he saw a man using a small pair of bolt cutters to break a bike lock at about 8.30 last night. The 21-year-old IT consultant said he had recently had his bike stolen from the same area near the White Hart Lane roundabout so he was determined to take a picture of the man. He said: I went up to him and said what are you doing and asked him whose bike that was. He told me dont be silly, its my bike, do I look like a bike thief?. I was just weighing up what to do, whether I was going to wallop him or call the police, when he took off and threw the lock at me. The 'thief' threw the lock at Mr Henry (Theo Henry) The incident struck a chord with Mr Henry who has had three bikes stolen in London, including a BMC bike costing 1,700 which was stolen last week. Mr Henry and other witnesses tried to apprehend the man but he managed to cycle away on the bike, which is thought to be worth thousands of pounds. He now fears the alleged thief will be able to strike again due to his unique attire. Members of the public tried to apprehend the man(Theo Henry) Mr Henry added: He was very cleverly dressed as a cyclist with a high-vis shirt on so you would never expect him to be a thief. He clearly does this regularly, hence the bicycle clothes and well prepared bolt cutters in his ruck sack. The thing about bicycle theft is the actual theft takes seconds so unless you see him doing it youd never suspect him. I wish Id pushed him off the bike because its immoral, its like losing your freedom. Mr Henry has since made contact with the owner of the bike who told him it cost 4,000. He added: "My advice was to keep an eye on Gumtree and EBay every half day for the next two weeks. "I truly hope he gets his bicycle back." A Met Police spokesman confirmed they were investigating the incident. A hero passer-by leapt into a river today to rescue an elderly cyclist who crashed her bike into the water. The 68-year-old woman was pulled to safety after she tumbled into the River Lea as she tried to avoid a large puddle along the towpath in Hackney, east London. The anonymous bystander dived into the water and dragged her to the river bank after she became submerged for up to two minutes and feared she would drown. Medics and volunteers from the Shomrim neighbourhood watch group treated the woman at the scene in Spring Hill after she was pulled to safety shortly before 2pm. Her rescuer was in a hurry and left without leaving his details, a spokesman for Shomrim said. He told the Standard: The female cyclist tried to avoid a puddle on the River Lea towpath and fell into the canal. A passerby managed to pull her out and save her life after she was fully immersed for one or two minutes. "Her hearing aids and glasses were lost in the water but her bike was recovered." The womans injuries are not believed to be serious. A London Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: We sent one ambulance crew to the scene. We treated one patient. She was taken to hospital. Do you know the rescuer or the cyclist? Email hatty.collier@standard.co.uk. S adiq Khan has urged Londoners to unite against hatred at this weekends Pride festival. Extra significance has been placed on the LGBT celebrations in the capital as it comes weeks after the horrific shootings in Orlando in which dozens of people were slaughtered at a gay nightclub. The Mayor of London said it is more important than ever to embrace acceptance as he plans to attend the festival. On Sunday June 12, 49 people were shot dead at Pulse nightclub in Orlando in the worst mass shooting in US history. Thousands of Londoners gathered in Soho hours later in a moving tribute to victims of the atrocity carried out by gunman Omar Mateen. Mr Khan said security was being reviewed to ensure visitors to Pride are made to feel safe but that there was no suggestion of an "increased risk". He said: The hideous and cowardly act of terror we saw in Orlando was a brutal attack on LGBT+ people, and an assault on everyone who holds dear our freedoms and our values. It is more important than ever that we celebrate the triumph of inclusiveness and acceptance. That is why I will be proudly marching at this years London Pride event, alongside the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community and many others from all backgrounds in what has become one of the iconic festivals of our city and underlines the capitals reputation as one of the most LGBT-friendly cities on the planet. Every year, Pride in London gets bigger and better, and the Met will be reviewing security measures to make sure this is a safe event for everyone. There is no intelligence to suggest an increased risk in London and I urge everyone to stand in solidarity in the fight against intolerance and inequality. Scotland Yard has penned an open letter to the LGBT community, saying it will have an increased presence at this year's event. It comes as Pride chairman Michael Salter said a "huge" number of people are expected to attend this year's festivities to show solidarity with the LGBT community. A man who went missing from his south London home more than a week ago is believed to have travelled to the Isle of Wight. Robert Gibson, 45, left his home in Gypsy Hill at 3pm on Monday, June 13 to go for a walk in Dulwich Park but never returned. His disappearance has sparked a mass appeal from friends who have sent out hundreds of flyers in a bid to find him while his wife and son are said to be increasingly concerned. Celebrities including Boy George, Sara Cox, Theo Paphitis and Great British Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain have retweeted the appeal to highlight the disappearance to followers worldwide. Police today said Mr Gibson was seen on CCTV at a Co-op supermarket in Central Hill and was then spotted hours later catching a boat from Portsmouth to Ryde. From there, he is believed to have boarded a train at Ryde Pier Head towards Lake and Shanklin. A new CCTV image has been released in the hope that he will be identified. Investigators say the 45-year-old is known to enjoy coastal walks and often stays on campsites. Mr Gibson, who is well known in the area for campaigning to save his local library, frequents Dulwich and Sydenham. Friend Joe Duggan, 48, said: "Robbie's family, his friends, and the wider Crystal Palace community that value the great work Robbie has done as a library campaigner, would just love to know that he is safe and well. "We are getting increasingly concerned. "This is out of character. Robbie is such a positive and enthusiastic campaigner who gets things done in the community. It's no surprise the community has responded the way it has to find him." In April, he played a leading role in the Carnegie Library Occupation in Herne Hill in protest at Lambeth Councils decision to shut libraries and reopen them as healthy living centres. He is described as white, around 6ft tall, with a slim build and grey hair. Mr Gibson wears black-rimmed Prada glasses and is possibly dressed in a blue or grey t-shirt with green or brown khaki trousers. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call police in Lambeth on 101 or the charity Missing People on 116000 P ride in London first began in 1972 as a highly political march overwhelmingly attended by police, and has grown to become a much larger celebration of LGBT lives, says activist Peter Tatchell. Mr Tatchell was one of around 30 people who originally founded the UKs first ever gay pride march, which took place in London in July 1972. Explaining its history to date, he told the Standard: We were very uncertain about whod turn up if anyone. In those days, most LGBT people were in the closet: they werent open about their sexuality, and they would not dare show their face. Many people felt there was a threat of violence from members of the public or even the possibility of arrest by the police. We were pleasantly surprised that nearly a thousand people turned out on that first Pride parade, which had very much a carnival atmosphere but also a very strong political message about human rights and equality as well." Peter Tatchell Public reaction to the parade was divided, explained Mr Tatchell: We had coins and bottles thrown at us, all kinds of abusive insults. Another third just gawped in amazement but they werent hostile. The other third were actually supportive that was very encouraging. Protestors felt intimidated by the overwhelming police presence, which formed part of a police witch hunt of gay people in the 1970s, with almost as many officers present as marchers. Outrage! demonstration in London on August 13, 1995 He said: They hemmed us in, some officers openly shouted homophobic abuse at us, and treated us like criminals. But we didnt let that dampen our spirits we were joyful and defiant. We did that march, we celebrated, and we finished off with a picnic in Hyde Park, where we played party games like spin the bottle and Oranges and Lemons all with a queer twist, of course. We kissed in defiance and I can remember looking at the police there were lines of police with their arms folded looking very aggressive and hostile but they didnt dare arrest us because there were so many of us. Pride in London, July 3, 1998 Mr Tatchell explained how Pride in London was formed at a time when the LGBT community felt under attack, and there remained a lack of openly gay public figures. He said: There was a horrific wave of homophobic murders and assaults, and the police seemed to do nothing to properly investigate and bring the killers and assailants to justice. The media was universally hostile, and there were police raids, so in those early days, the LGBT pride parades were very much political. But the Conservative Governments introduction of Section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988, which prohibited the so-called promotion of homosexuality, was the bomb under gay Pride that encouraged attendees to double to 30,000. The year of the introduction of Section 28: Pride in London on July 4, 1998 Mr Tatchell said: The heyday [of Pride] was probably in the late 1990s when there were about 100,000 people or more on the march sometimes it took five or six hours to pass a single point. Today I think the prevailing atmosphere is much more of a party and a celebration, which is fine, but I do think that Pride has lost some of its political and human rights edge. And that is sad because, although we are right to celebrate the gains we have won, there is still much more to do half of all young, LGBT kids have been bullied at school, and a third of all LGBT people have been victims of homophobic hate crimes. I think its great that transgender issues have received a much higher profile in the LGBT community, in the media, and at Pride events in recent years. Transgender people were always there, of course going way back to the first ever Pride in 1972. I marched with them, and they were a very important part of the movement. Vigil in London for the victims of the mass shooting of LGBT people in Orlando Speaking on the recent mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Florida, he added: I think many people will conclude that in the wake of the horrific massacre in Orlando, its ever more important this year to be at Pride, to show LGBT solidarity and to participate in the moment of remembrance in Trafalgar Square at the conclusion of the parade. S adiq Khan defended immigration as a force for good today as the fierce EU referendum battle entered its final stretch. The Mayor conceded there were legitimate concerns over the impact of migration but said the Brexit camp had failed to explain how they would reduce it. In an interview with the Standard, he issued a heartfelt plea to voters not to be sucked in by poison and scare-mongering from those wanting to leave. Mr Khan, a key Remain supporter, added that the campaign had got so nasty that politicians would now have to pick up the pieces whatever Thursdays result. In a passionate defence of the benefits of immigration, he said: The EU mig-rants who come here, contribute here, they dont freeload. They work, pay taxes, support the NHS, social care, the construction sector. The atmosphere that has been created is horrible. You understand that the environment it creates is immigrants equals bad. Whereas we know that immigrants have been a huge source of good for this country economically, socially and culturally. Mr Khan, himself the son of immigrants, added: Of course you take it personally. Is the finger being pointed at you or your friends? However, the Mayor admitted immigration brought challenges and that many people, including Labour voters, were worried about the impact on public services. He has been tasked with speaking to Labour supporters across the country in a bid to persuade them to vote to stay. I understand peoples concerns about immigration, we need to manage immigration. Weve got to make sure its not a free-for-all, he said. But you know, if its the case that its hard to get an appointment with a GP, or you cant get your son or daughter a place at the local school, or you cant get housing for your son or daughter, the responsibility for that lies largely with politicians. We should be investing more in the NHS, we should we build genuinely affordable homes to buy or rent, we should build schools in places where theres a shortage, rather than a surplus. The Mayor said he was concerned the divisive nature of the campaign could have a lasting impact: You can bring people together or you can divide them, you can be optimistic and hopeful or you can be scaremongering and fearful, he said. I just think whatever happens on Thursday weve got to pick up the pieces, weve got to bring people back together. He described Ukips Breaking Point poster, featuring a queue of refugees escaping Syria, as troubling and a sign of how desperate the Leave camp had become: That may have been the straw that broke the camels back. This is what it boils down to because theyve lost the economic argument, because there are no experts that agree with them, because they have no evidence, its basically lies and scaremongering. Mr Khan paid tribute to fellow Labour MP Jo Cox, who was murdered in her Yorkshire constituency last week. He said: Its knocked me for six. She was a friend and she was lovely, wonderful. She brought people together. I was devastated. I spoke to colleagues and good friends and there were tears on the phone. T he widower of MP Jo Cox today said she was killed because of her "very strong" political views as he spoke publicly for the first time since her death. Brendan Cox said his 41-year-old wife would want to stand up for her beliefs in death as much as she did in life and that the public reaction to her killing had been off the scale. He indicated that he would like to see a female MP take Mrs Cox's former Batley and Spen seat, suggesting that it would be "lovely symbolism". Describing his wifes concerns about the culture of politics across the globe, Mr Cox: "I think she was very worried that the language was coarsening, that people were being driven to take more extreme positions, that people didn't work with each other as individuals and on issues, it was all much too tribal and unthinking. Brendan Cox speaks publicly for the first time since the murder of his wife Jo Cox / BBC News/PA Wire "And she was particularly worried - we talked about this regularly - particularly worried about the direction of, not just in the UK but globally, the direction of politics at the moment, particularly around creating division and playing on people's worst fears rather than their best instincts. So we talked about that a lot and it was something that worried her." Asked whether he was concerned about people using her death in public debate, he said: "She was a politician and she had very strong political views and I believe she was killed because of those views. I think she died because of them, and she would want to stand up for those in death as much as she did in life." A photo of Jo Cox shared on Twitter by her husband Brendan after the attack today / Brendan Cox/Twitter Expressing his thanks for the "incredible" public support following her death, he said: "The two things that I've been very focused on is how do we support and protect the children, and how do we make sure that something good comes out of this. "And what the public support and outpouring of love around this does, is it also helps the children see that what they're feeling and other people are feeling, that the grief that they feel, isn't abnormal, that they feel it more acutely and more painfully and more personally, but that actually their mother was someone who was loved by lots of people and that therefore, it's OK to be upset and it's OK for them to cry and to be sad about it." Mrs Cox's death has left three-year-old daughter Lejla and son Cuillin, five, without their mother and Mr Cox said the outpouring of public emotion would help their healing process. Speaking to the BBC, Mr Cox said: "I've spent a lot of time in the last couple of days talking to child psychologists, and one of the things they say is that that understanding of it being okay to be sad, and to be distressed, and to talk about it, is really important. "So just on that very basic level it makes a really important contribution to their healing I think. And then also it gives us some hope that something positive can come out of something which is so horrendous; that there can be a reaction to this horrific action." The MP died after being shot and stabbed in an attack in her Batley and Spen seat in West Yorkshire. It would have been her 42nd birthday on Wednesday and events including a rally in Trafalgar Square have been planned to mark the occasion. Mr Cox said: "I hope that it will help with the grieving process of our family and our children in particular. But then I also hope that it will bring people together and send a message that counts, not just in the next few weeks but in the few months, and it changes the way that people think about how you do politics, how you engage with each other, how you treat people." Had she lived, the MP would have been out on the streets campaigning for a Remain vote in the EU referendum, he said. Jo Cox tributes - In pictures 1 /32 Jo Cox tributes - In pictures Tributes and candles left for murdered Labour Member of Parliament Jo Cox are seen in Parliament Square, London Stefan Wermuth/Reuters A white and red rose lie on Jo Cox's empty seat in the House of Commons, London PA The parents of Jo Cox, Jean and Gordon Leadbeater look at the flowers laid in memory of their daughter in Parliament Square, Londo Hannah McKay/PA Prime Minister David Cameron and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn lead MPs including George Osborne and Tom Watson as they process from the Houses of Parliament to St Margaret's Church, London, for a service of prayer and remembrance to commemorate Jo Cox MP Hannah McKay/PA A woman and child leave a floral tribute for murdered Labour Member of Parliament Jo Cox in Parliament Square, London Stefan Wermuth/Reuters Messages from well wishers for murdered Labour Member of Parliament Jo Cox are seen on a board in Parliament Square Stefan Wermuth/Reuters Tributes are paid at the Wapping house boat of Labour MP for Batley and Spen, Jo Cox Lucy Young Lucy Powell MP, Jeff Smith MP, Paula Sheriff MP and Karen Rawling arrive to leave floral tributes close to where Jo Cox MP was murdered Matt Cardy/Getty Images Hilary Benn MP for Leeds Central, Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow, Prime Minister David Cameron, Speaker's chaplain Reverend Rose Hudson-Wilkin and Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn arrive to pay their respects near to the scene of the murder Matt Cardy/Getty Images The flag above Buckingham Palace flies at half mast Yui Mok/PA Tribute messages at Parliament Square opposite the Palace of Westminster, central London, in respect of Labour MP Jo Cox Yui Mok/PA A young girl leaves flowers in Market Square, Birstall, for Jo Cox, 41, Labour MP for Batley and Spen Christopher Furlong/Getty Images Yvette Cooper (left) leaves St Peter's Church Birstall, West Yorkshire after a vigil following the death of Labour MP Jo Cox Peter Byrne/PA Floral tributes are left in Birstall, West Yorkshire, after Labour MP Jo Cox was shot in the street outside her constituency advice surgery Danny Lawson/PA Floral tributes and candles are placed by a picture of slain Labour MP Jo Cox at a vigil in Parliament square in London Daniel Leal-Olvas/AFP/Getty Images The Union Jack flag at half-mast on top of Portcullis House, London Yui Mok/PA People place tributes at Parliament Square opposite the Palace of Westminster Yui Mok/PA A woman leaves a floral tribute next to a photograph of murdered Labour Member of Parliament Jo Cox in Parliament Square, London Stefan Wermuth/Reuters A message is seen on a floral tribute left near the scene of the murder of Labour member of Parliament Jo Cox in Birstal Phil Noble/Reuters A woman arrives to leave a floral tribute near the scene of the murder of Labour Member of Parliament Jo Cox in Birstal near Leeds Craig Brough/Reuters A flag at half mast above the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh ane Barlow/PA People react as they look at tributes left for murdered Labour Member of Parliament Jo Cox in Parliament Square, Londo Stefan Wermuth/Reuters People place floral tributes and candles to slain Labour MP Jo Cox at a vigil in Parliament square in London Daniel Leal-Olvas/AFP/Getty Images Winston Churchill's statue stands in the foreground as Union Flags hang at half mast Stefan Wermuth/Reuters But she was "worried about the tone of the debate" amid concerns it was "whipping up fears and whipping up hatred potentially". Asked if he was considering standing for the Batley and Spen seat in the by-election, which rival parties have said they will not contest, Mr Cox said: "No, my only overriding priority at the moment is how I make sure that I protect my family and my kids through this and how they're okay." He added: "I hope that whoever replaces her will become another female Member of Parliament." That would mean there are 100 female Labour MPs "so I think that will be a lovely symbolism". D avid Cameron has been warned by top Brexiteer Liam Fox to avoid personal attacks or risk an unworkable government after Thursdays referendum. Dr Fox said the Prime Minister was less guilty than others for allowing personal abuse to creep into the EU debate, but claimed all sides bore some responsibility. In an exclusive interview with the Standard, he also rejected claims that a recent fall in the FTSE 100 was down to Brexit fears. Instead he argued remaining in the EU meant the City of London would be held hostage to Brussels and claimed leaving was the key to solving the capitals housing crisis. Dr Fox spoke out on abuse following savage Tory infighting which has seen clashes and name-calling on the Tory benches. Getting the vote out: Liam Fox, right, campaigns at Oxford Circus / Lucy Young Asked if he thought Mr Cameron had managed to avoid resorting to such attacks, he said: He has been much less guilty of it than others. He went on: The campaign has stayed far too much into personal territory. There is more than enough meat in the referendum issue to satisfy political debate, we dont need to picnic on one another. He reminded colleagues the government still had to govern, with Mr Cameron at its helm, on June 24. Asked if Boris Johnson and Michael Gove had gone too far in questioning the honesty of Mr Camerons pledge to reduce immigration, Dr Fox said: Its acceptable to say you are wrong. Its acceptable to say you dont understand the argument. Its not acceptable to impugn peoples integrity or their motives. Both sides have been guilty at times of doing that. The former Defence Secretary is less balanced when discussing which sides politicians have performed better during the campaign. Top Brexiteers have come out of the campaign in a positive light" and he has been enormously impressed by Andrea Leadsom and Priti Patel in particular. Dr Fox said: If you look at the Leave team, they look like they like one another an awful lot more than the Remain team. If it was a Disney cartoon, wed be the ones in bright colours and theyd be the ones in black, posed as the villains. Its not a nice atmosphere that the only thing you ever hear from Remain is how dark the world will be if were not in the EU. The metaphor does not extend to the Leave.EU campaigners who created a poster hours after the Orlando massacre, warning of similar attacks in the wake of a Remain vote. Dr Fox said: I really didnt like it. I think you do not politicise that sort of appalling human tragedy and misery. The MP was speaking shortly after the FTSE had taken a tumble in the wake of strong polling for the Leave camp. But he dismissed any claim that the drop was related to Brexit, instead claiming it had more to do with the Chinese slow-down. Dr Fox claims The City of London is in danger because Mr Cameron gave up a veto over further eurozone integration, something denied by Remainers. He said: Sometimes I wonder whether elements of the City have got Stockholm Syndrome where they are in love with the captors. Continued membership poses a risk to the City. If we remain and weve got no ability to veto the next treaty measures, [The City] is an absolute hostage. Meanwhile, controlling the population through tougher immigration rules that are impossible while in the EU is the key to the housing crisis. There has been talk that his balanced conduct during the campaign may win Dr Fox a return to the frontbench. Would he take a job offer? Ive never said that I wouldnt, he said. A public event celebrating the life of deceased MP Jo Cox will be held in central London tomorrow. The event in Trafalgar Square will run simultaneously to others elsewhere in the country and worldwide. The #MoreInCommon event taking place on what would have been the Labour MPs 42nd birthday will feature music, speakers and a specially made film. It will start at 4pm with others taking place in Ms Coxs constituency of Batley and Spen, Brussels, New York, Washington DC and Nairobi. Mourners lay flowers on Jo Cox's houseboat 1 /9 Mourners lay flowers on Jo Cox's houseboat Flowers cover the Wapping house boat of Labour MP for Batley and Spen, Jo Cox Lucy Young Photographs of the murdered MP have also been left on board as part of tributes Lucy Young A book of condolences has been opened for people to express their sympathies at the tragedy Lucy Young Mrs Cox lived on the boat with her husband Brendan and two children Lucy Young One mourner leaves flowers and their own tributes on the boat Lucy Young The MP's death has sparked shock and grief around the world Lucy Young The 41-year-old was attacked following a constituency surgery near Leeds Lucy Young She was killed following an attack in her constituency at the end of last week. A memorial fund set up to honour her life and work raised more than 1 million in just three days. Those wishing to donate can text 70755 with the word jocox to donate 5. All money raised will go to three of her favourite charities, The Royal Voluntary Service, Hope not Hate, and The White Helmets. S adiq Khan has attacked Boris Johnson for telling lies and running a campaign of hate as the current and former London Mayor squared up in a debate on the EU referendum. Mr Khan was involved in angry clashes with his predecessor at Wembley Arena less than 48 hours before voters decide if Britain should remain in the EU. While discussing immigration during the BBC debate, the Mayor claimed Mr Johnson was being untruthful in claims by Vote Leave claims that Turkey is poised to join the EU. He said: You're telling lies Boris and you're scaring people. You are using the ruse of Turkey to scare people into voting to leave. You and I both know that Turkey is not joining the EU anytime soon. That's scaremongering Boris, you should be ashamed. EU Referendum: Leave and Remain trade blows in BBC debate Your campaign hasn't been project fear, it's been project hate as far as immigration is concerned." But Mr Johnson hit back and pointed out Mr Khan had previously said that those concerned about immigration should not be accused of prejudice. Boris Johnson arrives at Wembley for the EU debate / PA He said: "I do agree with Sadiq, I think you need a grown-up approach to this, I'm passionately a believer in immigration, but it's got to be controlled. "When you've got numbers running at 184,000 net from the EU, 77,000 coming without even the offer of a job last year, it's obviously time to take back control." Sadiq Khan waves as he enters the arena for the TV debate / PA TODO: define component type apester Mr Johnson was joined by Tory Treasury minister Andrea Leadsom and Labour's Gisela Stuart on behalf of Vote Leave for the programme in front of a live audience. While Mr Khan was accompanied by Scottish Tory leader Ms Davidson and TUC Secretary General Frances O'Grady in making the case for Remain. Mr Johnson branded the EU a "job destroyer engine" adding Britain has been unable to save steel jobs because of EU rules. He said: "We cannot cut our energy costs to protect jobs in Port Talbot because Brussels says no." But Mr Khan again accused Mr Johnson of telling a "lie" which led presenter David Dimbleby to intervene by telling the pair to "calm down". Sadiq Khan: "A slogan is not a plan" Mr Johnson was also reprimanded by Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson who told him "it is not the Boris show" as he hit out at the lack of democracy in the EU. Hours before the debate took place, a poll revealed Brexit campaigners had closed the gap with just two days to go to the referendum. A Survation poll for trading company IG gave Remain a one point lead, on 45 to Leave's 44. Undecideds accounted for 11 per cent of those surveyed in the telephone poll. The survey marks a slight gain for Brexit campaigners after another poll by the firm gave Remain a three point lead at the weekend. R ight-wing extremists inflict more fatalities and injuries than Islamist terrorists in lone actor attacks and represent a substantial threat to the public which must not be overlooked, a new report will warn this week. The report, from the Royal United Services Institute think tank in London, says that 94 people were killed and 260 injured in attacks carried out by right-wing extremists across Europe between the start of 2000 and the end of 2014. That compares with 16 deaths and 65 injuries caused by religiously inspired lone wolf attacks. But it warns that despite the danger, security agencies are less effective at detecting right-wing extremists than they are at catching religiously motivated terrorists and that intelligence may currently be more finely tuned to foiling Islamist plots. It says the findings have clear implications for policy makers and law enforcement and adds: Right-wing extremists represent a substantial aspect of the lone actor threat and must not be overlooked. The report, which will be unveiled at an event in London tomorrow, has been compiled following months of analysis of terrorist plots and attacks across the European Unions 28 member states plus Norway and Switzerland and comes only days after the killing of Labour MP Jo Cox. Thomas Mair, 52, who has been accused of stabbing and shooting Mrs Cox last Thursday, is alleged to have been a supporter of an American neo-Nazi group, and gave his name as Death to Traitors: Freedom for Britain when he appeared in court on Saturday. In its findings, the Royal United Services Institute says that lone actors have been responsible for 98 plots and 72 attacks in the 20 European countries which have suffered incidents. Anders Breivik killed 77 people in Norway in 2011 / AP The worst was carried out by Anders Breivik, who killed 77 people and injured 242 in Norway in July 2011 in bombing and shooting attacks inspired by his far right views and paranoia about the supposed Islamisation of western Europe. The report says that as well as inflicting a higher death toll, right-wingers also accounted for one third of lone actor extremists, only marginally below the 38 per cent figure for those motivated by religious causes. It says that this means that the strong media and public focus on the danger of Islamist terrorism is at odds with the reality of the threat posed by right-wing lone actors. The report also warns that there is a clear disparity between the ability of security agencies to identify right-winger extremists with 40 per cent of those detected only found through an element of chance such as a perpetrator accidentally detonating a device or being caught during an investigation into non-terror offences. Right-wingers are also found to be more likely to be socially isolated or suffer mental health problems than other lone wolf terrorists and more likely to post telling indicators online which reveal their malign beliefs. The report says that examples include perpetrators posting explicit comments in the forums of extreme groups or on their own social media pages and that friends and others can play a vital role in alerting the authorities. It also cautions about the risk that of Islamist extremism fuelling right-wing terrorism as a form of misguided response and that the effect can be reciprocated, with far-right discourse against religious groups driving some towards terrorist propaganda. It adds that there are preliminary indications that following the murder of Lee Rigby, 47 per cent of right-wing perpetrators were in part motivated by that religiously inspired attack. A young man has died after "catching on fire" at the Glastonbury Festival site. The man, who is believed to be in his 20s, was airlifted to hospital from the site at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, on Monday evening after suffering "significant burns". He later died in hospital, Avon and Somerset Police confirmed today. A police spokesman said: "We were called by the fire service after reports of a man on fire at the Glastonbury Festival site at about 5.20pm last night. "The man suffered serious burns and was taken by air ambulance to Southmead Hospital in Bristol. "He was transferred to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham where he sadly later died." The man's family have been informed and police said enquiries are ongoing. Avon and Somerset Police said they were treating the death as "unexplained" and did not believe there were suspicious circumstances. Glastonbury Festival declined to comment any further on the incident and directed the Standard to Avon and Somerset Police for further enquiries. T housands of people made a pilgrimage to Stonehenge to celebrate the summer solstice this morning. About 12,000 people flocked to the Neolithic monument in Wiltshire to witness the sun rising over the stones at 4.52am. They were following a tradition which goes back thousands of years, according to English Heritages Stonehenge manager Kate Davies. Stonehenge is a special place and this is a wonderful occasion for people to come together, as they probably have done for thousands of years, to celebrate the longest day of the year, she said ahead of the gathering. Revellers at Stonehenge / Andrew Matthews/PA Stonehenge is believed to have been used as an important religious site by early Britons 4,000 years ago. Recent pagan celebrations at the site began in the 20th century This year, a no-fly zone put in place over the monument for drones and unmanned aerial vehicles during the solstice. Revellers with alcohol, drugs, sleeping bags or pets were not allowed access to the site. Wiltshire Police said the events at Stonehenge and at the stone circle in nearby Avebury were positive and peaceful. However, police said a 24-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault, while a 33-year-old woman, from Burford, was held on suspicion of drink-driving. Another man was given a fixed penalty notice for a drug offence. Up to 400 people marked the solstice at Avebury, where there were no arrests. Additional reporting by the Press Association. A man feared to be carrying an explosive belt sparked a terror alert at a Brussels shopping centre this morning. Anti-terror forces descended on the City2 shopping centre after the bomb alert in the Belgian capital. A man was arrested at about 5.30am local time (4.30am BST) with officials saying he was "possibly in possession of explosives". It was later confirmed no explosives were found after bomb disposal experts were called in to check whether he was armed. Brussels City2 Shopping Centre Bomb Alert 1 /9 Brussels City2 Shopping Centre Bomb Alert Police outside the City2 shopping mall in the Rue Neuve in Brussels AFP/Getty Images Police and army units block access to the shopping centre EPA Roads were sealed off as army bomb disposal experts were called in @will90LFC The man was feared to be carrying an explosive belt @mve_markit A police cordon in place outside the building AFP/Getty Images Government ministers held crisis talk during the scare AFP/Getty Images Anti-terror police descended on central Brussels EPA The prime minister had been called into a crisis meeting during the scare. The area around the City2 shopping centre, a major commercial hub in the middle of the Belgian capital, was sealed off, although the nearby metro station was still open. Loading.... Belgium has been living under a threat level that an attack is possible and likely since the November attacks in Paris, some of whose perpetrators were either Belgian nationals or had lived in Brussels. On March 22, attacks on the Brussels subway and airport killed 32. H undreds of people were forced to flee their homes as wildfires broke out near Los Angeles during a heatwave which has seen temperatures soar to 51C. Towering columns of smoke rose from the San Gabriel Mountains as two fires burning less than two miles apart devoured brush on steep slopes above suburbs. Police in the city of Azusa and parts of Duarte ordered several hundred homes to be evacuated. Its crazy. Its super close, said 17-year-old Tawni Atencio, whose family was fleeing their home in Bradbury. She said the flames were just a couple miles away and were making the house hot despite air conditioning. She watched as smoke from the fire billowed outside and helicopters dropped retardant on the flames. Dramatic: Smoke billows over the LA skyline / Ringo H.W. Chiu/AP It looked like a bomb exploded. Its scary. Were just praying it doesnt get to our house, said the teenager. The two fires grew to a combined seven square miles and brought fears they could soon merge into one. The first was sparked by a fatal car crash, the California Highway Patrol said. The second was much closer to foothill areas and brought quick evacuations. A plane is used to tackle the blaze in California / Mike Blake/Reuters We immediately had homes under threat, Los Angeles County Deputy Chief John B Tripp said. Officials had warned of extreme fire danger in the region as the heat peaked. Temperatures surpassed 40C across much of Southern California well before noon, while some desert cities reached 50C plus. A firefighter was killed as British, Greek and Israeli aircraft battled to contain one of the worst ever forest fires in Cyprus. The blaze, in the Troodos mountain region, has been spread by strong winds and high temperatures. The Cypriot President, Nicos Anastasiades, said damage caused by the fire was a tragedy for rural communities. A festival in Blighty wouldnt be complete without a spot of rain, but dont let that dampen your spirit. Pack away some fashion-forward waterproofs to keep dry while you have a ball. 1. Seasalt Bowspirit Jacket With a fully waterproof and wind-resistant coating, Seasalt Cornwalls bold raincoat is designed for moderate to heavy rain and is made from organic materials. Not only does it keep you warm and dry in showers, but also comes in a flattering shape that will match easily with most outfits. 110, Seasalt Cornwall, Buy it now 2. New Look Zip Front Fold Away Anorak Cute and oh-so comfy, this lightweight anorak pairs wonderfully with a cropped tee and denim shorts. It easily folds away into small bags and comes in a relaxed fit for breezy movement. Also available in khaki, black and yellow. 19.99, New Look, Buy it now 3. Totes Waterproof Navy Ditsy Floral Print Poncho This funky poncho not only does wonders in keeping you dry in the field, but is also a great way to stand out in case your friends need to find you in the crowds. Its complete with a hooded neck and is generously oversized to fit all shapes. When the sun returns, simply pack it away into its own pocket. 10, ASOS, Buy it now 4. Festival Feet These shoe covers might not be the most stylish cover-ups, but they do a good job in keeping your favourite trainers safe from the mud. They come in both blue and red and are great for keeping the ends of your trousers protected. 4.95, Planet Camping, Buy it now 5. Cath Kidston Ducks In A Row Birdcage Umbrella Dont forget to pack a tough brolly. This see-through offering from Cath Kidston features an adorable Ducks In A Row print and is finished with an ombre-style handle. Crafted to sit neatly over your head and shoulders, the PVC canopy lets you see clearly so you dont miss a moment of fun. 22, Cath Kidston, Buy it now 6. Fjallraven Mini Kanken in Pink Known for its high-quality outdoor clothing and equipment, Fjallraven is a master of weatherproof essentials. Its top-selling Kanken backpack offers classic style and impressive durability. Take along this smaller version in pink to keep hands free while looking cute. 58, ASOS, Buy it now 7. Hunter Wellies in Silver A titan of British fashion, Hunter has paved the way for practical and stylish wellies. Our favourite pair has to be this striking metallic-inspired style. The come in a bootleg height and will having you shining bright in deep puddles. 104.99, Zalando, Buy it now Follow us on Twitter @ESLifeandStyle and on Facebook B eth Tweddle has said that shes currently visiting a psychologist to help recover from the injuries she suffered on The Jump. The Olympic gymnast, who broke her back while competing in the Channel 4 show, said she didnt realise how serious the repercussions would be until she arrived back in the UK. Speaking on The One Show, the 31-year-old said: Its hard to talk about. Im using a psychologist. I didnt panic at the time. It was when I flew back to the UK. The Jump 2016 Contestants 1 /16 The Jump 2016 Contestants Sarah Harding The Girls Aloud singer is looking forward to taking to the slopes Ian Derry/Channel 4 Beth Tweddle The gymnast will no doubt be drawing on her career as an athlete to get through the series Ian Derry/Channel 4 Rebecca Adlington The mother-of-one and Olympic champion is swapping swimming strokes for skiing on the slopes Ian Derry/Channel 4 Tina Hobley The former Holby City actress has thrown herself into the challenge Ian Derry / Channel 4 Tamara Beckwith Beckwith is no stranger to reality TV shows - but how will she do on the slopes? Ian Derry/Channel 4 Linford Christie Former sprinter Christie will need speed to win the live challenges Ian Derry/Channel 4 Sid Owen 'Rickaaay' actor Sid Owen is ready to try his hand at bobsleigh Ian Derry/Channel 4 Louisa Lytton The former EastEnders actress may have a struggle on her hands as she recently admitted that she has never been skiing before... Ian Derry/Channel 4 Brian McFadden The singer will be flying without wings as he tries his hand at ski jumping Ian Derry/Channel 4 James Argent It's out of Essex and off to Austria for Arg who will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of his former co-star Joey Essex Ian Derry/Channel 4 Mark Francis Vandelli Mark Francis Vandelli who said physical exercise isn't his thing is leaving his Chelsea set for a grueling few weeks in the snow Ian Derry/Channel 4 Dean Cain Superman actor Dean Cain will be flying down the slopes as he competes against his fellow celebs Ian Derry/Channel 4 I realised the journey Id have to go on the recovery phase, rehab, surgeons, physics. People couldnt realise how serious it was. She added: I couldnt even deal with it. It's been a long road - rehab every day. Channel 4's The Jump trailer Tweddle suffered two fractured vertebrae when she hit a barrier during this years show and had to be airlifted to hospital. Surgery was then performed to take a bone from her hip and use it along with pins to fuse two fractured vertebrae in her neck. Fellow Olympian Rebecca Adlington also quit the show after injuring her shoulder, saying that the pain was worse than childbirth. Holby City actress Tina Hobley dislocated her elbow and fractured her arm in two places, while Linford Christie suffered a hamstring injury. T he cast of Star Trek have pulled out of an appearance at Cannes Lion following the tragic death of Anton Yelchin. Actors including Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto and Simon Pegg were scheduled to appear at a panel event to discuss Star Trek Beyond, but have cancelled out of respect for their late cast mate. A statement released by Paramount Pictures ahead of the event confirmed that the entire session had been withdrawn from the schedule. It read: All of us are deeply saddened by the loss of our friend Anton Yelchin. Out of respect, we are withdrawing our participation in the previously announced Star Trek Beyond event at Cannes Lions this week. Yechin, 27, who died during a freak car accident at his LA home on Sunday, played Chekov in the rebooted sci-fi franchise. Walter Koenig, who played the role in the original films, paid tribute to Yelchin after news of his death broke. We spoke on a sound stage for about two hours. His reputation as an artist preceded him, however. I knew I was in the presence of a gifted performer, he told the Hollywood Reporter. Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin dies What I learned that day was how bright and sensitive he was. I walked away thinking - this is a good person. Star Trek director J.J Abrams also shared a handwritten letter in honour of the young actor. It read: Anton - you were brilliant. You were kind. You were funny as hell, and supremely talented. And you werent here nearly long enough. Missing you JJ. H ave you started breathing again yet since the end of the Battle of The Bastards? The most recent episode of Game of Thrones was one of the most intense and exciting in the shows history but its not over yet. Theres one more episode to go, and its the longest one ever, clocking in at 69 minutes. Thats plenty of time for all manner of power shifts and (perhaps literally) explosive plot turns to take place and by the looks of the episode trailer, it wont just be a cool-down from the previous instalment. Here are six things weve learned about the finale, titled Winds of Winter, from the episode teaser. 1) Its the trial of Cersei Lannister and Loras Tyrell While he has King Tommen on his side, the High Sparrow still has another conflict to sort out: the fates of Cersei and Loras Tyrell. Cersei atoned for her relationship with Lancel Lannister with last seasons naked walk through Kings Landing, but still has to answer for all that incest with Jaime and her part in killing off King Robert. And what of Margaery's secret plan? It's been strongly hinted that she's not really under the spell of the High Sparrow, but what's her game? Doubtless she'll be wanting to see Cersei's demise. Now that Cersei has been denied a trial by combat by Tommens new ruling, she'll have to come up with an alternative plan to escape her fate but if theres anyone who can manoeuvre her way out of a sticky situation, its Cersei. Rumours are hinting at the frequent references this season to mad King Aerys secret stashes of Wildfire supposedly hidden under Kings Landing... Kit Harington: Battle of the Bastards is the biggest thing Thrones has ever filmed 2) Jon and Sansa face what comes next Triumph! The Starks are back in Winterfell, and Ramsay Bolton is kibble. So, what next? We have so many enemies now, warns Jon Snow, hinting that things wont be simple for him and Sansa going forward. HBO 3) The Freys and the Lannisters send their regards Speaking of enemies, Walder Frey now has Riverrun thanks to Jaime Lannisters intervention and we all know what the Freys did to the Starks last time. This could spell trouble for Jon and Sansa. As an extra reminder, we get a repeat of that dreaded phrase: The Freys and the Lannisters send their regards. Will Lady Stoneheart turn up? Is there going to be a repeat of the Red Wedding? Could Jaime turn on the Freys? Game of Thrones locations you can actually stay in: 1 /6 Game of Thrones locations you can actually stay in: A summerhouse North of Westeros, Iceland With Iceland representing the northern-most tip of Westeros, this summerhouse is perfectly located an hours drive from Reykjavik. Fans will recognise the Thingvellir National Park from Arya's storyline and as the setting for the battle of the Hound and Brienne, as this listing boasts 360 degree views of the park itself. 114 per night based on two guests. Book it here Dont slave away in Slavers Bay, Morocco This classic guesthouse offers the most spectacular views of Ait-Ben-Haddou in Morocco, the setting for Slavers Bay. Fans of the show will recognise the area from season three, where Daenerys Targaryen successfully led a military campaign with the goal of liberating the enslaved populace. From 16 per night based on four guests. Book it here Dorne of a great break in Seville, Spain Dorne is one of the lushest new locations featured in season five and was shot on location in Seville, Spain. The beautiful verdant courtyards and eye catching architecture runs through the whole city, including this lovely listing. From 61 per night based on three guests. Book it here Over the Wall in Galway, Ireland Built in the 1400s, this refurbished medieval castle is full of quirks, perfect to visit the realm of the wildlings who live beyond. With winding staircases and oak beams youll feel like a real member of the Nights Watch. From 95 per night based on two guests. Book it here Dwell in the Dalmatian Coast A short distance from the beach, and overlooking the beautiful Old Town, this listing acts as the real life backdrop of Kings Landing. Overlooking the island of Lokrum, you will be enchanted by the views and the history surrounding you as you purvey your kingdom. 18 per night based on one guest. Book it here 4) Littlefinger plays the creepy uncle Petyr Baelish saved the day in the Battle of Bastards, but at what cost? Now that Sansa Stark is back in Winterfell, she holds significant political power and we all know how much Littlefinger wants that. He was also deeply in love with Catelyn, who Sansa resembles more and more every episode. I thought you knew what I wanted, he says to Sansa like some kind of weird uncle. Is she yet again going to have to spurn the advances of another creepy man? Give the girl a break. HBO 5) Does Sansa get sent away? Heres a brainteaser the trailer sees Davos say, Tell them what you did to her, seemingly to Melisandre, with Jon in the background. Its not clear what Davos is referring to here will Melisandre send Sansa away in the care of Petyr Baelish? Or is Davos confronting Melisandre about that time she persuaded Stannis to burn Shireen at the stake? HBO 6) Has Daenerys made her mind up? The ending of the trailer hints at something which would be a major shift for the series: Daenerys might have just decided that now is her time to go back to Westeros. After spending pretty much the entire show wandering around neighbouring continent Essos, freeing slaves and experiencing a rollercoaster of political power, she now has a Dothraki army and three fully-grown dragons. Following her meeting with Theon and Yara Greyjoy, shes got an offer of ships with no real catch and she wouldnt have to team up with the vicious Euron, whos also hoping to offer his fleet. The big indicator here is Tyrions advice: Are you afraid? Good, youre in the great game now and the great game is terrifying. It looks like the Mother of Dragons might be about to stake her claim for the Iron Throne if there still is one by the time Cersei is done with it, that is. Sky Atlantic, Monday, 9pm D amilola Taylors smile still resonates around the world, according to the actress who plays his mother in a new drama about the shocking killing of the 10-year-old. Wunmi Mosaku seen here in the first image released from BBC1 film Our Loved Boy plays Gloria Taylor, alongside Babou Ceesay as Damilolas father Richard. Filming has just started on the one-off 90-minute programme, which is being made with the support of Mr Taylor. His wife died in 2008. Damilola was stabbed with a broken bottle in Peckham as he made his way home from the library on November 27, 2000. He bled to death in a stairwell. The drama will not feature his killing and the BBC said it would focus on the ef-fect of his death on his family as they try to get justice for their son. Brothers Danny and Ricky Preddie, who were 12 and 13 at the time of the killing, were eventually sentenced to eight years for manslaughter after a series of trials. Mosaku, 29, who like Damilola was born in Nigeria and moved to the UK as a child, said: It is humbling to be a part of Our Loved Boy. Damilolas smile still resonates deeply within the UK and beyond. Her work includes roles in Dancing On the Edge and Vera. Ceesay, who played a detective in Inspector Morse spin-off Lewis, said it was a real honour to be part of the telling of this story. I feel a responsibility to the family, to Richard Taylor and of course to Damilola Taylor. I hope that in our own small way we can contribute to his legacy. Best TV dramas 2016 1 /38 Best TV dramas 2016 The Missing The addictive and twisty second series of the BBC's crime anthology series BBC/New Pictures/Robert Viglasky Dark Angel Joanne Froggatt stared as Victorian mass murderer Mary Ann Cotton in this ITV drama ITV Close to the Enemy Stephen Poliakoff's post-war drama thriller BBC/Little Island Pictures Ordinary Lies The BBC anthology drama returns with more twisted tales BBC/Red Productions/Adrian Rogers The Night Of Riz Ahmed stars in HBO's critically acclaimed crime mini-series HBO Cold Feet The classic ITV comedy-drama returns - and it's just as good as it ever was ITV Victoria ITV have given Poldark some stiff competition with this period drama about a young Queen Victoria ITV Poldark The BBC's hit drama returns with more brooding, and less naked scything BBC/Robert Viglasky One of Us The BBC kept everyone guessing with this claustrophobic four-part whodunit Ripper Street The fan-favourite Victorian police drama returned for Series 4 BBC/Tiger Aspect 2016/Bernard Walsh The Secret Agent Toby Jones led the cast in the BBC's Joseph Conrad adaptation BBC/World Productions/Mark Mainz/Matt Burlem The Living and the Dead The BBC's gothic romance debuted in full on iPlayer BBC Preacher AMC's adaptation of Garth Ennis' cult comic book is available week-by-week on Amazon Prime Amazon / AMC Versailles A raunchy royal romp around the court of King Louis XIV, spicing up Wednesdays on BBC Two Canal +/ BBC Locked Up The Spanish prison drama came to the UK thanks to Channel 4's Walter Presents series Channel 4 / Global Series Peaky Blinders The Birmingham-set gangster thriller was more popular than ever in its third series BBC/Caryn Mandabach Productions Ltd/Tiger Aspect/Robert Viglasky The A Word The BBC gave us a nuanced and emotional take on autism BBC/Fifty Fathoms Marcella Anna Friel stars in ITV's British take on the Scandi-noir thriller ITV Grantchester James Norton is back as the crime-solving vicar ITV / Lovely Day Stag The comedy-thriller from the team behind The Wrong Mans is both hilarious and chilling BBC/Des Willie/Hal Shinnie/Matt Burlem Vinyl Martin Scorsese and Mick Jagger present a glossy drama about the Seventies music industry HBO American Crime Story: The People vs OJ Simpson Cuba Gooding Jr leads an all-star cast in a dramatic re-telling of the 'trial of century' BBC/Fox Happy Valley Sarah Lancashire returned as Sgt Catherine Cawood for a second series of the gritty crime thriller BBC/Red Productions/Ben Blackall The X Files Mulder and Scully return for a brand new set of mysteries War and Peace The BBC's epic adaptation of the Russian literary classic BBC/Mitch Jenkins Call the Midwife The BBC period drama moved into the Sixties for Series 5 BBC/Neal Street Productions/Sophie Mutevelian Dickensian Charles Dickens' most famous characters collide in this historical soap BBC Jericho ITV's British western set in the wilds of Yorkshire Silent Witness The hugely popular detective drama returns for a 19th series Writer Levi David Addais previous work includes My Murder, about the killing in 2008 of 16-year-old Shakilus Townsend in Thornton Heath. He said the Taylors story was about family, fatherhood and hope. Follow Robert Dex on Twitter: @RobDexES Kim Davis Notifies Court New Kentucky Law Resolves Her Case CINCINNATI, Ohio, June 21, 2016 / Standard Newswire / -- Today, Kim Davis, the Rowan County clerk jailed for her faith regarding marriage, notified the Federal Court of Appeals that the new Kentucky law resolves her request for religious liberty accommodation. "The passage of the Kentucky law provides the exact relief Kim Davis requested from the beginning," said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel, which represents Kim Davis. The Motion that filed today at the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals states that Kentucky Senate Bill 216 ("SB 216") will take effect July 14, ninety days after it was passed unanimously by the legislature and signed by Gov. Matt Bevin. The Motion states: "SB 216 amends key provisions of the Kentucky marriage licensing scheme at issue here. Specifically, SB 216 expressly modifies the Kentucky marriage licensing scheme to remove entirely a County Clerk's name, personal identifiers, and authorization from any license, thereby providing through a change in the law the very religious accommodation Davis sought from the beginning of this litigation." "From the beginning, Kim Davis requested the very accommodation for her religious convictions that the Kentucky legislature passed and which Gov. Matt Bevin signed into law. The previous governor could have made the same accommodation but refused to do so. Instead, he was willing to violate deeply-held religious convictions about marriage in order to press his ideological agenda. Now that Kim Davis obtained the accommodation she has always requested, we notified the Court of Appeals that the case has become moot and no further legal proceedings are needed. We are very pleased with this outcome," said Staver. Kim Davis commented, "I am thankful to the legislators for passing this law, to Gov. Matt Bevin for signing it, to Liberty Counsel for representing me, and most of all to Jesus Christ who redeemed me and is my solid rock on which I stand. I am pleased that I can continue to serve my community as the Rowan County Clerk without having to sacrifice my religious convictions and conscience." Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics. This page may have been moved, deleted, or is otherwise unavailable. To help you find what you are looking for: Enter Search Term(s): Still cant find what youre looking for? Send us a message using our contact us form. To report a broken link or other problems with the website, please include the URL. Thank you for visiting state.gov. 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Tuesday, 21 June 2016 10:56:43 (GMT+3) | Kolkata India will complete ongoing antidumping (AD) investigations into steel imports by end of July so that the minimum import price (MIP), which does not comply with World Trade Organization (WTO) standards, can be replaced by an antidumping duty before the expiry of the MIP in August, an official at India s Ministry of Commerce said on Tuesday, June 21. The ministry official said that the Directorate General for Anti Dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) is in the last stage of investigating complaints of dumping of steel products, having completed hearings of all involved parties, and its final report will be submitted before the end of July, and will be followed by formal notification by the Ministry of Finance of imposition of antidumping duty. This will enable the Ministry of Commerce to replace the current MIP on steel imports with antidumping duty as the MIP is scheduled to lapse in August in any case, he added. The ministry official, however, conceded that, as part of the official process, the MIP is still under review at the highest level to extend it or not beyond August and the matter is currently before the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) as there have been a large number of conflicting issues with steel producers seeking an extension of the import protection, while consumers have filed complaints against its continuation. According to officials, early replacement of the MIP with definitive antidumping duty is very critical for the Indian government with major steel exporters like China, Japan and South Korea having already communicated their intention to apply to the WTO as import protection measures imposed by India like safeguard duty and the MIP are not compliant under WTO rules. Tuesday, 21 June 2016 17:16:46 (GMT+3) | Istanbul According to the data released by the Japan Ship Exporters' Association (JSEA), Japanese new ship export orders in May this year increased by 10.7 percent on tonnage basis compared to April, rising to eight ships, up from six ships recorded in April, totaling 290,400 gross tons, consisting of four bulk carriers. In May last year, Japan 's new ship export orders had totaled 17 ships amounting to 1.46 million gross tons. In the first five months of this year, Japanese shipbuilders received new export orders for a total of 35 ships with an aggregate of 1.83 million gross tons, down 70.2 percent year on year. On the other hand, in May this year Japan delivered 21 ships for export, totaling 957,038 gross tons, declining from 23 ships totaling 836,481 gross tons recorded in April. In May 2015, Japan 's new ship deliveries for export had totaled 19 ships with 805,315 gross tons. Tuesday, 21 June 2016 10:04:03 (GMT+3) | Shanghai Shanghai Environmental Protection Bureau has announced that all petrochemical, steel and cement production work in the city is to be restricted or halted from August 24 to September 6, against the backdrop of the 2016 G20 Hangzhou summit which will be held on September 4-5. Accordingly, a total of of 255 petrochemical, steel and cement enterprises in Shanghai will implement production restrictions or stoppages during the 2016 G20 Hangzhou summit, with the aim of reducing emissions and ensuring environmental quality. According to the statistics released by the Taiwan Ministry of Economic Affairs, in May this year Taiwan 's basic metal and basic metal product export orders amounted to $1.94 billion, down 4.1 percent compared to May last year and rising by 2.6 percent compared to the previous month. In April, Taiwan s basic metal and basic metal product orders had recorded a 5.6 percent drop month on month. Monday, 20 June 2016 00:02:23 (GMT+3) | Sao Paulo Latin America-focused steelmaker Ternium is seeing diverging trends for its operations in Argentina and Mexico During a presentation with analysts and investors hosted by the steelmaker during the Ternium Investor Day held last week in New York City, the company said apparent steel use in Argentina is expected to decline 9 percent in 2016, year-on-year, to 4.8 million. Citing data from Alacero, the company added that apparent steel use is projected to rise 6 percent in 2017 to 5.1 million mt. The decline in Argentinian steel use in 2016 is viewed as an adaptation period; as such, steel consumption should adjust in 2017. Ternium said new infrastructure plans are expected to materialize gradually. On the other hand, Argentina has also seen a decrease in Brazilian demand for manufactured products. Ternium said its Argentinian steelmaker Siderar is adapting to new economic conditions. With an operations rebalance, the company is currently operating one blast furnace, one continuous caster, and coking production, while renegotiating supply and service contracts. As for the positive trends it sees for Argentina in general, Ternium cited easing of FX restrictions, a return to international credit markets, the normalization of international trade and a better investment environment. As for Mexico , the prospects seem to be more positive. Ternium said Mexico has become the largest steel market in Latin America, with the highest per capita apparent steel use in Latin America, which is about 201 kilograms (0.201 mt) per year. According to Ternium, shipments to the industrial market continued growing in 2015, fueled by the home appliance manufacturers and the automotive industry. Terniums shipments for the industrial customers in Mexico are expected to reach 3.2 million mt in 2016, up from 2.9 million mt in 2015. Ternium said Tenigals current line is fully devoted to automotive products, following a demanding certification process, adding that it has other expansions under analysis, including a new galvanizing and painting line for industrial customers and a new service center for the automotive industry. Tuesday, 21 June 2016 16:31:49 (GMT+3) | Istanbul There are rumors that potential bidders for the Italian steelmaker Ilva, namely Turkish integrated steelmaker Erdemir Group and the Italy -based Arvedi , are planning to form a partnership alongside with Italian companies Delfin and Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (Cdp) as part of their bid to acquire Ilva, according to Italian media reports. Reports suggest that the new company will have a share capital of between 900 million and 1 billion, with Erdemir having 35 percent of shares, Cassa Depositi e Prestiti 35 percent, Delfin 20 percent and Arvedi 10 percent. Erdemir Group and Arvedi will be the industrial partners, while Cdp and Delfin will be the financial partners. The deadline for binding offers for the acquisition of the whole steelmaking group was extended to June 30 and details regarding the partnership are expected to be made clear by then. An ArcelorMittal-Marcegaglia partnership is the other bidder in the acquisition process. For now, both bidders forecast that Ilva will produce 6 million mt in the next three years, less than its annual designed capacity of 8-9 million mt. According to the American Iron and Steel Institute, in the week ending June 18, 2016, US domestic raw steel production was 1,750,000 net tons while the capability utilization rate was 74.8 percent. Production was 1,760,000 net tons in the week ending June 18, 2015 while the capability utilization then was 74.4 percent. The current week production represents a 0.6 percent decrease from the same period in the previous year. Production for the week ending June 18, 2016 is down 1.6 percent from the previous week ending June 11, 2016 when production was 1,779,000 net tons and the rate of capability utilization was 76.1 percent. Monday, 20 June 2016 00:49:59 (GMT+3) | Vale is said to be in talks with Asian companies regarding a potential sale of a minority stake at its Brazilian iron ore assets that could reach as much as $7 billion, according to a media report citing unnamed market sources. Vale has been looking to raise cash and reduce debt, as it announced earlier this year plans to sell $10 billion in core assets. Despite the ongoing discussions about a potential stake sale, sources said no agreements have been reached and talks may not result in a deal. Additionally, Vale said on Monday it has paid $1 billion to amortize $3 billion debt in that it contracted through a credit line. The iron ore producer said it used part of the $1.2 billion resources it raised through the sale of notes due in 2021 to diminish the $3 billion debt. Tuesday, 21 June 2016 10:27:47 (GMT+3) | Shanghai Jiangxi Province-based Chinese steelmaker Xinyu Iron and Steel Co. (Xinyu Steel) has announced that it will issue not in excess of 302 million non-public shares at a price of not less than RMB 5.82 ($0.88) per share to raise funds not exceeding RMB 1.76 billion ($0.27 billion) in value. In particular, RMB 1.26 billion ($0.19 billion) of the raised funds will be used to construct a comprehensive gas utilization and power generation project for the company, while RMB 500 million ($75.99 million) will be used to repay loans. According to market sources, ex- Kazakhstan hot rolled coil ( HRC ) offers to Iran are in the range of $380-420/mt CFR, for July shipment. However, demand is weak since buyers consider this price range to be on the high side. By MARK EVANS mevans@stegenherald.com Bloomsdale will probably host a major fireworks display. The pyrotechnics will not take place until 2024, however. During the Oct. 12 board of aldermen meeting, Kevin Wehner and city officials again discussed the possibility of a July 4 fireworks display at the youth soccer fields on land leased by the city The policies on minorities are essential for a climate of peace and regional stability, President Klaus Iohannis said Tuesday in a meeting with representatives of the German community of Sibiu, alongside his German counterpart Joachim Gauck. According to the head of state, the bilateral collaboration on matters concerning Romania's German minority represents "a model of approach in a European spirit, a model of intercultural relations." "The fact that the policies regarding the minorities are vital for ensuring a climate of peace and regional stability has become undeniable. The recent evolutions in southeastern Europe reconfirm the lesson the modern history of Europe has offered on many occasions: the national minorities can be a source of enrichment of the creative resources of a nation, a guarantor of peace and stability. Romania, with its 20 minority groups, understands very well their need of preserving and developing their own identity," said Iohannis. The Romanian president mentioned that the city of Sibiu is a perfect example of good understanding between the Romanian and the German communities. In his opinion, the German ethnics are "a first bridge" between Romania and Germany, and they who facilitate the dialogue among institutions and people. "The partnership among the Romanians and the Saxons and Swabians of Romania is a pattern of coexistence and solidarity among different ethnic and religious groups, marked by harmony and respect. This reality is a reason of pride, imposing some high standards for the future. To Romanians, the German minority has always represented a landmark and a trustworthy partner, and the Germans of Romania have had the long of the time a major contribution to strengthening and modernizing the Romanian state," Iohannis added. Agerpres Ten startup companies are about to move $50,000 closer to their goals, and St. Louis is about to get another burst of entrepreneurial energy. Arch Grants, a nonprofit group founded in 2012 to promote entrepreneurial growth in St. Louis, announced Tuesday its latest group of 10 winners. Each firm will receive $50,000, plus a wide range of support services, on one condition: At least half of the founding team must work in St. Louis for a year. Eight winners already have a presence in St. Louis, but founders are moving here from Chicago and New York because of Arch Grants. The organization has now funded 86 companies since 2012. Of the previous 76 winners, 71 are still in business and 64 have a presence in St. Louis. Those companies employ 334 people in Missouri, have annual revenue of $33 million and have raised more than $85 million in capital. The latest winners are working on everything from agricultural data to cancer diagnosis to superhero capes. They are: The winning entrepreneurs will be introduced Wednesday at the annual meeting of Downtown STL Inc. NEW YORK A handful of new startups are tackling a thorny problem that AOL couldn't solve with zillions of dollars: How to cover local news in different cities without going broke. Some see a news hole left behind by the shrinking newsrooms of traditional city newspapers and alt-weeklies. Others want to woo smartphone-addicted millennial readers. They're using newsletters and social media like Instagram to build an audience for their sites. The latest entrant is the brainchild of three media executives who want to launch a string of sites in mid-size cities, starting with Denver. Their first site, Denverite, launched on June 14 with a staff of nine and an expected annual budget of $1 million large for a local-news site. Posts are earnest, with zippy photos and video. Goals are lofty: The site aims to cover development and how Denver is changing as a city, says editor Dave Burdick. It runs both original stories and posts that basically rewrite pieces from other outlets (with links), a model inspired by the online business-news site Business Insider. All three Denverite investors were also Business Insider investors (one, Kevin Ryan, was a Business Insider founder). The business site, known for its snappy style, chart- and image-heavy articles and sheer volume of posts including many speedy rewrites of news from competitors sold last fall for nearly $400 million to a German publisher, Axel Springer. The shadow of Patch Local news still seems like an unlikely area of growth. The sector labors under the failure of Patch, an AOL-funded string of "hyperlocal" news sites that reportedly lost at least $200 million before its owner mostly sold it off in 2014. It grew too fast and relied too much on national advertisers rather than local businesses, says Michele McLellan, a Chicago-based digital-news consultant. Patch still exists, although its workforce is far smaller and its ambitions have scaled back considerably. In the meantime, though, a variety of tiny online startups many with budgets well below $1 million a year have built small but loyal audiences over the years, McLellan says. One wave arose after the Great Recession devastated newsrooms with layoffs; another formed when Patch editors struck out on their own following the site's sale. These startups join deeper-pocketed operations such as Voice of San Diego and Texas Tribune, prominent nonprofits with substantial budgets that focus on local public policy and investigative reports. They're not alone in their ambitions to have a multi-city network. DNAInfo, a billionaire-backed company founded in 2009 that is now in Chicago and New York, apes traditional newspapers by covering crime, politics and local events at the neighborhood level. But outfits catering to millennials have a breezier approach. Ted Williams, the publisher of Charlotte Agenda in North Carolina, launched last year, says Instagram is the site's "most important channel." He plans to expand to Raleigh this summer. Subtracted ads Challenges, of course, are everywhere. Digital advertising is a $60 billion business in the U.S., but tech companies like Google and Facebook pull in a growing majority of that revenue. Research firm eMarketer predicts Facebook alone will account for 31 percent of all display-ad revenue, traditionally a mainstay of online publishers, in 2016. Ad-blockers are also increasingly popular among readers. Big advertisers tend to rely on national websites and ad networks. That's why Patch didn't work, says Rich Gordon, a professor of digital innovation at Northwestern's Medill journalism school. But the alternative selling ads to local businesses requires finding a good salesperson with that expertise, which also isn't easy. Many local-coverage niches are already crowded. Free weekly papers in many cities focus on arts and culture; passion-project blogs cover niche topics deeply. And many people turn to social media to learn about concerts, museum exhibits and plays from the venues themselves. Going native Several new local-news sites are looking beyond traditional boxy web ads. One popular alternative: native ads that resemble news stories much the way old magazine "advertorials" did. McLellan says her most recent annual survey of local publishers showed a big increase of such ads this year. Charlotte Agenda, for instance, does ad deals that put corporate logos on its site along with native ads and promoted job postings. Billy Penn, a site that launched in 2014 in Philadelphia, draws 86 percent of its revenue through sponsored events and by charging admission to gatherings such as happy hours. Its owner, Spirited Media, is launching another site in Pittsburgh in September and plans to expand in other cities after an investment from USA Today owner Gannett. Subscriptions aren't dead, either. The Frontier, launched last year in Tulsa, Okla., by the former publisher of the Tulsa World, charges $30 a month for the investigative stories on its site. It has about 650 members and is aiming for 850 in its first 12 months, says publisher Bobby Lorton. He says he's sold sponsorships to support the site for the short term. Denverite, meanwhile, won't show ads at all for at least the first six months, says Gordon Crovitz, one of its backers and a former Wall Street Journal publisher. Down the road, the company is considering other possible revenue sources including subscriptions. "We don't think the problems of local journalism are going to get solved in a day," Crovitz says. "We're patient." ST. LOUIS Police are on the hunt for the culprits in a series of pellet gun shootings that damaged dozens of cars over the weekend in St. Louis. Somebody, or multiple people, shot out the windows of more than 150 vehicles with a BB or pellet gun, police believe. That's not counting the 18 vehicles that had their windows broken the weekend before. "It's annoying," said Kristen Lewis, 36, who lives in the 6300 block of Bancroft Avenue in St. Louis Hills. The driver's side window of her Mini Cooper was shot out, and several cars on her block were also hit. "Probably a bunch of kids, thinking it's funny, not understanding the value of what they're doing." She had to work from home on Monday as she dealt with the damage, and a neighbor, Patrick Campbell, 40, was late for work after he discovered his station wagon window was shot out. "It's not like it was anything personal, like someone out to get me," he said. "It's just not a great way to start your week." St. Louis Police Capt. Mike Deeba hopes, for the culprits' sakes, that officers don't find them in action. "We have officers out there actively looking for them and it's late at night and I'm praying these characters don't brandish their weapons at any policemen," he said. "A BB gun or pellet gun doesn't make noise, but it's a double-edged sword from a patrol aspect. It's extremely dangerous if officers encounter them." Detectives from two bureaus are investigating the crimes. "This is a rather large investigation, not just a geographical area, but we have to take the time to knock on a lot of doors and hope to find video or someone that knows something," Deeba said. Lisa Smith, 42, lives in the 5400 block of Elizabeth Avenue on The Hill. Three windows of her Honda CR-V were shot out overnight, and her car was the only one on her block that was hit. "I feel violated because it happened. I'm more shaking my head than getting upset about it. It's costing me a lot of money, and why?" As she and her neighbors stood outside surveying the damage, they bemoaned the fact that anybody would be out at that time of night, and, if the perpetrators were juveniles, why their parents didn't know their whereabouts. Neighbor Mark Brusati wondered if anything would even happen if they were caught. "They're not doing anything to these guys who commit crimes with real guns," he said. "They sure as hell aren't going to do anything to these guys with pellet guns." ST. LOUIS A Kansas City man filed suit Tuesday against the Archdiocese of St. Louis claiming he was the victim of repeated sexual abuse by a priest who has since died. In his suit, Tom Viviano alleges that the Rev. Charles DeGuire forced him to perform oral sex on him on numerous occasions at St. Aloysius Gonzaga and on a boat that the suit said DeGuire either owned or used. The alleged abuse took place starting in 1967, when Viviano was a 10-year-old altar boy in fifth grade, and continued until he was in eighth grade. DeGuire died in 1982. The parish closed in 2005. The lawsuit also alleges that a visiting priest was aware of the abuse and another priest participated, Vivianos attorney Rebecca Randles said. According to BishopAccountability.org a website that has a database of Roman Catholic priests, nuns, brothers, deacons and seminarians who have been publicly accused of sexual abuse against children or possession child pornography DeGuire is the 50th St. Louis priest accused of misconduct. The lawsuit claims intentional infliction of emotional distress, among other things. Viviano said he did not come forward earlier because he repressed the memory until several years ago. It took a suicide attempt before he started putting the pieces together, he said. Viviano was emotional Tuesday afternoon when he, his wife, his brother and members of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests gathered outside of the Cathedral Basilica shortly after the lawsuit was filed. The survivors network supports victims of sexual abuse at the hands of members of the clergy. My brother didnt understand why now with this case why, after all of these years, Viviano said Tuesday. I want to do this for children and anyone who has dealt with this so that they know someone is in their corner. Spokesman Gabe Jones said the Archdiocese doesnt comment on pending litigation. WASHINGTON The interim president of the University of Missouri system said the protests at the Columbia campus last fall were an extension of a centuries-old continuum of racial discord in the state and the country. But Michael Middleton told the National Press Club that Mizzou can also be a national example as it struggles to deal with the problems exposed last fall. In an hourlong speech and question-and-answer session, Middleton also defended the firing of controversial professor Melissa Click. Middleton said he expected to be in his job at least until the end of the year, as a national search for a permanent system head continues. In one of several blunt answers to questions about challenges facing the flagship Columbia campus, he described prospective freshman fall enrollment there as grim, and said the campus is bracing for a $30 million drop in tuition from a smaller first-year class. Middleton said that as a parent, he, too, would have second thoughts about sending a child to a campus that I thought was violent and in total disarray. The fact is the University of Missouri-Columbia is not violent and not in total disarray, he said. I am optimistic, he said. We have been around 177 years. We have been through problems, ups and downs We generally come back stronger. While describing last falls unrest as a perfect storm that extended beyond race, Middleton couched the protests and recoil as part of a lingering national story. Speaking before C-SPAN cameras, he was asked a question that framed Missouri as a one-time slave state that prompted the 1857 Dred Scott Supreme Court decision denying citizenship to freed slaves. Middleton, an African-American who grew up in a segregated Mississippi in the 1950s and 1960s, paused before answering. He said that knowing the history of the state, that when he was in college in the 1960s, in the then-sports rivalry with the University of Kansas, I am on Kansas side, you know. Missouri has been a hotbed for centuries, and it is reflected in Missourians opinions and positions with regard to what happened at the university, said Middleton, who received his undergraduate and law degrees at the Columbia campus. We have got some very, very progressive people very, very supportive of the students and supportive of what happened, and eager to make the changes, he said. But we have got a lot of people who think that it was out of control. I have heard phrases like, animals running the zoo, or inmates running the asylum, Middleton continued. Just bitter, angry people over the fact that this happened in the first place. So you have got a variety of positions in Missouri, as I think Missouri has had since the Civil War, when brothers were fighting brothers. Its a fundamental flaw in this country that grows out of declaring all people equal and endowed by their creator with inalienable rights, but (at) the same time... black people were held in bondage. What you are seeing at Missouri and college campuses across the country is a reflection of that tension, that imperfection in our union, he concluded. And we need to find a solution. What better place to do that than a university? On Saturday, the American Association of University Professors voted to censure the University of Missouri-Columbia for its firing of Click, the controversial communications professor whose I need some muscle call against a student reporter went viral on the internet during the campus demonstrations. Middleton said he was not surprised at the censure vote, but he defended the universitys decision to fire Click. I thought Dr. Click lost control in a very heated situation, Middleton said. Her firing, he said, had nothing to do with Clicks academic freedom. The AAUP couched their sanctions in those terms, Middleton said. But they have a job to do themselves, and they did it. We will have to live with it and work to get off this censure list as soon as possible. Middleton, who was involved in civil rights protests on the Mizzou campus in the 1960s, was asked whether college students today were coddled. He gave a personal answer. On the race issue, I grew up in the 50s and 60s in Mississippi, he said. And I think I grew a very thick skin. And my parents, my grandparents, my aunts and uncles all kept reminding me that the indignities that I was subject to had nothing to do with me, but had everything to do with the ignorance of those who were imposing their stupidity on me, and that I needed to stand up, keep my head up, and push through it. So at a very early age I learned something about resilience, Middleton said. I dont know if young people today have had to learn that level of resilience. You may call that coddled, he said. I dont think I would characterize it that way. I would just characterize it as having a different experience than generations before them. (Younger people) are just less willing to put up with the kind of experience that we all have experienced. WASHINGTON Its Bee Week in Washington, D.C. No, not the annual Scripps National Spelling Bee, which took place last month, and which annually attracts attention from ESPN and a national audience. This bee event deals with the alarming mortality trends of bees and other pollinators. Actually, its being dubbed National Pollinator Week, and activities will include a protest outside the Environmental Protection Agency. Members of Congress will be briefed on the latest worries about the impact of pesticides and herbicides on the pollinator population. A truck with 2.64 million dead bees will be among the offerings of the Keep Hives Alive tour, along with petitions with 3 million signatures urging the EPA to do more to protect the bees. Protesters plan street theater, including beekeepers showing up in bee suits. Events here this week will also tie in activists trying to protect the monarch butterfly. That population has also fallen precipitously in the U.S., due at least in part to the decline of milkweed, which is key to the butterflys survival in its migration north. Environmentalists blame Creve Coeur-based Monsantos Roundup herbicide for the decline. The company has responded with joint partnerships with federal agencies to try to restore and protect butterfly habitat. Monsanto also says it is working to help protect bees, including fighting varroa mite infestation, believed to contribute to hive collapse. The EPA in 2013 required products that could kill pollinators to be more clearly labeled. In 2014, President Barack Obama formed a task force to look into what more could be done to protect bees and other pollinators. Protesters will say the government has acted too slowly and the threat has gotten more pronounced in the interim. Among the speakers at Wednesdays protests will be Maryland Delegate Anne Healey, sponsor of Marylands Pollinator Protection Act. Thats the first bill passed in the United States to eliminate consumer use of toxic neonicotinoid, an insecticide that resembles nicotine. A briefing for members of Congress will include Holly Holt, science coordinator for Monarch Joint Venture. That organization includes governmental, academic and non-profit organizations, including the Missouri Prairie Foundation. (Chuck Raasch) BY THE NUMBERS: 40 Percent of honeybee hives that die annually, according to the Friends of the Earth $2 billion Cost of those deaths to the U.S. beekeeping industry. ON THE WEB: THEY SAID IT: Grassroots actions will help us push the Environmental Protection Agency to do its job and restrict pollinator-toxic pesticides." Friends of the Earth environmental group. It's a core debate in the aftermath of the Orlando massacre: Does it point to the need for more gun control, or more aggressive anti-terrorism measures? The debate has come to Missouri's U.S. Senate race, in a Twitter battle that draws, as sharply as we've yet seen, the contrasts between incumbent U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., and his challenger, Democratic Secretary of State Jason Kander. Blunt (or rather, Blunt's campaign) tweeted this out Monday: (Blunt's Twitter account specifies that if it's not signed RB, it's from the campaign rather than from him personally.) The Tweet links to a "Friends of Roy Blunt" campaign page that lists a series of Kander statements and votes highlighting what it claims is his pattern of blaming guns rather than terrorists for such attacks. "The country cannot afford another liberal senator who will be weak on our borders and more apt to blame our Constitutional rights instead of the real enemy, radical Islamic terrorists," reads the Blunt site. But what might otherwise be a standard Republican hawk vs. Democrat dove ideological debate is complicated by their somewhat reversed backgrounds: Kander, 33, is an Afghanistan war veteran. Blunt, 66, didn't serve in Vietnam, and faced questions earlier this year about whether his campaign tried to obscure the three student deferments he received. Kander's response, last night, to Blunt's tweet: Missouris Senate race, long considered a long-shot pickup possibility for Democrats, has gotten more attention nationally recently as Kander showed robust fund-raising and Republicans sharing the ballot with presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump have struggled to defend him. But Blunts hold on the seat is not viewed as clearly in jeopardy as fellow Republican Mark Kirks is in neighboring Illinois. Sometimes its just serendipity at least thats how my husband and I explain our discovery of southeast Arkansas, Mississippi River State Park, which quickly became one of our favorite places to visit. It happened years ago when we had set aside several days on an Arkansas odyssey for Helena (now technically Helena-West Helena, as the two merged in 2006). Civil War buffs, we had come to tour sites from that conflict, as Helena had been important to both sides. But what we didnt know then was that port-town Helena is also the epicenter of the blues, a genre born in the cotton fields of the surrounding Delta. And when we got to town, the biggest annual event of Helenas year was underway the King Biscuit Blues Festival. Some 200,000 aficionados had descended on this town of 12,000, and there was nowhere to stay. But someone suggested a recreation area, a lake bordered by wide meadows just north of town, and there we found a spot among hundreds of other campers. We fell in love with the place, put the Civil War sites on hold, and got swept up in the festival (and have come back for it twice). During the four days, the streets of downtown Helena literally swarm with humanity, food vendors mushroom everywhere, and the blues wailed and twanged from temporary stages and in the streets echoes among the historic buildings and along the grassy levee, where thousands of listeners gather. At that first visit, in the early 1990s, Storm Creek Lake Recreation Area, our find, was part of the 24,000-acre St. Francis National Forest. Twenty years later it would become part of Mississippi River State Park, Arkansas newest at number 52, which through a special-use permit would lie within the forest. As anyone who has been to Arkansas knows, the Natural State is rife with gorgeous scenery. But Mississippi River State Park claims some of the finest. Fourteen miles north of Helena by gravel road, 25 by a paved route, its a world of thickly treed emerald hills, leafy-green to the shores of mirror-smooth lakes, lush meadows, walking paths, hosts of colorful wildflowers and a wide assortment of birds and animals. Theres the expected camping, fishing, boating and swimming, and as the park lies along the Audubon Great River Birding Trail, bird-watchers will be pleased with the many species often seen: bald eagles, herons and other waterfowl, and dozens of songbirds (more than 200 bird species in all). Its also not unusual to see white tail deer, beavers, otters, squirrels, armadillos, even an occasional alligator (a bald cypress-statued swamp here is called Alligator Alley). The park borders the meandering St. Francis River and, south of that chocolate streams mouth, it parallels the Mississippi, also spanning a stretch of the 10-state Great River Road. And for its entire length, the 536-acre park straddles the geologic anomaly known as Crowleys Ridge. This hilly crescent of mocha-colored loess (German for loose soil), sculpted by wind and water millenia ago, now topped with trees, state parks and towns, rises up to 550 feet out of this otherwise table-flat Delta and ranges in width from one to a dozen miles as it snakes south from near Cape Girardeau, Mo., to the Mississippi at Helena. During the Great Depression, the WPA had built a winding gravel road along Crowleys Ridge between the forest and the town, and two elegant lakes on forest land 625-acre Bear Creek Lake, where Beech Point Campground now occupies a multi-fingered, wooded peninsula, and 420-acre Storm Creek Lake. Full-service Beech Point is one of the finest campgrounds anywhere; other park campgrounds offer primitive sites. Whether visiting Helena (its the starting point for several trails weve followed: the Blues Trail, Hot Tamale Trail and Crowleys Ridge Parkway among others), or just wanting to kick back a little at the park, we keep finding reasons to come back. There are dozens of family-oriented programs, such as campfire sessions about bats, owls or armadillos and guided bird walks. Theres also a first-rate 12,208-square foot visitor center, run jointly by national forest and park staff, with a gift shop and exhibits that interpret the Arkansas Delta, Mississippi River and Crowleys Ridge. Behind the center you can fish at Ranger Pond or walk the half-mile loop Trotting Fox Trail. But our excuse the past two years for making the 350-mile trek from St. Louis has been kayaking. As of 2015 the park began offering guided kayak tours (some by the light of the full moon). Trips are offered (or can be arranged) on Bear Creek Lake, Storm Creek Lake and on 20-acre Horner Neck Lake, our favorite, a natural lake rimmed by hundreds of centuries-old bald cypresses and white pines. The park provides the kayaks ($12) or you can bring your own ($6) for trips lasting about three hours. Park interpreter Tara Gillanders is one of the guides. She also drives the van, which tows a trailer carrying the kayaks. You reach Horner Neck via the gravel road on Crowleys Ridge, winding under a high green canopy of oaks, hickories, cottonwoods and sweet gums. Along the way, Gillanders points out unfamiliar plants: bamboo-like scouring rush, passion flower, red spider lily. She explains that Crowleys Ridge was a Native American hunting ground and refuge from high water for centuries, and with the nearby Mississippi a major travel route, it also saw some of the earliest European explorers. Under a cornflower sky, Horner Neck Lake is sublimely lovely and if theres a nicer place to kayak weve yet to find it. Translucent green-brown water ripples gently in a soft breeze; theres a slight current, but its easy paddling, meaning lots of time to rest the paddles and take in the scenery. Sunlight, filtered through the trees, turns the air to misty blue haze, and the air is alive with neon-blue dragonflies darting overhead. And there are the birds, woodpeckers, herons, egrets. Sometimes you get lucky and glimpse the brilliant gold of a shy prothonotary warbler, one of the many songbirds that live here or migrate through. Theres an almost ethereal stillness, no engine or traffic noise, just the pleasant splash of paddles and peaceful sound of water sloshing around the stout, gored-skirt trunks of the cypresses and their gnome-like knees. Occasional sharp bird calls break the quiet, and when we speak its in near-whispers; anything louder would somehow disturb the magic of this beautiful place. After three days of kayaking, we headed for Helena, which owes its existence so said Main Street Helena director Shane Williams to the demise of Sterling, another river town, doomed by frequent Mississippi floods. Helena, founded a few miles south in 1833, occupies higher ground. The areas rich soil soon drew settlers, who turned wilderness into vast cotton plantations worked by thousands of slaves, generating great wealth for a few. By 1850, Phillips County, where Helena is located, was the richest in the state, Williams said. The towns site on the river, vital for moving supplies around the Confederacy during the Civil War, made it important to both sides. In July 1862, as Southern troops were occupied elsewhere, Union troops easily took the town. A year later, on July 4, the Confederates attempted to retake it but were soundly defeated. Its a battle largely overlooked today, said Williams, because it happened the same day Vicksburg fell to the Union, putting the Mississippi solidly in Northern control, and a day after the Confederates lost at Gettysburg. A Civil War Trail visits more than two dozen sites, including reconstructed Union Fort Curtis, Freedom Park, and high on Crowleys Ridge, Maple Hill and Confederate Cemeteries (Helena provided seven generals to the Confederacy). At Helena Museum, dioramas and other exhibits interpret the July 4 battle and other area history. Another important Helena attraction is the Delta Cultural Center, which preserves, interprets and presents the story of the blues and those who have played it. The center is also home to the studio that broadcasts King Biscuit Time, the countrys longest-running blues radio program, begun in 1941. Visitors are welcome to watch. The annual King Biscuit Blues Festival, begun in 1986, grew out of the show, says Adriene Corbin, director of Helenas Advertising & Promotion Commission. Over the years, dozens of blues greats have been featured, among them Bobby Rush, Zac Harmon and Taj Mahal. This years event will take place Oct. 5-8. Weve been to Helena more than half a dozen times, but only this year found out about Quapaw Canoe Co., which offers trips on the Mississippi. Company owner John Ruskey, originally from Colorado, first paddled the river, Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, in 1982, he says, after graduating high school and reading Huckleberry Finn. It was time, he decided, to read the river, not books, and hes been reading it ever since. He founded Quapaw in 1998, builds his own voyageur-style canoes at a shop in Clarksdale, Miss., and offers trips lasting anywhere from an afternoon (our choice) to a month or more. Our trip cost $125 each, but prices vary greatly. We joined Ruskey, his wife, Sarah, daughter, Emma, 9, and Brent and Melissa Parker of Springdale, Ark., for a nine-mile paddle in a six-seater canoe from the mouth of the St. Francis River south to Helena. For the next five hours, then, we all paddled (surprisingly, the current does not just carry you along) and Ruskey, in the stern, belted a river song, Oh, I wish I were a paddler ... The river is wild here, thick with trees and loopy vines on both shores, few signs of modern civilization, and, says Ruskey, youre one-on-one with nature. The river is also wide, a mile or so, with numerous long, narrow islands statued with willows (that can completely disappear during floods, he says). We stopped for half an hour at Buck Island to stretch our legs, beach comb and enjoy the snacks and soft drinks Ruskey produced (his canoes are designed to hold supplies for long trips). At our other stop, this time a wide sand beach on the Mississippi side, those who wanted to could swim. We paddled on briefly and then, as the sun inched to the horizon, spreading fingers of gold on the silver water, the trip was over. Rounding a bend we could see the port of Helena just ahead. IF YO GO Mississippi River State Park, 2955 Arkansas 44, Marianna, Ark.: 1-870-295-4040; ArkansasStateParks.com. Helena-West Helena Advertising & Promotion Commission: 1-870-714-2882; visithelenaar.com. King Biscuit Blues Festiva: 1-870-572-5223; kingbiscuitfestival.com/festival-info. LONDON MARKET CLOSE: Investors see end of hefty rate hikes on horizon Wednesday, October 26, 2022 - 17:29 Stocks in London closed solidly higher on Wednesday as investors took heart from a smaller-than-expected rate hike from the Bank of Canada. The FTSE 100 index closed 42.59 points, or 0.6% at 7,056.07 on Wednesday. The FTSE 250 ended up 274.26 points, or 1.5%, at 18,105.89. The AIM All-Share closed up 10.23 points, or 1.3%, at 809.67. The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.5% at 704.52, the Cboe UK 250 closed up 1.8% at 15,499.59, and the Cboe Small Companies ended up 0.7% at 12,342.94. Markets are hopeful that the BoC's decision to lift rates by 50 basis points instead of the expected three-quarter point lift is a signal that central banks are ready to take their foot off the monetary policy tightening accelerator. The optimism comes ahead of a busy few days of central bank action. The European Central Bank announces an interest decision at 1315 BST on Thursday, before the Federal Reserve next week Wednesday and the Bank of England a day after its US counterpart. The ECB raised interest rates in July for the first time in 11 years, by half a percentage point. Analysts are all but convinced the central bank will up rates by another 0.75% on Thursday, but some say there is room for a full percentage point raise - 100 basis points. Sterling continued to gain ground on Wednesday, keeping poise despite a two-week delay to the UK government's fiscal plan. The medium term fiscal plan will now be published on November 17 as an autumn statement alongside a new set of economic forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility. The pound was quoted at $1.1612 at the London equities close Wednesday, up sharply from $1.1464 at the close on Tuesday. Helping to boost the pound was dollar weakness, amid expectations of a less hawkish Fed. In the FTSE 100, Standard Chartered was the worst performer. The stock closed down 5.1% despite recording a substantial increase in profit as it benefitted from rising interest rates across the world. In the three months that ended September 30, the Asian-focused bank reported a 40% increase in pretax profit to $1.39 billion from $996 million a year before. Chief Executive Bill Winters called the results "strong" and said the bank remains confident in the delivery of its 2024 financial targets, adding it has made "significant progress" against the five strategic actions outlined in February. Reckitt Benckiser closed down 3.7%. The consumer goods firm posted strong quarterly revenue growth as prices and mix improved, despite a decline in volumes. In the third quarter, total revenue grew 14% year-on-year to 3.74 billion, or 7.4% on a like-for-like basis. Meanwhile, price and mix improvements of 12% helped to offset a volume decline of 4.6%. With a strong performance in the year so far, Reckitt reiterated its annual targets. However, for like-for-like revenue growth, it tweaked the range upwards to between 6% and 8%, compared to 5% and 8% previously. Fresnillo climbed 3.8% as it posted solid quarterly production figures and backed annual its annual guidance. The Mexico City-based silver and gold miner said volumes at Fresnillo and Saucito continued to improve, but this was partially offset by lower ore throughput and grade variability at San Julian. Despite the challenges, Fresnillo said it remains on track to meet annual guidance of 50.5 to 56.5 million ounces of attributable silver and silverstream, and 600 to 650,000 ounces of attributable gold. In the FTSE 250, Bytes Technology dropped 14% despite posting double-digit top-line growth. The computer software firm posted revenue of 93.5 million in the six months to August 31, up 28% from 73.1 million. Pretax profit grew 18% to 27.0 million from 22.9 million. Bytes Technology said it has also made a decent start to its second half. Elsewhere in London, IGas Energy plunged 27% after UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak reintroduced the moratorium on fracking in England. The Lincoln, England-based oil and gas producer had previously supported the UK government's support of fracking under Liz Truss. Truss had lifted the ban as she argued it would strengthen the country's energy supply. In European equities on Wednesday, the CAC 40 in Paris ended up 0.4%, while the DAX 40 in Frankfurt ended up 1.1%. The euro stood at $1.0064 at the European equities close Wednesday, higher against $0.9963 at the same time on Tuesday. Against the yen, the dollar was trading at JP146.50 late Wednesday, lower compared to JP147.77 late Tuesday. Stocks in New York were mixed at the London equities close, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 0.9%, the S&P 500 index up 0.5%, and the Nasdaq Composite down 0.3%. Brent oil was quoted at $93.93 a barrel at the London equities close Wednesday, up from $91.91 late Tuesday. Gold was quoted at $1,665.70 an ounce at the London equities close Wednesday, higher against $1,655.96 at the close on Tuesday. On Thursday's UK corporate calendar, there are third quarter results from Shell and Unilever, as well as trading statements from Lloyds Banking and Anglo American. In the economic calendar, the ECB announces its interest rate decision at 1315 BST before a US GDP reading at 1330 BST. Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. Adam Henson with Elizabeth Blandford, of Blandford Books in Broadway. Photo: James Peacock Photography. BRITAIN's best known farmer, Countryfile's Adam Henson, is to talk about his new memoirs to mark the 20th anniversary of Blandford Books of Broadway. June, from 7pm to 9pm. ndIt takes place at the Lifford Hall, Broadway, on Wednesday, 22 Adam, who is a presenter on Countryfile, Lambing Live and Secret Britain, and also runs the very successful Cotswold Farm Park, has recently published Like Farmer, Like Son. His father, Joe, died last year. He overcame a serious stammer to become a regular broadcaster on country matters. And alongside his TV outings, by sheer grit and determination, and a little bit of luck thrown in, he became the saviour of Britain's rare breeds and opened the world's first farm park. At the talk on Wednesday night, for the first time, Adam will reveal the family traits, childhood experiences and farming wisdom which have made him the man he is today. As he trawls the family archive and discovers his own bloodline, he learns to understand and appreciate the famous grandfather he never knew and pays tribute to the wonderful father he has so recently lost. Adam said: "People say Like father, like son, and the story of my life has mirrored my fathers to a quite uncanny degree. "Right from when I was a little boy, he was my rock; my mentor; my hero. "It is no exaggeration to say that he taught me virtually everything I know about both country life and television. Without him, I certainly would not be doing what I am today." . They are on sale from Blandford Books on 01386 858588.Like Farmer Like SonTickets for Adam's talk cost 15 which will include a celebratory drink and a signed copy of Arabella Arkwright was a member of the Vote Leave board. THE wife of a key figure in the Vote Leave campaign has been left devastated after being accused of racism. Johnnie Arkwright said his wife, Arabella, who own the Hatton Estate, including Hatton Adventure World, had been naive in her social media activity, which saw her share anti-Muslim posts. It emerged earlier this week that Arabella, who was forced to quit her own role on the board of Vote Leave, retweeted an image of a white girl in the middle of a group of people wearing burqas saying: Britain 2050: why didnt you stop them Grandad? Other retweets from her now-deleted account included a link from Tommy Robinson, the founder of the English Defence League, suggesting UK Muslims were trying to build an Islamic State in Britain. Another retweet came in response to a Twitter user saying they would never eat tikka masala again if it got seventh-century barbaric savagery out of Britain. A reply from Arkwrights account said: No to Sharia law. By by [sic] tikka masala . Her husband Johnnie is the owner of the Hatton Estate, including Hatton Adventure World, and chairman of pro-Brexit group Business for Britain West Midlands. He was also due to be a panelist at last Thursday's live Herald debate at Stratford-upon-Avon ArtsHouse, which was cancelled in the wake of the killing of Jo Cox MP. He told the Herald on Tuesday: Arabella is devastated. I dont think she realised what the implications of retweeting these things were. She only joined Twitter last year for the purpose of the EU Referendum debate and is not very social media savvy. She abhors any form of racism, but in politics you have to be savvy, its a brutal world at times, and she has been tripped up massively. People have different opinions on the referendum and when they get a tweet, as Arabella has, she felt others needed to see what was being tweeted, it is about circulating all parts of the debate. She felt people needed to know what these people were saying. Shes devastated. There is not a racist bone in her. She has received a lot of lovely messages from people who know her, people who know these are not her personal views or beliefs. People know she would never endorse racism. This is a case of naivety and ignorance to the effect of retweeting. She has been tripped up proper. "It has been an emotive few days. She intended to delete her account on Friday anyway, but it has come a little earlier than planned that she has tweeted her last and deleted her account. If she had been more social media savvy, Arabella would have understood the implications of re-tweeting and never have contemplated including those particular tweets among the many that are forwarded every day. The tweets were initially reported in The Guardian on Monday night. When they emerged, Arabella, herself, said: I am absolutely appalled that there should be any underlying suggestion that I have any racist tendencies. I would like to make it absolutely clear that my rewteets and forwarding do not mean that I endorse in any way the content of them. I retweet a wide variety of different views on issues related to the referendum with which I do not agree in order that others can see the breadth of opinion on these matters. Is there anything wrong in that? You will note that my retweets are seldom accompanied by comments from me except Syrian Christians, who it was being widely reported at the time were being tortured for their faith. I am not a political animal and maybe I am guilty of being naive, but I reject all prejudice and am deeply sorry for any offence that may have been caused. Moreover, perhaps I can be clear, I abhore any form of racism. I do not want the last three days of the campaign to be affected in any way by arguments about Twitter so I have resigned from the Vote Leave Board. Meanwhile the boss of Gaydon-based Aston Martin has sent a memo to all 1,800 staff outlining the economic arguments in favour of leaving the EU or remaining part of it, while pointing that the company will not be declaring its position on the referendum. Mr Palmer states: "It is clear that an exit from the EU could have a negative impact on the overall UK economy, albeit with potential for some offsets through currency depreciation which would benefit an exporter like Aston Martin. In either instance of leave or remain, Aston Martin will adapt to the prevailing economic conditions." He concludes: "I continue to regard this as a very personal decision. For that reason, Aston Martin will not be declaring its position on this referendum, other than to encourage you to vote on June 23rd." A drop of diesel is seen at the tip of a nozzle after a fuel station customer fills her car's tank in Sint Pieters Leeuw December 5, 2014. REUTERS/Yves Herman By Barani Krishnan NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices settled lower on Tuesday on profit taking after a two-day rally, then rose in post-settlement trade after data showing a larger-than-expected draw in U.S. crude stockpiles. Crude inventories fell by 5.2 million barrels for the week ended June 17, the American Petroleum Institute (API) said. The trade group's figures were triple the draw of 1.7 million barrels forecast by analysts in a Reuters poll. [API/S] The U.S. government's Energy Information Administration (EIA) will issue official stockpiles data on Wednesday. [EIA/S] Early in the session, oil prices dropped as much as 2 percent as investors took profits on a two-day rally fed by speculation that Britain would not vote to leave the European Union in a referendum this Thursday. But a rebound in gasoline lifted crude off session lows, and oil settled the session only slightly lower. Gasoline prices rose after Royal Dutch Shell Plc shut its gasoline-producing fluidic catalytic cracking unit at the 316,600 barrel per day (bpd) Deer Park, Texas refinery. Oil prices were also supported by worries about the possibility of global crude supplies tightening from the economic crisis in Venezuela. Denial by rebels sabotaging Nigeria's crude exports that they had agreed to a month-long ceasefire was another supportive factor. Brent crude futures' front-month, August , settled down 3 cents at $50.62 a barrel. In post-settlement, it rose to as high as $51.10, spurred by the crude draw reported by API. U.S. crude futures' expiring July front-month contract closed down 52 cents, or 1 percent, at $48.85 a barrel. The August contract , which will be front month from Wednesday, settled down 11 cents at $49.85 and rose to $50.40 in post-settlement. Some market participants disputed the draw cited by API. The trade group's numbers, based on voluntary reporting by its members, have been at odds with market expectations and EIA data in the past. "That's too big a draw if you ask me and we're not convinced by it," Matt Smith of New York-based crude cargo tracker Clipperdata said, referring to the API numbers. "We think there will be a draw based on stronger refinery runs. But we also estimate that waterborne imports of crude alone rose by 5 million barrels last week, so we don't think the crude draw is going to be that large." (Additional reporting by Libby George in LONDON; Editing by Marguerita Choy and David Gregorio) Encana Corporation (NYSE: ECA) announced that it has reached an agreement to sell its Gordondale assets in northwestern Alberta to Birchcliff Energy Ltd. for a total cash consideration of C$625 million. The sale includes approximately 54,200 net acres of land and associated infrastructure. In addition, through the transfer of current and future obligations, Encana is reducing midstream and downstream commitments by more than C$100 million on an undiscounted basis. No drilling or completions capital has been spent or was planned for the area in 2016. As highlighted at Encana's recent Montney Investor Day in May 2016, the company has a large inventory of high-quality potential drilling locations in the play. Following this sale, Encana's Montney play will comprise of over 9,000 potential drilling locations with two-thirds of those wells located in the condensate-rich part of the play. "We are tightening our portfolio and sharpening our focus in the Montney where we expect to grow liquids production to 50,000 barrels per day by the end of 2018," said Doug Suttles, Encana President & CEO. "This transaction further strengthens our balance sheet and gives us greater financial flexibility as we look to the future." Encana's Gordondale assets produced an average of 25,200 barrels of oil equivalent (BOE) per day on a net after-royalty basis during the first quarter of 2016, comprising 65 percent natural gas and 35 percent liquids. Based on Encana's development plan at year-end 2015, estimated proved reserves were approximately 50 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMBOE) on a net after-royalty basis. The sale of Encana's Gordondale assets is subject to the satisfaction of normal closing conditions, as well as regulatory approvals and post-closing adjustments. The transaction is expected to close in the summer of 2016 with an effective date of January 1, 2016. RBC Capital Markets advised Encana on the transaction. The City of London business district is seen through windows of the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) headquarters in London, Britain September 10, 2015. REUTERS/Toby Melville By Andrew MacAskill LONDON (Reuters) - Royal Bank of Scotland (NYSE: RBS) is planning to cut about 900 jobs in Britain, sources familiar with the process said, taking the total number of layoffs in the last four months to around 5 percent of the bank's British workforce. The latest cuts at RBS are in information technology and back office positions that support the commercial, retail and private bank, the sources said. RBS, which is 73-percent state-owned, is in the midst of a major restructuring aimed at returning the bank to profit after eight straight years of losses. The Edinburgh-based bank was rescued with a 46 billion-pound ($67.82 billion) state bailout during the 2007-09 financial crisis. The bank confirmed some staff would lose their jobs but declined to give specific numbers, pointing to its long-stated ambition to shrink from the world's biggest bank by assets into a much leaner, UK-focused commercial and retail bank. "We understand how difficult this is for our staff and will be offering as much support as we can including redeployment to other roles where possible," the bank said in a statement to Reuters.Chief Executive Ross McEwan has already cut thousands of jobs partly in response to low interest rates and slowing economic growth which have pushed RBS and several of its UK rivals to take out costs. RBS had 64,000 staff in Britain as of December 2015. The RBS staff affected by this latest round of redundancies work in cities across Britain, including London, Edinburgh, Manchester and Birmingham. At least 100 jobs are being transferred to India, where people can perform the same role on lower salaries, the sources said. The latest cuts mean RBS has axed at least 2,700 staff across the country since the beginning of March. Most layoffs have fallen on its branch network, where the bank had earlier announced plans to cut about one in every 10 jobs in 2016. More cuts are expected to be announced in the coming months, the sources said. The RBS cuts come just days before Britain heads to the polls to vote on membership of the European Union. Some banks have warned they may have to cut even more jobs if the country opts out of the 28-nation bloc. Up to 100,000 financial services jobs could be lost over the next five years if Britain votes to leave the EU, according to a study commissioned by trade body TheCityUK. RBS Chairman Howard Davies last month said the bank was preparing for a potential phase of economic instability following a referendum on Britain's membership of the EU. (Reporting By Andrew MacAskill, editing by Sinead Cruise and Jane Merriman) Terex Corporation (NYSE: TEX) announced that it has agreed to sell its German compact construction business to Yanmar Holdings Co., Ltd. for cash proceeds of approximately $60 million. The German compact construction business manufactures and sells midi/mini excavators, wheeled excavators and compact wheel loaders. Included in the transaction is the manufacturing facility located in Crailsheim, Germany and the parts distribution center located in Rothenburg, Germany. The sale, which is subject to government regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions, is targeted to close in the second half of 2016. We are pleased to enter into this agreement with Yanmar, as they represent a strong strategic buyer for this business who values our quality designs, global team members and distribution partners, commented John L. Garrison, Terex President and Chief Executive Officer. For Terex, the sale of the German compact construction business is another step in our strategy to focus our portfolio on those product categories where Terex has a significant presence in the market and that can provide the greatest returns for our shareholders. A combination photo shows U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton (L) and Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump (R) in Los Angeles, California on May 5, 2016 and in Eugene, Oregon, U.S. on May 6, 2016 respectively. REUTERS/Lu By Chris Kahn NEW YORK (Reuters) - Democrat Hillary Clintons lead over Republican rival Donald Trump has slipped by about five percentage points since mid-June, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Tuesday, bringing the race for the White House to within nine points. The poll showed that 44.5 percent of likely voters supported former secretary of state Clinton while 35.5 percent backed businessman Trump. That compares with 46.6 percent support for Clinton and 32.3 percent for Trump on June 12, a date that marked her widest lead for the month. Trump has focused much of his energy in recent days on the mass shooting in Orlando, Florida by a U.S.-born gunman pledging allegiance to Islamic State militant group. Trump vowed to ban people from entering the United States from countries with links to terrorism against America or its allies. Hardline national security proposals have help Trump win increased support from voters in the past, including after the shootings in San Bernardino, California and Paris late last year. Clinton responded to the Orlando attack by calling for increased intelligence gathering and air strikes on Islamic State forces, while warning against demonizing American Muslims. She has also criticized Trump's positions on foreign policy and the economy, saying a Trump presidency would be a "disaster". The June 17-21 poll of 1,100 likely voters has a credibility interval, a measure of accuracy, of 3.4 percentage points. (Editing by Alistair Bell) A woman stands next to the logo of Brazil's largest fixed-line telecoms group Oi, inside a shop in Sao Paulo October 2, 2013. REUTERS/Nacho Doce By Guillermo Parra-Bernal SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazilian phone carrier Oi SA faces long odds in trying to reorganize under the country's complex bankruptcy law, offering rivals a chance to bolster their market dominance while leaving hopes for consolidation in the $45 billion industry on hold for now. Brazil's largest ever bankruptcy filing at 65.4 billion reais ($19.4 billion), Oi's petition is fraught with challenges due to a complex debt structure and wide creditor base, analysts said. Similar cases such as airline Viacao Aerea Riograndense SA's have taken at least four years to resolve in the past. The byproduct of a state-sponsored merger eight years ago aimed at building a national champion in a market dominated by foreign players, Oi had been in discussions with creditors on ways to cut its debt by half. A debt restructuring was seen as essential to facilitate a takeover of Oi, which would help narrow the gap with larger rivals Spain's Telefonica SA , Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim's America Movil SAB and TIM Participacoes SA . Yet talks collapsed after key shareholders balked at the prospect of a restructuring dramatically cutting their stakes. The rift led to the exit of Chief Executive Officer Bayard Gontijo this month, speeding up the request for bankruptcy protection, a source familiar with the situation said on Monday. Filing for court protection is Oi's last chance to avoid liquidation. Still, the law has failed to speed up recoveries as financial debt ranks below tax and labor obligations in repayment order, meaning wrangling over a bankruptcy can drag on for years. The time-consuming nature of bankruptcies in Brazil will extend "the status quo for another two to three years, during which competitors may be able to continue to gain market share," said Michael Morin, an analyst with Morgan Stanley in New York. Even if Russian billionaire Mikhail Fridman and Egyptian tycoon Naguib Sawiris resume their pursuit of Oi, other elements could make the process protracted. Brazil's harshest recession in decades and a political crisis that has delayed a long-sought overhaul in industry rules could work in favor of Telefonica and other rivals. Officials at Oi said they were unable to comment, beyond the documents released as part of the company's bankruptcy petition. While Oi has vowed to maintain service quality, operations could suffer as potential customers opt for rival carriers, or existing clients and suppliers severe ties with the company, analysts said. "Oi's competitors were already facing a more favorable competitive scenario, which may improve further with Oi in trouble," said Luiz Azevedo, an analyst with Bradesco BBI. In February, Fridman's investment firm LetterOne Holdings ditched an offer to pump $4 billion into Oi to fund the purchase of TIM. Grupo BTG Pactual SA, which then co-owned a sizable stake in Oi along with some clients, was brokering the deal. Sawiris told Bloomberg News on Tuesday that he would be ready to invest in Oi if the company agrees on a restructuring, obtains fresh capital and outlines a strong industrial plan. Sawiris did not respond to calls seeking comment. "There are bidders out there looking for assets with scale to buy," said Arturo Profili, who helps oversee 2 billion reais in fixed-income investments at Sao Paulo-based money manager Capitania. "In Ois case, a buyer could negotiate to buy out the creditors at a significant discount." WINNERS Oi's common and preferred shares dropped 20 percent on Tuesday, the day after the filing. Shares of Brazil's largest banks fell on Tuesday, on concern Oi's decision to seek bankruptcy protection will force lenders to raise loan-loss provisions sharply. Local banks lent 17 billion reais to Oi and extended 10.1 billion reais in guarantees, according to Credit Suisse Securities. The process would be Latin America's largest in-court reorganization ever, dwarfing the 46 billion-real bankruptcy process of former billionaire Eike Batista's mining, energy and logistics conglomerate Grupo EBX in 2013, data compiled by Thomson Reuters showed. The EBX proceedings have not been completed yet. After receiving the proposal, the judge in charge of the case usually rules on the petition within 10 days. Approval of the filing would give Oi 60 days to submit a recovery plan, granting the company a 180-day standstill period. Risks of companies sinking during bankruptcy proceedings is high. According to Brazilian Corporate Recovery Institute estimates, half of the 1,287 companies that requested court protection last year may go bankrupt during the turnaround. Given Oi's role in managing critical aspects of Brazil's telecommunications, including the largest fixed-line network, the government may seek to accelerate the process, Morgan Stanley's Morin said. On Monday, industry watchdog Anatel said Oi will not be stripped of any operating license unless serious customer disruptions take place. The watchdog also pledged to assist Oi clients during the process. The Communications Ministry vowed to discuss rules that could significantly reduce Oi's mandatory capital spending on its fixed-line network - which loses money on a regular basis. Brazil's presidential chief of staff Eliseu Padilha said the government had no plans to use public funds to rescue Oi, adding that state lenders Banco do Brasil SA and state development bank BNDES could help find buyers and mediate a possible solution. Competitive challenges will mount throughout the process, adding to the very problems that accelerated Oi's downfall, analysts said. Combined revenues at Telefonica, America Movil, Oi and TIM Participacoes SA fell 1.7 percent last quarter, with Oi suffering most. Operational earnings have slowed faster at Oi than rivals, especially in services, data compiled by Thomson Reuters showed. Oi's mobile customer base has the highest disconnection rate in Brazil. Average first-quarter revenue per user at Oi fell 6 percent on an annual basis, while growing or holding steady at rivals. (This story corrects 12th paragraph to say BTG Pactual co-owned, not co-owns stake in Oi) (Additional reporting by Ana Mano and Brad Haynes in Sao Paulo and Sophie Sassard in London; Editing by Daniel Flynn, Tom Brown and Chris Reese) VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/21/16 -- A British Columbia Securities Commission (BCSC) panel has found that Tin Chao Alan Lau committed a fraud on one investor. The panel found that in December 2013, Lau, a founder and director of a non-profit seniors' centre formerly called the Canadian Low Income Seniors Affordable Housing Society, persuaded a volunteer at the centre to invest $50,000 in the seniors' centre. Lau told the investor that his investment would be used to buy and resell goods to low income seniors. Lau promised the investor five per cent annual interest for the investment, payable monthly, for a term of six months. Lau also told the investor he could withdraw the funds at any time. The panel found that Lau drove the investor to the investor's bank and completed documents directing payment of the funds to Lau personally. The documents were written in English, which the investor could neither read nor speak. The investor believed his funds were being deposited to the seniors' centre. In its decision, the panel stated "the respondent was aware that he told the investor he would advance his funds to the Society for the purchase and resale of food and goods and he did not." Instead, the panel found that Lau deposited the investor's money into his own bank account and used it to pay for personal expenses. The investor first asked for his money back in January 2014, but Lau denied the request. Lau paid the investor interest at the agreed five per cent rate from December 2013 to February 2014, and increased the rate to 10 per cent from March to June 2014. In June 2014, Lau paid the investor $10,000. No further money has been paid to the investor. The panel directed the parties to make submissions on sanctions according to the schedule set out in the findings. You may view the sanctions decision on our website www.bcsc.bc.ca by typing Tin Chao Alan Lau or 2016 BCSECCOM 207 in the search box. Information regarding disciplinary proceedings can be found in the Enforcement section of the BCSC website. Please visit the Canadian Securities Administrators' Disciplined List for information relating to persons and companies disciplined by provincial securities regulators, the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) and the Mutual Fund Dealers Association (MFDA). About the British Columbia Securities Commission (www.bcsc.bc.ca) The British Columbia Securities Commission is the independent provincial government agency responsible for regulating capital markets in British Columbia through the administration of the Securities Act. Our mission is to protect and promote the public interest by fostering: -- A securities market that is fair and warrants public confidence -- A dynamic and competitive securities industry that provides investment opportunities and access to capital Learn how to protect yourself and become a more informed investor at www.investright.org. Contacts: Media Contact: Alison Walker Media Relations 604-899-6713 Public inquiries: 604-899-6854 or 1-800-373-6393 (toll free) Source: British Columbia Securities Commission CHICAGO, June 21, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Seven members of the Class of 2016 from The John Marshall Law School in Chicago have been selected to be members of the National Order of Scribes based on their excellence in legal writing. "We are proud every year that our students are honored with membership into this esteemed group," Professor Kim Chanbonpin, director of John Marshall's Lawyering Skills Program said. "Being accepted into Scribes is a testament to their advanced writing skills and mastery of the law." The National Order of Scribes was created in 2007 by Scribes The American Society of Legal Writers as an honorary organization to recognize graduating law students who excel in legal writing. Each year, any law school that is a current institutional member of Scribes may nominate students to be inducted into the National Order of Scribes. This year the following John Marshall students have been selected: John M. Crabbs II Priya A. Desai Tyler Bishop Duff Sydney M. Janzen Ruby Karam Benjamin Lee LaQuenta C. Rudison To be eligible for the honor, a student must be a JD degree candidate in the current academic year, demonstrate the highest levels of professionalism and be an outstanding legal writer. A student may demonstrate outstanding legal writing by satisfying some of the criteria below: earning superior grades in legal-writing or legal-drafting courses; serving as a member or editor of a law journal; authoring or co-authoring an appellate brief that receives a "best brief" award in a regional, national or international moot-court competition; authoring or co-authoring a book on a legal topic; writing a paper that wins a state, regional, national or international writing contest. John Marshall has a reputation for producing sharp legal writers. The school's legal writing program has been ranked in the top five programs in the country for the past several years, according to U.S News World Report. CONTACT: Miller McDonald 312-427-2737 x 554 Source: The John Marshall Law School-Chicago ST. ANDREWS, NEW BRUNSWICK -- (Marketwired) -- 06/21/16 -- The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, will co-chair the Canadian Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers' meeting with the Honourable Rick Doucet, New Brunswick Minister of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries. The meeting will take place June 21-22 in St. Andrews, New Brunswick. The co-chairs will hold a joint press conference following the meeting. Date: Wednesday, June 22, 2016 Time: 12:15 p.m. (ADT) Location: Algonquin Hotel (Carleton Rotunda - main floor) 184 Adolphus Street St. Andrews, New Brunswick Note: All media planning to participate in the teleconference are required to register by calling 613-990-7537 or emailing [email protected] before 9:30 a.m. (EDT) on Wednesday June 22. Pre-registered media are requested to call-in 15 minutes prior to the start of the teleconference. Internet: http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca Follow us on Twitter! www.Twitter.com/DFO_MPO Contacts: Media Relations Fisheries and Oceans Canada 613-990-7537 [email protected] Patricia Bell, Press Secretary Office of the Minister Fisheries and Oceans Canada 613-992-3474 Cell: 613-355-0107 [email protected] Tanya Greer Communications Office of the Minister of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries 506-444-2915 [email protected] Source: Fisheries and Oceans Canada BATH, England, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The UK's only dedicated CRM training company, Training 4 Microsoft CRM, have released a new Free Training 4 Trials Initiative. Developed exclusively for businesses looking to investigate Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online, the Free Training 4 Trials Initiatives gives the empowerment of Microsoft CRM without the reliance on expensive Partners. The incredible three-fold package is completely free and consists of: A place on our exclusive Introduction to CRM Online / 2016 hands on course FREE running every week. Between 500-10,000 worth of vouchers to spend on our courses each and every year absolutely free when your CRM trial is converted to CRM subscription. 20% off all Training 4 Microsoft CRM courses via membership of the exclusive Top 100 Customers Club. Joining the initiative is completely free and available to any business, either already on or looking to begin a Microsoft Dynamics CRM trial. All courses are hands-on training, led by professional Microsoft Certified Trainers and can be attended in classroom or via distance learning. For more information, see our Free Training 4 Trials About Training 4 Microsoft CRM Ltd With our unique and expertly crafted training material and highly experienced trainers, Training 4 Microsoft CRM are the leading Microsoft Dynamics training provider in the UK. Again and again a complete range of customers including Microsoft themselves have chosen us to skill up their CRM teams. For Further information, please contact: Sam Edwards Marketing Director Training 4 Microsoft CRM Tel: +44 (0) 1225 311056 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.training4microsoftcrm.co.uk SOURCE Training 4 Microsoft CRM LOS ANGELES, June 20, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- P. Vincent Mehdizadeh, Pineapple Express, Inc. [PNPL] Co-Founder, announced today that he has issued a letter to PNPL shareholders. The letter stated as follows: Over the last few years I have been the subject of an SEC investigation surrounding a prior venture, Medbox, Inc. during 2012-2014. I had nothing to hide so I diligently cooperated with the SEC at all times during the investigation and disclosed all my emails and also gave testimony. What it demonstrated was that after Medbox stock became popular on Wall Street and that company's market value and my personal net worth exploded to over a billion dollars, I received bad advice from the company's attorney at that time, which I detrimentally relied on and that was harmful. Although I facilitated Medbox transitioning to competent counsel during my tenure at that company, the damage was already done and then amplified by a self-interested board member at Medbox that saw an opportunity in all the commotion. I have candidly detailed this in an autobiography published earlier this year. Regardless of my valid defense in relying on an attorney's advice, time and money has been spent investigating the matter and I have become a target for any alleged missteps Medbox's accountants, CFO, and auditor may have made, which was both caused and worsened by the incompetent attorney's advice. I am now in the process of resolving these matters with the SEC. Given the Medbox circumstances and a curious trading suspension handed down by the SEC on PNPL securities, it appears that any venture that I'm actively involved with may be targeted unjustly. As a result, I chose to have the current venture I co-founded, Pineapple Express, Inc. [PNPL], have a fair chance at succeeding like I know it can. Thus, my retirement from any and all consulting and advisory services to public companies became effective as of a few weeks ago and is to remain intact indefinitely. Prior to my consulting role ending, I was told by management that Pineapple Express will be shifting talent internally to carry my torch and launch the patent-pending and first-of-its-kind 'Top-Shelf' - SDS (Safe & Display System) that I invented in 2015. I am fully supportive of the company marketing and selling my latest, and what I consider to be my greatest invention, to date. Also, I have decided to retire/cancel 1 million of my beneficially owned PNPL preferred shares that were held in a trust along with the common shares of PNPL I beneficially own. The preferred shares that are being retired are convertible to 10 million common shares. The result of the share retirement will benefit all shareholders of Pineapple Express by lowering the fully diluted issued and outstanding share count for the company. As stated in prior Pineapple Express announcements, all my beneficially owned PNPL shares are held in trust and I have no voting authority over those shares, which is a decision I made long ago to guard the company against any negative treatment due to my controversial past. I have now further separated from the company by formally retiring from any and all public company advisory and consulting activities. I believe that Pineapple Express was built from the ground up with the best and most credible business model in the legal cannabis sector and I foresee a bright future for the company. I will be proudly watching from a distance. I want to thank everyone that has helped me achieve success in my business pursuits over the years with a special thank you to my family and friends for always believing in me. I have had an amazing life journey where I helped create immense value from scratch in two incredible ventures that I am proud of. The experiences I had at Medbox helped the new venture, Pineapple Express, navigate appropriately in the no longer uncharted public company territory that once existed in the legal cannabis industry. Needless to say, I am not speaking on behalf of Pineapple Express, Inc. I am simply sharing my individual comments, informing the public of my retirement from public company consulting and advisory activities, and also notifying the public about my retirement and cancellation of my preferred shares of PNPL." About P. Vincent Mehdizadeh Mr. Mehdizadeh is arguably an expert in the legal cannabis industry and is the inventor of the patent-pending Top-Shelf SDS (Safe & Display System) exclusively being developed for Pineapple Express. Mr. Mehdizadeh has been actively involved as a consultant in the legal cannabis industry for nearly a decade and has also furthered the industry through donations and funding of educational campaigns. Mehdizadeh was responsible for funding and the creation of the Marijuana Policy Project Consume Responsibly campaign, as well as the Americans For Safe Access Medicate Responsibly campaign aimed at educating medical and recreational cannabis users in the states that allow consumption of cannabis about its health effects and dosage information. Mehdizadeh has donated over $2 million dollars to Americans for Safe Access (ASA), Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), Drug Policy Alliance (DPA), Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), and St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital. Mr. Mehdizadeh published an autobiography in February 2016 entitled Huma Rising and currently available on Amazon. All sales proceeds of the book have been pledged to charity. Source: P. Vincent Mehdizadeh 866-591-7802 Source: P. Vincent Mehdizadeh WESTPORT, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Terex Corporation (NYSE: TEX) announced that it has agreed to sell its German compact construction business to Yanmar Holdings Co., Ltd. for cash proceeds of approximately $60 million. The German compact construction business manufactures and sells midi/mini excavators, wheeled excavators and compact wheel loaders. Included in the transaction is the manufacturing facility located in Crailsheim, Germany and the parts distribution center located in Rothenburg, Germany. The sale, which is subject to government regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions, is targeted to close in the second half of 2016. We are pleased to enter into this agreement with Yanmar, as they represent a strong strategic buyer for this business who values our quality designs, global team members and distribution partners, commented John L. Garrison, Terex President and Chief Executive Officer. For Terex, the sale of the German compact construction business is another step in our strategy to focus our portfolio on those product categories where Terex has a significant presence in the market and that can provide the greatest returns for our shareholders. Forward Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking information based on the current expectations of Terex Corporation. Because forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, actual results could differ materially. Such risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of Terex, include those factors that are more specifically set forth in the public filings of Terex with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual events or the actual future results of Terex and Konecranes may differ materially from any forward looking statement due to those and other risks, uncertainties and significant factors. The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. Terex expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement included in this press release to reflect any changes in expectations with regard thereto or any changes in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statement is based. About Terex Terex Corporation is a lifting and material handling solutions company reporting in five business segments: Aerial Work Platforms, Cranes, Material Handling & Port Solutions, Materials Processing and Construction. Terex manufactures a broad range of equipment for use in various industries, including the construction, infrastructure, manufacturing, shipping, transportation, refining, energy, utility, quarrying and mining industries. Terex offers financial products and services to assist in the acquisition of Terex equipment through Terex Financial Services. Terex uses its website (www.terex.com) and its Facebook page (www.facebook.com/TerexCorporation) to make information available to its investors and the market. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160620006289/en/ Terex Corporation Tom Gelston, (203) 222-5943 Vice President, Investor Relations [email protected] Source: Terex Corporation PARIS (Reuters) - The two main Air France pilot unions, SNPL and Spaf, have called off a strike planned for June 24 to June 27, union officials told Reuters on Tuesday. The proposal to strike had followed earlier walkouts between June 11 and 14 to protest against productivity measures, including lower bonuses for night work. (Reporting by Cyril Altmeyer; Writing by Tim Hepher) Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo of the Democratic Republic of the Congo sits in the courtroom of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, June 21, 2016. REUTERS/Michael Kooren By Thomas Escritt AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Congolese politician Jean-Pierre Bemba was sentenced to 18 years in prison by the International Criminal Court on Tuesday for heading a 2002-03 campaign of rape and murder in neighboring Central African Republic. Bemba, a former Democratic Republic of Congo vice-president, is the first person that the global war crimes court has held directly responsible for his subordinates' crimes. Judge Sylvia Steiner said troops from the Movement for the Liberation of Congo (MLC), which Bemba directed, had acted with "particular cruelty" when they rampaged through the neighboring country in support of then-president Ange-Felix Patasse. One victim had described how, still a virgin, she had been raped in front of her father while other soldiers held the father at gunpoint. "After the attacks, some parents found their daughters lying on the ground crying and bleeding from their vaginas," Steiner said, describing as an aggravating circumstance the fact that victims had been "particularly defenseless". Bemba had armed his troops and then paid them so little that they were spurred to pillage, Steiner said. He had made only token attempts at disciplining them, in order to deflect international attention the crimes were drawing. Bemba, who did not speak at the hearing, received three sentences of 18 years for rape and pillage and two of 16 years for murder, all of which will be served concurrently. The son of a businessman who became rich during years of close association with former Congolese leader Mobutu Sese Seko, Bemba entered government under current President Joseph Kabila in 2003 as part of a power-sharing deal that ended years of civil war. Originally a rebel force in Congo's northwest, the MLC is now Congo's second-largest opposition party, and Bemba retains a significant following in the West. He can appeal his conviction and sentence. Eve Bazaiba, secretary general of Bemba's MLC party, criticized the court's ruling. "We will continue and we will never cease denouncing the selective justice of the ICC," she told a few hundred supporters in Kinshasa. But Geraldine Mattioli-Zeltner, international justice advocacy director at Human Rights Watch, said the sentence offered a measure of justice for victims of sexual violence in Central African Republic. "Other commanders should take notice that they, too, can be held accountable for rapes and other serious abuses committed by troops under their control," she said. (This story corrects to make clear MLC is Congo's 2nd biggest opposition party, not CAR's, paragraph 9) (Reporting By Thomas Escritt in Amsterdam and Aaron Ross in Kinshasa; Editing by Dominic Evans) By Daniel Bases NEW YORK (Reuters) - Puerto Rico disclosed on Tuesday that negotiations with creditors ended without an agreement to restructure some of the island's $70 billion debt load. The two sides remained far apart over how to resolve a debt exchange on both the General Obligation debt issued by the U.S. commonwealth and debt backed by sales tax receipts referred to as COFINA. A government statement said the talks with certain groups of creditors "are no longer continuing" on a non-public basis. In a statement on Tuesday night, Puerto Rico Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla urged the U.S. Congress to take action on legislation to resolve the credit crisis, while chiding the bondholders for offering what amounted to only short-term debt relief. "Put another way, these counterproposals would have simply scooped up the economic problems of today and tossed them to some later date for our children to solve," he said. On July 1, Puerto Rico faces a $1.9 billion payment on a collection of bonds that Garcia Padilla has said it cannot pay. A rare piece of bipartisan legislation in the U.S. Congress would establish a federal oversight board to negotiate various debt restructurings while seeking to institute balanced budgets on the island, a U.S. territory with 3.5 million residents. The "Puerto Rico Oversight, Management and Economic Stability Act," or PROMESA, passed the House of Representatives and awaits a vote in the Senate, which the Republican leadership says will come before the end of June. President Barack Obama's administration has backed the bill, calling it a compromise, but Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid said amendments were needed. Democrats have voiced concern the oversight board might not have Puerto Rico's best interests in mind. Supporters of the bill say without it, Puerto Rico could slip into chaos. Puerto Rico's revised proposals in a June 14 offer to creditors for restructuring GO debt amounted to an 81 percent recovery rate, up from an initial offer of 78 percent. In the documents released by the Government Development Bank, a creditor counterproposal dated Monday sought a recovery rate of 89 percent on the GO and guaranteed debt that was sold with the backing of the full faith and credit of the commonwealth. That group of creditors said its latest proposal would cut Puerto Rico's debt service costs by $2.9 billion over the first five years and demonstrated a willingness to negotiate and avoid a default on July 1. "We believe there is significant bipartisan support in Puerto Rico for this proposal, which gives 'breathing room' to Commonwealth leaders by deferring principal payments and reducing contractual interest rates until July of 2022," said Andrew Rosenberg of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton and Garrison LLP, a lawyer for the creditors said in a statement on Tuesday night. As for the two classes of COFINA debt, the government offered a revised recovery rate of 80 percent on the senior COFINA bonds, up from an initial 66 percent recovery rate. On the subordinated COFINA bonds, the revised proposal was for a 60 percent recovery rate versus an initial proposal of 47 percent recovery. Some creditors are still looking for a 95 percent recovery rate on the senior COFINA debt, according to a counterproposal dated June 17. Under Puerto Rico's revised proposal, the amount of money set aside for debt servicing increased by $17 billion to $106.5 billion through the year 2071. Debt servicing costs would not exceed 18 percent of fiscal year 2016 adjusted revenues or 15 percent in any year going forward, assuming a nominal 2 percent economic growth rate. (Reporting by Daniel Bases; Editing by David Gregorio and Peter Cooney) BELGRADE (Reuters) - Five people died and 23 were injured early on Tuesday when a Slovak bus bringing holidaymakers home from the Greek island of Corfu swerved off a highway in southern Serbia, officials said. Slovak media said all the dead were Slovaks. The injured were being treated in hospitals in the towns of Aleksinac and Nis, about 200 km (120 miles) south of Belgrade, the Serbian interior ministry said. The Slovak daily Dennik N said the bus was carrying 29 passengers and two drivers, including 12 Czech citizens and a number of Hungarians. The Slovak interior ministry said it was ready to send a government plane to Serbia to bring home some passengers and another on Wednesday to evacuate those with more serious injuries. Serbian police said the bus swerved off the highway linking Serbia with Macedonia and Greece. (Reporting by Aleksandar Vasovic; Additional reporting by Tatiana Jancarikova in Bratislava; Editing by Giles Elgood) By George Georgiopoulos ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece's latest austerity measures are choking off one of its few sources of local private investment, the funds management industry, thanks to massive tax hikes buried in 7,500 pages of financial reforms approved by the parliament last month. One listed Greek fund has frozen a 300 million euro ($340 million) investment plan, and another has put a share issue of at least 250 million euros under review, since the hikes were passed -- a footnote in a reform package that appeased the government's European creditors and avoided another cash crunch. The country's 7 billion euro ($8 billion) funds industry, though small, is a potentially important vehicle for much-needed investment in the shattered economy, helping firms to raise money and buying up property from banks burdened with bad loans. The new tax rates, applied to funds under management, underline how Athens is relying on a narrow, overstressed tax base to stay afloat, depressing economic activity, while the country's large black economy remains out of reach. The finance ministry, which is also overseeing a hike in value-added tax as well as separate taxes on Internet usage and fuel, did not respond to requests for comment. Taxes on mutual fund assets will jump by as much as seven-fold, with new tax rates differing by type of fund. Real estate funds, a fast-growing source of investment in recent years, fare the worst because Athens has also doubled a separate tax on landlords, in turn hurting property values. Such a tax, which comes on top of normal corporate tax, is unusual for the asset management industry. No major European fund management center imposes such a levy, with taxes usually imposed on dividends, interest income or capital gains rather than a blanket rate on funds under management. "We were planning investments of more than 300 million euros, which would have beneficial multiplier effects, but now the plan has been frozen," said George Chrysikos, chief executive of listed real estate investment fund Grivalia Properties . "The taxation is hard to bear and will likely force property funds to drastic moves, including freezing plans to raise capital, returning capital to their shareholders and even switching residence and delisting from the Athens stock exchange." Another property investment fund, NBG Pangaea , is likely to ditch plans to raise between 250 million and 400 million euros in a share issue, said a senior executive at the fund who spoke on condition of anonymity. It planned to invest the proceeds in commercial property. IMPRISONED BY CAPITAL CONTROLS Greek mutual-fund investors are mainly middle-class investors, each with around 20,000 to 30,000 euros invested, while the wealthy use private banking, industry insiders say. "I would be looking to switch to a foreign mutual fund management company to avoid it (the tax hikes), but even if you pull the money out you can't send it abroad under capital controls," said Nikos Villiotis, 47, a civil engineer who has about 60,000 euros invested in Greek equity and bond funds. Greece's capital controls, imposed a year ago to prevent the collapse of its financial system, have dissuaded investors from stampeding out of local mutual funds, but fund managers say redemptions are still likely once the controls are lifted. "Today, due to capital controls, they cannot do it. But this is short sighted because at some point capital controls will be lifted," said Theodore Krintas, vice-president of Greece's institutional investors association. Greece's mutual funds industry has shrunk dramatically since the financial crisis erupted in 2010 when investors took advantage of their then freedom to move money abroad, but the industry has remained a precious source of investment. Property funds alone had planned to invest 1.5 billion euros over the next three years, including buying real estate from the nation's cash-strapped government. "We shouldn't be shooting at the home fund management industry, money needs to stay at home to fund investments and help the economy recover," said George Koufopoulos, head of 3K Investment Partners. Given investors are effectively locked into their funds due to capital controls, the shares of the largest listed property fund managers have actually outperformed the wider market. Since late May shares in Grivalia Properties, part-owned by Canada's Fairfax Financial Holdings (NYSE: FFH), have fallen about 6 percent while Pangaea has lost 5 percent, though both stocks are very thinly traded. The Athens bourses broader market index has fallen 10 percent. Greece's securities regulator agreed that the new tax burden weighed heavily on funds but said it could be eased later on. "We also think the tax impact is heavy on growth vehicles such as mutual funds and property investment trusts but official lenders insisted," Charalambos Gotsis, chairman of the Capital Markets Commission, told Reuters. "We had expressed our disagreement, suggesting that the tax should be on returns and not on the capital the funds manage." (Additional reporting by Sinead Cruise; Editing by Michele Kambas and Mark Bendeich) By Brian Ellsworth CARACAS (Reuters) - A gunman opened fire inside Venezuela's central bank on Monday, wounding two guards before he was shot dead by security officers, according to two sources, in the latest violent episode to shake the country. The unidentified assailant barged into the bank's headquarters in central Caracas shooting and shouting, "Where are the board members?," the institution's president, Nelson Merentes, said. "He wounded two guards, fortunately they are stable and are currently in a clinic," Merentes told journalists, adding that the shooter's motives were unclear and an investigation was underway. A security source and a central bank source who asked not to be identified said the attacker was killed. The assailant set off a metal detector in the main entrance of the bank, at which point he took out his weapon and began firing, said a bank employee. Merentes said the man briefly took a woman hostage in the reception area, ran up the stairs, and was confronted by security forces between the fourth and fifth floors. Bank employees said they were holed up in their offices, in downtown Caracas, while the episode was underway. One source inside the bank said the attacker was a young man who claimed to have a bomb in his briefcase, although the bag was ultimately found to be empty. Venezuela is one of the world's most violent countries and illegal gun possession is common. The country's opposition accuses the leftist President Nicolas Maduro of allowing crime to flourish, while he says right-wing opponents promote violence against his administration. (Additional reporting by Deisy Buitrago, Eyanir Chinea and Alexandra Ulmer; Writing by Alexandra Ulmer and Andrew Cawthorne; Editing by Alistair Bell) NAIROBI (Reuters) - A Kenyan government driver was killed on Monday evening near the border with Somalia when his vehicle hit a mine planted by the Islamist group al Shabaab, a government official said. The Somali militant group, exploiting a long border, has made several deadly incursions into Kenya and says it will keep up its attacks until Kenya withdraws its troops from Somalia. Kenya is part of the African Union-mandated AMISOM force fighting al Shaabab which, though it has been pushed out of its strongholds in Somalia where it opposes the western-backed government, it remains resilient. Earlier on Monday al Shaabab claimed responsibility for another attack in which five police officers were killed and four more were injured in the same region. Mohamed Sales, a regional government official, told Reuters a man driving an ambulance died after the vehicle hit a mine. His co-driver's leg was cut off by the blast. Three other people were injured. Also on Monday, Kenyan police shot and killed a suspected al Shabaab fighter and arrested nine others alleged to be linked to the murder of three community leaders in the Indian Ocean coastal region. Diplomats say Kenya's northeastern border with Somalia is a security weak spot, given the challenge of policing a long frontier. Poor coordination between security services and a culture of corruption that allows those prepared to pay a bribe to cross the border unchallenged are seen as further security risks. (Reporting by Noor Ali and Joseph Akwiri; writing by Elias Biryabarema; editing by Richard Balmforth) By John Revill ZURICH (Reuters) - Switzerland's watch industry exports fell nearly 10 percent in May as watchmakers continued to struggle with the aftermath of last year's extremist attacks in Europe and a prolonged slowdown in Asia. Exports of timepieces fell 9.7 percent on a nominal basis to 1.55 billion Swiss francs ($1.61 billion), according to data released by the Swiss customs office on Tuesday. The fall followed declines of 11.1 percent in April and 16.1 percent in March. Overall this year Swiss watch exports, which are seen as a proxy for sales, have fallen by 9.5 percent. Particularly badly hit have been China and Hong Kong, two of the world's largest markets for luxury watches which are made by companies like Swatch , Richemont (NYSE: CFR) and LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton . Europe has also been struggling, with reduced tourism numbers in the wake of Islamist attacks last year reducing the number of visitors to important luxury shopping destinations like Paris. Exports to France fell 18.4 percent in May, according to figures from the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry. In response, watchmakers have been cutting costs and production as the industry faces its biggest slowdown since 2009 when the global financial crisis reduced demand for luxury watches. Last month, Geneva-based Richemont said it expected business to remain tough in the months ahead, as it reported a 1 percent fall in its constant sales for the 12 months ended March 31. The owner of Cartier and IWC brands said April had been particularly difficult with sales down 15 percent in the month when currency swings were removed. Difficulties in Richemont's watches business were exacerbated by inventories at retailers, which forced the company to buy back unsold watches. No further job cuts were planned on top of the 500 cut last year, but more stores could close in China, Richemont said last month. (Editing by Michael Shields) UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 Form 6-K Report of Foreign Private Issuer Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 For the month of June 2016 Commission File Number 001-35754 Infosys Limited (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter) Not Applicable. (Translation of Registrant's name into English) Electronics City, Hosur Road, Bangalore - 560 100, Karnataka, India. +91-80-2852-0261 (Address of principal executive offices) Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F: Form 20-F Form 40-F o Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): o Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): o TABLE OF CONTENTS SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS Infosys Limited (Infosys or the Company) hereby furnishes to the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, the following information concerning the matters voted upon at the Annual General Meeting, or AGM, of the Company held on June 18, 2016. The following is a brief description of the matters voted upon by the members of the Company both by electronic means and at the AGM held on June 18, 2016, along with votes cast for, against or withheld, as well as the number of abstentions and broker non-votes, as to each matter. The information contained in this Form 6-K shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into the Company's registration statements under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The matters to be voted upon were notified to the shareholders on record and, through the Depositary, to all registered holders of American Depositary Shares (ADSs) who were holding the ADSs on a record date determined by the Depositary. As per the Indian Companies Act, 2013, the Company provided its members the facility to cast their votes by electronic means (E-voting) for all resolutions. The E-voting period commenced on June 13, 2016 and ended on June 17, 2016. Those shareholders of the Company who were eligible to vote and did not vote by E-voting could only cast their votes at the AGM. 1004 shareholders representing in aggregate 21,556,506 equity shares attended the AGM in person and 31 shareholders representing in aggregate 458,591,716 equity shares attended the AGM through a proxy. At the Companys AGM, the following director retired by rotation and were eligible for re-election: Dr. Vishal Sikka Dr. Vishal Sikka was re-elected by the requisite majority of the Companys shareholders. In addition, the following matters were also voted upon at the AGM: The receipt, consideration and adoption of the Companys balance sheet as at March 31, 2016, the profit and loss for the year ended on that date and the report of the directors and the auditors thereon. The declaration of a final dividend for the financial year ended March 31, 2016. The appointment of auditors to hold office from the conclusion of the AGM until the conclusion of the next AGM and to fix their remuneration. Brief Description of the matter put to vote Votes for (1)(2) Votes against / withheld (1)(2) Abstentions / Broker Non-votes 1. To consider and adopt the audited financial statements (including the consolidated financial statements) of the Company for the financial year ended March 31, 2016 and the reports of the Board of Directors (the Board) and Auditors thereon. 1,524,902,554 902,443 2. To declare a final dividend of 14.25 per equity share and to approve the interim dividend of 10.00 per equity share, already paid during the year, for the year ended March 31, 2016. 1,541,544,341 641,066 3. To appoint a director in place of Dr. Vishal Sikka, who retires by rotation and, being eligible, seeks re - appointment. 1,540,887,793 1,250,215 4. To ratify the appointment of the auditors of the Company, and to fix their remuneration 1,504,170,510 26,214,202 (1) Under the Indian Companies Act, 2013, the Company shall provide to its members the facility to exercise their right to vote at general meetings by electronic means. Accordingly, the Company is providing e-voting facility to all members to enable them to cast their votes electronically on all resolutions. Those members who did not vote by electronic means, could only cast their votes at the AGM, whether in person or by proxy. (2) Under the Indian Companies Act, 2013, and as per our Articles of Association, the voting rights of every member whether present in person or by proxy, shall be in proportion to his or her share of our paid-up capital. SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized. A 13-year-old girl suffering from breathing problems had to be airlifted to Whakatane Hospital overnight. The Tauranga-based Trustpower TECT Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to the tiny settlement of Te Arararoa on the East Cape at about 6.30pm. Pilot Todd Dunham says the girl required immediate hospital care. The flight was conducted using night vision goggles and the patient was flown to Whakatane Hospital. Due to the isolated area and time to drive the patient to hospital, the helicopter was tasked as being the most appropriate response. The New Zealand rental market kicked back into gear in April as the median weekly asking rent increased by $10, according to the latest Trade Me Property Rental Index. Head of Trade Me Property Nigel Jeffries says the median weekly rent hit $440 in April. With a massive $24 million up for grabs with Powerball on Wednesday, Lotto New Zealand has revealed the countrys luckiest Powerball number number three. While Powerball 3 isnt the most frequently drawn number, its the Powerball number that has changed the lives of the most Kiwis, with 22 people winning big with Powerball 3 over the years including the winners of last years largest Powerball prize. Police need the publics help to identify a man they want to speak to in relation to thefts from several business premises recently. Detective Sergeant Alan Kingsbury says over the past fortnight a thief has stolen money from at least three businesses which were all located in the Tauranga CBD. Police are investigating the slaughter of four pet sheep on a dear old ladys farm. The heads and offal of the four ewes, who police said were all heavily with lamb, were left strewn over the paddock of the womans home. Kenneth Bush, III joins The Cuddy Law firm, PLLC as an associate attorney in the Auburn office. Bush will concentrate on special needs planning, special education law, guardianship and representation at Medicaid and other administrative fair hearings. He earned his Juris Doctor from Western New England University School of Law, and his bachelor's degree from State University of New York at Geneseo. Bush was admitted to practice in Massachusetts and New York. Selma Blair Selma Blair arrives at the CFDA Fashion Awards at the Hammerstein Ballroom on Monday, June 6, 2016, in New York. (Evan Agostini | Invision | AP) Actress Selma Blair has been hospitalized after a bizarre incident on a plane. The "Cruel Intentions" and "Hellboy" star was flying to Los Angeles from Cancun, Mexico, on Monday, when she started crying and making disturbing statements, witnesses told TMZ. "He burns my private parts. He won't let me eat or drink," the 43-year-old actress said, according to passengers. "He beats me. He's going to kill me." The New York Daily News reports two nurses on the flight tried to help and checked her bag for pills. The pilot on the Delta flight allegedly radioed ahead to emergency services about a passenger suspected of mixing alcohol with medication. Blair was removed from the plane on a stretcher and taken to a hospital in the L.A. area. Her reps have yet to address the incident. The actress, who most recently starred on FX's "The People vs. O.J. Simpson" as Kardashians matriarch Kris Jenner, said on Instagram that she was celebrating Father's Day weekend with her son on a family vacation. Photos published by Us Weekly showed her in a bikini on the beach Sunday with her ex-boyfriend Jason Bleick, the father of her 4-year-old son Arthur. GRANBY, N.Y. -- An Oswego County man is accused of brandishing a knife during an argument with family and threatening them with it, the New York State Police said. Daryl L. Chetney Daryl L. Chetney, 34, of 297 Rathburn Road, Granby, was charged with second-degree menacing and fourth-degree criminal possess of a weapon. Both are misdemeanors. Troopers responded at 8:28 p.m. Saturday to a report of a fight involving a knife at a party on Senior Avenue in the town of Granby. State police said Chetney removed a knife from his pocket during an argument and threatened family members with it. State police did not provide details of the argument, but said Chetney was arrested and taken to the state police barracks in Fulton. He was issued tickets and is scheduled to appear in Granby Town Court on July 11. ronmeadow.JPG Ronald Meadow (right) leaving court with his lawyer, Ed Menkin, before his 2014 trial. (Douglass Dowty | ddowty@syracuse.com) Syracuse, NY -- An Onondaga County judge promised he wouldn't go quietly today after an appeals court blamed him for botching a big murder trial. "I don't have to agree with it, and I don't," Judge Anthony Aloi said of the higher court's decision. Ronald Meadow's conviction in the murder of his wife, Colleen, was overturned on appeal. Four appellate judges in Rochester unanimously ruled that Aloi improperly allowed hearsay evidence from Colleen's family and a friend about prior alleged abuse. Today, Ronald Meadow's appeals lawyer, Andy Frisch, argued that Meadow should be granted bail until there's a new trial. Frisch argued that his client had "presumed innocence," even if Aloi didn't like the appeals court's decision. Meadow's trial lawyer, Edward Z. Menkin, also argued that the appeals court was right. "With all due respect, you're bound by (the decision)," Menkin told the judge. But Aloi didn't budge: he ordered Meadow held without bail pending a new trial. Meadow, 62, was tried and convicted by a jury in 2014 in a trial that pitted Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick against Menkin, a noted local defense lawyer. The two would later go on to battle again in the murder trial of Robert Neulander. Meadow was arrested nearly three decades after his wife's 1985 strangulation death. New technology allowed authorities to take DNA from under the preserved fingernails of Colleen Meadow. That DNA was shown at trial to have a high probability of belonging to her estranged husband. Judge Tony Aloi But earlier this month, the Fourth Department appellate court ruled that Aloi's hearsay error forced a retrial. The judge allowed testimony, including: That Colleen told her aunt that Ronald had handcuffed her to a chair. That Colleen told her sister that Ronald had beaten her and that Colleen was having trouble sleeping because he had threatened to kill her. That Colleen also told a friend that Ronald had threatened to kill her. Today, Aloi said at other state appeals courts, the First and Second departments, had ruled that such statements were admissible at trial. "I feel strongly about the decision in this case," Aloi said today. "This isn't an Innocence Project kind of case," he added, referring to the group that looks to overturn wrongful convictions. "This is a domestic violence homicide," he went on. "Who speaks for the deceased? The woman who's been battered: Who would she confide in? It's hearsay because the victim is dead. Someone has to speak for the deceased woman." Aloi repeatedly said he respected the higher court. But he made it clear he didn't agree with its decision. "They completely disregarded that it was a domestic violence homicide," Aloi said of the appeals judges. "That goes over everyone's head... It didn't go over my head. I think it's a critical holding that sets an unfortunate precedent in this state." The judge suggested that barring those statements could encourage domestic abusers to kill their family members to keep them from be prosecuted. "It creates the potential that it might be better to follow through on threats to kill your wife, because moms and friends can't talk about their threats," the judge said. He disagreed with the higher court's ruling that witnesses could only testify about abuse they saw or heard in person. "Men don't batter their wives in public," Aloi said. "They don't threaten to kill their wives in public." For his part, Frisch said he agreed with the appeals court ruling: there was no way to cross-examine the abuse allegations or test if they were true. He noted that the DA's office even described the statements as "essential proof" in the case. So what's next? No one disputes that different appeals courts in New York State have ruled differently on the issue of hearsay in cases of accused domestic homicide. Meadow's appeals lawyer, Andy Frisch, acknowledged that the First Department's ruling directly conflicted with the Fourth Department's ruling in Meadow's case. He said he didn't recall the Second Department's decision as clearly. Typically, that means that the state's highest court, the Court of Appeals, will need to set a precedent for the entire state. The DA's office has asked the Court of Appeals to hear the case. Though it seems a likely candidate, the court only hears cases it chooses (much like the U.S. Supreme Court). That process will take months. If the high court declines to hear the case, it will come back to local court for a trial. If it takes the case, the appeals process will drag on for a year or more. Either way, Aloi won't be around for the retrial, if there is one. He's retiring at the end of this year under the state's mandatory retirement rule for judges reaching 70 years of age. Whoever is elected in November to fill his seat would preside over the trial. Frisch said after court he's not sure if he or Menkin would handle the retrial. Frisch also said he's exploring the possibility of appealing Aloi's no-bail decision. If so, that would likely be heard by Aloi's next-door neighbor in the courthouse, state Supreme Court Justice John Brunetti. Assault Weapons Three men from the Rochester area face multiple counts under the NY SAFE Act after sales of more than 100 illegal assault weapons occurred at a Western New York gun dealership. (The Associated Press) Three Rochester-area men face multiple charges under New York's assault weapons ban after selling more than 100 assault-style rifles from a gun dealership in Henrietta, according to New York law enforcement. The men are being charged under the state's SAFE Act, a 2013 law that banned the sale of certain guns with assault-style components. The investigation by New York State Police and Attorney General Eric Schneiderman lasted two years. Authorities say the charges stem from illegal sales of more than 100 assault-style guns at Jackson Guns and Ammo in Henrietta, a suburb of Rochester. Most of the illegally sold guns have been recovered. The dealership was formerly a federally-licenses firearm dealer, according to authorities. The men charged were: Kordell Jackson, 40, of West Henrietta, who ran Jackson Guns; Ken Youngren, 30, of Alfred, an employee; and Joshua Perkins, 28, of Irondequoit. Each man faces multiple felony charges, including first-degree criminal sale of a fire arm. Kordell Jackson. Jackson and Perkins are in police custody, while Youngren is expected to surrender to authorities today, according to Schneiderman's office. The case began in 2014 when officials from the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives found irregularities in records from Jackson Guns. The feds notified the state police. During the next two years, state police contacted people who bought the assault rifles at the Henrietta dealership. On June 15, state police went to Perkins' home on an unrelated matter. They saw three illegal high-capacity ammunition magazines in plain view; high-capacity magazines are illegal in New York under the SAFE Act. The troopers got a search warrant and found dozens more illegal high-capacity ammunition feeding devices, four assault rifles, dozens of cartons of untaxed cigarettes, numerous strips of the narcotic Suboxone packaged for resale and approximately $25,000 in cash, according to a release from Schneiderman and state police Superintendent George Beach II. Chubby Checker Twist jpg.jpg Rock 'n' roll icon Chubby Checker comes to Turning Stone on Friday, June 24. (Provided photo) SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- When Chubby Checker talks about the impact of his 1960 hit cover of "The Twist," it sounds like he's reading his own biography. The rock 'n' roll icon likes to refer to himself in the third person, sometimes as "The Chub." Checker, who will perform at Turning Stone on Friday, believes his biggest legacy is paving the way for novelty dances and modern dance music as we know it. Twerking? Just a different take on "The Shake." The Macarena? Just a spin on "The Fly." From the Boogie to the Dougie, Checker says he did it all first. "They just slowed the beat down or sped it up," said Checker, in a June 17 interview. "Chubby started the dance floor. The keys on the piano never changed, but we put the keys there. Do you go to gym and exercise to music? Before Chubby Checker, that never happened." "The Twist" was originally written by Hank Ballard and the Midnighters, but Checker's cover went down as the version remembered by pop culture. At the time of his call to syracuse.com, however, the rock and roll icon was just a regular guy waiting to board a plane, still grieving the recent death of a friend. On June 10, Checker attended Muhammad Ali's memorial service along with a star-studded lineup of celebrities, including Jim Brown, Will Smith, Katie Couric, Bob Costas, Reba McIntyre and Mike Tyson. Heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali, then known as Cassius Clay, stands over challenger Sonny Liston, shouting and gesturing shortly after dropping Liston with a short hard right to the jaw, May 25, 1965 in Lewiston, Me. Ali was declared the winner. The bout lasted only one minute into the first round. "It's precious to me that [Ali] was friend of mine," said Checker. "I knew this man all my life." Chubby last saw Ali about seven months ago. "He just came in the room, sat down and was very quiet," Chubby said. "He was a very happy guy, you know, but he was sick for a long time [with Parkinson's disease]." The men first met as teenagers, when Ali went to one of Checker's shows in Louisville, Kentucky in the early 1960s. They talked for a while after the show, Checker said, and Ali asked for some advice. "He said, 'I want to be a champion, I want to be known as the best that ever lived,'" Checker said. "I said, 'Well, first of all, you gotta have a big mouth. You're going to have to make a lot of noise. He did exactly that his whole lifetime." Checker, now 74, said they were 18 or 19 when they had that conversation. Ali went on to be as well-known for his trash-talking as much as his endurance. "God bless him, he used it well," Checker said. "Ever notice Ali never said he was a boxer? He always said he was a fighter. He was. He was a fighter and I'm a fighter too. I fight all the time." Checker went on to detail the battles of his career, which all come down to one thing: the "unfair" music industry. He once had the #1 song "on the planet," but now, he says, no one will play his music on the radio. "The Twist" hit the No. 1 Billboard spot in September 1960. In January 1962, it topped the chart again, making it the only song to ever hit the No. 1 position in different years. However, he said, "Nobody talks about Chubby Checker and his number-one song anymore." "I'm in a crazy business," he said. "The music industry is really tough and I fight for my life. I just want to make everybody happy. We fight for that audience. We're coming to Syracuse and we're going to burn it down." Checker last performed in Central New York at the New York State Fair's Chevy Court in 2013. Reviewer Geoff Herbert wrote: "Checker continued twisting up a storm...Backed by a five-piece band, he took no breaks, not even for water when he had sweated his shirt almost completely damp." Checker tours across the county, performing a couple shows every month. He has not been inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but says he no longer cares whether or not it happens. He does keep close tabs on who is inducted. "When you do what I do, everybody else is in charge of your life," he said. "You know Bill Withers? When I saw he got inducted, I just started laughing. He rarely plays anywhere. Hall and Oates are in, but at least they're playing gigs. But most people in the Hall of Fame are dead. That's no fun." Chubby Checker Where: Turning Stone Resort Casino at 5218 Patrick Rd., Verona. When: Friday, June 24 at 8 p.m. How much: Tickets are $17 and available on Ticketmaster . Can't see Chubby Checker on June 24? Here are his other summer tour stops: June 25: Tobin Center for Performing Arts, San Antonio, TX. July 2: Bok Homa Casino, Heidelberg, MS. July 18: Cape May Convention Hall, Cape May, NJ. Aug. 6: Paragon Casino Resort, Marksville, LA. Aug. 25: The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor Windsor, ON, Canada. Sept. 16: River Creek Resort & Casino, Enoch, AB, Canada. Sept. 17: Deerfoot Inn & Casino, Calgary, AB, Canada. Katrina Tulloch writes music and culture stories for Syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Contact her: Email | Twitter | Facebook Britain EU In this June 16, 2016 file photo, Leader of the UK Independence Party Nigel Farage poses for the media in front of an EU referendum campaign poster in London. British Prime Minister David Cameron warned Sunday June 19, 2016 of the dangers of embracing "leave" campaigner Nigel Farage's vision of Britain ahead of the country's referendum on its European Union membership. (Philip Toscano / PA via AP ) Anne Applebaum writes a column about foreign policy for The Washington Post. She is also the Director of the Transitions Forum at the Legatum Institute in London. Applebaum lives in Warsaw, Poland. By Anne Applebaum | The Washington Post "It's the economy, stupid." Since Bill Clinton's campaign coined that phrase nearly a quarter century ago, it has become a kind of mantra for Western politicians. I've seen it translated into multiple languages, used by politicians of the right and the left, deployed on campaigns and put into the headlines of articles. It has also helped reinforce, across Europe and North America, a form of politics that might ironically be described as Marxist, since it mirrors Marx's belief that "base determines superstructure," that the economy molds everything else. In election after election, candidates have argued over who is best positioned to create more wealth and greater prosperity. British elections have been fought over tax percentage points, German elections over labor mobility. Each contest was made possible by the absence of more existential issues -- wars, rebellions, breakdowns in law and order -- and by the assumption that most voters agreed, more or less, on the nature of the state. No more. With the British referendum on European Union membership, scheduled for June 23, a whole tradition of polite argument over tax and spending has come to a crashing end. This angry and emotional campaign also started out, like most British elections, as an argument about economics. But it slowly became clear that the "Remain" campaign had all the best arguments and all the best economists. And so the "Leave" campaign, and the newspapers that support it, shifted focus to the threat of immigration, the loss of sovereignty and the preservation of Englishness in a dangerous world. "Leave" campaigners invented a mythical threat from Turkish immigrants, and never mind that Turkey is not in the EU and is unlikely to join. They invented a mythical threat to the country's National Health Service, and never mind that many NHS nurses and doctors come from continental Europe. This week, the leader of the U.K. Independence Party, Nigel Farage, unveiled a poster that featured a threatening crowd of distinctly non-European-looking "migrants" and the slogan "Breaking Point," and never mind that Britain has taken few migrants in the past year, or that it is not part of the Schengen Treaty that created open borders within Europe. All of these messages are about identity, not reality: We English are disappearing; we English are being engulfed by outsiders; we need to "Take Back Control," as the Leave campaign slogan has it; we need to fight back against foreigners/regulations/globalization/modernity or whatever you personally find threatening. While this line of argument was predicted, its unexpected new corollary was not. For the "Leave" campaign has also begun to argue, in effect, that economics don't matter, or at least that they don't matter much as we usually assume they do. Farage has said "so what" to the prospect of a sterling and stock market crash. Warnings from the Bank of England and the International Monetary Fund have been dismissed even by Conservatives who normally respect these institutions. The real surprise is not that the "Leave" activists dispute predictions of slower growth or financial chaos. It's that they don't care about them. As the Financial Times columnist Janan Ganesh wrote recently, "They can live with a recession if they must." It's not "the economy, stupid" that matters anymore, in other words, but something quite different. George Orwell hit on the deep flaw in modern democratic political rhetoric in 1940, when he wrote about the powerful appeal of the undemocratic politics and the nationalist rhetoric of his time. "Human beings don't only want comfort, safety, short working-hours, hygiene. . . . they also, at least intermittently, want struggle and self-sacrifice, not to mention drums, flags and loyalty-parades." Just like the various "far-right" politicians in the Netherlands or France -- or indeed the Trump campaign in the United States -- the Brexit crowd is offering something higher and more transcendent than the dull world of taxes, spending, budgets. And if the drums and flags make us poorer, so what? Whatever the final result, all of this emotion carries a cost. It has already strained friendships, as I know. It may cause a political earthquake, too. If Britain does vote to remain in the EU, then angry and disappointed Conservatives may rebel against their leaders, or even join Farage. The UKIP leader himself rules out nothing. He told a BBC interviewer recently that "if people feel that voting doesn't change anything, then violence is the next step." After a pro-European Labour member of Parliament, Jo Cox, was killed by a man shouting "Britain first!," those words sound horribly prophetic. And if Britain votes to leave, which is certainly possible, what then? What if the economic costs are higher than expected? What if "control" turns out to be a chimera? Upon whom will the anger turn next? Maybe we'll just go back to worrying about taxes, but I doubt it. Anton Yelchin, a rising actor best known for playing Chekov in the new "Star Trek'' films, was killed by his own car as it rolled down his driveway, police and his publicist said. The car pinned Yelchin, 27, against a brick mailbox pillar and a security fence at his home in Los Angeles, Officer Jenny Hosier said. He had gotten out of the vehicle momentarily, but police did not say why he was behind it when it started rolling. Yelchin was on his way to meet friends for a rehearsal, Hosier said. When he didn't show up, the group came to his home and found him dead early Sunday. The freak accident tragically cuts short the promising career of an actor whom audiences were still getting to know and who had great artistic ambition. "Star Trek Beyond," the third film in the rebooted series, comes out in July. Director J.J. Abrams, who cast Yelchin in the franchise, wrote in a statement that he was "brilliant... kind... funny as hell, and supremely talented." Yelchin began acting as a child, taking small roles in independent films and various television shows, such as "ER,'' "The Practice,'' and "Curb Your Enthusiasm." His breakout big-screen role came opposite Anthony Hopkins in 2001's "Hearts in Atlantis." He transitioned into teen roles in films such as the crime thriller "Alpha Dog'' and the comedy "Charlie Bartlett." He also played a young Kyle Reese in 2009's "Terminator Salvation." Yelchin, an only child, was born in Russia. His parents were professional figure skaters who moved the family to the United States when Yelchin was a baby. He briefly flirted with skating lessons, too, before discovering that he wasn't very skilled on the ice. That led him to acting class. "I loved the improvisation part of it the most, because it was a lot like just playing around with stuff. There was something about it that I just felt completely comfortable doing and happy doing," Yelchin told The Associated Press in 2011 while promoting the romantic drama "Like Crazy." He starred opposite Felicity Jones. "[My father] still wanted me to apply to college and stuff, and I did,"' Yelchin said. "But this is what I wanted.'' The discipline that Yelchin learned from his athlete parents translated into his work as an actor, which he treated with seriousness and professionalism, said Klinger, the director. He drew on his Russian roots for his role as the heavily accented navigator Chekov in the "Star Trek" films, his most high-profile to date. "What's great about him is he can do anything. He's a chameleon. He can do bigger movies or smaller, more intimate ones," "Like Crazy" director Drake Doremus told the AP in 2011. "There are a lot of people who can't, who can only do one or the other... That's what blows my mind." Yelchin seemed to fit in anywhere in Hollywood. He could do big sci-fi franchises and vocal work in "The Smurfs," while also appearing in more eccentric and artier fare, like Jim Jarmusch's vampire film "Only Lovers Left Alive'' and Jeremy Saulnier's horror thriller "Green Room," a cult favorite that came out earlier this year. Klinger recalled a conversation with Jarmusch about Yelchin before Klinger cast him in "Porto."' "Jim was like, 'Watch out. Anton read Dostoyevsky when he was like 11 years old!'" Klinger said. The director said that for Yelchin, every film was an opportunity to learn and study more. He admired Nicolas Cage's laser-focus on the Paul Schrader film "Dying of the Light'' and also got to work with one of his acting heroes, Willem Dafoe, on the film "Odd Thomas." "He used to refer to Willem as an artist, not an actor," Klinger said. "That's the kind of actor he aspired to be, where people didn't regard him as an actor, they regarded him as an artist." Yelchin's publicist, Jennifer Allen, confirmed his death and said his family requests privacy. 2016-01-06-NY24mashup.JPG The three Democratic candidates for the 24th Congressional District seat are, from left, Steve Williams, Eric Kingson and Colleen Deacon. They will face each other in the June 28 Democratic primary election. The winner will challenge Rep. John Kakto, R-Camillus, in the November election. (Provided photos) SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The three Democrats running for Congress in the Syracuse area's June 28 primary staked out similar positions on key issues Monday night in their first televised debate of the campaign. Colleen Deacon, Eric Kingson and Steve Williams said they support a bill in Congress banning gun sales to suspected terrorists, an increase in the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour, increased spending on roads and bridges, a ban on fracking for natural gas, and replacing the elevated portion of Interstate 81 in Syracuse with a boulevard. The Democrats vying for a chance to challenge U.S. Rep. John Katko, R-Camillus, in the November election rarely sparred with each other in the one-hour debate, recorded Monday afternoon and broadcast at 7 p.m. on Time Warner Cable News in Syracuse. But the three candidates seeking the Democratic ballot line in the 24th Congressional District underscored their differences when it came to a question about the influence of money in politics. All three agreed that something has to be done about the corrosive effects of unlimited donations to political campaigns. But they disagreed on the solution. Kingson, 70, of Manlius, a Syracuse University professor, said he is the only candidate in the race who won't accept corporate donations. He favors public financing of political campaigns. But others noted that Kingson has accepted donations through a progressive group, Democracy for America, and has benefited from national donations that followed an endorsement from Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. Williams, 53, of Baldwinsville, a Syracuse lawyer, said he won't take such money from interests outside of Central New York. "I'm the only one running for this seat who is supported by only the people of this district," Williams said. "My money is local, my volunteers are local...I will not have to answer to anybody in Washington whatsoever. I will answer only to the people of this district." When challenged, Williams said he would accept an endorsement from Hillary Clinton, but insisted he would remain "an independent thinker looking out for the interests of this district." Referring to his opponents, Williams said, "These folks have to listen to people in D.C. I don't." Deacon, 39, of Syracuse, a former district director to U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said she doesn't like the big money that has flowed into politics. But she has no regrets about the support she has received from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in Washington and other top Democrats. "I am always going to be beholden only to the people of the 24th District," Deacon said. "What the folks in D.C. want is not what I am concerned about at all." The next debate will be 7 p.m. Tuesday at the office of New York State United Teachers, 4988 Brittonfield Parkway, East Syracuse. The free, public event is sponsored by the League of Women Voters, the Central New York Alliance for Retired Americans, and NYSUT Retiree Council #7. Contact Mark Weiner anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751 Chris Murphy,Richard Blumenthal In this June 16, 2016 file photo, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., left, accompanied by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington. Democrats get their long-sought votes on gun control a week after the massacre in Orlando, Florida, but the prospects for any election-year changes in the nation's laws are dim. The four votes on Monday, June 20, 2016, are the result of a deal after Murphy filibustered for almost 15 hours in response to the Orlando shooting. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) WASHINGTON (AP) -- A divided Senate blocked rival election-year plans to curb guns on Monday, eight days after the horror of Orlando's mass shooting intensified pressure on lawmakers to act but knotted them in gridlock anyway -- even over restricting firearms for terrorists. In largely party-line votes, rejected were one proposal from each side to keep extremists from acquiring guns and another shoring up the government's existing system of required background checks for many firearms purchases. With the chamber's visitors' galleries unusually crowded for a Monday evening -- including people wearing orange T-shirts saying #ENOUGH gun violence -- each measure fell short of the 60 votes needed to progress. Democrats called the GOP proposals unacceptably weak while Republicans said the Democratic plans were overly restrictive. The stalemate underscored the pressure on each party to give little ground on the emotional gun issue going into November's presidential and congressional elections. It also highlighted the potency of the National Rifle Association, which urged its huge and fiercely loyal membership to lobby senators to oppose the Democratic bills. "Republicans say, 'Hey look, we tried,'" said Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. "And all the time, their cheerleaders, the bosses at the NRA, are cheering them." Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the Orlando shootings -- in which the FBI says the American-born gunman swore allegiance to a leader of the Islamic State group -- show the best way to prevent attacks by extremists is to defeat such groups overseas. "Look, no one wants terrorists to be able to buy guns or explosives," McConnell said. He suggested that Democrats were using the day's votes "as an opportunity to push a partisan agenda or craft the next 30-second campaign ad," while Republicans wanted "real solutions." That Monday's four roll-call votes occurred at all was testament to the political currents buffeting lawmakers after gunman Omar Mateen's June 12 attack on a gay nightclub. The 49 victims who died made it the largest mass shooting in recent U.S. history, topping the string of such incidents that have punctuated recent years. The FBI said Matteen -- a focus of two terror investigations that were dropped -- described himself as an Islamic soldier in a 911 call during the shootings. That let gun control advocates add national security and the specter of terrorism to their arguments for firearms curbs, while relatives of victims of past mass shootings and others visiting lawmakers and watching debate from the visitors' galleries. GOP senators facing re-election this fall from swing states were under extraordinary pressure. One, Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., voted Monday for the Democratic measure to block gun sales to terrorists, a switch from when she joined most Republicans in killing a similar plan last December. She said that vote -- plus her support for a rival GOP measure -- would help move lawmakers toward approving a narrower bipartisan plan, like one being crafted by Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. Monday's votes came after Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., led a near 15-hour filibuster last week demanding a Senate response to the Orlando killings. Murphy entered the Senate shortly after the December 2012 massacre of 20 first-graders and six educators in Newtown, Connecticut, but that slaughter and others have failed to spur Congress to tighten gun curbs. The last were enacted in 2007, when the background check system was strengthened after that year's mass shooting at Virginia Tech. With Mateen's self-professed loyalty to extremist groups and his 10-month inclusion on a federal terrorism watch list, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., proposed letting the government block many gun sales to known or suspected terrorists. People buying firearms from federally licensed gun dealers can currently be denied for several reasons, chiefly for serious crimes or mental problems, but there is no specific prohibition for those on the terrorist watch list. That list currently contains around 1 million people -- including fewer than 5,000 Americans or legal permanent residents, according to the latest government figures. No background checks are required for anyone buying guns privately online or at gun shows. The GOP response to Feinstein was an NRA-backed plan by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. It would let the government deny a sale to a known or suspected terrorist -- but only if prosecutors could convince a judge within three days that the would-be buyer was involved in terrorism. The Feinstein and Cornyn amendments would require notification of law enforcement officials if people, like Mateen, who'd been under a terrorism investigation within the past five years were seeking to buy firearms. Republicans said Feinstein's proposal gave the government too much unfettered power to deny people's constitutional right to own a gun. They also noted that the terrorist watch list has historically mistakenly included people. Democrats said the three-day window that Cornyn's measure gave prosecutors to prove their case made his plan ineffective. The Senate rejected similar plans Feinstein and Cornyn proposed last December, a day after an attack in San Bernardino, California, killed 14 people. Murphy's rejected proposal would widely expand the requirement for background checks, even to many private gun transactions, leaving few loopholes. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, defeated plan increased money for the background check system. Like Murphy's measure, it prodded states to send more records to the FBI, which operates the background check system, of felons and others barred from buying guns. Grassley's proposal also revamped language prohibiting some people with mental health issues from buying a gun. Democrats claimed that language would roll back current protections. Monday's votes were 53-47 for Grassley's plan, 44-56 for Murphy's, 53-47 for Cornyn's and 47-53 for Feinstein's -- all short of the 60 needed. Separately, Collins was laboring to fashion a bipartisan bill that would prevent people on the no-fly list -- with just 81,000 names-- from getting guns. There were no signs Monday that it was getting wide support or would receive a vote.. North Korea will not negotiate the release of two American citizens under arrest unless former detainee and American missionary Kenneth Bae stops using what Pyongyang considers to be slanderous language about the country. "If Bae continues, U.S. criminals held in our country will be in the pitiful state of never being able to set foot in their homeland once again," North Korea's state media said Monday. Bae was freed by North Korea in 2014 after two years of imprisonment. The U.S. missionary was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor after being convicted of planning to overthrow the North Korean government. Since Bae's release, he has written a book about his detention and has been promoting it with public speaking engagements. Bae says he became a "negotiating tool" for the North Koreans, some of whom he said had been "brainwashed." TUESDAY'S SPECIAL EVENTS VNA Blood Pressure and Blood Sugar Screenings: 8:30-10 a.m. June 21. Christi's Family Fitness, 1250 Old Dixie Highway, Vero Beach. Dog Care Basics and Training: 9 a.m.-noon June 21, 28, July 12. Humane Society of Vero Beach and Indian River County, 6230 77th St., Vero Beach. Ages: 8-11. $25. Register: 772-571-6418; jwinikoff@hsvb.org. Sebastian Area Widows/Widowers: MoBay Grill, 1401 Indian River Drive, Sebastian. Noon June 21. Ages: 55+. Reservation: 772-388-5914; mollyann0128@yahoo.com. TUESDAY'S RECURRING EVENTS ART/CRAFTS Sebastian River Art Club: Art classes. 9 a.m.-noon. Sebastian River Art Club's Art Center, 1245 Main St., Sebastian. 772-581-8281; sebastianriverartclub.org. DANCE Ballroom Dance Class/New Season: 6:30 p.m. 2369 N.E. Dixie Highway, Jensen Beach. Ages: 16+. $9 pp. per class. Register: 772-529-3325; sdancer516@aol.com. EXERCISE/HEALTH Intermediate Qigong and Tai Chi: Next level qigong exercises with linking form Tai Chi. 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. The Cloudwalker Place, 703 17th St., Vero Beach. All ages. $15 per class/$80 per month. 772-217-2887; www.thecloudwalker.com. Massage Therapy Consultation: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Advanced Motion Therapeutic, 2965 20th St., Vero Beach. Reservation: 772-567-8585; Info@amtvero.com. Orthopedic Rehabilitation Consultation: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Advanced Motion Therapeutic, 2965 20th St., Vero Beach. Reservation: 772-567-8585; Info@amtvero.com. Pilates Reformer Group Class: Reform your body, strengthen your core. Joseph Pilates Techniques. 5:30 p.m. The Club at Spine and Sport, 1345 36th St., Vero Beach. Adults. $90 for 6 weeks. Reservation: 772-559-0866; namaste5@yahoo.com. Silver Sneakers Chair Yoga with Carmen: 9 a.m. The Cloudwalker Place, 703 17th St., Vero Beach. All ages. $10 per class. 772-217-2887; www.thecloudwalker.com. Yoga with Carmen: 8 a.m. The Cloudwalker Place, 703 17th St., Vero Beach. All ages. $10 per class. 772-217-2887; www.thecloudwalker.com. GAMES Bar Bingo: 1 p.m. Sebastian Eagles Aerie 4067, 9606 Trade Center Drive, Sebastian. Adult. $1 per card. 772-589-6573; empresslp234@gmail.com. Duplicate Bridge Club: Duplicate Bridge: ACBL sanctioned, stratified, friendly Duplicate Bridge Games. 12:30 p.m. Vero Beach Community Center, 2266 14th Ave., Vero Beach. Ages: 18+. $6. 772-589-3741; nch143@aol.com. NATURE Adventure Kayaking: Naturalist guided kayak/ paddleboard tour on the Indian River Lagoon. 9 a.m.-Noon. Round Island Park south Highway A1A, Vero Beach. $25-$50. Reservation: 772-567-0522: paddleflorida.com. Group Eco-Tours: Your choice, kayak/ SUP. Snack/water provided. 9 a.m. McWilliams Park, Vero Beach. Please call for details. Reservation: 772-299-1286; www.orchidislandbikesandkayaks.com/. Motorized Kayak Adventures: A relaxing evening on the lagoon in a motorized kayak. 1 hour before sunset, Daily. Round Island Park, 2201 Highway A1A, Vero Beach. All ages. $35. Reservation: 772-380-6815; www.motorizedkayakadventures.com. Tours through the Mangrove Forests: Motorized Kayak Adventures. Varies based on tides, daily. Stan Blum Boat Launch, 613 North Causeway Drive, Fort Pierce. $48-60; Group discounts offered. Reservation: 772-380-6815; motorizedkayakadventures.com. OTHER Off-Leash Dog Park Small Dog Orientations: 3 p.m. Dogs For Life, Inc., Off-Leash Dog Park, 1230 16th Ave., Vero Beach. Ages: 6 months +, dogs must be inoculated, neutered & social. $100. Register: 772-567-8969; dogsforlifevb.org. TOPS (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly): Come and See how to lose weight sensibly and affordable. 6 p.m. First Christian Church of Vero, 1927 27th Ave., Vero Beach. $32 dues per year/$5 per month. 772-562-8148; www.tops.org. WEDNESDAY'S SPECIAL EVENTS Coffee with a Cop: No speeches or agenda. Just a chance to know officers. 8-10 a.m. June 22. McDonald's, 1925 U.S. 1, Vero Beach. 'Sky to Sea Tour': Cannon's Breakfast & tours at Piper Aircraft & Triton Submarines. 8 a.m. June 22. C J Cannons, Aviation Blvd. & 90th Ave., Vero Beach. $75 pp. Reservation: 772-569-8372; pgibbon49@gmail.com. Moonshot Community Literacy Summit: Literacy partners sharing success stories & addressing the next challenges. 8 a.m.-2 p.m. June 22. First Presbyterian Church, 520 Royal Palm Blvd., Vero Beach. Ages: 18. Reservation: summit@moonshotmoment.org. Cat Care Basics: 9 a.m.-noon June 22, 29, July 13. Humane Society of Vero Beach and Indian River County, 6230 77th St., Vero Beach. Ages: 8-11. $25. Register: 772-571-6418; jwinikoff@hsvb.org. VNA Blood Pressure and Blood Sugar Screenings: 9-11 a.m. June 22. VNA Hidden Treasures, 656 21st Street, Vero Beach. VNA Blood Pressure Screenings: 9:30-11:30 a.m. June 22. VNA Hidden Treasures Sebastian, 11646 U.S. 1, Sebastian. iPhone & iPad Basics 101 Course: A 3-week course designed for beginners. 5:30-7:30 p.m. June 22, 29. Island Images Studio, 2036 14th Ave., Suite 101, Vero Beach. $127-$150. Register: 772-231-3515; www.refreshfotos.com. Canine Good Citizen Preparation and Evaluation: Learn the skills to achieve your Canine Good Citizen award. 5:30 p.m. June 22, 29, July 6, 13, 20. Humane Society of Vero Beach, 6230 77th St., Vero Beach. $75. Register: 772-571-6409; www.hsvb.org. Pasta Dinner: 6 p.m. June 22. Vero Beach Elks Lodge, 1350 26th St., Vero Beach. $10. Reservation: 772-562-8450; veroelks.com. The Developing Brain: A discussion on adolescent brains and drug abuse. 9 a.m.; registration at 8:30 a.m. June 22. Heritage Center, 2140 14th Ave., Vero Beach. Register: 561-841-1215; martha@hanleycenterfoundation.org. WEDNESDAY'S RECURRING EVENTS CHILDREN/TEENS Capoeira for Children: Ancient Brazilian Dance Martial art form done to music. 5 p.m. The Cloudwalker Place, 703 17th St., Vero Beach. Ages: 4 +. $80. 772-217-2887; www.thecloudwalker.com. Karate and Qigong for Children: Japanese Go-Ju Karate and Chinese Qigong and Kung fu. 6 p.m. The Cloudwalker Place, 703 17th St., Vero Beach. Ages: 5-15 years old. $80 per month, Scholarships available. 772-217-2887; www.thecloudwalker.com. CLUBS Exchange Club of Indian River: Men's and women's service club working for child abuse prevention. Noon-1 p.m. Culinary Capers, 737 22nd St., Vero Beach. Adults. $15 for lunch. 772-766-5722; http://www.exchangeclubofindianriver.org. Indian River Model Sailing Club: Remote control model sailboat racing. 1-3 p.m. Hobart Lake, 77th St., between 58th Ave. and Dixie Highway, Vero Beach. 772-581-8300. DANCE Beginner Line Dancing Class: 10-11:30 a.m. American Legion Post, 807 Louisiana Ave., Sebastian. 772-589-8445. Youth Ballroom & Latin Dance Summer Classes: For High School through College age. 6-6:45 p.m. Royal Ballroom, 713 U.S. 1, Vero Beach. $65. Register: 772-299-5772; RoyalBallroomDance@gmail.com. EXERCISE/HEALTH Balance and Gait Therapy Consultation: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Advanced Motion Therapeutic, 2965 20th St., Vero Beach. Reservation: 772-567-8585; Info@amtvero.com. Capoeira Executives: Brazilian dance martial art form practice rhythmically to music. 4 p.m. The Cloudwalker Place, 703 17th St., Vero Beach. Ages: 35+. $80 per month. 772-217-2887; www.thecloudwalker.com. The Cloudwalker Place: Breathing and Movements to stretch and massage the body. 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. The Cloudwalker Place, 703 17th St., Vero Beach. All ages. $10 per class. 772-217-2887; www.thecloudwalker.com. Martial Arts for Executives: Japanese and Chinese internal arts training for therapeutic benefits. 7 p.m. The Cloudwalker Place, 703 17th St., Vero Beach. Ages: 15+. $90 per month. 772-217-2887; www.thecloudwalker.com. Massage Therapy Consultation: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Advanced Motion Therapeutic, 2965 20th St., Vero Beach. Reservation: 772-567-8585; Info@amtvero.com. Senior Strength Training: Group class using basic strength building exercises. 7:30 a.m., 8:40 a.m. Leisure Square, 3705 16th St., Vero Beach. Ages: 50 +. $5. Reservation: 772-321-6003; jasfitness.com. Water Aerobics: Water workout in the pool. Aerobics, resistance and flexibility. 10 a.m. Leisure Square, 3705 16th St., Vero Beach. $5. 772-321-6003; jasfitness.com. GAMES Bingo: Benefits all Elks charities. Noon Sebastian Elks Lodge, 731 S. Fleming St., Sebastian. 772-589-1516. MEALS Dinner: Pizza, pasta and more. 4:30-7 p.m. Italian American Club, 1600 25th Street, Vero Beach. Open to the public. Meals starting at $7. 772-778-1522; barbara270@bellsouth.net. Dinner and Karaoke: 6-10 p.m. Vero Beach Elks Lodge, 1350 26th St., Vero Beach. 772-562-8450; veroelks.com. NATURE Adventure Kayaking: Naturalist guided kayak/ paddleboard tour on the Indian River Lagoon. 9 a.m.-Noon. Round Island Park south Hwy A1A, Vero Beach. $25-$50. Reservation: 772-567-0522: paddleflorida.com. Motorized Kayak Adventures: A relaxing evening on the lagoon in a motorized kayak. 1 hour before sunset, Daily. Round Island Park, 2201 Highway A1A, Vero Beach. All ages. $35. Reservation: 772-380-6815; www.motorizedkayakadventures.com. Tours through the Mangrove Forests: Motorized Kayak Adventures. Varies based on tides, daily. Stan Blum Boat Launch, 613 North Causeway Drive, Fort Pierce. $48-60; Group discounts offered. Reservation: 772-380-6815; motorizedkayakadventures.com. OTHER All About Coloring: All About Coloring-the latest stress-reducing activity. 2-3 p.m. Brackett Library, 6155 College Lane, Vero Beach. Adults. 772-226-3080; www.irclibrary.org. Karaoke: 7-10 p.m. Vero Beach Elks Lodge, 1350 26th St., Vero Beach. 772-562-8450; veroelks.com. LaPorte Farms: Self guided tours, pony rides. 8 a.m.-2 p.m. daily. LaPorte Farms, 7700 129th St., Sebastian. Donations. 772-633-0813; laportefarms1@aol.com. Wednesday Open Mic Nights: 8:30 p.m.-Midnight. Kilted Mermaid, 1937 Old Dixie Hwy., Vero Beach. 772-569-5533; KiltedMermaid.com. LOOKING AHEAD Junior Humane Officer Training for Kids: 9 a.m.-noon June 23, 30, July 14. Humane Society of Vero Beach and IRC, 6230 77th St., Vero Beach. Ages: 8-11. $25. Register: 772-571-6418; jwinikoff@hsvb.org. Reactory Factory Science Show: 10:30 a.m. June 23. North IRC Library, 1001 Sebastian Blvd., Sebastian. 772-589-1355; www.irclibrary.org. Bucky & GIGI Show: 10:30 a.m. June 23. North IRC Library, 1001 Sebastian Blvd., Sebastian. 772-589-1355; www.irclibrary.org. Vero Beach Christian Business Association: Ministry spotlight on The Buggy Bunch. 11:30 a.m. June 23. The Plaza, 884 17th Street, Vero Beach. $15-$20. Reservation: lunch@vbcba.org. Family Dog Manners: Teach your dog to be a fabulous companion. 1 p.m. June 23, 30, July 7, 14. Humane Society of Vero Beach, 6230 77th St., Vero Beach. $75. Register: 772-571-6409; www.hsvb.org. Indian River Photo Club: Meeting. 6:30 p.m. June 23. Vero Beach Community Center, 2266 14th Ave., Vero Beach. www.indinriverphotoclub.org. Cataract Month Vision Screenings: Cataract Awareness Month Vision Screening Are You at Risk? 9-11 a.m. June 24. Florida Eye Institute, 2750 Indian River Blvd., Vero Beach. 772-569-9500; www.fleye.com. Animal Photography for Kids: 9 a.m.-Noon June 24, July 1, July 15. Humane Society of Vero Beach and Indian River County, 6230 77th St., Vero Beach. Ages: 8-11. $25. Register: 772-571-6418; jwinikoff@hsvb.org. Tampa Taiko: 10:30 a.m. June 24. IRC Main Library, 1600 21st Street, Vero Beach. 772-538-7558; www.irclibrary.org. Republicans for Life, Inc: School Board candidate forum for Districts 3 & 5. 11:30 a.m. June 24. Vero Beach Yacht Club, 3601 Rio Vista Blvd., Vero Beach. $20. Reservation: 772-562-1299; conipop@bellsouth.com. Vero Beach Air Show: Blue Angels air show performers. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. June 25-26. Vero Beach Regional Airport, 3400 Cherokee Drive, Vero Beach. $12-$25. Ticket: www.veroairshow.com. Humane Society Zumba Party: 2-4 p.m. June 25. Humane Society of Vero Beach and Indian River County, 6230 77th St., Vero Beach. $10. RSVP: 772-388-3331; gallen@hsvb.org. VNA Blood Pressure and Blood Sugar Screenings: 8:45-9:45 a.m. June 26. St. Elizabeth Episcopal Church, 901 Clearmont St., Sebastian. Green Market Pet Festival and Dog Wash Fundraiser: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. June 26. Downtown Stuart by the Riverwalk Stage, 121 S.W. Flagler Ave., Stuart. 772-223-8822; www.hstc1.org. Theatre-Go-Round Dinner Theatre: 'From Sea to Shining Sea'. 4:30 p.m. June 26. July 17, Aug. 7, 21, Sept. 18. Quilted Giraffe Restaurant, 500 South U.S. 1, Vero Beach. Reservation: 772-252-9341; theatregorounddinnertheatre.com. VNA Blood Pressure and Blood Sugar Screenings: 8:30-10 a.m. June 27. Sebastian Gym & Fitness, 345 Sebastian Blvd., Sebastian. Veterinary Basics: 9 a.m.-noon June 27, July 11. Humane Society of Vero Beach and Indian River County, 6230 77th St., Vero Beach. Ages: 8-11. $30. Register: 772-571-6418; jwinikoff@hsvb.org. VNA Blood Pressure and Blood Sugar Screenings: 9 -10:30 a.m. June 27. VNA Hidden Treasures, 656 21st Street, Vero Beach. Canine Manners: Learn a variety of methods to teach polite leash manners. 5:30 p.m. June 27, July 11, 18, 25. Humane Society of Vero Beach, 6230 77th St., Vero Beach. $75. Register: 772-571-6409; www.hsvb.org. Family Dog Manners: Teach your dog to be a wonderful companion. 6:30 p.m. June 27. Humane Society of Vero Beach, 6230 77th St., Vero Beach. $75. Register: 772-571-6409; www.hsvb.org. Pelican Island Preservation Society: Pelican Island Preservation Society General Meeting. 7 p.m. June 27. North Indian River County Library, 1001 Sebastian Blvd., Sebastian. 772-202-0697; www.firstrefuge.org. VNA Blood Pressure Screenings: 10:30-11:30 a.m. June 28. By the River 11065 Ganga Way, #311 Sebastian. Cha Cha Social Dance Patterns Mini Series: Singles and Couples. 7-7:45 p.m. June 28. Royal Ballroom, 1625 35th Ave., Vero Beach. $12. 772-299-5772. Showbirdz Parrot Show: 10:30 a.m. June 30. North IRC Library, 1001 Sebastian Blvd., Sebastian. 772-589-1355; www.irclibrary.org. JULY Jiggleman: 10:30 a.m. July 1. IRC Main Library, 1600 21st Street, Vero Beach. 772-538-7558; www.irclibrary.org. Ride Against Hunger: Charity ride with 75 and 30 mile routes. 7:30 a.m. July 2. Downtown Vero Beach, 2140 14th Ave., Vero Beach. $45 early registration. Register: 772-770-0740; www.Rideagainstpoverty.org. USA Dance Vero Beach: Sunday afternoon social ballroom dances for all. 3-6 p.m. July 3. The Heritage Center, 2140 14th Ave, Vero Beach. Ages: 16+. Public $10/members $8. 772-770-9684; verodance.org. Bankruptcy and Fair Debt Collections Know Your Rights: Clinics on Bankruptcy and Fair Debt Collections. 2:30 p.m. July 5, Aug. 1, Sept. 6, Oct. 4, Nov. 7, Dec. 5. Indian River Courthouse, Jury Assembly Room, 2000 16th Avenue, Vero Beach. Register: 772-466-4766; www.FRLS.org. James Songster's Magic & Mayhem Show: 10:30 a.m. July 7. North IRC Library, 1001 Sebastian Blvd., Sebastian. 772-589-1355; www.irclibrary.org. Extreme Animals: 10:30 a.m. July 8. IRC Main Library, 1600 21st Street, Vero Beach. 772-538-7558; www.irclibrary.org. Vero Beach Power Squadron: Become a safer, skilled and educated boater. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. July 9. Vero Beach Power Squadron, 301 Acacia Road, Vero Beach. Ages: 12+. $35. Register: 772-532-6893; vbps-safeboatingclass@gmx.com. Flamenco Workshop: Flamenco is a form of dance originated in Spain. 2 p.m. July 9. Spine and Sport, 1345 36th St., Vero Beach. Adults. $20-$40. Reservation: 772-202-7246; angie.hirzel@gmail.com. Artful Storytime: Gallery tour, picture book reading, and Art activity. 10:30-11:15 a.m. July 11. Vero Beach Museum Of Art, 3001 Riverside Park Drive, Vero Beach. Ages: 3-6. 772-231-0707; www.verobeachmuseum.org. AARP Smart Driver Course: 9 a.m. July 13. Vero Beach Police Department, 1055 20th St., Vero Beach. $15 mem/$20 non. Reservation: 301-518-5852. iPhone & iPad Basics 102 Course: 3-week course. 5:30-7:30 p.m. July 13, 20, 27. Island Images Studio, 2036 14th Ave., Suite 101, Vero Beach. $127-$150. Register: 772-231-3515; www.refreshfotos.com. Showtime for Kids Magic & Comedy Show: 10:30 a.m. July 14. North IRC Library, 1001 Sebastian Blvd., Sebastian. 772-589-1355; www.irclibrary.org. Curious Moon Puppets: 10:30 a.m. July 15. IRC Main Library, 1600 21st Street, Vero Beach. 772-538-7558; www.irclibrary.org. Pet First Aid and CPR for Kids: 9 a.m.-Noon July 18. Humane Society of Vero Beach and IRC, 6230 77th St., Vero Beach. Ages: 8-11. $30. Register: 772-571-6418; jwinikoff@hsvb.org. Extreme Animals: 10:30 a.m. July 21. North IRC Library, 1001 Sebastian Blvd., Sebastian. 772-589-1355; www.irclibrary.org. Showbirdz Parrots: 10:30 a.m. July 22. IRC Main Library, 1600 21st Street, Vero Beach. 772-538-7558; www.irclibrary.org. Christmas in July: Great family event to benefit Shop With A Cop. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. July 23. Riverview Park, 600 U.S. 1, Sebastian. 772-978-6248; http://www.sebastianpd.org/christmas-in-july.html. SHARE Joshua Lott, 28, 4300 block of Southeast Field Street, Stuart; possession of marijuana with intent to sell within 1,000 feet of a park; possession of MDMA. Douglas Parks-Schauer, 21, 3300 block of Southeast Evergreen Street, Stuart; burglary of an unoccupied dwelling; warrant for violation of probation, armed burglary. Marvin Conley, 32, Opa-locka; out-of-county warrants, Palm Beach County, grand theft, organized scheme to defraud. Jesse Campbell, 26, Belfair, Washington; possession of a controlled substance (amphetamines). Albert Lenches, 56, 7900 block of Southeast Woodview Terrace, Hobe Sound; driving while license suspended, habitual offender. Arrested in St. Lucie County. Alexis Buttermore, 21, 11000 block of Southwest Kanner Highway, Stuart; re-admit, possession of heroin, possession of drug paraphernalia. Arrested in St. Lucie County. SHARE Tom Campenni Eula Clarke Troy McDonald Three Stuart city commissioners filed paperwork Monday to run for re-election to their seats, and none have any challengers so far. Tom Campenni, 63, in the Group 1 seat, has been a commissioner since 2014. He is the owner of the Thomas F. Campenni Co., which is a New York real estate brokerage and consulting firm. He is a licensed real estate broker in Florida, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut and a licensed insurance broker in New York and Florida. He is a current member of the Realtor Association of Martin County. He has a bachelor's in advanced real estate studies from Fordham University and is a current member of the Stuart LPA/PBA and current chair of the Stuart Centennial Task Force. Troy McDonald, 48, in the Group 3 seat, is a former mayor and has been a city commissioner for more than five years. He is vice president of the Business Development Board of Martin County, according to his LinkedIn account, and he is a committee member of the Friends of the NRA group. McDonald graduated from Davis College in Toledo, Ohio, with an associate's degree in applied business. He started a business, Duces Tecum Process Serving, Inc., in 1998 and is currently the president. Eula Clarke, 59, in the Group 5 seat, was vice mayor from December 2011 to December 2012. She received a master's in urban and regional planning in 1981 from Florida State University and a law degree from the University of Florida in 1996. She is an attorney and was born in Jamaica, according to her Facebook profile. Friday is the qualifying deadline for the Aug. 30 election. Commissioners are volunteers who serve four-year terms. FORT PIERCE Omar Mateen's actions while at the Corrections Officer Academy at what is now Indian River State College led him to lose his job at a state prison in early 2007, according to state Department of Corrections documents. Mateen, 20 years old at the time, was enrolled in the Florida Corrections Academy on the college campus in Fort Pierce and worked as a prison guard at Martin Correctional Institution in Indiantown at the same time. MORE | From childhood to the massacre, what happened to Omar Mateen? Last week, authorities in Orlando identified Mateen as the gunman who killed 49 people and wounded 53 in a shooting spree at the Pulse gay nightclub, in what has been called the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. Mateen earned a degree in criminal justice technology from the college in 2006. Later that year, he was hired as a guard at Martin Correctional, then began attending the Florida Corrections Academy. The college's Criminal Justice Institute includes the Department of Corrections' basic training program. It takes about four months to complete the training, which is held at the Treasure Coast Public Safety Training Complex, 4600 Kirby Loop Road, Fort Pierce. 'Typically, while enrolled at the academy, correctional officer recruits will work a few hours a week at the institution in addition to their classroom training time,' department spokesman Alberto C. Moscoso said in a statement Monday. 'Their combined academic and on-site training still constitutes a 40-hour workweek.' In Mateen's evaluation at the end of February 2007, supervisors rated the rookie guard as 'meets expectations' in all 15 performance categories. A supervisor wrote in the evaluation that Mateen was on track to become a good corrections officer. But two months later in April 2007 academy staff reprimanded Mateen twice for falling asleep in class, leaving campus without properly checking out, and making a comment to another student about bringing a gun to campus. According to state records, a corrections academy student told administrators that Mateen asked the student if he (Mateen) were to bring a gun to school, would the student tell anyone. That comment was made on April 14, two days before the mass shooting at Virginia Tech University, where 32 people died. Later that month, Warden P.H. Skipper of Martin Correctional fired Mateen, who was still in a probationary period at the prison. Skipper had been notified by the academy about Mateen's reprimands. Academies are in constant communication with the leadership at the institutions that provide them recruits, Moscoso said. 'In light of recent tragic events at Virginia Tech, Officer Mateen's inquiry about bringing a weapon to class is at best extremely disturbing,' Skipper wrote. Mateen did not complete the basic training program at the corrections academy and was not certified as a correctional officer, according to documents. A box for 'administrative termination not involving misconduct' was checked on Mateen's dismissal form by the prison. Eight years later in 2015, Mateen failed to get into IRSC's Police Academy. Lee Spector, Criminal Justice Training Institute director, wrote a letter to Mateen on March 2 that year which stated 'information was discovered which caused your application to be denied at this time.' Spector said last week he would not comment further about the school turning down Mateen that year. In his application to the school in 2015, Mateen marked 'yes' that he'd had a criminal record sealed and expunged. That case involved charges of battery and disrupting a school function in 2001 when he was a Martin County High School student. The first charge was adjudicated, while the second was dropped, according to records. PORT ST. LUCIE Orlando mass shooter Omar Mateen and his family had a few contacts with local law enforcement officials over the years, according to law enforcement records. None appear to foreshadow the killing rampage Mateen, 29, carried out in the early morning hours of June 12 at the gay nightclub Pulse. Sitora Yusufiy, Mateen's first wife who married him in 2009 and divorced him in 2011, has told national media that he was abusive. The two lived in St. Lucie County. MORE | From childhood to mass shooting, what happened to Omar Mateen? Law enforcement officials with the Fort Pierce and Port St. Lucie police departments and the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office reported responding to no domestic abuse issues between the two. Here's what showed up in a search of law enforcement records from St. Lucie and Martin counties involving the family: St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara (center) addresses the public while local and federal law enforcement search the residence of Orlando shooter Omar Mateen on June 12 in Fort Pierce. (JEREMIAH WILSON/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS) SHARE By Ken Mascara Helen Keller once said, "Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows." This statement is interesting because at 19-months of age, Hellen Keller was stricken both blind and deaf. She couldn't see the sunshine at all, only shadows. However, she went on to become the first deaf blind person to earn a bachelor's degree. She even learned to speak and read people's lips with her hands. The recent terrorist event in our state can easily be looked upon as a shadow over us, over Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Florida and our nation. However, as Keller reminds us, we should keep our faces to the sunshine and avoid letting this tragedy define, mold or change us. MORE | Complete coverage on Omar Mateen and the Orlando shootings. As our hearts are still heavy for the victims, survivors and their families, we must not let the devastation be our focus. St. Lucie County continues to be a shining star for countless noteworthy reasons. Our beautiful beaches, top-notch educational and research institutions, arts and cultural influences and threads of historical fabric like Zora Neale Hurston, A.E. Beanie Backus, the Highwaymen and the Navy Seals. Yes, the person responsible for one of the most horrific acts of violence in our nation's modern history lived here. But he was not one of us. He did not embrace diversity and culture. He did not value the solidarity that our faith community has established here. He did not appreciate the initiatives that lift up our community, such as the Van Duzer Foundation's First Step program, state Rep. Larry Lee's Restoring the Village movement, the Kids at Hope program that is pervasive throughout the St. Lucie County School District or the interfaith network of houses of worship throughout our community who come together to affect change in a wide range of issues to improve the lives of others. Law enforcement agencies on the Treasure Coast work shoulder-to-shoulder to ensure your safety. Through outlets like Facebook, local television and radio shows, websites and publications such as TCPalm, these law enforcement agencies share news, crime trends and important updates on critical situations. We all promote and respond immediately to the national "See Something, Say Something" campaign, which encourages residents like you to report suspicious or illegal behavior. Through forums on our websites and social media pages, phone numbers and our partner organization, Crime Stoppers, every tip received is thoroughly investigated. Over the coming days, weeks and months, the out-of-town media will leave, the investigation will conclude, the survivors will heal and St. Lucie County will continue to be a shining star on the Treasure Coast and throughout Florida. All it takes is for us to remember to face the sunshine. Ken Mascara is sheriff of St. Lucie County. News outlets line the street as local and federal law enforcement search at the residence of Orlando shooter Omar Mateen on June 12 in Fort Pierce. (JEREMIAH WILSON/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS) SHARE By Paul Janensch I have some concerns about the way the news media, especially television and digital sites, covered the killing of 49 at a gay nightclub in Orlando. Generally, news providers, including print and radio, did a commendable job keeping the public informed about a shattering event that occurred in the early morning of June 12. But mistakes were made. The motive? Commentators and public figures were invited to speculate on why Omar Mateen of Fort Pierce, a Muslim son of Afghan immigrants, went on a shooting rampage. MORE | Complete coverage on Omar Mateen and the Orlando shootings. Some said it was an attack directed by "Islamic terrorists." Some said it was a hate crime targeting the gay community. Some said it showed we need MORE gun control. Some said it showed we need LESS gun control. Maybe someone in the club could have shot the assailant, members of the latter group theorized (including Donald Trump). In fact, the blatherers knew no more than news consumers who were following the story and should not have been given a platform for their subjective views. While we are focused on subjectivity, let me note that CNN's Anderson Cooper, who is openly gay, forgot he was supposed to be an objective anchor and berated Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi for opposing same-sex marriage. Showing his feelings about the bloodshed is understandable, but Cooper crossed the line separating emotion from advocacy. The rifle? Law enforcement officials first identified one of the weapons as an "AR-15 type" rifle. They later corrected themselves and said it was a Sig Sauer MCX. But many news outlets were slow to heed the correction and continued to call it an AR-15. Both rifles are legal, lightweight, semi-automatic (one must pull the trigger to fire each round) civilian versions of military weapons. But they aren't the same. And it's unfair to say a murder weapon was made by a certain manufacturer when it wasn't. By confusing the two, the media gave ammunition (if I may put it that way) to those who accuse journalists of being ignorant about firearms. Name the shooter? Regarding the shooter, Omar Mateen, CNN's Chris Cuomo bragged in a tweet sent out Monday afternoon, June 13, "I have not said his name once." Of course, CNN continued to name the shooter and show his picture. Cuomo seemed to be agreeing with the contention that the news media should not name mass killers because they are motivated by a desire to be famous. That same day, FBI Director James Comey said at a news briefing, "You will notice that I'm not using the killer's name." But he did name Mateen on TV the day before. I agree the news media should exercise restraint and never treat criminals as glamorous celebrities. But not name a mass killer or show his image? That's ridiculous. It's the "who" of the story. Marty Baron, executive editor of The Washington Post, put it well when he said, "We report news. That includes the identity of criminal suspects including mass murderers and terrorists." The deadliest? Early news reports called the Orlando massacre "the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history." No, it wasn't. Looking back a ways, we can see that mass killings of Native Americans and African-Americans were worse. It was the deadliest in MODERN U.S. history. That's bad enough. Paul Janensch, a seasonal resident of Vero Beach, was a newspaper editor and taught journalism at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut. Email: paul.janensch@quinnipiac.edu. "It's my passion, I love it," said Emily Slawski, a member of the Swedish Royal Ballet from Sebastian, while working out with students in ballet class June 16 at Indian River Charter High School in Vero Beach. "It's a challenge, it's exciting, you always learn something new every day." (ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS) By Angela Smith, Special to Treasure Coast Newspapers In a Vero Beach dance studio a group of young ballerinas point their toes and glide across the floor, learning to be more disciplined as better performers. Cheering them on as they practice a solo from the second act of the Russian ballet, "Raymonda," is Emily Slawski, a member of the Royal Swedish Ballet. "Everyone is doing a great job," Slawski tells the students as they take a short break. "You just need more attitude, this is a piece where you can never have enough." Four years ago, at 16, Slawski left her hometown of Sebastian to join the Scandinavia ballet company. Slawski has a lifetime contract with the international company and is back home for the summer letting aspiring ballerinas know she was once in their shoes. "I know exactly how they feel and I really do believe that if you work hard and you're dedicated, you can do it," said Slawski, who is teaching a three-week advanced ballet class at Indian River Charter High School for the third summer. In addition to teaching students the right moves, the professional dancer also shares pointers she's learned along the way. "I'm just trying to give all the information that I've learned in these four years about everything," Slawski said. "I give tips on what could help them because I didn't get that when I was younger and I happy I can do that here." Injured for the first two years in Sweden, Slawski hopes her words of advice resonate with the young ballerinas who hope to one day dance professionally. She emphasizes stretching, getting massages and doing exercises. "I tell them it's very important, it's not just about going into class and rehearsing and practicing, it's about making sure you strengthen your body and your muscles so you don't get injuries," she said. Hedi Khursandi, Indian River Charter High School's ballet director, said he feels privileged to have watched his former student grow into a professional dancer and inspire others. Olivia Shulke, 16, who is taking Slawski's summer class, said she feels excited and motivated to do better. "She gives you the mindset of working hard and knowing how to push yourself and your limit and also past your limit it's a challenge, but I love it." Q & A WITH EMILY SLAWSKI Did you ever think you'd become a professional ballerina when you started taking classes at age 10? Slawski: Honestly when I first started I thought it was the most boring thing. It was completely not what I wanted to do. But if I wanted to dance I had to continue with it and the more I did it, the more I found a passion for it. I never thought I'd be dancing for the Royal Swedish Ballet, but I always knew deep down I would be doing this as a career because I was so dedicated. I felt like I have to do this no matter what and knew I was going to work my hardest and do my best, but I had no idea I would end up in Sweden. My mom is Swedish and I always wanted to live there, so that was a dream of mine and being in a ballet company was a dream of mine, so putting those two together, it couldn't have been better. What do you miss most about your hometown Sebastian? Slawski: It's home. But I couldn't see myself living here again because I need to stay busy, especially now that I'm so used to being busy and here it's very relaxed. But I do miss the beaches and my family of course. I miss the calmness in a way, because now I'm living in a city and I grew up here and I wasn't used to living in a big city. But I miss driving too. It's very hard to get your license over there, but when I come here I always drive. How does it feel performing and living internationally? Slawski: It's indescribable, I don't have words to describe how it makes me feel. I'm so lucky and blessed to have this career and do what I love and I get paid for it and I don't even think about that because it's what I'm meant to do and I can make a living off it. And I get to travel the world for free. How much training and work is involved? Slawski: It takes a lot. I didn't train as much like I should have when I was younger over here. I was practicing five days a week, each day for three hours and in Sweden we practice five days, sometimes six days a week, seven hours a day. But it makes me feel like nothing else. It doesn't matter if I wake up in a bad mood, I go to work and I start dancing and everything goes away. It's the challenge of learning something new everyday, it's never ending. 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. It's not just that the doors of Europe are closing to refugees; for those who have survived sniper fire, minefields, swift-moving rivers and roadside bombs, just trying to get into overflowing refugee camps in their home countries is proving impossible. They are among the record 65.3 million people worldwide displaced from their homes, according to the UN refugee agency, the UNHCR -- a 10 percent increase over last year. Half of them are children. "Twenty-four people are displaced every minute," said UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi. "Two-thirds of the forcibly displaced are internally displaced. Ninety percent of the forcibly displaced are displaced in poor or middle-income countries, not in the rich world." Close to 10 million of the world's refugees are Syrian. Three million have fled to neighboring countries; the rest are internally displaced within Syria. While Syria remains the largest forcibly displaced crisis in the world, neighboring Iraq has been overwhelmed by people fleeing Islamic State-held territory. "They've been eating rotting, expired dates and drinking from the river, which is unfit for drinking, and now they are finding themselves out there and we are unable to cope and help everyone," said Karl Schembri, a spokesman for the Norwegian Refugee Council in Baghdad. For those who have found haven in the camps, an atmosphere of despair is descending. Like many others, the Harsham refugee camp in northern Iraq is taking on an air of permanence. Camp manager Ahmed Abdo says the residents have lost hope of returning home. "The people have been trying to improve their life by adding more rooms to their living areas, including guest rooms, as well as other facilities attached to the house, because honestly these people have given up hope that they can go back to their homes and houses in the near future." It's not just the Middle East. In Kenya, the Dadaab camp is slated for closure, leaving hundreds of thousands of Somali refugees in limbo. "Young people, who have been living here for more than 25 years, whose only known home is here, are now worried about their future," says camp official Ruqiyo Ali Raage, noting that the prospect of returning to Somalia is raising alarms. High commissioner Grandi tells VOA that new areas of displacement keep popping up. While Burundi has been in and out of conflict for decades, he says that over the past year, there has been a surge of internally displaced people and refugees. "Then there are crises like South Sudan that have also gone through different phases. We are, unfortunately, in an upsurge phase," Grandi said. "There is a new movement out of Afghanistan. Even people that have been refugees in Iran for a long time -- Afghans -- are moving on." During the past year, millions of refugees and migrants have tried to reach Europe, and the UNHCR is warning of a "climate of xenophobia" across the continent. In May, 19,000 migrants came ashore in Italy from North Africa. The European Union is seeking to cooperate with Libyan coast guards to stem the flow, but that is not the right way to deal with the crisis, argues Gauri van Gulik of Amnesty International. Grandi says that the huge numbers of people on the move carried an important message for the rich countries of Europe and beyond. "If you don't solve problems, problems will come to you, and that is a powerful message," Grandi said. "It is a painful message, and it is painful that it has taken so long for people in the rich countries to understand that, but I think it is a call for action." "It's absolutely clear that Europe is not prepared, in the sense that it's focused purely on outsourcing of its responsibility again. It's just looking at how can we stop people from coming, rather than how do we create a managed flow of people, those who need protection, into Europe." Latest figures show a continued sharp fall in the number of migrants traveling from Turkey to Greece. The deal struck in March between Brussels and Ankara means all new arrivals on the Greek islands are supposed to be sent back to Turkey. Critics say the European Union is trying to create a "Fortress Europe." Among those critics is Serafeim Seferiadis of Panteion University in Athens. "The idea has not been how to implement the secure passage of people, how to end drownings and killings and all that," Seferiadis said. "Because if that were the objective, it would have been very easy to solve, because the refugee population, no matter how large it is and it is obviously very large, one must remember that it's less than one percent of the European population." European ministers who met Monday in Luxembourg said the regional grouping is dealing with the refugee crisis. They added that it is vital to work with third-world countries like Libya and Turkey to address the problem. The UN refugee agency said it is inevitable more people will try to reach Europe because of global inequality in wealth and security. The United States says it will try to do its part. The State Department noted that the U.S. contributed $6 billion in humanitarian aid last year, and promised to boost refugee resettlement from nearly 70,000 people admitted in 2015 to 85,000 this year. Google is rumored to be developing a direct competitor to Amazons Echo, code-named Chirp. The device, which might resemble the OnHub router (pictured above), would incorporate its Google Now voice assistant technology. Google likely will launch the product later this year, according to a Wednesday Recode article that debunked earlier reports suggesting Google would launch the new system at its annual I/O developer conference next week. Google likely will preview the system at I/O, as well as reveal some of its emerging technology in the virtual reality market, Recode said. Echos Success The Echo has been one of Amazons biggest product launches in years. It combines a speaker with the Alexa personal digital assistant voice recognition software that answers questions, sounds alerts, maintains lists, reorders Amazon Prime products, plays music, and controls compatible door locks, lights and other home automation systems, among other things. Amazon has sold more than 3 million Echo units since the products launch in late 2014, Consumer Intelligence Research Partners reported last month. Consumers are using the Echo for many different purposes, according to CIRPs research, with more using it to stream music and answer questions than to control home utilities and security. Google has substantial experience in integrating its hardware and software, noted Michael Levin, cofounder of CIRP. However, even if it does bring the rumored product to fruition, Amazon will not roll over and cede any ground, he added. Amazon is a smart, determined competitor in many spaces and defends its products energetically, Levin told TechNewsWorld. Although the rumor seems credible, its not likely that Google is going to raise the bar with the introduction of an Echo competitor, maintained Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group. They really havent been all that successful with new products, so I doubt [Amazon CEO Jeff] Bezos is staying up late worrying about their offering, he told TechNewsWorld. That said, I agree much of the future of in-home IoT will likely be tied to something like Echo, Enderle continued, and Im kind of surprised that we havent heard of an Apple offering yet. Integrating Hardware With Search Googles product likely will function as a complementary hardware device to Googles search engine and other service-oriented apps, such as maps and business solutions, said Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT. If customers queried a Chirp device about pizza delivery, they might be steered towards Google clients or restaurants highly rated by Google users, he told TechNewsWorld. It makes sense that Google would develop a competitor to the Echo as a complement to its line of home automation products at Nest, said Kevin Krewell, principal analyst at Tirias Research. The home portal is a natural extension of Googles speech recognition technology, he told TechNewsWorld, although the challenge will be how do people react to Google having so much access inside their houses. Consider that Google kept the Nest separate for that very reason. Snapchat recently began rolling out its redesigned Discover page. It now displays images and headline previews of the content inside Discover channels and Live stories on the Stories page. It previously displayed only logos for publishers or events on those sites. Publishers now can include an image and a headline to promote each days story. Their stories will run beside user-contributed Live Stories on both the Discover and Stories pages. The Discover page has a grid of tiles, similar to Pinterest. The Stories page combines the rows of static Discover channels into one scrollable row. Snapchat users now can tap and hold to subscribe to their favorite Discover channels, instead of having to pull them up out of the entire Discover list as before. Subscribing will place unread stories below updates from users friends on the Stories page. The redesign could help with the number of hits a publisher gets, since it will put the content in the same context as Live Stories, noted Mike Jude, a program manager at Stratecast/Frost & Sullivan. The subscribe feature is kind of nice too, because then if you see something on your Stories, its because you put it there, he told the E-Commerce Times. Looking for the Gold Snapchats redesign may help it take on the competition YouTube and Facebook more effectively. The tiled view could help draw more advertisers to Snapchat, which reportedly has hit 150 million users daily, up from 110 million in December. Thats still a far cry from Facebooks 1.1 billion daily active users worldwide, though. On the other hand, consumers viewed 3 billion videos on Snapchat daily last July, while Facebook chalked up about 4 billion. YouTube hit the 4-billion video view mark in 2012. Big brands reportedly are paying millions of dollars for video ads on Live Stories or in Snapchats Discover network in an effort to reach young people. More than 60 percent of smartphone users aged 13 to 34 use Snapchat, the company has claimed, and advertisers are hungry for access to that demographic. Advertising is primarily a push dynamic, [but] Snapchat is more of a pull dynamic, Jude remarked. As an advertiser, you always look for the people who are clicking into your copy. You want active readers rather than passive ones. Content Marketings Rosy Future Content marketing will be a US$300 billion industry by 2019, PQ Media has predicted. Engagement with branded content is significantly higher on smartphones than on desktops and tablets, according to the Polar report for April 2016. The big opportunity for publishers and advertisers is clearly on mobile, the Polar report points out. Advertising Success Is Ephemeral Snapchat is crossing that dangerous chasm from social media site to viable business, Jude cautioned. Monetization is hard and demands that the basic social model change to either capture more advertising attention or more subscription revenue and getting the balance is critical. Snapchat is trying to steer clear of subscriptions, he said, but as an advertising channel, it must demonstrate that it can capture and hold peoples attention long enough for advertising to stick. However, Snapchat moments are very brief and focused on a communication that lasts for a matter of seconds, said Larry Chiagouris, professor of marketing at Pace University. Snapchat and media partners will need to train an entire generation to get news from the Snapchat ecosystem, he told The E-Commerce Times. This is doable, but not in the near future, and could take years. Until Snapchat moments can be proven to impact consumer behavior, Chiagouris said, advertisers will not jump on board beyond a little experimentation. Before the FBI managed to access the data with the aid of outside third-parties, Apple was prepared for a legal battle to prevent the government agency from ordering the creation of a backdoor to the San Bernardino iPhone. The case lent more fuel to the 'security vs privacy' debate that has, among other things, led to some members of governments calling for communication apps to weaken their encryption or implement backdoors. Several current and upcoming messaging services, such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and Allo, offer end-to-end encryption. While those calling for the ability to access users' messages say it's in the interests of national security, such a move has been met with resistance from technology experts and privacy advocates, who say it would likely cause more harm than good. But over in Russia, it looks as if a new bill will mean backdoors in encrypted messaging apps may soon become mandatory. According to a report in The Daily Dot, the rule is part of a proposed "anti-terrorist" bill in the country's lowest legislative house. Should it become law, the legislation will see companies that refuse to introduce backdoors into their apps facing fines of up to 1 million rubles or around $15,500. One Russian senator, Yelena Mizuliana, said teens are brainwashed in closed groups on the internet to murder police officers, bizarrely, so there should be methods that allow the Federal Security Service to circumvent encryption. Mizuliana even suggested that the backdoors didn't go far enough. "Maybe we should revisit the idea of pre-filtering [messages]," she said. "We cannot look silently on this." If mandatory backdoors become the law in Russia, it will be interesting to see how the messaging companies react. Iran is another country looking to clamp down on messaging apps. The Middle Eastern state is demanding that foreign messaging services "transfer all data and activity linked to Iranian citizens into the country in order to ensure their continued activity." In early March, the United States Department of Defense challenged cybersecurity experts to hack some of its public websites. Known as "Hack the Pentagon," the pilot project allowed hackers to identify vulnerabilities in the department's security before the government's adversaries do. Months later, more than 250 participants out of 1,400 have sent in at least one vulnerability report, with 138 of those vulnerabilities determined to be unique, legitimate and "eligible for a bounty," the department said. White Hat Hacking Such flaws in security were detected by an 18-year-old who spent 10 to 15 hours between classes hacking U.S. Defense websites. David Dworken, who has just graduated from high school, is one of two white hat hackers praised by Defense Secretary Ash Carter on June 17 for successfully finding security flaws. White hat hackers such as Dworken and Stratum Security consultant Craig Arendt, who was also recognized by Carter, specialize in breaking into systems to assess and test the security of an organization. In contrast, black hat hackers engage in malicious hacking. They often breach security and exploit them for personal gain. Carter says black hat hackers and state-sponsored actors want to challenge and take advantage of the department's networks. He also said what they have not fully appreciated before the program was the presence of white hat hackers who actually want to make a difference instead of spreading harm. Dworken reported six "bugs" in security, but did not receive a bounty because they had already been reported, according to Reuters. He said some of the flaws would have allowed black hat hackers to steal account information and display whatever they wanted on the websites. Dworken, who will take up computer science at Northeastern University, said he had been approached by recruiters about possible internships over the summer. He said his first experience with detecting vulnerabilities was in 10th grade, when he discovered bugs on his school website. What This Means For Security The program is considered as a cost-effective method to scour five of the defense department's websites, which include dodlive.mil, defense.gov, dvidshub.net, dimoc.mil and myafn.net for bugs in security. Instead of coordinating with security firms, which would likely cost $1 million, the department recruited amateurs to do it for much less. Now, it costs approximately $150,000. The Pentagon paid about $75,000 to successful hackers in small amounts that range from $100 to $15,000. Hack the Pentagon, which lasted from April 18 to May 12, was limited only to public websites. The hackers did not have access to weapons code and other highly sensitive areas. Just like the Improv DARPA weapons program, Hack the Pentagon is important for security as it allows the government to prevent and anticipate potential issues, especially from adversaries. "The more gaps we can find, the more vulnerabilities we can fix, and the greater security we can provide to our warfighters," said Carter. Photo: John Ward | Flickr 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Earlier in June, ridesharing service Uber tapped into a new market in Amsterdam through UberBike. The service allows riders to request for rides that have bike racks installed in their vehicles, allowing them to reach their destination along with their bike. In Pakistan, an Uber rival is tapping into a wider market that Uber has failed to capitalize on: low-income residents. Named Rixi, a local competitor to the multinational giant Uber is looking to mix old technology with new ideas to cater to the needs of customers who prefer to travel in rickshaws and not cars. The startup is also not utilizing expensive smartphones for its platform, and is instead using the older SMS messaging technology found in cheaper mobile phones. According to Adnan Khawaja, the founder of Rixi, the company works with more than 1,000 rickshaw operators in the bustling city of Lahore, where many residents rely on the noisy three-wheeled vehicles to get around. There are more than 130 million recorded mobile phone subscriptions in Pakistan, but only 21 percent of customers have subscribed to the data packages that are required for smartphones. The city of Lahore, likewise, does not boast of a significant number of smartphone users, which gave Rixi the idea to tap into the relatively low-tech market. Rixi works by having customers send an SMS message to a dedicated phone number that includes the pick-up address and the destination address. Rickshaw operators will then send their bids for the services to the customer within three to five minutes, with the bids to come with a 50 percent discount if they come in after five minutes. The bids could also come with service ratings from the operator's previous rides. Customers are required to respond within eight minutes on which of the bids the customer will accept. A confirmation message will be sent to the customer, with the rickshaw driver to arrive at the designated pick-up spot within 10 to 15 minutes. On the Rixi website, the company is also giving more customers a chance to use the service through an expansion of coverage. Customers can send in requests to unlock a certain area for Rixi, and if 30 requests from different mobile numbers are received, the service will expand to the area. Rixi is also offering points to customers who refer the service to others, with every referred customer good for one free ride, and the points being accumulated to increase the chances of winning a variety of gifts from the company. Uber has declined to issue a comment on the business model of Rixi. Entrepreneurs Shehmir Shaikh, meanwhile, noted that Uber is not in tune with the transport market in Pakistan, as there is no readily available technology that will allow the international company to replicate its success in countries with higher smartphone penetration figures. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Cybercrime, be it personal or nationwide, has seen a growing number of occurrences through the advent of the internet and modern technology. More and more avenues open up for malicious attackers to take advantage of, which not only cause major losses to business sectors but also have the probability of generating security threats on a global scale. "Cyberattacks are also happening on the national scale as the internet becomes another arena for global conflict," writes Rebecca Blumenstein in a recently published article in the Wall Street Journal. Current military efforts are fought on land, but the government acknowledges that a looming threat of terrorist activity may shift to the virtual community, causing significant damages to a nation's security. While no imminent threats arising from radical groups such as ISIL have been uncovered as of yet, the U.S. Cyber Command's deputy commander, Lt. Gen. James K. McLaughlin, shares that the agency does not disregard any adversary's potential to cause "something dangerous" and thus the government's vigilance on all fronts. Not the same can be said for larger countries, however, such as China and Russia, as McLaughlin notes that these nations "are very, very capable cyber actors," among several others. "We look at them seriously," Lt. Gen. McLaughlin explains, adding that the more apparent danger lies in "adversaries taking full control of our networks, losing control of our networks, [and] having a hacker appear to be a trusted user." These scenarios, if left unchecked, become welcome invitations for cyber attackers to infiltrate confidential government systems. An unknown user accessing files without the government body's knowledge could immobilize military efforts in states of emergencies. "You can imagine the difficulty that would cause a commander, if he didn't trust his own network or his data," the deputy commander describes. "So we watch those adversaries very closely to make sure we know what they're doing in cyberspace." Such surveillances, however, come with a substantial amount to maintain, which most CFOs have attributed as the major hurdle security operations face, among which include other obstacles such as lack of skilled resources and management and governance issues. Lt. Gen. McLaughlin, on the other hand, looks at budget constraints from a broader perspective and sees that major losses are more likely encountered from successful security breaches rather than the "extraordinary cost to getting [security operations] wrong." He further explains by citing an instance where the government invests billions of dollars in developing military tech over a period of time only to have it stolen by hackers who would "immediately be at that same level that we are." "From a security perspective, that's a strategic loss for the nation," the deputy commander adds. Photo: Christiaan Colen | Flickr 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Reaper is aptly named because where he goes death follows. Armed with Hellfire Shotguns, he takes out his targets without mercy. His Story All heroes in Overwatch are driven by a certain goal. For Reaper, it appears to be that he's bent on eliminating former agents of the organization. Nobody knows who he is or where he came from and is mostly known as a black-robed terrorist who knows no loyalty. As a mercenary, Reaper is ruthless, remorseless and extremely volatile, responsible for numerous terrorist attacks all over the world. Those who have survived these attacks describe a black shadow emerging unscathed from the most hellish of battlefields. Those he killed appear pale, drained of life, with their cells exhibiting intense degradation. It is believed that Reaper is the result of failed genetic alteration, which causes his cells to both decay and regenerate at hyper-accelerated speeds. His Abilities Hellfire Shotguns - Twin shotguns that can tear enemies apart. Wraith Form - For a brief period of time, Reaper becomes a shadow that can pass through enemies and take no damage. Shadow Step - Reaper can teleport to a marked destination. Death Blossom - Reaper unloads his Hellfire Shotguns at fast speed, dealing massive damage to enemies within range. Watch Reaper's abilities in action below! Heroes He Is Weak Against Pharah - Up close, Reaper's Hellfire Shotguns are scary, but they are useless against a flying target. Pharah can also stay on top of him when he's using Wraith Form and trying to escape. McCree - Peacekeeper Revolver vs. Hellfire Shotguns. Reaper may have bigger guns, but McCree not only stuns him with Flashbang to prevent his escape, but can also keep the black-robed terrorist from using Death Blossom. McCree can also deal damage immediately after using Flashbang with Peacekeeper's alternate fire. Heroes He Is Strong Against Bastion - Reaper can get on top of him and dole out burst damage, if Bastion's attention is somewhere else. Roadhog - He's such a large target that it's hard not to do massive damage with two shotguns. Winston - Reaper can take on Winston in a head-to-head fight, with Hellfire Shotguns dealing massive damage, Wraith Form offering invulnerability and Shadow Step allowing escape. Tracer - She has low health and prefers close-range fighting, which is Reaper's expertise. Her Pulse Bomb also can't hurt Reaper when he's using Wraith Form. Tips 1. Reaper's Wraith Form negates his other abilities and keeps him from firing his weapons. He may use it to escape tight spots safely (evading even Ultimates!) but will not be able to deal damage while doing so. 2. Hellfire Shotguns are best used in close range. Get as close as possible for maximum damage. A point-blank headshot can deal 150 to 200 in damage. 3. When using Shadow Step, make sure no one is around or that you aim for a hidden spot to avoid being seen and ambushed. 4. Reaper can sustain damage while using Death Blossom, but it's best to sneak in and use it before anyone realizes, as enemies will start dying before they can do anything about it. 5. Soldier: 76, Hanzo and Genji can give chase after Wraith Form is used, so watch out for these heroes after using the ability. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Prosecutors in Germany are investigating claims that Martin Winterkorn, the former CEO of Volkswagen AG, manipulated the market by failing to disclose the financial setbacks caused by the auto company's 2015 emissions scandal. The probe is based on a formal complaint lodged by financial regulators in the country. In September 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found a "defeat device" that was embedded into the software of some 11 million VW diesel vehicles in the U.S. The lines of code were designed to cheat by reporting lower levels of nitrogen oxide emitted during testing. Germany, for its part, found 2.8 million VW units in the country that had the same cheat code and rigged emissions tests as well. In a real-world scenario, however, these diesel vehicles would emit 40 times the levels of nitrogen oxide permitted. "VW needs to be very open about what has happened," a well-known VW shareholder spoke to Reuters at the time the scandal broke out. The question now on the minds of German investigators is whether Winterkorn should have disclosed the financial costs earlier. 'Sufficient Factual Indicators' This week, the office of the city prosecutor in Braunschweig said there were "sufficient factual indicators" that should have compelled Winterkorn to come clean sooner. The prosecutors will continue to examine whether the notification to investors was "deliberately late." Back in 2015, VW issued a statement under the securities trading act. However, "there is reason to believe that the requirement to publish a statement about the anticipated significant financial loss to the group may have arisen at an earlier date," the prosecutors say. The carmaker's legal advisers believe there have been no "serious and manifest breaches of duty" on the part of former and current executives. VW also maintains there is no evidence that indicates the management had prior knowledge of the cheat code. The rigging, the company believes, may have been undertaken by just a small group of employees. The Financial Times reports Winterkorn had already received a memo in May 2014 about certain discrepancies in the emissions test results, but VW has not clearly established whether Winterkorn had read, or understood the significance of, the note at the time. The issue was brought up in a July 2014 company meeting attended by Winterkorn and VW's head of passenger car brand Herbert Diess. Financial Costs Of VW's Emissions Scandal At the onset of the scandal, VW stocks nosedived to as much as 40 percent, and the controversy has prompted investors, including Norway's state pension fund, to sue the carmaker. The fund also cut its stake in the company from $1.2 billion to only $720 million. VW is reportedly allocating $18 billion to cleaning up the mess with car repurchases and recalls, and by facing lawsuits from regulators and investors. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Celebrities and athletes are no strangers to the world of corporate sponsorship. From stylish accessories to drinks at the hippest clubs, freebies handed out to the stars can often lead to higher sales for the brand or product that is sharing in the limelight. But when it comes to doctors handing out prescriptions, does corporate sponsorship have any potency to drive up sales, or at the very least, influence a doctor to choose one brand over another? A study from the University of California, San Francisco shows doctors who enjoy free meals sponsored by pharmaceutical companies are more likely to prescribe certain branded drugs being featured or promoted through the sponsorship. And this could be dangerous if it leads doctors to the pricey drug options. Doctors Receive Promotional Items From Drug Companies The idea of receiving freebies from drug companies is, of course, nothing new. Physicians are sometimes given the chance to attend conferences, seminars and other trade events. Here, they are lavished with luxury items, such as luggage and gadgets (and even all-expenses-paid trips), by sales and marketing representatives from drug companies. In 2008, hospitals and clinics across the U.S. began a sweep of doctors' offices where promotional items from pharmaceutical companies were found. This new study, however, focused on the simplest way to a doctor's heart: the offer of a free meal. Dr. R. Adams Dudley, lead author of the study and a medicine and health policy professor at UCSF, together with colleagues, investigated the "controversial" link between how the pharmaceutical industry "pays" doctors with sponsored meals and how frequently a certain brand of medicine is prescribed. Industry-sponsored meals make up eight out of 10 industry payments that doctors receive, the researchers reported. Certain Drug Brands More Likely To Be Prescribed The team performed a cross-sectional analysis of the industry payment data from 2013, and examined records of prescription made by physicians from Medicare Part D taken from the same year. (Only recently did these two sets of records become public.) The researchers selected physicians who were handing out Medicare prescriptions for any of these four target classes of drugs: Rosuvastatin, marketed as Crestor by AstraZeneca, which lowers cholesterol levels Nebivolol, marketed as Bystolic by Forest Laboratories, a blood pressure drug Olmesartan medoxomil, marketed as Benicar by Daiichi Sankyo, also a blood pressure drug Desvenlafaxine succinate, marketed as Pristiq by Pfizer, an antidepressant Results showed about 280,000 doctors received more than 63,000 payments related to these four classes. Almost 156,000 wrote more than 20 prescriptions of these selected drugs. Physicians who received four sponsored meals or more, valued at $20 or less per meal, wrote prescriptions for: Crestor twice as frequently as doctors who went without sponsorship; Pristiq 3.4 times; Benicar more than four times; and Bystolic more than five times. The researchers noted that this relationship is not causal but is an association and it has its critics. All this could be just a "false narrative" based on "cherry-picking" prescription data for only a subset of drugs, says the group Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). "Manufacturers routinely engage with physicians to share drug safety and efficacy information, new indications for approved medicines and potential side effects of medicines," explains the PhRMA in an email to the Chicago Tribune. Still, doctors should decline gifts from industry partners if there is an expectation of reciprocity, according to the guidelines set by the American Medical Association. The study was published online on June 20 in JAMA Internal Medicine . 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. An anti-establishment candidate has been elected Rome's first female mayor after Sunday's runoff elections in Italy. Thirty-seven-year-old lawyer Virginia Raggi led by a 2-1 margin over Premier Matteo Renzi's chosen candidate, Roberto Giachetti, who conceded defeat less than an hour after polls closed. Raggi represents the populist Five Star Movement (M5S) founded just seven years ago by comedian Beppe Grillo. China is beginning to dominate the supercomputer industry. For the first time, the East Asian country has edged past the United States in the biannual list of top 500 supercomputers in the world. The 47th edition of the Top500 supercomputer ranking now contains 167 Chinese supercomputers, putting China ahead of the U.S., which has 165 systems. "This is the first time the U.S. has lost the lead," said Professor Jack Dongarra, one of the authors of the Top500 list. But that's not all. China's king of all supercomputers Tianhe-2 has now been dethroned by another Chinese supercomputer, the Sunway TaihuLight. Dethroning The King Placing first on six Top500 lists, Tianhe-2 previously dominated the rankings with its 33.86 petaflops per second performance on the Linpack benchmark. For comparison, Tianhe-2's performance is more than 4,000 times better than that of the Apple Mac Pro. Now, China's new supercomputer is just as impressive. The Sunway TaihuLight is capable of 93 petaflops per second on the Linpack benchmark, clearly outperforming the Tianhe-2 by a factor of three. In order to draw upon an incredible processing power, TaihuLight requires 10,649,600 computer cores made up of 40,960 SW26010 processors designed and made in China. Each processor has four management processing elements (MPEs) as well as four blocks that each contain 64 computing processing elements (CPEs). The machine is a source of national pride for China because it is built entirely on Chinese chips, with a custom interconnect and a new ShenWei processor unlike its predecessor, which used Intel processors. It was developed by the same group that designed the Sunway BlueLight, the National Research Center of Parallel Computer Engineering & Technology (NRCPC). Practical Applications TaihuLight is currently running at the National Supercomputing Center in the manufacturing and technology hub of Wuxi, located two hours away from Shanghai. The new supercomputer will be used for engineering work and various research in areas such as weather and earth systems modeling, climate, advanced manufacturing, life science and data analytics. Professor Guangwen Yang, director of the center, will formally unveil the supercomputer on Tuesday afternoon in a session at the International Supercomputing Conference (ISC) in Frankfurt, Germany. Yang says the TaihuLight system displays the significant development that China has made in the domain of large-scale computer system manufacturing and design. Meanwhile, Dongarra said three simulation codes that work on TaihuLight are nominated as Gordon Bell Prize finalists. The Gordon Bell Prize award is given yearly to the most significant HPC application based on special achievements and peak performances. Two of the simulation codes have sustained 30 to 40 petaflops. Dongarra has written a paper [PDF] that describes the applications and the architecture of the TaihuLight. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The world's first Zika vaccine is ready for human clinical trials after receiving the green light from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Monday, June 20. Inovio Pharmaceuticals (United Sates) and GeneOne Life Science (South Korea) have collaborated in the development of the GLS-5700 vaccine, which could be instrumental in fighting the global Zika virus epidemic. During its preclinical testing state, the GLS-5700 vaccine successfully created a "robust antibody and T cell responses" in animal models. This shows that the vaccine has the potential to protect humans from infection. The Phase 1 clinical trial will kick off in the next few weeks, during which the first stage will investigate the human subjects' tolerance of the vaccine as well as its safety. The Zika vaccine will be tested in 40 healthy study participants. It will be administered intradermally using Inovio's proprietary DNA delivery device, Cellectra. If the GLS-5700 vaccine passes the first round, further tests will be made upon approval. "We are proud to have attained the approval to initiate the first Zika vaccine study in human volunteers," said Dr. J. Joseph Kim, President and CEO of Inovio. Kim added that they will report the results of the Phase 1 clinical trials later this year. For the Zika vaccine, Inovio and GeneOne Life Sciences have teamed up with several researchers from the United States and Canada, including the Defense Advanced Research Projects Administration and the University of Pennsylvania. The two companies also worked with these researchers in the past to create vaccines for MERS and Ebola. Anna Durbin, a member of the U.S. National Institutes of Health team who is working on a separate Zika vaccine, highlighted the importance of the first vaccine to go into human clinical trials. "It means the FDA has reviewed it, and I'm sure is formulating questions and getting ready for additional candidates to submit their investigational drug applications," said Durbin, adding that the news means there is progress and momentum. Last February, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that the world's first Zika vaccine could be 18 months away from the large-scale human clinical trials. As of March, there were about 15 pharmaceutical companies working separately to develop a vaccine that could address the alarming epidemic. However, many of these endeavors are still in their early stages. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were about 755 travel-related cases of Zika infection in the United States, along with one laboratory-acquired infection as of June 15, 2016. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Pregnant women who smoke cannabis could be risking damage to their unborn childs brain, new research has warned. An abnormal brain structure was discovered in children exposed to marijuana while in the womb. Compared to unexposed ones, they showed a thicker prefrontal cortex, a brain region that is involved in cognition, working memory and decision-making. [W]e know very little about the potential consequences of cannabis exposure during pregnancy and brain development later in life, said study author Hanan El Marroun from Erasmus University Medical Center in the Netherlands. This, said the researcher, proves the study important in light of the relatively common use of the substance during pregnancy. It was estimated that about 2 to 13 percent of women around the world use cannabis while pregnant. Previous studies have identified both the short and long-term behavioral effects of prenatal exposure to cannabis, yet specific brain effects remain largely a mystery. In this study, the team used structural MRI to analyze the brains of 54 children ages 6 to 8, all prenatally exposed to marijuana and part of a population-based study in the Netherlands. Most of them were also exposed to tobacco, so the researchers compared them to 96 kids exposed to tobacco only and 113 control kids without any exposure. There were differences seen in the cortical thickness of tobacco-exposed subjects and of tobacco and cannabis-exposed ones, revealing a separate set of effects from cannabis exposure. There was, however, no difference marked in overall brain volume of the cannabis group. El Marroun warned that the results have to be carefully interpreted, as further data is needed to explore the link between prenatal marijuana exposure and the brain abnormalities detected. This still stresses on the importance of preventing cannabis and cigarette use while one is pregnant, she added. The findings were detailed in the journal Biological Psychiatry. The journals editor, Dr. John Krystal, pointed out cannabis increasing legalization, decriminalization and medical prescription as factors raising these likely risks of prenatal exposure. Canada, for instance, could legalize recreational marijuana as early as 2017, with the government planning to file related legislation in the spring. The initiative would cover the whole country. Other studies have highlighted cannabis effects on users themselves, such as having an altered ability to identify, process and empathize with emotions including happiness, sadness and anger. Compared to non-users, cannabis users showed a stronger response to faces exhibiting negative emotions such as anger and a smaller reaction to faces depicting positive emotions. Photo: Government of Alberta | Flickr 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Apple's long-standing antitrust lawsuit back in 2012 was concluded just this year, with the Supreme Court denying the company's appeal. Hagens Berman, a consumer-rights class-action law firm that litigated the case alongside Attorneys General from 33 U.S. states and territories and the United States Department of Justice, announced that the settlement amounting to $400 million will be delivered to affected parties starting June 21. The settlement ruling follows after the court found Apple guilty of colluding with five major publishers, Hachette Book Group, Macmillan (Holtzbrinck Publishers), HarperCollins Publishers, Penguin Group, and Simon & Schuster, to allegedly "manipulate the e-book market by artificially raising the price of e-books, lowering competition and charging consumers higher prices." "The anticompetitive price-fixing collusion between Apple and the publishers caused the price of e-books to increase 30 to 50 percent to $12.99 or $14.99 from Amazon's $9.99 price," says the release. After a series of court proceedings in a span of more than three years, the court's approved $450 million settlement stands unchallenged despite Apple's succeeding appeals to have the settlement overruled. Two scenarios based on the agreements found in the settlement would have occurred in case Apple was successful in its attempts to repeal the ruling. In one scenario, Apple is not obligated to shell out as much as a single cent to compensate affected e-book consumers, while in the second one, if the Supreme Court returned the case back for retrial, the company would still have to pay, though, the amount is cut down to $50 million for consumers and $20 million to the lawyers. As it currently stands, the $450 million settlement ruling will push through, in which $400 million will be awarded to the consumers, $20 million to the state and $30 million for legal fees. "To make this settlement effective and accessible for consumers, our team faced a sizable undertaking that entailed almost constant contact with the retailers to make sure the credits will be applied to consumer accounts across the country," says Steve Berman, managing partner at Hagens Berman. He adds that the settlement is the "only case in the country to have so much money returned directly to consumers." E-book consumers who purchased a copy from any of the involved publishers between April 1, 2010 to May 21, 2012 will receive the credits through their accounts in major book retailing online shops, which include Barnes & Noble Inc., Amazon.com Inc., Kobo Inc. and, of course, Apple. These companies will simultaneously issue emails to notify users about the changes as well as add the calculated amount to their accounts: New York Times bestselling titles will be compensated with $6.93 while other titles will be awarded $1.57. Consumers who opted for the check option instead will receive their check as requested in the following days. Photo: Maurizio Pesce | Flickr 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Sometimes we wonder whether Apple CEO Tim Cook himself is privy to what the next iPhone would carry as part of its feature enhancements! The number of rumors that fly thick and fast, leading up to launch date in September can get more confusing than being tasked to predict Indian General Elections. Therefore, we at Techtree.com decided to faithfully report as many rumors as we can get hour hands on, without fear or favour. So, here goes the latest in the series that began, barely a day after the company launched the iPhone 6S and other models on September 25 last year. The big one emanating from Engadget relates to something that Apple has studiously refrained from doing, despite rival Android-based smartphone makers doing so several years ago the introduction of a dual SIM facility. (Read the story here). Image Credit: Weibo The reports gained credence from leaked photographs on a Chinese smartphone repair website Rock Fix. Things got warmer when Engadget carried the pictures and confirmation from the owner of the company that iPhone 7 could indeed accommodate two phone numbers. Of course, there was no information on how or from where did this gentleman get the pictures. Now comes another intrigue. If we are to believe the pictures that the man from China (Ganzhou to be precise) has been posting about the iPhone 7 features, it looks like the headphone jack would continue to be in place. This is contrary to earlier rumors of Apple doing away with the 3.5 mm audio jack and bundling music with the lightning cable assembly. This could have been a highly controversial move as iPhone users would have had to purchase adapters or a fresh pair of headphones and earbuds that work with the Lightning Port. Other parts of which the website has published pictures include screen panels and some memory chips. If the latter is true, then the next iPhone could have a memory bank of a massive 256 GB. There are also images of a dual lens camera for the bigger model, looking suspiciously like the Huawei models. Reports first suggested such a camera some months ago, which was shot down by another website which quoted a Foxconn source to suggest that the technology wasnt exactly up and running. However, a couple of days later, another so-called insider shot down this rumour suggesting that mass production of the dual lens camera was under way and that not just Apple, but its competitors such as Samsung, Xiaomi and even smaller brands like Oppo and Vivo were exploring this innovation in upcoming models. Of course, none of these mean anything in reality as Apple has usually managed to spring surprises on launch day, scheduled again in September. As we said earlier, we are not even sure whether Tim Cook has been made aware of all the details about the next iPhone model! Curious about iPhone 7? We have a couple of other stories lined up for you! Heres Why The Apple iPhone 7 Is Better Than The iPhone 6s iPhone 7 May Sport An All Glass Casing Apple To Have OLED Screens From 2017 ---- [Master Image Courtesy: IBNLive] iPhone 7 Rumors, Apple iPhone 7 Apple Pulls Non-Retina MacBook Pro Off Shelves | TechTree.com If you are an ardent MacBook fan and still awaiting the big bonus at the workplace that could help buy your first Apple laptop, this could just be the appropriate time to splurge some solid cash. Of course, in the bargain, you may not get to lay your hands on the latest Retina technology that Apple brought into its MacBook series last year. But, what the heck! The non-Retina ones could still provide most of the fun that you hoped to have with the MacBook. Why do we say so? For starters, there are media reports emanating from the United States that suggest that the 13-inch non-Retina MacBook Pro is being removed from the show desks at Apple Stores. Also Read: Review: Apple MacBook Pro 15 (Late 2011) A report published on AppleInsider.com quoted unnamed shop assistants (Read the Full Report) to suggest that while stock was available aplenty at these stores, people looking to buy the laptop would not get a chance to try it out as they have been removed from the showcases. Whether it means a final good-bye to the MacBook with the ubiquitous spinning optical disc drive is anybodys guess. After all, the last major update that happened on the non-Retina MacBook Pro was four years ago! The report was further corroborated by another article published in the NextWeb.com (Full Story), which quoted retailers in the San Diego area to suggest that though no formal communication was received from Apple on the reason for this change, the fact that the machines were no more on display remained true. Of course, the store assistants reiterated the known fact that this old favorite with MacBook lovers continued to garner interest with buyers actually asking for the model, trying it out and eventually swiping their credit card. Followers of Apple have been speculating a massive overhaul of the MacBook when Tim Cook stands up this September to launch new products. Of course, the article goes on to suggest that it might be better to wait for discounts on the non-Retina models of the MacBook or studiously avoid buying one. Also Read: Five Reasons You Want To Postpone Buying That MacBook Given the fact that all of Apples major products now come with Retina displays, the decision to put the older generation MacBook that runs on optical disc drive makes sense for the company that is battling trepidations caused by their first ever quarterly sales decline since inception. Rumours have been doing the rounds (Read the story on AppleInsider) about a new redesigned MacBook Pro that would feature an OLED touch bar, a touch ID fingerprint sensor and a secondary display that could be customized. TAGS: Apple MacBook Pro, Apple, Mac Rumors NetApp To Help Build Sanitation and Hygiene Awareness | TechTree.com NetApp today announced that it has signed a MoU with the Habitat For Humanity to construct new toilets for local schools and household units in and around Bangalore. Supporting the Indian Government's Swachh Bharat mission, this program will also involve educating local communities about necessary sanitation and hygiene practices. With nearly half of India's population defecating in the open according to UNICEF (http://unicef.in/Whatwedo/11/Eliminate-Open-Defecation), India reports the highest number of deaths due to diarrhoea among children under-five in the world. The learning abilities of school-age children are impacted by the effects of diarrhoea and worm infection. Women and girls who do not have access to toilets are especially vulnerable. "NetApp believes in driving positive change in society through community service," said Deepak Visweswaraiah, Vice President and Managing Director, NetApp India. "Open defecation is a serious issue that not only affects the health of individual citizens, but also impacts dignity of individuals. Building toilets in schools with the help of Habitat for Humanity will go a long way towards safeguarding the health of generations of Indians. By providing the right infrastructure and the right education to communities, we support the Indian Government's goal towards a cleaner, safer India." "Sanitation and hygiene are necessities for a society to succeed and thrive," said Mr. Rajan Samuel, Managing Director, Habitat for Humanity India. "Our partnership with NetApp helps local communities, not only by building the facilities that are fundamental, but also by educating them about health practices to prevent the outbreak of diseases. Constructing the proper amenities while creating the necessary awareness is a gift for generations to come." Nationwide celebrity-led media campaigns are popularizing the need for toilets in every home. NetApp drives awareness at the grassroots level about the maintenance and upkeep of these facilities among children - and through them, their families. Through NetApp's Volunteer Time Off (VTO) program, employees educate local communities about sanitation and hygiene practices for disease prevention. The company's employees also actively engage with Habitat for Humanity to construct the toilet units for local schools. This program is in line with NetApp's goal of contributing to a sustainable environment and bettering the community in which it operates. Neeladri Reddy, QA Engineer at NetApp said, "We get five paid days a year to work for our community as part of company policy. It is deeply satisfying to think that we can give back to our society in any small way, and NetApp makes it possible." TAGS: Swachh Bharat Exclusivo A 20 anos del crimen, el viudo le escribio a su mujer: confiesa lo feliz que fue con ella, recuerda lo dificil que fue estar siete anos preso por su homicidio siendo inocente y le dice que pudo cumplir su promesa de llegar al tercer juicio, en el que se definira si Pachelo y vigiladores participaron del hecho o si todo queda impune. Por Diego Recchini 14:59 | Under the leadership of the current Brazilian president, "in the Amazon alone, deforestation has nearly doubled since 2018," the British journal recalled. | Read More The government is adamant that they will not appear since they need neither the publicity nor the pressure as they try to acclimatize to South Korean society. The court added it has not heard from the National Intelligence Service about the matter and the testimony should go ahead. On Monday, the court dug in its heels, saying the women's appearance would be handled "according to laws and rules," in the words of a spokesman. The women are to testify in a bizarre court case ostensibly brought by their families in North Korea, who claim the women were abducted by the South Korean government. The Seoul Central District Court is on a collision course with the government over the summoning of 12 North Korean women who defected from a restaurant in China in April. The women's lawyer on Monday said they are anxious about their potential court appearance. Park Young-sik met them several times in her capacity as a human rights advocate to the National Intelligence Service. "They believe that their families' lives will be threatened if they openly testify that they fled the North of their own free will," Park said. "They don't want to be exposed openly in the media and draw attention, and they don't want to appear in court," Park added. "In this situation, forcing them to appear and testify in open court might seriously infringe their human rights." According to the government, the women took a concerted decision to defect and made their own way to a third country using their valid North Korean passports while their supervisor's back was turned. But North Korea paraded the women's families before the state media claiming they were abducted by South Korea. The propaganda stunt caught the eye of a leftwing group here, Lawyers for a Democratic Society, which instigated the lawsuit by sending several pro-North Korean expatriates to North Korea to obtain powers of attorney from the families. The group claims it is only interested in transparency. The women, who are mostly in their early 20s, are currently at a halfway house trying to get used to life in the South. They are taught skills and go on outings. Most of them are planning to study at college here and thinking about what they should major in, a government source said. Among other things they are learning English. "They feel uncomfortable with the many English words being used in everyday conversation here," the source said. "They seem to feel that they need to learn English quickly to adapt to their new life here." Emirates Airline, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways are selling round-trip tickets to Paris, London and Frankfurt with a stopover for just W550,000 to W700,000 (US$1=W1,161). This is just one-third of the W1.65-1.78 million Korean Air and Asiana Airlines charge on direct flights to European cities. One staffer at a domestic carrier said, "Transit flights usually cost around 30 percent less than direct flights, but one-third the price is incredible. The Gulf carriers are launching a major offensive to attract fliers to Europe." Industry insiders say Gulf carriers can afford the radical discounts because of low oil prices and government subsidies. They are already chipping away at the hefty prices of Korean flag carriers. Last year, around 630,000 Koreans flew to Europe on Gulf airlines and paid a total of W330 billion. Seasoned pilots and staff are switching to Gulf carriers. Around 700 Koreans work for Emirates, which hired around 200 more Koreans over the last two years. A recent mock exam taken by Japanese elementary school students included a question about Japan's flimsy colonial claim to Korea's Dokdo islets. Kyodo News on Monday said the exam compiled by a private publisher included a multiple-choice question asking students to choose which country "illegally occupies" Dokdo. The distractors were Russia, China and North Korea and the "correct" answer was South Korea. A staffer at the publisher told Kyodo, "All elementary school textbooks have sections on Dokdo. We made up the question according to the textbooks." The Abe administration in 2014 ordered textbook publishers to reflect Tokyo's views on the islets in their materials. Fiat Chrysler says it will investigate the incident involving a recalled 2015 Jeep Cherokee that killed Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin. A visitor takes a picture of a Bugaku Japanese mask (18eme) from traditional Kyogen comic theatre that is displayed during the exhibition 'Jacques Chirac ou le dialogue des cultures' at the Musee du quai Branly in Paris, France, June 20, 2016. Photo: Reuters/Jacky Naegelen Three antique Japanese theater masks that bear a striking resemblance to former French president Jacques Chirac will go on display from Tuesday in a Paris museum he set up 10 years ago and that will now bear his name. "There are thousands of Chiracs in Japan," said Jean-Jacques Aillagon, who served as culture minister during Chirac's presidency, explaining that the late 18th century masks represent a Japanese theater character that was always carved with similar features. The museum, which specializes in early art from Africa, Asia and the Americas, will be renamed "Musee du Quai Branly-Jacques Chirac". The exhibition delves into his long-hidden passion for such works of art. The 83-year-old Chirac was better known for his taste for food and beer, and a pundit once said about him: "Men usually read Playboy hidden behind the cover of a poetry book, but Chirac reads poetry behind a copy of Playboy." Buaku Japanese masks from traditional Kyogen comic theatre are seen during a press visit of the exhibition "Jacques Chirac ou le dialogue des cultures" at the Musee du quai Branly in Paris, France, June 20, 2016. Photo: Reuters/Jacky Naegelen Saying she also spoke in his name, Chirac's wife Bernadette told reporters: "France is never greater than when it engages with other cultures, other people. It's a strong message and one that is very relevant now." Chirac, a center-right politician who was a prominent figure in French politics for decades, was president from 1995 to 2007. Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City are considering a VND15 trillion (US$662.8 million) plan to build an elevated road linking a traffic circle near Tan Son Nhat International Airport and the city's downtown, local media reported on Monday. The 9.5-kilometer overpass, starting at the circle Lang Cha Ca in Tan Binh District and ending in Binh Thanh District, will help reduce increasingly serious gridlocks around the airport, said Le Quoc Binh, CEO of Ho Chi Minh City Infrastructure Investment (CII) JSC. The company, which has proposed to execute the project under a built-operate-transfer (BOT) agreement with the city, expects construction work to start next year and complete in three years, he said in news website Saigon Times Online. CII has established Elevated Road No.1 Company, in which it owns a 80 percent stake, to develop the project, according to the website. While it is unclear which company will partner with CII, Binh said, it will seek those with financial capacity, besides taking out loans from banks or issuing bonds to raise funds for the project. Vietnam's largest airport, Tan Son Nhat received 7.89 million passengers in the first three months, up 25.26 percent from the same period last year, according to official figures. The number of passengers is expected to reach 31 million at the end of this year, compared to the airport's designed capacity of 20 million a year. Streets leading to Tan Son Nhat have been suffering from constant traffic congestion, as more than 30,000 vehicles enter and leave the airport every day. Originally an infrastructure investment arm of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, CII had an initial public offering in 2006. By the end of the first quarter, the company's charter capital was estimated at VND2.6 trillion ($114.9 million) with foreign investors owning a combined stake of 48.97 percent, according to CII's data. Sherwood Residence has just announced that it has received a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence. Now in its sixth year, the achievement celebrates hospitality businesses that have earned great traveler reviews on TripAdvisor over the past year. Certificate of Excellence recipients include accommodations, eateries and attractions located all over the world that have continually delivered a quality customer experience. Sherwood Residence We are extremely honored to receive a Certificate of Excellence from the TripAdvisor community for the sixth year in a row, stated Janet Fitzner, General Manager of Sherwood Residence. Id particularly like to send my gratitude to all our guests that provided their feedback which has helped us to maintain and even improve our quality of services and products. Id also like to thank the hard-working team at Sherwood Residence who have striven every day to maintain our commitment to being the preferred destination for warm, inviting family accommodations at the heart of Saigon whether for short-term or long-term stays. "With the Certificate of Excellence, TripAdvisor honors hospitality businesses that have consistently received strong praise and ratings from travelers, said Heather Leisman, Vice President of Industry Marketing, TripAdvisor. This recognition helps travelers identify and book properties that regularly deliver great service. TripAdvisor is proud to play this integral role in helping travelers feel more confident in their booking decisions. The Certificate of Excellence accounts for the quality, quantity and recency of reviews submitted by travelers on TripAdvisor over a 12-month period. To qualify, a business must maintain an overall TripAdvisor bubble rating of at least four out of five, have a minimum number of reviews and must have been listed on TripAdvisor for at least 12 months. South Korea's Woori Bank expects to establish a Vietnam unit this month or in July, a bank official said on Tuesday, as part of the lender's plans to expand its network in the expanding market of Southeast Asia. Woori Bank, South Korea's largest bank in terms of consolidated assets as of the end of March, is awaiting approval from relevant authorities to established a wholly-owned unit in Vietnam, the official said. A Vietnamese banking source said the State Bank of Vietnam, the country's central bank, was expected to grant a licence for the South Korean lender shortly. South Korea is now the biggest foreign investor in Vietnam, with large investments placed to turn it into a Southeast Asian production hub by Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and LG Electronics Inc. Other major Korean companies in Vietnam include Kumho Construction, Posco group, Hanjin Logistics and Kumho Tire. A free trade agreement between South Korea and Vietnam that came into effect last December gives more incentives for Korean firms to invest. Woori Bank's Vietnam unit, once licensed, would most likely be a vehicle to expand South Korean investment in a country where it has been limited to operating two branches. Other competitors include HSBC, ANZ, Standard Chartered Bank as well as Shinhan Bank. With the expected approval, Woori Bank would seek to strengthen its localised service to Vietnamese retail customers through channels including its mobile banking platform Wibee Bank and chat app Wibee Talk. More than a month after France's Casino Group completed the US$1.04 billion sale of supermarket chain Big C Vietnam to Thailand's Central Group, the Vietnamese tax authority has reportedly grown impatient with the late tax payment on the record deal. In a recent letter to the companies, the General Department of Taxation calculated the capital transfer tax for the deal at VND3.6 trillion ($159 million) and threatened to block the transfer if the companies involved refuse to pay up, Tuoi Tre newspaper reported on Tuesday. The report did not mention the taxable income of the deal, but quoted an official as saying that the capital transfer tax rate is 20 percent. Under Vietnam's existing laws, businesses have 10 days to pay taxes on the sale of their holdings since their negotiation is completed. Casino and Central have been 40 days overdue, as their deal was announced on April 29, Tuoi Tre said, citing the department's letter. An unnamed senior tax official was quoted as saying that according to double taxation agreements, the tax will be collected in Vietnam. Previously Casino reportedly said it had no obligations to pay tax on the sale. Central and the managers of Big C Vietnam have given no comments on the taxation, according to Tuoi Tre. Vietnamese electronics retailer Nguyen Kim, which is 49 percent owned by Central, also joined the Thai conglomerate in the acquisition. It is unclear how much each of them owns in Big C after the deal. Big C, the largest foreign-owned retail chain in Vietnam with 33 supermarkets and 11 convenience stores, also has to pay its previous back taxes, if any, incurred before the transfer, another senior tax official said in Tuoi Tre. In April, the tax department announced that it will look into 45 companies that operate Big C's stores around the country, or more than half of businesses that will face tax inspections this year. The tax authority expects the inspections to bring in more than VND10 trillion ($442.9 million) to the state budget. A file photo of Lotte Center Hanoi. Photo credit: Zing.vn South Korea's Lotte Group has come under suspicion of using a shell company that owns a mega mall in Vietnam to funnel money into a possible slush fund, Yonhap News Agency reported Tuesday. Luxembourg-incorporated Coralis SA, the company in question, developed Lotte Center Hanoi at a cost of around US$400 million. The 65-story shopping and leisure complex was opened in September 2014. It recorded a net loss of 55.1 billion won ($47.31 million) last year, raising a suspicion that the conglomerate was exaggerating its losses to hide money, according to the report, citing sources from a Korean prosecutor's office. According to another theory, Lotte Engineering & Construction, the project's contractor, may have overcharged the developer to hide funds, The Korea Herald said. Coralis SA had been used for offshore tax evasion by Kim Seon-yong, the third son of former Daewoo Group chairman Kim Woo-jung, before being acquired by Lotte Asset Development in 2009 at 69.7 billion won ($59.86 million), according to The Korea Herald. Lotte Asset Development later sold a stake of 45 percent in the company each to Lotte Shopping and Hotel Lotte, it said. Lotte has denied the allegations, saying it bought Coralis SA to acquire the right to do business and lease land in Vietnam and that such practice is adopted by most companies when they invest overseas, Yonhap News Agency reported. The report came as South Korea's fifth-largest conglomerate was facing an ongoing investigation for alleged corruption, illegal intragroup deals and embezzlement, according to Korean media. In Vietnam, Lotte has invested over $2 billion into more than 20 subsidiaries which operate in a wide range of sectors from retail to real estate. The conservation group Save Vietnams Wildlife in the northern province of Ninh Binh on Sunday received 22 individuals of an endangered pangolin species rescued by local police. Police in Ninh Binh earlier arrested three people who were allegedly trafficking the animals from Hue in central Vietnam to consumers in the north. The pangolins belong to the Manis javanica species, which is native to Southeast Asia, and has been classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as critically endangered. Most of the pangolins are weak after being held in tight bags for a long time without any proper food. They all have received care from the environmental group but some have not started to eat yet. We have been giving them ants but only a third of them could eat, a representative from the group said, as cited by news website VnExpress. The source suspected that some of the pangolins had been fed with cornmeal and rock dust to increase their weight and thus fetch better prices, the source said. Pangolins, also known as anteaters, are facing high threats as its meat is considered a delicacy by some while its scales are used to make boots and shoes. The scales are also used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat conditions such as psoriasis and poor circulation, despite the lack of adequate scientific evidence. Police in the central province of Quang Nam said Monday they had arrested five people for allegedly trading in more than three tons of explosives meant for illegal gold mining activities. Among the arrestees is Pham Phong, the 64-year-old director of a mining company in Quang Nam. The police said they caught Phong and Nguyen Thi Thu, 47, in the act of transporting around 400 kilograms of explosives in a car on June 17. After the duo was arrested, Phong confessed to the police he also hired cars to transport three tons of explosives to the houses of two local men for storage the same day. He said all the explosives were bought legally by his company for mining activities, but as the explosives will expire at the end of June, he decided to sell them to illegal gold miners in the province. Based on his testimony, the police arrested other people involved. The police also confiscated all the explosives, the largest batch they had ever seized. Two bags carrying 47 kilos of explosives that are seized at the Cha Lo border gate, Quang Binh Province. Photo credit: Dan Tri Border guards in the central province of Quang Binh on Wednesday said they have arrested a Laotian man who allegedly smuggling 47 kilograms of explosives into Vietnam. Vieng Vi Lay Seng Da La, 33, from the border province of Khammouan, was caught on Monday, while he was driving a tractor carrying two suspicious bags through the Cha Lo border gate. La told officials that it was iron ore, but inspectors found that the bags contained explosive materials. The man later admitted that he had been hired to transport the batch to a Vietnamese man for a fee of around US$25. Authorities are looking into the case and searching for the buyer. Border guards in the central province of Thanh Hoa Province have cooperated with police in Laos to arrest a Lao national for trying to smuggle 1.3 kilograms of heroin across the border. The 40-year-old suspect was nabbed Saturday afternoon. He admitted that he was on his way to Thanh Hoa, where he planned to sell the drugs. Vietnam has some of the worlds toughest drug laws. Those convicted of possessing or smuggling more than 600 grams of heroin or more than 2.5 kilograms of methamphetamine face the death penalty. The production or sale of 100 grams of heroin or 300 grams of other illegal narcotics is also punishable by death. Yet drug trafficking activities across the Laos border remain rampant. A joint operation between Vietnamese border guards and Laos police on Saturday bust another smuggling case involving 12,000 pills of drugs. Two Lao men were arrested three days before that for trafficking 35 kilograms of opium into Vietnam. Quang Ngai Province's Military Command announced Monday they had destroyed 60 illegal gold mines within 6 days, by one week earlier than previously planned. Government agencies have coordinated with Engineer Corps to carry a ton of explosives to the sites that are located in the mountainous district of Tay Tra that could not be assessed by vehicles, the Command said. The officers had to work 13 hours a day and having lunch right on the site to quickly complete the campaign, they said. They seized many equipment that illegal gold miners buried near the site before felling to avoid being seized. Local police have been mobilized to maintain security after hundreds of illegal gold miners opposed the force and damaged their tents, news website VnExpress reported. Captain Kieu Cong Phuong of Tay Tra District Military Unit said that illegal gold mining are a major problem in the area, causing adverse damage to the environment and threaten social security. Sometimes, there were up to 300 people exploiting for gold illegally. We have set up temporary stations at the site for several months but they returned again when we left, he said. The gold mines had been manually dug into the mountainside and into the ground with many vertical tunnel sections. According to Quang Ngai Military Command, they previously planned to destroy 36 illegal gold mines. However, they have managed to destroy another 24. The agency has handed over the site to local authorities for further management. A soldier stands guard in a tower overlooking Camp Delta at Guantanamo Bay naval base in a December 31, 2009 file photo provided by the US Navy. The number of former Guantanamo Bay prison inmates who are suspected of having returned to fighting for militants doubled to 12 in the six months through January, the Obama administration said on Monday. The increase could fuel Republican attacks on Democratic President Barack Obama's plan to close the U.S. military prison in Cuba, which has come to symbolize aggressive detention practices following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks and opened the United States to accusations of torture. Most detainees have been held without trial for more than a decade. The closure plan, drawn up by the Pentagon and which requires approval by Congress, proposes 13 potential sites on U.S. soil to hold 30-60 detainees in maximum-security prisons. According to figures released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), as of Jan. 15 the United States also had confirmed that seven out of 144 Guantanamo prisoners who were freed since Obama took office in January 2009 have returned to fighting. That was up from six since the ODNI's previous release last July. The ODNI report is released every six months and does not give details on where or for which groups the former detainees are confirmed or suspected to be fighting. The ODNI figures showed that 111 of 532 prisoners released by the Republican administration of President George W. Bush are confirmed to have returned to the battlefield, with 74 others suspected of doing so. Under Bush, suspected militants were rounded up overseas as the United States became embroiled in wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and imprisoned at Guantanamo. The closure plan faces strong opposition from lawmakers who do not want detainees transferred to the United States. The United States took control of part of Guantanamo Bay in Cuba in 1903 under a treaty with the Havana government. Obama has pressed the Republican-led legislature to give his proposal a "fair hearing" and said he did not want to pass the issue to his successor in January. He is also considering executive action to close the facility. Republican Representative Ed Royce, chairman of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, introduced a measure that would force the administration to publicize plans for transfers from Guantanamo. Four other Republicans, Senators Richard Burr, Kelly Ayotte, Tom Cotton and presidential hopeful Marco Rubio, also introduced a bill that would bar Obama from returning the naval base at Guantanamo to Cuba without authorization from Congress. The outside of the 'Camp Five' detention facility is seen at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba December 10, 2008. Photo: Reuters/Mandel Ngan/Pool/File Photo President Barack Obama is again facing dissent from within his administration this time from Attorney General Loretta Lynch - over his plans to shutter the Guantanamo Bay military prison, according to senior administration officials. Lynch, a former federal prosecutor whom Obama appointed to head the Justice Department two years ago, is opposing a White House-backed proposal that would allow Guantanamo Bay prisoners to plead guilty to terrorism charges in federal court by videoconference, the officials said. Over the past three months, Lynch has twice intervened to block administration proposals on the issue, objecting that they would violate longstanding rules of criminal-justice procedure. In the first case, her last-minute opposition derailed a White House-initiated legislative proposal to allow video guilty pleas after nearly two months of interagency negotiations and law drafting. In the second case, Lynch blocked the administration from publicly supporting a Senate proposal to legalize video guilty pleas. Its been a fierce interagency tussle, said a senior Obama administration official, who supports the proposal and asked not to be identified. White House officials confirmed that President Obama supports the proposal. But the president declined to overrule objections from Lynch, the administrations top law-enforcement official. There were some frustrations, said a White House official who spoke on condition of anonymity. "The top lawyer in the land has weighed in, and that was the DOJs purview to do that. If enacted into law, the Obama-backed plan would allow detained terrorism suspects who plead guilty to serve their sentences in a third-country prison, without setting foot on U.S. soil. The plan would thus sidestep a Congressional ban on transferring detainees to the United States, which has left dozens of prisoners in long-term judicial limbo in Guantanamo, the American military enclave in Cuba. Obama has vowed to close the prison on his watch. But while he has overseen the release of some 160 men from the prison, the facility still holds 80 detainees. The video plea plan has broad backing within the administration, including from senior State Department and Pentagon officials. A Defense Department spokesman declined to comment. The most enthusiastic backers of the plan have been defense lawyers representing up to a dozen Guantanamo Bay detainees who are eager to extricate their clients from seemingly indefinite detention. Republicans in Congress have opposed the presidents plans to empty the prison, on the grounds that many of the detainees are highly dangerous. But there is some bipartisan support for the proposal as well, a rarity in the Guantanamo debate. Kevin Bishop, a spokesman for Senator Lindsey Graham, a leading Republican voice on defense and national security issues, said Graham was intrigued by the proposal. While support from a Republican senator would by no means guarantee the votes needed to pass, it does give the proposal a better chance than schemes that would transfer detainees from the Cuban enclave to the United States. Obama views the video feed proposal as a meaningful step toward closing the facility and making good on one of his earliest pledges as president, administration officials said. Of the 80 prisoners remaining in Guantanamo, roughly 30 have been approved for transfer to third countries by an interagency review board. Most of those 30 men are expected to be released from Guantanamo in coming weeks, according to administration officials. The officials said they think that as many as 10 more prisoners could be added to the approved-for-transfer list by the review board. Finally, another 10 detainees are standing trial in military commissions. That leaves roughly 30 detainees whom the government deems too dangerous to release but unlikely to be successfully prosecuted in court. As a result, those men would likely have to be transferred to detention in the United States if the prison were closed. Administration officials say that allowing video feeds could reduce that number to somewhere between 10 and 20. The administration believes that with such a small number of prisoners requiring transfer to the United States, it would be easier to win support for closing the facility, which is run by a staff of 2,000 military personnel. This is the group that gives the president the most heartburn, said the senior administration official. Lynch and her deputies at the Justice Department argued that the laws of criminal procedure do not allow defendants to plead guilty remotely by videoconference. Even if Congress were to pass the law, Lynch and her aides have told the White House that federal judges may rule that such pleas are in effect involuntary, because Guantanamo detainees would not have the option of standing trial in a U.S. courtroom. A defendant in federal court usually has the option to plead guilty or face a trial by jury. In the case of Guantanamo detainees, the only option they would likely face is to plead guilty or remain in indefinite detention. How would a judge assure himself that the plea is truly voluntary when if the plea is not entered, the alternative is youre still in Gitmo? said a person familiar with Lynchs concerns about the proposal. Thats the wrinkle. Lawyers for Guantanamo detainee Majid Khan, a 36-year-old Pakistani citizen, first proposed allowing Khan to plead guilty by videoconference in a legal memo submitted to the Department of Justice in November. In 2012, Khan confessed in military court to delivering $50,000 to Qaeda operatives who used it to carry out a truck bombing in Indonesia, and to plotting with Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks, on various planned strikes. Senate investigators found internal CIA documents confirming that Khans CIA interrogators subjected him to forced rectal feedings. Khans lawyers say the experience amounted to rape. He was also water-boarded. That treatment makes it difficult for the Department of Justice to successfully prosecute Khan in federal court, according to administration officials. When White House officials learned that Khan and other detainees were ready to plead guilty to terrorism charges in federal court, they thought they had found a solution. Efforts to try detainees, including Mohammed and other Sept. 11 suspects, in military tribunals at Guantanamo have bogged down over legal disputes. Only eight defendants have been fully prosecuted. Three verdicts have been overturned. The beauty of a guilty plea is you dont need a trial, said the senior administration official who supports the video plea proposal. In February, senior Obama aides proposed pushing ahead with video guilty pleas at an interagency meeting at the White House on the closure of Guantanamo, according to officials briefed on the meeting. Justice Department officials said they opposed video guilty pleas. Matthew Axelrod, the chief of staff to Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, said the proposal would violate laws of criminal procedure, according to the officials. U.S. President Barack Obama (L) listens to Attorney General Loretta Lynch (R) before the awards ceremony for the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor in the White House East Room in Washington, U.S., May 16, 2016. Photo: Reuters/Jonathan Ernst The meeting ended with an agreement to pursue new legislation allowing the guilty pleas, the officials said, which the Department of Justice supported. One week later, President Obama rolled out his plan to close the prison in a nationally televised announcement from the Roosevelt Room. Obamas plan included seeking legislative changes that might enable detainees who are interested in pleading guilty" in U.S. federal courts. Administration officials spent much of the next two months drafting the new law. On a Friday afternoon in mid-April, White House staff emailed all the involved agencies with a final draft of the bill, according to the officials. The bill would be submitted to Congress the following Monday, the White House email said. That weekend, Lynch intervened unexpectedly and said the Justice Department opposed the bill. The eleventh-hour move frustrated White House staff. Deciding again to not overrule Lynch, the White House shelved the bill. In late May, White House officials found a sympathetic lawmaker who inserted language authorizing video pleas into the annual defense spending bill. The White House drafted a policy memo publicly supporting the proposal, which is known as a Statement of Administration Policy, or SAP. Lynch opposed the idea, according to administration officials, sparking renewed tensions between the Justice Department and White House. A SAP is the presidents public declaration on the substance of a bill, according to Samuel Kernell, a political science professor at the University of California at San Diego. Without one, its often more difficult to get lawmakers on the fence to vote the way the White House wants. The White House again bowed to Lynchs objections and declined to issue the SAP. Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi told the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Human Rights on Monday that the government will avoid using the term "Rohingya" to describe a persecuted Muslim minority in the country's northwest, an official said on Monday. Also on Monday, the top U.N. human rights official issued a report saying the Rohingya have been deprived of nationality and undergone systematic discrimination and severe restrictions on movements. They have also suffered executions and torture that together may amount to crimes against humanity, the report said. Members of the 1.1 million group, who identify themselves by the term Rohingya, are seen by many Myanmar Buddhists as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. The term is a divisive issue. The U.N. human rights investigator, Yanghee Lee, met Suu Kyi in the capital Naypyitaw on her first trip to Myanmar since the Nobel Peace Prize winner took power in April. "At their meeting here this morning, our Foreign Minister Daw Aung San Suu Kyi explained our stance on this issue that the controversial terms should be avoided," said Aung Lin, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Suu Kyi is banned from presidency by the military-drafted constitution because her children have British citizenship. She holds offices of the State Counsellor and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, but is the de facto leader of the administration. Feted in the West for her role as champion of Myanmar's democratic opposition during long years of military rule and house arrest, Suu Kyi has been criticized overseas, and by some in Myanmar, for saying little about the abuses faced by the Rohingya. Possible crimes against humanity U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad Al Hussein said in the report the Rohingya are excluded from a number of professions and need special paperwork to access hospitals, which has resulted in delays and deaths of babies and their mothers during childbirth. It was the first time Zeid said these and other long-standing violations could add up to crimes against humanity, an international crime. Crimes against humanity are serious, widespread and systematic violations. Some 120,000 Rohingya remain displaced in squalid camps since fighting erupted in Rakhine State between Buddhists and Muslims in 2012. Thousands have fled persecution and poverty. "The new Government has inherited a situation where laws and policies are in place that are designed to deny fundamental rights to minorities, and where impunity for serious violations against such communities has encouraged further violence against them," Zeid said. Reversing such discrimination must be a priority for the new government "to halt ongoing violations and prevent further ones taking place against Myanmars ethnic and religious minorities," Zeid said. Suu Kyi has formed a committee to "bring peace and development" to the state in May, but its plans are not clear. On Friday, Myanmar's representative to the United Nations Human Rights Council, Thet Thinzar Tun, criticized use of "certain nomenclature" by a U.N. representative as "adding fuel to fire" and "only making things worse". "For the sake of harmony and mutual trust between two communities, it is advisable for everyone to use the term 'the Muslim community in Rakhine State'," she said, according to the United Nations. Suu Kyi said during a visit by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry last month that the country needed "space" to deal with the Rohingya issue and cautioned against the use of "emotive terms" that she said were making the situation more difficult. The previous military-linked government of former junta General Thein Sein referred to the group as "Bengalis", implying they were illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, though many have lived in Myanmar for generations. Lee, the U.N. Special Rapporteur, will meet several cabinet members and travel to areas where ethnic armed groups fight the military and sometimes between themselves, including Shan, Kachin and Rakhine states. Boys ride a bicycle near rubble of damaged buildings, in the rebel held besieged town of Douma, eastern Damascus suburb of Ghouta, Syria June 10, 2016. United Nations war crimes investigators called on world powers on Tuesday to pressure the warring sides in Syria to return to the negotiating table to end the conflict and civilian suffering. Paulo Pinheiro, chair of the U.N. independent commission of inquiry on Syria, said that the Syrian government was conducting daily air strikes, while militant groups including Islamic State also carried out indiscriminate attacks. "We need all states to insist time and time again that influential states and the (U.N.) Security Council unconditionally support the political process," Pinheiro told the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva. The Syrian government and opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC) - who ended the last round of talks in Geneva in late April - must resume talks and agree to confidence-building measures, including an end to indiscriminate bombings, granting access to besieged areas and releasing prisoners, he said. Paulo Pinheiro, Chairperson of the Independent Commission of Inquiry on Syria delivers a statement during the presentation of their report to the Human Rights Council at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, March 15, 2016. "Schools, hospitals, mosques, water stations - they are all being turned into rubble," Pinheiro said. "Tens of thousands are trapped between frontlines and borders in the north and south of Syria." Syria's ambassador Hussam Aala, in a speech to the rights forum, accused regional powers of "supporting terrorism" and "causing the failure of intra-Syrian talks in Geneva". He said schools and hospitals in Aleppo were being destroyed and civilians killed by missiles provided by Turkey and Qatar to the Nusra Front, al Qaeda's Syrian branch. European Union ambassador Peter Sorensen said: "The EU condemns the excessive, disproportionate and indiscriminate attacks that the Syrian regime continues to commit against its own people." The U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur patrols in the Philippine Sea in this August 15, 2013 file photo. Photo: Reuters/U.S. Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Declan Barnes/Handout via Reuters/Files A U.S. Navy destroyer sailed within 12 nautical miles of an island claimed by China and two other states in the South China Sea on Saturday to counter efforts to limit freedom of navigation, the Pentagon said, prompting an angry reaction from Beijing. China claims most of the South China Sea, through which more than $5 trillion of world trade is shipped every year. Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines and Taiwan have rival claims. Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis said no ships from China's military were in the vicinity of the guided-missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur when it passed near Triton Island in the Paracel Islands. The U.S. Navy conducted a similar exercise in October in which the guided-missile destroyer Lassen sailed close to one of China's man-made islands, also drawing a rebuke from Beijing. "This operation challenged attempts by the three claimants - China, Taiwan and Vietnam - to restrict navigation rights and freedoms," Davis said, reflecting the U.S. position that the crucial sea lane should be treated as international waters. Davis said the latest operation sought to challenge policies that require prior permission or notification of transit within territorial seas. He said the United States took no position on competing sovereignty claims to naturally formed land features in the South China Sea. "No claimants were notified prior to the transit, which is consistent with our normal process and international law," Davis said. China condemned the U.S. action as provocative. "The American warship has violated relevant Chinese laws by entering Chinese territorial waters without prior permission, and the Chinese side has taken relevant measures including monitoring and admonishments," China's foreign ministry said. China's defense ministry calling the American action "intentionally provocative and "irresponsible and extremely dangerous". The ministry also said that Chinese navy vessels had taken responsive action, conducted identification checks and promptly gave warnings for the ship to keep its distance. "Regardless of whatever provocative steps the American side takes, China's military will take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard national sovereignty and security," the ministry statement concluded. The operation followed calls in Congress for the Obama administration to follow up on the October operation. This month, the chairman of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee criticized Obama for delaying further freedom of navigation patrols. Senator John McCain said that allowed China to continue to pursue its territorial ambitions in the region, including by landing a plane on a man-made island in the Spratly Islands archipelago. In a statement on Saturday, McCain said he was "encouraged" by the news. "I continue to hope these operations will become so routine that China and other claimants will come to accept them as normal occurrences and releasing press statements to praise them will no longer be necessary," he said. McCain added that the operation challenged the "excessive maritime claims that restrict the rights and freedoms of the United States". Canberra's garbage truck drivers will strike for the fourth time in just over a month as an industrial dispute with the contractor Suez drags on. It follows two strikes in May, and one earlier in June since negotiations between the Transport Workers Union and Suez began in February. Canberra's garbage truck drivers are set to strike again. Credit:Brian Pamphilon The ACT government has asked residents of the 28 affected suburbs to leave their bins on the kerb for collection over the weekend. The ongoing dispute is over severance pay for drivers. In an article for The Canberra Times, secretary Klaus Pinkas said drivers had become worse off. A Lyons man has pleaded not guilty to blocking a demolition truck from a neighbouring Mr Fluffy house. Leomar "Leo" Felix Carvalho, 71, was arrested on May 13 for allegedly obstructing access to the premises, after police were called to a disturbance. Leo Carvalho protesting outside his neighbour's home in May. Credit:Rohan Thomson Mr Carvalho appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court on Tuesday, when he pleaded not guilty to engaging in unreasonable obstruction of the Volvo truck at Barrow Place in Lyons. Magistrate Robert Cook continued Mr Carvalho's bail and set the matter down for a hearing from October 13. The NSW government expects to complete the sale of Ausgrid by the end of August, paving the way for it to start the process of selling the next tranche of power sector assets. The state government is selling 50.4 per cent of each of Ausgrid and Endeavour Energy, government-owned bodies that distribute electricity to the main urban areas of the state - Sydney, Wollongong and Newcastle. It will retain full ownership of Essential Energy, which services rural NSW. Earlier, the Baird government sold Transgrid, the high-voltage network operator, for $10.26 billion, with the sale of all three assets expected to contribute more than $20 billion to the state's coffers. The government had originally planned to complete the sale of Ausgrid by mid-year but it has been delayed, in part due to a dispute over the way the assets are regulated. Legal action is under way by the Australian Energy Regulator following the rejection of its earlier decision to restrict the spending plans of power companies such as Ausgrid, which may hurt the sales price. House price growth in Sydney and Melbourne is set to halve in the coming months, says HSBC chief economist Paul Bloxham, the latest economist to have a stab at when the property market might come off the boil. Following a lull over Christmas, Sydney and Melbourne house prices grew 13 per cent and 14 per cent respectively year-on-year in May, and have pulled the national market to an average year-on-year growth rate of 10 per cent. But Mr Bloxham expects tighter lending standards, an oversupply of apartments and the recent taxation of foreign buyers to ultimately weigh on the market and forecasts national growth to slow from 9 per cent in 2015 to about 4 per cent to 5 per cent in 2016. In 2017 house prices will be growing at a rate between 0 per cent and 5 per cent, says Mr Bloxham. Once, twice, three times a tradie The dramas over #FakeTradie are continuing on Tuesday after the advertisement launch on Sunday night spurred parodies, memes, a glorious outpouring on Twitter and Facebook, and widespread mockery from all sides. Yet it turns out that the fake tradie would appear to actually be a genuine tradesman - to be specific, NSW metalworker and Liberal supporter Andrew MacRae - but far from settling the issue, the investigation has raised even more weirdness about the ad than had been pointed out before. While MacRae did chuckle to reporters about the many things wrong with the way he was portrayed in the ad - such as the sweet watch-n-chain bling that would be less likely to impress co-workers than get caught on something and lose him an arm - his deal for the commercial apparently included "a contract not to talk to the media". So the Daily Mail spoke to friends and neighbours instead, who told the reporter that they were pretty certain that he wasn't a property investment mogul, despite his emphatic (and, for that matter, oddly emphasised) statements, and that he's living with a housemate in what they believe to be a rented property. Which is perfectly reasonable, obviously: hell, V from the S can confirm that renting in Sydney is no picnic, even with a decent income. But it does suggest that maybe, just maybe, the situation expressed in the words and upon the wrists of Mr MacCrea don't accurately reflect the experience of Australia's proud tradesmen. It's also turned into a bit of an own goal with the likes of the CFMEU recruiting tradespeople to do their own ad to counter the idea that tradies are less interested in things like job security, wages and working conditions than they are the vagaries of negative gearing for investment properties. Still, that really is a lovely watch. Really complements the hi-vis vest. Item: racist says racist things You might want to sit down, Australia: there's some shocking news regarding the racist Facebook rant that former Labor NT senator Nova Peris received after announcing her retirement from politics last month. You might recall that when Central Coast chiropractor and former Liberal Party member Chris Nelson was first investigated about a post made from his account upon Peris' official Facebook page - which called her a "black c---" and suggesting that she "go back to the bush and suck on witchity [sic] grubs", he insisted that his social media accounts had been hacked. "I found out about this about 5.30 on Saturday afternoon when Facebook sent me a notification that someone had spammed my account," he explained with horror at why oh why someone would do such a terrible terrible thing. "I was clearly hacked. I'm the victim of a really horrible and extremely vicious hacking." And those hackers had apparently really done their homework too, since other posts on Nelson's Facebook page suggested they're really nailed both the content and the idiosyncratic approach to spelling and syntax impressively well - almost as though they were Nelson himself! So it possibly isn't the greatest surprise in the world that he's now pleaded guilty to using a carriage service to cause offence. Hopefully that revelation hasn't left you splattered with soup dislodged by your falling monocle, readers. But just in case you thought that the racist comments were somehow intended as racist, they totally weren't you guys: Nelson would like to make clear that his trenchant analysis about black c----s was "due to government policies concerning illegal immigration and welfare payments to persons of Aboriginal heritage," obviously. Why, what other possible interpretation could there be? He's set for sentencing in July, unless of course he appeals on the ground that his testimony had also been mysteriously hacked. After all, those haxxors, man. They're mad l33t! Bleach baby! While the Australian press have been weirdly circumspect on the massive coral bleaching and related die-off that is destroying the Great Barrier Reef, it turns out that overseas tourists enthusiastic about seeing a place of peerless natural wonder and beauty are not quite as excited at the thought of travelling all the way to Australia to dive in a stinking death-zone. The Australia Institute's report "Great Barrier Bleached" has concluded that Australia's looking at about 10,000 jobs and one billion dollars a year lost in tourism if nothing's done about the damage we should have done something about years ago. Executive Director Ben Olquist has suggested an immediate moratorium on coal mining, citing both global warming, increased shipping and soil run off as all contributing to the reef's parlous health. "While there has been lots of talk about the potential tourism impacts of coral bleaching, this is the first time anyone has gone to our key tourism markets and asked them what they might do if we aren't able to better protect the reef," he said, before dropping the bomb likely to make get the government's attention: "The Chinese market is particularly sensitive, with 55 per cent more likely to visit another country. Among Chinese people who travel regularly, this rate is even higher." And since both the government and opposition are bickering over which party's reef funding commitment is more laughably insufficient, maybe we should just start promoting Salty Cap'n Turnbull's Haunted Undersea Boneyard as a must-see tourist destination. WhoooOOOOoooo! The cocktail hour: one down, many still to go Here's something else being reported in the international press - but, pointedly, not in much of the Australian media: Australia has won the dubious honour of being the first nation to confirm a mammal extinction via climate change. Yay? It's difficult to argue that children should be able to purchase a device that mimics smoking (and comes in a variety of lolly flavours) at their local convenience store. Or that we should be comfortable with electronic cigarettes being marketed as glamorous and cool, just as regular cigarettes used to be. For the uninitiated, an electronic cigarette (or e-cigarette) is a battery-powered device that heats a liquid, containing chemical flavours, to a temperature at which the liquid vapourises. The vapour is inhaled from the device and exhaled by the user in an action that is very like smoking a cigarette. Hence the terms "vaping" and "vaper" as opposed to "smoking" and "smoker". An international review of clinical trials concluded that there is little evidence that e-cigarettes help people quit. This week the Victorian parliament is considering, for the first time, introducing restrictions on e-cigarettes: banning their sale to children, restricting their advertising, and preventing vaping in smokefree areas. In the US the number of high school students using e-cigarettes tripled from 2013 to 2014, from 660,000 to 2 million. These figures prompted the director of the US Food and Drug Administration's Centre for Tobacco Products, Mitch Zeller, to worry that "the progress we have made in reducing youth cigarette smoking rates is being threatened". Most states in the US now ban sales of e-cigarettes to minors, in line with the new laws proposed in Victoria. Every painful step on Matthew Gillett's road back from the darkest days of his life is visible in his art. "It has definitely evolved over the years," says the 41-year-old. "The subject matter has moved. Originally, it was just a lot of skulls, a lot of darkness and a lot of tunnels and a lot of almost introverted images. "Now, the skulls seem to have skin on them and colour on them and the human bodies are evolving in the works with colour." The darkness descended on Gillett in December 2008, when he was manager of the iconic Annandale Hotel. One night he stepped in to help a junior manager deal with two troublesome patrons. The two-time Oscar winner for Braveheart said he had "so many" movies he could shoot now he is back directing his first movie since Apocalypto a decade ago. "For me, the big thing is directing. That's my main push ... That's more fulfilling." Relaxed in his old home town ... Mel Gibson is looking to direct a Jacobean tragedy as his next project. Credit:Rocket K Weijers While some overseas reviewers have described his new movie, the thriller Blood Father, as a comeback to acting - Variety called it an attempt at "acting rehab after his flameout" - Gibson said that was not necessarily the case. "I've got one [that's been in development for] 15 years and it's back in the fifteenth century in Italy somewhere, and it's a true story," he said at an In Conversation session at Sydney Film Festival. "It's got all the trappings of a Jacobean tragedy. I want to make it like that even to the point where you get soliloquies and stuff." A two-time Oscar winner for Braveheart, Gibson was at the festival for the Australian premiere of Blood Father, which sees him playing an ex-con who has to protect his daughter from drug-dealers. He is also finishing work on Hacksaw Ridge, which has Andrew Garfield (The Social Network, The Amazing Spider-Man) as real-life conscientious objector Desmond Doss, who became a war hero after saving more than 75 of his comrades' lives during the Battle of Okinawa. "He didn't want to have a gun," Gibson said. "He believed it was wrong to kill. It was who he was and he was just going on pure faith." Graziers are on alert for lamb and sheep losses from cold temperatures coupled with westerly wind and rain. The warning of strong wind has farmers around Canberra on edge because scarcity of feed in paddocks after a dry autumn has left stock more susceptible to weather extremes. Sheep in the rain. Credit:Andrew Meares South East Local, Land Services district veterinarian Bill Johnson said good early weather warnings had kept stock losses to a minimum. "Lambing is the big issue, anyone with new lambs or on the point of lambing will be watching for the change with winds and snow," Mr Johnson said. Bob Katter infamously quipped that he would walk backwards from Bourke if there were any gay people in his north Queensland electorate of Kennedy. Now the maverick ex-National is being challenged by Jonathan Pavetto, a 25-year-old gay Liberal National, for the seat he holds by a margin of just 2.2 per cent. But in a move that has raised eyebrows in gay and lesbian media, Labor will preference Mr Katter and Family First above Mr Pavetto - a move that may just get the eccentric veteran over the line. One of the early responders to a deadly Vanuatu bus crash has described the shocking incident as injured victims begin to arrive in Australia for treatment. Three Australian children were among 10 tourists injured in the Monday-afternoon collision between a tour bus operator and a local bus, which claimed the lives of three Port Vila locals. Vanuatu police were preparing to charge the tour bus operator with three counts of reckless driving causing death after he allegedly crossed the centre line and collided with the oncoming bus. Acting assistant commissioner of Police Songi George Andrews alleged the "young driver" had crossed to the wrong side of the road pretending to hit some people on the side of the road before colliding with the other bus. A man who was absorbed by the same delusions as his schizophrenic mother when he stabbed to death a decorated NSW Police officer has launched a bid to have his 35-year jail term reduced. Mitchell Barbieri was sentenced to a maximum of 35 years behind bars, with a non-parole period of 26 years, for murdering Inspector Bryson Anderson in Sydney's north west in 2012. Warwick Anderson, brother of murdered NSW Police officer Bryson Anderson, leaves the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal on Tuesday. Credit:Emma Partridge The 21-year-old was barricaded inside his Oakville home with his mother, Fiona Barbieri, when police arrived after a call from neighbours on December 6, 2012. The mother and son screamed at police to go away, telling them to f**k off, and fired off emails to a host of politicians including Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Russian President Vladimir Putin, about having the right to defend themselves. The NSW government does not know how many reports of sexual abuse against children in state care it receives. It decided that compiling totals of alleged abuse incidents was not a "reasonable" use of resources. The NSW government says "certain limitations" in IT systems mean it cannot count up reports of child sexual abuse. Government lawyers rejected a formal request for the numbers under freedom of information laws as NSW prepares for an Upper House inquiry into child protection services. The Treasurer renewed a call for the GST to be distributed on the basis of population so NSW can get its "fair share". But in the shadow of the July 2 federal election, Ms Berejiklian was reluctant to criticise her federal Coalition colleagues over the impasse on health and education funding beyond 2020. She noted NSW was given an extra $1 billion in health funding to 2019-20 as part of a stop-gap agreement between the Commonwealth and the states. "Of course, we will have ongoing discussions with the federal government about those issues beyond that period of time," she said. The budget centrepiece was a $1 billion boost to NSW schools capital works expected to deliver 1100 new classrooms due to "unprecedented enrolments". It also contained $1 billion for new suburban trains. But Ms Berejiklian was, for the second year in a row, forced to defend a lack of housing affordability measures in the budget beyond $262 million for the Housing Acceleration Fund designed to fast track new home releases. "We're doing everything we can for first home buyers and for anyone who wants to get into the market for the first time or any families who want to scale up," she argued. "The key thing for us as a state government is to continue to focus on supply." Ms Berejiklian noted there were 70,000 housing approvals in NSW in the 12 months to April. She said the budget surplus would be $3.4 billion this financial year, before growing to $3.7 billion in 2016-17, $1.3 billion in 2017-18, $1.4 billion in 2018-19, and $1.6 billion in 2019-20. Above trend growth is expected to continue over the next two years, with Gross State Product forecast to increase by 3 per cent next financial year and 2.75 per cent in 2017-18. However, Ms Berejiklian told Parliament that NSW is forecast to receive just 81 per cent of our GST share per person in four years a historic low, down from 95 per cent this financial year. The Treasurer said that if NSW had kept its GST share it would have been $10.8 billion better off than forecast in the budget. This means NSW will continue on the path of reining in public sector expenses growth. Over the next four years average expenses growth is forecast to fall to an annual 3.4 per cent. Meanwhile, revenue growth is forecast to fall from 6 per cent in 2015-16 to 4.1 per cent in 2019-20. Despite the current Sydney property boom, residential stamp duty receipts are expected to moderate over the next four years, growing at an average 2.4 per cent per year. Stamp duty receipts are forecast to rise from $8.9 billion this financial year to $9.8 billion in 2019-20. As previously announced, the government will continue a 1.5 per cent "efficiency dividend" across most government departments for a total saving of $1.4 billion by 2019-20. Net debt is expected to be $663 million, or 0.1 per cent of Gross State Product. Opposition leader Luke Foley said the budget fails to adequately invest in schools and hospitals when revenues were still strong due to the property boom. "We see a need with a fast growing population for an additional 300,000 school places over the next 15 years," he said. "Today's initiative is a mere drop in the ocean". He said $1 million towards a $370 million upgrade of Nepean hospital was "a disastrous outcome". The University of Sydney will shut down its Sydney College of the Arts campus and transfer students to the University of NSW, under a merger agreement signed by the two universities. Jointly announced by both universities on Tuesday, the merger follows months of speculation that the University of Sydney planned to vacate the historic Kirkbride complex in Callan Park, which has hosted the Sydney College of the Arts for the last two decades. University of Sydney students at the College of the Arts will move to the University of NSW. Credit:Rob Homer Many of the 550 students currently studying at the SCA will be transferred to the University of NSW Art and Design school in Paddington from the beginning of 2017 academic year, at which point all future enrolments for visual art courses will be through UNSW. The merger has been championed by the heads of both universities as an "important step" towards the creation of national centre of artistic excellence. Delays in Brisbane's north are expected to stretch through the peak period after a two-car collision injured a woman and child and left one of the city's busiest roads "pretty much shot". All lanes southbound on Lutwyche Road reopened at 7.40am, about an hour after the crash in Kedron, which extensively damaged both cars, a police spokeswoman said. Two cars have collided near Kedron Park Road in Kedron. Credit:Penny Dahl @pennycopter Previously police were diverting traffic past the accident and away from the nearby entrance to the Airport Link tunnel Paramedics were treating a woman and child from one of the vehicles but couldn't provide details of their injuries. A Gold Coast businessman convicted of child sex offences has been ordered to spend a further five months behind bars for indecently touching a seven-year-old girl. John William Chardon, 68, fronted Brisbane District Court on Tuesday to be sentenced for one count of indecent dealing with a child under 12. John Chardon has been jailed for molesting a seven-year-old girl. Credit:Steve Jacobs It came after a jury at Southport District Court found him guilty of molesting a seven-year-old girl after she emerged from the shower. Prosecutor Jacob Robson said the young girl had been "targeted" when she was naked and vulnerable in the bathroom. The benefits of brain and memory training could be all in the mind, nothing more than a placebo effect, finds a major study by American researchers. The results cast doubt on the booming billion dollar industry that has resulted in online training, apps and television shows, that tap into dark fears about ageing, and the promise of maintaining brain function. The researchers urge the brain training industry to "temper its claims" until more is known, and say most brain training websites make explicit claims that are not currently supported by research. In the new study, published on Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a group of researchers argue that the "desire to become smarter may blind us to the role of placebo effects." A 26-year-old Doncaster man has been charged with stalking and sexually assaulting a woman aged in her 60s. Victoria Police spokeswoman Anthoula Moutis said the incident happened on March 17, about 6pm when the woman was walking along the Koonung Creek Trail in Melbourne's east. Police have charged a Doncaster man with sex offences. "Box Hill sexual offences and child abuse investigation team detectives have charged a man with sexual assault and stalking offences," Sergeant Anthoula said. "The 26-year-old man from Doncaster was arrested and charged yesterday." The man was bailed to appear at the Ringwood Magistrates Court on January 18, 2017. The French Foreign Legion is one of the most mythologised fighting units in the world. Now, their newest recruit could be a 21-year-old construction worker from Wallan. Missing man Dean Ranieri has been found alive after vanishing for four weeks while travelling on his first overseas trip to Europe. Dean Ranieri was missing for four weeks. No one had heard from him since he posted on his Facebook page on May 18. He left on a flight for France on May 14. His worried mother, Louisa Fantauzzo, said she wept "happy tears" when the Australian consulate rang her to say that French police had found her son safe and healthy. Police have charged a man with attempted murder over a shooting in the driveway of a gym owner in Burnside, in Melbourne's west, last year. Nikolaos Solomos was parked in the driveway of his Mockridge Avenue home about 5.40pm on May 21 when a masked gunman approached the driver's side of the car. Gym owner Nikolaos Solomos said he was blessed to have survived the shooting. Credit:Eddie Jim The gunman fired two shots through the window, narrowly missing Mr Solomos, who escaped with only cuts and bruising from the shattered glass. Armed crime squad detectives arrested a 25-year-old Glen Waverley man in Springvale on Tuesday morning and charged him with attempted murder. The state government may introduce new carjacking laws after a young man was attacked with a crowbar in the second violent car theft in Malvern in 24 hours. While carjacking is a crime in NSW, offenders in Victoria are typically charged with multiple offences, such as theft of a motor vehicle and armed robbery. The latest incident in Melbourne's south-east happened when a 23-year-old driving a 2015 Audi was attacked at the intersection of Wattletree and Glenferrie roads at 2.15am on Wednesday. He was bumped from behind by a BMW, which caused him to pull over. He was then assaulted with a crowbar and his keys were stolen by a passenger in the BMW, which had parked in front of him. The federal government is investigating after discovering that a Perth bushland, due to be bulldozed for housing, could already be home to endangered flora. City of Swan councillors in January recommended that the WA Planning Commission approve the subdivision plans for a 1300-lot housing development on the site of more than 60 hectares in Midvale, in Perth's foothills. Flowers in the patch of bush deemed by Tauss & Associates Biodiversity Consultants to contain a threatened ecological community. Credit:Phil Cloran Despite councillors' reported unhappiness with the application, it was carried, on condition that concerns - including concerns about a banksia woodland significant both for its vegetation and as black cockatoos habitat - be addressed. The Farrall Road bushland is right next to a protected Bush Forever site but falls outside the protected boundary. A victim of child sex abuse within the Australian Defence Force has told how he was subjected to oral sex, masturbation and buggery when he was a young sailor at a Perth naval base almost 50 years ago. The statement was part of Tuesday's royal commission hearing in Sydney which deals with historic sex abuse in the Australian Defence Force between 1960 and 1980. In 2012 the ADF set up a taskforce to deal with 2400 historical complaints. More than 100 people who experienced physical, mental and sexual abuse within the ADF contacted the commission. Fifty of those suffered child abuse at HMAS Leeuwin in Perth or the army apprentice school at Balcombe in Victoria and 26 were about child abuse of ADF cadets. The hearings will look at how the ADF handled allegations of abuse and victims of abuse at all three establishments will give evidence. A vacant house in Ballajura was trashed on Saturday night after teenagers advertised an impromptu party on Facebook, with the next rogue gathering in the same suburb already reportedly in planning. Alice Pooley from Channel 9 News Perth said in what appeared to be a new illegal party scam, teenagers were targeting vacant rental properties, telling neighbours they were the new tenants. They then break into the property and invite hundreds of people online to participate in a destructive party. More than 200 teenagers and adults went to the Ballajura home on the weekend to drink and damage the property before police were called. And on Monday the Senate revealed just whose side it was on yes, of course, the manufacturers should be protected from such frivolous actions; but, good God no, why should this august body act to limit gun sales, or, heaven forbid, maybe even head off a massacre or two? Congress is out of step: Senator Chris Murphy after the vote. Credit:AP Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat, browbeat the Senate's Republican majority to agree to Monday's votes by talking non-stop for 15hrs last week. That's called a filibuster. But the Republican's brought counter proposals, crafted with the help of the National Rifle Association (NRA), and consequently all four votes failed to secure a necessary 60 votes to clear a procedural hurdle. From left: Senators Richard Durbin, Richard Blumenthal, Chris Murphy, and Charles Schumer listen to Minority Leader Harry Reid (centre) on Monday. Credit:AP Whereas the Democrats wanted tighter background checks, the Republicans wanted greater resources to prosecute violation of the existing background-checking arrangement. And whereas the Democrats wanted to bar those who are named on the FBI terror watch list from buying weapons; the Republicans came up with a sure fire way to make the Democrat proposal unworkable put the sale of a gun to a suspect on hold for 72hrs, in which the Attorney- General would have to go before a judge to show probable cause to deny the sale. Bob Civil reacts in front of a New York memorial for victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting. Credit:AP I don't think democracy allows for this Congress to be so out of step with the American public for very long. Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy The votes were along party lines, save for two Republican senators who, facing tight re-election contests in November, supported the Democrat proposals. Democrats later condemned the NRA's "vice-like grip" on members of congress. And though Murphy, the Connecticut senator whose turf includes Sandy Hook, said he was not surprised by the vote, he professed to being mortified. "I don't think democracy allows for this Congress to be so out of step with the American public for very long." Filibuster: Chris Murphy on the floor of the Senate during the filibuster demanding a vote on gun control measures. Credit:C-Span/AP Florida Senator, Democrat Bill Nelson, wondered aloud about how he could return to the state in which the horror of the Orlando massacre was so fresh in people's minds, asking: "What am I going to tell 49 grieving families? What am I going to tell the families of those [who] are still in the hospital fighting for their lives?" And as the Senate charade played out, the families of victims of gun violence, some of them in tears, watched from the public gallery. Poor people didn't they know that the Senate had behaved like this after the Sandy Hook massacre? Had they forgotten that congress voted the same way after the San Bernardino massacre in December 2015, in which 14 people were killed and 22 were seriously injured? But as reported by The New York Times cynicism abounds: "Partisanship and the power of the gun lobby played a large role Democrats structured their bills in a way that was almost certain to repel Republicans; while Republicans responded with bills equally distasteful to Democrats". As the families of the Sandy Hook victims looked on in the Bridgeport court, James Vogts, an attorney for Remington Arms, told Judge Barbara Bellis: "A personal injury case in front of a jury is not the place for a new policy to emerge on who should own firearms and what type of firearms". The killer in that case, 20-year-old Adam Lanza, used a Bushmaster XM15-E2S rifle, which had been purchased legally by his mother who he also shot. But what puts the fear of God into the manufacturers is the particular argument on which the families' case hangs. That is, they are not arguing that the single sale of a gun to the mother was negligent; instead their point is that in making a military-grade weapon and marketing it to civilians for years, the manufacturers and the retailers have been negligent. Josh Koskoff, representing the victim families, told the court: "A weapon that was designed to be used in combat by military to assault and kill enemies of war in the fields of Vietnam and more recently in the streets of Fallujah, and there it was lying not on the battlefield but on the floor of Vicki Soto's first-grade classroom." Soto died a hero, attempting to protect her pupils at Sandy Hook. Warsaw: Polish prosecutors said on Tuesday they would re-open the coffins of all victims of a 2010 presidential jet crash to examine the remains, a move likely to deepen political divisions surrounding the investigation. The crash near Smolensk in western Russia killed 96 people including Poland's president Lech Kaczynski and his wife, in addition to the central bank chief, top army brass and several lawmakers. Wreckage of the Polish presidential plane that crashed in Smolensk, western Russia. Credit:Sergey Ponomarev/AP An inquiry by the previous centrist government returned a verdict of pilot error, but the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party led by Kaczynski's twin brother, Jaroslaw, says the crash may have been caused by an explosion on board. Washington: There's a bit of head scratching and a fair bit of mirth over Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's latest campaign financial disclosures. High on the list of questions is this: If Trump is so happily self-funding his campaign, why is the campaign paying so much money to Trump corporate entities like $US1.1 million ($1.4 million) in May alone; and $US2.7 million in all of 2015? And this is another: If Trump is such a whizz-bang fundraiser and so well connected to the political donor classes, why did his campaign have just $US1.3 million cash at bank, when presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton had $US42.5 million? New York: Donald Trump enters the general election campaign labouring under the worst financial and organisational disadvantage of any major party nominee in recent history, placing both his candidacy and party in political peril. Mr Trump began June with just $US1.3 million ($1.7 million) in cash on hand, a figure more typical for a campaign for the House of Representatives than the White House, and trailed Hillary Clinton by more than $US41 million, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission late on Monday. The strangest criticism of the media, however, was by Trump's former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski. Credit:AP He has a staff of around 70 people, compared with nearly 700 for Mrs Clinton, suggesting only the barest effort toward preparing to contest swing states in November. And he fired his campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, on Monday, after concerns among allies and donors about his ability to run a competitive race. A British man accused of trying to take a police officer's gun and kill Donald Trump during a rally in Las Vegas will not be released on bail. US Federal Magistrate Judge George Foley said at a hearing on Monday that Michael Steven Sandford, 20, was a potential danger to the community and a flight risk. Sandford, who wore leg irons and appeared to tremble during the court hearing, is charged with an act of violence on restricted grounds and was assigned a federal public defender. He has not entered a plea. Public defender Heather Fraley said Sandford appeared to be competent and hadn't been diagnosed with a mental illness but that he has autism and previously attempted suicide. He was living out of his car, didn't have a job and was in the country illegally after overstaying a visa. BOSTONIn the past, buying a new car typically meant taking a trip to the local dealership and spending hours finding the right ride and dealing with an abundance of paperwork and a perceived lack of transparency from dealers. However, that long-standing tradition is being tested by online car-selling startups, according to the recently released PYMNTS.com Unattended Retail Tracker. The latest bimonthly tracker shows how companies like Carvana are bringing digital disruption to the auto retailer market by allowing consumers to shop and purchase a new car via the Internet, but they are also letting buyers pick up their vehicles at their fully automated, coin-operated car vending machine in Nashville. Ernie Garcia, founder and CEO of Carvana, says integrating the vending machine concept into vehicle buying makes for a one-of-a-kind experience that mirrors just how simple and easy weve made it to buy a car online. On average, customers spend about 30 minutes purchasing a car through the online car-selling startup in Tennessee. Customers can complete all the necessary paperwork, submit down payment information, review contracts and sign for everything electronically. When the time comes to pick up their vehicle, they visit a multi-story glass structure with 20 cars inside, select their name from a kiosk, enter the coin into the vending machine, and then the vehicle is instantly retrieved through the use of robotic platforms that can move a car thanks to automated parking technology. Some other highlights from the tracker include: Wendys plans to roll out self-service kiosks to 6,000 locations by the end of the year. HealthyYOU plans expansion to 800 operators and thousands of healthy vending machines nationwide. FlashPARCS mobile kiosks will now add a cash payment option due to a revival of cash payments at parking lots in recent years. Here are the companies making the Top 15 unattended retail power rankings list with their respective score: 1. Ingenico Group - 88 2. Unattended Card Payments Inc. - 83 3. Apriva - 78 4. Payment Express - 75 (t) 5. Moneris Solutions - 74 (t) 5. Nayax - 74 7. VE Global Vending Inc. - 70 8. USA Technologies - 68 9. 365 Retail Markets - 66 (t) 10. Cantaloupe Systems - 65 (t) 10. Oti - 65 (t) 12. Hemisphere Western Europe Ltd. - 64 (t) 12. PayRange - 64 (t) 12. Verifone - 64 15. Microtronic US 63 New additions to the tracker listing include: 365 Retail Markets Hemisphere Western Europe Ltd. Klever Logic MSC Payment Solutions PayLevel Systems PayTec AG Payter SIX Payment Services Terminal Technologies Ltd. UNICUM The provider scores in the report are determined based on the evaluation of four areas: acceptance of various payment methods, markets served, security standards achieved and technology solutions offered. To get exclusive insights, download the complete Unattended Retail Tracker. About PYMNTS.com PYMNTS.com is reinventing the way in which companies share relevant information about the initiatives that shape the future of payments and commerce and makes news. This powerful B2B platform is the #1 site for the payments industry by traffic and the premier source of information about Whats Next in payments and commerce. It provides an interactive platform for companies to demonstrate thought leadership, popularize products and, most importantly, capture the mindshare of global decision-makers. For more information, visit the PYMNTS website. Contacts PYMNTS.com Alexander Terzian, 617-374-4700 aterzian@pymnts.com Toyota Adds Child Models to Virtual Crash Dummy Line-up Toyota City, Japan, Jun, 21 2016 - Toyota Motor Corporation has added three new models to represent children aged ten, six, and three to Version 4 of its Total Human Model for Safety (THUMS) virtual crash dummy software. THUMS allows injuries sustained by human bodies during vehicle crashes to be simulated on computer, and sales of the new models will begin from this autumn. THUMS is able to forecast the extent of injuries sustained throughout the human body, and thus, is utilized in the technological development of passenger protection devices such as airbags, and to contribute to improved vehicle safety performance. THUMS is also increasingly being used in the field of motorsports. For example, it has been used by NASCAR (the U.S.-based National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) to formulate regulations for seat shapes that are better able to reduce the likelihood of rib fractures sustained in drivers as a result of racing accidents. The ten-year old (138cm tall), six-year old (118cm tall) and three-year old (94cm tall) additions to THUMS Version 4 represent the average physiques of children at each respective age. As with the large male (189cm tall), average-build adult male (179cm tall), and small female (153cm tall) models that are already being sold, the new models will come in two versions-a passenger version and a pedestrian version-for a total of six new additions to the THUMS line-up. This expanded line-up takes into consideration the influence of age and physique, and allows for a more thorough injury analysis. Ever since THUMS Version 1 was launched in the year 2000, continued improvements and refinements have been made to the software. For Version 2, which was released in 2003, faces and bone structure were added to the models. Version 3, launched in 2008, added a brain simulation and in 2010, Version 4 was upgraded with detailed modeling of the brain and also the addition of internal organs and their placement and interaction within the body. In 2015, Version 5 added simulated musculature, allowing the models to assume the same bracing positions that a human might just before a crash. The newly launched child-spec models were created as a result of collaborative research between Wayne State University, the University of Michigan, and the Collaborative Safety Research Center(1) located in the Toyota Technical Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan. THUMS is available for purchase through the Tokyo-based JSOL Corporation and ESI Japan. THUMS is used for a wide variety of purposes by automobile manufacturers, parts manufacturers, and universities both in Japan and overseas. It contributes to research on safety technologies not just at Toyota, but also by organizations all over the world. The ultimate desire of a mobile society is to advance towards the goal of eliminating traffic fatalities and injuries. Going forward, Toyota will utilize THUMS to analyze the injuries sustained by both passengers and pedestrians during collisions with and between vehicles, and to further research and improve safety technologies of all kinds. (1) The Collaborative Safety Research Center was established in 2011. It aims to reduce the number of traffic fatalities and injuries through collaborative research with North American universities, hospitals and research agencies, and by sharing the results of this research with society. Between 2011 and 2021, it is slated to receive 85 million dollars in investment. About Toyota Supported by people around the world, Toyota Motor Corporation , has endeavored since its establishment in 1937 to serve society by creating better products. As of the end of December 2013, Toyota conducts its business worldwide with 52 overseas manufacturing companies in 27 countries and regions. Toyota's vehicles are sold A band of Twitter trolls alleging to be from the Middle East spent Sunday and Monday repeatedly reporting atheist and pro-LGBT girls and women to the local authorities in places where blasphemy laws allow for punishments as severe as death. Stories of social media harassment have become increasingly common in recent years, but the consequences of this trolling campaign could be far more serious than most. Twitter users in Kuwait have already spent years in jail for tweets similar to the ones trolls unearthed on Sunday and Monday, as repeated requests to Twitter to ban those doxing young women have so far fallen on deaf ears. Late Sunday night, Twitter user @old_gaes tweeted a screenshot of one of @Pharaohoes tweets from February, which had replaced the word domain in a verse from the Quran with a slang word for vagina. This is the end of another atheist and we should continue exposing every Arab atheist child to their parents who do not know of their atheism, @old_gaes wrote in Arabic above the tweet. Several friends of @Pharaohoe on Twitter told The Daily Beast that she is 16 years old and lives in Kuwait. @Old_gaes urged his followers to report her tweets to authorities after tracking down and disseminating appropriate government email addresses. Dubais verified police account tweeted back to @old_gaes on Monday morning, asking him to kindly send the details about potential blasphemy along to a specific email address. His entire account is of him reporting LGBTQ and ex-Muslims, or harassing them until they deactivate, said Dubai-based Twitter user Afra, who declined to give her last name because it could really affect my safety. On Monday, @Pharaohoe tweeted they fucking found me, im gonna puke, then im deactivating guys. She then deleted her account. @Old_gaes deactivated his own account late on Monday after users threatened to report a tweet critical of the UAE to Dubai Police, but he first gloated about his crusade when @Pharaohoes account went dark. They live in our safety and eat from our God given bounties, but when they disrespect our faith you think they deserve mercy or forgiveness? he wrote in Arabic. Many of his followers voiced agreement and pledged to help. Arab gays and atheists live amongst us, but if every person got up and defended his faith and spread Dawah (education) to every gay and atheist, they would disappear from Twitter, @iBxdr responded in Arabic. Now when a man defends his religion by utilizing the laws of the country he is being hateful but when a girl disrespects our religion it is nothing! strange world, wrote @TheAmazingMK in Arabic. @Old_gaes and some of his followers then began reporting users like Afra who came to @Pharaohoes defense. Hes using scare tactics to silence people, said another user who had been harassed by @Old_gaess followers, but asked her name be withheld in fear for her safety. This tactic is not new at all. Many Arab atheists, political dissenters, and LGBQT (users) are doxed into silence. Thats why you find many of these accounts are anonymous, so that if they are targeted, their identity wont be revealed. @Old_gaes continued doxing and reporting more young women on Tuesday. Above a tweet by the user @holyvag that reads, Where is God? Why isnt he shaking the ground of every person who makes fun of him? in Arabic, @Old_gaes wrote, Im reporting her and I dont wanna hear the excuse that shes too young. The persistent doxing is leaving many women, who have repeatedly reported the users to Twitter, wondering how to make it stop. Twitter is absolutely useless. They dont take this sort of thing seriously, said the woman who asked to remain anonymous. I dont know what the solution is. Hes so dangerous, said Afra. I dont know how his account is still up. Last year, Twitters then-CEO Dick Costolo made reining in abuse a priority for the social network and expanded its safety team to act against accounts that dont follow the rules. In February, the company hired a group of experts to launch the Twitter Trust & Safety Council, which would provide more tools and policies to express themselves freely and safely on Twitter. When The Daily Beast reached out to Twitter to ask how accounts like @Old_gaes were allowed to remain active despite consistent reports of harassment, a spokesperson said that we do not comment on individual accounts, for privacy and security reasons. When asked to better outline how Twitter assesses threats to personal safety after a violation of the rules that could leave its users in danger, the company did not respond to repeated requests at press time. In 2012, a Kuwaiti man was jailed for 10 years for insulting Muhammad and Saudi and Bahrainian officials on Twitter. Another man was sentenced to five years for a Twitter comment about Sunni/Shia theology a year later, according to Human Rights Watch. Kuwait passed an amendment allowing for the death penalty for Muslims who curse the God or the Quran in 2012. On Monday night, @Old_gaes bragged to his newest target above a screenshot of @Pharaohoes tweets. @Holyvag I was joking before, but now Im serious. Youll be with her soon, he wrote. During an appearance on CBS News Face the Nation Sunday, Donald Trump said that as much as he hates the concept of racial profiling, he believes it might just be the common sense approach to preventing mass shootings like the one that left 50 people dead in Orlando a week earlier. Its not the worst thing to do, he insisted. The assumption is that young Muslim men of Middle Eastern heritage would be the target of a President Trumps profiling policy. But as CNN contributor, and longtime Trump critic , Van Jones said earlier Monday afternoon, he could just as easily justify singling out young white men. In a debate with former DEA special agent David Katz, moderated by host Brooke Baldwin (and first noted by Raw Story ), Jones cited a report from last fall that said Americans are seven times more likely to be killed by a right-wing extremist than by a Muslim terrorist. I just think its really interesting that were talking about racially profiling in the context of mass shootings, he noted. The vast majority of the people who are doing the mass shootings in America arent Muslims at all. Baldwin filled in the blank: Young, white men. You are seven times more likely to be killed by a right wing extremist a racist or an anti-government nutjob seven times more likely than a Muslim, Jones continued. If I came on TV and said lets start racially profiling white men, lets start racially profiling young, white men who are loners with bowl haircuts, people would think, Wow, thats a pretty unfortunate conclusion for you to come to. If a Christian shoots somebody, we dont say a Christian shot them, he added. But if a Muslim shoots somebody, we say a Muslim shot them. I think thats starting to muddy the waters. To his credit, Katz also rejected the notion that all Muslim-Americans should be profiled, but also argued that ideology should play a role in the people who given extra scrutiny by the FBI. In the same way that someone who is a member of the Ku Klux Klan poses an outsized risk, someone who has publicly professed allegiance to ISIS should be considered more dangerous than the average citizen. If someone by their conduct, what they are declaring with their own voice, with their own words, who they're associating with, puts them a category of suspicion, that's fine, Jones clarified. But when Trump says he is fine with racial profiling, that elicits a very different image. Specifically, this idea that youre going to blanketly put somebody in a category, all five million [in the U.S.], just because they're Muslim. Either Trump does not know what he means when he uses the term racial profiling or thats exactly what he wants to do. Luxury sex-toy manufacturer LELO wanted to reinvent the condom. But by making Charlie Sheen their pitchman, they could end up tanking their own reputation instead. Once beloved by feminist sex workers, bloggers, and educators for its sleek vibrator designs, the Swedish adult toymaker is now courting controversy by using a man with a long history of violence against womenboth alleged and admittedto sell condoms. Its a criticism that the company saw coming and tried to deflect in advance. We know Charlie may be a divisive choice for many but its also a bold one, and in the fight against STIs we need to make an impact, LELO wrote on the IndieGoGo page for the reengineered HEX condoms, which have honeycomb-structured shafts. Sheen, who came out as HIV-positive in a Today show interview last year, appears in a new promotional video for the condoms in which he uses his own life story as part selling point, part cautionary tale. People still want to be like me or experience my life but theres a little detail that they want no part of, the former Two and a Half Men star says, referring to his HIV status. So they can avoid that by using this. But for many feminists, Sheen is not just a divisive choice but an unacceptable one, especially for a company like LELO. Caitlin Murphy, a writer and sex educator who publicly called out the manufacturer under the hashtag #BoycottLELO, told The Daily Beast that Sheen has eroded whatever feminist goodwill the company once enjoyed. Its a shame that a company which was founded on womens pleasure, luxury, and quality has resorted to gimmicks and attention-grabbing controversy rather than quality, Murphy said. And the condom itself doesnt seem all that revolutionary. Murphy is one of many who have criticized LELO for making Sheen the face of HEX. Sex toy critic Dangerous Lilly vowed to never again review a LELO product, writing that the company went from being first to the party to the late, drunk, rich frat boy that nobody invited. Sarah Nitchkey, who runs the sex blog Marvelous Darling, called Sheen the last straw, arguing that LELO only care[s] about womens health when it sells sex toys. And sex toy reviewer Formidable Femme also promised to boycott the company in a moving blog post entitled Im a Survivor, and I Will Never Support LELO Again. It is clear to me that this decision was purely motivated by shock value and publicity, without any concern for their customers or the educators, reviewers, or stores that work with them, Formidable Femme wrote. At the heart of this criticism is a litany of allegations and violent incidents involving Sheen. In 1996, Sheen pleaded no contest after adult film star Brittany Ashland alleged that he beat her, slammed her into a marble floor, and split her lip open. In 2010, he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor third-degree assault charge after his then-wife Brooke Mueller said that he threatened to kill her with a knife. Jezebel has compiled a list of other claims against Sheen: allegations of abuse from ex-wife Denise Richards, a temporary restraining order from Mueller in 2011, claims of abuse from adult film star Capri Anderson. Sheen has also insulted women who work in the sex industryand recently, too. When he came out as HIV-positive last year, he actively stigmatized the sex workers he once hired, calling them unsavory and insipid types with saltless reputations. Taken together, its not exactly an ideal resume for a company that wants to make women feel sexy. But LELO, which did not immediately respond to The Daily Beasts request for comment, has so far been standing by their man on Twitter. To one critic who brought up Sheens history, LELO wrote that the partnership is not an endorsement of the past, claiming that it is about promoting condom usage, preventing STIs and change. To another critic, they wrote that hes not a face for LELO. They tried to reassure yet another critic that the companys commitment to feminist porn is absolutely unchanged. The LELO Twitter account has since stopped responding to criticisms, even as former fans abandon the brand. Writer and consultant Lux Alptraum, who runs the popular sex newsletter Lux Letter, decided to publicly unendorse LELO in a recent issue. Ten years ago, she recalled, LELO was one of [her] favorite sex toy companies. Yes, the company that supposedly stands for luxury, quality, and sex positivity decided to associate itself with a violent abuser who has a history of publicly humiliating his past sex partners (among his many other awful traits), Alptraum wrote. Alptraum told The Daily Beast that a Sheen partnership might make a certain sort of business sense for LELO from an all PR is good PR perspective, but predicted that he will ultimately prove to be the wrong choice for their customers and for their brand. I can see someone who is HIV-positive being a really great advocate for this product, she said. That person is not Charlie Sheen. LELO, meanwhile, seems certain that person is Charlie Sheen. They introduced him as the HEX spokesperson at a lavish Manhattan affair last Monday. As described by The New York Times, the party featured a condom-covered phallic ice sculpture and erotic dancers in hexagon-patterned leotards. Sheen, LELO announced, would travel the world promoting HEX condoms. LELO chief marketing officer told the Times that Sheen was the perfect choice for LELO and a symbol of change with the strength and the courage to confront key issues head on. But when LELOs feminist former fans look at Sheen, they dont see a courageous choice; they see a hypocritical one. If you want to find the truth in politics, follow the money. And the Trump campaigns latest Federal Election Commission filing shows why the self-proclaimed billionaire and conservative populist deserves to be known as Con Man Donald. The celebrity demagogue who delights in telling crowds that he is very, very rich is presiding over a Ponzischemelike presidential campaign that even as it has paid his own businesses millions of dollars has just $1.3 million cash in hand. If this were a business, it would be going bankrupt. Instead its a presidential campaign whose moral bankruptcy is on the verge of actual bankruptcy. To put the Donalds dire straits in perspective, consider that Hillary Clintons campaign now has over $42 million cash on hand, over 600 staffers and a 100% advantage in television ad buys. To put it in terms Con Man Donald might understand: Size matters. All the spin of a celebrity demagogue can't eclipse the fact that the thicket of 22 businesses that he has paid through his campaign are evidence of a Potemkin marketing empire that exists to fund his lifestyle while avoiding as many taxes as possible in the process. Old habits die hard and based on the filing and its payments to Trump Ice and other afterthought entities, my guess is that when and if Con Man Donald ever releases his taxes well see the true meaning of what his fellow 1980s real estate celebutante, Leona Helmsley, used to say: Only the little people pay taxes. Back in March, The Daily Beasts Olivia Nuzzi pointed out that Donald Trump was paying himself to run for president. This was controversial at the time. Now its simple fact. We've had candidates run for president before for reasons little larger than fame and matching funds. Al Sharptons 2004 campaignalso advised by longtime Trump ally Roger Stonecomes to mind. But the Reverend Al's outsized ambitions seem quaint and comparably honest next to Con Man Donald. The details of the Federal Election report are alternately hilarious and depressing. For a certain kind of political nerd, paging through disbursements offers insight into the mundane day to day of a presidential campaign. Their airplane tickets and meals at random restaurants in Iowa and New Hampshire, there is $15,000 here and $2,500 there, paid to consultants and staffers (hint: the part-time consultants always make more money than the full-time staffers). But what you see with Con Man Donald is outofcontrol expenses that have little or nothing to do with the basic operational responsibility of running a presidential campaign. Instead, we see $423,000 paid in rental fees to his estate/club Mar-a-Lago (which he could have just gifted as a self-funded candidate rather than charged back to the campaign), and $394,000 spent on Trump-branded jets. He spent over $200,000 on hats and $35,000 on a New Hampshire-based online ad company called Draper-Sterling, but nothing on building swing state organizations or television ads. The whole operation is like Trumps hair a few gilded threads spun together to give the impression of substance when there is plainly nothing underneath. Non-candidates Ben Carson and Ted Cruz have more cash on hand than the presumptive Republican nominee. This is not a sign of strong leadership or deep business skills. It is a sign of an ad hoc organization that exists primarily to feed the ego of its candidate. The giant sucking sound in the Trump's expenditures helps explain why Corey Lewandowski was unceremoniously ditched shortly Monday morning, after devoting more than a year of his life to a walking example of narcissistic personality disorder. Tone comes from the top of any organization, but the campaign manager is uniquely responsible for operations. Lewandowski should have been fired on the basis of his complete failure to build an actual national presidential campaign. Instead, he got thrown off the Titanic before the passengers were alerted about a little problem with an iceberg. There is no reason for Republicans to rationally hope that 70-year-old Donald Trump will suddenly change. After all, he won an upset win in a crowded field of professionals by listening to his instincts. But more depressing for those still believing in this long con is the stark similarities between the state of his campaign and his other frothy but substance-free ventures like Trump University, which has been exposed in an ongoing court case as little more than a fraud that preyed on the hopes of folks who wanted to be as apparently successful as Donald Trump and were persuaded to go deep into debt to pursue their get-rich-quick dream. This campaign will also end in tears for any donors or supporters dumb enough to buy into it. Thats not to say this campaign is over. Trump is outperforming in swing states like Ohio and Pennsylvania that dont have sizeable Hispanic populations. But he is facing daunting demographic math in states from Florida to Colorado to Nevada and doesnt seem to have devoted any time, money or effort into building a ground game that can win over swing voters in those swing states. The final evidence of the ugly truth underneath Con Man Donalds campaign is this: much of the money that Trump has bragged about pouring into his campaign is a loan. It will be reimbursed by donors and U.S. taxpayers if Trump accepts matching funds, which looks like a financial necessity after months of unforced organizational errors and the RNC taking in a pathetic $11 million in May, after Toxic Trump won the nomination. That's right America; you're going to pay for Con Man Donald's presidential dreams, one way or the other. While his presidential campaign heads into dire financial straits, Donald Trump has found a new focus: questioning Hillary Clintons religion. Speaking Tuesday morning to a private gathering of evangelical leaders in New York City, the presumptive Republican nominee said: We dont know anything about Hillary in terms of religion. Shes been in the public eye for years and years, and yet theres notheres nothing out there, Trump continued. On the contrary, Clinton has long spoken of her Methodist faith and how it has inspired her years of public service and liberal beliefs. Nevertheless, he suggested Clintons supposed lack of religiosity would lead to policies that should terrify evangelicals. Its going to be an extension of Obama but its going to be worse, he warned, because with Obama you had your guard up. With Hillary you dont, and its going to be worse. The event was closed to the press, but one of the attendeesRepublican pastor and politician E.W. Jacksonposted a clip of Trumps remarks online. While praying for the countrys leaders is important, Trump told the religious crowd, it is even more critical to pray to get everybody out to vote for him in November. He also accused politicians like Clinton and Obama of selling Christianity down the tube. Trumps skepticism of Clintons Christianity comes as particularly odd considering the doubts many hold about the sincerity of his own faith. While pandering to evangelicals with a Liberty University speech, he infamously mispronounced a biblical reference as Two Corinthians instead of Second Corinthians. Additionally, several times throughout Trumps very public life, hes been quoted as saying he doesnt believe in heaven or hellcornerstones of Christian theology; and has been described as not a religious man. The top official from Trumps own denomination has denounced the candidate. Donald Trumps views are not in keeping with the policies adopted by our church by deliberative process, Presbyterian Church leader Gradye Parsons said. This isnt the first time Trump has questionedor even impugnedan opposing politicians personal background. Before the 2012 election, he became the de facto leader of a so-called birther movement against President Obama, tirelessly questioning the legitimacy of his birth certificate. More recently, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee implied that the commander-in-chief was sympathetic or deferential to the man who murdered 49 innocent people in Orlando earlier this month after pledging allegiance to the Islamic State. Look, were led by a man that either is not tough, not smart, or hes got something else in mind, Trump said the day after the attack, the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. He continued to assert, theres something going on with Obama. FALLUJAH, Iraq The Iraqi government, which has been shaken by weekly protests that charge its senior leadership with corruption, needed to win a military victory to try to salvage its political reputation. Thus was begun the Third Battle of Fallujah. The city that had been the symbolic capital of Sunni resistance to American occupation and Shia domination has collapsed into a network of bombed-out homes, criss-crossing sand berms, and half-finished cement structures. Thousands of bullet casings, water bottles, and other discarded items litter the landscape. The Iraqi Security Forces have turned what remains of Fallujah, the City of Mosques, into an ash heap. Last week, although scattered resistance by fighters from the so-called Islamic State continues in parts of the city, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi felt confident enough to declare Fallujah liberated on June 17 after the elite U.S.-trained soldiers of the Iraqi Counterterrorism Service (ICTS) recaptured a former government headquarters in the city center. The Army and the Federal Police meanwhile provided fire support from the southern suburbs of the city. The Peoples Mobilization (Hashd), an umbrella organization of several dozen Iranian-backed Shia militias and a smaller number of Christian, Sunni, and Yazidi paramilitaries, severed the northern routes out of Fallujah, while the American-led coalition launched occasional airstrikes against ISIS positions. The Hashd and the ICTS share a fraught history. Throughout the 2000s, Iran used the Shia militias in a proxy war against Iraqs American-trained security forces. The ICTS responded in 2008 by spearheading Operation Charge of Knights, which resulted in over 1,000 casualties and routed the Shia militias in Basra, the countrys third-largest city and a Shia stronghold. Before, we fought them, Muhammad, a soldier with the ICTS, said of the Shia militias. Now, theyre helping us against ISIS. They have two faces: fighting for Iraq, but working for Iran. In theory, the Hashd and the ICTS report to the Prime Ministers Office, which, according to three of the militias senior leaders, controls and distributes all Iranian aid. Under American pressure, the Prime Ministers Office forbade the Hashd from entering Fallujah and ordered the ICTS to retake it alone. The majority of Fallujahs civilians hold a positive opinion of the special forces, as opposed to the irregular forces, Muhammad al-Issawi, a resident of Fallujah, told The Daily Beast. Commanders with Kataib Hezbollah, a Shia militia that the U.S. State Department has labeled a terrorist organization for killing Americans during the Iraq War, confirmed to The Daily Beast that they were respecting the orders from the Prime Ministers Office. The enemy is only 500 meters away, said Erfad, who leads some of Kataib Hezbollahs militiamen in Fallujahs northern suburbs, but we have orders from the Prime Ministers Office to hold post. The ICTS is advancing from the south, and we dont want to cause any complications. The majority of the militias, including Kataib Hezbollah, have remained in al-Karma and al-Saqlawiya, two towns to the north of Fallujah. Exhausted from the Ramadan fast, their fighters alternate between manning checkpoints, posing for photographs, and smoking hookahs. The Badr Organization, the largest and oldest of the Shia militias and the closest to the Iraqi government, seems to have ignored the Prime Ministers Office. On June 13, Badr took a convoy to al-Hiakal in Fallujahs southern suburbs and Shuhada 2 in Fallujaha front reserved for the Federal Police and the ICTSwhere one of its commanders was coordinating operations with the Ministry of Interior, which directs all police units in Iraq. The Minister of Interior belongs to Badrs political party. Today, the Hashd is simply holding post, the Badr commander, Sadiq al-Husseini, claimed to The Daily Beast and Iraqi journalists present. The Hashd will simply remain on the outskirts of Fallujah until the prime minister orders otherwise. A few days later, the Institute for the Study of War nevertheless reported that Badr had entered Fallujah alongside the Federal Police. There has been no change to the prime ministers order that the Shia militias stay outside the city. Despite priding itself on freedom from the sectarianism that has plagued militias such as Badr, the ICTS seems to be maintaining a strategic, suspicious relationship with the Hashd. On June 17, The Daily Beast witnessed Hadi al-Amiri, leader of Badr, meeting with Abdulwahab al-Saadi, leader of the operation to retake Fallujah. Several other leaders from the ICTS also were present. Earlier that day, al-Saadi had criticized the Hashd, telling The Daily Beast, The civilians see the Hashd as militiamen who cant be controlled, yet one of al-Amiris bodyguards asserted that the two men meet about three times a month. The ICTS blocked The Daily Beast and other journalists from the meeting. The overt cooperation between Badr, a sectarian militia, and the ICTS, the one branch of the Armed Forces that has avoided sectarianism, will further divide Sunnis from the Iraqi government. Even the Shia militias in the northern suburbs have tarnished the Iraqi governments attempts at a nonsectarian campaign in Fallujah. Omran Wali, another Kataib Hezbollah commander in al-Saqlawiyah, claimed, We have been welcoming the civilians and treating them very well, bringing them to the camps for internally displaced people. But an official investigation revealed that Shia militias have killed 49 civilians in the northern suburbs, and another 643 are missing. Iraqis are discussing rumors that the militias executed those missing in retaliation for an ISIS massacre at Camp Speicher near Tikrit in 2014. Paramilitaries such as Kataib Hezbollah have also brought with them subtler but longer lasting problems. The Daily Beast observed militiamen in al-Saqlawiya converting abandoned Sunni homes for their own use and recruiting fighters as young as 16 years old. For the time being, however, the Iraqi government has gambled that the Shia militias are less dangerous disobeying orders and harassing civilians in Fallujah than siding with (or for that matter against) radical antigovernment protesters in Baghdad. In April, after protesters breached the Green Zone, which houses many of Iraqs ministries and most of its parliamentarians, Badr had mobilized its fighters against a Shia militia that had supported the protesters. For now, the Iraqi government has buoyed its chances at short-term survival by more or less ending ISISs presence in Fallujah, which Baghdads politicians connected to a series of bombings in Sadr City that harmed the Iraqi governments reputation for providing security. Even so, the Shia militias military autonomy and sectarian abuses in addition to the Iraqi Security Forces tacit cooperation with them to enter Fallujah should raise serious concerns in Baghdad and Washington. Obviously, the Shia militias offensive against Fallujah complicates things in important ways, Kenneth Pollack, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and former CIA intelligence analyst, said in an email. They dont fully respond to the Iraqi government. They frighten the Sunnis, largely because they have participated in ethnic cleansing. Al-Issawi, the resident of Fallujah, charged that Kataib Hezbollah alone had kidnapped 2,000 civilians throughout Anbar Governorate. If even the ICTS, which spent much of the Iraq War dismantling the Shia militias underground military networks, now cooperates with them in seizing major Sunni cities, civilians such as al-Issawi may have more to fear. ISIS is on the way out, but the Shia militias are here to stay, and they may be the greatest threat to Iraqs future as a country and nation. More generally, most experts I know worry more about Iraqs political stability than about ISISs ability to hold Fallujah or Mosul indefinitely, argued Michael OHanlon, another senior fellow at Brookings. We have lots and lots of work to doand the Iraqis have even more. Four months to the day after John Cramseys daughter died of a heroin overdose, he packed his monster truck full of guns and took off for New York City to rescue a young woman whose friend had just ODd next to her. The Pennsylvania man was arrested with friends Dean Smith and Kimberly Arendt by Port Authority police in the Holland Tunnel on Tuesday after officers pulled over the modified Dodge Ram pickup truck for a cracked windshield. They told police they were on on a rescue mission. Shoot your local heroin dealer, read one of the ammo boxes recovered from the truck. A camouflage helmet and at least seven other weapons were recovered, including long guns. A law enforcement source told The Daily Beast that a woman who had overdosed in Brooklyn called friends in Pennsylvania after she woke up next to another woman who was dead. The friends jumped in the Dodge Ram, emblazoned with the name of a Pennsylvania gun range, Higher Ground Tactical, and took off for New York. Cramsey, who is from Zionsville, Pennsylvania, near Allentown, recently posted photos of himself with a similar truck on his Facebook page. Cramseys 20-year-old daughter, Alexandria, died from a heroin overdose in February, friends told The Daily Beast. Cramsey repeatedly posted about his daughters death and the battle against heroin. In one post in late February, he described himself as an addictfor his daughter. Now, I want to personally address the confusion of why we proudly display the SHOOT YOUR LOCAL HEROIN DEALER decals, he wrote. Who are you to judge me for my opinion?" Grow up and either get involved... or get out of here! he added. On Tuesday morning, Cramsey posted about his upcoming adventures in Enough Is Enough, an anti-heroin group hed co-founded after his daughters death. Im currently 11 miles outside of Brooklyn New York and going to a hotel to extract a 16 year old girl who went up there to Party with a few friends, he wrote. One of those friends she went up there with will not be returning . This young lady from Wilkes Barre is scared and wants to come home. Cramsey posted photos of the young woman he wanted to rescue, of himself and his friends, and of the view out his car window. Im bringing her out of NY today and anybody else in that hotel that wants to go home too, he boasted. NO ....SLEEP ....TILL BROOKLYN ! The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey did not respond to a request for comment, and attempts to reach Cramsey were unsuccessful. Lyn Baker, a co-founder of Enough Is Enough, told The Daily Beast that she had no idea of Cramseys plans and only found out when her daughter saw news of the arrest on Fox News. Mom, did your friend get arrested? the girl asked. Baker said Cramsey always carried a loaded gun with him in Pennsylvania, but she had never seen as many weapons as when she Googled the incident on Tuesday. But I could identify that helmet, she added. Cramseys daughter, an aspiring model who had done some work in Latin America, died just days before Baker first met Cramsey at a local town meeting. I had never lost a child to heroin overdose, but John just had, Baker recalled. He asked me if I would be interested in starting a group. Together, they spread awareness about the effects of heroin in Pennsylvanias Lehigh Valley. The Facebook group for their cause recently reached 1,000 members. But recently, Baker said she noticed that Cramsey hadnt been sleeping and that he was getting more adventurous with his rescue efforts. About a week ago, he started posting very cryptic posts. He felt like he was superman, like he could go and save these people, she said. And I had told him I was stepping away from the group. In the wake of the arrests, Baker said she is worried about how the potential fallout might affect her and the credibility of the group shes worked so hard to build. I got a call from an attorney who said basically, Brace yourself, because as a co-founder of the group, I will soon be under investigation, she added. And Im just a housewife, trying to save kids from heroin. John Berthel, a friend of Cramseys, told The Daily Beast that rescue attempts like Tuesdays were becoming increasingly common as Cramsey crusaded to get heroin users into rehab. Berthel said he first realized his friend had been arrested when he recognized the guns being shown on TV as ones Cramsey had custom built. Hes a great guy. Hes the type to give the shirt off his back to anyone, Berthel said. He was in a rush to help somebody, to do good. In the Lehigh Valley, Berthel said, driving around with guns in your car is perfectly legal. He said he believes traveling across state lines with the loaded weapons was just a mistake on Cramseys part. On Tuesday, authorities in Brooklyn found the 16-year-old whom Cramsey had been seeking to rescue, along with the body of a 19-year-old woman who had fatally overdosed, a law enforcement source told The Daily Beast. Michelle Plocinik, the mother of Kimberly Walker, 29, who was arrested with Cramsey, says her daughter knew the girl they were going to rescue from a camp for troubled youth. A recovering addict herself, Walker had worked hard to spread heroin awareness, even organizing a fundraiser and contacting Cramseys group. My daughter went to help, Plocinik said. She is part of a team that is trying to get drugs off the street. Its not yet clear what charges Walker, who has an 8-year-old daughter, might face. [The guns] werent hers, Plocinik said. She hasnt even shot a gun. Since Russia began its bombing campaign in Syria on September 30, 2015, at least 12 Russian soldiers have been confirmed by the Russia Defense Ministry as killed, but independent journalists and bloggers have documented several more deaths and discovered reports of dozens more killed but not acknowledged by the government. Unlike the war in Ukraine, where the Kremlin pretends it is only local separatists who die in combat despite hundreds of Russian soldiers reportedly killed there, in Syria, deaths are admitted and soldiers celebrated as heroes, given posthumous awards. But the Kremlin is careful to describe the circumstances of their deaths as not in combat per sesince officially, there are no Russian boots on the ground. Instead, they are portrayed as heroically sacrificing their lives as they guard convoys of humanitarian aid, guide strikes by the Syrian Air Force, or negotiate among various factions through the Russian-created Center for the Reconciliation of Hostile Parties. The following is a list of Russian soldiers confirmed as having died in Syria; one reported to have committed suicide, nine killed while performing military assignments and two in a helicopter crash. 1. Vadim Kostenko, a contractor in the 960th Close Air Support Regiment, reported to have committed suicide on the Hmeemeem air base on October 24, 2015. Officials claimed he was despondent over a break-up with a girlfriend, but his family, who talked to him frequently, including on the day he died, denied this explanation. An unnamed friend of Kostenkos told investigative blogger Ruslan Leviev of the Conflict Intelligence Team (CIT) that smoke had been seen at the base the night before Kostenko died and that up to nine other soldiers had died in the same incident. 2. In November 2015, Fyodor Zhuravlyov, a spetsnaz (Russian Special Forces) officer reported by CIT to have served in Russian military intelligence (GRU) as late as the summer of 2014, was involved in guidance of high-precision weapons of the strategic air force, according to a highly-placed source in the Defense Ministry. On March 17, 2016, President Vladimir Putin met with four soldiers widows; Yuliya Zhuravlyova, the widow of Fyodor was among them. 3. On November 24, Oleg Peshkov, pilot of the Su-24M shot down by a Turkish fighter jet, was killed after he ejected from the plane. His body was found riddled with 8 bullets. His widow was among those who met with Putin in March 2016. 4. That same day, Aleksandr Pozynich, a marine, was killed during the operation to rescue Peshkovs co-pilot. 5. In February 2016, military advisor Ivan Cheremisin was wounded when a Syrian training center was attacked, and subsequently died. Video released by the Free Syrian Army at the time indicated that a gathering of uniformed personnel in the western Latakia province had been targeted with a US-made TOW missile. Cheremisin is likely to have been one of those killed in this attack. 6. In March 17, 2017, Aleksandr Prokhorenko, a spetsnaz lieutenant, was killed in the Palmyra region. Russian military officials acknowledged an officer was killed during the effort to re-take Palmyra, but at first did not report his name. Kurdish fighters said they negotiated with ISIS to return his body to the Russian military. His body was brought home to Russia April 29, 2016 and he was given honors posthumously by President Putin. Prokhorenko was said to have been surrounded by militants when he was guiding Russian air strikes near the town of Tadmor. The Defense Ministry said he directed an air strike upon himself to protect his comrades. However video of Prokhorenkos body and equipment that was released by ISIS suggests a rather less kinetic death. 7. In April, Andrei Okladnikov was killed in a helicopter crash reportedly over rebel territory outside of Homs; Russian military officials said the helicopter was not shot down. 8. Viktor Pankov was killed in the same helicopter accident. 9. Anton Yergyn, who was accompanying vehicles from the Russian Center for Reconciliation of Hostile Parties, was wounded when the convoy came under fire by militants. He was posthumously given an award. 10. On June 15, Andrei Timoshenkov was wounded in Homs while guarding humanitarian convoy of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Hostile Parties in Syria. He subsequently died of his injuries. He was said to have prevented a suicide bomber from driving a car full of explosives into an area where civilians were receiving humanitarian aid. 11. On June 16, Mikhail Shirokopoyas, an artillerist, 35, from the village of Seryshevo was killed. Reports appeared in the local press of his death in Syria, but then were removed. Later national media reported that the Russian Defense Ministry had confirmed his death. In addition to these 11 confirmed deaths, independent media and bloggers have found a number of others killed in Syria. Vadim Tumakov, a contractor from Orenberg said to be from the Interior Ministrys Internal Troops died under unknown circumstances. Vasily Panchenkov, head of the press office of the Interior Troops said Tumakov had served in the forces as a cook and a supply officer for the Vityaz [Knight] spetznaz unit from 2002-2004. After serving his term, he was discharged and there is no other record of his service. But local news site Or enday said that one Vadim Tumakov from the Sol-Ilets City District was killed in battle liberating Syria from ISIL terrorists, the second native of Orenberg to die there (the first was Aleksandr Prokhorenko). In March, the St. Petersburg news site Fontanka.ru published an article on mercenaries in Russias Wars, claiming Russias losses of soldiers in Syria numbered in the dozens. The piece, authored by former police officer and security consultant Denis Korotkov, followed up on a number of past stories published in Fontanka on mercenaries in the Slavonic Corps, a private military contractor set up in 2013. Many Slavonic Corps fighters later joined another PMC called Wagner, named for the nom de guerre of a colorful figure who espoused the ideology of the Third Reich and who fought in Ukraine as well as Syria. A number of Wagner contractors who had fought in east Ukraine transferred to Syria, Fontanka reported last year. Korotkov was able to find details for three contractors killed in Syria, although he believes there are many more. These fighters deaths were not announced by the Russian Ministry of Defense because they were not formally part of the armed forces, although Korotkov discovered that some of them received medals. President Vladimir Putin had issued secret decrees to give awards posthumously to these military contractors killed in Syria in battle. Sergei Chupov, 51, a major in the reserves whose nom de guerre was Chub or Chupa was the deputy commander for combat preparation. He was killed outside of Damascus. The CIT and the RBC news service also reported his death. Chupov had served in Afghanistan and two wars in Chechnya in the army and was transferred to the 46th brigade of the Interior Ministrys Internal Troops, before resigning. He then came back to fight in Syria, although his widow and Kremlin spokesmen have denied that he was there. CIT thought he had returned possibly as an officer of the Special Operations Services or a negotiator or was even redeployed in the Armed Forces. But Korotkov says he joined Wagner in May 2014 and moved to Rostov and then the village of Vesyoly, where Wagner had a training base to prepare Russian fighters for the war in Ukraine (the base was moved later to Molkino in Krasnodar Territory). Chupov was killed on February 8, 2016, according to his gravestone, but there are some reports that in fact he was killed in January. A source told Korotkov that a grey-haired older man in a leather officers jacket, an FSB officer with at least the rank of major general, had come to Molkino to hand out medals, some of them posthumous. Fontanka said they did not believe the story at first, but then they obtained documents that confirmed the awardsposthumous award cards with Putins signature. Maksim Kolganov, 38, a Don Cossack from the village of Zhigulyovskaya, was killed February 3, 2016 while performing a combat assignment, a local Cossacks Internet forum said. Kolganov, too, was employed by Wagner, as far as Fontanka could determine, and served as a BMP (infantry fighting vehicle) gunner and operator near Latakia. His army buddies supplied photographs of him in Latakia. Another mercenary who went by the call sign Shlang [Hose"] who real name is not known, believed to be among Wagner fighters in a picture in Ukraines Donetsk region with other militants, was killed later in mid-December 2015. He and a group of 7 others were returning from a reconnaissance mission when he set off an anti-personnel mine. Of the 93 men sent to Syria, only a third returned safe and sound in December 2015, say Korotkovs sources. They did not come up with any other names beyond the three, however, and explained that it was difficult to document the deaths, which mainly occurred in January and February in the battles for Palmyra, because even those serving in the same platoon did not always know each others real names. Curiosity is not welcome, said one source. Thomas Grove, a correspondent for the Wall Street Journal who interviewed Korotkov, pointed out that Korotkov has been the only journalist to write on Wagner or (OSM as it is formally called); no members of Wagner itself would speak to Grove. But he also found three other sources that reported that eight or nine contractors from Wagner were killed in October 2015 when a mortar round hit their base in Western Syria. One source was an official described as close to the Russian Defense Ministry who said Wagner had numbered 1,000 men who were supplied with T-90 tanks and howitzers. Another source was Ivan Konovalov, director of a Moscow-based security think tank and consultant to lawmakers who are trying to legalize military contractors, which currently operate in a legal grey zone. Konovalov and the official said the contractors killed were originally members of Slavonic Corps, which had previously served in Syria and was disbanded, but then returned to Syria with Wagner. In May 2015, Putin passed a decree making it a criminal offense to divulge information about the deaths of Russian military abroad; despite a legal case filed by independent lawyers and journalists against the measure, it was upheld by the Russian Constitutional Court. Even before that, reporters, bloggers and activists who tried to track down social media reports of deaths of Russian soldiers in Ukraine were threatened or beaten. The soldiers relatives were warned they could lose death benefits if they talked to the media. These reprisals put a chill over media coverage of war casualties. The Kremlin has been more forthcoming about deaths in Syria, but thats because Russias air force presence in Syria is officially acknowledged, as is the bombing ostensibly of ISIS strongholdswhich has in fact involved decimating forces in opposition to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The deaths and posthumous award ceremonies are even part of the Kremlins patriotic propaganda fueling the war. But the murky world of mercenaries cannot be acknowledged by the Russian military as long as such contractors are illegal. And Russia would likely prefer to keep it this way to have as much plausible deniability as possible in Syria. It was only a matter of time before polygamous cult leader Lyle Jeffs ran away. His imprisoned brother Warren Jeffs, the president of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (FLDS), once spent months as a fugitive before police found him in 2006 traveling through Las Vegas in an Escalade full of wigs, cell phones, and sunglasses. Now, Lyle, who has been handling the day-to-day affairs of the FLDS church since Warren went to jail for child sexual assault, is taking his turn on the lam. In early June, Lyle Jeffs was released into house arrest to await trial on charges of food stamp fraud and money laundering that federal investigators filed against FLDS leaders this February. As the Salt Lake Tribune reported, it took Jeffs less than two weeks to take off his GPS monitor and flee his Salt Lake City home. A warrant has been out for his arrest since Sunday. The FBI is now hunting him down, just like they hunted his brother a decade ago. But private investigator, Prophets Prey author and FLDS expert Sam Brower believes it could be even harder for them to find Lyle than it was to find Warren.They learn from their mistakes, he told The Daily Beast. Warren was caught. Theyre not going to make the same mistakes again with Lyle. Its going to be that much more difficult.Lyle Jeffs is not like a normal crook that, say, robs a gas station and takes off in an old, beat-up car and has little money and not much help, Brower continued. He has thousands of people who would die for him, unlimited money, and unlimited resources so hes well set-up. Jeffs is one of 11 FLDS leaders and members who were charged in a food stamp scheme in the cults Short Creek community, which straddles the Utah-Arizona border. As part of the scheme, members were allegedly required to spend their food stamp stipends at two FLDS-owned stores and then donate everything they bought back to the church. In the process, church leaders, including Lyle Jeffs, allegedly raked in millions from the phony transactions. Before Jeffs fled, the trial in this case was scheduled for October. Prosecutors and family members warned U.S. District Judge Ted Stewart that Jeffs should await the trial in detention because he was an extreme flight risk. Blame the judge for this, Wallace Jeffs, one of Lyles relatives and a former FLDS member told the Tribune. Everybody knew that he was going to do this. Everybody. Im not here to say I told you so, but I did, Lyles son Thomas told KSTU. It was inevitable. Not only do the FLDS faithful already have experience hiding a high-profile fugitive, Lyle Jeffs himself helped Warren Jeffs flee from the FBI when he was on the Ten Most Wanted List in the mid-2000s. It was frustrating that the judge would even release him with the tons of evidence showing that he would run, Brower told The Daily Beast. Brower estimates that the polygamous cult, which split from the mainstream Mormon Church after 1890 in order to continue practicing plural marriage, now has about 10,000 members spread across the small Short Creek community and even smaller compounds in the Western United States, Mexico, and Canada. That gives Lyle Jeffs plenty of places to hide, if he even stays in one spot.He literally could be just about anywhere, Brower said. They have the resources. They can set up cargo containers, put bathrooms in them and really deck them out so they can pull somebody around all over the country. Jeffs family members seem to suspect hes heading south of the border. Wallace Jeffs told the Tribune that Lyle is probably headed to Mexico or South America, where he owns a ranch, according to court filings from his ex-wife. But as Brower told The Daily Beast, Jeffs could just as easily flee to Canada. Back when Warren was on the run, Brower and Under the Banner of Heaven author Jon Krakauer found unsecured stretches of the Canadian border with FLDS-owned property on the other side. Its also possible that Jeffs could stay in the United States and take advantage of the cults network of compounds and safe houses. They call them places of refuge and theyre all over the country, Brower said. Theyre not only set up, there are probably more now than when Warren was on the run. When Warren Jeffs fled from the FBI, his aiders and abettors used a sophisticated system of burner phones, radios, and church-owned vehicles to coordinate the cult leaders movements. He traveled in disguise, wearing street clothes rather than the characteristic FLDS clothing. He even grew a beard, which is taboo in FLDS culture. When police finally found him in the Escalade, he was carrying $50,000 in cash.The cults certainty that the apocalypse is nigh only helps them harbor fugitives. As documented in the film Prophets Prey, the Short Hill community is patrolled by FLDS security. And the cults South Dakota compound boasts a scary-looking guard tower, as one local paper described it. They spend a lot of time preparing for the calamities of the last days, said Brower, so they are very well prepared for [this]. The FBI is hopefully prepared, too. Theyve already had a practice run capturing Warren Jeffs and, as the Tribune reported, there is a law enforcement task force focused on the FLDS that can pump Lyles former followers for information. Still, prosecutors say, it would have been much easier to keep him under lock and key than to waste resources on yet another costly FLDS manhunt. Jeffs attorney successfully argued that keeping her client in detention until the October trial would have been a violation of his constitutional rights. The judges decision to release him into house arrest was baffling and infuriating for those who saw this coming a mile away. Why [the judge] would give deference to Lyle Jeffs is beyond me, said an exasperated Brower. I think its this thing in the back of judges minds that [FLDS] is some sort of religion. Theyre not a religion, theyre a crime syndicate, he continued. Theyre a criminal organization that specializes in exploiting children and women. A religion doesnt have every single member of its leadership in prison. In 1933, W.C. Fields starred in his first major Hollywood film. It was called International House, and Fields played professor Henry R. Quail. In it, the professor was flying his autogyro (a strange hybrid of plane and helicopter) to Kansas City. Then he got drunk and confused and ended up in China. Hijinx ensued. The film was released only months before Prohibition ended. And the film more or less put W.C. Fields on a singular trajectory. He would become famous not for his acting chops or his one-liners or his brand of physical comedyall of which were well above parbut for his overall persona. W.C. Fields became a brand, and that brand was of the irascible, misanthropic drunk. As the critic Wilfred Sheed put it, The persona itself was the work of genius. And through that persona, W.C. Fields would do much to reshape the American publics view of drinking in the 20th century. Through comic alchemy, he flipped the tragedy of drink on its head, turning it into pure comedy gold. Among the favored tropes of the temperance movement were that drink ruined lives, making beasts of husbands and fathers, with widowhood and orphanages the likely denouement. An 1844 temperance play (called The Drunkard, which, frankly seems a bit on the nose), for instance, screeched that drink would mildew the bright hopes of youth fill the widows heart with agony curse the orphan steal the glorious mind of man cast them from their high estate of honest pride. This was, essentially, the core of Fields humor, although viewed through the wrong end of the telescope, distorting everything. Fields was a professional droll who defied all conventions and soaked himself in hard liquor, wrote novelist and screenwriter J.B. Priestly. Fields performed in an era when the little guy always won out, and love always prevailed. Yet this never happened in his films. Fields celebrated drunkenness, misanthropy, selfishness and getting the short end of the stick. Fields lifted the scratchy, grey shawl that Prohibition had draped heavy-handedly over distilleries, saloons and much of American life. Fields came by his role as advocate for tippling later in life. He was born in Philadelphia in 1880, lived above a bar with four siblings and an alcoholic father. He fled his difficult home life at age 14, aiming to become a world-famous juggler. Remarkably, he succeeded, winning acclaim as the worlds greatest burlesque jugglerand let us pause for a moment to give thanks that we live in world where such a title once existed. Vaudeville houses both at home and abroad clamored for his act. Fields shifted to acting in plays and dabbled in silent film, with middling success. He finally moved to Hollywood at the age of 51, and landed in a series of the newly arrived talking films, some of which he wrote. His persona was cast in durable celluloid. The actor was soon famous for his double-takeshands fluttering about his throat when confronted with something unexpected or untowardbut more so for his wry comments about drink, usually delivered out of the side of his mouth, often in overwrought language, with a voice like a rusty hinge. Now dont say you cant swear off drinking; its easy. Ive done it a thousand times, he once said. Or: I never dine on an empty stomach. Or: Some weasel took the cork out of my lunch, as he groused in the 1939 film You Cant Cheat an Honest Man. Or: perhaps his most famous line, explaining why he didnt drink water: Fish fuck in it. (This, sadly, is unsubstantiated, although its likely he made this remark to reporter over lunch.) Another favorite line: I exercise extreme control. I never drink anything stronger than gin before breakfast. And here we find a bridge between Fields the actor and Fields the man. He didnt drink very much earlier in his careerdrinking and juggling dont mixbut he greatly enjoyed liquor starting in his fifties, as his movie career took off. By the middle of his movie period his need for alcohol had crystalized into a habit pattern from which he deviated only slightly until the end of his life, wrote one biographer. Breakfast Martinis werent just a throwaway line. One biographer wrote that later in Hollywood he began each day rising about nine oclock, talking a shower, and then slowly sipping two Martinis on the terrace if the weather was agreeable. By most accounts, Fields detested drunksthey made for lousy company, and those who got visibly soused at his house werent invited back. (Also, Fields was famously parsimonious, and didnt like guests drinking all his liquornotwithstanding that he maintained a locked room with hundreds of bottles.) He drank often and well, mostly Martinis, (I work better with them inside me, he said), but he was not unfamiliar with Irish whiskey, bourbon, Scotch, rye, red wine and sherry. He was also fond of rum and Coca Cola. His staff estimated that he drank about two quarts of liquor a day. But he was always an amiable drunk, and he wore his alcoholism well, like the askew top hat for which he became famous. He drank at home and he drank on the set. He would often bring a cocktail shaker filled with gin to work, which he referred to as his pineapple juice. When a studio employee once refilled it with actual juice, Fields took a sip and bellowed, Somebodys been putting pineapple juice in my pineapple juice! His fondness for drink didnt impair his acting, and may have improved it. His timing was better when he was drinking, said legendary director Mack Sennett, who certainly knew about comedy, since he was responsible for the Keystone Kops. He was terrified of speaking lines too fast, which he sometimes did if he was sober. Toward the end of Fields life, his drinking became less funny, his nose larger and redder. (Fields suffered from roseacea, did little to treat it, and helped cement a link between excess drink and scarlet snouts.) Yet he always maintained his ability to function appearing in his last film, Sensations of 1945, 72 years ago next week. He keeps on drinking and keeps on being funny, said one colleague of that era, so whose business is it except his own? W.C. Fields died 70 years ago. He had been a bridge between the dour temperance era, and the boozy, goofy humor of Dean Martin, Joe E. Lewis, Foster Brooks, Jackie Gleason, and Red Skelton. His Los Angeles tombstone was famously engraved with the droll line, On the whole, Id rather be in Philadelphia. A reasonable alternative: He made it safe to drink again. In 2012, Mitt Romney had Clint Eastwood. In 2016, could Donald Trumps top lieutenant in Hollywood be Jon Voight? In recent months, the 77-year-old Oscar winner has been in talks with the Donald Trump presidential campaign, The Daily Beast has learned. The primary purpose of those meetings was discussing how the right-leaning actor could best be used during the general-election fight against presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Three months ago, Voight officially endorsed Trump (who has a history of going after Voights daughter, Angelina Jolie), describing the real-estate mogul as funny, playful, and colorful, but most of all honest. When [Trump] decided to run for president, I know he did it with a true conviction to bring this country back to prosperity, Voight said in his endorsement, issued to Breitbart News in early March. He is the only one who can do it. No frills, no fuss, only candid truths I pray all Americans who have seen and felt the meltdown of America with the Obama years, to please fight for Donald Trump. He will not let us down The right vote will save our nation. Voight also told Breitbart News that he had previously shared his written endorsement with Trump, though he noted that Trump doesnt seem to need me. That appears to be changing. In a phone conversation late last week, Voight confirmed to The Daily Beast that he and Team Trump have been communicating in recent weeks about potentially deploying Voights star power on the campaign trail, and possibly the Republican National Convention in Cleveland this July. Ill be as helpful as I can be, Voight said. I intend to be, and well see come convention time if [the Trump campaign] wants me at the convention. If they do, Ill make plans to go, and well go from there I would like to support him in any way that I can Im in touch with the campaign, and I fully support Donald. I think hes the man for the job I have discussed with them the possibility of being at the convention, and what I might be available to do for them in California. When asked about the ways discussed that the actor might best aid the Trump campaigncelebrity surrogacy on the trail, fundraising, phone-banking, cutting ads, or speaking onstage at the GOP convention (as Eastwood did four years ago)Voight replied, Everything is on the table. Its gonna be very interesting from the time of the convention til the time of the election, and I will certainly want to make myself available to [Trump] as we get closer to the election. Voight says that Trumps controversial response to the mass shooting at the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando has only reinforced his support for Trumps White House run. I think what hes been saying in all his major press conferences and speeches [post-Orlando] have been appropriate, and make very good sense, he said. Voight has never been shy about weighing in on national or international affairs, or about hitting the trail for presidential contenders. As a young man, the then liberal movie star campaigned for George McGovern in the 1972 presidential election and spoke out against American intervention in Vietnam. Of late, however, Voight has emerged as one of Hollywoods most vocal conservatives and a staunch advocate for Republican politicians. In recent years, Voight has appeared alongside Sarah Palin, trashed President Obama as a false prophet, and revved up the crowds at 2008 campaign stops for Rudy Giuliani. And heres Voight on CNN talking about why he was out there working for Mitt Romney in February 2012: Voight is perhaps Trumps highest profile celebrity endorser in the vastly Democratic stronghold of liberal Hollywood. He is also one of the most famous members of the secretive right-wing Hollywood fellowship Friends of Abe, which recently shuttered its nonprofit. Last month, the Midnight Cowboy and Coming Home star attended a lavish fundraiser thrown at a Los Angeles-area mansion owned by Tom Barrack, a real-estate investor and fellow Trump endorser. The posh dinner-and-cocktails event included a small Hollywood presence, and marked the first one of its kind in the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committees joint fundraising blitz. Voight told The Daily Beast that it was a very nice event, and that it was a pleasure to see Donald with a group of his peers. I dont know [Trump] very well, but Ive always admired the way he handles himself, he said. I think his family is a very admirable family. [For example,] I was at a charity event, one that I emceed for the children of Chernobyl, and Ivanka [Trump] was helping that charity out that year. Voights ardent support for Trump comes at a time when many others in Hollywoods conservative and Republican circles are growing increasingly frustrated over Team Trumps alleged indifference to their communities. We feel that [Trump] snubs conservative Hollywood, a filmmaker active in Hollywood GOP circles told The Daily Beast last month. Is it much of a surprise? Hes surrounded himself with Hollywood liberals for decades, [and] partied with them. Trumps former rival Ted Cruz, in comparison, worked for years to build relationships with Hollywood Republicans, and earlier this year an alliance of some of Tinseltowns top pro-Cruz Republicans tried unsuccessfully to cobble together a game plan to thwart Trumps momentum. For many Hollywood conservatives, The Donald has a lot of ground to make up. At least he has Jon Voight squarely in his corner. I am very enthusiastic for the Trump candidacy. Period, Voight said. I just think its a time when we desperately need very strong leadership. The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on this story. LONDON The parents of a young British man who allegedly tried to shoot Donald Trump say they had contacted the U.S. authorities asking for help to bring their vulnerable boy home before he was arrested at a campaign rally in Las Vegas. Michael Steven Sandford, 20, appeared in court in leg irons on Monday. He faces up to 10 years in prison after allegedly confessing to a Secret Service agent that he had plotted to assassinate the presumptive Republican nominee. He was arrested after making a grab for a cops weapon at a campaign rally at the Treasure Island casino in Las Vegas on Saturday. He allegedly approached the police officer and asked about obtaining an autograph from Trump before reaching out with both hands and trying to pull the gun from the officers holster. The Secret Service agent who questioned Sandford said he confessed that he drove to Vegas from Hoboken, New Jersey, where he was living in his black BMW, with the clear intention of killing Trump. Sandford arrived in Vegas on June 16 and went to a shooting range the following day for his first ever lesson on firing a gun. According to the agent, after firing 20 rounds from a 9mm Glock pistol, Sandford decided he was ready to make his assassination attempt the following day. When asked why he tried to grab the gun on Saturday, Sandford allegedly told the Secret Service agent: To shoot and kill Trump. The agent also alleges that Sandford said he would try again to kill Trump if he were released from custody. He also had a ticket to Trumps next rally in Phoenix. On Friday, a man carrying a gun was arrested at another Trump rally, in Texas. Sandford, who grew up in the suburbs of Surrey, close to London, reportedly said he had been in the U.S. for 18 months after overstaying his visa. His parents were begging him to come home, and grew increasingly concerned over the last three months. His father told local Portsmouth paper The News that he had recently become "upset" but they didn't know why because his Asperger's syndrome made it very hard to express his emotions. He's been refusing to come back and we were worried about him, we were in contact with the American Embassy telling them we were worried about him. The American authorities said, 'He's over 18 we can't do anything, said Michael Davey, who split from Sandfords mother when the boy was four. A public defender said while Sandford is autistic, he is competent to stand trial. The court heard that he suffered from obsessive-compulsive disorder and anorexia as well as Aspergers; he escaped from a hospital in England where he was being treated at the age of 14. Sandford had fallen in love with an American girl when he was 18 but she moved back home to New Jersey with her parents, according to Davey. He became so depressed that his parents gave him the money to travel to the U.S. to live closer to his girlfriend. Davey said he didnt know if the couple were still together as his son rarely shared details of his private life. Since he moved out there it became slowly harder and harder to get in touch with him. He does Skype, but its always with a white background behind him so you dont know where he is, Davey told The News. Hes never been very good at communicating, hes never been interested in politics and never really been interested in much Because of his condition, he never talks about his private life and its always had quite an impact on how he behaves. He left school when he was 15 because he couldnt cope with it all so hes got no qualifications or job experience. Davey said his son was never a loner, he did have friends at school, although he was often shy when meeting new people. I dont want to use the term radicalized but we dont know who he has been speaking withthis just isnt him, he said. Its an absolute shock, hes never been violent in the slightest, hes always been a polite and peaceful boy. Sandfords stunned parents received a call from the authorities on Sunday afternoon. Davey is planning to fly out to see him as soon as possible. Whether hes been blackmailed or put up to it, thats the only thing me and his mum can think of. Its so against his nature and obviously with his Aspergers, we think somebody has got hold of him and done something, he said. He has no interest in politics, the world, geography or anything. Hes not a typical teenager because he doesnt drink or smoke or do drugs, hes never had any interest in that. On June 21, 1964 three civil rights workerstwo White and one Blackwent missing in Mississippi. James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Mickey Schwerner were murdered while volunteering to register Black voters during Freedom Summer. Yesterday, Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood officially closed the states latest investigation in the deaths of the three civil-rights workers. Theres nothing else we can do, Hood said during a press conference. Unless some other witnesses come forward, for history purposes the Mississippi Burning case is closed. The 1964 Mississippi Freedom Summer project was a 10-week voter registration program organized by the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). Nearly a thousand mostly White college students traveled to Mississippi to register Black voters and work in Freedom Schools. It was the height of the Civil Rights Movement and Mississippi was, as Freedom Summer director Bob Moses once noted, the middle of the iceberg. The state was known for its violent resistance to anything that threatened the status quo. Segregation was the law of the land and White residents made sure it stayed that way by any means necessary. And so it was here, where racism bled most heavily, that White and Black college-educated, well-intentioned, idealistic young activists came to change the world. Chude Allen was one of them. At 20 years old she made the trek to Mississippi. I volunteered because I understood that the struggle to end segregation and racism in the South was one that was as important for White people as it was for Black people. This was my fight as well as other peoples fight, says Allen. I believed that racism was wrong and that segregation and the discrimination against African Americans was unjust and that unjust laws were to be challenged. But their optimism was dimmed with a dose of grim reality. On the first day of Freedom Summer, the student volunteers learned that Chaney, 21, Goodman, 20 and Schwerner, 24, were missing. The three had traveled to Neshoba County, Miss., to investigate the bombing of a Black church. They never returned. Organizers feared the worst. This was Mississippi after all. Missing, says Allen, meant they were dead. When I volunteered, I knew I might die, says Allen, who worked in Freedom Schools in Holly Springs, Miss. White people in the U.S. didnt care if Black people died, but they cared if White people did and that is what happened. They would never have looked for them if it had just been James Chaney and two of his friends. No one would have cared. The blue Ford station wagon the young men were driving was found burned two days after they went missing. But the bodies of Chaney, Goodman and Schwerner were not found until 44 days later on Aug. 4, in an earthen dam outside Philadelphia, Miss. The men had been shot. Chaney, the only African American, had been brutally beaten. It was learned that the three civil-rights workers were pulled over and jailed by Neshoba County Deputy Sheriff Cecil Price. Upon their release, they were met by a mob of Klansmen. In 1967, 18 men were tried on federal civil rights charges. An all-White jury convicted seven of them on violating the civil rights of the Freedom Summer volunteers. Reports note that none of them served more than six years in prison. In 2005, on the 41st anniversary of the murders, Edgar Ray Killen, a small-town Baptist preacher, was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 60 years in Mississippis Parchman prison. But with Killens convictions, many questions remained: Who fired the fatal shots that killed the men and how many beat Chaney to death? The Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Act of 2007 allowed the state to reopen the case in 2010. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division, noted that the gruesome deaths of Chaney, Goodman and Schwerner shook the nation. The Justice Department has investigated this case three times over 50 years and has helped convict nine individuals for their roles in this heinous crime, Gupta said in a statement. The departments focus during this third investigation honed in on determining whether sufficient admissible evidence existed to support further state prosecution against any surviving person for involvement in the murders. Mississippi Attorney General Hood has determined that despite one of the most intensely investigated and documented underlying investigations of any racially-motivated murder during the 1960s, followed by the exhaustive efforts of more recent reinvestigations, the passage of time has simply rendered additional prosecutions impossible. Dave Dennis, former SNCC member and co-director of Freedom Summer, says the case has not been totally resolved and the investigation should not be closed. They havent brought everybody to justice that was involved, says Dennis. No one has opened the door around the conspiracy theory in terms of how deep and how far-reaching was this plan to commit these murders. That piece has never been uncovered about how the high levels of the law enforcement across the state could have been involved in what happened to Chaney, Goodman and Schwerner. Until they do that, I disagree with the fact that its closing. The states decision to close the case did not surprise Rev. Julia Chaney-Moss, sister of James Chaney. She says she was more surprised that Mississippi was actually willing to re-open or pursue the case again. What I felt was the gratitude of all that had been done and that someone had actually been charged and convicted of murdering J.E., Mickey and Andy. But unfortunately it was just one when we knew there were an array of individuals that really should have paid for that crime, says Chaney-Moss, who was 17 when her brother was murdered. Everybody knew that Killen did not do this by himself. Sure, he may have orchestrated it or organized it, but he certainly didnt do it by himself. But Im a realist. Nothing goes on forever. I was appreciative that they continued as long as they did. In 2014, Chaney-Moss and her family traveled to the White House where President Obama gave the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously to the three slain civil rights workers 50 years after their deaths. She notes, however, that there were many murders in Mississippi during the Civil Rights Movement that have never been investigated at all. It is so important that we not forget it was just not J.E., Mickey and Andy whose lives, whose blood was shed, says Chaney-Moss. There are dozens of other people who also need to be honored and need to be mourned for the loss of their lives. But whats even more heartbreaking, says Chaney-Moss, is where we are today. Though things have changed, some things have remained the same she says. Its a crime that more than a dozen states have voter restriction laws, Chaney-Moss laments. Also, Mississippi is the only state that still flies the Confederate Flag over its statehouse and most recently Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant signed a religious freedom bill targeting the LGBT community. The Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act would allow businesses, governments and others to refuse service to LGBT and transgendered persons based on their religious beliefs. We find ourselves with states across this country with Voter ID laws to prevent again people of color and young people from voting. Were in a country that refuses to regulate assault weapons, says Chaney-Moss. The struggle continues in light of the voting rights laws, in light of the continued struggle for the privileges that J.E., Mickey and Andy sacrificed their lives. The work is yet to be done. The work is yet to be accomplished. President Obama is expected to issue an executive order as early as next week that for the first time would call for the United States to annually disclose how many civilians it believes it has killed in its airstrikes against terrorists around the world, The Daily Beast has learned. The administration will announce that since Jan. 20, 2009, it believes airstrikes have killed roughly 100 civilians in countries including Yemen, Pakistan, Libya, and Somalia, according to one defense official. Its a figure many advocacy groups are likely to see as too low to be credible. Most independent estimates as closer to 1,000. The order is intended to shed light on the U.S. effort to minimize civilian casualties, amid numerous claims that a 1,000 or more innocents have been killed. But the suggestion that only 100 have died from the thousands of U.S. strikes could reignite debate about whether the U.S. actually knows who its killing through its furtive air war. The Pentagon already keeps tallies of how many civilians it believes have been killed on the ground or through airstrikes in recognized war zones like Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan. This order would cover the shadow warsthe semi-official conflicts in planes like Pakistan, where the United States had launched more than 300 strikes in Pakistan alone during the Obama administration. The order would for call for the release of figures on any airstrikevia drone or fixed wing aircraftinvolving U.S. operations in these areas, two U.S. officials explained to The Daily Beast. The administration has called its drone program a precise, effective form of warfare that targets terrorists and reduces the chances of the United States becoming embroiled in quagmires in the war against extremists. But many opponents said the United States often does not know who it is killingand even worse that its evasive about who its targeting. Even some defense officials fear the drone program has led some to join extremist groups. Terror leaders around the world have cited the drone war as a reason for others to join their ranks. The release of the order and official tally will likely, in the short term, only add to the controversy. In the West, perhaps the most well-known civilians killed by a drone strike were American Warren Weinstein and Italian Giovanni LePorto, who were being held by al Qaeda in Pakistan, when a January 2015 U.S. strike targeting the deputy al Qaeda leader in the Indian Subcontinent killed the two hostages as well. But they were not the only innocents taken out. Independent groups put civilian death tolls in the hundreds, sometimes in the thousandsand have said the U.S. has not been honest about who has been killed. For example, Reprieve, a human rights group dedicated to studying the drone war, estimates that 4,700 people in all have been killed in the U.S. drone war. And a 2013 McClatchy report found that despite U.S. assertions that drone strikes had killed top level al Qaeda members, classified documents show that the strikes have also killed hundreds of lower level militants. At the same time, by routinely releasing such figures, it likely will be easier for the U.S. to pay compensation to civilians killed in airstrikes. In places like Yemen, the U.S. has, at times, paid compensation by way of proxy. According to a source familiar with the discussions, the president may also impose other new rules on drone and other air strikes, including providing more financial reparations to families of civilians killed in drone strikes and requiring other countries with which the U.S. partners to follow the same rules as it does. The source added that the administration is also expected to release a less redacted copy of the presidential policy guidance that governs drone strikes. That means more details about the policy may come to light than currently available. U.S. officials have insisted that they dont conduct strikes unless there near-certainty that no civilians will be killed or injured, as President Obama explained in 2013. As recently as last Tuesday, the president referred to his war on al Qaeda as a success story. If the implication is that those of us up here and the thousands of people around the country and around the world who are working to defeat ISIL arent taking the fight seriously, that would come as a surprise to those who have spent these last seven and a half years dismantling al Qaeda, Obama said after a counter-terror meeting at the Treasury Department, using the governments prefered acronym for ISIS. When the U.S. does release figures on civilian casualties in Iraq and Syria, they are often at odds with those making assessments on the ground. For example, according to Airwars, which monitors strikes in Iraq and Syria, at least 1,323 civilians have been killed by coalition airstrikes since the war against ISIS began. By comparison, according to U.S. Central Command, which keeps tally of such figures, coalition strikes have killed 21 and injured 17, as of April 2016. The administration first hinted at the release of the new executive order in March when Lisa Monaco, the presidents counterterrorism security adviser, announced the decision at a speech before the Council on Foreign Relations. In keeping with the presidents commitment to transparency, I can announce that, in the coming weeks, the administration will publicly release an assessment of combatant and noncombatant casualties resulting from strikes taken outside areas of active hostilities since 2009. Going forward, these figures will be provided annually, Monaco said during the March speech. Because we know that not only is greater transparency the right thing to do, it is the best way to maintain the legitimacy of our counter terrorism actions and the broad support of our allies. Since then, the order has been mired in internal legal debate, delaying the announcement, a U.S. official explained to The Daily Beast. White House officials declined to discuss the specifics of the order, but said any decision is an attempt at transparency about the U.S. and its efforts to minimize civilian casualties. The president has been clear that we must be more transparent about both the basis of our counterterrorism actions and the manner in which they are carried out. As the president has noted, when we cannot explain our efforts clearly and publicly, we face terrorist propaganda and international suspicion, we erode legitimacy with our partners and our people, and we reduce accountability in our own government, Ned Price, a National Security Council spokesman explained to The Daily Beast. ORLANDO Brenda McCool was dancing with her son when the gunfire started. McCool, mother of 11 children and two-time cancer survivor, was one of the 49 people killed at Pulse nightclub in Orlando last week. On Monday, dozens of people gathered inside of First United Methodist Church of Orlandos bright, high-ceilinged sanctuary to remember her. Among them was Isaiah Henderson, the son she saved by telling him to run after she was mortally wounded. I just want to say that my mom was the best mother ever and I never thought her life would be ended right in front of my eyes, he said. I havent stopped crying since. According to several accounts, McCool told her son to get down as soon as the shots rang out and possibly even shielded him from the gunfire before telling him to get out. Isaiah went back for his mother, but she is said to have pushed him away. It was her selflessness and valor that inspired Mayor Buddy Dyer to declare June 20 a city-wide day of mourning for McCool in a resolution that he read from the pulpit. While the actions of the first responders made headlines, the actions made by Brenda were just as brave and just as heroic, he said. Brenda showed bravery when she ordered her son Isaiah to run when he intended to stop to save her. McCools second-born son, Robert Pressley, Jr., was the first to speak for his mother and he shared a story of when she was in the hospital receiving stem cell transplants to help treat her cancer. Pressley said that was the most afraid any of her children had seen their mother, but the thing she was most afraid of she beat. One by one, most of her children made their way to the pulpit to speak in honor of their mother. More than one proudly called their family a very multicultural one, but though the children, having a few different fathers, did not always look much like each other, they all bore a strong resemblance to Brenda. Memories of her eyes, cheeks, and determined gaze graced each of their faces as they described her as a tough, outspoken, and loving mother who ran a tight ship and always kept the house clean. Henderson shared a story of his mother who he described as a fighter. She was crazy. She came into my room one day and said, Hey, Isaiah, lets play fight and next thing I know my nose was bleeding of course she won. She was a linebacker. The family laughed, nodded their heads, and raised hands in agreement. I went from seeing her smile, said son Farrell Marshall Jr., next time you see her shes in her coffin. As the ceremony ended, Brendas brother Michael led the crowd in a virtual prayer. Hold up two fingers like a peace sign, and then another two on your wrist, for your pulse, and warn God that Brenda is coming! The familys strength and sense of humor carried the ceremony until the very end, when the congregation became somber as her sons crowded around the closed casket to bear their mother out to the hearse. Friends and guests were then asked to give the family some space as they released white balloons into the sky to symbolize her journey to Heaven. Remember when the Republican National Committee followed its partys second consecutive loss to Americas first black president by promising a more welcoming GOP ? Samantha Bee does. Unfortunately, no ones making that harder than the orange supremacist at the top of the ticket, Bee said on Mondays Full Frontal. After a solid year of questioning the morality of Latinos, Trump decided to use their murders to question the morality of Muslims. Returning to the theme that so thoroughly galvanized her show last week , Bee examined Donald Trumps response to the mass shooting in Orlando , including a renewed call to respectfully check mosques and prevent Muslims from entering the country. Pointing to Trumps AMERICA FIRST! tweet from last Tuesday, Bee noted that while others were tweeting condolences after the shooting, the Republican nominee was trying to build a wall out of capital letters. Indeed, Trump has declared America First as the major and overriding theme of his administration, a declaration Bee deemed even worse than if he had simply gone with tits. Bee went on to demonstrate just how similar Trumps overriding theme is to Nazi-appropriator Charles Lindbergh and former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard David Duke, whose support Trump barely managed to denounce last fall. All of which is making Republicans in Congress stay as far away from Trump as they can reasonably get while still professing their unwavering support. But Bee had a message for the GOP: Your real problem isnt one Donald, its 13 million Donald voters. If they reject him wholeheartedly, who will be left? After giving viewers a brief history of American racism and its shift from Democrats to Republicans, Bee made it clear that she was not saying all racists are Republican or that all Republicans are racists. (She even flashed that message on the screen.) I am saying that for half a century, the GOP, in order to win elections, has relied on an uneasy coalition of two opposing interests: fiscal conservatives and resentful whites. But now, she added, the racist side appears to have taken over. Trump isnt desecrating the Republican Party, Bee added. Hes just peeling back the glossy exterior to reveal the hideous symbiont thats been lurking there for decades. So, GOP, the time has come to decide, do you still want that beast living in your house or not? Divorce is rarely a tidy, consensual affair. But while many once-happy relationships can end in ugly scenes about who gets the kids, the car, the dog or the airmiles, the divorce of Natalia Potanina, once married to one of Russias richest men, Vladimir Potanin, could end in one of the biggest legal rows of all times, at least in financial terms. For Potanina, who once lived in the lap of luxury, dividing her time between a fantasy palace reminiscent of Versailles near Moscow and one of two luxury yachts in the South of France, is now seeking half her ex-husbands fortune, which could ring in at a cool $7 billion. A leading London divorce lawyer, Georgina Hamblin, a director at Vardags law firm, which specialises in high-value divorce cases, told The Daily Beast in an email conversation: Should she be successful in claiming 50% of the matrimonial pot the amount that she stands to receive will be stratospheric. Indeed if she secures the 5m ($7bn) to which she refers this will undoubtedly be the largest award ever made in England. Foreigners are allowed to seek justiceincluding divorce settlementsin London if they can prove evidence of strong links to the U.K. This might be why, in an interview with The Guardian today, Mrs. Potanina makes much of the fact that she has been living in London for the past two years. In the interview Potanina implies that she will likely pursue her case in the U.K. courts, if, as expected, the Russian supreme court throws out her appeal against a previous Russian courts curious ruling that her husband, listed by Forbes as the 78th richest man in the world, had no meaningful assets. Once Russias richest man, he is currently in fourth place nationally. Potamina claims that she is being prevented from returning to her home or to Russia: Its traditional. Deprive me of money and drive me out of the house There are many people who end up in this situation. I guess this is true worldwide but especially in Russia. Our society is male dominated. The law is male. The ideology is male. There is no barrier to the London courts reaching a different conclusion to the Russian courts. She may well be successful in a plea to the English courts to seek to combat any unfairness she claims to have suffered at the hands of the Russian court in the parties divorce proceedings there, Hamblin says. However, whether she would actually ever be able to get her ex to pay up is another matter. While assets based in the U.K. may theoretically be seized, he could avoid much of the judgment by simply not travelling to the U.K. Enforcing the terms of financial orders across multiple, and sometimes challenging, jurisdictions is often the final battle to be won in international cases such as this, says Hamblin. The road can be long, but with persistence and the right legal and forensic team behind them, those fighting their case through the English courts can rest assured that they have the very best legal system behind them and one that simply will not tolerate non-compliers. Potamina argues in The Guardian that she should be entitled to half the fortune as they were both penniless students when they met: I did not marry an oligarch who already owned factories and steamships. We lived in my parents apartment, she says. In 2014, Potanin married his new partner, Katya, a junior employee at his firm, with whom he now has two small children. He is reportedly building a third yacht. Jonathan Pollard, the former U.S. intelligence analyst turned spy for Israel, wants the American government to ease up on the conditions of his parole. In legal briefs, he has argued that Washington should stop monitoring his personal computer and online activities and not force him to wear a personal GPS device that tracks Pollards movements in New York, where he has been living since his release from federal prison last year. To which the U.S. intelligence community has essentially replied, Oh, hell no. In a series of declarations filed late Friday with the U.S. Parole Commission, senior U.S. intelligence officials forcefully argued that Pollard still poses a risk to national security because if left unchecked, he could divulge U.S. secretsand even old ones could do harm. Some of the sources and methods used to develop some of the intelligence exposed by Mr. Pollard not only remain classified but are still in use by the Intelligence Community today, Jennifer L. Hudson, a senior official in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, said in a written statement (PDF). Director of National Intelligence James Clapper had previously said that some of the information Pollard is believed to have exposed is still classified at the secret and top secret level (PDF). But Hudsons declaration adds a new dimension as to why the intelligence community thinks Pollard, who is now 61, is still a dangerous man. Pollard was sentenced arrested in 1985 while working as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Navy, before the dawn of the internet and when the intelligence communitys main enemy was the Soviet Union. Could the information he leaked really be so revealing more than 30 years later? I would have no doubt, given the volume of the material, one former senior U.S. intelligence official familiar with Pollards case told The Daily Beast. In particular, Pollard may have known which up-and-coming leaders the U.S. was trying to recruit as future spies in the 1980s, and if theyre in positions of influence today in Israel or other Middle Eastern countries, they could still be providing useful intelligence, the former official noted. The last thing you want is him talking about whats in his head. Of course, theres another motivation for the intelligence community to try to keep restrictions on Pollards parole: They want to fuck with him, the former official said. U.S. spies dont easily forgive, and they dont forget. Current and former intelligence officials hold Pollard in especially strong contempt to this day, both for the scale of his treachery and the acute risk it posed to U.S. interests at the time. In recent statements to the Parole Commission, the U.S. government has said that the breadth and scope of the classified information that [Pollard] sold to the Israelis was the greatest compromise of U.S. security to that date and included thousands of Top Secret documents to Israeli agents which also threatened U.S. relations in the Middle East among the Arab countries. I think what he did is exceeded only by our friend Edward Snowden, retired Adm. Thomas Brooks, the former director of naval intelligence, said in an interview in 2014, when Pollards parole seemed possible. Pollard has said he only intended to help Israel defend itself by providing security information that the U.S. was unwilling to share with its key Middle East ally. Nonsense, spooks say. One former official who worked on the damage assessment after Pollards espionage was discovered said that he was driven not by patriotism for Israel, but by the need to pay for his high-spending lifestyle and drug habit. It was all about money, and he put most of it up his nose. He was known in Washington as the candy man for Gods sake, the former official said. Pollard may claim that his spying was only intended to benefit Israel, but among the secrets he shared was a 10-volume manual that described how the National Security Agency intercepted Soviet communications, as well as technical details of military spy satellites. Contrary to what hed have you believe in his reinvention of Jonathan Pollard, it had nothing to do with Arab countries or the security of Israel, but had everything to do with U.S. collection methods, to include most specifically against the Soviet Union, Brooks said. The manual was valuable because it tells your enemy what we dont know, and what channels of communication the U.S. was monitoring and thus should be avoided, said the former official who worked on the damage assessment. The manual likely has little to reveal about current intelligence-gathering techniqueswhich are mostly conducted by spying on a global communications network that didnt exist in the mid-80sbut Pollards actions were considered so dangerous at the time as to be unforgivable now. Pollard has long insisted that nothing he shared compromised the lives of U.S. agents in the field. And theres no conclusive evidence that information he gave to Israel made its way to Moscow. But current and former U.S. officials maintain that Pollard couldnt have controlled how the information was used and that secrets could have been exposed in Israel. Mossad at that time was well penetrated by the KGB, Brooks said, referring to the Israeli and Soviet intelligence services. The Israelis will admit to that. In arguing now that Pollards online and offline activities should still be closely monitored, officials also provided a more detailed look at the kinds of intelligence he compromised and how they think it could still damage U.S. operations and interests. Pollard is believed to have compromised information gathered from human sources that could reveal the identity of U.S. agents, even if indirectly, which could cause significant harm to the source, his or her family, and his or her associates, wrote Hudson, the senior official with the intelligence directors office. Even in cases where the source is no longer alive, such disclosure can place in jeopardy the lives of individuals with whom the source had contact, she argued. In addition to information about human spies, Pollard also shared secrets about signals intelligence, or SIGINT, which includes electronic communications intercepts, Hudson said. Some of the SIGINT documents believed to have been compromised by Mr. Pollard would reveal intelligence sources and methods still in use today. She didnt specify which ones, but she noted that some of the documents at issue implicated details of intelligence relationships with and the equities of NSAs foreign partners. Whats more, Hudson said that Pollard also revealed information about how spy satellites track the movement of weapons and military forces on the ground, which is relevant to current intelligence operations. Even though those methods continually evolve, she acknowledged, officials have determined that those spying techniques, if disclosed, would compromise current collection and analytic methods. Thats a thin reed on which to hang Pollards restrictions, his attorneys will surely argue. A lawyer for Pollard didnt respond to a request for comment. But in previous filings, they have said that the GPS monitoring and the online tracking are an unconstitutional invasion of Pollards privacy and liberty, and that the restrictions are impeding their client from getting a job in New York. His lawyers also noted that when he pleaded guilty to espionage, Pollard promised not to divulge any further classified information. U.S. intelligence officials have left little doubt about how seriously they take that promise. In a letter to the Parole Commission in February, Clapper, the intelligence director, said that the intelligence community couldnt say for sure whether there was a reasonable probability that Mr. Pollard would commit some new crime But, he said, officials continue to believe that tracking Pollard is the best way to keep him in check. Pollard may have been paroled, but as far as one-time colleagues in the intelligence community are concerned, he can never be reformed. with additional reporting by Nancy A. Youssef History will record that Queen Elizabeth II has been the model of a constitutional monarchimpeccably non-political in public. But in private it is a different story. Her Majesty can be refreshingly outspoken among friends, as we discovered last month from her comments on the very rude Chinese delegation in Londonand the same is true when it comes to Europe. Just last weekend, she spoke up at her birthday celebrations in favor of the many benefits that can flow when people come together for a common purposeas family, friends or neighbors. This was taken by some as a coded endorsement of her governments Remain policy. But back in March, someone who it has been widely suggested was Michael Gove, her indiscreet Lord Chancellor, revealed that the Queen had spoken up strongly against the EU in a private 2011 discussion with the then Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg. And while Buckingham Palace has rightly deplored the impropriety of disclosing Her Majestys private remarks, the Palace has been careful not to define her views, nor to deny that her sympathies might, on occasions, like those of many of her subjects, have veered towards Brexit. Give me THREE good reasons, she has, apparently, been asking her dinner companions recently, why Britain should be part of Europe? Well, Maam, may I respectfully try on you this trioKing Canute, King William the Conqueror, and King William III? They were three of your wisest and most successful predecessors, and each of them was a Europeana Dane, a Norman, and a Dutchman respectively. As Her Majesty learned from her history tutor Sir Henry Marten, her Stuart predecessors had problems with those inter-dependent constitutional s-wordssovereignty and sharing. The two King Jameses and King Charles I and II had an aversion to compromise and to working within some sort of larger community like Parliament. They could not see how sharing power could contribute to the wider goodand also to their own survival. In 1649 Charles I famously lost his head for seeking to argue the point, along with the 84,000 or more who died in the Civil War he provoked. It took the Dutchman William of Orange to modify the Stuarts obstinate divine right of kings in 1688 with his pragmatic experience of European democracy. His Glorious Revolution was the foundation of the English constitutional monarchy that stabilized our political and social progressalongside the Church of England, with its reforming theology provided by a German (Martin Luther) and a Frenchman (John Calvin). And what was the original family name of the Queens beloved Grandpapa England, King George V, before he nimbly invented the House of Windsor in 1917? He was a Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, the name of the British royal family for seventy-seven years following the marriage of Queen Victoria to Prince Albert. And how about our present-day prince consort, Philip Mountbattenborn a Danish prince of Greece? More than three million British schoolchildren have benefitted from the outdoor expeditions and challenges of the Duke of Edinburghs Award Scheme, inspired by Phil the Greek (along with his German Jewish mentor, Kurt Hahn). Our British monarchy is a mongrel miracle built of European componentsand a testament, through all its ups and downs, to the virtues of sharing sovereignty and of working together towards the complexities of a common compromise. In this it is matched by the successive waves of foreigners who have mingled to create our imagined island race that is actually inseparable from Europeas we discovered recently from a segment on HMs favorite wireless fare, BBC Radio 4s Today program, which glorified the great British victory over the French at the battle of Waterloo. In fact, of course, it was the arrival of the Prussian army under General Blucher which won the day that the Duke of Wellington might otherwise have lostand the forces that Wellington commanded were not uniquely British. They were a pan-European coalition embracing Russia, the Netherlands, Sweden, Austria, Spain, Portugal, Sardinia and a number of German states. How right Blucher was to propose La Belle Alliance as the ideal name for the battle, particularly as King George III, Britains king at the time, was also King of Hanover, the second largest state at that time in northern Germany. We know from another leaked royal conversation that the European Court of Human Rights has annoyed the Queen as much as many Britons. She felt that the Courts shielding of Abu Hamza, the extremist Muslim cleric whom the Home Office wished to deport in 2012, denigrated Britain. But the European Convention on Human Rights predates and operates quite separately from the EU. It is actually a British-inspired institution, first proposed by Winston Churchill in 1948 to impose some standards of behavior on post-war Europe. The Convention was largely drafted by Elizabeth IIs first Home Secretary, David Maxwell Fyfe, later Lord Kilmuir, whose precise and severe legal mind Her Majesty will recall from her Conservative governments of the 1950s. The ECHR predates and operates quite separately from the European Union, and will continue to exercise jurisdiction over us even if we choose Brexit. It is hardly British for us to walk away from something we created when its decisions go against us, and it is quite dishonest for Brexiteers like Boris Johnson to blame the ECHR for terrorismas if every European country were not united in seeking to eliminate that terrible scourge. Britain still has the Queens face on our stamps and our bank notes. We are outside both the Euro and the Schengen Agreements. London has made itself the Hong Kong of a modern Belle Alliance, thanks to the free flow of European money, which is the essence of the capitals current boom-time prosperity. We island mongrels seem to have negotiated a pretty flexible deal for ourselves inside monolithic Europeand were still free to leave at any time in the future we might choose. If we vote to leave now, however, we will never get back in again on such advantageous terms. If we become another Norway, for example, operating outside but seeking to keep trading with the EU, we shall still have to accept the free movement of labor that so worries the Brexiteers. We shall also have to accept all the red tape and regulation attendant on EU tradebut without any voice in reforming it. Its not surprising that Elizabeth IIs views on Europe should be shaped by her fondness for the Commonwealth that she did so much to create. But the big beasts of the Commonwealth like Australia, Canada and India all now operate their world-wide commerce from the basis of localized trade pactsand as of 2016 Britains own local EU pact has set up or is busily negotiating Free Trade Agreements with 90% of the fifty Commonwealth countries outside the EU (Malta and Cyprus are both inside). Britains exports to the Commonwealth increased last year by no less than ten per cent. Then theres that other great achievement of the present reign, the resolution of the war with the IRA and the reconciliation with Ireland to which the Queen has personally contributed so much. In 1998 the Good Friday Agreement relied heavily on the practicalities of co-existence made possible by free movement between northern and southern Ireland. Leaving the EU could restore the old divisive barriers along the twenty or more crossing points of the hard Irish bordera body blow to the still fragile peace process in Ulster. And with the Scottish government and people resolute to remain inside the EU that brings them so many benefits, an English vote to leave could spell disaster. Brexit could mean Break-Up for the United Kingdom as we know it. As a constitutional monarch, the Queen will not have a vote on June 23rd. And for those of us who believe we should be seeking to strengthen the European moorings of our miraculously semi-detached realm, I am only guessing that may be just as well. Robert Lacey is the author of Majesty: Elizabeth II and the House of Windsor and The QueenA Life in Brief. Walsh's 25m Irish whiskey distillery opens Whiskey distilling returned to County Carlow, Ireland, after an absence of over 200 years today as husband and wife, Bernard and Rosemary Walsh, the founders of Walsh Whiskey Distillery officially opened their 25million Irish whiskey distillery by the banks of the River Barrow at Royal Oak, County Carlow. Royal Oak is now distilling Walsh Whiskey Distillerys whiskeys, The Irishman and Writers Tears, which are already sold in 40 countries worldwide. Officiating at the opening with the Walshs was Augusto Reina, CEO of Illva Saronno SpA of Milan (owners of drinks brands Disaronno and Tia Maria) which has a 50% share in the Walsh Whiskey Distillery at Royal Oak. Located on an 18th century estate comprising 40 acres of pastoral land, the distillery is the only independent Irish whiskey distillery producing all three styles of Irish whiskey pot still, malt and grain from its two production lines using both pot stills and column stills. At full tilt the Walsh Whiskey Distillery at Royal Oak has the capacity to produce 650,000 cases (8 million bottles) of whiskey annually which is 9.7% of the total Irish whiskey exports in 2014. The company actually commenced distilling on Easter Sunday this year and is laying down stocks for release from 2019 onwards after the minimum three year maturation process has been completed. The new distillery puts Walsh Whiskey in control of its own destiny. The three key differences the distillery at Royal Oak makes to Walsh Whiskey are: Increased Supply to Markets: The considerable production capacity will enable the company to increase supply to the 40 markets where The Irishman and Writers Tears are already sold especially the core markets of the United States, Canada and Europe (including Russia). Target New Markets in Asia: The company is already leveraging its partner Illva Saronnos established relationships in the Asian markets which hold great potential for Irish whiskey. Illva Saronno has major operations in India and China as well as an extensive distribution network. Countries targeted, other than India and China, include Vietnam, Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. Increase the Range of Irish Whiskey Expressions Through Greater Innovation: The keys to whiskeys character and taste are the oak barrels used to mature them and what they have previously contained. Walsh Whiskey Distillery at Royal Oak has sourced a great variety of barrels and butts from its own and its partner Illva Saronnos international contacts to create every taste and hue possible for whiskey drinkers to experience. These include bourbon barrels from Kentucky; sherry butts from Jerez; Rum barrels from Saint Lucia and Marsala wine casks from Illva Saronnos own Florio Marsala Winery in Sicily. Walsh Whiskey Distillery will allocate up to 15% of its annual production to contract sales and has recently sealed its first deal with Altia (a leading wine and spirits company in the Nordic and Baltic countries). The distillery at Royal Oak will also include two maturation houses with capacity for 60,000 barrels. Work on these buildings will commence in 2017. The distillery, which is also designed as a visitor experience, will be open to the public from this July. The tours will also incorporate the 18th century Holloden House (c.1755) in a few years when renovations are complete. A total of 75,000 whiskey tourists are expected to visit annually by 2021. Bernard Walsh said: After 17 years in business, the opening of our own distillery is both the fulfilment of Rosemary and my own dreams and a game changing moment for the company. We are now in control of our destiny and have the capacity, variety and relationships to play our part in the continued revival of Irish whiskey which is one of this countrys great traditions. He added: That we can do this in a place like Royal Oak which is blessed with an abundance of the best natural ingredients as well as being a place of beauty and tranquillity is idyllic. We look forward to sharing our whiskeys and Royal Oak with the world. 21 June 2016 - Felicity Murray The Drinks Report, editor "If the UK leaves the EU, a comprehensive review of environmental law will be needed", says Joanne Hawkins, a law lecturer at the University of Leeds. "Having identified which laws stem from the EU, the UK will need to consider whether it wants to repeal - totally or partially - or change such laws", she told Energydesk. Antoine Simon, legal expert at Friends of the Earth Europe, agrees. "What would change is that future governments would be able to review the environmental legislation in place and apply the standards they deem useful, or reasonable, or necessary. "The British people would also lose their ability to use the European appeal mechanisms and the EU courts that ensure member states are accountable for the implementation of EU law." EU 'single market' could force UK to comply Another key consideration for what would happen to the regulatory framework of post-Brexit Britain is the type of trade deal it strikes with countries on the continent. According to Ms Hawkins, if it were to adopt a Norway-style model and become an EEA country, the UK would be forced to comply with many EU regulations, present and future - though it would cease to have a role in shaping them. However the Leave campaign's focus on controlling immigration - which would be impossible with a Norway-style agreement - means a lengthy negotiation is likely, with the UK quite plausibly ending up outside the single market. In that scenario it would not be bound by EU rules, and would be free to amend or repeal environmental regulations. "If we are no longer bound by EU controls", she said, "it is worth noting that the UK has been widely criticised for its non-compliance with EU environmental standards. Recently there have been legal challenges over the UK's failure to meet air quality standards. Given this, the most challenging standards may be subject to review and may be relaxed." A look at the laws - current and future Here's to give you a sense of the kind of regulations the UK government would be able to unravel in the event of a Brexit. It's often said that around 80% of environmental regulations in member states derive from EU law. In the case of fracking, there are more than 15 EU directives and regulations that apply. The Groundwater Directive requires the environmental authorities (in this case the Environment Agency) to enforce groundwater quality standards; REACH regulation sets limits for additives in chemicals used in the fracking process; the Mining Waste Directive covers the handling and disposal of flowback / produced water. The extensive permitting process, bane of the industry's nascent existence, is deeply rooted EU law,with the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive (along with a few other EU laws) forcing firms to consistently consult with authorities and the public on the impacts of a given project; the Habitats Directive offering special protections to the homes of certain species; and the Industrial Emissions Directive requiring shale drillers to get a license before flaring. There's also the fact the UK would miss out on further EU environmental regulations designed to plug the gaps that exists in current legislation. In 2014 the EU issued a non-binding (thanks to the UK's coalition of pro-fracking countries) 'recommendation' that all shale gas projects should undergo environmental impact assessments; that policy is up for review in 2016, and if the EU decides it has been insufficiently implemented then the Commission may take legislative action. Which, of course, the UK would not be subject to if it votes for Brexit. Likewise it would miss out on the detailed environmental standards for fracking that are being currently formulated by the EU and which will be finaled in 2018. Ms Hawkins said: "Given the UK emphasis on cutting red tape and reducing regulatory burdens, standards such as the EU's current 'best available technique' may be dis-applied in favour of other approaches to risk management, such as a cost benefit analysis. If it chooses to rely on EU standards, it will no longer have any influence over how these are shaped." Anti-regulation While it's impossible to predict the behaviour of post-Brexit government, history suggests the UK will work to get rid of what it regards as burdensome environmental rules. "Together with Poland, the UK has been at the forefront of a rebellion group of member states which have stopped the European Commission and the European Parliament from passing binding measures on fracking", Mr Simon told Energydesk. Two occasions stand out, the first - which we covered earlier - involved a UK-led minority in the European Council blocking an amendment for mandatory environmental impact assessments for shale gas projects, one which had already passed the European Parliament. In addition to blocking mandatory impact assessments Prime Minister David Cameron lobbied the then Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso to prevent legislation that would have required on-site monitoring of methane emissions and the capture of toxic gases and compounds. And then there's the recent revelation that the UK government's recently passed Infrastructure Act twisted the EU's definition of fracking to the point that nearly half of the shale wells developed in the US would not be covered by UK regulations. Zachary Davies Boren is an environment journalist writing for Greenpeace Energydesk, the Press Association, The Telegraph, The Independent, Huffington Post, IBTimes, Yahoo, Chicago Tribune and other media. This article was originally published on Greenpeace Energydesk. Man who had explosives on him at Burlington police station sentenced A man who pleaded guilty to possessing explosives while in custody at the Burlington police station last fall was sentenced in federal court on Tuesday. Faster loading time (lower bounce rates from) A faster loading ensures that your site visitors don't leave your site when it starts to load for too long. Guaranteed dedicated resources Bandwidth, memory, CPU power, storage of up to 200 GB SSD Storage, NVMe. 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Another reason might be a lack of technical knowledge, making VPS servers harder to set up, manage, and secure. But thats why managed VPS hosting is such a good choice. Deloitte acquired Casey Quirk & Associates, a Darien-based consultancy to asset managers that has doubled its staff the past three years, including at a new office in New York City, where Deloitte is based. Deloitte did not state what it paid for Casey Quirk, co-founded in 2002 by Kevin Quirk and John Casey, with the latter retiring last year. Since 2002, Casey & Quirk has curried relationships with many of the largest asset managers in the world, catching the eye of Deloitte, which is among Stamfords largest employers, with some 1,300 people based at its office in BLT Financial Centre on East Main Street. HARTFORD Gov. Dannel P. Malloys perfect five-year veto record screeched to a halt Monday when the House and Senate agreed to override three of his eight vetoes. But tension among lawmakers became the hallmark of the afternoon, as the Senate brought only two of five House overrides to a vote. And the House brought up only one Senate override. NORWALK Those wishing to produce medical marijuana or open a licensed medical marijuana dispensary in Norwalk could be waiting for a while. Following the lead of a number of other communities, the Norwalk Zoning Commission is considering establishing a nine-month moratorium on licensed medical marijuana producers and dispensary facilities. Norwalks zoning regulations currently permit neither the production nor dispensing of medical marijuana. Assuming the moratorium is approved, we will spend the next nine months evaluating whether they should be permitted anywhere in Norwalk, and, if they should, try to determine what areas in Norwalk would make sense along with determining what conditions or restrictions would need to be placed on any such facility, said Zoning Commission Chairman Adam J. Blank. I expect we will get input from other municipalities in Connecticut and outside it that allow for these types of facilities. Additionally, we will reach out to the Norwalk Police Department for their assistance. Blank said the commission wants to make sure that police and the citys planning and zoning department are on the same page on what regulations needs to be in place to allow such businesses to operate safely in Norwalk. If we cant get to an acceptable comfort level then we will continue to ban them in all zones, Blank said. In 2012, the General Assembly passed legislation allowing a licensed physician to certify an adult patient's use of marijuana for certain medical conditions. Among other things, the law requires patients and their primary caregivers to register with the Department of Consumer Protection. It also creates licensing requirements for producers to grow marijuana and for pharmacists (dispensaries) to dispense it. Since passage of the law, the department has issued requests for applications from those wishing to produce medical marijuana, or open a dispensary facility. The requests are issued based upon the number of patients needing medical marijuana and where they live, said Lora Rae Anderson, a spokeswoman for the department. Right now, we dont have a Request for Application or pending applications, Anderson said. There are six (medical marijuana facilities) that are currently open and three in the process of opening. The six existing facilities are located in Hartford, Branford, Bethel, South Windsor, Uncasville and Bristol. Two of the three newly approved facilities are in Milford. The third is in Waterbury, according to the Department of Consumer Protection. Anderson said the department has required that applicants obtain local zoning approval before submitting their applications to the department. Norwalk would not be the first municipality to consider a moratorium as it sorts through the issue. In October 2013, the Westport Planning and Zoning Commission placed a one-year moratorium on medical marijuana distribution and production last October to allow officials to mull over the possibility of amending the town's current zoning regulations. In January 2014, Stamford's Zoning Board imposed a yearlong moratorium after the city's legal department issued an approval permit to Constitution Care LLC to establish a medical marijuana dispensary. Wilton's Planning and Zoning Commission also approved a medical marijuana moratorium in February 2014. Anderson, while noting the some communities have imposed moratoriums, added that others are looking to pass zoning laws to make their towns more friendly to medical marijuana dispensaries and producers. For now, Norwalk has nothing on its books should the matter arise. And thats what is driving officials to consider establishing a moratorium. We want to establish a moratorium so we can take the time necessary to make an informed decision on the issue without having to rush to action because an application might be filed, Blank said. The Zoning Commission had planned to hold a public hearing on the proposed moratorium last Wednesday but postponed it until its July meeting because of the lengthy public hearing on AMEC Cartings plan for its equipment storage yard in South Norwalk. That hearing lasted until nearly midnight. The movie The Wizard of Oz hit the silver screen back in 1939. The book that serves as its foundation, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, was first published in 1900. Such is the enduring power of the story. Preschoolers and grade school students who attended Monday mornings Crane River Theater program on The Wizard of Oz at the Grand Island Public Library immediately knew all the key characters as well as the most-oft-quoted lines from the movie and many of the lyrics to the song. Mondays presentation was part of the librarys summer reading program for kids. But it was also an open invitation from Crane River Theater to travel to Kearney to see the full production of The Wizard of Oz, which premieres at 7 p.m. Thursday and will continue each night through July 3 at Cope Amphitheater at Yanney Heritage Park, 2020 W. 11th. Admission is free. Mondays program at the library was definitely interactive, with members of the Crane River Theater presenting activities that engaged the younger students. Individual cast members first came out and provided three clues about the characters they are portraying. Kids were to raise their hands as soon as they thought they knew the characters identity, but everyone had to wait until the third and final clue was given. That was when they could shout out the correct answer. The kids had no problems guessing an actor was the Scarecrow when he admitted he often had trouble standing up and walking and could not keep the blackbirds away from the cornfield. In very quick succession, the kids successfully used the clues to shout out the names of the Tin Man, the Lion, Dorothy, the Good Witch Glinda, the Wicked Witch of the West and the Wizard. Everyone had to stand for the next activity, a very physical warm-up that actors might do before going on stage. Crane River Theater members and kids alike went through the routine, which involved raising the right hand and arm into the air and shaking it five times, followed by the same routine for the left hand and arm, followed by five shakes of the right foot and leg, five shakes of the left foot and leg and five shakes of the hips. The routine concluded with shaking the entire body all at once. Once everyone got the hang of all that, the next challenge was to go even faster through arm, leg, hip and body shaking. Everybody shook everything in order first five times, then four times, then three times and then two times, before finally ending with a yell of Boom! The kids and actors next went through voice warm-ups. That made both the Crane River Theater actors and the kids fully ready to sing one of the best known songs from the movie: Were off to see the Wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz, We hear he is a whiz of a Wiz if ever a Wiz there was. If ever, oh ever, a Wiz there was, the Wizard of Oz is one because, because, because, because, because, b-e-c-a-u-s-e Because of the wonderful thing things he does. Were off to see the Wizard, the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The actors just sang a portion of each lyric, with the kids musically repeating the lyrics back to them. By that time, the action was ready to shift to a From Page to Stage performance: One person read the book, with the Crane River Theater actors periodically taking over from the printed page and playing out many of the storys most famous scenes. That could have been a cue for the young students to become a passive audience. But there was no danger of that as they helped repeat some of the most famous lines, including the classic, Lions and tigers and bears Oh, my! After the Scarecrow, Tin Man, Lion and Dorothy all had their wishes fulfilled in the From Page to Stage production, the job of a choreographer was described to the kids. The shows choreographer showed the kids some simple dance moves they could perform while singing these famous words: Ding Dong! The Witch is dead. Which old Witch? The Wicked Witch! Ding Dong! The Wicked Witch is dead. Wake up, you sleepy head, rub your eyes, get out of bed. By then, it was not time for the kids to get out of bed, but time for them to return to their preschools, day care centers and homes. They did so knowing that Dorothy and Toto were once again home in Kansas, and that the magical Land of Oz is still Somewhere, Over the Rainbow. The proposed timeline of the I-55 Corridor Development Code and Zoning Map hit a roadblock. At a special Administrative and Community Services Committee meeting on June 9 the discussion was all about a regulation on the usage of 50 percent brick on three sides of a home. That discussion continued at the most recent meeting on Wednesday. After a two-hour long discussion between aldermen and developers, a motion was made for the resolution to continue to be held. It had been filed for first reading for the first time since Nov. 17. The rule in question states all structures have a minimum of three sides of the exterior walls constructed of at least 50 percent brick, brick veneer, stone, masonry, masonry veneer, EIFS (Exterior Insulation Finishing System), stucco, precast concrete and/or split face block from the ground level to the buildings eaves. It is for villas/attached, single-family detached. estate and countryside tract lot building types. Brick, though, was the primary building material in question. The development in the I-55 Corridor is not going to be happening in the next year or two. Its potentially not going to take place for 20 more years, said Tracy Butler, of the Home Builders Association of Greater Southwest Illinois. Putting limitations and restrictions on this land now could be very harmful for future use of this land with new materials, designs and homeowners in this area. Once the code is adopted, though, development can start immediately. Glen Carbon has already approved it, and Madison County is waiting for Edwardsville to complete the process before voting. Butler priced building material for contractors around the area. Its $4 per square foot for siding material and labor, $8 for per square foot for hardie board material and labor, $20 per square foot for brick and labor and $30 per square foot for stone and labor. Alderman Tom Butts, who has spent a number of years working on the I-55 Corridor Plan, said maintaining quality is a goal. Our challenge is not going to be what it looks like 10 years later. Its what its going to look like 40 years later, Butts said. On the homes, it was all about quality. It was making sure that we had quality. It was a lot of input, and everybody was pretty well represented. It was to avoid monotony, tract homes, cookie cutters and square lots. Something I feel strongly about is to allow for some creativity. Jeff Lantz, of Lantz Homes, argued that developers would lose creativity with the restrictions. They would lose flexibility and that its too restrictive. Just because it says 50 percent brick; that doesnt mean its quality, Lantz said. Alderman Barb Stamer said the planned unit development (P.U.D.) is there for developers if they dont like the standards. It allows for some deviation. Butts told the developers to look at the P.U.D. guidelines to see if anything needs to be tweaked. The resolution was held in committee, and it will not move forward to the upcoming City Council meeting. The I-55 Corridor Plan can be found on the Madison County website, and all meetings are open to the public at City Hall. Southern Illinois University Edwardsvilles Healthcare Diversity Summer Camp has been the catalyst for encouraging students to pursue a healthcare career and bringing some to the University. Last years SIUE Healthcare Diversity Camp was the deciding factor for me coming to SIUE, said Jordan Robinson, who plans to attend the University in the fall and major in pre-medicine. Robinson plans to start her journey pursuing a healthcare career at SIUE and learn as much as she can. Ive always had an interest in medicine and the healthcare field, she said, but I didnt know how exciting it could be until I attended camp last year. Twenty-five high school students from Madison, St. Clair and St. Louis counties are participating in the seventh annual SIUE Healthcare Diversity Camp this week. The camp involves the SIUE Schools of Pharmacy (SOP) and Nursing (SON), and the SIU School of Dental Medicine (SDM). The purpose of the camp is to expose minority high school students to healthcare careers they may have never considered, said Lakesha Butler, PharmD, camp coordinator and SOP clinical associate professor. Also helping to coordinate the camp are Jerrica Ampadu, PhD, SON assistant professor, and Cornell Thomas, DDS, SDM assistant dean. The camp pre-requisite for high school sophomores, juniors and seniors is to have at least one year of math, one year of science and a grade point average of 3.0. The average student GPA this year is 3.7. Participating in summer camp increases access to nursing and nursing opportunities for minority high school students, said Ampadu. During summer camp, students are immersed in learning through simulation as well as through interactions with nursing faculty. In addition to information about admission requirements into the school of nursing, students are introduced to nursing advisors who continue to communicate with and mentor students after camp has ended, Ampadu added. Other benefits of the camp are exposure to SIUE campus life and learning how to better perform on the ACT. The success and continuance of the Healthcare Diversity Camp is important, because of the ongoing need to have underrepresented minorities in the healthcare field, according to Butler. The percentage of underrepresented minorities in medical fields such as pharmacy, nursing and dental medicine continues to be lower than the national average of underrepresented minorities in the general population, Butler explained. The need for qualified healthcare professionals, who are culturally competent to treat minority patients, is becoming greater as the minority population continues to grow. Yasmyn Knight attended the Healthcare Diversity Camp in 2011. She is now a 4th Year pharmacy student at SIUE, anticipating graduating with her doctorate of pharmacy in May 2017. Pursuing a profession within the healthcare field was always a goal of mine, but I found myself a bit discouraged by the low representation of African American physicians practicing within our society, Knight said. After the first day of camp, my eyes were instantly opened to the endless possibilities that SIUE and the field of pharmacy had to offer. It was also encouraging to witness the number of faculty and student pharmacists who took time to mentor high school students, she added. After receiving her professional degree from SIUE, Knight plans to help the disadvantaged and underserved through the most accessible healthcare assistance that she knows - pharmacy. Ampadu also emphasized the benefits of diversity in the nursing field: We live in a global society, as such, the patients we serve are culturally diverse. Minority nurses who share the same cultural background as their patients have the advantage of providing care that is culturally sensitive and care that helps reduce health care disparities. Attending camp this year is Kiara Hardman, of Godfrey, who is interested in nursing and working in third world countries: One simple thing to us is such a big deal to people in impoverished countries. I am thinking of working abroad, because I want to be able to improve peoples quality of life. So far camp is awesome, Hardman continued. Everyone here is so kind. Its great to be around like-minded people. Diversity in healthcare is a win-win for everyone involved, according to Thomas. Diversity in healthcare makes us all better. We all benefit from an environment that empowers all of us to achieve to our highest potential, without fear of prejudice or bias, he said. The Diversity Camp is an excellent way to empower the young adults to know that they can achieve. They can make a difference, and they will be in a position to help others overcome obstacles and be successful, Thomas continued. It is a sacrifice, there are long hours of study, but it pays off in the long run. By giving of yourself in a rewarding professions of dentistry, medicine, and pharmacy, one can aspire to make a difference and be a change agent in society. Toju Choms Eguke, of Afton, Mo., has an interest in dental medicine. Eguke wants to invent products to improve oral health by preventing decay and bad breath. I cant wait to go to the School of Dental Medicine and see how everything works over there, said Eguke, who hopes to one day open his own dental practice. The camp is made possible by an annual $5,000 grant from Walgreens, which provides diversity grants to schools of pharmacy across the nation. The weeks remaining schedule is as follows: Today - 10:30 a.m. (Nursing) overview of School of Nursing admissions, programs, courses and careers by nursing students; 1 p.m. nursing lab simulation with Sheila Pietroburgo, primary care/health systems lecturer; and 4 p.m. nursing lab with certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNA) Wednesday, June 22 - 10 a.m. (Dental) anatomy and physiology experience in Roller Hall and Hatton Room; 12:30 p.m. SDM campus tour; and 1 p.m. laboratory exercise Thursday, June 23 - 10:30 a.m. (Pharmacy) tour of herbal garden with Cathy Santanello, PhD and associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences and director of instructional strategies; 11 a.m. patient counseling role play activity with Butler; 1 p.m. pharmacy practice lab; and 2:30 p.m. hands-on CPR Friday, June 24 - 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. - ACT Crash Course SIUE School of Pharmacy: Todays pharmacists improve patients lives through the medication and education they provide. Dedicated to developing a community of caring pharmacists, the SIUE School of Pharmacy curriculum is nationally recognized as a model that offers students a unique combination of classroom education, research, community service and patient care. The School of Pharmacys areas of excellence include drug design and discovery core; chronic pain research and practice; and diabetes research and practice. As the only downstate Illinois pharmacy doctorate program, the SIUE School of Pharmacy is addressing the growing need for highly trained pharmacists in a rapidly growing field. The SIUE School of Nursings fully accredited programs are committed to creating excellence in nursing leadership through innovative teaching, evidence-based practice, quality research, patient advocacy and community service. Enrolling nearly 1,400 students in its baccalaureate, masters and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders in pursuit of shaping the nursing profession and impacting the health care environment. SIUEs undergraduate nursing programs on the Edwardsville campus and the regional campus in Carbondale help to solve the regions shortage of baccalaureate-prepared nurses and enhance the quality of nursing practice within all patient service venues. The Schools graduate programs prepare nurses for advanced roles in clinical practice, administration and education. The SIU School of Dental Medicine students manage approximately 35,000 patient visits each year at its patient clinics in Alton and East St. Louis. In addition, students offer oral health treatment, screenings and education to more than 10,000 people annually through a wide variety of off-campus community outreach events. These opportunities provide students the training they need to graduate and become highly skilled dentists. The School of Dental Medicine is a vital oral health care provider for residents of southern and central Illinois, and the St. Louis metropolitan region. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Mohammad Tsani Annafari (The Jakarta Post) Balikpapan Tue, June 21, 2016 A few weeks after my official visit to Nunukan and Sebatik early this year, a colleague of mine who serves as head of the Nunukan customs office rang me. He informed me that the Sabah government had recently issued a directive to suspend all barter activities at all ports in the Malaysian state, including Tawau Port, which is the main destination of border trade activities from Nunukan district. The suspension was issued for security reasons, but most likely it will be applied permanently to accommodate safety standards, as has been ruled in the Malaysian Shipping Notice No. 18/2009. My colleague shared his concern that such a policy would seriously hamper the economic situation in Nunukan district. Similar concerns had also been raised by the mayor of Nunukan and even the governor of North Kalimantan, who had formally reported the issue to the Foreign Ministry. In my view, however, with the help of the central government such a situation could actually turn out to be a blessing in disguise for the Nunukan people. First, the people of Nunukan district have long relied on various goods brought in from Malaysia and eventually it created a strong take it for granted mindset that the best way to fulfill their needs for such goods was only by importing them from Malaysia. In the long run, this mindset actually diminishes any effort to strengthen the logistics supply chain from other domestic regions, such as from Makassar, Balikpapan, or even Surabaya. In fact, based on Nunukan customs office data, most goods imported from Tawau to Nunukan are staple foods that known as sembako, such as rice, sugar, fruit, vegetables, meat, chicken, milk and eggs, as well as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). They are supplemental products that are actually also available from domestic suppliers at slightly higher prices. If the higher authority could provide subsidies for such domestic products sold in Nunukan, it will not only help Nunukan people to love the Indonesian products, but also strengthen the domestic logistics supply chain that eventually will motivate them to find a way to produce something that can be sold to other areas in Indonesia or even be exported to Malaysia. It is also fair for the people of Nunukan, with the help of central government, to have a branch of the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) to provide them basic foods at affordable prices. Second, based on my own observations, there are too many traditional unloading locations known as pelabuhan tikus that are spread around the Nunukan and Sebatik islands. In total, there are at least 31 unloading locations around Nunukan and Sebatik that have to be monitored and controlled by customs and other agencies. Most of them are in operation without electricity and not safe for boat berthing as most boats arrive with their imported goods at night when the tide gets high. Therefore, the suspension policy issued by the Sabah government should be a good cue for the local government to evaluate its policy that allows so many unsafe pelabuhan tikus to operate both on Sebatik and Nunukan. Letting illegitimate pelabuhan tikus operate not only violates national port safety rules, but also puts more burdens on customs and other relevant government agencies to conduct effective monitoring and control of smuggling and illegal trade. Therefore, it is time for the local government of Nunukan district to close thepelabuhan tikus on Nunukan and Sebatik and instead consolidate the unloading activities only at ports that meet safety standards. Last, but not least, the policy issued by the Sabah government is a reminder for both the Malaysian and Indonesian governments to finish reviewing the Agreement on Border Trade. The essence of this 46-year-old agreement is no longer relevant in the era of the ASEAN Economic Community. On the Indonesian side, the agreement is not only outdated, but it also imposes a lot of operational complexities as it allows many interpretations that could potentially conflict with other regulations. It is time to look again at point 23 of the Joint Statement between Malaysia and the Republic of Indonesia during the ninth annual consultation between Prime Minister Mohamad Najib and then president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in 2012. It stated that, Both leaders instructed officials of both countries to continue discussions on the review of the Border Trade Agreement (BTA) 1970 with a view to its early conclusion. Hopefully we will soon have a down to earth BTA that could bring not only prosperity to both countries, but also social justice for people living around the border. *** The writer is head of the customs and excise division, eastern Kalimantan customs office. The views expressed are his own. --------------- We are looking for information, opinions, and in-depth analysis from experts or scholars in a variety of fields. We choose articles based on facts or opinions about general news, as well as quality analysis and commentary about Indonesia or international events. Send your piece to community@jakpost.com. 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 Facebook Twitter Linkedin Thomas Vargas (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, June 21, 2016 Why is it so important to give a helping han (1980) ('233') (asd") (12/12) (8/9)? Ask Abdul and Javed. Escaping war and insecurity in Somalia with his two kids and wife, Abdul and his family managed to reach safety in Indonesia. But then his heart disease worsened, threatening his life. He didnt have enough money to pay for necessary treatment and medicine. Where could he turn to? In another side of the world, a bright young teenager named Javed was forced to flee for his life from a small town in Afghanistan, which meant he had also to quit school. Luckily he found safe haven in Indonesia. But he was at a loss on how he could pursue his education here since he couldnt speak Indonesian well enough to attend Indonesian schools. Exasperated, he was close to giving up on school altogether. But with the help of the Government of Indonesia, Abdul, Javed and thousands of other refugees being hosted here have a safe place to be until longer-term solutions can be found for them. Through the generosity of national organizations like Dompet Dhuafa, a charity organization providing medical and other help to the poor, and Roshan Learning Center, a local school for refugees like Abdul, they and other refugees can look forward to a better future. As elsewhere, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Indonesia works closely not only with the government, Dompet Dhuafa and Roshan Learning Center, but also other generous international and national partners to broaden the often vital assistance that refugees would otherwise lack. World Refugee Day, which is commemorated on June 20 every year, provides a good opportunity to stand in solidarity with millions of refugees around the world, and to pitch in to help them in recognition of our shared humanity. The world is currently experiencing a global refugee crisis of an unprecedented magnitude. More than 65 million people were forcibly displaced by the end of 2015, having escaped from violence, grave human rights abuses, and intolerance in their home cities and countries. In search of safety, they risk their lives, and are left vulnerable to trafficking, exploitation and abuse. Indonesia is doing its part to alleviate this global crisis by providing protection to thousands of refugees and asylum-seekers as they await longer-term solutions. However, their lives in Indonesia can be far from easy. Unable to work, they might quickly exhaust any life savings they may have had, and become dependent on family, friends, and aid organizations in order to meet their basic needs. Because of language and other barriers, the vast majority of children and youth among them do not attend school while living here. Moreover, those moving irregularly are subject to arrest and being sent to immigration detention centers before an accommodation alternative can be found for them. Under such circumstances, it is crucial for UNHCR to join forces with the government, as well as local, national and international groups, to help a greater number of refugees with basic needs like medical care, education and shelter. So today in particular, as we commemorate World Refugee Day 2016, we stand together hand in hand with refugees and also the partners who help them. UNHCR invites you to show your solidarity for people forced to flee their homes by signing our #WithRefugees petition in http://www.unhcr.org/refugeeday/. *** The writer is UNHCR representative in Indonesia. --------------- We are looking for information, opinions, and in-depth analysis from experts or scholars in a variety of fields. We choose articles based on facts or opinions about general news, as well as quality analysis and commentary about Indonesia or international events. Send your piece to community@jakpost.com. 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 Facebook Twitter Linkedin Derrik J. Lang (Associated Press) Los Angeles, United States Tue, June 21, 2016 Disney is letting "Frozen" go in new directions. The company says Anna, Elsa, Olaf, Kristoff and Sven from the blockbuster 2013 animated film will appear in both new books from Random House and an animated short film series from the Lego Group. The eight-book series "Frozen Northern Lights" will revolve around the characters attempting to restore the aurora borealis with a new troll protagonist named Little Rock. This image released by Disney Publishing shows the cover of "Disney Frozen Northern Lights: Journey to the Lights," a new book featuring characters from the animated film, "Frozen." Disney is letting "Frozen" go in new directions. The company says Anna, Elsa, Olaf, Kristoff and Sven from the blockbuster 2013 animated film will appear in both a new book, as well as in an animated short film series from the Lego Group.(Disney Publishing via AP/-) (Read also: Stage version of 'Frozen' to be directed by Broadway veteran) The four shorts inspired by the books will feature the film's original voice actors as Lego versions of the characters. Disney says "Frozen Northern Lights" is scheduled for release in July and the Lego shorts will air this fall on the Disney Channel. The company previously announced plans for a "Frozen" movie sequel, Broadway show and several theme park attractions. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Intan Tanjung (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, June 21, 2016 Thinking of shopping for the collections of local designers in Bali? Here are four of the island's indie designers who create unique styles that might suit your quirky tastes. Amiga A photo posted by AMIGA | BALI (@amigabali) on Jun 6, 2016 at 7:40pm PDT Through Amiga, founder Ami Zijta wants to convey Marilyn Monroes philosophy to dress tight like a woman but loose enough to be a lady. Amigas designs are elegant, vibrant, colorful and are made to suit different tastes in styles. Having sold her dresses through friends and concepts stores, Ami recently celebrated the opening of her own store at Lippo Mall Kuta. Those seeking to have an exclusive design could also opt to purchase a custom-made dress. Price range: Rp 200,000 (US$15) for tops, Rp 500,000 for dresses, Rp 1.4 million for silks. Nurkamaya A photo posted by Nurkamaya (@nurkamaya) on Dec 20, 2015 at 5:40pm PST Its not just style that Maya Nursari wants to showcase through her label, but also an eco-fashion concept. Nurkamayas style is casual, edgy and simple and its only available in dual color tones: black and white. All of the clothes are made from bamboo fiber fabrics so that they dont leave as much of a carbon footprint as clothes made of cotton. Aside from that, Maya applies a fair-trade policy to the production. Available online, Mayas collections can also be found at the To~Ko Concept Store at the Rumah Sanur Creative Hub at Jl. Danau Poso 51A, Sanur. Price range: Rp 165,000 to Rp 380,000 if purchased within Indonesia. (Read also: 6 local quirky bag brands on the rise) Siji A photo posted by akusiji (@akusiji) on Mar 16, 2016 at 3:55am PDT Siji is the creation of Myra Juliarti. She refers to it as a style for introverted people. Unlike other brands that have flowery styles, siji is loose, simple and relaxed. Its for those who love to hide yet also reveal their uniqueness through Myras edgy designs that are mostly available in soft, neutral colors. Shop online or head to Ubud to get sijis collections, available at Bisama on Monkey Forest Road, Warang Wayan on Jl. Dewi Sita, and at Pasar-pasaran in Uma Seminyak on Jl. Cendana, Seminyak. Price range: Rp 400,000 to Rp 600,000. (Read also: Fashion fusion with 1980s flair) Tuvee The best way to describe Tuvees style is that the clothes set you free. Its not too girly, but feminine enough. Devianna Meliala, the designer, loves to create casual style with fresh twists using light printed fabric. Endless Summer, out of one of Tuvee's collections.(Facebook/Tuvee/-) Tuvee is the brand-child of Devi and Ratu Ayu, who once had a shop on Jl. Benesari in Legian, Kuta, but they closed it in 2015. They later put their collections online on Berrybenka, but those interested to try on the clothes can go to Clara Bella in Sanur, Loverancor in Canggu, or the Bodag shop in Ubud. (kes) Price range: Rp 150,000 to Rp 500,000. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Masajeng Rahmiasri (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, June 21, 2016 Some say the first step to create a change or solution is to make people aware of the issue. That is what Nicholas Saputra tries to do with the Save Our Forest Giants documentary. Through the project, he and the European Union delegation to Indonesia aim to raise awareness of endangered species, particularly elephants. The actor, who is famous for his roles in Ada Apa Dengan Cinta and Gie, recently shared his story about the documentary with The Jakarta Post. (Read also: Tangkahan: From illegal logging to elephant-powered ecotourism) What moved you to take part in this documentary? I started to get involved with the elephants and the ecosystem in 2005, when I went to Tangkahan [in North Sumatra] for the first time to see the animals and witness the issue for myself. Since then, I've traveled around Mount Leuser National Park, as well as the Leuser Ecosystem. So, to be part of this [documentary] is an honor for me. Ive seen so many issues, problems and challenges the environment has to face, so to get involved and share the awareness is part of my responsibility. Do you have any special or personal connection to Tangkahan? I think Tangkahan is a very important and interesting place. Once it was a village of illegal loggers, but then Wahdi and friends started to bring the elephants and now it is changing into an ecotourism destination. Now the people who were illegal loggers or [had the] potential to become illegal loggers have become tour guides and work for the ecotourism project; they are now like the number one protectors of the forest. Its very important and I think it can be an example to other places in Indonesia. They can see ecotourism as another potential source of income that they can make out of their environment. (Read also: Nicholas Saputra stars in EU documentary on elephant conservation) You have been familiar with Tangkahan for a long time now. How did you feel when the elephants died from a virus in just a few hours? It was actually heartbreaking. I knew them from when they were still very young and delicate. It was not only my relationship with the elephants, but I imagine how the mahouts must have felt about them as they took care of the baby elephants every day. They bathed them, they trained them, they interacted with them every day. Its like losing someone in the family, so its so sad and heartbreaking. What is the message that you hope to convey through this documentary? I just want to share my awareness about the elephants and their environment. I think by loving them, by knowing them a little bit more, we can do something about the ecosystem according to our capability, knowledge and opportunity, but I think the most important thing is that we have to care and discover more about them. The more we know, the more we love them, the more were going to protect them. (kes) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Masajeng Rahmiasri (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, June 21, 2016 The Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Indonesia on Sunday launched Save Our Forest Giants, a short documentary to raise awareness of the looming extinction of elephants. The documentary focuses on the life of elephants in the Gunung Leuser National Park, North Sumatra, highlighting current problems that have led to the decline in the elephant population. Indonesian actor Nicholas Saputra took part in the film. In Tangkahan, a small village on the border the national park that specializes in eco activities, Nicholas met with a mahout (elephant tamer) and a senior vet in charge of elephant health and interacted with a small elephant tribe that had been relocated to a Tangkahan conservation area after the group intruded into a local oil palm plantation. (Read also: Tangkahan: From illegal logging to elephant-powered ecotourism) While people and elephants struggle to coexist in North Sumatra, the prevalence of the Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpes Viruses (EEHV) only adds to the problem. The EEHV is a variant of herpes virus that affects animals and is capable of killing a young elephant in 1-2 days. There is still no vaccine for the disease, explained Wahdi Azmi, a member of the Conservation Response Unit Tangkahan. (Read also: A win-win solution for economy, environment) Ive seen so many issues, problems, challenges that the environment has to face. I think its my responsibility to share the awareness, said Nicholas, who first visited the Gunung Leuser National Park in 2005. Vincent Guerend, the EU Ambassador to Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam emphasized the importance of being mindful of our daily habits, explaining that this also plays a big part in nature conservation, It is really important to be aware that there is no free ride here. You cant live your own life without caring for others, he said. In 2015, The Delegation of the European Union to Indonesia adopted two elephants in the Gunung Leuser National Park named Aras and Eropa. Both elephants continue to live in Tangkahan and have become EU mascots. (asw) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Lindsey Bahr and Tom Krisher (Associated Press) Los Angeles, United States Tue, June 21, 2016 The SUV that rolled down a driveway and killed "Star Trek" actor Anton Yelchin was being recalled because the gear shifters have confused drivers, causing the vehicles to roll away unexpectedly, government records show. Yelchin, 27, a rising actor best known for playing Chekov in the rebooted series, died Sunday after his 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee pinned him against a mailbox pillar and security fence at his home, Los Angeles police said. The 2015 model-year Grand Cherokees were part of a global recall of 1.1 million vehicles announced by automaker Fiat Chrysler in April, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration records show. The agency urged the recall because of complaints from drivers who had trouble telling if they had put the automatic transmissions in park. If they were not in park and a driver left the vehicle, it could roll away. Fiat Chrysler expected to send recall notification letters to owners on May 16, according to a memo to dealers, but it's not known whether Yelchin received or saw his letter. The company is working on a fix and expects to have a software update ready in July or August. Investigators were looking into the position of Yelchin's gear shift at the time of the accident, Officer Jane Kim said. The actor had gotten out of the vehicle momentarily, but police didn't say why he was behind it when it started rolling. Fiat Chrysler said in a statement Monday that it was investigating and it was premature to speculate on the cause of the crash. Yelchin's death was the first that might be related to the recall, the traffic safety administration said, although several serious injuries have been reported. The agency said Monday it's in contact with police about the cause of the crash, and it urged owners of the recalled vehicles to make sure they're in park before exiting and to use the parking brake. As of April, the company had reports of 212 crashes, 41 injuries and 308 property damage claims potentially caused by the shifters, it said in documents filed with the government. The recalled vehicles, including nearly 812,000 in the U.S., have an electronic shift lever that toggles forward or backward to let the driver select the gear instead of moving along a track like a conventional shifter. A light shows which gear is selected, but to get from drive to park, drivers must push the lever forward three times. The driveway to the home of Anton Yelchin, a rising actor, best known for playing Chekov in the new "Star Trek" films, is seen in the Studio City area of Los Angeles, on Sunday, June 19, 2016. Yelchin was killed by his own car as it rolled down his driveway early Sunday, police and his publicist said. The car pinned Yelchin, 27, against a brick mailbox pillar and a security fence at his home in Los Angeles, Officer Jenny Hosier said. He had gotten out of the vehicle momentarily, but police did not say why he was behind it when it started rolling.(AP/Damian Dovarganes) (Read also: 'Star Trek' actor Anton Yelchin killed when his car hits him) The recalled vehicles sound a chime and issue a dashboard warning if the driver's door is opened while they are not in park. But the push-button ignition won't shut off the engine if not in park, increasing the risk of the vehicles rolling away after drivers have gotten out. The Grand Cherokee gear shifters were changed in the 2016 model year so that it works like those in older cars. Coroner's officials ruled Yelchin's death an accident after an autopsy. The results of any toxicology tests would not be known for months, coroner spokesman Ed Winter said. Yelchin's friends found him dead after he failed to show up for an audition early Sunday. His death tragically cut short the promising career of an actor whom audiences were still getting to know and who had great artistic ambition. "Star Trek Beyond," the third film in the series, comes out in July. Director J.J. Abrams, who cast Yelchin in the franchise, wrote in a statement that he was "brilliant ... kind ... funny as hell, and supremely talented." Yelchin leaves behind at least five unreleased film and television projects, including an animated Netflix series by Guillermo del Toro, "Trollhunters." Yelchin voices the show's main character, Jim, who discovers warring trolls living beneath his hometown. He also starred in the Gabe Klinger romance "Porto," which may be released in the fall, and had completed work on three other independent films. Yelchin began acting as a child, taking small roles in independent films and various television shows, such as "ER," ''The Practice," and "Curb Your Enthusiasm" before receiving his breakout big-screen role opposite Anthony Hopkins in 2001's "Hearts in Atlantis." Yelchin, an only child, was born in Russia. His parents, who were professional figure skaters, moved the family to the United States when Yelchin was a baby. He briefly flirted with skating lessons, too, before discovering that he wasn't very skilled on the ice. That led him to acting class. "I loved the improvisation part of it the most, because it was a lot like just playing around with stuff," Yelchin told The Associated Press in 2011. "There was something about it that I just felt completely comfortable doing and happy doing." Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Caleb Jones (Associated Press) Honolulu Tue, June 21, 2016 More than 2,000 international reef scientists, policymakers and stakeholders are gathering in Hawaii this week to discuss what to do about the global decline of coral reefs. The International Coral Reef Symposium convened Monday in Honolulu, where attendees will try to create a more unified conservation plan for coral reefs. Here's a look at what coral is, what role it plays in human life and what might happen if more of these important ecosystems are lost: WHAT ARE CORAL REEFS Corals are animals related to jellyfish and anemones. The organisms grow and form reefs in oceans around the world. Coral reefs support the most species of any marine environment, hosting countless kinds of fish, invertebrates and even mammals. Coral reefs are comparable to rainforests in their biodiversity and importance to our overall ecosystem. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, there are over 800 species of coral that build reefs and hundreds of other soft and deep-sea coral species in the world. BLEACHING AND MORTALITY When dramatic environmental changes occur, corals go through a process known as bleaching. Essentially, the corals become stressed, often from warmer water temperatures but also from things like pollution and acidification, and then release the symbiotic algae that they use for nutrition. The loss of these symbionts leaves the coral white or paler in color, a sure sign the organism is stressed. If the bleaching is severe or recurs over consecutive years, the coral will likely die. Some coral has shown resilience in warmer and more stressful conditions, and scientists are working to figure out why some do better than others. (Read also: Scientists battle to save world's coral reefs) In this Oct. 26, 2015 file photo, fish swim over a patch of coral reef in Hawaiis Kaneohe Bay off the island of Oahu. NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory and reef scientists from around the world are announcing the launch of a campaign on Thursday, June 9, 2016, to gather new data on coral reefs like never before. Using specially designed instruments mounted on high-flying aircraft, the scientists are embarking on a mission to map large swaths of coral around the world in hopes of better understanding how environmental changes are impacting these delicate and important ecosystems. The CORAL (Coral Reef Airborne Laboratory) team will study the reefs of Hawaii, Palau, the Mariana Islands, and Australias Great Barrier Reef over the next three years. (AP/Caleb Jones) HUMAN USES Coral reefs are huge drivers for many coastal tourist economies, bringing in billions of dollars of revenue annually. Many vacationers come to the tropics just to snorkel and dive on pristine reefs. But what many people don't know are the myriad of other ways humans benefit from coral reefs. Reefs shelter land from storm surges and rising sea levels. Coral has even been found to have medicinal properties, including painkillers that are non-habit forming. Beyond that, coral reefs are home to the vast majority of fish that humans consume, and some island nations rely almost entirely on the reef for their daily sustenance. SAVING REEFS Researchers at the University of Hawaii's Institute of Marine Biology have been taking samples from corals that have shown tolerance for harsher conditions in Oahu's Kaneohe Bay and breeding them with other strong strains in slightly warmer than normal conditions to create a super coral. The idea is to make the corals more resilient by training them to adapt to tougher conditions before transplanting them into the ocean. Another program run by the state of Hawaii has created seed banks and a fast-growing coral nursery for expediting coral restoration projects. Officials came up with a plan to grow large chunks of coral in a fraction of the time it would normally take. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory is taking a wider view, recently launching a three-year campaign to gather new data on coral reefs from aircraft flying at about 23,000 feet above the ocean. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Corry Elyda (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, June 20 2016 After struggling to find the address, 25-year-old Meirissa Farah eventually handed over a big box of used clothes at the office of the nonprofit volunteer organization Indorelawan in Buncit Raya, South Jakarta, on Friday afternoon. My mother came here yesterday but she could not find the address, she said while asking an Indorelawan volunteer to carry the heavy box. Meirissa said she knew about the donation program via e-mail. We usually give used clothes to needy neighbors but now we can donate more clothes through this program, she said. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, June 20 2016 JAKARTA: Multi-finance company Tifa Finance is set to distribute Rp 7.56 billion (US$ 563,000) in dividends, or Rp 7 per share. The dividends represent 38 percent of its 2015 net income of Rp 19.55 billion. However, the dividends are smaller than the companys 2015 payout of Rp 10.79 billion, or Rp 10 per share. "The dividend information will be submitted to the Financial Services Authority [OJK] first and will be paid in one month," president director Bernard Thien Ted Nam told thejakartapost.com after the annual general meeting (AGM) on Friday. In the first quarter of this year, the companys revenue increased by 5.18 percent to Rp 35.24 billion despite currency fluctuations as well as higher allocations for losses. Core company loans in the heavy equipment sector were also hit by weak commodity prices. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, June 20 2016 The East Jakarta Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) netted 10 people with social and community problems (PMKS), including some beggars and a sex worker, during a raid across several areas from Saturday night to early Sunday morning. PMKS still operate even if it is the fasting month, Sadikin, head of an operation unit with the East Jakarta Satpol PP, said on Sunday as quoted by beritajakarta.com. Thirty Satpol PP officers were deployed during the raid. When they combed through Jl. Ngurah Rai, they netted five people, including the sex worker, said Sadikin, adding that she had tried to escape via a pedestrian bridge after seeing that officers were coming to arrest her. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Depok Mon, June 20 2016 Depok Police have arrested nine members of a motorcycle gang for their alleged involvement in an assault in Depok, West Java, which caused injury to three people. Depok Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Harry Kurniawan said on Sunday that one of the nine members was a woman and the police would continue to arrest other members deemed responsible for the incident. Some of the members have been arrested but we will continue the investigation, Harry said as quoted by tribunnews.com, adding that a joint team of police officers, military personnel and Depok Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) officers had started to conduct investigations in several areas. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, June 20 2016 A funeral home on Jl. Penjaringan in North Jakarta collapsed on Saturday while being renovated, killing one worker and injuring several others. According to witnesses, the renovation supervisor ordered the workers to cut parts of the building without checking for safety. The building suddenly collapsed, Penjaringan Police chief Comr. Bismo Teguh said as quoted by tribunnews.com on Sunday. At least five workers managed to escape when the Heaven Funeral Home collapsed at about 10:30 a.m. They suffered minor injuries. Two workers, identified as Nana and Deden, were trapped for almost nine hours in the five-story building. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, June 20 2016 The police nabbed a 20-year-old man in Kelapa Dua subdistrict, Kebon Jeruk, West Jakarta, on Saturday and confiscated nine packages of marijuana from the suspect. The man walked around the area suspiciously. We then stopped him and found five packages of ganja and four packages of dried marijuana, Kembangan Police chief Comr. Aldo Ferdian said on Sunday as quoted by tribunnews.com. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Bogor, West Java Mon, June 20 2016 Despite the gloomy outlook in the countrys automotive industry, publicly listed battery manufacturer Nipress has voiced confidence, looking to book hefty revenue growth this year with the launch of upgraded products and an anticipated surge in demand from the government for its solar battery products. Nipress, which manufactures batteries for cars, motorcycles and other industrial purposes, is upbeat to see its revenue increase by 25 percent so far this year to Rp 1 trillion (US$74.9 million) from Rp 1.2 trillion in 2015 Actually, our sales projection is much higher than this, but we prefer to state that number. If we achieve more, our satisfaction will increase, Nipress commercial director Herman Slamet told The Jakarta Post on Friday. Indonesias automotive industry has struggled over the past year thanks to a sharp decline in sales triggered by the economic slowdown. Motorcycle sales dropped by 21 percent to 6.4 million units last year from 8.1 million units in 2014, according to Indonesian Motorcycle Industry Association (AISI) data. Meanwhile, the Association of Indonesian Automotive Manufacturers (Gaikindo) reported that sales of four-wheel vehicles only reached 1 million in 2015, plunging 19 percent from the previous year. To maintain demand from the industry, Nipress, however, claimed that it had prepared a number of strategies, including the introduction of new types of battery boasting longer durability. Last year, for example, the firm launched two types of battery for four-wheel vehicles, with a 12-month and an 18-month free warranty, respectively. None of our competitors offer product warranty for long periods of time, Herman said. Nipress corporate secretary Puji Haryani said the company planned to offer a similar product for two-wheel vehicles. They also will come with a similar free warranty, she said. Nipress currently operates two factories, located next to each other, in Bogor, West Java. Its most recent production facility was built in 2014 at an investment of Rp 400 billion and now produces lithium batteries for electric cars and telecommunication applications. In total, both factories have an annual production capacity of 2.5 million car and industrial batteries and 4 million motorcycle batteries. The company currently supplies batteries for a number of original equipment manufacturers (OEM), including Mercedes-Benz, Daihatsu, Nissan and Isuzu. Customers for its motorcycle batteries include Suzuki, Honda and Yamaha. Nipress Herman said the company was also eyeing opportunities from the governments newly launched Indonesia Terang (Bright Indonesia) to boost sales. The program aims to provide access to electricity for 12,569 villages in several remote areas in the country. State-owned company are allowed to join the program by helping to develop electricity infrastructures, in which Nipress is interested to partake in. Lighting up remote villages require solar panel and batteries because [state electricity company] PLN does not exist there. We will take part in this program, he said. According to its financial report, Nipress saw its sales down by 2.76 percent to Rp 988 billion last year from Rp 1 trillion in 2015. Aligned with sales, its bottom line also nosedived by 38 percent to Rp 31 billion in from Rp 50 billion. However, in the first quarter of 2016, the firm has shown signs of recovery after booking a slight 3.32-percent increase year-on-year in net sales to Rp 280 billion. Its net profit also surged by 35.8 percent to 19.7 billion from Rp 14.5 billion booked in the corresponding period last year. (win) --------------- To receive comprehensive and earlier access to The Jakarta Post print edition, please subscribe to our epaper through iOS' iTunes, Android's Google Play, Blackberry World or Microsoft's Windows Store. Subscription includes free daily editions of The Nation, The Star Malaysia, the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Asia News. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Chinese defense minister meets Japanese guests 2016-06-21 20:21 BEIJING, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan met with a Japanese delegation led by Yoshifumi Hibako, former chief of staff of Japanese Ground Self-Defense Forces on Friday afternoon. Chang said China-Japan relationships are complicated and fragile, and it will be a long and arduous task to bring bilateral ties back on track. He urged the Japanese side to learn lessons from history, stick to the path of peaceful development and do more to improve bilateral ties. Yoshifumi Hibako said improvement in Japan-China ties is important to both countries and regional stability, and the members of the delegation are willing to play a positive role. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Lita Aruperes (The Jakarta Post) Manado Mon, June 20 2016 Indonesian authorities are caught in a tight corner as illegal Chinese workers continue to be a problem, despite deepening bilateral ties between the two countries. While the dust has yet to settle from a recent case involving five Chinese workers trespassing into Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in Jakarta, it has been uncovered that another 30 have been working illegally at an iron ore mine in Bangka Island, North Minahasa regency, but have refused to return home. The workers went into hiding as local immigration officials came searching for them. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Mon, June 20 2016 In a world facing a refugee crisis from west to east, where does Indonesia stand? It is not party to the UN Refugee Convention but Indonesia and Australia co-chair the Bali Process for People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crimes. It comprises 48 countries, which include the sending and destination nations of refugees, and also those like Indonesia, which are transit points or routes between sending and destination countries. Thus, among the 60 million worldwide refugees, said to be the highest number since World War II, Indonesian representatives have argued that we have done our share in our immediate response to save and shelter a few thousand of these displaced people, regardless of their status. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, June 21, 2016 The Jakarta Social Agency has netted almost 600 people it says has social problems, such as beggars, buskers, sex workers and those with mental health issues, since the start of Ramadhan. The agencys social rehabilitation head, Chaidir, said a joint team consisting of police, public order and military personnel netted at least 42 people per day, mostly beggars, which was higher than last years figure of 33. During the fasting month, more people use the occasion to become seasonal beggars in Jakarta, Chaidir told thejakartapost.com on Tuesday, adding that monitoring activities focused on 48 places mostly in West, South and East Jakarta. A city bylaw on public order prohibits begging in the city. Both beggars and those who give them money are liable to punishment. Raids against beggars and others with so-called social problems are conducted from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. during Ramadhan, said Chaidir, adding that netted people were sent to city-owned rehabilitation centers. He called on the public not to give money to beggars on the streets because it would encourage more beggars to come to the city. Should residents want to be charitable, they should donate through legal institutions, such as mosques, orphanages or Bazis [Muslim Charitable Donations Board], he said. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Agus Maryono, Suherdjoko and Ganug Nugroho Adi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta/Banyumas/Semarang/Surakarta/Kendal Tue, June 21 2016 As the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has warned of continuing bad weather until the middle of this week, people, particularly those living in disaster-prone regions, should remain alert for potential disasters. In the latest report from the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) released on Monday, floods and landslides occurred in 16 regions in Central Java, which have so far caused 43 deaths. BNPB spokesperson Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said on Monday the number could increase because there were 19 people still reported missing. The 19 people are all from Purworejo regency, Central Java. The regency is known as being vulnerable to floods and landslides, Sutopo told journalists in a media conference. He added that the floods and landslides occurred as result of heavy rain, which lasted for approximately 10 hours on Saturday in most regencies in Central Java. Last Thursday, the BMKG had warned regional administrations in Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, Maluku and Papua that heavy rain would occur in those areas until Monday. It also had ordered local disaster mitigation agencies to inform local residents and prepare for any possible disasters. However, the warnings and preparations were not enough to prevent fatalities and significant damages. Currently, 300 people from the Semarang search and rescue team, voluntary groups, as well as soldiers and police officers have been looking for the 19 missing people and other victims of landslides who are still trapped in their homes. Head of Semarang search and rescue team Agus Haryono said 22 people were found dead as of Monday afternoon in Donorati village and Karangrejo village in Purworejo. Similarly, 600 people in Banyumas regency had been trapped since Saturday because roads into the city had been buried by landslides. We are still trying to evacuate all of them, but we have to open access [to the road] first, which is not an easy job, Banyumas Disaster Mitigation Agency head Prasetyo told The Jakarta Post. While landslides occurred in Purworejo and Banyumas, inundations were the problem in Surakarta and Kendal. Surakarta Disaster Mitigation Agency head Gatot Sutanto said 1,228 families were affected by floods and the number might increase because heavy rain was forecast to occur in the next three days. Heavy rain could be followed by strong winds, so we have to be aware of the possibility of landslides, as well as falling trees, Gatot said. While other regions were being hit by disaster, it has been reported that floods have affected 18 villages in Kendal regency but have begun receding from 1 meter to 30 centimeters. To cope with the hazardous impacts of flooding and landslides, the BNPB has distributed maps to people living in vulnerable locations, informing them of areas that will be most likely affected by landslides. We have been keeping local people who live in areas vulnerable to floods and landslides updated so they know where to go and what to do if a disaster occurs. Pamphlets are expected to make them aware that they live in a landslide-prone area, Sutopo said. He added that the BNPB had established 26 new landslide early-warning systems in vulnerable locations in Sumatra and Java. However, the problem had been made worse by the local government not regularly maintaining the systems. Currently, the BNPB has 70 warning systems in various areas in Sumatra, Java, Bali, Sulawesi and Maluku. The agency planned to add more systems but has been hindered by budget limitations. We also urge local governments to not issue permits for anyone wanting to build houses in slope areas to prevent fatalities and damage to their houses, Sutopo said. (wnd) __________________________________ To receive comprehensive and earlier access to The Jakarta Post print edition, please subscribe to our epaper through iOS' iTunes, Android's Google Play, Blackberry World or Microsoft's Windows Store. Subscription includes free daily editions of The Nation, The Star Malaysia, the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Asia News. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, June 21, 2016 Indonesia and China have no agreement on a traditional fishing zone, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti said following a spat over the arrest of a China-flagged vessel for allegedly poaching in Indonesian waters last week. Such an agreement exists between China and Malaysia and involves the Malacca Strait and limited areas agreed upon by both parties, Susi said on Tuesday. She reiterated that the Indonesian Navy was correct in detaining the crew of a vessel suspected of poaching in Natuna waters off Riau province on June 17. The Navy pursued 12 foreign vessels but only managed to arrest one with six male and one female crewmembers. The boats were catching fish in Indonesia's exclusive economic zone, Susi said. "That is illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing," she said at a press conference as quoted by tempo.co. Indonesian law enforcement measures against foreign fishing boats suspected of illegally fishing must be respected by other countries, she said, adding that failure to respect such measures would lead to deteriorating bilateral relations. The ministry invited six foreign ambassadors, including from China, to a meeting in November 2014 on law enforcement efforts in the field of fisheries and maritime, Susi said. Indonesia's stern message in combating illegal fishing was conveyed at the meeting. "I gave a heads up, which was kind enough," she said. The Chinese government protested the firing upon the caught vessel and the detaining of seven of its citizens. China includes waters around Natuna Islands within its nine-dash line, meaning it claims the body of the water. (liz/rin) TheJakartaPost Please Update your browser Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below. Just click on the icons to get to the download page. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, June 21, 2016 Only one of the 12 foreign fishing boats suspected of misconduct in Indonesian territorial waters recently was detained, suggesting that sending a whole flotilla rather than individual boats is used as a tactic to avoid arrest. "This is their strategy, so that if one is caught, the rest can escape," Indonesian Navy Western Region Fleet Commander rear admiral Achmad Taufiqoerrohman said on Tuesday, as quoted by the Antara news agency. When the Navy encountered 12 foreign boats suspected of illegal fishing in Indonesia's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) on Friday, the boats were approached in accordance with standard law enforcement procedures, Taufiqoerrohman said. The boats had immediately dispersed in an attempt to escape, even after repeated calls to stop by both radio communications and speaker, he continued, adding that warning shots had eventually been released into the air and sea. One Chinese boat, called the Han Tan Cou 19038, along with the crew of seven, was detained. The boat had released trawl nets, thus slowing down its escape, and was eventually intercepted by the Indonesian warship Imam Bonjol. "Anyone can pass through the EEZ peacefully, but when they begin to exploit economic resources without permission, we will take action," Taufiqoerrohman said. A Chinese coastguard vessel had approached the scene and requested the Indonesian Navy release the fishing boat on grounds that it was conducting activities in its "traditional fishing grounds", a demand that was denied. "They were quite provocative in their approach with high speed and abruptly stopping in front of us. But our troops kept calm, even though they followed us until we exited, we did not want to release the crewmen until we had reached Natuna Islands," Taufiqoerrohman said. (liz/dmr) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, June 21, 2016 Winners of fashion and design competitions will be getting to work and learning firsthand from local textile masters from the country's western to eastern parts with the support of the government. Creative Economy Agency (Bekraf) deputy head of research, education and development Abdur Rohim Boy Berawi said on Monday that 56 selected creative workers would be facilitated to work with fabric artists from Sawahlunto in West Sumatra, Lampung, Brebes and Rembang in Central Java and Ngada in East Nusa Tenggara under the new Innovative and Creative through Collaboration of Archipelago (IKKON) program. The government plans to promote traditional fabrics globally in collaboration with urban designers and traditional artists from across the country, Boy said. From June 20 to 24, participants will attend training and briefing sessions by several mentors in Jakarta. From June 27 to July 2, they will go to selected regions to observe the problems faced by local citizens. The participants are the winners of various competitions, including Indonesia Fashion Week, Indonesia's New Invention of Design (RBDI) and the Bravacasa Design Challenge. Students of the Jakarta Institute of Arts (IKJ) will also participate, he added. Bekraf head Triawan Munaf said participants were expected to learn everything about the making of traditional fabrics, including the cultural history. In return, urban workers were expected to encourage local people, with the help of each local administration, to market their products and promote them internationally. The main strength is the narrative behind the cultural products, whether about birth, funeral rites or other things. It makes the products more real and exotic, Triawan said. (vps) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, June 21 2016 The government is borrowing about 5,810 tons of frozen beef designated for industrial needs from 10 companies to be distributed to household consumers in Greater Jakarta during the last two weeks of Ramadhan through several market operations to stabilize beef prices. Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman said on Monday that there would also be an additional of 1,000 live cattle, whose beef would be distributed through the market operations. All the beef will be sold for below Rp 80,000 (US$6) per kilogram, ranging from Rp 77,000 to Rp 79,000 per kg in different markets. I hope [the market operations] will be able to change the existing market structure, Amran told journalists. According to nationwide prices at the Center of Information on National Strategic Food Prices (PIHPS), beef prices currently stand at around Rp 100,000 to Rp 135,000 per kg. The market operations are being conducted in several locations, including the Trade Ministry, Industry Ministry, Jakarta Police and National Police, intensively during the last two weeks of Ramadhan, according to data from the Agriculture Ministry. Companies involved in the operations include PT Agro Boga Utama, PT Indoguna Utama, PT Bumi Maestro Ayu and PT Bina Mentari Tunggal, with each providing 1,000 tons of their own frozen meat stocks for the market operations. Non-profit organization Artha Graha Peduli is also providing 1,000 live cattle taken up from their partner breeders. The meat stocks provided by the companies for the market operations are being taken from their inventories earmarked for use after Ramadhan, according to the National Meat Processors Association (Nampa). The meat has been prepared by the companies to be used in the next month, but is being sold in the market operations to help lower beef prices. In turn, the government will help the companies obtain import permits more easily and faster, Nampa chairman Ishana Mahisa said. Nampa hopes that the government can grant the permits as soon as possible, so that companies can already use the imported meat next month. We hope that in two days from now, the import permits will have been issued by the government, added Ishana. Meanwhile, demand for beef continues to rise, especially during the fasting month. However, meat procurement is slow and the government has already admitted that its tardiness in carrying out the importation process this year contributed to the surging beef prices. Trade Minister Thomas Lembong said last week that the Trade Ministry should have issued the import permits for 650,000 tons of live cattle all at once at the beginning of the year. The ministry, however, issued import licenses for only 120,000 tons of live cattle at the beginning of 2016, which resulted in a shortage of beef supply nationwide. Data issues played a part in the slow issuance of import licenses. Earlier this year, Thomas and Amran disagreed over food supplies and whether or not the government should carry out imports as their respective ministries data on food production and food needs contradicted each other. (vny) -------------- to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, June 21 2016 The city administration plans to skip the bidding process for the electronic road pricing (ERP) project in a bid to prevent it from becoming a trial project for technology companies. The administration wants the process to be skipped after Jakarta Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama expressed his concern about the technology to be used. I want to use technology used by developed countries and it has proven excellent for many years, Ahok said at City Hall on Monday. We cannot let foreign companies test their new technology in Jakarta. I dont want to use anything new. We dont want to bear the risks. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login China to cement ties with Europe, Central Asia during Xi's visits 2016-06-21 20:21 BEIJING, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visits to Serbia, Poland and Uzbekistan, will significantly boost China's relationship with Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and Central Asia, diplomats and scholar said Wednesday. The Belt and Road Initiative will be a focus of the meetings between Xi and leaders of the three countries that have traditional friendly ties with China. All three were among the first to respond to the China-proposed initiative. President Xi will have an in-depth exchange of views with leaders in the three countries on cooperation in the initiative, officials with the Foreign Ministry said at a press briefing about Xi's visits, from June 17 to 24. China and Serbia will sign agreements on trade, industry and finance while China and Poland will ink deals on finance, aviation, science and education, Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Haixing said. Within the framework of China-CEE cooperation, or the "16+1" mechanism, major projects have been given the go ahead or are underway, including a China-Europe land-sea express passage, freight train services to strengthen connectivity between China and Europe, and the construction and revamping of a rail link between the Serbian and Hungarian capitals. In April, China's HeSteel Group signed a 46-million-euro deal to buy Serbia's century-old steel plant Smederevo, with an aim to transform the plant into one of the most competitive firms in Europe. Xi's upcoming visit to the CEE comes on the heels of his state visit to the Czech Republic in April, signalling growing importance of the region, said Liu Zuokui, a researcher with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. "Given the influence of Serbia and Poland in CEE countries, their bilateral relations with China will become a model and accelerator to China-Europe relations," Liu said. President Xi will attend ceremonies marking the completion of major cooperation projects in Uzbekistan and discuss on new projects with his Uzbekistan counterpart during his visit to the central Asian country on June 21-24, Assistant Foreign Minister Li Huilai said. Xi will also attend a Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent, where member state leaders will discuss anti-terrorism, drug smuggling and trans-national crimes to deepen security cooperation in the region, according to Li. Founded in 2001, the SCO now has China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as its full members, with Afghanistan, Belarus, India, Iran, Mongolia and Pakistan as observers. Related: Spotlight: Xi's upcoming trip to CEE countries, Central Asia to boost Belt & Road Initiative BEIJING, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's upcoming trip to Central and Eastern European Countries (CEE) and Central Asia from June 17 to 24 is expected to significantly boost the Belt and Road Initiative. During his trip to CEE countries as well as Central Asia, two key regions under the framework of the initiative, Xi will pay state visits to Serbia, Poland and Uzbekistan from June 17 to 22, and attend the 16th meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent on June 23 and 24. Full story Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, June 21 2016 The customs and excise directorate general on Monday destroyed 37,071 bottles of liquor seized in operations against illegal distribution and smuggling. Customs and excise director general Heru Pambudi said that besides liquor, his office had also destroyed 510,600 confiscated import excise ribbons, 1,370 packages of illegal goods, 5,015 pairs of headphones and 15.8 million packs of cigarettes. All the contraband was collected in raids between January and June in Jakarta and had a total value of Rp 46.1 billion [US$3.5 million], he said as quoted by beritajakarta.com. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Erika Anindita Dewi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, June 21, 2016 The House of Representatives Commission III agreed on Monday to proceed with the candidacy of Comr. Gen. Tito Karnavian, the current National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) chief, for the National Polices top job. "We will hold the screening test on Thursday morning from approximately 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. In the evening, we will make a decision based on the test results," Commission III chairman Bambang Soesatyo told journalists after an internal meeting at the House in Jakarta on Monday. The commission will study Tito's track record on Tuesday, by inviting the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) and National Police Commission (Kompolnas) officials, Bambang of the Golkar Party said. "We certainly want the National Police chief candidate to be trusted on the bank account's side of things and also have gained the publics trust," said Nasir Djamil, a Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) lawmaker who also sits on the commission. Tito was nominated by President Joko Jokowi Widodo. The President had submitted the nomination letter to the House last Wednesday, through State Secretary Pratikno. National Police chief Gen. Badrodin Haiti is set to retire in July, when he turns 58-years-old. Article 30 of the 2002 National Police Law stipulates that the maximum age for National Police officers is 58 years old. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Erika Anindita Dewi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, June 21, 2016 The House of Representatives is planning to finish the confirmation process for the National Police chief before the Idul Fitri holiday, a lawmaker has said. "What I understand is that there will be no obstacles to the screening test. All House political party factions have agreed that the test will be conducted before the holiday," said Bambang Soesatyo, chairman of the Houses Commission III overseeing legal affairs, human rights and security, after an internal meeting at the House complex in Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Monday. The lawmaker said the commission wished to bring its decision to the House's last plenary meeting next Tuesday. The House would resume sitting after Idul Fitri, which is on July 6 and 7. Article 11 of the 2002 National Police Law stipulates the House should respond to the President's nomination for chief within 20 days. Bambang said Commission III decided to conduct a series of screenings based on the 2002 law because if the House delayed until after the Idul Fitri holiday, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo would have to send a second letter of recommendation to restart the process. In a letter sent to the House last Wednesday through State Secretary Pratikno, a letter that House Deputy Speaker Taufik Kurniawan read out loud in a plenary meeting on Monday, Jokowi proposed National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) chief Comm. Gen. (Pol) Tito Karnavian for the National Police chief position. During a meeting on Monday, members of the House's deliberative body (Bamus) assigned Commission III to schedule the screening tests. The current National Police chief, Gen. Badrodin Haiti, is set to retire this July when he turns 58 years old. Article 30 ( 2 ) of the National Police Law stipulates that as the retirement age for National Police officers. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, June 21, 2016 Coordinating Political, Security and Legal Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan said there was no basis for Indonesia to engage in a territorial dispute with China as it had clear ocean territory boundaries formularized in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The problem was, the minister said, that Chinese authorities had always claimed that the waters off Natuna, Riau Islands, where several Chinese vessels had been arrested for alleged illegal fishing, were their traditional fishing grounds. We have never acknowledged the so-called traditional fishing grounds, Luhut told journalists after a Cabinet meeting at the State Palace in Jakarta on Monday. He said the government would talk with international law of the sea experts to learn the best solutions Indonesia should take to resolve the rampant illegal fishing committed by Chinese vessels in the countrys territory. We are looking for best options. [...] As a neighboring country, we [Indonesia] have a good relation with China. We want to get the best solutions without having to sacrifice our good relations and sovereignty, said Luhut. Indonesia's territorial claim over its EEZ off the Natuna Islands in the South China Sea is based on the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Senior diplomat Hashim Djalal called on the Indonesian government to take a tough stance against China, which had repeatedly breached Indonesian waters. In the latest incident, the Indonesian Navy arrested a Chinese vessel for allegedly fishing illegally in Natuna waters last Friday. We must take tougher action. Discuss it first and then convey a [diplomatic] note to China, said Hashim as quoted by kompas.com on Monday. Hashim said repeated incidents around the Natuna Islands were taking place because China considered the area its "traditional fishing grounds", while in fact they was part of Indonesias EEZ. Traditional fishing grounds are not acknowledged by international laws, he said. On May 27, the Indonesian Navy caught a Chinese-flagged vessel allegedly fishing illegally in Natuna waters. A Chinese coast guard boat attempted to prevent the arrest, forcing Indonesia to convey a diplomatic protest note to China. (sha/ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ayomi Amindoni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, June 21, 2016 President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo is aiming for Indonesia to be self-sufficient in beef cattle in the next nine to 10 years, saying that all preparations needed to achieve that are on the right track. The President said Indonesia will be self-sufficient in the industry within six years as long it could provide 2 million to 3 million frozen sperms a year for cattle breeding. Meanwhile, an estimated additional three years was needed to make Indonesia self-sufficient in the downstream sector. "What we are seeing here is the upstream process of cattle breeding in a long-term program that we expect to meet self-sufficiency in beef," he said during a visit to the Karya Anugrah Rumpin (KAR) cattle breeding farm in Bogor, West Java on Tuesday,. Based on the governments calculation, Jokowi continued, the program must be cautiously maintained in a decade to make sure qualified cattle selected in the breeding program to be distributed both to industry and farmers. Indonesia currently operates seven cattle-breeding farms that are located throughout the country, such as in West Sumatra, East Nusa Tenggara, Bogor in West Java and Pare-Pare in Central Sulawesi. "Everything is on the right track. It takes consistency to do it [...] it is a long process, not instant. If we are consistent and do it constantly, we will be a self-sufficient country in beef," Jokowi said. (ags) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, June 21, 2016 Indonesia has vowed to provide humanitarian assistance to 43 Tamil migrants from Sri Lanka stranded in Aceh and connect them with the United Nations High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR), having permitted them to come ashore after a week of attempting to force them back out to sea. UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration [IOM] will further assist us in data gathering and provision of humanitarian assistance, Immigration Directorate General spokesman Heru Santoso Anantan Yudha said in a press conference on Tuesday. The assistance included providing tents as temporary shelters and repairing the migrants Indian-flagged boat, which ran aground on the coast of Lhoknga in Aceh Besar regency. The migrants were heading to Australia. The government has also assigned doctors to check the migrants' health, with most of them found to be suffering from exhaustion after being at sea for more than 20 days during their journey from their homeland in Sri Lanka before found by Lhoknga fishermen on June 11. The immigration office has also contacted the Sri Lankan and Indian embassies regarding the matter, but has received no response, Heru said. The officials will make sure that the stranded Tamils are indeed asylum seekers with the help of UNHCR and the IOM. If proven to fulfill the qualifications as asylum seekers, the immigration office will let the two international bodies handle them. However, in the case they are not real asylum seekers, the government will repatriate them with funds from the respective embassy. No time limit has been placed on how long the migrants may stay in Aceh, Heru added. (rin) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, June 21 2016 This how we do it: Commonwealth Life president director and CEO Simon Bennett (center) talks during the visit to The Jakarta Post as alternative distribution channels director Pieter Wattimena (left) and agency sales director David Ng look on. The insurer plans to expand into the pension funds business. (JP/Ricky Yudhistira) Life insurer Commonwealth Life, part of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) Group, will venture into the pension fund management business next year as it sees immense potential in this line of business. The plan to go into pension fund management is likely to go on stream next year, Commonwealth Life president director Simon Bennett said on Monday. To qualify as a pension fund manager, Commonwealth Life must secure a permit from the Financial Services Authority (OJK). Within six to 12 months, the company will focus on setting up the infrastructure and system for this new line of business. Things are going to change in 15 to 20 years, people will start thinking about long term savings and pension plans, Bennett said in an interview with The Jakarta Post. Currently, Commonwealth Life, which is among the largest life insurers operating in Indonesia, does not offer pension fund-specific products, but it has Investra Platinum for long-term investments and Commpact for accident risk. We want the general public to be aware that planning for personal financial future rests with individuals and the companies they work for, Commonwealth Lifes agency sales director David Ng said. The firm at present focuses on individual customers instead of on corporate clients. With the new plan to manage pension funds, it expects to target more corporate customers. We will have to change our distribution channel for that segment because we are very much individual-focused now, Bennett said. At present, Commonwealth Life has two main categories of policy, namely 70 percent regular premium contracts and 30 percent single premium contracts. The regular premium contracts have a wide product mix, mostly unit links, and the remaining elements include mortgage telemarketing and others, Bennett said. The proportion of the companys premium income changes from year to year. Last year, when the market for stocks was not favorable, people became more cautious in investing in the stock market. Thus, the company booked a greater proportion in regular premium contracts, he explained. As part of the companys strategy to increase Indonesias stubbornly low insurance penetration, Commonwealth Life launched a financial calculator mobile phone app in 2015. This app enables people to plan their finances through three choices: education, retirement and future planning, Denny Sorimulia Karim, associate director of operations at Commonwealth Life said. Not only the OJK, but everyone in the industry should work together to improve the nations financial literacy, he added. Commonwealth Lifes products are distributed through its 28 offices around the country as well through partnerships with 20 institutions. Among these institutions, 16 are banks and four are multifinance companies. This year, the company has secured three new partnerships with PT Telekomunikasi Seluler (Telkomsel) in the form of marketing cooperation, Qatari National Bank (QNB) in bancassurances and Adira Finance in the form of credit life insurance. This year, Commonwealth Life expects to net Rp 2 trillion (US$150 million) in premium income, driven by unit link purchases, Pieter Wattimena, Commonwealth Lifes director of alternative distribution channels, said. Last year, the company recorded Rp 1.84 trillion in premium income. The firm also plans to add 500 agents to its existing 5,000 agents in a bid to sell more of its insurance products this year. (win) ------------- to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Medan Tue, June 21 2016 The Medan Military Court began on Monday the trial of First corp. Sumardi of the Bukit Barisan Regional Military Command, who is accused of involvement in illegal logging at Mount Leuser National Park (TNGL). The defendant is accused of violating Article 83 Point 1 on forest destruction of the Forestry Law, with a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment. According to the indictment, Sumardi worked with former soldier Suriono to conduct the logging activities. Suriono and Sumardi were both posted to the regional military command before the former was dismissed in 2011 for domestic violence. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, June 21, 2016 The Jakarta administration is set to organize bazaars for the sale of subsidized beef and chicken in a policy aimed primarily at improving children's nutrition. At the bazaars, scheduled to be held from June 27 to July 1, Jakartans can buy beef at Rp 39,000 ( US$2.94 ) per kilogram, while chicken will be sold at Rp 15,000 per kg, far cheaper than the market prices. "The governor [Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama] has told us to prioritize the selling of the meat for elementary students who hold Jakarta Smart Cards (KJP) to improve their nutrition," Jakarta Fisheries, Agriculture and Food Security Agency head Darjamuni said at City Hall on Monday. Darjamuni said there are 531,000 KJP holders in Jakarta, while the agency only had 157 tons of beef and chicken. Earlier, Ahok said cheap meat bazaars would be conducted at low-cost apartments and would be provided for KJP holders and low-income families. Concerning the available meet supply, he said the administration would prioritize elementary students at the bazaars. The bazaars will be held at several public schools in the city. As much as 102 tons of subsidized beef and 55 tons of chicken have been prepared for the bazaars. The Jakarta administration reportedly has budgeted Rp 7 billion to subsidize meat at the bazaars. Darjamuni said the purchase of beef would be conducted cashless. One family could only buy 1 kilogram of beef or chicken at the bazaars. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ayomi Amindoni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, June 21, 2016 President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has demanded the developer of a toll road connecting the three West Java cities of Bogor, Ciawi and Sukabumi to speed up construction to help facilitate access from Jakarta to its neighbors. The project was taken over by state-owned developer PT Waskita Karyas subsidiary, Trans Jabar Tol, from private investors because the project that was initiated in 1997 stagnated, even though the private developers conducted four separate groundbreaking ceremonies. The 54-kilometer toll road project worth Rp 7.7 trillion (US$580.04 million) consists of four sections. "So we will proceed with the project. The first section has already begun. Ninety-five percent of the land has been acquired for it and we will continue acquiring land for the remaining three sections. Waskita plans to finish the whole project in 2019, but I hope it will be finished in 2018," Jokowi said at the project site in Gadog village, Bogor, on Tuesday. The 15.3-kilometer first section of the toll road will connect Ciawi and Sukabumi. Work for this section has been divided into three packages and they are 18.7 percent, 12 percent and 6.3 percent complete. Trans Jabar Tol president director Muhammad Sadali said the whole toll road would speed up travel from Jakarta to Sukabumi, which now takes three to four hours, to only an hour. "So it will be a safe three-hour trip to reach Jakarta from Sukabumi and vice versa," Sadali said. The first section is supposed to be open by the end of 2017. For this section alone, the construction cost is Rp 1.8 trillion," he explained, adding that the remaining sections are currently in the land acquisition stage. During his visit, Jokowi was accompanied by State-Owned Enterprises Minister Rini Soemarno and Public Works and Public Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono.(bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, June 21, 2016 Arbitrary arrests of activists and the suppression of free speech in Papua and Jakarta are included in the track record of National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) chief Comr. Gen. Tito Karnavian, the widely praised sole candidate for National Police chief, lawyers claim. In a report entitled "Track Records of Police Chief Candidates" released over the weekend, the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta) questioned Tito's policies when he served as Papua Police chief in 2012 to 2014 and as Jakarta Police chief in 2015 to 2016. Throughout 2013, Tito was allegedly responsible for human rights abuses [in Papua] including the shooting, disappearances, murders, restriction and dismissal of demonstrations that resulted in three dead victims and two injured, and also the arbitrary arrests of 26 people, the report says as published on the LBH Jakarta website, www.bantuanhukum.or.id. As Jakarta Police chief, Tito was also reportedly responsible for several evictions, the criminalization of workers and members of the Papuan Students Alliance, who held rallies in October and December 2015, respectively. Furthermore, Tito was also suspected of giving a green light to the dispersing of the Belok Kiri (Turn Left) Festival, an event held in March to discuss the history of the leftist movement in Indonesia as well as the 1965 Communist purge. The report also claims that Tito said the police by law had the authority to violate human rights when doing their jobs. "I disagree that the police cannot use violence," he said in November 2015, the report says quoting tempo.co. Tito, the youngest three-star police general to be nominated for the post, has been lauded for his extensive educational background and achievements during his career at the National Police. Often dubbed a terrorism expert, Tito saw his career soar after being named best student when he graduated from the Police Academy in 1987 up until he won the favor of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to gain the sole nomination for top cop. The House of Representatives is scheduled to hold a confirmation hearing on Tito before deciding whether to approve his promotion to the position of National Police chief to replace Gen. Badrodin Haiti. (vps/rin) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, June 21, 2016 Indonesia has various cultural products that could meet the tastes of international consumers; however, local artists often have no confidence to put their products in the market, the Creative Economy Agency (Bekraf) has said. We have so much cultural heritage. It is our own people who have often doubted whether their products could be sold in a broader market, Bekraf head Triawan Munaf said in Jakarta on Monday. Bekraf education director Poppy Savitri said there were many cases in which local artists rejected the idea of commercializing their products because they were adorned with the sacred symbols often used in traditional religious rites. Hence, we need to make a new modern design because its impossible to put those original symbols on bags or shoes, Poppy said. Meanwhile, Damianus, a member of the Ngada community from Flores, East Nusa Tenggara, who lives in Jakarta, said that Indonesia has many environmentally friendly cultural products, including traditional Ngada woven fabrics, that could attract international consumers. Ngada woven fabrics are made of materials from nature, including its coloring dye. It is in accordance with the global policy to implement the Clean Development Mechanism, which aims to prevent pollution, he said. (vps/ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Liza Yosephine (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, June 21, 2016 Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi on Monday reiterated Indonesias position as a non-claimant state in the South China Sea dispute, roundly holding onto established sea boundaries, as lawmakers insisted the government should take a firmer stance in the disputed area. In a meeting of the House of Representatives Commission I overseeing defense and foreign affairs, the minister cleared up various maritime issues, including the South China Sea dispute, which was often confusing. She clarified Indonesias stance on two counts, namely its internationally recognized sea boundaries and its position as a non-claimant state in the South China Sea dispute, which is taking place just beyond the countrys territory. Retno explained in the meeting that Indonesia's territorial claim over its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off the Natuna Islands in the South China Sea was based on the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Thus, Indonesia had no territorial waters that overlapped with China's, she affirmed. The minister further said Indonesia was not involved in the South China Sea dispute because it was not a claimant to any of the disputed geographical features, including islands, coral reefs and lagoons, which were the basis of the disagreements over the region. Should China claim Indonesian territorial waters, Retno asserted, the first question the country would raise with China was on "what basis exactly" it made such a claim and "whether the claim was recognized by international laws". "This world is organized based on international laws and this world is not organized by historical-based claims. UNCLOS is the ocean charter; historical facts cannot annul UNCLOS, but in reverse UNCLOS annuls historical facts," Retno said, referring to China's often-used claim of having a traditional fishing zone. Golkar Party politician Tantowi Yahya expressed concern over China's repetitive excuse and its risk of undermining Indonesia's sovereignty over its waters. In response, Retno asserted that all of those incidents took place within Indonesia's EEZ and, accordingly, the Indonesian Navy had taken appropriate law enforcement measures. "All countries must obey and respect existing international laws," Retno said. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Zaki Mubarok Busro (The Jakarta Post) New York Tue, June 21 2016 Indonesia has ratified the new UN agreement on port state measures to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (PSM Agreement), which went into force on June 5. The proud announcement was made at last months UN meeting on the UN Fish Stock Agreement in New York. The ratification by Indonesia, as an archipelagic state with abundant biodiversity, is significant for the effective implementation of the PSM Agreement. As of May 18, 30 states have ratified the agreement, fulfilling the minimum requirement of 25 states for the agreements entry into force. The PSM Agreement is a timely tool to address illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU fishing) and to strengthen Indonesias existing measures, particularly those championed by the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, June 21, 2016 Raudiah Elva Ningsih, a mother who claims to have lost one of her twin babies while giving birth, has reported a hospital to the police over the allegedly missing child. East Jakarta Polices woman and child protection division head Adj. Comr. Endang Sri Lestari confirmed that Raudiah had reported the case. Yes she has made the report, but she has not explained the details. We will soon question her, said Endang as reported by kompas.com on Tuesday. Raudiah said she gave birth at the Harapan Jaya Hospital (RSHJ) on May 8. She explained that the ultrasonic checks done at two places while she was still pregnant the Pasar Minggu Public Health Center and the Budhi Asih Hospital showed that she was carrying twins. The ultrasonic examination was done at the Pasar Minggu Health Center when she was in her 24th week, while the check at the Budhi Asih hospital was done during the 36th week. She said she was shocked by receiving only one baby after giving birth. Raudiah also said the reports issued by the Harapan Jaya Hospital after the regular check-ups conducted until childbirth also showed that she was carrying twin babies. The Harapan Jaya Hospital denied Raudiah gave birth to twins. The head of the hospital's supervisory council, Hermawan Saputra, said that the hospital never diagnosed Raudiah with two babies. We did not diagnose a twin pregnancy, Hermawan said, adding that his hospital was not responsible for the results of the ultrasonic checks in the two other institutions. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Fedina S. Sundaryani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, June 21 2016 The government is considering changing the formula for calculating local oil price benchmarks to include European and US oil price benchmarks to make it more relevant to global prices a move that will boost state income. The so-called Indonesian Crude Price (ICP), which is used as a benchmark to calculate non-tax income in the state budget, is currently set every month using existing references from price agencies Platts and RIM. European benchmark oil price Brent and the American West Texas Intermediate (WTI) may be used as further references in formulating the ICP in the future, according to the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministrys oil and gas director general, IGN Wiratmaja Puja. The ICP has moved around US$34.5 per barrel on average so far this year and stood at $44.68 per barrel as of last month. Meanwhile, Brent and WTI were traded at around $47 per barrel in the same period, around $2 to $3 per barrel more than the Indonesian benchmark. If the new ICP formula moves closer to Brent and WTI, then the impact will be good, revenues will increase. And the additional [revenue] will be significant, because right now maybe the gap between ICP and Brent and WTI is at around $3 per barrel, said Upstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Special Task Force (SKKMigas) deputy chairman Zikrullah. If that gap is multiplied into the oil lifting target, it will have a major effect, he added. Oil lifting in Indonesia is projected to reach 830,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd) this year, according to the 2016 state budget. But the government is asking the House of Representatives to reduce the figure to 810,000 bopd in the revised state budget given the gloomy outlook for the oil and gas industry. The government is aware that the change in ICP formula will boost state income, as it assumes a higher ICP price in the proposed revision of the 2016 state budget at $40 per barrel. The figure is higher than the $35 projected in the current draft revision. The government and the House of Representatives are currently deliberating revisions to this years state budget. With the decision to raise the ICP to $40 per barrel, the final figures for oil and gas tax income revenues have been boosted to Rp 36.34 trillion. Every $1 increase in the ICP brings in an additional Rp 660 billion in revenue. The state budget suffers from a lack of revenues and the government has set a high target for tax income that many say will be difficult to achieve. The state budget deficit is expected to soar to 2.5 percent of the countrys gross domestic product (GDP) this year, nearing the 3 percent legally permissible level, from 2.1 percent as previously targeted, according to the revised 2016 state budget. Apart from boosting state income, the new ICP formula will also help the government judge global oil prices more accurately, Zikrullah said. The objective is to make the prices more realistic, especially with the current condition. They were useful as references in the past because the conditions were better. We will adjust it, said Wiratmaja. Brent Crude is currently being considered as an additional reference point because many global oil players use it as reference, he added. The ministry is also considering adding a fourth reference point, West Texas Instrument (WTI), in order to close the gap between the ICP and the global oil price. -------------- To receive comprehensive and earlier access to The Jakarta Post print edition, please subscribe to our epaper through iOS' iTunes, Android's Google Play, Blackberry World or Microsoft's Windows Store. Subscription includes free daily editions of The Nation, The Star Malaysia, the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Asia News. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, June 21, 2016 The government has canceled a plan to set up a national cyber agency due to budget constraints, a minister said on Tuesday. "There is a moratorium on establishing new agencies and we are therefore seeking a body that has the ability, facilities and human resources capable of tackling cyber issues," Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Minister Yuddy Chrisnandi said as quoted by kompas.com. He said work involving cyber issues would be done by the National Encryption Agency (Lemsaneg). The Communications and Information Ministry will assist Lemsaneg in dealing with cyberattacks and crimes, in which the latter would be revitalized and given more functions, tasks and authority. Indonesia urgently needs an institution to tackle cyber issues, Yuddy said, adding that each country should have its own cyber security task force to protect state digital information and data. The minister said the government would soon complete a study on a cyber security agency. (afr/bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, June 21, 2016 The National Polices cybercrime division and the Bogor Police have arrested 31 Chinese nationals for suspected cyberfraud. We are still questioning the 31 Chinese nationals, Bogor Police operations division chief Comr. Prasetyo Purbo Nurcahyo said as quoted by Antara news agency on Tuesday. The 31 suspects were rounded up in a joint operation involving the Bogor Police and the Bogor Immigration Office at a mansion in the Vila Duta housing estate on Jl. Kingkilaban, East Bogor, on Monday evening. According to Prasetyo, the Chinese nationals had arrived in Indonesia individually since April and had been residing in the mansion ever since. They consist of 22 men and nine women. None of them are couples, said Prasetyo. Prasetyo said they were believed to be involved in cyberfraud targeting Chinese nationals residing in Indonesia. They apparently belong to an international network, Prasetyo said, adding that none of the suspects were carrying passports. The police also confiscated 25 home phones, 34 cell phones, 30 modems, two laptops, one car, one motorcycle, four walkie-talkies and one printer. (dmr) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, June 21, 2016 Prosecutors rebutted the defense submitted by the legal team of defendant Jessica Kumala Wongso, the sole suspect in the murder of Wayan Mirna Salihin, during a hearing at the Central Jakarta District Court on Tuesday. In the first hearing last week, Jessicas team slammed prosecutors indictment for being unclear, incomplete and inaccurate, and demanded the panel of judges declare the indictment null. Prosecutor Ardito Muwardi told the court that prosecutors had arranged the indictment properly. The indictment described Jessica as the subject of the case, discussing her calmness before she allegedly poisoned Mirna with a cyanide-tainted coffee at Olivier cafe, Jakarta, in January. The prosecutors had also provided a chronology of the incident, showing that Jessica had time to prepare for the murder of her friend, Ardito said. The lawyers pointed out that the element of premeditated murder must be supported with an explanation about the object, which is the cyanide. For us, the premeditated murder element is described by the subject of the case, which is Jessica, Ardito told the court on Tuesday, adding that the indictment had been completed with all formal and material requirements as determined by the Criminal Law Procedures Code (KUHAP). Ardito claimed he was prepared to answer questions posed by lawyers regarding the material requirements. Therefore, prosecutors demanded the panel of judges proceed with the trial against Jessica. Otto Hasibuan, one of Jessicas lawyers, said last week that prosecutors had failed to describe the element of premeditated murder. The key points covered how Jessica poisoned Mirna, where she kept the cyanide and the form of the poison. The presiding judge adjourned the trial to June 28, when the panel of judges will deliver its interlocutory verdict on Jessica's case. (rin) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Haeril Halim, Tama Salim, Ina Parlina and Fadli (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta/Batam Tue, June 21 2016 Jakarta will be more resolute in asserting its right over the Natuna waters following recurring spats between the Indonesian Navy and Chinese vessels in waters that Beijing claims as its traditional fishing grounds. The Indonesian government said on Monday that it would continue to enforce the law against any vessel found poaching in the waters, despite protests from Beijing over the arrest of one of 12 Chinese fishing boats caught operating illegally over the weekend. Jakarta is also forming a special team, led by international maritime law expert Hasjim Djalal, to prepare its defense of Natuna and its marine territories, which are recognized as a part of Indonesia by the international community, in order to avoid repeating the same mistakes that caused Indonesia to lose the Sipadan and Ligitan islands to Malaysia in 2002. I reported the plan to establish the team to the President and he gave his approval. Hasjim has revealed plans to defend our stance [in Natuna], said Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan. Luhut met with Hasjim at his office on the same day and after that he went to the State Palace to have a closed-door meeting with President Joko Jokowi Widodo and Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi to brief them on the establishment of the team. The team will later work with Retnos office. We must maintain our sovereignty. It is what the President told Luhut. And then, we must also maintain ties with other countries, presidential spokesman Johan Budi said. Well, not only with China, but also with other countries. China protested to Indonesia after a Chinese fisherman was injured on Saturday when the Indonesian Navy apprehended a Chinese vessel, the Yueyandong Yu 19038, in the Natuna waters, a part of the South China Sea (SCS) that Beijing claims as part of its nine-dash-line territory. Hasjim said it would take a while to settle the Natuna spat with China as Beijing was offended by Indonesias firm stance and its desire to uphold the law, even though Beijing is aware that its nine-dash-line claims are not acknowledged internationally, or by Indonesia. When we established and formalized our [Exclusive Economic Zone incorporating the Natuna waters] nobody rejected it at the United Nations. Later, China claimed that it was a part of their traditional fishing grounds. We need to remind China about this, Hasjim said. Vice President Jusuf Kalla told Reuters that Indonesia would send a message to Beijing demanding that it respect Indonesias sovereignty over the waters around the Natuna Islands. This is not a clash, but we are protecting the area, Kalla said. Asked about Kallas remarks on Monday, Hua Chunying, a spokeswoman for Chinas Foreign Ministry, said China had expressed its condemnation of the indiscriminate use of force. We urge the Indonesian side to refrain from any action that complicates or magnifies the dispute, or impacts the peace and stability of the region, Hua said. Indonesias consistency in upholding prevailing laws and prosecuting all violators is complicated by the fact that Chinas claim over the entire SCS is based on historical claims that hold no water in international law, Retno said. In all of the [governments] previous statements, we emphasized the importance of respecting international law, because this world is built on international law and not historical claims, Retno said in response to queries put to her by legislators in Jakarta. Historical fact cannot invalidate UNCLOS, but UNCLOS can invalidate historical fact, she said referring to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Retno also reiterated Indonesias stance as a non-claimant state over features in the SCS, saying that the country only had overlapping claims with Vietnam and Malaysia, pending ongoing negotiations. According to Jakarta, as long as Indonesia does not have a disputed claim in the SCS and it continues to consistently enforce prevailing maritime and fisheries laws no dispute negotiations need take place and China has to accept both Indonesian and international law, she added. Seven arrested crew members of the Yueyandong Yu 19038 will be charged with violating a law on fisheries. The violation carries a maximum sentence of six years in prison for fishing without a permit in Indonesias EEZ. Just last week, an aborted joint communique by ASEAN was leaked following the seemingly fruitless conclusion of a Special Ministerial Meeting on ASEAN-China relations in Kunming, China. The strongly-worded ASEAN statement, released by the Malaysian foreign ministry, did not name China directly but warned against creating tensions in the SCS, where Beijing has been building artificial islands and increasing its military presence. ___________________________________________ To receive comprehensive and earlier access to The Jakarta Post print edition, please subscribe to our epaper through iOS' iTunes, Android's Google Play, Blackberry World or Microsoft's Windows Store. Subscription includes free daily editions of The Nation, The Star Malaysia, the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Asia News. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login China's top legislature opposes U.S. lawmakers' meeting with Dalai Lama 2016-06-21 20:22 BEIJING, June 17 (Xinhua) -- The National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislative body, on Friday voiced strong dissatisfaction after some U.S. lawmakers met with the Dalai Lama in Washington. "The meeting went against the U.S. commitment that Tibet is a part of Chinese territory and it does not support 'Tibet independence'," said a statement issued by the NPC's Foreign Affairs Committee. The meeting also breached basic norms of international relations and constituted a severe interference in China's internal affairs, the statement said. U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and some lawmakers met with the Dalai Lama in Washington on June 14. Recalling the history of Tibet, the statement said Tibet formally became an administrative region of China in the 13th century, more than 500 years earlier than the independence of the United States. The region was peacefully liberated in 1951, and 1 million serfs were liberated in 1959 when the feudal serfdom was abolished through democratic reform, the statement said. Since Tibet Autonomous Region was established in 1965, Tibet has made remarkable achievements, the statement said. The Tibet Autonomous Region is now in the best period of development, featuring a prosperous economy, a stable society, religious harmony and unity among all ethnic groups, said the statement. The statement pointed out that the 14th Dalai Lama was "not a purely religious figure," but a political exile who has long engaged in separatist activities and activities that damage national unity, and has never given up his advocacy of "Tibetan independence". "The Chinese government and people strongly oppose any country's permission for the Dalai Lama to visit, any politician's meeting with him in any form, and any person's attempt to interfere in China's internal affairs or harm China's sovereignty and unity," the statement said. Some U.S. lawmakers ignore the facts that the Dalai Lama has violated China's constitution and laws, and support his separatist activities, said the statement. The NPC strongly urged U.S. lawmakers to take China's concerns seriously, honor their commitment to recognizing Tibet as part of China and not supporting "Tibetan independence" and stop supporting Dalai clique's separatist activities, the statement said. The NPC also urged U.S. lawmakers to do more conducive to strengthening friendship and maintaining stable development of China-U.S. relations. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Apriadi Gunawan (The Jakarta Post) Medan Tue, June 21 2016 Sofih Alam can only resign himself to God as he cannot fast during Ramadhan with his family. Sofih is staying with other Rohingya Muslim refugees at the Pelangi Hotel in Medan, North Sumatra, while his wife and child, who are Indonesian nationals, live with his parents-in-law on Jl. Irigasi, Medan. Sofih is among Myanmars Rohingya refugees who are married to Indonesian Muslim women. Since getting married in 2014, Sofih lives separately with his wife, but the ethnically mixed marriage is blessed with a son, aged 8 months. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Arif Gunawan Sulistiyono (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, June 21, 2016 Indonesias legendary car, the Kijang, has shown its might as it leads Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indonesias exports in terms of growth during May, registering a 219-percent increase year-on-year. Kijang, meaning deer in the Indonesian language, is the acronym of "Kerjasama Indonesia-Jepang" (Indonesian-Japan cooperation). The multipurpose vehicle (MPV) was first introduced in 1977 and became the most popular car in the country during the New Order era. Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indonesia director I Made Dana Tangkas said exports of the Kijang Innova its rebranded version since 2004 amounted to 3,500 units of Toyotas total exports, totaling 18,600 CBU (completely built-up) cars. We have given it our best to maintain a stable export performance, especially after temporarily suspending Kijang Innova and Fortuner exports because of design changes to the two models, he said in a press statement on Tuesday. In total, Toyotas exports climbed 22 percent in May. The low-cost green car Agya and the mid-sized sport-utility vehicle (SUV) Fortuner followed the Kijang Innova with growth of 189 percent and 27 percent to 1,700 units and 4,600 units, respectively. The export volume of other CBU cars such as the Vios, Yaris, Avanza, Rush, Town Ace/Lite Ace reached 8,800 units. Aside of exporting CBU cars, Toyota Indonesia during the same period exported 4,150 units of complete knock-down (CKD) cars. (ags) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Bambang Muryanto (The Jakarta Post) Yogyakarta Tue, June 21 2016 Yogyakarta, the second-most visited tourist destination in Indonesia after Bali, now has a selection of geological and volcanic tour sites that visitors can enjoy. By visiting the sites, visitors can witness the track of earthquake and volcanic activity over hundreds of millions of years. The latest location is the Kembangsongo Segment in Sindet hamlet, Bantul regency. In the rock quarry we can see a fault that records traces of earthquakes in the past, Yogyakartas National Development University (UPN) geologist C. Prasetyadi told The Jakarta Post on Sunday. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, June 21, 2016 The number of visitors to Lake Toba in North Sumatra is expected to increase following the plan to develop a toll road to cut travel time between Medan and the popular tourist destination. Public Works and Public Housing Minister Basuki Hadimoeljono said the travel time from North Sumatra's capital city of Medan to Lake Toba, which previously took up to six hours by road, was one of the reasons it welcomed so few tourists. (Read also: Garuda Indonesia opens quicker route to Lake Toba) "The toll road project will enable visitors to travel faster to Lake Toba," said Basuki as quoted by tempo.co on Monday. The new toll road will reportedly enable travelers to reach Parapat in 90 minutes. Basuki said the toll road project connecting Tebing Tinggi to Parapat would begin depending on the tender process. "If we can tender the project this year, then we can start [the construction] next year." (kes) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, June 21, 2016 Following the leak of baccalaureate examination papers on social media, Algeria has temporarily blocked access to Facebook and Twitter and cut off 3G mobile network services. In addition, 550,177 students in North Africa are required to partially retake their baccalaureate exams on June 19-22. All measures have been taken to ensure the smooth running of the exams, in collaboration with other sectors concerned, namely the National Police, National Gendarmerie, civil protection and health authorities," an official from the country's National Education Ministry, Nouria Benghebrit, said as quoted by Al Jazeera. (Read also: High-tech steps to curb cheating in college entrance exam) Algerian authorities have reportedly arrested dozens of personnel, including those working in national education offices and printing companies, in the investigation. The police said cybercrime investigators had identified individuals who released exam materials online, as well as facilitators of the crime, according to techtimes.com. Algeria is not the first country to experience such issues, or implement such measures in response. Just a month ago, Iraqi officials blocked internet access nationwide to prevent students from accessing leaked exam answers. Chinese authorities have also implemented extremely high-tech security checkpoints to curb cheating in their national Gao Kao 12th grade examinations, including facial recognition, fingerprint verification, metal detectors, as well as radio-shielded rooms and drone supervision to intercept radio signals around test sites. More recently on Sunday, Egypt arrested a student who administered three Facebook pages that had leaked school exam papers. (sab/kes) A venerable New York City cultural institution is just about ready to swing open the doors of its new home on the Lower East Side. The International Center of Photography (ICP) debuts an 11,000 square foot exhibition space at 250 Bowery on Thursday. At the same time, ICP opens Public, Private, Secret, the organizations first show in the new museum. Reporters were invited over to the galleries yesterday for a preview (well have a separate story on the exhibition tomorrow). While there, we spoke with Mark Lubell, ICPs executive director about the big move. After relocating from Midtown, the organization is making a concerted effort to reinvent itself for the internet age. International Center of Photography was founded by Cornell Capa in 1974. The Bowery space includes a 90-foot wall of glass looking from the street into a large public area. It includes a cafe, bookstore and an exhibition wall for temporary installations. Theres no admission fee for this front area. At the time of its founding, Lubell noted, Capa envisioned the institution as a center for robust discussion and engagement. It was a place for public debate and conversation, he said, about the big issues of the day. Thats what I really hope (happens here). A lot has changed in the past 40 years. Today, armed with iphones, were all creators of images. ICP now calls itself the worlds leading institution dedicated to photography and visual culture. Lubell explained, We should be having conversations about how were being affected by imagery everything from politics to climate change to ISIS to Tinder. Images are driving society and thats what I hope, that over the next few months and years, youre going to see some real dynamic conversations that come out of (this space). I want people to come here, Lubell added, even if they dont go to the exhibition. Have a coffee. See whats around. This space is going to change on a two-week basis Every time youre here, something different will be happening. ICP has formed several community partnerships to help fulfill its new vision. It will be offering introductory photography, writing and bookmaking workshops and hosting special programming on Thursday evenings, including book launches. Community collaborators include University Settlement, Grand Street Settlement, the Bowery Mission and the LES Girls Club. Lubell looked at many locations in different neighborhoods before settling on 250 Bowery. I dont think I could have picked a better place, said Lubell. As someone who was born and raised in New York, Lubell recalled the days in which you didnt come to the Bowery after dark. Referring to the legendary districts regentrification, he said, theres still an element of the old Bowery here and its sort of a mix (of old and new). ICP is right across the street from the New Museum. Lubell is working hard to create a strong bond between the two organizations. I love the relationship with the New Museum, he explained. Theres a conversation between both institutions. Theres also a bigger picture. New Yorks cultural center of gravity is shifting downtown. The Lower East Side now boasts 125 galleries. At the same time, Lubell said, he likes the fact that the neighborhood is still in transition and he said, I love the community that surrounds this area. ICPs school is still located uptown and the institutions expansive archives were moved to New Jersey. In the past, Lubell has said he eventually wants to bring the museum, school and archives together in one location on the Lower East Side. There have been hints that International Center of Photography could become a major tenant at Essex Crossing, the big mixed-used project now under construction. Yesterday, Lubell described ICPs future planning as, still developing. He added, This idea of a center and trying to unify both parts of the organization is foremost in my mind, and so Im looking to try to bring the school downtown. As for Essex Crossing, Lubell said, (the developers have) talked to a lot of different institutions. Weve been one of them. We have talked with them about the school. Were still talking. For the moment, though, the focus is on this weeks official opening of the Bowery space. ICP will be open Tuesday-Sunday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. On Thursday, the galleries will be open until 9 p.m. Admission is $14 for adults, $12 for seniors. Children under the age of $14 get in free when accompanied by an adult. On opening day, Thursday, admission will be free. Visit ICPs website for more information. Two controversial landlords who own a number of Lower East Side buildings were confronted by their tenants Tuesday morning. Landlord Steve Croman appeared in Manhattan Supreme Court and was met by a coalition of his tenants who held a rally in front of the courthouse. Raphael Toledano another New York landlord accused of tenant harassment was in housing court across the street, and some of his tenants helped organize the rally (a meet and greet, as they called it) in front of the Supreme Court building at 100 Centre St. Last month, Croman was indicted along with mortgage broker Barry Swartz on 20 felony counts related to alleged mortgage-fraud. (Read the full indictment here). On Tuesday, Supreme Court Justice Jill Konviser adjourned the hearing until Sept. 20, and Cromans lawyer told the New York Post hes close to reaching a plea agreement in the case. Croman is also facing a civil suit brought by State Attorney General Eric Schneidermans office for using an ex-cop named Anthony Falconite to intimidate tenants. Toledano has been accused of harassing tenants as well, and appeared in New York City Housing Court Tuesday for civil and criminal contempt after failing to pay a settlement to tenants at 444 E 13th St., one of his buildings. Nina dAlessandro, a member of the Toledano Tenants Coalition who lives on East 5th Street, spoke at the rally. They gain power by isolating us, she said. Sharing our experience makes us stronger. The coalition was born about a year ago as residents living in several of Toledanos buildings started organizing against their landlord. Now the coalition includes tenants from 22 different Toledano-owned buildings in lower Manhattan. Michael Jascz, a member of the Stop Croman Coalition, runs an education nonprofit out of his East 10th Street apartment. Hes been a Croman tenant for almost a decade and says he had to deal with dangerous living conditions when Croman renovated the apartment below his. Everything in my apartment was filled with dust, he said, including his clothes, desk and toothbrush. Jascz said tenants demands are simple: We want to live comfortably and dream the dream that New York is. Tamalyn Miller, a Croman Tenant at 521 East 5th St., said that even though Cromans case was pushed back, shes happy. The court case may go on and on, she said, but Cromans reputation is forever tarnished. When we were going through this in 2009, 2010, nobody would listen to us, she added. Luis Cortes, a Croman tenant at 338 East 100th St. since 1999, voiced similar sentiments. Cortes says hes gone nearly a year without cooking gas and months without heat, along with facing frivolous lawsuits, illegal rent hikes and other forms of harassment from Croman. Of the courts, he said, they didnt want to hear it. I feel like somehow they were pro-Croman. But now I feel good, Cortes said. Since [the indictment] happened, we can tell what happened to us as tenants. Now we can be heard. UPDATE 7:59 p.m. An earlier version of this article didnt specify why Toledano was in housing court. Weve learned more about his hearing since publication, and the story has been updated to reflect the new information. Job interviews for UN Secretary-General in progress By:Wang Jiaye | From:english.eastday.com | 2016-06-17 17:27 Antonio Guterres (Xinhua photo) The United Nations is now selecting a new Secretary-General, to succeed the current Ban Ki-moon who will conclude on 31 December 2016. The selection, for the first time in 70-year history involves public discussions with each candidate campaigning for the world's top diplomatic post. A total of 11 candidates run for the race, 5 of which are females. They once took important positions in their own countries or have worked with UN for many years. During the two rounds of informal dialogues held by UN General Assembly in April and June, the candidates were asked a wide range of issues. Besides the regular topics about wars, refugees, climate change and security, some unexpected questions were thrown up, involving feminism and hopes for the future. Irina Bokova (Xinhua photo) Moreover, some of the candidates also show their multilanguage proficiency, such as Igor Luksic, Minister of Foreign Affairs and former Prime Minister of Montenegro (https://twitter.com/i_luksic), Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO and former Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria (https://twitter.com/irinabokova),and Antonio Guterres, former Prime Minister of Portugal and two-term United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (www.antonioguterres.gov.pt/). Morgens Lykketoft, President of the General Assembly told the UN News Center that it is a more transparent process of selecting and electing the next Secretary-General of UN. Igor Luksic (Xinhua photo) "Social media will play a very important role in this whole process", said Mr. Lykketoft, adding that he hopes the candidates will take the time to answer all the questions in the coming weeks and months. It is known that almost all the campaigners have their accounts on twitter, and the Portuguese Antonio Guterres has launched his official website. The opening of Disney's Shanghai Park and Resort has undoubtedly been overshadowed by the far more pressing news of the tragedies in Florida recently. Last week, two year old Lane Graves was killed whilst paddling in the Seven Seas Lagoon at the Grand Floridian Resort in Walt Disney World Orlando, as an alligator pulled him into the water. But alongside this was also the backdrop of the US worst mass shooting in recent history, as 49 civilians in a LGBT nightclub were killed also in Orlando. The massive Disney corporation has taken it upon itself to pay tribute to all these victims. In regards to the alligator attack on its resort, an eye witness claimed Disney did everything they could do to help, as lifeguards moved everybody out of the water and emergency services arrived almost immediately. Disney's CEO Bob Iger expressed his heartfelt condolences to the family of Graves, saying: "As a parent and grandparent, my heart goes out to the Graves family at this time of devastating loss", and the parks have since made several changes out of sensitivity and "an abundance of caution." One of Disney's most popular attractions, the Jungle Cruise has also undergone changes, as its castmembers have been instructed to remove a joke about keeping an eye on children in case of crocodile attack from their script out of respect, a change that is thought to remain indefinite. The parks also immediately closed all of their beaches and installed obstruction fences around the water, with signs warning against paddling, swimming and alligators. The Disney corporation has also reached out to the victims and victims families of the Pulse nightclub shooting with a 'Kiss Goodnight' Memorial Vigil. Cinderella's castle at Walt Disney World was illuminated in rainbow colours and music was muted to allow a moment's silence to remember those who lost their life. Photographers encouraged guests to pose for photos by making a heart shape with their hands, and a sea of people stood before the castle to pay their respects, holding candles and flags. Guests were handed free Disney collectors' pins adorned with hearts and the rainbow flag as a show of solidarity. The 'Happiest Place on Earth' went the extra mile to offer their condolences for the victims and all affected by recent tragedies this month, at a time which should have been one of the most exciting in Disneys history. A Briton has appeared in a US court after being accused of trying to grab a police officer's gun at a rally for Donald Trump and attempting to kill the US presidential candidate. Michael Sandford, 20, was arrested at the Las Vegas rally, held in a casino, after reaching for the weapon as he asked for Trump's autograph. Sandford told police he had plotted to assassinate the Republican candidate for a year. He had taken shooting lessons in the days leading up to the rally and said he believed he would die during the bid. This was verified by a Secret Service report. Police remove protestor Michael Steven Sandford after he was accused of making a grab for a police officers gun (John Locher/AP) The British national was denied bail at a District Court in Nevada on Monday, where he appeared charged with an act of violence on restricted grounds. Federal Magistrate Judge George Foley declined to release Sandford, who appeared before him in leg irons, over concerns he was a potential danger to the community and a flight risk. A federal public defender told the court Sandford was autistic and Sandford didnt enter a plea. His mother told the judge he had been treated for obsessive compulsive disorder and anorexia as a young man. Court research discovered that Sandford didnt have permission to be in the US and was unemployed. Papers filed at the court said he had been in the country for around 18 months and lived in Hoboken, New Jersey. Donald Trump speaking at the Treasure Island hotel and casino in Las Vegas (John Locher/AP) It is believed Sandford had driven across the US to San Bernardino, California, and had been living in his car before travelling to Las Vegas last week. In the days before the rally, he visited the Battlefield Vegas shooting range where he practised using a 9mm Glock pistol, firing off 20 rounds. The following day he went to the Treasure Island Casino where Trump was addressing a rally of 1,500 supporters amid tight security. People hold signs as they wait for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump to speak in Vegas (John Locher/AP) Attendees had to pass through metal detectors manned by Secret Service, police and casino security officials. Sandford asked for an autograph from the billionaire and allegedy attempted to take a police officer's holstered gun before being tackled by security forces. He was then frogmarched from the venue. Protesters clash with Donald Trump supporters shortly after a Trump rally in Phoenix, which Sandford had bought a ticket for (Beatriz Costa-Lima/AP) Sandofrd also bought a ticket to a rally in Phoenix, Arizona, for later on Saturday in case he failed in his first attempt. A Foreign Office spokesman said: We are providing assistance following an arrest of a British national in Las Vegas. BEIJING Premier Li Keqiang will attend the Summer Davos Forum in north Chinas Tianjin municipality from June 26 to 28, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying announced June 20 at a daily press briefing. Premier Li will address the opening ceremony of the forum, also known as the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting of the New Champion. He will meet government figures, forum founder Klaus Schwab and other forum participants, and talk with representatives from various fields including business, finance, think tanks and media outlets. This years forum carries the theme the fourth industrial revolution and its transformational impact. Around 1,700 politicians, entrepreneurs, scholars, and media representatives from over 90 countries will attend. The annual event is held alternatively in Chinas Tianjin and the northeastern city of Dalian. When my dad passed away in 2012, there was no rulebook as it were to tell me how I was supposed to deal with the various emotions and situations that I faced. I felt as though I needed something or someone to tell me what to do, how to feel and when to feel it. But there was nothing and it was like I had to learn how to live again, after having my world completely rocked by the fact that I had lost my dad. I felt as though I needed something or someone to tell me what to do, how to feel and when to feel it. But there was nothing and it was like I had to learn how to live again, after having my world completely rocked by the fact that I had lost my dad. Over the past four years, its taken me a very long time to learn and accept that there is no rulebook when it comes to grief and there is no timeline when it comes to grieving either. In fact, since my Dad died, Ive learnt two main things about bereavement and losing a loved one, and they entwine. Firstly, you never get over it. And secondly, it hits you at the strangest times. While Im often made to feel as though I should be over my dads death, Ive learnt that its perfectly okay that Im not. I dont think there will ever be a day when I dont think about or miss my dad. He was a huge part of my life, and he always will be. There are times, particularly around Fathers Day, when I can find myself standing in a shop and suddenly itll hit me that I dont have a Dad to buy a Fathers Day card and present for. Most of the time, I have to walk out of the shop before I burst into tears. Going through important stages of my life is hard to do without my dad. I got my A-Level results five months after he died, and since then Ive gone to university, studied and lived abroad and had writing published. All of these achievements, despite being small, my Dad hasnt been here for - and thats what Ive found really difficult. I often wonder what hed think and how hed feel if he was still here today. What Im surprised at is how little support there seems to be for university students surrounding bereavement and grief, whether it happens before or during university. Of course, there is support at universities themselves - but Ive found there to be a lack of outside support, especially focussing on students. In the months before my dad died and for quite a while afterwards, my mum, my younger brother and I all spoke with a woman from a charity called Daisys Dream, which was very helpful. However, once I went to university, it was like I was on my own. I find it helpful to write about my experiences now, as well as reach out for support in the Sue Ryder Online Community. Ive also volunteered for the Sue Ryder charity in the past. I dont think Ill ever get over my dad, and I dont think I should be expected to. But the reassuring thing is that it does it get easier in time and its also reassuring to know that Im not alone sometimes. I think that the most reassuring things to hear during bereavement are that youre not alone, you dont have to get over it - and that all your emotions at whatever time are total valid and normal. Voters who remember the 1975 referendum on Europe may be feeling a touch of deja vu as the current EU referendum speeds towards a dramatic finish this week. For voters who don't remember the 1975 referendum, here are a few key differences: EEC and EU The ballot paper for the 1975 EEC referendum (PA) In 1975, the vote was to decide whether we stayed in the European Economic Community (EEC). Back then it was essentially a free trade organisation made up of nine countries; Britain, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. The UK had only been in it two years before a referendum was called to decide whether we should stay. The EU is very different from its ancestor the EEC (Vit Simanek/AP) In the last 40 years, the EEC has morphed into the EU, made up of 28 European states. Some of the changes since 1975 include freedom of movement for all EU citizens, a single currency for 19 of the member states, and the induction of the European Court of Justice. The 2016 EU referendum ballot paper (Yui Mok/PA) Run-up to the referendum 1975: The UK joined the EEC under a Conservative government in 1973, but in 1974 incoming Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson called a referendum. His own party was split on the issue of EEC membership and Wilson felt a referendum would settle the matter and unite Labour. PM Harold Wilson led the campaign to stay in the EEC (PA) Before the referendum, Wilson vowed to negotiate a new deal with the EEC to change the UKs role within it. After he secured this deal, he led the campaign to stay in the EEC, but gave his Cabinet colleagues free rein to choose and campaign for their allegiance. 2016: The circumstances which led to this weeks referendum are strikingly similar, except now its the Conservatives in power. During the 2015 election, polls indicated that the Tories were losing voters to anti-EU UKIP. Under significant pressure in what many thought would be a tight election, PM David Cameron promised a referendum on the EU. UKIPs surge in support pushed Cameron to offer a referendum (Gareth Fuller/PA) Just like Wilson, Cameron wrangled with other EU nations about a deal for Britain. He also joined the Britain Stronger In campaign, but some of his Cabinet colleagues - such as Michael Gove - joined the Vote Leave campaign. The issues The economy was a big issue in 1975 and still is for voters today (Simon Cooper/PA) 1975: The economy was one of the main issues for voters to consider in making their decision, and a much more urgent issue than today. Britain was in the midst of a double-dip recession, raising serious concerns about the UKs ability to survive outside of the EEC free-trade zone. Other issues included security of the UKs food supply and the rise of communism in Eastern Europe. Surprisingly, immigration didnt factor much in the minds of voters. Rather, emigration of UK citizens out of the country and into EEC nations, and the skills shortage it could create, was. In 1975, Brits were worried about losing workers to EEC nations like Spain (John Giles/PA) 2016: The economy has once again dominated the debate this time around. The value for money in regards to EU membership is being analysed, as well as how the UK would do outside of the EU, considering the rise of other markets to trade with. Immigration is also looming large over the debate. As the UK economy is in better shape than in 1975, voters are considering if immigrants coming from EU countries into the UK under the principle of free movement are contributing to or subtracting from the economy. The migrant crisis and resulting immigration concerns have been part of the debate (Jonathan Brady/PA) Other issues include Britains standing in the wider world, security against terror attacks, the migrant crisis and sovereignty. Cross-party co-operation Both in 1975 and in 2016, MPs have been given free rein to lend their support to the side of their choosing, leading to some unusual political partnerships. In 1975 the leaders of Britains two main parties teamed up as part of the yes to the EEC campaign, and Tony Benn and Enoch Powell both made the case for leaving the EEC. Cameron and Corbyn are on the same side (PA) In 2016, PM David Cameron has joined forces with leader of the opposition Jeremy Corbyn to encourage the public to stay in. Ex-London Mayor Boris Johnson and UKIP leader Nigel Farage are campaigning on the same side to leave. Celebrity spotting Public figures trumpeted their opinions to the public in 1975, including the below. Celebrity endorsements arent anything new (PA) Its no different today, as a variety of business people and celebrities have lent their support to both the leave and remain campaigns. Prominent public figures like Barack Obama and Stephen Hawking have come out in support of remaining in the EU (PA) Other public figures like Sir Ian Botham and Sir Michael Caine have come out in support of leaving the EU (PA) The outcome British voters gave the EEC a strong endorsement in 1975 with 67% of the vote and when 2016s ballots are counted well find out whether the parallels with 1975 extend to the result... The education system is to blame for women not being able to succeed in the workplace, according to the chief executive of the Girls Day School Trust. Helen Fraser has observed that girls do not appear to be going through life with the same ease as boys, because they are allowing their inner critic to stop them. Helen Fraser has observed that girls do not appear to be going through life with the same ease as boys, because they are allowing their inner critic to stop them. This critic is the result of being a part of a system that does not do enough to encourage girls to take risks, according to Fraser. We need to persuade girls to challenge that inner critic that judges you, tells you youre not good enough, that your ideas arent worth hearing, she said at her organisation's annual conference. A study done by the National Citizen Service found that a quarter of British girls dont consider themselves brave, and out of 1,000 surveyed 20% of girls aged 12-18 said they have never done anything adventurous. According to Fraser schools push the female population to be quiet, neat, good girls and ultimately are setting them up for failure in the workplace. Fraser believes that the root of this problem is that there is a 21st century pressure on young women to fit a certain criteria of perfection: Perfectly beautiful, with a perfect row of As, perfectly good at sport and music and friendship," she said. Yet while girls do usually surpass their male peers in all levels of education, they generally end up earning a lower wage and not occupying senior positions in the workplace. In an interview with The Telegraph, Fraser said, Our girls do very well at school and at university and quite well at their first job, but they are not succeeding to the extent we would like them to. The Institute of Leadership and Management surveyed British managers about how confident they feel in their positions. Half of the female respondents answered that they have self-doubts in their job performance and career, while less than a third of male respondents felt the same way. The lack of confidence in their abilities is ultimately being fostered in schools according to Fraser, who criticizes the system for supporting perfect good girl behaviours and not persuading more females to speak up or stand out. And if the female half of the population is routinely censoring themselves, their ideas arent getting aired and implemented and the world is a poorer place. Unfortunately, The Content Is Not Here You have arrived at this page because the page or post you were looking for no longer exists. 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We were told that a good Samaritan had already taken the victim, 52-year-old Christopher George Smith, to the Accident and Emergency Centre in Chalong. He was later transferred to Phuket International Hospital, where he is now recovering from his injury, Lt Weerayuth said. The man who allegedly stabbed Mr Smith was identified as Kittichai Julkaew, a 29-year-old from Nakhon Sri Thammarat who rents out surfboards at Kata Beach. According to witnesses, Mr Smith was walking on the beach when Kittichai approached him from behind and stabbed him in the back with a knife, Lt Weerayuth said. Kittichai then sped away from the scene on a motorbike heading south, he said. Witnesses said that both men had altercations many times because Mr Smiths wife and Kittichai have surfboard rental businesses in the same area, he explained. We are checking CCTV in the area to see in which direction Kittichai went and bring him in for questioning, Lt Weerayuth added. We will question Mr Smith about the incident as soon as he is ready to talk, he said. Pattaya sea water pollution 'could endanger human and marine life' BANGKOK: The sea water along the busy central Pattaya beaches is of poor quality and could endanger human and marine life, Regional Environmental Office has said. By Bangkok Post Tuesday 21 June 2016, 08:44AM Pattaya is sold to the world as a beach resort but a report by the Regional Environmental Office says pollution is actually growing worse. Photo: TAT Speaking after a meeting with state agencies, Chanutthaphong Sriwiset, the Pattaya City clerk, said the authorities were working together to figure out how to address the problem of sea water quality in Pattaya which he admitted has deteriorated over the past few years. The meeting was held Monday (June 20) at Pattaya City Hall and attended by representatives from the Pollution Control Department (PCD), the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning and the Regional Environmental Office 13 in Chon Buri. According to Thanapong Rattanawutthinun, of the Chon Buri provincial office of Natural Resources and Environment who also attended the meeting, the coastal water quality in the Laem Chabang area, known for its industrial estates, was considered to be very polluted, while the sea water near central Pattaya beaches was deemed poor. Water quality near Na Kleau in North Pattaya, South Pattaya, Lan Island and Jomtien Beach was fairly good. About 75 per cent of sea water quality in other eastern provinces including Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat was found to be fairly good, with 12% rated as polluted and the rest poor. Coastal water quality tests were conducted by the PCD and Regional Environmental Office 13. Of the total 85 samples of sea water, 25 came from Chon Buri and the rest from other eastern provinces, which were collected for analysis. Pattayas beaches are popular among tourists and expatriates as the resort city is now also home to large concentrations of long-stay holiday-makers from Europe. The brainstorming session among agencies came up with some plans that aim to reduce pollution in Pattaya City between 2017-2021 in line with the National Environment Board announcement made in 1992 to rid Pattaya of sea water pollution, Mr Chanutthaphong said. The plans will focus on water treatment management and waste management, Mr Chanutthaphong said, adding that problems with waste disposal and the water treatment system have contributed to water quality deterioration at tourist attractions. He said the meeting raised the idea of setting up a new waste management plant in Pattaya. The ideal location for the new plant would be an area in tambon Khaow Maikaew, according to him. Mr Chanutthaphong said officials have intensified their efforts to educate people about the importance of caring for the environment, which could help address the problem in the longer term. As for water pollution management plans, he said the city has considered expanding two water management plants to increase their capacities for better treatment of wastewater to be discharged into the ocean and other water to be reused. Once expanded, the water treatment plant in Soi Wat Nongyai will be able to treat around 130,000 cubic metres of waste water a day, up from 80,000 cubic metres at present, Mr Chanutthaphong said. The waste water comes mostly from the communities and hotels. Read original story here. Phuket man faces reckless driving charge for death of German man late last year PHUKET: Police have today (June 21) confirmed that a Phuket man who was involved in a fatal vehicle collision in December last year that left a 47-year-old German man dead is to facing a charge of reckless driving. accidentsdeathcrimepolicetransport By The Phuket News Tuesday 21 June 2016, 04:22PM Andreas Walter, 47, died after his motorbike was struck by a car, say police. Photo: Darawan Naknakhon Lt Niphon Temsang of Karon Police told The Phuket News today (June 21), Jakarin Rodpradit, 27, from Chalong is facing a charge of reckless driving causing death and injury. We have handed this case to Phuket Provincial Court and the court will decide what penalty he will face, Lt Niphon said, however he declined to reveal further details of police findings into the accident. The incident, which resulted in the death of 47-year-old Andreas Walter, happened on the night of December 3. Mr Walter and his Thai partner Patcharin Lammai were travelling on a motorcycle along Patak Rd in Karon when they were struck by a car driven by Jakarin. (See story here.) An official from Phuket Provincial Court who declined to be named told The Phuket News that Jakarin is scheduled to appear in court this Friday (June 24) to testify in a reconciliation and peace hearing where he will face the judge and the family of the deceased. If Jakarin still denies the allegations against him then the court will proceed to the next step of the trail which will be a criminal case in which he will be formally charged with reckless driving causing death and injury, the official said. PM dubious about meth delisting BANGKOK: Removing methamphetamine from the illegal narcotics list would be a challenging task, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha says. drugs By Bangkok Post Tuesday 21 June 2016, 09:00AM Last year, more than a billion ya bah tablets were seized. Authorities burn seized drugs each year after they are no longer needed as evidence in court cases. Photo: Chanat Katanyu Gen Prayut said yesterday (June 20) that it would be difficult for Thailand to take meth, or ya bah, off the dangerous drugs list. He was responding to a Justice Ministry proposal to classify methamphetamine as a normal drug in a bid to tackle a long-standing drugs problem in society. Justice Minister Paiboon Koomchaya made the proposal last week as current measures to suppress the drugs had failed. The proposal was made at a meeting discussing the results of the 2016 UN General Assembly Special Session on Drugs (UNGASS), and adapt the recommendations it came up with to deal with drug problems in Thailand. The removal of ya bah from the list was a by-product of the UNGASS forum and not Thailands idea, Gen Prayut said. Thailand had agreed to accept some recommendations and look at adapting them here, he said. He said he did not oppose the recommendations but Thailand needs to study the possibility of removing meth from the list and what might happen as a result. A policy that works in one country might not work in another, Gen Prayut said. Each country has different political and social conditions. He said sarcastically: Thailand is unlike other countries. We have many laws and rules, but they dont seem to stop people doing illegal things. If we want to succeed in solving drugs problems like other countries, we must change ourselves. If we cannot, how can we succeed? Read original story here. Many South Dakota farmers expect below-average yields this year Dry fields in the southeastern part of South Dakota and wet fields in spring in northeastern South Dakota could mean lower crop yields. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. In this Jan. 27, 2015, file photo, House Benghazi Committee Chairman Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., left, confers with the committee's ranking member Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., during the committee's hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. The committee has missed a self-imposed deadline to issue a report abefore summer," the latest setback for a probe that has gone on for more than two years and drawn scorn from Democrats who say the primary goal of the Republican-led investigation is to undermine Hillary Clinton's presidential bid.(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) In this Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2016 file photo, Darryl Nevins, owner of a Mosquito Joe franchise, sprays a backyard to control mosquitoes in Houston. Zika has been sweeping through Latin America and the Caribbean in recent months, and the fear is that it will get worse there and arrive in the U.S. with the onset of mosquito season this summer. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan) A 19-year-old nursing student is battling for life in a Kerala hospital after her seniors in a college near Bengaluru forced her to drink toilet cleaner, reports said. Doctors reportedly said her condition remained critical as the phenyl lotion burned her food pipe and internal organs. Although she needs a surgery immediately, it cannot done for at least six weeks because of the internal damages. The incident, reports said, happened two weeks ago. The teenager, a dalit from Malappuram in north Kerala, was reportedly ragged by eight of her seniors, who are said to be from the same state. Reports said she felt queasy and vomited after consuming the liquid. After a few hours, her condition deteriorated further and was rushed to a hospital. Her parents, who brought her back to a hospital in Kerala a few days later, accused the college authorities and the police in Karnataka of ignoring their complaints. We shifted her to Kerala last week. Besides police, the college management too tried to hush-up the case. Our first priority was to save her lifeso we kept quiet, a relative said. We were warned against speaking to anyone about this. Reports said the girl allegedly has been facing constant harassment from seniors since her joining the Al Qamar College of Nursing in Gulbarga. Meanwhile the college authorites maintain that she drank the cleaning lotion herself as she was facing some familial problem. Since it is not a case of ragging, we haven't taken any action against the seniors, a spokesperson for the college told media. Pop quiz: You work for the government, and youre passionate about the presidential campaign. Which are you allowed to do: A: Wear your red hat with Donald Trumps slogan, Make America Great Again! to the office. B: Forward an email at work urging colleagues to vote for Hillary Clinton. C: Ask a friend to write a check to Bernie Sanders campaign. Answer: None of the above. The topsy-turvy presidential race has stirred strong feelings across the country, and Americans are not known for keeping quiet about their political views. But heres a warning for the nearly 3 million people who work for the federal government: Be careful what you say and where. A complex web of restrictions limits political activity by government workers, especially when theyre on the clock. Not all the rules are self-evident, and they vary for different types of employees. So this year, as the campaign heats up, agencies from the White House to the U.S. Postal Service are trying to educate workers about what they can and cant do without violating a relatively obscure law known as the Hatch Act. The Office of Special Counsel, an independent federal law enforcement agency, says requests for training at all levels of government are surging. Its not just questions about Donald Trump, said Ana Galindo-Marrone, chief of the offices Hatch Act Unit. Ive had people want to know what they can do with respect to Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders. And the answer is the same for all of them. Among the questions that federal employees have posed this year: Can I put Make America Great Again in my work email signature? Can I wear my Make Donald Drumpf Again hat, popularized by comedian John Oliver, at the office? What about retweeting the presumptive GOP nominees flashy tweets from my iPhone when the work day gets slow? No, no, and no. Under the Hatch Act, government employees cant engage in political activity while theyre on duty or in their office or work vehicle, with few exceptions. In their private time, theyre free to advocate for candidates, donate money, even speak at a rally or fundraiser, as long as they dont mention their official titles. They cant solicit or collect donations from others, even on their own time. The rules cover all workers who fall under the executive branch, but not to members of the military or people who work for Congress or the courts. Tomas Strouhal, a postal worker from Quarryville, Pennsylvania, wasnt well-versed in the rules when he put a Trump bumper sticker on the car he parks at work before switching to a mail truck for his route. It turned out, neither was his supervisor. After another worker complained, Strouhal, 23, was called in and told to remove the sticker or risk being fired, he said. He took it down, but then discovered that hes actually allowed to have one political bumper sticker on his personal vehicle, even if he parks it at work. I definitely didnt know a bumper sticker could be such a big deal, Strouhal said. My first thought was that they violated my First Amendment rights. Its almost like they were discriminating in a way, too, because a lot of people dont like Trump. The limitations get even more confusing at the higher levels of government. Most workers fall under the less restricted category, but some, including those who work for the FBI, the CIA and parts of the Justice Department, are further restricted, which comes with rules of its own. Two government workers get a free pass: the president and the vice president, who have inherently political roles and can engage openly in political activity. At the White House, a handful of aides are permitted to work on the logistics like scheduling and travel arrangements to facilitate the presidents campaign appearances and other political activity. Yet the rules can be tricky for prominent officials like Cabinet secretaries, who are sometimes called upon to campaign for their partys candidates and are often asked about politics when they appear in public. An individual or Cabinet secretary needs to make very, very clear with the campaign or the committee that if they engage, they are engaging in their personal capacity, that their official function or title isnt going to be something that is used, said David Simas, the White House political director. Thats the key distinction. Former Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius was found to have violated the Hatch Act in 2012 when she made an off-hand remark at a gay rights groups gala about who should be North Carolinas next governor. And Secretary of State John Kerry, answering questions at Oxford University, had to demur last month when a student quizzed him on Trump. Im not allowed under our law to get into, actually full-throatedly, into the middle of the campaign, Kerry said before moving on to another topic. (AP) [PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE] An experimental program is underway in the Tiveria district of the Israel Fire Service, utilizing specially trained dogs to assist determining the cause of a fire. The program is the only one of its kind in Israel. The specially trained dogs lend support and assistance to fire investigators, particularly in cases in which arson is suspected. The three members of the unit are seen in the photos; Zina, Daks and Jena. Fire investigators praise the dogs, which they insist make a significant contribution to their work. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Photos: Media Resource Group) A number of high-ranking officers testified against IDF soldier Elor Azariya, the soldier facing manslaughter charges for shooting and killing a wounded terrorist in Hebron on Purim. The testimony of the top brass came in support of Major Tom Neeman, the Elors company commander who testified for the prosecution and then came under attack. IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-General Gadi Eizenkott spoke out in support of Neeman following the criticism and attacks against him, as did Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Education Minister Naftali Bennett. Former Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon also spoke out against the threats leveled against Neeman for testifying against Azariya. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) Opposition leader Yitzchak Herzog was willing to uproot all of the Jewish communities throughout Yehuda and Shomron as well as divide Yerushalayim if he was elected Prime Minister Channel 10 News and Makor Rishon reported on Sunday, 13 Sivan. According to the report, Herzog made the promises prior to the last Knesset elections in March 2015. Herzog was said to be represented by left-wing activist Gershon Baskin. It is added the deal included 4% land swaps. As part of the plan to remove the Israeli presence in the eastern capital, an international force would take up position on Har Habayis and Israel would be permitted to maintain control over the Kosel. The give-it-all-away plan included a joint Israel/Jordan/PA (Palestinian Authority) effort to combat terrorism. One of the responses to the report came from Minister of Jerusalem Affairs (Likud) Zeev Elkin, who highlighted the Likud victory in the elections literally saved the country. Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked told Arutz-7 that there is nothing surprising here as the Machane Tzioni agenda is well-known. Former Labor Party Minister Dr. Ephraim Sneh Dr. Ephraim Sneh told Arutz-7 if PM Netanyahu wishes to achieve peace and move ahead with the two-state solution, this is what has to occur. Dr. Sneh was a major negotiator in the process prior to the elections. He explained that one cannot continue speaking about a united Jerusalem without granting citizenship to the 330,000 Palestinians which is not in Israels favor. Hence, he believes dividing the city, including the Old City, is to everyones advantage. Shaked added she is pained that the PM is among those who openly supports the so-called two-state solution, which will lead to the creation of the State of Palestine. She highlighted this is the main difference between Likud and her Bayit Yehudi party. She added Bayit Yehudi offers alternatives, including Israeli annexation of Areas A with full PA autonomy in areas B and C or some type of federation. The Herzog plan basically mimics the offer placed on the table by former PM Ehud Barak, who also offered the entire pie, including giving away control over Har Habayis and dividing Yerushalayim. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will be meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry next week, Yisrael Hayom reports quoting diplomatic sources. They meeting comes as Israeli efforts to prevent the French peace summit have failed as the EU is standing behind Paris initiative. The meeting between Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Kerry will be held in Europe, with the report quoting an Israeli diplomatic officials confirming efforts to select the venue and time are underway. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) A proposal to outlaw online advertisements for short-term New York City rentals on sites like Airbnb has cleared the New York state Legislature. Its already illegal to rent out apartments for less than 30 days in the city. Airbnb spokesman Josh Meltzer says state lawmakers cut a last minute deal with the hotel industry to pass the bill. He calls it a bad proposal that will make it harder for thousands of New Yorkers to pay the bills. The bill sponsored by New York City Republican Sen. Andrew Lanza and Democratic Assembly member Linda Rosenthal calls for heavy fines for violators. Lanza says the proposal is aimed at those who run illegal hotels in residential areas. He says the legislation doesnt target homeowners or interfere with property rights. (AP) Prosecutors tried one last time on Monday to persuade a Baltimore judge to convict the driver of a police wagon in which 25-year-old black arrestee Freddie Grays neck was broken on the way to a police station. Both sides delivered closing arguments after more than five days of testimony in the trial of Officer Caesar Goodson on charges including second-degree murder and manslaughter. Other officers left Gray in handcuffs and leg shackles inside the paddy wagon, leaving him unable to protect himself from being slammed into the vans metal walls during the ride. Prosecutors say Goodson breached his duty when he failed to buckle Gray into a seat belt that would have restrained him. They also said Goodson failed to call for a medic, ran a stop sign and made a wide turn during the 45-minute ride to the station, which is only a few blocks from where Gray was arrested. Prosecutors allege that Gray was fatally injured after that wide turn. Goodsons attorneys say officers checked on Gray and saw no signs of medical distress during five stops before he arrived critically injured at the station. Goodson declined to testify on his behalf. Hes the third of six officers to be tried, and the state has yet to win a conviction in the case, which prompted street riots and a very public clash between prosecutors and police. Initially the state alleged that Goodson gave Gray a rough ride with the intention of bouncing the man around and injuring him. But prosecutors made no mention of a rough ride in their closing arguments, and Goodsons defense accused them of changing their story. Prosecutors failed to cobble together any type of case with reasonable inferences, let alone evidence, defense attorney Matthew Fraling argued. Judge Barry Williams will decide the fate of the officer, who decided against a jury trial. (AP) President McKinleys fundraising and campaigning tactics such as broadening the Republican base to more robustly include immigrants and working-class voters go largely forgotten among most citizens today. 145 words, by Lillian Cunningham (Post). One photo and podcast. In the newest episode of the Presidential podcast, Republican political strategist Karl Rove dissects what was so transformative about William McKinleys 1896 presidential campaign. Political scientists have studied it for years as one of the great five realigning elections in America, Rove says. And yet President McKinleys record-setting fundraising and keen campaigning tactics such as broadening the Republican base to more robustly include immigrants and working-class voters go largely forgotten among most citizens today. The episode also features Washington Post reporter Carol Leonnig, who won the Pulitzer Prize for her coverage of the Secret Service, discussing how McKinleys assassination prompted a new strategy for protecting the president. In previous episodes of the Presidential podcast, weve explored topics like Abraham Lincolns language and the violent life of Andrew Jackson. (c) 2016, The Washington Post Lillian Cunningham When you use the LTE connection in your smartphone, that mobile data travels over invisible airwaves that support everything from Google Maps to FaceTime. But not long from now, all sorts of devices will be connected wirelessly to the Internet, from home appliances to automobiles to virtual reality headsets and theyll all need lots of fast, reliable bandwidth. Thats why the government on Monday announced its looking to open up a huge swath of these airwaves for companies to play with, more than theyve ever had before. If its approved, the result could lead to an array of new apps, services and ways to send and receive information of all kinds. To draw an analogy, it could be to wireless Internet what gigabit fiber meant for wired networks: massive amounts of new capacity that unlocks the next generation of Internet-driven entrepreneurship. Here are the nuts and bolts of the plan, which will be officially circulated by Tom Wheeler, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, to his fellow commissioners Thursday. If its approved, companies will start getting licenses to use the airwaves at extremely high frequencies compared to today. Many of our existing cordless phones and WiFi antennas work in the 2.4 gigahertz range, but the policy change from the FCC would open up channels in the 28 GHz range and higher. Thats damn important, said Wheeler in a speech Monday, because it means U.S. companies will be first out of the gate developing new technologies and standards for 5G, the next in mobile Internet after the current generation of 4G. Whats so special about this part of the radio spectrum? Well, at such high frequencies the airwaves dont go through walls or very far; they just tend to bounce around instead of penetrating obstacles. But that may not be a bad thing; it means companies like Verizon or AT&T could set up hyper-local cell sites around a hospital, for example, and the hospital could use all the bandwidth provided by that site without worrying about others clogging the site with demand. Not only will these new channels be higher up in frequency theyll also be much, much wider, which makes them able to support a lot more wireless traffic. Imagine the difference between a small residential road and extra-wide highways, and thats kind of what were talking about here. Instead of channels that are 5 or 10 megahertz in size, youd get 200 MHz-channels, said Wheeler. Under the plan, the government would set aside as much as 14 GHz for unlicensed uses. Thats a huge chunk of airwaves not owned or controlled by any corporation and that can be used for Bluetooth, WiFi, garage door openers, hobbyists and tinkerers. Companies in the mobile industry may get access to their own, massive swath of commercial spectrum in what Wheeler called the governments biggest such offering in history. The upshot is that Americans may soon be among the first to start tinkering with 5G mobile Internet and all that follows from it. The FCC is expected to vote on Wheelers proposal next month. (c) 2016, The Washington Post Brian Fung New Jerseys lawmakers are crafting elaborate proposals to replenish a fund for transportation projects thats about to go broke. Bond investors are counting on the simplest solution as the most likely: raise the gas tax. Unless legislators act, the most densely populated U.S. state cant borrow for new road and rail projects as of July 1. Motor fuels collections that flow into the fund are already committed to the $15 billion in outstanding debt issued by the New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority. New Jersey hasnt increased the gas levy since 1988. Democrats and Republicans are bickering over how to do so while reducing other taxes, as Republican Governor Chris Christie says he wants to see tax fairness. Yields on the agencys debt suggest investors are betting the logjam will be broken. Youre likely to see some kind of gas tax increase, said Paul Brennan, a senior vice president in Chicago at Nuveen Asset Management, which oversees about $100 billion of municipal bonds, including the authoritys. The state has infrastructure needs that have to be dealt with. Trust fund bonds due in June 2026 yielded 1.9 percentage points above benchmark securities on Thursday, down from as high as 2.1 percentage points in March, data compiled by Bloomberg show. At the same time, the average yield of 3.3 percent is above that of similarly-rated revenue securities at 1.9 percent. The New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority has had expenses exceed revenue by an average of $1 billion in each of the last three years. For years, even as the gas-tax collections lagged, the state borrowed more and employed practices such as extending debt maturities to keep the account solvent, said Jack Lettiere, a former transportation commissioner under three Democratic governors in the 2000s. In 2011, Christie pledged to use more cash and less debt for highway and bridge repairs. Instead, faced with a budget shortfall the next year, he put no money into the transportation fund for three years and borrowed $1 billion more than promised. A proposal by Senate President Steve Sweeney and other leading Senate Democrats thats supported by several Republican would more than double the gasoline tax to 23 cents per gallon. New Jerseys levy is 10.5 cents, and an additional levy of 4 cents on petroleum products gross receipts gets passed to the consumer. The 37.5-cent per gallon tax would still be lower than rates in neighboring New York and Pennsylvania, the proponents say. The bill would fund $20 billion in improvements over a decade, and could be considered by the senate this week. In exchange for raising the cost of gas, the legislation would repeal an estate tax in 2019 and make reductions in other levies. Christie, who unsuccessfully campaigned in the Republican presidential primary on a record of rejecting tax increases, said the offsets dont go far enough in a state ranked third highest nationally by the Tax Foundation for residents state and local tax burden. In turn, some Democrats say the trade-off for the gas tax increase is too pricey. Elimination of the estate tax would be tax injustice, Sen. Raymond Lesniak, D, told reporters in Trenton Wednesday. In criticizing the proposal, they joined Republicans who said in a separate news conference they were against raising the fuels levy for a different reason: cheap gas that produces long lines at highway rest stops near the borders is one of the few areas where New Jersey has a tax advantage. Christie, whose term ends in 2018, isnt proposing a solution to the nearly bankrupt transportation fund. He is instead putting the task on legislators, who also have been loath to increase fuel taxes on their constituents who are legally barred from pumping gas themselves. Only Alaska pays less in gas taxes among U.S. states. Other states have acted to boost their transportation needs. Eight have passed bills to increase their gas taxes last year and two states altered the taxes to limit decreasing collections, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Absent a fix, New Jerseys transportation projects would have to be financed through the states budget, which is already facing a shortfall. That would crowd out other priorities such as aid to municipalities and education, said Dan Belcher, a senior municipal analyst at Columbia Threadneedle Investment Advisers, which owns trust fund securities among its $26 billion in municipals. The gas tax is the most likely source of revenue, he said. While investors have placed their bets that New Jersey would support the transportation trust fund, its unlikely lawmakers would move quickly, said Tamara Lowin, director of research at Rye Brook, New York-based Belle Haven Investments, which oversees $4.8 billion of municipal debt. Finally, both sides of the aisle are acknowledging that the gas tax is the most effective and prudent way to support the Transportation Trust Fund, she said. But a deal would take a lot of fast maneuvering, and that is something New Jersey is not known for. (c) 2016, Bloomberg Romy Varghese The Knesset Ethics Committee has levied a fine of NIS 6,000 against Yesh Atid party leader MK Yair Lapid after the latter failed to attend 32 Knesset sessions, surpassing the permitted number of absences, which is 24, by eight sessions. In his response to the Ethic Committees decision, Lapid explained he views the task of defending the State of Israel in the international arena of vital importance, especially amid stepped-up activities by the BDS movement. As a result, he explains, he was invited to and spoke at many forums abroad and met with European Ministers and this explains his absence from so many sessions. The Ethics Committee however, did not accept his explanation. Political activities and travel for matters of public affairs in Israel and abroad in excess of that which is prescribed by law does not constitute a seasonable justification for the absence of an MK from house. First and foremost, one must remain committed to parliamentary Activity in Knesset, at the very least during the days the plenum is in session. The fine levied on Lapid is low considering the frequency of his absences. It is pointed out that MK (Arab Bloc) Talab Abu Arar was absent 26 times, two more than the permitted number, and was only censured, not fined. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) Mammootty's Rorschach hits all the right notes, except in the end | Movie Review Turkey and Israel will in the coming days announced a resumption of diplomatic ties after the two countries split following the Israel Navy commando raid on the deck of the Marvi Marmara, which tried to break the Israeli marine blockade on Gaza. A number of Turkish nationals were killed on board, leading to the break of the former staunch allies six years ago. There have been recent reports of behind-the-scenes talks and diplomatic probing as the countries seek to restore ties. At one point, Turkey and Israel routinely cooperated and took part in joint military exercises and of course, commerce. According to Turkish media reports, part of the deal to announce normalized ties today includes Israel permitting the completion of a hospital in Gaza in addition to the construction of a power station and water distillation plant. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) MK Moshe Gafne expressed his viewpoint, his continued opposition to the growing trend of Chareidim attending institutions of higher learning. Gafne made his point during a gathering at Bar Ilan University called Chareidim and Israelis. He stated that while he is well aware he cannot prevent it or stop the trend, he does believe anyone attending college, including a religious one like Bar Ilan, will suffer a decline in ones Yiddishkheit and therefore he remains opposed. Gafne has stated in recent media interviews that there cannot be a doubt, that anyone attending a college or university will leave a different person than s/he was upon entering. This he explains is a fact of life and therefore, he cannot join those applauding the chareidi programs in these institutions for he feels that they take a spiritual toll on everyone. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) Three people were arrested when police discovered a weapons cache and ballistic vests in a vehicle on the New Jersey side of the Holland Tunnel on Tuesday, officials told NBC4. Authorities arrested two men in their 50s and a woman in her 30s after finding multiple loaded long-range weapons, handguns, ballistic vests and a camouflage helmet in the vehicle. The trio, who may be from Pennsylvania, was initially stopped for a cracked windshield. A search of the vehicle turned up the weapons. The Joint Terrorism Task Force is assisting the investigation, a source told NBC4. DEVELOPING STORY For three years, Senator Simcha Felder and Assemblyman Mike Simanowitz have been working together to protect the dignity of the deceased. Now the New York State Senate and Assembly have passed their bill to prohibit the release of unclaimed bodies without the consent of the deceaseds spouse or next of kin. Currently, unclaimed bodies can be released after only 48 hours, said Senator Felder. In many cases, family would object to what takes place after the body is released. People want to bury their loved ones according to their own traditions, but by the time they discover their loss, its often too late. Our bill would require the written consent of a spouse or next of kin before an unclaimed body can be released. Our current laws do not protect the religious or personal rights of New Yorkers, said Assemblyman Simanowitz. We have seen repeated cases of unclaimed bodies delivered for dissection without consideration of religious or personal wishes. This has caused much grief for loved ones who are already mourning their loss. Our legislation would ensure that without consent from next of kin or the deceased, all unclaimed bodies would be respectfully buried. This is about respect for the dead its about decency, said Rabbi Yaakov Meyer, Director and Founder of Misaskim in applauding Senator Felders bill. Just as New York State requires a signed consent for donating organs, it should certainly require consent before allowing a body to be used for teaching purposes. Simanowitz and Felder recognized Dr. Barbara Sampson, the Chief Medical Examiner, New York City, as well as Simcha Eichenstein from Mayor de Blasios Office of State Legislative Affairs, for their efforts on behalf of the bill. Im very pleased that both the Senate and Assembly agreed overwhelming that unclaimed bodies should be treated with respect, added Senator Felder. The bill now awaits Governor Cuomos signature. (YWN Desk NYC) TalkTalks elfin femme-daffaires Dido Hardings decision to donate her 220,000 cash bonus to an autism charity is praised. How about she hands a sliver of her additional 2.8m pay packet to her local church? Harding, 48, and hubby, Tory MP and ex-JP Morgan trader John Penrose, 51, infuriated locals in their Somerset village earlier this year by building an outdoor swimming pool covered by a hideous grey zinc roof which overshadowed the neighbouring 15th century Church of St James. Pool row: TalkTalk boss Dido Harding and hubby, Tory MP and ex-JP Morgan trader John Penrose have infuriated locals in their Somerset village earlier this year by building an outdoor swimming pool A generous donation to the collection box might smooth things over with the padre. Google engineers began moving into the internet giants vast new London offices yesterday, built at a cost of 1billion. The 2,000 other workers set to join them in the 11-storey building in Kings Cross will have access to free food, massages and a 90-metre indoor running track. Cookery classes from a chef that used to work with Jamie Oliver will also be on offer. Employees might prefer tips from Googles slippery tax lawyers, whove somehow helped the shadowy tech firm pay a pittance in UK taxes. The Queens once exclusive bankers Coutts & Co, now, alas, popular with D-list celebrities and assorted vulgarians, offers a concierge service for clients. Its for sourcing things for people that they cant get themselves or dont have the time to get, apparently. The bank says it recently helped a customer organise a raucous four-day stag do in Barcelona, pinpointing all the top bars and nightclubs. Bet rascally, ginger-whiskered Coutts customer Prince Harry cant wait to give the service a whirl. London Stock Exchanges chatterbox chief executive Xavier Rolet, 55, was spotted relaxing at Etons annual Fourth of June parents picnic day on Saturday. Im told the extreme sports-loving ex-banker sends his son to the 550-year-old college. British public schools are all the rage with stock exchange chiefs. Monsieur Rolets earnest counterpart and fellow Anglophile at Deutsche Boerse, Carsten Kengeter, 49, sends his children to George Osbornes alma mater St Pauls. Crusty US egghead George Akerlof, 76, is among ten Nobel-prize winning American economists whove signed a letter urging the UK to vote Remain, claiming Britain would be better off economically inside the EU. Word of warning: Akerlof has something of a dog in this fight. He shares a marital four poster with the US Federal Reserves matronly chair Janet Yellen, 69. Healthy trade: Wasabi, which has 45 outlets, has been spending money opening restaurants The UKs love of sushi has cost restaurant chain Wasabi its profits as it expands rapidly across Britain. The chain, which has 45 outlets, has been spending money opening restaurants, with seven more added in the past year. It has seen business soar as Britain has increasingly taken to Japanese food. Wasabi sells sushi as well as hot dishes such as chicken teriyaki. But the massive expansion has hit its bottom line and profit fell 57 per cent to 2.4million in the 12 months to January 2 but sales jumped 14 per cent to 72.7million. The group will continue to expand in the UK and will also trial overseas shops and has opened in New York. It said it has a strong platform for future expansion. Biotech Circassia Pharmaceuticals took a walloping after its experimental drug trial for people with cat allergies collapsed. Oxford-based Circassia in which superstar fund manager Neil Woodford holds a large stake said final stage trials from an up-until-now promising allergy drug reported that 60 per cent of the drugs response had demonstrated a powerful placebo response. Meaning, it seemed to be having an effect, when actually it did not. We are surprised and disappointed by these results. Such a dramatic placebo effect was not a feature of our earlier phase II studies, said Steve Harris, chief executive of Circassia. Biotech firm Circassia Pharmaceuticals took a walloping after its experimental drug trial for people with cat allergies collapsed Meanwhile, Neil Woodford wrote: This is undoubtedly a disappointing development. We had high hopes for this trial and are surprised at its failure, particularly when you consider some of the positive aspects of the trial data. News of the collapse of Circassias cat allergy trial has had a knock on effect on some of the other drugs the business is trying to develop. In its press release, Circassia said it will stop a study of its grass allergy treatment and also halt preparatory work for a study of its ragweed allergy therapy. Circassia floated two years ago at 310p a share, raising 200million, with aspirations to become the next Shire. The company also carried out a fundraising for acquisitions last year, raising 275million at 288p a share via a placing and open offer. Yesterday, however, Circassias shares plunged 66 per cent, or 179.3p to 91p. Woodford, though, attempted to reassure investors in Circassia. He said: It is the nature of the stock market to over-react to negative news, with the immediate reaction typically much greater than long-term fundamentals would justify. That is almost certainly the case here. We remain supportive shareholders. Overall, the FTSE 100 leapt 3pc or 182.91 points to 6204 while the FTSE 250 soared by 3.3 per cent or 537.07 points to 16,959.11 amid hopes Britain will this week vote to remain in the European Union. Mislav Matejka, an analyst at JP Morgan, said: If the UK votes to remain in the European Union there will clearly be a short-term market rebound, especially given the weakness seen over the past two weeks. This would potentially take the market back to the levels from the beginning of June. Once again, banks and housebuilders peppered the leaderboard as dealers looked to pick up shares in companies that had declined on fears Britain would leave the European Union. Lloyds Banking Group perked up 7.6 per cent, or 4.95p to 70p while Taylor Wimpey gained 6.8 per cent, or 12p to 188p. Online stockbroker and wealth manager Hargreaves Lansdown topped the FTSE 100 leaderboard, surging 7.8 per cent, or 96p to 1325p. Elsewhere in the sector, Aberdeen Asset Management moved 6.3 per cent, or 16.7p higher to 283.7p as broker Numis revived takeover speculation with a note arguing any acquirer would have to pay 380p a share, or 5billion, for the business. In the oil sector, HSBC gave BP another push, pointing out the oil major is this week set to host an investor visit to its operations in Azerbaijan. BP, which HSBC rates as a buy, edged up 1.55 per cent, or 5.8p to 379.95p. Satellite operator Inmarsat, which has seen its shares plunge 34 per cent over the last six months, improved 2.6 per cent, or 18p to 727p thanks to a Citigroup upgrade to buy. The broker also increased its price target to 900p from 880p. Rolls-Royce put on 3 per cent, or 19p to 634p even though JP Morgan argued the engineering giant, which has told its employees it would prefer Britain to remain in the European Union, could be a strong beneficiary of a weaker pound if there is a Brexit. It is very possible that a sharp depreciation in sterling (in a Brexit scenario) could have an immediate positive impact on Rolls-Royces shares, said David H Perry, an analyst at JP Morgan. Among the smaller companies, Asos fizzed 5.8 per cent, or 202p higher to 3662p as Exane BNP Paribas published a lengthy and bullish note on the online retailer. The French broker slapped an outperform rating on the company with a 52 price target. Enquest was one of the best performing mid-cap stocks, leaping 11 per cent, or 3.25p to 32p after it denied a newspaper report claiming it was in talks with the Oil and Gas Authority about a deal to rescue the firm from insolvency. The Sunday Telegraph had reported that the Oil and Gas Authority is mulling action to tackle the risk of insolvencies among struggling oil groups Enquest and Premier Oil. Start-up bank Loot is upgrading its offering and launching a prepaid Mastercard account that it hopes will replace a traditional bank account. The latest in a string of 'neo-banks', Loot allows customers to manage their accounts through a smartphone app or online. Loot was initially launched as a student budgeting account with a simple prepaid card, but the 22-year-old founder is hoping a new update will open it up to a wider audience. Loot: Account holders will manage their account via a smartphone app available on Apple and Android phones Account holders will be able to use their phone to access their balance instantly, view daily budgets and divert funds into separate pots to help towards savings goals From today anyone interested will be able to download an app to join a waiting list. The first 25,000 people will then be offered a prepaid contactless Mastercard when the new accounts are ready later this summer. The initial offer was only available to Apple users, but there will now be an Android and web version. The account isn't technically a current account - it's an e-money pre-paid account, issued by Wirecard Solutions Ltd. This means that, unlike holding money in a current account, you won't be protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, which covers up to 75,000 per person if a bank goes bust. However, money held with Loot is ring-fenced in a separate account should it go under. The provider also has an agency banking relationship with Barclays which means there is no noticeable difference between Loot and a traditional bank account, according to founder and chief executive Ollie Purdue. There are already several providers offering an app-based approach to banking including the recent launch of B by Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banks. Other similar challengers include Atom Bank, which was the first to launch via app only, Tandem Bank - set to launch by the end of the year - and Mondo Bank, which is in the process of applying for a banking licence. MEET THE 22-YEAR-OLD FOUNDER OF LOOT GOING HEAD-TO-HEAD WITH THE BANKS Starting early: Ollie Purdue came up with the idea for Loot while at university While most students split their time at university between the pub and the library, Ollie Purdue was putting his time to a different use, coming up with an idea for a new business. The 22-year-old graduated from the University of West England in 2013. During his time studying Law at the University of the West of England, Ollie found traditional student banking wasnt up to scratch. He explained that even when using a specialist budgeting app he was unable to keep track of how much he had to spend. Ollie says: 'When I got paid from my part-time job I couldnt tell if my pay would take me to the end of the month. The banks solution was to get a huge overdraft which wasn't the best idea. 'I tried a bill tracking app which was quite good but was completely manual and would only tell me where I have spent my money previously (basically a pretty transaction list) so I couldnt solve the issue of knowing how far my money would go.' This led to his plan for a new approach, which he put into action when he graduated in 2013. He explains: 'I started Loot to solve that by combining a banking service with smart mobile app so any spends made by the Loot card will be logged by the app and then the app will help you spend, budget and save better. With Loot we can tell you how much you can spend to get to the end of the month and we will help you reach any goals you have in the future.' Loot launched last year, offering a prepaid account designed for students, since which it has signed up more than 5,000 account holders. What do you get? Account holders get a prepaid Mastercard, which can be used to make withdrawals or use to pay in shops. The account also comes with a sort code and account number as normal which means you can set up direct debits and get your wage paid in. You can use the app to check your balance and a new budgeting feature will show banking customers all of their spending grouped into categories. It can also be used to immediately block or unblock your card should it get lost or stolen. The clever tool will also look at your regular outgoings and deposits to calculate how much you could spend each day . Ollie explains: Through our unique categorisation engine we can tell where your money is going and identify how much you are spending on categories like eating out or travel. We can then show you your spending and work out if thats normal. We even budget for you and show you how much you can safely spend. New features will also allow you to compare your average spending with other similar customers, which the company says could help show areas where you may be able to cut down on your spending. For those looking to build up a savings pot, Loot will also allow savings goals and let you divert funds into separate account but one major drawback is that unlike a traditional savings account you wont receive any interest. One of the benefits of the app-based approach is that users can receive push notifications to their smartphone to help them keep track of their balance. And another feature in the pipeline is cashback. Account holders will be able to earn money back when spending with selected retailers but there is no information yet on how much you could earn or who is signed up. What does it cost? There are already several companies offering prepaid accounts, traditionally aimed at those with a poor credit rating who wouldn't be accepted for a mainstream account or who are looking to avoid temptation to borrow by sidestepping a traditional account with an overdraft. Some of these accounts come with monthly fees however, often as much as 15 or 20 per month, for the privilege of tools promising to help you budget or save. While opening a Loot account won't cost you anything, there will be some fees for using your card. The first round of accounts included 75p fees for using an ATM with an extra 20p for checking your balance. However, the updated accounts will only charge for use abroad. As yet the bank has no released the figures for how much this will cost but it claims it will be competitively priced. What are the drawbacks? There is no borrowing facility at all. For some this may be an advantage, helping prevent overdraft fees and paid and returned item charges, which could spiral you further into debt. However, for many it may be inconvenient - particularly if you are using this as your main account. With an account number and sort code you can have wages paid into the account, but otherwise money will have to be deposited - either by bank transfer or by adding cash at a PayPoints, or which there are 28,000 across the UK. This means you may not be able to deposit a cheque, but there are plans to add extra loading methods in the near future. The company has no banking licence and as a prepaid product it is counted as an electronic money product, which means as mentioned previously that you wont be covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Patrick Donachie Google has teamed up with Queens Library to offer computer science classes for children at 26 different locations this summer. The borough is the first in the city to enjoy the program. The launching of the Google CS First program was celebrated during an event held in the Childrens Library Discovery Center at 89-11 Merrick Blvd. in Jamaica Tuesday afternoon. Former New York City Mayor David Dinkins, Queens Library President and CEO Dennis Walcott and William Floyd, Googles head of external affairs, were all on hand to tout the new programs designed to introduce and stimulate childrens creativity and innovation through free computer science clubs. Computer science skills are critical to the success of our youth and our country. By 2020, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts there will be one million more computer science jobs than graduating students who qualify to fill them, Floyd said. Google is proud to work with the Queens Library to educate and empower this next generation through CS education. The Google CS First classes will be run by Queens Library staff and will be open to students in grades 4 through 8, according to the pre-registration site for the classes. Any and all skill levels will be welcome. The CS First program consists of seven different topics, including Animation, Art, Fashion and Design, Friends, Game Design, Music and Sound and Storytelling. Students can see a full listing of classes and pre-register at the Queens Library website, and additional classes and sites will be identified and announced in the fall. Queens Library is also enhancing its teen apprentice program. Teens will receive high school credit and get training in teaching computer science to children, after which they will assist the students enrolled in the summer Google CS First programs. At the event, Walcott lauded the intellectual opportunities and economic benefits that the new classes would afford Queens youth. Offering children computer science activities in a relaxed, informal setting will stimulate their natural curiosity and help develop skills that will be useful to them throughout their academic and professional lives, Walcott said. The public library is the perfect place for exploring. A car bomb attack killed a number of Jordanian border guards in a remote area of the border with Syria on Tuesday in an assault launched from the Syrian territory involving several vehicles, security officials said. The explosives-laden vehicle exploded a few hundred meters from a camp for Syrian refugees in a desolate eastern area of the country where the borders of Iraq, Syria and Jordan meet, a Jordanian army statement said. A Jordanian official source said the attack was launched from the Syrian side of the border. The army said a number of other vehicles used in the attack were destroyed, adding that a number of army personnel had been wounded. The attack that took place at 5.30 a.m. Jordan is a staunch ally of the United States and is taking part in the U.S.-led campaign against Islamic State in Syria, where the jihadist group still controls large areas of territory including much of the east. Earlier this month, five people including three Jordanian intelligence officers were killed in an attack on a security office near the Jordanian capital, Amman. The authorities said that was an isolated incident. The makeshift Rakban refugee camp has since last year seen its population grow exponentially from several thousand to over 50,000 people in recent months as the fighting in Syria intensified, according to relief workers. SOURCE: REUTERS Midwestern State University SHARE By John Ingle of the Times Record News A Wichita Falls-based business is set to become the largest repository of cochlear implant data with a new application development by students at Midwestern State University. Dr. Jed Grisel, a local otolaryngologist and a leadership member with Auditory Implant Initiative, said HiPAA-Secure Encrypted Research Management Evaluation Solutions, or HERMES, was developed specifically to gather data about cochlear implant patients that will allow clinics to track patients across institutional lines, a secure manner share information, and contribute to itemized database that will provide in-depth information on patients who have had the procedure. "One of the problems we have cochlear implants is this fabulous device. We can basically cure deafness. That's awesome. How cool is that, that we can help deaf people hear," he said. "And yet, in the United States, only 5 percent of the implant candidates are actually implanted. We have 1.2 million people in the United States who are deaf, and we've implanted only 70,000 of them." Grisel explained that part of the problem is getting insurance to pay for the procedures, which can be quite costly. Cochlear implants are still considered to be experimental by payers and, therefore, won't cover the devices. What's needed is a database that will provide that information, and Aii is providing the solution. In just nine months, the company has put about 300 patients in their database with a goal of reaching 10,000. This repository of information could have an impact nationally, Grisel said, and spur an increase in the procedure that done roughly 8,000 annually. An even bigger reason to collect the data and have insurers come on board, he said, is because of the positive outcome for patients. "We know that deafness makes people earn less money in their career, has more rapid rates of dementia for elderly deaf people, more increased rates of depression and feelings of isolation," he said. "The quality of life and socioeconomic effects of deafness are huge." HERMES is a cloud-based application that connects with a Danish-produced platform called Noah, "the industry standard in integrated hearing care software," according to Aii. HERMES is able to collect structured data as well as audiograms. Visit aii-hermes.org for more information about the program. Wichita Falls couple arrested in connection with shooting of 8-year-old boy A man and woman were arrested Tuesday in connection with a shooting incident from 2021, that seriously wounded the woman's eight-year-old son. By Christopher Collins of the Times Record News The governors of two more states have joined Texas landmark fight against the federal government in connection with bathroom rights for transgender students, but theyre doing so without support of their own states lawyers. Court records indicate the governors of Mississippi and the commonwealth of Kentucky have now joined other plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the U.S. Departments of Justice, Education and other federal offices. An amended complaint listing the new plaintiffs was filed in the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Texas located in downtown Wichita Falls June 15, though it only appeared on the court docket Monday. The governors joined the lawsuit, which charges the Obama administration with overstepping its bounds in the transgender bathroom debate. The governors do so without the support of their respective attorney generals offices, officials told the Times Record News on Tuesday. In Mississippi, an aide in the attorney generals office told TRN that the state had not officially joined the lawsuit. AG Jim Hood did not give Gov. Phil Bryant the go-ahead to enter into litigation, which means the governor may not use the states legal resources in the case. The Texas AG has filed a broad suit against several federal agencies. Gov. Bryant has now joined the suit on behalf of his office, but not the state, Hood wrote in a statement on his website. I had concerns on issues of standing in the Texas case because no money has been withheld from a school. Moreover, I have a different legal opinion as to how the U.S. Supreme Court will finally decide the issue. The lawsuit was filed in response to Obama administration guidance that schools allow students to use the bathroom that matches their gender identity, regardless of their biological sex. Though not legally binding, the guidance warned that non-compliant schools could lose federal funding. The lawsuits complaint asserts that the directive for state compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 could cause seismic changes in the operation of the nations school districts. Plaintiffs state it is the duty of the federal governments executive branch is to enforce the law of the land, not rewrite it by administrative fiat. In Kentucky, a handler for Attorney General Andy Beshear said the states governor joined the Texas suit without the AG receiving a single phone call from the governor or his attorneys on this matter before a lawsuit was filed. For his part, Kentucky Gov. Matthew Bevin accused his states attorney general as being unwilling to protect control over local issues. The governor of Maine who is also a plaintiff in the lawsuit without state support appears to be in a similar situation. A cursory review of the amended complaint show it to be similar in language to the original complaint filed May 25. Other plaintiffs include the states of Alabama, Wisconsin, West Virgina, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Utah and Georgia, along with the Harrold Independent School District, the Arizona Department of Education and one Arizona school district. TORIN HALSEY/TIMES RECORD NEWS Rebecca Robinson, a volunteer, sorts canned goods at the Floral Heights Community Food Pantry. The non profit will construct a new building across Polk Street from its current location in the Floral Heights United Methodist Church. SHARE TORIN HALSEY/TIMES RECORD NEWS Ronna Prickett, board chair of the Floral Heights Community Food Pantry, talks about the growth the non profit has experienced and the new facility to be built with a grant from Mueller Steel's "Helping Hand" project. TORIN HALSEY/TIMES RECORD NEWS Food pantry board chair Ronna Prickett talks with Ira Littrell as he check bags of groceries at the Floral Heights Community Food Pantry. The organization will be moving to a new location across the street from Floral Heights United Methodist Church soon after receiving a grant to construct a new building. By Judith McGinnis of the Times Record News With a new home in the planning, Floral Heights Community Food Pantry will stay in the neighborhood. What began in the activity center of Floral Heights United Methodist Church in 1979 has grown to be a separate nonprofit located across the street on Polk. "We'd been growing by leaps and bounds," said Ronna Prickett, Floral Heights Community Food Pantry's board chair, which got its 501C3 nonprofit designation about two years ago. Prickett spent years as a volunteer and board member at the church pantry. "The church was ready to remodel and needed the activity space. They were kind enough to donate the land we needed, two lots." The newly formed FHCFP board of directors knew they needed to quickly set the building process in motion. Prickett talked to community foundations and wrote grant applications. One in particular went to Mueller Steel's "Helping Hand" project. Mueller specializes in the construction of metal buildings and other structures. "We applied in May and the Mueller executives came here and visited about the pantry proposal," Prickett said. "Two weeks later we found out we were going to have a 4,000 square foot metal building." Nearly 300 applications had been made for the 2016 Mueller grant; the firm is based in Ballinger, Texas. Prickett and FHCFP board members will visit the metal structure company in late June. The building's foundation, donated by a supporter, will be poured in early October. "I'm just a person, I wasn't trained to write grants," Prickett said, thumbing through the 16-page application made to Helping Hand that included graphics about the 26,531 adults, children, seniors and veterans helped by FHCFP in 2015, financial reports and details on the proposed location. "The day the application was finished I just closed my eyes and pushed 'send'," The Mueller grant will cover the pantry structure. The nonprofit is seeking donations for plumbing, electrical work, HVAC, interior walls and walk-in freezer and refrigerators needed to store perishable purchases from the Wichita Falls Area Food Bank. As word of the FHCFP build has spread, donors and others are getting interested. "Texas County Reporter will begin filming next week. They want to visit during the process, watch the building grow," Prickett said. "On Oct. 6 there will be a big fanfare. Marching band members from all of the high school, the Hirschi color guard, it's going to be amazing." Until the FLCFP building is complete, the Floral Heights UMC will continue to operate its food pantry every week from 9:30 to 11 a.m., Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 2213 Tenth St, on the church's east side. Claire Kowalick/Times Record News The Wichita Falls Independent School District Board of Trustees met Monday evening. SHARE By Claire Kowalick of the Times Record News A professional review of the Wichita Falls Independent School District discovered some room for improvement in the district's services to students with disabilities. Former Director of Special Education Christy Nash presented the report, compiled in the spring by Stetson and Associates, to the board Monday evening. The firm collected data about the district's special education students through classroom observation, interviews, focus groups, faculty and parent surveys, and comparative analysis. Over the course of four days, four analysts observed 89 classrooms on 13 WFISD campuses. They had 107 participants in focus groups, 276 respondents from faculty surveys, 19 responses from parent surveys, and compared the district to nine other school districts in Texas' Region 9 area using Texas Education Agency data. Stetson and Associates focused on four themes in their findings and recommendations. Theme 1 sought to find a common vision for students in the district, shared responsibility, and consistent decision making from staff. In this area, the study found individually, WFISD educators are committed to quality services for students with disabilities, but the district lacks a common vision for student progress. "Decision making for students with disabilities varies from campus to campus," Nash reported from the study. The district could also improve on a unified definition and implementation of inclusion of these students in the classroom. Theme 2 analyzed if the district provided highly effective instruction of all students. Nash reported that while the district met state STAAR targets at the "all-student" level, students with disabilities in the district did not perform well on this test. Stetson associates found planning between general and special educators was limited. Use of accommodations, modifications, and technology as an accommodation was also found to be lacking across the district. The group recommended more staff training about inclusion in the classroom and response to intervention. Stetson staff found specialized classrooms for special education students were capable, but the district needed more collaboration with general classroom teachers. Theme 3 identified staffing and scheduling that supports student success. This area found that WFISD has sufficient staff to meet the needs of this student population, but they recommend additional staff. The district relies on para-educators for help during classroom inclusion and students may benefit from other methods of instruction. Stetson staff found the Content Mastery model used district wide is an inefficient model of support for students with disabilities. Theme 4 questioned if there was clear and consistent support from staff and administration. The Stetson group found professional development had focused heavily on compliance over quality programs for students. Guidelines are developed for campus behavioral adjustment classes (BAC), but the program could use some work. Nash said a grant will allow for two additional special education specialists at the central office that will assist elementary and secondary schools. After the presentation, Board Trustee Bob Payton asked Nash what a letter grade for the report might translate into. "Somewhere in the middle maybe. It is not a D or an F. We are taking care of our kids, but I think we could do better," Nash said. Performance-Based Monitoring Analysis System (PBMAS) is the district's best barometer of student achievement, WFISD Superintendent Michael Kuhrt said. PBMAS monitors targeted benchmarks to check student progress. He said with this report in hand, the district can identify areas where staff can quickly make changes and then formulate a multi-year plan to implement other recommendations. Kuhrt agreed that the content master model is outdated and said the district does plan on phasing CM out to provide better services to district's 1,756 students with disabilities. Nash said Interim Director of Special Education Suzanne Russell will be in charge of implementing any action as a result of the survey. Nash will be the Wichita Falls High School principal beginning in August. In other matters, Trustee Kevin Goldstein said he will not be seeking re-election in November. He said he was saddened to leave the district with so many great things going on, but he was happy to leave on a high note. The board also approved standardized dress for students at Kate Burgess Elementary School. The school sent out a parental survey and out of 267 respondents, 72 percent were in favor of standardized dress. The new dress code will be implemented for the 2016-2017 school year. Kory Watkins, front, coordinator for Open Carry Tarrant County carries his Romanian AK 47 over his shoulder as he and his wife Janie, rear, along with others gather for a demonstration, Thursday, May 29, 2014, in Haltom City, Texas. North Texas gun rights advocates are suing the city of Arlington for amending an ordinance that they claim is discriminatory and infringes upon free speech rights, in the latest sign of growing tensions among gun activists and government forces in Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) SHARE Annetta Weyant, Wichita Falls Did anyone read Judith McGinnis' article in the June 16 Times Record News? "Time to regulate semi-automatic rifles?" She goes on to say semi-auto rifles can't be used for hunting anything but another human being. She also takes issue with a Glock 9mm handgun. But let's get back to the rifle. It's people like this, who don't know what a semi-auto rifle is, who should take a weapons class. Judith, the semi-automatic rifle is any rifle that will shoot once with each pull of the trigger, without reloading. Deer hunters use semi-automatic rifles. A .22 rifle comes in a semi-automatic. That Glock 9mm is also semi-automatic. Most shotguns are semi-automatic. These two weapons handguns and shotguns seem to be the most popular for home protection. You say "marketing semi-automatic rifles, either by retailers or private sellers, is beyond understanding. They are built to kill one shot at a time, tools which only law enforcement or the military have need." Your statement makes no sense. Isn't any weapon bolt, lever, pump, single shot, or semi-automatic built to kill one shot at a time? Well, it could actually take more than one shot to kill, in any situation. As for the 30-40 round magazines ... did you ever talk to anyone about how swiftly a 10-round magazine can be changed? You'll find the difference is only seconds. Terrorists and murderers also use bombs, knives, machetes, clubs, etc. to kill. Terrorists and criminals are going to get weapons, no doubt about it. Taking weapons away from law-abiding citizens will only allow the terrorists and criminals to kill more people. Obama is protected by firearms, yet he wants to take them away from us so we cannot protect ourselves or our loved ones. Disarmament is not the answer. Closing our borders is one way to help keep terrorists, criminals, and drug dealers out of America. Vetting those who are already here and deportation is another answer. There are so many ways to help protect our people but taking away our guns or ammo is not one of them. Educate yourself! SHARE Thanks, Bernie! Your campaign was a long shot from the beginning, but, as many have noted, your more-than-respectable showing in the primary season has pulled the conversation and the political center a little to the left. In fact, the Sanders campaign is particularly welcome this election year, as it serves to balance at least a little the lurch to the right represented by the Trump campaign, which has turned over an American cultural rock and found something ugly underneath. I prefer what the Sanders campaign has brought to light: a reasonably vigorous strain of progressivism supported by a combination of old-time liberals and enthusiastic millennials who never learned to be afraid of the word "socialism." My intention here isn't to make a special case in support of the political left. But the aspirational vision of the Sanders campaign is worth noting for its stark contrast with the status-quo-loving political center and especially its contrast with the Trump campaign, which is dismayingly mean-spirited and exclusionary. Even some Republicans admit that some of Trump's positions and statements are essentially racist. At the heart of the Sanders campaign is an idea that most of us should be able to agree on, more or less: the triumph of the one percent over the last several decades that is, the well-documented and growing disparity of wealth and income isn't a healthy development for the country. Donald Trump might say that the vast economic gains made by the one percent, in comparison with nearly everyone else, are just the natural outcome of what happens when winners compete against losers. And he's managed to convince a small proportion of the electorate that they can be winners, too. Like him. Sanders isn't trying to convince anyone that a genuinely socialist equal redistribution of wealth is the answer. But maybe we can take some measures that will redistribute opportunity and will support the desirable notion that if you're willing to work hard enough you can create for yourself a decent, secure life in the middle class. A number of Sanders' proposals could help with this, but my favorite is "free" college. Just a few decades ago I was able to complete graduate school with zero debt none! Today the average baccalaureate graduate picks up around $30,000 in debt along with her diploma. Of course, its thoughtful proponents understand that "free" college isn't actually free. Some opponents of the notion, however, prefer the term "free" college because it can be easily associated with terms like "freeloader." But "free" college is merely a shifting of some resources from one set of citizens to another in the effort to enhance the common good, as well as the personal good that any individual receives from a college degree. Clearly, when citizens are more educated, everyone benefits. Educated citizens are less likely to wind up in prison or on welfare. And more accessibility to college applies pressure toward closing the gap between the wealthy and the rest of us. But this column isn't about the virtues of "free" college. I'm more interested in the principle that "free" college implies, the idea that the nation is made stronger when resources are pooled in ways that give everybody more opportunity. Other elements of the Sanders' platform universal health care, for example embody this same principle. But since we're talking about college: If the proposal for "free" college aptly embodies the principle that equality of opportunity is good for everybody, certainly Trump University is its antithesis, a scam that depends on high-pressure tactics to squeeze unconscionable amounts of money out of gullible victims in exchange for information of questionable value. This swindle embodies a vision for America, as well. The contrast between Sanders and Trump is dramatic. Chances are, we'll settle for something in between, a decision that is also an expression of a core democratic principle. Still, Sanders did a good job of reminding us of some of the things that made America great to begin with. So, thanks, Bernie. John M. Crisp, an op-ed columnist for Tribune News Service, teaches in the English Department at Del Mar College in Corpus Christi, Texas. Readers may send him email at jcrisp@delmar.edu. SHARE A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the child who fell into the gorilla exhibit at the Cincinnati Zoo. I said the mother was to blame, because she should have been watching the child at all times. The repercussions from that article were momentous: I lost some friends, including a dear one whom I miss and will likely not see again. I was asked to be on CNN, which was pretty darn amazing, because they sent a limousine and had someone do my makeup (which I expect will happen again only when I die). And I got more hate mail than I usually do, which believe me is saying a lot. To put it in terms you might understand, imagine I were Charles Manson and the only people with typewriters were related to Sharon Tate. Then double the number. So I was a little reluctant to weigh in on a similar situation that occurred last week, one that was overshadowed by the horrific massacre in Orlando, Florida, at the Pulse nightclub and which had eerie echoes of what has come to be known as "Gorillagate." A 2-year-old child from Nebraska who was vacationing with his parents was snatched by an alligator and dragged to his death. According to reports, the toddler was standing in about a foot of water within arm's reach of his parents, who at the time were relaxing by the man-made lagoon at Walt Disney's Grand Floridian resort. And yet, it occurred to me that there are levels of negligence, just as there are levels of grief and levels of expectation, and they need to be addressed even if that opens you up to criticism. Because, frankly, not all situations are the same, and not all parents are equally at fault for the injuries to their children. And, frankly, losing your child forever insulates you from the type of criticism that would otherwise be justified if, hypothetically, your toddler fell into a gorilla exhibit because you weren't looking, the gorilla had to be killed and you got your child back to hold and love forever. I'm sorry, but as vocal as I was against the mother in the gorilla case, I can't find it in my heart to say anything negative about the grieving mother from Nebraska. You probably will have the same reaction several Facebook acquaintances had at my refusal to attack this mother for "negligence." One person suggested in a message that I was gun-shy from the reaction to my last piece and was "backing down." This, ironically, was someone who attacked me for being mean to the Cincinnati mom. Someone pointed out that the parents from Nebraska were white, letting that comment hang there in the air like an invisible noose, the better to hang myself with because of my "racism." You'll all remember that the Cincinnati mom was black, and there were accusations that people were critical because she wasn't the perfect white mommy from the suburbs. I expected that reaction, even though I wasn't even aware of the race of the Cincinnati mom until I'd already burned my bridges and accused her of being Negligent Mother of the Century. These are different cases. In the first place, the mother in Cincinnati was not watching her child. But when you pay a lot of money to go to a resort, and you are told you are permitted to hang out by the shores of a man-made lagoon, and the only signs of warning say "No Swimming," it is less reasonable to assume that you or your children are in any danger. My point is that there are tragedies, and there are tragedies, and the ridiculous commentaries from pretentious people about how the Ohio mother was being "crucified" (give me a break) made me realize that self-delusion is the last refuge of hypersensitive parents. Christine M. Flowers is a lawyer and columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News. Readers may send her email at cflowers1961@gmail.com. Claire Kowalick/Times Record News Wichita Falls Parks and Recreation Director Jack Murphy presents two resolutions Tuesday before city council concerning the Lake Wichita project. SHARE By Claire Kowalick of the Times Record News Two resolutions approved by the Wichita Falls City Council Tuesday morning move the vision of an improved Lake Wichita ever closer. One resolution authorized the acceptance of a 50-50 match grant of nearly $500,000 from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. This grant will be used for construction of a boardwalk near the remnants of the old Pavilion. Lake Wichita Revitalization Committee members said they are certain they can raise the matching funds for this project. If the committee cannot come up with the funds, they must forfeit the grant or the city will have to pay the remaining cost. Another action approved a resolution for two additional tasks with Carollo Engineers Inc., which is preparing a 404 permit application for the Army Corps of Engineers. The additional studies will provide a cross-section analysis and chloride study for Lake Wichita. The chloride study will test what levels of salinity the lake can withstand before becoming a danger to aquatic life. In recent years, Lake Wichita has suffered a series of fish kills caused by golden alga blooms, causing the lake to effectively be declared a dead lake. TPWD fish biologist Tom Lang said the quality of water is not sufficient to sustain aquatic life at this time and the department will not restock the lake until the revitalization project is complete. After it is excavated, there are only a couple options for refilling Lake Wichita. Public Works Director Russell Schreiber said the city offered water from Lake Kemp or Lake Diversion, but will not permit use of water from Lake Arrowhead. Both lakes Kemp and Diversion have high salinity levels, which can lead to beneficial conditions for golden alga bloom. Schreiber said when the city coordinated the LWRC, it was never their intention to allow the lake to be refilled with Lake Arrowhead water. The city considered allowing water from the Indirect Potable Reuse system before it goes to Lake Arrowhead, but decided that would lead to unhealthy phosphorus levels in Lake Wichita's water. While the potable watersheds are full right now, Schreiber said everyone who went through the drought can attest to how quickly things can change. "We went from nearly 100 percent full lakes in 2010 down to 19 percent by 2014-2015. The IPR will provide additional raw water to the supply of the potable water system. I think it will be a tremendous boost to the water supply, but we will not utilize that water for a recreational lake," he said. Schrieber said the Lake Wichita project is great and will be a huge benefit to the city, but safeguarding the potable water supply is up upmost importance. "People think water, is water, is water, but Lake Kemp water costs three times as much to make it potable as Arrowhead because it has to go through reverse osmosis. We have to keep the fresher water to maintain our potable water supply for the future," he said. Funds for the two studies totalling $27,600 are already accounted for by the LWRC. Parks and Recreation Director Jack Murphy said This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Join Women@Work for local career tips and networking opportunities HEALTH CARE NEW YORK ONCOLOGY HEMATOLOGY Randi Daniels joined as a nurse practitioner at the Patroon Creek office in Albany. Daniels is certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. ALBANY MEDICAL CENTER Sanjay A. Samy joined the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery. Samy is a fellowship-trained cardiothoracic surgeon who specializes in adult cardiac surgery. MOHAWK AMBULANCE SERVICE Christie Chonski joined as human resource director. Chonski previously served as human resources administrator/generalist at DeCresente Distributing Co. HOMETOWN HEALTH CENTERS Paul Jesep was promoted to chief administrative officer and general counsel, in addition to his role as chief ethics and compliance officer. Jesep's duties include strategic planning, overseeing government relations, serving as chief legal officer crafting contracts and memorandums of understanding, advising the board of directors and the senior executive team and participating in public policy discussions arising from the Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment Program. PROFESSIONS WHITEMAN OSTERMAN & HANNA LLP Alexandra Dobles joined as a summer associate. Dobles attends Pace University School of Law and is the productions editor of the Pace Environmental Law Review. Gabriella Levine joined as a summer associate. Levine attends Albany Law School and is the executive editor of State Constitutional Commentary of the Albany Law Review. Tyler Clark Robbins joined as a summer associate. Robbins attends Albany Law School and the University at Albany and is the managing editor of the Albany Law Review. HESLIN ROTHENBERG FARLEY & MESITI P.C. Nathan B. Davis joined as a patent agent, with a focus on patent preparation and prosecution. Davis previously served as a patent agent at Hoffman Warnick LLC. Amanda J. Webster joined as a patent attorney, focusing on all aspects of patent prosecution before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Webster previously served as a patent attorney in Buffalo. WILSON ELSER Christopher Priore joined the Albany office as an associate in the Commercial Litigation Practice. Priore has experience in the areas of commercial litigation and commercial real estate development and leasing, representing non-institutional mortgage lenders in distressed asset situations, land use and zoning. LABERGE GROUP Nancy L. Costine joined as a community development specialist. Costine has six years of experience in economic and community development, client outreach and nonprofit support services. SERVICES BESTPASS INC. Chuck Ayers was promoted to director of finance. Ayers, who previously served as corporate controller, has nearly 25 years of experience in accounting, budgeting, cash management and financial and strategic planning for both domestic and international operations. LAKE GEORGE REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU Kristen Hanifin joined as director of special events and convention sales. Hanifin is a hospitality and tourism professional with nearly two decades of experience. SARATOGA COUNTY PROSPERITY PARTNERSHIP Shelby Schneider joined as director of business retention and expansion. Schneider, a seasoned economic development professional, will run point on the partnership's new initiative, Business First Saratoga. ALBANY PORT DISTRICT COMMISSION Patrick Jordan joined as general counsel. Jordan, who previously served as deputy corporation counsel at the City of Albany Department of Law, focuses his practice on contracts, business and commercial transactions, real property, environmental concerns, civil litigation, public authorities law and maritime law. Jennifer Patterson This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Show More Show Less 2 of 3 John Carl D'Annibale Show More Show Less 3 of 3 BALLSTON SPA A former employee of Skidmore College who stole more than $258,000 in electronics from the school was sentenced Tuesday to 4 to 12 years in prison. Clifford L. Williams , 47, of Nassau used a college credit card to steal computers, cameras, smart phones and other electronics and had them shipped to his Rensselaer County home. He submitted false receipts, which were discovered during an internal review at the Saratoga Springs college, officials said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Waterford A major parts manufacturer for Jeep says a "bad batch" of adhesive sealant made at the Momentive Performance Materials silicones factory in Waterford could end up costing it $30 million in vehicle repairs. Magna International, which makes parts for most of the world's auto makers, claims that a dozen barrels of defective sealant that Momentive shipped to its power train factory in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico in January 2014 ruined millions of dollars worth of production for Jeep. The sealant, which Magna used to put together transfer cases, wouldn't properly cure, or harden, Magna claims, due to contamination by a chemical known as acetic acid. However, Magna didn't realize the sealant was bad until after it was used in the making of nearly 37,000 transfer cases during the summer of 2014 bound for the massive Chrysler Jeep factory in Detroit. Under normal conditions, the sealant should cure into hardened rubber within 15 minutes. But officials at the Magna factory in Mexico said the bad batch of sealant was taking days to cure. Magna says it spent $8.2 million to repair and replace 9,014 transfer cases made using the bad sealant before they were installed in vehicles at the Jeep factory in Detroit. But Magna says there are still more than 27,000 transfer cases installed in Jeeps made in Detroit that were sold before the problem was uncovered. "Should Fiat Chrysler do so, Magna estimates its total costs will surpass $30 million," Magna's lawyers assert in papers filed this week in federal court in Albany. It is unclear if the defective sealant caused any mechanical defects in any Jeep vehicles or if there had been any leaks in installed transfer cases. Officials with both Magna and Momentive declined comment Tuesday. Magna moved production of the Jeep equipment to Ramos Arizpe from Syracuse in 2010, but Momentive's sealant had been used dating back to at least 2002 without any problems. Transfer cases are used in four wheel drive and all wheel drive vehicles to transfer power from the transmission to the front and rear axles. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. Copies of emails sent between Magna and Momentive employees included as exhibits in the case indicate that both Jeep Grand Cherokee and Wrangler models were assembled with transfer cases using the "suspect batch" of sealant, which was made in Waterford in December 2013. "There will be vehicles on lots and some sold to the public," Grant Church, director of purchasing for Magna Powertrain wrote in an email after the sealant issue was discovered. "This number could reach a total of $40 million." Momentive, which employs about 1,000 people in Waterford, is seeking to have the case dismissed, arguing it was not at fault. Magna says that after it discovered in October of 2014 that the sealant wasn't curing as it was supposed to, it sent its unused barrels of the product back to Momentive. Magna claims that an analysis by Momentive found that the batch contained acetic acid, which would have "inactivated" the sealant's curing capabilities, and may have found its way into the drums bound for Mexico inadvertently during the pigmentation process. However, a copy of the analysis, known as an 8-D report, was placed under seal by the judge in the case at Momentive's request, and Momentive did not address the report's findings in court papers. lrulison@timesunion.com 518-454-5504 @larryrulison This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate London Britain's normally raucous House of Commons was given over to tears, roses and warm tributes Monday as legislators urged an end to angry and divisive politics in honor of their slain colleague Jo Cox, who was killed last week. The British pound and global stock markets surged as shock at the death of the pro-Europe Cox seemed to sap momentum from campaigners fighting for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union. The market surge suggested growing investor confidence that the uncertainty associated with a "leave" vote in Thursday's referendum would be avoided. Betting houses also shortened the odds that Britain would remain in the 28-nation bloc. Referendum campaigning has resumed with a more somber tone after being suspended for three days following the death Cox, who was shot and stabbed to death outside a library in her northern England constituency last Thursday. Police have charged a suspect, Thomas Mair, who gave his name during a weekend court appearance as "death to traitors, freedom for Britain." He appeared in court for a brief hearing by video link Monday from prison, and his lawyer did not seek bail. Mair's motivation is unknown, but the slaying raised concerns about the often vitriolic tone of the referendum campaign, which has exposed bitter divisions about immigration and national identity in Britain. Lawmakers called back from recess for a special session in Cox's memory urged what Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called "a kinder, gentler politics" in the wake of her death. "We all have a responsibility, in this House and beyond, not to whip up hatred and sow division," Corbyn said. Cox's friends and colleagues spoke of her warmth, energy and principles, as her husband Brendan and children aged 5 and 3 watched from the public gallery. A red and a white rose were placed in Cox's spot on the green Commons benches, and each lawmaker wore a white rose, symbol of her home county of Yorkshire. Several legislators choked back tears as they spoke, and many recalled Cox's words in her first Commons speech: "We are far more united and have far more in common with each other than things that divide us." "An attack like this strikes not only at an individual but at our freedom," said Speaker John Bercow. "That is why we assemble here, both to honor Jo and to redouble our dedication to democracy." Washington Under pressure, the Obama administration reversed course Monday and released full transcripts of the 911 calls made by the Orlando, Fla., shooter to police during his June 12 shooting rampage at a gay nightclub. "Unfortunately, the unreleased portions of the transcript that named the terrorist organizations and leaders have caused an unnecessary distraction from the hard work that the FBI and our law enforcement partners have been doing to investigate this heinous crime," the FBI said in a statement Monday afternoon. The Justice Department came under fire Monday after initially releasing edited transcripts that had removed references to the Islamic State, the terrorist group also known as ISIS and ISIL. House Speaker Paul Ryan had immediately called on President Barack Obama to reverse the Justice Department's decision. "This should have never been an issue in the first place," Ryan, R-Wis., said after the full transcript was released. "The attempt to selectively edit the record reflects a broader, more serious problem: this administration's continued attempt to downplay and distract from the threat of radical Islamist extremism. This is unacceptable. To defeat terrorism, we have to be clear-eyed about whom we're fighting." Attorney General Loretta Lynch said Sunday that the federal government edited the transcripts so as to not further the shooter's propaganda and to spare victims and families more pain. "What we're not going to do is further proclaim this man's pledges of allegiance to terrorist groups, and further his propaganda," she said on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday. In conversations with police, Orlando shooter Omar Mateen called himself an Islamic soldier and refused to cooperate with hostage negotiators. Just before the transcripts were released Monday, Arthur Bentley III, U.S. attorney for the middle district of Florida, said "redactions have been made to avoid re-victimizing those who were in the Pulse nightclub during the early morning hours of June 12th." In many other cases of mass shootings, 911 calls and transcripts were released unredacted, though in some cases the release followed a lawsuit. Transcripts were released in the mass shootings in Newtown, Conn., in 2012 and San Bernardino, Calif., in 2015. In Charleston, S.C., a judge released transcripts of 911 calls in the shooting at a historic black church last year after initially withholding them because of concerns about the shooter's trial and the victims' privacy. The city of Orlando has declined to release any part of Mateen's 911 calls. However, it gave copies of them to the FBI. "Nothing you are telling me is surprising to me," said Lucy Dalglish, former executive director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press who now serves as dean of the journalism school at the University of Maryland. Dalglish said federal law applies to the copies once the FBI receives them, and that there were several exemptions Lynch could cite to withhold or edit the transcripts. "You have a much better chance of getting this if the state is controlling it," she said. Republican Florida Gov. Rick Scott had blasted the decision earlier Monday without mentioning Orlando's refusal to release the 911 calls. "I have gone to funerals. I've sat down and cried with the parents. I've gone and visited individuals in the hospitals. They are grieving," Scott told Fox News. "Now, they want answers. If it was my family, I would want answers. We all would like answers. She should release everything that doesn't impact the investigation. I can understand if it impacted the investigation, until this is finished, I get that. But she is not saying that. It doesn't make any sense to me. We have to get serious about destroying ISIS." Old Songs Festival-goers will get a healthy dose of Manx this weekend. Bringing its unique blend of Celtic Folk and indie rock, Barrule made up of three talented young artists, including fiddle player Tomas Callister, accordionist Jamie Smith and bouzouki player Adam Rhodes will be appearing at the annual festival at the Altamont Fairgrounds. The band's roots are far-reaching, both musically and personally. "We've been playing together informally for a long time," says Rhodes "Playing in trad music sessions on the Isle of Man. Tom is a fair bit younger than myself and Jamie, so we've almost watched him growing up; getting better and better at the fiddle. It was about 2011 when we finally decided to make something proper from it and create Barrule." Located in the Irish Sea, the tiny Isle of Man may be unfamiliar to many Americans. Even those who have heard of it in some capacity are most likely to think of Manx as a breed of cat. But instead, Manx is a language, a variation of Irish gaelic, and in recent times it teetered on the edge of extinction. More Information If you go: Old Songs Festival Where: Altamont Fair Grounds, 129 Grand St., Altamont When: Friday to Sunday Admission: See website for ticket pricing and packages Info: http://festival.oldsongs.org/ See More Collapse "The Isle of Man is roughly 30 miles long and 15 miles wide," Rhodes explains, "With around 85,000 inhabitants. It's independent from the UK and isn't in the EU. It has the oldest continuous parliament in the world, set up by the Vikings over a thousand years ago. "For a relatively small country, the Isle of Man has a fantastic music scene," Rhodes goes on. "Its traditional music and culture has been growing in popularity for decades, and I believe we're seeing a bit of a renaissance right now. There's a lot of youngsters playing the music, learning the dances, and also speaking Manx gaelic. In fact, we now have a school on the island that teaches all of its subjects in the Manx language, which is a really good thing." What motivated the members of Barrule to target an international audience? "We felt that there wasn't enough exposure for the music from the island elsewhere in the world," he says. "Irish and Scottish bands regularly tour other countries, and their music is widely recognized throughout the world. We wanted to try and start something similar for Manx music." All three members come from musical families. "Individually, we've all grown up playing traditional music," says Rhodes. "Jamie is originally from Wales, and he grew up playing with his parents' Welsh dance group. Tom grew up playing the fiddle. In fact, I think the first time I saw him play was when he was just 8 years old. I was blown away even then. I also grew up playing the fiddle with my parents' Manx dance group. It was a natural progression from dancing with the group at an early age and then wanting to play music for them as I got older." What sort of influences did the members of Barrule have growing up in such relative isolation? "I think we each have our own influences from growing up listening to music from neighboring countries," Rhodes replies. "There's a great Celtic music festival on the island called Yn Chruinnaght ("The Gathering"), which brings artists from each Celtic country to the island to perform every year. As I grew up going to this festival, I was exposed to bands from all over the Celtic world, including Ireland and Scotland, but also Brittany there's some brilliant bands over there." "As a band we've been touring internationally pretty much from the start," Rhodes says. "I think our first festival gig was actually the Festival Interceltique de Lorient in Brittany, a huge festival that attracts crowds of around 800,000 people every year. Since then, we've frequented Belgium several times, Germany, Australia, Canada, and now the USA." Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. Does the band have any favorite countries they've visited? "We love visiting Belgium, as they're extremely generous with their delicious beer," he says with a chuckle. "But I have to say we're having a blast here in the U.S. The hospitality has been so generous, and the audiences here are really up for having some fun. A lot less reserved than at home!" Barrule has arrived in the States during some unsettling times. How has the group reacted to recent events? "Events in the USA are well reported back home, so when things like the Orlando shootings happen, it's a big deal where we live too," Rhodes says gravely. "It's obviously incredibly sad to witness stuff like this happening, and it does appear to be something that's happening more often. Too often. I think politically, across the world, we're experiencing a bit of history repeating itself. "We don't seem to be very good at learning from past mistakes! Money gets tighter and people stop thinking about the bigger picture. They feel the need to think in terms of 'us and them' in order to protect what they have. Unsettling times, indeed!" Alexander Stern is a frequent contributor to the Times Union. The former owner of the old Gulf service station, at 303 W. Spring St., has proven to the Department of Environmental Protection and Crawford County Court that he cannot follow a 2012 court order to remove the station's underground tanks because he does not have the money to do so. The eyesore station greets people entering town from the west. It sits on the corner of West Spring and Perry streets. The outside is falling apart and the inside is full of garbage. [June 21, 2016] 908 Devices Announces Significant Investments for Life Science Division Following Series C Funding Round 908 Devices, a pioneer of purpose-built analytical devices for chemical analysis, today announced it has made significant investments in its Life Science division, succeeding a prosperous Series C funding round last year. Recent investments include the opening of a new Life Science laboratory in North Carolina, the hiring of a new Life Science leader, and the expansion of the Company's Boston headquarters. Further building upon this growth, the Company has been awarded $165,000 in tax incentives through the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center's Tax Incentive Program. Offered by the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC), the program aims to promote the growth of companies in the Commonwealth that are engaged in Life Science research and development, commercialization and manufacturing. 908 Devices will use the additional capital to continue its momentum and innovation in the Life Science market through the creation of a minimum of 11 new jobs within the Commonwealth. This award comes less than a year after 908 Devices received its Series C funding round, which accelerated the Company's enry into the Life Science market. This original investment is fueling the expansion of resources to meet market demand and supported the introduction of ZipChipTM, an innovative, front-end system that provides seamless, high-quality separation capabilities for traditional mass spectrometers (MS). "With this award from MLSC, we will introduce additional resources that will help our team keep pace with the tremendous demand we are experiencing in the Life Sciences arena," said Dr. Chris Petty, Co-founder & VP of Business Development, 908 Devices. "As a result of these incentives, we will be welcoming new talent to our team, adding vital equipment to our operations and continuing to grow our lab spaces all in an effort to further develop our Life Science portfolio." Since launching the revolutionary ZipChip system earlier this year, the Company has sold and installed systems at multiple leading biopharmaceutical companies, mid-sized biotherapeutics groups and key academic institutions across the U.S. In order to meet demand, 908 Devices has opened a new Life Science center in Carrboro, North Carolina and has expanded its Boston headquarters. The center will focus on Life Science application and product development. In Boston, Dr. Gary Paul has been appointed as the Commercial Leader within the Company's Life Science division. Dr. Paul's primary focus will be helping to bring to market new capabilities for key Life Science applications, such as biotherapeutics characterization and metabolomics studies. "This is an exciting time for 908 Devices," said Gary Paul, Commercial Leader, Life Sciences, 908 Devices. "The company is continuing to grow and innovate, placing it in a strong position to become a key player throughout the Life Science industry. These recent financial investments reinforce the industry's confidence in our technology and will enable us to drive fresh innovation and bring new, game-changing solutions to our customers." To learn more about ZipChip, visit: http://908devices.com/products/zipchip/ or email [email protected]. You can also follow us on Twitter (News - Alert) at @908Devices and on LinkedIn (News - Alert) at https://www.linkedin.com/company/908-devices. About 908 Devices 908 Devices, is democratizing chemical analysis by way of mass spectrometry, offering point-of-need chemical analysis devices ranging from rugged, handheld chemical detection tools to compact, tiny footprint analyzers and fast separation devices. These purpose-built and user-centric devices serve a range of industries including safety and security, oil & gas, life sciences and other applied markets. 908 Devices is headquartered in the heart of Boston where they research, design and manufacture innovative products based on High Pressure Mass SpectrometryTM (HPMS). View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160621005382/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 20, 2016] ADDING MULTIMEDIA Stem Inc., Hawaiian Electric and Hawai'i Department of Education Partner to Bring Energy Monitoring and Management to 250 Public Schools All public elementary, middle, and high schools in the Hawaiian Electric Companies' service territory are receiving new, intelligent, energy-monitoring devices and software through a unique collaboration among Stem, Inc., a California-based leader in software-driven energy storage; Hawaiian Electric Companies; Energy Excelerator and the Hawai'i Department of Education (DOE). This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160620005328/en/ Photos of Stem PowerMonitor and PowerScope displays on laptops and tablets available, as well as photos of Stem installations (Photo: Business Wire) As more public schools add classroom cooling, solar power, efficient lighting and other energy efficiency equipment, balancing costs and energy use become increasingly critical. It will require active monitoring and management of high-use devices like air-conditioning systems. Stem's high-resolution PowerMonitors will collect and transmit real-time energy use and cost data through its associated PowerScope software. Individual schools and DOE energy managers will be able to access this new level of energy data through PowerScope's interactive web-supported applications on laptops, tablets and smart phones to adapt efficiency measures and uncover savings opportunities at each school site. Installation at all public schools on Maui, Lana?i, Moloka'i and Hawai'i Island has been completed, and O'ahu public schools are expected to be complete in the first week of July. "The Hawaii State Department of Education's heat abatement efforts depend on working with energy partners to ensure that we can cool as many classrooms as possible," said Dann Carlson, assistant superintendent for the office of school facilities and upport services. "Stem's software, installed with the support of Hawaiian Electric, will give us the information we need to efficiently and cost-effectively add climate controls to the ultimate benefit of our students, faculty and the broader community." Support for installation of energy monitoring equipment comes in part from Hawaiian Electric Companies' Smart Power for Schools (formerly Sun Power for Schools) program, funded by donations from customers and the utility. Hawaiian Electric will also have access to data from these energy systems to more effectively assist customers and help manage grid operations across the five islands. "Hawaiian Electric is committed to meeting Hawai'i's 100 percent renewable generation goals and continually improving the services we provide," said Shelee Kimura, vice president for corporate planning and business development. "By working with leading technology providers like Stem and through collaborative partnerships like that with the DOE, we will meet our goals cost-effectively and efficiently while enhancing the services available to our valued customers." The collaboration is part of a larger PowerScope Deployment Program offered by Hawaiian Electric to help up to 400 commercial and industrial customers monitor and manage energy use and make wise alternative energy decisions, including selection and right-sizing of PV solar or energy storage systems. Commercial and industrial customers (including private schools) interested in participating should contact their Hawaiian Electric commercial account representative for more information. "This partnership is an outstanding example of utilities, customers and technology providers coming together to support even the loftiest renewable energy goals while benefitting all parties," said John Carrington, Stem Inc.'s CEO. "Stem is excited to provide Hawaiian Electric with this new, advanced service and, at the same time, expand the services offered to our utility customers." This marks Stem's first expansion beyond intelligent energy storage to provide monitoring and management software as a service for utilities and their customers. The collaboration is also supported by the Hawai'i Energy Excelerator, a program of the Pacific International Center for High Technology Research (PICHTR). Last year, Hawaiian Electric and Stem announced another first-of-its-kind collaborative project through the Energy Excelerator to install 1 MW of customer-sited intelligent energy storage on O'ahu to provide additional grid response capability to deal with the variability of solar generation and help customers reduce electricity bills. About Stem, Inc. Stem, a leading provider of intelligent energy storage, combines big data, predictive analytics and energy storage to simultaneously reduce electricity costs for businesses and in aggregate, deliver services to the grid. Stem's software learns a customer's unique energy profile to maximize savings and displays real-time and predicted energy use alongside actionable recommendations. When aggregated, Stem's customer-sited storage network offers flexible, cost-competitive capacity to the grid. Headquartered in Millbrae, California, Stem is funded by a consortium of leading investors including Angeleno Group, Iberdrola, GE Ventures, Constellation Technology Ventures, Total Energy Ventures, Mitsui & Co., Ltd., RWE Supply & Trading and Mithril Capital Management. For more information visit www.stem.com About Hawaiian Electric Hawaiian Electric and its subsidiaries, Maui Electric and Hawaii Electric Light, serve the islands of Oahu, Maui, Lana'i, Moloka'i and Hawai'i Island, home to 95 percent of the people of Hawai'i. Hawaiian Electric's parent company is Hawaiian Electric Industries (NYSE: HE). In a changing world, the Hawaiian Electric Companies are taking the lead in adding renewable energy and developing energy solutions for their customers to achieve a lower cost, clean energy future for Hawai'i. For more information, visit www.hawaiianelectric.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160620005328/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 20, 2016] Grana Y Montero Announces Awarding of Contract for Construction of Schools in 14 Cities in Colombia Grana y Montero S.A.A. (NYSE:GRAM) (BVL:GRAMONC1) ("the Company" or "Grana y Montero") a leading Engineering and Construction company, announced today that it has been awarded the Buena Pro for the project "Group N 2: Design, Technical Studies and Construction contract in the Coffee and Pacific zone which executes the Educational Infrastructure projects in Colombia" for an approximate amount of US$ 135 million with a duration period of 3 years. Its scope is the construction of approximately 3,000 classrooms in several schools distributed in 14 cities within four provinces in the south west of the country. The Ministry of National Education conducted the public bidding through the Educational Infrastructure Financing Fund (FFIE), for the construction and/or renovation of schools throughout Colombia, selecting fourteen cities for the Group N2. This project is part o the strategy for "Colombia mas educada" ("A more educated Colombia"), which is one of the three pillars of the Colombian National Development Plan 2014-2018: "All together for a new country", whose vision for year 2025 is to become the most educated country in Latin America. About Grana y Montero S.A.A. Founded in 1933, Grana y Montero is the only Peruvian engineering and construction company listed on the Lima Stock Exchange since 1997 and in the NYSE since 2013. The Company has participated in the development of major engineering and construction projects in Peru, including large-scale, complex projects in the energy, mining, construction and real estate sectors. It currently has subsidiaries in Chile and Colombia, and has been executing major projects in Panama, Bolivia, Jamaica and Ecuador. By the end of 2015, the Group's international revenues amounted to approximately US$ 600 million. With 83 years of operations, the Company has leveraged its engineering and construction expertise into complementary lines of business, such as the development, ownership, operation and maintenance of infrastructure assets, real estate developments, and the provision of technical services. The Company has significant investments in infrastructure concessions, such as three toll roads and Line 1 of the Lima Metro. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160620006486/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 21, 2016] Ireland's Largest Pub Group Selects PAR Technology's PixelPoint Point-of-Sale Software ParTech, Inc. (PAR), a wholly-owned subsidiary of PAR Technology Corporation (NYSE: PAR), announced today that The Louis Fitzgerald Group has selected PAR PixelPoint POS software platform to streamline efficiency and optimize the guest experience at their various outlets. The Louis Fitzgerald Group, the largest pub group in Ireland, operates some of the best-known bars, restaurants, and hotels across Ireland. CBE, a reseller of PAR POS software and partner of The Louis Fitzgerald Group facilitated the process to find a POS solution that would create better employee and guest experiences. The goal was to develop a streamlined POS system that included inventory management to ultimately better serve employees and customers, with focus on speed of service. The Louis Fitzgerald Group had decided to do a complete overhaul of its IT infrastructure to better support sustainability, scalability and enhance their operations. As a result, an electronic Point of Sale (EPoS) company was sought that held capabilities in installing comprehensive systems, training staff on functionality, while providing quality service and timely support. "We carried out a thorough work-study on the requirements of The Louis Fitzgerald Group and concluded that the PAR PixelPoint POS software was the best fit for their needs," said Michael Gaughan, CBE Area Sales Manager in Dublin. The flexible and customizable PixelPoint software from PAR allows for easy adaptability to a variety of restaurant business models. This solution now enables The Louis Fitzgerald Group to consolidate data from multiple sites and provides access to near real-time metrics. Through help from CBE and PAR, this solution will allow The Louis Fitzgerald Group to make informed, proactive business decisions to drive revenues across their organization. Eddie Fitzgerald stated, "We're incredibly happy to have partnered with PAR and CBE. Tills have been networked to the Head Office for seven or eight years now, but the level of expertise these partners have brought has enabled us to streamline that function." "Helping our customers better serve their customers and optimizing those experiences reside at the foundation of PAR software solutions. PAR PixelPoint is designed to be intuitive, seamlessly deployed, easy to use, allowing fast-growing groups like The Fitzgerald Group to streamline business operations to support their growth," said Karen Sammon, President and CEO of PAR Technology Corporation. CBE has deployed PAR PixelPoint POS software at three Fitzgerald Group locations, with the remaining sites to be implemented in the coming months. The Louis Fitzgerald Group looks to continue its success with focus on employees and customers as they develop other aspects of the business with the help of PAR and CBE. About The Louis Fitzgerald Group Established in 1968, The Louis Fitzgerald Group operates several of Ireland's best known pubs and bars including the Quays pubs in Temple Bar, Stag's Head, Kehoes, and the Big Tree in Dublin. The Group is Ireland's largest hospitality group, employing over 800 team members in locations across Dublin, Kildare, and Galway. The Louis Fitzgerald Group's portfolio includes 15 pubs, three hotels, and seven off-licences. About CBE CBE is one of the leading innovators in retail technology in Europe. For over thirty years, CBE has been delivering excellent service to retailers across the country and a leading supplier of EPoS solutions to the supermarket, convenience, forecourt, hospitality, fashion, pharmacy and general merchandise sectors. About PAR Technology Corporation PAR Technology Corporation's stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol PAR. PAR's Hospitality segment has been a leading provider of restaurant and retail technology for more than 35 years. PAR offers technology solutions for the full spectrum of restaurant operations, from large chain and independent table service restaurants to international quick service chains. Products from PAR also can be found in retailers, cinemas, cruise lines, stadiums and food service companies. PAR's Government Business is a leader in providing computer-based system design, engineering and technical services to the Department of Defense and various federal agencies. For more information visit http://www.partech.com or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter (News - Alert). View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160621005330/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 21, 2016] Posiflex Launches New POS Touch Screen Terminal for Non-Stop Service Posiflex has announced the introduction of its new XT3915, a 15-inch resistive touch screen terminal configured by default with a 128 GB solid state drive (SSD), further improving performance and reliability for non-stop POS service. Additionally, seven of the industry's top retail and hospitality POS developers - 2TouchPOS, Action Systems Inc., Digital Dining, Dinerware, Focus POS, Future POS and pcAmerica - have certified XT3915 for its interoperability. Aloha POS software also has been reseller tested and approved. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160621006199/en/ The XT3915, like the entire Posiflex XT Series Touch Screen Terminals, has a foldable neck to allow from fold flat to full upright position for optimum viewing. (Graphic: Business Wire) "The Heartland suite of retail and hospitality software - Digital Dining, pcAmerica and Dinerware - has always ran reliably on Posiflex touch screen terminals," said Andre Nataf, senior vice president, Heartland Dealer Channel. "Heartland's XT315 certification is based on superior performance and extremely fast touch response. Adding SSD speed to Posiflex's solid legacy of reliability makes the XT3915 a solid terminal choice for the Heartland Dealer channel." The XT3915 comes with 2 GB of RAM (News - Alert), expandable to 8 GB, spill and dust resistance, a folding neck base for optimum viewing adjustment, and a multifunction base for an optional PoweredUSB, 8-port hub, second drive and/or battery backup. With the speed performance of 128 GB SSD and a long legacy of Posiflex quality since 1989, the XT3915 is ideal for retail and hospitality POS touch screen terminal requirements. "The XT3915 with SSD greatly improves the operational speed of 2TouchPOS," said Kevin Bolton, VP 2TouchPOS. "Database I/O for ticket management and disk write logging is much faster than with the traditional hard drive. 2TouchPOS will be even more responsive with the extra performance provided by the XT3915's Intel (News - Alert) Celeron J1900. Additionally, the XT3915 spill resistance is a key feature required in our nightclub and bar environments." According to Action Systems Inc. (ASI) test lab certification reports, during the testing, the XT3915 took just 21 seconds to boot up from cold. This was the fastest time to ready of any unit tested to-date and performance overall was rated exceptional in running Restaurant Manager POS software. Mike Hamm, COO, Focus POS Systems, notes: "Posiflex has been a long time and proven Focus POS partner. As the XT3915 is built upon Posiflex's solid XT Series technology, it comes from a high standard for reliability". Brandon Wermes, Director of Operations, Focus of California, adds: "The new XT3915 boots very fast and runs Focus POS quickly. The layout of the connectors and ability to add an optional 24V PoweredUSB in the base is thoughtfully done to provide clean cable management." Steve Pritchard, VP of Sales with Future POS, said the XT3915 CPU and SSD combination saves power, cooling and cost. "Future POS boots rapidly, and has solid responsiveness and speed. With mid-range performance, and value price, the XT3915 provides a solid and reliable POS option," Pritchard said. Tom Wilson, President of Data Northwest, an Aloha POS Dealer specializing in restaurant solutions, advises, "We tested Aloha software on the XT3915 and it works very well, and runs noticeably faster. Data Northwest has deployed Aloha / Posiflex for years and has a long legacy of reliability with Posiflex." About Posiflex Posiflex since 1989 has provided proven and highly reliable POS terminals to retail and hospitality with maximum uptime. Posiflex POS purpose built terminals are software agnostic and can run virtually any Window's software. Posiflex designs, engineers and manufactures all its own terminals, tables and peripherals in Taiwan. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160621006199/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 21, 2016] Quickly, Fasten is a Ridesharing Success in Austin in Just Two Weeks The ridesharing service Fasten today unveiled preliminary metrics and results from its first two weeks of serving Austin, Texas, the country's 11th-largest city. Fasten received approval to operate as a Transportation Network Company (TNC) Operating Authority from the City of Austin beginning on June 1st, following the departure of the two national market-leaders, both of which were unwilling to comply with regulations related to driver background checks. In analyzing its rider and driver data for Austin, through just over two weeks in Texas' capital city, Fasten has found: It has recruited thousands of drivers; Arrival times (ETA) for Austin passengers have averaged 5 minutes, and will continue to go down as the company continues to add drivers and serve additional geographic regions around Texas' capital; More than 80 percent of riders become return customers, completing two or more rides in just two weeks, despite numerous new vendors entering the market. Riders, which can use Fasten in Boston and Austin, can download the app to their smart device from Apple's App Store or the Google Play Store. "It all starts with drivers. Fasten arrived in Austin to show excellent customer service to drivers and riders alike," said Kirill Edvakov, Fasten's CEO and co-founder. "Our business model empowered us to onboard thousands of drivers in just a few days-critical to fulfill our end goal, a perfect riders' experience, which was previously missing in Austin. From the beginning our average ETA was below 5 minutes, a goal necessary to keep riders and drivers alike happy. And the stats prove it-80 percent of those who tried Fasten are repeat customers. As we continue to expand our geographic reach around Austin, Fasten will roll out new capabilities for drivers and riders alike, while similarly growing in our home base, Boston." Fasten differentiates itself from other TNCs by treating its drivers as customers, not commodities. It is the only TNC charging drivers a flat fee of $0.99 per ride, while others may take 20-30 percent of each fare as a commission. Fasten's drivers are also free to drive for multiple TNCs that operate in their home markets. The company continues to welcome new drivers in Austin and Boston. For Texas drivers, those who sign up using the code ATX do not have to pay the per-ride fee for a month. The Fasten driver signup process is simple and an application can be accessed online at http://fasten.com/d. For riders, pricing is more predictable-fares are illustrated in real-time on the app. Additionally, Fasten does not use the "surge" or similar higher pricing foisted upon all consumers by other TNCs during periods of peak usage, revenue that goes primarily to the TNC, not the driver. Rather, Fasten riders can opt for faster service through the company's unique "boost"-choosing to pay a higher fare, kept by the driver, that accelerates the arrival of a ride. Based in Boston, Fasten began operating in late 2015 and has seen ridership increase 300 percent in the past two months as drivers and riders are choosing Fasten First. New riders in both cities will receive a promotional code they can share. Every time the promotional code is used by a first-time Fasten rider, users will be eligible to receive credit of up to $15 off a single ride. About Fasten Fasten is the Boston-based ridesharing service that puts drivers first and charges riders less. Available in Boston and Austin, Texas, it improves ridesharing by putting fairness and transparency before profits. Learn more at http://fasten.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160621005889/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 21, 2016] Western Union Grows in Mexico: Funds Payout to Millions of Accounts The Western Union (News - Alert) Company (NYSE: WU), a leader in global payments, has grown its reach in Mexico with the ability to send money from the United States directly into nearly all bank accounts in Mexico1, amplifying funds-out options in the fourth largest remittance market in the world. Customers in the United States can now send money via the Western Union mobile app, westernunion.com and retail Agent location channels, directly into millions of bank accounts in Mexico. The company has also significantly increased the amount of Western Union Agent locations in Mexico to nearly 13,600-adding 3,200 locations in 2015, across the Western Union, Vigo and Orlandi ValutaSM brands-giving customers more options for cash pick-up across urban, rural and remote Mexico. Based on Banco de Mexico data, Western Union's U.S.-to-Mexico transaction and principal growth has outpaced the market. The amount of money customers send through all three brands has been growing ahead of the market for twelve consecutive quarters, while transactions have grown for more than eleven consecutive quarters. During the same periods, the Mexico market grew on average five percent in principal and seven percent in transactions. "Our market familiarity, multi-channel and multi-brand advantages centered on meeting customer needs are driving the company's performance in Western Union's largest international corridor and one of the oldest remittance markets in the world," said Odilon Almeida, President of the Americas and European Union. "With activation of account payouts in the U.S.-to-Mexico corridor, our customers have the choice of using retail Agent locations in the first or last mile, or using digital channels, wherever they are, 24/7," Almeida said. "Our advancing cross-border FinTech capability is appealing to both existing and new bank-centric and tech-savvy customers and it is helping us to realize our vision. We are connecting more people, across more channels, with speed and ease," he added. In the U.S., Western Union is attractng a new category of digital savvy customers who are increasingly using the Western Union mobile app and westernunion.com to send money to Mexico. This is in addition to existing customers using the Western Union, Vigo and Orlandi Valuta retail Agent network. Western Union has grown together with Mexico for more than two decades. The company's expanding retail presence in Mexico emphasizes convenience, and now account payout is appealing to a banked population, which has grown to 40 percent from 27 percent three years ago. Mexico has a long tradition of international migration, with more than 13.2 million or 9.4 percent of its native population living overseas2. According to the World Bank, Mexico-United States is the largest migration corridor in the world3. In 2015, remittances to Mexico totaled USD$24.8 billion, according to Banco de Mexico, growing 4.75 percent over 2014. While U.S. senders account for more than 90 percent of the money moved into Mexico, Western Union transferred money to Mexico from more than 180 countries last year. Funds are primarily used for food, housing and education. There are more than 80 million bank accounts in Mexico, according to the National Banking and Stock Commission. Western Union offers account payout to major remittance receiving countries around the world, including India, China, Philippines, Nigeria, Egypt, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Vietnam. This capability gives cash, bank and tech-centric customers the choice to send money directly into accounts in more than 50 countries. About Western Union The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) is a leader in global payment services. Together with its Vigo, Orlandi Valuta, Pago Facil and Western Union Business Solutions branded payment services, Western Union provides consumers and businesses with fast, reliable and convenient ways to send and receive money around the world, to send payments and to purchase money orders. As of March 31, 2016, the Western Union, Vigo and Orlandi Valuta branded services were offered through a combined network of over 500,000 agent locations in 200 countries and territories and over 100,000 ATMs and kiosks, and included the capability to send money to over a billion accounts. In 2015, The Western Union Company completed 262 million consumer-to-consumer transactions worldwide, moving $82 billion of principal between consumers, and 508 million business payments. For more information, visit www.westernunion.com. WU-G WU-F ___________________________________ 1 Source (News - Alert): Secretaria de Hacienda y Credito Publico de Mexico. 040-4A-R30 2 Source: United Nations PD, International Migrant Stock 2015 estimates 3 Source: World Bank Migration and Development Brief 26 View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160621005469/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 20, 2016] FreeWave Technologies Partners With Baud Telecom Company, Rolls Out WavePro Installation With Saudi Electricity Company BEIJING, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- FreeWave Technologies (www.freewave.com), a leader in industrial, secure Machine to Machine (M2M) and Internet of Things (IoT) wireless networking solutions, today announced a strategic partnership with Baud Telecom Company (http://www.btc.com.sa/home.html), one of the largest integrated ICT solution providers in the Middle East. FreeWave and Baud Telecom Company have recently combined their expertise to deliver an extremely rugged, yet flexible, industrial IoT networking solution for Saudi Electricity Company (SEC). SEC was the first customer to certify and deploy FreeWave's new WavePro (WP201) shorthaul Point- to-Point and Wi-Fi hotspot platform (http://go.freewave.com/l/68372/2015-12-16/37myq8). Installed since October 2015 with 100 percent uptime, WavePro provides SEC (https://www.se.com.sa/en-us/) with an outdoor self-healing network at a remote power plant, enabling the secure collection, control and transport of Voice, Video, Data and Sensor data (VVDS). Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130605/LA27345LOGO "Our customers demand that we deliver the best ICT solutions and services available, and therefore we must be highly selective in the partnerships we create," explained Omar Al Charif, Telecom Business Unit Manager for BTC. "After rigorous review of many alternatives, we are excited to partner with a reputable industrial IoT communication technology partner such as FreeWave, and are confident that we'll be able bring the value, high performance, security and reliability that our customers expect." The first project for Baud Telecom Company and FreeWave was to provide SEC, the prmier power provider in the Gulf, with reliable and secure IoT networking at a remote power plant site in the desert. With constant sand blasts and temperatures rising to 65 degrees Centigrade (145 degrees Fahrenheit), the need to deploy extremely rugged field systems is a must. Additionally, the significant amount of metal located at the power plant made it even more difficult for radio frequency (RF) based communications to work effectively. Despite these challenges, BTC and FreeWave were able to successfully and rapidly deploy a WavePro network to solve the following industrial IoT applications: Self-healing Wi-Fi mesh network over the power plant Voice over IP (VoIP) communications Security camera control and video transport back to a central monitoring center SCADA networking for monitoring the inbound water quality for cooling applications AMI backhaul networking to help manage energy consumption within the smart grid Wi-Fi hotspot for the residents of the neighboring village Abdul Aziz Al Sultan, telecom engineering and substation automation department manager at SEC/NG SA, said: "We require a robust solution for time-critical applications. With FreeWave WavePro, we are confident that we have found a reliable and flexible platform that can be deployed quickly and cost-effectively integrated into our network." By incorporating dual-band, concurrently operational radios (2.4GHz and 5GHz) into an IP67 enclosure, WavePro brings industrial-grade communications to the harshest of environments without fail. It's an ideal field area network solution for oil and gas, utilities, mining, power plants, municipalities, disaster recovery and many other industrial applications. WavePro is also a global solution, homologating in a number of countries beyond the USA including Canada, LATAM, the Middle East, the Far East and Europe. For more information, please visit: (http://go.freewave.com/l/68372/2015-12-16/37myq8). "Being able to partner with the premier systems integrator in the Middle East is a significant step forward for FreeWave," said Kim Niederman, CEO of FreeWave. "We are thrilled for the opportunity to work with Baud Telecom Company and its customers, as we strive to help solve the most complex and demanding industrial IoT networking applications in the world." About FreeWave Technologies FreeWave Technologies (www.freewave.com) is a leading provider of wireless Machine to Machine (M2M) solutions that deliver reliable access to data for leading companies in the industrial Internet of Things (IoT) markets. As the #1 provider of wireless IIoT to the oil and gas industry, FreeWave's fast, flexible and easy-to-deploy solutions streamline connectivity over long distances to also create significant operational efficiencies for government, defense and UAV/Drone contractors, agriculture equipment manufacturers, energy and smart grid networks, municipalities and more. With 20-plus years of experience in the M2M market and millions of radios deployed in the field, customers repeatedly turn to FreeWave to maximize their value in connecting M2M devices to optimize real-time decision making. Media Contact: Jeremy Douglas Catapult PR-IR 303-581-7760 ext. 16 [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 20, 2016] BFM Signs MOU with DTDC and DCG to Build a Powerful New eCommerce Platform in India HONG KONG, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- BFM, a rapidly rising new player in eCommerce in China, announced today that it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with DTDC, India's largest express delivery network, and DCG Tech Limited, an eCommerce tech company founded by DTDC's Promoters and Directors, to jointly develop an eCommerce business in India. According to the MOU with a non-compete clause, a Joint Venture will be formed to build an eCommerce platform. The cooperation aims to engage the experiences and resources of the companies to allow sellers mainly from India and China to introduce their products to buyers all over the world. Through the cmbined effort, a new online platform (BFMe.in) targets to facilitate logistics and fulfillment with the support of DTDC's international network. BFM will provide marketing and supplier resources in China. Together with DCG Tech, BFM will also provide the knowhow in operating the eCommerce website. About BFM International Company Limited BFM International Company Limited is an eCommerce company. The core management team comes from the eCommerce giant players in China and is now extending its cross border eCommerce business in China and India. About DTDC Express Limited DTDC Express Limited, a strategic partner of DPD Group, is the largest express delivery company in India. It has been operating over 25 years and covers 10,000 locations. About DCG Tech Limited DCG Tech Limited is an established eCommerce Tech company operating in India for the last 10 years. The company provides online Corporate, promotions and Packaging Solutions for Indian eCommerce and Logistics Industry. Media Contact: Elaine WONG Head of Overseas Business Development Email: [email protected] Tel: +852-3709-3777 [June 21, 2016] TCS Wins Major Business Process Services Award in Asia Pacific SINGAPORE and MUMBAI, India, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Tata Consultancy Services (BSE: 532540, NSE: TCS), a leading IT services, consulting and business solutions organization, today announced it has been recognized as the Asia Pacific Business Process Management Solutions Provider of the Year 2016 by Frost & Sullivan at the research firm's annual Asia Pacific ICT Awards in Singapore. Shuishan Lu, Industry Analyst ICT Practice - Asia Pacific, Frost & Sullivan: "Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is dedicated in offering service positioned to drive organizations' business excellence, aligned to their imperatives and delivered through a comprehensive business engagement model. With a strong global delivery footprint across industries, TCS successfully differentiated itself to help customers achieve operational efficiency through automation, analytics and business process management services. This guaranteed TCS' sustainable growth and leadership position in the BPM solutions space." Dinanath Kholkhar, Vice President & Global Head of TCS Business Process Services (BPS): "Being named as Asia Pacific Business Process Management Solutions Provider of the Year 2016 is a great honor and huge endorsement for the TCS Business Process Services organization. Asia Pacific is a cornerstone of our global operations, and is growing at a substantial rate - this award is a direct reflection of our commitment to innovation, driving business value and impact as well as the highest levels of quality and service to our clients around the region". Girish Ramachandran, President of TCS Asia Pacific: "It's a great honor to be named Asia Pacific Business Management Solutions Provider of the Year 2016 by Frost & Sullivan, for the fourth time, in the past six years. TCS BPS operations are growing substantially in the region, and the award reflects the outstanding work we are doing for regional and global clients, serviced by our dynamic teams in Philippines, China, India and elsewhere." TCS has been named the recipient of the Frost & Sullivan ICT Award for Asia Pacific Business Process Management Solutions Provider of the Year Award and prior iterations in 2015, 2014 and 2012. As stated by Frost, the 2015 award was based on TCS' commitment to innovation, business insights, and enhanced customer value. According to Frost & Sullivan, the ICT awards recognize companies demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development their business segments, and their effort to improve the industry as a whole. The ICT Awards are selected by a panel of 30 analysts and industry leaders. TCS has large-scale and fast-growing Business Process Services operations in the Asia Pacific region, employing multiple thousands of employees in the Philippines, China, India and other locations, and delivering a broad range of multi-lingual up-stream services to customers in Asia Pacific and around the world. About Frost & Sullivan Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. Our "Growth Partnership" supports clients by addressing these opportunities and incorporating two key elements driving visionary innovation: The Integrated Value Proposition and The Partnership Infrastructure. The Integrated Value Proposition provides support to our clients throughout all phases of their journey to visionary innovation including: research, analysis, strategy, vision, innovation and implementation. provides support to our clients throughout all phases of their journey to visionary innovation including: research, analysis, strategy, vision, innovation and implementation. The Partnership Infrastructure is entirely unique as it constructs the foundation upon which visionary innovation becomes possible. This includes our 360 degree research, comprehensive industry coverage, career best practices as well as our global footprint of more than 40 offices. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Is your organisation prepared for the next profound wave of industry convergence, disruptive technologies, increasing competitive intensity, Mega Trends, breakthrough best practices, changing customer dynamics and emerging economies? About TCS BPS Enterprises are looking to drive sustainable growth and profitability, and stay relevant to their customers in increasingly regulated, competitive, and global markets. TCS fosters proactive and strategic partnerships with its clients to achieve these goals. Our ValueBPSTM approach helps enterprises achieve significant and sustained business outcomes by leveraging our deep domain expertise and operations redesign methodologies such as FORETM. Our approach also encompasses robotic process automation (RPA), analytics and insights, our unique IT-BPS synergy, Business Process as a Service (BPaaS) models, and business process management (BPM). TCS' Business Process Services include core industry-specific processes, analytics and insights, as well as enterprise services such as finance and accounting, HR, and supply chain management. Our cross-industry solutions ensure faster realization of business value. TCS has consistently been recognized as the leader in various service lines by leading analyst firms. More: www.tcs.com/business-process-services/ About Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. (TCS) Tata Consultancy Services is an IT services, consulting and business solutions organization that delivers real results to global business, ensuring a level of certainty no other firm can match. TCS offers a consulting-led, integrated portfolio of IT, BPS,infrastructure, engineering and assurance services. This is delivered through its unique Global Network Delivery Model, recognized as the benchmark of excellence in software development. A part of the Tata group, India's largest industrial conglomerate, TCS has over 353,000 of the world's best-trained consultants in 46 countries. The company generated consolidated revenues of US $16.5 billion for year ended March 31, 2016 and is listed on the National Stock Exchange and Bombay Stock Exchange in India. For more information, visit us at www.tcs.com. To stay up-to-date on TCS news in Asia Pacific, follow @TCS_AsiaPacific. For TCS global news, follow @TCS_News [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 21, 2016] SES: Satellite is Vital to Success of Future Video Landscape SES (News - Alert) S.A. (Euronext Paris:SESG) (LuxX:SESG) considers satellite vital to the success of the future video landscape and provides the answer to delivering high quality video, anywhere, and to any device. This solution is detailed in the new SES White Paper (News - Alert) published at its Investor Days event today "Satellite Captures the Wave of Video Growth". The White Paper details SES's strategy in Video, and champions using a hybrid network to meet the high quality video demands of today's viewing public. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160621005684/en/ SES: Satellite is Vital to Success of Future Video Landscape (Photo: Business Wire) SES looks towards the future, addressing the RR Media acquisition in the White Paper. RR Media, based in Tel Aviv, is a digital media services company. Earlier this year SES announced its intent to merge RR Media with SPS, SES's media services subsidiary. "The new company will support over 900 customers, 440 playout channels, 1,000 TV channels, and over 100 VoD platforms including Netflix, Amazon, iTunes, and Hulu (News - Alert)," SES writes. "Technical infrastructure such as data centres, playouts, and teleports will be managed across the globe." SES goes further to consider the changing viewing behaviors globally, and details the value of a hybrid satellite/terrestrial network in this landscape. "Delivering one HD movie via terrestrial broadband to 2,500,000 viewers could cost thousands of euros. This compares to around EUR 10 to deliver one HD movie over satellite to a countless number of viewers, limited only by the boundaries of the satellite footprint," the White Paer explains. "This demand for quality and the delivery methods it requires is a key factor that makes satellite vital to the success of the future video landscape." Read the full White Paper here. Follow us on: Twitter (News - Alert): https://twitter.com/SES_Satellites Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SES.YourSatelliteCompany YouTube (News - Alert): http://www.youtube.com/SESVideoChannel Blog: http://www.ses.com/blog SES Pictures are available under http://www.ses.com/21472913/Our_Pictures SES White papers are available under http://www.ses.com/18681915/white-papers About SES SES (Euronext Paris:SESG) (LuxX:SESG) is the world-leading satellite operator with a fleet of more than 50 geostationary satellites. The company provides satellite communications services to broadcasters, content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators and business and governmental organisations worldwide. SES stands for long-lasting business relationships, high-quality service and excellence in the satellite industry. The culturally diverse regional teams of SES are located around the globe and work closely with customers to meet their specific satellite bandwidth and service requirements. SES holds a participation in O3b Networks, a next generation satellite network combining the reach of satellite with the speed of fibre. Further information available at: www.ses.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160621005684/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 21, 2016] Call for Entries Now Open for the 2016 1to1 Media Customer Champions Awards STAMFORD, Conn., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- 1to1 Media invites leaders in the customer experience community to nominate candidates for the annual 2016 1to1 Media Customer Champions Awards. 1to1 Media recognizes business leaders from all industries, backgrounds, and company sizes who demonstrate a commitment to customers, balance customer and company needs, and support a team of people dedicated to delivering a compelling, profitable customer experience. The annual 1to1 Media Customer Champions Awards highlight the personal successes of business leaders who have helped to advance their organizations' customer experience efforts. These passionate customer evangelists have raised the bar for customer experience in their organizations. Past winners represent companies that include: T-Mobile JetBlue Google Macy's Verizon Wells Fargo And many more! 1to1 Media Editor-in-Chief Mila D'Antonio calls the program "the ultimate honor for customer experience leaders." Winners have shown a real commitment to driving their customer-focused strategies ahead and have proven results. "Our community of winners are exceptional leaders whose innovative ideas, strategies, and process plans represent the pinnacle of customer experience," said D'Antonio. "Customer Champions are the people who leadersacross all industries can look up to for inspiration." Nominate Your 1to1 Media Customer Champion Today Complete the automated entry form and tell us why that person is a Customer Champion. The deadline is September 5, 2016 For more information about the 1to1 Media Customer Champions Awards, visit http://go.1to1media.com/champs2016 or contact our program coordinator Brent Hathaway at [email protected] Note: Technology and software providers in the Customer Strategy space are not permitted to enter. About 1to1 Media 1to1 Media is the trusted online resource of customer experience content that helps elevate organizations' customer strategies. 1to1 Media's award-winning editors produce in-depth and provocative features and case studies, as well as infographics, blogs, whitepapers, and e-books that cover the latest trends and insights in customer experience. Topics focus on customer service, marketing, employee engagement, sales effectiveness and customer loyalty. Subscribers of 1to1 Media's Weekly Digest get preferred access to all of 1to1 Media's compelling content. Start your complimentary subscription today to keep pace with evolving trends in customer experience. Click here to subscribe Backed by Peppers & Rogers Group, a global leader in customer strategy and relationship marketing, 1to1 Media combines thought leadership, field experience, and editorial expertise to deliver actionable content to its audience of more than 130,000 decision-makers. CONTACT: Mila D'Antonio Editor-in-Chief, 1to1 Media [email protected] To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/call-for-entries-now-open-for-the-2016-1to1-media-customer-champions-awards-300286699.html SOURCE 1to1 Media [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 21, 2016] Legrand Sets the Standard for Wireless Lighting Control with New Vantage Keypad OREM, Utah, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Legrand, North America today announced the release of a new two-button, programmable keypad to provide wireless, full scene control. The Vantage RadioLink EasyTouch II keypad is perfect for transition areas such as corridors and hallways in modern luxury homes, hotels, and offices. The new keypad provides seamless scalability and is designed for quick installation without the need to run new wires. RadioLink EasyTouch II can be used in retrofit projects to replace standard 3- or 4-way switches. The keypad also fits the needs of any new construction project; with its robust communication protocol, incremental system expansionbased on user need and growthis greatly simplified. In addition, the proprietary Vantage wireless two-way communication protocol provides fully synchronized on/off and ramp up/down of lighting loads for whole home applications. Keypad-to-controller communication distances are significantly greater than traditional repeater based wireless solutions. RadioLink EasyTouch II keypads feature: Laser engraved button text with full range, RGB, adjustable backlighting Multi-event programming and control of discreet loads or scenes on a single button Hidden, ambient light and IR sensors Instant response to button press, regardless of system size Consistent look and feel with other EasyTuch II keypad stations Custom color options to mix or match finishes for trims, buttons, and faceplates Andrew Wale , vice president of product marketing for Legrand's Building Control Systems division. "It's about delivering the best experience by offering cutting edge products like our new keypad. Like all products in the EasyTouch II aesthetic range, this keypad combines contemporary aesthetics and functionality that complement any lighting project." To learn more about the RadioLink EasyTouch II keypad please visit dealer.vantagecontrols.com. About Vantage Vantage, a Legrand group brand, is a leading manufacturer of intelligent, energy efficient lighting control systems for luxury residential and commercial applications. For more than 30 years, Vantage has employed the latest technologies in its products to create fully integrated, easy-to-use lighting automation solutions that save energy, comply with energy codes, and meet green initiatives. Vantage has been part of the Legrand group since its acquisition in 2006. For more information, visit http://www.vantagecontrols.com. About Legrand Legrand is the global specialist in electrical and digital building infrastructures. Its comprehensive offering of solutions for use in commercial, industrial, and residential markets makes it a benchmark for customers worldwide. Innovation for a steady flow of new products with high added value is a prime vector for growth, including in particular connectable products, enhancing value in use. Legrand reported sales of $5.3 billion in 2015. Legrand has a strong presence in North America, with a portfolio of well-known product lines that include C2G, Cablofil, Electrorack, Middle Atlantic, Nuvo, On-Q, Ortronics, Pass & Seymour, QMotion, Quiktron, Raritan, Vantage, Wattstopper, and Wiremold. Legrand is listed on Euronext Paris and is a component stock of indexes including the CAC40, FTSE4Good, MSCI World, ASPI, Corporate Oekom Rating, and DJSI (ISIN code FR0010307819). www.legrand.com. Media Contact: Reid Cram, Vantage PR 801-226-4522 [email protected] To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/legrand-sets-the-standard-for-wireless-lighting-control-with-new-vantage-keypad-300285640.html SOURCE Legrand [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 21, 2016] ETA FinTech Event Series Hits Atlanta WASHINGTON, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Electronic Transactions Association (ETA), the global trade association representing the payments technology industry, will host Atlanta's fintech world on the campus of Georgia Tech at TRANSACT Tech ATL on June 28. TRANSACT Tech ATL brings merchants, tech companies, investment and VC firms, and financial institutions together for a full day of fintech education and networking. Topics include startup disruption and innovation, how to invest in payments, the merchant perspective, and the evolution of financial technology. Space is limited, and registration is open at: http://www.electran.org/conferences-events/2016-transact-tech-atl/. "Payments technology is changing rapidly in Atlanta and across the country," said ETA CEO Jason Oxman. "TRANSACT Tech ATL is a unique opportunity for industry executives to make new connections and keep their businesses relevant, secure and growing." As the nonprofit trade association of the payments technology industry, ETA represents more than five hundred of the world's largest and most innovative companies. From partnerships between banks and startups to peerto-peer lending, financial institutions, merchants and tech companies are linking up to revolutionize this growing industry. TRANSACT Tech ATL lets industry titans connect with innovative disruptors and delve into the future of financial services. Event highlights include: Disruption and Innovation featuring ATDC FinTech Entrepreneur in Residence Thiago Olsen and CEOs from innovative start-ups including Split, GreenLight Me, and Funding University featuring ATDC FinTech Entrepreneur in Residence Thiago Olsen and CEOs from innovative start-ups including Split, GreenLight Me, and Funding University Investing in the Payments Landscape with Payscape Co-CEO and CFO Adam Bloomston with Payscape Co-CEO and CFO The Merchant Perspective on Payments featuring The Home Depot and RaceTrac featuring The Home Depot and RaceTrac Cybersecurity of the Future: How to Stay One Step Ahead of the Hackers The Evolution of the Processors - a discussion with industry titans on changing consumer and industry needs. Transaction Tech ATL is the latest in ETA's series of networking and educational events in the fast-growing technology hubs around the country. Registration is now open, with rates starting at $49.00. Onsite registration will also be available. Questions? Press Inquiries: Meghan Cieslak at [email protected]/ 202.677.7406. Sponsorships: Laurin Talley Ensslin at [email protected]/ 202.677.7410 Event Content/ Speaking Opportunities: Rori Ferensic at [email protected]/ 202.677.7405. Membership: Del Baker Robertson at [email protected]/ 202.677.7404. About ETA The Electronic Transactions Association (ETA) is the global trade association representing more than 500 payments and technology companies. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/eta-fintech-event-series-hits-atlanta-300287866.html SOURCE ETA [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 21, 2016] ITAC Women on Boards Registry a Solution to lack of ICT Board Diversity Imbalance of women in leadership on Canadian ICT Boards at heart of Diversity Initiative TORONTO, June 21, 2016 /CNW/ - The Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC) is pleased to announce the launch of the ITAC Women on Boards Registry, Canada's first registry profiling 33 Board-ready, Technology experienced women who are qualified and interested in board of directors appointment. Technology executives were invited to a series of "Board Discovery Days" where they heard from educators, experienced corporate directors and thought leaders on board governance. In 2008, ITAC recognized the importance of gender diversity in Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) companies in Canada, including a necessary push at the Board of Directors level, believing that diverse boards produce better run and more successful companies. The industry association not only encouraged their member companies to become more diverse, but they followed their own advice and brought their national board to 30% women. When there was no meaningful movement on the issue, ITAC commissioned a white paper to better understand the dynamics of the gender diversity board debate. The 2013 white paper written by Karen Wensley, Gender Diversity of Boards of Directors of Canadian ICT Companies cited a few obstacles: CEO's and Nominating Committees didn't have many women in their leaderships' network and they didn't know where to look to find them. In December 2015, there were 37 (9.2%) women directors on TSX Tech 60 Company Boards which is less than 10% of total Board seats; 11 were from the US and 26 (6.5%) were from Canada. The ITAC Women on Boards Registry effectively doubles the number of women directors available in Canada to serve on public ICT companies, or any other Canadian company needing technology savvy board members. And what company today does not need that? "One of the four pillars ITAC has identified to address gender diversity is the ITAC Women on Boards Initiative", noted Robert Watson, President and CEO, ITAC. "As an industry association we need to demonstrate leadership and support initiatives important to Canada's technology companies, and feel this robust registry will help companies overcome the obstacles uncovered in our research. The response has been so positive we expect to double the number of women by the year end." "It is widely understood that diverse boards are better boards, diverse boards deliver improved financial results and it is increasingly accepted that without diversity, innovation is virtually impossible," stated Mary Whittle, Chair, ITAC Women on Boards Committee. "Canada had a poor showing on Innovation in the recent World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Ranking 2015/2016 report and with less than 10% female representation on ICT industry boards, the connection between diversity driving innovation seems to be abundantly clear. This registry was built to assist Canadian companies in finding the best talent to drive improved Canadian innovation." The Women on Boards Registry is available to all Canadian organizations who want to play a role in improving the gender imbalance in Canada's boardrooms. Additional educational Board Discovery Days are being planned in other markets in 2016/2017. About ITAC As Canada's national ICT business association, the Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC) champions the development of a robust and sustainable digital economy in Canada. A vital connection between business and government, we provide our members with the advocacy, networking and professional development services that help them to thrive nationally and compete globally. A prominent advocate for the expansion of Canada's innovative capacity, ITAC encourages technology adoption to capitalize on productivity and performance opportunities across all sectors. A member-driven not-for-profit, ITAC has served as the authoritative national voice of the $170 billion ICT industry for over 60 years. More than 36,000 Canadian ICT firms create and supply goods and services that contribute to a more productive, competitive, and innovative society. The ICT sector generates one million jobs directly and indirectly and invests $4.9 billion annually in R&D, more than any other private sector performer. SOURCE Information Technology Association of Canada [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 21, 2016] Build Smart 3D Cities in Minutes with Game-Changing Esri CityEngine 2016 Esri, the global leader in geographic information system (GIS) solutions, today announced the release of Esri CityEngine 2016. This revolutionary modeling technology allows GIS professionals, 3D artists, architects, and urban planners to create smart 3D city models in a matter of minutes. With just a few clicks, the new Get Map Data interface will import satellite imagery, 3D terrain, and street data from any city in the world. What was once a very complicated and time-intensive process now can be done quickly and simply. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160621006451/en/ With only a few clicks, Esri CityEngine 2016 can build cities in minutes with new Get Map Data interface. (Graphic: Business Wire) "This release integrates CityEngine with Esri's powerful ArcGIS platform," said Pascal Mueller, director of the Esri R&D Center, Zurich. "We created a simple way to import real-world elevation data and basemaps from ArcGIS Online. We have also introduced support for Esr's new 3D streaming services with scene layer packages [.SPKs]. Scene layers can be hosted in the cloud and viewed using ArcGIS Scene Viewer, a browser-based application for viewing 3D content at any scale and with unlimited extent." Another highly requested feature that's included with CityEngine 2016 is the Alembic exporter. The Alembic format is used by visual effects and animation professionals and is well-suited to handling massive 3D models. It is now possible to batch generate tens of thousands of building geometries at the highest level of detail and visualize them in a renderer without needing a complicated production pipeline. "CityEngine has clearly become the standard for designing high-quality, large-scale 3D cities in feature films. It has proved itself again as an invaluable tool during the demanding production of Independence Day: Resurgence," said CityEngine expert Matthias Buehler, founder of vrbn (vrbn.io), former ScanlineVFX environment developer lead and Gnomon Workshop instructor. "CityEngine 2016 impresses with major new features: The Alembic exporter allows for an efficient integration of CityEngine in state-of-the-art VFX pipelines, while Get Map Data provides an excellent tool to load real-world, georeferenced satellite imagery, terrain, and streets directly from the web into CityEngine for quick design iterations of shot layouts." Find more information and technical details by visiting the What's New in CityEngine web page. CityEngine 2016 is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux platforms. A free 30-day trial with full export capabilities can be downloaded at go.esri.com/prfreetrial. About Esri Since 1969, Esri has been giving customers around the world the power to think and plan geographically. As the market leader in GIS technology, Esri software is used in more than 350,000 organizations worldwide including each of the 200 largest cities in the United States, most national governments, more than two-thirds of Fortune 500 companies, and more than 7,000 colleges and universities. Esri applications, running on more than one million desktops and thousands of web and enterprise servers, provide the backbone for the world's mapping and spatial analysis. Esri is the only vendor that provides complete technical solutions for desktop, mobile, server, and Internet platforms. Visit us at esri.com/news. Copyright 2016 Esri. All rights reserved. Esri, the Esri globe logo, GIS by Esri, ArcGIS, esri.com, and @esri.com are trademarks, service marks, or registered marks of Esri in the United States, the European Community, or certain other jurisdictions. CityEngine is a registered trademark of Esri R&D Center Zurich AG and is distributed under license by Esri. Other companies and products or services mentioned herein may be trademarks, service marks, or registered marks of their respective mark owners. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160621006451/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] What you need to know about Colts starting quarterback Sam Ehlinger Ask anyone in a key role at Facebook what they view as the social networking service's mission, and you're bound to eventually hear some lofty words about the free exchange of ideas. "Facebook stands for giving everyone a voice," CEO Mark Zuckerberg said when the social network recently found itself in hot water over allegations it had been monkeying with its algorithm to downplay conservative-learning news. "We believe the world is better when people from different backgrounds and with different ideas all have the power to share their thoughts and experiences." (Image credit: Twin Design/Shutterstock) That's some pretty noble talk about freedom of expression. It is also, unfortunately, nothing but talk, as Facebook proved this week when it continued to embrace a board member who's devoted a chunk of the money he's made off investing in the social network and other tech ventures toward suppressing the kind of free exchange of ideas Zuckerberg and his fellow executives feign support for. That would be Peter Thiel, an early backer of Facebook who was re-elected to his seat on Facebook's board of directors this week without a peep of dissent. You would have figured some objections might have been in order since Thiel's extracurricular activities as of late have included anonymously bankrolling lawsuits aimed at media outlets who've displeased him. To give Thiel credit, he's proven to be as successful at surreptitiously exercising vendettas as he is at funding tech ventures. Thiel has been funding lawsuits against online news site Gawker how many the otherwise press-shy billionaire won't say because he objects to the way Gawker goes about its business. Thiel told the New York Times that his antipathy toward Gawker stems from allegations that the site has "ruined peoples lives for no reason" a 2007 Gawker article outed Thiel and the news site was particularly unsparing in its coverage of the lavish wedding of Thiel chum Sean Parker though it's hard to shake the feeling that the real source of Thiel's beef is that Gawker and its various Web properties failed to cover tech companies with what the billionaire considered to be sufficient deference. MORE: 25 Worst Gadget Flops of All Time Whatever the reason, Thiel scored a hit in the form of a lawsuit he bankrolled on behalf of former wrestler Hulk Hogan, who successfully sued Gawker for publishing a sex tape involving him. A Florida jury awarded Hogan $140 million, with the judgment prompting Gawker to file for bankruptcy. (Gawker is currently appealing the ruling, even as it seeks a new buyer.) Judging by the reaction to Hogan's legal victory (and, by proxy, Thiel's), Thiel could hardly have picked a less sympathetic target to exact his revenge. Silicon Valley entrepreneurs have been particularly giddy about the longtime bane of their existence getting some legal comeuppance. I have no particular ties to Gawker other than as an occasional competitor and frequent reader. I could probably rattle off a list of stories published on its sites that I think should never seen the light of day just as I could rattle of stories that I wish I would have had the wherewithal to pursue. Even if I thought nearly every story ever published on a Gawker site was without any journalistic merit, I'd still be appalled by how Thiel is exploiting his wealth and privilege to silence a news organization, on the sly and from the shadows. Apart from the Hogan case, Thiel hasn't confirmed the lawsuits he's actually funding, and the lawyer in that case continues to threaten legal action against Gawker, most recently over Donald Trump's hair. Thiel, notably, will be a Trump delegate at next month's GOP convention. Which brings us back to Facebook, and its guilt by association by continuing to keep Peter Thiel on its board of directors. Yes, the way Facebook is structured, it's Zuckerburg himself and not the board of directors who makes the decisions for the company. And Zuckerburg's decision to retain the counsel of someone who's made it clear he has little use for a free and independent press speaks volumes about his real values, which have precious little to do with giving everyone a voice. That's especially troubling as Facebook steps up its efforts to be your one-stop shop for news and information. As the social networking site has become more of a primary news source for its users, it's launched programs such as Instant Articles where publishers can deliver articles directly to Facebook's newsfeed. To put it another way, Facebook wants you to get the bulk of your news from its service at the same time one of its board members is using his financial pull to influence the kind of news that's out there. Since news broke of Thiel's involvement in suing news sites that fail to promote his particular world view, I've become less enthused about using Facebook. My last status update was back in late May and, apart from posting a link to this article, I don't expect that to change now that Zuckerberg and Co. have signaled that they're A-OK with talking up support for the free exchange of ideas while a high-profile board member promotes exactly the opposite. Facebook's silence over Peter Thiel's assault on the free press speaks volumes about what it values as a company. If you appreciate freedom of expression even if that expression isn't always polite you should let your silence on Facebook do likewise. Canberra rockers Hoodlum Shouts have returned after four years with a new album, Heat Island, out through Poison City Records. Having just capped off their album tour, theyre no strangers to the live stage, and know their fair share about what makes good touring gear. Guitarist Mike Caruana gave us a bit of insight into his assortment of axes, and his thoughts on the old question of Tele vs. Strat. Their new track Twin Cities, taken from Heat Island, is a prime example of the sort of punch you can get from the right combination of guitars and possibly even a carpeted amp. Essential Gear I only ever really want my amp in the studio. I always use other amps as well, but mine is the one piece of gear that I see as irreplaceable. Its reliable, versatile and has a grainy overdrive that I love. It doesnt necessarily sound amazing or classic, but it has character and weve been through a lot together. Right now my regular gear is an 80s Carvin X100B head and 412 cab; a standard 90s Tele with custom pickups; a 90s Strat Plus with a Hot Rails in the bridge; an Xotic AC booster, Boss tuner, and Boss digital reverb. Strat vs. Tele My first guitar and amp setup was an Ibanez S and a Marshall Valvestate combo, as I started off pretty metal-centric. The first band I started playing guitar in was somewhat established, so once I joined I upgraded to the Carvin and the Strat under the advice of our other guitarist. He also played a Strat and he told me to replace the bridge pickup with something hotter, so I swapped it out. In hindsight, Fenders werent the obvious guitar choice for the kind of post-metal we were playing (the guy I replaced used a Les Paul) but Im thankful that I did choose a Strat over something meatier, as it helped shape the kind of riffs that would later become Hoodlum Shouts songs. The Tele came into play right after we recorded the first Hoodlum Shouts EP, and I prefer it to the Strat for both feel and tone. But the Strat definitely helps to give the band more of a distinct sound. Ive never really been huge on pedals or effects, so just a couple get me by. Ive always just tried to get the best sound out of the gear that I own and tried to avoid buying a heap of gear just for the sake of it. I started out with pretty decent gear and Ive never had a huge desire to change it. Its a rock-solid live setup. Into The Studio It works well for basic rhythm tracks, but I like to experiment with different amps and effects for alternative tones in the studio. Early Gear I was given a toy acoustic guitar as a really young kid, which I tried to play left-handed and didnt really take to. My first proper instrument was drums and my first kit was a horrible (but very cool looking) cheapo 70s Jazz-style kit. I was stoked with it until I realised how much better the kits sounded at music shops. When I started playing guitar I was lucky enough to borrow and learn on a Japanese Strat, which might have given me a distorted understanding of gear cause it was so nice to play. I figured all guitars were like that! Influencing Your Sound The combination of those Fenders played through that amp is very significant. I suppose you can have all the gear in the world, but youve still got to use your ears. Weird, Old And Obscure Ha! In my teens I bought a pair of Meinl congas. I wasnt really into Latin music but I was really into percussion and played music with a guy who loved Santana and cannabis. I ended up selling them pretty soon after. I also bought a cowbell when I was 12 cause I idolised Tommy Lee. No really obscure pieces, but a carpeted amp is pretty rare! My Fender Lead II guitar is pretty old but the piece of gear that I have from back in the day that I still use is a pitch-pipe. The Gear That Solves Problems? Our bass player, Morgan. Loving live music isnt just about attending music festivals and seeing an international artists massive arena show. Even the biggest of big-name headliners started in the trenches, on the sticky carpets and bandrooms of your local bars and pubs which is exactly where you should be if you want to discover your new favourite band or venue. Heres our picks for this weeks best local gigs from Aussie talent from Perth to the East Coast and all for the price of a good meal. Totally Mild / Terrible Truths Where? Shadow Electric Sacred Heart Courtyard, 1 St Heliers Street, Abbotsford, Victoria When? 7pm 11pm, Friday June 24 Why? Billed as Totally Terrible, this one will be anything but. Bedroom Suck present Totally Mild and Terrible Truths teaming up at the Convent for a night of guitars, with support from the likes of Lower Plenty, Pillow Pro and WA guest Childsaint. Tickets & Info: $12 presale, Facebook event Dannika Where? The Tote 71 Johnson St Collingwood, Melbourne When? 7:30pm, Thursday June 23 Why? Dannika are a talented emerging guitar outfit releasing lovely, slow-burning guitar tracks through Solitaire records. Theyll be launching their For Peaches EP with a killer lineup including Ciggie Witch, Frances Fox, Becoming Friends, and a special two-man set from Good Morning. Tickets & Info: $10 on the door, Facebook event Jack The Stripper Where? Enigma Bar 173 Hindley St, Adelaide When? 8:30pm, Saturday June 25 Why? Simply one of the best heavy rock bands in a live setting, theyre kicking off their national tour in Adelaide, and following it up with an overseas jaunt in August, playing the likes of Brutal Assault festival in the Czech Republic. If that name doesnt tell you all you need to know, we dont know what will. Tickets & Info: $15.30, event page The Rock Dogs Where? Cherry Bar, AC/DC Lane, Melbourne When? 8pm, Friday June 24 Why? The Rock Dogs hosting a Footy Pie Night in AC/DC lane to raise money for the Community Cup it doesnt get more Aussie than that. Dan Sultan and a host of others will be in attendance to lend their pipes for charity, and you can stay warm and frosty with a hot pie and a cold drink. We know this one is a little bit more than $15, but since its for charity, were happy to sneak it in. Tickets & Info: $25, Facebook event Ara Koufax Where? Rocket Bar 142 Hindley St, Adelaide When? 9pm 5am, Friday June 25 Why? One of the best production duos in Melbourne (featuring the former memebers of Naysayer & Gilsun) getting sweaty in Rocket Bar with an assortment of DJs provided by Young Muscle. A tenner before 11pm, taking you all the way through until the morning. Tickets & Info: $10+ on the door, Facebook event Grizzly Jim Lawrie & More Where? The Old Bar 74 76 Johnston St Fitzroy, Melbourne When? 7:30pm, Sunday June 27 Why? Beer? Soaked? Sundays? Count us in! This week Melbournes beloved Old Bar is bringing us the only way to end the weekend and take us into yet another week of the 9-5 grind. At least you get to spend your last day of freedom with the likes of Grizzly Jim Lawrie, Palm Springs, Robert Muinos, Dorsal Fin DJs, and plenty of $10 jugs. Tickets & Info: $6 on the door, event page Westport Presbyterian Church invites community to celebrate its rebuilding The church rises again on Westport Road A new connection to the Westport community A real life revival in Midtown Kansas City and a note on the upcoming. . . Here's an extensive presser thankfully sent our way from blog readers . . .As the Westport Presbyterian Church reopens this month after a devastating 2011 fire, the church is inviting the community into its new space. A weekend of activities from June 24-26, billed as Westport Rising: Open House Dedication Service, will celebrate the churchs long connection to the Westport neighborhood and signal its renewed commitment to serving both its own congregation and the surrounding community.The Westport congregation grew out of a church organized in 1835 in a log schoolhouse when Westport was a frontier town. In 1903, Westport Presbyterians first building in Westport burned to the ground. The congregation rebuilt a large stone building at 201 Westport Road and in 1916 added a three-story educational building that housed community activities and programs. But a second fire in 2011 destroyed the church sanctuary and chapel as well as the adjacent space.Through the fires, years of suburban flight that saw many churches leave the urban center of Kansas City, and other changes, Westport Presbyterians congregation has never considered leaving historic Westport. Church Elder Bob Russell, whose grandparents were members, says the maintaining the connection to Westport both its site and the community was the top goal in rebuilding.We wanted to rebuild here, and build better. We feel this is where our mission is, Russell said.In fact, members saw an opportunity to expand the churchs connection to the community as rebuilding began.Westport Presbyterian turned to local architect Erik Heitman of BNIM and general contractor A.L. Huber, both of whom understood the commitment to Westport and the desire to meld the old with the new. As the new design was imagined, an early decision was made to keep the still-standing stone walls rather than leveling the site and starting over.The new sanctuary was conceived as an insertion into the historic stone walls, Heitman said.The architect and contractor also bent over backwards to reuse salvageable materials. Although the community building could not be saved, its original materials have been repurposed, with stained glass windows rehung in new locations, stone reused for new purposes, and crosses on the ends of new pews made from salvaged wood.Rebuilding the church offered opportunities for welcome (and code required) updates, such as an elevator and improved accessibility. Heitman also ensured the congregation also got usable outdoor space, and new landscape design that helps divert storm water from the city sewer system.A new pipe organ to replace the one the fire destroyed will be installed by Pasi Organ Builders from the Seattle, Washington area starting Monday, June 6 at 9 a.m. in the new church.The new sanctuary is completely modern except for stained glass windows that were saved and reclaimed wood in the chancel area, Rev. Scott Myers explained. We were able to take advantage of new technology such as digital projectors and screens. And the first row of pews can even be taken out so we can host a dance concert in the space. Its a wondrous space for what I call a CreativeTraditional style of worship our congregation celebrates.The biggest change in terms of the churchs connection to the community is the new storefront, a space right on Westport Road that connects the hilltop church to the street.We brought the whole church to the street to be more inviting and welcoming and more visible, Myers said, adding that the storefront can be used for art exhibits, community meetings, 12-step groups and other events.Taking care of people inside and outside the congregation has always been the chosen role of Westport Presbyterian, Russell said, and he hopes the rebuilt church and new storefront will help continue the revitalization of Westport already underway.Russell pointed out that church has had a long history of participation in and cooperation with non-profit and community agencies. For example, it was involved in programs to provide housing and meals to the elderly in the surrounding community and has housed non-profit organizations and a day-care center within its space.A boy scout troop established in 1914 continues to meet in the church. Its Childrens Peace Quest program works to expand interpersonal and global understanding for young people. Various dance groups and a Tai Chi group which used the church are also eager to return to the rebuilt space.The new spaces will also provide additional opportunities for the churchs expanding role in supporting the arts in the community. It created the Westport Center for the Arts, a nonprofit that provides Brown Bag concerts to support local performers and provide quality, free musical concerts, a childrens art program (Kids Team Up for Art), and professional theater productions using local actors, all aimed at making the church a place where community arts are honored and encouraged.Myers said the church has chosen the theme Westport Rising for its rededication to symbolize the struggle required to rebuild, but also to signal to the community the churchs renewed commitment to make Westport Presbyterian even more of a center of community life.Detailed scheduleMonday, June 6, 9:00 a.m. Organ builder and volunteers to install organ at churchFriday June 24 7:30 p.m.: Jazz Concert with Doug Talley QuartetSaturday June 25 10 a.m. 4 p.m.: open house with folk dance groups, music, tours, childrens art activitiesSunday June 26 10:50 a.m.: serviceSunday, June 26, 12 p.m. 1 p.m.: tours################### Must World, a company specialised in manufacturing and supplying high quality garments to well-known brands in the US and European markets, has incorporated a new company in Bahrain, which will act as its regional head office. The new regional head office will handle $200 million of US orders, producing 18 million garments per year, said a statement from the company. Must World, a subsidiary of China-based Must Group, will carry out designing, sampling, merchandising, industrial engineering, production planning, and logistics support to their manufacturing expansions in Middle East and Africa (MEA), from it new regional head office, it said. The office is planned for opening towards the end of the year, it added. Must Worlds incorporation will eventually create 20 jobs for local Bahrainis in fields such as fashion design, finance, business administration as well as logistics, said a statement. The company supplies its garments to brands such as H&M, Tommy Hilfiger, Marks & Spencer, as well as Macys, it stated. The Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) assisted and advised Must World with respect to the business move and the registration of their new head office in the kingdom, it said. Khalid Al Rumaihi, chief executive of the Bahrain EDB, said: We are delighted that the Must Group has selected Bahrain to open the Must World regional office. The company joins a number of other firms taking advantage of Bahrains highly skilled workforce, regional connectivity, business friendly regulations and low operating costs, he said. These advantages make Bahrain an ideal platform for international businesses to use and export into the global market. We look forward to welcoming Must World to Bahrain and are committed to doing what we can to help them to expand their operations in the kingdom, he added. Harinder Lamba, executive director of Must World, said: Bahrains highly skilled and educated workforce make it an ideal destination for any global company interested in expanding in the global retail market. Besides this we have benefited from a business friendly environment and low operating costs which will support our business. We have seen strong expansion in recent years and appreciate the support that the EDB has provided in growing our operations in the kingdom, he added. MUST Group was founded in 1981, by the Mahtani family in Hong Kong and currently supplies 40 million garments a year to the US and Europe via its manufacturing plants in the Middle East and South Asia. TradeArabia News Service Around 22 Arab countries and North African states are set to meet at Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, for the fifth annual Regional Cyber Security Summit to fight cybercrime and promote a safe internet environment. Starting from October 30, the three-day summit will also host and engage the most promising and emerging global firms across healthcare, energy and utilities, defence and aviation, hospitality, media, government authorities, financial institutions and manufacturing sectors, said a press release. These participating entities will be provided with unmatched exposure to the regional and global cyber security experts, the press release added. The summit will extensively focus on future expected threats and measures, also aiming at global collaboration of public, private and academic sectors. It will attract over 300 chief information security officers and senior ICT and cyber security officials from the Mena region to discuss and find strategic directions and plans to tackle emerging threats to the global and regional information security sector. The event is an annual gathering organised by ITU - Arab Regional Cybersecurity Center (ITU-ARCC). It will be formulated around the key pillars of ITU which includes capacity building, international and regional cooperation, technical and legal measures capabilities and organisational structure. This years summit is co-organised by Omans Information Technology Authority through Oman National CERT (OCERT) and business intelligence firm Nispana Innovative Platforms. The partnership was signed June 21 in Muscat, between Bader Al Salehi, director general of Oman National CERT and the head of ITU-ARCC and Narendra Kumar, managing director of Nispana Innovative Platforms. TradeArabia News Service Investcorp, a global provider and manager of alternative investment products, has reached an agreement with the Corneliani family to acquire a majority stake in the luxury Italian menswear specialist Corneliani for an enterprise value of approximately $100 million. As part of the transaction, certain members of the Corneliani family will remain as shareholders alongside Investcorp. Founded in 1958, Corneliani is a luxury clothing brand best known for its mens suits and chic casualwear and is one of the oldest independent Italian luxury brands. Founder Carlalberto Corneliani has, alongside his brother Claudio, built a business whose clothing line has become reputed across the international luxury apparel industry. The firms expansion into the casual wear market has seen its international presence grow significantly, with stores established across Europe, the US, Asia and more recently into emerging markets. Corneliani employs approximately 1,100 people and benefits from a global sales presence in 68 countries through 10 directly operated stores, approximately 850 multi-brand stores, more than 75 franchise stores and 50 store-in-stores, including Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bloomingdales. As the luxury clothing market has shifted towards more casual lines of clothing, the Corneliani brand has adapted well to the changing conditions, combining tradition, quality and modernity into each new collection. In 2015, the company reported revenues in excess of 110 million. Carlalberto Corneliani said: After over six decades building Corneliani, I believe the time is right for me to pass the company to a trusted custodian who can build on the vision and journey that I embarked upon with my brother in [1958]. I am confident that Investcorp is the best partner Corneliani can hope for and I have no doubt that they will develop this business to become one of the leading players in its market, similar to the success stories they have cultivated in Gucci, Tiffany & Co and Dainese. Yasser Bajsair, managing director at Investcorp in Saudi Arabia, said: Corneliani is an excellent fit for Investcorps portfolio and the acquisition reflects our expertise investing in family run businesses which we believe have considerable potential for growth. We believe we have the right financial and sector-focused operational knowledge in place to support Corneliani on its growth journey, and we are looking forward to the opportunities that lie ahead. - TradeArabia News Service Iran plans to increase its refining capacity for crude and condensate by more than 70 per cent within the next four years in a move aimed at reducing gasoline imports, Gulf Times Qatar quoted a top official as saying. The Islamic Republic will raise capacity from the current 1.85 million barrels per day (bpd) to about 3.2 million bpd by 2020 by building five plants, Abbas Kazemi, managing director of National Iranian Oil Refining & Distribution Co, was quoted in the report. Iran also needs about $14 billion in investment to upgrade units at five existing refineries to produce gasoline that burns more cleanly than grades currently available in the country, he said. One of the new refineries with 360,000 bpd capacity is scheduled to start operating by next March, Kazemi said. Private companies are developing the Siraf condensate refinery complex, he added, pointing out that the planned complex of eight units, each with a capacity of 60,000 bpd, will process condensate from South Pars into naphtha. The refineries to be upgraded are at Isfahan, Tabriz, Tehran, Bandar Abbas and Abadan, Kazemi said. Japanese engineering company Chiyoda Corp is conducting a feasibility study with Mitsui & Co on the Bandar Abbas project, according to a Chiyoda spokesman. Daelim Industrial Co, based in South Korea, and Marubeni Corp and Mitsubishi Corp, both with headquarters in Japan, are also interested in working on refinery projects in Iran, Kazemi said. Iran plans also to build three new refineries, including the 300,000-bpd Bahmangenoo plant at the port of Jask, a 150,000-bpd facility at Anahita in western Kermanshah province, and the Pars refinery, which will process 120,000 bpd of condensate, the report said. The UAE is a perfect example of how nations can emerge from being dependent on oil in becoming the regions leading tourism and business hub by optimising non-oil revenues, according to a new report. The UAE can achieve a whole new level of excellence and prosperity by making innovation a highlight of its strategic direction in a Post-Oil era, added the report by PA Consulting Group, a leading global consultancy. It highlights how the UAEs leaders managed to attract investors, strengthen the banking, real estate, healthcare and tourism sectors and minimized dependency on oil with a clear and ambitious vision. Massive investments have been made in economic development such as the hosting of Expo 2020 and setting a target to become the worlds number one medical tourism location, said Ibrahim Komati, economic and government services expert at PA Consulting Group. Despite the diversity in its portfolio of investments and revenue sources, the UAE has also been hit by the drop in oil prices, and has moved to make innovation one of the highlights of its strategic direction, a move which can take it to a whole new level of excellence. The report, issued from PAs Mena regional headquarters in Abu Dhabi, emphasises that a growing focus on national economic development is needed for GCC countries to survive the oil price crisis. The region is moving towards a new Post-Oil era, and the UAE and other GCC governments, particularly Saudi Arabia and Qatar, have started to review their economic ecosystems and have begun to decrease their dependency on oil revenues to focus on non-oil revenue sources, said Jason Harborow, head of PA Consulting Group Mena. They must now focus on developing human capital, starting by reforming educational programmes. Governments must plan and implement a highly intellectual educational infrastructure that will help grow and develop resources to become globally recognised leaders and drive towards excellence. The PA report says the GCC countries should invest in their citizens, develop them, and support them to become the next generation of leaders to drive innovation of economies and market a nations success. This will have a major impact on the social and economic agenda. Komati added: Regional governments need to increase foreign direct investments, and diversify spending into global investments across different sectors, with the main focus on education, healthcare and travel, transport and logistics. Governments should also invest in non-profit organisations serving as a backbone to the nations development, whether in education, social affairs, healthcare or human development. PA, which works with businesses and governments worldwide, says priority government actions should include a review of strategies and operating models to ensure agility to adapt to the new normal. A priority for governments is to develop contingency plans, and slashing costs is not the only solution. They must focus on their strengths and competitive advantages, and embed the culture of excellence and innovation in order to reach their ambitions and drive transformations in the most innovative and unique way, said Komati. Innovation is the best way to hit the ground running for the region should oil prices remain low. Governments should focus on human capital development, economic development and on transforming their businesses to cope with changes. The PA report says regional governments should plan a War on Waste, minimising inefficiencies by focusing on targeted reductions. They must review funding plans and consider raising cash in the debt markets such as PPPs and Sukuk, and keep enough cash as a buffer to back up contingency plans. TradeArabia News Service Air Cairo, an Egypt-based carrier connecting the Middle East and Europe, has signed a new agreement with Amadeus for both information technology (IT) and distribution services. Amadeus is a leading provider of advanced technology solutions for the global travel industry. During June 2016, Air Cairo successfully completed its cutover to Amadeus Altea Reservation and Inventory and Amadeus e-Commerce modules, whilst also signing for a full content distribution agreement. The migration to Altea Reservation will enable the airline to maximise booking and revenue growth through wide-reaching distribution channels, whilst Altea Inventory provides the airline with the latest schedule management technology in the market place. Along with the eCommerce module, these IT solutions bring tangible benefits for the airline as well as enhanced services to travellers. Altea will also provide the airline with a scalable platform to support its future growth. In terms of distribution, Amadeus-connected travel agencies will now benefit from access to the airlines complete range of fares and prices, assisting the carrier in achieving its business goals in regional and international markets. Air Cairo has traditionally operated as a low cost / charter airline but is part way through an ambitious evolution aimed at becoming a full service carrier. Part of the rationale for this strategic shift is access to more passengers made possible by partnerships with Egypt Air, which owns a significant stake in Air Cairo, as well as other airline partners. Air Cairo is targeting fleet expansion from four to over 20 aircrafts by 2020 and, as such, has considered how best to increase sales and visibility for its services in new international markets. Yasser El Ramly, CEO, Air Cairo, said: Partnering with Amadeus is a major milestone as we transition to become a full service carrier. Migrating to a modern IT system such as Altea means we can effectively codeshare with partner airlines, and issue interline tickets, which brings new growth opportunities. In parallel, the full content agreement enables us to take our partnerships with Amadeus travel agency community to the next level as they gain access to our inventory in an efficient and effective way, he said. For those international markets where we expect to see significant growth but where our brand is less well known, such as Saudi Arabia, its important to work with intermediaries that can communicate the value of our services to prospective customers, he added. Maher Koubaa, vice president, Middle East and Africa (MEA), Airline IT and Distribution, Amadeus, added: We are firmly committed to Egypt and the surrounding region. We are seeing a greater number of airlines shift from a pure low cost strategy towards a more subtle combination of approaches. As part of such a move it becomes natural to explore the benefits of a more function-rich IT system. Air Cairos plans are ambitious and we look forward to partnering with them during this exciting evolution, he added. TradeArabia News Service British Airways has extended its suspension of flights to the Egyptian resort of Sharm Al Sheikh indefinitely, becoming the first major UK airline to cancel departures for the crucial winter season in Egypt. British and Russian governments banned their airlines from flying to Sharm al-Sheikh, a popular winter sun destination, because of concerns about security at the local airport after the suspected bombing of a Russian passenger jet in October 2015 killed all 224 people on board. Tourism is a key source of income for the Egyptian economy but the number of tourists fell 40 per cent in the first quarter of 2016, partly hurt by the flight ban keeping British and Russian tourists away. "The safety and security of our customers will always be our top priorities and we have suspended our flights from Gatwick to Sharm Al Sheikh indefinitely," British Airways said in a statement on Tuesday. Customers with bookings on any cancelled services for the winter season will be offered a full refund or can put the money towards a new flight to an alternative destination, it added. Other British airlines, such as Monarch and easyJet, have previously said they hoped to restart flights to Sharm Al Sheikh for the winter season beginning in October, although that is dependent on advice from the UK government, which has so far not changed. Egyptian tourism minister Yehia Rashed last month called on the British and Russian governments to rethink their position on the flight ban. Egypt's efforts to revive its tourism industry suffered a fresh blow in May when an EgyptAir plane crashed into the Mediterranean, killing all 66 people on board. The cause of the crash is still unknown. Monarch has cancelled all flights up to October 30, easyJet for the rest of the summer season, while tour operators Thomson and First Choice, part of the TUI Group, have cancelled until September 28. "Should the travel advice change prior to 30 October, Monarch will reassess the situation and decide when to restart services to Sharm El Sheikh," Monarch said.-Reuters Experts call for amendment of Auction Law Many auctions failed recently because the bidders gave up after winning the right to buy assets. Experts said the current laws need to be amended. VietNamNet Bridge - Many auctions failed recently because the bidders gave up after winning the right to buy assets. Experts said the current laws need to be amended.In late 2004, at an auction for charity on a Vietnam Television (VTV) channel, a businessman paid VND1.1 billion for simcard No 0988888888. Eight is seen as good luck for businessmen.VTV said that the money raised from the auction would be contributed to the For the Poor fund.However, for many reasons, the businessman later changed his mind and refused to pay. As a result, the simcard was kept in the store of Viettel, the mobile network operator, for six years until it was sold to another man.At an auction held on May 28, 2016, the representative of Tan Hoang Minh Group Vu Manh Hung - won the bid to buy a pair of jars named 'Tu Linh' (Four Sacred Animals) made in 2010 by artisan Pham Anh Dao from the Bat Trang Pottery Village at VND6.05 billion.However, days later, Lac Viet Company, the auction organizer, released a notice that Do Anh Dung, president of Tan Hoang Minh Group, refused to buy the asset.Dung authorized Hung to attend the auction and told Hung to bid at VND3 billion at maximum. However, Dung did not follow the instruction.In 2010, at a charity auction titled Miss Earth and businessmen turn towards the Central Region, a lot of items were put on sale, including a gemstone painting with the signatures of 80 contestants of the Miss Earth pageant, a giant ruby stone and a pair of jars which won first prize at the competition held on the occasion of the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long Hanoi.The total sum of money bidders accepted to pay for the items was VND74 billion. The information about the auction and bidders was broadcast on domestic TV channels and international channels such as NBC and StarWorld.However, the HCMC Red Cross Association later said that it only received VND1 billion, while those who won the bid unexpectedly refused to pay money to get the auctioned items.Also in 2010, at a Gala Dinner in Quy Nhon City, a painting created from rice was put into auction. A buyer accepted to buy it at $10,000 and asked the organization board to carry the picture to an office in HCMC.The Binh Dinh provincial Fatherland Front said it sent the picture to the address given by the bidder, but it did not get the payment.VNE When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. For some, solar panels are a status symbol; that's why so many people put them on their homes instead of fixing air leaks or changing light bulbs. The Onion made fun of it a couple of years ago: The Onion Others prefer quiet money, believing the old dictum that "if you've got it, don't flaunt it." For example, real slate roofs are about the most expensive you can buy, but they last almost forever and they are really beautiful. The last thing you are going to want to do is cover them up with photoelectric or solar thermal panels. Solar energy is one thing, but an elegant roof is another thing altogether. Thermoslate That's why the Thermoslate system from Spanish slate company Cupa Pizarras is so interesting. Being dark, a slate roof absorbs a lot of heat; being stone, it has good thermal mass and holds it for a while. Thermoslate In the Thermoslate system, slate roof tiles are integrated with thermal cells that are ganged into solar thermal "batteries". These then supply hot water that can be used for domestic purposes or the inevitable swimming pool. It also might keep the interior of the space a bit cooler, taking heat away from the roof and moving it to the pool. Atome As demonstrated in this lovely french farmhouse renovation by Atome Architectes, the panels are invisible, integrated right into the roof. This system could be particularly useful for historic renovations where you just don't want to see the panels. One issue that we have talked about often is open building, where designers recognize that different components of a house age at different rates. Slate roofs last a lot longer than plumbing connections, and I wonder how hard it is to maintain a system like this. I suspect that with slate installed with hooks rather than nails (one of the two options shown on the website) that one can slide them out. Another concern is that raised by Martin Holladay of Green Building Advisor, who suggests that solar hot water doesn't make much sense anymore. However this system was designed in sunny Spain where it still does. Thermoslate I have no idea what a system like this would cost, but it is probably one of those things that if you have to ask, you can't afford it. I suspect that it might pay for itself in energy savings in about a thousand years. On the other hand, it will reduce the carbon footprint in a year by the same amount as if you rode a bike for ten weeks instead of driving. (the average American car emits 4.7 tons of CO2 per year). So in terms of value it might not give the best bang for the buck, but in terms of elegance, it can't be beat. More at Thermoslate Mumbai: Extending losses against the American currency for the second straight day, the rupee dropped by another 17 paise to close at 67.48 on persistent dollar demand from banks and importers amidst weakness in equities. Foreign capital outflows also affected the rupee value. PTI New Delhi Mallya quits as chairman of Bayer CropScience Embattled businessman Vijay Mallya is quitting as the chairman of Bayer CropScience Ltd after over 12 years of holding the position in the company. Mallya, who was appointed chairman of the Board in March 2004, will cease to be the chairman and director with effect from June 30, Bayer CropScience said. PTI London British IT firm merges with Indian company British IT and software firm RSK Business Solutions has merged with its Indian partner BSL Information Technology to jointly deliver consultancy services in different parts of the world. England-headquartered RSK Business Solutions Limited (RSK BSL) merged with its Gurgaon-based Indian partner BSL Information Technology Private Limited (BSLi) to create UK-registered RSK Business Solutions Holdings Limited. PTI New Delhi New ETF to monetise govt stake in listed PSUs The Finance Ministry is planning to launch a new Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) as an additional mechanism to monetise governments stake in listed PSUs and other companies. The ETF may include government stake in companies held through SUUTI as well as those in which it still has some holding. pti Singapore YES Bank plans to raise $1 bn from abroad With plans to raise $1 billion from international markets, private sector lender YES Bank is eying to setup an international branch here as a springboard to tap the Asian markets, its founder Rana Kapoor has said. YES Bank has become the first Indian bank to receive government approval for a fully fungible composite foreign investment limit of 74%. PTI New Delhi Dai-Ichi Life ups stake in India JV State-owned Bank of India has sold its 18% in Star Union Dai-Ichi Life Insurance Company (SUD) to Japans Dai-Ichi Life Insurance at about Rs 540 crore which raises latters stake in the JV to 44%. PTI Mumbai, June 21 Nikesh Arora, President and COO of Japanese multinational internet and telecommunications corporation Softbank, resigned from his position in the company a day after an internal committee found him not guilty of allegations of financial irregularities. He will however continue in an advisory role for a year. "SoftBank Group Corp (SBG) announces the resignation of Nikesh Arora, Representative Director, President & COO, from the position of Representative Director and Director of SBG with the expiration of the term of office at the conclusion on of the 36th Annual General Meeting of Shareholders," SoftBank said in a statement. The meeting is scheduled on June 22. Arora, a former Google executive touted to be Softbank's heir apparent, wrote on microblogging site Twitter: Masa 2 continue 2 be CEO for 5-10 years, respect that. Learnt a lot. Clean chit from board after through review. Time for me to move on (sic). The development comes after the company's founder Masayoshi Son made it clear that he would not retire anytime soon. "I had hoped to hand over the reins of SoftBank to him on my 60th birthday but I feel my work is not done. I want to cement SoftBank 2.0, develop Sprint to its true potential and work on a few more crazy ideas. This will require me to be CEO for at least another five to ten years this is not a time frame for me to keep Nikesh waiting for the top job," he said in a statement. The development comes a day after the company cleared him of charges of financial misdealings. The company announced on Monday that its committe had cleared Arora of some sharholders' allegations against him including those questioning his conduct and qualifications were without meirt. Arora had joined SoftBank as its vice-chairman and CEO of SB Group US previously SoftBank Internet and Media Inc in September 2014 from search giant Google. Agencies Chandigarh, June 21 Congress workers were today taken into preventive custody while taking out a protest march towards Capitol Complex here, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present to take part in the second International Yoga Day (IYD) event. The party workers from Chandigarh and Punjab were carrying black flags as they marched but they were stopped by the police at Sector 34-35 and sector 15 respectively and taken into preventive custody, police said. They were later released. Chandigarh Territorial Congress President Pradeep Chhabra claimed that over 200 of party workers were taken into custody. He said they were not opposing Yoga but their protest was against alleged wrong policies of the Modi government. He alleged that the Chandigarh Administration has "wasted huge sum of money" on the mega event. "Our protest was against the anti-people policies of the Modi government which has hurt every section of the society be it farmer, common man, trader, youth," Chhabra said. "The BJP-led government has failed on every front despite making big promises before elections," he alleged. Congress workers from Punjab said they were also protesting against the farmer suicide issue. Members of Congress' students union NSUI also held protest against the Modi government near gate no 1 of Panjab University. They were also detained. PTI Rajinder Nagarkoti Tribune News Service Chandigarh, June 21 People from Ambala were practising yoga for the International Day of Yoga event for over a month, but when they reached the city this morning to be part of the historic event, they were not only denied entry to the venue but were slapped, pushed and even taken to the police station. It all happened with a group of 60 people, including women, from Ambala. The group had reached the Capitol Complex in buses. They were not allowed to enter the venue as they were not having identity cards. Jai Kishan Sharma, one of the group leaders, said the names of all of them were there in the list and they were told that the identity cards would be given to them at the venue. Denied entry, they staged a protest there and blocked the main road leading to the Capitol Complex. Within minutes, the police removed them from the road. Mounted policemen also reached the spot to control the situation. The police pushed 14 of the protesters, including a woman, inside a bus. While they were opposing the police action, a policeman allegedly slapped a participant and pushed him inside the bus. Other protesters were also manhandled and pushed inside the bus and taken to the Sector 3 police station. Kush Aggarwal, one of the protesters, said the police pushed them inside the bus and a senior member of the group was slapped. The police released all 14 protesters after two hours, he said. Kurukshetra group denied entry too A group from Kurukshetra was also denied entry to the venue. Members of the group alleged that despite their names in the list and despite having participated in rehearsals, they were denied entry to the Capitol Complex. They said they were putting up at Kisan Bhawan, Sector 14, Panchkula. When they reached the venue in the morning, the security staff did not allow them to enter. Amrik Singh and Ram Kumar of the group said around 60 people from Kurukshetra had reached the venue, but were not allowed to participate in the yoga event led by PM Narendra Modi. All of them had attended a one-month camp, but to no avail, they said. Chandigarh, June 21 Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who today joined over 30,000 people here for the second International Yoga Day celebrations, freely mingled with the participants, obliging them with selfies and talking briefly with the 'divyangs'. Soon after addressing the gathering for about 25 minutes, Modi climbed down from the podium but before joining the participants to perform "asanas", went straight to meet the 'divyangs', the nomenclature coined by him for the differently-abled, youths and people from economically weaker sections. For the first time, 150 divyangs were assisted in performing Yoga 'asanas' at the Capitol Complex here, the venue of the mega event. Modi also interacted with the inmates of Paraplegic Rehabilitation Centre (PRC), Mohali, who were doing 'asanas' on wheel-chairs. A group of 16 such inmates, many of them from the Army who have been left paralysed owing to injuries sustained during various operations, had come to the Capitol Complex here today to participate in the Yoga Day celebrations. Modi then walked around, surveying people performing 'asanas' before settling down on a mat and joining them. The Prime Minister then participated in a mass demonstration of 'Common Yoga Protocol'. Dressed in a white-coloured t-shirt and track pants along with a scarf, Modi skipped the VVIP front row where Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, State's Health Minister Anil Vij, Haryana BJP President Subhash Barala, Ambala MP R L Kataria and Kalka MLA Latika Sharma were performing 'asanas', and occupied a mat in one of the back rows with other participants. A yoga enthusiast himself, Modi performed 'asanas' for nearly 25 minutes on the red-coloured carpet. Towards the end, Modi freely mingled with the participants, who surrounded him from all sides, giving them a rare opportunity to take selfies with the Prime Minister, who willingly obliged. Secretary AYUSH, Ajit Mohan Sharan and a number of bureaucrats from Haryana, Union Minister Vijay Sampla, Chandigarh BJP President Sanjay Tandon also performed 'asanas' on the occasion. Punjab Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and AYUSH Minister Shirpad Naik were seated on the dias. PTI Lt Gen (retd) Syed Ata Hasnain A recent media report revealed that a Jaish-e-Mohammad "suicide bomber" has been apprehended in Baramula in Jammu and Kashmir. In the 26 years of violence in Jammu and Kashmir, suicide bombing has been a rarity. I do recall that we had one or perhaps two attempts at suicide bombing at the Batwara gate of Badami Bagh Cantonment, Srinagar. In one such event in 2001, a young Kashmiri student studying abroad blew himself up in a Maruti 800 while attempting to ram the double-gate security system. There is much difference between a "suicide bomber" and a "suicide attacker". Most people confuse the two and treat them as synonymous. A suicide bomber comes strapped with explosives or drives a vehicle laden with explosives to take on a specific target or a gathering and cause maximum casualties. The suicide attacker is one who is armed to the teeth, takes hostages but isn't wired and geared to blow himself. He targets individuals and groups at random and is prepared to die in the response of the security forces (SF), without making any serious effort to escape. The regretful assassination of Rajiv Gandhi was a rare case of suicide bombing in India. The kind of security measures you need to take against threats of that kind can actually paralyse societies. Ask the Pakistanis, Afghans and Iraqis; no one knows better than them. India has been fortunate in this regard despite a clutch of internal security threats. It is the Improvised Explosive Device or IED which has been the usual weapon here, for many years. The IED was truly introduced as a military weapon in our context by the LTTE in Sri Lanka in 1987. Our troops used to the conventional anti-personal mines thought that we could use detection methods to unearth the IEDs and mines but the LTTE's Johnny mine, was virtually non-detectable. The LTTE employed more IEDs than mines. Those were the days when remote control and mobile- initiated IEDs had not come into being. When I mentioned the role of IEDs in military operations at a talk to the US Marines in Hawaii in 2000, I received blank stares. Two years later, the Marines were battling IEDs in Afghanistan and then in Iraq. The Hollywood film Hurt Locker captured the threat of IEDs most graphically. The US came up with various counter-IED concepts but could never achieve supremacy over the car bomb in particular. India has been free from car bombs quite unlike our neighbours, Pakistan and to an extent even Sri Lanka. There is hardly a counter measure available against them and methods of prior detection or controlled detonation haven't fully succeeded. The last time a major car-bomb incident took place was in 2004, when an Army bus was targeted by terrorists near Pattan using a Maruti wired and laden with explosives. It only killed the driver. Another attempt at Udhampur in 2011 did not succeed. The last time a major IED was successfully detonated in Kashmir was on July 20, 2008, on the Srinagar-Baramula highway. Nine brave Army soldiers travelling home were killed. Does seven years of absence of such terror activity indicate a transformation of conflict? Conflict undergoes transformation for various reasons. Among them is the availability of resources, both human and material. Good intelligence ensured targeting of "IED doctors" who are essential for the fabrication of IEDs. There is no dearth of explosive available within Kashmir, mostly for quarrying and none of it is under security control; detonators are also available but it was the cleaning out of IED doctors which did the trick. IEDs in Manipur still appear to be more frequent, particularly on rural roads but in Naxal areas the frequency is even higher. One of the ways of preventing IED attacks is to minimise movement. The security forces in Naxal areas need to open roads just once or maximum twice a month with all light logistics maintenance being done by helicopters. This was the model the Indian Army adopted in Sri Lanka. It dramatically reduced IED incidents and, therefore, casualties. The CRPF badly needs aviation support which can enable this. Focusing on suicide attacks, often referred to as Fidayeen attacks, we can see that 1999-2003 was the period in Jammu and Kashmir when these were at the highest pitch. Very few locals were ever involved. These terrorists were sometimes death-row convicts from Pakistani jails and even a few HIV patients motivated for the afterlife. Against these, a high level of alert and physical security measures were required which forced out-of-proportion deployment. We have not seen too many of these type of attacks in the North-East or the Naxal areas, where it is usually ambushes on which insurgents depend. In 1999, almost in conjunction with the operations in Kargil, there was a sudden surge in these sneak suicide attacks against military garrisons. It was a phase immediately after the virtual drying up of the presence of foreign (other than Pakistani) terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir. The security forces had to expend much of their budgets to raise masonry walls and wire obstacles, besides establishing double gates and execution of domination of their perimeters. Suicide attacks of the 26/11 variety are similar operations on a larger scale. Attempts to infiltrate the Srinagar airport in November 2000 and the recent events at Pathankot are also examples at varying levels. In today's environment, the vulnerability of North Punjab and the Jammu-Kathua sector is higher for such suicide attacks because of the ease of infiltration and availability of potential high-value targets in the vicinity of the border. Pakistan-based terror groups, backed by ISI, have a supply chain of potential suicide attackers and even bombers, psyched and motivated with religious fervour. Currently in Kashmir it isn't easy to carry out such attacks, unless it is by home- grown renegades. Despite the influence of radical Islam and the antipathy of the Kashmiri youth towards everything Indian, a positive that remains is that radical religious fervour has not travelled the full distance. It is existent, yet is different from the Taliban, TTP or Daesh variety. Which is why, the hope holds out that given suitable psychological conditioning and a positive outreach the situation can still be recovered. The recently experienced tactics of mob-based obstruction of Army and Police at encounter sites in Kashmir is considered by some as virtual suicide tactics. This is rare in the sheer volume of turnout but not something unseen in other areas where there is low-intensity conflict. It is a dangerous trend which is emboldening resistance, just as stone throwing did in 2008-10. The intent of separatists here is to showcase the David-and-Goliath effect to the Rights' community; picked up from Palestinian Intifada but taken beyond. Sub-conventional violence is a subset of hybrid and asymmetric warfare. It is peculiar to regions and communities and the dynamics need detailed study by security experts and psychologists to determine counter-narratives which will work against them. There is no all-in-one formula to counter such violence, least of all the use of unbridled counter-violence, especially after stabilisation The writer, a former General Officer Commanding of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps, is now a Fellow with the Delhi Policy Group. Though it is possible to question Arvind Kejriwals use of the Delhi taxpayers money on issuing a full-page advertisement in newspapers with an eye on political gains in the coming Punjab elections, he has rightly drawn national attention to the Modi government-appointed SIT sleeping over the 1984 Sikh massacre cases. In these 32 years 10 commissions and committees have investigated the matter but justice has eluded the victims, says the advertisement. Given the BJP inaction and the Akali Dal silence, and their poor collective track record in the past, Kejriwals efforts to get justice for the victims do stand out. He set up an SIT during his first term, passed a resolution in the Assembly to demand Central action, provided compensation to the victims families and sought a status report on the SIT probe. The BJP has a lot to answer for deliberately or otherwise skirting the issue. The timing of the SIT formation two days after AAP won the Delhi polls was guided by political considerations; it did not want an AAP government SIT to take up the sensitive probe. Thereafter the party had a chance to show results and earn public goodwill in Punjab and elsewhere. It is possible the Modi government may be waiting for the right timing. Charge-sheets filed against some high-profile culprit(s) close to the 2017 polls can draw better political mileage. By pointing out the delay, Kejriwal has politically scored over his rivals in the oneupmanship game ahead of the elections. Being a self-appointed caretaker of Sikh interests, the Akali Dal has seldom pinned blame on the BJP for its planned or unplanned inaction, either now or during its previous term of power-sharing at the Centre. It mostly rakes up the issue during elections to target the Congress. Unless both move from their known cynical positions of doing nothing to doing something, they would suffer electorally if 1984 becomes a poll issue. The Congress remains a loser whenever 1984 injustices are recalled. With Kamal Naths appointment and subsequent sacking, the party inflicted a self-injury. Rhetoric and newspaper advertisements apart, genuine efforts towards securing justice will not go unrewarded regardless of which party or individual makes it. Sushil Manav Tribune News Service Chandigarh, June 21 The Chandigarh Police today refused to register an FIR of cheating and criminal conspiracy against media baron and newly elected Rajya Sabha MP Subhash Chandra and others on the complaint of defeated Independent candidate RK Anand, saying that they will first examine the contents of the complaint. Anand today went to Sector 3 police station with his complaint and met SSP Sukhchain Singh Gill. He was accompanied by state Congress president Ashok Tanwar, Congress Legislative Party leader Kiran Choudhry and state Mahila Congress president Sumitra Chauhan. Anand submitted a letter to the police, addressed to IG Tajender Singh Luthra, whereby he sought registration of a criminal case under Sections 417, 420, 425, 463, 464, 467, 468, 426, 378, 379 and 171-C of the IPC, Sections 136(1)(f) and 136(1)(g) of the Representation of People Act and Section 120-B of the IPC against Subhash Chandra, BJP MLA Aseem Goyal, Independent MLA Jai Prakash and some officials of the Returning Officers office. Congress workers, who accompanied their leaders, raised slogans inside the police station when SHO Neeraj Sarna did not turn up to receive their complaint for long. Sub-Inspector Ashok Kumar pacified them and made an entry into the daily diary register regarding the visit of Congress leaders to the police station on Anands demand. However, Sarna came to the police station after the Congress leaders returned from the SSPs office and received their complaint. The Chandigarh Police is adopting dilatory tactics as it is under pressure from the Central government. While the SHO has kept our complaint, saying the police will take action, the SSP told us that the police are examining the complaint, alleged Ashok Tanwar. I gave my complaint to the police on June 14 and have sent them reminders through registered post, speed post and email. I have informed the police that marker pen was changed by MLAs Aseem Goyal and Jai Prakash in a criminal conspiracy with Chandra and some employees of the Returning Officer on the day of the RS poll to render the votes of the Congress MLAs invalid. However, no action has been taken by the police, alleged Anand. Kiran Choudhry alleged that democracy had been given the go-by during the BJP rule and said the Congress would exercise other options if the police did not register an FIR. Ambika Sharma Tribune News Service Solan, June 21 Automobile engineering students of Bahra University, Waknaghat, have built a mini hand tractor which aptly suits the terrain of a hilly state like Himachal. Speaking about this innovative vehicle manufactured by his students Vice Chancellor of Bahra University Dr SK Bansal said that students of VIIIth semester automobile engineering Janak Bhardwaj of Nagwain, Mandi; Vineet Thakur of Sarkaghat and mechanical engineer Rakesh Sharma of Barmana, Bilaspur have developed a 60-kg mini tractor powered by a 145cc two stroke scooter engine. Since its spare parts are easily available and cheaper as compared to its industrial counterparts this mini tractor will prove to be a productive option for the tillers of Himachal. The portable tractor is loaded with four gears to deal with extremely rough terrain and has a seven-litre fuel tank which keeps the tractor moving for more than two hours. If petrol pinches the pocket of the user, he can switch to kerosene fuel soon after ignition pointed out Bansal. Whereas the tractors available in the market cost somewhere between Rs 60, 000 and Rs 1 lakh, this one is available for a modest Rs 25,000. The one-and-a-half month invested by the three engineers in manufacturing this tractor has earned them 50 bookings to begin with. They are operating a makeshift garage at Kiaribangla near Waknaghat where they are offering repair and maintenance services to all types of vehicles while attending the university. Janak, while expressing happiness at the success, said that his innovation, after a test drive by various farmers of the state, has been highly appreciated and he has already received 50 bookings. Though production on such a large scale was not possible at this stage, he would be keen to accept a proposal from any manufacturer for the purpose. Janak thanked Dr S.K Bansal and automobile engineering faculty of Bahra University, especially Rupinder Kanwar, Vikrant Sharma and Chetan Sharma for their continuous support and guidance. Referring to the initiative of the Prime Ministers Skill India Program, he hopes to start an automobile company where he would not only produce automobiles but impart technological knowledge to students who could not afford expensive education in engineering. Apart from being an active catalyst in setting up automobile labs at various private university campuses in and around Shimla, Janak had developed a five-seater bike in 2011, which received great acknowledgements and compliments from auto enthusiasts across the state. He was a proud winner of the national award for his creativity by the Doordarshan (DD) in 2015, besides having various projects under his belt. Majid Jahangir Tribune News Service Srinagar, June 21 Security forces have launched a manhunt to nab four accomplices of Lashkar-e-Toiba militant Hanzullah, alias Abu Ukasha, who was nabbed in Kupwara district on Monday. All four accomplices are said to be Pakistani militants. Ukasha (18), who hails from the Bahawalpur area in Pakistan, was arrested from Sogam in Kupwara, around 110 km from Srinagar, while purchasing eatables from the mar ket onMonday evening. During initial questioning, the Pakistani militant revealed that he was part of a five-member group that had infiltrated recently. The group had been hiding in the Sogam area for the past one week. Massive searches are being carried out to trace the other militants, said a senior police officer in Srinagar. Based on information from the arrested militant, we recovered an AK rifle, four magazines and two wireless sets, he said. The police officer said the arrested militant might be the commander of the group. Various security and intelligence agencies were questioning the arrested militant to know about the Lashkar network and plans. Kupwara Senior Superintendent of Police Aijaz Bhat said the militant was arrested by a police patrol from the Sogam market. A grenade was recovered from his possession when he was arrested, he said. Soon after the arrest, a brief gunfight erupted in a neighbouring area. There was no report of any injury. Massive searches were under way in the Nagbal and Sogam forest to trace the accomplices of Ukasha. He is the third Pakistani militant arrested by security forces in Kashmir this year. In February, Mohammad Sidiq, alias Shahid, of Sialkot was arrested from the outskirts of Baramulla town. He was part of a four-member Jaish fidayeen squad which carried out an attack on an Army installation at Tangdhar in Kupwara in November last year. Manpriya Singh Ok, so Salman claims he is a virgin and the nation ignores. He compares himself to a raped woman? The nation uproars! Theres yet another school of thoughtshouldnt we rather bother about the unfortunate statistics of rape in the country than the unfortunate statement on rape by a celebrity? Sometimes silly, plain insensitive or downright crudetheres never a dull moment, courtesy the controversial statements coming from B-town. The latest happens to be from Bollywoods heartthrob Salman Khan, who compares himself to a raped woman at the end of the gruelling shoot schedule for Sultan. Boys locker room humour He definitely made it in humour, but public platform is no place for a joke like this. Such humour is best left for boys locker room or a bachelors party. It is insensitive not so much by way of content as much by way of context. It is definitely insensitive and hurtful to the victims and women out there. Making such a statement in front of the media is like asking for trouble. MC Sid What was he thinking? Satire is one thing, insensitivity quite another. What did he mean by saying that he felt like a raped woman at the end of the gruelling shoot schedule? Was it convey to the tiredness or the torture? Or was it convey the trauma? Either ways, it was wrong on his part because only a wronged woman knows how she feels. But there is always a controversy around a films promotional event? Is it a co-incidence or a well-thought-out provocation, only they can tell! Sumit Taneja, KV co-coordinator, SPICMACAY Right intent, wrong comparison Salman has always been known as a man with the right intent, but has always definitely gone wrong with the choice of his words. Same case here. He just wanted to explain the excruciating pain he had to go through. But out of the whole world, giving the example of a rape victim is not the right choice. Simran Oberoi, fashion photographer Statement that caused the furore While shooting, during those six hours, thered be so much of lifting and thrusting on the ground involved. That was tough for me because if I was lifting, Id have to lift the same 120-kilo guy 10 times for 10 different angles. And likewise, get thrown that many times on the ground. This act is not repeated that many times in the real fights in the ring. When I used to walk out of the ring, after the shoot, I used to feel like a raped woman. I couldnt walk straight. I would eat and then, head right back to training. That couldnt stop. Salman later admits the fallacy: I shouldnt have (said that). The reaction The fans are disappointed, the twitter shocked and the National Commission for Women has demanded an apology from Salman Khan for his insensitive remark. Father Salim Khan Undoubtedly what Salman said is wrong, the simile, example and the context. The intention was not wrong, he tweeted. No dearth of silliness, is there? Ranbir Kapoor: After Barfi didnt win an Oscar, Ranbir Kapoor said Its a loss for the Oscars that they didnt choose Barfi. For the uninitiated, Barfi is said to be a loosely adapted version of the cult film Amelie. Sonam Kapoor: You are not good looking; they think you are a good actor. You know what I mean. Well, everybody is still figuring out what could that have ever meant Sonam! Mallika Sherawat: I feel that my life is the same as Obamas. I do not come from a film family, nor do I have a godfather. Im from Haryana, but I changed the rules of the industry with my work and so has Obama. God save the world! Alia Bhatt Who can forget how much was the poor girl ridiculed for blurting out the name of Prithviraj Chauhan on being questioned about the President of India. Thereafter, theres never been a dull interview with the girl! manpriya@tribunemail.com Ramesh Kumar THINKING about Lalit Modis, Mallyas, Bhujbals and other who have cheated the state exchequer, my thought goes to many freedom fighters who, surely, did not sacrifice their lives for such a degradation in public life of their country. An example of selfless living is worth sharing; the story of Kundan Lal Wadhawan, a freedom fighter. The Wadhawans were eight brothers who were popular among freedom fighters as all of them were jailed in the Second Lahore Conspiracy case, for supplying bombs to revolutionaries. Jangiri Lal Wadhawan, who had lost his legs in an accident, was known as commander. (First Lahore Conspiracy case related to Shaheed Bhagat Singh.) Kundan Lal had quit his government job to participate in the freedom movement, in response to a call from Mahatma Gandhi during the AICC session at Lahore in 1929. He refused quotas, permits and chose to run a small newspaper distribution agency at Yamunanagar Labour News Agency to earn a living after Independence. For about 40 years, Kundan Lal would go to the railway station every morning and would allocate bundles of newspapers to the beat boys. In 1963, Partap Singh Kairon, the then Punjab Chief Minister, after presiding over a function at Mukand Lal National College, Yamunanagar, went to Kundan Lals shop to meet his old comrade. He parked the car at a distance and walked to the shop, where he sat on a wooden bench. Moved seeing the small shop of a man who had spent 10 years in jail for the country, he tried to persuade Kundan Lal to accept government help for a comfortable living. The humble Kundan Lal smiled and declined the offer, saying: Sardarji, I did not go to jail for any reward. What I am earning is enough for my family. Thank you for being so considerate. In the early 70s, the trend of advertisements through pamphlets and handbills in newspapers caught up in a big way. All news agencies would insert pamphlets and earn extra money, but Kundan Lal refused, saying he was getting commission from newspapers and inserting pamphlets would amount to earning black money. If I was to do this, why did I go to jail? he would ask. After a few years, facing pressure from industries and institutions, he relented, but evolved a noble method. He would keep aside the money earned from pamphlets and would donate it for the weddings of destitute girls and the education of poor students. This gesture earned him the honorific of Pitaji. He would visit cremation grounds and arrange for the last rites of unclaimed bodies. All his life he wore khadi and moved around on a bicycle. A contented Kundan Lal would laugh at the riches being acquired by many others who had vouched for high moral values during the freedom movement. Will our society ever value the service rendered by thousands of unsung freedom fighters who laid the foundation of Independent India? Simran Sodhi Tribune News Service New Delhi, June 21 The signals coming from China today on Indias Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) membership pointed in two directions. One, that China wants to keep the emphasis on the criterion and on non-NPT members joining the elite group as a whole. Two, it wants to club Indias membership with that of Pakistan, absolving Islamabad of its role in the controversial AQ Khan affair. Meanwhile, the US today reiterated its support for Indias membership. China hit back, pointing out that the US is one of those who made the rule that non-NPT countries should not join the NSG. For India, which has rushed its top officials from the Ministry of External Affairs to Seoul, the stakes are extremely high now. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook and Twitter @thetribunechd) The Chinese Foreign Ministry has asked the 48-member group to stay focused on whether the criteria should be changed. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying, talking to Indian mediapersons, said while discussions were on among the NSG members, the admission of new members was not listed in the current plenary meeting at Seoul. The door is open. The room is there. We never said we are against a country. We did not target any country, India or Pakistan, she said. On the US backing Indias NSG bid, Hua said, We care about rules. The US sets the rules.This is not an issue between China and India but (about) the pillar for the non-proliferation system, she said. The state-run Global Times wrote: While India strives for NSG inclusion, it prevents Pakistan from joining by insisting on the latters bad record of nuclear proliferation. Blaming AQ Khan for the nuclear proliferation, the paper said that illegal proliferation is not an official policy of the Pakistan Government. Beijing, June 21 China continued to stonewall India's bid for NSG membership on Tuesday despite a fresh push by the US as the 48-nation grouping remained divided over the entry of a non-NPT signatory countries such as India. The Chinese Foreign Ministry sang different tunes, first saying that it was not targeting any country such as India or Pakistan and then taking a swipe at the US for backing India's case citing the rule that countries that have not signed the NPT should not be allowed into NSG. I have not seen the US statement supporting India. But the US is one of those who made the rule that non-NPT countries should not join the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing. Read: Any exemption to India for NSG must apply to Pak: China The relevant rule was made on the principle that NPT was the cornerstone of the NSG, she said. Hua made the remarks in response to a question on the US asking members of the nuclear trading club to support Indias application. The Chinese comments came after the White House said India was "ready" for NSG membership and asked participating governments to support India's application at the plenary session of NSG in Seoul two days from now. Read: US again asks NSG members to support Indias bid At the same time, Beijing said the "door is open" for discussions on the issue but then emphasised on whether criteria for memberships should be changed instead of making exceptions, hinting at a similar bid made by Pakistan. Later, talking to Indian media, Hua said while discussions are going on among the NSG members, the admission of new members is not listed in the current plenary meeting in Seoul. The door is open. The room is there. We never said we are against who (a country). We did not target any country, India or Pakistan, Hua said. China cared about non-proliferation treaty (NPT) as criteria for admission of the new members into the NSG, she said. This is the core of the international non-proliferation. If the non-proliferation regime is changed how can we explain the Iranian nuclear treaty, Hua argued. Read: Modi to meet Chinese President to win support for NSG We just had a treaty with Iran. We have North Korean issues there...So this concerns the core issue whether NPT and non-proliferation system could be impacted by this, she said. Reiterating what she said on Monday, Hua said: According to my understanding, it (entry of new members) is not on the agenda of the NSG meeting in Seoul. The door is open for the admission of the non-NPT members. It is never closed. It is open. But the members of the NSG should stay focused on whether the criteria should be changed and whether non-NPT members should be admitted into the NSG, she said. On USs backing for Indias NSG bid, Hua said, We care about rules. The US just sets the rules. This is not an issue between China and India but (about) the pillar for non-proliferation system, she said. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook and Twitter @thetribunechd) Some 20 members are said to be backing India, some are undecided and some are opposed to it. New Delhi is closely monitoring proceedings in the South Korean capital and may depute its Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar to lobby with members if it sees any prospect of Indian bid succeeding. Amid Chinas opposition, the US has given a fresh push to Indias NSG membership bid by asking members of the elite club to support Indias entry into the grouping during the ongoing plenary meeting in Seoul. PTI New Delhi, June 21 Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of filing a false FIR against his government to a multicrore water tanker scam. Making a brief yet aggressive statement to the media, Kejriwal dared Modi to lodge "as many FIRs and get as many CBI raids conducted against me as he can", asserting such "coercive" methods would not "scare" him or the Aam Aadmi Party into silence. The Delhi Chief Minister wondered why Congress President Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra was not being acted against, contrary to the pre-poll rhetoric of the BJP. He also questioned the Centre's "inaction" against Sonia in the AgustaWestland scam. "I want to make one thing clear to Modiji that I am not Rahul Gandhi. I am not Sonia Gandhi who you will manage to pressurise. I am not Vadra with whom you will enter into a setting. I will die but won't tolerate fraud. The question is why such raids and FIRs are directed against me? Because he (Modi) has managed to scare others using such tactics. I am the only person standing tall against his intimidation, Kejriwal said. His attack came a day after Delhi's Anti-Corruption Branch Chief MK Meena said besides probing former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit's role in the tanker scam, Kejriwal may also be questioned for "sitting over" a report by an AAP government-ordered fact-finding committee that had found the alleged irregularities. He said he will raise his voice against Modi "shielding" Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Vasundhara Raje Scindia, Anandiben Patel, who he alleged were involved in the Vyapam scandal, controversy over former IPL boss Lalit Modi's immigration application and a land scam, respectively. "I will raise my voice if you help Vijay Mallya flee the country with Rs 7,000 crore. If you open the defence sector to FDI jeopardising the country's security, then I will raise my voice. If BJP leaders are seen siding with the killers of an honest officer MM Khan, then I will raise my voice," he said. "I am the only person standing like a rock against the misdeeds of the Modi, which is he is not being able to digest...No CBI raid against Sonia or Rahul. Not an FIR against Vadra or Sonia. But they target me and that essentially means that Modiji you too acknowledge that your fight is directly against me," he said. Kejriwal claimed "an FIR was registered against me under the directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi." The FIR, however, does not mention either Kejriwal or Dikshit. "He (Modi) had ordered a CBI raid on me six months ago. Now top officers are probing the case but they have not found a penny. The raid was fake and in a similar way the FIR is completely fake and nothing is going to come out of it," he said. PTI New Delhi, June 21 Sitting on a hunger strike outside Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwals residence for the last two days, BJP MP Maheish Girri on Tuesday did not miss out on participating in the second International Yoga Day celebrations. Girri performed yoga outside Kejriwals residence where he has been protesting since Sunday evening. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook and Twitter @thetribunechd) Girri, who has been sitting on a hunger strike to counter the allegations levelled against him with regard to the murder of NDMC official MM Khan, on Monday had alleged that the AAP supremo was putting baseless allegations on others to get rid of the corruption charges. He, however, asked Kejriwal for a public debate on his allegations. Kejriwal had earlier flatly refused Girris demand of having an open debate in the matter. Is there an open debate in a murder case? Is this the criminal justice system of the BJP wherein they allow the accused of a murder case to sit in protest in front of Kejriwals residence? I think this is the message of the Modi government that anyone who commits a crime by killing a person should come and sit in protest in front of Kejriwals residence and then the big BJP leaders would come to support the accused, Kejriwal said. Khan was shot dead in Jamia Nagar on May 16, a day before he was scheduled to pass the final order on the lease terms of a hotel which was functioning on a property leased out by the civic body. ANI Nitin Jain Tribune News Service Chandigarh, June 21 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said yoga is not a religious practice and people must embrace it for a better mental and physical health without any religious consideration. The Prime Minister led around 30,000 yoga enthusiasts at Capitol Complex here in performing yoga asanas to mark the second International Day of Yoga. Addressing the gathering, Modi announced two yoga awards--one international and another national--for excellent contribution in the field of yoga internationally and nationally, respectively, to be given on International Day of Yoga. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook and Twitter @thetribunechd) Some 150 Divyangs, a term coined by Modi for the differently abled, were assisted in performing yoga asanas. After the 45-minute event amid tight security arrangements, the PM also mingled with yoga enthusiasts, including Divyangs. Students, defence, PAP and ITBP personnel were among the participants. Modi, dressed in a white T-shirt and trouser along with a scarf, led the participants, including defence forces personnel and schoolchildren. The Prime Minister, who arrived here on Monday night, participated in a mass demonstration of Common Yoga Protocol. People from all ages--10,000 each from Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana--performed yoga asanas on pink and blue mats. About 10,000 people also performed yoga at over 100 other locations in Chandigarh. Treatment of diabetes through yoga Speaking on the occasion, the PM called for mass public campaign to suggest measures in yoga to the common man suffering from diabetes. Advocating the treatment of diabetes through yoga, Modi said, diabetes and yoga is my subject. (Read: 1,600 pregnant women performing yoga in Rajkot set world record) (Also see: International Yoga Day) I want to request trainers who are associated with yoga, from this public platform. From next year when we celebrate yoga day, in this one year, you continue to do what you do for yoga but focus on one subject and this is my subject--diabetes--diabetes and yoga, he said. All people belonging to the yoga field, whatever knowledge they have, they must continue with the rest of their yoga activities but this (diabetes) must be the main focus, Modi said. Expressing concern over the rising number of patients suffering from diabetes, Modi asked yoga trainers to help in controlling the disease. In India, patients suffering from diabetes are rising. We might be able to get rid of this disease or not but with the help of yoga, diabetes can be controlled. Can we start a public campaign to suggest measures in yoga to the common man suffering from diabetes? Baba Ramdev leads participants in Faridabad It will be an achievement if we can help in treating diabetes. From next year, we can take another disease. But I want that for good health, we should address any one disease every year. We should run a public campaign with an aim to address one disease, he said. WATCH: PM Narendra Modi doing Yoga in Chandigarh #YogaDayhttps://t.co/efar5Dim3b ANI (@ANI_news) June 21, 2016 Yoga is not only a way to get rid of a disease but it also guarantees wellness. For holistic development of lives, yoga is a great way, he said. India has given invaluable heritage to the world as we celebrate the second International Yoga Day. The world has accepted it in their way, he said. PM participates in mass yoga demonstration at Capitol Complex, Chandigarh, on the occasion of 2nd #IYD2016 #YogaDay pic.twitter.com/0nRaeCLbbE PIB India (@PIB_India) June 21, 2016 Wearing blue and white T-shirts and black trousers, the participants reached the venue early in the morning to perform yoga asanas. Elaborate arrangements had been put in place to ensure a smooth performance, officials said. The Capitol complex was divided into eight blocks where 500 master trainers, along with their team members, performed asanas. Several LED screens were put up at the venue, where 300 bio-toilets and 30,000 mats had been put in place. Tight security arrangements were made with more than 5,000 police and paramilitary personnel keeping a vigil at the venue. Private vehicles were also barred from going near the venue. PM participates in mass yoga demonstration at Capitol Complex, Chandigarh, on the occasion of 2nd #IYD2016 #YogaDay pic.twitter.com/BclJNLNwWr PIB India (@PIB_India) June 21, 2016 Punjab and Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar were among those present. With PTI WATCH: Navy personnel do Yoga onboard aircraft carrier INS Viraat on Yoga Day Tribune News Service Chandigarh, June 21 Prime Minister Narendra Modi today announced two annual awards to be given from next year for doing exceptional work in promoting yoga at the international and national levels. India has given invaluable heritage to the world, which has accepted it in its own way. Today, on behalf of the government, I am announcing two awards...One will be for excellent contribution in the field of yoga internationally and the other for excellent contribution to yoga in the country. These awards will be called International Yoga Award and National Yoga Award, the PM declared. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook and Twitter @thetribunechd) He said yoga had become a big economic activity worldwide, with a huge demand for yoga trainers. Modi said people in every corner of the country and in other countries too were taking part in the International Day of Yoga. Just as the mobile phone is now a part of your life, make yoga too a part of your life. Yoga helps control the mind and maintain a healthy body. It helps people lead a disciplined life, Modi said, while stating that yoga was a guarantee for wellness, not just fitness. Yoga binds body, mind, intelligence and soul. It provides a balance to mind and body, he added. No official programme in Bihar No official programme was organised by the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar on the occasion of International Yoga Day. Union Minister of State for MSME Giriraj Singh lashed out at the state government for opposing yoga on the ground that it was a publicity drive by the BJP. I can understand your (Nitish Kumar) annoyance with the PM, but not so with yoga, he said. PTI Advanced yoga for 1,900 BSF troops The countrys largest border guarding force BSF will soon send a 1,900 personnel-strong contingent to get 'advanced' training in yoga exercises and skills by Ramdev in Haridwar. Border Security Force chief KK Sharma said the force had decided to 'intensify' yoga training to its troops and the aim was to have at least one trainer in this discipline in each platoon-level formation of the force. PTI 1,600 pregnant women set record Gujarats Rajkot city claimed to have created a world record with more than 1,600 pregnant women performing a mass pre-natal yoga on the International Day of Yoga. Sources said they broke the previous record of 900 such women performing group yoga. District collector Vikrant Pandey said the session was held under the observation of 100 doctors and expert yoga trainers. TNS Prime Minister Narendra Modi tried to distance yoga from religion in Chandigarh on Tuesday as he led over 30,000 participants in the second International Day of Yoga celebrations, asserting that yoga must be embraced for better mental and physical health. In New Delhi, President Pranab Mukherjee had a similar message to convey as he kicked off the celebrations at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Connaught Place saw largescale participation of people as they performed yoga for 45 minutes. Nothing perhaps conveyed the expanse and extent of Yoga Day than the picture of Army personnel performing yoga in the extreme weather of Siachen Glacier. Politics and symbolism apart, June 21 saw Indians of all hues embracing the ancient discipline.n In all, 135 countries participated in the celebrations New Delhi, June 21 Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday (June 23) in Uzbekistan capital Tashkent in an attempt to win Beijings support for Indias membership to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). Modi will meet Jinping on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit meeting that is currently on in Tashkent. The SCO is a Eurasian political, economic, and military organisation founded in 2001 in Shanghai by China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Sources said the meeting between Modi and Jinping would be an exclusive one-on-one discussion, where the top agenda would be to seek Chinas support for Indias membership in the NSG. China, till now, has been playing the role of a dampener on the issue of clearing the way for Indias admission to the NSG, by repeatedly stating that it is not on the agenda of the grouping which began its plenary session in Seoul, South Korea, on Monday. On the other hand, the United States has called on the participating governments of the NSG to support Indias application for membership. State Department spokesperson John Kirby said in a press briefing that Washington had not changed its stand regarding Indias application for membership to the elite group. Well, as you know, during Prime Minister Modis visit, the President (Barack Obama) welcomed Indias application to join the NSG and reaffirmed that India is ready for membership. We continue to calland nothings changed about our position. We continue to call on the participating governments of the NSG to support Indias application at the plenary session this week in Seoul, he said. When asked if the Obama government has taken up the matter with China, who has been firmly against Indias inclusion in the NSG, Kerry asserted that the US had routinely spoken to other NSG participating members regarding the matter. This is something that we haveIndias application is something we have routinely talked to other NSG participating members. This is not a new topic of discussion that we;ve had privately with the members, he said. ANI Kozhikode, June 21 A 19-year-old Dalit student studying at a nursing college near Bangalore is currently critical after she was forced to drink chemicals by in an incident of ragging, police said on Tuesday. The student who was in her first semester at Al Qamar College of Nursing at Gulburga, Karnataka, and is from Edappal in Malappuram district of Kerala joined the college five months ago, Habib, the station head of Kozhikode Medical College Hospital Police Station. Police claim that the student has been facing ragging and harassment since she began to stay at the womens hostel. On May 9, eight senior students forced her to drink a toilet cleaner, after which she was admitted to a hospital with acute stomach problems, he said. She was sent home five days later when her health worsened. Doctors treating her at Keralas Kozhikode Medical College Hospital said the chemical had severely damaged her food pipe. Some senior students have been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including murder, and the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes Atrocities (Prevention) Act. PTI Amir Karim Tantray Tribune News Service Jammu, June 21 The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs today made a startling revelation Pathankot could come under attack again as militants were still hiding in nearby villages. The committee said the Centre was aware of the report prepared in this regard, based on the information obtained from villagers. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook and Twitter @thetribunechd) Addressing the media here, chairman of the committee P Bhattacharya, on a three-day visit to review the security situation in Jammu, said they had recommended tighter security both inside and outside the Pathankot air base. Subsequently, the presence of the Army, the CRPF and the BSF had been increased. On January 2, Pakistan-sponsored militants had entered the Panthankot air base. In the encounter that lasted 50 hours, seven soldiers and five militants were killed. More than six months after the attack, the Parliamentary Standing Committee today revealed that the threat persists. After talking to villagers, we informed the Centre about the presence of terrorists in the vicinity of the air base. It is not our job to trace their hideouts, Bhattacharya said. The committee chairman was unhappy with New Delhi for allowing the Pakistani investigation team to visit the airbase. On the anti-infiltration grid on the international border, Bhattacharya said, We are happy with the measure, even as he stressed the need for modern equipment on the international border to check infiltration. Washington, June 21 Amid Chinas opposition, the US has given a fresh push to Indias NSG membership bid by asking members of the elite club to support Indias entry into the grouping during the ongoing plenary meeting in Seoul. We believe, and this has been US policy for some time, that India is ready for membership and the United States calls on participating governments to support Indias application at the plenary session of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook and Twitter @thetribunechd) At the same time, participating governments will need to reach a consensus decision in order to admit any applicant into the group and the United States will certainly be advocating for Indias membership, Earnest said as the five-day annual plenary session of the 48-member club began in the South Korean capital on Monday. His remarks came after China said Indias membership is not on the agenda of the NSG meeting in Seoul. The NSG remains divided over non-NPT countries like India becoming its members, Chinas Foreign Ministry had said on Monday less than 24 hours after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj exuded hope that we would be able to convince China to support our entry to the NSG. US President Barack Obama, Earnest said, had an opportunity to discuss the issue of Indias NSG membership bid with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their White House meeting earlier this month. The United States, as you know, strongly supports Indias application to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group, Earnest said. We have made our views known both publicly and privately, and well continue to do so, Earnest said when asked if the US has reached out to members of the NSG in support of Indias application. At a separate news conference, the State Department reiterated the same views. As you know, during Prime Minister Modis visit, the President welcomed Indias application to join the NSG and reaffirmed that India is ready for membership. We continue to call on the participating governments, the NSG, to support Indias application at the plenary session this week itself, State Department Spokesman John Kirby told reporters at his daily news conference. India's application is something we have routinely talked to other NSG participating members. This is not a new topic of discussion that weve had privately with the members, Kirby said. Last week as well, the US had called on members of the nuclear trading club to support Indias membership. While majority of the elite group members backed Indias membership, it is understood that apart from China, countries like Turkey, South Africa, Ireland and New Zealand were not in favour of Indias entry into the NSG. China maintains opposition to Indias entry, arguing that it has not signed Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). However, it has been batting for its close ally Pakistans entry if NSG extends any exemption for India. Pakistan applied for NSG membership, a week after India submitted its membership application. India has asserted that being a signatory to the NPT was not essential for joining the NSG as there has been a precedent in this regard, citing the case of France. India is seeking membership of NSG to enable it to trade in and export nuclear technology. PTI Sukhmeet Bhasin Tribune News Service Rampura (Bathinda), June 20 Eighteen people, including six policemen, were injured at Rampura in this district on Monday afternoon as those holding a protest demanding the arrest of the family who had allegedly murdered a Dalit woman pelted the police with stones after cops cane-charged them. A police jeep was vandalised in the clash for which the police blamed the protesters. However, the protesters alleged that the SHO himself got the jeep vandalised. Police have rounded up over 250 protesters at Phul police station. The clash took place as the police cane-charged the protesters, led by BSP general secretary Kuldip Singh Sardulgarh. They first protested in front of Phul police station against the alleged police inaction in the case registered against the accused. The protesters alleged that the victim, a resident of Dhanaula Khurd village in Barnala district who was married off at Phul, was murdered by the accused family on June 13 but the police failed to arrest them. The protesters wanted to shift the protest to the Bathinda-Chandigarh road but the police cane-charged them. In retaliation, the protesters allegedly pelted the policemen with stones, leaving a few policemen injured. The protesters demanded the arrest of Sukhchain Singh, the husband of the deceased, along with his mother and sisters. They alleged that the victim was pregnant at the time of her death but the police had failed to arrest them. Phul SHO Manjit Singh denied the allegations saying a case is yet to be registered against the accused. He said the protesters had seriously injured five policemen who were admitted to civil hospital, Rampura. The Mansa district in-charge of the BSP, who was among the protesters, said, The police had injured around a dozen of our protesters by cane-charging them. The SHO himself vandalised his jeep to get us booked. We retaliated only after they cane-charged us. Saurabh Malik Tribune News Service Chandigarh, June 21 The Punjab and Haryana High Court has ruled that the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) cannot allow re-evaluation in some subjects and deny it in others. Justice Amit Rawals ruling came on a petition filed by Shaurya Gulati. He was aggrieved by a restriction imposed in a notice dated May 24 on the re-evaluation of papers. His counsel contended that there was no provision for the re-evaluation of physical education theory paper in the Class XII examination. The counsel for the respondent submitted that an appeal against the judgment had been filed, although interim stay had not been ordered. He further submitted that the re-evaluation started with effect from November 2014. Prior to it, there was no provision for the re-evaluation of any subject paper of Class XII. Justice Rawal asserted that his view was fortified by the Delhi High Court judgment in Samarth Mittals case, wherein an identical situation had arisen, and the CBSE was directed to conduct the re-evaluation of the physical education theory paper as per the bylaws. Allowing the petition, Justice Rawal quashed the notice only with regard to the petitioner. The respondent shall consider the written request of the petitioner for conducting re-evaluation, subject to the deposit of usual charges. He set a two-week deadline from the date of receiving the request for the re-evaluation and declaration of the result. Tribune News Service Fatehgarh Sahib, June 21 The Class IV Employees Union (CEU) here organised a protest rally against the International Yoga Day and non-fulfillment of their demands. Addressing the protesters, Avtar Singh Cheema, district president, CEU, alleged the Modi government was trying to divert the attention of the people from the main issues afflicting the country. He said empty stomachs could not be filled with yoga and alleged that schoolchildren were kept in confinement for the event. Cheema said the Class IV employees had been ignored in the 7th Pay Commission. He said they would intensify their stir from July 11 if the commissions report was not amended. He said employees from across the country would assemble at Jantar Mantar in Delhi and submit a memorandum to the Prime Minister and the Union Finance Minister. Amaninder Pal Tribune News Service Chandigarh, June 21 The Punjab Agro Export Corporation, which sent Punjabi kinnows first-ever consignment to Russia and Ukraine early this year, has decided to increase three-fold the quantum of export of this citrus fruit to these countries. Russian-Turkish business ties took a hit, especially in the fruit and vegetable sector, after Turkey shot down a Russian Sukhoi bomber aircraft in November last year. Subsequently, traders from Russia and Ukraine, besides some Middle East countries, had procured about 5,000 tonnes of kinnow from Punjab. The exporters have given a positive feedback about the fruit in these countries. We plan to export about 15,000 tonnes of kinnow in the coming season, said KS Pannu, Managing Director, Punjab Agro. He added that Punjab had placed an order to procure fungicide-laden wax from overseas manufacturers so as to tackle the fungicide attack on kinnow during the long period of transportation. To keep the product quality intact for up to 30-35 days, we need fungicide-laden wax to treat kinnow, Pannu said. Tribune News Service Chandigarh, June 21 Activists of the Kisan Khet Mazdoor cell of the Congress staged a dharna in front of the office of the PPCC against PM Narendra Modi who was in the city to participate in the International Yoga Day celebrations. Inderjit Singh Zira, chairman of the cell announced that they wanted to hand over a bag containing blood collected from the families of suicide victims from across the state. But the police cordoned the office and arrested the agitators before they could proceed towards the venue of the celebrations By donating blood, they wanted to highlight the plight of the farmers. While farmers are dying, the PM is busy practicing yoga, he added. Why have you stopped the facilities that were provided by Dr Manmohan Singh in terms of farm loan waiver, where four per cent of the interest was contributed by the farmer and the rest was taken care of by the government? He also attacked the Centre policies on writing-off the huge loans of big industrialists while ignoring the farmers. Ravi Dhaliwal Tribune News Service Pathankot, June 21 An ecological disaster is in the making as illegal mining in the Chakki riverbed is going on full steam. DC Amit Kumar has sought a report from the GM (Mining) and has directed him to take steps to ensure no digging takes place, particularly in the mining rich Mirthal belt. The worst affected places are the villages of Talwara Jattan, Kandran and Mirthal. Villagers complain that they cannot sleep at night because of the high decibel noise generated by the JCB and Poclain (heavy digging) machines. If this unabated plunder of the river bed does not stop, a time will come when its level will go down. This is a sure recipe for an ecological disaster. Criminals are carrying out their activities in the absence of clearances from the Ministry of Environment, disclosed an official. A Talwara Jattan resident said, We have complained to the officials but to no avail. In a cosmetic exercise, some officials of the mining department inspect the area every now and then but once they are gone things are back to square one at night. Some of the quarries here have been auctioned by the state government. However, the contractors who had won the bids claim that raw material was not being procured by stone crushers from them. We have won the bids. However, we are running into losses as crushers are purchasing material not from us but from illegal sources. A high- level probe is needed to identify the offenders, said Dharminder, a contractor. Sources reveal that the stone crusher owners have formed cartels which in turn engage in illegal digging of sand and gravel. In this way, instead of taking material from us, they take it directly from their own people indulging in under-cutting of prices, he added. The Mirthal belt, which has nearly 70 crushers, is a major contributor of sand and gravel to the other parts of the country and Chakki river which flows through this belt, remains a lucrative business for criminals, disclosed an official. Raj Sadosh Abohar, June 21 Hundreds of protesting farmers from villages of Abohar, Balluana and Fazilka constituencies performed virodh asana on the grounds of the canal colony on Tuesday. They followed their teacher, Abohar MLA Sunil Jakhar, as he gave commands for ardh virodh asana and puran virodh asana, followed by slogans like Punjab sarkar Murdabad, Badal sarkar murdabad and Kisan dushman sarkar murdabad. Earlier, addressing the gathering Jakhar said CM Parkash Singh Badal performs Modi Vandana and Modi Poojan occasionally but had not been able to get any special package sanctioned to put farmers on a firm footing. The NDA government was not inclined to watch the interests of Punjab on the SYL issue. The state cannot afford to spare even a drop of water for neighbouring states. Similarly, farmers in Abohar, Balluana and Fazilka segments cannot afford to let Jathedars of the Badals to grab their share of canal water. Here, water reservoirs were drying and villagers have to pay Rs 500 for a tanker for drinking. The state has five rivers and Abohar subdivision has five canals but the same were closed on rotation basis to divert water to the Badals constituency and this will not be tolerated, he warned. The protesters told Jakhar that not even a drop of water was available at the tail-end villages whereas Agriculture Department officials had advised them to water their cotton crop and kinnows in the orchards. Jakhar said he would continue his dharna at the divisional office of the Irrigation Department till water was released in the canals. Jupinderjit Singh Tribune News Service Chandigarh, June 21 For Pakistani smugglers, pushing drugs into Punjab through the international border is a new form of jihad (holy war). This has been revealed by Ramzaan (32), a Pakistani drug smuggler who was arrested from the Sowana border outpost in Fazilka district on June 13. He has told the Punjab Police that the smugglers are being motivated to spread the poison in the border state to ruin the young generation of kafirs (infidels). Narendra Bhargava, Fazilka SSP, said, The accused claims that he was reluctant to push drugs despite being offered Rs 5 lakh for an operation. However, some unidentified men brainwashed him into smuggling, saying that it was jihad too. Ramzaan, a farm labourer and the father of four girls, has revealed that his accomplices Shaukat and Sulleman, who were shot dead by the police and the Border Security Force (BSF) last week, used to smuggle heroin to India once or twice a month. Shaukat, a landlord owning 30 acres, knew various entry points along Punjab, Rajasthan and Jammu borders, he told the police. According to the police, this is the first time that a Pakistani smuggler has been captured alive ever since the state launched a multi-pronged war against drugs in 2014, even as 19 smugglers from the neighbouring country have been killed by the BSF and the state police in the past five years. The police claim that drug smuggling was earlier considered part of narco-terrorism as smugglers were allegedly used by Pakistani spy agency ISI (Inter Services Intelligence) to transport guns or help terrorists infiltrate. Central intelligence agencies have been alerted about the drug jihad. Tribune News Service Dehradun, June 21 Senior doctors have threatened to resume their agitation as the state government is dillydallying on the issue of Dynamic Assured Career Progression (DACP) for doctors, who were appointed before 2015. Earlier this year, the government doctors owing allegiance to the Provincial Medical and Health Services (PMHS) had boycotted duty in support of their demand. The Department of Health had stepped in to get the doctors resume work and had given in principle approval to the demand. A committee headed by the Chief Secretary was formed to look into the demands. It has been three months but the decision has not come about due to fund crunch. Without adequate funds at its disposal, the Department of Finance has expressed difficulty in pushing through the proposal. Significantly, the demand for the DACP has been met partly by the government for doctors who are joining the state medical services from 2015. This has left doctors, who joined services before 2015, out of the purview of the scheme which, based on Tickoo Commission recommendations, entails promotions after 4, 9, 13 and 20 years. This provision is being implemented in some states and by the Central government. However, the state government has not implemented the scheme fearing huge burden on the exchequer. The government maintains that it has been giving several benefits, including non-practicing allowance, to doctors so doesnt feel the need to implement the scheme. The government this year gave in but with uncertainty about the Budget looming large, the matter seems to have reached the dead end. We will shortly call a meeting on this issue. The government should agree to implement the scheme as principle agreement has already been given. If it fails to do so, we will have to look at other options, said Dr Naresh Napalchayal, secretary of the PMHS. Tribune News Service Dehradun, June 21 Second International Yoga Day was celebrated at several institutions here on Tuesday. KVFRI Pandit Bhola Shankar Dabral from Shri Ram Ashram, Himalayan Institute, Rishikesh, highlighted the significance of yoga and emphasised upon the correct way of breathing and postures at a camp at the KVFRI. He taught many asanas, including Makarasan, Tadaasan, Shavasan and Sheerhasan, to students and staff. He explained all the steps of Suryanamaskar, mentioning its importance. Principal Charu Sharma said everybody should practise yoga. Dolphin (PG) Institute The Dolphin Students Welfare Council (DSWC) held a camp at Dolphin (PG) Institute of Biomedical and Natural Sciences (DIBNS). Institute chairman Arvind Gupta said yoga was an indicator of the rich Indian culture and it was a huge experience of knowledge gained by sage of ancient India. "Almost all diseases can be controlled by yoga," he said. Himgiri Zee University The Himgiri Zee University celebrated the day on its campus. The programme started with the speech of Vice-Chancellor Dr Ravindra Bhardwaj. He said yoga was a spiritual process to know oneself. He spoke on the need to remain calm and know oneself. CII CII organised sessions on yoga for its members. Yoga expert Anita Maithel sensitised people to the benefits of Indias ancient heritage as a physical, mental and spiritual practice for prevention of non-communicable diseases. The session included demonstration of breathing exercises for relaxation. A talk on 'how yoga unites' was also delivered by Dr S Farooq, president of the Himalaya Drug Company. Golden Key Division A large number of service personnel, their wives and children volunteered to participated in the yoga sessions of the Golden Key Division. Yoga instructors shared asanas and postures at all stations of the Golden Key Division including Clement Town, Garhi, Birpur and Roorkee. Art of Living Yoga sessions were held at different places by volunteers of Art of Living. Senior Art of Living Instructor Sunil Lalwani said yoga made people physically and mentally strong and emotionally stable. Tribune News Service Dehradun, June 21 Chief Minister Harish Rawat today said a blueprint was being drafted to teach yoga to students in select government schools across the state. He said the necessary exercise was on to develop Jageshwar, Tungnath, Lohaghat and Mayati ashrams as Arogya Kendras (salubrity centres) in the state. He said He stated this at a state-level yoga workshop organised to mark the second International Yoga Day at Pavilion Ground here today. Rawat said AYUSH centres had already been set up at district hospitals in all 13 districts of the state. Uttarakhand was a forerunner in terms of organising three yoga festivals at Rishikesh, Jageshwar and Haridwar, he said. Enthusiasts in a large number from 100 countries participated in the events. He said the festival was held every weekend during the recently held Ardh Kumbh in Haridwar. The Chief Minister said all efforts would be made to develop Rishikesh as an Arogya Kendra. He said officials concerned had been directed to finalise the draft for appointing yoga instructors in schools. Earlier, Rawat inaugurated the Yoga Park at Shaheed Durgamal Park, Garhi Cantt. He said medicinal plants and herbs would be planted in the park. The power department has established yoga parks in Dehradun and Haldwani. In another function at Raj Bhavan, Governor KK Paul performed various asanas and kriyas. He said it was a matter of proud for everyone that Uttarakhand had been recognised for yoga. Yoga is a precious gift given to the world by India, which helps in improving concentration and makes life happy, he said. Riyadh, June 21 Fifty young men have been arrested in Saudi Arabia for haircuts, necklaces and other adornments considered un-Islamic. The suspects were detained during a Ramadan crackdown in the western Saudi city of Mecca, Islam's holiest site, according to Saudi news website Sabq. They were handed over to the department of criminal investigations, said Sabq, which accompanied investigators during their visits to shopping areas in the city. Officers noticed "a number of offences like strange haircuts, chains that are hung upon the chest or arms, head wraps and short clothes and immodest ones - for both men and women," reported Sabq. AFP Kabul, June 21 At least 12 Taliban insurgents, including two commanders, were killed in a gun battle with Afghan security forces in Helmand province. The 2015 Maiwand Military Corps in a statement on Tuesday said the clash took place in Nad Ali district after a group of Taliban fighters attacked a military outpost and started firing against the forces, reports Tolo News. Read: Taliban kidnap 25 men from buses in Afghanistan The security forces have also seized a number of weapons during the clash. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook and Twitter @thetribunechd) No casualty was suffered by security forces in the conflict, the statement said. Meanwhile, the Helmand police officials have said military operations in the province will continue in a bid to eliminate anti-state groups. The security officials had last week announced that a large-scale military operation would be launched in Gereshk, Marjah and Nad Ali districts in order to clear the areas of Taliban. ANI WASHINGTON, June 21 The US Senate on Monday rejected four measures restricting gun sales after last week's massacre in an Orlando nightclub, dealing a bitter setback to advocates who have failed to get even modest gun curbs through Congress despite repeated mass shootings. A group of senators was still hoping to forge a compromise for later in the week aimed at keeping firearms away from people on terrorism watch lists, although that effort faced an uphill battle with critics in both parties skeptical about its chances. Last week's massacre, the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history, had intensified pressure on lawmakers, who moved swiftly to take the issue to the Senate floor. But the gun-control measures lost in largely party-line votes that showed the lingering political power in Congress of gun rights defenders and the National Rifle Association. Republicans and their allies in the NRA gun lobby said the Democratic Bills were too restrictive and trampled on the constitutional right to bear arms. Democrats attacked the Republicans' two proposals as too weak and accused them of being in the thrall of the NRA. "What am I going to tell the community of Orlando?" asked Democratic Senator Bill Nelson of Florida after the votes. "Sadly, what I'm going to tell them is the NRA won again." Chris Cox, executive director of the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action, attacked the Democrats' amendments and thanked Republicans for rejecting them. "Today, the American people witnessed an embarrassing display in the United States," he said. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, said the Democratic measures were ineffective and Republican senators "are pursuing real solutions that can help keep Americans safer from the threat of terrorism". As the parties remain largely locked in their positions, polls show Americans are increasingly in favour of more restrictions on guns in a country with more than 310 million weapons, about one for every citizen. The issue is already a prominent one for voters in November elections. Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton supports new gun restrictions, while Republican Donald Trump expressed a willingness to talk to the NRA about the issue. After the votes, Clinton issued a one-word statement: "Enough". It was followed by the names and ages of the dead in Orlando. Gun control efforts failed after mass shootings at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012 and a conference center in San Bernardino, California, in 2015. But some senators see resistance to gun restrictions softening as national security looms larger in the debate. The Orlando gunman, Omar Mateen, pledged allegiance to the militant group Islamic State as he killed 49 people in a gay nightclub. "This country is under attack ... it's not a plane or an explosive device, it's an assault weapon," said Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat who led a 15-hour filibuster last week to draw attention to the effort to restrict guns. 'Shame on every single senator' Murphy walked off the floor after the Senate votes and embraced Erica Smegielski, the daughter of Dawn Hochsprung, a Sandy Hook principal killed during the Newtown shooting. "He said, the good thing about me and you is we're young, we'll be at this a long time," said Smegielski, 30. A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted last week found that 71 per cent of Americans favor at least moderate regulations and restrictions on gun sales. That compared with 60 per cent in late 2013 and late 2014. Senior Senate aides left open the possibility of other votes later in the week on unspecified gun control proposals. Some Republicans pinned hopes on a proposal by Senator Susan Collins, a Maine Republican, which was not one of the four Bills being considered on Monday. Collins' plan would restrict gun purchases to a narrow group of suspects, including those on a "no-fly" list or a "selectee" list of people who require additional screening at airports. But Democratic aides said people credibly suspected of involvement in terrorism would not be covered by the weapons ban under Collins' Bill, and a Republican aide indicated it would not do enough to protect the constitutional rights of gun buyers. Even if the Senate approved a gun compromise, it would also have to be passed by the more conservative, Republican-majority House of Representatives. House Republican leadership aides did not comment on the possibility that any Bills proposing gun restrictions would be considered on the House floor this week. On Monday, all four of the measures to expand background checks on gun buyers and curb gun sales to those on terrorism watch lists two put forth by Democrats and two by Republicans fell short of the 60 votes needed for passage in the 100-member chamber. Gun-control advocates expressed disappointment after the vote and vowed to take revenge on lawmakers at the ballot box in November. "Shame on every single senator who voted against these life-saving amendments and protected the rights of terrorists and other dangerous people to buy guns," said Dan Gross, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. "The Brady Campaign will expose these politicians for who they really are and call out their failure to disarm hate in America." Reuters This aerodynamically optimized road train concept truck from MAN and Krone, both prominent vehicle builders in Europe, was showcased at the 2012 IAA commercial truck show in Hanover, Germany. The builders said it could save 25% in fuel and carbon dioxide emissions. Photo: Jim Park The trucking industry is undergoing profound shifts and changes. In fact, you could argue that we havent seen this kind of all-encompassing change since the industry made a wholesale move to diesel power in the late 1940s. But long before that technological revolution took place, truckings mission was carved in stone: The load would always go through and arrive on time. It was a mantra that defined all aspects of trucking and led to the distinctly American-style swagger that lingers to this day. Everything in trucking, including vehicle design, was set around the concept of freight getting through, No Matter What. Vehicle design, driver comfort, hours of service and yes, even fuel economy, were all simply means to an end in achieving that overriding goal. It was an article of faith in trucking that one day far off in the future fuel prices would rise. They had been doing so for years, in fact. But the process had been slow and almost predictable. The industry watched, aghast, as trucking companies many small fleets, but also longtime, nationally recognized names went out of business by the thousands because they couldnt weather the storm. Today, truck fleets understand that fuel prices can swing wildly with little warning. And the trucking industry itself has undergone a sea change over the past decade: Today, fuel economy is a priority on par with delivering goods in a safe and timely fashion. Vehicle and component manufacturers have responded to these new market forces (and more than a little prodding from the government) to create a whole new generation of trucks capable of delivering fuel economy numbers thought impossible just a decade ago. The changes in fuel economy have been so profound that many in the industry wonder if there is any blood left in that turnip. But experts we talked to say yes: There is still plenty of room left in Class 8 vehicle and powertrain design to boost fuel economy performance even more. And many of those changes will be coming your way soon. Blood in the turnip Even with the many changes taking place today, Class 8 truck design has not changed dramatically in the past 20 years. While trucks today are far more aerodynamic, the overall vehicle and powertrain configuration remain pretty much the same and will likely remain so for the foreseeable future. Given those constraints, how beneficial are any upcoming fuel economy enhancement efforts likely to be? Mike Roeth is executive director for the North American Council for Freight Efficiency, a non-profit group that helps fleets evaluate and adopt emerging technology to reduce emissions and boost fuel economy. He says the industry has squeezed so much additional performance out of its designs over the past decade, that its only natural to assume theres little room left for improvement. I recall when we first started NACFE and suggested that the efficiency of tractor-trailers could be doubled, Roeth says. And some laughed at us. Most thought us naive. The Walmart Advanced Vehicle Experience, or WAVE, was a futuristically styled concept truck put together with Peterbilt, Capstone Turbine, Great Dane and other suppliers, powered by a microturbine-electric hybrid drive system and a trailer made of lightweight carbon fiber. Photo: Walmart At the time, in 2009, tractor-trailers were averaging 6 mpg in linehaul applications. Today, Roeth notes that new trucks routinely log 8 mpg. On top of that, we have various SuperTruck concept vehicles undergoing testing today. Much of that technology is not yet practical or affordable. But were seeing 12 mpg consistently, which gives us a strong indication of where were headed. In fact, the commercial-vehicle industry is a blank canvas compared to light vehicles, says Steve Wesolowski, senior director of global advanced engineering for Dana Holding Corp. The Detroit Big Three carmakers are each defining their own strategies on how to integrate connected vehicles to boost fuel efficiency, which leads to limited scope. But when it comes to trucking, he explains, there are more players involved. Original equipment manufacturers, component suppliers, telematics suppliers, fleets, and other invested parties generate a more competitive marketplace for connected solutions. This will create a more technologically driven market segment in the commercial-vehicle space over the next 10 years. As OEMs continue the integration, Wesolowski thinks there will be other efficiency opportunities to be harnessed, such as disconnect axle technology, which will combine the traction and dependability offered by a 6x4 configuration with the reduced drivetrain losses and improved fuel economy of a 6x2 configuration. Dana is already moving forward with plans to integrate axles featuring this technology into manufacturers chassis for field testing. I think theres a lot of blood left in that tractor-trailer turnip, quips Mihai Dorobantu, director, technology planning and government affairs for Eaton. Dorobantu agrees with Roeth, noting that as recently as 2007, the standard spec for a linehaul tractor was a 450- or 500-horsepower engine showing 1,450 rpm on the tach at highway cruise speeds. Those trucks averaged around 5.2 mpg, Dorobantu says. But when you look at how far this industry has come in engine speeds in those few short years, you really begin to appreciate the fuel economy potential thats still out there. Moving engine speeds down to 1,350 rpm at cruise speed was considered a bold move just a few years ago, Dorobantu notes. Yet today, no one looks twice at a truck turning 1,150 rpm on the highway and recent SuperTruck concept vehicles cruise at a mere 900 rpm. Thats merely one isolated area of improvement in engine efficiency, Dorobantu says. Modern trucks today are getting around 7 mpg which is a tremendous increase in fuel efficiency. And theres still room to go. The SuperTruck Program a joint government-private industry research project to determine the potential for future heavy truck fuel and emissions standards has provided OEMs and component suppliers with a roadmap to fuel economy standards that would have seemed impossible less than a decade ago. With the SuperTruck program, we achieved a 75% increase in fuel economy [and] a 43% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, explains Ken Damon, manager of vehicle performance for Peterbilt. All told, the project confirmed an 86% gain in freight efficiency. Damon says some of the advanced technologies harvested from the SuperTruck project have already found their way onto Peterbilts fuel economy-optimized Model 579 Epiq tractor, increasing its fuel economy by up to 14% over a standard-spec Model 579. Straight mechanical efficiencies are getting close to the practical limit, but there is definitely energy being wasted in the form of heat or just being used when it doesnt need to be, adds Kevin Baney, chief engineer for Kenworth. He says new and even old powertrain concepts will be applied as vehicle design matures, offering new ways of enhancing vehicle efficiencies. One example he points to are hybrid electric-diesel drivetrains, which will likely find their first viable place in the Class 8 over-the-road market in the form of electrification of engine accessories. Today, hybrid powertrains are currently directly tied to the speed of the engine, and can be disconnected and only run when they need to be or when the truck has extra energy, such as when descending a hill, Baney explains. Currently, full hybrids require such large batteries that they are commercially still unviable. But that could change when the integration of predictive technologies and advanced engine architecture comes into play. Daimler Trucks recently unveiled the Highway Pilot Connect, a truck platooning system that has already been approved for use in a limited area in Germany. The company said the new platooning system offers up to 7% lower fuel consumption and uses only half of the previously required traffic space. Photo: Daimler A global effort The movement to significantly improve truck fuel economy has generated unprecedented cooperation between government and industry here in North America. But it is a true global effort as well. Several truck OEMs are headquartered overseas and faced with a slate of global emissions and fuel economy standards phasing in at different times around the planet. Although the scheduling of these emissions standards is uncoordinated, the end results are very similar. Therefore, it makes sense for companies such as Daimler, Volvo and Paccar (which owns Dutch truck maker DAF), to develop their fuel economy strategies on a global scale. Which means that in trucking today, Europe is very much the go-to place for emerging heavy truck technology. Tony Pain is an engineer retired from DAF Trucks who works with the Centre for Sustainable Road Freight, a U.K.-based nonprofit group with a mission similar to NACFEs here in North America. Pain says while there is still more to be done in enhancing fuel economy of Class 8 rigs, fuel economy from engine development alone has practical limits. He says major reductions in fuel usage and CO2 must come from a whole series of sources. Today, its really all about carrying more load more efficiently using less fossil-based fuel, Pain explains. Breaking it down, Pain says currently, diesel engines account for only about 15% of the total productivity improvement in trucks. Aerodynamics, telematics, light-weighting, driver training and intelligent automated transmissions will need to deliver the rest, he says. Todays modern diesel engines at Euro 6 emissions standards achieve about 45% thermal efficiency, with the next generation of engines reaching 48%. To achieve even that modest increase in efficiency, Pain says trucks will soon rely on increased downspeeding, friction reduction, variable valve timing, downsizing to reduce pumping losses, reducing use of EGR in favor of advanced SCR systems, higher fuel injection pressures with multiple injections, as well as reduced parasitic losses through variable speed oil and water pumps. A bit further out, waste heat recovery systems will turn thermal exhaust energy into practical, on-board, electrical power. Iveco, which makes diesel-powered trucks in Europe, is looking at a host of ways to refine and rethink tractor-trailer fuel economy, from exotic technologies down to simple truck design. Laura Overall, Ivecos communications director, says currently these efforts include improving the efficiency of air handling systems and engine auxiliaries such as water and oil pumps, reducing friction in the piston group, and even dynamic switching between different combustion types. She says Iveco engineers are also looking at vastly improving tractor- trailer aerodynamics, which can bring about big gains in fuel efficiency. Trucks traditionally are very complex and patchy, with many add-on parts, Overall explains. The more that we can streamline those parts into the main body shape, the better our results will be. One interesting area Overall points to is the development of intelligent aerodynamics systems, which use variable spoilers that deploy or retract according to vehicle speeds. Perhaps the greatest impact of this technology would be in the trailer gap area. In addition, in the future, variable fifth wheels could draw the tractor and trailer closer together at highway speeds to greatly improve the rigs fuel economy, then move apart at slower speeds to facilitate steering and maneuvering. Closer to home, new approaches to aerodynamic design have pushed the familiar boundaries of what a truck is supposed to look like while providing a glimpse into future vehicle design. The Walmart Advanced Vehicle Experience that was exhibited at several trade shows and events last year turned a lot of heads and made a lot of headlines, says Bill Kahn, principal engineer and manager for advanced concepts for Peterbilt. Kahn says the trucks futuristic design was a departure from anything the industry had seen before. Moreover, its conception was a new concept: a joint venture between an OEM and leading private fleet which highlights just how inclusive the effort to boost truck fuel economy has become. The resulting design is a concept vehicle, Kahn explains. But its design reduced aerodynamic drag by 20%. And while it may never be a production vehicle, elements of it may be incorporated into future vehicle platforms. Its futuristic design tapped leading-edge ideas in advanced aerodynamics, futuristic powertrains, renewable fuels, a human-center design interior and wireless connectivity. The Peterbilt truck of the future will exist somewhere between these two domains. The Freightliner SuperTruck, a demonstration research project funded in part by the Energy Department, achieved an average of 12.2 mpg on a five-day, 312-mile round trip on Interstate 35 between San Antonio and Dallas, at a weight of 65,000 lbs GVWR at a speed of 65 mph. Photo: Daimler Electronic convoys Simultaneously, engineers around the world have been getting creative to identify efficiency gains using more unconventional methods, says Derek Rotz, director of advanced engineering for Daimler Trucks North America. Vehicle controls systems certainly show promise for improving fuel economy, Rotz notes, pointing to the use of GPS and 3D digital maps to control the vehicle predictively across hilly terrain while adjusting the cruise control speed and making intelligent gear selections to cross hills in the most fuel efficient manner. When tied in with vehicle safety systems, such as lane departure- and blind spot-warning systems, camera systems and emerging vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication systems, Rotz says combining and integrating these systems to work together is the logical next step as a source for tractor-trailer fuel savings. The concept is called platooning and the way it saves fuel is familiar to race fans across the globe: Trucks use V2V communications to fully coordinate their road speeds, braking actions and safety systems in order to safely maintain close following distances. Once electronically tethered together, the trucks can draft with one another in a tight convoy formation, taking advantage of extremely efficient aerodynamics, which can boost overall truck fuel efficiency to a surprising degree. Platooning sounds futuristic, but its not, says Steve Boyd, public affairs consultant for Peloton Technologies, a transportation tech company developing platooning systems in North America. Almost all of the safety systems used on platooning trucks are available commercially and in use by fleets today. The only difference is that were using V2V communications to fully integrate the systems on different trucks, so they perform seamlessly together. Boyd says Peloton has tested truck platoons with following distances as close as 20 feet between vehicles, although a high-profile demonstration by Daimler outside of Dusseldorf, Germany, earlier this year used intervals of 15 meters, or 40 feet, between trucks. Even at those increased distances, Rotz says in a three-truck platoon, the lead vehicle gets a fuel economy boost of around 3%. The second trailer vehicle gets a 7% fuel economy increase, while the third truck (and any subsequent trucks in a platoon) receive a 9% increase. Some current cost estimates for platooning technology are as high as $30,000 per truck. But Boyd says Peloton believes those are wildly inflated. Our numbers arent finalized yet, he says. But we think fleets will be looking at $1,500 to $2,000 for platooning equipment much of which will be federally mandated on trucks by the time were ready to go to market. Based on those numbers, Boyd says trucks running 180,000 miles or more a year will see overall fuel savings of around 4 cents a mile while platooning. Right now, were estimating fuel savings from $3,000 to $11,000 per year for fleets. When the U.S. Department of Energy in 2010 first announced its SuperTruck funding for the development and demonstration of advanced technologies to improve the efficiency of long-haul Class 8 trucks, the 10.7 mpg achieved by the Cummins/Peterbilt SuperTruck was almost unheard of. Photo: Peterbilt Platooning may seem far-fetched and there are many in trucking today who question its safety and effect on drivers but Rotz, Boyd and other experts point to recent high-profile demonstrations in Europe and say it will likely appear in North America sooner, rather than later. Without a doubt, there are still many engineering hurdles to overcome at this early point in the development, Rotz says. Still, the aerodynamic benefits of driving in a platooning formation are promising and worth exploring. Volvo Trucks North America, for instance, is scheduled to run a platooning test/demonstration this month with the University of California-Berkeley. Claes Nilsson, president of Volvo Trucks, told reporters last month that the problem is not really the technology in the truck; I think we could be ready within some few years. I think the challenge is going to be when you put those trucks on public roads. Volvo Trucks North America President Goran Nyberg agreed, noting that the legal situation is more of a stumbling block than the actual technology. He speculated that we initially could see platoons in specific transport corridors, with limitations on working hours, etc. I think there are different ways to step by step introduce this technology. In trucking today, it seems nothing is off the table when it comes to enhancing vehicle fuel efficiencies. Old technologies are being reexamined, while new ones are studied and tested. A new era of ultra-clean, ultra-efficient trucks is just around the corner, likely putting old-style, long-nosed, slab-grilled rigs out to pasture once and for all. In this episode of Morning Edition, we discuss the award of 7.5 million dollars by the court Season 3 of US anthology series, American Crime is taking shape. The third instalment will be set in North Carolina and will deal with labor issues, surrounding the states anti-LGBT law in recent months. Following the anti-LGBT law, many film and television productions, plus musicians, pulled out of working in the state. While the new episodes will be set in North Carolina, the show will shoot in Los Angeles. Regina King is the first cast member to be confirmed. We could not be more excited to welcome Regina back for a third season of American Crime, creator John Ridley said in a statement. She is among the talent who have quickly become intimately associated with the program. As with the first two seasons, her many fans can expect a total transformation as she plays one of the complicated individuals caught up in a story that deals with labor issues, economic divides and individual rights in this seasons setting of North Carolina. The series is available in Australia via Presto. Source: Variety If this speculation is true then its just as well TEN and WIN have sealed an affiliate deal. According to New Idea magazine, the next Bachelorette is WIN News presenter Georgia Love, from Tasmania. Georgias been unlucky in love, but shes a hopeless romantic, an unnamed source tells the mag. The main issue she has had is moving around so much for work interstate and internationally, so it has been really hard to maintain close relationships and open herself up to guys, because chances are she will be off again in a year or so. 27 year old Love is based in Hobart, and describes herself as possibly the worlds only TV journo to have formerly also been a trapeze artist and dance teacher. Originally from Melbourne, she has also worked in Launceston. If true it would be a rather surprising move for a news presenter to embark on a reality dating series, given the kind of attention and headlines the show attracts. Of course the Pacific Mags publication also suggests Offspring stars Asher Keddie and Kat Stewart cant stand each other ..so make of that what you will. Updated: Network Ten is proud to introduce Australias new Bachelorette, 27-year-old Victorian journalist Georgia Love. My whole life, I have put my job and career first but have always felt something has been missing. Im now at a point where Im happy with where I am at in my career and Im ready to prioritise love, Georgia says. Swedish writer Hans Rosenfeldt has again alluded to a possible fourth season of Swedish Danish series, The Bridge. The final decision hasnt been taken yet but everything is in place, he told Radio Times. I guess they will push the button in the next few days. Rosenfeldt has already begun writing a new series and hasnt ruled out the return of Sagas first partner Martin Rohde, who languished in jail for the whole of the last series. You should never say never. We wont bring back Martin for nostalgia. If we bring him back, its because we think its the best thing for the story. Well see. You never know. A fourth season is tipped for 2018, but yet to be confirmed. Investigators of the Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) are searching the houses of Andriy Kliuyev, a former head of the Presidential Administration, and Volodymyr Sivkovych, a former deputy secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC). Investigative actions in the estates of Andriy Kliuyev and Volodymyr Sivkovych are being carried out, prosecutor generals press secretary Larysa Sarhan told Ukrinform. According to Sarhan, a report on the progress of the investigation will be posted on the PGOs official website in the near future. The militants continue to fire at the positions of ATO troops in eastern Ukraine and to use the weapons banned under the Minsk agreements. The illegal armed groups intensified their activities along the demarcation line yesterday afternoon and launched a total of 41 attacks on Ukrainian troops. This is reported by the ATO press center. "Twenty-one ceasefire violations were recorded in Donetsk direction. The enemy used small arms and 120mm mortars to shell Ukrainian strongholds near Avdiyivka [18km north of Donetsk]. 82mm mortars were used to fire at Butovka coal mine [11.4km north-west of Donetsk)]" the report reads. In Mariupol direction, the enemy launched 18 attacks on ATO positions near Marinka (35 km south-west of Donetsk), Hranitne (57km south of Donetsk), Taramchuk (30km south-west of Donetsk) and Hnutove (19km north-west of Mariupol), using heavy machine guns and grenade launchers. ol Ukraine is interested in establishing direct air service with Canada. Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Omelian said this during a meeting with the Air Canada management in Toronto on June 21, the press service of the Infrastructure Ministry of Ukraine reports. "Ukraine is interested in establishing direct air service with Canada," the Minister said. Omelian also invited the Air Canada representatives to visit Ukraine. The Minister noted that direct flights between Canada and Ukraine would boost bilateral cooperation in all areas. ol Representatives of the U.S. customs service will arrive in Ukraine on June 28 to assist in reforming the Ukrainian customs, Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman has said. A [U.S.] technical mission will arrive from June 28 through July 11. We have achieved such an agreement regarding the reform of customs service. Representatives of the U.S. custom service will arrive and we will develop technical needs to modernize the Ukrainian customs. This will be a large-scale reform, the premier said at a press conference in Kyiv on Tuesday. iy Ukrainian agricultural sector has all capabilities to raise agricultural exports to Canada, Ukraines Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Taras Kutovy told participants at the Canadian-Ukrainian business forum in Toronto, according to the report published on the government site. "Ukrainian agricultural sector has all opportunities to increase exports shipments and expand the variety of goods when supported by Canadian partners," the Minister said. Ukraine ships mainly grain, honey and vegetable oil to Canada now. However, according to the chief of the Agriculture Ministry, the strategic priority for 2016 is to expand sales markets and the range of exported goods via developing organic production and niche crops. tl Canada will continue to defend Ukraine and support it in its fight against Russia, Canadas Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said. "Canada will continue to defend Ukraine's sovereignty in response to Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea as well as its support to insurgents in eastern Ukraine," he said at the Canada-Ukraine Business Forum in Toronto, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. He also added that Canada would support the process of reforms in Ukraine. And we will continue to stand firmly beside Ukraine as you lead important reform efforts in your country, including directly supporting efforts to strengthen democracy, respect the rule of law, and encourage economic growth," Trudeau said. According to the Canadian prime minister, this was the reason why the Canadian government made the signing of Canada-Ukraine free trade agreement a top priority. iy The Paris government intends to ensure that Ukraine is prepared for a visa-free regime and organize the French Ministry of the Interior chiefs visit to Kyiv, French President Francois Hollande told reporters in Paris following his meeting with Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko, Ukrinforms own Paris correspondent has reported. "We discussed the issue of visa-free regime (during the meeting with Poroshenko Ed.). We certainly know about conditions that have to be fulfilled, and our interior minister is following the situation very closely. We consider details how his visit to Ukraine can be organized in order to finally remove all obstacles," said Hollande. The French President also noted that judicial reform, anti-corruption steps and transparency of the financial system all bring Ukraine closer to EU membership. tl The Council of the European Union has adopted a decision to extend the economic restrictive measures imposed on Russia for its aggression against Ukraine. This issue was examined by the Councils Committee of Member States Permanent Representatives on Tuesday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports from Brussels. "The ambassadors agreed the political positions of their governments to extend sanctions against the Russian Federation, which formally expires on July 31, for another six months," the statement reads. Furthermore, according to the procedure, the decision will be submitted for final legal approval without discussion at one of the Council's next meetings at ministerial level. ol Denis McDonough, the U.S. President Obama's Chief of Staff, is well informed about the internal processes in Ukraine and "praises the progress of our reforms." Head of the Administration of the President of Ukraine Borys Lozhkyn, who met with the White House Chief of Staff during his visit to the United States, posted this on Facebook. "I found much in common in the work of my colleague, White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough. For example, the actions to coordinate the president's attention on the government agencies, which are important for the society, and to establish a dialogue with the Congress. During the meeting, we talked about achievements and failures of Ukraine for the past two years. The White House Chief of Staff is well informed about the internal processes in Ukraine and praises the progress of our reforms," Lozhkin wrote. ol facebook like button Tweet tweet button for twitter Published June 21, 2016 MONROE, La. Police officers at the University of Louisiana Monroe have a new way of getting around campus, thanks to the acquisition of two new battery-powered personal transporters (PT). Known as the SE-3 Patroller by Segway, the companys largest security and first three-wheel PT, the vehicle is equipped with an integrated lighting system, rear wheel drive, and 12v power outlet for charging equipment. These new vehicles are part of our continuing effort to enhance police presence on our campus, said ULM PD Director Tom Torregrossa. We want students to know we are here, and so it is our hope that the Segway PTs will serve to build closer officer-student relationships. All ULM police officers will be eligible to operate the new PTs after completing a 45-minute training course. The PTs will be used for special events, sporting events, routine patrol, directed patrols (areas where there is a specific need for officers to deal with certain situations), building checks, parking-lot and night patrols. So far, we have had extremely positive feedback from students, and during last weeks PREP session, numerous parents also expressed both positive feedback and gratitude, said Torregrossa. The new PTs have officially been put into operation as of this week. Mobility and visibility are our goals. If you see us on campus, come talk to us, said Torregrossa. The University of Montana has nearly 1,800 students who are degree candidates for spring semester 2022. The students listed in the links below are UM degree candidates or have been awarded their degrees. Students with cum laude after their name indicate a GPA of 3.40 to 3.69. Magna laude indicates a 3.70 to 3.89 GPA, and summa laude is 3.90 and above. Official awarding of a degree and any official graduation with honors or graduation with high honors designation is not made until students have completed their final term of enrollment and have met all requirements. View the list of Montana in-state candidates for graduation. View a list of out-of-state candidates for graduation. View a list of all candidates for graduation alphabetized by first name. Following the unjust dismissal of Melissa Click from University of Missouri (MU), the AAUP finally calls in a council and proceeds to cast a vote putting MU in the censure list! The American Association of University Professors (UAAP) appears as the world's biggest group of academics in 2016 and currently consists of the more than 500 members on-line and off. The AAUP was quick to check on Clicks' case, probing further on MU's process of dismissing the professor and was able to conclude that no due process was involved in the action, Daily Caller reported. The association was also smart enough to have oscillated both sides of the coin before making the decision by shedding some light on the actual unfolding over Click's offensive action. Melissa Click had been called forth for her unprecedented action of attacking a student journalist during a protest in the said university during the summer of 2016, the Daily Caller reported. While showing no distaste or favor at Click's offense, the association calls the MU for a neutral yet just "reconsideration" over Click's dismissal. Voting members of the AAUP imply that having voted the university in the censure list does not necessarily mean an end to the stream. In fact, what the association only proposes with its action is a fair and just trial for Click. After all, they have already given its "fair warnings" to the university. The association released a statement, putting Click in the pedestal, saying Click, though aggressive by her action is still a victim of curtailed academic rights and "sinister racial agenda". Despite such conclusive-sounding statement, the association believes that such statement is bound to end up in the two sides of the coin- one, it can forever be true for the MU being a black-listed brand or two, it can eventually trigger MU administration to call back quits and review Click's case. The association makes it clear that such conviction is neither intended to objectify MU's untiring efforts of protecting its name over the years, nor sympathize solely on Melissa Click as a victim per se. As is stated earlier in May, the AAUP is focused in one thing and one thing only, and that is to protect the academic freedom. The association also recalls to have warned the university that once their appeal goes unheeded, lashing consequences will definitely end up their door. Meanwhile, the MU may have already fired Click and continues flowing upstream, but the AAUP barks in its "we-told-you-so" accent leaving a prophetic sting in MU's future, much to its indifference. MU officially fired Click from her position as an assistant professor of communications last February, 2016, Fox News reported. Poor eyesight was discovered to be one of the major factors affecting the academic learning of primary school pupils. One of the top providers of health services at school, Medifield Healthcare Limited, conducted a screening exercise for more than 2,000 pupils in primary schools and found out that vision problems have great effects on the pupils' academic performance. The test was conducted for two academic sessions. The academic performance of the pupils was monitored before and after the vision screening exercises, This Day Live reported. The biggest part of learning (95 per cent) comes from the eyes. The ability to see well is a critical factor in knowing the performance of a pupil at school. There are lots of evidence showing that vision problems among pupils require medical intervention, such as the recommendation of a pair of reading glasses. Pupils with myopic vision are having trouble in reading the noted written on the board while pupils with hyperopic problems are having issues in doing close work or even reading. Not only these, there are more types of eye disorders that can lead to permanent impairment of vision if not treated and identified early. So, early detection poses a big impact in the academic performance of youngsters. The Senate Bill 402 is a bill passed that would require all young children to receive a comprehensive eye check before they begin going to school then the same checkup would be required every two years after. Even with the current school vision screening processes, many students still slip through the cracks. The current screening system assesses basic eye issues like color deficiency, farsightedness, and nearsightedness. However, this is not as comprehensive as how it should be. Study reveals that these examinations misses one of three children with eye problems. The eye checks should also include tests that deals with other potential eye issues that affects reading. Examples of such problems include binocular vision deficiencies and other more serious eye diseases, The San Diego Union Tribune reported. Looks like a good news for refugees worldwide as they can now pick from over 1,000 online university courses for absolutely free as part of an endeavor to offer education and skills training under a US-based program. The program was unveiled Monday, June 20 as a part of World Refugee Day. Under the initiative, refugees will be offered access to courses at acclaimed schools including Harvard University in U.S. and Scotland-based University of Edinburgh in an array of topics ranging from neuroscience to computer coding, according to Coursera, a for-profit provider of MOOCs (massive open online courses). Ideally, course fees could range from $29 to $99, Coursera noted. Under the program initiated in collaboration with the Department of State, non-profit organizations can apply for financial aid for refugees so that they can take courses free of cost, BangorDailyNews reported. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reported a record 65.3 million people worldwide were displaced at the end of 2015. Many of these refugees hail from Syria and Iraq, where Daesh Takfiri terrorists have been creating chaos. Many experts, academics as well as political commentators hold United States responsible for the situation, citing the nation's policies - including the invasion of Iraq in 2003 - has resulted in utter chaos in the zone. Coursera's head of government partnerships, Rebecca Taber explained in a statement that the program is designed as an attempt to provide as many refugees as possible with more access to education in career significant skills, while they go in quest of finding new homes. US embassies as well as consulates are expected to back the initiative, PressTV reported. Evan Ryan, who serves as assistant U.S. secretary of state for educational and cultural affairs noted in a statement that Coursera for Refugees places confidence in their work in order to help people achieve success in the global economy. Kiron University in Berlin also offers online courses and degrees to refugees for absolutely free, according to the institute's official website. Bank of America has started unveiling their support for withdrawing cash from their Automated Teller Machine (ATM) using Apple Pay. In the San Francisco area, there are approximately 650 card-less ATMs were installed in May. And in early June, the technology stretched out to 2,400 ATMs, which includes eleven in the Raleigh-Durham region, Mac Rumors reported. A Reddit user located in Redondo Beach, California, spotted the new ability of the multinational banking and financial services corporation - Bank of America. The Reddit user photographed an ATM that featured a Near-field communication (NFC) reader positioned to the left of the card reader, 9 to 5 Mac reported. When a person placed their smartphone on the NFC logo, that person is instructed to enter their PIN number, after which, a typical withdrawal screen will appear. However, the option to deposit funds is disabled. Bank of America is said to be giving prominence to the new feature on supported ATMs, but customers should be aware that the Apple Pay option currently works only with Bank of America issued ATM cards. And not all NFC-equipped ATMs can make effective use of Apple Pay at the present. Bank of America website launched a detailed process of withdrawing cash from ATMs using Apple Pay. The website notes that Apple Pay is currently supporting "Consumer Debit Cards, US Trust Debit Cards, Small Business Debit Cards (card owner only). By the end of 2015, Bank of America tries to be more extensive by installing 5,000 ATMs nationwide - the banking company made it known this year at Google I/O, Macworld reported. However, back in January, reports came up regarding the collaboration of Bank of America and Wells Fargo on implementing Apple Pay into their ATMs. Bank of America was said to roll out more than 16,000 ATMs by mid-2016, but the financial services company Wells Fargo gave no timeline regarding the implementation. The American Association of University Professors (AAUP) casted the votes to censure the University of Missouri in Columbia during AAUP's annual conference. The University of Missouri was voted into the censure list of the American Association of University Professors. College of Saint Rose was also included into the list for rendering tenure to almost two dozen of its faculty members and also for shuttering several academic programs outside the channels of shared governance. Also, two colleges which has been on the censure list of AAUP since 1963 had their censure lifted. The University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, however was kept on the list for its violations on academic freedom and tenure. The 90-year old wronged University professor was given an official apology, Inside Higher Ed reported. The American Association of university Professors voted to place University of Missouri in Columbia due to the controversial firing of the university's communications professor, Melissa Click. Last May, an AAUP report accused University of Missouri- Columbia's Board of Curator. The report says that the university board was bowing to political pressure. This was due to firing Melissa Click for being involved in a student protest last year. The cause of the students' protests in the campus was due to the university's perceived indifference to several racist incidents inside University of Missouri campus. Melissa Click was caught on camera calling support to prevent the student-journalists from covering the campus demonstration. Another video shows a professor cursing at a police officer during the homecoming parade protest. The University was placed on AAUP's censure list in 1973 after the university conducted disciplinary actions to professors during an on-campus demonstration about the war in Vietnam. After adding due process, the university was removed from the list. The same procedure, however, was not used in Melissa Click's case, St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. For information only - not an official document UNIS/OS/470 21 June 2016 UN Outer Space Committee closes with a focus on the future VIENNA, 21 June (UN Information Service) - The 59th session of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) closed in Vienna on Friday after making key decisions on the future of space cooperation. To help ensure space safety and sustainability, the Committee agreed on a First Set of Guidelines on the Long-term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities. The Committee also extended the mandate of the Working Group on Long-term Sustainability for two years, so it may continue its work on a second set of guidelines. A full compendium of guidelines is expected to be adopted by the Committee, and submitted to the General Assembly for endorsement, in 2018. The Committee approved seven thematic priorities for UNISPACE+50, a special session of the Committee set to take place in 2018 to mark the 50th anniversary of the first UN Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. The priorities are: 1. Global partnership in space exploration and innovation 2. Legal regime of outer space and global space governance: current and future perspectives 3. Enhanced information exchange on space objects and events 4. International framework for space weather services 5. Strengthened space cooperation for global health 6. International cooperation towards low-emission and resilient societies 7. Capacity-building for the 21st century COPUOS recommended that a joint panel discussion by the Disarmament and International Security Committee (First Committee) and the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) of the UN General Assembly be held during the 72nd session of the Assembly in 2017. This meeting will also acknowledge the 50th anniversary of the Outer Space Treaty next year. The Committee endorsed a recommendation for the global observance of an international asteroid day annually on 30 June, to be proclaimed by the General Assembly at its 71st session later this year. An international asteroid day will raise public awareness of the asteroid impact hazard and inform the public of global communication measures in case of a credible near-Earth object threat. The Committee received New Zealand's application for membership and the International Air Transport Association's application for permanent observer status. These applications were endorsed and will be submitted to the United Nations General Assembly for approval. Other agenda items included space and sustainable development, water and climate change, as well as the spin-off benefits of space technology and the use of such technology within the United Nations system. Lastly, in a new outreach initiative, the first Annual Report of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) was presented to the Committee by the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna, Yury Fedotov, and UNOOSA Director Simonetta Di Pippo. Ms Di Pippo also unveiled branding for UNISPACE+50. The Committee meets every year at the Vienna International Centre to promote international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space. During this year's session, David Kendall of Canada assumed the chair of the Committee. The report of the Committee will be presented for approval to the United Nations General Assembly's 71st session later in the year. * *** * For further information, please contact: Daria Brankin United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) Telephone: (+43-1) 26060-8718 Email: daria.brankin[at]unoosa.org June 21 2016 As the EU referendum campaign draws toward its inevitable climax those with most at stake in the outcome; an embattled construction sector amongst them as it grappling with a skills shortage, dependence on inward investment and reliance on cheap imported materials, are looking to the future with a combination of hope and fear.Whilst its fair to say that a clear majority of those spoken to by Urban Realm expressed a desire to remain a part of the European club enthusiasm is markedly muted with many viewing the vote through the prism of Scottish independence, specifically whether an in or out vote may or may not make such an outcome more or less likely.Its noteable that far from the polarising views of Indyref in which there were clear dividing lines between Yes and No camps this time round things are far less clear cut - even though most voices in the Yes campaign are backing so-called Bremain, some are still on the fence or flirting with exit, Malcolm Fraser amongst them.Fraser said: The EU is a racket, focussed on the interests of the corporate oligarchy; however the government of Britain is that and more, and there are elements of consumer, environmental and legal protection in the EU that a brexited Britain would shred. What is someone who cares, first, for the integrity of democracy to do? Even avowed backers of remain couch their support with very real reservations around a continuation of the status quo as Collective Architectures Chris Stewart attests: Our profession is sliding downwards and although I will vote to remain which I hope we do, if we do not then may that be the catalyst for a bigger change.Similarly Willie Miller of WMUD will enter the voting booth holding his nose to vote in as whilst he acknowledges that the EU needs reform Miller believes that the UK government is not the body best placed to achieve that. Instead Miller again makes the case for an empowered Scottish parliament to engage directly with Brussels on policy.Those advocating a leave vote are concerned that they may be tarred with the racism brush as leading lights in the withdrawal camp stoke immigration fears, as architect Alan Dunlop articulated: I'm truly disappointed that both the leave and remain groups have again led with project fear and that the principle issue for those voting to leave is immigration and I do not wish to be associated at all with that.Instead Dunlop extends arguments made during Indyref, particularly in relation to national sovereignty and democracy, decrying the EU as a massive bureaucracy that is fundamentally anti-democratic.Amidst the pervading cynicism there are some who still hold fast to European ideals, notably Paul Stallan who told Urban Realm: Europe is our critical friend. Whether it is the movement of people, resources or commodities we have responsibility to participate rather than turn our back. If we are confident in our own national affairs and priorities we have nothing to fear from being a member state and much to contribute."Ultimately the fight for Scottish independence was decided by concerns over the economy and a drift toward the status quo and it is likely that such factors will again play a decisive role this time round, but with current polling effectively deadlocked few will sleep easy this Thursday. All the latest Uttoxeter news Story Saved You can find this story in My Bookmarks. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Public Events for New UW President June 29 in Afton, Jackson UW President Laurie Nichols Residents of Lincoln and Teton counties will have an opportunity to meet new University of Wyoming President Laurie Nichols during public events Wednesday, June 29, in Afton and Jackson. A public reception is scheduled 8-9:15 a.m. at the Afton Civic Center, 150 S. Washington St. Later that day, from 5:30-7:30 p.m., another public reception will take place in the Lodge Room in the Snow King Events Center, 100 E. Snow King Ave. in Jackson. Light refreshments will be served at the events, hosted by the UW Alumni Association and others. The public events are part of a trip for the UW president to Lincoln and Teton counties that will include meetings with community leaders, legislators and media representatives. During her first months in office, Nichols is spending a day or two of each week traveling around the state to meet with citizens, community college and public school leaders, legislators, alumni, media and others. Im having a wonderful time getting around the state to meet with people and hear their thoughts and expectations for Wyomings university, says Nichols, who began her duties as president May 16. This is a crucial time for the state and UW, and input from the public is important to make sure the university fulfills its land-grant mission of education, research and service to the entire state. Nichols comes to UW from South Dakota State University (SDSU), where she has served as provost and executive vice president since 2009. Before that, she was dean of the SDSU College of Education and Human Sciences from 1994 to 2008. She began her career in higher education as a member of the faculty of the University of Idaho from 1988 to 1994. Nichols was born and raised in South Dakota. A first-generation college graduate, she received a bachelors degree in education from South Dakota State in 1978. She then earned a masters degree in vocational and adult education from Colorado State University in 1984 and a Ph.D. in family and consumer sciences education from Ohio State University in 1988. UW Art Museums Annual Gala to Celebrate Wyoming The UW Art Museums 23rd annual gala fundraiser, Wyoming Rocks! Celebrating Wyomings Resources and Wonders, is set Saturday, Oct. 22, at 6 p.m. in the Marian H. Rochelle Gateway Center. (UW Art Museum) The University of Wyoming Art Museum will host its 23rd annual gala fundraiser, Wyoming Rocks! Celebrating Wyoming Resources & Wonders, Saturday, Oct. 22, at 6 p.m. in the Marian H. Rochelle Gateway Center. Wyoming Rocks! Celebrating Wyoming Resources & Wonders is planned as a fun-filled, festive evening of fine food, libations, music and dancing, friends and an expansive auction set around the theme of Wyoming-made products, experiences, resources and art. UW President Laurie Nichols and her husband, Tim Nichols, will host this years event. We are so excited to be joining the University of Wyoming and moving to Laramie. It is an honor for us to co-chair the Art Museums gala this year, they say. We understand that it is one of the most anticipated annual events at UW. We cant wait to experience it. Please join us as we celebrate Wyoming. Presented by the National Advisory Board of the UW Art Museum, the annual black tie event provides significant program dollars for Art Museum exhibitions, collections, education and outreach. The Art Museums programs are anchored on a comprehensive and growing collection of more than 8,000 objects, and a diverse exhibition program that ranges from innovative artists of present time to art of the American West, and art from other times and cultures. Its original art resources form the basis for education and outreach programs that serve the state of Wyoming and enable academic and community engagement opportunities. For more information and to be added to the invitation list, call the Art Museums administrative assistant at (307) 766-3477. Invitations will be mailed in late August. For more information, call the Art Museum at (307) 766-6622, visit the website at www.uwyo.edu/artmuseum, or follow the museum on Facebook and Instagram. Through its Museum as Classroom approach, the UW Art Museum places art at the center of learning for all ages. Located in the Centennial Complex at 2111 Willett Drive in Laramie, the museum is open Mondays through Saturdays from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday hours are extended to 7 p.m. February through April and September through November. Admission is free. On a cold but sunny morning in early May, about 30 patients and staff gathered on the front patio of the Milwaukee VAs Spinal Cord Injury building. Many of the patients were in wheelchairs. We were there to release some butterflies, explained Army Veteran Scott Griffith. It was Ependymoma Awareness Day, and we wanted to give our Ependymoma patients an emotional boost. For us the butterfly symbolizes change, and hope. Im still alive because of the VA. The event was put on by the Paralyzed Veterans of America, the organization Griffith works for. I was diagnosed with Ependymoma 18 years ago, and Im still alive because of the VA, he said. A lot of Veterans with this disease and other spinal cord injuries are still alive because of the VA. I know theyve been getting a lot of bad press lately. But I have to say, when youre looking for something the VA does right, this is one of them. They offer superb care for Veterans with spinal cord injuries. No one does it any better. Ependymoma is a cancerous tumor that forms on the brain or spinal cord. Its cause is unknown. Nearly 700,000 Americans had been diagnosed with it as of 2010. They were holding hope in their hands The box that I opened had about 150 Painted Lady butterflies in it, Griffith said. They were shipped in from Texas. The idea was for them to all flutter into the air at once, but they were a little slow to wake up. They didnt want to come out of the box. Apparently the Texas butterflies did not have a fondness for our Wisconsin weather, he concluded. The ideal temperature for releasing them is 70 to 75 degrees. It was about 58 here that morning. Not only did the sleepy little guys not fly; most of them ended up on the turf. They dont move when theyre cold, so when we opened the box they just kind of flopped to the ground said Dr. Kenneth Lee, an Army Veteran who heads up the Milwaukee VAs Spinal Cord Injury unit. They were just sitting on the grass not doing anything. It was sort of funny. But Lee, who was badly injured while serving in Iraq, knows how to find the silver lining in any situation. I think it was a blessing in disguise that they didnt just fly away, because everyone started picking them up and putting them in the Veterans hands, he said. The symbolism was awesome... all these Veterans in wheelchairs, holding butterflies in their hands, watching them try to move their wings. It was like they were holding hope in their hands. Scott Griffith agreed. Youve got all these injury-hardened Veterans sitting in their wheelchairs, but then someone puts a fragile little butterfly in their hands and you can see these guys soften right up. They start grinning from ear to ear, like they were playing softball with their granddaughter or something. One of those smiling Veterans was Mike OLeary, an Air Force Veteran and a patient at the Milwaukee VA. Some of the butterflies came individually packaged, he said. They were inside these little origami things, these little paper pouches. You held it by the corners and pulled it open, and there was your butterfly. Shock and Awe But OLearys little yellow friend was apparently just as sleepy as the rest of his winged associates. That poor butterfly, he said. It was so cold. I think he was in shock. When I first opened up the pouch and saw my butterfly I was elated. Then when he dropped to the ground I wasnt so elated. I was worried about him. So I picked him up off the cold ground and held him for a while to get him warm. It seemed everyone was busy scooping up comatose butterflies from the ground as fast as they could. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a VA staffer appeared with a flowerpot full of bright red flowers. (Butterflies like flowers.) Everyone started putting their butterflies on the flowers, said OLeary. So I put my little guy on the flowers where he could be with his friends. That gave me a good feeling. Julie Kronenburg, who works at the Spinal Cord Injury unit, said she thinks all the butterflies survived the mornings festivities. The flowers helped, and the sunshine certainly helped, she said. They started to wake up once they were in the sun. About an hour after the ceremony ended, Kronenburg decided to return outside and check on the butterfly herd. I went back out there and they were all gone, she said. They all flew away. Theyre Texas butterflies, so I hope they like Wisconsin. To learn more about what the VA is doing for Veterans with spinal cord injuries, visit http://www.sci.va.gov/ The age of criminal responsibility will be lowered by one year from the current 14, the Ministry of Justice said Wednesday, announcing measures to cope with an increasing number of... Police on Wednesday made an emergency apprehension of a man in his 40s on suspicion of killing his wife and their two teenage sons at their home in Gwangmyeong, just south of Seoul... ANTHONY PLASCENCIA/THE STAR Wilson Chouest, 64, leaves the courtroom during a break in Monday's preliminary hearing. Chouest is accused of killing two still-unidentified women in 1980. One of the victims was found in the parking lot of Westlake High School. SHARE ANTHONY PLASCENCIA/THE STAR Judge Nancy Ayers, of Ventura County Superior Court, oversees a preliminary hearing for Wilson Chouest, 64, who is accused of killing two still-unidentified women in 1980. One of the victims was found in the parking lot of Westlake High School. ANTHONY PLASCENCIA/THE STAR Senior Deputy District Attorney John Barrick uses a photograph of Westlake High School's parking lot while presenting evidence during a preliminary hearing for Wilson Chouest, 64, who is accused of killing two still-unidentified women in 1980. One of the victims was found in the parking lot. ANTHONY PLASCENCIA/THE STAR Herb Parish, a former crime-scene technician for the Ventura County Sheriff's crime lab, gives testimony during a preliminary hearing for Wilson Chouest, 64, who is accused of killing two still-unidentified women in 1980. One of the victims was found in the parking lot of Westlake High School. ANTHONY PLASCENCIA/THE STAR Wilson Chouest, 64, listens to testimony during a preliminary hearing at Ventura County Superior Court on Monday. Chouest is accused of killing two still-unidentified women in 1980. One of the victims was found in the parking lot of Westlake High School. By Marjorie Hernandez of the Ventura County Star The preliminary hearing for a man accused of the murder of a pregnant woman and allegedly dumping her body at a local high school parking lot and the killing another woman nearly 40 years ago began Monday. Wilson Chouest, 64, dressed in blue and orange jail garb, appeared before Ventura County Superior Court Judge Nancy Ayers. Prosecutors said Chouest is responsible for the July 1980 killings of an unidentified pregnant woman whose body was found at Westlake High School's upper parking lot and another unidentified female victim found in Kern County. Chouest could face three counts of murder for the deaths of the two women and the fetus the pregnant victim was carrying. The charges carry a maximum of three consecutive life sentences if convicted, said Senior Deputy District Attorney John Barrick. Chouest also could face several special allegations, including engaging in the commission of rape, attempted rape and committing more than one offense of murder. The killings remained unsolved until a 2012 search of a DNA databank of people arrested across the United States linked Chouest to DNA collected from the victims and their clothing, officials said. Chouest, who was born in Louisiana, was already serving a life sentence for an August 1980 robbery and a September 1980 rape, robbery and kidnapping of another woman at College of the Sequoias, Barrick said. He was to be eligible for parole in 2017, but was arrested in suspicion of the 1980 deaths. Herb Parish, a former crime-scene technician for the Ventura County Sheriff's Forensic Sciences Laboratory, testified that no identification or purse were found on the woman's lifeless body when she was discovered at Westlake High's parking lot. Dr. C. Peter Speth, a former county assistant medical examiner who conducted an autopsy on "Ventura County Jane Doe," testified the pregnant woman had 16 stab wounds to the chest, abdomen, stomach and butt areas. Speth said some of the wounds were made by a 5-inch knife while the smaller wounds were caused by an X-Acto knife or something similar. He said the 5-foot-2-inch, 100- to 110-pound, dark-haired woman was also strangled, but her death was ultimately caused by blood loss and her inability to breath due to the stab wounds, some of which punctured major organs like her lungs. The former assistant medical examiner said one of the stab wounds also penetrated the uterus, but did not strike the fetus, but he said, "There was no fluid in the uterus when I examined it." Speth said there was evidence that "Ventura County Jane Doe" had tried to fight against her assailant, while large droplets of blood on the parking lot pavement showed she had been dragged to a hillside by the school parking lot. Based on signs of lividity, "Ventura County Jane Doe" was face down less than 10 to 12 hours, Speth testified. When asked by Andre Nintcheff, of the public defender's office, if he made the same observations in his initial reports, Speth said he only made that determination recently based on his experience with about 220 other cases he has worked on since 1980. Speth said he found a small pressure wound on the victim's vagina, which showed "she was forcibly entered." He said the pooling of semen found in the victim showed she was not upright during the attack. However, Speth said there was "no way to determine when the insemination took place relative to the wounding." When asked by Nintcheff if the woman could have had consensual intercourse before the incident, Speth said yes. Ayers also asked Speth a question: if Jane Doe was facedown, why wasn't there more blood on her chest and belly areas? "Maybe someone cleaned blood off her ... the clothing was rolled up afterwards," Speth said. "I don't know the answer to that. That's a very good question." Speth concluded his testimony. The preliminary hearing will resume Tuesday at 9 a.m. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/CAL FIRE The Sherpa Fire of Santa Barbara County was 82 percent contained at nearly 8,000 acres Tuesday. SHARE By Alysson Aredas, alysson.aredas@vcstar.com As crews gained control of the Sherpa Fire on Tuesday in Santa Barbara County, officials expected many of the mandatory evacuation warnings to start being downgraded. The fire, which started last Wednesday, was 82 percent contained Tuesday at 7,969 acres, with full containment expected Thursday, officials said. Although cooler, moist wind has slowed the fire, vegetation formerly protected by local terrain is now being exposed. There is still potential for rapid fire growth, officials said. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. More than 1,600 firefighters continued to build and reinforce containment lines along the northern and eastern sides of the fire and along the West Camino Cielo Ridge on Tuesday. Some of the resources previously assigned to the fire were being redirected to help battles blazes in San Diego and Los Angeles counties. Officials said aircraft will continue to assist in providing coverage to areas that are difficult to access. Retardant lines have been placed to limit the growth potential in uncontained areas of the fire. A temporary flight restriction for manned and unmanned aircraft remains in effect. Nine injuries have been reported, officials said. A campground water treatment plant remains the only structure that has been damaged in the blaze and 270 structures are threatened, meaning they are in the path of where the fire might move, officials said. However, many of the mandatory evacuation orders were expected to be downgraded to warnings at 5 a.m. Wednesday. This means landowners, residents and farmworkers will be allowed back onto properties in the areas east of the Refugio burn area, Venadito Canyon, Canada de la Destiladera and Las Flores Canyon. All areas that have been in evacuation warning status, including Calle Lippizana east to Farren Road, Las Llagas Canyon, Gato Canyon, Las Varas Canyon, Dos Pueblos Canyon and Eagle Canyon, will reopen without restriction at 5 a.m. Wednesday. Anyone in El Capitan Canyon and Refugio Canyon just north of the blaze will still need to abide by the mandatory evacuation order, but officials said they may reopen the area by Saturday. About 19 residents of the El Capitan Canyon area were without power Tuesday due to downed power lines from the fire, officials said. Southern California Edison were notified and power was expected to be restored Thursday, authorities said. El Capitan State Beach was expected to be closed through at least July 15 pending restoration of the water system but Refugio State Beach was expected to reopen Saturday. Properties north of 1800 Refugio Road in Refugio Canyon was to remain under mandatory evacuation and could reopen Saturday. Properties south of 1800 Refugio Road were under an evacuation warning but the area could be impacted by fire traffic in the mornings and evenings, officials said. The damage to area crops is still being assessed. Farmers and ranchers in need of assistance can contact the county help line at sherpaag@agcommissioner.com. For additional re-population information, call the 211 County Helpline or 325-9604. Staff writer Megan Diskin contributed to this report. SHARE There is a chance, albeit a very slim one, that Congress may find the courage to act against gun violence in some way as the country continues to reel from the carnage of another mass murder, the largest in our nation's history with a firearm. There also is quite a possibility that once the furor subsides over the tragedy in Orlando, Fla., apathy will set in as it has time and again. We will then await the next horror, which seems inevitable in a nation where huge numbers of citizens value their right to bear arms almost above everything else, and where the Supreme Court of the land has certified that dubious constitutional privilege despite the fact it was written 225 years ago when weapons were one-shot affairs with unrifled barrels and little standing army in what was then mainly a wilderness. The hideousness of 49 innocents being killed by a single actor, who was either a terrorist or a mad man or both, seems to have cracked, at least slightly, the wall of congressional opposition to sensible conversation about this enormously flawed firearms culture, which has resulted in regular tragedies from weapons of mass destruction designed for the use on the battlefield and nowhere else. Republicans and Democrats alike have indicated perhaps it is time to keep semi-automatic rifles like the AR-15, the type used in the Orlando attack, out of the hands of those who are being officially watched by the government as possible terrorists influenced directly or indirectly by religious radicals. Even Donald Trump, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, and the National Rifle Association and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell have indicated some openness for new restrictions on the sale of such weapons as long as the law-abiding aren't prevented from owning them. Denying firearms to those on a terrorist watch list, for instance, would be a start, and a bill to do this may now have a chance. Modifications would likely be needed for it to gain support, and hopefully those changes would not render it useless. Without certification, how does one identify who is crazy or about to be or who is a real terrorist threat? Apparently not even the FBI has that answer. It once again ignored the signs of a radicalized mass murderer although its agents had the man under surveillance for months before deciding he wasn't a threat. Perhaps warning gun dealers to notify the bureau if he made a purchase, which he did, would have been a good idea. Holding gun manufacturers and dealers liable in instances like Orlando or the Newtown, Conn. massacre of little children might help too, except that Congress decided to protect them from such litigation. Interestingly, a liability suit against the manufacturers of the AR-15 used by the killer at Newtown has survived a court test. But this could take years to wend through the judicial levels with odds that are very long. The brutal fact is that the efforts to ultimately ban the sale of semi-automatic battlefield weapons to civilians probably isn't going anywhere except to be buried along with the poor souls who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The reason is simple. That horse left the barn with its rifle scabbard full a long time ago. In fact, few gun laws, no matter how stringent even the nullification of the pernicious Second Amendment would have much impact. There are more than 300 million firearms in the hands of Americans and many now are of the kind used to indiscriminately eliminate those in a large gathering like the Orlando nightclub. Every time one of these monstrous events takes place hundreds of our law-abiders rush out and buy more of the AR-15 variety with the excuse they need to protect themselves. From what? There is no evidence of any armed civilian inside the club having come to the rescue of himself or his fellow victims in the chaotic hours of the standoff with the shooter and police. Most of them did the wise thing hid or played dead or escaped out the back. Still, 49 died and 53 were wounded. It has been that way in all these deadly affairs. Does all this mean we are hopeless, that there is little we can do but pray? There is always a way but as long as the advocates of unfettered gun ownership refuse to budge and the Congress allows it, salvation may still be a long way off. Dan Thomasson is an op-ed columnist for Tribune News Service and a former vice president of Scripps Howard Newspapers. Readers may send him email at: thomassondan@aol.com SHARE Every United States senator can go home to his or her voters this summer and proudly proclaim, "I voted to keep guns out of the hands of terrorists." They will be correct. And yet, the Senate was unable to pass any legislation to do just that. The Senate has once again failed the people of this country. With every senator present Monday, the body voted on four gun measures, two on keeping guns out of the hands of terrorists and two on tightening background checks for gun purchases. Every senator voted in favor of one of the competing bills. All four failed to reach the 60 vote minimum under arcane Senate rules to move forward. That outcome was predetermined by the Republican and Democratic leaders of the Senate who chose to push forward on competing bills that they knew would not draw votes from the other side. Rather than try to find a way to actually get legislation approved, they chose to stand on their partisan side and point fingers at each other. They played this vote for sound bites for the upcoming election, rather than trying to actually get legislation passed. The Democratic version of the terrorist legislation would have allowed the attorney general to prohibit the sale of a firearm to anyone the AG deemed a "known or suspected terrorist." In all likelihood, the Justice Department would use its terrorist watch list as the basis for that call, which currently includes 800,000 people, most of them non-Americans. Republicans said that bill is overly broad. They suggested creating a 72-hour hold and forcing the Justice Department to go to court to convince a judge the individual was enough of a threat to not allow them to purchase a gun. Democrats said that bill is not restrictive enough. Another concern is that it views gun ownership in the same constitutional light as habeas corpus and other due process provisions, which runs counter to the Democratic view of the Second Amendment. There is an alternative available to the Senate. It's something called a compromise, which as we know is not an approach that is favored in Washington these days. Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine, has suggested banning the sale of firearms to individuals on the government's no-fly list or the alternate "selectee list" of those who are required to go through additional screening before boarding a plane. Those are far more narrow lists. There is an outside chance that her bill might be brought forward for a vote this week, but that is unlikely. What is not unlikely is that it would be defeated by the Senate as the majority of senators do not seem to be willing to pass legislation, preferring to stick to principles over solutions. It's arguable whether any of the provisions would have prevented Omar Mateen from buying the guns he used in the Orlando massacre. While he was on the government's terrorist watch list for a while, he was removed from that list prior to his gun purchases. It's also arguable whether either legislation will be effective without a companion piece requiring background check of private gun sales, such as is required in California and 12 other states. Without that piece, anyone including individuals on the terrorist watch list would be able to purchase guns on the open market. We prefer the Democratic no-terrorist legislation, proposed by California Sen. Dianne Feinstein. But we would accept the Collins compromise. We would encourage the Senate to adopt that bill. We just have lost faith they will do that. Golden Nugget Las Vegas will celebrate the return of Discovery Channels Shark Week with a week-long splash of events, available June 24 through July 3. Guests are invited to experience a variety of shark programming available throughout the property for guests to enjoy. From shark inspired menus to pool shark fun at The Tank, Downtown Las Vegas shark enthusiasts will be able to relish in 10 days of prime time Great White action, including: Food and Beverage The Tank Jump shark at The Tank, a year-round outdoor swimming pool complete with a 200,000 gallon, live shark aquarium. Guests will be able to sink their jaws into shark specials including shark bites (chicken nuggets of the seas), fish and chips (breaded fillets accompanied by fried potato wedges), fish bait (breaded catfish nuggets sweet potato fries and spicy tartar sauce), and enjoy drinks out of sharky souvenir cups (sip in style with the sharky souvenir cup). Entertainment Party at The Tank with Marty the Party Shark Celebrate some of the oceans sleekest and deadliest beings at The Tank, Golden Nuggets award-winning pool. During the week-long celebration, guests are invited to mix and mingle by the pool with Marty the Party Shark. In addition, a complimentary photo booth will be available. Celebrate some of the oceans sleekest and deadliest beings at The Tank, Golden Nuggets award-winning pool. During the week-long celebration, guests are invited to mix and mingle by the pool with Marty the Party Shark. In addition, a complimentary photo booth will be available. Movie Nights at The Tank Dive in at The Tank for a shark-inspired movie night by the pool. Starting at 8pm, guests are invited to watch movies pool-side, including JAWS on June 24. In addition, guests will be able to get their shark on with Golden Nuggets flip flop design station, where guests can deck out their flippers with shark bling starting at $40 while watching pool-side movies. Entry is free for movie nights and doors open at 7 p.m. Dive in at The Tank for a shark-inspired movie night by the pool. Starting at 8pm, guests are invited to watch movies pool-side, including JAWS on June 24. In addition, guests will be able to get their shark on with Golden Nuggets flip flop design station, where guests can deck out their flippers with shark bling starting at $40 while watching pool-side movies. Entry is free for movie nights and doors open at 7 p.m. Shark Tank Tours Get up close and personal with the Golden Nuggets resident sharks and other amazing underwater creatures on one of the premier Las Vegas activities, a tour of the Golden Nugget shark tank. Tickets are $40 per person and tours begin at 1:30pm on Wednesdays only. Click Here for more information, or visit the ticket office for details! Get up close and personal with the Golden Nuggets resident sharks and other amazing underwater creatures on one of the premier Las Vegas activities, a tour of the Golden Nugget shark tank. Tickets are $40 per person and tours begin at 1:30pm on Wednesdays only. Click Here for more information, or visit the ticket office for details! Social Media Giveaway Guests are invited to enter for a chance to win a one night stay in the Spa Tower Suite looking over The Tank. In addition, guests will receive a behind-the-scenes tour of the Shark Tank along with dinner for two at Chart House. Contest runs from June 24 to July 3. Nole Marin, Director of Runway from Americas Next Top Model and Stephanie Pratt, cover model for Runways summer issue, joined together as the magazine presented Whats Hot, Whats New, Whats Next in Fashion at LAVO on Tuesday (Photo credit: Al Powers/Powers Imagery). Photo credit: Al Powers/Powers Imagery. Pratt looked stunning in a blue sequined dress and booties as she posed on the red carpet before heading into LAVO for dinner. Kristin Cavallari, her former co-star from The Hills was dining at a table nearby and the two caught up for a minute. Photo credit: Al Powers/Powers Imagery. After enjoying favorites from the LAVO kitchen, including her favorite Oreo Zeppole dessert, which she even tweeted about, Pratt journeyed upstairs to the nightclub. Once there she sipped Grey Goose cocktails and graciously took photos with fans throughout the night. Photo credit: Al Powers/Powers Imagery. Over at TAO Boston Celtic Jermaine ONeil was spotted dining with friends, enjoying Pot Stickers, Orange Chicken and Sausage Fried Rice. Later in the evening Wayne Static of the industrial metal band Static-X dined on Tuna and Kobe along with sake at the Asian hot spot. Photo credit: Al Powers/Powers Imagery. Photo credit: Al Powers/Powers Imagery. Cambodia's Angkor Air has opened a direct route connecting Preah Sihanoukville and HCM City to enhance tourism and trade links between the two nations, according to the Cambodian Times.-VNS Photo The HCM City Sihanoukville route launched on June 17 and is Angkor Air's third route in Viet Nam. The airline will conduct five round-trip flights per week on the route, using 70-seat ATR 72 aircraft. The new route is expected to help Cambodia attract Vietnamese tourists and others to Preah Sihanoukville, contributing to the port city's economic and tourism development. Preah Sihanoukville has welcomed an increasing number of Vietnamese visitors recently, including 11,200 in the first quarter of this year. Mexican federal police clash with teachers during a protest against an education reform and the arrest of two of its leaders, in Oaxaca State. (AFP/Patricia Castellanos) AXACA, Mexico City: Thousands of teachers protested in southern Mexico on Monday (Jun 20) to denounce the deaths of eight people after violent weekend clashes that police blamed on unidentified gunmen. Police said they were investigating whether officers fired first or hit any victims in Sunday's clashes in the state of Oaxaca. Map of Mexico locating the state of Oaxaca, where several people died during clashes between police and teachers over education reforms. (AFP/Tatiana MAGARINOS) The radical National Education Workers Coordinator (CNTE) union led the mostly peaceful march in the state's eponymous tourist city of Oaxaca to repudiate what it termed a "massacre." Some 15 masked protesters launched fireworks and rocks at police guarding a state education department building, prompting officers to respond with tear gas in the brief exchange. Protesters shouted "assassins" at the police. Clara Revilla Lucas, a 50-year-old teacher who complained that her school in a remote mountain village lacks computers and books in the local indigenous language, joined the protest to denounce "the repression against our colleagues." The demonstration came a day after six people died and more than 100 were injured when police were deployed to break up a week-long road blockade by the CNTE in Asuncion Nochixtlan, near Oaxaca city. It was the most violent protest in a series of CNTE demonstrations against an education reform and the recent arrest of two of its leaders. A journalist, meanwhile, was shot dead by unknown gunmen after taking pictures of looting in the town of Juchitan and another person was killed with him, according to Oaxaca state security chief Jorge Alberto Ruiz who told MVS radio the two murders were "linked" to the unrest. Authorities said police and the population were attacked by unidentified groups after officers removed the demonstrator barricades in Asuncion Nochixtlan. Mexico's federal police had initially denied that officers were armed, saying news pictures showing police with firearms were "false." Federal police chief Enrique Galindo acknowledged later that officers used weapons after they were "ambushed" by 2,000 "radicals," including some of whom were armed. Galindo told Radio Formula, however, that "we don't know yet" who fired first and that it would be determined by an investigation. He said "autopsies are being conducted" to determine if the victims were hit by police bullets. Officials said eight police officers suffered gunshot wounds. At least 55 officers and 53 civilians were injured in the clashes and more than 20 people were arrested. Galindo said teachers were not involved in the shooting. 'RADICALS' OR 'INFILTRATORS'? The six dead in Asuncion Nochixtlan include two shopkeepers, a farmer, a worker, a student and a local official, Governor Gabino Cue said. President Enrique Pena Nieto said on Twitter that he "lamented" the deaths and that the attorney general's office would help local authorities investigate the violence "and punish those responsible." He also ordered unspecified actions to resolve the conflict. Juan Garcia, a leader of the CNTE union in the Oaxaca region, reported that 22 other people were missing. Garcia said the violence was perpetrated by "infiltrators" and that in response the police "fired without mercy." He asked for an investigation by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and his union has demanded Cue's resignation. PAST VIOLENCE The CNTE has staunchly opposed Pena Nieto's education reform, which requires teachers to undergo performance evaluations. The union has also been protesting last weekend's arrest of the leader of its Section 22 in Oaxaca, Ruben Nunez, and his deputy, Francisco Villalobos. Nunez faces money laundering charges, while Villalobos has been accused of stealing textbooks. Radical teachers have held protests against the reform in Oaxaca and the southern states of Michoacan, Guerrero and Chiapas for months. The government says the reform seeks to improve the quality of education, but the union sees it as an attempt to fire teachers and privatize the system. The unrest comes a decade after protests by the CNTE and other local civil organisations were marked by deadly violence. Around 20 people died in the upheaval between 2006-2007, including US cameraman Brad Will, who was killed during a protest. Thanh a Residential building in Binh Thanh District. Projects to upgrade old residential quarters in HCM City often encounter obstacles due to lack of agreement between local residents, investors and local authorities.- Photo petrotimes.vn Projects to upgrade old residential quarters in HCM City often encounter obstacles due to lack of agreement between local residents, investors and local authorities. Tran Trong Tuan, the director of the HCM City Department of Construction, said some residents demand high compensation to move out of their existing homes to make room for new buildings. Local authorities also need more determination. For example, the District 1 Peoples Committee intended to move residents from the Co Giang Residential Quarter in 2005, but the committee was afraid some residents were not satisfied and the move has not been completed yet, said Tuan. Red tape is another problem. It takes at least two years to complete administrative procedures, not to mention obstacles in clearing the ground, according to Tuan. Pham Ngoc Lam, the chief executive officer of the uc Khai Corporation which partnered in the renovation of six old residential quarters, said residents are reluctant to move for fear of losing their housing. Meanwhile, new residential project management boards are afraid local authorities may not support the projects. This results in delays and cost overruns. Because of the shortage of belief between residents, enterprises and state authorities, enterprises are not interested in upgrading old residential quarters. Profits are low but risks are high, said Lam. This month, the city will assign local authorities to approve and inspect projects and will select investors to speed up progress, Tuan said. He also committed to shorten and simplify administrative procedures for investors. Russia's Rosneft petroleum group will supply up to 96 million tonnes of oil to the PetroVietnam Oil Corporation (PV Oil) from 2016 to 2040. - Photo viettimes.vn The deal was reached by Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin and PV Oil Vice President Vo Khanh Hung at the 20th International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg city, Russia, on June 16-18. It constitutes one of the biggest contracts of its kind, as targeted by Russia in its strategy to expand partnership in the Asian-Pacific market. Igor Sechin said the contract turns Rosneft into the leading supplier of energy for Viet Nam one of the most dynamic economies in Asia-Pacific. The long-term deal will also allow the Russian company to improve its economic efficiency and contribute to stabilising the global energy market. Establishing a stock exchange for start-up businesses is still facing with a lot of problem. - Photo cafe.vn Truong Nguyen, CEO of Ahamove, a start-up using technology for delivery services, said there were three obstacles that prevented start-ups from raising funds. Many of them showed little transparency in their use of business health indicators, while few public investors were focussed on start-ups, and an insignificant growth rate. Truong noted that public investors were not eager to accept higher risks from startups, compared with venture funds, which could foresee the potential to support the development of startups. However, the absence of public investors will prevent the creation of a market. At the same time, to eye venture investors, startups must have an impressive growth rate, though, in the next one or two years, there are not expected to be many high growth startups. Meanwhile Tran Nguyen Le Van, CEO of Vexere.com, a technology-based discount ticket engine and a successful startup in seeking investment from foreign funds, such as Japanese fund CyberAgent Ventures and Singaporean fund Pix Vine Capital, said a start-up market was a good idea, but there were still many issues that needed to be clarified. For instance, Van said, it was not clear how the start-up would be evaluated in the market, since startups were not often profitable, in the short term. Therefore, it is difficult to value a startup to be listed on the market. The CEO also said, at the same time, that many startups did not yet have enough capacity or knowledge of finance to properly report to investors. A founder of a startup for recruitment, which was in the process of raising funds, said he was not expecting the creation of such a market, adding that most investors considered new businesses to be risky investments, and it is not easy to sell shares. Finance and banking expert Nguyen Tri Hieu said the establishment of exchanges was a new issue, not only in Vietnam, but also throughout the world, adding that he had never seen any country that created this model, including developing countries such as the US and European countries. Hieu further said the idea was quite unrealistic, because in their first five years, most startups had little information about their businesses, thus, they receive little attention from investors. Hieu said, instead of a market, the best way to help startups was to set up a trading center, where new businesses could exchange with each other, as well as find potential investors and banks. In China, feminism is growing and so is the backlash 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. The ten member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations failed to issue a joint statement about the South China Sea during a meeting of its foreign ministers in China, which analysts have said is evidence of deep divisions in the political bloc. It shows the cracks in Asean as well as the cracks between China and Asean, because this year is the 25th anniversary of Asean-China, said Chheang Vannarith, co-founder and chairman of the Cambodian Institute for Strategic Studies. If Asean and China do not find a good way to solve and control the crisis, the dispute, and the regional tension, it may affect the good relationship between Asean and China. Cambodia, Laos, and Burma appear to favor Chinas policy over the disputed waters of the South China Sea as there was a last-minute withdrawal of their support for issuing the joint statement after last weeks meeting of Asean foreign ministers and the Chinese foreign minister. Vannarith questioned the role of Asean in dealing with the conflict. The Joint Statement reflects unity and the initiative to push for cooperation. If Asean cannot issue a joint statement, it means Asean does not have a consensus in making decisions as well as to set a plan to do so in the future, to push forward for bilateral cooperation. So it affects the unity [of Asean] and also regional stability. A verdict in a case filed in 2013 by the Philippines regarding the disputed waters is expected in the coming month, which may escalate tensions, Vannarith added. Asean and China have strong economic ties, with China the largest economic partner of the region. Vannarith warned that the threat of armed conflict over the South China Sea could not only be bad for the economies of Southeast Asia, but for the wider Asia-Pacific region as well. So political instability and insecurity may heavily affect economic development in the region, he said. Economic benefit is a core element to define a foreign policy between countries in the region, especially Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. Vannarith said it surprised him that Myanmar did not turn its policy toward the West after the recent election. He said Vietnams influence in Cambodia had changed as Cambodia had turned toward China for the economic benefit. The political trend in Cambodian foreign policy was a move toward China for economic interests, but the current government is trying to continue its good relationship with Vietnam, too. However, Vietnams influence in Cambodia has declined if compared to Chinas influence in Cambodia. So, it reflects a change in relations from Cambodia and Vietnam to Cambodia and China. He added that it would be difficult to find a solution to restoring the Asean-China relationship, but if Asean can continue its core role in the region, it can maintain stability and security to a certain level. But if Asean splits and there is high competition between China and the United States, then our region will fall into instability and it will have a huge impact on economic development. About 20 opposition party officials on Sunday held a prayer ceremony at Angkor Wat in Siem Reap province calling for national reconciliation and the re-opening of dialogue with the ruling party. Dialogue between the Cambodia National Rescue Party and Prime Minister Hun Sens Cambodian Peoples Party has in recent months hit its lowest point since a disputed election in 2013 led to a year-long boycott of parliament by the CNRP. Analysts this week said the prayer ceremony would do little to help the CNRPs position, which they added was heading towards further stalemate with the ruling party. Son Chhay, chief whip of the CNRP, said he hoped the ceremony would be a symbolic gesture that could lead to an easing of tensions. Whether or not we hope it succeeds, its what we normally do in the hope that it could lead to a change of mentality of politicians in order for them to come together to resolve the issues, he said. Nevertheless, I hope that there is a possibility of talks. The ceremony came as the partys deputy leader, Kem Sokha, remained holed up in the CNRP headquarters in Phnom Penh to avoid arrest after an investigation was launched against him by the courts over alleged solicitation. Kem Ley, a formerly independent analyst who earlier this year founded his own political party, the Grassroots Democratic Party, said the ruling party had taken a worrying direction by pursuing the opposition through the courts. There's little chance that they will shift their stance. What I have observed recently is that they think that no matter how much the cost to investment is, peace should be maintained. They are not interested in multi-party democracy, he said. Cambodian expatriates have also raised concerns over the pursuit of the opposition and human rights workers through the courts, rallying earlier this month across cities in Europe, North America and Australia. Heng Sreang, a social analyst, said the prayer ceremony was a list ditch attempt to foster negotiations. A return to the so-called culture of dialogue between the two parties was of paramount importance, he added. The CNRP or any party should focus on development policies, such as how to provide water for the peoples rice fields. The farmers will then have water, budgets, markets and so on. They should help the graduates find jobs, reduce migration, and eliminate corruption and deforestation. Those are important matters, he said. CPP spokesman Sok Eysan told VOA that he had not received any formal approaches from the CNRP for talks, adding that even if negotiations were held discussion of the ongoing court cases would be off the table. I think that there is no [political division]. The political parties are disputing each other. Its just the case of an individual who was found guilty. If he [Kem Sokha] committed a crime, he has to be responsible before the law. Praying to gods or goddesses or to the soul of Jayavarman VII will not help the one who did wrong. The gods or goddesses only help those who are doing good deeds, he said, referring to a prominent ruler of the Angkorian Empire. Cambodias universities were devastated in the 1970s by the civil war and the brutal Khmer Rouge era, when education was abolished and academics were actively targeted. For many more years afterward, the sector was not prioritized, as basic education services had to be restored. Now, much progress has been made, and thousands of young Cambodians graduate each year from the countrys 162 higher education institutions. But teaching is still the overriding concern, and scholars say there remain significant obstacles to conducting original research and furthering knowledge. The main income of the universities comes from the students tuition fees, so most Cambodian universities offer teaching services rather than research, said Ros Vutha, a masters graduate in higher education and a lecturer at Phnom Penhs Institute of Foreign Languages. Funding for research is scarce, and many researchers simply go off on their own to do more ambitious work. Even when research is done, however, there are few places to have it published locally. Local scholars therefore must collaborate with foreign researchers to get their work published, said Vutha. Everyone thinks conducting research is important and values it, but how far we can make it happen is another matter, he said. Sok Udom Deth, vice-rector for academic affairs at Zaman University, said universities need to be able to give their students an education that keeps up with a fast-changing world. No matter what majors we teach at university, it requires all professors to do research to get updated with new discoveries, or else your knowledge becomes old, he said. For example, Im teaching an international relations major. For the past four years, we talked about Al-Qaida, but now we have to talk about ISIS instead. He agreed that institutions have limited funds for research, but pointed out that researchers could also seek funding from international programs or organizations that have an interest in their field of study. There are few incentives for Cambodian scholars to do research, Sok Udom Deth said, noting that, in other countries, job promotions within the facultyfrom assistant professor to associate professor to full professorwere often the reward for innovative work. But a rising number of Cambodian scholars are interested in doing research, according a report published by the Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace (CICP) in April, which also recognized the constraints of heavy workloads and finances. Supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the report said that part of the problem was a lack of self-evaluation by higher education institutions and by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport itself. Pou Sovachana, the CICPs deputy director in charge of research and publications, said some good policies on research were in place, but were not being implemented. Without proper in-depth research and a solid foundation, a country cannot have sustainable development. Research should be a priority, said Sovachana, adding that, too often, the funding that is available for research is tightly directed by donors. Although the funding is available, the researcher needs to adjust their interest to the funds objective. Its the donors vision, not the researchers or the societys interest. Ministry spokesman Ros Salin said research was a key part of the governments Higher Education Vision 2030, a plan released in 2014 that aims to build a university system fit for the era of globalization. Together with the education committee, the government policy is to encourage more research in higher education institutions, he said. It is the compass for all higher education institutions for the better education system in Cambodia. Another factor holding back some scholars from research may be sensitivity over research topics. The government insists that education is a non-political space, meaning that papers or discussions challenging the status quo in the country may not be received well by administrators. I was warned not to talk about politics at school, noted Sovachana, explaining that, in fact, challenging research should be welcomed. Research can affect politics because we are figuring the problems in society and seeking for the solutions, he said. But doing research isnt about attacking each other, we work to reflect the reality and to document the data and information for the purpose of social development. Another limiting factor for academics is that many fear of saying something controversial in public, and therefore avoid speaking to the media. Sok Udom Deth said it would be preferable to have an atmosphere where academics felt free to inform the public about important issues. The findings from social science are vital for policy development, so the government can find them useful, he said. Ministry spokesman Salin said that, in the most part, politics was irrelevant to educational institutions. If they want to do research on political topic, they can do it under the political science topicon political regimes or political structures, he said, adding that everyone should, Make sure theres no political propaganda at school. [Editors note: Milton Osborne is one of the foremost historians of the Mekong River. His 2000 book, The Mekong: Turbulent Past, Uncertain Future, was the result of about 40 years spent traveling up and down the rivers length. The author has researched and written about the history of the river, its governance and the contemporary political and economic challenges of the countries by which it flows. Now 80 years old, Osborne spoke to VOA Khmers Soksreinith Ten from his home in New South Wales, Australia, to explain why he believes that dam projects are a serious threat to the Mekong and the people who depend on it. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.] When did you first become interested in the Mekong River? I first became interested in the Mekong river when I was posted to the Australian Embassy in Phnom Penh in 1959. That was the first time I saw the river, and I realized, of course, that it was a very important river in terms of the countries through which it flowed. In Cambodia, for instance, 80 percent of the populations annual protein intake comes from fish taken out of the river. Over the years after 1959, when I kept on going back to the countries through which the river flows, I realized there was a tremendous story to be told about how the river worked and the exploration of the river, which took place in the 1860s. It was one of the greatest expeditions of the 19th century. Then, later, after I became very interested in plans to build dams on the river, I began to realize that there were problems associated with building dams that I as a person who did not have technical training had to learn about. And then, in the 1980s and the 1990s, I found the Chinese were for the very first time building dams on the river. Of course, they have now built or are in the process of completing the building of seven dams on the Mekong River where it flows through China. Were the Chinese plans to build dams the first serious threats to the river? There were plans to build dams on the river after it flows out of China, but for a whole variety of reasons, those plans never came to fruition. But, indeed, the Chinese dams, when they started building thembeginning in the 1980s and still building them nowcertainly are going to have, and already have had, an effect on the way in which the river functions. I think one of the things that people dont think about or are not aware of is the fact that a river is an organic whole. You cant just affect one small section or even one big section of the river, and think that it will not have an effect elsewhere. So, by building dams on the river in China, that affects the amount of water that flows down the river into Laos and Cambodia, and into Vietnam, and that is a very important fact. In your book, you wrote that the different riparian states face different problems and threats regarding the river. Could you explain that? If you take an actual case of how the river works and think about the relationship between China and, for instance, Laos, the Chinese government says that the water flowing into the Mekong River from the tributaries in China only contributes something in the order of 10 or 11 percent of the total water that flows down the river. But, during the dry season, during the months weve just had from late November into May, the amount of water that flows down the Mekong River from China, as far as the Lao capital at Vientiane is something like 40 percent of the water in the river. So you cant just isolate one period of time or one section of the river and not recognize that the effect of building dams has an effect much further down the river from where the actual dam has been built. "Now the scientists believe something like 80 or 90 percent of the sediment that flows down the river into the Mekong Delta has in the past come from China. But we do know that already the dams that have been built in China are restricting the amount of sediment that is flowing down the river." We will have to see over the years what actually happens, but the modeling that has been done already suggests that the dams that have been built in China are already affecting and are going to affect in the future the amount of water that flows into the Tonle Sap Lake in Cambodia. It might affect that amount of water by as much as 10 percent each year, and that could have a very substantial effect on the fish that grow to maturity in the Tonle Sap. Certainly, in the last couple of years, the amount of water that flows into the Tonle Sap has been a smaller amount than has previously been the case. What are the potential consequences for peoples ways of life due to the dams? The changes that result from building dams have a whole range of effects. One of the effects that is not talked about as much as it should be is the fact that dams prevent sediment flowing down the river. I am sure you have seen the river at times in Cambodia where it is flowing, particularly during the end of the wet season, [theres a large] amount of sediment that flows down the river. This is of great importance both for agriculture along the banks of the river, and of a great importance, particularly, for the agricultural production of the Mekong Delta. Now the scientists believe something like 80 or 90 percent of the sediment that flows down the river into the Mekong Delta has in the past come from China. But we do know that already the dams that have been built in China are restricting the amount of sediment that is flowing down the river. The sediment carries with it nutrients of great importance for the crops that grow along the banks of the Mekong and in the Mekong Delta, particularly in Vietnam. So, if you block the sediment flowing because the dams have been built, this is going to ultimately have a very negative effect. In terms of the governance of the river, to what extent are countries acting in their individual interests? The expectation in 1995 when the Mekong River Agreement was signed by the four countriesLaos, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnamwas that there would be cooperation between the four member countries of the Mekong River Commission. My judgement is that at that stage it was certainly not thought that any of the individual countries would act in a way that was detrimental to the other members of the commission, the other countries through which the Mekong River flows. That judgement has been proven to be wrong because its quite clear now that the countries of the Mekong River Commission face the prospect, or already have the prospect, of one country, Laos, being quite prepared to build dams on the river whether or not the other countries, particularly Cambodia and Vietnam, are opposed to the construction of dams on the river. The Lao government has already begun building, and is probably expecting it will have completed the dam at Xayaburi. The other dam that is also a matter of great controversy is the prospect of the dam being built at Don Sahong. Now, there is no way that the Mekong River Commission can stop the government of Laos acting in this way. The powers of the Mekong River Commission do not include the opportunity or the capacity to tell any country to act in a particular way. Are there any mechanisms to resolve these tensions over the governance of the river? I dont have any expectation that this issue will be solved, I am very sorry to say. I think that the interests of the individual countriesand in this case, the interests of Laoshave simply triumphed over the idea that it would be possible to prevent any individual country acting in a way that was detrimental to the interests of the people bordering the river as a whole. The Lao government sees the opportunity of earning foreign exchange by selling electricity from the dam it is already building and the probable dam it will be building at Don Sahong. And, despite the protests from Cambodia and Vietnam, it appears that the Lao government is simply going to pursue its own interests, rather than pursue the interests of the region as a whole. "I turned 80 years of age this year, and the changes that have taken place in the Mekong alreadythe dams that have been built, the changes that are taking place on its flowall of these changes have taken place in less than 40 years." This comes back to the issue of the river as an organic whole. Sixty-plus million people depend on the Mekong for their subsistence in one way or anotherthats the countries of the Mekong River Commission, the four countries bordering the river after it flows out of China. What the Lao government has chosen to do is to ignore the interests of the other people who live along the river and to pursue its own goals. Do you think climate change will have any effect on the flow of the river? There has been a range of modeling done to try to estimate what the effects of climate change will be. There is considerable controversy over the extent to which glaciers have been reduced in the Tibetan plateau where the sources of the Mekong are found. Some very wild exaggerated estimations were made of just how much the glaciers have been reduced as the result of climate change. But if climate change continues, there seems to be little doubt that the glaciers that currently provide snow melt during the northern summer will reduce the amount of water flowing into the Mekong. But there is other climate change modeling that suggests that there could be even more rain flowing or cascading into the Mekong in the lower parts of the river. I think the whole issue of climate change is a very real oneI am not in any sense denying thatbut at the moment exactly how much change will come as the result of climate change I think is still awaiting to be fully analyzed. "It is absolutely essential, in my judgment, for the future of the people who live along the river that a recognition is given to the fact that you cannot change the river by building dams without having negative effects." You spent more than three decades traveling and researching the Mekong. How special is the river to you? The Mekong has been a very considerable part of my life. Ive managed to travel on large sections of the river, and it will always be an important memory for me. I think one of the most striking things for me is to realize that the changes that have taken place to the Mekong have taken place in less than half my own lifetime. I turned 80 years of age this year, and the changes that have taken place in the Mekong alreadythe dams that have been built, the changes that are taking place on its flowall of these changes have taken place in less than 40 years. So a great river that is very important to me in terms of my own experience has been changed dramatically in the space of less than 40 years. In your book, you predicted an uncertain future for the river. How has that prediction played out? I certainly didnt expect when that book was published 16 years ago that dams would being built in Laos. I thought that it was probable that the four countries of the Mekong River Commission would recognize that their interests would be served by not having any dams once the river flows out of China, when it flows to their countries, and that assumption was not correct. When I wrote the book and published it in 2000, 16 years ago, I did not expect that the Chinese would continue building dams at the rate that they have now done. So, the uncertain future has proved to be exactly that: very uncertain indeed. Today, how do you foresee the rivers future? It is a great river that has been changed irrevocably. It can never put back to where it was now that the dams have been built in China and are being built in Laos. It is absolutely essential, in my judgment, for the future of the people who live along the river that a recognition is given to the fact that you cannot change the river by building dams without having negative effects. And it is of vital importance that the reality of those negative effects should be realized by the countries through which the river flows. We stand here, in the middle of this city, and force ourselves to imagine the moment the bomb fell, U.S. President Barack Obama said on May 27, during his historic visit to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial. As the first sitting American President to visit the city where the U.S. launched the first atomic bomb attack, Obama used his speech to address a world where the risk of man-made catastrophe remains. In post-conflict countries like Cambodia, observers say, Obamas speech had great resonance and contained an important message about building a peaceful future. The two bombs dropped on Hiroshima and the city of Nagasaki toward the end of World War II are together estimated to have killed more than 200,000 people. Although many argue that the attacks were a necessary measure to bring an end the global conflict, 71 years later, the event remains a traumatic scar that deeply marks its survivors, and humanity at large. American bombs did not stop falling in Asia in 1945, however. While nuclear weapons were not used during the conflict, the scale of bombing during the Second Indochina War, also known as the Vietnam War, was enormous. Between 1965 and 1973, the U.S. dropped close to 3 million tons of ordnance on Cambodia alone, mostly using B-52 bomber planes. The ariel bombardment may have killed more than 150,000 Cambodians, according to historians Taylor Owen and Ben Kiernan. The scholars with the Yale University Genocide Studies Program have described Cambodia as the most heavily bombed country in history. During his speech, Obama put Hiroshima in the context of all human conflict, in which, he said, at each juncture, innocents have suffered, a countless toll, their names forgotten by time. He honored the thousands of Japanese and Koreans, and 12 American prisoners of war, who died at Hiroshima. Their souls speak to us, he said. They ask us to look inward, to take stock of who we are and what we might become. In Cambodia, many argue the cries of the dead have not yet been adequately heard. Following years of deadly American bombing, Cambodia eventually fell into the hands of the communists of the Khmer Rouge, who orchestrated a genocide that shocked mankind. The Khmer Rouge put to death almost 2 million Cambodians through execution, forced labor, malnutrition and disease between April 1975 and January 1979. As Obama also said, We have a shared responsibility to look directly into the eye of history and ask what we must do differently to curb such suffering again. President Obamas visit to Hiroshima was not only historic, but it also prompted a helpful debate in the United States and Japan about the continuing legacy of World War II and the current state of U.S.-Japanese relations, said Jay Raman, public affairs officer at the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh. The Presidents remarks are a powerful reminder of the need for all people and all nations to work together for the cause of peace. Cambodias leading nongovernmental organization concerned with documenting the Khmer Rouge regimes atrocities, the Documentation Center of Cambodia (DC-Cam) has worked to the motto, Dealing with the past, moving into the future. A society cannot know itself if it does not have accurate memory of its own history, said the centers executive director, Youk Chhang. Obama also gave a warning about the stories nations tell themselves, and the power struggles, nationalism and racism that cause political instability. Nations arise, telling a story that binds people together in sacrifice and cooperation, allowing for remarkable feats, but those same stories have so often been used to oppress and dehumanize those who are different, he said. In the context of modern Cambodia, observers see risks. Authorities have been accused of intimidating the opposition with politically motivated prosecutions, but also with violent attacks on lawmakers. Most recently, legal cases that have called for opposition leader Kem Sokha to be arrested have led to dark warnings over potential violence. As a post-conflict country, Cambodia is very vulnerable to repeat outbreaks of violence, said David Chandler, an authoritative Western historian on Cambodia. Cambodia does not operate under the rule of law, and violence often goes not only unpunished but repeated, he told VOA Khmer by email. Chandler believes that Cambodian leaders today have not made adequate efforts at self-reflection. The leaders are pretty unreflective and have not changed any of their ideas, he wrote, adding that they dont think globally or consider themselves part of world history. Cambodias outward appearance of a country at peace belies an incomplete and fragile peace, said Ly Sok-Kheang of the Anlong Veng Peace Center, a recently established center working toward reconciliation in the last northern hold out of the Khmer Rouge. The country remains susceptible to violence as long as leaders go on politicizing past grievances, and as long as fear remains in peoples minds, he added. Political forgiveness is important if peace is to be maintained, said Ly Sok-Kheang. In Hiroshima, Obama told the world that every act of aggression between nations; every act of terror and corruption and cruelty and oppression that we see around the world shows our work is never done. The dropping of the atomic bomb should be remembered, he said, not as the dawn of atomic warfare, but as the start of our own moral awakening. Minister of Foreign Affairs Prak Sokhon has welcomed assurances from his Thai counterpart, Don Pramudwinai, who reportedly said that Cambodians who cross the Thai border illegally will not be shot by security forces. In a statement released on Tuesday at the conclusion of a two-day visit to Bangkok where the two ministers discussed a wide range of issues, Sokhon said during talks over cross-border crimes such as illegal logging and human trafficking. The Thai foreign minister had assured him that firearms would only be used in self-defense. Khung Phoak, president of the Cambodian Institute for Strategic Studies, said the agreement between the two sides would mark the end of shooting along the border, which has claimed dozens of Cambodian lives in recent years. Illegal loggers routinely cross the border into Thailand particularly in the north of the country near the Dangrek Mountains to search for luxury hardwood species such as Siamese rosewood, which is highly sought after in Vietnam and China, bringing large sums of money into otherwise impoverished rural areas. The two ministers also discussed fraud prevention, modern slavery and the mass migration of Cambodian workers to Thailand. A majority of Yemenis are facing severe food insecurity, according to a new joint assessment by the United Nations and partners. The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) shows that 19 or 22 governorates of Yemen face severe food insecurity, and that over half of the country's population faces "emergency" levels, the fourth level on a five-tier system of food insecurity classification. Fuel shortages and import restrictions have contributed to the food shortages in war-torn Yemen. The country imports nearly 90 percent of its food staples, and fuel imports in March satisfied only 12 percent of its needs. 'One of the worst crises in the world' The IPC results clearly show the huge magnitude of the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, said Jamie McGoldrick, U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Yemen. This is one of the worst crises in the world and is continuing to get worse. Conflict has taken a very heavy toll on the country and its people, exacerbated widespread vulnerability and virtually destroyed household coping mechanisms. As a result, food insecurity, remains unacceptably high. With the fluidity of the situation and until a political solution is in place, we will continue to see an increase in the number of people struggling to feed themselves and their families and further deterioration in food security across Yemen, said Purnima Kashyap, representative and country director of the World Food Program. We appeal to all parties to ensure unrestricted access for the delivery of humanitarian assistance to affected people. The Yemeni government and Houthi rebels have been engaged in a sporadic civil war for many years, but airstrikes by a Saudi-led coalition have dramatically increased death tolls and displacement numbers since they began in March 2015. At least 3,500 civilians have been killed since airstrikes began 15 months ago, and more than 2.5 million Yemenis have been internally displaced since 2010, according to the United Nations. The Houthis are supported by former Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh and Iran; they control much of the nation, including the capital Sanaa. "Hello, how are you?" came the slightly distorted voice of a 17-year-old girl wearing a white headscarf and gray jeans. Her name is Zab, and she lives among more than 79,000 other displaced Syrians at Zaatari refugee camp in northern Jordan. She spoke very good English to Mohannad Jaber, who was standing inside a transformed shipping container on the other side of the world in the lobby of the United Nations in New York. Mohannad could see her image projected on a wall of the container, which has been sound-proofed and fitted with Skype-like audio-visual equipment and its exterior painted a shiny gold. "Speak in Arabic," he urged her. They chatted back and forth for about 10 minutes. Mohannad, who works for United Muslim Relief, an NGO, asked Zad about life in the camp. She said it was very, very hot there and electricity was scarce, so they cannot run their fan. But small talk quickly became deeper. Zad appealed for better educational opportunities for refugee youth especially to go to university and expressed concern about early marriages. "She said many families are pushing their sons and daughters to marry because of a lack of money," Mohannad said. A growing rate of early or forced marriage has been one of the consequences of the Syrian civil war, which is now in its sixth year and has turned 5 million people into refugees, while displacing another 6.6 million inside the country. Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey host most of those who have fled. Collapsing distances Connecting refugees and New Yorkers was the brainchild of Amar Chopra Bakshi and Michelle Moghtader of Shared Studios, an art, design and technology initiative. They collaborated with UNICEF Jordan to create a portal at Zaatari. "Our idea was to physicalize the internet," Moghtader said. "Our goal is to collapse distances very real geographic ones and more imagined ones." Part of the project's inspiration came from Bakshi's travels after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Working for a U.S. newspaper, he traveled the Middle East and asked people why they disliked America, according to his mother, Gita Chopra Bakshi. "He would be sitting in buses and talking to people and he said the conversation we had there was so different than the conversations we would have here," she said, adding that he wanted to re-create that environment. Bakshi and Moghtader began with one portal over a year ago, connecting people in New York and Tehran. They have since placed portals in 20 cities, from Kabul to Kigali to Havana. Making it real Back in the U.N. lobby, Richard Amdur, the U.N. Secretary-General's Director of Communications, stepped inside the golden shipping container. He talked via an interpreter with Akram, 12, who said he enjoys playing with his friends but also expressed worries about his father's lack of employment and their family's failed attempt to immigrate to another country. "The country we wanted to go to denied us immigration status," Akram said. Heavy thoughts for a 12-year-old. A refugee family chatted cheerfully about Ramadan with two young Iraqi women in New York. The family's youngest child, five-year-old Farrah wearing a pink top and colorful hair clips kept grabbing the microphone from her three siblings and mother to enjoy the novelty of talking to the far-away women. The family fled Daraa, Syria, four years ago. It is the same city where the first protests began against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad after a group of teenage boys was arrested for anti-government graffiti. For co-creator Bakshi's mother, Gita, the experience helps make real what she has read about the Syrian crisis. "We can read about it forever, but that doesn't quite tell you what it is to be there. And of course we are not there, but this is probably the closest we can come to be able to see what their daily lives are like," she said. U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch visited Orlando, Florida, on Tuesday, nine days after what she called a "shattering attack" at a gay nightclub. Lynch told the city's devastated gay community, "We stand with you in the light." She also announced a $1 million emergency grant to help Florida law enforcement pay for overtime costs related to the shooting, and she met with prosecutors, first responders and victims of the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history. Her visit comes as investigators continue to dig into the background of Omar Mateen, the gunman who killed 49 people and injured dozens more on June 12 at the Pulse nightclub. Lynch said it was a "cruel irony" that the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community one defined almost entirely by love is so often a target of hate. She told the LGBTQ community, "We stand with you to say that the good in the world far outweighs the evil; that our common humanity transcends our differences; and that our most effective response to terror and hatred is compassion, unity and love." Watch video report from VOA's Zlatica Hoke: Also Tuesday, Orlando police reopened streets near the nightclub and wound down their investigation at the crime scene. A makeshift memorial that went up nearby shortly after the massacre was still standing Tuesday, with chalk messages on the sidewalk and utility poles. Among them are drawings of hearts, the message "God bless'' and the hashtag "#Orlandostrong.'' Lynch declined to answer questions about the investigation and whether authorities are looking to charge anyone else in connection with the case. She said investigators will "go back ... and see if there's anything we could have missed or anything we could have done better'' in terms of spotting Mateen as a threat. She said "people often act out of more than one motivation,'' adding that a motive may never be known. Mateen was shot and killed by police during the attack. Journalists attempting to cover this weeks three-day visit to Thailand by Myanmars de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi will find themselves unusually constrained. It is a high profile visit that comes as Myanmar, also known as Burma, transitions from military rule to democracy, while the opposite has occurred in neighboring Thailand. Between 1.4 million and four million citizens of Myanmar work in Thailand, perhaps the majority of them illegally. Reporters are being told they will have no opportunity to question Aung San Suu Kyi, even during a so-called joint news conference in Bangkok with Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who seized power in a bloodless coup two years ago. Limited access Thailands Foreign Ministry, in an agenda sent to correspondents, also advised photographers, videographers and reporters covering the Nobel Peace Prize laureates visit to be formally attired at all times, including during her scheduled visit Saturday to a border refugee camp reachable via unpaved roads. Most journalists, even if they show up in a tuxedo or ball gown, will not be permitted to see the Myanmar leader at the Tham Hin refugee camp as coverage has been additionally limited to official media and pool media only. Aung San Suu Kyi's arrival Thursday and Saturday departure at Suvarnabhumi Airport will also be restricted "pool coverage" with only two representatives of the international media allowed to attend. Aung San Suu Kyis visit with 3,000 Myanmar migrant workers at Thailands largest seafood market Thursday and a speech the following day at Thailands Foreign Ministry, are open to all media, although videographers are complaining about strict security measures forbidding them from carrying backpacks. Who gave orders? Two international video news agencies requested reconsideration of that restriction, noting crews on the move need to carry spare batteries, cables, microphones and other equipment in backpacks. Thai MFA information department second secretary Jatupon Innachit, responding to complaints from the international media, expressed understanding, but said the restrictions are the instructions we have received although he declined to say from whom. The new Myanmar government, led by Aung San Suu Kyis National League for Democracy, has been criticized for limiting media access since it took power in April, following last years landslide election victory. Aung San Suu Kyi, who holds the titles of state counselor and foreign minister, was barred from becoming president according to the constitution enacted by the previous military government. President Htin Kyaw, a mostly out-of-sight figurehead, is not accompanying her to Thailand. Lack of transparency Myanmars information minister, Pe Myint, last week promised reporters they would soon have more access to government ministers and acknowledged a lack of transparency. Reporters in Naypyitaw on Monday were barred from covering a birthday celebration for Aung San Suu Kyi, who has openly demonstrated irritation with the media. She has also been defensive about international media reports that her government is ignoring the plight of the minority Rohingya. In a meeting Monday with U.N. special investigator Yanghee Lee the foreign minister reiterated Myanmar will continue to refrain from using the word Rohingya, according to Foreign Ministry permanent secretary Aung Lin. Many in Myanmars dominant Buddhist community regard the Muslim Rohingya as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. Questions about the Rohingya would almost certainly be directed at Aung San Suu Kyi at Fridays scheduled joint news conference with the Thai prime minister, an uncomfortable situation it appears the two neighbors have now found a way to avoid. Aside from guessing which side will win Thursdays Brexit vote, Londons chattering classes are engaging in a favorite political game of what ifs. British newspapers and TV news shows are full of opinions about whether British Prime Minister David Cameron will resign, if the "Leave" camp wins and if so, what follows. The possible variations on the fate of the leadership of the ruling Conservative Party are complex. Even a narrow victory for the "Remain" campaign doesnt preclude the chance of Cameron having to depart because of Conservative unruliness and bitter ill-feeling left by the often sharply personal so-called blue-on-blue attacks between Conservatives. Cameron has insisted there will be no reason for him to resign as party leader and prime minister, even if a majority of the British shun his advice and vote to exit the European Union. Speaking last month, he argued his authority would remain intact because he would be fulfilling what he promised in the partys last election manifesto: to hold a referendum and abide by the voters' decision. The question on the ballot paper is very clear: it is stay in or go. It is not this politicians future or that politicians future, he said. But few party members think he can hang on in the event of a Leave victory or a slim vote to Remain, and sooner or later he will go. Ken Clarke, a Thatcher-era minister and Tory stalwart, says Cameron would not last 30 seconds in the event of a "Leave" vote. He argues Camerons rivals would be emboldened, and his credibility would be shattered. Some senior Conservative politicians think that will be the case, too, with a small Remain win. What happens, if Cameron resigns? Tory insiders VOA has spoken with say they expect he would linger as a caretaker leader and prime minister while the party sorts out a successor. If there is a vote to leave there will be a lot of government disorder as we work out how we divorce the EU, said a former Cabinet minister. Someone will have to keep a hand on the helm, he added. In the meantime, the parliamentary party, all the current Conservative MPs, would vote to narrow the field to two candidates, and then the entire party membership would vote in a postal ballot a process that would take weeks. The process would be further prolonged if Cameron decided to try to soldier on rather than resign. But a leadership challenge can be triggered if 50 MPs sign a letter of no confidence in the party leader and send it to the chairman of the 1922 Committee of Conservative backbench lawmakers. Senior Tory lawmaker Andrew Bridgen has already drafted a letter, party sources say. If the country votes to leave the EU, [Cameron] should, and probably will, choose to resign, Bridgen said earlier this month. He went further, signaling a fight is likely almost, whatever the result. Bridgen added, I believe his position will be untenable. Who might follow Cameron? A leadership competition would likely feature four main contenders: the pro-EU George Osborne, the countrys current finance minister and a brilliant electoral tactician; Theresa May, the long-serving and tough-minded interior minister, also pro-EU; and the leaders of the Leave campaign, the colorful former London mayor and author Boris Johnson and the cerebral Justice Minister Michael Gove. Analysts and party insiders argue Osborne would likely be damaged by his close association with Cameroon. Johnson is not popular among Conservative MPs, who see him as overly ambitious, often disloyal and ill disciplined. Party insiders expect Johnson and Osborne to lose in the balloting of Conservative lawmakers, leaving Gove and May to face-off in the postal ballot. Gove has infuriated party members who want to remain in the European Union with his attacks on Cameron. May is in the Remain camp, but is hardly an enthusiast for the bloc and has stayed largely above the day-to-day fray of referendum campaigning. She has been careful in her choice of words. May reminds some insiders of another iron-willed Conservative politician, Margaret Thatcher. How to Brexit? If the country votes to exit the European Union, a number of large what ifs will remain. Negotiating a divorce from the bloc will be troublesome and destabilizing, especially if the British government seeks to negotiate an EU free trade deal along the lines of Norway or Switzerland, which would include abiding by EU regulations and accepting free movement of labor. At least 110 Conservative MPs out of 330 could well vote against seeking such a deal. And with a Conservative majority of just eight in the House of Commons, the government would have to rely on the support of opposition lawmakers. If the opposition didnt assist, an early general election could be triggered. Another large what-if would come if the European Union offered a new reformed deal for Britain to stay a member. A majority in the Commons and the House of Lords (it has delaying power only on legislation) are against leaving the European Union. A massive political fight, even a constitutional crisis, would be prompted, if parliament voted to accept a new deal, retaining EU membership. A British man was arrested Saturday in Las Vegas for what the Secret Service says was an attempt to kill Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. A complaint filed Monday in federal court says Michael Steven Sandford drove across the country last week to attend a Trump rally at the Treasure Island Casino where he tried to grab a gun from the holster of a Las Vegas police officer who was providing security. "Sandford claimed he had been planning to attempt to kill Trump for about a year but decided to act on this occasion because he finally felt confident about trying it," a Secret Service agent wrote in the court document. No motive is mentioned. Sandford told authorities he had never fired a gun before last Friday when he went to a Las Vegas gun range to learn how to shoot. He also said that if he were released from custody he would try again to kill Trump, and that if he had not acted in Las Vegas he had already made plans to try again at a rally in Arizona. The complaint says Sandford "was convinced he would be killed by law enforcement during his attempt on Trump's life." He is scheduled to appear in court on July 5. The International Criminal Court in The Hague has sentenced former Congolese vice president Jean-Pierre Bemba to 18 years in prison for murder, rape and pillaging committed by his troops in Central African Republic more than a decade ago. Presiding judge Sylvia Steiner read out the sentence at the end of the short hearing as Jean-Pierre Bemba, wearing a dark suit and blue tie, listened intently. She said Bemba will get credit for the eight years he has already spent in prison. The former Congolese vice president was convicted by the International Criminal Court in March of war crimes and crimes against humanity for his troops brutal campaign in Central African Republic in 2002 and 2003. He is not only the first person convicted by a global war crimes court for crimes of sexual violence, but also the first to be held directly responsible for crimes committed by his soldiers. "Mr. Bembas failure to take action was deliberately aimed at encouraging the attack directed against the civilian population... and directly contributed to continuation and further commission of crimes, said Steiner. Appeal planned The prosecution had asked for a minimum 25-year sentence for Bemba. His defense team says he will appeal, alleging the court made numerous mistakes. During the sentencing, Judge Steiner recalled some of the most horrific testimony like this one of a rampage by Bembas soldiers. V1 was gang raped on two separate occasions during the one-day attack on Mungumba. First two soldiers took turns raping her, while others looked on shouting with joy. And then four soldiers raped V1 until she lost consciousness, said Steiner. Human Rights Watch says the sentence offers a measure of justice for victims in CAR, where armed groups have preyed on civilians for years. Others should take notice, HRW said, that they, too, may be held accountable for their acts. The International Criminal Court in The Hague sentenced former Congolese vice president Jean-Pierre Bemba to 18 years in prison for the murder, rape and pillaging committed by his troops in Central African Republic more than a decade ago. For victims and rights campaigners, Bemba's sentencing is cause for celebration. Not so at his party headquarters in Kinshasa. Approximately 200 dispirited supporters watched a YouTube broadcast on a projector as the ICC handed down its ruling. Bemba's supporters said the ruling is a miscarriage of justice. Following expressions of party solidarity from the crowd, Eve Bazaiba the secretary general of Bemba's Movement for the Liberation of Congo, or MLC took the microphone to denounce what she called the ICCs unfair targeting of Africans. The MLC grew out of the rebel army that Bemba commanded during the DRC civil war. Bemba was not convicted for any abuses in his home country. Between October 2002 and March 2003, Bemba sent his troops into neighboring Central African Republic to put down a coup attempt for that country's president. In its verdict delivered in March, the ICC found Bemba responsible for abuses committed by his troops during that campaign in the Central African Republic. It was a historic ruling on the principle of command responsibility, but one that has been poorly understood by Bemba's supporters, who say their beloved leader was rarely present in the Central African Republic during the five months in question. MLC activists claim Bemba was targeted by the court to remove him as a rival to President Joseph Kabila. Bemba served as vice president from 2003 to 2006. He finished second in the 2006 presidential elections against Kabila, winning 42 percent of the vote. The MLC has remained a leading opposition party. Nestle SA's Nespresso says it will become the first company to sell Cuban coffee in the United States in more than 50 years, as relations between the Cold War adversaries smooth. The U.S. State Department in April added coffee and other products to its list of eligible imports produced by independent Cuban entrepreneurs. That regulatory change cleared the way for Nespresso to begin U.S. sales this autumn of Cafecito de Cuba, an espresso roast for its home brewers, the company said on Monday. Nespresso purchased the coffee in Europe via Cuban state export companies. It will process and package the beans, grown by small-holder farmers, in Europe. Nespresso USA secured necessary licensing from the U.S. Department of the Treasury to ship single-use brewer pods containing the Cuban coffee from Europe to the United States. Initially available in limited quantities, Cafecito de Cuba aims to deliver on Nespresso's mission to deliver "exclusive, unique coffee experiences," said Guillaume Le Cunff, Nespresso USA president. Nespresso also is partnering with TechnoServe, a Washington-based nonprofit, to support independent coffee farmers on the Caribbean island. "We want consumers in the U.S. to experience this incredible coffee and to enjoy it now and for years to come," said Le Cunff, who aims to forge long-term relationships with Cuban producers. Cuba harvests about 100,000 60-kg bags of arabica coffee annually, according to the International Coffee Organization. While that is about five times the annual production of Jamaica, it is just a fraction of this year's expected 13.5 million-bag harvest from Colombia, the world's biggest grower of high-quality washed arabica coffee. Nespresso's flagship espresso maker dominates the market in Europe, where such drinks are preferred, but trails Green Mountain Coffee Roasters' Keurig system in the United States. Nespresso competes with many global brands for sought-after beans. Rivals include Starbucks, which told Reuters it has "no plans to import coffee from Cuba at this time." The United States imposed trade restrictions on Cuba in 1960, after the government of revolutionary leader Fidel Castro seized private land, nationalized scores of private companies and imposed heavy taxes on U.S. imports. President John F. Kennedy issued a permanent embargo in 1962. U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro stunned the world in December 2014 by abruptly announcing that the countries would move to restore diplomatic relations. European Union ambassadors meeting in Brussels agreed to extend current economic sanctions against Russia for another six months because the conflict in Ukraine remains unresolved. Envoys from the blocs 28 member states approved the decision in principle Tuesday. It still needs a unanimous formal approval by EU ministers which may come during their meeting in Luxembourg Friday or it may come at an EU leaders' summit next week, or even later, diplomatic sources in the Belgian capital said. Sanctions currently in effect have targeted the oil, financial and defense sectors of the Russian economy. They were first imposed after Moscow's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in March 2014 and backing of pro-Russian separatists in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. The EU is planning a broader review of its policy on Russia in the second half of this year. Current sanctions are due to expire at the end of July and, and if approved, will now run through January 2017, those at the meeting said. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi are among Europe's top politicians backing sanctions relief. In April, the French parliament approved a non-binding resolution calling for the lifting of EU sanctions against Russia. The EU, in early 2014, also imposed separate visa bans and asset freeze measures against individual Russian and Ukrainian high-profile individuals for backing the separatist movement in eastern Ukraine. These measures are set to expire in September. More than 9,000 people have died in the fighting in eastern Ukraine since early 2014 and rival sides in the conflict have yet to withdraw heavy arms from the region. Recent events in Eastern Europe and rising tensions with Russia have revived the debate over NATO enlargement, which Moscow considers a provocation. The question comes as NATO leaders prepare to hold a summit early next month in Warsaw, Poland. With Montenegro having begun the accession process to join NATO, the question over the Alliance's future enlargement is once again looming large for countries in the Balkans and elsewhere. For Macedonia, at NATO's doorstep, becoming a NATO member is the only alternative - says Zoran Jolevski, the country's defense minister. The more NATO is in southeast Europe, in the Balkans, the more prosperous and stable the Balkans is, he said. Beyond the enlargement issue, the deployment of NATO forces in the Baltic states, Poland and Romania will be the main focus at the upcoming Warsaw summit. Such a deployment is significant, says executive director of the McCain Institute and former U.S. ambassador to NATO, Kurt Volker. It is a signal to anyone, including Russia, that NATO is prepared to defend its members," he said. "That is very, very important. Thats the heart of deterrence that is showing that willingness to take those steps, thats criticaleven with reducing defense budgets and reducing U.S. commitment overall, this step is very important. But NATO's move to station forces on its eastern flank and its membership enlargement are considered threats by Russian leader Vladimir Putin. His goal is to get NATO to back down. He wants to divide Europe, divide NATO, force NATO to back down, not protect the member states of NATO that are adjacent to Russia," Volker said. "It is very important that NATO not accept that. Russia has responded to NATOs focus on its eastern flank with a pledge to deploy three divisions numbering some 30,000 troops to its western and southern flanks by the end of this year. A leading Islamic group in Bangladesh has issued a fatwa condemning terrorism and militancy, including violent attacks on non-Muslims and secular writers and activists, as "Haraam," or forbidden and un-Islamic. The fatwa, or religious decree, was signed by more than 100,000 Islamic scholars, legal experts and clerics, and presented by Maulana Fariduddin Masoud, chairman of Bangladesh Jamiatul Ulama (BJU), a national body of Islamic scholars. In presenting the 62-page fatwa along with 30 volumes of books, each carrying over 3,300 signatures, Masoud said he began his campaign because terrorists were launching attacks in the name of Islam. This, he said, was leading to misunderstanding of the religion's tenets. As they are indulging in the violent activities, they are terming them jihad and they say that they happily want to become martyrs through jihad. But, Islam stands against such violent terrorist activities. While Islam is based on peace, love and compassion, they are presenting it as a religion of the uncivilized and terrorist people, Masoud told VOA. Explaining jihad in Quaranic context Since most people have an incorrect idea of jihad, the scholars who signed the fatwa sought to explain what jihad means in the Quranic context and how Islamist extremists are misleading both Muslims and non-Muslims on the issue, he said. In our fatwa we have tried to explain that their activities cannot be called jihad because they are against the interest of humanity." At least half a dozen secular bloggers and one publisher were killed in the first wave of suspected Islamist attacks in Bangladesh, which began in 2013. However, in recent months, victims have included foreigners, Shiites, liberal Muslims and members of other religious minorities. At least 48 killings in Bangladesh over the last year and a half have been blamed on Islamists. The Islamic State claimed responsibility of more than half of the killings -- including this months hacking to death of a Hindu priest, a Hindu monastery worker and a Christian grocer. Al-Qaida claimed most of the other killings, according to the U.S.-based SITE Intelligence Group. Bangladesh's government insists that neither IS nor al-Qaida has a foothold in Bangladesh and that local militant groups are behind the killings. Minorities seek protection With attacks on minorities spiking in recent days, minority leaders have sought improved security from the government. Masoud said that the fatwa also addresses the issue of attacks on minorities. Attacking and killing non-Muslims and vandalizing their religious places is completely un-Islamic. We have given that evidence in our fatwa. (The) Prophet Muhammad said, if a Muslim killed any non-Muslim, he would be denied entry to heaven, Masoud said. According to Mufti Junud Uddin Maktum, the BJU's legal adviser, after drafting the fatwa, the national body took about five months to collect 101,524 endorsing signatures. The legal opinions in the fatwa have been supported by quotations from the Quran and Sunnah, the two most trustworthy sources of Islamic law. It has elevated the authenticity of the fatwa. Furthermore, this fatwa also includes the signatures of around 10,000 female Islamic scholars. Their participation further increased its acceptability to all sections in the society, Maktum told VOA. 'A singular view on jihad' The fatwa is highly significant because more than 100,000 Islamic scholars and clerics signed it, said retired army Major General Abdur Rashid, the Executive Director of the Institute of Conflict, Law and Development Studies in Dhaka. This is the first such attempt by the Muslim religious leaders in this part of the globe to present a singular view on jihad and influence the mind of the people against the terrorist activities in the name of Islam, he told VOA, adding, "Since people have [the] inclination to accept the views of Islamic scholars on religious affairs, more than academics and politicians, I think this fatwa will achieve success at least to a good extent. The fatwa has also been welcomed by minority community leaders in Bangladesh. This fatwa can help those who are involved in such militant activities understand that they have been misled. It can help bring a positive change in their life, William Proloy Samadder, organizing secretary of the Bangladesh Christian Association, told VOA. He said the police in a country as heavily populated as Bangladesh, despite their best efforts, cannot provide security to every vulnerable individual. Samadder said that the fatwa can inspire ordinary Muslims to act against such militant activities. These fellow citizens will then come forward to take care of my safety," he said. "To me and other minority community members, this can provide a shield of security more effective than all the other security measures provided by the state so far. The president of Mexico's ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, announced his resignation on Monday, two weeks after the party of President Enrique Pena Nieto suffered a humiliating defeat in regional elections. Manlio Fabio Beltrones, a former governor and veteran federal lawmaker, announced his decision to step down after the PRI won only five of the dozen governors races up for grabs in the June 5 vote. It previously held nine of them. The results were far worse for the centrist party than most polls had forecast. The PRI's losses included two oil-rich strongholds in the Gulf of Mexico, Veracruz and neighboring Tamaulipas, both of which have been plagued by gang violence for years, as well as Quintana Roo, home to Mexico's top tourist destination Cancun. All three states have been run by the PRI for over eight decades. "It's time for a necessary pause," Beltrones told a news conference at the PRI's Mexico City headquarters. "This is a responsible decision that opens space for an internal debate and allows our party to freely decide the best path forward," he said. Beltrones, 63, is still seen as a possible presidential contender for the PRI in 2018. Pena Nieto is not allowed by law to seek a second six-year term. In a poll published Monday by daily newspaper El Financiero, Beltrones was tied for second with 10 percent among PRI voters, trailing Interior Minister Miguel Angel Osorio Chong, who had 32 percent support. Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has portrayed Republican rival Donald Trump as unfit to oversee the U.S. economy, declaring his reckless policies would throw us back into recession and boost unemployment. Speaking in the key battleground state of Ohio, Clinton attacked Trumps business record as an indication of how he would manage the worlds largest economy. Just like he shouldnt have his hands on the button, he shouldnt have his hands on our economy, Clinton said in remarks at an alternative high school in Columbus, Ohio Clinton cited multiple bankruptcies and lawsuits alleging fraud against his for-profit educational venture Trump University. "This is not normal behavior. We can't let him roll the dice with our children's futures," she said. Lawsuits Clinton also alleged 3,500 lawsuits have been filed against the Republican presidential hopeful in the past 30 years, many of which she said were filed "by ordinary Americans and small business who never got paid, not because he couldn't pay them, but because he could stiff them." Clinton mentioned a report issued Monday by Moodys Analytics that was written by a former adviser of one of Trumps fellow Republicans, Senator John McCain. The report predicted Trumps economic proposals would trigger a recession and the loss of 3.5 million jobs in his first term alone. With her latest attack on Trump, Clinton hopes to convince voters she would be a better steward of the economy. Several recent polls have found that the majority of likely voters favor Trump on economic issues. A Gallup survey conducted this month found that Trump leads Clinton by 10 points on who to trust on the economy, and by seven points on the issue of employment. And a Bloomberg Politics poll issued last week showed 55 percent of those surveyed thought Trump was more knowledgeable about how to create jobs. Working-class voters Campaign officials say Clintons speech is part of a strategy to disqualify Trump on the economy and to counter his success in winning the support of working-class voters in swing states such as Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin. Clintons speech, aides say, is also designed to capture support from supporters of Democratic opponent Bernie Sanders, a Senator from the Northeastern state of Vermont. The campaigns of the two Democratic candidates are discussing key economic issues, such as free college tuition and expanding Medicare and Social Security, that may be incorporated into the Democratic Party platform at the convention in Philadelphia next month. Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, quickly responded to his Democratic opponent. On his Twitter account, Trump said "Hillary Clinton's open borders immigration policies will drive down wages for all Americans, and make everyone less safe." And "Hillary Clinton surged the trade deficit with China 40 percent as secretary of state, costing Americans millions of jobs." Trump has previously said he would be more effective than Clinton in managing the economy. Citing his business acumen, Trump has said he is the best candidate to strengthen the economy and negotiate with other nations. Trump has criticized Clinton for supporting past trade deals such as the North American Free Trade Agreement and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which he also said had cost the U.S. millions of jobs. Clinton has previously said she would renegotiate parts of NAFTA and has expressed opposition to TPP, which she supported as secretary of state. Clintons latest address follows one she delivered on June 2 in San Diego on national security. The Boko Haram militant group's insurgency has forced nearly 300,000 people to seek refuge in the Diffa region of southeast Niger, an area already dealing with chronic food insecurity. Aid agencies are struggling to provide adequate water and food to tens of thousands of people who fled a fresh attack in the border town of Bosso this month. Every day it's the same snaking line of people holding yellow water containers at one of the few taps available in Kidjendi, a camp located about 40 kilometers from Diffa, in southeast Niger. Cheldou Malou lives at the camp with seven relatives. She said there are a lot of people. Sometimes they bring two containers but only fill one. She says she comes in the morning but doesn't get enough water, so she has to come back for more in the afternoon. Malou and her family are among an estimated 50,000 people who fled the area around the border town of Bosso following a Boko Haram attack June 3. Many left everything behind and walked on foot for several days before gathering in camps in the desert. They built makeshift shelters out of straw and plastic covers donated by non-governmental organizations. The structures are at risk of flying away with each wind gust. Kidjendi alone has about 40,000 refugees and internally displaced people. The head of Doctors Without Borders - Spain (MSF-Spain) in Niger, Elmounzer AG Jiddou, said there is not enough water. He said the situation they are in at the moment can create conflict because the amount of water they receive is not enough, given the current temperatures. A few days ago, a fight by a watering hole in Kidjendi left one person dead. Some displaced farmers managed to flee with livestock, and the cows and donkeys now roaming the camp are another source of tension. Food is scarce. One mother, Yamgana Goni, said she has no food or shelter; nothing, and fears her nine children will die of hunger. Aid workers say the key to better assistance is security. Despite the increased military presence, Boko Haram continues carrying out sporadic attacks in the area, so people keep moving around, making the receipt of aid difficult. OCHA coordinator Fode NDiaye said for wells to be drilled, the work has to be done on sites that are stabilized. Diffa was already hosting about 240,000 refugees and displaced people when Bosso was attacked. The influx of more internally displaced persons has strained resources further. The U.N. children's fund's (UNICEFs) water manager, Mohamed Ali, said providing such a large amount of water is very expensive and that resources likely will run out in a few weeks. He says more will be needed. MSFs Jiddou said the threat of attack is also preventing aid agencies from reaching people deeper in the bush. He said there needs to be a system of coordination so that actions can focus on the most vulnerable populations and the government will need to lead that effort. Interior Minister Mohamed Bazoum visited the camps last week to bring food aid and reassure the population. Aid agencies warn that the humanitarian crisis could continue to spread in the region around Lake Chad. U.S. aerospace giant Boeing has signed a tentative deal to sell passenger jets to Iran, in what would be the biggest business deal between the U.S. and Iran in 37 years. The transaction would be worth as much as $25 billion, with Iran buying at least 100 commercial jets for its state-owned airline. With most economic sanctions against Iran lifted after it signed the recent nuclear deal, Iran Air is ready to expand its fleet. It already has made a pending deal with the European consortium Airbus for passenger planes. Boeing says the Obama administration approved its initial deal with Iran after determining that Tehran is meeting its obligations under the nuclear agreement. "Boeing will continue to follow the lead of the U.S. government with regards to working with Iran's airlines, and any and all contracts with Iran's airlines will be contingent upon U.S. government approval," a company statement said Tuesday. On Tuesday, U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby said Boeing's deal with Iran is the kind of permissible business activity as foreseen in the nuclear agreement, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. "The JCPOA provides an opening for civil aviation companies, including American companies, to pursue legitimate commerce with Iran, and we note reports of progress in the aviation sector, which is good for both the economy and for public safety." But Kirby said any U.S. approved license for aviation sales to Iran would include "appropriate conditions" to ensure that nothing is resold or transferred to anyone on the Specially Designated Nationals list individuals under sanctions for terrorism and other activities as drug trafficking. It is also unclear how Iran would pay for the planes because Tehran is still barred from doing business with U.S. banks. North Korea appears to have deployed a ballistic missile to its east coast, but there are no signs of an imminent launch, according to an unnamed government source. Japan's military is on alert for a missile launch, and their navy and anti-missile Patriot batteries have been instructed to shoot down any projectile headed for Japan, according to a government source. The missile is presumed to be an intermediate-range Musudan missile, similar to one the North unsuccessfully tried to test launch three times in April. Another launch, most likely of the Musudan, failed in May. The missile reportedly has a range of 3,000-4,000 kilometers which, if fired successfully, could reach targets in Japan, China and Guam. The United Nations Security Council has banned North Korea from developing nuclear and ballistic missile technology. China, the North's key ally, has urged the government of President Kim Jong Un to return to international talks and dismantle its nuclear program for economic assistance and security guarantees. The explosion of a car bomb on Syrias border with Jordan that killed six Jordanian troops and wounded 14 other people is raising fears that violence in Syria is spreading to its neighbors. The frequency of attacks against or in Jordan are increasing, said Yan St-Pierre of the Berlin-based security firm MOSECON. Thats a sign that what everybody feared that the conflict would start to spill over into adjacent areas is becoming real. No group has claimed responsibility for Tuesday's border attack, but hours later, Jordans King Abdullah vowed to strike anyone who threatens Jordan or its borders with an iron fist. Jordans government, which already hosts 600,000 registered refugees in a country of less than 6.5 million people, says it will further restrict refugees ability to enter and settle. The government announced Tuesday that borders with Syria and Iraq would be considered closed military zones, and that no new refugee camps will be built. In early June, five Jordanian intelligence officers were killed in an attack on a security office near a Palestinian refugee camp near the capital, Amman. Military outpost The car bomb struck around 5:30 a.m. at a remote military outpost by the Syrian border. The Rakban crossing is the only Jordan border that has recently allowed even a few Syrian refugees to cross, and tens of thousands of people are stuck on the Syrian side, hoping to escape war and extremist militant groups, including Islamic State. Jordans government, which already hosts 600,000 registered refugees in a country of less than 6.5 million people, says it will further restrict refugees ability to enter and settle. The government announced Tuesday that borders with Syria and Iraq would be considered closed military zones, and that no new refugee camps will be built. The car moved at a very high speed, a statement released by Jordans army said on Tuesday. It avoided fire from troops, who reacted fast. When it reached the military outpost, the driver blew up the car in a vicious operation. Western coalition The United States-led coalition fighting Islamic State militants in Syria has been largely ineffective at containing the war because it lacks ground presence, said Andreas Krieg, an assistant professor at Kings College London who also works with the Qatar Armed Forces. By relying on local ground forces to support its aerial bombardment campaign against Islamic State militants, the U.S. is conducting surrogate warfare, Krieg said. The emergence of Islamic State, he adds, is partially a result of the underfunded and undertrained "surrogates" fighting the army of President Bashar al-Assad without success. The influx of Jihadist forces into Syria is something that was facilitated because we had people on the ground with the feeling they wouldn't get anywhere with moderate forces, he explains. "Because moderate forces weren't adequately supported." And, like the 51 U.S. diplomats that last week called for greater military intervention Syria through a leaked internal memo, Krieg said he believes the U.S. needs to take a strong stance against Syrian government forces before it can expect compromise from the Assad regime at the negotiating table. The White House and the U.S. military have given no indication they plan to follow the diplomats advice, having long warned of the dangers of getting mired too deep in Syrias chaotic and complex war. The conflict roughly pits the Syrian Army allied with Iran and Russia against a host of rebel forces allied with the West and the Gulf States. All sides, at least officially, have a mutual foe in Islamic State and the U.S.-lead coalition said it is fighting IS, not Assad. However, critics say further U.S. involvement would escalate the conflict, dumping more weapons into the war zone. This is a valid criticism, Krieg said in response. But then you have to be constructive in this criticism and say, What is the plan B? I dont think we have a plan B at the moment. Its the best of the bad options we have at the moment." The U.S. is not likely to change courses under President Barack Obama, adds St-Pierre from MOSECON, and some politicians in Europe also insist that they are not planning a ground invasion in Syria. Its a vipers' nest and they know it, he said. They dont want to get involved. President Barack Obama is again facing dissent from within his administration this time from Attorney General Loretta Lynch over his plans to shutter the Guantanamo Bay military prison, according to senior administration officials. Lynch, a former federal prosecutor whom Obama appointed to head the Justice Department two years ago, is opposing a White House-backed proposal that would allow Guantanamo Bay prisoners to plead guilty to terrorism charges in federal court by videoconference, the officials said. Over the past three months, Lynch twice has intervened to block administration proposals on the issue, objecting that they would violate longstanding rules of criminal-justice procedure. In the first case, her last-minute opposition derailed a White House-initiated legislative proposal to allow video guilty pleas after nearly two months of interagency negotiations and law drafting. In the second case, Lynch blocked the administration from publicly supporting a Senate proposal to legalize video guilty pleas. "It's been a fierce interagency tussle," said a senior Obama administration official, who supports the proposal and asked not to be identified. White House officials confirmed that Obama supports the proposal. But the president declined to overrule objections from Lynch, the administration's top law-enforcement official. "There were some frustrations," said a White House official who spoke on condition of anonymity. "The top lawyer in the land has weighed in, and that was the DOJ's purview to do that." If enacted into law, the Obama-backed plan would allow detained terrorism suspects who plead guilty to serve their sentences in a third-country prison, without setting foot on U.S. soil. The plan would thus sidestep a Congressional ban on transferring detainees to the United States, which has left dozens of prisoners in long-term judicial limbo in Guantanamo, the American military enclave in Cuba. Obama has vowed to close the prison on his watch. But while he has overseen the release of some 160 men from the prison, the facility still holds 80 detainees. The video plea plan has broad backing within the administration, including from senior State Department and Pentagon officials. A Defense Department spokesman declined to comment. Some bipartisan support The plans most enthusiastic backers have been defense lawyers representing up to a dozen Guantanamo Bay detainees who are eager to extricate their clients from seemingly indefinite detention. Republicans in Congress have opposed the president's plans to empty the prison, on the grounds that many of the detainees are highly dangerous. But there is some bipartisan support for the proposal as well, a rarity in the Guantanamo debate. Kevin Bishop, a spokesman for Senator Lindsey Graham, a leading Republican voice on defense and national security issues, said Graham was "intrigued" by the proposal. While support from a Republican senator would not guarantee the votes needed to pass, but it gives the proposal a better chance than schemes that would transfer detainees from the Cuban enclave to the United States. Obama views the video feed proposal as a meaningful step toward closing the facility and making good on one of his earliest pledges as president, administration officials said. Dwindling numbers Of the 80 prisoners remaining in Guantanamo, roughly 30 have been approved for transfer to third countries by an interagency review board. Most of those 30 men are expected to be released from Guantanamo in coming weeks, according to administration officials. The officials said they think the review board could add as many as 10 more prisoners to the approved-for-transfer list. Finally, another 10 detainees are standing trial in military commissions. That leaves roughly 30 detainees whom the government deems too dangerous to release but unlikely to be successfully prosecuted in court. Those men likely would have to be transferred to detention in the United States if the prison were closed. Administration officials say that allowing video feeds could reduce that number to somewhere between 10 and 20. The administration believes that with such a small number of prisoners requiring transfer to the United States, it would be easier to win support for closing the facility, which is run by a staff of 2,000 military personnel. "This is the group that gives the president the most heartburn," said the senior administration official. Tussles over video Lynch and her deputies at the Justice Department argued that the laws of criminal procedure do not allow defendants to plead guilty remotely by videoconference. Even if Congress were to pass the law, Lynch and her aides have told the White House that federal judges may rule that such pleas are in effect involuntary, because Guantanamo detainees would not have the option of standing trial in a U.S. courtroom. A defendant in federal court usually has the option to plead guilty or face a trial by jury. In the case of Guantanamo detainees, the only option they would likely face is to plead guilty or remain in indefinite detention. "How would a judge assure himself that the plea is truly voluntary when if the plea is not entered, the alternative is you're still in Gitmo?" said a person familiar with Lynch's concerns about the proposal. "That's the wrinkle." Lawyers for Guantanamo detainee Majid Khan, a 36-year-old Pakistani citizen, first proposed allowing Khan to plead guilty by videoconference in a legal memo submitted to the Department of Justice in November. In 2012, Khan confessed in military court to delivering $50,000 to Qaeda operatives who used it to carry out a truck bombing in Indonesia, and to plotting with Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks, on various planned strikes. Senate investigators found internal CIA documents confirming that Khan's CIA interrogators subjected him to forced rectal feedings. Khan's lawyers say the experience amounted to rape. He was also water-boarded. That treatment makes it difficult for the Department of Justice to successfully prosecute Khan in federal court, according to administration officials. When White House officials learned that Khan and other detainees were ready to plead guilty to terrorism charges in federal court, they thought they had found a solution. Efforts to try detainees, including Mohammed and other September 11 suspects, in military tribunals at Guantanamo have bogged down over legal disputes. Only eight defendants have been fully prosecuted. Three verdicts have been overturned. "The beauty of a guilty plea is you don't need a trial," said the senior administration official who supports the video plea proposal. Resurgent tensions In February, senior Obama aides proposed pushing ahead with video guilty pleas at an interagency meeting at the White House on the closure of Guantanamo, according to officials briefed on the meeting. Justice Department officials said they opposed video guilty pleas. Matthew Axelrod, the chief of staff to Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, said the proposal would violate laws of criminal procedure, according to the officials. The meeting ended with an agreement to pursue new legislation allowing the guilty pleas, the officials said, which the Department of Justice supported. One week later, Obama rolled out his plan to close the prison in a nationally televised announcement from the Roosevelt Room. His plan included seeking "legislative changes that might enable detainees who are interested in pleading guilty" in U.S. federal courts. Administration officials spent much of the next two months drafting the new law. On a Friday afternoon in mid-April, White House staff emailed all the involved agencies with a final draft of the bill, according to the officials. The bill would be submitted to Congress the following Monday, the White House email said. That weekend, Lynch intervened unexpectedly and said the Justice Department opposed the bill. The eleventh-hour move frustrated White House staff. Deciding again to not overrule Lynch, the White House shelved the bill. In late May, White House officials found a sympathetic lawmaker who inserted language authorizing video pleas into the annual defense spending bill. The White House drafted a policy memo publicly supporting the proposal, which is known as a statement of administration policy, or SAP. Lynch opposed the idea, according to administration officials, sparking renewed tensions between the Justice Department and White House. A SAP is the president's public declaration on the substance of a bill, according to Samuel Kernell, a political science professor at the University of California at San Diego. Without one, it's often more difficult to get lawmakers on the fence to vote the way the White House wants. The White House again bowed to Lynch's objections and declined to issue the SAP. The practice of pharmaceutical sales representatives treating doctors to free meals may be driving up the out-of-pocket price of drugs in the U.S., a new study suggests. Writing in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers from the University of California San Francisco found that the marketing practice makes doctors more likely to prescribe expensive name brand drugs, which are not always covered by insurance, over cheaper generics. The study found that doctors who were treated to just one meal costing less than $20 were up to two times as likely to prescribe the promoted brand name drugs as physicians who received no meals. Doctors who accepted multiple free meals were three times more likely to prescribe name brand medicine. Whether a formal dinner or a brief lunch in a doctors office, these encounters are an opportunity for drug company representatives to discuss products with physicians and their staff, said Adams Dudley, director of the Center for Healthcare Value at the Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies at UCSF, and the senior scientist on the study. The meals may influence physicians prescribing decisions. Previous studies have shown that people prescribed more affordable generic drugs are more likely to stay on the medication for the prescribed amount of time while they are less likely to do so with more expensive name brand drugs. A lot of the financial burden of using brand name drugs instead of generic drugs falls on the seniors enrolled in Medicare, who pay an average monthly co-pay of $40 to $80 for brand name drugs, but only $1 for generics, said Colette DeJong, a UCSF medical student who was involved in the study. Previous studies have shown that doctors who take payments from pharmaceutical companies through activities like paid speeches are more likely to prescribe the more expensive name brand drugs. Sprawled out in parks on colorful mats, millions of people across Indian towns and cites bent, stretched and did breathing exercises on the second International Yoga Day. The yoga sessions were held at some unusual venues. Eleven hundred sailors took part in an early morning session on the deck of a warship docked off Mumbai, while soldiers did some deep breathing on the worlds highest battlefield at Siachin Glacier. Before joining a group of about 30,000 in the north Indian city of Chandigarh for a mass session in which he performed yoga exercises effortlessly, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pitched yoga as a secular practice that promotes health. 'Heath insurance with zero budget' Dressed in a white T-shirt, he underlined that the ancient Indian practice has nothing to do with religion, saying that yoga is for both believers and non-believers. Yoga is a practice that gives you health insurance with zero budget. It does not distinguish between the rich and the poor, the literate and the illiterate, he said. Efforts to steer Yoga Day celebrations away from controversy have come as some critics have called the Hindu nationalist leaders promotion of yoga an attempt to propagate Hindu culture. World Yoga Day is the brainchild of Modi, a yoga enthusiast, who asked the United Nations to adopt the day to popularize the ancient Indian practice. Over 135 countries are taking part in celebrations this year. Growing popularity Yogas popularity has skyrocketed across India in recent years due to a growing belief that it promotes physical and mental well being. Hundreds of city schools have introduced yoga classes, early morning sessions are held in building basements,residential complexes and in public parks, while tens of thousands of affluent families get instructors at home to practice yoga. Many combine it with meditation calling it an urban stress buster. Seventy-year-old Rajni Khanna, a resident of New Delhi, turned to yoga about two years ago after suffering a series of health problems. I started up with two to three times a week, and now I am doing it almost on a daily basis. I have much more stamina, my body is more supple, generally a sense of well being is what I am experiencing. That helps me enormously in terms of my energy levels, my focus, she says. Yoga is close to the Indian Prime Ministers heart, and he seldom misses the opportunity of mentioning it. During an address to the U.S. Congress earlier this month, he pointed out that yoga has 30 million practitioners in the United States. It is estimated that more Americans bend for yoga than to throw a curve ball. And, no Mr. Speaker, we have not yet claimed intellectual property right on Yoga, he said in a light vein. Nigeria has agreed a one-month cease-fire with militants including the Niger Delta Avengers in the oil-producing southern region, a petroleum ministry official said on Tuesday. Militant groups including the Avengers, who have claimed responsibility for a string of attacks on oil and gas facilities in recent weeks, could not immediately be reached for comment. They say they want a greater share of Nigeria's oil wealth to go to the impoverished Delta region. Crude sales make up about 70 percent of national income and the vast majority of that oil comes from the southern swampland. The latest attacks have pushed production to a 30-year low. Last week the Avengers said they would negotiate with the government if independent foreign mediators were involved. "It was very difficult getting the Niger Delta Avengers to the negotiating table but we eventually did through a proxy channel and achieved the truce," said the official, who asked not to be identified. A second government official, who also wished to remain anonymous, said a "a truce was agreed" with militants. Nigeria's government has reached a cease-fire with militants that have taken responsibility for attacks on the country's vital petroleum infrastructure, a senior official at the state-owned oil company told VOA on Tuesday. But the Niger Delta Avengers group denied the existence of a truce, saying on Twitter that they "never remember having any agreement on cease-fire with the Nigeria government." The group has taken credit for a series of bombings of pipelines and oil facilities that have cut Nigeria's daily oil production of around two million barrels by as much as half. Nigeria is Africa's top crude producer, and oil makes up the majority of the country's exports. Economists have cited the drop in production caused by the attacks as a key reason for the country's impending recession. News of the possible cease-fire comes days after Minister of State for Petroleum Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu visited the oil-producing Niger Delta region. He has said he wants to negotiate with the militants rather than use military force to stop the attacks. "The government, I understand, are negotiating, they are discussing, and we are beginning to see the positive results," the incoming OPEC secretary general, Mohammed Barkindo, who is Nigerian, told reporters in the capital, Abuja. A senior official at the state oil company, who spoke on condition of anonymity, had no further details on the cease-fire's terms or duration. Despite being the source of Nigeria's oil wealth, the Niger Delta is impoverished and restive. An earlier insurgency by militants fighting for more development in the region faded out in 2009 after the government started paying fighters a monthly stipend and offering them job training. Nigeria has a checkered history of cease-fires with rebel groups. A 2014 attempt to negotiate a truce with Islamist Boko Haram insurgents who have killed thousands and displaced millions in Nigeria's northeast fell through and was followed by a spate of violent attacks. Some analysts doubted that whomever the government negotiated with actually represented Boko Haram. Unaccompanied minors fleeing places of conflict face rape, detention, beatings, forced labor and even death, according to the U.N. Children's Fund. A UNICEF report, Danger Every Step of the Way, says more than 7,000 children reportedly took the central Mediterranean route from North Africa to Italy from January to June 2016, more than double the number during the same period in 2015. It also highlights the Mediterranean route as one of many risks. If you run, they shoot you and you die. If you stop working, they beat you, Aimamo, 16, told UNICEF officials about the farm in Libya where he and his twin brother had to work in order to pay smugglers. The brothers traveled from Gambia through Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. Italian social workers said boys and girls suffer sexual violence. Some of the girls were pregnant when they arrived in Italy, having been raped, the report says. Many statistics on refugee deaths, disappearances and detentions aren't known, but the report, citing numbers from the International Organization for Migration, said that of 7,567 children crossing the Mediterranean this year, 92 percent were unaccompanied. From January 1 to June 5, 2016, 2,809 deaths were recorded in the Mediterranean, the IOM said. For all of 2015, this number was 3,770, it said, and many of them were children. Youths' stories The UNICEF report includes stories such as that of Peace, a 17-year-old girl from Nigeria who became orphaned in 2012. She was living with her impoverished aunt, who decided to marry her to a 40-year-old man. This man took me to his house and made me his house girl. I said to my aunt, Hes older than my dad, but she said, If you dont marry this man, I will poison you, Peace said. The adolescent decided to escape. Smugglers took Peace, who traveled unaccompanied, across the Sahara to Libya. She told of seeing dead bodies as she crossed the desert. In Sabratha, Libya, she was detained in a windowless house for weeks. She heard shooting and people fighting. Our Libyan handlers wouldnt let us out," Peace said. "There was no water, no change of clothes, not enough food. Peace was eventually able to get to a boat to Italy. During the journey, she said, some people fell overboard and drowned. Others fainted and died. I wish my friend had told me how difficult this is. I would have continued suffering in Nigeria, she said. Peace is waiting for an asylum hearing in Italy. In 2015, almost 96,000 unaccompanied minors applied for asylum in Europe, out of the 406,000 children in a total of 1.4 million applications, the UNICEF report says. Protecting children UNICEF has urged the European Union to craft legislation to create a stronger process through which minors can find safety, and it also advocates for the reunion of children with family members. Marie-Pierre Poirier, UNICEFs special coordinator for the refugee and migrant crisis in Europe, said people should never forget that children bear no responsibility for their plight and have every right to a better life. Children on the move have endured war, persecution, deprivation and terrible journeys," Poirier said. "Even when they have reached the relative safety of their destination, they still need protection, education, health care and counseling. We must be by their side. UNICEF also calls for countries to confront the refugee crisis and find solutions to a "never-ending movement of children in search of a better life." "Childrens lives are put on hold for what to them would seem like an eternity, their aspiration to learn, their hopes for the future frozen in limbo, Poirier said. One day after the U.S. Senate blocked four gun control measures, a proposal emerged Tuesday that could ease the partisan furor over the chambers failure to act in the aftermath of the attack on an Orlando, Florida, nightclub, America's deadliest mass shooting. Forged by a bipartisan group that included some of the Senates most centrist members, the measure would deny gun sales to terror suspects who are barred from boarding commercial flights and subject to enhanced security screening at U.S. airports. It also would allow those flagged for terrorist ties to contest the governments findings and recover legal fees if a judge determines they had been placed on the terror watch list by mistake. Our goal is simple and straightforward. We want to make America safer, said Senator Susan Collins, a Maine Republican who was the proposals lead author. Surely the terrorist attacks in San Bernardino [California] and Orlando that took so many lives are a call for compromise, a plea for bipartisan action. I owe it to the people of Orlando to get something done, said Senator Bill Nelson, a Florida Democrat who co-sponsored the measure. The proposals nine sponsors four Republican, four Democratic and one independent appeared together at a news conference as partisan fallout continued after Mondays votes in which Republicans blocked Democratic gun reform measures and Democrats blocked Republican ones. Linked to NRA Minority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, accused Republicans of being pawns of Americas most powerful gun rights lobbying group. Senate Republicans proved again that, regardless of how brutal the massacre, their actions will be dictated by the National Rifle Association, Reid said. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, argued that the Islamic State group would be unable to inspire domestic terrorist attacks in the United States had the Obama administration taken stronger steps to eradicate it. Why dont we get serious? ISIL is not the JV [junior varsity] team," McConnell said, using an acronym for Islamic State. "Its not contained. And we need to defeat it overseas if we want to prevent more terrorist tragedies here at home. Immediately after Mondays votes, Democrats pledged to make long-standing Republican opposition to gun reform a central issue in the November election. Republicans are defending 24 Senate seats compared with just 10 by Democrats eager to retake control of the chamber. Among Republicans waging a tough re-election battle is Senator Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, a co-sponsor of the compromise proposal. I hope that we can stop the politics and really focus on a result that will make a difference for the American people, Ayotte said. Gun control wont stop terrorism. However, I think we can all agree that we do not want terrorists to purchase firearms. Moderates' votes Working with Democrats on gun control will not endear Ayotte to conservative gun rights proponents, but could prove popular with independents and moderate voters who often decide close elections. Vulnerable Republican senators are in a tough spot on gun control, according to political analyst Sarah Binder of the Brookings Institution, a Washington public policy research group. Their party largely opposes gun limits, but the average voter back home likely supports some steps, Binder said. Finding a bipartisan compromise to vote for will be important for these GOP senators in the fall. Perhaps not surprisingly, New Hampshire Democrats are giving Ayotte no credit for working across party lines. [Ayotte] remains opposed to efforts to expand criminal background checks, which are necessary to prevent terrorists from simply buying weapons online or at a gun show, said New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairman Ray Buckley. Her refusal to support this common-sense measure exposes just how much Kelly Ayotte puts the gun lobby ahead of the safety of her constituents. Proponents of the compromise measure acknowledged that even if it became law, a terror suspect could avoid federal detection by purchasing firearms at venues where gun sales are not scrutinized. If a terrorist goes to a gun show, there is no [background] check at all, said Senator Angus King, a Maine independent. Thats another discussion for another day. Approval not assured Speaking with reporters Tuesday, McConnell said he would allow a vote on the bipartisan proposal, which would need three-fifths backing to advance in the chamber. Senate approval is far from assured, according to the measures sponsors. Im not optimistic that Senator Collins can get 15 or 16 Republican senators to support the bill, said Democrat Nelson. Moments after the news conference ended, the NRA tweeted to its members, warning: More Gun Control Votes Coming! The lobbying group urged supporters to tell their senators, NO NEW GUN CONTROL! At the news conference, Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, anticipated the NRAs move. To my friends at the NRA: I understand your concern about denying somebody the right to buy a gun, Graham said. But every right, whether speech or buying a weapon, has boundaries on it. Imposing new limits on access to guns has long faced an uphill battle [in Congress], Binder said, adding that the carnage in Orlando and a surge in public support for limited gun reform have put the issue back on the table. Brightly painted cars rapide are a hallmark of Senegals capital, offering residents a cheap way to get around the city since 1976. But the privately owned minibuses are scheduled to be parked for good. Cars rapide are being phased out as part of a plan to modernize urban transportation, says Alioune Thiam, general director of Dakars Executive Council on Urban Transport, speaking on the street. As of December 2018, the minibuses no longer will circulate in the crowded capital city, whose population is estimated at 3 million. The minibuses are part of cultural heritage, Thiam says, but they dont have the comfort and safety of modern transport. And they pollute a lot, raising environmental concerns. As if on cue, the tailpipe of the car rapide just behind him exhales a giant plume of exhaust. In 2005, Senegal began rolling out new buses, such as the Indian-made Tatas and the Chinese brand King Longs. It has introduced over 1,300 of these modern buses. They are bigger and more comfortable than cars rapide, but they, too, are often packed during rush hour, a testament to Dakar's exploding population. But some passengers still prefer the cars rapide. One rider, Christina, says they are faster than the Tatas. With the changeover, riders will also have to deal with increased fares. A ride across town that now costs about 25 cents (150 CFA) will go up to about 35 cents (200 CFA). Of course, passengers are not the only ones who will be affected. Moussa Sock has been behind the wheel of a car rapide for nearly 20 years. I love this job, he says. Its my work and Ive done it since I was very young. Authorities say Moussa wont lose the job he loves. The state plans to bring on car rapide drivers and apprentices to operate the new buses after the changeover in 2018. And some people are even suggesting that artists give the new buses a car rapide-style makeover. They have a distinctive look. The cars rapide are painted in bands of blue, white and yellow and adorned with colorful lettering and images. Neyoo Diallo, a car rapide artist, explains the iconography is far from random. At the front of the car rapide, we put two eyes, like a man has two eyes, he says. We paint horses because before there were cars, even our spiritual guides had horses, so thats why we put those. For now, the car rapides still barrel through Dakars streets. But they, too, will soon be in this citys rearview mirror. In Photos: A look at the vibrant minibuses North Korea on Wednesday fired two ballistic missile from its east coast, U.S. and South Korean military officials said. At least one of the two attempts failed. The twin launches, early Wednesday, were believed to be an intermediate-range Musudan missile, capable of reaching U.S. military bases in Asia and the Pacific. North Korea unsuccessfully test-launched a similar missile three times in April. Another launch, most likely of the Musudan, failed in May. Japan's military was placed on alert for a missile launch, and its navy and anti-missile Patriot batteries were instructed to shoot down any projectile headed for Japan, according to a government source. The missile has a reported range of 3,000 to 4,000 kilometers which, if fired successfully, could reach targets in Japan, China and Guam. U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby again chided Pyongyang ahead of the test. This is the time for the DPRK to stop the provocations to work toward stability on the peninsula," Kirby said Tuesday. "These kinds of actions, if and when it happens again, do nothing to increase the security on the peninsula and fly in the face of their international obligations. The United Nations Security Council has banned North Korea from developing nuclear and ballistic missile technology. China, the North's key ally, has urged the government of President Kim Jong Un to return to international talks and dismantle its nuclear program for economic assistance and security guarantees. Raucous, violent protests have already surfaced ahead of South Africas August 3 municipal elections - a trend that analysts say they fear will continue at least until the nation holds its next round of national polls in three years. I think its clear that things in South Africa will get worse in the next few years economically, politically, in terms of violence, said analyst Jakkie Cilliers, who heads the Pretoria-based Institute for Security Studies (ISS). As Cilliers was making her point with the help of slides and graphs derived from months of research, residents of Pretorias Atteridgeville township illustrated it in a much blunter way. On Tuesday morning, just 20 kilometers from the institute's offices, protesters torched vehicles and tires, looted shops and hurled rocks at passing motorists over their unhappiness with the ruling African National Congress. Cilliers notes that much of this anger stems from the ANCs choice of leaders - in particular, increasingly unpopular President Jacob Zuma, who has weathered mounting corruption scandals in recent years. His term will end in 2019. Theres no doubt that President Zuma is the most important recruitment machine for the Democratic Alliance and the [Economic Freedom Fighters party], he said. And the longer that he stays in power and remains at the helm of the ANC, the better those two parties will do. Protesters in Atteridgeville said they were particularly upset because the ANC leadership appointed a mayoral candidate who is from another province - instead of the local candidate they preferred. There is also an ethnic angle to this - the ANCs chosen candidate is from the majority Zulu group, like President Zuma - whereas the area is dominated by the Pedi, or Northern Sotho, people. Protests on constant rise But why the violence? Despite South Africas violent history, it does not have a history of violent democratic elections - in fact, the nation was hailed for its peaceful first democratic poll in 1994. Since 2010, ISS figures show, violent protests have risen - to the point where the nation sees an average of three protests every day. Steven Friedman, who heads the Center for the Study of Democracy, says its fairly easy to pinpoint the source of the anger - and see why so many people are available to throw rocks in the middle of a weekday. South Africas economy contracted severely at the beginning of this year. Nearly 27 percent of the population is unemployed. And more than two decades after the fall of apartheid, government statistics show that black South Africans are still significantly poorer than their white counterparts. Friedman argues the rock-throwing masses are actually not the angriest group of South Africans. The most angry group of South Africans today is not unemployed people in the townships, he said. The most angry group of South Africans, who also have the capacity to do something about their anger, are black middle-class South Africans. And they are angry precisely because, in their view, they have the qualifications that their parents and grandparents didnt have, they have some of the job opportunities that their grandparents and parents didnt have, and in their view, they encounter the same racial attitudes that their grandparents and parents encountered. Whatever happens, its clear that as the Rainbow Nation heads violently toward the August vote, South Africa's democracy may face its toughest challenge yet. Thousands of revelers have gathered at Stonehenge to watch the sun rise and celebrate the summer solstice. Some 12,000 people gathered at the stone circle to dance and do yoga on the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere Tuesday. The crowds were somewhat smaller than the 25,000 expected to see the sunrise at 4:52 a.m. (0352 GMT; 11:52 p.m. EDT Monday). Wiltshire Police say events were "positive and peaceful.'' Alcohol, drugs, pets and sleeping bags were not allowed near the monument. The stone circle in southern England, believed 4,500 years old, is a World Heritage site known for its alignment with the movements of the sun. Thousands visit to mark the solstices in summer and winter. Under a full moon, a dust-filled wind and the driving sounds of Reggaeton, the B-Boyz breakdancers jumped onto the stage with a series of flips, arches and windmills. All six of them, wearing black T-shirts and black jeans, black caps turned to the side, are young refugees who fled the war in Syria. For weeks they have been practicing their moves in what is now their home, the sprawling Arbat refugee camp in the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq, for this one moment: a shot at fun and stardom in a show called Refugees Got Talent organized by the United Nations Refugee Agency, UNHCR. I want people to know through this performance, that even as refugees in this camp life continues, our talent continues, and I am glad I can do this with my friends, beamed breakdancer Arzhin Baruda, his head shaved on one side in geometric shapes. Baruda is just one of almost 8,000 Syrian refugee children living in the Suleymania area. Most of them dont go to school, often because their parents just cant afford it. Baruda and his team learned their moves from videos posted online. Camp highlight The show was the highlight for many in the camp. The plastic yellow chairs laid on the dirt ground were filled when hundreds of refugee families and small children crowded in. Floodlights filled the air with blue, yellow, red and white lights and ear-splittingly loud music pumped through the air. For a few hours, people forgot they were so far from home. For the participants and ten finalists, it was a moment to prove themselves as something more than just refugees, said Marco Rotunno of UNHCR, who helped organize the event. The first change we saw, its a different light, Rotunno explained. When you spread the word and say there is a competition and you can compete if you want, there is a light in their eyes oh, I can do something, I want to participate. For Rojbeen Abdelaziz, a 17-year-old dancer who has lived in Arbat camp for two years, it was also chance to break out of traditional gender roles. Boy is [more] important than girl, and boy can dance everywhere and anytime, but girl cannot do that, she said. Her A-B-C-D or AnyBody Can Dance group of five teenage refugee girls was inspired by Bollywood-style Indian music and dance routines. Break out moment Abdelaziz said it had been hard to convince her mother. Her teenage dance mates, all wearing conservative white headscarves, said the show was probably the last time they would be able to dance in public. But for this one moment, they were able to break out. Really, it [changed] my life. All my family in Syria talk to me on the phone oh my God, I see you on YouTube, and I see you on Facebook, and that makes me happy, Abdelaziz said. It seemed to make everyone happy. Even when tiny 12-year-old Dlaza took to the stage and sang Alicia Keys Girl on Fire bravely but woefully out of tune, the audience applauded. Dlaza did not win the event. Neither did the B-Boyz. Or even A-B-C-D. And the winner is..... After conferring amongst themselves, the panel of judges, sitting in the same yellow plastic chairs as everyone else, declared Mzgin Ahmad from Kobani as the winner. The 19-year old refugee rocked the event with a popular Kurdish song Kurdistan Azad calling for a free Kurdistan -- a tribute to the region that is hosting almost a quarter of a million Syrian refugees and which has long fought for its independence from Iraq. Hours after claiming responsibility for kidnapping 27 passengers in southern Afghanistan, the Taliban announced late Tuesday that it had freed all but six of the abductees. The latest incident of mass kidnapping happened early in the day in restive Helmand province, where Afghan security forces have been battling the insurgents to reverse recent battlefield losses. Heavily armed men stopped some 14 vehicles, including buses near the district of Gereshk and abducted dozens of passengers, said Abdul Ghafoor Tokhi, the head of the provincial transportation department. He told VOA that the freed passengers were allowed to resume their journey on the main highway, which links southern Kandahar and western Herat provinces. Tokhi said he did not know the ethnicities of those involved. Afghan officials have not commented on the latest development. Taliban claim responsibility A Taliban spokesman said passengers with no links to government institutions or the Afghan security forces were freed after an initial investigation, but issued a warning. If it is established that these men participated in [anti-Taliban] security operations by [foreign] invading forces or their enslaved [Kabul] regime, they will be held accountable for their actions, the spokesman warned. The incident marked the third mass kidnapping this month by the Taliban. The insurgents had abducted some 200 passengers on a highway in the northern Kunduz province in early June. While some are still with the Taliban, more than a dozen hostages were executed, prompting widespread condemnation locally and internationally. In another incident in early June the Taliban abducted 17 passengers in northern Afghanistan. Those passengers were later released when local tribal elders intervened. Concerns in Kabul Police in Kabul are reported to have recently told foreigners living outside protected compounds to travel with guards, saying the kidnapping and criminal threat is very serious in the capital city. The warning came after the kidnapping of an Indian aid worker earlier this month. Judith DSouza, 40, was abducted on June 9 from a central Kabul area. Her whereabouts are still unknown and there have been no claims of responsibility. On Monday, a Taliban suicide bomber attacked a minibus in the Afghan capital carrying mostly Nepalese nationals. The explosion killed 14 of them while five others were wounded. The victims were part of the security staff at the Canadian Embassy in Kabul. Authorities in southern China took drastic steps on Tuesday to publicly shame the chief of a local fishing village known as Wukan, well before he faced charges of corruption in court. At an official news conference, authorities showed what they said was a videotaped confession of the democratically elected and popular village chief Lin Zulian. In the confession, which was supposedly spontaneous, Lin appears to be reading his entire statement. Given my thin understanding and ignorance of the law, I've received huge kickbacks from various infrastructure projects, as well as from the collective purchase of village-owned properties," Lin said in the video, which was distributed to villagers via social media and later broadcast to the public at a press conference. In the video, Lin is seen sitting in chair in front of two unidentified individuals in a padded room. In 2011, the residents of Wukan barricaded the village and kicked out local Communist Party leaders over a land-grab dispute. In a rare show of compromise between locals and Communist Party officials, the village was allowed to hold elections for their village council the following year, during which Lin and others were elected. The land dispute has yet to be resolved and villagers have said that Lins arrest came just one day before Wukan residents were planning to hold a village meeting to discuss the lingering dispute and petitioning local authorities for help. Villagers, including Lins wife, quickly dismissed his alleged confession of colluding developers associated with the land-grab, saying they believed it was forced. This is to deceive people, she said, adding, he is innocent. Sources in Wukan tell VOA that Lins wife is seeking legal help in her husbands case. But it is not clear who might represent him. China routinely uses confessions to publicly shame and blame individuals before they are tried in court. China-based rights activists have said the tactic is widely seen as a tool to show guilt when evidence is lacking and authorities have some ulterior motive in targeting an individual. In another telling detail, Lin's grandson was also held for questioning and released just before Lin's purported confession was made public. Rights advocates have documented numerous examples of authorities in China using family members to coerce alleged suspects into making confessions. Backlash online Villagers in Wukan were not the only ones questioning authorities actions. Nearly 200,000 comments were posted in response to just one story about the confession on a popular Chinese news site Net-ease. Many questioned the authorities actions, charges and use of the videotaped confession. In order to maintain your own supremacy, [authorities] totally ignore law and order and treat it as if its nothing, and in turn lose all public credibility, wrote a commentator named Grumpy A-Lu. Popular microblogger Guo Shiying wrote, If this is not handled correctly, from this day forward, dont even talk about 'rule of law in China.' Another added: Once they say you are guilty, you are guilty. Pressure building On Tuesday, locals planned to join with some village councillors to protest outside a Chinese government office, but that demonstration was postponed as authorities arrested members of the village council. A reporter from Hong Kong who was there to cover the protest was among those taken into custody. Sources tell VOA that schoolchildren in Wukan were kept at school until 6 p.m. on Tuesday, apparently as part of an effort to have children, even those in elementary school, sign a document supporting criminal allegations against Lin. "Some villagers went to pick up their kids from school and realized that some students were asked to sign some kind of papers," said one non-governmental worker in Wukan. "Many of them refused to sign. [In face of coercion,] some even burst into tears in class." Authorities provided no immediate comment on allegations of coerced signatures, but officials have said that they will respond to any concerns or problems raised by the Wukan villagers. The city government of Lufeng, which oversees Wukan, has pledged to resolve the ongoing land rights dispute, but added that if that effort aren't sufficient, local residents will need to resolve the issue in the courts. Islamic State militants are very likely to set their sights on ungoverned spaces in Africa if they are defeated in Iraq and Syria, according to the general nominated to lead the U.S. militarys Africa Command. Thats why instability inside Africa is to ISILs advantage, U.S. Lt. Gen. Thomas Waldhauser told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee Tuesday. ISIL is an an acronym for Islamic State. Some studies estimate that 1 in 4 people will live in Africa by 2050, and Waldhauser warned the scale and the scope of some of the issues that we see today certainly could be magnified significantly. The seeds of a catastrophe are in place in terms of corruption, lack of economic growth, all of those kinds of elements, Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) said during the hearing. Islamic State already has influenced fighters to pledge allegiance to them in Libya and West Africa. Libya as a 'backup' Waldhauser said IS has focused on Sirte, Libya as a kind of backup if it fails elsewhere. But despite the large presence of IS there, the general said the U.S. is not currently flying any sorties over Libya, which both the general and committee member Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) agreed makes no sense. There are targets that are being developed but there have not been flights flown, Waldhauser said. The U.S. military has a small number of troops in Libya and has carried out strikes against Islamic State leaders and fighters in the past. Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook told reporters at the Pentagon Tuesday the U.S. is prepared to strike in Libya again in the future, but the ideal situation would be for the U.S. military not to get further involved. If they [Libyans] are able to deal with this issue on their own, that would certainly be a good thing, and would be a factor going forward for us as to whether or not we need to carry out military action, Cook said. West Africa Islamic State accepted the allegiance of Boko Haram, the Islamist extremist group based in northeastern Nigeria, about a year ago. However, Waldhauser said several months ago that about half of the Boko Haram members broke off and formed a separate group that is even more aligned with Islamic State beliefs. They were not happy with the amount of buy-in from Boko Haram into the ISIL brand, he said. The general warned that while the leader of Boko Haram has not shown significant interest in attacking Western targets, this new splinter group could. That would concern me, he said. Waldhauser said Africa Command needs more intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) to monitor the militants in Libya and West Africa, calling the lack of adequate ISR one of the shortcomings that needs to be addressed inside the combatant command. WATCH: Related video of Lt. Gen. Thomas Waldhauser testifying at Senate hearing About three months ago, Sarah Ibrahim's son came home from his fourth-grade class at a Maryland school with a disturbing question. "Will I have time to say goodbye to you before you're deported?" he said, according to Ibrahim, a Muslim Arab American who works at a federal government agency in Maryland. "The kids in his classroom were saying: 'Who's going to leave when Trump becomes president?'" said the 35-year-old mother. The incident happened a few months after Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump - now the presumptive nominee - first called for a ban on Muslim immigrants and for more scrutiny at mosques after 14 people were killed in San Bernardino by a Muslim couple whom the FBI said had been radicalized. Trump intensified his anti-Muslim rhetoric after last week's mass shooting in Orlando, in which a U.S.-born Muslim man killed 49 people at a gay nightclub, calling for a suspension of immigration from countries with "a proven history of terrorism." He reiterated his call for more surveillance of mosques and warned that radical Muslims were "trying to take over our children." While Democratic and several Republican leaders have distanced themselves from Trump's comments, many American Muslims say his stance has fueled an atmosphere in which some may feel they can voice prejudices or attack Muslims without fear of retribution. "What Trump did was make these hidden thoughts public. He gave people permission to speak out loud, he removed the shame associated with being prejudiced. People know that they won't be punished," Ibrahim told Reuters at a community iftar, the sundown meal during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. Trump's campaign did not respond to Reuters' request for comment. Trump has rejected the criticism that his rhetoric is racist, and has said he is often misunderstood by the media and his opponents. A report by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and University of California, Berkeley released on Monday said the number of recorded incidents in which mosques were targeted jumped to 78 in 2015, the most since the body began tracking them in 2009. There were 20 and 22 such incidents in the previous two years, respectively. The incidents include verbal threats and physical attacks. Corey Saylor, CAIR's director of the department to monitor and combat Islamophobia, said there had been a spike in Islamophobic incidents in the wake of Orlando, including those targeting mosques. "Trump's rhetoric is a direct threat to American principles. He has mainstreamed anti-Constitutional ideas like banning or surveiling people based on faith," Saylor told Reuters. "Such divisive rhetoric contributes to a toxic environment in which some people take the law into their own hands and attack people of institutions they perceive as Muslim." Dividing the country CAIR says the last big spike in incidents targeting mosques was seen in 2010 following the controversy over locating an Islamic center near the site of the September 11 attacks in New York. It said that lent "additional weight to the argument that levels of anti-Muslim sentiment follow trends in domestic U.S. politics, not international terrorism". American rabbis and preachers have also denounced Trump's rhetoric. Anti-Semitic incidents in the United States still outstrip those against Muslims. The Anti-Defamation League said last year there were 912 anti-Semitic incidents across the United States during the 2014 calendar year, up 21 percent from 2013. "If Muslims are not free and safe in America, then Christians and Jews are not free and safe in America," said Rabbi Eric Yoffie, president emeritus of the Union for Reform Judaism. Trump has also drawn criticism for his rhetoric against Latino immigrants, saying early in his campaign that Mexican "rapists" and other criminals were coming across the border and calling for all undocumented immigrants to be deported. Manal Omar, a Muslim-American author based in Washington, said she has stopped taking the metro and walking alone late at night. "I can't dismiss the tweets and angry messages I've received from right wing militants," said Omar, who says she has grown especially vigilant after last week's murder of British lawmaker Jo Cox, whom she knew. A few days after the San Bernardino attack, Ilhaam Hassan's family restaurant was burned down in an arson attack in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Matthew Gust pleaded guilty in May to federal hate-crime and arson charges. He admitted to setting the fire because of the national origin of the employees and customers at the restaurant - a focal point of the local Somali-American community. "I don't know what to expect if he [Trump] becomes the president," Hassan said. "He is against minorities. He is against Islam. It's not a message of unity, it's a message of dividing the country and that is not what America is based on." The Turkish government's priorities in fighting terrorism are coming under question, as it increasingly cracks down on proponents of Kurdish rights while, critics say, it fails to show the same zeal against the Islamic State. On Tuesday, supporters of three jailed press freedom advocates gathered in Istanbul to protest the detentions. The three activists were detained Monday on terrorism charges for participating in a solidarity campaign in support of Ozgur Gundem, a pro-Kurdish newspaper. The government defends the arrests, claiming those detained were producing propaganda on behalf of the PKK the Kurdish rebel group which Turkish security forces are fighting. The jailing of the activists not only puts a spotlight on Turkey's sweeping anti-terror laws, but also raises questions on how those laws are being applied, says Atilla Yesilada, an Istanbul-based consultant with Global Source Partners. "Anyone who says we should pursue peace with PKK or end this war are labeled as a [PKK] sympathizer, Yesilada said. And they are almost certain to go through some kind of court process. But most of the time, when the police brings the ISIS people to justice, either the prosecutor refuses to write an indictment or the courts let these people go on account that not enough evidence being found, which tells you where the priorities of Turkish state lie." ISIS is an acronym for Islamic State. Legal experts point out that the broad nature of the anti-terror laws means little evidence is needed to sustain a prosecution. Release, escape Doubts over the seriousness of Turkey's crackdown on Islamic State were heightened last month when five suspected Turkish members of Islamic State accused of large-scale arms smuggling escaped from an open prison in the country's Kocaeli province. Why high-profile jihadist suspects were held in a low-security facility has not been explained. In March, an Istanbul court released the last seven of 94 suspects who had been held in pre-trial detention as part of the largest court case against Islamic State members in Turkey. Human rights groups say their release from pre-trial detention even though they face serious charges of violence contrasts with the thousands of pro-Kurdish activists who are being held in pre-trial detention on charges not linked to violence. Kadri Gursel, a political columnist for Turkey's Cumhuriyet newspaper and Al-Monitor website, says the difference in the treatment of accused Islamic State members and pro-Kurdish activists can be explained by the fact that Ankara views Islamic State as a useful tool in fighting the PKK in neighboring Syria. "Turkey prefers Daesh, ISIS, on the south of their Syria border instead of seeing Kurds. Simply, they prefer ISIS to [the] Kurds," Gursel said. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said last year that the PKK and its affiliate in Syria were more of a threat to Turkey than Islamic State. Last week, however, a senior Turkish official briefing foreign journalists on condition of anonymity angrily rejected charges of turning a blind eye to Islamic State activities, saying this was impossible given the group was responsible for so many deadly bombings in Turkey. Also last week, a Turkish court sentenced three foreign members of Islamic State to life imprisonment for killing two members of Turkey's security forces. Worrying trend Despite such convictions, analyst Yesilada warns that Turkey could end up a paying a very high price for its Islamic State policy. "You see, the ISIS network in Turkey is alive and very healthy, and you look at the Pakistani experience and how they harbored and nurtured the Taliban and what Taliban did to them. You do see that leads to disaster," Yesilada said. Western intelligence officials have also drawn a comparison between Turkey and Pakistan. They point to a worrying new trend of Turkish security forces expelling suspected Islamic State militants to countries like Iraq and Sudan, rather than prosecuting them and getting information from them. Turkey's government, however, says it has prevented tens of thousands of would-be jihadists from entering the country and insists it remains a key ally in the war against Islamic State. U.N. Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura said Tuesday that he hopes intra-Syrian talks can resume sometime next month. The window of opportunity is coming quickly to close unless we maintain alive the cessation of hostilities, we increase the humanitarian aid, we come to some common understanding about political transition, so that we can have, hopefully in July, intra-Syrian talks, de Mistura said in a progress report to U.N. member states via a video link from Geneva. De Mistura said he hopes the talks can focus on concrete steps toward a political transition. This is what we are aiming at; thats what we hope we will be able to reach. The veteran U.N. envoy has held two rounds of proximity talks in Geneva with delegations from the Syrian government and moderate opposition. The last session broke down at the end of April, as the then-2-month-old cessation of hostilities began to unravel. De Mistura does not think the truce has entirely collapsed, saying it continues to hold in some parts of Syria, but he warned that there could be a total breakdown if it is strained further. Political talks cannot proceed effectively while hostilities are escalating and civilians are starving, he added. Humanitarian access sought The United Nations has repeatedly called for full, unimpeded humanitarian access to the millions of Syrians in need of life-saving aid. Their desperation to escape violence and hunger has pushed more than 5 million to leave the country, with a million having crossed into Europe last year and over 200,000 so far this year. The journey is dangerous and many put their lives in the hands of criminal smugglers, especially those crossing the Mediterranean to Europe. U.N. humanitarian chief Stephen OBrien said the fatalities are the equivalent of the average of two full passenger jets per month of people drowning in the Mediterranean. Diplomats also expressed alarm about a recent trend in Syria when aid is delivered to besieged areas, government forces or their allies then bombard the town with barrel bombs or shells, such as happened recently in Douma and Daraya. These attacks must stop, U.S. envoy Michele Sison said. For his part, Syrian Ambassador Bashar Jaafari said the humanitarian situation has been pre-fabricated into a theatrical show by some governments to bring political pressure on Damascus. He said the government is committed to providing aid to all Syrians. The U.N. special envoy for Yemen said Tuesday that every day a peace agreement is put off "needlessly extends the country's agony." Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed spoke to the Security Council from Kuwait, where he has been mediating peace talks between Yemeni officials and the Houthi rebels who control large parts of the country. Ahmed said he had given both sides a road map for a peace deal that included a Houthi withdrawal and disarmament and the formation of a unity government. He said that while both sides had reacted positively to the road map, they had not been able to agree on a timetable, especially the key issue of when a new government would be formed. An April truce in Yemen has generally held, despite what U.N. officials say have been serious violations, including the shelling of a market in Taiz on June 4, killing 18 civilians. The Iranian-backed Houthi rebels seized the capital, Sana'a, in 2014, forcing the internationally-backed Yemeni government to temporarily flee to exile in Saudi Arabia. Saudi-led airstrikes on the Houthis have compounded the misery in Yemen, where U.N. officials say 80 percent of civilians are in desperate need of food and medicine. A bipartisan Senate bill to block gun sales to suspected terrorists has been unveiled in the wake of the recent Orlando club shooting, and one day after the chamber voted down a series of proposals to restrict those eligible to buy firearms and expand screening of gun purchasers. Republicans late Monday blocked two longstanding proposals that Democrats championed with renewed vigor after Islamic State-inspired shooter Omar Mateen killed 49 clubgoers and wounded 53 others just over a week ago in Orlando, Florida. One measure would block those on a variety of federal terror watchlists, including those barred from flying, from buying guns. Another would expand mandatory background checks for firearms purchases to include gun show and internet sales. Both measures failed to get the three-fifths backing required to be attached as amendments to pending legislation in the Senate. President Barack Obama took to Twitter to express his disappointment. "Gun violence requires more than moments of silence. It requires action. In failing that test, the Senate failed the American people," he tweeted. "I'm mortified by today's vote," said Democrat Chris Murphy, who commandeered the Senate floor for 15 hours last week to demand legislative action on gun violence. "What am I going to tell 49 grieving families [in Orlando]?" asked Florida Democrat Bill Nelson. "Sadly, what I'm going to have to tell them is the NRA [National Rifle Association gun rights lobbying group] won again." Republicans said they could not vote for any proposal that did not provide a means for those wrongly placed on the terror watchlist to contest the government's determination, alleging the Democratic measure would deny Americans their constitutional right to bear arms without due process of law. "We all agree that terrorists should not be able to purchase a weapon," said Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas. "The question is whether we are going to do so in a way that's constitutional." "Our [Democratic] colleagues want to make this about gun control when what we should be making this about is the fight to eliminate the Islamic extremism that is the root cause for what happened in Orlando," Cornyn added. Democrats, meanwhile, defeated two Republican proposals. One would deny gun sales to terror suspects, but only if the federal government promptly demonstrates to a judge's satisfaction that an individual is too dangerous to be sold a firearm. Another proposal would simply notify U.S. law enforcement when someone investigated for terrorism in recent years buys a gun. Democrats said both Republican proposals are too weak to keep deadly weapons out of the hands of evil-doers. Pattern of defeat Monday's votes continued a pattern of legislative defeat for gun control measures in the aftermath of high-casualty shooting rampages in the United States. The Senate also blocked gun reform proposals after the 2012 slaughter of 20 elementary schoolchildren in Newtown, Connecticut, and after last year's terrorist attack in San Bernardino, California, that killed 14 people. "We shouldn't be talking past each other and voting on things we know are going to fail," complained Republican Senator Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, who has been working with a small group of moderate lawmakers on a compromise gun control bill in hopes of attracting bipartisan support. Toomey said legislation to be unveiled shortly will accomplish two goals. "Number one, terrorists shouldn't be able to buy guns legally. That shouldn't be terribly controversial," the Republican senator said. "But it also shouldn't be controversial that if an innocent American is denied his or her right to buy a gun because they are alleged to be a terrorist, they ought to have an opportunity to clear their name." "Governments make mistakes. The federal government makes mistakes all the time," Toomey added. Missed opportunity Democrats fumed late Monday over continued congressional inaction after yet another mass-shooting, and pledged to make the issue a central point of contention in this year's elections. "Another missed opportunity. Today we couldn't even agree to prevent known and suspected terrorists from buying guns," lamented Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, who authored the Democratic terror watchlist proposal that has now been voted down twice in the chamber. "We're going into an election season, and Mr. and Mrs. America, you have to stand up. And you have to say, I'm going to vote only for people who will do something to close the terror gap [in gun laws]'," Feinstein added. "This country is under attack," said Murphy. "Terrorists today are using assault weapons rather than IEDs [improvised explosive devices] or airplanes to attack Americans." Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky accused Democrats of using the Orlando tragedy "as an opportunity to push a partisan agenda or craft the next 30-second campaign ad." Veteran U.S. diplomat Tom Shannon will meet with senior Venezuelan government and opposition officials Tuesday in Caracas, a week after Secretary of State John Kerry announced he wanted to ease tensions between the two countries. "The main purpose is to have a series of discussions about the social, economic and political challenges in Venezuela and to try to help foster constructive, meaningful dialogue toward solutions with a variety of groups in the government and outside the government," said U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby. Kerry announced plans to send Shannon, a veteran of U.S. diplomacy in the region, to Caracas after the secretary of state met with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez on the sidelines of a meeting of the Organization of American States in the Dominican Republic. Washington is hopeful Shannon will meet President Nicolas Maduro, Kirby said, but added there was no confirmation of a meeting. In a televised speech Tuesday afternoon, leftist Maduro welcomed Shannon to the OPEC country. "I think it's very good that the right steps are taken to rebuild relations with the United States," said Maduro. Kerry said he wanted to move relations with Caracas beyond "the old rhetoric" as Venezuela deals with a deepening political and economic crisis. Severe shortages of food and medicines have sparked riots and looting. An aide to Henry Ramos, opposition head of Venezuela's national assembly, said he would meet with Shannon on Tuesday. Venezuela and the United States have repeatedly gone through periods of diplomatic fighting followed by generally short-lived eras of reconciliation. Shannon led diplomatic efforts last year to ease tensions but the talks were stalled by Venezuela's deepening crisis. By opening talks with Venezuela, Kerry also hopes it will lead to international mediation between the government and the opposition, which is pushing for a recall referendum to remove Maduro. New physical standards established so women can compete for combat posts in the Marine Corps have weeded out many of the female hopefuls. But they're also disqualifying some men, according to data obtained by The Associated Press. In the last five months, 6 out of 7 female recruits and 40 out of about 1,500 male recruits failed to pass the new regimen of pull-ups, ammunition-can lifts, a 3-mile run and combat maneuvers required to move on in training for combat jobs, according to the data. The tests, taken about 45 days into basic training, force recruits who fail into other, less physically demanding Marine jobs. And that, the Marine commandant says, is making the Corps stronger. The high failure rate for women, however, raises questions about how well integration can work, including in Marine infantry units where troops routinely slog for miles carrying packs weighed down with artillery shells and ammunition, and at any moment must be able to scale walls, dig in and fight in close combat. The new standards are a product of the Pentagon's decision to allow women to compete for frontline jobs, including infantry, artillery and other combat posts. But Marine leaders say they are having a broader impact by screening out less physically powerful Marines both men and women. I think that's made everybody better,'' Marine Commandant Gen. Robert Neller told the AP in his first in-depth interview on the subject. We're trying to raise everybody's bar a little bit and we're trying to figure out how to get closer together, because at the end of the day we're all going to be on the battlefield and we all have to be able to do our job.'' Marine Corps leaders initially balked at allowing women into certain infantry, reconnaissance and combat engineer jobs, pointing to studies that showed mixed gender units did not perform as well as male-only units. But Defense Secretary Ash Carter ordered all combat jobs must be open to women. Failure rate The Marines developed a detailed progression of physical standards that recruits must meet to get into the combat jobs. And officials insist that standards will not be lowered to allow more women to pass. The results underscore the difficulties for women. Nearly 86 percent of the women failed the tests, compared to less than 3 percent of the men. Before the standards test existed, those 40 men would have moved on to combat jobs, where they would likely have been unproductive members of their units, a Marine Corps analysis said. Neller said that as time goes on, the overall quality of the force will be better. The tiny success rate for women presents additional challenges if only one or two qualify for a combat job in a previously male-only unit. If two women qualify, they will be placed in a combat unit together. But, if only one qualifies, she'll be put in a unit with men she trained alongside in school. Those men, the Marine Corps said, will have seen her go through the training and know that she had done as well, or better, than they did. The Marines will also put a female officer and a female senior enlisted leader in the combat units. Early on, those will likely be women doing a non-combat job such as an intelligence or logistics officer. And they will be required to pass a physical fitness test to qualify to serve in that combat unit. Adjustment for men Neller said it will be an adjustment for Marines with women in previously male-only units. I think a lot of the talk is more just maybe they're nervous about the unknown,'' he said. But there are some things we're going to have to work through.'' Neller, a career infantryman, didn't see many female Marines in his units as he rose through the ranks. He'd seen women as Army military police in Panama and female Marines in administrative or supply jobs in his early assignments. But he first saw female Marines on the battlefield when he was in Iraq. While it will be difficult for some, if you can carry the weight and you can do the job, and you're smart and you're a good leader, and you're a person of character and quality and set a good example, people will follow you,'' he said during an interview in his Pentagon office. I don't think it really matters who you are.'' The Marines' fitness tests get gradually more difficult. Recruits interested in combat arms jobs have to take a harder physical fitness test with pull-ups, crunches, a 1.5 mile run and ammunition-can lifts than those looking for other Marine posts. And as they move through training, the tests get harder and more complex, requiring them to qualify for specific infantry, artillery and other jobs. I have great respect for them being the pioneers in this area.'' Neller said. If they can compete and hang with everybody else, I think it will all just go away.'' The words of the young Yazidi woman echoed through the silent Senate hearing room, onlookers and grizzled lawmakers rapt in attention. Without hesitation, Nadia Murad told them how in August 2014, Islamic State fighters attacked Sinjar, killed her mother and six of her brothers in a single day, and ended life as she knew it. She was 19 years old. I was raped and sold and was abused, but I was lucky, she said through her interpreter. Girls at the age of nine were raped, as well. Murad spoke of how she learned to live one hour at a time, treasuring every minute she was not sold or raped by another IS fighter. She spoke of how, after her first attempt at an escape, she was gang raped as a punishment. And she told them how she finally made it to safety with the help of a family in Mosul. I was freed but I do not enjoy the feeling because those who committed these crimes have not been held accountable, Murad said. Tuesdays hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is not the first time Murad, now a human rights advocate, has shared her story. But it seemed to impact U.S. lawmakers looking to better understand the IS terror group. We have a long way to go in fully understanding this, the American people do, said Committee Chairman, Republican Sen. Ron Johnson. Long-term proposition The message from Murad and the other panelists was less than optimistic, each painting a picture of a terror group bent on spreading its vision no matter how long it takes. ISIS presents itself as a long-term project, said Hassan Hassan, using an acronym for the terror group. Hassan, a resident fellow at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy and co-author of "ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror," also cautioned that no matter how many defeats coalition forces inflict on the terror group in Iraq and Syria, its core membership will not be deterred. They want to exhaust the West, exhaust everyone else, he said. Tarek Elgawhary, director of religious studies at the World Organization for Resource Development and Education, warned IS members have become experts at finding ways to recruit and radicalize new members. There is a spectrum of extremism thought within Islam, he told senators. I think when they find somebody that looks like theyre from central casting, theyre able to pull them to that side. Nadia Murad told lawmakers she fears what IS may still be able to do, saying she was heartbroken by the terror attack in Orlando, where 49 people were killed by a shooter pledging his allegiance to the group. For no reason, they were killed and abused, just the way I was, she said. But I wasnt surprised by this because I knew if ISIS was not stopped they would deliver their crimes everywhere. 3 Expedition 48 Commander Jeff Williams of NASA took this photograph from the International Space Station. He wrote, "A spectacular rise of the full moon just before sunset while flying over western China." Colorful cars rapide represent an iconic mode of public transportation in Dakar, Senegal. But they're scheduled to be phased out of the congested West African capital city by December 2018, in favor of more modern, cleaner-running buses. Many will lament the vibrant minibuses' passing. Zimbabweans traveling to South Africa and those staying there have been caught up in fierce election related violence that has erupted in South Africas governing capital city of Pretoria ahead of local government elections on the 3rd of August this year. Disgruntled members of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) went on a rampage blockading roads and burning buses including an Eagle Liner bus that was carrying twenty-one Zimbabweans heading to Johannesburg on Tuesday. The twenty-one Zimbabwean passengers lost all their belongings when their bus was blocked and looted by the angry protesters just outside Pretoria on Tuesday morning. After the looting the protesters set the Eagle liner bus on fire leaving only frames to tell the tale. Angry members of the ruling ANC in three Pretoria suburbs of Mamelodi, Attridgeville and Hamanskraal brought the three suburbs to a standstill starting Monday night. They were protesting against the ANCs decision to sideline the current mayor Kgosientso Sputla Ramakgopa by electing a new mayoral candidate Thoko Didiza to contest the coming elections. Roads were blockaded with burning tyres, stones and all sorts of rubbish leaving thousands of people stranded. About twenty-three buses and several cars were burnt. A woman protester, who masked herself before talking to the media, said they will keep Pretoria on fire until the ANC withdraws the name of Didiza and replace her with their preferred candidate Ramokgopa. We are sitting in the RDP houses and now Sputla is helping us with everything and now they want to take Sputla away from us, said the woman. Journalists were also not spared by these protesters. Some were insulted while others had their cellphones forcibly taken and pictures of the protesters deleted. Lenyaro Sello is a reporter with ENCA, a private television station in South Africa. There was about 15 men who jumped out of the vehicle. They got to our cars banging all the cars that are around that circle near Shell garage. Pushing out. Telling us to get out. No body is allowed to be in Attridgeville. No body is allowed to get out, said, said Sello. Police had to use rubber bullets to disperse numerous groups of protesters who stoned passing cars and looted shops owned by foreign nationals. Pretoria Metro Police Spokesperson Isaac Mahamba on Tuesday mid-day described the situation as serious but said the police were doing their best to bring calm to the affected areas. Most of the streets are barricaded. All the streets that are leading into the CBD have been blockaded with burning or barricaded objects. We just received reports that buses have been burnt. And we are investigating that yes they could be a possibility that there is a criminal element involved in all this, said Mahamba. Meanwhile an ANC member who was shot last week over the mayoral candidate issue died in hospital. The ANC has distanced itself from the violent protests describing them as the work of criminals. The government has also condemned the destruction of property in the area and is calling on law enforcement agencies to bring those responsible to book. The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority has temporarily suspended the implementation of the statutory instrument that sought to ban the importation of commodities such as milk, cooking oil, cereals, office furniture and building materials, among other goods following heavy protests at the Beitbridge Border post Monday. Zimra official say the temporary suspension was to allow consultations between Zimra, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and other stakeholders, according to the state-controlled Herald newspaper. Meanwhile, some cross-border traders told Studio 7 that they were unhappy with governments ban in which the state invoked a statutory instrument that was gazette in 1974 by the Rhodesian government of Ian Douglas Smith who wanted to use it to counter sanctions that were imposed by Britain and her allies after Smith made a Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the colonial master. One such trader is Tairsai Grace Mariwo who says importing the commodities was now her source of livelihood. Mariwo sentiments were echoed by Israel Mabhowo, chairperson of the Harare Metropolitan Residents Forum or Hamref. Chairperson of the Coalition of Traders Associations, Stan Zvorwadza, who is also the board chairperson of the National Vendors Union addressed some traders at Roadport in Harare today who were making their way to South Africa. Zvorwadza said it was now time for government to reconsider its decision because many people were now surviving on importing those commodities for resale. Zvorwadza said it was also unlawful for Zimbabwe Revenue Authority officials to confiscate the imported goods at the countrys border posts. Thousands of people who lost their jobs are now relying on buying goods from neighboring countries, especially, South Africa. The ban, if re-enacted, will affect them. Women Of Dominion International an organisation working to help alleviate the plight of people living with albinism in the country says they are now working with local companies to produce affordable sunscreens that will adequately help those living with the condition. Speaking at the end of a four day interdenominational conference of Zimbabwean women which ended in Delaware Sunday project director Dr Natsai Zhou said her organisation will now partner with local experts to produce sunscreens locally. Dr Zhou says before coming up with the idea to produce the sunscreens locally her organization would request those attending their annual conference which is now in its fifth year to donate the products including sun hats and glasses but they have discovered that it will be more beneficial to those living with albinism if the lotions are produced locally. We are now hoping to work with a local expert to have the sunscreen and other lotions that are used by those living with albinism so that they are produced locally. This is will assist in coming up with products that are suitable for those living with albinism in Zimbabwe,said Dr Zhou. A woman living with albinism Spelile Machingamidze told Voice Of America Studio 7 reporter Marvellous Mhlanga-Nyahuye, she welcomes the move as sunscreens and other skin medications she requires are currently getting unaffordable. The cost of imported sunscreen are $30 per tube and those currently produced locally which still need more work put into them cost around $7-$9. The costs are now becoming prohibitive because even lip balm which we need costs $4 and some of us living with albinism now find ourselves going without some of the products due to escalating costs. We hope that Women Of Dominion International will find the necessary funding to help in the production of some of these products locally that we can afford, said Ms Machingamidze. Dr Zhou says Women Of Dominion International has partnered with a local organization of people living with albinism Albino Charity Organisation Of Zimbabwe (Alcoz), which has over 800 members including women and children. The organisation is led by Loveness Mainato who herself has some children living with albanism. The MDC T says it has brought forward to this Thursday its protest march that had been scheduled for Saturday in Mutare, Manicaland Province after police said Saturday had earlier been booked by Zanu PF. MDC T spokesman Obert Gutu says as a party they are not disturbed by the change in dates because this is typically how the Zanu PF treats them. The police notified the provincial executive late last week and advised them that Saturday 25 was no longer suitable because Zanu PF had earlier notified the police that they have an event in the same city, so we are going ahead with our plans on Thursday, says Gutu. Gutu says that they are ready to flood the eastern city and they know that despite the change of date their supporters will still come out in their thousands to register their displeasure at the way the country is being run by President Mugabe and his Zanu PF government. We are not worried that Thursday is a mid-week day because the country is now full of vendors and self-employed people so we will still get a full house despite the police pushing us to pick that day, Gutu adds. He says party leader Morgan Tsvangirai will be part of the marchers as he has recovered from an illness which saw him going to South Africa for treatment. The Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs summoned the Saudi Arabian ambassador, Samer al-Sabhan (see photo), to remind him of his duty not to interfere in the countrys internal affairs. On his Facebook page, the ambassador had vehemently criticized the presence of the Iranian military advisers at the side of the Iraqi forces that are fighting to liberate Fallujah, under Isis occupation. Furthermore on 12 June, a delegation led by the first secretary of the Saudi Ambassador, Salah Abdallah Hatlani, came to visit Saudi prisoners held at al-Hout (Nasriyah). He declared that the King had done everything in his power to free them. At present, the individuals are imprisoned for crimes they committed as members of Isis. In April, the Kingdom had proposed to send its army to fight Isis in Iraq. However, a number of political lraqi leaders consider that actually, Saudi Arabia is one of the main, secret supporters of the terrorist organization. Citizens, local authorities, parliaments, governments, entire states depleted of economic choices, placed in the hands of organizations controlled by multinationals and financial groups, violating labour rights, environmental protection and food security, demolishing public services and communal goods. It is for these reasons, articulated by the campaign Stop TTIP that sponsored the demonstration held on 7 May at Rome, that the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) must be rejected. The EU and the US have been negotiating the TTIP in secret. Such reasons are coupled with others, about which little or nothing at all is said: geopolitical and geostrategic reasons, which reveal a far wider and more threatening project. The US ambassador for the EU, Anthony Gardner, insists that there are fundamental geostrategic reasons to conclude this agreement. What are these reasons? These are indicated by the US National Intelligence Council. It forecasts that following the decline of the West and the rise of Asia, by 2030 developing states will have taken over developed states. This is why Hillary Clinton defines the US-EU partnership as the biggest strategic goal of our transatlantic alliance, proposing an Economic Nato, a blend of politics and the military. Washingtons project is clear: to take Nato to a higher level and to set up a EU-US political, economic and military bloc, still under US leadership, enlarged by a range of partners on both sides of the Atlantic and others, including allies such as Israel and the Gulf monarchies. A bloc that, in Washingtons strategy, should be a counterweight to the Euroasian area, an emerging region, based on China-Russia cooperation, the Brics, Iran and any other country that escapes Western control. The first step to implement this plan: splinter the relationship between the EU and Russia. The TTIP negotiations began in July 2013. They struggled to go forward due to conflicting interests between the US and the biggest European powers, to which Russia is offering favourable trade agreements. Six months later, in January/February 2014, the Maidan Square putsch set up by the US/Nato, triggers a chain reaction (attacks on Russians in Ukraine, Krimea is severed and absorbed into Russia, sanctions and countersanctions). This creates in Europe once again a climate of Cold War. At the same time, EU countries are put under pressure by an influx of migrants brought about by the US/Nato war (Libya/Syria), which they participated in and terrorist attacks which bear Isiss signature (Isis too being a creature of these wars). In this Europe, divided by walls of containment of migratory flows, where the pyschosis of being under siege is spreading, the US launches the biggest military operation since the end of the Cold War, lining up on Russias border fighter-bombers and warships with nuclear capabilities. US-led NATO, whose membership includes 22 of the 28 EU member states, cranks up it military drills (which exceeded 300 in 2015) especially on the Eastern front. At the same time it launches, with air units and special forces, military operations in Libya, Syria and other countries on the Southern border, closely connected with those on the Eastern border, notably following Russian intervention in Syria. All this promotes Washingtons plan to create an EU/US political, economic and military bloc. A plan unconditionally supported by Italy and Eastern states that have closer ties to the US than the EU. The biggest powers, notably France and Germany, are still negotiating. However in the meantime they are further integrating into Nato. On 7 April [2016] the French parliament adopted a Protocol authorizing Nato bases and commands to be set up on its territory, military set ups that France had refused in 1966. Der Spiegel reports that Germany is ready to send troops into Lithuania to strengthen the Nato alliance in Baltic countries bordering Russia. Again it is der Spiegel that reports that Germany is prepared to set up an air base in Turkey where German tornados are already operating - officially in an anti-Isis capacity, strengthening the Nato alliance in this area that is of primary strategic importance. The growing integration of France and Germany into US-led Nato shows that the geostrategic reasons for the TTIP prevail over conflicting interests (in particular, the costly sanctions against Russia). Photo: Phil Dent/Getty Images Update June 22, 12:30 p.m.: In a statement given to Vanity Fair, the Santa Barbara County Sheriffs Department questioned the veracity of the police reports published by Radar: Some of the documents appear to be copies of reports that were authored by Sheriffs Office personnel as well as evidentiary photographs taken by Sheriffs Office personnel interspersed with content that appears to be obtained off the Internet or through unknown sources. The Sheriffs Office did not release any of the documents and/or photographs to the media. The Sheriffs Office released all of its reports and the photographs as part of the required discovery process to the prosecution and the defense. A representative for Michael Jacksons estate also told Vanity Fair that Radars reports are false. Our original post appears below. Police reports from the 2003 investigation of Michael Jackson for child molestation have allegedly surfaced, and they paint a disturbing portrait of the late pop icon. According to the reports, which were obtained by Radar Online, Jacksons Neverland Ranch in Santa Barbara, California, was reportedly found to have been filled with child pornography as well as violent images of animal torture and S&M practices. The reports also make mention of materials in which there was morphing of childrens faces onto adult bodies. The reports come from a police raid of the ranch in November of 2003. In the aftermath, Jackson was charged with seven counts of child molestation and two counts of giving an intoxicant to a minor. According to Radar, the reports include mention of materials of children bleeding, in pain and tormented. Ron Zonen, a former Santa Barbara DA who worked to prosecute Jackson, told Radar: A lot of this stuff was used to desensitize the children. Despite the alleged stack of evidence against him, Jackson was acquitted at trial in 2005. He died four years later, in 2009. Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images Recognized national monarch Regina King has one more American Crime story to tell. Per Deadline, King is the first cast member of the anthology series to officially sign on for season three. The news of her return also comes with some details about the upcoming seasons under-wraps plot, as John Ridley told Deadline that King will play one of the complicated individuals caught up in a story that deals with labor issues, economic divides and individual rights in this seasons setting of North Carolina. Felicity Huffman and Timothy Hutton are expected to join King in returning to the show, although their deals are not yet complete. King won an Emmy for American Crimes first season, and buzz on the show is positive after a critically acclaimed season two. And so the anthology wheel spins ever on. Regina King playing Terri LaCroix on American Crime season two is dead; long live Regina King playing a yet-to-be-announced character on American Crime season three. Joe Morton as Dick Gregory in Turn Me Loose. Photo: Monique Carboni Only now am I beginning to catch up with a number of late-season Off Broadway openings that got sucked into Broadways Tony-awards vortex. Even shows as self-consciously attention-seeking as Halley Feiffers A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Gynecologic Oncology Unit at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center of New York City, produced by MCC Theater, failed to make much of an impression. Perhaps thats not just the Tonys fault; the whole undertaking, like its ungainly title, seemed to work very hard at making something potentially tasty into something all but unswallowable. The sitcom setup is a good example. Don, a sad-sack tech billionaire, pays a visit to his dying mother in a semi-private room on the title ward. Behind the curtain in the other half of the room, Karla, an aspiring comedian, is visiting her mother, too, and passing the time as she sleeps by working on new material. Im in bed, dripping wet, waiting for my vibrator to come fuck me, Karla ad libs. Dons sad eyes pop wide. Uh-oh! The meet-cute thus established, albeit at the cost of any believable characterization, the relationship proceeds in predictable ways from loathing to curiosity and beyond. Beth Behrs as Karla and especially Erik Lochtefeld as Don do their best to humanize the whistle-in-the-dark dialogue, but they cant override the sensation that the playwright, too, is just trying out gags. Presumably, Feiffer is trying to repurpose sitcom tropes to get at the anxieties beneath our daily joking about death, but you cant exploit and explode something at the same time. (Style also outran character in her play Im Gonna Pray For You So Hard at the Atlantic last year.) Its only when she unsticks herself from the genre trap, and stops playing with predictability, that A Funny Thing (as Ill call it because I am not paid by the word) seems to get anywhere. That happens when Karlas mother, Marcie, marvelously embodied by Lisa Emery, awakens; shes a tough bird whose aggressive humor seems more like an immune response than Karlas merely neurotic decoration. Emery is so good she explains not only herself but her daughter. Still, playwriting exigencies eventually defeat her, and the play ends on a false note of rapprochement. This is one of many things a director in this case Trip Cullman should have red-penciled. Feiffer is a playwright to watch, in both senses. * * * Turn Me Loose is subtitled A Play About Comic Genius Dick Gregory, which is accurate except for the play part. Gregory, one of the first crossover black comedians and surely the most radical, was and remains, at 83 some kind of genius. Formal wit allowed him to sneak difficult truths about racism into the ears of white America: I know the South very well, goes one of his early jokes. I spent 20 years there one night. And the show is indeed about him. (One other actor, playing a series of hecklers and other objectionables, serves as a kind of multipurpose tool.) Jumping around in time from 1963 to the present, the evening offers enough of a biographical sketch to explain how he came by his insights and anger. Under the circumstances its even possible to forgive the overreaching that aims for hagiography and lands in bathos. Surely it is sufficiently horrible, for instance, that his son, Richard Jr., dies in 1963 at 2 months of age; must it be suggested that the tragedy was ordained by the universe as a means of sparing Gregory himself? (He says he might otherwise have been killed with Medgar Evers, who was assassinated two weeks later.) Far more useful and awful to know what Gregory later joked he would name another son if he had one. Its also the name of his 1964 autobiography. My quibble with all this as a play is that its not so much a work of drama, with a crisis and resolution, as it is a nightclub act; there are different tonalities but not much shape. Thats inevitable when almost the entire show, and certainly everything that is excellent in it, is Gregorys own work, transcribed and shuffled around. (The 90-minute script is credited to Gretchen Law.) Furthermore, the selection of material emphasizes ideas about race that few in a New York audience would now disagree with; as for newer themes, we get a taste of Gregorys nutritional evangelism (he calls himself a breathatarian) but his 9/11 conspiracy theories are, perhaps wisely, omitted. On the other hand, Joe Morton, a Broadway veteran and more recently a star of Scandal, is so commanding and ingratiating as Gregory that he could probably convince the audience of anything. He brilliantly conveys the fury that fuels the humor, and the exhaustion that eventually no longer does. Indeed, the best of the comics one-liners comes at the end of a story about a frail old Mississippi man, the kind of big-lipped, kinky-haired verb buster that everyone looks down on. This man goes to jail for the cause, only to find, when he emerges, that his wife has died. Morton or is it Gregory? stares down the audience, which is nervously awaiting some kind of punch line, and after a long pause finally asks, Is there a joke in there that I missed? A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Gynecologic Oncology Unit at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center of New York City is at the Lucille Lortel Theatre through June 25. Turn Me Loose is at the Westside Theatre through July 17. Some movies just cling to you, with the images and the exhilaration coming back in gorgeous flashes long after youve left the theater and British director Andrea Arnolds American Honey, which premiered at this years Cannes Film Festival, was something to truly remember. At once rambling and bursting with energy, its the sincere, vulnerable window into the youth of America that Spring Breakers, with its aggressive crime-spree posturing (and James Franco tomfoolery) never could be. We join 18-year-old Star (electric newcomer Sasha Lane) as she abandons her enervating life in small-town Oklahoma to take up with a crew of wayward young people drinking, fucking, and scamming their way from town to town and state to state selling magazine subscriptions that no one wants but also hoping for something better. Leading Star on her road trip of exhilaration and destruction are Shia LaBeouf, in a career-best performance as a rat-tailed rabble-rouser, and The Girlfriend Experiences Riley Keough, who plays the groups dictatorial ringleader in a Confederate-flag bikini. The first trailer, below, wont tell you that the movie is 162 minutes or that Arnold sometimes cranks up the pulsating pop soundtrack to something like a musical, such as when Star meets the gang dancing to Rihanna and Calvin Harriss We Found Love in the aisles of a Walmart. Instead, that and the new narration-heavy trailer, above, embody the profoundness of finding love in a hopeless place and the spirit of dreaming big. American Honey will be released in the U.S. on September 30. Tell LaBeouf to add it to his movie marathon. A racial discrimination lawsuit filed by a man fired three years ago by officials at the Texas Department of Transportation Waco District office will remain in Travis County, a state district judge has ruled. Anthony Martinez, who worked for TxDOT almost eight years, filed the lawsuit in Travis County in April, claiming he was a victim of discrimination and of a hostile working environment due to the actions of white co-workers and supervisors. Austin attorney Manuel Quinto-Pozos, who represents Martinez, said TxDOT filed a motion to transfer the case to McLennan County, which was overruled by 200th State District Judge Gisela Triana after a hearing last week. Under the law in Texas and in many other places, the plaintiff gets to choose where to bring the lawsuit, Quinto-Pozos said. Travis County is the proper place to bring this lawsuit because that is TxDOTs headquarters. It is a very common thing to bring a lawsuit against a defendant on their home turf. Assistant Attorney General Elsa Ulloa, who represented TxDOT at the hearing, argued, among other things, that it simply was more convenient to TXDOT officials involved in the lawsuit to try it in McLennan County. Ulloa declined comment on the judges ruling Tuesday, saying she would not discuss pending litigation. No trial date has been set in the case, Quinto-Pozos said. At the time he was fired, Martinez was an inspector, assigned to the Waco District office. He said he would never return to work there because of the racial discrimination he experienced. I would never have thought this would have happened to me, he said after filing the suit. Its crazy. It cant happen in this day and age, and it cant happen to other people. Waco needs to change. This Waco District has always been considered a misfit. . . . Because of the color of your skin or who you vote for or your religion, that shouldnt play a part of your job. If you go against the TxDOT herd, they will take you out, and they did. They took me out. Martinez, who is Hispanic, alleges in the lawsuit that he and the only other minority employee, who was black, received less training than their white counterparts, despite requesting more. The level of training influences compensation, according to the suit. Martinez was ostracized by co-workers and supervisors, to the point that they wouldnt park their cars next to his, according to the suit. Martinez alleges he was called a damn s---, and his co-workers repeatedly referred to President Barack Obama as a n-----. After repeated issues, Martinez said he complained to supervisors. In November 2012, Martinez filed a charge of discrimination with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which prompted co-workers and supervisors to act cold and standoffish toward him, according to the suit. In early 2013, Martinez filed an internal complaint with the TxDOT office in Austin, complaining of discrimination and retaliation. Martinez said he took medical leave because of the stress from the situation from late May to mid-August 2013 on the advice of his attorney and his doctor. He was placed on probation in August 2013 and fired April 30, 2013, after being falsely accused of making an uncorroborated threat of violence at work, an accusation made during the medical leave, the lawsuit alleges. Hewitt City Council on Monday postponed a decision on allowing an $8 million town-house community after the developers did not attend the meeting. The council also discussed its preliminary fiscal year 2017 budget, which includes staff salary increases while maintaining the current tax rate. Councilman James Vidrine asked that consideration of the rezoning from general commercial district to multifamily high-density district on vacant land off 111 Post Office Drive near Hewitt Drive be postponed after Russ Davis Homes and Blachil Properties failed to show up. Used to (be), when we had rezoning, the people had to show up to speak, he said. Whats changed? City staff said the developers were at the planning and zoning meeting for the proposed project, which the committee unanimously approved. Russ Davis Homes and Blachil Properties want the land rezoned so they can develop Eagles Landing, a 70-unit, high-end town-house community, according to the proposal. The homes will not include Section 8 or government assistance, and the unit mix will include two- and three-bedroom town homes, ranging in size from 1,000 square feet to 1,350 square feet, and rent averaging $1,200 per month. Eagles Landing would aim to attract young and older professionals and retirees, according to the documents. Most of our residents can afford a house, but they choose a town house because they like the freedom to travel without having to worry about the maintenance of a house, according to the developers plan. Mayor Ed Passalugo said prior to the meeting that the land in question is landlocked, and about the only thing that can be built at the location is a small complex. Also at the council meeting, City Manager Adam Miles presented a preliminary budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Miles said its time for the city to play catch-up on salaries. Low unemployment 3.6 percent for the area translates to competition in the workplace, he said. The city conducted a salary survey, comparing rates to cities of similar size and demographics, to determine where Hewitt needs to make adjustments, he said. The citys greatest asset is its people, and Hewitt needs to invest in them, he said. Miles said the city doesnt need to pay the highest amount for its employees, but needs to maintain a competitive pay scale. Miles said the city is in strong financial condition with solid bond ratings. The budget will be refined over the coming month, he said. The preliminary budget includes keeping the citys tax rate at 53.9677 per $100 in property value, as well as the citys 20 percent homestead exemption. Miles said Hewitt expects a 4 percent increase in sales tax rebates over the previous year, which includes a partial year of sales tax revenue from the 160,000-square-foot Wal-Mart superstore under construction at Sun Valley Boulevard and Interstate 35. As the budget is reviewed, if funding is available, the police department needs another officer, Miles said. But as with all budgetary moves, Miles said, city leaders need to be judicious. This is public funds were using, he said. This isnt the citys treasure chest. The council plans to vote on the unchanged tax rate at its July 18 meeting. Police Chief Brent Stroman plans to close out his 39-year career with the Waco Police Department next month. Stroman, 61, who has been chief since 2007, said Monday that he plans to catch up on family time and travel after his retirement at the end of July. Its going to be nice to be able to do some things that my family and I have been wanting to do, he said. I feel comfortable that I and the policing staff have built a solid foundation to take Waco forward. City officials expect to appoint an interim chief, likely from the pool of assistant chiefs: Ryan Holt, Frank Gentsch and Robert Lanning. The city will hire a search firm to find Stromans replacement, who will be hired by City Manager Dale Fisseler and ratified by Waco City Council. The salary for the job has not yet been specified, but Stroman makes $120,121 a year. In a news release, Fisseler said Stroman will be missed as a modest person and a strong leader with a big heart. Chief Stroman has had an outstanding, lengthy career with the city of Waco and I have really appreciated his continued efforts to make improvements in crime prevention in our community, Fisseler said. Stroman said he would have already retired by now had it not been for deadly May 17, 2015, Twin Peaks shootout between rival biker gangs. He said his wife retired in May, and he had planned to retire at the same time so they could travel together, visiting family in rural West Texas and on the East Coast as well as in the Rocky Mountains. Stroman said his family was on vacation in Boston last year when the Twin Peaks incident erupted, and he was unable to get a flight home for nearly two days. I decided after Twin Peaks I was going to need to stick closer around Waco, he said. Stroman said he is confident in the ability of remaining police officials to handle the Twin Peaks case in the future. Everything is going to continue to move forward, Stroman said. Theres not going to be any interruption. Stroman said his family plans to remain in Waco, but he will consider acquiring a vacation property in New Mexico or Colorado. Stroman said he thinks the police department under his watch has played a significant role in a 42 percent drop in the official Uniform Crime Rate. He said crime rates have dropped nationwide, but Waco trends have not always followed national trends. He said a major increase in police staffing in the mid-2000s, along with new crime-reduction strategies, have likely contributed to making Waco safer. The department now has an authorized strength of 247 peace officers, plus 90 civilians, mostly housed in the old Hillcrest Tower, which became WPD headquarters under Stromans watch. Stroman started his police career in Waco, coming from Austin in 1977 after earning a bachelors degree in police administration from Sul Ross State University. He later earned a masters of public administration from Texas State University. He is also a graduate of the FBIs National Academy. Stroman said that when he started as a beat patrolman, staffing was so lean that at times there were only five on-duty patrol officers for the entire town. I had all of West Waco, west of Valley Mills Drive, he said. Sergeants back then said, Go out there and handle your calls, but dont stir anything up, because we cant send anyone to help. But I was one who sometimes stirred things up. He remembers when he and a fellow officer stopped by an illegal gambling den on Clifton Street, where 200 to 300 people had gathered. We were going to go in, just the two of us, and bust it up, he said. About that time, someone in the crowd started shooting. We looked at each other and said, You ready to go in? Everybody started scattering when we went in. The duo made arrests for illegal gambling, but Stroman said the wait for backup seemed interminable. You could hear the sirens coming for what seemed like a really long time, he said. Stroman said that despite the lack of resources in those days, police still valued relationships with the community. They didnt call it community policing in 1977, but thats what we were doing, he said. This community was always doing community policing. Stromans efforts at community outreach have included serving on the Reintegration Roundtable, which seeks to give second chances to ex-felons, and holding regular meetings with a group of black pastors and leaders of the NAACP. Police spokesman Sgt. Patrick Swanton said he only learned of the retirement plans Monday. Swanton, who started with the department only a couple of years after Stroman, said the chief has won the respect of the rank and file. As the department PIO, it has been a pleasure working with Chief Stroman, he said. Hes very easy to work with. He expects you to do your job and do it right. . . . Im sorry to see him go but wish him well in his retirement. Hes leaving this department better than he found it. The family of a Waco man killed in August when his motorcycle collided with a sport utility vehicle has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the driver of the other vehicle and his business. Della Ryberg, the widow of Taylor Ryberg; Rybergs son, Cody Ryberg; his daughter, Macy Ryberg; and his mother and father, Jill Halter and Duane Ryberg, are seeking unspecified damages in their lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Wacos 170th State District Court. The suit names as defendants 76-year-old David Fallas and his company, Fallas Automation Inc., a manufacturer of case-packing systems at 700 Imperial Drive in Waco. Dallas attorney Kevin Oliver, who represents Fallas insurance carrier, declined comment on the lawsuit, saying he does not discuss pending litigation. Ryberg, a 49-year-old home remodeler, died Aug. 29, 2015, while riding his 2012 Harley Davidson motorcycle east on Valley Mills Drive shortly after 1 p.m. Fallas was driving an SUV in the middle of three lanes, also heading east, according to the lawsuit. Without any signal or warning of any type, Defendant David Fallas made an immediate right turn from the middle lane into the parking lot of OReilly Auto Parts, the lawsuit states. Defendant Fallas turned directly in front of Taylor Ryberg, deceased, causing a collision between Taylor Ryberg, his motorcycle and the SUV driven by defendant Fallas. Fallas 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe dragged Ryberg about 50 feet into the auto parts store parking lot, where Fallas parked, the suit alleges. Ryberg suffered massive injuries but remained conscious for about 30 minutes before he died at a local hospital, according to the lawsuit. This was a terrible, unnecessary tragedy, said Waco attorney Dale D. Williams, who represents Rybergs family. Taylor was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather. The lawsuit charges that Fallas was negligent by failing to exercise ordinary care while driving his SUV; by making a right turn from the center lane; by failing to signal his intent to change lanes; and by failing to keep a proper lookout for Ryberg, who police reports said was not wearing a helmet. In her moving June 14 Trib column concerning the June 12 massacre at a gay nightclub in Orlando, local pastor Kris Cervantes conveyed the growing weariness behind prayer and public outcry regarding mass mayhem without consequential leadership in response. We agree and so deeply lament that our nations senators on Monday missed another golden opportunity to rally around Republican legislation that, while admittedly not perfect to all factions, would have at least moved overdue reform a few yards down the proverbial field of public policy. Yes, Democrats pressed a bill that would have prevented people on a federally maintained terrorist watch list from buying guns. But as critics have noted, some people have wound up on such lists by accident. U.S. Sen. John Cornyns compromise bill, supported even by the NRA, would have addressed this problem by mandating that due process be part of the protocol, ensuring that the federal government could not simply prevent a gun purchase beyond 72 hours unless a judge reviewed law-enforcement evidence and made a legal determination. The concept of due process was vitally important to Founders such as James Madison arguably more so than the Second Amendment. The heavy emphasis on legal rights regarding courts of law in the Bill of Rights makes this abundantly clear. And Cornyn wisely argued that stripping ones Second Amendment right just because law enforcement says he or she is a terrorist (or is in some other way a threat to society) is just not good enough in America. Government must be required to offer hard evidence to a judge for blocking that gun sale. Of all gun amendments introduced and voted down Monday (four of them), the most tragic casualty was Cornyns bill, which would have allowed the government to make its case if someone was a known or suspected terrorist or has been the appropriate subject of a terrorism investigation within the last five years (which would have neatly included Orlando shooter Omar Mateen). And it would have gone beyond just blocking a gun purchase. As Cornyn said Monday: If theyre too dangerous to buy a firearm, theyre too dangerous to be on the streets. Alas, political gridlock prevailed rather than common sense. Some voice faith in another bill still being crafted by U.S. Sen. Susan Collins that has elements of Cornyns bill but more narrowly defines suspected terrorists, limiting them to the nations no-fly list (as opposed to a broader one maintained by the FBI in Cornyns bill). And it doesnt require prosecutors to demonstrate probable cause of terrorist activity. Unless you believe government is accurate in all that it does, such a bill is hard to fathom in a nation that so often in effect embraces the constitutional principle of due process, almost as much as it does the Second Amendment. U.S. Sen. John Cornyns bill to prevent anyone listed on an FBI terrorist watch list from procuring a weapon for three days till a judge can determine the merit of the matter prompted plenty of feedback on the senators Facebook page, with the senator engaging many of his constituents. The bill failed Monday evening. Patsy Painter Hull: If someone is put on the suspected terrorist list by mistake, whats the worst that could happen? They have to wait to get a gun a few days or longer. Its a small price to pay to save lives. Dan Hamilton: How much different will this legislation be from the 2004 assault weapons ban? John Cornyn: Dan, the proposals being considered this week do not ban sale of firearms. Sandra Harrison: You are failing your constituents! Keep automatic weapons away from people who are under surveillance! People did see something [in Orlando] and say something. Authorities failed to act. John Cornyn: The government should not be able to strip your constitutional rights based on suspicion. My proposal would guarantee due process. Kevin Neal: Due process? We are supposed to have faith in government competence? Ramanuja Chari Kannan: Semi-automatic rifles are not intended for public use. If the mass killings are not enough for you to take action and pass sensible gun-control laws now, then you, sir, do not represent the people but the NRA. Please remember that the responsibility of making laws is given to Congress and not to the NRA. How many more lives are you willing to lose before you get assault rifles out of the hands of civilians and leave them as weapons of war for our well-regulated militia, called the United States Armed Forces? Rebecca Clayton: I support you in trying to protect those innocent on the no-fly list/terrorist list. I want you to support expanding background checks on gun purchases and renew the lapsed ban on assault weapons. Jake Beckham: The assault-weapons ban did nothing to cut down on crime or shootings. Rifles are seldom used in crimes. Expanded background checks dont work. The Orlando shooter had gone through every background check there is in order to become an armed security guard at our government facilities and look where he ended up. S.D. Wheeler: Define expanded background checks for us, Rebecca. Tell us what more they entail than the National Instant Criminal Background Check System we have currently that works quite well. Or are you just echoing the idiotic talking points of the gun-grabbing Democrats? Rebecca Clayton: S.D., the NICS background check did not stop the Charleston church shooting. Nor did it prevent the Virginia Tech shooting. Not all records are submitted in a timely manner and some are years behind from some states. Jerel Heritage: I dont think anyone would argue with keeping firearms out of the hands of terrorists, but there still must be due process in the process. Reinstate law-enforcement training on Islamic fascism and jihadism. WAVERLY The Waverly Community Foundation will once again kick off this years Waverlyfest celebration with a street dance Sunday, July 3. Called the biggest small town street dance in Nebraska, the musical group Switchbak will once again perform. The dance will be held in the Waverly Plaza parking lot from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. The 4th of July 4 will begin with a pancake feed sponsored by the Waverly Area Kiwanis and United Methodist Men. The pancake feed will be held at the First United Methodist Church, 14410 Folkestone Street, from 7 to 9 a.m. At 8:30 a.m. a kids parade, sponsored by the Waverly Area Kiwanis, will be held in front of the Waverly Care Center, 11041 N. 137th Street. An adult parade, sponsored by the Waverly Chamber of Commerce, will take place at 11 a.m. beginning at the Waverly Intermediate School parking lot, 14621 Heywood Street, and ending at Hamlow Elementary School, 14541 Castlewood Street. This years grand marshal are the Camp Creek Threshers in honor of their 40th anniversary. Line up will begin at 10 a.m. Lovegroves will have a concession open in Waverly Plaza beginning at 11 a.m. Peace Lutheran Church, 9831 N. 145th Street, will hold a barbecue, complete with games and music, from 12 noon to 2 p.m. The First United Methodist Church will hold a hot dog feed/ice cream social following the adult parade. The Waverly Community Library will have a spelling bee at 2 p.m. That event will be held at the First United Methodist Church. A money dive will be held at the swimming pool at 3 p.m. Waverlyfest will end with a fireworks display also sponsored by the Waverly Chamber of Commerce. Flowers surround a photograph of British MP Jo Cox. Her death is almost forgotten in the social media storm about how to characterise her attacker. Credit:Chris Ratcliffe "He may be gay," some now say, "but he was still a Muslim". "He may have been Muslim," others say "but his hatred was driven by his own confusion which itself is driven by homophobia just look at his father." The Orlando victims immediately were mourned, but also became martyrs to a cause of anti-Islam, pro-gay rights, US gun reform or perhaps even pro-mental health. The latter may have the most validity. When Cox was murdered I noted that many of my conservative "friends" immediately criticised people for "politicising" the crime in the context of the UK referendum. I pointed out that if the murderer had yelled "Allahu Akbar" instead of "Britain first", these same people would have immediately politicised the murder and labelled this man and this attack as an Islamic extremist act of terrorism. But he didn't yell "Allahu-Akbar". He yelled another political slogan. "Britain First". Is it any wonder that the loudest voices calling for the non-politicisation of Cox's murder were anti-EU campaigners? Was this not a radical, lone wolf Brexit supporter's act of terrorism? Not to my friends. Their cause could not possibly be linked to an act of terrorism, could it? On reflection I agree with my friends. The murderer was deranged and was not actually connected to the Brexit campaign. But in Orlando the murderer had no links to Islamic State or other terrorist groups. To politicise one and condemn people for politicising the other is breathtaking hypocrisy and I said so. In calling out my friends I repeated the hypocrisy I accused them of, but from the other view. In yelling we all forgot the main point of both events. Innocent people had died. When something tragic happens now, social media gives us a platform, not to speak, but to yell. Not to engage, but to bully, not to consider, but to scream. Social media has lots of proclaiming and no listening. Things can be said online that threaten friendships in reality. And I found myself doing this and I didn't like what I was becoming. But I miss the positives to social media. I created a closed group that includes 50 cousins, and cousins' children. Facebook allows me to connect with cousins a generation removed that normally would not be known to me. Recently two of them joined me on a trip to Scotland to visit the land of my great-grand father and their great-great-grand father. We shared the trip video with all our cousins. The closed family group is a magnificent way to share family births, deaths and marriages. In the end this sharing might drag me back to social media. But if it were to, I need to be cautious not to become a "screaming hater". Social media is a magnet for the like-minded positive and negative. IS recruits the vulnerable on social media. Trump supporters proclaim "build the wall" and do not listen to the voices opposing the wall. Democrats scream that Trump is a fool, yet don't stop to consider why he has gained traction. Few are listening to the other side any more. Is this what society has become? A shouting match? A contest of loudest voice not strongest idea? Ms Slattery, who sent her statement to Fairfax Media via text because she deemed a phone conversation longer than six minutes unsafe, confirmed that her views on vaccinations were not in the curriculum. She claimed she almost died and her husband "probably died" from "radiation poisoning", while other gifted people have become ill due to "neurological connections vibrating at alien frequency". Ms Slattery claims she is still alive because she moved into a caravan with no power and takes anti-radiation herbs. "None of this is in curriculum. It was there to support parent choice as court cases have proved link of vaccines to autism and [a] low immune system," she said. Simon Chapman, an emeritus professor in public health at the University of Sydney, said he has "never seen any evidence that suggests susceptibility in gifted people ... the idea that you can classify gifted children by these descriptions is just crap." Pat Slattery explains her anti-vaccination stance. Ms Slattery also links leukemia and brain tumours to radiation from Wi-Fi and microwaves and has written to Education Minister James Merlino about the need to remove microwave radiation from schools. "If you have a very clever child beware-thinner skulls and more moisture for the microwaving," she said on her website. A post on the Wise Ones website Education Minister James Merlino said Ms Slattery's claims were "absolutely ridiculous". "We don't teach this sort of rubbish in Victorian schools ... it is my expectation that such nonsense is not and never will be reflected in resources distributed to Victorian schools." Health Minister Jill Henessy said evidence that vaccinations save lives is "crystal clear". "The best thing a parent can do to keep their child well and healthy is to immunise them against preventable diseases," she said. "People pedalling anti-vaccination myths have no place in our health system or our education system." The original suggestion that the MMR vaccine might be linked to autism was made in 1998 report which was shown to be fraudulent, and was retracted by the medical journal The Lancet. The finding has been repeatedly debunked in other academic papers, including a 2014 paper by the Sydney University which was endorsed by the Australian Medical Association. Professor Chapman said Ms Slattery's ideas about the danger of Wi-Fi were "total quackery". Professor Chapman, who has just released research analysing every brain cancer diagnosis in Australia, finds that a spike in diagnoses in the older age group predates mobile phones, and was likely a result of improved diagnostic procedures. "There is no evidence of any rise in brain cancer in any of the under-age groups, let alone children." Anny Lawrence, the principal of Brighton Primary School, which offered the program after-hours three times a week, said she was not aware of Ms Slattery's controversial views. "My nurse would go crackers," she said. Ms Lawrence said when she started at the school in 2009, the program was being offered during school hours, but she moved it after school so that students who could not afford to attend would not be excluded. The program ended at the school in 2014 due to low enrolments. Linda McIver, who is a parent of gifted student Jenna at Brandon Park Primary, alerted the school to the post about vaccinations after the school announced that it would use Wise Ones. The school axed the program instantly. "I was horrified, I'm desperate to find an extended activities [program] for my girls but there are so few out there. Schools aren't resourced to provide much for really gifted kids ... but if you tell people vaccinations are dangerous, that costs people's lives. That is non-negotiable," Ms McIver said. Patricia Truscott, a licensee offering the WiseOnes program to more than a dozen Victorian schools, said she was "shocked and disappointed to be associated with this controversy". A paedophile now dating a case worker he met in a facility for sex offenders wants to live with the woman in regional Victoria when he's released from the secure unit. Gregory Sedgman, who has a history of serious sex offences spanning 12 years, wants to live with his partner in Horsham after he leaves Corella Place, a secure facility in nearby Ararat. The 40-year-old met his partner during a previous stay at the facility, which is for sex offenders who have completed their prison sentences but are considered unfit for community release. The case worker, who resigned when her relationship with Sedgman was discovered by co-workers, had continued to work at Corella Place for several months after it began. A serial child abuser who killed his three-month-old son with a blow to his head has been given a life sentence. West Australian Supreme Court Justice Ralph Simmonds today sentenced John Patrick O'Kane, 41, to life, with a minimum non-parole period of 18 years, for the murder of his son Zach in January last year. John Patrick O'Kane has been sentenced to life in jail for the murder of his four-month-old son Zach. O'Kane had pleaded guilty to murdering his infant son before burying him in a bush grave in WA's South-West. "These were profoundly tragic and extremely serious events involving a parent killing his infant child while aware of what he was doing and that it was wrong," Justice Simmonds said. Under the sponsorship of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) through the Japanese Special Fund, two Regional Workshops on the Harmonized System (HS) 2017 amendments for the Administrations of the North, South, Central American and the Caribbean Region were held in the Regional Training Center "Juan Bosh" of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, from 6 to 10 June (in English) and from 13 to 17 June (in Spanish) respectively. The Workshops were organized jointly by the WCO, the IDB and the Customs Administration of Dominican Republic and were attended by 40 officials from 22 Customs administrations in the Region. The opening of both Workshops were officiated by Gabino Jose Polanco, Technical Director of the Dominican Republic Customs who emphasized the importance of the correct tariff classification of goods and encouraged the participants to take advantage of these high level workshops. Apart from the two WCO officers who conducted both Workshops, the Workshop in Spanish was co-facilitated by three WCO accredited trainers on HS : Mr.Gabino Jose Polanco, Ms. Shilveth Fernandez from Costa Rica Customs and Ms.Claudia Navarro from Brazil Customs The Workshopss main focus was to secure uniformity in the interpretation and application of the HS Nomenclature 2017 Edition by Customs administrations of the Region. Furthermore, the Workshops offered an opportunity to discuss the tools recently developed by the WCO in the context of Phase II of the Revenue Package to support administrations in their efforts to modernize their tariff classification work and related infrastructure and to ensure fair, efficient and effective revenue collection. All the participating administrations were given an opportunity to report on the progress with regard to the preparatory work to implement the HS 2017 amendments and to describe their situation as regards the organization of classification work. The most common difficulty faced by the Administrations that attended the Workshops was reported to be the technical IT problems arising from the implementation of the changes at the national level. Like all regional WCO gatherings, the Workshops provided an excellent opportunity for networking and exchange of views on a wide range of practice-oriented topics on tariff classification and management of tariff and statistical nomenclatures, and was highly appreciated by those who attended it. In his closing address, Mr. Polanco thanked the WCO, the IDB and the Japanese Administration for their assistance for the organization of the Seminars. He encouraged all participants to share the knowledge acquired during the Workshops and, again, emphasized the importance of the correct use and application of the HS Three juveniles charged with robbing same Paducah store twice in one day Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Jun. 20, 2016 | PADUCAH, KY By West Kentucky Star Staff Jun. 20, 2016 | 10:09 AM | PADUCAH, KY The Paducah Health Park's "skyline" is already emerging from the first full day of volunteer work. Construction began Monday morning on a new playground in Paducah, courtesy of the Rotary Club of Paducah. The new $200,000 playground at 13th Street and Martin Luther King Drive will include a 4,000 square foot play area that will feature a rope wall, rock wall, along with a variety of castles, swings, slides and monkey bars for children of all ages and abilities. Volunteers numbering from 50 to 70 are coming together for 4-hour shifts three times a day, and Rotary Club president John Williams says anyone else can still drop by the site, and they'll be put to work. Construction is expected to be completed by this Sunday. Volunteer Coordinator Glen Anderson says skilled laborers are still needed to work on the project. "We are tremendously grateful for all our volunteers who have made this happen. We would like to put out a call for skilled carpenters, builders, etc though. We are thin in that area and could really use some carpentry talent." Anderson said. Some tools are still needed for the project, you can see a complete list or find out how to help at www.paducahrotaryplayground.com. Here are the most-needed tools as the project continues: 2- steel digging bars 5- quick clamps with 7" or larger opening 3- pipe clamps 4-8 feet long 8- drills 3/8" variable speed, reversible, with chuck keys and 2 batteries and charger (if cordless) 22- impact drills 3/8" variable speed, reversible 10- electrical splitters (2 or 3-way) 1- extension ladder 24' long or more 3- levels, 48" long or more, some 24" long acceptable 3- routers 5- shovels, long handled spades preferred 14- speed squares 6" 6- wheel barrows Anderson said work on the playground will continue, rain or shine. Email To : Multiple e-mail addresses must be separated with a comma character(maximum 200 characters) Email To is required. Your Full Name: (optional) Your Email Address: Your Email Address is required. By The Associated Press Jun. 20, 2016 | 05:30 PM | FRANKFORT, KY The former chairman of the Kentucky Retirement Systems Board has challenged Gov. Matt Bevin's order removing him from office. Bevin removed Thomas Elliott as the board's chairman in April, but Elliott refused to leave. Last month, Bevin used state troopers to prevent Elliott from participating in a meeting. Friday, Elliott sued, asking a judge to declare Bevin's order removing him "null and void" and to affirm that Elliott is still a member of the board. It is the fourth lawsuit Bevin is facing as he continues to test the limits of executive power in Kentucky. Bevin also issued an executive order on Friday abolishing the Kentucky Retirement Systems board and replacing it with a new board with some new members. It's unclear how that order will affect Elliott's lawsuit. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 21/06/2016 (2318 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Dallas Smith, who is one of the Canada Day headliners at Dauphins Countryfest this year, will return to Manitoba Sept. 21 for a date at Winnipegs Club Regent Event Centre. Tickets go on sale June 23 at 10 a.m. at Ticketmaster and range in price from $42 to $57.75 plus fees. Smith, who was the vocalist for the alt-rock group Default, went solo in 2012, turning his focus to country music. His second album, Lifted, earned the Vancouver artist a Juno Award for country album of the year and later won the album of the year from the Canadian Country Music Awards. If you value coverage of Manitobas arts scene, help us do more. Your contribution of $10, $25 or more will allow the Free Press to deepen our reporting on theatre, dance, music and galleries while also ensuring the broadest possible audience can access our arts journalism. BECOME AN ARTS JOURNALISM SUPPORTER Click here to learn more about the project. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 20/06/2016 (2319 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. QUEBEC At least two prominent politicians have blasted whoever left a pigs head outside a mosque in Quebec City over the weekend. Premier Philippe Couillard described it as a despicable act, while Mayor Regis Labeaume called the perpetrator a cretin. We want to live in peace, we want to live in harmony, Couillard said in Montreal on Monday. Everybodys entitled to follow their own convictions and their own religion. A pig head is shown outside the Centre Culturel Islamique de Quebec in Quebec City in this recent photo posted by the group on their Facebook page. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - Facebook, Centre Culturel Islamique de Quebec *MANDATORY CREDIT* It speaks unfortunately of the hatred and the intolerance that exist in our society. Fortunately, its a small minority of people, Im sure, but its something that should be condemned very very stronglyIts despicable. Labeaume said Muslims are Quebec citizens. They are a part of us, of our community. The animals head was left outside an Islamic cultural centre that is home to a mosque. According to photos published on Facebook by the cultural centre, the head was wrapped in transparent plastic tied with blue and white ribbons, with a note reading, Bonne appetit (sic). Many Muslims dont eat pork due to their religious beliefs. Police are investigating the incident, which occurred in the middle of Ramadan, when some Muslims fast from dawn to sunset. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 21/06/2016 (2318 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. CALGARY A rescue plane has safely completed the first leg of a dangerous mid-winter flight to a South Pole research station to pick up a sick worker. A Twin Otter aircraft owned by Calgary-based Kenn Borek Air has landed at the Amundson-Scott South Pole Station shortly after 5 p.m. ET. Peter West of the National Science Foundation says the pilots will require about 10 hours of rest before waiting for another favourable weather window to make the 10-hour return journey. In this photo provided by the Courtesy British Antarctic Survey, Rothera, the British Antarctic Survey station is seen from the air. A daring South Pole medical rescue is underway. An airplane left a British base in Antarctica Tuesday, June 21, 2016, for the 1,500-mile trip to evacuate a sick person from the U.S. station. Athena Dinar, spokeswoman for the British Antarctic Survey, said one of two twin otter planes began the trip Tuesday, while the other is still at the Rothera station on the Antarctic Peninsula just in case. (British Antarctic Survey via AP) The U.S.-based research foundation operates the year-round facility. The flight is necessary because a worker at the research station requires hospitalization. West says a second patient may also need to be taken out, but that decision has yet to be made. Pilots dont normally travel in the Antarctic during the winter because of the risk associated with the extreme cold and darkness. Theyre also flying over a continent the size of the U.S. and Mexico combined, with no airports to divert to, West said. So thats an issue. There is also no tarmac runway at the Pole, meaning aircraft must land with skis on compacted snow in nearly total darkness. The plane left this morning from Rothera, a British station on the Antarctic peninsula. A second aircraft is still there and will provide search-and-rescue capability if needed. West said no other details about either patient will be released for confidentiality reasons. Both planes left Calgary a week ago and got to Rothera on Monday. They were held up in Punta Arenas, Chile, since Thursday due to bad weather. The planes are rated to operate in temperatures as low as -75 Celsius. Generally, at (the South) Pole its about -60 C at this time of year, but it fluctuates, West said. Kenn Borek provides contractual logistical support to the Antarctic Program, according to the foundation, and conducted similar evacuations in 2001 and 2003. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 21/06/2016 (2318 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. CALGARY Canadian Pacific (TSX:CP) says its financial results have taken a hit from a number of factors including lower volumes of bulk commodities such as grain and potash. The Calgary-based railway estimates revenue for the quarter ending June 30 will be about 12 per cent below the same time last year. Its also estimating adjusted diluted earnings per share of about $2 for its second quarter. Last year, CP reported $2.45 per share in adjusted diluted earnings and $1.65 billion in revenue. CP Rail says its results were also hurt by the wildfires that devastated northern Alberta and forced the evacuation of Fort McMurray last month and a strengthening of the loonie. The warning to investors was issued Tuesday, about a month before Canadian Pacific issues its full second-quarter report on July 20. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 21/06/2016 (2318 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. (Special) More and more women in Canada today are taking the time, effort and risks to start and grow small businesses. Small- and medium-sized businesses account for a majority of the jobs created in Canada. In 2011 women entrepreneurs contributed more than $148 billion to the Canadian economy. Statistics show that between 2001 and 2011 950,000 women were self-employed, accounting for 35.6 per cent of all self-employed persons, and 47 per cent of small and medium-sized enterprises in the country were entirely or partially owned by women. We know that women today are starting more businesses than men and are opening businesses in many, many different fields, Susan Brown, Bank of Montreals senior vice president of personal and commercial banking for Alberta and the Northwest Territories told a media conference on a new study of women entrepreneurs by BMO, Carleton University and The Beacon Agency. The report found that although the number of self-employed women with an incorporated business has increased by 15 per cent since 2007 women entrepreneurs in Canada have difficulty getting funding from financial institutions because they are perceived as being averse to risk and are unable to generate the same economic growth as men. The study found that 68 per cent of female-owned companies reported capturing a larger share of their existing market through innovation and businesses which had majority female ownership reported the highest instance of average yearly revenue growth of more than 20 per cent. It also found that women entrepreneurs make decisions that require risk to grow and build their businesses. They tend to take a relationship and longer term approach in business and a holistic approach to calculating risk-based decisions. Women entrepreneurs often are misrepresented as being averse to risk even though their businesses are not underperforming their male counterparts and their businesses are more likely to be funded personally rather than assuming debt from a financial institution. There is too much emphasis on the notion of taking risk as an end in itself when it is not the main objective (but might be) necessary to achieve social and economic goals, said Claire Beckton, executive director of Carletons Centre for Women in Politics and Public Leadership. Women entrepreneurs make decisions that require risks to achieve their goals which include long-term sustainability for their businesses. Many describe themselves as being risk rational they sought out the information necessary to make the decision and then made an informed choice. The study also found that women tend to take a relationship rather than a transactional approach to customers, clients, employees and funders, meaning they want a relationship with groups and organizations which are interested in their business and committed to its success. Many financial institutions have not fully understood (this) and as a consequence women largely self-fund (their enterprises), often with support from family and friends, thereby slowing their rate of start-up and later their rate of growth, Beckton said. The study also uncovered an interesting difference in how women and men approach risk. Women may be less willing to take on large risks when theyre responsible for children but more willing when they have less responsibility for others, Brown said As I have observed this is different from men who often take less risk as they grow older and more conservative and want to take some of their chips off the table. Many women are very risk aware and manage risk in a way that matches their lives. Talbot Boggs is a Toronto-based business communications professional who has worked with national news organizations, magazines and corporations in the finance, retail, manufacturing and other industrial sectors. Copyright 2016 Talbot Boggs Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 21/06/2016 (2318 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. SAINT-ESPRIT, Qc Olymel is investing more than $25 million to expand its hog slaughterhouse and processing facility north of Montreal. The project will increase the operations capacity by a third to 40,000 hogs per week. Up to 200 jobs will be added to the 810 workers at the St-Esprit facility. Olymel CEO Rejean Nadeau said the 3,250 square metre expansion will allow the meat processing company to better meet customer demand across Canada and exports especially to China. In conjunction with the project, employees represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1991-P agreed to extend their collective agreement for another seven years beyond its expiry on May 31, 2018. The St-Esprit plant produces various cuts of pork, seasoned pork products and vacuum-packed products. The expansion will add a refrigeration room to produce chilled pork. Olymel also has operations in Ontario, Alberta, New Brunswick and Saskatchewan. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 21/06/2016 (2318 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA Higher Canada Pension Plan premiums are still more than two years off, and the ensuing benefits meant to accrue to future generations still several decades away. All of which makes it rather ironic that the historic CPP deal reached Monday between Ottawa and most, but not all, of the provinces and territories came together in a relative blink of an eye by policy-making standards, at least. Even federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau, himself a pension expert, had expected it to take until the end of the year for negotiations to wrap up. Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau is flanked by his provincial and territorial counterparts as he speaks during a news conference after reaching a deal to expand the Canada Pension Plan, in Vancouver, B.C., on Monday June 20, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck Instead, the provinces are now being asked to finalize an agreement by July 15 that will eventually increase contributions and retirement benefits through the public plan. Following weeks of talks and an all-day meeting in Vancouver on Monday, finance ministers emerged with an agreement in principle. Even provinces such as Saskatchewan and British Columbia, which had expressed concerns about the timing of CPP reform, had signed on. Only Manitoba and Quebec declined to agree to the terms. The agreement came together as pollsters pointed to overwhelming popular support for public pension reform amid concerns about the adequacy of retirement savings. The federal Liberals ran on platform to upgrade the public pension system, as did their Ontario cousins. The result also means Ontario will abandon its project to go it alone with its own pension plan. How did this all happen so quickly? Sources familiar with the talks said doubters had concerns about the potential economic impact of boosting the CPP, even at the late stages of negotiations. They said Ottawa made a major push in the final days and hours, which helped secure enough country-wide support to expand the CPP. To make the change, they needed the consent of a minimum of seven provinces representing at least two-thirds of Canadas population. The sources also said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau himself was personally involved in the 11th-hour effort. Ontario was also a central player in the lobbying drive. Canadas most populous province has long pushed for an enhanced CPP, going so far as to propose its own, more ambitious pension plan. Indeed, Ontario repeatedly warned it would go it alone on pension reform, if necessary. On Tuesday, Premier Kathleen Wynne gave her government credit for its role in the CPP deal. Had we not continued to work to implement the Ontario Retirement Pension Plan, had we not continued to put this issue on the table squarely with our colleagues across the country, I firmly believe that we would not be here today, she said. Ontarios determination has paid off. To get there, Ontario eased concerns of some provinces by backing down from its earlier requests that CPP reform be just as robust as its own proposal and that it be gradually introduced starting in 2018. The agreement states the CPP premium increases on workers and employees will only start to be phased in on Jan. 1, 2019. Saskatchewans finance minister said his province signed on out of fear that the alternative would be something worse. I think we played a constructive role knowing full well that, had we not gone along with it, something would have been imposed upon us that maybe was less palatable, said Finance Minister Kevin Doherty, who less than a week ago had opposed any changes because it could further damage the struggling provincial economy. The CPP deal, however, wasnt signed by everyone. Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister said the CPP agreement does not address the need for people to manage their own retirement savings. I guess what Im talking about is making sure we dont lose sight of individual responsibility in the hoopla around debating the CPP augmentation here, said Pallister, who worked for decades in insurance and financial planning. He also said Manitoba abstained from the vote in part because his government was only two months old. The province is, however, still studying the issue. Quebec refused to sign the deal out of concern a broad-based premium increase would have a negative impact of low-income earners. The province operates its own sister program of the CPP the Quebec Pension Plan. Quebec can adjust the QPP as it likes, but it has typically followed the CPP. Quebec Finance Minister Carlos Leitao said in an interview he will raise QPP premiums according to the CPP deal. He said he would also phase them in over the same period. But unlike the broader-based CPP reform agreement, he said Quebec would only raise premiums on income earned above $27,500. Those people already have a hard time saving, so their disposable income is pretty tight and I think by taking the decision that we took, we will avoid an unfair tax on them and also on their employers. To help offset the effect on low-income earners of increased CPP premiums, Ottawa said would it enhance the federal working income tax benefit but it did not immediately indicate by how much. It also said it would provide a tax deduction instead of a tax credit on the increased CPP contributions by employees. Critics of CPP expansion warn that imposing additional contributions will squeeze workers and employers and hurt the economy. Dan Kelly, the president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, warned that the CPP expansion is pretty devastating for small businesses. The big question I ask myself is what was the size of the federal cheques that were written to some of these provinces to get them to the table? Follow @AndyBlatchford on Twitter Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 21/06/2016 (2318 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. When Maj.-Gen. Christian Drouin joined the military, he never thought he would land the commanding role of all air operations at the Royal Canadian Air Forces headquarters in Winnipeg. My goal was to fly, Drouin said. I wanted to fly helicopters. And it started right there. It was fun. I wouldnt change my career one bit. At a change-of-command ceremony at 17 Wing Winnipeg Tuesday morning, Drouin assumed command of the 1 Canadian Air Division from Maj.-Gen. David Wheeler. BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Col. Steve Charpentier (left), director of flight safety is the officer who inspired Maj.-Gen. C.H.J. Drouin (right), early in his career. Drouin assumed command of 1 Canadian Air Division (1 CAD) from Major-General David Wheeler in Winnipeg at 17 Wing. (Drouin)s got tremendous experience at the operational level, and his understanding of the day-to-day operations here at 1CAD is enormous, Wheeler said during the ceremony. He is definitely the right person to come into this job, and hes going to do a great job, and I know that hes going to take care of each and every one of you, day by day. Drouin is now settling into his new role in Winnipeg, a place he called home for two years. In August 2013, he served as deputy commander force generation before moving to Colorado to take on the role of deputy director of strategy, policy and plans for North American Aerospace Defence Command (Norad) and the United States Northern Command. Now, Drouin will oversee the jobs of around 12,000 Air Force personnel. Everything that flies for the Royal Canadian Air Force is under my operational command, Drouin said. So, our job is to deliver air power to the support of anything that the Government of Canada will ask for us and the defence of North America with Norad, or the North American command. Since he became a pilot, Drouin has worked all over the world. He helped demobilize the Contras rebel group in Nicaragua, commanded the Canadian helicopter detachment in Bosnia-Herzegovina and was deployed to Afghanistan as part of the first strategic advisory team. Hes also an honour graduate of the Royal Military College of Canada, with a bachelors degree in military art and science and a graduate of the University of Canberra, with a masters degree in management and defence studies. After working so hard to earn the role of commander, Drouin said he still remembers what drew him to the military in the first place. Drouin said he was about 18 years old and living in Quebec when he saw a man on a TV news report talk about tactical aviation in the military. I said, Id really like to do that, because I wanted to fly, but I didnt know exactly what. Drouin joined the military and got his wings in 1989. The first time he walked into his new squadron, he met a familiar face. Who did I meet? My buddy. This guy that I saw on TV that actually made me make the move into the military. Drouin is now the boss of that man, Col. Steve Charpentier. When asked if he ever thought Drouin would get this far, Charpentier said, Oh yeah. I always knew. Looking back, Drouin said one of the biggest challenges throughout his career was learning English, but that didnt stop him from success. I look at obstacles as opportunities. I used to be a long-distance runner and triathlete, and you look at hills and all these obstacles as an opportunity to get over them and get faster and stronger. Thats how I looked at my career. bailey.hildebrand@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 21/06/2016 (2318 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. STARS air ambulances in Manitoba will now travel with blood to perform life-saving transfusions at the scene of medical emergencies. The Winnipeg STARS base is now one of six in Canada to stock up on blood. Ray Rempel, STARS flight paramedic, said it can be crucial to bring blood directly to a patient before getting the individual to a care centre. WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES STARS air ambulances in Manitoba will now travel with blood on board. Quite often when we get on scene, we might be an hour away from the tertiary care trauma centre with a patient who is hypotensive and showing signs of shock, Rempel said. Blood is the best fluid to resuscitate these patients in order to get them to the definitive care so that they can get to surgery and that they can get to the rehab that they need to go through. Without blood, often times these patients may end up dying. STARS expects it will use around 30 units of blood per year. A typical patient needs two units during a transport. STARS will carry O-negative blood, which can be used on almost any patient. The blood is stored in an insulated thermal cooler that maintains a temperature of 4 C. If blood isnt used within 72 hours, it is cycled back to Diagnostic Services Manitoba, where it will be inspected and made available for other patients. Shelf-life for whole blood is 42 days when its stored properly. We can take the blood along with us on every single mission we fly, use it if the need arises, and if the need doesnt arise we return the blood to the blood bank after 72 hours and it can be rebanked and used for other individuals, said Dr. Doug Martin, transport physician and medical director for STARS in Manitoba. Bringing blood transfusion to the patient at the roadside is a game-changing treatment that very few other services in North America provide. A Morden mom whose son needed blood and was airlifted in winter said STARS carrying blood on board is an important step for people in remote communities that need blood. Im sure our outcome, if STARS hadnt intervened, would be dire for our family, Megan Hildebrand said. Im sure wed have different circumstances. Hildebrands son Cohen had his tonsils and adenoids taken out this past February. She never thought he would end up back in the hospital the following week. He was at home with my husband and started having some complications that led to minor bleeding, Hildebrand said. The Hildebrands, living in Morden, brought Cohen to Boundary Trails Health Centre, which is located between Winkler and Morden. Staff recommended he go to the Childrens Hospital in Winnipeg for monitoring. While they were prepping him for that transfer, he had an arterial bleed and was bleeding significantly, she said. There was no time to wait for the ambulance at that point so STARS was called on scene and they waited for Cohen to get blood. Cohen said the helicopter ride wasnt too scary for him, because he knew he was in good hands. I had a good feeling and I knew that STARS would take care of me and that I would get back fine, he said. Now, the family is raising money for STARS through their local business, Tulip Street Sign Co. Hildebrand said it was Cohens idea to give back to the crew that saved his life. We are making growth charts, rulers, and any of the profits from that go to STARS, Cohen said. His mom said the growth charts make sense and symbolize something important for her family. It seemed appropriate, it seemed suiting, Hildebrand said. We get to see our boy grow. Hildebrand said theyve raised about $2,000 and will give STARS the money at the end of June. bailey.hildebrand@freepress.mb.ca Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 21/06/2016 (2318 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Presented with clear evidence of schools violating students and teachers human rights, Manitobas minister of education refused to intervene, insisted that school divisions are autonomous bodies and said anyone troubled by the situation could file a complaint with the Manitoba Human Rights Commission. No, Im not talking about Conservative Education Minister Ian Wishart and the Hanover school boards intransigence over refusing to allow discussion of sexual identity issues in its Steinbach-area classrooms. It was almost exactly five years ago when then-NDP education minister Nancy Allan flat-out refused to comment on evidence that 20 school divisions were, to varying degrees, violating the Public Schools Act. Allan was informed that religious exercises were being conducted during regular school hours in regular classrooms in secular public schools: prayer in classrooms, openly organizing parents to sign up for school prayer, discriminating against children who didnt take part. More than half the provinces school divisions blatantly ignored the rules severely limiting prayer and religious exercises to times outside of school hours, in separate and private spaces away from regular classrooms and involving only students whose parents signed petitions submitted annually to the school board, with absolutely no participation by the school or its staff. Allan refused to be interviewed back in 2011, instead bouncing the issue to a bureaucrat who told me that all the province could do was to remind school divisions of the guidelines, and advise anyone dissatisfied with the outcome to go to the human rights commission. Heres some of the story: Ultimately, school boards are legally autonomous entities. When the province gets a complaint, it reminds the school division about the guidelines, but beyond that, its up to individuals to pursue complaints with the Manitoba Human Rights Commission or with the courts, the bureaucrat said. School boards have the responsibility to implement it appropriately. The recourse is to the commission, the bureaucrat assigned by Allan to comment said. At the end of the day, its the finders of fact which can issue a remedy. Thats the commission or the court. So, the minister of education had no responsibility to administer and enforce the Public Schools Act. School divisions are autonomous, and if you dont like it, file a human rights complaint. That was fine by the NDP then, when it had a majority government and had the ability to act. The evidence had been compiled through freedom of information applications from Dauphin lawyer and atheist Chris Tait. In 1986, Tait was suspended several times at MacGregor Collegiate for refusing to stand during the Lords Prayer, leading to a landmark 1992 court ruling that struck down prayer in Manitoba schools. The day after my story ran in 2011, the Free Press editorial was headlined: NDP shows its cowardice. It certainly wasnt the only time during its four majority governments that the NDP failed to stand up for its own beliefs on human rights issues. Well get to other instances in a few paragraphs. The NDP has been demanding in the legislature that Wishart intervene in Hanover and force the division to allow positive discussion of sexual identity issues in its classrooms. This all started when a child with same-sex parents was bullied. Note very carefully that were not talking here about what you or I would like to see happen in a perfect world. Were talking here about what the NDP didnt do when it had the chance, and what in Opposition its demanding that the Tories do. Its pretty clear where the Conservative base has always been in Manitoba, and what many of the people in those ridings believe. For sure, NDP education ministers intervened in Morris-Macdonald, Agassiz, Mystery Lake, Turtle River, Winnipeg, Sunrise, at Red River College. But every time the NDP intervened, it was because of financial and personnel chaos, of public institutions in turmoil. Human rights? Not so much. If I wanted to see education ministers such as Allan or Peter Bjornson squirm, I had only to ask them about the government doing absolutely nothing about clear violations of the Public Schools Act around religion in secular schools. Sexual identity issues? Back in 2012, stories broke about Border Land school board ordering Peter Wohlgemut, a Grade 5 teacher in Altona, to get rid of the ally plaque in his classroom a simple little symbol that tells students and staff and parents that his classroom is a safe place for anyone of any sexual orientation. People in Altona decided the world might end if the little plaque was allowed to stay. Out it went, and the NDP government said and did nothing. In 2014, the Canadian Teachers Federation recognized Wohlgemut with a national award. Wohlgemut told me about the terrible toll that his little plaque had taken on his wife and three kids; how theyd left their church, lost some social relationships, how he left the house only to go to work. From the NDP government: nothing. No ministerial intervention in Altona, no government intervention with the Border Land school board. It has been more than 17 years ago since the Winnipeg School Division brought in its anti-homophobia education plan. Opposition from the religious right, from people living in other school divisions and from hate radio was, in a word, ugly. My family was threatened, I was physically threatened and I was denounced on radio. But what I experienced was nothing compared to the suffering and abuse inflicted on some school trustees and outed teachers. WSD brought in that anti-homophobia education plan when Gary Filmons Conservatives were still in power. Louis Riel School Division brought in its own anti-homophobia education plan a few years later, and some other divisions have followed. But not all. Anti-homophobia education is nowhere near universal, and I have no recollection that the NDP, in almost 17 years in power and with four majority governments, ever tried to force recalcitrant school divisions to adopt similar plans. And it wasnt until 2013 that the NDP brought in Bill 18, anti-bullying legislation that made specific (albeit brief) reference to high school administrations protecting students who want to form a gay-straight alliance. nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 21/06/2016 (2318 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A northern Ontario First Nation believes theres new proof people have been victims of mercury poisoning and still are. Chief Simon Fobister of Grassy Narrows held a press conference in Winnipeg Tuesday with Judy Da Silva, a mercury survivor from the Ojibway community 225 kilometres southeast of Winnipeg, to announce theyll redouble pressure on Ontario to clean up a newly reported site of a mercury dump and the Wabigoon River system it likely contaminated. A former Dryden paper mill worker had earlier told media he helped bury dozens of barrels of contaminant in a shallow pit decades ago, with little more than a shovel and tarps to protect it from leaching into the ground. The location of the reported site is not publicly known. MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Grassy Narrows Chief Simon Fobister Sr. and Judy Da Silva, Grassy Narrows environmental health co-ordinator respond to news reports that the Ontario government neglected to clean up highly toxic mercury by a former Dryden mill worker. Ontario meanwhile takes the claim of the previously unknown pit very seriously and its looking at remediation. We take all public claims very seriously. Upon receiving new information last fall, local (ministry) staff connected directly with both Chief Fobister and Mr. Glowacki to address their concerns. Ministry staff also presented information on the Mercury Waste Disposal Site at the next Working Group meeting in January 2016 after being requested to do so by Chief Fobister, said an spokesman from the Ontario Ministry of Environment and Climate Change by email Tuesday. Next week, two senior Ontario politicians will visit the northwestern Ontario First Nation. Ontario Environment and Climate Change Minister Glen Murray, who is a former mayor of Winnipeg, and Ontario Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Minister David Zimmer are due to spend part of the day June 27 in Grassy Narrows. Were gearing up to meet with the minister(s) and we want to get the message out that we want this river cleaned up, Fobister said. Guilt is said to have driven Kas Glowacki forward to reveal the existence of the toxic dump he says he helped dig behind the Dryden pulp and paper plant when he worked there in 1972. Glowackis account made headlines in the Toronto Star, which is investigating Grassy Narrows environmental contamination. This is a new site that no one was aware of until this man admitted there is another site. We dont know if its leaking mercury We want the (Ontario) government to investigate it, locate it and clean it up, the chief said. No more fancy talk, no more studies. We just want it cleaned up. For decades, that province has said mercury contamination from the paper mill in the 1970s has long since ceased being an environmental hazard. Under Liberal Premier Kathleen Wynne, Grassy appeared to be making headway in having the existence of mercury recognized as a continuing environmental and health threat. But now Grassy Narrows leaders say the existence of a second dump is straining that new trust. Were willing to work with the Ontario government but if they dont want to work with us, well find a way to access the site and demand the clean-up, Fobister said. The ministry email, which confirmed the minister is travelling to Grassy Narrows at the end of June to meet with local leaders, indicates Ontario officials are sensitive to the strained relationship and the need for action to clean up any of the toxin that may have leaked. Moving forward, we want to work with Grassy Narrows First Nation to gather the data in the Wabigoon River system between Dryden and Clay Lake, focusing on present day conditions in water, sediment and biota. This information will be critical in determining what an effective remediation strategy would look like, the email said. The Ontario-Grassy Narrows Working Group, which includes local community members, provincial ministries and representatives of the federal government, continues to lead these discussions, the email said. Grassy Narrows has a population with soaring rates of neurotoxin-related disease and has maintained the source of the problem is the river where they fish for food. Its not like theres a Safeway in the reserve. Our people live in poverty, on $200 a month. The food from the land sustains us, Da Silva said. So politically sensitive is the sheer mention of the word mercury that local doctors refuse to link symptoms to Minamata disease, a neurological syndrome caused by severe mercury poisoning, the Grassy Narrows grandmother said. Its an endless battle and the ones who end up in hospital? We say its mercury poisoning. Its labeled Alzheimer, dementia or Parkinsons. We all know its mercury. I feel someday Ill be in that hospital bed, labeled with a neurological disease thats not recognized as mercury poisoning, Da Silva said. We have many people who suffer from mercury poisoning were always being minimized, always being told natural remediation will happen, Da Silva said. A scientific study Grassy Narrows commissioned in 2010 showed mercury continued to contaminate the environment. In May, a group of independent scientific mercury experts said one meal of Grassy Narrows fish has 150 times the safe level of exposure to mercury. They also said its possible to clean up the mercury contamination. Those experts, now working with Grassy Narrows, have characterized the area as one of the most heavily contaminated in Canada and they say in 30 years, levels have not only failed to decline, theyre actually continuing to spread downstream to new locations. Multiple generations of Grassy Narrows people suffer debilitating physical problems with vision, balance and trembling, which they feel are the impacts of mercury poisoning. Nothing has been done in 45 years since the paper mill dumped 9,000 kilograms of mercury into the waterways that supply fish and water to Grassy Narrows and their neighbours. The mercury doesnt stop at Grassy Narrows it goes to other non-indigenous communities just to let you know this is not a racist mercury, Da Silva said. alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 20/06/2016 (2319 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Its the first case of its kind in Manitoba. And now a judge needs more time to decide the fate of a Winnipeg mother allegedly responsible for her babys deadly morphine overdose. The 33-year-old accused returned to court Monday for closing arguments following the start of a trial earlier this year. She has pleaded not guilty to criminal negligence causing death and failing to provide the necessities of life. She cant be named under a court order that protects her babys identity. Provincial court Judge Margaret Wiebe has reserved her verdict. Court has heard how the mother was described as hysterical upon finding her 10-month-old daughter not breathing. One of her longtime friends and occasional roommates described how he was in a bar at a downtown hotel when he got a text message from the woman. Come home, somethings wrong with the baby, the mother of six wrote. He immediately phoned her. Shes not breathing, the accused said. He told her to put a mirror up to the babys mouth and nose to see if she could be mistaken. She was hysterical and really scared. I told her, As soon as you hang up the phone, call the ambulance, he told court. The man rushed to the accuseds home, arriving about 15 minutes later. Paramedics were not yet on scene, but he believes the woman had already called by that point. He became emotional at describing what he saw upon his arrival. (The child) was motionless. She was purple a little bit, he said. The man said he attempted CPR on the baby as the distraught mother paced back and forth. Doctors were unable to save the girl, and the cause of death was initially a mystery. A Philadelphia laboratory eventually uncovered the truth, noting high levels of morphine in her system. Crown attorney Daniel Chaput told court its not clear how the morphine got into the babys system. He said the key issue is how the mother reacted when it would have been obvious her daughter was in distress. Its what happened thereafter, or didnt happen thereafter, that will be the central legal focus, Chaput said. Lawyers for the accused told court they take the position this was a tragic accident and she should not be held responsible. But Dr. Charles Littman, who performed the autopsy, told court there would have been noticeable signs the child was suffering from morphine ingestion, including laboured breathing and chest heaving. Morphine should not be found in a child, Littman said. Sources have told the Free Press Child and Family Services had extensive contact with the family before and after the girls death and several other children in the home were removed. Records show there are two ongoing family-court files involving the accused. Criminal negligence is a complicated charge. The Crown must prove there was a marked departure from the normal standard of care expected from a parent. www.mikeoncrime.com Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 20/06/2016 (2319 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. An man from the RM of Whitemouth has been arrested after using the same type of semi-automatic rifle used in several American mass shootings including the recent Orlando massacre near a house party in Elma. Trevor Ewanochko, 42, has been charged with 33 counts of various weapons and threat-related offences, including using a firearm in an offence and possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm with ammunition. He is in custody. RCMP said Monday that officers received a report at about 3 a.m. Sunday that a man had returned to a party with firearms and was acting in a threatening manner. A search warrant for the property was granted and the RCMP located a total of 18 firearms, including the one suspected to have been used in this offence an AR-15. Supplied / RCMP The man left before officers arrived, but they heard multiple rounds being fired nearby; party guests said he was armed with a semi-automatic rifle and a handgun. RCMP flooded the area with officers from the critical incident command post, tactical armoured vehicle, emergency response team and police dog services. The suspect was arrested without incident at about 10:15 a.m., after officers spotted his truck outside a residence north of Elma, located about an hour east of Winnipeg. Officers found 18 firearms, including an AR-15 semi-automatic assault rifle, as well as a prohibited 30-round magazine and a fully loaded 20-round magazine. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 21/06/2016 (2318 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Theres National Aboriginal Day today and then theres APTNs Aboriginal Day Live on Saturday. Twenty years ago, the federal government began observing National Aborginal Day on June 21. Today, there are celebrations of indigenous culture across Canada. In Winnipeg, under the canopy at The Forks today, a Founding Nations powwow will bring together members of the indigenous community to celebrate their identity. Colin Corneau / The Brandon Sun Dancers perform in the grand entry during celebrations for National Aboriginal Day in Wasagaming on Sunday afternoon. The big event happens Saturday with APTN Aboriginal Day Live. The celebration, which APTN started 10 years ago, takes place on a weekend close to National Aboriginal Day to provide better opportunities for people to attend and allow APTN to broadcast live, said Sky Bridges, APTNs chief operating officer. Its not recognized as a national holiday, so we want to ensure as much access as we can and thats why we have it on Saturday, Bridges said. The day isnt just for indigenous people, Bridges said. Everyone who comes in, theyre going to take away something they enjoy and something they learned that is new. Its really just about coming down and enjoying yourself and learning and taking in all of the many facets of aboriginal culture. Aboriginal Day Lives Celebration Village is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and features free activities, performances, traditional demonstrations, a pop-up market and more, around The Forks. The day ends with a concert at The Forks Festival Park and Stage at 7 p.m., followed by fireworks at 11 p.m. Manito Ahbee is also putting on a powwow competition in the afternoon. Bridges said events such as the Kids Zone and skateboarding competition are meant to draw in young people. He said its important they take part in the celebration and learn about their culture. Even statistically when you look at the aboriginal population, were a very young population, he said. Its really about the fact that the youth is our greatest national treasure and we need to engage with them, we need to allow them to see what it is that creates their identity as an aboriginal person, and its also just about having fun. Bailey Hildebrand Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 20/06/2016 (2319 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Brian Pallister was on the hot seat at a legislative committee hearing Monday about his record of public conflict-of-interest disclosures. For about 40 minutes, the premier was grilled by NDP justice critic Andrew Swan on why he didnt disclose, until this year, his ownership of property in Costa Rica. He also faced questions on inconsistencies in past declarations of his Manitoba holdings. The premier said he resented questions that impugned his integrity, but stuck to his guns that he had received verbal advice from two different conflict-of-interest commissioners that he did not have to declare his foreign holdings. BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSThe NDP questioned Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister about his Costa Rica holdings, Room 254 committee room. June 20, 2016. He also said his government plans to clarify and strengthen Manitoba conflict-of-interest rules. The underpinnings of the act are if you have significant ownership in a company, then you could actively campaign for a policy that would benefit that company, Pallister said afterwards, referring to the existing legislation. Well, I dont make the law in Costa Rica so I dont get the potential for me at the Manitoba legislature to actually control what happens there. Pallister said the Progressive Conservatives will introduce a bill to deal with the real issues of potential conflict as early as this fall. Were studying other jurisdictions to see where theirs (their legislation) is at, but theres a lot of room for improvement, he said of the Manitoba law. Earlier, at the budget estimates committee meeting, Pallister stoutly defended his past conflict-of-interest disclosures. He said he filed an addendum to this years form, officially stating for the first time that he owned shares in two corporations in Costa Rica because it was already a matter of public record, and I felt it was clear that the public would want to know more details. But Pallister insisted he did so on his own volition, and not at the urgings of the conflict-of-interest commissioner. The corporations are holding companies through which the premier owns two vehicles, a home and several parcels of land. Swan also pressed Pallister about why he listed shares in certain Manitoba corporations in some years and not in others. He said the listings varied four times between 2012 and 2016. Given his statements about transparency and accountability, has the premier just been careless with respect to his corporations here in Manitoba? Or does he expect us to believe that hes received different advice four times from the conflict-of-interest commissioners? the NDP critic asked. Pallister said he gave straight-forward responses to the questions on the conflict-of-interest forms. There were several reasons why a company may or may not be listed on a given year, he explained, including whether its share price fell below the $500 benchmark set by the province. Swan pressed Pallister on why he didnt obtain a written opinion from the conflict-of-interest commissioner for not disclosing his Costa Rica holdings. Such a report would have been kept on file by the government. The premier said he never felt the need to do so. Until last December, the provinces conflict-of-interest commissioner was Ron Perozzo, a former deputy minister of justice. He was succeeded by Jeffrey Schnoor, another former deputy justice minister. At one point in Mondays proceedings, a Conservative backbencher attempted to derail Swans line of questioning, calling it a personal attack. What does this have to do with (budget) estimates? asked Emerson MLA Cliff Graydon, raising a point of order. But PC MLA Dennis Smook, who was chairing the meeting, allowed the questioning to continue, saying the rules did not permit him to rule on the quality of questions or the answers. When Graydon attempted to challenge his ruling, Smook said the rules forbade it. Graydon then walked out of the meeting. Pallister defended Swans right to ask his questions, although he said he was disappointed that his integrity was being questioned. larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 21/06/2016 (2318 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA To Brexit or to Bremain? That is the question residents of the United Kingdom will answer Thursday as the country heads into a national referendum on EU membership. Brexit, coined from a hybrid of Britain and exit, is the shorthand way of referring to the United Kingdoms referendum on membership in the European Union. Called by British Prime Minister David Cameron to fulfil an election promise, the polls have see-sawed back and forth between the leavers and the remainers, taking global financial markets on a wild ride along the way. Lawrence Herman, an international trade lawyer and senior fellow at the C.D. Howe Institute, said that volatility is unlikely to end with the Brexit results unless the remain side wins by a landslide. Adrian Dennis/PA via AP Prime Minister David Cameron speaks during an EU referendum related visit to Panorama Antennas, a small family business in south London, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. A win, if its a narrow one by the remain side, wont put an end to the forces at play in various countries that are dissatistifed with the EU, he said. Polls are currently showing a slight advantage to remain, although the reliability of the polls has been called into question. Herman said with the strong presence of right-wing nationalist movements in Austria, Hungary and France, a narrow win could simply tell people in other countries it may in fact be possible to facilitate an exit from the EU. I think that unless there is a strong win by the remain side, I think that those movements will continue to gain some strength, said Herman. That is a worrying result even under the scenario that the remain side wins. While some on the leave side advocate a fully independent U.K. because of a belief the country pays too much to the EU without getting enough in return, there is also a strong component of anti-immigration leavers, those who want to close Britains borders to migrants coming from across Europe and the Middle East. Divisions within the leave side became more prominent after the assassination last week of British Labour MP Jo Cox, whose accused killer has ties to far-right extremist groups. On Tuesday, former London mayor and pro-leave campaigner Boris Johnson condemned a U.K. Independence Party poster he said had xenophobic undertones. The poster showed a line of visible-minority immigrants and the words Breaking Point. Prime Minister David Cameron appealed directly to EU-wary older voters Tuesday, saying leaving the bloc would risk the countrys economic security and younger generations would have to live with the consequences. Do think about the hopes and dreams of your children and grandchildren, he said. They cant undo the decision we take, he said. If we vote out, thats it. Its irreversible. The remain camp got a boost from more popular figures Tuesday when soccer star David Beckham and his former Spice Girl wife, Victoria, added their voices to the EU cause. For our children and their children, we should be facing the problems of the world together and not alone, he said. Britain is Canadas third-most important trading partner (behind the United States and China), and a departure from the EU would have lasting ramifications on the Canadian economy, as access to European markets is put at risk, and the yet-to-be-ratified Canada-EU trade agreement, known as CETA, may collapse. The Canada-EU agreement was negotiated on the assumption that Britain was part of the EU, said Herman. There would be some imbalances in the agreement if Britain were to leave. If the EU is focused on working out Britains exit from the EU, CETA ratification will take a back seat and many in the EU will likely want to renegotiate parts of the deal. Britain was one of Canadas biggest allies in negotiating the agreement and a new one would not only take several more years but would also be tougher without Britain having Canadas back. The OECD recently suggested Canadas GDP could suffer a 0.25 per cent drop in 2018 if Britain leaves the EU, which in dollar terms is about $4 billion. Manitoba does not stand to see much direct impact from Brexit largely because the U.K. is a very small factor in Manitobas economy. Within the EU, Germany is a much bigger destination market for Manitoba goods, and globally the United States, China and Japan are the top three destination markets for Manitoba exports. In fact, exports to the United Kingdom from Manitoba dropped in the last few years. with files from The Associated Press mia.rabson@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 20/06/2016 (2319 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The University of Manitoba has raised $394.8 million in its historically ambitious $500-million Front and Centre capital campaign. To be precise, $394,821,382 by Monday afternoon in the first campaign update since the official kickoff eight months ago, fundraising chair Paul Soubry said Monday afternoon. The U of M had had already raised an exceptionally precise $215,294,636.30 by early October in the largest capital fundraising campaign by a public institution in Manitoba history. RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES UCN hopes the midwifery program will be offered in September on the University of Manitoba campus. The updated total includes $150 million in provincial money promised last fall and again in January by former NDP premier Greg Selinger. that promise is not binding on Progressive Conservative Premier Brian Pallister, whose government has yet to commit. The Front and Centre campaign ends in the spring of 2018 in a perfect world, the university would raise $350 million and the province would kick in $150 million. Soubry was confident the university would break the $400-million barrier by the next update Sept. 24 during Homecoming. We are well on our way. We are very close to achieving our $500-million goal, Soubry told a campaign event on campus Monday afternoon that featured major donors and alumni joining in by teleconference. Retired insurance executive Gregg Mason quipped by teleconference that when Soubry told him the goal was $500 million, I thought you were smoking Trudeau cigarettes. Kudos to the entire team, said businessman and philanthropist Hartley Richardson, who singled out the provincial government for its support. The $150 million is an enormous amount of money, and an enormous part of the campaign. But its not binding on the Pallister government; the premier has warned repeatedly that the NDP left the province in such a financial hole that he cant possibly pay for everything the New Democrats promised. Education Minister Ian Wishart said in an interview Monday afternoon that the Tories are still going through every NDP promise on a case-by-case basis. Weve certainly been in contact with them very recently, Wishart said, stressing the importance of education to the Pallister government. It is certainly a very convincing argument. U of M president David Barnard confirmed that it was very recently earlier Monday, in fact. Our conversations have been positive with the government, Barnard said. The NDP had originally planned to provide the $150 million spread out over as many as seven years. Barnard said the universitys expectations for provincial support havent changed. Thats the plan we has from the beginning thats what well move forward with. Soubry said that one in six of the 136,000 living graduates for whom the university has an address, have donated. So far, the campaign has not announced any large donations including a $30 million donation from the Rady family which was not included in the October total. Barnard pointed out that students have contributed $14.2 million just from referenda among students in each faculty and department. U of M Students Union president Tanjit Nagra said that students will be announcing further donations during Homecoming: It is going to be big, she said. The campaign is focused not so much bricks and mortar this time around, though theres a new medical campus building to move nursing from the Fort Garry campus to the new faculty of health sciences to work beside other disciplines; theres a facility for the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, the venerable Tache building becomes an arts centre, and there are repairs a lot of repairs and upgrades. Almost half the money will go to some form of student support. The university has set indigenous education, research, graduate students, student experience and bricks and mortar as its five priorities which coincide with both the universitys strategic plan and its strategic enrolment-management plan. So far, theres plenty of money for student support and for physical projects, and less so for indigenous education and research. The original campaign fundraising goals add up to $577.5 million. The U of M expects those figures to evolve as the campaign progresses and will be adjusted depending on donors wishes for the use of their money, and depending on the campaigns success. The most recent capital campaign raised a record $237.5 million with an initial goal of $200 million. nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 20/06/2016 (2319 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Winnipeg School Division trustees approved a policy Monday night intended to protect the rights of trans and gender diverse students and staff. The policy will be implemented throughout the division effective this September, the WSD said in a release Monday night. It is important that we have a clear and comprehensive policy on trans and gender diverse students and staff, said WSD board chairman Mark Wasyliw in the release. The intent of this policy is not to set any group apart from another, but instead to foster inclusion and understanding for all. JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Winnipeg School Division offices The policy provides support for all students, employees and the school community based on current practices identified in research and educational literature. Inclusive policies and nurturing practices help to build a learning environment in which our most vulnerable students and staff feel safe and valued, the release said. Im extremely grateful for the months of hard work WSD administration has put into developing this policy and the public for providing extensive feedback, said trustee Lisa Naylor, the author of the motion to adopt a Safe and Caring policy. We are taking strong and definable action in making our schools a place of safe, trusting and respectful learning for all students. The WSD also approved a motion to request placing youth bail management/probation officers into schools. WSD is the largest school division in Manitoba with more than 33,000 students and 78 schools. Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 21/06/2016 (2318 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Parliament met in London Monday, so MPs of every party could express their horror and disgust at the murder last Thursday of their colleague Jo Cox, MP for Batley and Spen in West Yorkshire. On Monday everybody did, including the leaders of the Brexit campaign, Boris Johnson and Michael Gove. Heres the odd thing: up to that point, the Brexit leaders had said nothing about it. Nothing. Not a word, for more than three days. The political campaign for the referendum Thursday on Britains continued membership in the European Union was immediately suspended for two days after Coxs murder, but other politicians didnt go to ground like Johnson, Gove and their friends. Prime Minister David Cameron, the leader of Johnson and Goves own Conservative party, Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn, and a host of their fellow MPs gathered in Parliament Square Friday to light candles and lay flowers in tribute to Cox, but the Brexit leaders were conspicuous by their absence. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS A white and red rose are placed on British Member of Parliament Jo Cox's empty seat, in London, Monday. Cameron, Corbyn and many other senior politicians went on TV to condemn what had happened, but Johnson, Gove and their rather embarrassing ally Nigel Farage, the leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP), did not (and you may be sure they were asked to thats what journalists do). They simply vanished from public view, without so much as a ritual statement that their thoughts and prayers were with Coxs family. There are only two possible explanations for this curious non-event. One is space aliens abducted Johnson, Gove and Farage on Thursday for their usual nefarious purposes, and returned them to Earth Sunday with their memories wiped clean of anal probes (for otherwise they would surely have mentioned it). The other is their media advisers told them the only safe course was to say nothing. The Brexiteers were in a difficult position, because Cox was a high-profile campaigner for Remain, the campaign urging Britons to stay in the EU, and the man who killed her, Tommy Mair, was clearly of the opposite persuasion. As he shot and stabbed her, according to eyewitnesses, he was shouting, Britain first or Put Britain first. His motive became even clearer Saturday, when he was brought before a judge to be charged. Asked to state his name, he replied that it is Death to Traitors, Freedom for Britain. The second half of this slogan is, of course, at the heart of the Leave campaigns argument for Brexit. Obviously Johnson, Gove and Farage knew nothing about Mairs intentions, nor approved of them in any way. People could reasonably argue the increasingly nasty tone of the Leave campaign may have served as a trigger for his crime. In the early stages of the campaign the debate was mostly about the relative economic advantages of leaving or staying in the EU, but the Leave side clearly lost that argument, and shifted the debate instead onto the hot-button topic of immigration. This involved a good deal of lying, such as the ridiculous Leave claim Turkey was shortly going to become an EU member, giving 70 million Turks the right to move to Britain. (Turkey has no realistic chance of becoming an EU member in the foreseeable future, and if it ever did fulfil the entrance requirements Britain could simply veto it.) The dog-whistle racism of Leaves anti-immigration campaign was at its worst in a poster UKIPs Farage unveiled just two hours before Cox was murdered, showing an endless column of young men of Middle Eastern appearance marching into Europe and captioned Breaking Point. In other words, quit the EU or Britain too will be drowned in a sea of Muslim fake refugees. The poster was immediately condemned even by Farages allies (Gove said he shuddered when he saw it) but Gove did not go on to say that Middle Eastern refugees who are let in by other EU countries do not gain the right to enter Britain. To admit that would undermine the whole anti-immigrant strategy of the Leave campaign. Philip Toscano / PA via The Associated Press Leader of the UK Independence Party Nigel Farage poses for the media June 16 in front of an EU referendum campaign poster in London. Thats something Gove didnt want to be questioned on. All the more, did he not want to be questioned on possible causal links between the Leave campaigns general strategy of claiming the British people are enslaved by faceless EU bureaucrats in Brussels and of Mairs cry of Freedom for Britain. Neither did any of his Leave colleagues. So the Brexit leaders took their media managers advice and hid themselves away after the assassination of Cox. When Mair gave his name as Death to Traitors, Freedom for Britain in court Saturday, they hid for another day, fearing guilt by association. Now they are back out in the open, hoping nobody noticed their absence. And maybe they didnt, because the British media certainly abstained from commenting on it. But it is also possible that quite a few ordinary voters did notice it, and drew their own conclusions. Well find out Friday. Gwynne Dyer is an independent journalist whose articles are published in 45 countries. Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 21/06/2016 (2318 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. When the Liberal government revisits the prostitution debate later this year, some feminists will once again embrace the prohibitionist position. And once again, they will sidestep uncomfortable truths. For example, rather than acknowledge the link between indoor sex work and enhanced safety conditions for prostitutes, prohibitionist feminists will instead rely on circular arguments. Put simply, paid sex is wrong because it is wrong to purchase sex; therefore, men who purchase sex from women are the source of the problem. This brand of principled moralism, however, has little to do with empiricism and everything to do with ideology. The initial backlash began in 2010 when the Ontario Superior Court of Justice had to decide whether or not the law violated the Charter rights of prostitutes in the Terri-Jean Bedford case. Credible evidence led to two conclusions: (1) indoor prostitution was significantly safer than outdoor prostitution; and (2) the laws in Canada were a direct factor in making outdoor prostitution dangerous. In other words, the law contributed directly to sex workers being beaten, raped and murdered. As Justice Susan Himel noted, significantly more physical violence occurred in street prostitution as compared to (legal) brothels. MARK BLINCH / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES A woman holds a red umbrella, which are used as a symbol for sex workers' rights during a 2013 rally to support Toronto sex workers and their rights. Canada's Supreme Court struck down prostitution laws in a unanimous 9-0 that year. Yet some feminists refused to accept research that challenged their own agenda. In 2011, a coalition of seven abolitionist feminist groups (the interveners) submitted a factum to support the federal governments appeal of Bedford. The interveners not only dismissed Justice Himels findings, that criminal laws expose prostitutes to violence by preventing them from working indoors and adopting specific safety measures, they also insisted the risks associated with sex work were derived from the purchase of sexual services: Contrary to the analysis of the court, indoor prostitution is not safe or healthy for women. The danger to womens security is a function not of the laws constraining prostitution, but of the actions of men who demand the sale of womens bodies. So why would abolitionist feminists so vehemently deny the difference in safety between in-call and out-call prostitution? First, acknowledging this difference provides constitutional validity for in-call sex work, an option radical feminists reject outright since the buyers of sex men would go unpunished. Second, by refuting the impact of location on womens security, prohibitionist feminists do not have to take ownership of the fact their own entrenched position is a contributing factor in violence against sex workers. In place of an evidence-based approach, feminists opposed to legalizing prostitution have forwarded their own gendered solution: asymmetrical criminalization. Under this proposal, the demand for sex would be treated differently than the supply of sex, meaning Canadas current criminal laws violate the constitutional rights of prostituted women but not the rights of buyers, pimps, brothel owner and others who exploit prostituted women. As victimizers, male clients would be charged criminally. As victims, female sex workers would be offered exit strategies. In anticipation of a Supreme Court challenge, the interveners submitted an additional factum in 2013. Predictably, they rejected any qualitative or quantitative data concerning safer indoor working conditions. From their perspective, focus on location distracts attention from the men who are the source of prostitutions harms. Unfortunately for prohibitionists, the claim men universally oppress and exploit prostituted women has proven unpersuasive in courts of law because it is ideologically, not empirically, driven. In 2013, the Supreme Court of Canada in a 9-0 unanimous decision struck down the Criminal Code provisions restricting paid sexual services because the old laws put sex workers at increased risk. Judges do not have the luxury of ignoring evidence or sustaining a gender war. Much to the chagrin of prohibitionists, the new Liberal government has adopted the logic of the judiciary. Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould admitted last year, the safety of the workers is fundamentally important in reducing the incidence of violence against women. By putting the health and welfare of prostitutes above ideology, Wilson-Raybould will be steering law and public policy in a more rational and compassionate direction. Stuart Chambers, PhD, teaches in the faculties of arts and social sciences at the University of Ottawa. schamber@uottawa.ca Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 21/06/2016 (2318 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Bankers and leaders of industry are telling British voters they should remain in the European Union, warning they will pay an economic penalty for pulling out. That judgment is widely shared by investors. World stock markets have been in a slow slide for the last month since polls suggested British voters in the June 23 referendum might decide to take their country out of the EU. A new poll this week, however, showed stronger support for keeping the United Kingdom in the 28-nation trading bloc. The result was a surge in stock prices around the world. Britons, however, are not only listening to their bankers. They are also watching social and cultural changes in their country. Migrants from Poland and other countries of central and eastern Europe have been buying houses in towns of the north of England and the Midlands and sending their children to the schools. To some English people, it doesnt feel like the England they remember. It feels like the foreigners are taking over. Traders on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange The EU is a system by which foreigners take over many aspects of life in all the member countries, including the U.K. Europe has no federal constitution like Canadas marking distinct areas of legislative power. European institutions can legislate in any field the member governments choose. As a result, the role of Brussels-based agencies keeps expanding. From a Little England point of view, that means the foreigners are taking over, quite literally. By the same token, British administrators and policy makers have a matching and expanding role in governing all the other member states. Britons are among the foreigners who are taking over in Ireland, Portugal, Greece, Poland, the Netherlands, and the countries in between. But for English people who love their village and dont get out much, that is small consolation. No one knows how trade would be regulated between Europe and the U.K. should the United Kingdom withdraw. The trade barriers that were removed in 1975 and later years of British participation would presumably come back into force. In some fields, all the countries involved might see advantages in negotiating new trade concessions. In the meantime, and perhaps for a long time, British trade with Europe, which is a major source of employment and income for British people, would be impaired. Europe without the U.K. would be smaller and weaker. Many member countries, including Hungary, Austria, Czech, Greece, and Spain, have important political parties eager to withdraw from the EU. Britains exit from the group would reopen the debate in those countries and might lead to a series of withdrawals. This would re-establish trade barriers on an increasing scale, impairing trade and employment in all trading nations, including Canada. Creation of the EU put an end to the terrible series of wars that devastated European countries for centuries, culminating in the 1914-18 and 1939-45 wars, in which Canadians fought and died. The remarkable half-century of peace and economic expansion Europe has enjoyed would not necessarily end just because of a British withdrawal from the EU, but expansion would be curtailed and peace would be more precarious. Canadas best interest is served by a peaceful and prosperous Europe. If the EU starts to fragment, Canada and its allied nations will have to find some other means of preserving European peace and prosperity. Polling firms have found younger and better-educated Britons are more inclined to keep their country in Europe while older and less well-educated people are more inclined to leave. Time may, therefore, be on the side of keeping the U.K. in Europe. If the Leave side doesnt win this time, they may not get a better chance. The city of Winona will study an agreement for a nonprofit to operate the Masonic Temple as a year-round arts center, after gaining unanimous early interest from the Winona City Council at a Monday meeting. The proposal, presented by Mike Slaggie, would give his associated nonprofit, Hurry Back Productions, approval to run the second and third floors of the Masonic Temple in a way similar to the Bud King Ice Arena, operating it and renting it to others while making improvements, sometimes in partnership with the city. The vision for the project is to eventually move to year- round scheduled events in the space, which Slaggie described as a multi-use performing arts space concentrating on music, theater and film. The location factors heavily into the offer, set near the library and Laird-Norton building thats slated to become an arts hub for WSU, as well as close to Levee Park and Winonas central downtown. We see a lot of opportunities for collaboration with this project, Slaggie said. Slaggie emphasized that the nonprofit would not come to the deal empty-handed, and the groups contribution would include significant renovations like repairing carpets and floors and replacing seating, lights and the sound system. Structural renovations to the heating and cooling system, windows and other aspects of the building identified in previous city studies as required to bring the building up to modern standards would be negotiated through a cost-sharing arrangement with the city, Slaggie said. The decision to go forward with investigating a deal was unanimous, minus council member Gerry Krage who was not present. Council member Michelle Alexander said she thought the partnership would be healthy for the building and community, provided it doesnt ignore the current organizations utilizing the space, including Theatre du Mississippi. Im definitely in favor of that, Alexander said. I love the community, public support with private funding. Mayor Mark Peterson had a similar assessment, with a hope that somehow the historic stage backdrops could be incorporated. The future of the Masonic drops, which the city paid to put into storage in 2014 and which have suffered damage because of wear and tear and the buildings leaking roof, is an open question. Independent consultants have said that given their condition, combined with the cost of having to rebuild the rigging system just to hold the drops, may mean any restoration efforts turn the theater into a museum, rather than an active arts space. I think council should support your proposal and direct staff to look into this further, Peterson said. Im hopeful (the drops) can be a part of the future of the Masonic as well. There is no set timeline for the project at this point, but Slaggie said that if the process moves quickly, the nonprofit could potentially present its first shows in the fall or winter of 2017. City to map out more bike paths Following progressions created in the citys comprehensive plan, two more bike routes will be marked within the downtown area. One route, from Levee Park down Johnson Street, would connect with Winona States campus, and a second along Walnut Street would connect the bike path with an established bike route on Fifth Street. Because the streets are not wide enough for dedicated bike lanes, the city will be using sharrows, or shared lane markings, painted-on symbols featuring a bicycle symbol and chevrons in the lane beyond where cars are also allowed to park. They will be painted two per block, similar to the Wabasha Street bike route, and is expected to cost around $1,000. The markings were improved unanimously, though council member Al Thurley said they should make sure people know what they are and how to function in the road with cars. My only concern is education of both bicycle riders and vehicle drivers, Thurley said. I hope this isnt going to increase the conflict between them. GLENCOE, Wis. Workers from the Goldn Plump chicken company joined in the roundup after a poultry truck crashed in western Wisconsin, spilling live chickens onto the road. The crash was reported just before 9 p.m. Monday in Glencoe. Buffalo County deputies and emergency workers arrived to find a semi on its side. The sheriffs office says the semi was hauling a load of live chickens on River Road when the driver lost control around a corner and the truck tipped, blocking the road. The driver, a 41-year-old Mondovi man, was treated at the scene for minor injuries. The sheriffs office says speed appeared to be a factor, and the driver was cited. Crews from the St. Cloud, Minnesota-based Goldn Plump helped to load the chickens onto another truck. Help wanted: Seasoned Republican politician with Washington experience. Must have high energy, conservative credentials and a strong stomach. Job requires working for mercurial boss who provokes needless crises without warning. On paper, youll be his deputy, but this chief executive prides himself on ignoring others advice. The successful candidate will roll with the punches and subordinate his/her public image to the bosss whims. Four-year, no-exit contract; once youre in, youre in. Would anybody want this job? As Donald Trumps scorched-earth style has driven his poll numbers downward, the question isnt only whom hell pick as his running mate; its also whether leading Republicans are willing to shackle their futures to his. If you take the job, youre betting your reputation and your career on Donald Trump, said Vin Weber, a former Republican congressman from Minnesota who, it must be noted, is not a fan. The presumptive nominee has an albatross around his neck, agreed David Winston, a longtime GOP pollster. The share of voters who have an unfavorable opinion of Trump is higher than weve ever seen for a presidential candidate. That means he isnt just vetting potential running mates; hes going to have to recruit them. If Trump loses the general election, his No. 2 risks collecting a share of the blame. If Trump wins, the new vice president gets to spend four years contending with a boss whose reality TV catchphrase was: Youre fired. Small wonder that the list of prominent Republicans who dont want to be considered is as long as those who are signaling interest. Nominees often find their running mates among the rivals they defeated in the primaries, but Sen. Ted Cruz, Sen. Marco Rubio and Gov. John Kasich are all in the not me camp. Trump has said he would like a vice president with experience in Congress, somebody that can help me with legislation. But some of his partys top figures on Capitol Hill dont appear interested, either. House Speaker Paul Ryan would be a logical candidate; he was Mitt Romneys running mate in 2012, and hes beloved by many conservatives. But while Ryan has formally endorsed Trump, he has repeatedly criticized the real estate mogul, slamming his criticism of a Mexican American federal judge as the textbook definition of a racist comment. Besides, Ryan is passionate about cutting future spending on Social Security and Medicare; Trump disagrees. That marriage isnt going to happen. The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Bob Corker, has traveled to Trump Tower in New York to offer foreign policy advice. But if Corker was initially interested, hes sounding less enthusiastic now. Last week, the senator said he was disappointed by Trumps statements after the mass shooting in Orlando, Fla., in which the presumptive nominee accused U.S. Muslims of harboring terrorists and suggested that President Obama might secretly sympathize with extremists. In an effort to be constructive, I have offered public encouragement (to Trump), but I must admit that I am personally discouraged by the results, Corker told me. Who would take the job? Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the House, has been virtually campaigning for the role. Trump was right about Orlando, he told conservative columnist Byron York. Trump has been warning again and again that this has been getting more dangerous. Trump and Gingrich are also in broad agreement on domestic policy; like Trump, Gingrich criticized Romney and Ryan for proposing cuts to Medicare spending in 2012. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, one of the first primary candidates to endorse Trump, seems eager too all too eager. Hes become a fixture on Trumps campaign, to the extent that The New Yorker reported that he has transformed himself into a sort of manservant, delivering the candidates lunch from McDonalds. (The governors office issued an indignant denial, at least about the lunch.) Christies term as governor ends in January 2018, and he cant run again. But its not clear what hed bring to the ticket; his job approval in New Jersey has plummeted and he has no Washington experience. Trump has said he would consider Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama, the first member of the Senate to endorse him. But Sessions has pointed out that hed be a bad strategic choice, since the GOP shouldnt need extra help in the Deep South. The presumptive nominee has also said he likes Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin, a governor with solid conservative credentials; she has said shes honored to be considered. Contrary to popular belief, its not unprecedented for politicians to decline an offer to run for vice president. Its not even unusual. According to Joel K. Goldstein of St. Louis University, no fewer than seven Democrats in 1972 turned down then-Sen. George S. McGovern, including Sens. Edward M. Kennedy and Walter F. Mondale. Kennedy went on to serve as one of the most powerful senators of modern times. Mondale served as vice president under Jimmy Carter and became the 1984 Democratic presidential nominee. So it doesnt hurt a politicians career to turn down the second spot on the presidential ticket. But its definitely not a good sign for the candidate at the top. While Donald Trump continues to bad-mouth trade deals and all things Mexican (or perceived to be), Gov. Scott Walker was shaking hands in Mexico City, Xochimilco and Guadalajara last week. Thats the difference between campaigning and governing. Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, has been playing off the fears of many Americans who worry an unpredictable and competitive global economy could undercut their employers and cost them their jobs. Walker, no longer a candidate for president, has returned to running state government full time. Last week he pursued an important and much more realistic goal than Trumps talk of building a nearly 2,000-mile wall between the United States and Mexico. Walker hopes to help Wisconsin farmers, manufacturers and entrepreneurs sell more products to our longtime trading partners south of the border. More Wisconsin exports will mean more jobs here. And more commerce in both directions, while challenging for some industries, will improve the overall economies and standards of living in both countries. Free trade encourages higher productivity, which is key to raising Wisconsin incomes. Both nations get to sell more of the products and services theyre best at producing and providing. The GOP governor also touted Wisconsin as a great place for Mexican investment, which could help businesses expand. Trump, in sharp contrast, has treated Mexico as a problem, rather than an opportunity. Trump has claimed he can make Mexico pay for his fanciful wall. Good luck with that. Parts of the border are vast deserts. Trump also has insulted Mexican immigrants as rapists who bring drugs and crime here, and Trump recently claimed an Indiana-born judge was a Mexican and therefore biased against him in a court case. Walker didnt concentrate enough on expanding trade during his first term, so its good to see him pushing for greater exports now. Trump and Bernie Sanders, another populist running for president, though as a Democrat, have railed against trade deals. Presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton has snubbed President Barack Obama, too, on his agreements with a dozen Pacific Rim nations and Europe. But Wisconsin has gained far more from trade deals than it has lost. Rather than killing jobs, trade has led to substantial growth in employment, output and incomes in Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin-Madison economics professor Noah Williams wrote this spring in Forbes magazine. Wisconsin has enjoyed tremendous growth in trade, Williams noted, particularly in higher-wage industries such as engine building. At the same time, consumers have saved money on lower-cost imports, such as sweaters. Wisconsin has a trade deficit in merchandise, the professor acknowledged. But our state has done very well at selling services abroad. More than one in five Wisconsin jobs are tied to trade. Mexico is Americas economic ally. Trumps wall, no matter how tall he imagines it would be, cant stop globalization in the digital age, which is lifting millions of people out of poverty. JUNEAU A 36-year-old Sullivan woman was sentenced to three years of probation after she pleaded no contest to charges that she stole her ex-boyfriends checkbook and wrote two checks to herself, totaling $1,800. Denise Kaercher was found guilty of felony misappropriating ID information to obtain money and misdemeanor theft of moveable property valued at less than $2,500. Kaercher entered a no contest plea before Judge John Storck on Monday who found her guilty of the charges. Storck sentenced Kaercher to three years of probation, withheld. She must pay $1,469.01 in restitution. According to the criminal complaint, on June 12 officers were dispatched to a residence in the township of Emmet for an alleged burglary. Officers made contact with a man who said that his ex-girlfriend, identified as Kaercher, entered his residence without his permission and stole two booklets of checks and had cashed two checks totaling $1,800. Kaercher told officers she had received the checks in the mail from the complainant and she did not write them herself. She admitted to cashing the checks. When asked if she could provide the envelopes in which the checks arrived, Kaercher told officers she threw them out. Kaerchers current boyfriend told officers that Kaercher stole the checks from her ex-boyfriend and had cashed them. WATERTOWN (AP) The top Republican in the Wisconsin state Senate is repeating his call for the GOP to get behind presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said Tuesday that attempts to abandon Trump for some other alternative "is just not going to work." He says doing that would hurt other Republicans on the ballot, including U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson. Fitzgerald told reporters "the idea of abandoning the whole Trump campaign just doesn't make any sense to me." But Fitzgerald admits there are concerns over Trump's "volatility." But Fitzgerald says ultimately Republicans need to "think beyond just the presidential" and work to help Trump and all Republicans on the ballot. His comments come even as fellow Republican Gov. Scott Walker is wavering in his support of Trump. Walker said Tuesday he agrees that delegates to the Republican national convention should be free to vote their conscience, even if that means not supporting presumptive nominee Donald Trump. Walker is a former presidential candidate and a delegate to the convention next month. He told reporters following a groundbreaking at a sausage factory that he will follow Wisconsin Republican Party rules and cast his ballot for Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in the first round because Cruz won the state primary. But he also left open the possibility that the rules could change between now and the convention next month, and gave credence to House Speaker Paul Ryan's comments from last week that delegates should vote their conscience. "I think his comments are legitimate," Walker said. "I think historically, not just this year, delegates are and should be able to vote the way they see fit. ... We'll see how things go between now and the convention as to what the next steps are. I'm not going to speculate now only because you all know the situation may change by this afternoon, let alone between now and the convention." Under Wisconsin rules, at-large delegates like Walker are bound to vote for whichever candidate won statewide. Cruz beat Trump by 13 points on April 5, the billionaire's last defeat before becoming the presumptive nominee. Delegates can switch their votes to another candidate only if they are released or the candidate fails to get 30 percent of the vote in any round at the convention. Walker backed Cruz in the primary, then endorsed Trump when he became the presumptive nominee. But he wavered in his backing since Trump questioned the ability of a judge to be fair in a lawsuit involving Trump University because of the judge's Mexican heritage. Walker said he wanted Trump to rescind those comments and "I still haven't heard those clarified." Accident Friday at 11:23 a.m., someone reported that one vehicle backed into another vehicle in the Beaver Dam Community Hospital parking lot, 707 S. University Ave. Shots fired Friday at 12:52 p.m., someone told police that a child was shooting at anglers with a pellet gun in the 100 block of Haskell Street. The boy will be cited and the gun was turned over to his mother. Accident Friday at 3:50 p.m., a 66-year-old woman reported that she backed into another vehicle in the 200 block of McKinley Street. Disorderly conduct Friday at 5:24 p.m., an employee at Taco Bell, 1739 N. Spring St., told police that 15 teenagers were in the parking lot and running in between car in the drive thru. The teenagers were warned. Fire Friday at 5:50 p.m., someone reported that dumpsters and carts were on fire behind Shopko, 822 Park Ave. Misc. Friday at 7:42 p.m., someone told police that a Cadillac was leaking fuel in the 200 block of Monroe Street. Vandalism Friday at 8:35 p.m., a man reported that a shopping cart was shoved into a fence on his property in the 100 block of Conroy Circle. Intoxicated person Friday at 9:04 p.m., a man told police that his neighbor was yelling at people in her backyard and intoxicated in the 100 block of Vincent Circle. A 46-year-old was warned for disorderly conduct. Suspicious Friday at 10:36 p.m., an employee at Shopko, 822 Park Ave., reported that people in a minivan are attempting to steal carts. Disorderly conduct Friday at 10:42 p.m., a Taco Bell, 1739 N. Spring St., employee told police that people are loitering in the parking lot. Intoxicated person Saturday at 2:32 a.m., a 42-year-old man reported that a man appeared to be intoxicated in a vehicle in the 400 block of South Center Street. Police pulled over a 49-year-old man and arrested him for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Veterans, listen up! Do you hope to have your military service recognized at the time of your funeral? Are you sure that the information necessary to make such arrangements is available to those who will take care of this desire when you have already passed away? Do you even know for sure what military funeral honors you might qualify for? Too often, when a veteran passes in death, the surviving family members and close friends are left with the difficult chore of proving the veterans military service to their country so that military funeral honors can be provided. Whats worse is that they most often have no idea where to begin and have no information of the veterans service dates, service number, branch of service or the type of discharged received. These items of information are often memorized by the now deceased veteran and unavailable for use in planning military funeral rites. The most common mistake made by veterans, particularly those who separated from the military in another state before returning or settling here in Wisconsin, is they did not register their military separation documents in their new county of residence or with the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs. Either one of these actions, or both, will help to ensure that the supporting documentation to authorize immediate military funeral arrangements can be initiated, to include use of the U.S. flag in the ceremony. If you lost your military separation documents, you can order replacements and register them locally. Remember, funeral directors will not provide military honors or even a burial flag unless there is some sort of proof of qualifying military service. Please take a few moments of your time in the near future to find your military service separation documents, make the effort to order replacement documents if they cannot be found, and have them registered with your local county register of deeds. Also, let your family and friends know your desire to have the military honors you deserve at your funeral. While youre doing this, stop by your County Veterans Service Office with your military separation documents and see if there are any veterans benefits available to you that you have failed to take advantage of or have never bothered to apply for. Your CVSO can also assist with locating or retrieving your military separation documents. The Columbia County CVSO can be reached at 608-742-9618 and is located in the courthouse building. WATERTOWN, Wis. Gov. Scott Walker once again shrugged off the persisting rumor that he could be a last-minute "white knight" at the Republican National Convention in July, talking to reporters Tuesday next to a 65-foot-long Johnsonville brat grill. CNN reported late last week, citing "two sources with direct knowledge," that Walker has privately told friends he is "intrigued" by the possibility of allowing himself to be introduced as a challenge to presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump at the convention in mid-July. "Maybe the sources are talking to each other. I don't know," Walker said with a laugh. "No, for me, the only campaign Ill consider anytime in the near future is the possibility of running for re-election. We wont make a decision on that until after this years elections and after the budgets completed next year, but if anything, if Im going to run for anything in the future, it would be re-election if anything at all." The governor spoke with reporters about his remaining concerns with Trump and his thoughts on the convention at an event celebrating the opening of a new Johnsonville Sausage facility in Watertown. Walker said he is still waiting for Trump to clarify statements he made accusing Indiana-born U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel of being biased against him in the Trump University case because of his "Mexican heritage," but he will leave it up to RNC leaders to "figure out what may or may not happen at the convention." Asked about House Speaker Paul Ryan's encouragement for Republican delegates to vote their conscience in Cleveland, Walker said it's a "legitimate" point. "I think historically, and not just this year, delegates are able, are and should be able to vote the way they see fit," Walker said. Walker said he will follow state party rules and cast his first ballot at the convention for Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who won the Wisconsin primary. "We'll see how things go between now and the convention as to what the next steps are," Walker said. "Im not going to speculate now only because, as you all know, the situation may change by this afternoon, not to mention the convention." PARDEEVILLE Adam Milkowski is looking for an apprentice, and fast. With less than two weeks to go before Pardeevilles July 4 festivities, Milkowski, who says hes in his fifth and final year of organizing the parade, wants his successor for the 2017 parade working alongside him, to get an idea of how its done. So far, Milkowski said, nobody has stepped forward, but theres still time a little, anyway. The parade is taking shape, and so are all the other features of an Independence Day celebration that is traditionally one of the biggest in Columbia County. The festivities actually start on July 2, when the rock band Road Trip performs at 8 p.m. at Chandler Parks main shelter. On July 4, events start early, as the Pardeeville Area Business Association hosts its annual scholarship breakfast featuring omelets made in a 5-foot diameter pan from 7 to 10 a.m. in downtown Pardeeville. The parade steps off at noon. According to Milkowski, the Pardeeville High School parking lot which was being resurfaced last year is once again available as a spot for the parade to form. He noted, however, that Oak Street will be closed to general traffic starting at 10 a.m., and only parade units will be allowed to use the road. Near the front of the parade will be the grand marshals, Barry and Margo Pufahl. Barry Pufahl, a retired teacher, is a longtime member of the Pardeeville Village Board and the Columbia County Board of Supervisors. Margo Pufahl is a member of the Pardeeville School Board. In a typical year, Barry Pufahl would march in the parade in a clown suit that he inherited from his mother, and Margo Pufahl would ride on the wagon with the Dual County Community Band, playing her saxophone. Milkowski said he has it on good authority that the clown suit wont be used this year. It may be a little warm for that, he said. The parade will have several special guests, including supporters of the Portage Family Skate Park and about 40 members of the 132nd Wisconsin Army National Guard Band. According to Milkowski, the University of Wisconsin-Madisons marching band had originally intended to participate, but cannot due to scheduling conflicts. In Chandler Park after the parade, the 132nd Band will entertain, as will another ensemble from the band a 10-person country-rock band called Country Enough. Fireworks will start at dusk at Chandler Park. Voluntary donations are being sought to defray the fireworks approximate cost of $8,000. Milkowski said he intends to make this his last year of overseeing the parade, so he can spend more time with his family and enjoy Pardeevilles Independence Day festivities with them. If his successor works alongside him this year and agrees to coordinate the parade next year, he said, hell be available to help at the 2017 parade. But Im not going to run the whole thing, he said. Its a lot of work. Not quite two weeks ago, House Speaker Paul Ryan Kenosha Countys congressman took the plunge and endorsed Donald Trumps Republican bid for the presidency. It wasnt a short leap for Ryan, who had earlier expressed concerns about Trumps brash style and some of his positions. Ryan had said he wasnt ready to endorse Trump, and Trump countered that he wasnt ready to support Ryans House agenda. Then the moment that many observers had believed was inevitable happened: Ryan, on June 2, penned a guest column in his hometown Janesville Gazette, writing that it was Trump, not presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, whom he believed would sign into law the agenda that Ryan and his colleagues were setting forth. Ryan-Trump never seemed an ideal match. Ryan, in a June 3 interview with this editorial board, continued to condemn Trumps proposal to ban Muslims from immigrating into the United States. I think hes wrong, Ryan said then of the Trump controversy du jour, Trumps insistence a Mexican judge who was born in Indiana, by the way was biased against Trump in a case involving one of his businesses. I will continue to speak out when the need arises, Ryan said then. I hope it doesnt have to arise too often. Then came Orlando and Trumps doubling down on anti-Muslim rhetoric that threatens to drive an ever deeper chasm in our deeply divided country. Trump said the temporary ban on Muslims coming to the United States that he is proposing would remain in place until the government can properly and perfectly screen immigrants, The Associated Press reported. Furthermore, he said hed suspend immigration from areas of the world where theres a proven history of terrorism against the United States, Europe and our allies. He effectively blamed Muslim communities for failing to turn in people who they know are bad. They do know where they are, he added. Of the Orlando nightclub shooter, Omar Mateen, Trump noted he was born to Afghan parents who immigrated to the United States. Never mind that Mateens father had already, very publicly, denounced his sons actions, saying he would have arrested him himself had he known of the deadly attack to come. President Barack Obama called Trumps anti-Muslim rhetoric not the America we want. And even high-ranking Republicans were quick to distance themselves from Trumps anti-pluralist talk. Which brings us back to Ryan, who said he didnt think a ban on immigration was in our countrys interest or reflective of our principles not just as a party, but as a country. Ryan is a politician whose principles have inspired us over the years, even when weve disagreed with his positions. Now is the time for him to exercise those principles. Speaker Ryan, our congressman, we ask you, respectfully, to rethink your endorsement of Mr. Trump for president. If it means saving money, Judy Weinstock can load a moving van of free furniture like nobodys business. Thats what the Sauk Prairie School District business executive did last June when architectural firm Plunkett Raysich donated a moving van full of furniture to the district as the company moved its Milwaukee office. Along with assistant superintendent Jeff Wright, Weinstock road home in torrential rain and winds with the furniture in tow and unloaded it into a storage area until it could be moved into the new Bridges Elementary School. She didnt think twice about jumping in a truck and driving to Milwaukee and loading that truck and driving back, Wright said. People who didnt have a chance to work with her in that way wouldnt expect her to wear grubby clothes and travel across the state in a big work truck so we could get some high-quality items donated and could spend that money on something else. Weinstock retires at the end of this month after nine years in the district. Her replacement, Brent Richter of Lodi, starts July 1. Addressing deficits During her time, she repeatedly tweaked budgets at a time when deficits approached $2 million, state aid to schools continued to decline, the district and community were determining which aging school to close. She also participated in a successful $35 million referendum and two major building projects. Operating budget deficits were among the biggest challenges of her first two years, but she wasnt new to the job. She had worked as the business manager of the Barron Area School District for more than 30 years, before coming to Sauk Prairie in 2009. Among the most historic events affecting her job was the passage of Act 10 by the state Legislature in 2011. Act 10 said you can no longer negotiate anything except base salary and everything else is under management rights, Weinstock said. We dont manage our groups like that. We want good employee relations. The inception of Act 10 led to 25 retirements in the district, partly due to a long-standing agreement that included payment of a retired teachers health benefits for two to 10 years, depending on the teachers length of employment. With rising health care costs and the number of retirements, the cost of benefits doubled for the district in 2012. The changes did lead to cost savings as the positions werent immediately replaced, or new hires came in at lower salaries. There could have been a better way to accomplish the goals of controlling costs, Weinstock said. Im not sure thats what the politicians real reason was for approaching it the way they did. We may have saved some money, but it was nothing dramatic. Even before Act 10, the legislature decreased state aid to public schools, and in the last state budget, aid was frozen with no increase. With revenue limits also part of the law governing school finance, taxes could not be raised to make up for the losses. Weinstock said the cost for many products and services used by the district continue to rise. For instance, water rates in Prairie du Sac are proposed for an increase because of the need to improve the villages infrastructure. The increase represents $8,000 to $10,000 in added costs to the district. I understand from the villages side what they need to do, Weinstock said. They have to have money to operate. But I dont have a means to increase my revenue to cover that increase. I cant just go to the taxpayer and tack that on. This money will come out of our existing budget. Major projects Weinstock spent the biggest portion of the last 2 1/2 years managing the districts $36 million in referendum spending on numerous building and improvement projects, the largest of which was the construction of Bridges Elementary School and its adjoining administrative office complex, and the expansion and renovation of the rural Tower Rock Elementary School last year. She said Wright also played a critical role in design plans that honor the surrounding environment of the Wisconsin River Valley. Jeff Wright and I worked very close in all of this, Weinstock said. Jeff and I spent a lot of hours reading blueprints and in meetings. She found herself on a construction site wearing a hard hat, helping make daily decisions as the projects moved along through last summer. For everything you see, there was a decision that had to be made, Weinstock said. If I had to stop and find someone every single time to get an answer or authorization, it would have really slowed down the process. Retirement plans Weinstock said she has no definitive plans on what shell do in retirement, other than spend more time with her two children and grandchildren living in northern Wisconsin and Chicago. But she said its a life change that comes with emotion and melancholy, but no regrets over the move from Barron to Prairie du Sac. I will miss the people I work with here, Weinstock said. Weve gotten to be friends. Its not just a job. District superintendent Cliff Thompson said Weinstock will be missed and that her contributions are difficult to measure. Judys desire to strive for continued improvement in every task and project that she engaged in resulted in growth and advancement in multiple areas of school culture and learning, facility care and maintenance for students and staff alike, Thompson said. School board president Richard Judge echoed the sentiments. To be spending her final years in our district flushing out the literally thousands of details involved in the referendum is a fitting way to end her career, Judge said. She probably wont need her hard hat in retirement. Like most high school seniors, Cody Holby faced a decision as he neared graduation in 2015. At the time, the Reedsburg Area High School senior was considering attending college, but wasn't sure it was the best move for him. Hed discovered he was good at metal working, and the Reedsburg campus of Madison College offered related courses. But Holby already had a job at a local machine shop and liked the work. He decided to continue with his job full-time. A few months later, it looked like the decision may have backfired. As the company where he worked sought to downsize, Holby represented one of its most recent hires and was laid off. Skills in place Despite the setback, Holby sought to stay in the trades and leverage the skills he developed in Reedsburg Area High School technology education teacher Mike McCarvilles classes. Holby called his uncle Chip Schneider, owner of TMC Improvements in the Wisconsin Dells area, and asked for a job. TMC performs a variety of construction projects, and Schneider gave him a chance. It seems no kids want to go into the trades anymore, Schneider said. I didnt go to college and I make a very good living. Im not a ba-zillionaire, but I make a living. In five years, maybe I wont want to do this anymore. Cody could take over the business. Not a bad prospect for a 19-year-old high school graduate. Cody got involved in construction, then he was certified in asbestos abatement, McCarville said. Thats not something that most people get into, so it makes him valuable because of that. Hell do just fine in this world without any formal education beyond high school. Holby said hes happy and making good money, instead of paying back student loans like many of his peers. I decided to work instead of go to school, Holby said. I just enjoy doing all the work. Its never the same thing. Im very happy where Im at. I can go out and buy the things I want. Declining enrollment The number of students headed to college in the United States is in decline. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2016 overall postsecondary school enrollments decreased 1.3 percent from 2015. In each of the past four years, college enrollment has declined by about 1 percent. The growing amount of student loan debt in the nation, now at $1.23 trillion, is leading some to reconsider whether college is the best option. Of the 43 million U.S. residents with student loan debt, 12 percent are delinquent on payments. Todd Lassanske, general manager at McFarlane Manufacturing in Sauk City, which builds and sells an array of farming implements, said developing a relationship with the Sauk Prairie School District has become important for the business to develop potential employees. Its been my passion about the idea of getting more involved with the middle school and high school and developing the next generation of staff to let people know there are awesome careers right in Sauk City in manufacturing. He said work can be more appealing than attending college and running up student loan debt. All of a sudden folks come out of college who are over qualified and just invested in $100,000 and want a return, Lassanske said. In a year, students can dig themselves a $40,000 hole, when in the meantime they could have been making $30,000 or 40,000. Apprenticeships return As college participation declines, the Wisconsin Youth Apprenticeship Program is growing to prepare some of those students for the workforce. Shelley Drescher is the work-based learning coordinator for the Cooperative Educational Service Agency District 5, one of several such agencies across the state that oversee the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development program. In five years, participation has more than doubled from 55 students and 54 employers to 126 students and 112 employers. CESA 5 serves 35 school districts in Sauk, Columbia, Marquette, Juneau, Adams, Waushara, Portage and Wood counties. Drescher said more than half of the participants are in agriculture-related fields, followed closely by manufacturing jobs. Some of our employers hire the students after they complete the program and offer to pay for some of their education, Drescher said. Weve bridged the youth apprenticeship to the adult registered apprenticeship for certification. Alternative to college When Tim Nicholson graduated from Portage High School in 2014, he had a job, but planned to attend Madison College. That was until he found out about the Youth Apprenticeship. He knew he wanted to be a tool and die maker, and, as part of the Youth Apprenticeship, went to work for Apollo Tool Co. in Westfield. Nicholsons dad owns a gun shop where he and his older brother helped out in their younger years. I did gunsmithing, and a lot of that relates to machining and tool and die, Nicholson said. I was already exposed to that quite a bit. Portage had good shop classes with Rich Hemler. He was one of the ones who pushed me to look at Apollo. His employer offered to pay for the next step the adult apprenticeship program, in which he gets paid to work and attend class once every two weeks. Once he has completed the 10,500 hours, or five years of the program, hell have a journeymans certificate. I would definitely recommend it to anybody because youre getting paid for schooling and work, Nicholson said. Its good money. Every so many hours you complete, you have to get a percentage raise of what a journeyman would be making. He said the experience is invaluable. One of the biggest things with Youth Apprenticeship is you get some hands-on experience with work and school, Nicholson said. Its a different world working in the industry than in a school setting, and you get to see what you need to focus on while youre still in school. Return on investment Drescher said Nicholson is an example of the growing success of the Youth Apprenticeship Program. She said the return on investment in the program is $4.31 for every dollar, based upon money received by the state compared to the employer-paid wages students earn. She said college applications ask whether a student participated in any Youth Apprenticeship programs, so its helpful to those who might decide to further their education. That will be important for Ben Bonneville, a senior at Sauk Prairie High School, who is in his second year of a 900-hour Youth Apprenticeship at McFarlane Manufacturing. He plans to study engineering at Madison College. Hes got as much experience as I would have ever hoped for as a junior in college, Lassanske said. We also have three or four key staff that have graduated from high school in the last five or six years and made a career in different venues in our shop. But we need more of them. Bonneville has immersed himself in advanced physics and math in school. Hes from a family of engineers, and uses computer-aided design programs to create small pieces for use in the high school technology classes. Getting ahead McFarlane Manufacturing recently switched over to new computer aided design software, and one of Bonevilles responsibilities is to update existing design files. Hes also out in the shop with the welders, fabricators, assembly and paint staff. Despite his youthfulness, Bonneville's comfort with the manufacturing plant is clear as he walks through various departments and into the assembly area. This is the Swiss Army knife of the whole factory, he said, spreading his arms. I like it here. I think Ill like it more and more as I get more involved with more exciting tasks. Other work The tourism industry in Wisconsin Dells provides many opportunities for young people, whether they plan to start college in the fall or not. Wisconsin Dells School District superintendent Terry Slack said the service industry is an excellent source of jobs for students. We have a low unemployment rate in the Dells, Slack said. As our economy has grown, tourism has recovered very nicely from the recession. Employers are looking for workers. We have excellent local employers. Manufacturing is another area where Dells students can get exposure beyond the classroom. Our freshman and sophomores went on a field trip to expose them to a manufacturing setting, Slack said. They went over to Flambeau and some students said they were surprised how clean the work environment was there. They have a fixed mindset that its dark and dirty in those places. They were impressed with the high-tech applications. It was good for them to be exposed to that. He said more focus has been put on science, technology, engineering and math. Slack said it's important for students to learn basic reading, writing and arithmetic, but there's more to education today. "Technology is part of our everyday lives," he said. "Critical thinking and problem solving is part of that. Service jobs In an area like Wisconsin Dells with a large tourism-based economy, many students consider careers in the service industry. Jane Hemming said many students from her high school culinary classes go on to culinary school or related jobs. I think a lot of kids when they start the introductory level just want to learn to cook for themselves when theyre on their own, Hemming said. I also see some kids love culinary arts and want to go on to a career. People have no idea how smart you have to be and talented to be a chef. They have to know what theyre doing. Joseph Clemons is among those students who developed a passion for cooking in Hemmings class. He works at Culvers in Portage plans to study at a culinary school after he graduates next year. The schools really helped me get to where I need to be," Clemons said. "They guide you through the classes you should be in to get into your field of interest. Working at Culver's also has helped. Its nice because Culver's works with you and really wants you to move up in the business," he said. "I worked my way up to crew trainer and Im now training other people. Lassanske, who is a member of the Sauk-Columbia-Marquette Counties Manufacturing Council, said manufacturing environments like McFarlane Manufacturing have a lot to offer prospective employees and are looking to hire quality workers. Its difficult to find good, hirable candidates, he said. It doesnt mean they need a four or even two-year degree. We give them a pathway to grow. We train them on the job and send them to training whenever it makes sense. Critical thinking Bill Milton, owner of Fun Co. in New Lisbon, which manufactures electronic video and arcade games and equipment, said he welcomes student employees and often gives tours of his facility to high school students. Its awesome because they get good experience and they see its not all screw drivers and drills, Milton said. Students are eager to learn and they do what theyre asked to do. My whole goal is to keep people interested in manufacturing. Milton said he has three college and four high students among a staff of 52 employees. Brooklyn Steinmetz is 17 and will be a senior at Royall High School in Elroy. She is working at Fun Co. for her third summer. She said its still too early to know what career field shell pursue. She said her job has been a learning experience in both critical thinking and in working with other people. Its helped in math and problem solving, Steinmetz said. Im always going through numbers. I have social skills I learned here. I want to do something with a lot of other people around. I have people around me all the time and you have to ask for help at times. I learned that youre going to make mistakes before you learn to do something. They taught me that and then I just fix the mistake the next time. Milton said the most basic skills are sometimes the most challenging for employers to instill, like a work ethic. The no. 1 skill anybody learns is that you have a start time and its about showing up every day on time ready to work, Milton said. I can work with anybody whos willing to work and learn. You dont have to be super fast or a superstar, you have to be willing to work and learn. Manufacturing isnt just a factory; its sales, purchasing, sourcing and accounting. Thats why I like having the kids here so they see all that. Wisconsin company wrestles with the FDA over an infant formula Nikos Linardakis says the FDA has stymied efforts that he and James Esselman have made to launch their Bene Baby Co.s product. Remembrance, hope: Williamsburg embraces Orlando Not victims, people Pictured are some of the 49 people killed inside an Orlando, Florida, gay nightclub recently. William & Mary and the surrounding community held a service Monday in their honor. Photo - of - Hide Caption They read the names from Orlando:Edward Sotomayor ... Stanley Almodovar ... Luis Omar Ocasio Capo ... Juan Ramon Guerrero ... Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera.During a 75-minute Remembrance and Hope service at William & Marys Commonwealth Auditorium Monday night, several hundred faculty, students, staff and local community members gathered to memorialize the 49 people who were killed during a June 12 nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida.George Greenia, William & Mary professor emeritus, and student Katie Baldewin 17 paused after each name, allowing the audience a moment to imagine what they may have looked like, ponder what they might have done for a living anything to make them more than a victim or sad statistic.The congregation heard prayers and commemorations from Jews, Hindus, Muslims, members of the LGBTQ community, Baptists, Lutherans, Methodists, Episcopalians, Unitarians and Presbyterians.David Katz, a rabbi, led the Jewish Mourning Prayer, both in Aramaic and English, ending with May the one who creates harmony above, make peace for us and for all Israel, and for all who dwell on earth.Andy Ballentine, pastor of St. Stephens Lutheran Church, prayed for healing for all people whose fear of others bears the fruit of anger and suspicion and hatred. Where hearts are fearful and constricted we pray you give courage and hope. Where anxiety and despair is infectious and widening, we pray you give peace and reassurance.There was condemnation of the attack, carried out by a single male shooter who claimed allegiance to ISIS.Let me tell you that whatever religious ideology he claims to follow, he and I do not follow the same Islam, said William & Mary student Ayat Elhag 17.Elhag also pledged that the Muslim community would stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ community.These innocent victims are not your victims, she said. They are you, and me, and all of us.There were many calls for compassion and mutual understanding, as expressed by John Whitley of the Williamsburg Unitarian Universalists. He read a missive from the All Dulles Area Muslim Society saying, in part:This horrific Orlando attack should not be used to vilify and stereotype the peaceful, law-abiding Muslim community in America. Islam absolutely condemns and forbids terrorism and extremism ... Islam promotes the sanctity of human life, the dignity of all humans and the respect for human and civil rights. Islam teaches religious freedom and emphasizes the same universal moral values accepted by the majority of people of all backgrounds. These are the same principles on which the U.S. Constitution was established and the Bill of Rights was approved.And, there were pleas for action.Pallavi Rudraraju 17, president of the Hindu, Sikh and Jain Students Association, made a seemingly simple request.If theres one thing Id ask you today, it would be to make available your religious space to queer people, she said, before singing the Hindu Prayer of Sending. There are too many religious queer people who do not go to their places of worship because they are afraid of being shunned.Charles Swadley, faith outreach coordinator for the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, agreed.We [must] invite the LGBTQ community to engage in conversation in our places of worship, he said, to be with us. We ask our places of worship to provide a safe space to reveal ourselves and to offer the hospitality to receive strangers and transform them into friends We need to invite the Muslim community to help us know them as neighbors and to remove the fears of the unknown.Leslie Revilock, advisor to the Compassionate Action Board and I-Faith, William & Mary's interfaith student group, read the universitys Charter of Compassion, in part saying, The principle of compassion lies at the heart of all religious, ethical and spiritual traditions, calling us always to treat all others as we wish to be treated ourselves. Compassion compels us to work tirelessly to alleviate the suffering of our fellow creatures, to dethrone ourselves from the throne of the center of our world and put another there, and to honor the viable sanctity of every single human being, treating everyone without exception with absolute justice, equity and respect. China News on Women Sorry, the page you requested was not found. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Womenofchina.cn, try visiting the Womenofchina Home page Contract for Tianwan III nuclear islands 21 June 2016 Share A contract has been signed for the civil construction of the nuclear islands of Phase III of the Tianwan nuclear power plant in Jiangsu province. Construction of unit 5 has already begun, while that of unit 6 is scheduled to start next year. The contract signing ceremony (Image: CNEC) The contract was signed by China Nuclear Power Engineering general manager Liu Wei and China Nuclear Industry Huaxing Construction general manager Chen Baozhi at a ceremony held on 17 June in Nanjing. China Nuclear Power Engineering is a subidiary of China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) and China Nuclear Industry Huaxing Construction is part of China Nuclear Engineering Corporation (CNEC). Construction of Tianwan 5 and 6 was originally scheduled to start in early 2011. However, following the March 2011 accident at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi plant, the Chinese government suspended the approval of new nuclear power projects. The Tianwan Phase III units were amongst those suspended. However, the latest Five-Year Plan calls for construction of Phase III of the Tianwan plant in Jiangsu province to be accelerated. The State Council gave its approval for Tianwan units 5 and 6 - both featuring 1080 MWe ACPR1000 reactors - on 16 December 2015. First safety-related concrete was poured for unit 5 on 27 December. Unit 5 is expected to enter commercial operation in December 2020 and unit 6 in October 2021. Tianwan Phase I - units 1 and 2 - was constructed under a 1992 cooperation agreement between China and Russia. First concrete was poured in October 1999, and the units were commissioned in June 2007 and September 2007 respectively. Tianwan Phase II - units 3 and 4 - will be similar to the first stage of the Tianwan plant, comprising two Russian-designed 1060 MWe VVER-1000 pressurized water reactors. First concrete for unit 3 was poured in December 2012, while construction of the fourth unit began in September 2013. Construction of unit 4 entered the equipment installation phase, following placement on 26 September last year of its containment dome. These units are expected to start operation this year and next, respectively. The Tianwan plant is owned and operated by Jiangsu Nuclear Power Corporation, a joint venture between CNNC (50%), China Power Investment Corporation (30%) and Jiangsu Guoxin Group (20%). Researched and written by World Nuclear News Related topics Kounzong Saebphang By: Wayne Morin A monk was arrested on a charge of distributing child pornography after allegedly possessing and distributing child pornography from a Buddhist temple, according to police in California. Riverside police said that man in the United States on a religious worker visa, was charged with one count each of possession of child pornography and distribution of child pornography. Kounzong Saebphang, 26, of Laos, is charged with two felonies and was scheduled to be arraigned at Riverside County Superior Court in Riverside. Saebphang was arrested at the Wat Lao Buddhist Monastery in Riverside, where he resided as a monk. The arrest came subsequent to the execution of a federal search warrant at that location. The investigation began last year, when the Riverside County Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement (SAFE) task force received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about the possible distribution of child pornography. SAFE investigators sought assistance from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcementas Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents assigned to the task force after determining there could be international implications. Based on the evidence in the case, it is alleged that Saebphang possessed child pornography on at least one digital device found at his residence at the monastery and that he distributed child pornography to another person through a social media website. After his arrest, Saebphang was booked at the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside, where he is being held in lieu of $10,000 bail. If convicted as currently charged, Saebphang faces a maximum sentence of three years and eight months in state prison. Oliver and Aria Orr By: Mahesh Sarin (Scroll down for video) Police launched an investigation after the 3-year-old twin children of a police officer died in a hot car on Saturday, according to police in Louisiana. Bossier City police said that Oliver and Aria Orr, were found inside their parentsa pick up truck while their mother was asking her neighbors if they saw her children. The two children were rushed to the hospital, where they were pronounced dead. According to the police investigation, the girl and boy could have been inside the truck for two hours before they were found. The temperature at the time was 93 degrees. The father of the children was identified as Travis Orr, who is a deputy at the Bossier Sheriffs Office. The couple has another child named Maddox. Police revealed that Oliver was released from the hospital three weeks ago, after suffering a near fatal injury. So far, no charges have been filed. Asian investors alter skyline of Los Angeles, enter retail businesses Updated: 2016-06-21 07:12 By Chang Jun in Los Angeles(China Daily) Chinese homebuyers at a real estate exhibition for overseas projects. [Photo provided to China Daily] Asian investment, including billions of dollars from China, is changing the skyline of downtown Los Angeles. Investors have begun to diversify away from low-risk properties and into sectors such as retail and development projects, expanding their search outside gateway cities. Industry insiders discussed the trend in the booming Southern California real estate market at a panel discussion at the SELECT LA Investment Summit, an international trade event on Friday in Los Angeles that drew some 250 participants from 30 countries and regions. The face of Los Angeles has changed dramatically in recent years, said Hilda Solis, a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, in her keynote speech. Chinese investment in US real estate accounted for 7 percent of the foreign total in 2015, a number that many industry observers, such as Todd Tydlaska, executive vice-president at commercial real estate company CBRE, and Bill Allen, CEO of the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp, consider an underestimate. It's difficult to get a handle on the size of Southern California real estate transactions by private companies and individuals from China, which might cause a misreading of the precise performance of Chinese direct investment and market penetration, said Christine Cooper, senior vice-president of the Institute for Applied Economics, affiliated with LAEDC. According to a survey by CBRE, 28 percent of global investors choose the multifamily/residential segment as their preferred property sector, followed by office (24 percent), industrials/logistics (23 percent) and retail (17 percent). Global investors are advised to widen their property searches to new areas, seeking lower-priced properties with higher returns, said Tydlaska, adding that inland US and midwestern states are seeing a growth in foreign investment. Los Angeles, however, remains a preferred destination for foreign investment, especially for Chinese investors. Since 2014, Chinese developers such as Shanghai-based Greenland Holding Group Co Ltd, Beijing-based China Oceanwide Holdings Group and Shenzhen Hazens Real Estate Group have made headlines with their multi-tower mega developments in downtown Los Angeles. Greenland USA is constructing the first and second phases of its $1 billion, 195,090-square-meter Metropolis mega project in the South Park area of LA. The first phase, which includes the 18-story, 350-room Hotel Indigo and a 38-story condo tower, is scheduled to be completed this year. Oceanwide broke ground on its $1 billion, 69,800-square-meter Oceanwide Plaza in March. The project has one 49-story tower and two 40-story towers, with 504 condominiums and 183 hotel rooms. In 2014, Hazens spent $105 million to acquire the Luxe City Center Hotel at 1020 South Figueroa Street and Olympic Boulevard to construct three high-rises. The first phase of the project aims to create a 30-story hotel with 250 rooms and a 30-story condominium tower. The second phase will demolish the old hotel and raise a 42-condominium tower with 650 condos and 7,900 square meters of retail space on two floors. Sonnet Hui, executive project director of Hazens Group US, said that the $700 million project represents Hazens' first ground-up development in the US. The company broke into the local market with a purchase of the 802-room Sheraton Hotel at Los Angeles International Airport in December 2013. To improve competence, Chinese investors need faster decision-making and greater transparency around capital availability, said Tydlaska at CBRE. "We will pool all our resources together," said Hui, adding that Hazens US will function as a traditional real estate developer to translate its success in China to Los Angeles. Road Closures + Park & Ride Information Released For Stereophonics Gig This article is old - Published: Tuesday, Jun 21st, 2016 Further details for the Stereophonics gig have been made available , detailing park and ride systems and the various road closures for the event. Yesterday we reported how visitors to the Stereophonics gig in Wrexham and members of the public were being advised to be aware of the arrangements for the event, with further details being released this afternoon. The Glyndwr University Racecourse Stadium will host a landmark concert by the Welsh rockers on Saturday, July 2. Wrexham Council and event organisers are keen to minimise any disruption, with traffic controls in place on routes approaching the stadium and into town. A number of controlled and diverted routes will be in place. Mold Road will be one-way out of town from 1pm until 9.45pm, with all inbound traffic (including residents, the Park and Ride service and coaches to the event) to use alternative directed and diverted routes into the town. The Park and Ride service and any coaches to the event will be directed through town, either via Ruthin Road or Chester Road, and be allowed to drop off on the inbound side of Mold Road before re-joining the outbound carriageway. This will be monitored and directed by traffic management operatives with Amberon. Residents will also have to access the roads opposite the stadium via the town centre. There will be a full closure of the Mold Road from 9.45pm whilst the stadium is emptying, though residents on neighbouring residential streets will continue to have access, managed by Amberon operatives. For the night time full closure, Central Road emerging from Central Retail Park (near Dunelm Mill) will be coned down to one lane, and traffic will be directed into Regent Street, towards town. Access to nearby Wrexham General Station will be managed by operatives Crispin Lane will be closed at access to the rear of the stadium. A Park and Ride bus service will run between the Councils offices on Ruthin Road and the stadium in a bid to minimise traffic through the town. Proper signage will be in place to direct concert-goers to appropriate car parks or the Park and Ride facility. Cllr David Kelly, Lead Member for Public Protection at Wrexham Council, said: While we welcome the fact that the Stereophonics will play in Wrexham, we are keen to ensure that where we can, we can curb any potential disruptions to neighbouring residents and amenities. Controls will be put in place so as to properly manage the traffic expected as a result of the live performance, and we appreciate that this will cause disruption to anyone who might normally use the road. Nevertheless, with all correct controls in place, we hope to keep disruption to a minimum. Lynda Powell, Director of Operations at Wrexham Glyndwr University, added: Having major names appear at the stadium is going to have a positive impact on the region, with thousands of people attending from all corners of the UK and beyond. We are delighted to be hosting this concert and would like to thank the council and our partners for their work in ensuring the event runs smoothly and safely. (We had contacted the event promotors kilimanjaro and are still awaiting further information from them) Jinqiao Group denies building Tesla's production base in Shanghai Updated: 2016-06-21 11:01 By Du Xiaoying in Beijing and Shi Jing in Shanghai(chinadaily.com.cn) Visitors look at a Tesla Model X electric SUV and Model S electric cars on display during the 14th Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, also known as Auto China 2016, in Beijing, China, May 3 2016. [Photo/IC] Jinqiao Group denied on Tuesday that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Tesla Motors Inc to build Tesla's production facilities in Shanghai. Shares of the public-listed arm of the Shanghai government-owned company surged to daily limit on Tuesday morning after Bloomberg reported it has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Tesla. "We have not signed any document with Tesla," the company said in a statement Tuesday afternoon after its shares suspending trading. An unnamed source also told China Daily on Tuesday that Tesla did not sign a memorandum with Jinqiao Group. The source, who asked not to be identified as the matter is very sensitive, said the location of Tesla China factory is still under the stage of evaluation therefore the company has not yet signed off on any memos. Tesla released a statement on Tuesday saying the company wouldn't comment on rumors or speculations. Tesla plans to build a factory in China by the end of 2018. China has become Tesla's second largest market after the United States in the first quarter of 2016, with a more than 300 percent annual growth rate. Tesla faces import duties of 25 percent. A Socialist Equality Party election campaign team last week visited Boolaroo, a southwestern suburb of Newcastle, where the closure of Pasmincos Cockle Creek lead and zinc smelter has left a legacy of soil contaminated with lead, cadmium and other heavy metals, and where childrens blood tests have revealed high levels of lead. The team, led by John Davis, a SEP Senate candidate for New South Wales in the July 2 federal election, spoke to residents about the issues facing the working class in the election, including the corporate and government contempt for the health and safety of workers and their families. This contempt is typified by what has happened in Boolaroo, where a new housing development was opened up on the smelter site in order to recover money for Pasmincos creditors, who were owed $2.6 billion. According to long-time residents, slag from the smelter was also used or dumped in other parts of the Newcastle-Lake Macquarie region. Pasminco closed the smelter in 2003, after it became unprofitable and declared bankruptcy, throwing 350 workers out of a job. In supposedly remediating the site, the bankruptcy administrator, Ferrier Hodgson, sought to avoid liability for environmental damage. This was only possible because the state Labor government accepted Ferrier Hodgsons arguments that Pasmincos legal obligation to remediate homes lapsed when the smelter closed. In 2008, the governments Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) secretly agreed to a cap and cover policy. Contaminants were to be placed in a 45-metre high, 1.9 million cubic metre block, which was capped and upon which sporting fields would be built. Labor then adopted a Lead Abatement Strategy that meant homes received token treatment on voluntary basis, while public spaces were not treated at all. In November 2014, after the EPA and Ferrier Hodgson claimed the clean-up was complete, research led by Macquarie University environmental science professor Mark Taylor found soil samples containing lead up to 14 times the national soil guidelines of 300 milligrams per kilogram. The Boolaroo Public School playground was 300 percent above the safe limit. Davis and the SEP team spoke to John, a retired worker who has lived in Boolaroo all his life. He oversaw the distribution of the smelters granulated slag, which can contain toxic compounds, including high levels of lead. John told Davis that both the Lake Macquarie and Newcastle city councils used the slag in water pipe trenches or dumped it straight into lakes. He said the slag could still be found in places like Elebana where it washes up onto the shore. During the smelters heyday, the sulfuric acid fumes would choke you and make your eyes water, John said. The top of the hill, which is now the site of a new housing development, used to be completely brown from the pollution in the soil. At one point, soil tests found that cadmium had leached into the ground there. Asked whether Pasminco or the authorities were concerned about the environmental impact of the smelters operation, John commented: They were not even interested, all they are concerned with is the almighty dollar. Michael , who worked for nine and a half years as a fitter at the site, said residential areas were not remediated to the original specifications, which required the removal and replacement of soil down to 100 millimetres. His neighbours yard was dug by hoes from the contracted company down to just below grass level. Soil samples were only taken down to 50 mm. In their discussions with residents, Davis and the SEP team explained that both the Liberal-National Coalition government and the opposition Labor Party were conducting campaigns based on lies and evasions. Because of the rapidly worsening economic situation globally and in Australia, all their promises would be ditched after the election. Except for the SEP, all the other parties were hiding any reference to the fact that the Australian ruling elites commitment to Washingtons war preparations against China posed immense dangers to workers in the Asia-Pacific area and throughout the world. One female worker said she had always voted Labor, as a family tradition, but her experience in recent years meant she would never do so again and that an alternative was necessary. A Coles supermarket worker said there was no difference between the Coalition and Labor and the election would change nothing. She depended on Sunday wage penalty rates to survive and was enraged by the push to cut the rates and the fact that the trade unions did nothing for workers. Another worker agreed that the refugee crisis was caused by the wars in which Australia had participated, destroying entire cities in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and Syria, but disagreed that Australia could shelter them. The team explained the SEP defended the right of workers to live and work in any country with full citizenship rights. The SEP and its sister parties internationally fought to create a world without borders and one in which no one would be forced to leave their home because of war, economic exploitation or political oppression. This required the unification of the international working class to abolish capitalism and its outmoded nation-state system. To contact the SEP and get involved, visit our web site or Facebook page. Authorised by James Cogan, Shop 6, 212 South Terrace, Bankstown Plaza, Bankstown, NSW 2200. The murder of Labour Party MP Jo Cox by the fascist Thomas Mair is being cynically utilised by the campaign for the UK to remain in the European Union (EU), to be decided in Thursdays referendum. Monday was set aside by parliament to pay tribute to Cox. In unprecedented scenes, all MPs wore white roses in the House of Commons, as tributes were made by Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and others. Despite it being against the rules, at the end of the session, MPs rose in unison to applaud. Following the tributes, MPs filed out of parliament in pairs in what the Guardian described as a procession of cross-party unity for a service held in the nearby St Margarets Church. Corbyn, together with the vast bulk of Labour MPs, is backing Camerons campaign for a Remain vote. Yet to cover up his alliance with a government carrying out savage attacks against the working class, Corbyn began the referendum campaign by saying that he would not appear together on a platform with the Tory prime minister. Now he does little else. Indeed, his speech Monday was virtually identical to that delivered by Cameron, and he walked with him afterwards to the church. Since Coxs death, Corbyn has not uttered a word about the mounting evidence of the fascist politics of her killer. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) told Westminster Magistrates Court on Saturday that Mair told police he was a political activist. On Monday, before parliament met, the United States-based Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), which previously noted Mairs connections to the neo-Nazi US organisation, National Alliance, revealed that he was among those attending a meeting held in 2000 of well-known British fascists. Among them was Stephen Cartwright, who was affiliated with the Scottish branch of the British National Party Mairs attendance at the meeting was known to both UK and US intelligence services. The SPLC notes, Todd Blodgett, an American who was then a paid informant for the FBI and also met with MI5 states that Mair was present. It adds, Blodgett had helped arrange the meeting at the request of William Pierce, then head of the neo-Nazi National Alliance In Parliament, Corbyn called for a rejection of the well of hatred that killed Cox, referring only to what increasingly appears to have been an act of extreme political violence. Coxs death was an attack on democracy, and our whole country has been shocked and saddened by it and was united in grief, he added. He appealed for a kinder and gentler politics, saying this is not a factional party political point. Politicians have a responsibility not to whip up hatred or sow division, he added. This judicious application of political chloroform by Corbyn was in keeping with Mondays proceedings. One would not have known from the vast majority of tributes that Cox had been slaughtered in the street by a fascist, who opposed her strong advocacy in favour of EU membership. Only once, in the speech of Labour MP Stephen Kinnock, was the word assassination used to describe Coxs killing. Corbyns call for a kinder and gentler politics only serves to gloss over the filthy, xenophobic atmosphere that has been whipped up not only by the Leave campaign, but also by Remain. The supporters of EU membership have responded to the Leave challenge by constantly reinforcing their own demonising of immigrants. After the briefest of pauses following Coxs death, its now business as usual for the most xenophobic and anti-working class forces within the political elite who will stop at nothing to secure a Leave vote on Thursday. They reacted with fury to the move by the Remain campaign to utilise Coxs murder to support staying in the EU. Until last week, Leave had established a significant lead in the polls. But since Coxs death, polls show an increase in support for Remainwith Remain either running even or slightly ahead of Leave. On Sunday evening, the BBCs Question Time hosted another debate, with Cameron answering questions from an audience equally comprised of Remain, Leave and undecided voters. Once again, virtually the entire programme was given over to the issue of immigrationin particular the claim that Turkeys accession to the EU will lead to a flood of millions of people into the UK. Cameron was denounced following his Question Time appearance by the Daily Express, which cited the head of Vote Leave saying, You cannot trust Cameron on Turkey. On Monday, the Leave-supporting Daily Mail headlined its editorial, Migrationthe issue that just wont go away. It stated that the vital issue of mass immigration was rightfully the main topic of debate on Question Time, as the baleful consequences of our open door policy to migrants from inside the EU took centre stage. Speaking to the BBC Monday, UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage said, The Remain camp are using these awful circumstances to try to say that the motives of one deranged, dangerous individual are similar to half the country, or perhaps more, who believe we should leave the EU In his paean to gentler, kinder politics, Corbyn deliberately obscures the fact that the filth spewed up during the referendum campaign is not an aberration, but flows logically from the reactionary aims of the competing factions of the ruling elite. For those leading Remain and Leave, the issue of membership of the EU is a conflict over what is in the best strategic interests of British imperialism as it pursues trade war and prepares for military conflict with Russia. The debate is over how best to continue enforcing savage cuts against the working class and over the best means to keep the immigrants and asylum seekers out of the UK. To respond to Coxs murder with appeals for national unity is politically dangerous. The political assassination of a Labour MP by a deranged fascist thug is the surest indication that Britain is entering uncharted political territory. The most dangerous social forces are being readied for use against the working class. As has been demonstrated by their response over the past several days, far from the right heeding the appeals of Corbyn, they will instead redouble their offensive. Should the vote go in favour of Remain, the cry will almost certainly go out that the referendum was stolen by using Coxs death to stifle popular concerns over immigration and to silence the patriotic desire to take back control from Brussels. These events underscore the critical importance of the campaign by the Socialist Equality Party for an active boycott of the referendum. The working class, which owes no allegiance to any nation and faces the same class enemy wherever it lives and whatever language it speaks, must adopt an independent, socialist perspective and reject being dragooned into supporting any faction of the ruling elite. Unity with either Cameron and Corbyn or Boris Johnson and Farage is a pact with the enemy. The unity that is required is the international unity of the working class. In opposition to all forms of nationalism, chauvinism and racism, workers and youth must turn to the struggle for the United Socialist States of Europe, as part of a world socialist federation. The author also recommends: The EU referendum and the murder of British MP Jo Cox [18 June 2016] For an active boycott of the Brexit referendum! [29 February 2016] Major British media divided over EU Referendum Updated: 2016-06-21 01:07 By Angus McNeice in London(chinadaily.com.cn) Left: Cover of The Economist. Right: Cover of The Spectator. [Photo/Agencies] British newspapers and magazines are divided over the European Union referendum questions, as the heavyweight Sunday papers expressed their views, joining a host of leading daily newspapers and magazines that weighed in with their take on Brexit in editorials published last week. Much like the opinion polls leading up to Thursday's historic vote, media outlets are split roughly down the middle as to whether Britain should remain in the European Union. Many publications came out with predictable stances given their respective political leanings and well-documented opinions on the EU, though there were some surprises. Both The Sunday Times and The Mail on Sunday ran contrary to their daily sister papers The Times and The Daily Mail respectively. Opposing sibling publication the Daily Mail's pro-Brexit stance, The Mail on Sunday came out in support of the Remain camp. "Britain would be compelled to stand and fight alone for its existence in a hard, globalised world where those who cannot survive on their wits quickly fall behind," the paper said in an editorial on Sunday. "The single-minded leaders of the Leave campaign contend that the issue is not, in the end, economic, but that they value independence so highly they are ready to pay any price for it." The Sunday Times meanwhile backed the Leave campaign, expressing concerns over sovereignty, security and the EU's sluggish economic recovery post-recession. "In the event of Brexit, Brussels may pursue a 'global security strategy,' perhaps including an EU army without a UK veto," the editorial read on Sunday. "We must keep out. It is NATO that guarantees our security." This view was at odds with associated publication The Times, which urged readers on Friday to vote "In" due to the "unknown and alarming consequences" a Brexit may entail. The Times and Sunday Times are owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, and the media magnate is reported to support Leave campaign. Times editor John Witherow's decision to run the editorial is alleged to have followed several heated staff meetings. On Tuesday last week The Sun, the paper with the widest print circulation in the UK that also falls under the News Corp umbrella, wrote that its support of Brexit was consistent with its "relentless" campaign "against the ever-expanding superstate." The Observer the Guardian's associated Sunday paper predictably threw itself behind the Remain vote, saying that the EU was a force for good "despite its many flaws." The Daily Telegraph, a consistent critic of the EU, is in favour of leaving and counts leading Brexiteer Boris Johnson amongst its regular columnists. Weekly magazine The Spectator ran a blistering critique of the European Union on Saturday, while The Economist and the The New Statesman both backed Remain, the latter stating that: "Almost all economists forecast that Britain would suffer an immediate shock, and reduced growth and living standards in the long term." Contact the reporter at angus@mail.chinadailyuk.com California lawmakers approved a new $170.9 billion state spending plan last week for fiscal year 2016-2017. The full budget was sent to Governor Jerry Browns desk for approval on Wednesday. The budget arrives slightly more than a month after Brown released his final budget proposal to the state legislature. The newest budget makes only slight modifications to his proposal and the governor is expected to sign it during the coming week. The budget is notable for its pessimism about the states fiscal outlook. The states department of finance projects a renewed economic downturn by 2018 at the latest. Even during the course of the current year, modest spending contained in prior proposed budgets had been paired down significantly. Between the governors first proposed budget in January and his last revision in May, actual tax revenues were found to be $1.9 billion less than projected, primarily due to the loss of capital gains returns after significant losses on Wall Street earlier in the year. As a result, general fund spending had been reduced more than $400 million in the governors May proposal. Moreover, the final proposed and approved budgets also placed significant emphasis on the need for future cuts as a result of an inevitable financial downturn. According to estimates contained in the proposal, the annual shortfall between spending and revenues is forecast to be over $4 billion by fiscal year 2019-2020, even without a nationwide economic slowdown. According to the governors office, one factor contributing to this projected shortfall will be diminished tax revenues as a result of the expiration of Proposition 30. Proposition 30 was passed by state voters in 2012. It raised sales taxes from 7.25 to 7.5 percent as well as instituting a slight income tax increase on individuals making more than $250,000 per annum. Voters will arrive at the polls this November to determine whether or not to extend the tax increases. Even if this does happen, however, the governors office warns that no new spending programs will be enacted unless they are accompanied by cuts in existing programs or additional taxes. Last April, Moodys Credit Rating Agency determined that California was least prepared among 20 states tested to weather a new recession. It claimed that was due to the states dependence on capital gains taxes that will inevitably dry up in the event of a market crash. Moodys, whose purpose is not to provide an impartial assessment of the states fiscal health but to provide the most favorable profit-making conditions for municipal bond investors, recommended that the state institute an increase in its Rainy Day Fund, which can only come at the expense of social programs. The new budget does precisely that, adding an additional $2.6 billion into the fund. The Rainy Day Fund, put into law in 2014, currently places no more than 10 percent of general fund revenues into a budget stabilization account that can only be used to either pay outstanding state debt or in the event of a declared fiscal emergency. In fact, the Moodys report explicitly calls for Revenue and Spending Flexibility as the states extensive entitlements for poverty-focused programs restrict its ability to react to worsening conditions as quickly as other states. Finally, the report cautions that infrastructure debt and retirement obligations account for more than 10 percent of general fund spending. This is in spite of the fact that state infrastructure is in shambles and state workers can barely survive on the meager pensions still left for them. Governor Brown had already sign into law a major overhaul of public employee pensions in early 2013 with overwhelming support in both houses of the state legislature. The bill, known as the Public Employee Pension Reform Act, increased the minimum retirement age by 12 full years from ages 55 to 67 and from ages 50 to 57 for new public safety employees. Pension contribution rates for workers were also increased under the act to 50 percent, while a maximum pension benefit was also put into place for the first time for all workers regardless of salary. The state of California also passed a new minimum wage ordinance into law this year. The law increases the states minimum wage to $10.50 per hour in 2017, $11 an hour in 2018 and rising to $15 an hour by 2022. Nonetheless, the state will actually save money as a result of the minimum wage ordinance. A $15 per hour wage renders many workers, even including many part-time workers, ineligible for the states Earned Income Tax credit and also makes these workers ineligible for the CalWorks welfare to work program. The latest budget includes the elimination of the Maximum Family Grant for welfare assistance. The Maximum Family Grant provision, passed in 1994, stops benefit increases for children of existing state welfare recipients. The elimination of the Maximum Family Grant will provide the average qualifying family with a meager $136 per month in additional CalWorks grants per child while the state will save tens of millions per year as its minimum wage increase makes more working class Californians ineligible for CalWorks benefits. The minimum wage increase will also increase move many workers off of Medi-Cal rolls and onto Obamacare where theyll be faced with higher premiums and deductibles. The states trade unions had led the call to increase the states minimum wage knowing full well that it would lead to a net loss for workers overall. Typical were the comments of Unite Here Local 11 President Tom Walsh. Unite Here primarily represents hotel workers who are among the highest exploited sections of the working class in California. I wouldnt say its [the minimum wage law] an incentive, Walsh said. He was responding to questions about provisions in the minimum wage law allowing employers to pay unionized workers less than minimum wage. It just will cause them to be less resistant to unionization, he said, emphasizing that the real goal is to increase the dues base of union bureaucrats at the expense of a super-exploited workforce. As part of the budget agreement, the states Medi-Cal program has been expanded to cover children of undocumented immigrants, although their parents and other undocumented adults remain uncovered. Nonetheless, general fund spending overall on Medi-Cal is expected to drop, not only because of the effects of the increased minimum wage but also due to the establishment of the Managed Care Organization (MCO) tax, which will be instituted in tandem with a reduction of insurance and corporation taxes for health plans, resulting in net savings for the industry. Medi-Cal itself is reliant on these taxes from MCOs for funding. In fact, general fund spending on Medi-Cal is expected to drop by $1.1 billion as a result of the MCO tax. Browns budget is nothing less than a disaster for the medical needs of the population and thousands of working class Californians will suffer as a result. In a statement released by Anthony Wright, executive director of Health Access California, a consumer health care advocacy organization, the budget continues the cuts made during the recession and doesnt make investments needed to reduce barriers to coverage, increase access for Medi-Cal patients, or cover the remaining uninsured. The state also hopes to save money in the budget by reducing subsides for childcare and replacing them by a voucher-based system to further privatize pre-school and daycare. Brown also hopes that the reduction in subsidies, which currently help fund both the California State Preschool and Transitional Kindergarten systems, will be used to eliminate Transitional Kindergarten entirely. The budget also includes an increase in funding for the CalState and University of California public university systems in exchange for both institutions placing a cap on out-of-state student enrollment. As out-of-state students pay higher tuition than their in-state counterparts, both university systems had been partially making up for state budget cuts by enrolling more out-of-state students. The increased funding in the budget, however, will still leave both universities far below pre-recession levels. Other provisions include $400 million for the construction of low-income housing. Developers who make hollow commitments to set aside a small proportion of new units to low-income residents will be allowed to sidestep portions of the states construction regulations in a boon to real estate developers. The state budget also includes an additional $270 million to new jail construction and upgrades. No significant increases are to be made to fund the states dilapidated roads and highways, the total cost of which is estimated at $59 billion. State Democrats have pledged that any new spending to fix the roads would have to be predicated on increases in the gas tax and vehicle registration fees as well as the possible imposition of an annual road access charge. Emergency services as well experienced no increases in funding despite the state being currently in the midst of a late spring heat wave with triple-digit temperatures causing wildfires, road closures and losses of home and property. The Sherpa Fire in Santa Barbara County already consumed some 7,893 acres as of Sunday in a wilderness area that last burned in 1955. Fueled by a recordbreaking heat wave, a slew of wildfires hit much of the southwestern US late last week, ushering in the 2016 fire season. In California, a fire originating in the Santa Barbara Mountains has consumed just under 8,000 acres and has over 2,000 firefighters assigned to it, up from just 500 on Thursday. The fire, dubbed the Sherpa fire, is particularly concerning because of its potential for growth and its proximity to the city of Santa Barbara. The Sherpa fire broke out on June 15th, and has grown rapidly due to local winds called sundowners, which are dry, hot winds that come in the evening and can reach speeds of up to 50mph. The fire is not expected to be fully contained for another week. In the next several days, temperatures in southern California are expected to hit 100F near the coast, and to go up to 120F in some inland areas. This is expected to fuel the sundowners, and thereby stoke the fire as well. There is a history of powerful fires in the area. In 1990, the Painted Cave fire destroyed about 400 homes in the space of three hours. On Saturday night, fortunately, the sundowners were not as powerful as expected, and firefighters were able to make some headway in containing the inferno. Last week part of the 101 Highway was shut down as fire spread across it, and drivers stuck there reported seeing fire whirls in the hills. Firefighters have pointed to the highway as an area of special concern. Four hundred homes and businesses are considered at risk, and a mandatory evacuation order has been put in place in the area. Although some temporary housing has been set up by the Red Cross, many of the residents are without shelter, and expect to live that way for some time. Already questions have arisen about the capacity of the shelters, and several families have reported resorting to living in their vehicles. Gayle Robinson, a volunteer with the Red Cross, told the LA Times that Santa Barbara Community College where evacuees are staying can hold up to 120 people. She also pointed out that there were about a dozen RVs in the parking lot on Thursday night. Although this years El Nino partially replenished the Sierra Nevada mountain ranges snow pack, which had previously been depleted from Californias historic drought, and led to a cooler spring than in recent years, the snowpack is now all but gone. The states snowpack is down to 6 percent of what is normal for this time of year. In addition to being a significant source of water, the snowpack in the Sierra Nevada plays a role in modulating the states weather. Though this years melt-off has, in a very immediate sense, alleviated the drought, it is expected that without a snowpack, temperatures in California will increase even further. Despite agribusiness being given virtual freedom with how it uses its water, including methods which are known to waste water but are slightly more profitable, such as flood irrigation, residents of the state have had restrictions put on their water usage, and are subject to fines if their conservation targets are missed. State budgeting efforts have focused on cutting as many corners as possible to make the economy more favorable to investors and to businesses. Although 2015 was one of the worst years on record for wildfires, and 6 of the last 11 years have seen fire seasons that broke records in different ways, next years budget is set to promise only a paltry increase of $10 million for firefighting funding. Elsewhere in the Southwest in New Mexico, Governor Susana Martinez declared a state of emergency over the Dog Head fire, which covers 17,000 acres in that state and is only 9 percent contained. In Arizona, the Cedar fire has burned about 12,000 acres, threatening homes, and 500 firefighters have been mobilized in Utah to combat several smaller fires. Gabriela Zabala, the Socialist Equality Party candidate for the southwestern Sydney electorate of Blaxland in the July 2 federal election, was interviewed by a community Muslim radio station, 2MFM, on Sunday, June 12. The station, which has a worldwide audience of 500,000 listeners, has been broadcasting for 20 years. Based in Blaxland, which has a high proportion of refugees and immigrants from the Middle East, the stations stated aims include the provision of social information and promotion of a moderate view of Islam. Blaxland, centred on the working class area of Bankstown, has a high level of youth unemployment. As documented by the WSWS, the deepening social problems facing workers and youth are the result of attacks by both Labor and Liberal-National governmentsfederal, state and localover decades. Explaining what the SEP stood for, Zabala said: We stand for social equality. We stand for genuine democracythe building of a world movement that represents the genuine interests of the working class. Zabala was asked what policies the SEP had in Bankstown, with its large numbers of refugees, migrants and low-to-middle income earners. She responded: These are important questions, and they are not necessarily confined to the Blaxland area. What Blaxland represents is a microcosm of the social issues confronting the working class as a whole. The levels of unemployment, the levels of unaffordable housing that are more prevalent in the Blaxland electorate have to be addressed through a program and perspective that addresses social ills in society as a wholethrough a public works program for affordable housing, more schools, and job creation, particularly for youth. Zabala added: We are fighting to build a party against war. Except for the SEP, no candidates are talking about the drive to war. The imposition of austerity at home is bound up with the drive to war abroad. Look at the amount of military spending that is taking place. No one is talking about this in this election. They have earmarked $495 billion over the next decades, and they say there is no money for education, no money for jobs, no money for health services. No money for the necessary infrastructure. Where are the billions for war coming from? Directly from the very things that the working class needs [in] a decent, complex, modern society. Asked about allegations of radicalisation and terrorism, through which Muslims were targeted and demonised, Zabala explained there was an attempt to divide the working class on the basis of these terrorist scares. Look at the number of terrorist scares, and what seems to be the entrapment of youth on terrorism charges, so coincidentally linked with this election campaign. It is a diversionary tactic, to separate the working class along these lines. Muslims were identified as the problem, Zabala said, and became targets for draconian anti-terror laws, but these anti-democratic measures are going to be imposed on the working class as a whole. Zabala added: If they are not talking about the Islamic threat, what can they talk about? All of the major parties are proposing austerity. Just today, on the front page of the Sydney Morning Herald, the Labor Party is talking about ways of making savings to retain the AAA credit rating, which will inevitably mean more cuts to education, more cuts to welfare. So the ramping up of anti-Islamic rhetoric is entirely bound up with keeping the working class divided. Zabala outlined the central plank of the SEPs campaign in the election. The one issue that nobody is talking about is the drive to war with China, where Australia is closely aligned with the US, she said. There are military bases all around Australia, and they [the US] are stoking up tensions in the South China Sea. This is whats on the agenda, and its taking place behind the backs of the working class. Zabala added: The refugee crisisthats the result of war. And war is the result of capitalism. Thats what our party fights to educate the working class about: to address the issue that capitalism is also the source of the social crisis. Asked about the SEPs attitude to the offshore solutionthe detention of refugees in camps on Pacific islands, Zabala said: The working class has the right to live and work wherever it wants. We dont believe in border control; we dont believe in national borders. We are an internationalist party. There are 60 million refugees worldwide, the highest number of refugees since the end of the Second World War. Zabala was asked to comment on the SEPs prospects of winning the Blaxland seat, against the Labor Party incumbent Jason Clare. She noted: The Labor Party, as much as the Liberal party, is not popular with the working class. People are becoming more politically radicalised. They are beginning to reject official politics, Labor and Liberal, because they have virtually the same policiesbipartisanship on military spending, bipartisanship on austerity. The working class is looking for alternatives. We are the only progressive alternative. We are the only party that represents the interests of the working class, not the interests of big business. To contact the SEP and get involved, visit our website or Facebook page. Authorised by James Cogan, Shop 6, 212 South Terrace, Bankstown Plaza, Bankstown NSW, 2200 Official figures for April, released last Thursday, showed that while the headline unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5.7 percent, there was a further underlying shift from full-time to lower-paid part-time work. During the month, the number of part-time positions rose by 70,000 but the number of full-time jobs dropped by 27,000, making it the fourth monthly decline in a row. Full-time employment has now fallen by about 60,000 since last September, when Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull ousted his predecessor, Tony Abbott. This trend has gathered pace over the past year, pointing to the reality beneath the claims being made by both the Liberal-National Coalition government and the Labor opposition during the campaign for the July 2 election of a transition from the mining boom to a new economy. Behind the deceptive slogans of jobs and growth (Coalition) and growth with fairness (Labor), tens of thousands of full-time jobs are being destroyed, particularly in mining and construction. A new normal has emergedgrowing numbers of workers being forced to take part-time jobs, which are invariably less secure, worse-paid, often casualised and with inferior conditions. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) commented that a clear trend was developing. This is the 11th consecutive month with part-time employment increases of more than 10,000 persons, and fourth consecutive month with full-time employment decreases of more than 5,000 persons, its spokesman said. Longer-term statistics show that the shift to part-time work, at the expense of full-time jobs, began in 2008, the year of the global financial crisis. But the trend has deepened as the impact of that economic breakdown has been felt increasingly in Australia via depressed iron ore, coal and other commodity export prices, and a drying up of investment. Westpac bank senior economist Justin Smirk noted that in the year to May, part-time employment expanded by 4.4 percent, or 160,000 jobs. By contrast, full-time employment grew by just 1.0 percent, or 83,800 jobs, which is not enough to match population growth, and has begun to go into reverse in recent months. By the ABS estimates, the unemployed are also increasingly giving up looking for full-time jobs, with the number searching for full-time employment falling 6,200, while those looking for part-time work increased by 7,200. There was also a 4 percent decrease in total working hours, the fourth consecutive monthly drop, pointing to an overall decline in workers incomes and living standards. The ABS figures understate the jobless rate because they exclude those working more than an hour a week. Roy Morgan Research surveys indicate a significantly worse situation, with 1.369 million workers unemployed and seeking work (10.7 percent) and 947,000 under-employed (7.4 percent), making a total of 2.316 workers (18.1 percent) either jobless or looking for more work. According to Roy Morgans statistics, those looking for full-time work661,000are now outnumbered by those seeking part-time work708,000. This is further evidence of a sharp turn since last December, when those seeking full-time work722,000substantially exceeded those looking for part-time jobs534,000. Over coming months, the destruction of full-time jobs is certain to accelerate as the global slump worsens and further closures tear through mining projects, the auto sector and other basic industries. Welcome to the new parttime economy, Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) senior economist Michael Workman commented. Another CBA representative, Michael Blythe, pointed to a switch from mining to services industries, leading to falling incomes. Typically all those service jobs pay less than those mining and construction jobs, where a lot of the employment losses have been, so youre getting that lower-income effect coming through, he said. Over the past three years, according to ABS figures, mining employment has fallen by 36,500, manufacturing jobs by 13,100, public safety and administration jobs by 31,700 and employment in utilities by 11,600. Over the same period, employment in real estate has climbed 32,400, and finance jobs by 5,600, largely reflecting the housing bubble that is now threatened by an emerging glut of apartments in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Employment has primarily grown in service industries where temporary, casual, part-time and contract jobs are prevalent. Employment has risen in healthcare and social assistance by 136,400, retailing 86,200, construction 25,500 and professional, scientific and technical services 110,000. This shift, combined with the lowest wages growth for at least two decades, has produced a protracted decline in working class incomes. And because of the falling export prices and value of the Australian dollar, real per-capita national disposable income is now lower than 2008. Treasurer Scott Morrison hailed the April result, saying it reflected the Coalition governments economic management. What this continues to show is a strong jobs performance, he said. That is the key. When people have a job, they have confidence. When they have confidence, they are participating in the economy and they are spending and businesses are investing. Behind this rhetoric, the corporate elite regards the jobs crisis as an opportunity to force unemployed workers, especially the quarter of a million young people out of work, into cheap labour. For the election, both the Coalition and Labor have unveiled programs for unemployed youth, essentially designed to use them to drive down wages and conditions across the board. Labor leader Bill Shorten yesterday unveiled a scheme, cynically titled Working Futures, to subsidise employers to place young people who have been unemployed for a year on six-month placements at a minimum award-equivalent training wage. Few details have been provided but the plan seems little different from the governments proposed Youth PaTH internships, which will force youth on unemployment benefits to work 25 hours a week for an extra $100 per week paymenteffectively $4 an hour. The corporate and government assault on jobs, conditions and living standards is part of a worldwide offensive against the working class. It can be opposed only through the fight for a workers government that will implement far-reaching socialist policies. In its election statement, the Socialist Equality Party calls for a vast redistribution of wealth to secure the social rights of all, including the right to a stable and decent-paying job. To contact the SEP and get involved, visit our web site or Facebook page. Authorised by James Cogan, Shop 6, 212 South Terrace, Bankstown Plaza, Bankstown, NSW 2200. Labor Relations; an exhibition at the Wrocaw Contemporary Museum (MWW), through March 27, 2017 Labor Relations at the Wrocaw Contemporary Museum (Lower Silesia, Poland), drawn from the museums international contemporary art collection, might well be the citys most important art exhibition of the year, according to the liberal Gazeta Wyborcza. But the first international show at Polands major center of avant-garde art cannot be analyzed without placing it in a definite context. First, there is the reality of the ultra-right Polish government of Beata Szydo and the Law and Justice Party (PiS), which has demonstrated its bitter hostility to democratic rights, socialism and artistic freedom. Any ostensibly leftist art exhibition inevitably becomes under the present conditions a political issue and the possible arena for conflict and censorship. Second, however, one cannot seriously discuss the current exhibition in Wrocaw without calling attention to the deleterious impact of postmodernism and identity politics on the character and quality of contemporary art. The exhibition occupies two floors of the World War II air-raid shelter that houses the museum. Divided into three parts: Industry, Primitive Accumulation of Capital and Subordination and Desire, the exhibition features works of several dozen international artists interested in the impact of industrialization on contemporary social relations, post-colonial reality and the general state of social relations. The first work we see upon entering the exhibition, part of the Industry section, is Fragments of Images of Contingence (1994) by Austrian artist VALIE EXPORT. The glowing light bulbs submerged in liquids fundamental to our existence, such as water, milk and motor oil, creates a situation, according to the curators, of potential tension between the substances symbolising todays capitalism and conflict (oil) as well as those referring to motherhood (milk) and ensuring survival (water). Anna Molskas video The Weavers (2009) features three unemployed Silesian miners who complain about their fate using dialogue from the drama of the same title, written in 1892, by German playwright Gerhart Hauptmann, about the weavers uprising of 1844. Scenes depicting workers in a present-day coal mine are accompanied by The Weavers Song, a revolutionary anthem. The author seems to be suggesting that the rhetoric of the 19th century workers struggles no longer fits a modern reality. The cotton weavers uprising was a major event that sent ripples across Europe. The Weavers Song by Heinrich Heine was published on July 10, 1844, in Karl Marxs Vorwarts! [Forward!] newspaper, which proclaimed the weavers revolt as the harbinger of a coming revolution. The Royal Prussian Supreme Court banned the song because of its rebellious tone. Little or nothing of that spirit finds expression in Molskas work. The jobless and impoverished miners in her video fret about their lot without conviction or passion as if they were amateur artists hired to act out an outdated drama. Run Free (2011) is a film by Piotr Wysocki and Dominik Jaowinski portraying a group of difficult working class youth, from an impoverished housing estate in Radom in east-central Poland, who are taking part in a social experiment. The young boys confront the local riot police, perennially hostile to them, for a joint exercise in parkour (a discipline derived from military obstacle course training that includes running, climbing, swinging, vaulting, jumping, rolling, often in an urban environment). The workout is held in the old ucznk factory, the site of the brutal suppression of workers protests against rising food prices in 1976 by the Stalinist police and militia. The interviews with the teens who describe their negative experiences with the police are fresh and genuine. Nonetheless, the overall approach of the filmmakers is summed up by the museums catalogue: The joint exercise of the teenagers and the police is an attempt to overcome the mutual lack of trust and aggression. Why in the world should the youth give up their hostility to the police? Ewa Axelrads Riot (2014) features a sculpture forming a barricade of the police shields used in the riots that spread across England in the summer of 2011. However, the police murder of 29-year-old Mark Duggan in Tottenham along with poverty and social inequality are not presented here as major factors in the eruption of the violent protests. The plastic grips of the shields resemble dildos as if to suggest that the male hormones on both sides were responsible for the social disturbances. Jeremy Dellers banner Hello, today you have day off (2013) refers to a text message commonly sent to all zero hours, part-time workers in Great Britain. Tens of millions of people worldwide work on such junk contracts that dont guarantee a minimum wage or social benefits. Despite its good news formulation, the automatically generated message spells disaster as it announces that no paid work is available to an individual awaiting a last-minute assignment. The Primitive Accumulation of Capital section of the exhibit deals with the question of post-colonialism and its ramifications in todays world. Videos portraying modern victims of post-colonialist policies in Africa and South America dominate the display. Prominence is given to racial discrimination. The word imperialism is not mentioned. Worth noticing here is Ed Atkinss video The Trick Brain, which uses footage originally filmed by Fabrice Maze of the private art collection belonging to the founder of the surrealist movement, Andre Breton, sold at the shameful auction of his works in 2003. Breton, as the museum catalogue notes, was a vigorous opponent of the French colonial politics and capitalism. First They Ignore You, Then They Laugh at You, Then They Fight You, Then You Win by Gregor Rozanski (2015) centers on the logo of the first McDonalds restaurant opened in Warsaw in 1992 after the reinstatement of capitalism in Poland. Situated next to the latter pieceand obviously contrasted with itis Allan Sekulas Farmer Threshing Grass at Abandoned Airport Used by CIA for Transport of Clandestine High Value Terrorism Suspects, Szymany, Poland, July 2009, pointing to the dark side of the Polish-American military and political alliance embodied in the establishment of torture prisons on the countrys territory. In the third part of the exhibit, identity politics plays the first fiddle. Subordination and Desire is full of works obsessing about race, sex and gender. Blackmendream (2015), a 45-minute video by American artist Shikeith, is fixated on the moment when black men became aware of their color. The only reference to any representative of socialism, Rosa Luxemburg, occurs in Joanna Rajkowskas Born in BerlinA Letter to Rosa (2011/2012). Having little to do with the revolutionary thinker murdered in Berlin in 1919, Rajkowskas work, in a series of trivial and often vulgar collages, tells the viewer why the artist has chosen Berlin, a city that used to be the source of destruction, for the birthplace of her daughter (named Rosa). There are reasons why, despite its promising title and subject matter, Labor Relations fails to impress. Artists in eastern Europe continue to work under difficult conditions. On the one hand, Stalinism did vast damage to the consciousness of the working class, discrediting socialism in the eyes of millions. The reintroduction of capitalism has been a disaster for the overwhelming majority, and the nationalistic-fascistic tendencies of the crisis-ridden Polish bourgeoisie are making themselves increasing obvious. Nonetheless, very few eastern European artists and intellectuals have yet worked through the big questions of the 20th century, including, above all, the betrayal of the Russian Revolution at the hands of the Stalinist bureaucracy. Furthermore, insofar as the artists identify left trends in art work, and this if of course a global problem, they turn toward radical, conceptual, postmodern art that concerns itself for the most part with gender, race and sexuality, the stock in trade of the affluent middle class pseudo-intelligentsia. This variety of left art tends to be chilly, self-absorbed and indifferent to the conditions of wide layers of the population. The decisive figure for the Polish artists, although of course they do not see this themselves, is Leon Trotsky. The content and course of Trotskys struggle and thought, including his profound writings on art and society, demonstrate that socialist-internationalist resistance to Stalinist counter-revolution existed and forms the basis of political and intellectual opposition to the status quo in our day. The Wrocaw Contemporary exhibition reveals that adaptation to the postmodernist narrative fails to offer a deep and meaningful picture of the most important issues facing humanity. The artistic potential of exploring such an important topic as labor and the productive forces has largely been wasted. Unhappily, the art presented in Wrocaw often lacks depth and beauty, is generally uncreative, depressing and unfulfilling. Agitated by present conditions but seeing no way out (and not struggling terribly hard to find one), the artists on display tend to offer desperation without rage, problems without solution, pleasure without satisfaction. The exhibitions curator, Sylwia Serafinowicz, in an interview with Gazeta Wrocawska , admitted that leftist terminology has a pejorative connotation in Poland. She acknowledged that such language is generally avoided for fear of the consequences: ostracism and government punishment through financial cuts. The funding for a planned exhibition on the migration crisis was recently rejected by the authorities. The Wrocaw Museum is still awaiting the approval of basic funding to purchase art. Attacks on freedom of expression have intensified since PiS took power last October, but they cannot be attributed to the clerical nationalist regime alone. Increasingly, ruling elites all over the world have no interest in art unless it serves their immediate political and social interests. The previous Polish government and local governments especially have for years played a very damaging role by cutting art funding. The ferocious attack on performing arts and museums has only been temporarily delayed. The new minister of culture, Piotr Glinski, who entered the political scene by unsuccessfully attempting to ban Wrocaws Polish Theater production of Death and the Maiden in November last year, is currently preoccupied with transforming public media (television, radio and film), considered to be a priority, into missionary tools of the Polish nation-state. Soon, however, art institutions such as the Wrocaw Contemporary Museum, which seek to offer some sort of artistic alternative, may face the threat of being financially and politically strangled by the extreme nationalistic PiS regime. Nearly 5,000 nurses in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area in Minnesota are in the third day of a weeklong strike against the demands by Allina Health to slash health care benefits and increase workloads on already overburdened nurses. The hospital chain is remaining intransigent and no new talks have been scheduled. Nurses are overwhelmingly opposed to the health care cuts, which would save Allina $10 million a year by imposing higher out-of-pocket costs on nurses. Although the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) has largely limited its demands to protecting the current union-run health care plan, nurses are adamant about ending chronic understaffing and high nurse-to-patient ratios. Allina has refused to discuss any issues until the MNA accepts its demand to impose substandard and most costly health plans on nurses. Before the strike, the MNA offered to set up a joint labor-management body to cut health costs but Allina rejected the proposal. The union ordered nurses to continue to work a month after the May 31 expiration of their current contract and only called the limited strike because of enormous opposition from rank-and-file health care providers. The strike, which began Sunday, is affecting five Twin Cities area hospitals: Abbott Northwestern in Minneapolis, Mercy in Coon Rapids, United in St. Paul, Unity in Fridley, and the Phillips Eye Institute in Minneapolis. The hospital chain, which has carried out a massive investment in technology to streamline operations, is offering an insulting two percent pay increase in each of the next three years. The MNA is only demanding a three percent annual raise. They spent $108 million for the staffing program that doesnt take into account nurses input, a veteran nurse with over 25 years told the World Socialist Web Site. She was referring to recent investments Allina Health made into Health Catalyst, a health IT data management firm in 2015. Patients are getting older; we could have a 90-year-old who needs more care as opposed to a 20-year-old who is more independent, and the computer system wouldnt know the difference. In 2010, 12,000 nurses at 14 metropolitan area hospitals conducted a one-day strike to demand safe staffing levels. The one-day action called by the MNA predictably failed to attain any concessions from the hospital chains. Following this, the nurses voted for an open-ended strike, but the MNA rapidly caved in, calling off the strike and agreeing to a contract that retained current benefits and included meager wage increases in place of addressing staffing levels. The local media has weighed in on behalf of Allina by slandering nurses as uncaring and selfish. The Minneapolis Star Tribune claims the walkout is endangering patients while ignoring how chronically understaffed hospitals to far greater harm to patient safety and wellbeing. A study by the American Public Health Association found if proper nurse staffing ratios were implemented, more than 72,000 hospital deaths could be prevented each year. Despite this, neither Allina nor the MNA have addressed this in the current strike. Demonstrating its contempt for patients, Allina is currently using a national strikebreaking firm to supply nurses and keep its hospitals open. The company has reportedly hired 1,400 replacement nurses, offering them as much as $100 dollars per hour, along with food and hotel accommodation for the duration of the strike. It is clear Allina has a long-term strategy and understands that the MNA will ultimately bow to its demands. In the face of this intransigence, the MNA is keeping some 7,000 nurses at the remaining area hospitals on the job. The MNA signed contracts at these hospitals, months ago, dividing and weakening nurses even as Allina made it clear that it was seeking sweeping concessions, which would rapidly be demanded by the other hospital chains. The overriding concern of the MNA, its parent union National Nurses United (NNU) and the AFL-CIO and Change to Win labor federations, is to prevent this struggle from developing into a political confrontation with the Obama administration and the Democrats. The unions are allied with the Democrats and support the cost-cutting aims of Obamas misnamed Affordable Care Act. Obamacare, which shifts the costs of health care from the employers to workers, is premised on a savage attack on the living standards and work conditions of health care workers. There is a general understanding among nurses that other hospitals will follow suit if Allina is successful in imposing its concession demands on nurses. Jude, an Allina nurse with eight years seniority, told the WSWS the strike is really against the pharmaceutical, insurance and technology companies, which stand behind Allina and are seeking even greater profits from the destruction of nurses health benefits. "It's not just Allina, it's a bunch of companies." Jude added, "The problems of profits and corporations has been a global issue. I don't think it's just an Allina issueit's global." If nurses are to take forward the struggle they must take its conduct out of the hands of the MNA through the election of rank-and-file strike committees, to formulate their demands and fight for the broadest mobilization of the working class to defend nurses and the right to quality health care. Omar Mateen, the 29-year-old security guard who carried out the horrific June 12 massacre of 49 people at The Pulse, an LGBT nightclub in Orlando, Florida, was the target in 2013 of a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) sting operation aimed at goading him into participation in a terrorist plot. In Orlando on Monday, FBI Special Agent Ronald Hopper told the media, We currently have no evidence that he was directed by a foreign terrorist group, but was radicalized domestically. Hooper was speaking at a press conference called to announce the release of a partially redacted transcript of a 50-second telephone conversation between Mateen and a 911 dispatcher that was made in the early morning hours in the course of what became the worst mass shooting in recent US history. The transcripts release sparked a political row, with Republican leaders and right-wing news outlets and commentators denouncing the Justice Department for editing out Mateens statement of allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi of the Islamic State. Selectively editing this transcript is preposterous, said the Republican speaker of the House of Representatives, Paul Ryan. We know the shooter was a radical Islamist extremist inspired by ISIS. He argued that release of an un-redacted transcript would allow the public to be clear-eyed about who did this and why. The FBI argued that references to the Islamic State and its leader had been cut in order not to give credit to terrorist groups and their leaders. Were not going to propagate their rhetoric, their violent rhetoric, said Special Agent Hooper. Later in the day, however, the Obama Justice Department bowed to the right-wing pressure and released the transcript without the redactions. While the argument over the transcripts was directed at feeding the narrative that political correctness was responsible for preventing the FBI from foiling a terrorist atrocity, the revelations about the agencys earlier contact with Mateen raise the more substantive question of whether the agency played a role in fomenting the bloodbath and in furthering his domestic radicalization. St. Lucie County, Florida, Sheriff Ken Mascara told a local southeastern Florida newspaper last week that he had brought Mateen to the attention of the FBI in 2013 after requesting that he be removed from his job as a security guard at the St. Lucie County Courthouse, where he was employed by the transnational security corporation G4S. According to Mascara, Mateen had made threatening remarks to a sheriffs deputy, saying that he could have him and his family killed by Al Qaeda, and made very disturbing comments about women and followed it up with very disturbing comments about Jews and then went on to say that the Fort Hood shooter was justified in his actions. According to Mascara, the FBI launched an investigation during the course of which it planted one of its confidential informers inside the courthouse to lure Omar into some kind of act, and Omar did not bite. Afterward, the sheriff said, the FBI concluded Mateen was not a threat. His company, G4S, meanwhile, reportedly credited the security guards testimony that he had been taunted by co-workers because he was a Muslim and concluded that he had been subjected to a hostile work environment. Since September 11, 2001, virtually every significant prosecution of individuals charged with terrorist acts in the US has involved the use of confidential informants, often highly paid to troll through mosques and immigrant communities in search of hapless, and frequently mentally disabled, individuals who can be recruited to plots that would never even had existed outside of the FBI providing the inspiration and the material means. As trial transcripts have revealed, the modus operandi of these informants/provocateurs includes posing as radicals with Al Qaeda or ISIS connections and pressuring the targets of the sting into joining the manufactured plots. Reports that have surfaced since Mateen was killed in a hail of police gunfire last week indicate that he was likely seen as a good prospect for such an operation, described by co-workers and others close to him as suffering from serious mental problems. In a feature article published barely a week before the Orlando massacre, the New York Times reported, The FBI has significantly increased its use of stings in terrorism cases, employing agents and informants to pose as jihadists, bomb makers, gun dealers or online friends in hundreds of investigations into Americans suspected of supporting the Islamic State. According to the Timess account, undercover sting operations now feature in at least two out of every three prosecutions involving alleged support for ISIS. This is no doubt a significant underestimate. The report said that court records confirmed that the FBIs covert agents have helped people suspected of being extremists acquire weapons, scope out bombing targets and find the best routes to Syria to join the Islamic State. The Times cites the case of Emanuel Lutchman, a mentally ill panhandler in Rochester, New York, whom a paid informant convinced to join an invented terrorist plot, driving him to Walmart last December to buy a machete, ski masks, zip ties and other supplies for a would-be terrorist attack on New Years Eve...the informant covered the $40 cost. A similar sting operation was mounted against James Gonzalo Medina in Miami, Florida, by the same FBI office that attempted to entrap Mateen. Undercover agents convinced Medina to join them in a plot to bomb a synagogue, supplying him with a fake bomb and driving him to the building before arresting him. Federal officials told the Times that it has about 1,000 open investigations into so-called homegrown violent extremists, with a significant number of cases involving undercover sting operations. In other words, several hundred individuals are today being pressured by agents provocateurs to involve themselves in terrorist actions. It is hardly a stretch of the imagination to envision this wholesale exercise in manufactured terror producing new tragedies on the scale of Orlando. The central activity of the FBIs counter-terror division is directed not at uncovering real terrorist threats, but rather at manufacturing fake ones in order to supply the pretext for the unrelenting buildup of a police state. In pursuit of this same objective, the agency, while acknowledging the obvious fact that Mateen was not acting under the direction of ISIS or any other terrorist group, is continuing to promote the thesis that the atrocity in Orlando is to be explained by Mateen being domestically radicalized as an Islamist terrorist. To further this contention, they have sought to downplay extensive evidence that Mateen was suffering from severe mental and emotional problems and, in many ways, fit the profile of those involved in the mass shootings that occur across the US on a more than daily basis. In particular, the FBI has suppressed reports that Mateen may have been driven by internal conflicts between his sexuality and an extremely oppressive social environment within his family. His former wife, Sitora Yusufiy, an immigrant from Uzbekistan whose current fiance is Brazilian, told the Brazilian news program SBT Brasil that she believed Mateen was gay and that his father had denounced him as homosexual in front of her on several occasions. Yusufiy, who described Mateen as mentally unstable and mentally ill, said he had beaten and abused her before her family rescued her from the relationship. Most significantly, Yusufiys fiance, Marco Dias, told the Brazilian station that she had spoken to the FBI about Mateens gay tendencies and had been asked by FBI agents not to tell this to the American media. The account given by Mateens ex-wife has been corroborated by patrons of The Pulse, who have told the media that he regularly visited the nightclub, drinking heavily there and attempting to pick up men. Witnesses have also said that he was active on gay dating apps such as Grindr for years, and that they had given their phones with evidence of this to the FBI. At the same time, co-workers recalled Mateen expressing violently homophobic hatred. For the most part, the corporate media has adhered to the blackout demanded by the FBI. In a long profile of the killer posted by the New York Times Saturday, there is no mention of either this aspect of Yusufiys statements or those of the Pulse patrons. The article states tersely, while some reports have suggested that he was gay, federal officials say they have found no evidence in his effects or online presence to back them up. The clear aim here is to bolster the official story that the Orlando massacre is the product of Islamist terrorism and that the necessary response--supported by both the Democrats and Republicans and their presumptive presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump--is an escalation of both war abroad and repression at home. Excluded from every statement and analysis provided by the capitalist politicians and media is any suggestion that the horrendous crime in Orlando, like so many mass shootings before it, has its real roots not in some foreign terrorist ideology, but in the malignant state of American society, a social order that has been dominated for decades by endless war abroad and ever-widening social inequality at home. One of the most heavily attended workshops at last weekends Peoples Summit of Sanders supporters was titled Democratic Socialism in a New Time. It attracted an audience of nearly 150 people, filling up every seat and leaving dozens more people lining the walls and spilling out into the hall. The forum was controlled by the Democratic Socialists of America, a right-wing social-democratic group embedded within the Democratic Party. Two of the three speakers, City University of New York Professor Frances Fox Piven and Bhaskar Sunkara, editor of Jacobin magazine, are members of the DSA, as is the workshop chairman, Charlie Lenchner, executive director of Democrats.com in New York City. The remaining speaker was Kshama Sawant of Socialist Alternative, who was elected as city councilwoman in Seattle, Washington in 2013 and reelected last year, running in alliance with a section of local Democrats. Sawant and Socialist Alternative have fully supported the campaign of Bernie Sanders for the Democratic presidential nomination, promoting his claims to be a democratic socialist. They have backed an initiative called Movement4Bernie, which urges Sanders to run as an independent or Green Party candidate if he loses the Democratic nomination to Hillary Clinton. Given that the workshop was held under the rubric of democratic socialism, it is no small irony that neither democracy nor socialism were in evidence. Lenchner came with a list of questions for the panelists, insisted that they answer them, and berated them when they did not. At one point, when Sawant resisted his demand to sketch out a socialist perspective for a single city or state, Lenchner launched into a red-baiting tirade about how some socialists wanted to impose their will on others. Most of the first hour of the workshop was a desultory, friendly discussion among like-minded people, in which there was little to distinguish between the right-wing social democrats of the DSA from the pseudo-left Sawant, who was congratulated for her electoral success and in turn flattered Sunkara and Piven as writers and thinkers. There was no mention of revolution, outside of the political revolution advocated by Sanders, which amounts to mobilizing a bigger voter turnout for the Democratic Party and winning Democratic control of Congress as well as the White House. The discussion became contentious only when Sawant insisted that the urgent topic was not the question of socialism in general, but what those present in the room, and in the conference as a whole, would be doing for the next five months. She was referring to the general election campaign. Her organization, Socialist Alternative, is opposed to the openly pro-Clinton orientation of the trade union and Democratic Party organizers of the Peoples Summit and calls instead for a vote for Green Party candidate Jill Stein. Stein is not a socialist and her organization explicitly repudiates socialism in its program, calling for a market economy and incentives to favor green capitalists over the dirtier kind. She asked to address the Peoples Summit but was rebuffed by the conference organizers, the National Nurses United union and Democratic Party operatives. In response to Sawants appeals, Frances Fox Piven took up the question of how to vote in the general election, offering the right-wing, pragmatic approach of a longtime supporter of the DSA and opponent of revolutionary socialism. At one point in the workshop, she declared that the word revolution was unhelpful and makes me shiver a little. She added that The glorious French Revolution didnt turn out well. Piven said that the 2016 election was taking place as The right is getting stronger and stronger, and theres a pretty decent chance that Donald Trump is going to become president. Thats our reality. That could happen. Third party alternatives had a poor record, she added. Then she declared flatly, Im going to vote for Hillary, but Im not going to work for her. Im going to work for the movements I support. Im going to buy time to work for the movements. Trump may not give us the time Lesser-evilism may be a curse word, but I think its reasonable. Another four years of a deceptive neo-liberal government, Im going to swallow it. After this uncomfortably blunt summation of the whole purpose of the Peoples Summit, there was little for the other speakers to add. Neither Sunkara nor Sawant sought to rebut Pivens statement, which was greeted with a mixture of applause and gasps. After the workshop, Sunkara told the World Socialist Web Site that he would vote for Jill Stein in his home state, New York, because it is not considered competitive in the general election, so there is no chance of Trump winning there. If he lived in a swing state, like Virginia, he would cast his ballot for Clinton. Sawant gave a slightly modified version of the same approach, telling the WSWS that she personally would vote for Jill Stein in Washington state, where she lives, or in a swing state like Nevada. But she hastened to add that she was very understanding of those who would choose differently and cast a vote for Clinton in a swing state. The swing state tactic, much discussed in liberal and pseudo-left circles, is just that: a tactical difference among people who all proceed with the same opportunist political strategy. They all support capitalist politicians, whether of the openly pro-imperialist stripe, such as Hillary Clinton, or of the disguised green coloration, such as Jill Stein. Their only difference is over how best to disguise the reactionary character of their politics from the new layers of youth and workers who are moving to the left and entering into political struggle for the first time. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has clearly distanced himself from the US while asserting Germany's right to be a global great power. On June 13, Foreign Affairs, the leading American foreign policy journal, published an article by Steinmeier titled Germany's New Global Role. In it, Steinmeier refers to Germany as a major European power that is forced to reinterpret the principles that have guided its foreign policy for over half a century. Steinmeier justifies Germanys aspiration to power by pointing to the disastrous results of US foreign policy, especially in the Middle East. Germany did not seek its new role on the international stage, he writes. Rather, it emerged as a central player by remaining stable as the world around it changed. As the United States reeled from the effects of the Iraq war and the EU struggled through a series of crises, Germany held its ground. Speaking of the Iraq war, he states, Not only did the Bush administration fail to reorder the region through force, but the political, economic, and soft power costs of this adventure undermined the United States' overall position. He adds, The illusion of a unipolar world faded. Further on, he stresses, Our historical experience has destroyed any belief in national exceptionalismfor any nation. There could not be a clearer rejection of the US claim, asserted since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, to be the only world power. Last weekend, Steinmeier made clear that his criticism of the United States is not limited to the Middle East. Rather, it centers on the attitude to Russia. In an interview with Bild am Sonntag, he sharply criticised the deployment of NATO forces against Russia, in which Germany itself is playing a major role. What we should not now do is inflame the situation by loud sabre-rattling and war cries, Steinmeier told the newspaper. Anyone who thinks symbolic tank parades on the eastern border of the alliance create more security is fooling himself. We are well advised not to provide a pretext for a new confrontation It would be fatal now to narrow our gaze to the military and seek salvation in a policy of deterrence alone, warned the German foreign minister. History teaches that the mutual readiness to defend must always go along with the readiness for dialogue and offers of cooperation, Steinmeier said. There should be an interest in engaging Russia in a partnership that takes international responsibility. Steinmeier's interview, which was published in excerpts in advance, sparked fierce controversy in Germany that cut across partisan political lines. It was generally interpreted as a criticism of the current NATO maneuvers in Eastern Europe and the permanent stationing of NATO troops on the Russian border, which is to be agreed next month at the summit of the military alliance in Warsaw. Operation Anaconda, which took place from June 7 to June 17 in Poland, saw 31,000 soldiers participating from 24 nations. Leading Christian Democratic Union (CDU) politicians, some representatives of the Green Party and the conservative press sharply attacked the Social Democratic foreign minister. They accused him of being a Putin appeaser (CDU presidium member Jens Spahn); of keeping quiet about the fact that the aggression in Ukraine had come from Russia (Rebecca Harms, chair of the Green faction in the European Parliament); of defending NATO territory only in theory but not in practice (Volker Bouffier, CDU state premier of Hesse); of strengthening the Kremlins belief that the West tends towards appeasement (Berthold Kohler, co-editor of the conservative Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung); and of creating an image for himself within the Social Democratic Party (SPD), although he had supported the participation of the German Army in the maneuvres (Norbert Rottgen, CDU chair of the parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee). On the other hand, Steinmeier received support from sections of the SPD and the Greens, from the Left Party, and from Alexander Gauland, vice chair of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). Former environment minister Jurgen Trittin (Greens), who is said to be interested in the post of foreign minister, defended Steinmeier and declared that the Baltic states are not actually threatened by Russia, they only feel threatened. The course being followed by NATO was therefore questionable, he argued. SPD foreign policy expert Rolf Mutzenich said Steinmeier spoke for the SPD parliamentary group. He recommended that Chancellor Angela Merkel and Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen (both CDU) adopt Steinmeier's policy. The demands of Poland and the Baltic states, which had even brought the issue of nuclear armaments into play, were, he declared, exaggerated. Clear signals had to be given to them, and that is what Steinmeier had now done. There had to be a dialogue with Russia again. Ex-Chancellor Gerhard Schroder (SPD)Steinmeier was his closest collaborator for many yearsspoke out at the weekend. In an interview on the 75th anniversary of the German attack on the Soviet Union, he recalled the epochal crime that had been committed by Nazi Germany when it invaded the Soviet Union with the aim of wiping it out, enslaving its people and destroying them. Schroder said he considered Bundeswehr participation in the NATO maneuvres a great mistake, against the background of our history. He supported the attempt by Foreign Minister Steinmeier to progressively remove the sanctions (against Russia). He explicitly defended his own friendship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying, We're friends, it stays that way. The former chancellor pointed the finger at the US. It was not only Russia that caused crises, he said. The Iraq war of George W. Bush was a decisive cause of the wars and civil wars in the Middle East, not least of the emergence of IS. Nevertheless, Schroder said, there are people in the federal government who regard America as the font of political wisdom. Steinmeier himself defended his remarks on Monday. He was concerned to stress the importance of dialogue with Russia because he had the impression that this was being completely forgotten at the moment, he said on the sidelines of a foreign ministers' meeting in Luxembourg. He did not question the decisions of the 2014 NATO summit in Wales, however. There, it had been decided to significantly beef up the eastern flank of NATO in response to the Ukraine crisis. The leader of the Left Party, Sahra Wagenknecht, also supported Steinmeier and portrayed him as a champion of peace. The provocative NATO war games near the Russian border are an irresponsible threat to peace in Europe, she said. Neither Steinmeier nor Schroder are concerned about peace. Schroder, whose chancellery Steinmeier headed, was the first German head of government since 1945 to send German soldiers into combatfirst in Yugoslavia and then in Afghanistan. And Steinmeier himself is a pioneer of German militarism, having announced at the Munich Security Conference in 2014 that Germany was too big merely to comment on world affairs from the sidelines, and that Germany must be ready for earlier, more decisive and more substantive engagement in the foreign and security policy [i.e., military] sphere. Rather, Steinmeier's foray makes clear that the wars for the redivision of the Middle East and Africa, together with the encirclement of Russia and China, lead to conflicts between the imperialist powers themselves. Although allies, the US and Germany have competing economic and political interests. The disintegration of the European Union, which will accelerate if Britain leaves, and the rise of Donald Trump in the US will exacerbate these conflicts. Steinmeier, who enjoys considerable support in German big-business circles, speaks for the wing of the German elites who want greater political and military independence for German imperialismespecially from the United States. Two years ago, the International Committee of the Fourth International warned in the statement "Socialism and the struggle against imperialist war: At present, Washington is pursuing these objectives with the collaboration of the other major imperialist powers. However, there is no permanent coincidence of interests among them. German imperialism, which fought two wars with the US in the 20th century, is reviving its imperial ambitions. Having secured the dominant position in Western Europe, it is seeking to become a world power. This is now being confirmed. On Sunday, federal police violently attacked road blockades set up by teachers engaged in a weeks-long strike against the governments imposition of a regressive federal education reform law. Police in the southwestern state of Oaxaca opened fire on 500 teachers and their supporters, precipitating a bloodbath in the impoverished town of Nochixtlan. Eight people were killed and dozens wounded in the massacre. According to a statement issued by Section 22 of the National Union of Education Teachers (SNTE) in Oaxaca, police shot and killed eight people in Nochixtlan, including a professor of indigenous studies and a teachers son, and wounded 45 others by gunfire. Twenty-two people have disappeared after the attack. Oaxacas state governor Gabino Cue and Mexicos federal police chief Enrique Galindo confirmed that six civilians had been killed and 53 injured. Galindo also asserted that 55 federal and state police were injured, including three by gunfire, though he failed to document the latter claim. The National Security Commission and Galindo initially lied about the attack, claiming that the federal and state police clearing the Nochixtlan blockade were unarmed. Galindo said that after teachers had agreed with police to disband, attackers from outside the blockaded area began to fire on both police and protesters in order to create chaos and conflict. After the Associated Press and Chinas Xinhua news agency released footage of police firing on protesters, Galindo was forced to change his story, conceding that he in fact ordered armed police to go to the scene, but only after police and protesters were fired upon by the supposed outside elements. Galindos changing of his story effectively shredded his and the governments credibility, as did his claim that only three police officers were hit by gunfire, as opposed to over 50 protesters. Federal sources then farcically claimed that at least eight organizations were behind the violence, including the Popular Revolutionary Front, the Pancho Villa Popular Front, the Independent Zapatista Agrarian Movement, the Civil Insurgency Movement, the Committee in Defense of the Rights of the People, the Unification Movement and Triqui Struggle, and the Indigenous Front of Binational Organizations. Teachers who were present at the scene of the attack have torn the police accounts to shreds. According to teachers, police resorted to violent means to clear the blockade early on and made indiscriminate and repeated use of firearms with live ammunition, rubber bullets, and tear and pepper gas. In response to the police attack, protesters appealed to the local indigenous Mixtec population for reinforcements. Protesters defended themselves with rocks, sticks and rockets. Later, the Nochixtlan municipal palace was torched. Local resistance kept federal forces from entering the town proper. Also on Sunday, around 800 federal police forcibly cleared hundreds of teachers and supporters who were blockading the principal access point to Oaxacas Pacific port of Salina Cruz on the Gulf of Tehuantepec. There is a key Pemex oil refinery at the location. Other police detachments cleared highway blockades in the Oaxacan cities of Zanatepec, Ixtepec, Huitzo, and Hacienda Blanca. Later, teachers reinstated five blockades in the area. The governments resort to armed force marks an escalation of its attempts to crush the month-long work stoppage, to ram the education reform through and to prevent the strike from developing into a broad movement backed by the working class. The federal secretary of public education, Aurelio Nuno Mayer, who heads up the slanderous campaign against teachers, has instituted administrative proceedings to fire at least 4,300 teachers who missed at least four days of classes, and to deduct from pay of other protesting teachers. Nuno Mayer has refused to negotiate with teachers until they agree they will not challenge any aspect of the reform law, a law that seeks to privatize education and blames teachers for the failures in grossly underfunded Mexican schools. He has threatened criminal prosecution against teachers he claims have engaged in widespread illegal, outrageous and improper pressure to keep other teachers from showing up to teach students and parents from bringing their children to school. Sundays attacks are in line with a larger turn by the Mexican ruling class, in league with US imperialism, to force through privatizations, budget cuts, and pension cuts, while meeting widespread social discontent with massive force. In March, a congressional commission voted to approve an amendment to the Mexican Constitution in order to grant the president dictatorial powers to establish a state of emergency and suspend democratic rights in cases of disturbances to the public peace, or anything else that places society in grave danger or conflict, that is, widespread strikes or protests. All of the major Mexican political parties, including the ruling PRI, the PAN, the PRD and the Greens voted in favor, leaving the pseudo-left Morena party of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador free to vote no. That same month, legislators in the state of Mexico, the countrys most populous state, which surrounds the Mexican capital, enacted the so-called Atenco Law, named after the brutal 2006 attack on protesters against land evictions in Atenco ordered by the current president Enrique Pena Nieto, the states then governor. The Atenco Law gives the state government the power to invoke emergency rule. These measures reflect growing concern within ruling circles that the governments policies can provoke social upheavals. This is now combined with a definite fear that the violence employed against the teachers will provoke widespread sympathy for the strikers. In the last two days, demonstrations have taken place in Mexico City, Acapulco, and other locations across Mexico in opposition to the violence. In a communication issued yesterday, the Democratic Teachers Movement of Section 7 of the SNTE-CNTE in the southern state of Chiapas, condemned the brutal repression exercised against the combative Section XXII of Oaxaca and the people of Oaxaca on Sunday. It said that the fascist Mexican state headed by the assassin of Atenco Enrique Pena Nieto utilizes arms against the people who protest against structural reforms, specifically against those who defend the education of the country. The CNTE, which entered into an official political alliance with the bourgeois Morena party last year, is incapable of carrying forward the teachers struggle against the education reform. While calling for dialogue with Nuno Mayer, the CNTE leadership wants to participate with the government in conducting federal teacher evaluations, and to maintain the bureaucracys right to fire and hire teachers. The teacher evaluations will be used to impose layoffs and lower teacher pay. As for control of firing and hiring, these are decisions that should be made by teachers themselves, and not by CNTE bureaucrats. The role of CNTE as an obstacle to the teachers is made most clear in its efforts to direct opposition behind the Morena party, its candidates in the recent gubernatorial elections, and Lopez Obradors anticipated 2018 run for president. The last two years have marked a drastic intensification in social opposition in Mexico, a country devastated by a US-backed militarized police force, widespread impoverishment, and drug gangs who operate in collusion with the highest levels of the Mexican state. The September 2014 disappearance of 43 student teachers and subsequent government cover-up provoked demonstrations of hundreds of thousands of people, and Sundays attack will further spur the growth of social opposition. The attacks against the Mexican working class are part of an international phenomenon, as are the attempts to corral social discontent behind a bourgeois party that poses as left or even socialist. In Mexico, this role is played by Morena and its supporters, while in Greece and Spain a similar part is played by Syriza and Podemos. Mexican workers and teachers must dispose of all illusions that their interests can be served by an alliance with any section of the Mexican bourgeoisie. Only a revolutionary struggle of the Mexican working class against the capitalist profit system in Mexico and for socialism, in alliance with its class brothers and sisters in all of the Americas and internationally, provides a way forward. China and Poland eye major deals Updated: 2016-06-21 02:50 By An Baijie in Warsaw and WANG XU in Beijing(China Daily) Key projects agreed as part of the Belt and Road Initiative President Xi Jinping and his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda review an honor guard during a welcoming ceremony at the presidential palace in Warsaw on Monday. JANEK SKARZYNSKI / AFP China and Poland agreed on Monday to launch major projects as soon as possible as part of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative to boost interconnectivity. Agreements on the joint action were signed during President Xi Jinping's state visit to Poland. Witnessed by Xi and his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda, the two countries signed 13 documents to boost cooperation in areas including logistics, industrial parks, customs and aviation. Xi said after the signing ceremony that China welcomes Poland's active participation in the Belt and Road Initiative, which is aimed at building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient Silk Road trading routes. According to the agreements, the two countries will work together to map out their development plans, jointly establish an online Silk Road, boost information links, facilitate customs procedures and improve cooperation on infrastructure investment in logistics. Xi said Poland, situated at the heart of Europe, has a unique geographical advantage. Stating that the country is a founding member of the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank, Xi encouraged Poland to use the bank to finance infrastructure construction. He suggested that both countries should encourage their companies to cooperate, especially on large projects that could benefit their people. According to a joint declaration signed by the two presidents, China and Poland agreed to upgrade the bilateral relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership. Poland is China's largest trading partner in Central and Eastern Europe, while China is Poland's third-largest supplier of imports. Trade between the two countries reached $17.09 billion last year. Over the past two weeks, as thousands of Fort McMurray families have returned to their homes, many to dig through the rubble of what remains of their neighbourhoods and possessions, the full scale of the destruction wrought by modern Canadas worst ever wildfire is only now becoming clear. Around 90,000 residents were forced to flee their homes May 3 as the wildfire entered Fort McMurray. Slightly more than 10 percent of the city, 2,432 buildings, were destroyed by the fire and many hundreds more are unusable due to smoke damage or the presence of toxic materials. Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo Mayor Melissa Blake said it is not certain that the most damaged neighbourhoods, including Beacon Hill, Abasand, and Water Ways, will be rebuilt. Charred foundations are all that remains of most houses in these areas. According to test results seen by the Globe and Mail, levels of benzene and arsenic in these three neighbourhoods are 20 times higher than the limit deemed safe by the Alberta government. Fully 19 different metals and compounds were found to be above recommended limits. Reports have suggested that the cheap materials used to build many of the properties exacerbated the problem. Environmental testing of the ash in hundreds of homes and buildings has established toxin levels 200 times higher than safe exposure amounts. Despite the obvious health risks, the provincial government authorized a phased reentry of Fort McMurray residents beginning June 5. If residents had not been allowed back, the province would have had to provide them with additional financial support. While the wildfire was the immediate cause of the destruction of thousands of homes, the terrible conditions to which many are returning are the product of the capitalist profit system. Fort McMurray emerged over recent decades as a boom town to serve Albertas oil tar sands. In stark contrast to the multibillion-dollar profits extracted by Big Oil on an annual basis, virtually nothing was done to prepare the residents for an event which had been predicted by scientists for at least a decade, in part due to the effects of climate change. Costs for rebuilding and supporting returning residents are largely being met by generous donations from people across the country. The Red Cross reported at the beginning of the month that $125 million had been raised for reconstruction. Total damages were estimated by one insurer at $9 billion. Returning residents face a series of threats to public health. During much of the last two months air quality contamination rates were off the charts, reaching thirty-eight on a scale that normally goes from one to ten. Dr. Irena Buka, the director of the Edmonton Childrens Environmental Health Clinic, has announced a clinical assessment trial to gauge how Fort McMurrays bad air quality is affecting the lungs of children. Dr. Buka said the goal of the assessment was to ensure children receive good clinical care and to plan for a better response to future fires. We need to plan for these types of fires, she said, This is not going to be the last time there is a fire in Alberta. Experts are also deeply concerned about the impact toxic ash will have on the water supply as it enters the Athabasca River. Recent rainy weather resulted in sediment lying on the ground being washed into the river, and specialists are still testing to find out what chemicals are present. All Fort McMurray schools will remain closed until September; the school year has been ended early, and several schools may never be deemed fit to reopen. An environmental assessment found that Beacon Hill School was structurally sound, but due to the lack of notice to evacuate, windows were left open exposing the schools interior to smoke and ash. Public School Board Chair Jeff Thompson announced on June 9 that the approximately 200 Beacon Hill school children will have to attend a school in another neighbourhood next year, as it will take till the end of 2016 to clean the school. Fort McMurray Catholic School Superintendent George McGuigan announced two schools will remain closed next year, Father Beauregard School in Abasand and Good Shepherd School in Beacon Hill. While both are structurally sound and smoke damage is minimal, the potentially toxic environment around the schools makes them unsafe for human habitationdisplacing approximately 450 more students. Due to fire damage, the citys only Francophone school, Ecole Boreal, also in Abasand, will also remain shut in September. McGuigan and Thompson said the schools may be forced to remain closed for good if the neighbourhoods are rebuilt elsewhere due to soil contamination. There have been reports of families pushing past the security fences to search contaminated areas as secure perimeters were not enforced by the municipality or the province. Many working-class families are experiencing grave hardship. The Wildfire Donation Centre in Edmonton is appealing to the public for donations of basic items such as canned meat, peanut butter, baby food and formula, baby bottles, pillows, towels, first-aid kits, childrens shoes, antiseptic wipes and bottled water. Several Facebook groups of people offering and needing assistance have sprung up. The Fort McMurray food bank reopened June 11. A manager at the food bank said it is planning to feed 1,000 families a month, twice as many as before the fire. The organization expected to continue handing out a weeks worth of food to residents until September. One day after opening, it was forced to impose a cap of 150 hampers per day as it could not keep up with demand. Until June 16, Alberta Health Services had advised that children under the age of 7 should not return to Fort McMurray. It now says the Air Quality Advisory has been lifted and that it is safe for most residents to return. Only those on dialysis, receiving cancer treatments, who are more than 36 weeks pregnant or who have complications related to pregnancy are being told to stay away, as the hospital has not fully reopened. Albertas New Democratic Party (NDP) government has so far refused to put an estimate on the cost of the disaster in terms of property destroyed or in terms of costs to extinguish the fire and respond to the evacuation. In April 2016, the NDP budget set wildfire management expenditures at $86.3 million for 2016-17, along with $200 million for unallocated disaster and emergency assistance. In 2015-16 actual wildfire fighting costs in Alberta were $500 million, although there was no fire on the scale of that experienced in May of this year. The fire season does not end until November. The April provincial budget also projected a shortfall of $10.4 billion based on lower energy revenue from tax and royalties due to low oil prices. The provinces books will take another hit in May and June because oil-sand production was curtailed by the enormous fires burning out of control. Production was down by a million barrels of oil a day in May and by 500,000 barrels a day in June. Meanwhile, Rachel Notleys social-democratic government was publicly embarrassed when it was revealed by the press that members of a 300-person South African fire crew brought over on a government contract with a company called Work On Fire were receiving just $15.00 each per day, while the government was paying the company $170.00 per worker per day, plus transportation, lodging and food for the workers. These workers met all the Canadian training requirements and went right from the plane to working in the bush. When the news broke the striking workers were promptly shipped back to South Africa. This incident reminded everyone that Notley has not made good on her election promise to raise the provincial minimum wage to $15.00 per hour, a promise she reneged on calling it only notional in April when tabling her austerity provincial budget. The authors also recommend: Canadian capitalism and the Fort McMurray wildfire [10 May 2016] DELRAY BEACH, Fla. (AP) - A principal and teacher have been reprimanded for a South Florida high school pep rally that ended with a fire-breather accidentally setting himself ablaze. Local news outlets reported Tuesday that Atlantic High School Principal Tara Dellegrotti-Ocampo and Student Government Association adviser William Durgin have both received verbal reprimands for the March incident. Doctors say 52-year-old Ricky Charles, who runs a company in Pembroke Pines called Inferno's Challenge Inc., suffered second-degree burns over several parts of his body. He had been performing before hundreds of students in the Delray Beach school's gym. Dellegrotti-Ocampo said she never knew fire would be part of the $500 performance, which was planned by the school's Student Government Association. Durgin said Charles told him the performance would include a small flame but never mentioned fire breathing. ___ Information from: WPEC-TV, http://www.wpecnews12.com/ (Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.) Bail was set at $100,000 Thursday for a 27-year-old Yakima woman accused of trying to help a If you are sending a Letter To the Editor, please be sure to follow these rules: Letters have a firm 200-word limit and will be edited for grammar, clarity and accuracy. The person who signs the letter must be the author. Anonymous letters will not be considered. Letters must address the editor, not a third party. We will not print form letters, libelous letters, business promotions or personal disputes, poetry, open letters, letters espousing religious views without reference to a current issue, or letters considered in poor taste. Letters reflect the opinion of the writer. The Yakima Herald-Republic cannot verify the accuracy of all statements made in letters. Writers are limited to one published letter per calendar month. The European Union's Foreign Ministers Council welcomed Monday the French initiative to renew negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians following deliberations in Luxembourg on the situation in the Middle East. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter "The Council welcomes the Joint Communique on the Middle East peace initiative adopted at the Ministerial meeting in Paris on 3 June 2016," the ministers said in a joint statement issued following their meeting in Brussels on Monday. "The Council reiterates its support for a just, sustainable and comprehensive resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and peace and stability in the region." EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini in Luxembourg (Photo: EPA) The statement called on both sides "to demonstrate, through policies and actions, a genuine commitment to a peaceful solution in order to rebuild mutual trust and create conditions for direct and meaningful negotiations aiming at ending the occupation that began in 1967, and resolving all permanent status issues." "The EU is determined, alongside other international and regional partners, to bring a concrete and substantial contribution to a global set of incentives for the parties to make peace," the statement went on to say. "The Council also reaffirms the European proposal, as endorsed in the Council Conclusions of December 2013, of an unprecedented package of political, economic and security support to be offered to, and developed with, both parties in the context of a final status agreement." Foreign Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nachshon reiterated Israel's position, saying "peace with the Palestinians will only be achieved through direct, bilateral negotiations without preconditions. International conferences like the one welcomed by the EU council drive peace away by allowing the Palestinians to continue avoiding direct negotiations and compromises, Nachshon contended. This is a regrettable step backwards in the pursuit of peace, to which Israel remains fully committed. France has for months been preparing to hold a conference that would bring together the two parties and their American, European and Arab partners in order to revive the peace process. Paris has warned that if its peace efforts fail, it will recognize a Palestinian state, but that ultimatum has since been pushed to the sidelines. Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman met with US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter in Washington on Monday to discuss the military aid deal currently under negotiations. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter After Lieberman and Carter's meeting, a senior Israeli source in Washington said that "we could reach an agreement on the aid deal soon. There are disagreements, but also a willingness to bridge those gaps." The source stressed that "the conversation was good and practical, and there is a willingness to reach an agreement on aid for Israel's missile defense system, regardless of the presidential elections in the United States. The goal is to reach an agreement as fast as possible." "His meetings at the Pentagon were strictly on professional matters," the source said. The defense source went on to say that "The minister and his hosts see eye to eye on the threats in the region and the Iranian issue," and stressed that "technological and intelligence cooperation is tight." The source said disagreements on the military aid deal mostly revolved around nuances, and said he believed an agreement will be reached soon. The Pentagon said in a statement after the meeting that "Secretary Carter and Minister Lieberman reaffirmed the strength of the US- Israeli defense relationship and the United States' unwavering commitment to Israel's security. They also discussed regional security challenges in the Middle East and areas of mutual defense cooperation." During a Kulanu faction meeting on Monday, Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon called on the prime minister and defense minister to accept the American proposal. "The proposal is positive and fair," Kahlon said. "The defense establishment could definitely make do with the current proposal, and there's no need for us to make moves that could be seen as interfering in the United States' internal affairs." "Accepting the American aid proposal, alongside the multi-annual budget we've passed for the first time in years, will give the IDF a significant strategic advantage, and enable it to be prepared for any scenario," Kahlon added. A source in the Prime Minister's Office said, "The National Security Council is running the negotiations on behalf of the prime minister with the American counterpart, Susan Rice, responsibility and with level-headedness to reach the best results." A close confidant of the prime minister said cynically, "it's a shame that officials with limited experience in negotiations are interfering. It's no wise, it doesn't help, and it doesn't make a difference." President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz is trying to bring about a meeting in Brussels between President Reuven Rivlin and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The two are staying this week in Brussels and with Rivlin and Abbas set to address the European parliament on Wednesday and Thursday respectively. President Rivlin meets with Belgian PM Charles Michel X Schulz asked Rivlin if he would accept an invitation to meet with Abbas to which Rivlin respnded in the affirmative and informed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accordingly. Until now, Abbas has not yet responded to such an invitation. In the meantime therefore, the meeting has not been officially scheduled and it is not yet known where or when it would take place. Abbas and Rivlin were supposed to stay in the same hotel in Brussels for the duration of their trips. However, after these details were reported, Abbas entourage moved to another hotel at the last minute. President Rivlin and Charles Michel (Photo: Mark Nayman) Rivlin has not met with Abbas since he was inaugurated as president of Israel two years ago but has expressed his desire, on more than one occasion, to do so. The two figures have even spoken on the phone several times. Despite Rivlin's willingness, the Presidents Residence has informed that no meeting has been set. Rivlin and his wifelanded on Monday morning in Brussels where he kicked off his trip by being hosted by Prime Minister Charles Michel in his guest house. During their eeting, the two spoke for an hour about strengthening ties between the two countries. President Rivlin and Belgian PM Charles Michel (Mark Nayman) At the conclusion of the meeting Rivlin and Michel made a joint statement in which the former emphasized the importance of cooperation between the two countries in the struggle against anti-Semitism and terror. Rivlin told the prime minister: Israel is concerned by the activities of the BDS movement in your country. BDS is of no importance, but even their small victories can give the wrong impression. We hope that under your leadership, Belgium will say 'no to BDS' and 'yes to peace', 'yes to cooperation.'" Mahmoud Abbas (Photo: AP) Today we know that there is a link between anti-Semitism against Jews, and Jihadi terror that kills innocent people of all religions. We must not wait for anti-Semitism to become terror; we must fight it from the beginning, together, he continued. Michel praised Rivlin for his visit and for his stances during their meeting before elaborating on its content: We spoke today about the fight against terror, which stands central to the efforts of our two peoples and of the whole world. We must improve the coordination between our intelligence organizations to ensure that we will succeed in preventing future attacks," he said. Photo: Mark Nayman "In addition, we spoke about our shared values, the values of democracy, and the peace process in light of the geopolitical situation in the Middle East. We share in the concern about events in Syria, Libya, and Iraq. One of the issues about which we spoke was that of the refugees which is of concern to both countries. The prime minister went on to emphasize that, I had the opportunity to reaffirm Belgiums commitment to fighting anti-Semitism. We will fight anti-Semitism with all our strength. This is a shared struggle. After his meeting with the Prime Minister, President Rivlin went on to meet King Phillipe of Belgium, with whom he discussed a range of bilateral issues, and spoke of strengthening the relations between the State of Israel and the Kingdom of Belgium. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry issued a statement blaming Prime Minister Netanyahu for the death of a Palestinian youth overnight Monday after IDF soldiers apparently mistook him for a terrorist. The putting to death of a youth, Mahmoud Badran, by Israel is Netanyahus answer to the the adoption by the European Union of the French Initiative." Nineteen people were arrested Monday on suspicion of fraud and money laundering of about NIS 200 million in state funds, according to an investigation by Israel Police's financial unit and the Israel Tax Authority. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter One of the major suspects was a businessman who lives in a luxury villa in Savyon, and who drives a car valued at about NIS 2m, while a second major suspect was businessman Adi Zim, 46, who at the age of 15 opened a grocery store and became a multi-millionaire. Adi Zim at court in Rishon LeZion (Photo: Yariv Katz) Among the allegations against all the suspects are tax fraud, forgery, fraud and money laundering. The investigation revealed that several employment agencies in various fields such as security, nursing, cleaning and agriculture inflated the number of their employees, reported on the alleged salaries paid to fictitious employees, issued false invoices, and inflated various expenses on invoices. As a result, they received tax returns from the state and paid less taxes. The employment agencies are suspected of having transferred approximately NIS 200 million earned by fraudulent means to check-clearing companies such as SR Accord- who laundered the money. Most of the money was then transferred to employment agencies. It is suspected that the check-clearing companies cashed checks despite being aware of their fraudulent nature. Investigators on Sunday raided the homes and offices of the suspects, confiscating documents and property, including a luxury BMW car. The Israel Securities Authority stopped SR Accord's trading on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. As a result its share price plunged more than 40%. Sources close to the company said that this represented "an earthquake in the check-clearing market" . . The Knesset Ethics Committee (KEC) will impose a 6,000 shekel fine on Yesh Atid chairman, Yair Lapid for his absence from a number of Knesset sessions deemed unjustified. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The fine, which constitutes four days of Lapids total monthly salary, was decided in light of a report published on Monday night which addressed the matter of absenteeism among MKs from Knesset winter sessions. It found that that 117 MKs, ministers and deputy ministers met the minimum attendance rate required. However, three were found to have exceeded the number of permitted absences, prompting the committee to examine their justifications. During the winter session, the committee said, the Knesset convened 75 times. Therefore, according to the rules, an MK is required to explain his or her reasons is absent 25 times or more. Similarly, a deputy minister must do so if absent 30 times while a minister must do so if absent 38 times. Yair Lapid (Photo: Gil Yohanan) The inquiry found that MK Lapid was absent from 32 sessions, 8 above the permitted quota. In an effort to defend his actions, Lapid claimed before the committee that he views Israels status in the international arena as a top priority, particularly in light of the BDS movement. In accordance with this, I was requested to appear in many international forums and to represent Israel in the struggle against the delegitimization of Israel in the world, he stated, pointing out that he met with many European foreign ministers and delivered speeches against the UN Human Rights Council and therefore took absence from the plenum. The Ethics Committee determined that the established quota of lawful absences was intended to enable MKs to take part in tours, to give lectures and to engage in different activities in Israel and around the world and that absences which exceeded the permitted quota was beyond reasonable justification. First and foremost, an MK is obliged to carry out his parliamentary duties, at least during the days of plenary sessions within the assigned quota, the report read. In light of its conclusions, the committee decided that the reasons provided by Lapid were deemed unreasonable. Despite the significant deviation, the Ethics Committee is inclined to see this fact as a first time, the report read. Therefore, in accordance with the law of immunity, it has been decided that MK Lapid will have four days only of his salary revoked. Another MK who came under the KECs scrutiny was Taleb Abu Arar (Arab Joint List) who was absent from 26 sessions - two above the quota. He justified his absentia on grounds of dental treatment. Furthermore, he claimed that in some instances his entry was not registered and posited that the record was inaccurate. Abu Arar said that he endeavors to participate in every session and perform his duties. The KEC decided to issue a warning only since this was the first time Abu Arar has failed to fulfil his required quota. MK Mickey Rosenfeld (Zionist Union), who also failed to attend two sessions beyond the quota, cited health reasons for his absence and even produced medical documentation to prove it. The KEC accepted Rosenfelds reasons. IDF forces in cooperation with Border Policemen and the civil administration destroyed Tuesday the home of the terrorist who carried out the attack in Jaffa in early March, the IDF spokesman announced. Bashar Masalha from the village of Hajja near Qalqiliya killed Taylor Force, a former officer in the US Army, and injured 11 others in the attack. A top European Union official says the bloc stands ready to provide Israel and the Palestinians with massive political, economic and security support as part of any peace agreement between them. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter European Council President Donald Tusk said Tuesday that the EU will "back up a peace deal with an unprecedented package of cooperation and support to both Israel and the future state of Palestine." Tusk said after talks in Brussels with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, who is currently on a state visit in Brussles, that "a lasting peace in the region remains a top priority" for the EU. Photo: AFP EU foreign ministers expressed determination on Monday to throw the organization's weight behind Middle East peace moves and a possible international conference before the end of the year. They invited EU agencies to present proposals "including on economic incentives, without delay." During a meeting between President Rivlin and Tusk, which took place shortly before the statements were made, Rivlin said, Promoting peace in the Middle East is a vital interest of Israel. At the same time, I believe that our special bi-lateral relations can grow and develop in an independent way. Tusk acknowledged Israel's security concerns: We will deepen our cooperation on counter-terrorism, including by launching our dialogue in this area later this year. Terrorism can only be defeated if we face it together. The statements about the EU package came following the European Union's Foreign Ministers Council's welcoming on Monday of the French initiative to renew negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians following deliberations in Luxembourg on the situation in the Middle East. "The Council welcomes the Joint Communique on the Middle East peace initiative adopted at the Ministerial meeting in Paris on 3 June 2016," the ministers said in a joint statement issued following their meeting in Brussels on Monday. "The Council reiterates its support for a just, sustainable and comprehensive resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and peace and stability in the region." Turkey and Israel will announce this weekend a deal to normalize ties, ending a six-year diplomatic crisis sparked by a deadly Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla wherein 10 Turkish nationals died, a report said Tuesday. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The Hurriyet daily said the two sides would make the announcement during final talks on June 26 after intensive diplomacy resulted in a compromise agreement on the partial lifting of Israel's blockade on the Gaza Strip. Previously tight relations between Israel and key NATO member Turkey were significantly downgraded after Israeli commandos staged a botched pre-dawn raid on the six-ship flotilla in May 2010 as it tried to run the blockade on Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (Photo: AFP, Kobi Gidon/GPO) Nine activists on board the Turkish-owned Mavi Marmara ferry were killed, with a tenth person later dying of his wounds, sparking a bitter diplomatic crisis. Two of Turkey's key conditions for normalization--an apology and compensation--were largely met, leaving its third demand, that Israel lift its blockade on the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, as the main obstacle. Under terms of the deal, Israel will allow the completion of a much-needed hospital in Gaza, as well as the construction of a new power station and a sea water distillation plant for drinking water. Israel imposed its blockade on Gaza in June 2006 after Palestinian militants there kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. The restrictions were tightened a year later when Hamas took control of the enclave, but eased significantly following a wave of international outrage over the flotilla carnage. Meanwhile, Turkey will send aid to Gaza but channel it via the Israeli port of Ashdod rather than sending it directly to the Palestinian enclave, the paper said. Ambassadors to return The announcement would be made after talks between top Turkish foreign ministry official Feridun Sinirlioglu and Israel's pointman on Turkish relations, Joseph Ciechanover, it added. It did not say where the talks would be held. The two diplomats would then meet again in July to formally sign the agreement after which ambassadors would return to the respective embassies and full ties would be restored. Analysts have said Turkey may pursue a more conciliatory foreign policy following the departure of former prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who spearheaded an aggressive and interventionist strategy. His successor Binali Yildirim last week said he wanted no permanent tensions with Black Sea and Mediterranean neighbours after serious ruptures not just with Israel but also with Egypt and Russia. Jordan's government says an explosives-laden truck that blew up near a Jordanian army post on the border with Syria was driven by a suicide attacker. Spokesman Mohammed Momani says the border area will be sealed, leaving it unclear how international aid will reach some 64,000 Syrian refugees stranded on the frontier. Tuesday's attack killed six members of the Jordanian security forces and wounded 14. Turkey's armed forces have launched a large-scale military operation against Kurdish rebels in the southeastern province of Diyarbakir. The state-run Anadolou Agency cited the military as saying the operation is focused on the Diyarbakir districts of Lice, Silvan, Kulp and Hazro, where an outlawed armed Kurdish movement has a presence. It said roughly 1,000 security personnelincluding counter-terrorism police from the capital Ankara and Istanbulwere deployed Tuesday as part of the operation. An Egyptian court on Tuesday rejected as "unconstitutional" a border agreement that would have transferred two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia, and which had sparked street protests in Cairo. The ruling was a rare rebuke of the government's foreign policy by the judiciary, which has been largely supportive of President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, and could strain ties with Riyadh, which has provided billions of dollars in aid to Egypt in recent years. President Barack Obama's nominee to lead the US military in Africa on Tuesday backed the idea of gaining greater power to strike Islamic State, including in Libya, which he described as the group's Plan B as it loses territory in Iraq and Syria. Marine Lieutenant General Thomas Waldhauser told his Senate confirmation hearing that the U.S. military was making preparations for possible military strikes in Libya against the militants. But Waldhauser noted limitations on the current commander's ability to order strikes against the group in Libya, which require adhering to White House guidance. That differs from the rules of engagement in Iraq or Syria. Booklets encouraging students not to join the IDF that compares soldiers to Nazis and cannibals have been distributed in recent days in mainstream yeshivas. They have also been sent via emails, with the recipients requested to print physical copies to distribute them to yeshivas. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The 57-page "guide," produced by Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) Jews, describes the trajectory that awaits young persons of their sector from their first call-up notice. It claims that the IDF representatives who meet with them during the process only seek to harm them. It thus recommends avoiding cooperating with them as much as possible. "For the next hour," the booklet says, "they will examine your every smile and every sentence to give you a deadly assessment, similar to the 'assessors' at Auschwitz's gates of death who assessed the state of every youth, and even the slightest change could determine his fate to die." The booklet is no signed by any official organization, but, as opposed to previous similar publications in the past against service in the IDF, it cannot be associated only to known anti-Zionist groups, as it is directed for mainstream yeshiva students. Amongst its distributors are members of "the Jerusalem faction" of the Lithuanian Haredi sector. Haredi Jews at induction office (Photo: Ofer Amram) The faction's leader, Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach, declared war against the law to draft ultra-Orthodox Jews, including its modified and weaker version. He blamed senior Haredi leaders in that matter, and he ordered his followers not to present themselves at all at the induction office as required. His faction also organizes from time to time demonstrations at central junctions throughout the country in response to arrests of yeshiva student deserters. Young ultra-Orthodox youth are warned in the guide not to be impressed with the warm reception that they receive in the induction office, as it has but one goal: enticing them to leave the world of Torah. The soldiers whom they will meet there appear as "cannibals" via a series of fables and stories. "It's not excitement and admiration of your many skills and your special personality," the booklet reads, "They don't need you as a person. They need you as a pound of meatfor every person that they draft, they get moneya lot of money." 'You are strong; they won't move you!' Those distributing the material take advantage of the opportunity to warn the yeshiva students of "collaborators and mercenaries" who work trying to draft them outside of bases in civilian appearance: "They roam the fringes of Haredi society and constantly engage in hunting souls According to various estimations and calculations, the authorities invest tens of thousands of shekels for one 'Haredi head' that can be a hearty meal for a large team of 'modern cannibals.' It should be eminently clear to you: Nobody escapes from this trap." In light of this, the booklet recommends, "It doesn't matter how successful, witty, brilliant and extensively knowledgeable in different fields you are. In this interview, endeavor to know the minimum that every yeshiva student knows, and speak of less than thatand with serious consideration. To avoid being assigned a suitable position, the booklet recommends disregarding the instructions for the tests administered in the draft process: "On the computerized test, don't waste your time, and don't read the questions. For every question, strike 'Enter,' and you'll finish the test in a few seconds. Being nice is wonderfuloutside of the induction office. 'Guide for the called up: So that you'll get through your call up in peace' "At the office, you're nobody's friend. You don't go with anything, aren't open, and don't get dragged to anything. Don't try to leave an impression on anyone, even if you're intelligent and pleasant. In the office, you're just a dry and dull character who doesn't get jokes, doesn't know how to smile, and just came to hand over forms and leave." To strengthen the yeshiva students' resolve in the rightness of their path, the booklet besmirches the IDF and its soldiers: "When we see tanks, planes, riflesthe heart may be impressed. So we go back and review: Zeroes. (The soldiers are) not even stinking maggot flies. Like children who play with Lego and build planes and ships." Regarding ultra-Orthodox who do serve in the army: "Those soldiers and commanders are destroying the country and its inhabitants Those poor zeroes, who run about with their rifles to and fro, playing at (a children's program) as if they were protecting something or other." Those who can no longer learn Torah and are interested in leaving yeshiva are warned not to serve in the army: "You learned for a quarter hour during that time (during a period of a few months KN)? That quarter hour is your defense of the people of Israel (and yourself) more than any of those soldiers for their three years (of service)." The booklet also alleges that there are also less spiritual reasons to dodge the draft: fear of dying, the "tyranny" of commanders, abuse of soldiers (mainly religious ones) and loneliness. "In the secular public, anyone who can dodge the draft dodges," the booklet alleges, "Don't be a sucker. It's a lot easier to sit in jail for three years than to be in the army for three years. Inside the army, you don't have a family to go back toFamilies have broken apart, fathers have declined, children have become orphans while their fathers are alive because of a reckless move of induction." The IDF is described as a "dark, cruel, cold and aloof" place that brings soldiers to utter depression and complete exhaustion. The booklet alleges that the suicide rate ("number 1 cause of death in the IDF") is higher and that "for every person who commits suicide, there are another hundred who wanted to and who didn't have a weapon on hand, and a thousand wandering about with suicidal thoughts." The booklets' authors summarize their principal rules that must never be ignored: Don't sign any document ("even if it states that you're a yeshiva student or if it's washing machine instructions"), don't wear a uniform ("even just for a photo") and don't come to the induction office without a hat and suit ("a clear recipe for problems"). "Make up whatever you want just don't sign," the booklet adds. "Say that you swore to your father with a handshake that you wouldn't sign. Tell them that you swore to your mother that you wouldn't sign. Tell them that you made a thousand-dollar bet with your friend that you wouldn't sign." In the run up to Thursdays vote in Britain on whether to exit the European Union, Israeli policymakers have studiously avoided comment, desiring not to be seen as interfering in the UKs internal affairs. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Israeli analysts nevertheless stress that Israel has a definite stake in the outcome, though they differ on whether a British exit (Brexit) would be good or bad for its interests. European Union and United Kingdom flags (Photo:EPA) Polls show that the race is too close to call, with the latest surveys pointing to a resurgence in support for remaining in the EU. An opinion poll for the Mail on Sunday taken June 17-18 showed 45 percent in favor of remaining and 42 percent in favor of leaving. The stakes for Israel became greater on Monday when all 28 EU foreign ministers decided to endorse the French peace initiative, which began with a meeting in Paris earlier this month and which, according to French President Francois Hollandes plan, will culminate in an international peace conference dedicated to relaunching Israeli-Palestinian negotiations to be held before the end of the year. Israel adamantly opposes the French initiative, seeing it as a bid to impose a solution on it against its security and interests. International conferences like those that the EUs foreign ministers welcomed push peace further away because they enable the Palestinians to continue to avoid direct talks and compromise, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement Monday. Israels hopes of staving off the initiative and its standing vis-a-vis the EU could be set back if Britain exits the body, according to Oded Eran, former Israeli ambassador to the EU and now a senior analyst at the Institute for National Strategic Studies in Tel Aviv. It is preferable for Israel that Britain remain in the EU, where it is a voice of moderation in favor of Israel, Eran told The Media Line. Because of Britains close relationship with the United States, London tends to be more sympathetic to Israel than many other EU countries, Eran says. Economically, the EU is Israels largest trading partner and it is important that it remain robust he says. In the security sphere, Britain is one of the most active members of the EU and NATO, he notes. We prefer to see a stronger Europe in its battle against terror and other threats, he says. But it is in the coming diplomacy over the French initiative that Eran believes Britains presence in the EU is acutely needed by Israel. In the run up to the planned conference, Britains role is still very important for Israel, he said. In Erans view, the United States is not very enthusiastic about the French initiative and is likely to seek to foil it, possibly in favor of an American initiative, provided Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu facilitates this by showing some flexibility on peace issues. In this case, he believes, Britain would assist the US in trying to convince the French and other Europeans to make way for American moves. Britain would play the role of facilitator of the American efforts to enable Netanyahu to take a different track than the French initiative. However, if London exits the EU, Israel will lose a moderating factor, a voice that could help it avoid the French initiative if necessary. British Prime Minister David Cameron, whose political future depends on a vote to remain, is seen in Israel as a reliable friend. Defense and intelligence ties have reportedly been quietly but considerably strengthened under Cameron. During the Gaza conflict in 2014, his Conservative party for weeks withstood pressure from its Liberal Democrat coalition partners to condemn Israels military campaign. The international conference push is far from the first time that Israel finds itself at loggerheads with the European Union. The EU considers Israeli communities built on the territories captured by Israel during the 1967 war to be illegal while Israel disputes this. The EU says the settlements are an obstacle to peace, something Israel denies. Last November, the differences came to a head as the EU required goods emanating from the post-1967 areas to be labelled to that effect, rather than being marked product of Israel. UK Prime Minister David Cameron The Israeli foreign ministry blasted the decision, terming it in a statement an exceptional and discriminatory step inspired by the boycott movement. Israel and the EU are also at odds over Israeli demolition of Palestinian structures, some of them EU-funded, in the Oslo Accords-designated Area C part of the West Bank, meaning under full administrative and security control by the Israelis. Israel maintains it is merely acting against illegal construction while the EU views the same building as vital to the Palestinian presence in an area it sees as crucial to Palestinian statehood. In the view of Efraim Inbar, head of the Begin Sadat Center for Strategic Studies at Bar-Ilan University, the EU stances on these issues reflect an anti-Israel orientation emanating from Brussels. If Britain leaves and the EU becomes weaker, it will impact positively on Israel, he told The Media Line. The EU as a whole is much more anti-Israel than its individual countries so if it is weakened that will be good. Inbar adds that a British exit, in so much as it can be seen to reflect heightened nationalism of individual European nations, could help boost sympathy for Israel. The EU is basically a post nationalist phenomenon while Israel is a nationalist phenomenon, so with each country being nationalist there will be a greater understanding of Israeli behavior, he says. In contrast to Inbar, Alon Liel, the dovish former director-general of the Israeli foreign ministry, says that Britain exiting the EU would be a negative development. The EU as an aggregate is much more pro-peace than its individual members. To have such a major country depart is weakening the Brussels machine, Liel told The Media Line. The Palestinians for their part do not expect the British decision to have a significant impact on them, according to Ghassan Khatib, Vice President of Birzeit University in the West Bank. Regardless of what happens with the vote, there is a trend in European and within British public opinion of greater sympathy with the Palestinian cause, he says. The French initiatives acceptance reflects this, he adds. These trends will continue in the EU and Britain whether Britain is in or out because there are objective reasons for them, Khatib tells The Media Line, citing Israeli behavior as being foremost among them. Israel is doing the kind of thing that even friendly countries like Germany and Britain dont want Israel to do such as expanding the settlements and this is effecting negatively their support for Israel. In Amman, Sabri Rbeihat, the former minister for political development, says that supporters of the Jordanian monarchy want Britain to stay in the EU. There is a long historic relationship and a feeling that the British have an understanding of the area and its geography and history. Many feel the Jordanian regime was created and maintained by Britain, he told The Media Line. The EU without Britain would be an unknown, a question mark, there is a sense of uncertainty over what would happen and who would steer the EU. As a homeowner, you probably already know that you should be working to maintain your home. But, chances are, you Read More News Washington, DC - Secretary of State John Kerry: "Today, we honor refugees resilience and courage. We also recognize the tremendous contributions made by local and international non-governmental organizations on the front lines of delivering life-saving assistance. This years commemoration comes at a time when brutal conflicts are forcing record numbers of innocent people to flee, and challenging the world to find better ways to protect them. "The war in Syria alone has displaced more than 11 million people half of that nations pre-war population. Millions more have fled Daeshs atrocities in Iraq, civil wars in Yemen and South Sudan, political violence in Burundi, and Boko Harams rampages through Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger, and Chad. "The number of forcibly displaced people is the largest ever recorded. Sixty-five million people are refugees, internally displaced or seeking asylum, five million more than a year ago. "World War II, another era of mass displacement, taught us indelible lessons about our collective duty to aid victims of conflict and persecution. The global humanitarian system our leaders assembled in the aftermath of that war has saved millions of lives. Throughout that time, the United States government has funded and continues to galvanize support for humanitarian operations. Last year alone, U.S. humanitarian aid exceeded $6 billion. "But this good work and the resources we and other donors provide are not keeping pace with todays unprecedented needs because there are so many refugees, because they are staying in exile longer, and because countries hosting them are overwhelmed. More than eight in ten who flee across borders take refuge in poor or middle income countries, often in countries struggling to provide even their own citizens with basic necessities like health care, education, and clean water. "The United States is determined to find solutions. That is why, on September 20, at the UN General Assembly in New York, President Obama will host a Leaders Summit on Refugees asking nations to make concrete commitments toward expanding the humanitarian safety net and creating more long-term, durable opportunities for refugees. In the meantime, we will remain committed to providing humanitarian assistance across the globe, while also expanding our own refugee resettlement program from nearly 70,000 admitted last year to 85,000 from across the world in 2016. "The refugees we welcome to the United States will join previous generations who have come to this country to escape violence and persecution threats to human life and dignity that remain all too real today. History celebrates such moments when we have overcome bias and fear, and opened our doors. Those who have walked through them have made immeasurable contributions to our community of citizens and enriched our lives. Their achievements are a testament to the potential all humans have to heal, to overcome loss, to start over, and to the obligation we share, to give future generations that chance." Arizona News Yuma, Arizona - With 56 percent of summer travelers driving to their destination and gas prices having increased nearly 40 percent in the last four months, the personal finance websites WalletHub and CardHub today released a pair of reports to help folks find savings along the way: 2016's Best & Worst States for Summer Road Trips and 2016s Best Gas Credit Cards. WalletHubs road-trip report compared the 50 U.S. states in terms of 21 relevant metrics that speak to each states suitability to summer travelers with a dual mandate of fun and frugality. Our data set ranges from average gas prices to the quality of roads to the number of attractions. Arizona as a Road-Trip Destination (1=Best; 25=Avg.): Latest News Washington, DC - Special Envoy and Coordinator for International Energy Affairs Amos Hochstein will travel to Argentina June 21 to June 23, 2016 for meetings with Argentine federal and provincial government officials and energy industry leaders to discuss shared energy security interests, ways to support Argentinas commitment to expanding generation with renewable energy, and the responsible and sustainable development of its vast energy resources. The United States commends Argentina on its support for the Paris Agreement and vision to increase the use of renewables. The United States Department of State is pleased to provide technical assistance to Argentina to help it develop its resources in an environmentally and socially sustainable manner and to maximize the benefit of their development as well as to help Argentina develop and implement the frameworks needed for increasing the use of clean and renewable energy strategies. This visit underscores the deep engagement between the Department of State and Argentina on energy issues. The Bureau of Energy Resources (ENR) has a wealth of experience to contribute from its work around the globe including work in the region on issues including energy diversification, regional interconnection and market integration, renewable energy development, energy efficiency, best practices in unconventional gas development, and actions to help implement COP 21 commitments to reduce energy sector emissions. Latest News Lima, Peru - Dr. Jill Biden has arrived in Lima, Peru as part of her four-country visit to Central and South America to engage government and civil society partners on issues related to economic empowerment and educational opportunities for women and girls. On Monday, Dr. Biden will visit Surquillo Market in Lima with renowned Peruvian Chef Flavio Solorzano and Peruvian Minister of Trade and Tourism Magali Silva, to see where residents and restauranteurs buy ingredients to produce Limas traditional cuisine. This event is for invited press. Dr. Biden will then tour TECSUP, a private higher education institution functioning as a community college which provides technical and research training to 2,220 students in Lima. There, she will visit training facilities for Caterpillar equipment and visit the schools Fab Lab, an educational outreach component of MITs Center for Bits and Atoms (CBA). A Fab Lab is a technical prototyping platform for innovation and invention, providing stimulus for local entrepreneurship. Afterwards, Dr. Biden will meet with students at the Chef School at San Ignacio de Loyola University (USIL), which has created two strategic partnerships under President Obamas 100,000 Strong in the Americas with the Universidad del Este in Carolina, Puerto Rico, and the University of North Alabama in Florence, Alabama. This event is open press. In the afternoon, Dr. Biden will depart Lima, Peru en route Cusco, Peru. Upon arrival, Dr. Biden visit the CoriCancha Temple in Cusco where she will meet with Youth Ambassadors. CoriCancha Temple is considered one of the most important temples in the Inca Empire. The Youth Ambassadors Program is a youth exchange for students to participate in intensive, thematic, three-week exchange projects in the U.S. that are designed to promote high-quality leadership, civic responsibility, and civic activism among future leaders of their communities. This event is open press. On Tuesday, Dr. Biden will visit Machu Picchu. Dr. Biden will be joined by the Mesa Verde National Park Service Superintendent Cliff Spencer and two students and one teacher from Colegio de Alto Rendimiento, Cusco (COAR). This event is for invited press. On Wednesday, Dr. Biden will visit the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco, a womens weaving cooperative located in the community of Chinchero. While visiting the womens weaving cooperative in Chinchero, Dr. Biden will learn about how the Center works with ten weaving communities in the region of Cusco to continue traditional textile traditions of Cusco while providing fair trade support to the indigenous people who create them. This event is open press. Afterwards, Dr. Biden will deliver remarks at the Colegio de Alto Rendimiento Cusco (COAR), on the shared commitment of the United States, Peru and countries throughout the Western Hemisphere to advance economic empowerment and educational opportunities for women and girls. COAR is a magnet schools created by the Ministry of Education to educate top performing students from public high schools in Peru. This event is open press. In the afternoon, Dr. Biden will depart Cusco, Peru en route Buenos Aires, Argentina. Latest News Washington, DC - Secretary of State John Kerry: "On behalf of President Obama and the American people, I extend warmest wishes to Grand Duke Henri and the people of Luxembourg as you celebrate your National Day on June 23. "The United States and Luxembourg share a strong commitment to the transatlantic partnership, global security, and wider prosperity. The United States deeply values Luxembourgs role as a founding member of NATO and the European Union, and its leadership in hosting the European Court of Justice and the Secretariat of the European Parliament. "This year, we celebrate 70 years of bilateral educational exchanges through the Fulbright Program, and the 25th anniversary of the Luxembourg-American Chamber of Commerce, established with the support of Grand Duke Henri. These and other programs reflect the depth of the partnership our two countries have created across a range of priorities. "The United States is proud to call Luxembourg a friend and ally. Best wishes for a joyful celebration of your National Day." Living Section Wellton, Arizona - On Tuesday, July 5th, 12th, 19th, and 26th, the Wellton Library will offer Computer/Device Help at 11:00 a.m. Receive individual instruction on topics, questions, or problems. No appointment is necessary. There is no charge to attend. Please charge your mobile device ahead of time. The Wellton Library is located at 28790 San Jose Avenue in Wellton. For more information, call (928) 785-9575. Yuma News Yuma, Arizona - Aspiring entrepreneurs are invited to attend the following sessions at the Coworking Oasis, Yumas first coworking space! The Coworking Oasis is located on the second floor of the Main Library, 2951 S 21st Drive. Please note, the library will be closed Monday, July 4th, in observance of Independence Day. Tuesday, July 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th 1:00- 3:00 p.m. SBDC Mentoring Counselors from the AWC Small Business Development Center (SBDC) will be onsite to provide evaluation and guidance. If you have an idea and dont know where to start, mentoring can help you fast-track your plans! Monday, July 11th, 18th, 25th 6:00-7:00 p.m. Meet-Up Monday Meet with other entrepreneurs in the Coworking Oasis. Find out where you are with your small business goals! Wednesday, July 13th & 27th 1:00-3:00 p.m. Drop-In Job Help Get help with online searches, resume writing, and other job search tools. Requests for specific topics can be e-mailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Thursday, July 14th & 28th 5:30-7:00 p.m. ASU Start-up School This series of facilitated workshops by the Arizona State University (ASU) Entrepreneurship Outreach Network teaches entrepreneurs what they need to do in order to develop a successful venture. To register, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Friday, July 15th 2:30-4:30 p.m. Business Plans 101 Vanessa Castillo, local small business consultant and digital m arketing expert, will discuss the key components of a business plan and how to incorporate them into a formal document. To register, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call (928) 373-6480. Saturday, July 16th @ 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Introduction to WordPress Workshop Business Librarian Andrew Zollman shares tips for building a website in WordPress. Participants will create a basic webpage during the workshop. Space is limited to 12 people. Wednesday, July 20th 1:00-3:00 p.m. Online Business Video Training Online webinars cover a variety of business-related topics. Webinars are chosen by attendees, followed by Q&A. To register, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. For more information, contact Andrew Zollman, Business Librarian, at (928) 373-6480 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . There is no charge to attend any program. This project was funded in part by the State Grants in Aid Program through the Arizona State Library, Archives, and Public Records Agency. Yuma News Yuma, Arizona - Today at 10:56 a.m., the Yuma Police Department responded to an injury collision on Avenue A at 22nd Street. The initial investigation revealed a 1998 Ford Windstar Van was making a left hand turn, southbound onto Avenue A from 22nd Street when it collided with a 2003 Hyundai Accent that was traveling north bound on Avenue A. The 72 year old driver of the Hyundai was transported to Yuma Regional Medical Center and later flown to a Phoenix Hospital in serious condition. The driver and passenger of the Ford Van were transported to Yuma Regional Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. 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. My sole motivation behind letting myself into that abominable prison house called school was the little white stick that my mother allowed me to grab and lick after the classes were over. I used to look with wishful eyes the attractive white box of ice cream walla who also had other varieties-the red tangy one that came in twenty five paisa, the slightly yellow one that came in fifty paisa and the expensive white creamy one that came in full one rupee. My mother had warned me against eating the orange one as she said it contained worms that came out if you sprinkled salt on it! So my childhood remained deprived of that one single taste that so often contented the appetite of my not-so-affluent friends.

When I went to college I read about globalisation, about the invasion of markets by foreign goods and of absolute wiping out of the local economy by organized production houses. But I could not understand these things till one day while crossing from near my school my eyes failed to spot that old ice cream walla whose presence had become such an inseparable part of the entire set up. It came as a rude shock to me that his place was now taken by three four colourful wheeled vans endorsing attractive logos and pictures of branded ice cream.

That changes are always for better or worse is like putting an emotion into plain black and white. I may have in my own personal way some attachment with the white stick ice cream or with the more expensive soapy, frothy softie of my school days but the accessibility, taste and variety that the present day ice cream industry is offering is no doubt incomparable.

Who would have thought barely a decade ago of eating ice creams made of real fresh fruits- a la Gelato Vittorio or a cool creamy liquid fried in hot boiling oil or what is called today the fried ice cream.

In India the ice cream industry took sometimes to catch the global cue because the country has an indigenous rich and well developed dessert market. What ice cream would stand in competition against Indian sweets? But no you cant say so just because you are born in the land of Kulfi. You will have the authority only when you taste Baked Alaska (an ice-cream sponge cake dish topped with meringue), Arctic roll (British dessert made of vanilla and flour), Adzuki (Japanese red bean ice cream) and Dondruma( a Turkish ice made of salep and mastic resin).

We Indians who generally go gaga over a handful of varieties that Baskin Robbins offers are unaware of the fact that the company actually makes 1000 flavours! What we get in India generally as branded ice cream is nothing but milk and corn flour seasoned with a few chemicals and packed in attractive cones, cups and cornettos. Our knowledge of Ice cream is so poor that we do not even know what cornetto is! Most of us think it is the name of an ice cream that Kwality offers. Update your dictionary- it is actually the registered name of an improved variety of waffle cone that does not become soggy and that was invented and patented by an Italian firm called Spica in 1960!

The world offers so much in shape of that delicate, cool, tender delight called ice cream that I being a lover of it feel choked with emotion at my own minisculeness and misfortune of not having tasted even a fraction of that tremendous, rich and inexhaustible treasure. What is thy life O mortal, my heart cries out, if thou hast not known the glories of the Australian Giant Sandwich Monster, the Manoco Bar, the Irish Scottish Sliders, the Argentine Helado, the Greek Kimaki and the Japanese Macha!

Sometimes I wonder whether there is an intricate connection between the survival of a race and its appetite for ice cream! Otherwise why would the Greeks, the Romans, the Chinese and the Persians survive the ravages of time and the Glorious Harappan civilization fade into oblivion? And let us be pragmatic and not blame some harmless ecology or innocent river for their decline. The reason I am sure was hidden in their food habits-they having failed to secure the divine blessings of the Gods. Yes, thats precisely what the ancient Greeks called ice cream! Imagine what foodies they must have been that nearly 4000 years ago they got for themselves ice houses constructed at the banks of Euphrates and as early as 5th century BC they began its marketing by selling ice cones mixed with fruit and honey. A honey flavoured cornetto.!

Roman emperor Nero (62 AD) was fond of fruit ice cream and hence sent his servants to fetch ice from mountains! The Falooda that we eat today is actually a Persian dish Faloodeh made from starch and has its origin around 400BC. The Chinese who claim to be the pioneers in almost everything -be it the first currency notes, the first stint with silk or the first to flood the markets of neighbours with cheap plastic goods-were not far behind in making ice cream too. They are credited to have invented a device that made quick ice using salt peter (no, it was not imported from Bihar, China had enough of it).

The unfortunate Charles I whom the world knows as an autocrat, a despot, a tyrant, an enemy of democracy and parliament was also a lover of ice cream! It is said that he made his chef keep the formula a secret so that it remained a royal prerogative.

Our great Mughals, we should not forget were the die hard lovers of food and all that is rich and luxurious in the modern Indian cuisine has a Mughal origin. So they too loved ice cream and they too enjoyed it in royal feasts and ceremonies. When they could get choicest fruits from Farghana and Samarquand and the best wines from Persia, why couldnt they send relays of horsemen to bring ice from Hindukush for their aromatic fruit sherbets?

But were sending horsemen to run and fetch ice or storing ice in underground icehouses near rivers, the only way of making ice creams in those days? Sadly, yes. And thats why the common man remained deprived of and unknown to its delectable taste. But lets thank Nancy Johnson of Philadelphia who first got the patent for a small hand run ice cream freezer. Gradually with the coming of electricity there also came a revolution in ice cream making. Thereafter Giant corporates like Howard Johnson, Dairy Queen, Baskin Robbins, Gelato Vittorio, Ben and Jerrys, Haagen Dazs and Carvel changed the concept of ice cream in the world. Soft serves, Sundaes and super premiums began to be offered by shops next door.

Thanks to globalisation, the world has really become a small place to live in. Today I can access any ice cream from the world over in my local confectionary shop. but among the confused tastes of multitudinous flavours I some how always try to find that one singular taste of the white stick ice-cream which trickled through my fingers and ran into my nursery uniformspoiling it but leaving an imprint on my memory which has failed to faint in all these years. Ajith Vijay Kumar A bomb goes off in downtown Baghdad leaving scores dead Thats news. If it happens in our country, like in Jaipur, thats a tragedy. And when 15,000 people are uprooted from their homes everyday (80% being women and children) and forced to live as nomads; no food, no shelterno nothing! People left to degenerate and die everyday in bits & partsask yourself does it move youmove me? Welcome to a world where even the simplest joys of being alive are at most times out of boundswelcome to Darfur, the very place where at least 200,000 people have been killed and two million forced out from their homes in the last five years. Imagine your life, as you know it, disappearing in an instant and you are forced to watch helplessly. Fear for your familys safety precipitated by war, violence, hatred, massacre, and genocide force you to flee your home, your soil, your land. Shoving you onto a torturous journey spanning hours or even days in search of a sheltersomewhere where your child can sleep in peace. You are dependent on handouts of food; possibly have no clean drinking water or access to health care. Not a pretty picture, right? But the fact is that millions of people all across the world, in countries rich and poor have been living in such desolate and precarious conditions for years. These people are called refugees. This is their story. Darfur is now famous (Hopefully more aid is pouring in) thanks to celebrity activists like Don Cheadle, his friend George Clooney and Steven Spielberg as they step up and speak out in attempts to galvanize governments and ordinary people to try and help. Spielberg even went to the extent of pulling out of the Beijing Olympics committee accusing China of not doing enough to pressure Sudan to end the "continuing human suffering" in the region. But the misfortune of the world we live in is that Darfur is not alone, many more regions and countries are at the brink of a humanitarian crisis; thats in one word CATASTROPHIC. According to the 2006 World Refugee survey conducted by the US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI), a staggering 33 million people worldwide are currently uprooted from their homes. USCRI says that Iraqis are currently the fastest growing refugee and IDP crisis group in the world with nearly 2 million people having fled the country, and 1.7 million internally displaced. In Sudan, more than 5.3 million people left their homes. And the on-going armed conflict in Colombia internally displaced 2.9 million people. These are however, just three in a long list of countries and regions impacted by this human tragedy. USCRI statistics show that there are 26 conflict-ridden nations, predominantly in Africa and the Middle East. Even in the best of conditions, humanitarian aid agencies are able to provide only the basics: food, clean drinking water, and elementary health care. But sometimes, local political climate ensures that weeks could go by before help arrives. All this happening in midst of a flickering hope of once gain revisiting those happy days when their children didnt cry out of hunger, days that were bliss. Somalia, Chad, Algeria, Zimbabwe; the dark continent and even large swathes of the so called peaceful world are full of such hell holes where entire generations are being lost in the unending search for a loaf of bread, a pitcher of water but who cares? Do youdo I? I discern that misery is subjective, what can move me to edges may not mean anything to you. Thats human fallacy at its bestsomething we all are good at. What doesnt affect me directly is not happening at all; thats the motto for most of us. On World Refugee Day let us not forget that we are lucky.She calls out to the man on the street Sir, can you help me? Its cold and Ive nowhere to sleep, Is there somewhere you can tell me? He walks on, doesnt look back He pretends he cant hear her Starts to whistle as he crosses the street Seems embarrassed to be there Oh think twice, its another day for You and me in paradise Oh think twice, its just another day for you, You and me in paradise Just another day in paradise * Single from Phil Collins` album, But Seriously (1989) The Hague: Judges at the International Criminal Court on Tuesday sentenced former Congolese vice president Jean-Pierre Bemba to 18 years in jail for a series of brutal rapes and murders in Central African Republic over a decade ago. "The chamber sentences Mr Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo to a total of 18 years of imprisonment," said judge Sylvia Steiner, passing the tribunal`s toughest term to date. In justifying the stiff ruling, she said the former militia leader had failed to exercise control over his private army sent into CAR in late October 2002 where they carried out a series of "sadistic" rapes, murders and pillaging of "particular cruelty." Bemba is the highest-level official to be sentenced by the ICC after being convicted in March on five charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. And he is the only the third person to be sentenced at the ICC since it began work in 2002. The atrocities were carried out by Bemba`s private army, the Congolese Liberation Movement (MLC), when he sent them into neighbouring CAR in late October 2002 to put down a coup against then president Ange-Felix Patasse. The 1,500 troops unleashed a five-month campaign of terror, during which the judges said "entire families were victimised" and which was aimed at squashing any resistance to Patasse`s rule. Prosecutors had called for a sentence of at least 25 years imprisonment at the end of Bemba`s lengthy trial which opened in November 2010. The case however is likely to drag on for a few more years, as his defence team has already filed notice that it intends to appeal the conviction, and argued that Bemba should be released immediately as he has been behind bars since his arrest in 2008. But the three-judge bench said it had "not found any mitigating circumstances" to allow a reduction in sentence. Reading out their findings at the world`s only permanent war crimes court, based in The Hague, judge Steiner said Bemba had done "more than tolerate the crimes as a commander". "Mr Bemba`s failure to take action was deliberately aimed at encouraging the attacks directed against the civilian population," she said.Bemba, a rich businessman who became one of the vice presidents of the Democratic Republic of Congo, was arrested in Brussels in 2008 after losing a bid for his country`s presidency. His case was the first at the ICC to focus on rape as a weapon of war and the first to highlight a military commander`s responsibility for the conduct of the troops under his control. In a swift reaction, Human Rights Watch said in a statement on Twitter that it welcomed the sentence saying it "offers a measure of justice for victims of sexual violence" and serves as a warning to "other commanders that they too can be held accountable for rapes and other serious abuses committed by troops under their control." But his defence has argued that "the whole trial process was flawed and unfair and that Mr Bemba`s rights as an accused were violated throughout," his lawyer Peter Haynes said in a filing late Monday to the court. "No reasonable trial chamber could have convicted him of the charges he faced," Haynes argued. He said Bemba was "convicted of a case in which in material respects he was ignorant" and that the former leader of the Democratic Republic of Congo was "not liable as a superior for the actions of the MLC" in CAR. In different cases, the ICC has previously sentenced two other Congolese warlords to 14 and 12 years respectively. The Hague: The International Criminal Court will Tuesday hand down its sentence against former Congolese vice president Jean-Pierre Bemba convicted of a slew of rapes and murders in Central African Republic over a decade ago. The highest-ranking official to date to be sentenced, Bemba will face a three-judge bench at a public hearing at 1:45 pm (1145 GMT) at the court`s headquarters in The Hague. Bemba, 53, was found guilty in March of five charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by his private army called the Congolese Liberation Movement (MLC), which he sent to neighbouring CAR from October 2002 to March 2003 to put down a coup. Prosecutors at the ICC have called for a minimum 25-year jail term in the landmark case, the first to focus on rape as a weapon of war by the ICC, which was set up in 2002 to try the world`s worst crimes. But just hours before the sentencing, Bemba`s defence team gave notice late Monday that he would appeal his conviction. "The appeal will not be limited... to criticism of the trial chamber`s findings, but will also allege that in material respects the whole trial process was flawed and unfair and that Mr Bemba`s rights as an accused were violated throughout," defence lawyer Peter Haynes said in a filing to the court. "No reasonable trial chamber could have convicted him of the charges he faced," Haynes argued. The trial judges erred because they had "misinterpreted and/or misapplied the law and took an unjustifiable approach to the evidence," he added, arguing that "there was a mistrial." The judges found in their March 21 verdict that the former Congolese vice president turned a blind eye to a reign of terror by some 1,500 of his troops, sent to the CAR to prop up then president Ange-Felix Patasse. Despite knowing what was happening, Bemba "failed to take all necessary and reasonable measures to prevent" a litany of crimes, which included the gang rapes of men, women and children, sometimes as their relatives were forced to watch, the judges said. As well as the issue of rape as a weapon of war, the Bemba case is also the first at the ICC to focus on a military commander`s responsibility for abuses by his troops, even if he did not order them. Defence lawyers however say Bemba, who has already spent eight years in detention since his 2008 arrest in Brussels, should be released. Haynes said Monday that Bemba was "convicted of a case in which in material respects he was ignorant" and that the former leader of the Democratic Republic of Congo was "not liable as a superior for the actions of the MLC" in CAR.In different cases, the ICC has previously sentenced two other Congolese warlords to 14 and 12 years in prison. Activists warn however that handing down a light sentence against Bemba would fail to send a warning to other military commanders. The landmark Bemba conviction was hailed at the time, even though many were shocked at how long it had taken for sexual violence to be focused on in an international trial. American actress Angelina Jolie urged the international community "to build on the important legal precedent" set by the Bemba case so that "we can collectively shatter impunity for the use of rape as a weapon of war and terrorism". bur-jhe/jkb/mfp/ceb Mexico City: Thousands of teachers opposed to an education reform protested in southern Mexico on Monday to denounce the deaths of eight people after violent weekend clashes that police blamed on armed "radicals." Authorities were investigating whether officers fired first or hit any victims in Sunday`s violence in the state of Oaxaca, while the agency overseeing the federal police announced late Monday an internal affairs investigation into the clashes. Decrying a "massacre," the radical National Education Workers Coordinator (CNTE) union led the mostly peaceful march in the state`s eponymous tourist city of Oaxaca. Some 15 masked protesters launched fireworks and rocks at police guarding a state education department building, prompting officers to respond with tear gas in the brief exchange. Protesters shouted "assassins" at the police. Clara Revilla Lucas, a 50-year-old teacher who complained that her school in a remote mountain village lacks computers and books in the local indigenous language, joined the protest to denounce "the repression against our colleagues." The demonstration came a day after six people died and more than 100 were injured when police were deployed to break up a weeklong road blockade by the CNTE in Asuncion Nochixtlan, near Oaxaca city. It was the most violent protest in a series of CNTE demonstrations against President Enrique Pena Nieto`s education reform and the recent arrest of two of its leaders. Elsewhere on Sunday, a journalist was shot dead by unknown gunmen after taking pictures of looting in the town of Juchitan and another person was killed with him, according to Oaxaca state security chief Jorge Alberto Ruiz, who told MVS radio the two murders were "linked" to the unrest. Authorities said police and the population were attacked by unidentified groups after officers removed the demonstrator barricades in Asuncion Nochixtlan. Mexico`s federal police had initially denied that officers were armed, saying news pictures showing police with firearms were "false." Federal police chief Enrique Galindo acknowledged later that officers used weapons after they were "ambushed" by 2,000 "radicals," some of whom were armed. Galindo told Radio Formula, however, that "we don`t know yet" who fired first and that it would be determined by an investigation. He said teachers were not involved in the shooting. "Autopsies are being conducted" to determine if the victims were hit by police bullets, he said. At least 55 officers were injured, including eight who had gunshot wounds. Others were burned, lost fingers to firework blasts or were hit with machetes. Some 53 civilians were injured in the clashes and more than 20 people were arrested.The six dead in Asuncion Nochixtlan include two shopkeepers, a farmer, a worker, a student and a local official, Governor Gabino Cue said. Pena Nieto said on Twitter he "lamented" the deaths and that the attorney general`s office would help local authorities investigate the violence "and punish those responsible." He also ordered unspecified actions to resolve the conflict. Juan Garcia, a leader of the CNTE union in the Oaxaca region, reported that 22 other people were missing. Garcia said the violence was perpetrated by "infiltrators" and that in response the police "fired without mercy." The union called for an investigation by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and Cue`s resignation.Pena Nieto`s education reform, which requires teachers to undergo performance evaluations, has faced protests in Oaxaca and the southern states of Michoacan, Guerrero and Chiapas for months. The CNTE is also protesting last weekend`s arrest of its leader in Oaxaca, Ruben Nunez, who faces money laundering charges, and his deputy, Francisco Villalobos, accused of stealing textbooks. The government says the reform seeks to improve the quality of education, but the union sees it as an attempt to fire teachers and privatize the system. The unrest comes a decade after protests by the CNTE and other local civil organizations were marked by violence that killed around 20 people, including US cameraman Brad Will. csc/lth/acb Bengaluru: A Mysore University professor, who had in the past made insulting remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani, has been arrested and jailed. The action was taken against the journalism professor for making insulting remarks against Lord Rama this time. Professor BP Mahesh Guru had allegedly insulted Lord Rama during a conference in January last year and a case was filed against him. When he appeared in a court in Bengaluru on June 17 for hearing on the case, the police arrested the professor. On Monday, the court turned down Gurus bail plea. Guru is also facing another case registered against him by the Akhila Karnataka Dr Ambedkar Prachara Samiti over his remarks against PM Modi and Irani, the Hindustan Times reported on Tuesday. As per reports, Guru had described Irani as a third-rate actress unworthy of being the HRD minister. The Mysore University is considering taking action against Guru. Patna: While the whole world is celebrating the International Day of Yoga in style, politicians from the ruling side in Bihar appeared less interested in the same and skipped the Yoga Day event held in the state's capital on Tuesday. As per reports, the Yoga day event was organised at Patna's historical Gandhi Maidan by Patanjali Yogapeeth. Yoga guru Baba Ramdev, whose organization had made elaborate arrangement for the day, had invited several leaders and ministers from ruling party as well as leaders from the Opposition to attend the event. However, some senior Bihar ministers today skipped the event which was attended by a large number of state BJP leaders. Union Minister for Telecommunications Ravi Shankar Prasad, who spearheaded the Yoga Day celebration in Patna, was joined by several BJP leaders like Prem Kumar, Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly and legislators Nitin Navin, Sanjeev Chaurasia and Arun Kumar. However, Deputy CM Tejaswi Yadav, Education Minister Ashok Chowdhary and Health Minister Tej Pratap Yadav from Bihar government who were invited to attend the event refused to share stage with BJP leaders and therefore skipped the event. The three Bihar ministers were conspicuous with their absence as the chairs with their names remained vacant. Speaking on the occasion, Prasad attacked the missing Bihar ministers without naming any. "Yoga unites, does not divide. Yoga is above politics, power and any kind of opposition. Yoga should not be turned into ring for politics. Yoga is above ideology", said Prasad. BJP MLA Sanjeev Chaurasia too attacked the Bihar government ministers over their absence asserting that it was Bihar government which was playing politics over Yoga. "Bihar government feels that Yoga celebration is all about communalism and therefore they have chosen not to attend the event. This is unfortunate that they are playing politics over Yoga", said Chaurasia. Bilaspur: The Chhattisgarh High Court on Tuesday directed the state administration to exhume the body of a tribal girl, who was allegedly killed in an encounter with the police last week, and conduct a fresh autopsy. Aam Aadmi Party's state convener Sanket Thakur has filed a PIL, alleging that Madkam Hidme was killed in a fake encounter. The division bench of Chief Justice Deepak Gupta and Justice Sanjay K Agrawal ordered that report of the autopsy should be submitted on June 27, said Thakur's lawyer Amarnath Pandey. According to police, Hidme was a Naxal, and she was killed in a gunfight between the rebels and police in Gompad village of Sukma district on June 13. The PIL claims that she was not a Naxal, and demands a special investigation team and a judicial inquiry, along with compensation of Rs 20 lakh for the family. Yesterday, the court had asked the girl's parents to file an affidavit about their version of the incident. The judges today directed the state administration to exhume the body in presence of her parents and lawyers from both the sides, said advocate Pandey. The autopsy should be conducted by a team of expert doctors in the presence of Hospital Superintendent of Jagdalpur, a forensic team, parents of the girl and the lawyers, and the whole process should be recorded on video, said the high court. New Delhi: Rattled by the FIR lodged against him by the Delhi Anti-Corruption Bureau in connection with the water tanker scam, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal once again launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Addressing a press conference, Tuesday, Kejriwal said, I am the only one standing like a rock against Modi ji. I am not Rahul Gandhi that you can intimidate me. I am no Sonia Gandhi that you can make me cow down before you. I am no Robert Vadra... The Delhi Chief Minister also claimed that PM Modi wants to scare him and break him. Mocking the Prime Minister, he added, Modi ji, you also realise that your direct fight is with only me...you carry on with your fight, I will do mine. Raising the Rohit Vemula suicide case, Kejriwal said that he will raise his voice whenever atrocities will be committed against Dalits. The AAP leader went on to list out issues Vyapam scam, Lalitgate, land deals by Gujarat CM Ananidben Patel's daughter which will make him raise his voice. If you try to save Sonia Gandhi in AugustaWestland case I will raise my voice. If you sell India's defence security by the FDI route I will raise my voice, if you allow people like Vijay Mallya to escape I will raise my voice, if BJP leaders stand with the killers of an honest officer like MM Khan I will raise my voice, Kejriwal added. Questioning the PM, he said, Why no raids against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi or Robert Vadra... Why no FIR has been filed against them? No matter how may raids you conduct, I will raise my voice, he said. New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru University on Tuesday gave a go ahead to the renaming of the varsity's central library as B R Ambedkar Library following demands from BJP's student wing ABVP. The ABVP which is locked in an ideological battle with the Left-backed groups on campus had in April also demanded a statue of the architect of Indian Constitution be installed there. The varsity's library committee approved the proposal which was today placed before the Executive Council, the statutory decision making body of the university. "The proposal was placed before the council today and was approved unanimously to rename the central library as B R Ambedkar Library," an EC member said. The Left-groups active on campus had termed the ABVP's demands "ironic" alleging that "it's weird on one hand the government is terrorising students who pursue Ambedkarite politics, while its student wing on the other hand is hell bent upon appropriating Ambedkar". The ABVP had also written to President Pranab Mukherjee and HRD Ministry demanding the renaming of the library after Ambedkar, the convention centre after APJ Abdul Kalam and the stadium ground after the freedom fighter Birsa Munda. However, the EC members claimed no proposals about the convention centre and the stadium ground were placed before it today. New Delhi: In a horrific incident, a 45-year-old man was killed and his 16-year-old son injured on Tuesday morning when they were fired upon by unidentified persons in east Delhi. Three passersby were also injured in the incident which took place at around 8:15 am near a `mazaar` in east Delhi`s Bhajanpura area, police said. Talking to news agency IANS, Deputy Commissioner of Police Ajit Kumar said: "Kailash Gupta was shot dead by a few unidentified men in Bhajanpura area." The attackers were in a Swift car. Kailash, a resident of Harsh Vihar, was on a motor cycle with his son Rajan, 16, when the incident occurred, police said. "His son received bullet injuries in the firing," the DCP said, adding: "Two other passersby were injured in the firing incident, while another person was hit by the assailants` car." All the injured were taken to a hospital. They have been identified as Banwari Lal, Ram Lakhan and Javed, police said. "A case of murder has been registered. We are probing the matter from all angles," the DCP said. The police are also looking at CCTV footage of the area to identify the assailants` car. A senior police officer, requesting anonymity, told IANS: "Prima facie, it seems to be a case of personal enmity." New Delhi: A South African woman, alleged to be an international drug peddler, was arrested at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) with 14 kg of narcotic worth Rs 2 crore while her Nigerian accomplice was nabbed from Burari area here. Officials said around 10:00 PM yesterday, CISF sleuths detected suspicious movement of a flier, identified as Belinda F (42), who was to travel to Addis Ababa. A detailed search of the passenger and her belongings led the Central Industrial Security Force personnel finding narcotic drug 'methaqualone' from her bag. The drug was neatly packed in black paper wrappers, they said. CISF spokesperson Hemendra Singh said the woman was handed over to anti-narcotics sleuths who later arrested her. Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Director (Delhi Zone) Rohit Sharma said while CISF sleuths handed over the woman to the agency based on their 'Look Out Circular' against her, they later went on to arrest her friend Obiefoka F Okeke (32) from the Burari area of Delhi. Okeke is a Nigerain national. Belinda was on NCB's wanted list and was an international drug peddler, Sharma said, adding the agency is on the trail of their third associate J Paul. He said after laboratory tests, the drugs consignment was found to be 14.2 kg, out of the 18 kg seized from her bag, and the value of the contraband is about Rs 2 crore in the international market. Belinda came to India on June 18 on a business visa and had its validity till July 21, they said. New Delhi: Global warming and climate change have been one of the topmost concerns of the world at large, since the past few years. With glacial icesheets melting at a fast pace, conservationists and environmentalists have been sounding alerts every now and then and urging the global community to help preserve the frigid Arctic region, where the maximum glacial calvings take place. International environmental organisation Greenpeace, in collaboration with acclaimed Italian composer and pianist, Ludovico Einaudi, held a special performance on a floating platform in the middle of the freezing waters of the Arctic Ocean as a visual reminder of what lies at stake. The crumbling glaciers in the background make for a haunting scene, while Einaudi plays a special piece called 'Elegy for the Arctic' on a baby grand, which he wrote exclusively for the occasion at the Wahlenbergbreen glacier in Svalbard, Norway. As per Huffington Post, a Greenpeace news release quoted Einaudi saying that, Being here has been a great experience. I could see the purity and fragility of this area with my own eyes and interpret a song I wrote to be played upon the best stage in the world. It is important that we understand the importance of the Arctic, stop the process of destruction and protect it. It seems like the perfect tribute, through which, Einaudi has added his voice to those of eight million people from across the world demanding protection for the Arctic. Check out the video below: (Video courtesy: Greenpeacespain) Brussels: The Belgian police released without charges six people who had been held for questioning on Monday over an attack on a high-speed train as it travelled between Amsterdam and Paris in August 2015, prosecutors said. In that attack, a man with a machine gun wounded two people on the train before being overpowered by passengers. The new detentions follow a series of police raids on homes over the weekend, after which three men were charged with plotting an attack. Prosecutors said that a judge had ordered six home searches and detained six people in the greater Brussels area. No weapons or explosives were found. "They were released as planned after some checks," a spokesman for the Belgian federal prosecutor said. "There were no charges, either." Belgium remains on heightened alert three months after three suicide bombers killed 32 victims in attacks on Brussels airport and a metro car. Belgian media reported the men arrested at the weekend had planned to attacks fans watching the Euro 2016 games in Brussels. Brussels: Belgium`s few remaining World War II veterans are worried their old indispensable ally Britain will turn its back on Europe and undercut the ideals they fought for in the 1940s. These resistance fighters used Britain as a rear base to battle the Nazi occupation of Belgium, now the post-war heart of the European project for peace and prosperity. But they fear Britain could become the first country to leave the European Union and trigger its unravelling, if British voters choose that path in Thursday`s in-out referendum. For Jean Martial, who left his home in Brussels in 1942 aged 18 to join the resistance in London, the peace that Europe has known for over 70 years is a direct result of the union. And he hopes Britons will vote to remain in the 28-nation bloc. "If they`ve kept the same mentality as 1940, the `Remain` vote will win. They won`t want to leave the European Union," said Martial, who fought in the Battle of Normandy and helped liberate Brussels in September 1944. The "Leave" camp pushing for a so-called Brexit from the EU argues that Brussels crushes Britain`s sovereignty, including removing its control over the hot topic of immigration. Henri d`Oultremont, another Belgian resistance fighter who was based in London, blames the EU for having failed to live up to its ideals. "This idealistic union which was created and extended, never reached its final goal," the 91-year-old said. "We never managed to complete this European Union, so we shouldn`t be surprised if some countries are exasperated and want to leave." For Benoit Remiche, curator of a World War II museum in the town of Bastogne in the Ardennes forest, the risk of Brexit is symptomatic of an alarming trend in Europe. "There are very worrying signs, be it in the east or even here at home, of a form of selfishness, a form of nationalism, a belief that if we retreat into ourselves, we might find some solutions," Remiche warned. "And I think that could once again lead to barbarism." He is reminded every day of the price paid in the Ardennes where American and other allied troops suffered tens of thousands of casualties in the Battle of the Bulge in late 1944 when Nazi Germany launched its last offensive. luv-lc/dk/boc/as Paris: On market day in the southern French town of Eymet, English voices float over the stalls bursting with fruit and vegetables, charcuterie and duck confits. Some are tourists, but most are British expatriates, many of whom have enjoyed the warm weather and easy pace of life in the Dordogne region for decades and are now more than a little jittery over a possible Brexit. "People here are genuinely concerned and a bit bewildered by the whole situation, the campaign, the uncertainty," said Roger Haigh, who represents the Dordogne region at the French-British Chamber of Commerce. "Especially the older people (who) have no influence on what`s maybe going to happen to them," he said. "It`s not necessarily the best time of your life to be put in that situation." Dordogne has long been a magnet for British pensioners, and the 13th-century bastide town of Eymet is host to some 200 families from across the Channel. Overall, between 6,000 and 8,000 Britons live in the area, giving it the nickname "Dordogneshire". "I`ve chosen to live here because I love it here. There are things that drive me crazy, but on balance I love it," said Brian Hinchcliffe, a retired teacher who has lived in Dordogne since 2000. "This is where we want to be, and I think that goes for all expats." Many fear the economic effects of a Brexit. "Uncertainty as UK votes on Brexit" is the front-page headline of a free local English-language monthly, The Bugle, published as "Leave" sentiment started gaining momentum a few weeks ago. "Some people... would really have to tighten their belts," said Terrie Simpson, an estate agent in Eymet. "If we vote out, and there`s a dramatic effect on the pound, retired people here will suffer," she said. "For some pensioners their pension could drop by a third but they won`t have the means to go back to England." Memories remain fresh of the financial crisis of 2008 when the pound weakened dramatically and many Britons in the Dordogne area sold their homes and packed out. "Quite a large number of expats found they couldn`t sustain the life anymore, and they`ve had to sell and leave. That may happen again," Hinchcliffe said. The uncertainty is already hurting business, Simpson said, noting that many potential home buyers are putting off the decision until after Thursday`s vote. Health care is another concern as British expats currently benefit from the French system under a bilateral convention between London and Paris. Expatriates "are covered very well here," Haigh said. "That is obviously a worry for people who are getting on in age, who are retired and that know that they will need health cover at one stage or another." Well before last week`s assassination of British MP Jo Cox, a supporter of the "Remain" campaign, expats in Dordogne were upset over the tone of the debate. "There is a lot of scaremongering and not a lot of facts," said Tim Richardson, a 50-year-old winemaker in the Eymet area. "People are trying to scare voters one way or the other," said Richardson, who left Britain 25 years ago and was elected to the Eymet council in 2014.The Bugle`s editor, Steve Martindale, said many expats have the "added frustration" of having no say on the Brexit because those who have lived abroad for more than 15 years are not eligible to vote. "If they all could vote, the vast majority of expats would vote to stay" in the EU, he said. While Britons in favour of Brexit are scarce in France -- a recent survey of 4,000 respondents by expat website Angloinfo, found that 71 percent were opposed -- that is not to say that they are enamoured with the EU. "I am not that happy myself with the way Europe is run," Richardson said. "I would vote `remain`, but with a big proviso: remain, but work from within on how things can be improved. In general, European bureaucracy is out of touch with the way people want to live." Among their options if the "Leave" campaign wins is to apply for French nationality. "Being a British non-EU citizen living in France, my life would get a lot more complicated," Martindale said. "I would probably take up French citizenship." Hinchcliffe says that whatever happens, he is here to stay. "France has been good to us and continues to be good to us." pbl/gd/ns/as Ahmedabad: The police in Gujarat's Vadodara is on the lookout for a BJP leader who is accused of raping a 22-year-old nursing student. Jayesh Patel has already been suspended by the Bharatiya Janata Party. Patel is the founder-president and trustee of a private institute in Vadodara where the victim was studying. Reports said the police has already arrested the institutes womens hostel rector. In the FIR filed in connection with the case, Patel has been booked under Sections 376 (rape), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC. As per reports, Patel managed to escape while the complaint against him was being registered. The victim told police that she was raped by Patel at his residence, located close to the womens hostel. According to the student, Patel attempted to lure her by promising her full attendance and decent exam results. However, she refused and was then raped by Patel. The victim told the police that the BJP leader had threatened to expel her from college if she disclosed the incident to anyone. Patel, a local leader of the BJP in Vadodara, was earlier with the Congress and had contested Assembly Elections twice in the past. London: A large section of the population in Britain -- 43 per cent -- is living with chronic pain, a major cause of disability and distress, says a new study based on an analysis of the available evidence. The number of affected population -- roughly 28 million adults based population statistics for 2013 -- is likely to rise as the population ages, the researchers warned. Women were more likely than men to be affected by chronic pain, irrespective of age or pain type, the findings showed. For the study, Alan Fayaz from Imperial College London, and colleagues trawled relevant databases to find research on different types of pain, published after 1990. Their search included studies on population based estimates of chronic pain - defined as lasting more than three months - chronic widespread pain, fibromyalgia (a rheumatic condition characterised by muscular or musculoskeletal pain), and chronic neuropathic pain (caused by nerve signalling problems). From among 1,737 relevant articles, 19 studies, involving just under 140,000 adults, were deemed suitable for inclusion in the final analysis. Their analysis showed that 43 per cent of the population experience chronic pain, and 14 per cent of adults live with chronic widespread pain. The summarised data also showed that eight per cent of adults in Britain experience chronic neuropathic pain, and 5.5 per cent live with fibromyalgia, a long-term condition that causes simultaneous pain in many different parts of the body. Unsurprisingly, the researchers found that older people were more likely to live with pain over the long term. Among 18-25 year olds, the prevalence was 14 per cent, although it may be as high as 30 per cent among 18-39 year olds - a sizeable chunk of the working population, the researchers said. Among those aged 75 and above, the prevalence was almost two thirds (62 per cent). The findings, published in the online journal BMJ Open, suggest that if current trends continue, the burden of chronic pain may increase further still as the population ages. Zee Media Bureau New Delhi: Chocolates are a girl's best friend, a boy's go-to gift to cheer their girlfriends up and even a baby's daily dose of surprise from their parents. But, there are those people who are massive chocoholics, but have to avoid the sinful dessert because they want to lose weight. Well, you won't have to do that anymore! Because scientists have found a way to make your favourite sweet healthier. How? By giving it an electric shock! Well, literally. Physicists from Temple University in Philadelphia are the brains behind the discovery. By running liquid chocolate through an electric field, researchers were able to make it flow more easily, which means that it doesn't need so much fat. As per The Register, cocoa butter, a vital ingredient of most chocolate, boosts fat levels and is added to give chocolate a smooth velvety texture when it melts in the mouth, so when its taken away or substituted, the chocolate becomes gloopy. The high concentration of cocoa solids left in chocolate with reduced levels of cocoa butter increases its viscosity and sometimes can even jam the flow of liquid heaven in chocolate factories. Therefore, by zapping the liquid chocolate with an electric field along its direction of flow, it polarises the cocoa molecules and causes them to clump into spheroids, which allows easier flow. According to CTV News, Rongjia Tao, a researcher said that he didn't feel that any change in the taste of the chocolate, however, his colleagues in his lab seemed to think it tasted better than usual. Islamabad/New Delhi: A UK court on Tuesday rejected India's plea to dismiss Pakistan's claim to the nearly Rs 350 crore under the Hyderabad Fund case, pushing the matter for a full trial. In a release Pakistan Foreign Office said, "The English High Court rejected Indian attempt to strike out Pakistan's claim to the Hyderabad Fund, on 21 June 2016...India failed to persuade the Court that Pakistan's position was untenable and that it could show no legal entitlement to the 35 million GBP sitting in a bank account in the name of the High Commissioner of Pakistan, since 20th September 1948. "The Judge accepted that there was good evidence in support of Pakistan's claim to the monies, which needed to be fully considered at a trial." However, External Affairs Ministry in New Delhi said, "pending trial or settlement of the matter, it is premature to reach any conclusion regarding ownership of the monies, especially as the present judgement readily acknowledges that there is much force in many of India's arguments to strike out Pakistan's claim of ownership." The Indian side also cited previous judgement in the case when Pakistan's subsequent application for discontinuance of the case was rejected by the same court in 2015 and India was also awarded substantial costs against Pakistan at that stage. Known as the 'Hyderabad Funds Case', the matter relates to transfer of 1,007,940 pounds and 9 Shillings to a London bank account in the name of the High Commissioner in the UK for the then newly formed state of Pakistan, Habib Ibrahim Rahimtoola, at the Westminster Bank (now Natwest) in 1948. The money was transferred by an agent who appeared to be acting on behalf of the absolute ruler of one of the largest and richest of the Indian princely states, the 7th Nizam of Hyderabad. Following the partition in 1947, and the formation of the independent sovereign states of India and Pakistan, the numerous princely states within the sub-continent were permitted by the UK to elect to join either of the two new states, or to remain independent. The Nizam chose to remain independent. However, on September 18, 1948, Hyderabad was annexed to India. On September 20, 1948 the money was transferred to Rahimtoola by the agent. On September 27, 1948 the Nizam sought to reverse the transfer of money claiming that it had been made without his authority. The Bank was unwilling to comply with the Nizam's request without the agreement of the account holder. Such consent was not forthcoming, and for a number of years matters remained unresolved. As the successor state to the Nizam's State of Hyderabad, India has all along sought its claim over the money maintaining that it was State monies and not Nizam's private monies. New Delhi: International Day Of Yoga celebrations began across the nation on Tuesday, as various states were seen holding yoga sessions, where people turned out in large numbers to practice the ancient Indian discipline. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in a mass yoga demonstration at the Capitol Complex in Chandigarh. Over 30, 000 people, including 100 differently-abled children, are expected to participate in the event in Chandigarh, which is set to begin at 6.30 am. The theme this year`s event is to `Connect the Youth`.As per reports, 10,000 participants each from Chandigarh and adjoining states of Haryana and Punjab will perform yoga asanas with Prime Minister Modi at the main event at the complex. Elaborate arrangements have been put in place to ensure smooth performance at the venue. The complex is divided into 8 blocks where 500 master trainers along with their team members will perform. Nearly 600 buses are being used to ferry the participants to the venue. 300 pre-fabricated bio-toilets and 30,000 mats are being used on the occasion. Stringent security arrangements have been put in place for event in Chandigarh. About 4000 paramilitary and 3000 Chandigarh police personnel have been deployed to guard the programme. In the run up to the event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a commemorative postal stamp on Surya Namaskara in the national capital yesterday. The Ministry of Human Resource Development took up the initiative of `Yoga Olympiad`, which saw participation of school children from across 21 states. Over 173 Indian missions across the world are also organizing Yoga Day celebrations to spread awareness about the ancient Indian exercise. Besides, the main event on the Yoga Day, several Indian missions have organized a series of curtain raiser events in various parts of the world to spread Yoga awareness. Meanwhile, the United Nations headquarters in New York was lit up ahead of International Yoga Day. he United Nations General Assembly declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga on December 11 in 2014 after a call from the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi during his address to UN General Assembly on September 27. Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that he was gladdened by the response to International Yoga Day and that it was heartening to see people from all walks of life join the celebrations across the world. He also said that the participation of youngsters and women in the programmes all over the world was particularly encouraging. At the same time, he urged citizens of the world to continue practicing Yoga regularly and make it an integral part of their lives. Gladdened by the response to #IDY2016. Its heartening to see people from all walks of life join the celebrations across the world. #YogaDay Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 21, 2016 The participation of youngsters & women in #IDY2016 programmes all over the world is particularly encouraging. Kudos to everyone. #YogaDay Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 21, 2016 My special thanks to all those who organised & volunteered to organise #IDY2016 programmes. Their efforts are admirable. #YogaDay Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 21, 2016 I urge citizens of the world to continue practicing Yoga regularly & make Yoga an integral part of your lives. The benefits are many. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 21, 2016 Lakhs of people across India and abroad stretched themselves in various postures to mark the second International Yoga Day today as PM Modi led the main event in Chandigarh, performing asanas, maintaining that yoga is not a religious activity. Dressed in a white T-shirt and trousers with a scarf around his neck, PM Modi joined over 30,000 people including defense forces personnel and school children for the event and asked people to embrace yoga like they have taken to mobile phones, saying "it gives us health assurance at zero budget". The Prime Minister stressed that yoga was not 'dharmik karamkand' (a religious activity) but a 'science for this life'. He also urged people not to drag yoga into a controversy. Pitching for treating diseases like diabetes through the ancient discipline, he said, "All people belonging to yoga field, whatever knowledge they have, they must continue with the rest of their yoga activities but this (diabetes) must be the main focus". As participants bent and stretched themselves at the French architect Le-Corbusier designed Capitol Complex, he said Yoga is not about what one will get, but it is about what one can give up. (With PTI inputs) Zee Media Bureau New Delhi/Chandigarh: As lakhs of people across the country began the day on Tuesday with yoga exercises to mark the second International Yoga Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that this is a day linked with good health and it has now turned into a people's mass movement. Addressing the people at Capitol Complex in Chandigarh early on Tuesday morning, Modi said, The whole world supported the resolution on Yoga Day. We got support from all sections of society. Appealing everyone to make Yoga more popular world over, the PM stressed upon the need to produce good Yoga teachers. Stating that Yoga does not discriminate between rich and poor, Modi said, Today more and more gynaecologists are recommending Yoga for pregnant women. Yoga is not about what one will get, it is about what one can give up, Modi added. Modi also highlighted upon the need to focus on one thing how to mitigate diabetes through Yoga, adding that diabetes can surely be controlled through Yoga. At present, in all parts of the nation people have been connected to Yoga. I really feel some people don't fully understand the power and benefits of Yoga, Modi stated. Modi also announced national and international yoga awards to honour those working to popularise Yoga Day. From next year onwards we will give two awards on Yoga Day, we want to honour those working to popularise Yoga, he said. Meanwhile, President Pranab Mukherjee kicked off a yoga demonstration at Rashtrapati Bhavan in which around 1,000 persons took part. The participants included officers and staff of the President`s Secretariat, their family members, members of Delhi Police, ITBP and President`s Bodyguard as well as other residents of President`s Estate. The United Nations General Assembly had declared June 21 as the International Yoga Day on December 11, 2014 following a resolution moved by India and co-sponsored by a large number of nations. The first International Yoga Day celebration was organised at Rajpath in New Delhi on June 21. Patna: The Janata Dal (United) on Tuesday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is indulging in unwarranted politics in the name of yoga and dubbed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders to be `masters of event management`. JD (U) leader Sanjay Singh, who was commenting on the International Yoga Day celebrations across the world, accused the ruling dispensation of wasting a lot of money from the public exchequer on the occasion. "The world has been celebrating yoga from a long time, but the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are branding it. They (BJP) are masters of event management. Crores of money is being spent on this," Singh told ANI. "The people took the initiative of cleanliness after the launch of `Swachhta Abhiyan`, but it stopped after some time. Likewise, money is being wasted on this occasion," he said. Escalating his attack on the Centre, the JD (U) leader said even his party members` practice yoga, but they don`t show-off. "The BJP has made it a den of politics... Our Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has strictly said that he would participate in the International Yoga Day celebrations if the Prime Minister implements complete ban on alcohol in the nation. Definitely, politics is being played in the name of yoga and it will not continue for long," he added. Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Modi, the Bihar Chief Minister had earlier on Sunday said if the former is so serious about yoga then he should ban liquor at least in all the BJP-ruled states. "Yoga`s fist principle is to abstain from consumption of liquor, so if you (government) are so serious about yoga, then Prime Minister Modi should ban liquor at least in all the BJP ruled states," he said while addressing a rally in Bihar`s Palamu. The second International Day of Yoga is being celebrated across the globe today. The theme for this year is `Connect the Youth`. The main event in India was held at the Capitol Complex in Chandigarh which witnessed the participation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Punjab and Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki, Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal and his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar besides others. Addressing the International Yoga Day celebrations in Chandigarh this morning, Prime Minister Modi said yoga provides health assurance with zero spending. He said yoga has become a people`s mass movement, adding the people in all parts of the nation have been connected to yoga. The Prime Minister also announced two awards for distinguished works in the field of yoga at national and international levels.June 21 was declared as the International Day of Yoga by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2014.Over 190 countries, including 40 Islamic nations, supported the move to have a special day for yoga. New Delhi: As it becomes increasingly clear that India will have to scale the Chinese wall to gain enter the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on June 23. The meeting between the two leaders - on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit will test India's diplomacy as China will most certainly not back New Delhi at the cost of the similar aspirations of its all-weather friend, Pakistan. India has pushed its case saying that its entry to the NSG will give it access to the technology needed for clean energy. Indicative of the rigid stance adopted by Beijing, the Chinese foreign ministry said, yesterday, that India's admission is not on the agenda of the meeting at Seoul and that the NSG remains divided over non-NPT countries like India becoming its members. China's state media went a step ahead today and pushed for Pakistan's entry into the nuclear group. The Chinese argued that it was AQ Khan who was responsible for atomic proliferation which was not backed by the government and argued that any exemption to India for NSG entry should also be given to Pakistan. India and Pakistan conducted nuclear tests in 1998, which were condemned by the international community, and the US, the EU and Japan all imposed harsh sanctions on the two countries. After the September 11 attacks, the sanctions were gradually lifted. The US even signed with India a Civil Nuclear Agreement and backs India's bid to join NSG. But the issue of the legitimacy of India's "nuclear status" has not been solved, the report said. But India has its backers - diplomats from other NSG member countries hold a different view on granting it entry. Reports quoted them as saying that the NSG was an informal body and thus has no fixed agenda. Issues can be taken up for deliberations based on the views of member nations. The US is backing India and is goading other friendly partners to put their weight behind the NSG bid However, PM Modi realises that Washingtons support won't be enough to neutralise the Chinese challenge, prompting an all-out effort to convince the other stakeholders, especially the fence-sitters. The other possible key element of India's game plan may be to let Russia play the role of an arbitrator to turn around the Chinese opposition. In recent years, Russia and China have come closer and now act as a power group against the western allies led by the US. While Russia has announced that it will support India at Seoul, it remains to be seen whether Russians will lean on China to ensure India makes it to the exclusive club. Washington: Pakistan's concerns on India's role in Afghanistan are "overestimated", a top Obama Administration official said on Wednesday and warned that the country will not have a "bright future" unless it takes action against terror groups like Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network. "India has been a supportive partner for Afghanistan. It has provided a limited amount but important military assistance (to Afghanistan)," the Special US Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Olson, told a Washington audience at the Atlantic Council, a top American think-tank. "I sometimes feel that the degree of Indian influence on Afghanistan may be overestimated in Pakistan," Olson said when asked about apprehensions about Indian influence in Afghanistan. Olson who before taking up this assignment was the US Ambassador to Pakistan referred to a quite often heard Pakistani narrative that there are 24 Indian consulates in Afghanistan. The fact is, he said, there are "four Indian consulates in Afghanistan" as against the Pakistani narrative. Noting that Pakistan has its own security concerns, Olson said that the United States believes that "Pakistan will not be secure, until and unless" it takes actions against terrorist organisations, in particular, the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network that take terrorist actions against its neighbours. Praising Pakistan for launching its anti-terror campaigns in Waziristan, Olson said Pakistan is now experiencing a lower level of violence and its economy has stabilised. However, the challenge for Pakistan has been its reluctance to take strong actions against terrorist networks that go after its neighbours. "Pakistan will not have a bright future until and unless it goes after the Taliban," Olson said, adding that in that sense it needs consolidation of its anti-terrorist actions against these groups. Taliban, he said, has consolidated itself under the new leadership. There clearly is a role for other countries in the region, but for the moment, the challenge is to keep the negotiations going. Responding to a question, Olson said Pakistan remains committed to the peace process and this needs to be encouraged. He also urged Pakistan to use its relationship to bring the Taliban to the peace table. Chandigarh: Calling on the world to embrace Yoga as a discipline in everyday life, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on the occasion of the International Yoga Day today, asserted that the ancient Indian art was the most selfless of its kind, as it did not discriminate, did not ask for much, but simply functioned for the betterment of mankind and brought every society together. Speaking on the occasion here with a mass gathering of almost 10, 000 people, the Prime Minister said that he had proposed June 21st as the ideal day for Yoga Day celebrations because in many parts of the world, this day is quite long and is closer to the earth.Stating that Yoga Day has garnered massive support from across the world, Prime Minister Modi said that there is no other event which matches the global popularity of this day. "The United Nations observes several occasions but no other movement has become a global movement like Yoga Day. No other event is able to match the popularity of Yoga Day. This proves the power of the legacy by our ancestors," he said. Further asserting that some people do not understand the science behind Yoga, the Prime Minister said that the disciple was not a religious practice and was the path to salvation, adding that it provides health insurance for zero budget. "Yoga is for the believer and non believer as well. It does not differentiate between the rich and poor or the literate and illiterate. Just like the cell phone has become a part of your daily life, I call on the world to embrace Yoga," he said. The Prime Minister also said that it needs to be ensured that while Yoga spreads across the globe as a popular practice, its sanctity is maintained, adding that it must not be dragged into any controversies either. Talking about Yoga as a roaring business success, he said that the form was gaining popularity as a major business and profession as well and that the demand for Yoga trainers across the globe was growing every day. "Let`s focus on one thing in the coming days and that is how to mitigate diabetes through Yoga. Diabetes can surely be controlled through Yoga. Let us make Yoga more popular world over. Let India produce good Yoga teachers," the Prime Minister said. He also thanked the United Nations for extending their support to ensure the success of this day across the globe.Meanwhile, the United Nations headquarters in New York lit up to mark the occasion of International Yoga Day.The United Nations General Assembly declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga on December 11 in 2014 after a call from the Prime Minister Modi during his address to UN General Assembly on September 27. Chandigarh: As thousands of people across the country marked the second International Yoga Day on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the celebrations with 30,000 yoga enthusiasts at Capitol Complex here. While kicking off the celebrations, the Prime Minister urged the people to embrace yoga for better physical and mental health. Addressing the huge gathering, PM Modi thanked the international community to recognise the importance of yoga. He said, The world supported the idea of International Day of Yoga. All sections of society came together in this endeavour. While encouraging the people across the country to embrace yoga, the Prime Minister said, This is a day linked with good health and now it has become a people's mass movement. Yoga is not about what one will get, it is about what one can give up, he added. Trying to strike a chord with the masses, the PM on a lighter note said, With zero budget, yoga provides health assurance and it does not discriminate between rich and poor. Important to integrate yoga with our lives. Do not wait, make yoga a part of one's life, he further said. Appealing to the masses to make the yoga more popular across the world, the PM said, Let's make Yoga more popular globally. Let India produce good yoga teachers. Also See: International Yoga Day - In Pics While acknowledging that diabetes has become a major problems in the country, PM Modi said, Let's focus on one thing in the coming days, how to mitigate diabetes through yoga. "In India, patients suffering from diabetes are rising. We might be able to get rid of this disease or not but with the help of yoga, diabetes can be controlled. Can we start a public campaign to suggest measures in yoga to the common man suffering from diabetes," he said. "It will be an achievement if we can help in treating diabetes. From next year, we can take another disease. But I want that for good health, we should address any one disease every year. We should run a public campaign with an aim to address one disease." US Ambassador Richard Rahul Verma, who also took part in the yoga day celebrations in New Delhi said, "Yoga is such a passion in India, we are practicing to show our support." Over 96,000 people had registered themselves to take part in the event. Of this, over 30,000 were picked, including 10,000 each from Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana. Transforming lives through better health and well-being, PM says #Yoga has now become a mass movement #YogaDay pic.twitter.com/uwJPLTZfPt Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) June 21, 2016 Unprecedented security was in place around the venue in Chandigarh's high-security area of Sector 1. The area was sealed off by paramilitary commandos and security agencies ahead of the event. Yoga guru Ramdev held his record-breaking yoga event in Faridabad town in Haryana, adjoining the national capital, early today. Organisers said over 100,000 people performed yoga with Ramdev, setting a world record. New Delhi: With Yoga Day being celebrated across the world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday night expressed his thanks to all those who had organised events to mark the occasion and said these exercises should be done regularly as the benefits are many. "My special thanks to all those who organised & volunteered to organise #IDY2016 programmes. Their efforts are admirable," he tweeted. My special thanks to all those who organised & volunteered to organise #IDY2016 programmes. Their efforts are admirable. #YogaDay Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 21, 2016 "I urge citizens of the world to continue practicing Yoga regularly & make Yoga an integral part of your lives. The benefits are many," Modi added in another tweet. Earlier in the morning, lakhs of people across India and abroad stretched themselves in various postures to mark the second International Yoga Day, with the Prime Minister himself leading the main event in Chandigarh by performing asanas. Dressed in a white T-shirt and trousers with a scarf around his neck, PM Modi joined over 30,000 people including defense forces personnel and school children for the event. He also pitched for treating diabetes through Yoga and announced two awards including international Yoga awards for excellent work in the field. President Pranab Mukherjee kicked off the celebrations at Rashtrapati Bhavan with around 1,000 persons participating in a mass yoga event. No official programme was organised by the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar where Union minister Ravishankar Prasad, led thousands of people in observing the fitness regime. Union Ministers fanned out to various states to lead the yoga day celebrations. At the United Nations, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon asked citizens across nations to embrace healthier choices to mark the International Day of Yoga. Jammu: Terrorists are hiding in villages close to the "vulnerable" Pathankot airbase, which can come under fresh attack from them, the Parliamentary Standing Committee (PSC) on Home Affairs warned on Tuesday. It said the government has been informed about it and security of the strategically important facility beefed up. The committee was in Jammu to review the security arrangements along the international border and had earlier gone to Pathankot. "After going back from Pathankot, we made our suggestions to the government and said that there can be further attack on Pathankot... We were told by the villagers that some terrorists were still hiding in the villages there," Chairman of the committee P Bhattacharya told reporters here today. After the recommendation of the committee, the government has alerted the CRPF, BSF and the army and handed over the security of the airbase to them, he said. "Do you know that a few days ago, government asked the CRPF, BSF and the Army to guard the air force station because some terrorists are hiding there. How they are hiding there, it is not my business to find out but as we got the information from the villagers, it was very clear to us that they are hiding somewhere. We have informed the Government of India about it," Bhattacharya said. When asked to comment on the permission granted by the Indian government to the Pakistani investigation team to visit Pathankot airbase to probe the January 2 attack, he said he was not in favour of allowing Pakistani intelligence officers to visit the strategic facility. "The committee does not support the idea of the Government of India of bringing this intelligence branch of Pakistan here. What for? But for any foreign policy of the Government of India, we are not the proper fora, we cannot take the decision to do this and not to do this", he said. A five-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) from Pakistan had visited India between March 27 and 31 to collect evidence with regard to the attack. Bhattacharya said the policy guidelines have to be framed by the Indian government. "The committee conducted intensive tours of Indo-Bangla border and India-Pakistan border and now we are heading towards Srinagar. "We went to Pathankot which is the most vulnerable area", he said. The committee said it was satisfied with the measures being taken by the BSF to check infiltration, but advocated providing fully modern equipment to the force. "As of now, they have explained to us the way they are trying to prevent infiltration. You cannot say what is happening today or tomorrow but up till now, it is all right," Bhattacharya said. Jammu: In a major breakthrough, the security forces claimed to have arrested a top Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) commander from Sogam market in Lolab area of Kashmir's Kupwara district. As per reports, Abu Ukasha was arrested by a joint police team from Sogam market around 7:00 am today. After initial interrogation, the apprehended person was identified as the top militant commander of Lashkar-e-Toiba. Sources later confirmed that arrested person is LeT commander Abu Ukasha alias Hanzullah of Pakistan. One grenade and around 38 thousand cash was also recovered from him. Within an hour of his arrest, a fierce encounter started in nearby forest of Sogam in Lolab valley of Kupwara district . Investigations into the case have been launched. Srinagar: A top Lashkar-e-Toiba commander has been arrested by security forces from Kupwara district of north Kashmir, police said on Tuesday. Abu Ukasha, also known as Hanzullah, was apprehended by security forces during an operation in Sogam area of Kupwara last evening, a police official said. He said on Ukasha's disclosure, the security forces launched a search operation in the nearby forests to track down another LeT militant Abu Bakar. The search operation was still in progress when reports last came in. Ukasha, a resident of Pakistan, is being questioned for information about the militant network in north Kashmir region where he was active for several years now, the official said. Ranchi: At least 30 houses and 10 bikes were set afire and a number of houses looted in violence that erupted after a land broker was murdered on the outskirts of Jharkhand capital Ranchi, police said on Tuesday. According to police, the trouble erupted after Nasim Ansari, a land broker and resident of Newari village, 20 km from Ranchi, was hacked to death on Monday night. The alleged killer, identified as Mohammad Zakir, reportedly called Ansari for a meeting to settle a land dispute. When Ansari was seated, he was allegedly attacked by a sharp weapon and hacked to death. Ansari's supporters later attacked people with weapons. Yet unidentified people set fire to several houses and two-wheelers and some of them indulged in looting. The local residents also clashed with the police in which one police official sustained head injuries. Several media photographers were also attacked and the cameras of two photographers were damaged. Fire fighting vehicles were initially not allowed to enter the village to douse the fire but eventually fire fighters managed to enter after the blaze gained in intensity. A large number of security personnel have been deployed in the area and officials described the situation as "tense but under control". Kozhikode: A Dalit nursing student from Malappuram district, studying at a Bengaluru college, was on Tuesday admitted to a hospital in a critical condition after she was ragged by senior students. The girl was admitted to a Kozhikode Medical College Hospital (KMCH) with serious health problems, according to reports. The 19-year-old girl, Aswathi, is a first-semester nursing student at Al Qamar College of Nursing at Gulbarga. On May 9, she was allegedly ragged by few senior girl students at the women's hostel of the college and was reportedly made to consume toilet cleaner following which she was rushed to a hospital in a critical state. However, the girl's condition didn't show any sign of recovery and worsened further. According to reports, on Tuesday, she was sent home by the authorities along with another student. She was taken to Thrissur Medical College Hospital by her relatives and after two-days long treatment there she was shifted to Kozhikode Medical College Hospital (KMCH) on June 2, where she was advised to undergo a major surgery. The doctors treating her told her family that the surgery was needed as the toilet cleaner had damaged a major portion of her gullet. Aswathi was once again shifted to a private hospital in Kozhikode where she was advised a six-month treatment before surgery, making it impossible for her family to bear the expenses due to their financial condition. Aswathi was once again moved back to KMCH. One of her family members said that Aswathi had taken an education loan from a bank. According to the family member, she was ragged by her senior from the day one she had joined the college. Thiruvananthapuram: A two-day leadership meeting of BJP will be held here from Wednesday to review the results of the May 16 Assembly elections in which the party opened its account in the state legislature. BJP President Amit Shah would attend the state committee meeting on Thursday while a state-level office-bearers meeting will be held tomorrow, a party release said here. It is for the first time after Assembly elections that the leadership meetings are being held in the state. A meeting of the NDA Steering Committee would also be held on June 23, the release said. The meetings would review the performance of BJP in the Assembly elections and discuss constituency-wise reports. It would also discuss and decide the stand to be taken by the party on crucial issues such as the Athirapilly hydro electric project, Mullaperiyar Dam, a bone of contention between Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and the development of national highways. Shah would also take part in the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee commemoration meeting to be held here on June 23, the release added. BJP fought the May 16 polls in alliance with the Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS), a political party launched by Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam, an outfit of backward Ezhava community. The party scripted a history with its nominee and senior leader O Rajagopal winning the Nemom seat to help the Lotus bloom in the Assembly for the first time and also garnered 15 per cent vote share in the state, dominated by the bipolar politics of Congress-led UDF and CPI(M)-led LDF. Kannur: Cases were registered against CPI(M) MLA AN Shamseer and DYFI leader PP Divya in connection with the suicide attempt of one of the Dalit sisters, who were jailed recently on charges of attacking a Marxist worker in Thalasseri in the district, police said. They were charged with IPC 309 (attempt to commit suicide) read with (punishment of abetment), Inspector of Police PM Manoj told PTI. A case was also registered against Anjana, who allegedly tried to commit suicide, he said. Anjana had made a vain suicide attempt soon after being released on bail after the arrest. She is undergoing treatment at a nearby hospital and her condition is stable now. She had given a statement to police that she chose the extreme step pained over being portrayed in a 'bad light' by Shamseer, who represents Thalassery in the state assembly, and the woman leader in a television debate. The sisters, Akhila and Anjana, had been summoned to the police station on June 17 and a case was registered against them for allegedly attacking a CPI(M) worker and trespassing into the party office. The two were released the next day after the National Commission for Scheduled Caste intervened. According to CPI(M)'s complaint, the women had barged into the party office here and attacked one of their activists recently. However, the siblings dismissed the charges and said they did not attack anybody but only questioned the Left activist who abused them by referring to their caste. National Commission for Scheduled Caste Commission representative P Girija visited the siblings and recorded their statements. She also collected details from investigators probing the case. The state SC/SC Commission Chairman Justice P N Vijayakumar and other members also called on the women and family members. Mumbai: In a big achievement for the small Jewish population in the state, the Maharashtra Cabinet on Tuesday approved minority status to this community. The decision was taken at a meeting of the state Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. "Maharashtra Cabinet approves minority status to Jew community. This decision will benefit students from these communities to avail scholarships from the state government and setting up of educational institutions," Fadnavis said. Maharashtra Cabinet approves minority status to Jew community. This decision will benefit students from these communities to.... /1 CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) June 21, 2016 ... avail scholarships from State Govt and setting up of educational institutions. /2 CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) June 21, 2016 The move, which was announced by then Maharashtra Minority Affairs Minister Eknath Khadse, is expected to make life easier for members of the community in the state. Mainly, the Jewish students will get most of the benefit of this announcement as from now they will be able to avail scholarships from State government. According to 2001 Census, the number of Jews living in India was 4,650 with 2,466 of them living in Maharashtra. However, Principal Secretary of Minority department, Jayashree Mukherjee said the state government has no official record of the number of people from the community in Maharashtra. After getting the minority status, the Jews in the state will be entitled to use benefits of government schemes meant for minorities and can also apply in educational institutions under the minority status. The people of this community would now be able to easily get their marriage registrations done in Maharashtra. The Jewish people living in the state would now also be able to set up their own educational institutions and practice and promote their culture. The Jews have been a part of the Indian society for over 2,300 years now. At present, there are six notified minority communities in India - Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Sikhs, Parsis and Jains. The Jews of Manipur and Mizoram identify themselves as Beni Menashe. There are also some in Andhra Pradesh who call themselves Bene Ephraim Jews. India is one of the few countries in the world where Jews have never faced any harassment or persecution. The Cabinet also approved setting up of Counter insurgency and Anti-Terrorist School at Surabuldi, Nagpur. Maharashtra Cabinet approves setting up of Counter insurgency and Anti-Terrorist School at Surabuldi, Nagpur. /1 CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) June 21, 2016 This will provide state-of-the-art training facilities to police department for jungle and field tactics, map reading, ambush and handling of different weapons. Centre and Maharashtra government will jointly contribute funds for this school. The Cabinet also sanctioned creation of various posts for this school. Furthermore, the Cabinet approved handing over of the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital from Ichalkaranji Municipal Council to the state government. It also decided to hand over 1440 sq mt of govt land to Gondia Municipal Council for construction of a 'Samaj Bhavan'. Maharashtra Cabinet decides to hand over 1440 sq.mt. of Govt land to Gondia Municipal Council for construction of Samaj Bhavan. /1 CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) June 21, 2016 "Cabinet considers this decision as a special case and the government fulfilled its assurance given on the floor of the house," Fadnavis tweeted. Cabinet considers this decision as a special case and Govt fulfilled its assurance given on the floor of the house. /2 CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) June 21, 2016 The meeting approved giving wages to employees from Industrial & Labour Courts, Commissionerate of workmen's compensation & wages board, Mumbai as per Shetty Commission recommendations and the difference of wages would be paid in two equal instalments. Mumbai: The second International Yoga Day was celebrated in Maharashtra on Tuesday with Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis leading programmes in Mumbai. The Governor participated in a yoga programme at Raj Bhavan early this morning and also in a programme organised by Mumbai University. The chief minister took part in a programme organised at the Bandra Reclamation. Over 200 Mantralaya employees performed yoga at Mantralaya. The BMC conducted Upa Yoga programme across the city's 390 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation schools with participation of over one lakh children below the age of 14. Upa Yoga teacher training for 800 teachers was also conducted. Upa Yoga involves practising a set of seven five-minute modules of exercise. Over 10,000 people, including Navy personnel and their families, took part in yoga camps organised by Western Naval Command in Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, and Karnataka. Defence personnel and their families participated at programmes at the Colaba Military Station and on board aircraft carrier INS Viraat. Visually-impaired students from Victoria Memorial School for Blind, Tardeo, and Kamla Mehta Blind School, Dadar, also celebrated Yoga Day. A programme called 'Yoga by the Bay' was also held in the city. New Delhi: CBI on Tuesday questioned Nidhi Tawde, wife of arrested Hindu Janajagruti Samiti member Virendra Singh Tawde, in connection with rationalist Narendra Dabholkar murder case. Nidhi, who is not an accused in the case, was examined about details relating to alleged conspiracy to eliminate Dabholkar as the agency believes she might be witness to some development when it was being hatched, sources said. Searches were also carried out at her properties on the outskirts of Mumbai. Sources said the agency has information about her participation in programmes against Dabholkar with her husband, besides, she had been an active member of Sanatan Sanstha, which is under scanner in the case. They said the agency will also ask her about cyber forensic evidence like email, messages recovered from the laptops of Tawde which were sent to Sarang Akolkar, another suspect against whom a Red Corner Notice is pending in 2009 Goa blasts. Dabholkar was shot dead by two unidentified men during morning walk on Omkareshwar Bridge in Pune on August 20, 2013. Tawde and Akolkar wanted to eliminate Dabholkar in 2009 itself, but they dropped the plan due to the Margao bomb blast which took place the same year, CBI sources said, citing evidence pieced together by the agency. Tawde, suspected to be the mastermind of the conspiracy, kept on planning a hit on the activist along with Akolkar. The plan was finally executed on August 20, 2013, they said. The probe into Dabholkar murder case was handed over to CBI in May 2014 by the Bombay High Court. The NIA is handling the Margao blast case. The sources also said Tawde hated Dabholkar for his relentless campaign against superstition. He also allegedly played a key role in the 2009 Sangli-Miraj riots. The Sanstha has denied any role in Dabholkar's murder and termed Tawde's arrest as "mysterious". Mumbai: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader from Dombivli Ravindra Chavan landed in a huge controversy after he made an appalling analogy at a meeting in Dombivli in Maharashtra recently. Chavan was addressing an inauguration programme when he compared Dalits to pigs and cited an example of United States President Abraham Lincoln and narrated a story how Lincoln picked up a piglet from a drain and cleaned it. BJP MLA's shocking analogy Chavan while addressing the crowd said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis always think of farmers and Dalits.. as those piglets are trapped in gutter. They are trying to remove them from there." However, the bizarre and insensitive comparision angered the community who have demanded an unconditional apology from the BJP MLA. It is to be noted that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was present at the event when the BJP MLA made the derogatory remark. What BJP has to say However, defending Chavan for making the derogatory remark, BJP leader and spokesperson Shaina NC said that despite what Chavan said at the event, his intentions weren't that wrong. "Sometimes, people are unable to express themselves. I think, in Ravindra Chavan's case, he was trying to say that our government has done a lot for the upliftment of Dalits and continues to do so. However, he was unable to express it in words properly and therefore, this miscommunication happened. I don't think it was intentional and it must be understood in the reference to the context. Mumbai: Softening its stand against the BJP after censuring it over a host of issues, the Shiv Sena on Tuesday said criticism over policies should not be taken personally and that those who want to improve, take comments with an open heart and bring about necessary changes. "Criticism done on policies should not be taken personally. Doing so increases stress. Governments keep committing mistakes. But, in a democracy, it is necessary these mistakes are pointed out," an editorial in Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' said today. "Criticism is not only done to change or remove governments, but to improve its functioning. Those who want to improve take criticism sportingly and with an open heart. A good ruler needs to place his feet on the ground, keep his mind calm and respect criticism," the ruling ally said. On Sunday, addressing Shiv Sena workers at the party's golden jubilee year celebration, Uddhav Thackeray had said he would not have any "twisted" alliance with the ruling partner BJP for BMC polls, and asked the cadres to be ready to contest the polls without alliance. Notably, a senior BJP minister had yesterday said despite Uddhav Thackeray's assertion that he would not accept a "twisted" alliance deal with BJP for the next year's civic polls in Mumbai, he was keen to sew up an alliance. Meanwhile, reacting to the Sena's change in stand, the opposition Congress and NCP said these comments were expected. "We had expected the Sena to soften its stand against the BJP. The Sena knows the corruption that it has allowed in the BMC running into thousands of crores, will ensure that it does not retain power. Thus, they now want to use the BJP to fulfil its agenda," Congress spokesperson Al-Nasser Zakaria alleged. NCP legislator Kiran Pawaskar alleged, "BJP has a policy of teaching a lesson to anybody who revolts against it. It feared Eknath Khadse, so his PA was found involved in corruption and subsequently the minister had to resign." "Now, the Sena is a thorn in BJP's throat. We wonder if the BJP wanted to play a similar tactic with Deepak Sawant, through his PS Sunil Mali and this made the Sena go soft against the BJP," he further claimed. Pune: Vaishali Yadav, who underwent a major heart surgery last week with help from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) is one of the happiest persons today. The six-year old Class II student, living in Raigad Colony here in a one-room setup with her father, uncle and grandmother was pleasantly surprised to get a letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself. As per a report in The Times of India, she had written to the Prime Minister last week - her second letter to 'Modi sarkar', as she fondly says. In the first letter, in January this year, she had sought financial help which was promptly granted following which she underwent surgery. Vaishali, who suffered from a hole in her heart, had explained her health condition and her familys financial inability to meet the huge medical expenses in her letter to the PM. Within a week, the Prime Ministers Office had alerted the Pune district administration, prompting them to help the girl. The district authorities had traced the familys address and rushed the girl to city-based Ruby Hall Clinic where she was successfully operated free of charge on June 2. Now, in response to the second letter, in which Vaishali thanked PM Modi for arranging the surgery, the Prime Minister again replied to the child. She had even attached a drawing for him. A hand-signed letter from Modi was received by her uncle Pratap on Monday evening, as per the Daily. "Can anyone imagine getting a letter from the PM, that too a family like ours that stays in a 10x10 ft room? Even the postman had to take some effort to find our place. But seeing the PM's seal on the envelope, he made sure we got the letter in time," Vaishali's uncle Pratap was quoted by TOI as saying. Mumbai: Train services on the suburban network of Central Railways Main and Harbour line were badly hit on Tuesday due to water logging. Reports said that rail tracks have submerged and the trains are running 30 minutes late. To add to the woes of Mumbaikars, a taxi union has also announced a strike today. Due to heavy rains, water logging was reported at Mankhurd, Vidyavihar, Thane, Vikroli Bhandup. The Central Railway has advised BEST for arranging extra buses. Meanwhile, the agitated commuters at Diva railway station in Thane (Mumbai) stages a protest on the tracks. However, the situation was brought under control after Thane police reached the spot and dispersed the crowd. The trains running on the suburban network of Western Railway (WR) were disrupted for nearly an hour on Monday following power failure caused by the theft of a battery box at Mahim Electric Sub-station. Police said a total of 16 batteries and six cables were stolen by unidentified persons. Kohima: A group of suspended Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) leaders today floated a new political party called the 'Nagaland Congress'. Launching the party in Dimapur, former minister and suspended Congress leader, Nillo Rengma, who has been elected a the president of Nagaland Congress, said the concept of forming the party as a regional outfit was to provide transparency in governance and accountability to the public and to give all round development and equal opportunities to the people of the state. "Our aim is to reform Nagaland, safeguard the rights of Nagas by making it free from corruption and clean the electoral roll," Rengma said. He asserted the party would strive to promote and safeguard the traditions and rich cultural heritage of Nagas. "Nagaland Congress will fully support the Indo-Naga peace process for early settlement, which should be acceptable to all sections of the people," Rengma added. Further, the newly formed political party has announced to contest the 2018 state Assembly elections. Former MLA S Supongmeren Jamir would be the general secretary of the party. Senior Congress leaders including former Deputy Speaker Joshua Sumi, ex-ministers H Chuba, Vaprumo Demo and few others who were suspended by NPCC president K Therie in September last year for anti-party activities, also joined the new party. Bhubaneswar: Thousands of people from all walks of life participated in International Yoga Day celebrations across Odisha on Tuesday. A large number of people, including school children, celebrities and politicians joined in the yoga exercises at Kalinga stadium here. They performed yoga and other exercises under the supervision of yoga gurus and teachers from local institutions. Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan joined a yoga session in Bhubaneswar while Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram participated in an event at Rajgangpur in Sundargarh district. "More than 190 countries are observing International Yoga Day today. Yoga, an ancient knowledge of India, has been recognised as the best technique for a healthy body and mind," said Pradhan. Renowned sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik has created a 'Surya Namaskar' sand sculpture on the occasion with the message "Yoga for peace and harmony" at Puri beach. Sand artist Manas Sahoo also created a sand art to mark the International Yoga Day. Puducherry: Chief Minister Narayanasamy and his Cabinet ministers skipped the International Yoga Day celebrations led by Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi on Tuesday, raising many eyebrows. The Congress chief minister and his Cabinet ministers reportedly attended a different function. Speaking to NDTV, the newly appointed Lt Governor downplayed the incident saying, politics shouldn't be played on yoga day. Former IPS officer Kiran Bedi recently took oath as the Lieutenant Governor of Union Territory of Puducherry. Born on June 9, 1949, Bedi, the country's first woman IPS officer, had led the BJP campaign in the 2015 Delhi Assembly elections but had to face the worst defeat in her maiden political innings with Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP winning 67 of the 70 seats. Congress general secretary and former union minister Narayanasamy took charge as Chief Minister of Puducherry after the Congress, which fought the May 16 elections in alliance with the DMK, won 15 seats in the 30-member Assembly. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today joined over 30,000 people here for the second International Yoga Day celebrations as he pitched for treating diseases like diabetes through the ancient spiritual discipline. PM Modi said yoga is no religious activity and people must embrace it for better mental and physical health. Islamabad: Bodies of a couple and their four-year-old son -- brutally tortured before being murdered -- have been found in Pakistan`s Punjab province in suspected "honour killings". At least three bullets were fired into the mouth of the man and the skulls of the woman and child were smashed with axe on Monday, Dawn online quoted police as saying on Tuesday. A motorcycle and a purse containing cosmetics were found close by, a police official said. "Apparently, it is a case of honour killing." He said it was yet to be ascertained whether the murdered couple were husband and wife and the child was theirs. "Blood samples for DNA test will be sent to establish the relation between the couple and the child," he said. Islamabad: Pakistan's former ambassador in the US was "lobbying against his own country" and "creating hurdles for the government", the country's top diplomat said today, apparently referring to Hussain Haqqani who was sacked by the government at the army's behest. "A former Pakistani ambassador is working against his own country in the US," the Prime Minister's Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz told the National Assembly without naming the ex-ambassador. He said that Pakistan's diplomatic mission in the US is facing challenges due to the former ambassador's campaign. "This person is trying to tackle all our diplomatic efforts in boosting the bilateral ties between Pakistan and the United States," Aziz was quoted as saying by Dawn. He was "lobbying against his own country" and "creating hurdles for the government", Aziz said. The adviser added that the "Foreign Office has serious reservation on the activities of the said person in the US." According to knowledgeable sources, Aziz was referring to Haqqani who was appointed as ambassador during rule of former President Asif Ali Zardari and later sacked at the insistence by army which was not happy with his working. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif accused Haqqani earlier this year by naming for working against F-16 planes deal, which was unsuccessful as US congress refused to fund the purchase of eight latest F-16s. Haqqani, who served as Pakistan's ambassador to the US from April 2008 to November 2011, was sacked for allegedly authoring a memo seeking Washington's help to prevent a coup in the country. Islamabad: A Pakistani Senate committee on Tuesday declared the conversion of Hindu girls to Islam as un-Islamic and also expressed concern over the practice. "Forced conversion of girls to Islam is against the teachings of Islam and also a violation of law in the country," Senate Standing Committee on Religious Affairs Chairman Hafiz Hamdullah said. Hamdullah added that religion is a personal matter of every individual, and a person cannot be converted by force. Earlier, Senator Gian Chand informed the committee that Hindu girls in Sindh province -- home to the majority of the 3 million Hindus living in Pakistan -- were the victims of force conversions. Chand was of the opinion that police and the local administration do not help the victims or their families in cases of forced conversions. "Police does not take action fearing the reaction of the Muslim community," added Chand. The standing committee urged the government to adopt a comprehensive mechanism for the protection of women belonging to minority communities. The committee also directed the federal and provincial governments to draft legislation which would curb the practice. Last year, a move to criminalise forced religious conversions and to prevent misuse of the blasphemy law was endorsed by members of the Senate`s Functional Committee on Human Rights. Karachi: The son of the Chief Justice of Sindh High Court has been abducted by unidentified armed men here in Pakistan's largest city and economic hub and police have detained five persons in this connection. Ovais Sajjad Shah, himself an advocate, was apparently abducted by armed men from outside a popular shopping mart in the posh Clifton area yesterday. Ovais, the son of Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, had just come out of the mart when four armed men wearing peak caps emerged from a white car with a green number plate and forcibly took him away. Green number plates are reserved for government vehicles. DIG Police District South, Munir Ahmed Sheikh told the media that Ovais went missing after he left the Sindh High Court in the afternoon to meet a friend in Clifton. "We are looking at the CCTV cameras in the Clifton area to ascertain what happened. But he apparently stopped over at the shopping mart," Sheikh said. He said the family of the Chief Justice informed that his son has gone missing in the evening. A senior police official said so far no case of abduction has been registered but Ovais has gone missing and is untraceable. "His mobile phone is also switched off since late afternoon. We have detained five persons from the parking area for questioning," he said. Ovais was pleading around 90 cases, including one where he was hired by 700 sacked employees of the Karachi Port Trust to fight their case. Ovais's kidnapping comes just weeks after sons of two high profile politicians returned home after spending years in captivity. Shahbaz Taseer, the son of former slain Punjab governor, Salman Taseer was recovered in March from the Baluchistan province after spending five years in captivity. He was kidnapped by militants and kept in Afghanistan. In May, Ali Haider the son of former Prime Minister, Yousuf Raza Gilani who was kidnapped from Multan was recovered from Afghanistan after three years in captivity of militant outfits. Karachi which is Pakistan's economic hub and biggest city has for years been a hotbed for criminals, gangsters and militants who are involved in kidnapping for ransom, target killings, sectarian violence, terrorism, bank robberies and other crimes. Street crime remains one of the biggest problems here despite the paramilitary rangers and police carrying out a clean-up operation in Karachi since September 2013. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah expressed concern over the incident and said no stone would be left unturned to locate the the Chief Justice's son. Shah ordered deployment of police at key exit and entry points of the metropolis to recover him, his spokesperson said. Berlin: Pakistan Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif on Tuesday met German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and discussed matters relating to regional security and bilateral ties. According to an Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement, the German Foreign Minister acknowledged Pakistans contribution in the war against terrorism and regional peace. Steinmeier told Sharif that Germany understands challenges faced by Islamabad and assured full support for Pakistan's efforts for stability and peace in the region, said the statement. We have sacrificed immensely, more than any other nation. The world needs to stand by us till dividends are fully realised, Sharif told Steinmeier. According to the statement, he further said that terrorism has morphed into a global phenomenon and warrants a global response. "In order to effectively win, synergy by all is required, he said. New Delhi: NASA's planet-hunting Kepler spacecraft spotted a youngest known exoplanet orbiting close to its host star. Named K2-33b, the baby planet is only 5 to 10 million years old and appears similar to Neptune in size. As per NASA reports, the newly discovered planet takes just 5.4 days to revolve around its host star which is 20 times closer than distance from the Earth to the Sun. Scientists at US space agency claims that this discovery will help them to dig deeper into the history of planetary formation. Kepler in its extended K2 mission measured the first signal of planet's existence with the help of telescope's cameras which detected the the periodic dimming of light emitted by the planet's host star. The animated video below explains the revolution and discovery process of the Neptune-sized planet. Take a look! (Video credits: JPLraw) Hyderabad: In an another instance of sexual assault, a minor child was on Monday raped by a watchman of her school in Hyderabad. The incident took place two days ago at LB Nagar area in Hyderabad, police said. The girl is said to be class VI student at the same school where the watchman was employed. The accused, identified as Ranjith, had allegedly misbehaved with the class VI student at the school two days ago. "The girl informed her parents about the matter who lodged a complaint on Monday," L B Nagar police station inspector P Kasi Reddy told PTI. The police upon receiving the complaint registered a complaint against the school watchman for sexually assaulting the child. A case under section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of IPC was registered against Ranjith who has been taken into custody, Reddy said. Further details awaited. Bangui: Sixteen people were killed in two days of clashes between Fulani herdsmen and the mainly Muslim Seleka militia in northern Central African Republic, a police source told AFP on Tuesday. "According to an initial toll, 16 people, most of them armed Fulani herdsmen, were killed and more than 20 others were wounded in the clashes," said police officer in the northern town of Kaga Bandoro who asked to remain anonymous. The clashes began on Sunday and were not connected with a separate wave of violence in the capital, Bangui, on Monday in which three people were killed. At least 34 Libyan pro-government forces were killed Tuesday and 100 wounded in clashes with Islamic State group jihadists as they prepared for a final assault on the jihadist stronghold of Sirte. It was one of bloodiest days since forces loyal to the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) launched an offensive in May to retake Sirte from IS. The fighting came as 29 people were killed and dozens wounded further west in the town of Garabulli when a blast ripped through an arms depot after militiamen and armed residents clashed. The fall of Sirte would be a major blow to IS which has faced a series of setbacks in Syria and Iraq where local forces and a US-led coalition are pressing an offensive against their positions. A statement by the GNA said Tuesday`s fighting took place in several parts of Sirte, where jihadists are pinned down in pockets of the coastal city. Speaking from the western city of Misrata, the source said the death toll had risen from 18 to 34, with the number of wounded increasing from 70 to 100. It was one of the heaviest tolls since the pro-GNA forces launched an offensive in May to dislodge IS from Sirte -- hometown of ousted and slain dictator Moamer Kadhafi which IS seized in June last year. The GNA forces earlier said "dozens" of IS fighters had been killed within 24 hours. They also announced their "intelligence network is in full swing in preparation for the decisive battle" against IS fighters in the city, after repelling multiple counter-attacks. The statement said fighters were targeting IS-held areas of Sirte with heavy artillery while loyalist aircraft were carrying out sorties every day to strike IS or carry out reconnaissance missions. IS fighters "are besieged in a small area of Sirte and although they have sought to break out our forces have repelled all attempts," the statement said. It said that the jihadists had barricaded themselves in residential buildings and deployed snipers and explosive devices to fend off pro-GNA forces.IS has hit back with a string of suicide car bombings in a bid to defend their stronghold on the Mediterranean coast. Around 200 loyalist troops have been killed and hundreds wounded since the start of the offensive to capture Sirte, 450 kilometres (280 miles) east of Tripoli. An unknown number of jihadists have been killed. Libya has been awash with weapons since the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed Kadhafi, with rival militias fighting for control of its cities and oil wealth. In Garabulli near the Libyan capital, armed residents stormed an arms depot after clashing with a militia from the western city of Misrata which owned the weapons store. As they breached the store a "big explosion" occurred, said the security official who could not immediately explain what triggered the blast. "Maybe the militia had rigged the depot before they left," he said. A medical official said at least 29 people were killed and dozens wounded. "There are body parts" at the arms depot, he said, adding the toll could rise. According to the official the clashes pitting armed residents against militiamen from Misrata broke out after some of the militiamen robbed a grocery store. Angered, the armed residents attacked them at dawn. The attack sparked clashes that lasted all day, the security official said. The militias from Misrata honed their battle skills during the 2011 revolt and are now on the frontlines of the battle for Sirte. They are among the best equipped, with an arsenal that includes MiG fighters and attack helicopters. Baghdad: Iraq's government forces on Tuesday dislodged the Islamic State group from two northern neighborhoods of Fallujah as an Iraqi military commander claimed the month-long offensive to recapture the city had left 2,500 IS militants dead. The announcements came just days after the government had declared the liberation of Fallujah, the last bastion of the Islamic State group in the sprawling western Anbar province. With aerial support from the US-led coalition, Iraqi special forces took control of the neighborhoods of al-Shurta and al-Jughaifi, special forces' Brig Gen Haider al-Obeidi told The Associated Press. He said Iraqi military engineers were clearing the streets and buildings of left-over bombs. Teaming up with paramilitary troops and backed by the US-led coalition, Iraqi government forces launched the large-scale Fallujah operation in late May. On Friday, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory after special forces entered the city center, capturing government buildings and the central hospital. Then, Iraqi commanders said 80 percent of the city was under their control, though clashes were still underway in its northern parts. In an interview with the local al-Sumaria TV late yesterday, the counterterrorism forces' chief in the Fallujah operation, Lt. General Abdul-Wahab al-Saadi, said about of 2,500 IS fighters have been killed in the offensive. He offered no evidence to back up his claim and also said the number of IS fighters inside Fallujah had ranged between 3,500 to 4,000 when the offensive began. He claimed about 15 percent of them were foreign fighters. He cited Iraqi police reports as saying 1,086 IS-linked suspects have been arrested. He didn't say how many IS militants remain in Fallujah. Iraqi troops have not disclosed their losses in Fallujah, though the Islamic State group claims to have killed dozens. The operation has fueled an exodus of thousands of families, overwhelming camps for the displaced run by the government and aid groups. In a briefing today in Geneva, the UN Refugee agency said more than 85,000 people have fled Fallujah and the surrounding area since the offensive began. UNHCR called for USD 17.5 million to meet the immediate needs of the growing number of displaced. UNHCR spokeswoman Ariane Rummery said that she expected that thousands more "could still be planning to leave the city." "These escalating needs have pushed UNHCR funding into crisis levels," Rummery said. "We are exhausting available resources in Iraq to deal with the rapid developments" in Fallujah. Dubai: Bahrain said Monday it has revoked the citizenship of the Sunni-ruled kingdom`s top Shiite cleric, accusing him of sowing sectarian divisions, in a move that sparked protests among the majority community. Sheikh Isa Qassim, considered the community`s spiritual leader, abused his position to "serve foreign interests and promote... sectarianism and violence", the interior ministry said, quoted by the BNA state news agency. Qassim had been a strong proponent of "absolute allegiance to the clergy," while maintaining continuous contact with "organisations and parties that are enemies of the kingdom", it charged. There was no immediate indication of Qassim`s fate but, in theory, he would be left stateless and could face deportation through a legal process. The reference to "foreign interests" is widely seen as code for Shiite-majority Iran, a traditional foe of both the United States and its Gulf Arab allies, but Washington nonetheless strongly criticised Bahrain`s move. "We remain deeply troubled by the government of Bahrain`s practise of withdrawing the nationality of its citizens arbitrarily," said US State Department spokesman John Kirby. "Our concern is further magnified by reports that Sheikh Qassim was unable to respond to the accusations against him... or challenge the decision through a transparent legal process." In 2015, authorities stripped 208 Bahrainis of their citizenship, according to the US-based Human Rights Watch. It says at least five people whose nationality had been revoked were deported between February and March alone. The decision against Qassim follows the suspension of Bahrain`s main Shiite opposition group, Al-Wefaq, whose political chief Sheikh Ali Salman is serving a nine-year jail term on charges of inciting violence. The latest move in an escalating crackdown on the opposition triggered fresh tensions and street protests in the cleric`s home village of Diraz, west of the capital Manama, witnesses said. They said police deployed in force and sealed off the village, where thousands of demonstrators waved portraits of their religious leader and chanted slogans against King Hamad.Home to the US Navy`s Fifth Fleet, Bahrain has been shaken by unrest since security forces crushed 2011 protests demanding a constitutional monarchy and an elected prime minister. Protesters still frequently clash with police in Shiite villages outside the capital, with rights groups repeatedly raising concern over the response of the authorities. Qassim allegedly worked on "controlling elections" by issuing fatwas, or religious edicts, either calling for or against voter participation, the interior ministry said. It added his interventions "stretched to aspects of public life". The ministry suggested Qassim was not of Bahraini origin, without specifying when he acquired citizenship, while online sources say he was born in Diraz in the 1940s. He delivers the sermon at weekly Friday prayers in the mosque of Diraz, regularly criticising the government`s crackdown on the opposition. Prime Minister Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa, addressing the council of ministers, warned "there will be no place for those who incite violations of the law and who threaten the security of the country." Authorities have revoked by court order the citizenships of scores of Shiites convicted of violence. But unlike in earlier cases, the decision against Qassim was issued by the Gulf state`s council of ministers and rather than by a court. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon voiced concern last week over Bahrain`s opposition crackdown. Ban was also "dismayed" by reports rights activists had been intimidated and stripped of their citizenship. "The current actions against the opposition may undermine the reforms undertaken" and "lessen the prospect of an inclusive national dialogue in the interest of all people of the kingdom", he said. On June 13, police re-arrested a prominent rights defender, Nabeel Rajab. On Thursday, a court sentenced eight Shiites to 15-year jail terms and stripped them of their citizenship for forming a "terror" group. In another trial, 13 people were each jailed for 15 years for the attempted murder of policemen. Twenty-two others were imprisoned for three years each in the same case. ak/hc/as/jv Seoul: A Seoul court convened a rare hearing Tuesday into the welfare of a dozen North Korean defectors who South Korea says escaped of their own free will but Pyongyang insists were abducted. The closed-door session pitted officials from South Korea`s spy agency, the National Intelligence Service, (NIS) against a group of human rights lawyers who contend the 12 women are being illegally detained. All 12 were waitresses at a North Korea-run restaurant in China who arrived in the South in April, making headlines as the largest group defection in years. While Seoul says they fled to the South voluntarily, Pyongyang claims they were kidnapped by NIS agents and has waged a campaign through its state media for their immediate return. The campaign has included emotional video interviews with the women`s relatives in the North, angrily denouncing South Korean authorities and demanding a meeting with the defectors. Seoul has rejected all such advances and insists the women are being held incommunicado for their own protection while they go through a resettlement process. For all North Korean defectors, life in the South begins with intensive NIS interrogation that can last for months and is aimed at weeding out possible spies. They are then given three months in a government centre where they learn basic survival skills, such as riding the subway, using a mobile phone and buying goods in a supermarket. Tuesday`s court hearing was ordered at the request of a liberal South Korean legal association called Lawyers for a Democratic Society, who managed to obtain power-of-attorney from the defectors` families in the North.The court had ordered the 12 waitresses to appear in person, but the NIS said they were unwilling to testify because of personal safety concerns and would be represented by legal counsel. As well as challenging the NIS version of events surrounding the defection, the Lawyers for a Democratic Society are pushing the court to allow direct access to the women. But that prospect appeared to dim with the announcement, before the hearing even opened, that the waitresses would be kept under NIS "protection" rather than being sent to the resettlement centre like most defectors. The Unification Ministry in Seoul said their case had become too high-profile and the escalating dispute with Pyongyang made them unusually vulnerable. "If we send them to the facility for resettlement training, there will be more media attention and the training will not be conducted smoothly," a ministry official told AFP. "There are bound to be problems," the official said. Nearly 30,000 North Koreans have fled poverty and repression at home to settle in the capitalist South. But group defections are rare, especially by staff who work in the North Korea-themed restaurants overseas and who are handpicked from families considered "loyal" to the regime. The South Korean government estimates that Pyongyang rakes in around $10 million every year from about 130 restaurants it operates -- with mostly North Korean staff -- in 12 countries, including neighbouring China. There have been reports of staff not being paid, with restaurants pressured into increasing their regular remittances to Pyongyang. Earlier this month, South Korea announced that another three waitresses from a different restaurant in China had arrived in Seoul after defecting. London: If Britain votes to leave the European Union on Thursday, it will be the culmination of decades of half-hearted and often hostile relations with neighbouring countries. The country`s rocky ties with the EU are rooted in its island history and defiant sense of independence. Some Britons still recall with pride that they were last successfully invaded in 1066. The country`s resistance to the Nazis in World War II is also central to British identity, particularly for older voters. "Britain has never really internalised the European project because of its very different history during the 20th century -- it is less frightened of the consequences of leaving," Robert Tombs, a history professor at Cambridge University, told AFP. Politicians at Westminster have also pursued an often two-faced approach to the EU, complicating the relationship even further. "One face is a hostile, sceptical and largely domestic one that has helped drive euroscepticism in Britain," said Tim Oliver of the London School of Economics. "The other face, largely seen in Brussels, is a constructive, engaging one that has seen the UK shape the EU in a large number of ways." Opinion polls suggest the "Remain" and "Leave" camps are neck and neck, leaving Britain`s future in the EU hanging in the balance.Britain initially stood back from post-war efforts to foster European unity, with senior figures believing that its foreign policy goals were best pursued through its empire. But as the empire declined and Britain watched trade flourish on the continent, it applied to join the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1961, four years after its creation. French president Charles de Gaulle twice vetoed its efforts, but Britain eventually joined in 1973. Labour prime minister Harold Wilson called a referendum on membership in 1975 to try and appease the eurosceptic, protectionist wing of his fractured party. He secured 67 percent support for staying in. Conservative leader Margaret Thatcher was a cheerleader for EEC membership, seeing it as a pragmatic decision to join a tariff-free trading bloc. But as prime minister from 1979 she was soon riling her European colleagues, demanding a rebate on Britain`s EEC contributions she eventually secured in 1984. She was also fiercely opposed to the bloc`s growing political integration, fearing the creation of a "European super-state". Her visceral "No! No! No!" approach triggered her downfall in 1990. It also exposed deep fractures in the Conservative party on Europe, which completely handicapped the pro-European John Major`s 1990-1997 premiership and remain unhealed to this day. "Black Wednesday" in 1992 saw the pound tumble out of the Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM) which had pegged it to the German deutsche mark. Then a Conservative rebellion through 1992 and 1993 nearly brought down Major`s government over the Maastricht Treaty which turned the EEC into the European Union.In 1997, new Labour prime minister Tony Blair came into office wanting Britain to join the euro but met a wall of domestic opposition born of the scarring ERM experience. Since then, a standoffish, one-foot-in, one-foot-out approach has become the default position for successive governments. Britain remains outside the single currency and the border-free Schengen zone, two of the EU`s defining pillars. Against a backdrop of restive Conservative backbenchers and core eurosceptic voters leaking away, Prime Minister David Cameron promised a referendum in 2013, aiming to resolve the issue once and for all. During the referendum campaign, Cameron has sold Britain`s place in the EU as a pragmatic marriage of convenience rather than a place where Britain`s heart lies. In TV debates, he has repeatedly insisted that he is frustrated by the EU and wants to reform it but stresses that membership is good for Britain`s economy. He may have hoped that Thursday`s referendum would clear up the ambiguity in Britain`s relations with the EU. However, few experts predict a clean divorce in the case of Brexit, which would trigger years of complex negotiations, or, if Britain votes to stay, a second honeymoon. London: British lawmaker Jo Cox, who was shot and stabbed in the street last week, died because of her strong political views, her husband said on Tuesday. Cox, a supporter of Britain`s European Union membership who had also campaigned for Britain to do more to help refugees, was killed in her northern English electoral district by a man heard shouting "Britain first". "She had very strong political views and I believe she was killed because of those views," her husband Brendan Cox told broadcasters. Parliament was recalled on Monday from campaigning for this week`s referendum on EU membership to pay tribute to opposition Labour lawmaker Cox, who worked for aid agency Oxfam before entering parliament last year. Many lawmakers praised Cox, a 41-year-old mother of two young children, for her ability to work across political party lines to further the causes she believed in. Her husband said Cox had been worried that politics was becoming too tribal, that people didn`t work together as individuals on issues any more and were being driven to more extreme positions. "She was particularly worried about the direction of, not just of in the UK but globally, ... of politics at the moment, particularly around creating division and playing on people`s worst fears rather than their best instincts," he said. During Monday`s tributes, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said Cox`s death "appeared increasingly likely to have been a politically motivated attack". A 52-year-old man has been arrested and charged with Cox`s murder. Brussels: EU ambassadors agreed to roll over damaging economic sanctions against Russia for six months in the absence of any progress on resolving the Ukraine conflict, European sources said today. The measures target the oil, financial and defence sectors of the Russian economy and were first imposed after the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in July 2014, blamed on pro-Moscow rebels in eastern Ukraine. Sources told AFP that envoys from the 28 member states of the European Union approved the decision in principle, which will now go to ministers for formal approval, possibly on Friday. The sanctions were due to expire at the end of July and will now run to January 2017, they said. Russia admits the sanctions have had a serious impact but insists they do more harm than good to all and are a major obstacle to improving ties so the two sides can tackle shared problems, such as the Islamic State jihadi threat. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Tuesday there was no alternative to the EU sanctions to pressure Russia to implement the Minsk ceasefire accords it signed up to. "Sanctions are the only instrument left... There is no alternative to that," Poroshenko said, ahead of a meeting with French President Francois Hollande. The sanctions have been controversial from the start, with EU member states such as Germany, Italy and Hungary fearful of getting locked in a damaging stand-off with Russia, a major political and economic partner. Other member states, such as Britain, have taken a harder line, insisting that Russia's intervention in Ukraine and its 2014 annexation of Crimea are a serious breach of international law and cannot go unpunished. British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond warned yesterday it would be "a mistake, a big mistake," to suggest any relaxation of the sanctions regime without real progress on Ukraine. "The thing that (President Vladimir) Putin understands is clear, decisive postures and a resolute approach on the delivery of the commitments," Hammond said, on the sidelines of an EU foreign ministers' meeting in Luxembourg. But his French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault called Monday in Luxembourg for EU leaders to have a "real debate" on the future of the economic sanctions, which could not just be rolled over automatically every time. It was important that EU leaders review what progress has been made, if any, to see what could be done to encourage a possible opening, he said. Ayrault's remarks followed comments late last month by German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier that the EU should consider a "step-by-step" relaxation of the economic sanctions if there was progress on Ukraine. The EU last week rolled over for another year to June 2017 separate sanctions imposed after Russia's March 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. The EU has also imposed a separate set of visa ban and asset freeze measures against individual Russian and Ukrainian figures for backing the separatist cause in early 2014. These measures run until September. Washington: The White House hopes that the outgoing US President Barack Obama's successor would understand the significance of India-US ties and take it further. "Hopefully, the President's successor in the oval office will be somebody who recognises how important it is to build on the strong US-India relationship that's been established under the leadership of President Obama and Prime Minister Modi," the White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters at his daily news conference. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said, was just at the White House a couple of weeks ago. "That gave both leaders an opportunity to spend time together and to, not just deepen their personal relationship, but actually strengthen the relationship between our two countries," he said in response to a question. "In the seven months that the President has remaining in office, I'm confident that he will continue to work closely with Prime Minister Modi to advance our shared goals," he said. Earnest said there is a shared commitment between India and the US to fight against terrorism. "There is a shared commitment to the idea that using violence or threat to accomplish a political goal, goes against everything that we believe in," he said. "It goes against everything that we stand for and it is a testament to the world's two largest democracies that we are committed to resolving our differences -- our political differences through a political process, that something is messy, that sometimes is less than efficient, that sometimes takes longer than it should," he noted. "But a commitment to resolve our differences peacefully and in the context of an established political process and the rule of law, is something that binds the United States and India as the commitment to these principles is important," Earnest said. "That is why the United States and India have been able to work effectively to combat terrorism and we obviously value that a counter-terrorism relationship between our two countries and our cooperation on those issues has been enhanced under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi and as a result of the effective working relationship between Prime Minister Modi and President Obama," the White House Press Secretary said. Washington: President Barack Obama, his vice president and defense secretary took aim on Monday at policies of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump they said would alienate Muslims globally along with US allies and neighbors. In a speech focusing on national security at a think tank in Washington, Vice President Joe Biden said Trump`s calls to bar the entry of Muslims and to profile Muslim Americans reflected the politics of fear and intolerance. "There are 1.4 billion Muslims in the world" Biden said. "Some of the rhetoric I`m hearing sounds designed to radicalize all 1.4 billion." Biden`s attacks on Trump as an isolationist, and others by Obama and Defense Secretary Ash Carter represent an unusually early and vigorous assault on an opposing party`s presidential nominee. The election is on Nov. 8. Referring to Trump`s vow to erect a wall on the US border with Mexico if elected, Biden said that the most complex threats do not respect borders and a wall would destroy much of the progress the Obama administration had made with US neighbors. "If we build walls and disrespect our neighbors, we will quickly see all this progress evaporating, replaced by a return of anti-Americanism, a corrosive rift throughout our hemisphere," Biden said. Obama, who last week assailed Trump for what he called a "dangerous" mindset and "loose talk and sloppiness" in defining the country`s enemies, on Monday criticized Trump`s anti-trade policies in a speech at a US Commerce Department conference. "This is not just about jobs and trade, it`s not just about hard, cold cash. It`s also about building relationships across borders," Obama told the 2,400 people from 70 countries at the conference to attract foreign investment. Trump has threatened to impose steep tariffs on Chinese and Mexican imports and demanded a change in a U.S. trade policy he says allows other countries to shut out US imports, devalue their currencies and unfairly target US industries. Speaking at the same event as Biden, Carter said a critical part of US leadership is its "longtime network of allies and partners in every corner of the world." "Our allies around the world have stood with us - and fought with us - time and again, most recently in Iraq, Afghanistan, and against ISIL," he said, using an acronym for Islamic State. Carter did not mention Trump, who has called NATO "obsolete" and said he would consider letting Japan and South Korea develop their own nuclear weapons rather than relying on the United States for protection against North Korea and China.While Obama, Carter and other top officials generally have refrained from attacking Trump by name, Obama administration spokesmen have not denied that such remarks are directed at the presumptive Republican candidate. Beirut: Iran has arrested 10 Sunni Muslim militants who were planning to bomb 50 targets across the country, Iranian intelligence minister Mahmoud Alavi said on Tuesday, according to the Fars News site. Officials in predominantly Shi`ite Iran have said in recent weeks that Sunni militants from Islamic State have been trying to target the country. Alavi said the arrests took place in the last week in Tehran and three other provinces in central Iran and along the border. He labeled the suspects "takfiri Wahhabi terrorists", a derogatory reference to Sunni Muslim militants. The minister told a news conference in Tehran that the group had planned to attack busy public locations with remotely detonated explosions, suicide attacks and car bombs, according to Fars News. One hundred kilograms of explosive material has been confiscated and an additional two tons of explosive material was intercepted before reaching the suspects, who are currently being interrogated. Details of the attack come one day after the Ministry of Intelligence issued a statement saying it had thwarted a major terrorist attack. Members of Irans Revolutionary Guard have fought against Islamic State militants in Iraq in a bid to support the Shiite-led government in Baghdad. Guard members and volunteers are also fighting against Sunni militants in Syria to support President Bashar al-Assad. Iranian security forces announced last month that they had arrested a dozen Islamic State fighters in the east and west of the country, and also more than 50 sympathisers who were promoting the group`s ideology on the Internet. Kuala Lumpur: A Malaysian opposition politician who worked on native land rights issues was shot dead on Tuesday six weeks after a failed run for a local assembly seat. Bill Kayong, 43, was gunned down in his pickup truck while stopped at a traffic light in the small city of Miri in Sarawak state, police said. Kayong was a member of the opposition Parti Keadilan Rakyat (People`s Justice Party) and had run for a Sarawak state assembly seat in elections held on May 7. Dev Kumar, the head of criminal investigations for Sarawak, which lies along the northern portion of huge Borneo island, said in a statement that Kayong was "shot dead by an unknown person using a shotgun." He urged the public not to speculate on possible motives for the killing, promising a thorough investigation. Kayong is a member of one of Sarawak`s many indigenous tribes and was active in fighting on behalf of indigenous peoples, especially on land-rights issues, Steve Teo, Keadilan`s local youth-wing chief, told AFP. Teo said he knew of no specific possible motive for the killing. Sarawak is known for its once-towering rainforests and its powerful rivers. Tribal groups have for years resisted logging, the expansion of palm-oil estates, and the building of hydroelectric dams that have flooded large areas inhabited for generations by tribespeople. Tribal activists say their land rights have in many cases been stolen, with the collusion of the state government and well-connected companies. Malaysia`s ruling coalition won a landslide victory in last month`s state polls, which the opposition and independent analysts said was marred by blatant government handouts to voters and other "money politics", as well as gerrymandering that favoured the coalition. The investigation into the infamous murder of three young activists which became known as the "Mississippi Burning" civil rights case has finally closed after 52 years, the US state`s attorney general said Monday. The three young men -- two Jewish and one black -- were executed in June 1964 in the midst of the "Freedom Summer" voter registration project. They had ventured south from New York to register African American voters. The brutal killings of James Chaney, 21, Andrew Goodman, 20, and Michael Schwerner, 24, rocked the nation and went on to inspire the Alan Parker film "Mississippi Burning" in 1988. "I am convinced that during the last 52 years, investigators have done everything possible under the law to find those responsible and hold them accountable," said Attorney General Jim Hood. "There is no likelihood of any additional convictions." At the time of the killings, the US Justice Department -- aware it had no chance of securing murder convictions faced with segregationist state authorities and all-white juries -- chose to prosecute the case under civil rights law. In 1967, eight suspects received prison sentences -- serving less than six years in prison -- for federal civil rights violations connected to the murders. Four decades on, in 2005, Hood and the county prosecutor won a manslaughter conviction against white supremacist Edgar Ray Killen, a former Ku Klux Klan (KKK) member who is currently serving a 60-year-prison sentence. The night the activists disappeared, on June 21, 1964, local police -- allegedly infiltrated by the KKK -- arrested them on false pretenses, releasing them late that evening. Shortly after the men left city limits, KKK members ambushed and shot them dead at point blank range. An FBI investigation uncovered their bodies 44 days later in an earthen dam on the secluded property of a Klansman. The active federal and state investigation closed after the Justice Department found that no viable prosecutions remained, closing a significant chapter in Mississippi`s history, said Attorney General Hood. "Our state and our entire nation are a much better place because of the work of those three young men and others in 1964," he said. "We should all acknowledge that our diversity is this state`s greatest asset." London: Prime Minister David Cameron on Tuesday appealed to Britons, especially older voters, to think about the impact leaving the European Union would have on the country and future generations. With just two days to go until Britain`s referendum on EU membership, polls indicated public opinion is so divided that the outcome is too close to call. "It will just be you in that polling booth. Just you, taking a decision that will affect your future, your children`s future, your grandchildren`s future," he said in a rare address in front of his Downing Street office, adding that he wanted to appeal directly to people "of my generation and older". "They can`t undo the decision we take," he said. "If we vote out, that`s it. It is irreversible. We will leave Europe for good and the next generation will have to live with the consequences far longer than the rest of us." London: Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's longest-serving monarch, on Tuesday tweeted her thanks to people who sent her 90th birthday messages on social media. "I am most grateful for the many digital messages of goodwill I have received and would like to thank you all for your kindness," she wrote. The monarch, whose milestone birthday was marked with numerous events, signed off the rare message "Elizabeth R". The Queen sent her first ever tweet in 2014 when she opened a new exhibition at the Science Museum in London. Britain's longest-serving monarch celebrated her 90th birthday on 21 April, and a host of events were held over three months, from April to June. The Queen has two birthdays - her real birthday on 21 April, and her official birthday held on a Saturday in June - a tradition going back 250 years. It was introduced to try to ensure better weather for the monarch's official celebrations, the BBC reported. Her official birthday this year was 11 June and the annual Trooping the Colour was held on Horse Guards Parade, followed by a flypast by the Royal Air Force which the Royal Family watched from the balcony of Buckingham Palace. The following day the Queen hosted the Patron's Lunch, a street party for some 10,000 people along The Mall which recognised her patronage of more than 600 organisations in the UK and around the Commonwealth. Kabul: At least 27 passengers were kidnapped on Tuesday after Taliban militants intercepted three vehicles in Afghanistan's southern province of Helmand. "Armed militants stopped two trucks and a long-distance bus along Kabul-Herat Highway in Gereshk district. They captured several passengers and took them to nearby villages," a security source told Xinhua news agency. Aqa Noor Kentoz, the provincial police chief, said his forces had launched a search operation to locate and rescue the captives. Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, a purported Taliban spokesman, said the group took the 27 people for interrogation in Gereshk. The Taliban-led insurgency has been rampant since early April when the militant group launched its annual rebel offensive in different areas of the country. YEREVAN, JUNE 21, ARMENPRESS. A survey conducted among tourism agencies showed that Armenians prefers to spend summer vacations in European countries this year. Italy, Spain, Greece and Cyprus top the wish list of Armenians this summer. According to tourism agencies, European countries were always of high interest among Armenian tourists, however this year the interest has grown. This increased interest is explained by the fact that charter flights are available during summer months, which significantly reduce transportation time. In addition to this, Armenian tourists dont want to travel to some countries based on security concerns. In particular, inquiries on tours to Egypt have significantly reduced this year. Of course there are tourists willing to travel to Egypt, however very few. In regard to Turkey, tourism agencies either say they no longer offer tours to Turkey, or that Armenians are not interested in traveling to Turkey. According to tour agencies, there are some flights to Europe which are even cheaper as compared to neighboring Georgia. Armenians are also interested in Dubai, Mexico and Dominican Republic. YEREVAN, JUNE 21, ARMENPRESS. Armenia has a beautiful mountainous landscape, abundant nature, Armenian traditional cuisine, and hospitable human factor which is very important. This is the reason that tourists, except from the traditional forms of historical-cultural tourism, prefer also agritourism in Armenia, head of the Tourism Department of the Armenian Ministry of Economy Mekhak Apresyan said in an interview with Armenpress. -Mr. Apresyan, in what stage is agritourism in Armenia? Are there any development opportunities, new projects? -First of all, I would like to explain the meaning of agritourism and how it differs from the rural tourism. Visiting rural areas and using rural resources are called rural tourism, whereas, agritourism means when the tourist personally takes part in the rural life, communicates with the rural people, participates in the rural works. Armenia provides the opportunity of this, agritourism is developing in different directions. There are new projects aimed at creating tourism homes in the rural places which leads to the increase of tourism homes both in Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. These projects are being implemented in cooperation with the state, private and international structures. Moreover, with the state assistance, various events are being conducted such as traditional holidays, festivals which are aimed for revealing, developing, strengthening and presenting the economic and tourism potential of the rural areas both to the domestic and international markets. -Which Armenian settlements do have a potential for agritourism development? -It will be difficult to say what rural settlements do not have such potential. It depends on weather conditions, development opportunities, the resources that particular region has, just directions may vary. -Are the rural infrastructures ready to develop agritourism? -We cannot say they arent ready, but we cannot also say we have nothing to do. Having a progress, we also have problems. There is a need of both knowledge and infrastructure development. As I said there are new projects and other projects that relate to the infrastructure development and the necessary human resource training. -Do the rural people demonstrate willingness to serve their economies for the development of agritourism? -Yes, they do, but not completely. Here there is a need of increasing awareness through trainings, seminars about the role of tourism. They should understand that involving tourists in their activities, they will have an opportunity to have an additional source of income, additional employment, wide consumer markets for their products and to expand their productivity. However, in line with this, they must keep their traditions in order for tourist to understand that he/she is in Armenia in a hospitable home. If we lose this, no one will be interested in agritourism in Armenia. -Is there an interest towards this type of tourism? -Yes, there is and the interest is gradually increasing. Foreign tourists especially from Europe are interested and many of them are not so much interested in staying at luxury hotels and engaging in urban life. The interest is increasing also within the local people. -Armenpress conducted a survey among tourism agencies of Armenia and revealed that no one of them has such a package. Is this as a result of a lack of demand? -Various tourism agencies are concentrated in different directions and since this type of tourism is younger and developing compared to other ones, it is natural that not all tourism agencies can provide such packages. Vahe Hakobyan YEREVAN, JUNE 21, ARMENPRESS. As part of a month-long focus on human rights, U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Richard Mills visited a residential care facility for children in Vanadzor. His trip was part of a larger tour of the Lori province, where he traveled to a number of organizations touching upon human rights, Armenpress was informed by the US Embassy in Armenia. In Vanadzor, Ambassador Mills toured the orphanage and talked with representatives from Armenias Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (MLSA) and UNICEF. He also met with orphanage staff and the young residents, to get their views on the government of Armenias child welfare reform. They discussed prospects for transformation of the institution of orphanages in Armenia, and the challenges in reuniting children with their extended families. Children have human rights too, the right to proper care and support and love, Ambassador Mills said. Institutional care is not necessarily the best environment to provide such care. Plus it is costly for the state and breeds corruption, especially when financing of residential institutions is based on the number of children and not linked to the service provision or outcome. In October 2015, Armenia was designated as a priority country under the U.S. Government Action Plan on Children in Adversity (APCA). Such a designation allows in-depth support of child welfare reform efforts in Armenia. The Armenian government supported by USAID, UNICEF, World Vision, Save the Children and Bridge of Hope is working to improve care for at-risk youth in Armenia. One goal they are working on is de-institutionalizing children. According to UNICEF, nearly 4,500 children live in 41 residential institutions -- orphanages, night care institutions, and special educational facilities. Ninety-seven percent of the children living in institutions are children from socially vulnerable families, who have at least one living parent. At least two-thirds of children at special educational facilities do not have a certified disability, but are simply victims of poverty and social neglect. Due to the lack of alternative services, the existing child care system of Armenia encourages parents of disabled children, children with special educational needs, and economically disadvantaged families to send their children to institutions for temporary or often permanent care, Ambassador Mills said. And these children have the same human rights as children living with their families, or with extended family. Where we can, we must work together to protect the human rights of these children, the most vulnerable in society. Along with touring the Vanadzor Orphanage, the Ambassadors trip to Lori included a meeting with representatives from Peace Dialogue NGO, which deals with human rights concerns coming from the Armenian military. He also met with U.S. Peace Corps volunteers working at the Orran Center, an organization helping at-risk youth and seniors through social services and educational programs. While there, he was interviewed by some of the student journalists learning their craft through the Orran Centers programs. Many of our Peace Corps volunteers work in centers such as Orran, helping develop programs that aim to improve communities and lift people up, Ambassador Mills said. These Peace Corps volunteers embody the spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, by ensuring that all members of society get the education and support needed to become contributing, active members of society. YEREVAN, JUNE 21, ARMENPRESS. In an interview with Armenpress, newly appointed Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Armenia Timur Urazayev says Kazakhstan has repeatedly said it supports the peaceful settlement of all regional conflicts, including the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. We want that there will not be any fires in Nagorno Karabakh-Azerbaijan contact line, and the ceasefire regime will be maintained. Concerning the April events which here are known as four-day war, we know that both sides had losses as a result of this. We express our condolences to both sides. Such things must not take place. What relates to the assessments, Kazakhstan is not involved in the OSCE Minsk Group. Only those countries which are authorized by the international community can give assessments. In a state of information wars, even I sometimes have difficulties in understanding this or that event, the Ambassador said. He said the President of Kazakhstan is ready to support the sides to reach the peaceful settlement of the conflict. YEREVAN, JUNE 21, ARMENPRESS. Heads of largest trade chains of Russia and Armenian export entrepreneurs are discussing competitiveness issues of the export field in Yerevan. The State Commission for the Protection of Economic Competition has organized the Suppliers and trade chains: Promoting effective cooperation mechanisms in EEU member-states discussion. Head of 10 Russian leading trade chains and more than 50 Armenian entrepreneurs are participating in the discussion. According to SCPEC President Artak Shaboyan, they conducted a survey among Armenian exporters and discovered a number of obstacles, in regard to entering the Russian trading chains. On the other hand, there are a number of demands from the Russian suppliers, which the Armenian companies must comply with. The Armenian companies complain that a number of Russian trading chains prefer to acquire products with the mediation of local distributing companies, which have additional conditions and complicate the supplier-supermarket relations. Naturally, the mediation price is added to the product price which impacts the final price, thus making the Armenian products expensive in Russia, Artak Shaboyan said. Vice-Prime Minister, Minister of International Economic Integration and Reform Vache Gabrielyan delivered a speech during the opening of the event. He stressed that the Armenian Government highly appreciates similar discussions, because they allow raising the issues and finding united approach. The subject of this discussion is creating equal conditions from both importers and exporters. Active works are carried out by EEU member states for eliminating obstacles in mutual trading sector, He said. Ivan Volinkin, Russian Ambassador to Armenia, stressed the importance of the fact that this important issue is being put to discussion by representatives of state agencies and a large number of entrepreneurs from Armenia and Russia. This will allow to broaden commercial ties and lift them to a new level. The EEU is firstly an integration in the field of economy, which creates advantages for the members, the Ambassador said. According to him, the EEU membership allows to be competitive and protected during global economic crisis conditions. YEREVAN, JUNE 21, ARMENPRESS. Ambassador of France to Armenia H.E. Jean-Francois Charpentier says France supports the quick signing of the EU-Armenia agreement. The negotiating process with the Commission is proceeding successful, we expect it to be signed as soon as possible, however lets not hurry, lets not run ahead of events. There are always difficult moments in negotiating processes, however it seems like there are no major problems so far. We wish to see a more comprehensive and expressed EU-Armenia cooperation, the Ambassador said. On October 12, 2015, the Foreign Relations Council authorized the European Commission and the High Representative to start negotiations with Armenia on a new, legally binding, comprehensive agreement, and provided the negotiating mandate accordingly. The negotiations were officially launched on December 7, 2015. YEREVAN, JUNE 21, ARMENPRESS. Director of the Oriental Institute of the NAS of Armenia Ruben Safrastyan says Russia wants Azerbaijan to be a part of the Eurasian Economic Union, but Azerbaijan will never become an EAEU member. This will limit the opportunities of Azerbaijan to use the huge profits from its oil and gas resources. Azerbaijan will try to refrain from such actions, it will not join any economic and military-political union in order to be able to continue using those profits. Thats why, I am convinced that it will not take place, Armenpress reports, he said. He added that on the other hand Azerbaijan will consistently try to make such an impression that it becomes closer to the EAEU accession: it can join the EAEU in case of receiving compromise from Russia, however, it just will be a diplomatic game by official Baku. Safrastyan once again expressed confidence that Azerbaijan will never become an EAEU member. The Eurasian Economic Union is an international organization for regional economic integration. A treaty aiming for the establishment of the EAEU was signed on 29 May 2014 by the leaders of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia, and came into force on 1 January 2015. The member states of the Eurasian Economic Union are the Russian Federation, the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic. YEREVAN, JUNE 21, ARMENPRESS. Director of the Oriental Institute of the NAS of Armenia Ruben Safrastyan says Turkey gives serious significance to Syria rather than the South Caucasian region. At this moment Turkey is facing possible serious geopolitical defeat. Thats why Turkey pushed Azerbaijan to go to the April aggression. But now, I dont think that the Turkish diplomacy will take steps against such small diplomatic success of Russia. On the other hand, we must not forget that Azerbaijan with its aggressive behavior has always needed Turkeys support. From this perspective, if the Azerbaijani leadership decides to unleash a new aggression, a new war, I am convinced that Turkey will provide great support to Azerbaijan, Armenpress reports, Safrastyan said. Referring to the events in Syria, he said everything is getting more entangled in Syria. He stated that the possibility of the Russian-American clashes is gradually increasing in Syria. The last two statements issued by the Chiefs of the General Staff of the Armed forces of the two states are not a coincidence; the patience is running out one over the other. In these circumstances, Turkey loses its positions since it worsened the relations with the Islamic State last year and has already managed to receive several blows in terms of terrorist attacks in its territory. This means Turkey within the years lost the results of showing support to the Islamic State, he stated. He said after that Turkey tried to establish relations with Jabhat al-Nusra extremist group operating in Syria, however, the Syrian authorities with the support of Russia have more strengthened the attacks against this group. In this regard, Turkey is unable to strengthen this group in order to solve its problems. On the other hand, losing the Islamic State in Syria, Turkey has also weakened its diplomatic and exerting pressure opportunities. Now Syrian opposition forces are less taking into account Turkey. In other words, all Turkeys efforts to reach its geopolitical goals in Syria failed, he said. Safrastyan considers also dangerous the Kurdish factor for Turkey stating that Kurdish autonomy in the northern Syria is gradually being strengthened. This is a long-term process, and Turkey cannot have any impact on this. This means that Turkey eventually saw the Kurdish autonomy in the territory of Syria and Turkish border which did not exist until Turkeys mediation to the Syrian conflict. In other words, the problems issued by Turkey were not resolved, but rather, Turkey faced new problems in terms of the refugees and the Kurdish autonomy. Thats why I think that under the pressures by the armed forces the Turkish leadership will be forced to weaken its activity in Syria, Safrastyan said adding that only in this case Turkey may increase its diplomatic activity in the South Caucasus. He said Turkey is not such a state which can enable itself to run active diplomacy at several directions. YEREVAN, JUNE 21, ARMENPRESS. The St. Gregory Illuminator Medical Center was awarded the Emil Gabrielyan Multi-Functional Medical Center of the year Award. The Award is named after former Healthcare Minister of Armenia, renowned doctor and scientist, state and public figure, academician Emil Gabrielyan. The medical center was founded in 1977 with then Healthcare Minister Emil Gabirelyans direct initiative and efforts. 47 thousand patients are annually treated in the center. Write Zori Balayan presented the special Emil Gabrielyan award to the Defense Ministrys Central Military Hospital. In his speech he mentioned that the recovered servicemen, who returned to service, speak to the deeds of the military doctors. The For International Recognition award was presented to the AIDS prevention center and the Institute of Reproductive Health, Perinatology, Obstetrics and Gynecology. The Student of the year award was presented to Lilit Tadevosyan, student of the Pharmaceutical faculty of Yerevan State Medical University after M. Heratsi. The St. Gregory Illuminator medical centers director Ara Minasyan said on behalf of the medical personnel of the center, that they will provide the monetary award, and an additional 1 million AMD for the treatment of the wounded soldiers. Directors of the AIDS prevention center and the Institute of Reproductive Health, Perinatology, Obstetrics and Gynecology followed this initiative as well. As part of the tradition, during the event Healthcare Minister Armen Muradyan particularly congratulated those medical personnel, who spend this day in operating rooms, intensive care units, next to the patient, and in ambulances. The minister mentioned with great gratitude the medical personnel who dedicated themselves to the treatment of the wounded soldiers of the April 4-day war. YEREVAN, JUNE 21, ARMENPRESS. The Bundestag decision (Genocide vote) can positively affect civil society development in Turkey which will directly influence Armenian-Turkish reconciliation. After the Bundestag decision caused an interesting public resonance in Turkey, Deputy Dean of Yerevan State Universitys Faculty of Oriental Studies Ruben Melkonyan told on June 21. Director of Analytical Centre on Globalization and Regional Cooperation Stepan Grigoryan shared the mentioned opinion, stating that public opinion is of great significance for the development of Armenian-Turkish relations and preserving interactions on a public level is very important. We should have no expectations from Turkish official levels, it is just necessary to go on with interactions on public and scientific levels. There are contradictions over the Armenian Genocide among the Turkish society. There are people in Turkey who admit that the Genocide took place, and it is necessary to cooperate with them, Armenpress reports Stepan Grigoryan saying. After Ahmet Davutoglus resignation the Bundestag vote was the most challenging thing for Turkeys foreign policy. Awareness of the Armenian Genocide rose after being recognized by the Bundestag. That decision includes a very important point the Armenian Genocide must be introduced in school text books and be presented as a universal evil deed, Ruben Melkonyan said. According to him, there are no hopes for Armenian-Turkish reconciliation in the visible future since the Turkish president pursues a strategy of aggravating confrontations in our region. YEREVAN, JUNE 21, ARMENPRESS. President of Artsakh (NKR) Bako Sahakyan received newly-appointed National Security Secretary of the Republic of Armenia Armen Gevorgyan. Questions relating to cooperation between the two Armenian republics around security issues were on the discussion agenda, Armenpress was informed from the press service of Artsakh Republic Presidents Office. President Sahakyan congratulated Armen Gevorgyanon for assuming the responsible post wishing him success and productive work. Head of the Artsakh Republic President's Office Marat Mousayelyan and secretary of the NKR Security Council Victor Kocharyan partook at the meeting. US aerospace giant Boeing and Iran Air confirmed Tuesday a tentative deal for the sale of passenger planes, in what could prove a landmark for easing in the difficult US-Iran relationship. The deal, valued as much as $25 billion, would be the largest between a US business and Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution. Boeing said it had reached a preliminary agreement with the state-owned carrier as it seeks to check the boxes in a multi-step process overseen at every stage by US regulators. "Boeing confirms the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Iran Air expressing the airline's intent to purchase Boeing commercial passenger airplanes," the Chicago-based company said in an email to AFP. Boeing said "it will continue to follow the lead of the US government" and that "any and all contracts with Iran's airlines will be contingent upon US government approval." Earlier Tuesday, Iran Air said it had struck an initial deal to buy Boeing 737 and 777 airliners, subject to US government approval. The order could be valued at roughly $25 billion, a person close to the situation told AFP. Despite the significant progress, analysts noted that there are still hurdles to clear before Boeing seals the transaction. Iran had been an international pariah prior to the Iran nuclear deal reached in 2015 and the US-Iran relationship remains one of mutual distrust, with the US maintaining extensive sanctions on Iran. Boeing archrival Airbus in January reached a deal to sell Iran 118 aircraft worth about $25 billion. French officials in April said the transaction was in the final stages of winning approval from the US Office of Foreign Assets Control, a key hurdle, because some of the aircraft components are made in the US. The deal still has not been finalized. In Boeing's case, there are also questions about how Iran Air will pay for the planes given that US banks are still barred from doing business in Iran and from processing dollar-based transactions for Iran. Story continues "If the deal can be consummated in euros, I think it will be a slam dunk," said Cliff Kupchan, an analyst at Eurasia Group. Kupchan said many Iran-watchers have been surprised by the reluctance of risk-adverse European banks to jump into Iran. "The payment needs to be ironed out by banking experts," he said. It is also not certain that Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will approve the purchase. "Suppose we modernize our air fleet. Okay, it's a very important and necessary move. But is it the priority?" Khamenei said in a speech last week. - Upgrading aging fleet - The agreement was signed in the past month after a visit by Boeing representatives to Iran and several rounds of negotiations, Iran Air said on its website. Iran's civil aviation authority says it needs 400 to 500 aircraft over the next decade to modernize its fleet. Kupchan said international negotiators explicitly permitted commercial aircraft sales to Iran due to the decrepit nature of the Iranian fleet. He predicted the Boeing deal would ultimately be completed due in part to the importance of the Iran nuclear deal to President Barack Obama's foreign policy legacy. "My best judgment is that broadly speaking, this deal will move forward," he said. "Fixes will be found." Investment bank Jefferies also cited the Obama administration's support as it noted the progress on the deal. "While some politicians may take issue with this sale, it seems the administration is supportive of the transaction and that this should be sufficient to permit it to go forward despite some complaints," Jefferies said. "The transaction may provide a framework for other industries seeking to expand their business in Iran, so it may generate support from leaders outside of the aerospace market as well." Viking Air will buy all variants of Canadian aerospace giant Bombardier's CL-415 waterbomber aircraft, pictured on June 20, 2015, considered a leader in firefighting around the world Canadian aerospace giant Bombardier said Monday it would sell its fire-fighting amphibious aircraft program to Viking Air Limited so it could focus on its core businesses in aircraft and rail. Viking Air, based in Victoria, British Columbia, will buy all variants of the CL-415 waterbomber aircraft considered a leader in firefighting around the world. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. "While the Amphibious Aircraft program is part of our long history, this divestiture positions Bombardier to better focus on our core, higher-growth businesses," said Alain Bellemare, Bombardier president and chief executive, in a statement. Bellemare cited business jets, commercial aircraft and rail transportation. As part of the deal, Viking Air, a leading manufacturer of utility aircraft including the Twin Otter bush plane, will also assume responsibility for maintaining a fleet of 170 waterbombers currently in service with 21 operators in 11 countries. That will be done at a new facility in Calgary, Alberta. "This acquisition expands Viking's capabilities in product support and parts into another vital niche aviation segment, and ensures that a unique and important Canadian innovation stays in Canada," Viking president David Curtis said in a separate statement. "Our aim is to take the 415 to its highest potential and keep these aircraft in service for decades to come." The transaction -- which is expected to close in the coming months, pending regulatory approval -- allows Bombardier to raise much-needed capital. Bombardier has been beset by recent financial difficulties since launching its C Series jetliner to challenge the dominance of Airbus and Boeing in medium-range, single-aisle aircraft, and go head to head with their workhorses, the A320 and 737. The CL-415 waterbomber -- its original design based on World War II flying boats -- was introduced by Canadair in 1969. Bombardier later acquired it and updated the design in 1994. It needs only 12 seconds to scoop up 6,137 liters (roughly 1,600 gallons) of water while skimming over lakes or rivers at high speed, earning it the nickname "SuperScooper." Viking, meanwhile, is due to deliver next month its 100th new Twin Otter since obtaining the rights in 2006 from Bombardier to the 19-seat twin-engine bush plane. Nestle-owned Nespresso announced Monday it will reintroduce Cuban coffee to the US for the first time in more than 50 years following the easing of United States sanctions on Cuba. The Swiss food giant's company plans to sell Cuban coffee under its individual-capsule Nespresso brand, initially as a limited edition, starting in several months. "Nespresso is thrilled to be the first to bring this rare coffee to the US, allowing consumers to rediscover this distinct coffee profile," said Guillaume Le Cunff, president of Nespresso USA, in a statement. "Ultimately, we want consumers in the US to experience this incredible coffee and to enjoy it now and for years to come." A spokesman for Nespresso said the coffee has "wood notes" and a "light caramel finish." In April, the US Department of State in April updated its list of goods that could be imported into the US from Cuba to include coffee. Nespresso said it planned to work with the nonprofit development organization TechnoServe to establish financing and technical assistance to improve sustainable practices among Cuban coffee farmers. The announcement comes as more US businesses, including film producers, hotel chains and cruise companies, take steps to reenter Cuba following a series of moves by the Obama administration to ease the US trade embargo. The United States and Cuba restored diplomatic relations in July 2015. On June 10, the US Department of Transportation granted licenses to six US airlines to fly up to 90 round-trip flights per day to cities in Cuba, excluding the capital Havana. If you're looking for a new baby card, this one may help fill that niche. (Mark It Proud/Kickstarter) (Mark It Proud) Youve heard the saying that theres a greeting card for just about every conceivable occasion? Not so much in this case. At least not for Toronto entrepreneur Daniel Malen, who with his friend, Toronto artist and performer Mark Uhre, decided to crowdfund their very own line of LGBTQ inclusive greeting cards. The success of their project, Mark It Proud, is turning heads so we spoke with Malen to find out the secret to their success: Yahoo Canada Finance: You managed to hit your targeted goal of $3,600 on Kickstarter in just five days. Why were you so successful so quickly? Daniel Malen: I love wasting hours in Chapters and Indigo looking at cards. But it always bothered me that there was no selection of gay and lesbian cards. There might be one card in among the aisles with thousands. The idea actually crystallized after my wedding last summer. My husband Aaron and I received eight identical wedding cards. A less conventional wedding greeting card. (Mark It Proud/Kickstarter) YCF: Your business is a partnership with Toronto artist and performer Mark Uhre. How did that happen? DM: Ive been friends with Mark for years and my husband and I received one of his original watercolours as a wedding present and I thought, we have to do this. The artwork on the cards is all his and the name of our company, Mark it Proud, is a tribute to his amazing talent. YCF: How did you decide to crowdfund? DM: We knew we couldnt just build a website and start selling cards. The whole impetus for this is inclusion and community and we thought Kickstarter was a great way to involve as many people as possible. Its like a democracy where you put out an idea and people either support or reject it. Once the artwork was done, we came up with a pitch and worked on building the Kickstarter process. Once approved, we launched our campaign June 1st and within five days we had exceeded our goal of $3,600. YCF: How did that make you feel? DM: Proud, surprised and excited but initially I was nervous. We really believed in this idea and thought it was great but you never know how people are going to react. And all of the money is not just from my mom. You see people donating and at first, its just friends and family and now basically we have strangers and thats the nicest thing people we dont know at all investing in our idea. Were so lucky we live in this incredible, accepting and liberal city but there are parts of the world not there yet and we want to be a part of something that really helps people. Story continues YCF: There are a number of gay greeting cards available online. How do you differentiate yours? DM: I think we will stand out from what's currently online because our artist, Mark Uhre is exceptional. We are also designing not just one or two cards, but a complete lineup for all sorts of occasions. Some familiar like a wedding, a baby or Valentine's day and some more special and unique, like "coming out." We're also using our cards to raise money for LGBTQ-inclusive charities with a promise to give back 10 per cent of the proceeds to such worthy ones like the It Gets Better Project, You Can Play, The Trevor Project, and more locally, The 519 in Toronto. One of the unique designs from the Mark It Proud Kickstarter campaign. (Mark It Proud/Kickstarter) YCF: How do you and Mark earn a living? DM: I co-own a cold-pressed juice business with my sister called Total Cleanse and Mark is an artist and actor currently performing on Broadway as Enjolras in Les Miserables. YCF: Whats next for Mark it Proud? DM: The Kickstarter campaign goes until July 5 so people can donate up until then. Its funny, I feel like this business is not really about the money. But the more we raise, the more we can create and turn this into a legitimate real company. We want to reach out to Indigo and Hallmark and say you need more than just one same-sex card in your aisles. We want to get these cards out into the world and we know there are people rooting for this project. YCF: What do you mean when you say you hope your initiative is a launching point? DM: I remember hearing Dan Savage, the LGBT activist, talk about being at the movie theatre as a kid and seeing two men hold hands. He thought: thats me. Thats what I want. Thats kind of what were trying to accomplish with these cards. I think of a kid in a card shop in some small town and theres a greeting card for a Mr. and Mr. and that speaks to him. Hes represented, as he should be, right alongside his straight friends. Thats what we mean by inclusive. There are shops on Church Street that sell gay cards, but people shouldnt have to go to the village for a gay card. They should be everywhere. By Fergal Smith TORONTO (Reuters) - Canadian equity fund managers say they have raised their exposure to domestic stocks over recent months because of improved confidence in the local market, while keeping a close eye on the risk that would be posed by Britain's withdrawal from the European Union. Canadian investors suffered last year as the main stock index fell 11 percent, its worst annual showing since the financial crisis. However, the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index has rallied 7.7 percent year-to-date, outperforming many other major markets as commodity prices began to recover. The gain has spurred many managers to buy closer to home. "We actually started to reduce U.S. equities and increase Canadian exposure in early March and have continued doing it in the past three months," said Steve Belisle, senior portfolio manager at Manulife Asset Management. Typically, portfolio rebalancing occurs infrequently to minimize costs. While some traders said earlier this year that the rally was led by short covering, reallocation by fund managers suggests it may be on a more solid footing. Belisle said he finds stocks more attractively valued in Canada and has reduced his U.S. exposure to 20 percent from 28 percent earlier this year. He is not alone. Data from Statistics Canada on Thursday showed that Canadian investors reduced their holdings of foreign equities by C$13.9 billion ($10.9 billion) in the year to April. That compares with a C$1.8 billion addition during the same period in 2015. "We have added energy and materials exposure because the internal indicators have gotten better. The better they got, the more we added," said Diana Avigdor, head of trading at Barometer Capital Management, who has increased her allocation to Canada. Foreign investors have also participated. They acquired Canadian shares in April for an eighth consecutive month, data showed. Ian Nakamoto, director of research at MacDougall, MacDougall & MacTier, said currency is another reason Canadians should consider increasing domestic holdings, given the possibility the U.S. dollar has peaked for now. The possibility that British will withdraw from the European Union has rattled global markets. The TSX has pulled back 3 percent from a recent 10-month peak, and Canada's currency and economy are seen weakening if the "Leave" side wins. At Global Securities, Vice President of Research Elvis Picardo says the retracement may deepen in the near-term but that he is happy with increased Canadian exposure. "The market has always successfully climbed the wall of worry," said Picardo. (Reporting by Fergal Smith; Editing by Steve Orlofsky) (Reuters) - Caterpillar Inc said on Monday that its global retail sales declined 12 percent for the three months ended May as a long global slowdown in the construction and mining sectors continued to weigh on the heavy equipment maker's core markets. The report marks 42 consecutive months of declining sales for Caterpillar. However, Eli Lustgarten, an analyst at Longbow Research, said the pace of decline for the Peoria, Illinois-based manufacturer appears to be decelerating, a possible sign of stabilization. For the three-month period ending February sales fell 21 percent compared to a year ago, but declines have been less steep since then. Every month the company releases dealer's three-month rolling sales compared with the same period of the prior year. Caterpillar, known for its iconic yellow earth-moving equipment, said global machine sales were down 12 percent in May, 12 percent in April and 13 percent in March. "The pace of Caterpillar's overall decline has been remarkably steady with low double digit declines for over 2 years now," Jefferies' analyst Stephan Volkmann wrote in a research note. Overall, the company's machinery sales have declined since the peak in 2012 due to the global slowdown in both mining and construction. At the end of 2015, full year global sales were down almost $20 billion from nearly $65.9 billion in 2012. Caterpillar will report 2016 second-quarter results on July 26 and analysts on average expect earnings per share to be 97 cents on $10 billion in revenue. The company posted revenues of $12.3 billion in the second quarter of 2015. As of April, the company's outlook for full year 2016 earnings per share is at $3.70, excluding restructuring costs, with $40 billion to $42 billion in revenues. "In most industrial markets we are running along the bottom at this point," Lustgarten said. "But the problem is we are not seeing anything that suggests improvement." As the outlook from the first quarter reflects, Caterpillar is expecting a fourth down year of sales and revenues, a company spokesperson said on Monday. (Reporting By Meredith Davis; Editing by Bernard Orr) By Svea Herbst-Bayliss BOSTON (Reuters) - Harvard University will rely more on outside money managers to oversee the Ivy League school's $37.6 billion endowment as it scales back on making direct stock picks, it said on Monday. Michael Ryan, head of public markets and absolute return strategies at Harvard Management Co, is leaving and more jobs in the internal equity team will be eliminated, the endowment said in an internal email reviewed by Reuters. The changes are part of an overhaul initiated by Chief Executive Stephen Blyth to improve returns at the largest U.S. college fund. Blyth, who took over the job in January 2015, has been on medical leave since late May. Harvard Management will stop making selective direct equity investments, Robert Ettl, the endowment's interim CEO said in the email. The email did not say how much money would be shifted to outside managers or how many positions would be cut. In the email, Ettl said Elise McDonald will oversee Ryan's team as Harvard Management searches for his replacement. "We continuously evaluate how we can best allocate capital and leverage HMC's comparative advantages to maximize performance over the long-term," Harvard Management spokesman Lex Suvanto said. (Reporting by Svea Herbst-Bayliss; Editing by Richard Chang) By Nate Raymond and Svea Herbst-Bayliss (Reuters) - Sanjay Valvani, a hedge fund manager at Visium Asset Management LP who was criminally charged last week in a major insider trading case, has been found dead in an apparent suicide, the police said on Tuesday. Valvani, 44, was discovered by his wife on Monday evening in the bedroom of his Brooklyn home with a wound to his neck, a New York Police Department spokeswoman said. A suicide note and a knife were recovered, she added. The death marked a stunning turn in one of the U.S. government's biggest recent insider trading cases. Valvani's lawyers, Barry Berke and Eric Tirschwell, called his death a "horrible tragedy that is difficult to comprehend." "We hope for the sake of his family and his memory that it will not be forgotten that the charges against him were only unproven accusations and he had always maintained his innocence," they added. The city's medical examiner's office will determine the cause of Valvani's death, and police said an investigation was under way. Prosecutors last Wednesday unveiled charges against Valvani alleging he fraudulently made $25 million by getting advance information about U.S. Food and Drug Administration approvals of generic drug applications. Prosecutors said the inside information was provided by Gordon Johnston, a political intelligence consultant and former employee at the FDA, who got it from a friend, who still works at the agency. Valvani passed some of the tips to Christopher Plaford, then a Visium portfolio manager, who made his own illegal trades, prosecutors said. Both Johnston and Plaford secretly pleaded guilty earlier this month and agreed to cooperate in the case against Valvani, who pleaded not guilty to charges including securities fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy. He had been free on $5 million bond. The charges were announced by Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, who has overseen a series of insider trading prosecutions that have resulted in 107 people being charged and 81 being convicted since 2009. That push has suffered recent setbacks following a 2014 appellate ruling that limited the scope of insider trading laws, resulting in charges being dropped or dismissed against 14 defendants. A spokesman for Bharara declined to comment. HELPED BUILD VISIUM Valvani grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan and graduated from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business before heading to Wall Street where he began covering the pharmaceutical sector. He had been a partner at Visium Asset Management and was instrumental in building it with founder Jacob Gottlieb into an $8 billion firm that counted some of the country's biggest pension funds as clients. "We mourn the tragic loss of Sanjay, a devoted father, husband and friend," Gottlieb said in a statement on Tuesday. "Our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time." Gottlieb told investors on Friday that it was impossible to continue managing the firm because of the negative impact from the publicity surrounding Valvani's indictment and substantial investor withdrawals. Gottlieb wrote to clients that one of the firm's portfolios was being sold to AllianceBernstein and that the Balanced Fund, where Valvani worked, was being shut down. Visium's Balanced Fund, which Valvani helped run, earned 5.6 percent last year when most hedge funds were losing money. This year, the fund is in the red, posting a 9.25 percent loss for the year through early June. The Visium Global fund, which is being sold to AllianceBernstein, returned 10.3 percent last year and has lost 2.3 percent through early June. Former drug executive Martin Shkreli, under indictment himself in an unrelated securities fraud case, in a post on Reddit said he could understand the pressure felt by Valvani, whom he said he had spoken with in the past. "I couldn't be more saddened to see this process destroy someone," Shkreli wrote. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York, Svea Herbst-Bayliss in Boston and Sweta Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty, Jeffrey Benkoe and Bill Rigby) LONDON (Reuters) - Law firm Quinn Emanuel has filed one of two lawsuits in Germany against Volkswagen for institutional funds in claims that could run into billions of euros over the carmaker's emissions test cheating scandal, litigation funder Bentham Europe said on Tuesday. "The breadth of the shareholder base that is represented by Quinn Emanuel should be a wake-up call to Volkswagen AG that it needs to engage with shareholders now, resolve matters and concentrate on regaining its market share," said Jeremy Marshall, chief investment officer of Bentham Europe. The so-called 'Dieselgate' scandal has forced out Volkswagen's (VW) previous chief executive, tarnished one of Germany's most renowned corporate brands and driven down VW's share price since it erupted last September. Bentham Europe, which plans to publish more information after the second lawsuit is filed in Germany, said the claims related directly to the sharp fall in VW's share price in the week beginning Sept. 21, 2015. It said the lawsuits were representing a "true cross-section" of the investor base of the embattled company, from sovereign wealth funds and international asset managers to public and multinational company pension funds, including the California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS). VW, which is facing a handful of investor lawsuits, admitted last September it had cheated U.S. diesel emissions tests and that illegal software could be installed on up to around 11 million vehicles worldwide. (Reporting by Kirstin Ridley; Editing by Mark Potter) (Reuters) - Chipmaker Marvell Technology Group Ltd named Matthew Murphy as chief executive and president, replacing its co-founders who stepped down from the posts in April after a probe raised questions about the top management's operating style. Murphy joins after 22 years at Maxim Integrated Products Inc, where he most recently led product development, sales and field applications, marketing and central engineering, Marvell said. Murphy will join Marvell on July 11 and his appointment will increase the size of the company's board of directors to 12. His annual base salary will be $750,000, according to a regulatory filing. His appointment comes after a troubling few months for investors at Marvell, which has seen an internal probe and several executive changes. In March, an audit committee investigation found Marvell's management put "significant pressure" on sales teams to meet targets and that the company booked revenue prematurely for some transactions, though there was no fraud. A month later Chief Executive Sehat Sutardja and President Weili Dai stepped down, a move that analysts at the time had said could set up Marvell for a sale or a break-up. Indonesia-born Sehat Sutardja co-founded the chipmaker in 1995, along with his brother Pantas and wife Dai. The company has since hired a new chief operations officer, chief legal officer, as well as three independent board directors nominated by activist hedge fund Starboard Value LP. Starboard disclosed a 6.5 percent stake in the company in February and urged Marvell to cut costs and exit its mobile-wireless business. Marvell, whose weak sales have mirrored a declining market for personal computers, delayed its quarterly report filing for April, due to an ongoing internal accounting probe. The company's shares were flat with their closing of $10.14 in extended trading on Monday. (Reporting by Anya George Tharakan in Bengaluru; Editing by Savio D'Souza) Georges Soros, Chairman of Soros Fund Management, speaks during the session 'Recharging Europe' in the Swiss mountain resort of Davos January 23, 2015. REUTERS/Ruben Sprich (Reuters) By Guy Faulconbridge LONDON (Reuters) - George Soros, the billionaire who earned fame by betting against the pound in 1992, said that a British vote on Thursday to leave the European Union would trigger a bigger and more disruptive sterling devaluation than the fall on Black Wednesday. Soros used Quantum Fund in 1992 to bet successfully that sterling was overvalued against the Deutsche Mark, forcing then-Prime Minister John Major to pull the pound out of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM). Soros, in an opinion piece in the Guardian newspaper, said that in the event of a British exit, or Brexit, the pound would fall by at least 15 percent, and possibly more than 20 percent, to below $1.15 from its current level of around $1.46. "The value of the pound would decline precipitously. It would also have an immediate and dramatic impact on financial markets, investment, prices and jobs," Soros, who is 85, said in the Guardian. "I would expect this devaluation to be bigger and also more disruptive than the 15 percent devaluation that occurred in September 1992, when I was fortunate enough to make a substantial profit for my hedge fund investors." Soros, ranked as the world's 23rd richest person by Forbes magazine with a fortune of $24.9 billion, said the Bank of England would not cut rates after a British exit and that there would be few monetary policy tools left to ease a recession or a fall in British house prices. He also pointed to the "very large" current account deficit in the United Kingdom and said a post-Brexit devaluation would be unlikely to improve manufacturing as trading conditions would be too uncertain to undertake new investments or hire workers. Hungarian-born Soros said the scale of the sterling devaluation would compare with 1967, when then-Prime Minister Harold Wilson devalued the pound to $2.40 from $2.80. Speculators, Soros said, would be eager to exploit a Brexit situation to profit. Story continues "Today, there are speculative forces in the markets much bigger and more powerful. And they will be eager to exploit any miscalculations by the British government or British voters," Soros said. "Brexit would make some people very rich but most voters considerably poorer," Soros said. Members of Britain's Leave campaign say some bankers, big companies and politicians are trying to scare British voters with overblown warnings about the financial and economic impact of a Brexit. Opponents of EU membership say Britain could prosper if it cut itself free from what they portray as a doomed German-dominated project in excessive debt-funded welfare spending. The world's biggest banks including Citi and Goldman Sachs will draft in senior traders to work through the night following Britain's referendum on EU membership, set to be among the most volatile 24 hours for markets in a quarter of a century. A vote to leave the European Union on June 23 would spook investors by undermining post-World War Two attempts at European integration and placing a question mark over the future of the United Kingdom and its $2.9 trillion economy. Citi, Deutsche Bank, JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, HSBC, Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds are among those banks planning to have senior staff and traders working or on call in London as results start to dribble in after polls close at 2100 GMT (5 p.m. ET), according to sources. "British voters are now grossly underestimating the true costs of Brexit," Soros said. "Too many believe that a vote to leave the EU will have no effect on their personal financial position. This is wishful thinking." (Editing by Elisabeth O'Leary) OTTAWA (Reuters) - Tighter environmental rules for Canadian natural resource projects could start coming into force in 2017, ahead of schedule, an official said on Monday, giving industry an idea of when to expect the new measures. The Liberals of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took power last November promising to toughen up a range of regulations they said the previous Conservative government had weakened in a bid to cut the time needed to approve pipelines and mines. Government officials said in January they hoped to have a review of the required changes at the start of 2018. "Some changes may be able to be made sooner ... we'll be moving forward as quickly as possible," Environment Minister Catherine McKenna told a briefing to outline how the government would examine what reforms were needed. A specialist panel will consult Canadians on how to tighten environmental assessment rules to ensure projects are more sustainable. It will report back by the end of January 2017. That is also the deadline for a separate panel to report on how to change the structure, role and mandate of the National Energy Board regulator, which rules on whether projects can go ahead. Critics say the body is not tough enough on the industry and does not adequately consult indigenous communities. In January, the government announced new interim rules that will impose delays on two projects - TransCanada Corp's Energy East pipeline and Kinder Morgan Inc's expansion of its Trans Mountain Pipeline. (Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Bernard Orr) By Lauren Hirsch and Adam Jourdan NEW YORK/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc has sold its Chinese online grocery store in return for a stake in the country's no. 2 e-commerce firm, ripping up its previous strategy in efforts to cure ailing sales in one of the world's toughest retail markets. The deal will see the U.S. grocery giant swap its Yihaodian platform for a 5 percent stake in JD.com Inc , worth about $1.5 billion by the firm's latest market value. The move also gives Wal-Mart a ringside seat in JD.com's bitter rivalry with Chinese e-commerce leader Alibaba Group Holding Ltd . The sell-off, announced on Monday, is a significant shift for Wal-Mart in China, where it operates more than 400 bricks-and-mortar stores. The firm has been shuttering underperforming outlets and grappling with soft online sales in the world's second-biggest economy since it bought full control of Yihaodian in July last year, saying the site would play a leading role in its China strategy. "The reality is that e-commerce is hyper-competitive in China and it is tough for any platform to make money," said Ben Cavender, Shanghai-based principal of China Market Research Group. "Selling up in return for a 5 percent stake in JD.com is a good way of staying in the space while reducing the risk." The deal echoes a strategy adopted by other international retailers and consumer goods makers - selling a local unit for a stake in a Chinese partner in order to prosper in a cut-throat marketplace. France's Danone SA sold its Dumex brand last year to raise its stake in local dairy giant China Mengniu Dairy Co Ltd <2319.HK>. Wal-Mart's tie-up gives it access to JD.com's nationwide logistics and warehousing networks, as well as its over 150 million users - helping expand the U.S. firm's reach with China's increasingly tech-savvy middle class. Story continues For JD.com, the deal could provide a boost in its intensifying competition in the fast-growing online grocery business with Alibaba - a market set to boom to nearly $180 billion by 2020 from $41 billion last year, according to data from food research body IGD. Under the deal, JD.com will issue around 145 million new class A shares to Wal-Mart. JD.com will take ownership of Yihaodian, although the platform will continue to be operated by Wal-Mart. The world's biggest retailer had previously talked up Yihaodian as playing a key role in turning around its China business. Wal-Mart has worked to turn around falling same-store sales in China, where the firm said in May it was facing a "challenging macroeconomic environment". Analysts said that while Wal-Mart would give up a large amount of control and potential future profits from the business, the tie-up would allow the U.S. firm to concentrate on turning around its offline stores. "It doesn't mean that (Wal-Mart has) pulled away, but to me it tells me they are trying to make smarter investments," said Edward Jones analyst Brian Yarbrough. Wal-Mart's financial adviser on the deal was Morgan Stanley & Co LLC and its legal advisor was Morrison & Foerster LLP. JD.com's legal advisors were Orrick Herrington Sutcliffe LLP and Han Kun Law Offices. (Additional reporting by Sruthi Ramakrishnan in BENGALURU, Rishika Sadam and Liana B. Baker in SAN FRANCISCO and Paul Carsten in BEIJING; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Kenneth Maxwell) The founders of the KOA Group (Kvfjord Opplevelse og Avlastning AS) in Norway and Arjessa Oy in Finland, companies recently acquired by Humana AB, are reinvesting part of the consideration in shares in Humana AB. The companies founders are together investing a total of SEK 32.5 million in shares of Humana. The investments emphasis the founders commitment, long-term view and trust in the common efforts to develop Humana in Norway and Finland. The founders of the KOA Group and Arjessa are acquiring a total of 407,813 shares of Humana at a price per share of SEK 80. Morten Srgard, CEO of the KOA Group, is purchasing shares totalling SEK 24 million; co-founder and executive chairman of the KOA Group Karl Aksel Vik is investing in shares for SEK 4 million; and Pasi Kohtala, founder and CEO of Arjessa Oy, is investing SEK 4.6 million. Sellers of the shares are Humanas Board members Simon Lindfors and Per Granath. Lindfors is selling 375,000 shares and Granath 32,813 shares. After the sale, Lindfors will own 373,504 shares and Granath 3,869,610 shares. Srgard, Vik and Kohtala have agreed to assume the obligations of the 360-day lock-up period that Lindfors and Granath had entered into on Humanas admission to the stock exchange on 22 March 2016. Through their investments in Humana, the founders of the KOA Group and Arjessa show a clear ambition and willingness to be involved and engaged in our efforts to develop Humana in Norway and Finland, says Rasmus Nerman, CEO of Humana. The decision to reinvest in Humana demonstrates a confidence in the companies common opportunities to expand and provide quality care in Norway and Finland, Rasmus Nerman concludes. For more information, please contact: Ulf Bonnevier, CFO, +46 (0)70-164 73 17, ulf.bonnevier@humana.se Cecilia Lannebo, Head of Investor Relations, +46 (0)72-220 82 77, cecilia.lannebo@humana.se The above information is such that Humana AB is required to publish pursuant to the Financial Instruments Trading Act and/or the Securities Market Act. The information will be submitted for publication at 08:00 on 21 June 2016. Humana is a leading Nordic care company providing services within individual and family care, personal assistance, elderly care and special service housing in accordance with LSS. Humana has more than 15 000 employees in Sweden, Norway and Finland providing care for over 7 000 individuals, and working towards the vision Everyone is entitled to a good life. In 2015, Humanas operating revenue was SEK 5 655 M. The companys headquarters are located in Stockholm, Sweden. Read more about Humana on www.humana.se (http://www.corporate.humana.se) or http://corporate.humana.se (http://www.corporate.humana.se) (http://www.corporat e .humana.se) Dianne Feinstein All four pieces of gun-control legislation proposed in the wake of the Orlando terrorist shooting failed to garner enough support to pass the Senate on Monday. The two headline proposals, amendments to a spending bill, were offered up by Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California and Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas and focused on suspected terrorists being able to buy weapons. The other proposals, from Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, focused on background checks. Each amendment needed 60 votes to pass. The Feinstein-backed bill, favored by Senate Democratic gun-control activists, would have effectively barred individuals on the terror watch list from buying firearms by allowing the attorney general to stop sales. It failed on a 47-53 vote. The bill first failed on a 54-45 virtual party-line vote after the San Bernardino shooting. Sen. Mark Kirk of Illinois was the only Republican to vote in favor of the legislation, which he still backs, while Sen. Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota was the lone Democrat to vote against it. Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia did not vote. This time around, Warner and Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire voted for the bill. Heitkamp still voted against the legislation. "Senate Republicans should be embarrassed, but of course they're not because the [National Rifle Association] is happy," Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada said in a press conference following the vote. "The junior senator from New Hampshire said that she's going to vote yes on everything," he added of Ayotte. "She should make up her mind and not be a hypocrite. That's not logical, but that's what she's doing." He pointed toward reports that Susan Collins, a Republican senator from Maine, is going to attempt to lead a bipartisan resolution on the issue of suspected terrorists being able to buy weapons, and said that he hopes that she "can drum up 20 votes" but added that "the NRA doesn't support even that." Story continues During the same press conference, Murphy said that he's "mortified by today's vote, but I'm not surprised by it." Florida Sen. Bill Nelson, a Democrat, used powerful language as well. "What am I going to tell the 49 grieving families?" he asked. guns assault rifle AR-15 Opponents to the Feinstein bill argued that because people could be placed on a terror watch list without being found guilty of a crime, the bill could result in US citizens on the list being stripped of their Second Amendment right without due process. There have been multiple cases in which people have been wrongly put on the list. "Is going after the Second Amendment how you stop terrorism? No," House Speaker Paul Ryan said on Thursday during his weekly press briefing. "That's not how you stop terrorism." Democratic Sens. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Cory Booker of New Jersey, among others, have insisted that due process elements would be "baked into it." The Cornyn bill, backed by Senate Republicans and the NRA, was a slightly altered version of the Shield Act proposed by the senator last year that failed. This time around, the Cornyn bill failed on a 53-47 vote. The Cornyn proposal aimed to stop those suspected of terrorism from buying a firearm while also accounting for due process. The legislation would have authorized the attorney general to put a three-day hold on a firearm sale for a person on the terror watch list. Authorities would then have had the three days to show probable cause before a judge to permanently stop the sale. "What law enforcement wants to do 90% of the time, 99% of the time, is let it go through," NRA executive vice president Wayne LaPierre told CBS's "Face the Nation" on Sunday. "They want to watch it. They want to build a case. They want to build patterns." "The accommodation is the Cornyn bill, which does exactly what law enforcement set up," he continued. "It codifies the whole thing ... And it provides due process for the good people. And it gives law enforcement the ability where they can conduct these investigations and it won't blow what they're doing." Senate Democrats and gun-control advocates had come out strongly against the Cornyn bill the one bill that would have taken fewer votes from across the aisle to pass. Booker said during a Thursday CNN interview: "The Cornyn bill, which is the last version that I saw, creates a really impossible hurdle for the FBI. If they have someone under investigation, they're going to have three days to mount a court challenge to block them, expose their investigation, and create an environment where that terrorist, now being notified, will say, 'You know what? Instead of going to that brick-and-mortar federally licensed gun dealer, I'm just going to go buy off the internet.' That's where it falls down." Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York called the bill a wolf "in sheep's clothing" during a Thursday news conference, adding that, under Cornyn's proposal, "every terrorist will get a gun." "If the FBI had that evidence, they would've arrested them in the first place," he said. "It's a fake. It's a way to say they're doing something when they're doing nothing." A "whole court case in three days?" he continued. "Who would think that would make any sense?" NOW WATCH: FILIBUSTER IN THE SENATE: Democrats block spending bill to debate gun control More From Business Insider COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., June 21, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DoubleTree by Hilton Colorado Springs is pleased to announce Michael Steele as the new Executive Chef of the hotel. Chef Steele brings exceptional culinary leadership and creative menus to all of the propertys on-site dining options, including the Atrium Cafe and the Lobby Bar. Boasting spacious accommodations and an impressive list of services, DoubleTree by Hilton Colorado Springs is one of the top-rated hotels in Colorado Springs, CO, for both business and leisure travelers. The hotel is confident that Chef Steele will significantly enhance the dining experience for guests and locals alike. Chef Steele has over 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry. His remarkable resume includes his most recent position as Executive Chef of the DoubleTree hotel in Raleigh, NC where he directed all culinary operations while collaborating with Culinary and Dining Room teams to create unforgettable experiences. With the experience gained from the Hilton brand, Chef Steele is very excited to take over as Executive Chef for the DoubleTree by Hilton Colorado Springs. His creativity, team building, and innate understanding of the culinary world will help to enhance the propertys presence in the Colorado Springs dining scene. I am looking forward to bringing the hotels already excellent on-site dining options to the next level, said Chef Steele in a recent statement. I am honored to have been made part of the hardworking DoubleTree Colorado Springs team, and look forward to the future growth of the propertys on-site restaurants. Chef Steele notably worked his way to success. Starting as a dishwasher at Cakes-N-Things, he worked his way up and eventually gained a cake decorating position at one of the top bakeries in southern Maryland, Walls Bakery. Steele soon became interested in cooking more savory dishes, so he enrolled at Stratford University in Tysons Corner, VA and began his new venture in the hospitality industry at the Tysons Corner Marriott. As a native of the District of Columbia, Chef Steele grew up with very diverse styles of food and cooking. His unique background makes him a visionary in the Culinary Arts world. His resume provides numerous experiences that make him a more than qualified fit for the DoubleTree by Hilton Colorado Springs. The entire staff here at the DoubleTree by Hilton Colorado Springs is extremely excited to welcome Chef Steele to our team, said Daniel Kammerer, General Manager of the hotel. We know he will bring a truly unique dining experience to the Colorado Springs area. Chef Steele is a visionary in the Culinary Arts world who has a passion for fresh ingredients and beautifully plated designs. He produces upscale and trendy menus that help create memorable dining experiences. The entire DoubleTree by Hilton team is thrilled to welcome Chef Steele to Colorado Springs. To learn more or to make a reservation, please call (719) 576-8900 or visit http://bit.ly/DTColoradoSprings. 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 (Adds extended hours for city cooling centers; adds color, quotes; updates peak demand figure by ISO) By Steve Gorman and Nichola Groom LOS ANGELES, June 20 (Reuters) - California's power grid operators warned homes and business on Monday to conserve electricity as rising demand for air conditioning stoked by a record-setting heat wave across the U.S. Southwest tested the region's generating capacity. The so-called Flex Alert was posted until 9 p.m. Pacific time during a second day of triple-digit temperatures expected to strain Southern California's energy production, creating the potential for rolling blackouts on the first official day of summer. The alert was the first big test of power generators' ability to meet heightened energy demands in the greater Los Angeles area without natural gas supplies normally furnished by the now-crippled Aliso Canyon gas storage field, effectively idled since a major well rupture there last fall. The blast-furnace-like heat prompted the city of Los Angeles to keep its network of public "cooling centers" - libraries, recreation centers and senior centers - open for extended hours as a haven for people whose homes lack air conditioning. Area home improvement and hardware merchants were doing a brisk business in fans and AC window units. Brett Lopes, 31, a freelance lighting technician, stopped in a Home Depot outlet near downtown to buy supplies for a homemade air conditioner he called a "swamp cooler" to use while he waited for his landlord to repair his broken AC unit. "It's brutal," he said of the heat, explaining that he looked up directions on YouTube for assembling the makeshift cooling device. "It doesn't work as well as AC, but it's better than sitting in 100 degrees." Others flocked to public swimming pools. "It was really refreshing today, but more crowded than usual," said Paul Stephens, 31, a pastor who was swimming laps at the Rose Bowl Aquatic Center in Pasadena, where the mercury climbed to 108 degrees. Story continues BALANCING THE GRID The California Independent System Operator (ISO), which runs the state's power grid, urged consumers on Monday to cut back on electricity usage, especially during late-afternoon hours. Utility customers were advised to turn off unnecessary lights, set air conditioners to 78 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, and wait until after 9 p.m. to run major appliances, such as clothes washers and dryers. Much of the Desert Southwest simmered in a second straight day of record, triple-digit temperatures, as the National Weather Service extended excessive-heat warnings through Wednesday for southern portions of California, Arizona and Nevada. Electricity demand on Monday and Tuesday was expected to top 43,700 megawatts, compared with last year's peak demand 47,358 megawatts and the all-time high of 50,270 megawatts in July 2006, according to the ISO. All customers, including homes, hospitals, oil refineries and airports, are at risk of losing power at some point this summer because a majority of electric-generating stations in California use gas as their primary fuel. Since the energy crisis of 2000-2001, the ISO has imposed brief, rotating outages in 2004, 2005, 2010 and 2015, mostly related to unexpected transmission line or power plant failures during periods of unusually high demand. With California's largest natural gas storage field effectively shut down indefinitely at Aliso Canyon, state energy regulators have warned that Los Angeles faces up to 14 days of gas shortages severe enough to trigger blackouts this summer. Aliso Canyon normally supplies the region's 17 gas-fired power plants, hospitals, refineries and other key parts of California's economy, including 21 million residents. Southern California Gas Co, the division of San Diego-based utility giant Sempra Energy that owns the facility, remains barred from refilling the underground storage reserve until it is deemed safe to operate again. The gas leak at the site, the worst-ever accidental methane release in the United States, forced thousands of nearby residents from their homes for several months. The leak was finally plugged in February. (Reporting by Scott DiSavino in New York; Writing and additional reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Editing by Joseph Radford and Leslie Adler) If I'm not feeling well, I don't eat out, at least for review purposes. And should I find myself in an uncomfortable position -- loud neighbors, over-perfumed diners -- I might ask to get re-seated, but more often than not, I just stick it out, then use the material for my column. Going to a restaurant multiple times allows me to sit in different parts of a restaurant, experience different servers and reorder dishes to measure consistency. If I have any lingering question about a restaurant, I'm apt to go back, even if it's to say, retry a roast chicken or fact-check a design detail. Obviously, I want to get the best performance from a restaurant, but I'm also reviewing a subject with lots of moving parts and numerous variables. It's tricky! Good morning, everyone. I hope you survived last night's deluge and I'm eager to take your questions and comments. But first, let me share my review of the highly-anticipated Metier from chef Eric Ziebold, running this Sunday in the Magazine. Let's begin. (Bloomberg) -- Indonesia signaled a harder stance over incursions by Chinese fishing boats in its waters, saying the encroachments appeared to be part of an effort by Beijing to extend its territorial claims in the South China Sea. Indonesias navy last week detained a vessel fishing off the Natuna Islands and arrested seven fishermen after firing warning shots in the air, according to Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi. Chinas foreign ministry said the men were operating in Chinas traditional fishing" grounds, where China and Indonesia have overlapping claims for maritime rights and interests. We suspect that this is structured activity because they were guarded, which means that it was blessed by the government, Rear Admiral A. Taufiq R., commander of Indonesias Western Fleet, told reporters on Tuesday in Jakarta, adding the fishing boat was shot at when it refused to stop and that no one was injured. That was why China raised a protest, because they think that the area is theirs. More Chinese fishing boats have been detected in the vicinity this year, he said. We need to resolve this issue. If not, they will make a one-sided claim to the waters. Indonesias public irritation at the presence of Chinese fishing boats in the area -- along with that countrys coast guard -- risks drawing it more formally into frictions between other Southeast Asian nations and Beijing over the South China Sea. In March, Indonesia detained the crew of a fishing boat in a scuffle involving a Chinese coast guard vessel. New Policy We are beginning to see Indonesia reevaluate its policy on the broader South China Sea dispute, but we dont really have the new policy yet, said Aaron Connelly, a research fellow at the Lowy Institute for International Policy in Sydney. I suspect there is real reluctance from some quarters to anger China. China has in turn explicitly referred for the first time to a dispute with Indonesia over maritime territory, Connelly said. China is Indonesias largest trading partner and a sizable source of investment into the country. Story continues Chinas claims to more than 80 percent of the South China Sea pit it against the likes of Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam. Its assertions are based on a vague line drawn on a 1940s map. Indonesia isnt a formal claimant and had previously sought to be neutral in the tensions, even as President Joko Widodo became more activist in detaining fishing boats and in some cases blowing them up. Indonesia said in April that it would deploy U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets to the Natunas to ward off thieves. For an explainer on Chinas military rise in the western Pacific, click here. Indonesia has detained 57 ships in the Natuna area this year for illegal fishing, according to Susi Pudjiastuti, minister for maritime affairs and fisheries. Of those, three were Chinese boats and 49 were Vietnamese. "We dont discriminate just because theyre Chinese, she told reporters on Tuesday in Jakarta. Whether theyre Thai, Chinese, even American fishermen, we would detain them just the same. Good neighbors shouldnt steal." Chinese passports issued in 2012 showed a territorial line passing through the exclusive economic zone that Indonesia derives from the Natuna islands, an area that may hold large natural gas and other energy reserves. An international court is expected to shortly rule on a Philippine challenge to Chinas claims over the sea. China may be boosting its presence ahead of the arbitration ruling by the court in The Hague in order to bolster its claim that the South China Sea is its traditional waters, Taufiq said. "I dont know the way of their thinking, but the logic is because a result will be announced, then they have to show that we are here. China has in recent years built 3,200 acres (1,300 hectares) of land on seven features in the Spratly Islands to the northeast of the Natunas, completing a military-grade airstrip on one. Its coast guard has stepped up patrols, interceding to protect fishing boats. Malaysias foreign affairs ministry summoned Chinas ambassador in March to register concern over the alleged encroachment of Chinese-flagged boats. (Updates with Indonesias fisheries minister in 10th paragraph.) --With assistance from Yudith Ho and Eko Listiyorini To contact the reporters on this story: Rieka Rahadiana in Jakarta at rrahadiana@bloomberg.net, David Tweed in Hong Kong at dtweed@bloomberg.net. To contact the editors responsible for this story: Rosalind Mathieson at rmathieson3@bloomberg.net, Brendan Scott 2016 Bloomberg L.P. Higher research spending is a key factor. Singapore is home to the best two universities in Asia for the first time, the Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings 2016 revealed. The National University of Singapore (NUS) claimed the top position, while its neighbour Nanyang Technological University (NTU) is in joint second place with Chinas Peking University. The results mark the highest positions for the two Singaporean institutions in the rankings four-year history. According to Bertil Andersson, president of NTU, higher government funding for research and academia is behind Singapores success. Singapore is one of the countries that, in the past 10 or 15 years has invested maybe the most in academic research globally, if you compare it to the size of the country, he noted at the International Higher Education Forum in London earlier this year. Since 2011, NTU has risen 119 places to reach 55th in the 201516 rankings, while the National University of Singapore has climbed 14 places since 2012 to reach 26th place. NUS and NTU both achieve very high scores for international outlook. Top-ranked NUS also achieves the highest score for research in the 200-strong list, while NTU, in joint second place (with Chinas Peking University), scores the best on research influence (citations). More From Singapore Business Review This years Push The Prom event in Brighton will take place this Saturday (25th June), with a skate from Brightons West Pier to Hove Lagoon Skatepark followed by an afternoon of skate jams and good vibes. Hit the image to head over to the Girl Skate UK site for more details and check out last years coverage for an idea of what to expect! The Unicorn Skate Jam 2016 in association with Girl Skate UK is back, taking place at Mile End on the 16th of July for its... Newsletter Terms & Conditions Please enter your email so we can keep you updated with news, features and the latest offers. If you are not interested you can unsubscribe at any time. We will never sell your data and you'll only get messages from us and our partners whose products and services we think you'll enjoy. Read our full Privacy Policy as well as Terms & Conditions. The human gut is a complex and amazing system, and the more we learn about it, the more amazed we are. It turns out Enterprise Resource Planning Frederick County PS Adopts New ERP, SIS Frederick County Public Schools in Virginia has selected a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system and new student information system (SIS) in an effort to update and streamline its administrative processes. The district had been looking for a more modern financial management, human resources and payroll system to replace its outdated legacy system, and at the same time the district administration wanted to improve data access for its 13,000 students and their parents, as well as for staff members across its 20 schools. The school district took advantage of an existing contract with National Joint Powers Alliance (NJPA), a contract purchasing cooperative, to procure a new ERP and SIS. The selection team chose the Munis ERP system and Tyler SIS from Tyler Technologies. The seven-year contract between Tyler Technologies and Frederick County Public Schools includes hosting, project management, training and related professional services. The school district will implement several of the Munis ERP system's core applications, including financial, human resources and payroll management. According to a news release from the company, Munis and Tyler SIS are integrated so they can share data automatically. "For example, when a new teacher is added to Munis payroll, the teacher will also be added to Tyler SIS," stated the news release. Tyler Technologies also stated that the integrated nature of the systems will let the district share data across departments, and the hosted software-as-a-service delivery model will free up IT staff time because they will no longer be responsible for implementing and maintaining ERP and SIS software. ISTE 2016 Brief Preview: RobotLAB to Unveil Robotics Curriculum at ISTE RobotLAB will announce a new robotics curriculum for K-12 during the ISTE 2016 conference taking place next week in Denver. Full details will be released next week. For now, the company is saying the new offering will include curriculum and learning activities focused on humanoid robots. "Many educators are struggling to engage students with core subjects, especially with math and science," according to RobotLAB. "As a result, the nation's STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) gap is growing wider and wider.... To bridge this gap, and as an important component of their curricula, many schools and school districts are using RobotLAB's technology and programs to develop reading, writing, math, programming and computationa thinking skills for students." Deer Park ISD is one of RobotLAB's customers, and a video explaining how they use robotics in their curriculum can be seen below. RobotLAB is exhibiting in booth 1131 at the ISTE 2016 convention. - A new unit within the Kenya Air Force has been set up and trained to ensure the safety of Kenyan soldiers on the battle ground - The unit was trained by American military forces - The new unit will also conduct combat missions aside from those that involve rescue of Kenyan and friendly troops A new unit in the Kenya Air Force has been established for the sole purpose of conducting rescue mission for the Kenya Defense Forces troops on the ground. READ ALSO: Five police officers killed after al-Shabaab ambush in Mandera It is also set to conduct combat missions under the code name Linda Rhino. Unveiled on Tuesday, June 14, by Defense Cabinet Secretary Raychelle Omamo, the unit was said to be highly trained with capabilities similar to those of the United States Navy Seal Team 6. According to news websites privy to the training, the new unit is set to operate beyond enemy lines to ensure that the KDF are safe and not left behind whenever they are engaged in battle with the al-Shabaab. The unit will also recover friendly forces taken hostage in the battle field. The unit was trained by the American military in an African Partnership flight program that is being hosted in Kenya and will include forces from Uganda and Tanzania as well. READ ALSO: Police and 'KDF' gangsters caught in fire exchange in Unoja Estate, 3 dead and if they ultimately are in that battlefield situation, we would hope that the region could work together toward solutions, said Maj. Hartmut Casson, chief of African operations, U.S. Air Forces Europe-Air Forces Africa as quoted on the Air Force Times website. Kenya has been involved in the fight against al-Shabaab since October 2011 when Kenyan troops went after al-Shabaab terrorists who were kidnapping tourists at the coastal region and attacking Kenyan soil. Since then, a series of bloody attacks have rocked Kenya with the bloodiest being the Garissa University College massacre and the Westgate siege that saw 147 and 67 people die respectively. READ ALSO: Al-Shabaab launch El-Adde like attack on Amisom, dozens feared dead Following this, Kenya made the decision to close down the Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps which host over 600,000 refugees with most of them being of Somali origin. The reason Kenya gave was that the camps were recruiting grounds for the al-Shabaab as well as hide outs for terrorist sleeper cells. The camps will be closed by November 2016. Image: Keyd Media READ ALSO: Ghana Club 100: Tullow Oil Tops Source: TUKO.co.ke There has been a significant increase in the number of GP-led transactions reviewed by LPs over the past 12 months, according to a study by Capstone Partners focused on GP-led Secondaries. Modified On Jun 21, 2016 02:46 PM By Raunak for Toyota Corolla Altis The 2017 Corolla is coming up with aesthetic improvements along with new features. Its Indian launch is expected to take place next year. Toyota had revealed the mid-life update of the Corolla online earlier in March. Last week, the Japanese automaker officially revealed the vehicle in Russia. Speaking of the changes, it was mostly the exterior which underwent the hammer. The new aesthetic upgrades have adopted Toyota's 'Under Priority and Keen Look' design language. It incorporates elements such as a slender grille flanked by new LED headlamps, which in turn provides the vehicle with a wider stance as compared to its previous avatar. The revised front bumper incorporates a large lower grille. The side and rear profiles have mostly stayed intact, save a few bits. The door handles have received a new chrome trim finish. The car now comes with a choice of new 16-inch and 17-inch alloys. The rear profile gets new LED tail lamp clusters and a new, sleeker chrome garnish which further emphasises the vehicle's width. The interior has also stayed the same including the steering wheel and the layout. However, there are a few subtle changes such as the upgraded instrument cluster and the new MID screen -- which looks similar to the one in the new Innova Crysta and the upcoming Toyota Fortuner. The new infotainment system has also been borrowed from the Innova Crysta and will probably have similar features. The climate control unit has been updated. Mechanically, it is most likely to carry forward the same 1.8-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, along with the 1.4-litre turbo diesel. The automaker has remained mum as far as the engine is concerned. The car is expected to go on sale this year globally, while its Indian debut is expected in 2017. Also Read: Toyota Innova Crysta: First Drive Read More on : Toyota Corolla Altis price Published On Jun 21, 2016 02:25 PM By Khan Mohd. Toyota India has come up with extended warranty plans of up to seven years on its cars. Up until now, the Japanese automaker had refrained itself from offering any extended warranty above its standard one -- three years/1,00,000km. The proposal of the warranty extension will provide relief to the buyers and would be applicable on its entire range including the Etios, the Etios Liva, the Innova, the Corolla Altis, the Camry and the Fortuner. In a nutshell, Toyota will offer two types of extended warranties the Toyota True Warranty and the Toyota Timeless Warranty. The former can be opted for when the car is within the standard warranty period (three years/1,00,000km), while the latter can be bought once this period expires. Toyota has been smart while categorising the extended warranty periods. In its True Warranty package, one gets five years of coverage, but the company has classified this according to the type of running the vehicle does average running, high running, and very high running. The car with average running will get five years of warranty for 1,00,000km, while a car with a very high running tag will be covered for 1,80,000km for the same period. The Toyota Timeless Warranty will begin after the expiration of the standard warranty and will have a yearly extension provision for 20,000km. However, the maximum time period for which one will be able to avail the same is seven years or 1,40,000km. Here too, Toyota has sorted owners according to their car servicing habits. The maintenance cost would be more for owners who are irregular while servicing their cars, while it would be less for the regular ones. Apart from the extended warranties, the additional benefits will include Toyota Roadside Assistance, Toyota Genuine Parts and PAN India Dealer Acceptance. Since buyers are usually hunting for hassle free ownership experience, its a welcome move by Toyota. Image source: Team-bhp david novak yum Growing up in a series of about 20 trailer parks across the Midwest, David Novak never envisioned himself as the head of a billion-dollar company. As the CEO of Yum Brands from 1999 to 2015, Novak turned a PepsiCo spinoff into a global leader in the fast-food industry through the brands KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut. When he retired from his position as chairman of Yum in May, he left behind a legacy of 41,000 restaurants across 125 countries and a market capitalization of about $34 billion. Novak recently visited Business Insider in New York, where we discussed his new book, "O Great One!" and the greatest lessons from his career. He explained that even though he could have never predicted where his life would take him, his unusual childhood provided him with a key skill for becoming an effective leader. "I don't think I succeeded in spite of my environment, my upbringing," Novak said. "I actually think I succeeded because of my upbringing." Novak was born in Beeville, Texas, in 1953. His father was a land surveyor for the federal government, which required him and his team to live with their families in trailers, since they would have to pack up and relocate every few months. By the time Novak's father got a promotion that allowed him to settle down in a house in Kansas City when Novak was in sixth grade, Novak had lived in 23 states. Anytime they moved, Novak said, his mom reminded him to make friends on the first day of school because if he allowed for a gradual adjustment period, it would be time to leave by the time he finally felt comfortable. "And I think what this did for me was it forced me to go into situations, size them up really quickly, decide who I wanted to be friends with, who were the good people, who were the necessarily not the best people, and it forced me to probably become more of a people person than other people might become", he told us. "Because it was the only way to really survive." Story continues In his 2007 business memoir "The Education of an Accidental CEO," Novak wrote that this constant relocation and being the "new kid" at school forced him to learn how to overcome fear of rejection at a young age, a skill that he would use in his career when he was made PepsiCo's COO in 1994 and then CEO of Yum. For example, when he went as CEO to his first Business Council meeting an annual meeting of 125 of the world's top CEOs he felt like it was the first day of school all over again. "I quickly sized everyone up and, remembering that they all put their pants on the same way every morning, worked my way around the room," he wrote. NOW WATCH: The star of Super Size Me explains the key strategy that has made him go on to be a huge TV success More From Business Insider A former Alabama credit union president/CEO was found guilty of 98 felony counts of bank fraud, money laundering, wire fraud and conspiracy by a federal jury in U.S. District Court in Birmingham Friday. Last year, Jonathan Wade Dunning received a 112-count indictment that detailed how he allegedly controlled Birmingham Financial Federal Credit Union and stole $14 million in property, assets and federal grants that were supposed to fund healthcare services for poor children, adults and the homeless. The jury, which heard testimony and evidence from eight attorneys who represented Dunning and seven prosecutors from the U.S. Attorneys office in Birmingham, also found Dunning not guilty on 14 felony charges. When the academic year ends, most kids dont want to be sent off to summer school. As CEO of CUES, however, I have a completely different perspective on the opportunity this season affords. While Ill definitely take in a few White Sox games over the next few months, Im also planning to leverage my summer business travel for learning. I expect, for example, to have some uninterrupted hours to read and reflect in July on my flights to and from the World Council of Credit Unions meeting in Belfast, Ireland. My reading list includes Crucial Conversations, a book about fostering open dialogue around high-stakes, emotional, or risky topicsat all levels of your organization. Once I arrive in Ireland, this triplike others I have planned in the next few monthswill be a great opportunity for networking, and thinking about our industry and CUES role in it. If youre as committed to continuous learning as I am, how will you deliver on it this summer? Whats on your reading list? What TED Talks have you been putting off watching? If youre not like the kids and you think summer is a great time to be in classaround the corner from a great vacation spotCUES has some good choices for you. For example, CUES Execu/Net will be held near Yosemite National Park, Aug. 28-31, at Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite, Fish Camp, Calif. There you can spend mornings attending high-level educational sessions and afternoons fly fishing! If you prefer to tie in urban vacations with your learning, choose from several lending and marketing schools the week of July 18 in Seattle; Strategic Innovation Institute I in late September at MIT near Boston; and Strategic Innovation Institute II starting July 31 at Stanford University near San Francisco. I hope youll let me know how you leverage this summers fun to also foster opportunities for professional development. Scholars at Risk Advocates Participate in Global Congress Jonas Wightman '16 (fourth from right) and Professor Irv Epstein (to his left) at the Scholars at Risk 2016 Global Congress. (Photo courtesy Scholars at Risk Network) June 21, 2016 BLOOMINGTON, Ill. Students from Illinois Wesleyan University and other member institutions accepted the Scholars at Risk 2016 Courage to Think Defender Award on behalf of Egypts wrongfully detained students and scholars at the recent Scholars at Risk 2016 Global Congress. Scholars at Risk (SAR) is an international network of higher education institutions and individuals dedicated to promoting threatened scholars, preventing attacks on higher education and promoting academic freedom and related values worldwide. Illinois Wesleyan is a founding SAR member and Illinois Wesleyan Ben and Susan Rhodes Endowed Professor of Peace and Social Justice Irv Epstein is one of the groups longest-serving board members. The director of Illinois Wesleyans Center for Human Rights and Social Justice and chair of educational studies, Epstein also attended the Global Congress. Illinois Wesleyan also offers a Scholars at Risk Advocacy Seminar with the goal of assisting SAR in promoting academic freedom and defending the human rights of scholars worldwide. Illinois Wesleyans SAR Advocacy Seminar is the first non-credit undergraduate seminar of its kind in the U.S. Participants Jonas Wightman 16 and Kira Miller 16 shared the work of Illinois Wesleyans Scholars at Risk Advocacy Seminar at the 2016 Global Congress, and Wightman accepted the Courage to Think Defender Award along with a student representative from SAR members Carleton College, Roger Williams University and the University of Iowa. SAR selected student representatives to accept the award in recognition of their efforts to conduct research and advocacy on behalf of threatened scholars and students around the world. The students are vital to raising awareness around cases of imprisoned scholars and students like these, and to promoting academic freedom globally and locally, said Clare Robinson, Advocacy Director at SAR. Over the past several years, SAR has observed an overwhelming crackdown on Egypts higher education community. According to data from the Egyptian NGO, Association for Free Thought and Expression, over 2,000 university students and professors have been detained by security forces since July 2013. The Herald reports: A University of Auckland student who propositioned her lecturer has been suspended after being found guilty of sexual harassment. But the 30-year-old physics student at the centre of the row says the reaction to her behaviour is over the top and now her second degree is under threat. The woman told the Herald on Sunday she simply sent her lecturer an email asking: Would you like to have sex in Bali? Her advances were not welcome, and she was suspended until the end of the year for not complying with the disciplinary process triggered by the teachers sexual harassment complaint. On March 6, two weeks into her physics course, the woman sent her lecturer a risque email saying: Its rather forward of me but I wondered if you and your wife are the open experimental type? I met an interesting person I respected of this lifestyle she had several honest concurrent relationships of varying degrees of intimacy and a couple who are my close friends have shared with me they invite a third person in for a short time when it feels right. Bali Indonesia rendevous [sic] in July if you are interested Ive made a booking for a week here before I go diving in the komodo islands Id like to spend the week getting to know you intimately. The email added: Ive had such an instant sexual interesting response for someone I dont know well. I hope its mutual, but Ill be fine if its just my overactive imagination too, distracting me pleasurably from math, so please continue relaxed and happy! She told her lecturer that if her attention was unwanted he should ignore her message. No need to compute a rejection letter! And I would never expect you to be unfair, Im happy to wait until after the exam. Soon after receiving the email, the lecturer forwarded it to his boss. An investigation was launched and the student was found guilty of sexual harassment by the university proctor. - Governor Ayodele Fayose has spoken out again regarding Aisha Buhari's role in a bribery scandal - The Ekiti state governor distributed a link to US Justice department showing evidence of funds transfered by Aisha Buhari - Fayose claims that Buhari is as corrupt as those he is witch-hunting Fayose relived the controversy on Monday, June 20, stressing the role played by Buharis wife, in the messy bribery scandal involving Williams Jefferson, a US Congressman. Governor Fayose says President Buhari is a corrupt man. The Ekiti state governor distributed a link to the US Department of Justice's website holding court documents where Aisha Buhari was alleged to have transferred suspicious funds to a convicted former American congressman, Williams Jefferson. In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, Fayose said President Buhari was far from being a clean man. "Even the President cannot claim to be an angel," the governor said, in reaction to the freezing of his Zenith Bank account by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. "The estate he built in Abuja is known to us. His wife was indicted over the Halliburton Scandal (sic). When that American, Jefferson, was being sentenced, the Presidents wife was mentioned as having wired $170,000 to Jefferson. Her name was on page 25 of the sentencing of Jefferson. We can serialize the judgment for people to see and read." The governors Special Assistant on New Media, Lere Olayinka, later circulated links to and copies of the court document detailing Mrs Buharis mention in the scandal. The documents showed that in some of the exhibits tendered in convicting Mr. Jefferson of bribery, Mrs. Buhari was mentioned as transferring $170,000 to the American politician using a firm as proxy. READ ALSO: Attack on Buhari: Governor Fayose gets stern warning "Government Exhibits 36-87 (6/26/02 $170,000 wire transfer from account in Nigeria in the name of Aisha Buhari to an account in the name of The ANJ Group, LLC, identifying William Jefferson as Beneficiary)," the US Government Sentencing Memorandum said on page 22. Aisha Buhari could not be reached for comments. And Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, declined comments, saying he would need to check the documents himself before issuing an official statement. Fayoses comment sparked a recollection of how Mr Jefferson, between 2000 and 2005, used his position as member of the U.S. House of Representatives to offer illegal services to private companies for cash rewards. Premium Times reports that Jefferson and his family, according to US authorities, received about $367,500 through through his firm, ANJ Group, for services rendered to iGate, an American broadband technology provider. An indigenous firm, Netlink Digital Television, had signed a joint venture with iGate to set up digital satellite TV and broadband Internet services in the country. NDTV was owned by Oyewole Fasawe, a PDP chieftain at the time. Mr. Jefferson was contracted to help promote iGate and NDTV partnership in Nigeria. Following a lengthy trial, Mr. Jefferson was convicted in 2009 and sentenced to 13 years in prison. Although Mr. Fasawe was arrested in 2005 by the EFCC, he was never convicted. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar were also said to be a person of interest in the allegations. A final report released by the EFCC on June 22, 2006 about the bribery scandal also contained Mrs. Buharis Citizens Bank account statements and how she transferred funds to Mr. Jefferson. A 2007 New York Times article detailed how Mrs. Buhari told an acquaintance in Washington that she was a daughter of a former Nigerian head of state and a friend of Mr. Jefferson. "As the pair struck up a conversation and subsequently became friends, Mr. Assiba, then a security guard, said she told him that her father was the former military ruler of Nigeria, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, and that her American friends included politicians like Mr. Jefferson of Louisiana." Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) has frozen the personal account of Governor Ayodele Fayose. A source was also said to have disclosed that the governors account in Zenith Bank in Ekiti as well as those of some of his associates were also frozen by the anti-graft agency. After visiting the bank at Onigari, GRA area of the state capital, Fayose described the action as illegal and while citing section 308 of the 1999 constitution, the governor stated that the federal government should fight corruption within the ambit of the law, since he enjoys immunity as a sitting governor. He said: I got mind of the fact that the EFCC had placed restriction order on my personal account and that of my associates. I came here today and I have been able to see it. This action shows that this government has no respect for the constitution because I enjoy immunity under Section 308. I support government fighting corruption, but it has to be within the ambit of the law. You can investigate me, it is their right, but they have to wait till 2018, because I will be done by then. They should not be in a hurry because I will personally come to them for investigation." In reaction to Fayose's comments, the EFCC has said that immunity does not stop the commission from investigating suspicious account belonging to any governor. The anti-graft agency was reacting to the claim that Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state cannot be investigated because of immunity currently being enjoyed by him. Speaking to Vanguard, Wilson Uwujaren, the spokesman for the EFCC, said the immunity being enjoyed by any governor does not prevent the commission from investigating suspicious movements of money into their accounts. Fayose has lamented the undue interference in the internal affairs of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by the government and security agents. Speaking shortly after a meeting held by the partys Board of Trustees (BoT) with governors and the Makarfi-led caretaker committee in Abuja on Thursday, June 16, Fayose alleged that there was a strategic effort to destroy the PDP in Nigeria. The governor however expressed confidence that the leadership crises currently rocking the party will soon be over. Source: Legit.ng - By James Li Throughout the first quarter, many gurus have increased their positions in top-performing biotechnology stocks, suggesting that the biotechnology sector contains some hot opportunities to increase portfolio returns. One of the hottest biotech stocks, United Therapeutics Corp. (UTHR), is currently owned by seven gurus. Additionally, four gurus increased their position in United Therapeutics, one of eight biotechnology stocks listed on the Ben Grahamas Lost Formula I Screener. A lost 'magic formula?' In the early 1900s, an intelligent investor named Ben Graham became a famous Wall Street icon, according to a June 2007 research article on Graham. Throughout his investing career, the aFather of Value Investinga explored the simplest way to search for bargain stocks. During his final three years, Graham introduced a simple formula for choosing the bargain stocks: These stocks have trailing 12-month P/E ratios less than 7 to 10. The equity-to-asset ratio of these stocks is at least 0.5. Although his formula was not found in his investment books, the intelligent investor discussed the formula in a "Medical Economics" interview published the day before his death, Sept. 21, 1976. When Graham back tested the formula from 1926 to 1976, his magic formula beat the Dow by 100% (investors could have realized a return twice that of the index return by following this formula). However, Grahamas magic formula would not be published in his investment book "Security Analysis"A 12 years later. Opportunities exist in undervalued biotech industry Today, Grahamas magic formula listed eight biotechnology stocks that have an equity-to-asset ratio of at least 0.5. Among these stocks, only two of them, United Therapeutics and Ligand Pharmaceuticals Inc. (LGND), have positive operating margins. Despite having just a one-star predictability rank, these two biotech companies have high financial strength and profitability. Story continues Although the biotech industry has the lowest median operating margin, more gurus have been buying than selling biotech stocks in the past three months. According to the consensus picks of gurus, 21 biotech stocks have been bought by at least four gurus, owned by at least six gurus and sold by at most three gurus in the past three months. With the highest combined weighting of 2%, Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE:A) has been owned by 13 gurus in the past three months. Furthermore, the biotechnology sector has 147 buys and 137 sells, according to the aggregate trend of gurus. United Therapeutics: a growing biotech company Incorporated in Delaware, the 1996 biotech company provides therapeutic products and services to serve patients with chronic or life-threatening diseases. Historically, United Therapeutics has experienced high operating margins and per share revenue growth, suggesting that the firm has high upside potential. Currently, United Therapeuticsa financial strength and profitability rankings are high, 9 out 10. Although the company had decreasing operating margins from 2006 to 2009, United Therapeutics experienced expanding operating margins since 2009. As of March, the biotech company has an operating margin of 98.56% that outperforms 98% of global biotech stocks. The companyas operating margin is expanding: its five-year operating margin growth rate is a healthy 6.40% per year. Additionally, the firm has increasing returns on equity and Greenblatt return on capital. Currently, United Therapeutics has a higher ROE and Greenblatt ROC than 98% of companies in the global biotech industry. 795406177.png With a financial strength rating of 9, United Therapeutics has a strong financial outlook. As mentioned earlier, Graham targets companies that have low P/E ratios and equity-to-asset ratios higher than 0.5. Although the firm has an equity-to-asset ratio that is only higher than 62% of global biotech firms, United Therapeutics has strong interest coverage and returns on invested capital. With an ROIC significantly higher than its WACC, the Delaware-based biotech firm creates value as the company expands. 1269907576.png Although the company had volatile Piotroski F-scores in the early 2000s, United Therapeutics has had steady F-scores around 7 since 2011. This suggests that the biotech company has a robust business operation and is unlikely to go bankrupt in the short term. Additionally, the company has very strong Altman Z-scores: during the past 10 years, the companyas Z-score seldom decreased below 2.99, suggesting that the company is generally in safe zones. Currently, United Therapeutics is slightly undervalued based on its Graham number. A valuation method based on EPS and tangible book value per share (aTBVPSa), the Graham number lists the highest price an investor should pay for the stock, according to the intelligent investor. To calculate the fair value of a company, Graham multiplies the product of a firmas EPS (without NRI) and TBVPS by 22.5 and takes the square root of the entire product. As of March, the company has an EPS (without NRI) of 18.09 and a TBVPS of 37.377; therefore, United Therapeuticsa Graham number is currently $123.34. Gurus increase positions in high-performing biotech company As the companyas financials strengthen, many gurus have increased their positions in United Therapeutics during the past quarter. Ray Dalio (Trades, Portfolio) and Lee Ainslie (Trades, Portfolio) increased their United Therapeutics position by 204.79% and 98.01%. Although Dalio increased his portfolio by 0.08% with this transaction, he currently owns the third-highest number of shares in United Therapeutics. Jim Simons (Trades, Portfolio) currently has the highest number of shares in United Therapeutics, 474,578. Joel Greenblatt (Trades, Portfolio), producer of his famous magic formula, has 362,565 shares, good for second place. GuruFocus users can download guru portfolios from the screeners tab. On this tab, the middle column shows all downloads and add-ins that users can utilize: financial data, guru portfolios and stock PDFs are the first three items on this tab. This feature allows users to download information on guru portfolios to an Excel workbook, which further allows users to view the gurusa holdings in organized spreadsheets. See also Grahamas lost formula of 1976 shares some similarities with Greenblattas magic formula. Instead of using earnings yield and returns on capital, Graham uses earnings-to-asset ratios to determine which stocks are undervalued. For more information on Greenblattas magic formula, read this article. For those who are interested in Graham, GuruFocus has a webinar on investing like Ben Graham. One great feature listed under the aGurusa tab is Sector Picks. This feature allows users to view all guru trades within a certain sector, for example, health care. Although the default setting is by date, users can sort the list by market cap, impact to portfolio, etc. Other good features on the aGurusa tab are the Aggregated Portfolio, Latest Guru Picks and the Scoreboard. Start a free seven-day trial of Premium Membership to GuruFocus. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. - The Haliburton scandal involving prominent Nigerians and disgraced congressman Williams J. Jefferson, is still a hot topic - The United States has said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has all it needs to prosecute all those implicated in the scandal including - Wife of the president, Mrs Aisha Buhari and former vice president, Atiku Abubakar are one of those mentioned in the scandal A report by Point Blank news has revealed that the United States of America has furnished the EFCC with all the details it needs to prosecute implicated Nigerians in the Halliburton scandal. According to the report, Peter Carr, spokesman of the DOJ confirmed the sentencing memo of Jefferson which indicted Mrs Buhari, Atiku and others but declined to speak further on the issue in an email. Wife of the president, Hajiya Aisha Buhari's name has featured in the Halliburton scandal time and again Thank you for reaching out to us. Well decline to comment beyond what is referenced in the sentencing memorandum, Carr's email read. READ ALSO: Nigerian presidents are cursed and how Buhari failed to stand out A source in DOJ also squealed that because Jefferson is currently appealing some of his convictions, DOJ may not want to comment further on the matter. Meanwhile, the sentencing memorandum obtained from the U.S District Court Eastern District of Virginia listed as exhibit, a wire transfer to congressman Jefferson from an account owned by Mrs Buhari. US Congressman William Jefferson is currently in jail for the Halliburton scandal A 16-count indictment, returned by a federal grand jury in Alexandria, charged Jefferson with solicitation of bribes from Nigeria and other places, honest services wire fraud, money laundering, obstruction of justice, violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, racketeering, and conspiracy. The indictment alleges that from in or about August 2000 through in or about August 2005, Jefferson, while serving as an elected member of the U.S. House of Representatives, used his position and his office to corruptly seek, solicit and direct that things of value be paid to Jefferson and his family members in exchange for his performance of official acts to advance the interests of people and businesses who offered him the bribes. The U.S Justice Department had at the time requested the EFCC through a letter dated June 22, 2006 to investigate Mrs Buhari and several others linked with bribing congressman Jefferson. Mrs Buhari, Atiku Abubakar, Dumebi Kachikwu (brother to current minister of petroleum, Ibe, Otunba Fashawe (close associate of former President Olusegun Obasanjo), Aliyu Maigari and others were named in a long chain of Nigerian and American bribe takers that spirited about $45 millionfor a technology transfer dealto the US between 1996 and 2002. Atiku, chairing of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), then, was, alongside congressman Jefferson, Siemens, Halliburton, and others, indicted in a U.S. Senate report sent to the EFCC for investigation in 2006. Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar name has always being linked to the Halliburton scandal READ ALSO: Group fumes over Aisha Buhari acting president, El-Rufai VP roles The U.S Senate report, FBI reports and U.S Court papers on the allegations have remained with the EFCC as the anti-graft agency appears to have developed cold feet in prosecuting the Nigerians involved. Among other things, U.S Investigators had in 2006 asked the EFCC to investigate bank records of accounts managed by Mrs Buhari. They specifically asked that the bank records should include documents relating to any wire transfers of $10,000 or more. Jefferson is currently serving jail time in the US,while those linked to his crime are still being sort after for questioning especially in Nigeria. A source confirmed that while Kachikwu had offered to testify against Jefferson, Mrs Buhari stayed away from the FBI probe and has also stayed away from the U.S. Interestingly, since President Muhammadu Buhari was elected as Nigeria's leader, Mrs Buhari has never followed him to his numerous U.S trips. The U.S Senate report, FBI reports and U.S Court papers on the allegations have remained in the coolers of the EFCC as the agency appears to be lacking the political will to carrying on the prosecution. Reacting to the report, presidential spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu said the Aisha M. Buhari mentioned is not the same as the presidents wife. READ ALSO: Must read: This is what northern youths are saying about Buharis wife The Haliburton case came to public consciousness again after Ekiti state governor, Ayodele Fayose relived the controversy on Monday, June 20, stressing the role played by Mrs Buhari in the messy bribery scandal. Fayose's outburst came after his personal account in Zenith Bank was frozen by EFCC operatives. Source: Legit.ng (Reuters) - ITC Ltd , India's largest cigarette maker, said Yogesh Deveshwar would step down as chief executive next year and serve as non-executive chairman for three years thereafter. ITC's board had "strongly urged" Deveshwar to continue as CEO, but he wanted the company to have a younger leader, according to a regulatory filing on Tuesday. The company did not name a successor to Deveshwar. Deveshwar, 69, joined ITC in 1968, according to the company's website. He has been the CEO and chairman of the company for more than two decades. Between 1991 and 1994, Deveshwar led state-owned carrier Air India as chairman and managing director. He's also a director on the central board of the Reserve Bank of India. ITC, which is nearly 25 percent owned by British American Tobacco Plc , sells four of every five cigarettes in India. The Indian company has been hit by higher taxes on tobacco products and a government push to discourage tobacco consumption. (Reporting by Anya George Tharakan in Bengaluru; Editing by Kirti Pandey) This right here is a very weird yarn. Apple has pulled an award-winning app that utilised the power of crowdsourcing to spot troubled refugee boats in the Mediterranean (and supposedly help rescue them) because the clever clogs of the internet discovered the whole thing was actually a bloody stitch-up. I Sea, which launched earlier this month, billed itself as *the* way for the average joe to do their part in Europes humanitarian crisis. The idea was that each user would be assigned a plot of the Mediterranean Sea, and would be fed real-time satellite images. If they happened to spot a refugee boat in distress while perusing the app which begs the question, HOW? they could report the boats exact coordinates to the Malta-based Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS). The app clocked up coverage in the Huffington Post, Mashable, Wired, and plenty more except, as Twitter user @SwiftOnSecurity discovered yesterday, the app is essentially bullshit. Tried it, the app is completely non-functional. Its a marketing stunt for the developer to get press articles. pic.twitter.com/SubRotl5A3 SecuriTay (@SwiftOnSecurity) June 19, 2016 The app even has a fake weather reading to make users think theyre getting live images from a satellite. Im done. pic.twitter.com/z3WCxc3Ik4 SecuriTay (@SwiftOnSecurity) June 20, 2016 No copyright notice for framework or weather API, doesnt explain satellite image source/refresh. Most journos wouldnt realize its a sham. SecuriTay (@SwiftOnSecurity) June 20, 2016 The Daily Dot investigated further, and found that the app was in actual fact sending everyone the same image of the ocean, complete with fake weather readings from Libya to give users the false impression that they were seeing live weather updates. They were asking people to stare at a static photo of the ocean in exchange for feeling like they were playing their part. The app promises to show recent or active satellite data and present the user with a way to report the location of suspicious objects (as in, they could be refugees that need help, or just plastic objects in the ocean), iOS app developer Rosyna Keller told The Daily Dot via Twitter. But it cant do that since its not showing any actual images. And, as @SwiftOnSecurity pointed out, I Sea never explained how they hoped to get high-resolution, near real-time satellite imagery of the entire Mediterranean, nor how the average person was supposed to differentiate between a refugee boat in distress and literally every other vessel. I intuitively knew this app was fake within 20 seconds of using it, she tweeted. It screams unfinished interface mock-up, doesnt act right. Gawker even uncovered the worrying fact that if you *do* miraculously spot a boat in need of rescue, despite being untrained to identify such a boat and being unable to do so on a static image anyway, then the app demanded your name, email and passport information to pass with coordinates along with no privacy policy in sight. The app doesnt validate these entries, so my Fuck off counted as a valid passport, wrote Gawkers Peter Yeh. It all feels like a movie set, detailed only on the part that faces the camera, but flat and empty otherwise. Following an outcry of negative attention (mostly from Twitter), the apps designers Grey Group issued a bizarre non-apology which answered non of the key flaws in the app (access to satellite data, users inability to identify a boat in distress), and instead focused on the static satellite images. The I Sea App is currently in testing mode, they wrote. At this time it is loading and mapping satellite images to its GPS coordinates and users are able to report an anomaly in their plot of sea. The report function is sending out an alert whenever a user flags something in the plot of sea they are watching. During this testing period, the satellite images available are not in real-time. Apple has since withdrawn the app while its authenticity is being investigated, but the thing has already won a Bronze Lion at Cannes. Truly, utterly bizarre. While were waiting for the truth to come to light, we at least know whos having the last laugh. Watch out everybody, if your app disappoints me I will get it deleted from the Internet. SecuriTay (@SwiftOnSecurity) June 20, 2016 Photo: MOAS. The polish national conservative Law and Justice party (PiS) wants to introduce a new tax for the retail industry. Affected would be mainly foreign supermarket chains and suppliers of consumer electronics. However, local retailers could be affected too. Supermarket tax is the term for the tax that co... [] CIA Director John Brennan Pretends Foreign Cryptography Doesn't Exist Last week, CIA director John Brennan told a Senate committee that there wasnt any strong cryptography outside of the US. CIA director John Brennan told US senators they shouldnt worry about mandatory encryption backdoors hurting American businesses. And thats because, according to Brennan, theres no one else for people to turn to: if they dont want to use US-based technology because its been forced to use weakened cryptography, theyll be out of luck because non-American solutions are simply theoretical. Heres the quote: US companies dominate the international market as far as encryption technologies that are available through these various apps, and I think we will continue to dominate them, Brennan said. So although you are right that theres the theoretical ability of foreign companies to have those encryption capabilities available to others, I do believe that this country and its private sector are integral to addressing these issues. Is he actually lying there? I suppose it is possible that hes simply that ignorant. Strong foreign cryptography hasnt been theoretical for decades. And earlier this year, I released a survey of foreign cryptography products, listing 546 non-theoretical products from 54 countries outside the US. I know Sen. Wyden knows about my survey. I hope he asks Brennan about it. Slashdot thread. HackerNews thread. EDITED TO ADD (6/22): Herb Lin comments. Posted on June 20, 2016 at 12:24 PM 89 Comments A previously mysterious family of enzymes removes abnormal versions of some very common chemicals found in all life forms, opening many possibilities for health and agricultural applications, a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher says. Known to scientists as DUF89, the enzymes are found in the cells of bacteria, fungi, plants and animals. Now that researchers know what the DUF89 enzymes do, they can work with these enzymes to help biomedicine and crop science, said UF/IFAS eminent scholar Andrew Hanson. For example, researchers could engineer more efficient production of biofuels, feedstocks and pharmaceuticals, he said. On the health front, scientists can better understand how to treat hereditary diseases and perhaps some cancers, Hanson said. As for agriculture, Hanson said scientists can equip crops with enzymes like DUF89 to deal with damaged chemicals formed during the production of novel biofuels. Until now, scientists did not know the function of the DUF89 enzyme family. But in a newly published study, researchers from UF/IFAS and the University of Toronto found that DUF89 enzymes get rid of abnormal versions of phosphate esters -- some of life's building blocks -- in plant, animal and bacterial cells. As Hanson talks about the new research, he describes cells as "micro-factories" that make the chemicals of life, such as sugars, amino acids and fats. The biochemical machinery used by cells to metabolize is productive and precise, but not perfect, he said. Mistakes in metabolism lead to abnormal chemicals being made, he said. "This is always a wasteful process, and sometimes a dangerous one because some abnormal chemicals are harmful, and they damage cells," Hanson said. To fight this damage and waste, all cells come equipped with systems, like DUF89 enzymes, to remove and recycle abnormal chemicals. These systems are vital to human and animal health, crop productivity and to the micro-organisms now being used to create what is known as the "bio-based economy," Hanson said. Such an economy would include replacing oil-based fuels and chemicals with biomass-based ones. For example, you can use microbial fermentation to make ethanol or diesel from biomass, he said. It also involves replacing environmentally unfriendly chemical processes with environmentally friendly ones, Hanson said. For example, you can use microbes instead of chemistry to make chemical feedstocks or pharmaceuticals. The study appears online in the journal Nature Chemical Biology. Accepting a single pharmaceutical industry-sponsored meal was associated with higher rates of prescribing certain drugs to Medicare patients by physicians, with more, and costlier, meals associated with greater increases in prescribing, according to an article published online by JAMA Internal Medicine. Some argue industry-sponsored meals and payments help facilitate the discussion of novel treatments but others have raised concerns about the potential to influence prescribing patterns. Previous studies have suggested physician-industry relationships were associated with increased prescribing of brand-name drugs. R. Adams Dudley, M.D., M.B.A., of the University of California, San Francisco, and coauthors linked two national data sets to quantify the association between industry payments and physician prescribing patterns. Authors identified the most-prescribed brand-name drugs in each of four categories in Medicare Part D in 2013. The target drugs were rosuvastatin calcium among statins, nebivolol among cardioselective -blockers, olmesartan medoxomil among angiotensin receptor blockers (ACE inhibitors and ARBs), and desvenlafaxine succinate among selective serotonin and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs and SNRIs). The 2013 Open Payments database describes the value and the drug or device promoted for payments to physicians for five months in 2013 as reported by pharmaceutical companies. Authors report 279,669 physicians received 63,524 payments associated with the four target drugs, with 95 percent of those payments being meals that had an average value of less than $20. Rosuvastatin accounted for 8.8 percent of statin prescriptions; nebivolol represented 3.3 percent of cardioselective -blocker prescriptions; olmesartan represented 1.6 percent of ACE inhibitor and ARB prescriptions; and desvenlafaxine represented 0.6 percent of SSRI and SNRI prescriptions. Physicians who received meals related to the targeted drugs on four or more days prescribed rosuvastatin at 1.8 times the rate of physicians receiving no target meals, nebivolol at 5.4 times the rate, olmesartan at 4.5 times the rate, and desvenlafaxine at 3.4 times the rate, according to the results. Physicians who received only a single meal promoting the four target drugs also had higher rates of prescribing those medications, the results suggest. Additional meals and costlier meals were associated with higher prescribing rates. Higher proportions of the physicians who received industry payments were men, solo practitioners, and physicians who practiced in the South, the authors report. The authors note their results are cross-sectional and reflect an association, not a cause-and-effect relationship. For example, if physicians choose to attend industry events where information is provided about drugs they already prefer then meals may have no effect on their prescribing patterns. "Our findings support the importance of ongoing transparency efforts in the United States and Europe," the study concludes. Editor's Note: Industry Payments to Physicians and Prescribing Brand-Name Drugs In a related editor's note, JAMA Internal Medicine Editor-at-Large Robert Steinbrook, M.D., writes: "There are inherent tensions between the profits of health care companies, the independence of physicians and the integrity of our work, and the affordability of medical care. If drug and device manufacturers were to stop sending money to physicians for promotional speaking, meals and other activities without clear medical justifications and invest more in independent bona fide research on safety, effectiveness and affordability, our patients and the health care system would be better off." Cholesterol-lowering statins were associated with lower risk for major cardiac events in some patients with preexisting ischemic heart disease but not in others, according to an article published online by JAMA Internal Medicine. Long-term treatment with statins is recommended for patients with stable ischemic heart disease (IHD) because they are at increased risk for recurrent cardiovascular events. But there are differences among guidelines regarding the definition of appropriate targets for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. The American Heart Association's guidelines do not establish target LDL-C levels. However, the European Society of Cardiology recommends treatment be titrated to achieve LDL-C levels below 70 mg/dL. Morton Leibowitz, M.D., of Clalit Research Institute, Tel Aviv, Israel, and coauthors compared the risk for major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) among patients with IHD according to LDL-C levels after at least one year of statin therapy. The study considered low LDL-C levels to be less than or equal to 70 mg/dL; moderate levels to be 70.1 to 100 mg/dL; and high levels to be 100.1 to 130 mg/dL. MACEs included heart attack, unstable angina, stroke, angioplasty, bypass or death. The study included 31,619 patients with IHD who were at least 80 percent adherent to their statin treatment: 9,086 (29 percent) had low LDL-C levels, 16,782 (53 percent) had moderate LDL-C levels and 5,751 (18 percent) had high LDL-C levels. There were 9,035 patients who had a MACE or who died during an average 1.6 years of follow-up. The authors report a low LDL-C level was not significantly associated with the risk of MACE compared with patients who had moderate LDL-C levels. However, moderate LDL-C levels were associated with a lower risk of MACE for patients compared with patients who had high LDL-C levels. The authors note a number of study limitations, including restricting the study to patients with preexisting IHD and limited generalizability. "Our results do not provide support for a blanket principle that lower LDL-C is better for all patients in secondary prevention," the study concludes. LDL-C Levels and Statin Treatment -- A Moving Target? In a related editor's note, JAMA Internal Medicine Editor Rita F. Redberg, M.D., M.Sc., of the University of California, San Francisco, and colleagues write: "The study by Leibowitz et al adds important information to the ongoing discussion of the best statin strategy and LDL-C targets to improve outcomes with minimal harms." A special communication article published online by JAMA Pediatrics explores whether new paradigms in child health may emerge because of Zika virus. Peter J. Hotez, M.D., Ph.D., of the Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, suggests pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists will need to mobilize quickly "to get ahead of this fast-moving train. According to the World Health Organization, up to 4 million people could be infected with Zika virus by the end of 2016." The article suggests revisiting how the specialty of pediatrics responded to the HIV/AIDS crisis 30 years ago as a possible road map for addressing this new virus infection. "We are just now waking up to a new normal as we learn more about the complete mental health effects of Zika virus infection. We will likely need to educate and train a new generation of primary care providers, including pediatricians and pediatric nurse practitioners. We will need to assemble interdisciplinary teams of pediatric specialists in neonatology, neurology, psychiatry, rehabilitation medicine and infectious diseases to organize diagnostic, clinical management, and treatment approaches and algorithms for this new illness. We will need new programs of child advocacy. Because Zika virus may equally affect North America, Central America and South America, we will need to expand how we work together across international boundaries. Zika virus will require us to dissolve any existing north-south divisions across pediatrics in the Americas. The next few years will be a challenging period as the number of congenital and pediatric Zika virus infections continues to increase from the current epidemic that first exploded in the western hemisphere in 2013," the article concludes. A clinical trial conducted by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators has found that the use of patient navigators -- individuals who assist patients in receiving health care services -- may improve comprehensive cancer screening rates among patient populations not likely to receive recommended screenings. The study, which received Online First publication earlier this month in JAMA Internal Medicine, found that such patients -- mostly low-income and ethnic minorities -- were more likely to adhere to cancer-screening guidelines when assisted by patient navigators. "These findings demonstrate how effective patient navigators can be for patients who, for a variety of reasons, encounter obstacles to receiving cancer screening," says Sanja Percac-Lima, MD, PhD, physician leader for cancer outreach at the MGH Center for Community Health Improvement and the study's lead author. "Health disparities pose a major challenge to low-income and ethnic minority patients, and our study suggests a proactive approach may help increase their chances of receiving the care they need." Using a computer system, researchers identified patients across 18 MGH primary care practices, including four community health centers, who were at-risk of not completing recommended cancer screenings -- based on a previous missed appointment and their primary language not being English -- and who were also overdue for breast, cervical, and/or colorectal cancer screening. Among 1,626 identified at-risk patients, 792 were randomly assigned a patient navigator who would provide intense outreach and guidance to assist in obtaining screenings. Navigators contacted patients in their own language, educated and encouraged them, arranged transportation and accompanied them to visits, and helped overcome any other barriers to obtaining screening. The study results showed that 32 percent of patients who were successfully connected with patient navigators completed at least one overdue cancer screening, compared with 18 percent of patients in the control group. "Patient navigators provide a critical bridge between patients and caregivers that enhances and improves care," says Percac-Lima, who is an assistant professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. "By employing these types of tactics, we can address critical health disparities for at-risk communities." Improved publication strategy for authors who use hydrological modeling software will make model data easier for readers to understand and reuse, according to an international team of researchers. A growing number of computational models, such as the Penn State Integrated Hydrologic Model (PIHM), show coupled surface and subsurface water flow and its role in the diversity of Earth system processes. These models conceptualize representations of the physical processes governing the movement of water on, above and below the Earth's surface. The problem with these models is that they are technically complex and involve many complicated coupled processes and so are not easily understandable by a potentially larger group of users in the geosciences and engineering fields. To fix this, researchers from Penn State, the University of Delaware and the National Institute of Scientific Research in Quebec developed a publication strategy that allows authors to completely document data workflow so that the simulations can be easily reproduced. This allows a broader audience the ability to access the data and gain a better understanding of the research. The researchers published their results in Earth and Space Science. "Clearly, there is a great deal of literature on reusable software," said Xuan Yu, recent Penn State Ph.D. recipient and postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Geological Sciences at the University of Delaware. "Our work's value lies in the practical steps and best practices for preserving and reusing data as a potential routine in future geoscience publication." The PIHM is a physics-based hydrologic model that simulates a natural water cycle. It was originally developed to support the concept of "community models" for environmental predictions. However, researchers quickly realized that there were several common problems with the PIHM learning process. In many of the data sets that were fed into PIHM, the authors left out critical publication details. Without these details, the adaptation could not be reused in later studies. Data preparation also meant users had to learn the source code due to complex data sets and parameters. If there was a tiny mistake, it threw the whole system off. To solve this problem, the team developed better techniques for PIHM-related publication so that even novice readers can reproduce PIHM simulation results from scratch. The researchers guided new users through data processing and model application using permanently accessible data sets and linked data sets, software and figures. This publication strategy enabled a more intuitive understanding of coupled surface-subsurface flow processes and how they translate into reproducible output strategies for an extensive range of consumers. Providing complete data sets and sources also helped users test the ability to reproduce each step of the computation and improve the model, developing new methods as they progressed. Users agreed that reproducibility of the model led to a deeper understanding of the model physics and the supporting data. The team hopes that by adopting these practices when informing readers, they can increase the reliability of simulation results, reduce the learning curve and enhance the model utility. The publication strategy could also be adapted for future geoscience research and integrated with community engagement to appeal to a larger audience of geoscientists and engineers. "We intend to continue what we have started through workshops and lectures," Yu said. "Best practices for publication require effort by researchers and support by agencies and professional societies to be successful. Therefore, we have been giving lectures at many universities and research institutes to inspire wide discussion and involvement of open science practices." Scientists are getting closer to directly observing how and why water is essential to life as we know it. A study in this week's Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences provides the strongest evidence yet that proteins--the large and complex molecules that fold into particular shapes to enable biological reactions--can't fold themselves. Rather, the work of folding is done by much smaller water molecules, which surround proteins and push and pull at them to make them fold a certain way in fractions of a second, like scores of tiny origami artists folding a giant sheet of paper at blazingly fast speeds. Dongping Zhong, leader of the research group at The Ohio State University that made the discovery, called the study a "major step forward" in the understanding of water-protein interactions and said it answers a question that's been dogging research into protein dynamics for decades. "For a long time, scientists have been trying to figure out how water interacts with proteins. This is a fundamental problem that relates to protein structure, stability, dynamics and--finally--function," said Zhong, who is the Robert Smith Professor of physics at Ohio State. "We believe we now have strong direct evidence that on ultrafast time scales (picoseconds, or trillionths of a second), water modulates protein fluctuations," he concluded. advertisement Zhong, who is also a professor of chemistry and biochemistry, and his team used ultrafast laser pulses to take snapshots of water molecules moving around a DNA polymerase, the kind of protein that helps DNA reproduce. The key to getting a good view of the interaction was to precisely locate optical probes on the protein surface, he said. The researchers inserted molecules of the amino acid tryptophan into the protein as a probe, and measured how water moved around it. Water molecules typically flow around each other at picosecond speeds, while proteins fold at nanosecond speeds--1,000 times slower. Previously, Zhong's group demonstrated that water molecules slow down when they encounter a protein. Water molecules are still moving 100 times faster than a protein when they connect with it, however. In the new study, the researchers were able to determine that the water molecules directly touched the protein's "side chains," the portions of the protein molecule that bind and unbind with each other to enable folding and function. The researchers were also able to note the timing of movement in the molecules. Computer simulations at the Ohio Supercomputer Center (OSC) helped the researchers visualize what was going on: where the water moved a certain way, the protein folded nanoseconds later, as if the water molecules were nudging the protein into shape. Water can't arbitrarily shape a protein, Zhong explained. Proteins can only fold and unfold in a few different ways depending on the amino acids they're made of. "Here, we've shown that the final shape of a protein depends on two things: water and the amino acids themselves. We can now say that, on ultrafast time scales, the protein surface fluctuations are controlled by water fluctuations. Water molecules work together like a big network to drive the movement of proteins." Oceanic manta rays-often thought to take epic migrations-might actually be homebodies, according to a new study. A Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego-led research team studied satellite-tracked manta rays to shed light on the lives of these mysterious ocean giants. Manta rays (Manta birostris) spend much of their lives swimming in remote open-ocean environments, such as on seamounts and offshore islands, in search of tiny free-floating plankton, their main source of food. They can live for over 40 years and reach a wingspan of up to seven meters (23 feet). The findings, published in the journal Biological Conservation, have important implications for the conservation of the threatened species. To better understand their travels, the researchers tagged and collected muscle tissue samples from the rays at four different sites in the Indo-Pacific separated by 600-13,000 kilometers (373-8,078 miles), to see if the local aggregations of mantas were in fact a network of highly connected subpopulations. Using the tagging information, which included up to six months of data on their movements, along with genetic and stable isotope analyses on the collected tissues, the researchers found that manta rays remained close to their tagged location, and are very likely distinct subpopulations with very limited connectivity between regions. "These animals are showing a remarkable degree of residency behavior compared to the migrations we were expecting," said Scripps Oceanography PhD candidate Joshua Stewart, a researcher in the Scripps Gulf of California Marine Program and the study's lead author. "While mantas do make the occasional long-distance movement, it appears that the norm is to stay put. This means that any one population of mantas is highly susceptible to fisheries and other human impacts, but that local populations are also more easily protected." Populations of manta and closely related mobula rays are in decline worldwide due to targeted fishing mainly for their gill plates, which are used in traditional Chinese medicine, and from accidental bycatch in other fisheries. advertisement Scientists had previously assumed manta rays to be long-distance travelers, similar to other large marine vertebrates such as sharks, tunas, and whales, largely based upon their size and pelagic habitat preference. "We found that these patterns of residency remain true on multi-year and generational time scales, with both genetic and isotopic separation between populations," said Stewart, also a researcher at the UK-based nonprofit The Manta Trust. According to the authors, this study demonstrates that oceanic manta rays can be effectively protected by local and regional management strategies, which are often not considered viable for highly migratory species. "The research we've conducted has shown that perhaps the most effective management strategies for oceanic manta rays will come from the local and national level," said study co-author Calvin Beale of the Misool Manta Project. The population of manta rays studied in Indonesia appears to reside exclusively in Indonesian waters, where there is a complete moratorium on the landing of manta rays, and local marine protected areas that cover a substantial portion of the population's range. advertisement "If more countries follow suit and protect their local manta populations, the outlook for the species may improve from the current downward trajectory," said Beale. In a separate study recently published in the journal Zoology, Stewart and his team analyzed the diving behaviors of six satellite-tagged oceanic manta rays at the Revillagigedo Archipelago in Mexico. They found seasonal shifts in diving behavior, likely the result of changes in the location and availability of their main prey source-zooplankton. "This additional study helps explain why the mantas may remain resident, unlike most other large marine animals," said Stewart. "Rather than move horizontally over long distances to track specific prey items, it seems that oceanic mantas are quite flexible in their foraging behavior, perhaps allowing them stay put rather than migrate." Stewart and colleagues at National Geographic Crittercam are conducting a follow-up study to affix cameras to the animals to directly observe their feeding behaviors. A species of wasp that is a natural enemy of a wood-boring beetle that kills black locust trees has been rediscovered, more than 100 years after the last wasp of this species was found. The discovery is significant because the wood-boring beetle, known as the locust borer, is considered a serious pest that has discouraged planting of black locusts, which played an important role in American history. The trees, whose wood is strong, hard and extremely durable, helped build the Jamestown settlement and were featured prominently at George Washington's Mount Vernon. The only previous known specimens of the wasp (Oobius depressus) date back to 1914 and were found in Morristown, Illinois. The problem with those specimens is that they were missing their heads and antennae, making them difficult to identify even by specialists of that wasp family, Encyrtidae. That led Serguei V. Triapitsyn, director of the UC Riverside Entomology Research Museum, and Toby R. Petrice, an entolomogist with the U.S.D.A. Forest Service Northern Research Station in Lansing, Mich., to search for new specimens. This was not an easy task because eggs of locust borer, particularly ones parasitized by this wasp, are extremely difficult to find. Adults of the locust borer itself, on the other hand, are common in the Midwest in early fall because they feed on the pollen of goldenrod. Because females visit black locust trees to lay eggs, the scientists placed an insect trap designed to collect beetles and other arboreal insects in the canopy of a black locust tree at Rose Lake State Wildlife Area in Bath Charter Township, Mich., from August to October 2015. Petrice installed and maintained the trap and collected samples in ethanol, which were then sent in early 2016 to the UC Riverside Entomology Research Museum for sorting in Triapitsyn's lab by Vladimir V. Berezovskiy, a volunteer who is a retired museum preparator. The scientists found one female wasp that perfectly matched both the original description and the remains of the type specimens of Oobius depressus. It had been collected on Oct. 6, 2015. Triapitsyn made a positive taxonomic identification, photographed it, and then re-described the species based on the new specimen. This adult female wasp is about 1.2 mm long, shining black, with a flattened body that allows it to look for locust borer eggs beneath the bark scales of black locust trees. A manuscript with this redescription has been accepted for publication in the scientific journal of the Michigan Entomological Society, The Great Lakes Entomologist. Rice University researchers have just the thing for the age of information overload: an app that sees all and remembers only what it should. RedEye, new technology from Rice's Efficient Computing Group that was unveiled today at the International Symposium on Computer Architecture (ISCA 2016) conference in Seoul, South Korea, could provide computers with continuous vision -- a first step toward allowing the devices to see what their owners see and keep track of what they need to remember. "The concept is to allow our computers to assist us by showing them what we see throughout the day," said group leader Lin Zhong, professor of electrical and computer engineering at Rice and the co-author of a new study about RedEye. "It would be like having a personal assistant who can remember someone you met, where you met them, what they told you and other specific information like prices, dates and times." Zhong said RedEye is an example of the kind of technology the computing industry is developing for use with wearable, hands-free, always-on devices that are designed to support people in their daily lives. The trend, which is sometimes referred to as "pervasive computing" or "ambient intelligence," centers on technology that can recognize and even anticipate what someone needs and provide it right away. "The pervasive-computing movement foresees devices that are personal assistants, which help us in big and small ways at almost every moment of our lives," Zhong said. "But a key enabler of this technology is equipping our devices to see what we see and hear what we hear. Smell, taste and touch may come later, but vision and sound will be the initial sensory inputs." Zhong said the bottleneck for continuous vision is energy consumption because today's best smartphone cameras, though relatively inexpensive, are battery killers, especially when they are processing real-time video. advertisement Zhong and former Rice graduate student Robert LiKamWa began studying the problem in the summer of 2012 when they worked at Microsoft Research's Mobility and Networking Research Group in Redmond, Wash., in collaboration with group director and Microsoft Distinguished Scientist Victor Bahl. LiKamWa said the team measured the energy profiles of commercially available, off-the-shelf image sensors and determined that existing technology would need to be about 100 times more energy-efficient for continuous vision to become commercially viable. This was the motivation behind LiKamWa's doctoral thesis, which pursues software and hardware support for efficient computer vision. In an award-winning paper a year later, LiKamWa, Zhong, Bahl and colleagues showed they could improve the power consumption of off-the-shelf image sensors tenfold simply through software optimization. "RedEye grew from that because we still needed another tenfold improvement in energy efficiency, and we knew we would need to redesign both the hardware and software to achieve that," LiKamWa said. He said the energy bottleneck was the conversion of images from analog to digital format. "Real-world signals are analog, and converting them to digital signals is expensive in terms of energy," he said. "There's a physical limit to how much energy savings you can achieve for that conversion. We decided a better option might be to analyze the signals while they were still analog." The main drawback of processing analog signals -- and the reason digital conversion is the standard first step for most image-processing systems today -- is that analog signals are inherently noisy, LiKamWa said. To make RedEye attractive to device makers, the team needed to demonstrate that it could reliably interpret analog signals. advertisement "We needed to show that we could tell a cat from a dog, for instance, or a table from a chair," he said. Rice graduate student Yunhui Hou and undergraduates Mia Polansky and Yuan Gao were also members of the team, which decided to attack the problem using a combination of the latest techniques from machine learning, system architecture and circuit design. In the case of machine learning, RedEye uses a technique called a "convolutional neural network," an algorithmic structure inspired by the organization of the animal visual cortex. LiKamWa said Hou brought new ideas related to system architecture circuit design based on previous experience working with specialized processors called analog-to-digital converters at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. "We bounced ideas off one another regarding architecture and circuit design, and we began to understand the possibilities for doing early processing in order to gather key information in the analog domain," LiKamWa said. "Conventional systems extract an entire image through the analog-to-digital converter and conduct image processing on the digital file," he said. "If you can shift that processing into the analog domain, then you will have a much smaller data bandwidth that you need to ship through that ADC bottleneck." LiKamWa said convolutional neural networks are the state-of-the-art way to perform object recognition, and the combination of these techniques with analog-domain processing presents some unique privacy advantages for RedEye. "The upshot is that we can recognize objects -- like cats, dogs, keys, phones, computers, faces, etc. -- without actually looking at the image itself," he said. "We're just looking at the analog output from the vision sensor. We have an understanding of what's there without having an actual image. This increases energy efficiency because we can choose to digitize only the images that are worth expending energy to create. It also may help with privacy implications because we can define a set of rules where the system will automatically discard the raw image after it has finished processing. That image would never be recoverable. So, if there are times, places or specific objects a user doesn't want to record -- and doesn't want the system to remember -- we should design mechanisms to ensure that photos of those things are never created in the first place." Zhong said research on RedEye is ongoing. He said the team is working on a circuit layout for the RedEye architecture that can be used to test for layout issues, component mismatch, signal crosstalk and other hardware issues. Work is also ongoing to improve performance in low-light environments and other settings with low signal-to-noise ratios, he said. In a small study looking at pain assessments in adults with sickle cell disease, researchers at Johns Hopkins says overall, those treated long-term with opioids often fared worse in measures of pain, fatigue and curtailed daily activities than those not on long-term opioids. In a report on the new research, published online on June 15 in a special sickle cell disease supplement of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, C. Patrick Carroll, M.D., and colleagues evaluated pain experiences of participants with sickle cell disease who were prescribed long-term opioids. "We need to be careful and skeptical about giving increasing doses of opioids to patients with sickle cell disease who are in chronic pain if it isn't effective," says Carroll, director of psychiatric services for the Johns Hopkins Sickle Cell Center for Adults and assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. "Too little is known about the effects of long-term opioid management of chronic pain." Sickle cell disease is a rare blood disorder that causes excruciating pain. It is a genetic disorder, predominantly affecting African-Americans in the U.S., and caused by a mutation in the gene that makes hemoglobin -- the oxygen-carrying protein that gives the red pigment to red blood cells. In cells with the mutation, the hemoglobin forms long chains that cause the normally round and plump red blood cells to take on a sicklelike shape and clog up blood vessels. The clogged vessels can cut off oxygen to tissues and cause episodes of severe pain, known as crises. The pain from these episodes frequently drives people with the disease to emergency rooms, where they are aggressively treated for pain -- usually with intravenous opioid pain medications. Often, adult patients with sickle cell disease also develop chronic pain, and the way it manifests is poorly understood. Because advances in treatment of sickle cell disease have led to many more people living well into adulthood, chronic pain has been a growing problem for people with the disorder. These patients are also often treated with opioid pain medications for this chronic pain. However, there isn't good evidence that long-term opioid therapy is effective. Animal research and some human studies suggest that opioids can paradoxically increase pain sensitivity. This concern, combined with rising awareness of the dangers of opioid therapy, particularly at high doses, has led to a re-evaluation of long-term opioid therapy for many conditions. However, those patients with sickle cell disease who have chronic pain often are prescribed high doses of opioids because the disorder is so hard to treat and recurrent crises can lead to escalating doses. For the new study, the Johns Hopkins team recruited 83 people with sickle cell disease -- 57 women and 26 men -- over the age of 18, with an average age of 39. The physicians examined patient medical records to determine who was taking long-term opioids. Twenty-nine patients were prescribed daily, long-acting opioids to manage their pain by their health care provider, and 54 patients weren't on long-term opioids. advertisement The patients filled out daily electronic pain diaries for 90 days. Self-reported levels of pain, physical activity, fatigue and pain-related daily activity interference were recorded, along with self-reported levels of pain relief and medication satisfaction on a scale of 0 to 100. Patients with sickle cell disease and on long-term opioid treatment reported noncrisis pain intensities that were over three times higher than those not taking opioids. During crisis pain days, patients on long-term opioids also reported 32 percent higher levels of pain. Overall, patients prescribed chronic opioid therapy were more impaired, with over three times greater pain interference and twice the fatigue on noncrisis days, and 20 percent more pain interference and 33 percent higher fatigue. The investigators also performed some standard measures of pain processing on the test subjects, which measured and averaged variables such as how intensely participants experienced unpleasant heat and pressure. The investigators were particularly interested in the phenomenon of central sensitization, in which the central nervous system -- including the brain and spinal cord -- amplifies painful sensations. Central sensitization may be one way that opioids can increase pain sensitivity, and it also may play a role in how sickle cell disease causes chronic pain, says Carroll. For example, one such measure of central sensitization uses repeated pokes from a mildly painful stimulus in succession. In people who have this hypersensitization, each poke is perceived as more intense than the last because the nervous system becomes progressively more sensitive to the pain. Combining the data from several measures of central sensitization, the investigators used a scoring system that sets a normal measurement at 0 and rates how abnormal something is by how far the values move away from 0. They calculated a central sensitization index for those on long-term opioids and those not taking them. Overall patients on long-term opioid therapy showed higher levels of central sensitization, with an index of 0.34, than those who were not, with an index of -0.10, as Carroll expected. In participants who were not on chronic opioid therapy, the level of central sensitization correlated with the level of noncrisis pain. However, in patients who were taking chronic opioid therapy and also had higher levels of central sensitization and clinical pain, the correlation essentially vanished. Carroll says this was surprising and suggests that the mechanisms of pain in sickle cell disease patients on long-term opioid therapy may be different in an unexpected way from that in patients who don't take daily opioids for pain. Carroll cautions that their work is preliminary and should not lead physicians or people with sickle cell disease to take away opioids that many need to control unbearable pain. One of the biggest challenges in sickle cells disease is that clinicians may not believe patients are in pain when there aren't any signs of tissue damage or believe they are drug-seeking, and thus contribute to suffering. "We need to better understand how long-term opioid use affects pain sensitization and determine if certain people are more sensitive to these effects so we can prescribe the best treatment option for each individual patient," says Carroll. "We also need to learn more about how sickle cell disease may sensitize the nervous system." According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sickle cell disease affects millions of people worldwide and around 100,000 people in America. The frequency of hospitalizations for pain treatment makes sickle cell disease one of the most expensive conditions to treat in the American medical system. The disease originated in Africa, India and the Middle East -- tropical countries where malaria is prevalent. Those who carry only one gene for the disorder known as the sickle cell trait have some protection from malaria, whereas those who inherit two copies develop the classic and most severe form of sickle cell disease. Between a third and half (43%) of the UK population--roughly 28 million adults--lives with chronic pain, finds an analysis of the available evidence, published in the online journal BMJ Open. This proportion is likely to rise as the population ages, warn the researchers, who add that chronic pain is a major cause of disability and distress among those affected by it. There is no consensus on the proportion of people living with long term pain in the UK, and in a bid to try and gain an accurate picture, the researchers trawled relevant databases to find research on different types of pain, published after 1990. Their search included studies on population based estimates of chronic pain--defined as lasting more than 3 months--chronic widespread pain, fibromyalgia (a rheumatic condition characterized by muscular or musculoskeletal pain), and chronic neuropathic pain (pain caused by nerve signalling problems). From among 1737 relevant articles, 19 studies, involving just under 140,000 adults, were deemed suitable for inclusion in the final analysis. They pooled the study data to arrive at an estimate of the prevalence of chronic pain, overall, and chronic widespread pain. Summary estimates were also drawn up for moderate to severely disabling chronic pain, fibromyalgia, and chronic neuropathic pain among UK adults. advertisement Based on seven studies, the researchers worked out that the prevalence of chronic pain ranged from 35% to 51% of the adult population, with the prevalence of moderate to severely disabling chronic pain (based on four studies), ranging from 10% to 14%--equivalent to around 8 million people. Pooling of the data showed that 43% of the population experience chronic pain, and 14% of UK adults live with chronic widespread pain. The summarized data also showed that 8% of UK adults experience chronic neuropathic pain, and 5.5% live with fibromyalgia. Twelve of the studies categorized the prevalence of pain by age group, and unsurprisingly, these showed that older people were more likely to live with pain over the long term. Among 18-25 year olds, the prevalence was 14%, although it may be as high as 30% among 18-39 year olds, the analysis indicates--a sizeable chunk of the working population, say the researchers. Among those aged 75 and above, the prevalence was almost two thirds (62%), suggesting that if current trends continue, the burden of chronic pain may increase further still as the population ages, say the researchers. Women were more likely than men to be affected by chronic pain, irrespective of age or pain type. The researchers point out that the included studies varied considerably, and that not all of them were of high quality, so making it difficult to draw firm conclusions. The studies showed gradually increasing prevalence of chronic pain over time, from 1990. And the researchers estimate that the prevalence of chronic pain in the UK is now around 43%, equating to around 28 million people, based on population stats for 2013. "Such prevalence data does not itself define need for care or targets for prevention, but reliable information on prevalence will help to drive public health and healthcare policymakers' prioritisation of this important cause of distress and disability in the general population," they conclude. I plan on running and being involved in Facebook for a very long time, Mark Zuckerberg assured investors at Facebooks (FB) annual meeting on Monday. Shareholders voted on 13 proposals, in a mostly ceremonial display since Zuckerberg currently has 53.8% of the total outstanding voting power (60% if you include a voting proxy from co-founder Dustin Moskovitz). The major change is a three-for-one stock split shareholders approved on Monday. The company has had a dual class structure since inception, but now its adding class C shares a third class of non-voting capital stock. Facebook plans to issue two new shares of class C as a one-time dividend for each share of current outstanding class A and class B (or supervoting) shares. Class "A" shares are what everyday investors own. Currently, only company insiders may obtain class "B" shares shareholders are entitled to 10 votes per share. Heres the bottom line: This is just another way for Zuckerberg to retain control over the company he built. With the introduction of class C shares, hes able to retain voting rights while still giving away 99% of his shares during his lifetime to set up the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (which has the mission of helping cure all diseases by the end of the century). Zuckerberg, did, however, make a few concessions before getting the reclassification plan board-approved. Most saliently, all his class B shares will automatically convert to shares of class A three years after he dies or one year after hes fired or resigns. And, before the introduction of class C shares, Zuckerberg had the authority to appoint his successor by name. Now, with the non-voting shares, Zuckerberg is trading in future control for his present sovereignty. Zuckerbergs move takes a cue from Alphabet (GOOGL), which has also added non-voting class C shares. The company's shareholders tried to object to the restructuring, with 180 million voting for equal voting rights back in 2014. However, Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page had a 55.7% voting majority or 551 million votes and easily passed the class C proposal. Investor pushback Of course, not everyone is enthusiastic about Facebooks decision to make this move, which further solidifies Zuckerbergs control of the company while hes still there. In a note to clients, RBC Capital Markets analyst Mark Mahaney said hes not thrilled about the move: Were generally not in favor of these structures. We always prefer the one share one vote approach. But there is plenty of precedent for these structures across technology and media, and were definitely in favor of engaged founders staying, er, engaged. Meanwhile, Christine Jantz of Northstar Asset Management (NSAM) which has $5.4 million of Facebooks Class A shares aired her grievances during the Q&A portion of the meeting. She said it seems counterintuitive for a company with a mission of opening up global communication to strip shareholders of their rightful say. But ultimately naysayers efforts are futile, as Zuckerberg wields overwhelming control over the company. Many people would argue that, if youre an investor in Facebook, youre really just investing in Mark Zuckerberg and his vision. The discovery nearly two decades ago of nine beautifully articulated vertebrae at Big Bend National Park is shedding new light on a 66 million-year-old sauropod native to Texas and the North American southwest called Alamosaurus sanjuanensis. Paleontologists from the Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas have co-authored a scientific paper entitled "An articulated cervical series of Alamosaurus sanjuanensis Gilmore, 1922 (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) from Texas: new perspective on the relationships of North America's last giant sauropod." Their findings are now available online as an open access article at the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology website and will appear in its forthcoming January/February 2017 print edition. The lead author is Ronald S. Tykoski, Ph.D., the Perot Museum's Director of Paleontology Lab, and the co-author is Anthony R. Fiorillo, Ph.D., the Perot Museum's Chief Curator and Vice President of Research and Collections. "Giant sauropods like Alamosaurus have amazed people since the 1800s. Their sheer size boggles the mind, and they have forced scientists to re-think the physical limits of land-living animals," said Tykoski. "The fossils described in our paper reveal new details about the last sauropods in North America, which helps us better understand who Alamosaurus was related to and how this species made it to southern North America by 67 to 66 million years ago -- just in time to go extinct at the end of the Cretaceous!" The name Alamosaurus came from the Ojo Alamo trading post and geological formation in New Mexico from which the first bones of the species were found (not after the historic battle in San Antonio, Texas in 1836). The name of the trading post stemmed from the Spanish word for a huge cottonwood tree growing at the trading post. Alamosaurus was a titanosaur sauropod, one of the groups of long-necked and long-tailed dinosaurs that included the largest animals to walk the Earth. The discovery of the massive bones came in 1997 when a joint field crew from the University of Texas at Dallas (UT-D) and the Perot Museum (known at that time as the Dallas Museum of Natural History) was working in the northeast section of Big Bend National Park. The scientists and volunteers were excavating a site that produced parts of several immature sauropods when Dana Biasatti, then a student at UT-D, "stretched her legs" and came upon the remarkable remains of an adult titanosaur a few hundred yards away. The team was stunned. The nine cervical (neck) vertebrae were the first articulated series of adult Alamosaurus neck bones ever found. The fossils of Alamosaurus from Big Bend National Park currently represent the biggest dinosaurs discovered in Texas. "It was one of those days one doesn't ever forget. The part of the animal that was exposed at the surface was the hip region. Probing around the site resulted in the discovery of this incredible neck," said Fiorillo. "One of the intriguing aspects of this project is that for us to better understand this dinosaur in our home state, we had to also rely, in part, on the results of the scientific work the Perot Museum has been doing in Arctic Alaska over the same window of time." Four years later -- after gaining the full cooperation and necessary permits from the National Park Service and lining up Bell Helicopter to help transport the fossils (at no cost) from the remote wilderness site -- the Perot Museum and UT-D team returned to the West Texas site for their top-secret mission to recover the adult sauropod bones. advertisement For eight mostly hot and dusty days in early May 2001, they gingerly dug out the vertebrae, then hauled almost 3,000 lbs. of plaster, wood, burlap and water on their backs to create the jackets protecting the huge bones. On the final day, the field team, along with excited members of the National Park Service and other spectators, nervously watched as the helicopter gently lifted the plaster jackets -- some weighing a half of a ton or more -- from the excavation site. Dangling from the chopper about 50 feet above ground, the precious cargo was slowly transported to a flatbed truck about a mile away. Once packed and safely secured, the jackets began their 550-mile journey to the Perot Museum paleo lab at Fair Park in Dallas where they'd undergo years of fossil preparation work. "This remarkable discovery illustrates the importance of America's public lands as places where scientists have access to perform research that benefits everyone," said Cindy Ott-Jones, Superintendent of Big Bend National Park. "While Big Bend National Park is a place that many people enjoy for its scenery and recreational opportunities, visitors should know that a tremendous amount of scientific research is also performed in the park." Today, visitors can view the actual fossilized neck bones from Big Bend at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, which opened in December 2012 near downtown Dallas. The enormous bones served as the inspiration for the centerpiece for the Museum's T. Boone Pickens Life Then and Now Hall, a fully assembled skeleton of the Alamosaurus standing 25 feet tall and stretching more than the length of two school buses, dwarfing a Tyrannosaurus rex standing next to it. Laser digitization and 3D printing were used to create lightweight replicas of the Perot Museum's dinosaur's neck, along with portions of the body obtained from another skeleton at the University of Texas at Austin, and tail and leg bones in the collections of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. A crowd favorite, the breathtaking cast was fabricated and mounted by Research Casting International of Ontario, and it remains the only rendition of a complete Alamosaurus skeleton on exhibit anywhere in the world. Once the decision was made in 2009 to feature the Alamosaurus at the new facility, Tykoski recalls it was a three-year Herculean effort to get the vertebrae ready for the Museum's debut. Extra staff and more than two dozen volunteers worked thousands of hours meticulously whittling away 66 million years of sediment that entombed the dinosaur bones. Both of the Perot Museum's paleontologists credit the success of the 19-year initiative to the numerous partners who collaborated and cooperated from start to finish. "The paper is just the culmination of almost two decades of hard work and incredible collaboration and partnerships between so many agencies and institutions," said Tykoski. "From people at UT-D, Big Bend National Park, Bell Helicopter, the Smithsonian Institution, the Vertebrate Paleontology Lab at UT-Austin, the dedicated staff and volunteers at the Perot Museum, and other paleontologists who offered advice and insight about these animals, so many people contributed to getting the science done and the information out there for the world to see." "This was such an incredible find, and we were able to work with so many people to help us reach a successful conclusion. I guess, at some level, everyone reverted back to their childhood awe of giant dinosaurs," added Fiorillo. Alpine forests will be at great risk should weather phenomena such as droughts and torrential rain become more frequent. As a study by the Technical University of Munich (TUM) shows, the mountain forests of the Bavarian Alps have seen a significant reduction in topsoil organic matter over the past three decades. The study authors' recommendation is therefore to preserve, or better still, increase soil humus regardless of climate change by implementing humus-promoting forest management to safeguard the mountain forest's protective function and to mitigate floods. Humus stocks are essential for soil fertility, water balance and nutrient supply of the soil. Previous studies established that especially in cooler mountain regions, carbon bound in soil organic matter reacts very sensitively to warmer weather caused by climate warming, and is increasingly released by microorganisms. As a consequence, the soil loses one of its essential features: its capacity to store carbon, which, after being released, also contributes to global warming. So far, no exact data existed as to the changes in humus stocks of Alpine soil over the years, and any calculations to this effect are rather imprecise. Scientists at the Technical University of Munich have now published a new study in Nature Geoscience that identifies the changes to Alpine humus stocks based on data from 35 mountain forests and mountain pastures. Their study is based on two independent analyses, which permitted conclusions on the changes in soil conditions over the past thirty years. Significant humus loss in mountain forest soil across short time span One of the two studies looked at all major forest and soil types across the entire 1,700 square mile area of the Bavarian Alps between 1986 and 2011. The second study observed typical mountain spruce forests in the Berchtesgaden region (total area: 230 square miles) from 1976 onward. "I was surprised to see that the humus stocks of forest soils have seen such a dramatic -- and in statistical terms significant -- degree of depletion," says Professor Joerg Prietzel of the Chair of Soil Science at TUM. During the period under investigation, the topsoil organic matter stock of forest soils in the Bavarian Alps declined by an average of approximately 14 percent. advertisement The heaviest depletion occurred in soils with limestone or dolomite parent material. They suffered a loss of just under one third of their humus mass. "Overall, the conclusions drawn from the two studies -- despite employing different approaches and covering different regions -- are almost identical," explains lead author Prietzel. No silvicultural usage of the areas under investigation took place during the study. Humus depletion must hence be a result of climate change. Climate warming in the Alps since the 1970s The soil organic matter decline is highly likely to be a consequence of climate warming, which has been recorded by weather stations in the Bavarian Alps over the past hundred years -- in particular in more recent decades. "The Alps in the Berchtesgaden region have been affected quite dramatically," explains Prof. Prietzel, "as mean air temperature there has seen a particularly drastic rise during summer months." In connection with increased temperatures during the summer months, regions where air temperatures are on the up also experience a warming of the ground, which presumably is the primary cause for the progressive degradation of soil organic matter. Digression from the findings: no humus loss found in mountain pasture soil In contrast to forest soils, mountain pasture soils examined in the Berchtesgadener Alps suffered no humus loss in the past 30 years. However, they tend to be without exception less humus-rich than directly adjoining forested soils. advertisement The authors of the study suspect that the mountain pastures, which many hundreds of years ago also used to be wooded areas before the advent of alpine farming, must have lost a considerable portion of their original humus stock relatively soon after the forests had been cleared to make room for the pastures. The remaining soil organic matter is not -- as is frequently the case with forest soil -- mostly present as "forest floor" in the surface layer, but lies deeper underground where it is better protected from humus-degrading microorganisms. The study authors recommend: implement humus-promoting forest management Ultimately, the study authors expect average summer temperatures in the Alps to keep rising, coupled with an increase in extreme weather episodes. Hence, we will see more and more extended periods of no rain at all alternating with heavy rain. A thick humus layer with great water storage capability is able to mitigate the effects of such extreme weather on mountain forests and the mountain landscape. It stores water for trees and the Alpine flora, while at the same time reducing floodwaters after heavy downpours. In order to preserve such vital functions of the humus layer, the climate-change-based humus degradation must be proactively countered by promoting humus restoration. Of central importance in this scenario are "resilient" mountain forests that can withstand extreme incidents. Such forests are characterized by being made up of a diverse range of different tree species and trees of varying ages. Trees of such forests yield a continuous supply of stray litter such as leaves, needles, roots or brushwood, and maintain a constant cool "forest climate," even during hot summers, which in turn slows down humus degradation by soil microorganisms. What's more, they also prevent erosion-borne humus loss as a result of downpours, snow gliding or avalanches. Typically ignored, the millions of microorganisms that we tread upon daily play a major role in the decomposition of soil matter -- one that is of far greater significance than that of the whales and pandas that tend to steal our attention. A group of researchers has just shown that there is an enormous diversity among a group of bacteria-eating microorganisms known as Cercozoa. In four small soil samples, each consisting of a half gram of soil, they discovered more than 1000 different species per sample. The research suggests that a drier climate in the years ahead due to climate change will contribute to a shift in the number of soil microorganisms, and thus, a shift in the decomposition of soil matter, with as of yet to be known consequences. A team led by researchers from the Section for Terrestrial Ecology (Flemming Ekelund, Christopher B. Harder and Regin Rnn, at the Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen) has just published an article in the ISME Journal (Nature Publishing Group). The group's studies show that there is enormous species diversity among an oft-overlooked group of organisms known as Cercozoa. In four small soil samples, each consisting of just a half gram of soil, the researchers discovered more than 1000 different species per sample. The research was conducted in collaboration with Section for Microbiology staff (Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen) and the eminent British scientist, David Bass (Natural History Museum, London), and is supported by national research councils and the Carlsberg Foundation. - Associate Professor Flemming Ekelund of the Department of Biology explains, "Cercozoa are small bacteria-eating microorganisms that play a prominent role in soil ecology. Serious interest in these organisms began about 25-30 years ago, as people began to wonder what caused bacteria to disappear from soil. As interest took root, the number of known species increased sharply." The name Cercozoa is derived from the Greek word, kerkos (tail), as some of the species within the group have a tail like end, and zoon (animal), as these organisms were previously thought to be a type of animal. A single teaspoon of soil (a couple of grams) contains millions of microorganisms, so it is hopeless to create a species list by studying organisms one by one. Furthermore, many of these organisms belong to species unknown to science. "We took small soil samples (-1 gram), from which we analysed DNA strands (genetic material) from hundreds of thousands of organisms" (deep sequencing), explains Christoffer Bugge Harder. "However, it's difficult to catalogue and systematise this huge amount of data. To do so, we used the Section of Microbiology's capacity to deploy specialized statistics tools. Our British colleague, David Bass, contributed precise DNA references for the species in the group that have already been thoroughly catalogued. For now, this remains at just under 1000." The studies were conducted in correlation with a climate experiment (Climate) that investigates the consequences of climate change in Denmark, as many climate researchers expect it to present itself, by 2075. Besides being able to report an enormous number of species in these samples, the research also demonstrated that a more arid climate, as expected in 2075, will probably lend to a shift in the occurrence of microorganism species; particularly within a group referred to as testate amoebae (picture). Researchers already know that climate change will result in significant shifts in plant and animal frequency. But it can also lead to changed frequencies among microorganisms, which means that climate change could have an impact on the ecological processes at work in soil. More studies are needed for researchers to specify the impact of an offset and the amount of microorganisms found in soil as a result of global warming. With eruptions of ice and water vapor, and an ocean covered by an ice shell, Saturn's moon Enceladus is one of the most fascinating in the Solar System, especially as interpretations of data provided by the Cassini spacecraft have been contradictory until now. An international team including researchers from the Laboratoire de Planetologie Geodynamique de Nantes (CNRS/Universite de Nantes/Universite d'Angers), Charles University in Prague, and the Royal Observatory of Belgium[1] recently proposed a new model that reconciles different data sets and shows that the ice shell at Enceladus's south pole may be only a few kilometers thick. This suggests that there is a strong heat source in the interior of Enceladus, an additional factor supporting the possible emergence of life in its ocean. The study has just been published online on the website of Geophysical Research Letters. Initial interpretations of data from Cassini flybys of Enceladus estimated that the thickness of its ice shell ranged from 30 to 40 km at the south pole to 60 km at the equator. These models were unable to settle the question of whether or not its ocean extended beneath the entire ice shell. However, the discovery in 2015 of an oscillation in Enceladus's rotation known as a libration, which is linked to tidal effects, suggests that it has a global ocean and a much thinner ice shell than predicted, with a mean thickness of around 20 km. Nonetheless, this thickness appeared to be inconsistent with other gravity and topography data. In order to reconcile the different constraints, the researchers propose a new model in which the top two hundred meters of the ice shell acts like an elastic shell. According to this study, Enceladus is made up successively of a rocky core with a radius of 185 km, and an internal ocean approximately 45 km deep, isolated from the surface by an ice shell with a mean thickness of around 20 km, except at the south pole where it is thought to be less than 5 km thick. In this model, the ocean beneath the ice makes up 40% of the total volume of the moon, while its salt content is estimated to be similar to that of Earth's oceans. All this implies a new energy budget for Enceladus. Since a thinner ice shell retains less heat, the tidal effects caused by Saturn on the large fractures in the ice at the south pole are no longer enough to explain the strong heat flow affecting this region. The model therefore reinforces the idea that there is strong heat production in Enceladus's deep interior that may power the hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor. Since complex organic molecules, whose precise composition remains unknown, have been detected in Enceladus's jets, these conditions appear to be favorable to the emergence of life. The relative thinness of the ice shell at the south pole could also allow a future space exploration mission to gather data, in particular using radar, which would be far more reliable and easy to obtain than with the 40 km thick ice shell initially calculated. It looks as if Enceladus still has many secrets in store! [1] And from the Instituut voor Sterrenkunde. The adolescent years can be full of changes, whether physical, emotional, or familial. A new study by Iowa State University researchers suggests that when these years include prolonged periods of food insecurity coupled with harsh parenting practices, females are prone to obesity in early adulthood. "When females who are normal weight in their early adolescence experience food insecurity, something is happening in their bodies," said Brenda Lohman, a professor in human development and family studies and the study's lead author. "This sets them on a path toward increased weight gain, so by the time they are 23, they are more likely to be overweight or obese." According to the study published in the July 2016 edition of the Journal of Adolescent Health, food deprivation when combined with other stressors such as harsh parenting, impacts a teen's development. In the study, harsh parenting was defined as hostile or aversive physical contact; punishment in response to misbehavior; or angry, critical, or disapproving behavior. "Hardships impact how a youth's parent feels, which then impacts family processes and family dynamics," said Family Transitions Project co-director Tricia Neppl, an assistant professor in human development and family studies. "Ultimately, it impacts the adolescent." Neppl along with Meghan Gillette, a lecturer in human development and family studies, co-authored the study with Lohman. Gender differences While the impact of hardships on a child is undisputed, the reason why differences appear between males and females remains a mystery. advertisement "We can't explain why the males are heavier to start in this study," Lohman said. "But more importantly, we can't explain why females are more likely to be overweight and obese when they experience food insecurity, when males aren't." Metabolic literature suggests that when a person is deprived of nutrients or proper food on top of experiencing stressors like harsh parenting, cortisol -- which the body releases during stressful situations -- may increase, and changes in the endocrine system, essential to hormone function, can lead to greater weight gain. Further work with biological researchers is needed to determine why different pathways are being set for males and females. "In particular, for the females, there's something between the stressful reaction of harsh parenting and not having the nutritional food," Lohman said. "We can only hypothesize right now that there's something going on metabolically in their bodies, that the stress hormones are increasing -- which is then changing their metabolic rate, their behaviors, or both over time." Expanding childhood wellness As research continues within the field, Lohman stresses the need to expand current views of childhood wellness to incorporate the adolescent years. As part of this effort, she serves as the chair of the Family Policy Section of the National Council on Family Relations. advertisement "Right now, within the policy field, a lot of the focus is on wellness and education during early childhood and the infant years," she said. "The policies that are in place don't focus on the developmental years surrounding puberty, like in early adolescence. So we really need, from a policy perspective, to develop that long-term." Lohman said she believes much of that development can come from a number of initiatives: providing educational classes in 21st century skills, partnering with doctors and pediatricians to share information with families regarding the impacts of harsh parenting and food insecurity, and launching public relations campaigns such as posting literature at food banks about harsh parenting's psychological effects. In addition, Lohman said that progress can be achieved by working with schools to provide healthy food for teens both in and outside of the school year, and growing teen's access and availability to food stamp programming and food banks. For example, at Iowa State, students run The Shop (Students Helping Our Peers), an on-campus food pantry housed in the Food Sciences Building. Similar programs could be developed in middle schools and high schools throughout the U.S. Widening the view While previous research within the field has explored the relationship between harsh parenting and food insecurity, the Iowa State study is more expansive, using prospective longitudinal data rather than merely a cross-sectional view. Data for this research came from the Iowa Youth and Families Project, a longitudinal study of 451 adolescent youth and their family members beginning in 1989 in the rural Midwest. Adolescents were 13 years old at initial assessment and were studied in four waves, through age 16. Both mothers and fathers self-reported their food insecurity, while family interactions were observed through in-home experiences recorded on videotape. While the family stress model used in the study was derived from a sample of rural, predominantly white families, Neppl explained that the model has been replicated with urban families, with Latinos and other ethnicities, and in other countries. The basic tenants of the model have been replicated worldwide. "What makes our study unique is that we have multiple reporters," Neppl said. "Parent-child interactions were observed over videotape, and parents reported on their own behavior, their teen's behavior, and their household situations. Then we have youth who reported on their parents' behavior and their own behavior." These observed interactions, as well as the additional reports, set the Iowa State study apart from many others. And, no studies to date have been able to assess food insecurity and harsh parenting over several years or then link them to obesity 10 years later. Astronomers have discovered a vast cloud of high-energy particles called a wind nebula around a rare ultra-magnetic neutron star, or magnetar, for the first time. The find offers a unique window into the properties, environment and outburst history of magnetars, which are the strongest magnets in the universe. A neutron star is the crushed core of a massive star that ran out of fuel, collapsed under its own weight, and exploded as a supernova. Each one compresses the equivalent mass of half a million Earths into a ball just 12 miles (20 kilometers) across, or about the length of New York's Manhattan Island. Neutron stars are most commonly found as pulsars, which produce radio, visible light, X-rays and gamma rays at various locations in their surrounding magnetic fields. When a pulsar spins these regions in our direction, astronomers detect pulses of emission, hence the name. Typical pulsar magnetic fields can be 100 billion to 10 trillion times stronger than Earth's. Magnetar fields reach strengths a thousand times stronger still, and scientists don't know the details of how they are created. Of about 2,600 neutron stars known, to date only 29 are classified as magnetars. The newfound nebula surrounds a magnetar known as Swift J1834.9-0846 -- J1834.9 for short -- which was discovered by NASA's Swift satellite on Aug. 7, 2011, during a brief X-ray outburst. Astronomers suspect the object is associated with the W41 supernova remnant, located about 13,000 light-years away in the constellation Scutum toward the central part of our galaxy. "Right now, we don't know how J1834.9 developed and continues to maintain a wind nebula, which until now was a structure only seen around young pulsars," said lead researcher George Younes, a postdoctoral researcher at George Washington University in Washington. "If the process here is similar, then about 10 percent of the magnetar's rotational energy loss is powering the nebula's glow, which would be the highest efficiency ever measured in such a system." A month after the Swift discovery, a team led by Younes took another look at J1834.9 using the European Space Agency's (ESA) XMM-Newton X-ray observatory, which revealed an unusual lopsided glow about 15 light-years across centered on the magnetar. New XMM-Newton observations in March and October 2014, coupled with archival data from XMM-Newton and Swift, confirm this extended glow as the first wind nebula ever identified around a magnetar. A paper describing the analysis will be published by The Astrophysical Journal. "For me the most interesting question is, why is this the only magnetar with a nebula? Once we know the answer, we might be able to understand what makes a magnetar and what makes an ordinary pulsar," said co-author Chryssa Kouveliotou, a professor in the Department of Physics at George Washington University's Columbian College of Arts and Sciences. The most famous wind nebula, powered by a pulsar less than a thousand years old, lies at the heart of the Crab Nebula supernova remnant in the constellation Taurus. Young pulsars like this one rotate rapidly, often dozens of times a second. The pulsar's fast rotation and strong magnetic field work together to accelerate electrons and other particles to very high energies. This creates an outflow astronomers call a pulsar wind that serves as the source of particles making up in a wind nebula. "Making a wind nebula requires large particle fluxes, as well as some way to bottle up the outflow so it doesn't just stream into space," said co-author Alice Harding, an astrophysicist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. "We think the expanding shell of the supernova remnant serves as the bottle, confining the outflow for a few thousand years. When the shell has expanded enough, it becomes too weak to hold back the particles, which then leak out and the nebula fades away." This naturally explains why wind nebulae are not found among older pulsars, even those driving strong outflows. A pulsar taps into its rotational energy to produce light and accelerate its pulsar wind. By contrast, a magnetar outburst is powered by energy stored in the super-strong magnetic field. When the field suddenly reconfigures to a lower-energy state, this energy is suddenly released in an outburst of X-rays and gamma rays. So while magnetars may not produce the steady breeze of a typical pulsar wind, during outbursts they are capable of generating brief gales of accelerated particles. "The nebula around J1834.9 stores the magnetar's energetic outflows over its whole active history, starting many thousands of years ago," said team member Jonathan Granot, an associate professor in the Department of Natural Sciences at the Open University in Ra'anana, Israel. "It represents a unique opportunity to study the magnetar's historical activity, opening a whole new playground for theorists like me." ESA's XMM-Newton satellite was launched on Dec. 10, 1999, from Kourou, French Guiana, and continues to make observations. NASA funded elements of the XMM-Newton instrument package and provides the NASA Guest Observer Facility at Goddard, which supports use of the observatory by U.S. astronomers. Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee says Cabinet has today agreed to extend New Zealands contribution to the joint New Zealand-Australia mission to train Iraqi Security Forces until November 2018. Also agreed was an amendment to the missions mandate to allow small numbers (generally around six to eight at a time) of our training and force protection team at Taji to travel for short periods to Besmaya, a secure training location about 52 kilometres south east of Taji. At Besmaya our troops will ensure a smooth hand-over of the Iraqi soldiers theyve been training at Taji to other coalition trainers, who will be teaching them to use heavy weapons, Mr Brownlee says. Finally, Cabinet has also agreed in principle that New Zealand personnel be authorised to provide training to stabilisation forces, such as the Iraqi Federal Police, in addition to the Iraqi Army. These forces are providing an essential role in securing cities once they have been liberated from Daesh so rebuilding can occur, Mr Brownlee says. To date this has been a successful mission, and the value were providing the Iraqi Security Forces to rid their country of Daesh is increasing all the time. There is no doubt our troops service is valued by the Iraqi Government, its military leaders, and the troops were training. Our armed forces are extremely good at this sort of work, and this is having a tangible effect on the Iraqi Armys ability to take and hold ground from Daesh. So it makes sense to continue doing something that adds value to the likelihood of Iraqi peace and security in the future, and to amend our mission to meet the changing environment in Iraq. To date, around 7000 Iraqi Security Force personnel have been trained by the Australia-New Zealand mission at Taji, including around 975 officers who have graduated from four junior leadership courses. Mr Brownlee says our deployment in Iraq and work with the Iraqi Army sits alongside our diplomatic, development and humanitarian commitments. Todays decisions will not change the number of troops deployed to Iraq, with up to 143 troops mandated for the mission. At present around 105 NZDF personnel and some 300 Australian Defence Force troops are deployed to Iraqs Camp Taji. Cabinet is comfortable that there are appropriate security measures in place at Taji and Besmaya, and for transiting between the two bases, to protect our personnel from a range of risks. These measures are constantly reviewed and updated to reflect the threat environment, Mr Brownlee says. Source: Office of Gerry Brownlee. Divers exploring the waters off Costa Rica recently had an extraordinary encounter with one of the ocean's most majestic creatures, who, in the throes of a life-threatening predicament, approached them as if to ask for their help. The group was partway through their dive when an enormous manta ray appeared in the distance, swimming in their direction. As the animal got closer, the divers noticed that she was entangled in rope from a fishing net which was cutting into her flesh. Visitors to the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming have come to look forward to sightings of a bear dubbed Grizzly 399 by researchers. Now, this world-famous bear is mourning the loss of the last cub she'll likely ever have. On Sunday night, "Snowy," Grizzly 399's single cub born this year, known for his distinctly blonde face, was hit by a car near an area where Grizzly 399 was commonly spotted - Pilgrim Creek. Snowy was simply caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. Dodo Shows Adoption Day Hairless German Shepherd Puppies Find The Perfect Families By Monday, Grizzly 399 was found, trying to help her child, National Geographic reported. The cub's skull had been crushed in the aftermath of the apparent hit-and-run. Grizzly 399 then dragged the cub's body away from the road. Only after Grizzly 399 had wandered away from the cub's side could park officials finally intervene to assess and remove the young bear's corpse. Reportedly, the mother was seen moving "erratically" in the aftermath. "The Park Service closed the road leading into Pilgrim Creek to give her some space," Bernie Scates, a wildlife photographer who was at the scene, told National Geographic. "It's just really hard to see 399 alone, as if she's waiting for the cub to catch up." The area of the park where Snowy was killed is expected to remain closed for a few days. Park officials are awaiting DNA test results to confirm the cub's relationship to the famous bear. Last spring, Grizzly 399's emergence from hibernation, with Snowy in tow, was especially welcomed by her fans, after a hunter had claimed to kill her during the winter, The Guardian reported. This fact alone is testament to the unfortunate history the 20-year-old mother bear has had with humans, while adding to her mystique among visitors. "Grizzlies like 399 spend time close to roads to be safe, yet sometimes roads cause their deaths," Roger Hayden, managing director of Wyoming Wildlife Advocates, told National Geographic. "They are tolerant of people, yet people can cause their deaths - especially if the federal government allows states to hunt them." There are about 700 grizzly bears in the Yellowstone area today, but the memory of Snowy, who was one of them, continues to be honored. "399's cub, known as Snowy or Spirit by the bear watchers of Grand Teton, was adored for its antics and notably white face and will be sorely missed," Wyoming Wildlife Advocates wrote on Facebook. He was supposed to be a symbol of natural beauty, but he died in the most unnatural way. An endangered jaguar named Juma, who had been used as a prop during an Olympic Torch ceremony in Brazil, was shot and killed just minutes after the cameras stopped snapping. Dodo Shows Adoption Day Hairless German Shepherd Puppies Find The Perfect Families The big cat had been held in captivity at a zoo in the city of Manaus operated by the Amazon Military Command (CMA). There, he was touted as a living mascot for the local forces, and was frequently forced to participate in various parades and official events - but Monday's Olympic torch relay ceremony would prove to be his last. Juma was collared and chained during the event as athletes posed for photos alongside him and CMA commandos stood guard. The ceremony concluded without incident, but moments later, as he was led away back to his cage on the secured grounds of the zoo, Juma managed to break free in an attempt to escape. Warning: Graphic image below. The zoo area was empty, so the public wasn't in danger, officials said in a press release. After CMA veterinarians moved in to dart the jaguar with tranquilizer, however, Juma reportedly "moved" in their direction. That's when they opened fire.

Four Paws

Not many people are talking about the 15 animals left at a zoo in Khan Younis, a town in war-torn Gaza, but some rescuers are refusing to give up on them. Four Paws The zoo - also known as South Forest Park, and which opened with 65 animals in 2007 - earned the reputation of being the worst zoo in the world when news broke that mummified dead animals were being displayed alongside live ones. This was just after the zoo was abandoned for three weeks, when Israel's airstrikes against Hamas ravaged the region in 2008, leaving many animals to starve. "We have more variations and different species as preserved animals than we have living," a zoo official told the Associated Press in 2012. "If there will be more [Israeli border] restrictions we may end up calling it preserved animals zoo." Dodo Shows Little But Fierce Pocket-Sized Kitten Grows Up To Be A Wild Woman Four Paws returned to the Khan Younis Zoo in June to give the animals food and medical treatment. | Four Paws But Four Paws International, an animal advocacy group, has been organizing trips to send much-needed supplies to the live zoo animals who still await their liberation. They were first granted entry to the region in April of last year. Last week, a team was dispatched to figure out a solution for the remaining animals, after the owner of the zoo sold off some of them because he couldn't afford to take care of them anymore. "A long-term solution must be found for the animals as soon as possible," Dr. Amir Khalil, leader of the emergency mission in Gaza, wrote in a statement. "We're going to give the animals medical treatment and check the enclosures for safety." Rescuers are trying to figure out a long-term solution for the 15 animals left there. | Four Paws One of the animals left behind in the worst zoo on earth is Laziz, the last tiger in all of Gaza. Laziz is the last surviving tiger at the Khan Younis Zoo, and the only tiger in Gaza. | Four Paws There are also several monkeys, one of whom was discovered to be pregnant. Rescuers hope she doesn't have to give birth in the nightmare situation she's currently forced to endure. One of the monkeys was discovered to be pregnant. | Four Paws Porcupines, tortoises and birds are also still awaiting rescue. Two porcupines share a tiny enclosure. | Four Paws "All these animals are somewhat neglected and urgently need medical care," the organization wrote on June 10. The team was "able to enter Gaza yesterday and intends to stay there until the end of the week to thoroughly evaluate the situation on the ground." Rescuers fed the starving turtles. | Four Paws But because no laws or provisions govern the private keeping of wild animals in the region, Four Paws needs everyone's cooperation to help the animals, from the animals' owners, to the land owners, to government officials from Israel, Gaza and Jordan. Any rescue mission would involve transporting the animals through these three regions. Four Paws But Four Paws has been successful in a number of tricky missions like this in the past. For example, in September 2014, the organization transferred three lions from the damaged Al-Bisan Zoo in the Gaza strip to a rescue center in Jordon. Four Paws Oliver Wainwright has a way with words. Theyre coming for our kettles and theyve got their eyes on our toasters, the architecture and design critic for the Guardian wrote tongue-in-cheek this week, finding his way into the Brexit debate via the European Unions Ecodesign program. Yes, the EU has an Ecodesign program aimed, as you would expect, at harmonized standards and the advancement of energy efficient appliances and such. In February the EU suddenly put its regulation plans on hold. I understand that behind the decision to delay this legislation lies in Brexit and newspaper populism of the kind we saw with the toaster story, a Member of European Parliament said at the time. The toaster story. Surely theres no more appropriate easy-access metaphor for the U.K.s decision as to whether it will yank its membership from the EU in its Thursday vote than tea and toast, part of what Wainwright deems the Leave campaigns pernicious narrative of nostalgia. He recalls the angry tweets of Leaves David Coburn, Ukip MEP for Scotland. My toaster takes four attempts before bread goes brown, Coburn tweeted. My old toaster seemed to be powered by the Torness nuclear reactor . . . this one is powered by some kind of EU windmill. Wainwright had a lot of fun with the EUs clearly devious plan to castrate our kettles and turn down our toasters in a bid to save the environment. But behind the Leave campaigns extreme torquing of populist sentiment lies the support of the most high profile appliance maker in the land. James Dyson, the innovator behind the vacuum we have all heard about and, chances are, cant afford has been among the most vocal U.K. business leaders on the Leave side. Dyson founded his self-named vacuum company in 1993, so in a swift span of time he has built an appliance maker that now exports roughly 80 per cent of its product worldwide, with, he told the Telegraph, 19 per cent sold into Europe. Were very pleased with the European market were number one in Germany and France, he said in a Telegraph interview. But its small and the real growing and exciting markets are outside Europe. It was with some surprise that I learned this past spring, having fallen into conversation with a Dyson employee in Southeast Asia, that the vacuum maker had years before moved its manufacturing to Malaysia at a cost of 500 U.K. jobs. What has stayed in Malmesbury, the little market town in the Cotswolds where Dyson set up shop, is the brain work. The campus model cleaves to the Silicon Valley design in which labour is sourced offshore to low-cost locales and the higher-end jobs kept at home. But, Dyson told the Telegraph, membership in the EU had proved an obstacle to building the high-end U.K. workforce he needs. Sixty per cent of engineering graduates at British universities are from outside the EU, and 90 per cent of people doing research in science and engineering at British universities are from outside the EU, he said. Were not allowed to employ them, unless theyre from the EU. At the moment, if we want to hire a foreign engineer, it takes four and a half months to go through the Home Office procedure. Its crazy. As for the potential negative trade impacts should the UK exit, Dyson summed his view up thusly: Cobblers . . . If, as (Prime Minister) David Cameron suggested, they imposed a tariff of 10 per cent on us, we will do the same in return. We buy more from Europe than they buy from us, so we would be the net beneficiary and based on these numbers it would bring 10 billion into the U.K. annually. The latest report from The U.K. in a Changing Europe does an estimable job of assessing strengths and weaknesses of U.K. trade with the EU, the latter including barriers in the areas of professional and digital services and an overreliance on single-market trade at a time when the EU may be stuck in a prolonged period of low growth. The report cites Superdrug as one example of a powerful U.K brand that has struggled to find a footing in the union. (The pharmacys founder, Peter Goldstein, favours Brexit.) The hysteria surrounding the vote has swept away such attempts at impartial analysis. We can thank the likes of Boris Johnson for that, and for allowing the immigration card to trump the deeply important considerations of what is most important economically for the U.K. in the long run. Almost forgotten is the endlessly long list of what makes the EU dysfunctional, from reams of red tape, to the barriers to small business, to overly demanding product labelling laws, to secrecy in operation, to the fact that the European Commission, which proposes EU legislation, is unelected. British economist Paul Mason was much more pungent in his assessment. The EU is not and cannot become a democracy. Instead, it provides the most hospitable ecosystem in the developed world for rentier monopoly corporations, tax-dodging elites and organized crime. He went on to itemize what he called the principled left wing case for Brexit. Then he explained the practical reason for ignoring it: In two words: Boris Johnson . . . Johnson and the Tory right are seeking a mandate via the referendum to full-blown Thatcherism: less employment regulation, lower wages, fewer constraints on business. Mason describes that future as a neo-liberal fantasy land. Its all a dreadful shame, seeing a moment of such historic importance reduced to the fear and arch ignorance of Johnson and his ilk. Especially, as the views of James Dyson make clear, there were so many substantive issues to argue about. Read more about: SHARE: While there has been a lot of talk about robots primed to take our jobs, Honda's ASIMO aims to put a friendlier face on the automatons. The company's helper robot has been in development for decades, and in that time has become well known for how well he dances and interacts with others. As part of the 30th anniversary of the creation of the Honda plant in Alliston, Ontario, the company brought ASIMO to Canada for demonstrations as part of the plants annual open house. We spent some time with one of the world's most advanced robots and here are some interesting things that you might not know: It looks good for 30: ASIMO, which stands for 'Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility' has been in development since 1986. It made its debut in 2000, and this is the third version. It is an autonomous robot, which means that it is programmed to respond or perform, but does not have a human controlling its every move with a joystick. It has become well known, for being able to run, go up and down stairs, dance and more. The most recent version has what engineers call "degrees of freedom" which allow it to have more dexterity and more articulated features. A perfect example is that it can now communicate with American and Japanese sign language. How much for that robot in the window: Honda won't say how much has gone into ASIMO, although it is easily in the millions. As well, in terms of how much he might cost, again, the company won't say. As to when people might be able to actually buy it, Eric Mauk, assist communications manager for Honda, hazards a guess: "We're still a decade away. The technology is evolving and the newer technology, the more expensive it is," he says. Mauk says that one of the stated goals for the robotics division is to design robots that could one day help people in their homes. Move over Drake: While ASIMO could end up in people's homes to help with small tasks, or serve as some form of assisted living support, these days, like the 6 God is the Raptors, the robot has become a brand ambassador for Honda. He started off as an engineering exercise but the breakthroughs in technology have let him walk, talk and move around have. These features have also been used in different parts of the company. They have filtered into other products, like walking-assist devices, the Unicub, a prototype single person transportation device, or Honda's Moto GP motorcycles, where ASIMO's balance technology has been used to help riders gain better traction during races. All about the balance: ASIMO is the first humanoid robot capable of human-like running, and many of his breakthroughs revolve around balance and being able to mimic our movements, which is no mean engineering feet. According Mauk, when it was being developed, the apocryphal story is that the engineers were having trouble getting it to walk, as the bulk of its weight is in its heavier upper body. One engineer saw a gymnastics competition, which provided a eureka moment as to how to get ASIMO smoothly moving. World Traveler: It's unknown how many models of ASIMO exist there are only two in North America but the little guy and his compatriots definitely getting around. From shaking hands with Sheikhs in Dubai, hanging out in Times Square and greeting students all over the world, ASIMO has been all over the world to show what he can do. SHARE: DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATESBoeing Co. said Tuesday it signed an agreement with Iran Air expressing the airlines intent to buy its aircraft, setting up the biggest business deal between the Islamic Republic and America since the 1979 U.S. Embassy takeover in Tehran. Already, an Iranian official has suggested his country as a whole may purchase $25 billion (all figures U.S. dollars) in airplanes from Chicago-based Boeing, welcome news to workers on its massive assembly line north of Seattle and company stockholders. However, the long-standing enmity between the U.S. and Iran, as well as other sanctions, still could complicate any agreement even after last years nuclear deal. Boeing issued a statement to The Associated Press saying that it signed the Iran Air agreement under authorizations from the U.S. government following a determination that Iran had met its obligations under the nuclear accord reached last summer. Boeing will continue to follow the lead of the U.S. government with regards to working with Irans airlines, and any and all contracts with Irans airlines will be contingent upon U.S. government approval, it said. Boeings statement offered no further details. Fakher Daghestani, a Dubai-based spokesman for the manufacturer, declined to elaborate. Iran Air, the countrys national carrier, said this week it wants to buy new generations of the Boeing 737, as well as the 300ER and 900 version of the Boeing 777. Earlier Tuesday, Irans Transportation Minister Abbas Akhoundi said possible deals between the Islamic Republic and Boeing could be worth as much as $25 billion, on par with the countrys earlier agreement with its European rival, Airbus. Iran also has ordered 20 airplanes from French-Italian aircraft manufacturer ATR. The initial talks were held and I can say Boeing is negotiating with the U.S. officials and possibly the amount of our purchase is equal to Airbus, Akhoundi said. If the deal goes through, he said the first Boeing plane could arrive in Iran in October. The overall size of the proposed Boeing sale to Iran remains unclear. Ali Abedzadeh, the head of Irans Civil Aviation Organization, was quoted Sunday by the state-run IRAN newspaper as saying the sale would involve 100 Boeing aircraft, something the manufacturer has declined to discuss. Boeing has been cautious about entering Irans market as other sanctions remain in place against Tehran. American officials had said as recently as last weekend that the sale would need permission from the U.S. Treasury. Its unclear what changed in the last few days. Treasury officials could not be immediately reached for comment. It is likely Boeing may run the sale through an overseas subsidiary and use a currency other than U.S. dollars in order to avoid running afoul of American laws. Iranian airlines have some 60 Boeing airplanes in service, but most were purchased before the 1979 Islamic Revolution that ousted Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and brought Islamists to power. Out of Irans 250 commercial planes, 162 are flying while the rest are grounded due to lack of spare parts, Akhoundi said Tuesday. Parts and servicing remained nearly impossible to get while the world sanctioned Iran over its contested nuclear program. Included in last years nuclear deal, which limited Irans uranium enrichment in exchange for sanctions to be lifted, is approval for airline manufacturers to enter the Iranian market. However, American lawmakers have warned Boeing not to do business there as the Iran deal remains a hot topic in the ongoing presidential election. At issue as well is Iran and Americas long-standing suspicion of each other as the two countries havent had direct diplomatic relations since 1979. For Americans, it is the U.S. Embassy takeover during the Islamic Revolution and its blacklisting of Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism. For Iranians, it is the American- and British-backed 1953 coup that installed the shah, as well as the U.S. Navys 1988 downing of an Iran Air commercial jet heading to Dubai. Since the nuclear deal, Iran also has conducted ballistic missile tests, launched rockets near U.S. warships in the Persian Gulf and briefly captured 10 American sailors. The Shiite power also has seen relations deteriorate with the Sunni kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a major U.S. regional ally. Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has expressed his continued distrust of American brands coming into the country. Comments Khamenei made in April apparently caused Iranian officials to strike models from General Motors Co.s Chevrolet division off a list of allowed automobile brands for the Iranian market. Khamenei also questioned purchasing aircraft in a speech June 14. This is a very important and necessary task, but is it a priority? Khamenei asked, according to a transcript on his official website. Imagine that we buy 300 airplanes. It is not clear whether this is a priority or not. This should be studied. Read more about: SHARE: TOKYOThe utility that ran the Fukushima nuclear plant acknowledged Tuesday its delayed disclosure of the meltdowns at three reactors was tantamount to a coverup and apologized for it. Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) president Naomi Hiroses apology followed the revelation last week that an investigation had found Hiroses predecessor instructed officials during the 2011 disaster to avoid using the word meltdown. I would say it was a coverup, Hirose told a news conference. Its extremely regrettable. TEPCO instead described the reactors condition as less serious core damage for two months after the earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011, wrecked the plant, even though utility officials knew and computer simulations suggested meltdowns had occurred. An investigative report released last Thursday by three company-appointed lawyers said TEPCOs then-President Masataka Shimizu instructed officials not to use the specific description under alleged pressure from the Prime Ministers Office, though the investigators found no proof of such pressure. The report said TEPCO officials, who had suggested possible meltdowns, stopped using the description after March 14, 2011, when Shimizus instruction was delivered to vice-president at the time, Sakae Muto in a memo at a televised news conference. Shimizu had a company official show Muto his memo and tell him the Prime Ministers Office has banned the specific words. Government officials also softened their language on the reactor conditions around the same time, the report said. Former officials at the Prime Ministers Office have denied the allegation. Then-top government spokesman Yukio Edano, now secretary general of the main opposition Democratic Party, criticized the report as inadequate and unilateral, raising suspicion over the report by the lawyers seen close to the ruling party ahead of an upcoming Upper House election. TEPCO has been accused of a series of cover-ups in the disaster, though the report found TEPCOs delayed meltdown acknowledgement wasnt illegal. Hirose said he will take a 10 per cent pay cut, and another executive will take a 30 per cent cut, for one month each to take responsibility. He vowed to take further steps to improve TEPCOs safety culture, but ruled out a possibility to further investigate what really led to Shimizus instructions. The report said Shimizus instruction delayed full disclosure of the plants status to the public, even as people who lived near the plant were forced to leave their homes, some of them possibly unable to return permanently, due to the radiation leaks from the plant. TEPCO reported to authorities three days after the tsunami that the damage, based on a computer simulation, involved 25 to 55 per cent of the fuel but didnt say it constituted a meltdown, even though the figures exceeded the 5 per cent benchmark for one under the company manual. TEPCO in May 2011 publicly acknowledged meltdown after another computer simulation showed significant meltdown in three reactors, including one with melted fuel almost entirely fallen to the bottom of the primary containment chamber. The issue surfaced earlier this year in a separate investigation in which TEPCO reversed its earlier position that it had no internal criteria regarding a meltdown announcement, admitting the company manual was overlooked. Read more about: SHARE: A group representing most major banks, insurance companies and other financial services in Toronto says it welcomes a federal-provincial agreement in principle to expand the Canada Pension Plan. We think a national comprehensive approach is the way to go, Janet Ecker, chief executive officer of the Toronto Financial Services Alliance, said Tuesday. While sympathetic to groups complaining that it could increase the cost of doing business, Ecker said an expanded CPP is the most cost-effective solution, especially for Ontario. Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne had campaigned on a plan to bring in a provincial pension plan to address shortfalls in the national system. The worry was it would undermine a lot of successful, legitimate (retirement savings) products in the investment industry, Ecker said. Have your say The more familiar and established CPP is less likely to disrupt employer-sponsored pension plans, like those offered through Sun Life Financial or Manulife Financial, she said. The financial services alliance had called for a more targeted approach to an expanded CPP, aimed at groups living below the poverty level, modest-income Canadians, and encouraging workplace retirement savings, Ecker said. Now that Ottawa and 8 of 10 provinces have agreed to an expanded CPP, the Ontario Registered Pension Plan will not go ahead pending ratification of the CPP deal by mid-July, Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa confirmed Tuesday. Finance Minister Bill Morneau announced Monday that a majority of Canadian provinces and the federal government have agreed in principle to a modest expansion of the retirement benefits payable under the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), to be phased in over seven years, beginning on January 1, 2019. All provinces except Quebec and Manitoba have agreed to the deal, which will shape the future design of retirement plans across Canada. The plan aims to enhance CPP benefits for all Canadians, while also ensuring middle-income earners are setting aside more for their retirement. Under the current CPP, employers and employees each contribute 4.95 per cent of a persons pensionable earnings between $3,500 and $54,900, up to a yearly maximum of $2,356.20. Self-employed workers must pay both portions for a total of 9.9 per cent. The new agreement would see the upper salary limit progressively increase to $82,700, and would aim at moving from a payout of 25 per cent of earnings to a 33 per cent payout. A person earning $50,000 a year would be eligible for a maximum CPP benefit of $16,000 instead of the current $12,000 once fully implemented. To help cover the cost, the contribution rate for all employees and employers will rise by 1 percentage point from the current 4.95 per cent to 5.95 per cent. The increased contributions are to be phased in starting in 2019, coming into full effect in 2025 to give business time to adapt. Low-income earners would get help managing the increase in their CPP contributions by an increase in the Working Income Tax Benefit. Employees contributing to the enhanced portion would be able to claim a tax deduction on the amount. TD Bank economist Brian DePratto called it the the first major change to the structure of Canada Pension Plan since 1965. While full details are not yet available, the proposed changes represent a significant, guaranteed enhancement to most Canadians' retirement incomes, De Pratto wrote in a research note Tuesday. The changes should help close the savings gap among middle-income Canadians, he said. For example, someone making $90,000 per year in 2016 is contributing $2,544.30 to their CPP, DePratto said in an interview. By 2025, their annual contribution will nearly double to $4,712.40, both because the rate will rise by 1 percentage point to 5.95 per cent and also because more of their income will be included under the new higher thresholds. The Canadian Federation of Business called the scheme a long-term drain on the economy, leading to job cuts, downward pressure on wages, and the risk of business closures, especially during a time of economic uncertainty. More than one-third of employed Canadians said such increases will reduce their ability to spend on essential goods and services, the small business advocacy group said in a statement. The scheme will be doubly damaging for many employees and their employers by raising the rate of contributions and amount of income covered, the group said. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce warned that an expanded CPP will have repercussions on an already fragile business sector. We strongly support any program that will allow Canadians to save towards their retirementas long as it is done on their own terms, the group said in a statement. The announced agreement to expand the CPP will basically be a form of payroll tax that, when it is in full force, will put further financial strain on Canadas already struggling businesses and on the middle class, the group said. CPP rates will have to increase if the income replacement rises from one quarter to one third, but the government has so far not stated how much this will cost, the group said. When a government promises big increases in benefits without telling us how much it will cost or who will pay for it, we know theres a big bill coming, the group said. The silver lining of the agreement is that it likely means Ontario will not be moving ahead with its separate plan, the Ontario Retirement Pension Plan, which would have been an even worse strain on businesses of that province, the group said. The agreement represents a significant compromise among the provinces and will have a considerable impact on Canadian workers and public and private sectors employers who sponsor pension plans, according to benefits consulting firm Willis Towers Watson It may also affect the types of workplace pension plans employers offer. The expansion of the CPP raises the question of how employers will respond, and whether adjustments should be made to existing workplace pension plans, the benefits company said. SHARE: A miniseries based on Margaret Atwoods novel Alias Grace will screen on CBC and Netflix. Oscar-nominated filmmaker Sarah Polley is writing and producing the six-hour project, which will begin shooting in Ontario in August. Mary Harron will direct. The story is inspired by the real-life murder case involving Grace Marks, an Irish immigrant and maid in Upper Canada. She and stable hand James McDermott were convicted of the murders of their employer, Thomas Kinnear, and his housekeeper, Nancy Montgomery, in 1843. McDermott was hanged while Marks was sentenced to life imprisonment. After 30 years in jail, she was exonerated. Polley says in a statement that she first read Alias Grace when she was 17 years old and has read it many times over the last 20 years. Grace Marks, as captured by Margaret Atwood, is the most complex, riveting character I have ever read, she says. Im thrilled that Mary Harron has taken the project on. I know that her ability to create suspense, tension, and delve into the dark, unknowable aspects of her characters will bring this piece alive. I cant wait for us to bring the many versions of Graces gripping story, and the questions they raise, to television audiences. Read more about: SHARE: A Canadian man who was detained for nearly two years in the United Arab Emirates has returned to Canada. Salim Alaradi arrived at Torontos Pearson International Airport just before 6 p.m. on Monday, telling family, friends and media upon arrival that he was overwhelmed to be home after the last two years. The 46-year-old Canadian of Libyan origin said he will need time to recover and get medical treatment before settling in Windsor, Ont., with his family and enjoying a Canadian summer. Alaradi immigrated to Canada from the U.A.E. in 1998, living in Vancouver with his family. He decided to return to the U.A.E. in 2007 to run a home appliance business with his brother. He and his family were on vacation within the U.A.E. when he was arrested in August 2014. After being held for months without being charged, Alaradi was put on trial early this year on terrorism charges, and pleaded not guilty. Those charges were dropped in March and replaced with two lesser offences. Alaradi was found not guilty on May 30, clearing the way for his return to Canada. SHARE: MONTREALThere is an elevated risk of domestic terror attacks as Daesh and other terror groups suffer defeat on the battlefield, according to the author of a ground-breaking report based on first-hand interviews with Canadian and western jihadists in Syria and Iraq. Im confident that if they were ordered to go back home and do something, at least a high percentage, I think, would very obediently do it. Its quite clear they are willing to die eager to die for the cause, said University of Waterloo professor Lorne Dawson, a terrorism researcher specializing in religious studies. The report tracked down 62 of the almost 100 Canadians believed by federal authorities to have travelled to Syria and Iraq to fight with Daesh, also known as ISIS, or other terrorist groups such as Jabhat al-Nusra. More than a third 22 are from Ontario, 11 are of Somali origin and 10 are female. All were either born in Canada or raised in this country from a young age, Dawson said. The majority of those contacted are from comfortable backgrounds a conclusion that Dawson said challenges the prevailing belief that economic prospects, poverty and criminality are major elements in determining who will become radicalized. Were just not seeing any evidence of that, he said. The report is one part of a larger project funded by Defence Research and Development Canadas Canadian Safety and Security Program with a $580,000 grant. The program funds research that will help the country anticipate, prevent or respond to disasters, accidents, crime and terrorism. The final draft of the report was submitted to the government this spring but has not yet been made public. The government believes in the importance of evidence-based decision-making in order to keep Canadians safe and to safeguard our rights and freedoms, said Scott Bardsley, a spokesperson for Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, adding that the findings are those of the researchers, not the government. The report examined a core group of 20 jihadists who were interviewed along with family and friends. Seven of the 20 are Canadian. The others are from the United States, the United Kingdom, other parts of Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Australia. They almost all reported that they came from a comfy background. Some even said luxurious. They spoke about having access to cars and money and going on vacation and hanging out at the beach and partying, said Dawson adding that two-thirds had either attended post-secondary institutions or received university degrees. In other words, most jihadists were not actively fleeing conditions in their home country but were instead drawn by an ideology that gave them an identity and a sense of purpose even if that purpose is dying as a martyr for their interpretation of Islam. You get the feeling that they were saying that life seemed shallow and meaningless. That this wasnt enough for them certainly for those that finished a university degree and then started a career and then they walked away from it. It wasnt because they were denied a future. Its because what theyve got is just not worth it. Three of the 20 jihadists interviewed for the report were from Quebec and in two of those cases either the young men or their families raised the issue of a secular charter proposed by the Parti Quebecois government of the day that would have banned public-sector workers from wearing religious symbols such as a hijab. If you look at the remaining four Canadians, they make no mention about any particular special discrimination in Canada. Their justification is all about the virtue of the Islamic state and an Islamic life . . . about the general moral corruption of western society, Dawson said. The report found that almost every one of the jihadists were radicalized in a group before deciding to go in abroad. In many cases a grievance over the plight of the Palestinians or conflicts in the Middle East or Afghanistan led the young people online. There, they found extremist propaganda that they digested and then shared with friends, so that they were, in effect, radicalizing each other. Most of the 20 interviewed were the first in their group to travel to Syria. About half were later joined by friends from back home. They all stressed that its a collective thing . . . but its clear that only some have the guts to actually go and the ones that spoke to us appear to be leaders, which would explain why they were willing to talk to us, Dawson said. Friends who arrive together are separated. Those who follow friends to Syria are assigned to different groups, Dawson said, adding that it is a tried-and true tactic of religious cults meant to ensure that an individuals loyalty is to the group rather than to another person. Single fighters living with other young men and are called into battle when needed, operating like a militia made up of young men in their 20s. No one contacted expressed a willingness to return home, or a doubt about their decision to travel abroad. Their only regrets were that they had not yet achieved martyrdom dying in battle in defence of their religion. With the current military onslaught in the Iraqi city of Fallujah, or the inevitable future assaults on Mosul or Raqqa the Syrian city that serves as Daeshs headquarters martyrdom becomes increasingly likely, but so does the terror groups desperation, Dawson warned. Theyre true apocalyptic, utopian ideological thinkers. They honestly believe Gods on their side, he said. They know that theres a long dark persecution before . . . virtue triumphs and the more and more they lose and theyre persecuted, in a bizarre way, the more intransigent theyll become and convinced that . . . if they dont break faith with God then God will ultimately reward their faithfulness. 62 Canadians were contacted by the University of Waterloo researchers Where theyre from: Ontario: 22 Alberta: 17 Quebec: 16 Province not given: 4 British Columbia: 3 Many different backgrounds: Somali origin: 11 Unknown origin: 11 Algerian origin: 8 Lebanese origin: 5 Bangladeshi origin: 4 Pakistani origin: 4 Syrian origin: 4 Self-described white: 4 Afghan origin: 3 Jamaican, Moroccan, Bosnian, Indian, Libyan or Sudanese origins: 8 Gender: Male: 52 Female: 10 Read more about: SHARE: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he will make his first official visit to Ukraine next month. The prime minister says he will make the trip after attending the NATO summit in Poland in early July and travelling to the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp to honour the victims of the Holocaust. He made the announcement in Toronto on Monday while speaking to the Canada-Ukraine Business Forum, where the news was greeted with cheers and applause. Trudeau says he will be meeting with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman to discuss key issues facing our two economies and reiterate Canadas support for Ukraine. He says the two countries share a historic friendship, one that is forged through generations of shared values and strong relations. Canada has provided support to Ukraine since the beginning of the crisis that began in November 2013. Roughly 200 members of the Canadian Armed Forces are currently deployed in Ukraine to deliver training. Read more about: SHARE: OTTAWA In two and a half years, Canadians will gradually start paying more premiums into the Canada Pension Plan. In several decades, supporters say the historic CPP deal reached Monday between Ottawa and most provinces will boost retirement security for future generations. But by policy-making standards, the agreement-in-principle an unlikely outcome just a few months ago happened in the blink of an eye. Even the federal finance minister, a pension expert, had given himself until the end of the year to finish up negotiations. Instead, the provinces are now being asked to finalize an agreement by July 15 that will eventually increase contributions and retirement benefits through the public plan. Following weeks of talks and an all-day meeting in Vancouver on Monday, finance ministers emerged with the agreement-in-principle. Even provinces such as Saskatchewan and British Columbia, which had expressed concerns about the timing of CPP reform, had signed on. Only Manitoba and Quebec declined to agree to the terms. The agreement came together as pollsters pointed to overwhelming popular support for public pension reform amid concerns about the adequacy of retirement savings. The federal Liberals ran on a platform to upgrade the public pension system, as did their Ontario cousins. The result also means Ontario will abandon its project to go it alone with its own pension plan. How did this all happen so quickly? Sources familiar with the talks said doubters had concerns about the potential economic impact of boosting the CPP, even at the late stages of negotiations. They said Ottawa made a major push in the final days and hours, which helped secure enough country-wide support to expand the CPP. To make the change, they needed consent of a minimum of seven provinces representing at least two-thirds of Canadas population. The sources also suggested Prime Minister Justin Trudeau himself was involved in the extra effort. On top of that, Ontario, which had been moving forward its more-ambitious pension plan proposal, backed away from its earlier demands that CPP reform should be just as robust. Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa said in an interview Monday after the announcement that the swift agreement was driven by several factors. Sousa said all of his counterparts agreed there were undersaving issues. He also said that Ontarios proposed pension plan and its parameters gave ministers around the table an example to examine. And some provinces, especially those hit hard by the commodity-price shock, were looking for only a gradual implementation due to the fragile economy, Sousa added. The agreement Monday states the CPP premium increases on workers and employees will only start to be phased in on Jan. 1, 2019. Ontarios increase was set to begin in 2018. British Columbia Finance Minister Michael de Jong said the deal was reached in part because of compromises and the desire to maintain a single, portable CPP across Canada. We think this strikes the right balance in that regard, de Jong told reporters after the announcement. The deal, however, wasnt embraced by everyone. Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau said Manitoba needed more time to examine the deal since its government was only a few weeks old. This comes very fast and hard for them, Morneau said of Manitoba, whose finance minister wasnt present for the news conference. Quebec refused to sign the deal out of concern a broad-based premium increase would have a negative impact of low-income earners, the provinces finance minister said in an interview. The province operates its own sister program of the CPP the Quebec Pension Plan. Quebec can adjust the QPP as it likes, but it has typically followed the CPP. Quebec Finance Minister Carlos Leitao said in an interview he will raise QPP premiums according to the CPP deal. He said would also phase them in over the same period. But unlike the broader-based CPP reform agreement, he said Quebec would only raise premiums on income earned above $27,500. Thats why Quebec didnt sign the agreement-in-principle, Leitao said. Those people already have a hard time saving, so their disposable income is pretty tight and I think by taking the decision that we took, we will avoid an unfair tax on them and also on their employers, he said. As we know, payroll taxes tend to be the most economically inefficient taxes. To help offset the effect on low-income earners of increased CPP premiums, Ottawa said would it enhance the federal Working Income Tax Benefit and provide a tax deduction. Critics of CPP expansion have also said it would squeeze workers and employers by imposing additional contributions and hurt the economy. Dan Kelly, the president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, warned that the CPP expansion is pretty devastating for small businesses. The big question I ask myself is what was the size of the federal cheques that were written to some of these provinces to get them to the table? Kelly said. Others were thrilled by the announcement. The head of an organization that has been campaigning for CPP reform for years said Mondays deal would create the first benefits increase for the plan since it was created in 1966. Its really historic I never thought this moment would come, said Hassan Yussuff, president of the Canadian Labour Congress. Read more about: SHARE: QUEBECAt least two prominent politicians have blasted whoever left a pigs head outside a mosque in Quebec City over the weekend. Premier Philippe Couillard described it as a despicable act, while Mayor Regis Labeaume called the perpetrator a cretin. We want to live in peace, we want to live in harmony, Couillard said in Montreal on Monday. Everybodys entitled to follow their own convictions and their own religion. It speaks unfortunately of the hatred and the intolerance that exist in our society. Fortunately, its a small minority of people, Im sure, but its something that should be condemned very very strongly ... Its despicable. Labeaume said Muslims are Quebec citizens. They are a part of us, of our community. The animals head was left outside an Islamic cultural centre that is home to a mosque. According to photos published on Facebook by the cultural centre, the head was wrapped in transparent plastic tied with blue and white ribbons, with a note reading, Bonne appetit (sic). Many Muslims dont eat pork due to their religious beliefs. Police are investigating the incident, which occurred in the middle of Ramadan, when some Muslims fast from dawn to sunset. Read more about: SHARE: MONTREALBy all indications, Stephen Harper has slipped away from the House of Commons without leaving a trace in the official record of parliamentary debates of the departure of one of Canadas longest serving prime ministers. The House adjourned for the summer on Friday. Harper is expected to resign from his Calgary seat over the summer and move on to a career in the private sector before it re-opens in mid-September. Between now and then MPs will gather just once, on June 29, to hear U.S. president Barack Obama address Parliament. If all goes according to that tentative plan Harper will leave the Hill without having dignified the place with a final farewell. Political friends and foes in the House will not have had an opportunity to mark the occasion of his retirement. The last time the former Conservative leader spoke in the Commons was in his capacity as prime minister a year ago to the day last Friday. As was their practice, he and NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair sparred at length, giving Canadians a preview of what the two of them believed would be the central duel of the upcoming election campaign. It is possible, with the benefit of hindsight, to give Harper credit for prescience for having predicted on that occasion that Canadians were not looking for the high-tax, protectionist, anti-prosperity agenda of the NDP, except that he probably did not mean that voters would select Justin Trudeau and a deficit-financed spending plan instead. From his more recent seat on the opposition side, Harper did not rise a single time to speak but he did vote assiduously. In total, the former prime minister participated in 99 votes since the new Parliament opened. For the sake of comparison, he attended as many votes as his partys interim leader, Rona Ambrose, and showed up for 10 more than Mulcair did. Most notably, Harper voted against the medically assisted death-bill at third and final reading. If he had been re-elected that is the one piece of legislation he, too, would have had to craft. Pigs would have flown before a Conservative government brought in a more permissive legislation to respond to the Supreme Courts Carter ruling than Trudeau did. It would have been interesting to watch the many Conservative senators who found Bill C-14 overly restrictive struggle with one drafted on Harpers instructions Two votes the former prime minister did miss dealt with ailing Liberal MP Mauril Belangers bill to make the English-language lyrics of the national anthem gender neutral. Harpers government had once proposed such a change only to back off in the face of a grassroots backlash. For all the talk of the first full sitting of a Trudeau-run Parliament being devoted to undoing Harpers legacy, his final months in the House were probably not very painful, or at least not as painful as the months Paul Martin spent in the Commons after he lost the 2006 election to the Conservatives. Within his first year in office, and despite not having the command of a majority in the House, his successor had taken his distance from the Kelowna Accord and Martins master plan for a different relationship with Canadas indigenous people. He had initiated Canadas retreat from the Kyoto Protocol on climate change and put the Liberal national childcare program in the dustbin. By comparison, Trudeau has so far merely been scribbling in the margins of his predecessors testament. From Harpers perspective, the bittersweet moments of the past eight months if any would have involved his fellow Conservatives. He spent a decade in power trying in vain to build a Quebec team worthy of the name only to watch one belatedly bloom on the opposition benches. Harper could have used more ready-for-prime-time recruits such as former Action Democratique leader Gerard Deltell when he was in power. And then there is the remarkable speed at which the Conservative caucus has bounced back from the election defeat. That swift recovery has been one of the more remarkable features of the new House of Commons. In the same predicament a decade ago the Liberals went through all five stages of grief over the three successive Parliaments. The Conservatives, on the other hand, look like they are having more fun than in their glory days in government. They did not wait for Harper to leave the House to move on. Correction June 21, 2016: This article was edited from a previous version that misspelled U.S. president Barack Obamas given name. Read more about: SHARE: GATINEAU, QUE.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was in vintage form as he took part Tuesday in a ceremony marking the 20th annual National Aboriginal Day. Trudeau attended a sunrise ritual on the shore of the Ottawa River wearing moccasins and a buckskin jacket that his office said was owned by his father, the late Pierre Elliott Trudeau. The former prime minister was known for donning buckskin as he ventured out in his younger years on canoeing expeditions in Canadas far north. As the sun rose beyond a bridge linking Quebec and Ontario, Justin Trudeau was bathed with a ceremonial smoke as part of a smudging ceremony before paddling beneath the Parliament buildings in a 10-metre cargo canoe. The federal government began observing National Aborginal Day on June 21 two decades ago. This year, the tribute in the national capital region took place outside Canadas Museum of History with several federal cabinet ministers and local MPs in attendance. Trudeau didnt speak publicly at the event, but issued a statement in which he encouraged Canadians to learn more about the countrys indigenous heritage. National Aboriginal Day is first and foremost an occasion to celebrate the fundamental role First Nations, Metis, and Inuit have played and continue to play in shaping the identity of all Canadians, the statement said. Coast to coast to coast, their remarkable art and cultures, significant contributions and history, are essential to our sense of nationhood. Trudeau also pointed to a rash of recent suicides in some aboriginal communities, and the feelings of despair felt by some indigenous Canadians, as reasons for governments to better support the well-being of children and families, improve the quality of education for indigenous students, and ensure health services meet the needs of indigenous communities. The Liberals campaigned in last years federal election on a platform that pledged to boost support for Canadas indigenous peoples, and to launch a national public inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women. Gov. Gen. David Johnston was to mark the day by visiting the Woodland Cultural Centre, a former residential school in Brantford, Ont. The visit, Johnston said in a statement, would help to better measure the impact that such institutions have had on Aboriginal Peoples. In 2008, then prime minister Stephen Harper apologized on behalf of the government for the multi-generational upheaval caused by residential schools, which were designed to assimilate aboriginal youth into Canadian society. The last residential school closed in 1996. Read more about: SHARE: A Wisconsin city has been given the green light to draw water from the Great Lakes after eight states approved a precedent-setting request that had raised concerns in Canada and the U.S. The go-ahead means the city of Waukesha has become the first exception to an agreement banning diversions of water away from the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River basin. The city of about 70,000 people asked to divert water from Lake Michigan because its own aquifer is running low and the water is contaminated with high levels of naturally occurring, cancer-causing radium. Critics in Canada and the U.S. warned that the request would set a dangerous example for other communities facing water shortages. But after making a series of amendments, the representatives of eight states adjoining the Great Lakes who had final say on the matter after input from Ontario and Quebec gave Waukeshas $207-million proposal unanimous approval at a meeting Tuesday. There are a lot of emotions and politics surrounding this issue, but voting yes in co-operation with our Great Lakes neighbours is the best way to conserve one of our greatest natural resources, said Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder. Mandating strict conditions for withdrawing and returning the water sets a strong precedent for protecting the Great Lakes. Under a current regional agreement between the states and Ontario and Quebec, diversions of water away from the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River basin are banned, with limited exceptions that can be made only when certain conditions are met. Waukesha argued that although its located outside the boundary of the Great Lakes basin, it is part of a county straddling that geographical line and should be allowed access to the lakes water. It also promised to return treated water to Lake Michigan. Ontario, which conducted a review of the plan, expressed concerns about Waukeshas request and had found that the potential impacts of the diversion on Great Lakes water quantity had not been sufficiently assessed. We remain apprehensive about the diversion by Waukesha and will continue to voice the concerns of Ontarians, Jason Travers, director of the Natural Resources Conservation Policy Branch at Ontarios Ministry of Natural Resources said Tuesday. We also recognize that there is an opportunity to improve the current process by refining existing guidelines. Ontario and Quebec did not get a say in the final vote on Waukeshas request, but representatives of the two provinces were involved in preliminary approval granted to Waukesha last month, which said the citys request could comply with the regional agreement if certain conditions were met. Those conditions included shrinking the size of the area it would provide with Lake Michigan water and limiting the average amount of water it would draw to 31 million litres a day. Opponents of Waukeshas plan warned, however, that the city was likely the first of several communities that would seek to become exceptions to the agreement meant to protect the Great Lakes. Its frustrating. A lot of time, effort and money has gone into making our Great Lakes beautiful and preserving the water quality, and this is what can happen in a blink of an eye, said Mitch Twolan, mayor of Huron-Kinloss, Ont. He is also on the board of directors of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, which represents more than 100 local governments on both sides of the border. The group had urged the Great Lake state governors to reject Waukeshas application, saying the citys amended service area was still too large, the return flow of water to Lake Michigan had not been analyzed closely enough, and the approval process dealing with Waukeshas request has not allowed enough public participation. A Canadian environmental group, which was also among the opponents of Waukeshas plan, added that the city did not consider treating the radium in its water supply closely enough. Waukesha did not demonstrate clearly that they had assessed that option, said Keith Brooks, a spokesman for Environmental Defence. If we start drawing more water from the lakes than can be replenished, then the water levels are going to go down. Ultimately, only a very small amount of this is a renewable resource. Read more about: SHARE: A revised transit plan for Scarborough risks giving residents just one new rapid transit stop when 25 stops could be built at roughly the same cost, critics say. Now that the estimate for a one-stop subway extension has ballooned to $2.9 billion, experts in city building and council critics say bad politics are trumping good planning. Two proposed LRT lines once championed by the citys chief planner, Jennifer Keesmaat, could be built to create a network of 25 stops serving tens of thousands more people at the same cost. The Star has also learned that Mayor John Torys signature SmartTrack plan has shed a station in Scarborough. Part of Torys pitch for 13 new local stations along existing GO Tracks tied to the provinces plans to expand service was that stations in Scarborough would serve residents looking to get downtown. But just five new SmartTrack stops have made the cut, reduced from an earlier seven-stop option. At least one Scarborough stop at Ellesmere Rd. will no longer be recommended. A station at Lawrence Ave. is part of the plan. Thats the reality council now faces as city staff prepares to unveil recommendations for a future transit network on Tuesday. That debate, including what to build in Scarborough and at what cost, will begin anew at executive committee next week. For the same price, Scarborough could either receive a network of 25 rapid transit stops connecting Centennial College, U of T (Scarborough), Scarborough Town Centre and several neighbourhoods throughout Scarborough, versus spending $3 billion on one subway stop that would leave most Scarborough residents on the bus, said Councillor Josh Matlow, who has been a vocal critic of the costly subway plan. I believe that city council, along with the province, needs to put Scarborough residents before politics. As criticism of a three-stop subway plan grew, Tory and Keesmaat announced a modified version in January. By reducing the subway extension to just a single stop, they said, the savings could be used to build an 18-stop LRT along Eglinton Ave. to the University of Toronto Scarborough campus. But on Friday, Tory announced that the cost of building both lines was $1 billion more than expected totaling $4.5 billion, when there is only $3.56 billion in funding committed from three levels of government. Tory and Premier Kathleen Wynnes Liberal government have said support for the one-stop subway extension remains unwavering. Though Tory said he is determined to still build the LRT, it is unclear how the city would pay for it. Those questioning a one-stop subway extension at that cost say theres an alternative already studied the approved seven-stop LRT that would run completely separated from traffic in the existing Scarborough RT corridor, which still connects Scarborough Town Centre to Kennedy Station. That line was fully funded by the province, at $1.48 billion. And for a further $1.6 billion, the city could still build the 18-stop LRT a total of 25 stops. Ken Greenberg, former City of Toronto director of urban design and architecture, now principal of Greenberg Consultants, said it is absurd to invest $3 billion in available transit dollars in a single stop. While I understand how the politics of this arose and how people got dug in to these positions, theres a point when the greater part of wisdom is to respond to new information and make sensible decisions based on the evidence, he said. I think if you look at Scarborough and the need to spread development out of really intense areas in downtown Toronto . . . it seems intuitive to me that a form of transit like light rail that was proposed with seven stops would actually serve far more people better. Chief planner Keesmaat has previously pitched LRTs in Scarborough as the best city-building tool allowing for midrise, medium-density development and creating walkable neighbourhoods that connect more residents to new jobs, schools and downtown destinations. Its Keesmaat, experts agreed, who now faces a difficult task when the report is debated by the executive committee on June 28 and when she stands before council in July. In 2013, she argued the seven-stop LRT, which would still connect to the Scarborough Town Centre, was more desirable than a three-stop subway based on the criteria that we have for great city-building, looking at economic development, supporting healthy neighbourhoods, affordability, choice in the system. But council under former mayor Rob Ford scrapped those plans buoyed by ridership numbers hastily produced by Keesmaats planning division that just barely justified a subway and backed that technology instead. In January, Keesmaat presented the optimized plan that included the 18-stop LRT, what she argued was good city-building when questioned about the subway. Now that LRT is on the chopping block, Keesmaat has yet to speak publicly about the plan. Building both LRT lines would serve at least six times the number of people and jobs within walking distance of a station, compared with a single subway stop at Scarborough Town Centre, based on a conservative analysis of the available data from the city and census data. The LRT network would also reach six underserved priority neighbourhoods. The one-stop subway serves just one. There is demand for local stations within Scarborough that would not be served by a single subway stop. City staff reported in January that nearly half of all the transit trips currently being taken in Scarborough 99,000, or 48 per cent also end in Scarborough. Of transit trips that begin in Scarborough, only 23 per cent end downtown. A one-stop subway extension and just one new RER/SmartTrack stop between the existing Kennedy and Agincourt GO stations would leave thousands of people needing to take a bus daily to connect to rapid transit. There is a clear logic to extending the subway to Scarborough Town Centre both in terms of the transit network, and in terms of development potential, but if we take into consideration a constrained budget, it is clear that spending a similar amount building an LRT network in Scarborough will have a much bigger positive impact, said UTSC urban geography professor Andre Sorensen, whose Choices for Scarborough study outlined the best transit options for the area. Our research showed that LRT would serve more people, create access to more jobs, and will open up more development opportunities than the proposed subway. Those who supported the one-stop subway plan on the back of the 18-stop LRT spine being added to the map say that without it, that plan falls apart. I think a lot of us set down our arms and accepted the Scarborough subway proposal because it included the LRT that delivered so much more transit bang for your buck, said Cherise Burda, executive director of Ryerson Universitys City Building Institute. Thats what the gift is to Scarborough, is all of that transit that crosses all of those communities and goes to the university. Its the part of the transit plan that got people on board. With files from Ben Spurr Read more about: SHARE: A middle-aged man was rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries after a stabbing in Scarborough on Monday night. Toronto Paramedic Services said they got a call about a stabbing near Lawrence Ave. E. and Susan St. shortly after 11 p.m. The victim, a man in his 50s, had been stabbed in the neck. Const. David Hopkinson confirmed early Tuesday that the 911 call was made from a nearby bar, but said it was unclear whether the man was actually stabbed inside or outside. Hopkinson described the mans wounds as very serious. Paramedics and police made an emergency run to Sunnybrook Hospital with the victim. On Tuesday morning, police officers could be seen inside Happy Time Barneys, a bar at a nearby plaza. Police tape cordoned off the plazas parking lot. Several calls made to Barneys before closing time went unanswered. SHARE: The longest day of the year had to be a Monday. On the bright side, Tuesday is only a couple of minutes shorter, so theres still plenty of daylight to enjoy once the workday is done, with sunrise at 5:36 a.m. and sundown just after 9 p.m. In some places around the globe, the summer solstice is cause for celebration. At Stonehenge, new-agers and modern druids flock to the monument to welcome the longest day of the year. And in some Scandinavian nations, the summer solstice marks Midsummer Eve, a day for dancing around a maypole and stuffing yourself with pickled herring. For the first time in 49 years, the summer solstice coincides with the first full moon of June. First Nations call it a strawberry moon because June marks the beginning of the brief strawberry season, The Farmers Almanac says. It was during this moon cycle that Ojibwe communities held their annual feasts, the Ontario Native Literacy Coalition says. The solstices significance in indigenous culture was the reason June 21 was chosen as National Aboriginal Day. One of the most impressive joint celebrations in Canada is held each year in Yellowknife, NWT, highlighting northern musicians, storytelling, traditional drumming, dancing and throat singing, and caribou hide tanning. In the absence of maypoles, ancient rocks and caribou, there are other ways to make the most of the longest days of the year. 1. Go fly a kite How many times have you lost your kite to the night? Too many to count, no doubt. On Tuesday, kite-flying enthusiasts will have a large time window to catch a breeze while the sun is up. 2. Get your dose of Vitamin D Suns rays will melt the winter blues. Science says so. The summer solstice may be the happiest time of the year because sunlight helps regulate circadian rhythms, which control sleep cycle, hormonal fluctuations and body temperature, Philip Gehrman, associate director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program at the University of Pennsylvania, told Time magazine. 3. The dog days of summer No need for street meat when you can cook your own hot dog using the suns rays. The Grade 8 science section of Education.com explains how to make a solar-powered hot dog cooker. Aluminum foil and shoebox (or empty Pringles can) required. 4. Bottoms up The daylight hours may be longer, but unfortunately the happy hours arent. However, the sunlight means you wont get chilly sitting outside and sipping an ice-cold margarita. 5. Better than pickled herring If you missed the last summer solstice Strawberry Moon until 2062, console yourself with freshly picked strawberries. The strawberry season has just started at farms near the GTA and will be hitting farmers markets. SHARE: The tiny house on Sheppard Ave. W. may be vacant and run-down, but the story behind it is replete with terrorism, international intrigue and diplomatic headaches. An Ontario court found that the building as well as another empty property in Ottawa and two bank accounts is owned by the Islamic Republic of Iran. And last week, a Toronto judge dismissed the countrys arguments of state immunity from seizure of property and ordered that the assets be turned over to American victims of Iran-sponsored terrorism who have won cases against Iran in U.S. courts. The complex case and subsequent ruling comes as the federal government is looking to re-establish diplomatic relations with Tehran that were cut off by the Conservative government in 2012. It also highlights the little-known fact that federal legislation allows for victims of state-sponsored terrorism from other countries, and their families, to ask Canadian courts to seize Iranian assets here if they can prove their case. The Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act, enacted under the former Conservative government, currently lists Iran and Syria as state sponsors of terrorism. The case involves dozens of American victims, their families and estates who had been successful in getting judgments against Iran in U.S. courts, and then applied north of the border to collect some of the damages they claim theyre owed. Theyre very happy, obviously, with the result, said lawyer John Adair, who represents some of the victims and their estates. Among the plaintiffs are legal guardians and family members of Edward Tracy and Joseph Cicippio, who were kidnapped by Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon in the 1980s and tortured during their years in captivity. Tracy was awarded $18.5 million in damages by the U.S. courts in 2003, while Cippios relatives were awarded $91 million in 2005 for emotional distress. Terrorism is one of the worlds greatest threats, Superior Court Justice Glenn Hainey wrote in his decision rejecting Irans numerous arguments regarding immunity. This case involves claims by victims of terrorist attacks carried out by two terrorist organizations, Hamas and Hezbollah. The defendant, the Islamic Republic of Iran, has been designated as a foreign state supporter of both of these terrorist organizations. Irans Toronto lawyer, Colin Stevenson, said the country intends to appeal. The battle over the house in North York and the other assets began in earnest two years ago, when Superior Court Justice David Brown found that they were beneficially owned by Iran. The country did not participate in the court proceedings at the time, but maintained that the building at 290 Sheppard Ave. W. in Toronto and 2 Robinson Ave. in Ottawa were legally owned by active corporations, and not held in trust for Iran. Property records show the North York building was purchased in 2005 for $827,000 by Farhangeiran Inc., whose sole director listed in the corporate registry is Fazel Larijani. A former cultural attache at the Iranian embassy in Ottawa, Larijani is part of a powerful Iranian family whose brothers have served as Speaker of the Iranian parliament and head of the judiciary. The property is now estimated to be worth closer to $1.3 million. The Ottawa building was purchased for $1.6 million in 1998 by Fatima Cultural Activities and transferred to the Mobin Foundation in 2001, property records show. The sole director of the foundation listed in the corporate registry is Seyed Adeli, a former Iranian ambassador to Canada. Its estimated the propertys price tag is now closer to $3 million. According to Browns 2014 ruling, Iran also had two Canadian bank accounts that were considered non-diplomatic one with Scotiabank containing $1,651,942 and another with RBC, holding 333,445.23. The funds were deposited into a trust account pending last weeks ruling ordering that the money be given to the plaintiffs. Both the Ottawa and Toronto properties were once known as cultural centres, but many Iranian academics in Canada believe otherwise. The North York property was called the Center for Iranian Studies, and its now-defunct website said it was a non-government organization supporting those interested in Iranian culture. But in an open letter in 2010, eight prominent Iranian academics in Toronto demanded to know what took place at the centre and who was funding its activities. They said it was really a front for the Iranian government. The house was sparsely furnished when the Star visited that year. We were all surprised. What is this? To which university is it linked? said Saeed Rahnema, a retired York University political science and public policy professor who was one of the letters signatories. When we found out its not linked to any of the universities, then of course people got suspicious. When the Star visited again in 2014, the blinds were drawn and there was no answer at the door. Neighbours reported seeing less activity next door after Irans diplomatic mission was expelled in September 2012. Farrokh Zandi, a York University professor and former president of the Iranian-Canadian Congress, told the Star at the time that Iran has used so-called cultural centres to promote pro-Iranian regime interests abroad. He said the major concern among Iranians living in other countries is that their old government is spying on them through such centres. Read more about: SHARE: They were outcasts. Homeless runaways, shunned by their kin in midflight from their native land. About 200 bees, exiled from their hive, buzzed bereft of heart and home near a fire hydrant they mistook for a bee hotel at Yonge and Eglinton last Thursday. Out foraging and scouting for new real estate when the bulk of their migrant swarm flaked off with a beekeeper earlier in the week, the leftover worker clan clung to the sidewalk and waited, hoping for their relatives to come and whisk them away in a return that never came. Enter a saviour. Nima Alizadeh, imbued with the power of social media and a Good Samaritan mindset, responded to posts about the bees on Bunz Trading Zone, a popular Facebook trading group. A member had tacked up a photo of the uptown insects dodging dogs and the Godzilla feet of commuters. Other Bunz-ers perked up with Save the bees! pleas. I thought, What the hell, Im going to go try, said Alizadeh, 23. The welder, fusing pluckiness and compassion, pulled up to the northwest corner of Yonge St. and Eglinton Ave. W. by bike around 8:30 p.m., cardboard box in hand. First he tried picking them up one by one. Then he tried group-scooping the thorny nuggets. A nearby security guard volunteered that he was crazy. Another lent him a pair of gloves. They werent stinging, Alizadeh said of the grateful bees. They would crawl on your hand and just buzz around. Soon he had all 200 clumped in a corner, as he documented the mission in real time with photo updates on Bunz. Then he walked the boxed bees home with his bike, thinking: I dont know what Im doing. Luckily the hive mind kicked in. Another Bunz bee buff, Roger Sader, suggested Alizadeh drop them off near his place in Parkdale. So he plopped them in the passenger seat of his car, seat-belted them up and drove across town to deliver the bees to their salvation. The timing couldnt have been better for Sader, who had just returned from southeast Lebanon, where he was helping his brother manage the family apiary. Sader had bought a hive of about 40,000 bees for use on his friends farm north of Vaughan. But he could always use more, so when his nephew spotted the Bunz post, he leapt. This is perfect! he exclaimed. Its a good family bonding experience I have a little daughter and my nephews, and its a really good way of socializing, rather than watching a movie. Sader, who hopes to have hives buzzing on his downtown green roof within a year, plans to transport his newest honeycomb kids to the farm Tuesday. There they can roam the hexagonal halls of their fresh digs, free from dog paws and people feet. They need to move fast; without access to the pollen and honey stores a hive provides, the little workers will wither. If everythings right in the bee world, their new roommates just accept them, said Paul Kelly, research and apiary manager at the University of Guelphs Honeybee Research Centre. Too many could cause friction, but 200 is a small addition to a colony of tens of thousands. Kelly noted the bees might well have died out in days if not for the rescue. Alizadeh, for his part, has received public praise and private thanks in posts and messages over the past few days. I like bees. I know that theyre important to our food sources, and I know theyre struggling in the last few years. Back in the car Thursday night, sensing a buzzing sound, he checked the cupholder. There scrambled a lone bee, fluttering under the dash lighting. I put the car in reverse and got it right back to its buddies, he said. It felt wrong to just drive away with one bee. Leave no one bee-hind. All about bee breakaways Bees break off from their hives and light out for a new home for several reasons. It could be that its too congested, says Toronto Bee Rescue founder Peter Chorabik. Thats the main one. It could also be they just dont like their home, or it could be that theyre sick. The process called swarming is typical in the life cycle of every hive. Its how the bees spread their genetics. Generally, the worker bees elect to up and leave, taking the old queen with them. A new queen then establishes her dominance back at the original digs, while 15,000 to 30,000 of her kin take flight from their native land. During migration, its not uncommon for a few stragglers to be left in the dust, with some bees always away foraging and scouting at any given time. A bee colony is like a super-organism, says Chorabik, whose organization rescues about 15 swarms a year (Chorabik himself has 120 bee colonies more than 4.8 million bees). A bee cant survive when its on its own; it can only survive when theyre together, relying on the collective pollen and honey stores for nourishment. Canadian beekeepers reported a loss of about 200,000 colonies during spring 2013. But the numbers are on the rebound, with a burgeoning urban beekeeping movement keeping the key pollinators in constant supply. Correction - June 22, 2016: This article was edited from a previous version that misstated the number of bees that take flight from their native land as 15,0000 to 30,000. SHARE: This is Torontos best chance in a generation of reforming the police service. And, what do you know, the perceived guardians of the status quo will have to be the change agents. Chief Mark Saunders, on the job for just over a year, and reluctant police board chair Andy Pringle, who buried identical reforms until he was forced to acknowledge them, introduced the 24 recommendations to the media last Thursday surrounded by key members of the so-called transformational task force. In style and substance, mannerisms and methodology, words and phraseology, they left the impression that modernization of the police is not just possible but desirable. If former deputy Peter Sloly were the chief making these reasonable recommendations, backed by former board chair Alok Mukherjee, the pair would have been portrayed in apocalyptic terms. Police union head Mike McCormack would now be foaming at the mouth, not just musing lamely about job action. But what do you say when the agents of change are your allies, the people who gave you a fat new contract, who kept your perceived enemies at bay, who supported and propped up the current system that has so feathered your nest? And if you turn on them, where is there a better deal? As surprising as the proposed reforms are stamped with the approval of Saunders and Pringle the report is a natural outflow of a confluence of people, politics and events. The case for change is so obvious, the timing so propitious. Frankly, its now or nothing for a long, long time. Speaking for the task force members, Michelle DiEmanuelle captured the moment, calling it an unprecedented alignment of public, (police) service, government and leadership where new leadership creates new opportunities. Saunders and Pringle didnt just wake up one morning and see the light. They were pushed and prodded, beaten over the head with facts, and shown the inevitable wisdom of the changes. Most importantly, they realized there were so many opportunities and so few risks. It is not insignificant that task force members such as former Toronto budget chief David Soknacki and community advocate Idil Burale (one could name others) who entered the exercise skeptical showed up at the news conference enthused about the potential. There would be 300 to 450 fewer officers three years from now a reduction through attrition, as no new officers would be hired. But cops will be doing less freed of non-core responsibilities such as managing crossing guards, handing out tickets, patrolling the TTC. As many as six divisions could be merged or closed. Instead of being tied to geographical areas rooted in a division, officers will be loosed to move more quickly to crime hot spots at least in theory. And TAVIS, the controversial anti-violence intervention strategy, is toast after this summer. The changes will be easier because the main players are new unfettered by past grudges and battles, free to try and fail. New chief, new board chair, new mayor, new premier, all but two police board members new. The key leaders have synergy. Theyre from the same political camp or allies in recent policing strategies, failed and successful. The members of the task force making the recommendations are formidable well-informed, experienced in this kind of work, credible, relentless. They were invited to propose changes, they know where the bodies are buried, they seem to have developed the chemistry and working relationship that can unstick stubborn resistance. The public is ready. Taxpayers have watched the police budget climb above $1 billion, even as crime continues to slide. They are prepared to pay for policing, but wonder why expensive, highly trained officers are writing traffic tickets, doing transit patrol, managing crossing guards and standing on the corner guarding pylons at construction zones. A $100-million budget reduction is tiny on such a mammoth budget, but taxpayers will welcome the savings. The ideas for reform are not new, not revolutionary, and appear sensible and doable. They have been proposed in numerous reports some of them authored by task force members. Consulting firm KPMG proposed as much in a 64-page report last year. Pringle dismissed it as an internal think document. Random suggestions arent necessarily something that we report back on, he said. Mayor John Tory gave police a cushy contract and wage increases when other public and private-sector workers were busy granting concessions just to keep their jobs. Now, the mayor is backing a call to reduce the number of police officers. McCormack, the union head, apparently promised to look at shift scheduling and paid-duty reforms in exchange for that fat contract. Now, while posturing and threatening job action to protest the cuts to the complement of officers, McCormack will be isolated and eventually accede to the modest reductions 300 to 450 officers over three years, through attrition. Chief Saunders is ostensibly the choice as top cop because unlike Sloly he was not musing about a smaller, more efficient force, changes to police culture, reforms to TAVIS, improved race relations and modernizing the force. He was the unions choice. The mayor and Pringle made sure he won the job. He is not in a position to balk at the reforms now. Put together, there is a strategic alignment of the stars, it seems, a kind of confluence of events and circumstance that rarely occurs. If not now, maybe not for a long time. Royson James usually appears Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Email: rjames@thestar.ca SHARE: His fist punched toward the sky, as if in triumph, when Nolan Russell got to ride the horse named for the father he never got to know. The 7-year-old boy was among those attending a Tuesday afternoon event at the Horse Palace at Exhibition Place, home of the Toronto police mounted unit, where the citys newest equine cop was rechristened Russell in honour of a fallen comrade. In the early hours of a snowy winter day in January 2011, police Sgt. Ryan Russell was struck and killed by a stolen, runaway snowplow. Twelve thousand officers marched with his hearse on the day of his funeral. The 35-year-old veteran of the Toronto police guns and gangs unit was noted as a rising star on the force. More than five years later, with a horse-in-training in need of a new name, mounted unit Staff Sgt. Graham Queen figured it would be a fitting tribute to name the new purebred Clydesdale after the late officer. We were talking with the two families Ryans family and then his wifes family just to see what their feelings were, Queen said. He added that Christine, Russells widow, and his father, Glenn a retired police officer were very touched by the naming ceremony. It brings up memories for them, he said. The horse was purchased about six months ago from Carson Farms, which auctions heifers, cattle and horses in Listowel, Ont. At the time, the Clydesdale was named Class Act. Graham said that, as with all the horses in the 25-head mounted unit, the police wanted to bestow their own moniker on the new steed. We try to name the horses after important events or fallen people, he said, rhyming off the names of Russells barn-mates. Theres Vimy, for instance, named after the famed First World War battle, and Tecumseh, to honour the historic Shawnee chief who fought the Americans during the War of 1812. Russell, who roamed the barn Tuesday with the Russell family crest embroidered on his pad cover, is now halfway through his yearlong training program. Graham described the Clydesdale as gentle and kind and predicted the horse will hit the streets of the city in the coming months. Chief Mark Saunders spoke at Tuesdays event, as well as Russells father, Glenn. But the first ride of the newly named horse went to Nolan, who was just a toddler when his father was killed. He lost his dad when he was only 2, so he doesnt remember him too well, Graham said, but this will be a fitting way to memorialize. SHARE: It doesnt take a rocket scientist to know that a summer job can be a launching pad to future success for many young people. But York University physics professor emeritus Allan Carswell, whose research on laser terrain mapping systems helped guide the 2007 Phoenix space mission to Mars, is determined to help more Toronto youth get that summer job. The 83-year-old Thornhill philanthropist, who runs the Carswell Family Foundation, says he was spurred to action after reading a Star story about Ottawas plan to boost federal summer jobs by an additional $606,000 in Toronto communities grappling with gun violence. The Star story stimulated me to offer to have our family foundation match the funds of (Employment) Minister MaryAnn Mihychuk in this program by providing an amount of $606,000 for additional positions for youth in this area, Carswell said. Neighbourhoods in the citys northwest quadrant targeted for the extra Canada Summer Jobs Program funding include Lawrence Heights, Black Creek, Jane-Finch, Weston-Mount Dennis and Rexdale. It is part of an $18.7-million investment across the city to create 6,305 summer jobs this year, more than double the positions funded by the previous Conservative government. More than 77,000 jobs are being created nationwide. Students aged 15 to 30 who are returning to school in the fall are eligible. Toronto MPs lobbied Ottawa to find extra money for troubled neighbourhoods in five Toronto ridings after a recent spike in gun deaths, including the fatal shooting in May of a pregnant woman while she sat in a car in Rexdale. Summer jobs had a huge impact on my early life, not only from their financial support but mainly from the experiential learning environment that they provided, said Carswell, who grew up in a working-class family near Greenwood Ave. and Queen St. E. in the 1940s and 50s. More recently, during the last few weeks I have vicariously been sharing a stressful, time-consuming, but eventually successful summer job-hunt with my 18-year-old granddaughter, he said. So I wanted to do something for young people in disadvantaged neighbourhoods. Federal officials were blown away when they heard about Carswells offer Monday and scrambled to contact all 58 agencies that received the additional federal jobs funding. This is one of the most rewarding projects Ive had the pleasure to work on, said John OLeary, Mihychuks communications director. Our objective is to see as many Toronto youth and organizations benefit from Mr. Carswells incredible generosity as possible. For the Boys and Girls Clubs of Lawrence Heights and Weston-Mount Dennis, it will mean even more youth will be hired to work in the non-profit organizations summer day camps, said director Shawn Burgess. Its like Christmas in June, he said. There are always more youth looking for opportunities to make some money, learn new skills and stay off the streets. So this is amazing. And it will mean more children aged 6 to 12 will get a chance to go to summer camp for $5 a day. We always have waiting lists. So this is really going to make a difference for our families, Burgess added. Carswell, a physics professor at York for 30 years and founder of Optech Incorporated, a world leader in laser-imaging technology and related space instrumentation, now works full-time on his family foundation. Im 83, but I feel 40, said the Order of Canada recipient. Im particularly interested in matching grants because I think they encourage others to step up. - ALSO SUPPORTED BY THE CARSWELL FOUNDATION Regent Park School of Music The non-profit community school provides deeply subsidized music lessons to more than 1,700 young people in Toronto aged 3 to 18. Carswell has been a major supporter of the schools expansion into the Jane-Finch community since 2013. Canadian Association of Physicists The association recently launched Ignite the Spark, a national campaign to spread the word about the impact of physics and value of a physics education. Carswell kick-started the campaign with a pledge to match all donations to the cause. Alzheimer Society of York Region The societys individualized day programs for adults with dementia and caregiver support sessions have been invaluable for Allan Carswell, whose wife, Helen, has been a client in the day program. In 2015, Carswell issued a challenge to donors to match his gift of $600,000, with a view to cutting the wait list for services. South East Toronto Family Health Team In 2011, Carswells foundation donated $1 million to the South East Toronto Family Health Teams new family health centre at 1871 Danforth Ave. In 2001, prior to the establishment of the foundation, Carswell and his wife made a personal donation to the Toronto East General Hospital (now the Michael Garron Hospital) to establish the 75-bed Helen Aird Carswell Complex Continuing Care facility. Helen trained as a nurse at the TEGH and Allan was born there. SHARE: On Feb. 5, 1981, more than 100 police armed with crowbars and sledgehammers stormed four Toronto bathhouses. Two men describe their experiences: Ron Rosenes, 68 Rosenes was arrested that night. The longtime community activist has received the Order of Canada for his work. How old were you then? I would have been 33. I was self-employed at the time. I had my own sales and distribution company with a business partner, distributing all manner of imported goods to boutiques and department stores in Toronto. What were you doing that night? I was partnered but I was out playing on my own that night. I was in a very committed 15-year relationship with my partner at the time, but we gave each other permission to go out and play from time to time. What were the bathhouses like? I was at the Romans II, a big one on Bay, one of the most popular ones. It attracted a nice crowd of people of various ages were talking about the early 80s so there wasnt a lot of drug use or that kind of thing. People were there to enjoy themselves. Usually that meant consensual sex between men over the age of 21 in a private room with no exchange of money. It was wrong and infuriating to be described as a found-in in a common bawdy house. There were central areas where people could relax and watch TV There were dimly lit hallways with individual rooms. Group sex was not encouraged. People were encouraged to have sex one on one behind closed doors. I think that really was typical of the Roman bathhouse at the time. There may have been some public sex of some sort but not much of that went in my recollection. What were you doing when the police arrested you? I wasnt doing anything. I was not caught in flagrante delicto I was just in my room, by myself, for a moment when all of a sudden all hell broke loose and doors were being knocked down. And we were told to gather at the front of the bathhouse in our towels. I remember getting dressed before I left. And you felt safe there? I felt safe. I never thought for a moment that the police would turn into the morality squad and crack down on legal activities. What happened when you went to court? It was nerve-racking. And my lawyer at the time, for reasons that remain a mystery to me, decided to put me on the stand, where I incriminated myself. Think about it: today they keep defendants off the stand so they dont incriminate themselves. Well, I was sworn to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth and I had to admit to the fact that I was there that night. I was found guilty. I paid a fine dont remember how much it was. And to my knowledge, if there ever was a criminal record it was expunged. I have no criminal record as a result. Were you already out? Did your family know? I was. My family knew. My friends knew. Unlike some of the people that were caught in the bathhouse raids who were not disclosed. I was particularly concerned about that. I had an understanding relationship with my partner. My friends and family all knew and supported me as a young gay man. That really helped me deal with the situation in sharp contrast to those individuals whose names were disclosed through the press and their sexual identity was not known to their friends and family. I understand it had a devastating impact on some people. And it was a time when there wasnt a lot of acceptance of anonymous gay sex? I felt I was part of a movement towards greater sexual liberation. And it was just prior to the arrival of HIV in our lives. And without knowledge at that time of the devastation that awaited us. I lost my partner of 15 years in 1991. After the raid and the demonstration, was that a time of liberation? That night, if it did not politicize me, the arrival in my life of HIV politicized me completely. I quit my work and I began 25 years of volunteer work in HIV-related advocacy. Thinking about the massacre in Orlando 35 years later reminds me that we were not safe in 1981 and that is still the case today. Weve come a long way but we still have a long way to go in protecting the rights of people in the LGBTQ community, including the right to a fulfilling and responsible sex life. John Burt, 69 After the raids, Burt became vice-chair of the Right to Privacy Committee and helped organize the first major pride parade in 1981 in response to the raids. Burt says it had 167 participants with what he remembers as 14 balloons and a banner and 500 police flanking them for their protection. Would you be interested in an apology? Only for the police behaviour that night The police thuggery that night was never fully addressed. And no one has taken responsibility for that. Theres been a series of lies. No one has ever come clean about it. I was outraged as a human being to see my police force, who I had no contact with before, acting like thugs smashing indiscriminately through doorways, breaking glass, stealing (jewellery) from peoples rooms I never thought such things were possible. What were you doing that night? Id like to correct the record. I dont consider myself a found-in. Thats a legal term. I was a patron at a gay establishment for men only, where men socialized. In those days, remember 35 years ago, they needed safe spaces . . . The younger generation doesnt even realize what a sea change has happened in the world. But its only superficial. Its only in big cities and because of the liberal elites. But the core and the conservatives they go along with the law but theyre not content with this idea of homosexual equality. Which bathhouse were you at? I was at the Richmond St. bathhouse. It was called the Richmond Street Health Emporium. It was a beautiful place. It was multilevelled, encased in glass, with a central swimming pool. It was one of the most beautiful bathhouses weve ever had in Toronto. It was like a hotel. And the police totally demolished it. Was it anonymous sex? Yes. You have to remember that gay men in those days didnt have a positive image. They were still contaminated from the propaganda we grew up with where we were perceived as perverts and demonic forces and that you cant trust your children around them. A lot of gay people at the time internalized that. They almost had a self-hatred. And the only way they could have gay sex was to go to an anonymous safe environment. What was happening in your life then? I was a (high school) teacher at the time. That was one of the reasons I knew that night I had to take a stand because first of all . . . Id never heard of the word found in in my life. I had no idea what it meant or what a bawdy house meant. It was a minor misdemeanour. But being a teacher I couldnt afford to have that sort of record. I could have lost my job. So I had to make a decision that night that I had to become an activist. Sometimes, if I thought about it too much I would have shut my mouth. But I couldnt let that go by. Were you already out when you were arrested? No I wasnt. That was one of the terrible things. When my family saw me on television, because I became a spokesperson, my father was in a state of shock. My mother didnt understand what was going on. The neighbours were phoning. It wasnt a perfect way to come out to your parents. Was there any big fallout when people found out you were gay? I lost a lot of friends who didnt want to do anything with me. They just couldnt accept me being gay. They departed from my life. But after that I started becoming very assertive and became much more content with myself, to now being the outrageous person that I am now with no hang-ups. It took me six decades to unload all the garbage from my mind. And now, totally free, you can still have fun even at 70. What happened to your charges? All the charges were dismissed . . . except for six people . . . I remember when I was in that locker room with a 100 different gay men, we were naked. Some of us lost our towels. We were herded into a room while they were demolishing the place naked men being verbally abused and physiologically abused thats when I decided to talk. I finally joined up with the Right to Privacy Committee and we organized the lawyers and committees. People donated their time. It was a wonderful period. Do you still go to the Pride parade? Oh yes, of course I still go to it. I still feel a great need to show pride. People say why do we have the parade today? I say because we cant become complacent.(there are religions where) in their minds homosexuals should be killed. Is Toronto fairly safe? Toronto is safe but I still hear of occurrences of people getting beat up late at night on the street downtown.but the police today are a real improvement. I support the police. I think theyre doing a good job. More on thestar.com Toronto police to apologize for 1981 bathhouse raids Margaret Atwood on bathhouse raids and LGBTQ history SHARE: When police stormed four gay bathhouses in Toronto on Feb. 5, 1981, patrons were mocked, humiliated and arrested by the hundreds. The raids outed men who considered the private clubs a sanctuary, free from the hostility of a populace who disapproved of, or didnt understand, intimacy between men. On Wednesday, Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders will make a historic apology for the raids at his annual Pride reception at police headquarters, the Star has learned. He will also apologize for a 2000 raid by six male officers on Club Toronto during a womens bathhouse event known as the Pussy Palace. Police claimed to be searching for liquor violations. Many of the women were nude and felt violated, according to a story in the Star. Police settled a civil suit in 2005. The Toronto Police Service worked with prominent gay activist Rev. Brent Hawkes to craft the apology, a source said. The chiefs event will be an acknowledgment of the past and a commitment to efforts going forward, with new initiatives that speak directly to the LGBTQ community, the source said. Saunders plans to march in the Pride Parade on July 3, following in the footsteps of Bill Blair who became the first Toronto police chief to do so in 2005. Dennis Findlay, who was part of a legal defence committee formed after the 1981 raids, said the apology is a long-time coming. They did wrong, said Findlay, president of the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives. This was their attempt to slap us into the closet, big time . . . but it didnt work. Ninety per cent of the charges were dismissed by judges. Critics said the raids criminalized men for being gay and persecuted a group with no human rights protections, who could be fired from their jobs and shunned by their families. No public figure police officer or politician has ever accepted responsibility. It would be interesting to know who did give the order, said Tim McCaskell, who covered the raids for the Body Politic, a gay newspaper, and later joined the Right To Privacy Committee and organized demonstrations. Lets have some real truth here. Anger over the raids spread quickly and politicized gays and lesbians alike, who had previously clashed in debates over sexism and feminism. The cohesion gave rise to the gay rights movement in Toronto. The night after the raids, 3,000 demonstrators, mostly gay men who typically feared visibility, marched down Yonge St. and confronted police, yelling resign, resign, resign. The raids were probably the best thing that happened to our community ever, said Findlay, adding they also brought together the public at large. Even if you were not supportive of the gay community, you realized that this was an attack on civil liberties. The Feb. 5 raids took place after a six-month investigation by the Metro force, whose officers infiltrated the clubs. At 11 p.m., more than 100 police armed with crowbars and sledgehammers broke down bathhouse doors, dragging men, draped only in towels, into lobbies and charged them. About 300 people were arrested with being owners or found-ins of a common bawdy house a house of prostitution and given a public court date to face charges. Many of the men considered themselves patrons of private clubs where rooms could be rented for anonymous sex, one of the few safe spaces for gay men at the time. Homosexuality had only been decriminalized in 1969 and the vast majority of gay men were deep, deep, deep in the closet, McCaskell said. The typical Toronto resident wouldnt have known what a bathhouse was, said Sen. Art Eggleton, who was then mayor of Toronto but said he had no foreknowledge of the raids. McCaskell said he was numb as he watched men, many of them frightened, being dragged out of the Mutual St. bathhouse. But I started getting furious as well because, really, these places had been open as long as anybody could remember. The demonstration the next night came together within 12 hours an astonishing feat, said McCaskell, in the days before email, when handing out flyers in the straight-owned gay bars on Yonge St. was discouraged. As the anger boiled over, many gay activists stepped up and began working tirelessly for their rights. A legal defence committee was formed and raised more than $200,000 to pay for lawyers to represent the accused, although more than 30 stepped up to do the work pro bono. Findlay represented 12 men himself and got the charges dropped, either because officers werent able to identify the accused or because the defendant had a reason for using the bathhouses gym or pool. McCaskell said theories persist about who orchestrated the raids. Some thought it was the responsibility of mid-level sergeants who wanted to humiliate George Hislop, who had been the first openly gay man to run for city council. (Hislop lost.) The businessman owned a stake in the Barracks also raided that night. Others thought it was a provincial directive under a law-and-order campaign orchestrated in the run-up to the provincial election that March. Roy McMurtry, who was both attorney general and solicitor general at the time, was blamed, but he has denied involvement. Cleaning up the queers played to a conservative base, McCaskell said. But nobody was ever able to find the smoking gun. Where the raids took place The Romans II Health and Recreation Spa, 742 Bay St. The club was one of four raided simultaneously at 11 p.m. Feb. 5, 1981, by police as part of what they called Operation Soap. One patron describes it as mostly featuring consensual sex between men over the age of 21 in a private room, with no money changing hands. Club Toronto, 231 Mutual St. Reporters at the time said police damaged 20 of 57 doors leading to rented rooms. Douglas Chambers, a U of T English professor, was outside warning other men not to go in. The police are ruining peoples lives, he said at the time. The address is now home to the Oasis Aqualounge sex club. The Richmond Street Health Emporium, 260 Richmond St. E. Men, some in towels and others naked, were rounded up and left in a locker room while police went through the club. The damage was so extensive that the late owner, Peter Bochove, never reopened. The Barracks, 56 Widmer St. The Barracks was once a Finnish steam bath. George Hislop was one of several owners who bought the building and reopened it in the mid-70s as a gay bathhouse, according to queerstory.ca. Hislop would become an influential activist and win survivor benefits for same-sex partners. Read more about: SHARE: Premier Kathleen Wynne is retiring the Ontario Retirement Pension Plan before it even started working. In the wake of a landmark deal to boost Canada Pension Plan benefits, Wynne announced Tuesday there is no need for Ontario to proceed with the separate retirement scheme that was the cornerstone promise of her 2014 election victory. Had we not continued to put this issue on the table squarely with our colleagues across the country, I firmly believe that we would not be here today, the premier told reporters at Queens Park. Quite frankly I was a thorn in the side of many of my colleagues. I kept bringing this up. However, Wynne said the money spent to start up the fledgling Ontario plan which she would not put a figure on was absolutely worth the cost because it forced most of the rest of the country along. The Finance Ministrys annual estimates show $14 million was budgeted for the ORPP last year with another $1.53 million this year, including $860,000 for salaries. We had to make those investments in order to get here. There was a 50-50 chance we were going to have to implement the ORPP, Wynne said. Saad Rafi, the former Pan Am Games CEO, was making $525,000 to run the Ontario Retirement Pension Plan Administration Corporation, and was paid annual performance incentives of up to 25 per cent. Rafi turned down a $428,794 bonus to which he was contractually entitled after the 2015 multi-sport event, but it is unclear whether that will be calculated into his severance package as the ORPP is wound down. There are between 40 and 50 people already working in the Ontario pension plan administrators office, including staffers seconded from ministries. We have to responsibly scale down the organization that has been put in place, but just to make it clear, the largest cost has not yet been incurred, said Wynne. Under the provisional agreement reached Monday in Vancouver to boost CPP, which must be approved by July 15, premiums for employees and employers will begin to rise in 2019, a year later than the ORPPs start date. CPP benefits, which currently pay out a maximum of $13,110 a year, will eventually rise to $17,478. Higher premiums will be fully phased in by 2026. While the payout will not be as lucrative for contributors as the ORPP, which would have affected only the two-thirds of Ontarians who lack a workplace pension plan, Finance Minister Charles Sousa stressed he always favoured a national solution to strengthening retirement security. Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau, who served as an adviser to Sousa on the development of the ORPP before being elected last fall, forged the deal with all the provinces except Quebec and Manitoba. Both opposition parties at Queens Park quickly endorsed the CPP deal. The Ontario PC caucus is pleased that the Wynne Liberals have listened to our calls that any retirement enhancement should be done through the Canada Pension Plan, said Progressive Conservative MPP Julia Munro (York-Simcoe). By making the decision to co-operate with their provincial and federal partners on a national strategy, Ontario is avoiding implementation of the ... ORPP, a job-killing payroll tax that would have eroded business competitiveness, reduced the take-home pay of workers, and by the governments own estimates killed 54,000 jobs per year, said Munro. NDP Leader Andrea Horwath praised the important agreement that will help improve retirement security for young Canadians. Horwath touted the role of the Canadian Labour Congress and the Ontario Federation of Labour for laying the groundwork for this agreement. However, there is still much more to do to help lift all Ontario seniors out of poverty and to help those who are on the cusp of retirement now, but who wont benefit from these changes to the CPP, she said. In a statement, Ontario Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Allan ODette said the business group, which had expressed alarm at the potential impact of the ORPP, was encouraged a national solution was forged. A province-by-province approach would have increased regulatory fragmentation and thus administrative burden, said ODette. Ontario is doing the right thing by moving away from the ORPP in order to support a co-ordinated solution, he said, praising Wynnes government for showing courage by being an early and enduring advocate of reform. The United Steelworkers said the improvements fall short of the needed doubling in CPP benefits to give Canadians a decent retirement. Even the modest increases in CPP benefits projected under this deal wont take full effect for another 10 years, warned union director Ken Neumann. Wynne spearheaded the ORPP after former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper dismissed her calls for improving CPP benefits in 2013. But after Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus Liberals defeated Harper last October, Ottawa changed its tune on beefing up the public retirement plan. The premier acknowledged that Indira Naidoo-Harris, the newly minted associate minister of finance for the Ontario Retirement Pension Plan, would soon be reassigned to other unspecified cabinet duties. Naidoo-Harris, the MPP for Halton, was sworn in just last week. I want her voice at the table, but will that position be necessary, the minister responsible for the ORPP? No, said Wynne. The Star, working with an accountant to crunch the numbers, examined how the reformed Canada Pension Plan affects Ontarians. Heres what they had to say: George Azzopardi, Lynsay Hunter, Gabe Ages: 45, 38, 10 months old Annual household income: $100,000 RRSP: Yes George Azzopardi and Lynsay Hunter work as a registered massage therapist and property manager, respectively. Their life is filled with change at the moment, with financial implications. Their baby, Gabe, was born 10 months ago. They moved into their new rental home outside Markham two weeks ago. And on Tuesday the couple picked up their marriage licence, with wedding costs to come. Its a concern, said Hunter. When fully implemented, the reformed Canada Pension Plan would see each of their annual premiums rise to about $2,770 from about $2,300, based on their current incomes and preliminary figures from the Department of Finance. (All premiums estimates come from numbers crunched by accountant Bruce Ball, based on projected figures provided to the Star by the Department of Finance.) Were just talking about saving as fast as we can now, said Hunter, a day after the reformed CPP was announced. Were a bit behind the 8-ball, but well make it work, somehow. The projected increase of the maximum pensionable income to $82,700 in 2025 from todays $54,900 wont help them. The target market for this change is what we would think of as middle-income people earning more than $54,900, said Kevyn Nightingale, tax partner with MNP accounting and tax consultancy in Toronto. Azzopardi has been stowing away cash in an RRSP since 2001, but only recently opened a real savings account. He noted they hope to bolster their assets by possibly investing in property in Panama or Costa Rica. If we dont (retire) here, well make it work in some other tropical paradise, he said. The couple is encouraging Azzopardis mother to make the move from London, Ont., to a $1,000-a-month apartment in the GTA. They dont expect to take on any costs to help support her. But private daycare for Gabe is looming, and they still hope to put down a mortgage on a home. I dont think I had much fiscal understanding as far as saving for retirement later in life, but better late than never, Azzopardi said. You get to 30 all of a sudden and you go, What am I going to do? said Hunter. From your very first job you should start saving. With files from Chris Reynolds SHARE: It wouldnt be helpful to publish the specifics of what Canada and its diplomatic team in Kabul are pondering today, as they strategize ways to better protect the people that protect them. But you can bet the broad strokes involve two obvious steps: armoured wheels for the survivors of the private, mostly Nepalese team that secures the Canadian Embassy in Afghanistan; or a new living arrangement that moves the team inside the Afghan capitals security bubble, as near to the embassy as possible, outside the line of fire. Perhaps both steps are needed now, in the wake of the devastating suicide attack that shredded the teams thin-skinned minibus early Monday, killing 14 men and seriously injuring at least five others the moment they emerged from their living compound, en route to their embassy jobs. Other embassies the British, the Japanese, included will be having similar conversations as their embassies in Kabul have similar private arrangements. Private security contractors are not, in theory, a soft target. But Mondays attacker both the Taliban and an Afghan offshoot of Daesh released competing claims of responsibility was waiting for the softest moment in their day. Just after dawn, as they rolled in the most vulnerable of vehicles from home, en route to the place where the (supposedly) real danger would be. Our enemies are always looking for soft targets. And by going after these poor Nepalese guards not at the Canadian embassy but instead outside their home, it proved tragically soft. They were sitting ducks, Afghan MP Khalid Pashtoon told the Star by telephone from Kabul. If you are wondering why there are no Canadians at the gates of the Canadian Embassy, the odds are you havent been in anyones embassy lately. Try entering the U.S. Embassy in London, to name but one, and you will go pass first through two to three layers of non-American security people before you meet your first American. Outsourcing of the most vulnerable, front line security work is very much the international norm, especially in places where the embassies in question represent countries whose soldiers have played an active combat role on the ground. Unconfirmed reports indicate at least two of those killed Monday were not just Nepalese but actual retired Gurkhas. If true, this might raise awkward questions about Canadas obligation to the families. Nepalese Gurkha bravado has been demonstrated on a variety of British battlefields for more than 200 years. And the debate over the dubious British treatment of Gurkha veterans has lasted nearly as long, involving everything from pension levels to resettlement rights. In fact, there are actual active-duty Gurkhas in Kabul today involved in the continuing British mission to train and mentor the Afghan army, as part of Royal Gurkha Rifles 2nd battalion. You can see them on Facebook, sending video greetings to their faraway fathers, just hours before Mondays attack. Many will argue that private is private and once a security contract is signed, so be it. Almost every facet of Afghan life during the last 14 has been visited by every imaginable range of armed men, including no shortage of ex-soldiers, American, Canadian, British, Australian and more besides, working privately. They take their chances accordingly. Often for pay far greater than what they received as active-duty soldiers. But Gurkhas the Nepalese, specifically have managed to work their patch of the danger-fraught Afghan security file with exceptional honour, according to MP Pashtoon, deputy chair of Afghanistans Internal Security Committee. Our hearts go out to these men and their families because they were not bringing any harm to our country. Nepalese security guards are working not only with the Canadians but other diplomatic missions as well, Pashtoon said. We consider them security guards, not soldiers. They are here to protect diplomatic premises and they never raise guns against other Afghans. So theres a lot of sympathy and compassion for what has happened. Read more about: SHARE: LAS VEGASA British man arrested at a weekend Donald Trump rally in Las Vegas tried to grab a police officer's gun so he could kill the presidential candidate after planning an assassination for about a year, according to authorities. U.S. Secret Service agents said Michael Steven Sandford approached a Las Vegas police officer at the campaign stop to say he wanted Trump's autograph, but that he then tried to take the weapon. A complaint filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Nevada charges Sandford, 20, with an act of violence on restricted grounds. He was denied bail during a court appearance later in the day. His court-appointed attorney said he was living out of his car and in the country illegally after overstaying a visa. Sanford has not entered a plea. The arrest happened relatively quietly at a campaign stop seen as peaceful compared to the mayhem at the presumptive Republican nominee's recent events in San Jose, California, and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Gregg Donovan was among about 1,500 gathered Saturday to see Trump at the Treasure Island casino on the Las Vegas Strip. For the event, he donned the top hat and red jacket that made him recognizable in his former job as swanky Beverly Hills' official greeter for more than a decade. Donovan said he didn't know about the charge against Sanford until he saw news reports. But he recognized him because the two had stood in line together for nine hours waiting to get into the Trump event. Sanford even held Donovan's spot in line for a bathroom break. I was No. 5, and he was No. 4, Donovan said. They spoke, Donovan said, though Sanford didn't say much and seemed strange. Donovan didn't elaborate on what made Sanford seem odd. After waiting, they passed through metal detectors manned by Secret Service, police and casino security officials. Federal Magistrate Judge George Foley said in court Monday that Sandford was a potential danger to the community and a flight risk. Sandford wore leg irons and appeared to tremble during the hearing. Heather Fraley, his assigned public defender, said Sandford appeared to be competent. She said he hadn't been diagnosed with a mental illness but that he has autism and previously attempted suicide. He doesn't have a job. Sanford's mother told court researchers that he was treated for obsessive compulsive disorder and anorexia when he was younger, and that he once ran away from a hospital in England, according to the public defender. Fraley argued that Sandford should go to a halfway house because he didn't have a criminal history, but the judge said he should stay in detention ahead of a July 5 court date. Agents said Sandford told them he had been in the U.S. for about a year and a half, lived in Hoboken, New Jersey, and drove to the San Bernardino, California, area before coming to Las Vegas on June 16. Sandford told officers he was convinced he would die in the assassination attempt. He said he also reserved a ticket for a Trump rally in Phoenix, scheduled for later Saturday, as a backup plan. The criminal complaint said Sandford was arrested after grabbing the handle of an officer's gun while trying to remove it from a holster. Sanford told authorities that he went to the Battlefield Vegas shooting range the day before the rally and fired 20 rounds from a 9mm Glock pistol to learn how to use it. Police detectives who visited the range spoke with an employee who confirmed that he provided Sandford shooting lessons, according to the complaint signed by Secret Service Special Agent Joseph Hall. Read more about: SHARE: The Canadian middleman in a massive international corruption scheme, in which U.S. officials say he enriched himself with $400 million (U.S.) in markups and made at least $110 million in corrupt payments, was celebrated by York University with an honorary degree Monday. Its the second prestigious honour Victor Phillip Dahdaleh has received from York recently. Last year, the university minted a new global health institute in his name following a $20-million donation Dahdaleh made to the university. A Toronto Star/CBC investigation into the Panama Papers recently found evidence of Dahdalehs involvement in a decades-long kickback scheme involving global aluminum giant Alcoa and government officials in Bahrain. Dahdaleh has declined several interview requests and would not speak with the Star or CBC at the ceremony. A spokesperson previously said he has not been involved in any wrongdoing nor convicted of any offence in any court in the world. On Monday, at a commencement ceremony featuring a string quartet and a pair of bagpipers, Dahdaleh wore ceremonial robes and received an honorary doctor of laws from York Chancellor Greg Sorbara, a former Ontario finance minister. Harvey Skinner, the dean of the faculty of health, told graduates and their families of Dahdalehs accomplishments as owner and chair of Dadco, a privately owned investment, manufacturing and trading firm, his position as an honorary fellow of the London School of Economics, a trustee of the Clinton Foundation and a board member of the McGill University Trust. Skinner said Dahdaleh was exceptionally deserving of this honorary degree. Approached after the ceremony, Skinner would not answer questions about Dahdalehs suitability for this recognition, or whether the selection committee considered his involvement in the bribery scandal. When York University president Mamdouh Shoukri was asked if Dahdaleh was a good role model for York graduates, he responded: Yes. Yes he is. A written statement from York University spokeswoman Janice Walls said careful consideration is given to candidates for honorary degrees who have made a significant contribution to the public good. Mr. Dahdaleh, personally and through the Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Charitable Foundation, supports many organizations around the world, she wrote. With the $20 million gift from Mr. Dahdaleh, the largest-ever gift by a graduate of the university, the university established the Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health. Last month, the Star/CBC investigation reported for the first time that Dahdaleh is the mysterious Consultant A referenced in U.S. Justice Department court records who is identified as the middleman between Bahraini and U.S. alumina companies pocketing huge profits and paying bribes through a British Virgin Island-based shell company called Alumet Limited. Alumet appears in the Panama Papers database. It was registered by Dahdaleh in 1989 the same time as U.S. officials say a complex corruption scheme began involving Alcoa, one of the worlds largest aluminum companies, and a Bahraini company. The BVI-based Alumet, registered through controversial Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca with the assistance of the Royal Bank of Canada, was the key vehicle for moving bribes and mark-ups between the two firms, U.S. court documents say. According to Department of Justice filings, heres how it worked: Alcoa of Australia would send invoices for shipments of alumina (a fine white powder that is transformed into aluminum metal in the smelting process) through Consultant As shell companies. In turn, Consultant A would mark-up the price of alumina sold to a Bahraini aluminum smelter company, thereby creating a significant margin over the price he paid to Alcoa of Australia. Dahdaleh pocketed the mark-ups, it says. And to keep business coming, he paid Bahraini officials including members of the countrys royal family regular bribes, U.S. officials detail. Alcoa was hit with one of the largest anti-corruption fines ever by the U.S. Department of Justice and Securities Exchange Commission $384 million (all figures U.S.). Dahdaleh was not named or charged in this case, but was charged criminally in the U.K. on corruption and money laundering allegations. He was acquitted in 2013 when the prosecutions case collapsed after two key U.S. witnesses refused to testify and another witness significantly changed his testimony. Before and after Mondays ceremony, Dahdaleh ignored questions from the Star and CBC about his involvement in the Bahraini bribery scandal. In his 10-minute commencement address, Dahdaleh urged each graduate to try your best to be a good citizen and told them when you succeed, give something back We must act in the spirit of generosity. Mentioning his personal experience in recent years, Dahdaleh offered the following advice: Tough times do not last, but tough people do. Tough people always find a way to succeed. He wrapped up by paraphrasing Winston Churchill: Never give in. Never give in. Never, never never. McGill University and St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia have also honoured Dahdaleh in recent years, the Star/CBC investigation found. Neither school has responded to requests for comment. Some York professors were deeply disappointed with the universitys decision to name the global health institute after Dahdaleh, said Stephanie Ross, an associate professor in the faculty of social sciences at York. He was named in the Panama Papers (and) the university made no attempt to rethink its decision to accept a very large donation from him, Ross said. Many of us were also very surprised that he was granted an honorary doctorate in light of those revelations. The idea that an honorary doctorate could be bestowed upon someone for providing the university with money, rather than in recognition of the contributions theyve made to our community and to society, is kind of a perversion of the point of an honorary doctorate, she said. Ross lamented the fact that all universities are forced to seek funding from wherever they can get it leading to inevitable problems with optics and moral. Most universities across the country face the contradiction of seeking philanthropic donations from wealthy individuals or corporations but then also having to live with the association with those individuals or corporations if and when they are revealed to be not the greatest corporate citizens. SHARE: The first warning sign came before the plane had even taken off. Chad Cameron Camp had his choice of seats on the half-empty American Airlines flight from Dallas to Portland. But Camp, 26, curiously chose a middle seat right next to an unaccompanied 13-year-old girl, the FBI said in a statement. Flight attendants offered to move Camp to another seat where he would have more room, but he declined. No, Im fine, he said, the Oregonian reported, citing a criminal complaint. When a flight attendant returned for drink service a half-hour later, she saw Camps hand on the teenagers crotch, according to the complaint described by the Oregonian. She also saw a single tear coming down the victims cheek. Flight attendants separated Camp and the teenager for the rest of the voyage. And as soon as the plane landed, the unaccompanied minor was rushed off the plane. When Camp exited the plane, he was arrested and charged with abusive sexual contact, according to the FBI. The teenagers attorney, however, says that the airline failed to protect its vulnerable passenger. This was 30 minutes of hell for this young lady, said Brent Goodfellow, a lawyer representing the girl, who scoffed at the idea that his client had been saved by a heroic flight attendant. If I have my tray table down or my seat back two inches during the improper time, those guys are going to be on me immediately, Goodfellow said. This girl got abused for 30 minutes and no one was to be found. Not only did the airline fail to protect her, he added, but American Airlines also charged the girls family extra to let her travel alone. The family paid $300 (U.S.) extra and this is what they get? he said, adding that his clients are absolutely going to sue the airline. American Airlines said it takes these matters very seriously and is fully co-operating with law enforcement. American cares deeply about our young passengers and is committed to providing a safe and pleasant travel experience for them, the airline said in a statement to CNN. Wednesdays incident allegedly began brewing the moment Camp boarded the airplane. The girl was flying home to the Portland area after visiting her father in Dallas. She boarded the flight first. Camp was wearing headphones and talking to himself when he sat down in his assigned seat, 21-B, right next to the girl. The first word out of his mouth was (expletive), the attorney said. If that wasnt enough of a warning, Goodfellow said, the flight attendants should have realized there was a problem when Camp declined to move to an empty row or at least to the aisle seat. Thats a big red flag, the attorney said. Anybody who has ever flown more than a couple of hours and knows that if there is any empty seat that is not the middle seat, of course they are going to move. Camp then began brushing up against her upper arm and shoulder while ostensibly turning the pages of a magazine, according to the complaint. Later, he leaned across the girl to look out the window, he said putting his face just inches from hers, the complaint continues. After twice offering to share his earphones with her, Camp then repeatedly placed his hand on the girls knee and upper thigh, according to the complaint reported by the Oregonian. At one point she had to push his hand off of her and cross her legs, Goodfellow said. But Camp just laughed and tried again, according to the complaint. She was touched over 15 times, Goodfellow said, adding that Camp threw his earphones at the girl when she rebuffed his alleged advances. The incident only stopped when a female flight attendant came by to serve drinks and spotted Camps hand on the girls crotch, according to the complaint. Thats also when the flight attendant noticed that the girl was crying. When confronted, Camp denied doing anything wrong. Eventually, the flight attendant moved Camp to the back of the plane and put the girl and a male witness near the front. When Camp exited the plane, he was detained by Port of Portland officials and then arrested by FBI agents, according to a statement from the bureau. The attorney accused American Airlines of extorting separated families by charging them extra to let unaccompanied minors travel without providing any meaningful protection. The girls father paid an additional $300 round-trip for her to visit him. In August 2014, American Airlines began requiring parents to pay $150 extra each way for unaccompanied kids ages 12-14 to fly. Previously, only unaccompanied kids ages 4-11 were required to use the service. This age range not only ensures the safest possible travel for our youngest customers, its consistent with US Airways policy before the close of our merger, American told its employees, according to the Dallas Morning News. Our unaccompanied minor service is to ensure your child is boarded onto the aircraft, introduced to the flight attendant, chaperoned during connections and released to the appropriate person at their destination, the airlines website states. To me, what this is, is American looking for some extra dollars after theyve got their baggage fees and all the other things they are now hitting us with, Goodfellow said. Parents are assuming they are going to be getting bodyguard service for $300, but they are not, he added. Allegations of abuse against unaccompanied minors are relatively rare. In July 2015, a Pakistani doctor was similarly accused of groping an unaccompanied girl aboard an American Airlines flight from New York City to Chicago. The doctor claimed that the contact was inadvertent, however and he was acquitted by a federal judge in November. The alleged victims lawsuit against him and AA continues in an Iowa court. Such cases date back to at least 1990, when a Michigan man was arrested for allegedly fondling a 9-year-old girl who was travelling with her 7-year-old sister aboard a Northwest Airlines flight. On Thursday, Camp appeared briefly in U.S. District Court in Portland. His attorney entered a not guilty plea on his behalf, the Oregonian reported. No matter the outcome of Camps case, Goodfellow said the incident had permanently affected the 13-year-old girl. She doesnt want to be on an airplane ever again, he said. This is going to affect the rest of her life. SHARE: Californias last nuclear power plant will close by 2025 under an accord announced Tuesday, ending three decades of safety debates that helped fuel the national anti-nuclear power movement. The states largest utility, Pacific Gas & Electric Co., and environmental groups reached an agreement to replace production at Diablo Canyon nuclear plant with solar power and other energy sources that do not produce climate-changing greenhouse gases. The facility, which sits along a bluff on Californias central coast, supplies 9 per cent of the states power. Environmentalists have pressed the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to close Diablo given its proximity to seismic faults in the earthquake-prone state. One fault runs 600 metres from the plants reactors. Worries of earthquakes fracturing the facility have been a dominant theme since PG&E first announced plans for Diablo Canyon in the 1960s. The project helped consolidate opposition to nuclear power within the countrys then-fledgling environmental movement. This is a historic agreement, said Erich Pica, president of the Friends of the Earth environmental group, founded in 1969 in opposition to Diablo Canyon. PG&E has long said the plant is safe from the largest potential earthquake in the region. But new research has led to more questions about nearby faults, their shaking potential and how the company evaluates them. Under the deal, the utility agreed not to renew Diablo Canyons license. Closing the plant should be cheaper than operating the facility through 2044 as planned, meaning the utility probably wont have to increase rates, PG&E said. The important thing is that we ultimately got to a shared point of view about the most appropriate and responsible path forward with respect to Diablo Canyon, and how best to support the states energy vision, PG&E President Tony Earley said in a statement. The move ends a power source once predicted to be necessary to meet the growing energy needs of the nations most populous state. The industry also has waned nationally amid the rising costs of building new plants and maintaining old ones. Plans to build new nuclear facilities in the U.S. South have faced costly delays, while proposals for others elsewhere in the country have been scratched. An abundance of inexpensive natural gas has owners of older nuclear plants wondering if the expensive repairs and maintenance are worthwhile. Southern California Edisons San Onofre nuclear plant, between San Diego and Los Angeles, shut down permanently in 2013 after a $670 million equipment swap failed. The same year, Duke Energy announced it would close the Crystal River Nuclear Plant in Florida after a botched repair job left it facing potentially billions of dollars in additional work. The country has 61 nuclear plants, including Diablo Canyon, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. California already has banned construction of new facilities until the federal government finds a permanent disposal site for radioactive waste. SHARE: WASHINGTONA daring South Pole medical rescue is under way. An airplane left a British base in Antarctica Tuesday to evacuate a sick worker from a U.S. science station. A worker at the National Science Foundations research station at the South Pole requires hospitalization and needs to be evacuated. Foundation spokesman Peter West says theres another patient who may also need to be taken out, but that decision has yet to be made. West says two Twin Otter planes owned by Calgary-based Kenn Borek Air made it to Rothera, a British station on the Antarctic peninsula, on Monday. The crew were resting up there but they were also putting the skis on the plane needed to land at South Pole and now they will await favourable weather there to fly to Pole, West said Tuesday morning from Arlington, Va. The planes face another 2,400 kilometres, or about 10 hours, to get to the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. They will not fly there and back in one flight, West said. They will fly to Pole, spend some time on the ground and return back as soon as they can. The first patient is a seasonal employee with Lockheed Martin who requires hospitalization and must be evacuated, and thats all officials will say. West says no other details about both patients will be released due to patient confidentiality. Its mid-winter in Antarctica and the foundation says flights in and out of the station are usually not planned between February and October due to extreme cold and darkness. There is no tarmac runway at the Pole, so aircraft must land in total darkness on compacted snow. The planes are rated to operate in temperatures as low as -75 Celsius, generally at Pole its about -60 C at this time of year, but it fluctuates, West said. Kenn Borek provides contractual logistical support to the Antarctic Program, according to the foundation, and conducted similar evacuations in 2001 and 2003. The foundation says one plane will fly to the Pole and retrieve the sick worker, while the other will remain at Rothera to provide search-and-rescue capability if needed. With files from Seth Borenstein Associated Press SHARE: As he waited in line for nine hours to see Donald Trump, Gregg Donovan slowly began to get a strange vibe from the young man standing next to him. Donovan, a down-on-his-luck Hollywood entertainer turned telegenic Trump supporter, had driven for four hours to hear the presumptive GOP presidential candidate speak at a Las Vegas rally. So had Michael Steven Sandford, but for very different reasons. Why do you like Donald Trump? Sandford asked Donovan shortly after they met in line inside the glitzy Treasure Island Casino. The question wasnt unusual for a Trump rally, but Sandford was. Most people waiting for the June 18 event were kitted out in kitsch supporting their candidate, but Sandford was clad in a plain grey T-shirt. Unlike most other early arrivals, he was young: just 20 years old. And unlike others, he had a British accent. But it was his reaction to Donovans enthusiasm for Trump that suggested Sandford was seriously out of place. Donovan, 56, told the young man how he had met Trump and the billionaire had promised to get him his job back. Sandford responded by looking away, almost rolling his eyes. And when Donovan returned minutes later dressed in a black top hat and red tailcoat both plastered with Trump memorabilia Sandford appeared to shudder. He seemed a little bit repulsed, Donovan told The Washington Post. Hours later, Sandfords strange attitude in line would suddenly make more sense when, as Trump delivered his speech, Sandford allegedly tried to grab a gun from a Las Vegas Police officer to shoot the candidate. Sandford told (the Secret Service) he drove here from California on June 16, 2016 to kill Trump, according to a federal criminal complaint filed Monday. Sandford claimed he had been planning to attempt to kill Trump for about a year but decided to act on this occasion because he finally felt confident about trying it. Sandford was arrested before he could pull the police officers gun from its holster. He has been charged with an act of violence on restricted grounds, punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The bizarre incident appears to be the most serious of the skirmishes and protests that have marred Trump rallies across the country. Perhaps because of that pattern, the alleged attempt hardly seemed to cause a stir for the Trump campaign. The candidate himself didnt appear to realize at the time that Sandford had allegedly tried to grab a gun and shoot him. Instead, Trump said We love our police as officers escorted Sandford out of the casinos Mystere Theatre. As of Tuesday morning, Trump had not tweeted or spoken publicly about the incident, apparently more concerned with the firing of campaign manager Corey Lewandowski. Little is known about Sandford, who appeared in U.S. District Court in Nevada on Monday wearing leg irons and appearing to tremble, according to The Associated Press. Heather Fraley, his assigned public defender, said Sandford appeared to be competent but has autism and has previously attempted suicide. Sandfords mother, meanwhile, told court researchers that he was treated for obsessive compulsive disorder and anorexia when he was younger, and that he once ran away from a hospital in England, The Associated Press reported. Sandford doesnt have a criminal history, said Fraley, arguing her client should be released to a halfway house. But Judge George Foley denied Sandford bail, saying the suspect was a potential danger to the community and a flight risk. Sandford has not entered a plea, according to The Associated Press. Donovan said he was shocked when he learned Monday of the accusations against Sandford. Still, Donovan had his suspicions on seeing Sandfords ambivalence about the candidate. Why had he shown up more than 11 hours beforehand if, as he said, he wasnt sure if he liked Trump? Trump is bizarre, Sandford said while in line, according to Donovan. Sandford was acting weird and nervous, waving his hands and looking uncomfortable, Donovan said. He got upset when several men appeared like they were trying to jump ahead of him in line. At one point, Donovan made a joke in a British accent, one of many he often adopts as a performer. Most people would laugh, Donovan said. He did not. Once they were allowed into the theatre at 9 a.m., Donovan quickly forgot about the strange, serious young man in the grey T-shirt. But as Trump was speaking, there suddenly came a spattering of boos. From his seat five rows into the audience, Donovan could see Sandford being escorted out by Las Vegas Police officers. Even then, however, Donovan said he had no idea what had happened. He thought Sandford was a simple protester. It was only on Monday that he saw news articles about Sandfords arrest and realized he had been chatting with a man authorities describe as a would-be assassin. According to the complaint, Sandford thought he spotted Las Vegas Police officer Ameel Jacobs gun unsecured in its holster. He approached the officer, pretending to seek Trumps autograph, then attempted to seize the sidearm of Officer Jacob by grabbing the holster and handle of the firearm with both hands, according to the complaint. When Sandford was asked why he attempted to grab Officer Jacobs sidearm, Sandford replied, To shoot and kill Trump, the complaint says. Sandford acknowledged that he would likely only be able to fire one to two rounds and stated he was convinced he would be killed by law enforcement during his attempt on Trumps life. Sandford is due back in court July 5. Donovan said he called the Secret Service and Las Vegas Police as soon as he connected the dots. I was right next to this guy for nine hours, he said with a mixture of awe and horror. What are the odds. One in a billion? Read more about: SHARE: You cant have scholarships based on a girls virginity in South Africa. Thats what the Commission for Gender Equality ruled Friday in response to a mayor in one of its districts awarding scholarships to young virgin women. The Maiden Bursary Awards were announced by Uthukela district Mayor Dudu Mazibuko in January. The college scholarships were awarded to 16 girls who were still virgins. To us, its just to say thank you for keeping yourself and you can still keep yourself for the next three years until you get your degree or certificate, Mazibuko said, according to the Associated Press. The mayor unveiled the scholarship in an effort to curtail teen pregnancy, STDs and exploitation. Seven million people live with HIV in South Africa, according to the United nations. It has the highest rate of HIV in the world. Kwazulu-Natal is one of the worst-affected districts in the country, according to Doctors Without Borders. Teen pregnancy is indeed an issue that is growing, with 68,000 reported teen pregnancies rising to 100,000 in 2013, according to a government survey. The girls who were awarded the scholarships would have had to undergo virginity tests as part of an annual ceremony hosted by Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu. Elderly women in the district perform the unscientific tests for young women to participate in the reed dance that happens every September at the Zulu kings palace. Thubelihle Dlodlo was one of the scholarship recipients. During a BBC interview in February, she said that staying a virgin was her only shot at earning an education, since her parents couldnt afford to send her to college. She said she didnt see the virginity test as odd or outdated. Virginity testing is part of my culture, it is not an invasion of my privacy and I feel proud after Im confirmed to be pure, she told the BBC. The chairman for the Commission for Gender Equality, Mfanozelwe Shozi, didnt buy the purpose of the scholarships when it was introduced earlier in the year. I think the intentions of the mayor are great but what we dont agree with is giving bursaries for virginity, he told the Associated Press in January. There is an issue around discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, virginity and even against boys. This is going too far. Womens rights groups were outraged when the scholarships were announced. In January, Sisonke Msimang, a policy development and advocacy consultant for the Sonke Gender Justice project, told Al Jazeera that the scholarship had multiple layers of ridiculousness. Being sexually active and seeking an education have nothing to do with each other, she said. The Commission for Gender Equality agreed. In its ruling, it said that a scholarship contingent on a female students virginity is fundamentally discriminatory. The commission said the scholarships go against the ethos of the constitutional provisions in relation to dignity, equality and discrimination. It also added that virginity is not intrinsic to the task of studying. There are no reports on how the 16 recipients will be reimbursed, if at all, for the scholarships they were going to use toward their education. The municipality has 60 days to respond to the recommendation that the scholarships end, according to AFP news agency reports. It has yet to respond. SHARE: AMMAN, JORDAN A car bomb exploded Tuesday near a Jordanian army post on the sealed border with war-ravaged Syria, killing six members of Jordans security forces and wounding 14 in what the military called a cowardly terrorist attack. It was the deadliest attack along the tense border in recent memory and it raised new questions about the pro-Western kingdoms ability to block spillovers from long-running conflicts next door. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the assault. The military said the explosion went off at about 5:30 a.m. near a makeshift encampment for tens of thousands of Syrian refugees stranded in a remote desert area on the border, awaiting entry into Jordan. The attack targeted a military post serving Syrian refugees in an area known as Ruqban the larger one of two tent encampments that expanded rapidly in recent months as more Syrians fleeing fighting at home try to get into Jordan. Cell phone photos taken from Ruqban showed a cloud of grey smoke rising in the distance, with tents in the foreground. The two camps are located along an earthen mound, or berm, that runs along the border. Ruqban is just a few kilometres from the point where Syria, Jordan and Iraq meet. The Jordanian military said those killed in Tuesdays attack included four border troops, a member of the civil defence and a public security officer. The statement said 14 were wounded, including nine public security officers. It was not immediately clear if the attack would disrupt daily deliveries of food, water and other essentials by international aid agencies to the refugees. Ariane Rummery, a spokeswoman for the UN refugee agency in Geneva, said the attack took place several kilometres from Ruqban camp and that she was not aware of any injuries among the Syrian refugees. Clearly the attack underlines how challenging the relief operation is at the berm, she said. We remain concerned about the level of security issues at the berm and for humanitarian agencies working there. Several aid groups, including the World Food Program, said they were not able to reach distribution points near the berm Tuesday. With crowds at the berm swelling rapidly in recent weeks, the situation for refugees in the two encampments has become increasingly dire. Jordan only admits a limited number of refugees every day, citing the need for stringent security vetting. Jordanian officials have said they have evidence that activists of the extremist group Daesh have infiltrated the two camps and are attempting to slip into Jordan, pretending to be refugees. Daesh, also known as Islamic State controls large areas in neighbouring Syria and Iraq. Jordan has fortified border defences, including with U.S.-funded surveillance systems, to try to stop attackers and infiltrators. Jordan has also widened a crackdown on Daesh sympathizers at home, jailing hundreds in the past two years for promoting the groups ideas on social media. The kingdom is a member of the U.S.-led international military coalition against Daesh. Read more about: SHARE: WASHINGTONPresident Barack Obama is denouncing the Senates failure to pass gun control measures in the aftermath of the mass shooting in Orlando, Fla. Obama says on Twitter that the Senate failed the American people and that gun violence requires more than moment of silence. The White House has said previously that tweets from his account are from Obama himself. White House spokesman Josh Earnest is also denouncing as a shameful display of cowardice the Senates failure to pass gun control measures in the aftermath of the mass shooting in Orlando, Florida. Earnest told CNN on Tuesday that the Republican-led chambers blocking of four gun-control proposals Monday does nothing to keep extremists from acquiring guns. He said that what we saw last night was a shameful display of cowardice, after the June 12 shootings at an Orlando nightclub that killed 49 and injured dozens. The shooter, Omar Mateen, identified himself as an Islamic soldier. He died in a gun battle with police. Earnest said lawmakers lament gun violence, but dont do anything about it. He said that, while no bill can prevent all gun violence, why wouldnt we do more? Attorney General Loretta Lynch visited Orlando Tuesday and met with prosecutors and families of the victims of the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history. The trip came as the Justice Department continues investigating the June 12 massacre at the Pulse nightclub, in which 49 people died and dozens were wounded. Federal investigators, who have conducted hundreds of interviews, havent ruled out charges against others in connection with the shooting and say theyre still trying to determine why Mateen, who died in a gun battle with police, targeted a popular gay nightclub. Lynch spoke with victims relatives, which she called a very difficult meeting, but said this is the core of what we do. She was briefed at the FBI office by U.S. Attorney Lee Bentley and other law enforcement officials, including prosecutors assigned to the investigation. I think theres a real benefit to having her here to see everything first hand, Bentley said as the two stood with their arms around each other. A moderate Republican senator was seeking broad support Tuesday for a compromise to block guns from suspected terrorists, a day after the chamber split along partisan lines to derail each partys more sweeping proposals. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, was discussing her plan with GOP leaders and said she expected the Senate to vote on her proposal. I remain encouraged, she said. There was no immediate word from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., on whether a vote would occur. And it remained unclear whether she could attract enough support to win if a vote were held. In an ominous sign, the National Rifle Associations chief lobbyist criticized Collins emerging effort, though he stopped short of outright opposition to it. According to reports, Sen. Collins and others would prefer to continue to talk about gun control and ignore the growing threat from ISIS, an acronym for Daesh, the NRAs Chris W. Cox said in a statement. Cox said keeping guns from terrorists and providing meaningful due process are not mutually exclusive. Florida Republican Gov. Rick Scott, meanwhile, complained that Washington had turned down his request for $5 million to help pay for the states response to the massacre. Federal Emergency Management Agency spokesman Rafael Lemaitre said its disaster fund is not an appropriate source to pay for law enforcement response, medical care and counselling for victims resulting from a shooting. The agency did approve a state request to reallocate $253,000 in unspent money from a homeland security grant to help pay for overtime costs in the wake of the shooting, Lemaitre said. More clues emerged Monday when the FBI released a partial transcript of phone calls Mateen had with a 911 operator and police crisis negotiators once the shooting got underway. Mateen identified himself as an Islamic soldier, demanded of a crisis negotiator that the U.S. stop bombing Syria and Iraq, warned of future violence in the coming days and, at one point, pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of Daesh, also known as the Islamic State group, the FBI said. Despite these declarations, the FBI says its found no evidence the attack was directed by a foreign terrorist organization. Mateen, instead, appears to have radicalized on his own through jihadist propaganda on the Internet, and was part of a phenomenon that law enforcement officials have repeatedly expressed concern about. The statements to police, which an FBI official said were made in a chilling, calm and deliberate manner, were similar to postings Mateen appears to have made on Facebook around the time of the shooting. According to the FBI, Mateen said in a call that came more than a half-hour after shots rang out: I let you know, Im in Orlando and I did the shootings. Shortly after the call with a 911 operator, Mateen had three conversations with crisis negotiators in which he identified himself as an Islamic soldier and told a negotiator to tell America to stop bombing Syria and Iraq. He said that was why he was out here right now, according to the excerpt. The shooting has fostered discussion both about U.S. government efforts to identify and thwart individuals bent on violence, and about whether stiffer gun control laws are needed. Mateen had been interviewed by the FBI three times since 2013 as part of two separate investigations and placed on a terror watch list. The Senate on Monday rejected proposals from both parties to keep extremists from acquiring guns, including one that was publicly supported by the Justice Department. Lynch, has said federal investigators are still unresolved as to what drove Mateen to violence and to what extent he may also have been motivated by anti-gay hatred. Investigators have conducted hundreds of interviews, some with family members, and are working, in particular, to determine how much knowledge his wife had of the plot. Lynchs meeting with first responders comes as Orlando police face continued questions about the response to the rampage. On Monday, police Chief John Mina said that if any fire from responding officers hit victims at the club, gunman Mateen bears the responsibility. He wouldnt give further details, but said: Heres what I will tell you: Those killings are on the suspect, on the suspect alone, in my mind. SHARE: Those who have come out in recent days to attack the new Toronto for All anti-discrimination ad campaign for being racist are missing the point. One of the ads depicts a white male confronting a Muslim woman wearing a headscarf. The man in the print ad tells her to go back where she came from. Where, North York? reads her response. While the overwhelming reaction to the campaign has been positive there are vocal naysayers who claim the ads are racist for portraying a white man in the position of aggressor and that the ads gloss over the actual danger Muslims represent. Islam is a threat to Canada. Many Canadian-born Muslims become radicalized, wrote one disgruntled writer in an email addressed to numerous politicians, media and organizations, including my own. The useful idiots are missing the point, tweeted another. Islam is a political ideology not a race or religion. This is not surprising to read, given the times. But for argument sake, lets address the concerns that have been aired in recent days. First, discrimination and racism are about power and oppression. The focus and context of the ad is on the one being oppressed. Its true there is a race element in the ad, and we must applaud those who recognize this dynamic. What the ad suggests is to look at that power dynamic from the perspective of a racialized Muslim woman. Second, the initial ad, which appeared in Toronto this month, is not the only one there are other pictures depicting different kinds of people on both the giving and receiving ends of prejudice. These are scheduled for a staggered release. The critics should have taken some time to learn about the campaign before making snap judgments. Third, any campaign attempting to tackle uncomfortable realities, including racism and discrimination, are bound to face resistance. The Ontario governments successful campaign against sexual assault depicts mostly men trying to hurt women. Does that tar all men with the same brush? Hardly. These campaigns are meant to spark conversations about social ills and what we can do collectively to overcome them. Canadian Muslims are too often being stereotyped and typecast by prevailing media narratives, as are other minority groups including African-Canadians and indigenous peoples. Consider the lopsided nature of media coverage of terrorism committed by Muslims. One American study revealed that between 2008 and 2012, 81 per cent of the news about terrorism covered on news programs were about Muslims. Yet only 6 per cent of domestic terrorism suspects were actually Muslim. So lets call this baseless critique of the Toronto for All campaign for what much of it really represents anti-Muslim animus, which is real. Anti-Muslim hate crimes in Canada have been on the rise for several years, doubling between 2011 and 2014 while hate crimes in general have been declining. The most targeted victims of anti-Muslim hate are visibly Muslim women who wear religious attire. Last November, a mother was beaten up in broad daylight on her way to pick up her children from school. Sadly, thats only one example of many. With a combination of Syrian refugees arriving in Canada, the divisive rhetoric during the last federal election, and the troubling discourse flowing from the American presidential race, anti-Muslim narratives are becoming more prevalent. Some are being given license to air views that would be considered hateful, let alone inaccurate, if they were uttered about any other group. This makes the Toronto ad campaign all the more important to our social cohesion. In his book The Myth of the Muslim Tide, journalist Doug Saunders chronicles how fear and prejudice against particular minorities have been common throughout North American history. Japanese, Jewish and Ukrainian communities, to name some, have gone through this before. The very same myths perpetuated about those communities are now being used against Canadian Muslims. As a Canadian collective, we need to drown out those divisive voices with narratives of our own about what it means to belong to a country that values its diversity, freedoms, and safety for all. Im sorry if some feel stereotyped by the ads. Welcome to my world. Now lets help change it, one ad at a time. Amira Elghawaby is the communications director at the National Council of Canadian Muslims. SHARE: During the prolonged referendum campaign that on Thursday will at last decide whether Britons will Leave the European Union (EU) or will Remain a member of that institution, the struggle between these two sides has steadily got ever louder and ever nastier. The character of these confrontations was captured brilliantly by the British newspaper The Daily Telegraph. The entire debate, it declared, had become Project Fear, that is of voters being pulled one way because they feared too many immigrants would come into their country, or of being tugged the other way because they feared that leaving the EU would damage their nations economy and threaten their jobs. As one example of such excess, leave advocates have warned if Britain stays in the EU it will have take in a million or more Turks because it would have to continue obeying the EUs rules for freedom of movement among all its member states. The opposite excess was as extravagant. According to Chancellor George Osborne, a defeat of those who wanted to remain would force the government to slash spending and raise taxes, hitting pensioners the hardest. Nevertheless, at least two sensible observations have been expressed. The first came, of all places, from Berlin. In a special bilingual edition, Der Spiegel, Germanys biggest magazine, proclaimed, Please dont go, (Bitte geht nicht, that is), going on to argue that the loss of Britain would cost Europe the special qualities Britain possesses, in human rights, freedom movements, culture, and its talent for being cool. The source for the other insight was as surprising. It was Pope Francis, who used a speech to ask the agonizing question, What has happened to you, Europe? The confrontation, this is to say, isnt really about Britain vs. the EU. That this version exists at all was caused by an unwise calculation two years ago by Prime Minister David Cameron to hold the referendum, which he assumed he would win and so silence Euro-skeptics in his own government. In fact, Britains present state could scarcely be better its economic condition is Europes best, but for Germany. Its volume of immigrants last year, a near record of 330,000 can be a strain. But the real demographic change that worries many of its people is more that of the ever-increasing difference between London and the rest of the country. Europes problem is instead that of Europe itself. It has bungled its own immigration policy. And its monetary policy. And its military policies in the Middle East and in Ukraine. Above all, the EU has lost control of its own political policies in the sense that its inward-turned bureaucracy in Brussels has lost touch with the interests and attitudes of more and more of its member-states, in the south, from Greece to Italy to Spain, and in the east from Poland to Austria to Hungary to Slovakia. Even France, the EUs original creator, is now almost as critical of the EU as are the leavers in Britain. On Thursday, the most probable referendum result will be a narrow, fluky, win for Cameron. (Often, as in the case of Scotlands attempt to break away from Britain, the undecided only make up their minds at the last minute). But the effect of such an outcome, either way, will be of secondary consequence, even in Britain itself. The fundamental decision will be whether Europe, for so long the worlds centre, can re-fashion itself into a true, multinational union. Thats the question Pope Francis asked. When he said it, he didnt sound confident it would happen. Richard Gwyns column appears every other Tuesday. gwynr@sympatico.ca Read more about: SHARE: Fifty-four years after mercury was first dumped into the English-Wabigoon River system in northwestern Ontario, poisoning the fish and anything that ate them from the people of the Grassy Narrows First Nation to eagles and otters its hard to imagine that things could get much worse. But they apparently are. First there was the release of a government-funded report three weeks ago that says mercury levels in sediments and fish downstream from the original source of the pollution a defunct paper mill in Dryden are still dangerously high. The system is not naturally cleaning itself up, as the government has argued it would. Now comes an allegation from a whistle blower who says he was part of a small crew from the paper mill who haphazardly dumped drums of mercury and salt into a pit near Grassy Narrows more than 40 years ago. Worse, the government apparently did not act on his warning until Star reporters Jayme Poisson and David Bruser began asking questions. There is no time to waste. The government should investigate Kas Glowackis allegations urgently. The recently released report says no one knows whether the persistently high levels of mercury in the water system are from new leaks around the old Dryden mill perhaps even from the drums he is talking about or from sediments that are only now being churned up. And the government has no way of knowing which it is since it hasnt tested the waters near the mill since 1980. Glowacki said the dumping of drums of mercury and salt into a pit, lined only with black polyurethane, occurred in 1972. But he says he was told by the environment ministry that there was nothing to be concerned about. Nothing to be concerned about? On the contrary: alarm bells should be ringing. When the scientific report was released at the end of May, Premier Kathleen Wynne said she would be thrilled if there was a way to clean up that water and to get that mercury out without causing more damage. Now, despite her assertions, it appears the government isnt even fully investigating warnings about possible dump sites that could be leaking into the water system. That isnt acceptable. Government action to clean up the waterway is long overdue. The environment ministry can start by thoroughly investigating Glowackis allegations, and then do whatever is necessary to finally clean up the English-Wabigoon River system. SHARE: Its a colossal waste of money, but thats not the worst thing about Torontos planned one-stop Scarborough subway extension. With a revised cost of almost $3 billion, the biggest harm wrought by this dismal project is the crippling injury of lost opportunity. Money spent on the Scarborough project could serve as a hefty down-payment on public transit that Toronto truly needs in particular, on a subway relief line to ease pressure on the Yonge subway. Passenger congestion is approaching crisis levels on this route the backbone of the entire system especially at the Yonge-Bloor station at rush-hour. Relief is sorely needed. But instead of focusing transit dollars where they would do the most good, Queens Park and Mayor John Tory remain wedded to an ill-conceived Scarborough subway extension that has more to do with political pandering than with getting riders where they need to go. Tory revealed last week that the bill for adding just one additional station to the Bloor-Danforth line has soared to a staggering $2.9 billion. Originally estimated at an already-excessive $2 billion, an engineering analysis revealed that pushing this route out to Scarborough City Centre would, in fact, cost a great deal more. It turns out that tunneling will have to run much deeper than originally expected; the station will need be deeper, too; and protecting against a high water table in the area will require considerably more concrete than initially planned. Toronto ratepayers are responsible for all cost over-runs on this project. And the Scarborough subway has already burdened them with an extraordinary property tax levy thats set to drain more than $1,200 from the average household. Now theres another $900 million to be covered, but Tory appears unperturbed. My support for a subway connection to Scarborough has not changed, he assured reporters. People want us to get on with building transit in this city. Thats certainly what people want. But sinking almost $3 billion underground in Scarborough means there will be less public transit in Toronto over the long run. Tory insists theres money available to cover the increased cost of his reckless subway extension, but its hard to see where. City manager Peter Wallace warned a few weeks ago that theres no cash available to pay for several major capital projects already approved by city council, including transit expansion and reconfiguring the Gardiner Expressway. The total value of this unfunded work, called the capital overhang, was estimated to be as high as $29 billion. As if to echo former mayor Rob Fords futile claim that businesses would pay for new subways, Tory said he would work with the private sector to reduce costs. But hes ignoring the obvious. The best way to cut the outrageous cost of the Scarborough subway extension is to scrap it and return to the original plan to serve the area through an ultra-modern light-rail line. The province was willing to cover the entire $1.48 billion cost of that route and also pay for its operating and maintenance costs. It was Fords folly to throw away this deal in a mindless push for subways, subways, subways. Despite all the evidence against a Scarborough subway, Tory remains on board for one unseemly reason: residents there strongly favour underground transit over light rail. The mayor would rather pander to those voters than serve the interests of the whole city and hes willing to spend billions of public dollars to do it. To be fair, hes not alone. The Liberal government, making the same calculation, affirmed its commitment to the subway on Monday. Thats unlikely to change with a provincial byelection to be called by September in Scarborough-Rouge River, just north of the planned subway stop. City council represents a last glimmer of hope for Torontos beleaguered transit riders. If a majority puts the brakes on this misbegotten project there may yet be a way to get light rail moving again, benefiting all commuters in Scarborough and beyond. SHARE: Facebook (FB) investors on Monday voted to re-elect the company's eight directors during Facebook's annual general meeting, where executives also discussed the future of its messaging apps, its news activities and -- yes -- CEO Mark Zuckerberg's parenting philosophy. Among the eight directors re-elected is LinkedIn (LNKD) co-founder Peter Thiel. Thiel's role at Facebook sparked controversy because of his open support of presidential candidate Donald Trump and his backing of Hulk Hogan's successful $130 million suit against Gawker Media. Executives including Zuckerberg answered investor queries during a brief Q&A following the formal meeting but provided little new about its efforts to make its news curation more fair. Its news activities have come under fire from conservatives who said the site favored left-leaning viewpoints. Facebook is a holding in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. Want to be alerted before Cramer buys or sells FB? Learn more now. The company also gave little information on its plans to replace Zuckerberg as he ages. "I will be involved in running Facebook for a very long time," Zuckerberg said. The company's plans for WhatsApp yielded the most questions at the meeting. Facebook paid $21.8 billion for the app in October 2014. Zuckerberg said he would not merge it with Facebook's own Messenger because WhatsApp acts as a utilitarian messaging platform while messenger allows users to express emotion. "We're not planning on combining them. We think the messenger space is very varied and very large," he said. "We think the bigger opportunity is to provide our community with both tools." Despite WhatsApp's hefty price tag, he said messaging is still in its infancy but will provide an opportunity for monetization in the future. "First you build consumer behavior then you build organic business behavior," Zuckerberg said. "We're starting stage two with WhatsApp and Messenger -- maybe you message a restaurant for a reservation or you message a company with a question about their product." It's the interaction between customers and business in messaging apps that will provide moneymaking chances, he said. The company also promised to keep looking for opportunities to enter the Chinese market, where it has failed to overcome zealous censorship. "We've said that our mission is to connect everyone in the world and China is in the world," said COO Sheryl Sandberg. In keeping with other odd questions during shareholder meetings, at least one investor was curious about Zuckerberg's parenting philosophy. Zuckerberg's wife Priscilla Chan gave birth to their daughter Maxima Nov. 30. The answer: The same as his business philosophy -- creating a learning environment. "She's six months old," he said. "The people and the companies that learn the fastest can succeed at what they do." The answer doesn't appear to have affected the company's share price. The stock was up 43 cents in late afternoon trading at $113.45. It's not easy being a short-seller. Making money when markets go down is tricky, and not everyone can pull it off. That's what makes Russell Clark so interesting. Clark is a London-based hedge fund manager who runs more than $2.75 billion at Horseman Capital Management. The Horseman Global fund he co-manages has had average annual returns of 14.8% since 2001. That is significantly greater than the average hedge fund return of 5.6% over the same period. Since 2011, his fund averaged annual returns of 17.1%, but he has generated these most recent returns by being net short. That means his long positions in the market were outweighed by his short positions. He made more money over the past five years betting stocks would go down, not up. The bull market we've experienced in recent years has made short selling very difficult, which makes Russell's achievements all the more remarkable. It's like setting a 100-meter dash world record with a gale-force headwind. Clark seems to have his finger on the market's pulse, and paying attention to what he says and does is likely to give us a hint of what lies ahead. Which is why the fact that Horseman Global was 103% net short at the end of April is cause for concern. This means his bearish bets were worth more than the total value of the fund. That's the highest net short position the fund has held since its inception. Why is a massively successful short-seller placing big bets on stocks going down? According to Clark, it's because of Japan. As Goes Japan, So Goes the S&P 500 Japanese stocks indicated something was wrong with global markets before the last two bubbles popped in 2000 and 2008. The Nikkei, the key national index in Japan, peaked three to six months before markets in the U.S. reached their tops. Take a look at the chart below: The S&P 500 peaked in August 2000, right before the dot-com bubble burst. Japan, meanwhile peaked four months earlier, in March. Before the 2008 financial crisis, the S&P 500 peaked in October 2007. The Nikkei had peaked in July 2007. Japan seems to witness a bubble bursting a few months before the rest of the world does. The last time it peaked? July 2015. The Nikkei is down 13% since then. The S&P 500 is up 3% so far this year, and is flirting with historic highs. If history repeats itself, it's likely the S&P 500 is in for a slump. Why Is Japan So Important? Japan has the third-largest economy in the world and the third-largest stock market. But both the stock market and economy are struggling, and have been for decades. Japan's central bank has been trying everything it can to improve things. It has adopted negative interest rates. This basically means lenders are paying interest, not borrowers. This is the opposite of what is supposed to happen. The central bank hopes this will force people to spend money instead of saving it, which would help the economy. To support the stock market, the central bank also started buying exchange-traded funds and real estate investment trusts. But these efforts have fallen flat. The economy is still stagnant, investment levels have not improved, and savers are buying safes in record numbers to hoard more cash at home. Russell Clark also notes, "The Japanese are the world's biggest net savers and investors, and it is the movement of Japanese investments that cause the biggest moves in currencies and equities." The Japanese yen acts like a "funding" currency during boom times. Since interest rates in Japan are so low, investors from around the world borrow money in Japanese yen and invest it in places with better yields. This boosts the demand for the yen. As a result, Clark sees the yen and global stock markets tending to go in opposite directions. When the yen is weak, stocks rally. When the yen strengthens, markets go down. So far this year, the yen is up 10% vs. the dollar. That's a big move for a major currency, and a bad sign for markets. According to Clark, "If we assume that yen can rally to 100, we see that the Nikkei traded around 14000 the last time yen traded at 100. This model would assume the S&P would then trade somewhere between 1400 and 1600." We aren't prepared to anoint Clark as another investment guru. After all, investing genius can sometimes be confused with luck. But if you think he's right and the relationship between Japan and equities holds up, the S&P 500, and a lot of other markets, could be trading lower by the end of the year. Kim Iskyan is the founder of Truewealth Publishing, an independent investment research company based in Singapore. Click here to sign up to receive the Truewealth Asian Investment Daily in your inbox every day, for free. This article is commentary by an independent contributor. At the time of publication, the author held no positions in the stocks mentioned. Associate Professor | College of Distance Education Professor Sexton began teaching at the U.S. Naval War College in 2001 as a military professor in the National Security Decision Making Department. Upon retiring from the military in 2005, she taught as an adjunct professor for the College of Distance Education (CDE) where she taught over 850 students online before returning to campus as a civilian CDE professor in 2014. In 2018, Professor Sexton was named the program manager for online programs and is responsible for the Naval Command and Staff and electives online programs. Anne Tyler's "Vinegar Girl" is a novel based on Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew." But if the conspiracy theorists are right and Shakespeare wrote none of his plays, then who really wrote "Vinegar Girl"? (Ron Charles/The Washington Post) Anne Tyler hates Shakespeares plays. All of them. But she hates The Taming of the Shrew the most. So she rewrote it. Vinegar Girl, her 21st novel, drags shrewish Kate into the modern age. Its such a crazy story, Tyler says from her home in Baltimore. People behave so inexplicably that you just know theres another side to it. Someones exaggerating; somebodys putting his own spin on things. Lets just figure out what really happened. What really happens in Tylers revision makes a little more sense than Shakespeares nettlesome play, which has been entertaining, perplexing and enraging viewers for the past 400 years. (An all-female version just opened to raves in New York; the all-male production running now in Washington is a hot mess.) The shrew in Vinegar Girl is a young woman named Kate Battista, whos been stuck caring for her cute sister and absentminded father since she was expelled from college for calling her botany professor an idiot. She works as a teachers assistant at a preschool, where she regularly shocks parents and displeases administrators with her unvarnished opinions. As the novel opens, Kates father, an immunologist at Johns Hopkins, begs her to marry his earnest lab assistant to keep the young scientist from being deported when his visa expires. That ingenious resetting of the plot retains Kates humiliation as a tool in her fathers scheme while letting all the characters behave with considerably more humor and gentleness than in the Bards version. The Katherina in Shakespeares play is insane, Tyler says with a laugh. Shes just spouting venom. Shes shrieking at Petruchio from the moment she meets him. And hes not much better. So you know I had to tone them down. Im sure that somebody is out there, saying, This isnt a shrew at all. In fact, Tylers Kate is merely a smart young woman still a dangerous creature in some circles who doesnt care about making everyone around her feel comfortable. Tyler realized what fun the character could be when she was writing a scene in which Kate gets scolded by her boss. Theres a line where I wrote, Kate had nothing to say so she said nothing. And I thought that is so breathtakingly refreshing because women, particularly, are raised to believe that if theres a silence, you should smooth it over and fill it with babble. First apologize and say, I think. . . . Author Anne Tyler (Michael Lionstar) Of course, Tyler, who won a Pulitzer Prize for Breathing Lessons (1988), isnt the first author to tame Shakespeares most misogynistic play. Cole Porter gave the story a zany new frame in Kiss Me Kate (1948), and Ten Things I Hate About You (1999) spun the plot into a high-school comedy starring Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger. Even the most traditional directors have tried creative ways to re-engineer Kates groveling final speech about the supremacy of men. Tyler knew those lines were sometimes delivered sarcastically, but shes found another way to preserve Kates dignity while serving up a sweetly romantic ending. It was enormous fun to write. Its just a meringue! Tyler says of her shortest, lightest novel. I had to sign a contract before Id written it, and they specify how many words it should be as a minimum. I actually did activate my computers word counter to make sure I had enough, and I think I just barely had enough a few more very verys in there. Vinegar Girl is the latest in the Hogarth Shakespeare project, which has hired well-known novelists to produce modern stories based on Shakespeares plays. Howard Jacobson retold The Merchant of Venice in February; Margaret Atwood will retell The Tempest this fall. But Tyler got first pick of the plays. [Shylock Is My Name review: Shakespeare for the 21st century] It wasnt till my daughters pointed it out that I realized that telling an English editor that I hated Shakespeare was probably considered impolite. (Theres a little touch of Kate right there.) That Tyler was willing to participate in this project at all is something of a fluke. The Hogarth editor just happened to catch her in a vulnerable moment. Tyler says, When they first mentioned the possibility to me, I actually laughed, because heres somebody with terrible plots and theyre not even his own but wonderful words, and then someone comes along and says, Why dont you take his terrible plot and add your inferior words to it? I mean really, does it make any sense? But in the end, it was Shakespeares terrible plot that won her over. Halfway through work on her previous novel, A Spool of Blue Thread, Tyler says she was concerned about her next project: I always panic about how Im going to spend the rest of my life, and I thought, Well, in this case, you know there would be a plot ready made! So, she signed on, ruefully acknowledging the limits of originality. Were living in a very unoriginal age: Lets recycle everything we can get our hands on, she says. Ive gotten old enough by now so that sometimes, when Im reading a brand new novel, I think, Ive read this before, and I dont mean that the writer is plagiarizing. I just mean that its all old after a while. There are only so many plots in the world. But dont expect any more revivals from her. Its the first time, she says, and I think it should be the last time. You wouldnt want to get a reputation for doing this. Another thing Tyler wont get a reputation for is publicizing her own books. In an age when writers are expected to hawk their wares on social media, she remains, at 74, decidedly outside the Twittersphere. And her recent experience has made her even more reluctant. Under pressure from her publisher, she did a little publicity for A Spool of Blue Thread, but now says, Its very bad for my writing. It actually derailed me for about a year afterwards. Shes made a rare exception for this newspaper interview only because her editor insisted she explain the odd circumstances of Vinegar Girl. But doesnt she realize how much her fans would love to meet her in bookstores around the country? Do you know how disappointed they would be? she fires back. Ive seen it. If I go to a grocery store, and somebody stops me and talks to me, I can just see the disappointment cross their face because I dont say anything thats like what I write. Im just talking about how expensive bananas are getting. That self-deprecating wit is one of the charms that keeps bringing us back to her novels since If Morning Ever Comes appeared in 1964. I have to go on writing just because I have no hobbies, Tyler says. But I dont feel as if the world needs another book from me. Shes wrong, but who can argue with a woman like this? Ron Charles is the editor of Book World. You can follow him on Twitter @RonCharles. Representatives at Airbnb are reporting an uptick in guests as well as hosts in both Cleveland and Philadelphia for the upcoming conventions. (John MacDougall/AFP/Getty Images) Convention season is upon us, and in Cleveland and Philadelphia bookings on Airbnb.com have gotten political. Residents in both cities are looking to make some quick cash (and perhaps a good excuse to flee to the hinterlands) as the Republican National Convention rolls into the Rock and Roll Capital from July 18 to 21 and the Democratic National Convention hits the City of Brotherly Love from July 25 to 28. In fact, an Ohio mayor Kevin Kennedy, the Democratic mayor of North Olmsted is even looking to rent out his RNC Ready home, about a half-hour drive from Cleveland, according to Cleveland.com. [The search for Americas best food cities: Philadelphia] Representatives at Airbnb are reporting an uptick in guests as well as hosts in both cities for the upcoming conventions. Cleveland Airbnb bookings have quadrupled, compared to the weeks surrounding the conference, while Philadelphia bookings have tripled. A quick glimpse at the site and the political theme often a pricey one is impossible to miss: A one-bedroom apartment in Cleveland, listed as Simply The Best for the RNC, is going for $6,500 per night, and a two-bedroom apartment in Philadelphia, listed as a Luxury Penthouse Apt for DNC, is going for $3,500 per night. In Cleveland, Airbnb expects between 1,300 and 1,400 guests to rent rooms, apartments and homes during the RNC, and nearly a quarter of those guests are expected to travel from Washington, D.C. The median nightly price thats been booked is $260 a night. On average, hosts will earn about $611 during the convention. Nearly 60 percent of those hosts are listing their homes for the first time. In Philadelphia, Airbnb expects 4,000 guests to rent rooms, apartments and homes during the DNC, and about 14 percent are expected to come from Washington, D.C. There, hosts will earn, on average, $721 during the convention, and the median nightly price thats been booked is $100. [Corpse in the garden: A worst-case guide to vacation rental nightmares] Residents arent the only ones cashing in on the convention. A search on Hotels.com suggests very few hotel rooms are available in the Cleveland area during the convention. A night at University Hotel & Suites, which gets just two stars out of five on the booking site, is going for $760 per night, and a Days Inn nearly 30 miles from Cleveland is fetching $500 a night. Philadelphia, on the other hand, appears to have far more rooms available at a variety of rates along with the more affordable Airbnb DNC listings. More from Travel: Communities across Illinois take up Airbnb regulation debate Carrying a throwaway wallet and other tips in avoiding travel scams A hometown girl goes looking for the quirky heart of Houston House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform members Tom Massie (R-Ky.), left, and Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) talk on Capitol Hill in Washington on June 15 during a committee hearing. (Lauren Victoria Burke/AP) The mayor of the District of Columbia argued last week that assault rifles are only meant to devastate humans, and that following the massacre in Orlando, Congress must finally do something about guns. But its safe to say that this is not what Mayor Muriel E. Bowser, a Democrat, had in mind: House Republicans on Monday introduced measures that would effectively wipe out existing gun-control laws in the District, which are among the countrys most restrictive. Under one measure, introduced by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), the District would be prohibited from spending money to enforce laws regarding which residents and visitors can carry firearms. Another, authored by Rep. David Schweikert (R-Ariz.), would prevent D.C. from limiting concealed-carry permits to those with a good reason to do so. And a third, also by Massie, would keep the District from enforcing its gun-free zones, such as those around D.C. public schools and government buildings, where firearms are now prohibited. Massie, who has attempted to roll back D.C. gun laws before, said in a statement emailed to reporters that he wants to let residents and visitors to the nations capital arm themselves in hopes of preventing an Orlando-style attack. Gun control is not the solution. The only practical way to have prevented this tragedy is by eliminating gun-free zones where security is inadequate to protect law-abiding citizens who are otherwise capable, willing and endowed (by their Creator with the right) to defend themselves, Massie wrote. I introduced these amendments to reduce the likelihood of a similar tragedy in DC. Taken together, the proposals could supercede a court fight that for now has kept the citys gun laws intact. They could instead force the District to let almost any gun owner in the 50 states bring a firearm into the District and that fits a theme for Massie. After the attack on a gay nightclub that killed 49 last week in Orlando, Massie tweeted a picture of himself with an assault rifle and said, The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun responsible AR-15 owner for 20 yrs #2A. The measures, known as riders, are a frequent tool that conservative federal lawmakers use to dictate spending on social and criminal justice programs in the District, where most voters are Democrats. In recent years, the House has voted to keep the area from using its local revenue to fully implement a successful ballot measure to legalize marijuana. The House also perennially uses a rider to block the District from using its tax dollars to subsidize abortions for low-income residents. The measures must clear a procedural hurdle Tuesday in the House Rules Committee. They could be brought for a vote on the House floor as early as Wednesday. If passed, the riders would have to be debated with Senate budget negotiators. Last year, the House also used a rider to try to strike down a D.C. law banning discrimination over employees reproductive decisions. That passed the House but the Senate refused to accept it. Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Al.) has again filed an amendment to keep the District from spending any money to implement the law. In a twist, advocates for marijuana legalization said they think there will be a close vote this year on a rider to keep the District from spending money to legalize pot. A bill to give states more leeway on marijuana policy passed the House last year with more than 40 Republican members in support. D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser, who has been leading a new charge for D.C. to become the 51st state, sent out a tweet Tuesday saying Massies bill illustrated the need: One of the many reasons DC deserves full statehood & representation in Congress. Our residents agree, she wrote, adding the hastag DCStatehood. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, the Districts nonvoting representative to the House, can do little to stop the riders, but she introduced several of her own, seeking a vote on Republican measures that would block the District from spending local tax dollars as it sees fit. This week, House Republicans once again look to violate their self-proclaimed principles of local control over local affairs by imposing undemocratic riders on the District of Columbia, Norton said in a statement. If members want to step all over D.C. home rule and our right to self-government, I am going to force them to do it on record and in front of the American people. New recruit "Pepper" the robot, a humanoid robot designed to welcome and take care of visitors and patients, holds the hand of a new born baby next to his mother at AZ Damiaan hospital in Ostend, Belgium June 16, 2016. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir By Judith Mischke OSTEND, Belgium (Reuters) - A Belgian hospital has just welcomed its newest staff member: Pepper, a humanoid robot that speaks 19 languages. Developed to improve social and health care by the Belgian company Zora Bots, Pepper joined the medical team as a receptionist at Ostend hospital AZ Damiaan. Pepper will introduce visitors to the hospital, provide information and guide visitors and patients to the correct floor and room. With a speed of just 3 km/h (1.8 mph), Pepper is also able to guide slower patients. Fully charged, it can work for up to 20 hours on its own. "The robot itself is a meter 20 high, so it is not like Arnold Schwarzenegger with a leather jacket and an 'I will be back' robot," said Zora Bots' co-chief executive, Fabrice Goffin. "It is a quite nice robot and the reactions are positive for the moment." During the first week, Pepper was mainly used on the hospitals maternity department. Bieke Vandeputte, the mother of a newborn baby, was amazed. "it is another way of making contact and maybe it is reassuring that it is a robot for some people," she said. The baby was really sure. He did not mind putting his hands on it. It did not frighten him so I think it will be important. Especially for children." Pepper is not the first robot used at the AZ Damiaan hospital, but it is the first to communicate with patients and to have the ability to guide them. Before the arrival of Pepper, the staff had already worked with a predecessor, Zora, for about a year. Zora is smaller and slower than Pepper and used mainly in physical therapy classes. At a price of 30,000 euros, Pepper is expensive. So far, only Japanese customers have bought one to use at home. (Editing by Larry King) A student makes his way to class at Grover Washington Jr. Middle School in Philadelphia on May 12. The school is taking a hands-on approach to helping at-risk students get back on track with their studies. (Nikki Kahn/The Washington Post) A half-dozen sixth-grade teachers sat in a circle inside an empty classroom, poring over sheets of data showing their students attendance, grades and discipline. They were looking for children who were sliding, whose records indicated they were in danger of falling off the track to high school graduation. Marissa Johnson urged them to highlight those students names in yellow. Our goal is to identify students who need to finish strong, said Johnson, an employee of Diplomas Now, a Johns Hopkins University program that helps teachers here, at Grover Washington Jr. Middle School, identify students in need of extra support. The research is clear: If you want to know whether a child is on a path toward graduating or dropping out, standardized test scores are not very useful. Far more telling is whether that child comes to school regularly, behaves in class and earns passing grades. A growing number of states and school districts have begun closely examining attendance, grades and discipline records for even the youngest students in elementary school, searching for warning flags. Such early warning systems give schools a chance to intervene long before students lose their way. [An alarming number of teenagers are quitting school to work] Whether such efforts can change a childs trajectory is still an open question, but many educators think early warning systems hold great promise. Emerging evidence suggests that they can be an important force in reshaping how schools identify and serve at-risk students. Diplomas Now, which is being used in dozens of schools across the country, is helping middle-school students succeed, according to an independent evaluation released Tuesday. Carissa Capilongo teaches an intervention math class to Brenda Diaz-Nunez, left, and Natalia Buckner, seventh-graders at Grover Washington Jr. Middle School. (Nikki Kahn/The Washington Post) Alexis Agosto, 12, carries his stack of books from class at Grover Washington Jr. Middle School, where teachers are working to intervene early to help at-risk students. (Nikki Kahn/The Washington Post) Some districts that have embraced early warning systems have had positive change, including at the Chicago Public Schools, the nations third-largest system. Proponents say that when schools focus on reducing absenteeism and course failure, they are able to uncover and address the root problems holding students back which can do more to help them than cramming for an annual test. The shift from focusing on test scores to focusing on attendance and grades its been a complete transformation in terms of how schools are working with students, and its much more effective, said Elaine Allensworth of the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research. Allensworths research on the strong correlation between the number of courses ninth-graders pass and the high school graduation rate persuaded Chicago school officials to begin closely tracking the passing rate of freshmen, going to new lengths to make sure that students were coming to school regularly and engaging in class. And Chicagos graduation rate has risen dramatically 22 percentage points during the past decade and a half. The fastest growth came during the past six years, according to a study released this month improvement that Allensworth said cant be explained by demographic change and that appears to have been driven by ninth-graders improving rate of passing courses. Thirty-one states produce some kind of early warning report about their students, according to the Washington-based Data Quality Campaign. And experts predict that the new federal education law, the Every Student Succeeds Act, will help stoke further interest with specific requirements for intervention in high schools with low graduation rates. But early warning systems do not make a difference unless they prompt schools to take meaningful action to help students who are struggling, experts say. Its not a silver-bullet answer, said Susan Bowles Therriault of the American Institutes for Research, who has worked with many states to build early warning systems. It actually ends up being a lot more work in the long run. And some advocates worry that early warning systems could be used inappropriately, such as if schools were to use the information to identify, and then push out, students who could reflect badly on test scores and graduation rates. There is huge danger of stereotyping as well, biasing teachers in a way that will be a self-fulfilling prophecy, said Leonie Haimson, an activist in New York and co-chair of the Parent Coalition for Student Privacy. In Chicago, high schools are judged in part by the number of freshmen who earn enough credits to become sophomores, and its up to principals to decide how to help more ninth-graders succeed. Although the district has been squeezed by a budget crisis, schools have made strides, in most cases without additional resources. At the citys Lindblom Math and Science Academy, that meant a renewed focus on attendance: A dean teams up with the social worker and school clerk to visit the homes of students who are not coming to school regularly and to solve transportation problems or help with other assistance. The schools schedule was redesigned to give ninth-grade teachers time to meet to discuss the students they have in common; they now work together on strategies to help students who are struggling. But perhaps the biggest shift was reorienting the school to ensure that students are successful with the day-in, day-out class work instead of focusing so intently on their standardized test scores, said Alan Mather, who was Lindbloms principal for a decade before he moved to a central office position in 2015. Schools were having pep rallies around tests, and that sends the wrong message to kids, Mather said. The right message really was you need to do well. The five-year graduation rate at Lindblom a selective-admissions school where two-thirds of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch has risen steadily in recent years, from 90 percent in 2012 to 100 percent in 2015. Other early warning systems rely on bringing additional resources into the schools. One of the most prominent is Diplomas Now, which is used by dozens of schools, including Grover Washington Jr. in Philadelphia. Students wait for rides after a day of classes at Grover Washington Jr. Middle School in Philadelphia. (Nikki Kahn/The Washington Post) Brielle Houser, left, reacts during a mediation session at Grover Washington Jr. Middle School. (Nikki Kahn/The Washington Post) Our model brings people into schools, not just ideas and strategies, Hopkins researcher Robert Balfanz said. There are too many needy kids and not enough adults. Until you change that equation, it doesnt matter if you give them new strategies. [How early warning systems are keeping kids in school] Balfanz and his colleagues were among the first to show the predictive power of the ABCs attendance, behavior and course performance in a study of Philadelphia middle schools a decade ago. Sixth-graders who fell short on any of the ABCs had a 75 percent chance of dropping out of school. That meant that if a student failed math or English for the year, received an unsatisfactory mark for behavior on a report card or had an attendance rate below 80 percent, they probably would not be walking at graduation six years later. That seemed shocking, Balfanz said, noting that the indicators of later trouble were so clear that they amounted to middle schoolers waving their hands, searching for help. Hopkins employees work with teachers, showing them how to use data to flag students who are going off track. But Diplomas Now includes other partners, too: City Year, an AmeriCorps program, provides volunteers who work full time to help teachers in classrooms, run after-school activities, and serve as mentors who reach out to struggling students and their families. For students with the most intensive needs, Communities in Schools, a national dropout-prevention program, provides connections with outside agencies for help with hunger, housing and mental-health care. In 2010, the Education Department awarded Diplomas Now a $30 million grant to study whether the program could be scaled up effectively. Sixty-two high-poverty schools in 11 districts are involved in the randomized control trial, which is expected to last seven years. Not until the final results are published in 2019 will it be clear whether the program actually succeeds in improving students chances of graduating. But an independent evaluation conducted by the nonprofit research firm MDRC, released Tuesday, suggests that the program has a modest but positive effect on increasing the number of students who are considered on track for graduation those whose attendance rates exceed 85 percent, who are suspended fewer than three days, and who are passing both English and math. At Philadelphias Grover Washington, teachers say they are grateful for the schools 18 City Year volunteers, who can teach small-group lessons, help students who are upset calm down and build caring relationships with kids who otherwise may feel disconnected from school. Students are equally enthusiastic: Eighth-grader Jermaine Phillips, 14, said his City Year mentor helped him raise his reading grade from a D to B. He dreams of one day attending the University of Florida, he said, because my City Year, she went there. But Grover Washington also is an example of how early warning systems can run into trouble in practice. Students at the school who were considered on track, according to their attendance, grades and behavior records, declined from a high of 77 percent in 2013 to 55 percent in 2015. It rose to 66 percent by spring of 2016. Those fitful results have come as the school has struggled to deal with budget cuts and neighborhood violence that has spilled into the building issues that plague many urban schools and for which there are no simple solutions. The library has been shuttered for years because there is no money for a librarian. Teachers lost their common planning period last year, so they did not have time to share data on students, identify those at risk and develop strategies to help. And there is just one counselor now to serve Grover Washingtons 560 students; six years ago, there were four. Shannon Blair, a veteran teacher who has worked at Grover Washington for half of her 17-year career, said she has seen students undergo remarkable transformations inside classrooms that serve as a stable oasis for children who face instability at home. But Blair said she also has seen children whose challenges cant be overcome by educators alone children who, for example, still come to school sporadically even after many meetings with their parents and introductions to outside agencies that can offer support. You cant save them all, she said. Fairfax County Public Schools are now teaching students about sex assault and consent as part of its family life education curriculum. This video is proposed for use in high school. (Human Relations Media) Fairfax County Public Schools are now teaching students about sex assault and consent as part of its family life education curriculum. This video is proposed for use in high school. (Human Relations Media) The educational video opens with a sober warning: Those who rape and sexually assault are not always predators hiding in the shadows; they sometimes are those closest to you. My idea of rape was someone snatching me up in an alley, a dark alley, a stranger, not someone that I date, not someone I trust, a young woman and survivor of sexual assault says as the video Defining Sexual Assault begins to walk students through the challenging subject. This might be the kind of lesson youd expect on a college campus as the nation continues to respond to the deep and growing concern about sexual assault. But in Fairfax County, Va., one of the nations largest public school districts, the video is a proposed part of a new sexual education curriculum designed to teach teens about consent and assault before they graduate from high school. Fairfax County Public Schools last year updated its family life education curriculum to include lessons on sexual consent and more thorough instruction on sexual assault, and the changes are slated to be implemented next school year. They are topics that have been widely addressed on college campuses, often as part of freshman orientation, but there is a growing belief that the education needs to come earlier so that it becomes second nature to young people. The main federal education law, updated last year, requires high schools to report how they are teaching students about safe relationships, including consent. [To address college sexual assault issue, some say kids need more sex education] Elizabeth Payne, who oversees Fairfax Countys family life education curriculum, said the wave of news about sexual assaults on the nations college campuses during the past few years has disturbed her. Numerous polls and surveys, including one last year from The Washington Post and the Kaiser Family Foundation, have shown that approximately 1 in 5 women say that they were assaulted during their college years. Payne said she believes health educators have a role to play in addressing assaults. We knew it was time to do something about it, Payne said. [Poll: One in 5 women say they have been sexually assaulted in college] College sexual assault has been gaining national attention, largely through a series of high-profile cases at major universities. Most recently, there was a public outcry after Brock Turner, a former Stanford swimmer convicted of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman outside a fraternity party, was sentenced to six months in jail instead of the multi-year prison term prosecutors were seeking. The case underscored for some the importance of consent, especially in an environment where people are drinking or using drugs to excess. [You took away my worth: A sexual assault victims powerful message to her Stanford attacker] After Turners conviction in March, Santa Clara County, Calif. District Attorney Jeff Rosen said he hoped the case drove home a message that will clearly reverberate throughout colleges, in high schools, anywhere where there may be any doubt about the distinction between consent and sexual assault. No means no, drunk means no, passed out means no, and sex without consent means criminal assault, Rosen said, according to several local news reports . [College students remain deeply divided over what consent actually means] By the time high school graduates arrive on college campuses, many of them have conflicting ideas about what constitutes sexual consent, a Washington Post survey found, and many of them never learned about it before getting there. Anjali Khanna, 18, a senior at Fairfax Countys Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology magnet school and founder of a student group to combat sexual assault, said the education on consent should not be delayed until college. The more we talk about this, the more ingrained it becomes in our societal attitudes, said Khanna, who is bound for the University of Virginia. Views differ on whether it is appropriate to teach such topics in class. Some parents think that families not schools should be in charge of teaching children about sex, including sensitive topics such as consent and assault, so they can tailor lessons to their values and beliefs. Meg Kilgannon, a mother of three Fairfax County high-schoolers and a middle-schooler, said she opted her children out of family life education because it lacks any discussion about your sexuality as an expression of love for another person. She said sexual assault and consent should be taught in the home: These are extremely personal topics. But Amy Morgan, a mother of three elementary school students, said she supports teaching sexual consent in high school because there are a lots of cultural messages that are contrary to this idea of consent. She said she thinks that schools should teach the general concept of consent outside of the context of sex in even earlier grades. I talk to my kids about no means no, if youre wrestling or even if youre playing a game and someones not having fun, Morgan said. Andrea Hummel, whose daughter is in high school, said she hopes that girls will learn that its okay to set boundaries and that boys will learn to listen. I think that girls dont realize that its okay to say no, Hummel said. Clarifying for the kids what constitutes sexual assault versus consent is important. Del. Eileen Filler-Corn (D-Fairfax) authored a bill that would have amended the states family life education standards to include lessons on sexual consent in addition to programs on the prevention of dating violence, domestic abuse, sexual harassment and sexual violence. But lawmakers stripped language on consent from the bill, which Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) signed into law last week. The new law requires schools to teach about sexual harassment but might have little effect on what is taught in the classroom; state standards already require lessons on sexual assault. The state also does not require schools to offer sex education. The proposed curriculum in Fairfax County schools would include a three-part video that features interviews with three women who said they were victims of sexual violence and input from several experts, including a psychologist, social worker and a nurse who has worked with victims. The school board is expected to vote June 30 whether to include the video. The video describes consent as healthy communication between the two people who are involved, emphasizing that someone who is intoxicated, unconscious or sleeping cannot give consent. It also teaches that silence is not the same as consent. Its like expressed permission that whats happening right now is equally cool to the both of us, psychologist Robert Eckstein of the University of New Hampshire says in the video. The video also approaches the fraught subject of what young people can do to reduce the likelihood of being sexually assaulted, an approach that has often been cast as victim-blaming. I think its tricky to talk about telling young people not to drink or not to leave a party alone because there is a sense of blaming the victim, right? The onus is always on the perpetrator, Amy Edelstein, a licensed social worker, says in the video, narrating over an image of silhouetted young people at a party. But I think there are situations that maybe put people at more risk. Making good choices, staying together in a group obviously can be helpful, but it doesnt mean it can prevent sexual violence from occurring. The military announced Tuesday that Marine Maj. Mark Thompson who has long insisted that he was falsely accused of having sex with two U.S. Naval Academy students will face a court-martial on allegations that he lied repeatedly in an effort to prove his innocence. After revelations about Thompsons case appeared in The Washington Post, the military charged him in April with making a false official statement and conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman. The former history instructor is accused of lying to a group of Marines who reviewed his case, pushing a comrade to lie for him at Thompsons 2013 court-martial and lying to The Post about the two students. Thompson will probably be arraigned in the coming weeks before facing trial this fall, according to Marine spokesman Rex Runyon. At a preliminary hearing last month, Maj. Babu Kaza, the lead prosecutor, described Thompsons career as a fraud and argued that he should be imprisoned for nearly three years, fined $200,000 and expelled from the service. [A Marine fights to prove hes innocent of sexual misconduct. Then a lost cellphone is found.] Thompson, 46, has maintained that he was unfairly convicted of sexual misconduct in 2013, but a Post investigation revealed in March that the 19-year veteran had been dishonest when he testified under oath to an administrative board deciding whether he should be kicked out of the service. The Marine Corps launched a new investigation soon after the article was published and has built a case in the three months since. Investigators met in April with one of the accusers, Sarah Stadler, to review the contents of her long-missing cellphone. A number of the more than 650 messages she and Thompson exchanged appear to contradict several assertions he made to the board in 2014. The initial case against Thompson, who did not respond to a request for comment Monday, centered on an evening in April 2011. After a long day of drinking, Stadler and a 21-year-old female classmate stopped by Thompsons house, just off the academy campus in Annapolis. The women later told authorities that they played a drunken game of strip poker before he had sex with each of them. Stadler described her relationship with Thompson as consensual, but her friend accused him of rape, asserting that she was too drunk to consent. Thompsons longtime friend, Maj. Michael Pretus, testified at trial that in a call on the night of the alleged assault, Thompson told him that two midshipmen had stopped by to use the bathroom and left. Pretus has since admitted to investigators that his testimony was false, according to a recording of their interview with him played at Thompsons hearing last month. In reality, Pretus said, Thompson told him during their conversation that the women had gotten in the shower after Stadlers friend threw up. Youre playing with fire, he recalled telling Thompson, according to the taped interview. Pretus who has agreed to cooperate with prosecutors as part of an immunity deal was removed from his position as a Naval Academy instructor in April following inquiries made by The Post about his role in Thompsons case. In 2013, Stadler alleged that, while a student, she once had sex with both men at Thompsons house. The allegation triggered an investigation into Pretus that ended only after he refused to cooperate, according to military records. [Naval Academy teacher is removed amid widening sexual misconduct scandal] At his 2013 trial, Thompson was acquitted of rape but convicted of five lesser crimes. The next year, the administrative board found no proof that Thompson had done anything wrong and concluded that he shouldnt have been found guilty. Soon after, Thompson asked a friend to approach The Post on his behalf. Pretus told investigators that he and others had warned Thompson not to publicize the story. I knew it was stupid. There were people who tried to talk him out of The Post article, but he wouldnt hear it, Pretus told investigators. He was on an obsession course. You couldnt get him to talk about anything else. Demonstrators march through the streets of Winston-Salem, N.C., in July 2015, after the start of a federal voting rights trial challenging the 2013 state election law. (Chuck Burton/AP) A federal appeals court on Tuesday questioned whether it has time before the November presidential contest to overhaul North Carolina voting rules that civil rights groups say discriminate against minority voters. Opponents of the law, including the Obama administration, want the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit to reverse a ruling this spring that upheld the states law eliminating same-day voter registration, rolling back of a week of early voting and ending out-of-precinct voting. The law also requires voters to produce a government-issued identification card before casting ballots. The three-judge panel on Tuesday seemed sympathetic to opponents. Judge Diana Gribbon Motz pressed attorneys on both sides about how quickly the court would have to act to put changes in place before the election. Same-day voter registration and out-of-precinct voting are currently in effect because of an earlier order from the same panel of judges. The court must also decide whether photo identification will be required and whether North Carolina will have to reinstate an additional week of early voting. This year more states than ever will require potential voters to show photo ID in order to vote in the election. Here's why this is so controversial. (Monica Akhtar/The Washington Post) The sooner you rule the better, said attorney Allison J. Riggs, of the Southern Coalition for Social Justice, who argued for the League of Women Voters. The infrastructure is in place. Were ready to go. North Carolinas legislature passed new voting rules in 2013 in the weeks after the Supreme Court-- in a 5-to-4 vote-- got rid of a requirement that certain states with a history of discrimination receive pre-approval before changing election laws. The North Carolina measure was approved by the states Republican-led Senate with every African-American senator voting against it. On Tuesday, Judges James A. Wynn, Jr. and Henry F. Floyd remarked on the timing and on comments from a state senator who said lawmakers were no longer restrained by the legal headache of the Voting Rights Act. The timing looks pretty bad to me, Floyd said, prompting murmurs of agreement from the courtroom packed with opponents of the law, some of whom traveled from North Carolina to the Richmond-based appeals court to hear the arguments. Your honor, it was not a nefarious thing, responded Thomas A. Farr, the lead lawyer representing North Carolina. A lower court judge, Farr noted, concluded there was no intentional discrimination. Wynn later asked Farr to explain why the law does not permit voters to rely on public assistance cards, disproportionately used by minorities in the state, as one of the acceptable forms of identification under law. North Carolina is one of 17 states that will have more restrictive voting laws in place for this presidential election than they had for the prior one. Laws in several states, including Texas, Wisconsin and Virginia, also are being challenged in court. [How North Carolina became the epicenter of the voting rights battle] Justice Department attorney Anna Baldwin told the court Tuesday that as a result of North Carolinas rules, thousands of voters in 2014 were shut out of the political process. Weve proven outright denial. A lower court judge had disagreed, upholding the states law in an April ruling and rejecting the argument that large numbers of minority voters would be disenfranchised. Gov. Pat McCrory (R) has said the measure would help prevent voter fraud and that the identification requirement is no different than what is needed to board an airplane. In court filings, the Obama administration said the law was passed to preserve partisan political control and to minimize voting by black residents. African-American voters registered and voted in record numbers in North Carolina in 2008 and 2012 when President Obama was on the ballot. Just at a time when the population was registering and participating at the same levels as white voters, the legislature swooped in and cut this back, said Dale Ho, director of the Voting Rights Project for the American Civil Liberties Union, one of the groups challenging the law. Under the law, voters must present one of these government-issued IDs: a North Carolina drivers license, a special non-operators ID, a U.S. passport, a military ID, a veterans ID, a tribal ID from a federally or state recognized tribe, or in certain cases, a drivers license or non-operator ID issued by another state. A week before the law was scheduled to be tested at a trial over the new requirements, lawmakers amended the measure to allow voters to cast ballots without an ID if they submit affidavits attesting to a reasonable impediment, including a lack of a birth certificate or transportation. The law is being challenged under a section of the Voting Rights Act that prohibits laws that discriminate against minorities and the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment. [Federal court asks whether Texas voter-ID law can offer accommodations] The Justice Department has also sued Texas, which has the most stringent voter-identification law in the country and that election experts also say could affect turnout for minority and young voters. A federal judge in one of two Wisconsin cases is expected to rule by the end of July on that states strict voter-ID law. Democrats in Virginia have appealed a court ruling upholding its state requirement that voters bring an ID to the polls. Sari Horwitz contributed to this report. D.C. police Monday night arrested three men after authorities said they found two guns in a car in Northeast Washingtons Edgewood neighborhood, including a TEC-9 semiautomatic pistol with a large-capacity magazine. Police said they also found a .45-caliber Glock handgun, 55 bullets and nearly $1,200. Two of the men were from Newport News, Va.; it was unclear where the third man lives. Its a big seizure for us, D.C. Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier said on her monthly appearance on NewsTalk with Bruce DePuyt. I see the results of these extended magazines every day. High-capacity magazines and the firing of 30 to 40 rounds on a public street, the impact is just horrendous. Lanier has repeatedly blamed a rise in the number of homicides on what she says is an increase in large-caliber weapons that can hold dozens of bullets and shoot in rapid succession. [How D.C. police seized nine guns on one violent night] Police seized the guns after being called about 7:45 p.m. Monday to the 600 block of Edgewood Street NE to check on a person carrying a gun. Police said officers saw a red Toyota Camry with Virginia license plates parked and occupied by three men. The car did not move over the course of 45 minutes. Officers eventually approached the car, and when one person got out, police said in a report, a bullet fell from his pants. Police put all three men in handcuffs and searched the car, and the guns and ammunition were found in the trunk, the report says. Research biologist Victoria Hitchins was killed in a car crash early on June 17, and another car was found wrecked nearby. Police are still trying to piece together just what caused the crash, and how the two drivers are connected. (WUSA9) Research biologist Victoria Hitchins was killed in a car crash early on June 17, and another car was found wrecked nearby. Police are still trying to piece together just what caused the crash, and how the two drivers are connected. (WUSA9) Early Friday morning, a research biologist named Victoria Vicki Hitchins left her Rockville home, heading for work at the Food and Drug Administration in a tan Toyota Camry. By 7 a.m., the car was a crumpled wreck next to a large tree. Hitchins was dead, and a black SUV was, for some reason, smashed against a utility pole a few blocks away. That reason remains a mystery to Montgomery County crash investigators, who on Tuesday urged additional witnesses to come forward. Every potential scenario we are kind of playing through and seeing if it can make sense or not, said Sgt. Nick Picerno, supervisor of the county police departments collision-reconstruction unit. Investigators think that Hitchins, 71, and the people in the SUV had some type of interaction before each of the vehicles moving at high speed crashed in the countys Colesville area. Police have no indication that Hitchins knew the people in the SUV. Police questioned the SUVs driver and a passenger, but the two said little about why their 2005 Mercury Mountaineer crashed, according to authorities. Its unclear how many people were inside the SUV, because at least two passengers fled before police arrived. Victoria Vicki Hitchins was a research biologist for the FDA. (COURTESY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY POLICE) One of the scenarios being considered involves an armed robbery in nearby Wheaton about seven hours before the crashes. In that crime, two suspects drove off in a black SUV. Could Hitchins have been robbed later while at a red light and then tried to speed away? Could she have been pursued by people worried that she had spotted something? Were not assigning blame to anyone at this point. Its way too early for that, Picerno said. The SUVs driver was questioned, Picerno said. The driver has not been charged, and he and his relatives could not be reached to comment Tuesday. Meanwhile, at the FDAs offices in the White Oak section of Montgomery, colleagues of Hitchins spent another day processing the sudden death of a biologist some had known for three decades. Vicki was full of ideas, said Kyle Myers, acting director of the laboratory section where Hitchins worked. She just bubbled over with ideas and life. Hitchins received an MS and a PhD from Michigan State Universitys microbiology department. In 1979, she joined the FDA as a Public Health Service officer and worked in a medical devices and radiological health division. After 30 years in the commissioned corps, having earned the rank of captain, she could have retired, but she became a civil servant for the FDA. The Camry looked like this before it was crushed. One right is the SUV after the wreck. (Montgomery County Police.) (MONTGOMERY COUNTY POLICE) Her research specialty: How best to clean and sterilize medical-testing instruments between patients not easy given the complexity of the devices and how often they can be used. She was a tenacious and effective scientist, Myers wrote in a note to staffers. She loved classical music and mentoring young college and doctoral students, co-workers recalled. In the break room and at division seminars, her double-chocolate brownies often made appearances. She led with laughter, humility and smartness a great combination, Myers said. In the crash investigation, the witnesses who have come forward along with initial reconstruction efforts have established that both vehicles were driving above the posted speed limit during the morning rush on Randolph Road, a well-traveled east-west artery, according to police. The vehicles came close together on the road but do not appear to have struck each other. We do believe there was some sort of interaction, Picerno said. There are some things investigators are certain of: At 6:56 a.m. Friday, 911 operators received a call about the crashed Toyota, which was going east on Randolph Road, left the road near Locksley Lane, struck a tree and ended up in a yard. Hitchins was the only person in the car. At 6:57 a.m., 911 operators received a call about the crashed Mountaineer, which also had been heading east on Randolph Road. It hit the utility pole as the driver tried to turn right onto New Hampshire Avenue. Picerno said a possibility is that the vehicles were involved in a minor accident that led to some type of altercation. He wants to hear from other witnesses who may have seen something that at the time appeared to be benign at the time two cars on the side of the road, for example, with the drivers talking to each other. Did someone see a fender bender? Did someone see people having an argument? he asked. The sergeant said it is difficult to know whether the 2009 Toyota was involved in an accident before it hit the tree. That was a pretty catastrophic collision, he said. The Mountaineer had a distinctive feature: The rear window was busted out, the result of an earlier accident, police said. Picerno said that witnesses and preliminary crash-reconstruction work have left authorities fairly certain that some kind of interaction occurred but that the case is still open and that its possible the wrecks were random. We cant rule that out, either, Picerno said. Police are urging anyone who saw either collision or might have seen any events that preceded the crashes to call 240-773-6620. A Secret Service police officer works outside the guard entrance on 17th Street Northwest near the White House on May 20. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP) A Pennsylvania man shot by a Secret Service agent in May at a White House gate made his first appearance in federal court Wednesday in a wheelchair after being discharged from George Washington University Hospital. Jesse A. Olivieri, 31, of Ashland, Pa. did not enter a plea and was ordered held pending a detention hearing Monday by U.S. Magistrate Judge G. Michael Harvey of the District. Olivieri, who appeared pale and short of breath with a full beard and matted brown hair, was charged with one felony count of resisting or impeding certain officers or employees with a dangerous weapon. He is accused of approaching a guard booth outside the White House with a handgun May 20. An agent shot Olivieri after he refused repeated orders to drop a .22-caliber Ruger pistol, authorities said in court filings. I came here to shoot people, Olivieri told an officer while waiting for an ambulance, police said in an affidavit. Police investigate a vehicle parked on Constitution Avenue NW after a Secret Service agent shot a man who allegedly approached a White House checkpoint while armed. (Alex Brandon/AP) President Obama was not at the White House at the time of the incident, which occurred just after 3 p.m. on a Friday near the Ellipse at the corner of 17th and E streets NW. Vice President Biden was secured inside while the complex was put on lockdown, authorities said. [Man shot by Secret Service outside White House charged with federal felony In charging documents, police said they recovered a handgun with nine rounds of ammunition, a wallet and identification from Olivieri. A holster, 15 rounds of ammunition and a can of pepper spray were found in a Toyota Camry titled and registered in his name and parked nearby, court files show. Police declined to comment on a motive last month but said they had ruled out terrorism. Olivieri told the court that he did not own a home or financial assets except for about $5,000 and his 1996 sedan. He was assigned a federal defender. Vladimir Girshevitsky and dozens of immigrants are officially made U.S. citizens at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum during a naturalization ceremony on World Refugee Day. (Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post) Five-year-old Hiyam Mahfuz watched her mother clutch an American flag Monday and repeat the words I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America. Do you know why were here? a visitor asked the little girl, dressed up in a sparkly pink outfit and a cat-ear tiara to attend the naturalization ceremony. The daughter of a newly minted U.S. citizen replied: Mommys lucky. Seada Ali, Hiyams mother, was one of 37 new citizens celebrating their luck at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. Like Ali, who said she fled Ethiopia 10 years ago because of political violence, many of them were refugees who marked their acceptance in the United States while reflecting on the plight of refugees today. [New report says the worlds refugee crisis is worse than anyone imagined] The ceremony, which conferred citizenship upon immigrants from 16 countries from Afghanistan to Vietnam, fell on World Refugee Day, a commemorative event created by the United Nations in 2000. Magda Hussein, who came to the United States as a refugee from Sudan 14 years ago, said she is particularly excited to become a citizen in an election year when refugee resettlement has been a topic of political conversation. Im so proud to be a citizen. Its so good to be an American, especially in this time. Now I have voice, she said. A mother of four who lives in Lorton, she was a fan of Barack Obama and wished she could have voted for him. Now shell be able to vote for Hillary Clinton, she said, declaring with her ballot how disappointed she has been by Donald Trumps verbal attacks on refugees, particularly those from Syria. This is not fair. The United States is welcoming for everyone, no matter his faith, no matter his color, she said. [Singing salaam, synagogue hosts a welcome dinner for Syrian refugees] The Holocaust Museum director and federal officials who spoke at the ceremony connected the modern refugee crisis with the history that is retold at the museum. Sara Bloomfield, the museums director, said that the immigration policies adopted in the early 20th century were explicitly racist, meant to keep less-wanted people out of the country. The United States had no refugee program, just a restrictive immigration policy, when the Holocaust began, trapping Jews in Europe who might have fled Nazi Germany. Todays refugee resettlement program grew out of that past, when U.S. leaders saw that as a mistake after World War II ended, Bloomfield said. Today we celebrate those lessons that were learned, she said. Then 37 immigrants stood for the national anthem, many filming on their smartphones. They echoed the oath of allegiance, pledging to serve their new country in a medley of accents. Congratulations, my fellow Americans, said Homeland Security Department chief of staff Paul Rosen to a lengthy standing ovation. Make your mark in this land of opportunity. Rosen said his relatives were persecuted in the Holocaust, as did Antony Blinken, deputy secretary of state. Blinken told the story of his stepfather, who at 16 survived Auschwitz and Dachau and then ran into the woods under Nazi gunfire to escape a death march as the war was ending. [Jew. Why does the word for a person of my religion sound like a slur?] The teenager waited in the woods for a day until he saw an American tank passing. He ran toward it, fell on his knees and said the only English words he knew: God bless America. Just as he ran toward that star, so do you, Blinken said. This is without a doubt one of the finest privileges of my life, to welcome you . . . to celebrate your citizenship and reflect on the peril and the loss you endured to reach it, he said. He referred to deeply unsettling undercurrents in our own communities of anti-refugee sentiment. But he also expressed faith that voters would continue the U.S. tradition of welcoming those fleeing persecution. [Southern Baptist Convention urges churches to welcome refugees] That message rang true for Abdul Koroma, who arrived in the United States as a 7-year-old refugee from Sierra Leone when his country was split by civil war. I think it means freedom and opportunity to be successful, he said of his newly conferred citizenship. It was a blessing for me. Koromas mother Nancy Floode made it to the United States first, with the expectation that her son would soon follow. Then she waited in horror as the situation in the land where she had left her small child in the care of relatives took an awful downturn. They were cutting babies arms off, she said. When the relatives fled the country, taking the boy to Guinea, she was frantic. She continued to worry about him when he made it to the United States through the refugee resettlement program. He was withdrawn and frightened of other children. When he went to class for the first time, he sat on the floor, unaware that the other kids would sit at desks. Now, he is a smiling 19-year-old. A successful student who just completed his freshman year at Virginias Randolph-Macon College. An aspiring accountant who boasts with a grin that his goal is to pull in a six-figure income someday. And as of Monday: a U.S. citizen. THE DISTRICT Police find two guns in trunk of car in NE D.C. police arrested three men Monday night after authorities said they found two guns in a car trunk in Northeast Washingtons Edgewood neighborhood, including a TEC-9 semiautomatic pistol with a large-capacity magazine. Police said they also found a .45-caliber Glock handgun, 55 bullets and nearly $1,200. Two of the men are from Newport News, Va.; it was unclear where the third man lives. Peter Hermann MARYLAND Man with toddler fatally struck by car A man was fatally struck by a car as he tried to cross the street with a toddler, according to Prince Georges County police. Kevin James Rice, 25, was crossing Martin Luther King Jr. Highway with the toddler about 10:40 p.m. Sunday when a car traveling west hit them in the road, police said. The driver of the car stayed at the scene, and it appeared that Rice and the toddler were not in a crosswalk, police said. Rice was taken to a hospital, where he died Monday. The toddler suffered injuries that did not appear to be life-threatening. Lynh Bui Police seek man who tried to kidnap child Police are looking for a man suspected of trying to pull a sleeping child out of a bedroom through an unlocked window Tuesday in Fairmount Heights. Prince Georges County police are investigating the case as an attempted kidnapping and say the child was able to scare off the intruder. The incident occurred about 3:45 a.m. Tuesday in the 5900 block of L Street. A man was outside the home when he tried to pull a child through the window. The child, who had been asleep, yelled, and the man fled, police said. The child was not hurt, and the childs family was home at the time, said police, who declined to disclose the age or sex of the child. Police have described the man as African American, 6 feet tall and 300 pounds, and wearing a white T-shirt. Police ask anyone with information to speak with detectives or call 301-772-4911. Callers can remain anonymous by dialing 866-411-8477. Lynh Bui VIRGINIA Tech executive sentenced to life term Braulio Castillo, the Ashburn technology chief executive convicted Monday of first-degree murder in the 2014 death of his estranged wife, was sentenced by a Loudoun County jury Tuesday to life plus 16 years in prison. Castillo, 50, claimed that Michelle Castillo, 43, had committed suicide in her home when her body was found on March 20, 2014. The couple were divorcing, and Michelle Castillo had obtained a protective order banning her husband from the house because of his abusive behavior. The jury deliberated for about three hours Tuesday before imposing the sentence. Loudoun Circuit Court Judge Stephen E. Sincavage scheduled sentencing for Oct. 6, where he can impose, suspend or reduce the jurys sentence but not increase it. Castillos attorneys said they would appeal. Tom Jackman It has been a good week for Ohio. On Wednesday, LeBron James and his fellow NBA champion Cavaliers paraded through adoring throngs in downtown Cleveland. And a couple of hours away, down Interstate 71, leaders in Columbus prepared for another coronation, albeit a wonkier one. Ohios capital defeated a half-dozen, tech-savvy, boom town and Rust Belt opponents to win the U.S. Department of Transportations smart city competition, nabbing $40 million in federal start-up funds to link an impoverished community to jobs using driverless vehicles. A formal hurrah with officials from Washington and the Buckeye State is set for Thursday. Its an Ohio-wide celebration, Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) said Wednesday. Columbus spent just $50 million in local transportation funds last year. But city officials used the promise of the $50 million smart city prize which includes the federal grant and $10 million more from Microsoft co-founder Paul Allens Vulcan company to raise matching funds of $90 million from local supporters, giving them $140 million to invest in transforming Columbus. They want to tie the community of Linden, where infant mortality is soaring, to the adjacent job center of Easton using autonomous vehicles. They will develop a smart card and app that would cover bus fares and ride- and car-sharing services and could be used by people without access to credit. And they plan to expand the use of electric vehicles and provide broadband along a key bus route, among other initiatives. The benefits of winning the national competition could be even longer lasting, because this can be a model for cities across Ohio and beyond, Portman said. Focusing on literal economic mobility will help bridge this division between thriving inner cities and some communities that are being left behind. With a nod to his local bias, Portman said Columbus deserved the win. If youre Austin or San Francisco or Portland or Denver, you might think this would be consistent with your image, said Portman, referring to other finalists in the competition. Maybe some of those cities werent quite as hungry as we were. . . . Its a huge shot in the arm for us. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) called the victory a game changer for the City of Columbus and central Ohio, arguing that a combination of federal and local money would make the ambitious project a reality. [This competition could change the American city] Plans by Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx to reveal the winning city Thursday after paring down 78 applicants to seven finalists in March were short-circuited, in part, by the enthusiasm of Brown. The senators office confirmed the win to the Columbus Dispatch and issued a news release Tuesday headlined: Brown Announces Columbus is Winner of $50 Million Smart Cities Challenge. Columbus skilled and diverse workforce, state-of-the-art research institutions, and strong-public-private partnerships will help this project succeed, Brown said in the statement. Im glad the Department of Transportation recognized what so many of us already know Columbus is a smart city that deserves to win this challenge. That left Columbus officials, and their counterparts around the country, in an awkward position where the results of their hard-fought face-off were well known but were not being publicly discussed. There will be a major community investment in Linden announced on Thursday, said Rory McGuiness, a top Columbus official who helped spearhead the application. The DOT told us, as well as all of the other cities, we would know by the end of the month who the winner is. [How seven cities are inventing the future of transportation] A spokesman for Pittsburgh, one of the competitors, said city officials had not been notified of a winner. Jason Stanford, a spokesman for Austin Mayor Steve Adler, said, Until the mayor of Columbus says anything on the record, were not going to say anything on the record. But should the city not come out on top, we have long said Pittsburgh is already a leader in smart transportation initiatives, Timothy McNulty said. What we and our partners learned through this process only reinforces our vision. Adler has called the citys congestion woes an existential threat to Austins quality of life. He said plans put together over the past six months to address that threat will remain a priority. The most important thing for us, Stanford said, is that whether or not we win, were still going to do it. The seventh finalist was Kansas City, Mo. Former Fairfax County police officer Adam Torres enters a plea of guilty at Fairfax Circuit Court in April in the shooting death of unarmed Springfield, Va., resident John B. Geer. (Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post) Fairfax County supervisors voted Tuesday to approve changes in how police are trained and how they respond to volatile situations, with lawmakers deeply divided over how soon officers in Virginias largest jurisdiction should be required to wear body cameras. In two separate votes, the board agreed to recommendations from a police advisory commission formed last year after the fatal police shooting of unarmed Springfield resident John Geer. [Ex-Fairfax officer pleads guilty to manslaughter] Many of the changes including requiring police cadets to undergo training in de-escalating hostile situations before learning to fire their weapons are already underway. But county supervisors argued over other aspects of how county police use force and share information about investigations with the public. John B. Geer, shown in 2002. (Maura Harrington/Family Photo) The commissions recommendation calls for Police Chief Edwin C. Roessler Jr. to spend 18 months researching privacy concerns surrounding police body cameras a period that Supervisor John W. Foust (D-Dranesville) deemed too long. Weve spent two and a half years studying this issue, Foust said, noting that police departments around the country have turned to body cameras as a way to deter officers from using unnecessary force and to protect them against false claims of brutality. Addressing Roessler, Foust said: How much more time do you need? Roessler said his department is ready to start using cameras, but other supervisors said it would be rash to do so before county attorneys work through concerns over how long camera footage should be kept and what should be available to the public. The body-worn cameras are more complicated than people realize, said Sharon Bulova (D-At Large), the board chairman. How do you block out innocent bystanders who are captured in a film? In a small jurisdiction, that might be easy. But in a large jurisdiction with the volume of data that our police department would be collecting, that is significant. [What do we know about police body cameras? Survey says, not much] D.C. police began testing body cameras in the fall of 2014, and all officers in the city are slated to be wearing them this summer. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) was initially against publicly releasing camera footage, but under pressure from the D.C. Council, she agreed to a compromise measure that made footage recorded in public spaces available to those filing Freedom of Information Act requests. Footage recorded in private homes, or in which domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking is shown, is exempt from public-records requests. In addition, the subjects of videos can review the recordings at police stations. The Fairfax supervisors voted on the body-camera issue as part of a package of use-of-force recommendations; the package, including the 18-month review period for the use of cameras, was approved unanimously. In a separate vote, the board backed by 8 to 2 an array of changes intended to demonstrate a new commitment by the county government and police department to sharing information with the public about police-involved incidents. Among the more-controversial measures is a requirement that the police chief release within 10 days the name of an officer whose use of force leads to someones death or critical injury unless the chief determines that doing so would pose a significant risk. The county refused for more than a year to share information about Adam D. Torres, the county police officer who shot Geer. Torres, who eventually was fired, has pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and will be sentenced this month. Supervisors Pat Herrity (R-Springfield) and Kathy L. Smith (D-Sully) voted against releasing officers names within 10 days of any incident, arguing that doing so could expose county police or their families to harm, especially if their names are posted online. There are a lot of crazy people out there, said Herrity, listing several recent incidents in which county police officers were threatened with violence. Supervisor Linda Q. Smyth (D-Providence) argued that the county must share information about a criminal investigation as soon as possible. Bulova said more transparency might have helped the county avoid the public backlash generated in the Geer case. There was so much information that we just should have provided, Bulova said. There was really no good reason why we shouldnt have provided the officers name. There was no reason why we shouldnt have provided some of the other information that we were warned to hold on to. Tuesdays votes left police advocates as well as critics less than satisfied. Addressing a requirement that officers carry stun guns, Siobhan Chase, secretary of the Fairfax County chapter of the Virginia Police Benevolent Association, said this could increase the burden of the roughly 30 pounds of gear they already must wear. Cayce Utley, a member of Showing Up for Racial Justice Northern Virginia, called the reforms toothless. Sal Culosi Sr., whose unarmed son Sal Culosi Jr. was killed by a Fairfax County SWAT team in 2006, called the changes modest and incremental but still a step forward. Culosi, who was a member of the police advisory commissions use-of-force committee, said the decision to wait until a situation escalates before deploying a SWAT team ensures the kind of practices and procedures that killed my son would no longer be used. Some change is better than no change, Culosi said. If you try to do too much, you may come away with nothing. Mayor Muriel Bowser talks with a neighborhood resident in April during a community walk through a neighborhood where a 7-year-old girl was shot. (Jahi Chikwendiu/The Post) The wealthier the District becomes, the uglier it gets for those in the poorest neighborhoods of the city. Nothing illustrates that more than the citys pathologically high tolerance for children being shot. In February, a 2-year-old boy was with his mother at a beauty salon in Northwest Washington when a stray bullet shattered the front window and grazed his neck. In March, a 6-year-old girl was walking with another person behind some apartment buildings when she was struck in the wrist by a stray bullet. On April 6, a 6-year-old boy was shot twice in the arm when two people forced open the front door of his apartment in Northeast and began firing. D.C. Police arrested and charged 27-year-old Michael Wiggins in the shooting of a 7-year-old girl on April 8 while walking with her parents near their home in Southeast Washington. (WUSA) Two days later, a 7-year-old girl was struck in the abdomen by a stray bullet as she walked with her parents near their home in Southeast. [Girl shot was struck by stray bullet during dispute] Then just last month, an 8-year-old boy was struck in the back when someone got out of a car and began firing in his direction. Was there an uproar from elected officials? What about the citys residents? Put it like this: In the new, gentrified Washington, the arrival of a celebrity chef gets more attention than a kid with a gunshot wound to the gut. For each of those children, the difference between life and death was just a matter of inches. The 7-year-old girl was airlifted to Childrens National Medical Center, where her physical condition was later upgraded to fair. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser visited the childs neighborhood in Southeast soon after the shooting. She complimented residents who had helped police make an arrest in the case, saying they were fed up with senseless violence and the gunshots theyve heard in their neighborhood, and they drew the line. Its a speech shes given before, but when children are being shot in the streets, in their homes and in the beauty shop, you dont conduct business as usual. Peace marches, candlelight vigils and curbside speeches are not enough. Imagine the furor if those shootings had occurred in Chevy Chase or Shepherd Park. It would have been similar to the response the heroin epidemic has received since it moved from the cities where the victims are black to the suburbs where so many of the new addicts are white. Drug addiction is now a problem in need of assistance, not a people in need of locking up. So if the children who were shot had been white, you can bet that the District would be operating under a state of emergency and federal resources would be pouring in to ensure the security of the nations capital. When Congress debated gun control, you can bet those shootings would be mentioned. Obama would likely be convinced that his support was needed in his own back yard. The definition of assault weapon would be reworked to include handguns. Of course, what passes for a gun control debate in Congress almost willfully disregards the reality of gun violence in black communities. Most damaging, however, is the failure of elected officials to effectively represent the interests of their most vulnerable constituents. Teams of mental-health professionals are dispatched to schools, homes and neighborhoods when they are under attack. Shouldnt the same be done for poor neighborhoods that are under daily assault? A crime victim in a black neighborhood is lucky to have a community volunteer spend a few hours holding his hand. But these are the kids most in need of assistance. These are the children who deal with the daily stress of poverty and racism. A woman told The Washington Post that she saw the 7-year-old girl walking with her family, heard gunshots then watched the family scramble and drag the wounded child into another building for safety. It was horrifying. Another woman recalled hearing the girls father yelling, Stay with me! Stay with me! She went outside and saw the man cradling his daughter, trying to stop the bleeding from her torso, while the girls 4-year-old brother was screaming, My sister! While the father and daughter held on until paramedics arrived, the woman took the 4-year-old to her apartment and tried to console him. Another witness said she went to the street as they were putting the girl into an ambulance. I was petrified, she said. I couldnt believe someone shot the child. I heard the mother holler. That is a holler you dont forget. That kind of trauma reverberates beyond a family, throughout a neighborhood. Multiply it a thousandfold. Only a city stripped of its soul would be unable to feel it. To read previous columns, go to washingtonpost.com/milloy. SOUTH CAROLINA Transgender student can use girls restroom Facing pressure from the U.S. Department of Education, a South Carolina school district has agreed to allow a transgender student to use the bathroom of her choice and will revise its policies to bar discrimination based on gender identity. The departments Office of Civil Rights found that Dorchester County School District Two, located outside of Charleston, violated the rights of the transgender student who was born male and now identifies as a girl when it barred her from using the girls bathroom. The federal agency concluded that the district violated Title IX, which bars discrimination on the basis of gender in public schools. As part of an agreement with the government, Dorchester County school officials will allow the student to use the girls bathroom and, if the girls family requests it, establish a support team to ensure she has access to all programs and activities at school. School districts that defy the Office of Civil Rights risk losing their federal funding; faced with that prospect, most districts agree to do what federal officials ask of them. The Obama administration in May issued a guidance letter directing schools to permit students to use bathrooms that align with their gender identity. The administrations position was sharply rebuked by officials in 11 states, who filed a lawsuit calling the guidance an overreach of the administrations authority. Moriah Balingit and Emma Brown NEW JERSEY Weapons discovered after traffic stop Two men and a woman from Pennsylvania were arrested on various charges Tuesday morning after they were found carrying an arsenal of guns, ammunition and knives in a van on the New Jersey side of the Holland Tunnel that connects New York and New Jersey. Port Authority of New York and New Jersey police officer Joe Pentangelo said in a statement that John F. Cramsey, 50, and Dean S.Smith, 53, both from Zionsville, and Kimberly Arendt, 29, Lehighton, were charged with illegal possession of guns and ammunition after five pistols, an AR-15 assault rifle and a 12-gauge shotgun were found in their van. Some of the weapons were loaded. Officials said the incident was not related to terrorism. Less than 50 grams of marijuana and drug paraphernalia were also recovered from the van. The police discovered the weapons and after a routine stop by police for a cracked windshield at 7:40 a.m. The van carried the name of an Allentown, Pa., gun range, the Associated Press reported. The Lehigh Valley Morning Call reported that Cramsey is the owner of Higher Ground Tactical, a gun range in Upper Milford, Pa., and he was on his way to rescue a young addict in New York City. William Wan MISSISSIPPI Investigation closed in 1964 killings of three Federal and state authorities said this week that they are ending the investigation of the 1964 Mississippi Burning killings, one of the most infamous cases in the violent backlash to the civil rights movement. Tuesday marked 52 years since Michael Schwerner, James Chaney and Andrew Goodman were abducted and killed by Ku Klux Klansmen outside Philadelphia, Miss., and the civil rights workers legacy is still honored at annual services in the town. Theres nothing else that we can do, Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood said Monday at a news conference. Alls been done unless some other witness comes forward. During the first weeks after the crime, some Mississippi residents and officials dismissed the mens disappearance as a stunt designed to make the state look bad. Records show that an investigator with the Mississippi Sovereignty Commission speculated the whole thing might be a hoax. From news services Governor signs Detroit schools bailout law: Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R) signed a $617 million bailout and restructuring plan Tuesday for Detroits public school system, just two years after he agreed to help end the citys bankruptcy. The financially strapped Detroit Public Schools has been managed by the state for seven years, during which time it has continued to face plummeting enrollment, deficits and, more recently, teacher sick-out protests. From news services When it comes to the chaotic, flailing, floundering Trump campaign, many senior Republicans are in a state of panic. Will this become a state of revolt? If the next few weeks are anything like the last two, a senior GOP official told me, anything could happen at the convention. Donald Trumps response to the Orlando attack encouraging religious bigotry and implying that President Obama might be a secret jihadist confirmed the worst Republican fear: that Trump will remain Trump. With this recognition has come the realization that Trump has wasted the seven weeks since becoming the presumptive nominee a period in which Democrats were divided and vulnerable. How did he fill the vacant air? He raised the possibility that Ted Cruzs father might be implicated in the assassination of JFK; that Hillary Clinton might have been involved in the death of Vince Foster; that a federal judge, presiding over a case against Trump University, should be disqualified by his ethnicity; and that American soldiers in Iraq were living large off larceny. By the end of this string of statements, one of Trumps strongest congressional proxies, Rep. Duncan Hunter (Calif.), was reduced to arguing: I think what he says and what hell do are two different things. Republicans, in essence, should be reassured by their nominees duplicity. House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (Wis.) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) have been willing to criticize Trump but not to un-endorse him. Practically, this means that nothing nothing Trump says could forfeit their support. The presumptive nominee has already raised the prospect that his opponent is a murderer and that the president is a traitor. Not, evidently, sufficient provocations. Ryan and McConnell have decided that in order to remain leaders they must avoid providing leadership. But what might change things in the GOP is the political disaster that now appears in the offing. Beneath Trumps historically low approval ratings 29 percent in a recent Post/ABC News survey is an even more disturbing development. After securing the nomination, Trumps support among Republicans rose, in many polls, to the mid-80s not spectacularly good but an indication that the GOP was rallying. In recent polls, Trumps Republican support has dropped to between 70 and 80 percent. Along this trend, a decisive Democratic victory might sweep away the House and Senate. If Republican politicians begin to see this dynamic in their own polling, many will suddenly rediscover their consciences and abandon Trump. Trumps whole campaign now consists of a pathetic irony. He ran attacking the Republican establishment at every turn. Now, since he has neglected to construct his own national campaign, he is completely dependent on the establishment to provide his political ground game. First he vilifies the GOP, then he complains that it lacks enthusiasm for his cause. Republican convention delegates are sophisticated enough to see what is happening. The Trump campaign claims to be lean; in most of the country, including the battleground states, it is nonexistent. Trump offers his leadership as the solution to every problem yet presides over a campaign organization that is a squabbling, paralyzed amateur hour. Delegates know that even if Trump can boost his poll numbers, he cannot magically create a viable, national campaign structure. If a revolt emerges, it will happen first in the GOP convention rules committee which meets a week before the convention and is stacked with officials more loyal to the party than to Trump. The simplest move would be to require a supermajority to select a nominee an approach taken by some Republican state conventions in order to avoid the choice of badly wounded candidates. The goal should be a truly open convention, which does not choose anyone Trump has already beaten. Trumps response to his swift political decline has been to continue his primary campaign accusing Jeb Bush of suddenly recovering the energy to plot against him. This comfortable attack makes sense, given that Trump has succeeded by appealing to a niche market that is impressed by his instinctive nativism and Kardashian-like celebrity. So far, the niche candidate has failed to make the transition to a national message. And given the adoration and enthusiasm of his crowds (one recently chanting: Build a wall and kill them all!), Trump has no emotional motivation to change direction, whatever the polls might say. A delegate revolt would be a messy spectacle, with little hope of succeeding unless Ryan and Reince Priebus eventually break with Trump. But it is now the only option consistent with Republican interests and honor. Read more from Michael Gersons archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook . IT ALL began in 1985, when a young leader, groomed within the existing political elite but aware of its flaws, took power amid external threats, societal discontent and lower prices for oil, the states chief source of revenue. Mikhail Gorbachev launched perestroika thinking he could fix and, ultimately, preserve the Soviet Union. The results proved Machiavelli right: There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, he wrote in The Prince, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things. Because the innovator has for enemies all those who have done well under the old conditions, and lukewarm defenders in those who may do well under the new. Now comes a 30-year-old Saudi prince, son of King Salman and the kings third wife, brimming with confidence and promising a sweeping overhaul of the realm, which he explained to high-level U.S. officials during a visit to Washington last week. The issues facing Mohammed bin Salman rivalry with a rising Iran, which has bred multiple proxy wars; disaffection among youth and women, who chafe at repressive religious strictures; a bloated government overly dependent on volatile oil prices bear some resemblance to those Mr. Gorbachev confronted. Like Mr. Gorbachev, the deputy crown prince faces opposition, latent for now but potentially furious, from beneficiaries of the status quo. Can he modernize Saudi Arabia without destabilizing it? Certainly, the prince, whom King Salman has entrusted with the key defense and economic policy portfolios, has bright ideas. His Vision 2030 would reduce Saudi Arabias reliance on fluctuating oil revenues in favor of earnings from a planned $2 trillion sovereign wealth fund. Prince Mohammed wants less bureaucracy, more foreign capital, more factories and, above all, more productive work for Saudis, including, he hints, Saudi women. The strategic goal is less vulnerability to the ups and downs of oil markets and, implicitly, mood swings in the United States, which angered and frightened the Saudis by striking a nuclear deal with Iran. In his Washington meetings, including one with President Obama, Prince Mohammed emphasized common interests, chiefly the campaign against the Islamic State and other terrorist groups. The truth, alas, is that Saudi Arabia has fallen out of favor with the U.S. public, and much of the U.S. political leadership, for good reason. Not only have Saudis themselves played a murky role in the growth of Islamist extremist ideology over the years; but also fewer Americans think ties to Riyadh justify a blind eye to the Saudis repressive internal policies, especially the stifling of womens rights. Our Vision is a tolerant country with Islam as its constitution and moderation as its method, Prince Mohammed writes in the foreword to Vision 2030. Yet blogger Raif Badawi sits in a Saudi prison, as he has since 2012, having been flogged and jailed for the crime of advocating more tolerance and moderation. For me, Mr. Badawi wrote, liberalism simply means, live and let live. Unless and until Prince Mohammed uses his new power to protect and promote the basic freedoms of Mr. Badawi and others like him, even those who wish the Saudi kingdom well may remain skeptical about the promises of change. Its the economy, stupid. Since Bill Clintons campaign coined that phrase nearly a quarter-century ago, it has become a kind of mantra for Western politicians. Ive seen it translated into several languages, used by politicians on the right and the left, deployed on campaigns and put into the headlines of articles. It has also helped reinforce, across Europe and North America, a form of politics that might ironically be described as Marxist, because it mirrors Marxs belief that base determines superstructure, that the economy molds everything else. In election after election, candidates have argued over who is best-positioned to create more wealth and greater prosperity. British elections have been fought over tax percentage points, German elections over labor mobility. Each contest was made possible by the absence of more existential issues wars, rebellions, breakdowns in law and order and by the assumption that most voters agreed, more or less, on the nature of the state. No more. With the British referendum on European Union membership scheduled for Thursday, a whole tradition of polite argument over taxes and spending has come to a crashing end. This angry and emotional campaign also started out, like most British elections, as an argument about economics. But it slowly became clear that the Remain campaign had all the best arguments and all the best economists. And so the Leave campaign, and the newspapers that support it, shifted focus to the threat of immigration, the loss of sovereignty and the preservation of Englishness in a dangerous world. Leave campaigners invented a mythical threat from Turkish immigrants, never mind that Turkey is not in the E.U. and is unlikely to join. They invented a mythical threat to the countrys National Health Service, never mind that many NHS nurses and doctors come from continental Europe. Last week, the leader of the U.K. Independence Party, Nigel Farage, unveiled a poster that featured a threatening crowd of distinctly non-European-looking migrants and the slogan Breaking Point, never mind that Britain has taken few migrants in the past year, and that it is not part of the Schengen Agreement, which created open borders within Europe. All of these messages are about identity, not reality: We English are disappearing; we English are being engulfed by outsiders; we need to Take Back Control, as the Leave campaign slogan has it; we need to fight back against foreigners/regulations/globalization/modernity or whatever you personally find threatening. On June 23, Britain faces a fateful decision: whether or not to leave the European Union. And the world will be watching. (Daron Taylor,Jason Aldag,Danielle Kunitz/The Washington Post) While this line of argument was predicted, its unexpected new corollary was not. For the Leave campaign has also begun to argue, in effect, that economics dont matter, or at least that they dont matter as much as we usually assume they do. Farage has said so what? to the prospect of a sterling and stock market crash. Warnings from the Bank of England and the International Monetary Fund have been dismissed even by Conservatives who normally respect these institutions. The real surprise is not that the Leave activists dispute predictions of slower growth or financial chaos. Its that they dont care about them. As Financial Times columnist Janan Ganesh wrote recently, They can live with a recession if they must. Its not the economy, stupid that matters anymore, in other words, but something quite different. George Orwell hit on the deep flaw in modern democratic political rhetoric in 1940, when he wrote about the powerful appeal of the undemocratic politics and the nationalist rhetoric of his time. Human beings dont only want comfort, safety, short working-hours, hygiene. . . . They also, at least intermittently, want struggle and self-sacrifice, not to mention drums, flags and loyalty-parades. Just like the various far-right politicians in the Netherlands and France and indeed the Trump campaign in the United States the Brexit crowd is offering something higher and more transcendent than the dull world of taxes, spending, budgets. And if the drums and flags make us poorer, so what? Whatever the final result, all of this emotion carries a cost. It has already strained friendships, as I know. It may cause a political earthquake, too. If Britain does vote to remain in the E.U., then angry and disappointed Conservatives may rebel against their leaders, or even join Farage. The UKIP leader himself rules out nothing. He told a BBC interviewer recently that if people feel that voting doesnt change anything, then violence is the next step. After a pro-European Labour member of Parliament, Jo Cox, was killed by a man reportedly shouting Britain first!, those words sound horribly prophetic. And if Britain votes to leave, which is certainly possible, what then? What if the economic costs are higher than expected? What if control turns out to be a chimera? Upon whom will the anger turn next? Maybe well just go back to worrying about taxes, but I doubt it. Read more from Anne Applebaums archive, follow her on Twitter or subscribe to her updates on Facebook. James Madison once wrote, A popular Government, without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a Prologue to a Farce or a Tragedy; or, perhaps both. Nearly two centuries later, the tragic farce that is Donald Trumps presidential campaign is making a mockery of the right to public information and freedom of the press. Last week, Trump banned The Post from receiving credentials to cover his campaign events, making the paper the latest media outlet the presumptive Republican nominee has summarily banished. Trump, who has called journalists sleaze, slime, scum and the most dishonest people ever created by God, lashed out at The Post for performing the most basic of journalistic duties: accurately reporting his words in the wake of the horrific mass shooting in Orlando. In a statement, Post executive editor Martin Baron described Trumps move as nothing less than a repudiation of the role of a free and independent press. There is a certain irony in Trump, who benefited from the obscene amount of coverage lavished on him throughout the Republican primaries, melting down under even a whiff of media scrutiny. Trumps dangerous attacks on the press, however, go beyond his name-calling and childish tantrums. If elected, Trump has also pledged to open up libel laws in order to facilitate more legal action against journalists, saying, Were going to have people sue you like youve never got sued before. He has made it painfully clear that a Trump administration would have disdain for the First Amendment. Yet its also important to recognize that Trump is only part of a broader threat to press freedom in the United States today. For example, Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel recently copped to secretly funding professional wrestler Hulk Hogans invasion-of-privacy lawsuit against Gawker Media, which outed Thiel almost a decade ago. The case resulted in a $140 million judgment, prompting Gawker to file for bankruptcy and put itself up for sale. Now, the same lawyer who represents Hogan is threatening to bring yet another lawsuit against the company, incredibly, over a blog post about Trumps hair. While Thiel, a prominent Trump supporter, has explained his role in the Hogan case by saying that Gawker has been a singularly terrible bully, some critics have warned that a billionaire bankrolling legal action sets a dangerous precedent that could discourage critical reporting in the future. Its often the scrappy, unconventional news outlets that challenge conventional wisdom, and in doing so, they serve an important purpose, Jane Kirtley, a professor of media ethics at the University of Minnesota, told the New York Times. But they are also very vulnerable financially. Its expensive to defend suits like this. The issue of press freedom is far bigger than Trump and Thiel, The Post and Gawker, or left and right. Press freedom is fundamentally an issue of power of enabling those who dont have it to hold those who do accountable and it transcends partisan politics. There is a long history of struggle between journalists and powerful figures in both parties, which is why the fight to defend the free press should unite Americans of all political stripes. Indeed, the Obama presidency has been defined in part by the White Houses troubling secrecy and lack of transparency. On media rights generally, the Obama administration hasnt walked its talk, The Posts Margaret Sullivan recently wrote. It has set new records for stonewalling or rejecting Freedom of Information requests. And it has used an obscure federal act to prosecute leakers. Meanwhile, amid 2014s heated protests in Ferguson, Mo., several reporters were arrested and assaulted by police for committing the apparent crime of journalism. Despite these threats, the news is not all bleak. Even as Trump and Orlando dominated the headlines, press freedom scored an important victory last week when a U.S. appeals court voted to uphold the Federal Communications Commissions net neutrality rules. A free and open Internet is essential to a free and independent press, and the courts ruling will help ensure that corporations cant act as gatekeepers by blocking content and critical voices from the marketplace of ideas. With telecom companies now preparing to take the case to the Supreme Court, however, the fight is far from over. An informed public is vital to our democracy. But we will never be truly informed unless we fight for the medias ability to hold those with power accountable from corporations to the government to billionaire presidential candidates without fearing the repercussions. Thats the only way to achieve what then-Rep. John E. Moss (D-Calif.), the primary author of the Freedom of Information Act a half-century ago, identified as the inherent goal of the right to a free press: protecting the publics right to know. America cannot be great again without leaders who understand the importance of a free press and who are committed to ensuring that, as Madison put it, Knowledge will forever govern ignorance. Read more from Katrina vanden Heuvels archive or follow her on Twitter. Donald Trump apparently wants to institute something akin to Jim Crow discrimination against Muslims, including those who are citizens of the United States. Is this what the Republican Party wants as well? Whats your opinion about legalized religious bigotry, House Speaker Paul Ryan (Wis.)? How about you, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.)? Do Republican quislings agree with the man they have endorsed for president? They should never again speak of the hallowed traditions of the Party of Lincoln, because those ideals are being spit upon by the presumptive nominee. The GOP is now the Party of Trump. On Sunday, Face the Nation host John Dickerson reminded Trump that last year he had raised the idea of profiling for Muslims and asked him to elaborate. Trumps response: Well, I think profiling is something that were going to have to start thinking about as a country. Other countries do it, he said, naming Israel, and we have to start using common sense. Pinning Trump down on any specific proposal is difficult because he is all over the map, often contradicting himself in the course of a single sentence. But from the rest of that interview, in the context of what he has previously said about Muslims, it is all too clear what he means. Profiling in the law enforcement sense means singling out people with certain characteristics for extra scrutiny. After saying we need to think about doing this to Muslims, Trump immediately went into an anecdote about one of his rallies. People that obviously had no guns, had no weapons, had no anything, and they were being they were going through screening. And they were going through the same the same scrutiny, the absolute same scrutiny as somebody else that looked like it could have been a possible person. So, we really have to look at profiling. By possible person, Trump clearly meant possible troublemaker. But who were those attendees who so obviously meant no harm? We know from polls that Trumps support base is overwhelmingly white and largely male. Trump was suggesting that those who fit that profile could have been waved through while special attention was paid to young people, women and minorities who might have come to the rally to protest. Thats not the way it works, of course. Trump has Secret Service protection, and when agents set up a magnetometer checkpoint, everybody has to go through. Trump, as usual, thinks he knows best. He seems to believe intent can be infallibly discerned from appearance. This helps us understand his toxic ideas about profiling Muslims. Despicable acts of terrorism have been committed by groups and individuals who believe in a warped view of Islam rejected by the overwhelming majority of the worlds 1.6 billion Muslims, including the more than 3 million who live in the United States. In Trumps eyes, however, all Muslims are suspect. Following the San Bernardino, Calif., killings last year, committed by an apparently self-radicalized married couple, Trump called for a ban on admitting Muslims to the country. He continues to blame the Muslim community for not reporting those killers plans, even though there is no evidence I repeat, no evidence that anybody, Muslim or otherwise, knew of their rampage in advance. Likewise, Trump darkly suggests that there must have been Muslims who knew about the apparent radicalization of Omar Mateen, the Orlando shooter, but said nothing. The truth is that while Mateens wife has been interviewed by authorities, there is no evidence that anyone outside their household had any inkling of what Mateen was about to do. Trump wants to put Islamic houses of worship under special surveillance. In his interview with Dickerson, he spoke admiringly of authorities in France who, by his account, are closing down mosques. Donald Trump in Phoenix on Saturday. (Ralph Freso/Getty Images) By criticizing Muslim communities for not reporting the jihadists in their midst which is a lie, by the way Trump puts all Muslims under suspicion. What are the implications of this worldview? Do you have separate security lines at airports for Muslims, the way Southern gas stations used to have separate bathrooms for colored patrons? Do you reassign the nearly 6,000 Muslims serving in the U.S. armed forces to segregated units, or do you so doubt their loyalty that you just kick them out? Do you put all Muslims on a no-buy list for guns and ammunition? The Republican Party is about to nominate for president a man who manifestly does not believe in freedom of religion. Shame on the GOP officials who meekly fall in line. Read more from Eugene Robinsons archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. You can also join him Tuesdays at 1 p.m. for a live Q&A. Jim Kessler is senior vice president for policy at Third Way, a centrist think tank. The 2016 Democratic platform is certain to take on the issue of voter suppression. Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have vowed to tear down barriers to voting, especially for the poor and minorities. The Democratic Platform Committee has already heard testimony calling for changes to make it easier to vote. But no one is calling for a change Democrats could make to remove barriers to voting in their own party: junking caucus elections that are elitist, inconvenient, intimidating, anti-Democratic and suppress the vote. If voter suppression is truly a Democratic concern, consider that fewer people participated in the 17 caucus races in the recently completed Democratic nominating contest than those who turned out for the Wisconsin primary alone. These 17 caucus races with minuscule turnout selected 528 earned delegates to the convention. Wisconsin, where roughly the same number of voters cast a ballot, chose just 86 delegates. If that seems undemocratic, it is. Caucus elections gained popularity in the early 1800s as part of reform efforts to wrest control of elections from elected officials during times of low citizen knowledge and scant participation. Caucuses made sense when electing Ranse Stoddard of Shinbone to fight for statehood south of the picketwire. But then came radio, and at that point the need to gather, debate and vote in large public halls drew to a close. Now caucuses are an anachronism. If they were merely a quaint tradition of citizen engagement, they could be tolerated. Instead they keep people who would otherwise vote from participating. They are time consuming, often lasting hours, which means single parents need to hire a babysitter to cast a ballot. Thats getting pretty close to a poll tax. If you work on the day of a caucus, forget it. Mail in or online voting? Theres no such thing. And as for a secret ballot, the hallmark of our democracy, in many caucuses voting is public and intimidating exactly what Democrats say they are fighting against. The result is not only exceedingly low turnout but outcomes that dont reflect voter will. In the 17 caucus races, Bernie Sanders won 61 percent to 39 percent. In primary races where people simply cast their ballots in a booth or mailed them in, Hillary Clinton won 57 percent to 43 percent. Washington State, which held both a caucus and a primary, is a shining example of the perverseness of this voting system. In the caucus, where 230,000 people participated, Sanders won 73 percent and captured 74 of 101 delegates. In a nonbinding primary several weeks later, in which precisely zero delegates were awarded, more than 800,000 Washingtonians exercised their right to vote and Clinton captured 52 percent. The will of hundreds of thousands of voters seems to mean absolutely nothing under this system. Last fall, I attended a national gathering on local economic development hosted by the Brookings Institution. I met a woman from Iowa who ran the economic development program for her county. She was civically engaged enough to fly to Washington, D.C., to attend this summit. She told me she had already met three of the candidates vying for the presidency. But when I asked her who she would vote for, she said she had attended one caucus and would never go back. She felt that voting shouldnt be that hard, public, or intimidating. Shes right. Junk the caucuses. PROFILING IS something that were going to have to start thinking about as a country, Donald Trump said Sunday on Face the Nation when CBSs John Dickerson asked him about increasing the use of profiling of Muslims in the United States. I have seen it recently, he explained. We had tremendous numbers of people coming into a speech I was making. And people that obviously had no guns, had no weapons, had no anything, and they were being they were going through screening. And they were going through the same the same scrutiny, the absolute same scrutiny as somebody else that looked like it could have been a possible person. How was the NRA-endorsed Mr. Trump so sure that so many of those attending his rally obviously had no guns? And what, exactly, does a possible person look like? Brown? Male? Bearded? Wearing a thawb? Mr. Trumps thinking is not just poisonous in a pluralistic society, but also pointlessly and counterproductively so. Nearly everyone who might look like a threat to Mr. Trump is not a threat, and security experts warn about wasting time scrutinizing stereotypes rather than focusing on other risk factors. Mathematicians have concluded that profilings efficacy is so limited that randomly selecting people for scrutiny may be the better policy. It isnt possible to build a highly accurate profile of a potential evildoer, and profiling can easily lead to wasting resources checking and rechecking the same innocent people over and over again. Like so many of Mr. Trumps policy programs, subjecting Muslim Americans (if thats who he has in mind) to increased, special scrutiny would also counterproductively stigmatize, isolate and alienate a largely peaceful and patriotic minority group. Muslim Americans would be less likely to cooperate with authorities, which is essential for fighting extremism in their communities. Meantime, real terrorists would figure out how to avoid matching the profile. Mr. Trump said Sunday that other countries, such as Israel, profile, because it is common sense. But the Israeli airline screening system, for one, relies heavily on behavioral observation by trained agents. The Transportation Security Administrations behavioral detection officers perform a similar role, if less intensely. We doubt Mr. Trumps untrained eye was looking for the same cues the experts do as he scrutinized his rally attendees. In fact, Mr. Trumps comments suggest yet again that his worldview is rarely, if ever, more than skin-deep. Mr. Trump fails to grasp a crucial fact about the United States: This country is based on the notion that people have inherent dignity that derives from their individuality, the unique combination of talents, character and actions that define their quality as human beings. We have a free society so that individuals may make the most out of their gifts, rather than see those qualities ignored or wasted because of superficial prejudice. Practically every day, Mr. Trump proposes to betray this principle in some way. Sunday, in that sense, was just another day. ANY POLITICIAN can make a career promising tax cuts, pay increases or other goodies and many do. It takes leadership, however, to address realistically situations with no pleasing solutions. Just such a situation is presented by the large and growing funding shortfalls of multi-employer pension funds covering more than 10 million truckers, grocery store employees and other blue-collar workers, active and retired. This red-ink tsunami threatens to swamp the agency responsible for backstopping the plans, the federal Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. (PBGC). Believe it or not, responsible leadership did emerge two years ago, in the form of Reps. John Kline (R-Minn.) and George Miller (D-Calif.), who pushed through bipartisan legislation that would preserve benefits for everyone over the long-term by enabling pension plans to trim benefits for some over the short-term. Alas, this law is being undermined before it has had a chance to work. Last year, the Central States Pension Fund , which supports retired Teamsters, asked the Treasury Department to approve a Kline-Miller solvency plan that would have reduced payments by an average of 28 percent for about 115,000 current retirees. The alternative, Central States argued, was bankruptcy within a decade. But last month a special master designated by Treasury rejected the plan, asserting that it didnt really assure long-term solvency because its assumptions about future returns on investments were too rosy. The remedy to that, of course, would be to propose even greater benefit cuts, something Central States has said it cannot conscientiously do. And so the financial death spiral continues. Critics of Treasurys decision smelled an election-year evasion; an unsurprising hunch given the fact that 46 senators, mostly Democrats, signed a letter in April urging rejection of the Central States plan, and that Democratic presidential insurgent Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has been campaigning on a proposal to bail out the multi-employer pensions with federal funds. Mr. Miller, now retired from Congress, told Politico the Treasury ruling was a calculated response to sort of stop the discussion in this political year. Treasury insists that is untrue; we take the department at its word. Still, if Central States says it has no alternative to a proposal Treasury says isnt adequate, exactly what is supposed to happen next? If Central States collapses and the PBGC takes over, retirees would, by law, get even less than they would under the just-rejected proposal. And if the PBGC itself is insolvent an alarmingly real possibility retirees might get almost nothing. Mr. Sanders, characteristically, advocates federal rescue, without explaining why this is more feasible politically than it was in 2010, when a Democratic Congress declined to act on a similar proposal. Nor is it clear why defined-benefit pensioners should have a higher claim on taxpayer resources than the many people who do not have such pensions and, indeed, often make less money than union members. Not for a minute do we underestimate the plight of pensioners facing a major financial hit that they were told, long ago, they would never have to face. What we do dispute is that theres a cost-free way out of their predicament. The sooner politicians level with them about that, the better. Few things frustrate President Obama more than what he calls the Washington playbook a view that U.S. military firepower is the solution to most of the toughest foreign policy problems. Last week, 51 State Department officials wrote a letter of dissent to the administrations Syria policy that seemed to come directly out of that playbook. At issue is how to stop the killing in Syria that has taken more than 400,000 lives and displaced millions. We do see merit in a more militarily assertive U.S. role based on the judicious use of stand-off and air weapons, the officials wrote. The dissent cable was notable for its large, if not unprecedented, number of signatories, reflecting the broad dismay and frustration inside the State Department with the policy toward Syria. It also highlights a roiling debate inside the administration over whether Obama has been too reluctant to use military power to alleviate suffering in Syria. I view this less as a policy document than just a declaration of frustration, said Perry Cammack, a former State Department official in the Obama administration who is now an associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. The diplomats call for using the military to strengthen Secretary of State John F. Kerrys hand in negotiations with the Syrian regime and its backers is not likely to win much support from the White House. While I understand the frustration, these are hardly the people the president would turn to for military advice, Cammack said of the diplomats. Nor is the letter likely to garner much backing from the U.S. military, which has been determined not to get pulled into Syrias chaotic civil war. But the cable, filed through the State Departments dissent channel, does highlight one of the biggest foreign policy rifts in Washington, pitting the White House and the military against front-line diplomats. The mid-level State Department officials who signed the letter have been at the center of the administrations response to the Syrian civil war for much of the past five years. Some have served as interlocutors with U.S.-backed Syrian rebels who have struggled to stay alive on a chaotic and deadly battlefield. Others have worked to provide relief to Syrian civilians trapped in a worsening humanitarian catastrophe. More than any other U.S. officials, they have seen the suffering in Syria up close. The power of the cable comes less from its policy prescriptions, which most analysts described as vague and unworkable, than its unmistakable sense of outrage. We believe the moral rationale for taking steps to end the deaths and suffering in Syria, after five years of brutal war, is evident and unquestionable, the letter says. On Monday, Kerry gave the officials a tentative vote of support, declaring that their memo was very good. The cable has received a much chillier reception from the White House, where press secretary Josh Earnest said the president had not read it. Obama has resisted the idea of using limited American airstrikes to punish Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for violating the cease-fire negotiated this year. Such strikes could draw the United States into a fight with Russia, which is providing air defense systems to protect Assads forces. So far, the Russians have not turned their radar systems on U.S. planes. That could change if the Americans began attacking Assad. Could we defeat the Russian systems? Yes, said retired Col. Ioannis Koskinas, a former Air Force strategist and a senior fellow with the New America Foundation. But that is really serious stuff. It also is not clear that limited strikes could force Assad to moderate his negotiating position and submit to peace talks, and such limited interventions have a mixed record of success. This is really one of the hardest things to do, and it is reasonable to expect that Assad will make the greatest effort to resist, said Micah Zenko, a senior fellow with the Council on Foreign Relations who has written extensively about limited military interventions. The White Houses current approach will do little to moderate the behavior of the Assad regime, which most analysts say has killed far more Syrians than the Islamic State. Nor will it do much to ease the concerns of critics who have described Obamas policy in Iraq and Syria as ignoring Americas moral obligations. Its one thing that we dont hear much from the Obama administration especially on Syria, said Brian Katulis, a senior Middle East analyst with the left-leaning Center for American Progress. Its all anti-ISIL, which is an important goal, but weve lost sight of the broader stakes. The moral argument was at the heart of the State Department dissent. We firmly believe it is time that the United States, guided by our strategic interests and moral convictions, lead a global effort to put an end to this conflict once and for all, the diplomats wrote. Far less clear from the four-page letter was how they planned to achieve that goal. In the weeks between last years terrorist attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, Calif., Donald Trump and his closest aides began discussing an idea far outside the bounds of normal political debate: banning all foreign Muslims from entering the United States based solely on their religion. To Trump and his advisers including then-campaign manager Corey Lewandowski and then-political director Michael Glassner the idea was a commonplace response aimed at the heart of the problem: radical Islam. The campaigns views were also heavily influenced by the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, when al-Qaeda hijackers killed nearly 3,000 people, most of whom died in the collapsing World Trade Center, around 4 miles from Trump Tower. My perspective on this is very much formed by 9/11, said Glassner, who is now Trumps deputy campaign manager. I worked at the World Trade Center. Those people were radical Islamists, and they were trying to kill me and they killed 87 of my colleagues. . . . Why wouldnt you start by trying to identify this demographic coming into the United States and see what theyre doing? It has nothing to do with religion; I think it had everything to do with the facts of who was perpetrating these crimes. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump wants to stop almost all Muslims from coming into the United States. Heres what he has said about Muslims since 2011. (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post) Trump has purposely and methodically made his proposed Muslim ban and suspicion of American Muslims a centerpiece of his nativist pitch to voters, along with promises to bring back jobs from overseas and crack down on illegal immigration. Trump has seized on the issue again this month in the wake of the massacre at a gay nightclub in Orlando, reiterating his support for blocking Muslims from the country after seeming to soften on the idea. He also alleged that many American Muslims and mosques are knowingly protecting terrorists, that the United States should consider profiling Muslims and that President Obama may be in league with Islamist extremists. [Trump calls profiling Muslims common sense] Trumps rhetoric is a clear benefit for him among Republicans, a majority of whom support the idea of barring foreign Muslims from the country. But the idea is largely opposed by Americans overall. It is also one of the key issues that divides Trump from Republican leaders, who fear he is poisoning the partys chances with his incendiary comments about Muslims, Latinos and other minority groups. Muslim advocates also are outraged by Trumps repeated assertions, saying he is unjustly smearing an entire religion and undermining the fight against extremism. Its that deliberate, systematic targeting of the Muslim community that really sends chills down my spine, said Corey Saylor, who directs the Department to Monitor and Combat Islamophobia at the Council on American-Islamic Relations. Donald Trump has essentially given everyone permission to say the hateful things that theyve been thinking. . . . Trump has basically mainstreamed Islamophobia. For Trump and his aides, 9/11 is a pivotal event when discussing what to do about terrorism. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, left, looks on as a Trump supporter reaches for a sign that reads Islamophobia is not the answer at a rally in Oklahoma City on Feb. 26. (Sue Ogrocki/Associated Press) Until shortly before the attacks, Glassner worked at the World Trade Center offices of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Lewandowski who was abruptly fired this week as part of a Trump campaign shake-up had a close friend who died on United Airlines Flight 175, which took off in Boston and crashed into the South Tower; Lewandowski went on to marry his friends widow. Trump was in New York on 9/11, although many of his claims about that day have been dubious or false. Among other things, he has said that he watched from his apartment window as people jumped to their deaths from the twin towers; that he helped clear rubble at Ground Zero, a claim many have challenged; and that he saw thousands and thousands of Muslims in New Jersey publicly celebrating the destruction, a story that has been widely debunked. Complete shutdown The discussions of a potential Muslim ban began after the Islamic State-linked mass shootings in Paris that killed 130 people on Nov. 13, aides said. By Dec. 2, when a couple inspired by the Islamic State shot 14 people to death in San Bernardino, Trump and his team were ready to announce it. The San Bernardino terrorist attack, I think, put an even brighter light on this question about who are these people, how are they getting in, who is checking them, what are their intentions? Glassner said. [Donald Trump keeps attacking Muslims. They plan to fight back at the ballot box.] Trump dictated a statement to his spokeswoman, Hope Hicks, who copied it down on a note card that she has saved as a piece of history. For symbolic impact, the campaign decided to wait to announce the proposed policy on Dec. 7, National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our countrys representatives can figure out what is going on, he said in the statement. He added later, It is obvious to anybody the hatred is beyond comprehension. The backlash began immediately. Hicks was flooded with questions from reporters, and his primary rivals pounced. Former Florida governor Jeb Bush declared that Trump was unhinged, while New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie called it a ridiculous position. Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (S.C.) warned that such rhetoric could endanger U.S. soldiers and diplomats working in the Muslim world. As Trump and his top aides flew to South Carolina for a rally that evening, several said they worried that they had made a major mistake. But then Trump boarded the USS Yorktown in Mount Pleasant and read his statement to a crowd heavy with members of the military. The audience went crazy. [Will Trumps renewed rhetoric on Muslims help or hurt in November?] As Trump got into the car after the rally that night, he told his staff: Well, theres your poll. Thats how people feel about this. Trump added a series of exceptions to his total and complete shutdown in the days that followed. The ban would be temporary, he said, and it would not apply to American Muslims, members of the military or prominent foreign Muslims such as athletes, dignitaries or world leaders. Trumps anti-Muslim rhetoric has ranged widely. For instance, he has long stoked the idea that Obama might be a secret follower of Islam. Two months before proposing the ban, Trump announced he would kick all Syrian refugees out of the country and bar any others from coming in because they could be a Trojan horse. Trump also suggested killing the innocent relatives of terrorists. Ive had good instincts in life, and a lot of this is instinct, Trump said. He added that three of his Republican primary rivals confidentially told him that they agreed with the ban but could not publicly endorse it. [I reported Omar Mateen to the FBI. Trump is wrong that Muslims dont do our part.] Post-Orlando redoubling By February after losing the Iowa caucuses and winning the New Hampshire primary Trump focused on the next contest, in South Carolina. The night before the primary, he told an apocryphal tale that he would return to repeatedly about U.S. Gen. John J. Pershing fighting Muslim insurgents in the Philippines in the early 1900s. He took 50 men, and he dipped 50 bullets in pigs blood, Trump said. . . . And he had his men load his rifles, and he lined up the 50 people and they shot 49 of those people. And the 50th person, he said: You go back to your people, and you tell them what happened. And for 25 years, there wasnt a problem. Lewandowski said in an interview before his firing that the telling of the story was planned ahead of time. He said that it does not matter that it is not true. Its not about that, he said. Look, its an analogy. Soon after Trump became his partys likely nominee in early May, he seemed to soften his position on the Muslim ban, saying that all of his proposals are just suggestions open to negotiation. But his tone changed again on June 12, when Omar Mateen walked into the Pulse nightclub in Orlando and opened fire, killing 49 people in the worst mass shooting in U.S. history. Mateen, who was born in New York and whose parents are from Afghanistan, had declared his allegiance to the Islamic State. Trump revived his call for the ban, blamed Muslim communities for not turning in terrorists and accused likely Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton of wanting to allow radical Islamic terrorists to pour into our country to enslave women and murder gays. Many of the principles of radical Islam are incompatible with Western values and institutions, Trump said in a scripted policy speech June 13. We need to tell the truth also about how radical Islam is coming to our shores. And its coming. Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton greets supporters after participating in a conversation on national security at the Virginia Air and Space Center in Hampton, Va., on June 15. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post) A wing commander he knew in the Air Force is the sort of man Roy Camp would trust as commander in chief in the wake of an assault on American security as grave as the massacre in Orlando calm, dependable and a good listener. Camp says he thinks Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, is qualified to assume that post, too. Her gender is not a concern to him. I think shes the most experienced, yes, said Camp, 78, who worked in combat support and now lives in Northern Virginia. He has always voted Republican, but his present options have left him uncertain. Whether voters trust a woman to lead the armed forces has always stood as one of the highest and hardest tests for female politicians, with national security and defense among the areas where gender bias remains most potent. The anguished days that followed the attack on the Pulse nightclub by a man who pledged allegiance to Islamic State militants have given Clinton a fresh opportunity to make her case that she understands Americans fears and can keep the country safe. She has also seized on the response of her Republican opponent, Donald Trump, whose erratic and controversial response to Orlando, as well as the charge that Clinton is weak on foreign policy, have given her ample material to draw a contrast. Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, speaks to and meets California voters during a rally in downtown San Jose on May 26. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post) [Trump and Clinton and their very different responses to the Orlando shootings] The fact that she gets to run against Donald Trump helps overcome whatever hurdle there is about a woman being commander in chief, said Bob Shrum, a Democratic consultant. He will never be described as steady. That helps her. In some ways, the commander-in-chief test is already behind the first woman set to be nominated by a major party to run for president. In Clintons first run eight years ago, in part to diminish concerns about sending a woman to the White House, she played down her gender and highlighted her tough stance on security issues. Then came four years as secretary of state, during which she burnished her credentials on foreign policy. This election, Clinton has chosen a different path, feeling comfortable enough with her national-security acumen to also play up her gender. She regularly celebrates being a grandmother, and she exhorts her female supporters to help her make history and become a lasting role model for girls as the first female president. The segment of the electorate that is uneasy about the prospect of a female commander in chief is already unlikely to support a Democrat, Shrum said. It includes mostly men, he added and I think a collection of men who feel particularly aggrieved with whom Trumps tough stance on immigration and his rebuke of President Obama resonate. His base loves it, Shrum said. Independent and undecided voters are very troubled by it. Her case: Trump is less ready In a speech after the Orlando massacre, Trump accused Clinton of true weakness as he pledged to keep Muslims out of the country. In a dueling speech the same day, Clinton promised to remain vigilant acknowledging the barbarity of radical jihadists while warning against undermining international cooperation as well as the American tradition of tolerance. Debbie Walsh, director of the Center for American Women and Politics at the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University, said the contest between Clinton and Trump has produced a flip of the gender stereotypes that has been on prominent display after the Orlando attack. The notion that women cannot be in charge because they are too emotional hormonal was the charge back in the 70s, Walsh said and that men are more measured seems to be playing out in reverse as the general election gets underway, she said. Trump is offering an emotional appeal, Walsh said; Clinton is offering equanimity. It is one more assumption about American political life confounded by this years race. Ari Fleischer, a former White House press secretary under President George W. Bush, conceded that Clinton no longer needs to prove her capacity to be commander in chief. But Fleischer noted that Clinton has plenty of other liabilities, including questions about her honesty. So does Trump. Unfavorable views of Trump rose to new heights in a Washington Post-ABC News poll released June 15, showing that 70 percent of Americans have a negative opinion of the real estate mogul, compared with 55 percent who view Clinton negatively. [Negative views of Donald Trump just hit a new campaign high: 7 in 10 Americans] These numbers suggest that the publics readiness for a female president has come a long way since the days of Pat Schroeder, the former congresswoman from Colorado who was pilloried for crying when she announced she would not pursue the Democratic nomination for president in 1987. After that, Schroeder kept a file of politicians who cried publicly, including Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, Mitt Romney, George W. Bush and recently President Obama at his daughters high school graduation. In an interview last week, Schroeder said the bias is largely generational, as older people did not grow up with women in the military, or perhaps even involved as heavily in such activities as organized sports. Her own view is that the person with access to the nuclear codes must have compassion as much as toughness. I think Hillary almost transcends gender on this, having been secretary of state, having been in the Situation Room when the decision was made to go after bin Laden, Schroeder said. But the obligation, she added, is still to transcend gender, not to embrace it. Its hard. Its still hard. In 2015, a report by the Pew Research Center found that 37 percent of Americans believe that men are stronger on national security than women, while 5 percent believe women are stronger and 56 percent say there is no difference. And Clinton remains weak among men, particularly white men, the group that drove Trumps primary victories. In the Post-ABC poll, 75 percent of white men said they view Clinton unfavorably. Trump is just as unpopular among women, with 77 percent viewing him negatively a fact that could offset Clintons weakness with men. Pressure to overcompensate Camp, who served in the Air Force until 1981, is still figuring out where he stands. Though he may end up voting for Trump because he distrusts a Democrat to handle the budget, he said his own experience, as well as the lessons of history, show that women can be effective military leaders. Ive met some pretty strong women in the military, he said. And if you look at Margaret Thatcher in England, she did a tremendous job over there. Female leaders across the globe have diminished doubts that women can be effective on the international stage. Thatcher went to war with Argentina over the Falkland Islands, noted Aviel Roshwald, a scholar of authoritarian leadership and global conflict at Georgetown University. Roshwald also cited the severe tactics of Indira Gandhi in India and Golda Meir in Israel. This might have played out in the form of overcompensation, Roshwald said. Theres undoubtedly, in my mind, a strong impetus for female politicians to be extra tough, to take on an extra macho role in order to counter any such doubts people may have about them. Foreign policy is where this impulse is strongest, he said: Its the realm where primeval conceptions of masculinity and honor and pride play out most obviously. A tough persona was suggested to Clinton in a 2006 memo prepared by Mark Penn, a strategist on her first presidential campaign who recommended that Clinton emulate Thatcher, who was known, Penn wrote, not for good humor or warmth but for smart, tough leadership. We are more Thatcher than anyone else, he wrote. [How Hillary Clinton did it the second time around] Some see Clintons actions in the Senate and as secretary of state as an attempt to embody those characteristics. As a senator, Clinton was intent on becoming well-versed in matters of security and national defense, particularly after she joined the Armed Services Committee in 2003, just after the vote to authorize the war in Iraq, which she favored. In this campaign, she has taken a more aggressive foreign policy approach than Obama, breaking with him, for example, to support a no-fly zone in Syria. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, a Democrat from Hawaii and a combat veteran, warned when she endorsed Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont for the Democratic nomination that Clinton was too eager to pursue regime change. The libertarian magazine Reason released a video after Clinton effectively clinched the nomination earlier this month, mocking the idea that a female president would bring more restraint to international engagements. It includes a cut of Clinton declaring her victory a milestone followed by a collection of women noting sarcastically that it will finally be a woman who will be in charge of our nations secret kill list and a woman who helps destabilize the Middle East. Still, even as Clinton presented herself as a hard-nosed diplomat, said Walsh, who studies womens participation in politics, she made a point of emphasizing women and children in her foreign travel. One lesson of her failed campaign in 2008, Walsh said, was that she could have gravitas on foreign policy while also embracing the gender component. Fleischer noted that Clinton was probably overcompensating when she falsely claimed in 2008 that she had landed in Bosnia in 1996 under sniper fire. He does not see her doing that this year nor needing to. Shes using gender more for the case that shes a change agent, he said. Karen Tumulty contributed to this report. Boeing has reached a tentative agreement to sell passenger planes to Irans state-run carrier, the aircraft maker said Tuesday, in the first potential major U.S. deal with Tehran since a nuclear accord last year eased sanctions. The pact with Iran Air is in the early stages and could face hurdles, including further review by U.S. trade regulators and possible blowback from some U.S. lawmakers. But it serves as a potential groundbreaking test for other U.S. companies seeking to enter the large Iranian consumer market. It also signals an apparent win for moderate forces in Iran led by President Hassan Rouhani, who strongly backed the nuclear deal as a way to revitalize the countrys sanctions-choked economy. [Politics shadow potential Boeing deal with Iran] Irans transportation minister, Abbas Akhoundi, was quoted by state media as placing the deal with Boeing at up to $25 billion similar in scope to an earlier order for more than 100 aircraft from Airbus, Boeings European rival. But any possible arrangement could include some leased Boeing aircraft or older existing models, lowering the ultimate price tag. Iran still flies dozens of Boeing aircraft built before the 1979 Islamic revolution and seeks to upgrade its Iran Air fleet with new-model Boeing 737s and versions of the Boeing 777. Talks between Iran and Boeing have progressed for months and face challenges on both ends. Iranian leaders had to overcome objections from hard-line factions opposing any direct outreach with the United States. [The slow dance between Iran and Boeing] Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been openly wary of allowing greater business footholds for U.S. firms. But he permitted Rouhanis government to negotiate the nuclear accord as a way to ease sanctions and reopen trade ties with the West. Boeing, in turn, needs clearance from the Treasury Department and others before finalizing the sale. Boeing said Iran Air signed a deal expressing its intent to purchase aircraft. The Chicago-based company gave no details on the size of the potential sale, which is still at the stage of an effective memorandum of understanding. Akhoundi, however, said the first Boeing planes could arrive by October if the deal moves forward on schedule. Boeing will continue to follow the lead of the U.S. government with regards to working with Irans airlines, and any and all contracts with Irans airlines will be contingent upon U.S. government approval, the company said in a statement. Iran Air has signed agreements to buy 118 planes from Airbus and 20 from ATR, a French-Italian manufacturer. Iran has said it needs up to 400 long-range planes and 100 shorter-haul jets to rebuild after years of sanctions. But in a sign of possible obstacles for Boeing, some U.S. lawmakers have complained about the companys outreach to Iran. Jeb Hensarling (R-Tex.), chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, has said that institutions considering financing the sales should ask whether it is in their long-term interests to profit from doing business with the worlds foremost state sponsor of terrorism. Its not American jobs that are on the line but, potentially, American lives. Boeing shares seesawed after news of the potential deal, rising sharply in early trading and then falling. Other Western companies have moved even more quickly to recapture a stake in Iran, where a large and educated middle class offers a tempting target for revenue. Hours after the Boeing announcement, the French carmaker group Peugeot Citroen finalized a joint venture with Irans state-backed automaker, Iran Khodro, to invest up to $450 million over five years in manufacturing advances and research. Steven Mufson contributed to this report. Read more: Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world From left to right, British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond talks with Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn, Slovakian Foreign minister Miroslav Lajcak and Cyprus Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides meeet in Luxembourg on June 20, 2016. (John Thys/AFP/Getty Images) European Union nations agreed Tuesday to extend sanctions against Russia until January, E.U. diplomats said, a show of unity despite growing dissent in Europe about whether to continue the measures much longer. The closed-door decision by ambassadors from the 28 E.U. nations is subject to approval by the blocs senior leaders. But E.U. diplomats said the move was not expected to be altered. The sanctions, which expire at the end of July, would be extended by six months until the end of January. The measures target Russias energy, financial and defense sectors, strictly curtailing the trade that E.U. businesses are allowed to conduct with Russian partners. The toughest sanctions were imposed after the July 2014 downing of a Malaysia Airlines airliner over separatist-held territory in eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board. [U.S., E.U. toughen sanctions on Russia] E.U. leaders led by German Chancellor Angela Merkel have tied the repeal of the sanctions to progress on the Ukrainian peace deal known as the Minsk agreement. That truce called for the eventual handover of control of rebel-held portions of Ukraines border with Russia to elected authorities in Kiev, along with constitutional reforms that would give more autonomy to rebellious, Russia-affiliated territories in eastern Ukraine. Neither side has made much progress in living up to the deal, and low-level fighting continues in Ukraine. But there are widening divisions among E.U. countries about whether to keep the sanctions on Russia at full force, amid heavy pressure from European businesses that want to resume trade with a country that had long been a major customer. [Russia takes stock a year into sanctions] European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi visited a business forum in St. Petersburg last week to call for friendlier ties. There are even splits inside hard-line Germany, where Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier warned NATO last week not to engage in saber-rattling and war cries against Russia. And French President Francois Hollande said Tuesday after a meeting with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko that he foresees the gradual lifting of sanctions if the Ukraine truce is implemented. E.U. officials say they expect a broader discussion to take place among national leaders this year, possibly in October. A unanimous decision by the E.U. would again be required to extend the sanctions. The Obama administration, which has coordinated sanctions policy with Europe, has pushed hard for continuing the measures while the Minsk agreement remains unfulfilled. Read more Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world The story of Londons East End is the story of migration: five centuries of minority communities living in tandem and sometimes tension on the periphery of the British capital. Palatine Germans followed French Huguenots; Bangladeshi Muslims followed Eastern European Jews. Each community has left its traces here: the curry houses, the all-night bagel shops, and, in warm weather, the lingering scent of coriander. On Thursday, after months of a heated and largely anti-immigrant campaign, voters will decide whether Britain should remain in the European Union. But in the East End and across London, many have begun to wonder whether the Brexit vote could spell the end of their city: multiethnic, international and cosmopolitan. For the writer Rachel Liechtenstein, who has published two books on the history of the East End, the vote represents an affront to the idea behind the community that welcomed her grandparents, Jewish refugees from Poland who met in English classes on Brick Lane in the 1930s. For Ansar Ahmed Ullah, a Bengali Muslim and community activist in his mid-50s who has lived in the East End since the 1980s, Brexit, which he strongly opposes, is less a political decision than a matter of what he called emotional loyalties. Ullah was standing outside the Brick Lane Mosque, an unassuming Georgian edifice at the corner of Brick Lane and Fournier Street that was once a synagogue and, before that, three different churches. Some call it the only house of worship outside Jerusalem to have been used by all three of the largest monotheistic faiths. An elaborate steel minaret abuts a facade still decorated with the sundial that French Protestants installed in the 18th century. Inside, mosque leaders have painstakingly maintained Hebrew plaques commemorating the Jewish teachers who taught at the synagogues school in the early 20th century. The mosque is a witness to the different migrating groups, Ullah said. Different groups coming to the East End, settling, and making it their home. If today much of East London is heavily gentrified dotted with the kind of boutiques that sell only Austrian wines and restaurants that feature Damien Hirst installations the area was for centuries the first stop for immigrants after they arrived in Britain. The idea that somehow were going to disconnect ourselves from the rest of Europe and the rest of the world . . . its horrifying to me, really, Liechtenstein said. We are such a multicultural society in London, and thats the joy of being in the city. In recent years, Londons distinct brand of multiculturalism has been facilitated by E.U. laws that require the British government to accept migrants from other countries in the 28-state bloc. There are approximately 3.3 million E.U. nationals living in Britain, an increase of about 2 million since 2003. About 2.1 million of them hold jobs in Britain. Should a majority of voters support the leave campaign, it is not clear what will become of the European citizens living and working here, or what their legal status will be. While many of these E.U. citizens have come from Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal in the wake of the euro-zone economic crisis, the overwhelming majority is Eastern European, from former communist-bloc countries that joined the European Union in 2004. When other member states imposed transition periods, limiting immigration, Britain, then under the leadership of Tony Blair, encouraged Eastern European emigration, largely to promote economic growth. The largest foreign national community in Britain is Polish. According to an online poll conducted this week by the Warsaw-based Institute of Market and Social Research, fear and uncertainty are the predominant emotions Polish citizens in Britain associate with Brexit. Of those surveyed, 79.4 percent support remain. Jakub Krupa, a journalist and activist for Britains Polish community, said that the primary concern is that the British government has not specified what will happen in the wake of a vote to leave the union. We can expect administration procedures that will be hellish to go through, he said. There was the expectation that this would be clarified as soon as possible. But no one really explained what would happen. No one really even knows that. Compared with other immigrant communities, he said, Poles have literally no political representation. The only member of Parliament of Polish origin is Daniel Kawczynski, a Warsaw-born conservative who supports the leave campaign. Poles have no one who can speak on their behalf, Krupa said. And with Brexit, who will represent the community after that? A growing number of Polish citizens who have lived in Britain for longer than the five required years are applying for British citizenship, which would shield them from any status changes, he said. In the immigrant communities of the East End, there are those who support Brexit, generally on the grounds that limited housing and social services should be reserved for struggling British citizens. But the idea that a single vote could send certain communities away presents an image of a Britain that, for many, is unrecognizable. In the final days before the vote, the neighborhood assembled for the Immigrants of Spitalfields Festival, a three-day affair that featured demonstrations on properly wearing a sari and lectures on the literature of the Jewish East End. Liechtenstein was volunteering at the Sandys Row Synagogue, Londons oldest Ashkenazic synagogue, which was once a Huguenot chapel. My own grandparents came as immigrants, she said. Had it been closed, well . . . we wouldnt be here celebrating. Read more A Palestinian teenager returning from a fun night out at a swimming pool was fatally shot by Israeli soldiers early Tuesday in what the Israeli military said appears to have been a mistake. A statement from the Israeli army said three civilians were injured and multiple cars were damaged overnight after Palestinian youths hurled rocks and firebombs at people traveling on Route 443. The road, which connects Israels main airport to Jerusalem, runs partially through the West Bank and is frequently a site of rock-throwing incidents. Nearby forces acted to protect further civilians from being injured and pursued the suspects. From the initial inquiry, it appears that uninvolved bystanders were mistakenly hit during this pursuit, the army said. Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, a spokesman for the Israeli army, said an investigation is underway. The incident occurred after more than eight months of shooting, stabbing and vehicular attacks by Palestinians that have killed 33 Israelis and four foreign nationals, including two Americans. More than 180 Palestinians have been killed, more than half while carrying out attacks against Israelis and the rest in clashes with Israeli troops. Although the level of violence has dropped significantly over the past two months, tensions remain high. Two weeks ago, two Palestinians opened fire on civilians at a popular spot in Tel Aviv, killing four Israelis. [A new kind of terrorism in Israel] The Palestinian Health Ministry identified the dead teenager in Tuesdays attack as Mahmoud Raafat Badran, 15, a resident of the West Bank village of Beit Ur al-Tahta. Four other Palestinian teenagers traveling with him were injured, and one is in critical condition. Palestinian news media reported that the teens were on their way from a late-night swim in the village of Beit Sira when they were shot. It is currently the holy month of Ramadan, and Muslims are required to abstain from food and drink during daylight. Many of the holidays social activities take place at night. Ahmed Shami, a cousin of the dead teen, said that the family is in shock. It is the summer and its Ramadan. People leave the village to go to the pool in Beit Sira. They were coming back between 1:15 a.m. and 1:30 a.m., and suddenly Israeli forces started shooting at their car. No one asked them to stop or asked them for ID, Shami said. He said the family is waiting for the Israeli army to return Mahmouds body so he can be buried immediately, in accordance with Muslim traditions. In recent weeks, Israelis have said that they would not return bodies of Palestinians who carry out attacks because the funerals often lead to further violence and tension. Palestinians deem this collective punishment. Shami said Mahmoud and his cousins were only returning home from swimming in the pool. The Palestine Liberation Organization released a statement calling the incident a brutal attack. This cold blooded assassination reaffirms our calls to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary, or Arbitrary Executions, to initiate an immediate extensive investigation into Israels extrajudicial killings of Palestinians; particularly children, the Palestinian governing body said in the statement. The three civilians injured in the rock-throwing incident reportedly included two tourists from Britain and Belgium. They were treated in a nearby hospital, Israeli media reported. Israeli forces have faced criticism at home and abroad that they have responded to some of the attacks with disproportionate harshness. In the international arena, some have accused Israel of carrying out extrajudicial killings of Palestinians. [An Israeli soldier is accused of killing a disarmed Palestinian. But many think hes a hero] In March, an Israeli soldier was caught on camera fatally shooting an injured Palestinian attacker, who had been disarmed after he stabbed another soldier in the West Bank city of Hebron. The soldier who carried out the shooting, Elor Azaria, is on trial on charges of manslaughter and conduct unbecoming of a noncommissioned officer. Read more: Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world Israels defense minister abruptly resigns in slap at growing extremism Palestinians struggle to define Palestinians who attack Israelis Israeli prosecutors target group that collects testimony on soldiers conduct There appears to have been little planning for the humanitarian effort in the aftermath of the Iraqi government's battle against the Islamic State for control of Fallujah. (Loveday Morris/The Washington Post) There appears to have been little planning for the humanitarian effort in the aftermath of the Iraqi government's battle against the Islamic State for control of Fallujah. (Loveday Morris/The Washington Post) Families fleeing the combat in the Iraqi city of Fallujah have been forced to sleep in the open desert for almost a week, with aid agencies warning that people are at risk of dying as supplies of tents and water run dangerously low. More than 85,000 people have escaped the city and its surroundings in recent weeks as Iraqi security forces battle to recapture the city from the Islamic State. About 4.4 million people in the country are now internally displaced, one of the highest totals of any country. The United Nations said the pace of new arrivals caught it off guard, even though tens of thousands of people were known to be trapped in the city before the operation began last month. The Iraqi government, meanwhile, under political pressure to launch an offensive quickly, appears to have prepared little assistance for the fleeing families. [Iraqi forces dodge snipers and car bombs in final fight for Fallujah] In one hastily expanded camp 15 miles west of Fallujah near Habbaniyah, Mihal Adnan and her four children sat next to their meager belongings. It was their fourth day without shelter of any kind, exposed to dust storms and temperatures in excess of 110 degrees. Displaced women wait for their tent to be built at a refugee camp west of Baghdad on June 21. (Nawras Aamer/European Pressphoto Agency) Adnan cradled her 13-year-old disabled son, massaging his cramping muscles as he cried in pain. He had soiled himself, but there were no latrines or water tanks installed that she could use to wash him. The family had missed out on a recent government tent delivery and complained that with supplies running low, priority is given to those with money or connections. Well sleep here tonight, she said, indicating the one gray blanket they had between them. What else can we do? We are desperate. We dont have anything. Nearby, men scuffled over a pack of bottles of water as a truck drove around, throwing them out to families. Weve been treated like dogs, said 72-year-old Mohammed Jassim Khalil. Whats my guilt in all this? His family had been sleeping out for six days and had just managed to get a tent. I wish a mortar shell had landed on my house in Fallujah and killed me, added Ismail Mohammed Hussein, 51. Its better than living like this. [These Iraqis dodged bombs and bullets to escape ISIS, but their misery hasnt ended] A boy crouches down during a sandstorm in a camp for families displaced from Fallujah. (Loveday Morris/The Washington Post) The Norwegian Refugee Council said conditions in the camps are getting worse. Pregnant women, children, the elderly and those with disabilities are particularly vulnerable, with some collapsing from exhaustion, relief workers say. The situation is deteriorating by the day, and people are going to die in those camps unless essential aid arrives now, said Nasr Muflahi, the organizations director in Iraq. What were seeing is the consequence of a delayed and heavily underfunded response with an extreme toll on the civilians fleeing from one nightmare and living through another one. The United Nations says it is severely underfunded as it deals with an unprecedented number of people displaced globally, with 1 out of every 113 people in the world unable to safely return home. Iraq has claimed victory in Fallujah, but only a third of the city has been cleared of the militants, according to the U.S.-led coalition, and no one knows exactly how many people remain trapped inside. The United Nations has warned that more may flee as Iraqi forces advance, adding strain in the already underserved camps. U.N. officials have appealed for $17.5 million in emergency funding. [After more than $1.6 billion in U.S. aid, Iraqs army still struggles] Families arrive at the camps with harrowing stories of life under the rule of the Islamic State militants who controlled the city for nearly 2 years. Food supplies were low for months, with the city besieged by security forces and bombarded with artillery and airstrikes. The journey out was a perilous one; Islamic State gunmen initially shot at those leaving. Falah Hussein Ali held up his arms to show the deep bruises that he said resulted from being whipped with electric cables. He said he was in an Islamic State prison when the operation began and was freed by Iraqi security forces. He said he was arrested and held for 20 days as men in the Nazzal neighborhood were rounded up after an Iraqi flag was raised in the area overnight. We didnt want [the Islamic State] there, he said. But they brought us from one death to another kind of death. What kind of life is this? Ghassan Abou Chaar, an emergency coordinator for Doctors Without Borders, said that the toll in the camps is both physical and mental. People are at breaking point, he said. Adding to the stress for families is that all men of fighting age are detained for security screening, leaving women and children to cope by themselves until male family members are released. Adnans husband and 17-year-old son are still in detention. If the government cant help us, they should at least release our men, said one woman from the Mualimin neighborhood of Fallujah, declining to give her name as she criticized the government response. We ran away from Daesh, from the bombing, from the hunger, and we find this, she said, using an Arabic acronym for the Islamic State. Many complained that they are not allowed to leave Iraqs Anbar province, even for medical treatment or even if they have family in Baghdad, 40 miles east. With residents from the largely Sunni province considered a security threat, access is severely restricted. In a more established camp outside the nearby town of Khaldiyah, families are given a cooked meal each day, and there were limited latrines and water tanks. Some families said that despite the hardships, life was better than it was under the Islamic State. Life here is like a prison, said 94-year-old Mehdi Saleh Abed, sitting in the shade of a tent. But living here in the dust is better than Daesh. An aid group was delivering 100,000 pounds of food supplies, with dust whipping through the barren rows of tents as people lined up to collect it but families did not have basics such as portable stoves to make use of the sacks of flour and rice that were being handed out. Its a complete disaster, Jeremy Courtney, founder of the Preemptive Love Coalition, the aid group that was doing the distribution, said of the level of planning. The government and the international organizations failed to do what they needed to do. Facing mass street protests against his government in Baghdad, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi unexpectedly announced a Fallujah operation in late May in what some analysts said was an attempt to distract from his political problems. But despite the fact that the battle was launched as a hasty face-saving exercise that caught everyone off guard, it was obvious there would be mass displacement as soon the operation was announced a month ago, giving groups time to prepare, Courtney said. Out of the 85,000 people who have fled, some 60,000 arrived in just three days last week, overwhelming aid agencies. No one can be prepared for such a magnitude, said Bruno Geddo, the Iraq representative for the United Nations refugee agency. U.N.-administered camps can house just 16,830 people, he said. Though government camps and large temporary tents that sleep 30 families are making up some of the shortfall, 20 camps are still needed, he said. On Saturday, three days after the influx began, Abadi said he had ordered a fleet of drinking-water tankers to the camps and asked the Ministry of Health to create an accurate plan for how to allocate medics to the area. The slow response raises concerns about what will happen in the aftermath of a planned offensive to retake the much larger city of Mosul from the Islamic State. The United Nations expects between 600,000 and 1.2 million people to be displaced in that operation. I lose sleep over Mosul, Geddo said. Mustafa Salim contributed to this report. Read more: American troops edge closer to the front lines in Iraq Iraqi troops face booby traps, tunnels packed with explosives as they advance on Fallujah Under strain, Islamic State takes its battle to the streets of Baghdad Protesters hack Iraqi parliament website: Idiots are leading the country Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world The seal of the Central Intelligence Agency in the lobby at CIA headquarters. The agency says it considers a diverse workforce an important intelligence asset. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) Shortly after supporters of the Islamic State gunned down 14 people in California last year, the CIAs deputy director assembled a group of Muslim employees to talk about Islamophobia. The Dec. 2 shootings by Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik had illustrated the United States vulnerability to terrorist attacks inspired by the Islamic State and ignited a heated debate over the role of Muslims here. Presidential contender Donald Trumps subsequent call to ban Muslims from entering the country had offended many Americans but resonated with others. In a seventh-floor conference room at the CIAs fortresslike Virginia headquarters, the agencys No. 2 official, David S. Cohen, wanted to push back against anti-Muslim discourse. Speaking to several dozen employees, Cohen had a simple message, those present said, about attempts to marginalize Muslim employees: zero tolerance. For agency leaders, telegraphing their support for the CIAs small cadre of Muslim employees was crucial, not out of altruism but because they see their presence as mission critical. Having a workforce linked to many parts of the world where the CIA operates, they say, enables the spy agency to understand the thinking of foreign adversaries. [At CIA, a convert to Islam leads the terrorist hunt] The debate over Americas religious diversity has only intensified after the June 12 shooting in Orlando, another attack by an apparent supporter of the Islamic State. In an effort to increase awareness about Muslims who take part in sensitive national security work, the agency permitted nearly a dozen employees to speak with a Washington Post reporter on the condition that they be identified in accordance with agency restrictions. The uncommon decision to introduce current employees, including multiple undercover officers, to the media reflects the pressure the agency faces to show that it is becoming more diverse. A 2015 study commissioned by the agency found that racial and ethnic minorities, who account for 23.9 percent of the CIA workforce, are underrepresented at senior levels and that diversity is not a priority for agency executives. The study did not specifically address the presence of Muslims on agency payrolls. While the CIA says it does not keep statistics on religion, officials acknowledge that Muslims represent a tiny percentage of the workforce. In an interview, Director John Brennan said he has taken steps to hold senior personnel accountable for making the CIA more heterogeneous. I can think of no better department that can make a better business case for diversity and inclusion than the CIA, he said. The employees themselves described their fellow Muslims in terms of a handful of individuals. While the former head of the CIA Counterterrorism Center was a convert to Islam, another former officer, Yaya Fanusie, said he knew at most eight other Muslims at agency headquarters when he worked there from 2005 to 2012. Most of the current employees interviewed by The Post said their religion has not been an impediment to their careers and suggested that the CIA with its well-traveled officer corps may be more welcoming than most workplaces. [Newly released CIA files expose grim details of agency interrogation program] Many of the agencys Muslims are naturalized Americans, who said they are proud that the U.S. government has trusted them with its most closely guarded secrets, even though some had barely obtained U.S. citizenship before entering the CIA. One Muslim officer, who was born in South Asia, came to the United States for graduate school and joined the agency shortly afterward. Hired as an analyst, she later became an operations officer and now holds a senior position in the CIA Counterterrorism Center, leading a unit that tracks a Middle Eastern militant group. Since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on America, she has been at the center of U.S. counterterrorism efforts. After 9/11, she authored the first critical intelligence report for policymakers on Pakistan. In her work as a case officer overseas, said the woman, who is undercover, her roots and religion helped her connect with potential assets. That the U.S. government had given such a sensitive job to someone who shared their background might inspire them to collaborate. To get you to give me your countrys secrets, you have to really believe Im an American, she said. That I am going to protect you. But Muslims at this clannish organization also described being caught between two worlds: the agency they serve and the communities from which they come. Across the Muslim world, and in U.S. Muslim communities, many people remain hostile to an organization identified with the detainee abuse and drone strikes primarily directed at Muslims since the 9/11 attacks. A 2014 Senate report described the shocking brutality that CIA interrogators used on terrorism suspects in a program that President Obama said eroded Americas standing overseas. Last week, the agency released documents adding detail to what is known about the grim operations of CIA black site prisons. While the enhanced interrogation program ended in 2009, the agency has continued to conduct drone strikes in Pakistan and Yemen. According to the Long War Journal, CIA strikes in Pakistan have killed almost 3,000 militants and more than 150 civilians. Muslim officers acknowledged that the CIA is viewed with suspicion in their communities. Many would like to push back but usually dont, for fear of revealing themselves as agency employees. [Hostages deaths raise wider questions about drone strikes civilian toll] CIA officers are discouraged or barred from discussing their employment with anyone beyond close family members and friends. Disclosure to foreign nationals, even if they are family members, is especially problematic. Those restrictions also made it difficult to tell cohesive stories of their experiences, even with the agencys blessing. Former deputy CIA director John McLaughlin said the Muslim worlds hostility toward the agency could only be eroded with time. Its an unfortunate byproduct of 12 years of war, during which the United States has had to take tactical actions to protect itself, he said. The operations officer said most people from her South Asian community here would have a hard time believing that one of their own could become a senior CIA officer. That dialogue is where I bump into them saying, You dont know what youre talking about, she said. But she remains silent. What am I going to do, argue and say, I am at the table with Mr. Brennan? In interviews, the officers used pseudonyms; The Post is identifying them by their jobs. Many were barred from naming the nation of their birth, even if it was obvious. The officers were allowed to describe their work only in general terms, and none acknowledged the agencys drone program. At least two security officers were present at interviews, at times cutting off employees when they veered into especially sensitive areas. [Why CIA drone strikes have plummeted] In their daily work lives, some employees described what they called microaggressions related to their religion or ethnicity. Last year, the agency held a cake-baking contest and posted a photo of the winning entry on its internal website. The cakes frosting was decorated with the black flag used by the Islamic State, engulfed in flames. The photo showed a knife cutting into the cakes flag. Although most Westerners associate that flag with the Islamic State, it displays the Shahada, a holy creed, whose desecration would be offensive to Muslims. People called to complain, and the photo was taken down. A military analyst said none of those who complained were Muslims. (Employees also held a gingerbread contest, and someone did a version of Osama bin Ladens compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.) Employees say they have sought to increase their co-workers familiarity with their religion or cultures by, for example, arranging an Iftar dinner during Ramadan. A lot of people, the only Muslims they know or interact with are the terrorists, and its good for them to know there are Muslims they work with, the military analyst said. While the employees were barred from discussing politics, they expressed anxiety about working for a commander in chief who, as Trump has suggested, might treat Muslims differently. Would your clearance be [affected]? Would it be harder for me to get access to certain programs? the military analyst asked. Those are real concerns. Brennan, speaking prior to the Orlando attack, addressed Trumps message directly. Its a very simplistic and very misleading and very corrosive attitude that harms our engagement . . . in the Muslim world, but also I think harms the unity and the integration that we have been so proud of here, he said. Some employees who emigrated to the United States or whose parents did so said they had been stereotyped because of their original nationality or ethnicity, not their religion. Although the military analyst speaks only a little Urdu and no Arabic, some colleagues at the Directorate of Operations, which relies on native foreign-language speakers, automatically took her for a linguist. Someone ordered her an Arabic keyboard. People there would assume I spoke whatever language they needed, she said. CIA leaders would like to make the agency a more diverse place, capable of penetrating the countries where it works. But hiring and retaining a globally rooted staff remains a challenge. For one thing, it can take years for naturalized Americans, or people with close ties to other nations, to get security clearances. If the CIA can achieve that goal, it will mean that more officers will find themselves, like the senior operations officer, at the tip of the U.S. counterterrorism spear. We are hunting terrorists and those terrorists are Muslims, and they may or may not be from countries that our parents came from, if not us ourselves, she said. She said she is energized by her rejection of militants use of Islam as a banner for their cause. As a Muslim, bin Laden didnt ask me if it was okay to do what he did, she said. Im a Muslim, too. It had an impact on me and my life. How do I feel about it? she said. Angry. Seriously pissed off. Read more: Chinese government cyberespionage has decreased sharply since mid-2014, an apparent response to widespread exposure of the activity, U.S. indictments and the threat of economic sanctions last summer, according to a new report by FireEye, a cybersecurity firm. The landscape we confront today is far more complex and diverse, less dominated by Chinese activity and increasingly populated by a range of other criminal and state actors, said the report by FireEyes iSIGHT Intelligence unit. U.S. officials said late last year that the Chinese military had scaled back its economic cyberespionage against American companies following the indictments. [Following U.S. indictments, China scales back hacks on American industry] The firms report, however, is based on an analysis over three years of 262 intrusions into the networks of companies and government agencies that hired the firm to investigate both in the United States and overseas. It found that Chinese activity is markedly down overall from more than 60 intrusions in February 2013 to a handful in April of this year. It also found that some activity has shifted away from the United States to targets in Asia, including Taiwan, India and Japan. The shifts have coincided with ongoing political and military reforms in China, FireEye noted. Since taking power in late 2012, Chinese President Xi Jinping has worked to centralize Chinas cyber operations, turning them toward support of a greater range of activity, the firm said. That redirection takes place as the U.S. military is building up its Cyber Command in support of defensive and offensive operations to benefit regional military commands as well as protect the nation. In September, Xi pledged that his country would not engage in state-sponsored commercial cyberespionage the theft of intellectual property and trade secrets from one country to benefit another countrys own industries. FireEye found that the trend line was already sloping downward by the time Xi made his pledge, although the activity has not completely stopped. The firm has investigated a number of intrusions of corporate networks in the United States, Europe and Japan. Laura Galante, FireEye director of threat intelligence, points to several reasons for the downturn. In early 2013, the cybersecurity firm Mandiant issued a report describing in detail the activities of one prolific hacking unit from the Peoples Liberation Army, Unit 61398. Mandiant is now owned by FireEye. That unleashed a flood of other reports outlining Chinese cyber operations. In May 2014, the Justice Department obtained indictments against five Chinese army officers in commercial cyberespionage, marking the first time the U.S. government had charged foreign government personnel with such crimes. In August 2015, The Washington Post reported that the Obama administration was developing economic sanctions to apply against Chinese companies and individuals who benefited through the cybertheft of U.S. companies intellectual property. Taken together, Galante said, these events probably influenced the change in Chinas behavior. The analysts did not distinguish in their research between commercial and political espionage. The latter includes, for example, the Chinese government hack of the Office of Personnel Management, which U.S. officials have said was done more for classic spying purposes of gaining information that can be used to blackmail government employees or recruit them as agents. They also did not analyze whether intrusions were directed by military or intelligence agencies. The Post reported last year t hat the Ministry of State Security , an intelligence and security agency, probably was behind the OPM hack. Other researchers have detected more activity coming from the ministry rather than the Chinese army. The volume has gone down so much that at least its clear that theres a higher cost to operating in cyberspace for the Chinese, Galante said. Read more: A flag of the Islamic State. An effort to remove terrorist imagery from the Internet has been proposed by a U.S. nonprofit, but tech companies are wary it could expunge journalistic images. (JM Lopez/AFP/Getty Images) President Obama suggested that extremist information spread online inspired a Florida man to commit the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history at a gay nightclub in Orlando last week the latest in a long line of terrorist attacks in which Islamist propaganda played some role in radicalizing the assailant. Now a Dartmouth College researcher and a nonprofit group say they have created a technology that can help Internet companies instantly detect images and videos generated by terrorists and their supporters and remove them from their platforms. It is, they say, a way to cleanse popular online sites of gory videos and propaganda from the Islamic State, which is also known as ISIS and Daesh, that can serve to incite and inspire people to commit acts of violence. If you could search out the beheading videos or the picture of the ISIS fighter all in black carrying the Daesh flag across the sands of Syria, if you could do it with video and audio, youd be doing something big, said Mark Wallace, chief executive of the Counter Extremism Project (CEP), a nonpartisan policy group. I believe its a game-changer. The White House has signaled its support. We welcome the launch of initiatives such as the Counter Extremism Projects National Office for Reporting Extremism (NORex) that enables companies to address terrorist activity on their platforms and better respond to the threat posed by terrorists activities online, said Lisa Monaco, Obamas assistant for homeland security and counterterrorism. [Why the Islamic State leaves tech companies torn between free speech and security] But a number of major social-media companies are wary of the idea. They say that there is no consensus in the United States or globally on what constitutes a terrorist image, and that they might end up expunging material posted by researchers or media organizations. And, they say, once a database is created, governments around the world will place additional data requests on them and some countries will probably demand the removal of legitimate political content under the guise of fighting terrorism. As soon as governments heard there was a central database of terrorism images, they would all come knocking, said one tech industry officer, who, like other representatives in the field, spoke on the condition of anonymity because the firms are privately discussing how to move forward. People arent aware of the demands that are placed on tech companies from governments like China, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. [Chinas scary lesson to the world: Censoring the Internet works] Google and Twitter, in particular, have expressed doubts about the efficacy of such a project, industry officials said. Social-media firms now remove terrorist content when they are alerted to it, as spelled out in their terms of service. But they do not generally scour their platforms for it. Some firms also fear that if they collaborated with a third party such as CEP, the organization might try to influence the companies guidelines regarding extremist content. CEP has briefed senior officials at the White House and the Department of Homeland Security on the issue. Monika Bickert, Facebooks head of global content policy, said, We are always interested in finding ways to better serve our community, and we are exploring with others in industry ways we can collaboratively work to remove content that violates our policies against terrorism. [Inside the surreal world of the Islamic States propaganda machine] Wallace is working with Hany Farid, a Dartmouth computer science professor and senior adviser to CEP, who developed the technology. It works by creating a distinct digital signature or hash for each image, video or audio track. The idea is to create a database of hashed content that Internet firms can use in automated fashion to vet images uploaded to their platforms. If theres a match, the company can determine whether it violates its terms of service and should be taken down. Farid said he can envision a system of scoring content according to type or degree of violence, so that a company has discretion in what to pull. But once a firm decides an image or video is objectionable, if it is encountered again, it can automatically be removed, he said. Wallace said he thinks that the companies will come around. He cites their cooperation with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC, pronounced nickmick) in promptly removing child-pornography images from their platforms. Wallace envisions NORex working much as NCMEC does, only it would house hashed terrorist images and videos instead of child-porn content. It would take advantage of the 1,000 or so images that CEP already has hashed, he said. Farid also developed the child-porn-detection technology, which is called PhotoDNA, with Microsoft and in partnership with NCMEC. Firms have been using it for about five years. PhotoDNA, which is owned by Microsoft, sits at the pipe of a Facebook or Microsoft or Google and analyzes every image thats uploaded, Farid said. The technology does not define extremism. The companies and the group running the database would, he said. Those are where the hard questions are going to be asked, Farid said. What constitutes and does not constitute hate speech and calls to violence? And what is dangerous, and what is simply dissent? Farid acknowledged that the technology is a double-edged sword. Just as it can be used to find child-abuse images, it can be used to detect videos of protesters, for instance, he said. To allay such fears, he said, the licensing of the technology can be controlled to narrowly define its permitted use. NCMEC, for example, restricts PhotoDNAs use to detecting child exploitation. But tech firms see a number of key distinctions between child pornography and terrorism cases. For one thing, possessing or sharing child-porn images is a federal crime, regardless of the reason for doing so. And by law any Internet company that becomes aware of such images must report them to NCMEC. Federal law also gives clear guidance on what constitutes child pornography. The images must be of children apparently younger than 18 engaged in sexually explicit conduct, which is defined at length in the law and has been further interpreted by courts. Meanwhile, with terrorism content, not only is it not illegal, its not defined, a second tech-industry officer said. A beheading video might seem like a clear case. But what about the Islamic States black flag? The gruesome video of the Islamic States burning to death a Jordanian pilot last year was removed by Facebook, which considered it a violation of its terms of service. But it also galvanized the Jordanian people against the terrorist group in a way no other event had. Removing content is not cost-free for society many people are trying to use speech about terror groups to raise awareness about atrocities and mobilize people to care and take action to stand up against terrorism, the second industry official said. Wallace recognizes that there will be disagreement about what constitutes terrorist speech. My attitude is lets have that discussion, he said. There is also debate about just how effective content removal is in disrupting radicalization and recruitment. Seamus Hughes, deputy director of George Washington Universitys program on extremism, said in most cases people are influenced toward extremism by real-life relationships with friends and family. His belief is that the Internet does not play a significant role in radicalization. Its really more of an accelerant than it is a starter, he said. But, he said, taking down content can make an Islamic State recruiters job harder. If they have to spend their time figuring out how to keep their messages up and repost links, then they cant spend time creating more and interesting new videos, he said. Read more: Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch speaks as Orlando Police Chief John Mina, left, Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings, second from left, and FBI assistant special agent in charge Ron Hopper look on during a news conference in Orlando. (Phelan M. Ebenhack/For The Washington Post) After an initial burst of fire between Omar Mateen and a security guard at the Pulse nightclub, a group of five or six police officers arrived on the scene within minutes, broke through a large glass window and entered the club as the killing of 49 people was underway inside, according to a Belle Isle, Fla., police officer who was among the first responders. Officer Brandon Cornwell, 25, said the ad-hoc team spent the first seconds in the dimly lit club trying to locate exactly where the shooter was we kept hearing people scream and shots fired. He and the other officers followed the sounds to the bathroom area, where Mateen was now holed up. But instead of entering the bathroom, the officers aimed their assault rifles toward the area and were told by commanders to hold their position as the sounds of gunfire stopped, according to Cornwell. And so they waited 15 or 20 minutes couldve been longer until the SWAT team arrived, he said. Cornwell never saw Mateen. [Read excerpts of the Orlando shooters 911 calls] Cornwells account is the first by a police officer who went inside the club during the first critical moments of the shooting. The FBI said Monday that police first responders engaged the shooter inside the club at 2:08 a.m., but Cornwells account raises questions about whether gunfire was actually exchanged, why first responders were told not to pursue Mateen into the bathroom, and whether any SWAT or other officers entered the club once the first responders retreated. Omar Mateen showed no signs of remorse in phone calls with police during an hours-long standoff at the Pulse nightclub, Orlando Police Chief John Mina said in an interview with The Washington Post on June 13. (Gillian Brockell,McKenna Ewen/The Washington Post) While some survivors described harried rescues by individual officers during the first half-hour or so, others inside the club remained trapped for hours. Some were rescued at 4:21 a.m. more than two hours after the shooting began by police working from outside the building. The FBIs timeline does not describe any SWAT movement into the building until 5 a.m., three hours after the attack started. [He was not a stable person] I was yelling, Go in there, go in there, my friends are in there, said Jeannette McCoy, who escaped the nightclub during the first several minutes and saw the first responders gathering near the main entrance. People are bleeding to death. The Orlando Police Department and the FBI declined to provide further clarification Tuesday. Cornwell also declined to further clarify what happened inside, citing the ongoing investigation and instructions not to talk about such details. He did not second-guess the decision for the officers to hold their position outside the bathroom. We just basically stayed there, waited for movement, and we just held our position until SWAT got there, said Cornwell, who never fired his weapon. Once SWAT got there, they told us to retreat, that theyd take over because we were not really in tactical gear we were just in our police uniforms. [Lesson from Columbine: It takes less than five minutes to bleed out] People who knew Orlando nightclub shooter Omar Mateen describe him as a man who had many demons and potentially led a double life. (Erin Patrick O'Connor,Jayne Orenstein,Thomas LeGro/The Washington Post) As the FBI continues its investigation of the worst mass shooting in U.S. history, Cornwell and his fellow officers early standoff with the shooter the second of three encounters between law enforcement and Mateen over more than three hours that morning is being scrutinized by state and federal investigators, along with the other police encounters with the shooter. Capt. Mark Canty, the Orlando Police Departments SWAT commander, said that while the incident will be thoroughly reviewed for lessons learned, he believed that everyone did a good job. Thats the worst part of this. I think we did an outstanding job, but unfortunately people died, he said. Chris Cotillo, a former SWAT commander in Prince Georges County, Md., and the current police chief in Seat Pleasant, Md., said that in active shooter situations, officers are now trained to immediately go in and engage the threat. But in Orlando, he said, the attack presented some unusual quirks. If the shooter stopped firing and was contained in a bathroom that would have given officers an opportunity to take stock of the situation, clear out survivors elsewhere in the club and develop a plan. That Cornwell was even in the vicinity of the Pulse nightclub at 2 a.m. that Sunday was largely a matter of coincidence. The tiny Belle Isle Police Department, situated just south of Orlando in a sleepy community of pale houses and Spanish moss, has an agreement to assist the community of Edgewood, which is near the club. Cornwell, a second-year officer who served with the Army National Guard in Iraq, said he was helping with a traffic stop when he heard the call on his radio that shots had been fired at Pulse. He said he arrived in 38 seconds. Cornwell was in one of the first seven or so police cars to arrive on the scene, where officers were getting out of their vehicles with their assault rifles, he said. Some ran towards the building; some stayed back with people running out, he said. There was tons of people running out of the club. I grabbed my assault rifle and ran toward the club. At this point, the shooter is still actively shooting inside. [The guilt of being alive is heavy, survivor of nightclub shooting says] Cornwell converged on the south side of the building, near the main entrance, with perhaps five other officers, all from the Orlando Police Department, which he referred to as OPD. There happens to be an OPD lieutenant commander who was there, and he says, Weve got to go in, Cornwell said. No one disagreed. One of the officers busted out one of those side windows it was approximately 10 feet tall and we just went in and went from there. McCoy, the survivor, who had by then run to the south side of the club as well, described seeing a group of six to eight police officers gathered by the entrance with their guns drawn. She saw them then shoot through the window, she said. Cornwell estimated that no more than two minutes had elapsed since he and the other officers arrived, and they were now inside the club. According to the FBIs timeline, officers engaged the shooter inside the club around this time, and three survivors said they heard or saw a brief gun battle. But Cornwell said Mateen was nowhere to be seen. The club was dim lit with a disco ball and colored lights and quiet except for the sound of the shooters gunfire, screams and cries for help, Cornwell said. He was actively shooting, he said. I cant say if he was targeting us. But he was still shooting in that location where he was at. There were bullet holes in the wall, so he had shot through the wall. But I couldnt tell you if he was shooting at us. Cornwell and the other officers immediately began clearing rooms one by one not knowing if there was more than one shooter and trying to locate the source of the gunfire. The sound of the shots echoing around the club made it difficult to tell exactly where they were coming from, he said. But fairly quickly within minutes, Cornwell said officers located Mateen in the bathroom area. At that point, he said, we took up a tactical position by the bar standpoint in the middle of the club. As he aimed his AR-15 assault rifle toward the bathroom door, he said, the shooting stopped. And it was then that the 15 or 20 minute holding pattern began, he said. [The gun the Orlando shooter used was a Sig Sauer MCX, not an AR-15. That doesnt change much.] Though Cornwell said he cannot recall exactly how he received his orders whether via the radio or in person his clear understanding was that he and his fellow officers were to hold their position rather than attempt to go into the bathroom after the shooter. Minutes passed as he kept aiming toward the bathroom, he said. He could hear screams. There were people lying all over the floor of the club. He kept aiming, waiting for SWAT. More screaming. He and the other officers held their position, focused on the bathroom, where he could see some movement inside, he said. Asked whether he felt an urge to pursue the shooter at that point, Cornwell said: I couldnt tell you. I was following the lieutenants command. At some point during the 15 to 20 minutes it is unclear exactly when Cornwell and the others in the group of first responders exited the club, he said. We got word from higher up, and it was communicated to the OPD lieutenant that we needed to withdraw, he said. So we came back outside. And waited for SWAT. SWAT arrived. SWAT handled everything from there. Multiple survivors have described pauses in Mateens gunfire, moments when he left either the main dance floor or the bathroom long enough that some of the survivors were able to place phone calls. What is unclear is whether these movements happened in the first moments, before Cornwell and the other officers entered the club, or after they withdrew. In the main dance hall, Angel Colon said, he was shot in the first seconds, and then Mateen left the room, only to return and start shooting everyone whos on the floor, making sure theyre dead. Colon told reporters last week that at first he thought the shooters absence would give someone else time to tackle him. In the north bathroom, Patience Carter and others were able to make phone calls after Mateen shot them and then appeared to leave the bathroom. We laid there for hours and hours . . . hoping that the police would come through at that point in time and just save us all, she told reporters last week. Outside, Cornwell said, he spent the next several hours helping transport victims to ambulances. He arrived back at the Belle Isle Police Department on Sunday afternoon, his uniform and all his equipment saturated with blood. Adam Goldman, Matt Zapotosky and Alice Crites contributed to this report. Read more: What the Orlando gunman told the police during his rampage Troubled. Quiet. Macho. Angry. The volatile life of the Orlando shooter. After Orlando, some American Muslims are anxious about what comes next Teens play at the wharf in Cite Soleil, Haiti, on June 8, 2016. (Bonnie Jo Mount/The Washington Post) When the Zika virus became a full-blown epidemic this year and global health officials began to anticipate its spread across the Americas, their worst fears settled on the place that looked most vulnerable: Haiti. The poorest nation in the region appeared to be primed for a Zika explosion, with woeful sanitation, urban overcrowding, a threadbare health system and plenty of mosquitoes. But nearly six months after the first Zika cases were confirmed in Haiti, the most dire predictions have not materialized. That is the good news. The bad news is that no one is really sure why. After the World Health Organization declared Zika a global health emergency in February, Haiti was tallying 300 infections a week. Now its down to about 30. The peak seems to have reached Haiti already, said Jean-Luc Poncelet, the top official for the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in Haiti. But we dont really know. Haiti hasnt registered a single case of Zika-related microcephaly, the congenital birth defect that results when the virus interferes with fetal brain development. The country has reported a dozen cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome, the sometimes fatal neurological disorder that Zika can trigger. Across the border in the Dominican Republic, a more prosperous country with a slightly larger population and a significantly better health-care system, authorities have reported 123 cases of Guillain-Barre more than 10 times as many as in Haiti. While Zika is thought to be declining in South America, global health officials think the rate of new infection is increasing in the Caribbean. On Friday, the head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Tom Frieden, said the virus was spreading so fast in Puerto Rico that dozens to hundreds of babies could be born on the island with Zika-related birth defects in the coming year. Trash burns near a sewage canal in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, on June 8, 2016. Trash collection is limited and in most places heaps of trash are eventually burned. (Bonnie Jo Mount/The Washington Post) Haitis comparatively low infection numbers do not indicate that it is becoming Zika-free, or even that the outbreak is declining here, experts warn. Rather, they say, Zikas mysterious trajectory in Haiti may reflect some of the inherent challenges in identifying what happens when the virus fans out across countries with little ability to track it. Unlike infections such as Ebola, or cholera, or even other mosquito-borne viruses like chikungunya and dengue fever, Zika produces no symptoms in as many as 80 percent of the people who get it. Others typically experience a low-grade fever, skin rash and joint pain that go away after a few days. [What you need to know about the Zika virus] In a place like Haiti, thats not enough for most people to seek medical attention. Most Haitians who get a fever dont go to the doctor. They drink tea, said Joseph Donald Francois, the national coordinator for cholera and Zika at Haitis Public Health Ministry. I had Zika, he added, with a shrug. The virus was expected to take off in Haiti with the onset of summer, when afternoon thunderstorms make pools perfect for breeding mosquitoes in the uncollected garbage that fouls the capital and chokes its gutters. But aside from a few fliers posted in hospital waiting rooms warning of Zika, there are no signs of a major outbreak. Complicating matters, though, the decline in Haitis Zika numbers coincides with a three-month-old strike that has shuttered its public hospitals and left patients in more remote areas with practically no health-care services at all. Physicians and other health workers march in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, on June 8, 2016. The workers -- seeking better resources and pay -- have been on strike for months, shutting down public hospitals. (Bonnie Jo Mount/The Washington Post) A housekeeping crew cleans at Hopital de lUniversite dEtat dHaiti in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, on June 9, 2016. The hospital has been closed for months because of striking health care workers. (Bonnie Jo Mount/The Washington Post) Its hard to know if no information means the absence of disease, or if it means theres just no information, said Louise Ivers, an infectious disease specialist with the Boston-based nonprofit Partners in Health, which runs a teaching hospital, considered Haitis best, in this small city 30 miles north of Port-au-Prince. The hospital has had 10 pregnant women diagnosed with Zika so far, and all have given birth to normal babies. [Haiti needs food, jobs, doctors and now a president] Zika is here, said Christophe Milien, an obstetrician-gynecologist in the maternity ward, which delivers about 300 babies a month. We cant say Zika isnt a problem, because there are so many factors that stop women from coming to the hospital. Expectant mothers who have other children to care for are not going to seek medical attention when they have a low-grade fever and a rash that will go away after a few days, he said. In more remote rural areas, the nearest highway can be several hours away on foot or donkey. No one has any idea what is happening with Zika in areas like that. Patients wait for care at Centre Hospitalier Eliazar Germain in Petion-Ville, Haiti, on June 9, 2016. Demand for care more than doubled at the facility after striking health care workers forced the closure of public hospitals in Port-Au-Prince months ago. (Bonnie Jo Mount/The Washington Post) Only about one-third of Haitian mothers deliver their babies in hospitals, according to government surveys. The rest deliver at home, and physicians here concede that babies born with birth defects such as microcephaly are sometimes abandoned in communities where deformities are viewed as the work of evil spirits. Abortion is illegal but not uncommon in Haiti, and doctors at the Mirebalais hospital say about 10 to 15 women seek medical attention each week after terminating a pregnancy, typically by taking drugs that induce labor and can lead to dangerous hemorrhaging. Because Zika poses the greatest risk to fetal brain development during the end of the first trimester and beginning of the second, it is possible that the country will begin seeing cases of microcephaly in the coming weeks. [CDC: Six pregnancies in Zika-infected U.S. women resulted in birth defects] The fact that were not seeing microcephaly suggests the Zika numbers are pretty low, but it just doesnt make sense, said Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Texas. I predicted Haiti would be hard-hit. So either Zika is being vastly underreported or its still in the process of emerging or its doing something very different compared to other patterns in the Americas. Zikas other telltale indicator is Guillain-Barre syndrome. The Partners in Health hospital has the only neurologist working in a country of 10 million people, Harvard professor Aaron Berkowitz, who right now splits his time between Boston and Mirebalais, where he is training a Haitian physician. [Colombia paralysis cases reveal deadly risks of Zika] Berkowitz said he and his Haitian colleagues first noticed something strange in January, when a man came in complaining of facial paralysis. Berkowitz diagnosed him with a rare form of Guillain-Barre syndrome. A few days later, another man came in with the same symptoms, said Berkowitz. The patient went to Boston for treatment, and his blood sample was sent to the CDC for testing, confirming hed had Zika. A hospital room at Centre Hospitalier Eliazar Germain in Petion-Ville, Haiti, on June 9, 2016. Demand for care more than doubled at the facility after striking health care workers forced the closure of public hospitals in Port-Au-Prince months ago. (Bonnie Jo Mount/The Washington Post) In Brazil and Colombia, which together have reported more than 200,000 Zika infections so far, its possible to visit hospitals and find plenty of patients complaining of the viruss symptoms. Not in Haiti. At one government hospital in Port-au-Prince that hasnt been closed by the strike, doctors have not reported a single case of the virus, said medical director C. Henry Gateau. But it has had five cases of Guillain-Barre, one of which was fatal. We did everything we could, said Gateau. He added that he had never seen Guillain-Barre in his 15 years at the hospital. Without the sophisticated laboratory testing that can be done by the CDC, it is very difficult to confirm the presence of Zika, because the virus remains present in the blood for only about five days. But Poncelet, the PAHO director for Haiti, said it would be a mistake to invest in the kind of detailed epidemiological study that could give a more accurate sense of Zikas spread in the country. When you have such limited resources, you can do harm rather than solve problems if you only work on one disease, because it distorts the system, said Poncelet. He noted that Haiti has 17,000 malaria infections a year and 34,000 cases of cholera. Read more: Zikas terrifying path The agonizing wait of an expectant mother with Zika As Zika spreads, El Salvador asks women not to get pregnant until 2018 Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world Fijis Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama used what would normally have been a bland official speech in Suva on June 9 to bluntly air continuing grievances over the policies of the regions imperialist powers, directing his remarks to his visiting New Zealand counterpart John Key. The diplomatic strains are a sign of unresolved and deepening geostrategic tensions in the Pacific. Australia and New Zealand are determined to ensure their continued regional dominance as part of the US-led drive to counter growing Chinese influence and prepare for war. Keys 24-hour visit, the first by a New Zealand prime minister to the impoverished South Pacific country since Bainimaramas 2006 military coup, was intended to advance New Zealands foreign policy interests. Australia and New Zealand both regard Fiji, the largest South Pacific island state, as critical to their hegemony. Following the coup, Canberra and Wellington imposed diplomatic and economic sanctions. These had nothing to do with defending democratic rights in Fiji but were driven by concerns that the coup could destabilise the region and open the way for Chinese influence. The sanctions, however, backfired. Bainimarama responded with a Look North policy, seeking and receiving economic, diplomatic and military aid from China, Russia and elsewhere. In 2007, New Zealands high commissioner to Fiji, Michael Green, was accused of interfering in the countrys affairs and expelled. In January this year a consignment of gifted weapons arrived from Russia for the Fiji army, followed by a 10-member team of Russian military instructors. The response by the Australian and New Zealand governments was muted, at least publicly, but Murdochs Australian declared that Bainimarama was making a bad mistake if he believed that the consignment was a good idea for his nation. Canberra and Wellington are determined to counteract the growing presence of outside powers in what they regard as their own backyard. In March, the two governments exploited the devastation caused by Cyclone Winston to send warships, aircraft and hundreds of military personnel to Fiji. It was New Zealands biggest military deployment since World War II. While the intervention was characterised as a humanitarian and disaster aid mission, it was consistent with the intensifying militarisation of the Pacific. Following the cyclone, China provided aid of $US100,000 to the Fiji Red Cross Society, the first country to do so. Beijing later increased its disaster relief package to $US10 million. Key derided the contribution, telling reporters that when the need was great for Fiji it was Australia and New Zealand that turned up. New Zealand Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee visited Fiji in March to reinforce Wellingtons help in the disaster relief. It followed a visit by Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop. The Lowy Institute, a Sydney-based think tank, noted that Bishops visit presented a big opportunity for Fiji to put behind it all the bad blood between the two countries since the 2006 coup and normalise relations. Keys visit this month had a similar agenda. Before leaving, Key told reporters that following the 2014 elections in Fiji, the military coup was now ancient history. Although democratic rule was still not absolutely perfect, the time was right for the highest-level diplomatic relations to resume. No sooner had Key arrived in Suva than it became clear the trip would not go according to script. At the welcoming banquet, Bainimarama reminded Key that he won Fijis 2014 election with an overwhelming majority. It is on that basis I stand before you tonight. Not as a coup maker or dictator, as some in your country would still have it, but as a properly elected, freely chosen leader of Fiji, he declared. During Keys visit, Bainimarama refused to give way on two central matters. Firstly, he refused to rescind a ban on New Zealand journalists identified as being critical of the regime. Bainimarama claimed there was a substantial body of opinion in New Zealand, led by your generally hostile media, that what is happening in Fiji somehow lacks legitimacy. That somehow I lack legitimacy. And my government lacks legitimacy. Such claims, Bainimarama stated, were not borne out by the facts. In reality, the government still rests directly on the military. The election in which Bainimaramas Fiji First Party purportedly won 60 percent of the ballot was held under conditions of press censorship, military provocations and severe restrictions on opposition political parties. The government remains anti-working class and authoritarian, ruling largely through fear and intimidation. A week before Key arrived, Bainimaramas government used its numbers in parliament to suspend an opposition MP, the National Federation Partys Roko Tupou Draunidalo, for more than two years after alleging she called a minister a fool. Secondly, Bainimarama again refused to return to meetings of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), from which Fiji was earlier suspended. The Australian and New Zealand-dominated PIF rescinded the suspension after the 2014 elections. Bainimarama declined Keys invitation to re-join the PIF. In return, Key said New Zealand would not quit the regional organisation, as Bainimarama previously sought. Fiji has encouraged other Pacific nations to take a more independent stance, setting up the Pacific Islands Development Forum (PIDF) in 2012, from which Australia and New Zealand were excluded. In the lead-up to the COP21 environmental summit in Paris last year, Pacific leaders were highly critical of Australia and New Zealand for refusing to support their call to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to keep global temperature increases below 1.5 degrees centigrade. The PIDF declared the target was required to protect their tiny island states from rising sea levels. Tensions between the official parties following Bainimaramas outburst in Suva were reportedly palpable. Fairfax Media columnist Tracy Watkins described Wellingtons delegation as seething over the Fijian prime ministers extraordinary diplomatic slapdown. Nor did it go unnoticed that Bainimarama was hardly effusive in his low-key acknowledgement of New Zealands assistance during Cyclone Winston. Watkins declared that, by the time it finished, Keys trip had been stripped of any diplomatic wins. New Zealand Labour Party foreign affairs spokesperson David Shearer described Keys trip as a disaster, writing: He [Bainimarama] didnt step back from the restrictions on media [or] the heavy-handedness within parliament. Keys government needed to keep pushing Fijian officials for a better democracy, he declared. Labours position is completely hypocritical. It was the previous Labour government that imposed New Zealands sanctions regime on Fiji after the 2006 coup. In 2014, Labour endorsed the democratic election of Bainimarama and the rehabilitation of his regime. During the Australian election campaign, the Labor Party has made clear that if it forms a government after July 2 it will pursue an agenda of untrammeled militarism, in alliance with the United States, which could drag the population into a catastrophic war with China. Over the past two weeks, Labors foreign affairs spokesperson Tania Plibersek and defence spokesperson Stephen Conroy have both delivered significant speeches: Plibersek to the Lowy Institute and Conroy in a debate at the National Press Club with the Defence Minister Marise Payne. The central theme of Pliberseks speech was to pledge unconditional support for Australias strategic and military alliance with the US and to commit a Labor government to continuing Australias military involvement in the US-led wars in Iraq and Syria. Conroys speech, delivered on June 16, went far further. As he did earlier in the year, Conroy condemned the Liberal-National Coalition government for not ordering the Australian armed forces to conduct what the US and its allies call freedom of navigation operations within Chinese-claimed territory in the South China Sea. The US military has, on at least four occasions since last October, sent warships or military aircraft within the 12-nautical-mile territorial limits surrounding islets and reefs claimed by China. The Chinese military responded to the last two incursions by scrambling jet fighters and dispatching naval vessels to the area. Conroy told the National Press Club: We believe our Defence Force should be authorised to conduct freedom of navigation operations consistent with international law. I would give the armed forces the authority to conduct one if they believed it was necessary and safe. As the Chinese response to US incursions has demonstrated, there are no circumstances in which sending military forces into the waters or airspace claimed by another state is safe. It is an act of war. Canberras sensitivity to matters of sovereignty was highlighted in 2014, when four Russian warships conducted operations in the South Pacific. Though they were indisputably in international waters, hundreds of kilometres from the Australian coast, their presence provoked a storm of media coverage and the Australian military dispatched aircraft and warships to track their movements. Any Australian ship or aircraft that entered waters or airspace that China asserts as its sovereign territory would have to expect to be warned to immediately leave and to be possibly fired upon if they did not. The Labor Party, in other words, has vowed to order actions that could result in an armed confrontation between the Australian and Chinese armed forces and trigger an all-out war in Asia. The increase in military operations in the South China Sea is taking place ahead of a ruling by the UN Permanent Court of Arbitration on a US-backed Philippines legal challenge to some of Chinas claims in the South China Sea. Given the pro-imperialist nature of the UN, the court is expected to rule in favour of the Philippines. The Chinese government has issued categorical statements that it does not accept that the courts jurisdiction and will not accept its findings. US imperialism has seized upon the long-standing and previously low-key disputes over which state has sovereignty over tiny islands and reefs to ratchet up tensions with Beijing as part of its pivot or rebalance to Asia. The pivot requires the concentration of 60 percent of the US Navy and Air Force and the development of a network of bases and access agreements across the region to encircle China. It includes detailed military planning for war on China, which involves attacking targets across the Chinese mainland while strangling its economy by imposing a naval blockade of the key sea lanes between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Freedom of navigation, like the deceitful rhetoric about terrorism, human rights and weapons of mass destruction, is nothing more than a pretext for provocation and intervention. The claim by Washington and figures such as Conroy that Chinas territorial claims threaten the ability of commercial shipping to pass through the South China Sea is absurd on its face, not least because a large proportion of the $US5.5 trillion in annual sea-borne trade goes to or from China itself. The real objective of US imperialismand the Wall Street banks and corporations it servesis economic domination over the markets and vast labour resources of China, and the elimination of the Beijing regime as a potential challenge to American global hegemony. Australian imperialism is serving as Washingtons adjunct. The buzzword in the Australian establishment is protecting the global rules-based orderthat is, the institutions and mechanisms through which the US seeks to enforce its international dominance, on which Australia relies to pursue its interests. The various journalists who assembled at the National Press Club to hear Conroy and Payne are generally aware of these facts. None, however, challenged Conroy over the immense geo-political implications of the Labor policy he announced. The conscious decision by the media to prevent the danger of war from becoming the subject of public debate in the election is a continuation of the five-year conspiracy of silence on the central role of Australiaand the Labor Party in particularin the US pivot to Asia. President Barack Obama formally announced the pivot on the floor of the Australian parliament in November 2011. The former Labor government of Prime Minister Julia Gillard was, from the outset, the most outspoken advocate and enabler of the confrontational US turn against China. It signed agreements with Washington to allow the basing of US Marines in the northern city of Darwin and the increased use of Australian airbases by American aircraft, particularly long-range and nuclear-capable B-52 bombers. Under Labor, the Australian military increased its efforts to become fully inter-operable with US forces, to the point today where dozens of Australian military personnel work in various capacities as part of the US Pacific Command. The Coalition, which took government in September 2013, has, by-and-large, simply continued the undertaking to Washington given by Labor. Conroys criticisms of the Coalition for not carrying out freedom of navigation operations, however, underscore the fact that of the two main capitalist parties, Labor is the most militarist, bellicose and committed to the US alliance, whatever the consequences. Given the state of tensions between the US and China, Labors vow to conduct freedom of navigation operations takes on a highly sinister character. It cannot be ruled out that the aim of such an action would be to try to provoke the Chinese military into firing on an Australian ship or aircraft. Such an incident could be used by US propagandists of portray China as the aggressor, justify military retaliation as coming to the aid of a longstanding ally and provide Washington with the pretext it needs to launch a catastrophic war. The Socialist Equality Party is the only party in the Australian election seeking to alert the working class to the threat of war, and fighting for Australian workers to join with workers around the world in building an international anti-war movement based on socialist internationalism. This perspective takes on added urgency in the face of the steadily growing dangers. To contact the SEP and get involved, visit our web site or Facebook page. Authorised by James Cogan, Shop 6, 212 South Terrace, Bankstown Plaza, Bankstown, NSW 2200. A 51-year-old Pennsylvania man was arrested on a series of charges after authorities in Bucks County allegedly retrieved 12 girls from his Feasterville home last Thursday, PEOPLE confirms. Lee Kaplan was charged with statutory sexual assault, unlawful contact with a minor and aggravated indecent assault after authorities searched his home and discovered he was the only adult living in the residence with the 12 girls, who ranged in age from six months to 18 years, according to court records obtained by PEOPLE. Detectives raided the home after receiving an anonymous tip, police say. The oldest of the 12 girls told investigators she was 14 when her parents allegedly handed her over to Kaplan after he helped them financially. Upon being rescued, the 18-year-old girl allegedly told police she and Kaplan had two children together a 3-year-old girl and the six-month-old infant. Kaplan's arrest affidavit says the 18-year-old girl's father told police he gave his daughter to Kaplan after he'd provided the family with financial support. Police have charged the girl's father, Daniel Stoltzfus, with conspiracy of statutory sexual assault and child endangerment and they arrested his wife, Savilla Stoltzfus, on a single endangering the welfare of a child count. The girl's Amish parents live in Lancaster County. 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. Kaplan and both parents are being held on $1 million bail. According to court records, police are working to determine the identities of the other recovered children's parents, but note it will be challenging as none of them have any forms of identification. Investigators are also working to determine how long the 12 girls were living in the home and whether any of the others were similarly abused by Kaplan. Neighbor Previously Called Police to Report 'Something Creepy Going On' Denise Horst, a traveling nurse who lives in the neighborhood, tells PEOPLE she often saw several girls in Kaplan's yard wearing traditional Amish clothing. "This one time, back in October, they were all outside near the street, and that guy came out," Horst recalled. "The girls all went running into the house. It looked like they were frightened." Horst tells PEOPLE she actually called the police last October to report "something creepy going on" inside Kaplan's home, but was told detectives couldn't find any concrete evidence of wrongdoing. Police brought search dogs to Kaplan's home on Saturday, searching the house and its surrounding property for any additional evidence. Kaplan and the girl's parents will appear in court for hearings scheduled for June 28. It is unclear whether any of them has retained legal counsel. Police claim the 12 recovered children are together in protective custody. If it seems America has never stopped debating the ins and outs of the Civil War South Carolinas government and the Confederate flag parted ways only last year then writer-director Gary Ross has good reason to believe his new movie Free State of Jones would keep the conversations going, whether moviegoers take to it or not. A sober, overly studious account of one of the wars strangest, most extraordinary campaigns that of Mississippi deserter Newton Knight (Matthew McConaughey) leading an armed, anti-Confederate rebellion of white farmers and runaway slaves Free State of Jones doesnt neatly fit into Hollywoods track record of boldly emotional war sagas or queasy white-centralized versions of the black experience. See Video: Matthew McConaughey Leads Rebellion Against Confederacy in 'Free State of Jones' Trailer The real story, which Ross valued enough that he annotated his movie with notes onscreen and a fully-sourced companion website, is certainly complex enough to defy categorization. But the movie also doesnt entirely escape an arid, educational quality, coming off mostly as a curious hybrid of the best and the regrettable in right-side-of-history cinema. We meet Newton Knight on the battlefield as a Confederate Army medic tending to wounded soldiers, and railing against a war he not only disavows morally but also sees as a rich mans battle fought by poor folk like himself. After witnessing his terrified nephew (Jacob Lofland, Mud) shot, and failing to save him, Newt becomes a deserter, returning to his wife Serena (Keri Russell) and child, only to learn that Confederate cavalry and tax agents routinely commandeer his struggling neighbors harvests, livestock and provisions for the war effort. Also Read: Matthew McConaughey Looks Exactly Like His Real-Lilfe 'Free State of Jones' Character Following an armed standoff against a snarling lieutenant (Bill Tangradi, Argo), Newt officially becomes a wanted man, fleeing into the swamps with the help of a kind, sweet plantation servant named Rachel (the ever-appealing Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Belle) who first caught Newts eye when she once tended to his sick boy. Story continues There, in a tiny camp of Maroons, he meets Moses (Mahershala Ali), an escaped slave still shackled to a hideous crook-pronged neck collar, and the pair form a bond. Soon, with caches of smuggled-in rifles and a growing influx of local deserters fed up with the Confederacy appropriating their property and conscripting their kin, Newt becomes a de facto Southern Unionist leader to this ragtag mixed-race outfit, committed to raiding plantations, re-seizing stolen crops, and fighting all who dare to end their rebellion. At the captured town of Ellisville, their hundreds-strong group declares themselves a free state, with Newt announcing that one of their key principles is every mans a man. Judging by a surviving photo of the real Newton Knight shown at the end, McConaugheys just the kind of wild-eyed force to bring his zealotry to life. The go-to star for Southern gadflies is mostly in control of his sometimes infuriating in-the-moment vibe, believably depicting a good, simple man drawn to a cause hes making up as he goes along. But Ross doesnt always make Newts heroic motivations clear, and it leaves a small enough hole that becomes increasingly hard to ignore. The fact that there arent any other memorably rendered characters to truly bounce off of McConaughey, despite a talented ensemble, only serves to stress this cryptic deficiency in the screenplay, whipping as it does through many years, and the movies central performance. Also Read: David Oyelowo, Gugu Mbatha-Raw to Star in Sci-Fi Thriller 'God Particle' And if this all sounds like one more white savior movie, it is, even if it hews closer to the Glory model of admirably gripping, painstakingly recreated outlier history than the Cry Freedom brand of dull, tone-deaf nobility. There are choices Ross makes that push his hero even more into white-knight mode than necessary, whether its showing him help Rachel learn to read when weve already seen her at the plantation sneaking glances at the owners childrens lessons, or, after the war, having Newt literally walk freed blacks into a hostile polling place to ensure their federally granted voting privileges. (Early on, Ross does give Moses one choice bit of perspective-correcting dialogue. When Newt, marveling at Moses harsh collar, says, I guess you can get used to anything, Moses quietly retorts, No, you cant.) Still, theres a good deal here worth chewing on as a dramatic slice of little-known righteousness, especially when Ross solemnly wades into the Reconstruction the movies best sequence, tonally and shows how quickly and easily sham laws coupled with private, hooded vengeance could bring an updated tinge of fear and unfairness to the newly unchained. Also Read: 'Hunger Games' Actor Mahershala Ali Cast as Cottonmouth in Marvel's 'Luke Cage' Less effective, however, are Rosss use of footnote text (in Ken Burns-regulation font no less), and the occasional flash forward to a 1948 court case in which Newts white-looking great grandson David (Brian Lee Franklin) is arrested for miscegenation by attempting to marry a white woman. As a slow, across-the-eras reveal that Newt and Rachel eventually lived together as man and common -law wife (and that the struggle never really ended), it nevertheless plays more like a twist from a PBS documentary with recreations than an urgent drama about defiant activists falling in love against all odds. If Free State of Jones, its firelit confabs, rural greenery and Southern heat nicely captured by cinematographer Benoit Delhomme (The Theory of Everything), has a standing flaw, its born of good intentions: the need to teach, and the fear of turning the past into melodrama. That you may learn a good deal about an unusually driven man, but never quite feel emotionally connected to him, means Ross has hit a workmanlike middle, crafting a handsome textbook more than a blood-pumping portrait. Related stories from TheWrap: 'SNL' 'Star Wars Auditions' Bonus: Matthew McConaughey, Daisy Ridley Try Out (Video) Here's a Supercut of Matthew McConaughey Just Making Noises in Movies (Video) 'Independence Day 2' Director Roland Emmerich Rips Marvel Movies as 'Silly' 'Underground' Introduces Major Civil Rights Figure as New Character in Season Finale (Video) There are a lot of festivals these days, and on paper Dover, Delaware is far from the most exciting place to have one. You dont get to travel to a major city, and you dont get something as majestic as Sasquatch!s setting of the Gorge in Washington, or Hangouts Alabama beaches. Yet Firefly is a contender when it comes to endearing locations for a festival. Instead of the rectangular sprawl of Lollapalooza or the mudpocalypse-prone Randalls Island of Governors Ball, you get the beauty of Dovers Woodlands, a large swatch of forest-y festival grounds attached to Dover International Speedway. (You also get the bugbites that come with the Woodlands, but you win some, you lose some, I guess.) At night, when youre moving amidst LED lights and the shadows of trees, it can have a transportive effect. This years lineup included festival conquerors like Florence & The Machine and Tame Impala alongside reliable standbys like Kings Of Leon. Among the several stages and various scenery available at Firefly, Stereogum (along with SPIN, Vibe, and Brooklyn Vegan) returned to the Toyota Music Den for a weekend of intimate sets. After the threat of rain dissipated, Friday at Firefly was an agreeably warm and non-stifling summer day for a festival, which made it a fitting one for Sun Clubs shiny and angular afternoon set. The Baltimore art-rock weirdoes released their full-length debut, The Dongo Durango, last fall, and while theyre still touring behind that, recent lineup changes and new musical interests have led to them playing a lot of new material. At the Toyota Den, they continued road-testing new songs, playing their first-ever show as a four-piece. While changes and new music are afoot, however, anyone whos seen or listened to Sun Club before would be familiar with what they were like at Firefly: These are songs that perpetually feel on the verge of splitting apart into a million glistening and warbling fragments, yet instead tumble and zig-zag through some deluded logic. Theres something about watching a Sun Club set thats like a childrens cartoon gone mad, all primary colors warping and growling into a very idiosyncratic sound. Story continues Sun Club Credit: Tod Seelie Later that day, the Shelters took the stage with their garage-y classicist rock. The Los Angeles band has a long history with Tom Petty: He caught them playing around town once, and years later members of the Shelters have contributed to the most recent Heartbreakers album, Petty co-produced their debut album (which came out on Warner Bros. earlier this month), and the band is currently on tour with Pettys other gig, Mudcrutch. When the band broke out the Byrds-ian jangle of their single Rebel Heart, you could see why they mightve drawn the interest of a guy like Petty. Much of the set followed suit, offering up out-of-time classic rock celebration with some really long solos. Following Slaptops DJ set on Saturday afternoon, Bostons Quilt were next on the bill. The underrated psych-pop group were as appropriate an artist for Saturday afternoon as Sun Club had been for Friday: Instead of coming across like acidic sunshine, though, they played the sort of gentle and hazy set built for daydream interludes during drifting summer weekends, or exhausting festival weekends, for that matter. Their latest album, Plaza, came out back in February but I cant imagine listening to this music in wintertime. Roller, their sneaky earworm of a single, is full of the kind of Britop vibes and loopy keyboard embellishments that seem built to soundtrack humid and searching afternoon meditations. Quilt Credit: Tod Seelie Later on, Son Little returned to the Toyota Den once more to follow suit while his music normally relies on a full band to help bring his sunburnt soul-blues to the stage, he opted for a hushed solo acoustic set at the end of day/the beginning of the evening. It played as a whispered prelude, a quiet reprieve to the bombast of the nights headliners to follow. The final day of the Toyota Den kicked off with Wet. Sunday was a lot hotter than the preceding two days, and it was the conclusion to a four-day festival, yet it may have been the most fervent and active the crowd looked all weekend. Wet have proven divisive, and maybe the pristine surfaces of the groups debut Dont You just dont work for you, but you should at least believe some of the hype. Their set on Sunday was nearly unrecognizable from the bands iteration in the studio frontwoman Kelly Zutrau backed just by guitar and bass, the music stripped of all the synths and beats that normally define it. The songs might move a bit more with the full lineup, but this context allowed for a full showcase of Zutraus voice, which was the most powerful one to fill the tent all weekend. While most of the artists opted for restrained and stripped-back sets at the Toyota Den, Laura Stevenson came full force a powerhouse drummer, squalling two-guitar fireworks, and, well, an accordion on some songs! Stevenson released her latest album, Cocksure, toward the end of last year, and live she uses those songs to craft a brand of gnarly but infectious rock music thats at times indebted to punk and at times indebted to folk. While the music itself was a steamroller, Stevenson and her band were also some of the most affable people to play the Den this weekend. After an audience member asked Stevenson if she had a bottle of water she could give them, she bemusedly quipped, Ive never been asked that onstage before, and then received a hair tie in return. It was a casual but take-no-prisoners kind of set, from an artist who rolled through Firefly to only play two very small shows (the Toyota Den, and a set in Fireflys campgrounds). She seems destined to become a much bigger name in the future. Laura Stevenson Credit: Tod Seelie The weekend wrapped up with the one-two of poppy synth-rockers Transviolet and Walshy Fire, of Major Lazer. At this point, the festival was leaning into its final act, and the crowd that gathered at the Toyota Den definitely seemed to be peaking in energy. During Transviolets set, a group of three or four fervent fans took over the front of the stage, screaming along to every word or grinding on each other sometimes self-aware and comically, and sometimes very, very seriously. Soon after the band noticed that and asked the crowd for more erotic dancing, that original group switched to the Macarena for a song. Go figure. After that, the crowd of diehard Transviolet fans switched out for Major Lazer devotees. Walshy Fires other gig was headlining later that night, so the set at Toyota Den was like a small preview, showing everyone what a solo DJ set from him is like. He dropped Panda (of course), alongside M.A.A.D. City, Power (amongst a few other Kanye and/or Watch The Throne tracks), and a chunk of Cant Feel My Face before he teased everyone and cut it off right before the chorus. The grinding couple were back, but this time they fit in more the crowd for Walshy Fire looked and acted more like a late-night club crowd than festivalgoers at 6 PM on the final day of a summer fest. I dont know what it is, but you hand-picked the craziest people from the crowd, he said onstage. It was one final burst of excitement before Firefly drew to a close. Cevian team Cevian Capital is a multibillion-dollar activist hedge fund that you've probably never heard of. That's deliberate. The firm, the biggest of its kind in Europe with 12 billion euros, or about $13.6 billion in assets, eschews the aggressive activist tactics popular in the US. It doesn't write sharp-tongued letters to CEOs a la Dan Loeb, a more stereotypical American activist hedge manager. Instead, Cevian takes a more cool-headed approach to activist investing, the firm says. It sees itself as different from many of its American counterparts, which critics say focus on short-term value for themselves. The fund started in 1996, and invests only in Europe. Investors put money with the fund in rolling periods of three to five years, and 70% of the capital is from investors in North America. The fund doesn't short stocks or use leverage. As part of our series "The Price of Profits" with public radio's Marketplace, Business Insider interviewed Harlan Zimmerman, a senior partner in the firm's London office, to learn more about Cevian's process. This interview has been edited for clarity and length. Rachael Levy: Can you describe Cevian's investment process? Harlan Zimmerman: We work very hard to identify typically around two investments a year, which are companies with world-class businesses at their core, but which have the potential to perform better as a company over the long term sometimes companies, which have already embarked upon the process of improving themselves, and in some cases, we need to be more of a catalyst to help them become more competitive and more valuable over time. These are companies that are listed in Europe but they may be global businesses. Story continues Price of Profits Logo Levy: How do you get shareholders on board? Zimmerman: We're focused on making the companies more competitive in the long term, and more valuable. For us, this means a holding period that normally ranges between three and seven years. By making companies more competitive, because most of them are exposed to a great deal of international competition, if it's a Swedish company, they might be exposed to German competitors, Chinese competitors, US competitors. By making them more competitive, we're making them more secure for everyone, and we're making them more valuable for shareholders. And so when you're talking about a company that has owners that are big, long-term institutions, then we don't have to mobilize them in these sorts of initiatives. It's the sort of thing they want to happen anyway, and for most companies, it's the sort of thing they're interested in, as well. They're interested in becoming more competitive over the long term. So it contrasts a bit with the US classical activist style, or at least the more hostile type where it's short-term initiatives usually to get jumbo dividends or put a company in play or something of that nature, which can be very destructive. And where it often can be about bringing in certain types of shareholders, the "wolf pack," as it's sometimes called. And there you can have really a big conflict between what's good for the company and its shareholders in the long term, and what's good for some of the shareholders in the short term. Levy: Cevian doesn't write open letters or engage in proxy fights, for instance. Zimmerman: Because we think they're not necessary and sometimes counterproductive to achieve the objectives that we've already set out. And that's a function of a number of different things. No. 1, it's a function of the rules for owners that we have in Europe compared to the US, and No. 2, it's a function of the culture that we have here compared to the US. First, from the governance point, it's surprising to many people in the US, but the rules for shareholders in most places in Europe are more favorable for shareholders than they are in the US. And in most cases, if we own 5%, 10%, 15% of a company, we have a very powerful position at the table, and therefore particularly when we're supported by other long-term owners, this means we don't have to resort to yelling and screaming and publishing letters and doing proxy fights, which obviously can be very divisive and pin management teams into a corner. We see those techniques as more of a reaction to the very strong governance position that the companies have in the US, and therefore, to put pressure on the company, it's often necessary to be public. Particularly if you have a short-term agenda, as many of these activists do in the US, then you don't care about damaging your relationship or creating a relationship that's not functional. You care about forcing someone into a position where they have to do something. wolf For us, as we're working to build these stronger, more competitive companies over a longer-term horizon, and we've seen the benefit of being engaged with them in a constructive way and over the long term, we find that we don't have the need to go hostile, nor is it likely to be beneficial to achieve our ultimate aims. I would [like to] make a distinction between constructive and friendly. We don't call ourselves friendly activists because we don't go and ask people's permission to invest. We don't only invest if we have an invitation. We invest where it makes sense, and of course sometimes there can be very difficult discussions, but in our case, they are future-looking, or forward-looking, non-personalized, and they're oriented, as I've said many times, to create a better and more valuable company in the long term. Levy: Carl Icahn recently spoke with CNBC and he mentioned there are too many share buybacks over capital improvements. Icahn had influence over the firm in its founding days. So what does Cevian think of buybacks? Zimmerman: Sure. First off, we hold the view that there's too much short-termism in the market, and it reflects pressure on investors, and that creates pressure on the companies, and that's absolutely the case that companies are often put in a position that they feel they have to do something that's good in the short term, even at the cost of what's right in the long term. Carl Icahn Of course, they can't openly admit it, but it's definitely the case. You can find lots of surveys of management answering these questions anonymously, and it's clear that it's happening. It's people responding to incentives that are given to them across the investment chain, and so this short-termism in many cases is leading to buybacks, enhanced dividends, things of that nature. However, absolutely in some cases, it's still appropriate for the companies that are well-capitalized and which have the resources they need to make appropriate investments to grow their businesses. That creates more incremental gains in the short term, and we're much more about being with the company that today is achieving a 5% margin and in four years' time achieving a 10% margin. And having a much clearer strategy is much more appreciated by the capital markets. That's how, in our view, big returns are created in the long term. Levy: Can you describe a campaign that has gone really well and succeeded? Zimmerman: Generically, I'd just say that often the best investments are when we're starting with a company, [where the] main businesses are very strong, which have gone out of favor because the market is being very short-term focused and is challenged in the short term. Or maybe the sector has gone out of favor or maybe the company has had a very bumpy road, and that's a starting point. And that enables us to buy into the company at a very attractive valuation compared to long-term intrinsic value of the company, and provides a good platform for working with the company to implement changes, to make it more competitive and valuable over the long term. Because when everything is going super well, there's much less reason for people to change what they're doing, and there's typically less value to be created. Levy: Would it be possible to talk about a counterexample, where a campaign didn't go as you anticipated? Electricians carry a cover with the logo of ThyssenKrupp AG at the company's headquarters in the western German city of Essen November 19, 2014. REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay Zimmerman: Only generally. Typically, if something isn't going well, it's that it's taking longer to get things done than we planned for. Sometimes it's for good reason, because the company is doing better more quickly than we anticipated, and in those cases typically we're just happy to come out if we're not fully engaged with the company. In some cases, there could be changes in the environment that make things more difficult, but for us it's imperative in every case that we invest in companies that have very attractive fundamental valuation and have huge, or significant, value-creation potential. So if things are not going well for a company, then for us, there's an opportunity to accelerate the value-enhancement work. Levy: Is there ever a time you target a company and then decide not to go into it? Zimmerman: One of the things that we analyze very carefully is the ability to make change happen. And that's a function of many different things, including the formal rules in the country that's the governance rules, so the hard power we have as shareholders. Each country has [a] slightly different set of rules. Then we also look at the informal rules in the country, what we can rely on, the way things are actually done. Is there extra influence that a big shareholder will have, for instance? Is there a tradition of shareholders joining boards? Things of that nature. And then also we have networks that we built up over the years of board directors, management teams that can help us access a company not just their potential for change, but the ability or the potential to make that change happen. So we use that network to help us, and those networks are very local. And then certainly we look at the shareholder structure of companies, we look at how big we're going to be, will we be a 5% owner or a 20% owner based on size of the company and the size of our fund and who the other shareholders are. Are they all just institutions with whom we are likely to have very aligned incentives and who will therefore likely support the value-creation initiatives that we think should be put in place, or are they foundations or family groups that can have noneconomic interests that will be driving them? Levy: Are there any countries that are just too hard to penetrate, where rules are too strict or complicated? Zimmerman: We have historically focused on the Nordics, UK, Germany and Switzerland. Those are the countries that for us have a combination of clearest governance rules in favor of shareholders, good transparency as well as interesting companies. We haven't invested in Southern or Central Europe because we don't know those environments and we don't have relationships there, and we can't be certain that the rules, formal and informal rules, are ones that we'll be comfortable with. London Stock Exchange Levy: You mentioned how much more shareholder power you have in Europe compared to the US. Is that across the board? Zimmerman: It's certainly the case for all of the Nordics, the UK, Germany, Switzerland and France. Some of the major differences are that, in almost all countries, the chairman and CEO have to be separate, either by law or governance code. [Editor's note: In the US, the CEO and the chairman are usually the same person.] This means that the board's role is to oversee or instruct the management team. Each country can be different. Some boards are more hands-on than others. But the point is there's a level that operates above the management team, and that's very different than when the chairman and CEO is a different person. The second thing is that it's very easy to nominate outside candidates to the board, in all of our countries. It can be done with a small percentage of shares in most cases, whereas in the US, in most companies, either the nominations are completely controlled by big companies, and you can only nominate by running a separate proxy contest, or they're adding what's called proxy access, usually meaning that if a shareholder owns more than X%, or say three years, then at that point you can nominate a small number of directors in the US. That's the best case in the US, whereas over here in Europe, you can in all cases as a shareholder, there's no minimum ownership period if you own 5% or 3% or even one share depending on the country, you can nominate someone. So it's much easier to nominate people and therefore get them elected. Dan Loeb Levy: How is activism perceived in Europe? Zimmerman: The first type of activism, the hostile type, that is not welcomed here in Europe. And there have been some attempts to do it, both by domestic European players and some US players. Generally, they have not been very successful. The hostile activists have found it difficult to find support from the big European owners of companies. Levy: Is that cultural? Zimmerman: I think that is cultural. There's a feeling that it's not necessary to be that hostile here in Europe. People don't like it. Levy: So is it the short-term activism that is giving activism a bad name in the US? Zimmerman: Absolutely. First off, I'm not sure that activism has a bad name. I'd call it a complex name. There is definitely good activism that people respect. Look at the role of Trian [Partners] in GE, where they appear to be welcomed into the company and played an important role. That's activism. But on the other hand, most of the headlines are created by the short-term hostile stuff and let's face it, people like to read about the salacious letter about a CEO and his country-club friends. That does give activism a bad name, but as I say, there's a complex picture. There's good and there's bad. "The Price of Profits," our series with Marketplace, looks at what happens when profits become a company's product. For more, visit PriceOfProfits.org. NOW WATCH: How hedge fund legend John Paulson built an empire off the 2008 financial crisis More From Business Insider Bangui (Central African Republic) (AFP) - Sixteen people have been killed in two days of clashes between Fulani herdsmen and the mainly Muslim Seleka militia in the Central African Republic, police said on Tuesday. The chronically unstable nation is struggling to overcome the legacy of three years of deadly conflict between Christians and Muslims that has driven half a million people from their homes. "According to an initial toll, 16 people, most of them armed Fulani herdsmen, were killed and more than 20 others were wounded in the clashes," a police officer in the northern town of Kaga Bandoro told AFP on condition of anonymity. The clashes, which erupted on Sunday, were not connected to a separate wave of violence in the capital Bangui on Monday in which three people were killed. The officer said the violence in the north began in the region of Batangafo and spread to the towns of Wandago and Gondava. The clashes are linked to the annual transhumance of Fulani cattle herdsmen, sometimes from neighbouring Cameroon and Chad, into the north of the Central African Republic. The herdsmen are often armed to protect themselves from attacks from cattle thieves, and they sometimes stage deadly reprisals against the towns where the rustlers are from. Kaga Bandoro resident Maurice Yanandji said the clashes on Sunday and Monday forced a number of bush residents to flee into the centre of the town. Batangafo resident Polycarpe Nzalaye said troops from MINUSCA, the UN peacekeeping force in the country, "intervened and the clashes stopped in the centre of Batangafo". At least 10 people were killed last week in northwest in violence blamed on Fulani herdsmen and the Seleka militia. - Continuing tensions - In a sign of the continuing tensions, three people were killed and hundreds forced to flee their homes after gunfire broke out Monday in Bangui's predominantly Muslim PK5 neighbourhood. The deaths followed the kidnapping of six policemen at the weekend, blamed on a rebel group based in PK5. It was unclear if the fighting was connected to the kidnapping. Story continues A police source in Bangui said the three people killed "were members of the (neighbourhood) self-defence force who tried to attack" a police station "and who were prevented by national and international forces." He said several people were wounded, some some of them seriously. CAR, one of the world's poorest countries, was plunged into chaos by the March 2013 ousting of long-serving president Francois Bozize, a Christian, by the mainly Muslim Seleka rebel alliance. The coup sparked revenge attacks involving Muslim forces and Christian vigilante groups known as "anti-balaka" (anti-machete) militias. Thousands were slaughtered in the spiral of atrocities that displaced about a tenth of the population of 4.8 million. Fears of a bloodbath led to a military intervention by former colonial power France and the deployment of UN peacekeepers. Ardent Lincoln Navigator owners note that the two steps up to the drivers seat remind them of boarding their private jet. What they prize, and what very few crossovers really offer, is a three-dimensional view of the road. The vertical ecstasy comes from peering over lowly automobile roofs. Horizontal fulfillment comes from the joy of driving one of the largest land yachts money can buy. The Lincoln Navigator L is 14.9 inches longer than a regular Navigator and competes against the similarly grandly proportioned Cadillac Escalade ESV and its just slightly downmarket twin, the GMC Yukon XL Denali. Thus far, imports havent challenged this distinctly American luxury interpretation defined by majestic length, width, and height. Its Boosted Two key features distinguish Navigators, both long and really long, from General Motors top SUV offerings: turbocharged engines and an independent rear suspension. Lincoln abandoned V-8s in the Navigator in favor of a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 with direct fuel injectionwhat Ford calls EcoBoostfor 2015 as a key component of an update aimed at reinvigorating this flagship as it neared the end of its current design cycle. GM, meanwhile, remains faithful to large-displacement pushrod V-8 engines (now also direct injected). GMs 6.2-liter V-8 delivers 420 horsepower versus the Lincolns 380, and both deliver an identical 460 lb-ft of torque. Neither has a notable advantage in acceleration. The GMC Yukon XL Denali matches this Lincoln Navigator L in the race to 60 mph, with both clocking a spritely 6.5 seconds. At the end of the quarter-mile, the 301-pounds-lighter GMC is slightly behind but moving 4 mph faster than the Lincoln (15.1 seconds at 96 mph for the Yukon versus 14.9 seconds at 92 mph for the Navigator). More significant, this 6361-pound Lincoln never stumbled in ordinary driving. Theres no audible evidence of how many cylinders are at work, leading us to conclude that Fords high-tech power solution works no better or worse than the more rustic GM approach. In terms of gas mileage, the two are fairly similar. We averaged 16 mpg over 40,000 miles in a long-term test of a Denali and 14 mpg during two weeks in this Navigator. Both are content with regular gasoline for normal driving, although the Lincolns owners manual does suggest premium fuel for heavy towing. On that subject, the Lincoln has a towing capacity of 8300 pounds (versus 7900 for a comparable GMC Yukon), and the Navigator L launched a 20-foot powerboat as effortlessly as flicking a gnat off its back. Story continues The other special Lincoln Navigator feature, an independent rear suspension, is aimed at providing a superior ride versus large SUVs that rely on a traditional live beam axle, along with more efficient cargo and rear-seat packaging. Unfortunately, no such ride benefit stood out in our use. Even equipped with Lincolns continuously controlled damping systemincluded with the top Reserve trim level ($77,845)this Navigators ride felt jiggly over uneven pavement, and structural shake was evident over truly devilish surfaces. Trying the Normal, Comfort, and Sport drive modes didnt significantly alter the ride or take this SUV to chassis nirvana. Its clear that GMs solution of a live axle with magnetorheological dampers works just as well as Lincolns independent rear suspension combined with electronically adjustable shocks. The Lincolns suspension, however, does pay off in passenger accommodations, with the Navigator possessing a much more adult-friendly third row with more than three inches more legroom than the Escalade ESV or Yukon XL. Big SUV or Tiny House? Totaling the cubic feet available for people and their chattel, the Navigator and Yukon XL Denali differ by only one percent: The GMC provides 176 cubic feet for occupants and 39 for cargo versus the Lincolns 170 cubes for folks and 43 for mall booty. Both mimic a tour bus in terms of passenger comfort and threaten U-Hauls livelihood in cargo carrying. Fold the Lincolns rear two rows and luggage space swells to 128 cubic feet, rivaling some tiny houses. Nor is there any handling benefit we can attribute to the Lincolns independent rear suspension. Virtually no steering feel is routed to the driver, and the tires are all done with cornering at 0.78 g, a good thing because the Navigators high center of gravity makes it susceptible to tripping and toppling. Halting from 70 mph requires 184 feet of clear road. Even though we pushed the brakes to the smoke-signal point during six successive stops, there was no appreciable increase in stopping distance. In other words, you may hitch heavy trailers to this Lincoln with confidence. To tide over this Navigator until a redesigned 2017 model arrives (without the gullwing doors and staircase entry previewed by the concept at this years New York auto show), Lincoln treated faithful customers to a Reserve package for the 2015 and 2016 model years. This wealth of indulgences includes polished 22-inch wheels that fit this vehicles grand proportions and special Ziricote wood trim inspired by expensive furniture. The accompanying leather is lovely, except for the double-stitched seams thoughtlessly positioned to grind the drivers elbows. Without overwhelming the center dash, an 8.0-inch touchscreen is easy to operate, and finding two knobs to control radio volume and tuning made our hearts soar. The Sync/MyLincoln Touch infotainment gear responds to voice commands but doesnt have Apple CarPlay or Android Auto smartphone integration. The Lincoln Navigator L may not qualify as our favorite form of conveyance, but its perfect for at least three assignments: transporting six friends in luxurious comfort, towing objects no crossover should ever move, and curing Napoleon complexes. Specifications > VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear-/4-wheel-drive, 7-passenger, 4-door hatchback PRICE AS TESTED: $79,410 (base price: $70,330) ENGINE TYPE: twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection Displacement: 213 cu in, 3496 cc Power: 380 hp @ 5250 rpm Torque: 460 lb-ft @ 2750 rpm TRANSMISSION: 6-speed automatic with manual shifting mode DIMENSIONS: Wheelbase: 131.0 in Length: 222.3 in Width: 78.8 in Height: 78.0 in Passenger volume: 170 cu ft Cargo volume: 43 cu ft Curb weight: 6361 lb C/D TEST RESULTS: Zero to 60 mph: 6.5 sec Zero to 100 mph: 17.9 sec Rolling start, 560 mph: 7.2 sec Top gear, 3050 mph: 3.6 sec Top gear, 5070 mph: 5.2 sec Standing -mile: 14.9 sec @ 92 Top speed (governor limited): 101 mph Braking, 700 mph: 184 ft Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.78 g FUEL ECONOMY: EPA city/highway driving: 15/19 mpg C/D observed: 14 mpg Nationwide, one-percenters earn roughly 25 times the salary of the bottom 99 percent an average of $1.2 million a year compared to $46,000 for everyone else, according to data from the Economic Policy Institute. The gap in cities is even more dramatic. Heres a look at the 25 metropolitan areas where the income difference between the 1% and everyone else is the widest, according to a new EPI study: Related: How Much Money It Takes to Be in the Top 1% In Every State 25. San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, California The epicenter of the tech boom has also had to deal with unrest and challenges resulting from the areas stark income differences. Population (2010 Census data): 4.3 million Average income of the top 1 percent (as of 2013): $2.2 million Average income of the bottom 99 percent (as of 2013): $71,000 Income gap (ratio of the average income of the top 1 percent to the bottom 99 percent): 31 times 24. Whitewater-Elkhorn, Wisconsin Home to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, the city ranks among the states poorest. Population: 102,000 Average income of the top 1 percent: $1.4 million Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $46,000 Income gap: 31 times 23. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Massachusetts and New Hampshire A Brookings Institution study last January ranked Boston as the No. 1 city in America for income disparity. This may be in part due to its large student population, the authors suggested. Population: 4.5 million Average income of the top 1 percent: $2 million Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $64,000 Income gap: 31 times 22. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California The tech boom driven by companies like Google, Facebook and Apple has also resulted in considerable builderonline.com included Cape Coral-Fort Meyers on a list of the top metropolitan areas where the middle class is shrinking. Population: 619,000 Average income of the top 1 percent: $1.3 million Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $40,000 Income gap: 34 times Story continues 18. Reno, Nevada The Atlantic earlier this year reported that due to Renos tech boom, rents are rising at a faster rate than many of its longtime residents can afford. Population: 425,000 Average income of the top 1 percent: $1.3 million Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $40,000 Income gap: 34 times 17. Victoria, Texas Despite its economic success as a commercial center, a 2013 report from The Texas Tribune found that 29 percent of children in Victoria county live in poverty. Population: 115,000 Average income of the top 1 percent: $1.6 million Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $47,000 Income gap: 34 times 16. North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida Urban poverty in North Port has grown considerably during the past two decades, as reported by Business Insider based on data from The Brookings Institution. Population: 702,000 Average income of the top 1 percent: $1.4 million Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $39,000 Income gap: 35 times 15. Hailey, Idaho The community of Hailey, Idaho had been named by liveability.com as one of Americas Top 10 small towns. Population: 28,000 Average income of the top 1 percent: $2.2 million Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $61,000 Income gap: 36 times 14. Port St. Lucie, Florida With its economy centered on health care, financial services and education, Port St. Lucie is often listed among the best cities for business. Population: 424,000 Average income of the top 1 percent: $1.4 million Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $36,000 Income gap: 39 times 13. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA The greater New York City areas rich-poor gap was a centerpiece of Mayor Bill de Blasios electoral campaign. Population: 19 million Average income of the top 1 percent: $2.2 million Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $55,000 Income gap: 39 times 12. Summit Park, Utah With low unemployment and a high average income, the small community of Summit Park is listed as one of Sperlings Best Places to Live. Population: 36,000 Average income of the top 1 percent: $4 million Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $99,000 Income gap: 40 times 11. Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, Nevada A recent report from Nevada Public Radio noted that the poverty rate in southern Nevada suburbs grew 123 percent between 2000 and 2014. Population: 2 million Average income of the top 1 percent: $1.5 million Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $36,000 Income gap: 41 times 10. San Angelo, Texas Despite being lauded as one of Americas best small cities for employment, the rich-poor gap in San Angelo is considerable. Population: 112,000 Average income of the top 1 percent: $1.6 million Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $40,000 Income gap: 41 times 9. Glenwood Springs, Colorado Bloomberg Business ranked Glenwood Springs the seventh wealthiest small town in America in 2015. Population: 74,000 Average income of the top 1 percent: 2.4 million Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $58,000 Income gap: 42 times 8. Midland, Texas Last year, a report from the Midland Reporter-Telegram noted that most of the 13 percent of the citys population living below the poverty line were working. Population: 137,000 Average income of the top 1 percent: $3.3 million Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $76,000 Income gap: 44.3 times 7. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, Florida The highest-earning 20 percent of households in Miami-Dade County accounted for 55 percent of all income earned in 2013, a county study reported. Population: 5.6 million Average income of the top 1 percent: 1.8 million Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $40,000 Income gap: 45 times 6. Gardnerville-Ranchos, Nevada 13 percent of residents live below the poverty line. Population: 47,000 Average income of the top 1 percent: $2 million Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $55,000 Income gap: 46 times 5. Key West, Florida Half of the population is at or very near the poverty level, a recent United Way study found. Population: 73,000 Average income of the top 1 percent: $3.2 million Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $55,000 Income gap: 59 times 4. Sebastian-Vero Beach, Florida In 2012, 34 percent of all household income in this community belonged to the wealthiest 5 percent of households. Population: 138,000 Average income of the top 1 percent: $2.5 million Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $40,000 Income gap: 64 times 3. Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, Florida Naples was named the countrys healthiest, happiest city this year. Population: 322,000 Average income of the top 1 percent: $4.2 million Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $57,000 Income gap: 73 times 2. Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, Connecticut This Connecticut area has often been called Americas most unequal but the EPI analysis finds its the second most unequal. Population: 916,000 Average income of the top 1 percent: $6.1 million Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $82,000 Income ratio: 74 times 1. Jackson, Wyoming-Idaho The town at the heart of the Jackson Hole valley is a playground for the rich but hosts many low-wage workers. Population: 31,000 Average income of the top 1 percent: $20 million Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $94,000 Income gap: 213 times Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: From ELLE Every 30 seconds, a Latino citizen turns 18 and becomes a potential voter. This might not seem surprising-Latinos are the country's fastest growing demographic-but it makes them a rising electorate demographic with increasing political power. In 2016's increasingly heated election, Latinos have a lot of political clout. This does not bode well for Donald "Let's Build A Wall" Trump. A White House matchup of Hillary v. Trump had Hispanic voters Standing With Her at 73% to 16%. This tendency for Latinos to reject Trump perhaps matters most in Florida. Florida's electoral history-the state has supported both Bush and Obama twice-makes it one of 2016's seven swing states. Florida is also home to a substantial Latino population. Latinos make up about 15% of Florida's active registered voters, a hefty demographic that first turned blue in 2008 and continues to swing left. Since 2014, twice as many Hispanics have registered as Democrats than as Republicans-according to the Pew Research Center and Florida Department of State Division of Elections, the ratio is currently 38% Democrat and 27% Republican. In fact, a poll of the state's registered Hispanic voters found that 68% said Trump's immigration views made them less likely to vote for Republicans in the upcoming election, suggesting Trump's candidacy could push even more Latino voters into the Democrat's corner. Young Latinas make up the core of this increasingly Dem demographic, possessing the most liberal views of any demographic we surveyed. So, what experiences are driving these voting preferences? What do they stand for? Latina millennials made up the largest segment of low-earners in ELLE's July issue survey-45% made less than $15 an hour-but they were also the most optimistic. A whopping 76% expected to be doing much or somewhat financially better in the next 5 years. They're hopeful for good reason. Younger Latinas are achieving more than ever before, with 41% completing some college or post-high school education and 25% graduating from college. That's a 9% and 6% increase from older Latina demographics. Millennial Latinas are also strong supporters of eliminating the wage gap, which disproportionately affects women of color. President Obama's Equal Pay Task Force notes that Hispanic women make approximately 60 cents to every dollar earned by a non-Hispanic white male. This is primarily because of factors-lower education levels, domestic expectations-that force Hispanic women into lower paying jobs. Women are also disproportionately affected by the United States' lack of universal paid sick leave. Since women are more likely to take care of family members and are more likely to be in lower-income jobs that don't provide sick leave, candidates that advocate for universal paid sick leave are working to help women. As the lowest earners we surveyed, Latinas recognize these systematic obstacles-99% support paid leave and 92% support making college affordable. That's 22% and 18% higher than all female millennials. By acting as the most supportive demographic for paid leave and affordable colleges, millennial Latinas are supporting taking action against the wage gap. All this boils down to one thing: young Latina voters have the real world experiences and strong ideological beliefs to influence a lot of states this November. American women survey conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research; 800 registered voters, 400 Hispanic women; April 2016. Twin toddlers have died after a drowning incident in a South Carolina pool. The Marcengill family was attending a social event at a home in Easley on Saturday afternoon, the Independent Mail reports. A group of children went outside to play, and at some point, the 3-year-old boys somehow got into a locked pool area, possibly climbing over or under the fence. After perhaps 15 to 20 minutes underwater, their sister found them in the four-foot, above-ground pool. They were taken to a nearby hospital where the first toddler, Caleb, was pronounced dead. His brother Ezekiel was placed on life support, but died a day later. Both deaths were ruled accidental drownings. You protect your kids as best as you can, said their father, Brandon Marcengill. They reach an age where they can run around and play. How do you defend against everything? [Independent Mail] I took this picture because initially I thought it was funny. I was going to send it to my husband to show what our mischievous little three-year-old was up to. However, The moment she told me what she was doing I broke down. She was practicing for a lockdown drill at her preschool and what you should do if you are stuck in a bathroom. At that moment all innocense of what I thought my three-year-old possessed was gone. Politicians - take a look. This is your child, your children, your grandchildren, your great grand children and future generations to come. They will live their lives and grow up in this world based on your decisions. They are barely 3 and they will hide in bathroom stalls standing on top of toilet seats. I do not know what will be harder for them? Trying to remain quiet for an extended amount of time or trying to keep their balance without letting a foot slip below the stall door? No one thinks gun control will be 100% crime control. But maybe, just maybe, it helps 1% or 2% or 50%? Who knows unless we try? Why on earth are there not universal background checks? Where is a universal registration database? Why are high capacity magazines ever permitted to be sold to anyone other than direct to the military? Is that really necessary to protect yourself or hunt for that matter? What about smart guns, where are they? C'mon techies! The 2nd Amendment is a beast to battle and wiping out the right to bear arms is not on the table. Does anyone really think that will be accomplished? Because it won't. Amended to some extent? Maybe. But how many decades will that take? Where's the evolution of our so called "living document" for this subject matter? A document that originally allowed slavery and prevented women from voting? NRA, are you even trying? Let's talk mental health. Where is the $500 million that the Obama administration put into the budget for approvaldid it go through? Is it being implemented or just sitting there? Where is the access to care for those struggling with mental illness? Politicians, I ask you...how can I help? Banning together, signing petitions, rallying to get your voice heard is good, but is it actually doing anything or just making us feel better about the current situation? We need action. I applaud politicians like Senator Chris Murphy but so many of our elected politicians can't manage to work together (maybe they shouldn't be paid for a job they can't dojust saying) or since they are in bed with all the wrong people, it is up to us if we want change. I want to know what new smart technology is being built for safer guns, advanced security in public places, databases, traveling care for the mentally illanything! Entrepreneurs, innovators, are you there? Can I help? Can I help you make a difference? I want to offer support. I cannot give you techie advice, expertise in healthcare, or financial backing, BUT maybe I can point you in the right direction? Maybe I know someone who knows someone who can help? Incubators, investorsif this issue concerns you, do what you do best and help make change. Can I help? Hold funding competitions, provide think tanks for these very things. Hollywood, the PSA's are good, but not good enough. Eventually they disappear and are forgotten. I am not pretending to have all the answers or even a shred of them, but unless you want your children standing on top of a toilet, we need to do something! Please share. #dosomething #prayfororlando #wecandobetter Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America Three people were arrested outside New York City Tuesday when police say they found a cache of weapons during a traffic stop for a cracked windshield. Authorities stopped the vehicle, covered in pro-gun and anti-drug-dealer signs, on the New Jersey side of the Holland Tunnel. Authorities eventually learned the occupants John Cramsey, 50, Dean Smith, 35, and Kimberley Arendt, 29, all from Pennsylvania were allegedly on their way to "rescue" a teenage girl involved in drugs, The Associated Press reported Tuesday night. Each faces several weapons charges, the wire service said, citing a law enforcement official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The three remained in custody and it was not clear if they were represented by attorneys. Inside the vehicle, police say they found five pistols, a loaded AR-15 assault rifle, a loaded 12-gauge shotgun and several knives. It is illegal to carry loaded weapons in New Jersey. Read: Stories Emerge of Heroes Who Died Shielding Loved Ones in Orlando Massacre Cramsey, who owns a gun range, wrote on Facebook that he was driving to New York to "do an extraction" of a 16-year-old girl in a Brooklyn hotel over alleged drug use. Cramsey said he was going to get the Pennsylvania teen, who had left to "party" with some friends. "One of those friends she went up there with will not be returning," he wrote. Cramsey named the juvenile and said "I'm bringing her out of NY today and anybody else in that hotel that wants to come home too." Cramsey's daughter died from a heroin overdose four months ago at the age of 20 and has been speaking publicly about drug abuse since then, according to The Morning Call in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Cramsey is the leader of an anti-heroin group on Facebook, the paper reported. Officals at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said there was no link to terrorism. Story continues This is the vehicle headed to NYC that was stopped at Holland Tunnel with a weapons cache. https://t.co/WDiixFDSoR pic.twitter.com/4qfUUhLJMG NBC New York (@NBCNewYork) June 21, 2016 A camouflage helmet with what appeared to be night-vision goggles and flak jackets were also in the vehicle, authorities said. The decal-covered Dodge SUV had a neon green cooler lashed to the front. A sticker for Higher Ground Tactical, the Emmaus, Pennsylvania, gun seller owned by Cramsey, covers the top of the windshield. Watch: Lady Gaga and Anderson Coopr Break Down Reading Names of Orlando Victims Related Articles: The #OscarsSoWhite controversy has quieted down (for now), but Hollywood's diversity conversation is still going strong. On June 14 inside A.O.C.'s private dining room, ICM Partners partner and talent department co-head Lorrie Bartlett teamed with agents Andrea Nelson Meigs, Dana Sims, April King, Ava Greenfield and Mari Davies to host a dinner for 30 women of color. Read More: Hollywood's Casting Blitz: It's All About Diversity in the Wake of #OscarsSoWhite The occasion? The launch of an informal, ongoing gathering of some of the town's top female executives to discuss diversity initiatives and strategies and to share experiences in the industry. At the inaugurual event, no moderator was used but that could change over time, according to a source. Sitting down for dinner were notable names like attorney Nina Shaw, founding partner of Del Shaw; Vanessa Morrison, president of Fox Animation Studios; Pearlena Igbokwe, president of Universal Television; Anikah McLaren, senior vp production at Fox Searchlight; Nicole Brown, senior vp film of TriStar Pictures; producer Suzanne de Passe; and Niija Kuykendall, senior vp production at Warner Bros. A group shot of the diversity dinner at A.O.C. in Los Angeles on June 14, 2016. (Courtesy of ICM Partners.) Tripoli (AFP) - At least 34 Libyan pro-government forces were killed Tuesday and 100 wounded in clashes with Islamic State group jihadists as they prepared for a final assault on the jihadist stronghold of Sirte. It was one of bloodiest days since forces loyal to the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) launched an offensive in May to retake Sirte from IS. The fighting came as 29 people were killed and dozens wounded further west in the town of Garabulli when a blast ripped through an arms depot after militiamen and armed residents clashed. The fall of Sirte would be a major blow to IS which has faced a series of setbacks in Syria and Iraq where local forces and a US-led coalition are pressing an offensive against their positions. A statement by the GNA said Tuesday's fighting took place in several parts of Sirte, where jihadists are pinned down in pockets of the coastal city. Speaking from the western city of Misrata, the source said the death toll had risen from 18 to 34, with the number of wounded increasing from 70 to 100. It was one of the heaviest tolls since the pro-GNA forces launched an offensive in May to dislodge IS from Sirte -- hometown of ousted and slain dictator Moamer Kadhafi which IS seized in June last year. The GNA forces earlier said "dozens" of IS fighters had been killed within 24 hours. They also announced their "intelligence network is in full swing in preparation for the decisive battle" against IS fighters in the city, after repelling multiple counter-attacks. The statement said fighters were targeting IS-held areas of Sirte with heavy artillery while loyalist aircraft were carrying out sorties every day to strike IS or carry out reconnaissance missions. IS fighters "are besieged in a small area of Sirte and although they have sought to break out our forces have repelled all attempts," the statement said. It said that the jihadists had barricaded themselves in residential buildings and deployed snipers and explosive devices to fend off pro-GNA forces. Story continues - Arms store blast - IS has hit back with a string of suicide car bombings in a bid to defend their stronghold on the Mediterranean coast. Around 200 loyalist troops have been killed and hundreds wounded since the start of the offensive to capture Sirte, 450 kilometres (280 miles) east of Tripoli. An unknown number of jihadists have been killed. Libya has been awash with weapons since the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed Kadhafi, with rival militias fighting for control of its cities and oil wealth. In Garabulli near the Libyan capital, armed residents stormed an arms depot after clashing with a militia from the western city of Misrata which owned the weapons store. As they breached the store a "big explosion" occurred, said the security official who could not immediately explain what triggered the blast. "Maybe the militia had rigged the depot before they left," he said. A medical official said at least 29 people were killed and dozens wounded. "There are body parts" at the arms depot, he said, adding the toll could rise. According to the official the clashes pitting armed residents against militiamen from Misrata broke out after some of the militiamen robbed a grocery store. Angered, the armed residents attacked them at dawn. The attack sparked clashes that lasted all day, the security official said. The militias from Misrata honed their battle skills during the 2011 revolt and are now on the frontlines of the battle for Sirte. They are among the best equipped, with an arsenal that includes MiG fighters and attack helicopters. An Iowa community is mourning the loss of a 4-year-old boy who fatally shot himself in the head Friday while left in a home without adult supervision. "It's a sad situation," Fayette County Sheriff Marty Fisher tells PEOPLE. "Obviously with firearms, with children in the house, persons should make sure that they have gun locks or else secured in a gun safe. Obviously if children are going to be around firearms, parents needs to talk to them." Jayden Jawan Choate loved to ride his bike, loved to sing and dance, and recently had completed preschool for 4-year-olds, according to his online obituary. His favorite color was red; his favorite song was "Uptown Funk" by Bruno Mars. "Jayden had a bright smile and is loved and missed by many," the online tribute reads. According to the sheriff's office, Jayden, of Fort Atkinson, was visiting a home on Main Street in Elgin along with his mother, 2-year-old brother, 5-month-old sister and a family friend. Deputies responded at 2:47 p.m. Friday to the call about the boy "who had possibly shot himself and was suffering from a gunshot wound," the sheriff's office stated in a news release. The release continues: "Preliminary information indicates that Jayden was inside the residence alone with his two siblings when the shooting took place." 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. He was taken to the hospital and later pronounced dead from the gunshot wound to his head, the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner concluded. The sheriff's office reports the shooting "appears to be accidental." The sheriff did not reveal the type of gun used in the incident. The family held a private graveside ceremony, and the community turned out in a candlelight vigil on Sunday to celebrate Jayden's life. "He is curious, he is smart, he is funny, he is a friend to many people; if he saw someone who needed help, he would go right to them and help them out," Superintendent Clark Goltz of the Turkey Valley Schools, where Jayden was enrolled in preschool, told KWWL. "He is the kind of young person you want every child to start with, to grow, and to become a young man a but he didn't have that opportunity." "You say your heart is broken, our hearts are shattered," Goltz said. "That is the only way to describe it." From Popular Mechanics Pecos Davis and Chance Parsons are brothers-in-law and comrades-in-arms with the Malaga Volunteer Fire Department in Eddy County, New Mexico. In the desert land of their corner of the state, they're mostly fighting lit-up petroleum tank batteries-complexes of tanks used to separate water from oil. When there's a fire the VFD's volunteer firefighters-all eight of them-get a call. Here's what they're dealing with. 1. Lightning loves fiberglass. Eddy County is on the edge of the Guadalupe Mountains, which puts it on the dividing line between wet country and dry country. The meteorological byproduct: lots of lightning. And, according to Parsons, lightning loves fiberglass-which is what holds the petroleum-laced water that's been separated from oil. Water like that burns. 2. Wind can be just as dangerous as lightning. In the dry desert environment, wind moving over dirt and sand particles can be enough to build up a cache of static electricity. If the buildup discharges as a spark, and the spark is near tanks, it can become a fire. Luckily, oil companies have gotten better at grounding the tanks. When Parsons started as a firefighter-just a few years ago-he was fighting static fires once every two or three weeks. Today, it's only one every month or two. 3. The first fireman to get to the station gets the good truck. Forget the brigade of firemen hopping out of a truck, each grabbing a hose or axe, and running out to fight the fire. In Malaga, the first man to the firehouse jumps in a truck and speeds to the scene. He can't wait around to see who else will show up. When the next firefighters roll in they take support trucks, based on scouting from the first responder. 4. Fire hydrants are a luxury. There isn't exactly a hydrant on every corner in Malaga-and there's not that many corners-so the Malaga team carries water with them in tanker trucks. Even then, they have to be tactical with how they deploy them. "If we have to haul water, we're gonna have to come all the way back into Malaga," says Davis. "At times, it can be 45 miles round trip just to get water back to where the fire's at." Story continues 5. You still have to go to work in the morning. Both Parsons and Davis work in the oil fields. "There's some calls we go on, we'll leave the house at 10 o'clock at night, come home at 4 o'clock in the morning, and go to work," says Davis. "That's all the sleep we had." For more about from Davis and Parsons-and more on the dangers of small-town firefighting, download the latest episode of the How Your World Works podcast, available now on iTunes. Its hard to tell if Donald Trumps fundraising woes worry Republican senators: As with other questions about the presumptive GOP nominee, they dont want to talk. While senators spoke about gun control and other legislation Tuesday, they repeatedly dodged questions about Trumps fundraising, which was a paltry $3 million in May, compared to rival Hillary Clintons $26 million. But nine GOP Senators that TIME spoke to had different ways of avoiding the question. Heres a look. Insulting Reporters After talking on the Senate floor about the Arkansan of the week, Tom Cotton was asked by TIME if he would consider being Trumps vice presidential nominee. You guys are like Lloyd from Dumb and Dumber, the Arkansas Republican responded. When asked about Trumps lackluster fundraising, he repeatedly said no comment before jumping on an elevator. Feigning Ignorance Florida Sen. Marco Rubio took an underground train from his office to the Capitol Tuesday morning. When asked by TIME if Trumps fundraising failures will affect Republican candidates, he pleaded ignorance. I havent seen the numbers, said Rubio, who ran against Trump in the Republican primary. I saw a headline somewhere that said he didnt have a lot of money. Kelly Ayotte, a senator from New Hampshire facing a reelection fight this fall, also told TIME she had not seen Trumps fundraising totals as of Tuesday morning. I mean, youll have to ask their campaigns about it, Ayotte said. Ignoring Reporters Moving briskly out of an afternoon meeting of Republican senators, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz had a repeated response to TIMEs questions about Trump: Call the press office. Keeping his head down while he walked, he said this three times before finally telling a TIME reporter, Youre persistent, Ill give you that. Story continues Cruz then ducked into an elevator. Deflecting the Question After the meeting of GOP senators, Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso diverted questions about Trump to what he sees as the strengths of his candidates. Were working with each of the candidates to make sure theyre fully funded to get their message out at home, said the fourth-highest ranking Republican in the Senate. Traditional No Comment When asked whether he had concerns about Trumps low fundraising on Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell moved quickly on to the next question. I dont particularly want to sit here today and critique the presidential campaigns, McConnell said. Ohio Sen. Rob Portman also declined to comment to reporters as he headed to lunch in the Senate. No comment, Portman said. Creative No Comment When caught in the hallway after the meeting of senators, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott did not show any willingness to comment on Trump. He snuck into an elevator, quickly giving some final comments before he did so. Im not doing Trump-isms today, Scott said. Also leaving the meeting early, Arizona Sen. John McCain said, I always respect everybodys views and theyre entitled to them when TIME asked him about criticism of Trump. Then, the former Republican presidential nominee shut down. I am no longer talking about Trump, he said. Im in a Trump-free zone. McCain added that Trumps failures to raise on the national level will not affect his ability to raise money for his reelection campaign this fall. Im doing my own campaigning, my own fundraising, McCain said, with notable frustration, before moving into a waiting elevator. What would you expect? From Cosmopolitan The woman who was raped by Brock Turner gave eloquent voice to the painful, life-changing experience suffered by thousands of victims every year. Her incredible victim impact statement went viral for not only laying out what had been done to her and how it affected her but for calling out Turner's attempt to shrug off responsibility for his actions. But it is also remarkable for something it didn't say: that her experience, or something like it, happens to 20 percent of college women. One in 5 girls (and 1 in 16 boys) who go to college will be sexually assaulted before they graduate. What do you do if it happens to you? Despite the national conversation about sexual assault, many victims aren't sure what steps to take or what to expect from the legal system. I worked as a federal prosecutor specializing in sex crimes for 12 years and handled hundreds of sexual assault cases during that time. I understand how hard it is for survivors to report these incidents and why many are reluctant to get involved in the system. But while every survivor should make her own choice about what to do, I believe there's good reason to report - and you should have the information you need in order to do so. 1. If you suspect you've been sexually assaulted, don't shower or bathe. As much as you might want to clean yourself, your body is a crime scene, and the evidence is fragile. Hairs, skin cells, and clothing fibers from the assailant may be on or in you. DNA from semen can survive only about 72 hours inside the vagina or anus, so time is precious. 2. Report the rape immediately. Call 911 and tell the police what happened. I write this knowing that most victims probably won't do that. Rape is the most underreported crime in America, and about two-thirds of sexual assaults go unreported. But as hard as it is to come forward, if you don't, he will probably do it again: 90 percent of sexual assaults are perpetrated by serial offenders. A man who commits sexual assault likely did it before - and will do it again unless stopped. Story continues If you call the police immediately, your case can become much stronger. Evidence can be collected, crime scene pictures taken, witnesses interviewed. Police will attempt to talk to your assailant, which can provide crucial evidence. 3. But know that it's not too late if you wait to report later. If you didn't report the rape immediately, I still encourage you to report it when you feel strong enough to do so. Many victims come forward after days, weeks, or even years have passed. Although the evidence will not be as strong as when there is a fresh report, a prosecutor may still be able to build - and win - a case. Also, because there is so often a delay in reporting to police, there are now programs that capture reports even when the victim isn't immediately sure whether to press charges. Callisto is a non-police online reporting tool where survivors can log the details of their assault in a time-stamped document, preserving their statement without filing a police report that would initiate the criminal justice process. When you enter the name of your assailant, the system lets you know if anyone has reported him before. 4. Have a rape kit done. If you call the police, they should bring you to a hospital where you will have a rape kit done. Many hospitals have a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) who will take your clothing, swab the relevant anatomy, comb your hair, and scrape your fingernails for evidence. He or she will take pictures of your injuries and write down your statement of what happened. You'll be given medicine to prevent disease and pregnancy. The process takes about four hours and is as invasive as it sounds, but the DNA evidence this process collects will be extremely valuable in trying a case. It can prove that sex occurred and identify the perpetrator. For the rapist, it can be the difference between years in jail and another night out at a frat party. If a hospital doesn't have a SANE nurse, you should still ask to have a rape kit done. 5. Understand the difference between your campus and the local police. If the rape happens on campus, you may report it to your university, but understand that you are initiating a very different process than the criminal justice system. Colleges are required by Title IX to address sexual harassment, including sexual assaults, on their campuses. They do so by holding private disciplinary hearings that are often led by college administrators who may have little experience in adjudicating sex crimes. The burden of proof - what must proven to hold the assailant responsible - is much lower in disciplinary hearings. But the consequences are also diminished: The worst punishment a college can give is to expel the assailant from campus. And colleges have a history of sweeping these crimes under the rug. More than 150 colleges are currently under investigation for violating Title IX or the Clery Act (which requires truthful reporting of the crimes on campus). While Stanford expelled Turner almost immediately, many young women have felt that they were re-victimized by their college's apathy or antagonism. The criminal justice system, on the other hand, is a very public process. While most news sources will not publish the names of rape victims, the records are open to the public. Importantly, if he is convicted, the defendant's crime will become public and available to any employer considering hiring him. In the criminal justice system, a prosecutor must prove the case "beyond a reasonable doubt," the highest burden of proof in American law. Twelve jurors must unanimously agree that this burden has been met. While this is a higher burden than in the college disciplinary system, the consequences are also more severe: Jail time is the end result of this system. I agree with the outrage over the paltry six-month sentence given to Brock Turner. But as a former prosecutor, I also should point out that no college disciplinary system could have given Turner the consequences he got from his criminal trial: public notoriety, registration as a sex offender, probation, and time in jail. Note that the two systems do no necessarily overlap. Campus police do not always report sex assaults to the local police, and vice versa. Some victims don't realize that by reporting to their campus, they're not necessarily initiating the criminal justice process. So if you want to report in the criminal justice system, you should call your local police, even if the campus has been alerted. In the criminal-justice system, a detective will be assigned your case. That detective will work with a prosecutor to develop evidence and determine if there is enough to go forward with a prosecution. You will get a victim advocate to counsel you and set you up with additional resources to help you heal. You may be eligible for victims' compensation to help pay for things like medical expenses and counseling. If the case goes forward, you may be asked to testify in the grand jury, a closed and private hearing. If the defendant doesn't take a plea deal, you will have to testify in open court at trial. Many survivors find this to be a difficult experience, recounting the worst day of their life to a room full of strangers. A good prosecutor will show you the courtroom ahead of time and prepare you for the process. A team of law-enforcement experts, from lawyers to advocates to detectives, will be on your side. If the defendant is convicted, you have the right to make a victim impact statement, like the survivor so memorably did in Turner's case, and to be heard on what you wish the punishment to be. 6. Be strong. I'm not going to sugarcoat it: Neither process is easy. Both can take up your time, energy, and mental space. You may feel judged by your peers or the public. And the results are uncertain. No one can guarantee a conviction or jail time. The prosecutors I worked with were some of the most devoted public servants you can imagine, toiling long hours into the nights to build the strongest cases possible. But we didn't win every case, and we didn't get the sentence we argued for every time. In fact, according to the Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network (RAINN), "Out of every 1000 instances of rape, only 13 cases get referred to a prosecutor, and only 7 cases will lead to a felony conviction." The experience of going forward with a case and not getting the result you want can be crushing for both the victim and the prosecutor. Still, I would encourage you to make a report if you've been assaulted. This is a crime that has thrived in silence for too long. While neither process is perfect, there can be no accountability for predators unless survivors are strong enough to come forward and talk about what happened to them. Reporting gives important information to the authorities and can help solve other crimes. It helps police gather numbers on sexual assault, which influences the policy on how these crimes are dealt with. It can help you take an active role in your own case, thus regaining a measure of control, and it is a healthy way to channel anger. While you might not feel strong in the immediate aftermath of an assault, most victims find that they are stronger than they realized. 7. Take care of yourself. Many survivors of sexual violence experience depression, flashbacks, and PTSD. It's so important to talk to someone who is professionally trained to help. The prosecutor's office can help set this up for you. And I encourage you talk to trusted friends and family when you're ready. Some of the most inspiring moments I saw as a prosecutor showed the love between family members that lifted each other up and helped the survivor heal. 8. Know that the assault is not your fault. No matter what you wore, no matter what you drank, no matter who you danced with that night or slept with in the past, sexual violence is not your fault. There is only one cause of rape: rapists. Allison Leotta was an assistant U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C., where she specialized in sex crimes. She now writes novels, for which she's been dubbed "the female John Grisham." Her latest book, The Last Good Girl, is about campus sex assault. Follow Allison on Twitter. The Daily Beast Mark Hoffman/Pool/GettyDarrell Brooks, the man who killed six people and injured dozens of others when he plowed his SUV into a Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin, last November, was found guilty on six counts of intentional homicide on Wednesday. The verdict puts an end to the dizzying trial where Darrell Brooks represented himself, unsuccessfully arguing that he didnt intentionally kill his victims. The jury began deliberations on Tuesday and reached a verdict by Wednesday morning. Brook Alabama teenager Darby Risner is seen trapped in a Barney costume. (Photo: AL.com via Darby Risner) An attempted prank turned into an embarrassing ordeal Sunday for an Alabama teenager after she tried on a Barney suit, then got stuck and had to be freed by a team of firefighters. Darby Risner, 15, of Trussville, Ala., found the plush, cartoon-character costume in her churchs basement and tried it on, intending to scare her friends at a party on Sunday. The pastor had purchased the dinosaur suit years ago on a whim, but only the familiar purple head remained. Before Risner had a chance to perform her gag, the head got stuck. Because she was so short, the costume covered most of her head and pinned her arms. Her friends and family tugged, trying to remove the costume from Risners head, but to no avail. Even slathering her arms in Vaseline didnt help free the teenager from her furry prison. It gave her short little Barney arms since it was nearly at her elbows, Risners mother, Audrey Shannon, told Al.com. It was hilarious. She couldnt see, so they had to guide her. While others were doubled over with laughter, Risner was becoming increasingly uncomfortable. I kind of gasped in fear, like, Oh no, what did I do? she said, as the temperature in the costume began rising. The family called the Trussville Fire Department and then went to the fire station and enlisted professional help. But even the responding firefighters couldnt help laughing at the sight. When they walked in, you couldnt help but start laughing, said Trussville Fire Lt. Vince Bruno. We tried to be professional, and she was a little distraught, but we had to giggle about it. The crew ultimately was able to cut into the dinosaurs head, relieving the pressure and liberating Risner from her accidental 45-minute stint as Barney. Thats a first for me and it will probably be the last, but at least I know how to handle it if it happens again, said Bruno, a 33-year veteran of the department. Its something well talk about for years to come. The opening of the Michelin-starred chef's new restaurant at France's Palace of Versailles has been announced for September, as Alain Ducasse told Relaxnews back in May. The official announcement came Monday, June 20 in a joint news release from Alain Ducasse Enterprise and the Palace of Versailles. When interviewed in May on the occasion of his new dining experiences opening at Paris's "Le Meurice" five-star hotel, Alain Ducasse told Relaxnews that his contemporary cafe at the Palace of Versailles would open between July 20 and September 20. The new Alain Ducasse eatery is called "Ore," which means "mouth" in Latin, nodding to the great feasts held at the royal residence of Versailles at the time of Louis XIV, in particular. The restaurant is located on the first floor of the Pavillon Dufour, offering diners extensive views over the Royal Courtyard. The restaurant will be accessible independently to the Palace of Versailles visit. The restaurant has been designed by architects Dominique Perrault and Frederic Didier, the head architect of the Palace of Versailles, with an interior that transports diners into modernity while still respecting the past. Full details of the menu are still to be announced, but the cafe will serve options including quick, light bites, as well as gourmet pastries. Vegetables will also be given pride of place on the menu. After its regular service, "Ore" will host private events and dinners, reviving the spirit of the great feasts and banquets held at the Palace during the time of Louis XIV. By Liana B. Baker (Reuters) - Netherlands-based telecom company Altice NV may not be done seeking U.S. growth through acquisitions, an Altice executive said, after the European group completed a $17.7 billion deal to buy Cablevision Systems Corp on Tuesday. It was the Dutch company's second multibillion-dollar U.S. cable acquisition in less than a year. Altice now has 4.6 million U.S. customers but is still only the fourth-biggest U.S. cable provider, lagging operators including Comcast Corp and Charter Communications Inc . The U.S. strategy is the latest push for Altice founder and controlling shareholder Patrick Drahi, a French-Israeli billionaire who built a telecom and cable empire via debt-fueled acquisitions in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Portugal and Israel. Altice said its immediate focus will be on integrating its newly acquired cable systems. Then it may look to expand. "We will continue to grow through acquisitions, either by buying more cable in other geographies in the country or by looking at other revenue streams," Dexter Goei, chairman and chief executive of Altice USA, said in an interview. "There's a lot of large players and a lot of medium-size players such as ourselves who may look to partner up or do things," he said. Altice acquired U.S. regional cable company Suddenlink Communications for $9.1 billion last year, its first foray into the United States, which now comprises 40 percent of the international cable group's business. Goei, a former investment banker, added that it could look for acquisitions outside of cable in areas such as telecommunications, technology and even media. He added that Altice will also try to expand organically and has no active plans for deals under way. Altice, which has a reputation of aggressive cost cutting abroad, agreed not to lay off any customer-facing employees for four years in New York and received final regulatory approval from the New York State Public Service Commission last week. Story continues By buying Cablevision, Altice adds a dense market in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, giving it service in 20 U.S. states. The sale includes other Cablevision assets including the News 12 networks; Newsday, a daily newspaper; amNewYork, a free daily paper; and a publisher of weekly community papers. Goei said the company has no plans to sell these assets and has experience as a publisher and owner of media assets in its international markets. (Reporting by Liana B. Baker in San Francisco; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Matthew Lewis) By Liana B. Baker June 21 (Reuters) - Altice could target more U.S. growth through acquisitions, a top executive said, after the European telecoms group completed a $17.7 billion deal to buy Cablevision Systems, its second U.S. multi-billion cable purchase in under a year. The Cablevision acquisition, which Altice announced on Tuesday it had completed, gives it a total of 4.6 million U.S. customers but still leaves it as only fourth largest U.S. cable provider behind bigger operators such as Comcast and Charter Communications Inc. "We will continue to grow through acquisitions, either by buying more cable in other geographies in the country or by looking at other revenue streams," Dexter Goei, chairman and chief executive of Altice USA, said in an interview. "There's a lot of large players and a lot of medium size players such as ourselves who may look to partner up or do things," he said. Altice acquired U.S. regional cable company Suddenlink Communications for $9.1 billion last year, its first foray into the United States, which is now one of its largest markets making up of 40 percent of the international cable group's business. Goei, a former investment banker, added that the company could look for acquisitions outside of cable in areas such as telecommunications, technology and even media or content. He added that Altice will also try to grow organically and has no immediate plans for deals in the works. The U.S. strategy is the latest push for Altice founder and controlling shareholder Patrick Drahi, a French-Israeli billionaire who built a telecoms and cable empire via debt-fueled acquisitions in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Portugal and Israel. Altice, which has a reputation of aggressive cost cutting abroad, agreed not to lay off any customer-facing employees for four years in New York and received final regulatory approval from the New York State Public Service Commission last week. By buying Cablevision, Altice adds a dense market in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, giving it service in 20 U.S. states. Story continues The sale includes other Cablevision assets including the News 12 programming networks; Newsday, a Long Island daily newspaper; amNewYork, a free daily serving New York City; and a publisher of local weekly shoppers and community papers. Goei said the company has no plans to sell these assets and has experience as a publisher and owner of media assets in its international markets. (Reporting by Liana B. Baker in SAN FRANCISCO; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman) A girl kicked out of prom for wearing a suit is getting the chance of a lifetime. The story of Pennsylvania high school student Aniya Wolf went viral last month when ABC's WHTM-TV reported the teen was ejected from her prom for wearing a suit instead of a traditional dress. "I was always more masculine. You wouldn't catch me playing with any Barbie dolls, I'll tell you that right now," Wolf told the station. Wolf was notified shortly before the dance that her choice of clothing would not be permitted, but with the suit already purchased, she decided to attend anyway and was subsequently asked to leave. When Rob McElhenney, creator and star of FXX's hit show, Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia, caught wind of the story, he reached out to Wolf on Twitter, asking her to appear on his show (in the suit, natch!). "Aniya, I love your suit. Would u like to wear it on Sunny?" McElhenney wrote. Aniya, I love your suit. Would u like to wear it on Sunny? https://t.co/jn01iLrZVe via abc27News Rob McElhenney (@RMcElhenney) May 12, 2016 Wolf responded in disbelief, but McElhenney was completely serious! You are kidding right?? https://t.co/Vbn8GHJbTA Aniya Wolf (@AniyaWolf) May 12, 2016 @AniyaWolf @abc27News I am not. We'll be in Philly the last week of June. We need a little extra style and class. Can you help us? Rob McElhenney (@RMcElhenney) May 12, 2016 And yes, it's happening. Story continues "I liked the suit! I thought the suit was classy," McElhenney told ET. "I feel like we need a little more class on the show, so we offered to have her come on the show and wear the suit." ET got the update while on set of Always Sunny last week. The cast will film with Wolf in Philadelphia at the end of June. "We go to Philly in a couple weeks and we're going to meet her there, and we're really excited," said Kaitlin Olson, "and I'm excited to see her suit!" "Instead of just the kids in the school being able to see the suit, I'd like the whole nation to get to see it," added McElhenney. "We embrace everybody," said Danny DeVito. "Doesn't matter if you're wearing a tuxedo, jockey shorts, underwear, you don't wear underwear... What's the big deal? We're people!" Related Articles EXCLUSIVE: Regina King, who won an Emmy for the first season of ABCs American Crime and is back in contention for Season 2, is the first cast member to sign on for the upcoming third installment of John Ridleys praised anthology series. In the first two seasons, the drama tackled such tough issues as race and class though the prism of crimes committed. Like it does every year, American Crime will have a new setting, new characters and new storyline for Season 3. In a statement to Deadline about Kings return, Ridley shed some light on the topics he will address in Season 3, set in North Carolina. We could not be more excited to welcome Regina back for a third season of American Crime, he said. She is among the talent who have quickly become intimately associated with the program. As with the first two seasons, her many fans can expect a total transformation as she plays one of the complicated individuals caught up in a story that deals with labor issues, economic divides and individual rights in this seasons setting of North Carolina. There are no deals yet for fellow stars Felicity Huffman and Timothy Hutton, but they too are expected to return in new roles. The new season will be filmed in Los Angeles as production is being moved from Texas after the show recently was awarded a California tax credit. American Crime earned 10 Emmy nominations for its first season, winning for King. The series, executive produced by Ridley and Michael McDonald, is coming off a well received second season, and is considered again a contender in the limited series categories. King is repped by ICM Partners and John Carrabino Management. Related stories 'Black-ish': Peter Mackenzie Upped To Regular On ABC Comedy Series NBA Finals Game 7 Most Watched Game Ever On ABC As Cavs Win First Title NBA Finals Game 6 Hits 2016 Series High With Cavs Win Over Warriors - Update The third season of John Ridleys critically-acclaimed ABC drama American Crime is shaping up. Regina King is the first cast member confirmed to return to the anthology series, Variety has confirmed, and the plot for Season 3 has been revealed. American Crime season three will be set in North Carolina. While specific storylines have not been revealed, the new episodes will deal with labor issues, drawing a parallel to real-life happenings off screen, much controversy has surrounded the state over the anti-LGBT law in recent months. While the new episodes will be set in North Carolina, the show will shoot in Los Angeles, as the production recent obtained California tax credits and is relocating from Austin, Texas. Following the anti-LGBT law, many film and television productions, plus musicians, pulled out of working in the state. No details on Kings character have been revealed, but previous seasons of American Crime have seen her, along with other returning cast members, completely change character from season-to-season. We could not be more excited to welcome Regina back for a third season of American Crime,' creator John Ridley said in a statement, obtained by Variety. She is among the talent who have quickly become intimately associated with the program. As with the first two seasons, her many fans can expect a total transformation as she plays one of the complicated individuals caught up in a story that deals with labor issues, economic divides and individual rights in this seasons setting of North Carolina. King won an Emmy for her work on American Crime last year. The critically-praised series had 10 Emmy nominations for its first season, which helped the moderately-rated drama score a third season renewal. Kings Season 3 return was first reported by Deadline. She is repped by ICM Partners and John Carrabino Management. Related stories TV's Upfront Sparks To Life as Madison Ave. Nods to Big Rate Hikes (EXCLUSIVE) Story continues From Morgan Freeman to Matthew Rhys, Actors Take on TV Directing Reins TV Review: 'Uncle Buck' Is a Reboot With All the Appeal of Leftovers Thanks for keeping your mouth shut, says Virginia Madsen in the second episode of American Gothic; too bad she isnt the shows story editor, since the characters in this 13-part murder mystery, premiering on Wednesday on CBS, do tend to talk entirely too much, ruining what little suspense the show tries to build up. Madsen is the matriarch of a clan referred to as part of Bostons wealthy elite, and Jamey Sheridan (Homeland; Law & Order: Criminal Intent) its not-long-for-this-world paterfamilias. Their adult children are a bad lot that includes a daughter running for mayor (Juliet Rylance), a black-sheep son whos making a reappearance at a family gathering after being away for 14 years (Banshees Antony Starr, who gets to shave with a large butcher knife, hold the shaving cream), and a recovering-addict son whos eager to ruin his sobriety. He is played by Justin Chatwin, who has chosen to distinguish himself visually from the large cast by wearing oversize glasses and sporting a hairdo that looks like a woodchuck balancing precariously on his skull. Theres a serial-killer plot about a murderer called the Silver Bells Killer, who uses what is possibly the most cumbersome calling card of any serial killer in history: a silver hand bell left at the scene of the crime. To give you a sense of how unwieldy this gimmick is, someone finds a box of silver bells the killer has hidden, either out of self-disgust or because the box just looks too damn heavy to haul around from corpse to corpse. But wait, theres more: Theres a cutesy art-history in-joke running through the show. Its title, of course, is also the title of the famous Grant Wood painting, and each episode is named after a well-known artwork. The pilot, for example, is called Arrangement in Grey and Black, which is the title of the James M. Whistler paining better known as Whistlers Mother and at one point, mother Madsen sits in profile in an intentional visual echo of the pose depicted in the painting. Beyond proving someone involved in the show attended an art history class, this doesnt add any enjoyment to the proceedings. Story continues This American Gothic has nothing to do with the other CBS American Gothic series that aired in 1995, created by Shaun Cassidy and starring Gary Cole. The new projects creation is credited to Corinne Brinkerhoff (The Good Wife; Jane the Virgin), whose previous work seems too smart for whats going on in American Gothic. I will prefer to think that, like the people in another CBS show created by her former employers, her brain has been momentarily invaded by BrainDeads alien ants. One more thing. Were supposed to be startled and repelled to learn that during his years in Maine, Antony Starrs Garrett ate a lot of squirrel. This I take exception to, as a scurrilous slur against both native Mainers and squirrels themselves. American Gothic airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on CBS. Watch tons of trailers, plus free full-length movies on Yahoo View. Few films made a bigger splash at this years Cannes Film Festival than American Honey, director Andrea Arnolds critically hailed film about a group of twentysomethings traversing the U.S. by car selling magazine subscriptions and getting into all sorts of rabble-rousing youthful trouble. It stars Shia LaBeouf, newcomer Sasha Lane, and Riley Keough, currently seen in the TV series based on Steven Soderberghs 2009 film The Girlfriend Experience. On the heels of winning Cannes Jury Prize, A24 has released American Honeys first trailer (watch it above) ahead of its expected U.S. release later this year. Related: Shia LaBeouf Hospitalized After Head Injury on the Set of American Honey Yahoo Movies Kerrie Mitchell wrote about the film at Cannes shes quoted in the trailer stating Director Andrea Arnolds Vision is Hypnotic. Her full review praised the films mood and style while also noting that perhaps the director had gone a bit overboard. Its a wildly frustrating film thats still admirable with its stunning cinematography (courtesy of Robbie Ryan), its unnerving atmosphere, and its audacity to dispense with most signposts of plot and instead focus on the throbbing backbeat of a car radio in a van full of rowdy, horny, aimless teenagers who are driving. And driving. And driving Theres too much of everything: too many scenes of the kids grooving to yet another song, too many shots of insects crawling, and too much LaBeouf, who needed some reining in (and, perhaps, a haircut: Jake has a ridiculous rat-tail braid that looks distractingly fake.) Still Its an open road that stays with you, even after you take the exit. Watch the trailer for American Honey director Andrea Arnolds previous film, Wuthering Heights (2011): Andrea Arnolds Cannes Jury Prize winner American Honey reminded more than one fest-going critic of Larry Clark-land, and this new trailer certainly makes a case for the Shia LaBeouf-starrer as a sort of Kids Go West. Set for a 2016 U.S. release by A24, American Honey costars newcomer Sasha Lane as a young runaway who joins up with a cadre of like-minded nomads traveling the American heartland selling magazine subscriptions while the sun shines and partying hard in the wee hours a real phenomenon that made headlines a couple years back. Judging by the trailer, theres a hint of a new-day Bonnie and Clyde in there too. Said Deadline critic Pete Hammond at Cannes, I can really get down with honoring Andrea Arnolds bracing and brilliant story of drifting and restless youth American Honey with the Jury Prize. The film, which was nominated for the fests Palme dOr as well, costars Riley Keough and a large ensemble of newcomers. Take a look at the new trailer above. [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1SpWZm1PLc&w=970&h=546] Related stories Protagonist Pictures Racks Up Further Sales - Cannes Riley Keough On Her Attraction To 'The Girlfriend Experience' - Emmy Video Oldest And Youngest Directors Take Top Cannes Prizes, But Only Ken Loach Deserved It - Analysis In the 2016 election, Donald Trump has bashed rigged elections. Bernie Sanders has denounced superdelegates. Populist sentiment is running strong in both political parties. But our primary nominating system is the most open and democratic its ever been. And there is a growing sense among some that the political reforms of the last 50 years which made the system more open might have actually made it harder for our politicians to govern and to actually solve problems once theyre elected. Jonathan Rauch makes this argument in the cover story of the current Atlantic magazine, out this week. Rauch, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, writes of the American political system: We reformed it to death. For decades, well-meaning political reformers have attacked intermediaries as corrupt, undemocratic, unnecessary, or (usually) all of the above. Americans have been busy demonizing and disempowering political professionals and parties, which is like spending decades abusing and attacking your own immune system. Eventually, you will get sick, Rauch writes. And as a movement to stop Trump at the Republican convention grows, with hundreds of delegates reportedly saying they will vote against their own partys nominee next month in Cleveland, Yahoo News asked Rauch for his thoughts on why and how such a movement might succeed. He spoke with Jon Ward in our New York studio. The following is a transcript of our conversation. Jon Ward: What are the key changes that have been made over the last few decades and why did they have a negative impact, in your view? Jonathan Rauch: Government and politics are hugely complicated, and they take thousands of politicians and activists to organize and millions of voters to organize, and that doesnt happen automatically. You need systems like political machines and bargains and deals and incentives to make all that stuff work every day. Otherwise its just complete chaos. We had a lot of those systems. They took many decades to build up, but a lot of us including me in earlier points didnt like them. They seemed like they were unfair and undemocratic and untransparent. But they were things like smoke-filled rooms, private negotiations where people could go and try to work stuff out. We opened those up. It became much more difficult to work things out. Pork-barrel spending. Story continues Earmarks. Earmarks were part of that. Pork-barrel spending turned out to be a very inexpensive way to get compromises done. You know, if I give you this airport for your district, will you vote to cut the budget for this big entitlement program? The civil rights bill, Lyndon Johnson. The civil rights bill, 1964. That was an important incentive to get followers to follow leaders. Thats much harder now. Campaign money. People thought that was corrupt. They thought it was payoff and payola, so they made fundraising much harder to do. There were two bad consequences of that. One is the money goes outside politics to these outside groups. Totally unaccountable. And the other is that its much harder for me as a party leader to use funding to incentivize you to take a tough vote on a debt limit. And then the biggest one of all was switching to direct primaries. They have their pros and their cons, but one of the things politicians used to be able to do to incentivize people to follow was, You know, if youll help me on this tough vote, and I really need you to pass this debt-limit bill, you know Im going to help you win this nomination, and Im in a position to do that, because the party has some say over that. When I lost the ability to protect you in a tough vote, you were off for the hills. You become an unaccountable, in many cases, renegade politician. And when you add all this stuff up, its very hard for leaders to lead. I like to say we have a problem: Its not a leadership crisis in government, its a followership crisis. When you talk about direct primaries, youre talking about the reforms that happened starting around 1972, after the 1968 convention in Chicago? Well, they really go back more than a century. But it really starts taking effect in the 70s. Right, because you had Teddy Roosevelt, and they started primaries in the early 20th century, and then after the 68 convention, they started going to the more open primaries and caucuses. Right, and [the primary vote] became binding, so a lot of the insiders essentially lost their voice. And so were having a lot of debate over delegates. Donald Trump is criticizing that they even exist. In the Democratic Party, Bernie Sanders is criticizing the idea of superdelegates. They have a lot of support, a lot of popular support, these ideas. I want to talk about these cultural attitudes. Lets look at some poll numbers: 53 percent of Americans say the Democrats use of superdelegates is a bad idea, 17 percent say its a good idea. Among Democrats, 46 percent say superdelegates are a bad idea, and only 25 percent of Democrats say its a good idea. And heres some quotes from people who were interviewed by the [Associated Press]. The common man needs to be included more, said one woman. Another guy said, Its supposed to be one man, one vote. Thats the way it should be. Whats underneath these quotes and these numbers? What is it that you think is driving these perceptions of how politics should work, and why do you feel that theyre wrong? A few things. One is populism, which has a long tradition in America. It goes back to Andrew Jackson. Another is distrust of the establishment, a sense that these people have not done a very good job. And all of that is understandable. I would argue that a lot of whats gone wrong in the last 30 or 40 years, when people have been much less happy about politics over time, is actually the disempowering of these intermediaries, who are able to, say, look at the voters, not just the small minority of voters who vote in primaries, who are not even representative of their own party but who control the process for the rest of us. They also look at the general electorate, the people who are going to come out on Election Day, and they try to think, what about those people? What do they want? What about people who may not go to the polls most years at all? So theyre thinking about this. Theyre thinking about the long term interests of the party and the process. Theyre thinking about governing. They know they have to pass bills on the next day. So its very important that these institutional people also have a voice. No one is saying they should have the only voice. But the system works best when its a mixed system, when youve got some input from voters, and youve got some input from professionals and parties and theyre working in harmony and in balance. Thats more what the Founders intended and its probably a better system. One thing Ive noticed is when you have debates over these issues lets say the delegate issue that Trump raised these issues, or these parts of the system get isolated so that people are talking about the use of delegates at the convention potentially to take the nomination away from Trump as if thats the only part of our constitutional system, when in fact there are many different parts of our constitutional system, of the way that we get people elected, of the way we elect them to represent us. Thats exactly right. We have checks and balances in the formal Constitution and we also need checks and balances in these informal political processes. You dont want just one type of decision-making taking over the whole thing. And look at Trump. This is a guy who won the nomination in the crucial first 12 primaries with a plurality, not even a majority, of only 17 percent of the primary electorate, which is itself not representative of the general electorate. In other words, a minority of a minority picked this guy for the entire Republican Party and now hes probably going to lose for them. Its going to be a disaster for them. And yet he did have the most votes of any Republican nominee in many, many years right? So that shows that theres been very little participation in this process for a while. Theres always, unfortunately, very little participation in primaries. And thats an ongoing problem. But historically, the way weve dealt with that is add other voices who will think about the general election and unrepresented groups as well. I hear this phrase the will of the people. What about that phrase? People say, Well, the will of the people even though it was a plurality and not a majority Trump is representing the will of the people. Which people? It goes back to what I just said. Unfortunately, it is a reality that few Americans vote in these primary elections, so they tend to be dominated by special interests and extremists and people who will show up to vote for specific causes. And those are not necessarily speaking for the main bulk of Americans. Traditionally, one way weve dealt with that is having these institutions that tried to take a broader view, so all Im saying is that both these things need a role. Its not that voting is always the only thing that should be going on. Yeah, I mean one thing I noticed when I went back and read the Federalist Papers this year is that the Founders were concerned about two things. They were wary of concentrated power at the top, of a person having too much power top down. They were also leery, sort of, of the people having too much of a say in the government. They wanted to mediate both ways. Thats exactly right. The famous story is when Franklin left the Constitutional Convention, a woman asked him, So Dr. Franklin, what have you given us, a republic or a monarchy? He said, A republic, if you can keep it. And what he had in mind by that is, notice he didnt say a democracy. He said a republic: a mixed system of government. And he understood there would be threats to that from people who said we should always just have direct democracy all the time. So the Founders understood this problem. The other irony is, in 2010 and 2011, when I covered the tea party, you heard a lot of people saying, We have a republic, not a democracy. But now theres a lot of people saying, We want direct democracy. And of course a lot of the people saying, Lets get rid of the superdelegates, lets have direct voting, are the people who think they would benefit from that. And if the tables were turned a lot of those people would be saying, No, no, wait, wait a minute. Hang on. Superdelegates: good thing. You know, its an irony that Bernie Sanders wants to win or did want to win by converting superdelegates in an undemocratic fashion. How many ways do you want it? Well, there is a history of people going back and forth on this question. How would you change the primary nomination system? What changes would you make to it, specifically? I would give the parties more of a role. I wouldnt give them the only role. There are all kinds of ways to do that. The states are in charge of the primary process, and youd have different things in different states. But for instance, I like the idea of indicating party support, for example, on the ballot, a way of saying, you know, Jon Wards been loyal to the party. People who care about that would know it. I like the idea of requiring to get on the ballot some petition signatures from party elected officials as well as the general public. Its a way to show those people that youre going to be a team player to some extent, or youre at least thinking about it. Sending unbound delegates is another way to do it. Some states are doing it this year. And that means you send delegates and then you let them make a smart call at the convention on your behalf. Not everyone does it, but its more of a mixed system. It seems to me that a big part of the problem we have now is that whoevers fault this is, the public at large has no idea that the system works the way it does, and so when it turns out that the rules are explained, people say, Well, the press has not covered it this way. We werent told that. Last question, what will and should happen at the Republican convention? I can make you a confident prediction that my predictions will be wrong. I have misguessed this political season from the beginning. Good luck to you if you have done better. It looks to me like Trump is a massive, disastrous loser for the Republican Party in what might have been a winnable election. And theyd probably be better off with someone else. But at this point its hard to see a win-win solution for them. What do you think? Am I allowed to ask? Yeah, sure. I think if the poll numbers over the next month continue to plummet for Trump, if you look at the three conventions since 68, where a nominee has been challenged at the convention, hat challenge only went forward when there was a pretty strong public perception that this nominee was in trouble, and was not going to win in the fall. And so I think if his numbers continue to go way down below where Hillary Clinton is, there will be popular support for the idea of putting somebody else in there or having an open convention. But I think if that doesnt happen and I think him firing his campaign manager is a recognition of the fact that they kneed to get things back on track. Its tough for them this year. One of the things that party people and professionals and insiders have to think about is the long term. They cant just afford to protest the way a lot of people can at the polls on one day every two years. And when theyre pushed aside, when theyre out of the picture, you can get in terrible binds, like this one, where you get a sure loser, or potentially a sure loser, and a big mess. Yeah, Im not going to predict hes a loser yet, because as you said Yeah, Ive been wrong about everything. Angelina Jolie Pitt made an appearance at the U.S. State Department in Washington, D.C., on Monday, speaking out about the global refugee crisis on World Refugee Day. Jolie Pitt, who serves as the Special Envoy for the United Nations' High Commissioner on Refugees, met with Secretary of State John Kerry prior to attending an interfaith lftar reception in Sterling, Virginia. Kerry praised Jolie Pitt for her "personal leadership" and "commitment to the issue" which is now at an all-time historical high of 65 million refugees. "She's been working at this for years," Kerry, 72, said. "This is not a passing fancy for her at all; it is a lifetime commitment." The 41-year-old Oscar winner explained that the current refugee problem is a worldwide threat, adding that to ignore it would be "naive, irresponsible and dangerous." "If I ask people for anything on this day, it is to take a moment and to truly grasp what a refugee crisis of today's magnitude means for peace and security of the world," Jolie Pitt said. "I ask people to understand that with 65 million people displaced by conflict, we are facing a world of wars we cannot ignore or turn our backs on." Angelina Jolie Pitt Pleads for 'New Approach' to Global Refugee Crisis, Slams 'Xenophobia'| politics, Good Deeds, Angelina Jolie, John Kerry She stressed that her focus was to come up with new approaches to solving the crisis. "We face a very clear choice: to continue as we are and see displacement and insecurity grow, or to come together with other nations and find a new approach, one that does not focus solely on aid and resettlement but on solution, stability and returns," Jolie Pitt explained. "Strength lies in mastering and channeling our emotions so that we pursue policies that reduce not inflame threats to our security," she highlighted. "We need leadership. We need solutions." Related Video: Angelina Jolie's Inspiring Speech: 'Different Is Good' Both Jolie Pitt and John Kerry addressed what Jolie Pitt called the "rising intolerance and xenophobia" growing out of the conflict a subtle dig at presumptive Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who has threatened to build a wall to keep immigrants and refugees out of the United States. "We're living in a contentious time when some try to make a negative out of being a refugee or somehow turn people who are refugees into threats," Kerry explained. "They are American; they're as American as anybody; and they have a story to tell about how America keeps faith with people's dreams and hopes and aspirations." Jolie Pitt has worked with the United Nations since 2001, and has carried out over 50 missions for them. Before his tragic death on Sunday, Anton Yelchin showed that he was a kind-hearted, multi-talented artist during his final interview with ET in April. The actor, perhaps best known for his role as Chekov in the new Star Trek films, was also a gifted musician. He opened up about his punk band, The Hammerheads, during a sit-down that took place at The Viper Room. WATCH: Justin Timberlake, Zachary Quinto, Chris Evans and More Co-Stars and Celebs Remember Anton Yelchin "We mostly played here Sundays at midnight," Yelchin revealed about the iconic West Hollywood landmark. The actor described the midnight audience as "maybe one superfan, if we had one, or devoted fans from our very close group of friends that had nothing better to do on Sunday night." Yelchin also opened up about his punk rock horror movie, Green Room, which follows a rock band that is forced into a vicious fight against a group of skinheads after witnessing a murder. "The heartbreaking thing for me that I connected to is when you play music with your friends, you share something beyond and somehow grow closer," Yelchin said of the film. "The fact that all these kids get put in jeopardy is pretty brutal. It's a brutal experience." PICS: Stars We've Lost Green Room was widely released on May 13, 2016 and is Yelchin's final film appearance to be released prior to his death. He will also appeared in the next installment in the Star Trek series, Star Trek Beyond. "There's this kind of dichotomy between how much fun we were having in Portland and how well everyone got along and what a great group of people it was, including our crew, and what would happen when we started getting to work," Yelchin said of filming the movie. "It was brutal." Yelchin died on Sunday when his car rolled down his driveway and pinned him against a brick mailbox pillar and a security fence at his home in Los Angeles. He was 27. Story continues Related Articles Anton Yelchin's death has officially been ruled an accident. The Star Trek actor died of accidental "blunt traumatic asphyxia," Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter of the Los Angeles County coroner's office confirms to PEOPLE. Yelchin's body was found Sunday pinned between his car and the gate of his home in Studio City, California, after the 27-year-old's vehicle rolled backward down the steep driveway, a Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson tells PEOPLE. The spokesperson says the car was a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee the same model that Fiat Chrysler Automobiles recalled in April after the vehicle was investigated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for its gearshift design. "We are looking into that," the LAPD spokesperson says. "The investigation is still ongoing and the traffic detectives will look at all of those factors as they would in any traffic collision investigation. So, at this time we're not sure what caused it, but that's something investigators are looking at." VIDEO: Costars and Other Celebs Remember Star Trek Actor Anton Yelchin Star Trek Actor Anton Yelchin" data-ad-channel="peoplenow" data-ad-subchannel="peoplenownews" data-auto-play="no"> The 2014 and 2015 models of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, manufactured between July 16, 2012 and Dec. 22, 2015, were recalled by the company after the NHTSA issued a report stating that the vehicles' gearshift design made it difficult to tell what gear the vehicle is in. The police investigation into the circumstances of Yelchin's death is ongoing, and toxicology tests are expected to be available in 6-8 weeks. I have a routine when I use an ATM: I do a light pull on the card reader to make sure it's not a skimmer, then cover the pad while I put in my PIN. The whole process would be a lot easier if my local ATM had Apple Pay functionality. Luckily for me (and other iPhone owners), Bank of America is beginning to support withdrawals through Apple NFC payment platform. Roughly 650 of the specialized ATMs were set up in the San Francisco Bay Area at month, according to MacRumors. This grew to 2,400 in June and expanded to North Carolina. We got our best view of the new Apple Pay ATMs over the weekend from Reddit user WhatWhatTech. In images that they posted on Reddit, you can clearly see the NFC logo next to the card reader, just above the keypad. NFC means that the ATM should be capable of using Android Pay, too. According to Bank of America's new website for these ATMs, users will pick their Bank of America debit card from the wallet app, hold it over the NFC symbol and enter the PIN. This is more secure than traditional debit cards, as it avoids the possibility of card skimmers. There are limits with the technology, though. Bank of America states that depositing funds isn't available yet, so you'll still need to carry your debit card around. If you're not on Bank of America, fear not, ATMs with Apple Pay support have also been announced by Chase and Wells Fargo. They should start rolling out later this year. Copyright 2016 Toms Guides , a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. apple-ryan Getty Image Apples Tim Cook may not be a big fan of Donald Trumps distasteful comments on women, immigrants, and minorities, so much so that the tech giant decided to pull funds and free Macbooks from this years Republican National Convention in July, but that doesnt mean the companys CEO has anything against other Republicans. Cook and Apple treasurer Gary Wipfler plan to host a private fundraiser for House Speaker Paul Ryan on June 28 in Menlo Park, California, according to an invitation received by Politico on Monday. The money raised during the breakfast will help benefit Ryan and a joint fundraising committee whose aim is to help elect other House Republicans. Cook is solely hosting the fundraiser because Apple does not have a corporate political action committee like other major tech companies. Apples late CEO, Steve Jobs previously had a disdain for politics, according to Politico, but Cook plans to improve the companys relationship with Democrats and Republicans. In the past, Cook donated to President Obamas first presidential run and he met with Republicans in May 2015 during a trip to Washington. Trumps campaign has yet to comment on Apples lack of support during the RNC. The Republican frontrunner previously called for a boycott of the tech company following Apples refusal to unlock the San Bernadino shooters iPhone back in February. (Via Politico) Arrested British man planned to assassinate Donald Trump Police remove Michael Steven Sandford as Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at the Treasure Island hotel and casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, on June 18, 2016. (AP Photo/John Locher) A British man arrested at a weekend Donald Trump rally in Las Vegas tried to grab a police officers gun so he could kill the presidential candidate after planning an assassination for about a year, according to authorities. U.S. Secret Service agents said Michael Steven Sandford approached a Las Vegas police officer at the campaign stop to say he wanted Trumps autograph, but that he then tried to take the lawmans weapon. A complaint filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Nevada charges Sandford, 20, with an act of violence on restricted grounds. He was denied bail during a court appearance later in the day. His court-appointed attorney said he was living out of his car, and in the country illegally after overstaying a visa. Sandford has not entered a plea. The arrest happened relatively quietly at a campaign stop seen as peaceful compared to the mayhem at the presumptive Republican nominees recent events in San Jose, Calif., and Albuquerque, N.M. (AP) Find more news-related photo galleries on the Yahoo News Photo Tumblr. Arrow continues to build up its roster. Chad Coleman (Roots) has joined The CW drama series as the newest gangster in town and Madison McLaughlin will return for the upcoming fifth season. Both will appear in multiple episodes. Coleman will play Tobias Church, an imposing gangster looking to unite the various criminal enterprises in Star City under his own singular command. And McLaughlin returns as Evelyn Sharp. Having tried to assume the mantle of Black Canary last season, Evelyn aims to forge her own identity as the masked archer known as Artemis. Coleman is coming off History Channels Roots and currently recurs on Syfys The Expanse. Hes repped by TalentWorks and Vanguard Management. Related stories The CW To Extend Netflix Streaming Deal After Hulu Ends In-Season Pact Robert Irvine To Host Daytime Talk Show On The CW Stations CW Sets Fall Premiere Dates: 'Supergirl' Slated, 'No Tomorrow' Gets Extra Push * Market not pricing in full effect of 'leave' vote, analysts warn * Japan stocks, Asian currencies could be in the firing line * Market downside from out vote bigger than upside from in vote By Nachum Kaplan and Nichola Saminather SINGAPORE, June 21 (Reuters) - A British vote to leave the European Union this week could send Asia's emerging markets into a tailspin - yet investors in the region appear surprisingly calm about both the prospect of a Brexit and its impact on markets. Most startling are current market expectations that place the probability of a Brexit - a British vote to exit the EU - much lower than what actual political polling suggests. However, with the likely market downside from an exit vote much larger than the likely upside from a remain vote, analysts say Asia's current market positioning means investors could suffer major losses if Britons vote to leave the EU. "We don't think the market has priced (Brexit) in enough," said Mark Wills, head of State Street's investment solutions group in Sydney. A survey of about 200 U.S. investors by a research group the firm uses found that 90 percent did not think the June 23 vote would favour Brexit. "If you compare that to what the actual polls on the ground are saying, it indicates to us that financial markets are still too sanguine," Wills said. Pre-referendum polls show support for remain campaign only slightly ahead of the exit campaign. While Asian investors do not hold much sterling or sterling-denominated assets, a British vote to leave could spark a huge drop in sterling - 8-15 percent by most analysts' forecasts - and that could prompt worried investors to get out of any risk assets, such as Asia's mostly emerging markets. To be sure, current market pricing in Asia has not ignored the event risk the June 23 referendum poses. MSCI's broadest index of Asia Pacific shares outside Japan has fallen more than 3 percent over the past two weeks, while 10-year government bond yields plunged in South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Australia. Story continues The yen, Asia's favoured safe-haven play, has surged to a near 2-year high of 103.58 with yen net long positions at $5.3 billion, their highest since early May. And traders say policymakers are primed with Indonesia, Malaysia, Korea and India central banks poised to intervene to either shore up their currencies or ensure orderly weakening if market volatility spikes. But even such defensive posturing looks short of what might be needed to protect investors from the turmoil that a sterling plunge of 10 percent could cause. Goldman Sachs, for example, thinks a "leave" vote could cause the yen to surge well over 10 percent against the U.S. dollar, assuming no change in monetary policy - far more than markets have priced in. Asian stocks could also face selling pressure. Japanese stocks look vulnerable given their strong correlation with the yen. Other major Asian exporters, including South Korea, Taiwan and China, would be the most susceptible to outflows given their global exposure, State Street's Wills said. A crucial question is how badly currencies - perennial weak spots for many of Asia's emerging economies - will get hit. A sharp fall in currencies could accelerate foreign selling of stocks and bonds and lead to a shortage of dollars as investors repatriate funds. Foreigners, for example, hold more than a third of Malaysian and Indonesian government debt. "Regionally, currencies that stand out are the rupiah and ringgit, which historically have been extremely susceptible to waves of risk-off," said Stephen Innes, a senior trader for FX broker OANDA Asia Pacific in Singapore. "If the pound falls sharply, I would expect both currencies to get hit very hard over the short term." Lee Jin Yang, macro research analyst for Aberdeen Asset Management in Singapore, sees Korea's won as an at-risk currency. However, some investors think that post-Brexit volatility could create small windows of investment opportunity. "We have a clear view of the intrinsic value of stocks in our portfolio and in our watchlists and would look for stock-specific opportunities to buy or sell if markets overshoot in either direction," said Robert Davis, senior portfolio manager at NN Investment Partners in Brussels. Jennifer Ellison, principal at wealth management firm B|O|S in San Francisco, expects any selloff would not be sustained as the actual economic and political repercussions of an exit vote would play out over a much longer period of time. For the latest Reuters news on the referendum including full multimedia coverage, click (Reporting By Nachum Kaplan and Nichola Saminather in Singapore; Additional reporting by Jongwoo Cheon in Singapore; Editing by Sam Holmes) Quito (AFP) - A former Spanish judge who is defending WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on Tuesday urged Sweden to recognize a UN working group opinion that his confinement amounts to arbitrary detention. "We are trying to ensure that the Swedish justice system recognizes the resolution and its binding nature," Baltasar Garzon, who leads Assange's legal team, told reporters in Quito. Assange, 44, recently marked the start of his fifth year inside Ecuador's UK mission in a bid to avoid extradition. The anti-secrecy campaigner is wanted for questioning over a 2010 rape allegation in Sweden. He fears that from Sweden he could be extradited to the United States over WikiLeaks's release of 500,000 secret military files. The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention issued a legal opinion in February saying Assange's confinement in the Ecuadoran embassy amounted to arbitrary detention by Sweden and Britain. It said Assange should be able to claim compensation from the two countries. "It has not happened, it's predictable," Garzon said. Both Britain and Sweden have angrily disputed the UN group's findings. Braving the stifling summer heat, several hundred refugees marched through Hong Kongs central district Monday to mark World Refugee Day and to demand greater rights for the 11,000 or so asylum seekers living in the territory. Dressed in red T-shirts and carrying banners that read Justice for Refugees, and Human Rights, Not Racism, the throng of people walked from the central business district to the headquarters of the citys Immigration Department a few kilometers away. They hailed from all over Africa, the Middle East and Asia. While they wait for their claims to refugee status to be assessed a process that can take more than a decade asylum seekers in Hong Kong cannot work and must instead survive on the equivalent of $190 and $150 in rental and food allowances respectively. Thats just over $10 a day for everything in one of the worlds most expensive cities, where the tiniest and dingiest rooms start renting $400 a month. The handouts are barely viable. Francis, 44, is an asylum seeker from Uganda who arrived in Hong Kong seven months ago. He says he fled his home country because he was in danger because of his political views and work with a childrens foundation that helped LGBT youths, among others. Homosexuality is illegal in Uganda and gay sex or living in a same-sex partnership is punishable with life in prison. For Francis, who was educated in Canada and holds a bachelors degree, life in Hong Kong is bitterly frustrating. I sleep, I eat, I sleep, I eat, thats all you can do, he tells TIME. Though he would like to study more, he says the government wont allow him, and the prospect of waiting for so long, uncertain of whether his claim will be approved, is not one he relishes. Why should I waste 10 years of my life living in limbo? he says. Read More: Inside the Harrowing Night Hundreds of Refugees Tried to Escape Greece Story continues Out of nearly 9,000 refugee claims made since 2009, Hong Kong has approved just 52. Two years ago, the government overhauled the screening process for those claiming asylum, taking the process out of the hands of the U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR.) The aim was to consolidate screening, but refugees said the system has become inefficient and discriminatory. Without the ability to work, refugees spend their days sleeping, loitering, or looking for food. Living in such uncertainty takes its toll on their mental health, says Peter Maina, a refugee from East Africa and secretary general of the Refugee Union that organized the march, at night, you cannot sleep because you are worried about your future. Maina says its critical that refugees be given the right to work, as being unable to contribute to society you become someone who is like a pest, he says. It reduces you into a beggar. You know you are a normal person, you are capable and can work and contribute, but youre not given the opportunity. According to Maina, some refugees start dealing drugs or resort to prostitution or stealing and become trapped in a cycle of crime. And attitudes to refugees in Hong Kong have recently taken a turn for the worse. Reports from politicians and media outlets describe so-called bogus refugees entering Hong Kong to abuse the asylum system. Refugees have been blamed for an uptick of crime, and one party has reportedly advocated deporting fake refugees and opening a border camp. Some lawmakers are even calling for the city to repeal the U.N. torture convention. The negative atmosphere toward those claiming asylum has spurred a coalition of NGOs to issue a statement calling for an end to discrimination against refugees and ethnic minorities. We acknowledge that concerns have been raised following an increase in the number of protection claimants in Hong Kong and apparent abuses of the system. These concerns must be listened to, but matters must be kept in perspective, and international law should be upheld, the statement said, adding that instead of discrimination, the delays and inefficiencies of the screening process should be reduced. There is nothing remotely like a crisis and there is no need to search for dramatic measures. There are now 65 million people who are displaced worldwide, the most there has ever been since records began, according to the UNHCR. Every day, 34,000 people on average are forcibly displaced. Europe is struggling to handle a migrant crisis, with 1 million refugees and migrants making the perilous crossing from Turkey across the Mediterranean last year, in the hopes of a better life in Europe. Many thousands have perished on the journey. Read More: Madeleine Albright: Turning Refugees Into Enemies Is Self-Defeating As the crisis deepens, attitudes towards migrants worldwide have soured. The U.N. refugee chief says a climate of xenophobia has gripped Europe amid reports of refugees being shot and tear-gassed at European borders, asylum centers being torched and the rise of far-right groups. This week, the U.K. prepares to vote on whether to remain part of the E.U., and immigration is a central theme for the Leave campaign. Though the refugee situation in Hong Kong is small fry compared with Europes, there are voices in the small semiautonomous Chinese territory that are trying to help, as well as various NGOs striving to provide assistance. One such local project called We Are Here aims to raise awareness of the refugees plight through art and film. Run by artist Katherine Sparrow and filmmaker Polly McGovern, the project offers a way for the public to get to know the refugees in order to change perceptions of them. We want to show that refugees can bring positive influences to Hong Kong, Sparrow tells TIME. All they want is to be safe and allowed to start a new life. For that to become a reality, the refugees on the march say they need to be able to work, and that their claims should be processed faster. We have doctors, we have lawyers, we have journalists, says Maina. There are professional people who can participate in society. A car bomb that detonated near a Syrian refugee camp and a Jordanian military post killed six soldiers and wounded at least 14 other people on Tuesday. The bomb exploded at about 5:30 a.m. in a desolate area of desert in Jordans northeast, near the borders with Iraq and Syria. It targeted the military post that watches over thousands of Syrian refugees in an area called Rakban. The New York Times reported that: The Jordanian military said those killed in Tuesday's attack included four border troops, a member of the civil defense and a public security officer. The statement said 14 were wounded, including nine public security officers. It described the bombing as a "cowardly terrorist attack." The area is heavily patrolled by guards, and a two-mile berm runs along the border. The camp is the only place where Jordan still receives Syrian refugees. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the bombing, believed to be the deadliest attack along the Jordan-Syria border in recent years. Jordan, a U.S. ally, has escaped much of the violence brought to the area by the five-year-long Syrian civil war. Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. MONTREAL, QC / ACCESSWIRE / June 21, 2016 / Aurvista Gold Corporation (TSXV: AVA) (OTC: ARVSF) (FSE: AV2.F) ("Aurvista" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the start of the Summer 2016 exploration program at the Company's wholly-owned Douay Gold Project following the closing of the C$1.1 million financing. The Company plans a two-staged exploration campaign on the Project for the period June to September 2016 (refer to the Company news release dated June 14, 2016) with the prime objective of determining the best of the 25 defined targets with a view of significantly increasing the current Mineral Resource estimates*. The First Stage campaign will complete the Priority Targeting Program (the "Program") in two areas where management is confident additional gold mineralization will be uncovered, the first being in the 10 km by 3 km wide (at its longest and widest points) SE-tilted parallelogram-shaped polygon enclosing the Douay-Style Mineralization ("DSM") containing all the known gold zones ("Douay West," "10," "20," "531," "Central," "Main," "NW," "Porphyry" and the "South Porphyry") and current Mineral Resource estimates*; and second, the 6 km by 1 km wide cluster of EM INPUT anomalies conductors running along the southwest boundary of the DSM that have affinities to Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide or VMS mineralization associated with gold. The Second Stage campaign will consist of a 4,000 meters of drilling to delineate additional gold and/or copper-gold mineralization on the best targets. The Summer Program will include completing an airborne geophysical Magnetic, Electromagnetic and Radiometric survey of the central portion of the Douay Project to define key contacts, faults and porphyry linked to gold and any potential base metal bearing massive sulphide lenses within the 6 km by 1 km Copper-Gold corridor to a depth of -150 metres; re-logging selective previous and historical drill core for litho-geochemical and thin section work along key gold mineralized and non-mineralized sections across the Douay Project, all to define the chemical signatures and alteration mineralogy of the known gold and/or base metal mineralization, helping with the airborne geophysical survey in the vectoring towards additional mineralization; and the drilling of the best priority targets that could potentially lead to the expansion of, and better quality, mineral resources. The main gold target at this time is the Porphyry Target that extends some 8 km in length, of which 3 km to the NW of the Adam Porphyry Zone, bordered by the Douay West Zone and the NW Zone, is largely untested. The Porphyry Target, encompassing the Adams Porphyry - at a 3 g/t gold cut-off, the Adams Porphyry contains 383,000 tonnes grading 22.29 g/t gold in the Inferred category within lower grade Mineral Resources estimates* of 55.1 million tonnes at 1 g/t (at a 0.5 g/t cut-off) also in the Inferred category. The NW Zone contains 1 million tonnes grading 2.71 g/t (at a 0.5 g/t cut-off) in the Inferred category. The overall gold potential of the Porphyry Target is significant and Aurvista is committed to drilling this sector potentially adding to the current Mineral Resource estimates*. Drilling success could potentially increase the size and quality of the Mineral Resources. The technical contents in this news release have approved by Mr. Jean Lafleur, M. Sc., P. Geo., President and CEO for Aurvista Gold Corporation, a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101. * Mineral Resource estimates reported in this news release were previously estimated in accordance with the definitions contained in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves Definitions and Guidelines that were prepared by the CIM Standing Committee on Reserve Definitions and adopted by the CIM Council on November 27, 2010. Of note, tonnes and ounces have been rounded as per NI 43-101 standards. About Aurvista Gold Corp. Aurvista Gold Corporation is a junior gold exploration and development Company with 85,689,121 shares outstanding trading on the TSX Venture Exchange in Canada, the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and OTC Pink Sheets in the U.S. Aurvista's only asset is the Douay Gold Project totaling 287 claims for 145.3 km(2). The project is located along the gold-bearing Casa Berardi Deformation Zone in northern Quebec. Details can be viewed on the Company's website at www.aurvistagold.com. For further information please contact: Mr. Jean Lafleur, P. Geo. President and CEO, Director Cell +1 514 927 3633 Mr. Bryan Keeler Chief Financial Officer +1 416 504 4126 NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS PRESS RELEASE. Forward-Looking Statements This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on assumptions, uncertainties and management's best estimate of future events. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations and projections. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. When used herein, words such as "anticipate", "will", "intend" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. For a more detailed discussion of such risks and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, refer to Aurvista Gold Corporation's filings with Canadian securities regulators available on www.sedar.com or the Company's website at www.aurvistagold.com. SOURCE: Aurvista Gold Corporation SYDNEY, June 21 (Reuters) - Australia's consumer watchdog on Tuesday sued the Australian subsidiary of U.S.-based Kraft Heinz Co alleging it falsely advertised the nutritional value of its Little Kids Shredz range of food for young children. H.J. Heinz Company Australia Ltd was charged with multiple breaches of the consumer law, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). It faces penalties of up to A$1.1 million ($821,700) for each breach. The company's marketing of its Little Kids Shredz range as "nutritious food" and "99 percent fruit and veg" was false and misleading, the ACCC said in a statement. "Heinz is marketing these products as healthy options for young children when they are not," ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said in the statement. "These products contain over 60 percent sugar, which is significantly higher than that of natural fruit and vegetables - for example, an apple contains approximately 10 percent sugar." Heinz Australia did not immediately respond to a request for comment. ($1 = 1.3387 Australian dollars) (Reporting by Tom Westbrook; Editing by Stephen Coates) No one expected this Ohio baby to survive. Meet Bentley Yoder, a 7-month-old boy who defied all odds, despite being born with his brain outside of his skull. Read: Mom Saved Her Infant Daughter's Life By Yelling to iPhone, 'Hey Siri, Call The Ambulance' Sierra Yoder, mom of baby Bentley, told InsideEdition.com that she first realized something was horribly wrong in her pregnancy at 22 weeks, during a routine ultrasound at her OB/GYN. "I had seen the shadow go across his face immediately. He looked like he was going to be in tears," Yoder said. She was advised to get more testing done, and when it was discovered her unborn baby had an encephalocele, a rare condition that would cause his brain to grow over his unformed skull, doctors suggested that Yoder get an abortion. She and her husband were in disbelief over the news, especially since the couple had taken every precaution during pregnancy, and had no family history of illness. "At the beginning, we had said we didn't want him to suffer, we'll just end the pregnancy," she said. "The night before the procedure, I couldn't do it." They decided proceed with the birth of little Bentley, knowing that he probably wouldn't survive for very long after birth. "We went in there pretty optimistic. We wanted to make sure he was comfortable long enough to know love, and to be held," she said. "We didn't want to take aggressive measures to keep him alive." Her husband, Dustin Yodel, said in a Boston Children's Hospital video that doctors warned them: "He won't talk, he won't move, you won't know when he's hungry, he'll just be a shell." But Bentley was born kicking and screaming. That night, Yoder said she stayed away 42 hours after delivering her baby boy. "I was afraid we were going to lose him," she said. For the next 4 weeks, Yoder and her husband spent every moment with their newborn like it was their last, until one day, a neurologist told them, "He's not going anywhere." Story continues Read: Woman Becomes Nurse at Hospital That Treated Her Cancer When She Was a Baby: 'I've Had My Heart Set on It' The family relaxed after noticing Bentley was not suffering through seizures and acted more-or-less like an average newborn baby, despite the heavy bump on his head. Yoder compared the part of his brain that hung out of his skull to a cyst or a belly. She said despite it being extremely heavy, it was soft, but could grow hard if he was crying, or the weather was poor. The bump protruded from the back of his head, instead of from the top, meaning the family would constantly have to protect Bentley from lying on it and hurting his brain. During nap time and diaper changes, his mom said they would make sure he was supported by a pillow at all times. But baby Bentley continued to face complications due to his condition. He developed respiratory illnesses frequently, and the bump on his head was rapidly growing and thinning out the skin that contained it. To fix it, surgeons originally thought they could cut out the bump, but they soon realized that because the bump contained vital brain structures, his surgery became more complicated. Doctors needed to come up with a new plan to push the brain back into the skull, and used 3-D printed models to plan and practice the procedure. After making a few small cuts into his cranium and draining almost a pound of fluid out of his brain, Bentley was beginning his road to recovery. Now, 4 weeks after the surgery, Yodel said her younger son is quickly catching up to other 7-month-old boys, despite being told that he would die in the womb. Read: Girl With Autism, 6, Comes Out Of Her Shell With The Help of Her Loyal Companion Cat "Every day, he's doing more and more things that's been gradually improving," she said. "He's a lot more alert. He's understanding his surroundings. His movements have been more purposeful, he's smiling when we talk to him." Before the surgery, doctors speculated that he wouldn't have eyesight in either eye, but Bentley has since even began using both to see. "The pediatrician has full confidence he will get to where he needs to be," Yoder told InsideEdition.com. Watch: Meet the 5-Year-Old Boy Whose Rare Condition Causes Skin to Grow 10 Times Faster Than Normal Related Articles: He might have earned himself the nickname "Bad Chad" for his behavior on The Bachelorette this season, but according to Chad Johnson himself, he's not exactly the guy he was portrayed to be on TV. Skyping into Jimmy Kimmel Live! following Monday's episode of the hit reality dating show, where we finally saw the last of Johnson for once and for all, the Oklahoma-based realtor did his best to defend himself for his antics this season which included physical altercations with the other contestants and threats of violence. "I actually didn't watch any of the episodes until about a week ago, and then I started to kind of realize when I watched the last one, like: 'Oh, that's why the people are saying the things online that they're saying,' " Johnson said. "That makes a little sense now." "I mean, when you're in the moment you say things and you do things, and my thing is sometimes I'll says things in order to get the result that I want," Johnson admitted. "[But] I have pretty good interactions with people generally." After Kimmel played a clip from Monday's episode of The Bachelorette following Johnson's departure and the subsequent rejoicing of the rest of the guys Johnson couldn't help but laugh at the scene. "Honestly, I kind of expected it," he said. "It's pretty hilarious though, I get it. They took me out. Good job, you sabotaged me, brah." When asked about Jordan Rodgers, whom he clashed with repeatedly, Johnson said sarcastically: "Great guy, real great guy. Love him," though he denied that his threats to "come find" Rodgers after the show held any weight. "I mean, it's not like I would do that obviously I have people that do those types of things," he said with a sly smile. "But honestly, at that point, I was just joking with him, I was just trying to get the guy to be quiet. You don't know what to say. I mean, there was a point where I couldn't even sleep in the next room they were talking about me so much. So I literally was like: 'How crazy do I have to go until maybe they think I'm insane and then they'll just start to leave me alone?' " "At the end of the day, it's a show things are amplified," he continued. "We try to be ourselves and we try to be who we are but at the same time, whoever you are is amplified up about a million times." Story continues RELATED VIDEO: Breaking Down Chad's Latest Crazy Bachelorette Antics The Bachelorette's Chad Johnson Defends Himself: 'At the End of the Day, It's a Show Things Are Amplified'" data-ad-channel="Brightcove" data-ad-subchannel="" data-auto-play="no"> And of course, there's the matter of that particular Instagram post Johnson shared Monday, in which he's oh-so-casually making out with contestant Robby Hayes' ex-girlfriend. So what's that about? "You know, I mean, we were traveling and we just happened to see each other and things kind of went from there," Johnson said. "I mean, it started off as we were just kind of friends, we were just kind of making jokes about it. But I mean, I don't know. I don't want to make any judgements or say where it's going to go." And ultimately, despite his stint on the upcoming Bachelor in Paradise, Johnson confirmed he's still single and "looking for love" so would he consider being the next Bachelor? "I think being the Bachelor obviously would be amazing ... but I don't know, I feel like at this point I was probably portrayed as a little too crazy to be that person," he said. (Well, props for self-awareness.) But the best reveal of Johnson's interview? That he's still friends with Daniel the Canadian. "We actually message every day," he said. "Sometimes his messages make sense, sometimes they don't, but either way it's hilarious." Jimmy Kimmel Live! airs weekdays (11:35 p.m. ET) on ABC and The Bachelorette airs Mondays (8 p.m. ET) on ABC. By Sanjeev Miglani and Ruma Paul DHAKA, June 21 (Reuters) - Bangladesh central bank officials will hold a meeting with the New York Federal Reserve next month to try and speed up efforts to recover $81 million stolen by hackers from its account at the Fed, officials in Dhaka said. More than four months after the hackers broke into the computer systems of Bangladesh Bank and transferred money into bank accounts in Philippines using the SWIFT payment network, there is no breakthrough yet in investigations. Most of the money has disappeared into casinos in the Philippines and remains missing. While the criminal investigation has made slow progress, Bangladesh Bank has focused on getting back the money, leaning on the New York Fed and the Philippines central bank for help. Bangladesh Bank deputy governor Mohammad Razee Hassan, who heads its financial intelligence unit, will meet Fed officials in New York on July 15, two officials at the bank in Dhaka said. Both said the talks follow a meeting in Basel in Switzerland in May where the heads of the Bangladesh central bank, the New York Fed and representatives from SWIFT agreed to help Bangladesh Bank get back its money. One official involved in the preparations for the meeting said on Tuesday they would also be discussing future arrangements on the central bank's deposits held in New York. "Its a follow-up meeting for recovery of funds. But there are other things as well. Fed is holding our account. We are their customers, there are things we need to discuss," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity, citing bank rules. The official said he was not sure if SWIFT would be part of the meeting. SWIFT had no immediate comment to make. Bangladesh police investigators have said that SWIFT technicians introduced security loopholes when connecting the messaging network to Bangladesh's first real-time gross settlement (RTGS) system late last year. SWIFT, a cooperative owned by 3,000 financial institutions, has rejected those allegations and said its messaging platform was not breached in the Bangladesh hack. (Additional reporting by Krishna Das; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan) By Sanjeev Miglani and Ruma Paul DHAKA (Reuters) - Bangladesh central bank officials will hold a meeting with the New York Federal Reserve next month to try and speed up efforts to recover $81 million stolen by hackers from its account at the Fed, officials in Dhaka said. More than four months after the hackers broke into the computer systems of Bangladesh Bank and transferred money into bank accounts in Philippines using the SWIFT payment network, there is no breakthrough yet in investigations. Most of the money has disappeared into casinos in the Philippines and remains missing. While the criminal investigation has made slow progress, Bangladesh Bank has focused on getting back the money, leaning on the New York Fed and the Philippines central bank for help. Bangladesh Bank deputy governor Mohammad Razee Hassan, who heads its financial intelligence unit, will meet Fed officials in New York on July 15, two officials at the bank in Dhaka said. Both said the talks follow a meeting in Basel in Switzerland in May where the heads of the Bangladesh central bank, the New York Fed and representatives from SWIFT agreed to help Bangladesh Bank get back its money. One official involved in the preparations for the meeting said on Tuesday they would also be discussing future arrangements on the central bank's deposits held in New York. "Its a follow-up meeting for recovery of funds. But there are other things as well. Fed is holding our account. We are their customers, there are things we need to discuss," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity, citing bank rules. The official said he was not sure if SWIFT would be part of the meeting. SWIFT had no immediate comment to make. Bangladesh police investigators have said that SWIFT technicians introduced security loopholes when connecting the messaging network to Bangladesh's first real-time gross settlement (RTGS) system late last year. SWIFT, a cooperative owned by 3,000 financial institutions, has rejected those allegations and said its messaging platform was not breached in the Bangladesh hack. (Additional reporting by Krishna Das; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan) LONDON (Reuters) - British financial institutions showed very little demand for Bank of England funds in a repo operation designed to meet extra liquidity needs ahead of Thursday's referendum on European Union membership. Lenders bid for and received just 370 million pounds of six-month central bank funds on Tuesday, the lowest amount allotted at one of the BoE's indexed long-term repo (ILTR) operations since January 2015 and down from 2.455 billion last week. The central bank said earlier this year it would hold two extra repos in the two weeks before June 23's referendum, and one in the following week to tackle any shortage of liquidity for banks. The BoE said 325 million pounds of the funds were allotted at its standard Bank Rate of 0.5 percent, while 45 million pounds of funds - which were secured with lower-quality collateral - were allotted at a rate of 0.65 percent. (Reporting by David Milliken; Editing by Ana Nicolaci da Costa) Tensions over competing territorial claims in the resource-rich South China Sea have spiked in recent months as claimant countries, including China and the Philippines, await an upcoming decision by an international tribunal. That body, located at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague, is widely expected to rule in the Philippines favor. But China has repeatedly stated that it will not accept the upcoming ruling, and has recently engaged in a public relations blitz to gain international support for its position. Now, Beijing is raising an objection unique in the history of arbitration cases of this type: the nationality of the person who oversaw the tribunals formation. In January 2013, the Philippines filed a case with the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) challenging some of Chinas land reclamation actions and claims in the South China Sea, through which over $5 trillion in trade flows annually. In the five-judge tribunal formed to hear the case, each side has the right to select two judges, and the president of ITLOS chooses the fifth. But China declined to participate in the arbitration, ceding its right to select two of the five panel judges. As a result, then-president Shunji Yanai, a Japanese citizen, chose judges on Chinas behalf, according to standard procedure. Chinese officials have objected to Yanais having played that role, claiming that Japans own maritime disputes with China in the East China Sea make a Japanese national unfit to play a role in a case involving other, unrelated maritime disputes with China. Yanai himself does not sit on the tribunal. Objections due to Yanais nationality first surfaced in 2013, and have recently become more prominent. Considering the East China sea dispute between China and Japan, argued a May 11 commentary in Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece Peoples Daily, Shunji Yanai should have avoided [participation] according to the law. But he deliberately ignored this fact and clearly violated procedural justice requirements. The commentary, written by Zhong Sheng, a pen name often employed to present the papers official position, did not specify which law had been violated. It claimed that the selected tribunal judges were biased and had deliberately ignored the rights and interests of China. On June 8, the Chinese ambassador to Indonesia, Xie Feng, penned an op-ed in English-language daily Jakarta Post noting the tribunals president was a Japanese national who went to great pains to form a temporary tribunal, adding that the panel of five judges, with four from Europe and one from Ghana, can hardly be considered as universally representative. Story continues Wang Xining, deputy-director general at the information department at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed that Xies perspective mirrors Beijings. We hope there should be no self interest involved in forming an instrument of international justice, Wang told Foreign Policy via email. He added, somewhat ambiguously, that a Japanese candidate would be an easy breach of impartiality the existing disputes between China and Japan over certain territorial and maritime issues. Emphasizing Yanais nationality could serve to further delegitimize the tribunal in the eyes of Chinas populace. Many Chinese feel Japan has not sufficiently distanced itself from its militarism and wartime atrocities during World War II, when Chinese suffered under brutal Japanese occupation. Anti-Japanese sentiment in China has flared up in recent years over perceived attempts to whitewash history in Japanese textbooks, visits by government officials to a Tokyo shrine which commemorates dead war criminals, and competing claims over rocks in the East China Sea. Grassroots nationalism also flourishes in Chinas online spaces, fueled in part by state-run media, with netizens occasionally lashing out to chastise Japan or to criticize their own government when it doesnt take a hardline stance. Lingering fear of Japanese aggression has manifested in the context of the South China Sea as well. In March, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hong Lei invoked Japanese wartime actions to express disapproval of Japanese military cooperation with the Philippines, stating, Japan once illegally occupied Chinas islands in the South China Sea during WWII. We are on high alert against Japans attempt to return to the South China Sea through military means. U.S.-based South China Sea commenters have dismissed the claim that Yanais Japanese nationality influenced the formation of the tribunal. Its not a serious argument, said James Kraska, a professor of international law and research director in the Stockton Center for the Study of International Law at the U.S. Naval War College in Rhode Island. It bears about as much weight as what Donald Trump said about the judge of Mexican heritage referring to the presumptive Republican presidential nominees widely-ridiculed claim that a Mexican-American judge could not be trusted to render an impartial decision on a case related to the failed Trump University, due to Trumps strong stance against illegal immigration. There have been 25 ITLOS cases since the organization ruled on its first case in 1997; but this is the first time, said Kraska, that the nationality of a judge has been used to question a tribunals impartiality. Kraska knew of no evidence that the five judges on the panel are biased towards any party. None of the guys on the panel have had any sort of obvious political leanings throughout their career, Kraska told FP. They are legal technicians. They have spent their entire lives championing the rule of law in the oceans. There is no predictable pattern to their decisions. He continued, They are committed, true believers in the value of international law and the law of the sea, calling them purists, to a fault. Analysts have widely predicted that the tribunal will rule against China; the claim against Yanai is a last-ditch effort to try to discredit the legal proceedings, according to Bonnie Glaser, senior advisor for Asia and director of the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, DC. Glaser said that she had heard this argument as early as 2013, when the tribunal was formed, but that only recently had it been more widely discussed. China has tried every possible angle to oppose the tribunal, she wrote in an email. First they challenged its jurisdiction. Then they said it was a violation of the [Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea] a 2002 agreement between China and ASEAN nations. They argued that China excluded dispute settlement so it has no obligation to participation. None of these worked, hence the latest tack. Glaser said she found the latest objection the most detestable, and said she considers the tribunals judges the best in the world. The judge in question has worked in the international sphere for 45 years. Yanai became an ITLOS member in 2005 and served as its president from 2011 to 2014. Prior to that, he was a career diplomat. He joined the Japanese Foreign Ministry in 1961 and served as ambassador to the United States from 1999 to 2001. The Wall Street Journal described him in 1999 as blunt-speaking and fun-loving, noting his second marriage to a former geisha. He has also taught international law at Chuo University in Tokyo and lectured on maritime dispute resolution. Beijing-backed analysts have recently doubled down on their arguments against Yanai. Wu Shicun, president of the National Institute for South China Sea Studies in Chinas southernmost island province of Hainan, told FP via email that there is evidence demonstrating Yanais bias in favor of the Philippines. In April 2013, [Yanai] appointed Chris Pinto as the president of the Arbitral Tribunal. Mr. Pinto is [of Sri Lankan] nationality, but his wife is a Filipino, Wu wrote. Wu also argued that a ruling against China in the Philippines case could be good for Japan because Japan, through joining the chorus and bashing China, could make itself seem like a good guy in East Asia. Regardless of how the tribunal rules, China has emphasized that it will not recognize the legitimacy of the decision. ITLOS has no mechanism for enforcement, meaning that China is unlikely to change its behavior in the South China Sea. The only cost China will pay will likely come in the form international censure and a resulting dent in its soft power. By working to discredit the tribunal, Beijing is hoping to reduce that toll as much as possible. PATRICK LUX/AFP/Getty Images KINSHASA (AFP) - Jean-Pierre Bemba, greeted Wednesday by tens of thousands of people on his return to DR Congo, is a former businessman and warlord who intends to return to politics after being convicted then acquitted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes. Bemba, who became vice president of an interim government from 2003 to 2006, was born on November 4, 1962 in Bogada in the northwest Equateur province of what is now Democratic Republic of Congo. Bemba's father was a rich businessman close to dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, who ruled from 1965 until he was ousted in 1997, a period during which he named Zaire. Young Bemba was schooled in Belgium, the former colonial power, and went on to take over family businesses, using his popularity in the capital Kinshasa to build on his wealth and expand into sectors such as mobile phones, air freight and television. - Miniature Mobutu - Bemba has been nicknamed "Chairman" and "Miniature Mobutu" for his headstrong character . Long-time associate Delly Sesanga described him as an intelligent leader albeit with an impulsive trait which "can lead to mistakes." The heavy-set Bemba, an imposing 1.90 metres (6 foot 3 inches) tall, left Kinshasa in 1997 when the late rebel leader Laurent Desire Kabila, father of current President Joseph Kabila, overthrew Mobutu and gave the country its current name. A 1998-2003 war drew foreign armies on rival sides into the vast central African nation which has fabulous mineral wealth. Bemba became leader of the Congolese Liberation Movement (MLC) rebels, a 1,500-strong force backed by neighbouring Uganda and opposed to the Kabila regime. - Pride in bush years - Bemba has spoken with pride of his years in the bush, where his men controlled Equateur province and the border region with the Central African Republic. Bemba sent his fighters into CAR in October 2002 to help put down an attempted coup against then president Ange-Felix Patasse, sparking a months-long campaign of horrific abuses by MLC troops against the civilian population. Story continues After the Congolese war ended in 2003, Bemba laid down his arms and was awarded one of four vice-presidential posts shared out among wartime rivals in a transitional government. In 2006 he lost a presidential run-off against the young Kabila, who had been rushed to power by politicians after the 2001 assassination of his father. Bemba vowed to lead the opposition and was elected to the national Senate. However, he refused to let his militia be integrated into the ranks of the regular army, insisting he needed the MLC to ensure his own safety. In March 2007 an armed stand-off erupted into violence in Kinshasa, claiming at least 300 lives, according to the United Nations. As the government brought charges and the courts began to move against Bemba, he left the country, ostensibly to seek medical treatment in Portugal, driving out of Kinshasa escorted by UN armoured vehicles on April 11, 2007. - Facing the court - Until his arrest in Brussels in 2008 on an ICC warrant over the MLC's abuses, Bemba lived between Portugal and Belgium in what he called "forced exile", insisting he would yet return home to take up an opposition role. Bemba denied guilt throughout his ICC trial which began in 2010. He was sentenced in 2016 to 18 years in prison for crimes against humanity and war crimes. The tribunal said Bemba had failed to deter rapes, killings and looting by his private army in 2002 and 2003 in CAR. But on June 8 this year the ICC acquitted Bemba on appeal, reversing the conviction saying he could not be held criminally liable for crimes that had been committed by his troops and releasing him four days later. Now back in Kinshasa after 11 years in exile, Bemba has the presidential election on December 23 in his sights. Investors are less anxious about Britain leaving the EU than they were a week ago. This is because of the latest polls which show that there has been a significant momentum shift towards favoring a vote to remain in the EU. Polls are giving mixed results right now, but for the most part, it is a very close contest between leaving and remaining. While polls are pretty much neck and neck, gamblers seem to believe that there is a very likely chance that Britain votes to stay in the EU. Betting odds currently give the remain side a 77% chance of winning, according to betting exchange firm Betfair. A spokeswoman for Betfair has said that there is about 43 million pounds ($63.21 million) being wagered on the EU referendum vote. Gambling tends to come with the risk of losing everything, and that is not a very prudent way to play the odds, especially when polls are so close right now. A better way to play the positive momentum shift for the remain side is by buying up stocks which have seen their share prices take a beating because of speculation regarding the possibility of a Brexit. Such stocks include banks in the UK. These institutions have already been affected by negative sentiment stemming from Brexit fears. British banks stand to lose a lot from a vote to leave the EU. Many believe that a Brexit will trigger a massive asset sell-off, which could really hurt the lucrative investment banking branches of banks. Bernstein analysts believe that a Brexit would result in significant depreciation for the pound as well as higher unemployment and lower house prices in the UK. All of these factors are expected to make loans funded by banks riskier because of the higher chances for clients to default on their debt obligations. While a Brexit sounds scary, momentum has definitely favored the leavers over the last week. Many expect to see this momentum propel the remain side forward going into the vote, which is to take place on the June 23. Story continues If you are feeling lucky, British banks may be the way to go right now. That is because even if you are wrong about a Brexit, you will still own shares which are trading at a significant discount relative to the stock price a year ago. Some of the downside to UK banks has already been realized on the share price front, and at the same time, there is a lot of upside with these stocks if a vote to remain in the EU prevails. Lloyds Banking Group plc-LYG Lloyds Banking Group is a UK-based financial services company, whose businesses provide a range of banking and financial services. The companys segments include UK Retail Banking, Insurance and Investments, and Wholesale and International Banking. Lloyds is a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), and the bank trades at a forward PE of 9.69. Its worth noting that the industrys average forward PE is 10.7. LYG has a market cap of $73.51 billion, and it doles out a sizable 3.22% dividend. The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc-RBS The Royal Bank of Scotland provides financial products and services to customers throughout the UK and beyond. RBS stock is a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), and it has a market cap of $40.34 billion. The Royal Bank of Scotland looks like a bargain across some fundamental valuation metrics. In particular, the company is trading at a price-to-book of just 0.46. When a companys price-to-book is under one, it may be undervalued. Barclays plc-BCS Barclays engages in several different businesses within the financial sector. The companys businesses engage in commercial banking, investment banking, and providing insurance and other financial services. A majority of Barclays branches are located in the UK, but the bank also has over 1000 branches abroad. BCS stock is a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), and it also gets a grade of B for value in our Style Scores. The company has a market cap of $43.35 billion, and it doles out a generous 7.43% dividend to shareholders. Bottom Line If you are betting against a Brexit, you can either risk losing all of your money wagered, or go with executing a method that comes with significantly less downside. If you buy these stocks and you are wrong about a Brexit, you still own shares in those companies. If you are right about Britain choosing to remain in the EU and you own these shares, the upside could lead to a massive surge for the bottom line of your investment portfolio. The Zacks Rank is a truly marvelous trading tool. Our ranking system has beaten the S&P 500, yielding an average return of 25% per year for the last 29 years! Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report BARCLAY PLC-ADR (BCS): Free Stock Analysis Report ROYAL BK SC-ADR (RBS): Free Stock Analysis Report LLOYDS BANK GRP (LYG): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research In the aftermath of the death of a 2-year-old boy who was drowned by an alligator at a Disney resort in Florida, much of the public response has been sympathetic. But not all of it: Sprinkled across social media, online comments and even whisperings you may hear at the water cooler, some individuals are instead pointing fingers, blaming the parents. Is this a sign of the times? Is parenting shame on the rise and empathy taking a dive? Research says maybe so. The brain is wired for empathy, but it's also wired for moral judgments. And some facets of modern American culture may push people away from the former and toward the latter. The blame game Beneath any given online article about the alligator attack, there are at least a few comments questioning the child's parents. The theme persists on the Twitter hashtag #DisneyGatorAttack. "People are blaming an alligator for being an alligator, when the real issue here is child negligence. Watch your child," Tweeted a user with the handle @nuffsaidNY. Ubiquitous reports that the child's parents were right next to him and that the father struggled to pull open the alligator's jaws to save his child seem not to put a damper on the judgments. A similar pattern occurred in late May after a preschooler slipped away from his mother and fell into a gorilla enclosure at the Cincinnati Zoo. The child survived, but zoo officials had to shoot the gorilla, resulting in calls for the parents to be prosecuted. In response to the blame has come a backlash. Melissa Fenton, a writer for the parenting site Scary Mommy, wrote a plea for compassion on Facebook, arguing that in the past, child-in-peril stories engendered support, not judgment. [5 Ways to Foster Self-Compassion in Your Child] "We now live in a time where accidents are not allowed to happen. You heard me. Accidents, of any form, in any way, and at any time, well, they just don't happen anymore," Fenton wrote. "Why? Because BLAME and SHAME." Story continues Empathy and judgment Empathy is the ability to put oneself in another person's emotional shoes. This ability is baked into people's moral reasoning, even at the level of brain anatomy, science shows. Researchers reporting in 2013 in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience examined the brains of psychopaths (who have stunted empathy for others) and found multiple brain regions involved, including the anterior insula, the anterior cingulate cortex, the supplementary motor area, the inferior frontal gyrus, the somatosensory cortex and the right amygdala. (Specifically, these areas are linked to empathy for pain.) In a review paper that same year, published in the journal Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience, researchers catalogued all of the brain regions involved in moral judgments. The names of a few familiar regions popped up. The insular cortex which holds the anterior insula and is associated with the processing of disgust, uncertainty and emotions plays a role in morals. So does the anterior cingulate cortex. [5 Ways Your Emotions Influence Your World (and Vice Versa)] In other words, empathy is tangled with moral judgment even at the level of brain anatomy. Understanding how others think and feel is important to making moral decisions, of course. But people aren't perfect at it. A 2013 study published in the Journal of Neuroscience found that when one person is exposed to a negative stimuli (a picture of maggots and a bowl of slime, for example) while another person is exposed to a positive stimuli (e.g., a picture of a puppy and a soft fleece), the individual emotions of the two people get in the way of understanding one another. The person exposed to the negative stimuli views the person exposed to the positive stimuli as less happy than that individual really is. Meanwhile, the person who had the positive experience views the person who had the negative experience as happier than he or she really is. A person's own emotional state bleeds into his or her understanding of another's. Brain bias Empathy is "a powerful emotion," said Emile Bruneau, a cognitive scientist and visiting scholar at the University of Pennsylvania. Even so, people can be easily "distracted" from empathy by other emotions and even external factors, she told Live Science. "It can motivate us. It can bring us to tears and motivate us to great action of altruism," Bruneau said. "But it's also incredibly flexible. We can feel a great amount of empathy for someone and something, but then we can turn around and feel no empathy at all for someone else." For instance, people might feel empathy for a dead or endangered child, and this emotion might lead them to feel anger and aggression toward the parents they perceive as being at fault, Bruneau said. People also prefer to apply empathy to their own in-groups, and tend not to feel as much empathy for out-groups. "That can be across any boundary," Bruneau said. "It's one of the curious things about humans. We can distinguish in-group and out-group across any arbitrary boundary we decide." Another serious hiccup for empathy is what's called the fundamental attribution error. This is a cognitive bias by which people assume that other people's actions are mostly driven by their personalities, rather than external factors that are out of their control. However, when people think about their own behavior, they do take these external factors into account. In other words, if your kid gets away from you at the zoo, you can list the reasons why: He's fast; the place was crowded; your other kids needed your attention. If someone else's kid slips away at the zoo, it's because that person is a bad parent, you may conclude. In a particularly individualistic culture, like modern America, the fundamental attribution error may play an outsize role. "People in individualistic cultures are more likely to commit this error, and are more likely in general to attribute actions to the individual instead of the situation," said Jean Twenge, a psychologist at San Diego State University and author of "Generation Me: Why Today's Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled and More Miserable Than Ever Before" (Free Press, 2006). Culture change? Survey data comparing today's Americans to their counterparts of the same age in previous generations suggests that the population is becoming more individualistic, and has been doing so for at least a century. "Since U.S. culture has grown more individualistic, it makes sense that people are now more likely to blame parents when things go wrong," Twenge told Live Science. Similar generational research also finds declines in empathy. A study published in 2011 in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Review found a decline of 48 percent in college students' scores on empathic concern, a measure of feelings of sympathy, tenderness and compassion for others. There was also a 34 percent decline in perspective-taking, the intellectual tendency to imagine another's point of view. (This data is subject to some controversy over whether people really feel more individualistic and less empathetic, or whether it's simply more socially acceptable to say so now.) Changing attitudes toward parenting and children may also make blame and judgment more rampant. Life has become staggeringly safer for children over the past century. According to the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration, the rate of deaths for children under the age of 4 has dropped from 1,418.8 deaths per 100,000 in 1907 to 28.6 deaths per 100,000 in 2007. [What Are the Odds of Dying From] Unintentional accidents made up about the same proportion of deaths of small children since 1970 (37 percent that year, versus 34 percent in 2007), but the overall number of deaths has continued to decline during that time. This means fatal childhood accidents are rarer than ever. "People used to think accidents were normal acts of God, or just random bad luck," said Stephanie Coontz, a historian of families at The Evergreen State College in Washington. "And precisely because life was less safe then, people were less inclined than today to have the expectation that life would be safe if no one screwed up." Original article on Live Science. Editor's Recommendations Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. By Alwyn Scott NEW YORK (Reuters) - Boeing Co (BA.N) signed an agreement to sell jetliners to Iran Air, the company said on Tuesday, confirming Iranian statements and briefly sending its shares up sharply in early trading. The historic deal to sell 100 jetliners to the airline, Boeing's first sale to Iran since its Islamic Revolution in 1979, resulted from the nuclear accord reached with that country last year. The agreement brings more work to Boeing's factories in Washington state and South Carolina, and helps the aerospace and defense company catch up with a $27 billion (18.41 billion pound), 118-plane order Iran placed with Airbus (AIR.PA) in January. Boeing said in a statement that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with state carrier Iran Air "expressing the airline's intent to purchase Boeing commercial passenger airplanes." The Chicago-based company declined to discuss the number or type of planes it would sell, or the timetable for delivery of the aircraft. But the head of Iran's Civil Aviation Organization, Ali Abedzadeh, told the state-run daily newspaper Iran on Friday that the signed deal was for 100 Boeing aircraft. Such an order would be worth about $11 billion at list prices if Iran Air bought only Boeing 737 single-aisle jetliners, and perhaps twice that much if it included a significant number of twin-aisle planes such as the 777 or 787 Dreamliner. A large order was expected, but the sale raised concerns among some Congress members, who feared it could threaten U.S. national security. Boeing's statement said the talks that led to the memorandum of understanding were conducted "under authorizations from the U.S. government following a determination that Iran had met its obligations under the nuclear accord reached last summer." Boeing said it would "continue to follow the lead of the U.S. government with regards to working with Iran's airlines." It added that "any and all contracts with Iran's airlines will be contingent upon U.S. government approval." Story continues U.S. Representative Rick Larsen, a Washington state Democrat who has Boeing's biggest factory in his district, pledged to keep an eye on the deal's ramifications. "In the coming days the U.S. government will be taking a hard look at the specifics of the deal to ensure it is consistent with both U.S. interests and those of our international allies, and Ill be tracking those developments closely," he said in a statement. Abedzadeh's statement in the newspaper on Friday confirmed a Reuters report on June 6 that Iran was close to a deal to buy more than 100 jetliners from the Chicago-based aircraft maker. Boeing shares were down 0.78 percent at $131.72 in early afternoon trading on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. Earlier in the day, the stock climbed to $133.18 from a low of $132.25. Separately, Bloomberg reported that Russian cargo carrier Volga-Dneper had placed more than 10 firm orders for Boeing 747 freighters. Boeing did not immediately respond to requests for comment. (Reporting by Alwyn Scott in New York; Editing by Jonathan Oatis) (Adds State Department comment; no comment from Boeing on number or type of planes) By Alwyn Scott NEW YORK, June 21 (Reuters) - Boeing Co signed an agreement to sell jetliners to Iran Air, the company said on Tuesday, confirming Iranian statements about the historic deal to sell 100 jetliners to the airline. The tentative agreement, which marks Boeing's first sale to Iran since its Islamic Revolution in 1979, resulted from the nuclear accord reached with the country last year. The agreement brings more work to Boeing's factories in Washington state and South Carolina, and helps the aerospace and defense company catch up with a $27 billion, 118-plane order Iran placed with Airbus in January. Boeing said in a statement that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with state carrier Iran Air "expressing the airline's intent to purchase Boeing commercial passenger airplanes." The Chicago-based company declined to discuss the number or type of planes it would sell, or the timetable for delivery of the aircraft. But the head of Iran's Civil Aviation Organization, Ali Abedzadeh, told the state-run daily newspaper Iran on Friday that the signed deal was for 100 Boeing aircraft. Such an order would be worth about $11 billion at list prices if Iran Air bought only Boeing 737 single-aisle jetliners, and perhaps twice that much if it included a significant number of twin-aisle planes such as the 777 or 787 Dreamliner. A large order was expected, but the sale raised concerns among some Congress members, who feared it could threaten U.S. national security. Boeing's statement said the talks that led to the memorandum of understanding were conducted "under authorizations from the U.S. government following a determination that Iran had met its obligations under the nuclear accord reached last summer." Boeing said it would "continue to follow the lead of the U.S. government with regards to working with Iran's airlines." It added that "any and all contracts with Iran's airlines will be contingent upon U.S. government approval." Story continues U.S. Representative Rick Larsen, a Washington state Democrat who has Boeing's biggest factory in his district, pledged to keep an eye on the deal's ramifications. "In the coming days the U.S. government will be taking a hard look at the specifics of the deal to ensure it is consistent with both U.S. interests and those of our international allies, and I'll be tracking those developments closely," he said in a statement. U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby told reporters the agency welcomed Boeing's announcement and was in close communication with Boeing. It said the multi-country agreement on Iran's nuclear program reached last summer allows "civil aviation companies, including American companies, to pursue legitimate commerce with Iran." Progress on those deals "is good  for both the economy and for public safety," he said. Abedzadeh's statement in the newspaper on Friday confirmed a Reuters report on June 6 that Iran was close to a deal to buy more than 100 jetliners from the Chicago-based aircraft maker. Boeing shares closed down 0.93 percent at $131.52 on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. Separately, Bloomberg reported that Russian cargo carrier Volga-Dneper had placed more than 10 firm orders for Boeing 747 freighters. Boeing declined comment. (Reporting by Alwyn Scott in New York; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Tom Brown) After months of talks, Boeing has signed a tentative agreement to sell jetliners to Iran, in a deal that could be worth up to $25 billion. The proposed deal with state-owned Iran Air could be the biggest a U.S. manufacturer has made with the country since the easing of trade sanctions, reports the Wall Street Journal. Boeing is one of the many plane makers eyeing the Iranian market. In January, the European Airbus Group SE announced a 118-jet agreement with Iran, which has yet to be completed. Iran Air said on Monday that pending approval from its government and the U.S., it planned to lease single-aisle 737 and long-haul 777 planes. But such a deal could be months from completion due to lenders uncertainty over financing projects with the Islamic Republic and the need for the U.S. to sign off on any sale to Iran. The U.S. has maintained sanctions on Irans airlines due to fears that they may be supporting terrorism. NEW YORK, NY --(Marketwired - June 21, 2016) - For 10 years running, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital ranks in more pediatric specialties than any other New York metro area hospital in U.S. News & World Report's "Best Children's Hospitals." The 2016-17 rankings are published online today. NewYork-Presbyterian ranks among the top in the nation for children's care in every specialty evaluated in the U.S. News survey, which includes cancer, cardiology and heart surgery, diabetes and endocrinology, gastroenterology and gastrointestinal surgery, neonatology, nephrology, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, pulmonology and urology. NewYork-Presbyterian provides pediatric care in every area of medicine at two major sites: NewYork-Presbyterian/Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital and NewYork-Presbyterian/Komansky Center for Children's Health, and is affiliated with two prestigious medical schools, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and Weill Cornell Medicine. Notably, the Hospital ranks in the top 10 in the nation in diabetes and endocrinology as well as neonatology. This year marks the first time NewYork-Presbyterian's Innovation Center held an App Challenge and Demo Day devoted solely to pediatric healthcare, generating innovative tech solutions for the pediatric health space. Advancements were also made in the fight against pediatric cancer -- using genomic sequencing to analyze a patient's entire genome has created a more personalized approach to cancer diagnosis and care. Also noteworthy was the use of 3-D printing technology, offering unmatched accuracy and precision for some of the most complex surgeries. "We are constantly looking at ways to improve pediatric healthcare, both by hiring world-class clinicians and by applying new technologies and innovative thinking," said Dr. Steven J. Corwin, president and CEO of NewYork-Presbyterian. "Our team of physicians, nurses and staff at Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital and the Komansky Center for Children's Health is committed to providing the highest quality, most compassionate care and service to every child and family. We are creating a vision of pediatric healthcare for the future." Story continues U.S. News ranks children's hospitals using a variety of criteria related to hospital resources and services, commitment to best practices and outcome data. In addition, a portion of a hospital's score is determined through a national survey of pediatric specialists and subspecialists in each of the 10 ranked specialties, drawn from more than 9,000 physicians who are members of the online professional network Doximity, as well as 1,500 nonmembers. For the rankings, visit http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/pediatric-rankings. The rankings will be published in the print edition of U.S. News & World Report's "Best Hospitals" issue, which will be on newsstands in August. Media can download a high-resolution image of the hospital from Dropbox. B-Roll is also available via Dropbox. NewYork-Presbyterian/Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital and NewYork-Presbyterian/Komansky Center for Children's Health NewYork-Presbyterian/Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, which is affiliated with Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and NewYork-Presbyterian/Phyllis and David Komansky Center for Children's Health, which is affiliated with Weill Cornell Medicine, have built a reputation for more than a century as two of the nation's premier centers for pediatric care. Together, they offer the best available care in every area of pediatrics -- including the most complex neonatal and critical care, and all areas of pediatric surgery -- in a family-friendly and technologically advanced setting. They are also major international referral centers, meeting the special needs of children from infancy through adolescence worldwide. NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital also comprises NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center, NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, NewYork-Presbyterian/Westchester Division, NewYork-Presbyterian/The Allen Hospital, and NewYork-Presbyterian/Lower Manhattan Hospital. The hospital is also closely affiliated with NewYork-Presbyterian/Hudson Valley Hospital, NewYork-Presbyterian/Lawrence Hospital and NewYork-Presbyterian/Queens. NewYork-Presbyterian is the #1 hospital in the New York metropolitan area and is consistently ranked among the best academic medical institutions in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report. For more information, visit www.nyp.org. Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/6/20/11G103561/Images/PR-News-Banner-2016-06-21-USNews-Peds-4b7e2b0c9c6fa2be9f68f25ca2f987f3.jpg MUMBAI (Reuters) - Bollywood movie star Salman Khan ran afoul of a national women's group, film critics and Twitter users on Tuesday after saying that training sessions for his new film made him feel like a "raped woman". Khan, arguably India's most popular actor, made the remark during media interviews over the weekend to promote the film "Sultan", in which he plays a professional wrestler. "It is the most difficult thing," the 50-year-old actor told reporters in Mumbai on Saturday when asked about his training schedule. "When I used to walk out of that ring, it used to be like a raped woman walking out." The remark, which initially went unnoticed, sparked outrage on social media with the hashtag #InsensitiveSalman trending for several hours. The National Commission for Women (NCW), a government-run body for women's rights, took notice and wrote to Khan demanding a public apology within seven days. "He has demonstrated the patriarchal mindset that is prevalent in this country - unfortunately, he will get away with it," Lalitha Kumaramangalam, the NCW chairwoman, told a television channel. Khan, who holds broad appeal among audiences drawn to his image of a bad boy with a heart of gold, has not commented and his manager did not answer phone calls. Prominent movie critic Raja Sen said on Tuesday he would not watch "Sultan", which opens in cinemas early next month. Khan's remark also drew a bitter response on Twitter. "It's our fault that we have given stardom to such a misogynistic idiot!" said Twitter user Neeraj Khandelwal. Khan's remark comes after a string of rape cases in India in recent years that made international headlines. One gang rape, torture and murder in 2012 led to New Delhi being dubbed "India's rape capital". It is not Khan's first brush with controversy. Last year, a Mumbai court overturned the actor's conviction in a 13-year-old hit-and-run case in which he was accused of running over a homeless man. In 2007, Khan was jailed for nearly a week for shooting an endangered gazelle on a hunting trip in the desert state of Rajasthan. He is also out on bail in a case over the killing of protected antelopes. (Reporting by Shilpa Jamkhandikar; Editing by Tony Tharakan, Robert MacMillan and Hugh Lawson) (Reuters) - Boston Retirement System, the public pension fund for Boston municipal employees, filed the first bondholders proposed class action against Volkswagen AG related to the company's diesel emissions scandal, law firm Labaton Sucharow LLP said. The lawsuit, which also names as defendants Volkswagen Group of America Inc and Volkswagen Group of America Finance Inc, claims that "false and misleading statements and omissions" by Volkswagen caused its bonds to trade at "artificially inflated prices..., only to decline after the emissions scandal went public," the law firm said in a statement. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, seeks to recover damages for bondholders who purchased bonds between May 23, 2014, and Sept. 22, 2015, in sales that raised more than $8 billion for Volkswagen, the law firm said. At the same time that Volkswagen was deceiving U.S. investors and regulators with its rigged emissions systems, it was raising billions of dollars from investors in the U.S. capital markets," Thomas A. Dubbs, a partner with Labaton Sucharow, said in the statement. Volkswagen did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The German automaker misled bondholders by failing to disclose that it had used a device in some of its diesel cars that allowed them to temporarily reduce emissions during testing, which increased sales, the complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court of Northern California, claims. The company, which faces a slew of litigation in Germany and in the U.S. by car owners and shareholders, has set aside $18 billion to cover the cost of vehicle refits and a settlement with U.S. authorities after admitting in September to cheating U.S. diesel emissions tests. In the United States, Volkswagen has until June 28 to reach a final diesel emissions settlement with government regulators and owners of nearly 500,000 2.0-liter vehicles. (Reporting by Abinaya Vijayaraghavan in Bengaluru; Editing by Leslie Adler) Amid a heated debate over Hong Kongs autonomy sparked by a local booksellers account of his abduction and detention by Chinese authorities, the citys leader said Tuesday that he has written a letter to Beijing asking for concrete answers. Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying told reporters that he asked the Chinese government to clarify its policy on Hong Kong citizens arrested for breaking laws in mainland China, according to the South China Morning Post. Hong Kong is a semi-autonomous territory governed under a principle known as one country, two systems, whereby the city enjoys certain democratic rights and freedoms not granted across the border in communist-ruled China. However, many fear this autonomy is rapidly being eroded, a concern driven home last week with bookseller Lam Wing-kees explosive revelations. In a press conference on Friday, Lam recounted his seizure by Chinese agents at the border between Hong Kong and Chinas Shenzhen, following which he was held in captivity for over five months while being kept on suicide watch and interrogated regularly. Leung attempted to address those concerns in his own, hastily-convened press conference Monday, where he announced his intention to submit the letter to mainland authorities and follow up if necessary. My letter included four major aspects of our concern about the incident, Leung was quoted as saying by the Post on Tuesday. He went on to say that he requested clarification on how China deals with cases involving Hong Kong residents breaking the law on the mainland, and whether mainland authorities enforced their laws across the border in contravention of Hong Kongs autonomy, in what has now become known as the case of the missing booksellers. When Hong Kong residents are detained on the mainland, could the existing Hong Kongmainland notification system protect their legal rights, and is the mechanism transparent enough? Leung added. Lastly, did the handling of the incident hinder the one country, two systems principle? Story continues When asked whether his government would launch an investigation into Chinese security forces potentially overreaching in Hong Kong, Leung was evasive. We will do things step by step, he said. [SCMP] While most school kids might rush out the door when the bell rings for summer, 11-year-old Cody Dortch wanted his teachers to know just how much hed appreciated their hard work over the year. So as a last goodbye before moving on to middle school, the Edmond, Oklahoma, youngster surprised his teachers and their families with a fancy dinner, and paid for it all using his hard-earned cash. Read: Police Officers Support Fallen Comrade's 10-Year-Old Son as He Graduates Elementary School Ten months ago, Cody started performing extra household chores for his parents and neighbors, babysitting his siblings and asking for donations. He eventually saved up $200 to take seven of his eight teachers to the popular Oklahoma chain Inner Urban. Dortchs mom Ashley told InsideEdition.com that Cody was inspired to treat his teachers after one of his best friends older brothers was killed last year. The boy who was killed always had the motto, I get to do something, not I have to do something, so Cody was inspired to do something not because he had to, but because he could, she said. Cody told InsideEdition.com that he was also motivated by the dedication his teachers have shown him over the years. I wanted to take them out to dinner because my dads a teacher and I know how much he works and how much he does for other kids so I wanted to say theyre good for what they do, he said. Codys dad TJ is an AP chemistry teacher at a local high school and theres a lot his dad has to miss to teach and tutor other students, his mom added. The whole family sees how hard dad works for his students so Cody wanted to say thank you because he knows how hard his teachers have worked for him. Instead of looking at his dad missing things as a downside he saw that as a positive that his teachers also do that. Read: 8-Year-Old Girl Receives Hundreds of Books from Authors After Losing All of Hers in a Fire When Cody presented the educators with surprise invitations to his dinner in April, they were overwhelmed. Codys teacher Marci McVay said they were all touched by his thoughtfulness. Story continues At the end of the dinner Cody presented each of his teachers with a flower and told them: Dinner is on me. There were a lot of times I wanted to spend my money on the other stuff, but Im also happy that I got to see how my teachers liked it, said Cody. When Cody grows up he wants to be a rollercoaster engineer. As for now, hes staying humble amid the unexpected attention. Im just proud of myself for seeing it through for so long, said Cody. Watch: Students Surprise Teacher with Kittens After Her Cat of 16 Years Passed Away Related Articles: By Laila Kearney June 21 (Reuters) - Mourners gathered at a Nebraska church on Tuesday to remember a two-year-old boy who was grabbed and drowned by an alligator while vacationing with his family last week at the Disney World Resort in Florida, a church official said. The private service for Lane Graves at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in the Omaha suburb of Elkhorn, came a week after his death captured international attention and called into question how Disney handles the risk from alligators at the resort. "We ask that you pray for this family and respect their privacy as they go through such a devastating event," St. Patrick's Parish said in a statement on its website. The church, which held a prayer service for Graves on Sunday and then a wake on Monday, is accepting donations to benefit the boy's family, who live in Elkhorn. The church asked mourners to tie royal blue ribbons around trees "to show your love and support" for the Graves family. A church official confirmed that the funeral began at 10 a.m. Central Time, but declined to give more details. The alligator snatched the toddler last Tuesday night as he played at the edge of the Seven Seas Lagoon, a manmade lake at the Walt Disney Co resort. The boy's parents, who were relaxing on the white sand shore nearby, sprang into action in a failed attempt to pry their child from the predator's grip. A lifeguard who was on duty was unable to reach the boy before the alligator swam away with him. Police divers found Lane's body underwater the following afternoon, not far from where he was taken. An autopsy found that the cause of death was drowning and traumatic injuries. At the time, the resort had "No Swimming" signs that did not mention alligators. Disney has since installed signs by the lagoon warning guests of alligators and snakes. "Danger! Alligators and snakes in area," read the new signs, which feature diagrams of the two animals. "Stay away from the water. Do not feed the wildlife." (Reporting by Laila Kearney; Editing by Daniel Wallis and David Gregorio) By Laila Kearney (Reuters) - Mourners gathered at a Nebraska church on Tuesday to remember a two-year-old boy who was grabbed and drowned by an alligator while vacationing with his family last week at the Disney World Resort in Florida, a church official said. The private service for Lane Graves at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in the Omaha suburb of Elkhorn, came a week after his death captured international attention and called into question how Disney handles the risk from alligators at the resort. "We ask that you pray for this family and respect their privacy as they go through such a devastating event," St. Patrick's Parish said in a statement on its website. The church, which held a prayer service for Graves on Sunday and then a wake on Monday, is accepting donations to benefit the boy's family, who live in Elkhorn. The church asked mourners to tie royal blue ribbons around trees "to show your love and support" for the Graves family. A church official confirmed that the funeral began at 10 a.m. Central Time, but declined to give more details. The alligator snatched the toddler last Tuesday night as he played at the edge of the Seven Seas Lagoon, a manmade lake at the Walt Disney Co resort. The boy's parents, who were relaxing on the white sand shore nearby, sprang into action in a failed attempt to pry their child from the predator's grip. A lifeguard who was on duty was unable to reach the boy before the alligator swam away with him. Police divers found Lane's body underwater the following afternoon, not far from where he was taken. An autopsy found that the cause of death was drowning and traumatic injuries. At the time, the resort had "No Swimming" signs that did not mention alligators. Disney has since installed signs by the lagoon warning guests of alligators and snakes. "Danger! Alligators and snakes in area," read the new signs, which feature diagrams of the two animals. "Stay away from the water. Do not feed the wildlife." (Reporting by Laila Kearney; Editing by Daniel Wallis and David Gregorio) People with higher levels of education may be more likely to develop certain types of brain tumors, a new study from Sweden suggests. Researchers found that women who completed at least three years of university courses were 23 percent more likely to develop a type of cancerous brain tumor called glioma, compared with women who only completed up to nine years of mandatory education and did not go to a university. And men who completed at least three years of university courses were 19 percent more likely to develop the same type of tumor, compared with men who did not go to a university. Though the reasons behind the link are not clear, "one possible explanation is that highly educated people may be more aware of symptoms and seek medical care earlier," and therefore are more likely to be diagnosed, said Amal Khanolkar, a research associate at the Institute of Child Health at the University College Londonand a co-author of the study. [Top 10 Cancer-Fighting Foods] In the study, the researchers looked at data on more than 4.3 million people in Sweden who were a part of the Swedish Total Population Register. The researchers tracked the people for 17 years, beginning in 1993, to see if they developed brain tumors during that time. They also collected information about the people's education levels, income, marital status and occupation. During the 17-year study, 5,735 men and 7,101 women developed brain tumors, according to the findings, published today (June 20) in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health. In addition to the differences between brain tumor development and education level, the researchers also found an association between brain tumor development and income. Men who had higher incomes were 14 percent more likely to develop glioma during the study period, compared with men with lower incomes, according to the study. However, the relationship between the risk of this type of brain tumor and income level was not found in women, the researchers said. Story continues Moreover, the study found that men who worked in managerial and professional roles were 20 percent more likely to develop glioma, compared with those who worked manual jobs. These men were also 50 percent more likely to develop acoustic neuroma, a type of noncancerous brain tumor that grows on the nerve that is used for hearing and balance. The researchers also found that women who completed at least three years of university courses were also 16 percent more likely to develop a type of mostly noncancerous brain tumor called meningioma, compared with women who did not go on to higher education. The new findings are in line with previous research, which has also found a link between an increased risk of certain brain tumors and higher socio-economic status, the researchers said. However, the new study only shows a link between certain types of brain tumor and certain factors; it does not show that these factors directly cause brain tumors, the researchers said. While other lifestyle factors might have also played a role, the researchers did not have access to such information, they said. The idea that education levels and brain tumors are linked is not entirely new. "It has been an 'urban legend' among neurosurgeons that smarter people are more likely to get brain tumors," said Dr. Raj K. Narayan, the chair of neurosurgery at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, New York, who was not involved in the new study. "However, I am somewhat surprised to find that this may actually be true." The mechanism behind this link is still unknown, but it might be that having more brain cells or greater brain activity somehow increases a person's risk of brain tumors, he told Live Science. Originally published on Live Science. Editor's Recommendations Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. By Maria Carolina Marcello BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's suspended House speaker, Eduardo Cunha, denied any criminal wrongdoing on Tuesday and said he will not resign, even though he has already been indicted for corruption and faces the risk of imminent arrest. The Supreme Court indefinitely suspended Cunha last month on charges of obstructing a corruption investigation, just weeks after he orchestrated the approval of impeachment proceedings against President Dilma Rousseff in the lower house of Congress. Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday, the veteran politician denied he was seeking a plea bargain with prosecutors to obtain leniency. "I have not committed any crime, so I have nothing to tell," said Cunha, still defiant despite his alleged ties to the sweeping scandal involving Petrobras, Brazil's state-oil company, in which dozens of government officials and lawmakers are suspected of taking bribes and kickbacks. Cunha is the first sitting lawmaker to be indicted in the two-year-old scandal by the Supreme Court, the only tribunal authorized to try federal lawmakers. It indicted Cunha in March for allegedly receiving $5 million skimmed from Petrobras contracts for two drillships in 2006 and 2007. A Congressional ethics committee last week recommended stripping Cunha of his seat and banning him from politics for eight years for lying about Swiss bank accounts. The full chamber is expected to expel him in mid-July. If he loses his seat, Cunha will lose partial immunity and his case will be sent from the Supreme Court to a lower court judge presiding over most of the graft probe, Sergio Moro, who has already indicted his wife for receiving bribe money. An evangelical Christian with strong support from the religious right in Congress, Cunha has for months fended off the ethics committee hearings through procedural maneuvers. The disgraced speaker was once close to interim President Michel Temer, who has replaced Rousseff pending her Senate trial for breaking Brazil's budget rules. Earlier this month, Brazil's top prosecutor asked the Supreme Court to order Cunha's arrest for obstructing justice. Supreme Court Justice Teori Zavascki, who has denied requests for the arrest of senior members of Temer's PMDB party including the leader of the Senate, has yet to decide on Cunha's possible arrest. (Writing by Anthony Boadle; Editing by Tom Brown) SAO PAULO (AP) -- A jaguar used in an Olympic torch relay ceremony was shot to death after it escaped its leash and tried to attack a soldier, the Brazilian army said Tuesday. The army's press office said that Juma the jaguar was on display as part of ceremonies Monday at the Jungle Warfare Instruction Center in Manaus. The Olympic torch is traveling throughout Brazil leading up to the Aug. 5 opening ceremony. ''Juma was a docile animal used to living among people at the center,'' the army said in a statement, adding that soon after the ceremonies ended Juma escaped from his leash and fled into the zoo maintained by the center. When the jaguar tried to attack a soldier sent to help recapture it, handlers shot the animal with tranquilizers. That failed to stop it, so the animal was shot with a pistol in the head. ''We were wrong to allow the Olympic Torch, a symbol of peace and of the union among the peoples to be displayed alongside a wild animal in chains,'' the local Olympic organizing committee said on it Facebook page. ''This scene is contrary to our beliefs and values. We are very sad with the outcome that happened after the passing of the torch. We guarantee that we will not see more situations like this in the Rio 2016 Games.'' Ibama, Brazil's environmental protection agency, told the Amazonia Real news agency it did not authorize Juma's presence at the event. ''It is unfortunate and sad that these animals are being exposed to events like this,'' Ibama told Amazonia Real. Diogo Lagroteria, a veterinarian and environmental analyst at Ibama, told the G1 news portal that a jaguar can never be considered a domesticated or docile animal. ''The incident happened due to the simple fact that it was a jaguar and wild animals will always be wild animals. There is no way to predict their reaction to this kind of situation.'' The shooting of the jaguar follows the recent killings of a gorilla at a Cincinnati zoo and alligators at Walt Disney World in Orlando. The deaths have sparked outrage among animal rights groups. ''PETA urges everyone who is upset by the needless death of this jaguar, the gorilla Harambe, or countless other exploited wild animals to stay far away from any business that puts living beings on display for human amusement,'' the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, said in a statement. BRASILIA (Reuters) - Marcelo Odebrecht, the former chief executive of Latin America's largest construction company, will admit in plea bargain testimony that he personally oversaw illegal campaign donations for suspended President Dilma Rousseff in 2010 and 2014, newspaper Folha de S. Paulo said on Tuesday. The newspaper said Odebrecht will acknowledge having warned Rousseff on May 26, 2015 in Mexico that prosecutors were about to discover illegal transfers to Rousseff's re-election strategist, Joao Santana. Odebrecht was arrested 24 days later as police deepened an investigation on a massive kickback scheme at state-run oil company Petrobras. Folha said that under the terms of the plea agreement Odebrecht will testify that Rousseff did not pay attention to his warning. Folha did not say how it obtained that information. Rousseff confirmed in a statement to the press that she met with Odebrecht in May 2015 in Mexico but said she never discussed campaign donations with him. A spokeswoman at Odebrecht's corporate offices declined to comment on the newspaper report. In Brazil, plea bargain testimony to prosecutors is confidential until approved by a judge. The strongest signal Odebrecht was seeking to collaborate came on June 2, when Federal Judge Sergio Moro suspended one of several lawsuits against Odebrecht executives for 30 days. Marcelo Odebrecht, the scion of the family that controls the company, formally known as Odebrecht SA, was sentenced to 19 years in prison after being convicted of corruption and money laundering in the Petrobras case. Under Brazilian law, plea bargain deals to reduce jail time can take place after sentencing in certain cases. As a consequence of the Petrobras-focused corruption probe, known in Brazil as "Operation Car Wash," many of Odebrecht's 15 subsidiaries are refinancing up to 35 billion reais ($10.4 billion) in loans and stepping up asset sales. Rousseff was suspended last month to face a Senate trial over allegedly breaking budget laws. She has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. ($1 = 3.37 reais) (Reporting by Silvio Cascione Editing by W Simon) Athens (AFP) - European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker warned Britain Tuesday that voting to leave the EU would be "an act of self-harm" that would endanger everything Europeans had worked together to achieve. "To turn your backs on your neighbours and retreat into isolation would go against everything that Europe and the UK stand for," Juncker said during an address to Greek business leaders in Athens, adding: "To leave would be an act of self-harm." "All too often we take for granted what we have built," Juncker said, listing peace, freedom, prosperity and a "way of life that is the envy of the entire world" among the EU's achievements. "This is the patient work of generations of women and men, and we could not have done it without the British people," he added in an impassioned appeal for Britons to remain within the 28-member bloc. "Leaving the European Union would put all this at risk. It would damage what we have achieved so far. And it would diminish what we can achieve tomorrow," Juncker declared, insisting: "Europe is stronger together." Juncker had also spoken about Brexit with the German press where he sounded a positive note about the vote. "I hope that the British will let themselves be guided by their pragmatism which is a British virtue," he said in an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemaine Zeitung to be published Wednesday. Meanwhile Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who spoke before Juncker, said that Brexit would "plunge the EU into turmoil". He said that regardless of the referendum's outcome, "We must admit that Europe is going through a political crisis," blaming the turbulence in the bloc on the EU's "austerity recipes". Last month, Juncker warned that British "deserters will not be welcomed with open arms" by European partners if Britain voted to leave. London (AFP) - The Guardian is a staunch "Remain" supporter, while The Sun has come out for Brexit. Britain's newspapers are split as Thursday's referendum on European Union membership approaches. Remain camp: - The left-leaning Guardian newspaper called for a vote in favour of staying in the EU on Monday. "Vote for a united country that reaches out to the world, and vote against a divided nation that turns inwards. Vote to remain," its editorial implored. The newspaper even published a guide on how to "make sure Britain remains a member of the EU", recommending convincing friends and neighbours and posting on social media. Its Sunday sister paper, The Observer, has also backed "Remain". - The Times, a traditional bastion, revealed Saturday that it backed Britain staying in the EU and securing reforms to the bloc. "The best outcome of next week's referendum would be a new alliance of sovereign EU nations dedicated to free trade and reform, led by Britain," it said in a 2,000-word editorial. The newspaper accused the pro-Brexit campaign of exaggerating the sums Britain pays into Brussels and misleading voters on the likelihood of Turkey joining the EU. The Sunday Times and The Sun, which are also owned by media mogul Rupert Murdoch, have both backed an exit. - The Independent supports "Remain". "A vote to remain in the EU is not a vote of cowardice but of confidence; it is not a vote to cede control but to get things done collaboratively in a globalised world," it wrote in a Monday editorial. - The Mail on Sunday has backed staying in the EU for a "safer, freer, more prosperous" Britain and warned against a "leap into the dark" that could make the country poorer. "For modern Great Britain to thrive and prosper we must work with, not against, our European partners," it argued in a Sunday editorial. Leave camp: - Britain's top-selling newspaper The Sun urged its readers to back Brexit with a front page that read "BeLEAVE in Britain". Story continues "Vote Leave, and we will reassert our sovereignty -- embracing a future as a self-governing, powerful nation envied by all," it argued. Britain's future would be "far bleaker" within the EU and would be swallowed by a "relentlessly expanding German-dominated federal state", the editorial read. - The Daily Telegraph appealed for an exit from the EU in its Tuesday edition. "A world of opportunity awaits a fully independent United Kingdom. In supporting a vote to leave the EU, we are not harking back to some Brittanic golden age," it argued. "If this Thursday's referendum is a choice between fear and hope, then we choose hope." Its sister paper the Sunday Telegraph has also backed Brexit. - The Sunday Times has taken a different stance to its sister paper The Times. "Yes, we must be prepared for difficulties, but we should hold our nerve," it wrote this weekend. "This vote may be the best opportunity we shall ever have to call a halt to the onward march of the centralising European project driven by the inherent flaws in the eurozone." By Alastair Macdonald BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Dawn, Friday. The votes are in. The British have spoken in their EU membership referendum and they want out. It is a scenario European leaders are planning for in earnest while praying it never happens. Secret meetings in Brussels and across Europe reveal huge uncertainty, officials and diplomats familiar with the proceedings say, over what would follow a vote that British Prime Minister David Cameron calls a "leap in the dark" - and also no little concern about what happens if Britain stays on. This is a rough roadmap to Europe after June 23, based on conversations with many diplomats and officials, few of whom speak of it in public for fear of inflaming debate in Britain: DAY 1 - FRIDAY, JUNE 24 - THE THREE R'S - OR MORE Polls close at 10 p.m. (5.00 p.m. ET). No mainstream exit polls are planned but overnight counts should give a result by around the time the midsummer sun comes up over Brussels. Aside from the result itself, there are already several big imponderables. Cameron says he will notify the European Union "immediately" if Britain is leaving. But he may take some time. If he has lost he will be under huge pressure from his divided Conservative party to resign. He might also be, even if he wins. Money markets will be volatile. The Bank of England and European Central Bank have contingency plans to deal with a "Brexit shock" to sterling and the euro. Leaders of the main parties in the European Parliament plan to meet at 7 a.m. (0500 GMT) in Brussels followed by a broader meeting of all party chiefs with the speaker at 8 a.m. If it is Brexit, European Council President Donald Tusk, who will chair an EU summit next week and will have spoken to all the leaders in the days before the vote, may deliver a brief statement in the name of the Council, the EU's governing body, possibly soon after Cameron has confirmed the result. However Britons vote, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, the EU chief executive, will host Tusk and European Parliament President Martin Schulz at his Berlaymont headquarters in Brussels at 10:30 a.m. (0830 GMT). Also present will be Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, whose government holds the rotating EU presidency, to take stock and deliver a message. Story continues EU affairs ministers and ambassadors from member states will gather in Luxembourg by 1 p.m. (1100 GMT) for routine talks that will provide the first chance for many to react. If Britain votes to leave, look for a mantra of Three Rs: Regret - at losing nearly a fifth of the EU economy and more of its military and global clout; Respect - for the will of the British people; and Resolve - to forge ahead with European integration. "The show must go on," one senior EU official said. There may be a fourth message. Call it Reprisal, perhaps, though Britons should not take it personally; warnings of woe for those leaving will aim to discourage others from following suit. "Don't try this at home," as a senior EU diplomat put it. If it is Brexit, Tusk may fly to key capitals, such as Rome, Berlin and Paris, EU sources say, though it is not confirmed. DAY 2 - SATURDAY, JUNE 25 - NO, MINISTER? Foreign ministers from the six founders of the bloc - Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg - plan to meet in Berlin, the Belgian minister has said. Some euro zone finance ministers have suggested their Eurogroup might hold an emergency meeting but senior officials call that unlikely; managing banking and market turbulence will be up to the ECB and other regulators. DAY 3 - SUNDAY, JUNE 26 - RALLYING ROUND THE EU FLAG After a Brexit vote, Commission President Juncker will chair an emergency meeting of the executive's "college" of 28 commissioners, including Britain's Jonathan Hill, officials say. The Commission will be responsible for negotiating the divorce. EU officials insist there is no "Plan B" for Brexit. But, recalling the same denials during last summer's near departure of debt-laden Greece, one speaks of a "Room B", where a fire-fighting team of EU lawyers and experts will be ready. "The idea is to have everything ready for Monday," the EU official said. Member states' ambassadors and leaders' "sherpa" advisers are expected to meet in Brussels in the event of a Brexit vote. DAY 4 - MONDAY, JUNE 27 - KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON The start of a new week on global financial markets will see investors and voters demanding answers on where Britain and the EU are heading. Expect both to offer assurances of orderly talks, while nothing changes immediately, for firms or citizens. DAY 5 - TUESDAY, JUNE 28 - "DAVID, ARE YOU LEAVING NOW?" A 24-hour EU summit is scheduled. After a Brexit vote, his political career may be over but Cameron would likely stay on until his deeply divided party elects a successor. He would be expected to appear for dinner in Brussels. Big question - would he notify summit chair Tusk that he is triggering Article 50 of the EU treaty, the legal basis for Britain to leave? In London, pro-Brexit would-be successors may try to play for time. EU officials and diplomats say they would want Britain to launch the process right away and rule out any new negotiations, though for now they see no legal way to force London's hand. The EU treaty does not allow for expulsion but there would be fierce political pressure, urging London to respect voters' wish to leave, and the other 27 could start discussions without Britain. If Cameron secures a referendum win, the summit will discuss quickly enacting the reform package he won from fellow leaders in March to give Britain a special deal to stem EU immigration. DAY 6 - WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29 - "PLEASE WAIT OUTSIDE, DAVID." Day Two of the summit and, if it is to be Brexit, leaders of the 27 other states will confer without Cameron in the room - a pattern Britons will have to get used to. Article 50 sets a two-year limit on divorce talks. The EU must fill a Britain-sized hole in its budget and reassure millions of EU citizens living in Britain and Britons on the continent of their future rights. EU leaders may push for a quick show of unity on more integration. Divisions between Berlin and Paris on managing the euro zone probably rule out a big move on that front before both hold elections in 2017. Closer EU defense cooperation, without skeptical Britain, may be revived. A major EU security policy review is already on the summit agenda. Other initiatives, aimed at blunting Marine Le Pen's far-right, eurosceptic bid for the French presidency in 2017, could include a push to create more jobs, especially for the young. However, others, including summit chairman Tusk from Poland, caution against alienating voters by moving ahead too fast. Tusk argues British voters have shown many in Europe are reluctant. EU leaders must give the executive Commission a negotiating mandate. Some in Britain see exit discussions lasting longer than two years to include talks on new trade terms. But an extension requires an EU unanimity that few in Brussels expect. Some suggest talks with Britain on its future trade terms can run in parallel. Juncker has said the EU's priority would be a two-year divorce, then talks starting "with a blank slate". FROM DAY 7 - NOTHING (AND EVERYTHING) CHANGES; HELLO ESTONIA After a Brexit vote, all EU laws apply in Britain until two years after London starts the process to leave. Then none would apply. Meanwhile, British lawmakers sit in the EU parliament, Hill in the Commission, thousands of Britons would go on working as EU civil servants and British ministers sit in EU councils. But they will have no real voice and Britain would be expected to renounce its EU presidency in the second half of 2017; Estonia might come forward to start its first stint in the chair six months early. Other solutions include new member Croatia being slotted in. Some see heavy pressure to exclude British MEPs from a say on EU laws and to deprive Hill, a Cameron appointee, of his sensitive portfolio overseeing financial services regulation. Whatever the referendum's outcome, a host of other EU plans, shelved for fear of alienating British voters, will come out of cold storage, including energy-saving rules to limit the power of toasters and kettles. Dealing with the fallout from a Swiss referendum on EU migration and a Dutch rejection of the EU trade deal with Ukraine will get back on track, as will a review of the EU's seven-year budget, which covers a period out to 2020. If Britain votes to stay in, some, notably in France, fear a new British-led push to free up EU markets and rein in regulation. Some British officials see a mandate to do just that after a referendum win, though others doubt that Cameron, if he survives at all, would have much appetite for deeper EU engagement amid post-campaign Conservative blood-letting. A post-Brexit relationship between Britain and the EU is the great unknown. Many EU leaders, wary of eurosceptic voters at home, are determined Britain cannot have access to EU trade and financial markets if it wants to keep out EU workers and refuse to contribute to the EU budget. "Out means out," they say. New trade barriers would hurt both sides' economies. But the EU fears a political "domino effect" would cost more long-term. END OF THE ROAD? Leaders have much else on their plates to distract them from negotiating with Britain, including Russia, the euro, jobs and refugees. London may have other priorities, too, not least the likelihood europhile Scotland would bid again to break away. There is a "Brussels consensus" that Britain would face a chilly future, cast out to perhaps talk its way back later into some kind of trade access in return for concessions such as free migration from inside the bloc and contributions to the EU budget - things which Brexit voters want to end. But cautious diplomats do not rule out surprise turns. EU law may seem clear but EU leaders, German Chancellor Angela Merkel included, are loath to see Britain go and may yet seek a way to keep it in, whatever the vote on June 23. "Will Merkel really shut the door?" a senior EU diplomat said. "It may seem clear-cut in Brussels. But in politics, never say never." (Additional reporting by Tom Koerkemeier) By James Oliphant and Emily Stephenson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - To U.S. voters who have witnessed the rise of Donald Trump, the campaign urging Britain to abandon the European Union may appear eerily familiar. Theres the nationalism, the romanticized nostalgia for an earlier time, the mistrust of political and financial elites, and the fears that migrants are bringing crime and stealing jobs. Call it Trumpism minus Trump, the New York real estate developer who has emerged as the presumptive Republican presidential nominee in the 2016 U.S. elections. If British citizens vote on Thursday in favor of exiting the European Union, it would allow Britain to negotiate its own trade deals and better control who enters the country, among other things. Both sides in the polarized debate have mounted extensive campaigns and polls show the vote could be close. Trump, who will travel to Britain this week, supports the "Leave" camp, popularly known as Brexit. I would personally be more inclined to leave, for a lot of reasons like having a lot less bureaucracy, he told The Sunday Times. He has spent much of his presidential campaign warning of the dangers posed by undocumented immigrants from Mexico and refugees from the Middle East and has proposed building a wall along the southern border of the United States. Syrian refugees have also been center stage in the Brexit debate, with pro-exit forces arguing that Britain must do more to curb the flow of economic migrants from the Middle East and elsewhere. "I see similar themes on both sides of the Atlantic - a strong sense of threatened national identity, anti-globalization, nostalgia, and a sense that elites aren't accountable," said Wendy Rahn, a political science professor at the University of Minnesota who has studied Trump voters. Trump's campaign and the Brexit movement are two of the starkest examples of a new strain of conservative populism that stretches beyond the United States and Britain, into Sweden, France, Poland and elsewhere in Europe. KEEPING A DISTANCE As with Trumps candidacy, the Brexit forces have been marked by accusations of xenophobia. Nigel Farage, leader of the U.K. Independence Party - and like Trump, a businessman turned politician - earned widespread scorn last week for a poster showing a swell of Syrian refugees and warning Europe is at a "breaking point. More mainstream supporters of Brexit have kept their distance from figures like Farage. Similarly, some prominent Republicans in the United States, such as former White House candidates Jeb Bush and Mitt Romney, have tried to separate themselves from Trump, who renewed his call last week for a ban on Muslims traveling to the United States. We want to remain a free and open society, Trump said, after a gunman killed 49 people in a mass shooting in Orlando. Then, and if we do, then we have to control our borders. Trumps ascent has also been fueled by a disdain for political and financial elites, a hostility shared by Brexit advocates who say their interests are being ill-served by globalization. Politicians are now just in it for themselves, said Justin Bellhouse, an organizer for the Leave campaign in Bracknell, England. Bellhouse is no fan of Trump, whom he calls ridiculous, but he argued that controls on migration are needed to create more opportunity for British workers. American jobs for American workers is a favorite Trump theme. Brexit supporters mirror Trump voters, said Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform, a pro-EU think tank based in London, in that they tend to be older, white, less affluent, and less likely to live in urban areas. Also, as Trump vows to Make America Great Again, Brexit backers are wistful for a bygone age. There is a feeling among some that theyre trying to get back to when Britain was white, when England was more secure, Grant said. Trump's support for Brexit has been seized upon by U.S. political consultants advising the groups that oppose the referendum, including Jim Messina, who ran U.S. President Barack Obama's re-election campaign in 2012. Trumps advice on Brexit would lead UK economy the same place his Atlantic City casinos ended up: LOSER, Messina tweeted last month. (Reporting by James Oliphant and Emily Stephenson. Writing by James Oliphant, editing by Ross Colvin) Britains Brexit battle A European Union flag, with a hole cut out of the middle, flies at half-mast outside a home in Knutsford Cheshire, U.K. after todays historic referendum vote, June 24, 2016. (Photo: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) In a stunning development, British voters have voted to leave the European Union. During the weeks building up to Thursdays EU referendum, aka the Brexit vote, experts repeatedly warned of the economic damage that would come should the U.K. leave the euro. While polls ahead of the vote showed that the remain camp would win, it appears that the leave camp has won. To be clear, the vote is only advisory and not quite legally binding. But it reflects the will of the voters, and it will force policymakers to act in what could be two years worth of negotiations that end with the U.K. officially leaving the EU. (Yahoo Finance) Find more news-related photo galleries on the Yahoo News Photo Tumblr. London (AFP) - Prime Minister David Cameron pleaded with Britons on Tuesday to think of their children and their economic well-being before voting to quit the EU, as polls showed a razor-tight race less than 36 hours before the referendum. Cameron warned that future generations would inherit a damaged, diminished economy if Britain became the first state to defect from the EU in the bloc's 60-year history. On the same day, billionaire financier George Soros predicted a Black Friday plunge in sterling if Britain, the world's fifth-biggest economy, votes to go its own way. The prospect of a Brexit has raised fears of a domino-effect collapse of the European project. "Do think about the hopes and dreams of your children and your grandchildren," Cameron urged, clearly targeting older voters judged most likely to oppose continued EU membership. "If we vote out, that is it. It is irreversible. We will leave Europe for good and the next generation will have to live with the consequences." Leaving would weaken the economy, the prime minister predicted. "That is a huge risk to Britain, to British families, to British jobs," he said. European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said he believed "British pragmatism" would mean a defeat for Brexit and has warned the country against "an act of self-harm" that would endanger everything Europeans had worked together to achieve. Soros, who made a fortune by betting against the pound in the so-called Black Wednesday of September 1992, said rejecting the EU would deliver a financial shock. "Sterling is almost certain to fall steeply and quickly if 'Leave' wins the referendum," Soros wrote in The Guardian newspaper, predicting a devaluation of more than 15 percent. "A vote to leave could see the week end with a Black Friday, and serious consequences for ordinary people." - 'Unemployment creating disaster' - Story continues But Brexit campaigners dismissed Soros' remarks, saying he had also backed the creation of the euro. "As we have seen, the euro has been a job-destroying, unemployment-creating disaster," said the British justice minister, Michael Gove. With uncertainty swirling about the referendum's outcome, the world's leading central banks have consulted about the potential impact, European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi said in Brussels. "We want to be prepared for all possibilities. Mostly, as far as we are concerned, it would be to be able to stabilise markets," Draghi said, adding, however, that it was "very difficult" to foresee the financial and economic effects. In Washington, US Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen said a Brexit vote would usher in "a period of uncertainty that is very hard to predict". World financial markets, which rallied the previous day following opinion poll gains by the "Remain" camp, rose only slightly on Tuesday as new surveys showed a tight race. The FTSE 100 index inched up just 0.4 percent. "It appears markets have made up their mind which way the referendum will go," said Jasper Lawler, market analyst at traders CMC Markets. "But before the result is known, there is still two-way risk," he said. A poll by Survation gave "Remain" 45 percent and "Leave" 44 percent, with 11 percent undecided. The websites of six major bookmakers showed the odds heavily pointing to a "Remain" vote, with the likelihood of Britain staying in put at around 80 percent. The latest surveys were mostly conducted after the brutal murder of Jo Cox, a 41-year-old Labour lawmaker and mother of two, who was shot and stabbed in her northern English constituency on Thursday. Her alleged killer, 52-year-old Thomas Mair, gave his name as "Death to traitors, freedom for Britain" at his first appearance in court after being charged with her murder. - 'Supermarket bills up' - The campaign in Britain remains locked on two major concerns: the economy and high immigration. Opinion polls consistently show just over 10 percent of Britons have not made up their minds. "I don't know. I think I will vote Remain," said Ghansham Mulchandani, a 37-year-old information technology worker in the banking industry. "I think it will have a huge impact on our sector if we choose to leave," he told AFP in London. "All the big leaders are saying we should remain in Europe." With time running out, thousands gathered in Wembley Arena in the city for a debate between the two camps, featuring former London mayor Boris Johnson for "Leave" and his successor Sadiq Khan for "Remain". British sports legends joined the fray, too. "We live in a vibrant and connected world where together as a people we are strong," England football great David Beckham wrote on Facebook. "For these reasons I am voting to Remain." English cricket legend Ian Botham advised people to leave the bloc, sounding the alarm on immigration. "Our beautiful countryside is what makes Britain the place it is and this island was not designed for 100 million people," he wrote in the Daily Express newspaper. FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Britain's first official astronaut said on Tuesday he would join another trip to the International Space Station "in a heartbeat" and would love to explore the moon. Tim Peake was one of three astronauts to return to earth on Saturday after spending half a year on the space station. It was "extremely important" for Britain to be involved in the advancement of human space flight, Peake, said on Tuesday. "We need to be involved now and we need to give our industry a chance to develop what they need to support human space flight," Peake said at a news conference in the European Space Agency's European Astronaut Centre in Cologne. "If we're not involved now, then we are simply going to miss the boat." Peake, who turned 44 in space, joined the European Space Agency in 2009 to become the first astronaut representing the British government. Britain had opted out of the European programme for human space flight but reversed its decision in 2012. The first Briton in space was Helen Sharman, who travelled on a Soviet spacecraft for eight days in 1991. "Living and working on board the International Space Station is the best place you could be as a professional," Peake said. "A dream would have to be a lunar exploration mission," he said. "I don't think any astronaut would turn that down." He declined to say whether he would vote for or against Britain's leaving the European Union in its referendum on Thursday. Peake's mission, called Principia after Isaac Newton's seminal work, included a number of scientific experiments, such as testing the use of nitric oxide gas as a tool to monitor lung inflammation. (Reporting by Maria Sheahan, editing by Larry King) LONDON (Reuters) - British lawmaker Jo Cox, who was shot and stabbed in the street last week, died because of her strong political views, her husband said on Tuesday. Cox, a supporter of Britain's European Union membership who had also campaigned for Britain to do more to help refugees, was killed in her northern English electoral district by a man heard shouting "Britain first". "She had very strong political views and I believe she was killed because of those views," her husband Brendan Cox told broadcasters. Parliament was recalled on Monday from campaigning for this week's referendum on EU membership to pay tribute to opposition Labour lawmaker Cox, who worked for aid agency Oxfam before entering parliament last year. Many lawmakers praised Cox, a 41-year-old mother of two young children, for her ability to work across political party lines to further the causes she believed in. Her husband said Cox had been worried that politics was becoming too tribal, that people didn't work together as individuals on issues any more and were being driven to more extreme positions. "She was particularly worried about the direction of, not just of in the UK but globally, ... of politics at the moment, particularly around creating division and playing on people's worst fears rather than their best instincts," he said. During Monday's tributes, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said Cox's death "appeared increasingly likely to have been a politically motivated attack". A 52-year-old man has been arrested and charged with Cox's murder. (Reporting by Kylie MacLellan and Elizabeth Piper; editing by Stephen Addison) London (AFP) - British Prime Minister David Cameron warned Tuesday that a vote to leave the EU in less than 48 hours would damage the economy, representing a "huge risk" for jobs and families. In an impassioned plea ahead of Thursday's ballot, Cameron asked Britons to think of future generations left to cope in a Britain outside the European Union if the Brexit camp wins. "Above all, it is about our economy," the prime minister said outside his official residence in London's Downing Street. "It will be stronger if we stay. It will be weaker if we leave. And that is a huge risk to Britain, to British families, to British jobs," the prime minister said. Britain, the world's fifth-biggest economy, would be the first state to leave the EU since the bloc's founding 60 years ago if the "Leave" camp wins in Thursday's vote. "Europe is not perfect," the British leader conceded. "Do think about the hopes and dreams of your children and your grandchildren," he added. "If we vote out, that is it. It is irreversible. We will leave Europe for good and the next generation will have to live with the consequences." The British leader tried to stir up nationalist pride in favour of sticking with Brussels. "We are not any old country. We are a special country, one whose language and values, whose influence is felt the world over," Cameron said. "If I felt remaining in the EU diminished us, I would recommend voting to leave. But it does not. It amplifies our power." In polls released overnight, two placed the "Remain" side narrowly ahead while a third indicated the "Leave" camp could prevail. An average of the last six opinion polls compiled by the WhatUKThinks website has the two camps at 50 percent each. But the websites of six major bookmakers showed the odds heavily pointing to a "Remain" vote, with the chances of Britain staying in put at nearly 80 percent. The worlds of pro wrestling and mixed martial arts reacted with excitement when it was announced that Brock Lesnar would make his UFC return at UFC 200 in July. But with his sudden unretirement came controversy: the UFC had to bend some rules regarding their new USADA-run drug testing program to allow Brock to return. Typically, fighters returning to action after officially retiring need to spend four months under the USADA testing regiment, which means they can be randomly tested at any time. But in Brocks case, the UFC waived the four-month period typically required to get back in the mix due to the unique nature of his last-minute signing. That had a lot of people wondering if maybe there wasnt something suspicious going on whether Brocks quick entry into the UFC wasnt a mask to avoid rigorous drug testing. But although they werent able to test him until he officially signed with the UFC, USADA is doing a heck of a job testing him now. They barely waited a week before doing their first drug test on the WWE superstar, and now MMA Fighting reports that they have tested Brock Lesnar five times in two weeks. Yep, you read that right: five times in fourteen days. And UFC vice president of health and performance Jeff Novitzky said there will be more to come. While USADA testing is done randomly to increase the chances of catching fighters cheating, its not random as to who gets tested. If the people at USADA have suspicions or have heard rumors of doping, theyre able to target specific athletes for more frequent testing. Given several athletes (including Brocks UF 200 opponent Mark Hunt) have complained about him getting around the four-month UFC requirement, the USADA is probably testing him extra carefully to make sure everything is on the level. Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch dropped a bombshell late last month by declining to represent the VA in a lawsuit that could reinstate the incompetent manager of a Veterans Affairs office. Sharon Helman was fired from the VA in 2014 for overseeing unacceptable wait times and falsifying recordkeeping in Phoenix where 40 military vets died while waiting for treatment. She also accepted substantial gifts from lobbyists, which she never disclosed. The revelation of her malfeasance was the last straw for many lawmakers who had passed the bipartisan Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act in 2014, partly because Helman and others like her were rarely fired. More typically, questionably competent managers would be suspended with full pay and even bonuses and often reinstated. Related: Outrage of the Day: Ousted VA Perp Could Get Back Her Job Helmans offenses were so egregious, however, that her boss, VA Secretary Robert McDonald, fired her. But Helman, a seasoned bureaucrat, sued to get her job back, claiming that the new law is unconstitutional. She and her lawyers argued that the law doesnt allow senior executives to file appeals with the full Merit System Protection Board, only with an administrative judge at the board, whose ruling is final. Lynch agreed, arguing that administrative judges are not presidential appointees and shouldnt have the final say in whether to fire someone. That scheme, which impairs the President's ability to supervise the execution of the federal civil service laws, is inconsistent with the Appointments Clause, Lynch wrote in explaining why her lawyers would not come to the VAs aid in the matter. As Government Executive reported, the Justice Departments startling announcement put McDonald in an impossible position. McDonald had been brought in to clean house, but the administration wasnt going to back him up. Related: Two Years After VA Scandal, Healthcare System Still Stacked Against Vets Story continues He could continue to use the special authority within the Veterans Choice Act or abandon it and risk incurring the wrath of lawmakers who have been pressing for faster action. He decided to reject the authority. It is outrageous and unconscionable that the VA is choosing to blatantly ignore all of the accountability reforms set in place by the Veterans Choice Act, Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA), the chair of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, said in a statement last week. Isakson has vowed swift action to address the latest VA personnel crisis by pressing for passage of his Veterans First Act legislation. That measure would completely remove the Merit Systems Protection Board from the appeals process for senior executives. In that way, the administration would avoid more constitutional challenges, he said. The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee unanimously passed his bill in May and it is awaiting approval by the full Senate. Related: More than 125,000 U.S. Veterans of the Middle East Were Denied VA Benefits Meanwhile, Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL), chair of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, declared, Everyone knows VA isnt very good at disciplining employees, but this decision calls into question whether department leaders are even interested in doing so." Deputy VA Secretary Sloan Gibson told Government Executive that in light of the Justice Department's stand, It would be irresponsible to continue using that authority [under the Choice Act] when other methods for disciplining senior executives exist. In fact, doing so would only hinder VAs ability to hold senior officials accountable who have engaged in wrongdoing and make those actions stick, he said. Gibson added that his departments decision in no way diminishes our commitment to accountability. A merit system administrative judge considering Helmans appeal tossed out the charge of falsifying veterans appointment dates and retaliating against whistleblowers. But the third charge of dealing with unlawful gifts confirmed her termination. Now its uncertain whether that third charge will stand up in light of the constitutional questions raised by the Justice Department. Related: The VA and Pentagon Take a Small but Very Expensive Step on Medical Records Since the scandal first broke nearly two years ago, the star-crossed VA has been ridiculed for incompetence, waste and wrongdoing by irate lawmakers, veterans advocates, government watchdogs and others. Congress responded swiftly with enactment of a $16.3 billion reform package aimed at eliminating long waiting lines, improving the quality of health care delivered and getting rid of incompetent employees and dead wood. An April Government Accountability Office audit found that the Veterans Health Administration, which spent $58 billion in fiscal year 2014 to provide care to 6.6 million veterans, remains vulnerable to manipulation of patient wait times and wait-time data. Editor's Note: This story originally incorrectly said that Sen. Isakson plans to retire at the end of the year. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: Information technology services provider CACI International Inc. CACI recently secured a multi-million contract to counter narco-terrorism activities for the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) in Afghanistan. The contract expands the scope of work for the companys Intelligence Services market area and reinforces its position as one of the leading players in the segment. Per the contract, CACI will provide support services in areas such as program management, training, and logistics for both CENTCOM and its military and civilian partner agencies. In particular, the company will facilitate the agencies to protect the U.S. Armed Forces through manpower and required back-up services along with relevant law enforcement training to host nations to disrupt narco-terrorist activities and organizations. CACI will offer CENTCOM a full cadre of subject matter experts who specialize in countering narco-terrorism. They include former top-ranking military officers and officials from civilian agencies, who possess profound experience in combating drug trafficking and terrorism. CACI has a large pipeline of new projects and continues to win more deals at regular intervals which are likely to catalyze the companys growth story. CACI intends to drive operational excellence by intensively focusing on its organic and inorganic growth strategy and strengthening its existing customer relationships while building new ones. CACI INTL A Price CACI INTL A Price | CACI INTL A Quote A leader in IT outsourcing for the U.S. federal government, CACI earns its revenues through four customer groups the Department of Defense, Federal Civilian Agencies, Commercial and Other, and State and Local Governments. The Department of Defense customers include the U.S. Army (CACIs largest customer) and the U.S. Navy. Federal civilian agencies provide litigation support services to the Department of Justice. Having the government as one of the biggest clients lends stability to the business and moderates fluctuations in revenues. Although, the government generally has a lengthy approval process, the project continues earning money years after it has been approved. Moreover, government contracts improve the visibility of future revenue streams. CACIs system integration skills and intelligence expertise consume a significant portion of the funds earmarked for the Department of Homeland Security, while creating systems that foster the sharing of critical information among all intelligence agencies. We believe that the company is comfortably positioned, given its favored relationship with the Department of Defense. CACI currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the industry include ARI Network Services Inc. ARIS, The KEYW Holding Corporation KEYW and LogMeIn, Inc. LOGM, each holding a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days.Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report KEYW HOLDING CP (KEYW): Free Stock Analysis Report CACI INTL A (CACI): Free Stock Analysis Report ARI NETWORK SVC (ARIS): Free Stock Analysis Report LOGMEIN INC (LOGM): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Zika stands to infect 4 million Americans by the end of the year, and the number of children born with conditions related to the disease may one of the biggest impacts on child health care since HIV and AIDS in the 1990s. That is the verdict drawn by Peter Hotez, the dean of Baylor College of Medicine's National School of Tropical Medicine, in a special communications article published online by JAMA Pediatrics. Hotez called Zika "the virus from hell," for what it does to the developing brains of unborn babies. The birth defect known as microcephaly has been widely publicized since public health officials connected it to the virus earlier this year. However, doctors and scientists are just beginning to grasp the range of effects the disease has on fetuses and developing children, and that microcephaly is just the "tip of the iceberg," Hotez said. Zika causes microcephaly because it attacks the stem cells that become brain cells. In babies affected by the virus, the brain simply does not develop. The developing skull simply "implodes" around the brain, which is only developing minimally. "So I think people don't often appreciate how devastating Zika virus is," Hotez said. Because the virus appears to attack the neural stem cells, there is a range of potential effects beyond microcephaly that are possible, and that we simply have not seen yet. Children may even be vulnerable to the effects if they are infected after they are born, since the brain continues to develop in infancy. Hotez said he fears the disease is already gaining a foothold in the Gulf Coast region and is calling for more monitoring of vulnerable areas. "My concern is that Zika could already be here on the Gulf Coast, it is just that nobody is looking, because none of the country and local health departments have funding to conduct active surveillance," Hotez told CNBC in an interview. "So I am quite worried that Zika is already here, and that we have no programs in place to actively look for it." Story continues There are three things that contribute to a Zika outbreak: the presence of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, crowded human dwellings, and poverty. The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, is also capable of spreading the disease, but is far less efficient than its relative. All three conditions are present in many cities across the Gulf Coast of the United States. The combined population of Houston and Galveston, Texas, along with New Orleans and the entire state of Florida total about 60 million people, the article noted. Out of that, about 1 million pregnancies could be at risk for the virus. This includes educating the public about getting tests for the disease if symptoms such as fevers arise, as well as more aggressively testing mosquito populations. It is also going to require a cohort of pediatricians and pediatric neurologists to sort out the effects, and new programs will need to be put in place to assist the children who live with the effects of the disease. Hotez has been studying the potential economic effects of the disease with a group of colleagues from Johns Hopkins and Yale. They have not published their findings yet, but Hotez told CNBC that "if we get significant attack rates on the Gulf coast, the costs could run into the billions of dollars." Hotez is also skeptical that a vaccine will come to market any time soon, despite news reports on Monday that one has been approved for human trials. "Yes, we are going to move very quickly into phase one clinical trials in healthy adult volunteers I don't doubt that," he said. "The thing that is not being said is that things are going to grind to a screeching halt after that." We know this virus can cause Guillain-Barre syndrome in some people," which is an autoimmune disease, he said. "So the FDA will almost certainly require prolonged studies to show that this vaccine also does not cause Guillain-Barre." In addition, the most likely candidates for the vaccine will be pregnant women and women who are trying to become pregnant. "And if you think of a regulatory hurdle," Hotez added, proving the vaccine is safe for those women "is the highest bar there is." "It is a long way of saying, we are not going to have a vaccine in time for this epidemic," he said. More From CNBC On Tuesday, Californias highest ranking statewide official to support marijuana legalization spoke before hundreds of people anxious to see that change happen in November. Our purpose is social justice, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom told the crowd gathered in Oakland for the annual Cannabis Business Summit, to right the wrong of the abject failure which is our war on drugs in the United States of America. The line earned him a huge cheer. In November, California voters will very likely have a chance to make their state the fifth to legalize recreational marijuana for residents 21 and over, following Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Alaska and the District of Columbia. Though a slight majority of California voters support legalization (53%), the proportion is lower than U.S. voters on the whole (58%), with liberals and young voters more likely to say they approve. In his policy keynote, Newsom emphasized that the campaign was far from won despite popular conceptions of California as a progressive place that embraces all the trappings of counter-culture. If any of you think this thing is done in California, you are wrong, he said. Newsom noted that voters rejected legalization not too long ago, with just over half of voters casting ballots against Proposition 19 in 2010. California became the first state to legalize medical marijuana in 1996 (something that 23 other states have now done), and Newsom lamented the states failure to be on the leading and cutting edge of legalizing recreational pot. The lieutenant governor, who is running for the California governors seat in 2018, has taken a political risk in aligning himself so closely with a measure that could alienate older swing voters as much as energize youthful ones. No human being, he said, wants this to work more than me. Newsom organized a blue ribbon commission with representatives from law enforcement, academia, childrens advocacy groups and organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union to study the myriad policy questions that come along with legalizing marijuana, with the commission releasing a report with dozens of recommendations last year. Story continues In his speech, Newsom said he had spent time touring the state and hearing the concerns of people on issues ranging from smoking and driving to protecting small pot farmers long established in the Emerald Triangle. He conveyed to the industry members that he understood the complexity of details at stake, admitting the initiative isnt perfect, while emphasizing that the ability to make changes after passage was built into the initiatives language. The initiative that voters will likely see in November was one of more than 20 that were initially proposed. With the financial help of tech billionaire Sean Parker, the backers of the Adult Use of Marijuana Act announced in May that they had collected nearly twice the 365,880 required signatures. The initiative is now pending signature verification by the Secretary of State before it officially qualifies for the ballot. Newsom framed his support for legalizing marijuana as a move for racial justice and economic empowerment, repeatedly citing the higher drug-related incarceration rates among black and Hispanic residents and estimating that the legal industry would quickly become one worth more than $10 billion in the state. Newsom also acknowledged the political clout that the state could bring to fixing big problems for the industry, particularly disconnects between states that treat marijuana as a substance on par with alcohol and a federal government that stills view pot as the legal equivalent of heroin. One of the biggest issues is access to banking. Because of federal restrictions, marijuana businesses still operate largely in cash, which poses logistical and security risks for the type of small business owners and operators who had come to hear Newsom speak. Californiawhich would have the eighth largest economy in the world if it were a countrywould have a potent and powerful voice in those national debates, he said, predicting that the impact of California legalizing marijuana will be felt not only across the rest of this country. Its going to be felt outside the borders of this country. Attendees at the expowhich was purposefully polished and devoid of psychedelic-style branding long associated with pot culturetended to agree. Elizabeth Kost runs a branding company called Purple Line Media in Northern California, and was showing off the makeover the firm had done for Santa Cruz-based marijuana company Big Peets, replacing a Rastafarian-decorated plastic bag with mod, subtle packaging that looked like it could be for high-end granola. The industry will multiply four-fold with legalization in California, she said, noting that there could be complications in her line of work if the states dozens counties choose to write different rules for how pot products have to be packaged. It is going to get a little convoluted. This is the gold rush, and this is sort of the Wild West. (Adds temperatures expected to abate on Tuesday, no Flex Alert extension planned) By Steve Gorman and Nichola Groom LOS ANGELES, June 20 (Reuters) - California's power grid operators warned homes and businesses on Monday to conserve electricity as rising demand for air conditioning stoked by a record-setting heat wave across the U.S. Southwest tested the region's generating capacity. The so-called Flex Alert was posted until 9 p.m. Pacific time during a second day of triple-digit temperatures that strained Southern California's energy production, creating a potential for rolling blackouts on the first official day of summer. But the peak hour for energy demand came and went Monday evening without disruption of the region's power delivery network, the California Independent System Operator (ISO) reported. "Since we're past that and have not experienced any trouble, I think we're headed into the safe zone," agency spokeswoman Anne Gonzales told Reuters. Temperatures were expected to begin abating on Tuesday, according to weather forecasts. As of Monday night, there were no plans to extend the Flex Alert, ISO officials said. Monday's alert was the first big test of power generators' ability to meet heightened energy demands in the greater Los Angeles area without natural gas supplies normally furnished by the now-crippled Aliso Canyon gas storage field, effectively idled since a major well rupture there last fall. The oven-like heat prompted the city of Los Angeles to keep its network of public "cooling centers" - libraries, recreation centers and senior centers - open for extended hours as a haven for people whose homes lack air conditioning. Area home improvement and hardware merchants were doing a brisk business in fans and AC window units. Brett Lopes, 31, a freelance lighting technician, stopped in a Home Depot outlet near downtown to buy supplies for a homemade air conditioner he called a "swamp cooler" to use while he waited for his landlord to repair his broken AC unit. Story continues "It's brutal," he said of the heat, explaining that he looked up directions on YouTube for assembling the makeshift cooling device. "It doesn't work as well as AC, but it's better than sitting in 100 degrees." Others flocked to public swimming pools. "It was really refreshing today, but more crowded than usual," said Paul Stephens, 31, a pastor who was swimming laps at the Rose Bowl Aquatic Center in Pasadena, where the mercury climbed to 108 Fahrenheit (42 Celsius) . BALANCING THE GRID The ISO, which runs the state's power grid, urged consumers on Monday to cut back on electricity usage, especially during late-afternoon hours. Utility customers were advised to turn off unnecessary lights, set air conditioners to 78 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, and wait until after 9 p.m. to run major appliances, such as clothes washers and dryers. Gonzales credited public cooperation with the flex alert for likely helping avert widespread outages on Monday. Large stretches of three states sweltered in a second straight day of record, triple-digit temperatures, as the National Weather Service posted excessive-heat warnings through Wednesday for southern portions of California, Arizona and Nevada, though the hot spell appeared to have peaked on Monday. Power customers ranging from homes and hospitals to oil refineries and airports are at risk of losing energy at some point this summer because a majority of electric-generating stations in California use gas as their primary fuel. Since the energy crisis of 2000-2001, the ISO has imposed brief, rotating outages in 2004, 2005, 2010 and 2015, mostly related to unexpected transmission line or power plant failures during periods of unusually high demand. With California's largest natural gas storage field shut down indefinitely at Aliso Canyon, state regulators have warned that Los Angeles faces up to 14 days of gas shortages severe enough to trigger blackouts this summer. Aliso Canyon, owned by Southern California Gas Co, a division of San Diego-based utility giant Sempra Energy, normally supplies the region's 17 gas-fired power plants, hospitals, refineries and other key parts of California's economy, including 21 million residents. The gas leak there, ranking as the worst-ever accidental methane release in the United States, forced thousands of nearby residents from their homes for several months after it was detected last October. The leak was finally plugged in February. (Reporting by Scott DiSavino in New York; Writing and additional reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Editing by Leslie Adler and Andrew Hay) June 21 (Reuters) - California's power grid passed its first test of the summer with no rolling blackouts on Monday, when customers cranked up their air conditioners as temperatures soared into the triple-digits for the second consecutive day in some southern parts of the state. The California Independent System Operator, which manages the state's power grid, issued a so-called flex alert on Sunday, urging homes and businesses to conserve energy on Monday afternoon. As consumers heeded that call and temperatures on Monday came in a little cooler than expected, the ISO cut its peak power demand projection for the day to 43,728 megawatts from 45,316 MW. Monday's alert was the first big test of power generators' ability to meet heightened energy demands in the greater Los Angeles area without natural gas supplies normally furnished by the now-crippled Aliso Canyon. The storage field, California's largest, has been effectively idled since a major well rupture there last autumn. So far, the ISO has not issued another flex alert for Tuesday but said on its website it would be "helpful" if customers conserve energy. With cooler temperatures expected for the rest of the week, the ISO forecast demand would peak at 42,581 MW on Tuesday and just 39,036 on Wednesday. AccuWeather meteorologists forecast the mercury would reach 87 degrees Fahrenheit (31 Celsius) in Los Angeles on Tuesday before falling to a near-normal 82 degrees on Wednesday. They had exceeded 100 degrees on Monday. With Aliso Canyon shut down, state regulators have warned that the Los Angeles area faces up to 14 days of gas shortages severe enough to trigger blackouts this summer. Aliso Canyon, owned by Sempra Energy's Southern California Gas Co unit, normally supplies the region's 17 gas-fired power plants, hospitals, refineries and other key parts of the state's economy. (Reporting by Scott DiSavino; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn) June 21 (Reuters) - California's only functioning nuclear power plant will close by 2025 and be replaced by renewables, energy efficiency and storage under an agreement announced on Tuesday by its owner, PG&E Corp, labor unions and environmental groups. PG&E said it would not seek to relicense the two reactors at the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant beyond their current operating licenses, which expire in 2024 and 2025. The company cited California's goal of producing 50 percent of its power from renewables by 2030 and ambitious energy efficiency targets for the move, saying those policies had reduced the need for electricity from Diablo Canyon. The announcement is the latest in a series from nuclear operators moving to shut reactors. U.S. power prices have collapsed due to low gas prices, making it uneconomic to keep running or make needed repairs to the nuclear units . The owners of California's San Onofre nuclear power plant announced its retirement in 2013 following the detection of a leak in a steam generator tube. Replacing Diablo Canyon with renewable power will cost less than relicensing the nuclear plant and operating it through 2044, PG&E said, citing the decline in the cost of renewables. "California's energy landscape is changing dramatically," PG&E Chief Executive Tony Earley said in a statement. He added that nuclear power was "an important bridge strategy to help ensure that power remains affordable and reliable and that we do not increase the use of fossil fuels while supporting California's vision for the future." PG&E also said it would make a voluntary commitment to source 55 percent of its power supplies from renewables by 2031. Groups that said they support PG&E's plan include the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1245, Coalition of California Utility Employees, Friends of the Earth, Natural Resources Defense Council, Environment California and Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility. There are currently 100 operating reactors in the United States, with a total capacity near 100,000 megawatts, generating about 20 percent of the nation's total power. Nuclear power provided about 8.5 percent of California's power mix in 2014. (Reporting by Nichola Groom; Editing by Dan Grebler) Traders are looking for Wal-Mart Stores to rally this summer. optionMONSTER's monitoring program shows that 4,700 August 75 calls were purchased for $0.50 today. This represents new positioning, as volume was nearly double the strike's open interest of 2,552 contracts. Long calls lock in the price where investors can buy stock, allowing them to profit from a rally with limited capital at risk. Their cheap cost can also generate significant leverage on a percentage basis if shares move in the right direction. (See our Education section) WMT is up 0.42 percent to $71.40 in morning trading and is up 5 percent in the last three months. The retail giant reported bullish results on May 19 and is scheduled to announce its next earnings numbers before the market opens on Aug. 18, one day before today's long calls expire. Total WMT calls outnumber puts by a bullish 4-to-1 ratio. More From optionMONSTER * Says too early to assess implications for fund * Proposed changes would start in 2019 * Fund was projected to continue rapid growth (Adds comment, details from CPPIB) By Matt Scuffham TORONTO, June 21 (Reuters) - The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, which manages the assets of the country's national pension fund, said on Tuesday it does not expect a proposed expansion to the plan to have a significant impact on its overall investment strategy. Canada's federal government and provinces agreed in principle on Monday to support a compromise plan to expand the national pension plan, with premiums raised moderately over time to provide greater payouts for pensioners. "Modest changes to the plan along a multi-year transition phase - as contemplated - are unlikely to have a significant impact on the overall investment-related dimensions of the program," a CPPIB spokesman said. The CPPIB was created in 1997 to manage the CPP's money and has grown rapidly, directly investments around the world in assets such as real estate and infrastructure, as well as equities and bonds. It had C$279 billion ($217.75 billion) in assets under management at the end of March and has forecast that will grow to C$300 billion by 2020 and C$500 billion by 2030. It said on Tuesday it was too early to say how those projections will change. "It is premature to assess any potential implications related to the Reserve Fund entrusted to CPPIB to manage over multiple generations," the spokesman said. The fund last year generated more in investment income, C$9.1 billion in fiscal 2016, than it took in from contributions, which totaled C$5.2 billion. "Even without any enhancement, the fund has been and will continue to be on a path of continuing growth over an exceptionally long period," the spokesman said. The proposed changes, if formally approved by the provinces, would start in 2019 and be phased in over seven years, according to the plan signed by eight provincial finance ministers and federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau. Story continues Like other governments around the world, Canada faces a challenge to provide for its aging population. The CPP has been deemed by some experts as insufficient to provide enough income in retirement without being supplemented by a workplace pension. Under the current plan, both employers and employees contribute 4.95 percent of income up to a C$54,900 cap. The maximum payout is C$13,110 annually, lower than that of other wealthy nations. With the new deal, the earnings cap would rise to C$82,700 by 2025, with the income replacement level increasing to one-third of the cap. ($1 = 1.2813 Canadian dollars) (Reporting by Matt Scuffham; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Dan Grebler) VANCOUVER (Reuters) - Canada's provinces have reached an agreement-in-principle to support a compromise plan to expand the country's national pension plan that would see premiums raised moderately over time to provide greater payouts for Canadian pensioners, a source with direct knowledge of the deal said on Monday. The proposed changes, if approved by the provinces, would start in 2019 and be phased in over seven years. Reforming the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) requires the support of the country's federal government plus seven of the 10 provinces, representing two-thirds of the Canadian population. (Reporting by Julie Gordon; Editing by Leslie Adler) Ottawa (AFP) - Canada has loosened requirements for gay men who want to donate blood, reducing the compulsory period of sexual abstinence from five years to one year. Health Canada said it made the change after blood operators Canadian Blood Services and Hema-Quebec asked for the reduction and presented data showing that the new policy would not affect the safety of the blood supply. The new rule will take effect August 15. The five-year waiting period to donate blood was imposed in 2013 and prior to that, gay men were not allowed to donate. "The reduction of the lifetime deferral to a five-year deferral has not resulted in any increase in HIV positive blood donations," Health Canada said in a statement. Other countries with a one-year deferral period for men who have sex with men include Australia, Britain, France, New Zealand, Scotland and the United States. Health Minister Jane Philpott was quoted by broadcaster CBC as saying Justin Trudeau's Liberal government had an "incredible desire" to reduce the waiting period even further. She noted that the latest policy "is not a radical change" from the previous rule and many gay men would still be banned from donating blood. "That being said, I would rather see Canada take a step in the right direction than stand still," Philpott said. (Adds background on CPP reform, quote from B.C. finance minister, details on changes) By Julie Gordon VANCOUVER, June 20 (Reuters) - Canada's federal government and provinces agreed in principle on Monday to support a compromise plan to expand the national pension plan that would see premiums raised moderately over time to provide greater payouts for pensioners. The proposed changes, if formally approved by the provinces, would start in 2019 and be phased in over seven years, according to the plan signed by eight provincial finance ministers and federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau. Reforming the Canada Pension Plan, or CPP, requires the support of the country's federal government plus seven of the 10 provinces, representing two-thirds of the Canadian population. Like other governments around the world, Canada faces a challenge to provide for its aging population. The CPP has been deemed by some experts as insufficient to provide enough income in retirement without being supplemented by a workplace pension. Fewer employers are offering workplace pensions and those that do are reducing the benefits of those plans, prompting advocates to lobby for CPP reform. The previous federal Conservative government refused to consider changes, which prompted Ontario's Liberal government to come up with its own plan to boost retirement security for residents in the absence of a national solution. The election of a federal Liberal government last October opened the door to new cooperation, although securing the required backing among provinces proved challenging. The proposed changes, following a day of talks between Morneau and his provincial counterparts, are revised from Ontario's proposal and will now be considered by the provinces. If approved, a final agreement could be formalized within weeks. "I think we have reached a balanced approach to satisfying the objectives that were set out - that is a modest enhancement, that is fully funded and is affordable," British Columbia Finance Minister Michael de Jong told reporters. Story continues The agreement means Ontario will likely not go ahead with its proposed Ontario Retirement Pension Plan. Quebec, which has its own pension plan, did not sign on but expressed its support for "modest, targeted and gradual enhancements." Manitoba is the only other province that did not sign the deal. Under the current plan, both employers and employees contribute 4.95 percent of income up to a C$54,900 ($42,927) cap. The maximum payout is C$13,110 annually, lower than that of other wealthy nations. With the new deal, the earnings cap would rise to C$82,700 by 2025, with the income replacement level increasing to one-third of the cap. (Additional reporting by Matt Scuffham in Toronto; Editing by Leslie Adler and Peter Cooney) (Adds comment from rival Canadian National on its outlook, paragraph 12) By Allison Lampert MONTREAL, June 21 (Reuters) - Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd warned on Tuesday it expected second-quarter revenue to fall about 12 percent from a year earlier, hurt by weak commodity volumes, the Fort McMurray wildfire in northern Alberta and a stronger Canadian dollar. The Calgary-based company's Canadian-listed shares were down more than 2 percent at C$157.24 by midday in Toronto, and earlier fell more than 4 percent. The Fort McMurray wildfire sharply cut output from the Alberta oil sands, and the company was forced to temporarily halt services to the city. Grain and potash volumes have also been weak. In a note to clients on Tuesday, Desjardins analyst Benoit Poirier said the revision was not entirely unexpected, as the rail industry grapples with weaker volumes. U.S. railroad CSX Corp also said in May it expected "high single-digit volume declines" to negatively impact second-quarter earnings. Canadian Pacific said it expected adjusted earnings of about C$2.00 per share. It reported adjusted earnings of C$2.45 per share in the second quarter of 2015. Analysts were expecting second-quarter earnings per share of C$2.46, according Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. However, CP said cost-cutting measures in the first half of the year and an expected improvement in commodity volumes would likely help the company meet its full-year guidance. "While we acknowledge the environment remains challenging, additional cost reduction opportunities and the potential for stronger volumes in the back half of the year still lead us to believe that achieving double-digit EPS growth in 2016 is a possibility," Chief Executive Hunter Harrison said in a statement. Desjardins' Poirier questioned CP's ability to hit its full-year target, given the lack of a clear sign of volume recovery. "We expect the street to remain skeptical about CP's ability to achieve its 2016 guidance," Poirier wrote. Story continues Poirier said he does not expect a similar revision from rival Canadian National Railway Co, which revised its 2016 outlook in April. A CN spokesman said on Tuesday the railway was maintaining that guidance. CP said it expected a second-quarter operating ratio of about 62 percent. CP reported an operating ratio of 60.9 percent in the same quarter last year. The operating ratio shows operating expenses as a percentage of revenue. The lower the figure, the better the performance. CP's operating ratio was a record low 58.9 percent in the first quarter. A spokesman for Pershing Square Capital Management, a top investor in CP, declined to comment on the revised outlook. (With additional reporting by Amrutha Gayathri in Bengaluru; Editing by Ted Kerr and Will Dunham) 2000 - 2022 24 .- . focus-news.net, () . 24 . 24 . . 24 . Longtime friend and mentor Muhammad Ali inspired Will Smith to refocus on his philanthropic activities, he told an enraptured audience at a Cannes Lions session on Tuesday. "He was unwilling to compromise for money, accolades, he was living his values rich or poor," Smith said, adding that after years of Hollywood success he had lost focus and was more concerned about being a movie star than living true to his values. "I had so much success that I started to taste global blood and my focus shifted from my artistry to winning. I wanted to win and be the biggest movie star, and what happened was there was a lag - around Wild Wild West time - I found myself promoting something because I wanted to win versus promoting something because I believed in it." He repeatedly brought up 1999's Wild Wild West as a personal low point. The Barry Sonnenfeld-directed film earned over $222 million worldwide. "Smoke and mirrors in marketing and sales is over. People are going to know really quickly and globally whether a product keeps its promises," he said, throwing his lot in amongst the roomful of advertising execs. "I consider myself a marketer. My career has been strictly being able to sell my products globally, and it's now in the hand of fans. I have to be in tune with their needs and not trick them into going to see Wild Wild West." "The power has gone away from the marketers," he added. The actor also confirmed his involvement in the company Just Water, which produces a paper and sugar cane-bottled water in an effort to reduce plastic pollution. The company had previously refused to disclose its investors. His involvement in the company was spurred on by son Jaden's concern about plastic pollution in the oceans. That message - the phone follows you everywhere - clicked for him in a way that translated to his work and the way films are marketed. "I realized that it's also true in the marketing of movies. Back in the '80s and '90s you had a piece of crap movie you put a trailer with a lot of explosions and it was Wednesday before people knew your movie was shit," Smith said. "But now what happens is 10 minutes into the movie, people are tweeting 'This is shit, go see Vin Diesel'." Story continues The result is a return to storytelling instead of gimmicks and explosions. "It's funny to go sit in a meeting in Hollywood now. It's a new idea that we have to make good movies," he joked, playing to the delight of the packed theater. "Hmm, I never thought of that." His younger children Jaden, 17, and Willow, 15, have started their own entertainment careers, Jaden in the remake of the Karate Kid and Willow with her hit song Whip my Hair in 2010. "In my family it's known as 'The year of the mutiny,' and my family decided they were no longer going to function under my tyranny," he joked. The then-10-year-old Willow taught him the biggest lesson when she wanted to drop out of touring with Justin Bieber because she was no longer enjoying performing and shaved her hair - the very core of her act at that time - in a hotel room in London. He found that creating a career for his daughter was useless if she didn't want it. "The lesson was so important: selling, marketing and creating cannot be about me, and my parenting is connecting to the way I make movies and the way I interact with people," Smith said. His work with Just Water and healthy living project Thrive Market are what he sees himself focusing on in the future. He brought it all back to Ali's funeral last week. "It was really beautiful for me to see how profoundly happy people were at his memorial and that's a result of him living his life with a purpose," he said. "Improving lives is how I want to move forward." He added: "If someone stands at your funeral and says, 'His ROI was ridiculous,' you've failed." Read More: Cannes Lions: Hollywood Takes Center Stage at Ad Fest By Suleiman Al-Khalidi AMMAN (Reuters) - Six Jordanian border guards were killed by a suicide bomber who drove a car at speed across the border from Syria and rammed it into a military post on Tuesday, security officials said. The explosives-laden vehicle blew up a few hundred metres from a camp for Syrian refugees in a remote, desolate area where the borders of Iraq, Syria and Jordan meet, a Jordanian army statement said. The southeastern desert area is close to where Islamic State militants are known to operate, according to a security source who requested anonymity. The source said the attack appeared to be a well-planned military operation. No group has claimed responsibility. The army said a number of other vehicles used in the attack at around 5:30 a.m. (0230 GMT) were destroyed and that 14 other people were wounded. The suicide bomber drove out from behind a berm and dodged gunfire to reach the military post, it added. It was the first such assault targeting Jordan from Syria since Syria's descent into conflict in 2011 and followed an attack on June 6 on a security office near the Jordanian capital Amman in which five people, including three Jordanian intelligence officers, were killed. The incidents have jolted the Arab kingdom, which has been relatively unscathed by the instability that has swept the Arab world since 2011, including the expansion of Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. In a rare move, the Jordanian army's chief of staff declared the northern and northeastern border strip with Syria a closed military zone, an order that went into effect immediately. "Any vehicle and personnel movement within these areas that move without prior coordination will be treated as enemy targets and dealt with firmly and without leniency," the army statement said. International relief workers said the Jordanian authorities had also suspended all humanitarian aid to the area and that this could put the lives of refugees at risk. U.N. agencies responsible for the well-being of thousands of refugees did not comment on the drastic move which Western aid workers said penalized thousands of refugees, almost half of them women and children who have been stranded on the border strip for months. Jordan's Foreign Minister Nasser Joudeh confirmed deliveries of aid to the border areas had been halted until a safer area was found. He told state media the incident vindicated Amman's previous security warnings about the presence of hardline extremists within the camp. "There is a large concentration of people along this border and a big infiltration of elements from Daesh terrorists who are present heavily," Joudeh said, using the Arabic derogatory term for Islamic State. Jordan's King Abdullah said the perpetrators would not go unpunished and that his security forces would deal with "an iron fist" with any group that sought to harm the country's security or borders, a palace statement said. Jordan is a staunch ally of the United States and is taking part in the U.S.-led campaign against Islamic State in Syria, where the jihadist group still controls large areas of territory including much of the east. Jordan has kept tight control of its frontier with Syria since the outbreak of the war in its neighbour. Washington condemned the deadly attack as a "cowardly terrorist act" and said it would continue "unwavering support" for the Jordanian army, a statement from the U.S. embassy said. Since the Syria conflict began, Washington has spent tens of millions of dollars to help Amman set up an elaborate surveillance system known as the Border Security Programme to stem infiltration by militants from Syria and Iraq. The Rakban crossing targeted on Tuesday is a military zone far from any inhabited area, and includes a three-km (two-mile) stretch of berms built a decade ago to combat smuggling. The border is heavily guarded by patrols and drones. U.S. Patriot missiles are stationed in the kingdom, however, and the U.S. army has hundreds of trainers in the country. It is the only area where Jordan still receives Syrian refugees, some 50,000 of whom are stranded in Rakban refugee camp in a de facto no-man's land some 330 km (200 miles) northeast of Amman. REFUGEES STRAIN KINGDOM The camp's population has grown from several thousand to over 50,000 people since last year as the fighting in Syria intensified, relief workers say. Jordan has been a big beneficiary of foreign aid because of its efforts to help refugees but has drawn criticism from Western allies and aid agencies over the humanitarian situation at Rakban where conditions have caused several deaths among refugeees lacking sufficient medical care, diplomats say. Earlier waves of Syrian refugees had an easier time, with some walking just a few hundred metres to cross into Jordan. Jordan sealed those border crossings in 2013. The United Nations refugee agency said late last year Jordan should accept the new wave of refugees -- their numbers have risen, aid officials say, since Russia started air strikes last September -- and move them to established camps closer to Amman. Jordan, which has already accepted more than 600,000 U.N.-registered Syrian refugees, is resisting. It says Islamic State militants may have infiltrated their ranks as most of them come from Islamic State-held areas in central and eastern Syria, and has allowed only a trickle of refugees, mostly women and children, in recent months. (Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Editing by Timothy Heritage and Jonathan Oatis) By Kieran Guilbert DAKAR (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - A farming technique practiced for centuries in West Africa, which transforms nutrient-poor rainforest soil into fertile farmland, could combat climate change and revolutionize farming across the continent, researchers said on Tuesday. Adding kitchen waste and charcoal to tropical soil can turn it into fertile, black soil which traps carbon and reduces emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, according to a study carried out by the University of Sussex in England. The soils produced by the 700-year-old practice, known as "African dark earths", contain up to 300 percent more organic carbon than other soils, and are capable of supporting far more intensive farming, said the anthropologist behind the study. "Mimicking this ancient method has the potential to transform the lives of thousands of people living in some of the most poverty and hunger stricken regions in Africa," said James Fairhead, Professor of Anthropology at the University of Sussex. The research was carried out by anthropologists and soil scientists who lived with communities in Liberia and Ghana while analyzing almost 200 sites across the countries, the study said. A previous top-down approach from the scientific community and lack of engagement with African farmers may explain why such a simple method had not been studied until now, Fairhead said. "Relations of power in West Africa had been hiding the skills and wisdom of local farmers," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "Scientists need to pay more attention and respect to existing practices, especially if these practices can boost food production and sequester carbon." Similar soils created by pre-Columbian era inhabitants of Brazil's Amazon forest have recently been discovered, said Dawit Solomon, author of the study published last week in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and Environment. "What is most surprising is that ... these two isolated indigenous communities living far apart in distance and time were able to achieve something that the modern-day agricultural management practices could not achieve until now," he said. An estimated 180 million people in sub-Saharan Africa are affected by soil degradation, which costs them $68 billion a year, according to a 2014 report by Agriculture for Impact. Climate change, desertification, the depletion of mineral nutrients, improper use of fertilizer and a lack of infrastructure are compounding the problem, the report found. (Reporting By Kieran Guilbert, Editing by Emma Batha. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, corruption and climate change. Visit news.trust.org) Following the release of acclaimed Coloring Book mixtape in May, Chance the Rapper announced the Magnificent Coloring World Tour. Charts: Drake Rules But Chance the Rapper Makes History The North American portion starts August 7th through October 21st. It includes stops in most major cities and a recently announced appearance at Philadelphias Made In America festival. At the moment, a show in Chance's hometown of Chicago is listed as "TBD." On Twitter, the rapper suggested that the European dates will also be announced this week. Coloring Book debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard 200 chart without selling a single copy. The album, which included contributions from Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Young Thug, Justin Bieber, Kirk Franklin, the Chicago Childrens Choir, and more, was streamed 57.3 million times the week it came out as an Apple Music exclusive. In the past, streaming-only releases were not eligible for Grammy awards to be recognized by the Recording Academy, music had to come in physical or downloadable form. But in a change that recognizes the importance of streaming platforms in the modern music landscape, the academy recently ruled that streaming-only releases can be nominated for Grammys as long as they are made available on a service that has a paid-subscription tier and audio quality comparable to that of a CD. Chances latest tape is likely to benefit from this rule change, which takes effect at the 59th annual Grammy Awards on February 12th, 2017. See the full list of Magnificent Coloring World Tour dates below: 08-07 San Francisco, CA - Outside Lands 08-12 Minneapolis, MN - Summer Set 09-03 Philadelphia, PA - Made in America Festival 09-15 San Diego, CA - Calcoast Credit Union Open Air Theatre 09-17 Los Angeles, CA - The Greek Theatre 09-18 Las Vegas, NV - Brooklyn Bowl 09-20 Denver, CO - Fillmore Auditorium 09-21 Kansas City, MO - Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland 09-25 Detroit, MI - Fox Theatre 09-27 Toronto, Ontario - Canada Echo Beach 09-29 Boston, MA - Blue Hills Bank Pavillion 10-02 New York, NY - The Meadows 10-06 Washington, DC - Eaglebank Arena 10-07 Raleigh, NC - Red Hat Ampitheater 10-08 Atlanta, GA - The Fox Theater 10-10 Miami, FL - The Fillmore Miami Beach 10-13 New Orleans, LA - Mardi Gras Ballroom 10-15 Houston, TX - Revention Music Center 10-16 Dallas, TX - The Bomb Factory 10-19 Phoenix, AZ - Mesa Amphitheatre 10-21 San Francisco, CA - Bill Graham Civic Auditorium Related SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Chile's public prosecutor said on Tuesday it was investigating a former high-ranking cabinet official in President Michelle Bachelet's government for bribery and tax offenses related to counsel provided to London-listed mining company Antofagasta Minerals. Jorge Insunza was appointed secretary general minister, a post which includes whipping congressional votes for the president, in May 2015. He stepped down a month later amid a wave of criticism by lawmakers about counsel he had provided mining companies while a congressman. Public prosecutor for Santiago's eastern district, Manuel Guerra, told CNN Chile that Insunza was being investigated for counsel he provided Antofagasta Minerals through his company Virtus Consultores between 2007 and 2014, when he was a member of the Lower Chamber of Congress. During a portion of that time, he presided over the lower house's mining commission. "This investigation has been opened by us based on records we have in our power and which we have analyzed that show that monies were paid for counsel on issues related to mining by the former congressman Jorge Insunza," Guerra said. An official in the prosecutor's office, who declined to be named, confirmed that it was opening an investigation. Antofagasta Minerals tweeted that it would "collaborate with all the information that is being requested of them, convinced that it did not commit a crime." The chairmen of Antofagasta Minerals between 2007 and 2014 have been asked to testify. Confidence in Bachelet, Chile's government and lawmakers has been battered over the last couple of years in the wake of several high-profile money-in-politics scandals involving politicians across the political spectrum. (Reporting by Anthony Esposito; Editing by Richard Chang) Nikhil Puthran The Honda City sedan is sold as Griez in China. Based on the Griez, Honda will soon be launching its downsized hatchback version named Gienia in China. However, this car will be exclusive to China market and might not make it across the globe. As for the rest of the world, Honda sells the Jazz in India a.k.a. Fit in the international markets. The reason why China gets a hatchback version from the same family is because of its difference in automotive trends in comparison to the rest of the countries. The hatchback believed to be based on the Concept B design study; it gets a bolder grille and bumper on the front. It also comes with projector headlamps. As for the rear, the Gienia gets large taillights which are connected by a strip. The rear bumper is large and sculpted with chrome accents. To complete its sporty look, the hatchback version gets a rear spoiler. Under the hood, the Gienia will continue to be powered by Hondas existing 1.5-litre i-VTEC engine that generates 127bhp of power and 155Nm of torque. The engine will come mated to a five-speed manual transmission, while CVT might be optional.In terms of dimensions, the Honda Gienia measures 4,517mm in length, 1,705mm in width and 1,477mm in height. The car will get a wheelbase measuring 2,600 mm. In comparison to Griez, the Gienia is about 22mm shorter in its overall length. Source: AH For more news,reviews,videos and information about cars, visit CarWale.com. Check On-Road Prices | Find New Cars | Upcoming Cars | Compare Cars | Dealer Locator Chinese Internet powerhouse Tencent and its partners have closed a deal with Japanese telco giant SoftBank Group Corp. to acquire a 84.3% stake in Supercell, the Finnish game maker of Clash of Clans, for $8.6 billion. The deal values Supercell, which is also behind such hit games as Hay Day, Boom Beach and Clash Royale, at $10.2 billion. Founded in 2010, the Helsinki-based Supercell has offices in San Francisco, Tokyo, Seoul and Beijing. Its four top games Clash of Clans, Hay Day, Boom Beach and Clash Royale have made it in the top-10 highest-grossing and currently reach more than 100 million users per day. Supercell is known for its creativity, focus on player experience, and unique culture, which have enabled it to create innovative mobile games that are wildly popular globally. Tencent is dedicated to building long-term strategic partnerships with leading game companies. We are excited that Supercell is joining our global network of game partners, and will preserve their independence and enhance their advantages, thus bringing even more exciting gaming experiences to players around the world, said Martin Lau, Tencent president. It is important to us that Supercell stays true to its roots by sustaining its unique culture, continuing to be headquartered in Finland, and representing its home proudly, added Lau. Capitalizing on Supercells track record, Tencent will maintain the independence of the company, while its existing team will continue running all operations at its headquarters in Helsinki. Tencent also intends on raising the stakes owned by every Supercell employee in Supercell to enhance their commitment and engage them in a new long-term incentive plan. Today is about chasing a future for Supercell that we have always dreamed of. We founded Supercell to make great games that people all over the world would play for decades and become part of the rich history of games. Weve made excellent progress over the past six years, weve created four top games that are now played by over 100 million people every single day. Tencents investment secures what has made all of this possible, which is our independence and unique culture of small and independent teams, said Ilkka Paananen, Supercell CEO, adding that the partnership with Tencent gave Supercell exciting growth opportunities in China, where we will be able to reach hundreds of millions of new gamers via Tencents channels. Story continues The pact, which has yet to be approved by regulatory authorities, is expected to close during the third quarter of this year. Related stories Comcast and China's Tencent Back Meta Augmented Reality Venture IM Global Sold to Tang Media, Launches TV Venture With China's Tencent China's Tencent and Weiying Take $85 Million Stake in Korea's YG Entertainment From Popular Mechanics The first Xian Y-20 military transport aircraft was delivered to the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) on June 15. Developed by Xian Aircraft Corporation, the Y-20 has an empty weight of 110 short tons, making it the largest military aircraft currently in production-larger than Russia's Ilyushin Il-76. Boeing's C-17 Globemaster III is bigger than the Y-20-the C-17's empty weight is about 60,000 pounds more than the Y-20 and its payload capacity is 25,000 pounds more-but production stopped in 2015, making the Y-20 the biggest that is currently rolling out of factories. The Y-20-which has the official codename "Kunpeng" after a mythical Chinese bird, though it is nicknamed "Chubby Girl" for its appearance-makes China the third nation after Russia and the United States to design and develop its own heavy military transport aircraft. The C-17 has been a major workhorse for the United States military since it was introduced in 1995, carrying troops and cargo all over the world. It allows the U.S. Air Force to quickly transport large amounts of supplies, move troops, fly large-scale air drop missions, and even transport other military vehicles such as an M1 Abrams tank, three IAV Stryker armored combat vehicles, or six M1117 Armored Security Vehicles. With the Y-20 officially in service-and the Y-20 is remarkably similar to the C-17-the PLAAF's versatility and ability to quickly mobilize large combat forces increases significantly. With a payload capacity of 73 short tons, the Y-20 can transport China's largest tank, the ZTZ99, as well as a variety of other vehicles, supplies, or a large number of troops. The heavy transport is also ideal for large-scale airdrops and medical evacuations if necessary. The Chubby Girl has a range of 4,850 miles while carrying 40 tons of cargo, and 2,800 miles when fully laden. Currently the Y-20 uses four Russian-made Soloviev D-30 turbofan engines, though the PLAAF plans to replace the engines with the Chinese-made Shenyang WS-20 turbofans by 2020 to give the Chubby Girl short takeoff capabilities and a greater range. In addition to functioning as a transport, the Y-20 could be outfitted as a refueling tanker for other military aircraft or used as a a strategic command center to coordinate fighter jets and drones in combat. Story continues The first two Y-20s with the serial numbers 11051 and 11052 were delivered to the 12th Regiment of the 4th Transport Division at Chengdu/Qionglai, and several more are expected to enter service in the coming months. Centrally located around China's air base in Chengdu, the Y-20 could be quickly dispatched to wherever it is needed, from Korea to the South China Sea. With tensions rising between the U.S. and China in the Pacific, the People's Liberation Army continues to make significant military advances. Sources: Popular Science, AIN Online By Shu Zhang and John Ruwitch BEIJING (Reuters) - A motivational trainer in China, upset at the low scores in a session with rural bank employees, handed out beatings for eight of them, shaved the heads of the men and cut the hair of the women. "Spanking was a training model I have been exploring for many years," the trainer, Jiang Yang, said on his microblog, absolving the bank's leadership of direct responsibility. Changzhi Zhangze Rural Commercial Bank, a lender in China's northern Shanxi province, hired a Shanghai-based training company to run a "performance breakthrough" course, a local rural banking oversight body said on a government-run website. After a day of training last weekend for a staff of more than 200, Jiang demanded explanations from the eight employees with the weakest scores. One responded, "I'm not hard on myself." Another shouted, "I didn't make a breakthrough!" while a third blamed lack of teamwork. Then he asked them to prepare to be beaten, and strode up and down the row of offenders several times, whacking them loudly on their behinds with a stick. Later, he cut the women's hair and shaved the men's heads, according to media reports and www.czlook.com, the website of the Changzhi city government news office. The punishment, captured in a mobile telephone video circulated on Chinese social media, touched off criticism. "Since when does beating employees become a way of raising performance?" asked one Weibo user, Denny Tangmashi. The training company declined requests by Reuters for comment, while telephone calls to the bank went unanswered and Jiang's mobile phone appeared to have been switched off. In an online statement on Monday, the oversight body described the training as "improper", adding that it had suspended the bank's chairman and a deputy governor and told Jiang to make a public apology. Some saw the punishment for the bankers and the trainer as inadequate, however. "They need to be beaten with a stick!" wrote Weibo user Edison Li Jingyu. (Reporting by Shu Zhang in BEIJING and John Ruwitch in SHANGHAI; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) (Adds Chinese comment) By Joseph Menn and Jim Finkle SAN FRANCISCO, June 20 (Reuters) - The Chinese government appears to be abiding by its September pledge to stop supporting the hacking of American trade secrets to help companies there compete, private U.S. security executives and government advisors said on Monday. FireEye Inc, the U.S. network security company best known for fighting sophisticated Chinese hacking, said in a report released late Monday that breaches attributed to China-based groups had plunged by 90 percent in the past two years. The most dramatic drop came during last summer's run-up to the bilateral agreement, it added. FireEye's Mandiant unit in 2013 famously blamed a specific unit of China's Peoples Liberation Army for a major campaign of economic espionage. Kevin Mandia, the Mandiant founder who took over last week as FireEye chief executive, said in an interview that several factors seemed to be behind the shift. He cited embarrassment from Mandiant's 2013 report and the following year's indictment of five PLA officers from the same unit Mandiant uncovered. Prosecutors said the victims included U.S. Steel, Alcoa Inc and Westinghouse Electric. Mandia also cited the threat just before the agreement that the United States could impose sanctions on Chinese officials and companies. "They all contributed to a positive result," Mandia said. A senior Obama administration official said the government was not yet ready to proclaim that China was fully complying with the agreement but said the new report would factor into its monitoring. "We are still doing an assessment," said the official, speaking on condition he not be named. The official added that a just-concluded second round of talks with China on the finer points of the agreement had gone well. He noted that China had sent senior leaders even after the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security pulled out because of the Orlando shootings. China's Foreign Ministry, the only government department to regularly answer questions from foreign reporters on the hacking issue, said China aimed to maintain dialogue on preventing and combating cyber-spying. Story continues "We've expressed our principled position on many occasions," ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a daily news briefing on Tuesday. "We oppose and crack down on commercial cyber-espionage activities in all forms." FireEye said that Chinese intrusions into some U.S. firms have continued, with at least two hacked in 2016. But while the hackers installed "back doors" to enable future spying, FireEye said it had seen no evidence that data was stolen. Both hacked companies had government contracts, said FireEye analyst Laura Galante, noting that it was plausible that the intrusions were stepping stones toward gathering information on government or military people or projects, which remain fair game under the September accord. FireEye and other security companies said that as the Chinese government-backed hackers dropped wholesale theft of U.S. intellectual property, they increased spying on political and military targets in other countries and regions, including Russia, the Middle East, Japan and South Korea. Another security firm, CrowdStrike, has observed more Chinese state-supported hackers spying outside of the United States over the past year, company Vice President Adam Meyers said in an interview. Targets include Russian and Ukrainian military targets, Indian political groups and the Mongolian mining industry, Meyers said. FireEye and CrowdStrike said they were confident that the attacks are being carried out either directly by the Chinese government or on its behalf by hired contractors. Since late last year there has been a flurry of new espionage activity against Russian government agencies and technology firms, as well as other targets in India, Japan and South Korea, said Kurt Baumgartner, a researcher with Russian security software maker Kaspersky Lab. He said those groups use tools and infrastructure that depend on Chinese-language characters. One of those groups, known as Mirage or APT 15, appears to have ended a spree of attacks on the U.S. energy sector and is now focusing on government and diplomatic targets in Russia and former Soviet republics, Baumgartner said. (Reporting by Joseph Menn in San Francisco and Jim Finkle in Boston; Additional reporting by; Megha Rajagopalan in Beijing; Editing by Jonathan Weber and Richard Chang) By Joseph Menn and Jim Finkle SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The Chinese government appears to be abiding by its September pledge to stop supporting the hacking of American trade secrets to help companies there compete, private U.S. security executives and government advisors said on Monday. FireEye Inc, the U.S. network security company best known for fighting sophisticated Chinese hacking, said in a report released late Monday that breaches attributed to China-based groups had plunged by 90 percent in the past two years. The most dramatic drop came during last summer's run-up to the bilateral agreement, it added. FireEye's Mandiant unit in 2013 famously blamed a specific unit of China's Peoples Liberation Army for a major campaign of economic espionage. Kevin Mandia, the Mandiant founder who took over last week as FireEye chief executive, said in an interview that several factors seemed to be behind the shift. He cited embarrassment from Mandiant's 2013 report and the following year's indictment of five PLA officers from the same unit Mandiant uncovered. Prosecutors said the victims included U.S. Steel, Alcoa Inc and Westinghouse Electric. Mandia also cited the threat just before the agreement that the United States could impose sanctions on Chinese officials and companies. "They all contributed to a positive result," Mandia said. A senior Obama administration official said the government was not yet ready to proclaim that China was fully complying with the agreement but said the new report would factor into its monitoring. "We are still doing an assessment," said the official, speaking on condition he not be named. The official added that a just-concluded second round of talks with China on the finer points of the agreement had gone well. He noted that China had sent senior leaders even after the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security pulled out because of the Orlando shootings. China's Foreign Ministry, the only government department to regularly answer questions from foreign reporters on the hacking issue, said China aimed to maintain dialogue on preventing and combating cyber-spying. "We've expressed our principled position on many occasions," ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a daily news briefing on Tuesday. "We oppose and crack down on commercial cyber-espionage activities in all forms." FireEye said that Chinese intrusions into some U.S. firms have continued, with at least two hacked in 2016. But while the hackers installed "back doors" to enable future spying, FireEye said it had seen no evidence that data was stolen. Both hacked companies had government contracts, said FireEye analyst Laura Galante, noting that it was plausible that the intrusions were stepping stones toward gathering information on government or military people or projects, which remain fair game under the September accord. FireEye and other security companies said that as the Chinese government-backed hackers dropped wholesale theft of U.S. intellectual property, they increased spying on political and military targets in other countries and regions, including Russia, the Middle East, Japan and South Korea. Another security firm, CrowdStrike, has observed more Chinese state-supported hackers spying outside of the United States over the past year, company Vice President Adam Meyers said in an interview. Targets include Russian and Ukrainian military targets, Indian political groups and the Mongolian mining industry, Meyers said. FireEye and CrowdStrike said they were confident that the attacks are being carried out either directly by the Chinese government or on its behalf by hired contractors. Since late last year there has been a flurry of new espionage activity against Russian government agencies and technology firms, as well as other targets in India, Japan and South Korea, said Kurt Baumgartner, a researcher with Russian security software maker Kaspersky Lab. He said those groups use tools and infrastructure that depend on Chinese-language characters. One of those groups, known as Mirage or APT 15, appears to have ended a spree of attacks on the U.S. energy sector and is now focusing on government and diplomatic targets in Russia and former Soviet republics, Baumgartner said. (Reporting by Joseph Menn in San Francisco and Jim Finkle in Boston; Additional reporting by; Megha Rajagopalan in Beijing; Editing by Jonathan Weber and Richard Chang) A little-known Chinese real estate company on Tuesday denied a report its parent had signed a $9 billion MOU with electric carmaker Tesla for a production plant in China, after its share price surged. Trading in shares of Shanghai Jinqiao Export Processing Zone Development was suspended in the afternoon after they rose by the daily limit of 10 percent to 21.60 yuan in the morning. The firm is the listed arm of Jinqiao Group, a state-owned enterprise developing an area that is part of Shanghai's free trade zone. The surge followed a Bloomberg News report that the group would team up with Tesla to build electric cars in the commercial hub. Each side was to invest about 30 billion yuan ($4.6 billion), Bloomberg quoted a person with knowledge of the matter as saying. But the firm denied the report. After confirming with Shanghai Jinqiao Group, so far, it has not signed an MOU or other form of paperwork with anyone on setting up a joint venture with Tesla, it said in a statement to the Shanghai stock exchange. Tesla has been looking to produce vehicles in the world's largest auto market. But under Chinese law it needs a local partner since Beijing bans foreign firms from having factories of their own, only allowing them to set up joint ventures. "This would be a major win for Tesla and Shanghai," Bloomberg Intelligence quoted its auto analyst Steve Man as saying. "The investment will probably include a nationwide dealership network, superchargers, R&D centre and potentially a second 'Gigafactory'," referring to a US facility to produce batteries for the vehicles. Shanghai is not the only city hoping to host Tesla's China project. Government documents circulated online showed that nearby Suzhou held meetings in March to discuss how to win the deal. Tesla has plans to expand from a niche carmaker to a major industry player, producing 500,000 cars a year by 2018. But its vehicles can cost up to $150,000 in China and it has struggled in the market despite early positive media coverage, building up an inventory of unsold cars and laying off staff. The company said last October that it sold more than 3,000 cars in China in the first nine months of 2015. Citigroup Inc. C has completed the acquisition of U.S. co-brand credit card portfolio of Costco Wholesale Corporation COST from American Express Company AXP. The bank has acquired over $10.5 billion of credit card receivables. Financial terms of the deal remained undisclosed. However, the New York-based banking giant stated that it does not expect the acquisition and conversion to have any material impact on its 2016 earnings. From now on, the new Costco Anywhere Visa Card and Costco Anywhere Visa Business Card by Citigroup are accessible to Costco members. The deal does not come as a surprise as American Express, which has been Costcos exclusive credit card partner since 1999, announced last year that they were terminating their relationship as both parties failed to reach an agreement on renewal terms. In Mar 2015, Costco announced a deal under which Citigroup would be the exclusive issuer of its co-brand credit cards in the U.S. and Visa Inc. V would replace American Express as the card network. Costco at that time also noted that the materialization of these agreements were subject to the acquisition of its existing co-brand credit card portfolio by Citigroup. For Citigroup, one of the largest issuer of consumer credit cards in the world, the deal seems to be a strategic one. The company earlier revealed that its key planned investments for 2016 are tied with US cards including the Costco portfolio acquisition and renewing a number of partnership programs. While the investments are aimed at growing the cards business, it is most likely to impact the companys results in the near term to some extent. Citigroup currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report CITIGROUP INC (C): Free Stock Analysis Report AMER EXPRESS CO (AXP): Free Stock Analysis Report COSTCO WHOLE CP (COST): Free Stock Analysis Report VISA INC-A (V): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Hillary Clinton said Tuesday that her rival Donald Trump could not be trusted with the U.S. economy and would bankrupt the nation as he did to some of his former businesses. In a bruising speech in Columbus, Ohio, the presumptive Democratic nominee used Trumps own words against him, echoing the style of her San Diego speech earlier this month that mocked his foreign policy statements. Just like he shouldnt have his finger on the button, he shouldnt have his hands on our economy, Clinton said Tuesday. The attack on his business record appeared to bother Trump more than her foreign policy speech. During her remarks, Trump tweeted nearly a dozen times attacking Clintons own economic record and broader questions about her judgment. And his campaign fired off a flurry of anti-Clinton statements to reporters, which appears to be the first time the campaign has deployed a rapid-response operation. Hillary says this election is about judgment. She's right. Her judgement has killed thousands, unleashed ISIS and wrecked the economy. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 21, 2016 Hillary took money and did favors for regimes that enslave women and murder gays. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 21, 2016 In recent polls, Trump leads Clinton on many economic issues, including job creation, among voters. Her Tuesday speech was an apparent attempt to chip away at the perception that her billionaire rival could help grow the U.S. economy. Voters already give Clinton, a former secretary of state, the advantage on most foreign policy issues. Clinton mined Trumps past statements to paint him as a reckless out-for-himself businessman who made his money on the backs of working people. She hit Trump especially hard for referring to himself as the king of debt in the past and for declaring bankruptcy several times. Story continues Hes written a lot of books about business they all seem to end at Chapter 11, she quipped. The American dollar is the safest currency on the planet. Why would he want to mess with that? Clinton said. We cant let him bankrupt America like were one of his casinos. Meanwhile, Trump continued to respond to Clinton throughout her speech. I am "the king of debt."That has been great for me as a businessman, but is bad for the country. I made a fortune off of debt, will fix U.S. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 21, 2016 Clinton painted Trumps America First stance as hypocritical, pointing out that his companies own products have been made in Mexico, India, Slovenia and other countries. She also said that he frequently criticizes his own country. Donald Trump never misses a chance to say that Americans, hes talking about us, to say that Americans are losers and the rest of the world is laughing at us, Clinton said. Just the other day, he told a crowd that America is quote not going to survive. I do not know what he is talking about. Clinton flashed anger as she asked why anyone who believed that would run for president. Clinton said she took Trumps companies occasional refusal to pay contractors personally because her father was a small businessman. In America, we dont begrudge people for being successful, but we know they shouldnt do it by destroying other peoples dreams, Clinton said. On Tuesday, the Clinton campaign also unveiled a website mocking Trump as a below-average successful businessman whose record is sad. Trump is scheduled to speak Wednesday morning at 11 a.m. ET about Clinton. Making fun of Donald Trumps erratic pronouncements on foreign policy worked so well for Hillary Clinton earlier this month that she was poised to repeat the process Tuesday, only this time focusing on his economic policy. As she did in her foreign policy speech, Clinton is taking aim at Trumps ego as much as his policy statements and trying, as she has done in the past, to goad the billionaire former reality television star into one of his regular overreactions with their predictably damaging side effects. Related: Trumps Economic Plan Would Be a Disaster for the Economy -- Moodys The strategy was made abundantly clear with the launch of a new website Tuesday, called The Art of the Steal, playing off the title of Trumps bestselling business book, The Art of the Deal. The site mocks Trumps failures in the business world, blasts him for his treatment of workers, contractors and investors. And perhaps most stinging, repeats and amplifies an Associated Press finding that if Trump had simply liquidated the assets he inherited from his father and put them in an index fund, he would have far more money than he claims to have today. Want to know how to increase your wealth faster than Donald Trump? the site asks. Throw your money in a Vanguard accountand leave it. According to the Associated Press, Donald Trumps wealth has grown 300% since 1987. And really, good for him. Thats great. Except the S&P 500--an index of the top 500 publicly traded companies has grown 1336% in that same time period. The site, which relies heavily on reporting done by mainstream news organizations like The Washington Post and The New York Times, quotes former investors who have accused Trump of pillaging companies for his own gain while letting shareholders suffer catastrophic losses, bondholders who lost confidence in his ability to manage his companies, and small businesses that wound up facing bankruptcy after Trump refused to pay his bills. Story continues Related: When Donald Trump Says Were Losing to China, Hes Right About One Thing It also spends quite a bit of time insinuating that without multiple bailouts from his father, including one episode that the New Jersey Gaming Commission determined to be an instance of an illegal undisclosed loan, Trump would never have survived in the business world he claims to have mastered. While there is no guarantee that Trump will react by lashing out, as hes done in the past, his campaign announced a hastily-planned event Wednesday afternoon at which he will deliver a speech regarding the election. On Twitter, Trump made it clear what the speech will really be about. I will be making a big speech tomorrow to discuss the failed policies and bad judgment of Crooked Hillary Clinton. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 21, 2016 Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: By Chris Kahn NEW YORK (Reuters) - Democrat Hillary Clintons lead over Republican rival Donald Trump has slipped by about five percentage points since mid-June, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Tuesday, bringing the race for the White House to within nine points. The poll showed that 44.5 percent of likely voters supported former secretary of state Clinton while 35.5 percent backed businessman Trump. That compares with 46.6 percent support for Clinton and 32.3 percent for Trump on June 12, a date that marked her widest lead for the month. Trump has focused much of his energy in recent days on the mass shooting in Orlando, Florida by a U.S.-born gunman pledging allegiance to Islamic State militant group. Trump vowed to ban people from entering the United States from countries with links to terrorism against America or its allies. Hardline national security proposals have help Trump win increased support from voters in the past, including after the shootings in San Bernardino, California and Paris late last year. Clinton responded to the Orlando attack by calling for increased intelligence gathering and air strikes on Islamic State forces, while warning against demonizing American Muslims. She has also criticized Trump's positions on foreign policy and the economy, saying a Trump presidency would be a "disaster". The June 17-21 poll of 1,100 likely voters has a credibility interval, a measure of accuracy, of 3.4 percentage points. (Editing by Alistair Bell) The year 2016 already was was supposed to be a big for CMT, highlighted by a major push into original scripted series with comedy Still The King, starring Billy Ray Cyrus, which just launched to solid ratings, and 1950s Memphis drama Million Dollar Quartet, which premieres this fall. CMTs scripted footprint grew dramatically overnight as the network recently picked up country music drama Nashville following its cancellation by ABC for a 22-episode fifth season. Deadline spoke with CMTs head of of development Jayson Dinsmore on the high-profile acquisition, the networks plans for Nashville (a companion aftershow?), as well as its unscripted, documentary and music strategy in maintaining CMTs brand of optimism and positivity. (Hint: music videos are not going anywhere.) DEADLINE: Lets start with Nashville. How did the deal came together and what was the reason behind the pickup decision? DINSMORE: Every year theres conjecture, would CMT pick it up if ABC canceled the show. Quite honestly, we looked at it and when it became available we jumped. It really is sort of the natural evolution of the channel. We wanted to move away from some of the lighter reality fare and we really wanted to create scripted projects that embraced music and that hopefully attract a broader audience. We were already headed down this path with two other scripted series and having Nashville come in as our third really completed the puzzle. DEADLINE: Have you set a premiere date for Nashville yet? DINSMORE: We have not. We just closed the deal so were very early in talks, but I have spoken with the showrunners, Marshall (Herskovitz) and Ed (Zwick), and studio, Lionsgate. Everybody is very excited and were working together. Well premiere the show when it makes sense for everyone involved. DEADLINE: Have you decided how you will air the series? Will you stick to the cable model of two uninterrupted shorter runs because its 22 episodes, or is it going to be close to the way the show aired on ABC? Story continues DINSMORE: We havent really decided that. I can honestly tell you that I dont believe we will do a broadcast pattern where they go up for two episodes and then down for two. I think if and when we settle on the schedule there will be a long run of episodes so that the audience doesnt have to wait to come back and forth. I think audiences who are so loyal, much like the Nashville fan base, I think they will appreciate that weve given them a lot of episodes in a row. DEADLINE: Do we know which Nashville actors are coming back? DINSMORE: Again, its really early. Weve seen some really great press. Connie [Britton] was in Texas last week and said some very nice things about the show. When we announced that we picked it up we had several of the cast members onstage with us at CMAs Fest last week. We had Chip [Esten]) and Clare [Bowen], so our expectation and our hope is that everyone will participate in this next cycle. Again, were just having those conversations now with the producers. DEADLINE: On ABC, Nashville was a franchise with music specials, tours and other extensions. Are you planning to keep that and would the music quotient of the series increase now that it is on the country music-themed CMT? DINSMORE: A lot of that falls on the shoulders of Lionsgate, the studio. What I can tell you is that were not going to impose ourselves on a show. The fan base has been very vocal about what they like and what they dont like. Were not going to turn this into the CMT version of Nashville. That being said, we have been looking at and thinking about additional ideas for shoulder programming to support the show. When youre a cable channel you have unique opportunities that you dont have at the broadcast level. DEADLINE: Can you share any ideas that you are kicking around? DINSMORE: Ill tell you one of them. Were thinking about doing an aftershow. Nothings set in stone but imagine if we did sort of a Talking Dead for Nashville where we had some of the cast, maybe some performances, maybe some fans come and talk about the show. We do it in the studio, sort of engage the audience and that loyal fan base on a deeper level. Thats something we can afford to do in cable that they probably dont have the opportunity at broadcast. DEADLINE: What are your expectations in terms of broadening the audience with the Nashville acquisition? How are you going to try to capitalize on potential new viewers who have never watched CMT? DINSMORE: Ill give you one quick example. When we announced that we picked up Nashville we knew the fans were super-loyal. We didnt know they were as loyal as they are. As soon as we announced it, the fans reacted in such a huge, positive, goodwill way towards CMT that they actually started a Twitter campaign to support the premiere of Still The King three days later. Nashies for Still The King trended on Twitter. The sentiment was were thankful to CMT that theyve picked up this show and theyve listened to the fans that were going to mobilize and support everything they do. We were surprised and thankful as well at the same time. DEADLINE: How does Nashville fit into CMTs scripted strategy? Original scripted series is very hard to get into, its a very crowded field. DINSMORE: Well, youre right in saying that channels where the expectation is one thing trying to move into new areas of content is difficult. Super-proud of the fact that our first one out of the gate, which is Still The King, really connected and had two-and-a-half million viewers in its premiere. Were excited about the ratings, so were hopeful that well have a second cycle. I think the difference is that CMT has such a clear brand. So in some ways we have a head start in the expectation of what we would do and as we move into different genres. Quite honestly, we look for all types of programming that is somewhat rooted in music and arguably have strong storytelling and characters that are relatable, whether its an unscripted, scripted, or music and events or in our documentaries. I actually think they complement each other quite well, but because we have such a clear brand thats connected to music you kind of have an expectation of where we would go regardless of genre. DEADLINE: When are you going to make a renewal decision on Still The King? DINSMORE: Were talking right now to the producers. Weve only aired once but were very excited. I would say this: You dont go into these types of productions and spend this kind of money without an expectation that youre going to get to a second cycle. We do subscribe to the belief that in such a crowded marketplace you need to allow shows the opportunity to find an audience over time. While we havent picked it up, Id like to think that its a real possibility. DEADLINE: What are your expectations for your first drama, Million Dollar Quartet? DINSMORE: Million Dollar Quartet is really a premium cable television play. Its inspired by the Broadway musical, though it is not a musical. In fact, we spent quite a bit of time trying to imagine a way where a show about the birth of rock and roll set in Memphis in the 1950s during a turbulent time of race relations, how could we make that appeal multi-generational. So we really turned it into a coming-of-age story. Our Elvis character, the actor who plays him, is actually 17 years old in real life. His girlfriend is 16 years old in real life. Then we peppered the cast with really charismatic and good-looking actors formerly of the WB and the CW. So we sort of raided their closet and brought Chad Michael Murray, Trevor Donovan over. We tried to position the show as: if our main characters werent Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ike Turner, BB King, would a younger audience connect to this coming-of-age story in the way that they did previously in the Dawsons Creek and Gilmore Girls of the world? DEADLINE: What are your scripted plans beyond Still The King, Million Dollar Quartet and Nashville? DINSMORE: I think we have eight pilot scripts in various stages of development. We plan to shoot two pilots this summer. We hope to add another series into the mix by next summer or next fall and then hopefully continuing to add another scripted series as we build out our entire week of programming each year. DEADLINE: You mentioned earlier that on the reality side you are moving away from lighter fare. What do you mean by that? DINSMORE: Its not that were moving away from lighter. I actually think a better description would be were moving towards things that have optimism and positivity and hopefully the opportunity to find repeatable franchises. Weve launched a couple in the past year. We added I Love Kellie Pickler to our slate and it was the highest-rated premiere since 2012 and then highest-rated with women since 2008. Shes become sort of an ambassador for the channel. Shes so likeable and cute. Then we followed that up with the launch of The Dude Perfect Show produced by Rob Dyrdek. That show, for the very first time, brought many, many teens to the channel. In other words, were inviting new people to the channel and theyre coming to check us out. DEADLINE: With I Love Kellie Pickler and The Dude Perfect Show doing well, have you found CMTs sweet spot with the comedic reality genre? DINSMORE: Weve had a great deal of success with comedic reality. I think our audience appreciates that we dont show a lot of violence or dont go heavy and dark. I think they come to CMT to escape. So the shows that sort of feature that tone, whether its blue skies or whether its comedy, those are the ones that seem to connect. We definitely are not cynical. Sometimes we can be sarcastic but we dont go dark and we dont go cynical. We really do think that optimism and positivity are two key words that we endeavor to have in each of our series. With Kellie Pickler we got quite a bit of credit both critically and from the fan base that they liked that we didnt show a ton of bickering between Kellie and her husband. They had a real relationship and they loved each other. I think thats sort of the filter we go through. Thats what I would say. DEADLINE: What about competition reality series? CMT once aired Next Superstar. Would you like to revisit the music competition genre? DINSMORE: Weve been asked that quite a bit as well. There are a couple of things. One is competition music is really well-served by broadcast television right now. The Voice, American Idol, even Americas Got Talent has quite a bit of music. They are exceptional productions so what I would hate to do more than anything is to produce a cable version of those shows and actually do a disservice. We are well-represented across all of those shows whether its Keith Urban on American Idol or Blake Shelton on The Voice, so no. We dont actually think well do a big, giant-arced competition series. Also, theres just very little residual value to spend that much money and get so little return. Its just not a business model that were interested in. That being said, we service music on our channel more than any other channel in television because music is actually the front door to everything that we do. DEADLINE: What about music videos, will they remain a staple on the network as it evolves? DINSMORE: Im very proud of the fact that we still have music videos on air. If theres one thing our longest fans of the channel ask for is that we play more music. So were trying to accommodate them by giving them different opportunities to listen to music and see music on our channel. Yes, our music hours remain. I think its about 25 percent of our schedule. DEADLINE: Why did CMT decide to go into the documentary business? DINSMORE: We started the documentary division three years ago to introduce more sophisticated storytelling to our audience to see how they would react. What we thought was true actually proved to be true. They loved it. We did a documentary on Johnny Cash. We did a documentary on the making of Urban Cowboy and the backstory behind the bar from the movie, Gilleys. Those two were seen by 20 million viewers over multiple airings. It took 18 months to get our first doc made. We had to convince the town that we were willing to go there and to actually pay and give them the resources they need in order to make a real film. Then we followed that up with The Bandit, a documentary on the relationship between Burt Reynolds and his best friend Hal Needham, who was his stunt man and also the director of Smokey And The Bandit. It really turned out to be quite a love story. We submitted it to South by Southwest. We world premiered there and demand was so great that they moved us from a 300-seat theater to a 3,000-seat theater and had to schedule three showings to meet the demand. Our latest documentary is called Chicken People. It is basically best in show for folks who raise show chickens. Its very heartfelt. This is going to get a little deep, but youll find that their relationships to their chickens are actually a metaphor for some social anxiety theyve had from their childhood. Its going to get a theatrical release in New York and L.A. later this summer. Were very proud of what weve been able to do with our docs team so quickly. Related stories 'Nashville': ABCS Chief On Finding New Home For Canceled Drama: "Economics Were Tight" - ATX Television Festival 'Nashville' Picked Up For Season 5 By CMT With Next-Day Play on Hulu 'CMT Music Awards' Ratings Growth Fuels 'Still The King' Early Premiere BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia will reach agreement on a bilateral ceasefire at peace talks with leftist FARC rebels this week, President Juan Manuel Santos said on Tuesday, in what he said would mark a key advance in the negotiations to end 50 years of war. Santos said this week the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebels will complete the more than three-year-old negotiations by July 20. "If the negotiators make a final effort to finish the definitive point that is a ceasefire and the end to hostilities, we will have taken a fundamental step in attaining peace," Santos said in a speech at an education event in Bogota. "I appeal to God that he gives us the strength to finish these accords this very week, because we have almost completed them." Government sources said the agreement would likely not mean the ceasefire would begin right away, but rather that the announcement would lay out the details of a ceasefire set to begin when a final peace deal is signed. A ceasefire accord will likely include details on how the rebels will demobilize, the sources said, and FARC leader Rodrigo Londono, better known by his nom de guerre Timochenko, may sign the accord with Santos on Thursday or Friday. The two sides have reached agreements on more than half a dozen topics but have yet to agree terms for the ceasefire or on how exactly a referendum for Colombians to approve the peace deal will be organized. The FARC called a unilateral ceasefire nearly a year ago and the government responded by halting air strikes on rebel camps. Negotiators missed a self-imposed deadline for signing a deal in March, and Santos has come under fire over the past week for comments about the referendum he has promised will take place to approve a deal. Timochenko took to Twitter earlier on Tuesday to say he was against announcing a date by which the talks would finish. "Practice has demonstrated that setting dates hurts the process, even more when there isn't an accord," the rebel leader tweeted. "Although we are advancing, we aren't there yet." Latin America's longest war has killed some 220,000 people and displaced millions of others since 1964. Tens of thousands have gone missing. (Reporting by Julia Symmes Cobb, additional reporting by Monica Garcia; Editing by Marguerita Choy) By Julia Symmes Cobb and Luis Jaime Acosta BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombian coffee growers still dealing with the consequences of the El Nino drought are now bracing for heavy La Nina rains which could hurt the country's harvest even more, the head of the coffee federation said on Tuesday. Growers, who are finishing harvesting beans shrunk by lack of water, will soon have to contend with overly humid soil and the possible spread of the roya leaf rust disease, Roberto Velez, the head of the country's Coffee Federation, told Reuters in an interview. While a strong El Nino phenomenon -- a warming of the Pacific Ocean's surface that causes hot and drier conditions -- is drawing to close, Colombia's meteorologists say there is a 76-percent chance that the opposite La Nina pattern will begin late this year or early in 2017, bringing wetter weather. The El Nino phenomenon has affected nearly half of the country's growing regions and has caused a lower-quality harvest, he said. "We are still harvesting coffee with a clear quality problem affected by El Nino," Velez told Reuters at his Bogota office, adding worse damage could be on the cards. "For coffee-growing La Nina is more damaging than El Nino," Velez said. "La Nina worries us." Though the potential severity of the phenomenon is not yet known, rain clouds blocking sunlight can slow flowering and wet weather sparks the "devastating" effects of roya, he said. Farmers in Colombia, the world's top producer of high-quality arabica beans, suffered huge losses between 2009 and 2012, when the combination of La Nina, roya and a renovation program that took thousands of trees out of service caused a sharp fall in output. Coffee-growers must continue to work to increase the productivity of their trees, which produce an average of 18 bags of beans per hectare (2.47 acres), Velez said. Brazil produces between 22 to 30 bags per hectare, while Vietnam's output can reach 50 bags, he added. "We have to make an effort so productivity goes up for the same amount of space," Velez said. Colombia has long prided itself on exporting only the finest beans, but last year the federation modified export standards to help growers sell lower-quality beans amid the drought. The country has produced 14.6 million 60-kg bags of washed arabica over the last 12 months, Velez said, above 2015 output figures of 14.17 million bags, which was the highest harvest in 23 years. (Reporting by Julia Symmes Cobb and Luis Jaime; Editing by Sandra Maler) Bogota (AFP) - Colombia's president said Tuesday he hoped this week to seal a permanent ceasefire that would clear the way for a peace deal ending a half-century conflict with leftist rebels. President Juan Manuel Santos called for a "last effort" by negotiators to settle the final points at peace talks between his government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). "I pray to God to give us the strength to conclude those agreements, hopefully this very week, because we are on the verge of settling them," Santos said in a public speech. He referred to the last remaining items on the agenda at the peace talks in Havana. The talks have made progress over the past year, after the FARC declared a unilateral ceasefire in July 2015. But the sides have so far failed to agree on the final details of how to implement the accord, including a definitive ceasefire and disarmament. "If the negotiators make a last effort to conclude that definitive point, the ceasefire and ending hostilities, we will have made a fundamental step to achieving peace," said Santos, who hopes a full peace deal can be sealed by July 20. The Colombian conflict started as a rural uprising in the 1960s and has drawn in various armed groups and gangs over the decades. It has left 260,000 people dead and 45,000 missing, according to official figures. Tanner Flores, the Colorado teen who allegedly admitted to killing his ex-girlfriend because he was angry she broke up with him, made his first court appearance Monday via video camera from the Larimer County Jail, PEOPLE confirms. Flores, 18, is being held without bail on suspicion of first-degree murder, felony murder and second-degree kidnapping in the death of Ashley Doolittle. Flores allegedly told Mesa County investigators he shot his 18-year-old ex twice in the head June 9 "because he was angry with her," according to an arrest affidavit obtained by several outlets. The two were dating for more than a year before Doolittle broke up with him, the affidavit states. Flores was said to be "really down" over the breakup and "did not know why they were no longer together," according to the affidavit. Flores's father told a sheriffas deputy that his gun, a .22-caliber revolver, was missing from his gun locker at home. He added that his son knew where the key was, The Denver Post. After the killing, Flores allegedly drove the victim to his late grandfather's ranch in Collbran, where he "cleaned her up before returning her to [his] truck," the affidavit reportedly states. Colorado Teenager Who Allegedly Admitted to Killing Ex-Girlfriend Because She Broke Up with Him Appears in Court| Crime & Courts, Death, Murder, Shootings, True Crime He was arrested at the property by the Mesa County Sheriffas Office, after they discovered Doolittle's body in the back of the truck. Flores's father had told police he was headed there, CBS Denver reports. Prior to his arrest, a neighbor of Flores's late grandfather, while on the phone with deputies, said she saw a man who appeared to be Flores who "had opened all the doors to the truck, and pulled out what looked to be a bundled up blanket from the back seat of the truck and set it on the ground," the affidavit reportedly states. The witness also told police that she "was not totally sure, but she thought she could see an arm sticking out of the bundle," Fox 31 Denver reports the affidavit states. Doolittle was reported missing last Thursday night by her mom, who found her daughter's car unoccupied at Lon Hagler Reservoir in Loveland. Colorado Teenager Who Allegedly Admitted to Killing Ex-Girlfriend Because She Broke Up with Him Appears in Court| Crime & Courts, Death, Murder, Shootings, True Crime Friends told police they received a Snapchat message Flores the night of the murder, "that was suicidal in nature," according to the affidavit. A funeral mass and burial for Doolittle was held Friday in Loveland. The family has set up the Ashley Doolittle Princess Program to foster the love of rodeo among young girls. "This was Ashleyas dream," Doolitte's family wrote in her obituary. "Her compassion and love of the rodeo will shine through this program and will influence future leaders in our fair, rodeo, and royalty communities." Flores will appear in person at his next court date scheduled for June 23. BII Self Driving Cars The Apple Car might be happening, with a strong emphasis on might. Toronto-based auto parts manufacturer Linamar Corp. has confirmed that it spoke to both Apple and Google about potentially supplying the two tech behemoths with auto parts if they begin manufacturing cars, reports Bloomberg. On the surface, this isn't earth-shattering news. Google has been developing a fully autonomous car for some time, and there's nothing here to explicitly confirm that Apple is developing a car. But consider that a few weeks ago, Apple made a $1 billion investment in Chinese ride-hailing service Didi Chuxing. Apple has never publicly announced it is developing a car, but the company has reportedly hired 1,000 engineers to work on a car project codenamed Titan. Apple also reportedly hired former Tesla executive Chris Porritt to help develop the Apple Car. Not much is known of the design, but many expect the car to be electric and self-driving, reports Fortune. Other signs have emerged that Apple is working on a car, such as a greater R&D budget and the recent news that the company is investigating space in San Francisco to test the self-driving cars. Above Avalon also reported last month that the company's R&D spending as a share of total revenue will hit an all-time high by the end of 2016. iPhone sales have plateaued, so greater R&D spending implies that Apple wants to diversify with new products, such as a car, Above Avalon noted. For more, see the detailed report on self-driving cars from BI Intelligence. Click here to learn more about how you can gain risk-free access today. More From Business Insider By Thomas Escritt AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Congolese politician Jean-Pierre Bemba was sentenced to 18 years in prison by the International Criminal Court on Tuesday for heading a 2002-03 campaign of rape and murder in neighboring Central African Republic. Bemba, a former Democratic Republic of Congo vice-president, is the first person that the global war crimes court has held directly responsible for his subordinates' crimes. Judge Sylvia Steiner said troops from the Movement for the Liberation of Congo (MLC), which Bemba directed, had acted with "particular cruelty" when they rampaged through the neighboring country in support of then-president Ange-Felix Patasse. One victim had described how, still a virgin, she had been raped in front of her father while other soldiers held the father at gunpoint. "After the attacks, some parents found their daughters lying on the ground crying and bleeding from their vaginas," Steiner said, describing as an aggravating circumstance the fact that victims had been "particularly defenseless". Bemba had armed his troops and then paid them so little that they were spurred to pillage, Steiner said. He had made only token attempts at disciplining them, in order to deflect international attention the crimes were drawing. Bemba, who did not speak at the hearing, received three sentences of 18 years for rape and pillage and two of 16 years for murder, all of which will be served concurrently. The son of a businessman who became rich during years of close association with former Congolese leader Mobutu Sese Seko, Bemba entered government under current President Joseph Kabila in 2003 as part of a power-sharing deal that ended years of civil war. Originally a rebel force in Congo's northwest, the MLC is now Congo's second-largest opposition party, and Bemba retains a significant following in the West. He can appeal his conviction and sentence. Eve Bazaiba, secretary general of Bemba's MLC party, criticized the court's ruling. "We will continue and we will never cease denouncing the selective justice of the ICC," she told a few hundred supporters in Kinshasa. But Geraldine Mattioli-Zeltner, international justice advocacy director at Human Rights Watch, said the sentence offered a measure of justice for victims of sexual violence in Central African Republic. "Other commanders should take notice that they, too, can be held accountable for rapes and other serious abuses committed by troops under their control," she said. (This story corrects to make clear MLC is Congo's 2nd biggest opposition party, not CAR's, paragraph 9) (Reporting By Thomas Escritt in Amsterdam and Aaron Ross in Kinshasa; Editing by Dominic Evans) Lyle Denniston, the National Constitution Centers constitutional literacy adviser, looks at how the Supreme Court is letting the law of gun control develop without being closely managed by the Justices. The facade of the United States Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C. The facade of the United States Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C. THE STATEMENT AT ISSUE: The Supreme Court on Monday refused to hear a Second Amendment challenge to a Connecticut law banning many semiautomatic rifles.The decision not to hear the case, not long after the mass shooting in Orlando, Fla., does not set a Supreme Court precedent. But it is part of a trend in which the Justices have given at least tacit approval to broad gun-control laws in states and localities that choose to enact them. Excerpt from a story published online Monday by Adam Liptak of The New York Times following the Justices denial of review of the Connecticut case, Shew v. Malloy. The court also separately denied review of a similar law in New York, in the case of Kampfer v. Cuomo. The cases had been decided together by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, upholding each states law. WE CHECKED THE CONSTITUTION, AND The Supreme Court, in exercising its power to define the meaning of the Constitution, can sometimes be bold and creative, but it also can be restrained and even reticent. It has moved between those two poles in its views of the Second Amendment, and it is fair to say that it is now letting the law of gun control develop without being closely managed by the Justices. In that field, in fact, the Justices appear to be taking seriously as they have at other times in the past the lesson handed down to them by Justice Louis Brandeis more than eight decades ago. In a dissenting opinion in the case of New State Ice Co. v. Liebmann, a 1932 case about regulating the commercial sale of blocks of ice for home and business use, Brandeis famously wrote: To stay experimentation in things social and economic is a grave responsibility. Denial of the right to experiment may be fraught with serious consequences to the nation. It is one of the happy incidents of the federal system that a single courageous state may, if its citizens choose, serve as a laboratory; and try novel social and economic experiments without risk to the rest of the country. This court has the power to prevent an experiment.But in the exercise of this high power, we must be ever on our guard, lest we erect our prejudices into legal principles. Story continues That is one of the clearest appeals to judicial modesty as there is in constitutional literature. And, occasionally, the court takes that to heart. One of the great social issues with which the court is now allowing the states to experiment is gun control. Since boldly declaring, in 2008, that the Second Amendment protects a personal right to have a gun and then, in 2010, extending that right to the state and local level, the Justices have almost entirely refused to second-guess the states as they regulate and, at times, prohibit access to guns. In fact, in just one instance in the past six years has the court raised doubts about a gun control measure. In March, it ordered Massachusetts state courts to reconsider a decision that the Second Amendment does not protect the personal possession of a stun gun (a weapon that shoots a potentially disabling electrical charge). That is far from significant intrusion into state powers. On Monday, the court followed its now well-established pattern: it declined to hear Second Amendment challenges to two states flat bans on assault weapons the kind of gun used in several of Americas recent mass shootings, including the massacre at an Orlando nightclub. And, as usual, the court provided no explanation for choosing to stay on the sidelines. In fact, no member of the court issued a dissenting opinion to provide a glimpse into the courts reasoning. That does not mean that the court itself has upheld those restrictions. It often reminds the public that denial of review does nothing except leave intact a single lower court decision, applying to that one case. The court has chosen to bypass all other cases trying to get new guidance on what kinds of weapons come under the Second Amendment, on whether the right to a gun is restricted to having a weapon for self-defense, on whether the right applies anywhere outside the home, and on what kind of sensitive places should be out of bounds for those carrying guns, either openly or concealed. The net effect of the Justices reluctance to step back into the constitutional fray is that, to know the extent of ones gun rights, there is no substitute for checking whether a state or a city government has passed some restriction; those will show just what is allowed and what is forbidden. In only a few states, owning a military-style semi-automatic gun with a large magazine of bullets is forbidden, outright. In many jurisdictions, there are now laws on the books variously allowing or restricting access to guns, through licensing provisions. Some of those laws require proof of a good reason to worry about ones safety before a license can be obtained. Across the country, laws differ widely on public carrying of guns in the open or concealed, loaded or unloaded. Some public places are off-limits to people with guns, others are open to them. And, laws vary widely on when the Second Amendment right can be lost if one is convicted of various crimes. (Some time in the next few days, the Supreme Court will be releasing an opinion in a case Voisine v. United States seeking clarification of the scope of a federal law barring gun possession after a domestic violence conviction. But, in agreeing to hear that case, the Justices explicitly refused to consider the constitutionality of that federal law under the Second Amendment.) However reluctant the Justices have shown themselves to be to return to the examination of the Second Amendment, they will continue to have opportunities to do so. There are very energetic advocacy groups yearning to get a new case before the court, and they surely will keep trying. Recent Stories on Constitution Daily Constitution Check: Are the Insular Cases still binding, after a century? Supreme Court denies two assault-weapons ban appeals When the Supreme Court ruled to allow American flag burning DUBLIN (Reuters) - It would be very important for Ireland that Britain retains its access to the European Union's single market in the event it votes to leave the union this week, Ireland's finance minister said on Tuesday. Ireland's nearest and largest trading partner could lose its unfettered access to the EU's single market of over 500 million consumers if it decides to leave the 28-member bloc in Thursday's referendum. While Norway is part of the single market via a trade deal it has with the EU, fellow non-EU member Switzerland only has access to bits of the single market and German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said Britain would lose full access if it left. "I think it would be very important for Ireland that the single market with the EU would continue because they're our biggest customer," Noonan told national broadcaster RTE, referring to Britain. "In any post-Brexit negotiations, we will be doing everything we can to assist the UK on the basis that they are our nearest neighbour and biggest customer." Noonan, who earlier on Tuesday said a Brexit-related hit to the Irish economy would be "containable", added that he was optimistic that Britons would vote to stay in the EU. (Reporting by Padraic Halpin; Editing by Catherine Evans) Istanbul (AFP) - A prominent Turkish journalist handed a lengthy jail sentence on charges of revealing state secrets defiantly guest-edited an opposition daily on Tuesday, a day after three activists were arrested and jailed for performing the same role. Pro-Kurdish Turkish daily Ozgur Gundem has for weeks invited guest editors to take control of the newspaper, in a show of solidarity at a time when the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is under fire for eroding press freedoms. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) representative Erol Onderoglu, journalist Ahmet Nesin and rights activist and academic Sebnem Korur Fincanci were charged on Monday with "terrorist propaganda" for taking part in the paper's campaign. On Tuesday, the guest editor was the editor-in-chief of the opposition Cumhuriyet daily, Can Dundar, who was in May sentenced to five years and 10 months in jail for revealing state secrets in a case that sparked an international outcry. He remains free pending the hearing of his appeal against the sentence. "I congratulate them (the three detained) for this struggle and will continue to support them," he told the editorial meeting, quoted by the newspaper. "The arrests yesterday are a message. It's a message that 'if you are near the truth you are going to be arrested'. We received this message and will stand by them." "By arresting Erol (of RSF) they wanted to send a message not just to Turkey but the world," he added. The arrests have been bitterly condemned by rights and media freedom groups. The EU Commission said their detention "goes against Turkey's commitment to respect fundamental rights, including freedom of media." "The EU has repeatedly stressed that Turkey, as a candidate country, must aspire to the highest possible democratic standards and practices," EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn said in a joint statement. Dunja Mijatovic, the OSCE media freedom representative, said Turkey should "stop using imprisonment as a way to fight differing voices". Dundar's stint marked the 50th day Ozgur Gundem has employed a guest editor in its campaign. The authorities are investigating dozens of other activists and journalists who have performed the role. Updated on June 20 at 6:06 p.m. ET Corey Lewandowski isnt turning on Trump. In his first televised interview since he was fired Monday morning, the candidates former campaign manager was supportive of the presumptive Republican nominee and brushed aside negative rumors about his ousting. Lewandowski told CNNs Dana Bash he does not know why he was let go, but said he was proud to have played a small part in a historic, paradigm-busting campaign. What I think is that the voters have a binary decision coming up on Election Day, Lewandowski said. They can either vote for Hillary Clinton and her liberal policies or they can put someone in place whos actually going to change Washington, and I will do everything I can to make sure that the latter of those two happens, which means Donald Trump is elected president. If I can do that from inside the campaign, its a privilege. If I can do that from outside the campaign, thats also a privilege. Lewandowski refused to take any bait Bash offered to criticize the Trump campaign, and said he and Trump had a nice conversation Monday morning. The New York Times reported earlier Monday that Lewandowskis firing was part of the campaigns pivot to the general election. He was one of the campaigns original members, and had reportedly clashed with Paul Manafort, the Republican strategist hired this past spring to professionalize the campaign. Lewandowski reportedly didnt agree with plans to expand the Trump team, though in the CNN interview, he seemed to agree with the campaigns evolution. Recommended: How American Politics Went Insane I think what you have is a transition in the campaign from a very, very successful 37-state primary-victory process to look to a bigger picture, Lewandowski said. And thats okay. Theres nothing wrong with that. So more ideas, more people who giving inputI think thats great, thats important. Story continues Lewandowski told Bash that he and Manafort had no animosity between them, and similarly brushed aside suggestions that he was forced out by Trumps adult children. According to a report in Reuters, Manafort is taking over as campaign manager. Lewandowski did not strike the same amicable tone while addressing Michael Caputo, a Trump adviser who tweeted Ding dong the witch is dead! shortly after news of Lewandowskis firing broke. Hours later, on Monday afternoon, Caputo resigned his position, according to CNN. "I regret sending out a tweet today alluding to the firing of Corey Lewandowski, Caputo wrote in a resignation letter. In hindsight, that was too exuberant a reaction to this personnel move. In the letter, Caputo described his position as the director of communications for caucus operations at the GOP convention. Lewandowski downplayed Caputos role in his interview, calling him a volunteer who had only worked for Trump for a few weeks. In all campaigns, youve got detractors and youve got supporters, Lewandowski noted, adding that he does not really know what [Caputo] does. Recommended: Trump Is on the Verge of Losing Even Republicans Lewandowskis penchant for making headlines may have been a contributing factor to his firing as well, the Times reported. He was a controversial figure in the Trump campaignperhaps the most controversial after the candidate himselfand became a national name after a physical encounter with a Breitbart reporter led to his arrest for battery. He did not end up facing charges. During his interview, Lewandowski acknowledged that hes a very intense person who expects perfection, because I think thats what Mr. Trump deserves. He confirmed that he will continue as chairman of the New Hampshire delegation to the Republican National Convention in July and will support his old boss. I'll make sure that every delegate there is voting for Donald Trump and every person I know is gonna vote for Donald Trump come this November, Lewandowski said. Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. Former Trump Campaign Manager Corey Lewandowski weighs in on the success of Donald Trumps campaign and the presumptive Republican presidential nominees decision to shake things up within his campaign. We had a lot of detractors who said that this would never be real and Mr. Trump has touched on the pulse of America right now and theyre fed up with political correctness and a failed Washington, D.C., Lewandowski told the FOX Business Networks Sandra Smith. Lewandowski responded to Trumps decision to part ways with his former campaign manager. Youve got viewers who theyre whole job is to start a company and when it grows to a certain point they step out and someone else comes in and thats how I look at this. On whether he would do it all over again if given the chance, Lewandowski said, Without one question. Greatest thing Ive had the opportunity to do. I mean look, we defied the world. Donald Trump went out and did things that nobody said he could do. Lewandowski reacted to reports there had been a power struggle within the campaign between him and campaign chairman Paul Manafort. Ive had the opportunity to know Paul for the last seven or eight weeks and he and I have had a great relationship, Lewandowski continued, Its been an honor to work with Paul. Lewandowski then reflected on whether he would have done anything differently while working on Trumps campaign. I wouldnt do anything differently. I know thats hard to say, to look back on it. You know, I wouldnt. I had this idea of let Trump be Trump. Despite the campaign shake-up, Lewandowski still voiced his support for Trumps candidacy. Ive had a privilege and an honor to have a small part of getting him to where he is and I want to see him be successful. I want to see Donald Trump be the President of the United States. Related Articles By Igor Ilic ZAGREB (Reuters) - Croatian lawmakers voted on Monday to dissolve parliament, paving the way for a snap election after bringing down the fragile five-month old government last week. The election is likely to happen in early September as it must be held no earlier than 30 days and no later than 60 days after the date when parliament is dissolved, set for July 15. President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, who will chose the election date, said she would take account of the fact that most parties favored holding the vote after the summer holidays. Analysts say a snap election may not solve the political impasse that has prevented Croatia getting a stable government capable of carrying out reforms needed to fix fragile public finances and improve the investment climate. Neither the main conservative HDZ party - which called last week's no-confidence vote - nor the biggest opposition party, the Social Democrats, are likely to win an absolute majority. "Another hung parliament is a distinct possibility ... potentially spelling prolonged political instability in Croatia," the IHS analysis company said. "Croatia emerged from a six-year recession in 2015 and the latest political impasse will likely undermine the country's recovery." One of the weakest European Union economies, Croatia is struggling to boost growth and reduce public debt. Next year will be a tough one for Croatia financially as it has to repay almost 30 billion kuna ($4.52 billion)of maturing bonds and interest. For favorable borrowing conditions it needs to put forward a convincing reform plan. (Editing by Robin Pomeroy) June 21 (Reuters) - CVC Capital Partners is in early talks with investors with a view to raising $14.1 billion for a European buyout fund in the first half of 2017, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter. The fundraising, which will be the private equity firm's seventh, will be capped at 15 billion euros ($16.9 billion), Bloomberg said. (http://bloom.bg/28LLAgK) In its sixth pool in 2013, CVC raised 10.5 billion euros for investments in Europe and North America. (http://reut.rs/28MADQ5) The new fund is now 50 percent invested and is expected to reach the 70 percent mark by year-end, Bloomberg said. CVC declined to comment. ($1 = 0.8888 euros) (Reporting by Sangameswaran S in Bengaluru; nediting by John Stonestreet) US TV network The CW (of "Arrow" and "Jane the Virgin") has been on the up and up over the past few years, and is tying up a streaming deal with Netflix that is both good news and bad news for fans of the network's shows. Scripted series will be available within two weeks of each season's finale, which represents a significant cut in comparison to the usual month-long wait for complete season streams carried by on-demand services. On the other hand, it's being seen as the result of The CW opting not to renew an ongoing partnership with video on-demand service Hulu, which has been making its name as a next-day destination. While limiting availability to the five most recent episodes, Hulu had been able to post up new episode streams the next day after broadcast via The CW itself. Since 2012, The CW has been revitalized by a slate of programming that includes "Arrow" as well as its DC Universe siblings "The Flash," "Legends of Tomorrow" and, following a switch from co-owner CBS for October's second season, "Supergirl." Comedy dramas "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" and "Jane the Virgin" have also attracted critical acclaim, each having won a Golden Globe. Just as "Jane the Virgin" was based on a Venezuelan telenovela, the upcoming series "No Tomorrow" also looks to South America -- this time Brazil -- for inspiration. Similarly, "Containment" took Belgium's Flemish drama "Cordon" and its tale of an unfolding, contemporary apocalypse and transplanted it to Atlanta, Georgia, in a single-season run. And the network is now expanding beyond DC for its comic book adaptations, with "Riverdale" to leverage Archie Comics; magician show "Masters of Illusion" is on its fifth season, while the most recent showrunner on The CW's longest running series, "Supernatural," is also remaking 2000 sci-fi thriller "Frequency" in an episodic format for the network. And if these shows helped Netflix and The CW reach a deal that could be worth upwards of $1 billion over five years (as Variety reports), it could also help the network bring in traffic via its own app and website, CWTV.com, which will become one of the venues for in-season streaming. Abby Lee Miller is scheduled to appear in court next Monday in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on charges that she failed to report more than $10,000 worth of Australian currency she brought into the country and bankruptcy fraud. Miller, 49, was first accused last October of illegally trying to hide $775,000 worth of income from Dance Moms and the Lifetime shows spinoff projects when she filed for Chapter 11. At the time, she pleaded not guilty. On Monday, federal prosecutors added a currency reporting charge, and are asking that Miller pay at least $120,000, though it is unclear if that equals the amount she allegedly failed to report when she returned to the states in August 2014. EXCLUSIVE: Abby Lee Miller Says She Creates Stars Out of Students Like Maddie Ziegler Events over the past several months have been extremely challenging for me, my family, my friends and most important, my students. Because of this I made the very difficult decision to close the door on this chapter of my life by accepting responsibility for mistakes I have made along the way, Miller said in a statement to ET that was issued through her Pittsburgh-based attorney, Robert Ridge. I appreciate all the wonderful messages of support Ive received from around the world and look forward to the future and getting back to my lifes work; helping young dancers fulfill their potential. Millers lawyers would not elaborate as to whether this statement means she will be pleading guilty to all, some or any of the criminal charges she faces. Her rep tells ET that when Miller says this chapter of her life in the statement, shes only referring to the criminal charges, and not her work on Dance Moms. WATCH: Abby Lee Miller Still Steaming Over Shocking Dance Moms Slap In December 2015, Miller spoke to ET ahead of the Dance Moms season six premiere about how she deals with the obstacles that come her way. My parents taught me, 'Hey, you go back in there tomorrow and you put your chin up in the air and do this, that and the other thing and you ignore those people, she said. Story continues WATCH: Abby Lee Miller Slims Down But Didnt Diet or Exercise?! Related Articles From Woman's Day Left to vie for themselves, Elfie and Gimli, two small-legged kittens with dwarfism, were dumped at a shelter shortly after being born. Part of a litter of five-three of which were born without dwarfism-the huggable newborns, along with their mother, were dropped off at an Alberta, Canada shelter because of their disordered growth. In addition to causing short, thick legs, dwarfism also delays mental and physical development in cats. Though their response time may be slower-and their legs a bit tinier!-dwarf kittens otherwise function as other cats do, though there are different forms of the rare disorder with varying effects. However, dwarfism can create long-term medical issues in cats and can lead to a shorter life span, making them a bit more challenging to take care of than your average feline. But while dwarfism may make Elfie and Gimli slightly harder to care for, it certainly doesn't make them any less adorable or cuddly. Luckily, one woman felt the same. Falling in love with the pair as soon as she saw them at the shelter, Elfie and Gimli's new mom quickly adopted the two and brought them home. Now two-and-a-half years old, the feline sisters live with two dogs plus their doting mom and dad, and have a dedicated social media following. Elfie and Gimli, along with their new family, have made it their mission to promote the adoption of animals. They sell their own "Adopt Cats" t-shirts on their website to help fund their health care, and accept donations toward the same goal. These charming kittens may be short, but the amount of love they now receive is huge! See more of Elfie and Gimli's adventures on Instagram. (h/t TheDodo) Follow Woman's Day on Instagram. C sandwich, possible side of homophobia? According to the 2016 American Customer Satisfaction Index Restaurant Report, Chick-fil-A, a company that has been riddled with public relations problems related to homophobia in the past, is the fast food chain that ranks highest in customer satisfaction, CNN Money reported Tuesday. The chain earned a whopping score of 87 out of 100, with Papa John's coming in second place with a score of 82. The survey noted customer satisfaction increased across the board since last year, CNN Money reported. T . Last year was Chick-fil-A's debut year in the rankings, since it had a relatively small market share before then, Forrest Morgeson, director of research for ACSI, said in a phone interview. "To see them up there at that high level is really quite unusual," Morgeson said, attributing Chick-fil-A's success to the fact that they have a selective menu that they execute well. A photo posted by Chick-fil-A, Inc. (@chickfila) on Jun 11, 2016 at 7:33am PDT "It doesn't try to be everything for everybody," he said. In comparison, Morgeson noted has tried everything (ribs, fish sandwiches, kale salads, green burgers you name it) to woo customers. Mickey D's received a score of 69. Despite the glowing satisfaction ratings, Chick-fil-A has a not-so-harmonious relationship with LGBTQ communities. Current president and CEO Dan Cathy made a series of comments condemning same-sex marriage Cathy and his father, the founder of Chick-fil-A, which explains why the locations do not open on Sundays. Cathy has since expressed regret that the chain became linked with the debate around same-sex marriage, Time reported in 2014, citing the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Story continues Chik-fil-A employees recently made an exception and opened on a Sunday to provide free food for people in Orlando, Florida, who were waiting in line to donate blood after the shooting at gay nightclub Pulse. Since 2012, the chain has tried to strip its anti-gay reputation. It states it does not discriminate against customers or employees based on sexual orientation. Was the support given in Orlando motivated by sympathy for the LGBTQ communities or a more general sympathy for a mass shooting? In 2014, Burger King debuted a Proud Whopper during Pride Month. In the 2016 satisfaction rankings, the "Home of the Whopper" scored a measly 76, a whole 11 points behind Chick-fil-A, CNN Money reported. Nice! @BurgerKing celebrates #pride2014 with #proudwhopper http://www.theindychannel.com/news/burger-king-celebrates-gay-pride-with-proud-whopper-wrapped-in-rainbow-paper ...pic.twitter.com/kY5MH5aCUy https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BrjAmX2CIAAh1hZ.jpg:large When it comes to fast food, does taste trump politics? I don't care about Burger King or Chick-Fil-A's views on gay marriages. I do care about how their food tastes. Chick-Fil-A > Burger King. At least one Twitter user seems to think so. @AG_Conservative tweeted in July 2014: "I don't care about Burger King or Chick-Fil-A's views on gay marriages. I do care about how their food tastes. Chick-Fil-A > Burger King." In a country that's earned the nickname "Fast Food Nation," maybe this shouldn't come as such a surprise. On June 21, 1788, the Constitution became the official governing document of the United States of America when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it. The journey to ratification, however, was a long and arduous process. Until the new Constitution was ratified, the country was governed by the Articles of Confederation. The document was tailored to a newly formed nation made of states acting as independent countries, and it quickly became clear to Americas leaders that future stability required a stronger, more centralized government. New Yorks Alexander Hamilton thus led the call for a constitutional convention to reevaluate the nations governing document. The Confederation Congress endorsed his initiative, and representatives from all 13 states were subsequently invited to convene in Philadelphia on May 25, 1787, to participate in the convention. The initial purpose of the Convention was for the delegates to amend the Articles of Confederation; however, the ultimate outcome was the proposal and creation of a completely new form of government. Three months later, on September 17, 1787, the convention concluded with the signing (by 38 out of 41 delegates present) of the new U.S. Constitution. Under Article VII, it was agreed that the document would not be binding until its ratification by nine of the 13 existing states. Hamilton and James Madison led the lobbying efforts for votes in favor of ratifying the Constitution. With assistance from John Jay, they produced the 85 essays known as The Federalist Papers that explained and defended how the proposed new government would function. The essays were published in newspapers nationwide and were pivotal to securing ratification. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. Some states voiced opposition to the Constitution on the grounds that it did not provide protection for rights such as freedom of speech, religion, and press. However, the terms of the Massachusetts Compromise reached in February 1788 stipulated that amendments to that effectwhat became the Bill of Rightswould be immediately proposed. The constitution was subsequently ratified by Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, and, finally, New Hampshire. Story continues After ratification, Congress set dates for the first federal elections and the official implementation of the Constitution. Elections were set to take place from Monday, December 15, 1788, to Saturday, January 10, 1789 and the new government was set to begin on March 4, 1789. In the nations first presidential election, George Washington was elected President and John Adams was elected Vice President. Congress was also restructured to reflect the system of representation created by the Connecticut Compromise at the Constitutional Convention. The Constitution, however, was still evolving. Madison introduced 19 amendments to the Constitution born from the Massachusetts Compromise, of which Congress adopted twelve on September 25, 1789, to send forth to the states for ratification. Ten of those amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791. Even after the Constitutions ratification, the U.S. did not begin to look and function remotely like it does today until several years later. The Constitution was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island finally approved the document, and the Bill of Rights was not ratified to become part of the Constitution until the end of the following year. Moreover, the capital was not set until July 16, 1790, almost a year and half after the general elections took place. The location of the capital was born, like most decisions in the formation of the budding nation, out of negotiation. Hamilton, now Secretary of the Treasury, sought passage of the Funding Act so that the federal government could assume state Revolutionary War debts and thus endow the government with more economic power. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson wanted to pass the Residence Act, which would set the location of the nations capital along the Potomac River and give the South increased political power to check the Norths growing economic power by placing the capital in a location friendly to Southern economic interests. The two men struck a deal: Jefferson would persuade Madison, a man with significant influence in the House, to back Hamiltons Funding Act, thereby garnering him the votes it would need to pass. In return, Hamilton would help Jefferson and Madison secure the votes needed to pass the Residence Act. The capitals precise geographic location was left to President Washington, and on January 24, 1791almost three years after the Constitution was first ratifiedland was designated for construction. Jordyn Turner is an intern at the National Constitution Center. She is also a recent graduate of Dartmouth College, where she majored in Asian & Middle Eastern Studies and minored in Government. This fall, Turner will begin work toward a masters degree in Global Studies from Tsinghua University in Beijing as a member of the inaugural class of the Schwarzman Scholars Program. Recent Historical Stories on Constitution Daily Why we dont have a turkey on our Great Seal Looking at Americas forgotten War of 1812 Podcast: Hamilton, the man and the musical Oslo (AFP) - She was headed for the electric chair in Florida, he for the gallows in Ireland: both escaped death row and are now an unlikely couple campaigning for an end to capital punishment. The chances of them ever meeting were small. Frail but alert, Sunny Jacobs spent five of her 68 years in a small cell in total isolation, waiting to have 2,400 volts sent through her body. Thousands of kilometres away, Peter Pringle, his hair and beard now white at age 77, was rotting away in jail, waiting for a noose to be placed around his neck. "Peter and I, we don't often talk about it but sometimes things will remind us. That reminds me (of something) from inside, that reminds me (of something) from when we first got out," says Jacobs, ahead of the 6th World Congress Against the Death Penalty, being held in Oslo until Thursday. "We very, very rarely mention the word prison. It's a visceral feeling you get when you say it." That's where she ended up after the murder of two police officers in 1976. According to her version of events, she and then-boyfriend Jesse were in a car belonging to a friend along with their nine-year-old son and 10-month-old daughter. During a routine check, police found a weapon in the car and a deadly gunfight broke out. The friend, whom she says was holding a gun, later cut a deal, blaming the young couple. He received three life sentences, while Sunny and Jesse were sentenced to death. "I was at the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong people," she says. After five years, her death sentence was commuted to a life term, and she was finally released in 1992 having spent nearly 17 years behind bars. Jesse Tafero was electrocuted in horrific circumstances: his face caught fire due to a malfunction, executioners had to start the chair three times, and then it took seven minutes for him to die. - 'Like an animal' - In Ireland, Peter Pringle was just 11 days away from execution by hanging. Known to police for his past IRA connections, he was wrongfully convicted in 1980 for the murder of two police officers in an armed robbery. Story continues From his death row cell, he could hear the guards who monitored him around the clock talking about his upcoming execution, about the bonus they hoped to get, about the fact that they would have to pull on his legs to ensure his neck vertebrae were properly broken... "If the jailers learned to like the condemned prisoner or respect the condemned prisoner, then it would be very difficult for him or her to engage in killing that person cold-bloodedly because you don't kill people you like," he suggests. "So for their own protection, they would treat you like you were an animal, or less than human." Less than two weeks before his scheduled execution, he was informed that his sentenced had been commuted to 40 years in prison. "It would have been political suicide to hang somebody in the country at that time," he says. He had already resigned himself to the idea of dying, but not to the idea of spending so many years in jail. He taught himself law and was exonerated after 15 years inside. - 'It's about revenge' - It was in a pub in Galway, Ireland, in 1998 that he met Jacobs, who was there to talk about the death penalty. They found they had a lot in common: their convictions, the happy endings, their interest in yoga and meditation that they had practised in prison, and more. Married since 2011, they now run a help centre in Ireland for the victims of wrongful convictions. And they work tirelessly for the abolition of capital punishment. "If you teach children that if you make me angry enough, or you do something (that) I think is completely wrong, (and that) it's just fine for me to kill you, then when they get angry enough, they get a gun. "And then you have Orlando, you have Sandy Hook," says Jacobs, referring to this month's massacre of 49 people at a gay nightclub, and another shooting at a Connecticut school in 2012 in which 26 people were killed. "The death sentence is not about deterrence," adds Pringle. "It's about revenge. It's a situation where society cannot rise above the lowest level. Society has to be capable of rising above that." At least 1,634 people were executed around the world in 2015, according to Amnesty International, the highest number since 1989. Russell Simmons' All Def Digital will launch its Town Hall series with a live forum this Thursday that will center on the justice system and police reform. Professor Melissa Harris-Perry will moderate the discussion featuring panelists and speakers like Ben Crump, lawyer for Trayvon Martin, professor and MacArthur genius grant winner Jon Rapping and musician Ty Dolla $ign, among many others. Nick Cannon will also be on hand to act as an audience moderator. The forum will be the first of a recurring Town Hall series from ADD, which will bring together prominent elected officials, celebrities, professionals, activists and student organizers to discuss cultural and political issues. "Our hope is to bring a topic to the forefront that seemingly only gets raised against the backdrop of violence, in a forum where we can inform, educate and understand different perspectives - but hopefully lead to some unified coalition around actionable change," said Simmons. The event will take place June 23 at the Montalban Theater in Los Angeles. The White House criticized the U.S. Senates rejection of a series of gun proposals on Tuesday, as Democratic backers of gun control turned up the heat on opponents. What we saw last night on the floor of the United States Senate was a shameful display of cowardice, said White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest on MSNBC Tuesday. He added: Republicans have run around and spent the last week saying radical Islamic extremism to anybody who will listen. But when it actually come to preventing those extremists from being able to walk into a gun store and buy a guy, theyre AWOL. President Obama has vented his frustrations with the stagnation of gun laws in Congress in the past, most recently following an attack on an Orlando nightclub on June 12 that left 49 people dead. And on Tuesday, he did it again, saying on Twitter, Gun violence requires more than moments of silence. It requires action. In failing that test, the Senate failed the American people. Recommended: Live Coverage of the Democratic Gun Control Sit-In on the House Floor A series of mass shootings in recent years has led to repeated calls by Obama to tighten gun regulations. But on Monday afternoon, such proposals failed to passagain. Senators introduced a series of gun control measures that would have expanded background checks and barred people on the terrorist watch list from buying guns. They were voted down. As my colleague Russell Berman noted, It was all a familiar ritual, the latest reaffirmation of deep political division that has followed several of the mass shootings in recent years. In response, Democrats offered a series of inflammatory charges. Senator Chris Murphy, who led a 15-hour filibuster on the chamber floor last week, suggested that by not tightening gun regulations Republicans are helping ISIS get access to guns. Weve got to make this clear, constant case that Republicans have decided to sell weapons to ISIS, Murphy said. Thats what theyve decided to do. ISIS has decided that the assault weapon is the new airplane, and Republicans, in refusing to close the terror gap, refusing to pass bans on assault weapons, are allowing these weapons to get in the hands of potential lone-wolf attackers. Weve got to make this connection and make it in very stark terms. Story continues Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren agreed with Murphy on Twitter: .@ChrisMurphyCT said it right: The @SenateGOP have decided to sell weapons to ISIS. Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) June 20, 2016 Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell cited measures sponsored by Senators John Cornyn and Chuck Grassley as real solutions. No one wants a terrorist to be able to buy guns or explosives, he said. For now, as has happened before, the measures have been put on hold. Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. A mother's Facebook photo of her 3-year-old daughter is going viral because, though it may seem adorable and innocent at first glance, it ends up serving as a painful reminder that our government's inaction on gun control has consequences on our way of life even for our most innocent. Stacey Wehrman Feeley took a photo of her daughter standing on their toilet to send to her husband to show him how "mischievous" their 3-year-old was being. Feeley said her heart dropped when she realized the preschooler was practicing lockdown protocol for what to do if you're trapped in the school bathroom. "At that moment all innocence of what I thought my 3-year-old possessed was gone," wrote Feeley in her post. Feeley urged politicians to think about children like her daughter when making decisions for the country. "They are barely three and they will hide in bathroom stalls standing on top of toilet seats," wrote Feeley. "I do not know what will be harder for them? Trying to remain quiet for an extended amount of time or trying to keep their balance without letting a foot slip below the stall door?" Though she acknowledged that gun control will never be 100% effective in preventing crime and gun deaths, Americans will never know how helpful these measures will be until we try. And, echoing others' criticism of the futility of "thoughts and prayers," Feeley called for change in no uncertain terms. "Banning together, signing petitions, rallying to get your voice heard is good, but is it actually doing anything or just making us feel better about the current situation?" wondered Feeley. "We need action." The photo comes as a sobering reminder that the stakes are higher than ever. Following last week's mass shooting in Orlando and Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy's 15-hour filibuster calling for action on gun control, on Monday, the United States Senate voted down four pieces of legislation regulating background checks and gun sales. Value investing is always a very popular strategy, and for good reason. After all, who doesnt want to find stocks that have low PEs, solid outlooks, and decent dividends? Fortunately for investors looking for this combination, we have identified a strong candidate which may be an impressive value; Deutsche Post AG DPSGY. Deutsche Post in Focus DPSGY may be an interesting play thanks to its forward PE of 12.44, its P/S ratio of 0.54, and its decent dividend yield 3.23%. These factors suggest that Deutsche Post is a pretty good value pick, as investors have to pay a relatively low level for each dollar of earnings, and that DPSGY has decent revenue metrics to back up its earnings. But before you think that Deutsche Post is just a pure value play, it is important to note that it has been seeing solid activity on the earnings estimate front as well. For current year earnings, the consensus has gone up by 3.1% in the past 30 days, thanks to 3 upward revisions in the past two months compared to none lower. This estimate strength is actually enough to push DPSGY to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), suggesting it is poised to outperform. So really, Deutsche Post is looking great from a number of angles thanks to its PE below 20, a P/S ratio below one, and a strong Zacks Rank, meaning that this company could be a great choice for value investors at this time. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report DEUTSCHE PST AG (DPSGY): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f122874%2fthegoldengirls Themed restaurants have a deservedly awful reputation but there are, thankfully, exceptions to the rule. A new Golden Girls restaurant is scheduled to open in New York City sometime in early September. The restaurant is a creation of Michael J. LaRue, a close friend of Rue McClanahan, his close friend who played Blanche Devereaux on the show, and who passed in 2010. SEE ALSO: Hey, preppy, a 'Saved by the Bell' pop up restaurant is opening LaRue is the executor of Devereaux's will. He plans to decorate the restaurant with the actress' personal belongings and memorabilia from the show. The restaurant plans to sell soups, wraps, salads, desserts, baked treats and wine. Because let's be honest: the best way to honor Blanche's reputation is with excessive amounts of fine wine. Image: ABC Studios via Getty Images The restaurant will be located at 4396 Broadway between 187th and 188th Streets in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan. LaRue is confident that neighborhood will stand behind the restaurant because hello Golden Girls. "I believe the neighborhood is going to support this. I believe the population exists here already," LaRue told DNAInfo. America's greatest 94-year-old sweetheart, Betty White, will also attend the opening. She is the only surviving Golden Girl. While the Golden Girls restaurant will open slightly off the tourist beaten path, LaRue is confident that the restaurant can bring tourists northward. It's a truly beautiful way to monetize millennial nostalgia. Dear Michael LaRue, in the words of the 'Golden Girls' chorus, thank you for being a friend. Disney can't get enough Frozen. The company is teaming with Lego for a new series of books and animated shorts centered on the characters from the wildly popular 2013 film, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. The original story at the center of Disney Frozen Northern Lights: Journey to the Lights is from the kingdom of Arendelle and follows Anna, Elsa, Olaf, Kristoff and Sven on an epic adventure to restore the glimmer of the Northern Lights. A new character, Little Rock, will also be introduced. The new story will first launch as a deluxe novelization in July, ahead of an extended collection of books. The storyline will then be re-imagined as four animated shorts featuring the original voice actors from the film reprising their roles. The Lego Group-produced shorts will debut on Disney Channel and digital platforms in the fall. Random House will publish the books. "Natural phenomenon meets cultural phenomenon in this all-new story, Frozen Northern Lights," Disney Publishing Worldwide evp Andrew Sugerman said. "We're excited to share this new adventure and offer fans great new ways to connect with their favorite characters thanks to a host of related books, digital games and activities." Frozen, which has gone on to become the highest-grossing animated film ever released, has spawned several off-shoots for Disney, including an upcoming ABC holiday special, a new theme park attraction and live show at Disney's California Adventure Park, and a Broadway musical set to bow in 2018. The Lego brand is coming off another recent animated hit, The Lego Movie. A sequel and several spinoffs are already in the works for the film, which centered on Lego versions of famous characters including Batman, Superman and Green Lantern, among others. Watch a video interview with Frozen's Josh Gad to learn more about the new shorts: (Tony Williams attending a parade in his wheelchair and, right, holding his youngest daughter Ellena) Afghanistan veteran Tony Williams can hardly contain his pride as he describes daughters Holly, two, and 16 month-old Ellena. Holly makes everyone laugh, he says. The staff at her nursery told us recently that shes very bright for her age and I thought: Thats my girl. Ellena is already stringing words together. She loves cuddles and is a real daddys girl. These are words that Tony, 32, thought hed never use. Six years ago, the medic was horrifically injured by two Taliban bullets while tending to wounded soldiers. Doctors said he would never walk again and had less than a five per cent chance of fathering children. Hes proved them wrong on both counts. Today, theres no stopping him. With the help of a leg brace he can stroll albeit slowly - along the street near his home in St Helens, Lancs with one of his giggling daughters perched on his shoulders. Hes engaged to fiancee Sharon, 32, and a devoted stepfather to her daughters Rheanon, twelve, and Shannon, ten. Currently a full-time father, he hopes to set up his own motivational speaking business. Next month he plans to throw himself out of a plane at 13,000ft to raise money for charity. Recovering from shrapnel wounds in Camp Bastion, Afghanistan in 2010, four months before he was shot Brave: Tony fought with the 1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment Im proof that medical professionals should let patients figure out their own limitations, he says. Having been given no hope at all in the beginning, I was determined that my life wouldnt be spent in a wheelchair. Now Ive got a family and they mean the world to me. Id go through all that pain again just for them. It was in March 2010 that Tony arrived on his first tour of Afghanistan with 1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment (Cheshire). Hed joined up at 18 and trained to be a medic with the Queen Alexandra Royal Army Nursing Corps. Story continues I enjoyed the comradeship and the pace of life of the army, he says. My father had been a chef in the army and I found it a very rewarding career. Shortly before his life-changing injuries, Tony had another brush with death. Wed been sent out on patrol but realised we were in the enemys firing position so held firm. I sat down with my feet over a ditch when suddenly I heard Grenade! and to my horror there was a grenade on the other side of the ditch less than two metres away. I saw more land near us. I thought: Im dead, and went to dive head first into a ditch to get cover but the grenade exploded and I somersaulted onto my back. I couldnt feel my head or fingers and when I opened my eyes, I could only see blood. Fortunately, Tony had only suffered some shrapnel injuries and concussion. But it was a wake-up call for the young soldier. Anyone who says they arent afraid in that situation is either a liar or very naive, he says. That evening at Camp Bastion, I realised that my whole life had no sense of direction. I was always partying and getting drunk and I found myself praying that if I got out of here alive, Id find someone special and settle down and change my life. On June 4 2010 Tony was back patrolling Nahr-e Saraj in Helmand when his patrol came under enemy fire again. My first job is to look for casualties, says Tony. I could see a guy motionless on the floor and needed to get to him so called for help. Lance Corporal Alan Cochran came running to assist me and with his back turned away from the fight, I saw a flash come from the direction he was facing. I knew one of us was about to be shot. It was Alan. I dived towards him, my left arm outstretched in an attempt to grab him and was shot through my left shoulder. I started screaming: 'Man down! as soon as some of the patrol got to us. Cochrans last words were 'Get the medic safe! and I was dragged into the irrigation ditch. With fiancee Sharon, who he met a year after his devastating injuries Devoted dad: Tony holding baby Holly Thankfully, his injuries were not life-threatening although his left arm was incapacitated. Despite the danger and injury, he returned to the nearest casualty to help direct care. But he came under direct gun fire again. Two bullets hit my helmet but I saw the casualty laid upon his back. I didnt know which who it was and if they were still alive but I picked myself up, ran to him. As I was leaning over him, my body armour lifted and I was shot again. At first I thought Id been shot in my buttock and joked but I could see no one was laughing. In fact, the gunshot wound would have devastating consequences. It had entered Tonys left hip, ricocheting off his spine and ripping through his bladder, bowel and lower abdomen. It was the worst pain you could imagine as if my lower legs were on fire, he says. My stomach was badly distended and I knew I had massive internal bleeding. I was definitely dying. One of the young medics Id trained - Private Jason Gillespie probably saved my life with techniques Id taught him. Time seemed to slow down. I couldnt think about anything else but my mum, dad, my five brothers and sisters and whether Id see them again. Airlifted to a military hospital, Tony was operated on and then flown home to the UK where he had more operations and 52 units of blood transfused. When he woke from a medically induced coma a week later, he was told he had a slim chance of walking, only a 5 per cent chance of fathering children and would have no bladder or bowel control. My brain didnt register it, he says. All I could focus on was getting back to my feet and to my company. But as time progressed I realised I wasnt getting out of bed and thought Id never be free of a wheelchair. I went into a very dark place where I didnt even want to live. I pushed my family away, I didnt want them near me. I was suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. He was moved to Headley Court, the military rehabilitation unit in Surrey, six months after injury. His lower spine had been fractured and his left leg completely paralysed below the left knee and his right leg was still very weak. But he was given hope. I was told my recovery would be painfully slow but I would walk again. Sometimes, it could be disheartening because Id see soldiers without limbs walking about six weeks after being injured and I was unable to do the same level of activity as many of them. But spinal injuries are so much more complicated. I needed more time. Eight months after his injury, Tony met the mother of his fallen comrade Alan Cochran. I asked her to forgive me and she simply said: Whats there to forgive? There will always be a part of me that feels responsible for what happened but it made me realise that Alan helped me to live, so thats what I had to do. Emotional: Fatherhood is even more special to Tony after his life-threatening injuries In December 2011, he met Sharon on the internet and they began to chat online. Basically, I started harassing her, he laughs. We arranged a date some weeks later. Id been honest about my injuries and but as I pulled into the car park I decided to leave my stick in the car and walked slowly into the pub only with my leg-splint. I wanted to show that I was more than just a disabled person. Within months they had moved in together and were about to embark on IVF when fate had a surprise in store. Although I had started recovering down below, my fertility had been badly damaged, says Tony. But one day I went to buy an engagement ring, telling Sharon that Id gone to get my sperm tested. While I was there, Sharon texted me with a positive pregnancy result and said: Theres nothing wrong with your swimmers! I couldnt believe it. I cried. The jeweller cried and got out the champagne. It was unbelievable. Little Holly was born on Valentines Day 2014 and Tony and Sharon were overjoyed. They gave her the middle name Alaina - a tribute to Lance Corporal Cochran. The couple believed she was their miracle baby but just three months later, Sharon was pregnant again. Thats when Sharon joked that Id been lying to her all along about being infertile, says Tony. We were chuffed to bits but a little surprised it had happened so quickly. She was born a year and two days after Holly. Id always wanted lots of kids but thought that dream had been taken away. I was at the birth both times and it was the absolute icing on the cake. Having children is amazing for every single parent but for me, its even more special. Its the best finale to my story. To help Tony raise money for Blesma The Limbless Veterans, check out his Just Giving page. Picture Credit: Tony Williams As remarkable as it may seem, Donald Trumps campaign is cracking up just a month after the billionaire businessman wrapped up the GOP presidential nomination. And its far from clear whether he and his newly elevated campaign guru Paul Manafort can pull the campaign out of its tailspin before the November election. While its always risky to underestimate Trumps ability to defy the odds and spin new narratives that abruptly change the course of the campaign, his brand of combative, negative politics has turned decidedly toxic. In the process, he has alienated large swaths of Republicans in Washington and throughout the country, rekindled the once moribund Stop Trump faction, and raised doubts that he can build a national campaign organization and garner the big bucks necessary to go toe-to-toe with Democrat Hillary Clinton this fall. As The New York Times described it on Tuesday, Trump is entering the general election campaign under the worst financial and organizational disadvantage of any major party nominee in recent history. Related: 3 Good Reasons Trump Fired Campaign Manager Corey Lewandowski Just a day after Trump shook up his campaign by firing his campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, consolidating power in the hands of Manafort, a GOP operative and lobbyist, a new Qunnipiac University Poll shows Trump losing altitude against Clinton in the critical battleground states of Florida and Ohio, and barely behind in Pennsylvania. Clinton opened an eight-point lead over Trump in Florida, 47 percent to 39 percent, while overcoming a small Trump lead in Ohio to achieve a 40 percent to 40 percent tie. Clinton also holds a tiny lead in Pennsylvania, 42 percent to 41 percent, but that is well within the polls margin of error. No presidential candidate has ever won election without carrying at least two of those three states. And with Florida seriously in doubt for Trump this year because of the large percentage of Hispanics who abhor his immigration policies, Trump will need major breakthroughs in rust belt states including Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan to alter the national electoral map in his favor. Currently, Clinton leads Trump nationally by an average of 5.8 percentage points, according to an aggregation of national polling by Real Clear Politics. Story continues Related: Trump Says He Doesnt Need the GOP; Republicans Might Be Okay with That Trump, who has long boasted of a gold-plated brand, began this month with less than $1.3 million in cash on hand after raising $3.1 million and loaning himself an additional $2 million. That amount would be considered chump change in any major congressional campaign for the House or Senate. By contrast, Clinton raised $28 million and began June with $42 million in cash on hand. Even Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who lost to Clinton in the race for delegates but hasnt formally discontinued his campaign, still raised $15.6 million last month and boasts of $9.2 million in cash on hand. 2016 Presidential Candidates Campaign Finance | InsideGov Trump, of course, can dip into his holdings to replenish his campaign war chest. If need be, there could be unlimited cash on hand as I would put up my own money, as I have already done through the primaries, spending over $50 million dollars, Trump said in a statement today. Our campaign is leaner and more efficient, like our government should be. But until now he has been a tightwad when it came to spending on a national political organization, statewide campaign personnel and polling. Remarkably while he has been hammered mercilessly by both parties for controversial statements questioning the integrity of a federal judge because of his Mexican heritage, and his insensitive and politically self-serving comments in the wake of a terrorists killing of 49 people at a gay club in Orlando Trumps campaign has not aired a single TV ad defending his views. Related: When Donald Trump Says Were Losing to China, Hes Right About One Thing Clinton and her allies, by comparison have spent roughly $26 million on media advertising in June alone, promoting Clintons policies and resume while painting Trump as a dangerous figure not qualified to be commander in chief. Trumps First Half Was a Cakewalk Trump once reveled in his notoriety as the political outsider who rewrote the play book of U.S. presidential politics and bowled over a vast field of GOP rivals with his outrageous insults of rivals, his xenophobic and racially tinged assaults on illegal immigrants, Mexicans and Muslims and even a broadside against a disabled journalist. The real estate mogul boasted that he was self-financing his campaign, which meant he wasnt beholden to Washington lobbyists, other deep-pocketed businessmen, super PACS or other special interests. Trump scoffed at the use of paid media to get his message across, and instead dominated the political terrain with his use of Twitter and other social media, frequent wall-to-wall appearances on the Sunday network talk shows, pop-up telephone interviews on cable television, and mass rallies throughout key primary states that drew uninterrupted TV coverage. The stingy multi-billionaire prided himself on running the campaign on a shoe string, with a minimal staff and ground game. Rather than build his own campaign organization of communications specialists, opposition researchers, voter identification data specialists and get-out-the-vote volunteers, he is depending on the Republican National Committee for much of that backup. His now departed campaign manager Lewandowski frequently summed up the overarching campaign strategy by stealing a line from The West Wing TV series: Let Trump Be Trump. Related: New Clinton Strategy Doubles Down on Mocking Trump But Trumps revolutionary primary election campaign tactics that defied the odds and catapulted him to the top ironically are doing him in even before the July Republican National Convention as Clinton methodically consolidates her party. So what can Manafort and Trump do at this point to alter the course of the campaign? According to some political experts, there are three the short term strategies that could enhance Trumps diminished prospects two that are relatively simple and the third that may be impossible to achieve. Get serious about fundraising. There is absolutely no way Trump can beat Clinton this fall without a huge campaign war chest and a media budget to counter Clintons saturation ad campaign in key battleground states. The days of free media are behind Trump, largely because his bombastic, scorched earth rhetorical routine is getting old. TV reporters and anchors are more interested in asking him to defend his latest outrageous comment than to let him drone on incessantly about Crooked Hillary and her email problems. Trump already has begun to prime the pump, and some of his allies believe he is turning the tide. Earlier this month, Trump huddled with some of the GOP Partys biggest fundraisers and wealthiest donors at the Trump Tower. Among those who were invited to the morning strategy session and luncheon were New York Jets owner Woody Johnson, Wisconsin roofing billionaire Diane Hendricks, Dallas investor Ray Washburne, and Ron Weiser, a national co-chairman for Sen. John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign, according to The Washington Post. Related: Your Vote for a Third Party Candidate Wont Be a Waste in 2016 Trump was scheduled to appear today at a major campaign fundraiser in New York City hosted by some of the biggest names on Wall Street. Some Trump fundraisers told The Times they are now optimistic they can raise up to $500 million for the nominee through October in a joint operation with the Republican National Committee. Mount a charm offensive. Its hard to overstate the amount of damage Trump has done within his party with gratuitous slaps at party leaders, members of Congress, governors, former rivals including Jeb Bush and Ted Cruz, and former GOP presidents and candidates. Many establishment Republicans who have felt the sting of Trumps criticism either will sit out the national convention and general election presidential contest or even quietly work for his defeat. Although Trump has amassed more than enough delegates to claim the nomination in July, some delegates technically committed to him on the first ballot may attempt to change the partys rules to vote for someone else. Trump may think that he can win election this fall without the support of the party elite, but hes wrong. Many rank and file Republicans frequently take their cues from their elected officials, and right now many GOP senators and House members fear Trump will take them down this fall and are distancing themselves from their partys standard bearer. Also, a number of GOP governors, including Susanna Martinez of New Mexico, who have been insulted by Trump are likely to sit on their hands in the presidential campaign this fall. While feelings run high against Trump within his own party, the reality is that it doesnt take all that much flattery and apologizing to turn things around. Politicians have huge egos that are easily bruised but also easily placated. Trump could work the phones and make appearances to smooth ruffled feathers, show a little humility and dangle promises of good things and appointments to come if he is elected president. Finally, reassess and reset many of his more controversial positions. Trump has done a remarkable job of energizing and animating a large number of angry white conservatives who love the fact that Trump speaks his mind even if much of what he has to say is disturbing or off the grid. But he has alienated millions of voters in his own party with vows to prevent Muslims from entering the country, a racially tinged attack on a federal judge overseeing a lawsuit against the now-defunct Trump University, a promise to round up and deport 11 million illegal immigrants and a pledge to build a wall along the southern border and somehow force Mexico to pay for it. Trump has delivered a few formal speeches, including a major address on his foreign policy objectives that would Put America First. But most of his controversial pronouncements have been impromptu or off the cuff. Trump needs to start doing his homework and provide voters with a more coherent and realistic approach to domestic and foreign policy. But then, of course, Trump wouldnt be Trump any longer, and he would risk appearing to be like every other candidate who shades his or her positions to curry favor with voters. That is why this third strategy is the least likely to occur. The main problem with the Trump campaign is Donald Trump, says University of Virginia political scientist Larry J. Sabato. And absent a rebellion at the convention, that cannot be fixed. Sabato said that Manafort can work on money and organizationand the convention. The latter is critical to any chance of a Trump relaunch, he said. A better story has to be told, and it has to hold up to factual analysis. But too many big GOP donors and corporations arent going to put in a dime for Trump. Maybe we will find out eventually just how liquid his fortune is. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: Donald Trump's week went from bad to worse Monday night, as the presumptive Republican nominee's campaign announced it had less than $1.3 million in cash on hand, hours after Trump ousted embattled campaign manager Corey Lewandowski amid organizational woes and dire poll numbers. Trump's prospects for righting his campaign ship look even bleaker in light of the fundraising figures his campaign released Monday. His cash on hand which would hardly be impressive for an obscure congressional candidate is dwarfed by presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton's $42 million in cash on hand. Clinton's overwhelming fundraising advantage could allow her to bury Trump on the ground, lengthening the odds that Trump can tilt an already difficult electoral map in his favor. But to really put Trump's cash problems in perspective, it may help to consider figures from other candidates specifically, ex-candidates Ben Carson and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, whom Trump defeated for the GOP nod, and Bernie Sanders, who remains in the Democratic primary race even after Clinton clinched the nomination. Cruz, who exited the race on May 3, raised nearly as much money as Trump in May about $2.7 million to Trump's $5.6 million and ended the month with five times more cash on hand, with $6.8 million to Trump's $1.3 million. Even Carson, the retired neurosurgeon who dropped out of the race in March, has more cash on hand, with about $1.7 million in untapped campaign funds. Ben Carson's defunct campaign has more cash on hand ($1.7M) than Trump's ($1.28M).pic.twitter.com/AzeZ6RAwyL https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CldJ27CVEAASKt-.jpg:large Meanwhile, Sanders whose chances of winning the nomination went from slim to virtually nil after his losses in New York and a series of other Eastern states in April reported raising $16.4 million in May, well below Clinton's $26.3 million but more than five times what Trump raised. Sanders began June with $9.2 million in cash on hand, seven times Trump's total. Story continues Source: Mic/Federal Election Commission The bottom line: While Trump vanquished well-funded GOP titans like Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio with a low-cost, thinly staffed operation, what worked in a crowded GOP primary may fail spectacularly in the general election, as Trump tries to make inroads with skeptical demographic groups. Based on demographics and polling data, RealClearPolitics estimates that Trump starts out with 164 electoral votes in his corner to Clinton's 211, giving the former secretary of state a much wider path to the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency. Skimping on field organizing will make Trump's task all the more difficult. Should Trump prevail over Clinton, the Republican National Committee's data operation will likely have played a considerable role. The New York Times reports that the RNC has 500 field staff deployed in key swing states, more than in 2012. But the Times notes that the RNC raised only $13 million in May about a third of what it raised in May 2012, when Mitt Romney was at the helm of the party. Donald Trump expressed skepticism on Tuesday about Hillary Clinton's religious faith. Speaking to a group of evangelical voters behind closed doors in New York, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee implied that Clinton, a Methodist, may not be religious. Trump said: "The thing about Hillary in terms of religion is that she's been in the public eye for years and years, and yet there's nothing out there. There's like nothing out there. It's going to be an extension of Obama because with Obama you had your guard up. With Hillary you don't." Though the meeting was closed to reporters, Christian radio broadcaster E.W. Jackson posted several short video clips online of Trump's appearance. In the videos, Trump reiterated his gratitude for evangelical Republican primary voters, whom he credited for helping him clinch the nomination. "The evangelical vote was mostly gotten by me," Trump said. "I ended up getting massive majorities in the evangelical vote, and then people were saying, 'What's going on?'" Clinton has occasionally opened up about her religious faith on the campaign trail. In several town-hall appearances earlier this year, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee ruminated at length on the impact of faith on her life. She said: "I feel very fortunate that I am a person of faith, that I was raised in my church and that I have had to deal and struggle with a lot of these issues about ambition and humility, about service and self-gratification, all of the human questions that all of us deal with." Following Trump's meeting on Tuesday afternoon, Clinton's campaign blasted out a press release slamming Trump. "As an evangelical Christian, it troubles me deeply to see abuse of the vulnerable and intolerance toward religious minorities on the rise," said Deborah Fikes, a former top adviser at the World Evangelical Alliance. Story continues She added: "Mr. Trump's proposals are not just un-Christian they're un-American and at odds with the values our country holds dearest." The Clinton campaign did not return Business Insider's request for comment. More From Business Insider Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f122880%2f54a598dee7e442ee82f02f15a3a518f9 These are the smallest tapas we've ever seen. India-based artist Shilpa Mitha, known to her Internet fans as Sueno Souvenir, makes her clay meals so tiny they can be balanced on a fingertip. SEE ALSO: This is why India is obsessed with Maggi instant noodles Image: shilpa mitha "It just started out as a hobby during my sound engineering days. I used to enjoy making 3D sculptures using paper and one fine day I just wanted to make myself a pair of burger earrings," Mitha wrote to Mashable. "And it all started there. With those tiny burgers!" Mitha has since moved on from sound engineering making teeny clay creations has been her career since mid 2011. "From the moment I started on this journey, I really fell in love with it. I do not have time for anything else at the moment," Mitha told Mashable. Sueno Souvenir used to operate through Etsy, but now Mitha's clay creations are all made to order. She told Mashable that customers can contact her through Facebook to place an order. Even though Mitha is based out of India, she does ship her creations to the United States. Mitha said that she loves everything about creating the miniature food models, "right from researching about the food, the ingredients that go into it, the colors, the textures. It's so exciting...I totally enjoy this process of trying to replicate the food." A lot of Mitha's realistic creations are of traditional Indian food. Sueno Souvenir's blog includes tutorials for some of the minuscule meals. And if you're a D.I.Y. fan living in Bengalore, you're in luck: Mitha occasionally teaches craft workshops. If you're wondering about the company's name "sueno" is Spanish for "dream." Shilpa, we are all officially dreaming about eating your tiny meals. After posting the biggest opening of all-time for an animated movie with $135.06M, the 17th Disney/Pixar title raked in an estimated $19.9M yesterday according to early morning industry reports. That figure is easily the best Monday for a Disney/Pixar movie beating 2010s Toy Story 3s $15.6M, and the best Monday in June for a feature toon. Among all animated movies, Dory hooked the second best Monday ever after DreamWorks Animations Shrek 2 which cashed in $23.4M on Memorial Day 2004. Through four days, Finding Dory counts just under $155M at the domestic B.O. The film at 4,305 theaters is the widest Pixar release ever. Eighty-seven percent of K-12 schools were off on summer break yesterday with another 96% colleges off, making it a spectacular weekday night at the movies. That was pretty obvious standing on line at the movies last night. At a Regal Edwards cinema 30 minutes north of Los Angeles in Valencia, CA, there was literally a 10-minute wait to buy tickets, and an even longer line at concessions. Depending on where you lived in the U.S., people wanted to escape to the cooling atmosphere of a movie theater, whether it was 100-degree-plus temperatures in the Los Angeles environs and record-setting heat throughout the southwest. Warner Bros./New Line/Universals Central Intelligence filed second yesterday with an estimated $4M at 3,508 locations, taking its four-day take to $39.5M. WB/New Line also owned third with The Conjuring 2 which made $2.2M at 3,356 for an 11-day haul of $73.3M. Related stories Hollywood Can Still Bank On Millennials Showing Up At The Theater - Box Office 'Star Wars' Helped To Lift Global Licensed Merchandise Sales By 4.2% In 2015 'Frozen' Story Continues With New Books & Shorts Featuring Disney's Characters By Luciana Lopez NEW YORK (Reuters) - Hillary Clinton has no shortage of economic advisors. Scores of world-class experts pour ideas into her campaign on the policies she should champion in her bid for the White House. But before much of the input reaches the Democratic candidate, it is filtered through a pair of staffers known inside the campaign as the Economikes. Working out of Clinton's campaign headquarters in Brooklyn, New York, Michael Shapiro and Michael Schmidt are helping shape what could be a lasting economic agenda if the former secretary of state overcomes Republican rival Donald Trump in Novembers election. In an interview with Reuters, Shapiro and Schmidt described Clintons process for forming policy by broadly soliciting ideas and crafting them into the action points that she takes to voters. Before Clinton takes a position, Shapiro said, she wants to know we have talked to and gotten input from everyone, making sure that were consulting with labor, making sure that were consulting with experts. Clinton's inclusive approach to developing policy positions has been faulted for being slow and unwieldy. Much of the work of sifting through the wealth of sometimes disparate ideas and data it yields falls to the Economikes. Both are recent graduates of Yale Law School. Prior to joining the campaign, Schmidt, 30, worked at the U.S. Treasury Department and the Yale Investments Office, helping manage the universitys endowment. Shapiro, 29, worked at the White House for the National Economic Council. Earlier this year, he married the daughter of New York Senator Chuck Schumer. The pair helps Clinton draw upon a deep bench of advisers, including economist Alan Krueger, Duke professor Aaron Chatterji and Simon Johnson, a former chief economist for the International Monetary Fund, along with scores of other academics and business people. Some communicate regularly through emails, conference calls, meetings and memos. Others are tapped once or twice for specific expertise. Frequent contributor Alan Blinder, the former vice chairman of the Federal Reserve, said he will usually email the Mikes with ideas. The fruit of the process will be on display today in Ohio, where Clinton is expected to give a speech contrasting her economic vision with that of Trump, a businessman who often names himself as his main adviser and is known for his off-the-cuff style. Clinton has called raising middle class incomes the defining economic challenge of the time. So far, she has presented a mix of goals, including making child care more affordable and boosting jobs. Some business leaders have said her approach is reassuring, but progressives have criticized her policies as too moderate. Trump, in contrast, often has taken business leaders by surprise with his policy proposals. He has promised to renegotiate international trade deals to pump up U.S. manufacturing, vowed to penalize companies that move their headquarters abroad to avoid taxes, and pledged to dismantle Obama's financial regulation reforms. ONE OF THE MIKES While the Economikes nickname began as a joke, Shapiro said the campaign's digital team made it stick by using it in a Q&A posted on Clinton's web site. Their bosses, senior policy advisers Jake Sullivan and Maya Harris, have been known to stick their heads out of their offices and ask for one of the Mikes. On email chains, CC: notes will sometimes include plus the Economikes. Humor aside, their work often is serious business. After the tainted water crisis hit national headlines in January, Clinton dispatched Schmidt and her political director, Amanda Renteria, to Flint, Michigan to investigate. Schmidt said the effort informed Clinton's approach to the water crisis during the Democratic debate in Flint, including her call for the governor to resign. In other cases, they said, Clinton will ask the pair to research issues shes heard on the campaign trail, such as the case of an Iowa bowling alley owner who told the candidate student debt made it hard for him to get business loans. The campaign since has rolled out proposals to allow for refinancing of student debt and the use of income-based repayment programs to cut monthly payments. Shapiro and Schmidt said the policy points they bring back to Clinton typically lead her to ask more questions, a process that can go on for several rounds before the candidate finally settles on a policy proposal. (Additional reporting by Amanda Becker, John Whitesides, and Adam DeRose in Washington; editing by Richard Valdmanis and Lisa Girion) brexit vote leave Much of economic theory is built on the assumption that individuals are rational. They act out of self-interest, they run cost-benefit analyses, they dont make mistakes. If theyre deciding whether or not they want something, they figure out what it will cost and how happy theyll be if they have it, and they act or vote accordingly. Of course, people in the real world dont quite work like that. The upcoming Brexit vote is a good example of individuals diverging from this kind of purely rational behavior, according to Richard Thaler, a behavioral economist at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. The British citizens who are campaigning to leave the EU arent acting or thinking the way traditional economics would expect them to. Standard economics would think that voters would be making the kind of calculation that the op-ed writers and the Wall Street Journal or the Economist are doing crunching a bunch of numbers and saying the pros and cons of being in the EU and so forth and so on, Thaler said in a video interview with MarketWatch. You know, if you can find a hundred voters in Britain that have made that calculation, Id like to talk to them. Thaler has devoted much of his economic research to the psychology of decision-making, which lies in the gap between psychology and economics. He studies the miscalculations, biases, and errors that go into peoples real-world decisions. Financially, leaving the EU doesnt make sense: Watch John Oliver debunk arguments about how Britain would economically benefit from an exit here. A simple cost-benefit analysis should lead to a remain vote. Story continues But, Thaler says, most voters arent really thinking about it in a very analytical way The people behind the leave campaign are voting with their guts. Theres no spreadsheet. This is much like a divorce without a prenup. Youre voting to leave, and well take care of all the financial details later. Watch Thalers interview with MarketWatch here. NOW WATCH: We did a blind taste test of wings from Pizza Hut, Domino's, Papa John's, and Buffalo Wild Wings the winner was clear More From Business Insider (Adds quotes, details, background) CAIRO, June 21 (Reuters) - Egyptian investigators will decide later on Tuesday whether the memory units of crashed EgyptAir flight MS804's black box recorders will need to be sent abroad or could be repaired locally, Civil Aviation Minister Sherif Fathy said. If the memory units are sent abroad, it will be for a 24-hour period and under Egyptian supervision, Fathy told reporters at a contract signing with an airport security company. "The experts on the Egyptian Aircraft Accident Investigation Committee will determine today if the black box memory units need to be sent abroad, in which case it will be for 24 hours under Egyptian supervision," the minister said. Egypt would decide which country to send the memory units to, he added. Egyptian investigators are being assisted by counterparts from France's BEA air accident agency and the United State's National Transportation Safety Board. The Airbus A320 crashed on May 19 on its way to Cairo from Paris, killing all 66 people abroad. France is taking part in the investigation as the plane's point of origin and as the country of manufacture. The plane's engine was U.S.-made. "We will not treat the plane's case in a political manner and the results of the investigation will be announced with the utmost transparency," Fathy said. The crash was the third blow since October to Egypt's travel industry, which is still suffering from the 2011 uprising that ended Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule. A Russian plane went down in the Sinai Peninsula in October, killing all 224 people on board in an attack claimed by Islamic State. In March, an EgyptAir plane was hijacked by a man wearing a fake suicide belt. No one was hurt. (Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein; Editing by Lin Noueihed) ABU DHABI (Reuters) - Egypt's prime minister will issue a decree on Wednesday instructing the country's agricultural quarantine authorities to allow wheat imports with up to 0.05 percent levels of ergot fungus. "The decree has been promised to be sent tomorrow, it will trump the previous ministerial decree which had dictated a zero tolerance policy," Eid Hawash, spokesman for the agriculture ministry, told Reuters. The prime minister had said in a statement earlier on Tuesday that he had instructed the government to authorise imports of wheat with up to 0.05 percent levels of the fungus. "During the meeting where he made these comments, the prime minister said he would issue a decree as we need a new decree for the quarantine authority to change its policy," Hawash said. (Reporting By Maha El Dahan; Editing by Susan Fenton) russian space propaganda Mohamed El-Erian thinks it will take a huge spark to help fix the global economy. El-Erian, Allianz's chief economic adviser, has been of the opinion that the world is stuck in a low-growth environment. Whether you call it secular stagnation or a new normal or some other name, there's no denying the ongoing sluggish nature of the global economy since the financial crisis. This has been especially true in Europe, and it has led not only to the use of extreme economic policy but also to political strife and the possible dissolution of the European Union. To break out of this deep economic funk, El-Erian argued, a coordinated move from all sides of the political spectrum in Europe is necessary. "So my hope is for what is called a 'Sputnik moment' it's a collective natural realization that if we don't do something now, something really bad is going to happen," El-Erian told reporters at an Allianz roundtable. Essentially, he believes that one event has to catalyze the European governments into action on economic growth. Fiscal stimulus has long been prescribed as a cure for the slow growth economy; El-Erian thinks it will have to take some sort of wake-up call to get done. He continued: "It comes from the late '50s when they us woke up to the reality, that the USSR, the Soviet Union or what Reagan later called "The Evil Empire," had successfully launched a satellite into space. And suddenly, national security was at stake. And what you got was incredible unity on the need to catch up in the space race. It was a political catalyst that allowed us to do something different, and my hope is that we get an economic Sputnik moment." El-Erian is advocating a moment of clarity that would allow the disparate sides of the political and economic arguments to come together. While El-Erian did not specify what sort of event may bring about such a moment, he said Europe needed to develop a cohesive response soon before the continent's issues grow to unmanageable proportions. Story continues "[I hope] that we realize unless we do something about low- and noninclusive growth, then the problem will be multiplied economic, financial, political and social," he said. "Now some people will say that well, we need a crisis for this. Or you need huge political leadership." Where that leadership will come from remains to be seen, but in El-Erian's view it needs to come fast or Europe will have an even bigger issue on its hands. NOW WATCH: An exercise scientist reveals exactly how long you need to work out to get in great shape More From Business Insider J as entrepreneur Elon Musk wants to revolutionize space travel, his brother Kimbal wants to revolutionize the way people eat. Kimbal, the younger of the Musk brothers, is opening a healthy fast food restaurant where everything will cost less than $5, Tech Insider reported. The first location of the restaurant, called The Kitchenette, will open in Memphis, Tennessee, inside the visitor's center of Shelby Farms Park, an urban park and conservancy spanning 4,500 acres. The younger Musk made millions in Silicon Valley with his brother, but he has some restaurant chops too. He eventually left the tech industry to go to culinary school, Tech Insider reported. Musk currently also helps run two other chains, called The Kitchen and Next Door, which have eight total locations across Colorado, Chicago and Memphis. The Kitchenette will serve mostly grab-and-go items like sandwiches, soups and salads, Tech Insider noted. Musk plans to work with local farmers and serve only food with organic ingredients, but keep it all at a low price point. Fast food tends to be highly caloric and void in nutrients. "People are overweight and starving at the same time. It's a tragedy for both the individual and society," Musk told Tech Insider. With this move, Musk joins a growing list of people attempting to provide Americans with healthy but affordable fast food options. Chefs Roy Choi and Daniel Patterson recently opened locations of their low-priced chain Locol in d and have plans to open more, according to SF Gate. Gwyneth Paltrow has invested in chef Jose Andres' new vegetable-focused chain called Beefsteak, which has locations in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia, Eater reported. Considering American chains are serving up items like Red Robin's Bleu Ribbon Burger, which has a whopping 1,361 calories, many welcome this trend as a breath of fresh, nutritious air. By Marie-Louise Gumuchian and Alex Fraser BOSTON, England (Reuters) - Above the Polish Mini Mart food and drink store in the small eastern town of Boston, six English flags, the red cross of St George, flutter in the wind in front of an apartment window. More flags are displayed behind the glass, along with placards, all bearing a clear message for Thursday's British referendum on EU membership: "Vote Leave". Whether Britain decides to leave or to stay, many among Boston's eastern European migrants, including its many Poles, are worried about anti-EU feeling stirred in a tense, often emotional campaign. "People fear attitudes will change," said Patrycja Walentynowicz, co-founder of Lincs PL which provides translation and other services to her fellow Poles in Boston. "Since talk of a Brexit began...you can sense tension between foreigners and Britons, who have shown their reluctance (towards immigration) and are demonstrating it more openly." Immigration has become an emotive issue, with the "Out" camp's focus on it criticised by pro-EU campaigners as divisive. But its key argument has also struck a chord with many who say the arrivals are straining public services. The "Leave" campaign has argued migrants are partly responsible for long waiting lists for social housing and difficulties getting doctor appointments. The rival "Remain" campaign counters that EU migrants as a whole pay more in taxes and labour charges than they cost the economy. In Boston and its relatively eurosceptic Lincolnshire county, according to a survey, the issue is prominent. A January report by the right-leaning Policy Exchange named Boston "the least integrated place" in Britain. A small town near the eastern coast, Boston has seen several streets transformed with eastern Europeans making use of the bloc's right to free movement to come work in nearby fields and businesses. A 2011 census showed the proportion of Boston's foreign-born residents jumped to 15.1 percent from 3.1 percent in 10 years, many from Poland and Lithuania, which joined the EU in 2004, and put the town's population at around 65,000. Those numbers are expected to have increased since. Along Boston's West street, the change is visible with Polish stores and restaurants beside Lithuanian businesses. At St Mary's church, three of four Sunday masses are in Polish. "People are worried about what will happen if Britain votes to leave," Polish priest Stanislaw Kowalski said. Walentynowcz's colleague Iza Paczkowska said Poles were increasingly opting for periodic tenancies instead of fixed term contracts in light of the uncertainty. "We don't know how native English people are going to respond to us; if they're going to carry on...being nice and polite or whether they are just going to say 'We voted for you to leave so why are you still here'," she said. "That would be the most common worry. People are just preparing for leaving." No Poles interviewed by Reuters noted aggression towards migrants ahead of the vote. Many declined to comment. "What I fear is that social attitudes may change in a radical, nationalist direction," said Karol Sokolowski, who works at a Polish family restaurant. "I know Britons aren't like that...But the publicizing of this (Brexit) ...can lead to some kind of, I can't say racism, but prejudice. This can happen, I am a bit afraid of this." Jonathan Noble, a councillor of the anti-EU UK Independence Party (UKIP), said those working and settled with families "had nothing to fear". "People...are concerned about not immigration per se," he said. "But the amount of immigration." (Reporting By Marie-Louise Gumuchian and Alex Fraser) Berlin (AFP) - Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lost a German court battle against a top media boss Tuesday when his appeal in a bitter row over free speech was thrown out. Erdogan had sought a court order to stop the Axel Springer media group's chief Mathias Doepfner from repeating support for a TV satirist who crudely insulted the Turkish leader. After failing to get an injunction from a lower court last month, Erdogan also lost an appeal before the higher regional court in the western German city of Cologne. The judges said they considered Doepfner's letter of support "a permissible expression of opinion as protected under Article 5" of Germany's constitution, the court said in a statement. Erdogan could still seek recourse before Germany's top tribunal, the Federal Constitutional Court. The legal action came after Doepfner published in April an open letter in one of the Springer group's newspapers, in which he backed Jan Boehmermann -- the satirist who in a poem accused Erdogan of bestiality and watching child pornography. Boehmermann's recital of his so-called "Defamatory Poem" on national television in late March sparked a diplomatic firestorm and a row over freedom of expression. During the broadcast Boehmermann gleefully admitted his poem flouted Germany's legal limits to free speech and was intended as a provocation. In his letter, Doepfner took the comedian's side, declaring: "For me, your poem worked. I laughed out loud." In a controversial move, Chancellor Angela Merkel authorised criminal proceedings against the comedian after Turkey requested he be prosecuted for defamation. The higher regional court stressed Tuesday that its ruling in favour of Doepfner had no bearing on the other case still pending. Erdogan has come in for fierce Western criticism of late over his increasingly authoritarian rule, just as the European Union has turned to Turkey to help stem the influx of asylum seekers from Middle East war zones. Brussels (AFP) - The European Union agreed a raft of anti-tax evasion measures Tuesday that would make it harder for multinationals to shift profits to countries with lower taxes, but critics said they were too watered down. The proposals were agreed on provisionally by the EU's 28 finance ministers on Friday, following major revelations in the Panama Papers and LuxLeaks scandals of tax schemes enjoyed by big banks, companies and wealthy individuals. Final holdouts Belgium and the Czech Republic had asked for extra time to confer with their governments but have now backed the plan after winning concessions. "Today's agreement strikes a serious blow against those engaged in corporate tax avoidance," Economics Affairs Commissioner Pierre Moscovici said in a statement. Belgium was especially reluctant to adopt a limit on tax breaks for inter-company lending, fearing that corporations would seek better tax deals outside Europe. Belgium is home to several of the world's biggest multinationals, such as brewing giant AB InBev, and the Brussels government offers beneficial tax arrangements to many European units of global companies. To win it's backing, Belgium has been granted until 2024 to meet the new rule. Greens MEP Eva Joly called the measures "a huge disappointment", adding that the rule on inter-company lending was especially weak. Ministers have "handled this central issue at an absolute minimum," she said. Also among the measures are tightened rules to expose shell companies that are used by big companies and wealthy individuals to hide revenue. The proposals put Europe in line with new anti-tax avoidance rules established by the OECD and the G20 group of nations. Brussels (AFP) - EU ambassadors agreed to roll over damaging economic sanctions against Russia for six months in the absence of any progress on resolving the Ukraine conflict, European sources said Tuesday. The measures target the oil, financial and defence sectors of the Russian economy and were first imposed after the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in July 2014, blamed on pro-Moscow rebels in eastern Ukraine. Sources told AFP that envoys from the 28 member states of the European Union approved the decision in principle, which will now go to ministers for formal approval, possibly on Friday. The sanctions were due to expire at the end of July and will now run to January 2017, they said. Russia admits the sanctions have had a serious impact but insists they do more harm than good to all and are a major obstacle to improving ties so the two sides can tackle shared problems, such as the Islamic State jihadi threat. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Tuesday there was no alternative to the EU sanctions to pressure Russia to implement the Minsk ceasefire accords it signed up to. "Sanctions are the only instrument left... There is no alternative to that," Poroshenko said, ahead of a meeting with French President Francois Hollande. - Sanctions controversial, damaging - The sanctions have been controversial from the start, with EU member states such as Germany, Italy and Hungary fearful of getting locked in a damaging stand-off with Russia, a major political and economic partner. Other member states, such as Britain, have taken a harder line, insisting that Russia's intervention in Ukraine and its 2014 annexation of Crimea are a serious breach of international law and cannot go unpunished. British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond warned Monday it would be "a mistake, a big mistake," to suggest any relaxation of the sanctions regime without real progress on Ukraine. "The thing that (President Vladimir) Putin understands is clear, decisive postures and a resolute approach on the delivery of the commitments," Hammond said, on the sidelines of an EU foreign ministers' meeting in Luxembourg. Story continues But his French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault called Monday in Luxembourg for EU leaders to have a "real debate" on the future of the economic sanctions, which could not just be rolled over automatically every time. It was important that EU leaders review what progress has been made, if any, to see what could be done to encourage a possible opening, he said. Ayrault's remarks followed comments late last month by German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier that the EU should consider a "step-by-step" relaxation of the economic sanctions if there was progress on Ukraine. The EU last week rolled over for another year to June 2017 separate sanctions imposed after Russia's March 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. The EU has also imposed a separate set of visa ban and asset freeze measures against individual Russian and Ukrainian figures for backing the separatist cause in early 2014. These measures run until September. Newlyn (United Kingdom) (AFP) - The EU has lavished more money on people in Cornwall than any other part of England, but that has not bought it popularity -- and many in this remote southwestern peninsula will back Brexit in Thursday's vote. In the harbour at Cornwall's biggest port, Newlyn, fishing boats fly "Vote Leave" flags from their rigging, while fishermen are caustic about the European Union. "I shall vote for out," said Pete Downing, after docking his small vessel after an unsuccessful mackerel fishing trip. "It's an absolute bloody shambles, always has been." Like many in his trade, Downing believes the EU's system of fishing quotas has accelerated the industry's decline and is angry at French and Spanish boats fishing in British waters. Although a popular summer holiday destination, the southwestern county of Cornwall is the poorest in England. But its poverty and remoteness make it a huge beneficiary of EU funds -- the highest of any region in England per capita -- for spending on infrastructure and business grants. Between 2007 and 2013, the county and its half a million residents received 654 million euros ($735 million) from Brussels. For 2014-2020, structural and investment funding per person will total 1,078 (1,390 euros, $1,577). Despite the payouts, 55 percent of Cornish people want to quit the EU, according to research cited by the Centre for European Reform think-tank this month. Five out of six Cornish lawmakers also want to quit. Many pro-Brexiteers claim Britain gives more money to the EU than it receives, and so the idea of European support is false. "If we left the EU, we wouldn't have to give money in the first place," Downing said. "It's stupid to give money away and then have it back, isn't it?" - When Cornwall had industries - While fishing in Cornwall is in decline, it is still a major employer and a key part of the fiercely independent county's identity. Story continues Felicity Edwards, a 61-year-old who works in accounts, complained that EU funding did not fill the gap left by the fall of such traditional industries. "I remember a time when Cornwall had industries, and a lot of this funding isn't for permanent, full-time jobs and I think that's what Cornwall needs," she said. Toby Parkins's software outsourcing firm Headforwards does provide long-term jobs -- for those with the right skills. He said much EU investment had gone into "knowledge-based economies" and acknowledged that not everyone in Cornwall saw the immediate impact of that. "They (the EU) want to try and promote jobs that basically pay higher salaries, to increase GDP," he said. "Therefore not everyone necessarily sees the benefit of that directly. Their grandchildren might, or their children." The firm has received EU funding for its modern offices on a business park in the town of Pool, which was once a centre of the copper and tin mining industry. It also relies on the area's fast broadband, part-funded by the EU, and around 15 of its 65 staff come from other EU countries. - 'Generations in poverty' - Some argue that the EU has been far better at investing money in Cornwall than the British government in London, five hours drive and a cultural world away. Joanie Willett, a politics lecturer at the University of Exeter who is based at a Cornish campus which has received EU funding, said a Brexit could lead to "generations in poverty". "Unless the southwest gets incredibly good at making sure we get on the (British government's) agenda, it as a whole -- and Cornwall in particular -- will just be the rural hinterland that you go to on holiday," she said. Kim Conchie, chief executive of Cornwall's pro-European Chamber of Commerce, agrees the bloc has done more for the region than London ever did. But he warned: "The Cornish are quite independent-spirited and quite anarchic and the authority that deserves a kicking at the moment in their minds is the European Union." BRUSSELS, June 21 (Reuters) - Brussels-based envoys of the European Union's 28 member states agreed on Tuesday to extend until the end of January the energy, financial and defence sanctions on Russia over the conflict in Ukraine, diplomatic sources said. The bloc's ministers are expected to formally approve the six-month roll-over in the coming days, assuming that the French parliament raises no last-minute objections, the sources said. A deadline for parliamentary objections in France has not yet expired. After more than two years of sanctions slapped over Moscow's annexation of Crimea from Kiev and backing for east Ukraine's rebels, the EU is planning a broader review of its policy vis-a-vis Russia in the second half of this year. (Reporting by Gabriela Baczynska, Alastair Macdonald) BERLIN, June 21 (Reuters) - The European Union should prioritise getting its house in order over deeper integration, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, the chairman of euro zone finance ministers said on Tuesday. "Let's not build further extensions to the European house while it is so unstable," Dijsselbloem told an economic conference in Berlin. "Let's fix what we have." He said it was important for the EU to strengthen projects it has already started and to ensure prosperity and security. "We have to make the EU work, which doesn't mean we need a full political union," he added. "It means we need to strengthen what we have." (Reporting by Caroline Copley; Editing by Paul Carrel) LONDON, June 21 (Reuters) - Euro zone governments' have eased up on efforts to overhaul their struggling economies because ultra-easy central bank policy has pushed their borrowing costs to record lows, ratings agency Standard & Poor's said on Tuesday. "We see a very strong relationship between government bond yields and the willingness (of governments) to engage in structural reforms," S&P's top EMEA analyst, Moritz Kraemer told investors at a conference in London. "The moment the pressure goes away, the action goes away as well. All of these (reform) efforts from the governments have really fallen by the wayside under the palliative that the ECB (European Central Bank) is providing." The ECB's 1.7 trillion euro asset purchase scheme has helped pushed government bond yields across the euro area lower, with German bond yields out to eight years in negative territory . (Reporting by John Geddie; Editing by Dhara Ranasinghe) European Film Promotion, which represents government film agencies from 36 countries, is seeking to boost the export of European movies with the launch of its Film Sales Support Slate Funding program, which builds on the existing Film Sales Support initiative. The new program, which is backed by the European Unions Creative Europe/Media Program, enables sales companies to hand in a single application for the promotion of a film selected for different events. The measure gives sales companies the financial security to plan ahead, channel their resources and synchronize marketing measures to the benefit of a wider sales approach, covering more territories, EFP said in a statement. The new program will kick off at the Toronto Film Festival, where in the past years 40 to 50 films were supported by Film Sales Support. European films are eligible for Slate Funding if they are selected for the festival program and then go on to the Asian Film Market or the American Film Market. The maximum amount available per application is 8,000 ($9,000) or 50% of the marketing costs, based on a detailed promotional campaign to include classical and, where needed, innovative digital promotion activities, EFP said. Sales companies must submit one application only on a firstcome, firstserved basis. They are free to hand in one further application for Toronto, the Asian Film Market and the AFM each. Related stories Film Review: 'Thank You for Bombing' OscarNominated Director Felix van Groeningen to Serve as Future Frames Mentor Serbian Auteur Goran Paskaljevic to Shoot 'My Name Is Mohamed' in Italy (EXCLUSIVE) * Robots require taxation, liabilities rethink -draft plan * German industry says proposals too much, too soon * Proposed "electronic persons" status - draft plan to EU By Georgina Prodhan MUNICH, Germany, June 21 (Reuters) - Europe's growing army of robot workers could be classed as "electronic persons" and their owners liable to paying social security for them if the European Union adopts a draft plan to address the realities of a new industrial revolution. Robots are being deployed in ever-greater numbers in factories and also taking on tasks such as personal care or surgery, raising fears over unemployment, wealth inequality and alienation. Their growing intelligence, pervasiveness and autonomy requires rethinking everything from taxation to legal liability, a draft European Parliament motion, dated May 31, suggests. Some robots are even taking on a human form. Visitors to the world's biggest travel show in March were greeted by a lifelike robot developed by Japan's Toshiba and were helped by another made by France's Aldebaran Robotics. However, Germany's VDMA, which represents companies such as automation giant Siemens and robot maker Kuka , says the proposals are too complicated and too early. German robotics and automation turnover rose 7 percent to 12.2 billion euros ($13.8 billion) last year and the country is keen to keep its edge in the latest industrial technology. Kuka is the target of a takeover bid by China's Midea. The draft motion called on the European Commission to consider "that at least the most sophisticated autonomous robots could be established as having the status of electronic persons with specific rights and obligations". It also suggested the creation of a register for smart autonomous robots, which would link each one to funds established to cover its legal liabilities. Patrick Schwarzkopf, managing director of the VDMA's robotic and automation department, said: "That we would create a legal framework with electronic persons - that's something that could happen in 50 years but not in 10 years." Story continues "We think it would be very bureaucratic and would stunt the development of robotics," he told reporters at the Automatica robotics trade fair in Munich, while acknowledging that a legal framework for self-driving cars would be needed soon. The report added that robotics and artificial intelligence may result in a large part of the work now done by humans being taken over by robots, raising concerns about the future of employment and the viability of social security systems. The draft motion, drawn up by the European parliament's committee on legal affairs also said organisations should have to declare savings they made in social security contributions by using robotics instead of people, for tax purposes. Schwarzkopf said there was no proven correlation between increasing robot density and unemployment, pointing out that the number of employees in the German automotive industry rose by 13 percent between 2010 and 2015, while industrial robot stock in the industry rose 17 percent in the same period. The motion faces an uphill battle to win backing from the various political blocks in European Parliament. Even if it did get enough support to pass, it would be a non-binding resolution as the Parliament lacks the authority to propose legislation. ($1 = 0.8873 euros) (Additional reporting by Alissa de Carbonnel in Brussels; Editing by Alexander Smith) By Andreas Kroner FRANKFURT (Reuters) - The European Central Bank has launched a review of banks' lending to the shipping industry, much of which is suffering a deep downturn, five people familiar with the situation told Reuters. The review by the ECB's banking supervisor has raised concerns among lenders, particularly in Germany, that they may be required to set aside more capital and make higher loss provisions against loans to the industry. At the end of last week, the supervisor sent an email asking a series of European banks for details of their shipping loans and the status of their loan loss provisions as an "initial step" in a broader review of lending in the sector, one of the sources quoted the email as saying. "It is a very extensive request," the source told Reuters. The ECB declined comment. Germany was one of the world's main centers of global ship finance before the 2008 crisis, and the five German banks with the closest links to the shipping industry still have around 80 billion euros ($90 billion) on loan to the sector. State-backed lender NordLB [NDLG.UL] said this month it plans to take full control of subsidiary Bremer Landesbank because of the latter's burgeoning losses in ship finance. Peers such as HSH Nordbank [HSH.UL] and Commerzbank (CBKG.DE) have also taken writedowns and boosted capital buffers against the risk of shipping loans turning sour. While the oil tanker trade has picked up, the container and dry bulk shipping industries are struggling with a glut of ships, a faltering global economy and weaker consumer demand. The ECB already combed through ship financiers' books during its Asset Quality Review of the largest euro zone lenders in 2014 before it took over responsibility for supervising them from national bodies. Banks now fear tighter supervisory conditions following a renewed downturn in the shipping market since the third quarter of 2015 and the ECB's patience with gradual corrective measures may have worn thin. Story continues "People (will) more and more face reality, but that means more and more increased loan loss provisions and the capacity to crystallize losses," Klaus Stoltenberg, global head of ship finance at Deutsche Bank (DBKGn.DE), said on June 7. Banks will be forced to mark down their loans and adjust portfolios to market values over the next two years, he told a Tradewinds shipping forum in Athens "There is no more room to kick cans," he said. NordLB, HSH and Commerzbank declined comment. (Additional reporting by Frank Siebelt in Frankfurt and Jonathan Saul in London, Writing by Jonathan Gould; Editing by Edward Taylor and David Stamp) By Pamela Barbaglia LONDON (Reuters) - Italy's new bank rescue fund Atlante is preparing a sale process for one of the country's most troubled lenders that could start within weeks, sources said, hoping to defy tough market conditions and help stabilise the euro zone's fourth-largest banking system. The Atlante fund, backed by dozens of mostly private Italian financial institutions, bought Popolare di Vicenza two months ago when the bank's initial public offering flopped. The fund came to the rescue, ending up with 99 percent ownership. Atlante is considering removing bad loans from Popolare di Vicenza's balance sheet and splitting the lender into so-called good and bad banks, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. It is working with investment bank Rothschild to sound out investors' appetite to buy the cleaned-up business, they said. The fund, in which Italian state lender Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) has injected 500 million euros, is looking to send confidential material to potential bidders as soon as next month, the sources said. However, identifying a buyer for the 150-year-old lender will be a tall order given the growing market risks and legal troubles facing Popolare di Vicenza. In a sign of the weak market, a separate bailout fund is still seeking buyers for four failed lenders whose books were cleaned up under a government-brokered rescue last November. Italian prosecutors are investigating Popolare di Vicenza for alleged market manipulation. It also faces 1.4 billion euros ($1.6 billion) in existing and potential legal claims, after it sold its shares to clients at high prices, often as a condition for granting loans. On Tuesday, news emerged that a Venice court had agreed to suspend a borrower's debt repayments because Popolare di Vicenza had missold shares to the borrower, a temporary legal measure that could heighten concerns about its loan book. Also on Tuesday, tax police raided Popolare di Vicenza's headquarters as part of the investigation into the alleged market manipulation and separate allegations that it misled regulators. Story continues Despite many hurdles, Atlante is under pressure to move quickly on a sale. It needs to free up capital if it wants to keep its pledge to help stabilise Italy's banking system, which is burdened with 360 billion euros of bad debt, and has promised its investors a 6 percent annual return. Rothschild is looking at how to carve out Popolare di Vicenza's 1.9 billion euros of debts that are deemed unlikely to be ever repaid, a first step towards selling the cleaned-up business, the sources said. The bad loans would be sold separately. Bidders are likely to include private equity firms Apollo, Cerberus and Lone Star, the sources said. The same firms, alongside private equity houses Apax and TPG Capital, are already in talks to buy the other four banks rescued last year - Banca Etruria, Banca Marche, CariFe and CariChieti, one source said. These lenders have also been split into good and bad banks, and the healthier banks have been up for sale since February. Atlante, Rothschild, Lone Star, Cerberus and TPG declined to comment. Popolare di Vicenza, Apollo and Apax did not immediately respond to a request for comment. HARD SALE Alessandro Penati, who is managing the Atlante fund, said on June 3 that it aimed to restructure and sell Popolare di Vicenza in 18 to 24 months. He said a partial stake sale could take place by the year-end. Atlante was launched in April with 4.25 billion euros from 67 institutions, but has already spent 1.5 billion on Popolare di Vicenza and is expected to need up to another 1 billion to bail out another regional lender, Veneto Banca (IPO-VENE.MI). The fund was set up not only to bail out failing banks but to buy up bad debts. Atlante - which means Atlas in English - was named after the mythical Greek titan because it is meant to hold up the sky above the nation's lenders. Atlante said it would use most of its cash to buy new shares in distressed banks. The rest would focus on bad loans, especially junior debt where investor demand is weakest. Penati said Atlante aimed to unveil by mid-July its first bad loan deal, worth at least 2 billion euros, in an effort to unfreeze the country's non-performing loan market. (Additional reporting by Paola Arosio and Valentina Za in Milan; Editing by Mark Bendeich and David Stamp) By Costas Pitas LONDON (Reuters) - Jaguar Land Rover, Britain's biggest carmaker, estimates its annual profit could be cut by 1 billion pounds by the end of the decade if Britain leaves the European Union, according to two sources familiar with the company's thinking. The worst-case-scenario estimate is in internal documents seen by both sources that were prepared by the firm's chief economist, David Rea, to outline the possible consequences if Britons vote to leave the world's biggest trading bloc in Thursday's referendum. It gives an insight into the level of concern at a major company about the uncertainties of a future outside the EU. The rapidly-expanding firm, which traces its history back to 1922 and is headquartered in Coventry, central England, has also looked into opening a European office were Britain to quit the bloc, both sources said. It has also put on hold starting major work on a plant in Slovakia announced in December as well as negotiations on a deal to lease property at Silverstone race track because of the uncertainty surrounding Thursday's vote, they said. The 1 billion pound decline in pre-tax profit by 2020 would apply if Britain returned to World Trade Organisation rules for trade with Europe, involving a 10 percent tariff on exports and an inbound tariff of roughly 4 percent on components, the sources said. "It may at worst cost us about 1 billion pounds," said one of the sources when asked how Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) had phrased the wording in the 89-page report, entitled 'Referendum: The View'. A second source said the number had featured in an internal presentation shown to the board. The company made a 2015/16 pre-tax profit of 1.6 billion pounds. JLR, which is owned by owned by India's Tata Motors (TAMO.NS), sold almost a quarter of its over 520,000 cars in its largest market Europe last year, confirmed it had looked into the impact of Brexit. "As part of our standard business planning process, we regularly look at macro-economic and geo-political developments around the world," a JLR spokesman said in an emailed statement. Story continues "Like any other responsible global business, we have analysed the impact of any potential UK departure from the EU. However, we are not discussing details of any internal business analysis." Businesses have been reluctant to talk about contingency plans for Brexit but carmaker Ford (F.N), which only builds engines in Britain, said it could face tariffs of 2.7 percent on engine exports and import tariffs of up to 10 percent on incoming vehicles, according to a copy of a letter sent to employees on Monday seen by Reuters. 'Leave' campaigners argue that Britain should be able to negotiate a tariff-less trade with France and Germany for its cars because French and German models are so popular with British drivers. DEEPLY WORRIED The work, which has been updated several times since it was first prepared for the board with input from the company's sales, marketing and tax departments last summer, features three other scenarios including Britain remaining in the single market, the second source said. The two other post-Brexit scenarios look at Britain taking several years to negotiate a deal to remain in the single market or agreeing a trade deal imposing low tariffs costing JLR in the low hundreds of millions, the source said. A hit to JLR would be a big blow to Britain's resurgent car industry, which has been lauded by politicians as a sign of the country's manufacturing prowess and is on course to reach an all-time production high of nearly 2 million cars by 2020. JLR, which built nearly one in three of Britain's 1.6 million cars last year, is undergoing a major expansion of its lineup, and has joined the rest of the overwhelmingly foreign-owned car industry in calling on Britons to remain in the bloc. It opened a small overseas facility in Brazil last week. However, a hit to profit could impact the company's ability to fund further expansion. Some projects have been put on hold until the outcome of the referendum is clear, according to the sources. JLR fully funds its investments without support from parent Tata Motors, executives have said. The cost of investment contributed to a 40 percent decline in its 2015/16 pre-tax profit. "They are deeply worried about being outside of the EU... They have been holding off on meaningful expenditure," the second source said. In December, JLR sealed a deal to build a 1-billion pound plant in Slovakia with an annual output of 300,000 cars partly in a bid to help it better deal with fluctuations in the value of sterling. But the sources said construction of the factory, which could become vital for JLR's European businesses if a vote for Brexit brought new trade tariffs, has yet to start. The sources also said a decision on Silverstone had been delayed until after the referendum. EUROPEAN OFFICE JLR could open an office in Brussels were Britain to leave the EU to maintain influence with European policymakers, both sources said, with the first source saying Luxembourg was also an option. That source said JLR could make the office its European headquarters but the second source said JLR would retain its British HQ. A spokesman at the firm said: "Jaguar Land Rover is a British company and our headquarters will remain in the UK." JLR is Britain's biggest builder of high-end and premium models and is one of the many small and premium automakers benefiting from more lenient EU rules including on emissions, due to low sales volumes compared to mass manufacturers. "Having an office close to Brussels would allow them to maintain influence post any deal," the second source said. CEO Ralph Speth, who has consistently spoken out in favour of continued EU membership, wrote to workers on Monday warning of the possible consequences of a Brexit on the firm. "It is inevitable that we would face increasing and higher tariffs, making our products less competitive in Europe," he said in a copy of the letter seen by Reuters. (Additional reporting by Tatiana Jancarikova in Bratislava; Editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Anna Willard) Military officers stand at the entrance to Camp VI and V at the U.S. military prison for 'enemy combatants' on June 25, 2013 in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images) By Charles Levinson NEW YORK (Reuters) - President Barack Obama is again facing dissent from within his administration this time from Attorney General Loretta Lynch - over his plans to shutter the Guantanamo Bay military prison, according to senior administration officials. Lynch, a former federal prosecutor whom Obama appointed to head the Justice Department two years ago, is opposing a White House-backed proposal that would allow Guantanamo Bay prisoners to plead guilty to terrorism charges in federal court by videoconference, the officials said. Over the past three months, Lynch has twice intervened to block administration proposals on the issue, objecting that they would violate longstanding rules of criminal-justice procedure. In the first case, her last-minute opposition derailed a White House-initiated legislative proposal to allow video guilty pleas after nearly two months of interagency negotiations and law drafting. In the second case, Lynch blocked the administration from publicly supporting a Senate proposal to legalize video guilty pleas. Its been a fierce interagency tussle, said a senior Obama administration official, who supports the proposal and asked not to be identified. White House officials confirmed that President Obama supports the proposal. But the president declined to overrule objections from Lynch, the administrations top law-enforcement official. There were some frustrations, said a White House official who spoke on condition of anonymity. The top lawyer in the land has weighed in, and that was the DOJs purview to do that. If enacted into law, the Obama-backed plan would allow detained terrorism suspects who plead guilty to serve their sentences in a third-country prison, without setting foot on U.S. soil. The plan would thus sidestep a Congressional ban on transferring detainees to the United States, which has left dozens of prisoners in long-term judicial limbo in Guantanamo, the American military enclave in Cuba. Story continues Obama has vowed to close the prison on his watch. But while he has overseen the release of some 160 men from the prison, the facility still holds 80 detainees. The video plea plan has broad backing within the administration, including from senior State Department and Pentagon officials. A Defense Department spokesman declined to comment. The most enthusiastic backers of the plan have been defense lawyers representing up to a dozen Guantanamo Bay detainees who are eager to extricate their clients from seemingly indefinite detention. Republicans in Congress have opposed the presidents plans to empty the prison, on the grounds that many of the detainees are highly dangerous. But there is some bipartisan support for the proposal as well, a rarity in the Guantanamo debate. Kevin Bishop, a spokesman for Senator Lindsey Graham, a leading Republican voice on defense and national security issues, said Graham was intrigued by the proposal. While support from a Republican senator would by no means guarantee the votes needed to pass, it does give the proposal a better chance than schemes that would transfer detainees from the Cuban enclave to the United States. Obama views the video feed proposal as a meaningful step toward closing the facility and making good on one of his earliest pledges as president, administration officials said. Of the 80 prisoners remaining in Guantanamo, roughly 30 have been approved for transfer to third countries by an interagency review board. Most of those 30 men are expected to be released from Guantanamo in coming weeks, according to administration officials. The officials said they think that as many as 10 more prisoners could be added to the approved-for-transfer list by the review board. Finally, another 10 detainees are standing trial in military commissions. That leaves roughly 30 detainees whom the government deems too dangerous to release but unlikely to be successfully prosecuted in court. As a result, those men would likely have to be transferred to detention in the United States if the prison were closed. Administration officials say that allowing video feeds could reduce that number to somewhere between 10 and 20. The administration believes that with such a small number of prisoners requiring transfer to the United States, it would be easier to win support for closing the facility, which is run by a staff of 2,000 military personnel. This is the group that gives the president the most heartburn, said the senior administration official. Lynch and her deputies at the Justice Department argued that the laws of criminal procedure do not allow defendants to plead guilty remotely by videoconference. Even if Congress were to pass the law, Lynch and her aides have told the White House that federal judges may rule that such pleas are in effect involuntary, because Guantanamo detainees would not have the option of standing trial in a U.S. courtroom. A defendant in federal court usually has the option to plead guilty or face a trial by jury. In the case of Guantanamo detainees, the only option they would likely face is to plead guilty or remain in indefinite detention. How would a judge assure himself that the plea is truly voluntary when if the plea is not entered, the alternative is youre still in Gitmo? said a person familiar with Lynchs concerns about the proposal. Thats the wrinkle. Lawyers for Guantanamo detainee Majid Khan, a 36-year-old Pakistani citizen, first proposed allowing Khan to plead guilty by videoconference in a legal memo submitted to the Department of Justice in November. In 2012, Khan confessed in military court to delivering $50,000 to Qaeda operatives who used it to carry out a truck bombing in Indonesia, and to plotting with Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks, on various planned strikes. Senate investigators found internal CIA documents confirming that Khans CIA interrogators subjected him to forced rectal feedings. Khans lawyers say the experience amounted to rape. He was also water-boarded. Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch in Washington on May 9, 2016. (REUTERS/Joshua Roberts) That treatment makes it difficult for the Department of Justice to successfully prosecute Khan in federal court, according to administration officials. When White House officials learned that Khan and other detainees were ready to plead guilty to terrorism charges in federal court, they thought they had found a solution. Efforts to try detainees, including Mohammed and other Sept. 11 suspects, in military tribunals at Guantanamo have bogged down over legal disputes. Only eight defendants have been fully prosecuted. Three verdicts have been overturned. The beauty of a guilty plea is you dont need a trial, said the senior administration official who supports the video plea proposal. In February, senior Obama aides proposed pushing ahead with video guilty pleas at an interagency meeting at the White House on the closure of Guantanamo, according to officials briefed on the meeting. Justice Department officials said they opposed video guilty pleas. Matthew Axelrod, the chief of staff to Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, said the proposal would violate laws of criminal procedure, according to the officials. The meeting ended with an agreement to pursue new legislation allowing the guilty pleas, the officials said, which the Department of Justice supported. One week later, President Obama rolled out his plan to close the prison in a nationally televised announcement from the Roosevelt Room. Obamas plan included seeking legislative changes that might enable detainees who are interested in pleading guilty in U.S. federal courts. Administration officials spent much of the next two months drafting the new law. On a Friday afternoon in mid-April, White House staff emailed all the involved agencies with a final draft of the bill, according to the officials. The bill would be submitted to Congress the following Monday, the White House email said. That weekend, Lynch intervened unexpectedly and said the Justice Department opposed the bill. The eleventh-hour move frustrated White House staff. Deciding again to not overrule Lynch, the White House shelved the bill. In late May, White House officials found a sympathetic lawmaker who inserted language authorizing video pleas into the annual defense spending bill. The White House drafted a policy memo publicly supporting the proposal, which is known as a Statement of Administration Policy, or SAP. Lynch opposed the idea, according to administration officials, sparking renewed tensions between the Justice Department and White House. A SAP is the presidents public declaration on the substance of a bill, according to Samuel Kernell, a political science professor at the University of California at San Diego. Without one, its often more difficult to get lawmakers on the fence to vote the way the White House wants. The White House again bowed to Lynchs objections and declined to issue the SAP. (Additional reporting By David Rohde. Editing by Michael Williams) Season seven of Pretty Little Liars premieres on June 21 and the girls are after Rosewood's biggest, baddest, villain yet Uber A. ET was with the cast and the show's executive producers at the spooky premiere party in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery on June 15 and get this one of the 'Little Liars' could still be A. But before we get to that, we think it's important to note that the show's big boss, Marlene King, told us we don't have to get our A's confused. Oh, and we also have some scoop on Hanna's fate -- and the fate of the show. (We'll have that for you tomorrow.) "There was original A and that was Mona. Then there was Big A and that was Charlotte. Uber A is the same person as A.D. and A-moji," King explained to ET. "There's always the possibility that A.D. has a team helping A.D. but I think the easiest way to explain it is A.D. was born after Charlotte's death. That was sort of the invention of why this character needed to torture the girls and was just sort of playing around with the emojis and then really owns the title of A.D. moving forward." RELATED: 'Pretty Little Liars' Boss Talks Season 7 Secrets, Amping Up the Sex and the 'PLL' Movie! So, could Aria, Emily, Hanna, Spencer, or even Ali hold that title? "It's always a possibility, it's always a possibility," she added. "I mean, it seems unlikely but you just never know." And King's co-showrunner, Charlie Craig, says that's been an idea they've toyed with moving into the new season. "I will say that question is one we've discussed in the writers' room," Craig shared, adding that the five-year time jump will also come into play. "All of the 'Little Liars' could be A," he revealed. "Think of that five-year gap, what could have happened in that five-year gap? We have fun flashbacks to go back and see how Hanna got from here to there -- and all of them frankly. Those stories, that past will help inform what they're doing now." Story continues RELATED: Could Melissa Be Charlotte's Murderer on Pretty Little Liars?! Lucy Hale doesn't think the idea is far-fetched. "I think there is the head honcho that's sort of working with her little or his little minions," she told ET. "I definitely think it's possible for one of the girls to be involved. I think there has been so much dishonesty even between these girls who try to be truthful with each other. I think it'd be an interesting choice." And the 27-year-old brunette beauty is still hoping Aria turns out to be Rosewood's most wanted. "I mean, I'm a super feminist right now, so i think a girl could have planned all of this, but who knows! I think everyone would want to be the bad guy! I think that's always like the fun choice and would be really fun to play: good girl gone bad!" RELATED: Ashley Benson Dishes on Hanna's Season 6 Fate! Troian Bellisario is also vying for the villainous part. "I've always been saying that Spencer is A! I would love it so much, I think it'd be so fun. But the only thing that I can't wrap my head around is how we would torture ourselves so effectively and also when we're alone. You have to go the extra length to trap yourself in the fun-house and then freak out to the point of like I don't even know -- it would have to be some serious fight club, Tyler Durden stuff." But what about one of Rosewood's most mysterious players since season one, Jenna? Tammin Sursok is back after a nearly two-year break and she's up to no good. "[The Little Liars] are completely shocked, they're not excited. I do some terrible things," she shared. "You're going to not like me and then I cry and then you might like me again 'cause you'll pity me." "I have a few scenes with Shay [Mitchell], who plays Emily, and she does not like me right now!" Sursok noted. "I've always said that I'm the evil character and I feel like I'm the victim," she added. "I've definitely been victimized, but wouldn't it be funny if I was the evil person. It would be amazing." "I want to be Uber A!" she joked. "People are like, 'Who is Uber A?' It's me!" RELATED: Ashley Benson Dishes on a Haleb Reunion! Sasha Pieterse and Tyler Blackburn also revealed whether they think Ali or Caleb is capable of being A.D. Watch the video above to see what they said. And stick with ETonline for more PLL scoop. We've got the latest on Emison, Ezria, Haleb, and Spoby coming your way. But in the meantime, do you think it's possible one of the girls is Uber A? Chat with your PLL experts @Katie_Krause and @LeanneAguilera on Twitter and send us your predictions! Pretty Little Liars season seven premieres on June 21 at 8:00 on Freeform. Will Emison get back together?! Will Spencer find out about Haleb's kiss? Check out the video below for Rosewood romance spoilers! Related Articles By Laila Kearney NEW YORK (Reuters) - A portrait sketched by British spy John Andre, who was executed for funnelling messages to Revolutionary War turncoat Benedict Arnold, sold for $47,500 (32,480) on Tuesday, said the New York auction house that sold it. The pencil drawing on paper, dated sometime in 1776, portrays Abraham Cornelius Cuyler, mayor of Albany, New York, and his wife, Jannetje Jacobse Glen, who were strong British loyalists, Swann Auction Galleries spokeswoman Alexandra Nelson said. "A drawing like this, it enlivens the period," Nelson said. "It makes you feel like these are real people." Andre, a British officer, stayed as a guest at the couple's home at the time of the drawing. He was captured by American Continental Army officials and hanged on Oct. 2, 1780, after being convicted of spying for the British. Andre was accused of relaying military information to Arnold, a Continental Army general who gained infamy among Americans for defecting to the British. The artwork, believed to be the first by Andre to be auctioned, was passed down to his family members through the generations. Nelson said she could not immediately disclose who purchased the portrait. (Reporting by Laila Kearney; Editing by Peter Cooney) By Andrew M. Seaman (Reuters Health) - U.S. hospitals may be getting paid for more of the care they actually provide thanks to the Affordable Care Act, if research from Michigan reflects the situation around the country. While the study didn't look directly at hospital finances, researchers found that the proportion of uninsured adults discharged from Michigan hospitals fell after public insurance options expanded in 2014. "What we found is that the overwhelming majority of hospitals experienced a decrease in the proportion of uninsured patients and an increase in Medicaid covered patients," said lead author Dr. Matthew Davis, deputy director of Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation at the University of Michigan Health System in Ann Arbor. Under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, some U.S. states - including Michigan - expanded Medicaid, which is the joint federal and state insurance program for the poor. Previous studies showed many people who gained health insurance through the law were previously uninsured, Davis told Reuters Health. For the new study, he and his colleagues analyzed data on young adults discharged from 130 Michigan hospitals before and after Medicaid became more broadly available in 2014. About 6 percent of young adults discharged at those hospitals between April and December before the Medicaid expansion were uninsured, compared to about 2 percent during those months in 2014, the authors reported in JAMA. The proportion of discharged young adults on Medicaid rose from 23 percent in 2012 and 24 percent in 2013 to 30 percent in 2014. There was a small decline in the number of people discharged with private or other insurance, they found. The researchers were surprised at how uniform the impact of Medicaid expansion seemed to be in hospitals across Michigan, Davis said. "This impact wasnt limited to urban areas or population centers, or safety net hospitals," he said. According to Davis, past research shows that decreases in the number of uninsured patients are tied to decreases in healthcare that goes unpaid for. "As we have more and more years of the Affordable Care Act that have provided expanded coverage for millions of Americans, its going to be important to understand how that coverage translates into positive health," he said. "Coverage through insurance plans and programs like Medicaid is most (needed) when our health is at its worst and we need to be hospitalized," he said. "Yet, that coverage is also essential in times when our health is better and we need to be focused on preventing the next illness rather than just responding to it." SOURCE: http://bit.ly/WddS8K JAMA, online June 21, 2016. Yahoo Finance is tracking the stocks youre following, based on your Yahoo Finance ticker searches. Facebook (FB) More than half a billion people worldwide are using Facebooks photo-sharing app Instagram. More than 80% of users are from outside the US. This adds to the stocks upward momentum yesterday, after shareholders approved a proposal to create a new class of non-voting shares. United Continental (UAL) The airline announced new value-driving initiatives ahead of its investor call. United Continental is targeting $3.1 billion in revenue and efficiency gains as part of CEO Oscar Munozs plans to reshape the airline. Whole Foods (WFM) Credit Suisse says it sees an opportunity to buy Whole Foods for the long-term following its recent dip. Shares fell from their highest level of the year after the FDA issued a warning letter to the company for food safety violations. Herbalife (HLF) Bill Ackmans Pershing Square upped its campaign against Herbalife, releasing a video that illustrates what Ackman calls the company's predatory recruiting practices. Tesla (TSLA) Bloomberg is reporting that Shanghai is the front-runner for Teslas production in China. The electric carmakers investment in the country could be worth about $9 billion. General Electric (GE) The company is looking to sell its 20% stake in Hyundai Capital to a third party. CarMax (KMX) The companys quarterly profit and sales missed estimates. CarMax posted earnings per share of $0.90 as sales edged up to $4.13 billion. Wall Street forecasted earnings per share of $0.92 and sales of $4.21 billion. Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) Reuters is reporting the bank is planning to cut another 900 jobs. This will bring its total number of layoffs in the last four months to about 5% of its UK workforce. Lennar (LEN) The second-largest US homebuilder reported earnings and revenue that topped expectations. Lennar delivered 12% more homes during the quarter compared to one year ago while the average selling price climbed 4% to $362,000. By Guy Faulconbridge, Kylie MacLellan and Alistair Smout (Reuters) - Britain holds a referendum on whether to stay in the European Union on Thursday. For a menu of stories on the referendum, click on Reuters will offer live coverage of the results throughout the night and carry UK Press Association results from each of the 382 counting areas. Following are details of how the ballot count will work on the night. All times in GMT, an hour before local UK time. WHEN WILL RESULTS COME? Votes will be counted by hand, starting as soon as polls close at 2100 GMT (1700 EDT). Each of 382 local counting areas will tally the number of ballot papers cast and announce local turnout figures (including spoiled ballots and postal votes) in each of the areas. The Electoral Commission has estimated that most turnout announcements at counting-area level will come between 2230 on June 23 and 0130 on June 24. The last turnout figure is expected at around 0400. Each area will count the votes and announce totals for REMAIN and LEAVE in each of the 382 areas. The majority of counting areas are expected to declare between around 0100 and 0300 on June 24. The last declaration is expected around 0600. Local totals will be collated into totals for 12 regions, and then a final, national, result. The final result will be announced in Manchester by Jenny Watson, Chief Counting Officer. WHEN CAN PEOPLE VOTE? Polling stations open at 0600 (0200 EDT) on June 23 and close at 2100(1700 EDT). ARE ALL THE COUNTING AREAS THE SAME? No. The counting areas, based along the lines of local authorities, vary widely in population. The biggest counting areas are Birmingham, Leeds and Northern Ireland. The Birmingham area has around 700,000 eligible voters while the City of London counting area has 7,000 eligible voters. The smallest counting area is the Isles of Scilly which has about 1,700 voters. Estimated time of declarations in the bigger areas: Northern Ireland around 0030, Birmingham around 0330, Leeds around 0400, Glasgow around 0400, Sheffield around 0330, Cornwall around 0230-0300, Bradford around 0200, Durham around 0130, Manchester around 0400 and Edinburgh around 0300-0400). London's counting areas are along the lines of the city's 32 boroughs. WHAT TO WATCH FOR 1) Turnout could be key to the result but only partial figures will be available initially. Turnout at last year's British parliamentary election was 66 percent. Turnout well below this is likely to favor Leave as those who back Brexit are considered more likely to vote, according to campaigners on both sides. 2) First results: Sunderland, likely to be one of the first results to declare (2330), has a large number of older, lower income voters who polls show are more likely to back Brexit. If Leave are not strongly ahead here it may indicate they will struggle to break through in areas less favorable to Brexit. 3) Geography: Leave is expected to do well in eastern England, so close results in some of the most euroskeptic areas such as Southend-on-Sea (0200) and Castle Point (0130) could give an indication the national vote has swung towards Remain. 4) Labour voters: Opposition Labour Party supporters are considered key to securing a Remain vote so the results of traditional Labour strongholds such as the north of England and south Wales, where backing for the anti-EU UK Independence Party has risen, will be closely watched. Early declarations in such areas include Oldham (0000) and Salford (0030) in northern England and Merthyr Tydfil (0030) in Wales. 5) Scotland: Scotland is considered to be pro-EU, so any close early results from Scotland such as Stirling (0030) could indicate trouble for the Remain camp. 6) Swing seats: Nuneaton (0100) is considered a bellwether seat in parliamentary elections so will be watched to see if Prime Minister David Cameron has managed to get swing voters who last year backed his Conservatives to turn out for Remain. 7) Count chronology: Some research has indicated Remain could be well ahead at first and that from around 0300-0400 the Brexit count is less likely to deviate from the end results. Others, as the Open Europe think tank, have suggested that by about 0330 most of strongest Leave areas will have declared so if Leave do not hold the lead or even if it is very close, it may bode badly for them. Ron Johnston, a professor of geography at the University of Bristol who has researched the counting areas and modeled how the vote could unfold, said the big picture was that the figures could flip around until about 0300. WILL THERE BE AN EXIT POLL? There are no plans by broadcasters for an exit poll as the margin of error is deemed too large but there have been reports that some hedge funds may have commissioned private polls which could affect markets soon after voting ends at 2100. Details of a poll by Ipsos MORI for the Evening Standard newspaper are expected to be published during the day. It is a telephone survey. The findings of a YouGov poll, based on interviews conducted online on Thursday, are due to be announced by Sky News after the close of voting at 2100. THE QUESTION Voters will be given one piece of paper with the question: "Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?" They will be asked to put a cross beside either: "Remain a member of the European Union "Leave the European Union" WHO CAN VOTE? All those who are entitled to vote in a UK parliamentary election can vote in the referendum, including British, Irish and qualifying Commonwealth citizens over the age of 18 who are resident in the UK. UK nationals resident overseas who have appeared on a parliamentary election register in the past 15 years will also have the right to vote, as will Irish citizens who were born in Northern Ireland and registered to vote in Northern Ireland in the last 15 years. In addition, peers and citizens of Gibraltar who were able to vote at a European parliamentary election can vote. REGISTERING TO VOTE Britain extended the voter registration period for the referendum to midnight on June 9 after a late surge in applications crashed a key website shortly before the original June 7 midnight deadline. CAN THE COUNT AND VOTE BE CHALLENGED? The electoral commission says this: "The referendum rules do not provide for a national recount to be carried out in any circumstances. Any request for a recount of votes will be at local count level and is for the Counting Officer to determine. We expect local recounts to be granted if a specific issue has been identified with the process in that counting area, rather than simply when the local totals are close. "The national referendum result is only subject to challenge by way of judicial review. "An application for judicial review would need to be lodged within six weeks of the certification that is being challenged being made." Sources: Electoral Commission, Open Europe, Reuters reporting (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge, Alistair Smout and Kylie MacLellan, Editing by Timothy Heritage) LONDON (Reuters) - With just days to go before Britain's June 23 referendum on European Union membership, the country's newspapers have publicly come out on their chosen sides, hoping to influence the debate as polls paint a picture of an evenly split electorate. PRO-REMAIN NEWSPAPERS THE TIMES Britain's Times newspaper has come out in support of remaining in the EU, with its Saturday June 18 issue bearing a leading article entitled "Why Remain is best for Britain". "On balance we believe Britain would be better off leading a renewed drive for reform within the EU rather than starting afresh outside it," the newspaper said. That put the Rupert Murdoch-owned Times at odds with two other newspapers in the media tycoon's stable. The Sun and The Sunday Times have both thrown their weight behind Brexit. THE MAIL ON SUNDAY Britain's right-leaning Mail on Sunday newspaper has endorsed the campaign to remain in the EU, saying Britain would be safer, freer and more prosperous in the bloc. "For modern Great Britain to thrive and prosper we must work with, not against, our European partners; we must keep our seat at Europe's top table and help shape its destiny; our strong, clear voice must be heard inside Europe, not be shouted from the sidelines," the newspaper said. DAILY MIRROR The British left-leaning tabloid urges its readers to vote to remain in the EU, saying membership makes the continent safer and the economic future more certain. "This referendum is not just about our previous history. Where you put your X on the ballot paper is about making our own history," it said. "It is not about our past, but how we forge our future. And it is a once in a lifetime opportunity. This is truly the battle for Britain. Make Thursday Victory in Europe Day." THE FINANCIAL TIMES The country's leading financial newspaper urged its readers to keep Britain within the 28-member bloc, saying "a vote to withdraw would be irrevocable, a grievous blow to the post-1945 liberal world order." "This is no time to revert to Little England. We are Great Britain. We have a contribution to make to a more prosperous, safer world. The vote must be 'Remain'," the paper said. THE OBSERVER The Observer newspaper, part of the left-leaning Guardian Media Group, urged its readers to vote to stay in the EU. The paper said the EU was not perfect, but that overall it had been a force for good. "Remaining in the EU will not magically eliminate the challenges Britain faces in the years to come. But if we choose to do so, it will keep Britain at the heart of reforming the European project so that the nations of Europe are together better equipped to face them," The Observer said. THE GUARDIAN Britain's main left-of-centre newspaper backed Britain remaining in the European Union, telling its readers that they should "keep connected and inclusive, not angry and isolated". "Vote for a united country that reaches out to the world, and vote against a divided nation that turns inwards. Vote to remain," the paper said. PRO-LEAVE NEWSPAPERS THE SUN The Sun, the nation's biggest-selling paper, urged its readers to vote leave on its front page on June 14. "We must set ourselves free from dictatorial Brussels," said the tabloid, which has a circulation of 1.7 million. Many of its readers already back a Brexit according to polls. THE SUNDAY TIMES The newspaper urged its readers to vote to leave the EU as a way to press for deeper reform of the bloc, which might make it more acceptable for Britain to actually remain in. "Yes, we must be prepared for a bumpy ride, but we should hold our nerve. This vote may be the only opportunity we shall ever have to call a halt to the onward march of the centralising European project," the newspaper said in an editorial. THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH The conservative newspaper urged its readers to vote to leave, arguing that the EU belongs to the past and by leaving it Britain would be able to decide who should come to work in the country. "Once we have left and are no longer subject to the free movement of labour, popular worries about immigration will become a matter for the British government and for parliament," the paper said. THE TELEGRAPH The Daily Telegraph newspaper came out in favour of quitting the European Union on Monday, urging voters to tick the "Leave" box. The Telegraph made its declaration in an editorial entitled "Vote leave to benefit from a world of opportunity". (Reporting by Sarah Young and Costas Pitas; Editing by Ros Russell and Kate Holton) In 1991, Madagascar a large island off the coast of southeast Africa known more for its lovable lemurs than the fate of its 27 million deeply impoverished people held its first multi-party elections. The way it came to do so was somewhat unusual: a brash general effectively kidnapped the countrys leading politicians, locked them in the Panorama Hotel, and proclaimed that they could leave only after they agreed to allow political competition. Two days later, the Panorama Convention was signed. The elections took place as planned and whats more, the incumbent lost and left power. It seemed like a new dawn for a country that had suffered for decades under the rule of a failed military strongman. Shortly thereafter, Madagascar was duly declared a full-fledged democracy receiving the same score as France in an index that many political scientists consider to be the most accurate yardstick of regimes. Politicians, diplomats, and scholars all welcomed the country into the democratic world. In 2006, the American ambassador to the island declared that Washington believed that Madagascar deserves its position among the community of democracies in the world. Indeed, even in 2014 and 2015, in the wake of seriously flawed elections, the U.S. State Department continued to herald Madagascars alleged return to democracy after a coup detat. Theres just one problem: Madagascar is not and has never been a democracy. Regular elections are held, but they are manipulated and riddled by vote-buying. A national assembly exists, but it is deeply corrupt and unresponsive to the people. A democratic constitution is on the books, but those with informal power routinely ignore it. As in so other many places around the globe, real power in Madagascar belongs to a small cadre of elites that rely on informal personal networks to wield it. There is more to democracy than elections. True democracy requires the rule of law, a free press, and accountability for elected officials, no matter how powerful they may be. Madagascar has none of the above. But far too often, we allow counterfeit democracies like it to pass as the real thing. Thats because the international community treats democracy like a light switch: a regime is either elected democratically (on), or it is elected in a blatantly undemocratic sham contest (off). Elections themselves are also frequently judged in a binary way theyre either completely free and fair or they are not. The problem is that most regimes in the world, like Madagascar, lie somewhere in between. Many may emit some democratic light particularly during elections but remain depressingly dim for the thousands of days in-between. The current system gives them little incentive to get brighter because the West calls them democracies too easily. That, in turn, degrades the value of democracy itself. There are two dynamics at play here. First, the inevitably low bar created by the on/off mentality creates an effect that Ive previously called the curse of low expectations. When undemocratic rulers get a diplomatic high-five just for holding a passable election, it creates a strong incentive to continue doing only the bare minimum. The European Union called Madagascars 2013 election free, fair, and democratic, even though millions were left off the voter rolls, illicit campaign funding was used, and vote buying was rampant (a finding that the European Union even acknowledged openly in its final report). After the election observers packed up and left, the international community took far less of an interest in the island. So long as the West sets an absurdly low bar for what constitutes democratic elections and views those as the endpoint of establishing democracy rather than its beginning, the light of democracy around the globe will continue to flicker. Second, when a countrys citizens live in a democracy that holds elections but doesnt really give them a voice, the result is governance that doesnt deliver. Even the best election doesnt put food on the table, provide security, or ensure basic health care. If elections are all people have, but genuine democracy doesnt take root, they soon begin to resent the concept of democracy itself. Perhaps for that reason, even the counterfeit democracy introduced in Madagascar in the early 1990s didnt prove especially durable. In 2009, in one of the more bizarre episodes in modern international politics, the countrys sitting president Marc Ravalomanana a rags-to-riches yogurt kingpin was overthrown in a coup detat by Andry Rajoelina, a 34-year-old former radio disc jockey. The toppling of an elected leader was, finally, enough for the diplomatic community to flip the switch and acknowledge that the country had lost its status as a democracy. International aid dried up. Madagascar became an international pariah. But it didnt take much to turn the switch back on. Four years later, Madagascar held elections again. The country was quickly reinstated in a preferential U.S. trade program, a decision prompted by the nations return to democratic rule. Crucial foreign aid flowed back in. But day-to-day international interest in the country plummeted. Madagascar had done the bare minimum to be seen as a democratically elected government, and that seemed to be good enough. The elected government does not actually rule democratically, but its violations of democratic principles are not considered bad enough to elicit international consequences. As a result, elites in Madagascar and countries like it can have their cake and eat it too ensuring that their informal power networks remain king while basking in international praise for a post-election return to democracy. In April, Madagascars president announced that the prime minister had resigned, only for the startled prime minister to inform the press that he had done no such thing. His unconstitutional and unwilling departure ushered in the islands third prime minister in as many years. At the same time, credible allegations arose that several ministers had paid bribes to secure their spots in the presidents cabinet. In May, the Minister of Public Service and Government Reform was discovered with 1,000 kilograms of drugs in his personal vehicle rather a lot for recreational use. He has not been arrested, nor has he resigned. These repeated embarrassments have prompted the general who originally ushered in multi-party elections 25 years ago to speak out. General Desire-Philippe Ramakavelo, a distinguished elder statesman who has taken up writing political poetry in his retirement, laments that the countrys elites tend to act like royalty once attaining office, rather than as public servants constrained by democratic rules. During my last meeting with him at his home in Antananarivo, he shared his latest stanzas with me. The title of the poem he read, La loi, cest moi (The law, its me) is a reference to the quip Letat, cest moi (the state, its me) famously attributed to the French King Louis XIV, who embodied absolutist rule. In the poem, Ramakavelo bemoans the degree to which his country has impersonated Versailles by allowing powerful kingpins and kingmakers to rule without regard for the formal trappings of democracy. Before I left, the general asked me to send him anything I wrote about him. In a vivid demonstration of the continued dominance of personality as power in Madagascar, the mailing address he provided to me read in full: General Desire-Philippe Ramakavelo, Madagascar. The problem with informal rule is simple: it allows bad governance. Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world not least because its corrupt albeit elected politicians serve themselves rather than their people. Though it has tremendous mineral wealth and one the most tourist-enticing landscapes on the planet, its GDP per capita is stuck below $500. A third of the population is illiterate. And its the only place on earth where outbreaks of the bubonic plague are a regular occurrence. It is, unquestionably, one of the worst tickets you can be dealt in the global lottery of birth. Labeling such a country a democracy is not just ridiculous its downright dangerous. Lowering the bar for what deserves to be called a democracy degrades public support for the concept. After all, if Madagascar really represented what a democracy looks like, nobody would want to live in one. Over time, this only makes the false prophets of authoritarian strongmen or military rule more appealing. Madagascar may be an island, but it is not alone in this risk. When tens of thousands of Africans living in similarly sham democracies were asked whether they were satisfied with democracy in their country, only 965 out of more than 50,000 respondents replied that their countries were not, in fact, democracies. Most accepted the premise that they lived in a democratic country, but lamented that fact: Four in ten said that they were not at all satisfied or not very satisfied with this form of governance. This erosion of support for democracy has a knock-on effect. Calling countries like Madagascar democratic provides powerful rhetorical ammunition to despots in other countries, helping them make their case for continuing to resist reform. After all, if coups and corruption and drug-running ministers are the hallmarks of so-called democracies, maybe authoritarianism isnt so bad. In other words, mislabeling countries as democratic can cause people to lose faith in the concept while amplifying the voice of unresponsive leaders eager to spread an undemocratic gospel. This one-two punch may help explain why the world has become modestly, but steadily, less democratic since 2006. The solution is not simply to condemn Madagascar and countries like it as pariah states. Madagascars president is no dictator, and some minor and modest progress toward democracy has been made since the 2013 elections. Instead, there needs to be a higher bar for what warrants the label of democracy. For countries like Madagascar that do not deserve the label, aid and international acceptance should be tied to steady progress towards genuine democratic governance rather than being conditioned on holding passable elections every few years. If no progress is made, it should not take something so drastic as a coup detat to hammer home the lesson that undemocratic governance between elections has diplomatic consequences. Today, Madagascars people are mired in poverty and political dysfunction two and a half years after the last elections, and with two and a half years to go until the next ones. Amid the countrys economic and political stagnation, there are persistent whispers of nefarious attempts to instigate a constitutional crisis in order to force an early vote. Earlier this month, Senator Rene de Roland Lylison a colonel who previously headed a paramilitary group was arrested amid rumors that he was plotting another coup detat. Unfortunately, because Madagascars people have been told that they have democracy but believe it has failed them, some would welcome a military takeover. That is the peril and the price of a system that conflates the act of voting with genuine democracy. In the photo, the EUs chief observer of Madagascars 2013 election, Maria Muniz de Urquiza, speaks to the press outside a polling station in Antananarivo on October 25, 2013. Photo credit: STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN/AFP/Getty Images The sister of slain actress Sharon Tate is in Californias state capitol, opposing the parole recommendation of former Manson family member Leslie Van Houten. Read: 'Under His Spell.' Charles Manson Follower Breaks Her Silence After 45 Years Behind Bars Debra Tate and others carried a petition containing 140,000 opposing Van Houtens release, which was approved in April. She was convicted in 1971 for her role in the Charles Manson-led killing spree that kept Los Angeles on edge back in 1969. Van Houten testified to repeatedly stabbing Rosemary LaBianca, the wife of grocer Leo LaBianca. Both were massacred in their Los Feliz home in 1969, one night after members of the Manson family slaughtered Sharon Tate, who was eight months pregnant, and four others staying at her home. Read: Woman Found Stabbed To Death Near Manson Slayings Is ID'd After Nearly 50 Years Can you imagine plunging a knife back forth 16 times into somebodys body? That is a vicious individual, Tate said in Sacramento, where she and members of the LaBianca family have carried a petition asking Gov. Jerry Brown to deny Van Houten's parole. Tate and others have been sitting outside Brown's office, hoping for a few minutes of his time to explain why Van Houten should not go free. So far, there has been no meeting. [Brown] needs to look into the eyes of the people who these crimes have affected, he said. Watch: Sharon Tate's Sister: Manson Family Member Up For Parole Is Injustice Related Articles: Where To Stay & Shop Where To Stay & Shop "Stay at Hotel Florida for an upscale boutique hotel experience in the ultra charming Old Havana neighborhood (think: ceramic arches, tiled floors and palm fronds). Theres live Cuban music in the beautiful open-air lobby at night. During your stay, shop for cigars (naturally), hand-painted fans and old books (especially Hemingway). The best way to shop for cigars is to visit a cigar factory, where you can also do a tour and buy them directly there. I recommend the Romeo y Julieta and/or Partagas factories. You can score a handmade fan from many different places, but Casa del Abanico is a great spot. Old bookstores are sprinkled all over Old Havanapop in to any of them and be prepared to find a gem!" Courtesy of Nicole Najafi Orabrush My father was a stay-at-home dad, and it shaped how I view the world My father was a stay-at-home dad, and it shaped how I view the world Growing up, I know that I took my home life for granted. Its true that my family was far from perfect. But still, I had no idea until I was older how much tougher my peers had it. Many of my friends grew up in households with either a single parent or their parents were divorced. But on a grander scale, I saw that most of my friends didnt feel particularly close to their parents, especially their dads. That was not my life. I was and still am close to both my parents. When I was 11, my dad made a decision. Both he and my mom were working full time and my brothers and I were at a day care after school. My little brother was only seven at the time and my dad felt like it was important that someone be home with us. After careful consideration, my dad left his job and became a stay-at-home dad. After he left his job, my dads presence in my life became more pronounced. My dad was always crazy about movies and after he quit, my at-home film class began in full force. I was introduced to all sorts of movies: delightful, funny ones as well as somber, difficult ones. It was routine in my house to have a full analytical discussion after we watched something. And in a way, that practice of discussing and analyzing movies related to all aspects of my life. I always felt comfortable telling my dad what I going through and he always seemed to have the answers, or at least he did a good job pretending to. On more than one occasion during my childhood, I remember telling a parent or teacher that I had a stay-at-home dad. It was never in an obvious way, but I noticed their judgement and eye rolls. For some reason, it was okay for a mom to stay at home with the kids, but when the roles were reversed, it was weird. I think its because were taught early in life about gender roles. Part of that message includes the idea that men are supposed to be the breadwinners. Were taught to view the world in that way. Now, obviously, our society has changed a lot in this way over the last few decades. But, still, its difficult not to make judgements based on these gender stereotypes. Story continues In 2014, Emma Watson gave a speech at the United Nations, launching her gender equality initiative called HeForShe. In it, she said, Ive seen my fathers role as a parent being valued less by society despite my needing his presence as a child as much as my mothers. Since this was something I routinely saw in my childhood, her words were comforting. Someone else noticed. It seemed crazy to me that society valued my fathers role in my life less than my mothers because he was a man. His presence in my teenage years had a huge impact on the person I became as an adult. Emma also spoke about how fortunate she was to have people in her life who didnt treat her differently because she was a girl, saying, They [her mentors and parents] may not know it, but they are the inadvertent feminists who are changing the world today. My dad is one of those inadvertent feminists. He taught me good values and how to stand up for myself. He always encouraged me and never made me think I couldnt accomplish anything I wanted to. His passion for film and storytelling led to my deciding to pursue a career in writing. President Harry Truman was once asked how he felt about his father being a failure. His father had struggled through many failed business ventures. Harry responded, How can my father have been a failure when his son is President of the United States? While my dad was not the one supporting the family in my teenage years, his influence on my life and person cannot be measured. The post My father was a stay-at-home dad, and it shaped how I view the world appeared first on HelloGiggles. A 19-year-old man arrested at a Donald Trump rally in Las Vegas said he tried to grab an officers handgun so he could kill the presumptive GOP nominee, according to the Secret Service. Michael Steven Sandford has been charged with an act of violence on restricted grounds, says a complaint filed Monday in Nevada federal court, The Associated Press reported. Read: House Speaker Paul Ryan Blasts Trump's Judge Comments As 'Textbook Racism' Sandford attended a Trump gathering at the Treasure Island Casino Saturday, the document said. He approached a Las Vegas Police Department officer, saying he wanted Trumps autograph, authorities said. He was arrested after he tried to remove the cops service weapon by grabbing its handle, the document said. He told agents he lived in Hoboken, New Jersey, and had been planning an assassination for about a year. He drove from New Jersey to California before coming to Las Vegas last Thursday, according to authorities. He had a British drivers license, federal agents said. Sandford said he was sure he would die in his attempt to kill Trump, and that he had gone to the Battlefield Vegas shooting range on Friday to learn how to fire a weapon, the complaint said. Read: Trump Slammed For Saying Orlando Shooting Showed He Was 'Right' There were about 1,500 people at the rally. All had to pass through a metal detector before entering the Mystere Theater inside the casino, the news service said. It was not clear whether Sandford had retained an attorney or entered a plea. Watch: Charlie Sheen: Donald Trump Gave Me Fake, Cheap Cufflinks As Wedding Present Related Articles: (Adds details, testing, other automakers involved) WASHINGTON, June 21 (Reuters) - Fiat Chrysler Automobiles said on Tuesday it will halt the use of a Takata air bag inflator that will be subject to a future recall and will notify buyers of its 2016 Jeep Wrangler, the only vehicle equipped with the device, at the time of sale. The company said it will halt production with the inflator, which lacks a drying agent, for North America by next week and by mid-September worldwide. Vehicles containing the inflator will need to be recalled by 2019 as part of a massive expansion of recalls by Takata. Members of Congress and U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx urged companies, including Toyota and Fiat Chrysler, to disclose the vehicles that would be subject to future recalls. Toyota disclosed its list of vehicles on June 10. Fiat Chrysler said there have been no failures with the inflator in the Jeep Wrangler and said tests were performed on nearly 6,300 older versions of the inflator without any problems. Takata inflators can explode with excessive force and spray metal shrapnel. They are suspected in 13 deaths worldwide and more than 100 injuries. Of those, 12 were in Honda Motor Co vehicles and one in a Ford Motor Co pickup truck. Last month, Takata agreed to declare as defective, by 2019, another 35 million to 40 million U.S. inflators that lack drying agents in frontal airbags. To date, 15 automakers have announced recalls of 16.4 million vehicles and worldwide, nearly 100 million inflators have been declared defective. A Senate report this month said Volkswagen AG (VOWG_p.DE) and Mitsubishi Motors Corp are still selling new vehicles with defective air bags that will need to be recalled. The two automakers disclosed the vehicles subject to future recalls to the Senate Commerce Committee. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said there have been no ruptures in any vehicles built since 2008. It added that vehicles do not become vulnerable to exploding airbags without long-term exposure to high humidity. Senator Bill Nelson, a Florida Democrat who released the report on the vehicles, said on Tuesday that "ridding vehicles of these dangerous inflators is the right thing to do to ensure the safety of consumers." (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Dan Grebler) Newton Knight, the Mississippi-farmer-turned-Confederate-deserter-turned-guerrilla-leader played by Matthew McConaughey in Free State of Jones, is a historical figure of some controversy. Hes regarded by many as a heroic freedom fighter; some think of him as a reckless criminal. (The divide in opinion, no surprise, tends to fall along North/South lines.) But in Free State of Jones, a Civil War drama written and directed with more doggedness than excitement by Gary Ross, there is never much doubt about the kind of man that Newton Knight is. Hes Kevin Costner in Dances with Wolves crossed with a saintly Marxist professor crossed with a white version of Malcolm X. For all the ravaged surface appeal of McConaugheys performance, the character is a little too good to be true, but then, thats just the sort of movie Free State of Jones is. Its a tale of racial liberation and heroic bloodshed that is designed, at almost every turn, to lift us up to that special place where we can all feel moved by what good liberals we are. The historical events exert some ongoing interest, but the treatment is pious and stiff-jointed enough to leave you wondering what a two-hour-and-19-minute drama that never begins to attain the moral urgency and fascination of something like Glory or 12 Years a Slave is doing being released in the middle of the summer. Box-office prospects dont exactly look rousing, since the film itself simply isnt rousing enough. In 1862, when Free State of Jones begins, Newton Knight is just an anonymous battle-weary medical nurse, up to his elbows in carnage, who ducks out of combat to take the corpse of one of his kinfolk home for a proper burial. Once there, however, he sees Confederate soldiers looting local farms, and his witnessing of this minor outrage fuses with his already testy anger over a new law that exempts the oldest sons in Confederate households from military service, as long as their family owns at least 20 slaves. (If they own 40, then two sons are exempt.) Its a law designed to protect rich men, and thate enough to make Knight question what hes warring for. Im tired of helpin em fight for their damn cotton, he says a line that, perhaps, calls a little too much attention to its contemporary topical relevance. (All thats missing are subtitles stating that the Iraq war was really fought for oil.) Newtons standoff with the looters leads to his desertion from the Confederate Army, and he winds up hiding in the Mississippi bayou, along with half a dozen former slaves, who become the genesis of his newly formed fighting force. Its his rebellion against the Southern rebellion, but its not just a combat unit. Its a ragtag band of idealists, a community, with Newton as its commander, moral compass, and spiritual guru. Story continues One way to characterize the McConaissance is to say that it was all about Matthew McConaughey going into the darkness. In his cheesy, star-has-fallen period, he was all sweetness and light the dimply narcissism, the good-ol-boy charm so relentless that it had begun to verge on smarm. But in movies like The Lincoln Lawyer and (especially) Magic Mike, where he began to let bits of sleaze and sinister manipulation ooze through the cracks of his aging pretty-boy glamour (a journey that culminated in his staggering performance on True Detective), McConaughey began to dance between the angelic and the demonic, and it liberated him as an actor. Of course, he also won the Oscar for playing a scoundrel with a heart of gold in Dallas Buyers Club, and that has a way of influencing the kind of roles you take. In Free State of Jones, his Newton Knight is a figure of enlightened valor who has left any shades of moral ambiguity behind. Yet McConaughey has become so skilled at portraying sinewy desperation that he takes even a badass plaster saint like Knight and gives him an ornery intrigue around the edges. Gaunt and reserved, with cold staring eyes and a scraggly black beard, he makes Knight a ravaged desperado, a Southerner of primitive Old Testament faith whos looking for somewhere to invest that belief, since he can no longer find a place for it in the Confederacy. In the bayou, when he meets Moses (Mahershala Ali), a former slave with a spidery metal guard thats been bolted around his neck, it taps right into the depths of his human decency. A former blacksmith, Knight volunteers to remove the guard with a hammer and wedge but the clanging sound is destined to bring on the soldiers and their dogs. So he and Moses and the other runaway slaves get ready to take up arms. The film builds up a fair amount of curiosity about how Knight is going to succeed with his insurrection, given that the entire Confederate army of Mississippi is arrayed against him. But Free State of Jones is one of those historical dramas with a script thats big on crowning lines of moral fervor and not so big on nuts-and-bolts detail. At several points, Ross employs real Civil War photographs (with explanatory titles) to advance the story, and after the film uses one of these shots to tell us that in July, 1863, Confederate desertions were on the rise, we cut to Knights woodland guerrilla army and its suddenly a force of 100 people, all united in their renegade passion. Im not sure that the film ever quite recovers from this short-handed piece of exposition. How does everyone under Knights command get along? More or less famously. Theres a fiddle-music montage of a corn-and-roast-pig picnic, and we always know when were supposed to stop and hiss, because the Confederate baddie Lt. Barbour (Bill Tangradi) shows up, in his George A. Custer decadent blonde ringlets. Knights army, by contrast, is a racially and sexually integrated paramilitary utopia. It includes a handful of women who can shoot a rifle as well as any man, and although most of the group is comprised of former Dixie soldiers, theres almost no friction between blacks and whites. The way Ross presents it, its really a Southern aristocrats war in which every one of the Confederates whove dropped out can see right through the illusion of why they were ever asked to fight. (Its all about the cotton, man! And the one percent.) The only instance of racial tension within Knights army comes when a soldier calls Moses the N-word, and Moses simply replies, How you aint? By which he means: How you aint a n-r? since all of them, black and white, are being exploited by the very same forces. One truly has to wonder whether a conversation like this one ever took place in 1863. As Knights rebellion grows, it takes over the southeast portion of Mississippi, including Jones County, which Knight declares to be the free state of Jones. It would seem as though his declaration applies to matters of the heart as well. The film recounts the story of his relationship with a former slave, Rachel (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), whom he teaches to read and fire a gun, and who ultimately bears his child. The films portrayal of biracial harmony is admirable and touching, yet the staging of this love story is far too decorous and restrained, even when Knights wife, Serena (Keri Russell), and Rachel wind up sharing the duty of raising Knights baby son. In reality, Knight had five children with Rachel, who became his common-law wife, and nine children with Serena, and he lived with both families on adjoining properties. That story would have made for a fascinating movie, much more so than the tale of predigested enlightenment and generic idyllic romance that is Free State of Jones. Related stories 'The Secret Life of Pets' Tops TV Ad Spending 'Now You See Me 2' Tops TV Ad Spending CinemaCon: STX Slate Promises Prestige, Sci-Fi and Jackie Chan in 'Taken' Mode There's an award ceremony for pretty much every walk of life in Los Angeles - even yogis. Filmmaker David Lynch will receive the Namaste Award at Yoga Gives Back's 5th annual gala fundraiser, titled "Thank You Mother India," scheduled for Sept. 25 in Malibu. According to the organization, the bronze trophy simply "recognizes those who serve others." Lynch will be only the second recipient of the prize, following in the footsteps of previous honoree Malika Chopra, daughter of Deepak Chopra. Lynch, best known for Twin Peaks, Mulholland Drive, Lost Highway and Blue Velvet, is being lauded for his "noble and humanitarian efforts" through his David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace, which makes transcendental meditation accessible to children and adults all over the world. (Lynch has been practicing TM since 1973 and has been a vocal advocate of the practice in the decades since.) YGB Founder Kayoko Mitsumatsu said in a statement: "While it's common for many to perceive yoga as a physical exercise, the ultimate goal of the practice of yoga is to unite with the Divine Self - and meditation plays an important role in achieving this. 'Namaste,' which means 'the divinity in me salutes the divinity in you' in Sanskrit, symbolizes Yoga Gives Back's mission, which is to help others, and is the inspiration for the Namaste Award." More than 200 guests from the local yoga community are expected to attend the event at the Pacific Coast Highway estate of philanthropist Amarjit Marwah. Oh, and the invites promise "a generous gift bag" to go with the $200 tickets. By Alex Dobuzinskis LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A stubborn wildfire stoked by triple-digit temperatures raged for a sixth day outside Santa Barbara in coastal Southern California on Monday as crews worked to keep the blaze some have called a "sleeping giant" in check, officials said. So far, the so-called Sherpa Fire burning in chaparral and tall grass about 20 miles (32 km) northwest of Santa Barbara has led to the evacuation of hundreds of residents from ranches and campgrounds in the hilly area. Authorities said they expected to begin allowing homeowners and farm laborers back into those areas on Wednesday, though county health and environment officials issued an air quality warning for smoke and falling ash from the fire. The tally of acreage burned held at nearly 8,000 acres (3,237 hectares) since late Sunday, said Jim Schwarber, a spokesman for the multi-agency team combating the blaze. The fire, which broke out last Wednesday in the Los Padres National Forest and was 54 percent contained by Monday, has been called a sleeping giant due to the triple-digit temperatures and dense, bone-dry brush in the area that has not burned in decades, he said. "We're working hard to keep that giant contained so it doesn't wake up," Schwarber said. So far, the blaze has destroyed only one building - a water-treatment center at a campground, he said. But it has threatened more than 200 structures and forced officials to close the 101 Freeway near the Pacific Coast periodically as flames crept to within less than a mile of the shore. More than 1,900 firefighters were assigned to the blaze. "Red flag warnings" were also posted for the mountains around Los Angeles on Monday as two fires erupted in the foothills of the Angeles National Forest north of the city. One blaze, dubbed the Reservoir Fire, had consumed some 1,500 acres by late afternoon and prompted the evacuation of about 70 homes. The second blaze a few miles away devoured about 1,000 acres, U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Lulu Castillo said. About 160 miles farther south, firefighters battled flames roaring through dry brush and chaparral near the Mexican border for a second day, keeping the desert community of Potrero under evacuation. That fire, about 50 miles southeast of San Diego, had charred more than 1,900 acres and was just 5 percent contained on Monday, California fire officials reported. Two states away, the 6-day-old Dog Head Fire in central New Mexico has charred more than 17,000 acres and was 9 percent contained after destroying 24 homes. (Additional reporting by Steve Gorman; Editing by Dan Grebler and Paul Tait) BELGRADE (Reuters) - Five people died and 23 were injured early on Tuesday when a Slovak bus bringing holidaymakers home from the Greek island of Corfu swerved off a highway in southern Serbia, officials said. Slovak media said all the dead were Slovaks. The injured were being treated in hospitals in the towns of Aleksinac and Nis, about 200 km (120 miles) south of Belgrade, the Serbian interior ministry said. The Slovak daily Dennik N said the bus was carrying 29 passengers and two drivers, including 12 Czech citizens and a number of Hungarians. The Slovak interior ministry said it was ready to send a government plane to Serbia to bring home some passengers and another on Wednesday to evacuate those with more serious injuries. Serbian police said the bus swerved off the highway linking Serbia with Macedonia and Greece. (Reporting by Aleksandar Vasovic; Additional reporting by Tatiana Jancarikova in Bratislava; Editing by Giles Elgood) Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, who won the Academy Award for writing and directing The Lives of Others, is re-teaming with his partners from that film on his new German film Work Without Author. Joining von Donnersmarck are sales agent Beta Cinema and actor Sebastian Koch, both of whom were integral parts of Lives. Work Without Author is an epic psychological thriller about three periods of German history. The film just started shooting in Berlin. The film marks a welcome return to work for von Donnersmarck, who exploded onto the global indie film scene with The Lives of Others and swiftly landed what looked like a plum English language directing gig in The Tourist with two of the hottest stars in the world, Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp. Despite a worldwide gross of some $280 million, the 2010 film was hit with lukewarm reviews and von Donnersmarcks career stalled. Work Without Author appears on paper to be a return to the milieu that brought him such initial success. The story: Young artist Kurt Barnert has fled to West Germany, where he continues to be tormented by experiences from his childhood and youth in the Nazi years and during the GDR-regime. When he meets the student Ellie, he is convinced that he has met the love of his life and begins to create paintings that mirror not only his own fate, but also the traumas of an entire generation. Also starring in the film are Tom Schilling, Paula Beer Saskia Rosendahl and Ina Weisse. Five-time Academy Award-nominee Caleb Deschanel (The Passion of the Christ) is on-board as DP. I am delighted to begin a new film with my creative companions from The Lives of Others, said von Donnersmarck. I hope that we will succeed in making a film that shows that art can discern things that are otherwise forever closed to the mind. The film will be produced by Pergamon Film and Wiedemann & Berg Film. The producers are Jan Mojto, Quirin Berg, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck and Max Wiedemann. As with The Lives of Others, the ARD Degeto and the Bayerischer Rundfunk are also on board as co-producers. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Germany will distribute the film in Germany. The film is being made in cooperation with Beta Cinema, which is handling world sales. Story continues Shooting takes place until the end of August in Berlin, Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia. The film is supported by Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, FFA, FFF Bayern, Filmstiftung NRW and MDM Mitteldeutsche Medienforderung. Related stories CAA Signs Florian Henckel Von Donnersmarck, Oscar-Winning Helmer Of 'The Lives Of Others' Sony Acquires Olen Steinhauer Novel 'The Tourist' For Doug Liman To Direct 'The Tourist' Tanks Despite Johnny Depp & Angelina Jolie; 'Narnia 3D' Opens Very Weak #1; 'The Fighter' & 'Black Swan' Strong From Road & Track In 1966, a Mercedes engineer called Erich Waxenberger decided to shove the company's biggest 6.3 liter M100 V8 from the dictator's favorite 600 limo into the much lighter W109 S-Class. With 246 horsepower and 371 pound feet of torque from under 3000rpm, the resulting 300SEL 6.3 was a real beast, and Mercedes sold 6526 of them starting from 1968. On the other side of the pond, Semon "Bunkie" Knudsen left GM after working for them since 1939 to become Ford's president, which allowed Henry Ford II to get out of his office more often. The new boss managed to make Mustangs significantly bigger before getting fired the next year, mostly due to losing one too many battles against Lee Iacocca. But one of the things Bunkie did right after his start was telling Ford's engineers to make room in the Mustang for the NASCAR V8, the Boss 429 that was supposed to go into the Galaxie for homologation purposes. The 1969 and 1970 Mustang Boss 429s were all built by Carcraft, rated well under Mopar's Hemis at 375 horsepower and about 450 foot pounds. They got cop tires, cop suspension, cop shocks, plus power disc brakes (at the front) and power steering. The battery had to go to the trunk and fitting an air-conditioning unit was out of the question, but overall, this $2000 package turned the Mustang into a serious muscle car that could act as a nice cruiser as well. Since it cost Corvette money and wasn't a Hemi with 'over 500 horses', sales were slow, but almost five decades later, what more could you ask for than a four-speed and a NASCAR motor? No wonder why Jay Leno approves the concept: Ford summed it up simply in the catalog: va-rrooom! Eric Teetsel, who advised Sen. Marco Rubio on outreach to faith voters, held this handmade sign outside Donald Trumps meeting with evangelical leaders in New York. (Photo: Jon Ward/Yahoo) NEW YORK Eric Teetsel had intended to stand outside Donald Trumps meeting with evangelical leaders Tuesday and talk with attendees he knew about why he thought the gathering was a bad idea. But when Teetsel, a 32-year-old evangelical political activist who was Sen. Marco Rubios faith adviser during the Florida Republicans presidential campaign, arrived at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square, he felt compelled to do something more to speak out against Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president. He walked to a Walgreens, looking for poster board, so he could create a handmade sign on the spot and hold it outside the meeting. But Walgreens didnt have any. I wondered if that was a sign from God that I shouldnt do this, Teetsel told me, sitting at a table on the ninth floor of the cavernous hotel. Then I walked to Staples and found some poster board. He used a red marker in his bag to write out a message for attendees, spectators and reporters gathered: Torture is not pro-life. Racism is not pro-life. Misogyny is not pro-life. Murdering the children of terrorists is not pro-life. Teetsel included a Scripture verse, Proverbs 29:2, at the bottom, which says, When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan. He stood outside on Broadway, a former presidential campaign adviser holding a handwritten sign denouncing his own partys presidential nominee amid the spectacle of Times Square. Teetsel is not an impartial observer, politically speaking. He traveled to New York this week from his home in Kansas to participate in meetings with leaders of Better for America, a group organizing a campaign-in-waiting for an independent candidate who could give voters an alternative to both Trump and presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. But Teetsel did feel compelled to do more than just maintain a low-key presence in the lobby outside the meeting between Trump and several hundred evangelical leaders. Story continues Christians are called to live out the Gospel in every aspect of their lives, including politics. It matters. Its important. But we have to be sure that we are representing the Gospel in truth, he said. I think we know enough about Donald Trump to know that a Christian response should be prayer for him, but also a prophetic witness about what is true. The meeting was touted as including 1,000 evangelicals, but one person in the meeting said the number was closer to 500 invited participants, many of whom brought spouses with them. Teetsel noted that many of the people who helped organize the meeting Penny Nance of Concerned Women for America and Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council had endorsed Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Tex., in the primary. While Trump won over evangelicals during the primary who were nominal churchgoers and less devout, this meeting was about getting Cruz evangelicals to do more than just hold their nose and vote for him. These are politically active Christians who can influence local and regional networks of like-minded faith voters. I think there are people who wish they didnt have to be but are genuinely torn, Teetsel said. It makes sense that people would have trouble coming to grips with the fact that people of faith have already lost. If you care about life and marriage and religious liberty, youve already lost. Teetsel said he was disappointed that so many evangelicals are supporting Trump. A lesson that I have learned from this cycle is that very few Christians actually live according to a biblical worldview. I think that this cycle has taught me we have done a terrible job of teaching everyday Christians to live out their faith. Car airstrikes Syria More than 50 State Department diplomats signed a dissent memo recently that blasted US policy on Syria, but a former ambassador to the country cautioned Monday that there are no easy options left to end the civil war that has dragged on for five years. The memo, obtained by The New York Times last week, called for increased use of "military force" to enforce a ceasefire between the Syrian regime and the opposition, in the hopes that it would lead to a political solution. But ramping up US military action in Syria could come with its own set of problems. "I just wouldn't go first to the US military," Robert Ford, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute who was the US ambassador to Syria from 2011 to 2014, told Business Insider. "I'd like to see if we cant get the Syrians themselves to put the pressure on the Assad government." The Syrian civil war started in 2011 as an uprising against President Bashar al-Assad. Since then, extremist groups like ISIS and Al Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra have taken control of large swaths of the country. The US has been aiding rebels who are fighting ISIS and Al Qaeda, but so far the Obama administration has been more reluctant to militarily challenge Assad directly. The dissent memo stated that "initiating targeted military strikes in response to egregious regime violations" of the ceasefire "would raise the cost for the regime and bolster the prospects for a real ceasefire." But it could also escalate tensions between the US and Russia, which is intervening in the Syrian civil war to support the Assad regime. "If we start undertaking US military actions against the Syrian government, the Russians will counter-escalate and it spirals up," Ford said. "That sometimes can be hard to control. So military action is not my first choice." syria Story continues The memo addresses this somewhat. "We are not advocating for a slippery slope that ends in a military confrontation with Russia," the memo stated. "Rather, we are calling for the credible threat of targeted US military responses to regime violations to preserve the [ceasefire] and the political track, which we worked so hard to build." President Barack Obama famously backed away from his "red line" in Syria in 2012 when he declined to strike the Assad regime despite evidence that the regime had used chemical weapons against civilians. Obama had previously said Assad using chemical weapons would provoke a response from the US military, but he ultimately allowed the regime to cut a deal brokered by Russia to avoid US airstrikes. But Assad's atrocities against civilians continued. Assad's brutality has led some to question whether he'd be willing to negotiate with the opposition he's spent years trying to crush. Ford still thinks it's a preferable alternative to more military intervention. "Some very good analysts have told me that Im nuts thinking Bashar al-Assad will ever negotiate," Ford said. "And they may be right. It is a tough, tough, regime." He also warned that getting too deeply involved in Syria militarily could lead to another Iraq. "I spent so long in Iraq trying to get the US military out of Iraq and to turn the problems in Iraqi over to Iraqis," Ford said. "I dont want to see the US military substituting for actions that should be undertaken by Syrians." Ultimately, the US is short on good options. "There is no quick fix," Ford said. "There is no surefire solution. Everything we think about doing going forward has potential downsides. And we just have to live with that. There's no risk-free, cost-free way forward in Syria." NOW WATCH: A teenage girl who escaped Syria might swim in the Olympics More From Business Insider Los Angeles (AFP) - At least four people, including a German man, have died from the blistering heat that has gripped the western United States and sparked wildfires and evacuations across the region, authorities said Monday. Three hikers and a mountain biker succumbed to the heatwave in Arizona on Sunday, where record-breaking temperatures were reported in some areas. Larry Subervi, spokesman for the Phoenix fire department, said one of the victims was an experienced 28-year-old female mountain biker who had embarked on a two-and-a-half-hour ride in the Phoenix area with enough water but got overwhelmed by the heat. Three other people reportedly died in the Tucson area, including a 57-year-old German national -- identified as Stefan Guenster -- who was hiking with two other fellow Germans on the Ventana Trail early Sunday The Pima County Sheriff's Department, located in Tucson, said one of the men was able to make it down the trail to get help. Rescuers found Guenster dead near the trail and the third man, identified as 33-year-old Marcus Turowski, is still missing. The other victim was identified as a 54-year-old woman who went for a walk along a path known as The Loop and was found dead after her husband reported her missing. "We have a heatwave every year, but we are close to our all-time record in 1990 of 122 degrees Fahrenheit (50 Celsius)," Subervi told AFP. He said temperatures on Sunday had soared to 120 degrees and the crushing heat continued on Monday, setting records in many areas of Arizona and southern California. Temperatures were expected to ease from Tuesday. The heatwave has fed wildfires in California, New Mexico and Arizona, forcing evacuations in some areas. Two fast-moving brush fires tore through 3,500 acres (1,416 hectares) in the San Gabriel Mountains east of Los Angeles on Monday, prompting some 600 households to be evacuated, officials said. - 'Steep terrain, heavy vegetation' - Fire officials said hundreds of firefighters were battling the flames in the foothills above Azusa and Duarte, aided by water-dropping helicopters. Story continues "The fire is burning in very, very steep terrain with very heavy vegetation," said Robert Garcia, the fire chief at Angeles National Forest, referring to the initial blaze -- dubbed the Reservoir Fire -- north of Azusa. He said that fire was sparked by a fatal car crash. The second blaze -- dubbed the Fish Fire -- erupted about four miles away in Duarte and quickly roared into the foothills, triggering evacuations and threatening some homes before moving in a different direction. Fire officials said residents of nearby communities should be ready to evacuate in case the flames gain ground during the evening. "There are a lot of open flanks of the fire that tonight, if we get (winds), we could have more evacuations," said John Tripp, deputy chief of the Los Angeles County fire department. Fire officials said a canyon separated the two fires but there were fears they could merge into a huge inferno. Further north, in the Santa Barbara area of California, some 2,000 firefighters for several days have been battling the so-called Sherpa fire that has already burned nearly 8,000 acres (3,200 hectares) and prompted the evacuation of 140 households. In New Mexico, the Dog Head fire about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of Albuquerque has also damaged two dozen homes and scorched nearly 18,000 acres, officials said. They said that as of Monday, only nine percent of the fire had been contained. Another fire caused by lightning near Cibola National Forest, in New Mexico, has eaten up more than 36,000 acres and was 30 percent contained. The fire, which started on May 21, was expected to be contained by late July. Versailles (France) (AFP) - Investigators have released a man held briefly Tuesday for his links to the jihadist killer of a police commander and his partner, saying they would not charge him at this stage. The 41-year-old convicted jihadist had been arrested in Les Mureaux, a town west of Paris, where police carried out six raids looking for associates of Larossi Abballa, shot dead by police after he killed the couple on June 13. A conspiracy investigation has been opened to determine whether surveillance was carried out on a police event in the region ahead of the murders, the local prosecutor said. "There are no charges against him at this stage," the Versailles prosecutor told AFP, adding: "The investigation continues." The man, a Moroccan, was convicted in 2007 and jailed for eight years for his role in bombings claimed by Al-Qaeda that killed 33 people in Casablanca, Morocco, in 2003. He was stripped of his French nationality in a move that was upheld earlier this month. Police officer Jean-Baptiste Salvaing and civil police employee Jessica Schneider were stabbed to death at their home in Magnanville, also west of the French capital. Abballa, 25, killed Salvaing before taking Schneider hostage and slitting her throat. Her three-year-old son who was in the house was traumatised but unharmed. Tuesday's raids "were carried out to verify reports saying that a group of people, including some with ties to Abballa, wanted to attack police officers. But at this stage there is no proven link with last week's attack," he said earlier. Two other people were targeted in the police raids, including one who knew Abballa, but were not arrested, police said. Abballa pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group in a live Facebook video and urged fellow jihadists to carry out more bloodshed. Two other men linked to Abballa were charged and detained by an anti-terror court on Saturday. Saad Rajraji, 27, and Charaf-Din Aberouz, 29, were charged with having links to a terrorist group, but were not found to have any connection to the murder of the police couple. The two men had been convicted along with Abballa in September 2013 as part of a network to send jihadists to Pakistan, sources close to the investigation said. The attack was the first of its kind in France since a group of IS gunmen and suicide bombers killed 130 people in Paris in November 2015. Eiffel Incessant work emails are ruining your productivity and your happiness. At least, that's the reasoning behind the "right to disconnect" measure buried deep within France's controversial El Khomri labor law. The legislation is currently in the Senate, France's upper house. Previously, the government forced the law through the National Assembly without a vote. The law which is mainly concerned with reducing overtime payments and loosening restrictions on hiring and firing sparked strikes, protests, and discontent throughout France and received a 71% disapproval rating in March, according to France Info. Outside of France, the media honed in on the chapter of the law called The Adaptation of Work Rights to the Digital Era," as the New Yorker reported on May 24. This chapter proposed that companies with 50 or more employees create policies curtailing the encroachment of "digital technology" on daily life. Basically, no more sending or receiving work emails outside of work hours. The voluntary measure sparked debate on the true impact of emails on quality of life and prompted questions about whether similar rules were needed or even viable beyond France. Author David Burkus addressed the problem of incessant work emails in his book "Under New Management." He approves of the voluntary email restriction rule. That being said, he doesn't envision a similar measure being introduced in America any time soon, due to legal hurdles and enforcement issues, not US work culture. "I love the idea of restricting emails to work hours or close to it," Burkus says. "I'm not really in favor of federal laws enforcing that. I think we had a pretty good handle on work email until 2007/2008, when smartphones came to dominate the landscape. Now, if you have email on your phone ... you take your work home with you every day." To combat "email burnout," Burkus has experimented with his own technology usage. When he gets home, he swaps his iPhone for an iPad, which has nothing work-related on it. He credits this with helping him protect his core family hours. Story continues Two men on a laptop Burkus hopes that private US companies will adopt policies cutting down on after work emails, possibly by following the lead of Volkswagen's policy. "The company actually shuts off the email servers so that even if employees decide to catch up on emails late at night those emails don't reach their coworkers inboxes until the following morning," Burkus says. "This is actually the policy I support most even more than banning email entirely." In his book, Burkus profiled two other companies that have taken steps to combat "email pollution": Atos and El Major Trato. Atos is making steady progress toward its goal of eliminating internal emails. Dr. Gail Kinman, a professor of occupational health psychology at the University of Bedfordshire, believes that companies should avoid taking a severe stance on email pollution. Her research on email burnout found that individuals' email preferences vary greatly. "A blanket ban may suit some workers but will not suit others who work more flexibly and may prefer to work during evenings and weekends," says Kinman. "We have also found that workers who prefer a high level of control over their work are likely to resist such blanket bans. One of our research group members, Almuth McDowall, trialed an email ban outside normal working hours in a university while it seems to have had benefits for Volkswagen in Germany, it did not go down well with university academic staff," she says. "Also, some types of jobs need to be responsive to customers and clients so a much more 'tailored' and careful approach is needed to introducing interventions to help people manage email stress and burnout." It's also easy to blame bosses for overloading employees' inboxes, but Burkus says that when it comes to "email burnout," we're often our own worst enemies. stressed office work burned out upset "A lot of people complain about email and how their boss emails at all hours or how clients expect them to respond quickly," Burkus says. "But when I ask them if they expect subordinates or anyone else to respond in such a short period of time they say no. We all feel pressured to respond quickly, but we all feel like its someone else pressuring us. Maybe it's all in our heads. Maybe, we should start the conversation with coworkers and customers about what our email norms should be." And even if it is all in our heads, that doesn't mean that it can't take a toll on our health. Kinman says that while disengaging isn't easy emails can be addictive, according to The Guardian it's crucial that workers have time to recover from work in order to protect health and job performance. "This means that a period of time where workers disengage from electronic communication and replenish their resources is vital," Kinam says. "There is evidence that heart rate and blood pressure rise even when people think about opening their mailbox." NOW WATCH: Step inside the 187-foot-high apartment that just opened inside the Eiffel Tower More From Business Insider A little over a week after a shooting in an Orlando, Florida, gay club floored the nation, the reclusive Frank Ocean took to Tumblr to reflect. "I heard on the news that the aftermath of a hate crime left piles of bodies on a dance floor this month," Ocean wrote Tuesday in a short, poetic post, mediating on the many ways homophobia continues to manifest in the world. "I heard the gunman feigned dead among all the people he killed. I heard the news say he was one of us." Ocean's mediations bring up memories from his own life and questions about the nature of God, specifically whether those who spread love and those who spread hate are truly speaking to the same being. Source: Mic/Getty Images "I wanna know what others hear, I'm scared to know but I wanna know what everyone hears when they talk to God," Ocean writes. "Do the insane hear the voice distorted? Do the indoctrinated hear another voice entirely?" While Ocean has been continually silent on the music front since bypassing his proposed July 2015 new album, his Tumblr has stayed full. He's previously penned posts honoring Prince following his death and two on Paris following the attacks in November, one aimed at Donald Trump and one directed to the affected families. Read Ocean's full Orlando meditations attached below. STX is offering up a free sample of Free State of Jones. Heres a five-minute-plus clip from the Civil War saga that follows Newt Knight (Matthew McConaughey) as he tries to protect a teenage rebel soldier (Jacob LoFland) during a fierce battle from early in the film. The movie centers on Knight, a defiant Southerner who bands together with fellow farmers and local slaves to take on the Confederacy. He launched an uprising that led Jones County, MS, to secede from the Confederacy and create a Free State of Jones. Knight continued his struggle into Reconstruction, distinguishing him as a compelling, if controversial, figure of defiance long beyond the War. Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Keri Russell and Mahershala Ali also star in writer-director Gary Ross film, whose story he wrote with Leonard Hartman. Produced by Scott Stuber, Jon Kilik and Ross, the film opens Friday. Have a look at the intense clip and tell us what you think. [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv2FZiApuHk&w=970&h=546] Related stories Jim Mickle To Direct Sylvester Stallone In STX Entertainment Thriller 'Desierto' To Hit Theaters In October STX Entertainment Nabs '17 Bridges', Finalizing Deal For Russo Brothers To Produce Saint-Omer (France) (AFP) - A French woman who left her baby to drown on a beach gave a chilling account of the murder Tuesday, telling a court it was as perfunctory as "going shopping". Fabienne Kabou, 39, who has blamed witchcraft for her acts, detailed the final hours of her 15-month-old daughter's life on the second day of a trial into the 2013 murder which shocked France. She said she left her home in Paris and took a train to the northern resort town of Berck-sur-Mer where she asked passers-by about a hotel near the beach. "I find it ridiculous that a criminal would speak to so many people before carrying out her act," Kabou said impassively. "When you premeditate a crime, you don't want to be traced." She said she played with her daughter Adelaide, before breastfeeding her until she fell asleep after which she took her to the beach and laid her at the water's edge. "She didn't move, she was silent," Kabou said. "I understood the water was covering my daughter, my boots were in the water. It was so dark the moon was like a spotlight." - 'Anaesthetised' - After leaving her daughter there, she ran away. Prawn fisherman found the toddler's lifeless body the next morning. Kabou grew up in Senegal in a well-off Catholic family before moving to Paris to study philosophy and architecture where she fell in love with a sculptor 30 years her senior, Michel Lafon. Described by her lawyer as highly intelligent, she told the court she had no other explanation for her acts but "witchcraft". Kabou said she carried out the murder "perfectly mechanically, as if a part of me was anaesthetised" and returned home the next day "with the attitude of someone who has just gone shopping". "I didn't want to kill this child but it was at my hands that she died," said Kabou. Prosecutor Luc Fremiot interrogated her over the fact that she never registered Adelaide's birth, and none of her family knew about the existence of the child. Story continues Kabou has said Lafon never wanted the child and questioned whether he was even the father. "If I never wanted Ada, I wouldn't have carried her for nine months, I wouldn't have raised her for 15 months, I wouldn't have loved her," Kabou said, sobbing. On Monday, the accused said she had spent some 40,000 euros ($45,000) consulting various "witchdoctors and healers" before carrying out the murder, and that she had suffered hallucinations. However, Jean-Christophe Boyer, a lawyer for a children's group that is a civil party to the case, has accused Kabou of using witchcraft and her culture as a defence strategy. A court psychiatrist, Paul Bensussan, said her act was possibly triggered by a deep depression related to having the child. Family members gathered Tuesday morning for the funeral of a 2-year-old boy who was killed in an alligator attack last week at a Disney World resort in Orlando, Florida. Lane Graves, of Elkhorn, Neb., died after he was snatched by an alligator while he was playing in shallow water in a man-made lake at Disney Worlds Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. Melissa and I continue to deal with the loss of our beloved boy, Lane, and are overwhelmed with the support and love we have received from family and friends in our community as well as from around the country, the toddlers father, Matt Graves, said in a statement. We understand the publics interest, but as we move forward this weekend, we ask for and appreciate the privacy we need to lay our son to rest. Neither Melissa, myself or anyone from our family will be speaking publicly; we simply cannot at this time. The family has established a memorial foundation in honor of Lane that will make donations to charitable organizations. On the foundations website, Matt and Melissa Graves wrote that their sons death had broken our hearts in the worst possible way. St. Patricks Catholic Church, where the funeral service took place, asked the community to pray for the Graves family and to tie royal blue ribbons around their trees to show support. On Tuesday, the Omaha World-Herald reported, hundreds of blue ribbons had been tied around trees and fences throughout the area. Gary Johnson Libertarian presidential nominee Gary Johnson thinks he can pick up a good number of Bernie Sanders supporters because he agrees with the Vermont senator on many issues. Much of the political conventional wisdom assumes that Johnson, the former Republican governor of New Mexico, will siphon votes from presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump. But Johnson told Business Insider in an interview last week that, based on an online test he took, the candidate he most aligned with after himself was actually Sanders. "For me personally, outside of siding with myself all the time, Bernie is next in line," Johnson said. "Obviously, Bernie and I come to a 'T' in the road when it comes to economics. Somebody has to pay for 'free.' And I think most people recognize that." He added, however, that his positions on abortion rights, marriage equality, the legalization of marijuana, and his acknowledgement of "crony capitalism" were in line with Sanders' positions. Johnson said "crony capitalism," on which Sanders has railed on the campaign trail, was "alive and well." He said that "benefit or advantage is for sale, and it's being sold." "Government can provide a level playing field for everyone," he said. But Johnson added that he was unlikely to be able to bring Sanders on to his campaign once the Democratic presidential hopeful ends his campaign. "Well, the logical partnership [for Sanders] would be with Hillary Clinton, and it looks like that's not happening," Johnson said. "Look, Bernie is an independent, and the reality is I don't see that's happening." "I'd love to have Bernie supporters take a look at me and from an objective standpoint," he continued. The former two-term governor of New Mexico, who made a bid for the presidency as the Libertarian nominee in 2012, is polling at 9% against Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Republican and Democratic nominees, in the RealClearPolitics average of several polls. In a recent Fox News poll, Johnson garnered as high as 12% of the vote in a three-way race. Story continues If Johnson can break 15% in enough polls ahead of the fall, he can make his way onto the stage in the general-election debates. NOW WATCH: Watch the Secret Service jump to protect Sanders after 5 protesters rushed the stage More From Business Insider French police clashed with hundreds of migrants who tried to storm the roads leading to the port of Calais on Monday, June 20. Le Monde reported that police fired tear gas to disperse migrants from the Jungle camp in Calais. The incident, which occurred on World Refugee Day, caused delays of up to four hours on the Eurotunnel. This video shows the scene. Plumes of gas or smoke can seen inside the camp. Credit: YouTube/Loup Blaster London (AFP) - Billionaire George Soros, who famously profited by betting against the pound in a 1992 currency crisis, has predicted a plunge in the sterling if Britain votes to leave the European Union. The business magnate forecast an even steeper drop than occurred on "Black Wednesday", which forced Britain to withdraw from the European Exchange Rate Mechanism, in an article in the Guardian newspaper published late Monday. "If Britain leaves the EU it will have at least one very clear and immediate effect that will touch every household: the value of the pound would decline precipitously," the 85-year-old wrote. He estimated a drop for the currency of at least 15 percent. "Then ironically one pound would be worth about one euro a- a method of 'joining the euro' that nobody in Britain would want," Soros added. The pro-Brexit side have accused "Remain" campaigners of scare tactics by arguing that a vote to leave the EU on Thursday would damage Britain's economy. Soros warned that leaving the EU would lower house prices and cause job losses, potentially causing a recession. One of the world's richest men according to Forbes magazine, Soros warned that powerful "speculative forces" would be "eager to exploit any miscalculations by the British government or British voters". "A vote for Brexit would make some people very rich -a but most voters considerably poorer," Soros wrote. "A vote to leave could see the week end with a Black Friday, and serious consequences for ordinary people." After earlier surveys indicated narrow gains for the "Remain" camp, global markets rallied and the pound rose to a three-month peak. But the latest polls published ahead of the June 23 vote suggest the result could go either way. George Wyman, First Motorcyclist Across America A website project is highlighting the somewhat forgotten efforts of the first person to ride a motorcycle across the United States. RideApart has previously mentioned the heroic crosscountry trips of riders like Erwin Cannoball Baker and the Van Buren sisters, but the tale of George A. Wyman goes back even further. In 1903, Buffalo Bill Cody was touring the country with Annie Oakley and Calamity Jane. Chief Joseph was still alive. Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, New Mexico and Oklahoma were not yet U.S. states. And in mid May of that year, Wyman set out to ride from San Francisco to New York. George Wyman being interviewed by a reporter The journey would end up taking Wyman 50 days and would prove to be a tremendous test of his endurance and ingenuity. Wymans California Motor Company motor-bicycle was little more than a bicycle with a 1.25-hp engine strapped to it. Apart from a handful of wagon trails that pioneers had used only a few decades earlier, there were no routes crossing the country. In fact, according to Wymans accounts, some covered wagons were still using those wagon trails. Wyman primarily used railroad tracks. They were bumpy but at least provided a reliable route and more solid riding surface than the surrounding sand and mud. READ MORE: Riding a KTM 1190 Across the Country | RideApart George A Wyman Crossing over the Sierra Nevada mountains he trundled through the desert of Nevada, across Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, then across New York state from Buffalo to Albany and south. He suffered every kind of breakdown imaginable and actually ended up having to pedal the last 150 miles. We know a lot about Wymans adventure because he wrote about it for a publication called Motorcycle Magazine. I personally find it amazing that there was such a thing as Motorcycle Magazine at the time, considering there was hardly such a thing as a motorcycle. One almost wonders if the magazine somehow came first. Story continues Certainly it was Wymans experience that the vehicle he was riding was totally unknown to everyone who saw it. In every place through which I passed, I left behind a gaping lot of natives, who ran out into the street to stare after me, he wrote. Wyman's mud-caked bike in Nevada Wymans account is charming and offers a view of an America that is effectively foreign to modern citizens of the country. The George A. Wyman Memorial Project website has gone to the trouble to transcribe his tales to make them more easily accessible. Wymans story is told in five parts: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 The project has also gone to the trouble to research Wymans route and put together a number of GPX files and riders guides that allow modern riders to retrace his steps as accurately as possible. Welcome to your next big road trip. It probably wont take you 50 days, though unless you want it to. Learn more about Chris and the rest of RideApart's excellent staff here: The RideApart Team Follow RideApart on Facebook and Twitter, along with @RideApart on Instagram. BERLIN (Reuters) - German Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel plans to visit Russian President Vladimir Putin early next week to discuss ties between the two nations amid growing policy divisions within Germany's ruling right-left coalition, a newspaper reported on Tuesday. Gabriel's Social Democrats (SPD) generally back a more conciliatory stance towards Russia than Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative bloc. Her office was aware of Gabriel's planned visit, the Rheinische Post said. An economy ministry spokeswoman said she could not confirm the report. Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, also a Social Democrat, stirred strong reactions across Europe on Monday after he said the European Union should phase out sanctions against Russia to reward progress in the Ukraine peace process. Steinmeier also said NATO exercises in eastern Europe could worsen tensions with Russia, warning against what he called "saber-rattling and shrill war cries". Gabriel on Monday had spoken in support of Steinmeier, while NATO and U.S. officials criticized his remarks. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told Reuters on Monday that the EU should keep sanctions in place, and defended NATO's plans to beef up its presence in eastern Europe as necessary to respond to Russia's aggressive actions. Gabriel's last visit to Moscow was in October 2015, while Merkel last visited Moscow in May 2015. (Reporting by Gernot Heller; Writing by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Louise Ireland) BERLIN (Reuters) - The European Union must change whether Britain votes to stay in or to leave the bloc in its referendum on Thursday, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said on Tuesday. "Europe is not in good shape," Schaeuble told an economics conference in Berlin. The veteran German politician hoped Britain would vote to remain in the bloc, but said whatever the result of the referendum, "we won't be able to go on as we have done, otherwise people will say 'they haven't understood'." "Britain is an important market for the German economy and a British exit would cause considerable damage," he added. (Writing by Paul Carrel; Editing by Caroline Copley) Karlsruhe (Germany) (AFP) - Germany's constitutional court Tuesday quashed a eurosceptic lawsuit against one of the European Central Bank's key crisis-fighting tools, as the ECB steeled itself for market turmoil from a possible Brexit. Throwing out a long-running suit by a group of politicians and academics, Germany's highest court ruled that the ECB's 2012 bond-buying plan called Outright Monetary Transactions (OMT) were legal under the country's constitution. While the OMT scheme has never actually been used, it was part of ECB President Mario Draghi's landmark promise to do "whatever it takes" to save the battered euro at the height of the crisis in 2012. That vow, backed by the announcement of the OMT programme, helped reduce borrowing costs for the most debt-hit countries, calmed markets and brought the eurozone back from the brink. The promise of OMT was that the ECB could, if necessary, buy up unlimited amounts of government bonds from debt-stricken countries that had pledged reforms such as Italy, Spain and Portugal. Critics charged that the ECB is essentially printing money and lavishing it on states, leaving taxpayers with the risk of one day having to foot the bill. The ECB has since launched a range of other policy measures aimed at kick-starting the eurozone's moribund economy and driving inflation back up to levels more compatible with healthy growth. - Within ECB's mandate - Few observers had expected the Constitutional Court to torpedo the ECB's programme. In January 2014, it had voiced concerns about OMT but then kicked the case up to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in Luxembourg. The EU's highest court has since essentially backed OMT, arguing that while the ECB's chief purpose is price stability, it may also support EU economic policy goals. Reading out the Constitutional Court's ruling on Tuesday, judge Andreas Vosskuehle found that the OMT did not overstep the ECB's mandate. Story continues ECB chief Draghi, speaking at a hearing of the EU's Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs in Brussels, said the central bank "took note" of the findings. The EU Commission was more forthcoming, saying it "welcomed" the ruling. The head of the DIW think tank, Marcel Fratzscher, hailed it as "intelligent" and "wise". But others were not so pleased. The head of the influential Ifo think tank, Clemens Fuest, accused the judges of "doing a U-turn" and kowtowing to the ECJ. Berenberg Bank economist Holger Schmieding said the ruling "makes it even more likely that the German court will also reject" pending lawsuits against the ECB's other policy measures, including against the ECB decision to broaden bond purchases from only sovereign to corporate bonds. That move is part of the ECB's massive quantitative easing, or QE, stimulus programme that aims to boost inflation and growth in the 19-member currency bloc. The ECB has also slashed interest rates to zero, further raising hackles in Germany because low rates hurt savers, and pumped more than one trillion euros ($1.1 trillion) into the financial system. - Cheap cash, Brexit fears - The Constitutional Court ruling came in a very busy week for the ECB, which is scheduled to launch the next round of ultra-cheap loans for banks, who are meant to pass the credit on to the real economy, meaning households and business. The scheme is known as targeted longer-term refinancing operations, or TLTRO. And on Thursday, all eyes will be on Britain's referendum on whether to stay in the EU or leave. Both the euro and pound have dipped in the lead-up to the vote, as analysts fear a Brexit would spark market panic. On the bond market, German 10-year bonds saw their yields drop below zero last week, a sign of a run on safe investments. Financier George Soros warned of a Black Friday plunge in sterling if Britain votes to quit the EU as new polls showed a razor-tight race 48 hours ahead of the referendum. Speaking in Brussels, ECB chief Draghi said that it was very difficult to predict the possible economic and financial repurcussions of the outcome of the vote, but that the bank was prepared for all eventualities. "We're trying to be ready to cope with all possible contingencies," the ECB chief continued. "We've done all preparation that is necessary now." Photo credit: Getty Images From Veranda UPDATE 1/11/16: The owners of Rue La Rue Cafe are making things happen. There's still no word on an exact opening date, but by the looks of the cafe's Facebook page, the space is getting quite glammed up with beautiful memorabilia from Rue McClanahan. Just take a look: And how about this "Betty White Cake"? Doesn't it just make your mouth water? And here are spiffy photos of some of McClanahan's mannequins, and even more framed portraits from her archive: A few more things you'll spot at the cafe: A bathroom tiled like the one in "Golden Girls," a glamorous gold glitter floor and even a case with McClanahan's Emmy. Progress is happening, people! So if you love "Golden Girls," get excited, because soon you'll be able to visit all of this in person. ________________________________________________________________________________ 6/20/16: "Golden Girls" fans, book a flight to New York City, stat. Michael J. La Rue, a friend of the late Rue McClanahan, who played Blanche Devereaux in the series, is set to open Rue La Rue Cafe in Washington Heights this September in honor of his friend, DNAinfo reports. La Rue, who was the executor of McClanahan's will, told DNAinfo that he inherited her personal belongings and show business memorabilia and that he plans to decorate the cafe with the star's items. That includes McClanahan's piano, which he intends to use for live performances in the restaurant. According to NBC New York, Rue La Rue has filed for a wine license. As McClanahan's son, Mark Bish, is involved in the cafe, La Rue told DNAinfo that Disney which owns rights to "The Golden Girls" will allow him to create official merchandise with images from the show. After her passing in 2010, La Rue organized McClanahan's estate sale, which featured furniture from her East 56th Street apartment, several "Golden Girls" costumes and scripts, personal letters and artwork, according to Fox News. Story continues Betty White, who played Rose Nylund on the show, will reportedly attend the cafe's ribbon cutting ceremony. If you're still watching "Golden Girls" on repeat, it's because watching nostalgic television can be a kind of therapy, according to The Atlantic. Maybe that's why Chicagoans, too, are flocking to a "Saved By The Max" pop-up diner to taste test Lisa Turtle milkshakes and A.C. Sliders. h/t: DNAinfo You Might Also Like The Great Pyramid of Giza may be a Wonder of the Ancient World, but it's not perfect: Its base is a little lopsided because its builders made a teensy mistake when constructing it, new research reveals. The west side of the pyramid is slightly longer than the east side, scientists have found. Although the difference is very slight, it's enough that a modern-day research team, led by engineer Glen Dash and Egyptologist Mark Lehner, was able to detect the small flaw in a new measuring project. "The base is not quite square," Dash said. The project is being carried out by the Glen Dash Research Foundation, led by Dash, and Ancient Egypt Research Associates (AERA), led by Lehner. AERA has been mapping and excavating the Giza plateau for about 30 years. [Photos: Amazing Discoveries at Egypt's Giza Pyramids] Ancient wonder The Great Pyramid was built for the pharaoh Khufu about 4,500 years ago. Called a "wonder of the world" by ancient writers, it is the largest of the three pyramids located on the Giza Plateau. When the Great Pyramid was first constructed, it was clad in a limestone casing, much of which is now gone. Much of the casing was reused for building projects in past centuries. Without the casing, scientists have had a tough time getting accurate measurements of the pyramid as it originally stood. "What is the exact size and orientation of the Great Pyramid? Archaeologists, scientists, engineers and mystics have sought answers for centuries," Dash wrote in a reportpublished in the most recent issue of the newsletter Aeragram, which chronicles the work of AERA. "Most of those casing stones were removed centuries ago for building material, leaving the pyramid as we see it today, without most of its original shell," Dash wrote. [In Photos: Inside Egypt's Great Pyramids] Measuring the Great Pyramid To determine the lengths of the original pyramid sides, Lehner led a search for surviving casing stones whose edges still touched the platform that the Great Pyramid was built on. They also searched for marks on the platform that would provide clues as to where the edges were. In total, they found 84 points along the pyramid's original edges. These points were marked on a grid system that AERA has been using to map all of the features on the Giza Plateau. Story continues Then, the team used a statistical method called linear regression analysis to determine those lengths. They found that the east side of the pyramid originally measured somewhere between 755.561 and 755.817 feet (230.295 to 230.373 meters), while the west side of the pyramid originally measured somewhere between 755.833 and 756.024 feet (230.378 to 230.436 m). This means that, at most, the west side was only 5.55 inches (14.1 centimeters) longer than the east side. Though that would leave the pyramid not quite square, it's a remarkable level of precision for a monument constructed more than 4,500 years ago, the researchers noted. "The data show that the Egyptians possessed quite remarkable skills for their time," Dash wrote in the report. "We can only speculate as to how the Egyptians could have laid out these lines with such precision using only the tools they had." [How Were the Egyptian Pyramids Built?] Dash thinks the ancient Egyptians laid out the pyramid on a grid. The pyramid's north-south axis (or meridian) runs 3 minutes 54 seconds west of due north while its east-west axis runs 3 minutes 51 seconds north of due east, he told Live Science. The east-west axis also runs through the center of a temple built on the east side of the pyramid. These measurements mean that the Great Pyramid is oriented just slightly away from the cardinal directions, the degree of error from north-south and east-west being almost the same. The fact that the degree of error is almost the same and that it is so small provides "good evidence that the pyramid and its associated temple were laid out on a common, very precisely oriented grid," Dash said. The researchers will continue analyzing the data they gathered to find more information on the design and construction of the Great Pyramid. "We hope to eventually figure out how the Egyptians laid out the pyramid with such precision and, in doing so, hope to learn much about the tools and technology they had at their disposal," Dash wrote. Original article published on Live Science. Editor's Recommendations Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Athens (AFP) - Greece on Tuesday will receive 7.5 billion euros ($8.5 billion) in promised loans from its international creditors, senior European officials said. European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker, who is on a visit to Greece told Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos: "The ESM payments will take place today." Klaus Regling, head of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) that holds the purse strings to Greece's bailout loans, also confirmed the payment following talks with Greek Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos. "Today, from the ESM, we are disbursing 7.5 billion euros to Greece," Regling told a news conference. He noted that 5.7 billion would go into an account for debt service payments and the remaining 1.8 billion will go to pay Greek state arrears. The money is part of a total 10.3 billion euros available following the first review of its new 86-billion-euro bailout contracted last year. "Greece has implemented many reforms in the context of this review," Regling said, pointing to tax and pension reforms and the creation of a new state privatisation agency. The ESM had authorised the payment on Friday, adding that the remaining 2.8 billion euros from that sum would be available once additional reforms are delivered by Greece. Together with its predecessor fund, the EFSF, the European rescue mechanism is the largest creditor to Greece. Together, and including Tuesday's loans, the two funds have given Greece 170.7 billion euros, the ESM said on Friday. ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece advocates that Britain remain in the European Union, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said on Tuesday, but said the whole focus of the bloc needed to be redefined. "It is known that we both vote in favour of Britain remaining in the European Union," Tsipras said after a meeting with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. Tsipras said the Brexit debate, but also a discussion which raged a year ago on whether Greece should remain in the single currency bloc, highlighted that Europe needed to change. "We hope that the result (of Thursday's referendum) will be positive for Britain and for Europe." "Irrespective, however, of the verdict of the British people, we must all contemplate the critical juncture in which the European Union finds itself today." (Reporting by Renee Maltezou, writing by Michele Kambas) An enjoyable nighttime soap set in the world of a Southern Christian megachurch, Greenleaf is equal parts shrewd and obvious. This Oprah Winfrey production, premiering Tuesday night on her OWN network, benefits mightily from fine performances by its stars Keith David as the bishop who presides over Calvary Fellowship World Ministries, Lynn Whitfield as his grasping wife, and Winfrey herself as a tough, down-home bar owner. Set in Memphis, Tenn., Greenleaf takes off with the arrival of Grace (Merle Dandridge), the eldest daughter of Bishop James Greenleaf and wife Lady Mae Greenleaf. Shes an ambitious TV reporter in the pilot, shes got a job offer from ABCs 20/20 who tosses it all aside to move back home to the church, along with her teenage daughter, Sophia (Desiree Ross). Grace rejoins the church as a pastor but uses her journalist skills to investigate the recent suicide of her sister Faith. Related: Greenleaf Star Merle Dandridge on OWNs Juicy New Family Drama The show, created by Craig Wright (Lost and Dirty Sexy Money) does a great job at conveying the mixture of good works and big business conducted by one of these grand-scale churches attended by hundreds of congregants every Sunday. David really sells the bishops charismatic preaching power without implying any ridicule or skepticism. Whitfield, a scandalously underused actor, is superb as an imperious woman who knows how to carve out her own power within her husbands holy empire. The first few episodes set up the family dynamics (one of Graces siblings is played by Deborah Joy Winans, of the gospel-singing family the Winans) and the intrigue, which includes allegations of molestation, financial chicanery, and sexual-identity confusion. Some of this is layered in artfully, some of it is as obvious as an SNL parody of a soap opera. The series is uneven, but in an intriguing way it keeps you wanting to see more. And you want to see more of Oprah; her character, Mavis, is listed as a special guest star, and it would be easy to keep her tucked in her bar, far away from the Greenleaf church, for an occasional cameo but the show would benefit from her more regular presence. Its selling Greenleaf short to peg it as a religious version of Empire, but thats also an inevitable comparison its likely that Greenleaf, long in development, became a more viable prospect with the success of Empire. Now its up to Greenleaf to keep on distinguishing itself its behind-the-scenes look at the working of a prosperous church is a novel setting to explore. Greenleaf premieres Tuesday at 10 p.m.; its regular airtime is Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on OWN. And then there were two murder victims possibly even three or four. While searching out leads on Molly Ryans possible killer, our good detectives have discovered a long-buried, so-called suicide case that has a way-too-close-for-comfort-or-coincidence connection to one of our primary persons of interest. Meanwhile, as the publics consistently villainizing Grace in the media for being able to laugh through her tears at Mollys memorial service using a social media hashtag to salt the wound, no less and such, there are others who are incriminating themselves on the sly but wont be able to keep up their ruse of non-involvement for very long. Here's a breakdown of who fits the title bill for Guilt right now. Grace Atwood Everyone else is focusing on the fact that she and Luc shared a Molly backstory-centric giggle after her tearful eulogy at the memorial service. Is it distasteful? Sure, but grief is a weird thing and people express it differently, so its hardly the most eyebrow-raising Grace activity of the week. Whats more troublesome is her damning travel vlog violence against Molly. Stans received a little blackmail action from someone Grace suspects Stephanie, identifiable as the skank with bad ombre, someone shed loaned their videos to for editing and it definitely doesnt look good for Grace. In the vid, shes seen swiping Mollys phone and questioning her about why hes texting her like that... before she starts punching her and calling her nasty names. The he in question is none other than James, her stepfather, who she claims was simply trying to figure out a good birthday present idea for her, but even Natalies wearing an expression that says yeah right on that one. (Thankfully for her, that little tidbit didnt make it to the press, yet, because otherwise shed be toast probably even in handcuffs right now.) Which brings up another good point: Grace and James are tight right now. They even happily share an attorney and can find pleasure in the small things, still, like fancy dinners out and new mini-purses from the boutique, which is kind of bizarre, given the situation, right? And if hes half the scumbag Natalie says he is, why is Grace so quick to turn a blind eye to the guy? Do we really believe her oh Im so grateful he stepped in as Daddy even after Mom died routine? Story continues WANT MORE? Keep up with all the latest from last nights television by subscribing to our newsletter. Head here for more details. Not to mention, Grace jumps at the first, limited-window opportunity she gets to sneak down to Mollys as-yet-undiscovered-by-the-police storage unit and spring her necklace from its hiding place. She and Roz make it sound like the bauble was some kind of storage unit for illegal substances and that she was trying to protect the girls reputation by scooping it before our uniformed friends could, but the necklace looks really, really familiar for some reason. Could it be the same one Molly was wearing the night she was killed? It sure looks like it, but now its in Patricks possession, since he followed her down there (accepting her too-coolly-delivered excuse that she was just trying to gather old photos for the memorial presentation). Even still. Her willingness to potentially impede the investigation like this is as questionable as her effort to dodge the police during her and Lucs thwarted trip to Paris last week. Oh, oh, oh, and shes been to one of Rozs sex parties in a professional capacity (just once, supposedly), so theres that, too. Guilt-O-Meter reading: 7 out of 10. She jumps a few points for her bad behavior this week. Luc Pascal Lucs right there in the thick of the mess as far as all the #AmericanPsycho chatter goes since, ya know, he was sharing the infamous laugh with her, but other than that, he stays relatively well away from the action this time. Brunos still giving him a hard glance based on his hunch that Mollys unborn baby might just share his DNA (were still waiting on the lab results from that, it seems? Surely theyve drawn a blood sample from him by now), but otherwise? Very little news on the Luc front. Guilt-O-Meter reading: He stays at a 6 just because we still dont know the true details of his history with Molly or Grace right now. NEXT: Another of Molly's friends has blood on her hands... Natalie Atwood Natalies willingness to table her information on James whereabouts on the night of the murder as well as the schemy, almost too easy way shes able to finagle those deets from an embassy worker make her a little more curious than before. But her excuse for doing so (namely, protecting Grace) makes plenty of sense to keep her on the overall up and up. Guilt-O-Meter reading: Shes staying firm at a 2, but mostly because shes still withholding potential evidence and she should know better. Roz Walters As predicted, Roz did bring Molly into her naughty little nightlife ring, and, yes, shes still actively working on her club friend Caleigh to keep her in the mix (20,000 quid is a lot, after all). Its still not clear if any of her and Finchs clients there had anything to do with Mollys murder although Prince Theo is certainly making a case for that or, more importantly, that she knows anything about it, but shes certainly no angel. In fact, she just so happens to be in possession of Mollys mysteriously disappeared phone right now, which means shes definitely playing at something and we somehow dont believe its the pursuit of justice thats making her smile so hard at finding James picture in the cells image file. Guilt-O-Meter reading: Well push her up to a 5 for dragging all her friends into the seedy underbelly of creepy rich guy partying and withholding a major piece of evidence. D.S. Alex Bruno Detective Bruno is still doing his darndest to implicate anyone but Grace, so thats weird, but otherwise, hes still on the side of the law. Guilt-O-Meter reading: 0. Again. Prince Theo Theres a reason were only catching condemning glances of this guy: Were supposed to be sure hes involved somehow. And this weeks glimpses dont speak otherwise. This time, we see him in the background of the detectives TV news feed for his upcoming royal wedding, then looking completely forlorn in his fancy car at Mollys memorial service before hosting Caleigh as his blindfolded mistress of the evening at one of Finchs parties (this ones special, he warns her). All any of this confirms is that hes still a scuzzball who likes to bed random women for money and that he had a thing for Molly Ryan both of which we already knew. Guilt-O-Meter reading: Since theres not much of a change with him in either direction, well stick with an 8 for now. Gwendolyn Hall Gwens hard nose for Grace is a little off-putting (although somewhat understandable, if she knew half of what we as viewers know about the girl), but other than that, shes still just doing her job. Guilt-O-Meter Reading: 0. Her offhand comment about girl in-fighting really hasnt turned into anything, so she loses whatever tiny bit of suspicion shed earned for that this week. NEXT: This guy might be the worst one of all ... Patrick Ryan Oh, Patrick, Patrick, Patrick. Theres a reason you dont just go gallivanting into random strangers houses in the middle of the night. Gwen tried to warn him that no good would come of it, and no, it did not. After he tracked Grace down to Mollys underground storage unit, he presses her on whether Professor Lindley and Molly ever had a thing, and while she says shes not sure, that shed seen him creeping around and told her to avoid him, he promises her, I wasnt there for Molly when she needed me, but I promise you when I get my hands on whoever killed her before they die, theyre going to suffer. We learn from Gwen that Patrick here has some kind of criminal history going for himself, so when he takes the bait of a journalist named Vera who says she knows exactly where the not-so-good Professor is lying low, its pretty clear what his intentions are. He sneaks in to the Professors temporary abode with Bea, his wife, and is surprised himself to find a shotgun pointed at his face. Only its not Jeffrey at the trigger end; its Bea herself, who most definitely fires off a round at her scoundrel of a husband (who was trying to offer her tea, like it was all cool and she hadnt just been shown evidence of his many affairs with younger women at the station). When the camera pans to a B-roll shot, we hear another round blast, implying that Patrick mightve caught a spray to the chest, too -- although it couldve easily been a double tap for Jeffrey or, since the police were en route to question Lindley at the same time, they mightve run in right there in the nick of time to divert the second round, but well have to wait and see if Patricks that lucky. Guilt-O-Meter reading: If hes not dead or dying, he gets a slight increase for breaking and entering. 3. James Natalies right to loathe the very ground this guy walks on. Not only is she able to confirm her suspicions about the timing of his little trip to Amsterdam, but she also bar bullies him into admitting he once had a fling with Molly. Now his top priority is finding Mollys phone, which, yeah, has his picture right there on it. We smell another blackmailing effort brewing this very minute. Guilt-O-Meter reading: 10. Hell, make it 20. Stan Gutterie Stans cutthroat lawyering tactics have earned him a perfect defense record thus far, and hes clearly the kind of guy who does his homework. His ability to shut down the shady travel vlog leak is masterful he threatens to reveal to Stephanies uber-evangelical family that shes had not one but two abortions they dont know about and hes also totally game for the whack-a-mole session that is his representation of both James and Grace, neither of whom are clearly cut from the cloth of innocence. Guilt-O-Meter reading: 3. Professor Jeffrey Lindley If hes not dead already, hes definitely injured and probably going to go to jail after hes healed. Unless he was wearing a bulletproof vest while offering his cuckolded wife her evening tea when she shot him, he got the spray of a shotgun there at the end (justifiable homicide?). Either way, hes still as sticky a slime-bucket as they come because his recent sexual partner list reads like a whos who of vulnerable collegiate women. Plus, at least one of his young former bedfellows turned up dead in an apparent suicide but had his fingerprints all over the jacket she was wearing. He swears he never touched Molly, but he did ask her out that one time and got turned down, so that doesnt exactly relieve him of all involvement there either. Guilt-O-Meter reading: 10. Ugh, that guy. Detective Pike Still nothing unusual from his end. Still solid as a rock, from what we can tell. Guilt-O-Meter reading: 0. He might even deserve less than that, at this point. Comedian Hannibal Buress has joined Spider-Man: Homecoming in an undisclosed role, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed. The movie commences principal photography this week in Atlanta with Tom Holland playing Peter Parker/Spider-Man. Jon Watts is directing. Donald Glover and Logan Marshall-Green boarded the project last week, joining relative newcomers Isabella Amara, Jorge Lendeborg Jr. and J.J. Totah. Buress is known to many as being the spark for the current Bill Cosby sexual assault scandal when he called the legendary entertainer a "rapist" during a comedy act. The act prompted a re-examination of Cosby's past behavior. Buress recently wrapped Baywatch opposite Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron and does voice work in Illumination Entertainment and Universal's upcoming animated film The Secret Life of Pets. Read More: Who Will Donald Glover Portray in 'Spider-Man: Homecoming'? daniel radcliffe donald trump advice Donald Trump once gave advice to an 11-year-old Daniel Radcliffe. The "Harry Potter" movie franchise's star told Seth Meyers on Monday's "Late Night" that he met the Republican presidential candidate when they were both guests at NBC's "Today" show. "I was really nervous and 10, 11 years old and I've never been on live TV before, and just terrified," the actor said. Luckily for the worried Radcliffe, someone asked Trump if he wanted to meet the young "Harry Potter" star. That would give Trump the chance to hand down some of his unique wisdom to Radcliffe. The actor, now 26 years old, told Meyers, "[Trump] was like, 'How are you?' And I was like, 'I'm really nervous. I don't know what I'm going to talk about on the show.' And he just said, 'You just tell them you met Mr. Trump.' To this day, I can't even relate to that level of confidence." Radcliffe added, "How weirded out would [the audience] be? 'That British kid really loves Trump. He's really into real estate.' " Watch Radcliffe tell the story of meeting Trump below: NOW WATCH: Clinton raised 5 times as much money as Trump in May here's a breakdown of their funds More From Business Insider Nick Hall has settled at Amazon. The longtime HBO comedy executive will serve as the head of development for half-hour series at the streaming service. In the newly created role, Hall will report to comedy chief Joe Lewis, who has been key to series including awards darling Transparent. Hall left the premium cable network just before an executive shakeup that saw Casey Bloys step into the top role. The 2011 THR Next Gen list-maker had served as senior vp of comedy at HBO, where he was highly involved in such series as Looking, The Comeback, Enlightened and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Within weeks of his exit, Curb star Larry David announced that he'd finally be returning to the beloved comedy series. After studying film at the University of Michigan, Hall was hired by then-agent Sue Naegle to work in UTA's mailroom, where he got a crash course in the inner workings of Hollywood. From there, he moved into comedy development at Warner Bros. TV before following Naegle to HBO. MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - The president of Mexico's ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, announced his resignation on Monday, two weeks after the party of President Enrique Pena Nieto suffered a humiliating defeat in regional elections. Manlio Fabio Beltrones, a former governor and veteran federal lawmaker, announced his decision to step down after the PRI won only five of the dozen governors races up for grabs in the June 5 vote. It previously held nine of them. The results were far worse for the centrist party than most polls had forecast. The PRI's losses included two oil-rich strongholds in the Gulf of Mexico, Veracruz and neighboring Tamaulipas, both of which have been plagued by gang violence for years, as well as Quintana Roo, home to Mexico's top tourist destination Cancun. All three states have been run by the PRI for over eight decades. "It's time for a necessary pause," Beltrones told a news conference at the PRI's Mexico City headquarters. "This is a responsible decision that opens space for an internal debate and allows our party to freely decide the best path forward," he said. Beltrones, 63, is still seen as a possible presidential contender for the PRI in 2018. Pena Nieto is not allowed by law to seek a second six-year term. In a poll published Monday by daily newspaper El Financiero, Beltrones was tied for second with 10 percent among PRI voters, trailing Interior Minister Miguel Angel Osorio Chong, who had 32 percent support. (Reporting by David Alire Garcia; Editing by Mary Milliken) If youve not yet caught wind of the decade-old princess-culture-is-problematic discussion especially if youre a parent you must be actively working to avoid it. The latest study adding fuel to the fire comes out of Brigham Young University and finds that, yes indeed, folks, the Disney princess obsession can be harmful to girls. I think parents think that the Disney princess culture is safe. Thats the word I hear time and time again its safe, lead study author Sarah M. Coyne of the Mormon institution in Utah noted in a press release. But if were fully jumping in here and really embracing it, parents should really consider the long-term impact of the princess culture. So, whats the problem this time around? Same as always, confirmed the study, published in the journal Child Development, which involved the assessment of 198 preschoolers: Lots of engagement with princess culture (whether through movies or toys) can lead to gender-stereotypical behavior as well as self-critical body image. The strict gender stereotypes can become problematic, Coyne observes, if they hold girls back. We know that girls who strongly adhere to female gender stereotypes feel like they cant do some things, Coyne said. Theyre not as confident that they can do well in math and science. They dont like getting dirty, so theyre less likely to try and experiment with things. The researchers found that 96 percent of girls and 87 percent of boys had viewed Disney princess media. Meanwhile, more than 61 percent of girls played with princess toys at least once a week, while only 4 percent of boys did the same. Disney princesses represent some of the first examples of exposure to the thin ideal, Coyne said, echoing the many princess and Barbie critics who have come before her. As women, we get it our whole lives, and it really does start at the Disney princess level, at age 3 and 4. (In a recent devotional address at Brigham Young, Coyne even went so far as to dub womens low self-esteem regarding their bodies as one of Satans greatest weapons.) Story continues Coynes findings join a long line of similar warnings, declarations, and theories, most notably Peggy Orensteins groundbreaking 2011 book, Cinderella Ate My Daughter, which chillingly laid out the dark side of Disney princesses, American Girl Dolls, and other commercialized girl cultures. Follow-ups included Jennifer Hartsteins Princess Recovery and Rebecca Hainss The Princess Problem. Recent actions, including a 2013 petition drive objecting to Disneys sexy redesign of Princess Merida of Brave, in preparation for her official induction in the Disney Princess Collection, informed Coynes research. So, whats a parent to do, beyond the unrealistic strategy of avoiding any and all princess imagery for the entirety of a girls childhood? Id say, have moderation in all things, Coyne suggested. Have your kids involved in all sorts of activities, and just have princesses be one of many, many things that they like to do and engage with. Its also not a bad idea to discuss the good and bad of Disney Princess culture, she said not necessarily getting too intense, but pointing out the positives and negatives about the media they consume, which is something Coyne has done with her own daughter. This study has changed the way I talk to my daughter, the things I focus on, and its been really good for me as a parent to learn from this study, Coyne said. I usually cant say that my research findings have such a personal impact on my life. Read this next: Barbie Becomes More Reflective of Society With 3 New Body Types Lets keep in touch! Follow Yahoo Beauty on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. With all eyes on Brexit, the market seems to have temporarily forgotten about the biggest risk factor of all: China. Understanding the countrys capital markets, FX regime, and banking system can be a daunting task, but its worth the time to do a bit of research because it truly is important to comprehend whats going over there. As we saw last summer, what happens in China no longer stays in China. The countrys epic equity market meltdown put the rest of the world on edge and then, following the August 11 transition to a new currency regime, all hell broke loose once it became apparent that Beijing would need to begin burning its reserves to keep the yuan devaluation from spinning out of control. If you need proof of how much China matters, look no further than Black Monday when the Dow fell 1,000 points out of the gate on August 24. Things stabilized after September (sort of) but January was rocky and were it not for the weak dollar accord agreed in Shanghai in February, the capital outflows might have picked up pace again. In any event, Chinas banking system has long been on the minds of market professionals but the narrative went mainstream this year after Kyle Bass made a show of his intentions to place bearish bets against the yuan. According to Bass, Beijing will need to spend trillions to recapitalize the system once banks are forced to realize bad loans. We talked a bit about this here. Undoubtedly, this all sounds rather esoteric to anyone who is solely interested in trading US stocks and options but think of it like this: if a ~3% devaluation of the yuan was enough to trigger a Black Monday for Wall Street last August, just think what might happen if Bass is right and China is forced to devalue by 30-40%. Its with that in mind that we highlight a Bloomberg piece out last week which describes the situation at Chinas local banks as a smoldering bonfire. We wont delve into the painful details of wealth management products and trusts (which are two of the vehicles that have helped to embed an enormous amount of risk into the Chinese banking system) because honestly, the entire problem can be summed up rather succinctly without a deep-dive. Story continues Officially, non-performing loans (NPLs) at Chinese commercial lenders have risen for 18 straight quarters and now sit at about 1.75% of total lending. Not to put too fine a point on it, but that number is laughable by almost anyones estimates. Think about it: these banks are lending to the countrys industrial sector which is struggling mightily as China transitions away from a smokestack economy and as global demand remains soft. They simply cant service their debt. In fact, Chinese companies issued a trillion dollars in new debt last year just to pay interest on their existing debt. The Chinese government doesnt like bankruptcies and they especially dont like bankruptcies at state owned enterprises (SOEs) which is why in many cases, banks are encouraged to roll over loans rather than classify them as non-performing. Ok, simple enough right? So the thing is this: theres only so long this charade can go on, especially when China desperately needs to extend more credit to the economy to keep up that other charade: the one about the country growing at 6.5%. So instead of extending more traditional loans (which have to be carried on the balance sheet as such), Chinese banks use a variety of alternative vehicles to lend money to borrowers who will likely default. That credit is carried as investments on banks books and it serves as a kind of proxy for how precarious things are getting. Thats pretty much the long and the short of it. Now lets get back to the Bloomberg piece mentioned above. Here are some key excerpts: The city banks -- which together hold 15 percent, or $3.6 trillion, of the nations commercial banking assets -- have jumped into the financial engineering that lets Chinese banks disguise lending by buying investments from intermediaries such as securities firms, trust companies or other banks. Assets showing up on banks balance sheets as financial investments are often backed by loans. The 10 city commercial banks listed in Hong Kong and the mainland boosted their financial investments by 56 percent to 2.4 trillion yuan ($365 billion) in 2015, according to their annual reports. Thats almost triple the pace of increases at the four biggest state-owned banks. By the end of last year, after a two-year spree, the bulk of Bank of Jinzhou Co.s assets were classified as financial investments rather than loans. So basically heres the problem: lenders are being pressured to both keep the economy alive by extending credit and exercise caution in lending to sectors that suffer from overcapacity (i.e. commodities sectors) at the same time. Well, you cant have it both ways. The city commercial banks are just the most exposed, but make no mistake, the so-called Big Five are right there as well. The question then, is what happens if one of the smaller lenders collapses? What will the contagion look like? Well, it wont be pretty. Have a look, for instance, at the following graphic from Deutsche Bank which shows what percentage of the countrys current debt burden is corporate and SOE debt: chinadebt.png Source: Deutsche Bank So if total debt-to-GDP is 254%, 142% of that is debt that could potentially go bad (and by the way, the local government debt burden is a story in and of itself). Heres what the IMF had to say this month: By IMF calculations, state-owned enterprises account for about 55 percent of corporate debt. That is far greater than their 22 percent share of economic output. These corporates are also far less profitable than private enterprises. In a setting of slower economic growth, the combination of declining earnings and rising indebtedness is undermining the ability of companies to pay suppliers or service their debts. Banks are holding more and more nonperforming loans, or NPLs. The past years credit boom is just extending the problem. Already many SOEs are essentially on life support. The Funds most recent Global Financial Stability Report estimated that the potential losses for Chinese banks corporate loan portfolios could be equal to about 7 percent of GDP. This is a conservative estimate based on certain assumptions about bad-loan recoveries and excluding potential problem exposures in the shadow banking sector. The takeaway here is that this isnt something you can ignore, although it - like German bunds and the yen - isnt something most US equity investors are used to tracking. Does that mean you have to become an expert on shadow banking in China? Well, no. Of course not. What you should watch for though, is news of SOE defaults and/or trouble at small Chinese banks. If you see a small Chinese bank get into trouble, you should consider all of the above when it comes to deciding on risk appetite. See more from Benzinga 2016 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. An unexpected pickup turned a UPS driver into a United Puppy Savior after he rescued an abandoned canine. While on his regular delivery route, Jason Harcrow, the heroic UPS driver, noticed a car stopped in the middle of East Hatch Road in Ceres, California. Read: Meet The Warthog Piglet and Rottweiler Puppy That Became Best Friends After Being Rescued The driver of the suspicious vehicle opened the side door and dropped a small puppy in the middle of the street, according to Harcrow. Harcrow wasnt able to see the license plate of the car, but quickly scooped the helpless dog and called Stanislaus Animal Services. Read: These Police Officers Assisted Animals As If They Were Human I tried to grab him and he was kind of playing with me. I didnt want to get down on all fours, so I was just kind of swiping for him, Harcrow told The Modesto Bee. Harcrow brought the young dog to the Stanislaus County Sheriffs Department where they waited for animal services to collect the puppy. According Public Information Officer, Sgt. Anthony Bejaran, the pup seemed healthy with no visible wounds. Hes a big ham for the camera, Sgt. Bejaran told InsideEdition.com. Whenever he enters a room, everyone starts to smile. The 12-month-old puppy is now looking for a new home and a loving family. He will be available for adoption for a fee of $90 to cover the costs of vaccinations, neutering and a microchip. Watch: Watch Momma Dog Care For Her Litter of 19 Puppies Right After Giving Birth Related Articles: Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton tore into Republican counterpart Donald Trump on Tuesday, hitting his economic plans as "reckless" proposals that would "bankrupt America" like During a speech in Columbus, Ohio, Clinton painted Trump's tax plans as bad for working Americans, saying he'd give away more money to the "120,000 richest American families than he would to help 120 million hardworking americans." "Even in this era of rising inequality, this is like nothing we've ever seen," Clinton said. Hillary Clinton on why Trump "shouldn't have his hands on our economy":pic.twitter.com/RjORMq8MUD Clinton pointed to experts who said Trump would send America into recession and named him as one of the "10 biggest threats to the global economy." She ripped into his business record, saying the number of bankruptcies he's filed throughout his career is not the norm. "He's written a lot of books about business, they all seem to end at Chapter 11," Clinton said. "He's written a lot of books about business, they all seem to end at Chapter 11" - @HillaryClinton on Trumppic.twitter.com/vDfGkB5k3E She added that the 3,500 lawsuits filed against his businesses over the last 30 years came from the same kind of middle-class Americans Trump would endanger if elected president. "A large number were filed by ordinary americans and small businesses that did work for Trump and never got paid: painters, waiters, plumbers, people who needed the money and didn't get it," Clinton said. "It's not because he couldn't pay them, but because he could stiff them." Clinton added that Trump doesn't live up to his pledge to bring jobs back to America, as he manufactures many of his Trump brand products overseas. Story continues "Interestingly, Trump's own products are made in a lot of countries that aren't named America," she said. "Trump ties are made in China, Trump suits in Mexico, Trump furniture in Turkey, Trump picture frames in India, Trump barware in Slovenia. I'd love to hear him explain how all of that means 'America first.'" At times she seemed genuinely perplexed by Trump's tax proposals and past business record. She said when she sat down to write the speech, she asked her researchers, "Really? He really said that?" Ahead of the speech, Clinton's campaign launched a website hitting Trump on his economic and business record, called artofthesteal.biz a play on Trump's book The Art of the Deal, which he often touts on the trail. The campaign also released a web video that highlights Trump's business blunders, including his multiple bankruptcies in Atlantic City, New Jersey, which left small businesses and contractors footing the bill. Clinton's Columbus, Ohio, speech came a day after financial disclosure records revealed that Trump's campaign is nearly broke, reporting just $1.3 million in his campaign account at the end of May. The reports also revealed that Trump spent hundreds of thousands of dollars from his campaign funds on his own businesses and children throughout the campaign which the Clinton campaign latched onto as a line of attack. What is Trump spending his meager campaign resources on? Why, himself, of course.https://twitter.com/derekwillis/status/745082013321990145 ... https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ClcQJJfWQAA_kon.jpg:large Trump, for his part, is slated to respond on Wednesday at a speech at the Trump SoHo in New York, where he'll deliver the Clinton attack speech he pushed back after the mass shooting in Orlando, Florida. Hillary Clinton plans to give a speech Tuesday excoriating Donald Trumps proposals for the economy and his business record, continuing a series of targeted speeches this month aiming to define the real estate mogul before the general election campaign begins in full swing. Speaking in Columbus, Ohio, Clinton will argue that as president, Trump would very likely drive us off a cliff and working families would bear the brunt of the impact in terms of lost jobs, lost savings, and lost livelihoods, Jake Sullivan, senior adviser to the campaign, said in a statement. Thats the natural conclusion you reach when you look at Trumps policy proposals, his rash and reckless temperament, and his record in the private sector of doing harm to working families and small businesses, Sullivan said. It will be the third carefully planned speech Clinton has given this month that portrays Trump as unfit to be president: in early June, she criticized his foreign policy proposals as dangerously incoherent, and last week, Clinton attacked his proposed ban on refugees and Muslim immigration, calling him temperamentally unfit and totally unqualified to be president. Trump has struck back at Clinton, and his campaign has distanced itself from the original tax proposal released last year, saying it was open to revision. The Clinton campaigns decision to portray Trump as a self-interested tycoon who stepped on the livelihoods of working people closely mirrors the strategy of the Obama campaign in 2012. In that year, Democrats painted Mitt Romney as a callous exporter of American jobs, an argument that was particularly potent in states like Ohio, where Clinton will speak on Tuesday. Clintons allies, including her surrogates and super PACs, are digging through Trumps business record, too, which includes repeated bankruptcies and accounts of working families who were never fully compensated for work on Trumps projects. Story continues Trumps tax plan would lower tax rates and limit deductions, reducing federal revenues by $9.5 trillion, according to an analysis by the Tax Policy Center, a joint project by the Urban Institute and the Brookings Institution. Trump has also threatened tariffs as high as 45% on goods from China. A new analysis by the economic research firm Moodys Analytics suggests that Trumps trade, taxes, immigration and spending policies would reduce economic output and reduce employment by 3.5 million jobs in his first term. The lead author on the report was economist Mark Zandi, an adviser to Sen. John McCains 2008 presidential campaign. The Clinton campaign has touted the report as an indication of Trumps policies and retweeted it from Hillary Clintons twitter account. Trump, meanwhile, has taken to criticizing Clinton and President Obama on Twitter himself. Clinton is well ahead of Trump in preparing for a general election, with more than $40 million on hand in the beginning of June compared with Trumps paltry $1.3 million. Clintons campaign and the Democratic National Committee have large staffs deployed in swing states and in their Brooklyn headquarters, a total of 700, and have already reserved more than $20 million in advertising ahead of November. Hillary Clinton will visit Raleigh, North Carolina, on Wednesday in an effort to paint the swing state blue. As the presumptive Democratic nominee heads into the general election, Clinton has been making stops at several contested states, from Virginia, to Ohio, to Washington, D.C., all in an effort to clinch the White House in November. North Carolina may prove to be one of the former secretary of state's biggest battles in 2008, the state saw the second closest race of the general election. It's also the home to the controversial "bathroom bill," HB2, that mandates transgender people only use public restrooms that correspond with their gender assigned at birth. The legislation, signed by Gov. Pat McCrory in March, has become subject of discrimination lawsuits from both the federal government and LGBTQ rights advocates. Accusing the federal government of bullying, McCrory has since filed a countersuit. Gay rights are human rights and human rights are gay rights. Being LGBT does not make you less human.https://amp.twimg.com/v/6453ed51-7157-48a3-aec7-f5fae0f348aa ... According to Clinton's website, the candidate "is visiting Raleigh to talk about her vision for an America that's stronger together and her commitment to making sure we build an economy that works for everyone." It's unclear whether the economy-focused speech will make room for talking points geared towards the LGBTQ communities, but Clinton made her stance on the issue known back in March, tweeting, "LGBT people should be protected from discrimination under the law period." LGBT people should be protected from discrimination under the law-period. http://hrc.io/1VJABIp -H Clinton will then head off to . Members of the Hollywood community are applauding the Federal Aviation Administration's final regulations for the commercial use of small drones, which includes those used in Hollywood production. The FAA on Tuesday issued new rules for the operation of unmanned aircraft systems, also known as UAS, used by both business and government. The rules, which will take effect in August, govern the use of drones weighing less than 55 pounds that are conducting non-hobbyist operations. "The FAA final rules will further enable the film and television industry to incorporate this innovative technology into great storytelling, while expanding opportunities for American workers and small businesses in the creative economy. It is also very gratifying for our industry that filmmakers were able to pave a path for the broader commercial use of unmanned aerial systems," Chris Dodd, chairman and CEO of the MPAA, said in response to the new regulations. The MPAA had earlier submitted comments during the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Process, and played a key role two years ago when the FAA began to grant aerial production companies exemptions from the exiting rules that limited drone use, allowing for approvals for drones to be used for filming on domestic movie and TV productions. In effect, under the waiver system, Hollywood production companies had already been operating under what now has been condified as the new rules. Under the earlier FAA approvals, the TV series The Mentalist, in December 2014, became the first domestic productions to use drones for filming. They have since been used in such other projects as Marvel's Avengers: Age of Ultron and HBO's The Leftovers. Tony Carmean, partner at Aerial MOB, one of a number of aerial production companies that already has been using drones for production under the FAA exemptions, hailed the final rules and said they will lessen "the requirements and burdens for leading companies in the film production industry like Aerial MOB to operate safely to achieve unique perspectives that directors and cinematographers are requesting from drones." Story continues He added: "Although it also opens up the opportunity for more people to operate drones in film production with minimum requirements, it is important for productions to be sure to look at [several factors] when vetting out an aerial drone cinematography company [including] the safety track record of the company and [confirmation] that the company has the proper liability and other insurance coverage in place." Speaking of the broad opportunities that the new regulations will create, Douglas Johnson, vp of technology policy at the Consumer Technology Association, said, "We're pleased to see the FAA strike an appropriate balance of innovation and safety in its authorization for commercial drones and recognition of the value this rapidly-evolving technology offers. This is a critical milestone toward the safe integration of drones into the national airspace system - and a far better approach than the current exemption-based system - but clearly additional steps are needed such as addressing 'beyond-line-of-sight' operations, which will be a true game changer." Noting that further review of local and state regulations is needed, Johnson added: 'From the fast delivery of emergency supplies to more efficient crop production and improved safety for our bridge and building maintenance crews, drones have the power to save lives and help millions of people across the country. But the growing tangle of misaligned, conflicting rules at the state and local levels threatens to choke this nascent technology. To fully realize drones' remarkable economic potential - creating jobs, maximizing efficiencies, lowering consumer costs and fueling the U.S. tech economy - state lawmakers and local officials must defer to federal rules." The new FAA rules set forth several requirements: A person flying a drone for commercial use must be at least 16 years old and have a remote pilot certificate with a small UAS-rating, or be supervised by someone with such a rating; the operator must perform a preflight visual and operational safety check; the operator must keep the drone within a visual line of sight; operations are allowed during daylight and twilight hours if the drone has anti-collision lights; and flights over unprotected people on the ground who aren't directly participating in the UAS operation are prohibited. The FAA also is establishing a process to waive some restrictions and will create a portal at which operators can apply for waivers. The new rules do not apply to model aircraft that are operated only for hobby or recreational purposes. For the 100th anniversary edition of the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, Honda is entering a plug-in battery vehicle inspired by the new NSX supercar. Plug-in electric and hydrogen fuel cell cars might not yet be ready for the motoring mainstream. They come at a huge financial premium yet offer a shorter usable range than any gasoline-powered equivalent without the supporting infrastructure to be able to re-fill or recharge on a typical journey. However, while they're not ready for a grand tour or a long commute, they are already better than anything with an internal combustion engine when it comes to racing over shorter distances. To show just how much better, Honda is bringing an electric vehicle concept racer to this year's event in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA on Sunday, June 26. This will be the second year in succession that the carmaker has tested an all-electric car at the competition. In 2015, Tetsuya Yamano raced an electric car based on the Honda CR-Z clocking up a class win. For 2016, the event's centenary year, Yamano will drive the NSX-inspired concept looking to repeat the feat. "We've been tuning the car for several weeks at Pikes and have advanced its performance significantly," said Yamano. "We're honored to be running at Pikes in this historical, anniversary year -- an event respected by racing fans all over the world." The Pikes Peak hill climb consists of 156 corners over 12.42 miles (19.99km) and an elevation that rises from 9390 to 14115 feet (1440-2862 meters). The elevation is important. As the air thins internal combustion engine performance drops -- by up to 30% -- and as oxygen becomes a rarer atmospheric commodity, drivers' reaction times increase. The overall four-wheel course record is held by Sebastian Loeb -- the greatest driver of his generation -- behind the wheel of his Peugeot World Rally car, but electric cars and bikes are catching on. Electric cars deliver 100% acceleration and 100% torque 100% of the time. There is no gearing either so drivers only have to think of acceleration, deceleration and braking, giving them greater mental space to contemplate the road ahead and be absolutely ready for the next turn. Honda has been working on a four-motor set up for the race car so that each wheel is independently powered and capable of finding its own grip. It's a concept that's central to the hybrid NSX supercar. And it's an idea that means each wheel can juggle torque and power independently. TOKYO (Reuters) - Honda Motor Co. <7267.T> said on Wednesday that its brand image in Japan had been tarnished by a series of recalls over quality issues related to its Fit model and this was weighing on domestic sales. Since late 2013, Honda has conducted numerous recalls of its Fit cars, a sub compact model with ample cargo space which was once the automaker's best-selling domestic model, mainly to fix issues related to the vehicle's programming and its engine. "We had a period of ongoing recalls of the Fit in the past two years or so which had a negative impact on the brand's image," Honda's chief operating officer for Japan operations Kimiyoshi Teratani said. He said domestic sales of the model, which is available in other markets around the world, had slumped since the recall, while the ongoing withdrawal of millions of vehicles over potentially faulty air bags made by Takata Corp <7312.T> had "dealt another blow" to the company. Overall, Honda's annual domestic vehicle sales fell 12.2 percent to 668,000 in the year ended March and the automaker expects sales for the current year to drop nearly 3 percent. Domestic sales comprised about 14 percent of the automaker's global sales last year. (Reporting by Maki Shiraki; editing by David Clarke) Hong Kong (AFP) - Hong Kong's leader said Tuesday he has raised concerns with China about the case of a bookseller who reported being detained for eight months on the mainland, amid fears Beijing is tightening its grip on the city. Lam Wing-kee was one of five employees of a Hong Kong firm -- which published gossipy books about leading Chinese politicians -- to go mysteriously missing last year. All later emerged on the mainland. Lam has said he was seized just across the border from Hong Kong, taken away blindfolded and then kept in a cell, under interrogation and without access to his family or a lawyer, for alleged involvement in bringing banned books into the mainland. Hong Kong's Beijing-backed Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, who has been accused of dragging his feet over the issue, said he had written to Beijing relaying local concerns. A leading pro-democracy activist called the government "pathetic", and said its actions failed to allay residents' fears that the semi-autonomous city's freedoms are being eroded. Lam, who was placed on suicide watch during his detention, made his explosive disclosures about his detention in Hong Kong last Thursday. He said Chinese authorities had allowed him to return home to collect a list of mainland customers for the banned books, but he is refusing to go back across the border. Leung told reporters his letter asked Beijing to clarify how relevant mainland departments handle cases in which Hong Kong people have broken mainland laws, and whether or not mainland personnel had carried out cross-border law enforcement in the city. Mainland law enforcers are barred from operating in the city under the "One country, two systems" agreement governing Hong Kong's return from Britain to China in 1997. Leung said his letter also asked "if the handling of the issue affected One country, two systems and the Basic Law, which guarantees the freedoms and rights of Hong Kong people". Story continues When asked about Leung's remarks, a Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman said China will stick to the handover arrangement. I would just like to reiterate the Chinese governments firm determination to uphold the One country, two systems (principles) is steadfast. The people of Hong Kong enjoy their full rights and freedoms in accordance with the law," Hua Chunying told reporters. - 'Expected' response - Civic Party lawmaker Claudia Mo described the Hong Kong government's response as "pathetic, as everyone's expected it to be". "Leung is quite terrified obviously, to take up the issue clearly and loudly with the Beijing authorities; he obviously wants to make sure that he doesn't embarrass his master in any way," Mo told AFP. "This is probably the most striking, the most unsettling case that actually hampers the One country, two systems promise." Lam, 61, likened his ordeal to Cultural Revolution-era repression during an interview with AFP Sunday. He told a local radio station he had no hopes Leung's follow-up actions would bring about change. "The Hong Kong and the Chinese governments are not on equal terms," he said. Lam and two other booksellers went missing in the city of Shenzhen just across the border from Hong Kong, while a fourth -- Gui Minhai -- disappeared in Thailand and a fifth -- Lee Bo -- went missing in Hong Kong itself. Three of the other booksellers have disputed parts of Lam's account. Lee Bo has denied he told Lam that he (Lee) was taken to the mainland against his wishes. Gui remains in custody in China while Lee has insisted he is a free man voluntarily helping the investigation into the smuggled books. Two other booksellers who were detained in China have briefly returned to Hong Kong on bail, but then travelled back to the mainland. HP Inc. HPQ recently entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Customer Communications Management (CCM) assets to Open Text Corporation OTEX, a Canada-based business software maker. The transaction, which is anticipated to close in the first quarter of 2017, is valued at $315 million. Open Text expects the acquired assets to generate annualized revenues of $110$125 million and be immediately accretive to earnings. Shares of Open Text gained over 3% yesterday on the news, while HP saw its shares close the trading session with a marginal decline. HP INC Price HP INC Price | HP INC Quote OPEN TEXT CORP Price OPEN TEXT CORP Price | OPEN TEXT CORP Quote In Apr 2016, Open Text bought a set of content management software tools from HP for approximately $170 million. The transaction is projected to generate annualized revenues of $85$95 million. We believe that HPs latest asset divestment is part of the companys restructuring plan. The move will help the company to realign its businesses, and focus better on the PC and printing businesses. Notably, last November, Hewlett-Packard Company was split into two standalone entities HP Inc and Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company HPE. Post the split, the parent companys hardware business, consisting mainly of the PC and printer businesses, came under HP Inc, while Hewlett-Packard Enterprise began offering commercial tech products. The persistent decline in PC shipments is a material headwind for HP. As the PC business generates majority of its top line, the reduction in business volumes at the segment is concerning. The company is also witnessing a secular decline in this segment due to the ongoing shift toward tablets and smartphones a space where it is yet to gain foothold. Therefore, the company focuses on product innovations to give a boost to its revenues and is cutting jobs as part of a restructuring plan to lower costs. Post the split from its parent company, HP announced its decision to accelerate the restructuring plan by reducing the total workforce by 3,000 positions by the end of fiscal 2016 and streamlining processes. Story continues We believe that the companys ongoing restructuring initiatives will help to reduce costs while enhancing productivity, thereby boosting profitability. Currently, HP carries Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). A better-ranked stock in the broader technology sector is Amkor Technology, Inc. AMKR, sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report HP INC (HPQ): Free Stock Analysis Report OPEN TEXT CORP (OTEX): Free Stock Analysis Report AMKOR TECH INC (AMKR): Free Stock Analysis Report HEWLETT PKD ENT (HPE): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. New York (AFP) - Two days before Britain's referendum on breaking with the European Union, the largest US banks are preparing for a catastrophic scenario that could cost them billions of dollars. Amid the volatile atmosphere in Britain, the banks are outwardly keeping a straight face. "We are locked down on this," said Michael Duvally, spokesman for Goldman Sachs, when asked how his bank is preparing for the possibility that Britain's anti-Europe camp will win in the referendum on Thursday. Morgan Stanley and Bank of America gave identical responses. But in stark contrast, the Wall Street offices of the lawyers who work for the banks are almost under a state of alert, with every option under review, according to banking industry sources speaking anonymously. The vote could have a huge impact on the City of London, where US banks do most of their business for the 28 European Union member countries. If the Brexit measure goes through, it could lead to Britain's losing huge benefits of freely trading with Europe. No longer would US banks be able to easily handle all of their business, broking, lending or other, in EU countries from London. After public opinion polls were proven to be greatly unreliable in recent British elections, the banks are not putting their faith in any of the reported results, or even conducting their own private polls. Instead, they are warning their traders to expect a very long, busy day of handling buy and sell orders across the financial markets during the June 23 referendum. And the same for the next day. JPMorgan Chase has already reserved hotel rooms for traders close to its offices. Call centers dedicated to communications with clients have been put into place, several banks confirmed. "Thursday is going to be a hectic day. We are expecting large movements," one banker said. "Our clients are worried about what's going to happen with the pound. Forex is the biggest concern." Story continues - Downsizing in London - The five big US banks employ more than 40,000 people in London, more than in all of the rest of Europe. They benefit from the "passporting rights" regime that allows the bankers to market their services -- from advising mergers and acquisitions to money management to lending and trading -- throughout the European Union without having a physical presence in any other EU countries. A vote to leave the EU "would be a negative for the US universal banks since costs could increase and capital markets activity could weaken," analysts at investment bank KBW wrote in a recent report. Banks would face significant challenges in both revenues and costs over the next two years, they said. "We believe Brexit would be the worst-case scenario for stocks and companies with EU/UK exposure, since a Brexit could lead to contagion fears and slowing growth," the report said. Sources say that the US banks have already been mapping out the possibilities of opening offices in Amsterdam, Dublin, Frankfurt and Paris. However, some do have small outposts on the old continent from which they could build. Citigroup has a subsidiary in Dublin and JPMorgan has units in Frankfurt and Luxembourg. JPMorgan chief executive Jamie Dimon warned in early June that the bank could be forced to cut up to 25 percent of its 16,000-strong staff in Britain in the case of a pro-Brexit vote. Morgan Stanley could transfer 1,000 of its 6,000 London jobs elsewhere in the European Union, a source said. Goldman Sachs -- one of the banks expected to lose the most in case of Brexit -- could move a quarter of its 6,500-strong Europe-Middle East-Africa team out of Britain. Any such reorganization would necessarily have significant costs for staff relocation, acquisition of new licenses and officers, and financing of new operations, analysts note. KBW calculates that Morgan Stanley could see a nine percent fall in its earnings over two years. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave a green light Monday to the first human trial of a potential Zika vaccine. Inovio Pharmaceuticals and GeneOne Life Science are at the helm of the study and have already conducted promising animal trials. They say that they will begin phase one with 40 healthy adults in the next coming weeks. Dubbed GLS-5700, the vaccine is based on synthetic fragments of virus DNA that stimulate antibodies, according to the Guardian. Although it could deliver results this year, researchers warn that the journey to market could take years. Also, since the vaccine would likely be needed for pregnant women or women who are about to become pregnant, the FDA will want to see extensive safety data in these populations, said Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College in Houston, to the Guardian. The WHO declared Zika a global public-health emergency in February. It is primarily spread through mosquito bites but can also be sexually transmitted. More than 1 million cases have been reported across 39 countries and territories. Although the disease effects are mild for the majority of people infected, it has been linked to Guillain-Barre syndrome and causes complications for pregnant women, with nearly 5,000 cases reported in Brazil of newborns with the birth defect microcephaly. The mosquito-borne disease currently has no treatment or vaccine. [Guardian] By Krisztina Than SZEGED, Hungary (Reuters) - Hungarian prosecutors have opened an investigation into whether police can be held criminally responsible for abuse over the death of a Syrian migrant who drowned in the Tisza river as he was trying to cross into Hungary from Serbia this month. Farhan al-Hwaish, 22, drowned in a branch of the river on June 1 when a group of migrants tried to cross into Hungary with the help of human traffickers. Police found his body two days later. His brother, who crossed with him, says he drowned after Hungarian police guarding the border on the river bank threw objects at them, sprayed them with gas and unleashed attack dogs to prevent them from climbing out of the water. The police deny any such mistreatment. "This allegation is entirely unfounded," Hungary's Csonograd county police force said in an emailed response to Reuters on Tuesday, which said police rescued an Iraqi family of five from the river that day. "Police conduct duties in a lawful, professional and proportionate manner, paying special attention to a humane treatment towards illegal immigrants, respecting their human dignity." It noted that an autopsy on the body had concluded the death was caused by drowning, and that the body showed no injuries. Hungary's prosecutors' office said in an emailed reply to questions from Reuters that it had ordered an investigation five days after the incident. The case would look into "suspicion of ill-treatment committed during an official procedure" by an "unknown perpetrator", it said, giving no identification of any officers involved. "During the investigation we will examine what happened, and whether any of the police who were on duty on the given stretch of the border can be held criminally responsible," Andrea Nagy, a spokeswoman for the prosecutor's office said. The incident is believed to be the first in which Hungarian police have been investigated over allegations they badly mistreated migrants at the EU's external frontier. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees has called for an investigation. [L8N18Y2G2] Hungary's southern border was the main entry point for hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees and other migrants traveling over land across the Balkans into the EU's border-free Schengen zone, until the Hungarian authorities abruptly shut the frontier last year. Hungary swiftly built a razor wire fence and fortified it with police and army patrols. Its hard line at the border has since drawn criticism from rights groups, but Hungary says the law requires it to prevent unauthorized entry into the Schengen zone, and that most refugees or other migrants are safe in Serbia. GO BACK! SWIM! SWIM! According to the initial account of the incident reported on the national police website, a river patrol spotted two people at 5:55 a.m. on June 1 swimming across a branch of the river that forms the border with Serbia near the village of Roszke. The swimmers turned back towards Serbia after they were spotted, but only one made it. The Hungarian police immediately notified the Serbian authorities and water rescue teams, and launched a search, rescuing the Iraqi family of five from the river at 6:30 a.m. and taking them to hospital, that account said. Hwaish was finally buried in a cemetery in the Hungarian town of Szeged near the Serbian border on Monday, 17 days after police fished his body out of the river. His younger brother, Abdullah al-Hwaish, told Reuters after the burial that nine migrants had tried to cross with the help of a smuggler. The group included an Iraqi family of five and four young men, including the Hwaish brothers from Syria and their younger cousin. When they reached the Hungarian side, they climbed out of the boat into water up to their chests. The smuggler pulled the boat back to the other side on a string, he said. According to his account, which Reuters was unable to verify independently, when the migrants tried to climb the bank of the river, police threw objects at them and sprayed them with a gas which caused his brother to choke and cough. He did not specify the type of gas. "Every time we tried to get out they obstructed us. During the final attempt, they released police dogs on us," he said via an interpreter. "The final attempt, when they wanted to release the police dogs, we begged them. They sprayed us with gas and said: 'This is oxygen,'" he said. "They just told us: go back (to) Serbia. Go back! Swim! Swim!" By this time, gas was drifting in the air above the water, he said, adding that his brother was a good swimmer but disappeared. (Reporting by Krisztina Than; Editing by Peter Graff) By Noor Zainab Hussain (Reuters) - British broker ICAP Plc (IAP.L) has offered to sell its London-based oil desks to address competition concerns over the merger of its global hybrid voice broking business with Tullett Prebon Plc (TLPR.L), Britain's competition watchdog said on Tuesday. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said the oil desks being offered for sale provide broking services to clients in Europe, the Middle East and Africa to an up-front buyer approved by it. ICAP declined to name prospective buyers for the business and did not provide details on the number of employees that would be part of the divestment. The CMA said earlier this month the proposed merger would be referred for another round of investigation unless the companies were able to address concerns about an overlap in voice/hybrid broking of oil products. The CMA said on Tuesday it had until Aug. 16 to decide if the proposed sale was sufficient to address its concerns, or refer the merger for further investigation. ICAP and Tullett are inter dealer brokers that match buyers and sellers of currencies, bonds and other tradeable instruments. The companies last year agreed to the 1.11 billion pounds deal to better compete in a sector where trading volumes have shrunk due to regulation designed to rein in the riskier trading activities of their traditional investment bank clients. ICAP and Tullett said on Tuesday that ICAP would no longer retain a 19.9 percent interest in the combined group after completion of the deal and instead, the shares would be issued directly to ICAP shareholders. As a result, ICAP shareholders will hold about 56 percent of the combined group's share capital after the completion of the deal, the companies said in a statement. The companies had said earlier that after the deal ICAP would hold 19.9 percent and its shareholders 36.1 percent of the new company. Tullett's existing shareholders will own 44 percent of the new company. Story continues Tullett will continue under the name TPICAP, employing around 3,000 brokers and 2,000 support staff. The CMA has said the two companies faced limited competition from other brokers, electronic platforms and exchanges for broking of oil products, which rakes in about 228 million pounds in industry-wide revenue each year in EMEA. The watchdog did not find significant competition concerns in 19 of the 20 overlapping product categories it considered such as spot FX, equity derivatives and interest rate swaps. (Reporting by Noor Zainab Hussain in Bengaluru; Editing by Savio D'Souza and Saumyadeb Chakrabarty) The Hague (AFP) - The International Criminal Court Tuesday sentenced former Congolese vice president Jean-Pierre Bemba to 18 years in jail, handing down its toughest penalty ever for "sadistic, cruel" rapes and murders by his troops in Central African Republic. "The chamber sentences Mr Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo to a total of 18 years of imprisonment," said judge Sylvia Steiner as the once feared rebel leader, who has denied all culpability, sat in the courtroom, showing no emotion. Steiner said the former militia leader had failed to exercise control over his private army sent into CAR in late October 2002 where they carried out a series of rapes, murders and pillaging of "particular cruelty." Bemba, dressed in a dark suit and blue tie, is the highest-level official to be sentenced by the ICC after being convicted in March on five charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. And he is only the third person to be sentenced at the tribunal based in The Hague since it began work in 2002. The other two got sentences of 14 and 12 years. ICC chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, whose office had asked for 25 years in jail, told AFP Bemba's sentence was "very significant". "It is sending a very strong signal to commanders that they will be held accountable for the crimes that their troops commit in the field, especially when they had the ability and control to stop it and did not," she said. The atrocities were carried out by Bemba's private army, the Congolese Liberation Movement (MLC), when some 1,500 troops unleashed a five-month campaign of terror in CAR to quash a coup against then president Ange-Felix Patasse. "Entire families were victimised" and the number of victims was "substantial" as poorly paid MLC troops "self-compensated through acts of rape," the judge said. Some men and women were raped repeatedly by as many as 20 soldiers. Others were shot point blank for refusing to hand over a motorbike or a sheep. Story continues - Bemba 'disappointed' - Bemba's defence team has already filed notice that it intends to appeal, and argued he should be released immediately as he has been behind bars since his arrest in 2008. Bemba was "extremely disappointed" with Tuesday's sentence, his lawyer Kate Gibson told AFP. "Today's sentence is by no means the end of the road for Mr Bemba," she added, saying they would now move to the appeal phase. Bemba's case was the first at the ICC to focus on rape as a weapon of war and the first to highlight a military commander's responsibility for the conduct of the troops under his control. While the judges handed down sentences of 16 years for the crimes of murder, they ordered Bemba to serve 18 years for the counts of rape. The terms will be served concurrently -- and Bemba is entitled to have his total time behind bars reduced for time already served. Judge Steiner said Bemba had done "more than tolerate the crimes as a commander". "Mr Bemba's failure to take action was deliberately aimed at encouraging the attacks directed against the civilian population," she said, adding he had had all the necessary means to stop his troops. ICC chief prosecutor Bensouda said she and her team would study the sentence before deciding whether to appeal. She highlighted that "rape as a war crime and crime against humanity has received a higher sentencing than the crimes of murder or pillaging." "So the judges are also showing by this sentence that they are aware of the seriousness of the problem," Bensouda told AFP. - 'Justice for victims' - Bemba, a rich businessman who became one of the vice presidents of the Democratic Republic of Congo, was arrested in Brussels in 2008 after losing a bid for his country's presidency. In a swift reaction, Human Rights Watch said on Twitter that it welcomed the sentence saying it "offers a measure of justice for victims of sexual violence." And an alliance of rights groups, FIDH, said: "The ICC has finally spoken, loud and clear: Sexual violence in armed conflict cannot go unpunished." But Bemba's MLC, which has now morphed into a major Congolese opposition party, lashed out at what it called "selective justice". (Adds details on search for successor) By David Lawder WASHINGTON, June 21 (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund said on Tuesday its third highest ranking official, Deputy Managing Director Min Zhu, will leave the Fund when his five-year term expires in late July. Zhu, a former central banker at the People's Bank of China is one of four IMF deputy managing directors. He had focused on jobs and growth issues that have risen in prominence at the IMF as global growth has waned, along with fragile, small and low-income countries. The IMF said a search for his successor was already underway and "further announcements will follow in due course." The new deputy will be appointed by Managing Director Christine Lagarde with consensus from the Fund's board. Zhu joined the Fund in 2010 as a special advisor to the managing director. An IMF spokeswoman said that he intends to retire from policymaking. The Fund said that Zhu helped to strengthen the Fund's statistics and standards as well as its Financial Sector Assessment Program and efforts to combat money laundering and terrorism financing. Lagarde in the statement praised Zhu's "formidable intellect and passion for economics," adding that he had provided "immense support to me and our management colleagues." (Reporting By David Lawder; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Diane Craft) A former British ministers apparent about-face on the U.K.s continued membership in the European Union illustrates the central role immigration is playing both sides of the Brexit debate. Sayeeda Warsi said Monday she was now backing the remain campaign after, in her words, the leave campaign had abandoned its moderate message to become small-minded, xenophobic and inward-looking. Her remarks to The Guardian: The vision that the Brexit campaign is presenting is not the vision that me and other Brexiters started off with a year ago. The hello world approach to Brexit, which is open-minded, visionary, inclusive, has been lost. The moderate message has been lost. And instead we have reverted to a campaign that says: The Turks are coming, the Syrians are coming, the refugees are coming, the Muslims are coming, the terrorists are coming. Indeed, Warsis remarks are an apparent reference to a poster released last week by Nigel Farage, the head of the U.K. Independence Party (UKIP), which favors the U.K. leaving the EU. Heres that ad: Stefan Wermuth / Reuters The image on Farages poster was one of Syrian and other refugees and migrants walking through the heart of the European countryside to reach Germany, Sweden, and other western European nations, as Europe grapples with its most severe refugee crisis since World War II. Britain, like much of the rest of Europe, has been wary of letting in large numbers of these migrants and refugees. The U.K. retains substantial autonomy over how many immigrants it accepts from outside the EU. By contrast, though, under EU rules the U.K. cannot limit migration from within Europe, and has to extend to those migrants much of the same rights and privileges it gives its own citizens. Its unclear if Brexit would actually reduce immigration to the U.K. About half of the migrants to Britain come from non-EU countries, and previous efforts to curb immigration have had limited success. Still, Farages poster struck a chordor nervedepending on your viewpoint. Recommended: Trump Is on the Verge of Losing Even Republicans Its important to point out here that Farages ad was a UKIP posterand not one issued by the official Vote Leave campaign, which is headed by Boris Johnson, the former London mayor who, like Warsi, is from the ruling Conservative Party. Indeed, many of those who support Brexit distanced themselves from the poster, while those who support Britains continued membership in the EU labeled it racist and, in an example of Godwins law as well as how far each side is willing to go to tarnish the other, highlighted some of the similarities it shared with World War II-era Nazi propaganda. .@StripyMoggie Can't help but make a Nazi comparison to this rhetoric. pic.twitter.com/W209C6HjLT Brendan Harkin (@brendanjharkin) June 16, 2016 But even those who support Britains continued membership in the EU, and indeed believe that it makes the U.K. stronger, have been skeptical about immigration. In February Prime Minister David Cameron, who is supporting the remain campaign, had secured a host of concessions from the EU on issues including benefits paid to EU migrants. And Jeremy Corbyn, the head of the Labour Party, who is also supporting the U.K.s continued EU membership, said over the weekend: I dont think you can have [an upper limit to immigration] while you have free movement of labor. The comments were seized upon by his rivals in the debate. But those rivals have also been quick to distance themselves from Farages poster. Johnson criticized it, and said Britains exit would help neutralize anti-immigrant feeling. He added he was passionately pro-immigration and pro-immigrants, and went as far as to call for an amnesty for immigrants illegally in the U.K. for 12 or more years because it was the humane thing to do. Recommended: Donald Trump's Campaign Is Nearly Penniless Farage has stood his ground, insisting the only reason hes being criticized is because of the assassination last week of Jo Cox, the pro-remain Labour Party member of Parliament. And while Michael Gove, the justice secretary and leave campaigner, said Farages poster made him shudder, he has also previously warned of the consequences of Turkeys accession to the EU, saying it would pose a security risk to Britain as part of his argument for why Britain should leave the bloc. (The prospect of Turkey joining the EU in the near- or medium-term is dim.) Warsi, the former minister, told The Guardian she had hoped the debate over Brexit would become more measured following Coxs assassination, but when I turned on the television on Sunday morning and saw Nigel Farage defending the indefensible and Michael Gove continue to peddle lies about Turkeys accession to the EU, that for me was a step too far. The referendum is on Thursdayand polls show a statistical dead heat. Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. By Hidayat Setiaji JAKARTA (Reuters) - The central banks of Indonesia and South Korea have been hit by cyber attacks on their public websites since activist hacking group Anonymous pledged last month to target banks across the world, senior officials in the two countries told Reuters. In response to the attempted hacks, Bank Indonesia (BI) has blocked 149 regions that don't usually access its website, including several small African countries, Deputy Governor Ronald Waas said in an interview late on Monday. He said several central banks were hit by similar attacks and were sharing the IP addresses used by the perpetrators. Central banks have been on high alert in the wake of revelations that hackers issued fraudulent money transfers to steal $81 million from the Bangladesh central bank in February. No money was lost in the attacks on Bank Indonesia and the Bank of Korea, which were mainly DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attempts, the officials said. There was no word on who the hackers were. Waas said the cyber attacks were unsuccessful because of the cooperation between central banks. "There is regional cooperation between central banks. Those who have gotten hit are sharing their experiences," he said. Anonymous, a loosely associated international network of activists and hackers, originated in 2003. It said in a YouTube video posted in early May that it would launch a 30-day campaign to attack central bank sites in what it dubbed as Operation Icarus. DDoS is its preferred method of attack, disabling websites by flooding them with internet requests, overwhelming the servers temporarily. Sometimes the hackers succeed in gaining access to data, but rarely do they penetrate more critical systems in such attacks. Bank of Korea officials told Reuters there was at least one DDoS attack on the bank's website in May. No harm was done, they said. "In May, we've had so many disturbances," Benny Sadwiko, who is leading Bank Indonesia's cyber security efforts, told Reuters. Story continues "They are trying to attack the reputation of the banks. So we're blocking IP addresses from countries that don't usually access us." In just half a day on Monday, Bank Indonesia detected 273 viruses and 67,000 spam emails to its email server and website, officials said. In early May, Greece's central bank said that its website became the target of a cyber attack by Anonymous for a few minutes before the bank's security systems managed to tackle it. The Central Bank of Cyprus has also said its website briefly came under attack in May. (Additional reporting by Christine Kim in Seoul; Writing by Gayatri Suroyo; Editing by Randy Fabi and Raju Gopalakrishnan) By Hidayat Setiaji JAKARTA (Reuters) - The central banks of Indonesia and South Korea have been hit by cyber attacks on their public websites since activist hacking group Anonymous pledged last month to target banks across the world, senior officials in the two countries told Reuters. In response to the attempted hacks, Bank Indonesia (BI) has blocked 149 regions that don't usually access its website, including several small African countries, Deputy Governor Ronald Waas said in an interview late on Monday. He said several central banks were hit by similar attacks and were sharing the IP addresses used by the perpetrators. Central banks have been on high alert in the wake of revelations that hackers issued fraudulent money transfers to steal $81 million from the Bangladesh central bank in February. No money was lost in the attacks on Bank Indonesia and the Bank of Korea, which were mainly DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attempts, the officials said. There was no word on who the hackers were. Waas said the cyber attacks were unsuccessful because of the cooperation between central banks. "There is regional cooperation between central banks. Those who have gotten hit are sharing their experiences," he said. Anonymous, a loosely associated international network of activists and hackers, originated in 2003. It said in a YouTube video posted in early May that it would launch a 30-day campaign to attack central bank sites in what it dubbed as Operation Icarus. DDoS is its preferred method of attack, disabling websites by flooding them with internet requests, overwhelming the servers temporarily. Sometimes the hackers succeed in gaining access to data, but rarely do they penetrate more critical systems in such attacks. Bank of Korea officials told Reuters there was at least one DDoS attack on the bank's website in May. No harm was done, they said. "In May, we've had so many disturbances," Benny Sadwiko, who is leading Bank Indonesia's cyber security efforts, told Reuters. "They are trying to attack the reputation of the banks. So we're blocking IP addresses from countries that don't usually access us." In just half a day on Monday, Bank Indonesia detected 273 viruses and 67,000 spam emails to its email server and website, officials said. In early May, Greece's central bank said that its website became the target of a cyber attack by Anonymous for a few minutes before the bank's security systems managed to tackle it. The Central Bank of Cyprus has also said its website briefly came under attack in May. (Additional reporting by Christine Kim in Seoul; Writing by Gayatri Suroyo; Editing by Randy Fabi and Raju Gopalakrishnan) Irrfan Khan at the Sony Summit Inferno red carpet in Singapore. (Photo: Bryan Huang/Yahoo Singapore) His character in Inferno is a mystery to those who havent read the novels, and the man himself believes that the world suffers from a lack of knowledge. In an interview with Yahoo Singapore on the Inferno red carpet on Tuesday (14 June), Irrfan Khan said that if given the power, he would change the ignorance of human beings. I will eliminate the ignorance of human beings, Irrfan said. Because thats the problem, we tend to sleep after some time Because were ignorant. We forget things. Whatever we go through, after a point, we tend to forget that and repeat the same mistakes. We fall into the same trap, repeat the same follies, the veteran Indian actor said. Ignorance should be eliminated. Gratefulness should be propagated, he asserted. Irrfan was in Singapore together with Inferno co-star Tom Hanks and director Ron Howard as part of the Sony Summit held at Marina Bay Sands last week. Inferno is the third Dan Brown novel to be adapted for the big screen after The Da Vinci Code (2006) and Angels and Demons (2009). Inferno opens in Singapore on 27 Oct 2016. Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f122243%2f872ce92f75a64a28b553ed89bdf24d77 From Delhi to Sydney and Paris to Beijing, enthusiasts around the world gathered together to perform yoga poses to mark the second edition of the International Yoga Day on June 21. SEE ALSO: How India plans to celebrate International Yoga Day on June 21 In India, the main celebrations were at the city of Chandigarh, where Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined 30,000 people in participating at a mass yoga session. Just like you have made the mobile phone a part of your life, make yoga a part of your life too," Modi said at the event. Around 10,000 other yoga camps and events were held across the country. Here are glimpses of some of them. India Image: ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP/Getty Images Indian schoolchildren participate in a yoga session at a school in Chennai on June 20, 2016, on the eve of International Yoga Day. 4001 schoolchildren participated in the demonstration. People doing yoga in water at a swimming pool in the city of Jodhpur. Members of India's National Cadet Corps (NCC) take part in a mass yoga session to mark International Yoga Day on The Brigade Parade Grounds in Kolkata on June 21, 2016. Indian yoga practitioners participate in a mass yoga session on International Yoga Day near Connaught Place in New Delhi on June 21, 2016. China Cambodia Australia France US Malaysia Hong Kong Ecuador An aerial view of Chinese enthusiasts performing yoga the glass sightseeing platform in the Shilinxia scenic spot in Beijing, China, 20 June 2016. More than 150 yoga lovers practiced yoga on the 32.8-meter-long platform. A large group of yoga enthusiasts practice yoga on a glass platform at Shilin Gorge on June 20, 2016 in Beijing, China. Considered to be the world's largest glass viewing platform, it is located in Shijin Gorge in Pinggu district of Beijing, 900 meters in the air. More than 1,000 yoga lovers participated in a mass gathering at a sports park in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong province to practise yoga to celebrate the second annual International Yoga Day. People perform yoga at Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Thousands gather for a group yoga class in front of the Sydney Opera House on June 21, 2016 in Sydney, Australia. Yoga enthusiasts perform yoga on top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Sydney, Australia to mark the second International Yoga Day. A yoga session in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Thousands of people participate in a yoga class at Times Square in New York City to celebrate the Summer Solstice and the second International Yoga Day. Yoga enthusiasts participant do exercise at Dataran Merdeka (Independent Square) during an International Yoga day on June 21, 2016 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (Photo by ) Yoga lovers perform yoga at Hong Kong to observe International Yoga Day. (Adds Bob Lund co-founded Voyat, background) By Liana B. Baker SAN FRANCISCO, June 21 (Reuters) - Intent Media, a provider of advertising tools for online travel agencies, is buying software company Voyat in a bid to take ad dollars from search engines such as Alphabet Inc's Google, the startup firms said on Tuesday. Financial details were not disclosed in a statement by the New York-based firms. Intent Media, founded in 2009 by former executives of travel agency site Travelocity, has raised about $50 million in venture capital funding. Its investors include New York-based private and growth equity firm Insight Ventures. Voyat has raised $3 million since it was founded in 2012 by Chief Executive Benjamin Habbel and Bob Lund, a former partner at a startup incubator. Habbel had served as chief of staff for Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer when she worked at Google. The deal is aimed at giving Intent Media a better foothold in the hotel industry, company Chief Executive Richard Harris said in an interview. Voyat makes software that helps hotels retain and book more guests though loyalty programs and personalized offers. Harris said that most consumers abandon dozens of travel searches when planning a trip, and usually toggle between websites using Google. Google is a major platform for online ads for travel, with search capabilities that enable it to collect data on consumer interests and habits valued by marketers, airlines, cruise companies and other travel sellers. Google also owns ITA software, a flight information provider, and has a hotel price ad program that routes consumers to hotel websites for booking. To help steer users away from Google, Intent Media shows ads with prices for hotel rooms and flights on competing travel websites, so consumers feel like they are comparison shopping without going through Google. Online travel websites then get to keep a bigger slice of advertising revenue and dollars from clicking on the offers, Harris said. Story continues "We want to keep revenue inside the travel sector rather than leaking out in the billions to Google," Harris said. Harris estimated that Priceline Group spends about $2 billion per year to access search traffic on Google. Priceline and Google declined to comment. The online travel industry has been undergoing a sweeping consolidation, with Expedia and larger rival Priceline embarking on acquisition sprees to dominate the business. Intent Media has a valuation in the "hundreds of millions" but below $500 million, Harris said, adding the company does not anticipate raising any more funding. (Reporting by Liana B. Baker in San Francisco; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell and Richard Chang) (adds size of stake) By Pamela Barbaglia and Giulia Segreti MILAN, June 21 (Reuters) - Gulf investment firm Investcorp has bought a 55 per cent stake in Italian menswear company Corneliani in a deal that values the group at $100 million, it said on Tuesday. It is the latest such acquisition by a foreign buyer in a sector targeted by investors seeking returns from well-established niche brands. The Bahrain-based private equity fund will invest "a substantial amount" in the suitmaker, the group's Head of Corporate Investment in Europe Hazem Ben-Gacem told a news conference in Milan. He hoped for a future market listing but said Corneliani "needs to walk before it can run". The Mantua-based company posted revenues of 120 million euros ($147 million) in 2015, with almost 80 per cent of its sales coming from outside Italy. Investcorp targets raising Corneliani's sales to more than $200 million over the next five to six years, with a focus on North America, Ben-Gacem said. Menswear has been growing steadily in recent years and top-end brands are still faring well despite an overall slowdown in the luxury sector, facing weaker consumer demand in China and in emerging markets and security threats curbing tourism. Chairman and Chief Executive Carlalberto Corneliani, 84, will cash out alongside his two sons, while his nephews Cristiano and Corrado will retain a minority stake. Carlalberto, who founded the business in 1958 with his late brother Claudio, said the company had no debts and had sealed the accord for strategic reasons, without elaborating further. "Corneliani has been like a lover, which has given me joys and griefs, but overall a splendid life," he said. Many family-owned companies in Italy face succession problems when founders near retirement because owners are often reluctant to bring in outsiders as investors or managers. Corrado Corneliani said the deal, sealed after almost a year of exclusive talks with Investcorp, would give the group funds for expansion. Story continues Corneliani, which employs 1,100 people, is present in 68 countries though it has only 10 directly-owned shops. It sells its clothes mostly through multi-brand shops but it also runs corners in department stores such as Harvey Nichols and Saks Fifth Avenue. The deal shows that Investcorp still sees Italy as a core market after it purchased Italian sportswear and protective gear maker Dainese from its founders in 2014. Back in 1993 Investcorp bought half of Florence-based Gucci, now fully controlled by luxury conglomerate Kering. (Editing by Ruth Pitchford) By Pamela Barbaglia and Giulia Segreti MILAN (Reuters) - Gulf investment firm Investcorp (INVB.BH) has bought a majority stake in Italian menswear company Corneliani in a deal that values the group at $100 million (67.87 million pound), it said on Tuesday. It is the latest such acquisition by a foreign buyer in a sector targeted by investors seeking returns from well-established niche brands. The Bahrain-based private equity fund will invest "a substantial amount" in the suitmaker, the group's Head of Corporate Investment in Europe Hazem Ben-Gacem told a press conference in Milan. He hoped for a future market listing but said Corneliani "needs to walk before it can run". The Mantua-based company posted revenues of 120 million euros ($147 million) in 2015, with almost 80 per cent of its sales coming from outside Italy. Investcorp targets raising Corneliani's sales to more than $200 million over the next five to six years, with a focus on North America, Ben-Gacem said. Menswear has been growing steadily in recent years and top-end brands are still faring well despite an overall slowdown in the luxury sector, facing weaker consumer demand in China and in emerging markets and security threats curbing tourism. Chairman and Chief Executive Carlalberto Corneliani, 84, will cash out alongside his two sons, while his nephews Cristiano and Corrado will retain a minority stake. Carlalberto, who founded the business in 1958 with his late brother Claudio, said the company had no debts and had sealed the accord for strategic reasons, without elaborating further. "Corneliani has been like a lover, which has given me joys and griefs, but overall a splendid life," he said. Many family-owned companies in Italy face succession problems when founders near retirement because owners are often reluctant to bring in outsiders as investors or managers. Corrado Corneliani said the deal, sealed after almost a year of exclusive talks with Investcorp, would give the group funds for expansion. Story continues Corneliani, which employs 1,100 people, is present in 68 countries though it has only 10 directly-owned shops. It sells its clothes mostly through multi-brand shops but it also runs corners in department stores such as Harvey Nichols and Saks Fifth Avenue. The deal shows that Investcorp still sees Italy as a core market after it purchased Italian sportswear and protective gear maker Dainese from its founders in 2014. Back in 1993 Investcorp bought half of Florence-based Gucci, now fully controlled by luxury conglomerate Kering (PRTP.PA). (Editing by Ruth Pitchford) (Adds details on Vanguard and WisdomTree) NEW YORK, June 21 (Reuters) - Concerned about the impact of Britain's upcoming vote on European Union membership, investors pulled $11 billion out of the 10 largest European equity exchange-traded funds year-to-date through June 15, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence's ETF reports on Tuesday. Two of the largest ETFs, based on assets under management, had inflows in 2016, while others from BlackRock, SSGA Funds Management, WisdomTree, and Vanguard had sharp outflows. Vanguard FTSE Europe, the largest of the European-focused ETFs with $12.68 billion in assets, had the third-highest year-to-date outflows, $1.06 billion, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence. The Vanguard fund has a hefty 31.40 percent stake in United Kingdom domiciled securities, including HSBC Holdings and Royal Dutch Shell. The fund also has significant exposure to companies based in France (13.9 percent of assets), Germany (13.4 percent), Switzerland (13.4 percent), and Sweden (4.9 percent). WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity Fund and iShares MSCI Eurozone shed $4.36 billion and $3.55 billion in client assets, respectively, to start the year. The WisdomTree offering has more exposure to Germany (25.54 percent), France (24.67 percent), the Netherlands (17.34 percent), and Spain (14.93 percent) than its Vanguard peer, in part because it solely is focused on euro zone markets. (Reporting By Jennifer Ablan; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Meredith Mazzilli) By Dustin Volz WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell set up a vote late on Monday to expand the Federal Bureau of Investigation's authority to use a secretive surveillance order without a warrant to include email metadata and some browsing history information. The move, made via an amendment to a criminal justice appropriations bill, is an effort by Senate Republicans to respond to last week's mass shooting in an Orlando nightclub after a series of measures to restrict guns offered by both parties failed on Monday. In the wake of the tragic massacre in Orlando, it is important our law enforcement have the tools they need to conduct counterterrorism investigations, Senator John McCain, an Arizona Republican and sponsor of the amendment, said in a statement. The bill is also supported by Republican Senators John Cornyn, Jeff Sessions and Richard Burr, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee. Privacy advocates denounced the effort, saying it seeks to exploit a mass shooting in order to expand the governments digital spying powers. Senator Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, criticized a similar effort last month as one that takes a hatchet to important protections for Americans liberty. The amendment would broaden the FBIs authority to use so-called National Security Letters to include electronic communications transaction records such as time stamps of emails and the emails' senders and recipients. The Obama administration for years has lobbied for a change to how NSLs can be used, after a 2008 legal memo from the Justice Department said the law limits them largely to phone billing records. FBI Director James Comey has said the change essentially corrects a typo and is a top legislative priority for his agency. NSLs do not require a warrant and are almost always accompanied by a gag order preventing the service provider from sharing the request with a targeted user. The letters have existed since the 1970s, though the scope and frequency of their use expanded greatly after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. The amendment filed Monday would also make permanent a provision of the USA Patriot Act that allows the intelligence community to conduct surveillance on lone wolf suspects who do not have confirmed ties to a foreign terrorist group. That provision, which the Justice Department said last year had never been used, is currently set to expire in December 2019. A vote is expected no later than Wednesday, McConnell's office said. (Reporting by Dustin Volz; Editing by Leslie Adler) The Pantheon of bad economic ideas proposed by members of the United States Congress is a crowded place. In recent years alone, bills that would result in the Treasury Department effectively defaulting on its debt and repeated attempts to pass a strict balanced budget amendment have given economists fits. But an amendment offered by Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) to the upcoming appropriations bill that would fund the Treasury Department may might just set the standard against which all future dubious economic proposals will be judged. Related: Trump Says He Doesnt Need the GOP; Republicans Might Be Okay with That In the space of just 36 words, King proposes a restriction on the Treasury Department that would not just hogtie the U.S. governments ability to manage its existing debt, but would at the same time create a global financial crisis. Amendment The amendment, meant to be tacked on to the end of the Financial Services and General Government appropriations bill, is short and clear. It reads, None of the funds made available by this Act can be used to issue bonds, or any other form of debt, on the credit of the United States Government or to in any way borrow money. To be clear, barring the Treasury Department from issuing bonds is a pretty extraordinary move. Not only does it prevent the federal government from issuing new debt -- something Republican-controlled houses of Congress have been going back-and-forth on with the Obama administration for years -- it also effectively bars Treasury from rolling over existing debt. Thats kind of a problem, because U.S. Treasury securities are, literally, the underpinning of the global economy. The U.S. has always honored its debt, which has made Treasury securities the closest thing to a risk-free asset there is on planet Earth. Related: Why Clinton or Trump Could Face a Stock Market Nightmare That means that for decades, individuals, investment companies, corporations and sovereign governments have all invested in U.S. Treasury securities on the assumption that they were as safe as an investment can possibly be. Story continues Kings plan to block the Treasury Department from issuing more debt would throw those assumptions out the window. It would also make it virtually impossible for the federal government to make good on benefits payments to veterans, retirees and others expecting promised government payments. The proposal, according to economist Jared Bernstein, is unbelievable. Bernstein, a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, compared it to a proposal by presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump that the U.S. just refuse to pay its debts until its creditors offer more lenient terms. This is up there with Trumps idea to default on the debt, Bernstein wrote in an email exchange. Though its way crazier (and would also be a default, as we couldnt borrow to pay holders of existing Treasury debt). Before we even think about how disruptive this would be to global debt markets, consider that because you cant even roll over existing debt under this amendment, it would mean stiffing veterans, Social Security and Medicare recipients, defense, and probably every other spending category in the budget. Related: When Donald Trump Says Were Losing to China, Hes Right About One Thing The truth about the King proposal is that the Iowa congressman (whose office did not respond to a request for comment before this article was published) probably doesnt expect his amendment to become part of the final bill. It will, however, serve as a very convenient campaign talking point between now and the November elections. Its the sort of thing that particularly aggravates folks like Bernstein. I get that Congress doesnt want to solve our actual problems, he wrote. But if theyre just sitting around thinking of ways to create huge new problems, can someone remind me what we paying them for? Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: New York (AFP) - US aerospace giant Boeing and Iran Air confirmed Tuesday a tentative deal for the sale of passenger planes, in what could prove a landmark for easing in the difficult US-Iran relationship. The deal, valued as much as $25 billion, would be the largest between a US business and Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution. Boeing said it had reached a preliminary agreement with the state-owned carrier as it seeks to check the boxes in a multi-step process overseen at every stage by US regulators. "Boeing confirms the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Iran Air expressing the airline's intent to purchase Boeing commercial passenger airplanes," the Chicago-based company said in an email to AFP. Boeing said "it will continue to follow the lead of the US government" and that "any and all contracts with Iran's airlines will be contingent upon US government approval." Earlier Tuesday, Iran Air said it had struck an initial deal to buy Boeing 737 and 777 airliners, subject to US government approval. The order could be valued at roughly $25 billion, a person close to the situation told AFP. Despite the significant progress, analysts noted that there are still hurdles to clear before Boeing seals the transaction. Iran had been an international pariah prior to the Iran nuclear deal reached in 2015 and the US-Iran relationship remains one of mutual distrust, with the US maintaining extensive sanctions on Iran. Boeing archrival Airbus in January reached a deal to sell Iran 118 aircraft worth about $25 billion. French officials in April said the transaction was in the final stages of winning approval from the US Office of Foreign Assets Control, a key hurdle, because some of the aircraft components are made in the US. The deal still has not been finalized. In Boeing's case, there are also questions about how Iran Air will pay for the planes given that US banks are still barred from doing business in Iran and from processing dollar-based transactions for Iran. Story continues "If the deal can be consummated in euros, I think it will be a slam dunk," said Cliff Kupchan, an analyst at Eurasia Group. Kupchan said many Iran-watchers have been surprised by the reluctance of risk-adverse European banks to jump into Iran. "The payment needs to be ironed out by banking experts," he said. It is also not certain that Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will approve the purchase. "Suppose we modernize our air fleet. Okay, it's a very important and necessary move. But is it the priority?" Khamenei said in a speech last week. - Upgrading aging fleet - The agreement was signed in the past month after a visit by Boeing representatives to Iran and several rounds of negotiations, Iran Air said on its website. Iran's civil aviation authority says it needs 400 to 500 aircraft over the next decade to modernize its fleet. Kupchan said international negotiators explicitly permitted commercial aircraft sales to Iran due to the decrepit nature of the Iranian fleet. He predicted the Boeing deal would ultimately be completed due in part to the importance of the Iran nuclear deal to President Barack Obama's foreign policy legacy. "My best judgment is that broadly speaking, this deal will move forward," he said. "Fixes will be found." Investment bank Jefferies also cited the Obama administration's support as it noted the progress on the deal. "While some politicians may take issue with this sale, it seems the administration is supportive of the transaction and that this should be sufficient to permit it to go forward despite some complaints," Jefferies said. "The transaction may provide a framework for other industries seeking to expand their business in Iran, so it may generate support from leaders outside of the aerospace market as well." Boeing BA officially announced that it has signed a tentative agreement with Iran to sell a number of jet aircraft to the country. Originally leaked by an Iranian minister last week, the deal now looks to be one of the biggest between Iran and a U.S. company since several trade sanctions were lifted earlier this year. Boeing confirms the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Iran Air, expressing the airlines intent to purchase Boeing commercial passenger airplanes, said the Chicago-based plane maker. The state-owned Iran Air fleet is in desperate need of new aircraft, as new American planes have not flown over the country since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Boeing has not yet released the full details of the agreement, but Irans minister of roads and urban development said last week that the pact will be for more than 100 planes. He later added to that statement on Tuesday and said that the deal could be worth up to $25 billion. Despite the Obama administrations lifting of sanctions that came with the U.S.s new nuclear deal with Iran, a major deal like this is still subject to regulatory approval. Considering how polarizing the nuclear deal was, the agreement between Iran and Boeing will almost certainly be fighting an uphill battle. In fact, last week two Congressmen, Jeb Hensarling (R., Texas) and Peter Roskam (R., Ill.) penned an open letter to Boeing to express concern with the potential deal. The Congressmen requested further information to assess the national security implications of such a deal, accusing Iran of supporting hostile actors in the region. Nevertheless, it is important to remember that part of the original purpose of the Iran nuclear deal was to reinvigorate the economic relationship between the U.S. and Tehran. The Obama administration has stated clearly that it will not stand in the way of legal business activity. I would remind you that we issued a statement of licensing policy that allowed for case-by-case licensing of individuals and entities seeking to export, re-export, sell, lease, or transfer to Iran commercial passenger aircraft and associated parts and services exclusively for commercial passenger aviation, said State Department spokesperson John Kirby last week. Story continues From an investors perspective, a massive contract with Iran is certainly exciting news to hear from Boeing. Not only is this deal expected to be worth many billions of dollars, but it could open the door for a long-term relationship that continues to pay off. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report BOEING CO (BA): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Dubai (AFP) - Iran has warned Bahrain that it is fanning armed rebellion and "will pay the price" after an escalating crackdown on the country's Shiite majority saw a top cleric stripped of citizenship. Washington and the United Nations have also raised concerns about moves by the Sunni-ruled kingdom against Shiites, who account for some 70 percent of the Gulf state's population. Bahrain has been shaken by unrest since security forces crushed Shiite-led protests demanding a constitutional monarchy and an elected prime minister in 2011. Tensions have reached fresh heights in recent days, with the suspension of the Al-Wefaq main Shiite opposition group and, on Monday, the stripping of top Shiite cleric Sheikh Isa Qassim's citizenship. Predominant Shiite power Iran has long championed the rights of the community in Bahrain and a prominent Iranian general said the move against Sheikh Qassim was a step too far. "Surely they know that the aggression against Ayatollah Sheikh Isa Qassim is a red line... that will leave no option for the people but to resort to armed resistance," Qassem Suleimani, head of the elite Revolutionary Guards' overseas operations arm, the Quds Force, told state media late on Monday. Bahrain's rulers "will pay the price and it will have no result but the destruction of this bloodthirsty regime," he added. Iran's foreign ministry criticised the "extrajudicial" measures by Bahrain that "dash hopes of reform through dialogue." - 'Blow to freedom' - Bahrain has repeatedly accused Iran of interfering in its affairs and inciting violence among Shiites, a claim Tehran denies. The Bahraini interior ministry alluded to the accusations in its statement announcing the decision against the Shiite spiritual leader. Qassim abused his position to "serve foreign interests and promote... sectarianism and violence," it said. Saudi Arabia's government voiced support for its neighbour, saying it stands by Bahrain in "measures taken to preserve the security, stability and safety of its citizens" and to protect "unity and social cohesion". Story continues The Arab heavyweight has been a strong backer of Manama and repeatedly accused arch-rival Iran of meddling in Bahraini affairs. There was no immediate indication of Qassim's fate but, in theory, he would be left stateless and could face deportation through a legal process. A leading Bahraini human rights group on Tuesday urged authorities to stop revoking citizenship "to punish political dissent." The move against Qassim "is yet another blow to freedom of speech and expression in Bahrain," the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights said. It urged the government to "immediately and unconditionally reinstate" the citizenship of Qassim and others, saying that it had documented evidence of at least 261 people being stripped of their nationality since 2012. Lebanon's Iran-backed Shiite Hezbollah movement urged Bahrainis to "express their anger" at a decision it said showed there would be "no reforms, nor rights, nor dialogue." Street protests erupted in the cleric's home village of Diraz, west of the capital Manama, on Monday, witnesses said. They said police sealed off the village, where thousands of demonstrators waved portraits of their religious leader and chanted slogans against King Hamad. - US 'deeply troubled' - As well as the suspension of Al-Wefaq -- whose political chief Sheikh Ali Salman is serving a nine-year jail term on charges of inciting violence -- the crackdown has seen a series of arrests and jailings. Earlier this month, the head of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, Nabeel Rajab, was rearrested after being released from prison last year for health reasons. A week earlier, prominent Shiite opposition activist Zainab al-Khawaja announced she was leaving the country shortly after being released from several months in jail for ripping up a picture of King Hamad. Bahrain, which is connected to Saudi Arabia by a causeway and lies across the Gulf from Shiite Iran, is a key ally of Washington and home to the US Fifth Fleet. The stripping of Qassim's citizenship nonetheless drew a rebuke from Washington, with State Department spokesman John Kirby saying the United States was "alarmed". "We remain deeply troubled by the government of Bahrain's practice of withdrawing the nationality of its citizens arbitrarily," Kirby said. "Our concern is further magnified by reports that Sheikh Qassim was unable to respond to the accusations against him... or challenge the decision through a transparent legal process." The UN human rights office also expressed concern over the "intensified crackdown on the freedoms of expression and association and the right to a nationality." It urged Bahrain's rulers "to de-escalate the situation instead of taking such damaging steps in quick succession." BEIRUT (Reuters) - Iran has arrested 10 Sunni Muslim militants who were planning to bomb 50 targets across the country, Iranian intelligence minister Mahmoud Alavi said on Tuesday, according to the Fars News site. Officials in predominantly Shi'ite Iran have said in recent weeks that Sunni militants from Islamic State have been trying to target the country. Alavi said the arrests took place in the last week in Tehran and three other provinces in central Iran and along the border. He labeled the suspects "takfiri Wahhabi terrorists", a derogatory reference to Sunni Muslim militants. The minister told a news conference in Tehran that the group had planned to attack busy public locations with remotely detonated explosions, suicide attacks and car bombs, according to Fars News. One hundred kilograms of explosive material has been confiscated and an additional two tons of explosive material was intercepted before reaching the suspects, who are currently being interrogated. Details of the attack come one day after the Ministry of Intelligence issued a statement saying it had thwarted a major terrorist attack. Members of Irans Revolutionary Guard have fought against Islamic State militants in Iraq in a bid to support the Shiite-led government in Baghdad. Guard members and volunteers are also fighting against Sunni militants in Syria to support President Bashar al-Assad. Iranian security forces announced last month that they had arrested a dozen Islamic State fighters in the east and west of the country, and also more than 50 sympathizers who were promoting the group's ideology on the Internet. (Reporting by Babak Dehghanpisheh; Editing by Dominic Evans) DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards on Tuesday condemned Bahrain's decision to revoke the citizenship of the spiritual leader of its Shi'ite Muslim majority, saying the move would encourage a rebellion in the country. "There is no doubt that the unwise decision of the Al Khalifa (rulers of Bahrain) against the top Shi'ite cleric (Ayatollah Isa Qassim) would add to the flame of an Islamic revolution movement in Bahrain and will form a devastating rebellion against the dependent rulers of this country," the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said in a statement published by Fars news agency. (Reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin) As the Brexit vote that will decide whether the United Kingdom will leave the European Union nears, millions of people around the world anxiously wait to see how the outcome could impact the global economy. Phelim McAleer, an Irish documentary filmmaker, joined the FOX Business Networks Risk & Reward to explain the sentiment of many in the U.K., comparing the current situation to one in the United States. Theres an anti-establishment movement, where the establishment politicians and people like John Oliverthe working class are turning against them, McAleer said. Working class whites are turning against themtheyve been let down. McAleer believes the two biggest reasons why people in the U.K. want to leave the European Union are immigration and regulation. When I was young, Britain was the sick man of Europe, he said. Now the rest of Europe is sick. Its got inflexible labor policies, its got economies that arent growingFrance, Spain, Italy. The fear of immigration is one thing, but also then the fear that theyre trying to drag Britain down. Related Articles JERUSALEM -- Roaming the halls of a certain school in this city, one could easily mistake Jerusalem as the capital of the elusive coexistence that many have sought and failed to create in this crossroad of religion and conflict. An Arab teacher and a Jewish teacher ask their fourth-grade students to take out their homework. The class project is "Identity" and the assignment is to research the various historical names of their city. What would be an explosive topic among adults is merely a simple history lesson among these 10-year-olds. An Arab boy stands in front of the class and begins. "Thousands of years ago, before Palestine or Israel, Jerusalem was Ir Yabus," he says, referring to the City of the Jebusites, the ancient tribe conquered by King David in the First Testament. A Jewish student adds that the City of David is one of Jerusalem's nicknames. An Arab girl then tells the class that the Romans renamed Jerusalem "Aelia" after conquering the city and destroying of the Second Jewish Temple in 70 A.D. The very existence of this temple, and the mosque that sits atop its ruins today, are why the Temple Mount is one of the world's most disputed pieces of real estate. As the girl sits down, there is not a hint of tension in the room. Just outside, a group of Jewish and Arab high schoolers walk down the hallway, giggling. It's a scene that would be nearly impossible to find anywhere else in Israel, where Jewish and Arab children almost never learn together, and rarely form friendships. Although Arabs represent 20 percent of Israel's population, Jews and Arabs grow up living separate lives -- beginning with a divided education. The school is run by Hand in Hand, a nonprofit organization that has established bilingual schools across the country. With more than 1,300 children at six schools throughout Israel, Hand in Hand is the country's largest network of integrated education. Its classrooms serve an equal mix of Jewish and Arab students, with lessons taught simultaneously in Hebrew and Arabic by two Arab and Jewish teachers. The school's curriculum is a mixture of government-directed core topics, such as math and science, and material that Hand in Hand develops. Story continues Perhaps Hand in Hand's crucial difference from Israel's official curriculum is the two narrative s it teaches. The Jewish narrative tells of 2,000 years in exile from the ancient land of Israel, the 1947 U.N. partition plan that divided British Mandate Palestine into a Jewish state and an Arab state, the declaration of Israeli independence in 1948, the immediate attacks on the new Jewish state from five surrounding Arab countries, and Israel's surprise victory. Under the Arab narrative, this same event is the Nakba, the catastrophe, which led to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians losing their homes amid the fighting. The belief is that knowing the two narratives will help young Jews and Arabs understand the other's world view. "It's an opportunity to truly see the other side, not from afar, not from the news, and not from the rumors,'" says Lilach Rosenfeld, who graduated from Hand in Hand's Galilee school in 2008 and remains friends with some of her Arab classmates. "You discover the culture, the religion, the traditions, the thoughts, and the world of the other side from up close." While there is no legally instituted segregation in the education system -- Arabs can attend Jewish schools and vice versa -- the vast majority of Arabs attend Arabic schools, as Jews attend Jewish schools. This dual system is not forced upon anyone, but rather reflects the divergent needs and characteristics of two segments of the Israeli population who have little in common beyond the country they live in. Israel's Jewish and Arab citizens speak different languages, celebrate different holidays, observe different cultural norms, tell two distinct historical narratives, and typically live in different communities. This system has been in place since the British Mandate for Palestine, before the U.N. Partition Plan led to the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. Until recently, this division was barely questioned. Most parents, including Arabs, support it, according to Yousef Jabareen, an Arab member of the Israeli parliament and director of The Arab Center for Law and Policy. But in recent years, as hope in peace negotiations has faded, demand has grown from parents who want their children to learn with and about what many here refer to as "the other side." Nadia Kinani is one of those parents. As an Arab mother of three, she helped to establish the Jerusalem Hand in Hand school with Arab and Jewish friends who envisioned a shared future for their children. What began as a classroom of 20 students is now the only school in Israel where Arabs and Jews learn together from kindergarten through 12th grade. This year it had 650 students, with 150 on the waiting list. "The more difficult and hopeless the situation is, the more people look for something that will give them hope," says Kinani, who is now the school's principal. Two of her daughters have graduated, the third is in 10th grade, and Kinani says they are all more open and tolerant than their peers who attended mainstream schools. "Usually when something bad happens between Jews and Arabs, the city's people divide along lines. Here, we come in and talk about it together," Kinani says, adding that her daughters have close Jewish friends. In a nation of 8 million people, some say there aren't enough of these schools to go around. After all, aside from Jerusalem, no other Hand in Hand school runs through 12th grade. Rosenfeld's school ends after the sixth grade. Although Hand in Hand schools are public and receive government funding, that support is just enough to finance half of their operations, which require double the number of teachers compared to non-bilingual schools. With waiting lists at every school and dozens of parents requesting that Hand in Hand open schools in their communities, the organization hopes the Israeli government will eventually boost funding. Until then, half of their financing comes from donations, available through their website, and fees from parents. That Hand in Hand thrives in a city like Jerusalem is proof that it can thrive anywhere, Kinani argues. Still, the idea of co-educating Arabs and Jews is such a threat to some Israelis that last school year, two first-grade classrooms in Hand in Hand's Jerusalem school were set on fire by Jewish extremists who painted the walls with this message: "There's no coexisting with cancer." That didn't stop Hand in Hand. In Kinani's words, "It strengthened us." Ninety-eight percent of children came to school the next day, and their burned classrooms were rebuilt within weeks. Thousands marched through Jerusalem in solidarity. A month later, U.S. President Barack Obama invited students from the school to the White House to light Chanukah candles. What the extremists failed to anticipate was that the media attention they sparked led thousands of Israelis to hear about an alternative school system they never knew existed. Calls from new parents skyrocketed, and Hand in Hand has more children on its waiting list than ever before. Kinani and other parents hope that one day, with enough schools, they won't need any more waiting lists. Yardena Schwartz is a journalist based in Tel Aviv, Israel. Beit Ur (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - Israeli troops killed a Palestinian teenager Tuesday after apparently mistaking his group for stone-throwers as they returned from a swim, sparking outrage and debate about the security forces' use of firearms. Palestinian officials harshly condemned the shooting, saying the 15-year-old was "murdered" while in a car in the occupied West Bank with four teenaged cousins, who were wounded by the gunfire. Circumstances surrounding the shooting were unclear and the army was still investigating, but in a stark admission it said it appeared those shot were "uninvolved bystanders". The military said the overnight shooting followed stone-throwing at Israelis travelling a road that cuts through the West Bank for several kilometres (miles) on its way from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv. Israeli media reported two foreigners and one Israeli lightly wounded by stone-throwing. The stone-throwers were also said to have hurled firebombs at passing cars and poured oil on the road. Soldiers opened fire on what they believed to be suspects, the army said, killing Mahmoud Rafat Badran and wounding the four others. Two people were arrested, it said. The army initially released a statement saying troops shot two people "after a number of Palestinians hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails at moving vehicles near the village of Beit Sira on route 443". "An initial review suggests that as the mob continued, nearby forces acted in order to protect the additional passing vehicles from immediate danger and fired towards the assailants. "Forces confirmed hits resulting in the death of one of the attackers." Later, the army revised its account, with a spokeswoman saying that "it appears uninvolved bystanders were mistakenly hit during the pursuit." - 'Cold-blooded assassination' - Asked by AFP whether that included the person killed, she said yes, as well as those wounded. Story continues During the current holy month of Ramadan, Muslims often go out and socialise late into the night following the end of the daytime fast. "One of my nephews who lives in Qatar was staying with us," Badran's father Rafat said as received condolence visits in the council building in his home town of Beit Ur. Mahmoud and the other cousins "decided to go together to the Aqua Park" in neighbouring Beit Sira, he said. After several hours bathing they were returning home by car though an underpass in the early hours of the morning. "A car appeared on the 443 road above them, armed men got out and fired at their moving car," said 51-year-old Rafat, his eyes red from grief and lack of sleep. When news reached the family and relatives tried to reach the scene, "soldiers prevented us approaching by firing at us. They refused to allow Palestinian ambulances to evacuate the wounded," he said. "Is this the same army that says it made a mistake? They are liars." Palestine Liberation Organisation secretary general Saeb Erekat condemned the shooting in a statement that said Badran had been "murdered" and called it a "cold-blooded assassination". Israel's response to Palestinian stone-throwers has been the subject of debate, with rightwing politicians calling for looser open-fire rules and human rights groups warning of the dangers of such policies. In September, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed "war" on stone-throwers with tougher penalties and new rules for security forces on when to open fire. Lawmakers later voted to impose a minimum three-year jail sentence on stone-throwers. - Home demolition - Netanyahu made the comments after a 64-year-old Israeli man died in an accident Israeli authorities said was caused by Palestinian stone-throwing. The death preceded a wave of Palestinian unrest since October. The violence has killed at least 209 Palestinians, 32 Israelis, two Americans, an Eritrean and a Sudanese. Israeli authorities say most of the Palestinians were killed as they carried out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks. Others were killed in clashes with security forces or by Israeli air strikes in the Gaza Strip. Also on Tuesday, Israeli forces demolished the home of a Palestinian who killed a US tourist and wounded several Israelis in a March stabbing rampage in Tel Aviv. An army spokeswoman said the Palestinian carried out the March 8 seafront knife attacks which killed 29-year-old Texan Taylor Allen Force and wounded at least 10 Israelis as US Vice President Joe Biden arrived for a visit. The Palestinian was shot dead during the attack. Netanyahu has expedited home demolitions of Palestinian attackers in a bid to deter violence. Human rights groups say the measure amounts to collective punishment, forcing families to suffer for the acts of others. From Esquire Warning: This post contains plot points from Sunday night's Battle of the Bastards "Game of Thrones" episode. Sunday night we saw Ramsay Bolton, the most hated man on television, meet his end thanks to Sansa Stark and his own vicious pack of hounds. Iwan Rheon, the actor who plays Ramsay, broke down the episode to Esquire, explaining how they filmed that disturbing final scene, how he celebrated his last episode, and whether or not Ramsay could be brought back to life (hey, if it worked for Jon Snow...). It should be noted that while Iwan is as lovely to talk to as Ramsay is evil, the actor and the character share the same chill-inducing laugh. Did you watch the episode last night? Were you rooting for Sansa like the rest of us? Yeah! But it's on at like two in the morning here [in London], but I did watch it. I'm really enjoying the way that Sansa has developed, and I think Sophie [Turner] is doing a great job. I'm really pleased that all the terrible things that have happened to her have manifested in this great strength inside her, and she's really come of age and become a woman. She's another strong female character for the show. It's brilliant. How did you find out Ramsay was going to die? Were you happy about his sendoff or were you sad to see him go? I found about this time last year when the scripts were being issued, and I got the phone call from David [Benioff] and Dan [Weiss]. I'm pretty sure they said something like, "So, Ramsay gets on the Iron Throne! You've made it!" And I was like, "Oh, he's dead." I'm sad to leave the show, personally, because it's so great to be a part of something so wonderful. I think Ramsay's arc has run its course, really. What else is he going to do now that would topped what he's already done? Also, in terms of storyline, I think it's great that the Starks are back in Winterfell and some order has been restored and good has come back to the North. Because I think Ramsay only brought terror. It's nice and, as a fan of the show, it's good for the show. Story continues Some are saying it was too predictable to have the bad guy die last night. What do you think about that? Do you think Ramsay will have the same fate in the books? It's easy for people to say it's predictable coming from one of the most unpredictable shows in history that killed its protagonist in Season One! You couldn't have Ramsay winning because you can't kill Jon Snow again. I think it's right, and I think it would have been more predictable for Ramsay to win, if anything. It'll be interesting to see what happens to him in the books. What was your last day of filming like? Did they have a going away party or anything? No, not really! My last scene was the last scene I shot. It was all quite unceremonious. Me and Sophie went and had a drink and chilled out, and then, yeah, that was it really. I prefer it that way-you don't want too much fuss. It's just Ramsay's dead, that's it. How did you film that final scene? Were those real dogs or were they CGI? It's a combination. They use plates so it looks like the dog is there, but the dog isn't actually there. Those dogs are bred in a specific way and trained in a specific way They're not like normal dogs that you can tell to sit and stuff. They only listen to their owner, and they're kind of like guard dogs. It's not really safe to have them anywhere near an actor. They're quite vicious. I read that Kit Harington accidently punched you in the face twice while filming the fight scene. He may have chinned me with his shield, as well! The way I see it, in those kind of scenes, Kit's got to give it his all, and I want him to give it his all because it will make it look much better. And if you don't get caught a couple of times, you're not doing it properly, in my opinion. It's just part of it to make it look real. Any bruises to show for it? I've got a bit of a dodgy jaw because of the shield, but, to be honest, Kit's punches aren't very hard. [Laughs] It looks like you have so much fun playing such an evil characterand that's what made Ramsay so disturbing. Did you have fun with the role? Yeah, you kind of have to. I think that's the key to him-the joy he gets from doing all these things. Ramsay's got a joyful life. He enjoys what he's doing in his own dark, twisted way. So, you kind of have to bring a bit of fun into him. I think that's what made him come to life, because he could have been just a horrible, evil character, but I think adding that joy to him made him a lot more interesting. Next you're playing a young Adolf Hitler, right? What drew you to that role? You don't say no to that kind of role! It's like, "Would you like to play a young Adolf Hitler?" "Yes!" It's set before we know Hitler: It's him as a struggling artist in Vienna. So, it was more like approaching a character than it was thinking about, "This is Adolf Hitler I'm playing." So, I kind of ignored it. It's based on a book by Hitler's only childhood friend, so it's a really fascinating story. It's kind of a comedy, as well. Any fears about being typecast? What would make you say that? [Laughs] I do, yes. It's one of my main concerns, yes. Especially off of the back of Ramsay. So, I maybe need to play some nice parts next. Is it ever hard for fans to separate you from Ramsay Bolton? Any interesting fan interactions? Not really! People generally get it when you meet them on the street. I think the thing about Game of Thrones, because it's so heightened, it's quite easy when you see people on the streets to realize it's obviously not the character. We don't have a sword and all that gear. I think people kind of get it. Is there any hope of a Ramsay resurrection a la Jon Snow? Any chance he got attacked by the dogs but somehow survived? I think it's highly unlikely. But never say never with this show! I'm pretty sure that Ramsay is done, but you never know. J. J. Abrams is set to help bring the highs and lows of Michael Jackson's final weeks to the small screen. Publishing house Little, Brown and Company has confirmed that author and host Tavis Smiley is partnering with Abrams to adapt his new book, Before You Judge Me: The Triumph and Tragedy of Michael Jackson's Last Days, into a series with Warner Bros. Television. WATCH: Paris Jackson Slams Online Trolls for Trying to 'Harass' Her Into Writing Father's Day Post The book hits shelves today and explores the ups and downs of the final 16 weeks of Jackson's life, including preparation for his ambitious This Is It tour, as well as his "constant hunt for personal privacy." According to the synopsis, the 253-page book powerfully chronicles "Jackson's campaign to recharge his career -- hiring and firing managers and advisors, turning to and away from family members, fighting depression and drug dependency -- while his one goal remained: to mount the most spectacular series of shows the world had ever seen." WATCH: Paris Jackson Dedicates New Tattoo to Her Father Michael Sadly of course, that tour never came to fruition, as the music icon died at the age of 50 from acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication on June 25, 2009. He left behind three children, Paris, Prince and Blanket. See what Paris had to say about being slammed for not writing a public Father's Day post, in the video below. Related Articles With British citizens voting on whether to "Leave" or "Remain" in the European Union in the coming days, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling and electronic music pioneer Brian Eno are among those who have penned arguments against the "Brexit." Watch John Oliver Urge Anti-'Brexit' Vote With Snarky Song "As this country has entered what will come to be seen as one of the most divisive and bitter political campaigns ever waged within its borders, I've thought a lot about the rules for creating villains," Rowling wrote on her website. "We are being asked whether we wish to remain part of the European Union and both sides of this campaign have been telling us stories." In her 1,700-word essay on the EU Referendum, Rowling examined the "villains" in both the "Remainers" and the "Leavers." Rowling, who has condemned Donald Trump in the past, likened the "Leave" movement to the presumptive Republican presidential candidate's platform. "Look towards the Republican Party in America and shudder. 'Make America Great Again!' cries a man who is fascist in all but name," Rowling wrote. "His stubby fingers are currently within horrifyingly close reach of America's nuclear codes. He achieved this pre-eminence by proposing crude, unworkable solutions to complex threats. Terrorism? 'Ban all Muslims!' Immigration? 'Build a wall!' He has the temperament of an unstable nightclub bouncer, jeers at violence when it breaks out at his rallies and wears his disdain for women and minorities with pride. God help America. God help us all." Rowling also noted, "Donald Trump supports the break up of the EU." "It is dishonourable to suggest, as many have, that Leavers are all racists and bigots: they aren't and it is shameful to suggest that they are," Rowling wrote. "Nevertheless, it is equally nonsensical to pretend that racists and bigots aren't flocking to the 'Leave' cause, or that they aren't, in some instances, directing it." Story continues Eno was similarly critical of the movement to "Leave" and the "very wealthy people anxious to get out of the EU" in a Facebook post Saturday. "Is it because many of the constraints on how badly you're allowed to treat workers have been put in place by the EU," Eno asked of the motives behind a Brexit. "Is it because the EU has insisted on environmental legislation which hampers the freedom-to-pollute of corporations and governments? Is it because the EU has established an international criminal court where all those people to whom we sell weapons might be called to account? Is it because the EU has tried to come up with some sort of humane response to immigration other than barbed wire and Trumpian walls? I have a lot of misgivings about the way the EU is run, but they don't make me want to ditch the whole idea." While Eno admitted that the EU as it stands now is imperfect, he's hopeful that a close brush with leaving will energize the alliance to work towards its initial vision. "The only good outcome of this referendum is that it might remind us what the original mission of the EU was, and might motivate us to actually make it happen," Eno wrote. On Sunday, John Oliver focused on why a British departure from the EU would be a bad decision on Last Week Tonight. However, not every British celebrity will vote to "Remain": On Twitter, Monty Python actor John Cleese revealed that he's voting to "Leave" the EU. "If I thought there was any chance of major reform in the EU, I'd vote to stay in. But there isn't. Sad," the actor tweeted June 11th. Related From Seventeen Luis Vielma, 22, was an employee at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios when he became one of the 49 victims of the mass shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando. People reports that J.K. Rowling sent a beautiful gesture of love and mourning to Vielma's funeral. Vielma was studying to be a physical therapist while also working at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter's "Forbidden Journey" ride. "Luis loved Star Wars, Star Trek, Harry Potter, and science fiction," his family wrote in his obituary. "He loved being able to go and be part of that every day he worked. There was no greater experience for him at this time." When Rowling found out about his death, she tweeted that she "can't stop crying" at the news. She also replied to some of Vielma's loved ones, saying "my heart goes out to you, all his friends and his poor family." On Friday, she sent a wreath of red roses and carnations to his funeral, perhaps to correspond with one of Gryffindor's colors. "To Luis, who died for love," the note reads. "You will never be forgotten." "It was a beautiful gesture to see J.K. tweet about him," friend Alma Almaraz Retana told BuzzFeed, "and when I walked in to church and saw the beautiful flowers that she has sent I knew he was in heaven dancing of happiness." This isn't the first time she's reached out to a victim of violence. In 2014, she sent a letter, purportedly from Albus Dumbledore, to the funeral of a 15-year-old girl who lost her parents and siblings in a Texas shooting. She also sent her a wand and an acceptance letter to Hogwarts, Vanity Fair reports. By Jake Spring BEIJING (Reuters) - China's cancellation of Jaguar Land Rover's patent on the Range Rover Evoque will not stop it from going after an alleged Chinese copycat in a separate unfair competition and copyright proceeding, a Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) spokesman said on Tuesday. A source told Reuters earlier this month that JLR, owned by India's Tata Motors (TAMO.NS), was suing Chinese automaker Jiangling Motors for allegedly copying the British firm's Range Rover Evoque. JLR at the time confirmed it had filed new legal actions against Jiangling. "It's still the same situation," spokesman Andrew Marsh told Reuters on Tuesday. The action on copyright and unfair competition are separate from the patent proceedings, he said. His comments come after a media report said JLR's copycat lawsuit against Jiangling could suffer a setback given both companies' patents had been canceled by Chinese authorities. Public records on the website of China's patent re-examination board show the Evoque patent was ruled invalid in April because the design had been displayed or published elsewhere before a patent application was filed. The board also ruled in May to invalidate the patent of the alleged copycat, Jiangling's Landwind X7, saying in the decision that it strongly resembled the Evoque. Both automakers could still appeal the board's ruling on the patents' validity, said Chen Jihong, a Beijing-based intellectual property lawyer at Zhong Lun Law Firm. Even if the patent remains invalid, JLR could argue separately that Jiangling is competing unfairly by confusing customers or that the Evoque's design is automatically protected under copyright law as a piece of music or other creative work would be, Chen said. (Reporting by Jake Spring; Editing by Himani Sarkar) A local Olympic organizing committee included a real, live jaguar named Juma in an Olympic torch ceremony in the Amazonian city of Manaus, Brazil, on Monday after which a soldier shot the jaguar to death, Reuters reported. The animal slipped free of its handlers following the ceremony, during which it was held in chains, at a zoo at the Brazilian military Jungle Warfare Instruction Center, according to the Associated Press. It then approached a soldier, even after it was tranquilized, prompting said soldier to kill it with a pistol, per Reuters. The IOC hired an Olympic Torch Jaguar, which is a real jaguar. Guess what happened next? http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/2016/06/21/jaguar-fatally-shot-at-olympic-torch-ceremony.html ...pic.twitter.com/APB0dlfL9t https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ClgDot7UYAEL-UN.jpg:large "It escaped and ran off as it was being moved from one area to another in the zoo," Col. Luiz Gustavo Evelyn told Agence France-Presse. "To protect the handler, it was sacrificed." "The animal participated in the event because the torch went through the zoo," Evelyn said, adding Juma was not wild, but a captivity-raised animal. A "We made a mistake in permitting the Olympic torch, a symbol of peace and unity, to be exhibited alongside a chained wild animal," the local organizing committee told Reuters in a statement. "This image goes against our beliefs and our values." "We guarantee that there will be no more such incidents at Rio 2016." Jaguars are a "near-threatened" species that humans have "eliminated from much of the drier northern parts of its range, as well as northern Brazil, the pampas scrub grasslands of Argentina and throughout Uruguay," according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources' Red List of Threatened Species. "The jaguar is still an abundant species, but is threatened by habitat loss and persecution," the IUCN wrote. "Due to loss of habitat, poaching of prey and fragmentation of populations across portions of the range, this species is considered to be near-threatened." By Martyn Herman LONDON (Reuters) - After a season plagued with injuries and a health scare Jelena Jankovic, perhaps more than anyone, needed the tonic of a few days soaking up the Mallorcan sunshine last week. Despite the shimmering allure of the Mediterranean from her hotel balcony, it was no holiday for the Serbian former world number one who is closing in on 1,000 WTA Tour matches since turning professional 16 years ago. At 31, she remains as motivated as ever and has taken heart from some of her fellow 'veterans' who joined the grand slam singles winners' club past their 30th birthday. That is despite going nearly three months this season without winning a match as she struggled with shoulder and back injuries so painful that she even found it difficult to wash her hair. While that was frustrating, when a routine MRI scan in April showed a cyst on her thyroid gland she was forced to deal with the possibility she may have cancer. "It was a scary thought", Jankovic said. "They did a biopsy and they removed the cyst with a needle and luckily, it was benign." With that behind her and her injuries healing, she is hoping the second half of the year is kinder. Certainly the 2008 U.S. Open runner-up looked more like her old self on the grasscourts of Santa Ponsa as she won three matches in a row for the first time this year. The world number 24 fell in the semi-finals to Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia, again suffering some injury niggles, but at least things appear to be heading in the right direction. "I'm still hungry, I'm a fighter by nature," Jankovic told Reuters. "It's been difficult this year, I've had a lot of injuries. Then you try and compensate too much and you get another one and then another one. "I've almost had to start from zero again. The muscle I ruptured you need to breathe, to run, I couldn't even wash my hair. Now I just want to get stronger." While logic suggests Jankovic's chances of claiming a maiden grand slam are receding, she only has to look at the likes of Flavia Pennetta, Angelique Kerber and Marion Bartoli, all of whom became first-time winners in the last three years. "I still think I'm in with a shout," she said. "As you have seen in the last couple of years we have had so many new winners and especially some that are in their thirties, veterans of the Tour," she said. "I think you can have a good two weeks and you can win one if you are still determined enough and I am." If she could have one wish, though, it would be for some Iberian sunshine to bless Wimbledon, where her best showing is five last-16 appearances. "You could not ask for a better location for a tournament than Mallorca," she said. "It was a beautiful ambience and we could play in the warm sunshine at 8pm. Unfortunately the grasscourt season takes place in rainy and cloudy places." (Editing by Pritha Sarkar) TOKYO (Reuters) - A North Korean missile launch on Wednesday violated a United Nations resolution and the Japanese government will strongly protest, Kyodo news agency quoted a Japanese government statement as saying. Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani told reporters after the launch that there had been no effect on Japan's security and that the government would continue to collect and analyze information. A U.S. official said previously the missile launch appeared to have failed in flight over the Sea of Japan. (Reporting by Linda Sieg, editing by G Crosse) By Tetsushi Kajimoto TOKYO (Reuters) - Most Japanese firms support the government's decision to put off a hike in the national sales tax by more than two years due to weakness in the economy, a Reuters poll showed, though corporate concern about the negative impact of the delay was also high. A sales tax hike to 10 percent from 8 percent is seen as crucial to curbing Japan's public debt - the heaviest among industrial nations - and for funding ballooning social welfare costs, but worries about the impact of China's slowing growth had mounted. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's decision this month to postpone the hike by two and a half years to October 2019 found favor with 61 percent of firms while the rest were against, the Reuters Corporate survey showed. "The economy would deteriorate if the tax hike was not postponed, therefore fiscal consolidation would become out of the question," wrote a manager at a firm in the auto sector. The survey, conducted June 6-16, showed that 26 percent of companies thought the delay would help consumer spending and lift sales while 30 percent thought it would help speed up Japan's efforts to escape from deflation. But underscoring the Catch-22 situation that Japan has found itself in, just as many cited concerns about the delay. Thirty-two percent of firms said consumer spending could stagnate on uncertainty about social security while 26 percent said an escape from deflation could be hindered as firms would find it harder to raise prices. Another 8 percent said they were concerned about funding costs rising if Japan were to suffer a potential credit rating downgrade. The question about the impact of the postponed tax hike allowed multiple answers, asking companies to choose up to two concerns. Around 240 firms in the poll of 509 big and medium-sized companies answered questions on the tax. Managers respond on condition of anonymity to the survey which is conducted monthly for Reuters by Nikkei Research. Story continues "Japanese firms must be relieved at least for the present that the tax hike was delayed. But that doesn't mean they expect it to boost the economy and consumption," said Taro Saito, director for economic research at NLI Research Institute. "They recognize that fiscal consolidation is an issue that can't be sidestepped if Japan wants to eliminate the root of future anxiety." BREXIT FEARS The survey also showed that the vast majority of firms were unimpressed with the momentum for "Abenomics" - economic policies that have spanned monetary and fiscal stimulus but are now focused on structural reform - an area in which the government has made little headway. Fifty-nine percent said Abenomics was losing momentum while another 11 percent saw momentum had been lost altogether. That compares with 66 percent and 6 percent respectively in October last year when the same question was asked. Less than one-third said momentum was being maintained. The survey also showed many companies were worried about a spike in the yen in the event that Britain leaves the European Union as a result of a June 23 referendum, with 60 percent saying they were concerned about potential swings in currency rates. The safe-haven yen has recently gained strength, prompting policymakers to warn investors against pushing the yen higher. "If Britain leaves the EU, it would cause the yen to rise. We worry that a deterioration in exporters' profits would hurt the economy as a whole," wrote a manager of a construction firm. (Reporting by Tetsushi Kajimoto; Additional reporting by Izumi Nakagawa; Editing by Edwina Gibbs) TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's military was on alert for a possible North Korean ballistic missile launch, a government source said on Tuesday, with media reporting its navy and anti-missile Patriot batteries had been told to shoot down any projectile heading for Japan. North Korea appeared to have moved an intermediate-range missile to its east coast, but there were no signs of an imminent launch, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported, citing an unnamed government source. A South Korean Defense Ministry official said it could not confirm the Yonhap report and said the military was watching North Korea's missile activities closely. In Washington, a Pentagon spokesman said the United States continued to coordinate with its allies in the region and was watching the situation "very, very closely." "We of course would have concerns if the North Koreans were to conduct another missile test... we certainly would urge North Korea to refrain from doing that sort of thing," Peter Cook told reporters in Washington. Tension in the region has been high since isolated North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test in January and followed that with a satellite launch and test launches of various missiles. Japan has put its anti-ballistic missile forces on alert several times this year after detecting signs of missile launches. The Japanese government source said there were again signs North Korea might be preparing a launch of the intermediate-range Musudan missile, the same missile it attempted to launch in May, prompting the order for the military to go on alert. South Korea's Foreign Ministry said if North Korea goes ahead with a launch it would again be in violation of U.N. resolutions and defying repeated warnings by the international community. "It will further isolate the North from the international community," ministry spokesman Cho June-hyuck told a briefing. The United Nations Security Council in March imposed tightened sanctions against North Korea over its pursuit of nuclear weapons. North Korea has failed in all four attempts to launch the Musudan, which theoretically has the range to reach any part of Japan and the U.S. territory of Guam. North Korea tried unsuccessfully to test-launch the Musudan three times in April, according to U.S. and South Korean officials, while a May attempt failed a day after Japan put its military on alert. North Korea is believed to have up to 30 Musudan missiles, according to South Korean media, which officials said were first deployed around 2007, although the North had never attempted to test-fire them until this year. (Reporting by Nobuhiro Kubo and Elaine Lies in Tokyo, and Ju-min Park, Jee Heun Kahng and James Pearson in Seoul; Additional reporting by Idrees Ali in Washington; Editing by Michael Perry and Sandra Maler) North Korea appears to be readying another test of a powerful, new medium-range missile, following a series of failures for a ballistic weapons programme that aspires to threaten the US mainland, multiple reports said Tuesday. Japanese and South Korean media quoted official sources as saying North Korea looked to have deployed a so-called Musudan missile near its east coast. The North has made four failed attempts this year to test fly the Musudan, which has an estimated range of anywhere between 2,500 and 4,000 kilometres (1,550 to 2,500 miles). The lower range covers the whole of South Korea and Japan, while the upper range would include US military bases on Guam. "We have detected signs that the North has deployed what appears to be a Musudan missile," South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted an unidentified government official as saying. Japan's Kyodo News agency and public broadcaster NHK both cited unidentified sources as saying preparations for a missile launch might be underway. The Defence Ministry in Seoul declined to confirm the reports, but said it was "closely monitoring the situation." UN resolutions ban North Korea from any use of ballistic missile technology, although it regularly fires short-range missiles into the sea off its east coast. In Tokyo, chief government spokesman Yoshihide Suga partially confirmed a Kyodo report that Japan's military had been ordered to intercept any missile or falling parts that might threaten Japanese territory. "We ordered the Self-Defense Forces to take necessary steps ... to protect our people's lives and property," Suga said. First unveiled as an indigenous missile at a military parade in Pyongyang in October 2010, the Musudan has never been successfully flight-tested. Three failures in April were seen as an embarrassment for the Pyongyang leadership, coming ahead of a rare ruling party congress that was meant to celebrate the country's achievements. The latest attempt in May was also deemed to have failed. By Linda Sieg TOKYO (Reuters) - Campaigning for an election to Japan's upper house of parliament begins on Wednesday, as surveys give Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling bloc the lead, despite doubts about his growth policies and desire to revise the post-war pacifist constitution. Abe's coalition is in no danger of losing power in the election but he needs a solid win to keep his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lawmakers in line and perhaps stay on another three years after his tenure as LDP president expires in 2018. Abe is casting the July 10 election for half the seats in the 242-member chamber as a referendum on his decision to delay a planned hike in an unpopular sales tax and his "Abenomics" recipe of hyper-easy monetary policy, spending and reform. "Our policies have had some success, but we are still only halfway to where we want to be," Abe said in a televised debate on Tuesday. "I want to accelerate Abenomics, shift up two or three gears and make sure the economy is growing." Media surveys show about twice as many voters plan to vote for Abe's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) as for the main opposition Democratic Party, but also show support for Abe and his party slipping amid growing doubt that his efforts to revive the economy are working. Turnout is expected to be weak after hitting a record low of 52.6 percent in a 2013 upper house vote. About 2.4 million Japanese aged 18 and 19 will be able to vote for the first time, but surveys suggest the turnout of this group will be lower than among their parents and grandparents. The expected victory for the ruling bloc is thus more likely to be a vote of no-confidence in the opposition than a groundswell of support for Abe and his policies. "Abenomics is not working out well and Abe's security policies are not popular. You'd think he'd be vulnerable," said Jeffrey Kingston, director of Asia studies at Temple University's Japan campus. "But the opposition is weak and discredited, and even though they will be cooperating, I don't think it will make a big difference." Some analysts, however, said the LDP could lose some of the 51 seats it held among those up for grabs, thanks to a historic move by opposition parties to join hands. The Democratic Party and three smaller parties, including the Japanese Communist Party, are backing unified candidates in 32 single-seat districts, and have support from grassroots civic groups opposed to Abe's hawkish security policies and drive to revise the constitution. But regaining public trust is a tough task for the Democrats after a 2009 to 2012 tenure many remember for infighting and unkept promises. "The Democratic Party is the only opposition party that has experience governing and can learn from its mistakes and change," its policy chief, Shiori Yamao, told Reuters, adding that it was also drawing on the energy of women and the youth. "We are becoming a party that cannot only take power but govern properly, so please believe in us again." Abe has set a target for his coalition of winning a majority of the 121 seats being contested. [L4N19C1PI] The premier has said the ruling bloc hopes to win a two-thirds majority with like-minded opposition parties to open the path to revising the postwar pacifist constitution, but has recently played down that target. Surveys show a majority of voters see no need to change the charter, which conservatives see as an obstacle to beefing up defense and a humiliating symbol of defeat in World War Two. (Additional reporting by Tetsushi Kajimoto and Stanley White; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) We value your privacy. Focus Taiwan (CNA) uses tracking technologies to provide better reading experiences, but it also respects readers' privacy. Click here to find out more about Focus Taiwan's privacy policy. When you close this window, it means you agree with this policy. (Reuters) - New Jersey Governor Chris Christie on Tuesday proposed overhauling the state's education funding formula to provide all public school districts with a flat rate of $6,599 per student. Calling it his "Fairness Formula" in policy statements on Tuesday, Christie said aid for special needs students would continue even with any potential formula change. Schools are funded through property taxes, which in New Jersey are some of the highest in the nation because of the state's "unaffordable and broken school funding formula propped up by special interests and misguided Supreme Court precedent," Christie said in a statement. He said he would traverse the state this summer to talk about the proposal. The amount of state aid school districts receive now varies widely, with some getting less than $3,000 per pupil and others getting as much as $28,000 Such a change would be an uphill battle, as it would need approval from a Democrat-led legislature that has already rejected previous education formula changes from Christie, a Republican. "Governor Christie's idea is unconstitutional and harmful to our most vulnerable children," Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto said in a statement on Tuesday, adding that Christie still hasn't fully funded schools under the existing formula. Currently, poorer districts receive more state aid under a formula based on a 1990 New Jersey Supreme Court decision called Abbott v. Burke II, which ruled the state's education funding was unfair and that low-income "Abbott districts" must be funded on par with wealthier ones. (Reporting by Hilary Russ in New York; Editing by Cynthia Osterman) By Sleiman Jad JERUSALEM, June 21 (Reuters) - - When hundreds of Jewish nationalists marched through the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem's Old City this month, waving banners and chanting songs in what has become an annual ritual, it wasn't only Muslims watching warily. Christians were, too. Religious tension is nothing new in a city that has been the home of three faiths for centuries. But the outlook for the Christian minority, squeezed inside the ancient walls of the Old City and caught in the midst of a months-long wave of violence involving Muslims targeting Jews, has seldom looked tougher. While the Muslim population rises steadily, now making up 75 percent of the 38,000 residents in the city's alleys, and the Jews increasingly make their presence felt via the annual march and their settlements beyond the Jewish Quarter, the number of Christians has not risen in 50 years, hovering around 7,000. "If a thousand Muslims leave Jerusalem, that's one thing," said Jamal Khader, head of the Latin Patriarchate Seminary near Bethlehem. "But if a thousand Christians leave, you threaten the identity of Jerusalem as a city of multiple faiths." That concern is clear to Basil Saed, 28, the owner of a gym in the Christian Quarter. After an attempted stabbing by a Muslim in the Old City several weeks ago, Saed came face-to-face with an Israeli military policeman hunting for the suspect. "He was trembling he was so terrified," said Saed, a prize-winning weightlifter who wears a large gold cross around his neck. "In an instant he could have shot and killed me." To Saed, both Israel's tight security and the Muslim unrest make him uneasy, and raise questions for his community. "If we weren't strong, we'd all be gone by now," he said. SQUEEZED OUT In the narrow, cobbled streets of their quarter, Christian families have been running arts and souvenir shops for generations, earning money from the steady flow of religious and other tourists who flock to sites like the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the site where Jesus is believed to have been buried. With the surge in violence that Jerusalem and surrounding areas have experienced since last October, tourism has become more erratic. Anecdotally, locals and tour guides say visitor numbers have dropped off sharply, hurting trade. Residents like Youseph Shbeita, 35, the third generation owner of a religious icon shop near the Holy Sepulchre, are determined to hang on, seeing no option. But they can understand why younger Christians would want to leave. "When you're in the minority, you have to go with the flow," he said, expressing a sense of responsibility for trying to preserve a Christian presence in the city where Jesus preached. "We just hope for calm, always for calm." Daniel Seidemann, an Israeli lawyer and activist who closely follows the community, said he feared it was being squeezed out by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with its tendency to focus on the Jewish and Muslim narratives. "Since much of the epicenter of this round of violence has been in and around the Old City, it has increased their vulnerability," he said, pointing to the lack of political and social institutions for Christians to depend on. "I think it's safe to say there are more Christian Palestinians in Chicago today than there are in Jerusalem." Most of the Christians in Jerusalem are Palestinians. Historically, the community has played a prominent role in the opposition to Israel's occupation of East Jerusalem and the West Bank, putting it at odds with Israel. Inside the walls of the Old City, however, there is still a degree of mutual dependence - Muslim merchants run stores on land owned by the Christian church, and Israeli Jews stop to buy fruit or a felafel from Muslim and Christian stallkeepers. Even so, Saed, the weightlifter, doesn't feel confident. "For now, the Muslims and Jews are fighting each other," he said. "But when they stop they'll both look at us." (Reporting by Jad Sleiman; Editing by Luke Baker/Mark Heinrich) In a post on her website this week, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling wrote openly about her thoughts on the U.K. referendum that will be held this week to decide whether Britain will remain a part of the European Union and she also unloaded on presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump. Rowling warned against hate and fear-driven rhetoric surrounding the Brexit debate before turning her ire against nationalism in general. "Nationalism is on the march across the Western world, feeding upon the terrors it seeks to inflame," she wrote. "Your country is the greatest in the world, the nationalist cries, and anyone who isn't chanting that is a traitor! Drape yourself in the flag: Doesn't that make you feel bigger and more powerful? Finding the present scary? We've got a golden past to sell you, a mythical age that will dawn again once we've got rid of the Mexicans/left the EU/annexed Ukraine! Now place your trust in our simplistic slogans and enjoy your rage against the Other!" Yikes! Sound familiar, America? Source: GLYN KIRK/Getty Images Rowling then launched in on Trump's particular brand of hate and scapegoating, calling him "fascist in all but name." She also managed to get in a jab at his "stubby fingers." Look towards the Republican Party in America and shudder. 'Make America Great Again!' cries a man who is fascist in all but name. His stubby fingers are currently within horrifyingly close reach of America's nuclear codes. He achieved this pre-eminence by proposing crude, unworkable solutions to complex threats. Terrorism? 'Ban all Muslims!' Immigration? 'Build a wall!' He has the temperament of an unstable nightclub bouncer, jeers at violence when it breaks out at his rallies and wears his disdain for women and minorities with pride. God help America. God help us all. This isn't the first time that Rowling has laid into the real estate billionaire: Back in May she told a crowd she finds him "offensive and bigoted," and in December she tweeted that Trump was basically worse than Voldemort. That's pretty sobering for us Muggles. London (AFP) - British left-wing lawmaker Jo Cox was "worried" about the tone of the EU referendum debate and was killed for her politics, her widower Brendan said in an interview on Tuesday. Cox was shot and stabbed to death on the way to meet locals in her constituency last week, a murder that upended campaigning ahead of Thursday's vote on European Union membership. Brendan Cox told the BBC that Jo had "died for her views". "She was a politician and she had very strong political views and I believe was she killed because of those views," Brendan said. "I think she died because of them and she would want to stand up for those in death as much as she did in life." Cox worked for Oxfam before becoming a politician and was known for her pro-EU campaigning and advocacy of refugee rights. On his first appearance in court, the man charged with her murder, Thomas Mair, gave his name as "Death to traitors, freedom for Britain". The violence on a village street in Yorkshire in northern England prompted questioning over whether the rhetoric of the campaign had been too divisive. "She worried about the tone of the debate... the tone of whipping up fears and whipping up hatred potentially," Brendan said. "She was definitely worried about that, but it's not just about the EU referendum, I think the EU referendum has created a more heightened environment for it," he added. Brendan Cox ruled out seeking the nomination to stand as a candidate in his wife's constituency of Batley and Spen, saying his priority was to look after their two children, aged three and five, and to ensure that "something good" comes of their mother's murder. Donations to a memorial fund for causes Jo Cox supported, such as The White Helmets search and rescue volunteers in Syria, have reached almost A1.2 million ($1.7 million, 1.6 million euros). Events are set to be held in cities including London, Brussels and New York in her memory on Wednesday, on what would have been Cox's 42nd birthday. On Monday's The Bachelorette, everyone bid farewell to Chad Johnson, the meatheaded troublemaker, but were confronted with another troublemaking Chad: JoJo's ex. After a successful date in which JoJo confronted Jordan Rodgers about rumors of cheating, JoJo was presented with a tabloid that featured her ex-boyfriend, Chad, claiming she was still seeing him while on The Bachelor. JoJo became frustrated by the accusations from her antagonistic ex, saying, "Coming on to last season was the best thing that could've happened for me because I realized I don't deserve people like that in my life." She felt the need to clear the air with the guys vying for her love. She assured them that she cared for them and sung the unofficial Bachelorette motto of being there "for the right reasons." The men, including Jordan, accepted her explanation and all agreed to move on in their journeys together without any more Chad drama. On Mondays The Bachelorette, everyone bade farewell to Chad Johnson, the meatheaded troublemaker, but were confronted with another troublemaking Chad: JoJos ex. After a successful date, on which JoJo confronted Jordan Rodgers about rumors of cheating, JoJo was presented with a tabloid that featured her ex-boyfriend, Chad, claiming she was still seeing him while on The Bachelor. JoJo became frustrated by the accusations from her antagonistic ex, saying, Coming on to last season was the best thing that couldve happened for me because I realized I dont deserve people like that in my life. She cleared the air with the guys vying for her love, reassuring them that she cared for them and reciting the unofficial Bachelorette motto of being there for the right reasons. The men, including Jordan, accepted her explanation, and all agreed to move on in their journeys together without any more Chad drama. The Bachelorette airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC. Watch JoJo confront Chad about his violence. Tell us what you think! Hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram or leave your comments below. And check out our host, Cynthia LuCiette, on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Amman (AFP) - Jordan declared the desert border regions with Syria and Iraq "military zones" barred to civilians after a suicide bomber killed six Jordanian soldiers near the Syrian frontier on Tuesday. King Abdullah II vowed to hit back with an "iron fist" after meeting top civilian and military officials to discuss the attack in an area where thousands of Syrian refugees are stranded. There was no immediate claim of responsibility but Jordan is part of the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq, and has been targeted by IS jihadists before. The army said the dawn bombing killed four border guards, one member of the security services and one member of the civil defence. Fourteen soldiers were also wounded. It said the suicide bomber set off from a makeshift Syrian refugee camp in no man's land near the Rukban border crossing in Jordan's remote north. The driver entered Jordanian territory through an opening used for humanitarian aid deliveries and blew himself up as he reached a military post. King Abdullah condemned the attack and said Jordan's armed forces would strike back. "Jordan will respond with an iron fist against anyone who tries to tamper with its security and borders," he said. "Such criminal acts will only increase our determination to confront terrorism and terror gangs that target army personnel who protect the security of the country and its borders." Soon after, the army issued a statement declaring Jordan's desert regions that stretch northeast to Syria and east to Iraq "closed military zones". "We will deal firmly with any vehicle of individual that moves in the area without (prior authorisation) because they will be considered enemy targets," it warned. The army did not explicitly say if the border with Syria would be closed. But government spokesman Mohamed Momani told AFP the measure would not affect "humanitarian cases" -- a reference to refugees fleeing Syria's five-year war. Story continues Jordan hosts hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees and thousands more have been stranded at the frontier since January. - IS fears - Tuesday's bombing comes two weeks after a gunman, who was later arrested, killed five Jordanian intelligence officers in a Palestinian refugee camp north of the capital. Details of that attack have been kept under a gag order while the investigation continues. Jordan is a member of the US-led coalition against IS. It has carried out air strikes targeting the jihadists and hosts coalition troops on its territory. Maaz al-Kassasbeh, a Jordanian fighter pilot, was captured by the jihadists when his plane went down in Syria in December 2014 and he was later burned alive in a cage. In March, Jordan announced it had foiled an IS plot to carry out attacks in the kingdom in an operation that led to the deaths of seven jihadists. The US embassy in Amman denounced Tuesday's bombing and pledged "unwavering support" for the armed forces of its key ally. "We join the Jordanian people in their resilience and determination in the face of this cowardly terrorist act. The United States stands together with Jordan," it said. - Refugee influx - A flare-up in Syria's war last month sparked a new influx of refugees in the no man's land. Nearly 5,500 arrived at Rukban within days in early May, bringing the total since January to more than 60,000. Amman insists newcomers must be screened before entering the country to ensure they are genuine refugees and not jihadists from IS or Al-Qaeda trying to infiltrate the country. The kingdom's position has drawn criticism from the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). UNHCR representative Andrew Harper said he was not aware of any Syrian asylum-seekers being hurt in Tuesday's attack. Jordan says it hosts nearly 1.4 million Syrian refugees, of whom 630,000 are registered with the United Nations. Their presence has placed a massive strain on Jordan's economy and resources, and raised security concerns. On Tuesday the Jordanian government spokesman said his country does not expect to build more refugee camps on its soil or extend those already there. According to sources close to Islamists, almost 4,000 Jordanians have joined jihadist groups in Iraq and Syria, where an estimated 420 have been killed since 2011. (AMMAN, Jordan) A suicide attacker driving a truck packed with explosives barreled through Syrias border with Jordan on Tuesday, setting off a blast that killed six members of the Jordanian security forces and wounded 14. King Abdullah II said Jordan will respond with any iron fist against anyone harming its borders or security, but did not lay out specifics. Government spokesman Mohammed Momani said Jordan is sealing the border area for the time being, leaving it unclear how international aid will reach some 64,000 Syrian refugees stranded on the other side. It was the deadliest attack along the tense border in recent memory and raised new concerns about the pro-Western kingdoms vulnerability to spillover from long-running conflicts in neighboring Syria and Iraq. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the assault, the third against Jordanian security installations in seven months. The previous two attacks had targeted security compounds inside Jordan. Jordan does not yet know who is behind the attack, Momani said. The military said Tuesdays explosion went off at 5:30 a.m. (0230 GMT) near an encampment for tens of thousands of Syrian refugees who are stranded in a remote area on the border and await entry into Jordan. The attack targeted a military post serving Syrian refugees in an area known as Ruqban, the army said. It was a suicide attack, Momani told reporters. It was a truck driven in a very fast speed, and it reached our side of the border and it ended up exploding with the driver inside. He said Jordan decided to close that crossing area and consider this area a closed military zone. A Ruqban resident said that sometime after 5 a.m., he saw a pickup truck speeding toward a Jordanian border gate and crashing through it. Seconds later, a blast went off, followed by the sound of shooting, said the resident, who spoke to The Associated Press over the phone from the area. He spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of repercussions from the authorities. Story continues Cellphone photos from the camp show a cloud of gray smoke rising in the distance, with tents in the foreground. Ruqban is the larger of two tent encampments that expanded rapidly in recent months as more Syrians fleeing fighting at home try to reach Jordan. The camps have also attracted smugglers, war profiteers and members of various armed groups fighting in Syrias civil war. The Jordanian military said those killed in Tuesdays attack included four border troops, a member of the civil defense and a public security officer. The statement said 14 were wounded, including nine public security officers. It described the bombing as a cowardly terrorist attack. Ruqban and the smaller Hadalat camp house about 64,000 Syrians, according to estimates by international aid agencies. Both camps are located near an earthen mound, or berm, that runs along the border. Ruqban is just a few miles from the point where Syria, Jordan and Iraq meet. Ariane Rummery, a spokeswoman for the U.N. refugee agency in Geneva, said the attack underlines how challenging the relief operation is at the berm. She said the U.N. agency is concerned about the level of security issues at the berm and for humanitarian agencies working there. Several aid groups, including the World Food Program, said they were not able to reach distribution points near the berm Tuesday. With crowds at the berm swelling rapidly in recent weeks, the situation for refugees in the two encampments has become increasingly dire. Jordan only admits several dozen refugees every day, citing the need for stringent security vetting. Jordanian officials have said they have evidence that Islamic State militants have infiltrated the two camps and are attempting to slip into Jordan, pretending to be refugees. For months, Jordan has been warning the international community and everybody of the increased number of people on the other side of the border, Momani said Tuesday. We have strong evidence of the presence of terrorist elements and Daesh elements and today is clear proof of that. Daesh is an Arabic acronym for the Islamic State group. Jordan is a member of the U.S.-led military coalition fighting to drive IS out of the areas it controls in Syria and Iraq. Jordan has fortified border defenses, including with U.S.-funded surveillance systems, to try to stop attackers and infiltrators. Jordan has also widened a crackdown on IS sympathizers at home, jailing hundreds in the past two years for promoting the groups ideas on social media. Jordanian security installations were targeted twice before in the past seven months. In November, a Jordanian police captain opened fire on instructors at an international police training center in the capital, Amman, killing five people, including two Americans, before being shot dead by security forces. Two weeks ago, a gunman armed with an assault rifle killed five people in an office of Jordans intelligence agency. The assailant, said to have previous ties to Islamic militant groups, was arrested several hours later. The government said he was a lone wolf and imposed a gag order, preventing further reporting. Jordanian officials have played down concerns that militant groups, including IS, pose an external and internal threat to the kingdom, seen as a crucial ally by the West in combating extremism. Amman (AFP) - A car bomb outside a Syrian refugee camp in Jordan killed six soldiers on Tuesday in a remote desert area where hundreds have been held for screening for suspected links to the Islamic State group. There was no immediate claim for the bombing but Jordan is a leading member of the US-led coalition fighting IS in neighbouring Syria and Iraq, and has been the target of jihadist attacks in the past. Fourteen soldiers were also wounded in the attack, a security official told AFP, adding that it was a "preliminary toll" and the number of dead might rise. The army said the bomb struck at 5:30 am (0230 GMT) in Rukban, on the Syrian border in the far northeast of the kingdom. It said it destroyed several "enemy" vehicles at the border, but would give no further details until later in the day. Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh condemned the "cowardly attack." "Terrorists strike again this time against our border guard," he tweeted on his official account. "This evil will be defeated." On June 6, a gunman killed five Jordanian intelligence officers in a Palestinian refugee camp north of the capital. A suspect was later arrested but details of the attack have been kept under a gag order while the investigation continues. Tens of thousands of Syrian refugees have sought shelter at two remote desert camps in the northeast -- one at Rukban and another at Handalat further west. A flare-up in the five-year civil war in Syria sparked a new influx of refugees in the area last month, with nearly 5,500 arriving at Rukban within days in early May. - IS fears - Jordanian authorities kept hundreds of refugees camped in no-man's land outside Rukban waiting for screening, out of fear that they are involved with IS which controls swathes of eastern Syria and neighbouring Iraq. The kingdom's refusal to allow the refugees to move further inside Jordanian territory has drawn criticism from the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Story continues Jordan says it is hosting nearly 1.4 million Syrian refugees, of whom 630,000 are registered with the United Nations. The huge refugee presence has placed a massive strain on Jordan's economy and resources, and raised security concerns in a country which has already experienced several jihadist attacks. In December 2005, suicide bombings in three Amman hotels claimed by IS's predecessor, Al-Qaeda in Iraq, killed 60 people and wounded dozens. Jordan has carried out air strikes against IS in neighbouring Syria since 2014. One of its pilots was captured by the jihadists when his plane went down in Syria in December 2014. In February 2015, IS released gruesome footage of Maaz al-Kassasbeh being burned alive in a cage. His murder prompted Jordan to extend its air strikes against IS to Iraq, where it is the only Arab coalition member participating in the bombing campaign. Jordan has also opened up the Prince Hassan airbase, northeast of the capital, to other members of the US-led coalition taking part in the air war. In March, Jordanian authorities announced they had foiled an IS plot to carry out attacks in the kingdom in an operation that led to the deaths of seven jihadists. According to sources close to Islamists, almost 4,000 Jordanians have joined jihadist groups in Iraq and Syria, where an estimated 420 have been killed since 2011. The Baqaa refugee camp outside Amman, where the intelligence officers were shot dead earlier this month, was the home of Mahmud Abdelal, a jihadist who blew himself up in Syria in October 2012. In 2010, three Jordanian Islamist extremists were sentenced to prison terms of between three years and life for plotting to kill intelligence officers in the camp. AMMAN (Reuters) - Jordan's army chief of staff announced on Tuesday that the country's northern and northeastern borders with Syria were closed military zones, according to an army statement. The order comes into immediate effect, just hours after six Jordanian border guards were killed in a suicide attack on their military post in a desolate area in the country's far eastern border area with Syria that also converges with the Iraqi border. (Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Editing by Hugh Lawson) Joshua Waring, the son of former Real Housewives of Orange County star Lauri Peterson, has been arrested for suspicion of attempted murder, Us Weekly can confirm. PHOTOS: Celebrity Mugshots Waring, 27, shot a 35-year-old man in the torso around 2:30 a.m. in Costa Mesa, California, on Monday, June 20. Apparently there had been a previous confrontation between [Waring] and the occupants of that residence earlier, and he had returned, Costa Mesa police lieutenant Paul Beckman said in a statement via the Los Angeles Times. PHOTOS: Stars at Court Josh Waring Waring wasnt handcuffed until several hours later, after a car chase with police. He crashed while driving a stolen SUV and tried to run away before authorities booked him. According to a Costa Mesa police press release, Waring was initially spotted by an Orange County Sheriffs helicopter and surrendered at the scene. The gun used hasnt been found yet. The unidentified victim, meanwhile, was taken to Orange County Global Medical Center and is expected to survive, according to Costa Mesa Fire Department. Waring has had trouble with the law before. The L.A. Times reports that he pleaded guilty to a hit-and-run and three felony counts of possession of a controlled substance in 2008. In 2009, he was arrested for battery and possession of drug paraphernalia. More recently, he pleaded not guilty in May to felony drug and forgery charges. (Joshuas struggles with substance abuse were documented on RHOC too.) PHOTOS: Before They Were Real Housewives! Peterson, an original Bravo Housewife, has yet to comment on the latest incident. (Peterson appeared on RHOC from 2006 to 2009, and returned for multiple episodes in 2013s season 8.) She last tweeted on June 17, that her stepfather, Richard Bubak, had died from Alzheimers. Christina Garibaldi and Ian Drew discussed all the latest on this story during Us Weeklys Facebook Live News Update. Check it out! IRVINE, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 20, 2016 / Khang & Khang LLP (the "Firm") announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Code Rebel Corporation ("Code Rebel" or the "Company") (CDRB). Investors who purchased or otherwise acquired shares between August 17, 2015 and May 5, 2016, inclusive (the "Class Period"), are encouraged to contact the Firm prior to the July 11, 2016, lead plaintiff motion deadline. If you purchased shares of Code Rebel during the Class Period, please contact Joon M. Khang, Esquire, of Khang & Khang, 18101 Von Karman Avenue, 3rd Floor, Irvine, CA 92612, by telephone: (949) 419-3834, or by email at joon@khanglaw.com. There has been no class certification in this case. Until certification occurs, you are not represented by an attorney. You may choose to take no action and remain a passive class member. According to the complaint, the Company failed to disclose that (1) Code Rebel's financial statements contained errors concerning its assets and financial condition; and (2) as a result of the foregoing, Code Rebel's public statements were materially false and misleading. If you wish to learn more about this lawsuit, or if you have any questions concerning this notice or your rights, please contact Joon M. Khang, a prominent litigator for almost two decades, by telephone: (949) 419-3834, or by email at joon@khanglaw.com. This press release may constitute Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions. Contact: KHANG & KHANG LLP Joon M. Khang, Esq. Telephone: 949-419-3834 Facsimile: 949-225-4474 joon@khanglaw.com SOURCE: Khang & Khang LLP The Obama administration issued new regulations on commercial drone use Tuesday, clearing the way for farmers, businesses and other corporations to utilize unmanned aircraft in their day-to-day operations. The rule comes with several caveats: use of drones is restricted to daylight and twilight hours, operators are asked to avoid flying drones over people, and the aircraft are required to weigh 55 lbs. or less and fly below 400 ft. Operatorswho have to be at least 16 years of age would be restricted to flying one drone at a time and vehicles would have to be within their line of sight. Pilots will also have to to pass a written test and undergo a security vetting process in order to operate the drones. Federal officials are willing to make some exceptions, offering applications for waivers for those who want to use their drones at night and fly over crowds. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx said Tuesday the rules are a first step in better regulating drones and increasing innovation in the aviation sector. This is a big [step], Foxx said on a call with reporters on Tuesday, but there will be more in the future. While the new rule is wide-ranging and has earned the praise of leading drone manufacturer DJI and the Academy of Model Aeronautics, it does not address the use of unmanned vehicles for delivery. Retail giant Amazon has issued plans for a future drone delivery service that would get parcels from the computer screen to a purchasers hands within an hour, but there is no current regulation that could help make that plan a reality. Federal Aviation Administrator Michael Huerta said Tuesday said theres an active research process underway but there is still a lot of research and pathfinding to do in order to ensure businesses can safely operate multiple drones over densely populated areas, which would be required under Amazons plan. The rule also does not thoroughly address privacy concerns. Kanye West and the Weeknd will headline the inaugural The Meadows Music and Arts Festival, which storms Queens, New York's Citi Field complex on October 1st and 2nd. 2016 Governors Ball: See Photos of NYC's Rainy Party Chance the Rapper, the 1975, Cage the Elephant, Grimes, Metric, Pusha T, Bryson Tiller and Empire of the Sun are among the artists who will perform at the two-day fest, which was borne out of the desire to bring West back to New York after his Governors Ball headlining set was canceled on June 5th. Other Meadows acts include Kygo, Kamasi Washington, Mac Miller, Chromeo, Charles Bradley and his Extraordinaires, Twin Shadow performing Prince's Purple Rain, Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley as well as two mystery acts yet to be announced. General on-sale for Meadows tickets begins June 23rd at the fest's site. However, Governors Ball attendees who missed out on seeing West will receive a promo code granting them access to a special pre-sale starting Wednesday at 11 a.m. EST. Visit the Meadows' site for full ticket and packages information. The Meadows comes from the same organizers as Governors Ball, and in a statement, they said their desire to bring West to New York for his lone 2016 festival performance here was the catalyst for the festival's founding. After Governors Ball was cancelled, West attempted to stage impromptu concerts throughout New York City, but large crowds and safety concerns prevented those concerts from taking root. Following the scuttled pop-up shows, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted to West that "great block parties are planned." Organizers for the new festival revealed that the two-day fest was given approval by the mayor's administration. "We are so grateful to the de Blasio Administration and Metropolitan Hospitality for giving us this opportunity and to all the artists who have enthusiastically agreed to take this inaugural ride with us," organizer Tom Russell said in a statement. Related The resemblance is uncanny. Katie Holmes is the spitting image of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in a new pic released from the upcoming Reelz miniseries The Kennedys: After Camelot. PHOTOS: Famous Celebrity Families In the pic, Holmes, 37, is dressed in a stunning replica of the famous lace-covered beige Valentino gown the former first lady wore in October 1968 when she married Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis on the island of Skorpios, which was owned by the billionaire. After tying the knot in a Greek Orthodox ceremony attended by her children with the late President John F. Kennedy Caroline and John Jr. as well as two Kennedy sisters, the couple and a small group of about 40 guests celebrated on Onassis' luxury yacht, the Christina O. PHOTOS: Katie Holmes Through the Years The couple's surprise wedding came just five years after President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. Holmes is featured in the wedding photo with Alexander Siddig as Onassis, who was 23 years older than his bride. This is not the first time Holmes has played America's most famous first lady she previously portrayed the former debutante in the 2011 Reelz miniseries The Kennedys opposite Greg Kinnear as JFK. PHOTOS: Stars Who Played the President The Ray Donovan actress is one of the executive producers on this new project and last week shared a photo on Instagram from the set, where she and daughter Suri, 10 whose father is Holmes' ex-husband, Tom Cruise sat together on customized directors chairs. "My Sweetie," the doting mom captioned the black-and-white shot, along with a red heart emoji and the hashtags "setlife" and "gratitude." The Kennedys: After Camelot is based on the bestselling book After Camelot: A Personal History of the Kennedy Family 1968 to the Present by J. Randy Taraborrelli, and will air in 2017. (Reuters) - The Kentucky clerk who was jailed for refusing to issue marriage licenses to gay couples asked a federal appeals court on Tuesday to dismiss her appeal because the state's new law to remove clerks' names from licenses made her action unnecessary. Attorneys for Rowan County clerk Kim Davis filed a motion with the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals asking for the dismissal since the state's new law will go into effect two weeks before the case was due for oral arguments. Last summer, Davis refused to issue licenses to gay couples after the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to legalize same-sex marriage, drawing international attention and triggering demonstrations and legal actions. Davis cited as grounds for her actions her Apostolic Christian beliefs defining marriage as a union reserved for heterosexual couples. Even though county clerks do not perform marriage ceremonies in Kentucky, she argued that her name on the document equaled approval. Four couples sued Davis in federal court for her refusal to do her job, and a U.S. District Court judge ruled that she was in contempt of court and jailed her for five days. After being released, Davis would not allow her name to appear on marriage licenses, requiring her deputies to use the title notary public on the form. The new law, signed by Republican Gov. Matt Bevin in April, "expressly modifies the Kentucky marriage licensing scheme to remove entirely a county clerks name, personal identifiers, and authorization from any license, thereby providing through a change in the law the very religious accommodation Davis sought from the beginning of this litigation," according to the Tuesday filing. Davis's attorneys also asked the appeals court to vacate the district court's orders, saying the contempt decree should not have issued. "I am pleased that I can continue to serve my community as the Rowan County Clerk without having to sacrifice my religious convictions and conscience," Davis said in a statement. Mat Staver, chairman of Liberty Counsel, which represents Kim Davis, said in the statement that the law offered the relief that Davis had sought from the beginning. (Reporting by Ben Klayman in Detroit; Editing by Toni Reinhold) NAIROBI (Reuters) - A Kenyan government driver was killed on Monday evening near the border with Somalia when his vehicle hit a mine planted by the Islamist group al Shabaab, a government official said. The Somali militant group, exploiting a long border, has made several deadly incursions into Kenya and says it will keep up its attacks until Kenya withdraws its troops from Somalia. Kenya is part of the African Union-mandated AMISOM force fighting al Shaabab which, though it has been pushed out of its strongholds in Somalia where it opposes the western-backed government, it remains resilient. Earlier on Monday al Shaabab claimed responsibility for another attack in which five police officers were killed and four more were injured in the same region. Mohamed Sales, a regional government official, told Reuters a man driving an ambulance died after the vehicle hit a mine. His co-driver's leg was cut off by the blast. Three other people were injured. Also on Monday, Kenyan police shot and killed a suspected al Shabaab fighter and arrested nine others alleged to be linked to the murder of three community leaders in the Indian Ocean coastal region. Diplomats say Kenya's northeastern border with Somalia is a security weak spot, given the challenge of policing a long frontier. Poor coordination between security services and a culture of corruption that allows those prepared to pay a bribe to cross the border unchallenged are seen as further security risks. (Reporting by Noor Ali and Joseph Akwiri; writing by Elias Biryabarema; editing by Richard Balmforth) Washington (AFP) - Secretary of State John Kerry sat down Tuesday for an exchange of views with the US diplomats who challenged White House policy and called for air strikes on Syria. Last week, some 50 mid-level US officials signed a so-called "dissent channel" cable calling for military action to force Syria's Bashar al-Assad to agree to peace talks. Rather than express annoyance at the rebuke, Kerry dubbed the memo "very good," fueling speculation in Washington that he too is frustrated with President Barack Obama's cautious policy. While widely reported, the contents of the cable remain classified, so State Department spokesman John Kirby has refused to address the issues raised by the dissident diplomats. But on Tuesday, he confirmed that Kerry had met with 10 of the memo's authors. Kerry was mostly in "listening mode," Kirby said, but there was an exchange of views. "I believe the secretary came away feeling that it was a good discussion and that it was worth having," Kirby said. "He appreciated their views and -- just as critically -- their firm belief in the opportunity that they have to express those views. "And so, they had a good 30-minute or more conversation." The US military is engaged in Syria, but US air strike planners and US-backed militia fighters are concentrating their fire on the violent extremist Islamic State group. Assad, meanwhile, is hammering the moderate opposition, with support from Russia. Many US diplomats now feel more must be done to bring an end to the five-year-old civil war. There is no sign that Obama, with only seven months left in his presidency, wants to open up a new and dangerous front in America's troubled military interventions in the Middle East. But Kirby -- while repeating the administration's mantra that "there is no military solution to this conflict" -- said it would be "imprudent and irresponsible... not to consider other options." "And those other options are still, and have been, and are still being considered," he added. London (AFP) - Britain holds a referendum on Thursday on whether it should remain in the European Union, following an often troubled relationship over recent decades. Ahead of the vote, here are some key dates in Britain's relationship with the EU: - August 9, 1961: Britain makes its first formal application to join what was then the European Economic Community (EEC) under Conservative prime minister Harold Macmillan. - January 14, 1963: France's then-president Charles de Gaulle vetoes the application for the first time. He says 'Non' again on November 27, 1967 after Britain reapplied. - January 1, 1973: Britain finally enters the EEC at the same time as Ireland and Denmark, after De Gaulle has left office. - June 5, 1975: In a referendum on membership of the EEC, Britain votes "Yes" by slightly more than 67 percent. - November 30, 1979: Prime minister Margaret Thatcher demands a rebate on Britain's contribution to the European budget in a speech which became best known for a phrase attributed to her as: "I want my money back!" - September 20, 1988: Thatcher gives a landmark speech in the Belgian city of Bruges which became a rallying cry among eurosceptics for less European political integration. - November 22, 1990: Thatcher is forced to resign. Her growing euroscepticism was seen as a contributing factor as many felt it was lowering Britain's influence in Europe. - February 7, 1992: The Treaty of Maastricht, which underpinned the next stage of European integration, is signed. Britain secures an opt-out from joining the single European currency. - July 23, 1993: Prime minister John Major holds a confidence motion in his government over the Maastricht Treaty after serious infighting in his Conservative Party over Europe. He is caught on camera calling eurosceptic ministers plotting against him "bastards". - April 20, 2004: Labour prime minister Tony Blair, a europhile, announces his intention to hold a referendum on the European constitution. It is never held, after France and Denmark rejected it. Story continues - January 23, 2013: Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron promises a referendum on EU membership if his party wins the next general election. - May 22, 2014: The anti-EU UK Independence Party tops the polls in European Parliament elections with more than 26 percent of the vote, securing 24 seats. - May 7, 2015: Cameron's Conservatives win a surprise outright majority in the general election, clearing the way for a referendum to be held. - February 20, 2016: Cameron announces a date for the referendum after negotiating key reforms at a summit in Brussels. - April 15, 2016: Referendum campaign begins. By Lisa Rapaport In some U.S. cities, at least one in seven kids have unsafe levels of lead in their blood, indicating exposure to a toxic metal that can lead to lifelong physical, mental and behavioral health problems, a recent study suggests. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a blood lead level equal to or greater than five micrograms per deciliter of lead in blood is considered unsafe for children. Researchers examined more than 5.2 million blood lead level test results for infants and children under 6 years of age over a six-year period ending in April 2015. They found 3.1 percent of boys and 2.8 percent of girls had blood lead levels exceeding what the CDC considers safe. In six regions, more than 14 percent of kids had unsafe blood lead levels: Syracuse, Buffalo and Poughkeepsie in New York; Oil City and York in Pennsylvania and Cincinnati, Ohio. Many of these localities are old, industrial cities, said Dr. Harvey Kaufman, senior medical director at Quest Diagnostics in St. Louis, Missouri, and an author of the study. There are many reasons why these localities could have the highest percentage of children who test with elevated blood lead levels, including more old housing stock, higher poverty rates and possibly fewer resources for remediation of older housing, Kaufman added by email. Even though lead was phased out of paint in the 1970s, many children in communities with older housing stock are still at risk for lead exposure because these buildings havent been inspected for lead or because the metal hasnt been removed where its found, said Dr. Leonardo Trasande, a pediatrics researcher at New York University School of Medicine who wasnt involved in the study. Insofar as old homes have not been evaluated or remediated, levels of lead in childrens blood are likely to be higher due to water ingestion, dust inhalation and contact with soil, Trasande said by email. The study also identified five states with the largest proportion of tests indicating high blood lead levels: Minnesota (10.3 percent), Pennsylvania (7.8 percent), Kentucky (7.1 percent), Ohio (7.0 percent) and Connecticut (6.7 percent). California and Florida had the lowest rates, with 1.4 percent and 1.1 percent, respectively. Over the course of the study, the proportion of children with high blood lead levels nationwide dropped slightly, from about 3.7 percent to 2.6 percent. Even blood lead levels lower than the CDC threshold for unsafe exposure to the toxic chemical may put children at risk for reduced intellectual and academic abilities and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The AAP this week issued new lead screening recommendations that encourage doctors to step up testing efforts for children who live in neighborhoods with many homes built before 1960, when lead paint use was widespread. At the same time, the AAP called for strict standards to limit how much lead is allowed in air, water, soil, indoor dust and consumer products (http://bit.ly/28KV3rm). We must not treat children as canaries in the coal mine where they are exposed first and then tested to see if they have been poisoned, said Dr. Jennifer Lowry, chair of the AAPs council on environmental health. Parents, healthcare providers and policy makers must ensure that children are protected before they live in a home with lead hazards, Lowry added by email. That is hardest on parents where they dont know that lead hazards exist or dont have the means to do this. One limitation of the study is the potential for children to be tested more frequently in communities where people are aware of the risk for lead exposure, the authors note in the Journal of Pediatrics. Some tests included in the study might also have been done because doctors suspected lead poisoning or because parents wanted to confirm initial screening results, the authors also point out. Even so, the findings point to the need for parents to be vigilant about avoiding housing with lead paint and for pediatricians to screen children at risk for exposure, Kaufman said. The health impacts of lead poisoning on IQ, behavior, and brain development are irreversible, but lead exposure is preventable, Kaufman said. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/28MUKMb Journal of Pediatrics, online June 11, 2016. King Bach is one of our 2016 Famechanger honorees. For more, click here. Andrew Bachelor is the king of six-second comedy. And Vines most-followed creator King Bach to his 15.7 million fans has already made incursions into other media. This fall, he will appear in the horror comedy The Babysitter, directed by McG, and is currently filming the indie comedy Wheres the Money with Terry Crews and Josh Brener. Previous big-screen roles include parts in the horror parody Meet the Blacks and the spoof Fifty Shades of Black. On TV, Bachelor has been seen in Showtimes House of Lies, Adult Swims Black Jesus, Foxs The Mindy Project, BETs revival of Punkd, and MTVs Nick Cannon Presents: Wild N Out. Im all over your TV and movie screen, says the 27-year-old. He adds half-kiddingly, My goal is to be the biggest movie star ever. As an aspiring actor, Bachelor began uploading short films and sketches to YouTube after attending the New York Film Academy in L.A and taking courses at the Groundlings. My objective was to show my acting skills, but I also had a filmmaking background, he says. I drew a fan base and kept on going and going. In 2013, he started posting to Vine, mainly because shorter videos were cheaper to make. Instead of spending $30,000 on a YouTube video, I spent $5 on gas and shot a Vine, he says. In his climb on Vine, he has produced segments with numerous brands, including Universal Pictures and Disney. What he likes most about being a digital creator is the freedom to develop and inhabit a parade of characters; his favorite so far is Sherlock Homeboy. King Bachs comedy role models include Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock, and Kevin Hart, who has helped him refine jokes and routines. A lot of it, for me, is based on instincts, he says. Producing material even as short as six seconds takes no small amount of time. King Bach says hes literally always working, a job that includes posting to and monitoring Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. Its like second nature for me nowI come from a family that works hard, says Bachelor. Both of Bachelors parents are accountants, and his sister, Christina, is his manager. Story continues As for the origin of his royal handle, the nickname was bestowed on him by a seventh-grade teacher after Bachelor was the only kid in class who dressed up for a history project about kings and queens. I came in wearing a crown and cape and he said, Look at King Bach! recalls Bachelor. Like other internet celebs, King Bach (pronounced batch) has learned the cardinal rule of ignoring the haters. Theyre just fans in denial, he quips. Related stories Troye Sivan: Pop Star, Vlogger, Actor and Activist Makes Global Connections Markiplier: YouTube Gamer Makes Play to Expand His Scope Racka Racka: Australian Brothers' Gory Videos Lead to Film Deal Kinross Gold Corporation KGC has temporarily suspended its mining and processing operations at the Tasiast mine in Mauritania. The company was forced to take the decision as it could not fully operate the mine safely due to changes in the regulations laid down by the Mauritanian Ministry of Labor. The Ministry had prohibited certain expatriate employees from working at the site due to alleged invalid work permits. The Canadian gold miner has complied with all requisite formalities including the filing of requests and applications set forth by the Ministry. The company has also ensured valid work permits of all employees under the Mauritanian law. Other companies and organizations in Mauritania too are facing these issues with the Ministry of Labor. Discussions to resolve the matter are underway. Kinross does not expect the expansion of Tasiast Phase One to be affected by the current situation. The company aims to increase the number of local skilled employees at the mine. Currently, roughly 88% of the workforce comprises Mauritanian nationals. Kinross follows the same policy of increasing the number of locals working at all its sites. In May 2016, the Tasiast employee union went on strike. Post negotiations with the union leaders, the strike ended three weeks later. However, the development of the Tasiast Phase One expansion was not affected during the strike and management does not expect it to impact the annual regional guidance either. KINROSS GOLD Price KINROSS GOLD Price | KINROSS GOLD Quote Shares of Kinross fell around 5.6% in the trading session on Monday, closing the day around 2% lower at $4.88. During its first-quarter 2016 earnings release, Kinross stated that the Tasiast Phase One expansion was underway. The development is expected to double production levels and halve the cost of sales. The company reported a net loss of $13.9 million for the first quarter of 2016, wider than a net loss of $6.7 million in the year-ago quarter. Loss widened particularly due to lower gold prices. The figure includes one-time items including foreign exchange losses of $2.8 million, and acquisition-related costs of $7.6 million. Story continues Adjusted earnings (excluding one-time items) were $1.4 million or a breakeven, compared with adjusted earnings of $15.3 million or a penny per share recorded in the year-ago quarter. Analysts polled by Zacks were expecting a loss of a penny per share on an average. Revenues of $782.6 million were almost in line with the year-ago quarter as higher gold sales were partly offset by lower average realized gold prices. Revenues, however, missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $796 million. Kinross currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked mining companies are B2Gold Corp. BTG and Golden Star Resources Ltd. GSS, both sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), as well as Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited HMY, carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report KINROSS GOLD (KGC): Free Stock Analysis Report HARMONY GOLD (HMY): Free Stock Analysis Report GOLDEN STAR RES (GSS): Free Stock Analysis Report B2GOLD CORP (BTG): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / June 21, 2016 / Klondike Gold Corp. (KG.V) ("Klondike Gold" or the "Company") announces that pursuant to the Company's Stock Option Plan, a total of 710,000 incentive stock options have been granted to directors, officers, employees, and consultants of the Company. The options are exercisable at a price of $0.28 per share for a period of 10 years, subject to regulatory approval. ABOUT KLONDIKE GOLD CORP. Klondike Gold Corp. is a Canadian exploration company with offices in Vancouver, British Columbia, and Dawson City, Yukon Territory. The company is focused on exploration and development of its Yukon gold projects, accessible by government maintained roads located on the outskirts of Dawson City, YT, covering 308 square kilometers of hard rock and 20 square kilometers of placer claims including "McKinnon Creek" featured on the Discovery Channel show "Gold Rush". On behalf of Klondike Gold Corp. "Peter Tallman" President and CEO (604) 609-6110 E-mail: info@klondikegoldcorp.com Website: www.klondikegoldcorp.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Klondike Gold Corp. What is happening on Thursday Citizens of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland will vote Thursday on the U.K.s membership of the European Union. Economists, politicians and people from all over the world forecast that a vote for Britain to leave the E.U., known as Brexit would be catastrophic for Britain and could create economic and political shockwaves that could crash through Europe and onto the U.S. and the rest of the world. Yet, voters of the U.K. seem almost evenly divided and many are anxiously waiting for the early hours of Friday morning when the result will become clear. What is the European Union and how did the U.K. become a member After the end of the Second World War in 1945, Britain refused to join the new institutions set up by other European countries to foster greater co-operation and peaceful relations. Britain preferred to focus its trade and investment on its former colonies such as the United States, India, Canada and Australia. By the 1960s, however, Britain decided that it would be better to join what became the European Economic Communitythe forerunner of the E.U.in 1957. The difficulty was that some European countries, France in particular, did not want Britain to join. In 1961, Britains application to join the EEC was rejected. The president of France, General Charles de Gaulle, feared that Britain would act as a Trojan horse for U.S. influence. After de Gaulle retired, Britain re-applied in 1967 and finally became a member of the EEC, a free-trade zone in 1973. Since then, the EEC was first renamed the European Community, and later the European Union. Its influence now ranges from trade, human rights, foreign policy to environmental law. The E.U. comprises the European Parliaments, the European Commissionits executive, the European Court of Justice and the European Central Bank. Why do some Britons want to leave Sovereignty: Many believe that the scope of the E.U.s powers is so great that it impinges on the sovereignty of the U.K. Story continues Regulation: Others are particularly annoyed by regulations set in Brussels, where the E.U. is headquartered, which they believe prevent businesses from operating efficiently. Migration: But the biggest issue is migration. One of the key tenets of the E.U. is the free movement of people. This means that Britons can work and live in any part of the E.U. and E.U. citizens can live and work in the U.K. Around 3 million citizens of other E.U. states live in the U.K. while 1.2 million Britons live elsewhere in the E.U. Some Britons blame migrants for unemployment, low wages, and deterioration of the education and health systems. Some have even blamed migrants for traffic jams. Why do Britons want to stay Peace: Europe was devastated by two wars in the 20th century and the belligerents are now allies within the E.U. Free trade: The E.U. is the biggest trading bloc in the world and the U.K. has tariff-free access to it. This would be jeopardised by leaving the E.U. Investment: International investors have chosen the U.K. as their base because it is part of the E.U. Departure would lead many companies to re-consider their location. Unity: The U.K. cannot avoid having a relationship with Europe, and the E.U. is the forum that has developed as a home for these multilateral communications. Leaving the E.U. and starting to create new mechanisms for bilateral and multilateral communication would create a lot of work with no guarantee of success. What would change if the U.K. left the E.U.? No states have ever left the E.U. before, so this is uncharted territory. If the U.K. votes to withdraw, its leadership would have two years to negotiate the terms of departure and organise new trading arrangements with hundreds of countries. A Leave vote could also lead to the fall of the current government and a general election. This uncertainty could have a dangerous economic impact. Many economists believe that the U.K. could go into recession which could unsettle economies all over the world. In the longer term, by removing itself from the E.U. market, the U.K. would lose the free trade privileges it enjoyed. Conversely, the E.U. would lose the second-largest contributor to its operating budget, and nearly 15 percent of its GDP. Other issues would be procedural. The nearly 3 million people from other E.U. states who live in the U.K. and the 1.2 million British citizens living elsewhere in the E.U. would have to sort out their new immigration status. British businesses operating in the E.U. would also have to reassess their legal and financial status. Who supports Leave? The Leave campaign has support mostly from the right of the political spectrum. The United Kingdom Independence Party, led by Nigel Farage, has pushed for a referendum since it was created in 1993. The former Mayor of London Mayor Boris Johnson and five cabinet ministers also lead the Leave campaign. Abroad, Russian President Vladimir Putin and presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump have indicated they think the U.K. should leave the E.U. Who supports Remain? David Cameron, the Prime Minister, has been joined by the leaders of nearly all the U.K.s political parties in pushing for a Remain vote. Almost all foreign leaders who have weighed in including President Barack Obama, Japans Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and E.U. leaders want the U.K. to stay. A number of celebrities and artists have also voiced their collective support, and J.K. Rowling herself recently warned against believing in illusory monsters by voting to leave. Whats current polling Polls this weekend were too close to indicate the vote would definitely go one way or the other, but did give a slight edge to the Leave faction. One phone survey gave Leave a 45% lead over Remain, with 42%, and an online poll had results of 44% to 43%. An opinion poll by The Independent showed Leave supporters were far more passionate than Stay supporters, but its hard to drum up fervor for maintaining the status quo. When will we know the result? The voting stations will close at 10 p.m. local time, or 5 p.m. EST. There will be some exit polls, but the BBC said it will not conduct one because the margin for error would be too great in this referendum. Results will be counted and released by area beginning after midnight, but since the total number of votes will determine the outcome, officials may not be able to call the election with certainty until the very end. Those final tallies will come in throughout the night, finishing up by 7 a.m. local time (Bloomberg breaks down the schedule of results nicely here). At that time, 2 a.m. EST, the Chief Counting Officer should be able to announce the winner. How will this affect the U.S.? Britain is one of Americas major partners in trade, so this monumental change would throw uncertainty into the future of that relationship especially if the U.K. enters a recession as a result. The International Monetary Fund warns that a Brexit could lower the output of many economies, including the U.S., by up to half a percentage point. The Euro or pound floundering next to a strong dollar would be a blow to American exporters. Beyond economic ties, the U.S. government is most concerned about the political instability a Brexit could portend for Europe on the whole. If other states follow suit and leave the largest trading bloc in the world, the entire continent would be weakened falling into the shadow of a looming Russia. The future of NATO itself could even be at risk. From Popular Mechanics The ground shook, a brilliant white flash enveloped the sky, and the world changed forever. Code name "Trinity," the bomb test at dawn on July 16, 1945 in Alamogordo, New Mexico was the first large-scale atomic weapons testing in history. Only three weeks later two atomic bombs were dropped on Japan. More than 1,900 miles away from Alamogordo, at the Rochester, NY headquarters of Eastman Kodak, a flood of complaints came in from business customers who had recently purchased sensitive X-ray film from the company. Black exposed spots on the film, or "fogging," had rendered it unusable. This perplexed many Kodak scientists, who had gone to great lengths to prevent contaminations like this. Julian H. Webb, a physicist in Kodak's research department, took it upon himself to dig deeper and test the destroyed film. What he uncovered was shocking. The fogging of Kodak's film and the Trinity test in New Mexico were eerily connected, revealing some chilling secrets about the nuclear age. It all started when Kodak had a problem with its packaging. Even today, X-ray film is highly sensitive (much more so than regular photographic film) and subject to ruin due to dirt, scratches and even minimal light exposure. Proper packaging and protection is essential to make sure the film gets from manufacturing to shipping to the customer's place of business safely. According to an article Webb would write in 1949 for the American Physical Society, the paper and cardboard used for packaging in the '40s were often salvaged from wartime manufacturing plants where radium-based instruments were also produced. Radium is a naturally occurring radioactive element that can cause flecks of spots or fogging when "in intimate contact with (sensitive film) for a period several weeks." During wartime, Kodak took precautions to avoid radium contamination. It moved packaging manufacturing to mills where Kodak had full control over the raw materials. Story continues One of these mills was located along the Wabash River in Vincennes, Indiana; it specialized in producing strawboard, used as a stiffener board between sheets of film. When Webb investigated the mysterious fogging in 1945, he found that it originated not from the X-ray film itself but the packaging, which he tracked to this particular mill, and specifically, the production run of strawboard from August 6, 1945. After testing the radioactive material on the strawboard, he discovered-rather alarmingly-that the spots on the film were not caused by radium nor any other naturally occurring radioactive material, but "a new type radioactive containment not hitherto encountered." What was this unknown radioactive material, he must have wondered, and what was it doing in southwest Indiana? "Prolific Fission Products" In January 1942, less than four years after Berlin chemists first split the uranium atom, the United States government secretly launched the Manhattan Project. Spurred by a letter from Albert Einstein saying that the Germans were pursuing the bomb, President Franklin Roosevelt approved federal funding for uranium research in 1939. Later that year, reports indicated it was possible to create an "extremely powerful bomb" from enriched uranium (later plutonium was discovered to have similar destructive properties). Eminent scientist Vannevar Bush hastily compiled a list of resources, including materials, equipment, money, and scientists, needed to make the bomb a physical reality. A month after Pearl Harbor pushed the U.S. into the war, FDR approves Bush's list with one simple handwritten note, "V.B. OK-returned-I think you had best keep this in your own safe FDR." Three days after Christmas in 1942, the "Manhattan Project" was officially authorized. By 1945, the United States had a plutonium-based atomic bomb ready for testing. Called "Gadget," the experiment was set for the Trinity test site, so named by Manhattan Project leader Robert J. Oppenheimer in homage to the work of English poet John Donne. At 5:30 a.m. on a hot desert morning, the atomic age began. The bomb exploded and released 18.6 kilotons of unimaginable power. In a nanosecond, an orange fireball reached the heavens, followed by a column that quickly flattened into now-iconic image of the mushroom cloud. The test was a tremendous success-at least in the eyes of those hoping to use it as a weapon. It far exceeded expectations in terms of power as the blast released as much as three times more force than anticipated. It was reported that the fireball could be seen as far as 250 miles away. Soon, Julian Webb would discover the impact was felt much further. While he was studying the Indiana samples, Webb got word that a particular production run of strawboard from a plant in Tama, Iowa was also contaminated and fogging the Kodak film it carried. While Tama was 450 miles from Vincennes, there were striking similarities. The two production runs of strawboard had been completed within a month of each other. Tama's radioactive spots also failed the radium test, meaning the cause was something else. Most telling, however, was that both mills sat next to rivers, with Vincennes on the Wabash River and the Iowa River cutting through Tama. Webb found that the strawboard from both mills had a significant concentration of beta-particle radiation activity but little to no alpha-activity. (Beta-particle radiation can penetrate paper, human skin and are sometimes considered dangerous. Alpha-particle radiation is stopped by paper, easily absorbed and generally considered safe if not ingested). Additionally, photographic evidence allowed Webb to estimate the half-life of the artificial radioactive material he was seeking at approximately 30 days. The results corresponded to the presence of an artificial radioactive material he would later identify as Cerium-141, which is "one of the more prolific fission products of the atom bomb." "If you are behind the curtain and sworn to secrecy.... You are not going to go there." Furthermore, Webb concluded there was no possible way the straw could be the carrier of the containment, since it was stored in warehouses (and not outside) for a considerable amount of time prior to being used. Had the Cerium-141 gotten directly into the straw, it would have decayed by the time the straw was processed, rendering the radiation hardly detectable. This brought Webb to a frightening explanation: The contamination came from the river water. Additional evidence would fall in the rain. According to Webb, "stronger activity occurred in the strawboard" after periods of heavy precipitation, establishing that the radioactive material was being deposited via precipitation and came from a far-flung place. While it is unclear whether Webb knew about the Trinity test when he was conducting his research in 1945, his report from 1949 is unabashedly clear: "The most likely explanation of the source of this radioactive contaminant appears to be that it consisted of wind-borne radioactive fission products derived from the atom-bomb detonation in New Mexico on July 16, 1945." Keeping It Quiet Webb wasn't the only one who knew fallout could travel vast distances. As the years have passed, it's become increasingly clear that the United States government knew this fact early on. Immediately following the Trinity tests, the Manhattan Project's chief of radiological safety, Stafford Warren, warned that the tests needed to be conducted at least 150 miles from civilian populations. In 1948, U.S. Air Force Meteorologist Col. B. G. Holzman recommended establishing a new nuclear test site on the East Coast, rather than in the west, because western winds carry fallout across the continental United States. Despite this recommendation, the Nevada Proving Ground (later the Nevada Test Site) was established in 1950 only a hundred miles from Las Vegas. According to a 1997 article for the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists entitled "Worse than we knew," the reason for this reckless choice was that weapons labs were nearby, which would accelerate "the pace of the weapons development program." Pat Ortmeyer was the coauthor of this article in which she and Arjun Makhijani dug deep into the National Cancer Institute's report that because of the Nevada nuclear tests, a vast majority of the American public was exposed to the cancer-causing radioactive element Iodine-131. "What is so appalling was that it was the system... that it was by design, to keep the public in the dark like that," Ortmeyer tells Popular Mechanics. "This was partly because of the context... we were at war... but when you look at the history of nuclear production, that's the norm... downplaying [health risks]." On January 27, 1951, the first atomic detonation at the new Nevada Proving Ground took place. Days later and 2,500 miles away, a Geiger counter at Kodak's headquarters in New York state measured radioactive readings 25 times above normal after a snowstorm. Declassified 1952 documents obtained by Popular Mechanics reveals that Kodak alerted the Atomic Energy Commission about this out of concern this testing would wreck its film just as had happened in 1945. The AEC responded that it would look into it, but assured Kodak there was little reason to worry, even allowing the company to issue a press release to the Associated Press stating that snow "that fell in Rochester was measurably radioactive..." but "there is no possibility of harm to humans and animals." In March 1951, a frustrated Kodak threatened to sue the U.S. government for the "considerable amount of damage to our products resulting from the Nevada tests or from any further atomic energy tests..." Finally the company and the government came to an agreement. The AEC would provide Webb, by now the head of Kodak's physics division, with schedules and maps of future tests so that Kodak could take the necessary precautions to protect its product. In return, the people of Kodak were to keep everything they knew about the government's Nevada nuclear testing a secret. "They were doing their jobs and perhaps simply didn't know any better." The Cost of the Silence Did Kodak have a responsibility to tell the American public about the fallout? Says Stephen Schwartz, an independent nuclear weapons expert and policy analyst who edited and co-wrote the book Atomic Audit for the Brookings Institution in 1998: "Did they have a moral or ethical responsibility? I think you could make a strong case that they did," he says. "But I wouldn't look at Kodak with today's eyes. They were doing their jobs and perhaps simply didn't know any better." Ortmeyer agrees: "I think that the responsibility fell to the government...[Kodak] knew the impact it had on their film, but for them to speak out on a public health issue... that wasn't their field of expertise. I can only surmise that in the era of the Manhattan Project, if you are behind the curtain and sworn to secrecy.... You are not going to go there." In 1997, the National Cancer Institute released findings that linked the Nevada nuclear testing to the release of Iodine-131 which can lead to thyroid cancer. In response, a Congressional hearing questioned why the government withheld such information. Led by Sen. Tom Harkin (who incorrectly said that Kodak discovered the radioactive fallout because of "corn husks," not strawboard), the hearing made clear that this was a public health crisis, and that every single American alive at the time was threatened by the radioactive fallout. Julian Webb knew this five decades earlier when he discovered traces of faraway weapons testing in America's water supply. Why no one told the American people remains a question today. Special thanks to Pat Ortmeyer for providing materials for this story (Recasts to detail bids, comments from Ser Educacional, background throughout) By Juliana Schincariol and Tatiana Bautzer RIO DE JANEIRO/SAO PAULO, June 21 (Reuters) - The battle for control of Estacio Participacoes SA gained momentum on Tuesday as efforts by Brazil's No. 2 for-profit college operator to remain independent failed to prevent rivals from sweetening their bids. Kroton Educacional SA on Tuesday improved by almost one-third its unsolicited offer for control of Estacio, originally unveiled on June 2. Reuters had reported Kroton's intention to raise its bid last week. A source familiar with Kroton's plans said it had already garnered support from about 40 percent of Estacio's shareholders for the new proposal, which would be its definitive offer. Kroton is the world's largest education company by market capitalization. The other bidder, Ser Educacional SA, may sweeten the terms of a merger proposal sent to Estacio's board on June 5, Chief Executive Janyo Diniz told Reuters on Tuesday. He declined to elaborate on potential scenarios for a fresh bid. The reaction from Kroton and Ser Educacional comes amid opposition from the Zaher family, Estacio's No. 2 shareholder. The family's patriarch, Chaim Zaher, was named Estacio's chief executive officer last week to help steer the company through the takeover bids and cut costs. The fight for Estacio, a company with about 588,000 students and annual revenue of 4.3 billion reais, is setting the stage for what may turn into the fiercest unsolicited takeover battle in one of Brazil's fast-growing industries. Analysts said Estacio's bloated cost structure, compared to that of rivals, makes it an alluring takeover target: a buyer will have ample room to cut costs and sharpen business focus on geographical and segment expansion. The Zahers want at least 1.5 Kroton shares for each of Estacio's, a source close to the family told Reuters on Tuesday. Kroton improved its offer to 1.25 share on Tuesday - compared with an original swap ratio of 0.977-to-1 on June 2. Story continues Kroton's latest proposal, which expires on June 30, values Estacio at one-fourth of its size, despite having almost half the number of students, the second source added. Kroton and Estacio declined to comment. SUPPORT The interest in Estacio underscores the strength of for-profit college operators even as a two-year recession pushes up student loan delinquencies and the government cuts loan subsidies. Slowing revenue growth drove shares of Estacio, the byproduct of a series of acquisitions in recent years, down 21 percent in the year through June 1, the day before Kroton's bid was announced. By contrast, resilient profits bolstered the shares of Kroton and Ser Educacional, which gained 18 percent and 51 percent, respectively, in the same period. Since the bids were unveiled, Estacio has risen 42 percent. Estacio gained 1.5 percent to 15.45 reais on Tuesday, while Kroton rallied 3.3 percent to 13.13 reais. Ser Educacional gained 1.4 percent. The Zahers, who own around 13 percent of Estacio, are taking on a tough stance negotiating with Kroton, which they see as a predatory buyer, said the second source. Diniz said Ser Educacional's merger plan, which entails a one-time cash payout to Estacio shareholders of 590 million reais and a share swap, could be improved "if Estacio holders agree to sit down with us." The Zahers's vote may not be enough to block Kroton's bid, analysts and investors said. The first source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Oppenheimer Funds Inc and other funds with cross ownerships in both companies have pledged support for the improved bid. Oppenheimer owns 18 percent of Estacio and 5 percent of Kroton. The deal faces potential antitrust roadblocks as politicians, consumers and competitors join forces. Last week, a branch of Brazil's National Bar Association filed a complaint before antitrust watchdog Cade, saying a Kroton acquisition of Estacio would create a player with too much market power. The Kroton-Estacio combination would have almost four times more students than Ser Educacional, according to industry data. ($1 = 3.3951 Brazilian reais) (Additional reporting by Silvio Cascione in Brasilia and Ana Mano and Brad Haynes in Sao Paulo; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Andrew Hay) By John Miller and Oliver Hirt ZURICH, June 21 (Reuters) - Top shareholders in LafargeHolcim are backing Chief Executive Eric Olsen despite a share plunge of nearly half since France's Lafarge and Switzerland's Holcim merged last July to create the world's biggest cement maker. The stock has shed around 20 billion Swiss francs ($21 billion), hitting its biggest investors, Swiss billionaire Thomas Schmidheiny and investment holding Groupe Bruxelles Lambert (GBL). Both have defended a merger they helped engineer, arguing its span across 90 countries will help the company ride out regional slowdowns while combining their networks will allow it to return cash to shareholders. Schmidheiny once predicted the shares, post-merger, would top 100 francs; they now trade just above 40, off a record low of 33.29 francs hit in February. "Despite all the difficulties, I am convinced that Eric Olsen and his team will reach the ambitious targets," Schmidheiny, who holds 11 percent of shares, told Reuters. GBL managing director Gerard Lamarche said he does not let share volatility dictate how he manages the nearly 10 percent LafargeHolcim stake owned by the fund of the billionaire Frere and Desmarais families. He urges patience. "It is evident that a merger of that scale is not completed in one year," Lamarche said. Convincing sceptics has been difficult, especially with rivals on the upswing. As LafargeHolcim posted losses in two consecutive quarters, blaming tough markets in China, India and Russia, Mexico's Cemex reported in April a surprise profit and its best quarterly core profit since 2009. Germany's Heidelberg upgraded its 2016 outlook to high single- to double-digit profit growth. Ireland's CRH in March reported 2015 operating profit rose by 35 percent as it benefits from assets in North America that competition regulators forced LafargeHolcim to unload. "They had to sell lots of businesses where synergies would have existed," said David Moss, a BMO Global Asset Management fund manager. Moss has shunned LafargeHolcim shares. Story continues Olsen, 52, insisted in an interview last week he is on track to boost underlying 2016 earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation by "at least high single-digit percentages", despite a 17 percent first-quarter slide. His goal of 8 billion Swiss francs in operating EBITDA by 2018 -- from 5.7 billion in 2015 -- is also well within reach, he said. Phil Roseberg, a Bernstein analyst who once worked for Lafarge, is dubious, citing his own calculations that LafargeHolcim must achieve unprecedented rest-of-year performance to hit its targets. He says the second-quarter report, due Aug. 5, could be a make-or-break moment for Olsen. DAY OF RECKONING "That for me will be the day of reckoning, on 2016 guidance and therefore on the targets they've been setting for 2018 ... That will be quite critical," Roseberg said. "I would expect the board to have to react and do something quite soon. It's not possible to keep a situation where the management is in denial, and investors don't see where to set the baseline." The union has been bumpy since before LafargeHolcim's share plunge. In 2015 Holcim demanded better terms after the companies' performance diverged, briefly putting the tie-up in doubt. http://reut.rs/28ItV99 The initial CEO pick, ex-Lafarge head Bruno Lafont, was relegated to non-executive chairman as Swiss and French sides squabbled over his leadership style, according to people familiar with the matter. Although Olsen had never led a company, his U.S. roots were seen as balm for Franco-Swiss friction. But the first chairman, Wolfgang Reitzle, lasted just one year before being replaced by Beat Hess, once Royal Dutch Shell's top lawyer. A former Holcim director, Hess has neither sought strategy changes nor wavered on targets since taking over in May, Olsen said. The board is behind him, he said. While some see his "day of reckoning" approaching, Olsen said he and Hess would meet soon to focus on the company's future. "We'll have dinner together and share our plans for the year and plans for the next couple of years," he said. ($1 = 0.9596 Swiss francs) (Editing by Ruth Pitchford) By John Miller and Oliver Hirt ZURICH (Reuters) - Top shareholders in LafargeHolcim are backing Chief Executive Eric Olsen despite a share plunge of nearly half since France's Lafarge and Switzerland's Holcim merged last July to create the world's biggest cement maker. The stock has shed around 20 billion Swiss francs ($21 billion), hitting its biggest investors, Swiss billionaire Thomas Schmidheiny and investment holding Groupe Bruxelles Lambert (GBL). Both have defended a merger they helped engineer, arguing its span across 90 countries will help the company ride out regional slowdowns while combining their networks will allow it to return cash to shareholders. Schmidheiny once predicted the shares, post-merger, would top 100 francs; they now trade just above 40, off a record low of 33.29 francs hit in February. "Despite all the difficulties, I am convinced that Eric Olsen and his team will reach the ambitious targets," Schmidheiny, who holds 11 percent of shares, told Reuters. GBL managing director Gerard Lamarche said he does not let share volatility dictate how he manages the nearly 10 percent LafargeHolcim stake owned by the fund of the billionaire Frere and Desmarais families. He urges patience. "It is evident that a merger of that scale is not completed in one year," Lamarche said. Convincing skeptics has been difficult, especially with rivals on the upswing. As LafargeHolcim posted losses in two consecutive quarters, blaming tough markets in China, India and Russia, Mexico's Cemex reported in April a surprise profit and its best quarterly core profit since 2009. Germany's Heidelberg upgraded its 2016 outlook to high single- to double-digit profit growth. Ireland's CRH in March reported 2015 operating profit rose by 35 percent as it benefits from assets in North America that competition regulators forced LafargeHolcim to unload. "They had to sell lots of businesses where synergies would have existed," said David Moss, a BMO Global Asset Management fund manager. Moss has shunned LafargeHolcim shares. Olsen, 52, insisted in an interview last week he is on track to boost underlying 2016 earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization by "at least high single-digit percentages", despite a 17 percent first-quarter slide. His goal of 8 billion Swiss francs in operating EBITDA by 2018 -- from 5.7 billion in 2015 -- is also well within reach, he said. Phil Roseberg, a Bernstein analyst who once worked for Lafarge, is dubious, citing his own calculations that LafargeHolcim must achieve unprecedented rest-of-year performance to hit its targets. He says the second-quarter report, due Aug. 5, could be a make-or-break moment for Olsen. DAY OF RECKONING "That for me will be the day of reckoning, on 2016 guidance and therefore on the targets they've been setting for 2018 ... That will be quite critical," Roseberg said. "I would expect the board to have to react and do something quite soon. It's not possible to keep a situation where the management is in denial, and investors don't see where to set the baseline." The union has been bumpy since before LafargeHolcim's share plunge. In 2015 Holcim demanded better terms after the companies' performance diverged, briefly putting the tie-up in doubt. http://reut.rs/28ItV99 The initial CEO pick, ex-Lafarge head Bruno Lafont, was relegated to non-executive chairman as Swiss and French sides squabbled over his leadership style, according to people familiar with the matter. Although Olsen had never led a company, his U.S. roots were seen as balm for Franco-Swiss friction. But the first chairman, Wolfgang Reitzle, lasted just one year before being replaced by Beat Hess, once Royal Dutch Shell's top lawyer. A former Holcim director, Hess has neither sought strategy changes nor wavered on targets since taking over in May, Olsen said. The board is behind him, he said. While some see his "day of reckoning" approaching, Olsen said he and Hess would meet soon to focus on the company's future. "We'll have dinner together and share our plans for the year and plans for the next couple of years," he said. ($1 = 0.9596 Swiss francs) (Editing by Ruth Pitchford) Pay TV giant Sky TV has postponed the UK airing of the latest episode of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver after it featured an extended speech decrying the Brexit campaign calling for the UK to vote out of the European Union this Thursday. The episode, would normally have aired on Skys Sky Atlantic channel, which has an exclusive output deal with HBO. Instead, it will now air on Thursday evening, after polls in the historic vote over whether the UK stays in or out of Europe close. A Sky rep confirmed the decision had been taken in accordance with regulator Ofcoms broadcasting restrictions during elections, which call for both sides of opposing arguments to be given equal airtime. Given that Olivers monologue was unashamedly one-sided, Sky felt the need to push the broadcast. Sky is 39% owned by Rupert Murdochs 21st Century Fox. Murdochs newspaper businesses have been stridently pro-Brexit, with The Sun tabloid leading a vociferous campaign to convince its readers to vote against remaining in the EU on June 23. Oliver, by contrast, was scathing in his takedown of some of the Brexiteers, calling their campaign bullshit and saying the UK was on the edge of doing something absolutely insane. He also took a dig at Brexit cheerleader and former London mayor Boris Johnson, comparing him to Bam-Bam (the baby) from The Flintstones. Related stories UK Producers Come Out In Favor Of Staying In EU Ahead Of Referendum John Oliver Reacts To Orlando Massacre: "This Just Hurts" John Oliver Beats Oprah By Giving Away $15M On 'Last Week Tonight' LONDON (Reuters) - Law firm Quinn Emanuel has filed one of two lawsuits in Germany against Volkswagen for institutional funds in claims that could run into billions of euros over the carmaker's emissions test cheating scandal, litigation funder Bentham Europe said on Tuesday. "The breadth of the shareholder base that is represented by Quinn Emanuel should be a wake-up call to Volkswagen AG that it needs to engage with shareholders now, resolve matters and concentrate on regaining its market share," said Jeremy Marshall, chief investment officer of Bentham Europe. The so-called 'Dieselgate' scandal has forced out Volkswagen's (VW) (VOWG_p.DE) previous chief executive, tarnished one of Germany's most renowned corporate brands and driven down VW's share price since it erupted last September. Bentham Europe, which plans to publish more information after the second lawsuit is filed in Germany, said the claims related directly to the sharp fall in VW's share price in the week beginning Sept. 21, 2015. It said the lawsuits were representing a "true cross-section" of the investor base of the embattled company, from sovereign wealth funds and international asset managers to public and multinational company pension funds, including the California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS). VW, which is facing a handful of investor lawsuits, admitted last September it had cheated U.S. diesel emissions tests and that illegal software could be installed on up to around 11 million vehicles worldwide. (Reporting by Kirstin Ridley; Editing by Mark Potter) Paris (AFP) - French far-right leader Marine Le Pen called Tuesday on all European Union members, including France, to follow Britain's example in holding a referendum on remaining in the bloc. "What I'm asking for is a referendum in France. Every EU member should be able to have its say in a referendum," National Front leader Le Pen, a fierce critic of the EU, told France's TF1 television. Le Pen, who said she would back a Brexit if she were British, presented herself as a "defender of the freedom of people to choose their destiny and choose their laws." "It's been 11 years since the French were asked (about the EU)," she said, adding they had been "betrayed" by France's two main parties the last time such a vote was held. She was referring to the referendum held in 2005, in which French voters rejected a draft EU constitution that was backed by President Francois Hollande's Socialists and ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy's centre-right UMP, now known as The Republicans. Three years later, the French parliament adopted a stripped-down version of the treaty, without resubmitting it to a popular vote. The leader of the National Front, which topped the poll in France's voting for the European Parliament in 2014, accused the EU of pursuing closer integration "against our will". Also accusing the union of being responsible for high eurozone unemployment and of failing to keep out "smugglers, terrorists (and) economic migrants," Le Pen called on national leaders to come together to "build a Europe of nations to replace the totalitarian EU that we have today." Donald Trump Donald Trump riled up religious leaders during a private meeting in New York City on Thursday going as far as to say that current American leadership is "selling Christianity down the tubes." In a series of clips posted by Christian radio broadcaster E.W. Jackson from the meeting, Trump pledged to make sure that department store employees say "Merry Christmas," cast doubt on presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's religion, and asked those in attendance to pray for his election to the White House. He said: "The thing about Hillary in terms of religion is that she's been in the public eye for years and years, and yet there's nothing out there. There's like nothing out there. It's going to be an extension of Obama because with Obama you had your guard up. With Hillary you don't. "People were saying pray for your leaders, and I agree with that ... but what you really have to do is pray for everybody to get out to vote for one specific person. And again, we can't be politically correct and say pray for all our leaders because all of your leaders are selling Christianity down the tubes, selling the evangelicals down the tubes, and it's a very, very bad thing that's happening." Trump later boasted of picking up "massive majorities" of the evangelical vote. "The evangelical vote was mostly gotten by me," the presumptive Republican nominee said. "I ended up getting massive majorities in the evangelical vote, and then people were saying, 'What's going on?'" Andrea Lafferty, president of the Traditional Values Coalition, was in attendance and told Business Insider that Trump's message really hit home with her. She said that she left the meeting feeling "even more positive" about her support for Trump. She added that he addressed many areas of concern for her, such as issues related to national security, religious liberty, and appointing judges who are in-line with evangelical thought, among other topics. Story continues "It's interesting because the train has left the station, and some of the folks are still on the platform," she said. "But the American people have spoken, and I think we're seeing a real enthusiasm for Mr. Trump." One topic that was not discussed at the meeting, she said, was money. On Monday night, the Federal Election Commission released a dismal report on Trump's May fundraising. In it, Trump's measly $3 million in contributions and $1.3 million in cash on hand was laid out. It was dwarfed by Hillary Clinton's more than $28 million raised in May in addition to more than $45 million in cash on hand. But Lafferty said that those in attendance "left with a good, comfortable feeling that the campaign is on good footing." "Money will need to be spent, but meeting goals that were previously set aren't necessarily important this cycle," she said. "Because this is a different cycle." donald trump Lafferty also addressed the statement that Trump made doubting Clinton's religion. Clinton is a Methodist. "There really wasn't a lot of discussion of Hillary," she said, adding that "he spoke a little bit and people asked questions. He responded to those questions." "At this point, the people in this room, the people are well aware of who and what Hillary Clinton is and all of that," she continued. "This is really more about getting to know him and where he is on issues." But for the Rev. Emily Scott, a pastor who protested outside the New York event with fellow faith leaders, the contrast in opinions was stark. "My opinion is that you cannot support Trump and also support Jesus," she said. When asked about Trump doubting Clinton's faith, Scott laughed. "Yeah, that's amazing," she said. "I think that we know a lot about Donald Trump's religion, and it has a lot to do with hatred and greed, which is contrary to biblical teachings." NOW WATCH: These are some of the things Donald Trump has taken credit for More From Business Insider Warning: Light spoilers ahead for Batman v Superman and Justice League. On June 17, a cadre of superhero reporters descended on the London set of Justice League, DC Comics follow-up to Batman v Superman slated for release in November 2017. As Slashfilms Peter Sciretta explains it, director Zack Snyder invited a group of bloggers who generally disliked Batman v Superman but who offered thoughtful criticism of the film. As Sciretta writes, It seems like Zack Snyder and Warner Bros. know they have something to prove, and are willing to open the curtain to try to change the perception of their big franchise series. Given the context, its bears disclaiming that the visit was likely curated down to the thermostat setting, so any takeaways may be exactly what the studio wants them to bethe most notable being that the films tone appears to differ strikingly from that of the critically derided Batman v Superman, which TIMEs critic Stephanie Zacharek wrote is so topheavy with false portent that it buckles under its own weight. That said, here are the most noteworthy observations from last weeks set visit: Justice League appears to be more lighthearted than Batman v Superman. Sciretta writes that Justice League feels like a much different film from Man of Steel or Batman v Superman. There are moments of humor, humanity, personality and color. He adds that it appears the filmmakers took something away from the criticism their last movie received and are consciously moving in a new direction. He goes so far as to liken the one scene reporters were shown to the tone of Marvels movies, which are widely considered to be more fun. Colliders Steve Frosty Weintraub agrees: We watched scenes that showed Bruce Wayne can smile, and Flash is going to be played with a lot of fun and youthful energy Its a big change and something that should excite the fans. Speaking of the Flash, he may be Justice Leagues most anticipated character. Multiple bloggers noted that Ezra Millers performance of the Flash, from what they could see, is fresh and energetic, a bit like Spider-mans appearance in the latest Captain America movie, notes Sciretta, only less expected. Indiewires Sam Adams writes that Miller brings an infectious energy to the proceedings, and Mashables Sam Haysom noted his upbeat, jokey energy. In short: lots of energy is to be expected from the Flash, which is fitting, considering that his superpower trades in kinetic energy. The basic plot revolves around Batman and Wonder Woman uniting a team of superheroes to fight Steppenwolf. The first half of the movie sees Batman as the captain of the most powerful dodgeball team ever assembled; the one scene Snyder showed the reporters depicts Bruce Wayne recruiting Barry Allen, a.k.a. The Flash, with the latter initially attempting to conceal his identity (he says his flashy costume is for competitive ice dancing) before enthusiastically accepting Waynes offer. The superheroes are joining forces to protect the planet from villain Steppenwolf and an army of Parademons who plan to invade Earth in short order. Though Snyder was 31 days into filming at the time of the set visit, it sounds as though the villains casting may not be entirely buttoned up yet. Its also possible, though filmmakers wont confirm, that the supervillain Darkseid could make an appearance. Superman was conspicuously absent from the set. Henry Cavill was not spotted, and the Man of Steel was absent from concept art displayed on set. This may not surprise those who took the ending of Batman v Superman literally (and assumed those specks of dirt that levitated over the superheros coffin were elevated by some inexplicable gravitational force). But producer Deborah Snyder (who is married to Zack Snyder) confirmed that he will returnObviously Superman is part of the Justice League, she saidbut remained tight-lipped about how and when he will return. There wouldnt be a Justice League without Superman, but I think his way back to us .. we dont want to really spoil that, she teased. Ben Afflecks not quite ready to pin down a timeline for his solo Batman movie. Affleck is writing, and plans to direct, a solo Batman movie, but he wont offer up a date until he has a script hes proud of. He answered questions about the project while in full costume: My timetable is Im not going to make a movie until theres a script I think is good. Ive been on the end of things when you make movies with a script thats not good and it doesnt pan out, he said. I have a script, were still working on it. And Im not happy enough with it yet to actually go out there and make a Batman movie which has to have the highest standard. Leidos Holdings, Inc. LDOS has been awarded a five-year $75 million contract by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Per the deal, Leidos will provide technical support services to the FHWA Office of Operations Research & Development, and the Saxton Transportation Operations Laboratory. The Saxton Laboratory conducts transportation operation research that enables FHWA to validate and refine new transportation services and technologies before committing to a larger scale of research, development, testing and deployment. The company will conduct work on the follow-on, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract primarily in McLean, VA. Details of the Deal Leidos will provide technical and research services related to conventional transportation operations issues, as well as technical assistance and studies. The contract also covers services related to laboratory and field experiments that support the activities and strategies of the FHWA Office of Operations Research & Development. In addition, Leidos will provide technical assistance for the development, designing and integration of systems so as to ensure better communication, enhanced productivity and thus, customer satisfaction. The company will also offer technical and research services in support of ITS communications, positioning, and mapping technologies. On the whole, Leidos will facilitate advanced research & development activities in the FHWAs efforts to address the ever increasing need for better transportation systems. LEIDOS HOLDINGS Price LEIDOS HOLDINGS Price | LEIDOS HOLDINGS Quote What Keeps Leidos Order Book Ticking? Leidos provides science and technology solutions in the fields of national security, engineering and health. The company has an impressive customer list too, which includes names like the U.S. Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, Intelligence Community including the National Security Agency, other civil agencies, state and local government agencies, and foreign governments and customers across diverse commercial markets. This makes sure that Leidos has a steady flow of work coming in. Story continues In April, the company won a contract from the Air Force Installation Contracting Agency to provide environmental services for the Air Force Civil Engineer Center (AFCEC). The deal has a combined potential value of up to $500 million. According to Jim Moos, senior vice president and operations manager of Leidos' infrastructure and engineering business, the company has had a long-standing alliance with the U.S. Air Force and it has been offering essential solutions for various missions undertaken by the AFCEC. Such a strong relationship with the Air Force bodes well for the company over the long run. Leidos currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Other Stocks to Consider Other favorably placed stocks in the aerospace & defense sector include Engility Holdings, Inc. EGL, Curtiss-Wright Corporation CW and Esterline Technologies Corp. ESL, each carrying the same rank as Leidos. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report ESTERLINE TECHN (ESL): Free Stock Analysis Report CURTISS WRIGHT (CW): Free Stock Analysis Report ENGILITY HLDGS (EGL): Free Stock Analysis Report LEIDOS HOLDINGS (LDOS): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research By Eric Auchard FRANKFURT, June 21 (Reuters) - Li Ka-shing, one of Asia's richest men, is backing the expansion of German mobile financial services firm Number26, a darling among Berlin's technology start-ups, which has ambitions to become a pan-European bank. Number26 offers cash withdrawals, deposits and overdraft services and has attracted more than 200,000 mobile phone users in eight countries since launching its smartphone-based banking app early in 2015, the Berlin-based company said on Tuesday. Li's venture capital firm, Hong Kong-based Horizon Ventures Ltd, is leading the new financing, a $40 million (35 mln euro) investment round with the co-founders of Zalando, Europe's top online retailer, and Silicon Valley's Peter Thiel. Number26 aims to recreate retail banking on smartphones, offering consumer services without bank branches or cashpoint machines. It operates through the German banking license of technology partner Wirecard. It has begun to expand the range of financial products it offers through partnerships, including one with UK-based cross-border money transfer specialist Transferwise. Number26 said in a statement it will use the new funding for further geographic expansion and to allow it to add phone-based products for savings, investment and credit. Li's Horizon Ventures is joined by new investors Battery Ventures, a Boston-based venture firm, and Robert Gentz, David Schneider, and Rubin Ritter, the three co-founders of Zalando. Existing investors joining in the latest financing round included Valar Ventures, the venture funding arm of German-American entrepreneur Peter Thiel, a co-founder of PayPal and an early investor in Facebook. Berlin-based Earlybird Ventures and Zurich-based Red Alpine, also took part. The company, which has 140 employees, has raised more than $53 million (46.8 million euros) to date, it said. (1 euro = $1.1334) (Editing by Alexander Smith) Many Singaporeans lament about how Hong Kong is very much like Singapore, and that whatever you can find in Hong Kong, you can find in Singapore. But Airfrov has served to debunk this notion today! Hong Kong seems to be a haven for limited edition items, that are sadly nowhere to be found in Singapore So if youre travelling to Hong Kong soon, youre definitely luckier than the rest of us! Check out the list of limited edition collectibles you can get from Hong Kong in July 2016! 1.Arome x Miffy cookies Hong Kongs Arome bakery has once again worked with Miffy to release the most adorable cookies. The Arome x Miffy Cookies center around the military theme; This combination of Miffy and camouflage prints makes the packaging so cute, it certainly gets brownie points from us! The cookies come in two flavours, Butter and Uji Matcha, and are also in the shape of the popular Miffy bunny. Each Arome x Miffy cookie box retails for approximately HKD$98 (SGD$17.05). Alternatively, you can purchase 900g of pastries and cakes from Arome bakery, and top up HKD$60 (SGD$10.44) in exchange for one box of Arome x Miffy cookie box. If you can already hear your stomach growling for these cookies, post a request for this here. Youve got to be quick though, these Arome x Miffy cookies are limited edition, and will definitely run out fast! AROME1 Source: Arome Bakery Facebook AROME2 Source: Arome Bakery Facebook AROME3 Source: UFood 2. Line x Octopus card The people of Hong Kong are so lucky, this must be the cutest way to pay for their transportation on public trains! Dont worry about not being able to use this 3D ornament Octopus card! Even though we cant use this for our local MRT transportation, these Line x Octopus cards are still perfect accessories. Each set of this 3D ornament octopus cards comes with a detachable metal chain, that can be attached to our bags as keychains! This Line x Octopus card will be on sale at HKs 7 eleven outlets from 22 June onwards, limited quantity available! As the saying goes, the early bird catches the worm, be quick to post a request on Airfrov! (HKD$188 or approximately SGD$32) Story continues LINE3 LINE LINE2 Source: HK Octopus 3. Chocoolate x Pompompurin Apparel Chocoolate x Pompompurin Pudding Dog has released a new series of apparels and accessories adds a dose of playfulness into your wardrobe! My favourites got to be the Chocoolate x Pompompurin Hooded Onesie! It looks absolutely cozy and comfortable, perfect for bedtime! Image source: Jessica HK 4. Line Friends x Virjoy Line Friends have officially become a part of our everyday lives. Our favourite Line Friends characters can now be seen on our tissue packets and even toilet rolls! The Mr. Brown tissue packets are definitely must-haves! LINE1 LINE5 LINE4 HKD$20 (SGD$3.48) and HKD$23 (SGD$4) Image source: 5. Everything Gudetama Hong Kong is practically heaven for loyal Gudetama fans. You can find tons of Gudetama themed items; from plushies, to shampoo and even to a wireless mouse, it is basically a treasure trove! Enough of the description, let the pictures do the talking! Screen Shot 2016-06-20 at 3.57.23 pm Screen Shot 2016-06-20 at 4.19.08 pm Screen Shot 2016-06-20 at 4.01.01 pm GUDETAMA Image source: Instagram/Lazy Crew 6. Line x Ete! Ete! has officially collaborated with Line Friends and released a range of Line themed items, including boots, handbags and pouches. We can never get enough of Line themed items! Give us more! Image source: Jessica HK If, like me, youre tied up at work and are unable to travel to Hong Kong, no worries! You can simply get Airfrov travellers to purchase these items for you! Join other Airfrov users to shop from Hong Kong, right in the comforts of your home! The post Limited edition launches that make us want to fly to Hong Kong in July! appeared first on Airfrov Blog. NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Representative Chaka Fattah was convicted on Tuesday of orchestrating multiple frauds that prosecutors said were aimed at enriching himself and preserving his political career, authorities said. The 59-year-old Fattah, who has represented parts of Philadelphia in Congress for more than two decades, was found guilty of numerous counts of racketeering, bribery and fraud following a month-long trial in federal court in Philadelphia. (Reporting by Joseph Ax) Think about how often, in the course of a week, you visit Wikipedia. Maybe youre searching for basic information about a topic, or getting sucked into a wiki-hole where you meant to study up on the Brexit but somehow find yourself, several related pages later, reading about the carbonic maceration process for making wine (to take just one example that has totally never happened to me). Now imagine you cant access Wikipedia. Or you can, but not in your native language. Or there are plenty of entries in your language, but few on the subjects that are part of your daily life. Or those entries exist, but theyre not written by locals like yourself. You certainly have other ways of getting information. But Wikipedia is one of the most ambitious information clearinghouses in human history. How would these challenges shape your understanding of the world? And how would that understanding differ from the worldview of those who dont face such challenges? Our ambition has always been a free encyclopedia for every single person on the planet in their own language, Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia, told me in May, at the Human Rights Foundations Oslo Freedom Forum in Norway. But he admitted that the 15-year-old site is not nearly there yet. While Wikipedia has become one of the most popular websites in the world, its editions in European languages such as English and German, along with a few other languages like Japanese and Chinese, are much more robust than the rest. The size of various language versions tracks things like literacy rates, access to broadband [internet], access to computers, and number of speakers of the language, Wales said. That equation is more complex than it might initially look. Consider broadband access: Internet capacity, or bandwidth, is growing rapidly in Africa, Wales pointed out. Yet most of those who are coming online for the first time are doing so on mobile devices, which you can easily use to, say, make a spelling correction on a Wikipedia page, but not to contribute four paragraphs of text with 18 footnotes. These trends hold in many developing countries, as the graph below from the International Telecommunication Union makes clear (mobile broadband penetration rates are in light blue; fixed, or non-mobile, broadband rates are in gray). Global Internet and Cellular Penetration Rates The number of speakers of a language is also an imperfect indicator for the size of a given Wikipedia edition. One of the things that really motivates people to write [for Wikipedia] is the existence of readers, Wales said. There are nearly 70 million Tamil speakers in the world, for instance, but getting them to contribute to Wikipedia in Tamil depends on how widespread internet access is among Tamil speakers and how high the demand is for information in that language rather than English. Recommended: The 'Brexit' Campaign: A Cheat Sheet Censorship, moreover, can render all these other variables irrelevant. Wales told me that the Chinese government is presently blocking Wikipedia in its entirety, in part because of the encyclopedias recent move to an encrypted HTTPS protocol that makes it harder for the government to determine what people are reading and to selectively filter sensitive pages, as Chinese censors had done in the past. Part of the reason why Wikipedia is not the immediate kind of thing that people want to block is its not a wide-open free-speech message board and people arent getting on Wikipedia to plan a protest at a certain date, at a certain time, Wales said. Even our discussion pages are about how to improve the article, not for your general opinion of Barack Obama. Still, Wikipedia has flickered in and out of the Chinese internet over the years, and in December Wales traveled to China to meet with government officials. Whats his pitch to Chinese authorities? An argument that doesnt really work very well is to sound like some kind of crazy American talking about the First Amendment. They just dont care, Wales said. He argues that access to knowledge is a human right, but he doesnt dwell on that point. The main [argument to the Chinese] is that Wikipedia is incredibly useful for economic growth, they do care about that, for education, they do care about that. For people in technology, for example, if you ask any programmer, How do you keep up to date with new technology? How do you hear about some new programming language? They go to Wikipedia. An argument that doesnt work with the Chinese is to sound like some crazy American talking about the First Amendment. These obstacles to Wikipedias geographic expansion complicate the widespread view that the democratization of internet access will necessarily democratize the production, exchange, and consumption of information. Don Tapscott, the co-author of Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything, articulated one version of this view when he compared the significance of the internet to that of the printing press: The printing press gave us access to recorded knowledge. The internet gives us access not just to knowledge but to the intelligence contained in peoples crania, access to the intelligence of people on a global basis. This is not an information age. Its an age of communication, of collective intelligence, of major collaboration, of major participation. At the University of Oxford, Mark Graham and a team of researchers have spent several years investigating just how global this collective intelligence really is. Theyve found all sorts of fascinating ways to track geographies of knowledge on the internet, including on user-generated platforms like Wikipedia. In 2014, for example, they mined 44 language editions of Wikipedia, mapping more than 3 million articles that had been geotagged, or assigned a geographic location (go to the Wikipedia page for, say, the Colosseum, and youll see the coordinates for where it stands in Rome; only a small fraction of Wikipedia articles are geotagged). Recommended: How American Politics Went Insane What emerged from the exercise was a rather misshapen map. More than half of the articles analyzed were about people, places, and events in Western and Central Europe, a region constituting only 2.5 percent of the worlds land area. In case youre disoriented by Buckminster Fullers Dymaxion map projection below, Western and Central Europe are in the red circle, with Africa to the lower right and the United States to the upper left. Graham and his colleagues discovered that much of the variation in the number of geotagged articles per country could be attributed to the size of the population in a given country, the availability of fixed broadband internet, and the number of edits originating in that country. These patterns seemed to be self-reinforcing, making the informational disparities on Wikipedia more pronounced. Graham and his colleagues theorized that one of Wikipedias greatest strengthsits strict editorial standards, particularly with regard to sourcingmight also be one of its greatest impediments to expansion. More Wikipedia edits originate in Hong Kong than in all of Africa combined. Not only is a broad base of source material, such as books, maps, and images, needed to generate any Wikipedia article, but it is also likely that having content online will lead to the production of more content, Graham wrote. Editing incentives and constraints probably also encourage work around existing contentwhich is relatively straightforward to editrather than creating entirely new material. So it may be that the very policies and norms that govern the encyclopedias structure make it difficult to populate the white space [in the map above] with new content. Then again, Wales has spent the past 15 years populating white space, against the odds. Graham and his fellow researchers note that Wikipedia has achieved a remarkable global presence: It exists in hundreds of languages and is one of the 20 most-accessed sites in 95 percent of the countries where such metrics are tracked. But one of their key points is that presence is not the same thing as participation and representation. They report, for example, that users in the United States and Western Europe contribute vastly more edits than those in regions such as Africa and the Middle East, and that more edits originated in Hong Kong than in all of Africa combined, according to a snapshot of Wikipedia data from 2010-2011. Average Number of Edits to Wikipedia, by Country of Origin The core concern, Graham and his co-authors write, is that a relative lack of voice and representation serves to reproduce the power of people and places at the center of geopolitical mass-culture. Such power dynamics have long existed, of course. Whats changed is that innovations like Wikipedia conjure a world where things could be otherwise. This reporting was made possible in part with the support of the Human Rights Foundation. Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. To activate the text-to-speech service, please first agree to the privacy policy below. Montreal, June 20 (CNA) Rule of law is not just about enforcing the law, but about promoting fair and just laws that are designed for the greater benefit of everyone, said Louise Arbour, a former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights who won the 2016 Tang Prize in rule of law Tuesday. Twin toddlers were found dead in a pickup truck outside their home in Bossier City, Louisiana, on Saturday, June 18. Their cause of death was likely heat-related, officials said on Monday, June 20, according to the Shreveport Times, a local newspaper. PHOTOS: Celebrity Deaths in 2016: Stars Weve Lost The 3-year-olds, Oliver and Aria Orr, were pronounced dead after their mother and neighbors discovered the twins in the family truck around 3 p.m., according to the Bossier City Police Department. The neighbors told police that the childrens mother, Alisha Orr, had contacted them saying her children were missing and she was looking for them. The medical examiner has not determined an official cause of death yet, but preliminary autopsy results show that it was likely due to the extreme heat, the Shreveport Times reports. The temperature in Bossier City exceeded 90 degrees at times on Saturday. There were no other signs of trauma. PHOTOS: Most Shocking Celebrity Deaths of All Time Neighbor Rhonda Matthews told the local outlet that Alisha came to her house late Saturday afternoon after she woke up from a nap and couldnt find the twins. After searching the backyard, they found the twins in the truck and tried to administer CPR, but it was too late. The childrens father, Travis Orr, is a deputy with the Bossier Parish Sheriffs Office, the Shreveport Times reports. Officials are continuing to investigate how they got into the truck, and Bossier Sheriff Julian Whittington issued a statement about the incident. We are saddened by the tragic loss suffered by the Orr family, and our hearts are heavy, he wrote on the departments official Facebook page. "This is a very difficult time, but its even more so, as they are a part of our Bossier Sheriffs Office family. Please keep Deputy Travis Orr and his family in your thoughts and prayers. PHOTOS: Celebrity Health Scares Prior to the tragic incident, Oliver had been hospitalized after he was attacked by the family dog on May 29, and Travis wrote on Facebook that he was released on June 2 with a few scratches, according to the Shreveport Times. Vintage cars in the Chicago Penthouse with the subterranean gallery Weve seen over-the-top penthouses, but the Collectors Penthouse takes opulence to another level thanks to its subterranean element. This distinctive package deal in Chicago includes a 2,537-square-foot designer condo and a 2,700-square-foot underground showroom. Both are located in the architecturally significant Lake Point Towera luxury building with more than 2 acres of private, wooded grounds on swanky Lake Shore Driveone of the most prestigious addresses in the city. Listed for nearly $4 million, the asking price may seem steep, but when you consider the total package, a penthouse with its own showroom warrants a premium. The penthouse living spaces are lovely with a contemporary style, open floor plan, and stunning views of the city, lake, and beyond. There are two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Chicago penthouse exterior But its the subterranean showroom that really ups the ante. Configured with tight security and climate control, it was created to exhibit precious collections. The homeowner has approximately $15 million to $20 million worth of vintage Ferraris and Porsches on display down there, with a 1953 Ferrari 340 MM Competition Le Mans Spyder as the crown jewel. The showroom also features a wet bar and a built-in Bang & Olufsen sound system. Chicago penthouse contemporary interior We were curious about how this amazing underground spot came to be. Listing agent Daniel Stevenson of The Agency told us the homeowner knew the buildings developer. He purchased the deeds to 14 parking spaces along with the penthouse condo. He proceeded to wall in 12 of the spaces, install plumbing and climate control, and add designer decorating touches that suited his car collection. Thus the ultimate man cave was born. As for the remaining two parking spaces? Thats where he parks his daily drivers, of course. Bar in the subterranean Ferrari and Porsche gallery If this property were in Los Angeles, the fancy car capital of the free world, it would have already soldespecially considering the condo fees are only $1,641 per month. But Chicago is a different market, according to Stevenson. He says Midwesterners are a bit more conservative and traditional. This property is like a shiny, ostentatious emerald in a sea full of diamonds, he says. Story continues The subterranean space isnt limited to auto-related uses. Stevenson envisions it as the perfect place for an art, jewelry, or costume collection. Theyre marketing it to designers such as Nicole Miller, who might enjoy a presence in Chicago, with a posh living space upstairs and a private atelier below. We also see it as ideal digs for Oprah, now that shes sold many of her properties in Chicago. If she wants to keep a toe dipped in the Windy City, she could transform the showroom into a supreme closet. The current homeowner is the head of a production design company that oversees corporate events and private celebrations for huge clients. He races the cars in his collection, in road rally events like the Mille Miglia, a 1,000-mile Italian race from Brescia to Rome. His wife is also a trained race-car driver and often serves as his navigator. So where will this well-wheeled couple land once they sell their top-to-bottom spread in Chicago? Where else but the fancy car capital of the free world? L.A., of course. The post Luxe Chicago Penthouse Comes With Amazing Subterranean Gallery appeared first on Real Estate News and Advice - realtor.com. Related Articles SKOPJE (Reuters) - The Macedonian parliament on Tuesday rejected a motion to impeach President Gjorge Ivanov over his decision to pardon 56 officials involved in a wiretap scandal that triggered a year-long political crisis. The biggest opposition party, the Social Democrats, filed the motion after Ivanov pardoned officials who had been investigated over wiretaps alleging ex-prime minister Nikola Gruevski and his close allies authorized eavesdropping on more than 20,000 people. Ivanov's decision drew nationwide protests that led to the cancellation of an election set for June 5. But two weeks ago Ivanov bowed to pressure from European Union and U.S. officials and revoked the pardons. On Tuesday, the Social Democrats failed to secure a two-third majority in favor of impeachment in the 123-seat parliament. With only 35 votes in favor and 47 against, parliament rejected the initiative. Stefan Bogojev of the Social Democrats said Ivanov "does not deserve to be called the president". In an EU-brokered deal last year, Macedonia's political parties agreed to hold an early election and that a special prosecutor should investigate allegations emerging from wiretaps released by the opposition parties. Both the ruling VMRO-DPMNE party and the Social Democrats agree that new elections would be a way out of the crisis. But the Social Democrats say free and fair elections are not possible unless voter lists are updated and media freedom is guaranteed. (Reporting by Kole Casule; Writing by Ivana Sekularac; Editing by Giles Elgood/Mark Heinrich) As everyone has heard by now, billionaire businessman and presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is running out of money. With a meager $1.3 million on hand at the end of May, Trump needs a big boost to catch up with Clinton, who clocked in at the beginning of the month with a robust $42 million. What money Trump did have, he appears to have been spending in, well, more creative ways. According to his campaign's latest filing with the Federal Election Commission, Trump paid $35,000 to a New Hampshire-based outfit called Draper Sterling for an unspecified amount of "web advertising" in late April. Aficionados of the AMC hit show Mad Men will recognize the names of its two star characters, Don Draper and Roger Sterling, as well as their ad agency. And if the two dapper advertising moguls existed, they'd more than likely happily take The Donald's money. Alas, the real folks behind Draper Sterling appear to have something else in mind, according to ThinkProgress, which broke the story earlier today. The firm is registered to Jon Adkins, the co-founder of a consulting firm that says it "uses data analytics to produce quantifiable returns and direct political or nonprofit strategy." It has no website, however, and the link to the company's Facebook page is dead. Adkins is also the co-founder of XenoTherapeutics, which claims to bring "lifesaving xeno technology" to bear on severe burns and chronic wounds. But that company's website is also unavailable to the public and requires a password to enter. Adkins did not respond to email or phone requests for an interview as of press time. Adkins partner in both of these enterprises is Paul Holzer, a former Navy SEAL and now a medical student at Dartmouth College. Holzer has worked on political campaigns in Massachusetts and Missouri before - though apparently not at any advertising firms. The story takes another twist. Holzer's brother is Adam McLain, who runs a super PAC called Patriots for America, which was involved in the same Missouri race that Holzer participated in. Patriots for America owes Draper Sterling $56,234, though it's not clear what for. An economics professor in Missouri filed a complaint with the FEC citing the "highly unusual" debt that had accrued during the transaction. In addition to his super PAC duties, McClain also runs a New Hampshire eatery called Grace's Grantham Cafe. This morning, however, an employee there told THR that McLain was "not around" and that she couldn't disclose whether or not he worked there or would be returning later. From Cosmopolitan According to Oregonlive.com, Chad Cameron Camp, 26, allegedly groped the 13-year-old child sitting next to him on a plane 15 times before anyone intervened. When the plane, which originated in Dallas, Texas, landed in Portland, Oregon, late Wednesday night, authorities were waiting to arrest him. Camp was reportedly talking to himself and cursing before taking his assigned] seat, right next to the child seated at the window. The criminal complaint filed by an FBI agent explains flight attendants asked Camp if he'd like to move to another seat, but he responded, "No, I'm fine." The girl told agents Camp began brushing up against her using his elbow and putting his hand on her knee and upper thigh. She also said when she tried to break physical contact with Camp, he laughed and tried again. Finally, a flight attendant who was serving drinks saw Camp's hand on the girl's crotch and "a single tear coming down the victim's cheek," according to the complaint. TheWashington Post reports the flight attendant then immediately separated Camp and the minor, who was rushed off the plane as soon as it landed.Brent Goodfellow, the lawyer representing the girl and her family, reportedly scoffed at the idea the flight attendant saved the girl: "This was 30 minutes of hell for this young lady. This girl got abused for 30 minutes and no one was to be found." "She is already saying she doesn't want to be on an airplane ever again," Goodfellow also told KOIN. "I sat with the family for about three hours ... she didn't want to be touched by her mom, every time she went to give her kind of a loving touch she would jump." He added her parents were "absolutely going to sue the airline." American Airlines is cooperating with authorities and issued a statement to CNN saying they care "deeply about [their] young passengers and is committed to providing a safe and pleasant travel experience for them." The official FBI statement reports Camp is charged with one federal count of abusive sexual contact. He will appear in court in Portland today. Follow Tess on Twitter. (Reuters) - A man arrested over the weekend trying to wrestle a gun from a police officer at a Las Vegas rally held by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump told an investigator he wanted to kill the candidate, court papers showed on Monday. Michael Steven Sandford, who prosecutors described as a 19-year-old British national, was arrested on Saturday at the Treasure Island hotel in Las Vegas after trying to disarm the officer, according to Las Vegas police. According to court papers filed on Monday in federal court in Nevada, Sandford told a Secret Service agent he had driven to Las Vegas from California with the goal of shooting Trump. Sandford claimed he had been attempting to kill Trump for about a year but decided to act on this occasion because he finally felt confident about trying it, the court papers said. He was charged with committing an act of violence on restricted ground, Natalie Collins, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorneys Office, said in an email. Sandford has not entered a plea and is scheduled to be in court for a preliminary hearing on July 5, Collins said. Sandfords federal public defender, Heather Fraley, could not be immediately reached for comment. Sandford said he had been in the United States for a year and a half, the documents showed. The records said he had lived in Hoboken, New Jersey, after coming to the country. Court records said Sandford went to the Battlefield Vegas gun range last Friday to practice shooting, adding that he had never fired a gun before. While there, he fired 20 rounds from a Glock 9 mm handgun, the records said. Sandford told investigators that if he were on the street tomorrow, he would try again, the documents said. (Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles and Curtis Skinner in San Francisco; Editing by Toni Reinhold and Peter Cooney) An Oregon man accused of groping an unaccompanied a 13-year-old girl on an American Airlines flight late last week has been ordered to remain in custody until at least mid-July, a federal judge ruled Monday, while the alleged victims family says it is preparing to sue the airline. Chad Cameron Camp, 26, is charged with one federal count of abusive sexual contact after he allegedly fondled the girl on a flight from Dallas to Portland Wednesday night. According to a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court, a flight attendant noticed Camps hand on a 13-year-old girls crotch about 30 minutes after takeoff and a single tear coming down the victims cheek as she sat in the window seat. Flight attendants moved Camp to the back of the plane and the teenager to the front for the rest flight, and informed the captain, who in turn alerted authorities. When the plane landed, the unaccompanied minor was rushed off the plane, which was met by FBI agents at the gate, and Camp was arrested. She told an FBI agent after she landed that she was frightened and felt trapped, the complaint said. According to the complaint, Camp, who was assigned a seat next to the girl, declined a flight attendants offer to move to an empty seat on the half-filled plane upon boarding. No, Im fine, Camp allegedly told the flight attendant. The suspect mumbled and cursed to himself before attempting to make small talk, according to the complaint, leaning in and brushing up against her upper arm and shoulder while turning the pages of a magazine. Each time he turned the page he used his elbow to brush up against the victims shoulder and upper arm area, the complaint states. The victim attempted to move away from Camps physical contact, and each time she withdrew, he would laugh. After finishing with the magazine, Camp leaned toward the victim to place the magazine in the seat pocket in front of the victim, the complaint continues. Camp instead dropped the magazine on the victims shoes. Story continues Camp twice offered to share his headphones with her, according to the complaint. When she declined, he threw them in her lap, and repeatedly placed his hand on her knee and upper thigh. At one point she said, What are you doing to me? And nobody could hear because no one was even close enough, the girls mother told KOIN. If somebody would have been close enough to hear, it could have been prevented. In a statement, American Airlines said, We take these matters very seriously and have cooperated fully and immediately with law enforcement officials in their investigation of the suspect. American cares deeply about our young passengers and is committed to providing a safe and pleasant travel experience for them, the carrier added in a separate statement to CNN. Brent Goodfellow, a lawyer representing the girls family, called the airlines statement a slap in the face. This was 30 minutes of hell for this young lady, Goodfellow told the Washington Post. If I have my tray table down or my seat back two inches during the improper time, those guys are going to be on me immediately. This girl got abused for 30 minutes and no one was to be found. Goodfellow said the family paid an additional fee of $300 round trip for the girl to fly without an adult. According to its website, American Airlines charges $150 each way for unaccompanied minor service for children ages 5 to 17. Our unaccompanied minor service is to ensure your child is boarded onto the aircraft, introduced to the flight attendant, chaperoned during connections and released to the appropriate person at their destination, the airlines website states. Goodfellow says the child was touched by Camp more than 15 times. According to the complaint, Camp denied doing anything wrong when confronted by the flight attendant. According to the Oregonian, Camp appeared briefly in U.S. District Court in Portland on Thursday, when his attorney entered a not guilty plea on his behalf. On Monday, U.S. Magistrate Judge John Jelderks ruled that Camp will continue to be held in Multnomah County Jail for the protection of the community. His next court appearance was scheduled for July 15. This is very serious business, Jelderks told Camp in court, according to the newspaper. You may be one step away from a lengthy penitentiary. Camp, who was seen by witnesses drinking heavily before boarding the flight, has also been ordered to undergo a drug and alcohol treatment evaluation. In 2015, ABC News reported on a series of in-flight sexual assault cases that often occurred on overnight flights during which the victims were sleeping. Weve seen it often where the victim has taken some kind of anxiety medication, and theyre not responsive, FBI agent Mark Palagiano told the network. A shareholder attempting to confront CEO Mark Zuckerberg about accusations of political bias at Facebook - while invoking conservative actress Patricia Heaton, no less - was thwarted Monday when a different executive stepped in to field the question. "Until the company is completely transparent as to how it selects trending news items and why it removes certain posts, many conservative individuals and organizations will rightly feel that the company has treated them unfairly," a shareholder said at Facebook's annual meeting. The issue of bias first arose after a Gizmodo report quoted a former employee disclosing that staffers routinely omitted from Facebook's list of trending topics stories that reflected well on conservatives. Later, Zuckerberg met with conservatives like Glenn Beck to assure them that the problem was resolved. At Monday's meeting, though, a shareholder insisted that the problem still exists. "Even when you include a conservative story in the trending news section, for example, Facebook's bias is evident," said Justin Danhof, a representative of the National Center for Public Policy Research, which owns shares of Facebook. "When pro-life actress Patricia Heaton recently tweeted support of a crisis pregnancy center, Facebook's trending news curator somehow headlined the item, 'Patricia Heaton shares anti-abortion message' That's an outrageous characterization," said Danhof. "And this incident happened after your so-called summit with conservative leaders. And I have dozens and dozens of more instances since that meeting." "Mark, why don't I take that one?" Facebook vp of U.S. public policy Joel Kaplan told Zuckerberg. "We undertook an investigation of the specific allegations and determined that there was no systemic bias in the product," Kaplan told Danhof. "When any issue comes up, we want to know about it and we want to try to address it quickly so that all the people who come on to Facebook understand that it's a platform for them and their ideas." Story continues Danhof has been making the rounds at shareholder meetings of major media companies. Three months ago he confronted Disney CEO Bob Iger over alleged bias at ABC News while last week he congratulated Time Warner CEO Jeffrey Bewkes for allegedly allowing more conservatives to appear on CNN than it had in the past. Zuckerberg was asked a couple of more politically themed questions by different shareholders at Facebook's meeting on Monday, but he let other executives handle the answers. One shareholder, for example, complained that liberals and conservatives are only shown ads that reinforce their political viewpoints. "They're all stuck in their own little echo chambers," said the shareholder. "What Facebook does is let us hear from more people on a daily basis," COO Sheryl Sandberg answered. "The people you went to school with, the people not in your current company but in your last job, the people who used to be in your home town. And, so, what you get are just more ability to keep in touch with more people and over time, we believe, more diverse viewpoints." Another shareholder wondered how Facebook prevents its platform from being used by terrorists, and Kaplan fielded that one. "We have very clear policies that there's no place for terrorist content," he said. "When that type of content is reported to us, we take it down." As for its official shareholder business, Facebook, which is controlled by Zuckerberg through his 60 percent voting power, reelected all of the board members, including Peter Thiel, despite a controversy involving him secretly funding lawsuits against Gawker Media. Shareholders also voted in a new class of non-voting shares, which was seen as a way to ensure Zuckerberg keeps control over the company he founded by allowing him to sell shares other than the ones that give him the majority of voting power. DailyFX.com - Talking Points: Markets may be underestimating Euro-negative Brexit implications Barriers to UK market access to hurt Eurozone exports, overall growth Euro may plunge if Brexit seen as boosting Continental eurosceptics The Euro has outperformed against the British Pound since the May 7 2015, when the Conservative Party won the UK general election and paved the way for EU membership referendum now looming on June 23. Sterling has lost 16 percent against its major counterparts while the single currency has shed 12.8 percent. While Brexit risk was surely not the only consideration shaping price trends, it seems to account for much of the disparity. Most fundamental considerations ultimately boil down to relative monetary policy bets. The ECB has been far more dovish than the BOE over the past year, implying the Euro ought to have underperformed. Markets May Underestimate Turning to the near term, there is a dramatic gap in one-week GBP/USD and EUR/USD implied volatility readings backed out of FX options. This suggests that traders see Sterling as far more vulnerable than the single currencyon the eve of the Brexit vote. Markets May Underestimate Taking it a step further, there a clear disconnect in the two currencies performance since the beginning of the month as UK opinion polls shifted to reflect growing support for leaving the EU. As traders priced in diminishing Bremain chances, the Pound dutifully declined. By contrast, the Euro has been relatively little-changed. Markets May Underestimate On balance, this hints that the markets are underestimating the risk that Brexit poses to the Eurozone and the common currency. At the surface level, the UK share of Eurozone exports has been growing since mid-2013 and now accounts for 13.4 percent of total cross-border sales. Negotiation of exit terms following a victory for the Leave campaign will take at least two years. Uncertainly in the interim is likely to hurt trade across the English Channel, denting growth on both sides. Looking deeper, the knock-on effects may be far more ominous. Relaxing trade barriers, harmonizing regulations as well as freeing the cross-border flow of goods, capital and labor are meant to reduce the cost of doing business, benefitting all involved. If some states greatly outperform however, they also make it easier to abandon pockets of weakness and flock to strength at the most inopportune time. Story continues The 2008-09 global financial crisis and recession has exposed deep prosperity imbalances within the Eurozone. Voices of discontent in struggling countries rail against the imposition of austerity while their richer peers bemoan costly bailouts and unfettered migration with equal vigor. Such views underpin the case for Brexit and inspire parallel support for otherwise opposing political forces such as Spains Podemos and Frances FN parties. If the so-called Brexiteers succeed, this may embolden eurosceptic forces elsewhere. Spain will hold a general election just days after the UK vote. Podemos is polling second after the ruling PP party and may emerge as king-maker in coalition negotiations. France is due for presidential elections in 2017 amid growing support for the FN, which wants to hold a referendum on the UK model. Investors may yet flee from the Euro en-masse if Brexit is seen as establishing a precedent boosting these and similar outfits. --- Written by Ilya Spivak, Currency Strategist for DailyFX.com To receive Ilya's analysis directly via email, please SIGN UP HERE Contact and follow Ilya on Twitter: @IlyaSpivak original source DailyFX provides forex news and technical analysis on the trends that influence the global currency markets. Learn forex trading with a free practice account and trading charts from FXCM. Markiplier is one of our 2016 Famechanger honorees. For more, click here. A little over four years ago, Mark Fischbach was studying biomedical engineering at the University of Cincinnati when he got laid off from a mind-numbing job. His mom kicked him out of the house after an argument, so he moved to an apartment, at which point he found out he needed an emergency appendectomy. Then was told he had a fist-size tumor in one of his adrenal glands. All this stuff culminated at once, he says. I was in the hospital and decided I wanted to do something else. Given his lifelong love of video games, he decided he wanted to make action videos with guns and explosions, like Freddy Wongs RocketJump. But then Fischbach found he had a penchant for making videos of himself playing games, right as the trend was taking off. I wanted to put myself onto the screen 100%, he says. I wanted to make sure people saw me for me, and made sure I was being authentic. The way I play videogames with my friends was how I wanted to come acrossthats the style I applied to my videos. I think its the camaraderie that people like. Thats when he became Markiplier, video-game personality followed by 13.3 million subscribers. Games featured on his channel span multiple genres, with the indie horror title Five Nights at Freddys representing his most-viewed gameplay videos to date. Markiplier delivers sonorous and excitable narration, sprinkled with a few F-bombs. Asked what his favorite game is, Markiplier says he cant single one out. But he allows that ID Softwares new Doom first-person shooter released this spring is wonderful, a really, really creative reimagining of the first one. Markiplier has also rallied his fans to donate to his causes. According to Fischbach, viewers have donated more than $1 million to charities including the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center, and the Best Friends Animal Society. Story continues Markiplier is affiliated with Revelmode, a joint venture of Disneys Maker Studios and Felix Kjellberg (YouTube megastar PewDiePie), which will produce original scripted series starring gaming personalities, as well as games and charity projects. I think Marks appeal heavily lies in the sense of community he has cultivated among his viewers, along with his honest approach to content and his commitment to giving back, says Courtney Holt, head of Maker Studios. In 2014, Fischbach, who turns 27 on June 28, moved to L.A., the center of gravity for many in the YouTube community. Pretty much all the opportunities I was getting were out here, he says. In addition to gameplay videos, he creates sketch comedy bits and videos where he plays physical games, like when he and his friends raced through a childrens bouncy castle wearing drunk goggles while being pelted with water balloons. I want to push myself into music and actingmore traditional media stuff, he says. If someone wants to make a movie and have me in it, I want to make sure I have the skill set to do it properly. Despite being on such a public stage, Markiplier concedes, hes basically an introvert. Theres so much I do that I put out there. Sometimes I just like to go to movies by myself and escape, he says. Related stories A New Name to Describe Online Content (Guest Column) Famechangers 2016: Rewriting the Rules of Celebrity Vanessa & Veronica Merrell: Twins Win Social Fans and Angle for TV Show It's true: Mary J. Blige and Kanye West collaborated on a track for her upcoming new album. The performer, who is currently in New Orleans filming a role in the indie drama Mudbound opposite Carey Mulligan and Garrett Hedlund for director Dee Rees, confirmed in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that she did, in fact, do a song with West. But she won't say what it's called. Mary J. Blige Signs with ICM Partners "I don't want to give up the name of the song yet, but the album is mostly complete," Blige teases to THR. "But I absolutely got a chance to work with the great Kanye West. And the song is crazy - I can't wait for people to hear it." News first slipped out about their collaboration after Blige's A&R rep, Eddie Fourcell, said that her new album could feature a West song. No announcement has been made yet about Blige's new album, her first since 2014's London Sessions. But other artists who are expected on the disc are: Hit-Boy, DJ Camper, B.A.M. and Jazmine Sullivan, who told Billboard in May that she recorded a song with Blige. And while she didn't give away the title, Blige, who turned heads earlier this year playing Evillene in NBC's The Wiz Live!, did give a few details about what it sounds like. Mary J. Blige, Elton John, Others Join Campaign for Gender Equality "The flavor of the track starts off with piano keys. It's very dramatic in the beginning and it goes into a loud horn. That is, like an old sample horn," she said. "And then this gigantic beat kicks in and I sing. He rhymes after my two verses. It's incredible. He kills it. I wish I could give you the title, you'd flip but I just can't do it yet." Fair enough. But be prepared to flip sometime in the coming months. This article originally appeared on The Hollywood Reporter. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Mayborn USA Inc is recalling about 255,000 Tommee Tippee electric bottle and food warmers because they pose a fire hazard, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said on Tuesday. The Norwood, Massachusetts, company has received six reports of the Closer to Nature warmers overheating, melting, smoking and catching fire, which resulted in $16,000 in damage, the commission said in a statement. The China-made electric warmers were sold at a number of retailers and online from July 2011 to April 2016. They cost about $21 for the individual food and bottle warmer and about $120 for the starter kit or newborn set, the statement said. Mayborn Group, the U.S. company's parent, was sold by British private equity firm 3i Group Plc to China's Shanghai Jahwa United Co in April. (Reporting by Ian Simpson; Editing by Bill Rigby) Tegucigalpa (AFP) - A mayor in Honduras suspected of involvement in a massacre of five people was arrested on Tuesday and is being held in the capital pending an investigation, police said. Victor Meza, who runs the town of Reitoca, 40 kilometers (25 miles) southwest of the capital Tegucigalpa, was believed to lead a gang that carried out the killings that occurred last Sunday, detective service chief Jose Ponce told a news conference. On that day, unidentified gunmen fired on a vehicle carrying members of a local church, killing one of the occupants and wounding another. When other people tried to transfer the body and the wounded person to hospital, another attack was mounted that killed four people. Honduras and neighboring El Salvador and Guatemala are considered some of the most dangerous countries in the world not at war. So far this year, 18 multiple homicides have taken place in Honduras, resulting in more than 70 deaths. The country has a murder rate of 60 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, more than six times higher than the global average of nine per 100,000. mcdonalds french fries After years of steady declines, McDonald's is turning around sales. The fast-food chain has been making a ton of changes, such as launching all-day breakfast, swapping out margarine for butter, and adding new value options like the McPick 2 deals to drive traffic. The efforts are proving to be successful: McDonald's sales at restaurants open at least a year jumped 6.2% globally, including a 5.4% increase in the US, in the most recent quarter. Quarterly profit rose 35% over the previous year. But a recent survey by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) shows McDonald's still has a long way to go in one area: public perception. The fast-food chain ranked in last place in ACSI's 2016 Restaurant Report, with a customer satisfaction score of 69 out of 100. The last-place ranking remains unchanged from last year, but the company's score did show signs of improvement. "While McDonalds remains in last place at 69, the fast food giant gains 3% from a year ago primarily on the strength of its new all-day breakfast menu," the report says. Restaurant rankings Chick-fil-A ranked in first place in the survey with a score of 87, followed by Papa John's with a score of 82. Chipotle, meanwhile, dropped seven spots this year to No. 9 from its second-place ranking last year, following an E. coli outbreak at its restaurants in 14 states. The ACSI report is based on interviews with 4,786 customers who were asked to evaluate their recent experiences with the largest fast-food restaurants in the US in terms of market share, plus an aggregate category consisting of "all other" restaurants. Customers are asked to rate items like order accuracy, friendliness of staff, food quality, and restaurant cleanliness. NOW WATCH: Chick-fil-A is giving out free sandwiches here's how to get one More From Business Insider Merritt Patterson (The Royals, Ravenswood) has signed on to the second season cast of Crackles hourlong drama series The Art of More, joining stars Dennis Quaid, Kate Bosworth, Cary Elwes and Christian Cooke. Patterson will play Olivia Brukner, the sassy, smart, no-nonsense daughter of Samuel Brukner (Quaid). Olivia comes to New York looking to reconnect with her father while she navigates an uncertain future. Recently separated and having dropped out of medical school, Olivia comes into Sams life a far cry from the strong, driven daughter he remembers. But theres more than meets the eye with Olivia, who brings out a never-before-seen side of her brash billionaire father. The 10-episode series delves deep into the glamorous, cutthroat world of premium auction houses and pulls back the curtain on the dark underbelly of a multimillion-dollar business filled with hustlers, smugglers, power mongers and collectors of the beautiful and the esoteric. The Art of More was created by Chuck Rose, who co-writes and executive produces with Gardner Stern. Quaid, Laurence Mark and Tamara Chestna, also serve as executive producers. Brendan Kelly (Weeds) joins Season 2 as executive producer and writer. Patterson plays Ophelia Pryce on E!s The Royals and was a series regular on the Pretty Little Liars spinoff Ravenswood. Shes with Atlas Artists. Related stories 'Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee' Trailer: Judd Apatow, Margaret Cho & More Join Jerry Seinfeld For Season 8 Crackle Acquires 'Robotech' Anime Series And Feature 'The Shadow Chronicles' Sony's Crackle Introduces "First Ever" VR Programming And Ad Sales Initiatives The reporter who was at the center of the biggest firestorm involving Donald Trumps campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, said Tuesday that she was glad Lewandowski suddenly left Trumps team the day before. Im just happy to see that he is no longer a step away from the White House, the reporter, Michelle Fields, said during an interview on Yahoo News Now. On Monday morning, Trumps spokeswoman announced that Lewandowski had parted ways with the presumptive GOP nominees campaign. Lewandowski had been Trumps campaign manager since the early days of his White House bid. Lewandowski, who had reportedly quarreled with another top Trump aide, Paul Manafort, had been involved in a series of controversies during the campaign. Notably, he was charged with simple battery after video footage showed him grabbing Fields arm at a Trump campaign event in March. A Florida state prosecutor announced in April that Lewandowski would not be prosecuted. Before the video was released, Lewandowski denied even touching Fields, who was then reporting for Breitbart News. @MichelleFields you are totally delusional. I never touched you. As a matter of fact, I have never even met you. Corey Lewandowski (@CLewandowski_) March 11, 2016 I care deeply about this country and I think having someone like that, who is a liar and defamed me, in the White House is a scary thing, Fields told Yahoo News Guest Host Stephanie Sy on Tuesday. The incident caused turmoil in the ranks of Breitbart News, a conservative site known for favoring pro-Trump stories. After Breitbart questioned its own reporters account, Fields and other Breitbart reporters resigned. In May, the left-leaning Huffington Post announced that it had hired Fields. Unlike Breitbart, Fields new employer is decidedly against the Trump campaign: It affixes a footnote calling Trump a racist, sexist liar on the bottom of its Trump stories. Story continues Its been amazing, Fields told Sy of the transition to the Huffington Post. Everyone there has been completely supportive and its a much better environment than where I was before. She continued: When the Lewandowski stuff happened, my employer knew what had happened. My editor had spoken with Corey the night that it happened. And Corey confirmed to him that the incident occurred. And instead, they decided to pretend like they hadnt spoken to Corey. Thats not a news organization. A news organization is supposed to be interested in the truth. Fields gave the interview as she promotes her new book, Barons of the Beltway: Inside the Princely World of Our Washington Elite and How to Overthrow Them. By Angela Moon NEW YORK (Reuters) - Michelle Obama joined the popular messaging app Snapchat on Tuesday to promote her upcoming trip to Liberia, Morocco and Spain to encourage education for girls. Her Snapchat account "MichelleObama" will be used to give "young people a fun way to follow her trip" with her teen daughters Malia and Sasha to promote girls' education, one of her signature issues as the first lady of the United States, the White House said. She begins her trip at the end of June. Actress Meryl Streep and Slumdog Millionaire star Freida Pinto are also scheduled to join her in Africa. [L1N1971US] Obama's first Snapchat post on Tuesday was a selfie with caption: "Oh hey! Look who just joined @Snapchat. Add: MichelleObama." Obama already has 4.6 million followers on Twitter and 5 million followers on Instagram. Snapchat, a mobile app where posts disappear within 24 hours, has more than 100 million active users, most under the age of 25. (Reporting by Angela Moon; Editing by Andrew Hay) The First Lady is taking her turn in the car with Carpool Karaoke. Following in the footsteps of Adele, Justin Bieber and most recently Selena Gomez, Michelle Obama has taped a segment of the wildly popular Carpool Karaoke with James Corden. The First Lady made the announcement on her brand-new Snapchat account, which she just launched in anticipation of her upcoming trip to Liberia, Morocco and Spain. Oh hey! Look who just joined @Snapchat. Add: MichelleObama pic.twitter.com/G8GgOOGPJ0 The First Lady (@FLOTUS) June 21, 2016 The producers of the Late Late Show are in Washington, D.C. Tuesday filming the segment. Wait, whats @JKCorden doing on Michelle Obamas Snapchat? they tweeted from the shows official Twitter account. No air date has yet been announced for the First Ladys Carpool Karaoke. And no word yet on what songs the duo will be performing. Related stories Selena Gomez Does 'Carpool Karaoke' With James Corden Late-Night Shows Eye First-Time Nominations Tony Awards: James Corden's Producer on Orlando Tragedy, Last-Minute Changes, Carpool Karaoke Microsoft/Shutterstock Marijuana is likely to be one of the more hot-button political issues over the next few years. In half the country, marijuana is legal for medicinal use, and full legalization might help curb greater social ills. It seems that full legalization across the country is only a matter of time, so Microsoft is getting on the bandwagon to be your weed dealer. Well, in a manner of speaking. Microsoft has teamed up with Kind Financial to give them access to Microsofts government-grade cloud computing tools. Kind is used for seed to sale purposes. Even in states where marijuana is fully legal, growers and dispensaries have quite a bit of paperwork to track, so this software lets them stay on top of crops, track where they go and where theyre sold, and get the appropriate documents on file so they can stay in business. Related Links: For Kind, its a crucial step because Microsofts cloud meets government standards. This means that when a state legalizes it to some degree, Kind can be right there, in compliance, and help dispensaries and growers get set up. It will, at least in theory, narrow the notoriously long gap between legalization laws being passed and dispensaries and the like opening, and help states track transactions and collect the sales tax that comes with them. And for Microsoft, it means being on the ground floor of a potentially enormous industry. Most interesting, though, is that Microsoft sees an opportunity here. That marks a shift in attitude from corporate America thats attention-getting, and might presage larger changes sooner than were expecting. If corporate America thinks legalization is inevitable, its only a matter of time before governments do as well. (Via Digital Trends) The largest ever genetic study on migraine, published on Monday in the journal Nature Genetics, points to the discovery of tens of new genetic risk variants for the condition. Carried out by a team of members from the International Headache Genetics Consortium, which includes migraine research groups from Australia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the UK and USA, the study looked at DNA samples of 375,000 European, American and Australian participants, with almost 60,000 of them suffering from migraine. Using this data, which was taken from 22 genome-wide association studies and included new data from around 35,000 migraine sufferers, the team was able to analyze millions of genetic variants, finding that 38 different genomic regions were associated with migraine. Previous to this only ten of these regions were linked with a susceptibility to migraines. The team also found that most of the areas on the genome overlapped with genes known to be associated with certain vascular diseases and involved in the regulation of vascular tone -- the constriction of blood vessels -- providing further evidence to the support the importance of blood vessels in migraine attacks. Despite migraines being a common and debilitating disorder, affecting around 1 in 7 people worldwide, little is known about its causes, making it difficult to develop new treatments. Commenting on the significance of these new findings for the future of migraine treatment Professor John-Anker Zwart from Oslo University Hospital said, "These genetic findings are the first concrete step towards developing personalized, evidence-based treatments for this very complex disease. We doctors have known for a long time that migraine patients differ from each other and the drugs that work for some patients are completely inefficient for others." "In the future, we hope that this information can be utilized in dividing the patients into different genetic susceptibility groups for clinical drug trials, thus increasing the chances of identifying the best possible treatment for each subgroup." In the final days before the referendum on Britain leaving the EU, poll numbers show the leave and remain sides in a dead heat. The Financial Times Brexit poll of polls has leave at 45 percent support and remain at 44 percent, having gotten a boost after the assassination last week of Labour Party Member of Parliament Jo Cox. Polling Source: The Financial Times The outcome on Thursday could hinge on young voters. Related: Brexit Explained: What It Is and How It Could Change the World Polling data shows that among Britons, the tendency to be Euroskeptic increases with age, with support for leaving the EU increasing to 58 percent for the 65-plus age group. By contrast, Britains 14 million millennials have shown consistent support for the remain side. An ICM poll conducted two weeks ago broke down voting intentions by age category. It found that among British people aged 18 to 34, 52 percent wanted to remain in the EU and 36 percent favored leaving. Im very passionate we should remain in the EU, said Tom Cridland, the 25-year-old founder of a sustainable menswear company. Its not that I dont respect the people who want to leave the EU they only want whats right for their country but I think its going to be damaging for those who rely on exporting to the EU. Cridland founded his business two years ago after receiving a 6,000 ($8,800) start-up loan from the British government. Since then, the companys buy less, buy better philosophy has won acclaim among fashion industry watchers and even movie stars. Central to Cridlands business model is keeping the clothing affordable by ensuring a minimal markup. While he runs operations out of the U.K., his manufacturing plant is in Portugal, which allows him to move goods from the production center to other EU locations without tariffs. If Britain leaves the EU, Cridland said he fears that the uncertainty could cause significant harm to small businesses like his, which could amount to tens of thousands of pounds lost. Story continues The immediate impact would be devastating for a lot of businesses, and the damage may be irreversible by the time a trade deal is negotiated, he said. Related: How a Brexit Could Sink Clinton and Hand the Election to Trump To Cridland, who is half Portuguese, an exit from the EU could have a significant human impact as well. Its going to affect a lot of human beings lives, he said. EU nationals who come over to this country work very hard doing jobs for the British public. He said he worries the remain campaign has not been passionate enough, sentiments echoed by some commentators who argue that the Labour Party could have done more to drum up support. This decision is far too serious to be treated as another act in a Tory psychodrama and much more attention ought to be paid to non-Conservative voices in the days remaining before the vote, wrote Andrew Rawnsley in The Guardian. Given how close the polling numbers are, young people have been encouraged to lobby older relatives. The youth have a strong role to paly in convincing their elders sitting down at home with their grandpa who says, I want my Britain back and explaining that the Britain of the future is not the Britain of the past, said 22-year-old Bristol University law student Pouyan Maleki-Dizaji, who has been active in the remain campaign. But for campaigners on either side, the biggest challenge is encouraging the young to exercise their right to vote. Young people have traditionally voted in lower numbers, and data from the last British general election shows that despite voter turnout being 66 percent overall, just 43 percent of voters aged 18 to 24 and 54 percent of voters in the 25 to 34 category cast ballots. Younger leave campaigners have also looked to increase youth support by focusing on positive messaging. Youth-focused Campaign BeLeaves Facebook page has focused on jobs, and reinforcing the view that Britain can remain open to the world even in the aftermath of a Brexit. However, many millennials apparently arent focused on the referendum, questioning why its necessary, wrote Vicky Spratt in The Spectator earlier this month. Concerned with bigger fish to fry, Spratt argues that they are more attuned to daily challenges like finding a job and affording the rent. Related: How a Ban on Tea Kettles Could Drive Britain to a Brexit We grew up as part of Europe its not something weve ever had to consider. In fact, we are pretty sick of hearing this debate and, to be frank, we dont really understand why were having it, she wrote. Many of us are rather baffled that were having this conversation about leaving the EU full stop. Still, Maleki-Dizaji said he hopes the consequences of the Brexit vote will encourage more young people to participate in the referendum. People understand that this isnt your typical council election, and they understand that this vote is of huge significance. The referendum on Britains continued membership in the EU will take place on Thursday. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: CHANDIGARH, India (Reuters) - Millions across India on Tuesday celebrated the International Day of Yoga, the country's signature cultural export, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi joining 30,000 participants in a mass session of exercise and meditation. Modi pushed for the annual event to be celebrated worldwide soon after winning power in 2014, lending his political weight to an industry that has grown up around the ancient physical and spiritual discipline and is estimated to be worth $80 billion. The 65-year-old premier, who is reputed to rise at dawn to do yoga exercises before starting work, joined school children, residents and government employees in the northern city of Chandigarh for an early-morning mass yoga session. "With zero budget, yoga provides health assurance and it does not discriminate between rich and poor," Modi said in his speech before the session. He also called for a focus on mitigating diabetes through yoga. The number of adults with diabetes has quadrupled worldwide in less than four decades to 422 million, and the condition is fast becoming a major problem in poorer countries, a World Health Organization study showed in April. Yoga guru Baba Ramdev and spiritual gurus Sri Sri Ravishankar and Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev all supported the yoga initiative, with several events. Modi's ministers joined in at sessions across India, with several of them posting tweets and pictures. "Extremely happy to be amongst you all to participate and practice yoga," tweeted Urban Development and Housing Minister Vekaiah Naidu. Hundreds of thousands gathered at spots across New Delhi to join in the government-organized mass yoga sessions in parks and on Rajpath, a central avenue. Last year, the Indian capital set a world record for the largest yoga demonstration at a single site. "I like the idea of yoga becoming the norm in our homes. Seems like fun, and with phenomenal consequences," Tarot card reader Ruchira Mittal tweeted on social media. (Writing by Malini Menon; Editing by Douglas Busvine) Chandigarh (India) (AFP) - Prime Minister Narendra Modi described yoga as a "people's mass movement" as he took to the mat Tuesday along with millions of others in India and overseas to celebrate the ancient practice. Across India, schoolchildren, sailors, soldiers and bureaucrats bent and twisted their bodies from early morning at mass outdoor sessions to mark the second International Yoga Day. Sessions were also held around the world including at the Sydney Opera House where colourful mats were spread outside the Australian landmark, while Afghans and foreigners gathered at the Indian embassy in Kabul. Yoga-loving Modi, dressed in a white tracksuit, led more than 30,000 people in the northern city of Chandigarh where they performed poses and conducted breathing exercises at the outdoor Capitol Complex. "Do not wait, make yoga a part of your life," Modi urged in a brief speech to mark the event, an idea he successfully asked the United Nations to adopt. "This is a day linked with good health and now it has become a people's mass movement," the 65-year-old premier said. Modi took a short break to inspect the poses of his fellow yogis, who included students and soldiers, before returning to his spot. His ministers were also dispatched to cities around India to stretch and bend alongside schoolchildren, while the navy tweeted photos of sailors on mats atop an aircraft carrier in Mumbai. Modi, who credits yoga for his ability to work long hours on little sleep, has been spearheading an initiative to reclaim the practice as a historic part of Indian culture after his Hindu nationalist government came to power in 2014. In his home state of Gujarat, more than 1,700 pregnant women performed the camel, cobra and other poses in hopes of setting a new world record, a local official said. "The previous record was 930 pregnant women performing yoga simultaneously in China in 2009... we have submitted all documents to the officials of Guinness World Records who were here to evaluate the record," district collector Vikrant Pandey told AFP. Story continues Modi last year led some 35,000 people in New Delhi to mark the first world yoga day, setting two world records -- one for the largest yoga class at a single site and another for the greatest number of nationalities attending. Indian scholars believe yoga dates back 5,000 years, based on archaeological evidence of poses found inscribed on stones and references to Yogic teachings in the ancient Hindu scriptures of the Vedas. Since taking office, the premier has set up a ministry dedicated to promoting yoga and traditional Indian treatments, and started free lessons for his government's three million bureaucrats and their families. Mississippi's attorney general announced Monday that the federal investigation into the murder of three civil rights organizers in 1964 has officially been closed, the Associated Press reported. "The evidence has been degraded by memory over time, and so there are no individuals that are living now that we can make a case on at this point," Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood told the AP. Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner, who were white, and James Earl Chaney, who was black, were captured by Ku Klux Klansmen during a trip to Neshoba County, Mississippi, 52 years ago this month. The three men's bodies were found shot and buried in an earthen dam near Philadelphia, Mississippi, 44 days after they went missing. Their deaths collectively became known as the "Mississippi Burning" murders, after the code name given to the FBI's subsequent investigation into the case. The investigation lasted in various iterations for five decades, leading to eight trial convictions and one guilty plea, according to the New York Times. One of the more recent convictions was of the mastermind behind the killings, a Ku Klux Klan member named Edgar Ray Killen. Killen was convicted of manslaughter in 2005 and is serving a 60-year prison sentence. He is 91 years old. Edgar Ray Killen in 2005. Though the killings occurred more than half a century ago, they still linger in the minds of the victims' family members today. "It is something that resides within us all the time," Julia Chaney-Moss, who was 17 when her brother James Chaney was killed, told Mic in an email. "Satisfaction is not something we were ever seeking or could ever feel [in this case]. The only acceptance about this is that someone was finally charged with murder, tried and convicted for murder and is currently serving time for the murders. "But that's only one person," she added. "And we know that there were far more individuals involved." Story continues Julia Chaney-Moss Chaney-Moss also wishes more had been accomplished in the early stages of the investigation. "I would like for this case, when it first started out in the 1960s for each of those ... individuals to have been charged, tried and convicted of murder," she said. In truth, the FBI's success rate wasn't even close to that high. The bureau arrested 18 men they believed were involved in the crime in 1964, but only seven of that group were ever convicted, and none for murder. Hood said Monday that his office and the FBI were satisfied and there wasn't much left to be done in the case. "I am convinced that during the last 52 years, investigators have done everything possible under the law to find those responsible and hold them accountable," Hood said at a news conference, according to the Times. "However, we have determined that there is no likelihood of any additional convictions. Absent any new information presented to the F.B.I. or my office, this case will be closed." Thus ends the most recent federal push begun in 2008 with the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act, which required state attorneys general to appoint special investigators and FBI agents to look into civil rights-era murders committed before 1970 to find those accountable for this gruesome triple homicide. Source: Anonymous/AP The case reeked of conspiracy from day one: On June 21, 1964, Schwerner, Chaney and Goodman all civil rights organizers in their 20s had been investigating the arson of a black church in Neshoba County that was being used to register black people to vote. Shortly after they left the church that day, they were arrested and jailed by the local deputy sheriff, Cecil Price, who held them in the local jail for six hours without a phone call. Price released Schwerner, Chaney and Goodman later that night. He then followed them in his car, detained them again, and turned them over to a group of local Klansmen, who shot and killed the three young men. Price was convicted in 1967 of conspiring to kill the organizers. He was sentenced to six years in prison, of which he ended up serving four and a half. Price died in 2001 at 63 years old after falling off a lift at an equipment rental store and fracturing his skull. He'd been out of prison for 30 years. * Firm expects to post net loss after scandal over tests * Scandal triggered hefty compensation costs, drop in sales * Scandal likely to hurt company this year -chief executive (Adds company comment) TOKYO, June 21 (Reuters) - Mitsubishi Motors Corp expects to post a net loss this year after a scandal around manipulated fuel economy tests triggered hefty compensation costs and a drop in vehicle sales, Kyodo news agency reported on Tuesday. Japan's sixth-largest automaker admitted in April to overstating the mileage on four of its minivehicles, including two models it produced for Nissan Motor Co, problems it blamed on competitive pressures and poor oversight. Under a month later, Nissan agreed to take a one-third controlling stake in the group. Asked to comment on the unsourced report, Mitsubishi Motors chief executive Osamu Masuko said on Tuesday the company would seek to contain the cost of the scandal in this financial year, but he did not say whether that would drag it into the red. "(The scandal) will likely hurt us this year, and the extent to which we can recover from it, will depend up on how well we can leverage our synergies with Nissan," he said. The automaker said last week it planned to give owners of four minivehicles close to $1,000 in compensation for its overstating of mileage readings, part of reimbursement costs that will total at least $600 million. It said on Tuesday it was also setting aside up to 9 billion yen ($86.19 million) to reimburse customers for lost "eco car" tax breaks for models with overstated mileage readings, adding it planned to resume production of those vehicles early next month. Mitsubishi Motors had already announced it expects a charge of 50 billion yen ($480 million) this business year due to compensation costs. Separately, Japan's government said sales of Mitsubishi vehicles with overstated mileage levels could resume. Production will start in early July, Masuko said. Government tests had showed that fuel economy for the minivehicles was on average 11 percent lower than their advertised readings but the transport ministry said that this would not lead to change in their vehicle classification. ($1=103.9900 yen) (Reporting by Naomi Tajitsu; Editing by Edwina Gibbs and Clarence Fernandez) Sponsored by Bridgestone The monsoons in India are demanding. It might catch you unawares many a time and if you are not prepared, you are in for a trial by water. Reduced road-grip, aquaplaning or sometimes even water logging can stand in your way. As the roads worsen, the car tyres have to work overtime looking for grip while coping with the added stress. The best way to tackle the monsoons, then, is to be prepared prepared as a car, prepared as a driver. Are your tyres ready? The most vital part in this preparation is the tyres. You need to ensure the tyres are good enough to tackle the challenges of the rain. The two most important factors determining the capability of a tyre is the condition of the tread and the age of the rubber. To gauge the condition of the tread, the ideal way is to measure the tread depth across grooves. The depth of the grooves should ideally be uniform across the tread of a tyre. Also, the grooves need to be at least 2mm deep. If the tyre tread is unable to disperse the surface water through the grooves, the tyre will lose traction leading to aquaplaning and loss of car control. Also, if your car is not equipped with ABS, all four tyres of your car should ideally be in a similar condition so that brake force is distributed evenly through all four wheels. This will help you avoid wheel lock up under braking. Age of the car tyres also plays an important role. In spite of having a visibly good tread, the ability of the tyre to grip road surface gets compromised with age. One indicator to identifying ageing rubber is the tread cracks. An older tyre will have a number of surface cracks. Also look out for cuts or bubbles on the side walls. They reduce the strength of the tyre and may result in failure. If your car tyres are old or unevenly worn out, it is recommended to go for a new set of tyres. It is also recommended to change all tyres, including the spare wheel. Are you ready for monsoon? Rains affect traction as well as visibility. So, as a driver, you need to adjust your driving habits a bit to keep yourself out of sticky situations. Here are a few dos and donts. Story continues 1. It is always good to keep your speed in check. Wet roads increase braking distance and it is always good to have a safe margin. 2. Keep safe distance from the car ahead of you. Again, the little extra margin will save you. 3. Use indicators well before turning or switching lanes. It will help the car behind you to stay away from you. 4. In case of braking, brake early and gradually. If you do not have ABS to back you up, going easy on the brakes will keep you from locking up. 5. Avoid water logged patches. You may not be able to gauge how deep they are or if there is a manhole cover missing somewhere. 6. If it is raining heavily, it is advisable to switch your headlamps on than turning on the hazards right away. 7. Keep your windshield water fluid topped up. The muddy sprays and grime will hamper your visibility. Click here for the Bridgestone Special tyre tips. For more news,reviews,videos and information about cars, visit CarWale.com. Check On-Road Prices | Find New Cars | Upcoming Cars | Compare Cars | Dealer Locator Geneva (AFP) - Attacks on hospitals since Syria's war broke out five years ago have left more than 700 doctors and medical workers dead, many of them in air strikes, UN investigators said Tuesday. The UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria also condemned horrific violations by jihadists and voiced concern that Al-Qaeda-affiliated militants may have recruited hundreds of children into their ranks. Commission chief Paulo Pinheiro told the UN Human Rights Council that widespread, targeted aerial attacks on hospitals and clinics across Syria "have resulted in scores of civilian deaths, including much-needed medical workers." "More than 700 doctors and medical personnel have been killed in attacks on hospitals since the beginning of the conflict," he said. Pinheiro, who was presenting the commission's latest report to the council, said attacks on medical facilities and the deaths of so many medical professionals had made access to health care in the violence-wracked country extremely difficult -- and in some areas completely impossible. - 'Terrorised survivors' - "As civilian casualties mount, the number of medical facilities and staff decreases, limiting even further access to medical care," he said. Pinheiro also denounced frequent attacks on other infrastructure essential to civilian life, such as markets, schools and bakeries. "With each attack, terrorised survivors are left more vulnerable," he said, adding that "schools, hospitals, mosques, water stations ... are all being turned into rubble." Since March 2011, Syria's brutal conflict has left more than 280,000 people dead and forced half the population to flee their homes. War broke out after President Bashar al-Assad's regime unleashed a brutal crackdown against protesters demanding political change in Arab Spring-inspired protests. It has since become a multi-front war between regime forces, jihadists and other groups with the civilian population caught in the crossfire. Story continues Pinheiro said the commission was investigating allegations that the Al-Nusra Front "and other Al-Qaeda-affiliated groups have recruited hundreds of children under 15 in Idlib" in northwestern Syria. The brutality of Syria's conflict is preventing millions of children from attending school, and activists have warned this is helping fuel jihadist recruitment drives. Pinheiro also condemned violations committed by the Islamic State group. In a report published last week, the commission warned that IS jihadists were continuing to commit genocide against the Yazidi minority in Iraq and Syria. In 2014, IS jihadists massacred members of the Kurdish-speaking minority mainly based around Sinjar mountain in northern Iraq, forcing tens of thousands to flee, and captured thousands of girls and women. - 'Stop the genocide' - "As we speak, Yazidi women and girls are still sexually enslaved, subjected to brutal rapes and beatings. They are bought and sold in markets, passed from fighter to fighter like chattel, their dignity being ripped from them with each passing day," Pinheiro said Tuesday. "Boys are taken from their mother's care and forced into ISIS training camps once they reach the age of seven," he said, using another acronym for IS as he called on the international community to act "to stop the genocide." Vian Dakhil, a Yazidi member of the Iraqi parliament, also appealed for action. "We need the (UN) Security Council to bring this ... to the International Criminal Court" in the Hague, she told reporters on the sidelines of the Human Rights Council. Dakhil said 3,200 Yazidi women and girls are still being held by IS, while around 1,000 boys under the age of 10 are being brainwashed and prepared for battle by the jihadists. "This is still happening," she said. "We need help." Around 400,000 Yazidis are still living in camps in northern Iraq, Dakhil said, adding that they still feared returning to Sinjar to rebuild their communities, since some of their Sunni Muslim neighbours had helped IS in its attacks. "We need to rebuild peace ... and trust," she said. By Walter Bianchi BUENOS AIRES, June 21 (Reuters) - Argentina could soon see a boom in initial public offerings, investment bankers and market sources said, thanks to economic reforms and a potential upgrade of the country's "frontier market" status. "We have a file of some 20 companies that are interested in opening capital on the exchange as a way to raise funds," said Emilio Ilac, executive manager of local investment bank Puente. The companies would follow in the footsteps of Banco Supervielle and Havanna, the maker of Alfajores cookies that earlier this month raised $11.5 million by listing its shares. Before that, Argentina had not had an IPO since 2010. Interest in going public is especially strong from companies in the energy, agriculture and finance sectors, market sources said. The expected offerings are part of a broader pro-market shift in Argentina as center-right President Mauricio Macri works to open the country to investors and end isolation from capital markets seven months into his term. It comes amid a lull in IPOs elsewhere in Latin America and in the United States. Macri has cut subsidies and promised other austerity measures to reduce the deficit in Latin America's third-largest economy. In April, Argentina paid holdout creditors that had refused debt restructurings after a record 2002 default on some $9 billion, ending nearly a decade of messy litigation. "Thanks to the agreement with holdouts, Argentina is returning to the world," Adelmo Gabbi, president of the Buenos Aires stock exchange, said in an interview. Index provider MSCI Inc said last week it would include Argentina's index in its 2017 annual market clarification review for a potential upgrade to emerging market status. Argentina has been classified as a frontier market since 2009. The status upgrade would lead to near-immediate investments in domestic assets of around $4 billion, a banking source told Reuters. "I'm sure the companies will come, because there is money for them," Gabbi said. Story continues Argentine billionaire Eduardo Eurnekian told Reuters in January that he plans to publicly list four units of his Corporacion America this year, including his airport business, an energy firm, a microchip-making business and an agri-industry unit. Some 100 companies are now listed on the Buenos Aires exchange, down from 364 in its heyday in the 1970s. (Additional reporting by Jorge Otaola; Writing by Caroline Stauffer; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe) BERLIN (Reuters) - More European cooperation, not less, is needed for Europe to face up to security threats, the head of airports association ACI Europe said on Tuesday with an eye to Britain's referendum on European Union membership on Thursday. European airport security has come under scrutiny after suicide bombers killed 16 people at Brussels airport in March. In Britain, national security has become part of the debate ahead of the country's In/Out vote on the EU. Prime Minister David Cameron says Britain would be safer inside the EU. Brexit campaigners argue that greater control over immigration would reduce the threat, and that intelligence-sharing would not be harmed by withdrawing from the EU. Augustin de Romanet, president of ACI Europe and CEO of airport operator Aeroports de Paris , said Europe needed to focus on better intelligence cooperation and a more effective sharing of information. We need "more Europe, not less of it," he said in a statement, adding that meeting security challenges could be harder for both Britain and the EU in the event of a Brexit. ACI Europe has said that additional checks at entrances to airport terminals are not the answer to improving security. "Efficient, robust security is not and has never been about stopping terrorists once they are at an airport," de Romanet said. "It is about detecting and stopping them before they ever reach an airport." (Reporting by Victoria Bryan; Editing by Mark Heinrich) RABAT (Reuters) - A Moroccan court has given the country's only oil refinery, Samir, another six months to restart production, two sources from the company said on Tuesday, giving it more time to attract a buyer during a court-ordered liquidation. Samir halted production in August due to financial difficulties, then a court ruling placed it in liquidation and named an independent trustee to run it. The same ruling had given three months to the new managers to restart production in the 200,000 barrel per day complex in an effort to secure a buyer. Its closure has made the country reliant on imports at a time when the North African kingdom is getting its finances back on track by tackling huge deficits. Samir, in which Saudi billionaire Mohammed al-Amoudi's Corral Holdings has a 67.26 percent stake, has been battling creditors ranging from oil traders to banks who are owed millions. The Moroccan government says Samir owes it 13 billion dirhams ($1.33 billion) in taxes and its total debt is hovering around 44 billion dirhams. The trustee running the company could not restart production in the initial deadline as the refiner had not attracted bids for its tenders to buy crude oil. Two sources said the trustee has until January 21 to restart production and bring the liquidation process to an end. "We have not received the crude needed yet but it is on the right track," said one source, who declined to be named because of the judicial process. Samir launched a tender in March to buy 8 million barrels of regular Urals or Kirkuk crude oil for delivery from April through June. Company officials said they have been in talks with exporters and trading houses but declined to give details on the talks and if there was any bid. The government has said it will do everything possible to recover unpaid taxes and protect the refinery's workers. The company is still paying salaries and social contributions for its 1,200 workers. Another 5,000 workers employed by sub-contractors will lose their jobs if the refiner closes down At just under 300,000 barrels per day, Morocco's petroleum consumption is Africa's fifth largest, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. (Reporting by Aziz El Yaakoubi, editing by Louise Heavens) NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / June 21, 2016 / Compass Equity Research, LLC announced today the release of its Initial Equity Report on Mount Tam Biotechnologies (MNTM), Mount Tam Biotechnologies is an emerging specialty biopharmaceutical company developing a portfolio of pharmaceutical products targeting the treatment of autoimmune diseases. Their most advanced product candidate is TAM-01, is a pre-clinical stage compound, which represents what is believed to be a promising therapeutic candidate for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (" SLE "), the most common forms of lupus. On August 17, 2014, Mount Tam partnered with the world-renowned Buck Institute for Research on Aging through a worldwide exclusive licensing and collaboration agreement. The assets, which are focused on autoimmune diseases, are highly target-specific polyketides--a class of compounds with an extremely successful track record with the FDA drug approval process. Mount Tam intends to apply its first and most advanced asset, TAM-01, to the Investigational New Drug (IND) application phase of the FDA. It has already completed non-GLP pre-clinical development. The primary focus is to develop TAM-01 for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in an expanding orphan drug market. The Company will use the research and development conducted on TAM-01 as the core science for additional assets, including its second product known as TAM-02, which is currently focused on multiple sclerosis (MS). On June 14th, 2016, the company received financial commitments from private investors in the amount of $5 million, which they believe to be adequate to fund clinical development through the filing of their IND. About Systematic Lupus Erythematosus According to the Lupus Foundation of America, 1.5 million Americans have some form of lupus and more than 16,000 new cases are reported annually in the United States alone. Despite the significantly larger patient population over the defined orphan disease limit, the FDA continues to classify lupus as an orphan disease. The exact etiology of lupus is unknown. As an autoimmune disease, lupus makes the immune system unable to differentiate between healthy tissues and foreign invaders, leading the immune system to attack healthy tissues. This may cause inflammation of the joints, heart, lungs, kidneys, brain and blood vessels. Lupus is a disease that goes through stages of remission and flares. Story continues SLE is one of the most common forms of lupus. It is a chronic, inflammatory disorder that can damage any part of the body, including the skin, joints and internal organs. Lupus nephritis (" LN ") is a common complication for people with SLE, affecting up to 60% of SLE patients. LN is a kidney inflammation that may lead to significant illness and even death. There is currently no known cure for SLE and no treatment that fully stabilizes the disease. Patients diagnosed with lupus are treated with different types of supportive therapy, primarily consisting of antimalarials, corticosteroids, immunosuppressants, and newer biologic agents that primarily address the symptoms of the disease at the expense of significant adverse events of varying severity. Such adverse events include but are not limited to inflammation, joint pain, blood clotting, mouth ulcers, skin rash, skin color changes, damage to the retina of the eye, morbidity, immune suppression, suppressed growth in children, diabetes, osteoporosis and high blood pressure. TAM-01 TAM-01, is a rapamycin analog which exerts its action through direct binding and inhibition of the mammalian Target of Rapamycin (" mTOR "). mTOR is a key regulatory pathway which is altered in individuals suffering from autoimmune disorders, including lupus. Based on extensive research conducted by various institutes, mTOR inhibitors may reduce disease activity and normalize T cell activation-induced calcium fluxing in SLE patients. The only effective mTOR targeting drugs currently approved by the FDA, are rapamycin (Sirolimus) and its first generation analogs (Temsirolimus, Everolimus). Unfortunately their utility as therapeutic agents for the treatment of chronic diseases such as SLE is severely limited due to their significant side effects, including impaired glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, and lipid dysregulation. Mount Tam's product candidate, TAM-01, is a small-molecule inhibitor of mTOR, which has shown in their pharmacology studies to maintain high therapeutic efficacy of rapamycin while significantly reducing or abolishing some of its side effects. Market Potential Decision Resources Group forecasts that sales of SLE therapies will increase approximately 2.5-fold by 2024, with peak sales of SLE treatments expected to be in excess $4 billion. Historically, developers of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) drugs faced formidable challenges: drug development for a complex, multifaceted, poorly understood disease; regulatory hurdles; a small but heterogeneous population; and a multiplicity of manifestations. Recent positive clinical trial results and the regulatory approval of belimumab (GlaxoSmithKline's Benlysta) have lowered some development hurdles, and a growing list of emerging agents have ushered in a new era of SLE drug development. However, physician's perceptions of Benlysta have been mixed due to modest efficacy, slow onset to action, and its restrictive label, which does not include patients with severe, active renal and central nervous system (CNS) disease. Given these shortcomings, there exists the opportunity for emerging agents with better efficacy profiles and acceptable safety to gain market share. Investment Summary Mount Tam Biotechnologies is an emerging growth, life science company developing novel agents for the treatment of systematic lupus erythematosus and multiple sclerosis. Their lead clinical candidate TAM-01 has shown to be effective in pre-clinical trials and the company anticipates beginning early stage clinical trials in 2017. The company is also advancing their second pre-clinical candidate, TAM-02 for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. To assist in their clinical development activities, Mount Tam has assembled an experienced management team, multiple advisory boards and is working extensively with the world-renowned Buck Institute for Research on Aging. It has an exclusive worldwide licensing and collaboration agreement with the Buck Institute, which includes some of the Institute's first R&D assets in the area of autoimmune disorders. The licensed assets are supported by an extensive portfolio of intellectual property consisting of over 45 worldwide issued patents and patent applications. The company recently received commitments in the sum of $5 million from private investors, providing them with adequate financial resources to advance their lead products to early stage clinical trials. With adequate financing and promising pre-clinical candidates addressing multi-billion dollar markets, Mount Tam has created a solid foundation for future growth. The complete Compass Equity Research Report, including important disclosures, is available to download at no cost on the Compass Equity Research website, http://compassequityresearch.com/equity-research. Legal Disclaimer Except for the historical information presented herein, matters discussed in this article contain forward-looking statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. Ignis Social Media Strategies, LLC which owns Compass Equity Research, is not registered with any financial or securities regulatory authority, and does not provide nor claims to provide investment advice or recommendations to readers of this release. Ignis Social Media Strategies is a social media engagement company that creates investor awareness for emerging growth companies. Ignis Social Media Strategies, through its fully owned subsidiary, Compass Equity Research, generates content on behalf of the represented company or a third party. Ignis Social Media Strategies which owns, Compass Equity Research may from time to time have a position in the securities mentioned herein and may increase or decrease such positions without notice. For making specific investment decisions, readers should seek the advice of a certified investment advisor. Ignis Social Media Strategies which owns, Compass Equity may be compensated for its services in the form of cash-based compensation or in equity in the companies it writes about, or a combination of the two. Ignis Social Media Strategies, LLC has been compensated for its services by a non-affiliate third party for expenses related to creation of this report. Please see our full disclaimer at: http://compassequityresearch.com/disclaimer. SOURCE: Compass Equity Research There was much of a noise on Facebook and Twitter and the likes on em, this very day last year, surrounding the celebration of yoga internationally. My friend circle was literally divided into two, those who favored it and those who read it as yet another tool employed by the ruling party to paint the country, rather the planet, saffron. I was enjoying the show in silence, till people started tagging me, asking for my not-so-impactful opinion. Are you doing Yoga, today?, Are you with the government in their conspiracy? While my mind was going errrrrrrrrrrrrrr, someone took it on him to respond on my behalf, Avantika loves fitness, shes going for yoga today. Comon girl, post a pic in the Wheel Pose. I was still in the errrrrrrrrr mode, and someone else retorts, Avantika believes in secularity, she would never promote an idea with Hindutva written all over it. I was like F*** it! I am on my periods and I am not getting off my couch anytime soon. No, I wasnt really menstruating, but who would authenticate it anyway? All I had to do was, wear that pissed off face (which comes quite naturally to me) the entire day, and my friends were totally convinced. I confess, I shamelessly played the gender card, but that appeared so much better than getting embroiled in this gratuitous squabble. A year later, here we meet again with Facebook and Twitter deluged with monologues substantiating or refuting the purpose. Credit can always be given to a handful of know-it-alls, with a flair for looking at everything through the political glass, constantly on their toes to ignite a secular debate and making a big deal out of nothing - absolutely nothing. I stand astonished at how people get themselves much invested in matters that do not cast the slightest impact in their lives. My friend from a different faith raises a doubt, Yoga has this Surya Namaskar thing, right? Doesnt that insinuate a force on us to adopt a Hindu practice? So the Honble PM suggests the befits of yoga while addressing the US General Assembly; speaking to joint sitting of the US Congress, he assures, India hasnt claimed intellectual property rights on this ancient practice he has an affinity toward the traditional regimen, we get it. What we dont realize, or maybe we do, but choose not to, is nobody is holding a gun against your head or mine. We all, still, are independent citizens of a secular country and no party, ruling or opposition, in their wildest dreams, can strike this heavy-weight term out of our preamble. We wont let that happen, will we? A couple of days ago, the social networking sites were swamped with moving testimonials rushing out of everybodys heart for their fathers. There was a mass awakening to the greatest sacrifices their dads made to bring them up. And as I didnt upload my babas pic on the virtual wall (because my baba hates getting clicked and cant care less about the Fathers Day thing) I had to face questions like Hey, everything okay between you and uncleji? But, just like nobody can nudge me into uploading a Father-Daughter pic against my will, no one can force you to practice or not practice Yoga, just because it is some International Yoga Day. Then why scrutinizing minute things for a hypothetical agenda when we are already engulfed in issues worth some serious contemplation? The way I look at it, Valentines Day, Mothers Day, Fathers Day and now this newly introduced International Yoga Day, are all but normal days, when the sun ascends and descends following its regular routine. Sure they want to propagate an idea, if you consider it worth your while, you go for it. Its not up your alley? More power to you, press the snooze button again, maybe I will do that too. No, I have nothing against Yoga, I just love my sleep a lil too much and choose to stay untouched by any noise that hampers its longevity. (Guess, Ill deactivate my accounts for a couple of days to avoid getting tagged in unsolicited posts). From LennyLetter I never dreamed of my wedding when I was a child. I didn't stage imaginary ceremonies for my Barbies or stuffed animals. Matrimony has always felt like an improbable fate, something strictly fictive, that didn't apply to me. My own vision of the future included going to college, writing stories, and winning awards for being smart. There was no space for being a bride. Decades later, that sentiment shifted when I fell in love with a guy that I met on OKCupid. We started dating after a few weeks of hanging out, and within a year, I began to picture what it'd be like to be his wife. I'd practice writing different variations of my signature with his last name, sometimes hyphenated. I created a secret Pinterest dedicated to bridal inspo from the '70s and compulsively saved images of Victorian engagement rings on my cell phone. But as I reveled in my daydreams, my relationship with my boyfriend became the opposite of a dream. I became codependent and he became distant. In attempts to keep things from falling apart, I confessed one night through a desperate text that someday I wanted to marry him. His response was silence. Months later we broke up, which was painful, but the experience taught me so much about the importance of self-love and of being independent. My current ideas about bridehood and weddings are now hypothetical, and practical at best. When I think about the future, I still don't picture myself as someone's wife, but I do see myself being loved. Like the central character on the latest album from Natasha Khan of Bat For Lashes, I found myself on the other side of a romance's end. Through eerie melodies and breathtaking vocals, Khan explores the complexities of romance, desire, and identity on her fourth studio album, The Bride. Heavily influenced by "I Do," a short film that she directed in 2015, her forthcoming follow-up to The Haunted Man is a much-needed corrective to our contemporary culture's misaligned narratives about intimacy and love. Story continues I sat down with Khan on a humid afternoon in Manhattan to discuss what unpacking the archetype of the bride and the myth of idealized romance meant to her and why following her muse is so important. Dianca Potts: What inspired you to explore the archetype of the bride on this album? Natasha Khan: After my last album, I was thinking about writing a script and learning about screenplay. This idea about the bride came to me because I did a song called "The Bride" with Sexwitch, who I did the side project with. It's an Iranian song about a woman who is banished to the desert because her husband doesn't turn up to the wedding, and how broken and cast aside by society she is because she's not a married woman. I was also watching Rebel Without a Cause and The Wizard of Oz, and lots of road-trip movies, and [that's when I got] the idea to look at the archetype of the bride and the wedding, at that kind of romantic heightened idealistic ritual that we're fed through popular culture. I also really liked the idea of going on a honeymoon, but going on your own, and how then you would only have yourself to fall in love with. I wanted to create a metaphor that moved away from the projection of romanticized idealistic love and the idea of someone rescuing you toward a much deeper love for yourself and a journey through the psychic terrain and the landscape of your own soul. DP: Did working on this album change your thoughts about marriage and our culture's view of brides? NK: Definitely. I think that when I wrote "I Do," which was the first song, I was still seduced by the idea of romantic love. We're all seduced by the idea of romantic love and finding that person that completes you and that whole thing of this person will rescue me and I'll never be sad again. It's so ridiculous, but it's something that we all pretend that we don't think about but want. It's a very human longing, but I don't think that it's necessarily the most healthy or most realistic way of looking at love.Having gone through the bride's journey by writing these songs and performing them live, I think that it's about a choice and it's about balance, finding a balance between the need for community, the need for connection through intimacy and to be vulnerable in the face of someone else and to find your individuality whether you're with someone or not and to be open to love and companionship [without] becoming codependent and giving up on the ideas like going on holiday alone, being able to say what you really want, or maintain your individual perspective on things, to not shrivel into a vulnerable heap or trying to control another person. I think that I long for love, like I'm sure many people do, but I'm also realizing that I can't really love someone else until I've dispelled that [romantic] myth and I've learned that I'm in control of my life. DP: You're performing the album in churches across the globe, which is so suitable. How have those performances expanded the narrative of the album for you? NK: The churches that we've done so far to me have been just really emotional and really magical, because it's less about the religious aspects, but for me what the church building itself and that scared space provides is a sacred sense of community and witnessing something as a collective. I come down the aisle in my black veil like the widow bride, and I throw the bouquet at the end of the show, and everyone's been coming dressed up as guests for the wedding, so there's already this theatrical housing around the story and the history of these buildings; all the worship and the vulnerability of the weddings and funerals and prayer that happened in those spaces are very deep moments that [people] share and commemorate together. It's like the antithesis of a narcissistic individualistic society that I think sometimes we're in trouble of being drowned under. I just love that it feels very special and nurturing in a kind of heightened and theatrical way. We're all really missing that sense of ritual and community, and I'm enjoying being a part of that with people. DP: Is there a song that you've performed during this tour that you find most fulfilling? NK: We do a cover a Carpenters song, "We've Only Just Begun," and there's this running joke when we play live that we make the most depressing cover band ever because we take every song and make it deathly sad, but this one particularly is really close to my heart, because when I was little I had to stay with my "nan," who was a bit scary. I didn't really like her but she lived in this house that hadn't changed since the '60s, so it had shag rust-colored carpet and loads of those paintings with the girls with the big eyes and floral vinyl wallpaper. [When I was there] I would just go upstairs and listen to The Very Best of the Carpenters tape over and over again and sing it in front of the mirror. [Now] I play it on piano, and it's a really dusty slow version with bowed guitar, and it's been going down really well. I can't top Karen Carpenter's voice, but I love singing her words and her melodies. DP: Since your debut LP, I've been in awe of your dedication and focus when it comes to your creative projects. Has there ever been a moment where you've doubted yourself? NK: I had some serious moments of doubt because it's such a big project to oversee. Not just with each individual song but also with keeping the thread of the narrative arc [throughout]. It wasn't just about music, but also theme and character. One of my biggest [struggles] was on a song called "Close Encounters." It has a very folky three-time kind of swing-like melody that's very strong, and all the way up until the last few weeks after I'd been working on the album for years, it had been an old school-girl-group-sounding love song, and it just wasn't sitting right with me. I was having sleepless nights feeling so anxious. In the end, I came into the studio one morning and I was like, We have to scrap everything and start again. Then I set to work with [the composer] David Baron , who has all of these incredible 1930s B-movie string samples that were so eerie and beautiful, and we set to work arranging these strings, and I basically just put my vocal [on top] of these really discordant warped strings. I was worried everyone [was] going to think that I'm really crazy, that this [was] really avant-garde, but it's been one of the tracks that people have talked about and loved the most. So my advice about any kind of block or any worries that come along is that it's only fear from the lack of stepping into the unknown and following the muse. It's when you don't [embrace] the true depth of what you want to say. When you don't do that, that's when you feel uneasy, you second-guess yourself, and doubt creeps in because you're not going there. A way to be aware of that is to be really quiet and to be very still. For me it's going out to Woodstock and being in nature, seeing the deer and hearing the trees. You have to cut all the noise and the bullshit and be fierce enough to not get attached to anything, to scrap it all if you need to. Don't worry, the muse will tell you the truth. This interview has been condensed and edited. Dianca Potts is an assistant at Lenny. The UN Security Council president condemned nuclear-armed North Korea over its tests of a powerful new medium-range missile on Wednesday, calling for a swift response from the world body. Francois Delattre of France said the back-to-back tests were a "clear and unacceptable" violation of Security Council resolutions. South Korea's defense ministry said the two missiles achieved a significant increase in flight distance over previous failed launches and were believed to be of a much-hyped, intermediate-range Musudan missile -- theoretically capable of reaching US bases as far away as Guam. Delattre called for a swift response by the UN and said the Security Council would likely meet later in the day. "We favor a quick and firm reaction of the Security Council," he said. "The North Korean ballistic program is a serious threat to regional and international peace and security," he added. "Confronted by the threat of proliferation we consider that weakness is not an option." Condemnation was swift from the United States, NATO and Japan, with South Korea vowing to push for tighter sanctions on Pyongyang. The first test was deemed to have failed after the missile flew an estimated 150 kilometers (90 miles) over the East Sea, or Sea of Japan. Japanese military monitors said the second test attained a height of 1,000 kilometers and a range of 400 kilometers -- a trajectory some experts suggested was calculated to avoid any violation of Japanese air space. Four previous Musudan tests this year failed either on their mobile launch pad or shortly after take-off. Existing UN Security Council measures ban North Korea from any use of ballistic missile technology. After Pyongyang conducted a fourth nuclear test on January 6, followed by a long-range rocket launch February 7, the Security Council adopted its most punishing sanctions yet against North Korea. - Worrying progress - A successful test would mark a major step forward for a weapons program that ultimately aspires to develop a proven nuclear strike capability against the US mainland. Story continues Melissa Hanham, an expert on North Korea's WMD program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in California, said Wednesday's launches represented a worrying step forward. "The second was likely a success. Testing is iterative and they are learning from each flight," Hanham told AFP. "Policymakers need to focus on a testing ban to prevent this from becoming a working missile." US State Department spokesman John Kirby said the latest launches would only increase global efforts to counter North Korea's illicit weapons program. "We intend to raise our concerns at the UN to bolster international resolve in holding (North Korea) accountable for these provocative actions," Kirby said in a statement. Japanese broadcaster NHK quoted Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as saying such tests "cannot be tolerated", while NATO "strongly condemned" the launch in a statement from its secretary general. South Korea's foreign ministry warned that North Korea would face even stronger sanctions and said the tests underlined "the hypocrisy and deceptivenesxs" of Pyongyang's recent offers of military talks with Seoul. China, traditionally the North's closest ally, cautioned against "any action that may escalate tension" and called for a resumed dialogue on Pyongyang's nuclear drive. First unveiled as an indigenous missile at a military parade in Pyongyang in October 2010, the Musudan has a theoretical range of anywhere between 2,500 and 4,000 kilometers. The lower estimate covers the whole of South Korea and Japan, while the upper range would include US military bases on Guam. - String of failures - Three failed launches in April were seen as an embarrassment for North Korea's leadership, coming ahead of a rare ruling party congress that was meant to celebrate the country's achievements. Another attempt in May was also deemed to have failed. Markus Schiller, a German aerospace engineer who has written extensively on North Korea's missile program, said a lot of information on the Musudan was highly speculative and warned against drawing too many conclusions from Wednesday's launches. "We do not even know if these were indeed Musudan missiles that were launched today," Schiller said. Roll out your yoga mat and take a deep breath: today is the second annual International Day of Yoga. And the country where the ancient practice originated, India, is leading the celebrations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined an estimated 30,000 people in the northern city of Chandigarh in a mass yoga session on Tuesday morning. Modi, who first proposed the day in his inaugural speech at United Nations General Assembly, is keen to tap into the soft-power potential of the globally popular practices Indian roots. The day has not been without controversy, however, with some minorities in India arguing the governments embrace of yoga is part of a wider effort to promote Hindu nationalism, a charge Modi denied Tuesday. Yoga is not about the other life. Therefore, it is not a religious practice, Modi told his fellow yoga enthusiasts. It is the science of this world, it is about what we will get in this life. Elsewhere, more than 100,000 people apparently a new world record took part in a yoga class in the Indian city of Faridabad led by high-profile yogi Baba Ramdev, Indias NDTV reports. Yoga sessions were also held on Indian naval vessels, and were being planned by Indias diplomatic missions all over the world. Yoga practitioners also filled New Yorks Times Square on Monday, which was the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. From Road & Track At a Rascal Flatts concert in North Carolina last Friday, Mike Wallace, the 57-year-old NASCAR driver and younger brother of Rusty Wallace, was brutally attacked. Charlotte's WSOC TV reports that while attempting to leave the show with his daughter Lindsey Wallace Van Wingerden, Wallace asked three men how they liked the performance. The men reportedly began shouting at him and then attacked him. When his daughter tried to step in and protect her father, the three men reportedly began to attack her, as well. Mike's brother Kenny later posted several photos to Twitter, claiming the attackers resported to kicking Van Wingerden in the stomach after Wallace was knocked out. Both Wallace and Van Wingerden were taken to the hospital, and Wallace was treated for a concussion. He also reportedly lost three teeth in the fight and needed 12 stitches. But as he told WSOC, Wallace's main concern is for his daughter. "I woke up. I see my daughter laying on the ground, which is devastating for a father," he said. "I mean, that's the worst thing in the world." Three maintenance workers at the PNC Pavilion where the attack took place-Paul Lucas, 29, Nathan Lucas, 22, and Randolph Mangum, 24-were arrested and were later released on bond. Nathan Lucas and Mangum were charged with misdemeanor simple assault, while Paul Lucas was charged with misdemeanor assault on a female. One witness who asked not to be named, however, told WSOC that the Wallace family aren't the victims they're claiming to be and that they started the fight. "Kenny Wallace has used a public platform to blow this thing up and destroy a family," that witness said. via New York Daily News Netflix just unveiled this new logo and almost no one noticed Netflix just unveiled this new logo and almost no one noticed Binge-watching television has basically become a national pastime thanks to Netflix. In fact, we pretty much consider Netflix the perfect BFF on a Friday night (along with some pizza and a bottle of wine, right?). So you can bet your bottom dollar we take note when our dear friend makes any kind of changeparticularly when their ~look~ is involved. Check out Netflixs new logo. netflix new logo And, for your reference, heres a side by side of the standard logo and new logo. netflix logos The new image looks like a sleek, red carpet (appropriate!) or perhaps a zig-zagged ribbon. Either way, the overall shape still matched the N in their standard logo, and were loving it! Right now, the flashy-new logo appears on their social media sites, i.e. Twitter Facebook netflix twitter netflix facebook but remains as the older/standard logo on their actual site. netflix page However, it looks like the new logo will only appear on their mobile apps (for now). In a statement to The Next Web Netflix said, We are introducing a new element into our branding with an N icon. The current Netflix logo will still remain, and the icon will start to be incorporated into our mobile apps along with other product integrations in the near future. Its definitely a subtle change and interestingly, out of Netflixs 24 million plus followers on Facebook, only 113 people even responded to the official update on their page. netflix facebook response Guess everyone was too busy catching up on Orange is the New Black to notice! Which is probably just the way Netflix prefers it. orange is the new black gif The post Netflix just unveiled this new logo and almost no one noticed appeared first on HelloGiggles. Its easy to poke fun at the people in restaurants who document their meals, but maybe they are just practicing for their dream job. Netflix is offering the chance to get paid to do what most of us would happily pay for: fly around the world and Instagram food. As Food & Wine reported, Netflix is getting ready to unveil season two of their foodie fantasy show Chefs Table, and they are looking for an official Instagrammer to fly around the world and photograph the chefs preparing their feasts. Netflix will send the winner to locations like Slovenia, Brazil, Thailand, and Mexico, to hang out with some of the greatest chefs in the world. Think Grant Achatz of Chicagos Alinea, Alex Atala of Sao Paolo institution D.O.M., and Gaggan Anand, the man responsible for bringing modern Indian cuisine to Thailand. As with everything that sounds too good to be true, there is a pretty big catch: This dream job is open only to residents of Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, India, and Southeast Asia. Before you let that kill your dream of getting this gig, keep in mind that the deadline for the job is June 27. That's plenty of time to move to Asia. If you do live in Asia or are willing to move there for your shot at living the food and travel lovers dream its easy to apply for the position. Follow @NetflixAsia on Instagram and post your best food photo with the hashtag #mychefstable. As Thrillist pointed out, Americans already had their shot at living the Netflix and gram dream job back in March. So if moving to Asia long enough to establish residency isnt in the cards, youll just have to travel and Instagram on your own or just watch Chefs Table at home and dream. By Tife Owolabi and Felix Onuah YENAGOA, Nigeria (Reuters) - The Niger Delta Avengers, a militant group that has claimed responsibility for attacks on oil and gas facilities in Nigeria's southern energy hub, said on Tuesday it never agreed a ceasefire with the government. Government officials told Reuters a one-month ceasefire had been agreed last week after talks between the oil minister, community groups and state governors in the Niger Delta, the source of most of Nigeria's crude oil. Militants say they want a greater share of Nigeria's oil wealth to go to the impoverished Delta region. Crude sales make up about 70 percent of national income and the vast majority of that oil comes from the southern swampland. A petroleum ministry official said the Avengers, who have claimed responsibility for most attacks in the last few weeks that have pushed Nigeria's crude output to 30-year lows, were among those who agreed to a truce. "It was very difficult getting the Niger Delta Avengers to the negotiating table, but we eventually did through a proxy channel and achieved the truce," said the official, who asked not to be identified. A second government official also said a ceasefire was agreed. But hours later the Avengers issued a statement on Twitter denying that it had an agreement with the government. "The NDA High Command never remember having any agreement on ceasefire with the Nigeria government," said the group. It would be difficult to achieve a ceasefire in the hard to access swamps where militants are divided into small groups that tap widespread anger over poverty and oil spills. Leaders have little sway over unemployed youths willing to work for anyone who pays them. RIGHT PEOPLE? A Nigeria-based security expert, who did not want to be named, said he did not believe the government had been holding talks with the right people. Earlier this month, the government said the military campaign in the Delta would be scaled down as part of an attempt to pursue talks with militants, who laid down arms in 2009 in exchange for cash benefits under a government amnesty scheme. Nigeria, an OPEC member, was Africa's top oil producer until the recent spate of attacks pushed it behind Angola. Oil production has fallen from 2.2 million barrels at the start of the year to around 1.6 million barrels. The impact has helped push up global oil prices. Speaking after meeting President Muhammadu Buhari and Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, the oil minister, incoming OPEC Secretary-General Mohammed Barkindo said on Tuesday he had been told Nigeria's oil production was "beginning to rise again". He did not provide details. Barkindo said the government was trying to resolve militancy in the Niger Delta through talks, but did not elaborate. "Government is negotiating and we are seeing positive results. I remain confident that through this resolution a stable and permanent solution will be found," he said. Neither the presidency nor the petroleum ministry have issued official statements on a truce. Buhari has said the government wanted to hold talks with Niger Delta leaders to address poverty and oil pollution. But his administration angered former militants when it cut by two-thirds the budget allocated for the amnesty program set up in 2009. Ex-militants were paid stipends and given employment training from that program. A number of new militant groups have sprung up in the last few weeks, each with their own set of demands, which has made the insurgency increasingly fractured. It is not yet clear how many groups took part in the talks. In a sign of apparent discord among groups in the Delta, former militants who were known as the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) have criticized the Avengers and urged them to negotiate with the government. In a statement on the Avengers' website, dated June 18, the group said of the ex-militants: "If you and your criminals want to resurrect the defunct MEND and negotiate with the government that is your business". "We, once again, restate that we are not going to be part of any dialogue." (additional reporting by Alexis Akwagyiram; Writing by Ulf Laessing and Alexis Akwagyiram; Editing by Janet Lawrence) By Jonathan Stempel (Reuters) - The New Jersey Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that a state law protecting employees from discrimination on the basis of marital status covers people who are separated, in the process of divorcing or divorced. By a 6-0 vote, the court said employers cannot discipline, block the advancement of or fire workers whose marital status they may disapprove of or be concerned about, when it has no bearing on job performance or the workplace environment. It said the state's Law Against Discrimination also bars discriminating against current or prospective employees because they are single, married, or moving from one to the other. "An employer may not assume, based on invidious stereotypes, that an employee will be disruptive or ineffective simply because of life decisions such as a marriage or divorce," Judge Mary Catherine Cuff wrote for the court. The decision upheld a 2014 ruling by a mid-level state appeals court in favor of Robert Smith, a certified emergency medical technician who had worked for 17 years for the Millville Rescue Squad, a medical transportation provider. Smith was fired as director of operations in February 2006 after he had had an affair with a volunteer worker and told his supervisor John Redden that his marriage was collapsing, leading Redden to say he believed an "ugly divorce" would follow. A trial judge had dismissed Smith's lawsuit, but the Supreme Court said a reasonable jury could find that "discriminatory animus" against divorcing employees was a factor in his firing. The Supreme Court returned the case to the trial court. Smith is seeking damages, including for loss of income. "It's a good decision," his lawyer Mario Iavicoli said in a phone interview. "If you're going through a divorce and it's not affecting your job at all, how can you fire somebody?" A lawyer for the Millville Rescue Squad and Redden did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Story continues Millville is located in southern New Jersey, about 45 miles (72 km) south of Philadelphia. The case is Smith v Millville Rescue Squad et al, New Jersey Supreme Court, No. A-19-14. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Bernard Orr) Washington (AFP) - A US general said Tuesday that he did not know if the United States had a particular "grand strategy" in war-torn Libya, where pro-government forces are battling Islamic State jihadists. Currently, the United States has only a limited footprint in Libya, even though an estimated 5,000 to 8,000 IS fighters operate there. Small teams of US special operations forces are working to gain intelligence and US aircraft have conducted at least two strikes, but the Obama administration has preferred to let forces loyal to the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) lead the fight against the IS group. Lieutenant General Thomas Waldhauser, who has been nominated to lead the US military's Africa Command, said he did not necessarily see the level of US engagement changing. "I am not aware of any overall grand strategy at this point," Waldhauser told lawmakers at a confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee. He also said the current, unspecified number of US troops in the North African country was sufficient for now. GNA forces are leading a fierce fight to oust the IS group from its stronghold in the coastal city of Sirte, which the jihadists have controlled since June last year. Despite the deaths of at least 34 pro-government troops in clashes with the IS group Tuesday, Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook told reporters the anti-IS fight had "made progress." "We're watching the situation in Libya very closely. We understand the potential threat that ISIL poses in Libya and elsewhere," Cook said, using an acronym for the IS group. Libya spiraled into chaos after longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi was ousted and killed in October 2011, with two governments vying for power and armed groups battling to control vast energy resources. Noram Continues to Amass One of the Largest Land Packages in the Clayton Valley VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / June 21, 2016 / Noram Ventures Inc. (TSX-V: NRM and Frankfurt: N7R) ("Noram" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it is expanding the surface and sub-surface sampling being conducted on its South Block Extension to include its Zeus and Spartan lithium brine/clay claim groups (Figure 1). Initial surface sampling on the Zeus claims returned lithium values ranging from 196ppm to a high of 760ppm with an average value of 530ppm lithium. This next phase of sampling is expected to be completed in 2 weeks. Bradley Peek, MSc and Certified Professional Geologist of Harrison Land Services, will be supervising the sampling program and ensuring the samples are expedited on a daily basis to ALS in Reno, Nevada, for MS-ICP analysis. The Zeus and Spartan claim groups form part of the South Block Extension recently acquired by staking through Noram's wholly owned subsidiary, Green Energy Resources. The South Block consists of 550 claims in three contiguous claim groups (Zeus, Hades and Spartan) and covers approximately 10,740 acres. For additional information, see news releases of May 26, 2016, June 7, 2016 and June 9, 2016. "Noram contimues to amass one of the largest land packages in Nevada's Clayton Valley," said Noram's president Mark Ireton. "Our non-contiguous North and South Blocks now total 738 claims covering 14,738 acres and are positioned both north and south of Albemarle's Silver Peak mine, North America's only lithium producer." Michael Collins, P.Geo., and independent Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical content of this news release on behalf of the Company. About Noram Ventures Inc.: Noram Ventures Inc. (TSX-V: NRM Frankfurt: N7R) is a Canadian based junior exploration company, with a goal of becoming a force in the Green Energy Revolution through the development of lithium and graphite deposits and becoming a low-cost supplier for the burgeoning lithium battery industry. The Company's primary business focus since formation has been the exploration of mineral projects that include the lithium projects in Clayton Valley in Nevada and the Jumbo graphite property in southeastern British Columbia. Noram's long term strategy is to build a multi-national lithium-graphite dominant industrial minerals company to produce and sell lithium and graphite into the markets of Europe, North America and Asia. Please visit our web site for further information: www.noramventures.com. Story continues ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS /s/ "Mark R. Ireton" President & Director This news release contains projections and forward-looking information that involve various risks and uncertainties regarding future events. Such forward-looking information can include without limitation statements based on current expectations involving a number of risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance of the Company. The following are important factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements; the uncertainty of future profitability; and the uncertainty of access to additional capital. These risks and uncertainties could cause actual results and the Company's plans and objectives to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information. Actual results and future events could differ materially from anticipated in such information. These and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking information are based on estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made and expressed qualified in their entirety by this notice. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking information should circumstance or management's estimates or opinions change. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Noram Ventures Inc. (Reuters) - An inmate serving a life sentence in a North Carolina prison was convicted on Tuesday of orchestrating the 2014 kidnapping of the father of the prosecutor who put him behind bars, officials said. Kelvin Melton, 51, was found guilty on four kidnapping charges, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina said in a statement. Prosecutors said Melton arranged the kidnapping through a mobile phone from his cell at the Polk Correctional Institution in the town of Butner. Melton was serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole on a charge related to being a violent habitual felon, his attorney Laura Beaver said. U.S. Attorney spokesman Don Connelly said co-conspirators of Melton's, who was a member of the "One Eight Trey Blood" gang, mistakenly went to the home of Frank Janssen looking for his prosecutor daughter, Colleen Janssen. "This crime was monstrously cruel to the victim and his family, including a dedicated public servant who was being targeted for her public service," Acting U.S. Attorney John Bruce said in a statement. Beaver said she was disappointed in the verdict and questioned the credibility of the government's witnesses. She said several were co-defendants facing separate murder charges in Georgia and agreed in plea deals to testify if prosecutors did not seek the death penalty against them. "There's a quote that the way the system is set up, it encourages inmates and co-defendants to not only sing but to compose," Beaver said. She said Melton is set to be sentenced in September and will decide then whether to appeal. Janssen was attacked with a pistol and stun gun and his hands were tied during his kidnapping on April 5, 2014, the indictment said. He was hidden under a blanket on the back floorboard of a rented car on a trip to Atlanta, it said. Melton told the kidnappers to send messages to Janssen's wife saying her husband and others would be hurt if undisclosed demands were not met. He also gave instructions on how to kill and dispose of the hostage, the indictment said. Story continues On April 9, hours before Janssen was saved by an FBI hostage rescue team from a house in Atlanta, Melton received a text message stating, "We got car, spot, and shovel," prosecutors said. Eleven people, including Melton, have been charged in the case. Nine have pleaded guilty, while one more is awaiting trial, Connelly said. (Reporting by Curtis Skinner in San Francisco; Editing by Alan Crosby, Bernard Orr) SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea fired one missile from its east coast just before 6 a.m. on Wednesday (2100 GMT Tuesday) but it appears to have failed, South Korea's military officials said. The missile launched was believed to be an intermediate-range Musudan missile, said one of the officials, who asked for anonymity because he was not formally authorized to speak to the media. The U.S. military has detected a missile launch from North Korea, Navy Commander Dave Benham, a spokesman from the U.S. military's Pacific Command, told Reuters on Tuesday without providing details. Japan on Tuesday put its military on alert for a possible North Korean ballistic missile launch and South Korea's Yonhap News Agency said, citing an unnamed government source, that the North was seen to be moving an intermediate-range missile to its east coast. North Korea has failed in all four previous attempts to launch the Musudan, which theoretically has the range to reach any part of Japan and the U.S. territory of Guam. North Korea is believed to have up to 30 Musudan missiles, according to South Korean media, which officials said were first deployed around 2007, although the North had never attempted to test-fire them until this year. (Reporting by Jack Kim and Ju-min Park in Seoul, Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali in Washington, D.C.; Editing by G Crosse, Toni Reinhold) From Esquire Well, if CNN is to be believed, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the curiously employed chairperson of the Democratic National Committee probably passed Corey Lewandowski on their mutual trip out the window and down to the sidewalk below. The leadership of the Democratic National Committee, particularly Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, has come under fire throughout the presidential primary fight. Bernie Sanders has called for new leaders at the party, a point he raised during his private meeting earlier this week with Clinton. Wasserman Schultz welcomed Mook and Davis to party headquarters on Thursday morning. While she will remain in her position as the party's chairwoman, at least through the convention next month in Philadelphia, her role diminishes with the Clinton campaign's takeover of the committee. The appointment of Davis is intended to allay some of the concerns about party leadership. It is a standard transition, as Clinton becomes the presumptive Democratic nominee. "This is in fact what happens," Howard Dean, former Democratic Party chairman, told CNN. "Debbie will still have the title, but somebody else will be the effective operator of the DNC. It's Hillary's pick." This was not the way I'd have preferred to have this happen. Sure, the conversion of DWS into a figurehead is a development too long in coming. But I'm not overly sanguine about the HRC campaign taking over the entire machinery of the Democratic Party. First of all, the candidate herself is good, not great, and the effort to make that leap has been at best ungainly and, at worst, something of a face-plant. Second, the primary season was marked by a serious philosophical split within the party that no amount of smoothing-over will heal. This has all the earmarks of an exercise in ideological denial and (perhaps) the first obvious salvo in an attempt to "tame" the wilder fauna in the Democratic terrarium. Click here to respond to this post on the official Esquire Politics Facebook page. "You got purpose," says a voiceover at the top of the new trailer for Nate Parker's The Birth of a Nation. The first half of the new spot shows the harsh realities of the lives of slaves in the Antebellum South, as seen through the eyes of preacher turned slave revolt leader Nat Turner, played by the multihyphenate Parker. The latter half, set to Andra Day's "Rise Up," sees Turner inspiring his revolt, ending in him leading a charge of slaves against a white militia. Since its Sundance premiere (and subsequent record-breaking $17.5 million sale to Fox Searchlight) Parker's directorial debut has steadily become one of the most anticipated films of the year. The Birth of a Nation is set for release on Oct. 7. Read More: Sundance: Why Nate Parker Chose Fox Searchlight Over Netflix for 'The Birth of a Nation' var el = document.getElementById('targetParams');if (el !== null && typeof(el) != 'undefined') {var srcParams = $('.advert iframe').attr('src');var addParams = srcParams.split(";");for (i=1;i<=addParams.length - 1;i++) {if (addParams[i] != '=null' && addParams[i] != 'dcopt=ist' && addParams[i] != '!c=iframe' && addParams[i] != 'pos=t' && addParams[i] != 'sz=728x90') {el.value += addParams[i]+";";}}}brightcove.createExperiences();>>>>>>> From Town & Country Update 8/17/16: The New York Times traveled to Tulum for yesterday's update on the story T&C broke back in June, and the news is that the situation in the idyllic beach community remains bleak. "The 17 properties seized in June are now guarded by the same group of men who participated in the evictions, some of whom are armed with machetes," the newspaper reports. "Business signs have been torn down, gates padlocked, entrances walled off with cinder blocks. On a recent day, a group of protesters with poster boards denouncing the evictions closed two Tulum roads: "At one point, a group of men dropped from a truck and hopped over the fence of one of the properties. Witnesses said they heard sounds that suggested clashing machetes and perhaps gunshots. The attackers were repelled, jumped back over the fence, climbed into their truck and took off." The picketers eventually moved on, but it seems the armed guards have yet to vacate the beachside hotels, shops, and residences they seized. Original 6/20/16: Tulum is known for its balmy blue water, perfect white sand beaches, and captivating Mayan ruins. But last Friday, the scene was far from pretty as 16 hotels, restaurants, shops, and private residences along the Mexican beach were seized in a government land dispute. "It's essentially a war for the land," Sophia Perlstein of Tulum's KM33 boutique tells T&C. KM33 is next door to Coqui Coqui, the region's buzziest hotel and spa, where guests were reportedly forced to leave during the raid. Three hundred tourists in the area were evacuated by 200 privately hired security guards, and some of those who resisted were met with tear gas. Instagram users have rallied around the hashtag #freecoquicoqui to express their support for what is one of the most photographed and Instagrammed destinations in the region. The evictions were in response to an alleged breach of an oral lease contract between business owners and the municipality and were supposedly the subject of a judicial order, Mexico News Daily reports. One hotel operator told the outlet that the local governor has "strong interests" in the Tulum area: "We know well that all this is in response to the sale-with false documents-of several beachfront pieces of land by the governor. Now, before he leaves office, he wants to make sure he doesn't lose what he earned from the sale." The eviction victim said told Mexico News Daily that the officials maintained they weren't paying rent, but in fact they had been paying it and keeping up their end of the agreement. The unfortunate reality is that for many seemingly idyllic havens around the world, this kind of oral agreement between local hotels and developers is the norm, not the exception. It may be wishful thinking, but here's hoping that all parties involved can come to an amicable agreement. In a scathing tweet that went viral on Tuesday, President Barack Obama tore into the United States Senate for voting down four proposed gun control bills on Monday. The bills were introduced in light of the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history, which occurred on June 12 at a gay nightclub in Orlando and took 49 victims. "Gun violence requires more than moments of silence," Obama's tweet, which was retweeted by more than 31,000 Twitter users as of Tuesday afternoon, read. "In failing that test, the Senate failed the American people." Gun violence requires more than moments of silence. It requires action. In failing that test, the Senate failed the American people. Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy initiated the idea with a filibuster in the Senate to push a vote on the four gun reforms last week. He collaborated with 40 of his colleagues, including two Republicans, on the initiative. The amendments failed by a vote of 47 to 53. The proposed amendments included expanding background checks required for those purchasing a firearm, making it tougher for those with mental illness or on the U.S. terror watchlist to purchase a firearm and eliminating the "gun show loophole," which allows anyone to purchase firearms at gun shows without undergoing a background check. Across the country, people continue to mourn the victims of last week's attack on Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, which left 50 dead, including the shooter, and dozens more wounded. And this week, a complete stranger paid tribute to victim Luis Vielma by creating a custom Pop! figurine depicting 22-year-old Vielma, who worked at a Harry Potter attraction at the Universal Studios theme park, as a wizard, wearing his Gryffindor uniform. Orlando Victim Luis Vielma Was Honored With a Custom Wizard Figurine According to the Huffington Post, Brandon Anderson, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, designed the figure using Pop!'s online customization tool where anyone can create a design. He has no plans to sell it, the Huffington Post reported, but he wants to offer them to Vielma's friends and family. The image of Anderson's custom creation in Vielma's honor went viral, and has been reposted and shared thousands of times on social media. Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling was also among those who expressed their grief after Vielma's death, sharing an image of him in his Gryffindor work uniform along with the message "Luis Vielma worked on the Harry Potter ride at Universal. He was 22 years old. I can't stop crying. #Orlando." By Ori Lewis JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli troops mistakenly killed a Palestinian bystander on Tuesday while responding with gunfire to a petrol bomb and rock attack on Israeli vehicles in the occupied West Bank, the military said. An earlier statement from the military had identified the Palestinian as an assailant. The mayor of his village said he was a 15-year-old. The military said several Palestinians threw petrol bombs and stones at vehicles, injuring three civilians, on a highway between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem that traverses the West Bank. Israeli media reports said two of those hurt were foreign tourists. Troops gave chase and "after an initial inquiry, it appears that uninvolved bystanders were mistakenly hit during the pursuit," a military spokeswoman said, identifying one of them as the Palestinian killed in the incident. She said the military had opened an investigation. Over the past eight months, Palestinian attacks have killed 32 Israelis and two visiting U.S. citizens. Israeli forces have shot dead at least 197 Palestinians, 134 of whom Israel has said were assailants. Others were killed in clashes and protests. Abdul Karim Kassem, head of the local council of the Palestinian village of Beit Ore-Tahta, told Reuters that Mahmoud Badran, the teenager killed in the incident on Highway 443, was in a car with other passengers "returning from a pool in a village near us when they came under fire". Another Palestinian was wounded by Israeli gunfire and taken to hospital in the West Bank city of Ramallah. The military said two additional suspects were arrested. The last deadly violent incident occurred on June 8 when two Palestinian gunmen shot dead four Israelis at a cafe in Tel Aviv. Palestinian leaders say attackers have acted out of desperation over peace talks frozen since 2014 and Israeli settlement building in occupied territory that Palestinians seek for a state. Tensions over Jewish access to a volatile and contested Jerusalem holy site, revered by Muslims as Haram al-Sharif (Noble Sanctuary) and Jews as Temple Mount, have also fueled the violence. Israel says incitement in the Palestinian media and personal problems at home have been important factors that have spurred assailants, often teenagers, to launch attacks. (Additional reporting by Ali Sawafta in Ramallah; Editing by Jeffrey Heller) Amazons Prime Now is the latest on-demand service to anger French officials. After Amazon introduced the express delivery service in Paris last week, that citys mayor raised concerns about it hurting local business and increasing pollution. This operation may seriously destabilize the Parisian trade balances, the citys Mayor Anne Hidalgo said on Monday in a press release. Last week, Amazon announced that it would add Paris to a small list of cities with Prime Now, a two-year-old service that includes delivery of fresh and frozen food, alcohol, toys, and health care products. Customers who have Prime subscriptions can get their orders at not additional cost for two-hour delivery and an extra $7 for one-hour delivery. In preparation for Prime Now, Amazon built a new distribution center in Paris, which Hidalgo said could create gridlock for people living near the new facility. The City of Paris will be intransigent vis-?-vis Amazon, she said in the release. The municipality requires the US to be exemplary on its human resources policy, the amounts of pollution emitted by its delivery vehicles and on maintaining the quality of life of people living near storage center located in the eighteenth arrondissement. For more on Amazon, watch: [fortune-brightcove videoid=45657791330 This isnt the first on-demand service to face pushback in France. Last year, Uber ceased operations in France after the government moved to shut down ride-hailing apps. Uber has since created an ad campaign to help rally French support. Hidalgo said that she was notified by Amazon about Prime Now coming to Paris just days before its premiere. She questioned the services legality, said that there should be safeguards to prevent unfair competition against traders and craftsmen. Earlier this year, Amazon was reportedly in talks to buy French shipping company Colis Priv?, however those talks fell through over disagreements with French regulators. Story continues See original article on Fortune.com More from Fortune.com The People v. O.J. Simpson producer Nina Jacobson admitted she was hesitant to take on the infamous murder trial at the heart of the show during The Hollywood Reporter's Drama Showrunner Roundtable. "I was scared of taking on O.J. overall as a white person, knowing that this is a polarizing case," Jacobson said. "We made every effort to have an inclusive team, but ultimately, the people who began the project - it started with a bunch of white people. And we know that the case means different things to different people." Read more: Sarah Paulson of 'The People v. O.J. Simpson' Defends Marcia Clark, Talks Sexism in Hollywood She mentioned that while she felt comfortable addressing issues of feminism and sexism in the workplace ("When you know it, it feels easier and safer") in certain episodes centered on Marcia Clarke, she approached issues of race more carefully. "It's actually more scary when you know that you're a bit outside of your own experience," Jacobson said. "How do you get that right? And how do you make sure that you're addressing complicated subjects that you know are divisive in a way that feels provocative, honest, but also self-aware?" On finding the right actors to play the real-life characters in the series, Jacobson revealed it took a "lot of convincing" for John Travolta (who plays lawyer Robert Shapiro) to join the cast and return to TV after 30 years. Read more: Drama Showrunner Roundtable: 6 Top TV Bosses on Fighting for Diversity, Getting Pigeonholed and Casting "Aholes" She said, "It was a long courtship. It was a long process of him finding peace with coming back to television and doing so with subject matter we knew was provocative and could be controversial." The producer went on to explain why the role of Christopher Darden was the hardest to cast, saying, "There were a lot of black dudes who were just like, 'No way, I'm not playing that guy. I hate him. I'm not gonna play him.' " Story continues The actor Jacobson was searching for had to be the right balance of charismatic, sexy and likeable, and she admitted it took her some time to realize that Sterling K. Brown was a perfect fit. "I had to go and look at his other work because I was like, 'God, he's so great. But is he sexy enough?' " she said, before adding, "He is a hottie! And I had no idea, based on his audition, that he was that guy." More roundtables featuring comedy and drama actors and actresses, comedy showrunners, and reality hosts and producers will roll out throughout June in print and online. Tune in to new episodes of Close Up With The Hollywood Reporter starting June 26 on SundanceTV, with the premiere of the Drama Showrunners Roundtable on Sunday, July 24. And look for clips at THR.com/roundtables with full episodes on THR.com after broadcast. var el = document.getElementById('targetParams');if (el !== null && typeof(el) != 'undefined') {var srcParams = $('.advert iframe').attr('src');var addParams = srcParams.split(";");for (i=1;i<=addParams.length - 1;i++) {if (addParams[i] != '=null' && addParams[i] != 'dcopt=ist' && addParams[i] != '!c=iframe' && addParams[i] != 'pos=t' && addParams[i] != 'sz=728x90') {el.value += addParams[i]+";";}}}brightcove.createExperiences();>>>>>>> Lima (AFP) - Peruvian authorities seized eight million seahorses smuggled onto a Chinese-flagged ship bound for Asia, the government said. Officers found the dried seahorses worth nearly $4 million in the hold of the ship at the port of Callao on June 7, a government statement said on Monday. The Chinese captain of the ship was arrested. Peru banned the catching of seahorses in 2004 over concerns for overfishing fueled by surging export demand including in China, where they are said to be used to make medicine. A top official in the production ministry, Jesus Barrientos, said Peru was considering issuing an Interpol alert to crack down on Chinese ships handling seahorses. By Karen Lema DAVAO, Philippines (Reuters) - The Philippines and communist guerrillas are planning to each declare ceasefires before formal peace talks resume next month in Norway, the first in 30 years, government and rebels negotiators said on Tuesday. The Philippines has been talking on and off since 1986 with the National Democratic Front, the political arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines, to end nearly 50 years of conflict that has killed more than 40,000 people. The process stalled four years ago, when Manila declined to free political prisoners. "After we resume talks formally, we declare a unilateral ceasefire," Silvestre Bello, the incoming labor minister and a peace negotiator, told reporters in the southern region of Davao, days after returning from informal talks with exiled rebel leaders in Oslo. Both sides agreed to resume talks in Norway after the incoming government of Rodrigo Duterte offered to free about 20 jailed rebel negotiators and some ailing political prisoners. Hopes are high that Duterte's cordial relations with the rebels could bolster any peace deal. "It is possible we will have a separate but coordinated and simultaneous ceasefire with the government," Luis Jalandoni, a rebel negotiator, told Reuters by telephone from his base in Utrecht, Netherlands. "We will still discuss the mode and timeframe of the truce, but we can easily agree to a simultaneous ceasefire." Bello said he expected the truce to be in place before Duterte attends a joint session of Congress for his first State of the Nation address on July 25. The two sides had agreed to a ceasefire in 1986 but it ended two months later when police opened fire at protesting farmers near the presidential palace, killing 13 people. Bello said a third party, a foreign country, may be asked to monitor the ceasefire implementation. He said the government expected peace talks to run for nine to 12 months and reach agreement on key economic, social, political and electoral reforms, including land reform and nationalization of some industries. (Reporting by Karen Lema; Writing by Manuel Mogato; Editing by Martin Petty and Clarence Fernandez) By Karen Lema DAVAO, Philippines (Reuters) - Incoming Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday warned he would cancel mining projects causing environmental harm as an anti-mining advocate accepted his offer to head the agency overseeing the country's natural resources. Environmentalist Gina Lopez said she had accepted Duterte's offer to be the Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, a day after the president-elect asked her to lead the agency, broadcaster ABS-CBN reported. The Southeast Asian nation has among the largest untapped mineral resources in the region. However, years of opposition from the Catholic Church and a strong anti-mining lobby, as well as insurgency and widespread corruption, have stalled many projects including the $5.9 billion gold-copper Tampakan project in the southern Mindanao island discovered in 1991. "There will be a comprehensive review of the mining claims of concessions given," Duterte told business leaders in the southern Davao City where he served as mayor for over two decades. "I will require you to go to Canada or Australia, learn how to mine the precious metals inside the bowels of the earth and do it. Because ... (if) you are spoiling the land, I will cancel it without hesitation." The ministerial post at the mining agency was among the last that Duterte had filled, reflecting his concern over what he said were irresponsible mining operations that have led to environmental destruction. The firebrand mayor assumes office on June 30 after winning the election last month on a campaign to crush crime, corruption and poverty. News that Lopez, sister of media conglomerate ABS-CBN Corp Chairman Eugenio Lopez III, was being offered the environment post sent shares of Philippine mining firms sliding on Tuesday. Duterte, in his victory speech on June 4, warned mining companies to "shape up", signaling he would prefer ownership of local mining assets to be left to local investors. Swiss commodities giant Glencore quit the Tampakan project in 2015, with the venture halted by a ban on open-pit mining in Mindanao's South Cotabato province imposed from 2010. A local company has taken over the project. (Reporting by Karen Lema, Writing by Manolo Serapio Jr.; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Keith Weir) AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Philips (PHG.AS), the Dutch medical technology company, said on Tuesday it had purchased PathXL, a Belfast-based digital imaging analysis and software company. Terms were not disclosed. Philips CEO Frans van Houten said in a telephone interview that its digital pathology business was "doubling every year." A company spokesman said its digital pathology sales would pass "several tens of millions" of euros in sales this year, including the acquisition. In digital pathology, tissue samples are scanned and stored in computer files so they can be summoned by doctors for instant, computer-assisted analysis or repeatedly reviewed. "The computer can do a much better job than the human eye, as it is much more systematic in analysing tissues," Van Houten said. "We're acquiring a company that has deep clinical knowledge and technology to analyse cancerous cells." The PathXL acquisition comes as Philips seeks to complete its decade-long transition from an electronics company to a vendor of cloud-connected medical devices and systems used by both hospitals and consumers. Last month, it sold a 25 percent stake in Philips Lighting, its last remaining non-health operation, in part to raise money for investments such as the PathXL deal. Separately on Tuesday, Philips said it had struck a deal with Visiopharm to licence the Danish company's breast cancer software analysis for use on Philips' digital pathology platform. That partnership "will widen the capabilities of our pathology business and make it even more attractive for pathologists to adopt," Van Houten said. ($1 = 0.8837 euros) (Reporting by Toby Sterling; Editing by Mark Potter and Louise Heavens) In the wake of December's federally-mandated directive that opened all combat jobs to women, the United States Marine Corps established a new set of physical standards designed to weed out anyone who isn't physically up to par for such a position. The Marines, which voiced the loudest objections to Defense Secretary Ash Carter's decision, put into place a new plan designed to be more inclusive. But instead of leveling the playing field, the new standards have generated some shockingly disparate results: Of the recruits who took the test, 86% of the women failed compared to 3% of men. Source: Scott Olson/Getty Images To pass the basic training tests, recruits must complete six pull-ups, run three miles in under 24:51 minutes and perform 60 lifts of a 30-pound ammunition can. Finally, recruits must also complete a series of activities that mimic those of combat, including belly crawls and grenade throws. A photo posted by Marine Corps Recruiting (@usmarinecorps) on May 2, 2016 at 12:39pm PDT When recruits fail the test, they're benched into Marine jobs that require less physical effort not on the front lines. But Marine Commandant General Robert Neller told the Associated Press that the new standards are geared toward gender integration not the other way around. "We're trying to raise everybody's bar a little bit and we're trying to figure out how to get closer together, because at the end of the day we're all going to be on the battlefield and we all have to be able to do our job," Neller said. (Note: This story contains content that may offend some readers) (Reuters) - A former Pittsburgh television news anchor has sued the channel that employed her for 17 years after she was fired in March over social media comments that were criticized as racially insensitive. Wendy Bell, who anchored the news on WTAE TV, said she was fired for being white and that her comments would have gone unpunished had she been of another race. "Had Ms. Bell written the same comments about white criminal suspects or had her race not been white, (WTAE) would not have fired here, much less disciplined her," said the lawsuit filed on Monday in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. She is seeking to regain her job, plus lost compensation and punitive damages. WTAE did not respond to a request for comment, directing all queries to General Manager Charles Wolfertz, who was unavailable. After a March 9 shooting that resulted in six deaths, Bell posted comments on Facebook. "You needn't be a criminal profiler to draw a mental sketch of the killers who broke so many hearts. They are young black men, likely in their teens or in their early 20s," Bell said. "They have multiple siblings from multiple fathers and their mothers work multiple jobs. These boys have been in the system before. They've grown up there. They know the police. They've been arrested," she wrote. The Pittsburgh Black Media Federation responded at the time with a campaign to promote dialogue over what it called a "racially offensive Facebook post." "The irresponsible statements demonstrate a persistent problem with how African-Americans are negatively stereotyped by too many journalists and news organizations," wrote the federation, which says it seeks fair representation of blacks in the news and an increased presence of minorities in newsrooms. Leaders of the federation and WTAE met on March 30, the same day Bell was fired. The federation said WTAE ended its relationship with Bell hours before the meeting started and that it did not call for her to be fired. Story continues Bell's lawsuit said she was fired because WTAE considered her comments "inconsistent with the company's ethics and journalist standards." But Bell contends the station has tolerated misconduct by others, including a black anchor who made lewd comments to interns and a male anchor who was arrested for propositioning an undercover police officer. The intern program was terminated and the other man was not disciplined, the suit said. (Reporting by Daniel Trotta; Editing by Dan Grebler) Paris (AFP) - France's biggest businesses, from Airbus to Michelin, have implored their "amis britanniques" to stay in the European Union in a cross-Channel love letter published in several British dailies. "S'il vous plait, amis britanniques remain!" (Please stay, British friends). We love you, but we are in business not just in love," read the letter published in The Sun, The Telegraph and The Times. "Our companies invest in the UK and employ thousands all over England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, in every walk of life. We invest because you are a leader in Europe's single market and we all trade freely within the EU," it continued. The letter, signed by 34 of France's top businesses, said that this investment depended on the UK being "firmly and lastingly anchored within the single market." "Britain is Great. But to remain attractive to businesses you need the ingredients of that greatness: market access and open trade." The letter comes two days before Britain's referendum on breaking with the European Union. If the so-called Brexit takes place, Britain would lose its free trade access to the bloc. Polls suggest the race is tight and could go either way. "For you, for us, for all of us: please don't leave," concluded the letter. Other companies signing the letter were Air France-KLM, telecommunications giants Orange and Bouygues, banks BNP Paribas and Societe Generale, pharmaceutical company Pierre Fabre and food manufacturer Danone. Insurance company Axa, electricity provider Engie, aviation manufacturer Dassault and the defence and aerospace multinational Thales were also on the list. London (AFP) - With all the talk about European workers in the campaign ahead of Britain's EU membership referendum on Thursday, many Poles living in the UK are concerned about what the future holds. The Polish community is estimated at 790,000 people, making up the largest number of about three million EU citizens living in Britain who have become a key rallying point for the anti-EU cause. Paulina Coll, co-owner of a Polish restaurant in London with her Canadian husband, said the "Leave" camp in favour of Brexit have appealed to the "very basic instinct of the tribe", with its call for a clampdown on immigration. "I'm afraid that lots of the damage in my opinion has already been done, because lots of people have been made to feel unwelcome here," the 38-year-old said in an interview at her bustling restaurant. She is not alone according to a survey of Poles living in Britain released on Sunday, which pointed to widespread unease among a large section of the population that polling had not previously captured. As the campaign has become ever more heated, respondents to the survey by Polish polling group IBRiS said they had mostly negative emotions ahead of the vote -- 11 percent feel fear and 62 percent uncertainty. It also found that 39.2 percent of respondents were concerned about a potential increase in negative attitudes towards immigrants following a vote in favour of Britain leaving the European Union. While 72.7 percent feel personally accepted in Britain, 34.6 percent said they think Poles as a national group are much less welcome. - 'I will be voting to stay' - Coll said she moved to Britain even before Poland joined the European Union in 2004. "I came to the UK 16 years ago, absolutely fell in love with the city of London, with the English language, the culture, I felt extremely welcome here, and what was supposed to be my original two week vacation turned into 16 years," Coll said. Story continues Originally from Ostrow Wielkopolski in central Poland, she now co-owns the Mamuska! Polish bar in Elephant and Castle, a multicultural part of London. After taking British citizenship in 2006, she said she was keen to exercise her right to vote. "The tourism, the culture, the economy, it all benefited from the fact that we are very welcoming to everybody. It also benefited from the fact that we've got more people, young people, coming here, wanting to work and pay taxes, so that is why I will be voting to stay" in the EU, she said. "I would definitely want my children to grow up in a multicultural, cosmopolitan environment. And if that's not going to be possible in Britain then we will have to think of the next steps," she said. Brexit supporters blame an influx of EU workers for putting pressure on public services and wages for Britons and say Britain has no way of controlling numbers if it stays in the European Union. Prime Minister David Cameron, who is leading the "Remain" campaign, says his welfare reforms will limit some immigration and credits the economic benefits of Europeans working, for example, for Britain's state-run National Health Service (NHS). - 'We will stay... I hope' - As revealed by the survey, not all Poles agree with Coll about remaining in the European Union. Bartek Kornata, a 23-year-old carpenter from Warsaw, who arrived in London three years ago, said he was as enthusiastic as Coll about life in Britain but said he would vote to leave the EU, if he could. The only non-British EU citizens allowed to vote in Thursday's referendum are Irish nationals and passport holders from Cyprus and Malta as Commonwealth members. He said he believes having "full control" over who is allowed into the country would be a good thing. "Invite what you like to live with, what you need, and keep away those who just want to come for the benefits or have a free ride," he said. "Remain" supporters have raised the question of whether EU citizens already in Britain would face the prospect of deportation -- roundly dismissed by the "Leave" campaign as scaremongering. Kornata said the reputation of Polish workmen had helped him find work, with prospective clients trusting he would do a high-quality job, and this boded well for his chances of staying in case of Brexit. "I'm pretty sure that the people who work here, that are established, have their companies, pay taxes and everything, we are good, we are fine, we will stay... I hope." The leader of a polygamous Mormon sect is allegedly on the lam after police say he fled house arrest while on pre-trial release. Lyle Jeffs, brother to incarcerated FLDS leader Warren Jeffs, was awaiting an upcoming federal food stamp fraud trial when the FBI says he slipped out of home confinement in Salt Lake City sometime over the weekend. A warrant was issued Sunday morning for the 56-year-old's arrest. Video: Teen Missionary Covered in Bandages Re-Lives Brussels Attack from Hospital "The FBI is the lead agency in this fugitive investigation and will, with the assistance of law enforcement partners, vigorously pursue all leads for Jeffs apprehension," FBI Salt Lake City said in a statement. Just this month, a judge released Jeffs from jail as he awaited trial in the alleged multi-million dollar food stamp scheme. He was ordered to wear a GPS and not leave his home except for work, the doctor and court. Officials said they will not be releasing information on how Jeffs was able to escape. Prosecutors objected Jeff's release, calling him a flight risk. A message left for Jeffs' attorney was not immediately returned. Lyle Jeffs reportedly runs the day-to-day operations in the polygamous community of Hildale, Utah. Read: Woman Once Accused of Killing Twin Flies Out of Hawaii a Free Woman Jeffs and 10 other defendents are accused of helping to divert food stamp benefit proceeds from authorized beneficiaries to leaders of the FLDS Church for use by ineligible beneficiaries and for unapproved purposes. All the defendants have pleaded not guilty. Jeffs' brother Warren Jeffs is serving a life sentence in Texas after being convicted of sexually assaulting girls he called his brides. Watch: Family Seeks Answers After Former Romney Staffer Is Murdered: 'Was He Scared? Did He Suffer?' Related Articles: By Stephanie Nebehay GENEVA (Reuters) - Russia called on Tuesday for a swift resumption of stalled Syrian peace talks, saying it was the only way to halt "massive violations" of human rights perpetrated in the five-year-old conflict. Russia, a strong ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, launched air strikes in September to support the Syrian army and its militia allies battling rebels and Islamic State fighters, and is backing an offensive on rebel-held areas of the northern city of Aleppo. It supports proposals for a political settlement under which some Syrian opposition figures would be brought into a Syrian unity government - steps which rebels and their foreign backers say do not go far enough. "The only way to find a solution to the Syria crisis and stop the massive violations is to promptly convene talks with a broad spectrum of Syrian opposition which includes Syria Kurds," Aleksei Goltiaev, senior counselor at Russia's mission to UN in Geneva, told the U.N. Human Rights Council. "Only Syrians, without diktat, have the right to decide (their future)," Goltiaev said. The main Syrian Kurdish political group, the PYD, was left out of Geneva peace talks which ground to a halt in late April without results. Goltiaev's comments followed an appeal by United Nations war crimes investigators for world powers to pressure the warring sides to return to the negotiating table. Paulo Pinheiro, chair of the U.N. independent commission of inquiry on Syria, said that the Syrian government was conducting daily air strikes, while militant groups including Islamic State and the Nusra Front also carried out indiscriminate attacks. "We need all states to insist time and time again that influential states and the (U.N.) Security Council unconditionally support the political process," Pinheiro said. U.S. ambassador Keith Harper did not refer to resumption of talks, but called for Damascus to release some of the "tens of thousands" of imprisoned Syrians. Many are subjected to "torture, sexual violence and denial of fair trials", he said. Pinheiro said schools, hospitals, mosques and water stations "are all being turned into rubble" and tens of thousands of people were trapped between frontlines and international borders. Syria's ambassador Hussam Aala accused regional powers of "supporting terrorism" and "causing the failure of intra-Syrian talks in Geneva". He said schools and hospitals in Aleppo were being destroyed and civilians killed by missiles provided by Turkey and Qatar to the Nusra Front, al Qaeda's Syrian branch. In a report last week, the U.N. investigators said that Islamic State is committing genocide against the Yazidis in Syria and Iraq to destroy the religious community of 400,000 people through killings, sexual slavery and other crimes. "As we speak, Yazidi women and girls are still sexually enslaved in Syria, subjected to brutal rapes and beatings," Pinheiro said on Tuesday. Vian Dakhil, the only female Yazidi member of the Iraqi parliament, told a news briefing in Geneva: "We need the Security Council to bring this report to the Criminal Court." (Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Dominic Evans) PPG Industries PPG has cut an agreement to divest its European fiber glass operations to Japanese glass maker, Nippon Electric Glass Co. Ltd. (NEG). The terms of the deal were not divulged. The European fiber glass operations, which had sales of around $150 million last year, makes reinforcement materials for thermoset and thermoplastic composite applications and caters to transportation, energy, infrastructure and consumer markets. PPG employs around 550 people in this business that includes manufacturing plants in Hoogezand, Netherlands, and Wigan, England as well as a R&D facility in Hoogezand. The transaction, which is subject to regulatory approvals, completion of employee consultation processes and other customary closing conditions, is expected to close in the second half of 2016. Upon the transaction closure, PPG Industries will continue to support the manufacturing operations with services including bushing fabrication and engineering support. The coatings giant plans to use the proceeds from the transaction for general corporate purposes. PPG Industries shares closed around 0.2% higher at $108.42 yesterday. PPG INDS INC Price PPG INDS INC Price | PPG INDS INC Quote PPG Industries saw higher profits in the first quarter of 2016, aided by its cost-management initiatives and contributions of acquisitions. Adjusted earnings for the quarter beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate while revenues fell short of expectations. The first quarter saw increased growth in Europe, and the company expects the trend to continue. It anticipates regional demand in the U.S. and Canada to improve incrementally year over year. Emphasis on reducing costs also remains for the coming quarters. PPG Industries remains committed to deliver higher organic growth, including continued commercialization of its innovative, industry-leading coatings technologies. The company is well placed to gain from continued strength across North American automotive and aerospace markets, synergies from acquisitions and cost-saving measures. Healthy momentum across automotive OEM, automotive refinish and aerospace markets are expected to support its results moving ahead. PPG Industries is a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Other well-placed companies in the diversified chemical space include Albemarle Corporation ALB, Innospec Inc. IOSP and Asahi Kasei Corporation AHKSY, all sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report PPG INDS INC (PPG): Free Stock Analysis Report ALBEMARLE CORP (ALB): Free Stock Analysis Report ASAHI KASEI CP (AHKSY): Free Stock Analysis Report INNOSPEC INC (IOSP): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Orlando Volcano Credit: Lydo Le Brooklyn-based producer Orlando Volcano has one foot in the UKs thriving dance music underground and the other in a Kingston dance hall on his new EP Complete Concrete. With the EP coming out on London label Liminal Sounds and previous work with Mixpak, that blend of sounds makes sense, but for Mixed Messages a sultry pop sensibility comes into play too. On Mixed Messages Orlando is joined by Gemma Dunleavy, who has previously lent her lush vocals to tracks with Murlo and Ziro, and the result is a seductive summer stormer. Orlando explains how it all came together: Ive known Gemma from when I lived in Ireland a few years ago. I introduced her to Chris [Murlo] a few years ago and they made that EP together that Mixpak released. Shes been making great music since then and I have collaborated with her a few times. Shes definitely one of my favorite people to collaborate with and it was very easy and organic writing with her. We recorded her vocals in a studio near my house while she was visiting New York a couple of months ago. Listen to the premiere of Mixed Messages and the previously released Gold Bars Riddim below. Orlando Volcanos Complete Concrete is out June 24 via Liminal Sounds. More from Pigeons & Planes June 21 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories on the business pages of British newspapers. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. The Times The supermarket price war and the national living wage have helped average weekly disposable income to rise to a record 201 pounds ($294.69) a week per household, according to research from Asda. http://bit.ly/28K8Os7 The pay package for TalkTalk Telecom Group Plc's chief executive almost trebled last year despite the group suffering a hacking attack in which the personal details of 157,000 customers were stolen. (http://bit.ly/28K8Mkl) The Guardian George Soros has warned that a vote on Thursday for Britain to leave the European Union would trigger a bigger and more damaging fall for sterling than the day he forced Britain out of the Exchange Rate Mechanism almost a quarter of a century ago. (http://bit.ly/28K8Xf9) Nissan Motor Co Ltd is to take legal action against the Vote Leave campaign after the Japanese carmaker's logo was used on leaflets calling for voters to back Brexit in Thursday's referendum. (http://bit.ly/28K8ZDV) The Telegraph BP Plc will push forward with plans to develop its deepwater natural gas field in Egypt's East Nile Delta by early 2018, just three years after the energy giant made the discovery. (http://bit.ly/28K96PM) BT Group Plc has lost a court showdown with Ofcom over broadband prices, one year after launching an appeal against the watchdog's restrictions on the wholesale price of superfast broadband. (http://bit.ly/28K96zg) Sky News The boss of Aston Martin, manufacturer of 007's favourite cars, has told employees that a decision to leave the European Union would make British exports "more competitive". (http://bit.ly/28K9duX) The Independent Britain will lose its place as a "global leader in science and innovation" if voters turn their back on the European Union in this week's referendum, around 100 universities warned in a letter to the Independent. (http://ind.pn/28K9iyH) ($1 = 0.6821 pounds) (Compiled by Ismail Shakil in Bengaluru; Editing by Sandra Maler) June 21 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories in the Financial Times. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. Headlines * Rabobank buys 5 percent stake in Kepler Cheuvreux (http://bit.ly/28JVt2e) * New Altice chief appointed as Cablevision merger bedded (http://bit.ly/28JVIui) * Deloitte targets SMEs with cloud-based service (http://bit.ly/28JW3NL) * Oi files for Brazil's biggest bankruptcy (http://bit.ly/28JU5sr) Overview - As tighter regulatory rules and pressure to cut costs drives consolidation in the brokerage sector, Rabobank has bought a five percent stake in Kepler Cheuvreux. - Altice has appointed Michel Combes as CEO as a part of a management reshuffle. He would replace Dexter Goei who becomes Chairman and CEO of Altice USA. - Deloitte's new cloud-based service Propel has received 2.5 million pounds in funding from Deloitte's Innovation Investments scheme, as the company targets startups to expand its reach. - Brazil's biggest bankruptcy was filed by telecom operator Oi on Monday as $19.26 billion debt weighed on the company. (Compiled by Sangameswaran S in Bengaluru; Editing by Sandra Maler) For a small village in southeastern China, Wukan boasts an outsized profile. In 2012, the fishing hamlet in Guangdong province earned nationwide fame for an unusual resolution to months of tensions between authorities and protesting farmers whose land had been seized without proper compensation. Wukan villagers were allowed to elect their own leaders to represent their interests. As local party secretary, residents chose protest leader Lin Zulian. Unlike in many parts of China, where land-grabs ran unchecked because they fattened local government coffers, Wukan was supposed to represent a new way of protecting individual rights. State media wrote admiringly of the Wukan model in which voters controlled their futures. But on June 20, Lin, the peoples choice, appeared in a video in which he confessed in robotic tones to accepting bribes related to local construction projects. Far from applauding the Chinese justice system for apprehending dirty officials, many Wukan villagers believe their elected leader was the victim of political machination. Earlier this month, Lin had campaigned against what he said were continuing efforts by developers to appropriate local land. On June 17, shortly before he was to have convened a public meeting on the property dispute, Lin was detained during a nighttime raid by police from Lufeng city, which controls Wukan. Protests Erupt Again at a Village Once Hailed Across China as Model For Local GovernanceAfter Lin was taken away, Wukan villagers resorted to what they are now experts at doing: protesting. On Sunday, they marched by the thousands in support of their chosen chief. Another rally coalesced on Monday. Although Wukan may have voted in its leaders, residents say that property disputes still fester and local officials have little power to resolve them. At the beginning, I was full of hope, Wukan teacher Xue Jianwan told TIME. But later on the government always used stability-maintenance methods to ease problems. Stability maintenance is the Chinese government term for suppressing protests through any means necessary, including brute force. Last year, China was seized by a record number of so-called mass incidents, according to a Hong Kong watchdog, which attributed much of the unrest to land problems. Story continues The fate of Xues own father, Xue Jinbo, propelled Wukan into the news five years ago. He was a representative chosen by locals to negotiate with authorities during the protests. Xue lobbied on behalf of landless farmers who wanted compensation for being forced by a previous long-ruling party secretary to give up their ancestral soil. But in late 2011 Xue was detained by local authorities. He died while behind bars. Officials said Xue had perished of natural causes; his family believes otherwise. On June 20, his daughter put her support behind Wukans latest detained village chief. Lin was so brave to step out and lead the villagers to go petition again, she told TIME. The villagers supported him and admired him again. He united people. But other Wukan residents have a different take. In 2014, two of the villages elected deputies, also protest leaders, were arrested for briberythe same charge being leveled against Lin. One of the former deputy village chiefs, Hong Ruichao, is still in jail, after having confessed to his crimes. His father Hong Tianbin claims his son was influenced by Lin to accept kickbacksand alleges that the village chief had taken far more in bribes than his deputies. Its like a big stone in my heart, Hong says. I thought, why wasnt Lin Zulian sent to prison? Now he is arrested finally, and he deserves it. (Separately, however, Hong says that he supported Lins efforts to compel property developers to properly compensate local residents.) Whatever the truth about Lin, a fishing village in southern China is now again big newseven if by Tuesday, Chinese Internet censors had banned the viral keyword Wukan from local search engines. A Guangdong province official was quoted in state media blaming reporters from nearby Hong Kong, which enjoys more press freedom than the mainland does, of instigating the latest Wukan protests. The Global Times, a daily affiliated with the ruling Chinese Communist Party, published an editorial pointing out the limits to electoral politics. Disputes over property rights cannot be solved merely through democratic means, the paper wrote. Encouraging confrontation or radicalism should not be allowed. And on Tuesday, after Lins confession had been aired, Xue, the daughter of the former village representative who died in detention, was more circumspect. I read the news but none of us believe it is true, she told TIME by phone. Sorry I cannot say more because my phone is being monitored. With reporting by Yang Siqi/Beijing By Amy Tennery (Reuters) - The fur is flying on social media as Britons prepare to vote Thursday on whether the United Kingdom should remain in the European Union. The hashtags #CatsAgainstBrexit and #CatsForBrexit flooded Twitter [TWTR.N] on Monday and Tuesday, as pro- and anti-independence citizens tweeted feline photos and messages imploring voters to side with them in the referendum on Thursday on a British exit or "Brexit." The vote comes amid warnings from world leaders, investors and companies that a decision to leave the 28-nation bloc would diminish Britain's influence, unleash turmoil on markets and send shock waves around the Western world. "Naughty Cat worries we'll be on the outside looking in, missing influence we once had #CatsAgainstBrexit," tweeted Nicola Blackwood (@nicolablackwood), a conservative politician and member of parliament for Oxford West and Abingdon, late Monday. The tweet included a photo of a cat looking through a glass window. [LINK: https://twitter.com/nicolablackwood/status/745004560968785920] "My cat is praying for #Brexit #CatsForBrexit," tweeted Maria Caulfield (@mariacaulfield), a member of parliament for Lewes, along with an image of a cat covering its face with its paws. [LINK: https://twitter.com/mariacaulfield/status/745020661031182338] Others found comic relief in the hashtags, likening the Brexit debate to cats' sometimes fickle behavior. "We're voting in. Are you sure? In. Or out? Definitely in. In, okay. Don't shut the door. #CatsAgainstBrexit #fickle," tweeted GFDavies (@gailfdavies), with a photo of two cats standing in a doorway. [LINK: https://twitter.com/gailfdavies/status/745153664688390144] The probability of a Brexit by 2017 was at 26 percent Tuesday, according to the online betting platform PredictIt. (Reporting By Amy Tennery; Editing by Marguerita Choy) Paris (AFP) - A Qatari investment fund, already owner of the Italian Valentino label, will take over French luxury fashion house Balmain, which has become a favourite of film stars, the advisor for the acquisition announced Tuesday. "After completing this transaction, Mayhoola for Investments will hold 100 percent of Balmain's capital," Bucephale Finance, specialists in mergers and acquisitions, said in a statement without revealing how much the Qataris paid for Balmain. French financial daily Les Echos in reporting on the acquisition said the Qataris offered 485 million euros ($546 million) for Balmain, which is 70 percent held by the heirs of the former CEO Alain Hivelin who died in December 2014, with the remaining 30 percent held by management. The reported Qatari offer was higher than the sale estimates of between 300 to 400 million euros. Mayhoola, an investment vehicle supported by the emir of Qatar, "will allow the (Balmain) brand to speed up its development, especially with the opening of new boutiques abroad," said Bucephale in its statement. The French fashion house was started in 1945 by designer Pierre Balmain and has passed through several hands and periods of financial difficulty over the years. Then in 2006 Pierre Decarnin, a former stylist at Paco Rabanne, came on board and relaunched the brand, attracting movie stars like Marion Cotillard and Gwyneth Paltrow. Since 2011, Balmain has gained added momentum under its young artistic director Olivier Rousteing, who has promoted the brand heavily on social media. Now with the financial support from Qatar, "Balmain, which today only has eight boutiques around the world, including one in New York since April, hopes to follow the same trajectory (as Valentino) thanks to its expansion in the Middle East and the United States," Les Echos reported. By Astrid Wendlandt PARIS (Reuters) - Valentino owners, the Qatari Mayhoola investment fund, are set to acquire the French luxury fashion label Balmain this week for more than 460 million euros (356.10 million pound), three sources with first-hand knowledge of the matter said. The deal, which could be announced on Wednesday, marks the end of months of negotiations between the Qataris and Balmain investors, who include Sanofi co-founder Jean-Francois Dehecq and the family of former chief executive and controlling shareholder Alain Hivelin, who died in 2014 at the age of 71. Hivelin revived Balmain, which was near bankruptcy in 2004, by hiring gifted designers and turning it into one of France's biggest success stories. Balmain, known for its pricey embroidered military-style jackets, is one of the country's last few remaining major independent fashion labels along with Lanvin and Hermes. Under the terms of the agreement, Mayhoola agreed to finance Balmain's international expansion as well as the development of an accessories line. Balmain declined to comment. Mayhoola also declined to comment. Balmain is mainly a wholesale business with fewer than 10 flagships stores around the world. The brand has been enjoying phenomenal success, first under the designer Christophe Decarnin from 2006 to 2011 and then under Olivier Rousteing who became one of the fashion industry's youngest creative directors at the age of 25. Balmain generated some 130 million euros in sales in 2015, the sources said and enjoyed sales growth of some 25 percent a stellar performance in light of the luxury goods downturn. Rousteing's active role in social media has been instrumental in boosting the brand's profile. The designer boasts more than 3 million followers on Instagram and regularly posts photos of his jet-set lifestyle and Balmain events, attended by celebrities such as Kim Kardashian. When Rousteing designed a collection for the fast-fashion retailer H&M last year, his clothes sold out nearly instantly, triggering a frenzy unseen in previous H&M designer collaborations. In some cities such as Seoul, hopeful buyers slept on the pavement in front of the H&M store. Story continues After Hivelin died, Emmanuel Diemoz, who was Balmain's finance director, became chief executive and Dehecq chairman. Dehecq is expected to resign from his post while Diemoz should remain in the executive seat for some time after the deal, the sources said. The final price, which is unlikely to be disclosed, will depend on how much cash the existing shareholders will take out of the company. The figure of 460 million euros would value Balmain at around 14 times earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda), putting it at a premium to Gucci-owner Kering (PRTP.PA) which is on 8-9 times and in line with expensive stocks such as Prada (1913.HK) and Jimmy Choo (CHOO.L), the sources said. Mayhoola, an investment vehicle with close ties to Sheikha Mozah, the second wife of the former emir, aims to float Valentino in 2017. It also owns controlling stakes in Italian tailor Pal Zileri and British fashion brand Anya Hindmarch. Pierre Balmain founded his eponymous fashion house in 1945, just before Christian Dior, with whom he worked for years at the Lucien Lelong fashion house. Tired of having their employer reject their designs, they each started a fashion business and became two of Frances biggest fashion companies. (Editing by Alexandra Hudson) Queen Elizabeth II may be 90, but she still loves social media Queen Elizabeth II may be 90, but she still loves social media Queen Elizabeth II is an incredibly busy woman. Her 90th birthday was back in April, and shes been celebrating nonstop ever since so much that she basically hasnt even had time to write her own tweets. However, she finally had time to sit down and take a moment to herself to use social media, and she sent out a lovely message on Twitter (to The Royal Familys 2.35 million followers!) to thank everyone for their support, kindness, and digital messages during the past few months. The tweet read, I am most grateful for the many digital messages of goodwill I have received and would like to thank you all for your kindness. Elizabeth R. She even signed her tweet (yknow, so wed know it was really from her). Amazing! I am most grateful for the many digital messages of goodwill I have received and would like to thank you all for your kindness. Elizabeth R. The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) June 21, 2016 The Royal Family account then followed up with a tweet that included photographic evidence of the event, saying The Queen has tweeted to thank all who have sent messages of goodwill on social media for her Birthday #Queenat90. The picture shows Queen Elizabeth II tweeting from what looks to be an iPad in a beautiful sitting room, with gold trim details everywhere and wearing a gorgeous floral dress. The Queen has tweeted to thank all who have sent messages of goodwill on social media for her Birthday #Queenat90 pic.twitter.com/twpdSJeGXf The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) June 21, 2016 We hope her birthday was an amazing celebration, and that she continues to share her wisdom on social media. Shes fantastic, and tbh, we cant get enough. The post Queen Elizabeth II may be 90, but she still loves social media appeared first on HelloGiggles. President Obamas argument for not using terms such as radical Islam or radical Islamists seems to be that the American government will not act as a propaganda machine for terrorist organizations. As a result, labels like these have been practically removed from his administrations vocabulary. During a speech last Tuesday, the president addressed critics of his strategy (mainly Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee) by questioning their motives: What exactly would using this label accomplish? What exactly would it change? Would it make ISIL less committed to trying to kill Americans? Would it bring in more allies? Is there a military strategy that is served by this? The answer is none of the above. Related: Orlando Shooting ISIS Could Lose the Mideast and Win in the West It shouldnt be much of a surprise, then, when two federal agencies redline language to stay on messaging especially when the commander-in-chief is crafting the narrative. This week the FBI and Department of Justice released a transcript of one of the 911 calls made by the Orlando shooter during the attack but there was a catch. The terrorists comments were partially redacted. In an interview with NBC, Attorney General Loretta Lynch stayed on course with the presidents messaging as she explained the administrations edits to the conversation: "What we're not going to do is further proclaim this man's pledges of allegiance to terrorist groups, and further his propaganda," she said. "We are not going to hear him make his assertions of allegiance [to the Islamic State]." Immediately after the release of the transcript, government watchdogs, reporters and elected officials criticized the administrations decision to omit any references to ISIS and its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan issued a statement denouncing the selectively edited transcript by calling it preposterous. In response to overwhelming outcries, the FBI and DOJ reversed its decision to release the partially redacted transcript and issued another statement, basically summarizing a list of excuses as to why the shooters comments had been omitted in the first place. One line, in particular, stood out from the rest: Story continues We also did not want to provide the killer or terrorist organizations with a publicity platform for hateful propaganda. Transcript When questioned about the partially redacted transcript, the White House passed the buck by blaming the DOJ for omitting references to radical Islam. All of the decisions about releasing the transcripts were made by Justice Department officials, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said Monday during a daily briefing. Its unclear whether someone from the White House directly told the DOJ to redact words relating to radical Islam from the transcript. Whats certain is that the DOJs decision was in line with what some believe is the presidents overly sensitive response to the phrase radical Islam. They [groups like ISIL and al-Qaida] want to claim that they are the true leaders of over a billion Muslims around the world who reject their crazy notions. They want us to validate them, by implying that they speak for those billion-plus people, that they speak for Islam. That's their propaganda. Related: Trump Says US Should Mull More Racial Profiling After Orlando Shooting One former member of Obamas administration has not shied away from the term. In comments immediately following the shooting in Orlando, Hillary Clinton said, "To me, radical jihadism, radical Islamism, I think they mean the same thing," Clinton said on NBC News's Today Show. "Im happy to say either. In an appearance on CNN, Clinton added: "From my perspective, it matters what we do more than what we say. And you know, it mattered we got bin Laden, not what name we called him." Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: From Esquire New York's Internet landlords are under attack. In truth, the short-term rental services that Airbnb provides have always been illegal: New York State already has a law that prohibits house and apartment rentals for a period less than 29 days. But now state legislators in Albany are looking to give that statute, which has proven hard to enforce, some extra punch. They have voted to approve a measure that would institute escalating fines for would-be cyber landlords who try to let someone shack up in their digs for less than a month. The fine for a first offense would be $1,000 dollars, with an increase to $5,000 for the second and $7,500 for the third. That would affect around 52 percent of Airbnb's New York listings, Travel and Leisure reports. And while the fines would not be imposed on renters, they could have a chilling effect on the market. Or not-no one has paid much attention to the law so far. It's the culmination of a long-running campaign against the online rental service on the part of a group of New York lawmakers. That includes Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal and New York City Councilmembers Jumaane Williams and Helen Rosenthal. New York's hotel lobby, whose business AirBnB has cut into since its launch, also backed the move. Vijay Dandapani, chairman of the Hotel Association of New York City, said Airbnb "facilitates the creation of a black market." In a response, Airbnb said the bill would "exacerbate the affordable housing crisis," since many Airbnb landlords use that income to help afford them. The bill heads to Governor Andrew Cuomo desk to await his signature. But either way, it's worth keeping in mind that perfect little apartment you found for your New York weekend might have some strings attached. [H/T: Travel and Leisure] Former Real Housewives of Orange County star Lauri Petersons son was arrested on Monday on suspicion of attempted murder and a litany of other charges. Joshua Waring, 27, is accused of shooting a man in Costa Mesa, California, then fleeing the scene in a stolen BMW, per the OC Register. After police located the vehicle, Waring fled and led officers on a high-speed pursuit, which ended after he was involved in a collision. He then exited the vehicle and ran. He was apprehended by police following a brief standoff inside a local business. Also Read: 'Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,' 'Vanderpump Rules' Among Bravo Renewals He stands accused of attempted murder, vehicle theft, hit and run, and felony evading police. He is being held on $1 million bail. Waring has had run ins with the law in the past, including for possession of heroin and ecstasy with intent to sell in 2008, as well as for spousal battery in 2010. Peterson was one of the original cast members on the hit Bravo reality show. She appeared on Seasons 1-4 as a main cast member. She then made several appearances in Season 5 and Season 8. Representatives for Bravo did not immediately return TheWraps request for comment. Last October, Peterson revealed that she and her husband legally adopted Warings infant daughter Kennedy as he continued to struggle with drugs. Also Read: 'Real Housewives' Husband Joe Giudice Starts 41-Month Prison Sentence Its starting all over again, but its totally different, Peterson told The Daily Dish. So Ive got so much wisdom and its so easy and Ive got my oldest daughter, Ashley, and shes a huge help. And Kennedy just loves Ashley. And she loves all of her little cousins and her aunts and uncles and everybody. Related stories from TheWrap: 'Real Housewives of Atlanta's' Cynthia Bailey Joins 'Sharknado 4' (Exclusive) 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' Trans Cast Member Quits Over Treatment 'Real Housewives' Star Teresa Giudice Set to Leave Prison in Time for Christmas By Kieran Guilbert DAKAR (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Huge swathes of forest land in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Virunga National Park are being destroyed for valuable charcoal by criminals backing one of the region's most notorious rebel groups, a rights group said on Monday. Congo's illegal charcoal trade - worth an estimated $35 million a year - is fuelling the widespread deforestation of Africa's oldest national park, and a range of crimes including murder, forced labour and sex slavery, the Enough Project said. Charcoal traffickers are helping to finance the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a rebel group linked to Rwanda's 1994 genocide, according to a report by the Enough Project, a policy group fighting to prevent genocide and atrocities. The rebel group, which consists of former soldiers and Hutu militiamen behind the genocide, has waged wars against other armed groups and the government and is believed to be at the heart of instability in the region, observers say. Ethnic rivalries, foreign invasions and competition for land have stoked conflict among eastern Congo's dozens of rebel groups over the last two decades, costing millions of lives. "Peacebuilding in Congo will be a losing game without addressing the complex business networks operating in the east," said the Enough Project's senior policy analyst Holly Dranginis. Covering some 3,000 square miles (7,770 square kilometres), Virunga is Africa's most bio-diverse national park, a UNESCO world heritage site, and home to endangered mountain gorillas. The charcoal from Virunga, called ndobo, is made by cutting down and burning trees in the park, and its trade is one of the FDLR's most lucrative businesses, the Enough Project said. The rebel group coerces local people to produce ndobo, killing or enslaving those who resist, the group's report said. Demand for the charcoal is concentrated in Congo, yet smugglers also transport it to Uganda and Rwanda, where old growth forests have nearly disappeared, according to the report. While the state is responding to the FDLR's other illicit activities, such as mineral smuggling and elephant poaching, little has been done to tackle the charcoal trade, the report found. Given that households across the region depend on charcoal as their main fuel source, law enforcement and military efforts to end its trade must be backed by alternative fuel initiatives to prevent a fuel shortage among millions of people, it said. "Time is running out to address the charcoal trade, which has operated for years with few successful interventions," Dranginis said in a statement as the report was released. (Reporting By Kieran Guilbert, Editing by Ros Russell; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, corruption and climate change. Visit news.trust.org) As Donald Trump met with hundreds of evangelical leaders inside the Marriott Marquis in New York City, dozens of faith leaders from different religions gathered outside to protest what they saw as bigotry and fear-mongering. Organized by the PICO Action Fund, the Faith Over Fear vigil brought together a diverse coalition of faith leaders, including a a monk, several rabbis, numerous priests and nuns, at least three reverends, at least one imam and one Buddhist. They held signs with slogans like Jesus Doesnt Build Walls, Refugees Welcome, and Dont Vote for That Guy Jesus, while singing gospel songs and chanting their support for Muslims, Hispanics, people of color and the LGBT community in a call-and-response format. A group of Jewish protesters also joined the protest, holding signs saying Jews Reject Trump with the hashtag #WeveSeenThisBefore. While Trumps name was never mentioned in the protest in order to preserve the 501(c)(3) status of the organizations in attendance, the events true target wasnt lost on anyone. Leaders repeatedly condemned the presumptive GOP nominees comments about Muslims, his much-repeated promise to build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico and his proposal to deport millions of undocumented immigrants. Read More: Trump Receives Standing Ovation at Evangelical Meeting I think he willfully inspires fear, said Rev. Stephen Holton of St. James Episcopal church in North Salem, New York. I dont think he tries to inspire confidence in our country and in other people. He said his congregation was eager to be part of the healing. Rabbi Michael Feinberg said the gathering was about embracing the religious plurality that he says has been key to our national character. We want to remind America whats best about ourselves, which is that we have an inclusive, welcoming society, he says. Thats what makes America great. Story continues Not everyone in Times Square agreed with the protest. David Dana, a mechanical engineer from Rochester, NY, rolled his eyes as he walked past the protest. They have a right to demonstrate, he says, but I disagree with the premise that inclusivity and diversity are a good thing. There is evil in this world, and there are people in this worldand Im talking about Muslims driven by Islamic faithwho want to do away with everything we hold dear, he said. Dana, who is a born-again Christian, scoffed at the coexist symbols proudly displayed on the religious garb of many of the faith leaders at the demonstration. There has to be a truth, he added. People have their own beliefs, but some people believe the wrong thing. Inside the Marriott, a group of evangelical leaders rebuked the hundreds gathered with the presumptive Republican nominee a few floors below. In a sparsely attended press conference organized by Faith in Public Life, where reverends far outnumbered reporters, a diverse group of evangelical leaders criticized Trumps meeting as not representative of their faith, noting that the vast majority of evangelicals at the Trump event are white. If a group is all made up of one people, its not representing the Kingdom of God, said Ryan Phipps, lead pastor of the Forefront Church in Manhattan. The reason theres plurality here today, its because this is what the Kingdom of God is supposed to look like. When they say evangelicals, they mean white evangelicals, said Rev. Dr. Ray Rivera, board chair of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition. Speaking after the press conference, Noel Castellanos, President and CEO of the Christian Community Development Association in Chicago, wouldnt say whether his criticism of Trump amounted to an endorsement of Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. But he emphasized that his mostly Mexican-American flock would be heading to the polls in November. Were going to mobilize our community to vote, and our communities are listening to the candidates just like everybody else, he said. Reliq Health Technologies Inc. (RHT.V, RQHTF) is a technology company focused on developing progressive mobile health (mHealth) and telemedicine solutions for community based healthcare. As a $10.8M CAD nancap trading on the TSX Venture exchange, Reliq targets the $20B community care market. With a new and experienced CEO leading a recent acquisition that is already bearing fruit, Reliq is worth diving into. About The Company: Following a reverse takeover in September, 2014 wherein Reliq acquired Mobsafety, Reliq has since evolved into its most advanced form of securing mobile healthcare and homecare. Formerly known as Moseda Technologies, the new management team just augmented the companys name to Reliq Health Technologies Inc. to better reflect the companys evolution from mobile secure data to its much larger community care market. The companys key offering is iUGO Health, a care coordination platform. iUGO Health: A Powerful Platform iUGO Health, formerly CareKit, is the leading driver for Reliq. The solution is a platform for care coordination and home healthcare that integrates wearables, sensors, a proprietary voice technology hub and intuitive mobile apps / desktop user interfaces (for patients, clinicians and healthcare administrators) as described by the company. capture_1.png Reliqs iUgo Health platform brings patient care into the 21st century and beyond. Doctors, patients and their family members can receive contextual alerts on patients instantly. Patients can communicate by calling out for help from their bedroom and their doctor will receive an alert. There are available alerts reminding patients to weigh themselves in the morning. The seamless gap between patient, doctor and family members is revolutionary. There is no need to call your doctor in the morning, set an alarm to take your pills or train your elderly grandparents how to use a smartphone since they can communicate with their doctors from anywhere in the home through Reliqs sensors. Story continues Reliqs goal for iUgo goes beyond enhanced in-home patient care. The goal here is to reduce patient readmissions within the healthcare system. U.S. hospitals are subject to penalties if patients are readmitted within 30 days of release. By bridging the gap between healthcare providers and patients in the home, Reliq is focusing on bringing down the 20% readmission rate. Further,we expect a near $7B in patient transportation costs in the U.S. alone. Reducing repeat transportation adds value to the proposition offered to industry providers. iUgo is HIPPA compliant utilizing a secure software portion of the platform. This allows doctors and patients to access all of the cloud-uploaded data on a smartphone or tablet. Current Pilots Denote Clear Execution: iUGO is positioned to drive the companys near and long term growth. Following Reliqs purchase of iUgo 3 months ago, the company has already garnered attention and has numerous pilots underway. Last month Reliq announced a pilot for iUGO with Sacred Heart Hospital (a 566-bed location) in Florida. If this pilot is successful it opens the door to Sacred Hearts parent company, Ascension Health, which is the nations largest system of catholic, nonprofit health care facilities. This location is significant having north of $2B in total patient revenue. iUGOs uptake encompasses the entire range of the healthcare industry as smaller offices are undergoing pilots as well. In late March, 2016, iUGOs pilot with The Feldman Institute in Baton Rouge, LA began. Dr. Arnold E. Feldmans comments uncover the value he sees in iUGO as reflected in his statement: One of our key goals at The Feldman Institute is to provide our patients with compassionate, accessible healthcare. said Dr. Arnold E. Feldman, Medical Director at The Feldman Institute and First Choice Surgery Center. Our pilot with Reliq is designed to validate the use of a novel technology solution that will help our patients better manage and document their symptoms in the home, as well as facilitating secure and timely communication between patients and family members and their care team at The Feldman Institute. (highlight for emphasis, source) Reliq is not limiting its focus only to institutions (it announced a partnership with Kontakt.io) to provide bluetooth asset tracking for the healthcare industry. The partnership will allow clients to manage a growing list of assets, such as wheelchairs and medical equipment, automatically. This is additional and in line with Reliqs focus to track patients status and care automatically with iUGO. With 14,000 customers, Kontakt.io offers an expansive, addressable market for this partnership. A VHA Survey found that equipment and supply theft incurs hospitals $4,000 per bed, per year, so this market opportunity is relevant. What To Look For: These two pilots debuted last month. They utilize 50-100 patients per pilot and are expected to take 3-4 months to develop. If the pilots are successful, sales contracts will follow. It is worth noting that obtaining pilots from large clients, such as Sacred Heart, is a substantial milestone, especially for a company Reliq acquired just three months ago. The pilots offer investors a first-mover opportunity and the potential for sales contracts with one or both parties. iUGOs overall software and in-home sensors pack a projected 70% 80% margin per management and the average revenue per patient is $200 per month. Managements goal is to secure upwards of 1,500 patients by year end. If successful, this would result in ~$4.65M CAD ($3.6M USD) in revenue at ~70% to ~80% margins. To put into perspective, Sacred Hearts facility alone admitted 30K patients last year. If Reliqs pilot is successful they would only need 5% of this facility alone to reach their target. A Revised Focus: In the past, Reliq has encountered negative investor sentiment in the market for past management practices and business deals. With a new CEO growing a recent and successful acquisition, investors should keep the companys renewed dual focus in mind. Several months ago, Reliq announced a iUGO pilot with a Western Canadian-based senior housing company which was completed in January, 2016. While the pilot did not turn into a contract, management has informed SecretCaps that the eldercare markets razor-thin margin is not a focus for the company. In October, 2015 the company also announced a 350,000 CAD purchase order for telemedicine solutions for an unnamed client. This particular deal is and in the realm of past management. It is not the current focus of the company (which is iUGO). While it is easy to blame past management practices for a failed pilot and dismissing a key demographic purchase order, neither is in line with the companys current focus. Today we are looking towards evaluating new management, a team led by Dr. Crossley, on its own merit and execution. A Growing Market: It is anticipated that the mHealth application market will more than triple (from its current $10B value to $31B by 2020) per data from Research 2 Guidance. The market for mHealth applications is experiencing rapid expansion. iUGOs History: iUGO was originally founded by two healthcare and IT entrepreneurs, Leo Godreault, RN, and Giancarlo De Lio, MBA, to allow patients to receive quality care at home, improve outcomes, enhance quality of life and reduce the cost of care delivery. At the time the solution was named CareKit. The ability to remotely monitor patient data to allow for interventions by doctors to reduce hospital readmissions has clearly gained the attention of hospitals and medical offices. iUGO was then acquired by Reliq in February, 2016. iUGO is clearly the lead driver of growth for the company. Both founders have remained with Reliq as Chief Visionary Officer and Vice President of Products, respectively. Selling the company and remaining with the new owners is a clear indication of their journey from creation to fruition. SecretCaps saw a similar opportunity when SharpSprings founder Rick Carlson remained with the company following the acquisition by SMTP. He is now the CEO of that high growth company. Regardless of the organization, remaining with the company is a positive sign for investors. Management: This past January, Dr. Lisa Crossley, PhD., P.Eng. took the helm as CEO and Director of Reliq. Dr. Crossley has an extensive track record as an experienced healthcare technology executive. Most recently, Dr. Crossley acted as CEO of VitalHub Corp., a healthcare IT company that provides secure mobile access to comprehensive patient health information. Dr. Crossley has also raised over $35M in venture capital and angel financing, negotiated major channel partner agreements globally and serves on the GEnome Alberta Board of Directors and the Mitacs Research Council. SecretCaps had the opportunity to speak with the companys CEO, Dr. Crossley, at length. We plan to release a recorded interview with Dr. Crossley to provide even more color on this story. Financials: With ~700K CAD in cash on Reliqs balance sheet and the companys current monthly burn rate of 120K CAD, this leaves Reliq with over 5 months of cash, per management. In the near term there is no need for Reliq to raise money. At the conclusion of the 3-4 month pilots, contracts would provide cash flow to the company. The company is also aiming to be cashflow positive this quarter based upon legacy business. With 52.3M shares outstanding, the company has 18,476,634 warrants at an average price of 0.29 and 3,996,335 and options at an average price of 0.21. With shares trading around the 0.20 CAD level, investors should be aware that both scenarios offer a potential price ceiling for shares. Risks: Reliq has seen insider selling by the former CEO, Nicholas Murray. We believe that Mr. Murrays focus was on legacy portions of the business. Mr. Murray founded a company Reliq purchased years ago called MobSafety, and Dr. Crossley is focused on the new initiative iUGO. Mr. Murray owns 2.5M shares total, 2.1M of which are in escrow and are released at a rate of 15% every 3 months. Investors should be aware that continued selling by Mr. Murray, although he is no insider anymore, could put downward pressure on shares until they are churned through. A key risk for Reliq is a slow down or decreased traction of iUGO in the market. With two key pilots underway, we believe this risk is mitigated for now. If these pilots do not produce sales contracts, or if a lack of future pilots is observed, this would be a negative result for the company. The usual microcap risks also apply to Reliq, such as share price swings, volatility and illiquidity. Investors should be aware of all of the risks involved with microcap trading and investing. Conclusion: With a fresh, focused management team executing on a newly-acquired, compelling home health care technology solution, Reliqs prospects for 2016 and beyond are exciting. With the risks noted, investors should track Reliqs progress, specifically its pilots, as we move into the 2H of 2016. Ownership Disclosure: Neither authors have a current position (long or short) in Reliq at time of publication. See more from Benzinga 2016 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. (WASHINGTON) A moderate Republican senator was seeking broad support Tuesday for a compromise to block guns from suspected terrorists, a day after the chamber split along partisan lines to derail each partys more sweeping proposals. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, was discussing her plan with GOP leaders and said she expected the Senate to vote on her proposal. I remain encouraged, she said. There was no immediate word from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., on whether a vote would occur. And it remained unclear whether she could attract enough support to win if a vote were held. In an ominous sign, the National Rifle Associations chief lobbyist criticized Collins emerging effort, though he stopped short of outright opposition to it. According to reports, Sen. Collins and others would prefer to continue to talk about gun control and ignore the growing threat from ISIS, an acronym for the Islamic State group, the NRAs Chris W. Cox said in a statement. Cox said keeping guns from terrorists and providing meaningful due process are not mutually exclusive. That could be aimed at a provision in Collins bill that allows people to appeal to federal courts after theyve been denied a gun, not before it happens. Collins was pushing her proposal at a time when election-year politics has made partisan compromise on guns difficult to achieve. Even after the June 12 mass shooting in Orlando by a sympathizer of Islamic State extremists that left 49 people dead, neither party has seemed eager to cut a deal that might anger its most loyal voters NRA-backing conservatives and pro-gun control liberals. The governments overall terrorist watch list has 1 million people on it. Collins proposal would let federal prosecutors bar guns to two narrower groups of suspected terrorists: the no-fly list with 81,000 people and the selectee list with 28,000 people. Story continues Selectees are people who can fly after unusually intensive screening. Nearly all the people on all three lists are foreigners. Under Collins proposal, Americans denied guns could appeal their rejection to the U.S. Court of Appeals. In addition, the FBI would be notified if someone who has been on the broader terrorist watch list in the past five years buys a gun. Senators expressing support for Collins plan included Democrats Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Tim Kaine of Virginia, along with independent Angus King of Maine, who usually backs Democrats. Republicans supporting her included Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, Jeff Flake of Arizona and Lindsay Graham of South Carolina. By Owen Gleiberman, Variety Matthew McConaughey plays a Confederate deserter turned guerrilla saint in a Civil War drama more dogged than exciting. Newton Knight, the Mississipi-farmer-turned-Confederate-deserter-turned-guerrilla-leader played by Matthew McConaughey in Free State of Jones, is a historical figure of some controversy. Hes regarded by many as a heroic freedom fighter; some think of him as a reckless criminal. (The divide in opinion, no surprise, tends to fall along North/South lines.) But in Free State of Jones, a Civil War drama written and directed with more doggedness than excitement by Gary Ross, there is never much doubt about the kind of man that Newton Knight is. Hes Kevin Costner in Dances with Wolves crossed with a saintly Marxist professor crossed with a white version of Malcolm X. For all the ravaged surface appeal of McConaugheys performance, the character is a little too good to be true, but then, thats just the sort of movie Free State of Jones is. Its a tale of racial liberation and heroic bloodshed that is designed, at almost every turn, to lift us up to that special place where we can all feel moved by what good liberals we are. The historical events exert some ongoing interest, but the treatment is pious and stiff-jointed enough to leave you wondering what a two-hour-and-19-minute drama that never begins to attain the moral urgency and fascination of something like Glory or 12 Years a Slave is doing being released in the middle of the summer. Box-office prospects dont exactly look rousing, since the film itself simply isnt rousing enough. In 1862, when Free State of Jones begins, Newton Knight is just an anonymous battle-weary medical nurse, up to his elbows in carnage, who ducks out of combat to take the corpse of one of his kinfolk home for a proper burial. Once there, however, he sees Confederate soldiers looting local farms, and his witnessing of this minor outrage fuses with his already testy anger over a new law that exempts the oldest sons in Confederate households from military service, as long as their family owns at least 20 slaves. (If they own 40, then two sons are exempt.) Its a law designed to protect rich men, and thate enough to make Knight question what hes warring for. Im tired of helpin em fight for their damn cotton, he says a line that, perhaps, calls a little too much attention to its contemporary topical relevance. (All thats missing are subtitles stating that the Iraq war was really fought for oil.) Newtons standoff with the looters leads to his desertion from the Confederate Army, and he winds up hiding in the Mississippi bayou, along with half a dozen former slaves, who become the genesis of his newly formed fighting force. Its his rebellion against the Southern rebellion, but its not just a combat unit. Its a ragtag band of idealists, a community, with Newton as its commander, moral compass, and spiritual guru. Story continues One way to characterize the McConaissance is to say that it was all about Matthew McConaughey going into the darkness. In his cheesy, star-has-fallen period, he was all sweetness and light the dimply narcissism, the good-ol-boy charm so relentless that it had begun to verge on smarm. But in movies like The Lincoln Lawyer and (especially) Magic Mike, where he began to let bits of sleaze and sinister manipulation ooze through the cracks of his aging pretty-boy glamour (a journey that culminated in his staggering performance on True Detective), McConaughey began to dance between the angelic and the demonic, and it liberated him as an actor. Of course, he also won the Oscar for playing a scoundrel with a heart of gold in Dallas Buyers Club, and that has a way of influencing the kind of roles you take. In Free State of Jones, his Newton Knight is a figure of enlightened valor who has left any shades of moral ambiguity behind. Yet McConaughey has become so skilled at portraying sinewy desperation that he takes even a badass plaster saint like Knight and gives him an ornery intrigue around the edges. Gaunt and reserved, with cold staring eyes and a scraggly black beard, he makes Knight a ravaged desperado, a Southerner of primitive Old Testament faith whos looking for somewhere to invest that belief, since he can no longer find a place for it in the Confederacy. In the bayou, when he meets Moses (Mahersharer Ali), a slave with a spidery metal guard thats been bolted around his neck, it taps right into the depths of his human decency. A former blacksmith, Knight volunteers to remove the guard with a hammer and wedge but the clanging sound is destined to bring on the soldiers and their dogs. So he and Moses and the other runaway slaves get ready to take up arms. The film builds up a fair amount of curiosity about how Knight is going to succeed with his insurrection, given that the entire Confederate army of Mississippi is arrayed against him. But Free State of Jones is one of those historical dramas with a script thats big on crowning lines of moral fervor and not so big on nuts-and-bolts detail. At several points, Ross employs real Civil War photographs (with explanatory titles) to advance the story, and after the film uses one of these shots to tell us that in July, 1863, Confederate desertions were on the rise, we cut to Knights woodland guerrilla army and its suddenly a force of 100 people, all united in their renegade passion. Im not sure the film ever quite recovers from this short-handed piece of exposition. How does everyone under Knights command get along? More or less famously. Theres a fiddle-music montage of a corn-and-roast-pig picnic, and we always know when were supposed to stop and hiss, because the Confederate baddie Lt. Barbour (Bill Tangradi) shows up, in his George A. Custer decadent blonde ringlets. Knights army, by contrast, is a racially and sexually integrated paramilitary utopia. It includes a handful of women who can shoot a rifle as well as any man, and although most of the group is comprised of former Dixie soldiers, theres almost no friction between blacks and whites. The way Ross presents it, its really a Southern aristocrats war in which every one of the Confederates whove dropped out can see right through the illusion of why they were ever asked to fight. (Its all about the cotton, man!) The one instance of racial tension comes when a soldier calls Moses the N-word, and Moses simply replies, How you aint? By which he means: How you aint a n-r? since all of them, black and white, are being exploited by the same forces. One truly has to wonder whether a conversation like this one ever took place in 1863. As Knights rebellion grows, it takes over the southeast portion of Mississippi, including Jones County, which Knight declares to be the free state of Jones. It would seem as though his declaration applies to matters of the heart as well. The film recounts the story of his relationship with a former slave, Rachel (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), whom he teaches to read and fire a gun, and who ultimately bears his child. The films portrayal of biracial harmony is admirable and touching, yet the staging of this romance is far too decorous and restrained, even when Knights wife, Serena (Keri Russell), and Rachel wind up sharing the duty of raising Knights baby son. In reality, Knight had five children with Rachel, who became his common-law wife, and nine children with Serena, and he lived with both families on adjoining properties. That story would have made a fascinating movie, much more so than the tale of predigested enlightenment and generically idyllic romance that is Free State of Jones. li kashing Li Ka-shing, the richest man in Hong Kong, is super concerned about Brexit the possibility that the UK could leave the European Union after a closely contested referendum on Thursday. Li said to Bloomberg: "If Brexit happens, it will be detrimental to the UK and it will have a negative impact to the whole of Europe ... Of course I hope that the UK doesnt leave the EU." Li is the chairman of CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd., a company that has made him the 24th richest man in the world with a net worth of $28.6 billion, according to Bloomberg. It's an energy, infrastructure, and telecom holding company that happens to derive 37% of its profit from customers in the UK. He also owns a real estate development firm. Three months ago, Li said that he would pull money out of the UK if it left the EU. This is pretty significant, given that he has said that he wants to create the biggest mobile-phone carrier in the UK. On Monday, billionaire investor George Soros, who famously shorted the British pound and "broke the Bank of England" back in the '90s, warned that Brexit could pull the pound down 20%. bi graphics what's brexit anyway NOW WATCH: Why this Instagram star withdrew $1.2 million in cash then deposited it the next day More From Business Insider From Harper's BAZAAR "Maybe women are sick of looking at clothes on a size 2 model," says Karley Sciortino, whose own size 6 curves landed her in two of Kate Spade New York's most recent campaigns alongside the likes of style icon Iris Apfel, filmmaker Tracy Antonopoulos and composer Jon Batiste. The writer and founder of Slutever, who affectionately refers to herself as a "nodel" (not a model), is the latest in a string of "real girls," who, with their own distinct looks and large social media followings, are bumping top models from their posts to front high fashion campaigns. From Hailey Gates (former Paris Review editor and current State of Undress host) in Miu Miu's fall 2015 campaign, to Camilla Deterre (of New York's Mimi restaurant) in Sophie Buhai's spring 2016 campaign, and Lisa Przystup (owner of James's Daughter Flowers) modeling for Banana Republic, it seems an increasing number of brands are choosing the "nodel" route. (And let's not forget Lanvin's fall 2012 campaign starring 82-year-old former Apollo dancer, Jacquie 'Tajah' Murdock; Barneys' spring 2014 ads featuring 17 transgender individuals; and Diesel's continued commitment to selecting models from Tumblr.) "In the age of social media, we don't look at people because they're pretty-we look because we're interested in them, because we want to follow their story," ventures Sciortino. Indeed, Kate Spade New York chose the writer not for her blonde bombshell looks, but because she's "interesting," says the brand's Senior Vice President of Creative, Kristen Naiman. "Karley is a powerful, feminine woman who possesses a sense of curiosity, intelligence and strength. In our campaign, she does what she does best: she is herself." San Francisco-based retailer Lisa Says Gah-along with New York boutique Maryam Nassir Zadeh, Brooklyn's Sincerely Tommy and the New Zealand intimates brand, Lonely Lingerie-is also making a mark thanks to its continued use of real girls, rather than professional models, in brand imagery; something that started unintentionally, says founder Lisa Williams. "We launched a year and a half ago with a limited budget that only allowed us access to 'real girls'. But as our business began to burgeon, we thought we should try the more 'professional' route by hiring a model in a studio setting. The result felt inauthentic to the Lisa Says Gah brand, so we quickly switched back and have had more success since." Story continues "We've been seeing the same whitewashed, stick figure model since we were in middle school, and we're bored now." - Karley Sciortino Williams hires local girls and sometimes her own retail staff for campaign and lookbook images, photographing them in natural rather than controlled settings. The outcome, she says, is unedited, raw images that her customers can relate to. "The overly-processed look has lost its luster," says Williams. "Our customer isn't sold on a product because a 'professional' model is wearing it or because it's shot in a studio with lighting and post-production. She's interested in the quality and the way the model wears it in a familiar setting-how it connects with her own lifestyle and persona." A voyeuristic interest in the behind-the-scenes of other women's lives (their careers, the items on their beauty shelves, their values, etc.) could also be at play, fueling consumers' captivation with these stripped-down ads, where brands-and increasingly, professional models-have learned that "real" can equate to intrigue and allure. "Even glamazon models are becoming more real on social media," says Williams. "We want to see Karlie Kloss in her face mask and robe with her friends, not the glossy final product. Real women and real moments are more captivating than ever." With 38,000 Instagram followers, Sciontino is aware of her own social media currency. Though she would "love to say" brands are acting altruistically, using more diverse models in their campaigns to promote a healthier and more attainable female body image, she is cognizant that no advertising decision is made without money in mind. "These 'cool girls' tend to have their own personal brands and followings, which of course retailers want to tap into," she says. "If someone is a size 10 and has 100,000 followers on Instagram, is doesn't matter if they can't fit into a sample size. They've proven that their image resonates with people." Still, she is pleased that "this trend of more diversity in magazines" is working. During the '90s ("the size 0 era"), Sciortino rarely saw her own body type represented as an image of beauty. "All the models and Hollywood actresses looked like they were dying," she remembers. "We've been seeing a different version of the same whitewashed, stick figure model since we were in middle school, and we're bored now." At its most basic, seeing herself reflected in magazines by the likes of Kate Upton and Myla Dalbesio "just feels good," admits Sciortino. "It sounds cheesy, but I remember recently seeing a photo [of Dalbesio] where she had a roll on her stomach, and she looked so hot. It made me care less about my own rolls." Though Sciortino expresses concern that this trend-which has gained traction alongside the rise of a new, online feminism heavily rooted in body politics and taking back the male gaze-is just that, a trend that will soon phase out, others see the shift as having permanency. Footwear designer Mari Giudicelli, who also models for Maryam Nassir Zadeh, believes consumers are getting smarter; a reversal of which she doesn't see happening anytime soon. "They're more conscious, they know what they want," she says. "That includes less artificiality and more real identification." Even Naiman agrees that the traditional transaction between customers and brands, where the brand creates an aspirational look and the customer follows, is a thing of the past. "Customers understand that style cannot be had simply by buying the 'right' item," she says. "Instead, there is a marriage between the piece and the person wearing it. Style begins with the person, not the product." It makes sense then that style-or the idea of style-appears more attainable when draped on "real" women, who, with their supposed imperfections, are already just like us. Indeed, Giudicelli's flaws, she says, is what really resonate with customers. "I'm a person who is also trying to make a living out of my sweat; with problems, a regular height, and pimples here and there-just like everybody else." For Sciortino, as much she "constantly complains" about wanting to lose three pounds, she would never trade in her curves to be supermodel thin because she's not interested in being unrelatable. "It's not sexy," she says. It seems fashion brands are beginning to agree. By Ayman al-Warfalli BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) - Forces loyal to Libya's eastern leadership launched attacks near the town of Ajdabiya on Tuesday against a newly formed rival brigade, in fighting that threatens to prolong the country's conflict and expose divisions in a U.N.-backed unity government. Libya has been blighted by a power vacuum over the past two years, in which loose alliances of armed groups aligned with rival parliaments and governments in Tripoli and the east have fought for supremacy. On one side of the most recent air and ground battle are Libyan National Army (LNA) units loyal to eastern commander Khalifa Haftar, who has been waging a campaign against Islamists and other opponents in Benghazi since 2014. On the other are several hundred men from the recently named Benghazi Defense Forces (BDF), which says it wants to take back control of Libya's second city. They include members of the al Qaeda-linked militant group Ansar al Sharia. Ajdabiya is situated about 150 km (93 miles) south of Benghazi, close to major oil terminals and fields and the site of power and water facilities. The BDF attacked Haftar's forces on the southern outskirts of Ajdabiya on Saturday, claiming to have taken control of several LNA positions. On Monday and Tuesday, LNA war planes retaliated with strikes near a flour mill south of the town, military officials said. A medical source said a number of civilians in Ajdabiya had been wounded by mortar fire, some seriously. A separate force that controls the oil terminals, the Petroleum Facilities Guard (PFG), said on Monday that an LNA strike had hit a PFG training camp, causing damage. A spokesman for the Guard, Ali al-Hassi, promised a "harsh response". The PFG used to be allied to the eastern military but has now switched its allegiance to the U.N.-backed Government of National Accord (GNA). The GNA was designed to replace Libya's two other competing administrations, and has been trying to assert its authority from the capital Tripoli, which lies hundreds of kilometers west of Benghazi, since March. It has yet to win crucial backing from allies of Haftar in the eastern parliament. The GNA's Presidency Council issued a statement on Sunday condemning the attack by the BDF, but at least one member of the Council later distanced himself from the statement. Two members of the Council associated with eastern factions have already suspended their membership. The fighting in Ajdabiya comes as brigades aligned with the GNA are engaged in a campaign to recapture Islamic State's Libyan stronghold of Sirte, some 370 km to the west. Brigades based in the city of Misrata have advanced to the edge of Sirte from the west, and the PFG has retaken coastal territory from the jihadist group to the east. (Writing by Aidan Lewis; editing by John Stonestreet) World-Renowned Waterman Laird Hamilton and Health Entrepreneur J. Craig Venter, PhD, among Headliners NEW YORK, NY (June 21, 2016) Robb Report, the leading voice in luxury, will host its second annual Health & Wellness Summit July 1417, 2016, at the Montage Deer Valley in Park City, Utah. After the overwhelming success of the inaugural event in 2015, the Health & Wellness Summit returns with an enlightening, energetic, and educational program that features exclusive conversations with the leading minds in medicine and cutting-edge health, including J. Craig Venter, PhDone of the first scientists to map the human genomeand world-renowned physicians from the nations top hospitals: Brigham and Womens Hospital, Johns Hopkins Medicine, UCLA Health, and more. Big-wave surfer Laird Hamilton will serve as co-host for the weekend, bringing with him a roster of top trainers and fitness gurus including Gabby Reece, former pro volleyball player and host of NBCs fitness reality show Strong; Brian Mackenzie, XPT Co-Creator and author of the acclaimed Power Speed ENDURANCE; Steve Jordan, trainer to the stars; and George Foreman III, former pro boxer and founder of EverybodyFights. A comprehensive study recently conducted by Robb Report and Ipsos, a leading global expert in luxury research, queried more than 1,000 affluent adults on the state of luxury today, including favored interests, brands, influencers, and spending intentions. More than 8 in 10 respondents stated their interest in health and wellness , with 54% of respondents interested in luxury health and wellness offerings. The proportion was even higher (66%) among the Wealthy demographic (annual household income above $500,000). Janice OLeary, editor of Robb Report Health & Wellness, said, Weve seen a growing awareness nationally that good health remains our greatest individual wealth. This year at the Summit we have even more new ways for attendees to reach optimal wellness through the latest medical research, lifestyle changes, and cutting-edge technology. This is an opportunity to not just hear the talk about healthy living but also walk the walkquite literally. Story continues The Summit will kick off each day with a selection of wake-up wellness activities ranging from sun salutations with celebrity yoga instructor Rainbeau Mars to hikes through the beautiful mountains of Deer Valley with Americas Fitness Ambassador Steve Jordan. A thought-provoking morning of health talks will follow, focused on hot-button topics such as Sitting Smart for Your Heart with cardiologist Dr. Erin Michos of Johns Hopkins Medicine, The Longevity Lifestyle with Dr. Gary Small of UCLA Health, and The Secrets of Sleep with Dr. Charles Czeisler of Brigham and Womens Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Afternoons will be filled with a number of intimate fitness offerings, among them XPT Extreme Performance Training sessions with Laird Hamilton, Gabby Reece and Brian Mackenzie, Pilates with Erika Bloom, and agility training with Olympian Shannon Bahrke. Guests will enjoy a holistic approach to health and wellness throughout the entirety of the Summit, with healthy cooking classes from James Beard Foundation Awardwinning master chef David Bouley, relaxing spa treatments including custom facials by Natura Bisse, luxury automotive rides and drives, wine tastings with premier sommeliers, and a Luxury Lounge featuring the latest innovations in wellness gear and the finest luxury products. To learn more about Robb Reports Health & Wellness Summit and register to attend, visit http://robbreport.com/health-wellness-summit/2016/register. More From Robbreport.com This Yacht Concept Could Be the Future of Sailing Superyachts New $300,000 Baccarat Travel Package Takes Crystal Lovers around the World Only 25 of Mazzanti Automobilis New Supercar Will Be Made [VIDEO] 10 of the Worlds Top Chefs Help Mirazur Celebrate Its 10th Anniversary Lamborghini Unveils a New 700 HP Homage to the Miura Abstract Art Gets a New Canvas, Thanks to Montblanc Roman Atwood is one of our 2016 Famechanger honorees. For more, click here. Impish and extreme pranks made Roman Atwood, 33, a digital superstar, but hes now more likely to create videos of himself cavorting with his two boys and hanging out at home. The Ohio native started posting comedy videos to YouTube in 2009 while working full time at a rope-manufacturing plant. It turns out, I wasnt really good at that, he says. Spurred by feedback from his then-small fan base, he decided to make a prank video in which he and a buddy pretended to dump an empty watercooler on unsuspecting marks instantly cementing his early career in hijinks. I had more views on that first prank video than all 80 videos Id posted in two and a half years, he says. His pranking culminated in Natural Born Pranksters, a feature-length movie from Lionsgate and Studio71 that Atwood directed, produced, and starred in. The movie (released April 1, 2016, of course) took the No. 2 spot on Apples iTunes movie chart, behind Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The movie was a lot of fun, but people dont realize it took two years of work, he says. The production had a crew of 30, compared with Atwoods normal solo-guy-with-a-camera routine. His favorite pranks? Putting the letter B on someones back and yelling, Youve got a bee on you! And the time he surprised his girlfriend, Brittney, by filling the house with 250,000 plastic balls. Atwood has drawn inspiration from performers like Bam Margera, Jeff Tremaine (of Jackass fame), and Dave Chappelle (He really taught me to be edgy). Starting in 2013, Atwood branched out, launching a personal vlog with segments featuring Brittney and his kids, Noah (now 11) and Kane (4). My fear was pranks were going to get oversaturated, he says. The biggest part of my life is daily vlogging with my kids. His prank-oriented YouTube channel has 9 million subscribers, and RomanAtwoodVlogs has 6.8 million. That said, Atwood still delights in nutty stunts: In one recent video, he shot off a homemade firework machine gun with 1,500 rounds in the backyard. Story continues Roman stands out because in any given week, he can create the worlds most viral video, while at the same time posting a daily vlog demonstrating that family is whats really most important to him, says John Fitzpatrick, his manager at Studio71. Hes taken heat for his more shocking antics: Atwood has twice tricked Brittney into believing one of the kids had died in an accident, prompting a Washington Post critic to label him YouTubes most appalling prankster. Perhaps trying to defuse detractors, Atwood has focused his brand around the slogan Smile More, encompassing everything from T-shirts to games, and hes also writing a motivational book, Will Work for Smiles, slated to be published in 2017. With his prolific output, Atwood says he doesnt have time to watch his older videos. Its extremely rare, he says. Were running at such a fast paceI upload and go. Related stories Vanessa & Veronica Merrell: Twins Win Social Fans and Angle for TV Show Troye Sivan: Pop Star, Vlogger, Actor and Activist Makes Global Connections Markiplier: YouTube Gamer Makes Play to Expand His Scope We are suckers for a happy ending and thats what we appear to have with Rosie ODonnell and her estranged daughter Chelsea. Nearly a year after the teen ran away amid a family squabble with the famous comedian, mother and daughter (now a redhead) were together again Monday at the Second Annual Fran Drescher Cancer Schmancer Sunset Cabaret Cruise in New York City. Rosie shared a photo from the event also including daughter Vivienne and its hard to miss her big smile. chelsea vivi me at frannies #cancerschmancer event last night A photo posted by Rosie ODonnell (@rosie) on Jun 21, 2016 at 7:15am PDT chelsea vivi me at frannies #cancerschmancer event last night, the 54-year-old funny gal captioned the photo. The full photograph, taken by the professional agency Getty Images, also shows Chelseas boyfriend, Nick Alliegro, on her other side. The pair recently moved into a new apartment together, he shared on Instagram. The women Chelsea, Vivienne, and Rosie were joined by Chelseas boyfriend, Nick. (Photo: Getty Images) A rep for ODonnell had no comment about the reunion. Its been a wild year for Rosie and her oldest daughter. It started in August when the League of Their Own actress reported Chelsea, whom she adopted with ex-wife Kelli Carpenter, missing from her Nyack, N.Y., compound shortly before the teens 18th birthday. Her rep noted that Chelsea lives with mental illness and had stopped taking her medication and was in need of medical care. A week later, Chelsea was found by authorities in Barnegat Light, N.J. about 130 miles from home where she was living with a man she met on Tinder. Steven Sheerer, who had a criminal record, was arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a child and the distribution of obscenity for sending Chelsea nude photos. While Chelsea initially returned home, she moved out on her 18th birthday, with Rosies rep telling CNN, Chelsea made a decision when she turned 18 that she wanted to go to her birth mother. This was her choice. (Chelseas biological mother, Deanna Micoley, previously claimed to a tabloid, in March 2015, that Rosie stole Chelsea as a newborn. Deanna admitted she was under the influence of heroin when Chelsea was born. A rep for Rosie told the publication that she legally adopted Chelsea from the nonprofit Children of the World in New Jersey and was unbearably proud of her daughter.) Story continues Living apart didnt immediately help settle the drama between Rosie and Chelsea. The teen, clearly angry at her mom and in need of money, sold her story to the Daily Mail in October, making a slew of nasty accusations about the former co-host of The View both personally and regarding her parenting style. In the interview, Chelsea, who said she suffered from depression and anxiety, said that the problems started with her mom as I got older when I became more interested in knowing about my birth parents. She said she took her parents divorce harder than her four siblings. Rosie called Chelseas interview, Heartbreaking on every level. Chelsea didnt stop there though. After collecting a paycheck from Inside Edition for letting them film her reunion with her biological mother, she issued another statement in November, saying that what Rosie did to her was unforgivable at the present. That time, Rosie responded by saying, Any mother or father whos ever had a child in crisis, they know its upsetting until your child is once again safely on the shore and not in [the] rapids. Sadly, right now, Chelsea seems to be in the rapids and her family loves her and misses her. In January, Rosie made a public plea to the teen on Instagram. Along with a photo of them goofing around together, she wrote, Help awaits as hope dwindles #comeONkid. Since then, things have really been quiet Chelsea even made her Instagram private and it seems that the women were quietly working things out. Their reunion last night 10 months after their estrangement is a very positive, very beautiful thing. MOSCOW (Reuters) - Igor Sechin, the head of Russia's top oil producer Rosneft, said on Tuesday that Saudi Arabia, the United States and Russia were the three main players on global oil markets, dismissing again OPEC's role as a regulator. He told Rossiya-24 TV that Russia's role in hydrocarbon markets will strengthen. Russia is the world's top oil and natural gas producer, pumping oil at around 10.8 million barrels per day. It plans to at least keep production of crude oil, its chief export commodity, at the current level. Sechin has said the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has lost its power in term of its ability to regulate the global oil market. "We believe that the (function of) regulation has moved to three main players, which are the United States, Saudi Arabia and Russia," he said. "The main reasons which led to this are quite simple: the valuation of the resource base, the existence of technologies and financial tools... All the participants which I named have all the instruments," Sechin said, adding that the United States has the upper hand on the markets due to its prominent role as a big consumer. "Russia has all the Soviet infrastructure in place... and we are working on new markets." Last month, Sechin told Reuters that internal differences are killing OPEC and its ability to influence the markets has all but evaporated. Rosneft expects the oil price to be $50-$55 per barrel by the year end, rising further to $65 by the end of 2017, Sechin added on Tuesday.[O/R] Speaking about government plans to sell 19.5 percent of Rosneft, Sechin said he favored selling to a strategic investor rather than place it on the stock market. He said Rosneft has held not talks with Chinese or Indian companies about privatization. (Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by Susan Fenton/Ruth Pitchford) A video of a runaway horse galloping down a highway in the Malaysian state of Kelantan went viral after being posted on June 19. The horse appeared to take no notice of the passing cars, but motorist Adli Alimin was in the right place to capture the bizarre sight on his smartphone. Alimin later told the Star newspaper that he was told the horse had ran from Pasir Pekan in Wakaf Baru to Kubang Kerian for a good 45 minutes. Credit: Facebook/Adli Alimin The biggest political news in recent days has been Donald Trumps abysmal performance in the polls. Most every national survey of voters has him losing the election. His unfavorable rating has reached 70 percent. His numbers are at a low that no one, Republican or Democrat, has seen in the past three election cycles, Phillip Bump explained in the Washington Post. Looking at the window of time between 200 and 100 days before each of those elections, you can see that Trump has consistently polled worse than George W. Bush in 2004, John McCain in 2008 and Mitt Romney in 2012...The margin by which he trails Hillary Clinton now mirrors McCain's deficit to Barack Obama in 2008. Perhaps the polls will change. At this early date, Id certainly caution Democrats and other Trump opponents against overconfidence. Many underestimated the candidate before. Future swing-state polls may tell a different story than recent national polls. And Democrats chose a nominee with many vulnerabilities to exploit. Recommended: How American Politics Went Insane Still, Trumps numbers are awful right now. So I wondered how Rush Limbaugh was explaining that. Back in 2008, when Sarah Palin was the unqualified populist on the Republican ticket, there was a whole epistemically closed universe of conservative media sites that totally failed to grapple with her flaws or Barack Obamas strengths. In 2012, many in the conservative media were convinced right up until election day that Americans would choose Mitt Romney rather than reelect Obama, never mind the polls. This year, things are different. Given how divided the right is about Trump, many conservative sites cant help but be forums for debate. As Jonathan Chait points out, even some prominent apologists for the Palin phenomenon have come out swinging against candidate Trump. But Limbaugh still operates in a closed bubble. He seldom has guests. His calls are all screened. He has an enormous audience of fans who call themselves Dittoheads. Story continues Meanwhile, hes long been more anti-left than conservative. He hates political correctness. And he cynically stokes white racial anxieties. Little wonder that hes always been friendlier to Trump than to his short-sighted enablers in movement conservatism. There is no perfect way to see inside the bubble of Trump voters, but checking up on that radio show is as good a start as any. And for conservatives whove been blind to Limbaughs flaws but see Trumps clearly, the program is instructive too. Heres the talk-radio host on Trumps poll numbers: We had two stories about the Trumpster yesterday. The poll that shows... This is a big deal, too, if this is correct, because this may... We're all sitting here wondering, "Have we lost the country?" You know, are...? Let me just be blunt. We all ask ourselves, "Are those of us who think the way we do in the minority? Are people who don't think and believe the way we do now in the majority?" We're asking ourselves this and we're waiting for elections to kind of tell us. And we had the poll yesterday. I think this was a CBS poll. I get 'em confused. One was Reuters; one was CBS. And I'm doing it from memory. I don't have it in front of me. (And please don't anybody send it to me. I've got enough paper today. I don't need to be weighed down with more data. Everything I need's in my head.) The question was, approve or disapprove of Trump's comments after the Orlando event. Remember 25% of the people surveyed agreed with Trump and 51% opposed Trump, and thus agreed with Obama's take after the Orlando thing. And people are saying, "How can that be, 25%?" So now people are asking, "Has Trump been that damaged?" At this point, a person of Limbaughs intelligence who earnestly wanted to inform his audience might reflect on some of the reasons that Trump might be doing so poorly. Recommended: Trump Is on the Verge of Losing Even Republicans For example: If you constantly insult women, who are about half of the population, and Hispanics, who are about 17 percent of the population, causing many people to think youre a bigot, your poll numbers in a general election will tend to suffer. If you respond to a major terrorist attack with a tweet that congratulates yourself for being right, then darkly insinuate that a twice-elected president with an approval rating greater than 50 percent might have somehow been involved, your poll numbers in a general election will likely suffer. Here is how Limbaugh chose to discuss Trumps bad poll numbers instead: Trump hasn't got ads running. Trump's relying on free media that he's getting. Trump think's he's gonna be able to counter all the Hillary ads and all the expensive attacks they're are gonna make with free TV appearances, like it worked in the primaries. Karl Rove and other experts say, "No, no, no, no, no, no, no. In the general election, you can't rely on free media. You can't control it." You've gotta have ads. You've gotta go out and fundraise and all this. See, look: 25% versus 51%!" You have to ask yourself, if you assume the poll's accurate -- and that's a dangerous road to go down. "Well, we don't believe that poll. It could be made up!" But it's risky to start reacting that way rather than facing what may be the truth. So 25% disagree, and what was Trump's response? Trump's response to me was perfectly reasonable. This is getting out of hand. Nobody's doing anything to stop this. What we're doing or not doing is insane. We were gonna have to put a moratorium here on immigration to find out what's going on and deal with it. It makes perfect sense to me. Twenty-five percent agree. Fifty-one percent disagree. And by disagreeing, that 51% sides with Obama. And, if you look, Obama's approval numbers are plus 50, 52, 53. Gee whiz, does that make any sense to anybody? But then, folks, if you find out how... If you dig deep and find out how young people have been educated in this country, essentially the textbook's written by a guy named Howard Zinn. I'll explain in detail as the program unfolds. You might not have as much on trouble understanding. We've gotten to the point that 2-1/2 generations alive today having been raised having been taught what a rotten place this country is, how it was founded in a totally unjust and immoral way, and that it was not about liberty and freedom. It's not about any of the things that people think this country is about. That's just a myth that the propagandists pushed. This is what young people have been taught for two generations in grade school, junior high. Howard Zinn. Z-I-N-N. Look it up. Confronted with the most flagrantly unqualified presidential candidate in living memory, a boorish, undisciplined, transparently polarizing nominee, a man reviled by principled movement conservatives whose explicit reasoning Limbaugh well knows, the talk-radio host tells his audience that a left-wing activist historian is responsible for Trumps low poll numbers, because he poisoned the minds of Americas youth. A major ideological movement long treated Limbaugh as one of its leading intellectuals. This cycle, that movement got exactly the result that it should have expected. Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. By Tim Hepher and Cyril Altmeyer PARIS (Reuters) - Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary warned on Tuesday of a two to three-year economic downturn if Britain votes to leave the European Union and said that Brussels has been given a "wake-up call" regardless of the result of Thursday's UK referendum. Speaking at an aviation conference in Paris, the head of the Irish budget carrier -- Europe's largest airline by passenger numbers -- said that economic and political disruption could weaken the rest of the 28-nation bloc if UK voters back a so-called Brexit. "If Brits vote to exit, I think the European Union as a project is doomed," O'Leary said. "I think they will inevitably be followed by others. I think you would have a two or three-year economic downturn with huge uncertainty that would be very bad, not just for the UK economy but for the European economy, which is already struggling." The Irish entrepreneur is one of the most vocal business leaders urging voters to back continued European Union membership in Thursday's referendum. Both sides in the closely fought contest claim significant business support. "In my business it depends very much on what the exit looks like," O'Leary told the Paris Air Forum, hosted by La Tribune. But he suggested that a vote to leave would penalize a generation that grew up on cheap connectivity to the rest of Europe and put at risk a system of unrestricted routes on which Ryanair and other budget airlines have built rapid growth. Analysts say it is still unclear whether Britain, Ryanair's biggest single market, would continue to have unfettered access to EU airports under complex aviation rules. O'Leary was speaking before traveling to London to join the climax of the campaign, alternating between defending membership of a reformed EU and criticizing its bureaucracy. "Even if Britain votes to remain, Europe and certainly Brussels has had a wake-up call," he said, adding that a clear message has already been sent to the EU's bureaucracy. "If you guys in Brussels dont ... start improving the single market and improving the lives of Europe's citizens, this thing is going to fall apart." Ryanair has often clashed with the European Commission over passenger compensation, taxes and other issues. It is now lobbying for a clampdown by European authorities on repeated air traffic controller strikes. Willie Walsh, head of British Airways owner IAG, has been more cautious about the impact of a Brexit, saying that it would "not have a material impact" on his business. (Editing by David Goodman) Stockholm (AFP) - The Saab car brand was dumped Tuesday on the scrapyard of automobile history when the trademark's most recent user said they would give up trying to recycle the venerable name. National Electric Vehicle Sweden, which was created to take over the assets of Saab Automobiles in 2012 following the automaker's bankruptcy, built Saab cars for a few months before throwing in the towel in May 2014. Since then, NEVS has failed to persuade trademark owners the Saab aero and defence group to let it continue to use the Saab name for its own future generation of electric cars. NEVS said it will base its first electric vehicle, to launch next year, on the Saab 9-3 platform but will use its own name as the trademark. "That means that NEVS will no longer use the Saab trademark," it said. The first Saab car rolled off the production line in 1949 and the brand, sportier than Swedish rival Volvo, has gained cult status among many auto fans worldwide. The Saab group sold the auto division to General Motors in 1990 which then sold it on to Dutch company Spykers in 2010. Since Saab's 2012 liquidation, NEVS has used its Saab assets and Swedish know-how to develop a range of electric models with the help of Chinese capital. In ate 2015 NEVS won a contract worth 11 billion euros ($12.4 billion) to supply 250,000 cars to Chinese rental company Panda New Energy. Salesforce.com Inc.s CRM acquisition of Demandware Inc. DWRE, a provider of software-as-a-service e-commerce solutions, took a step ahead yesterday with an important regulatory approval by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. The two companies jointly announced that the regulatory body has granted an early termination of the waiting period for a review of the transaction under the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Act. The HSR Act seeks to ensure due filing of all documents necessary for mergers, acquisitions and transfer of assets or securities by companies with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice. Shares of both Salesforce and Demandware rallied on the announcement before ending the day on a slight gain. SALESFORCE.COM Price SALESFORCE.COM Price | SALESFORCE.COM Quote DEMANDWARE Price DEMANDWARE Price | DEMANDWARE Quote Notably, the companies inked a definitive agreement in the first week of June under which Salesforce would acquire Demandware for approximately $2.8 billion. (Read: Salesforce (CRM) Inks its Biggest Deal, Buys Demandware) Under the terms, Salesforce will make a purchase offer of $75.00 per share in cash for all outstanding shares of Demandware. The deal is expected to close in the second quarter of fiscal 2017. Headquartered in Burlington, MA, Demandware specializes in providing support for websites, mobile applications and digital storefronts. Its offerings include Demandware Commerce Center, Demandware LINK, Development Platform and Commerce Cloud. The companys customers consist of multinational corporations, retailers and branded consumer product manufacturers. The acquisition is expected to add significant value to Salesforce's existing portfolio. Not only will it enhance the process efficiency of both companies, but will also improve the CRM platforms efficiency in handling sales, marketing and service functions. Demandwares digital marketing capability will enable Salesforce to create a strong marketing platform. The deal will boost Salesforces competitive advantage and help the company grab a significant market share from traditional software providers such as Oracle Corp ORCL and SAP SE SAP, both of which already offer cloud-based e-commerce services. Story continues On the whole, the buyout is expected to help Salesforce cash in on the opportunities in the digital e-commerce marketing space. This is the largest acquisition that the company has made to date. For Demandware too, the deal is expected to be quite beneficial, given the huge scope for growth. As Tom Ebling, the CEO of Demandware, put it, "Becoming part of Salesforce will accelerate our vision to empower the world's leading brands with the most innovative digital commerce solutions that enable them to connect 1:1 with customers across any channel." Currently, both Salesforce and Demandware carry a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report SALESFORCE.COM (CRM): Free Stock Analysis Report ORACLE CORP (ORCL): Free Stock Analysis Report SAP AG ADR (SAP): Free Stock Analysis Report DEMANDWARE (DWRE): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research By Paul Kilby NEW YORK, June 21 (IFR) - Bonds issued by Samarco fell four points on Tuesday following news that the Brazilian mining company has hired banks to approach creditors about possible debt negotiations. The company's 2023s and 2024s were being quoted at around 42.00-44.00 on Tuesday after trading on Monday at around 47.00, according to traders. Samarco, a joint venture between mining giants Vale and BHP Billiton, has seen its bonds whipsaw ever since a dam collapse in November 2015 caused what the Brazilian government described as the country's worst-ever environmental disaster. The 2023s fell from a mid-market price of 90.50 on November 5, the day of the disaster, to a low of around 32.00 late last year, according to Reuters data. Since then, bond prices have recovered a touch amid hopes that the company can start operations again. A US$5.7bn civil suit against Samarco was dropped this month, but it still faces a US$43bn suit filed by Brazilian public prosecutors, according to CreditSights. BHP Billiton has hired Rothschild & Co, while Vale has brought in Moelis & Co and JP Morgan to sound out creditors, Reuters reported on Monday. Proposals to bondholders have yet to be drawn up, as any discussions will depend on whether or not Samarco can re-open the site, sources told Reuters. (Reporting by Paul Kilby; Editing by Marc Carnegie) Samsung (SAMSUNG ELECTRONIC KRW5000 (OTC: SSNLF)) announced it would invest $1.2 billion over four years for U.S.-based Internet of Things (IoT) R&D and investments with half of them allotted toward startups. The IoT Appeal Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman & CEO Oh-Hyun Kwon announced the news in a speech as part of a Samsung-hosted forum on IoT in Washington, D.C. "Kwon called for his peers to 'start talking and thinking differently about IoT,' with a human-centered approach, embracing the life-changing possibilities of the technology and working together to bring these benefits to society at-large," according to the press release. Related Link: Short Apple, Long Samsung: A Tech Pair Trade Explained "At Samsung, putting people at the center of everything we do is our highest value," said Kwon. "The same must be true for IoT if we want to realize its full transformative power." Kwon urged industry and policymakers "to be open and collaborative" over IoT, as he warned that "sector-specific regulations would inherently fragment the development of IoT, impeding devices and platforms from connecting to each other." Areas Of Interest A report on Forbes said areas like agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare, the home and infrastructure are particularly intriguing for Samsung. Of the $1.2 billion, $600 million will be used "to further develop technology for the market coming out of its U.S. facilities, which include a massive $14 billion chip fab in Austin, Texas and its Strategy and Innovation Center in Palo Alto, California." Samsung has been increasing its focus on IoT, which would be a good platform for the sales of its chips. Last year, it announced its Artik chips designed for powering low-power IoT devices. Citing Young Sohn, president and chief strategy officer of Samsung Electronics, Forbes said Samsung also thinks the U.S. government should become a customer of its IoT business. "The government shouldn't be a late adopter," Sohn told Forbes. Story continues See more from Benzinga 2016 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Does Donald Trump make less than $500,000 a year? The King of Debt!! It's time to revisit this tantalizing story published by Crain's New York Business in March, which suggested, for a moment, that Donald Trump's income or at least, his adjusted gross income for federal tax purposes might be less than $500,000 a year.The publisher looked up the property-tax bill for Trump's penthouse at Trump Tower and found that he was getting a school tax rebate.The rebate was tiny $302 off a tax bill of over $175,000 but such rebates are supposed to be available only to people who make less than $500,000 a year. This looked like evidence that Trump might be much less wealthy than he claims and/or that he uses tax strategies to achieve an extremely low taxable income despite his great wealth.Shortly after, the Trump campaign and New York City said that the real story was something much less interesting: The rebate was an error."Mr. Trump should not have received this benefit after the income limit law changed, and he should immediately return its value to State taxpayers," city spokeswoman Amy Spitalnick told Business Insider in March.Before 2011, there was no income limit on the rebate, so it was available even to billionaires.But on Friday, Trump's latest tax bill came out, and, as again first reported by Crain's, it still shows him receiving the rebate, three months after the story first became public.More interestingly, the city will no longer affirm its March statement that Trump was ineligible to get the credit in the first place.The city's Department of Finance (DOF) "has a process in place for reviewing eligibility that it must follow," said Freddi Goldstein, a spokeswoman for the mayor, on Monday. "DOF has been reviewing Mr. Trump's exemption status for final determination."Pressed repeatedly about whether the city could still affirm the March statement that Trump "should not have received" the tax rebate, a mayoral representative would point only to the ongoing DOF process and noted that the March statement had been based on comments from the Trump campaign that Trump was ineligible for the rebate.On Monday, Trump's spokeswoman, Hope Hicks, insisted that the rebate on the latest tax bill is also in error."This is yet another error and has already been corrected," she said. "You can verify this with the city."But actually, I can't verify it with the city.The city's property-tax database shows no update beyond the June 3 tax bill, which shows Trump receiving the rebate. The mayor's office says that the review of Trump's rebate is ongoing at the DOF not changed or corrected.Hicks did not immediately respond to a request for documentation that the tax bill had been corrected.Campaign manager Corey Lewandowski said in March that Trump's receipt of school tax rebates had been "an error on the part of the city of New York."But Lewandowski has since proved to be an unreliable narrator of Trump's finances. On May 20, Lewandowski told The Washington Post that Trump had already fully disbursed his promised donations to veterans' groups, which wasn't true.Trump explained Lewandowski's error by noting that Lewandowski would not necessarily be privy to such details about his finances."I don't know that Corey would even know when I gave it out," Trump told The Post on May 24, the date on which many checks were issued to veterans' organizations.One thing seems clear: Trump did not apply for the rebate he is getting. All homeowners who wanted the rebate were supposed to apply for it by December 31, 2013, even if they were previously receiving it. Business Insider made a request in March under New York's Freedom of Information Law for any application for such a rebate for Trump's apartment, and we were told no such application exists.But just because Trump did not apply for the rebate does not mean that he is ineligible to receive it. As Crain's reported in March, the city and state tax departments claim that they interface with each other to ensure that property-tax bills which are prepared by the city are checked against income data (which the state gets on income-tax returns) to ensure that school tax rebates go to only those who qualify for them.I don't know what to make of all of this. Even if Trump's wealth is far less than he claims, it strikes me as a tall order for him to have gotten his and Melania's adjusted gross income as low as $500,000. Trump, after all, has very substantial living expenses, which he is financing somehow.Trump's tax bills from the late 1970s, which were disclosed as part of a casino-license application, did show negative income in two tax years. But that was before the Tax Reform Act of 1986, which eliminated many tax benefits for real-estate investors, a fact Trump complained bitterly about in his 1987 book "The Art of the Deal."On the other hand, if he really isn't eligible for this tax rebate, then it seems like he ought to be able to get it taken off of his property-tax bill.If Trump released his recent income-tax returns, then we would not have to wonder why he is still receiving this property-tax rebate................................:lol: A Less than a week before Fatheras Day, Matt and Melissa Graves of Elkhorn, Nebraska, lost their 2-year-old son, Lane, to an alligator attack at Walt Disney World. Another father who nearly lost his own son a year ago during a family vacation at Disney is now speaking out about the tragedy. David Hiden, a San Diego attorney, says that in April 2015, two alligators came towards his 6-year-old son while they were staying at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando just a few miles from where 2-year-old Lane was killed last week after an alligator attacked him while he was wading in about a foot of water at the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. "[My son] was playing and I looked past his head because something caught my attention and it was an alligator," Hiden tells PEOPLE. "I grabbed him and brought him up to the path where it's safe. I then noticed a second alligator." Hiden says he immediately warned authorities at the resort about the alligators, which he estimated to be about six feet each. "When I went up to management, I was expecting them to flip out, immediately call security and get on the loud speaker to tell people to get out of the water," he says. "But instead, they said, 'These are resident pets and they're not harmful. They can't hurt anybody and we've known about them for years.' " San Diego Dad Says He Warned Disney About Alligators Last Year After Two Came Towards His Son: 'They Said They Were Resident Pets'| Animals & Pets, Death, Personal Tragedy, Sickness & Injury, Real People Stories But Hiden, who took pictures and video of the alligator, insisted they were harmful animals that the hotel's guests should know about during their stay. "I told them they should really think about putting up warning signs," he recalls. "I said, 'Do whatever you want, but I hope I never read about one of your little 'pets' killing somebody because you guys aren't doing anything.' " On Friday, Disney released a statement to PEOPLE regarding changes in policy following Tuesday's attack. "We are installing signage and temporary barriers at our resort beach locations and are working on permanent, long-term solutions at our beaches," the statement read. "We continue to evaluate processes and procedures for our entire property, and, as part of this, we are reinforcing training with our cast for reporting sightings and interactions with wildlife and are expanding our communication to guests on this topic." San Diego Dad Says He Warned Disney About Alligators Last Year After Two Came Towards His Son: 'They Said They Were Resident Pets'| Animals & Pets, Death, Personal Tragedy, Sickness & Injury, Real People Stories The concerned father says he was dismayed by the hotel staff's reaction last year. "I was just in shock because Disney is very safety-oriented; they are very family-conscious," he continues. "I thought if there were alligators there, they would have put up warning signs. I would never have let my son get within 20 yards of a waterway that had alligators in it." When Hiden heard about Lane's death last week, he immediately thought back to the close call his now 8-year-old son David had at the Coronado Springs Resort. "I'm so stressed thinking about this family," he says. "I wrote a letter to the president of Disney and told him I thought that this death rests 100 percent on you guys." Disney World is a place "where you pay a premium and you think it's going to absolutely be swept clean," he continues. "I honestly never thought that were would be alligators in any of their lakes. "I would never in my life go into wild water in Florida and not expect to see alligators. But on Disney property? On a manmade lake? Iam like everybody else I just flat out assumed that these were safe. When you go to a Disney park, you always assume that it's going to be safe." Hiden says his only motivation to tell his story was "to get Disney to put up alligator warning signs." On Friday, Disney installed new signs and temporary barriers on resort beach locations. The new warning signs, which appear in red, read: "DANGER. ALLIGATORS AND SNAKES IN AREA. STAY AWAY FROM THE WATER. DO NOT FEED THE WILDLIFE," and feature images of an alligator and a snake. "They have finally posted the signs, but there is nothing happy about this," Hiden says, adding that he was overcome with emotion upon hearing of the toddler's tragic death last week. Lane's father tried desperately to fight off the gator, suffering lacerations on his hand, but neither he nor a lifeguard from a nearby pool could save the boy, who was laid to rest Tuesday. "I commended the dad for putting his own life on the line to save his kid without thinking, as any loving father would do," Hiden says. Berlin (AFP) - Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy called Tuesday for Paris and Berlin to make a joint push for "a new European treaty" following Britain's vote on whether to leave the bloc. After talks with Germany's Angela Merkel, Sarkozy said: "I told the chancellor that to save Europe, there would have to be a French-German initiative in the coming months, with a new treaty that tells 450 million Europeans that we have heard what they are saying, that we understand how they feel." "I think that the chancellor is ready," he said after a closed-door lunch, adding "that's all the better as there will soon be elections in France that would be followed by polls in Germany". Sarkozy also stressed the importance of core EU members France and Germany leading Europe. "What is the problem today? There is no leadership because in the French-German couple, the 'French' is missing," he said, in a direct attack against President Francois Hollande, who defeated Sarkozy in the 2012 polls. Hollande is now battling record unpopularity at home and struggling to put down social strife over economic reforms. By Tom Miles GENEVA (Reuters) - The wrong diagnosis of a woman suffering from the MERS coronavirus led to more than 49 other patients and medical staff being exposed to the disease in a Saudi hospital, the World Health Organization said in a statement on Tuesday. The unnamed 49-year-old from Buridah city developed symptoms on June 9 and was admitted to hospital on June 10 where she was in a critical condition in an intensive care unit, the WHO said. On June 12, she tested positive for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), a potentially fatal coronavirus from the same family as the one that caused China's deadly 2003 outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The WHO said the woman had initially gone to hospital for a condition unrelated to MERS. "She was then admitted to the vascular surgery ward MERS-CoV infection was not considered. She was not isolated and was managed in a multi-bed room. During this time, more than 49 HCWs (healthcare workers) and patients were exposed," the WHO said. A rapid response team immediately tried to trace the people with whom she had had contact at her home or in the hospital in Riyadh, and 20 of them tested positive, although 18 of the 20 had no symptoms. The Saudi Health Ministry had no immediate comment on the WHO statement. MERS is thought to be linked to camels and consumption of camel milk, but most of the known human-to-human transmission has occurred in health care settings, and the WHO has said hospitals and medical workers should take stringent precautions as a standard measure to stop the disease spreading. WHO Director-General Margaret Chan has previously criticized Saudi Arabia for allowing MERS to spread in its hospitals, which showed infection control standards were not being adhered to. But she said last October new Saudi Health Minister Khaled al-Falih, was "much more forthcoming" than his predecessor. Since September 2012, WHO has been notified of 1,761 laboratory-confirmed cases, including at least 629 related deaths. (Reporting by Tom Miles; Editing by Janet Lawrence) By James Pomfret WUKAN, China (Reuters) - The chief of a village that was once seen as a symbol of grassroots democracy in Communist China said in a video that he'd accepted bribes, but disbelieving villagers retaliated on Tuesday with a mass march demanding his release as police looked on. Lin Zuluan, the democratically elected and popular party chief of Wukan in the southern province of Guangdong, was arrested in a midnight raid on Saturday days after he made a public appeal for a mass march against illegal land seizures. The village that made headlines in 2011 for a people's uprising against corruption has for the past few days become a focus of dissent, with demonstrations against Lin's arrest under the gaze of hundreds of heavily armed riot police. The video, distributed to villagers via social media on Tuesday, showed Lin confessing to taking kickbacks for public works projects and purchases of resources. "This is my biggest criminal activity," said Lin who was scruffily dressed in a check shirt as he sat before two unidentified people in a blue-walled, padded room. The Southern Daily, an official provincial Communist Party publication, said Lin had since been sacked. But nearly a thousand villagers, including children and the disabled, disputed the video, demanding his release in a long procession around the village, ignoring warnings from authorities to not stir up trouble. "Village chief Lin is innocent," they chanted. "Return village chief Lin to us." 'LONG LIVE THE COMMUNIST PARTY" "We're not afraid of them," said one villager, Li Junmin, who heckled a group of riot police outside a police station as he passed. "We've not done anything illegal and are just demanding what's right. Why would they get us for that?" Many protesters, in a sign of the delicate balance between different layers of authority in China, also waved red China flags while chanting "long live the Communist Party of China". Wukan's defiance in 2011 took place during the administration of former president Hu Jintao. It remains unclear whether security forces will take a stronger line under President Xi Jinping who has cracked down on rights activists across China since taking office. Lin's wife, Yang Zhen, told reporters in her family's walled compound she believed the confession was forced. "This is to deceive people," she said, in the dialect of the Chaozhou region in eastern Guangdong. "He is innocent." Since Lin's arrest, groups of young men have patrolled and guarded Wukan's perimeter on mopeds, clanging gongs at any sign of trouble. The village is about a four-hour drive east of Chinese-ruled Hong Kong, where months of pro-democracy protests brought chaos to the streets in late 2014. Government spokesman Shi Shuoyan was quoted as saying they welcomed media from home and abroad to "objectively and fairly report in accordance with the law", but warned they would take action against publications who tried to incite people in Wukan. Police asked some media from Hong Kong what they were doing in the village, prompting some to leave. A relative of Lin who declined to be named said arrest warrants had been issued for villagers who might cause trouble, and that Lin's grandson had been arrested on Monday. This grandson, however, was released overnight, before Lin's videotaped confession was distributed online. Back in 2011, thousands of Wukan villagers ransacked police and government offices and forced provincial Communist Party authorities to grant rare concessions for a people's movement. A corrupt village chief was fired and a democratic election was permitted in 2012, resulting in the election of many protest leaders, including Lin. (Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in Beijing; Editing by Nick Macfie) sears worker Sears is on the brink of death, according to several store-level employees. The company's sales have been falling for years. It has been shutting down stores, selling real estate, and spinning off brands to stem the bleeding. Since 2007, Sears has closed half of its locations which include Sears and Kmart stores and eliminated more than 137,000 jobs. Some employees are now predicting that the rest of the company's physical stores will close within the next two years. They are severely understaffed, with some operating on less than half of the employees they need, according to workers who spoke to Business Insider. Not only are the stores firing people, but they are also cutting labor hours for the workers that remain, according to the employees. In some cases, stores are operating with just one or two cashiers and sometimes no cashiers at all they said. That's making it increasingly difficult to hire and retain experienced workers, according to a former Kmart employee of 41 years who said that she was laid off in February. She told Business Insider that her store's employees hadn't seen raises in eight years. She blames the company's CEO, Eddie Lampert, for the company's downfall. "Lampert has taken this company and, with pompous arrogance, has destroyed it," she said. "Customer care is vital to a retail business. Lampert just couldn't understand that." IMG_7095.JPG Workers also said that the stores are suffering structurally from a lack of investment. An employee who currently works for a Sears in Ohio said that his store is rife with issues, from broken walls and escalators to frequent roof leaks. He said that the merchandise on the floor is often torn open, and no one will buy those items. A former assistant manager of Kmart, who left the company in 2012 after 12 years, said that the company really started going downhill after the introduction of Shop Your Way, a loyalty program that Sears introduced in 2009. Story continues The program, which allows customers to earn points for purchases, was confusing and poorly executed, killed profits, slowed down customer service, and featured targeted advertising that was completely off base, the former manager said. He said: "Items scanned per minute decreased from 18 to five items per minute because the program was littered with exclusions and confusion. Several items didn't ring as advertised or generate the points as expected. This resulted in long lines and angry customers. Abandoned carts meant utilizing payroll to return those items back to stock." IMG_7079.JPG He said that he and his family shopped at Walmart instead of Sears or Kmart to avoid the confusion of Shop Your Way. "Imagine trying to keep an eye on two children and trying to understand a confusing SYWR [Shop Your Way] offer," he said. "We opted to avoid the confusion and shop Walmart where the tag or the sign told us what we would pay. No gimmicks." The 41-year employee of Kmart who spoke to Business Insider had similar complaints about Shop Your Way. She said: "[Eddie Lampert's] ideas of reward cards to transform the company were a waste of time and money. If they didn't have a card, you were supposed to enroll them while you have 10 waiting in that one line to check out. Most people were so disgusted when they finally got to pay, they didn't want to apply. They just wanted to pay and go." In response to the employee complaints, Sears spokesman Howard Riefs said that the company encourages workers to provide feedback. "One of our cultural beliefs as a company is to embrace feedback," Riefs said. "We have a variety of ways that associates can give authentic feedback even anonymously and would encourage them to do so." He also directed Business Insider to a Sears blog post published last year in which employees shared why they are proud to work for Sears and Kmart. "I am very proud to be part of SHC [Sears Holding Co.]," said Jen Chamberlain, a Sears sales associate in Victor, New York. "From online and in-store shopping to home and car repair services integrating with Shop Your Way, it is truly a high standard of operation for any company." Scott Ogden, an associate store manager in Miami, Florida, said, "I am proud to be part of the SHC team because we all work together on a daily basis to achieve the same common goals. SHC is comprised of great leaders and team members who strive every day to deliver their best results." In addition to speaking with employees, Business Insider also reviewed a message board that workers said they use to communicate with Sears and Kmart employees at other stores. In dozens of messages over the last several weeks, people claiming to work for Sears and Kmart complained about the stores' deterioration. Several people claimed that the quality of the products that Sears and Kmart sell has declined, and that no one will buy clearance items regardless of how much they mark down the prices. IMG_7090.JPG "Clearance is the standard operating procedure at our store," one person wrote on the message board. "We have at least half of our store on clearance. Too much stuff people don't want... and what they do buy they will usually return as defective. ...Not long until the end, it will come soon." Another person claiming to work in Sears' automotive section wrote: "Lately the majority of tire shipments consist of Patriot and Radar tires. These are simply cheap crappy tires. We have about 12 sets of Michelin tires left and a handful of Goodyear. Even shipments of their signature RoadHandler tires have slowed down. It's embarrassing when I have to face a customer and explain I just don't have much product to offer." One person said that the stores have deteriorated so much that it's like caring for a "dead body." "Our motto now is 'you can only do what you can do,'" the person wrote. "It's sad to watch what we worked for with pride for so many years to be slain in front of us and then we still have to care for the dead body." IMG_7103.JPG Some stores are being inundated by shipments of merchandise several times a week, and they don't have enough employees to move the products from the trucks to the stock rooms, and then to store shelves in a timely manner. "We have been getting shipments of things that we don't need it seems like they are just trying to empty out of the warehouses," one person wrote. The understaffing appears to be a major issue for many stores. "My store is down to a skeleton staff," one person wrote. Another said that they have a 17-year-old in a managerial position. They wrote: "With new hires only lasting less than a month, experienced employees quitting for better paying and better working conditions we have hardly anyone with any experience to run the store. The worst is that we have a 17-year-old running the office and cash office. He has no experience in either but he is a warm body to fill the job. The end is coming soon, get out while you can." If you work in retail and have a story to tell, then send an email to retail@businessinsider.com. NOW WATCH: Find out if you live near one of the Sears or Kmart stores closing this year More From Business Insider McDonalds Corp.s MCD plans to refranchise over 3,000 restaurants in Asia seem to have hit a roadblock. The Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which functions on behalf of non-unionized fast food workers, has sent a letter to potential McDonalds buyers, cautioning them about the financial and operational risks associated with the companys master licensee model, which is the core of the companys growth strategy in Asia. Details Notably, the SEIU has sent notifications to hundreds of firms that are operating in Asia. In the notice, the SEIU has cited cases from Latin America, India and Eastern Europe, where McDonalds has carried out similar franchising agreements. These refranchising contracts have helped the company shift substantial costs and obligations to master franchisees, thereby raking in sizeable gains. MCDONALDS CORP Price MCDONALDS CORP Price | MCDONALDS CORP Quote Meanwhile, the SEIU backs a high-profile campaign to elevate pay and improve conditions for low-wage retail and fast-food workers in the U.S. Whats the Fuss About? Management at McDonalds believes that a heavily-franchised business model will generate more stable and predictable revenue and cash flow and require a less resource-intensive support structure. In line with this, McDonald's revealed it plans of seeking master franchisees for key Asian markets like China, Hong Kong and South Korea this March. Also, last year, the company announced that it intends vending its Taiwan operations and a significant part of its Japanese business. However, the latest letter states that the planned sell-off of McDonalds stores to master franchisees comes at a precarious time for potential buyers as corporate negligence, consumer scandals and unsteady sales have damaged the companys business performance in the continent. The union also highlighted the weak performance of McDonald's largest global franchisee Arcos Dorados since its IPO in 2011 and drawn resemblance between its deal with Arcos Dorados and the companys potential master license agreements in Asia. Notably, in 2007, McDonalds decided to hand over operational power in Latin America to Arcos Dorados. However, the decision has proved to be financially catastrophic for Arcos Dorados, its workers, sub-franchisees, and investors as Arcos Dorados has been grappling with currency and economic issues in the Latin American region. Our Take With the SEIU warning investors of the financial risks associated with a potential purchase, it is to be seen whether the company is able to procure partners to expand its Asia business and carry on with its refranchising plans. Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider McDonald's currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Better-ranked stocks in this sector include Papa John's International Inc. PZZA, Darden Restaurants, Inc. DRI and The Wendy's Company WEN. All the three stocks carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report MCDONALDS CORP (MCD): Free Stock Analysis Report DARDEN RESTRNT (DRI): Free Stock Analysis Report WENDYS CO/THE (WEN): Free Stock Analysis Report PAPA JOHNS INTL (PZZA): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Selma Blair was reportedly hospitalized after experiencing a mid-flight outburst on Monday, June 20. According to TMZ, Blair was taken off a Delta flight on a stretcher at LAX after exhibiting strange behavior on the plane. Celebrity Health Scares The Cruel Intentions star was flying back to Los Angeles from Cancun, Mexico, where she spent Fathers Day with her ex Jason Bleick and their son, Arthur. He burns my private parts. He wont let me eat or drink, she was heard allegedly crying about an unnamed male. He beats me. Hes going to kill me. PHOTOS: Celebrity Mugshots The site reports that two nurses on board attempted to help the actress. Prior to her vacation, Blair chatted with Us Weekly about her vacation and jokingly said that she might reunite with her ex and have more kids. PHOTOS: Celebrity Drug Confessions I have to find the man that will do this with me. Im going away with his dad to Mexico this weekend for Fathers Day, so maybe well come back reunited, she told Us, adding that she was only joking. Story developing, updates to come. Us Weekly reached out to Blairs rep for comment, but has not yet heard back. Sign up now for the Us Weekly newsletter to get breaking celebrity news, hot pics, and more delivered straight to your inbox! ISIS 'kill list' includes names of 151 Canadians ISIS Fukks little boys. There are 151 Canadians about to get an uncomfortable phone call from police.It may go something like this: Its probably nothing, but your name appears to be on an ISIS kill list.Imagine getting that call. Imagine being the constable assigned to make it.CBC has obtained a copy of the list, which contains the names, and email and physical addresses of some 8,300 people around the globe. Its hard to tell what unites them.The Canadian names are mostly of women, from predominantly small centres in Canada, although there are some from large cities, too.Names not hand-pickedThere are lots of theories as to how the names got on the list. What seems clear is they werent hand-picked. These dont appear to be people targeted for who they are or what they have said or done. It doesnt even seem like the names were entered manually. Some appear multiple times.In analyzing the Canadian data, CBC has learned that most email addresses (71 per cent) appear to have been hacked at some point, either in an old LinkedIn hack or one from Myspace or Adobe. It is possible the information from those hacks was simply pushed around from group to group. Some of the information may exist in the public domain.The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) says it first uncovered the list on pro-ISIS accounts from social media platforms like Telegram.MEMRIs Elliot Zwig says the first call was to police.Its a large list, it would be difficult to follow through on them, but its something that weve shared with law enforcement and theyre taking seriously and presumably are proceeding upon, he said. We know the right places to go, the right accounts to link up with, the right people to contact, the right forums to be present in, it came to us, it wasnt something that was overly difficult to find.We want them deadThe entity behind the list is called the United Cyber Caliphate. Its a sort of umbrella group for pro-ISIS hackers. It has a history of defacing websites and acting like a type of IT resource for ISIS supporters.United Cyber Caliphate and others have been busy building and releasing these lists. In the past four months, nine kill lists have surfaced. Sometimes, as was the case with a release of 3,600 names of New York residents in April, the hacking group publishes a bizarre accompanying graphic. That one included the phrases, we want them dead and the most important citizens of New York.Civilians arent the typical targets of these lists. Pro-ISIS hacking groups have previously targeted U.S. drone operators or transit police or government employees.This seems far more random.Duty to informThere is no indication anyone on any of these lists has ever been harmed, but if they have had that call from police, they have most assuredly had a moment of pause. Various police agencies in Canada have confirmed to CBC that they are in the process of informing everyone on the list of what is going on. There is a duty to inform. It takes time and resources and distracts from other investigations police need to be conducting.And that suits these pro-ISIS groups just fine.To keep people on edge, and police on the run, is exactly what they want to do.A spokesman told CBC News the RCMP is aware of the list and is working with domestic and international law enforcement partners to assess the information and notify Canadians on the list.Because of the sensitive nature of this matter, we will not be providing further comment, Harold Pfleiderer said. We have no information indicating that this threat is linked to the terrorist attack that occurred earlier this week in Florida.The CBC respects the privacy and safety of those named on the list, and will not publish their names.SOURCE: https://ca.news.yahoo.com/isis-kill-list-includes-names-203958313.html ........................................ Selma Blair's ex shared a pic of their son Tuesday amid reports the actress was removed from a Delta flight at LAX on a stretcher on Monday. Jason Bleick posted the snap of the former couple's 4-year-old son, Arthur, to Instagram on Tuesday, writing, "A new day & an early morning stick hunt with dad. #arthursaintbleick #everydayisbeautiful." WATCH: Selma Blair Spent Father's Day in Mexico With Ex and Son Before Reportedly Being Removed From Return Flight Blair took Arthur to Mexico on Thursday to spend Father's Day weekend with Bleick, where an eyewitness tells ET she was acting "lovey dovey" with her ex and snuggling up to her son while the three stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya resort. On Monday, it was reported that Blair was removed from her returning flight to Los Angeles after an outburst on the plane. TMZ reports that the actress was carried off on a stretcher. LAX police told ET that they had responded to an incident at 2:45 p.m. but could not confirm the identity of the female passenger involved. WATCH: Selma Blair Has Amazing 'Cruel Intentions' Reunion With Reese Witherspoon and Sarah Michelle Gellar The L.A. Fire Dept. would also not confirm the passenger, but told ET that she was transported to a local hospital. ET has reached out to Blair's reps for comment. Watch below for more. Related Articles The U.S. Senate rejected four new gun control proposals on Monday evening, one week after the shooting attack in Orlando, Florida, that killed 49 people. All four of the measures required 60 votes for passage. The first amendment, proposed by Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley, would have increased funding for and sought to improve the background check system. Democratic critics argued that language in the bill would have rolled back current protections, according to The Associated Press. The Senate blocked the first measure on a 53-47 vote. The Senate also rejected a measure proposed by Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, and backed by Senate Democrats, that would have expanded background checks to all private gun sales. The Senate blocked that legislation on a 44-56 vote. Republicans and Democrats also proposed two dueling measures that would have halted suspected terrorists from purchasing firearms. The Republican proposal, from Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn of Texas, would have denied a sale only if a judge found probable cause that the person trying to purchase the gun was involved in terrorist activities. The Senate blocked that legislation on a 53-47 vote. The Democratic plan, from California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, would have allowed the Justice Department to block sales of guns to those suspected of having terrorist connections. The Senate blocked that legislation on a 47-53 vote. The four votes come after Murphy filibustered for nearly 15 hours on the Senate floor on Wednesday in an effort to pressure Republicans to pass gun control legislation that would prohibit suspected terrorists from buying guns. "I'm disappointed by the results tonight, but far from surprised," Murphy said Monday night in a statement to PEOPLE. "We knew breaking the NRA's stranglehold on this Congress would be a long, uphill climb. The fact is Americans want a background check system that prevents dangerous people and terrorists from getting their hands on guns." "It will take time, but I firmly believe that our democracy does not allow a Congress to be this far out-of-step with the views and values of the people for very long," he added. "This country is rising up to demand stronger, safer gun laws, and in the face of unspeakable tragedy, our movement for change got stronger this week." Florida Democrat Sen. Bill Nelson angrily denounced the vote, saying afterward, "What am I going to tell 49 grieving families? a The NRA wins again." Although the majority of Americans support legislation that would halt gun sales to suspected terrorists, The Washington Post, among other outlets, predicted Murphy's measure would fail "because those who oppose stricter gun laws are, on the whole, more passionate and politically organized than the average voters who support them." A Quinnipiac University poll conducted after December's San Bernardino shooting showed that 83 percent of registered voters supported banning gun purchases for those on the government's terrorist watch list. The proposal saw support from 89 percent of Democrats and 77 percent of Republicans, as well as 80 percent of people in gun-owning households. A Gallup poll, also conducted in December, found that 71 percent of adults believed banning gun sales to people on the federal no-fly list would be effective in the U.S. fight against terrorism. The Post points out, however, that a 2013 Pew Research Study found that "people who prioritize gun rights over gun control are four or five times more likely to contribute money to advocacy groups, contact public officials, sign petitions and express their views on social media." Even the notoriously obstinate Donald Trump walked back his support for measures prohibiting people on the terrorist watch list or the no-fly list from buying guns, after apparently caving to pressure from the NRA. "The NRA has the best interests of our country" at heart, Trump said Sunday on CBS' Face the Nation, following a meeting with the organization. "These are great people." By Richard Cowan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid said on Tuesday that amendments were necessary to a Puerto Rico debt bill that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said would be voted on by next week. Reid, speaking to reporters, said changes were needed to the federal board overseeing the restructuring of Puerto Rico's $70 billion debt under the bill, but he did not say whether Democrats would be successful in making any changes. The House of Representatives passed a Puerto Rico debt relief bill on June 9, following months of internal debate. Supporters hope the Senate passes that bill, without any amendment, before July 1, when Puerto Rico faces a deadline for making a $1.9 billion debt payment. The Caribbean island, which is a U.S. territory, is suffering a poverty rate of about 45 percent and has been hobbled by worsening debt problems. Some schools and medical facilities are closing and thousands of residents are relocating to the U.S. mainland, further shrinking Puerto Rico's tax base. While Reid said he had "some serious concerns" with the current bill, which was negotiated by the Obama administration and lawmakers in the House, he did not say whether he expected any amendments to succeed in the Senate. A Senate debate over amendments could simply help put Democrats on record registering their concerns with the legislation. "At the very minimum, we need some amendments to make sure that people understand what is not in that bill," Reid said. Democrats in both chambers have voiced concerns over some potential minimum-wage reductions for young workers that Republicans included in the House bill. They also have said the federal oversight board, to be appointed by Washington, might not have Puerto Rico's best interests in mind. Supporters of the bill have argued it is the best measure that can pass the Republican-controlled Congress and that Puerto Rico could slip into chaos without action. (Reporting by Richard Cowan; Editing by Chris Reese and Peter Cooney) From Esquire A divided Senate blocked rival election-year plans to curb guns on Monday, eight days after the horror of Orlando's mass shooting intensified pressure on lawmakers to act but knotted them in gridlock anyway-even over restricting firearms for terrorists. In largely party-line votes, rejected were one proposal from each side to keep extremists from acquiring guns and another shoring up the government's existing system of required background checks for many firearms purchases. With the chamber's visitors' galleries unusually crowded for a Monday evening-including people wearing orange T-shirts saying #ENOUGH gun violence-each measure fell short of the 60 votes needed to progress. Democrats called the GOP proposals unacceptably weak while Republicans said the Democratic plans were overly restrictive. The stalemate underscored the pressure on each party to give little ground on the emotional gun issue going into November's presidential and congressional elections. It also highlighted the potency of the National Rifle Association, which urged its huge and fiercely loyal membership to lobby senators to oppose the Democratic bills. "Republicans say, 'Hey look, we tried,'" said Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat from Nevada. "And all the time, their cheerleaders, the bosses at the NRA, are cheering them." Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky, said the Orlando shootings-in which the FBI says the American-born gunman swore allegiance to a leader of the Islamic State group-show the best way to prevent attacks by extremists is to defeat such groups overseas. "Look, no one wants terrorists to be able to buy guns or explosives," McConnell said. He suggested that Democrats were using the day's votes "as an opportunity to push a partisan agenda or craft the next 30-second campaign ad," while Republicans wanted "real solutions." Story continues That Monday's four roll-call votes occurred at all was testament to the political currents buffeting lawmakers after gunman Omar Mateen's June 12 attack on a gay nightclub. The 49 victims who died made it the largest mass shooting in recent U.S. history, topping the string of such incidents that have punctuated recent years. The FBI said Matteen-a focus of two terror investigations that were dropped-described himself as an Islamic soldier in a 911 call during the shootings. That let gun control advocates add national security and the specter of terrorism to their arguments for firearms curbs, while relatives of victims of past mass shootings and others visiting lawmakers and watching debate from the visitors' galleries. GOP senators facing re-election this fall from swing states were under extraordinary pressure. One, Sen. Kelly Ayotte, a Republican from New Hampshire, voted Monday for the Democratic measure to block gun sales to terrorists, a switch from when she joined most Republicans in killing a similar plan last December. She said that vote-plus her support for a rival GOP measure-would help move lawmakers toward approving a narrower bipartisan plan, like one being crafted by Republican Sen. Susan Collins from Maine. Monday's votes came after Sen. Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut, led a near 15-hour filibuster last week demanding a Senate response to the Orlando killings. Murphy entered the Senate shortly after the December 2012 massacre of 20 first-graders and six educators in Newtown, Connecticut, but that slaughter and others have failed to spur Congress to tighten gun curbs. The last were enacted in 2007, when the background check system was strengthened after that year's mass shooting at Virginia Tech. With Mateen's self-professed loyalty to extremist groups and his 10-month inclusion on a federal terrorism watch list, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat from California, proposed letting the government block many gun sales to known or suspected terrorists. People buying firearms from federally licensed gun dealers can currently be denied for several reasons, chiefly for serious crimes or mental problems, but there is no specific prohibition for those on the terrorist watch list. That list currently contains around 1 million people-including fewer than 5,000 Americans or legal permanent residents, according to the latest government figures. No background checks are required for anyone buying guns privately online or at gun shows. The GOP response to Feinstein was an NRA-backed plan Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas. It would let the government deny a sale to a known or suspected terrorist, but only if prosecutors could convince a judge within three days that the would-be buyer was involved in terrorism. The Feinstein and Cornyn amendments would require notification of law enforcement officials if people, like Mateen, who'd been under a terrorism investigation within the past five years were seeking to buy firearms. Republicans said Feinstein's proposal gave the government too much unfettered power to deny people's constitutional right to own a gun. They also noted that the terrorist watch list has historically mistakenly included people. Democrats said the three-day window that Cornyn's measure gave prosecutors to prove their case made his plan ineffective. The Senate rejected similar plans Feinstein and Cornyn proposed last December, a day after an attack in San Bernardino, California, killed 14 people. Murphy's rejected proposal would widely expand the requirement for background checks, even to many private gun transactions, leaving few loopholes. The defeated plan from Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley, a Republican from Iowa, increased money for the background check system. Like Murphy's measure, it prodded states to send more records to the FBI, which operates the background check system, of felons and others barred from buying guns. Grassley's proposal also revamped language prohibiting some people with mental health issues from buying a gun. Democrats claimed that language would roll back current protections. Monday's votes were 53-47 for Grassley's plan, 44-56 for Murphy's, 53-47 for Cornyn's and 47-53 for Feinstein's-all short of the 60 needed. Separately, Collins was laboring to fashion a bipartisan bill that would prevent people on the no-fly list-with just 81,000 names-from getting guns. There were no signs Monday that it was getting wide support or would receive a vote. Associated Press writers Matthew Daly and Richard Lardner contributed to this report. Democratic lawmakers, activists and the White House are expressing their all-too-familiar frustration after the Senate rejected tighter gun control measures just eight days after 49 people were killed at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla. the deadliest mass shooting on U.S. soil. All four measures to expand background checks for gun buyers and curb sales to those on terror watch lists fell short of the 60 votes needed to pass in the 100-member chamber. Connecticut Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy, who last week launched a 14-hour filibuster to pressure his Republican colleagues to agree to a vote, said he was disappointed but not ready to give up the fight. I am disappointed in results of the votes tonight, Murphy wrote on Twitter. But I know we will not stop fighting to end gun violence. Dear gun lobby I'm not going anywhere. I'm not backing down. I'm not giving up. And I got millions of folks with me. #Enough Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) June 20, 2016 We have a long road ahead, Murphy continued. But Congress cannot remain this out of step with the views & values of the American people for long. This country is rising up to demand safer, stronger gun laws. Millions of Americans are speaking out & they will not be silenced. He added: Dear gun lobby, Im not going anywhere. Im not backing down. Im not giving up. And I got millions of folks with me. A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted after the Orlando nightclub massacre found that 71 percent of Americans favor at least moderate regulations and restrictions on gun sales. And a CNN/ORC poll released Monday showed overwhelming support (92 percent) for expanded background checks. Slideshow: Gun control debate >>> In an interview with the Washington Post, Murphy turned his attention to the GOP lawmakers who voted against restricting gun sales to those on terror watch lists. Story continues Republicans have decided to sell weapons to ISIS, Murphy said. Thats what theyve decided to do. ISIS has decided that the assault weapon is the new airplane, and Republicans, in refusing to close the terror gap, refusing to pass bans on assault weapons, are allowing these weapons to get in the hands of potential lone-wolf attackers. President Obama was profoundly frustrated by the Senates inability to move forward on gun control, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said. What we saw last night on the floor of the United States Senate was a shameful display of cowardice, Earnest said on MSNBCs Morning Joe. Republicans have run around and spent the last week saying radical Islamic extremism to anybody who will listen, Earnest said. But when it actually comes to preventing those extremists from being able to walk into a gun store and buy a gun, theyre AWOL. They wont do anything about it because theyre scared of the NRA. Thats shameful. .@PressSec Earnest on Senate gridlock over gun reform: The President is profoundly frustrated https://t.co/23hQdRweoF Morning Joe (@Morning_Joe) June 21, 2016 Earnest added: The president has a responsibility as a symbol of the country, as a leader of the country, to go down to Orlando, as he did last week, and meet in person with the families who have lost loved ones in these terrible incidents. And the president himself said the most common question that those family members who lost loved ones asked him was, Why does this keep happening? Following the 2012 elementary school shootings at Sandy Hook School in Newtown, Conn., the Obama administration pressured Congress to enact stricter gun control measures, but the effort failed. After Mondays setback, Sandy Hook Promise a group led by parents of victims in the 2012 school shooting urged lawmakers on Capitol Hill not to leave for summer vacation until they passed new gun control laws. Just as victims of gun violence are not able to return home, Sandy Hook Promise asks that the Senate not return home until common sense gun safety measures pass and requests another vote, the group said following the failed votes. Sandy Hook Promise Urges Senate Not to Give Up Gun Violence Prevention Legislation; Requests Another Vote https://t.co/hhKLmh8ezR Sandy Hook Promise (@sandyhook) June 21, 2016 Congress must come together to prevent future gun violence and tragedies, Sandy Hook Promise co-founder Nicole Hockley, whose 6-year-old son, Dylan, was one of 20 children killed in the school massacre, said in a statement. We wont accept a series of failed votes and send our members home. They have a responsibility to all of our families. I call on our congressional leaders to find a path forward to protect our communities and save lives. Former Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, co-founder of the gun violence prevention group Americans for Responsible Solutions, lamented the Senates failure to pave the way for responsible changes that would make our communities safer places to live: Faced with the opportunity to vote for proposals that would build a foundation of action for closing the loopholes in our laws that let terror suspects, felons, and domestic abusers have easy access to guns, some senators voted to protect those loopholes for the irresponsible status quo. Once again, we wish we could use words like unimaginable and unthinkable to describe this reckless inaction especially as it comes in the wake of the most deadly mass shooting in our nations history. But we cannot. Once again, some United States senators ignored the will of the American people, and stood with the gun lobby. The American people deserve leaders who will protect them and represent their interests, not the interests of the corporate gun lobby. We will do whatever it takes to ensure Americans know that their elected representatives in Washington betrayed them. Yesterday, the Senate failed us, New York Sen. Chuck Schumer wrote in a letter to his constituents. Even after everything weve been through, even after Orlando, Senate Republicans once again voted down a series of common sense amendments that would have prevented suspected terrorists from buying guns and closed the gun show loophole in our background checks system. Im deeply disappointed, Schumer continued. No, Im not just disappointed I am truly, unshakably, terrifically angry. We have seen too much tragedy to let Senate Republicans do this to America again. Its time to change our Senate. Far too many of my Republican colleagues are happily following the NRAs lead to keep our dangerous gun policies in place. Its time to get Republicans in the NRAs pocket out of the Senate and get pro-gun safety Democrats in. Its always the same, Nevada Sen. Harry Reid told Reuters. After each tragedy, we try we Democrats try to pass sensible gun safety measures. Sadly, our efforts are blocked by the Republican Congress who take their marching orders from the National Rifle Association. Senior Senate aides told the news service they were hopeful that a compromise proposal by Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins to bar gun purchases by those on the no-fly list would get voted on later this week. Earlier Monday, Mathew Soto, whose sister, Sandy Hook teacher Victoria Soto, was killed in the school shootings, expressed his disgust. No one should ever be put in that position again, Soto said outside a hearing in a lawsuit brought by 10 Newtown families against the maker of the gun used at Sandy Hook. Yet so many families have to go through that process in this country. Because our country cannot come together on the issue of assault rifles, mass shootings will continue. Related slideshows: Slideshow: Orlando continues to mourn victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting >>> Slideshow: Obama visits families of the Orlando massacre victims >>> Slideshow: Funerals and memorials for slain Orlando victims >>> Slideshow: Victims of the Florida nightclub shooting >>> Slideshow: Front-page coverage of the Orlando mass shooting >>> Slideshow: World reacts to Orlando mass shooting >>> Slideshow: Shooting rampage at Florida nightclub >>> The U.S. Senate on Monday voted down a series of bills that would tighten restrictions on firearm sales despite renewed calls for gun control in the wake of the Orlando nightclub massacre. The Republicans, who hold the majority, and other National Rifle Association allies in the Senate, nixed four bills aimed at keeping firearms away from people on terrorism watch lists. Critics argued the bills were too restrictive and violated Americans' constitutional right to bear arms. Read: Hillary Clinton Clinches Democratic Nomination, Becomes First Woman to Lead Major Party's Ticket Bill supporters, most of them Democrats, assailed opponents, who they characterized as operating in the pocket of the NRA. "What am I going to tell the community of Orlando?" asked Senator Bill Nelson after the votes. "Sadly, what I'm going to tell them is the NRA won again." Nelson's home state of Florida saw the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history June 12 when authorities say Omar Mateen stormed Pulse, a gay hotspot, and slaughtered down 49 people with an AR-15 style assault rifle. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell rebuffed Democratic suggestions that Republicans are doing nothing to combat gun violence. Read: House Speaker Paul Ryan Blasts Trump's Judge Comments as 'Textbook Racism' "No one wants terrorists to be able to buy guns," the Kentucky Republican said. "[We] are pursuing real solutions that can help keep Americans safer from the threat of terrorism." The votes came after Senator Chris Murphy, a Republican from Connecticut, led a nearly 15-hour filibuster last week in response to the Orlando attack. The move to strengthen gun laws would also be in sync with a shift in Americans' views, which polls show are increasingly in favor of such restrictions. Watch: If Trump is President This Canadian Island Welcomes Americans to Move There Related Articles: By Richard Cowan and John Whitesides WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate on Monday rejected four measures restricting gun sales after last week's massacre in an Orlando nightclub, dealing a bitter setback to advocates who have failed to get even modest gun curbs through Congress despite repeated mass shootings. A group of senators was still hoping to forge a compromise for later in the week aimed at keeping firearms away from people on terrorism watch lists, although that effort faced an uphill battle with critics in both parties skeptical about its chances. Last week's massacre, the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, had intensified pressure on lawmakers, who moved swiftly to take the issue to the Senate floor. But the gun-control measures lost in largely party-line votes that showed the lingering political power in Congress of gun rights defenders and the National Rifle Association. Republicans and their allies in the NRA gun lobby said the Democratic bills were too restrictive and trampled on the constitutional right to bear arms. Democrats attacked the Republicans' two proposals as too weak and accused them of being in the thrall of the NRA. "What am I going to tell the community of Orlando?" asked Democratic Senator Bill Nelson of Florida after the votes. "Sadly, what Im going to tell them is the NRA won again." Chris Cox, executive director of the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action, attacked the Democrats' amendments and thanked Republicans for rejecting them. "Today, the American people witnessed an embarrassing display in the United States," he said. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, said the Democratic measures were ineffective and Republican senators "are pursuing real solutions that can help keep Americans safer from the threat of terrorism." As the parties remain largely locked in their positions, polls show Americans are increasingly in favor of more restrictions on guns in a country with more than 310 million weapons, about one for every citizen. The issue is already a prominent one for voters in November elections. Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton supports new gun restrictions, while Republican Donald Trump expressed a willingness to talk to the NRA about the issue. After the votes, Clinton issued a one-word statement: "Enough." It was followed by the names and ages of the dead in Orlando. Gun control efforts failed after mass shootings at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012 and a conference center in San Bernardino, California, in 2015. But some senators see resistance to gun restrictions softening as national security looms larger in the debate. The Orlando gunman, Omar Mateen, pledged allegiance to the militant group Islamic State as he killed 49 people in a gay nightclub. "This country is under attack ... it's not a plane or an explosive device, it's an assault weapon," said Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat who led a 15-hour filibuster last week to draw attention to the effort to restrict guns. 'SHAME ON EVERY SINGLE SENATOR' Murphy walked off the floor after the Senate votes and embraced Erica Smegielski, the daughter of Dawn Hochsprung, a Sandy Hook principal killed during the Newtown shooting. "He said, the good thing about me and you is were young, well be at this a long time," said Smegielski, 30. A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted last week found that 71 percent of Americans favor at least moderate regulations and restrictions on gun sales. That compared with 60 percent in late 2013 and late 2014. Senior Senate aides left open the possibility of other votes later in the week on unspecified gun control proposals. Some Republicans pinned hopes on a proposal by Senator Susan Collins, a Maine Republican, which was not one of the four bills being considered on Monday. Collins' plan would restrict gun purchases to a narrow group of suspects, including those on a "no-fly" list or a "selectee" list of people who require additional screening at airports.. But Democratic aides said people credibly suspected of involvement in terrorism would not be covered by the weapons ban under Collins' bill, and a Republican aide indicated it would not do enough to protect the constitutional rights of gun buyers. Even if the Senate approved a gun compromise, it would also have to be passed by the more conservative, Republican-majority House of Representatives. House Republican leadership aides did not comment on the possibility that any bills proposing gun restrictions would be considered on the House floor this week. On Monday, all four of the measures to expand background checks on gun buyers and curb gun sales to those on terrorism watch lists - two put forth by Democrats and two by Republicans - fell short of the 60 votes needed for passage in the 100-member chamber. Gun-control advocates expressed disappointment after the vote and vowed to take revenge on lawmakers at the ballot box in November. "Shame on every single senator who voted against these life-saving amendments and protected the rights of terrorists and other dangerous people to buy guns," said Dan Gross, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. "The Brady Campaign will expose these politicians for who they really are and call out their failure to disarm hate in America." (Additional reporting by Amanda Becker and Emily Stephenson; Writing by John Whitesides; Editing by Alistair Bell and Mary Milliken) Seth Meyers continues to hatch plans to get Donald Trump out of the presidential race as D.C. Republicans duck into elevators to dodge questions about their presumptive nominee and even Vladimir Putin is distancing himself from Trump. Meyers noted one former Trump adviser told Politico last week that the candidate probably would agree to drop out for $150M. Yes, Trump scoffed at that idea at a recent rally speech, but he added, Now, for $5 billion I guess wed have to think about it, right? Its a hard no on $150 million, but hell think about it for $5B. Now, based on everything I read in The Art of the Deal, Im thinking we could put this thing to bed for $2.5B, Meyers said. And he knows who will pay for it. Last week, after banning Trump from appearing on his late-night show, so long as Washington Post is banned from Trump campaign events, Meyers took his first stab at getting Trump out of the race. He offered the former NBC reality-TV star a starring role in a new scripted NBC drama, playing POTUS but without any of the responsibility, or expense. We can even write a scene for you where a judge outright admits hes biased against you because hes Hispanic and hes jealous because he couldnt get into Trump University and had to go to a lesser school, like Harvard, Meyers said, promising that Jimmy Smits would play the judge. [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc6aBFSrke0&w=620&h=340] Related stories Late-Night Shows & Politics Are Perfect Running Mates This Election Season Stephen Colbert Celebrates Donald Trump Firing Corey Lewandowski Donald Trump Fires "Friend Of Mine" Corey Lewandowski; Calls For "Different Kind Of Campaign" - Update NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / June 21, 2016 / Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC reminds investors that a securities class action has been filed against certain officers of SunEdison Inc. ("SunEdison" or the "Company") (SUNE) in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri on behalf of those who purchased shares of Vivint Solar, Inc. ("Vivint Solar" or the "Company") (VSLR) during the period between the July 20, 2015 and March 7, 2016, inclusive (the "Class Period"). Vivint Solar, Inc. is an American solar energy company. In July 2015 SunEdison and Vivint announced a merger that SunEdison would acquire Vivint. Following this release, Vivint's stock increased $4.87, or roughly 44.8%, to close at $15.75 per share. On February 24, 2016, at the Vivint's shareholders meeting, investors voted in favor of the SunEdison merger. The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operational and compliance policies. Particularly, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) SunEdison would not be able to attain financing for the acquisition of Vivint; (2) SunEdison's earnings were less than Defendants had stated; (3) SunEdison would be unable to complete the acquisition of Vivint; and (4) consequentially, Defendants' statements regarding the SunEdison and Vivint merger were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. On February 29, 2016, post-market, SunEdison filed a Notification of Late Filing on Form 12b-25 with the SEC, unveiling that it would be late to file its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015. The Notification of Late Filing included information that in late 2015, former SunEdison executives had made accusations of the truthfulness in SunEdison's financial statements. Following this news, Vivint stock dropped $1.37 per share, or more than 17%, to close at $6.52 per share on March 1, 2016. On March 2, 2016, The Wall Street Journal printed an article, "SunEdison's Takeover of Vivint Solar in Jeopardy as Banks Balk" explaining how the Vivint-SunEdison merger was at risk. Following this news, Vivint stock dropped $1.63 per share, or 25%, to close at $4.89 per share on March 2, 2016. On March 8, 2016, Vivint announced the Merger Agreement was cancelled. On that same day Vivint also filed a lawsuit against SunEdison in Delaware Chancery Court claiming it breached the contract. Following this news, Vivint stock dropped $1.04 per share, or roughly 20%, to close at $5.21 per share on March 7, 2016. No Class has yet been certified in the above action. If you wish to review a copy of the Complaint, please visit the firm's site: http://www.bgandg.com/#!vslr/wwxww. You can also contact Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or his Investor Relations Analyst, Yael Hurwitz of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC at 212-697-6484 or via email info@bgandg.com. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address and telephone number. If you suffered a loss in Vivint Solar you have until July 5, 2016 to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as a lead plaintiff. Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a corporate litigation boutique. Our primary expertise is the aggressive pursuit of litigation claims on behalf of our clients. In addition to representing institutions and other investor plaintiffs in class action security litigation, the firm's expertise includes general corporate and commercial litigation, as well as securities arbitration. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Contact: Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC Peretz Bronstein or Yael Hurwitz 212-697-6484 | info@bgandg.com SOURCE: Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / June 21, 2016 / The following statement is being issued by Levi & Korsinsky, LLP: To: All Persons or Entities who purchased American Science and Engineering, Inc. (ASEI) stock prior to June 21, 2016 . You are hereby notified that Levi & Korsinsky, LLP has commenced an investigation into the fairness of the sale of American Science and Engineering (ASEI) to OSI Systems, Inc. (OSIS) for $37.00 per share. To learn more about the action and your rights, go to: http://zlk.9nl.com/american-science-engineering or contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. either via email at jlevi@zlk.com or by telephone at (212) 363-7500, toll-free: (877) 363-5972. There is no cost or obligation to you. Levi & Korsinsky is a national firm with offices in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, California, and Washington, D.C. The firm's attorneys have extensive expertise in prosecuting securities litigation involving financial fraud, representing investors throughout the nation in securities lawsuits and have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved shareholders. For more information, please feel free to contact any of the attorneys listed below. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Levi & Korsinsky, LLP Joseph Levi, Esq. Eduard Korsinsky, Esq. 30 Broad Street - 24th Floor New York, NY 10004 Tel: (212) 363-7500 Toll Free: (877) 363-5972 Fax: (212) 363-7171 www.zlk.com SOURCE: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP Season two of Amazon's hilariously ribald comedy Catastrophe leaps forward to more than a year after Sharon and Rob - played by co-creators Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney - had the child whose birth abruptly ended season one. She's pregnant again, indicating that the couple who met during a fling - Rob is an American businessman who sleeps with teacher Sharon during a trip to London - not only succeeded in making a go of things, but also have settled into the kind of marriage and family life that is all too real to the show's dedicated viewers. There are cringe-worthy sexual negotiations - Her: "You can do it between my thighs, but just come on your own stomach." Him: "You drive a hard bargain, but I agree to your terms." - commingled with more serious topics: a parent's dementia, Rob's sobriety, a closeted friend. Like everything in the series, Horgan's housewife-in-headlights alter ego - an outcast at mommy-and-me class, she refers to the other women there as "mombies" - is the carefully constructed result of an atypical writing partnership between the series creators. Horgan - who also is behind the upcoming HBO comedy Divorce, starring Sarah Jessica Parker, and the star of yet another series, IFC's The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret - spoke with THR about the delicate imbalance of her writing life. How would you describe your writing process with Rob Delaney? Do you sit in a room together? Send emails? It's a mixture of everything because for the first season of Catastrophe, and for half of the second season, we lived on different continents. We'd get together when we could but otherwise it would be a mixture of Skype and emails. We have this fantastic arrangement simply because we're in two completely different time zones. I would work during the day and then he would get [my notes] as he was waking up. And then he would work during the day and in the morning I would have a whole lovely bunch of new stuff to get going with. It was not only economical, because you got double the amount that you could normally get done, but it was also just kind of fun, you know? What we would do then is get together with six rough episodes. That's when we'd sit side by side and start reading out loud and hearing if the words sounded like the characters. We can work out if a joke is working immediately, if it sounds true. Read More: 'Catastrophe' Season 2: TV Review So a more traditional writers room probably wouldn't work. Can you even imagine having other people in the room with you both? Well, it's funny you should say that, because due to time constraints and commitments, we have thought about [a writers room] for the next season and it's something we're very nervous about. We're meeting people just to see if there is any way for it to work, maybe just have someone in the room who is a bit of a sounding board. It's hard to write more than six episodes when it's just me and Rob because they really do take four or five months. Of course, if you had a bunch of great people doing it with you, it would be half that time. So, of course, we'd like to write more episodes because people ask us for more, and more episodes make more money and more people happy. If we could, we would. It's just that in this style - which I guess is more of a British style - it's trickier. Horgan and Delaney say they bring a lot from their respective marriages and families to Catastrophe. The characters Rob and Sharon are anything but perfect. How hard is it to be unapologetically real while still making them sympathetic to viewers? We do discuss that, actually - and we have people around us who make us aware of that. But we lost our fear a little bit after we saw the pilot. Reading from the page, things that would have sounded unnecessarily harsh - it's really just these two people being very straightforward and not painting any rosy pictures about the future for themselves or about life in general - seemed mellow when they're on the screen. What we have to do is go through scripts with a fine-tooth comb and make sure there isn't anything too sentimental from him or too harsh from her; we don't want her to come across as a shrew or for him to come across as a pussy. How have you adapted your writing process from a series like Catastrophe to your next project, HBO's Divorce? With Divorce I had to adapt to a writers room because I had never done that before. I had to realize there was more than one opinion; you might think you're right, but there are five other people who are also right, just in a different way. So the adaptation there was learning to release control a little. When I first started writing, it was for network pilots in the U.S. They were very aware of who they had to make happy: There is a different set of rules, and you have to respond to notes - some that you wouldn't necessarily agree with. You have to be ready for the show to change shape, but also be prepared to work hard to keep it funny or keep it in your voice. That was all something I wasn't used to, because in the U.K., we were just given carte blanche to do what we wanted. Read More: 'Tonight Show' Writers Dish on the "Jimmy Fallon" Filter, How to Recover When a Joke Bombs (Guest Column) As a writer, how do you approach being creative in this age of peak TV? Well, it makes you work harder and it makes you really stretch yourself because there is so much good TV out there. You can't just punk it out; you really have to find a way for your show to resonate with people, because if it doesn't, there are 10 other shows behind you that will. In terms of standing out, I'm not really one for trying to find a format that's never been done before. If it comes organically - whether a science-fiction idea or a show set on a horse farm - great, if you've got something to say. The real problem is repeating yourself. Horgan created and writes for HBO's upcoming Divorce, starring Sarah Jessica Parker (below, with Thomas Haden Church). How much of you is in Sharon? I didn't really try that hard to separate myself from the character. There's so much of me in there. I enjoy giving her things to say that even I would find tough in certain situations. I use her to vent my feelings, and it's actually very therapeutic. Audiences, and particularly women, respond to the fact that she's allowed to be selfish and flawed and tired and unhappy - for her still to be likeable is the challenge. Life changes, there's always new pressures and difficulties, but it's Rob and Sharon's way of dealing with them that keeps the show interesting. They use that gallows humor to get through things. They've always done that. They've always laughed in the darkest of places. How do you switch gears between all your current projects? You've just got to compartmentalize things. I work hard. I stop doing one thing and start doing another. There is no breather - that's just the way it's worked out. I wouldn't recommend it for everyone. It's tough. But I have amazing opportunities: to write a show for Sarah Jessica Parker that feels tonally very me, but at the same time very specifically is written for her and for HBO. You don't get that chance very often, so you just have to find a way to make it work. "Audiences, particularly women, respond to the fact that Sharon is allowed to be selfish and flawed and tired and unhappy." Read More: Sarah Jessica Parker's 'Divorce' Comedy Ordered to Series at HBO This story first appeared in a special Emmy issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe. Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f122244%2fd4f2a0049f074257b25939bfcf399294 The day is today, the time is almost. On the 21st of June just before 5 p.m. AEST, Australians will bid farewell to the shortest day for the year, while those in the northern hemisphere will experience their longest day: SCIENCE! The June solstice marks the highest (northern summer) or lowest (southern winter) point that the sun sits in the sky relative to the equator, at noon of that day. SEE ALSO: Google Marks the Summer Solstice With Android App Deals The June solstice was traditionally used to mark the start of the winter months, but Australia flouts the laws of science and nature. Instead, it has its seasons affixed to the first day of the appropriate month, meaning winter begins on June 1. The coldest days therefore end up in the middle of July, and, you guessed it, the middle of the southern hemisphere winter. Not to be confused with the Yuletide Pagan celebration of mid-winter in the northern hemisphere (commonly referred to as Christmas), the southern hemisphere's June solstice is *spoiler alert* definitely not Christmas. But what it lacks in Christmas joy it makes up for in perfect environmental conditions for sleeping. For 2016 there will only be a grand total of nine hours, 53 minutes and 53 seconds of daylight during the June solstice, with the sun setting at the standard bedtime for retirees and small babies: 4:54 p.m. Rejoice night-owls and homebodies alike, for Tuesday night is the last moment where night time will be longer than day time. So throw caution to the wind, go to bed early or stay up late, have a candle-lit vigil like the pagans of old, or the Great Hall at Hogwarts. For those of you who like to put your body on the line, take a leaf out of the book of the 670 all-too-eager Australians, who welcomed in the solstice early Tuesday morning with a casual nude swim in Tasmania's Derwent River. The frigid dip, which police threatened to cancel back in 2013 for being "too obscene," features every year as part of Tasmania's Dark Mofo festival, Australias own solstice celebration with vivid light, art and music installations. Oh and giant oil drums filled with fire. Story continues tasmania. Image: discover tasmania If thats not enough to get you in the party spirit, rug up and enjoy your complimentary early bedtime and yearn for a day when the daylight and evening hours are interchanged with this level of startling frequency. Daytime. Image: Pattimelt / imgur Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent, the husband-and-wife duo who perform as Shovels & Rope, will release their latest album, Little Seeds, on October 7th, and will support the release with a fall tour. Watch Shovels & Rope Tackle 'Devil' on Opry Stage Their first for New West Records, Little Seeds will also be the duo's first to consist largely of lyrics culled from their own true-life experiences and observations. But their literate tunes, infused with Southern Gothic elements and dark, quirky humor, remains an integral part of this, their fifth release and first in two years. Song subjects include the over-medication of children ("Johnny Come Outside"), Alzheimer's disease ("Invisible Man") and racial unity ("BWYR"). Shovels & Rope's last release, 2015's Busted Jukebox Vol. 1, saw the couple covering the likes of Neil Young and Elvis Costello. Their last LP of all original material, Swimmin' Time, was released in 2014, the year they took their unique sound that in many ways owes as much to vintage punk as to classic country to Bonnaroo and to the stage of the Grand Ole Opry. In 2013, they won the Americana Music Association's Emerging Artist award, as well as a trophy for their song, "Birmingham." Little Seeds was recorded in the couple's Charleston, South Carolina, home studio. Produced by Trent, he and his wife wrote all the songs and played every instrument. See the album's track list below, followed by a list of their fall tour dates. Little Seeds track listing: "I Know" "Botched Execution" "St Annes Parade" "The Last Hawk" "Buffalo Nickel" "Mourning Song" "Invisible Man" "Johnny Come Outside" "Missionary Ridge" "San Andreas Fault Line Blues" "BWYR" "Eric's Birthday" "This Ride" Shovels & Rope Fall Tour 2016: September 29th Knoxville, TN @ Bijou Theatre Story continues September 30th Indianapolis, IN @ Vogue October 3rd Iowa City, IA @ Englert Theater October 5th Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue October 6th and 7th Chicago @ Thalia Hall October 8th Madison, WI @ Barrymore Theatre October 10th Detroit @ St. Andrews Hall October 11th Toronto, Canada @ Phoenix Concert Theatre October 13th Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground October 14th Boston @ House of Blues October 15th Philadelphia @ Union Transfer October 17th Brooklyn @ Music Hall of Williamsburg October 18th and 19th Manhattan @ Bowery Ballroom October 21st Washington, D.C. @ 9:30 Club October 22nd Charlottesville, VA @ Jefferson Theater October 23rd Charleston, WV @ Mountain Stage November 2nd Los Angeles @ Fonda Theatre November 3rd and 4th San Francisco @ The Fillmore November 5th Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater November 9th Vancouver, Canada @ Commodore Ballroom November 11th Bellingham, WA @ Wild Buffalo House of Music November 12th Seattle @ Showbox SoDo November 13th Missoula, MT @ The Wilma November 15th Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory November 17th Salt Lake City @ The Depot November 18th and 19th Denver @ Ogden Theatre Related Indian civil rights activist and journalist, Teesta Setalvad and her husband Javed Anands NGO, Sabrang Trust recently lost its FCRA (Foreign Contribution Regulation Act) registration for allegedly violating its provisions. As per the order, during 2010-11 and 2011-12, the NGO incurred 65 per cent of foreign contribution on administrative expenditure, which is not allowed, hence leading to FCRA violations. In addition, while the NGO has been registered for educational and social purposes, it spent a substantial amount of the foreign contribution that it had received on cultural activities. Many other similar alleged violations have all contributed to the cancellation. The FCRA was passed in 2010 to regulate how organisations use foreign funds and foreign hospitality. Over the last few years, the Government has placed a number of international NGOs and foreign donors under the scanner for pumping money into various local NGOs that have been involved in protests against developmental projects. An Intelligence Bureau report in July 2014, had alleged that these protests against developmental projects had led to a loss of 2 to 3 percent to Indias Gross Domestic Product (GDP). We take a look at six NGOs that have been in the Governments watchlist for violating FCRA norms: Greenpeace India: The Indian wing of the international environmental NGO has constantly been in loggerheads with the Indian Government. The NGO had its FCRA registration cancelled in September 2015, with the order stating that the organisation has continued to violate FCRA norms. Earlier, in April 2015, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had suspended its license for allegedly opening five accounts to use foreign donations, without informing the authorities about it. In its dossier, the MHA stated that the Agency had transferred Rs. 53 crores into its accounts without informing the Ministry. The MHA had also accused Greenpeace India of mixing foreign and domestic funds and not disclosing the movement of these funds, correctly. On its part, Greenpeace India replied that it would continue its campaign despite the governments onslaught against the communitys right to dissent. The organisation also accused the government of targeting it because of its campaigns against the proposed coal and power projects in India. Story continues Caritas Internationalis India: In June 2015, Caritas International, the social arm of the Vatican, was included in the list of overseas organisations that require prior permission before receiving foreign funds. The organisation was accused of indulging in anti-India activities such as launching protests against the Kudankulam nuclear project, and for using foreign money to fund political activity, in violation of the FCRA provisions. Caritas, on its part, reiterated that the organisation has been complying with FCRA rules in a transparent manner, and has been working with the government on humanitarian projects. In India, Caritas is involved in various community development projects, such as emergency response, promoting rights of indigenous communities and community health, working in partnership with the government and over 350 NGOs across the country. Indian Social Action Forum: In April 2013, the MHA ordered the suspension of the FCRA registration of INSAF (Indian Social Action Forum), which is a national forum of over 700 grassroots movements and NGOs in India, without any prior notice or being given any reason. The organisation went to court challenging the MHAs action, stating that the government had not followed due procedures while cancelling the registration. In October, 2013, the Delhi High Court overturned the cancellation on the grounds that it did not find any reason to uphold the suspension of the FCRA license. Centre for Promotion and Social Concerns: A charitable trust which runs a programme called Peoples Watch that undertakes programs on Human Rights Monitoring, Human Rights Education and Rehabilitation Centre, the Centre for Promotion of Social Concerns (CPSC) had its FCRA license suspended three times from 16 July 2012 and 16 March 2014. Though the organisation went to court citing the INSAF case, and the court ruled in its favour, asking MHA to let the CPSC operate its bank accounts, it is still awaiting its FCRA license renewal. Lawyers Collective: In June, 2016, the Government suspended the FCRA registration of Lawyers Collective, an advocacy NGO founded by activist lawyers Indira Jaisingh and Anand Grover, for six months for violating the FCRA law on various counts. The Government also alleged that while she was the Additional Solicitor General from 2009 to 2014, Jaising had received remuneration to the tune of Rs. 96 lakh from the NGOs foreign funds, and travelled abroad without any intimation to or approval under the provisions of FCRA 2010. Ford Foundation: In April, 2015, the New York headquartered private funding organisation, Ford Foundation, was placed on the governments prior permission list, for allegedly funding NGOs that were not registered under the FCRA, and for funding a political party through an NGO. The international donor strongly refuted the charges and much pressure was applied by the US, and it was taken off the watch list, after Ford Foundation agreed to register under the Foreign Exchange Management Act and move from FCRA. 626702 By Tatiana Cirisano & Graham Corrigan The West Coast has always been a bedrock of hip-hop. But in 2016, that extends past the historical twin pillars of Los Angeles and the Bay Area. Theres talent making waves in Portland and Sacramento, and everywhere in betweenso much so that we cant keep track of it all. So we asked the artists who already had our attention for some recommendations. Some are longtime collaborators, others are recent acquaintances. But they all call the West Coast home. Related: Five Florida Rappers and the Florida Rappers Theyre Listening To Domo Genesis Domo Genesis Photo credit: Carrington Scott Hometown: Inglewood, CA You probably heard Domo Genesis before you heard of him. The 25-year-old Inglewood rapper spent years spitting verses alongside the likes of Tyler, the Creator and Earl Sweatshirt as a founding member of OFWGKTA. But the artist born Dominique Cole continues to prove that hes not to be underestimated. Domo stepped out solo in March with Genesis, his first full-length EP. Its stacked with top-tier guests like Mac Miller, Wiz Khalifa, and Anderson .Paak. Though he still keeps his ties with the OF gangGenesis was released via Odd Future, and contains a feature from TylerDomo is shedding his reputation as the rap collectives token stoner rapper and quickly becoming a mature, seasoned star of his own accord. But as real fans will know, Domos been a star all along. With his debut mixtape, 2010s Rolling Papers, the rapper quietly laid the groundwork for his signature rhymes and mellow mood; the string of mixtapes (Under the Influence, No Idols, Under the Influence 2) that followed only sealed the deal. With the tapes, Domo made a case for his soulful vocals and smooth, jazzy productionand thats a reputation that has taken center stage today. Domo Genesis recommends: Boogie Domo Genesis recommends: Boogie Image via YouTube Hometown: Compton, CA Domo Genesis says: Boogie is sick. I just saw him perform at SXSW and he killed it. I didnt know much about him at first but hes dope. I saw him perform live without hearing any of his music, and it made me go out and search. His energy is crazy. Hes from Compton but he doesnt sound the same as everyone else popping off there, he doesnt sound like YG. He has his own lane. Oh My is great. Im excited for whatever hes doing with Game right now. Story continues Amine Amine Hometown: Portland, OR Calling Brio, last summers project from Portland rapper Amine, gets its title from the Latin word for vigor. The phrase is also a perfect description of the rappers sound: vibrant, bouncy and scattered with tribal beats, Amine oozes energy. Born Adam Daniel, Amine (pronounced uh-mean-aye) has already racked up more than 500,000 plays for his latest release, Caroline, a head-knocking, tongue-in-cheek jam about a crush. And its not hard to see why. With Amines rhythmic, theatrical vocals, and sunny, infectious beats, the artist is quickly becoming our go-to for summer vibes. Maybe the artists best quality is that hes not afraid to have a little fun: if you need proof, just watch Amines self-directed video for the new track, in which the rapper and friends ride around Portland, eating bananas in the backseat and dancing on sidewalks. Amine recommends: Odie & Ya'qob Amine recommends: Odie & Ya'qob Hometown: Bay Area, CA Amine says: Shouts out my niggas Odie & Yaqob. I love this song because it just connects with me personally. If youve been out here on your own then you will appreciate this. Listen to my West Coast killas right fucking now. clipping. clipping. Image via clipping. / Photo by Sarah Sitkin Hometown: Los Angeles, CA As one third of clipping., William Hutson is on the forefront of rap musicanyone familiar with the Los Angeles trio knows how the group is constantly pushing their sound forward into weirder, darker, more jagged directions. Their latest EP, Wriggle, dives further into the violent, distorted world of drugs and dancing. Theyve added a couple of similarly deranged voices this time tooANTWON makes a memorable appearance on Back Up, and Nailah Middleton adds a sultry, subtle hook on Our Time. But the title track is classic clipping.hectic, loud, viciously smart, funny, and abrasive. clipping. recommends: Cam and China clipping. recommends: Cam and China Image via SoundCloud Hometown: Los Angeles, CA William Hutson says: The three of us [in clipping.] were in college during the height of hyphy in the Bay and jerk Music in LA, and as a result that music was formative. I think the influence of that era can be heard in a lot of contemporary West Coast rap, but many of the artists themselves have disappeared. Thankfully, Cam and Chinathe standout members of LAs Pink Dollazare making music again. The duo have released a handful of loosies over the past year, all of which have us excited for an album or full length mixtape in the future. Theyve definitely grown as rappers and as songwriters and I can imagine them really blowing up. Boogie Boogie Image via Boogie on Facebook Hometown: Compton, CA Its been a year since Oh My was in contention for song of the summer, but Boogie didnt get stuck in his ways after that first hit. The music hes released since shows an impressive range of styles and contentThe Reach was appropriately released on his young sons birthday. Fatherhood, fame, and their complex fusions are central to Boogies stories. Hes been touring heavily since the mixtapes release, and as this lists other participants can attest, Boogies live show is just as electric as his studio material. Boogie recommends: KB Devaughn Boogie recommends: KB Devaughn Image via Twitter Hometown: Inglewood, CA Boogie says: KB Devaughn, hes like my protege. He reminds me so much of myself at a younger age, but better. He raps with his emotions and hes vulnerable with his music, just like me. Thats the little homie. The Last Artful, Dodgr The Last Artful, Dodgr Image via The Last Artful, Dodgr Hometown: Portland, OR via Los Angeles The Last Artful, Dodgr is one of Portlands most exciting new voices. We mean that both waysher style and production is a breath of fresh air, and her vocals occupy an otherworldly, almost alien space in the helium octaves. Squadron was the track that got our attention, and Dodgr hasnt slowed downshe just released the Rare Treat EP with Myke Bogan, and theres more to come. For someone whose career is just beginning, Dodgr already sounds supremely confident on tracks, and shes putting Portland on the map as a result. The Last Artful, Dodgr recommends: Myke Bogan The Last Artful, Dodgr recommends: Myke Bogan Image via SoundCloud Hometown: Portland, OR Myke Bogans voice is as memorable as it gets. His style is so effortless and true to self that its hard to compare him to anyone. The kid also stays releasing killer visuals, which is what made me a fan to begin with. Keep an eye out for Myke Bogan. Youll be glad you did. Mozzy Mozzy Hometown: Sacramento, CA Its hard to keep up with Tim Patterson, A.K.A. Lil Tim, and most recently, Mozzy. The Oak Park rapper released four full-length solo albums in 2015, including the highly-lauded Bladadah, not to mention a growing collection of collabs with the likes of YG, Nef the Pharaoh, and Philthy Rich. Known for his dark, brutal, and vividly honest verses that often refer to violence, drugs, and his time in jail, Mozzy has been building buzz back home for some time. But as he continues to pump out new projects like the recently-dropped Mandatory Check, his name is starting to spread beyond the West Coast. Theres good reason: while other rappers violent verses may come across as glorifications of gang life, Mozzys are instead impressive and provocative in their honesty. Couple that with his sharp, hard-hitting vocals and finger-snapping beats, and youve got a rapper poised to take it to the next level. Mozzy recommends: Lil Blood Mozzy recommends: Lil Blood Image via Lil Blood Hometown: Oakland, CA Mozzy says: Lil Blood is who I listen to right now and not just because he raps my life. He speaks on the struggles and activities that I see on a daily. Uncut, non-fiction. More from Pigeons & Planes London (AFP) - London's City finance district is set for a sleepless night Thursday as traders hunker down to await the hotly-anticipated EU referendum result. Global stock markets rallied Monday as investors cheered polls suggesting Britons may choose to stay in the European Union in the crunch vote. But with three days to go, the "Remain" camp is still neck-and-neck with the "Leave" campaign in the main polling average, despite modest gains. With all the world's eyes on London, the British capital financial hub -- known as the Square Mile -- is preparing for an anxious night shift. The official result is not expected until the early hours on Friday but some hedge funds and banks have reportedly commissioned private exit polls, which could make the value of the pound the key index to watch on referendum night as traders move money based on the results. - 'Hopping in and out of office' - Alan Clarke, head of European fixed income strategy at Scotiabank, is among those who have made special sleeping arrangements for Thursday. "I am going to be staying in a hotel very near the office and hopping in and out of the office through the night depending on how things are going," Clarke told AFP. "It is a balancing act -- being on top of the issues/outcome working in the early hours, versus being top of your game on the Friday when the result is clearer. I'm hoping to find the middle-ground," said Clarke, who lives in Cambridge. A Brexit would likely spark a slump in the pound and with "contagion effects" hitting markets worldwide, the International Monetary Fund has warned. The country's possible withdrawal from the 28-nation bloc has stoked fears of a blow to the economy of both Britain and the EU, with ripple effects throughout a weak global economy. At Dutch lender Rabobank, the foreign exchange trading division will remain up and running throughout Thursday night and into Friday. Story continues Some Rabobank staffers may also stay in hotels on Thursday to allow for an early start. "In addition to our regular Hong Kong team, the foreign exchange trading desk will be staffed all night in London," said senior currency strategist Jane Foley. "E-commerce will also be working all night to ensure a smooth running of our electronic platform." Other major banks, including Barclays, HSBC, Morgan Stanley and BNY Mellon, have also confirmed plans to boost staffing levels to monitor any volatile market moves and advise clients. The referendum outcome is seen all the more uncertain after most pollsters failed to predict a win for British Prime Minister David Cameron's Conservative in last year's general election. "If we have learnt anything from recent elections, it's that opinion polls are not gospel and may well shift over the coming days again, driving yet more volatility," said Joe Rundle, head of trading at ETX Capital. - Mopping up a bloodbath? - The Spreadex trading firm has decided to double the number of London traders on Thursday night. "In either eventuality -- be it Brexit or no Brexit -- the traders are expected to be very busy," Spreadex analyst Connor Campbell told AFP. "If Britain chooses to leave the EU the immediate market ramifications are clear, and Spreadex will require all hands on deck to mop up the bloodbath. "If the country opts to remain in the EU, on the other hand, an influx of fresh traders, and the return of those who had sat out the run-up, will still mean the desk will be busier than usual." But Adam Jepsen, founder of trading firm Financial Spreads, recommended a more laid-back approach to the referendum result. "A simple solution is to sit on your hands," he wrote in a note to clients. "Just watch Euro 2016, take up a hobby, learn how to play Minecraft, take care of that errand you have been putting off for two months or finish the DIY you've been putting off for two years. "There will be plenty of trading opportunities after the result has been announced and the markets have had a little time to calm down." When police stormed four gay bathhouses in Toronto on Feb. 5, 1981, patrons were mocked, humiliated and arrested by the hundreds.The raids outed men who considered the private clubs a sanctuary, free from the hostility of a populace who disapproved of, or didnt understand, intimacy between men.On Wednesday, Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders will make a historic apology for the raids at his annual Pride reception at police headquarters, the Star has learned. He will also apologize for a 2000 raid by six male officers on Club Toronto during a womens bathhouse event known as the ***** Palace. Police claimed to be searching for liquor violations. Many of the women were nude and felt violated, according to a story in the Star. Police settled a civil suit in 2005.The Toronto Police Service worked with prominent gay activist Rev. Brent Hawkes to craft the apology, a source said. The chiefs event will be an acknowledgment of the past and a commitment to efforts going forward, with new initiatives that speak directly to the LGBTQ community, the source said.Saunders plans to march in the Pride Parade on July 3, following in the footsteps of Bill Blair who became the first Toronto police chief to do so in 2005.Dennis Findlay, who was part of a legal defence committee formed after the 1981 raids, said the apology is a long-time coming.They did wrong, said Findlay, president of the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives. This was their attempt to slap us into the closet, big time . . . but it didnt work.Ninety per cent of the charges were dismissed by judges.Critics said the raids criminalized men for being gay and persecuted a group with no human rights protections, who could be fired from their jobs and shunned by their families.No public figure police officer or politician has ever accepted responsibility.It would be interesting to know who did give the order, said Tim McCaskell, who covered the raids for the Body Politic, a gay newspaper, and later joined the Right To Privacy Committee and organized demonstrations. Lets have some real truth here.Anger over the raids spread quickly and politicized gays and lesbians alike, who had previously clashed in debates over sexism and feminism. The cohesion gave rise to the gay rights movement in Toronto.The night after the raids, 3,000 demonstrators, mostly gay men who typically feared visibility, marched down Yonge St. and confronted police, yelling resign, resign, resign.The raids were probably the best thing that happened to our community ever, said Findlay, adding they also brought together the public at large. Even if you were not supportive of the gay community, you realized that this was an attack on civil liberties.The Feb. 5 raids took place after a six-month investigation by the Metro force, whose officers infiltrated the clubs. At 11 p.m., more than 100 police armed with crowbars and sledgehammers broke down bathhouse doors, dragging men, draped only in towels, into lobbies and charged them. About 300 people were arrested with being owners or found-ins of a common bawdy house a house of prostitution and given a public court date to face charges.Many of the men considered themselves patrons of private clubs where rooms could be rented for anonymous sex, one of the few safe spaces for gay men at the time. Homosexuality had only been decriminalized in 1969 and the vast majority of gay men were deep, deep, deep in the closet, McCaskell said.The typical Toronto resident wouldnt have known what a bathhouse was, said Sen. Art Eggleton, who was then mayor of Toronto but said he had no foreknowledge of the raids.McCaskell said he was numb as he watched men, many of them frightened, being dragged out of the Mutual St. bathhouse. But I started getting furious as well because, really, these places had been open as long as anybody could remember.The demonstration the next night came together within 12 hours an astonishing feat, said McCaskell, in the days before email, when handing out flyers in the straight-owned gay bars on Yonge St. was discouraged.As the anger boiled over, many gay activists stepped up and began working tirelessly for their rights. A legal defence committee was formed and raised more than $200,000 to pay for lawyers to represent the accused, although more than 30 stepped up to do the work pro bono. Findlay represented 12 men himself and got the charges dropped, either because officers werent able to identify the accused or because the defendant had a reason for using the bathhouses gym or pool.McCaskell said theories persist about who orchestrated the raids. Some thought it was the responsibility of mid-level sergeants who wanted to humiliate George Hislop, who had been the first openly gay man to run for city council. (Hislop lost.) The businessman owned a stake in the Barracks also raided that night.Others thought it was a provincial directive under a law-and-order campaign orchestrated in the run-up to the provincial election that March. Roy McMurtry, who was both attorney general and solicitor general at the time, was blamed, but he has denied involvement.Cleaning up the queers played to a conservative base, McCaskell said. But nobody was ever able to find the smoking gun.The Romans II Health and Recreation Spa, 742 Bay St.The club was one of four raided simultaneously at 11 p.m. Feb. 5, 1981, by police as part of what they called Operation Soap. One patron describes it as mostly featuring consensual sex between men over the age of 21 in a private room, with no money changing hands.Club Toronto, 231 Mutual St.Reporters at the time said police damaged 20 of 57 doors leading to rented rooms. Douglas Chambers, a U of T English professor, was outside warning other men not to go in. The police are ruining peoples lives, he said at the time. The address is now home to the Oasis Aqualounge sex club.The Richmond Street Health Emporium, 260 Richmond St. E.Men, some in towels and others naked, were rounded up and left in a locker room while police went through the club. The damage was so extensive that the late owner, Peter Bochove, never reopened.The Barracks, 56 Widmer St.The Barracks was once a Finnish steam bath. George Hislop was one of several owners who bought the building and reopened it in the mid-70s as a gay bathhouse, according to queerstory.ca. Hislop would become an influential activist and win survivor benefits for same-sex partners. PARIS (Reuters) - Slovakia, Hungary and Croatia were all assured of qualifying for the last 16 at Euro 2016 without kicking a ball on Tuesday after Germany beat Northern Ireland in Group C. The result from the Parc des Princes left Northern Ireland third in their group on three points and with Albania also on three points in third place in Group A it means that those three teams, who have four points, are guaranteed to be at least be among the best four third-placed finishers. Croatia take on Spain later on Tuesday looking to top Group D, Hungary will be looking for the same achievement when they meet Portugal on Wednesday. (Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by XXXX) Lyndon Rive Tesla just dropped a bombshell by revealing that it has made an offer to acquire solar panel installation company SolarCity in a deal that could be worth up to $3 billion. The surprise announcement set the tech world buzzing, not least because Tesla CEO Elon Musk is also the Chairman and largest shareholder of SolarCity. But any SolarCity employees who might be tempted to take to Twitter, Facebook, or Snapchat to chatter about the big news were quickly instructed to zip it by their CEO. In an email to SolarCity staff, CEO Lyndon Rive, provided very little information about the potential deal to his employees other than to make it clear that "its very important that we do not discuss this with anyone outside of the company, or mention it on social media or any other public forums." Here's Rive's full email to staff, which was disclosed in an SEC filing on Tuesday: "Team, I have some important news to share. I wanted to let everyone know that Tesla has made an offer to acquire SolarCity. Im really excited about this. There are tremendous synergies between these two companies; Tesla detailed some of them today in this blog post. (https://www.teslamotors.com/blog) You should know that the board and the shareholders will be considering this, and so while I am personally excited, I will be recusing myself from the decision-making process. Ultimately, the shareholders will decide. I know you will have questions about Teslas offer, and well try to answer them as best we can, as soon as we can, but there is not a lot we can say right now. In the meantime, its important we remain focused on continuing to make progress toward our company goals. Our mission to advance the adoption of renewable energy remains as important as ever. There will be a lot of outside interest in Teslas offer, and its very important that we do not discuss this with anyone outside of the company, or mention it on social media or any other public forums. Story continues If you receive any questions from the media about this, do not try to answer them, please direct them to Jonathan Bass at press@solarcity.com." NOW WATCH: This is how you're compromising your identity on Facebook More From Business Insider Joshua Waring, the son of former Real Housewives of Orange County star Lauri Peterson, was arrested for attempted murder after allegedly shooting a man in the torso on Monday, according to police. Waring, 27, allegedly fled from police in a stolen car after shooting the man in Costa Mesa, California, police told the the Los Angeles Times. When officers located the vehicle, Waring led them on a chase that ended in a standoff at a construction supply warehouse in Santa Ana. "After a brief standoff, he surrendered without further incident to the Santa Ana police," Costa Mesa police said in a news release. The charges against Waring include suspicion of attempted murder, vehicle theft, felony evading police and hit and run. His bail was set at $1 million, the OC Register reports. Related Video: VIDEO: Which RHOC Star Gets 'A Little Surgery' Done on Botched This Season? RHOC Star Gets 'A Little Surgery' Done on Botched This Season?" data-ad-channel="peoplenow" data-ad-subchannel="peoplenowupclose" data-auto-play="no"> Police are still investigating why a disagreement between the two men allegedly led to a shooting, authorities said. "Apparently there had been a previous confrontation between [Waring] and the occupants of that residence earlier, and he had returned," Costa Mesa police Lt. Paul Beckman told The Times. NBC Los Angeles" reports that the victim, Daniel Lopez, was taken to the hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries. Waring has a history of misdemeanor arrests for offenses including drug possession with intent to sell, The Times reports. He pleaded not guilty to felony charges including possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell earlier this year. The case is still pending. Son of Former Real Housewives of Orange County Star Charged with Attempted Murder After Alleged Shooting| Crime & Courts, The Real Housewives Of Orange County, The Real Housewives of..., True Crime His mother was part of The Real Housewives of Orange County cast from 2006 to 2008. Waring's drug addiction and other problems were featured in some episodes. Peterson left the show to focus on her son and adopt his young daughter. "As most of the viewers know, I have a son and he's had just a lot of challenges," Peterson told The Daily Dish in October 2015. "And he and his wife had a baby almost three years ago. Heas really struggling and, well, theyare both really struggling. And so [my husband] George and I elected to help out and we actually adopted Kennedy, and so weare raising her." Josh Waring, the son of former Real Housewives of Orange County star Lauri Peterson, was arrested early Monday morning on suspicion of attempted murder, ET can confirm. According to a press release from the Costa Mesa Police Department, the arrest was made after police in Costa Mesa, California, received word that a man was shot in his lower torso. Police say that while the victims injuries are serious, he is expected to survive. EXCLUSIVE: Andy Cohen on Teresa Giudices Return to Real Housewives of New Jersey Return Ive Seen it Three or Four Times and I Wept Every Time Witnesses at the scene of the crime identified Waring as the suspected shooter, and officials say he left in a 2011 BMW X3 SUV, which in turn was reported stolen. Police located Waring and approached him, but he attempted to flee in the vehicle. After getting into a car crash, police say Waring abandoned the vehicle and took off on foot. He then attempted to hide at a nearby business, but after a brief standoff, he surrendered to law enforcement. Waring was arrested for attempted murder, vehicle theft, felony evading, hit and run and assault and battery. While police say they found evidence in the BMW that could be linked to the attempted murder, the gun used in the crime has not been found. EXCLUSIVE: Kim Richards Opens Up About Her Arrest and Struggles With Alcohol 'Ive Always Loved Sobriety Peterson appeared on the first four seasons of RHOC, and in that time, spoke about her sons run-ins with the law. In season three, she moved her family into boyfriend (and now husband) George Petersons home, but Waring did not join them as he has faced some problems upon leaving rehab. He did, however, attend her wedding. Peterson and her husband also later announced that they had adopted Warings daughter. As most of the viewers know, I have a son and hes had just a lot of challenges. And he and his wife had a baby almost three years ago. Hes really struggling and, well, theyre both really struggling, she told Bravos The Daily Dish in 2015. And so [my husband] George and I elected to help out and we actually adopted Kennedy, and so were raising her. Story continues The next season, Peterson announced that she needed to leave the show for family reasons. WATCH: Former Real Housewives of New Jersey Star Jim Marchese Arrested at Airport for Alleged Domestic Violence Related Articles The son of a former star of one of Bravo's Real Housewives series has been arrested for allegedly shooting a man in a California sober living home. Police say Joshua Waring, the son of ex-Real Housewives of Orange County star Lauri Peterson, was arrested Monday on suspicion of attempted murder. Costa Mesa police allege Waring, 27, shot 35-year-old Daniel Lopez after an early morning argument. Read: Real Housewives' Meghan King Edmonds: Brooks' Cancer Story is the Lowest of the Low Lopez was transported to a Santa Ana hospital by ambulance. He's expected to survive, CBS Los Angeles reports. "Apparently there had been a previous confrontation between [Waring] and the occupants of that residence earlier, and he had returned," said Costa Mesa police Lt. Paul Beckman. Waring is accused of fleeing the scene in a stolen BMW sport utility vehicle before authorities arrived. Hours later, police say an Orange County Sheriff's Department helicopter crew spotted the SUV in Santa Ana. A pursuit ensued before police say Waring crashed the vehicle and fled on foot. "After a brief standoff, he surrendered without further incident to the Santa Ana police," Costa Mesa police said. Read: Real Housewife of Orange County Battles 'Cat from Hell' He was booked into Orange County Jail on suspicion of attempted murder, vehicle theft, felony evading police, hit-and-run and assault and battery. Bail was set at $1 million. Lauri Peterson has discussed her son's struggles with addiction in the past and Waring even appeared on the Bravo seriees while his mother was a member of the cast from 2006 to 2008. Peterson and her husband became the legal guardian of Waring's daughter in 2012, Bravo reported last year. Watch: Charlie Sheen Dishes on Fake Cufflinks Trump Gave Him: 'What Does This Say About the Man?' Related Articles: The beloved mother who was fatally shot while protecting her son during the massacre at the Orlando nightclub Pulse has been laid to rest, as family and friends tearfully said goodbye during an emotional service for the woman who gave her life to save those she loved. Read: Stories Emerge of Heroes Who Died Shielding Loved Ones in Orlando Massacre Mourners gathered together at First United Methodist Church in Orlando Monday for Brenda Lee Marquez McCool, who was out dancing with her son when Omar Mateen opened fire, killing 49 people, including the much-adored mother of 11. Brenda Lee Marquez McCool (Facebook) My mom was the best mom Everybody who knew my mom knew she was the mom everybody wanted, her son Isaiah Henderson, 21, said during a heart-wrenching eulogy. She always took everybody in with open arms. She loved everybody equally, no matter what. Isaiah Henderson and his mother Brenda Lee Marquez McCool (Facebook) Henderson watched as his mother was gunned down June 12 in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. McCool saw the gunman open fire and pushed her son and a friend out of harms way before she was killed, witnesses said. I never thought her life would end right in front of my eyes, he said, breaking down as he paid tribute to the mother he said was "crazy," but in a good way. Michael Marquez (left) and Robert Presley (far right) join their brother Isaiah Henderson (center) as he sobs during their mother's funeral. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/TNS via Getty Images) "I didnt want to speak, because I knew this was going to happen," Henderson said as he cried, leaning on two of his brothers for support. But I knew I would have regretted it if I never spoke. "I haven't stopped crying since this happened, he continued. McCool was a two-time cancer survivor who moved from her native Brooklyn to California and then to Florida, where she was reportedly working toward her real estate license before she was killed. Story continues Read: Anderson Cooper Gets Emotional as He Reads Names of Orlando Massacre Victims Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer declared Monday a citywide day of mourning in honor of McCool, who he said was an outstanding citizen held in high esteem by all who knew her. She was a fighter, full of energy and full of life, he said. Our community will be stronger because of Brenda. After the service, mourners gathered in front of the church and released 49 white balloons in the air in McCools honor as her body was placed in a hearse. Isaiah Henderson, Tatiana Harris, center, and Khiana Marshall watch 49 white balloons after they were released during the funeral for their mother, Brenda Lee Marquez McCool. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/TNS via Getty Images) "She always told me that when she passed away she didn't want us to be sad, she wanted us to party and celebrate her life, because my mom she never had any regrets, her son Robert Pressley said after McCool was killed. My mom is in a better place," he continued. "And I know that she passed away but... she passed away doing what she loved supporting her kids and having fun with her kids." McCools brother Michael Marquez, Jr. honored that wish, saying during her funeral that while her death has left a huge hole in his heart, he knew that there would be more dancing in heaven now. Tell Jesus, he said as the congregation laughed, to step up his salsa game. Watch: Orlando Attack Victims Describe The Shooting: He Showed No Mercy Related Articles: By Guy Faulconbridge LONDON (Reuters) - George Soros, the billionaire who earned fame by betting against the pound in 1992, said that a British vote on Thursday to leave the European Union would trigger a bigger and more disruptive sterling devaluation than the fall on Black Wednesday. Soros used Quantum Fund in 1992 to bet successfully that sterling was overvalued against the Deutsche Mark, forcing then-Prime Minister John Major to pull the pound out of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM). Soros, in an opinion piece in the Guardian newspaper, said that in the event of a British exit, or Brexit, the pound would fall by at least 15 percent, and possibly more than 20 percent, to below $1.15 from its current level of around $1.46. "The value of the pound would decline precipitously. It would also have an immediate and dramatic impact on financial markets, investment, prices and jobs," Soros, who is 85, said in the Guardian. "I would expect this devaluation to be bigger and also more disruptive than the 15 percent devaluation that occurred in September 1992, when I was fortunate enough to make a substantial profit for my hedge fund investors." Soros, ranked as the world's 23rd richest person by Forbes magazine with a fortune of $24.9 billion (17 billion pounds), said the Bank of England would not cut rates after a British exit and that there would be few monetary policy tools left to ease a recession or a fall in British house prices. He also pointed to the "very large" current account deficit in the United Kingdom and said a post-Brexit devaluation would be unlikely to improve manufacturing as trading conditions would be too uncertain to undertake new investments or hire workers. Hungarian-born Soros said the scale of the sterling devaluation would compare with 1967, when then-Prime Minister Harold Wilson devalued the pound to $2.40 from $2.80. Speculators, Soros said, would be eager to exploit a Brexit situation to profit. Story continues "Today, there are speculative forces in the markets much bigger and more powerful. And they will be eager to exploit any miscalculations by the British government or British voters," Soros said. "Brexit would make some people very rich but most voters considerably poorer," Soros said. BREXIT WORRY Members of Britain's Leave campaign say some bankers, big companies and politicians are trying to scare British voters with overblown warnings about the financial and economic impact of a Brexit. Justice Secretary Michael Gove, one of the leading members of the Vote Leave campaign, dismissed Soros's warning, saying that the billionaire had advocated British membership of the euro zone. "The truth is that economic forecasters like George Soros have got things wrong in the past. They were the people who argued that we should join the single currency, the single currency as you know has brought economic misery," Gove told BBC radio. Opponents of EU membership say Britain could prosper if it cut itself free from what they portray as a doomed German-dominated project in excessive debt-funded welfare spending. The world's biggest banks including Citi and Goldman Sachs will draft in senior traders to work through the night following Britain's referendum on EU membership, set to be among the most volatile 24 hours for markets in a quarter of a century. A vote to leave the European Union on June 23 would spook investors by undermining post-World War Two attempts at European integration and placing a question mark over the future of the United Kingdom and its $2.9 trillion economy. Citi, Deutsche Bank, JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, HSBC, Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds are among those banks planning to have senior staff and traders working or on call in London as results start to dribble in after polls close at 2100 GMT, according to sources. "British voters are now grossly underestimating the true costs of Brexit," Soros said. "Too many believe that a vote to leave the EU will have no effect on their personal financial position. This is wishful thinking." (Editing by Michael Holden) JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.You should upgrade or use an alternative browser JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) expects its half-year profit to fall by at least 20 percent due to weaker metal prices, the South African miner said on Tuesday. Platinum prices have been hurt by growth concerns in China and oversupply worries which have forced firms to abandon projects and sell mines. Amplats, which produces around 40 percent of the world's platinum group metals, said it would make a further announcement once it had determined a likely range for its headline earnings per share. Headline EPS, which strips out certain one-off items, is the main profit measure in South Africa. Shares in Amplats were little changed at 379.09 rand, largely in line with the blue-chip JSE Top-40 index. Amplats, a unit of global mining group Anglo American, is focusing on newer and more mechanised mines and removing unprofitable ounces following a record five-month strike in 2014. Amplats, along with rivals Impala Platinum and Lonmin, is due to start wage talks with unions at the end of June, when the current deal expires. The National Union of Mineworkers will demand pay increases of 20 percent per year for the next two years while demands from the larger Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union are not yet known. (Reporting by Tiisetso Motsoeneng; editing by Jason Neely) By Ju-min Park and Jack Kim SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's spy agency has decided to retain 13 North Korean defectors at the heart of a bitter dispute between the rivals, with Pyongyang accusing Seoul of abducting the group from their posts at a restaurant in China, an official said on Tuesday. The move came ahead of a hold a South Korean court put on a request by a group of lawyers for a hearing to question 12 waitresses in the group whether they had defected of their free will, after the spy agency refused to present them in court. "The director of the National Intelligence Service has decided to extend their protection," a South Korean official said, citing a law covering the resettlement of North Korean defectors and concerns for their safety. "A propaganda campaign by the North" over the status of the group was a factor in the decision, the government official told Reuters, requesting anonymity because the topic is sensitive. North Korea says the South abducted the 12 waitresses and the restaurant manager and has demanded their return, but the South has said the group decided to defect of its own free will. The Seoul Central District Court said it had ruled to stay a petition filed by Minbyun, or Lawyers for a Democratic Society, seeking to question the women. "We dont think it is possible to make a decision without confirming the restaurant workers intent in this case," Chae Hee-joon, a lawyer for Minbyun, told reporters, adding they had filed a recusal motion to the court, citing the women's absence. The spy agency has said it will not present the defectors in court and only their legal representatives will attend. The intelligence agency has held the group since its April 7 arrival in the South at a facility it runs on the southern outskirts of the capital, Seoul, where more than 1,000 defectors from the North stay each year in the initial stages. For up to 180 days, they are screened and questioned on their lives in the North. The spy agency's decision means the 13 will not be moved to a resettlement complex where other defectors spend 12 weeks to learn about a vastly different new life in the South. South Korea is technically at war with the North because their 1950-53 conflict ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty. (Editing by Clarence Fernandez) By Kathryn Doyle (Reuters Health) Soy isoflavones in foods or supplements, and some herbal remedies may help reduce menopause symptoms like hot flashes and vaginal dryness, according to a review of 62 studies. But not all complementary therapies have an effect. Hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal dryness are very common symptoms of menopause, affecting up to 80 percent of menopausal women, said senior author Dr. Taulant Muka of Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Many women in Western countries try herbs or other products from plants to manage these symptoms, he noted, but these natural products may not necessarily be useful or safe. Our results simply indicate that some plant-based therapies, such as soy and red clover, can be beneficial in reducing menopausal symptoms, but some others not (e.g. black cohosh and Chinese medicinal herbs), Muka told Reuters Health by email. The researchers extracted data from 62 randomized controlled trials of plant-based alternative therapies and their effects on hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal dryness: 36 addressed phytoestrogens estrogenlike molecules from plants such as soy or red clover, 16 tested black cohosh and 10 tested other medicinal herbs. Together, the trials included more than 6,600 women ranging in age from 18 to 75 years old, and followed for between four weeks and two years. Using phytoestrogens was associated with fewer hot flashes during the day and with less vaginal dryness, but did not influence night sweats. Some studies tied black cohosh therapies to a lessening of overall menopause symptoms score but not specifically to fewer hot flashes or night sweats. Chinese medicinal herbs were not associated with a decrease in menopause symptoms, according to the results in JAMA. In early postmenopause, hormone replacement is an effective therapy for menopausal symptoms, Muka said, but it may not be an option for women at increased risk of breast cancer. Phytoestrogens like those found in soy can act like estrogen in the body, Muka said. This may explain the aggregate beneficial effects on menopausal symptoms we found for phytoestrogens. The long-term efficacy and safety of these plant-based therapies is unclear, however, and healthy lifestyle changes form the backbone for easing the discomfort related to menopausal symptoms and keeping you healthy in the long run, he said. You should discuss any natural or herbal products with your doctor before taking them, and ask about potential medication interactions, Muka added. There is little evidence for long-term effectiveness or risks of plant based therapies, since most studies only last 12 to 16 weeks, he said. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/28LS3vW JAMA, online June 21, 2016. Madrid (AFP) - Spaniards will cast ballots for the second time in six months in repeat polls on Sunday that may see the conservatives remain in power, even if many vote for left-wing parties. Here are the possible outcomes. Same again? Spain's long-standing two-party system, which has seen the conservative Popular Party (PP) and Socialists alternate power for more than 30 years, has been shaken by two upstarts -- far-left Podemos and business-friendly Ciudadanos. In December elections, these new groupings came third and fourth respectively, taking parliamentary seats away from the established parties in an unprecedented result that left a hung parliament. In the following months, none of the parties was able to come to an agreement on a coalition government, forcing the country into fresh elections on June 26. Polls suggest the PP will come first in the vote but without an absolute majority, the same as it did in December. Podemos coalition second? What may change in the upcoming elections is that Unidos Podemos, a coalition consisting of the anti-austerity party and another far-left grouping -- coupled with its allies -- may come second. That would see the long-established Socialist party (PSOE) relegated to third place, and Unidos Podemos become the country's main left-wing force. Coalition chief Pablo Iglesias has said that if this occurs, he will seek a deal with the Socialists which could give them enough seats to pass a left-wing coalition government through parliament. But there are several stumbling blocks, the main one being that Unidos Podemos supports holding a Scotland-style referendum in the northeastern region of Catalonia, which seeks independence from Spain. The Socialists are strongly against this. In any case, it is highly unlikely that the PSOE will agree to enter a government with a party it knows wants to replace it as the main left-wing force in Spain, arguing it would be the Socialists' death knell. Story continues "Iglesias will not be prime minister," PSOE chief Pedro Sanchez told the Onda Cero radio on Monday. Conservatives without Rajoy? In the meantime, acting prime minister Mariano Rajoy's PP will be looking to form its own minority government, with or without the support of its most natural ally, centre-right Ciudadanos. The PSOE, instead of agreeing to a coalition with Unidos Podemos, may prefer to ask its lawmakers to abstain in any parliamentary vote on such a PP-led minority government, allowing it to go through. But in order for that to happen, Rajoy may face huge pressure to step down and another PP politician take his place. He has been in power since 2011 -- a period marked by unpopular spending cuts he argues has helped save Spain from economic collapse, and also repeated corruption scandals hitting his party. Rajoy himself has never been implicated in these cases, but all his rivals argue that he carries the "political responsibility" for the scandals. And so it may be that both the Socialists and Ciudadanos will pose as a condition for their support -- be it voting for a minority government or abstaining -- that Rajoy leaves. "There will be huge pressure for him to leave," says Fernando Vallespin, politics professor at the Autonomous University of Madrid. Socialist kingmakers? Despite its dwindling support, the Socialists could still defeat poll predictions and come second after the conservatives, just as they did in December. In that case, PSOE could seek a deal with Unidos Podemos for a government led by Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez, on the condition that the far-left coalition gives up its support for an independence referendum in Catalonia. That is unlikely however. In private, Socialists believe that Podemos will refuse such a coalition, continue to try to supplant the PSOE as the left-wing party of choice in the next elections. That would bring Spain back to the only viable option -- a minority PP government with or without the support of Ciudadanos, and a Socialist abstention. In any case, all parties have promised weary voters that there will not be a third round of elections. In the wake of Anton Yelchin's death over the weekend, Paramount Pictures has cancelled a Star Trek Beyond event at the 63rd Cannes Lions festival, where the cast of the highly anticipated sci-fi film was set to appear. "All of us are deeply saddened by the loss of our friend Anton Yelchin," Paramount said in a statement to ET. "Out of respect, we are withdrawing our participation in the previously announced Star Trek Beyond event at Cannes Lions this week." WATCH: Justin Timberlake, Zachary Quinto, Chris Evans and Others Remember Anton Yelchin Yelchin, who played Pavel Chekov in the reboot of the beloved franchise, was found dead early Sunday morning at his home in Los Angeles, California. The 27-year-old actor was killed by his own car after it rolled down his driveway, pinning him against his mailbox and a security gate. A Los Angeles police spokesperson told CBS News foul play was not suspected. WATCH: Anton Yelchin Was Killed by His Own Vehicle, Police Say After news of his death broke, many of Yelchin's friends and fellow actors took to social media to share their condolences and memories of the young star. Star Trek director J.J. Abrams, as well as many of Yelchin's co-stars --including Zachary Quinto, Jon Cho and Karl Urban -- shared their heartache over his passing. Watch the video below to see some of the heartfelt tributes shared in his honor. Related Articles Following the death of 27-year-old actor Anton Yelchin in an auto accident on Saturday, the greatest thoughts go to his family and friends. Paramount, the studio which is releasing his next film, Star Trek: Beyond, is thinking in kind. The cast of the film was due at the Cannes Lions advertising exhibition on Wednesday for a Q&A, but those plans have now been canceled. This is Paramounts statement: All of us are deeply saddened by the loss of our friend Anton Yelchin. Out of respect, we are withdrawing our participation in the previously announced Star Trek Beyond event at Cannes Lions this week. Here at the Cine Europe event in Barcelona it was a sober reminder this morning to see giant Star Trek: Beyond displays lining the hallways with Yelchin prominent. Related stories Anton Yelchin's Death Cut Short His Voice Work On 'Trollhunters' Series Anton Yelchin: Jeep Cherokee That Killed 'Star Trek' Actor Involved In Recall Anton Yelchin Through The Years - Photo Gallery Five years after 11-year-old Celina Cass's lifeless body was found wrapped in a blanket in a New Hampshire river, her stepfather has been officially implicated in her death. New Hampshire Attorney General Joseph Foster's office announced Monday that Cass' stepfather, Wendell Noyes, now 52, has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder, the Associated Press and other outlets report. Although Cass' mother, Louisia, initially avoided the media spotlight surrounding her daughter's disappearance and death, she spoke to New Hampshire news outlet WMUR on Monday night, shortly after news of Noyes' arrest broke. "Why? That word, 'why,' has run through my head for the last five years. Why would anyone want to go and take my baby girl away from me?" Louisia said. Louisia claimed she knew all along that Noyes (now her ex-husband) was responsible for her daughter's death and she has spent the last five years praying for an arrest. " 'Don't give up, Louisia. Don't give up, Louisia.' I could hear her saying, 'Mommy, don't give up on me,' " she said. "I want him to rot so bad." 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. Cass went missing from her Stewartstown, New Hampshire, home on July 25, 2011. A week later, her body was found wrapped in a blanket in the Connecticut River, near a hydroelectric dam between Stewartstown and Canaan, Vermont. Noyes was not named a suspect in the case at first, though police seized his pickup truck in their initial search of Cass' home. In the weeks following Cass' disappearance, Noyes was hospitalized twice: He was first taken away by an ambulance on August 1 after dropping onto the ground, lying face down and flailing, and on August 5, he checked into a mental health facility. According to court documents obtained by the Associated Press, Noyes had a history of psychiatric issues. In 2003 he was reportedly found unfit to stand trial after he was charged with breaking into an ex-girlfriend's home and threatening her. The day Donald Trump fired campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, saying he was taking the campaign in a different direction, CBS late-night host Stephen Colbert pondered what is going on, which sitcom star would make the best Trump surrogate when it comes to explaining the candidates positions on Obama and that wall, and introduced The Trump Bump. News outlets report Trumps children convinced Dad to eject Lewandowski, who had been with the campaign since Trump descended the Trump Tower escalator and began talking about The Wall and Mexican rapists in June of 2015. Last week, Colbert diagrammed Trumps statement on Obama in the wake of the Orlando nightclub murder of 49, and discovered a swastika. [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWU8FMT5f4Y&w=620&h=340] Related stories Late-Night Shows & Politics Are Perfect Running Mates This Election Season Seth Meyers' Latest Plan To Get Donald Trump Out Of White House Race Donald Trump Fires "Friend Of Mine" Corey Lewandowski; Calls For "Different Kind Of Campaign" - Update European stocks closed mostly higher on Tuesday following polls that allayed fears of a Brexit, however, a renewed decline in oil prices added pressure to the market. The pan-European STOXX 600 (^STOXX) ended the day around 0.9 percent higher, reversing earlier losses. Most sectors, apart from Basic Resources and Telecoms, were in positive territory. The U.K.'s FTSE 100 (FTSE International: .FTSE) ended the day up 0.7 percent, while its European counterparts, the French CAC (Euronext Paris: .FCHI) and German DAX (^GDAXI) popped 0.9 and 0.8 percent respectively. Global markets rallied on Monday after several opinion polls over the weekend showed that the "Remain" camp was regaining momentum ahead of the referendum on Britain's European Union membership on Thursday. Polls released Monday evening for The Telegraph newspaper and The Times showed conflicting voter intentions, however. The pound (Exchange:GBP=) was trading higher at $1.471, up from levels of around $1.40 last week. But with markets becoming sensitive to opinion polls on the referendum, there are concerns a sharp sell-off could occur if opinion polls turn again to show a swing in favor of the leave camp. "Financial markets appear to be taking the view that the race may well already be run, which given the twists and turns seen already in this campaign may well be extremely far sighted, or dangerously premature," Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets, wrote in a Tuesday note. "With more polls due out later today we can expect to see further volatility unfold in the event of a move either way." Elsewhere, Germany's constitutional court, the top court in the country, ruled that the European Central Bank's (ECB) Outright Monetary Transactions (OMT) program was not illegal and can be used. The OMT gives the ECB the power to buy the debt of struggling euro zone members. And the German ZEW institute's economic sentiment index for June came in at 19.2, a big rise from the 6.4 recorded in the previous month, giving a boost to investor sentiment. Story continues In markets overseas, U.S. stocks opened slightly higher , while Asia markets closed mixed , as investors awaited news from the EU referendum debate, and kept an eye on the oil price. Oil prices fell in trade on Tuesday as the market turned cautious and focused on supply issues, following a strong two-day rally fed by easing Brexit concerns. Investors were also eyeing reports from Nigerian media which suggested that the government had signed a 30-day ceasefire with militants, according to Reuters. Brent and U.S. crude were off some 2 percent each, trading around $49.65 and $48.40 respectively. Meanwhile, metal prices also dipped, capping gains in the basic resources sector. ArcelorMittal (Euronext Amsterdam: MT-NL) and Anglo American (London Stock Exchange: AAL-GB) were among some of the sector's worst-performers. And BHP Billiton (London Stock Exchange: BLT-GB) was lower after an update in which it explained plans to boost coal output and cut costs. A fall in the price of gold also put pressure on precious resource miners Fresnillo (London Stock Exchange: FRES-GB) and Randgold Resources (London Stock Exchange: RRS-GB) which were trading in the red. In individual stock news, French telecoms operator Bouygues (Euronext Paris: EN-FR) was trading higher after Kepler Cheuvreux raised the rating on the stock from "reduce" to "buy". Shares of Whitbreadthe owner of Premier Inn and Costapared sharp gains but remained higher, after the firm said sales rose 8 percent in the first quarter. Meanwhile, KION Group (XETRA:KGX-DE) was at the bottom of the benchmarks, after the German manufacturer announced it was buying Dematic, in a deal valuing the logistics technology firm at $3.25 billion; Reuters reported. Shares sank over 7 percent. Elsewhere, public pension fund Boston Retirement System, filed a bondholders class action lawsuit against Volkswagen (XETRA:VOW3-DE) claiming that the German carmaker's "false and misleading statements and omissions" cause its bonds to trade at "artificially inflated prices" and fall after the emissions scandal became public. Volkswagen shares were trading in the red. The banks were one of the best sector performers, up some 1 percent. Shares of France's Credit Agricole (Euronext Paris: ACA-FR) were sharply higher after it said on Tuesday that 83 percent of its shareholders elected to receive their dividend in the form of shares. Italy's Banca Popolare di Milano (Milan Stock Exchange: PMI-IT) (BPM) is to cut its stake in asset manager Anima Holding. BPM would have had to launch a full takeover bid for Anima under Italian regulation because of the size of the stake it owned in the company. If it cuts it stake, it won't have to do this. Shares of BPM were up some 1.5 percent. And Banco Popolare (Milan Stock Exchange: BP-IT) soared over 3 percent, after it sold around 152 million euros ($172.46 million) worth of non-performing loans to Banca Ifis. Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook. More From CNBC Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. WMS is a manufacturer of thermoplastic corrugated pipe, providing a comprehensive suite of water management products and drainage solutions for use in the construction and infrastructure marketplace. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings has been revised 11.2% downward over the last 30 days. Encore Capital Group, Inc. ECPG is a leading provider of debt management and recovery solutions for consumers and property owners across a broad range of assets. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings has declined 1.3% over the last 30 days. Federated Investors, Inc. FII is a provider of investment management and related financial services. It has seen the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings being revised 1.3% downward over the last 30 days. Francesca's Holdings Corporation FRAN is a specialty retailer of women's apparel products. The Zacks Consensus Estimate revision for its current year earnings was a negative 7.7% over the last 30 days. Gilead Sciences Inc. GILD is an independent biopharmaceutical company that seeks to provide accelerated solutions for patients and the people who care for them. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings has moved 1.5% lower over the last 30 days. View the entire Zacks Rank #5 List Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report ADV DRAINAG SYS (WMS): Free Stock Analysis Report FEDERATED INVST (FII): Free Stock Analysis Report GILEAD SCIENCES (GILD): Free Stock Analysis Report ENCORE CAP GRP (ECPG): Free Stock Analysis Report FRANCESCAS HLDG (FRAN): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Donald Trump A new poll found that almost half of GOP voters would rather the Republican Party choose someone other than Donald Trump as its nominee, a seemingly unprecedented level of support for the candidate who has been the presumptive nominee for nearly seven weeks. The poll, released Tuesday by CNN, found that 48% of self-described Republican voters or leaners wanted someone other than Trump as the party's nominee. The presumptive Republican nominee was backed by 51% who said they still want him to be awarded the nomination at the July convention in Cleveland. CNN polled 409 registered voters. The sampling error was plus-or-minus 5%. The Tuesday poll comes as Trump's overall poll numbers in a head-to-head matchup with presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton have plunged of late. Those numbers coincide with Trump's attacks against a federal judge based on his Mexican heritage, his controversial response to the Orlando terror attack, and the Monday firing of former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski. And on Monday night, the release of Trump's May Federal Election Commission report showed the presumptive GOP nominee raised just about $3 million in his first month since sealing up the Republican bid. Trump had roughly $1.3 million in cash on hand at the end of the month. By comparison, presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, who had yet to clinch her party's nomination, raised $28 million in May through the campaign and its "victory fund," finishing the month with $42.5 million on hand. Some Republicans have openly discussed unbinding the delegates at the party's convention so that they may vote for whomever they choose, although that appears to be highly unlikely. Still, roughly 1,000 anti-Trump Republicans, including many delegates, held a conference call to discuss such matters Sunday night. NOW WATCH: Heres the $5.3 million mansion the Obamas will reportedly live in after the White House More From Business Insider On June 21, 1989, a deeply divided United States Supreme Court upheld the rights of protesters to burn the American flag in a landmark First Amendment decision. William Kuntsler with Gregory Lee Johnson. Source: Wikicommons In the controversial Texas v. Johnson case, the Court voted 5-4 in favor of Gregory Lee Johnson, the protester. Johnsons actions, the majority argued, were symbolic speech political in nature and could be expressed even at the affront of those who disagreed with him. Justice William Brennan wrote the majority decision, with Justices Anthony Kennedy, Thurgood Marshall, Harry Blackmun and Antonin Scalia concurring. Johnson was convicted for engaging in expressive conduct. The States interest in preventing breaches of the peace does not support his conviction because Johnsons conduct did not threaten to disturb the peace, said Brennan. Nor does the States interest in preserving the flag as a symbol of nationhood and national unity justify his criminal conviction for engaging in political expression. Justice Anthony Kennedy, writing a concurrence, spelled out his reasoning succinctly. The hard fact is that sometimes we must make decisions we do not like. We make them because they are right, right in the sense that the law and the Constitution, as we see them, compel the result, Kennedy said. And so great is our commitment to the process that, except in the rare case, we do not pause to express distaste for the result, perhaps for fear of undermining a valued principle that dictates the decision. This is one of those rare cases. Chief Justice William Rehnquist dissented, along with John Paul Stevens, Sandra Day OConnor, and Byron White. In his dissent, Rehnquist said that, the flag is not simply another idea or point of view competing for recognition in the marketplace of ideas. I cannot agree that the First Amendment invalidates the Act of Congress, and the laws of 48 of the 50 States, which make criminal the public burning of the flag, he said. Story continues The battle in the courts about American flag desecration goes back to 1907 when the Court said in Halter v. Nebraska that two businessmen couldnt sell beer that had flag labels on the bottles, upholding a state law. In 1968, Congress approved the Federal Flag Desecration Law after a Vietnam War protest. The law made it illegal to knowingly cast contempt upon any flag of the United States by publicly mutilating, defacing, defiling, burning or trampling upon it. The Court moved closed to the Johnson decision in 1974, when it said in Spence v. Washington that a person couldnt be convicted for using tape to put a peace sign on an American flag. The decision made it clear that a majority of the Court saw the act as protected expression under the First Amendment. In 1984, Gregory Lee Johnson burned a flag at the Republican National Convention in Dallas. Officials in Texas arrested Johnson and convicted him of breaking a state law; he was sentenced to one year in prison and ordered to pay a $2,000 fine. In reaction to the Johnson decision, which only applied to the state of Texas, Congress passed an anti-flag burning law called the Flag Protection Act of 1989. But in 1990, the Court struck down that law as unconstitutional. If there is a bedrock principle underlying the First Amendment, it is that the Government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable, said Justice William Brennan. The case remains controversial to the present day, and Congress has, as recently as 2006, attempted to amend the Constitution to prohibit flag desecration, with the effort failing by one vote in the Senate. In one of his last public events, Scalia explained why he cast the deciding vote in the Johnson case, on the principal of a textual reading of the First Amendment. If it were up to me, I would put in jail every sandal-wearing, scruffy-bearded weirdo who burns the American flag, Scalia said at a November 2015 event in Philadelphia. But I am not king. Recent Stories on Constitution Daily Justice Antonin Scalia rails again about flag-burning weirdoes Can states really ban the burning of the Confederate flag? The history of legal challenges to the Pledge of Allegiance By John Revill ZURICH (Reuters) - Switzerland's watch industry exports fell nearly 10 percent in May as watchmakers struggle with the effects of last year's Islamist attacks in Europe and a prolonged slowdown in Asia. Watches are Switzerland's third-biggest export sector after pharmaceuticals and machinery. Like other manufacturers, the sector has also been hit by the strength of the Swiss franc, which makes exports more expensive. Exports of timepieces fell 9.7 percent to 1.55 billion Swiss francs (1 billion pounds), according to data released by the Swiss customs office on Tuesday. Overall this year Swiss watch exports, which are seen as a proxy for sales, have fallen by 9.5 percent. Hong Kong and China, two of the world's largest markets for luxury watches made by companies such as Swatch (UHR.S), Richemont (CFR.S) and LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH.PA), have been particularly hard hit in the downturn. Europe has also been struggling with reduced tourism numbers in the wake of deadly attacks last year, cutting visitors to important luxury shopping destinations including Paris. Exports to France fell 18.4 percent in May, according to figures from the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry. The data gave little respite for Swiss watchmakers, who are battling raised inventory levels in Asia and a cautious mood among retailers, Thomas Chauvet, an analyst at Citi, said in a note to clients. "Sell-in trends are clearly not improving," said Chauvet. "We remain concerned about continued disruption in Hong Kong, the Swiss watch industry's largest and most profitable market, and to a lesser extent mainland China." He rates both Swatch and Richemont at neutral. Swiss watch stocks fell in early trading. Swatch was 1.5 percent lower while Richemont dipped 0.8 percent. In response to the export downturn, watchmakers have been cutting costs and production as the industry faces its biggest slowdown since 2009 when the global financial crisis reduced demand for luxury watches. Story continues Last month, Geneva-based Richemont said it expected business to remain tough in the months ahead, as it reported a 1 percent fall in its constant sales for the 12 months ended March 31. ($1 = 0.9601 Swiss francs) (Editing by Michael Shields and Keith Weir) Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f122286%2f13435550_1186311411420674_2667568128014408535_n A pet grooming salon in Tainan, Taiwan, has become the talk of the town after several news outlets ran stories on the over-the-top fur-cuts it was giving its customers' pets. The owner of the salon, Ou Shih-jou, is a former hairdresser and now runs Igogo which offers a unique grooming service that can turn your pet into another animal or animated character. According to Ou, the salon is able to achieve any design a pet owner desires, as long as their pet has enough fur for the groomers to work with. SEE ALSO: There's a competition in South Korea that rewards doing absolutely nothing The salon will only shave the pets, and does not dye their fur. Speaking to Reuters, Ou explained the concept behind one of the salon's most eye-catching designs, called the "stegosaurus." "When a cat gets angry, the fur on its back erects, that made us come up with the stegosaurus design," said Ou. "It [makes the cat] look like a small dinosaur. The owners were happy after they came back to see it, thinking it was quite creative." Some of Igogo's other eye-catching designs include transforming a toy dog into a mini lion and shaving a teddy bear motif into a dog's back. Hello Kitty is also a popular request from customers, who are fans of the Sanrio character. Igogo has been in operation since September last year, and has become the go-to pet groomers for Taiwanese looking to give their pets a unique makeover. Prices for a fur-cut start from $20 onwards. Some of Americas biggest stars, including Taylor Swift and Paul McCartney, are trying to shame Congress into reforming a digital copyright law that passed all the way back in 1998. In a new open letter to Congress, roughly 180 musicians including other A-listers like U2 described the Digital Millennium Copyright Law (DMCA) as a broken piece of legislation that no longer works for creators and diminishes their earnings. The musicians call for reform has been characterized as a war against YouTube (GOOG) which arguably benefits from the DMCA. That law has a so-called safe harbor provision that protects websites like YouTube from monetary damages for infringing content posted by third parties. To qualify for safe harbor, those sites must remove the offending content through a so-called notice-and-takedown system. When the DMCA passed back in 1998, most copyrighted works didnt automatically have a life on the internet. At the time, many artists feared infringers would move their copyrighted works from the physical world to the internet where it could spread widely, professor Bruce Boyden wrote in a 2013 paper for the George Mason School of Law. The safe-harbor provision was supposed to be a quick fix in the rare cases when copyrighted works made it online. Fifteen years after the DMCA, Boyden writes, The notion that content might leak onto the internet unless somehow stopped now seems almost quaint. Modern infringement is persistent, ubiquitous, and gargantuan in scale. Swift and the other artists who wrote Congress contend that major tech companies have benefitted from an out-of-date law that has allowed this infringement to persist. "This law was written and passed in an era that is technologically out-of-date compared to the era in which we live," the letter stated. "It has allowed major tech companies to grow and generate huge profits by creating ease of use for consumers to carry almost every recorded song in history in their pocket via a smartphone, while songwriters and artists earnings continue to diminish." Story continues And the Recording Industry Association of America has complained that the DMCA forces creators to police the entire internet for these rampant instances of theft. This was likely not the original intent of the law. When then-President Bill Clinton signed the DMCA in 1998, he touted it as a move to grant writers, artists, and other creators of copyrighted material global protection from piracy in the digital age. Of course, the digital age was different in 1998 a full seven years before YouTube was even founded. In his 2013 paper on the DMCA, Boyden called its notice-and-takedown system a Twentieth Century solution to a Twenty-first Century problem. Boyden does an excellent job of summing up the concerns about copyright infringement that existed Congress passed the law. Section 512 [the notice and takedown system] was originally designed as an emergency stopgap measure, to be used in isolated instances to remove infringing files from the internet just long enough to allow a copyright owner to get into court, he wrote. He added: That design reflected the concerns of its time. In 1998, the dawn of widespread public use of the internet, there was considerable anxiety about how the law would react to the growing problem of online infringement. Not everybody opposes the safe harbor provision. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), a digital rights groups, says on its website that the safe harbor provisions are imperfect but have been essential to the growth of the internet as an engine for innovation and free expression. Meanwhile, YouTube contends that most of the content on its site makes artists money. "The overwhelming majority of labels and publishers have licensing agreements in place with YouTube to leave fan videos up on the platform and earn revenue from them," YouTube said in a statement it released to Rolling Stone. "Today the revenue from fan uploaded content accounts for roughly 50 percent of the music industry's YouTube revenue. Any assertion that this content is largely unlicensed is false." Read more: Peter Thiel isn't behind my $35 million fight against Gawker: Scientist Hulk Hogan's lawyer is fighting 2 other lawsuits against Gawker Judge who killed Staples/Office Depot merger: Antirust company should protect big companies, too Sam Altman, tech luminary and president of startup accelerator Y Combinator, posted a rare blog post on Monday night, urging Republicans to "speak up" about the possibility of the Trump presidency. We have republished his words in full below. I'm going to say something very unpopular in my world: Trump is right about some big things. He's right that many Americans are getting screwed by the system. He's right that the economy is not growing nearly fast enough. He's right that we're drowning in political correctness, and that broken campaign finance laws have bred a class of ineffective career politicians. He may even be right that free trade is not the best policy. Trump supporters are not dumb. But Trump is wrong about the more important part: how to fix these problems. Many of his proposals, such as they are, are so wrong they're difficult to even respond to. Even more dangerous, though, is the way he's wrong. He is not merely irresponsible. He is irresponsible in the way dictators are. Source: Getty Images Trump's casual racism, misogyny, and conspiracy theories are without precedent among major presidential nominees. He has said that a judge of Mexican descent isn't treating him fairly because of his heritage and that we should ban Muslims from entering the country. When his supporters beat up a homeless Hispanic man and cited Trump, he called them "very passionate". He has accused Obama of somehow being responsible for the recent shooting in Orlando. To anyone familiar with the history of Germany in the 1930s, it's chilling to watch Trump in action. Though I know intellectually it's easy in hard economic times to rile people up with a hatred of outsiders, it's still surprising to watch this happen right in front of us. It's hard to tell, as it often is with demagogues, how much is calculation and how much is genuine belief. But it's a real and terrifying possibility that Trump actually believes much of what he says. In any case, when he says it, it signals to other people that it's ok to believe. Story continues Demagogic hate-mongers lead down terrible paths. It would be particularly embarrassing for us to fall for this we are a nation of immigrants, and we know that immigrants built this country (and Trump, of course, is the grandson of immigrants and married to an immigrant). Hitler taught us about the Big Lie the lie so big, and so often repeated, that people end up believing it. Trump's Big Lie is hiding in plain sight. His Big Lie is that he's going to Make America Great by keeping us safe from outsiders. But he has no serious plan for how to restore economic growth, which is what we actually need. Without it, we'll be in a zero-sum game and face continued infighting. And without it, we'll lose our position as the most powerful country in the world. He distracts us with hate of outsiders in the hopes that we don't notice he has no plan for the inside. He has failed to put forward a serious plan for major investments in research and technology that we so desperately need. Instead, he tries to distract us with fear of Them. Source: Mic/Getty Images At least Trump is willing to talk about the fact that the US is not on an acceptable growth trajectory. The Big Truth in Trump's slogan is "Again" we do need a fundamental change to get back to where we were. Clinton's dangerously bad Big Lie is that there's no big problem here at all. Trump is right about the problem, but horribly wrong about the solution. I take some risk by writing this (even though I've supported some Republicans in the past), and I'll feel bad if I end up hurting Y Combinator by doing so. I understand why other people in the technology industry aren't saying much. In an ordinary election it's reasonable for people in the business world to remain publicly neutral. But this is not an ordinary election. A "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." This would be a good time for us all even Republicans, especially Republican politicians who previously endorsed Trump to start speaking up. From Harper's BAZAAR "I'm sorry, but I just laughed out loud." That was the first response I received after telling my friends I thought I might have Zika virus. I was on the train to a wedding in Westchester, New York-taking a selfie of my impeccable makeup-when I first noticed my skin looked unusually bumpy. Maybe it was just the terrible Metro North lighting? Nope. After checking from several angles, I came to terms with the fact that I was breaking out in a really scary rash. I called my mom in a panic. (She's a nurse so she's always been my first call for any fluctuations in my health.) She suggested I get off the train and go back home, but I was half way to Rye and I couldn't just ditch my friend's wedding. I tried my best to pull myself together, but I was getting increasingly scared. This was day three of inexplicable symptoms since returning home to New York from a vacation in Jamaica, and it felt like my body was slowly falling apart. I started to Google my symptoms on the train and the word Zika stared back at me, along with all my alignments: joint pain, muscle pain, and a rash. Obviously I was convinced I had it-despite not having every symptom listed. (After reading more, I learned not everyone has symptoms when they're infected with Zika. The Center of Disease Control [CDC] states roughly 1 in 5 people will experience symptoms.) It all started with some pain in my toes, which I thought was just a result of my feet swelling from the extreme Caribbean heat. Shortly after, I began experiencing a terrible pain in my left thigh-a pain I had never felt before; similar to a charley horse that wouldn't go away, which was also causing pain in my lower back. At the time, my mom thought I might be dehydrated and urged me to drink electrolyte-filled water and eat bananas. I had also noticed a lump growing behind my ear. How could so many things be simultaneously wrong with me? By the time I reached the wedding venue I had calmed down a bit. Simply knowing that there was a logical (or real) reason for my illness soothed me. I popped some Advil which helped to tame my rash for the next few hours, but as soon as cake was served I knew I had to get home. Story continues Exhausted, I endured the 40-minute train ride as my face started to itch, and then my neck and shoulders. I wanted nothing more than to be in my bed. When I woke the next morning, the rash had spread over my entire body, all the way down to my feet. My eyes were swollen and I knew I had to get myself to a doctor. "It all started with some pain in my toes-which I thought was just a result of my feet swelling from the extreme Caribbean heat." After living in the city for five years, I'm still yet to find a general practitioner so I dragged my lethargic body to a CityMD clinic a few blocks from my East Village apartment. "What's wrong with you today?" the doctor's nurse asked me. "I'm pretty sure I have Zika virus," I responded in the tone of someone who has an intimate relationship with WebMD. After the doctor inspected the rash on my body, he told me it was very possible I had Zika or possibly Chikungunya, another mosquito-born virus. Since Zika and Chikungunya are both indeed viruses, prescription medication can't speed up recovery. All I could do was rest, take tylenol and an anti-histamine for the rash. I also had to come back the next day to have blood drawn for the CDC. That night was the toughest. My fever came on in the middle of the night: one more symptom on the checklist. I spent most of the night shivering under my down comforter and when I had to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, it took me 20 minutes to psych myself to get out of bed. My body felt lifeless. Every bone hurt. On my way back from the bathroom, I remember a rush coming over me-I was about to pass out. I called my mom crying and in a sweat: "I'm scared," I told her, feeling helpless. I took some tylenol and went back to sleep, knowing that my mom would come to my rescue in the morning and take me back to the doctor for my blood work. I woke up in the morning in a pool of sweat-my fever broke. My mom arrived early to make me a little breakfast before I went back to the doctor, even though I had zero appetite. I had a new doctor this time around, whom thought it was "unlikely" that I had Zika even though I now had pink eye-the final symptom on the checklist. He assured me I could have any virus, but after they tested me for the flu and strep throat with negative results, he changed his tune. They made me give a urine sample and took two vials of blood to send to the CDC. They also tested me to make sure I wasn't pregnant. "When will I find out?" I asked the doctor, but he didn't have many answers. "If you were planning pregnancy you may want to wait a little while," were the doctor's last words after writing my a prescription for Hydroxyzine to help with the itching, which was getting worse. "When I had to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, it took me 20 minutes to psych myself to get out of bed. My body felt lifeless. Every bone hurt." I went back home and got back into bed, where I stayed for the next six days sleeping as much as I could. My rash healed day by day, but the itching got worse and worse. I would have itching fits that would leave me in tears-not even my prescription could quell my despair. My fingers hurt when I tried to text or type. And my eyes were so sore I could barely look around my apartment. I didn't tell many people because I didn't want anyone to think I was fishing for sympathy, nor was my virus confirmed-but it was interesting how little people knew about the virus. Most people's immediate question was, "are you going to be okay?" As if I had just told them I was diagnosed with a potentially fatal disease. "That will clear up with a round of antibiotics, right?" asked one of my co-workers. Nope, it's not bacterial. There's nothing that can be prescribed for the virus. I also had countless friends who tried to persuade me that doctors are often wrong, and suggest other illnesses I could potentially have. But at that point it didn't really make a difference to me if it was Zika or something else-the virus had already taken control over my body. Even two weeks after the first sign of my symptoms, I learned that a married couple was too afraid to attend a function I was invited to, even though the virus isn't contagious and only spreads by insect bites or by having unprotected sex. "I would have itching fits that would leave me in tears. My fingers hurt when I tried to text or type. And my eyes were so sore I could barely look around my apartment." When I was on vacation, I knew that there were some confirmed cases of Zika in Jamaica, but I wasn't really concerned about making sure I had bug spray on at all times. Like my aforementioned peers, I didn't know much about the virus until I started looking it up that day on the train. Luckily, there isn't a huge effect for me as I am not pregnant or planning pregnancy any time soon-and even then, the reproductive impact of the virus aren't as scary as the media has made it seem. A major misconception is that you have to wait two years to get pregnant. But women only have to wait eight weeks after the first signs of Zika. And the virus does not affect future pregnancies. Men, who can be carriers of the virus and transmit it sexually, have to wait six months. (The two-year rule is simply a precaution for those who live in countries where Zika is prevalent.) Still, there is a lot doctors don't know about the virus-especially long term effects and the virus' link to neurological disorders like Guillain-Barre Syndrome. I could also infect a mosquito if one bit me, so it was important to continue wearing bug spray, even at home. A week after my blood work was submitted, I finally had confirmation from the clinic of what I already knew to be true-I had Zika. My blood test was negative, but my urine test came back positive-another person to add to the virus' statistic. It's now been 19 days since I first started having symptoms, and while my rash and pink eye have receded, I'm still suffering from lethargy. If this experience taught me anything, it's the importance of being informed-and the importance of bug spray. For more information on Zika Virus go to cdc.gov/zika Tesla Motors, Inc. TSLA is planning to set up a production base in China, per Bloomberg. The facility will most likely be built in Shanghai, although the cities of Suzhou and Hefei are also lobbying for the investment. According to media reports, Tesla has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Jinqiao Group, a company owned by the Shanghai government, to set up its production facility in the region. Both companies will likely invest 30 billion yuan ($4.5 billion) each, taking the total investment in the project to $9 billion. Most of the investment by Jinqiao Group will be in terms of land provided by it. Manufacturing cars in China will help Tesla to avoid the 25% import tariff imposed by the nation, thus reducing car prices there. This will likely boost the automakers sales volume in China. Also, a production facility in China will help Tesla in achieving its aim of improving production volume to 500,000 units by 2018. China is the electric carmakers largest market outside the U.S. Tesla held the official unveiling of Model X in China last week, nearly five months after it started taking orders for the car there. The event, which was reportedly attended by 400 people, took place in Chinas capital, Beijing. Tesla will start delivering Model X in China from July. We note that the worlds largest automobile market is the first Asian country to get the vehicle. TESLA MOTORS Price TESLA MOTORS Price | TESLA MOTORS Quote Zacks Rank Tesla currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). Some better-ranked automobile stocks include Lear Corp. LEA, Superior Industries International, Inc. SUP and Oshkosh Corporation OSK. All the three stocks sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report TESLA MOTORS (TSLA): Free Stock Analysis Report SUPERIOR INDS (SUP): Free Stock Analysis Report LEAR CORPORATN (LEA): Free Stock Analysis Report OSHKOSH CORP (OSK): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Priyanka Chopras cover for Maxim India has caused quite the stir [Photo: Instagram/maxim.in] Priyanka Chopra looks pretty smokin on the cover of Maxim India. Dressed in a peek-a-boo black dress, the Indian actress whos currently starring in Quantico certainly lives up to the magazines choice for the hottest woman in the world. But the image used is causing quite the online stir, not because of what Priyanka is wearing, or the pose shes pulling but because of her armpits. Yep, Priyankas armpits have broken the Internet. No sooner had the actress shared an image of her cover to Instagram, fans were taking to the comment section to vent their frustration that her pits seem to have been the victim of some extreme photoshopping. Beautiful PC! But Barbie dolls armpitstoo photoshopped!! wrote one commenter. While another simply asked, How photoshopped can an armpit get???? Priyanka Chopras armpit in the Maxim cover is so unrealistic, stated another fan. A shot from the inside shoot appears more realistic [Photo: Instagram/maxim.in] Armpits may not be the usual photoshop fail, but a quick glance at the image in question reveals that the actress armpits do seem to be remarkably flawless. Not a shadow in sight. But while the possible retouching of an armpit, of all things, might not seem like much to get worked up about, body image campaigners have branded the cover as alarming as it portrays unrealistic beauty ideals. Neither Priyanka or Maxim India have responded to the concern about #armpitgate, but the incident is the latest in a line of retouching rows. Back in April Victoria Beckhams shoot for Vogue China caused a stir because it appeared part of her leg was missing. And after an alleged photoshop fail Lena Dunham refused to allow any future shoots to be touched up. Photoshopped or unphotoshopped armpits aside Priyanka is still smokin [Photo: Rex Features] Another armpit exposing look from the cover story inside seems to portray a less doll-like pit region. And in it Priyanka still looks completely amaze, which sort of makes us wonder whether anyone really needs their armpits retouched? Story continues What do you think of the image? Let us know @YahooStyleUK Victoria Beckhams Latest Cover Shoot Sparks Re-Touching Row Lena Dunham Bans Magazines From Retouching Her Photos Ever Again SALISBURY PLAIN, England (Reuters) - Thousands of people watched the sun rise at Stonehenge on Tuesday after gathering at the ancient monument site in southern England to mark summer solstice. English Heritage, which seeks to protect historical sites, said some 12,000 people watched the 04:52 a.m. (0352 GMT) sunrise at Stonehenge. "The weather was fine throughout and the highlight of the evening was a spectacular full, strawberry moon over the ancient stones," it said in a statement. "The morning saw a glorious sunrise...met with chanting and cheering from the crowd." (Writing By Marie-Louise Gumuchian,; Editing by Deepa Babington) New York (AFP) - Following a long-held tradition, thousands of yoga fans gathered in New York's Times Square on Monday to mark the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. During the 14th edition of the annual event, yogis transformed the famous intersection in one of the world's busiest cities into a huge outdoor yoga lesson surrounded by cars, construction and the hustle and bustle of Manhattan. The first lesson began at 5:00 am (0900 GMT), and the last at 7:30 pm. All were free and open to yoga practitioners of all levels. There was a heavy police presence. Thousands of yoga mats were distributed for the get-together, covering crosswalks. Last year, during the first international yoga day designated by the United Nations, some 17,000 people participated. New York (AFP) - Two senior New York police officials were arrested Monday and charged with bribery on accusations they received meals, trips and other luxury perks in exchange for providing special services to wealthy businessmen, prosecutors said. Brooklyn businessman Jeremy Reichberg, a major contributor to Mayor Bill de Blasio, was also arrested and charged for allegedly receiving the services such as police escorts, and assistance settling private disputes in exchange for the lavish gifts, according to a news release from the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York. An associate of Reichberg, identified only as CW-1, had pleaded guilty to charges and was cooperating, the release said. "The alleged conduct violates the basic principle that public servants are to serve the public, not help themselves to cash and benefits just for doing their jobs," Manhattan US Attorney Preet Bharara said in a statement. Deputy chief Michael Harrington, 50, and deputy inspector James Grant, 43, provided services to Reichberg and CW-1 including police escorts, investigating private matters, and VIP access to parades and other New York events. Grant also gave Reichberg and CW-1 cards that enabled them and their associates to get out of traffic tickets when pulled over by police. Grant also helped Reichberg get a gun license. The scheme lasted between 2012 and 2015, prosecutors said. In exchange, Grant received benefits including a trip to the Super Bowl in Las Vegas, with the private jet alone costing $57,000. He also received a luxury hotel stay in Rome, work on his home worth approximately $12,000 and jewelry. Harrington received private security work worth tens of thousands of dollars, hotel rooms in Chicago worth more than $6,000 and thousands of dollars in dinners. A third New York police official, gun licensing division supervisor Sergeant David Villaneuva, was arrested Monday on accusations that he accepted cash and gifts from businessman Alex Lichtenstein, who charged clients thousands of dollars for expedited gun licenses. Story continues Villaneuva and his subordinate Officer Richard Ochetal would skip over required checks of applicants and ignore problems such as prior arrests or domestic violence allegations in approving gun licenses, prosecutors said. In addition to cash, Villaneuva and Ochetal also received limo rides, liquor and a wine tour from the businessman. Ochetal had pleaded guilty to accepting bribes and was cooperating with investigators. New York Police Department Commissioner William Bratton said the misconduct was uncovered after three years of investigations. "This investigation is not over and we will continue to work together with our law enforcement partners to go where the facts of these cases lead us," he said. If convicted, Grant, Harrington and Reichberg face up to 20 years in prison. Villaneuva and Ochetal could face up to 15 years, while Lichtenstein faces a maximum of 25 years. BOISE, ID / ACCESSWIRE / June 21, 2016 / Thunder Mountain Gold, Inc. (the "Company" or "Thunder Mountain") (TSX-V: THM; OTCQB: THMG) is pleased to announce that the Board of Directors has re-appointed Mr. Ralph Noyes as a director of Thunder Mountain Gold after stepping down from the Company's Board in February 2016 due to a business conflict with a former employer that has been resolved. "Ralph strengthens our Board with his public company experience and mining industry knowledge," explained Eric Jones, Thunder Mountain Gold President and CEO. "As a member of our Board, He provides independence that greatly benefits the shareholder base, and proven abilities that move us through challenges as we advance our South Mountain Project." Mr. Noyes has a broad mining experience, ranging from underground mine geologist to Vice President of Metal Mining for Hecla Mining Co. (NYSE-HL), involved in operations, exploration, new mine development and mergers and acquisitions. As Chairman and CEO of Consolidated Silver Corp. in 1995 he acquired the purchase rights to several underground silver mines in Mexico, which continue to operate today as part of other public companies. In 1998 and 1999, he was Project Manager for Behre Dolbear and was the independent engineer for the expansion of the Stillwater platinum-palladium Mine. In 1999 he joined Soloman Smith Barney as a financial advisor, tailoring his practice to serving executives in the mining industry as well as small business owners. He retired from the financial services industry in 2014 as Associate Vice President Investments with Wells Fargo Advisors. Mr. Noyes graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology, with a focus on economic geology and exploration during undergraduate and graduate school at Michigan Technological University. He completed post graduate courses in management and strategy from the University of Michigan, Wharton School of Business and completed the Stanford Executive Program at Stanford University in 1992. Mr. Noyes has previously served on the boards of the Northwest Mining Association, the Idaho Mining Association, the Board of Advisors to University of Idaho College of Mines and Earth Resources, and the Western States Public Lands Coalition, as well as numerous junior mining companies. He currently resides near Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Thunder Mountain Gold, Inc, is a U.S. - based exploration company founded in 1935, with direct ownership interest in two U.S. precious and base metal projects. The Company's principal asset is The South Mountain Project - a zinc-silver-gold project with copper and lead, formerly producing in the 1940`s, and located in southern Idaho`s Owyhee County. The Company`s Trout Creek Project is a grass roots gold target, drill ready, and located in the Eureka-Battle Mountain trend of central Nevada, currently under Joint Exploration Agreement with Newmont Gold. For more information on Thunder Mountain Gold, and Mr. Noyes, please visit the Company's website at www.Thundermountaingold.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements that are based on the beliefs of management and reflect the Company's current expectations. The forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions, which could change materially in the future. By their nature, forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is provided as of the date of this press release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required in accordance with applicable laws. Cautionary Note to Investors Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") permits mining companies, in their filings with the SEC, to disclose only those mineral deposits that a company can economically and legally extract or produce. For further information, please contact: Thunder Mountain Gold, Inc. Eric Jones President and Chief Executive Officer eric@thundermountaingold.com Tel: (208) 658-1037 Jim Collord Chief Operating Officer jim@thundermountaingold.com Tel: (208) 658-1037 SOURCE: Thunder Mountain Gold, Inc. DETROIT -- Seattle and Detroit will continue a four-game series on Tuesday night with each club seeking to work out problems with their rotations. The Tigers have a reliable starter going in Justin Verlander (7-5), who has a 2.31 ERA in his last eight outings. Detroit has also been getting solid outings from Wednesday night's starter, rookie Michael Fulmer, along with veteran Jordan Zimmerman. The other two slots have been a season-long problem. Mike Pelfrey was roughed up again Monday night, giving up 12 hits and a walk in five innings, and the other spot comes up Thursday -- with manager Brad Ausmus professing not to know who will fill the slot. Ausmus will get no tears from Mariners skipper Scott Servais, though. Seattle will have three regular starters down with injuries if it gets bad news from Taijuan Walker's MRI. Walker, limited to 3 1/3 innings and five shutout innings in his last two outings, went back to Seattle after his Sunday start in Boston to have the tendon along the right arch in his right root examined. The Mariners might have to bring up right-hander Zach Lee, just acquired Sunday from the Los Angeles Dodgers. Mariners starters Wade Miley and Felix Hernandez are already on the disabled list. One replacement, Adrian Sampson, will start Thursday in Detroit. "It's tough," Servais said. "We will get Wade back pretty soon, so that helps. Felix is feeling better. He had a good report (Monday), so he's moving in the right direction. "It's just disappointing and disheartening, especially if Taijuan is going to be down for any amount of time." Detroit's problems also extend to its bullpen, which has been ground down by having to cover for starters not being able to get into the sixth at least twice every time through the rotation. One of the biggest problems is that our bullpen is not getting a break," Ausmus said. "(Shane) Greene has thrown five out of eight days, I think. We've got to get him a break somehow." The problem also is that Greene, Justin Wilson and Francisco Rodriguez are the only relievers who have regularly pitched well. "Win three lose four, win five lose six, that simply isn't going to cut it. We gotta play better, simple as that." The Rome Film Fest continues its return to high-profile celebrity guests in its 2016 edition. The festival, under the direction of Antonio Monda, will this year pay tribute to Tom Hanks with a lifetime achievement award. The two-time Academy Award-winning actor will join in a public conversation with Monda about his body of work, and the festival will host a 15-film retrospective of his top hits. The actor has delivered three decades of blockbusters, including Saving Private Ryan, Apollo 13, The Da Vinci Code and Bridge of Spies, and he won the best actor Oscar for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump. "I consider Tom Hanks to be one of the greatest actors of all time," Monda said Tuesday in a statement, adding "for the versatility that he commands extending from drama to comedy, for the psychological finesse with which he immortalizes characters who will remain forever in our imagination. His extraordinary talent and profound humanity make him a classic but always contemporary actor: his films and his performances will never be dated." Also announced among early confirmations for the festival, three-time Academy Award winner Meryl Streep will discuss great Italian actresses who have influenced her career, most notably Silvana Mangano. Other guests to join in public conversations with Monda include Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and director David Mamet; post-modern American writer Don DeLillo, who will discuss his passion for Italian director Michelangelo Antonioni; and architect Daniel Libeskind, who will delve into his love for the work of Paolo Sorrentino. In addition to the Hanks retrospective, two other retrospectives will round out the event: one dedicated to Italian director Valerio Zurlini and one on the theme of American politics, with films from John Ford, Frank Capra and Steven Spielberg. Special tributes also will be held for The Adventures of Pinocchio director Luigi Comencini on the 100th anniversary of his birth; director Gillo Pontecorvo, best known for The Battle of Algiers, on the tenth anniversary of his death; and the Mario Monicelli film For Love and Gold, to celebrate its fiftieth anniversary. Story continues The eleventh edition of the Rome Film Fest is set to run Oct. 13-23. Read More: Can a New York Cinephile Save the Rome Film Festival? FRANKFURT, June 21 (Reuters) - Germany's Constitutional Court rejected on Tuesday a challenge of the European Central Bank's emergency bond-buying scheme, clearing a never-used crisis fighting tool. Conceived at the height of Europe's debt crisis, the Outright Monetary Transactions (OMT) programme was launched as part of ECB President Mario Draghi's pledge to do "whatever it takes" to preserve the euro, giving the bank broad powers to buy the debt of financially strained members. The European Court of Justice has already cleared OMT but a 35,000-strong German group, including politicians and academics, asked the German court to dismantle it, arguing that it constituted illegal monetary financing, violating German law. The German court earlier expressed reservations about OMT, arguing that it may exceed the ECB's mandate, could violated the prohibition of monetary financing and did not place necessary limits on the bank. But it did not make a ruling at the time, referring the case instead to the European court in an unprecedented move. (Reporting by Frank Siebelt; Writing by Balazs Koranyi) (Adds detail about limits, expert) By Frank Siebelt and Balazs Koranyi KARLSRUHE/FRANKFURT, June 21 (Reuters) - Germany's Constitutional Court rejected on Tuesday a challenge of the European Central Bank's emergency bond-buying scheme, placing only minor limits on the Bundesbank's participation in the not-yet-used crisis fighting tool. Conceived at the height of Europe's debt crisis, the Outright Monetary Transactions (OMT) programme was launched as part of ECB President Mario Draghi's pledge to do "whatever it takes" to preserve the euro, giving the bank broad powers to buy the debt of financially strained members. The European Court of Justice has already cleared OMT but a 35,000-strong German group, including politicians and academics, asked the German court to dismantle it, arguing that it constituted illegal monetary financing, exceeded the ECB's mandate and violated German law. The court, however, disagreed, placing only some limits on the German central bank's participation in the scheme and asking for government monitoring, conditions experts argue would have little implication on any possible use of OMT. In a possible sticking point, the court said the Bundesbank can only take part in OMT if purchases volumes are limited, which may contradict the ECB's rules that no quantitative limits would be placed on OMT before the event. Still, the European Court last year argued that purchases are effectively limited because they are restricted to countries taking part in a bailout programme, buys are done in the secondary market and they are focused on maturities of between one and three years. The German court also said that purchases should not be announced in advance, securities need to be held until maturity and German authorities needed to monitor any implementation of OMT. "These limits are minor and not very problematic for the ECB," Alexander Thiele, a professor of law at Berlin's Free University said. "These are more or less the same limits the European Court of Justice mentioned in its own judgment last year." "And even if these conditions were a problem for the ECB, only the Bundesbank would be prevented from taking part and everybody else could still participate," he added. Experts earlier said that any limit on OMT would have no impact on the ECB's current policies, including its flagship 1.74 trillion euro asset buying programme, though severe limits could dent confidence in the ECB's crisis fighting powers. (Adds Trader Joe's comment, filing of consent decree, paragraphs 5-6) By Jonathan Stempel June 21 (Reuters) - The popular U.S. grocery chain Trader Joe's Co agreed to spend $2 million to reduce refrigerator coolant leaks at 453 stores, to settle federal claims it failed to promptly repair leaks that deplete the ozone layer and contribute to global warming. Trader Joe's also agreed to enter a consent decree and pay a $500,000 civil fine to resolve claims it violated the Clean Air Act, the U.S. Department of Justice and Environmental Protection Agency said on Tuesday. Regulators said the accord is expected to cut greenhouse gas emissions equal to the amount generated by more than 6,500 cars each year. They also said Costco Wholesale Corp and Safeway Inc previously settled cases over refrigerants, but that Trader Joe's accord is the EPA's first requiring repairs of hydrofluorocarbon leaks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. "Trader Joe's looks forward to working with the EPA in its mission to reduce air pollution and protect the ozone layer, and, with this agreement, has committed to reducing its emissions to a rate that matches the best of the industry," spokeswoman Alison Mochizuki said in a statement. The privately held company is based in Monrovia, California, and did not admit liability in agreeing to settle. Its consent decree was filed with the federal court in San Francisco. Regulators accused Trader Joe's of failing to promptly fix leaks of R-22, which is used as a refrigerator coolant but also depletes the ozone and has 1,800 times more global warming potential than carbon dioxide. They also said the company failed to keep adequate servicing records. Under the consent decree, Trader Joe's agreed over the next three years to reduce its leak rate to less than half the average in the grocery store sector, and to use non-ozone depleting refrigerants at all new and heavily remodeled stores. It also agreed to improve its leak monitoring and recordkeeping. Story continues The terms "set a high bar for the grocery industry for detecting and fixing coolant leaks," Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for the EPA Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, said in a statement. Trader Joe's has 461 stores in 43 states and Washington, D.C., and in 2014 had $9.38 billion of revenue, the government said. Safeway was bought last year by investors including private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management LP. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; editing by Tom Brown and Bernard Orr) The winner of the Prix du Jury at Cannes 2016, "American Honey" has published its first trailer ahead of its release later this year. Directed by Academy Award-winning British filmmaker Andrea Arnold, "American Honey" follows the tumultuous journey of a teenage girl across the Midwest with a traveling magazine sales crew. The movie, starring Sasha Lane, Shia LaBeouf and Riley Keough, was also nominated for the Palme d'Or at Cannes, but lost out to Ken Loach's "I, Daniel Blake." The first "American Honey" trailer was released by A24 on June 21, but no official release date has been provided yet. Watch the trailer: https://youtu.be/y1SpWZm1PLc By Ginger Gibson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Republican Donald Trump said on Tuesday his "unlimited" trove of personal wealth would help compensate for his poor presidential campaign fundraising, even as he took steps to court new donors to help win the White House. The New York real estate mogul raised only $3.1 million in individual contributions in May and ended the month with $1.3 million in cash, leaving him far behind his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton who brought in $26 million and closed the month's books with a $42 million war chest. The figures underscore the huge cash advantage Clinton is hoping to enjoy leading into the Nov. 8 presidential election, one that could allow her a large staff and millions of dollars of television and digital ads in battleground states. Trump, who openly shunned donations while winning the party nomination, rebuffed criticism from Republicans who say he needs to raise cash for the general election fight against Clinton. His campaign might need in excess of $1 billion by some estimates but Trump said money was not a problem. If need be, there could be unlimited 'cash on hand' as I would put up my own money," Trump said in a statement, which asserted he had already spent over $50 million dollars on his bid for the White House. The billionaire candidate added that his campaign also costs less than a traditional one because it is "is leaner and more efficient, like our government should be." Trump has said he is worth more than $10 billion, but much of his money is tied up in properties and businesses. Estimates from outside groups have put Trump's wealth as low as $1 billion. Forbes magazine estimates it at $4.5 billion. According to Trumps most recent personal financial disclosure with the Federal Election Commission, in May, he had between $65 mln and $175 million in liquid assets money in funds, equities and cash. Despite Trump's professed lack of concern for standard campaign fundraising, he took steps to boost donations. Several sources with knowledge of Trumps fundraising activities said he will attend a dinner on Tuesday evening to court hedge fund managers and other Wall Street donors. Woody Johnson, the billionaire investor and owner of the New York Jets football team, is also hosting a breakfast for Trump at a high-end restaurant in Manhattan on Wednesday morning. Targeting smaller donors, Trump on Tuesday also sent his first email asking for donations, telling supporters that he will match their contributions up to $2 million. Trump's allies, donors, and other Republican operatives have expressed concerns about his campaign operation, which has been dogged by internal battles, a threadbare campaign infrastructure, and thin fundraising apparatus. "Without money you dont have a campaign," said Stan Hubbard, a Republican donor from Minnesota who owns a chain of radio stations and who has contributed to Trump. "Hes got to call on people to give money and stop all this nonsense about funding his own campaign," Hubbard said. Trump this week fired his campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, who had been overseeing the campaign's fundraising arm. UNUSUAL CANDIDATE Trump has spent much of the race so far breaking the mold of a traditional campaign, defeating a crowded field of primary opponents who vastly outspent him in ads and staff. During the Republican primary race, he often told his supporters not to contribute money and ridiculed opponents for accepting cash from special interest groups and wealthy contributors. He has so far showed little interest in calling donors to ask for money for his general election battle. He only began holding in-person fundraisers in late May. "Trump defeated the most talented GOP field in a generation with less staff, less experience and less money in much less time," said Republican strategist Keith Appell. "That said, Trumps campaign needs to transition quickly to a national, general election effort online, on the air and on the ground his populist, anti-Washington, new leadership message has been muddled by sideshow issues." Trump has loaned his campaign $46 million since launching last year, federal filings show. He often uses his own plane to travel to campaign events, and also uses his hotels and other properties as venues - expenses he is required by law to reimburse from his campaign funds. The campaign has spent about $6.2 million with Trump businesses including TAG Air and his Mar-a-Lago property in Florida. It has also reimbursed Trump about $390,000 for some payroll and other expenses. The Republican National Committee, meanwhile, announced it raised $11 million in May, and had $19.9 million in cash at the beginning of June. The RNC will help Trump's effort to get elected, but also helps fund congressional races. (Additional reporting by Grant Smith, Michelle Conlin, Emily Flitter, Olivia Oran and Lawrence Delevingne in New York, Eric Walsh in Washington; Editing by Bill Trott and Alistair Bell) By Grant Smith, Michelle Conlin and Ginger Gibson NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trumps campaign raised $3.1 million from donors in May, more than doubling previous monthly hauls as he began soliciting donations to battle Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. But with spending that outpaced inflows, the New York real estate magnate's campaign began June with just $1.29 million in cash, putting it well-behind Clinton's $42 million war chest, according to federal disclosures filed late on Monday. Clinton's campaign raised $26 million in May. The figures underscore the huge money advantage Clinton is hoping to enjoy leading into the Nov. 8 election, one that could allow her a large staff and millions of dollars of television and digital ads in battleground states. Trump, who has self-funded most of his campaign and only held his first general election fundraiser on May 25, is betting he can run a race that builds on his low-spending, insurgent primary operation. Trumps surrogates, however, have said the cash is now pouring in for the general election. For months the biggest cash injections into Trump's campaign coffers were from his personal bank accounts. He has loaned his campaign $46 million since launching last year. Trump may still have several hurdles to cross before convincing deep-pocketed donors to write the kind of checks that would make him competitive with Clintons campaign bank account. Trump donors, allies and other Republican operatives continue to express concerns about his campaign operation, which has been dogged by internal battles, a threadbare campaign infrastructure of about 30 paid staffers, and a barely existent fundraising apparatus. On Monday, Trump fired his campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, who had been tasked with overseeing the campaigns fundraising arm. The primary Super PAC supporting Trump, Great America PAC, reported raising $1.4 million in May - accounting for most of the $2.5 million the group has raised this year. The PAC had $500,971 cash remaining at the beginning of June. Clintons cash advantage has been fueled in part by the Super PAC supporting her. Priorities USA raised $12 million in the last month, ending May with a $52 million in cash. Three unions, AFT Solidarity, Liuna Building America and International Union of Operating Engineers, each gave $1 million. The group has largely been tasked with attacking Trump. And so far, they have spent more than $5.7 million this year on television ads alone attacking the Republican. (In fifth paragraph, this story corrects the date of first Trump general election fundraiser to May 25) (Reporting by Grant Smith and Michelle Conlin in New York and Ginger Gibson in Washington; Writing by Ginger Gibson; Editing by Michael Perry) Donald Trump saying immediately after the EgyptAir crash that anyone who doubted it was due to terrorism was 100% wrong. (YouTube) Its been a month since an EgyptAir flight crashed into the Mediterranean, en route from Paris to Cairo. This past weekend investigators said they had found the planes flight recorders (black boxes) but that the devices were badly damaged. Therefore it would take a long time to recover information and begin to interpret it. No one really knows what happened to that planeattack? mechanical defect? something else?and, with the cautionary example of still-missing Malaysia Air 370 in mind, it could be months or years before anyone does. Thus its worth remembering that one month ago today, 12 hours after first news of the crash, Donald Trump said this about it in a speech in New Jersey: What just happened? A plane got blown out of the sky. And if anybody thinks it wasnt blown out of the sky, youre 100% wrong, folks, OK? Youre 100% wrong. *** Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. Donald Trumps namesake university is handing Democrats an easy hit against Republicans who support such for-profit schools and, in at least one case, own a piece of one. The presumptive Republican nominees troubles with Trump University will likely continue through the fall. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is suing Trump for fraud, a class-action lawsuit is heading toward trial in California, and rival Hillary Clinton has hammered Trump over it in campaign material, speeches and even a parody video. Its Campaigning 101: Both parties try to link down-ballot candidates with their partys presumptive presidential nominees. Do you stand with Donald Trump? Or do you not? Pennsylvania Democratic Senate nominee Katie McGinty said Monday as she appeared on MSNBC to discuss rival Pat Toomeys record broadly. Democrats have seen Trump slump on the issue in focus groups, and polling finds him vulnerable. Now, theyre betting that drags down fellow Republicans like Toomey. The Pennsylvania Senator is expected to get the Trump U treatment over his dealings with Yorktown University, a for-profit college that has been criticized for its lack of accreditation, questionable academic offerings and marketing to veterans who can receive government tuition aid. Toomey is an investor in the online program, served on its boards and agreed to appear in its marketing materials. Toomeys campaign spokesman said the Senator was never a day-to-day player with the programs and argued that anyone trying to make Yorktown an issue is desperate. Toomey is not alone in facing scrutiny for links to such schools. Former presidential candidate Marco Rubio was hit in the Republican primary for his support of the now-closed Corinthian Colleges; former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee took some heat for his support of Victory University, a for-profit based in Memphis, before its untimely demise; and former President Bill Clinton has faced censure for his lucrative work with for-profit colleges, even as his wife has criticized them. Story continues Thats a marked turnaround from 2012, when Democratic attempts to ding Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney over his connections to Floridas Full Sail University landed with a dud among voters. But as with so much of this campaign, Trump has thoroughly changed the rules. And down-ballot candidates could pay the political price for Trumps troubles. Republican lawmakers have long celebrated the for-profit model as evidence of the free market working as it should. While the states public university systems are underwritten directly by state taxes and federal government grants, for-profit institutions were long seen as operating with less government involvement. The media attention on Trump University has helped spotlight the fact that many for-profits, including major institutions like the University of Phoenix, rely on taxpayer-supported grants and loans for veterans and low-income students for roughly 90% of their revenue. The drama around Trump University has also made for-profit programsand their unique, sometimes predatory, business modela household topic. Even if the details remain cloudy, there is a sense among some voters that things at these schools just arent right. This has potentially carved out a new angle of attack for political players looking to make a connection on the issue. Democrats see the tactic as one piece to their path back to a majority in the Senate. Republicans have a tenuous majority at the moment, but no fewer than a half-dozen races are legitimately up for grabs. With Trump as the party leader, many Senators are bracing for a go-it-alone fall. Toomey is among those candidates who is building a campaign on the defense, and Democrats will likely use every piece of research they have on Toomey against him. Donald Trump peddling shady educations at Trump University exposed him as nothing more than a con man looking to screw working families out of their hard earned money. Pat Toomey is going to face similar scrutiny over his investments in a for-profit college incredibly similar to Trumps relationship to Trump U, said one Democratic operative. Yorktown pushed an online curriculum that was conservative and at times out of step with mainstream academic requirements. One class sought to help students fight what it considered political correctness, while another sought to discredit feminists. The school also offered courses with a conservative reading of history and philosophy. But the program never really took off. Its shaky finances and lack of accreditation prompted Colorado to ban Yorktown from offering degrees, forcing it to relocate to Florida, though the program still qualified for veterans to use G.I. Bill benefits. Toomeys involvement with Yorktown came between his departure from the U.S. House after the 2004 elections and his election to the Senate in 2010. Tommey served on the schools boards. His staff says the relationship was minor. Many years ago, Senator Toomey was approached by an acquaintance about a new effort he was starting, Toomey communications director Ted Kwong tells TIME. The Senator made a small contribution and lent his name to the organization, but that was the extent of his minimal involvement. Kwong said that Democrats are desperately throwing mud in the hopes that something will stick. In contrast, Senator Toomey has spent his time in public service fighting to save Pennsylvania jobs and find bipartisan solutions to keep Pennsylvania families safe, he added. Toomey still lists his investment with the program on his Senate financial disclosures. They are worth next-to-nothing, although thats more due to the programs failure to find success than Toomeys initial financial investment. The companys regulatory filings, however, listed Toomeys name in marketing materials. In 2009, before Senator Toomey ran for Senate, he asked the school to stop using his name, Kwong said. Democrats are unlikely to heed such a request. With Haley Sweetland Edwards. Washington (AFP) - Hillary Clinton on Tuesday targeted her White House rival Donald Trump's very rationale for being a competent president, painting the provocative billionaire as a "dangerous" and manipulative businessman who would sink the US economy. The Democratic flagbearer's comprehensive condemnation of Trump's business dealings came as the presumptive Republican nominee revealed unprecedented financial deficits heading into his general election push, the latest of several setbacks and self-inflicted wounds that have plunged his campaign into disarray. Clinton piled on in her speech in Ohio, an important swing state, where she argued that Trump's lack of a plan to bring back manufacturing and other jobs could yank the nation back into recession. We can't let him bankrupt America like we are one of his failed casinos," she thundered in Columbus. "We can't let him roll the dice with our children's futures." By laying into Trump's corporate empire, Clinton aimed to disarm her rival's potent claim that he can translate his business acumen into Oval Office success. "He's written a lot of books about business. They all seem to end at chapter 11," she quipped, referring to the US legal code that addresses bankruptcy and reorganization. She claimed Trump had refused to pay some workers their due and had his own products manufactured overseas -- moves she argued punished hard-working Americans. He also "made a fortune filing bankruptcies and stiffing his creditors" in the process, leaving hundreds out of people out of work, Clinton said. "In America, we don't begrudge people being successful, but we know they shouldn't do it by destroying other people's dreams." Despite his long track record as a businessman, "it turns out he's dangerous there, too," Clinton said. "Just like he shouldn't have his finger on the button," she added, referring to the US nuclear arsenal, "he shouldn't have his hands on our economy." Story continues "Donald Trump's ideas about the economy and the world will cause millions of Americans to lose their jobs," Clinton said. - Seeking a reboot - Trump returned fire as Clinton spoke, arguing that she "surged" the trade deficit with China by 40 percent while serving as America's top diplomat, a move he said cost Americans "millions of jobs." In a bid to go on offense, Trump announced he would deliver a speech Wednesday addressing "the failed policies and bad judgment of crooked Hillary Clinton." But the latest news cycle unquestionably has been unkind to the real estate tycoon. He fired campaign manager Corey Lewandowski on Monday, seeking a reboot as he prepares to battle with Clinton whose campaign is well ahead of Trump's in terms of finances and organization. Trump has been hammered for making controversial statements after the Orlando massacre, including about Muslims, and for saying it would have been a "beautiful sight" if more people at the Florida club -- where drinks flowed -- were armed in order to shoot back at the attacker. His numbers have slid in several polls, and Republican leaders have continued to express ambivalence about their presumptive nominee. - A 'different' campaign - The latest clash comes amid revelations that Trump's campaign war chest lags woefully behind Clinton's. Trump has just $1.3 million in cash on hand, according to reports filed Monday with the Federal Election Commission. Clinton's campaign by contrast had $42 million as of May 31, its report showed. Trump insisted he could ply his own campaign with "unlimited" funds. "If need be, there could be unlimited 'cash on hand' as I would put up my own money, as I have already done through the primaries, spending over $50 million," he said in a statement. He also said his campaign was prepared to embrace a new tone as it geared for battle with Clinton. "I think it's time now for a different kind of a campaign" than the lean operation that helped win the primary race, Trump told Fox News late Monday as he justified Lewandowski's departure. Trump also brushed off his difficulty in earning Republican leadership support, telling NBC he might not even need their blessing. "I may be better winning it the opposite way than the more traditional way," he said. But a revolt of sorts appeared to be brewing at next month's Republican National Convention. As many as 400 of the party's 2,472 delegates who formally elect the Republican nominee have expressed support for a movement to stop Trump, according to The Washington Post. Trump meanwhile met Tuesday with about 1,000 evangelical Christians in an effort to win over the crucial voting bloc. "He came across as reasonable, not reckless," Catholic Vote president Brian Burch was quoted by Time magazine as saying. Trump's campaign also announced an evangelical executive advisory board, featuring prominent conservative religious figures including psychologist and author James Dobson, who has courted controversy over his strong position against gays. The truth is out there and here it is: Tom DeLonge's reason for leaving Blink-182 had more to do with the search for intelligent life in the universe than any petty music dispute. "Well it's not so much about Blink. It's about what I'm doing with my life now," DeLonge told Mic in talking about the recently released first volume of his multi-media project about the paranormal, Sekret Machines Book 1: Chasing Shadows. Travis Barker Says Tom DeLonge Wanted Blink-182 to Sound Like U2 "When you're an individual like me, dealing with something that's a national security issue, and you're being gifted with the opportunity to communicate something you've been passionate about your whole life -- something that has the opportunity to change the world over time -- being a small part of that is enormously important for my life path." DeLonge previously said he was able to contact well-placed sources in the military and intelligence communities (people with "multiple stars on their shoulders" and "multiple PhDs") to uncover some hidden truths about UFOs and the search for alien life in the universe. He told the site that frankly, there wasn't time to do both. Tom DeLonge Loves Blink-182, But Says 'I'm Wired to Really Challenge My Mind' "[But] I can't do everything," he said of his lifelong obsession with scanning the skies and playing rock. "I can't tour nine months out of the year with enough time to do the enormity of what I'm setting out to do." DeLonge split with the group last year and has since been replaced by Alkaline Trio's Matt Skiba. DeLonge has clearly not been sitting idly by, as evidenced by his To The Stars site, which lists a rich variety of Sekret Machines swag, including a limited edition nano drone, an Angels and Airwaves Chasing Shadows picture disc and a Chasing Shadows black nickel coin. Blink-182 Take Us Back to the Rock Show in 'Bored to Death' Video Story continues And it's not like DeLonge just started delving into this subject. Way back on Blink's 1999 smash Enema of the State he told Mic the song "Aliens Exist" described an organization of "top-level scientists, military people and intelligence officials" tied to the Majestic 12 project about the recovery of an extraterrestrial aircraft. "I put the name in that song, and the irony now is that I'm dealing with people from the modern version of whatever that group is called," he told the site. "It's a big deal." Editor's Note: DeLonge tweeted out a response to coverage of the Mic interview on Tuesday afternoon in which he urged fans not to believe the "media, ridiculous articles saying I quit blink over my work with Government on Sekret Machines Project." Don't believe the media, ridiculous articles saying I quit blink over my work with Government on Sekret Machines Project. Not true. Hahaha - Tom DeLonge (@tomdelonge) June 21, 2016 (ISTANBUL) A Turkish court placed two Turkish journalists including a local representative of Reporters Without Borders and an academic in pretrial arrest Monday over charges of disseminating terrorist propaganda, according to the press freedom rights group and Turkish media reports. Reporters Without Borders Erol Onderoglu, along with journalist Ahmet Nesin and academic Sebnem Korur Fincanci, had participated in a solidarity campaign in support of Ozgur Gundem, a pro-Kurdish publication subject to multiple investigations and lawsuits. The private Dogan news agency said the campaign involved participants acting as chief editor for a day. The three were ordered arrested after they testified before the public prosecutor with the state judiciarys Terrorism and Organized Crimes Bureau. Fincanci, chair of Turkeys Human Rights Foundation, said during her testimony to the prosecutor that all of the articles on the day she acted as editor should be covered by the principles of freedom of thought and expression, the agency reported. Reporters Without Borders condemned the arrests as an unbelievable low for press freedom in Turkey. Later Monday the United Nations Correspondents Association said one of its members Razi Canikligil, who writes for the Turkish Hurriyet daily, was also arrested for articles and tweets on Turkish authorities. The UNCA said it considers this a grave violation of freedom of the press. Press freedom advocates warn that freedom of expression has dramatically declined in Turkey, where lawsuits against journalists, academics and other public figures are common. Since the rise to power in 2002 of the ruling AKP, several news outlets seized by the government have been handed over to businesses close to the party. Tax inspections and tax fines have served to intimidate many media outlets, which fear falling foul of the government. Journalists who are critical of the government have been fired. More than a dozen journalists are in prison, although the government insists they have been jailed for criminal activity, notjournalistic work. Last year, a group of party supporters raided the headquarters of Hurriyet newspaper, following criticism by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Soon after, Hurriyet columnist Ahmet Hakan was chased and beaten. Turkey frequently blocks access to websites, and a pro-Kurdish television channel was recently taken off the air. Foreign journalists have been arrested and deported for reporting on Turkeys renewed conflict with the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, in the countrys mostly Kurdish southeast region. Istanbul (AFP) - Turkey and Israel will this weekend announce a deal on normalising ties, ending a six-year diplomatic crisis sparked by a deadly Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla in which 10 Turkish nationals died, a report said Tuesday. The Hurriyet daily said the two sides would make the announcement during final talks on June 26 after intensive diplomacy resulted in a compromise agreement on the partial lifting of Israel's blockade on the Gaza Strip. Previously tight relations between Israel and key NATO member Turkey were significantly downgraded after Israeli commandos staged a botched pre-dawn raid on the six-ship flotilla in May 2010 as it tried to run the blockade on Gaza. Nine activists on board the Turkish-owned Mavi Marmara ferry were killed, with a tenth person later dying of his wounds, sparking a bitter diplomatic crisis. Two of Turkey's key conditions for normalisation -- an apology and compensation -- were largely met, leaving its third demand, that Israel lift its blockade on the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, as the main obstacle. Under terms of the deal, Israel will allow the completion of a much-needed hospital in Gaza, as well as the construction of a new power station and a sea water distillation plant for drinking water. Israel imposed its blockade on Gaza in June 2006 after Palestinian militants there snatched an Israeli soldier. The restrictions were tightened a year later when Hamas took control of the enclave, but eased significantly following a wave of international outrage over the flotilla carnage. Meanwhile, Turkey will send aid to Gaza but channel it via the Israeli port of Ashdod rather than sending it directly to the Palestinian enclave, the paper said. - Ambassadors to return - The announcement would be made after talks between top Turkish foreign ministry official Feridun Sinirlioglu and Israel's pointman on Turkish relations, Joseph Ciechanover, it added. It did not say where the talks would be held. Story continues The two diplomats would then meet again in July to formally sign the agreement after which ambassadors would return to the respective embassies and full ties would be restored. Israel's Haaretz daily said Israeli and Turkish negotiating teams are to meet in a European capital on June 26 for a decisive round of talks on the reconciliation agreement. Analysts have said Turkey may pursue a more conciliatory foreign policy following the departure of former prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who spearheaded an aggressive and interventionist strategy. His successor Binali Yildirim last week said he wanted no permanent tensions with Black Sea and Mediterranean neighbours after serious ruptures not just with Israel but also with Egypt and Russia. By Ayla Jean Yackley ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Supporters of a pro-Kurdish newspaper on Tuesday protested against the arrest of three prominent activists facing terrorism charges in Turkey and said the government was tightening its grip on independent media in a case being watched by the European Union. About 200 people chanted "The free press cannot be silenced" as riot police stood by outside daily Ozgur Gundem, a day after a court arrested Reporters Without Borders (RSF) representative Erol Onderoglu, author Ahmet Nesin and Sebnem Korur Fincanci, president of Turkey's Human Rights Foundation. The three had joined a "solidarity campaign" with nearly 50 other journalists to guest-edit the paper for a day each. Ozgur Gundem focuses on the Kurdish conflict and has faced dozens of investigations, fines and the arrest of a dozen correspondents since 2014. Other guest editors are also being investigated or prosecuted on terrorism-related charges. "The court, directed by the palace and acting on its orders, once again has signed its name to a shameful decision and arrested our three friends," editor Inan Kizilkaya said, referring to President Tayyip Erdogan's office. The presidency said it would not comment on court cases. The arrests are a headache for the European Union, trying to keep a deal with Turkey on track to stop the flow of migrants to Europe, despite criticism from rights groups and concern from some European leaders about Turkey's record on rights. The EU, which Turkey seeks to join, said the arrests violated Ankara's commitment to fundamental rights. Turkey ranks 151 out of 180 nations on RSF's World Press Freedom Index. It accuses Erdogan, Turkey's most popular leader in a half-century, of an "offensive against Turkey's media" that includes censorship and harassment. "The jailing of Onderoglu and (Fincanci), two of Turkey's most respected rights defenders, is a chilling sign human rights groups are the next target," said Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. Fincanci, 57, a professor of forensic medicine, is particularly well-known, having won the first International Medical Peace Award for helping establish U.N. principles for detecting and documenting torture. KURDISH INSURGENCY Erdogan has vowed to stamp out a three-decade insurgency by Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants that flared anew a year ago after peace talks he spearheaded collapsed. Left-wing Ozgur Gundem, which has a circulation of 7,500, has featured the writings of Abdullah Ocalan, the PKK's jailed leader, and has published columns by senior rebel commanders. Turkey, the U.S. and EU list the PKK as a terrorist group. The Index on Censorship says 20 journalists have been detained in Turkey this year. Most are Kurds working in the strife-hit southeast. "The West, with its entire focus on the refugee crisis, has paved the way for Erdogan's authoritarianism," said Garo Paylan, a lawmaker in the Democratic Peoples' Party (HDP), which has Kurdish roots and is the third biggest party in parliament. Can Dundar, editor-in-chief of the secularist Cumhuriyet newspaper which is often at odds with Ozgur Gundem's pro-Kurdish stance, on Tuesday took on the symbolic role of editor-in-chief. Dundar was jailed for five years last month over coverage of alleged Turkish arms shipments to Syrian rebels, but is free pending appeal. He is aware he could be prosecuted again after his stint at the helm of Ozgur Gundem. "If we don't stand together, we will all lose. The time is now to support each other," he told Reuters. (Editing by Nick Tattersall; editing by Ralph Boulton) By Narottam Medhora and Rishika Sadam (Reuters) - Twitter, known for its 140-character limit on tweets, is now allowing users to post longer videos - of up to 140 seconds. The change highlights co-founder Jack Dorsey-led Twitter's recent push into video, an area where it lags Facebook and Google's YouTube, and efforts to revive stalled user growth. In another move, Twitter will start allowing video publishers to make money out of their content on Vine, its video streaming service. Vine will use Twitter's Amplify Open program, which runs ads before a video starts playing. Twitter previously restricted videos to 30 seconds. The new 140-second video limit also applies to Vine, which previously had a six-second limit. Twitter also launched "Twitter Engage", a mobile app that allows users with a large number of followers to track their posts and see what their fans are tweeting about. "It is a good effort and sits within their overarching video strategy in empowering content creators," said James Cakmak, an analyst at Monness, Crespi, Hardt & Co Inc. "But it is not a silver bullet in alleviating the broader challenges in the business." The company faces increasing competition in mobile video from Facebook Inc's Instagram and popular messaging app Snapchat. Video tweets on Twitter have increased by more than 50 percent since the beginning of 2016, the company said in a blog post on Tuesday. The microblogging site said some publishers would also be able to create videos that were as long as 10 minutes using its "professional publisher tools". Instagram allows users to post videos as long as 60 seconds, while Facebook Live limits videos to 45 minutes. Snapchat has a limit of up to 10 seconds. "Video is becoming increasingly central to the real-time conversations happening on Twitter," Jeremy Rishel, Twitter Inc's vice president of engineering, wrote in a blog post. The news comes a day after Twitter said it bought London-based Magic Pony Technology, a machine-learning startup that specializes in working with images, to deliver better video and picture content. Twitter's shares were marginally down in early trading on Tuesday. (Reporting by Narottam Medhora in Bengaluru; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty) By Alex Dobuzinskis LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Two rapidly growing wildfires burning a few miles apart in parched foothills just northeast of Los Angeles threatened to merge on Tuesday after forcing the evacuation of more than 700 people, officials said. The blazes came as California and other southwestern U.S. states baked in a heat wave. The so-called Fish Fire and the Reservoir Fire, which both broke out on Monday in the Angeles National Forest, more than doubled in size overnight and were entirely unconfined, the U.S. Forest Service said in a statement. (http://bit.ly/28Lbe6h) The Fish Fire, whose cause is under investigation, has grown to 3,000 acres (1,214 hectares) while the Reservoir Fire, which fire officials say was sparked by a car crash, stood at about 2,400 acres (971 hectares), according to figures from the U.S. Forest Service. "It is a possibility that the two fires would merge," Andrew Mitchell, a spokesman for the team battling the Reservoir Fire, said in a phone interview. The fires burning more than 20 miles (32 km) northeast of downtown Los Angeles have forced at least 700 people to evacuate, Mitchell said. The communities nearest the flames include the suburban towns of Duarte and Azusa. Overnight, a flank of the Fish Fire crept down a hillside on the east side of Duarte, lapping at brush just beyond some houses before firefighters extinguished the flames, Los Angeles County Fire Chief John Tripp said at a news conference. "Our big threat today is still that left side of the fire," Tripp said. "That still is a very uncontrolled flank of the fire." Officials warned more evacuations could be ordered. While the two blazes have not yet merged, they are being handled as one incident called the San Gabriel Complex Fire. Over 600 firefighters are battling those blazes fueled by dry brush and chaparral, officials said. Meanwhile, a half-dozen other wildfires burned across California. In the coastal part of the state, firefighters have made steady progress in handling the so-called Sherpa Fire, a seven-day old blaze northwest of Santa Barbara that has burned nearly 8,000 acres (3,237 hectares) in an area of ranches and campgrounds. That fire is 70 percent contained, according to tracking website InciWeb.gov. Two states away, the Dog Head Fire in central New Mexico has charred more than 17,000 acres (6,880 hectares) and was 46 percent contained after destroying 24 homes and 21 minor structures soon after it broke out last week. (Additional reporting by Laila Kearney in New York; Editing by Phil Berlowitz and Cynthia Osterman) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States plans to provide more than $3 billion a year in support for the Afghan national security forces from 2018 through 2020, U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Olson said on Tuesday. Speaking at a think tank, Olson also said the United States planned to ask Congress for about $1 billion a year in development and economic assistance for Afghanistan from 2018 through 2020. (Reporting by Arshad Mohammed; Writing by Eric Walsh; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama) BOSTON (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court on Tuesday upheld a lower court's ruling that a prototype rifle design by Sig Sauer, which is believed to have made the gun used in last week's Orlando massacre, featured a built-in silencer that would make it subject to tougher federal restrictions on its sale and higher taxes. Sig Sauer, which produced the semi-automatic rifle believed to be used in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, had challenged a 2013 ruling by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, that the prototype not yet released for sale would be subject to a $200 transfer fee for each weapon sold due to the silencer. The privately held company, based in Newington, New Hampshire, argued that the device on the end of the weapon was not intended to serve as a silencer but rather was a "muzzle brake," which can reduce recoil. Classifying the device as a silencer would subject the gun to stiffer federal requirements including stricter limits on record keeping and markings, which would result in there being "no market" for the gun, Sig Sauer said in court papers. The decision comes at a time the U.S. firearms industry is lobbying to loosen restrictions on sales of silencers, contending that they can protect shooters' hearing. The U.S. Appeals Court for the First Circuit in Boston rejected that argument on Tuesday. "It is hard to believe that Congress intended to invite manufacturers to evade the (National Firearms Act)'s carefully constructed regulatory regime simply by asserting an intended use for a part that objective evidence in the record - such as a part's design features - indicates is not actually an intended one," Judge David Barron wrote. The decision upheld an earlier finding by the U.S. District Court in New Hampshire. It noted that the ATF had found that the gun involved in the case had "little or no practical use for a muzzle brake" due to its small size. Story continues Sig Sauer has been growing rapidly in the United States, with plans to sell more silencers and ammunition while vying for a contract to supply several hundred thousand handguns to the U.S. military. Orlando gunman Omar Mateen used a Sig Sauer MCX assault rifle to kill 49 people and wound 53 at the Pulse nightclub, according to a U.S. law enforcement official. (Reporting by Scott Malone and Tim McLaughlin; Editing by Cynthia Osterman) June 21 (Reuters) - Grandpoint Bank on Tuesday introduced cyber insurance policies to reimburse business customers for fast-growing wire-transfer fraud schemes. Los Angeles-based Grandpoint, a commercial bank with operations in Southern California, Arizona and Southern Washington, said it is the first bank to market such policies. The approach is similar to mobile phone carriers offering customers insurance for lost or stolen phones, which is also available directly through insurers. Grandpoint said the coverage includes losses from wire-transfer scams including business email compromise. In business email compromise schemes, fraudsters pose as executives or vendors from a business, sending requests for money transfers to accounts controlled by criminals. The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation last week warned that business email compromise scams have grown dramatically over the past year. FBI data shows that criminals have sought to use such scams to steal more than $3 billion since June 2013. Grandpoint said the policy, which is underwritten by Hiscox Inc, a unit of Hiscox Ltd, costs $30 to $70 per month for up to $1 million in coverage. (Reporting by Jim Finkle; Editing by David Gregorio) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An 18-year-old man who authorities said planned to fly to Morocco and travel to Islamic State-controlled territory to join the group was arrested in Indiana on Tuesday, the U.S. Justice Department said. FBI agents arrested Akram Musleh, of Brownsburg, Indiana, as he was attempting to board a bus from Indianapolis to New York, from where he planned to fly to Morocco, the department said in a statement. "The criminal complaint alleges that he planned to provide personnel (himself) to ISIL," the statement added, referring to the militant Islamist group. If convicted, Musleh faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine, the statement said. (Reprting by Mohammad Zargham; Editing by Dan Grebler and Peter Cooney) Uber -- a service best known for putting users in contact with private-hire car drivers -- has added another string to its bow with the arrival of its high-end water-taxi service in France. Uber's luxury water-taxi service, UberBOAT, will launch in France at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, which runs June 21 to 26, 2016. The service will be available via the regular Uber app for trips from Cannes to Saint-Tropez, Monaco or the Lerins Islands. Boats can seat up to 12 people and prices start at 300 for a trip to the Lerins Islands or 1,000 for trips to Monaco or Saint-Tropez. Journeys will be operated in luxury boats provided by Wajer Yachts. UberBOAT has previously brought this high-end means of transport to Boston, USA and Istanbul, Turkey. The firm's UberCOPTER service will also be available for trips between Nice and Cannes by air in just a few minutes. Uber has been busy expanding its range of services, branching out from the world of private-hire cars to boats and helicopters, and with a food delivery service taking dishes cooked in partner restaurants to users' doors in record time. The Uber application is free to download from the App Store (iOS), Google Play (Android) and Microsoft Marketplace (Windows). ronda-rousey-dana-white-header Getty Image Yesterday news broke that the UFC had accepted a $4.2 billion dollar offer to sell the promotion to a group comsisting of WME-IMG, the Dalian Wanda Group, The Kraft Group and Tencent Holdings. Rumors had been circling about a potential deal to sell the promotion since May, when ESPN reported there were at least four buyers bidding for the mixed martial arts company. The UFC vehemently denied the details of that article, and now theyre doing the same with the latest claim than an offer has been accepted. UFC Vice President of Public Relations Dave Sholler sent out a tersely worded email saying none of this was true. Via MMA Junkie: FloCombat.coms report indicating that the UFC has been sold is false, Sholler told MMAjunkie. Weve communicated that to our staff members tonight via an internal memo. The email sent out to staffers was equally emphatic and threatened legal action against whoever was leaking sales rumors to the press, which is an interesting thing to do when claiming none of whats being leaked is true. A report today by FloCombat.com indicating that the company has been sold is false, the email read. This follows other false speculation in the press recently. Such misrepresentation of facts in the media negatively impacts our business, staff members and athletes. We have instructed our attorneys to investigate and take all appropriate legal actions against the parties publishing and contributing to these false stories. With International Fight Week and the historic UFC 200 rapidly approaching, we look forward to once again delivering a series of events that our fans wont soon forget. We appreciate your hard work, diligence and commitment, and thank you for your focus as we continue to take the sport to new heights. There are several possible reasons why the UFC is denying the sale has gone through, the most obvious being that maybe it hasnt. But technically speaking, the emails sent by Sholler only claim the UFC hasnt been sold not that an agreement to make the sale hasnt been agreed upon, which is what Flosports claims. The company could still be negotiating a number of final points before the deal is official, and they may be planning on making the announcement in the final days before UFC 200 to add even more hype to the event. This wouldnt be the first time the UFC has straight up denied reports that later turned out to be true. The day before Brock Lesnars signing with the UFC was confirmed, UFC president Dana White told ESPN point-blank that there was no truth to the rumors of Lesnars return and that particular deception was just so the UFC could announce the fighters return themselves 24 hours later. So theres a precedent that shows we shouldnt always believe whats coming from the UFC in terms of deals like this. Where theres smoke, theres usually fire. And theres a lot of smoke regarding this sale, coming from several reputable sources. (via MMA Junkie) UFC featherweight title contender Chad Mendes was notified by the United States Anti-Doping Agency of a potential Anti-Doping Policy violation stemming from an out-of-competition drug test on June 10. The 145-pound contender made a public statement for the first time about the flagged test result on Monday via Twitter. I didn't do my homework and that was a big mistake. I own it and I'm going to pay for it. chad mendes (@chadmendes) June 18, 2016 RELATED > Mark Hunt Doesn't Think Brock Lesnar's UFC 200 USADA Exemption is Fair The standard suspension for the first time testing positive to a banned substance is two years. The length of the suspension can and has been reduced when fighters are able to provide evidence that their positive test result was due to a tainted supplement. What Mendes tested positive to remains unknown, but his comment that he should have done his homework' suggests that it was something categorized as a performance enhancer. Mendes last competed in December, losing to Frankie Edgar by knockout. If he's given a two-year suspension, he'll be 33-years-old when he returns in 2018. Follow MMAWeekly.com on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram BERLIN (Reuters) - Britain faces a long period of uncertainty that would be detrimental to jobs and business if its citizens vote to leave the European Union in Thursday's referendum, a German business leader said Tuesday. Ingo Kramer, president of the Federation of German Employers, told ZDF German television that leaving the EU would have a "fatal result" for Britain that would also have consequences for Germany, given close business ties between the two countries. More than 3,000 German firms have operations in Britain, he said. "Sixty percent of Britain's exports go to the European Union or its close trade partners, which shows the importance of Europe for the British economy," Kramer said. "To open that up to uncertainty would be a totally fatal result." Kramer said it could take a long time to negotiate new trade agreements between Britain and the European Union following a vote for Brexit, and Britain could not choose deals to reduce trade barriers, while blocking access for EU workers. Kramer said supporters of a British exit wrongly assumed that EU workers were sapping their resources, noting that most such workers had in fact paid taxes and rent, and generally contributed to the UK economy. "Britain can't just cherry pick the results, choosing one part and not the other," Kramer told ZDF. He said Switzerland and Norway had negotiated similar agreements as non-EU members, but both had also opened their borders to workers. Kramer said a vote by Britain to leave the bloc would be "egotistical and nationalistic" and did not make sense given the expected negative fallout. However, he said other countries could trigger similar debates in other EU countries. Two opinion polls on Monday suggested that the "Remain" camp had recovered some group in the referendum vote following the murder of a pro-EU British lawmaker. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Alison Williams) United Nations (United States) (AFP) - The UN special envoy to Yemen said on Tuesday he has proposed a roadmap for a peaceful settlement to end 14 months of armed conflict in the impoverished Arab nation. The war pitting Iran-backed Shiite Huthi rebels and their allies against pro-government fighters backed by a Saudi-led coalition has cost more than 6,400 lives since March 2015. Another 2.8 million people have been displaced and more than 80 percent of the population are in urgent need humanitarian aid, according to UN figures. The envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed proposed the roadmap after two months of negotiations in Kuwait. "The roadmap provides for the implementation of the security arrangements specified in Security Council Resolution 2216 and the establishment of a national unity government," he said in a briefing to the UN Security Council from Kuwait City. Security arrangements under Resolution 2216 require the Huthi rebels and their allies to withdraw from areas they occupied in 2014, including the capital Sanaa, and the handover of weapons. Under the roadmap, the national unity government would ensure the delivery of basic services, address the recovery of the economy and prepare for dialogue paving the way for a comprehensive solution, said Ould Cheikh Ahmed. "The delegations have responded positively to the proposals, but have not yet reached agreement on the sequencing of the different steps provided in the roadmap," mainly when would the national unity government be formed, he said. Ould Cheikh Ahmed urged the two sides to speed up the process of reaching a final accord. The government has resisted proposals for a unity administration before the rebels' withdrawal and handover of arms, fearing it would undermine the international legitimacy of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi. Donald Trump speaks to a crowd of supporters during a campaign rally on June 18, 2016, in Phoenix. (Photo: Ralph Freso/Getty Images) Unconventional is Yahoo News complete guide to what could be the craziest presidential conventions in decades. Heres what you need to know today. Unconventional has been reporting for some time now on the concept of disgruntled Republicans dumping presumptive nominee Donald Trump at the Republican convention that begins in Cleveland on July 18. Last month, we dug deep into the GOP rule book and the partys history to figure out whether deep-sixing the Manhattan mogul is even possible at this point. (Short answer: It is.) And later, we explained what would have to happen between now and Cleveland to convince Republicans to go through with it . But there were never any actual delegates, you know, plotting to wrest the nomination away Trump at the convention. It was all just speculation. Until now. On Friday, the Washington Post reported that dozens of Republican convention delegates had hatched a new plan to block Trump in Cleveland a plan, according to the Post, that amounted to the most organized effort so far to stop the businessman from becoming the GOP presidential nominee. At the time, the latest Dump Trump cabal was fairly small. Roughly 30 delegates from 15 states participated in a conference call Thursday night, with Republicans from Arizona, Iowa, Louisiana and Washington signing on as regional coordinators. A Christian schoolteacher and rules committee member from Colorado named Kendal Unruh a former Ted Cruz supporter was leading the charge. Since then, however, Unruhs campaign appears to have picked up steam. A second conference call on Sunday night attracted an alleged 1,000 participants . Unruh & Co. claimed that several hundred delegates and alternates had now rallied to the cause. The group announced plans raise money for staff and a possible legal defense fund. And they even gave themselves a name: Free the Delegates. As regular Unconventional readers know, there is a convincing case to be made that Republican convention delegates are already technically free to nominate whomever they want in Cleveland, despite the impression that they are bound by the results of the primary votes in each state. Every convention votes on its own rules, so if this years GOP delegates wanted to unbind themselves, the argument goes, nothing would stop them. Numerous judicial rulings have found that even state laws, which purport to bind approximately one-third of the delegates, cannot govern the internal affairs of a national political party such as how delegates vote at a convention. Story continues Colorado delegate Kendal Unruh of Castle Rock, Colo., makes her opinions known at the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn. (Photo: Andy Cross/The Denver Post via Getty Images) Still, the perception is that delegates would be breaking the rules if they were to vote against Trump in Cleveland. Thats where Free the Delegates comes in. On Sundays call, Unruh told participants that she is planning to propose adding a conscience clause to the conventions rules so that there is no confusion about what delegates can do . Such a clause would say that every delegate is free to vote his or her conscience on the first ballot even if state laws or party rules say otherwise. The idea of a conscience clause seemed to get a boost at least in the eyes of people like Unruh when House Speaker Paul Ryan, who has both endorsed and frequently criticized Trump, said on Sundays Meet the Press that the last thing I would do is tell anybody to do something thats contrary to their conscience. It is not my job to tell delegates what to do, what not to do or to weigh in on things like that, Ryan explained. They write the rules. They make their decisions. Paul Ryan signed our permission slip, Unruh told the Post. Its worth noting that while some of Unruhs allies backed Cruz during the primaries, Free the Delegates is not organizing on behalf of any particular candidate. Its not an effort for a candidate or against a candidate, said Eric OKeefe, a Detroit GOP operative who is a member of the group. Its an effort to educate people on what their real authority is and have them get the comfort that theyre not alone. Even so, top Republican officials who worry that disenfranchising Trump voters would hurt the GOP more than Trump himself ever could reacted harshly over the weekend. Donald Trump bested 16 highly qualified candidates and received more primary votes than any candidate in Republican Party history, Republican National Committee spokesman Sean Spicer said in a statement. All of the discussion about the RNC Rules Committee acting to undermine the presumptive nominee is silly. There is no organized effort, strategy or leader of this so-called movement. It is nothing more than a media creation and a series of tweets. The people have spoken in overwhelming number, added Iowa state party chairman Jeff Kaufmann . If they pull off what they say they will, we will not have a party. Period. Trump himself weighed in Saturday at his rally in Phoenix , claiming that any move by the delegates to unbind themselves and replace him in Cleveland wouldnt be legal. I hear they want to try do something at the convention, Trump said. Its not legal, cant do it. The Republican National Committee is with me 100 percent. Reince Priebus, a very good guy, he said its the most ridiculous thing hes ever heard. Trumps rhetoric aside, what Free the Delegates is proposing is, in fact, legal . Whether it has a chance of working well, thats another story. The odds are steep, but at least one rules committee member tells Unconventional that he thinks the interest is there and that getting a majority (i.e., 57 members) of the committee to vote for a conscience clause is definitely doable. Stay tuned for more in Wednesdays Unconventional! Information technology firm, Unisys Corporation UIS, recently announced that Amazon Web Services (AWS), a subsidiary of Amazon.com, Inc. AMZN, has acknowledged it as one of its first partners to have achieved AWS Government Competency. This is a new component of the AWS Competency Program that recognizes companies that demonstrate technical expertise and achievements in delivering specialized cloud-based solutions to customers. Launched in 2006, AWS offers a suite of cloud computing services on an on-demand computing platform. These services function across 12 geographical regions across the world. AWS is marketed as a service that provides client companies large computing capacity economically. AWS selected Unisys based on its successful track record of productively delivering cloud-based solutions on its platform. Unisys service via AWS reaches out to federal, state and local government agencies in the U.S. Some of AWS clients include the Department of the Interior, the State of Washington and the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau. Partnering with AWS will help Unisys expand its client base across various government agencies that are linked with AWS. UNISYS Price UNISYS Price | UNISYS Quote This acknowledgment recognizes Unisys approach of delivering efficient and cost-efficient cloud services to government agencies, while reconfirming its position as a leader in providing up-to-date services to its public sector clients. Some of the cloud-based services that the company offers clients using the AWS platform include the Unisys Hybrid Architecture Strategy and Blueprint Service, Unisys Applications and Infrastructure Assessment Service, Unisys Hybrid Architecture Design and Implementation Service,Unisys Hybrid Architecture Operations and Management Service, Unisys Storage Optimization Solutions Service and its Advanced Data Analytics Services. Based in Blue Bell, PA, Unisys specializes in securing client operations, increasing efficiency of data centers, enhancing support to their end users and constituents and modernizing their enterprise applications. The company has over 20,000 employees serving clients around the world. Story continues Unisys currently has a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell). A couple of better-ranked stocks in the industry include EnerNOC, Inc. ENOC and CDK Global, Inc. CDK. Both these stocks carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report AMAZON.COM INC (AMZN): Free Stock Analysis Report UNISYS (UIS): Free Stock Analysis Report CDK GLOBAL INC (CDK): Free Stock Analysis Report ENERNOC INC (ENOC): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research By Jeffrey Dastin (Reuters) - United Continental Holdings Inc (UAL.N) will generate billions of dollars from no-frills fares, fewer delayed flights, cost cuts and other efforts, the airline said on Tuesday. The announcement, which sent United shares up nearly 3 percent, detailed some plans to catch up to larger rival Delta Air Lines Inc (DAL.N). United said it expected an extra $3.1 billion in operating income per year by 2018 from the programs, although rising wages, fuel and airport costs would partly offset that. The company also said passenger unit revenue would fall 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent in the second quarter from a year earlier, compared with earlier expectations for a drop of as much as 8.5 percent, as sales to Latin America, Europe and the Middle East have been higher than expected. The estimate of the operating income gain marks a new push by United for transparency with investors, who have sought details on how it intends to match Delta in on-time arrivals, satisfaction scores and profit margins. The plans themselves are not new. "Acknowledging where we went wrong is an important step in our recovery," Chief Executive Officer Oscar Munoz said on a conference call. United has higher costs than peers, "some of which is structural and much of which is under our control." Lower U.S. capacity on United has meant a smaller choice of flight times for corporate travelers, which has pushed them away, Chief Revenue Officer Jim Compton said. United has begun to win customers back with fewer delays this year, Munoz said. Increasing aircraft use and having to place fewer customers on other carriers' flights when theirs are canceled will create a $300 million annual benefit, the company said. Munoz said United in coming months would refine its strategy, such as how often it flies from Houston, where oil industry clients are spending less on travel. He intends for United to innovate rather than follow rivals, but a nearly five-month medical leave and board battle afforded him little time to plan since he became CEO in September. Story continues The company expects $1.5 billion of the benefit to come from ongoing airfare plans, including about $150 million from cheaper ticket offerings that may disallow advance seat assignments. This follows Delta's similar move to compete against discount rival Spirit Airlines Inc (SAVE.O). In a research note, JPMorgan analyst Jamie Baker said targets for the airfare efforts were achievable, but others might prove difficult to track. (Reporting by Jeffrey Dastin in New York; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn) Geopolitics has come to Hollywood in an unusual way, the subject of a new lawsuit from Universal Cable Productions after its insurer refused to cover expenses after rocket attacks were hurled into Israel. USA Network's Dig, a mystery-thriller miniseries set in Jerusalem about an American FBI agent investigating a death, began filming in Israel before halting and then moving production to New Mexico as a result of security tensions in the region. According to a complaint filed by Universal Cable Productions in California federal court on Monday, the U.S. State Department attributed the attacks to Hamas. When that happened, Universal says it submitted a claim to Atlantic Specialty Insurance Company, which denied coverage due to an exclusion for war or warlike action. Universal contends that coverage should have been provided because acts of terrorism are not excluded. Thus, the very hot question this case poses is whether Hamas' acts were symptomatic of war between sovereign nations or should be classified as an act of terrorism. "The United States government does not recognize the Gaza Strip as a sovereign territorial nation, and does not recognize Hamas as a sovereign government," states Universal in its complaint. "Rather, the United States government has officially designated Hamas as a terrorist organization. Nevertheless, Atlantic has ignored the United States government position and applicable law. It claims Hamas is a sovereign or quasi-sovereign government over the Gaza Strip territory (even though Atlantic admits the Gaza Strip is not a recognized sovereign nation), in a self-serving attempt to invoke the war exclusion and avoid its coverage obligations." According to the complaint, a representative of Atlantic told NBCUniversal in a letter dated July 28, 2014, that "the terrorism coverage should not apply" because the focus of the acts "is not the United States or its policy" and "the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury has not certified the [Hamas/Israel] events as acts of terrorism." Story continues Ultimately, in March 2015, USA was able to complete and broadcast a 10-episode season of Dig, created by Homeland and Tyrant creator and Israeli director Gideon Raff. But that's not stopping Universal from going to court to get reimbursed for more than $6.9 million in extra expenses after paying an insurance premium of more than $1.85 million. In the complaint, the plaintiff cites State Department reports and travel advisory warnings about Hamas and says that Atlantic initially agreed that an insured event had occurred before changing its position. The plaintiff, represented by Lucia Coyoca at Mitchell Silberberg, also demands exemplary and punitive damages. From ELLE DECOR A cruise is an ideal, relaxing getaway. Where else can you sail the open seas to a brand new destination while enjoying cuisine and drinks to your heart's content? There's just one thing: It never lasts quite long enough. Soon, however, you'll be able to cruise for an entire five months, all while seeing the world. Regent Seven Seas Cruises has announced its newest 137-night "Navigate the World" voyage that will take passengers around the globe beginning January 8, 2018. Sailing mostly the Southern Hemisphere, the 38,529-nautical-mile journey will begin and end in Los Angeles, visiting five continents, 27 countries, and 65 ports of call in between, according to the company. The cruise will take place on the Seven Seas Navigator. The ship recently underwent a multi-million dollar refurbishment (part of a $125 million fleet-wide renovation project), with its public spaces and suites being updated to showcase what the company says is "elegant style and indisputable attention to detail." Sailing in elegant style? We'll take it. Stops during the cruise will include Australia, Singapore, Nicaragua, Malaysia, Hawaii, Cape Town, Bali and Thailand (to name a few). Excursions will include visiting an active volcano at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, wine tasting in Cape Town and a sightseeing tour of temples and the arts and crafts. It might just be the easiest way to see the world while enjoying the posh comforts of a sprawling ship. The voyage is just one of various recent examples of the cruise industry adding a bit more luxury to its trips. Take Crystal Cruises, which is creating 48 private residences on three of its ships in 2018, complete with access to a mini submarine and helicopter. Or, Royal Caribbean, who announced the addition of butlers to its ships last year, and just recently debuted its new Harmony of the Seas ship - a 226,000-ton vessel that's a quarter-of-a-mile long. To put that in perspective, its passengers are issued GPS-style trackers so they don't get lost inside the boat. Story continues If 2018 seems like a long time to wait to "Navigate the World," consider it time to save for the voyage. Apparently, the cost of sailing around the world costs begins at $59,999 per person for a Deluxe Window Suite. But, hey, that could be worth its weight in passport stamps. Check out the ship below. h/t: Travel + Leisure Victoria's Secret Victoria's Secret is succumbing to a dangerous trend in retail. A recent Wedbush Securities report says that widespread sales are helping bring in foot traffic, "though margins are likely down given the incremental discounting." And in a report a few weeks ago, Wedbush pointed out that Victoria's Secret had two back-to-back sales: the very new One Sexy Sale, followed directly by the Semi Annual Sale. Prior to this point, customers had to wait much longer for Victoria's Secret lingerie to go on sale. When Business Insider reached out to Victoria's Secret at the time of the earlier report, a spokesperson said that the purpose of the extra sale was to help clear out inventory from categories that the company is currently phasing out namely, swimwear. Additionally, Victoria's Secret is the process of restructuring its business to focus on three core categories: lingerie, its younger sister brand, Pink, and its beauty sector. However, a photo below shows it was more than just swimwear that was on sale. Victoria's Secret sale May But even if the sale was expressly for clearing swimwear inventory, make no mistake: in this economy, consumers will quickly become conditioned to shopping only on sale. Most of traditional mall retail's iconic stores have suffered blow after blow while trying to wean people off of promotions. "I will be the first to say that when you start tightening up in promotion, you are playing a game of chicken with your customers," Gap Inc.'s CEO Arthur Peck said on a recent conference call. And Macy's has become something of a haven for discount seekers. While that can be fun for shoppers, it hurts the company's reputation as a premiere retailer (though make no mistake, haphazard, unkempt Macy's stores aren't helping, either), and it makes it increasingly hard for the company to convince shoppers to pay a premium. Nordstrom has been damaging its own status a premiere retailer with its rapidly growing off-price Rack store and continual discounts. Story continues Victoria's Secret has long been one of the few traditional mall retailers that have been performing solidly amid an otherwise troubling time. It helps that it has a stronghold on the lingerie market, but if people can get that same lingerie on sale, recent trends in retail seem to show that they'll do that before paying full price. NOW WATCH: The one reason Zara is dominating the fashion industry right now More From Business Insider By Peter Nicholls and Estelle Shirbon LONDON (Reuters) - Freedom of movement within the European Union is not something Raluca Cioroianu takes for granted. When she was growing up in Communist Romania, it was difficult to travel abroad, but as an adult, after her country joined the EU, she was able to move to Britain where she has built a good life for herself. Now, with Britons about to vote in a referendum on whether to leave the EU, Cioroianu finds it hard to understand why so many want to leave a club that gives them free access to a whole continent. "If you were a teenager from the UK, you could just take your passport and go. We couldn't do that," says Cioroianu, who works as a shop supervisor at a pick-your-own farm on the outskirts of London. Immigration has been one of the central topics of the EU referendum debate. Those campaigning for a "Leave" vote say the government is powerless to control numbers arriving because of EU freedom of movement rules. "I came here with good intentions, to work, to pay taxes, to improve my knowledge, my culture, and to make a better life," says Cioroianu. "I'm not ashamed to say that I'm from Romania." For Catarina Cardoso, a Portuguese academic specialising in climate change who lives in London with her German husband and three children, the EU referendum debate has made a difference to how she feels about being an immigrant. "Until now we were the same as everyone else, maybe a different accent, but it didn't seem to be an issue," she says. "Now you don't know whether you're welcome." The family had not previously considered leaving. They like Britain and its way of life, they are settled at work and at school. "But if Britain exits the EU then I suppose we'll have to think about it," says Cardoso. GROCERIES AND ORCHESTRAS Monika Cyrek, a Polish national who works in a grocery store run by her mother selling mostly Polish products, also feels a British exit (Brexit) would make the Polish community feel less welcome. "If we're not wanted here, probably a lot of people will leave and try other places," she said. A more urgent concern though is how a Brexit would affect the family business. "I don't know if it will make it harder for us to bring goods from Poland," she says. Vera Pereira, a Portuguese double bass player with a British orchestra, worries about the impact a Brexit would have on Britain's music scene, one of its main attractions for her. "Orchestras may not be able to tour as much. I'm afraid other countries in Europe won't listen to British orchestras as often and the world of music in Britain won't be as well-known as it is now. In 20 years we'll see the result," she says. Fellow musician Jessie Grimes, an Irish clarinettist, says her time playing with the EU Youth Orchestra a few years ago brought home the advantages of being part of the bloc. "Being in that orchestra made me feel quite European and understand that unity is important because we had amazing musicians from all over Europe," she says. Grimes is concerned that a post-EU Britain may have to re-instate border controls between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. "I can't see that going peacefully," she says, recalling the political violence that blighted Northern Ireland when she was a child. Grimes also cares about gay rights and says it would be a shame for Britain, which allows gay marriage and adoption, to lose the possibility of influencing less progressive EU nations. "You can only do good by staying," she says. Uniquely among non-British EU nationals, Irish citizens living in Britain are allowed to vote in the referendum, and Grimes has cast her postal ballot to remain. PAYING TAXES Svenja Schumacher, a German national working for a London financial services firm, wishes she could have a say. "I don't think it's fair that I don't have a vote. I pay taxes in Britain," she says. Schumacher thinks that growing up in Germany made her feel a lot more European than most Britons do. "When I was at school I had student exchanges with France, Italy, Spain. We learnt quite a few European languages. We learnt about the EU, European law, the whole set-up," she says. "Here the discussions you read in the press are mainly about what economic benefits Britain takes out of the EU and not what the EU stands for, things like freedom, security, solidarity." Simeon Simeonov, a Bulgarian car cleaner, puts it more bluntly: "They're thinking like in the last century," he says of those campaigning for a Brexit. Simeonov came to Britain with his Bulgarian wife to give their two children a chance for a better life. His main fear about a Brexit is that it might stop them from continuing their education at a local British state school. Mihai Marcar, a Romanian waiter at a garden centre restaurant, wants to stay in Britain come what may. "As soon as I came here, I was in love with the British way of life. This 'hello, how are you? Thank you very much', it attracted me very much. This British gentleman style," he says. Marcar has been dismayed by the negative tone of much of the debate about immigration, particularly from eastern Europe. He feels hard-working, productive people are being unfairly stigmatised because of a minority who are not like that. "I think there are a lot of people who are here illegally. For me that's the real problem, not the people who are working here, paying taxes, having a normal life." Paolo Esposito, an Italian national working in financial services, says he has "zero concern" about attitudes towards European residents changing in the event of a Brexit because of the welcoming, cosmopolitan character of London, where he lives. "I wasn't expecting it to be so easy to settle. From simple things like bureaucracy, which is a lot more straightforward than in Italy, to people's attitudes towards foreigners. Looking back on it, it was less hassle than changing your gym," he says. "I'm definitely settled, with a ring, a mortgage, a British baby." Esposito thinks there may be professional consequences from a Brexit, due to the impact on financial services and on the British economy, but says: "If it happens, I'm sure we'll survive the storm." (Additional reporting by Toby Melville, writing by Estelle Shirbon; Editing by Janet Lawrence) Pretoria (AFP) - Buses were torched and roads were barricaded with rocks and burning tyres in South Africa's capital Pretoria Tuesday in riots sparked by upcoming nationwide municipal elections. The unrest erupted late on Monday after factional disputes over the ruling African National Congress (ANC) choice for Pretoria mayor in the hotly-contested vote due on August 3. Part of the country's main north-south highway, the N1, was closed off after protesters hurled stones at cars and buses, while the defence minister pledged to crack down on the violence. Party secretary-general Gwede Mantashe blamed the unrest on "thuggery" driven by factionalism and patronage, but protesters accused the party of riding roughshod over their own choice for candidate. Similar protests, on a smaller scale, broke out earlier this month in Durban in the home province of embattled President Jacob Zuma, signalling increasing factionalism within the party ahead of a vote which analysts believe could see the ANC lose power in some major cities. The party is reeling under "factionalism, corruption and leadership without credibility", said political analyst and author Prince Mashele. The ANC of former president and liberation icon Nelson Mandela is facing a tough test in the August elections after sweeping to power in elections that ended apartheid in 1994. Zuma has faced months of criticism and growing calls for him to step down after a series of corruption scandals as the country battles falling economic growth and record unemployment. The party has split into factions, with some Mandela-era leaders joining the chorus of opposition to Zuma, saying he has stripped the party of the moral credibility it had during the struggle against apartheid. The local elections touch a raw nerve, dealing with issues such as housing and water and sewage services in a country where many feel they have not benefited as they should have from the end of white minority domination. Story continues - 'Anarchists, hooligans and gangsters' - Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula stepped in Tuesday to issue a warning to the protesters. "Here is a capital city and we are not going to allow anarchists, hooligans and gangsters to take over maybe what is a legitimate concern of the communities and... turn it into a state of anarchy," she told a news conference. Transport Minister Dipuo Peters said that 19 buses belonging to a state-owned transport firm were burnt on Monday. "The buses were set alight yesterday afternoon on their way to the depot and drivers had to flee for their safety," she said in a statement. An AFP photographer saw a truck and a bus on fire in Pretoria's Atteridgeville township Tuesday as protesters continued to vent their anger over a mayoral candidate they say was imposed on them by the national party leadership. Police said they were investigating a case of murder, along with malicious damage to property and intimidation. Security Minister David Mahlobo confirmed the death of an ANC supporter who was reportedly shot during an ANC party gathering in Pretoria on Sunday. The activist later died in hospital. Several deaths attributed to factionalism within the ANC have been reported from around the country in the run-up to the elections. In a bid to overcome deep local divisions arising from the three proposed candidates for Pretoria mayor, the ANC national leadership named its own candidate, Thoko Didiza. But some protesters complained that although she lives in Pretoria she is an outsider as she hails from Durban, a port city in the east of the country. Pretoria resident Philemon Pholoma said the protesters were ANC members "fighting about the mayor". "They are saying they don't want that woman," Pholoma told AFP. LONDON, June 21 (Reuters) - The chief executive of Europe's biggest mobile group Vodafone warned that Britain needs to remain in the European Union to influence the development of the single market for digital services, one the fastest growing parts of the economy. "We think the digital single market is the next big opportunity for the economy, in Europe in general and for Britain in particular," Vittorio Colao, chief executive of the British company, told BBC radio on Tuesday. Colao said Britain was a leader in digital goods and services, and could help set in agenda in areas such as e-commerce and cyber security. "It would be a great missed opportunity if Britain was trying to sit outside of it and not shaping it from inside," he said. (Reporting by Paul Sandle, editing by Louise Heavens) Frankfurt (AFP) - Volkswagen chief Matthias Mueller hinted in a newspaper interview that the embattled car giant could abandon diesel engine technology in the wake of the massive emissions-cheating scandal it is currently engulfed in. "Against this background, we have to ask ourselves whether... we want to spend more money on the further development of diesel," Mueller told the business daily Handelsblatt, promising that VW would take a "fundamental" look at the issue. Mueller pointed to tougher emissions legislation set to come into force in 2020. "We have an inkling of what will follow in five or 10 years," he said. "It's clear even today that treating exhaust gas fumes will become very costly and elaborate," he said. At the same time, electric powered transport will become cheaper, Mueller added, while conceding that diesel technology remained very popular in Europe and in Germany. VW was plunged into its deepest-ever crisis last September when it was revealed that it had installed emissions-cheating software into 11 million diesel engines worldwide. After the Monday night Fremont Planning Commission meeting concerning several annexation and zoning issues related to two acreages of land lying south of Fremont, and how those issues impact the Costco Wholesale proposal, some residents of the city might find themselves a bit overwhelmed by the range and complexities of stories involved. Monday may have offered solutions or may have complicated matters. Planning Commission approved three resolutions concerning the forms of Conditional Annexation agreements in regards to the properties located in two areas known as the Roadway Subdivision and the Hills Farm area, both located south of the city. These three annexation resolutions are conditional upon the Costcos closing (purchasing) of the Hills Farm area, where they would establish their poultry process operation. The planning commission also considered recommendation of two petitions of annexation to the City Council in regards to the above mentioned areas south of Fremont. Both petitions were approved for recommendation. Walt Shafer, chief operations officer and general manager at Lincoln Premium Poultry expressed his interest and support of the public process taking place in Fremont over the next two weeks. Id like to see our message get out of how this project will benefit the community, Shafer said in an interview before the planning commission meeting. He agreed that people need to express their concerns to facilitate transparency and education about Costco Wholesale and Lincoln Premium Poultry and what they intend to do if decisions to bring the processing operation to Fremont are approved. Shafer stressed that both companies want transparency to be a part of that process. Transparency is a continual process of educating people about the poultry business, he added. Shafer, whose experience in the poultry industry includes a wide array of jobs, from grower to corporate management, lauded the farmers of Dodge County and Northeastern Nebraska. He pointed out their hard work ethic, honesty and education, all which served as big attractors when making the decision to establish here. This project will give them a way to diversify their income and enable them to bring back future generations to the farm, Shafer said. During a 35 minute opening presentation to the Planning Commission, Costcos Vice President of Real Estate Development also detailed some of the attraction to Nebraska and the Dodge County area. It was pretty straight forward, Frank said citing the proximity to corn which would provide greater efficiency, the agriculture infrastructure already present and the abundant water table in Nebraska. Among the community, the stories showed greater diversity from those for and those against the project. Laura Krebsbach, regional representative for the Socially Responsible Agricultural Project projected adamant disagreement with the proposed poultry operation and the process of decision and approval engaged by the City of Fremont. She challenged the transparency and the secrecy that seemed so conspicuous in the early day. She accused Costcos presentation of its company, its mission and its values a dog and pony show. She stressed that each side deserves to represent their views to the public with uniform opportunity. Equal time is absolutely paramount, she implored to the planning commission. Parity and public participation are very important factors. Fremont resident Jeff Karls expressed his concern over the vital importance of performing more impact studies to better determine the effects on the environment, community and the economy of the area. Frank informed the commission that such studies were under way. Our goal is to be a good neighbor, Frank said, listing several steps Costco was taking to achieve that goal, such as environment reviews, air and hydrology studies as well as taking into account regulations enforced by the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality. We conduct our Business with our code of ethics, Frank said, adding that the law is paramount. One overriding and continuous theme continued to be that all sides want more. Les and Karen Domina, retired farmers, were two of those undecided residents attending. We just want more information, Les said. (Costco) was not so transparent at the start. But it seems to be getting better. Opportunity for more information comes tonight at the special City Council meeting to be held at Christensen field starting at 6:45 p.m. The Planning Commission also considered rezoning of land in Hills Farm. Decisions in regards to that were not made priors to the Fremont Tribunes print deadline. By Lauren Hirsch and Adam Jourdan NEW YORK/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT.N) has sold its Chinese online grocery store in return for a stake in the country's no. 2 e-commerce firm, ripping up its previous strategy in efforts to cure ailing sales in one of the world's toughest retail markets. The deal will see the U.S. grocery giant swap its Yihaodian platform for a 5 percent stake in JD.com Inc (JD.O), worth about $1.5 billion by the firm's latest market value. The move also gives Wal-Mart a ringside seat in JD.com's bitter rivalry with Chinese e-commerce leader Alibaba Group Holding Ltd (BABA.N). The sell-off, announced on Monday, is a significant shift for Wal-Mart in China, where it operates more than 400 bricks-and-mortar stores. The firm has been shuttering underperforming outlets and grappling with soft online sales in the world's second-biggest economy since it bought full control of Yihaodian in July last year, saying the site would play a leading role in its China strategy. "The reality is that e-commerce is hyper-competitive in China and it is tough for any platform to make money," said Ben Cavender, Shanghai-based principal of China Market Research Group. "Selling up in return for a 5 percent stake in JD.com is a good way of staying in the space while reducing the risk." The deal echoes a strategy adopted by other international retailers and consumer goods makers - selling a local unit for a stake in a Chinese partner in order to prosper in a cut-throat marketplace. France's Danone SA (DANO.PA) sold its Dumex brand last year to raise its stake in local dairy giant China Mengniu Dairy Co Ltd (2319.HK). Wal-Mart's tie-up gives it access to JD.com's nationwide logistics and warehousing networks, as well as its over 150 million users - helping expand the U.S. firm's reach with China's increasingly tech-savvy middle class. For JD.com, the deal could provide a boost in its intensifying competition in the fast-growing online grocery business with Alibaba - a market set to boom to nearly $180 billion by 2020 from $41 billion last year, according to data from food research body IGD. Story continues Under the deal, JD.com will issue around 145 million new class A shares to Wal-Mart. JD.com will take ownership of Yihaodian, although the platform will continue to be operated by Wal-Mart. The world's biggest retailer had previously talked up Yihaodian as playing a key role in turning around its China business. Wal-Mart has worked to turn around falling same-store sales in China, where the firm said in May it was facing a "challenging macroeconomic environment". Analysts said that while Wal-Mart would give up a large amount of control and potential future profits from the business, the tie-up would allow the U.S. firm to concentrate on turning around its offline stores. "It doesn't mean that (Wal-Mart has) pulled away, but to me it tells me they are trying to make smarter investments," said Edward Jones analyst Brian Yarbrough. Wal-Mart's financial adviser on the deal was Morgan Stanley & Co LLC and its legal advisor was Morrison & Foerster LLP. JD.com's legal advisors were Orrick Herrington Sutcliffe LLP and Han Kun Law Offices. (Additional reporting by Sruthi Ramakrishnan in BENGALURU, Rishika Sadam and Liana B. Baker in SAN FRANCISCO and Paul Carsten in BEIJING; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Kenneth Maxwell) (Adds survey methodology) By Olivia Oran June 21 (Reuters) - Wall Street banks remain the employers of choice for new business school graduates, despite competition for talent from Silicon Valley, hedge funds and private equity firms, according to a study released on Tuesday. More than a quarter of those surveyed by Wall Street training firm Training the Street said they were looking to join large banks upon receiving their MBAs, followed by 17 percent who chose consulting firms. Only 7 percent of business school graduates chose start-ups as their top employment destination. The results come as Wall Street banks are taking more active steps to both retain employees and attract new types of candidates. Barclays PLC said earlier this month it was launching an internship program in New York to target people who had taken a career break from the finance industry. The British bank also said it is letting U.S. staff take more time off after having a baby. In the last several months, Credit Suisse AG established a fast-track program for top performing junior bankers, and Goldman Sachs Group Inc made changes designed to retain younger staff, including promoting them more quickly. Although the majority of MBAs said they were positive on their job prospects after school, a smaller percentage are earning an annual base salary of $125,000 or more compared to last year. Forty percent of respondents will make $125,000 or more, down from 43 percent last year, the survey found. Training the Street said it conducted the survey by email in the spring with 300 respondents. (Reporting by Olivia Oran in New York; Editing by Cynthia Osterman) By Olivia Oran (Reuters) - Wall Street banks remain the employers of choice for new business school graduates, despite competition for talent from Silicon Valley, hedge funds and private equity firms, according to a study released on Tuesday. More than a quarter of those surveyed by Wall Street training firm Training the Street said they were looking to join large banks upon receiving their MBAs, followed by 17 percent who chose consulting firms. Only 7 percent of business school graduates chose start-ups as their top employment destination. The results come as Wall Street banks are taking more active steps to both retain employees and attract new types of candidates. Barclays PLC said earlier this month it was launching an internship program in New York to target people who had taken a career break from the finance industry. The British bank also said it is letting U.S. staff take more time off after having a baby. In the last several months, Credit Suisse AG established a fast-track program for top performing junior bankers, and Goldman Sachs Group Inc made changes designed to retain younger staff, including promoting them more quickly. Although the majority of MBAs said they were positive on their job prospects after school, a smaller percentage are earning an annual base salary of $125,000 or more compared to last year. Forty percent of respondents will make $125,000 or more, down from 43 percent last year, the survey found. Training the Street said it conducted the survey by email in the spring with 300 respondents. (Reporting by Olivia Oran in New York; Editing by Cynthia Osterman) Rescue workers had to hoist a rock climber who had suffered life-threatening injuries after falling near Alpentals Source Lake on Monday, June 20. This video shows rescue workers in a King County Sheriffs Office helicopter working to pull out the injured rock climber. Local reports said rescue teams tried to climb to the injured man, who was described as experienced, but the helicopter was the only way to get a medic to the climber and ultimately get him off the mountain. Credit: YouTube/King County Sheriffs Office From Popular Mechanics Crossbows have been in existence for thousands of years, which means that the basic mechanical properties of crossbow are pretty much nailed down. So making a DIY compound crossbow is a project nearly anyone can do. One YouTuber, MrGear, shares the construction of his crossbow in the video below. He built his out of basic pine, a couple springs, pulleys, and some random pieces of hardware. The pulley system allows his bow to exert much more power, and his add-on scope makes this crossbow extremely accurate. The most difficult part of this build is assembling the trigger mechanism. He covered building the trigger in his airgun video, and it's a part that you'll have to fabricate on your own. This project looks like a lot of fun, but take care once you've built one. You are, after all, putting together a weapon so potentially lethal that the Roman Catholic Church banned them in the 10th century, fearing that it could easily lead to a peasant uprising. Shares of Watts Water Technologies, Inc. WTS scaled a 52-week high of $60.58 on Jun 20. The new high came on the back of expected benefits from European transformation program, acquisitions and growth in operational efficiencies. The stock closed a notch lower at $59.82 at the close of trading yesterday, with a solid one-year return of over 9.4% and year-to-date return of 20.4%. The average volume of shares traded over the last three months was roughly 113K. The company, which manufactures and sells an extensive line of products to the water quality and water regulation and control markets, has a market cap of $2.05 billion. Watts Water has beaten the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, with an average surprise of 10.74%. WATTS WATER TEC Price and Consensus WATTS WATER TEC Price and Consensus | WATTS WATER TEC Quote Growth Drivers Watts Water remains focused on its acquisition strategy. The company has completed 21 acquisitions in the last 10 years. AERCO, acquired in 2014, was successfully integrated into Watts Water and posted record sales. The business also generated strong profits and cash flows in 2015. Watts Water expects the trend to continue in 2016. Further, the Apex buyout generated about $3 million in sales during the first quarter of 2016. Sales outside China represented 46% of total Asia-Pacific sales in the first quarter versus 16% a year ago, supported by the addition of Apex plus growth in valve portfolio in countries like Australia, Indonesia and Japan. The company expects this trend to continue as it expands its business into more mature, co-driven countries. Watts Waters transformation initiatives in the Americas and EMEA will also drive results. The company has begun shipping from its new state-of-the-art distribution facility in Columbus, OH. This center of excellence will streamline the distribution process via new management warehouse and scanning technology. Watts Waters legacy-restructuring actions in EMEA are progressing as planned and should reap the expected savings in 2016. On Apr 20, the company celebrated the grand opening of the Watts Works Learning Center. The new 12,000-square-foot facility, which is located at the North-Andover Corporate Headquarters, will provide a hands-on experience with the company's products and technologies to the customers, distributors and sales representatives. Recently, Watts Water hiked its quarterly dividend by 6% to 18 cents per share, reflecting its commitment to enhance shareholder value. This hike will increase its dividend yield from the current 1.23% to 1.28%. Its share repurchases activities will also drive growth. Watts Water currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Stocks to Consider Better-ranked stocks in the sector include Allied Motion Technologies Inc. AMOT, Badger Meter Inc. BMI and Thermon Group Holdings, Inc. THR. All these stocks carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report BADGER METER (BMI): Free Stock Analysis Report WATTS WATER TEC (WTS): Free Stock Analysis Report THERMON GROUP (THR): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLIED MOTN TEC (AMOT): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Berlin (AFP) - Europeans will have to struggle to drag the EU out of the doldrums after Britain's vote Thursday, with a public hostile to further integration while Berlin and Paris are at odds over the way forward. Whatever the results of the British referendum on whether or not to quit the EU, heavyweights France and Germany -- both founding members of the bloc -- will find themselves under pressure to defend what's left of their vision for Europe. They may be forced to only pursue issues such as security, as enthusiasm for the bloc has eroded due to a morose economic outlook and as populist rhetoric gains ground. "Attempting to maintain the status quo and remaining immobile would amount to political suicide", as the UK vote could push other countries to also seek their own referendum, warned the Institut Montaigne in France. But what's the next step? French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron has championed a common budget, parliament and a commissioner for the eurozone, as he told Le Monde that France would carry the initiative "to avoid contagion from Brexit" and to immediately launch "a positive project for Europe". Berlin however sees it differently. After the vote, "we can't say, let's go on as usual, or in a more intensive manner," said German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble. "Rather, we should say, first things first, let's concentrate on the things that are urgent," he said, adding that Europe must focus on "solving pressing problems through flexible pragmatic measures". Pursuing further integration can only happen "after we have regained confidence" from European citizens, he said at a forum in Berlin on Tuesday. Eurogroup chief Jeroen Dijsselbloem also shied away from major action. "Let's strengthen what we have. I don't think we need big steps," said Dijsselbloem, who is also Dutch finance minister, at the same event. Story continues - 'Not just Britain' - European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker sent the same signal. The bloc would have to learn lessons not only from events in Britain but from the rest of Europe, he said, adding that pushing for more integration "risks adding to the confusion". "This euroscepticism is not only present in Britain," he added. The spectacular gains across the continent by populist eurosceptic parties, including in Germany, attest to that. "I would be surprised to see from June 24 a major project targeted at boosting European integration," said a German government source speaking on condition of anonymity. "Many countries are afraid of this subject because, at the moment, they have no support for such ideas among the public," the source added. For all the talk of the special French-German relationship, the two leading EU nations make an odd couple. Germany follows a liberal economic line, far closer to Britain's than France's, and preaches reforms and budgetary rigour while refusing to share in other countries' debt burden. Paris, meanwhile, is struggling to keep its deficits within the EU limit, having trouble putting down resistance to reforms at home and baulks at giving a supranational entity more oversight over its budget. "Today, we are blocked by two taboos -- a French taboo which is to transfer sovereignty, and a German taboo which is a financial and solidarity transfer. We can't progress without breaking them," said Macron. As a result, no French-German joint strategy appears to be close at hand. "The Germans are afraid of finding themselves face-to-face with a weak France," said Dominique Moisi, from the French Institute of International Relations. "There is no consensus on policies that can be adopted the day after." - Focus on security - Even within the German coalition government, parties are not singing from the same hymnbook as some feel there should be a return of powers from Brussels to individual nations. "Germany does not have a plan to follow because the government is divided on its post-Brexit strategy," said conservative daily Die Welt. Consequently, several sources believe that the EU partners would turn their attention to issues where there is greater consensus, such as security and defence. "We are going to talk a lot about European defence in the coming months," a French government source said. "There is a fairly large consensus on the fact that we can do more in the area of external policy and common European security," a German source said. Areas of work in progress include common missions abroad, progress in the sharing of production and military equipment purchase, as well as the creation of a real EU border police force. However, the big step towards a European army -- an idea championed by federalists -- is out of reach. Photographed by Melissa Arras Three weeks ago there was a huge fire in the refugee camp in Calais known as 'the Jungle'. It started as a result of a fight between two groups in the queue for food at the Jules Ferry Distribution Centre and quickly spread through the camp. According to aid organisation Help Refugees, approximately 40 people ended up in hospital and 250 shelters burnt down, leaving at least 500 homeless. It's unlikely you heard about it. Because despite the severity of the situation, there was very little media coverage in Britain. The national press, it would seem, have all but forgotten about the once notorious Calais refugee camp. It wasn't long ago that we were hearing daily reports about the so-called Jungle. Left and right wing papers ran front-page stories about unaccompanied minors, about the violence and about clashes with the French riot police. When the south side of the camp was under threat of being demolished, it sparked outrage from the public; politicians and celebrities visited the camp, wrote open letters to the government and launched petitions to prevent it happening, with the media circus reported their every move. But the demolitions happened anyway. The bulldozers moved in and the whole southern half of the camp, home to thousands of people, was destroyed. After which, it all went very quiet. So quiet, in fact, that you could be forgiven for believing the camps are no longer there. Banksy posted a photo of the bulldozed area with the words 'Dismaland is no more' and the British public assumed, perhaps understandably given the lack of media coverage, that 'the Jungle' had been completely demolished. Worryingly for both the inhabitants of the camp and the volunteer organisations who support them, donations and volunteers have dried up as a result. Refugees are once again living in flimsy, inadequate tents, in increasingly cramped and squalid conditions with limited facilities. The camp did not disappear when the bulldozers moved into the south side in March. Homes were destroyed and people were displaced but the majority of the two thousand plus people living in the southern side of the camp simply moved to the northern half. The most recent census conducted by Help Refugees in May found that there were 5497 inhabitants living in the jungle before the demolition of the south side. Post eviction, the population dropped to 4946 but by the beginning of May had risen again to 5188. The demolition didnt significantly reduce the camps population, it simply forced them into a space half the previous size. With the destruction of their shelters and the CRS (French riot police) restricting any further construction, the displaced people from the southern side are once again living in flimsy, inadequate tents, in increasingly cramped and squalid conditions and sharing fewer facilities. Less space and lower living standards create further tensions between the different communities and, with the warm weather bringing on average 100 new arrivals every day since the start of May, the situation in Calais is becoming increasingly desperate. Story continues Photographed by Melissa Arras In the absence of mainstream media coverage, grassroots volunteer organisations such as Help Refugees and the Refugee Community Kitchen who feed between 1500-2000 people every day are becoming dependent on social media to raise awareness and keep the camps in the public conscience. Entirely funded by donations and reliant on volunteers, they use their Facebook pages to appeal for donations of food, clothes, sleeping bags and money. 30km along the coast in a town called Grande Synthe, just outside of Dunkirk, is Frances first internationally recognised refugee camp. Here, around 1150 refugees, the majority from Kurdistan, live four people to one lockable wooden shelter on a purpose-built site that is free from mud. There are toilet and shower blocks regularly maintained by volunteer sanitation teams and large open structures built for communal cooking and socialising. This camp, which opened on 7th March this year, was purpose-built by local Green mayor Damien Careme with the medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) to house the 2000 refugees who had previously been living in the horrendous, rat-infested 'forgotten camp ' located just a few kilometres away. Photographed by Melissa Arras In the three months since it opened, the camp has had its fair share of problems relating to violence and people traffickers but there can be no doubt that conditions are a vast improvement on the old camp. Careme fought a battle with the French authorities for the right to build the camp and as a result the threat of closure is never far away. I spoke to long term Belgian volunteer Johanna Verpoort who has been working at the new camp since it opened. She told me that the Careme will fight to keep the camp open, but wants a much smaller population. The Mayor doesnt want to close the camp but Grande Synthe is a small town so he feels the population of the camp should be much less, ideally around 400-500. He would like other Mayors in towns along the coast to build more small camps, to spread out the refugee population and to share costs. Given the anti-refugee sentiment in Northern France and the resistance of the French Government to the creation of the Grande Synthe camp, this seems an unlikely outcome. We will continue to service and deliver dignity to the refugees living in the camps. For the time being, at least, the camp seems safe from closure and the recent completion of four communal kitchen spaces has brought positive change to daily life. Built by volunteers from the Refugee Community Kitchen, these huge structures comprise of a total of seven kitchens with 28 wood fired cookers and fully accessible hot running water, allowing families and communities to cook for themselves rather than queuing for meals cooked and served by volunteers. Director of the Refugee Community Kitchen, Steve Bedlam, says the change has been a positive one and the new spaces have been well received. The Dunkirk kitchens are working very well now that they are all open and running, he tells me. Families are cooking for themselves and having hot water to wash up with has been very well received. The spaces are also being used for communal events and gatherings and we have one womens only space next to the school which has been a great success. Photographed by Melissa Arras The completion of the kitchen spaces coincided with the start of Ramadan and, with large Muslim communities in both the Grande Synthe and Calais camps, Steve explains how the Refugee Community Kitchen have had to adjust the service they provide accordingly. We continue to provide a smaller service to the non-Muslim communities and are working with the Muslim communities to supply late night meals and food parcels that are easy to eat. Photographed by Melissa Arras With the rising numbers of new arrivals and the stream of volunteers and donations drying up fast, aid organisations in Calais are under extreme pressure to continue to support the camps needs. Despite these significant challenges, organisations such as the Refugee Community Kitchen have no intention of stopping. We will continue to service and deliver dignity to the refugees living in the camps, says Steve. One thing we know is that we do not want to stop helping those who need help. What can you do to help? - Donate directly to Refugee Community Kitchen or Help Refugees. - Fundraise. Organise an event to raise money for the organisations who rely entirely on donations and volunteers. - Buy items on the list at Leisure Fayre at 20% discount and they get delivered directly to the warehouse in Calais. - Hire a van and drive over with donations and volunteer. Check Calaidipedia for up to date lists of donations and further information about volunteering. Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here? Euro 2016 Is No Excuse for Domestic Violence Brazilian Jaguar Shot & Killed Following Olympic Torch Ceremony This Is What Glastonbury Looks Like Today... The WGA Wests board of directors could soon become a lot more diverse or not. The guild, which has long decried the lack of diversity in Hollywoods writers rooms, could end up with a dramatically more diverse board itself if all of the nominating committees election selections made public today end up winning. Currently there are five women on the guilds 16-member board of directors, one African American, one Hispanic, and one Asian of Indian descent. The nominating committee, however, has picked four women, three African Americans and two Hispanics to compete for eight open seats. (One of the women is African American, one is Hispanic and one is an incumbent). Seven white men, including three incumbents, are also in the running, and if they are all elected, the boards makeup will remain largely unchanged. There has definitely been a push for more representation of women and people of color on the board, said one guild insider. Added another: Theres a real push to increase diversity on the board and across the board. Both insiders, however, noted that everyone nominated regardless of race, gender or ethnicity is highly qualified for the job of representing the guilds members. Theyve found a lot of qualified people, one noted. African American writers nominated for the board this year are In Living Color executive producer Keenen Ivory Wayans; Everybody Hates Chris creator Ali LeRoi, and Greys Anatomy executive producer Zoanne Clack. Hispanic writers nominated are Go, Diego! Go! head writer Ligiah Villalobos, and Rob The Mob executive producer Jonathan Fernandez, who is running for re-election. Women nominated include Clack, Villalobos, CBS News writer Courtney Ellinger, and Satisfaction co-executive producer Marjorie David, who is running for re-election. Other incumbents seeking re-election include former guild president Patric Verrone and Homeland executive producer Chip Johannessen. Story continues Others nominated include Glen Mazzara, the former executive producer of The Walking Dead; Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner; Person Of Interest co-executive producer David Slack; Growing Pains executive producer Dan Wilcox, and Fuller House co-executive producer Richard Keith. In addition to the candidates selected by the nominating committee, eligible members may also be nominated by petition, and must submit 15 member signatures supporting their candidacy no later than July 22. The guild will host its annual Candidates Night forum at the WGA West headquarters on August 31. Ballots will be counted September 19. Related stories WGA West Pencils In $4 Million Surplus For Fiscal 2016 WGA Wants Bigger Slice of Hollywood Majors' "$49 Billion" Profits 500 Writers Urge N.Y. To Create Tax Credit For Hiring Women & Minorities As TV Writers, Directors Louisville Care Center is among 24 Nebraska long-term and post-acute care agencies that earned the 2016 Bronze Commitment to Quality Award from the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL). AHCA/NCALs National Quality Award Program spotlights providers across the country that have demonstrated their commitment to delivering quality care for seniors and people with disabilities. We are proud of our members for their dedication to providing quality care for Nebraskas nursing facilities and assisted living communities, said Heath Boddy, president and CEO of Nebraska Health Care Association. This award is achieved through hard work and commitment. Our members are incredibly deserving of this recognition. Implemented by AHCA/NCAL in 1996, the National Quality Award Program has three levels: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. Providers begin the quality improvement process at the Bronze level, where they develop an organizational profile with essential performance elements such as vision and mission statements and an assessment of customers expectations. Bronze applicants must also demonstrate their ability to implement a performance improvement system. Recipients of the Bronze Commitment to Quality Award are then able to move forward in developing approaches and achieving performance levels that meet the criteria required for the Silver Achievement in Quality Award. The awards will be presented during AHCA/NCALs 67th Annual Convention and Exposition Oct. 16-19 in Nashville, Tenn By Timothy Gardner and Richard Cowan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. senators pushed for a compromise gun control bill on Tuesday, a day after the Senate failed to advance four gun measures following last week's mass shooting in Orlando, the deadliest in modern U.S. history. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he would schedule a vote on a bill by fellow Republican Senator Susan Collins that would prevent about 109,000 people on "no-fly" and other surveillance lists from purchasing guns. Collins said she expected a vote on the bill this week or next. On Monday, the Senate defeated a Democratic prohibition on gun sales to people on a broader range of government watch lists, while also blocking a narrower Republican measure. Some senior Republicans would not commit to supporting the Collins bill, citing worries about people being denied the ability to buy weapons without adequate safeguards. But the No. 3 Senate Democrat, Chuck Schumer, told reporters: There may be a glimmer of hope now, adding that Collins' proposal seemed to be "a step in the right direction. The measure is being debated in the Senate before the Nov. 8 election when Democrats hope to win control of the Senate and gain seats in the House of Representatives. Democrats believe Republican congressional opposition to wider control bills gives them a powerful campaign issue. It was too soon to tell if President Barack Obama would support the Collins bill. Spokesman Josh Earnest said senior officials including lawyers at the Department of Justice were taking a look at it. "If the assessment is that this would enhance the ability of our law enforcement professionals to keep us safe and prevent suspected terrorists from purchasing a gun, then that's likely something that we'll be able to support," Earnest told reporters in a daily briefing. In the Senate on Monday, four measures to expand background checks on gun buyers and curb gun sales to those on terrorism watch lists - two put forth by Democrats and two by Republicans - fell short of the 60 votes needed for passage in the 100-member chamber. The votes were a bitter setback to advocates who have failed to get even modest gun curbs through Congress despite repeated mass shootings. The bills lost in largely party-line votes that showed the political power in Congress of gun rights defenders and the National Rifle Association. 'SHAMEFUL DISPLAY' The White House accused U.S. senators of a "shameful display of cowardice" and said they failed the American people by not advancing any gun control measures after the Florida shooting. The gunman, Omar Mateen, pledged allegiance to Islamic State during the June 12 rampage in which he killed 49 people and wounded 53 at an Orlando gay nightclub before being fatally shot by police. Senator John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 Senate Republican, said he had concerns about the Collins measure. "It's a slippery slope when an American citizen is denied a constitutional right, without forcing the government to come forward with some evidence on the front end that a person should be prohibited from buying guns, he said. After Monday's votes, the Senate also debated a different tactic for battling domestic attacks that could be inspired by Islamic State and other foreign militant groups. Senators were aiming to vote by Wednesday on legislation by Republican John McCain of Arizona expanding the Federal Bureau of Investigation's ability to conduct secret surveillance in counter terrorism investigations. "This week well have the opportunity to strengthen our ability to combat lone wolf terrorists and connect the dots so we are better able to prevent terrorist attacks in the United States" such as the Orlando massacre, McConnell said. 'UNCONSTITUTIONAL' Collins, who held a news conference with eight other senators including Democrat Bill Nelson of Florida, said her bill would stop about 2,700 Americans and 106,300 foreign national on surveillance lists from buying guns. "We believe that if you are too dangerous to fly on an airplane you are too dangerous to buy a gun," the Maine lawmaker said. She said Americans and immigrants with work permits could appeal a denial and recover lawyers' fees if they prevailed. Nelson said he owed it to the families of the victims in the Orlando shooting as well as police and other first responders to the carnage. It was not clear whether Collins' plan would draw significant bipartisan support. The NRA said her proposal was "unconstitutional" and would not have prevented the Orlando attack. Gun control groups promised to intensify their push for legislative action, and not just in Washington. Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, said her group, besides supporting pro-gun control candidates for Congress, would work to strengthen gun-sale background check laws state by state until Congress acts. "If the NRA and their lapdogs in the Senate thought moms would feel dispirited and back down, they are sorely mistaken, Watts told reporters in a teleconference. (Additional reporting by Doina Chiacu and Ayesha Rascoe; Editing by Bill Trott and Peter Cooney) As the DC Universes premiere superhero team, the Justice League regularly confronts apocalyptic threats. But heres a challenge that might prove difficult even for a squad that consists of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Aquaman and Cyborg: righting moviegoer interest in the DC Cinematic Universe after the lukewarm reception that greeted Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. Released in March, that massively budgeted blockbuster earned a tidy sum, but also endured withering reviews and mixed audience response. Much of the blame for the movies less-than-triumphant run was laid at the feet of director Zack Snyder and his Dark Knight Returns-driven dark vision, leading some to speculate hed be replaced at the helm of the DCUs next phase, a two-part Justice League feature. But Snyder is still very much in the picture (although under the watchful eye of DCs Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns), and Warner Bros. recently flew a group of journalists to Justice Leagues London set to see what the director has been up to since filming started in April. Based on the reports that have filtered back across the pond, heres a round-up of what you can expect hint: more humor and less mass destruction when the film opens on Nov. 17, 2017. Justice League concept art (DC/Warner Bros.) Enter Steppenwolf Dawn of Justice set a number of storylines in motion for future DC movies. But one key piece of Justice League intel was saved for a deleted scene that premiered on YouTube the Monday after the films record-setting opening weekend. In the short, but significant clip, Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) is seen communing with a giant alien before said extraterrestrial teleports away via the use of a device known as a Mother Box. That visitor is Steppenwolf, an otherworldly warrior affiliated with the galactic despot Darkseid. Steppenwolf in deleted Batman v Superman scene (DC/Warner Bros.) And according to Birth.Movies.Death, his brief visit has major ramifications for the narrative arc of Justice League. As the site reports, we learn early on in the new film that there are three Mother Boxes currently located on Earth, which have the power to transport individuals to the farthest reaches of the galaxy by opening Boom Tubes. Presumably acting on Darkseids orders, Steppenwolf is seeking to recover this trio of Mother Boxes, one of which resides with Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) and her fellow Amazonians, another with the underwater residents of Atlantis and their champion, Aquaman (Jason Momoa), and the last with S.T.A.R. Labs, where the final new Justice Leaguer, Cyborg (Ray Fisher), is born. Thanks to his Apokoliptic dream, Batman (Ben Affleck) has a premonition of this coming threat and moves to unite the sevenor, for now, the three. Actually, make that four since, to the surprise of no one, Superman (Henry Cavill) is definitely coming back from the dead, although the exact manner of his resurrection has yet to be disclosed. Story continues BMD goes on to say that Batmans League-gathering technology includes a new jet called the Flying Fox, as well as the Nightcrawler, an all-terrain vehicle that replaces wheels with four spider-like legs. Wait a minutea giant spider in a DC movie? Is Jon Peters a producer on Justice League or something? Get Ready to LaughSeriously Slashfilm was front and center watching a Justice League sequence being shot. The biggest surprise? Batman actually cracks a joke! In the sequence, the Dark Knight is in the middle of a rooftop confab with Gothams top cop, James Gordon (newly muscular J.K. Simmons), as well as Wonder Woman and the Flash (Ezra Miller). How many of you are there, Gordon asks. Not enough, Batman replies, with uncharacteristically dark wit. Later on in the same scene, the Caped Crusader drops a flying monkeys reference when describing the Parademons, the winged warriors he saw in his vision. This lighter, though not necessarily gentler, Batman is indicative of Justice Leagues overall warmer tone. Speaking with reporters, Snyder says that he made a conscious choice to move away from his hardcore take on DCs superheroes for something a little more larger-than-life, big [and] fun. We Need to Talk About Ezra As I09 reports, a key ingredient of Justice Leagues sense of fun will be Ezra Miller, the 23-year-old actor who will become the first actor to play DCs Scarlet Speedster on the big screen. (Grant Gustin currently wears the Flashs signature scarlet garb on The CWs popular TV series.) After observing the filming of the aforementioned rooftop scene, journalists were shown a previously shot sequence where Bruce Wayne pays a visit to the Flashs alter ego, Barry Allen. Their encounter sounds more than a little reminiscent of Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) recruiting Peter Parker (Tom Holland) to fight on #TeamIronMan in Captain America: Civil War, with the younger hero acting all snarky in the face of a more experienced crimefighter. Concept art of Ezra Millers Flash (DC/Warner Bros.) My special skills include viola, web design [and] I do competitive ice dancing Millers Barry jokes to Bruce, forcing Wayne to get a real look at his powers by hurling one of his super-sharp bat-shaped throwing stars directly at him. Youre the Batman? Barry responds, suddenly impressed. I09 describes Miller as being utterly charming throughout the scene, and apparently his costume makes a big impression, too. Made to resemble shattered glass, the suit will generate digitally rendered electricity whenever Barry races off with light barrier-breaking speed. You Cant Spell Cyborg Without CG The assembled journalists couldnt help but note that while all of the other Justice Leaguers were dressed up in elaborate costumes, Ray Fisher was able to keep it casual, dressing in a pair of pajamas in order to play Victor Stone a.k.a. Cyborg. According to Colliders comprehensive list of 60-plus things learned from the Justice League set, thats because Cyborg will be a purely computer-generated character from the neck down. Cyborg concept art (DC/Warner Bros.) The exact look of his robot body has yet to be designed, but it will feature, among other things, a gun arm and a battle mode that can cause the suit to enlarge to combat various foes. Those elements are derived from the mysterious Mother Box technology, which his father, Silas (Joe Morton, who was briefly glimpsed in Dawn of Justice), used to repair his sons body after a horrific accident. Aquaman Isnt a Great Team Player Snyder had earlier described the film as akin to a superhero version of Akira Kurosawas classic The Seven Samurai, and Affleck told reporters that Batman will struggle to assemble his team. Aquaman is a particularly tough convert; as Affleck told reporters, per Mashable, that the King of Seven Seas is a very strong character played by a very strong actor with a very strong personality. Concept art of Jason Momoas Aquaman (DC/Warner Bros.) Speaking of the Atlantean monarch, Mashable also reports that Willem Dafoe, whose role had not been disclosed previously, will be playing Nuidis Vulko, one of the undersea kingdoms greatest scientific minds and a key adviser to Aquaman. Will the Justice League Reassemble? When Warner Bros. originally announced its ambitious DCU slate, the lineup called for a two-part Justice League adventure with Part 1 opening in November 2017 and Part 2 in June 2019. But Vulture suggests that the currently shooting film might be a one-and-done affair. We were only ever planning and we are only doing Justice League, Deborah Snyder Zach Snyders wife and producing partner emphasized to the assembled journalists. Just Justice League. One movie. But in a follow-up tweet, Birth.Movies.Death reporter, Devin Faraci, cautioned against erasing Part 2 from the DCU timeline, pointing out that a second Justice League is still on the studios schedule. And Vultures report quotes Snyder himself as saying I think we still have a release date, in response to questions about a follow-up film. Early design for the Justice League (DC/Warner Bros.) Obviously, a lot can happen between now and 2019, but there are two potential explanations for the future (or lack thereof) of Justice League Part 2. The first is that DC is taking a page out of Marvels book by abandoning the whole Part 1/Part 2 numbering system in the wake of disappointments like The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2. In the run-up to Civil Wars release, the Russo brothers made it clear that the previously announced two-part Avengers: Infinity War extravaganza would be re-titled, so that each individual movie would stand on its own. The other possibility is that another director would be hired to oversee the Justice Leagues sophomore adventure if Snyders vision fails to satisfy audiences again. Maybe the subtitle for Justice League should be Twilight of the Snyder? Related: Justice League v The Seven Samurai: How Superhero Film Will Channel Kurosawa Classic Will We See Wonder Womans Invisible Jet in the Movies? How Batman v Superman Sets Up Rest of DC Universe DC Mastermind Geoff Johns Explains His Universes Rebirth Batman v Superman Fallout: Warner Bros. Shakes Up DC Universe On Jun 21, 2016, Zacks Investment Research upgraded Canada-based Bank of Montreal BMO to a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). Acquisition & Strong Results Drive Upgrade Bank of Montreal has been witnessing rising earnings estimates driven by announcement of an acquisition as well as strong fiscal second quarter 2016 (ended Apr 30) results. Moreover, the company hiked its quarterly dividend by 2.4%. On Jun 2, Bank of Montreal had announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire Minneapolis-based premier boutique M&A advisory firm, Greene Holcomb Fisher. While the terms of the deal were not disclosed, it is expected to close by Oct 31, 2016. Notably, the regulatory approvals are still awaited. Perry Hoffmeister, Global Head of Investment & Corporate Banking, BMO Capital Markets, said GHF is highly complementary to our U.S. strategy and our focus on the mid-cap space. The transaction underscores our commitment to effectively serve our U.S. clients by deepening our Midwest footprint, growing our U.S. M&A business and strengthening our client focus on the industry sectors that we cover. Further, Bank of Montreals fiscal second quarter 2016 results depicted strength with 1% year over year rise in adjusted earnings due to improved revenues. Further, the stock has appreciated over 13% so far this year. BANK MONTREAL Price BANK MONTREAL Price | BANK MONTREAL Quote Driven by these positive developments, the analysts are bullish on the stock. Therefore, over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate increased 1.3% to $5.30 for 2016 and 1.6% to $5.55 for 2017. Other Stocks to Consider Other similarly-ranked finance stocks include LPL Financial Holdings Inc. LPLA, State Bank Financial Corporation STBZ and OceanFirst Financial Corp. OCFC. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report BANK MONTREAL (BMO): Free Stock Analysis Report STATE BANK FINL (STBZ): Free Stock Analysis Report LPL FINL HLDGS (LPLA): Free Stock Analysis Report OCEANFIRST FINL (OCFC): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research From Popular Mechanics A survey of German soldiers has found that an overwhelming majority have doubts about the reliability of their weapons. More than half rated their weapons as unreliable, with less than ten percent expressing confidence in their army-issued G36 rifles. The news comes as the German military prepares to deploy troops to the Baltics to counter an aggressive Russia. The poll, conducted by the Bundeswehr (German Army) research center and reported by the German Bild newspaper, was carried out during the Trident Junction 2015 wargames. Forty-three percent of respondents said that their weapons were "rather not reliable" or "not reliable at all." Twenty-eight percent said they could "partly" trust their weapons. Only eight percent said they could fully trust their weapons. By contrast, 80 percent of U.S. Army troops reported they were confident in the reliability of their issue weapon, the M-4 carbine, when they were asked in 2006. The Bundeswehr has known of reliability problems with its G36 assault rifle since at least 2012. German troops returning from Afghanistan have complained the rifles lose accuracy after sustained firing in hot environments. An investigation by the German Defense Ministry revealed that the polymer channel in which the barrel sits heats up and softens with sustained firing, losing its shape and throwing the barrel out of alignment. The rifle's manufacturer, Heckler and Koch, claims the rifles are fine, and supporters say the rifles are being fired more often than was originally planned. Regardless, the Defense Ministry plans to start replacing the G36 in 2019 with 167,000 rifles of a different design. A more surprising revelation revealed by the poll was that German troops also did not trust their heavy weapons systems. Thirty-six percent of soldiers claimed their heavy machine guns, anti-tank missiles, and other crew-served weapons were not reliable at all, with another 30 percent saying the weapons were only partly unreliable. Story continues One of the weapons in question was likely the MG3 machine gun. Although is has been an excellent weapon, the German Army's MG3 inventory should have been retired long ago and is only now being replaced with the MG4. The German Army is also operating the MILAN anti-tank missile past its prime, a missile being replaced with the Israeli SPIKE. The German military, long underfunded, has been suffering a very public readiness crisis. Germany spends just 1.2 percent of GDP on defense, far short of the 2 percent NATO nations are expected to spend. In 2014, German mechanized infantrymen participating in an exercise in Norway didn't have enough MG3 machine guns and were forced to simulate them with broomsticks. Last year, less than half of the German Air Force's Typhoon fighters and none of the navy's Sea Lynx helicopters were airworthy. Last week, news outlets reported that German Army will man one of four mechanized battalions in the Baltics as a way to prop up NATO's eastern frontier against an aggressive Russia. Let's hope they figure out some better weapons, and fast. Via Bild. A Canadian woman called police to complain that the pizza she received from a local restaurant did not have enough cheese on it. Read: Buon Appetito! The World's Largest Pizza Makes History by Stretching More Than a Mile The unidentified woman in Newfoundland, Canada, thought her pizza was unsatisfactory and wanted to do something about it. Instead of celebrating the end of the week with a pizza, she called 911 Friday to issue the emergency," and not to the pizzeria she ordered from. "Sir, please do not call police to complain that your pizza did not have enough cheese on it." RNC (Police) (@RNC_PoliceNL) June 17, 2016 Constable Geoff Higdon of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary told the CBC Monday: The individual had an issue with the company she bought the pizza from, and there wasn't enough cheese, and had approached the company and didn't like whatever response they had given. I'm not sure if by calling us they assumed there was some sort of action we could take, or what the situation was, but of course we advised the individual they just needed to speak with the manager of the company and not the police. Read: Man Calls 911 to Complain He's 'Too High,' Officers Find Him Surrounded by Junk Food The constable said that the dispatcher described the call as THE call that one call that will always stick with you as completely bizarre. There is no word if the woman was arrested or fined for tying up the emergency lines or if she ever called the actual pizzeria to complain. Watch: Woman Dials 911 After Pizzeria Mixes Up Toppings Related Articles: The Omaha Public Power District Board of Directors determined it is in the best financial interest of the district and its customer-owners to retire Fort Calhoun Station (FCS) by the end of 2016. At their monthly meeting today, they voted to cease nuclear operations and begin the decommissioning process. The decision means no general rate increase is anticipated for the next five years, through 2021, furthering the districts goal of pursuing rates that are 20 percent below the regional average. Senior management made the FCS recommendation in May after a thorough review of various future resource portfolio scenarios. The review was requested by Board Chair Mick Mines in April. According to extensive modeling conducted by a third party, Pace Global, ceasing operations at FCS and rebalancing the generation portfolio will save the district between $735 million and $994 million over the next 20 years. This was a difficult vote and one we did not take lightly, Mines said. The industry is changing and it is imperative that we make strategic decisions to better position the district in the future for all our 365,000 customer-owners. Factors considered Market conditions are a major factor in todays decision by the board. Historically low natural gas prices are a contributing factor; they reduce OPPDs cost to generate electricity using natural gas. In addition, consumers are using less energy. The final version of the proposed Clean Power Plan is another factor. It does not give carbon-free generation credit for existing nuclear plants such as FCS. The board also looked at economies of scale. FCS is the smallest rated commercial unit in North America, based on accredited capability. Larger and multi-unit nuclear plants can spread costs over high levels of production. Slow load growth and increasing regulatory and operational costs have led to the recent early retirement of several other U.S. nuclear generating stations. OPPD President and CEO Tim Burke added, As tough as this decision is, we cannot afford to ignore the changes happening around us. We must look to the future. Next steps We will move forward through the decommissioning process in a responsible and thoughtful manner, Burke said. The decommissioning process will take several years and you have our commitment that the safety of the community and our employees is, and will always be, our top priority. Safety is paramount During the decommissioning process, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) will continue to regulate FCS and ensure safety remains foremost in all activities. Once the reactor is powered down, the focus will be on fuel handling and storage. Health and environmental risks during this process are no greater than when the plant is offline for a routine refueling outage. Decommissioning SAFSTOR and DECON are the primary two decommissioning options the nuclear industry has implemented. OPPD will use the SAFSTOR method, which will provide both regulatory and financial flexibility as the plant is decommissioned. Both options have a similar path during the next five years. Read more about this process on OPPDs The Wire and at NRC.gov. The cost to decommission FCS is estimated at approximately $1.2 billion. As of the end of May 2016, OPPD has approximately $388 million in total available decommissioning funds, and was pacing toward full funding for a 2033 decommission date. To allow for decommissioning before 2033, OPPD will add to its decommissioning fund annually. The district expects to be able to cover the remaining costs without raising the existing rates. Employee & community impact Todays decision is not a reflection on FCS employees who have worked extremely hard and diligently, Burke said. They have done all that weve asked, and theyve done a tremendous job. Unfortunately, in todays market, its just too costly to run the plant long-term. The district is examining the staffing requirements needed to move properly and safely through the process. Reductions will take place in a phased and thoughtful manner while meeting NRC regulatory requirements, Burke said. OPPD will work with station employees during the transition process. We will make every effort to absorb as many employees as possible into other areas of OPPD, based on qualifications and open positions, Burke said. We will retrain employees where we have opportunities for success. The district has also enlisted the Nebraska Department of Labor, the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, and other agencies in the re-employment process. Approximately 150 FCS employees live in Washington County. OPPD is aware of the impact the plant closure may have on nearby communities. The district is committed to remaining a good energy partner and neighbor. OPPD will continue to make annual in-lieu-of-tax payments to Washington County. These payments to county treasuries are based on the respective retail electric revenues from their communities. Washington County received $631,363 for 2015 alone. Ensuring a Reliable Power Supply Providing safe, reliable and environmentally sensitive energy services remains OPPDs mission. The boards decision to cease operations at FCS will in no way jeopardize the reliability of the electricity that OPPD provides its customer-owners. The FCS decision is one portion of the districts larger resource planning process. It builds upon the success of the 2014 resource generation plan that led to a bold reform of OPPDs energy portfolio. The plan was developed following a thorough stakeholder process, with customers energy preferences in mind. OPPD will continue to solicit stakeholder input as it develops its long-term integrated resource planning portfolio. The district will continue to look at resource options, including the possibility of constructing or purchasing additional generation of many types (natural gas, wind, solar) and increasing demand side options as necessary. More information on OPPDs resource planning is available at OPPDListens.com/fcs. The site will be updated throughout the decommissioning process. By Andrew M. Seaman (This is a repeat of a story from May 30, 2016) In 2014 alone, the nearly 60 million refugees, internally displaced persons and asylum seekers in the world needed nearly 3 million surgeries, according to a new analysis. Over a third of those procedures were needed by forcibly displaced people in North Africa and the Middle East, where many health systems are already strained. Surgical needs in this population are often not considered, the senior author told Reuters Health. "We know the refugee populations are going to develop pneumonia, need vaccinations and develop diarrhea because there is risk of cholera in the camps, but you dont often hear about the surgical component," said Dr. Adam Kushner, of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore. "This needs to be part of the conversation," he said. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that 59.5 million people around the world were living as forcibly displaced people in 2014. That includes refugees, people forced to flee to other parts of their country and people seeking asylum in another country. The number of forcibly displaced people continues to increase, the research team said May 25 in the World Journal of Surgery. An estimated 218,000 people entered Europe by sea just in October 2015, which is equal to the number of people who entered the continent by sea for all of 2014. Understanding the surgical needs of forcibly displaced people can help inform planning, resource allocation and improvements in healthcare systems, Kushner and colleagues write. Using UNHCR data on forcibly displaced people, the researchers estimated the number of surgeries that would be needed by people in the various sub-populations. An estimated 38.2 million people were internally displaced, that is, they were forced to flee to another area of the country. There were also an estimated 19.5 million refugees and 1.8 million asylum seekers. More than half of forcibly displaced people in 2014 were under age 18, and almost all were under 60. Previous research suggests that for every 100,000 people, countries can expect to perform about 4,669 surgeries, Kushner said, although the number varies by country. Overall, an estimated 2.78 million surgical procedures would have been needed for all forcibly displaced people in 2014. "It doesnt include just simple suturing or simple burn care or splinting of fractures, which doesnt need a formal operation," said Kushner. Internally displaced people needed the largest proportion of surgeries: an estimated 1.78 million procedures. They were followed by refugees, who needed an estimated 910,000 surgeries. Asylum seekers were estimated to need 84,000 surgeries. The largest number of procedures was required in North Africa and the Middle East, in Syria, Colombia, Iraq, Pakistan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. While the new study can't say what procedures were most needed, the researchers estimate that about 7 percent of all procedures were obstetric surgeries. Those include treatments for protracted labor, preeclampsia and ectopic pregnancy. Past research from one refugee camp suggests emergency general surgeries are most common. Those include surgeries for hernias, chronic bone inflammation and growths on the uterus. While a lot of people view surgery as being complex, Kushner said, "there is really a lot that can be done thats low cost and effective that is simple to do and simple to teach." "The more we try to address this situation the more we can prevent disability and death," he said. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/24av8LA World J Surg 2016. - Agreement with EVB increases capacity and improves payment terms - Establishes new centralized fulfillment in Southern China to expand direct international shipments to major customers LAKE FOREST, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 21, 2016 / XFit Brands, Inc. (XFTB), a global supplier of fitness and MMA equipment sold at retail and fitness outlets worldwide, whose brands include Throwdown and Transformations, today announced that it has agreed to an expanded relationship, centralized fulfilment and improved financial terms with EVB, one of the Company's existing supply chain partners to further support its international expansion. Shenzhen, China-based EVB recently visited XFit Brand's global headquarters in Lake Forest, California to conclude the new agreement. EVB has been an existing partner with the Company for the past three years, and the new agreement builds on the increasing success that XFit Brands has been experiencing in executing its one-stop-shop for major fitness operators around the world. As the Company continues to secure the leading health club operators and supply agreements, it has been building its inventory to be more responsive to the demand. The extended terms enable the firm to better service key accounts on many levels. As part of the agreement, a new centralized fulfillment center will be established at the EVB facilities in Shenzhen. The new facility will consolidate XFit Brand's manufacturing from its 5 different manufacturers across China. It will increase the Company's efficiencies and reduce its cost to serve through consolidation of shipments to major international customers utilizing the new fulfillment center and logistics capabilities. As part of the expansion, XFit Brands will also be augmenting its portfolio to be produced with EVB. Dave Vautrin, CEO of XFit Brands commented, "EVB has been a great partner or the Company, and the expanded relationship with them enables us to further our international expansion. The Company has been growing at >40%, and this agreement will enable us to continue that growth and do so more efficiently. We believe the agreement will enable us to better meet demand and optimize working capital, as the company works to fulfill recent agreements in North America, as well as Saudi Arabia, Australia and adjacent countries." Story continues About XFit Brands Inc. XFit Brands, Inc. known for it's experiential fitness products, is one of the leading suppliers of functional fitness brands, products, and equipment sold at retail and fitness outlets worldwide. The company provides a full portfolio of products and services spanning MMA, cross training, and other high and low impact fitness regimes and owns the trademarks Throwdown for its for its functional fitness line, MMA portfolio, and Transformations in programming. The company's portfolio of brands and products are sold in many countries around the world and supply many of the leading Health Club and Fitness outlets throughout the United States. The Company's websites are http://www.xfitbrands.com and www.throwdown.com. Safe Harbor Disclosure This press release contains forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements are any statement reflecting management's current expectations regarding future results of operations, economic performance, financial condition and achievements of XFit, including statements regarding XFit's expectation to see continued growth. The forward-looking statements are based on the assumption that operating performance and results will continue in line with historical results. Management believes these assumptions to be reasonable but there is no assurance that they will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking statements, specifically those concerning future performance are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially. XFit competes in a rapidly growing and transforming industry, and other factors disclosed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission may affect the Company's operations. Unless required by applicable law, XFit undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. For investor inquiries please contact: Scott Cameron investorrelations@xfitbrands.com (949) 916-9680 Websites: www.XFitBrands.com www.Throwdown.com SOURCE: XFit Brands, Inc. ADEN, Yemen (Reuters) - A Saudi-led military coalition said it intercepted a missile fired in Yemen on Tuesday and residents said an air strike by the alliance caused eight civilian casualties, straining a civil war ceasefire. The ballistic missile was fired toward the central city of Marib, which is controlled by Saudi-backed government forces, but was intercepted and destroyed along with the source of the launch, the coalition said in a statement without elaborating. Saudi Arabia and its Gulf Arab allies intervened in a civil war in March 2015 on behalf of the internationally backed government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi against the Iran-allied Houthi group, which controls the capital Sanaa. The alliance members fear the movement is a proxy for their arch-rivals in Tehran - something the Houthis deny - and have launched thousands of air strikes in a bid to defeat them. Peace talks in Kuwait between the government and Houthis have dragged on for two months with few concrete results, while a truce has dampened fighting that killed at least 6,400 people and plunged impoverished Yemen into a humanitarian crisis. United Nations Yemen envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed appealed to the parties on Tuesday to "quicken the pace" of the talks. He told the U.N. Security Council he would present a written concept in the coming days for the next stage. "The Kuwait talks have progressed slowly, yet constructively," he said. "The parties to the negotiations now have the responsibility to find a political solution for the pending issues, which revolve mainly around the timeline and sequencing of the different steps." Residents in a mountainous area of Lahj province said a Saudi-led air strike late on Monday targeted Houthi forces who advanced into the area the day before, causing eight civilian casualties. It was not clear how many of those may have been killed. A coalition spokesperson did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. The strategic Jalis mountain area is near al-Anad, a major military and air base that once hosted U.S. counterterrorism forces deployed to fight Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. In the town of Jaar, about 60 km (40 miles) east of Anad, residents said AQAP fighters mobilized at the local prison and freed several inmates. The militants took advantage of wartime chaos to seize a broad swath of the country but pulled out of Jaar without a fight in May as part of a deal with local tribesmen. (Reporting By Mohammed Mukhashaf and Noah Browning, additional reporting by Michelle Nichols at the United Nations; Editing by Dominic Evans and Tom Brown) Today, June 21st, is the longest day of the year in the Northern hemisphere and today is also International Yoga Day. Honorable Prime Minister Modi had suggested June 21st to be declared as International Yoga Day and it is no coincidence that this date was proposed. Apart from being the longest day, it has spiritual significance as well. The summer solstice marks the transition to Dakshinayana ( Dakshinayana is the period when Sun travels back from North to South) and the first Yogi, Lord Shiva is believed to have begun imparting the knowledge of yoga to mankind. On December 11, 2014, the United Nations General Assembly declared June 21st as the International Day of Yoga after Honorable Prime Minister Modis recommendation and proposal during his address in the General Assembly in September, 2014. He said "Yoga is an invaluable gift of Indias ancient tradition. It embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between man and nature; a holistic approach to health and well-being. It is not about exercise but to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and the nature". Our Prime Minister hit the nail on the head when he said it is not about being an exercise. Exercises increase the metabolism whereas yoga just does the reverse. We have heard of so many incidents of people, even celebrities dying on the treadmill or in a gym due to a heart attack or even a cardiac arrest but have we ever heard of a person dying while doing yoga? Yoga takes you back to nature and aligns your body and mind. It is a science given to us by Rishi Patanjali thousands of years ago with the ultimate objective of stilling the mind and being in yog or being in union with oneself and the Divine. Yoga is beyond and above religion. Sadly, yoga has been associated with only asans and most people even refer to asans as exercises though both have different and opposite effects on the body. In todays times, where everything is priced and marketed, this Divine science unfortunately too has been a victim of commercialisation. Have we ever heard of Ramkrishna Paramhans, Ramana Maharishi or Guru Gobind Singh or any of the sages and saints charging a fee to attend their discourses or transfer their knowledge to seekers? Kaliyug is the era of commercialisation where not just yoga but products under its name are sold. In the ancient times, Guru-Shishya parampara was followed and the Guru dakshina was given AFTER the process was complete and the Guru Dakshina could be anything, even non-monetary like some task which a Guru may ask his shishya to perform or anything the Guru deemed fit. As Yogi Ashwini ji, a propounder of the Guru-Shishya parampara, says Yoga is the ultimate science and it is not possible without a Guru. Look for a Guru who exudes what he talks, is in vairagya ( state of detachment) and has no commercial interest in or with his shishyas and does not charge a fee. This Divine science is priceless, how can anybody put a price to it and charge a fee?. Yogi Ashwini ji elaborates These days yog is mistaken as a means to improve physical life and solve physical problems - to cure disease, to gain health, to grow financially or mend relationshipsThe purpose of yog is take you beyond the physical and related pleasures and not to tie you more into it. If anywhere in the world one is promising all these in the name of yog, be rest assured what is being offered is not yog. Images Courtesy : Dhyan Foundation. By Gina Cherelus NEW YORK (Reuters) - Eighteen immigrant car wash employees in New York and New Jersey received more than $91,000 each as part of a federal court settlement for unpaid wages, making it the biggest per-worker recovery in the car wash industry, lawyers said on Tuesday. The agreement awarded the final part of a $1.65 million settlement to 18 workers who were earning less than $20,000 a year at four car washes owned by J.V. Car Wash Ltd., said one of the lawyers who brought the suit in 2011. Steven Arenson of the employment litigation firm Arenson Dittmar & Karban said each worker on average will receive over $91,000, with the highest being close to $200,000 for two people who were employed the longest. With $750,000 already paid last year, the remaining $900,000 was disbursed on Tuesday. Lawyers for the defendant declined to comment. "For all immigrants, all workers, who toil under hardship, this case stands as a resounding message that the American law does protect the worker," Arenson told a news conference. The employees at the New York car washes were paid $50 to $70 for 12-hour shifts without a break, according to the lawsuit, well below the minimum wage, currently $9 per hour in New York. In New Jersey, where the minimum wage is $8.38 per hour, workers were paid $35 a day for a 10-hour shift. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio signed the Car Wash Accountability Act into law in 2015 to protect workers. Car wash owners have sued the city over the act, claiming it gives preferential treatment to unions. Low-wage workers nationwide have been demanding higher pay, including fast-food workers who staged protests and strikes last year support of a $15 minimum wage. Democratic presidential contender Bernie Sanders championed a $15 minimum wage in his campaign. In 2015, the New York attorney general's office sued Domino's Pizza Inc for wage theft by franchisees. One of the car wash plaintiffs, Michel Rodriguez, said he began working at a J.V. Car Wash location about week after emigrating from the Dominican Republic. "It was crazy," Rodriguez, 29, told the news conference. "For you to start working 7 in the morning though 7 p.m. for 12 hours straight with no lunch break in a very, very cold winter." (Reporting by Gina Cherelus; Editing by Daniel Trotta and Dan Grebler) At 168 48th Street in Times Square, a 14,000-foot recording facility will soon become a casualty of construction and expansion in the bustling neighborhood. About 12 full-time employees were informed earlier this month. The decision to close, MSR Studio president Dave Amlen says, had nothing to do with finances. For the last two years, MSR has kept its chin up through the construction of a 50-story hotel -- the attendant noise levels were a challenge for a facility dependent on (conditional) silence. "We weathered that," says Amlen. "If people can't work, that's a bigger problem than rent," he said, adding that sometimes construction noise went as late as 11 p.m. "Most of our clients hire musicians who have shows [at] night... they can't wait until 7 p.m. to record," he said. "We recently had a superstar artist in here, and at 10:30 p.m. he wanted to start recording, but asked: 'What the fuck is all that noise?'" Amlen says that once MSR's doors close on June 30, he will face the "daunting task" of decommissioning the facility. After that, he will look for another location. "Out of the ashes another place will rise," he says. "As sad and horrible as it is, it's sort of time." Amlen is proud of the work the facility has done over the years, sheparding recordings by J Cole, Beyonce, Madonna, Metallica, J. Geils, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Elton John, Phil Collins, The Spiderman Soundtrack with Bono and the Edge. "There has been a lot of good albums done here -- it's a pretty incredible legacy of artists." For Immediate Release Chicago, IL June 21, 2016 Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include Apple (AAPL), Microsoft (MSFT), LinkedIn (LNKD) and Alphabet (GOOGL). Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1Stock of the Day pick for free. Here are highlights from Mondays Analyst Blog: Technology Stock Roundup In the week that Apple (AAPL) hosts its WWDC, all other events naturally take a back seat. But last week wasnt just any old week; it was one in which Microsoft (MSFT) made a huge acquisition, picking up LinkedIn (LNKD) for $196 a share. Then there was Alphabets ( GOOGL) Google announcing product with special enterprise focus. In short, the week was jam-packed with important events. So without further ado lets jump into the top stories: Apple WWDC The best parts of the event were as follows: In iOS 10, some third-party messaging apps are integrated into the Siri voice assistant experience to greatly increase its utility. So with the new OS, ride booking (like Uber, Lyft), messaging (like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, WeChat), VoIP calling (like Skype), photo search, payments (through Square Cash, for example), health/fitness apps and Apple Music will now work seamlessly with it. Siri will address the query herself, taking it to the third party app only when required. She just doesnt work with third-party music apps. The new Mac OS Sierra also has Siri integrated to look up information, find documents, pin or drag and drop search results, and even adjust system preferences. There is also the universal clipboard that all Apple devices can access thereby facilitating copying and pasting between devices. Other features include tabs within Sierra apps; easy dragging and positioning of a picture or video to a corner of the screen while working on something else; and a memory feature within Pictures that curates your photo library and pulls out collections of photographs from the past. Story continues Then theres the Apple Pay enhancement. IBM customers using WebSphere Commerce or Commerce on Cloud will now have the added convenience of paying through Apple Pay. IBMs comprehensive commerce platform is used by nine of the top ten U.S. retailers and powers over 12K storefronts for online retailers. So this collaboration is a very big deal for the Apple. This means they dont have to enter personal details any more but can use Apple Pay on the web from their Macs iPhones or iPads. WatchOS 3 was also showcased and it has new features enabling immediate launching right from the watch face. The focus areas appear to be easier communication, music playing and workouts. Apple is also offering appealing watch faces. Microsoft Acquires LinkedIn Microsoft agreed to acquire LinkedIn last week for $26.2 billion, or $196 a share. The company holds most of its cash in short term investments that it wont be liquidating to finance the acquisition. Instead it will raise necessary debt. The deal was approved by the boards of both companies and awaits regulatory approval in the U.S., EU, Canada and Brazil. LinkedIn will operate as a separate unit for now headed by its current CEO Jeff Weiner who will report to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. Microsoft expects to complete integration by 2018 and the acquisition will be slightly dilutive to its 2017 and 2018 fiscal years ending in June. Google Enterprise Play Google has announced a digital search assistant called Springboard and thrown in a redesign of Google Sites for good measure. So now corporate employees can use Springboard to fetch information housed in a variety of Google apps including Google Drive, Gmail, Calendar and Google Docs. They can also create customized sites that can be accessed by employees alone for drag and drop editing and real-time collaboration. Other features are new themes and layouts facilitating better viewing on both desktop and mobile devices. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1Stock of the Day pick for free. About Zacks Equity Research Zacks Equity Research provides the best of quantitative and qualitative analysis to help investors know what stocks to buy and which to sell for the long-term. Continuous coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons. Zacks "Profit from the Pros" e-mail newsletter provides highlights of the latest analysis from Zacks Equity Research. Subscribe to this free newsletter today. About Zacks Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978. The later formation of the Zacks Rank, a proprietary stock picking system; continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Register for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros. Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/zacksresearch Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Zacks-Investment-Research/57553657748?ref=ts Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates. Media Contact Zacks Investment Research 800-767-3771 ext. 9339 support@zacks.com https://www.zacks.com Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report APPLE INC (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report MICROSOFT CORP (MSFT): Free Stock Analysis Report LINKEDIN CORP-A (LNKD): Free Stock Analysis Report ALPHABET INC-A (GOOGL): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. For Immediate Release Chicago, IL June 21, 2016 - Stocks in this weeks article include: Big Lots, Inc. (BIG), Fred's, Inc. (FRED), Century Aluminum Co. (CENX), Allegheny Technologies Inc. (ATI) and Group 1 Automotive Inc. (GPI). Screen of the Week of Zacks Investment Research: 5 Stocks with Recent Broker Rating Upgrades to Buy Now The opinion of brokers acts as a valuable guide for investors in their course of action (buy, sell or hold) on a particular stock. In fact, a rating upgrade or downgrade by brokers has the potential to immediately influence the price of the stock. Sell-side analysts, the most prevalent ones, are employed by brokerage firms to research on certain companies. They come up with information on various aspects of companies like their earnings performance, long-term growth prospects etc. and accordingly give their recommendations. Buy-side analysts are employed by hedge funds, mutual funds etc. while the independent ones simply sell their reports to investors. So, an analyst, irrespective of the type, does extensive research on the company(s) followed. Why Broker Ratings are Important Broker ratings do not come from the blue and are backed by sound logic. In fact, they have a lot more information on a company and its prospects than normal people as they not only scrutinize the publicly available financial documents but also attend company conference calls and other presentations. Naturally, if investors see that brokers are improving their recommendations on a particular stock, they are more often than not inclined to believe that there is a catalyst behind it. For example, a company might have issued an improved earnings guidance based on some positive factors. This can well lead investors to follow brokers opinion on the same. Before putting their hard-earned money into a stock, investors look at the earnings estimate revisions that serve as a guide to the direction of its price movement. Estimates can move north for a number of reasons a bullish guidance, product launch or any favorable macro scenario. For example, if oil prices touch extreme lows then it is good for airline stocks. This causes analysts to adopt a bullish stance on such stocks and raise estimates. On the other side of the spectrum, analysts trim estimates if something negative concerning the company happens (say a pipeline failure can lead to estimates moving south for a biotech player, which might drag down its price). Story continues Making the Most of What Analysts Say We have designed a screen to shortlist stocks based on improving analyst recommendation and upward revisions to earnings estimates over the last four weeks. Also, since the price/sales ratio is a strong complementary valuation metric in the presence of analyst information, it has also been included. The price/sales ratio takes care of the companys top line thereby making the strategy foolproof. Screening Criteria # (Up- Down Rating)/ Total (4 weeks) =Top #75 (This gives the list of top 75 companies that have witnessed net upgrades over the last 4 weeks). % change in Q (1) est. (4 weeks) = Top #10 (This gives the top 10 stocks that have witnessed earnings estimate revisions over the past 4 weeks for the upcoming quarter). We have also added the following screening parameters to ensure that the strategy is a winning one: Price-to-Sales = Bot%10 (The lower the ratio the better, companies meeting this criteria are in bottom 10% of our universe of over 7,700 stocks with respect to this ratio). Price greater than 5 (as a stock trading below $5 will not likely create significant interest for most of the investors). Average Daily Volume greater than 100,000 shares over the last 20 trading days (Volume has to be significant to ensure that these are easily traded). Market value ($ mil) = Top #3000 (This gives us stocks that are the top 3000 in terms of market capitalization). Com/ADR/Canadian= Com (This takes out the ADR or Canadian stocks). Here are five of the 10 stocks that made it through the screen: Big Lots, Inc. (BIG) : Based in Columbus, OH and founded in 1967, Big Lots is a broad-line closeout retailer in the United States. The stock has an impressive track record with respect to earnings, having outshined the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the last four quarters. The average beat is 8.54%. Fred's, Inc. (FRED) : Based in Memphis, TN and founded in 1947, Fred's sells its products through company-owned discount general merchandise stores and franchised Fred's stores.The FY 2017 Zacks Consensus Estimate for the stock is 29 cents, representing a growth rate of over 100% with respect to earnings per share over FY 2016. Next fiscal years average forecast is 38 cents, corresponding with 31.62% growth. Century Aluminum Co. (CENX) : Chicago, IL-based Century Aluminum is engaged in the production of primary aluminum in the U.S. and Iceland. The stock has outshined the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the last 2 quarters by 32.35% and 1.85% respectively. Allegheny Technologies Inc. (ATI) : Pittsburgh, PA-based Allegheny Technologies is a diversified specialty materials producer. Alleghenys expected EPS growth rate for 3 to 5 years currently stands at 15%. Group 1 Automotive Inc. (GPI) : The company, headquartered in Houston, TX, is one of the leading automotive retailers in the world. The stock has an impressive track record with respect to earnings, having outshined the Zacks Consensus Estimate in 3 of the last 4 quarters. The average beat is 0.59%. You can get the rest of the stocks on this list by signing up now for your 2-week free trial to the Research Wizard and start using this screen in your own trading. Further, you can also create your own strategies and test them first before taking the investment plunge. The Research Wizard is a great place to begin. It's easy to use. Everything is in plain language. And it's very intuitive. Start your Research Wizard trial today. And the next time you read an economic report, open up the Research Wizard, plug your finds in, and see what gems come out. Click here to sign up for a free trial to the Research Wizard today Disclosure: Officers, directors and/or employees of Zacks Investment Research may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. An affiliated investment advisory firm may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. Disclosure: Performance information for Zacks portfolios and strategies are available at: https://www.zacks.com/performance . Zacks Restaurant Recommendations: In addition to dining at these special places, you can feast on their stock shares. A Zacks Special Report spotlights 5 recent IPOs to watch plus 2 stocks that offer immediate promise in a booming sector. Download it free Sign up now for your free trial today and start picking better stocks immediately. And with the backtesting feature, you can test your ideas to see how you can improve your trading in both up markets and down markets. Dont wait for the market to get better before you decide to do better. Start learning how to be a better trader today: https://at.zacks.com/?id=111 Disclosure: Officers, directors and/or employees of Zacks Investment Research may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. An affiliated investment advisory firm may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. About Screen of the Week Zacks.com created the first and best screening system on the web earning the distinction as the "#1 site for screening stocks" by Money Magazine. But powerful screening tools is just the start. That is why Zacks created the Screen of the Week to highlight profitable stock picking strategies that investors can actively use. Each week, Zacks Profit from the Pros free email newsletter shares a new screening strategy. Learn more about it here https://at.zacks.com/?id=112 About Zacks Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978. The later formation of the Zacks Rank, a proprietary stock picking system; continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Click here for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros. Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/zacksresearch Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZacksInvestmentResearch Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates. Contact: Jim Giaquinto Company: Zacks.com Phone: 312-265-9268 Email: pr@zacks.com Visit: https://www.zacks.com/performance Zacks.com provides investment resources and informs you of these resources, which you may choose to use in making your own investment decisions. Zacks is providing information on this resource to you subject to the Zacks "Terms and Conditions of Service" disclaimer. www.zacks.com/disclaimer . Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report BIG LOTS INC (BIG): Free Stock Analysis Report FREDS INC (FRED): Free Stock Analysis Report CENTURY ALUM CO (CENX): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLEGHENY TECH (ATI): Free Stock Analysis Report GROUP 1 AUTO (GPI): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. By Sanjeev Miglani and Ruma Paul DHAKA (Reuters) - Bangladesh central bank officials will hold a meeting with the New York Federal Reserve next month to try and speed up efforts to recover $81 million stolen by hackers from its account at the Fed, officials in Dhaka said. More than four months after the hackers broke into the computer systems of Bangladesh Bank and transferred money into bank accounts in Philippines using the SWIFT payment network, there is no breakthrough yet in investigations. Most of the money has disappeared into casinos in the Philippines and remains missing. While the criminal investigation has made slow progress, Bangladesh Bank has focused on getting back the money, leaning on the New York Fed and the Philippines central bank for help. Bangladesh Bank deputy governor Mohammad Razee Hassan, who heads its financial intelligence unit, will meet Fed officials in New York on July 15, two officials at the bank in Dhaka said. Both said the talks follow a meeting in Basel in Switzerland in May where the heads of the Bangladesh central bank, the New York Fed and representatives from SWIFT agreed to help Bangladesh Bank get back its money. One official involved in the preparations for the meeting said on Tuesday they would also be discussing future arrangements on the central bank's deposits held in New York. "Its a follow-up meeting for recovery of funds. But there are other things as well. Fed is holding our account. We are their customers, there are things we need to discuss," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity, citing bank rules. The official said he was not sure if SWIFT would be part of the meeting. SWIFT had no immediate comment to make. Bangladesh police investigators have said that SWIFT technicians introduced security loopholes when connecting the messaging network to Bangladesh's first real-time gross settlement (RTGS) system late last year. SWIFT, a cooperative owned by 3,000 financial institutions, has rejected those allegations and said its messaging platform was not breached in the Bangladesh hack. (Additional reporting by Krishna Das; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan) By Sarah Young DORKING, England (Reuters) - A man charged with trying to attack Donald Trump with a policeman's gun found it hard to cope with life but did not have political views and was never violent, his father told British media on Tuesday. Michael Sandford was arrested after trying to grab a police officer's side arm at a Trump rally in Las Vegas on Saturday. When asked why, he told police: "To shoot and kill Trump," according to U.S. court papers. "He's never shown any violent tendencies before. He's never been a bad person," his father, Paul Davey, was quoted as saying by the MailOnline website which put Sandford's age as 20. U.S. prosecutors have said he is 19. "He's a nice kid and literally wouldn't hurt a fly - he used to tell us not to use fly spray because he didn't want any flies to die." The Mirror newspaper's website quoted Davey as saying his son had Asperger's Syndrome and had left school at the age of 15 "because he couldn't cope with it all". He went to the United States 18 months ago after an American girl he had met returned home, something that had made him "quite down and depressed," Davey said. "He's been refusing to come back and we were worried about him, we were in contact with the American Embassy ... (but) the American authorities said 'he's over 18 we can't do anything.'" Davey said someone must have coerced or "radicalised" his son into attacking the presidential candidate. "He has never mentioned Donald Trump. The reason it is such a shock is because he shows no interest in anything like that ... I doubt he would even know who the president of the United States is." Sandford lived on his own in Dorking, a commuter town near London, in a flat in a large white house. A local who knew Sandford's mother, who did not want to be named, told Reuters Sandford had autism and obsessive-compulsive disorder. "He was one of those guys who just stays in his room that's it, wouldn't come out," the man said. The U.S. court documents said Sandford had been planning to kill Trump for about a year. He had visited a gun range the day before the rally to fire a weapon for the first time. Last week, a British member of parliament was shot and stabbed to death in the street - an incident that has shocked a country that has strict gun controls and where attacks on public figures are rare. Media reported that Sandford and his mother had taken part in a "Robot Wars" competition where contestants operate robots trying to destroy their opponents' machine. A web page for the Fighting Robots Association listed Michael and Lynne Sandford and Paul Davey as owners of a number of robots, including machines named 'Mr Nasty', 'X-Terminator' and 'Steel Avenger'. "He was quite active in the robot community for a while - buying famous robots from the show ... I then got them working for him because he had absolutely no idea about robots," John Findlay, director of the company behind Robot Wars, told the Mirror newspaper. "He was calm, very quiet, a little bit weird and reserved." (Writing by William James; Editing by Robin Pomeroy) PLATTSMOUTH A Plattsmouth man who assaulted a female victim at their home last November entered pleas to two criminal counts Monday morning. Kevin Hicks, 29, appeared in Cass County District Court for a plea hearing. Hicks pled no contest to Class I misdemeanor charges of domestic assault-third degree and resisting arrest-first offense. The state agreed to dismiss two Class IIIA felony charges of terroristic threats, one Class IIIA felony charge of committing child abuse intentionally and one Class I misdemeanor charge of third-degree assault. Deputy County Attorney Colin Palm told the court a pre-condition of the plea bargain was for Hicks to enter a treatment program for substance abuse. The court learned Hicks had fulfilled the states request by beginning his treatment program. The court learned Hicks had also obtained employment. Palm told the court two Plattsmouth police officers arrived at a Plattsmouth residence Nov. 26 for a report of a domestic assault. They spoke with a female who told them she had been in a serious altercation with Hicks. The woman told police Hicks had tackled her in her childs bed and struck her. She told the officers Hicks had threatened to shoot her if she tried to tell anyone about the attack. He then shut off the electricity to the home and took the woman downstairs. She told police Hicks had slammed her into the wall of the basement. Palm said the woman was able to contact police after she ran outside with her child. Palm said Hicks ran after her and tackled her while she was with the child. Palm said Hicks later told police he was not planning to go to jail and was uncooperative after they tried to arrest him. The officers were able to subdue Hicks and take him to Cass County Jail. Hicks remains free on bond. Sentencing will take place Aug. 15. Getty Images. China has scaled back its cyber-espionage activities against the U.S. and its theft of stealing company secrets, according to a new study released on Tuesday, China has scaled back its cyber-espionage activities against the U.S. and its theft of stealing company secrets, according to a new study released on Tuesday. U.S. cybersecurity firm FireEye (FEYE)said it had seen a "notable decline" in China-based groups' attacks on U.S. firms. At the height of Chinese cyber-espionage on companies around the world, the hackers were carrying out over 70 network compromises a month. This is down to less than 10 as of May 2016, according to FireEye. The major drop-off in attacks came around mid-2014. China's cyber activities were brought into the limelight in early 2013 after a number of breaches were disclosed. FireEye released a report at the time outlining the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) involvement in cyber espionage. The contingent known as Unit 61398 was deemed by FireEye to be behind a number of attacks and the cybersecurity company's report highlighted the group's tools, tactics and targets. The Chinese government denied its involvement in hacking, while U.S. lawmakers said FireEye's report backed up what it was seeing. In May 2014, the U.S. government filed charges against five hackers in the Chinese military, accusing them of stealing American trade secrets through cyber-espionage. And the following year, President Barack Obama signed an executive order allowing the government to freeze the property and assets of individuals engaged in cyber-attacks on the U.S. Tensions were high between the U.S. and China leading up to a summit between Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping in September 2015. The two leaders said they had reached a "common understanding" to not engage in cyber-espionage. These factors have helped to bring down Chinese cyber-espionage on U.S. companies. And in China, Xi Jinping was focused on getting rid of corruption in the military and centralizing the PLA's cyber elements. "Rather than viewing the Xi-Obama agreement as a watershed moment, we conclude that the agreement was one point amongst dramatic changes that had been taking place for years," FireEye said in its report. Story continues "We attribute the changes we have observed among China-based groups to factors including President Xi's military and political initiatives, the widespread exposure of Chinese cyber operations, and mounting pressure from the U.S. government." Still, cyber-espionage has continued with a number of Chinese attacks in the last few months. Between April and May 2016, three groups compromised the networks of four firms headquartered in the U.S., Europe and Asia that are involved in the manufacturing and production of semiconductors. More From CNBC A Dell logo is pictured on the side of a computer in this photo illustration in the Manhattan borough of New York October 12, 2015. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri (Reuters) By Michael Flaherty and Liana B. Baker NEW YORK/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Elliott Management Corp's deal to acquire Dell Inc's software assets shows how the U.S. hedge fund and prominent activist investor is stepping up its private equity practice, and positioning itself for more takeovers in the tech sector. The more than $2 billion purchase, done with buyout firm Francisco Partners, is an offshoot of Elliott's campaign against storage company EMC Corp , which agreed to be bought by Dell Inc last year for $67 billion. Dell shed the software assets because it deemed them non-core following the deal with EMC. Unlike its previous offers to companies, where Elliott threatened to buy a business it was agitating against, this time the attempted leveraged buyout was not a target of Elliott. Elliott clinched the Dell software deal through Evergreen Coast Capital, a new tech-focused private equity wing housed inside the $28 billion hedge fund. "The lines between activism and private equity have been blurring for a while now," said Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, senior associate dean at the Yale School of Management, referring to Evergreen. "This is a high profile and poignant demonstration of this." Elliott is now the only major activist hedge fund boasting an in-house private equity team, ready to buy control of companies, streamline them, and sell them later for a premium. Activists, by contrast, mostly purchase minority stakes and push for major changes at a company, including putting it up for sale, often with a shorter time frame than a private equity investor. Starting at least a year ago, Elliott began building up its ability to carry out leveraged buyouts in the technology sector, according to people familiar with the matter. It hired Isaac Kim, previously a principal at private equity firm Golden Gate Capital, who joined in October to spearhead its private equity efforts. The money allocated to Evergreen Coast Capital will come from the firm's overall pile of capital, rather than a separate fund devoted to private equity, people familiar with the matter said. Story continues Jesse Cohn, a senior portfolio manager at Elliott who oversees its technology activism business, is also overseeing Evergreen, which is based in Menlo Park, California, the people said. Elliott declined to comment on Evergreen, beyond its reference to the affiliate in Monday's press release. Private equity deal-making is not new for Elliott. The firm has previously offered to buy companies that it has called on to explore a sale. In the cases of business software companies Compuware and Riverbed, Elliott pushed the companies to explore a sale and made its own offer for both, though both ended up being acquired by another buyout firm, Thoma Bravo LLC. (Reporting by Michael Flaherty in New York and Liana B. Baker in San Francisco; Editing by Greg Roumeliotis, Bernard Orr) If you drop your iPhone into a body of water, it's probably toast. And if it's not bricked, it could cost you from $269 to $329 in repairs because liquid damage is not covered in an Apple warranty. Good thing you can go to a third-party repair shop that can repair your device for cheaper, right? Apple just helped to squash those dreams. New York legislators introduced the Fair Repair Act, which would require manufacturers like Apple to provide information and parts needed to repair a device. Apple, IBM, Xerox and Cisco all lobbied against it, and the legislation failed to get a vote, the Huffington Post reported. While taking the iPhone to a third-party repair shop isn't illegal, these shops don't have access to repair instructions or the necessary parts to most efficiently fix your device. Apple's take: Apple might not want such a bill to pass because of the risk of someone reverse-engineering an iDevice and creating counterfeit ones, the Huffington Post reported, or because these outside repair shops might damage the "integrity" of a phone. The Repair Association, a group that campaigned for the pass of the Fair Repair Act, writes on its website that worrying about damage to "brand image," or concerns that a third-party repair shop might not properly fix an iDevice, is irrelevant. "Owners of equipment have no obligation to the manufacturer post purchase related to supporting brand image," the group writes. "It is also disingenuous to withhold the means to make competent repairs and then demand a monopoly on the basis of competence." Nearly 15,000 letters were sent to New York's senators and representatives via the Repair Association's website in support of the bill. Broken iPhone Environmental impact: Making Apple's (and other device manufacturers) repair instructions and parts publicly accessible isn't just economically beneficial to iPhone consumers with a habit of dropping their device in the toilet, it's environmentally beneficial. Story continues A study from September 2014 found that of the 1.8 billion new mobile phones "likely" purchased that year, 44% end up in a drawer, 4% end up in landfills and 3% are recycled. The average age for a kid to get their first smartphone is 10.3 years old, and the average American gets a new one every 1.5 to 2.5 years. That's more than five phones that could end up in a drawer or landfill before you're old enough to buy a beer. The Fair Repair Act could have extended the life expectancy of one phone by expanding the pool of professional repairers. And someone doesn't even have to keep their phone forever it could be fixed for another consumer, encouraging the purchase of a used working phone rather than the current cycle of planned obsolescence. Apple's iPhone-recycling robot, Liam "The manufacturing impact of the electronic sector is huge," Kyle Wiens, a repair advocate and founder of iFixit, a free repair manual on just about anything, told the Washington Post. "If you're going to go to all the effort and environmental impact to make a phone, let's make it last for seven or 10 years. And it's OK if it's not necessarily used by the first owner for all that long, but let's make it so that somebody can use it." Apple has made an effort to wrangle back some of its now unused devices; the company has a robot named Liam, and its purpose is to disassemble iPhones and sorts parts to be recycled. But as cute as Liam might be, it still isn't a surefire way to recycle all of the unused iPhones out there. In fact, at this point it can only take apart the iPhone 6s. According to Reuters, with Liam's rate of taking apart an iPhone in 11 seconds, even if uninterrupted, it "likely can handle no more than a few million phones per year, a small fraction of the more than 231 million phones Apple sold in 2015." Mic reached out to Apple for comment and will update with a response. The U.S. is likely to become the first country in the world to identify and open up a significant amount of spectrum suitable for the upcoming fifth-generation (5G) wireless network which will provide ultra-fast data transfer speed. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the U.S. telecom regulator, will vote on new rules to lay the groundwork for 5G network, proposed by the FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler. The vote is scheduled to take place on Jul 14, 2016. According to the research firm ABI Research, 5G network deployment is expected to ramp up after 2020 and its market size may reach $247 billion worldwide by 2025. North America, Asia-Pacific, and Western Europe will be the three regions that will pioneer 5G network deployment. The FCC will try to free up high-band spectrum technically known as the centimeter (cmWave) and millimeter wave (mmWave) bands which are one of the building blocks of the 5G wireless standard. Several industry researchers hold that 5G network will provide a download speed of 1 Gbps (gigabit per second) which is 200 times the throughput of the currently available standard 4G LTE network. Latency period of data delivery will be in single milliseconds. Further, 5G technology is designed to be more power efficient than any other standard wireless networks available these days. Naturally, 5G-enabled mobile devices are likely to last much longer than their 3G or 4G counterparts. Additionally, superfast 5G mobile networks will be of utmost necessity in managing the exponential growth of Internet-connected devices, popularly known as Internet of Things (IoT) and autonomous vehicles (to be controlled in the cloud). According to a report by research firm International Data Corporation (IDC), worldwide spending on IoT is slated to grow at a 17% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) to nearly $1.3 trillion in 2019 from $698.6 billion in 2015. The U.S. telecom behemoth Verizon Communications Inc. VZ will start field trials for its upcoming 5G wireless network with its partners in 2016. The company is preparing for initial deployment of the next-generation 5G wireless networks in the U.S. in 2017. In Feb 2016, another U.S. telecom giant AT&T Inc. T requested the FCC to grant a license to test 5G technologies on 3.5GHz, 4GHz, 15GHz and 28GHz frequency bands. Story continues On Mar 2016, T-Mobile US Inc. TMUS sought the FCCs approval for a millimeter wave radio test license using the companys 28 GHz and 39 GHz frequency bands to conduct test run of 5G wireless standards. Qualcomm Inc. QCOM, the largest manufacturer of wireless baseband chip set globally, is working hard to develop chipsets for the 5G mobile standard. The U.S. telecom industry has lately emerged as an intensely contested space where success thrives largely on technical superiority, quality of services and scalability. Thus, in order to stay ahead of the competition, existing players need to be constantly on their toes to introduce innovative products. A full-fledged 5G network deployment will not start until 2020. T-Mobile US and AT&T too are targeting the same time frame to get their 5G network ready for commercial deployment. However, Verizon is so far leading the race in this regard. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report QUALCOMM INC (QCOM): Free Stock Analysis Report AT&T INC (T): Free Stock Analysis Report VERIZON COMM (VZ): Free Stock Analysis Report T-MOBILE US INC (TMUS): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research What's the very first thing you do when you feel an unfamiliar symptom coming on? Unless there's a doctor in the other room, chances are that you head straight to Google in hopes that you can figure out what's ailing you with the help of the internet. This often leads you down a seemingly endless rabbit hole of potential sicknesses and diseases, culminating in needless stress and worrying. Google wants to simplify this process once and for all. READ MORE: This years new Nexus phones could be 2016s most powerful handsets In the coming days, a Google search for any given symptom will turn up a list of "health conditions related to this search" at the top of the page. For example, if you search for "headache on one side," you'll see a scrolling list of cards at the top of the page for "headache," "migraine," "common cold" and other possible causes. If you search for a more broad symptom, like "skin rash," Google will give you a detailed description of the symptom, a list of common causes and even some self-treatment options in case it doesn't warrant a doctor's visit. "We create the list of symptoms by looking for health conditions mentioned in web results, and then checking them against high-quality medical information weve collected from doctors for our Knowledge Graph," explains Veronica Pinchin, Product Manager at Google. "We worked with a team of medical doctors to carefully review the individual symptom information, and experts at Harvard Medical School and Mayo Clinic evaluated related conditions for a representative sample of searches to help improve the lists we show." As always, Google wants everyone to remember that an internet search result is not meant to take the place of actual medical advice from a doctor. If you want medical advice, consult a physician that's what they're there for. Related stories Story continues 5 ways to speed up Google's Chrome browser You can now use Touch ID on your iPhone to sign in to your Google account anywhere This year's new Nexus phones could be 2016's most powerful handsets More from BGR: A silly iPhone 7 EarPods rumor that actually makes some sense This article was originally published on BGR.com By Liana B. Baker SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Intent Media, a provider of advertising tools for online travel agencies, is buying software company Voyat in a bid to take ad dollars from search engines such as Alphabet Inc's Google, the startup firms said on Tuesday. Financial details were not disclosed in a statement by the New York-based firms. Intent Media, founded in 2009 by former executives of travel agency site Travelocity, has raised about $50 million in venture capital funding. Its investors include New York-based private and growth equity firm Insight Ventures. Voyat has raised $3 million since it was founded in 2012 by Chief Executive Benjamin Habbel and Bob Lund, a former partner at a startup incubator. Habbel had served as chief of staff for Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer when she worked at Google. The deal is aimed at giving Intent Media a better foothold in the hotel industry, company Chief Executive Richard Harris said in an interview. Voyat makes software that helps hotels retain and book more guests though loyalty programs and personalized offers. Harris said that most consumers abandon dozens of travel searches when planning a trip, and usually toggle between websites using Google. Google is a major platform for online ads for travel, with search capabilities that enable it to collect data on consumer interests and habits valued by marketers, airlines, cruise companies and other travel sellers. Google also owns ITA software, a flight information provider, and has a hotel price ad program that routes consumers to hotel websites for booking. To help steer users away from Google, Intent Media shows ads with prices for hotel rooms and flights on competing travel websites, so consumers feel like they are comparison shopping without going through Google. Online travel websites then get to keep a bigger slice of advertising revenue and dollars from clicking on the offers, Harris said. "We want to keep revenue inside the travel sector rather than leaking out in the billions to Google," Harris said. Harris estimated that Priceline Group spends about $2 billion per year to access search traffic on Google. Priceline and Google declined to comment. The online travel industry has been undergoing a sweeping consolidation, with Expedia and larger rival Priceline embarking on acquisition sprees to dominate the business. Intent Media has a valuation in the "hundreds of millions" but below $500 million, Harris said, adding the company does not anticipate raising any more funding. (Reporting by Liana B. Baker in San Francisco; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell and Richard Chang) In the wake of the tragic terrorist attack in Orlando, Bruce and I join all Nebraskans in offering our deepest condolences to the victims and families. As a mother, my heart breaks for the loved ones of the victims. As an American, I share in a profound sense of sorrow for the loss of innocent life. Many questions surrounding this attack remain unanswered. What was the terrorists path to radical Islamism? Recently, I attended a classified briefing given by FBI Director James Comey and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson to learn more about the specific circumstances of this tragedy. While there is much we still do not know about the attack in Orlando, there are a few, very important things we do know. We know 49 people were killed, and 53 others were injured. We know their families are suffering, and we grieve with them. We know the gay community was targeted. There is something else we know: this attack was violence against innocent people. It was an assault on the age-old Western value of social pluralism. This principle forbids doing violence to others just because we strongly disagree with them. Its a basic belief that unites Americans. We have many disagreements in our country. We have them in the Senate. We have them at work and around the dinner table. Sometimes our words are heated. But we dont kill people who disagree with us. We protect their right to think differently. This is a key part of our identity as Americans. The Orlando attack reminds us that we are in the middle of a global battle between two ways of life: open democracy and violent jihadism. Our way, the American way, values pluralism. It permits dissent from dominant social and political views. It protects the freedom of expression and the freedom of religion. It defends our shared human dignity. In our society, the value of your life is not determined by your views. Here, your life has value because you exist. Thats good enough for us. Thats not good enough for radical Islamism. Its followers do not believe these things. They impose uniformity and destroy dissent. For the radical Islamist, there is no live and let live. Their ideology demands obedience. It allows only one way to live your life. It demands that people who think differently, live differently, or pray differently stop thinking, living, and praying how they do. Radical Islamism does not use words to get what it wants. We observe its methods in Syria, through ISIL. There, they stone women and throw men from buildings for violating their code. This contempt for other cultures drives them to destroy historical artifacts and ancient holy sites. They exterminate entire communities for practicing a different set of religious beliefs. And, they celebrate it. While the extent to which the Orlando shooter was influenced by this is unclear, he clearly identified with ISILs barbaric glorification of violence. This is why we must unite to ensure ISILs lasting defeat. Their defeat on the battlefield will diminish the power of their calls to butcher, pillage, and defile. Responding to this terror is the shared responsibility of all Americans, and not reserved only for the military or law enforcement. We can all play a role in the response. In our day-to-day lives, we can deliver a direct challenge to radical Islamists. By living out our values of pluralism, of freedom of speech, and freedom of religion we can stand against the forces of hatred and injustice. Thank you for taking part in our democratic process. I look forward to visiting with you again next week. The hype surrounding Apple's iPhone 8 is already eclipsing the iPhone 7, which Apple will likely release in the fall. The iPhone 8 is rumored to make a splash in 2017, the iPhone's 10th anniversary while the iPhone 7's September 2016 announcement will be more like a sad trombone of an unveiling. And there's now further evidence proving that Apple may hold out its biggest punches for the iPhone 8, according to a Credit Suisse analyst. The iPhone 6s Plus "We conclude that the iPhone 7 will prove to be a modest upgrade, with significant innovations pushed out to the iPhone 8," Credit Suisse analyst Kulbinder Garcha said, as reported by Investor's Business Daily. "While this does not change our view of the long-term EPS power of the business, we cut our calendar 2016 EPS estimate by less than 1% (to $7.80) and our calendar 2017 estimate by 5% (to $9.67), and introduce our calendar 2018 EPS estimate of $12.32." Garcha also sites widely rumored features and upgrades in the iPhone 8 to support his analysis. While the iPhone 7 may look a lot like the iPhone 6s, it is rumored to be sleeker, faster, more powerful and possibly waterproof and with a new color option. Apple leak: iPhone 7 will include a headphone jack, contrary to rumors http://forbes.com/sites/gordonke ...pic.twitter.com/hPdONUsrg5 https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ClfMqMSWMAAteV_.jpg:large But aside from the humble upgrades, the iPhone 8 is rumored to overshadow its predecessor by a landslide it may scrap the LCD screen for an OLED screen, feature an all-glass display and "enhanced Taptic Engine," ditch the home button, improve the camera and support wireless charging. Upcoming huge iPhone redesign will include the new feature everyone wants http://bgr.co/LHugw0c pic.twitter.com/yhF6cn0rsT https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CleY8e6WIAAfPue.jpg:large "While this is some time away, we believe the iPhone 8 will be feature- and specification-rich," Garcha said. Story continues And this stark contrast between the iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 unveilings will spark an iPhone upgrade "super-cycle," according to the analyst. Garcha also forecasted that Apple will sell 250 million iPhones in 2018, which is up 16% from a forecasted 215 million units in 2017, according to Investor's Business Daily. But for all that bang, prepare yourself to shell out more bucks. Garcha also predicts that compared to an average selling price of $653 for the iPhone 7, the iPhone 8 will rise to $667. If you just want an iPhone remarkably like the current model but with improved guts and a sleeker design, the iPhone 7 will likely be a suitable fit. But if you want something exceedingly different, hold out for the iPhone 8. More details about the man who cops say wanted to assassinate Donald Trump during a Las Vegas campaign rally have emerged. Read: Feds: Man Arrested at Rally Said He Tried to Grab Cop's Gun So He Could Kill Donald Trump Michael Sandford was taken down at the Trump rally Monday when he allegedly attempted to grab a police officers gun. His plan, he told cops, was to "shoot and kill Trump. The 20-year-old is a British citizen and in the country illegally on an expired visa. His mother, Lynne, told court researchers he was treated for obsessive compulsive disorder and anorexia in the past and is autistic. He has previously attempted suicide. As a teen, Sandford fought killer robots in the British TV series, Robot Wars. According to New York Daily News, Sandford had two high-powered robots that featured pneumatic axe weapons. One robot, named Steel Avenger, had a ramming blade. Another robot, Mr. Nasty, had a steel ramming spike for shunting and piercing. Sandford arrived in America 18 months ago and lived for a time in Hoboken, New Jersey. According to a criminal complaint, he told the Secret Service he had been planning his assassination attempt on Trump for a year. The day before the rally, he went to the Battlefield Las Vegas gun range where he practiced firing a 9mm Glock pistol. Sandford stood in line for nine hours outside the Treasure Island Casino to get into the rally. As Trump took the stage, the would-be assassin struck up a conversation with a police officer and then tried to grab his gun. Read: House Speaker Paul Ryan Blasts Trump's Judge Comments As 'Textbook Racism' Cops say the young man told them he had a backup plan in case he lost his nerve. He had tickets to Trump's next rally in Phoenix where he planned to make a second attempt. The Secret Service said Sandford has been charged with violating two federal laws, including assault. He could face up to a decade in prison if he is convicted. Other charges are pending as the incident is still under investigation. Story continues Sandford has not yet entered a plea. On Tuesday morning, Donald Trump Jr. told ABC that this makes him worried for his father. "I am a son, I love my dad. I love what he is doing for this country. There are a lot of sociopaths in this country," he said. Trump's son also said that he is happy with how the law enforcement handled the situation and thanked them for their work. Watch: Report: Trump Fires Presidential Campaign Manager After Ivanka Threat: It's Him or Me Related Articles: On Jun 20, 2016, Zacks Investment Research upgraded Canadian cable TV behemoth, Shaw Communications, Inc. SJR, to a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) from a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). Shaw Communications offers wireline telephony, high-speed Internet and video services to residential and business enterprises through its fiber optic, WiFi and cable TV services. The company consistently strives to expand its WiFi network. Entry into the Canadian Wireless Market Shaw Communications has recently forayed into the Canadian wireless market with the acquisition of the 100% interest in Mid-Bowline Group Corp., the parent company of WIND Mobile Corp., for an enterprise value of approximately C$1.6 billion (around $1.16 billion). The acquisition provides Shaw Communications the necessary economies of scale, crucial spectrums, a strong retail distribution chain and an installed base of wireless networks. With the WIND Mobile buyout in its kitty, we believe that Shaw Communications will be poised to offer quad-play wireline telephony, high-speed Internet, video and wireless services, competing with large telecom operators in the country. The Canadian wireless market is predominantly controlled by three big players Rogers Communications Inc. RCI, TELUS Corp TU and BCE Inc BCE. Together, these three firms control around 90% of the total market. Despite the fact that WIND Mobile is the fourth-largest wireless operator, its current scale of operations is considerably behind the three wireless giants. Other Factors to Consider This January, Shaw Communications launched its mobile TV platform FreeRange TV. The service is based on Comcast Corp.s X1 platform and is increasingly gaining traction. Using the powerful X1 platform, the company aims to bolster video experience and offer next-generation services to customers. Further, the company is looking to gain from the huge scale of Comcasts X1 platform. This should also help to check customer churn over the long run. Story continues Notably, the business services segment is a growing market for telecom operators and Shaw communications is leaving no stones unturned to gain some ground in this segment. At present, its SmartWiFi and SmartSecurity Service offer the benefits of managed WiFi and network security to small- and medium-scale businesses (SMB). Additionally, the service provides seamless integration of a companys wired and wireless networks and helps employees stay connected to ensure optimum utilization of a firms network. Costs Still a Concern Rolling out new brands and advertising promotions are likely to push expenses, going ahead. The company also expects additional network fees in the forthcoming quarters. Increasing costs could hurt Shaw Communications margins, going forward. SHAW COMMS-CL B Price SHAW COMMS-CL B Price | SHAW COMMS-CL B Quote Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report TELUS CORP (TU): Free Stock Analysis Report BCE INC (BCE): Free Stock Analysis Report SHAW COMMS-CL B (SJR): Free Stock Analysis Report ROGERS COMM CLB (RCI): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. The Solar Impulse 2 aircraft soars on the second day of its marathon flight across the Atlantic (AFP Photo/) New York (AFP) - The Solar Impulse 2 aircraft soared Tuesday on the second day of its marathon flight across the Atlantic, one of the most challenging legs of its historic sun-powered journey around the world. The experimental plane, which took off from New York's John F. Kennedy airport on Monday, is being piloted by Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard, who is expected to spend between 90 and 110 hours crossing the Atlantic en route to Spain's Seville Airport. After daybreak on Tuesday, the aircraft's batteries began recharging again, after soaring through the night sky powered by the energy stored in its 17,000 photo-voltaic cells. The voyage marks the first solo transatlantic crossing in a solar-powered airplane and is expected to last up to four consecutive days, depending on weather. The first day in Piccard's ocean-crossing saw whales cavorting in the waters beneath the plane, a gorgeous full moon in the nighttime sky, and more. "You will not believe me, but to my right, I see an iceberg in the Atlantic Ocean. Check it out!" Piccard wrote on the online blog he and fellow pilot Andre Borschberg have been keeping. Piccard, who is taking catnaps during the marathon flight, has sounded exhausted but exhilarated by the challenge. "Just got up from resting," he wrote on his Twitter account shortly after 0600 GMT, as day was breaking. "Still a little tired but happy to see the sunrise while sitting in my little #Si2 home." No heavier than a car but with the wingspan of a Boeing 747, Solar Impulse is being flown on its 22,000-mile (35,400-kilometer) trip in stages, with Piccard and his Swiss compatriot Borschberg taking turns at the controls of the single-seat plane. Borschberg piloted the flight's final Pacific stage, a 4,000-mile flight between Japan and Hawaii that lasted 118 hours, smashing the previous record for the longest uninterrupted journey in aviation history. The plane, now on the 15th leg of its east-west trip, set out on March 9, 2015 in Abu Dhabi, and has flown across Asia and the Pacific to the United States with the sun as its only source of power. The plane typically travels at a mere 30 miles per hour, although its flight speed can double when exposed to full sunlight. Donald Trump's campaign has been nothing if not controversial. The republican presidential hopeful knows exactly how to push everyone's buttons. Among his supporters he can do no wrong and among his critics he can do no right. But whichever side of the fence on which you stand, you have to appreciate the fact that Trump has an uncanny ability to steal the spotlight and evoke strong responses from his supporters and from the opposition. This past weekend, things came to a head when a 19-year-old British man made an attempt on Trump's life. MUST SEE: A week with iOS 10: Its fantastic, and Im bored News just began to hit the networks last night that the British teen was in custody after attempting to assassinate Trump. The incident occurred on Saturday at Trump's rally, which took place at the Treasure Island Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. According to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police, 19-year-old Michael Sandford was arrested at the casino after allegedly trying to kill Trump with a firearm he intended to steal from a police officer. "While inside the theater, a subject, later identified as 19 year old Michael Sandford, approached a uniformed LVMPD officer who was assigned to the event. Sandford began a conversation with the officer under the pretense that he was seeking an autograph," said the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police's report. "During the conversation, Sandford attempted to disarm the officer. The officers assigned to the event were able to quickly take Sandford into custody with little further disruption at the venue." According to court documents filed by authorities and obtained by Newsy, Sandford is a British national currently living in Hoboken, New Jersey. The man allegedly confessed to police during an interview that he wanted to steal the officer's weapon in order "to shoot and kill Trump," and he said that he had gone to a shooting range the day before the rally to practice. Story continues Sandford is currently in the custody of the United States Secret Service, and he has so far been charged with attempting to commit an act of violence on restricted grounds. Related stories Apple reportedly boycotts GOP convention because of Trump Watch Jay Leno roast Trump, Clinton and Sanders on 'The Tonight Show' Nothing on the internet is more amazing than this viral Japanese Trump commercial More from BGR: How to get Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time free on PC right now This article was originally published on BGR.com Verizon Communications Inc.s VZ claims of providing the highest Internet speeds in the industry were recently questioned by advertisement watchdog, the National Advertising Review Board (NARB), following a complaint by Comcast Corporation CMCSA. As per the NARB, the advertisement in question didnt convey facts, seeing that it is Comcast Gigabit which offers the fastest Internet service. Nevertheless, the regulatory body has refrained from using words like misleading or deceptive related to the advertisements. The NARB panel further recommended the company to revise its claim of providing high picture quality services. AT&T Inc. T was in a similar situation in 2014, when it was asked by the NARB to stop claiming that U-verse offered the fastest Internet service. Customer Opinion versus Measured Data Verizons claims were actually based on PC Magazine's Reader's Choice Survey. However, the NARB panel noted that the ads made it seem like Verizon provided the fastest Internet speeds in the market. Visuals supporting the ad did not state its basis of customer perception anywhere either. In fact, a head-to-head comparison of the various Internet service providers (ISP) reveals a completely different picture. Verizon responded by saying that it will consider the panels recommendations in future advertisements. Who Provides the Fastest Internet Now? As per a recent testing conducted by the Federal Communications Commission in customers homes, Comcasts Internet service outperformed Verizons FiOS offering. While Verizons top advertised speeds are 500Mbps, Comcast offers Gigabit Internet via fiber that boasts Internet speeds as high as 2Gbps . The Bottom Line Verizon has a history of claiming superiority of its FiOS offering over other Internet providers. Last year, it took Cablevision Systems Corporation CVC to court to challenge the latters claim of a faster Internet service than FiOS. Although this time, Verizon isnt specifically required to abide by the NARB panels recommendations, such allegations tend to confuse consumer sentiments and may therefore, hurt the companys reputation, going ahead. Story continues Both Verizon and Comcast currently carry a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report AT&T INC (T): Free Stock Analysis Report VERIZON COMM (VZ): Free Stock Analysis Report CABLEVISION SYS (CVC): Free Stock Analysis Report COMCAST CORP A (CMCSA): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. In this new movie, weve got a house that offers shelter to humans with special powers, a mysterious professor type of character and a bunch of evil things happening all around. Add to that some of Tim Burtons well-known darkness and creepiness, and you end up with a movie that seems to be Burtons weird take on the X-Men. Only this isnt an original creation from Burton, and its not an X-Men movie either. DONT MISS: A week with iOS 10: Its fantastic, and Im bored Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is a movie about a bunch of children that have special abilities, with each one sporting a unique power just like, you guessed it, the X-Men. Eva Green plays Miss Peregrine, whos in charge of the orphanage shes the Charles Xavier of this world, if you will. Plenty of dangers lie ahead in addition to the second World War, as this new trailer for the movie reveals, and these kids have to find ways to fight together. Based on Ransom Riggs's book of the same title, the movie has an incredible cast. Joining Green we have Samuel L. Jackson, Asa Butterfield, Allison Janney, Rupert Everett, Judi Dench, Chris ODowd and others. The movie opens September 30th. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DN1uhnnKscY Related stories First season 2 teaser trailer will remind you how much you loved Netflix's 'Narcos' Intense new 'Game of Thrones' trailer teases the war we've been waiting for 6 new movie trailers you need to watch from this past week More from BGR: One simple change can increase your laptops battery life by 50% This article was originally published on BGR.com Welcome back, Bachelor Nation! Its been a long two weeks and we have truly missed you. The long national nightmare that was Chad has come to an end. Love him or hate him or love to hate him, Chad has been on the forefront of everyones minds since this whole thing started. And just when one Chad disappears, another Chad comes in out of the clear blue sky, and that Chad is the same Chad who dropped roses on JoJos doorstep last season. Before we get to that, though, lets talk about the first Chad. Related: The Bachelorette Recap: Rumor Has It After being sent home by JoJo, Chad elected to go back to the house to pack up his suitcase of supplements and protein powder. This isnt actually that unusual. Sometimes, people who are sent home on dates end up back at the house to pack up a few of their possessions, but you dont always see it because we are usually focused on the man or woman who is still on the date. In this case, things were very different. Chad didnt just pack his protein and go. (He couldnt; the other guys blew his protein powder into the wind like ashes.) Instead of using this opportunity to apologize and clear the air, Chad doubled down on his dislike for the other guys. While weve said goodbye to Chad for now, we look forward to seeing him again at the Men Tell All episode coming up in July. We were sad to say goodbye to Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, which was our home away from home for a while, but very excited to take this journey international! We have never had a chance to visit South America and were all so excited to get to follow along with JoJo to Punta del Este, Uruguay. Beautiful beaches, amazing deserts, and delicious food. I had never had a chance to go to Uruguay before, but man was I glad I did. As you could see, these are some of the most amazing dates weve ever had. Jordan got the first one-on-one date. After getting the first impression rose, he had really been waiting a long time to get that quality time with JoJo. The date to the island of the seals was out of this world. There are over 200,000 seals that call this place their home and they are friendly, but they are loud, and they are wild. Jordan and JoJo were pretty scared, but it didnt stop them from jumping in and enjoying it. You can see they have an undeniable chemistry, but that evening they discussed some of the underlying fears that JoJo had. JoJo had been warned that Jordan wasnt great in a previous relationship, and I think its really important that JoJo addresses these fears she has instead of working them all through in her head. Communication is key to all relationships and Jordan and JoJo have a head start on honesty and openness. Story continues Just when you think youre done hearing the word Chad, another Chad comes into the picture. JoJos ex-boyfriend Chad decided to tell all to a magazine. Normally, we wouldnt pay this any mind, but in this case, the claims were so extreme that they called the entire nature of JoJos journey into question. One of the guys read the magazine and news sure spread fast. Of course, the men were incredibly supportive and just assumed that this was a jealous ex trying to get his 15 minutes of fame, but we thought it was important for JoJo to know the rumors that were spreading. Just like she addressed the rumors with Jordan, she decided to address the rumors about herself with the rest of the men. I think it was easy to see that JoJo was hurt that someone from her past would do this to her. I dont want to speak for JoJo, but we are confident that shes is in this for the right reasons and we wont let rumors stop her from continuing her quest to find the love of her life. The next date was incredible. Sand surfing on an unbelievable dune in the middle of the desert what could be better than that? The guys got a few runs in and were having such a great time, but the rain started pouring down. The rain wasnt just a drizzle either, it was a torrential downpour that lasted for hours. Thankfully, the guys got a chance that night to spend some quality time with JoJo at home. The last one-on-one date of the week went to Robby. Robby is the first guy to tell JoJo that he is in love with her. It may seem fast, but their connection was instantaneous and Robby, as evidenced by his story about his best friend, lives life to the fullest and goes after every moment. Their relationship is easy and its clear that Robby is a frontrunner that nobody saw coming. JoJo always says she needs words of affirmation and Robby definitely has no problem providing them. After an exhausting week, JoJo decided to rip off the Band-Aid and go right to the rose ceremony. Grant, Vinny, and Evan are three great guys, but their relationships with JoJo were just moving a little too slow. JoJo really teared up when they left though, and I think she finally started to understand just how intense and difficult all the future goodbyes will be. Next week we are off to Buenos Aires, Argentina, where the dates are wilder than ever and the drama is only just beginning. Chad may be gone, but the craziness is just getting started! See you next week! The Bachelorette airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC The Salvation Army is looking for a few good fans. Amid sweltering summer temperatures, the local agency has been working to provide some relief from the heat for local residents in need. We started with about 10 fans leftover from last year and our order did not come in (for more), said Katelyn Cole, case worker. Cole said the Salvation Army has been working with the Low Income Ministry to help provide fans. In the meantime, the Salvation Army has been seeking fans. Thus far, the agency hasnt received any fans so its asking the community for help. We would love to donated fans so we can get them out, she said. Local residents are asked to donate new or gently used fans and window air conditioning units to the Salvation Army for distribution to those less fortunate. Donations may be brought to the Salvation Army between 9 and 11:30 a.m. and 1:30-4:30 p.m. weekdays at 707 N. I St. Would-be donors also may call Cole at the Salvation Army at 402-721-0930, Ext. 100. If they give me a call and leave a message, most of the time I can work something out with them, she said. Cole can give donors a receipt for tax deduction purposes. When people come in and ask for a fan, in most cases, its those who do not have central air or theyre in situations where something has broken and its causing a lot of heat in their home until they get something fixed, Cole said. In May, the Salvation Army received a couple of window air conditioning units. She has given those to people with serious medical conditions. New or gently used window units also will be accepted. Lindsay Osborn, executive director of the Low Income Ministry of Dodge County, said that agency is providing box fans to people without air conditioning who meet income guidelines. We have about 10 left, but definitely need more, Osborn said. Those donations would need to be the 20-inch box fans, new in the box, Osborn said. Cole added that people who are seeking an escape from the heat may come to the Salvation Army for a little while to cool off. They may come to sit and relax in the Salvation Armys gym or its lobby, Cole said. Lt. Tim North of the Salvation Army also noted that besides fans, the agency can use monetary donations. The hardest time for us is summer, he said. People arent donating like they normally do. And he noted something else: The need is still there. A man who was arrested as he was trying to disarm a police officer at a Donald Trump rally in Las Vegas Saturday told authorities that he was planning on killing the presumptive GOP nominee. A criminal complaint filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Nevada charges 19-year-old Michael Steven Sandford with an act of violence on restricted grounds. According to the complaint, Sandford told officers that he drove to Nevada from California to kill Trump and even stopped by a Las Vegas gun range the day before, where he fired 20 rounds from a 9mm Glock pistol for the purpose of learning how to use it. Also Read: Donald Trump Fires Campaign Manager Corey Lewandowski At the Trump rally at the Treasure Island Casino on Saturday, Sandford approached a Las Vegas police officer to say that he wanted an autograph from Trump. Sandford told authorities that he targeted that specific officer because he believed he saw the officers holster in an unlocked position. He then grabbed the handle of the officers gun in an attempt to remove it. Sandford also told police that if he were on the street tomorrow, he would try this again. The man also said that he had been planning to attempt to kill the candidate for more than a year but decided to act on this occasion because he finally felt confident about trying it. Also Read: Donald Trump Defends Orlando Shooting Comments From NRA Criticism The document also states that Sandford agreed to speak with investigators and waive his Miranda rights. Pamela Chelin contributed to this report. Related stories from TheWrap: Donald Trump Defends Orlando Shooting Comments From NRA Criticism Donald Trump on Reluctant Republican Leaders: I Can Win Either Way Apple to Withhold GOP Convention Support Over Donald Trump Comments (Report) Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Build your health & fitness knowledge Sign up here to get the latest health & fitness updates in your inbox every week! Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy Most children growing up in the United States have been around their fair share of animals. Living in the Midwest, by simply looking through a window or taking a step outside one will see birds, squirrels, cats, dogs and maybe a raccoon if theyre lucky. But to see animals of a more exotic nature, people have to travel to zoo, which can be time consuming, expensive and during the summer months, hot. But on Monday morning and afternoon, children and adults were invited to attend the Wildlife Encounters show held annually at Keene Memorial Library as part of the Summer Reading Program, which has 332 participants this year more than 100 more from summer 2015, said Library Director Laura England-Biggs. During the course of the 45-minute show, an audience of more than 50 people were introduced to an American alligator, a laughing kookaburra, Madagascar hissing cockroaches, a boa constrictor, a hedgehog and Jack, a 4-month-old Kangaroo. Kip Smith, wildlife instructor and son of company founders Kip and Stacey Smith, said that Wildlife Encounters was founded about 30 years ago in Gretna. My dad has always worked around animals, he was a guard dog trainer when he was a young man Smith said. Then he met Jim Fowler from Mutual of Omahas Wildlife Kingdom and started working with him. Dad started doing some really cool educational programs and taking on animals and it really just went off from there. Smith said that the animals they receive are acquired by networking with other animal organizations, and sometimes, they adopt exotic animals being kept illegally as pets. As a federally and state-licensed, insured and inspected company, Wildlife Encounters doesnt ask any questions when somebody reaches out to them to take away an exotic animal, its far less risky than doing any digging into the situation, Smith said. If we have something like an alligator, we just pick it up, he said. Its a good thing to have it that way because if we report people and ask questions, they are just going to let it loose into the wild, and thats something we try at all costs to avoid. With alligators it happens more than you think, theyve actually found several in Omaha. People will let them go in lakes and then they die, or something worse could happen. Smith, who has worked with Wildlife Encounters since 2008, said that any given year he will do upwards of 200 shows, most of which are done at schools, birthday parties and libraries. Shows at libraries are some of his favorite. I think libraries are especially fun, Smith said. I like library programs because you have a group of kids who already like to read a lot, like to educate themselves and like animals. Thats the perfect combination. Whatever they want to learn about animals they can always find by reading a book. England-Biggs said that Wildlife Encounters has been attending Keene for the past four years shes served there, but estimates that the event has happened for at least the past 15 years. The Wildlife Encounters show actually acts as a motivator for kids to read, she said. At the beginning of summer, England-Biggs told Summer Reading Program children that if they collectively read 2,000 books by the time the show came, that she would hold one of the creepy-crawly animals last summer she held Madagascar hissing cockroaches. The kids not only met her challenge, they exceeded it by 309 books. Fortunately for England-Biggs, though, she ended up holding Jack the Kangaroo, who dozed off in her arms as she walked around the room letting children feel his soft hair, drawing oohs and ahhs, smiles and laughter as Jack sat in his make-shift pouch made from a blanket. The laughter is what she enjoys most with an event like Wildlife Encounters. It really stimulates their laughter, she said. And I dont think that they get to laugh enough as kids anymore. We have them so programmed and so busy now that they dont just get to be kids and have fun, and thats what these shows are all about. OSAGE Mitchell County Attorney Mark Walk has filed an appeal with Iowa District Court in response to Mitchell County Magistrate Nicholas Larsons ruling which stated the countys revised steel wheels ordinance was unconstitutional. The revised ordinance was challenged after Derek Zimmerman, a 14-year-old from Orchard, was issued a citation for violating it in August 2015 on Addison Avenue near Howard County. I was incredibly surprised to read the ruling, Walk said. He had a similar case with Oberholzer, where he pleaded guilty, paid the fine, and the magistrate said it wasnt unconstitutional. Now we have someone pleading not guilty, the magistrate fining them $20 for the state violation and saying the county ordinance is now unconstitutional. Walk said the county was able to file the appeal because the ordinance was what was in question and not the act, of which Zimmerman was found guilty. Magistrate: Mitchell County's revised steel wheels ordinance still unconstitutional OSAGE A magistrate has ruled that Mitchell Countys revised steel wheels ordinance still v In 2012 the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that a 2009 Mitchell County ordinance banning the use of steel wheels on paved roads to prevent damage violated the religious freedoms of the Groffdale Conference Mennonite Church, whose beliefs prohibit them from driving vehicles with rubber wheels. Supervisors revised the ordinance in an effort to answer the constitutionality question raised by the high court. We changed the language to reflect the language of Iowa Code, Walk said. We just increased the amount of the fine to be larger amounts. In addition, you cant use religion as a reason because he (Derek) isnt old enough to even be a member of the church. He has to be 18 years old. In his ruling, the Larson said Zimmerman violated the state ordinance because he did not apply for a special permit, which is allowed under state law but not in the Mitchell County ordinance. The permit he is referencing is Iowa Code 321.443, Walk said. I do not believe it applies in this situation, but it appears it is being applied in this situation. He is using it in a broad application. The code states: The department and local authorities in their respective jurisdictions shall review any application for a special permit and may, with good cause being shown, issue special permits authorizing the operation upon a highway of traction engines or tractors having movable tracks with transverse corrugations upon the periphery of such movable tracks or farm tractors or other farm machinery, the operation of which upon a highway would otherwise be prohibited under this chapter. I would be surprised if the Iowa DOT would approve the permit, Walk said. MASON CITY Health officials in Cerro Gordo County are doubling their mosquito surveillance efforts to monitor for the Zika virus. The Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health recently ordered four new mosquito traps to target the two types of mosquitoes able to carry the virus. Mild infections of the mosquito-bourne illness can cause a rash, fever, joint pain and conjunctivitis. Severe cases can cause serious birth defects in the fetuses of pregnant women.Cerro Gordo County is footing the bill for each of the four $250 traps, because the Iowa Department of Public Health is only conducting mosquito surveillance for Zika in the southern two tiers of counties in the state, said Environmental Health Services Manager Brian Hanft. For my purposes, I have felt pretty strongly that surveillance needed to be done, but not just in those areas but throughout the state, he said. Although the department already had four traps, those units are designed to catch mosquitoes at night. The two types of mosquitoes that can carry Zika Aedes aegypti or Aedes albopictus are aggressive daytime biters, Hanft said. Dead bugs collected from all eight of the departments traps will be sent in for testing. Experts will evaluate the bodies by species. Any specimens of Aedes aegypti or Aedes albopictus will be sent in for additional testing. If the new traps find evidence of Zika-carrying mosquitoes or the virus, officials will discuss whether control methods such as spraying are appropriate, Hanft said. He said officials dont know if Zika will come to North Iowa, but want to be watching just in case. Aedes aegypti, which are the most likely to carry Zika, are not believed to range as far north as Iowa. However, Aedes albopictus is said to live as far north as southern Minnesota. I want the public to know that we are assuming that we could have a problem here, so were going to do surveillance, he said. As of Friday, seven people in Iowa have been diagnosed with Zika virus. All seven contracted the virus while traveling to areas outside Iowa, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. So far, there have been no confirmed reports of people being bitten by infected mosquitoes in the United States. The possibility of Zika is a reason to take precuations, but not one that North Iowans should let derail their summer plans, Hanft said. The best way to reduce the chances of getting the virus is by limiting exposure to mosquitoes. He suggested wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants when outdoors. Stay indoors during the early evening or early morning hours, when mosquitoes are most active. OSAGE A magistrate has ruled that Mitchell Countys revised steel wheels ordinance still violates the religious freedom rights of local Mennonites. In 2012 the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that a 2009 Mitchell County ordinance banning the use of steel wheels on paved roads in order to prevent damage violated the religious freedom rights of members of the Groffdale Conference Mennonite Church, whose beliefs prohibit them from driving vehicles with rubber wheels. The county Board of Supervisors revised the ordinance in an effort to answer the constitutionality questions raised by the high court. The revised ordinance was challenged after Derek Zimmerman, a 14-year-old from rural Orchard, was issued a citation for violating it in August 2015 on Addison Avenue near Howard County. Zimmermans non-jury trial on the county citation, as well as a citation for violating the state law prohibiting vehicles with steel wheels on roadways, was held in December in Mitchell County Magistrate Court. During the trial, defense attorney David Kuehner argued the revised ordinance is still unconstitutional because county officials could have made it less restrictive in several ways. He said the ordinance could have allowed steel wheel tractors on hard surface roads when no alternative route exists on gravel, or permitted the Mennonites to put up a bond to pay for damage caused by steel wheels tractors. Mitchell County Magistrate Nicholas Larson took the matter under advisement and issued his ruling last week. Larsons ruling stated Zimmerman violated the state ordinance because he did not apply for a special permit, which is allowed under state law but not in the Mitchell County ordinance. Larson stated if Zimmerman had applied for the special permit, this controversy may not exist. Larson fined Zimmerman $20 for the state violation. However, the county violation was dismissed because the county ordinance, even with the revisions, does not survive strict scrutiny, Larsons ruling stated. Larson stated he used the same analysis as the Iowa Supreme Court, which noted in its ruling that the county declined in 2009 to regulate various other sources of road damage besides steel wheels and chose to prohibit only a specific source of harm to the roads that had a religious origin. Derek Zimmerman is the younger brother of Matthew Zimmerman, whose ticket for violating the original steel wheels ordinance eventually lead to the 2012 Iowa Supreme Court ruling. Their father is Daniel Zimmerman. The Zimmerman family has a vegetable farm. They take their produce to farmers markets as well as to an auction house on Addison Avenue. MASON CITY The Mason City School Board approved a $163,000 salary for interim Superintendent Mike Penca on Monday evening. According to the terms of the agreement, Penca is awarded a one-year contract that will run through July 30, 2017. He will receive benefits including health insurance and an $8,724 stipend for family health insurance. He will also receive dental insurance with an additional family stipend and life insurance.The district will provide $5,000 to a tax-sheltered annuity. He will also receive a yearly cell phone stipend worth $480. Penca was hired earlier this month for the interim position to replace Superintendent Anita Micich. The board and Micich came to an agreement for the district to buy out the second year of her two-year contract and end her employment with the district. The contract also sets out guidelines for his relationship with the board. The superintendent agrees to perform the duties of superintendent and to serve as executive officer of the board and to have powers and duties as may be prescribed by the board, it states. The board shall provide the superintendent with periodic opportunities to discuss superintendent/board relationships and to discuss the superintendents personal records and performance at reasonable times set by the superintendent or the board president, the contract states. All complaints received by board members shall immediately be referred to the superintendent, it states. The agreement calls for Penca to receive a review by the board by Dec. 31, 2016, and the board must notify him by Jan. 16, 2017, if it wants to hire him for the superintendent position on a permanent basis. Pencas contract was approved on an unanimous voice vote. Board members Scott Warren and Lorrie Lala were not present at the meeting. Pencas salary and benefits will be paid from the districts general fund, Business Manager John Berg previously told the Globe. The board accepted Pencas resignation from his previous position as executive director for learning supports and PK-4 programs at the meeting. His salary in that position was $125,000. At Mondays meeting, Penca also presented some details of a planned administrative restructuring, following Assistant Superintendent T.J. Jumpers departure this month. The plan will divide some of Jumpers duties between Penca and incoming administrator Susan Pecinovsky, who is scheduled to begin July 1. Under the arraignment, Pencas duties will include community relations and communications, overseeing elementary and secondary programs and the preschool program, evaluating administrative supervisors, and coordinating technology, transportation, grounds, facilities, nutrition and custodial services. Pecinovsky will be executive director of curriculum and instruction. Her duties will include overseeing PK-12 curriculum, state and district assessments, the teacher leadership and compensation program, professional learning and Title I programs. Berg will oversee financial planning and analysis, accounting, payroll and benefits, accounts receivable, auditing, federal and state reporting, insurance, risk management, budget issues and legal matters such as compliance with Iowa code, review of legal opinions, and acting as a custodian of district records. Penca said he will look to hire a director of special education and student services. He said after the meeting that the plan is not complete and still need to consider how duties will be divided for other administrators. MASON CITY Cerro Gordo and Floyd County officials, in a conference call Tuesday morning, chided an attorney for his apparent inaction in legal work concerning a drainage district shared by both counties. Improvements in the district cannot proceed without the legal work, according to Floyd County Chairman Mark Kuhn and Cerro Gordo Chairman Casey Callanan. So, with the members of both boards on the line, a call was placed to attorney Jim Hudson of Pocahontas. He apologized for the delays and said he would attend to the work this week. Supervisors told him if there were further delays, they would seek other legal counsel. Hudson told them if it reached that point, he could recommend other attorneys to them. The call was placed during a regular meeting of the Cerro Gordo supervisors. In other business, supervisors set July 5 at 10:05 a.m. for a public hearing regarding the proposed vacating of Hickory Avenue, south of 27th Avenue South (County Road B35), south of Clear Lake. County Engineer Mary Kelly said the road is seldom used and we really have no need for it. Also, supervisors approved installation of a destination light at 300th Street and Balsam Avenue. It is a T-intersection near Prairie Energy Cooperative, said Kelly. Supervisors also approved a recommendation for the Engineering Department to purchase a new truck to replace one that has 317,000 miles on it. MASON CITY | Three North Iowans were honored by the Mason City Noon Rotary Club Saturday night for community service. Kathy Kinsey received the Service Above Self Award for her volunteer work with organizations such as the Historic Park Inn Hotel and the Architectural Interpretive Center. Mason City Police Capt. Mike McKelvey received the Service Above Self Award for public employees for his many years of service as a police officer. Kris Kramer received the "Be Like Bill" award, named in honor of the late Rotarian Bill Killpack and given in recognition of the many hours of volunteer work she has given to the club. Kinsey has performed many behind-the-scenes activities at the hotel, including cleaning the many inside windows, including the art-glass windows that require special attention, and re-staining scuffed wood areas to keep them at their original appearance. For the past three years, she has been the volunteer manager of the sales shop at the Architectural Interpretive Center, the largest single generator of funds for the River City Society for Historic Preservation. McKelvey has been with the Police Department for more than 20 years. Former Police Chief Mike Lashbrook said McKelvey's development has a police officer has been a combination of education, experience, desire and courage. In his off hours, he has been extremely active with Boy Scouts, including serving as a scoutmaster. City Administrator Brent Trout, who nominated McKelvey for the award, said McKelvey has been a strong contributor to the steady transition when Jeff Brinkley came on as police chief earlier this year, replacing Lashbrook who retired. Kramer has been an active participant in Rotary events, volunteering to help and donating prizes. She has been active in the club's annual hole-in-one event, donated her time to set up and update the club's website and put together information in recognition of the club's 100th anniversary. "She not only signs up, she shows up," said Kay Rathmann, who nominated her for the award. If the goal is to cause both sides of the political spectrum to quiver, twitch and shake, just casually throw out the term gun control and step back. The left considers all guns the reprehensible tool of warriors, criminals and primitives, while in most of red state America the definition of gun control is using two hands and hitting the target. Then some addled-brained flippo-unit actually uses those techniques to take out a bunch of innocent people, and the blowback starts with a debate about how big our guns should be, further restrictions on who can purchase them and whether we need to know the identity and shoe size of the purchasers. Yes, we do. For crums sakes, you need to present identification to apply for a card to take a book out of a library. Admittedly, in the right hands, a book can be more dangerous than a gun, but they hardly ever put holes in peoples bodies. With increasing frequency, these body counts shoot north into double digits, which triggers a discussion of banning these high-powered, personal weapons of destruction. For a minute. Then the Republicans kowtow to the perverted wishes of their cruel masters, the NRA, which thinks the best way to avoid school shootings is to ban schools. This same NRA commanded their lapdogs to prevent research into gun-related deaths. Thats right, Republicans have refused to allow the funding of government-related gun-death research. Which is a shame, since America has a surplus of raw data. You could say we are dead solid center of the gun-related death universe. Its like talking about sandwiches in Philadelphia but prohibiting any mention of the cheesesteak. As Holland is to tulips, the U.S. is to gun deaths. In the wake of these horrific tragedies, conservatives then predictably go straight to the handbook of NRA-generated talking points to say the same things over and over. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. Assault weapons can be used as legitimate hunting rifles. Really? Thats your argument? Because, OK, it makes a sort of sense. You can also use a chainsaw to cut butter, thought it might get a little messy around muffin time. Come to think of it, a hand grenade will signal the end of recess. Doorbells can be rung with 12-pound sledgehammers. Once. Theyre called assault weapons for a reason. Theyre not tucking kiddies into bed rifles. Theyre for assaults. Yes, the Second Amendment guarantees a well-regulated militia the right to bear arms, but at the time our Founding Fathers were talking about citizen-soldiers wielding one-shot muskets, not terrorist-wannabees brandishing HK MG4s capable of shooting 800 .45-caliber bullets in under a minute with a range of a half a mile. Hunting weapons? Seriously? What are you hunting? Tanks? A herd of triceratops? Can you imagine someone putting a full clip into a deer at 30 yards? Youd end up with venison jerky. In noun and verb forms. Jerky being the operative word here. Help wanted: Seasoned Republican politician with Washington experience. Must have high energy, conservative credentials and a strong stomach. Job requires working for mercurial boss who provokes needless crises without warning. On paper, youll be his deputy, but this chief executive prides himself on ignoring others advice. The successful candidate will roll with the punches and subordinate his/her public image to the bosss whims. No-exit contract; once youre in, youre in. Would anybody want this job? As Donald Trumps scorched-earth style has driven his poll numbers downward, the question isnt only whom hell pick as his running mate; its also whether leading Republicans are willing to shackle their futures to his. If you take the job, youre betting your reputation and your career on Donald Trump, said Vin Weber, a former Republican congressman from Minnesota who is not a fan. The presumptive nominee has an albatross around his neck, agreed David Winston, a longtime GOP pollster. The share of voters who have an unfavorable opinion of Trump is higher than weve ever seen for a presidential candidate, Winston said. That means he isnt just vetting potential running mates; hes going to have to recruit them. If Trump loses the general election, his No. 2 risks collecting a share of the blame. If Trump wins, the new vice president gets to spend four years contending with a boss whose reality TV catchphrase was, Youre fired. Small wonder that the list of prominent Republicans who dont want to be considered is as long as those who are signaling interest. Nominees often find their running mates among the rivals they defeated in the primaries, but Sen. Ted Cruz, Sen. Marco Rubio and Gov. John Kasich are all in the not me camp. Trump has said he would like a vice president with experience in Congress, somebody that can help me with legislation. But some of his partys top figures on Capitol Hill dont appear interested, either. House Speaker Paul Ryan would be a logical candidate; he was Mitt Romneys running mate in 2012 and hes beloved by many conservatives. But while Ryan has formally endorsed Trump, he has repeatedly criticized the real estate mogul, slamming his criticism of a Mexican-American federal judge as the textbook definition of a racist comment. Besides, Ryan is passionate about cutting future spending on Social Security and Medicare; Trump disagrees. That marriage isnt going to happen. Contrary to popular belief, its not unprecedented for politicians to decline an offer to run for vice president. Its not even unusual. The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Bob Corker, has traveled to Trump Tower in New York to offer foreign policy advice. But if Corker was initially interested, hes sounding less enthusiastic now. Last week, the senator said he was disappointed by Trumps statements after the mass shooting in Orlando in which the presumptive nominee accused U.S. Muslims of harboring terrorists and suggested that President Obama might secretly sympathize with extremists. In an effort to be constructive, I have offered public encouragement (to Trump), but I must admit that I am personally discouraged by the results, Corker told me. Who would take the job? Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the House, has been virtually campaigning for the role. Trump was right about Orlando, he told conservative columnist Byron York. Trump has been warning again and again that this has been getting more dangerous. Trump and Gingrich are also in broad agreement on domestic policy; like Trump, Gingrich criticized Romney and Ryan for proposing cuts to Medicare spending in 2012. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, one of the first primary candidates to endorse Trump, seems eager, too all too eager. Hes become a fixture on Trumps campaign, to the extent that The New Yorker reported that he has transformed himself into a sort of manservant, delivering the candidates lunch from McDonalds. (The governors office issued an indignant denial, at least about the lunch.) Christies term as governor ends in January 2018 and he cant run again. But its not clear what hed bring to the ticket; his job approval in New Jersey has plummeted and he has no Washington experience. Trump has said he would consider Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama, the first member of the Senate to endorse him. But Sessions has pointed out that hed be a bad strategic choice, since the GOP shouldnt need extra help in the Deep South. The presumptive nominee has also said he likes Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin, a governor with solid conservative credentials; she has said shes honored to be considered. Contrary to popular belief, its not unprecedented for politicians to decline an offer to run for vice president. Its not even unusual. According to Joel K. Goldstein of St. Louis University, no fewer than seven Democrats turned down then-Sen. George S. McGovern in 1972, including Sens. Edward M. Kennedy and Walter F. Mondale. Kennedy went on to serve as one of the most powerful senators of modern times. Mondale served as vice president under Jimmy Carter and became the 1984 Democratic presidential nominee. SoIt doesnt hurt a politicians career to turn down the second spot on the presidential ticket. But its definitely not a good sign for the candidate at the top. LOS ANGELES, June 20, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- P. Vincent Mehdizadeh, Pineapple Express, Inc. [PNPL] Co-Founder, announced today that he has issued a letter to PNPL shareholders. The letter stated as follows: Over the last few years I have been the subject of an SEC investigation surrounding a prior venture, Medbox, Inc. during 2012-2014. I had nothing to hide so I diligently cooperated with the SEC at all times during the investigation and disclosed all my emails and also gave testimony. What it demonstrated was that after Medbox stock became popular on Wall Street and that company's market value and my personal net worth exploded to over a billion dollars, I received bad advice from the company's attorney at that time, which I detrimentally relied on and that was harmful. Although I facilitated Medbox transitioning to competent counsel during my tenure at that company, the damage was already done and then amplified by a self-interested board member at Medbox that saw an opportunity in all the commotion. I have candidly detailed this in an autobiography published earlier this year. Regardless of my valid defense in relying on an attorney's advice, time and money has been spent investigating the matter and I have become a target for any alleged missteps Medbox's accountants, CFO, and auditor may have made, which was both caused and worsened by the incompetent attorney's advice. I am now in the process of resolving these matters with the SEC. Given the Medbox circumstances and a curious trading suspension handed down by the SEC on PNPL securities, it appears that any venture that I'm actively involved with may be targeted unjustly. As a result, I chose to have the current venture I co-founded, Pineapple Express, Inc. [PNPL], have a fair chance at succeeding like I know it can. Thus, my retirement from any and all consulting and advisory services to public companies became effective as of a few weeks ago and is to remain intact indefinitely. Prior to my consulting role ending, I was told by management that Pineapple Express will be shifting talent internally to carry my torch and launch the patent-pending and first-of-its-kind 'Top-Shelf' - SDS (Safe & Display System) that I invented in 2015. I am fully supportive of the company marketing and selling my latest, and what I consider to be my greatest invention, to date. Also, I have decided to retire/cancel 1 million of my beneficially owned PNPL preferred shares that were held in a trust along with the common shares of PNPL I beneficially own. The preferred shares that are being retired are convertible to 10 million common shares. The result of the share retirement will benefit all shareholders of Pineapple Express by lowering the fully diluted issued and outstanding share count for the company. As stated in prior Pineapple Express announcements, all my beneficially owned PNPL shares are held in trust and I have no voting authority over those shares, which is a decision I made long ago to guard the company against any negative treatment due to my controversial past. I have now further separated from the company by formally retiring from any and all public company advisory and consulting activities. I believe that Pineapple Express was built from the ground up with the best and most credible business model in the legal cannabis sector and I foresee a bright future for the company. I will be proudly watching from a distance. I want to thank everyone that has helped me achieve success in my business pursuits over the years with a special thank you to my family and friends for always believing in me. I have had an amazing life journey where I helped create immense value from scratch in two incredible ventures that I am proud of. The experiences I had at Medbox helped the new venture, Pineapple Express, navigate appropriately in the no longer uncharted public company territory that once existed in the legal cannabis industry. Needless to say, I am not speaking on behalf of Pineapple Express, Inc. I am simply sharing my individual comments, informing the public of my retirement from public company consulting and advisory activities, and also notifying the public about my retirement and cancellation of my preferred shares of PNPL." About P. Vincent Mehdizadeh Mr. Mehdizadeh is arguably an expert in the legal cannabis industry and is the inventor of the patent-pending Top-Shelf SDS (Safe & Display System) exclusively being developed for Pineapple Express. Mr. Mehdizadeh has been actively involved as a consultant in the legal cannabis industry for nearly a decade and has also furthered the industry through donations and funding of educational campaigns. Mehdizadeh was responsible for funding and the creation of the Marijuana Policy Project Consume Responsibly campaign, as well as the Americans For Safe Access Medicate Responsibly campaign aimed at educating medical and recreational cannabis users in the states that allow consumption of cannabis about its health effects and dosage information. Mehdizadeh has donated over $2 million dollars to Americans for Safe Access (ASA), Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), Drug Policy Alliance (DPA), Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), and St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital. Mr. Mehdizadeh published an autobiography in February 2016 entitled Huma Rising and currently available on Amazon. All sales proceeds of the book have been pledged to charity. NEW YORK, June 21, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As the UK prepares to vote on whether to remain in the European Union, Britons debate the strength of their ties to Europe. When it comes to their financial behavior, however, they are clearly more similar to their American, rather than their Continental, cousins. While usage of credit cards in European markets such as France and Germany remain stubbornly low, both the US and the UK are reporting rapidly mounting levels of credit card debt, approaching levels not seen since the heady days preceding the financial crisis. And while the US is usually seen as the poster child for "buy now, pay later," UK cardholders aren't so different, nearly equally likely to revolve balances on at least one card, according to newly released research from Auriemma Consulting Group (ACG), which conducted parallel studies in both markets. Although on opposite sides of the northern Atlantic, payment behavior in the US and the UK is eerily similar, save a few key differences. It's true, on average, US consumers hold more credit cards than their UK counterparts (2.3 vs. 1.9), but an equal proportion (26%) of each market frequently carries a balance on them. American and British consumers are also nearly identical when looking at balance transfers (10% vs. 13%), missed payments (11% vs. 13%), and credit card inactivity (24% vs. 27%) within the past year. "We generally find the same things important, but perhaps to varying degrees," says Jaclyn Holmes, the ACG senior manager who directed the study. "This also translates when examining payment behavior. US cardholders, for example, are more likely to be incentivized by rewards or cashback offers, but both populations select this as the top offer that would make them use less frequently used cards more." A majority of consumers in both markets (65% in the US, 59% in the UK) cite the most obvious reason, "high spending," for revolving balances. These revolvers try to pay off the credit card with the highest APR first, but UK cardholders more frequently cite allocating extra funds to paying off the card they use most frequently (22% vs. 16%). "Britons don't want to lose access to that credit line," says Holmes. "Twice as many UK cardholders say they rely on borrowing to afford day-to-day purchases so paying down that card first makes sense." Borrowing, of course, isn't just limited to credit cards. Consumers in the US and the UK both cite taking out a mortgage (69% vs. 62%), emergencies (59% vs. 56%), and making large purchases (33% vs. 32%) as justifiable reasons to borrow. Auto loans, however, are much more widely held in the US (61% vs. 40%), while UK cardholders more often cite funding a creative project (23% vs. 15%) or managing cash flow (17% vs. 13%). "About one-third of each market has taken out a personal loan, but UK cardholders are nearly twice as likely to borrow for debt consolidation," says Holmes. "Britons believe the repayment schedule would be easier with a personal loan, while those in the US more often cite wanting to build their credit history." For financial institutions wishing to better understand consumers across the pond, the good news is that payment behavior is generally similar regardless of locale. "Sure, US and UK consumers are not carbon copies of one another," says Holmes, "but, based on our research, it looks like we are more alike than some may initially think." Survey Methodology Cardbeat US was conducted online within the United States by an independent field service provider on behalf of Auriemma Consulting Group (ACG) in April 2016, among 800 U.S. credit card users. Cardbeat UK was conducted online among 500 credit cardholders in the U.K. during March 2016. The number of interviews completed is sufficient to allow for statistical significance testing between sub-groups at the 95% confidence level 5%, unless otherwise noted. The purpose of the research was not disclosed nor did the respondents know the criteria for qualifying. About Auriemma Consulting Group ACG is a boutique management consulting firm with specialized focus on the Payments and Lending space. We deliver actionable solutions and insights that add value to our clients' business activities across a broad set of industry topics and disciplines. Founded in 1984, ACG has grown from a one-man shop to a nearly 50-person firm with offices in New York and London. For more information, visit ACG's website at www.acg.net or contact Marianne Berry at (212) 323-7000 or marianne.berry@acg.net. NANTUCKET, Mass., June 21, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Executives from Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE:TSN) today told investors at the Jefferies 2016 Global Consumer Conference that the company is executing well and selling more branded, protein-centric foods. Were investing in our retail packaged brands, and were seeing the payoff, said Tom Hayes, who was promoted to president of the company last week. Weekly sales data show that volumes in key categories are gaining momentum, he said, citing Ball Park hot dogs, Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage and Hillshire Farm dinner sausage as examples. Hayes said a key factor in Tyson Foods improved performance in recent years has been higher, more stable margins in the companys Chicken segment. Noel White, president of Tysons poultry division, said a new business model was needed to achieve satisfactory returns, even in times of commodity market volatility. Weve fundamentally changed how we operate our chicken business, White said. First, we optimized our cost structure. Weve taken more than $1 billion in inefficiencies out of the business since 2009. White went on to explain the company utilizes a broad range of customer pricing agreements that serve to minimize the volatility of grain input costs. In addition, Tyson has upgraded its product mix into more branded, value-added items and created the Buy vs. Grow strategy of production, significantly de-commoditizing the business. Delivering high quality products and customer service are also key, he said. We strive to continually earn the trust of our customers that we will deliver for them, that we will innovate for them and that we will help them grow their businesses, White said. About Tyson Foods Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE:TSN), with headquarters in Springdale, Arkansas, is one of the world's largest food companies with leading brands such as Tyson, Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm, Sara Lee, Ball Park, Wright, Aidells and State Fair. Its a recognized market leader in chicken, beef and pork as well as prepared foods, including bacon, breakfast sausage, turkey, lunchmeat, hot dogs, pizza crusts and toppings, tortillas and desserts. The company supplies retail and foodservice customers throughout the United States and approximately 130 countries. Tyson Foods was founded in 1935 by John W. Tyson, whose family has continued to lead the business with his son, Don Tyson, guiding the company for many years and grandson, John H. Tyson, serving as the current chairman of the board of directors. The company currently has approximately 113,000 Team Members employed at more than 400 facilities and offices in the United States and around the world. Through its Core Values, Code of Conduct and Team Member Bill of Rights, Tyson Foods strives to operate with integrity and trust and is committed to creating value for its shareholders, customers and Team Members. The company also strives to be faith-friendly, provide a safe work environment and serve as stewards of the animals, land and environment entrusted to it. To download Tyson Foods free investor relations app, which offers access to SEC filings, news releases, transcripts, webcasts and presentations, please visit the App Store for iPhone and iPad or Google Play for Android mobile devices. Forward Looking Statements This release includes forward-looking statements as well as historical information. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of the release and include statements relating to margin expansion, brand performance, projected earnings, projected compound annual growth rate, and capital strategy. Actual results may vary. Factors that could cause actual results to differ from those in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: certain categories in which our products are sold do not grow or the sales of our products fall below our expectations. Additional information regarding these and other risks is included in Item 1.A. Risk Factors on our Form 10-K for the period ended October 3, 2015. Tyson Foods does not assume any obligation to update the information contained in this communication (whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise), except as required by applicable law. WASHINGTON, June 21, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and Junior Achievement USA announced today that they have formed a collaborative partnership to promote work readiness in high schools across the country. Leaders of the two organizations Henry G. (Hank) Jackson, president and CEO of SHRM, and Jack E. Kosakowski, president and CEO of Junior Achievement USA will sign a memorandum of understanding today during SHRM's 2016 Annual Conference & Exposition. SHRM is a globally recognized professional society that develops and serves the human resource professional and advances and leads the HR profession. Junior Achievement inspires and prepares young people to succeed in the global economy. The agreement will use the strengths and expertise of both organizations to engage human resource professionals, educators and Junior Achievement associates in initiatives that better prepare young people to be successful adults in the ever-evolving world of work. "Both SHRM and Junior Achievement USA believe in the power of collaboration," Jackson said. "We are bringing our organizations' talents together to benefit high school students and prepare them for life in the working world." "Work readiness is a main focus for Junior Achievement, along with entrepreneurship and financial literacy," said Jack Kosakowski, President & CEO of Junior Achievement USA. "SHRM is an ideal partner for our efforts on the work readiness front. We look forward to this collaboration positively impacting the young people we serve." As part of the two-year collaboration, Junior Achievement will provide underwriting and sponsorship for SHRM Foundation undergraduate HR scholarships. Junior Achievement also will work with SHRM to develop proposals for corporate funders to underwrite research projects on topics such as the impact of employee volunteer programs on employee retention and best practices in addressing the skills gap. SHRM will promote opportunities for SHRM chapters to work with local Junior Achievement offices on work-readiness initiatives. The organization also will create opportunities for local Junior Achievement offices to present to SHRM chapters on employee volunteer programs. About the Society for Human Resource Management The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is the world's largest HR professional society, representing 285,000 members in more than 165 countries. For nearly seven decades, the Society has been the leading provider of resources serving the needs of HR professionals and advancing the practice of human resource management. SHRM has more than 575 affiliated chapters within the United States and subsidiary offices in China, India and United Arab Emirates. Visit us at shrm.org and follow us on Twitter and Instagram @SHRMPress. About Junior Achievement USA Junior Achievement is the world's largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make smart academic and economic choices. JA programs are delivered by corporate and community volunteers, and provide relevant, hands-on experiences that give students from kindergarten through high school knowledge and skills in financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship. Today, JA reaches 4.6 million students per year in 112 markets across the United States, with an additional 5.6 million students served by operations in more than 100 countries worldwide. Visit www.ja.org for more information NEWPORT NEWS, Va., June 21, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE:HII) today hosted Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., for a familiarization tour of the companys Newport News Shipbuilding division. The congressmans visit included a tour of the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), progress updates on the John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) and Virginia-class submarine programs, and a demonstration of the Rapid Operational Virtual Reality tool, Newport News central depository for design information that allows for on-site planning, design, engineering, construction and material forecasting during carrier construction. I was impressed today with what I saw, Diaz-Balart said. The pride that Newport News shipbuilders take in their work and the attention to quality is second to none, which is exactly what our military men and women deserve. The world is becoming an increasingly dangerous place, and its vital our nation has the best platforms, including aircraft carriers and submarines, to meet these challenges. I was equally impressed with everything Newport News Shipbuilding is doing to build the Navys carriers and submarines as cost-effectively as possible, without sacrificing the quality that our sailors lives depend on. A photo accompanying this release is available at: http://newsroom.huntingtoningalls.com/file?fid=5769a7702cfac21e76b039a5. In his seventh term in the House of Representatives, Diaz-Balart is a member of the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on the Budget. He also serves as chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and on the Appropriations Defense and State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs subcommittees. Newport News Shipbuilding President Matt Mulherin accompanied Diaz-Balart on the tour. As a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, it is crucial that Congressman Diaz-Balart have the opportunity to see what hes paying for, Mulherin said. Shipbuilding is a complex industry, and experiencing the shipyard goes a long way toward a greater understanding. The congressmans visit underscores his commitment to our business and the importance he places on national security. Huntington Ingalls Industries is Americas largest military shipbuilding company and a provider of engineering, manufacturing and management services to the nuclear energy, oil and gas markets. For more than a century, HIIs Newport News and Ingalls shipbuilding divisions in Virginia and Mississippi have built more ships in more ship classes than any other U.S. naval shipbuilder. Headquartered in Newport News, Virginia, HII employs nearly 35,000 people operating both domestically and internationally. For more information, visit: Essay Analysis and Tips from myEssayReview Essay 1: What are you most proud of outside of your professional life? How does it shape who you are today? (up to 400 words) Example: Essay 2: What is your desired career path and why? (Up to 250 words) Example: Optional Statement: This section should only be used to convey information not addressed elsewhere in your application, for example, completion of supplemental coursework, employment gaps, academic issues, etc. Feel free to use bullet points where appropriate. Example: This question allows you to choose your story from your academic, personal, or community experiences . You will need to do a lot of self-reflection and come up with a story (accomplishment) that best showcases your growth/development. Create a list of your two proudest personal or community achievements. Then reflect on how each of these accomplishments helped you demonstrate your values and priorities. You may also choose an experience that is meaningful to you because it gave you an opportunity to make an impact on other peoples lives and demonstrate your personal values of resilience, honesty, and integrity. Sometimes, the personal setbacks in our life teach us more valuable life lessons than any other experience or adventure that we might undertake and make us stronger individuals. If you are proud of how bravely you handled a personal setback ( e.g. sickness, death of a dear one) you may share that story as well.Whatever story you choose, please remember that the what of what you are most proud of is as important as the why of it. That is, it is important to demonstrate what challenges you have faced, and how you stepped out of your comfort zone to overcome those challenges. In addition, dont forget to explain the significance of the experience. The Ad Com would like to know how have grown or transformed from that experience to emerge a better person or a member of community.When the school asks you What are you most proud of and why? they dont want to know about your entire life story (some of my students actually made this mistake); instead, they want you to share a single accomplishment that makes you feel proud of yourself. Ross admission director Soojin Kwon explained in her blog last year: Dont write two paragraphs of introduction before stating what youre most proud of. You can even start with, I am most proud of. Write as you would speak. To a real person. We, who read the essays, are real people.As always, I recommend that you follow the 4 part structure to organize your story:1. Situation2. Action3. Outcome4. SignificanceI consider this experience as my most significant achievement because it was the first time I had conceived an idea, influenced others to accept my plan and implemented it to create a positive impact on society. Combining my passion for running and my intent for helping the underprivileged, I formed a team of like-minded colleagues and accomplished a fundraiser 8K. Ross would find in me a person who can effectively channelize her skills and interests to achieve a bigger cause.This is a straightforward goals essay question through which the Ad Com would like to know why you want to go to business school. Begin your essay with a brief career history and provide details about how you have pursued your career, acquired new skills and progressed along your career path all these years. Explain your rationale behind each career move. Then go on to describe why you believe that an MBA is the next logical step in your career path NOW? What are those skills that you still lack which you hope to acquire by an MBA?Then explain your post MBA and long term goals. Please be as specific as you can in discussing your post MBA goals. That is, specify which industry, which company, and what position you would like to see yourself at after graduating from Ross. Even if you are not 100% sure, you should be clear and quite decisive about your short term goals. You need to make sure that there is a logical connection between short term and long term goals. For example, you do not want to say that your long term goal is to be CEO of Xyz Company if your past experience, current skills set, and your short term goals do not at all seem to be leading to that direction.Please remember that the goals essay requires you to make a realistic connection between your past (past experience and skills), present (your need of an MBA), and future (your future goals). The key is to justify your rationale behind your chosen career path.Finally, even though the essay prompt doesnt ask you why you are interested in Ross, it makes sense to add 1-2 sentences ( if space permits) about how an MBA from Ross will bring to closer to your career objectives. Establish a connection between their offerings and your goals, and interests to justify your fit with program.With its strong focus on experiential learning, a Ross MBA perfectly matches my goals. Ross signature MAP project will help me implement my classroom concepts to solve real-time business challenges eventually developing my leadership and professional skills. The core courses along with electives such as Strategies for Growth will provide me sound business foundation.Given the stringent word limit (250 words), you will need to choose your words wisely, making sure that every word counts. As you develop your stories for these two essays, make sure to showcase to the Ross admissions committee your well- rounded personality. The first question will help you paint your non- work side, and the second question will aid in demonstrating your professional side.Last year, Ross admission director Soojin Kwon explained in her blog, For both questions, there isnt an answer that we want to hear other than a response that demonstrates that youve done some self-reflection and gives us a sense of you as a person. This question provides you an opportunity to explore an important aspect of your candidacy, or other significant achievements / strengths not mentioned in other essay responses and application form. Given the limited scope of Rosss essays, you can choose example/examples from your work, an outstanding professional accomplishment that you could not share in essay 1 because it specifically required a non-work accomplishment. You may also share a life -experience that has greatly influenced your personality and life. The idea is to bring to light that aspect of your personality that truly makes you unique. Then you should try to demonstrate how you can leverage this skill or quality to enhance your MBA experience or your future career.As directed in the essay prompt, you may use this essay question to address a weakness in your profile, such as employment gap, or low GPA / low GMAT, or unusual choice of recommender. Your weakness may also bring out a positive aspect of your personality."The private tutoring job that I had to take up to support mine and my sister's education required me to spend 30 hours/ week and left me with hardly any time to focus on my studies. This eventually ended up pulling down my grades to 70%."The tutoring experience, however, benefitted me in two ways. It reinforced my passion for teaching (I still find 10 hours/ week to teach my home maids children.) Also, it provided me the satisfaction of being a dutiful son.- See more at: http://gmatclub.com/blog/2016/05/ross-e ... 2U9dy.dpuf shikarikutta wrote: Hello, I am looking for a profile evaluation. Below is an overview of my profile Indian, Male, 26 years old. B.E. Chemical engineering from a top national university in India (non-IIT) GMAT 710 (Q_50/ V_37) retaking GMAT with target score upwards of 750 GPA 7.2/ 10 Work experience 1) Manager_ operations (Reliance Industries Limited, India) (2012- june 2015) Responsibilities Handling shift operations of a petrochemical plant Handling work stream of 12 plant operators development of advanced chemicals from lab to pilot to commercial scale 2) Project associate(UN volunteer)_ United Nations development program (June 2015- current) Responsibilities planning of project activities and preparation of work plans Coordinate with government agencies and other stakeholders in the project assist in development of national implementation plan Extracurricular_ moderate, none after college. MBA goals_ initially to join a consulting firm focusing on oil & gas/ energy or chemicals, later moving on to leadership roles in the industry Target Schools_ US (Darden, Fuqua, Michigan, Kenan-Flagler, McCombs ), non-US (HEC, Insead, Judge, NUS singapore, ISB) Namita Garg, http://www.mbadecoder.com Some of our most recent admits are going to: Wharton. Kellogg, NYU Stern, LBS, INSEAD, Ross, UCLA, Tepper, IESE, HEC Paris, Emory and ISB. Among the profiles we regularly work with are: Consultants, Finance specialists, Marketeers, Lawyers, Operations Managers, Product Managers, Social Impact Fellows, Software Engineers, Marine Engineers and Doctors Book a contact@mbadecoder.com Book a FREE profile evaluation with us OR write to us at: Signature Read More Hi,Your decision to retake the GMAT is a good one. 710 is an average GMAT score for an Indian and a higher score would definitely help, even at the lower ranked colleges such as McCombs and UNC. I'd also add that your final list of colleges should be decided once you have your new GMAT score. Ross and Fuqua place tremendous emphasis on extra curricular activities and not having any can be a red flag. Ross specifically asks an essay question about something you are proud of outside your professional life- while you don't necessarily have to write about an extra curricular activity over here, but that exposure could lead upto some interesting story._________________ Quote: Would like to understand minutes difference between these two types of modifiers . Please correct me if my understanding is not right - Clause + Comma + Past Participle Technically Work as Adverb BUT also modifies the subject of the Clause Q1 - Is it always necessary that Past Participle + Comma need to act as Adverb, Cant it simply modify the subject ONLY of the main clause - look at below construction - Diabetes ranks as the nations third leading cause of the death, surpassed only by heart disease and cancer Q2 - This is valid construction as per , not sure why "surpassed" came after comma . It is modifying Diabetes so it should come in beginning ?? Surpassed only by disease and cancer, Diabetes ranks as the nations third leading cause of the death Q3 - Can we say that past participle + comma does not need to act as Adverb or modify whole previous clause ALWAYS and it can modify ONLY subject as well ? Is it true for present participle ? Q4 - What is the difference between present & past participle when these work as modifiers ? Please explain the difference between two sentences - Diabetes ranks as the nations third leading cause of the death, surpassed only by heart disease and cancer Diabetes ranks as the nations third leading cause of the death, surpassing only by heart disease and cancer verb-ing modifiers verb-ed modifiers 1: COMMA + verb-ing modifier---> modifies the preceding clause. 2: Verb-ing modifier ONLY ------> modifies the preceding NOUN or NOUN PHRASE only. 2 also applies to verb-ed modifiers. RULES PART I: Verb-ing modifiers Verb-ed Modifiers REGULAR ENGLISH Vs. GMAT: Verb-ed modifier modifying preceding noun = OG12#28, OG12#56. Diabetes ranks as the nations third leading cause of death, surpassed only by heart disease and cancer. it will not make sense for verb-ed modifier to modify the preceding noun death. the verb-ed modifier is modifying noun phrase the nations third leading cause of death The verb ranks stands as is meaning diabetes = the nations third leading cause of death. RULES PART II: When placed in the beginning of the sentence followed by a comma, it always modifies the subject of the clause. THE DIFFERENCE: Hi,Following is the excerpt of the question I replied to on beat the gmat.This is my response to the question. I hope you will find the content useful.We at call the present participle theand the past participle the. So here are the rules for these two types of modifiers:Example: The engineer identified the problem, using the latest technology. (as you cited)Example: John sat in the minivan carrying seven passengers. (carrying seven passengers modifies minivans and means that the minivan in which John sat had seven passengers)Discouraged by the long hours and low pay, my sister finally quit her job. Correct.My sister, discouraged by the long hours and low pay, finally quit her job. Correct.My sister finally quit her job, discouraged by the long hours and low pay. Incorrect as per GMAT rules (Refer to Regular English Vs GMAT section below). Here the verb-ed modifier is modifying the preceding noun her job which does not make sense.So really speaking these are the rules governing verb-ing & verb-ed modifiers:1: When separated by comma modifies the preceding clause2: When not separated by comma modifiers the preceding noun or noun phrase1: Always modify preceding noun or noun phrase.We have covered this concept in detail in our concept titled "Modifiers - Verb-ing Modifiers". This concept is available in the free preview of the SC course. I suggest you review this concept in the free trial. You will be able to apply the concepts when you take the post assessment quiz in this file. After that definitely review a few sentence constructions to understand and apply these concepts on the Official Questions.The point to be noted here is that in regular English, comma + verb-ed modifiers modify the preceding clause. They behave in similar manner as do comma + verb-ing modifiers. However, GMAT goes against this practice as is evident from OG12#56.Since Official Guides set up the rules here, we incorporate these rules in our course curriculum and questions. If down the line, modifies this question and changes the explanation, reflecting that comma + verb-ed modifiers modify preceding clause, then we will change our curriculum and questions based on this rule accordingly.Here are a few examples from OG12 for verb-ed modifiers:In the light of this understanding, let us now analyze OG12#5In this sentence,Death cannot be surpassed by anything. Hence,. Now the reference makes sense and the modifier establishes the fact this particular cause of death is surpassed only by heart disease and cancer.Notice that diabetes is the the nations third leading cause of death.Hence it is logical for the verb-ed modifier to modify diabetes also because it is the the nations third leading cause of death. Structurally, the verb-ed modifier is modifying the preceding noun phrase the nations third leading cause of death.So far we discussed the role of the verb-ed and the verb-ing modifiers placed after the clause preceded or not by a comma. Now answer to your second question is that verb-ed modifier is a noun modifier.Again let me cite your example only:Discouraged by the long hours and low pay, my sister finally quit her job. (If you ask the modifier, who was discouraged, the answer will be my sister).In case of the verb-ing modifiers, when places before the clause separated by a comma they can modify either the subject or the entire clause, depending upon the context of the sentence.Example: Singing a beautiful song, Mary mesmerized everyone present in the room. (So how did Mary mesmerize everyone? By singing a beautiful song. Here the verb-ing modifier is modifying the entire clause.)Wearing a blue short, Joe killed the snake. (Here the verb-ing modifier is just giving additional information about how Joe was dressed. His wearing a blue shirt has nothing to do with killing the snake.)Now let us analyze the difference between these two sentences:Diabetes ranks as the nations third leading cause of the death, surpassed only by heart disease and cancer.Diabetes ranks as the nations third leading cause of the death, surpassing only by heart disease and cancer.The first sentence is grammatically as well as logically correct. But the second is not grammatically correct. The first sentence can be rewritten as: Diabetes is the nations third leading cause of the death that is surpassed only by heart disease and cancer.Notice that the that clause is written in passive voice because diabetes is not the doer of the action surpass. It is heart disease and cancer that are the doer of this action.In the second sentence, surpassing modifies the preceding clause and hence associates with the subject diabetes. So if we say that Diabetes is X, surpassing only by Y and Z, it will be wrong because it is not the correct grammatical structure. Use of by is ungrammatical in this construction. If we remove by from here, then the intended meaning of the sentence will change. The sentence will then mean that Diabetes surpasses heart diseases and cancer but it is actually the other way round and that is why diabetes is the nations third leading cause of death.1. When verb-ing modifier is separated from the clause using a comma, then this modifier modifies the preceding clause.2. When verb-ing modifier is not separated from the clause using a comma, then it modifies the preceding noun.3. When verb-ing modifier is placed in the beginning of the sentence followed by a comma, then it may modify either the subject of the clause or the entire clause, depending upon the context of the sentence.4. Verb-ed modifier modifies the preceding noun or the noun phrase.5. When verb-ed modifier is placed in the beginning of the clause followed by a comma, then it modifies the subject of the clause.Hope this helps.Shraddha_________________ Like Middle Schoolers and subway systems, things like retails stores, banks and airlines are subject to yearly report cards by the American Customer Satisfaction Index, who survey the public on a wide spectrum of industries to see how companies compare to one another and to a broader view of American commerce. Unsurprisingly, the internet service provider industry ranks dead last in satisfying us; if the infinite patience of Captain Picard has been tested, there's little hope for the rest of us. Among the industries ranked by the ACSI are restaurants, specifically national chains including sit-down (full-service) and fast food (limited service). Participants in the survey are asked to rank the chains on things like menu variety, cleanliness and courtesy of the staff. The results are then transformed into a ranking of places that received the best (and worst) marks [downloadable version], which is then compared to data compiled in the previous year. The 2016 results? All hail supreme leader Chick-Fil-A. The chicken chain scored the highest ranking of any fast-food (or full-service) eatery in the United States, scoring 87 points out of a possible 100, up one point since last year's ranking. There have been big moves made by the company to expand into other markets, which could be reflected in this year's rankings. We'd hope it's not because of their "really stupid, offensive" views, but at this point, anything horrible is possible. Also notable in the limited-service category: Peyton Manning pizza Papa John's is the most popular of the "pizza" chains and overall second place in the rankings, with Little Caesar's not far behind. The embattled Chipotle had a no good, very bad year indeed, dropping five points since last year for a score of 78. But McDonald's still faces the biggest uphill battle at 69, even if its big breakfast push gave it a two point bump since 2015. The top full-service rankings don't have much relevance within the five boroughs, as the city has no Cracker Barrels or Texas Roadhouses (#1 and #3, respectively) and only one LongHorn Steakhouse (#2). My beloved Applebee's gained a bit of traction this year, but overall full-service restaurants are down 2% across the board, though "the industry overall remains very even." While the rise of a morally bankrupt national company and the fall of a slightly less corrupt national company feels like a fitting metaphor for the current political and social climate, it's important to note that this survey only interviewed 4,786 customers out of the nearly 319 million people living in the United States. As with most things, it's always the squeaky wheel that gets the grease, which in this case, is being used to fry chickens. We rely on your support to make local news available to all Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2022. Donate today Asked on Monday if he'd comment on a proposal to transplant his children's cramped Upper West Side elementary school, PS 452, sixteen blocks south to a larger campus near the NYCHA-run Amsterdam Houses, a father smiled and shook his head. "The topic's too hot," he said. Local parent and comedian Jason Jones agrees, and has warned others not to talk to the press. But after a beat the man changed his mind, asking that his name be withheld. "They've made it really hard to oppose them," he said, referring to the contingent of PS 452 parents who have denounced the proposal. "I've heard about kids who were uninvited to playdates because their parents are in favor of the move." Monday's meeting was at PS 191, the campus pitched as a possible new home for PS 452. But while the West 61st Street school also has a stake in the decisionit may relocate to a new campus at the nearby Riverside Center, a luxury residential high-risePS 452 parents overwhelmed the conversation, arguing that they had invested in the West 70s so that their children could walk to a high-performing school. "For my wife and I who both work in the nonprofit field, we made great sacrifices to live in the neighborhood so that we could attend 452," said parent Phil Weinberg. PS 452 was formed in 2010 to address overcrowding at the coveted Upper West Side schools PS 199 and PS 87, and is considered by many local parents to be on par with the best. But its West 77th Street campus shares facilities with two middle schools, and has no dedicated auditorium, library, cafeteria or courtyard. The PS 452 faculty has endorsed the move, warning that staying uptown could jeopardize their art, music, and computer lab space; and the Department of Education says that moving schools could help the city serve an influx of Uptown high-rises. But PS 452 parents have countered that the city should build a new school in their neighborhood instead. "This meeting represents a part of this district that is very toxic and getting a lot of attention," said Marilyn Barnwell, the education director at a local nonprofit preschool serving low-income families. "You don't see our parents here. They need translation and childcare. These meetings aren't accessible to them." PS 452 is less racially and socioeconomically diverse than the rest of the city64% of the student body is white, and only 11% of students qualify for free lunch. For comparison, black and Latino students make up 81% of PS 191, where 73% of students qualify for free lunch. "At public schools all parents have the same choices, supposedly," Barnwell added. "But ours are false choices." A member of the District 3 Equity in Education Task Force, Barnwell believes that the current zoning systemwhich relies on geographyexacerbates New York City's notorious diversity problem. Her group is pushing for 'controlled choice,' which would insure an even distribution of high and low income, special needs, and English language-learning students across all uptown schools. "These are public schools, not private schools," said Ujju Aggarwal, a member of the task force and the local Parent Leadership Project. "You don't buy more rights as a public school parent." The playground at PS 191. The Amsterdam Houses are visible in the background (Emma Whitford/Gothamist). "What's most important to me is my kids' education," said a PS 452 father, who asked that his name be withheld for professional reasons. "The people who are in charge of that are telling me that they support this idea, so I'm taking their word for it." "Would I prefer the school to be in my basement? Sure," he added. "But the fact that it's inconvenient to me, that's not what the community should base its decisions on. I don't think where you live, or how much you pay for real estate... should impact how much of a voice you have." But a post leaked this week from an Upper West Side coop message board suggests that some PS 452 parents are motivated to protect their property values. "I don't have kids at PS 452, so until earlier today I was not planning to speak this evening," said Larry Shapiro, a resident of The Schwab House. He says he changed his mind when a neighbor made an "offensive posting." He read an excerpt of the post, which was also shared with Gothamist: There is a consideration to move the school to a neighborhood (61st and Amsterdam) that has a very different demographic makeup. THIS CAN GREATLY IMPACT THE VALUE OF OUR HOMES. The great schools are part of what makes this area very desirable. "I call on those who opposed the move to publicly disassociate themselves from this kind of rhetoric," Shapiro added, to applause. Elizabeth Merced was one of a handful of PS 191 parents who attended Monday's meeting. A mother of five and Amsterdam Houses resident, she's in favor of her children moving to a brand new campus down the street. But she balked at the assumptions some PS 452 parents made about her neighborhood. "Just because it's projects everybody is scared of it," she said. "These kids are very smart. They're not trying to get in trouble, they're not trying to get shot. It's just a simple fact that it's hard for us to get somewhere to live, and [the city] made apartments for us." Such assumptions aren't new. Last year, PS 199 families squashed a proposal that would have rezoned some of them to PS 191. Some expressed concern about the Amsterdam Houses, and the school's controversial "persistently dangerous" labelone its parents and teachers have contested. "People [at PS 452] blame it on the distance," said Kajsa Reaves, president of the PS 191 PTA. "I can't help but wonder if maybe they don't want to move [their school] down here because of the location and demographics." "Honestly," she added, "I don't feel part of this discussion at all." The DOE is expected to present formal proposals for school swapping and rezoning within District 3 this fall. The more than 120,000 voters improperly purged from Brooklyn's voter rolls seem to have been disproportionately Hispanic, and from neighborhoods with large Hispanic populations. WNYC, which first reported the illegal purges ahead of April's presidential primary, obtained the raw registration data that shows 13.9 percent of voters in Hispanic-majority election districts were taken off the voter rolls, compared to 8.9 percent of voters in all other election districts. By another measure, the purges affected 15.2 percent of voters with last names deemed by the Census to be common to Hispanic people, compared to 9.5 percent of other voters. When the purge was made public and voters encountered widespread problems at the polls on Primary Day, city Board of Elections director Michael Ryan said, "No one was disenfranchised." As aggrieved voters and observers continued to produce evidence of disenfranchisement, and investigations were opened by the city and the state, Ryan acknowledged that there were irregularities and said they were the outcome of two misguided mailings by the BOE's Brooklyn office staff. The purged voters, he explained, were supposed to have been sent notices that they were being rendered inactive after having not voted in two consecutive presidential elections. In that scenario, voters' names would not have appeared in poll books on Primary Day, but they would have been able to have their votes counted if they submitted an affidavit ballot. Instead, Ryan said, they were removed from the voter database entirely. Testifying before the City Council in May, Ryan told Councilmembers the purge affected "a broad cross-section of voters." WNYC's finding, that Latino voters were affected 60 percent more than any other group, disturbed 12-term Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, whose district overlaps with the most affected areas (Bushwick, East New York, parts of Williamsburg, and Sunset Park). "I do not want to think that it was deliberate, you know, because that would be voter suppression, and at a time when the Voting Rights Act is under attack in Washington, to have this type of action in a city and state like New York, a Democratic city, its just beyond any comprehension," Velazquez told the radio station. She continued: How could they purge 120,000 and no one knew that this was happening? Its just, by looking at that map I could say, Hey, Ive been targeted or my district has been targeted, just by looking at it. By looking at the numbers. Well see. But its not going to end here. Board of Elections director Michael Ryan, center rear, at a commissioners meeting. (Nathan Tempey/Gothamist) The 2013 Supreme Court decision in Shelby County v. Holder struck down the portion of the Voting Rights Act that required jurisdictions with a history of racial discrimination, including Brooklyn, Manhattan, and the Bronx, to clear any changes to the electoral process with the federal government. "With respect to the purge, there was clear employee error on a misinterpretation of the law, and its difficult for me to say whether [the stricken section of the law] was still intact whether that mistake still would have occurred," Ryan told Velazquez at a panel discussion on the Voting Rights Act. "A mistake is a mistake." The Justice Department is now investigating the city BOE's handling of voter records as well, WNYC reports. Two clerks who ran the Brooklyn office remain on unpaid suspension. For more on WNYC's findings, check out this map of purge data. Ryan has said that all those who were improperly removed from the voter rolls, including those in the other four boroughs, should be restored in time for next Tuesday's congressional primary. Seven districts have contested Democratic races, including Velazquez's, though her opponents are long shots. To check on your registration status, and find out what congressional district you're in, click here. To find your poll site, click here. To see who's running in your district, click here. The registration deadline for new voters has passed. Absentee ballot requests must be postmarked by June 21st, and the ballots themselves have to be postmarked by June 27th. Absentee ballots can be requested in person at one's local Board of Elections office until June 27th. Generally speaking, the congressional districts with primaries are in Whitestone; southeast Queens; Chinatown, South Brooklyn, Bushwick, Ridgewood, and Woodhaven; lower Manhattan and the West Side, the Lower East Side up to the Upper East Side, Harlem up to Fordham Hill in the Bronx, and the South Bronx up to Belmont. MISSOULA -- Anyone whos watched a herd of deer bolt away from a dog may have noticed something: Despite their panic, the deer never run into one another. Petr Obleser noticed the same thing with European roe deer, and he decided to figure out why. He concluded deer have an inner compass that can sense magnetic fields. When startled, they tend to escape along a north-south axis. So everyone knows where everyone else is going. Thats the conclusion published in the scientific journal Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology this month. Obleser works at the University of Life Sciences in the Czech Republic, and did the research with Hynek Burda at Germanys University Duisburg-Essen. The journal editors reported their study appears to be the first looking at how magnetic compass directions might synchronize escape directions in animals. This is something thats better studied in birds and other animals with long-distance homing behavior, said Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks biologist Nick DeCesare, who has examined the study. This same group of researchers published a paper a few years ago posing this idea, and this is their follow-up experiment. That lends it some credibility. It looks like their data supports the idea but doesnt confirm it. Obleser and Burda monitored roe deer in 60 separate areas in three hunting districts in the Czech Republic over 46 days in 2014. They noted the deer tended to graze along north-south lines. When startled, the animals generally fled away from observers, Obleser told the journal editors. They did not merely make their getaway in the direction directly opposite the approaching threat, but consistently did so north- or southwards. In fact, they seemed to actively avoid escaping westwards and eastwards. Wind direction or the position of the sun had no influence on the direction of their escape route. The north-south route choice was more common in groups of deer than individuals, the researchers reported. Obleser said this suggests the tendency helps coordinate movement within the herd, so they dont crash into one another. It may also help them maintain a mental map of their movements. That could be important to finding the way back to a good grazing area or to relocate a fawn left behind. Most of the research took place in flat agricultural land. Many Montana wildlife watchers and hunters might question the study based on their observations of how deer tend to startle up- or downhill, regardless of compass direction. It also doesnt address a much bigger question: When startled, why do so many deer run straight into cars? Lincoln-area miner George Kornec, who last year enlisted the help of constitutional advocates in a dispute with the U.S. Forest Service, died on June 17, his family wrote in his obituary. Kornec, 83, a veteran of the Korean War, earned national headlines late last summer as activists with the Oath Keepers and other groups came to the small mountain community in support of Kornec and his mining partner Philip Nappo. The activists staged an armed operation in defense of Kornecs White Hope Mine, alleging threats and illegal activity by the Forest Service and demanding due process via a day in court. The dispute centered on mining claim documents that BLM says were filed one day late in the 1980s, causing Kornec to legally abandon the 1920s claims. The abandonment made White Hope subject to 1955 mining laws that granted surface rights to the Forest Service. The Forest Service alleged that the miners were out of compliance with federal regulations due to the construction of a garage, storage of explosives, blocking public access and not having an approved operating plan. Kornec and Nappo contended that an operations plan was unneeded due to the original date of the mining claims, totaling more than 1,000 acres. Shortly after the Oath Keepers' arrival, the U.S. Attorneys office filed a civil suit against the miners followed by Kornec and Nappo filing a counter claim. Court documents show legal wrangling between the sides, particularly focused on whether the miners would receive a jury trial. U.S. District Judge Charles Lovell set fall deadlines for the miners and the government to brief the countersuit as they seek judgement in the case. How Kornecs death will affect the civil case filed against him, Nappo and their company Intermountain Mining and Refining, LLC, is uncertain at this point, according to Melissa Hornbein, public information officer with the U.S. Attorneys office. Proceedings in the case depend on how his assets will be distributed, she said. Attorney for Kornec and Nappo, Fred Kelly Grant of Idaho, said they plan to continue the case with Nappo as the surviving controller of the company. Frankly Ill tell you it motivates us even more strongly because Georges lifetime dream was tied in that mine and developing it, he said. Grant believes the case is still strong from the standpoint of historic ownership and record, with the goal of establishing Kornec as the rightful owner of the property. Kornec's daughter Denise Freeman promised her father she and Nappo would carry out the lawsuits against the federal government, according to Kornec's nephew Bill Kornec. "Denise Freeman has inherited George's share of the mine so she and Phil are now the owners of George's White Hope Mine," Bill Kornec wrote in an email to the Independent Record. "At one of my final visits with him, George has requested that we must all fight the out of control government if we are to keep our freedoms. He wishes that more people would make an effort to take control of our land again and not sit idly by and let a minority of patriots do all the work." Kornecs family remembered him as an independent man who loved his life in the mountains. He was a great brother, father and friend and we will miss him greatly, they wrote in his obituary. In 1914, my great grandfather Hartvig Knudsen immigrated to this country from Denmark. He was 17 years old. Upon arrival, he learned English and refused to speak Danish with his brothers who had preceded him to Montana, because he was an American now. In 1917, he enlisted in the United States Army and served in World War I. He married a northeast Montana girl, homesteaded at McCabe, and 100 years later, here I am. My great grandfather came to this country the right way. He followed the law. He became a U.S. citizen. He wanted to be an American. When he got here, he recognized that he was no longer a Dane, but an American. He loved his new country so much that, after only two years here, he signed up to defend her in the Great War. As we speak, President Obama is relocating tens of thousands of Syrian and other Muslim country refugees into our country. These people are not following the same legal immigration process that my great grandfather -- and Im guessing many of your ancestors -- did. They are being unfairly moved to the front of the line, given privileged status, and being placed in our heartland at a record rate. There are no requirements that these refugees take courses in U.S. history, civics or English, as is required of foreigners seeking U.S. citizenship today. They are not being required to assimilate to our American culture. In fact, most of them are tacitly encouraged to bring their culture with them, and are now demanding that we assimilate to them. Much of this Muslim culture is foreign and strange to us. Our culture doesnt require our women to cover themselves head to toe. We dont treat our women as second-class citizens, and not allow them to speak or testify in court. We dont teach our sons that it is appropriate to beat their wives if they are disobedient. And we dont condone death as the appropriate punishment for those who choose to follow a different lifestyle or who dont follow the same religion that we do. Governor Steve Bullock has said that he would not oppose any plan to relocate Syrian refugees into Montana (Great Falls Tribune, Nov. 16, 2015). He tells us not to worry -- that the U.S. government background checks all of these refugees. Well, Mr. Governor, my wife was a contracted federal background investigator for several years, and its difficult enough to do a background check on a U.S. citizen for the last five years. It requires weeks of neighbor interviews, employer interviews, family interviews, and paperwork checking, all within the U.S. Do you really think a background check of this level is being conducted on an unknown refugee from Syria, a nearly third-world, non-ally country? Do you really believe that, even if Syria had background records on its citizens, the Syrian government would provide that information to the U.S. government? Greg Gianforte opposes efforts to relocate refugees into Montana, and supports efforts to secure our countrys borders. He believes that only those immigrants who want to be Americans should receive the privilege of U.S. citizenship. I hope youll all remember that on Election Day and join me in supporting and voting for Greg Gianforte for Montana Governor. Austin Knudsen, R-Culbertson, is the representative for House District 34 in northeast Montana, and is the Speaker of the Montana House of Representatives. Keith Allen of the AFL-CIO has conceded the field of ideas entirely. Instead of addressing a single policy point I made in any of my three guest columns on Right to Work, he has instead indulged in reckless name-calling and personal attacks. To set the record straight, Americans for Prosperity -- Montana has 24,000 in-state volunteer activists and thousands of in-state donors. AFP-MT is not an election organization. We have never helped to elect anyone. We do not lie about the economy, and we dont oppose roads -- whatever that means. Contrary to Mr. Allens outlandish claims, AFP exists to recruit, educate and mobilize citizens in support of a limited government and free markets. A limited government is one which treats everyone equally and fairly. Government that picks economic winners and losers through regulation, subsidies or tax credits does the opposite, protecting the political class and their allies at the expense of taxpayers and workers. AFP-MT does not support special favors for the advantaged and politically connected -- we support a free market in which businesses and workers are rewarded on their merit, not on their connections. Free markets can best be summarized as a system in which people are free to work, produce, buy and sell at will so long as they do not infringe on anyone elses rights. A free market represents the antithesis of privilege. Free markets allow people to disrupt established interests with a better product or service, and it has lifted literally billions of people around the world up from poverty. Thousands of Montanans support these ideas, and Mr. Allen does them a disservice to imply that only the rich value freedom. It is precisely because Montanans of all socioeconomic status believe in these principles that we advocate for Montana to become a right-to-work state. Under this simple reform, workers would have the individual right to decide for themselves whether paying a union is in their best interest. Unions often serve valuable purposes, but it becomes harder to tell when dues are mandatory, because unions are unaccountable to the workers they represent. If workers find union membership beneficial, they will join and pay voluntarily. If a worker does not wish to support union collective bargaining and politics and wants to represent himself in the workplace, he should be free to do so. Similarly, unions should be free to represent only dues-paying workers. As Mr. Allen points out, my home state has permitted forced-unionization for a long time, but at what cost? It surely hasnt provided ample jobs for our workers. Recent analysis by Gallup shows our state ranks in the bottom 10 for both job creation and for the availability of full-time jobs. Meanwhile, states that embrace voluntary union associationright-to-workoutperform us by a landslide. Federal data show that from 2004 to 2013, right-to-work states added more than twice as many jobs as forced union states, 3.6 million to 1.5 million. From 2002 to 2013, right-to-work states grew wages almost twice as much, 15.1 percent to 8.2 percent. From 2003 to 2014, population in right-to-work states grew up 4.9 million, while it fell by 4.9 million in forced union states. Finally, when adjusted for cost of living, workers in right-to-work states earn 4 percent more than their forced union counterparts. These stats reflect the simple fact that state economies are more dynamic when workers are empowered. When markets are freer everyone not just the rich does better. Unions themselves should welcome right-to-work. The Mackinac Center for Public Policy notes that right-to-work laws actually strengthen collective bargaining agreements, stimulating the demand for labor, leading to greater productivity and making the state more attractive to new or expanding businesses. In fact, Indiana led the nation with 50,000 new union the jobs the year after it passed right-to-work. Ultimately, not everybody thinks paying a union is right for them, and that choice should be respected. They should not have to leave a job they enjoy at which an employer wants simply because they do not want to pay a private organization. Thats why Americans for Prosperity will continue to advocate for economic freedom in Montana, including a right-to-work law. Its the right thing to do. Workers, unions and our state economy as a whole will be far stronger when we are freer. David Herbst is the Montana state director for Americans for Prosperity. Around a dozen picketers gathered in Helena Monday to protest a proposal they say could spell the closure of VA hospitals around the country. Union representatives with the American Federation of Government Employees joined veterans and current and former VA employees for the three-hour picket at the heavily trafficked intersection of US Highway 12 and Williams Street -- a little more than a mile from VA Montanas headquarters at Fort Harrison. AFGE district vice president Gerry Swanke, who heads the union branch that represents thousands of VA workers in Montana and eight other western states, said a report from the congressionally created VA Commission on Care offers a blueprint for the rapid privatization of VA health care services and the potentially widespread shutdown of beleaguered agency-run hospitals. A series of agency-rocking scandals surrounding lethally lengthy wait times, false record-keeping and disease outbreaks has seen a rash of resignations and firings at those hospitals over the past two years. The 15-member federal commission tasked with drawing up reforms for the embattled agency in March released a 34-page report that endorses taxpayer-funded options that would allow veterans to receive care from VA facilities or private medical providers -- a choice commission members say has been mischaracterized as a hospital shutdown scheme. Swanke said elements of the report closely resemble reform suggestions offered up by astroturf advocates with Concerned Veterans for America -- an organization that receives funding from billionaire industrialists and conservative megadonors Charles and David Koch. Theres no doubt the VA is in need of reform, Swanke said, though he fears any push to liquidate federal assets would hurt the quality of veteran care offered at hospitals like Fort Harrisons. The politicians are using this crisis to appear as though theyre addressing the veterans health care concerns, he added. All theyre really doing is moving something from a system of checks and balances and accountability in the government, to a place where there is no accountability in the private sector. Mondays protest, one of dozens planned this week at VA hospitals nationwide, comes roughly a week ahead of a final commission report scheduled for release on June 30. It comes a little more than a week after VA Montana Health Care System Director John Ginnity announced he would resign from the agencys top job effective July 1 -- a move that will leave acting managers in VA Montanas top three leadership positions. One former VA Montana worker and picketer, who declined to give his name, agreed with other protesters that the much-publicized turmoil at the top of the agency only speaks to part of its problems. The fish doesnt just rot from the head, he said. Theres been over five (agency) heads and no changes. I strongly believe changing more than just the head would do a lot of good. DECATUR -- Floyd Chen had many questions as he listened to Archer Daniels Midland Co. representatives speak on innovations in the agriculture industry and transportation. And unlike at home, Chen said Monday's activities offered a chance to ask them and learn more. In China, we usually just listen during speeches and do what they say, he said. I always want to question ... I dont want to just say alright, alright. I want to say, why is that right? Why should we just do that? Chen was one of 16 students from the Beijing University of Agriculture who toured ADMs James R. Randall Research Center on Monday. The visit was part of a three-week program for the students, who are visiting the University of Illinois to study an agriculture management program. Before the tour, the students listened to presentations from Matt Matlock Sr., vice president of food research; and Allison Fayfich, manager of intermodal freight, as the two broke down the wide variety of projects undertaken by the company and how they deliver products across the world. Matlock covered a variety of projects being done by ADM, including the way the industry has emphasized getting new products to market and how to properly handle the shift. Traditionally it may take 24 months to come up with an idea, develop a new product and get it to the supermarket, and thats just not fast enough, he said. People want to get that down to six months, nine months. The student group is backed through the ADM Cares program, said program coordinator Robert Marinelli. During the trip, students will meet with corporations such as ADM, John Deere and Caterpillar Inc., as well as faculty members to learn about aspects of the American agriculture industry such as food safety, food processing and transportation. In addition, Marinelli said students can approach the trip with their own goals, such as improving their English skills and learning more about American culture. With the first week down, Marinelli said the students have enjoyed their time in America. Overall, the feedback has been great, he said. The students have previously toured ADMs facilities in Beijing, and students Alice Dong said Monday she enjoyed the chance to explore the American agriculture industry. We really appreciate this opportunity to learn more, she said. DECATUR With a special prosecutor already appointed to investigate actions of City Manager Tim Gleason, former Decatur police Chief Mark Barthelemy withdrew his petition seeking the appointment Monday. Barthelemy filed the petition May 17 asking a prosecutor to be appointed to look into Gleason's use of a police car and driver to attend to a personal trip last year. The Macon County State's Attorney's Office subsequently filed a request May 31 to appoint the prosecutor, which was granted by a judge. Barthelemy's attorney, John Davis, said the goal of his client's petition was accomplished. A prosecutor from the Illinois State's Attorney's Appellate Prosecutor's Office is now expected to look into the Gleason matter and decide whether to pursue charges. We're making no judgment on the guilt or innocence of Mr. Gleason, Davis said. We just felt that under the circumstances, he needed to be investigated, and that's what we did. At issue is Gleason's use of a police car and driver on May 7, 2015, to reach the airport in St. Louis immediately following the Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce State of the City Breakfast. A special prosecutor is being sought because the local state's attorney's office has a conflict of interest. The case is entangled with a separate matter in which former Decatur police Chief Brad Sweeney sued the city, alleging wrongful termination. Gleason's use of the police car became public knowledge through court documents in Sweeney's lawsuit. A Macon County judge dismissed Sweeney's lawsuit June 7, with the former chief's attorney saying he planned to appeal. In another matter, Scott's office filed a request in April for a special prosecutor to investigate allegations of eavesdropping and misconduct by Sweeney. The prosecutor declined to pursue charges in that case. Macon County State's Attorney Jay Scott had said he forwarded information about Gleason along with the Sweeney case. However, the special prosecutor's office later said it only considered itself appointed to the Sweeney matter. This prompted Scott's office to file the May 31 motion that specifically related to Gleason. DECATUR U-Haul will not be able to rent trucks and trailers out of the Northgate Shopping Center, following a unanimous Decatur City Council vote Monday. The council rejected a request to rezone the mall at 2800 N. Water St., which the company purchased in December. The move came in the midst of a meeting that lasted nearly three hours and also included approval of funding for fire station and street improvements. The Northgate site is zoned for retail-oriented uses, and city officials have said their plan has always been to develop Pershing Road as a retail corridor. City staff recommended denial of the rezoning request. The site has sat mostly vacant for years at the highest traffic intersection in the city. But city officials stressed Monday that it was not empty because no companies wanted to locate there. Instead, they said the previous owner was unwilling to sell the property, because it was collecting on active leases that were being paid by companies no longer operating in the building. Assistant City Manager Billy Tyus said it was important to remember that the city does not make recommendations based on who will be using the property in this case, U-Haul. It's based on what we feel is the most appropriate land use for a particular zone or area or property, he said. In our minds, this isn't a question of the quality of the user or the company. It's a land use question. If U-Haul were to leave the property in the future, he said, the zoning change would allow for other more intense uses that are allowed in an M-1 Heavy Commercial/Light Industrial district. Further, he said city staff has long thought that this strip of property is best suited for commercial development. We're starting to see the type of development that we have envisioned and look forward to happening, Tyus said, citing examples such as Brettwood Village, Miles Chevrolet and Jackson Ford. We're starting to actually see it, and we're getting inquiries regularly on the Pershing Road corridor. Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe said U-Haul is a destination; someone who needs to rent a trailer will travel to the company's location to do so. High-visibility sites, on the other hand, can lure spontaneous visitors to retail establishments. People might decide to spend a few minutes shopping, drive through a car lot or grab a burger, for instance. With it being a corner that's very, very desirable for retail, restaurants, that sort of thing, it's really the best use for that, and that's been the plan from the beginning, Moore Wolfe said. U-Haul was aware of that before they ever entered into any kind of negotiation on that building. The council also granted City Manager Tim Gleason authority to seek municipal loans with local banks for up to $2.2 million in improvements to fire stations, and $7.5 million for street repair work. The loan for fire station work is to be repaid from $410,000 that city officials say is set aside in the annual property tax levy for this purpose. The council previously hired Dewberry Architects Inc. to prepare a report on the needs of the seven aging fire stations, with the firm identifying a total cost of $8.1 million for renovation of four stations and replacement of three. Gleason said the initial loan would take care of the necessary short-term repairs, while city staff continue to evaluate future needs. The loan for street repair projects is to be repaid by local motor fuel tax proceeds. The tax took effect in April, with the council specifically earmarking money for improvements to dilapidated residential streets. Gleason said 11 small projects have been identified for this year, with more work in the next few years. I'm very excited, Gleason said. We've said this many times over the last year, (this is) very much an infrastructure chapter in the community's history. That's bedrock for any business expansion and hope to grow the community. In other business, Councilman Bill Faber proposed a referendum on the November ballot that would change city code, requiring the Decatur City Council approve the firing of any police or fire chiefs. Faber said the unexpected firing of former Decatur police Chief Brad Sweeney in February has wounded the community. Sweeney subsequently sued the city; his lawsuit was dismissed by a Macon County judge, but he is expected to appeal. When a body politic suffers a wound, the wound must be addressed, or else infection will set in. Action is needed, not evasion, Faber said. As a community and as a council, we must not turn our heads and pretend that nothing has happened. But Councilwoman Dana Ray disagreed, saying it wouldn't be fair for council members to evaluate department heads that they do not work with daily. We really need to equip the manager to do his job and to do it properly, Ray said. I look at this as undermining his responsibility and his position as a manager. Speaking after the meeting, Gleason said he would respect whatever decision is made. Regardless of what the mayor and the council decide as the form of government, what the community decides as the form of government, I'll continue to deliver victories to Decatur, he said. Faber is expected to bring up the topic at the council's next meeting. He will need the support of two other council members to obtain a study session on the topic. MACON -- The three superintendents who gathered in Meridian's auditorium Monday to listen to state Rep. Bill Mitchell address the lack of a K-12 education budget for the 2016-17 school year said school would start next year whether the state passes a budget or not. But finishing the school year with no state funding wouldn't be easy. The Illinois General Assembly missed its deadline to pass a balanced budget for the second straight year. But the difference this year is no K-12 education budget has been passed, which could keep some Illinois schools from opening in the fall and puts every school in a precarious financial situation. "No one in my district has told me they can't open, but I don't even want it to go there," said Mitchell, who has 20-plus school districts in his 101st District. "People are concerned and angry, and they should be. We need to do our jobs. The most basic responsibility of the Illinois state government is to pass a balanced budget. The dysfunction there is at an incredible level." Cerro Gordo Superintendent Brett Robinson pointed out that it is the state's duty to fund K-12, despite the fact that the state only supplied 28 percent of his school's funding last year. Most of the rest came from local property taxes. "The Illinois constitution says the state has the primary responsibility for funding schools," Robinson said. "I'd like to see it head back in that direction." Mitchell said he has an answer: House Bill 6583, along with a stopgap budget bill for long-owed capital founds for school construction. HB 6583 would "fully fund General State Aid (GSA) at 100 percent for the first time in seven years," Mitchell said. "It includes a hold-harmless provision so that no school district will receive less GSA than they did last year," Mitchell said. "Is it perfect? No. But it will open schools in the fall." Mitchell said he understands the doubt of such a bill being passed. "There's some heavy skepticism, and that's fair: The General Assembly's track record isn't good, to say the least, and people are tired of it," Mitchell said "I get a lot of emails from people telling me they're tired of politics and asking, 'What are you going to do about it, Mitchell?' "But this is a bill that's supported by the governor that funds schools. Let's just do it." HB 6583 is exactly what area school administrators hope happens. Both Robinson and Warrensburg superintendent Kristen Kendrick-Weikle said their schools have had to make cuts because the state hasn't delivered on budget promises. The state has been prorating funding since 2009. Last year, schools statewide received an average of 92 percent of promised funds, and the year before it was 89 percent. "I've had to cut more than $1 million over the last several years," Kendrick-Weikle said. "If the legislature can't pass a budget, Warrensburg-Latham can start school, but we'll have to borrow to get past the first semester. "I would encourage them to look past party lines -- I don't care about placing blame. I care about the education of the children at our schools. A K-12 budget needs to be put in place immediately." Robinson and Meridian Superintendent Dan Brue said their districts are in a similar circumstance. "If a budget isn't passed, the district will have to use the balance of its already dwindling reserve," Brue said. "Doing so will allow the opening of school and should sustain the district through the first semester and partially into the second, but to finish the school year, the district will need to issue working cash bonds and possibly tax anticipation warrants. It could take years to come back from that." Mitchell said the Fiscal Year 2017 K-12 budget should have already been passed. "We're supposed to be in continuous session, but it's not so continuous -- we've met four or five days since June, and that's a bad joke," Mitchell said. "This should be urgent. We need to get back to Springfield to debate education funding and pass a budget. It should be at the top of the agenda." Brue said he would welcome debate on alternate funding plans for education, but not for the upcoming school year. Kendrick-Weikle and Robinson agreed. "At this point, for '16-17, we just need the money," Brue said. Meridian was shorted $2.6 million in state funds last year that were to be used to pay the final chunk of the school's $45 million building project. A stand-alone construction funding bill had been passed by the Illinois House last year, but it was gutted by the Senate. Mitchell's HB 6585 would release those funds. "I'm comfortable in saying that, eventually, the state will pay that money," Brue said. "But we owe the contractors, and if something isn't done we're going to have to borrow money to pay them, and pay interest on the money we borrowed." Mitchell said he hopes to be in Springfield on Wednesday to discuss the bill, and is optimistic it will pass. "I'm optimistic by nature," Mitchell said. "I think we'll get something done, because the alternative is too horrible to think about." Lawmakers and members of Gov. Bruce Rauners staff are reportedly making progress toward a stopgap budget that will get politicians past the Nov. 8 election. If this stopgap budget occurs, politicians will say it was necessary to get schools and universities open in the fall and to help those seeking services from the state for a few more months. However, thats not the real reason. Once again, politicians are putting their own fortunes ahead of school children, teachers and those that depend on the state for services. Politicians are worried about one date Nov. 8. The leaders dont want any of their legislators, even though most of them dont have opponents, to take tough votes this close to the election. The General Assembly has one primary responsibility each year, approve a budget. House Speaker Michael Madigans chamber passed what they called a budget, but it was more than $7 billion out of balance and got little support in the Senate and a promised veto from Rauner. This is the third year that the Democrat-controlled House and Senate have failed to pass a budget. Three years of not doing their job. A budget compromise is possible. The groups working on the budget have been discussing issues such as giving state employees some pension choices in order to reduce the burden on taxpayers. Theyve also discussed workers compensation reform that would make the state more business-friendly. Another subject on the agenda is allowing local governments more latitude when negotiating contracts with local employees. That last issue has unfairly been cast as anti-union. But its actually pro-local government and would allow local officials the opportunity to negotiate local contracts that are fair to workers and taxpayers without interference from the state. Despite their inability to get anything done, Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton now think that their duty lies in passing a stopgap budget and waiting until after November to pass a "real" budget. This strategy runs the risk of the state going through a second fiscal year without a budget. Undoubtedly, a stopgap budget is better than no budget. But no one should be encouraged by a stopgap budget or believe that waiting until after Nov. 8 will result in more compromises. With gerrymandering in full effect, the cast of characters will be basically the same after the November election. In addition, taxpayers are prepared for the bad news. Rauner and the Democratic leaders have said that tax increases are necessary to fix this budget mess. The simple fact is that any budget deal that can be made in November can be made now. A stopgap budget may be the best this General Assembly can accomplish at this time. Its a tremendous failure from a legislature that has managed to perform below our already low expectations. New Braunfels, TX (78130) Today Lots of sunshine. High 77F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Clear skies. Low near 50F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. An Armenian court has sentenced Rafal Zelbert, a Polish national arrested at Yerevans Zvartnots Airport on November 15, 2015 for attempting to smuggle 13 kilograms of cocaine into the country, to fifteen years imprisonment. The cocaine, concealed in Zelberts luggage, had an estimated street value of US$4 million. Zelbert, who arrived in Yerevan on a flight emanating from Sao Paulo vis Dubai, tried to pass through the nothing to declare customs exit. During the investigation, Zelbert, 31, confessed to the drug smuggling charges. He will not appeal the fifteen-year sentence. Two documents provided by the Interpol office in Armenia confirmed that Zelbert was a member of a Polish-Nigerian organization involved in drug trafficking in various European countries. In 2011, according to Interpol, Zelbert was arrested at the Malta airport for drug smuggling. According to the Maltese court registry, Zelbert was charged with smuggling 443.69 grams of cocaine and a diazepam-like tranquilizer drug and sentenced to 4.5 years. In 2015, he was arrested again on suspicion of trafficking more than 20 times that amount of drugs. In his testimony, Zelbert said he was turned on to the idea of cocaine smuggling by Emilio Perez, a Brazilian friend he met while living in Holland. Perez had told Zelbert that high-grade cocaine could be obtained in Brazil for $2,000 per kilo, and that lower grade cocaine was going for $1,000 per kilo. The street price in Holland for a kilo was 35,000-60,000 Euros. It seemed like a no-brainer and Zelbert decided to travel to Brazil and bring the drugs to Holland. Zelbert decided to return to Holland via Yerevan because, as he stated in his testimony, it was convenient. Before being arrested in November, Zelbert had made another trip to Yerevan in May. He remembers arriving at Zvartnots Airport from Brazil and then purchasing a ticket to Prague via Kiev. He was headed to Europe within two hours after arriving in Armenia. It appears that Zelbert believed Armenia would serve as an easy backdoor to Europe and its drug markets. Zelbert left for Brazil in August 2015 and purchased 13 kilos of high-grade cocaine for $18,000. The drugs, concealed in his luggage, made it through customs in Sao Paulo and Dubai. Had he not been arrested in Yerevan, Zelbert planned to transport the cocaine to Holland, Denmark and Norway for sale. Karineh Khachatryan, Zelberts lawyer in Armenia, told Hetq that she doesnt know where her client will be serving his sentence. P.S. Malika Aboussena, a 26 year-old Brazilian national who was engaged to Zelbert, has been following the case closely. When Hetq informed Aboussena about the 15-year verdict, she wrote the following, unedited by Hetq, for publication addressed to Zelbert. " If I could talk to you face to face again. It's so sad for me to immagine you'll spend all this years in jail. Look at you, you speak more than 3 languages, European resident, handsome young man with so many opportunities to have a good life... Why to screw up your life? I know you are an Atheist, but trust me, God exists and he want to repent and become a new man, because what you have been doing isn't only a crime but also a sin against God. There will be always a new day, a new chance given by Him to have a new life and restart. I stand with you, will never give up on you and as soon as possibe I'll fly to Armenia to visit you." Top photo (from right): Rafal Zelbert Heres an astonishing development which, in different times, would have got a lot more attention. Germanys Foreign Minister , Frank-Walter Steinmeier has publicly warned NATO against warmongering after it held daft and provocative military exercises in Poland, during which it pretended to have a capacity and a united political will which it simply does not possess. Those of us who see the recent history of Europe as a series of disasters brought about by unwise and unrealistic guarantees can only shudder at this sort of thing. But of course modern diplomats, politicians and generals dont know any history, or think they can learn nothing from it. Last week I attacked NATOs ridiculous military street theatre in Poland, seemingly designed to create the very problem they claim to be protecting us against. British troops took part in this performance, which was very lightly covered here and should have attracted more attention, as its implications for Britain are considerable if this policy continues. The Russian threat to Poland (with which Russia does not even have a border, unless you count the Kaliningrad exclave) , and indeed to the Baltic States, is currently imaginary. Moscow has neither the power nor the wealth to reimpose itself on the territory it ceased to control a quarter of a century ago, and it is hard to see what sane reason it would have to seek to do such a thing. There is nothing resembling evidence that Russia offers any threat to Poland, the Baltic Republics or anyone else which does not attack or upset it. Its actions in the Crimea and Ukraine are, as I have many times pointed out, a long-delayed and repeatedly signalled ( see especially Vladimir Putins Munich speech of 2007 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/12/AR2007021200555.html) response to numerous provocations and to the specific provocation of the violent mob putsch against Ukraines legitimate government in February 2014, openly and covertly backed by NATO, the EU and the USA. This putsch was intended to achieve, and succeeded in achieving, Ukraines shift from non-alignment to open politico-military-economic alignment with the EU-NATO bloc, the biggest and most significant shift in the European power balance since the dissolution of the USSR itself. If Russia does have any ambitions in the Baltic coast area , they will be subtly pursued, partly through economic pressure and overtures, partly through use of the large and often foolishly ill-treated Russian minorities in the three Baltic states. Time is on Moscows side in this region9which is historically in its sphere of influence, and whose current confused status results only from German expansionism, dressed up as local nationalism, in the 1914-18 war). NATOs supposed pledge to sacrifice Chicago, or Frankfurt, or Manchester, for Riga is inherently incredible and will become even more unbelievable as the years go by. The only trouble is that foolish and gullible politicians in the states involved may, as has happened before in this region, take seriously the empty and vain guarantees they are given and act accordingly. We must also bear in mind that the EUs problems will intensify as it struggles to maintain the Eurozone and increasingly concentrates on a few core members. All Russia needs to do is wait, and this part of Europe will slip back, to some extent , into its sphere of influence. At some point the position may well be transformed by a reunification of Russia and Belarus, which seems to me to be perfectly possible in time. That will give NATO a much longer direct border with Russia, and intensify the struggle for supremacy in the region. I dont myself see why we should be especially concerned if this happens. No British interests are involved, this region is naturally dominated by Russia and the USA would not for ten seconds tolerate a Russian military alliance with Quebec (which would be far less of a menace to the air and sea approaches to New York than the NATO presence in the Baltics is to the air and sea approaches to Petrograd, sorry, St Petersburg) . Finland, a free country by most standards, manages to maintain perfectly good relations with Moscow, a good deal less oppressive than they were in Soviet days, without belonging to NATO. By the way, I noted a recent newspaper report claiming that there had been multiple Russian violations of Scandinavian countries airspace. There are also many reports in British papers suggesting (without actually saying, because it is not true) that Russia is violating British airspace or sending its warships into something called by newspapers The English Channel (The Channel, as it divides Britain from France, Belgium and the Netherlands, is in fact an international waterway, and is not a British territorial possession) . Russia does sometimes behave indefensibly, by not switching on its planes transponders. I am not sure if other powers ever do the same and have been unable to find out. But actual violations of sovereign airspace by Russia are in fact quite rare, as this list (clearly not compiled by persons sympathetic to Russia) shows. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/full-list-of-incidents-involving-russian-military-and-nato-since-march-2014-9851309.html In fact, detailed study of this report shows that Western military forces and surveillance planes have been busy in such places as the Black Sea and the Sea of Okhotsk, or near the Russian naval port of Kaliningrad, where it is hardly surprising that they have run into aggressive Russian military responses. It is absurd to imagine that this doesnt work both ways, and the Russians point out frequently that NATO probes along its borders are increasing. Now comes this extraordinary outburst from Herr Steinmeier: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-36566422 Heres the key extract : What we shouldn't do now is inflame the situation further through sabre-rattling and warmongering," Mr Steinmeier said in an interview to be published in Germany's Bild am Sonntag newspaper. "Whoever believes that a symbolic tank parade on the alliance's eastern border will bring security is mistaken. "We are well-advised to not create pretexts to renew an old confrontation," he said, adding that it would be "fatal to search only for military solutions and a policy of deterrence". This is extraordinary language for a Foreign Minister of a major country. And it illustrates a very old contradiction in Germany, between those who have always sought an accommodation with Russia, not least because of its control over has supplies to much of Europe, and those (nowadays encouraged by many American policymakers) who seek to marginalise and diminish Russia. Herr Steinmeier ( a carpenters son who has done military service rather remarkably has donated one of his kidneys to his wife) is a Social Democrat, a member of a party which has been less-inclined to seek confrontation with Russia than Chancellor Merkels Christian Democrats. He has in the past condemned what he termed hysterics towards Moscow. A far as I know, British politics lacks, at the highest level, anyone with his simple common sense. A profile on PinkSpace Coworking on 2617 E. Washington Ave. on May 20, 2016 in Madison, WI. The former South Bay Lounge at 5404 Raywood Road near Monona is set to open again as the Off Broadway Drafthouse in a few months. The group Speedy Ortiz performed at the Live on King Street summer concert series in 2014. Share your opinion on this topic by sending a letter to the editor to tctvoice@madison.com. Include your full name, hometown and phone number. Your name and town will be published. The phone number is for verification purposes only. Please keep your letter to 250 words or less. State Debate: Key Republican wants state GOP delegates to stop Trump at convention; Press-Gazette doesn't like bikes with booze Vietnam Veteran and former tanker Robert Pederson of Lake Delton chats with Daniel Prisnakov (bottom) and Jeremiah Schneekloth about the restored tank at the Sauk Prairie Veterans Memorial on Highway 12 in Prairie du Sac during the Sauk Prairie Airport Fly-In on June 11. Mark Pocan will vote for Hillary Cinton at the Democratic National Convention, but work with Bernie Sanders to get rid of superdelegates. PHOTO BY M.P. KING/STATE JOURNAL Tuesday will be the calm before the storms for south-central Wisconsin literally, according to forecasters. The area could see widespread damaging winds, large hail, heavy rain and a few tornadoes as rounds of storms hit Wednesday morning and again in the afternoon and evening, the National Weather Service warned in this forecast. A warm front expected to move toward southern Wisconsin Tuesday night into Wednesday morning with a push of warm, humid air will likely bring the first round of thunderstorms, mainly Wednesday morning. Although the storms should be slowly weakening Wednesday morning, there still is a chance for severe storms, with the best chance across southern portions of the area, and the main hazards large hail and heavy rain, the Weather Service said. Low pressure will move east through the area on Wednesday, with the exact track the key for where and how much severe weather we may see during this period. The Weather Service said. If the low moves across southern Wisconsin, it will drag the warm front, as well as a strong cold front, across the area. Southern portions of the area would get into the warm sector of this system, which would bring warm and humid conditions. This would allow for unstable conditions to develop, and lead to the development of thunderstorms. Strong wind shear aloft would bring the possibility of severe storms Wednesday afternoon and evening, as the low and frontal boundaries cross the area. The Storm Prediction Center is concerned about a widespread damaging wind event occurring with this setup. In addition, large hail and a few tornadoes may be possible, especially with any initial severe thunderstorms that form. At this time, the highest probability for severe weather is located near and south of the Wisconsin/Illinois border, but if the low track remains just south of the area Wednesday afternoon and evening, the highest risk area would remain just to the south. The areas of risk can be seen in the picture with this story. Here is a National Weather Service video detailing the forecast. In Madison on Tuesday, look for sunny skies, a high near 81 and west winds at 5 to 10 miles per hour. Theres a 30 percent chance for showers and storms overnight after 1 a.m., as the low falls to around 61. The chance for showers and storms is 90 percent Wednesday, with some possibly severe, a quarter- to half-inch of rain possible, a high near 78 and southeast winds at 5 to 10 mph. The chance for showers and storms is 50 percent overnight Wednesday into Thursday as the low falls to around 64, then 20 percent chance Thursday before 1 p.m., with partly sunny skies, a high near 76 and north winds at 5 to 10 mph. The Weather Service said a low pressure system will bring more chances for showers and storms at 20 percent Friday night, 30 percent Saturday, 50 percent Saturday night, 30 percent Sunday, and 20 percent Sunday night. Skies over Madison should be sunny Friday, partly sunny Saturday and Sunday, and sunny Monday, with highs near 82, 87, 87 and 81, and lows Thursday night through Sunday night around 56, 64, 70 and 64. 27 Storm Track meteorologist Brian Olson forecasts a quiet Tuesday; scattered showers and storms early Wednesday morning; rounds of storms Wednesday morning and again mid- to late afternoon that could be severe, especially in the afternoon; isolated late day storms Saturday; scattered showers and storms Saturday night; and a few showers and storms Sunday. Olson said skies over Madison should be sunny Tuesday, mostly cloudy Wednesday, partly sunny Thursday, mostly sunny Friday, partly sunny Saturday and Sunday, and mostly sunny Monday and next Tuesday, with highs near 81, 77, 78, 83, 88, 85, 82 and 81, and overnight lows around 62, 63, 56, 66, 71, 64, 59 and 58. Mondays high in Madison was 87 at 12:19 p.m., 8 degrees above the normal high and 14 degrees below the record high of 101 for June 20, set in 1988. Mondays low in Madison was 67 at 11:59 p.m., 9 degrees above the normal low and 27 degrees above the record low of 40 for June 20, set in 2003. No precipitation was recorded at the Dane County Regional Airport on Monday, leaving Madisons June and meteorological summer (June through August) precipitation total at 3.27 inches, 0.24 inches above normal. The 2016 total stayed at 13.06 inches, 1.8 inches below normal. Madisons record precipitation for June 20 is 1.5 inches in 1877. WATERTOWN Arturo Mares has spent part of the past year laying mulch and pulling weeds at a nature area, removing brush at the Watertown Municipal Airport and mowing the lawns of his elderly neighbors in Johnson Creek. Garrid Neitzel, 30, and Ryan Viedma, 31, put in time at Octagon House where they did landscaping work on the tourist spot overlooking the Rock River. But in a few weeks, the three men will be back at work making bratwurst. Officials with Johnsonville Sausage on Tuesday celebrated the near completion of a $36 million, 122,000-square-foot production facility that is nearly twice the size of a former plant near Watertowns downtown that was destroyed by fire in May 2015. In an effort to retain the companys 120 local employees, Johnsonville paid them to take part in community service projects and to go to school at the Watertown campus of Madison Area Technical College. The workers retained their benefits and earned company bonuses. I was real nervous, Mares, 43, a 24-year employee said about the potential of losing his job after the fire. We now have a lot of space here where we can grow. Johnsonville, based in Sheboygan Falls and known worldwide for its meat products, opened its Watertown operation in 1981 in a former butcher shop built in the late 1800s near the citys downtown. The facility processed hogs and shipped the meat to other plants to be made into sausage products. The new facility is located in a space that most recently was used to prepare labels for beer bottles for Miller Brewing Co. The bulk of the $36 million investment was to convert the building into a meat processing plant that now includes a bratwurst production line. By the end of the year, more than 155 people could be working at the plant. The retention of experienced employees was critical, said Ralph Stayer, who owns the company his parents started in 1945 and which now employs about 1,600 people. The fire forced some plants to have employees work 60-hour weeks to make up the lost production, but Johnsonville did not receive insurance money to offset the costs of paying employees to do service work. It was just the right thing to do, Stayer said of the service program. Well get that all back in no time because if we would have had to start up someplace else with new employees, it would have been a mess. During the down time, employees logged nearly 10,000 hours with community organizations, including Rock River Rescue Foundation, and completed 9,745 hours of coursework in critical core manufacturing, English as a second language and general math and computer classes. Its pretty unheard of. Not many companies would do what happened here, said Neitzel, who has been with the company for five years. I never thought they would have done this for us, but they did, said Viedma, a 15-year employee. On Tuesday, more than 200 people gathered under a large tent in the parking lot of the new facility with Johnsonvilles Big Taste Grill pumping out fried bratwurst for employees, their families, local politicians and Gov. Scott Walker. Watertown Mayor John David said that initially after the fire, there was concern that employees would lose their jobs and that the work that had been done in Watertown would be moved elsewhere within the company, which has four other production facilities: in Johnsonville, near Sheboygan; two in Sheboygan Falls; and one in Holton, Kansas, where some Watertown employees worked intermittently over the last year. They have 120 employees and we did not want to lose that, David said. There was a lot of support from people to have them stay here, and then Johnsonville goes above and beyond the call of duty with the civic projects and sending them to school. And now theyre even adding employees. There was a lot of support from people to have them stay here, and then Johnsonville goes above and beyond the call of duty with the civic projects and sending them to school. john david Watertown mayor Chris Rickert | Wisconsin State Journal Urban affairs, investigations, consumer help ("SOS") Follow Chris Rickert | Wisconsin State Journal 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 Judging by some of the reaction, its as if Fitchburg Mayor Steve Arnold proposed banning all vehicle travel three days a week or, God forbid, a citywide trolley system to reduce the perpetual drain on city resources that is street resurfacing and reconstruction. Instead, he suggested turning over responsibility for one particular kind of street the cul-de-sac to the folks who choose to live on them. Why thats such a bad idea, I dont know. Those little bastions of exclusivity, most often found in the big bastions of exclusivity known as American suburbs, are of little use to anyone but the people who live there. Arnold made it clear to me Monday that cutting cul-de-sacs off from taxpayer largesse is not in the citys official five-year capital improvement plan. Nor is it something he would support, he said. He included it in a cover memo to the plan as a conversation starter for one hed like the city to have on the kinds of road system it wants and how it plans to pay for it as he is of the opinion that the city is underfunding road repair. Privatizing cul-de-sacs wouldnt just be a political problem, though, but a legal one. A June 9 email from city attorney Mark Sewell to Arnold and three others notes that state law bars cities from vacating public streets if they would result in land-locked parcels. City ordinance also requires lots to front public streets, he wrote. Sure, there are private streets, Arnold said, but they come about because the people who live on them wanted to live on private streets, not because they were forced to. Unfortunately, there are barriers to the kind of full privatization to which cul-de-sacs, by their very design, clearly aspire. Aside from their annoying bourgeoisie mystique, cul-de-sacs serve as mirages of escape for lost motorists and are more time consuming for garbage trucks and other public service providers to navigate, among other practical and logistical problems. Those of the New Urbanism school of neighborhood design are especially critical, noting that cul-de-sacs are effectively built to cater to the car culture, with houses set on cul-de-sacs set in subdivisions set off from the rest of the community by only a couple of main access points. About the only good reasons to dead-end a street are if it risks running into a body of water or off a cliff or through railroad tracks or into some immovable object. Better for walking, biking and the commonweal in general are neighborhoods with narrow streets, numerous possible routes from Point A to Point B and a multitude of uses. Indeed, enlightened city leaders and staffers have known for several years now cul-de-sacs are dead ends in more ways than one. Fitchburg allows only one per 50 lots in new developments and makes them hard to do in its SmartCode-zoned areas. Madison now bans them outright except in cases where a physical feature of the land makes any other design near impossible. An Oregon man stopped for speeding and following too closely on Monday was arrested for his alleged fourth drunken driving offense. Cesar Perez-Valdez, 28, was stopped at about 5:40 p.m. by an Oregon police officer, the Oregon Police Department said. Perez-Valdez also faces charges of operating after revocation and having open intoxicants in a vehicle. He was taken into custody on multiple warrants for his arrest. Court records show he has unresolved cases from November and December of 2015. The powerful nose of police dog Frees led Madison police to a kitchen knife allegedly used by a 12-year-old boy to stab another 12-year-old boy during a fight Monday on the citys Southwest Side. The knife was found in a large lot covered with grass, weeds and trees in the 6700 block of Schroeder Road, near the scene of the stabbing, police said. A blog on the Madison Police Department website detailed Frees work at the scene, and how he found the knife about three minutes after picking up the scent. The injured boy was stabbed in the back. He was admitted to a hospital overnight after it was determined the wound had penetrated a kidney, police said. The boy who allegedly stabbed the victim was taken to the Juvenile Reception Center on a tentative charge of first-degree reckless injury. Residents having a cookout rendered aid to the injured boy before the arrival of police and paramedics, said police spokesman Joel DeSpain. While that was happening, a citizen and a private security guard helped detain the suspect. WATERTOWN Gov. Scott Walker said Tuesday he agrees that delegates to the Republican national convention should be free to vote their conscience, even if that means not supporting presumptive nominee Donald Trump. Walker is a former presidential candidate and a delegate to the convention next month. He told reporters following a groundbreaking at a sausage factory that he will follow Wisconsin Republican Party rules and cast his ballot for Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in the first round because Cruz won the state primary. But he also left open the possibility that the rules could change between now and the convention next month, and gave credence to House Speaker Paul Ryan's comments from last week that delegates should vote their conscience. "I think his comments are legitimate," Walker said. "I think historically, not just this year, delegates are and should be able to vote the way they see fit. ... We'll see how things go between now and the convention as to what the next steps are. I'm not going to speculate now only because you all know the situation may change by this afternoon, let alone between now and the convention." Under Wisconsin rules, at-large delegates like Walker are bound to vote for whichever candidate won statewide. Cruz beat Trump by 13 points on April 5, the billionaire's last defeat before becoming the presumptive nominee. Delegates can switch their votes to another candidate only if they are released or the candidate fails to get 30 percent of the vote in any round at the convention. Walker backed Cruz in the primary, then endorsed Trump when he became the presumptive nominee. But he wavered in his backing since Trump questioned the ability of a judge to be fair in a lawsuit involving Trump University because of the judge's Mexican heritage. Walker said he wanted Trump to rescind those comments and "I still haven't heard those clarified." In a move to reduce homelessness, state officials on Monday announced a $5 million initiative meant to support homeless veterans. Dubbed the Welcome Home Veterans Initiative, the program, which began Monday, will help homeless veterans pay their first months rent, security deposits and utility bills. The project is the result of conversations between the state departments of Administration and Veterans Affairs, said Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch. These people are the best of the best. They protected us. They were entrusted to wear the uniform of the United States of America, said Kleefisch, who has made addressing homelessness one of her priorities. Yet some of them find themselves homeless. The program will use federal money diverted from a fund aimed at helping low-income people pay heating bills. Due to a mild winter, $5 million of that went unused. Kleefisch said the money would have to be used by the end of the federal fiscal year, on Sept. 30, or it would be sent back to the federal government. She said officials toured the state Monday, making stops in Milwaukee, Green Bay, Wausau and La Crosse to promote the program. Estimates suggest there are about 2,000 homeless veterans in Wisconsin throughout the year, she said. Were all just one medical disaster away from financial ruin, and thats often what we see in circumstances like these veterans find themselves in, Kleefisch said. The initiative, described as using the Housing First approach, will look to help veterans gain a stable home, so they can focus on other parts of their lives, she said. Its important to get veterans into permanent housing, Kleefisch said, because they are disproportionately affected by homelessness and can often struggle with physical disabilities, mental health problems and substance dependency problems that can be best addressed after the person is under a roof. Any possibility of appropriating more money to continue the initiative beyond September depends on how many people it reaches and its effectiveness, she said. We hope that people are excited about the potential help that this program can offer folks, and then well see how it goes, Kleefisch said. Department of Administration spokesman Steve Michels said in an email that officials will use lists from the Institute for Community Alliances, a homeless nonprofit advocacy organization, to identify homeless veterans to help. He said the goal is to reach all homeless veterans in the state. To be eligible, a veteran must present an ID to their county veterans service office, Michels said. Each individual can receive $5,000 in assistance from the program, Kleefisch said. In a recent interview for the State Journals ongoing project, Homeless in Madison | A City Challenged, she said to stay tuned about possible initiatives by the state to address homelessness. When asked if any other programs were in the works, she said she will continue to stay passionate about the topic and continue learning about new ideas and solutions. A hotline number, 866-432-8947, has been set up for veterans looking to get assistance from the program. A Sunday letter proposed voting for the Libertarian candidate to throw the presidential election into the House of Representatives, suggesting that those 435 politicians would do a better job selecting a president than the general populace. I do not agree. A vote in the House would be determined by a majority of the states, each of which would cast a single vote. It's a grossly undemocratic process that gives the fewer than 600,000 residents of the least-populous state (Wyoming) an equal say as the nearly 40 million residents of the most populous state (California). But with 33 state delegations having Republican majorities, the outcome could never be in doubt. Third parties have a place in the electoral process and can sometimes shake things up for the better. But as we learned after the 2000 election, a vote for a third party candidate can also lead to unintended and tragic consequences. If those who really believe we are being offered a choice between two evils (which I do not), then self-interest and concern for the countrys well-being demands a vote for the lesser of those evils. -- Walter Gray, Middleton House Speaker Michael Madigan has again canceled a session of the Illinois House scheduled for Wednesday. In a brief statement, Madigan said he wants to continue giving working groups time to come up with a compromise on a budget plan and parts of Gov. Bruce Rauners turnaround agenda. The bipartisan working groups of legislators will meet three times this week continuing their efforts to achieve a compromise on the state budget, Madigan said in a statement. Governor Rauner has been supportive of these groups efforts and I agree with his recent comments that until there is a compromise budget, lawmakers should not be brought back to Springfield. Rauner last week said he didnt see the point of calling lawmakers back into a special session until they had something to vote on. More HERE By India Today Web Desk: Out of 2.17 lakh online applications for the FYJC program this year, six students have aced the exam with 100 per cent in the general category. The merit list was announced on Saturday, June 18, 2016. Around 14, 589 students have scored above 90. There are a total of 1.49 lakh seats in FYJC. There are high chances that the first and second cut off lists that will release on June 27 and July, respectively will touch 90 plus scores of students. advertisement About the toppers: Students are from state board who have benefitted from additional sports marks of 15 to 25 Last year, as many as 1,683 students had scored above 95 per cent, this year 2, 066 students scored above 95 per cent The number of students scoring between 90 per cent and 94.99 per cent increased to 12,523 from 11,829 last year This includes over 10,000 from the Maharashtra state board and national boards - 3,136 from ICSE and 1,324 from CBSE. Students who have scored below 90 per cent: On scoring identical marks, students that have scored more in English or are older in age will be given the preference. The results have left several students worried, particularly those that have made it to 70-80 per cent marks as their rank of preference would be much lower. Academicians say that students who have scored between 60's, 70's and 80's will be given preference in coveted colleges only in the third list. In case of seats left or if they are not occupied by students, a fourth list will be released. Read: 82-year-old 'student' fails class 10 exam for 47th time Read: Khalsa college gets Delhi HC approval to start admission process with minority tag Click here for more updates from India Today Education. --- ENDS --- On International Yoga Day, India Today brings you an exclusive interview with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar to understand yoga and its unexplored secrets which can benefit you in everyday life. With the second International Yoga Day being celebrated today, on June 21, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a large gathering at Capitol Complex in Chandigarh, where he indulged in banter for over 25 minutes with the crowd before leaving for New Delhi. Moreover, 57 ministers, including cabinet ministers Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, Smriti Irani and Manohar Parrikar, practiced yoga in different areas across the nation. advertisement On International Yoga Day, India Today brings you an exclusive interview with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder Art of Living to understand yoga and its unexplored secrets which can benefit you in everyday life. Lets start the journey of Yoga with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Q.What is Yoga? How can Yoga transform people's lives? Sri Sri: Yoga is being natural and spontaneous. It is a state of harmony in every aspect of life whether it is physical, mental, emotional or spiritual and this brings a transformation from stress to happiness, not just at an individual level but at the level of society as well. Q: How is International Yoga Day benefiting the world? Sri Sri: The buzz around Yoga for the International Yoga Day will certainly bring more awareness on keeping the body and mind healthy all over the world. Yoga is not just limited to one religion or one country; it is a treasure of knowledge for all of humanity. The International Yoga Day will help make this treasure accessible to people across the world and will also remove the misconceptions and prejudice about yoga. Q: Yoga has been interpreted in various ways; spiritual bliss, exercise for healthy body and for some it is mastering the asanas. What is it? Sri Sri: Yoga means uniting, uniting with your own center. There are eight limbs to yoga and asanas is one of them. Most people think yoga is just a set of body postures but there is a lot more to it. Pranayama and meditation are also limbs of yoga and they bring harmony to deeper levels of existence beyond the physical. Q: What made you take Yoga as the sole goal in your life? Sri Sri: Yoga is so holistic that it includes everything. It is not a separate theoretical subject you study in life like the others, it enriches your very experience of living. Q: How can Yoga benefit students' lifestyle? Share some tips from which students can benefit. Sri Sri: Pranayama and meditation improve concentration and memory that students can really benefit from. Daily practice of meditation helps develop a keen insight into things and students develop strong receptivity. It can also enhance intuition for students and take away most of the mental fatigue as well as anxiety during exams. Yoga also helps to free them from inhibitions while interacting with people or performing. It also develops a strong and palatable personality. As teenagers, students go through a lot of inner turmoil. Yoga helps to ease them out. advertisement Q: Stress, tension, frustrations, depressions are key things identified in youth life. How can one get rid of such symptoms through Yoga? Sri Sri: They go away automatically with the practice of yoga. All these symptoms are due to low life force energy. Yoga raises our prana or life force energy and all these problems vanish without much effort. Q: A lot of people's lives go by sitting at office desks. Tell us how people can improve their lifestyle and make the most out of their life. Sri Sri: For people who spend most of their day sitting at desks, having some physical exercise or stretches as a part of their daily routine is essential. Pranayama and meditation keep the energy levels up through the day. High energy levels keep the mind clear and sharp. Offices can also have a group meditation before having meals together. This is also very helpful in promoting teamwork at the workplace. It is also a good idea to spend some time daily with Nature and do things that are not 'important'. This brings up creativity in us. advertisement Q: How technical is Yoga? How can one become a pro in it? Sri Sri: It is not something we have spend a lot of effort in learning. In fact, we have all done yoga as babies - all babies in the world are yogis. The way they stretch themselves in different postures, the way they smile, they way they breathe is all yoga. If you can observe a baby, you do not need a yoga teacher. (Yoga practise at a glass sightseeing platform ahead of the International Day of Yoga, on the outskirts of Beijing, China, June 20, 2016) Q: What is your goal in life? Sri Sri: To help people find the goal in their life. Read: Yoga Day celebrations made mandatory in schools For more updates, follow India Today Education or you can write to us at education.intoday@gmail.com --- ENDS --- Here's the story of Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) recruitment where 984 graduates have applied for a porter's job. Shocking! Over 900 graduates including 5 Mphils holders apply for just 5 vacancies in Maharashtra By India Today Web Desk: With India facing recession in recent months despite the fact that the economy continues to grow, a shocking case from Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) has come to light where not only graduates, but also Master's degree holders are struggling to find a job. (Read: 82-year-old 'student' fails class 10 exam for 47th time) Details of vacancies: advertisement Total posts: 5 Name of post: Hamal (Porter) Educational qualification: The candidates should be class 4 pass from a recognised school. Age limit: The candidate should be between 18 and 33 years Selection process: The candidates will be selected on the basis of a written test. Around 984 graduates and five MPhil degree holders applied for the job vacancy As per PTI report, till now, over 2,000 candidates have filled the application The advertisement was posted in December 2015 (Read: Bihar siblings defeat all odds, clear IIT exam: Read on to know their inspiring story) Recently, while speaking on the unemployment issue in India, Aspiring Minds CTO Varun Aggarwal said, "Engineering has become the de-facto graduate degree for a large chunk of students today. However, along with improving the education standards, it is typical that we evolve our undergraduate programmes to make them more job centric." Also, more than one lakh engineering students who graduated in 2015 are not employable. There is a major skill gap in the country as 80 per cent of the engineering graduates are "unemployable," he added. While explaining on this issue, Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) Secretary Rajendra Mangrulkar said,"We have received applications from 2,424 candidates for the five 'hamal' posts. They include 5 MPhil holder, 9 PG diploma holders, 109 diploma holders and 253 with PG degree." (Read: Vocational Education and Skilling: Changing homemakers to career women) Further, out of the total applications received, 984 are graduates, 605 are HSC (Class 12) passed, 282 SSC (Class 10) passed, and 177 below SSC candidates. Moreover, as per 2015 data, over 1,50,000 engineering students who completed their graduation from 650 colleges, are unemployable. Among others who were struggling to get a decent job were management graduates, IT sector-trained professionals, fashion designers, merchandisers and other retail sector professionals, pilots and other professionals.Read: Class 12 students have to buy their report cards in this Lucknow school For more updates, follow India Today Education or you can write to us at education.intoday@gmail.com --- ENDS --- The government has now introduced new procurement rules that are expected to simplify procedures. The government is hoping to transform India into a manufacturing hub for military equipment By Mail Today: India's defence industry, held under leash for long because of a conservative approach that blocked the private business to flourish in the sector, is poised for a quantum leap as the government allowed 100 per cent foreign direct investment further easing approvals for big-ticket projects. But the industry viewed the fresh move with caution as 100 percent FDI was already allowed in the defence sector with a rider that it would consider cases that brought in "state-of-the-art technology" to the country. advertisement GOING THE TECH WAY The government has now said that it will consider cases which brought "modern technology" to the country. The Modi government has been in favour of allowing massive private participation in the defence sector. Defence minister Manohar Parrikar has gone on record to state that the government would not mind giving 100 per cent FDI in a venture that would make manufacturing fighter planes in India possible. But many experts felt that it would still be difficult to define what comprises modern technology which is a broad criteria covering everything under the sun. Despite a liberal regime, foreign investments in the defence sector have been sluggish. According to government figures foreign investments worth only a crore of rupees were made in last two years in the defence sector. NEW PROCUREMENT RULES The situation is expected to change dramatically in the coming years as the government has introduced new procurement rules that are expected to simplify procedures. The officials said the actual FDI flows will be reflected in the coming months. INVESTMENTS ALREADY MADE There have been some bigticket investments. Just a day ago, India's Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) announced foundation of a new facility in Hyderabad for manufacturing Boeing AH-64 Apache helicopter fuselages. The IAF is buying 15 Apache helicopters but the facility will be used to meet international demands as Boeing has customers for the heavy lift helicopters in 15 other countries. Parrikar said it is the largest defence FDI joint venture in the country. MODI GOVERNMENT PROACTIVE The UPA government was reluctant to open up the defence sector as it allowed only 26 per cent FDI through automatic route. Despite several recommendations from the commerce ministry the cap was not raised until the Modi government brought it up to 49 per cent soon after coming to power. The industry had always pressed to go beyond 49 per cent as they said that what mattered was having larger control of the business in India. The officials claimed that by including "modern technology" as a criteria for allowing 100 percent FDI, it would open up larger participation. advertisement The Modi government wants to build a credible military industrial zone in the country where the country can emerge as an exporter of military hardware. Also Read: Modi says India now world's most open economy; approves 100 per cent FDI in defence, aviation FDI in defence, aviation; Apple stores in India: All you wanted to know --- ENDS --- "I am a three-time MP. I was a central minister and I worked with him for three years. You must call us and say Ambareesh give the chance to somebody else. I would have happily given" he said. By Rohini Swamy: Former housing minister Ambareesh is a hurt man. He has been the first minister to tender his resignation as an MLA and from the Congress party. Ever since the cabinet reshuffle in Karnataka, there has been a growing divide in the party. Men who were known as close confidantes of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah have now began saying that they do not subscribe to his decision making which they allege is largely unilateral. A visibly upset Ambareesh said, " I am not anyone's chappal to use and throw, I am a popular man". advertisement Here are excerpts of the exclusive interview by Ambareesh to India Today. Q Were you invited for the council of ministers meeting? A Yes, I was very much present in the meeting. Q Did Siddaramaiah intimate you about the cabinet reshuffle then? A He said that there will be a cabinet rejig and also termed it as unfortunate. He also thanked all of us for working with him. Q It is not the reflection of your work if the reshuffle happens? A He (Siddaramaiah) said that we all had worked well. My question to the CM is that I am a very popular man and I am not an idiot, not anyone's chappal to wear and throw it out. He should have told me Ambareesh, I have given you three years, let us give somebody else a chance, somebody who was in thirst for power , I would have happily stepped down. Q Were you hoping for the one to one meeting with him so that he could atleast explain about the issue and why do you think that he has taken this decision? A I was a central minister also. I am not any ordinary fellow nor a newcomer. You should ask him about this . Q Is there any dissent in the Congress party? A You must ask the CM that. He is a senior man. I am not hurt because I lost my power. Ambareesh, 63, was dropped along with 13 other ministers in a reshuffle by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday. Also Read Karnataka: 'Rebel Star' tenders resignation Karnataka Cabinet rejig: CM Siddaramaiah drops 14 ministers, inducts 13 new faces --- ENDS --- By PTI: New Delhi, Jun 21 (PTI) From performing aasanas in sub-zero temperature at Siachen to desert in Rajasthan and warships, the armed forces today marked the International Yoga Day across the country. Over four lakh personnel from the army alone participated in the events. Apart from holding yoga camps in units across the country, the Indian Navy and Coast Guard also organised programmes on ships like INS Airavat, Virat, Jalashwa, INS Cheetah, a Kumbhir-class tank landing ship of the navy, and ICGS Sagar. advertisement Personnel on Indian ships out in the Pacific Ocean also celebrated the day by performing different aasanas. Indian Coast Guard men posted in Male also participated in the event. "#IYD2016 Yoga by our brave sailors & officers at sea in NW Pacific ocean & in S Korea this morning," the Indian Navy tweeted. Yoga camps were held at places ranging from Andaman and Nicobar Islands to high altitude forward bases at Sia La at Siachen Glacier and Pangong lake in Ladakh. Apart from forward bases in Jammu and Kashmir, the army men also performed aasanas in desert of Rajasthan. Army Chief Gen Dalbir Singh, IAF Chief Arup Raha and Coast Guard Director General Rajendra Singh took part in the events. The Army Chief participated in a programme organised at the Parade Day ground at Delhi Cantonment, while the Air Force Chief attended an event at Wellingdon Camp, Air Force Station here. The Coast Guard Director General was part of the Yoga day event at the CG headquarters here. PTI PR RCJ ZMN RCJ --- ENDS --- By PTI: Mumbai, Jun 21 (PTI) The Art of Living Foundation today led thousands of yoga enthusiasts at different venues in Mumbai and adjoining Navi Mumbai to mark the second International Yoga Day. The main attraction was a yoga camp organised by the NGO at Poisar Gymkhana which was led by Swami Purnachaitanya from the Netherlands and attended by BJP MP Gopal Shetty, among others. advertisement Nearly 100 policemen attended another event at Nagpada Police station and learnt the basics of the ancient fitness regime. "The sequence of postures was based on the common yoga protocol prescribed by the Ministry of Ayush and the celebrations drew people from all walks of life, including children, youth and senior citizens," said a senior volunteer from the Foundation. Mumbai chapter of the Foundation, in a statement, said yoga sessions were also held in prisons, corporate offices (at about 1000 locations), on cargo ships, schools for specially- abled children and public parks, among other locations. The Foundation, through its volunteers and teachers, reached out to millions of yoga lovers in over 156 countries, it said. PTI APM RSY --- ENDS --- This man pleaded guilty for threatening a 23-year-old woman with rape and harassing her with repeated offensive comments and Facebook posts. He will be sentenced on July 29. So yes, sexual violence won't be silence! By India Today Web Desk: Using the shield of anonymity and 'trolling', people often end up crossing the line on the Internet. But who decides how much is too much and that the offensive 'trolls' and nasty comments are not amounting to online harassment? The courts will, of course. An Australian man, Zane Alchin, pleaded guilty for threatening a 23-year-old woman with rape and harassing her with repeated offensive comments and Facebook posts. advertisement How did it all start? In 2015, 23-year-old Olivia Melville, an Australian woman, came to know that a man had posted a screenshot of her Tinder profile on Facebook. She had used the lyrics from a song by rapper Nicki Minaj that read, "I am the kind of girl who would suck you dry and then eat some lunch with you" in her Tinder bio. Since the time the screenshot of her profile was posted on Facebook by Chris Hall, Olivia was insulted and slut-shamed. She even received rape threats from social media users. Out of the many who were commenting on Olivia's photo was Zane Alchin, who wrote more than 50 posts in response to Olivia. He wrote, "the best thing about a feminist is that they don't get any action, so when you rape them it feels 100 times tighter." When Olivia's friends came to her rescue, 25-year-old Alchin messed with them as well. "I'd rape you if you were better looking," wrote Alchin responding to a woman who called him out. "I couldn't go home after work for five days. I couldn't be alone and I was really scared. I was getting all these messages from people, and that was the most frightening thing - people were just bombarding me, abusing me, and saying I was in the wrong," Olivia told ABC News. Screen grab: Facebook Olivia's come-back campaign: Sexual Violence Won't Be Silenced After having a hard time recovering from all the slut-shaming, Olivia and her friends started a campaign group - Sexual Violence Won't Be Silenced - to raise awareness about sexism and online abuse. Alchin's offensive comments and threats were handed over to the police last year and he was subsequently arrested. In January, Alchin pleaded not guilty to the charges and used being under the influence of alcohol as an excuse. He also said he wasn't aware that he is breaking laws by commenting. Alchin has been charged with "using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence", and has pledged guilty to making sexual threats. He will be be sentenced on July 29 and might face up to three years in prison. --- ENDS --- advertisement Deputy CM Tejaswi Yadav, Education Minister Ashok Chowdhary and Health Minister Tej Pratap Yadav from Bihar government who were invited to attend the event refused to share stage with BJP leaders and therefore skipped the event. The three Bihar ministers were conspicuous with their absence as the chairs with their names remained vacant By Rohit Kumar Singh: The world today is celebrating International Yoga Day but in Bihar it was politics that dominated the proceedings with Yoga taking a back seat. The Yoga Day event at Patna's historical Gandhi Maidan was organized by Patanjali Yogapeeth and Baba Ramdev's organization has made elaborate arrangement for the day. Patanjali Yogapeeth had invited several leaders and ministers from ruling party as well as leaders from the Opposition but the Bihar ministers skipped the event as several leaders from BJP too were invited for the event. advertisement Union Minister for Telecommunications, Ravi Shankar Prasad who spear headed the Yoga Day celebration in Patna was joined by several BJP leaders lik e Prem Kumar, Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly and legislators Nitin Navin, Sanjeev Chaurasia and Arun Kumar. WHO MISSED THE YOGA DAY? However, Deputy CM Tejaswi Yadav, Education Minister Ashok Chowdhary and Health Minister Tej Pratap Yadav from Bihar government who were invited to attend the event refused to share stage with BJP leaders and therefore skipped the event. The three Bihar ministers were conspicuous with their absence as the chairs with their names remained vacant. The three Bihar ministers were conspicuous with their absence as the chairs with their names remained vacant as other chairs on the stage were occupied by other invited dignitaries. MINISTERS TAKE A JIBE Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister Ravi Shankar attacked the missing Bihar Ministers without naming any. "Yoga unites, does not divide. Yoga is above politics, power and any kind of opposition. Yoga should not be turned into ring for politics. Yoga is above ideology", said the Union Minister. BJP MLA Sanjeev Chaurasia too attacked the Bihar government ministers over their absence asserting that it was Bihar government which was playing politics over Yoga. "Bihar government feels that Yoga celebration is all about communalism and therefore they have chosen not to attend the event. This is unfortunate that they are playing politics over Yoga", said Sanjeev Chaurasia. The three absent Bihar ministers could not be reached for comments. Also read: Yoga is not a religious activity, says Modi on second International Yoga Day --- ENDS --- Late on Monday night, the SIT took Lalkeshwar and Usha on transit remand and brought them to Patna on Tuesday afternoon. A special team was dispatched from Patna for the couple's security. The couple had been evading arrest for almost a fortnight after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) finally apprehended them in Varanasi at their relative Prabhat Jaiswal's house. Jaiswal has also been arrested for providing shelter to the absconding couple and was also produced in Patna Court. Principal of Vishun Rai college Bacha Rai, another key player in the scam is already in jail surrendered on June 11 before the Vaishali police. Around 24 arrests have been made since the scam was exposed on India Today three weeks back. Michael Steven Sandford had tried to seize the gun after saying he was seeking Trump's autograph at Saturday's rally. The man said he was planning and trying to shoot Trump for about a year but had decided to act now because he finally felt confident enough to do so, papers said. A federal judge found Sandford, who appeared in court in shackles, to be a danger and risk of non-appearance. When asked about Sandford's arrest, a Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are providing assistance following an arrest of a British national in Las Vegas." According to the court papers, Sandford said he had never fired a gun before but went to a range in Las Vegas on June 17 to learn how to shoot. At Saturday's rally at the Treasure Island Casino, Sandford, who was in the US for a year and half, had tried to grab the weapon because it was in an unlocked position and therefore, the easiest way to get a gun to shoot Trump. Documents said Sandford acknowledged that he knew he would only be able to fire one or two rounds, and expected to be killed during an attempt on Trump's life. He told the police if he had not tried to kill Trump at this rally he would have tried again at a rally in Phoenix, for which he had already booked tickets. The US presidential election campaign of 2016 has been fringed with violence. Trump attracts protests almost everywhere he goes. The tycoon often mocks the demonstrators and there have been clashes with his supporters, both inside and outside of his packed, emotionally charged rallies. For some, the violence has stirred dark memories of 1968 when Democratic presidential contender Robert Kennedy was assassinated and riots broke out at the party's convention in Chicago. This year also, the country feels edgy and the Secret Service, which guards candidates as well as presidents, has been on high alert. Agents swarmed around Trump in Ohio in March after a man apparently attempted to climb on to the stage where he was speaking. Other events were cancelled because of security concerns. With five months to go, many Americans are worried about where this election is heading. Jogi made the announcement after a public meeting he held under his 'Gram Awaz Programme' at Thathapur in Kawarda district, the home turf of Chief Minister Raman Singh. By India Today Web Desk: Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi, who recently quit the Congress, has announced the name of his new party: Chhattisgarh Janta Congress. Jogi made the announcement after a public meeting he held under his 'Gram Awaz Programme' at Thathapur in Kawarda district, the home turf of Chief Minister Raman Singh. Jogi resigned from the Congress earlier this month after he was removed from the Congress Working Committee after audiotapes purportedly indicating his son's involvement in fixing a bypoll in favour of the BJP emerged. His wife, Renu Jogi, is a Congress MLA from Kota. advertisement Jogi, who has often declared Raman Singh as his prime enemy, had hinted at being a part of a 'Third Front' including Mamata Banerjee and Nitish Kumar if it is forged ahead of the 2019 general election. "Like Mahabharat's Arjun, I am also seeing my target as Raman-free Chhattisgarh. My single-point agenda is to oust the BJP-led corrupt government from the state which is allowing the private sector and select businessmen to loot state's precious minerals," he had said earlier this month. THE JOGI FACTOR IN CHHATTISGARH Jogi has considerable influence over the Satnami SC community and tribals, who comprise nearly 50 per cent of the state's population. He may damage the prospects of both the BJP and the Congress. If he succeeds in garnering support of Scheduled Caste voters, it could harm the BJP, which is currently holding nine of 10 reserved SC seats in the Assembly. The fact that he has a strong following in the state - despite being out of power since a long time - has prompted the ruling BJP as well as the Congress to devise strategies to counter him. Jogi had said he was forced to make the new outfit as the state Congress was incapable of taking on the Raman Singh government. The ruling BJP is likely to face the anti-incumbency factor, apart from stiff opposition from the Congress and Jogi's party in the 2018 Assembly polls. Also Read Ajit Jogi's new party in Chhattisgarh: A threat to Congress and BJP? O bhains: Ajit Jogi says speaking to Congress is like reading a book to a buffalo --- ENDS --- By PTI: From K J M Varma Beijing, Jun 21 (PTI) China today continued to stonewall Indias bid for NSG membership despite a fresh push by the US as the 48-nation grouping remained divided over the entry of a non-NPT signatory country like India. The Chinese Foreign Ministry sang different tunes, first saying that it was not targeting any country such as India or Pakistan and then taking a swipe at the US for backing Indias case citing the rule that countries which have not signed the NPT should not be allowed into NSG. advertisement The Chinese comments came after the White House said India was "ready" for NSG membership and asked participating governments to support Indias application at the plenary session of NSG in Seoul two days from now. At the same time, Beijing said the "door is open" for discussions on the issue but then emphasised on whether criteria for memberships should be changed instead of making exceptions. In other words, China is seeking to equate India with its impeccable non-proliferation record with that of Pakistan for which it is batting. Given this scenario and continued Chinese opposition, it is very likely that a consensus on Indias membership will elude the groupings plenary on June 23-24. Some 20 members are said to be backing India, some are undecided and some are opposed to it. New Delhi is closely monitoring the goings-on in the South Korean capital and may depute its Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar to lobby with members if it sees any prospect of Indian bid succeeding. PTI KJV/LKJ/PYK ABH AKJ ABH --- ENDS --- Room for discussion, says China but wants NSG to first agree on allowing non-NPT signatories to join the elite nuke club. China pointed out that it was Washington that first came up with the rules for NSG membership and linking it to the NPT. By Ananth Krishnan: China on Tuesday underlined its view that the Nuclear Suppliers Group should focus on agreeing criteria for the entry of new members rather than on India's specific case, but said the "door is still open" for continuing discussions. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said "there is room" for discussion on the entry of new members, but Beijing's view was that the 48-member grouping, which is holding its plenary in Seoul this week, should first agree on the general question of allowing any country that is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), before considering individual cases. advertisement "One thing is very clear. Within the group of the NSG, members have different opinions regarding whether or not non-NPT countries can join," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said. "Therefore we are now talking about non-NPT members joining the NSG as a whole instead of specific non-NPT countries' accession." Hua added that "the door is never closed" and "room is there" for further discussions, but those consultations should focus not on individual bids. "First, members should stay focused whether the criteria should be changed" regarding allowing non-NPT countries, said Hua. US BACKING INDIA's ENTRY On the question of the US backing India's entry, Hua pointed out that it was Washington that first came up with the rules for NSG membership and linking it to the NPT. "The US is also one of those who made the rule that non-NPT countries should not join the NSG, and the relevant rule is based on the principle of the NPT being a cornerstone of the NSG." She added that deemphasising the NPT "as a pillar of the non-proliferation system" would have other ramifications, pointing to the Iranian nuclear issue as well as North Korea's nuclear programme which had "drawn people's attention together on joining the NPT". Her comments suggest the focus of the Seoul plenary could first be on arriving at an understanding on the entry of all non-NPT countries, which could later pave the way for considering India's specific bid. India is the only non-NPT country that has garnered the support of most of the NSG's members, and also the only non-NPT country to have been granted a waiver for civilian nuclear cooperation with the U.S., in 2008. Arriving at a general understanding on criteria would also ensure that the door is open for the future entry of other non-NPT countries, including Pakistan, which is worried that Indian membership would effectively end its chances of entry as the NSG decides by consensus. "China and other countries oppose the NSG including India while excluding Pakistan, because it means solving India's problem but creating another bigger problem," said a commentary on Tuesday in the Beijing tabloid Global Times, known usually for its hawkish views, authored by a scholar from China West Normal University. He said that while India sought membership, "it prevents Pakistan from joining by insisting on the latter's bad record of nuclear proliferation". Defending Pakistan, the author added that the proliferation carried out by notorious scientist AQ Khan "was not an official policy" and that the government had punished him. advertisement Day after China rebuff, US asks NSG to back India's membership India hopeful of NSG consensus, says Sushma Swaraj Exclusive: Positive about India's entry into NSG: Vladimir Putin to India Today --- ENDS --- By PTI: Ratlam (MP), Jun 21 (PTI) A heated exchange of words took place between Union Minister Harsh Vardhan and Congress MP Kantilal Bhuria with the latter threatening to bring a privilege motion in Parliament against district authorities for not inviting him to government functions held here yesterday. Bhuria has alleged that the protocol has been violated. When Vardhan was leaving the Circuit House to attend a function last evening here, Bhuria with his supporters stopped the cavalcade of the Union Science and Technology Minister to register his complaint. advertisement The Union Minister had arrived here to take part in various programmes on the occasion of BJP-led NDA government completing two years at the Centre. Bhuria fumed that he had not been invited to the government functions despite the fact that he was an MP from the ST Ratlam Lok Sabha seat. The Congress tribal leader shouted that he was going to bring a privilege motion against the district authorities for disrespecting him by not inviting him to government functions, and demanded action against officials. While shouting at the minister, Bhuria allegedly even held Vardhans arm tightly in anger apparently to ensure that he doesnt get into his car to leave the venue. Vardhan then told Bhuria, "Aap bolne ka lahja sahi rakhen (mind your language)." But the minister then mellowed down and said, "I had been informed by the district authorities that they invited you (Bhuria) to the functions. "In fact, I waited for you at a function earlier. However, I am going to write for action against officials who didnt invite you," Vardhan assured the tribal leader. The Union minister was in town yesterday to attend a series of functions to highlight the NDA governments achievement of two years. PTI CORR LAL MAS GK MNG BAS --- ENDS --- By PTI: From K J M Varma Beijing, Jun 21 (PTI) Eleven more people died due to floods and landslides in China as heavy rains and hailstorms wrecked havoc in several provinces since the weekend, taking the death toll in rains during the past few days to 33. Ministry of civil affairs yesterday said22 people were killed in rains andfloodsin China. advertisement Six more persons died in eastern Jiangxi Province, the provincial civil affairs department said. Among them, two drowned in swollen rivers, while four killed by lightening. Three persons remain missing, 105,700 hectares of crops were ruined, 969 houses destroyed and direct economic losses worth USD 328.5 million have been estimated in the region. About 199,000 people have been displaced, including about 13,000 from Guxiandu, Poyang County where a river breached its banks last evening. More than 400 armed police plan to mend a 100-meter gap in the river defenses tomorrow. "Were waiting because the water level remains high," said a police spokesman. Many villagers were trapped on upper floors. Rescuers distributed food and water to them and took the elderly and children to safe places. In Zhangjialing village, 70 per cent of homes were flooded in water up to four meters deep. Rescuers are trying to help the villagers as water levels continue to rise. In Xingwen County, southwestern Sichuan province, five bodies were found at a railway construction site, bringing the death toll from landslides in the county to seven. Following heavy rain, a landslide occurred around 3 AM on Sunday that destroyed workers dormitories. Three persons were hospitalised, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. A spokesperson with the Yangtze River Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said the storms since the weekend had taken tributaries at the upper and middle reaches of the river to their highest level in decades. Vice Premier Wang Yang called for intensified efforts to prevent flood and mitigate losses from floods on Saturday. Affected by El Nino, China would face very complicated weather conditions and there is a relatively high possibility of basin-wide floods occurring this year, Wang warned. PTI KJV ZH --- ENDS --- By PTI: From Youssra EL-Sharkawy Cairo, Jun 21 (PTI) An Egyptian court today quashed a governments border deal with Saudi Arabia to hand over two strategic Red Sea islands to the Gulf nation that had sparked public outrage in the country. The Egyptian Administrative Court ruled that two islands Tiran and Sanafir, which were under Egypts control for over 60 years, should remain under the Egyptian sovereignty. advertisement The agreement of transferring the two islands to Saudi Arabia was signed on April 8 as part of a short visit by Saudi King Salman to Cairo. Egyptian lawyers Khaled Ali and Ali Ayoub had filed a lawsuit in the Egyptian Administrative Court at the State Council against the deal. Their report included that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Prime Minister Sherif Ismail and Parliament Speaker Ali Abdel-Al had wrongfully waived Egyptian sovereignty rights over the two islands. The court decision is not final and can be appealed. The Egyptian government had described the deal as "an important achievement that will make the two countries benefit economically". The handover sparked an outcry from many Egyptians activists who rallied on April 25 to protest against the governments deal. The protesters, in different parts of the country, organised marches against the deal and accused the government of selling the islands in return for Saudi investments. The police used tear gas to disperse the anti-government rallies and many protesters were arrested as street protests are banned without prior permission from police as part of a controversial protest law issued in 2013. Saudi Arabia has been a major financial backer to Egypt since el-Sisi took power after ousting Mohammad Morsi, Egypts first freely elected president, in a military coup in 2013. PTI YES MRJ AKJ MRJ --- ENDS --- The complainant, Supreme Court lawyer Suren Uppal has claimed threat to his life. Uppal has written to the home ministry asking for an investigative agency to take custody of over 25 hours of alleged tape recordings. By Rahul Kanwal: As the #EssarTapes explode, the home ministry is all set to probe, just how India's top businessmen, politicians and bureaucrats were allegedly spied on...and if a corporate really tapped the phones of India's VVIPs? But even before probe begins, the complainant, Supreme Court lawyer Suren Uppal has claimed threat to his life. Uppal has written to the home ministry asking for an investigative agency to take custody of over 25 hours of alleged tape recordings. advertisement In the letter, that has been exclusively accessed by India Today, Suren Uppal has written to the home secretary saying that the alleged documents related to the case and the recordings on the CDs are not safe in his offices. And that the possession of this crucial evidence is posing a threat to his life and safety. In his letter, Uppal also claims that he has spotted some suspicious activity in his neighbourhood. Meanwhile, the alleged whistleblower in the case, Albasit Khan's claim that the tape recordings were handed over to him by Mumbai cop Vijay Salaskar has been demolished by the Mumbai Police. Mumbai Police Commissioner Dattatray Padsalgikarhas explicitly told India Today that the Mumbai Police never authorised any phone tapping of businessmen and politicians. Also Read: Essar snoop diaries: Tapped conversations segregated as political discussion and business strategies Essar snoop diaries: All you need to know about the phone-tapping controversy Modi orders probe into Essar leaks, asks Home Ministry to submit report --- ENDS --- By India Today Web Desk: Kejriwal does Modi virodhi asana to mark Yoga Day, says I am not scared Hours after 'welcoming' the FIR filed against him in the alleged tanker scam, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal dragged Prime Minister Narendra Modi into the controversy today and challenged him to prove charges levelled against him. Now, China says door is open for talks on non-NPT countries joining NSG advertisement China on Tuesday underlined its view that the Nuclear Suppliers Group should focus on agreeing criteria for the entry of new members rather than on India's specific case, but said the "door is still open" for continuing discussions. How latest Hollywood movie helped India bounce back in Harare After a shocking two-run defeat in the first Twenty20, India bounced back in style to beat hosts Zimbabwe by 10 wickets in the second match in Harare. Salim Khan apologises for Salman's rape metaphor, says intention wasn't wrong Daddy dearest Salim Khan once again comes to the rescue of son Salman Khan for his wrong ways. He publicly apologised on Twitter for the Sultan actor's "raped woman" comment. --- ENDS --- The apex food regulator took action after receiving complaints from the GAMA web portal, launched by the department of consumer affairs in 2015. FSSAI recently issued notices to at least four food companies that either had to withdraw their commercials or modify them. By Neetu Chandra Sharma: Authorities have cracked down on food companies that issue advertisements screaming their products are "the best" or "miracle cures" without appropriate disclaimers. The Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSAI) under the Union health ministry recently issued notices to at least four such firms that finally either had to withdraw their commercials or modify them. Jivo Wellness Pvt Ltd was pulled up for its canola oil, KC Food Products for its digestive biscuits, Phytotech Extracts Pvt Ltd for its supplement Proteqt that helps manage hangovers and Chemical Resources in Maharashtra for the Furocycst pills meant for ovarian cysts. FALSE ADVERTISING Analysts say false advertising is notoriously common in India and easy to get away with. According to reports last month, FSSAI and the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) may soon join forces to clamp down on misleading food and beverage commercials. advertisement "Jivo Wellness Pvt Ltd was advertising that canola can prevent diabetes and heart diseases with a private hospital putting its seal. KC Foods from Jammu and Kashmir was advertising that digestive biscuit is the best in the market due to highest content of whole wheat flour," said Pawan Kumar Agarwal, CEO of FSSAI. "After the FSSAI took cognisance, the companies had to withdraw these misleading advertisements. Similarly, Chemical Resources was directed to modify its advertisements for Furocyst as it was making claims that the drug contains USpatented ingredients, has no side-effects and that around 94 per cent of patients reported positive results after usage." The apex food regulator of the country took action after receiving complaints from the GAMA (Grievances against Misleading Advertisements) web portal, which was launched by the department of consumer affairs last year. ASCI processes these complaints and moves them to respective authorities if companies fail to comply with its directions. The council announced a WhatsApp connection in March to reach the public. Sources say the consumer contact has nearly doubled since this new medium was opened up to register complaints. POURING COMPLAINTS WhatsApp is now contributing to more than 12 per cent of the total advertisements complained against and deliberated upon by the Consumer Complaints Council. "With increased awareness levels, it has also had an incremental effect on the overall number of complaints received directly by other means such as mobile app and website," said ASCI chairman Benoy Roychowdhury. The council's WhatsApp number has seen complaints come in against advertisements appearing in a wide range of sectors such as FMCG, healthcare, telecom, ecommerce, travel, durables, automotive, food and beverages and education. The ASCI code is recognised by the information and broadcasting ministry. Complaints came in from across India, including areas such as the West Jaintia Hills, Bareilly, Varanasi, Vadodara, Ludhiana and Chennai. Criticisms poured in for advertisements across media, including websites, radio, SMS, emailers, promotional materials, product packaging and hoardings. The FSSAI recently asked its central licensing authority to send a show-cause notice to yoga guru Ramdev's Patanjali group over complaints about misleading advertisements of mustard oil. --- ENDS --- advertisement By PTI: Mumbai, Jun 21 (PTI) A case was today registered against Sunil Mali, personal secretary of Maharashtra Health Minister Deepak Sawant, in connection with sexual harassment of a woman doctor. The FIR was lodged under sections 354 A (sexual harassment) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of IPC, a police officer said, adding no arrest has been made. Yesterday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had directed Principal Secretary, Health, Sujata Saunik, to probe the allegations after the woman doctor sent a written complaint to him. advertisement The 26-year-old doctor alleged that Mali asked her inappropriate and personal questions for around two hours in the ministers ante-chamber in March this year. She wanted to give a presentation to the minister on her digitised primary health centre (PHC) project at Patonda village in Jalgaon district as she wanted to implement it at other PHCs across the state. Mali has denied the allegations. Sources in the ministry said yesterday that he had been asked to go on leave. The woman submitted a written complaint to police yesterday. PTI NS KRK DIP JMF --- ENDS --- The 17-year-old boy wonder has even cooked for the Obamas and will soon launch his full-fledged restaurant in the US. He's also a guest judge on an upcoming episode of MasterChef Australia. By Shreya Goswami: You might not have heard of him, but Flynn McGarry is the dashing new darling on the US food scene. He started cooking when he was just 10, because his parents weren't the best cooks. While such a situation might have most kids making Mac-n-Cheese or khichdi (in an Indian home), Mcgarry felt food is an art and deserved nothing less than gourmet standards. Flynn McGarry has travelled around the world to work with chefs and know more about ingredients. Photo courtesy: Instagram/diningwithflynn advertisement At the age of 13, McGarry started organizing dinners for his family and friends. This later turned into his pop-up restaurant, Eureka, where he serves 20 guests with an 8-course menu costing $160 per person! He became popular quite quickly, thanks to his unique take on classics. Also read: What this Indian MasterChef Australia contestant did on being eliminated will make you proud Flynn McGarry with MasterChef Australia judges Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris during the Pressure Test. Photo courtesy: Twitter/diningwithflynn And though he's just 17, McGarry has been listed as Time Magazine's 25 Most Influential Teens in both 2014 and 2015. He even cooked a meal for the Obamas in the White House. He revealed in a recent interviewthat people fondly call him 'the Justin Bieber of food'! If that wasn't enough, he's now a part of the MasterChef Australia family, along with culinary stalwarts such as Marco Pierre White, Heston Blumenthal and Nigella Lawson, to name a few. As the guest judge on a recent episode (it aired in Australia last night but will air in India next week), McGarry sent shivers down the spine of the contestants who were up for elimination, with his dish, Beet Wellington. McGarry's Beet Wellington is a modern, vegetarian take on the classic Beef Wellington. Photo courtesy: Twitter/masterchefau This modern, vegetarian adaptation of the classic Beef Wellington impressed the contestants, judges and the audience, as the four contestants grappled with the 62-steps-long recipe. Also read: Nidhi Mahajan To Rishi Desai: Know all about the Indian contestants on MasterChef Australia McGarry's dish was inspiring and fear-inducing, perfect for a Pressure Test episode on MasterChef Australia. Surprisingly, the Beet Wellington was quite meaty despite the lack of beef. It's this creative style and depth of execution that is sure to grab the attention of the world's foodies, especially vegetarians who have fewer gourmet classics that have been updated to match our times. George Calombaris, Flynn McGarry and Matt Preston, during the tasting after the Pressure Test. Photo courtesy: Instagram/diningwithflynn While Flynn McGarry has gone back to New York to work on the opening of his first, and much anticipated restaurant--the brick and mortar version of Eureka--the world is still reeling from the after-effects of his appearance on MasterChef Australia. We are sure we'll see some amazing achievements by the 'Justin Bieber of food' in the future. advertisement Here's how Matt Preston introduced the MasterChef kitchen to the wonder that is Flynn McGarry. Watch the video here: Age is just a number? Tonight's Guest Chef Flynn McGarry (@diningwithflynn) is only 17 years old! #MasterChefAU A video posted by MasterChef Australia (@masterchefau) on Jun 20, 2016 at 12:23am PDT --- ENDS --- By PTI: From Sajjad Hussain Islamabad, Jun 21 (PTI) Pakistans former ambassador in the US was "lobbying against his own country" and "creating hurdles for the government", the countrys top diplomat said today, apparently referring to Hussain Haqqani who was sacked by the government at the armys behest. "A former Pakistani ambassador is working against his own country in the US," the Prime Ministers Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz told the National Assembly without naming the ex-ambassador. advertisement He said that Pakistans diplomatic mission in the US is facing challenges due to the former ambassadors campaign. "This person is trying to tackle all our diplomatic efforts in boosting the bilateral ties between Pakistan and the United States," Aziz was quoted as saying by Dawn. He was "lobbying against his own country" and "creating hurdles for the government", Aziz said. The adviser added that the "Foreign Office has serious reservation on the activities of the said person in the US." According to knowledgeable sources, Aziz was referring to Haqqani who was appointed as ambassador during rule of former President Asif Ali Zardari and later sacked at the insistence by army which was not happy with his working. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif accused Haqqani earlier this year by naming for working against F-16 planes deal, which was unsuccessful as US congress refused to fund the purchase of eight latest F-16s. Haqqani, who served as Pakistans ambassador to the US from April 2008 to November 2011, was sacked for allegedly authoring a memo seeking Washingtons help to prevent a coup in the country. PTI SH ZH --- ENDS --- Last month, the regulator had recommended to the Health Ministry removal of potassium bromate from the list of permissible food additives after a study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). By PTI: The government today banned use of potassium bromate as a food additive following a CSE study that found its presence in bread as causing cancer. The Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), however, has referred potassium iodate -- also claimed to be carcinogenic used as a food additive -- to a scientific panel. advertisement "FSSAI has banned potassium bromate. A notification has been issued in this regard. As far as potassium iodate is concerned, it has been referred to a scientific panel," FSSAI CEO Pawan Kumar Agarwal told PTI. POTASSIUM BROMATE CAUSES CANCER Last month, the regulator had recommended to the Health Ministry removal of potassium bromate from the list of permissible food additives after a study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The CSE study had found that 84 per cent of 38 commonly available brands of pre-packaged breads, including pav and buns, tested positive for potassium bromate and potassium iodate. These two food additives are banned in many countries and listed as "hazardous" for public health. According to CSE, potassium bromate typically increases dough strength, leads to higher rising and uniform finish to baked products while potassium iodate is a flour treatment agent. CSE had also urged FSSAI to ban the use of potassium bromate and potassium iodate with immediate effect and prevent their routine exposure to Indian population. After the CSE study, a bread manufacturers body had said they will stop using controversial potassium bromate and potassium iodate as additives. The All India Bread Manufacturers Association, which represents over 90 organised bread manufacturers such as Harvest Gold and Britannia, had asked FSSAI to verify the findings of the CSE report that claimed most of the breads sold in the national capital contained cancer-causing chemicals. Also read: Will not use potassium bromate, iodate in products, say bread manufacturers --- ENDS --- Nature has a own way of showing its wrath. Find out how people across the world survive this battle! By India Today Web Desk: People of China's Hunan Province are facing a flood crisis due to incessant rains, and adding to the misery a river burst its banks. Nearly 15,000 people have been relocated because of the river bank burst and the situation is only getting worse. Amid this we came across unique ways people use to rescue themselves and others from the massive floods. advertisement This is how they are doing it: Source: Reuters Source: AP --- ENDS --- Several political leaders in different parts of the country chose to stay away from camps marking the second edition of what is now a UN-recognized annual yoga program. If you (the BJP) are so serious about yoga, then prime minister Modi should ban liquor at least in all the BJP ruled states," Nitish Kumar told a public meeting By India Today Web Desk: Steered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the International Yoga Day on Tuesday remained a politically divided event in India. Several political leaders in different parts of the country chose to stay away from camps marking the second edition of what is now a UN-recognized annual yoga program. NO INTERNATIONAL YOGA DAY IN BIHAR? In Bihar, the Nitish Kumar government distanced itself from public celebrations hosted by the Patanjali Yogapeeth. Bihar's deputy chief minister Tejaswi Yadav, education minister Ashok Chowdhary and health minister Tej Pratap Yadav didn't attend the event as they refused to share the dais with rival BJP politicians. Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad spearheaded the International Yoga Day at Patna's Gandhi Maidan. Stung by the state ministers' absence, Prasad referred to yoga's literal connotations of unity. "Yoga unites. It does not divide. Yoga is above politics, power and any kind of opposition," the union minister remarked. "Yoga should not be turned into a ring of politics. Yoga is above ideology. I would have been happy, had (chief minister) Nitish Kumar performed yoga along with me," he said. BIHAR COMMUNALIZING YOGA? A BJP MLA, Sanjeev Chaurasia accused the Bihar government of communalizing the ancient Indian practice. "The Bihar government feels that yoga celebrations are all about communalism and therefore they have chosen not to attend the event. It's unfortunate that they are playing politics over yoga," he alleged. BAN LIQUOR BEFORE PROMOTING YOGA: NITISH KUMAR advertisement In his comments, the state chief minister on Sunday challenged Modi to order total liquor prohibition in BJP-ruled states as a sign of his commitment to yogic practices. "Yoga's first principle is to abstain from consumption of liquor. So if you (the BJP) are so serious about yoga, then prime minister Modi should ban liquor at least in all the BJP ruled states," Nitish Kumar told a public meeting. KERALA FOLLOWS SUIT In Kerala, state health minister KK Shylaja Tuesday refused to participate in prayers marking the start of the International Yoga Day celebrations in Thirvuvananthapuram. Yoga, she insisted, should be secular as she declined to join her hands in supplication for Sanskrit prayers. No one, she said, should be forced to say prayers of others' faith. CHANDIGARH PREFERS PROTEST OVER YOGA DAY Up north in Chandigarh, around 250 farmers led by Congress leader Inderjeet Singh Zira held a protest over a spate of farmer suicides in Punjab. Their demonstration near the state civil secretariat coincided with the prime minister's Yoga Day celebrations at the city's Capitol Complex. "If PM Modi didn't heed the demands of the farmers and labourers, the farming community will be forced to launch a massive agitation," Zira warned during the demonstration where participants carried blood donated by farmers. SAMAJWADI PARTY BOYCOTTS YOGA In Uttar Pradesh, the ruling Samajwadi Party largely boycotted yoga events. WHO LED THE CAMPS A number of central ministers from the saffron party fanned across the state to lead the camps. Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Maneka Gandhi, Kalraj Mishra and V.K. Singh were among top central leaders who attended the yoga programs in Uttar Pradesh. Also Read International Yoga Day: From Kashmir to Kerala, India does asanas in tandem with PM Modi --- ENDS --- By PTI: New Delhi, June 21 (PTI) India is set to become a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) along with Pakistan when the China-dominated security grouping meets for its summit in Uzbekistan capital Tashkent on June 23-24 which will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The SCO is increasingly seen as a counterweight to NATO and its membership will help India have a greater say in issues relating to security and defence besides combating terrorism. advertisement India, one of the largest energy consuming countries in the world, is expected to get greater access to major gas and oil exploration projects in Central Asia once it becomes a member of the SCO. Prime Minister Modi is likely to have a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on June 23 on the sidelines of the SCO summit during which he is expected to seek Chinas support for Indias bid for membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, which Beijing is keen on blocking. The annual plenary session of the NSG will be held in South Korea capital Seoul on June 23 and 24 during which Indias application for membership may come up for deliberation. The SCO had set the ball rolling to make India a member of the bloc during its summit in Ufa in July last year when administrative hurdles were cleared to grant membership to India, Pakistan and Iran. India will complete the process of full membership of the SCO at the summit, sources said. SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the Presidents of Russia, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India, Iran and Pakistan were admitted as observers at the 2005 Astana Summit. The Tashkent SCO Summit in June 2010 had lifted the moratorium on new membership, paving the way for expansion of the grouping. India feels as SCO member, it will be able to play a major role in addressing the threat of terrorism in the region. India is also keen on deepening its security-related cooperation with the SCO and its Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS) which specifically deals with issues relating to security and defence. India has been an observer at the SCO since 2005 and has generally participated in the ministerial-level meetings of the grouping which focus mainly on security and economic cooperation in the Eurasian region. Russia has been favoring permanent SCO membership for India while China pushed for induction of Pakistan. PTI MPB SK --- ENDS --- Courtesy Maureen Azize(LITTLE COMPTON, R.I.) -- A Rhode Island mom and dad are facing the challenges of their son's premature birth head-on with encouragement from none other than the director of Finding Dory, Andrew Stanton. "Andrew Stanton himself was born premature and didn't have much of a chance of survival," mom Maureen Azize of Little Compton told ABC News Tuesday. "It was inspiring to hear how thankful he was to his parents for giving him a chance. It confirmed it was the right choice to give Francis a chance." When Francis William Azize was born on Jan 13, 2015, he weighed just 1 pound, 9 ounces. He was 17 weeks early, arriving at 23 weeks. Doctors gave him a 15 percent chance of survival and he spent 118 days in the NICU at the Ronald McDonald House in Providence, Rhode Island, his mother said. "It was a lot of ups and downs," Azize said of her now 1-year-old son. "They say it's a roller coaster and it definitely is. Some days it derails, but he received a lot of prayers and a lot of love from everyone and he is thriving. The staff, nurses, doctors -- they're such unique people on the front lines of fragile lives." She added: "Developmentally, he's right on track of where we want him to be. He's currently in the process of wanting to walk. He's not there yet, but he wants to be. I think one of the doctors said, 'You have to have spunk to be born at 23 weeks,' and I think that described him very well ... he's just a real little gift." Charles Kinnane, Azize's brother and Francis' uncle, shared a video with the family featuring an inspiring speech delivered by Stanton at the 2012 Ted Talk conference. Stanton is the creative force behind Disney & Pixar's Finding Nemo and the newly released sequel, Finding Dory. But it was what he said at the end of the conference that the Azize family said brought them to tears. When I was born, I was born premature -- that I came out much too early and I wasnt fully baked," Stanton said in his speech. "I was very, very sick and when the doctor took a look at this yellow kid with black teeth he looked straight at my mom and said, Hes not going to live. He added: I was in the hospital for months. I lived. Whatever I ended up being good at, I would strive to be worthy of the second chance I was given." The Azizes, along with Kinnane, created a video titled, "Just Keep Swimming," which correlated Stanton's speech with Francis' journey. The footage, posted on June 17, was viewed 6.2 million times on Francis William's community Facebook page. "It's a little no overwhelming, but not in a bad way," Azize said of the video's popularity. "We've received so many other stories from people who have premature children. Some are still in the NICU and have appreciation for life after watching it. I think ultimately that's been the greatest thing about sharing the video is this appreciation on life." In February 2015, while Francis was still in the NICU, Kinnane was stunned to be sitting next to Stanton on a flight from LAX to Oakland. "I said, 'Mr. Stanton, I don't want to bother you, but my sister and brother-in-law have a son that's in the NICU and your TED Talk really inspired us,'" Kinnane of San Francisco Bay said of the encounter. "I showed him some photos [of Francis] and he couldn't have been nicer. After seeing some photos he said, 'Us preemies need to stick together.'" As Kinnane deplaned, Stanton handed him a note for his nephew. It read, "To Francis William, Just Keep Swimming. -Andrew Stanton." "I think it's a really cool story and connection between the events," Azize said. In response to the "Just Keep Swimming," Stanton shared the video on Twitter writing: "Can't stop crying. 'Profoundly moved' is an understatement. #GoFrancis" "'Just keep swimming' and that's what Francis did," Azize said in the video. "He just kept swimming throughout the NICU and he continues to 'just keep swimming' and thriving. We wanted to give him a chance." The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of ABC News. Copyright 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. China has said that India's application for membership into the Nuclear Suppliers Group was not on the agenda at NSG meet. By India Today Web Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in Uzbekistan's Tashkent on Thursday, a meeting that will be closely watched since it comes in the backdrop of India's aggressive campaign for NSG membership, a bid opposed by China. In his meeting with Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Modi is expected to raise the issue of India's bid for the membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). But whether the discussions will lead to a break in the logjam is a moot point. advertisement CHINA OPPOSED TO INDIA'S NSG ENTRY On Monday, in a blow to India's hopes, China said that the NSG was still divided over admitting the country, and that New Delhi's application for membership was not on the agenda of the plenary of the 48-member bloc in Seoul later this week. Beijing's statement came a day after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj exuded confidence in getting China's support for membership at the NSG - the global nuclear trade regulatory body. "The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) is still divided about non-NPT (Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty) countries entry into the NSG and under the current circumstances we hope that NSG will make thorough discussions to make a decision based on consultation," Hua Chunying, spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry, said. China has been opposed to India's membership to the NSG bloc on the grounds that it is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Beijing has also said that if New Delhi is admitted, then so should Pakistan, its all-weather ally, be given admission to the elite bloc. India, which finds the NPT discriminatory in nature, has been backed by the US, Switzerland, Mexico, Italy, Russia and Britain. However, some member countries like New Zealand, and South Africa have been opposing India's entry. Consensus among all member countries is essential to allow a new entrant. US ASKS NSG TO BACK INDIA Meanwhile, the United States today once again asked the NSG members to consider and support India's application to join the elite 48-nation group at their plenary meeting in Seoul beginning tomorrow. "We believe, and this has been US policy for some time, that India is ready for membership and the United States calls on participating governments to support India's application at the plenary session of NSG later this week," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said. ALSO READ: Mission NSG: China says NSG divided, issue can't be discussed in plenary Exclusive: Positive about India's entry into NSG: Vladimir Putin to India Today --- ENDS --- Yoga sessions at all locations were organised by trained instructors who explained and demonstrated the correct postures for various asanas while explaining their benefits. By Ashwini Kumar: As the Indian dignitaries took the Yoga mat on International Yoga Day, the Army wasn't far behind. The Army's Fire & Fury Corps at Siachen Glacier, Leh, Kargil and other forward locations along the borders also performed breath taking exercises. ISN'T THE ARMY FIT? SD Goswami, defence Spokesperson said that the Army has incorporated yoga asanas into daily routine of the soldier posted at high altitude areas deployed in harsh climatic conditions. Yoga in such an environment helps them to combat various diseases such as high altitude sickness, hypoxia, pulmonary odema and psychological stress and fatigue. The respiratory adaptations of Pranayama help the soldiers to adapt to the environment where the oxygen levels are low. advertisement A positive, well relaxed and de-stressed body and mind is the most significant benefit of yoga which in turn assists the soldiers to operate in such a challenging environment. Yoga sessions at all locations were organised by trained instructors who explained and demonstrated the correct postures for various asanas while explaining their benefits. Also read International Yoga Day: From Kashmir to Kerala, India does asanas in tandem with PM Modi Yoga is not a religious activity, says Modi on second International Yoga Day --- ENDS --- On the occasion of International Yoga Day, Bipasha Basu shared a picture with husband Karan Singh Grover on Instagram. By India Today Web Desk: International Yoga Day, which is about spreading awareness to achieve a healthier lifestyle, is celebrated across the world on June 21. Shilpa Shetty Kundra, Lara Dutta and Bipasha Basu are known for their videos of endorsing yoga. On the occasion of International Yoga Day, Bipasha shared a picture with husband Karan Singh Grover on Instagram and wrote, "Yoga takes you into the present moment, the only place where life exists..Bliss with my love (sic)." advertisement Bipasha, this year, is the state ambassador of Karnataka. The Jism actor performed yoga for about 20 minutes at a programme organised by various government departments in association with Shwasa, an organisation dedicated to popularising yoga. The programme was held at Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru from 7 am to 8.30 am. Bipasha also shared the picture of performing Yoga at the stadium. Bipasha wore a black tank top and leggings for the day. The actor was joined by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Union Minister of Law and Justice DV Sadananda Gowda, BJP leader Anand Kumar and Yoga guru Vachanananda. Bipasha has always maintained that the secret to her perfect figure is the combination of yoga, aerobics and cardio exercises. --- ENDS --- Here are 5 yoga poses that will help you get a flat stomach in absolutely no time. By Nikita Bhalla: It is an ancient Indian practise that's associated not just with the physical well-being of the body, but with the overall health of a human being. With people becoming more watchful of their expanding waistlines and increased instances of metabolic disorders, there has been a swift surge in people prioritising their health. It was India's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, who brought yoga on the global map after leading a record gathering of over 40,000 people in a mass demonstration at Rajpath, New Delhi, last year, and getting the UN to declare June 21 as International Day of Yoga. advertisement With many international stars and Indian celebrities like Shilpa Shetty, Nargis Fakhri and Kangana Ranaut endorsing yoga, the workout has acquired a rather cult status globally. An ancient Indian discipline, yoga is a holistic fitness regime and is no more limited to basic asanas, Pranayama and Suryanamaskar. Also read: Jacqueline Fernandez to Nargis Fakhri: 5 fitness enthusiasts share their yoga tips The best thing about yoga is that it can be practised by people of all age groups; right from a kid to pregnant women. Since a lot of people want to lose weight by practising yoga regularly, we thought of compiling five of the most simple-yet-effective asanas that could help you get toned and lose the extra, unwanted flab. Fitness brand Reebok has partnered with the Ministry of Ayush for International Day of Yoga to educate and carry out yoga sessions at different venues for all those interested in being a part of this revolution. Also read: Delhi Buzz: 5 events in the city on World Yoga Day you should definitely head to Five Reebok Master Trainers joined us for an exclusive video shoot to talk about and demonstrate some of yoga's most natural and beneficial asanas for those who want to shed weight. Watch the video here. Location courtesy: Hyatt Regency, New Delhi --- ENDS --- By PTI: Bhubaneswar, Jun 21 (PTI) International Yoga Day was enthusiastically observed across Odisha today, with Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Jual Oram participating in programmes at Bhubaneswar and Sundargarh respectively. In the state capital, Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan attended a yoga camp at Janata Maidan where a large number of people assembled for the session organised by Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangthana (NYKS). advertisement Highlighting the benefits of the exercise, Pradhan said people should get up early in the morning and perform yoga regularly in order to keep themselves physically and mentally fit. Besides India, International Yoga Day is being observed in a large number of countries as yoga has been recognised as a means to maintain good health, the minister said. The day was also celebrated at Kalinga Stadium where a large number of people belonging to different sections of society, including school students, leaders and distinguished personalities took part in the yoga session. Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram participated in a yoga event at Rajgangpur in Sundargarh district. The day was also observed in different educational institutions and industrial units across the state. In the seaside pilgrim town of Puri, internationally acclaimed sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik created a sand sculpture depicting "Surya Namaskar" on the occasion. Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) organised a Mass Yoga Camp at the Ispat Stadium. Coal miners began their day with yoga at 34 Yoga and Vayamshala Kendras set-up by Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) across its townships in Odisha to celebrate the Day. Central University of Orissa at Landguda in Koraput district also observed the yoga day. PTI SKN MM BSA PS --- ENDS --- The government plans to review the cases beginning 2008 except for the cases in which the person is involved in heinous crime cases or is a habitual offender. The cases since 2008, both in Kashmir and Jammu, would be reviewed. Photo: Reuters By Shuja-ul-Haq : The Jammu and Kashmir government is thinking of granting general amnesty to stone pelters in the state. The government has said that it will review the cases beginning 2008 except in case the person is involved in heinous cases of crime or is a habitual offender. WANT TO PROVIDE YOUNG PEOPLE WITH A FRESH CHANCE advertisement "Government is seriously considering the issue and we would soon do something about it. We want the give these young people a fresh chance," said a senior minister and PDP leader Abdul Haq Khan on the floor of the House while answering a query of a member. The government stated in the Upper House that it would soon come out with a plan for this policy regarding this issue. The cases since 2008, both in Kashmir and Jammu, would be reviewed. "We don't want to ruin their lives and if somebody wants to live life peacefully, we will allow them that space", Khan said. PREVIOUS INCIDENT In a similar mover in 2011, government led by Omar Abdullah had granted amnesty to around 1,811 youngsters, who were allegedly involved in different cases. Also read: Top LeT commander arrested in Kashmir's Kupwara --- ENDS --- By PTI: Srinagar, Jun 21 (PTI) Yielding to pressure from opposition parties and separatists, Jammu and Kashmir government today modified its Industrial Policy to make only State Subjects eligible for developing private industrial estates and industrial parks in the state. "Jammu and Kashmir government today ordered modification of Industrial Policy-2016 with the deletion of controversial para 2.11.2 from the said policy," an official spokesman said. advertisement In partial modification of Government Order No.58-IND of 2016 dated 15. 03.2016, para 2.11.2 of Industrial Policy-2016 shall be deemed to have been deleted ab-initio and shall be read as; Private promoters only from the State (including local industrial associations) shall be allowed and encouraged to develop private industrial estates/parks on commercial lines on activity-specific cluster basis over an area of at least five acres. "In case of IT Parks, the minimum requirement will be two acres for housing IT units in flatted accommodation," the spokesman said quoting an order issued by the Commissioner Secretary Industries and Commerce Department. The spokesman said while the government will go all out to attract investment in Industrial Estates or elsewhere in the state by providing an enabling environment and incentives, it would be ensured that these are governed by and are in compliance of J&K s existing administrative practice, regulatory norms and the Constitution of J&K. The Industrial Policy had come under severe attack from opposition parties as well as separatists, who had decided to carry out a campaign against it. The critics were of the view that the policy will weaken the special status of the state by allowing outsiders to engage in industrialisation. PTI MIJ TA AKK AKK --- ENDS --- Taking to Twitter, Kejriwal also claimed that the Modi government has been targeting him instead of registering FIRs against the likes of Sonia Gandhi in any case. By Press Trust of India: Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his name being included in an FIR in connection with the alleged tanker scam, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today "welcomed" the same and said he was "glad" that the former has accepted that "his fight is directly with" the AAP leader. Taking to Twitter, Kejriwal also claimed that the Modi government has been targeting him instead of registering FIR against likes of Sonia Gandhi in any case, and asserted that he is not afraid of the "CBI and ACB of Modi". advertisement KEJRIWAL IS GLAD, WHY? "Modiji, you did not register FIR against (Robert) Vadra, did not register FIR against Sonia, did not register FIR in any cases, citing which you became the PM. "All the investigating agencies under you - CBI, police, ACB. You have asked them to go after me. You conducted CBI raid on me. Got nothing. Now, welcome your FIR. "I am glad that you have admitted that your fight is directly with me," he said in a series of tweets. Kejriwal's comments come after a case was registered today by Delhi's Anti-Corruption Branch in connection with the alleged 400-crore water tanker scam linking former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. ACB chief MK Meena said two complaints were received with regard to the scam and those named in the complaints include Dikshit and Kejriwal. He said both Dikshit and Kejriwal will be quizzed. --- ENDS --- By PTI: Girri, Tanwar New Delhi, Jun 21 (PTI) The AAP today took out a candle march at Jantar Mantar to protest against the killing of NDMC estate officer M M Khan and demanded arrest of East Delhi MP Maheish Girri and NDMC vice-chairman Karan Singh Tanwar, alleging the involvement of two BJP leaders in the case. "It is unfortunate that the Delhi Polic has given them a clean chit when proofs have been presented against them. We hope that the Delhi Police arrests the two leaders," AAPs Delhi unit convenor Dilip Pandey said. advertisement AAPs Okhla MLA Amanatullah was also present. Pandey said the party will stand by Khans family. 57-year-old Khan was shot dead on May 16, a day before he was scheduled to pass the final order on a hotels lease terms. The owner of a four-star hotel Ramesh Kakkar has been arrested in the case. PTI PR SMJ --- ENDS --- Around 57 ministers, including cabinet ministers Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, Smriti Irani and Manohar Parrikar, led the event at various places across the country. Let us make Yoga more popular world over. Let India produce good Yoga teachers: PM Modi By India Today Web Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi kickstarted the second International Yoga Day today at Capitol Complex in Chandigarh. Modi's addressed the gathered participants for 25 minutes in a one-to-one 'Mann Ki Baat'. Modi left the venue after 45 minutes at 7.50am and flew back to New Delhi. In pictures Around 57 ministers, including cabinet ministers Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, Smriti Irani and Manohar Parrikar, led the event at various places across the country. advertisement The second International Yoga Day saw a much larger participation across the country than its first edition. Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj had said on Saturday that 191 countries would celebrate International Yoga Day. Highlights: President Pranab Mukherjee launches yoga day fest at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Chief guest Union minister Venkaiah Naidu and MP Meenakshi Lekhi joined the participants at Connaught Place. Amit Shah and Baba Ramdev led the yoga campaign at Faridabad. Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and MP Rajendra Agarwal participated in the yoga event at Meerut. Quotes from Modi's Mann ki Baat: From next year onwards we will give two awards on Yoga Day, want to honour those working to popularise Yoga. Let's focus on one thing, how to mitigate diabetes through Yoga. Diabetes can surely be controlled through Yoga. Let us make Yoga more popular world over. Let India produce good Yoga teachers. Yoga does not discriminate between rich and poor. Yoga is not just about what one will get, it is about what one can give up. The whole world supported the resolution on Yoga Day. We got support from all sections of society. I really feel some people don't fully understand the power and benefits of Yoga. This is a day linked with good health and it has now turned into a people's mass movement. Today more and more gynaecologists are recommending Yoga for pregnant women. Make Yoga a part of your life just like you have made mobile phones a part of your life. Yoga is for the theists and the atheists alike. It is not a religious activity. It is a zero budget health insurance. Read: International Yoga Day special: Just say Om Modi announces two yoga awards --- ENDS --- By PTI: New Delhi, Jun 21 (PTI) People should make yoga an integral part of their lives for overall harmony between body and mind, President Pranab Mukherjee said today. The President kicked off the second International Yoga Day celebrations at Rashtrapati Bhavan here with around 1,000 people participating in a mass yoga event. Addressing the participants, the President said people should make the practise of yoga an integral part of life. advertisement "Yoga will enable people live a healthy life. It will create overall harmony between body and mind. It will enhance mental and physical well-being," he said. The President also recalled that on December 11, 2014, the General Assembly of the United Nations had approved by consensus a resolution co-sponsored by 177 countries to declare June 21 as International Day of Yoga. PTI AKV SRY SC SRY --- ENDS --- Calling 911 for a real emergency is so mainstream. Here's a half-witted list of half-witted people who called 911 because why not? By India Today Web Desk: Forget about a medical emergency or a shooting at some local bar. People of the United States are making unique use of their emergency helpline. Here's a look at some hilarious reasons people gave for calling the authorities: Not that they are trolling the police, but dialling 911 and telling the operator that their pizza doesn't have the extra cheese they ordered sounds like a valid reason, right? advertisement A guy in Connecticut called 911 complaining that he had specifically asked for 'little turkey and little ham, a lot of cheese and a lot of mayonnaise'. Another chap from Florida called 911 because his 'special sauce' wasn't included in the food packet and blamed police for not responding quickly enough. A Texas woman, Elsa Benson, called 911 because her husband "did not want to eat his supper". In fact, she called 30 times in six months for non-emergency reasons, including when she couldn't find her favorite shirt. Benson was arrested and charged with 911 abuse. Another woman Cynthia Colston dialed 911 because her parlour could not give her a better nail-job. Her nails were too short, or too long, she couldn't decide. A Florida woman, Maria Montenez-Colon, 58, who described herself as "horny", dialled 911 to call a cop to her home to have sex with her. "I'm bad, I know," she said. Age after all is just a number... perhaps 911? A cop dialled 911 to tell the dispatcher that time was going by really slow. Oh, and he also added that he and his wife were already dead. Michigan police officer, Edward Sanchez, got his hand on a bag of marijuana during a drug bust. Mr stoner cop decided to take the stash home and bake some brownies out with his wife -- explaining why time going by really really really really slow. Benjamin Duddles, 41, of Wisconsin, called 911 because the woman on his bed was snoring "like a train". 'The woman' was his neighbour and they had been hanging out, but the snoring beauty could not charm Duddles. And he decided to call 911, because apparently that's a legit emergency. And after reading about these efforts by troubled callers, administration be like... --- ENDS --- Wearing clothes was too mainstream for this man from Tokyo, so he ditched it for his 'birthday suit'. The weird part is that he had a double strapped backpack on. By India Today Web Desk: Tokyo is known to be the centre of almost half of the world's quirky fashion trends. However, even for the Japanese, seeing a man walk into a train station stark naked was more than just shocking. The man, who's name is not known, nonchalantly strolled into the Akihabara Station in Tokyo on Sunday wearing nothing but his 'birthday suit'. People at the train station, clearly amused by this bizarre sight, snapped pictures of the man who casually bought tickets off the counter. advertisement But within minutes local police sprung into action and wrapped the man in blankets. The police later questioned him for his short stint of exhibitionism, but weren't able to find out why he did it. The train passengers clearly missed a skin-tillating journey. --- ENDS --- By PTI: Mumbai, Jun 21 (PTI) A video showing BJP MLA from Dombivli Ravindra Chavan using analogy of pigs while talking about "uplift of the Dalits" has gone viral on the social media, prompting NCP to demand his apology. The video is purportedly of an event in neighbouring Thane district on June 17. Chavan cited the example of Abraham Lincoln narrating a story where Lincoln picked up a "piglet" from a drain and cleaned it. "Similarly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis too were working hard to uplift Dalits," Chavan said. advertisement The analogy sparked protest and Thane district unit of NCP organised a "naming ceremony" of a pig and named it `Ravindra Chavan. "The cassette (video recording) of my speech which is being circulated is edited and not the original uncut one. My statement has been distorted," Chavan claimed. NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said the BJP MLA should tender an apology for the "appalling analogy". PTI VT KRK DIP --- ENDS --- By PTI: Washington, Jun 21 (PTI) Scientists have found a way to use plastic trash to create a cleaner diesel-like fuel that could power vehicles, an advance that may turn landfills into potential energy sources in future. The researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and University of California in the US hope to scale up the technique to allow for it to be used in actually reducing plastic trash. advertisement Plastics break down very slowly causing them to pile up in landfills and serving as the source material in artificial island creation in oceans. Scientists have been looking for ways to degrade plastics, particularly polyethylene, the most common kind produced, but until now have not been able to find inexpensive and scalable means. The new method involves mixing the plastics with an organometallic catalyst, made from readily available molecules that were then doped with metal iridium, Phys.org reported. The reaction caused the bonds holding the plastic together to weaken, allowing them to be more easily torn apart. Researchers were able to use the broken down material to create a diesel-like fuel which they claim could be used to power vehicles and other motors. Burning the fuel is also cleaner than burning other combustible materials, they said. The research was published in the journal Science Advances. PTI MHN SAR SAR --- ENDS --- Nigella Lawson's Lemon Pavlova is totally drool-worthy and you can now make it at home with her recipe. By Shreya Goswami: Some people call her the most relatable cook in the world, some think her cooking style and presentation inspired the creation of the word 'food porn', but nobody can disagree with the basic fact that Nigella Lawson and her delectable creations are drool-worthy and made with such ease that you just can't get enough of them! In what has been described as the masterstroke on MasterChef Australia's new season, we saw the beautiful British food writer, TV presenter, and cook as a mentor and guest judge for a whole week. And what a sweet week it was! Nigella Lawson's presence in the new season of MasterChef Australia was a masterstroke. Photo courtesy: Twitter/ThePressClub advertisement Her presence even inspired a contestant to whip up Brookies (a cross between brownies and cookies!), and her MasterClass at the end of the week was everything you expect from the author of How to Be a Domestic Goddess. Also read: What this Indian MasterChef Australia contestant did on being eliminated will make you proud Were you as inspired by her presence as the rest of the world? If yes, here's a treat you'll love: we have Nigella Lawson's Lemon Pavlova recipe from her time with MasterChef Australia. Pavlova is an egg white-based dessert, first prepared to honour the Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova. Photo courtesy: Instagram/kiwi452 For the uninitiated, a pavlova is a dessert made with egg whites and whipped cream, and it was first created to honour Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova. Our dear Nigella's version is light and refreshingly citrusy. Even if you don't watch the show, you still want to get your hands on this recipe because you'll definitely regret missing out on a dish this beautiful and yummy! Ingredients: For the Pavlova 6 egg whites 375 gms castor sugar 2 1/2 tsp cornflour 1 unwaxed lemon, finely zested 2 tsp lemon juice For the lemon curd 2 large whole eggs 2 large egg yolks 150 gms castor sugar 100 gms unsalted butter at room temperature, cubed Juice and finely grated zest of 2 unwaxed lemons For the toasted almonds 50 gms flaked almonds For the whipped cream: 300 ml double cream For garnish Finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon Also read: #SpeakGourmet: 5 tricky techniques from MasterChef Australia you ought to know Method: 1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. 2. In a bowl, beat the egg whites until satiny peaks form. Then beat in the sugar, a spoonful at a time until the meringue is stiff and shiny. 3. Sprinkle cornflour over meringue, then add the lemon zest and juice. Gently fold the mixture until thoroughly combined. Use small dots of the meringue mixture to stick the baking paper down onto the baking tray. Mound meringue mixture onto the lined baking tray in a fat circle, approximately 23 cm in diameter, smoothing the sides and top with a knife or spatula. 4. Place pavlova into the oven and turn temperature down immediately to 130 C, bake for 1 hour. 5. Turn the oven off, open the door and leave the pavlova to cool completely while in the oven. 6. Meanwhile, for the lemon curd, place all the ingredients into a medium-sized, heavy-based saucepan (off the heat), and whisk together until well combined. 7. Place the pan over medium heat and gently stir or whisk continuously, taking pan off and on the heat at regular intervals, until thickened (this should take about 5-7 minutes). Once thickened, transfer the curd to a bowl and set aside to cool. 8. For the toasted almonds, place the almond flakes in a dry, medium-sized frying pan over medium heat and toast, shaking the pan gently until the almonds begin to brown. Transfer toasted almonds to a plate and set aside until required. 9. For the whipped cream, place the cream into a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whip it until soft peaks just begin to form. Set aside until required. 10. To assemble, turn the pavlova upside down onto a serving plate and peel away the baking paper. Spread lemon curd over the pavlova almost to the edges. Top with whipped cream, using a spatula to create small peaks. Sprinkle with lemon zest and top with toasted flaked almonds. advertisement If you nail this pavlova's crispy-outside-soft-inside texture you won't just get to eat a delicious dessert, you'll also have a sense of achievement after creating one of the most famous desserts in the world. As with all Nigella Lawson recipes, this one is going to make you drool and collapse in raptures with a deep sigh of happiness. That's the magic of food, especially Nigella's! advertisement MasterChef Australia season 8 airs weekdays at 9 pm on Star World and Star World HD. --- ENDS --- By PTI: Chennai, Jun 21 (PTI) The Madras High Court today warned that high decibel cone speakers used in religious places, including mosques, would be seized by authorities if volume levels are not kept within the limit prescribed by the Supreme Court. First bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice R Mahadevan made the observation on a PIL by a city resident seeking a direction to the government and police to strictly implement the July 18, 2005 order of the Supreme Court placing restrictions on use of cone speakers. advertisement When the matter came up for hearing, the bench impleaded the Federation of Mosque and Shariath Protection Forum, Chennai, as the fourth respondent to assist the court. Counsel R Abdul Mubeen, who appeared on behalf of the forum, said post the month of Ramzan, they will ask the muthavallis (mosque officials) to ensure that the law of the land was observed and the prescribed decibel level was not exceeded. Recording the assurance, the bench in its order said: "Keeping in mind this assurance, we are for the time being not extending the active action against the other mosques." However, the bench after perusing a report filed by Assistant IG of Police on action taken against various religious institutions for non-compliance, said they should be forthwith advised by the fourth respondent to comply within the next three days to ensure that the decibel level are kept within limits. "If still compliance does not take place, the authorities would have to seize the offending speakers," it said, posting the matter to July 19 for further hearing. According to petitioner, the noise pollution caused by the cone type speakers during religious and other festivals early in the morning, was highly disturbing. He had lodged complaints with the local police on several occasions but there was no action. Hence, the present PIL was filed to implement the Supreme Court order. The police report said out of the 41 places identified earlier, as many as 24 had already complied with the rules. Out of the remaining 17 religious institutions, it was stated that cases had already been registered, as also against one institution, which was non-compliant, in Thiruvallur District. Two institutions here had removed the offending speakers after cases were filed against them. PTI CORR VS SAI ZMN SAI MVV --- ENDS --- Pakistan has a strong case to gain Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) membership on merit and non-discriminatory basis, Aziz said in a statement. By PTI: Pakistan has "successfully" blocked India's bid to gain membership of the NSG, prime minister's advisor on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz today told parliament. Pakistan has a strong case to gain Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) membership on merit and non-discriminatory basis, Aziz said in a statement. "We have been making successful efforts against India's Nuclear Suppliers Group membership," he said. advertisement His remarks came ahead of the key meeting of the 48-nation NSG this week in Seoul when it will take up the applications of India and Pakistan. PAK WOULD CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THE POLICY OF NON-INTERFERENCE Aziz also told lawmakers that Pakistan was not being isolated and its official foreign policy was being tuned to the new alignments in the world. He said Pakistan would continue to follow the policy of non-interference in affairs of other countries. He said foreign policy was geared for the protection of national interests and nuclear assets. Aziz said that Pakistan's political role would increase after becoming full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. He said Pakistan enjoyed historical relations with the Muslim world which were based on common religion and recent visits by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Muslim countries will not affect Pakistan's ties with them. Earlier, opposition parties blamed the government for failing to safeguard national interests saying Pakistan was being isolated in the region and demanded a review of its foreign policy. --- ENDS --- By PTI: From Sajjad Hussain Islamabad, Jun 21 (PTI) President Mamnoon Hussain will represent Pakistan at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tashkent on June 23-24, officials said today. It is expected that Pakistan along with India will formally join the six-nation SCO as a full member. Foreign Office said that Pakistan was invited to start the process of becoming full SCO member at the Heads of State Council meeting held in Ufa, Russia in July 2015. advertisement "Pakistan is expected to sign the Memorandum of Obligations at Tashkent which will be major step towards becoming a full member of the SCO," it said. Prior to that, as an Observer State of the SCO, Pakistan has been making substantive contribution to regional peace, security and development. The SCO comprises six Member States, five Observers and three Dialogue Partners. Established in June 2001, Pakistan became an Observer in SCO in 2005 and was the first country to apply for full membership in 2010. The SCO is working to strengthen friendly relations amongst states, maintenance of peace, stability and security in the region, building a new, just and rational international political and economic order, joint efforts in combating terrorism, extremism, separatism and the menace of narcotic substances. Its member- states include China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The SCO Heads of States Council (HSC) is the highest decision-making body of the Organisation. The President will also hold important bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit, it said. PTI SH AMS AKJ AMS --- ENDS --- By PTI: Kanpur, Jun 21 (PTI) On the second International Yoga Day, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar joined soldiers in performing yoga in the Cantonment area here and later met the bereaved family of Lt Colonel Pankaj Singh, who was killed in Arunachal Pradesh recently. The minister reached Kanpur airport by a special plane this morning and spent around 20 minutes with the army officers, soldiers and their families while participating in a yoga programme at Garrison Ground. advertisement Despite yoga being an "indigenous practice", the defence minister said most people in the country were unaware of its importance. The minister also noted the potential of yoga as an employment generator besides a practice to keep people healthy. " Today, the world looks at India as people everywhere want to adopt yoga as a part of their lifestyle. Yoga helps us keep healthy. It also has employment generation potential," said the defence minister. He later visited the ancestral house of Lt Colonel Pankaj Singh in Vimannagar in Chakeri area of the city and paid tributes to him. Singh was killed in action in Arunachal Pradesh on June 13. Parrikar consoled his family members and assured them of all possible help from the defence ministry. He also offered Singhs wife, assistance in seeking a job if she so desired. Asked the border dispute with China, Parrikar said Indo-China "frontier" was "stable" and there have been no incidents of encroachment since last year. The minister, however, chose not to answer queries about GST. PTI ZIR CK SK DBS --- ENDS --- By Sandeep Unnithan: The owners of the pirated chemical tanker MV Stolt Valor termed as 'rumours' the so-called 48-hour deadline imposed by the pirates on Monday. In a statement, the Japan-based owners of the tanker which was seized by Somali pirates on September 15 and is presently anchored off the Somali port of Eyl, asked family members of the 22-member crew to beware of pressure tactics by the pirates. advertisement "It is in the hijackers' interest to use every trick they possibly can to pressurise the company into making hasty and poorly thought out decisions which will have serious consequences," the statement said. The pirates have brought down their earlier ransom demand of $6 million to around $2 million. On Tuesday, the captain's wife Seema Goyal received a phone call from a crew member saying that the pirates had issued a 48-hour deadline for paying up the ransom. The owner's representative say they spoke with Captain Prabhat Goyal on Wednesday and were assured that the crew were all safe. Contrary to the rumour heard on Tuesday by the families, no threat has been made against the crew and no deadline issued. "We cannot say for sure what military and naval activity is going on around the ships, but so far there has never been a rescue attempt on a captured vessel by a western power. This is because the threat to the crew in a rescue attempt is considered to be unacceptably high, and the experience of these events so far suggests that the crew and the vessel will be released in good condition after a period of 6-8 weeks," the statement said. The last two ships to be released were held for 51 and 68 days. Although it is of little consolation, there is nothing unusual about the case of the Stolt Valor. Talks with the hijackers are definitely making progress, although the company knows that, for the families of crew members, the progress is not fast enough. "The owner realises that this is a very difficult time for the crew's families and that the slow progress is frustrating and hard to understand. Although it is of little comfort, the discussions with the hijackers are following the normal pattern of events like these, and the families of the crews on the other captive ships are going through exactly the same experience. Normally in these situations the crew are well treated, although no one would suggest that this somehow makes it alright. Please try to remember that every call from the ship is controlled by the hijackers and it is normal for crew members to be told what to say (as happened with the supposed deadline); therefore, anything the crew say on the telephone should be treated with suspicion. The most important thing about a telephone call is that it confirms that the crew-member is OK," the statement added. advertisement "It would be very helpful if the press could take a more balanced view of the situation. It is the hijackers who are the criminals and who have caused the problem, not the shipping companies whose ships and crews are currently held hostage. It is essential for the world's economy, especially in these difficult economic times, that shipping be able to travel freely around the world's oceans. Paying enormous sums of money to lawless pirates is in no one's interest except that of the hijackers. "It is a fact of life that every kidnap, hijacking or extortion case revolves around deadlines and threats. If there were no threat, no one would pay a ransom. Although the company has heard indirectly that the hijackers of the Stolt Valor have issued an ultimatum, (not the first and unlikely to be the last) nothing has been heard from the hijackers' spokesman, although this may still happen in a future communication. It must be remembered that the hijackers are free to issue whatever ransom demands and deadlines they wish," the statement said. The owners said that hijackers of an earlier ship had also issued an ultimatum, saying that they would blow up the ship, the crew and themselves if a sum of $20 million was not paid by Monday this week (48 hours ago). Something which did not happen. --- ENDS --- advertisement My fascination for world cultures leads me to draw from their traditional historic bases and instill in them a contemporary flavour to make them relevant for the woman of today. Be it leaning on the heritage of Eastern Europe with its pheasant tops and infinite gathers or a modern portrayal of the gorgeous Japanese kimono with bell sleeves, wrap jackets and Obi belts. Sometimes it is important to review the rich past we possess and see how we can use it in a way that is fresh and new thus, retaining tradition but with a modern twist, to appeal to the generation of today. In essence, it's a fashion laboratory constantly seeking new ways to rework and mould the classic styles. By definition, the classics are here to stay. But to constantly reinvent them is the challenge and is what keeps us on our toes. What really works is the element of surprise. Classics are predictable and hence when used excessively may at times risk becoming obvious. Adding a bit of your own individuality can give them character and bring them alive. Everyone must have the ubiquitous white shirt. But at times if you wear it with a sash or belt or wear it oversized or with drum shoulders, or long length, this can add the surprise element you need to stand out. Everyone needs the LBD (little black dress) in their wardrobe. But these could be played around with; for instance, you can get a placement print or a fully embroidered structured black dress instead. advertisement My first collection, which was based on the traditional clothing in the Kutch belt of Gujarat, had worked on making the traditional but widely rural kedia and the choli, into garments that could be worn effectively and very fashionably in today's context. Fitted bodices encompassing the rich and colourful embroideries of the region teamed with flared and flattering skirts, triangular border details, colour blocked trims and edges, an ode to the tradition of west India and yet modern, young and pertinent for the women of new India. In this Payal Pratap Singh design, traditional and modern are in good symphony. Cross stitch would resonate with most women as something their mothers or grandmothers or even they may have engaged in, at some point in their lives. When I worked on my Spring Summer 2013 collection, it was enriching to actually be able to utilise cross stitch across several mediums, as an embroidery motif on the garments, used to create the very fabric itself, or as an accent at various garment trims and edges; it suddenly brought a certain vintage technique to life and yet the clothes themselves and the silhouettes could be worn on any occasion today. The new proportions for Indian kurta, for example, that emerged from the cultural blend as part of my last year's Spring Summer collection based on Eastern Europe, reached a decibel that stood out in the context of what else was competing in the same space. The collection also reaffirms my belief that the Indian consumer is discerning, appreciative and has a keen eye for new developments. On the other hand, working with the kimono as my inspiration for Autumn Winter in 2014 was very demanding. It is a complex garment and developing patterns and silhouettes, which were easy and comfortable yet retaining the traditional flavour of the original kimono really made me push my creative limits. The results were a cohesive collection with strong Japanese influences but again, something that can be worn as a modern rendition of this Japanese masterpiece. In fact, I found that the Obi belt had the maximum recall from the collection as well as the hair pins, further amplifying that accessories itself can lend a new voice to a hitherto classic. Closer home, let's take the case of the sari. This elegant, timeless, precious Indian drape has weathered the passage of time and changing fashions over generations. In doing so, it has also evolved and become a matter of intense experimentation. My favourite ways to add a bit of pizzazz to the sari are to team it with a jacket or wear it with a jacket blouse and this has been a recurrent theme in my collections as well. One can even add an Obi belt to the sari making an effective statement with the marriage of two cultures. Else team it with a sherwani or long jacket to striking effect. Working on new motifs and modernising the traditional motifs also adds a new dimension. So, don't hesitate to experiment with your wardrobe, you will be pleasantly surprised with the end results. advertisement --- ENDS --- By India Today Web Desk: A supposed tussle between Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanaswamy and the newly-appointed Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi was out on display on the second International Yoga Day celebrations on Tuesday. Interestingly, Narayanaswamy and his entire cabinet reportedly skipped the yoga session led by Bedi and instead chose to attend another event on the same occasion. Onlookers deemed it a political move to snub Bedi who was previously BJP's chief ministerial candidate for the 2015 Delhi election. BEDI, CM ASSERT THERE IS NO FRICTION Bedi downplayed the incident citing that she was merely performing her duty and that there should be no politics on Yoga Day. While Narayanaswamy maintained that there was no friction and both the parties are working towards a thriving Puducherry. Congress returned to Puducherry after a gap of five years in the recent assembly elections. Former union minister Narayanaswamy took charge as Chief Minister after winning the elections in alliance with DMK. advertisement Bedi was recently appointed Lieutenant Governor of Union Territory of Puducherry. According to sources, the Congress government feels that Bedi attempted to interfere with the Chief Minister's jurisdiction. Also Read: Yoga is not a religious activity, says Modi on second International Yoga Day --- ENDS --- Singh, who visited the site outside Arvind Kejriwal's residence where Girri had been on fast since Sunday, was able to persuade the MP from East Delhi, caught in the controversy over murder of a senior NDMC employee. By India Today Web Desk: BJP parliamentarian Maheish Giri today ended his three-day indefinite hunger strike after Home Minister Rajnath Singh assured him of an "impartial probe" into Arvind Kejriwal's allegations that he was involved in the murder of a senior NDMC employee. Singh, who visited the site outside Arvind Kejriwal's residence where Girri had been on fast since Sunday, was able to persuade the MP from East Delhi, caught in the controversy over MM Khan's murder last month. advertisement Here are the latest developments: MM Khan, an estate office with the New Delhi Municipal Council, was shot dead in New Delhi's Jamia Nagar on May 16, a day before he was expected to pass an order on the terms of the lease of The Connaught, a four-star hotel. Kejriwal has demanded the arrest of Girri and urged Delhi Police to probe the relationship between Girri and hotelier Ramesh Kakkar, who ran The Connaught and is the main accused in the murder of Khan. The BJP also solidly backed Girri. Union Minister Harsh Vardhan, BJP's Delhi unit President Satish Upadhyay and several other leaders joined the hunger strike led by Girri today. On Monday, BJP General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, the party's Rajya Sabha members Subramanian Swamy and Vijay Goel, Lok Sabha MP Manoj Tiwary and several other leaders visited Girri. Swamy today accused Kejriwal of breaching constitutional norms in running the Delhi government and sought the President's intervention, saying there appears to be a complete breakdown of governance. In a letter to President Pranab Mukherjee, Swamy specifically referred to Kejriwal's allegations that Girri is linked to Khan's murder, terming the charges as "scurrilous and undocumented". The AAP, on the other hand, has alleged that Girri "accompanied" Kakkar to LG Najeeb Jung's office in connection with the hotel lease which was to be decided by Khan. Showing the copy of a "covering letter" purportedly written by Girri, AAP leader Dilip Pandey alleged that it was attached to the hotel owner Kakkar's letter to put pressure on Jung. "Girri forwarded a letter written by Kakkar to the Lt. Governor asking for the removal of Khan. The LG forwarded the letter to the NDMC chairman on Girri's reference," Kejriwal said on Monday. Meanwhile, the Delhi Police has reportedly said they have no evidence against Girri and Karan Singh Tanwar, another BJP leader, in Khan murder case. Kakkar and six others are under arrest. --- ENDS --- By PTI: From H S Rao London, Jun 21 (PTI) Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar today inaugurated the International Yoga Day celebrations at the European Parliament in Brussels, saying Yoga is aspiring for the highest goal of the world as one family. "I am so glad that today here in the European Parliament, the heart of Europe, where 48 countries sit and do their deliberations and lead their countries, they are taking up this beautiful mission of wellness and bringing happiness to people," Ravi Shankar said while interacting with parliament members at the prestigious Yehudi Menuhin Hall. advertisement He said, "Is Yoga only a physical exercise? No! Yoga is bringing the rhythm in life. Yoga is feeling the connection with oneself. And with everyone around. Yoga is aspiring for the highest goal of the world as one family. And unity with the infinity. It brings harmony in ones environment." He said, "I would like to thank UN for declaring last year June 21, the longest day, as World Yoga Day. Especially the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) who has made extra effort to bring Yoga to the main stream population." The AOL founder said that though Yoga was born in the Indian sub continent, "it belongs to the world". G Van Orden, Member of the European Parliament for the East of England region for the Conservative Party, praised Ravi Shankar for his work on disaster relief and peace missions in various countries. PTI HSR PMS --- ENDS --- By PTI: Mumbai, Jun 21 (PTI) Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil today alleged that there was "rampant" corruption in the state health department and government doctors have paid bribe to the tune of Rs 50 crore to get transfers to places of their choice. "The corruption is so rampant in the health department of the state government that it appears as if the Minister (State Health Minister Deepak Sawant) and his staff have prepared a menu card (for the transfers)," Vikhe-Patil told reporters here today. advertisement "The charges are-- Rs 2-2.5 lakh for transfer of a medical officer, Rs 10 lakh for transfer of a district health officer, Rs 15 lakh for transfer of a district surgeon, etc. The rates increase if a specific district or city is being demanded," he said. "For effecting transfers in the department, at least Rs 50 crore have been accepted as bribe so far. All these transactions have happened through Sawants personal secretary Sunil Mali," the Congress leader said and demanded that the government should arrest Mali at the earliest. The ACB should arrest Mali immediately and check his phone and computer records for traces of corruption, he said. Health Minister Sawant was not available for comment. A woman doctor from Jalgaon district had recently written a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis alleging that she was "harassed" by Mali. Mali has been sent on compulsory leave after complaint by the woman medical officer. "But, sending him on compulsory leave is not enough and he should be arrested immediately," Vikhe-Patil said. The Health Minister should take up the responsibility in the case and resign, he added. PTI MM NP DBS JMF --- ENDS --- The RSS also wants all Muslims to plant a tulsi in their houses, for environmental reasons, during the month of Ramzan. By Siddhartha Rai: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) wants Muslims to embrace Hindus on Eid and Ramzan. The Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM), an RSS-backed minority organisation patronised by Sangh pracharak Indresh Kumar, has appealed the community to take a collective vow with their Hindu neighbours not to let communal strife start from their locality. According to Kumar, the Manch has requested the Muslims of India as well as the world to commemorate the holy month of Ramzan and Eid by a communal iftar. advertisement BONDS OF HARMONY The community has been requested to celebrate the festival on a locality level where Hindus too can be invited to iftar parties. It is here that the two communities should take a collective vow that irrespective of what happens in any part of India, they will not fight amongst themselves and will not let their locality become a flashpoint of violence. "Muslims must try to convene iftar at the most local level of 'galis' and 'mohallas' or at the colony level where people from all religions and castes and parties can participate. At the time of breaking the fast, all must take a vow that irrespective of what is going on in the world or India, they will make their locality riot-free because charity begins at home," Kumar told MAIL TODAY. The solemn promise is part of the three commitments that the Muslim body wants every Muslim household to make. TULSI: CONNECTING COMMUNITIES Moreover, the RSS wants all Muslims to plant tulsi (Myrtle or sweet basil) in their houses during the holy month of Ramzan. The MRM claimed that the plant finds an exalted place not just in Hinduism, but also in Islam. "We want all Muslim families to plant a tree outside their house and a tulsi plant inside. We have done this to tackle environmental pollution. Moreover, tulsi plant has been called 'Reyhan' (also Rehaan) or the plant of 'Jannat' (heaven) in the Arabic language," said Kumar. The third commitment that Muslims are expected to keep is that the concept of zakat or charity must be widened to include the "last person in the line" irrespective of his/her religious or group identity. "The last person in the social ladder must be the aim of zakat. We appeal to all our Muslim brethren to help at least one poor person to celebrate Eid properly this year by way of their charity. The poor must not feel that they cannot celebrate Eid and cannot become a part of this collective happiness," Kumar said. advertisement Also read: RSS tries to shed pro-Hindu image, invites 140 countries to Iftar party RSS planning to set up anti-terror youth forum comprising of Muslims --- ENDS --- Salim Khan comes forward, once again, to apologise for Salman Khan's "raped woman" remark. By India Today Web Desk: Daddy dearest Salim Khan once again comes to the rescue of son Salman Khan for his wrong ways. He publicly apologised on Twitter for the Sultan actor's "raped woman" comment. ALSO READ: Salman Khan was quick to retract rape remark but that went unreported ALSO READ: Salman Khan clarifies rumours about getting Arijit Singh's version of Jag Ghoomeya dropped advertisement Salman Khan, at a recent press meet, jumped into controversy again when he compared his training and shooting for Sultan to the condition of a raped woman. The Bajrangi Bhaijaan actor told Spotboye.com, "While shooting, during those six hours, there'd be so much of lifting and thrusting on the ground involved. That was tough for me because if I was lifting, I'd have to lift the same 120-kilo guy 10 times for 10 different angles. And likewise, get thrown that many times on the ground. This act is not repeated that many times in the real fights in the ring. When I used to walk out of the ring, after the shoot, I used to feel like a raped woman. I couldn't walk straight. I would eat and then, head right back to training. That couldn't stop." Salim Khan took to Twitter to apologise on behalf of Salman's family, his fans and his friends. Undoubtedly what Salman said is wrong, the simili, example and the context. The intention was not wrong. Salim Khan (@luvsalimkhan) June 21, 2016 Nevertheless I apologise on behalf of his family his fans & his friends. Forgiveness is to pardon the unpardonable or it is no virtue at all Salim Khan (@luvsalimkhan) June 21, 2016 To err is human to forgive divine. Today on Intl yoga day lets not run our shops on this mistake. Salim Khan (@luvsalimkhan) June 21, 2016 While it remains to be seen how the veteran screenwriter's apology goes down with Salman's detractors, Salman Khan apparently said "I shouldn't have said that" following his "raped woman" remark. An audio clip from the media interaction has emerged which has Salman apologising, immediately after journalists sniggered at his comment. Last night, as soon as this statement broke, people from various quarters erupted into anger at Salman's rape metaphor. Twitter ran roughshod over Salman Khan criticizing him for his comment. The National Commission for Women (NCW) has demanded an apology from Khan. NCW chief Lalitha Akumaramangalam said, "We have sent a letter to Salman Khan, if we are not satisfied with his reply, we will summon him." advertisement --- ENDS --- By PTI: apology Mumbai/New Delhi, Jun 21 (PTI) Salman Khan landed himself in a controversy for his remark that he felt like a "raped woman" after one gruelling shoot for his upcoming "Sultan" film, sparking demands today for an apology from the Bollywood star. The National Commission for Women(NCW) took suo motu cognisance of the "insensitive" remark by the 50-year-old superstar and shot off a letter to him asking for his explanation in seven days failing which he will be summoned. Women activists also staged protests outside Salmans Bandra residence in Mumbai. As political parties, social media users and the NCW pressed for an apology from the actor, Salmans scriptwriter- father Salim Khan apologised on behalf of his son, admitting that his comments were "wrong". Khan, who underwent rigorous training for the wrestling film, was heard saying during his group interview with journalists that after shooting one particular scene he used to feel like a "raped woman". The film is due for release on July 6. advertisement "While shooting, during those six hours, thered be so much of lifting and thrusting on the ground involved. That was tough for me because if I was lifting, Id have to lift the same 120-kilo guy 10 times for 10 different angles. And likewise, get thrown that many times on the ground. "This act is not repeated that many times in the real fights in the ring. When I used to walk out of the ring, after the shoot, I used to feel like a raped woman walking out..." Salman hastened to add, "I dont think I should have...", suggesting he should not have made such a comparison. Reacting on his sons behalf, Salim said, "Undoubtedly what Salman said is wrong, the simili (sic), example and the context. The intention was not wrong. "Nevertheless I apologise on behalf of his family, his fans & friends. Forgiveness is to pardon the unpardonable or it is no virtue at all. To err is human, to forgive divine. Today on Intl Yoga Day, lets not run our shops on this mistake." Another person to come out in Salmans defence was his "Yuvraaj" director Subhash Ghai, who claimed the actors comments were misrepresented. Though Salman made the comments in English, Ghai also claimed it was a "mistranslation". Ghai also blamed it on the actors "poor English" and said he was "just a child". "It is very disgusting translation by someone. He just said one thing that it is a human agony he went through. The deepest human agony is when a woman is raped. He was talking about a metaphor. "He is just a child and I know he respects women like anything." NCW Chief Lalitha Kumaramangalam said Salman should give a public apology. Kumaramangalam said if the actor did not give a satisfactory response, he would have to appear before the commission. BJP spokesperson Shaina NC asked Salman to apologise for his comments. advertisement "Salman Khan should apologise. It might be a slip of tongue. There is no rationale to it. Whatever the logic, Salman should apologise for the statement. The analogy was wrong," Shaina said.PTI JCH HC NDS BK GSN GSN --- ENDS --- The Memorandum of Understanding was signed with the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) Limited on Monday. By Sneha Agrawal: In compliance with the solar mission launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has decided to go green. The civic agency has entered into an agreement to install solar panels on its buildings. GO GREEN The Memorandum of Understanding was signed with the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) Limited on Monday. The MOU, signed for a period of two years, aims at generating solar power of around 10 MW on the rooftops of 440 buildings and 10MW on the spare vacant land. advertisement For the project, SDMC will avail of the achievement linked incentive scheme that has been recently launched wherein up to 25% incentive of the project cost is made available to the civic bodies. "The corporation is expecting to save Rs 6 crore from the expenditure incurred on power bills thus reducing the dependency on discoms. The excess power generated will be sold to the discoms," said Shyam Sharma, Mayor, SDMC. ALSO READ: Rooftop revolution --- ENDS --- By PTI: New Delhi, Jun 21 (PTI) Leading stock exchange BSE has received market regulator Sebis approval to launch electronic book mechanism for issuance of debt securities on private placement basis. The platform - BSE?BOND - would streamline procedures for issuance of debt securities on private placement basis, enhancing efficiency, transparency of the price discovery mechanism and improving liquidity in the secondary market. advertisement It would come into effect from July 1, 2016. "BSE...gets another feather in its hat by receiving Sebis accord to launch electronic book mechanism for issuance of debt securities on private placement," the exchange said in a statement. "Known as BSE?BOND (BSE Bidding Online for Debt), this would ensure transparency while dealing in debt securities," it added. All investors, including institutional as well as High Net Worth Individual (HNI) arrangers, are allowed to bid through this platform. According to Sebi norms, any issuer can use the electronic book mechanism. However, an issuer coming out with an issue of more than Rs 500 crore (inclusive of the Greenshoe option) would have to mandatorily use this system. PTI SP ADI SA --- ENDS --- By PTI: From Gurdip Singh Singapore, Jun 20 (PTI) Singapores national para-athlete Adam Kamis, who represented the country at the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games, today pleaded guilty of recruiting women for prostitution through social networking web sites for his social escort agency and sexually exploiting a minor girl. Adam, 37, took to Facebook to recruit women, using the moniker Angel Tan to pass himself off as an escort girl working for SG Freelancers - the escort agency he started in early 2013 to get out of debt. advertisement He pleaded guilty to 11 charges of recruiting women for prostitution and one charge under the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act for exploiting a 16-year-old girl. For child trafficking, Adam could be jailed for up to 10 years, fined up to SGD 100,000. He could also be given up to six strokes of the cane. Adam will be sentenced on June 27. Deputy Public Prosecutor Sharmila Sripathy-Shanaz told the court that Adam wanted to "pique their interest and gain their trust." Adam, who lost his right arm in a motorcycle accident and had left arm paralysed, represented Singapore at the Delhi Commonwealth Games and the ASEAN Para Games. Between early 2013 and October 2015, when he was arrested, Adam had recruited 15 women, Channel News Asia reported. His victims were students, a dental assistant, childcare teacher and an accountant, and were aged between 16 and 38. The court heard that the 16-year-old girl had come across Adams advertisement for a freelance job paying SGD500 a day. She contacted Angel Tan, the moniker used by Adam. Adam, who introduced himself as a staff of the escort company, met the girl at his apartment in Yishun. He sexually exploited her by persuading her to let him "inspect" her body, assuring that all girls who attended the interview had to do the same. Despite telling Adam she was only 16, he persisted, telling her that no one would find out. He had sex with her. For other victims, Adam would get the victims to disclose their personal details in a "sexually explicit" questionnaire. Adam would "try out" the women by having sex with them, Sripathy-Shanaz told the court. Sripathy-Shanaz is seeking a sentence of 38 months against Adam. The DPP argued that this was not a spur of the moment decision but the culmination of detailed planning which spawned a well laid-out, sophisticated recruitment process. He was both the mastermind and operator of the entire enterprise, she said. advertisement For procuring or attempting to procure a woman for the purpose of prostitution, Adam faces up to five years jail and a fine of up to SGD10,000. PTI GS ABH AKJ ABH --- ENDS --- The use of cannabis or marijuana during pregnancy has been talked about for years. Now, a new research confirms its side-effects. By Indo-Asian News Service: Smoking cannabis during pregnancy may lead to abnormal brain structure in children, a new study has warned. Compared with unexposed children, those who were prenatally exposed to cannabis had a thicker prefrontal cortex, a region of the brain involved in complex cognition, decision-making and working memory, the findings showed. "This study is important because cannabis use during pregnancy is relatively common and we know very little about the potential consequences of cannabis exposure during pregnancy and brain development later in life," said study author Hanan El Marroun from Erasmus University Medical Centre in The Netherlands. advertisement An estimated 13 per cent of women worldwide use cannabis during pregnancy. Previous studies have identified short and long-term behavioural consequences of prenatal cannabis exposure, but effects on brain morphology were unknown. "Understanding what happens in the brain may give us insights into how children develop after being exposed to cannabis," El Marroun said. For the study, the researchers used structural magnetic resonance imaging to examine the brains of 54 children, six to eight years old, who were prenatally exposed to cannabis. Most of the children exposed to cannabis were also exposed to tobacco, so the researchers compared them to 96 children prenatally exposed to tobacco only, as well as to 113 control children with no exposure. The children were part of a prospective population-based study in The Netherlands. Comparing tobacco-exposed children with children exposed to both tobacco and cannabis revealed differences in the cortical thickness, suggesting that cannabis exposure has different effects than tobacco. The findings were detailed in the journal, Biological Psychiatry. "The current study combined with existing literature does support the importance of preventing smoking cannabis and cigarettes during pregnancy," El Marroun pointed out. --- ENDS --- Forty five Tamil people who were seeking asylum were crossing the sea when in Indonesia, they were blocked from landing. By India Today Web Desk: Lives of dispossessed people are hard for us to imagine sitting inside air-conditioned concrete jungles. Tamil people, as many as 45 of them, were crossing the India Ocean to reach Australia but were blocked from landing in Indonesia. They haven't had a single stop since they started sailing from India. They reached a port in Indonesia after covering 1,800 kilometres. advertisement The Tamil are an ethnic minority in Sri Lanka and have faced decades of discrimination and violence from the Sri Lankan government. Tens of thousands of Tamil refugees have fled the country after the violence they endured in the Sri Lankan Civil War of 1983-2009. On June 11, 2016, a small fishing boat carrying 45 people asylum seekers was halted and stranded off the shores of Aceh, Indonesia. They had to cross another 3,800 kilomtres to reach Australia, but the boat's engine broke down and they ran out of fuel. Photo Credit: observers.france24.com The Indonesian government denied permission to these people to disembark citing a lack of travel documents. The government wants them to continue their journey to Australia as soon as possible. Bad weather is currently forecast in the Indian Ocean between Indonesia and Australia. The government doesn't consider Tamils as refugees or asylum seekers. However, only the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) has the authority to decide whether or not someone is a refugee. So far, the Indonesian government has not allowed anyone from the UNHCR to interview the Tamil people in order to determine their status. Photo Credit: observers.france24.com Photo Credit: observers.france24.com And for what it's worth, the right to seek asylum is a fundamental right as stated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. --- ENDS --- Three years after the murder of social activist Narendra Dabholkar, a witness has disclosed a series of incidents key to the case. Sanjay Sadvilkar a friend of the main accused Virendrasingh Tawade has come forward to reveal details about a series of incidents. By Pankaj P. Khelkar: Almost 3 years after the murder of rationalist Dr Narendra Dabholkar, it is now believed that the investigation is heading in the right direction. The CBI has succeeded in nabbing Dr Virendrasingh Tawade, one of the six accused, after a witness - a friend of the accused - volunteered some information. Tawade, who is the Hindu Janjagruti Samiti chief coordinator, has been associated with Sanjay Sadvilkar for a very long period. They had even manhandled Dabholkar at an event once. Tawade was recently arrested and sent to judicial custody in Yerwada Jail, after 10 days of interrogation in CBI custody. advertisement Tawade is said to be the key link in the murders of rationalists - Dabholkar, Govind Pansare and M M Kalburgi. Sessions court in Pune on June 20 also granted transit remand to SIT to take Tawade to Kolhapur for interrogation in connection with the murder of Govind Pansare. India Today recently got in touch with Tawade's friend Sadvilkar, who is now turned a prime witness. Sadvilkar (48) owns an art workshop in old city area of Kolhapur. After Sanatan Sanstha accused him of corruption and illegal activities, Sadvilkar made up his mind to share his side of the story. He wanted to let everyone know that he is now free from the pressure he has been carrying for over three years after Tawade allegedly asked him to carry out several illegal activities. TWO YOUTHS, ONE REVOLVER Sadvilkar said Tawade, in April 2013, called him from a public telephone and asked him to come to the Shahupuri railway crossing in Kolhapur. Once he reached the spot, Tawade introduced him to a youth carrying a Shabnam bag without revealing their names to each other. Sadvilkar was told that this person will get him a revolver and he had to replicate it. "After about 10 days, at around 1.30 pm, Tawade called me and enquired if I was in my shop. He then said that the youth he had introduced to me earlier was coming to my shop with the 'object' (code word for the revolver). After 10 minutes the man was sitting in my shop showing the revolver - a standard one made by a reputed company," Sadvilkar revealed. He told India Today that after he got in touch with CBI he was shown a picture of one Sarang Akolkar and a Vinay Pawar. He identified Akolkar as the person who brought the sophisticated revolver and Pawar as one of the two youths who came with Tawade to his shop. Asked if he had seen a revolver for the first time, Sadvilkar admitted that in the early 80s he got involved with people dealing with purchase and sales of arms and ammunition. He added that Tawade was aware of his past. ACCOMMODATION FOR THE YOUTHS advertisement Sadvilkar said that he looked for several excuses to delay replicating the revolver. He kept on finding ways to avoid the youth as he did not have the means to replicate the illegal weapon. This annoyed Tawade. He later asked Sadvilkar to arrange accommodation for the youths for four days. The youths were told to study the day-to-day activities of a person in Kolhapur. "Tawade told me that he needed two youths involved in terror activities like me and I nodded. He said: Each of the two will be paid Rs 10 lakh for the 'religious work' entrusted to them. And if anything happens to them, then their families will be looked after. We can bear that for a lifetime," said Sadvilkar, who somehow managed to find an excuse for not being able to do it. Why didn't Sadvilkar question Tawade's need for a revolver to propagate religion? Sadvilkar claims that having once worked with criminals, he knew such questions could thwart their plans. In fact, Sadvilkar admits to be being a staunch Hindutva follower but said he does not believe in violence. Dabholkar speaking at an event in Kolhapur (Photo credit: Pankaj Khelkar) advertisement CONFRONTATION WITH DABHOLKAR When asked if he too had confronted Dabholkar, Sadvilkar said that in December 2004 he had mobilized some 10 youths and gone to the venue in Kolhapur where Dabholkar was going to speak, allegedly against Hindu gods. However, the organizers requested them not obstruct the event and assured them that Dabholkar will not speak about gods. After the event, Sadvilkar and Tawade confronted Dabholkar and got into a scuffle. Sadvilkar added that Tawade condemned Dabholkar for speaking out against Hindu gods. Sadvilkar claims that he tried several time to inform the police about Tawade but they did not believe him. Also Read My father could have been saved, says Narendra Dabholkar's son --- ENDS --- By PTI: From Aditi Khanna London, Jun 20 (PTI) Tearful British MPs paid glowing tributes to their slain colleague Jo Cox in the House of Commons today at a special session to honour the "passionate and progressive" Labour politician who was murdered by a far-right activist. 41-year-old Cox had bled to death in hospital after she was brutally shot and stabbed while holding her regular meeting with constituents of Batley and Spen in West Yorkshire last Thursday. advertisement The Speaker of the House of Commons led the tributes to the "caring, eloquent, principled and wise" politician and mother-of-two. "An attack like this strikes not only at an individual, but at our freedom. That is why we assemble here, both to honour Jo and to redouble our dedication to democracy," Speaker Jon Bercow said soon after sombre and tearful MPs filed into the Commons this afternoon. Prime Minister David Cameron described Cox as an "extraordinary colleague and friend", who was a humanitarian "to her core" who brought out "the best" in people. He said, "She was a voice of compassion, whose boundless energy lit up the lives of all who knew her and saved the lives of many she never met. We pay tribute to a loving, determined, passionate and progressive politician, who epitomised the best of humanity and proved so often the power of politics to make the world a better place". In a unique gesture of cross-party solidarity, Cameron had given up his right to speak first to allow Opposition Labours Jeremy Corbyn to lead the official motion on the recall of Parliament. Corbyn said the UK had been "united in grief" over the "horrific act". "We have lost one of our own and society as a whole has lost one of our very best...The horrific act that took her from us was an attack on democracy and our whole country has been shocked and saddened by it," he said. Parliament had been in recess to allow MPs to concentrate on campaigning in the final days running up to the European Union (EU) referendum on Thursday. However, the rare decision to recall MPs was taken to allow colleagues to pay their tributes to Cox, whos seat in the House of Commons today had a single white rose. All members of the Commons across party lines also wore white roses in their lapels in memory of Cox. Her husband Brendan and family members watched from the gallery as the packed chamber praised the achievements of Cox who would have celebrated her 42nd birthday on Wednesday. A simultaneous special session was also held in the House of Lords. PTI AK KUN AKJ KUN --- ENDS --- advertisement By PTI: New Delhi, Jun 22 (PTI) Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap today criticised superstar Salman Khan for his rape analogy saying it was "thoughtless" and "daft" of him to make such a remark. He also questioned the journalist, interviewing him, for allegedly laughing over the comment. Salman, in a group interview to promote "Sultan", made the remark that he felt like a "raped woman" after one gruelling shoot for the wrestling drama. advertisement "While shooting, during those six hours, thered be so much of lifting and thrusting on the ground involved. That was tough for me because if I was lifting, Id have to lift the same 120-kilo guy 10 times for 10 different angles. And likewise, get thrown that many times on the ground. "This act is not repeated that many times in the real fights in the ring. When I used to walk out of the ring, after the shoot, I used to feel like a raped woman walking out..." Salman hastened to add, "I dont think I should have...", suggesting he should not have made such a comparison. Anurag called the 50-year-old actor "thoughtless and daft" to have made a comment like this. "Why are we making it out his individual responsibility? It is very unfortunate that he made an analogy like that, it is very thoughtless of him, in a way daft of him. I am sure he will be regretting it and will apologise for it. If he really cares, he should apologise for it," the director told a TV channel. It has been reported that the journalists, who were a part of the interview, erupted into laughter at Salmans statement. Anurag slammed the scribe, answering whose question Salman made the comment, saying he should have questioned the "Kick" star over the statement. "But does the responsibility lie alone with him? The guy who is interviewing him... When the man gives an analogy like this, he laughs at it. He does not question him. In his mind, he is thinking I have got a headline. How irresponsible it is to make that into a headline. "I would have taken that out. It does not send a great signal, it empowers misogyny. Suddenly, people have got issue to jump on," Anurag said. The statement has not gone down well with many, who have taken to Twitter to express their angst against the actor. While his father, scriptwriter Salim Khan, apologised on the actors behalf, the demand for Salman to issue an apology himself has been growing from political parties, activists and social media users. PTI PRG PSH ZMN --- ENDS --- Namboori Sridatta (25), who was working with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in Arizona, drowned while picnicking with friends at a waterfall. By Indo-Asian News Service: Two Telugu youth, including a student, met a watery grave in two separate incidents in US, according to information reaching their families. Namboori Sridatta (25), who was working with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in Arizona, drowned while picnicking with friends at a waterfall. According to his family in Vanasthalipuram in Hyderabad, the incident took place on Sunday but they received the information late on Monday. advertisement HOW IT HAPPENED Sridatta, who was on weekend with friends, slipped and fell down in the water. Rescue workers recovered his body. The youth had gone to the US five years ago and after education at Arizona University, got a job at TCS. "He was to come home next month but yesterday we got this shocking news," said Sridatta's father N.V.M. Swamy, a private employee. The family has appealed to the Indian government to ensure that the body is brought home early. STUDENT DROWNED IN LIVERMORE RIVER PARK In another incident, P. Naresh (24), a student in California, drowned in a river during picnic. The incident occurred in Livermore River Park on Sunday. According to information reaching his family in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh, he was on a picnic with his friends on a boat when he slipped and fell in the water. The body was recovered during a search operation launched by the local police. Naresh was studying MS second year. His death shattered dreams of the poor family in Bandipalem village. His father Purnaiah, a small farmer, said he had telephoned him recently to inform that he will be doing a part time job and send money home from next month. Naresh's family has urged the Indian government to make arrangements for bringing the body back home. --- ENDS --- Would you ever squash a McDonald's meal and drink it? By India Today Web Desk: This might sound weird at first but when you see a guy at the end of this story DRINKING an entire meal, you'd want to swear off food for a while. This video was uploaded by a quirky YouTube channel called Bad Things for Bad People, with the caption, Junk Juice 1. The video shows the process of juicing a whole boxed meal of McDonald's, which includes numerous burgers, fries and Coca Cola together, and what you get (in case you were wondering) is a brown sludge. advertisement To our surprise, the man at the end of the video ACTUALLY drinks it. Now, any normal person would expect this guy to throw up, right? Of course the video doesn't make sense, but it has got some 297,240 views already (at the time of publishing this article). Please proceed with caution; once you start watching it, you just can't stop. In case you're still interested, watch the video here: --- ENDS --- Usually, it is the Shiv Sena that hits out at the BJP through its mouthpiece Saamana. But this time the BJP has hit back and that too more forcefully than its ally. By Kamlesh Damodar Sutar: That all is not well between old allies Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is a known fact. Despite being in alliance both in the Centre and in Maharashtra, none of two parties have left any opportunity to target each other. Taking the war of words a step further, the BJP has now dared the Shiv Sena to walk out of alliance. advertisement Usually, it is the Shiv Sena that hits out at the BJP through its mouthpiece Saamana. But this time the BJP has hit back and that too more forcefully than its ally. Shiv Sena releases posters on social media targeting Modi, BJP BJP MOUTHPIECE SLAMS SENA A BJP fortnightly "Manogat", published by the Maharashtra BJP has carried an article by Maharashtra BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari titled - When are you taking talaaq (divorce) Mr Raut? WATCH: Shiv Sena leader slaps, abuses bank employee in Maharashtra The article has slammed the Shiv Sena over its stand of regularly criticising the BJP through Saamana. Recently, in Aurangabad Shiv Sena MP and Saamana editor Sanjay Raut had compared the BJP govt with Nizam's rule. HERE'S WHAT THE ARTICLE SAID: Raut feels that the present government has done a lot of injustice but they don't see the great amount of work done through Jal Yukta Shivar in Marathwada. On one hand they eat 'biryani' in the plate given by the same 'Nizam' and then criticise us on the other hand. They have got ministries at Centre and state, enjoy perks of power only because of the favour by the same 'Nizam' and then curse BJP. This is called 'ungratefulness'. If they feel so much oppressed by Nizam why don't they just walk out? But they don't show that courage. In 1995, BJP contested 117 seats and won 65 seats. In 2009 despite contesting lesser seats, BJP won 2 seats more than the Shiv Sena. Sanjay Raut and Shiv Sena president are not able to digest the fact that their strength is declining and that is why they are frustrated. They should accept the changing political situation and stop blaming us. We outnumbered the Shiv Sena in Aurangabad and Kalyan-Dombivli polls. Voters are considering BJP as a strong option and that is what is hurting the Sena most. They sit with us, 'eat' with us and then attack us as well... its better to take 'talaaq' from Nizam's father. So, Mr. Raut when are you taking talaaq? 'THEY HAVE CROSSED THE LINE' Defending his article, Bhandari told India Today, " Earlier, we chose to ignore such things but they have crossed the limits of decency. This was discussed in our recent state convention as well. But now we want to tell them straight ... if they don't find it worth, they should find their own path." Stop shaming India abroad, Shiv Sena tells PM Modi Interestingly, on its 50th foundation day, Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray had asked party workers to be prepared to fight the forthcoming civic polls, including the crucial BMC polls on its own. With the BJP hitting back, Shiv Sena has so far opted not to comment on the article trying to downplay the attack. Also Read: BJP trying to dislodge Shiv Sena from BMC by projecting it as corrupt one Lashing out at Modi govt, Shiv Sena calls BJP a chameleon Will not tolerate any twisted alliance deal: Uddhav to BJP --- ENDS --- Come 2010, Navy aspirants will not have to appear before the Army Selection Board as Indian Navy will launch its first ever selection board centre of the country at Diamond Harbour in West Bengal, writes Sanjoy Bhadra. By Sanjoy Bhadra: Come 2010, Navy aspirants will not have to appear before the Army Selection Board as Indian Navy will launch its first ever selection board centre of the country at Diamond Harbour in West Bengal. Till now, Indian Navy aspirants had to undergo their selection before the Indian Army selection panel. Waking up to the need, the Defence Ministry has cleared the proposal of the Indian Navy to have a staff selection board of its own. advertisement Indian Army spokesman, Group Captain R K Das said, "We have received the clearance order from the ministry. We will soon start the work to erect the complex at our Naval Coastal Battery Office in Diamond Harbour." Since Independence, Indian Navy applicants, after completing the written test, appear before the Indian Army Selection Board for their selection process. These selection board offices are located at Bangalore, Bhopal and Allahabad. This norm had attracted criticism from several quarters. With Selection board of its own, Indian Navy will have its selection exam conducted at its own unit. Defence sources revealed that the proposal to have its first selection board was proposed by the Indian Navy two years back. The proposal, however, was cleared last week. The clearance order reached the Eastern Zonal headquarters in Kolkata on Wednesday. Indian Navy officials briefed that they will have their board office at Diamond Harbour. The work will start on January, 2009 and is expected to be completed in one year. As soon as the selection board office will be completed, the Naval selection board office will start functioning. --- ENDS --- By PTI: Dehradun, June 21 (PTI) Describing Uttarakhand as the land of yoga, Chief Minister Harish Rawat today said a proposal to develop Rishikesh as a wellness township will be considered while Jageshwar, Tungnath and Lohaghat will be developed as wellness centres. Making the announcement at a state-level workshop on the International Yoga Day here, he said yoga "belongs to Uttarakhand whose saints and seers taught the rest of the world about the miraculous effects of yogic postures" on the physical and spiritual well being of mankind. advertisement "People in Uttarakhand are promoting yoga on both personal and institutional levels," he said. Last year, yoga programmes held in Rishikesh, Jageshwar and Haridwar had matched international standards and thousands of people from 100 countries participated in the yoga events held on Saturdays and Sundays as part of the Ardhakumbh fair this year, the CM said. "A proposal to develop Rishikesh as a wellness township will be considered whereas a decision has been taken to develop Jageshwar, Tungnath and Lohaghat wellness centres," he said. Yoga education will also be provided in schools, he said, adding the Chief Secretary has been asked to link yoga trainers with schools on a part time basis. Rawat also honoured people working in the field of yoga education on the occasion and laid the foundation stone of a yoga park at Shaheed Durgamal Park on Garhi cant road here. Meanwhile, a slew of programmes were also held all over the city to mark the yoga day with Union Minister for Social Justice Thawar Chand Gehlot performing yogasanas at a camp on Rangers College ground and Governor K K Paul performing yogic postures along with Raj Bhawan staff on its lawns early in the morning. Speaking on the occasion, Paul described yoga as Indias "unique gift to the world" and asked people to incorporate it into their daily routine for their own physical and spiritual well being. PTI ALM RCJ ZMN RCJ --- ENDS --- Mass yoga events were held in schools, public places, lawns of residential localities and office complexes across thousands of Indian villages, cities, and towns By Indo-Asian News Service: Millions of Indians today morning stretched and twisted their bodies and performed breathing exercises to celebrate the second International Yoga Day, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Chandigarh urging people to de-link the ancient Indian practice from their religious beliefs. MODI SHOWS THE WAY "Yoga is not a religious activity. Many people do not understand yoga completely. It is not what you will get from yoga, but what is important is what you will give to yoga and what all (ailments) will it rid you off," he said early morning. advertisement Modi is a keen yoga enthusiast on whose proposal the UN marked June 21 to be celebrated as the International Yoga Day every year. Modi, in a white T-shirt and a payjama with a stole around his neck, led from the front in Chandigarh's Capitol Complex. Stretching on a mat and staring at the overcast Chandigarh skies, he himself performed the asanas among the crowd of over 30,000 yoga enthusiasts. INDIA CELEBRATES WITH THE WORLD Mass yoga events were held in schools, public places, lawns of residential localities and office complexes across thousands of Indian villages, cities, and towns -- from the deserts of Rajasthan to eastern planes and from the Himalayan heights to high seas -- on naval warships -- down south. The celebrations of the day and yoga performances even went high up in the sky at 35,000 feet above Earth on some morning flights. In the run-up to the celebrations, the government had created a huge hype to popularize the event, asking people to organise ceremonies for mass participations. HERE'S HOW INTERNATIONAL YOGA DAY WAS CELEBRATED ACROSS INDIA In Delhi, as the morning sun broke through the overnight clouds, tens of thousands of its residents performed asanas. Over 10,000 people gathered at Central Park in the heart of Connaught Place and the circular road around it, making it one of the largest yoga events in the city. It rained heavily in Mumbai but that did not deter lakhs of school and college students and men and women of all ages from doing yoga exercises in many parts of the city and suburbs. The Indian Navy in Mumbai completed a three-week long capsule to train 25 personnel and popularise yoga among thousands of its sailors and civilians while over 2,000 took part in a yoga programme at Kohli Grounds. Tamil Nadu capital Chennai also saw thousands of people performing yoga. The navy marked the day with its officers and personnel performing yoga on INS Adyar. In Jammu and Kashmir, scores performed yoga exercises and the main function was held at the Maulana Azad Stadium in Jammu. Similar functions were held in Srinagar and Leh and Kargil towns of the Ladakh region. In Himachal Pradesh, the day was observed amid cloudy conditions and yet thousands did asanas in hundreds of camps across the state. In Left-ruled Kerala, the day sparked a controversy as Health Minister K.K. Shailaja was irked by Sanskrit kirtans rendered at an event. She pointed out that yoga doesn't belong to any particular religion and is also practised by atheists. Celebrations were also held in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Bihar and northeastern states. High up in the sky, budget airline SpiceJet conducted practice sessions on all its two-hour morning flights. It was a special 10-minute 'Upa-Yoga' onboard capsule for its passengers and crew. The participants performed while seated. The special asanas are believed to help activate joints, muscles and energy systems to overcome jetlag, fear of flying and breathing difficulties. advertisement Also read: Yoga to be kidding me: These tweets show users exercising their funny bone Bihar government distances itself from Yoga Day, Lalu's sons give event a miss --- ENDS --- Caged dogs being taken to one of Yulin's markets for the dog meat festival. Photo courtesy: Instagram/lifeofabraham By Shreya Goswami: This might come as very disturbing news to most people, but the annual dog meat festival in Yulin has started yesterday. The 10-day long festival will witness the killing and consumption of thousands of dogs in this Chinese city. The first day saw hundreds of people gathering in the market to either get a taste of dog meat or stop the killings. Protestors from across the globe are campaigning to stop the Yulin dog meat festival. Photo courtesy: Instagram/sofie_the_frenchbulldog advertisement The festival is held every year during the summer solstice in countries like China, South Korea, Indonesia, and Laos--though only China's city of Yulin seems to have most of its markets openly selling dog meat. The underlying, traditional belief that these dog-eaters hold is that the meat helps them cope with the heat during summer. Also read: Someone deep fried water successfully, just so you could have water pakoras While this might sound like one of those traditional food fads that still continue in most nations of the world, the dangers of eating dog meat are many. Dogs being displayed in Yulin's dog meat festival. Photo courtesy: Instagram/joshuakhunt It's not a regulated industry, unlike the chicken or pig meat industries, so the chances of getting infections are quite high. Plus, the markets selling dog meat aren't very hygienic to begin with, adding to the risk of consuming this meat. Activists have taken to social media to show the world the inhumane treatment of dogs in Yulin. Photo courtesy: Instagram/jethro_tripod_catahoula Protestors from across the globe have even more to add. Some have pointed out that the dogs are tortured before killing to enhance the flavour of the meat. Many activists have taken to social media to post live photos of the inhumane conditions in which these dogs are captured, transported, butchered, and then consumed. Also read: Drama on a plate: These bomb pizzas are just amazing A Malaysian vet, Daniel Wilfred, has posted a photo of dogs rescued from Yulin's markets. A Malaysian vet posted this photo of dogs rescued from Yulin's dog meat festival. Photo courtesy: Instagram/dannyboyvet Here's what he wrote in his post: "Just checked out one of the slaughter houses that marc is working on taking over and relocating all the dogs. I went in with a local vet and another volunteer friend to change the water tubs, none of us got bit. All they did was try to lick us and get some hugs, why? They are not stray or farm dogs, these are peoples pets they steal pre-festival to meet the demand. Some of them still have their collars on (sic)." Yulin's extreme food festival witnesses the killing of thousands of dogs. Photo courtesy: Instagram/madmelbournie In their collective attempt at stopping or at least reducing the consumption of dog meat, activists tried to buy off the dogs on sale at prices ranging between 300 yuan and 700 yuan (3,000 to 7,100 INR) per dog. Earlier this month, they also handed an 11 million-signature-strong petition to authorities in Beijing to stop the festival altogether. advertisement Another initiative saw the making of this video by the Animal Hope and Wellness Foundation, which features actors like Matt Damon, Joaquin Phoenix and Pamela Anderson. Watch the video here: --- ENDS --- Dell announced in October a merger with EMC - the top multinational in computer storage and cloud computing. The $67 billion merger is the largest in tech history. By Indo-Asian News Service: In order to reportedly finance its $67 billion acquisition of IT storage company EMC, US tech giant Dell has sold Dell Software Group to Francisco Partners, a US-based private equity firm and Elliott Management, an American hedge fund management firm. The transaction includes Dell's Systems and Information Management (SIM), Security, and Advanced Analytics business units. The price of the deal was not disclosed yet. advertisement "Elliott has been a long-term investor in the technology space and today's announcement continues our progress," said Jesse Cohn, Senior Portfolio Manager, Elliott Management, in a statement. In 2012, Dell bought tech-security company SonicWall Inc. for $1.2 billion and business-software maker Quest Software Inc. for $2.36 billion. Both are included in the deal, Wall Street Journal reported. "This represents a significant change for our business but one we are excited about. Our employees and network of partners will stay focused on the path of delivering value for customers through innovative systems and information management technologies," said Tom Joyce, General Manager, Dell Systems and Information Management, in a statement. The software group provides services to corporations such as analytics, database management, data protection, access control and performance monitoring. Dell announced in October a merger with EMC - the top multinational in computer storage and cloud computing. The $67 billion merger is the largest in tech history. Dell, with a turnover of around $58 billion and a profit level of around $3.2 billion would be absorbing $25 billion EMC, which made $5 billion profit. EMC has had subdued figures for last few quarters. --- ENDS --- The South Korean giant now sees an opportunity to catch up by moving fast and early on 5G, the wireless technology that telecom equipment makers are rushing to develop as the next-generation standard. By Reuters: Trailing its rivals after misplaced bets on wireless technology standards, Samsung Electronics Co Ltd aims to become a global top-three player in 5G mobile networks by moving quickly in markets like the United States, an executive said. The world's top smartphone maker ranks well behind peers such as Nokia Corp, Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and Ericsson in the networks business, after backing CDMA and WiMax wireless technologies that never caught on globally. advertisement The South Korean giant now sees an opportunity to catch up by moving fast and early on 5G, the wireless technology that telecom equipment makers are rushing to develop as the next-generation standard. "We plan to move quickly and want to be at least among the top three with 5G," Kim Young-ky, Samsung's network business chief, told Reuters in an interview. "It's important to get in early." 5G wireless networks could offer data speeds tens of times faster than 4G technology, enabling futuristic products such as self-driving cars and smart-gadgets that tech firms expect to become ubiquitous in the homes of tomorrow. Major network firms are targeting the United States as it moves rapidly ahead with plans to open spectrum for 5G wireless applications. Some U.S. officials expect to see the first large-scale commercial deployments by 2020. South Korea and Japan are also racing to deploy 5G hoping the next-generation standard will boost economic activity. South Korean carrier KT Corp aims to offer trial 5G services during the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. Lofty ambitions Samsung is targetting more than 10 trillion won ($8.6 billion) in annual sales of 5G equipment by 2022, a spokeswoman said. This would be a big step up for a networks business that generated less than 3 trillion won in revenue last year, compared with 100.5 trillion won in mobile device sales. Crucial to its plans is a partnership with New York-based Verizon Communications Inc to commercialize the technology. Other firms working with Verizon on 5G include Nokia, Ericsson, Qualcomm and Intel Corp. Verizon conducts field tests this year and aims to begin deploying 5G trials on home broadband services in 2017 in the United States, likely the first 5G application commercially available before a broader mobile network standard is agreed. Samsung - which was a distant fifth player in the global 4G infrastructure market in January-March, according to researcher His - declined to comment on what clients it expected to receive 5G equipment orders from. As the industry has yet to decide on a 5G mobile standard, Samsung plans to start by selling equipment such as base transceiver stations and home receivers for fixed wireless broadband access. advertisement "Even in Manhattan there are many areas in which it's difficult to get access to wireline broadband services," Kim said. The fixed wireless broadband market alone could be worth tens of billions of dollars, he said. Yet some analysts said it could be difficult for Samsung to convince carriers to increase orders at the expense of more established players. "The network equipment business is a B2B business where the barrier to entry is high," Alpha Asset Management fund manager C.J. Heo said. --- ENDS --- A group of Africa based technical and academic institutes, leather and footwear makers along with some international consultants and organisations has gathered in the Tanzanian city of Mwanza. The UNIDO organised panel meeting is discussing education and training in the leather value chain to improve the skills of students and workers in developing countries. In April, the Chicago Police Accountability Task Force, convened by Mayor Rahm Emanuel in the wake of McDonalds death, issued a scathing report that pointed to police union contracts as one of the barriers to meaningful accountability. The collective bargaining agreements between the police unions and the City have essentially turned the code of silence into official policy, wrote the reports authors. They then ticked off a list of problematic provisions. Among them, the agreements discourage reporting misconduct by requiring affidavits, prohibit citizens from filing anonymous complaints and require that accused officers be given the complainants name early in the process. Chicago advocates say these and other protections have allowed some of the citys most notorious police officers to commit crimes with impunity. Cmdr. Jon Burge and his so-called midnight crew evaded serious charges despite decades torturing confessions out of black men, beginning in the 1970s. Flint Taylor, a founding partner of the Peoples Law Office who represented many Burge victims, blames this on what he calls the Burge ruleunless a police chief signs off, investigations of civilian complaints are subject to a five-year statute of limitations. Pat Hill, a retired Chicago police officer who served on the force for 21 years, argues that some of these safeguards are necessary to protect workers doing a difficult job. Requiring investigators to throw out anonymous complaints is important, she says, because criminals who have an axe to grind with certain officers frequently lodge false complaints again them. But Hill, who was head of the African American Police League, a group founded in 1968 to recruit more black cops with community ties, acknowledges that contract protections can also be used to cover up crimes. Like anything else, if there arent checks and balances they get abused, she says. The rocky road to reform That begs the question: In cities like Chicago where powerful police unions have carved out special protections, are DOJ-mandated reforms hamstrung from the outset? In These Times review of the 17 past and ongoing attempts to implement consent decrees show that when unions believe changes encroach on their contract protections, they often fight backand muck up the reform effort. This problem arose in the wake of DOJ settlements in Newark (2016), Albuquerque (2014), Seattle (2012), Portland (2012), the U.S. Virgin Islands (2009), Los Angeles (2001) and Pittsburgh (1997). In these cities, police contract protections appear to have weakened or stalled efforts to improve the handling of police misconduct, to create or extend civilian oversight, or to establish early-warning systems for problem cops. Jonathan M. Smith, former chief of the special litigation section of the civil rights division at the DOJ, explains that this effectively limits the remedies that cities and the federal government can pursue. It forces the parties to take less sufficient reform strategies because the union is standing in the way, he says. The DOJs first settlement under the pattern or practice law, negotiated with the city of Pittsburgh in 1997, includes the following caveat: Nothing in this Decree is intended to alter the collective bargaining agreement between the City and the Fraternal Order of Police. Since then, most settlements have contained similar language. Rushin, who is currently reviewing police contracts in 100 cities to see how they impact police accountability, says these provisions allow the feds to arrive at a settlement without taking on powerful police unions at the outset. But the consent decree is thereby just kind of kicking the proverbial can down the road, he says. Indeed, problems soon emerged in Pittsburgh. One key dictate was for the city to overhaul the civilian complaint process by requiring the agency conducting disciplinary investigations to look into all complaints and assess the potential for criminal charges. But early in the implementation phase, the monitoring team raised concerns that the Office of Municipal Investigations (OMI) wasnt looking into all complaints, as required, because of a contract rule that limited complaints eligible for investigation to those filed within 90 days of an alleged incident. It also permits officers to refuse to give statements. When the consent decree was lifted in 2002, monitors noted that the OMI still had a sizable backlog of complaints that had never been reviewed. Sometimes, unions seek to limit reforms before a settlement is even finalized. In 2011, the Justice Department launched an investigation in Portland, Ore., following the death of Brad Morgan, a 21-year-old who had called 911, threatening to commit suicide. Morgan then reportedly continued to make suicide by cop statements to the officers who arrived on scene before they fatally shot him, saying he had pulled out a realistic-looking plastic gun. A 15-month probe found that police engaged in a pattern of excessive force against people with mental illness, and the city reached a preliminary agreement with the DOJ in September 2012. The union sued to intervene, arguing that proposed changes to use-of-force rules, oversight and training encroached on collective bargaining rights. A federal judge granted the Portland Police Association the right to negotiate with the city over what should and shouldnt go into the reform package. The final consent decree was delayed until August 2014. In the intervening period, Portland police fatally shot a 50-year-old man who had been recently hospitalized for mental illness. Problems persisted after a settlement was reached. The September 2015 report by federal officials says the city has failed to revise protocols for questioning officers in misconduct investigations. The collective bargaining agreement between the Portland Police Association and the city allows officers involved in serious use-of-force cases to receive 48 hours notice before they have to give a statement. Consultants hired by the city reviewed 11 shooting cases and found none of the officers involved gave a statement until at least 48 hours after the incident, per union rules, and some even later, according to the report they released in January. By agreeing to a contract that requires this delay, the consultants say, the City requires the [police bureau] to forfeit the opportunity to obtain pure contemporaneous statements. Police management has agreed that the city should negotiate with the union to nix the 48-hour rule, but not until the contract expires July 2017. Police unions arent always in the position of opposing reforms, says Newark FOP President James Stewart, Jr. When the DOJ opened an investigation into the citys policing in 2011, he says the unions attitude was come on in, and that it helped the feds unearth problems at the department. According to investigators findings, those included frequent pedestrian stops that violated residents civil rights three out of every four times they occurred. Stewart says the union already opposed quota-based policing directives from police brass, which created pressure on members to conduct baseless stops and strained relations with community members. He approves of DOJ-mandated reforms related to the departments officer training and community relations. This rosy consensus does not extend to the city's effort to create a civilian oversight entity to pursue concerns of its residents by empowering them to review complaints, impose disciplinary actions and recommend policies to improve policing. The FOP in Newark has threatened to sue to block this move, saying that any changes to the disciplinary process must be negotiated with the union. Ari Rosmarin, public policy director for the New Jersey ACLU, is encouraged by the unions lack of vocal opposition to the DOJ process as a whole but concerned by its challenge to one of the most substantial reforms. The unions arent looking for advice from people like us, he says. Ill give it any way... its in their interest to get on board and be a good faith partner in changing the system. Holding the thin blue line If police unions do not get on board, could the federal government impose changes unilaterally? Legally, the DOJ cant use a consent decree to abrogate the contract rights of a union, except under exceptional circumstances. The principle of constitutional supremacy does give the federal government the authority to override collective bargaining provisions or state laws that demonstrably violate civil rights, says Lawrence E. Rosenthal, a constitutional and civil rights law professor at Chapman University in Orange, Calif. But that would likely require a full-blown trial, a messy path that could keep settlements tied up in court for years. That leaves the ball in the court of state and local legislators, who experts say must push to repeal their so-called police officer bill of rights, revisit collective bargaining statutes and prepare to play hardball with powerful police unions. Im not saying that officers shouldnt have meaningful due-process protections, but this has gotten out of control, says Smith, the former DOJ official. State legislatures have enacted laws that permit officers to over-negotiate these contracts, and cities dont hold the line when they should. Harry S. Stern, a San Francisco-based lawyer who represents police officers in misconduct cases, says that due process protections for cops are essentially the same as those for teachers and firefighters. Were just demanding that police cases are not litigated by mob rule or in the court of public opinion, says Stern. He believes that police are squeezed between the Right, which opposes collective bargaining on principle, and harsh police critics. Whatever their political motivations, Stern says these efforts amount to one thing: union-busting. Brooklyn Colleges Vitale disagrees. What theyre really calling for is for city and state governments to aggressively renegotiate those contracts to put in provisions that allow for more oversight and more discipline for on-the-job misconduct. Collective bargaining negotiations happen behind closed doors, which can frustrate community members who dont know how the reform agenda is being influenced at the bargaining table. The Seattle Community Police Commission (CPC), a creation of the citys consent decree, was tasked with proposing measures to improve police accountability systems. But since some of its preferred measures may conflict with collective bargaining agreement, the group cannot finalize them until the city and the police union reach an agreement on a new contracta process that has been ongoing for 18 months. Seattle CPC co-chair and former public defender Lisa Daugaard says that the group is considering asking the city to disclose its bargaining position, which is currently formulated in secret, potentially limiting what can be accomplished by reformers. It should be possible to evaluate whether the publics representatives understand and are effective at achieving police accountability reform, she says. Vitale says there's a reason why the same local governments that crush teachers unions and slash public services have often been all-too-willing to accommodate police demands in contract negotiations. He believes this is part and parcel of the logic of austerity: Cities rely on police to suppress the crime and disorder that result when social services are gutted. To cut or constrain [police] ability to use force threatens to undermine the whole project of shifting responsibility for social order onto the backs of police, he says. ... or, in alternative, to introduce an EU-wide neighbouring right for publishers newspaper circulation has been in decline since the 1950s, in parallel with the advent of television), since 2000 newspaper advertising sales in Europe have fallen across the board . This data is in line with what has also occurred in the US where, according to the Pew Research Center , from 2013 to 2014 newspapers annual overall revenues have fallen from approximately $46m to approximately $20m. Over the past few years debate has ensued at the level of EU Member States and the EU alike on how to address declining revenues in the press publishing sector. Although this is not a new phenomenon (in some European countries Some have indicated the internet, notably news aggregation services (ie aggregators of syndicated web content in one location, an example being Google News), as primarily responsible for this phenomenon. According to two studies by the Iowa University and ETH and Boston University respectively, not only are news aggregators unlikely to have complementary effects on the number of visits received by newspapers' homepages, but rather appear to have a substitution effect, which is said to have contributed to declining online traffic. Possible solutions to tackle this phenomenon have been discussed in a number of EU Member States. These have resulted in either the conclusion of agreements between Google and local press publishers (Belgium, France, Italy) or the adoption of legislative initiatives in relation to news content (Germany, Spain). Currently also the EU Commission is considering whether a neighbouring right for publishers (come to be known as ancillary copyright) whether in the press sector alone or also other sectors should be proposed for adoption at the EU level. Readers may be interested in this new article of mine, forthcoming in the, in which I discuss: whether a neighbouring right for publishers may be adopted at the EU level and, if so, what changes of the copyright whether a neighbouring right for publishers may be adopted at the EU level and, if so, what changes of the copyright acquis are required to this end. the compatibility with EU law of national legislative initiatives (Germany and Spain) that have resulted in the creation of the compatibility with EU law of national legislative initiatives (Germany and Spain) that have resulted in the creation of sui generis rights for press publishers, and In my piece I do not discuss the merits of introducing a neighbouring right for publishers as such, but solely its legal feasibility. Following an overview of recent national developments and legislative initiatives in the press sector and current discussion at the EU level, the analysis consists of two parts. acquis in the area of copyright notably the The first part will focus on the compatibility of national rights for press publishers with the currentin the area of copyright notably the InfoSoc Directive and the Rental and Lending Rights Directive By considering relevant case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), it will recall that the InfoSoc Directive intended to achieve a broad harmonisation of national copyright laws. In the CJEU clarified that, by adopting the InfoSoc Directive, the EU legislature deprived Member States of the freedom to broaden the scope of relevant economic rights. In Reprobel the CJEU held that the term rightholders in the InfoSoc Directive does not include publishers. From a combined reading of Svensson and Reprobel, it follows that publishers cannot be granted any rights under the InfoSoc Directive. This is not only true in the copyright area, but also in relation to neighbouring rights. While the CJEU held that the term rightholders in the InfoSoc Directive does not include publishers. From a combined reading ofand, it follows that publishers cannot be granted any rights under the InfoSoc Directive. This is not only true in the copyright area, but also in relation to neighbouring rights. While suggests that Member States can broaden the scope of the neighbouring rights harmonised in the Rental and Lending Rights Directive (including in relation to communication to the public), this decision does not also suggest that Member States are free to add new categories of rightholders in addition to those indicated in that directive. The newfound publicity for the uranium findings illustrates, however, that while the IAEA may not have found evidence of very recent illicit activities, it did uncover information that arguably confirms the suspicions that already existed about Irans past work. This is how the White House officials interpreted the situation when speaking about the uranium findings in recent weeks. Those findings involved only two particles of uranium, which the IAEA described as being too slight a basis for any firm conclusion. However, experts within the US government indicated that they find alternative explanations such as that the particles were accidental contamination from the inspectors themselves or that they came from depleted uranium used in conventional weapons to be implausible. Instead, they regarded the particles to be leftover evidence of nuclear weapons work that supposedly ceased over a decade ago, thus confirming earlier suspicions and undermining Irans persistent denials that it had ever used Parchin for nuclear research and development. Still, the White House responded to the mention of uranium in the December report by privately deciding that it supported the notion that Iran had stopped the relevant work long before entering into the negotiations that concluded last summer. Instead of pushing the Iranian regime for confessions regarding its past activities, the Obama administration determined to look to the future and present the JCPOA as a means by which Irans further activities could be monitored even if it refused to come clear about Parchin and other activities. Naturally, there was serious dissent against this approach, and the Wall Street Journal now reiterates that some critics believed that the White House didnt go far enough and should have pushed for such retroactive transparency. Indeed, some nuclear experts argued that future monitoring of Iran would be greatly improved if the world community and the IAEA obtained a more complete account of the baseline from which Iran would be starting in any current rush for a nuclear weapon. Insofar as the uranium aspect of the IAEA report was glossed over in the past, the newfound attention given to it by current reports also serves to reiterate the criticism that existed and still persists regarding the Obama administrations assessment of the JCPOA and its broader policy toward Iran. Consequently, the reports may further contribute to the contentious dialogue regarding foreign investment in the Islamic Republic and the possibility of Western entities being penalized under current or renewed economic sanctions against it. If this proves to be the case, it comes at a crucial time, as recent reports have indicated that Iran is in talks with what would be the first major US-based company to return to the Iranian market, if the prospective deal is finalized. Reports last week noted that Iranian officials had claimed that deal was already secured, but on Monday The Guardian indicated that it was still at the discussion stage. However, that same report confirmed that if the deal goes through and is given final approval by the US Treasury Department, it will involve approximately 100 commercial jets, thus nearly matching the 118 being sold to Iran by Boeings French competitor Airbus. If the renewed scrutiny of Parchin leads to renewed outcry coming from the Republican-dominated Congress regarding White House policy on Iran, it may serve to undermine confidence in final US approval. And in a larger sense, it may simply make the Iranian market seem less stable. In the meantime, this perception may be further encouraged by current conditions in the Middle East. Certainly, the region as a whole is notoriously unstable in general, especially given the rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria in recent years. Yet there has been little indication that that conflict had seriously impacted domestic circumstances in Iran, even though the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps has been intimately involved in the defense of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, the fight against Sunni dissidents in Iraq, and the Houthi rebellion in Yemen. But on Monday, Agence France-Presse and numerous other global news outlets conveyed Iranian claims about the disruption of a large-scale Sunni terrorist plot, thereby potentially giving the impression that Iran may not remain insulated from nearby conflicts for very long. AFP pointed out the previously, increased police presence in Iranian cities had led to speculation about possible terror threats. However, Iran denied this, perhaps partly out of concern for the impact that such threats would have on investor confidence. Meanwhile, Irans involvement in these same conflicts threatens to further undercut investor confidence in an indirect way, given the effect of that involvement on regional competitors, chiefly Saudi Arabia. The Sunni kingdom backs non-IS Sunni rebels in Syria and the government of President Abed Rabu Mansour Hadi in Yemen. This has helped to stoke resentment between the two competing states at a time when Iran is trying to compete with Saudi Arabia to reclaim market share for its sanctions-damaged oil economy. Especially following the severance of diplomatic relations between the two countries following attacks on the Saudi embassy and consulate in Iran, this situation has been characterized by some analysts as including economic warfare. Forbes reported on Monday that Iran had raised the prices of its oil in response to the Saudis doing the same. But this was apparently a short-term response to outside conditions, which will shortly evaporate to push prices down again. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting countries has been striving to stabilize depressed prices, but Iranian refusal to participate has prevented Saudi Arabia from seeing the plan through, for fear of Iran underselling its competitors and gaining too much wealth and influence. Forbes indicates that Iran still refuses to cooperate with the Saudis and can be expected to continue pumping oil in an attempt to attract foreign investment, even if it has to cut prices. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia appears to still be committed to forcing Iran into just such a position, thereby making prospects as unprofitable for Iran as possible, and potentially undermining investor interest that may also be held down by political scrutiny and regional instability. [June 20, 2016] State of Colorado embraces inkjet's higher throughput, color capabilities with Ricoh's InfoPrint 5000; adds RSA WebCRD MALVERN, Pa., June 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Ricoh USA, Inc. today announced that The State of Colorado's Department of Personnel and Administration, Integrated Document Solutions (IDS) has taken the latest in a series of innovative steps to grow cost-efficiencies and decrease turn-around time by installing Ricoh's InfoPrint 5000. The continuous feed inkjet platform will handle increased workload and produce millions of documents for State Agencies every month. Added to this, IDS is furthering its commitment to eliminating inefficient and outdated practices by embracing cutting-edge technologies and processes. As such, IDS most recently purchased Rochester Software Associates' WebCRDTM from Ricoh to empower their customers to more easily submit orders and create customized materials. Both Ricoh and IDS will be on hand at the largest in-plant event of the year: The Annual In-Plant Print & Mail Association (IPMA) 2016 Conference: Reaching New Heights, which will welcome more than 150 print and mail industry leaders in Colorado. IDS, the third largest state government in-plant, behind California and Oregon, with 69 employees and a $16.5 million annual operating budget, will be honored as "Mail Center of the Year" at this year's event, held for the first time ever in Colorado. Mike Lincoln, Colorado State Printer, will accept the aard. Lincoln is known by many in his field for leading the way for government printers to establish innovative ways to save tax payer dollars and deliver high quality solutions to his customers. IDS provides services to government entities across Colorado, including Colorado Benefits Management System, State Departments, and State Agencies, such as Wildlife, Parks & Recreations, Revenue, and Labor. Colorado is one of many states to recently author a state mandate for its departments to only work with eco-friendly vendors. Lincoln said, "In our experience, the InfoPrint 5000 uses low water content inks, which require less energy to dry, making it an excellent fit for our needs and the State's strict environmental requirements." "We decided three years ago that inkjet technology was the approach we wanted to take as we embarked on our journey to implement color," said Lincoln. "The State needed a solution for doing more in less time, to produce color and monochrome at a high quality and keep power consumption low. We didn't just need a printer; we needed on-site training, attention to detail, and solutions implementation assistance in order to quickly make use of our improved capabilities. Ricoh delivered." "Governmental service bureaus have a lot of mandates: increase productivity, add new capabilities, cut costs, go green. It can be overwhelming," said Andre Brazeau, Ricoh's Vice President of Production Print Solutions. "At Ricoh, we've had the good fortune to help customers manage, meet, and exceed these types of demands, so when we saw how Colorado IDS's needs were changing, we knew exactly how we could help them. The efficiencies they've seen are impressive, and we know they will continue to capitalize on the partnership and grow their volume." Visit this Customer Success page for more information. For information about IMPA, visit ipma.org. To learn more about Rochester Software Associates' (RSA) WebCRD, visit: www.rocsoft.com/WebCRD. | About Ricoh | Ricoh is a global technology company that has been transforming the way people work for more than 80 years. Under its corporate tagline imagine. change. Ricoh continues to empower companies and individuals with services and technologies that inspire innovation, enhance sustainability and boost business growth. These include document management systems, IT services, production print solutions, visual communications systems, digital cameras, and industrial systems. Headquartered in Tokyo, Ricoh Group operates in approximately 200 countries and regions. In the financial year ending March 2016, Ricoh Group had worldwide sales of 2,209 billion yen (approx. 19.6 billion USD). For further information, please visit www.ricoh.com 2016 Ricoh USA, Inc. All rights reserved. All referenced product names are the trademarks of their respective companies. Contacts: John Greco Ricoh USA, Inc. (973) 882-2023 [email protected] Tracey Sheehy Breakaway Communications (212) 616-6003 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140718/128670 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/state-of-colorado-embraces-inkjets-higher-throughput-color-capabilities-with-ricohs-infoprint-5000-adds-rsa-webcrd-300287310.html SOURCE Ricoh USA, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 20, 2016] Fitch Rates Texas Southern University's Series 2016 RFS Rev Bonds 'BBB'; Outlook Stable Fitch Ratings has assigned a 'BBB' rating to Texas Southern University's (TSU) series 2016 revenue financing system (RFS) bonds, issued by Texas Public Finance Authority for TSU. The bonds are expected to sell via a negotiated sale the week of July 26. Bond proceeds will provide about $60 million to construct a new library and pay issuance expenses. The library project has been approved by the State of Texas for tuition revenue bond (TRB) debt service reimbursement. Fitch has also affirmed the 'BBB' rating on TSU's series 2011 and 2013 RFS bonds. The Rating Outlook is Stable. SECURITY RFS debt is secured by pledged revenues, which include a broad mix of pledged tuition, auxiliary receipts, rentals, fees and other income from TSU. The RFS bond pledge specifically excludes state operating appropriations. KEY RATING DRIVERS STRESSED CREDIT CHARACTERISTICS: The rating is supported by improved and balanced fiscal 2015 operating results (with similar results expected in fiscal 2016), continued operating and capital support from Texas (rated 'AAA' by Fitch), and a diverse revenue mix. Offsetting factors include weak balance sheet ratios, a high 12% pro-forma debt burden, and continued enrollment volatility. ENROLLMENT PRESSURES: TSU's headcount grew modestly in fall 2014, but declined 3% in fall 2015. However, fall 2015 full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment was stable. Overall, TSU has not yet reversed enrollment declines from fall 2013, and remains well below historic enrollment levels. Fall 2016 enrollment is yet to be determined. HIGH DEBT BURDEN: TSU's high 12% pro-forma debt burden is partially mitigated by a history of state debt service support for about 50% of post-issuance debt. Fitch does not view TSU as having additional debt capacity at this time; TSU reports no debt plans. WEAK BALANCE SHEET: TSU's very weak available funds ratios add credit risk in conjunction with enrollment volatility. RATING SENSITIVITIES ENROLLMENT AND OPERATING PERFORMANCE: Texas Southern University's failure to stabilize enrollment, maintain solid housing occupancy, continue to grow net tuition revenue, and maintain break-even operations could lead to negative rating actions. HIGH DEBT BURDEN: Issuance of additional debt without balanced operating performance and growth in available funds could trigger a negative rating action. These series 2016 bonds are supported by state tuition revenue bond (TRB) reimbursements, which Fitch considers credit neutral. LIQUIDITY CONCERNS: Failure to steadily improve available funds ratios and build working cash reserves over time may cause a negative rating action. DEPENDENCE ON (News - Alert) FEDERAL PROGRAMS: TSU students are highly dependent on federal grants and loans to pay tuition; changes in program rules and regulations have greater effect on the university than many other institutions. CREDIT PROFILE TSU is a public four-year university established in 1947, and is located on a campus approximately three miles from downtown Houston. TSU is one of the largest historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) in the U.S. The university serves a mix of undergraduate, graduate and professional students. While most students commute or live off campus, the university is gradually becoming more residential. A new 800-bed housing facility will open in fall 2016, increasing the proportion of students living on campus. TSU offers professional programs in pharmacy, business and the Thurgood Marshall School of Law. In fall 2015, two new engineering degrees were offered. TSU received a full 10-year accreditation with SACS in December 2011. This followed two probationary periods during which a new management team and board were installed. There continues to be key senior management changes. Dr. Austin A. Lane became TSU's president on June 7, 2016, following a national search after his predecessor announced his retirement. Dr. Lane was previously Executive Vice Chancellor at Lone Star College, and also served in various management positions at Tyler Junior College and the University of Texas at Arlington. Senior staff expects that enrollment management will be a strategic focus for the new administration. Additionally, TSU's interim provost was permanently appointed to the position in 2016 and a new director of housing was hired in 2016. A new CFO, E. Craig Ness, was hired in 2015 after a national search; Mr. Ness was previously at the University of Houston. Enrollment Pressures Continue Enrollment volatility at TSU continues to be a credit concern. Fall 2015 headcount fell about 3% to 8,965, although FTE enrollment was stable at 8,263. Enrollment improved in fall 2014, but remains below historic levels. The institution operates in a competitive regional market. Management projects a modest increase in headcount for fall 2016 (fiscal 2017), in part supported by the opening of a new housing facility. Fitch views TSU students as sensitive to tuition increases and changes in Pell grant requirements that could increase student costs or impose additional restrictions. Fitch will monitor enrollment. TSU hs increased tuition in recent years, although Fitch views overall student cost as remaining competitive with public universities in Texas. Full-time undergraduate student charges were $8,726 for the 2015/2016 academic year, up about 7.3%, following a 3% increase in fall 2014. The TSU board approved a 3.1% increase for fall 2016, and a 2% increase for fall 2017. Many TSU students qualify for federal tuition grants or loans, which helps mitigate tuition increases. The number of new freshmen applications at TSU has consistently grown in recent years, but that has not translated into enrollment growth. Freshman applications increased in each year since at least fall 2012, and management reports they are up again for fall 2016. However, the matriculating fall 2015 freshman class was 1,457, which compared to 1,532 in fall 2014 and 1,109 in fall 2013. Student quality remains below the national average, which is not unusual given the educational access mission of an HBCU. However, persistence and graduation rates remain weak. At this time, Texas does not base operating appropriations for its four-year public universities on performance metrics. TSU's enrollment volatility is a continuing concern. Press commentary related to TSU's new president indicates that enrollment will be a significant management focus going forward. In Fitch's view, failure to grow net tuition revenue and sustain balanced operating results would pressure the rating. Most of TSU's students come from Texas and largely within the competitive Houston region. Approximately 90% of students receive some type of financial grants, loans or aid. Because much of this aid is funded from federal programs, including Pell, program eligibility changes may impact TSU more than many other institutions. Improved Operations Operating margin for the fiscal year ending Aug. 31, 2015 was positive for the first time in several years on a GAAP basis; positive $2.5 million or 1.3% margin. This result demonstrates strong expense management in light of enrollment volatility and essentially flat state appropriation in recent years. Expense controls include a hiring freeze, internal budget re-allocations, and no overall salary increases for three consecutive years (including fiscal 2016). Management projects positive operating results for fiscal 2016, similar in fiscal 2015. Fiscal 2016 operations also benefit from a 7.3% tuition rate increase and a slight increase in state operating appropriations. A 2% salary increase is budgeted for fiscal 2017, the first in several years. TSU's operating margin was negative on a GAAP basis both in fiscal 2014 (negative 1.5%) and fiscal 2013 (negative 2.6%). Fitch expects at least balanced GAAP operating performance, and given TSU's enrollment volatility, maintenance of balanced GAAP operations is important to support the current rating. Good Revenue Diversity TSU's revenue diversity is similar to other regional public universities, and is a credit strength. In fiscal 2015, about 30% of operating revenues came from the state, 36% from student revenues (including auxiliary operations), and about 25% from government scholarships and loans. TSU does not receive significant gift, research or endowment income. State operating appropriations are an important revenue source, but have been relatively flat. The fiscal 2016 appropriations is $51.9 million, up slightly from $50 million in each of fiscal years 2015 and 2014, but down from $52 million in the 2012/2013 biennium years. Weak Balance Sheet Ratios TSU's balance sheet ratios are weak for the 'BBB' rating category, and constrain the rating. Available funds, (AF; defined by Fitch as cash and investments less certain restricted net assets), improved slightly to $25 million at Aug. 31, 2015, up from $22 million in fiscal 2014. Fiscal 2015 AF ratios were only 13% of operating expenses and 11% of pro-forma debt. High Debt Leverage Post issuance debt is about $232 million, including outstanding RFS bonds, two loans from the U.S. Department of Education's HBCU Capital Access Program (about $106 million), and leases. Approximately 50% of TSU's post issuance obligations are state-designated TRBs, which receive state debt service reimbursement. One of the two HBCU loans is related to a new 800-bed residential facility. Completion was delayed by weather until fall 2016, and the university covered related loan expense during fiscal 2016 without benefit of associated project revenues. The project is now complete and opens in fall 2016 (fiscal 2017). Pro-forma maximum annual debt service (MADS) of about $23 million (fiscal 2017) is a high 12% of fiscal 2015 operating revenues. About 50% of debt, including the series 2016 library project, is qualified for state debt service reimbursement. The university issues the debt as parity RFS bonds, and receives state TRB reimbursements for debt service. These reimbursements are neither guaranteed nor pledged to bondholders. However, Fitch views Texas as having a track record of making such payments on schedule. This partially mitigates TSU's high debt burden. TSU currently has a conservative, fixed-rate debt structure that is front-loaded and matures by 2035. However, TSU's financial cushion provides very slim support given its high debt burden and volatile enrollment. Post issuance, Fitch does not consider TSU to have any additional debt capacity at the current rating level. Additional information is available at 'www.fitchratings.com'. Applicable Criteria Revenue-Supported Rating Criteria (pub. 16 Jun 2014) https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=750012 U.S. College and University Rating Criteria (pub. 12 May 2014) https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=748013 Additional Disclosures Dodd-Frank Rating Information Disclosure Form https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/press_releases/content/ridf_frame.cfm?pr_id=1007751 Solicitation Status https://www.fitchratings.com/gws/en/disclosure/solicitation?pr_id=1007751 Endorsement Policy https://www.fitchratings.com/jsp/creditdesk/PolicyRegulation.faces?context=2&detail=31 ALL FITCH CREDIT RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS. PLEASE READ THESE LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK: HTTP://FITCHRATINGS.COM/UNDERSTANDINGCREDITRATINGS. IN ADDITION, RATING DEFINITIONS AND THE TERMS OF USE OF SUCH RATINGS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE AGENCY'S PUBLIC WEBSITE 'WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM'. PUBLISHED RATINGS, CRITERIA AND METHODOLOGIES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THIS SITE AT ALL TIMES. FITCH'S CODE OF CONDUCT, CONFIDENTIALITY, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, AFFILIATE FIREWALL, COMPLIANCE AND OTHER RELEVANT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THE 'CODE OF CONDUCT' SECTION OF THIS SITE. FITCH MAY HAVE PROVIDED ANOTHER PERMISSIBLE SERVICE TO THE RATED ENTITY OR ITS RELATED THIRD PARTIES. DETAILS OF THIS SERVICE FOR RATINGS FOR WHICH THE LEAD ANALYST IS BASED IN AN EU-REGISTERED ENTITY CAN BE FOUND ON THE ENTITY SUMMARY PAGE FOR THIS ISSUER ON THE FITCH WEBSITE. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160620006355/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 21, 2016] Vanguard Announces IBM Systems Magazine as the Official Media Sponsor for Vanguard Security and Compliance 2016 LAS VEGAS, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Vanguard Integrity Professionals, the experts on cyber security for large enterprise, cloud and IBM z/OS Security Server, today announced IBM Systems Magazine, an industry publication for IBM Mainframe and Power Systems customers, as the official media sponsor of the 30th Anniversary Vanguard Security and Compliance 2016, November 14-17 at The Westin Las Vegas Hotel. As the world's largest educational forum dedicated to cyber security training for z/OS Security Server, Vanguard Security and Compliance is committed to providing security experts with critical knowledge and hands-on skills to secure their enterprise and mitigate risks using the latest security technologies and techniques. "Vanguard Security and Compliance 2016 is proud to welcome IBM Systems Magazine as its official media sponsor," said Brian Caskey, chief marketing officer at Vanguard. Vanguard is committed to securing the enterprise. Attendees will learn how to secure their networks today and in the future, while gaining the latest industry knowledge from industry experts. IBM Systems Magazine recognizes the importance of mainframe-specific technical security training, and this sponsorship reflects the shared commitment to providing ongoing support for large enterprise security. Vanguard Security and Compliance, now in its 30th year, has provided educational training for tens of tousands of security experts ensuring the protection of their critical infrastructures. Each year as the security threatscape and regulatory environments evolve, the training advances to address today's toughest security and compliance challenges. This year, Vanguard Security and Compliance will welcome expert instructors from Vanguard, IBM, CA Technologies and many others. These experienced educators will provide attendees with key insights and professional guidance on topics that include: Cloud and Cyber Security Security and IoT Continuous Monitoring Best Security Practices Hot Topics and Security Trends At Vanguard Security & Compliance 2016, you will: Network, Collaborate and Learn from industry leaders including those from private industry, government agencies and Vanguard Integrity Professionals. Gain critical knowledge of how the latest technologies could affect your organization. Gather the latest information to ensure compliance with industry standards. To view the sessions and other information about Vanguard Security and Compliance 2016, click here. About Vanguard Integrity Professionals Vanguard Integrity Professionals provides enterprise security software and services that solve complex security and regulatory compliance challenges for financial, insurance, healthcare, education, transportation and government agencies around the world. Vanguard provides automated solutions for Audit and Compliance, Operational Security, and Intrusion Management. The world's largest Financial, Insurance, Government Agencies and Retailers entrust their security to Vanguard Integrity Professionals. Vanguard is committed to protecting and securing the Cloud, z/OS Security Server and Enterprise environments. Vanguard proudly provides 24/7/365 live customer support from the United States of America. About IBM Systems Magazine IBM Systems Magazine, Mainframe and Power Systems editions provide award-winning technology coverage in print and digital formats. In addition, the magazine offers social media presences (Twitter and Facebook), Web-exclusive content on ibmsystemsmag.com and in the EXTRA eNewsletters. Our goal is to help customers achieve the greatest return on their technology investment. Subscribe at ibmsystemsmag.com/subscriptions. Print edition FREE in US and Canada; digital edition FREE worldwide. IBM and z/OS are registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation, registered in many jurisdictions worldwide. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151202/292653LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vanguard-announces-ibm-systems-magazine-as-the-official-media-sponsor-for-vanguard-security-and-compliance-2016-300287448.html SOURCE Vanguard Integrity Professionals [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 21, 2016] RiskSense Unveils FICO-Like Cyber Risk Scoring to Pinpoint Threats That Require Immediate Attention RiskSense, Inc., the pioneer and market leader in pro-active cyber risk management, today announced the availability of RiskSense Platform 5.1, which introduces new capabilities that pinpoint imminent cyber risks in near real time at both the asset and organizational levels. The RiskSense Security Score (RS3) continuously measures, monitors, and tracks an organization's overall exposure to risk, and generates a regularly updated visualization that resembles the FICO score model. Most security tools are silo-based and require analysts to comb through volumes of data to assess and validate threats, which can take weeks or months, allowing attackers to exploit vulnerabilities and extract data. The RiskSense Platform transforms cyber risk management into a more pro-active, collaborative, and real-time discipline by breaking down these silos and automating security operations tasks to minimize cyber risk dwell times. The RiskSense Platform unifies and contextualizes internal security intelligence (e.g., vulnerabilities, control posture, events) with external threat data (e.g., exploits, malware, threat actors, reputational intelligence), then correlates the findings with business criticality to identify cyber risks and prioritize remediation actions. RiskSense Platform 5.1 Innovations To provide a snapshot of an organization's cyber risk exposure, RiskSense Platform 5.1 incorporates the RiskSense Security Score (RS3). Similar to the familiar FICO score model, RiskSense RS3 continuously measures, monitors, and tracks an organization's overall exposure to risk and generates a score and visual representation of cyber risk posture at both the organization and asset level. RiskSense RS3 is calculated using the following factors and their associated attributes: Vulnerability Risk Rating (e.g., CVE, CWE, OWASP database vulnerabilities, exploit, malware, CVVS, default passwords, RiskSense proof of concept) IP Reputation Accessibility (e.g., IP-based accessibility, firewall rules) Business Criticality (e.g., user specified or derived from an asset management system) 3 score enables security and IT teams to quickly answer questions from regulators, insurers, auditors, boards, and the C-suite. RiskSense Platform 5.1 also includes the following new enhancements: Vulnerability Risk Rating The RiskSense Vulnerability Risk Rating, which is one factor of the RiskSense RS3 score, is calculated based on the target's risk profile, vulnerabilities' impact, its ease of exploitability, and priority for remediation. In addition to CVSS vectors, the RiskSense Platform now takes crucial attributes like availability of default passwords and RiskSense proof of concept results into account when calculating the RiskSense Vulnerability Risk Rating. This increases the accuracy of results and leads to better alignment of remediation actions. Vulnerability Aggregation by Port The RiskSense Platform now aggregates vulnerabilities by port, protocol, and service. This allows for greater efficiency while managing cyber risk and remediation efforts, since end users now have the ability to track and change the state of vulnerabilities at a more granular level. It also helps speed up remediation efforts and enables better allocation of internal resources. "To minimize risk in today's dynamic threat landscape, organizations need a more comprehensive awareness of not just their internal security posture, but also what external threats exist that could impact the business," said Dr. Srinivas Mukkamala, co-founder and chief executive officer of RiskSense. "Remediation efforts should be driven by the risk a vulnerability presents, and not just the fact that it exists in the environment. The RiskSense Security Score tilts the scale in favor of cyber risk management teams by allowing them to focus on security gaps that pose the biggest threat to the organization." About RiskSense RiskSense, Inc., is the pioneer and market leader in pro-active cyber risk management. The company enables enterprises and governments to reveal cyber risk, quickly orchestrate remediation, and monitor the results. This is done by unifying and contextualizing internal security intelligence, external threat data, and business criticality across a growing attack surface. The company's Software-as-a-Service (SaaS (News - Alert)) platform transforms cyber risk management into a more pro-active, collaborative, and real-time discipline. The RiskSense Platform embodies the expertise and intimate knowledge gained from real world experience in defending critical networks from the world's most dangerous cyber adversaries. As part of a team that collaborated with the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Intelligence Community, RiskSense founders developed Computational Analysis of Cyber Terrorism against the U.S. (CACTUS), Support Vectors Intrusion (News - Alert) Detection, Behavior Risk Analysis of Vicious Executables (BRAVE), and the Strike Team Program. By leveraging RiskSense cyber risk management solutions, organizations can significantly shorten time-to-remediation, increase operational efficiency, strengthen their security programs, heighten response readiness, reduce costs, and ultimately minimize cyber risks. For more information, please visit www.risksense.com or follow us on Twitter (News - Alert) at @RiskSense. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160621005087/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Container company Docker this week opened its beta for Docker for Mac and Windows. It also formally introduced Docker for AWS, and Docker for Azure. All this coincides with the DockerCon event, which is taking place this week in Seattle. Solomon Hykes, Docker founder and CTO, said the company came out with a beta for Docker for Mac, and Docker for Windows, a few months ago. Today 70,000 people are testing that beta. Both solutions, he said, deliver the most seamless Docker experiences for developers who use Mac and Windows machines, adding that these solutions are an effort by Docker to remove friction from the developer cycle. Making things easy is really hard, Hykes added, so Docker in late January announced the acquisition of Unikernel. As Mano Marks, director of developer relations at Docker, blogged in January: Unikernels compile your source code into a custom operating system that includes only the functionality required by the application logic. That makes them small, fast, and improves efficiency. Unikernel Systems was formed last year to build tools that allow developers to take advantage of a growing number of unikernel projects. Docker also brought in designers from the mobile gaming arena, Hykes noted. He said the mobile gaming arena is five years ahead of the industry at large in terms of design. As for the Amazon and Azure news, Hykes said thats aimed at addressing the needs of ops teams at organizations using Docker. Ops using Amazon or Azure have these platforms all figured out, he said. They know what works and what doesnt. That is their home. The nicest way for an ops team to use Docker would be if Docker did the hard work of integrating Docker with AWS and Azure, he said, so thats what Docker has done. As a result, if someone wants to deploy a new Swarm on AWS, for instance, theres a cloud template, and the ops team member simple selects the desired number of nodes, clicks, and they are done. These AWS and Azure solutions are currently in limited beta. Edited by Stefania Viscusi CHARLESTON -- Last year, Aldo Gutierrezs brief tour of Charleston during his first days in the city where he would be living for the coming months came as a shock to him. Up until he got off the plane in America, Gutierrez, 18, spent his entire life in the Chicago-like city of Puebla, Mexico. This city, which sees temperatures sit around 70 degrees year round, is large with a population of 1.4 million, a stark difference from that of Charleston. Now, almost a year in the program, the Rotary Youth Exchange student is finishing up in Charleston, preparing to head back with an understanding of small midwestern United States culture and a better appreciation for his, he said. After time spent in the city hosted by three families, the last of which was the family of Randy Aungst and Gail Abrams-Aungst, he soon realized the lifestyles and people he met in Charleston differed greatly from that of people he personally knew in Mexico, he said, for better and worse. From the start, Gutierrez said he immediately noticed the stark differences between living in a Spanish-speaking city with 1.4 million people to an English-speaking city with only 21,000. When they showed me the town, I was like Wow, this is really small,, Gutierrez said. While he was worried about what there would be to do, Gutierrez said he liked the relaxing, quiet and less chaotic lifestyle in Charleston. I enjoyed it, he said. I used to be in really stressful situations... that rushing life. Here, it is all relaxed. No one is honking at you. There is no noise. But when you want to hang out, it is like Where do you go? Most notably, he said he had to get used to paying attention to the amount of physical contact he would have with others. Where he lived, hugging was a more common greeting than what he noticed from his time in the United States, Gutierrez said. Here, it is just hey, how are you, good, and you and that's it, he said. In Mexico, it can take you like an hour just to chat with someone. Here, Gutierrez spent his year learning at Charleston High School, which had a noticeable free and different style of curriculum schedules from what he was used to. Gutierrez was surprised he had the ability to choose his classes to a certain extent, a foreign concept to him and his school in Mexico. The Mexican curriculum is much more rigid than that of schools in the area, according to Gutierrez. Here, you get to choose your classes. In Mexico, it's not, he said. In Mexico, they tell you, you are having this class and you are having that class. Along with roaming the confines of the city, Gutierrez explored outside of Charleston, going to places like Chicago and even taking trips with host families to other states like Louisiana and Michigan to get a bigger scope of American lifestyles. While he was interested in getting a taste of a new culture, piqued by friends who have gone through the program, Gutierrez quickly grew to miss aspects of home which included family, friends and food. In Mexico, everything is extremely flavory. It is spicy and hot, Gutierrez said. Here, it is extremely simple. However, he did love the variety and amount of desserts and food available. He said he especially quickly loved, and will soon miss, Dairy Queen and its Blizzards, something not available where he comes from. The overall experience was eye-opening for him, though. He said he feel like he developed as a person through his time here. I've grown up more and developed myself more, Gutierrez said. I didn't give the same amount of importance to my family and my friends (that I do now). Gail and Randy of his current host family said it was enlightening for them as well. Gail said it was interesting learning of the many social differences for those in Gutierrezs part of Mexico, especially the differences in foods and in normal social practices like hugging. It was nice to learn about their culture, Gail said. He will be headed back to Mexico on July 12, where he will be finishing up high school and later pursuing an engineering degree in college. TOLEDO (JG-TC) -- A Neoga woman has pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter regarding the Aug. 27 death of an infant who was in her care. Natasha L. Gordon, 22, pleaded guilty on Monday during a hearing in Cumberland County circuit court. Court records show there has been a partial agreement between the prosecution and defense on a three-year cap on a possible prison sentence. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Sept. 16. The involuntary manslaughter charge pertains to the Aug. 27 death of 1-year-old Arianna R. McNeal of Neoga. The infant was found unresponsive in the water of a bathtub while she was in Gordon's care. An ambulance crew took the infant to Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center, where she was pronounced dead. Nebraska could keep more inmates from returning to prison by providing more access to programs, a study by analysts from the Council of State Governments Justice Center concluded. The state Department of Correctional Services misses opportunities to identify risks and needs of inmates and to target program resources accordingly, the Justice Center report said. About one third of inmates within a year of parole eligibility are not getting parole hearings because they have not finished programming, don't have access to programs or have opted to forgo a hearing, said Bree Derrick, Justice Center program manager. That means numerous prisoners leave without supervision or "jam out." The analysts, who have been studying Nebraska prisons since 2014, were asked to take a more in-depth look at the system's programs, which are crucial to keeping people from re-offending after release. About 31 percent of Nebraska inmates return to prison within three years of release, according to a 2012 assessment. Nebraska Corrections Director Scott Frakes would like to see that percentage drop, with 28 percent as a first target. In 2014, the Council of State Governments made multiple recommendations on how Nebraska could avoid putting about 1,000 people a year in prison to reduce crowding and keep the state from having to build new prisons. As a result, senators passed the Justice Reinvestment Act, major legislation designed to slow prison population growth, ease crowding, contain spending and reinvest a portion of savings in strategies to reduce recidivism and increase public safety. The analysis on programming, which ran from November to May and included site visits, interviews and the study of 75,000 offender records, showed not enough staff are providing needed programs, and inmates face persistent barriers to accessing them. Gov. Pete Ricketts said his top priority is public safety, and keeping inmates from committing more crimes after they get out is one way to keep people safe. The Justice Center study can show the department how to do a better job of delivering services, such as focusing on high-risk offenders and getting inmates the programs they need earlier, Ricketts said. The good news, Derrick said, is that Nebraska has some good, state-of-the-art programs, some of the best in the country. But the prisons unnecessarily stretch program delivery out over time, with groups often meeting only once a week over months or years, the report said. That leads to inefficiencies that increase costs to the state by delaying parole readiness. Analysts recommended streamlining programs by offering them at other than regular business hours and on weekends, and using more paraprofessionals to conduct them. Frakes said increasing programming is one of his personal goals. "We're delivering more programming today than we were a year ago, and we're on the path to significantly increase that," he said. The department allocates, but does not necessarily spend, about $5 million a year on core programming, the report said, most of that on substance abuse, sex offender and violence reduction treatment programs. Nebraska Inspector General for Corrections Doug Koebernick said the Council of State Governments has laid out an impressive plan for building on existing programs. "It is essential to provide quality programming earlier rather than later for inmates that can be connected to a strong continuum of services in the community," he said. It's also important, he said, that the state Board of Parole has confidence in programming so inmates can be successfully transitioned back into the community while under supervision by the parole administration. The study showed the factors that most predict criminal behavior are antisocial attitudes, peers and personalities, lack of stable employment and education, stress in families or marriages, substance abuse and lack of social activities. Programming and mental health treatment in prisons target risk factors and address some of the most significant public safety threats. Capitol falcon 19/K probably won't return home in time to see his latest fledgling's first flight. But the 15-year-old peregrine's dislocated elbow has healed, meaning he can start to stretch his wings and begin the slow progression toward freedom. "He's doing well. His wing was unwrapped last night and it's a little bit stiff as can be expected," Betsy Finch, founder of Fontenelle Forest's Raptor Recovery in Elmwood, said Tuesday. 19/K has been recovering there since an Animal Control worker found him injured near a grain elevator at 26th and Fair streets in Lincoln on June 6. Finch gave no timeline for 19/K to complete his rehabilitation. "That depends on him," she said. "We're doing everything we can. We can't rush him." His grandson's prognosis is worse. Hunter, a fledgling from Omaha's Woodmen Tower, won't return to the wild after being found on a sidewalk and diagnosed with retinitis. The permanent vision impairment means he can't be released and will instead be used for education or display. Hunter's father, Mintaka, is one of 23 chicks 19/K has raised with his longtime mate, Ally, in their nest atop the state Capitol. Their most recent chick was born in May and remains under Ally's care. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is holding an online naming competition for it. People can vote for their favorite name by visiting the commission's nongame bird blog, magazine.outdoornebraska.gov/category/nongame-bird-blog. Hunter and 19/K are among about 70 birds under the care of Finch and her staff of two full-timers, two part-timers and volunteers. The flock includes 22 screech owls, many of them youngsters rescued after leaving their nests before they could fly. For now, 19/K only stretches his wings with the help of Raptor Recovery staff. He'll take his first attempts at flight in a small, dark cage about 8-by-10 feet so he doesn't get spooked or overexert himself. The final test comes in the treatment center's eagle pen: 120 feet long, 24 feet wide and 20 feet high. Finch is cautiously optimistic. "There are no guarantees in nature," she said. When you report a pothole in Sandy Springs, Georgia, the city sends two men, wearing Sandy Springs T-shirts in a truck with a metallic Sandy Springs sign on it. The next day those two men -- wearing different T-shirts -- might be fixing potholes in another town, using the same truck, with another town name on it. And on a third day, the same men, using the same equipment, might be working on a private parking lot, Oliver Porter told members of the Lincoln Independent Business Association at its Tuesday luncheon. Porter is the architect of the Sandy Springs system where private industry is contracted to do much of the citys business outside of police and fire protection. Sandy Springs is a new city of about 100,000, a suburb of Atlanta created 10 years ago by the Georgia Legislature. It is an alternate form of local government, created out of necessity. Porter had to come up with a new system because he had just a few months to get a new city up and running. He didn't have the time or a way to hire enough employees. But the new system turned out to be much less expensive than the estimates, Porter said during the LIBA talk. Porter said the cost of the contracts was $20 million -- or 40 percent less -- than what the city could have expected to pay for those services under a traditional system. The city initially contracted with the county for police and fire protection, but has created its own departments in recent years. It is expensive to contract with private industry for police and fire services because of liability issues, he said. A city has sovereign immunity, something not available to private businesses doing the same work. Porter said the city has not raised taxes in 10 years, has zero longterm debt, a AAA bond rating and very high citizen approval ratings. Local government is still operating the same way it did 100 years ago, said Porter. It is an antiquated system built on a bureaucracy. Porter has written a book based on his experience: "Creating the New City of Sandy Springs: The 21st Century Paradigm: Private Industry. In studies Porter has done, he estimates a city of 150,000 could save $100 million by contracting most of its services aside from police and fire. He does not recommend doing this privatization piecemeal because the real savings comes in the flexibility that a broader contract provides. WASHINGTON -- Along came the alligator. A horrifying story at the end of a horrifying stretch, a heartbreaking coda befitting a nation on perpetual edge. That the story would go viral was guaranteed: a 2-year-old grabbed, his father trying in vain to fight off the primordial beast, an unforeseen danger lurking in what is supposed to be the happiest place on earth. It is human nature to be mesmerized by such a tale. In the early days of cable news, we could not avert our national gaze from Jessica McClure, the 18-month-old who fell into a well in her aunt's backyard in Midland, Texas. Baby Jessica's rescue was the subject of round-the-clock coverage during the 58 hours workers labored frantically to free her. Decades before came the Lindbergh Baby, snatched from his crib at 20 months, his decomposed body found two months later, after a tabloid frenzy and a nationwide manhunt, just five miles from home. These stories tug at the heartstrings but they also evoke our deepest insecurities -- that peril is omnipresent and vigilance unavailing, that happiness and security can evaporate in the unlucky happenstance of a fleeting moment. Which is why the timing of the alligator story magnified its impact. It hit an anxious nation already reeling from the massacre in Orlando. Unimaginable would be the word here except that these episodes -- San Bernardino, Charleston, Newtown, Aurora, Tucson, Fort Hood, Virginia Tech -- have become all too imaginable. We glance at the news alert, then brace ourselves to learn in which bucket of evil and animus the latest belongs: who by airplane and who by anthrax; who by Islamic State sympathizer and who by racist skinhead; who by deranged loner and who by alienated co-worker. The threat may not be existential, as President Obama likes to remind us, but that does not make it any less unsettling. The alligator lunging out of the bucolic pond is always scarier to contemplate than the fiery highway crash, even if the latter is far more likely. Meantime, our national jitteriness is not solely a function of worries over terrorism or gun violence. We are a country on edge -- about America's role in the world, about the functioning of the American political system, and about the resilience of the American dream. Nearly half of those surveyed by the Pew Research Center say the United States is a "less powerful and important world leader than it was 10 years ago." Just 19 percent of Americans say they can trust the government "just about always" or "most of the time" -- among the lowest levels in the last half-century. Fewer than half express "a lot" of confidence in the nation's future. Just one-third say they believe the next generation will be better off than their own. And then there is the election, in which Donald Trump ignites and inflames this fear, with ominous, overblown warnings of dangerous terrorists "pouring in" to the country by the thousands. "If we don't get tough, and if we don't get smart, and fast, we're not going to have our country anymore," Trump, typically hyperbolic, asserted on Monday. "There will be nothing, absolutely nothing, left." Left unchecked, he said, Hillary Clinton would "bring vastly more radical Islamic immigration into this country threatening not only our society but our entire way of life." It will not surprise you to hear me say that the country does face a serious threat -- from Trump and Trumpism. A fearful public is always susceptible to the tyrant who vows to implement quick solutions, and if high-handed unilateral action is required, so be it. A rancid foretaste of imperial President Trump came Wednesday, when he advised congressional leaders, "Don't talk. Please, be quiet. ... We have to have our Republicans either stick together or let me just do it by myself." If you are thinking now about that gator, a menacing creature who emerges unexpectedly from the swamp, jaws clamped on innocent prey, I would not dissuade you from that analogy. But I would argue: The country is not a helpless 2-year-old. Trump is scary but not unstoppable, notwithstanding his threatening march through the Republican primaries. We should not confuse the dangers we must endure with those we can fight off. Once again, evil has reared its ugly head, this time in Orlando, Florida. Are we going to allow the lives of these and the victims of Blacksburg, Newtown, San Bernardino, Fort Hood and Aurora to have meaning? There is no earthly reason why an ordinary citizen should own a semi-automatic rifle. These weapons should be reserved for the military and police only. The perpetrators of these shootings were all U.S. born citizens except for Tashfeen Malik. The National Rifle Association is a powerful group and it has the Republican party wrapped around its little finger. I urge the residents of Nebraska to contact our senators, Ben Sasse and Deb Fisher, urging them to pass legislation stopping the sale of semi-automatic weapons to the general public. If they don't, then they can be voted out when their term expires. We owe this to the victims. Walter Sherbondy, Lincoln The June 14 editorial, Standing tall against terror, confuses terrorism with holy war, jihad. Terrorism is the killing of innocent civilians to achieve a political end. Timothy McVeigh bombed the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City because he hated the government. The innocent people killed were simply collateral damage, not different than the collateral damage that always happens in war. There was no irrational, religious motivation involved for what McVeigh did. In Orlando, Florida, an irrational, religious fanatic killed gay men and women because ancient religious moral codes, such as the Torah, Islamic Sharia and the Code of Justinian, a Christian Byzantine Roman Emperor, all condemn sodomy and the punishment is death. This is the same kind of reasoning used by ISIS; they kill infidels, those who do not worship the one true God, because this is the will of Allah. In addition, holy warriors want to die killing infidels because they irrationally believe that if they die in jihad, they will be immediately transported to heaven where they will be met by 72 virgins. Ironically, the Christian Pope Urban II told the Crusaders that if they die killing Muslims, their sins will be forgiven and they will go to heaven. Holy warriors are much more difficult to defeat than terrorists because terrorists do not want to die, while holy warriors want to die killing infidels. In "The Art of War," Sun Tzu writes, "Know your enemy." People who confuse terrorists with holy warriors or jihadists are making a big mistake. William Boernke, Lincoln Each triplet is responsible for at least one aspect of the business. They said they all work together on some things, including what days to open and keeping track of inventory. After struggling through major droughts and legal battles over water rights, Nebraska is moving forward with an effort to keep the state's water drinkable and abundant. The Nebraska Natural Resources Commission tapped the state's new water sustainability fund for the first time in April, awarding nearly $11.5 million to 16 projects throughout the state. The next round of applications runs July 16-31. Lawmakers created the fund in 2014 and approved an initial $29 million investment, followed by $11 million a year, to help local governments deal with floods, water shortages and water quality issues. They also expanded the Nebraska Natural Resources Commission from 16 to 27 members, adding gubernatorial appointees to represent cities, agriculture, power districts and other interested groups. In the initial round of funding, several local natural resources districts received money to create more detailed maps of their groundwater. The North Platte Natural Resources District was given $900,000 to buy out farmers who irrigate their crops after the Scottsbluff area overused its share of water. The largest grant, $4.4 million, will help Hastings with a project to clean nitrates out of the city's groundwater supply. The nitrate concentration in the city's aquifer has surged in recent years and is now coming close to the state and federal limits of 10 parts per million, said Steve Cogley, a spokesman for Hastings Utilities. The city's utility service plans to install pumps into the aquifer to remove top-level water where nitrate concentrations are highest. That water will go into a storage lagoon for later use in irrigation. A second pump will draw cleaner water from the bottom of the aquifer and reinject it at the top, diluting the nitrates. Cogley said the $46 million project is cheaper than building a conventional water treatment facility, which would cost an estimated $75 million. The state funding approved in April will help pay for one phase of the project, totaling $7.3 million, and the utility will likely apply for additional state water funding in the future. Without the money, Cogley said the utility would have to raise water rates beyond the 12 percent increase that was approved earlier this year. And the project the first of its kind in Nebraska could serve as a template for other cities with similar problems. "The knowledge we gain will be very applicable to other communities, and we're more than willing to share that information," Cogley said. "We aren't looking for the Natural Resources Commission to take us off the hook for our responsibilities. But we are looking for partners that might benefit from the information." The Hastings project would have been "extraordinarily hard for the city to finance on its own," said Commissioner Don Batie, a Lexington farmer. Batie, who was appointed to represent farm and ranching interests, said some commissioners expected to see urban members pitted against rural representatives, but it hasn't happened so far. Under the law that created the water fund, Omaha is expected to receive a 10 percent cut each year for its $2 billion sewer system overhaul. "The commissioners recognized that this was going to be a challenge, and they worked hard to ensure there wasn't an urban-rural split," said Rex Gittins, the state's natural resources administration director. Still, the commission has faced some contention. Commissioner Jim Thompson of Omaha said he was "extremely frustrated" that members haven't tapped all of the money that was available for projects this year. Thompson serves on the Papio-Missouri Natural Resource District's board of directors, and a Sarpy County dam project within that district wasn't approved. Commissioners scored each project based on a series of criteria, but Thompson said the cutoff for which projects made it was arbitrary. "It was mind-boggling, in my opinion," he said. Commission Chairman Kevin Fornoff said members didn't approve some of the proposals because applicants didn't answer all of the commission's questions, but they're free to reapply. Now that applicants have seen how the process works, he said he expects more will win approval when the next round of funding becomes available. Commissioners approved projects in different parts of Nebraska, and many of the grants will let local governments experiment with new ways to improve water quality or recharge their water supplies, Fornoff said. He said he expects more cities to apply in the future as they move to comply with federal clean water mandates. "The first time, we were trying to be cautious," Fornoff said. "We didn't want to just throw money around." RACINE A Milwaukee man landed in legal hot water Saturday after leading Caledonia police on a car chase that ended up with his vehicle on its roof and him being subdued with a Taser. Herbert T. Stegall, 42, of the 5000 block of North 61st Street, appeared in Racine County Circuit Court Monday facing three felony charges and four misdemeanors in connection with the incident, which occurred Saturday on Highway K in Caledonia. Stegall was charged with felony attempting to flee, first-degree recklessly endangering safety, and possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, along with misdemeanor obstructing an officer, operating a vehicle while license revoked, resisting an officer, and possession of drug paraphernalia, court records indicate. According to the criminal complaint, Caledonia police stopped Stegall on Highway K near Deer Creek Drive Saturday. Police discovered Stegalls license was suspended and detected a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. Police said they then saw several small plastic bags of a leafy green substance in Stegalls mouth, and ordered him to remove the bags and place them on the cars center console. Stegall appeared to start throwing the evidence out the window when he yelled an obscenity at police and drove away, heading east on Highway 38, police said. Police chased Stegalls car, reaching speeds of 83 mph, police said in the complaint. Stegall reportedly attempted to travel through the roundabout on Highway 38, but lost control of his vehicle, according to the complaint. The vehicle rolled over several times, knocked over an aluminum street light and a several street signs before coming to rest on its roof. Foot pursuit ensues Stegall crawled out the drivers side of the vehicle and ran off eastbound, police said. Stegall ran toward a creek, fell several times, lost a shoe, tripped and rolled down an embankment into the creek, according to the complaint. Stegall reportedly got up and continued to run through vegetation as several officers chased him, police said in the complaint. Eventually, Stegall stopped and laid down on the ground. But he continued to struggle as officers attempted to secure him with handcuffs and an officer used a Taser on Stegall to subdue him, police said. At the scene of the crashed vehicle, police found 185 grams of marijuana and a digital scale, items usually indicating drug sales, according to the complaint. Stegall was in the Racine County Jail Monday, jail records showed. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 29, court records indicated. Credit: Lionel DeluyIn commemoration of World Refugee Day, Bush has released a new track called "People at War." The quiet, emotional song is accompanied by an equally emotional video, which is streaming now at People.com. "We made this video to raise awareness about the terrible plight of refugees across the world, who are forced to flee their homes for fear of violence, persecution and death," frontman Gavin Rossdale tells People of "People at War." World Refugee Day is held every year on June 20 by the United Nations Refugee Agency. The organization has launched a petition requesting world governments support refugees, which Rossdale encourages you to sign. Bush will be touring the U.S. this summer alongside Chevelle. Copyright 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. CHICAGO In a major defeat for Racine leaders who battled against the plan, a Great Lakes governing body on Tuesday unanimously approved Waukeshas proposal to obtain Lake Michigan water. Under the plan, Waukesha will divert an average of 8.2 million gallons of Lake Michigan water per day and return treated wastewater to the lake via the Root River. The potential impact on the Root had resulted in loud opposition from many in Racine, including state Rep. Cory Mason, who traveled extensively throughout the region encouraging states to vote no. He said he hopes opponents explore legal options to stop the diversion. The Great Lakes Compact failed today and it failed the Root River, said Mason, D-Racine. I certainly would be encouraging people who share the concerns about the future of the river and the strength of the compact to look at every possible remedy available, Mason said. All options will be explored, according to Mayor John Dickert, saying its my job to protect the citizens of Racine. He had harsh words for the decision, saying states forgot about communities downstream and asked rhetorically if Waukesha residents would be willing to swim outside its treatment plant where wastewater will be discharged. The vote opens the door for more than 100 other communities to obtain water from a lake that is not a limitless resource, Dickert said. This is a date thats going to go down in history June 21st of 2016 that kids and future generations are going to look back and ask, What they were thinking? Dickert said. Waukesha applauds action Waukesha becomes the first city outside the Great Lakes basin to obtain lake water since the compact went into effect in 2008. It has argued lake water is its only reasonable alternative to solve high radium problems. To move forward, Waukeshas application needed unanimous approval by all eight Great Lakes states. Tuesdays vote allows the State of Wisconsin to proceed with regulatory decision-making and permitting, officials say. Dan Duchniak, general manager of the Waukesha Water Utility, acknowledged the possibility of legal action but noted the broad support from states and provinces. Canadian provincial leaders did not have a vote Tuesday but favored the application in a preliminary vote last month. Eight governors and two premiers who put the compact in place to protect the Great Lakes all voted unanimously in favor of this diversion, Duchniak said. If somebody comes and sues, obviously well have to deal with it, but we feel great about our position, Duchniak said. Duchniak said Tuesdays vote was a huge relief for Waukesha after a years-long quest to replace its water supply and argued the plan protects the Root River. According to the plan, Waukesha must implement a scientifically sound plan to monitor the mainstem of the Root River to determine changes that may have resulted from return flow, such as volume, water temperature and water quality. Amendments made Representatives from Minnesota and Michigan offered several amendments to the proposal. One would allow the Great Lakes Compact council the collection of Great Lakes states to conduct an inspection and audit of Waukeshas operations upon 30 days notice to Waukesha and the state Department of Natural Resources. Minnesota had previously raised the loudest objections to the diversion, but authored another amendment that stated the diversion does not have significant adverse impacts. The amendments were approved, though Illinois representative Dan Injerd raised concerns that the changes came at the last minute and, in some cases, restate whats already in the Great Lakes Compact, which governs the lake region. Cathy Stepp, the Wisconsin DNR secretary and former state senator from Racine County who cast the states vote in favor, said it could be four to five years before Waukesha actually gets the water, with permitting and construction still to come. Stepp applauded the years of work leading up to Tuesdays unprecedented vote. I feel really confident, and I think the public should as well, about the extraordinary review that this project has gone through, Stepp said. Obama returns to efforts to ban 'assault' weapons June 18th, 2016. FoxNews.com President Obama on Saturday renewed his call to ban so-called assault weapons, in the aftermath of the Florida nightclub shooting and other recent terror attacks on U.S. soil. "Being tough on terrorism -- particularly the sorts of homegrown terrorism that we've seen now in Orlando and San Bernardino -- means making it harder for people who want to kill Americans to get their hands on assault weapons that are capable of killing dozens of innocents as quickly as possible," Obama said in his weekly radio address. "That's something I'll continue to talk about in the weeks ahead." The president stayed silent on the assault-weapon issue in public remarks immediately after the attack early Sunday at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla., in which 49 people were killed and dozens more were wounded. However, he returned to the ban issued Tuesday in a fiery speech in which he also defended his decision not to use the term "radical Islam" when referring to Islamic terrorists. ..... We have again seen the petulent rhetoric, which is basically using the Orlando tragedy as another fine excuse to further the efforts against the Second Amendment. All commentators with any grain of common sense, know full well that punishing the majority will do nothing to prevent the felonious minority from achieving their ends. Emotion always seems to win over rational thinking, but attempts to achieve further 'gun-control' continue unabated - no surprise there. "You don't have to be Jewish to fight by our side." 2016 JPFO All rights reserved. jpfo@jpfo.org 1-800-869-1884 Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership 12500 NE 10th Pl. Bellevue, WA 98005 USA Americas most aggressive civil rights organization We make the NRA look like moderates Join JPFO Back to Top Yes, you can transfer your domain to any registrar or hosting company once you have purchased it. Since domain transfers are a manual process, it can take up to 5 days to transfer the domain. Domains purchased with payment plans are not eligible to transfer until all payments have been made. Please remember that our 30-day money back guarantee is void once a domain has been transferred. For transfer instructions to GoDaddy, please click here. Civil war survivor succumbs to Kabul attack Monday, June 20, was a tragic day for 12 Nepalis working at a security agency in Afghanistan. A suicide bomb attack in a minibus in Afghan Capital Kabul claimed lives of 12 Nepali migrant workers. Among those deceased was Chandra Bahadur Rana Magar of Kavre district. Defying existing laws, bottlers announce halting LPG imports Against existing laws that bar traders from disrupting the supply of essentials, bottlers of cooking gas have decided to halt importing the fuel from Tuesday. Deliberation begins on appropriation bill Discussion on the appropriation bill began in the Legislature-Parliament on Monday with lawmakers debating the budget allocated for seven ministries Commerce, Science and Technology, Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Irrigation, General Administration, and Livestock Development. Dharan set to host Miss Purbanchal The number of beauty pageants in Nepal has been on the rise of late. Entire village mourns as Kabul attack claims two of their own The news of the death of 12 Nepalis in a suicide explosion on a minibus in Kabul, Afghanistan on Monday has saddened entire nation and cast a pall of gloom among those known to the victims. Govt steps up efforts to bring bodies back home Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Kamal Thapa on Monday apprised Parliament of the deadly incident in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, in which 14 Nepalis were killed and five others were wounded. Look both ways Traffic-violation fines should be raised further, and proper road signs should also be in place Mega cities planned for all 7 provinces The Prime Ministers Office has envisaged one mega city in each of the seven provinces, linking them with rail and road networks Name and shame them Itd be difficult for quacks to hide in a highly-skilled profession like medicine NEA to build power line for Arun-III hydro project Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has agreed in principle to build a 33kV transmission line to supply power for the development of Arun-III Hydropower Project. Nepathya heads to Los Angeles for a brief US tour Nepathya is all set for a brief US tour. They will be performing at the Center Stage Atlanta on 2nd of July. The show is to coincide with the Association of Nepalese in America (ANA) convention set for this year in Atlanta. The tour is being organized and coordinated by ANA. 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. Police arrests three on charge of selling illegal alcohol Police on Thursday arrested three people on charge of selling illegal alcohol in Hatiban and Tikathali areas of Lalitpur district. Quake-hit Trishuli Hospital gets pre-fabricated building The Trishuli Hospital, of Nuwakot, which had been operating under tarpaulin tents since the earthquake of April 25, 2015, shifted to a pre-fabricated building on Monday, to the relief of the patients and medical staff. Rainfall triggered floods inundate Jhapa The incessant rainfall since Monday night has flooded many parts of Jhapa district. Salman Khan runs into controversy with 'raped woman' comment Superstar Salman Khan has courted controversy after comparing himself to a "raped woman" when he was asked to comment on his experience of shooting for his forthcoming film "Sultan". Serial killer nabbed after 20 years on the run Police on Monday made public a serial killer believed to have been involved in 32 rape cases and murder of six women. Student leaders sceptical about NSU holding polls Nepal Student Union polls have though been scheduled for August 7-9, some leaders are sceptical about elections taking place on the announced date, largely due to deep factionalism and repeated postponements in the past. Taliban attack in Kabul kills 12 Nepali workers A Taliban suicide bomber killed 12 Nepali security guards in an attack on Monday on their minibus in the Afghan capital, Kabul, the Interior Ministry and an Afghan security official said. Taskforce to amend Online Media Operation Guideline The Ministry of Information and Communications has formed a three-member taskforce for amending the Online Media Operation Guidelines-2073. The real danger of Brexit By making the European project uncertain, Brexit would impact the world most profoundly at the realm of ideas TMLP convention begins in Nawalparasi Tarai Madhes Loktantrik Party Chairman Mahantha Thakur said on Monday that the Madhesi people were betrayed by the new constitution. Tragedy in Afghan capital raises many questions When Nepal partially lifted the ban on Nepalis from working in Afghanistan in 2011, the Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE) had defended the decision, arguing that workers would be allowed to work for selected employers including the United Nations, the Nato and Western missions. Two more killed by toxic alcohol, toll reaches five Two more persons died of toxic alcohol in Mahottari district on Sunday night. With this, death toll caused by alcohol laced with poisonous chemical has reached five. Water level rises in Saptakoshi River The water level has risen in Saptakoshi River after incessant rainfall since Monday night. Yes, its hard to to tell when one enters the city limits Yes, they will make the city more inviting Maybe ... does it really matter? No, the signs in place are fine No, it would be a waste of taxpayer dollars Vote View Results ANGOLA Steuben County airport officials are starting to get serious about relocating the airport from its current location. Chuck Walker, president of the Steuben County Board of Aviation Commissioners, told Steuben County Commissioners on Monday that the airport board would start working on a study to move the Tri-State Steuben County Airport next year. Walker said that would be part of the airport boards 2017 budget. Walker was the first up of unelected department heads to present budget data to the commissioners. The departments and non-profit requests were for budgets under the control of commissioners. We want to look at a place where we can relocate the airport, Walker said. Actual relocation of the airport probably wont occur for 15 or 20 years, he said. Again, its really far down the road, Walker said. Talk about moving the airport has ebbed and flowed over the years. The airport is landlocked by U.S. Highway 20 to the south and lakes and wetlands in other directions. Walker said the push is coming from the Federal Aviation Administration to move the facility, which was founded in 1930 by Paul Eyster. The feds said youve got to move the airport, Walker said. Airport officials are hoping that a land swap could accommodate a new venue for the airport, which could hold down costs. Most likely the federal government will pay 94 percent of cost of a new facility with the county making up the other 6 percent. Meanwhile, the budget being submitted by the airport board is double what was received initially for 2016. The total operating expense for 2017 is penciled in at $178,940. The budget amount approved for 2016 was about $89,000. Since the airport board was changed last fall and the budget year began in January, commissioners have added funding to pay for a manager and part-time employees. Money was also shifted from a grant account to help purchase fuel. Walker said based on six months of revenue for 2016, the airport expects to generate about $31,300 in revenue in 2017. The net balance for the airports spending would be $147,640. Many arrested over the weekend ANGOLA The following people were arrested over the weekend by law enforcement officers working in Steuben Count and lodged in the Steuben County Jail. James R. Benjamin, 39, of the 1000 block of Hickory Tree Road, Kendallville, arrested at Lake James on a misdemeanor charge of operating while intoxicated on a watercraft. Kevin M. Birchfield, 55, of the 700 block of Leaf Lane, Coldwater, Michigan, arrested in the 100 block of West Toledo Street, Fremont, on misdemeanor charges of resisting law enforcement and indecent exposure. Juan M. Cruz, 19, of the 600 block of North Wayne Street, arrested at the 300 block of North Superior Street on a misdemeanor charge of probation violation. Jeremy A. Demyanovich, 23, of the 2000 block of West 500 Street, Pleasant Lake, arrested at the Steuben County Sheriffs Office on a misdemeanor charge of invasion of privacy and a felony charge of child non-support. Michael A. Howell, 28, of the 200 block of Chapel Lane, Ashley, arrested on C.R. 200W on a misdemeanor charge of possession of paraphernalia and dealing synthetic drugs. Jocelyn F. Lautzenhiser, 28, of the 1000 block of South West Fox Lake, arrested at the 6000 block of North C.R. 750W, Orland, on a felony charge of residential entry. Keith C. Prine, 57, of the 10000 block of Crystal Falls Lane, Fishers, arrested the Steuben County Sheriffs Office on two misdemeanor charges of operating while intoxicated. Bryan A. Rowilson, 28, of the 10000 block of East C.R. 100S, LaGrange, arrested at the Steuben County Jail on a misdemeanor charge of criminal trespass. Trina M. Smith, 29, of the 600 block of Williams Street, arrested at the 300 block of of East Maumee Street on a misdemeanor charge of a fugitive warrant. Derek C. Tuffley, 31, of the 100 block of Old Bog Road, Avilla, arrested in the 6000 block of North C.R. 750W on a felony charge of residential entry. Robert J. Wietecha, 32, of the 500 block of Randolph Street, arrested at the Steuben County Sheriffs Office on a misdemeanor charge of probation violation. Our craft beer world is getting a little smaller, again. Stone Brewing, the Southern California company thats the biggest remaining craft brewer that didnt send its beer to Wisconsin, has crossed the Badger State off its list. Stones Wisconsin launch, though, is actually a relaunch. It left the state in 2010 after 2 years of distribution. A lot of myths have been placed upon Stones departure chiefly a market that just didnt get Stones distinctly West Coast, hop-driven bold flavors. The beer world here and everywhere was quite a bit different those 5 years ago, but Stone was a different company, too, said Todd Karnig, vice president of sales. The numbers werent what Stone wanted them to be We would have liked to have had higher volume in the state for sure, Karnig said but other factors weighed heavily in the decision to pull back. Like many brewers, Stone was bumping up against its brewerys capacity, straining its ability to meet demand in core markets. And the sales volume here wasnt enough to overcome the challenges of transporting perishable beer efficiently from San Diego County to Wisconsin. The opening of Stones brewery in Richmond, Virginia, has eased those capacity and logistics pressures, though Karnig said Stones growth and maturity as a company would have made reopening Wisconsin viable even without a new brewery. Its much easier to send more frequent trucks (and therefore fresher beer) from California to Wisconsin when they can supply other robust Midwestern markets as well. But theres no doubt Richmond is a game-changer for Stone. Wisconsin becomes Stones 43rd state, but before Arkansas in March, the last new state to get Stone beer was Alabama in August 2013. It plans to open the remaining states in the next 18 months. Stone figures the new brewery and its 250-barrel brewhouse will produce 100,000 barrels in its first 12 months, adding to the 325,000 barrels made in California in 2015. That figure was good for No. 10 on the Brewers Associations list of top-producing craft brewers. The new brewery will produce most of Stones higher-volume beers for eastern markets when production begins in earnest later this month after a period of dialing-in. The beer will flow out of Richmond when were happy that it meets the Stone standard, Karnig said. Were getting very close and we think it could be very soon. When that happens, Wisconsin will receive most of its beer from Richmond, though some specialty beers still will be made only in the Stone home base of Escondido. But was there something to that notion of Wisconsin somehow not being ready for Stone beers? Karnig was quick to point to the job that Wisconsins craft brewers, particularly New Glarus Brewing, have done to build the states market since 2010. I dont think theres any question that Wisconsin has evolved in a really positive way for craft. ... The craft scene really seems to be taking hold and increasing, Karnig said. I think like anywhere else, palates are evolving. Wisconsin is no different. We make the beer that we make. Its very flavorful and generally very hop-forward. We think Wisconsins ready for it and we think its going to be a really good match. I think so, too. Lets start with a landmark beer that should have a place on any American beer shelf. Arrogant Bastard Ale Style: American strong ale Brewed by: So, a couple years ago this was a Stone beer, but, as the brewer tells it, Arrogant Bastard officially split from Stone Brewing in 2015 under his own brewing moniker, Arrogant Brewing. OK. The Arrogant Bastard family of beers is found only on its own website, with no mention on the main Stone site. What its like: Stone, er, Arrogant Brewing says its the forerunner of the American strong ale style. Id say it drinks like the intersection of a really rowdy American barleywine, a scotch ale and a session IPA but Arrogant Bastard would scoff at me and call me an unworthy dilettante. Where, how much: Arrogant Bastard comes in bombers that fetch around $5 or six-packs of 16-ounce cans that set me back $13. The beer: Arrogant Bastards deep reddish brown has brilliant ruby highlights under a fluffy off-white head, with a rather muted aroma of caramel and toffee and a touch of spicy hops. The smooth, soft malt runs the front of the beer with those lightly toasted caramel-toffee notes from the aroma before the hops come roaring in, big and brash, annihilating all that sweetness with death rays of earthy resin. The finish is long and bitter, mocking your man- or womanhood through to the next sip. This duality of hops and malt is at the core of all beer, and its a particularly intriguing interplay in Arrogant Bastard. Booze factor: Though it drinks a bit brawnier, Arrogant Bastards 7.2 percent ABV isnt super strong, along the lines of a particularly beefy IPA. The buzz: Its a bit of an odd move, breaking off perhaps a brewerys most famous beer into an entirely separate identity. I wonder if it was a move to allow the Bastard ethos which predated the migration to Arrogant Brewing to shine while not horning in on the more traditional nice-guy, great-beer branding of the rest of Stone. It also seems to be a safe space to expand the palette of Stones beer portfolio, too: barrel-aging and, soon, lagers are among the tricks of Arrogant Brewing that are far rarer at Stone. But on a more basic level, its a perfect identity for Arrogant Bastard, because this beer is every bit the insolent, smug, mocking and frustratingly excellent character as its branding portrays it. Bottom line: 4 stars (out of five) 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. There is a silent but perilous crisis going on in the Coulee Region. Psychiatrists the only mental health providers qualified to prescribe psychiatric medicines are direly needed to treat the acutely mentally ill, but they are few and far between in the area. In fact, there is a nationwide shortage of these important specialists. One giant scream for help is that Mayo Clinic Health System-Franciscan Health Care Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit is now on indefinite diversion, also known as closed, due to not having a psychiatrist on staff to serve the 16-bed facility for those who need intensive psychiatric care. That means that the unit no longer can help those who need drug or alcohol treatment, those who need help with severe depression, those who need protection from themselves after a suicide attempt, those who are hallucinating or cant control their violent behavior, and those who may pose a danger to others. Without this facility, patients will be transferred to Eau Claire, Rochester, Minn., Madison and beyond if Gundersen Health Systems inpatient facility is at capacity which it often is. And its not just a problem in La Crosse. At Winona Health in Winona, Minn., a psychiatrist evaluates patients via a television screen. At Hiawatha Valley Mental Health Services, there is a months-long waiting list for an initial appointment with a psychiatrist. As far as outpatient treatment in La Crosse, both Mayo and Gundersen rely on the services of physician locum tenens, or rent-a-docs, who serve for a few months hardly enough time to get to know patients and their illnesses and then move on, leaving patients to start over with a new doctor and losing the precious security of continuity of care. Every few months, patients are assigned to new doctors with various philosophies of care who change patients medications according to the doctors own school of thought. Each doctor assigned has different philosophies and theories and, therefore, a different plan of treatment. Because of this, patients are never quite able to stabilize their mental health. There are too many medication changes and a lack of a standardized way of measuring progress. Recently, I saw a front-page article in the June 8 Tribune stating that a grant from the state of Wisconsin aimed at mental health services will pump $1.5 million into a consortium, which will pay $200,000 a year for eight years for a figurehead full-time coordinator and part-time evaluator in order to better integrate mental health services, especially during transition periods, such as moves from high school to college, from college to a job or from jail back into the public sphere. While I applaud the use of mental health services to help with transitions from jail, Im disturbed that mental health funds are being used for high school and college transitions. Wouldnt these services fall neatly into the category of a career counselor who is funded by the educational institutions? It seems a waste to spend precious mental health dollars on these services when there is a long line of people with acute mental health problems waiting to see a psychiatrist. The article states, Not everybody needs a psychiatrist. Indeed, high school and college transitions typically do not require a psychiatrist. But there are plenty of people who do need a psychiatrist, and the grant money would be put to much better use in getting them the care that they need. The article goes on to list five signs of mental illness: personality change, agitation, withdrawal, poor self-care and hopelessness. Nowhere does the article explain that these symptoms require a psychiatrists intervention and that the people who exhibit the symptoms are in crisis. We recognize the danger of a crisis when we see coverage of mass shootings and other catastrophes caused by untreated mental illness. But we do not seize the opportunity for prevention when the five signs of mental illness appear. The shortage of psychiatrists is a true crisis rife with danger but also opportunity. I am concerned that we are spending $1.5 million on a misguided consortium when the money would be more effective if spent on recruiting psychiatrists to the Coulee Region. If you think mental illness is not a problem here, just ask local jail administrators what percentage of their jail population has mental-health problems. These folks will eventually be released by the courts. Their mental health will remain untreated. These folks and the public at large deserve better. The mentally ill deserve proper treatment, and the public deserves to be safe from untreated mental illness. Please ask your state representatives to funnel mental health money to where it is needed most. Dear reader, we're asking for your help to keep local reporting available for all today during the first day of our fall fundraiser. Your financial support keeps stories like this one free to read, instead of hidden behind paywalls. We believe when reliable local reporting is widely available, the entire community benefits. Thank you for investing in your neighborhood. Start your day with LAist Sign up for How To LA, delivered weekday mornings. Subscribe A study initiated by California State University says that an estimated 8 to 12 percent of its 460,000 students are homeless, reports the L.A. Times. The report adds that an estimated 21 to 24 percent are "food insecure." The study, commissioned by Cal State Chancellor Timothy P. White in February 2015, shed some light on the difficulties of getting an accurate report on homelessness among students. For instance, many students who are couch-surfing or living in their cars do not regard of themselves as being homeless. And many students are too ashamed to declare themselves as having unstable living arrangements, according to Rashida Crutchfield, an assistant professor in the School of Social Work at Cal State Long Beach. Crutchfield helped lead the first phase of the study that was launched in April of 2015. In this phase, Crutchfield interviewed about 90 students and held four focus groups at different campuses. Her team also sent out online surveys to staff, faculty, and administrators. In total the study's findings are based on 1,039 survey replies from 4,945 students, as well as 100 interviews with faculty and administrators in the Cal State system, reports the Long Beach Press Telegram. The report identified a few steps that could be taken to combat the issues. It noted that 11 campuses (out of Cal State's 23 campuses) have food pantries and food programs that are directed at students with low-access to food. At Cal State Chico, for instance, the CalFresh program provides financial support to disadvantaged students so they can buy food. It uses the services of 10 to 15 interns to promote CalFresh across campus, and also to help participants figure out the enrollment process. The issue, however, is that some students are still unaware of such programs, and in fact do not seek them out. About 49 percent of student interviewees said that they did not know enough about campus resources. "The experience of student hunger has become normalized as the ordinary and expected starving student, thus minimizing the problem of students struggling to eat nutritious meals each day," said researchers. While the report found that 11 campuses had programs aimed at solving student hunger, it discovered that only one campus had resources that were directed at fixing student displacement. The results were presented today at a Long Beach conference that was attended by more than 150 administrators, students, and researchers. The goal was to spark discussion on ways to address the ongoing issues of hunger and homelessness on campus. "We're going to find solutions that we can take to scale," White told the Times. The Times had broached the topic of student homelessness in January. The publication did a video feature on Louis Tse, a 26-year-old PhD candidate at UCLA who said that the stresses of paying for shelter, tuition, and food had led him to live out of his car. Tse's situation was a revelation for many viewers, as he defied many of the stereotypes of the homeless. "It's pretty obvious that homelessness can be a result of rational decision making under extreme duress," said Tse. ABC News RadioThe Who's Roger Daltrey will be honored with the 25th annual edition of the prestigious Music Industry Trusts Award at a gala ceremony held on November 7 in London. The 72-year-old Rock and Roll Hall of Famer will be recognized for his contributions to the U.K. music business as a member of The Who and a solo artist, as well as his charitable work. The event raises money for two U.K. organizations -- the music therapy charity Nordoff Robbins and the BRIT Trust, which supports various music-education programs for young people. "It's great to be honored by my friends and colleagues in the music industry in this way in the 25th year of the Music Industry Trusts Award," says Daltrey in a statement. "Nordoff Robbins and the BRIT Trust are wonderful charitiesI am proud to join the honorees that have received this award before me and themselves done so much not only for these charities but also for many others." Music Industry Trusts Award committee chairman David Munns adds, "We are proud to recognize not only Roger's musical outputbut also his tireless dedication for charitable causes and in particular the Teenage Cancer Trust which has helped thousands of young people throughout the UK and worldwide. Roger Daltrey is an inspiration when it comes to personal devotion to charities and is a worthy recipient in this historic year." Previous recipients of the honor include Elton John & Bernie Taupin, Peter Gabriel, George Martin, Tom Jones, Annie Lennox, Jools Holland and Ahmet Ertegun. Copyright 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Recent anti-American protests in Japan are a sign of growing disapproval of Prime Minister Shinzo Abes military policies. Last weekend, more than 65,000 people demonstrated on the island of Okinawa. Many Japanese are angry about U.S. military bases there. The anger intensified after a former U.S. Marine was arrested in connection with the death of a local woman in May. On Sunday, about 7,000 Japanese demonstrated near the parliament building in Tokyo. The demonstrators called for the removal or reduction of the U.S. military presence in Japan. They also voiced opposition to Shinzo Abes efforts to expand the security alliance between the two countries. And they oppose his plans to amend Japans pacifist constitution to increase the power of the military. Jeff Kingston directs the Asian Studies program at Temple Universitys Japan campus in Tokyo. He said the mood of the public in Okinawa has gone from angry to extremely angry. Kingston told VOA that many Japanese are afraid the country will get involved somehow because of American orders. Last year, Abes supporters in parliament passed security legislation that changed 10 existing laws. The legislation gave the military more power to defend Japans people and interests. As a result, the military can defend allies like the United States. Opponents argue that Abes military policies will not make the country safer. They argue that the measures violated Article 9 of the countrys constitution. Article 9 rejects the use of offensive force to launch a war or settle international disputes. On Tuesday, Katsuya Okada, leader of the opposition Democratic Party promised to fight attempts to change the constitution. This is something we just cannot accept, he said. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his supporters argue that Japan needs a stronger and less restricted military. He says the country must be ready to deal with aggression from China and North Koreas nuclear activities. Amending the constitution in Japan requires agreement of two-thirds of both houses of the parliament. Abe said that the future of the military should be put to a national referendum. Public opinion studies show that more than half of Japan's population is opposed to both the recent security legislation and to amending the countrys constitution. Im Jonathan Evans. Brian Padden wrote this story for VOANews.com. Jim Dresbach adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or visit our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story article n. a single part of a legal document mood n. a feeling shared by many people referendum n. an event in which the people of a country or state vote for or against a law that deals with a specific issue pacifist adj. of or related to a belief that war and violence are wrong For whatever reason, the baseball gods have frowned upon these five hurlers. Samsung has launched more than a half dozen smartwatches in the past few years, but the Samsung Gear S2 that launched in late 2015 was probably the most polished (and well received to date). Now it looks like Samsung is getting ready to introduce its successor. Tizen Cafe has posted a few images on Twitter that it claims give us a first look at the upcoming Samsung Gear S3. There arent many details about the new watch yet, but if the leaks are accurate, it will run a Tizen-based operating system, much like all of the companys other recent wearables. And like the Gear S2, it will apparently have a circular display. The watch is said to be code-named Solis, and some images suggest the watch could have a Rolex-like fluted bezel because many smartwatches are as much fashion accessories as they are internet-connected, productivity-enhancing gadgets. Samsung has been building out its Tizen ecosystem over the past few years, with smartwatches, smart TVs, and even a few smartphones running the Linux-based software. But the company denies recent reports suggesting Samsung had given up on Googles Android Wear platform altogether even though the first and only Android Wear watch Samsung ever released is now two years old. via SamMobile KIA Motors Corporation recently held two ceremonies to mark the start of construction on a pair of new community-run auto mechanic training centres in Ethiopia and Kenya. The establishment of the new centres is part of KIAs ongoing global corporate social responsibility (CSR) program, the Green Light Project. KIAs Green Light Project a global social mobility program started by the carmaker in 2012 strives to improve access to healthcare, education and employment for disadvantaged communities in Africa. The program seeks to empower local communities to improve mobility and self-sufficiency, and enable them to challenge and overcome their obstacles. Following the ceremonies, the construction of the two new auto mechanic training centres is due to be completed in the first half of 2017. The centres, situated in the Lideta district of the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, and in the Dandora suburb of Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, will be jointly operated by world renowned NGOs World Vision for the centre in Ethiopia and Good Neighbors for the centre in Kenya. Established during the Korean War (1950), World Vision is a relief, development and advocacy organization dedicated to working with 100 million people in 1000 countries around the world. Good Neighbors is an international, non-profit humanitarian organisation committed to child education, community development, and emergency relief projects in 30 countries around the world. Both projects are supported by a US$4m investment by KIA Motors and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). When the centres open in 2017, each site will employ residents from the local community and take on around 100 young trainees each year. The centres will enable trainee mechanics to work towards national qualifications in their respective countries, and feed into a new internship program at KIAs Kenyan distributor operation. Once established, the Green Light Project-backed facilities will help increase the number of vehicle mechanics and raise employment levels, and KIA estimates that each centre will have a positive impact on the lives of over 2000 local citizens. In the future, KIA plans to support the establishment of local repair shops adjacent to each site, creating further jobs and opportunities in Lideta and Dandora. Ultimately, KIA and KOICA intend for both sites to become self-sufficient businesses. Chang-Muk Choi, head of the CSR Management Team at KIA Motors Corporation, commented, The Green Light Project was conceived to improve the lives of those with little access to medicine and medical care, education, and employment. Our program aims to provide local communities with the means and infrastructure to help achieve independence and build better lives for themselves. In supporting the establishment of these new training centres in Ethiopia and Kenya, we hope to encourage the development of successful, community-operated businesses that can have a genuinely positive local impact. These new centres will help alleviate local unemployment issues, particularly among the young, and provide a valuable service to people who rely on absolute vehicle reliability for their day-to-day livelihood. KIA breaks ground in Kenya and Ethiopia Since 2012, KIA has supported a series of communities and initiatives in Africa through its Green Light Project to provide easier access to health, education and employment. Green Light Projects in Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique, as well as Kenya and Ethiopia, have so far resulted in the successful establishment of five schools and a health centre with a mobile clinic. The latest projects will bring the number of Green Light Project locations to eight. As well as setting up education, health and training facilities, KIA has provided a total of 20 support vehicles that best serve local needs, such as school buses, mobile mechanics, mobile libraries and mobile health clinics, and aided local citizens with school uniform production, micro loan facilities, fertiliser lending programs and vehicle workshop facilities. KIA plans to expand the Green Light Project to other countries and regions in the near future through the cooperation of its global network. Today (21 June) is the international day of music or if you are Parisian then its Fete de la Musique for you. More than 700 cities across 120 countries, including Germany, Italy, Greece, Russia, Australia, Peru, Brazil, Ecuador, Mexico, Canada, the United States, and Japan celebrate World Music Day today. This year it coincides with the Indian favourite International Yoga day. If you, like Nitish Kumar, refuse to celebrate International Yoga Day and want to concentrate on listening to music, here's our guide for you: What is Fete de la Musique? Make Music Day or World Music Day originated in France in 1982, when French Culture Minister Jack Lang followed his idea of the music everywhere and the concert nowhere. Now the idea of the music festival has spread across the globe with the same set of principles: the day is held on the mid-summer solstice and the music is free the concerts are accessible to all. In most of Europe, public spaces host the Fete de la Musique and bring people out on the street. This year the theme is "Music is stronger than ..." as a way to restore restore faith and a little bit of colour in the people of France after two terror attacks in Paris killed more than 100 people last year. According to culture Minister Audrey Azoulay the festival is about, "overcoming our fears, fighting division, because music is stronger than those who want to shut it off." Fete de la Musique in India While there are no free concerts happening on the streets here, all the popular music venues are hosting bands across major cities, be it Mumbai, Pune, Delhi or Bangalore. The sort of music played at the festival differs from place and event, but this year, you can have Pearl Jam and Led Zeppelin-esque headbanging music and also classical folksy tunes. If nothing else, put on your earphones and listen to your favourite melodies to celebrate the 35th edition of the festival. Spoiler Alert: If you have not watched Season 6, episode 9 of Game of Thrones, do not read further. First of all, a huge thank you to the show-runners for giving us an episode that was worth watching after having tortured us with mediocre and boring last three episodes. I can only describe this one as bloody darn satisfying. Battle of the Bastards was everything I thought it would be vengeful, bloody, gory and most of all cathartic. The show-runners are really going in for the visual symbolism the episode quite obviously juxtaposes the fiery battle between the Masters and Danaerys in Mereen with the icy, cold, sludgy battle between Jon Snow and Ramsay Bolton. Danaerys, as usual, emerges victorious with her glorious dragons against the Masters. While the scenes were not particularly riveting, it was finally great to see Danaerys say: "Dracarys!" (High Valaryian for breathing fire) and consequently, watch Drogon burn things on command. Fun. After her successful defence of Mereen, Danaerys joins hands (quite literally) with Yara Greyjoy after some friendly feminist talk. So, this was a nice wrap-up of loose ends. However, the most satisfying aspect of the ninth episode of Game of Thrones season six was the beautiful effort made by Jon Snow, Sansa Stark and their allies to reclaim Winterfell from the devil incarnate, Ramsay Bolton. While the obviously wonderful part was the battle, but I'd really like to focus a little more on how Sansa is becoming the true politician, the fit and rightful ruler of Winterfell. As I had mentioned in an earlier article, the women of Westeros are really coming into their own they are stronger, more self-aware and most importantly, they know what they want. Though the episode is titled Battle of the Bastards, it is hard to miss how Sansa Stark stands as the true winner. As Snow and his fellow army commanders are discussing the battle plan, Sansa reminds Snow that she knows Ramsay better no amount of battle planning will help if they don't have an idea about what's going on in Ramsay's mind, how he thinks. Think about it, a physical battle might be about the brawn, but what it really takes is insight into the opponent's mind, to be able to predict the opponent's next move. Sansa Stark is unapologetic when she tells Snow off, she lets it be known that she should have been consulted because, here, she does know more than Jon Snow. The battle scenes are beautiful, epic, exaggerated and really quite the visual spectacle, but you cannot help but think that, if it wasn't for Sansa sending out ravens on her own, Jon Snow and co would have been dead. Sansa uses Lord Baelish to her advantage as he marches in with a battalion that crushes the Bolton army to pulp. When the Bolton banners fall from the Winterfell walls and Stark banners go up, it's not Snow or Ser Davos' win, but Sansa's. Throughout the show's history, everyone around her has failed her, she's realised that there is no one has got her back. She even tells Jon Snow: "No one can protect me. No one can protect anyone," and is quite pragmatic about Rickon, she knows that Ramsay will never let him live and she is fine with that as long as they take Winterfell back. There is no place for emotion in Sansa, it is about the future and making sure that there are no more unnecessary troubles ahead. While Snow got lost in the emotion of it all, it was Sansa who was determined, used her brains to get what she wanted. Sidebar: Que Sera Sera for Rickon though. Also, who's betting that Lord Creep aka Baelish hopes to marry Sansa? It would be fairly disgusting, but then again it wouldn't be Game of Thrones without that now, would it? But Sansa doesn't forget, even Snow backs down from killing Ramsay and lets his sister take the lead as she feeds him to the hounds and walks away with a satisfied grin. Watch this space for a review of the spectacular battle scene. When an epic saga is directed by a director known to create characters like Bhuvan, played by Aamir Khan in Lagaan, or Mohan Bhargava (Shah Rukh Khan) from Swades, you start expecting nothing short of excellence. Mohenjo Daro is embedded into every Indian student's head like a hard code. It's what our history textbooks were made of although, let's face it, many of us detested the subject, and its teachers! And if Bollywood had to stand trial with such a saga, it's perhaps for the best that it was Ashutosh Gowariker who decided to step up and undertake the task. We use the word 'task' only because this is a feat not many filmmakers would willingly contemplate. Now, the motion poster, a stand-alone 58-second video, scared some. It re-iterated the fear that exists in pertinence to the director, with the audiences. He makes films that have the run time of a lifetime. Luckily, the trailer is much better. From the very beginning, you are sucked into the setting. With massive sets, extensive fight sequences and an authentic voice over, the trailer validates the efforts put in by the Mohenjo Daro team in terms of research. A tanned, more grunge, yet fit looking Hrithik Roshan occupies screen space. What disappoints, however, are frames so similar to Jodhaa Akbar, or Baahubali, that one wonders if every period drama needs exquisite animals to reign over the hero. Pooja Hegde is pleasing, although her character seems not to have been sketched out too well, in the trailer at least. Ostensibly the filmmaker wants us to figure out what she is like only in the movie. As for the other supporting cast, we have a daunting villain in Kabir Bedi, who manages to look like the priest king we remember from the sculptures. Whats weird is that the ear misses AR Rahman. With a soundtrack that almost comfortably engulfs the trailer, it is almost impossible to point out that the maestro was behind the making of its music. May be this is a pre-judgment which will have to wait till the audio launch. Also a little disappointing in the trailer is the blink and miss Arunoday Singh. Here's hoping that this film does live up to all the expectations! Meanwhile, watch the trailer here: Salman Khan has found himself in even more hot water over his 'felt like a raped woman' comment. Salman, in a recent interview, had said that the shoot for his film Sultan, in which he plays a wrestler, was so gruelling that when he would finish, he felt like a "raped woman" who "couldn't even walk straight". The actor's comments garnered a very quick backlash on social media, with people calling out Salman for making rape allusions in poor taste. Read Firstpost's piece on how it's not just Salman Khan, we're all caught in the vortex of rape culture. Now, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has asked Salman to issue a public apology for his rape remark. Lalitha Kumaramangalam, the chief of NCW, told news agency ANI that the commission has sent him a letter asking why he made the remark, the Indian Express reported. This is very sad. Just because he is Salman Khan doesn't mean he will make such a statement, she told ANI. The NCW has given Salman seven days within which to apologise for his comments, failing which they will initiate legal action. Reportedly, the actor had immediately retracted the 'rape' statement during the interview, adding, I dont think I should have (said that)". Los Angeles: Anton Yelchin's accidental death Sunday ended the actor's life and career far too soon, yet audiences will be able to see his talent and devotion to his craft in several unreleased projects. The 27-year-old actor reprises his role as Pavel Chekov in the third installment of the rebooted Star Trek film franchise due to be released in July, but at least five of the projects showcase his talents beyond a big-budget summer action film. Yelchin stars in Porto, a romance set in the Portuguese city that director Gabe Klinger hopes will be released this fall. "The role, I wish people could discover it already, but we talked about it for a year before we rolled cameras," Klinger said in an interview. "He was developing that character in his mind for a whole year. It was that level of seriousness. "It will be very bittersweet now." Trollhunters, an animated series from Guillermo del Toro, is scheduled to debut on Netflix in December. The project, promoted as an ambitious family-friendly series, was previewed just last week in France. Yelchin voices the show's main character, Jim, who discovers warring trolls living beneath his hometown. Del Toro said he worked with Yelchin for about a year and called him "a great creative partner and artist." The actor had also completed filming on several independent movies with writer-directors: Mark Palansky's science-fiction drama Rememory, with Peter Dinklage, Peer Pedersen's family drama We Don't Belong Here with Catherine Keener and Cory Finley's Connecticut thriller Thoroughbred with Olivia Cooke. Yelchin was killed early Sunday when his 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee pinned him between a mailbox pillar and a security fence. The actor had been scheduled to attend a rehearsal, and his body was found when his friends became concerned and went to his home to check on him. The actor's vehicle was subject to a recall because the gear shifters have confused drivers, causing the vehicles to roll away unexpectedly. The SUV was part of a global recall of 1.1 million vehicles by automaker Fiat Chrysler in April. The automaker expects to have a fix for the problem in July or August. As of April, the company had reports of 212 crashes, 41 injuries and 308 property damage claims potentially caused by the shifters, it said in documents filed with the government. Investigators were looking into the position of Yelchin's gear shift at the time of the accident, Los Angeles Police officer Jane Kim said. The actor had gotten out of the vehicle momentarily, but police didn't say why he was behind it when it started rolling. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said late Monday that it was in contact with Los Angeles authorities, and if the actor's death was related to the gear shift problem, it would be the first known fatality. The agency also urged owners of recalled vehicles to use their parking brakes and turn them off completely every time they exited until their vehicles were fixed. Fiat Chrysler said in a statement Monday that it was investigating and it was premature to speculate on the cause of the crash. The actor's death comes a month before Paramount is scheduled to debut Star Trek Beyond in San Diego at the annual fan convention Comic-Con. Director JJ Abrams, who cast Yelchin in the franchise, wrote in a statement that he was "brilliant ... kind ... funny as hell, and supremely talented." Klinger agreed, saying Yelchin studied film and aspired to be more than just an actor. He said Yelchin was grateful he got to work with one of his acting heroes, Willem Dafoe, on the film Odd Thomas. "He used to refer to Willem as an artist, not an actor," Klinger said. "That's the kind of actor he aspired to be, where people didn't regard him as an actor, they regarded him as an artist." Salman Khan attracts controversy like honey attracts bees except it is not so sweet and I could think of a lot more valid metaphors but I wont, out of courtesy to myself. His latest foray into the world of foot-in-mouth disease, an ailment founded by the Duke of Edinburgh, displays symptoms of 50 percent absurdity and equal amounts of coarseness and thoughtlessness. The last might well be wrong. Because it might well be thought out and still spoken making the lessness redundant. Salman has compared his rigorous shooting schedule to that of feeling raped. In colloquial terms I guess it isnt going to set any river on fire. But then, if you are giving an interview perhaps it becomes necessary to be a little circumspect. Using this analogy and then extending it further with this sentence is a bit iffy and ugly: "When I used to walk out of the ring, after the shoot, I used to feel like a raped woman. I couldnt walk straight. I would eat and then, head right back to training. That couldnt stop." First off the bat, it is a presumption to compare your physical exhaustion or imbalance with that of a victim of a sexual predator. Second, you know you are going to be quoted, why would you be so cavalier about an issue that is on centrestage in India and a matter of great shame for 1.2 billion people that the world see us as a leading light in this context? If opinion-makers are so easygoing and blase about one of the most heinous crimes in the book, then they have to be culpable for extreme indiscretion. The eff word which is being bandied about as a defence, in that we use it without meaning anything sexual, is tenuous at best. For one, it has been de-sexed like a plucked chicken and is used in 600 different ways including wonderment, surprise, disappointment, frustration, rage, pride, shock, stress, impatience and also exhaustion. We do not use rape in the same tenor or with the same democratic licence. Try saying 'oh raaaape' because you have just discovered you forgot something. Not the same rhythm. The bit about not walking straight is not even worth a comment and indicts because it underscores a mindset. Sir, with no respect due whatsoever, I hope you never know anyone who has been raped or suffered even the first step towards that indignity. You would be the first to hunt down the perpetrator. Would women per se have found the Salman Khan metaphors offensive? I think they would. Not so much because it belittles what has already been belittled (though that counts for a great deal) but because it objectifies the female gender. Now, if you have to be crude and some of us are so, then do it in the privacy of the locker room or the boys night out. At least have the discretion and the good sense not to speak like this in an interview. Whats with this lifting and thrusting bit, thats really out of line. Its not male chauvinism, it is just a typical tasteless analogy and only makes it to the headlines because yes, celebs have an extra responsibility and one they should take seriously. Here are some metaphors that might have made for better options: I felt tired as an old worn out shoe (too tame) though rather visual. Like I had gone five rounds with Rambo (macho enough, including the staggering). Felt like a wet noodle (objection, milord, leading to sexual badgering). As pooped as a puppy (dreary). Like climbing Everest without oxygen (hmmm, not baaad). Sugarcane through a grinder. Or, how about: just dead tired? Everyone would have got the point. Lahore: Pakistani censor board on Tuesday gave a green signal to the release of Indian movie Udta Punjab after suggesting more than "100 cuts" to remove "objectionable and anti-Pakistan" content from the film, which had already run afoul with Indian censors. "All 10-members of the CBFC have unanimously allowed 'Udta Punjab' to be released after editing objectionable content," Mubashir Hasan, the Central Board of Film Censors (CBFC) head, told PTI. Hasan said almost every dialogue had offensive words so they asked for major cuts in the Punjab-set drug drama. "We have cut all derogatory and offensive words/dialogues and anti-Pakistan content from the film. More than 100 cuts, mutes, beeps have been suggested to the film's distributor. Once he will complete the editing as per the requirement of the board, it will again be presented before it for final approval," Hasan said. The Abhishek Chaubey-directed movie, starring Bollywood A-listers Shahid Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Punjabi star Diljit Dosanjh, had run into trouble with the Indian censor board which demanded 89 cuts from the movie. Not ready to relent, the producers moved the Bombay High Court against the board to get their film cleared for its scheduled release on 17 June while also gathering support from Bollywood. The court passed the movie with just one cut and a revised disclaimer. Earlier, the five-member panel of the board declined to pass 'Udta Punjab' for screening in Pakistan, citing objectionable content but Hasan said they later decided to give it conditional approval. "We had not banned this movie. On the appeal of the distributor the full board sat together today and gave conditional approval for its screening here," Hasan said. He said the board never compromises on anti-Islam, anti-Pakistan and anti-society contents in a film and bans it forthwith. "Udta Punjab does not fall in that category. We have asked the distributor to delete those scenes which even slightly refer to Pakistan and words like '786' (which refers to Bismillah) and words 'Maryam'. "The film's distributor is likely get the content edited in Dubai in a day or two before presenting it again before the CBFC for final approval. "Udta Punjab is likely to be screened across Pakistan this weekend," the distributor said. With the increase in FDI, the government has made its intention clear that it wants India to be a regional manufacturing hub. Due to the current FDI restrictions, India was losing out on a number of foreign companies who were keen on developing India as a home market, to other destinations like South Africa, Mexico ,Morrocco, South East Asia etc. Foreign original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) were hesitant in coming forward to invest in the Indian defence market, with or without key technologies. This move will also promote technology transfer through the spillover effects of FDI, which are bound to occur when foreign wholly owned subsidiaries offer subcontracts to the domestic industry. It will also ease out the issue of fulfillment of offset obligations where the capacity of Indian Industry to absorb offsets was being questioned. With limited defence infrastructure and nonexistent exports, absorbing offsets worth $2-3 billion annually, was a challenge which had led to the ministry of defence increasing the offset threshold limit to Rs 2,000 crores. In the past, the Indian private sector has been raising objections to increase in FDI as they felt it could potentially lead to the crowding out of Indias domestic industry. However, it is felt that Indias massive modernisation programmes leave enough space for growth of both the domestic enterprises and foreign wholly owned subsidiaries. It can be said that even with 100 percent FDI, a few foreign companies will still prefer to establish a joint venture in India, to seek the benefit of the local knowledge and market access of domestic companies. The present removal of FDI cap is likely to be first exploited mainly by lower tier foreign defence suppliers, i.e. the Tier 3 and Tier 4 suppliers, who have been waiting in the wings. FDI limit for the defence sector has also been made applicable to Manufacturing of Small Arms and Ammunitions covered under Arms Act 1959. However, obtaining a licence to manufacture still remains an issue here for all domestic manufacturers and will need to be resolved first before any benefits of increasing the FDI cap can be taken. The author is Director - Aerospace and Defence with PwC in India. New Delhi: In order to cripple and check the activities of wilful tax defaulters, the Income Tax department has decided to "block" Permanent Account Number (PAN) of such entities, get their LPG subsidy cancelled and take measures to ensure that they are not sanctioned loans. A number of such measures have been mooted by the tax department, to be undertaken this financial year, in order to curb the menace of large-scale tax avoidance and evasion. As per a strategy paper prepared by the department, also accessed by PTI, the taxman will block PAN in such a way "that these defaulters are not sanctioned any loans or overdraft facility by public sector banks, as the same is bound to become non-performing assets". Further, it said, "Ministry of Finance can be suggested to withdrawn facility like LPG subsidy which is directly credited in to the bank accounts of the said defaulters." This step, the strategy paper said, will act to "disincentive" the defaulters. The taxman also proposes that the identities of such blocked PANs be circulated to the Registrar of Properties "with a request for not allowing any registration of immovable properties where such PANs are involved." Such defaulters' information has also been recommended to be circulated across tax offices so that their activities loans or government subsidy can be plugged country-wide. The department has also decided to subscribe to the Credit Information Bureau Limited (CIBIL) data, on a possible payment basis, to check out the financial activities of defaulters and undertake action against them for recovery and freezing of assets. CIBIL is an agency to collect and maintain records of an entities' payments pertaining to loans and credit cards. The department, beginning last year, has also started to 'name and shame' large tax defaulters (over Rs 20 crore default) by publishing their names and other credentials in leading national dailies and on its official web portal. Till now, 67 such entities have been put in public domain by the department. The IT department, beginning this financial year, has also decided to publicly name all category of taxpayers who have a default of Rs one crore and above. "Tax default is a major menace that the department is grappling with.These new measures are aimed to curb these instances in the right earnest," a senior IT official said. The governments announcement of 100 percent FDI in defence via government approval route, as reported by CNBC-TV 18, post a high level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, will be a big boost for the Make in India campaign. With this and relaxation of FDI in other sectors, India has truly become the most open and lucrative economy for FDI in the world. Just this March, Airbus had said that while the group wanted to invest Rs 5,000 crore in India, generating some 10,000 jobs, investments would not kick off till projects are cleared. On the defence side too, Airbus India chief said there would be no investments if there is no contract, adding that Airbus plans to procure equipment worth $2 billion from India on the commercial side of business. On the defence side, Airbus is keen to replicate joint development and manufacturing model as in other countries but 49 percent holding curb wouldnt encourage the big companies to come to India. FDI in the Defence was hiked from erstwhile 26 percent to 49 percent while announcing the Defence Budget for Financial Year 2014-2015. The increase was definitely warranted but such hike was just half the story without fully analysing the reasons why 26 percent FDI limit had barely attracted less than $5 million FDI in defence in last 14 years; mere 4.94 percent. Without going into these reasons and addressing those critical issues, nothing much was likely to be achieved with the hiked limit of FDI. The 49 percent FDI limit was kept perhaps to retain control but the question is whose control? Is it the MoD-DRDO- PSUs control, the combination of which over decades has ensured we continue to import 70 percent of our defence needs? One example of the ground reality was reflected in the 2011 letter addressed to the then Prime Minister by Manibhai Naik, CEO of L&T that said, Defence Production (MoD) Joint Secretaries and Secretaries of Defence Ministry are on the Boards of all PSUs sickest of sick units you can think of who cannot take out one conventional submarine in 15 years now with the result that the gap is widening between us and China and bulk of the time we resort to imports out of no choice. The defence industry which could have really flowered around very high technological development and taken India to the next and next level of technological achievement and excellence is not happening. Of the three things holding back indigenous defence manufacture in the country, two constituted the defence procurement procedure (DPP) and the FDI, third one being the red tape. On 8 June 2016, MoD uploaded a comprehensive DPP 2016 on its website albeit without the chapter on Strategic Partners and the policy on blacklisting of firms, which are yet to be issued. The Dhirendra Singh Committee had spelt out guidelines for choosing strategic partners. This is a decision awaited by the private industry with much apprehension as how level the playing field would be. Of course, no matter how good or bad DPP 2016 may be, it is the implementation in letter and spirit that is going to matter. The second major issue was the 49 percent FDI limit in defence. 49 percent FDI would not have worked because when you have a glut in technology and critical voids then you need to import technology. Then is the question whether we would get state-of-the-art technology; which depends on how we leverage our strategic and defence partnerships but this certainly warrants FDI far greater than 49 percent. Sure FDI inflows into the country increased to $55.46 billion in 2015-2016 as against $36.04 billion during 2013-2014, which is the highest in any financial year. But the point to note is that FDI in defence with the aggressive push for Make in India failed to attract foreign investors, totaling to just Rs 56 lakh in the previous year. Immediately post the Prime Ministers call for Make in India, Sell Anywhere and hiking of the FDI in defence sector to 49 percent, Ulrich Grillo, President, Federation of German Industries having met our Defence Minister, told reporters that German Industries would not like to invest in India since with 49 percent FDI they would not have control over selling the products. It is for this reason that the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry had been recommending past several years 74 percent FDI in case of transfer of technology (ToT) in cutting-edge and 100 percent FDI in case of state-of-the-art technology recommendations obviously made after thorough study and analysis. Defining the DPP 2016 and hiking the FDI in defence to 100 percent in quick succession certainly are excellent developments for which the government deserves kudos. The third issue of dispensing the red tape, however, is equally important. Take the Fast Track Procedure (FTP) in DPP 2016, which needs to be matched on ground; how do you reconcile to the Defence Minister announcing emergent procurement of 50,000 bullet proof jackets in 2014 which have still not been provisioned despite armys deficiency having gone up beyond 3,50,000. Significantly, while hike in FDI to 49 percent was announced, FDI beyond 49 percent was also approved on case to case basis where state-of- the-art equipment was involved. But the MoD is yet to define what it meant by state-of-the-art, because of which all cases of FDI in defence beyond 49 percent are stuck with the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB). This is yet another example of red tape, which needs to be drastically pruned. 100% FDI in defence will be a big boost for Make in India in defence. The push for state-of-the-art defence equipment indigenization is vital with current military equipment holding being obsolete to the tune of some 50 percent. The proportion of state-of-the-art equipment needs to grow from its current level of 15 percent to at least 30 percent with the current cycle including acquisitions drafted under the long-term integrated perspective plan (LTIPP), which is expected to include procurements worth $100 billion by 2022. So lots of R&D and hard work is warranted. Defence exports too should go up exponentially. What needs to be ensured is that critical equipping voids of the military must be addressed on priority and in the euphoria of big ticket projects we do not ignore or accord lower priority to the cutting edge. (The author is a veteran Lieutenant General.) New Delhi - Travelling time between Delhi and Kolkata will be cut down to as less as five hours by operating a bullet train on the route, a firm commissioned by the Railways has suggested. The feasibility study is being undertaken for the 1513 km long Delhi-Kolkata high speed corridor along with two other routes of the Diamond Quadrilateral project, said a senior Railway Ministry official. The corridor is estimated to cost about Rs 84,000 crore. Diamond Quadrilateral, one of the ambitious programmes of the NDA government, will connect four metro cities through high speed rail network. According to the feasibility report by the Spanish firm, the travel time between Delhi and Kolkata on the proposed bullet train will take 4 hours 56 minutes as against the 17 hours in Rajdhani, he said. Bullet train is expected to run about 300 km per hour on the dedicated track. There are about 12 cities including Agra, Lucknow, Varanasi and Patna between Delhi-Kolkata high speed route. As per the report, the travel time for Lucknow, Varanasi and Patna will also decrease significantly once the high speed corridor is commissioned. While the travel time for Lucknow is likely to be 1 hour 45 minutes, one will reach Varanasi in 2 hours 45 minutes from the national capital. The official, however, said there is no separate study for Delhi-Varanasi or Delhi-Lucknow route and the study is for the whole Delhi-Kolkata route. The final report will be submitted by the year end. Feasibility study is also being carried out for Delhi-Mumbai and Mumbai-Chennai high speed corridors of the Diamond Quadrilateral project. The study for the Chennai and Kolkata route is yet to be taken up. Meanwhile, the Railways is going ahead with the Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor with the Japanese help. The government on Monday tweaked the single brand retail policy by relaxing local sourcing norms up to three years and for another five years for entities with products having state-of-art and cutting edge technology. This should make those multinational companies that have been seeking such relaxation from the sourcing norms happy. As per the earlier norms, companies that set up single brand retail stores had to source 30 percent of the value of the goods sold from the local companies. The norm was put in place to give a fillip to the small and medium enterprises in the country. Many multinational companies had seen this as an impediment. The latest tweak is expected to encourage these companies to set up stores in India. One such is Apple, the US tech giant. On 21 May, Apple chief executive officer Tim Cook had met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the possibilities of manufacturing and tapping the young talent pool in the country. On his maiden visit to India as Apple CEO, Cook also discussed with Modi issues regarding cyber-security and data encryption. The company has been pushing to sell refurbished iPhones in India, which may help in making its devices more affordable to a larger audience. It had also said that it was not in a position to comply with the 30 percent compulsory local sourcing norm to set up its stores in India. While the Finance Ministry was not in favour relaxing local sourcing for Apple, the Commerce Ministry did not want the iPhone maker to sell refurbished handsets in the country. However, the latest development shows both the ministries have arrived at a consensus on the issue. Another company which had sought such a leeway was Sweedish furniture giant Ikea. The government then was not willing to make any changes to the guidelines. IKEA will open its first store in India at Hyderabad in the second half of 2017. It has also bought land in Mumbai as part of its expansion in India even as it scouts for more sites in Delhi-NCR, and Bengaluru. The company received government approval in 2013 for its Rs 10,500 crore proposal to open retail stores under 100 percent FDI. It plans to open 25 stores by 2025 in nine Indian cities. When asked if the 30 percent local sourcing is a reasonable norm, Ikea Group President and CEO Peter Agnefjall recently told PTI: "I think, in a way that at the end of day, its better for the world for more freedom of trade we can have, and with less detailed regulations, because then the business would end up where you actually have the best preconditions to do so." "For instance for textiles, which is super strong in India and its not so good in Sweden, its better that we actually do it (source) in India for more countries and we will do something else in Sweden," he further told the news agency. The government's move is indeed going to make both these companies happy. But will many like them rush in overnight? Experts are of the view that is unlikely as retail is not a sector where one can expect quick big changes. Anil Talreja, partner, Deloitte Haskins & Sells in India says the impact of the new policy tweak is definitely positive. "There is a lot fuel provided by the govenrment for foreign investors. The relaxations provided in the single brand policy will help foreign investors look at India positively," Anil Talreja, Deloitte in India. He sees companies like Apple coming to India but that will happen gradually. However, Akash Gupt, partner & leader - regulatory, PwC India, cautions that only the final policy document will be able provide more clarity on the impact of the proposed liberalisation. "For example, would 'state of the art' and 'cutting edge' technology be defined or will it be determined by the Government authorities based on facts. The policy already provides for the window of granting relaxations from sourcing norms for single brand retail trading of products made with 'state of the art' and 'cutting edge' technology. It seems that the proposed announcements seek to provide more clarity on the framework for relaxation," he said in a statement. Thiruvananthapuram: In a path-breaking move, Kerala Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) Vinson M. Paul on Tuesday ruled that all state cabinet decisions will come under the purview of the Right to Information Act. Acting on certain queries by RTI activists, the Kerala CIC has directed state authorities to make public within 10 days all cabinet decisions made during three months starting 1 January. Paul, who retired in the Director General of Police rank recently, was appointed the CIC just before the Kerala assembly elections notification came into effect. The outgoing Oommen Chandy government had maintained that state cabinet decisions can be made public as and when the decisions are implemented. RTI activists were worked up after the government turned down RTI applications on decisions made by the new Kerala government led by Pinarayi Vijayan, which assumed office on 25 May, during the first cabinet meeting. The RTI activists then approached CIC Paul, who ruled that the state government should also consider publishing the cabinet decisions within 48 hours on the state government website. Paul's ruling comes at a time when Vijayan has discontinued the past practice of a customary press briefing after the weekly cabinet meeting, continued since the first Kerala government led by legendary Communist leader E.M.S. Namboodiripad in 1957. Since assuming office, Vijayan has addressed just one post-cabinet press briefing -- on 25 May. After repeated media requests, he said he will meet the press once a month instead of holding the weekly press briefings. Patna: A special vigilance court in Patna on Tuesday dismissed the interim bail pleas of Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) former chairman Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh and his wife Usha Sinha, police said. The court dismissed their pleas on the ground that granting them interim bail will hamper ongoing investigations by the Bihar Police SIT. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Monday arrested the couple from Varanasi in connection with the Class 12 toppers' scam. Earlier, the SIT brought the duo for presenting them in court amid tight security. Scores of people had gathered in the court premises to catch a glimpse of the couple, who had their faces covered. Last week, a Patna civil court issued an arrest warrant against Lalkeshwar Prasad, who until recently headed the BSEB which conducts the Class 10 and 12 examinations. Prasad went underground after resigning when the scam surfaced. A television channel broadcast a sting in which two Class 12 toppers could not answer even elementary questions about the subjects they had 'topped' in. Usha Sinha, a former Janata Dal-United legislator in Bihar, was also missing since her name surfaced in the scam. So far, 10 persons have been arrested in the case. Srinagar: Amid sub-zero temperature, the Army on Tuesday celebrated International Yoga Day at the Siachen Glacier, situated at the height of over 20,000 feet. "The soldiers and the officers posted at Siachen, commonly known as the highest battlefield in the world, today celebrated International Yoga Day", a defence spokesman said. He said apart from Siachen, the Army's Fire and Fury Corps also celebrated the day at Leh, Kargil and other forward locations along the Line of Control (LoC) and Line of Actual Control (LAC). The event at Leh was attended by over 900 personnel which included officers, junior commissioned officers and jawans of the Leh Garrisson, the spokesman said. "Large attendances were also organised at Siachen, Kargil and other forward locations along the borders," he said. Apart from giving an impetus to physical fitness, the events were aimed to popularise yoga and also to spread awareness on benefits of yoga among the soldiers, he said, adding large number of soldiers showed interest in learning yoga asanas, pranayama and meditation. The Indian Army has incorporated yoga asanas into the daily routine of the soldiers in high altitude areas with harsh climatic conditions, he said. Shorn of its ostensible Hindutva aspects like the mandatory chanting of 'Om', or performing Surya Namaskar asanas etc the second International Day of Yoga celebrated on Tuesday was a truly secular and international event. Adding to the silver lining is the fact that out of a total 135 countries participating in the celebrations, as many as 40 Muslim nations extended their support to this global event in India. This mega event on yoga will also catapult NDA governments image, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on the international level, especially since the first edition had been branded by political opponents as a saffronised event meant to tow the Hindutva agenda. Unlike previous years event which despite of winning many laurels had faced criticism from certain quarters the government, this time around, has displayed extra caution, ensuring that the objective of International Yoga Day is to spread awareness about yoga globally, and to be in sync with the logo of the event. The logo of International Day of Yoga is the folding of both hands. It symbolizes Yoga that is the union, which reflects the union of individual consciousness with that of universal consciousness, a perfect harmony between mind and body, man and nature a holistic approach to health and well-being. Clearly, it has nothing to do with religion, a government official closely associated to International Yoga Day celebration told Firstpost. The day (21 June), which the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) had declared as the International day of Yoga on 11 December 2014, has received unprecedented international support. "175 nations, including the US, Canada and China co-sponsored the resolution. It has the highest number of co-sponsors ever for any UNGA Resolution of such nature, the official added. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi led a yoga programme comprising a crowd of more than 35,000 people in Chandigarhs Capitol Complex, while 57 Union ministers have been scheduled to take part in similar programmes across India. Each senior Cabinet minister has been assigned either a state capital or a major city. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley took the lead role in Mumbai, poll-bound Uttar Pradesh witnessed the presence of the maximum of 10 Cabinet ministers led by Home Minister Rajnath Singh. Last year, Modi had led 36,000 people at Delhis historic Rajpath to mark the first celebration of the International Yoga Day, that was also observed across the world. Outlining the response that the Yoga Day had received, Modi in a video message said, When I outlined a vision for an International Yoga Day in September 2014 at the UN General Assembly, even I didnt anticipate the enormous enthusiasm from all corners of the world. The Centres intention to keep the mega event a truly secular one has reportedly received the endorsement of BJPs mentor organization, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) all this while one of the Sangh affiliates has decided to organize an Iftar party next month, shedding the anti-Muslim image of the RSS. The mega celebration in numbers: - 135 plus nations participating. - Estimated 40-50 crore yoga day participants from across the world. - Over one lakh yoga programmes across India. - 35,000 people, led by the PM, participated in the event in Chandigarh. - 57 ministers led yoga programmes in various parts of the country. - 10,000 participants simultaneously performed yoga at various locations in Delhi. - $80 billion: the estimated evaluation of the yoga industry worldwide. Mumbai: Maharashtra Lokayukta Justice (Retd) M L Tahaliyani has given a clean chit to former Maharashtra Minister Eknath Khadse in the bribery case involving his "personal assistant" Gajanan Patil and closed a complaint in the matter. Incidentally, the clean chit came a week before Khadse resigned from the BJP-led ministry in the wake of a series of charges, including alleged irregularity in buying an MIDC plot at Bhosari in Pune. The Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested Patil from outside the 'Mantralaya' (state secretariat) gate last month for allegedly demanding a Rs 30-crore bribe from Mumbai-based entrepreneur Ramesh Jadhav in a land allotment matter. The Lokayukta heard the complainant and senior ACB officials on 27 May, before passing the order the same day. "At least 12 recordings of the conversation between the complainant (Jadhav) and Gajanan Patil were made," the Lokayukta report said. "The transcription doesn't indicate that either the Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse or any of his employees were involved in the alleged demand made by the accused Gajanan Patil," the Lokayukta said, adding "the complaint needs to be closed and is accordingly closed." "The complainant has many other grievances against the government including lacklustre attitude of the government to his request for allotment of land for educational purpose and other work," the Lokayukta said. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday had expressed confidence that Khadse would emerge clean from the probe into allegations against him. "I am confident that Nathabhau (Khadse) will emerge clean from this 'Agnipariksha' (test by fire)," he had said. The Maharashtra ACB had also given a clean chit to Khadse in the Rs 30-crore bribe demand matter. The agency had submitted a status report on the investigations in the case to the Chief Minister, where it has categorically mentioned that the "investigations so far haven't revealed any evidence to suggest that the Minister (Khadse) had demanded a bribe." Mumbai: Maharashtra government on Tuesday informed the Bombay High Court that it has undertaken a series of measures to provide security to doctors in hospitals and ensure that they are not assaulted by relatives of patients. Such measures include posting of additional policemen in hospitals and handing over the responsibility of monitoring CCTV cameras installed there to the nearest police stations. Other measures include recruitment of security guards by Maharashtra State Security Corporation at hospitals. Like policemen, the security guards have powers to arrest any person who is in possession of arms or weapon while entering hospitals, state Advocate General Rohit Deo told a division bench. The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by social activist Afaq Mandviya, challenging the strike undertaken recently by resident doctors of Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD). During the hearing, MARD had urged that the government has not taken any security measures to protect them from physical assaults by relatives of ailing patients, who are not satisfied with the treatment provided to their kith and kin. The court thereupon asked the government to immediately go into the issue of providing security to the doctors. The AG today informed that CCTV cameras in hospitals would be connected to nearest police station so that the policemen can monitor the situation and take steps in case of emergency. He also informed that restrictions would be imposed on the number of visitors entering the hospitals and on the timings of their visit. MARD lawyer also informed that an incident had occurred in Gondia area of Nagpur in which a doctor was assaulted on 18 June. The AG said that this matter was currently being heard by Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court. He also informed that a meeting of the Commission, appointed to look into the grievances of MARD members, had been held recently. Another meeting has been fixed on 4 July. The bench on Tuesday asked the government to inform how many policemen have been posted at hospitals in Mumbai. The court posted the next hearing on 28 June for directions. The United States on Monday asked the members of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) to consider and support Indias application to join the grouping during their plenary meeting in Seoul beginning on Tuesday. This came a day after Chinas statement that Indias inclusion into the group was not even on the agenda of the groups meeting. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been actively pushing this issue with other countries. During his five nation tour, he secured Switzerlands promise to support Indias application for its entry into the NSG. Switzerland welcomes an Indian contribution to the non-proliferation of nuclear arms, said the President of the Swiss Confederation Johann Schneider-Ammann. During his trip to Mexico, he secured the countrys support for the same as well. "Mexico recognises India's bid to be part of the NSG. As a country, we are going to be positively and constructively supporting India's request in recognition of the commitment by Prime Minister Modi to the international agenda of disarmament and non proliferation of nuclear weapons," Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said. British Prime Minister David Cameron too assured Modi of UKs firm support for Indias NSG membership. While the plenary meeting in Seoul will decide the fate of the country, lets look at the progress made since 2008 when Indias application was considered for the first time. According to its public statement, the Nuclear Suppliers Group met in Vienna on 21 and 22 August to discuss civil nuclear cooperation with India. The participating countries agreed to continue their deliberations. The International Atomic Energy Agency released the "Statement on Civil Nuclear Cooperation with India" adopted by the NSG. According to this, the participating governments had taken note of Indias efforts and voluntary steps taken in the direction of becoming a member of NSG. It further said, With a view to intensification of dialogue and cooperation with India, the Chairman is requested to confer and consult with India. The NSG plenary meeting 2009 hosted in Budapest too said that the plenary addressed the regular reporting and consultation requirements under the groups 6 September 2008 Statement on civil nuclear cooperation with India, bearing in mind Indias voluntary commitments and actions. The public statement released after the 2010 NSG meeting held in Christchurch said The Group continued to consider the implementation of the Statement on Civil Nuclear Cooperation with India. It noted actions taken to adhere to the NSG guidelines and the voluntary commitments made by India. Interestingly, the 2011 meeting in Noordwijk too considered all aspects of the implementation of the 2008 Statement on Civil Nuclear Cooperation with India and discussed the NSG relationship with India. There appeared to be very little movement in the following years: 2012, Nuclear Suppliers Group Plenary, Seattle: continued to consider all aspects of the implementation of the 2008 Statement on Civil Nuclear Cooperation with India and discussed the NSG relationship with India. 2013, Nuclear Suppliers Group Plenary, Prague: Continued to consider all aspects of the implementation of the 2008 Statement on Civil Nuclear Cooperation with India and discussed the NSG relationship with India. 2014, Nuclear Suppliers Group Plenary, Buenos Aires: Shared information on all aspects of the 2008 Statement on Civil Nuclear Cooperation with India and discussed the NSG relationship with India. 2015, Nuclear Suppliers Group Plenary, Bariloche: Shared information on all aspects of the 2008 Statement on Civil Nuclear Cooperation with India and discussed the NSG relationship with India. Considering that the only development has been deliberations and more deliberations, it remains to be seen if the Nuclear Suppliers Group Plenary, 2016 in Seoul will end in the same manner. Or will Modis international outreach finally see India becoming a member of the NSG? Kanpur: On the second International Yoga Day, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar joined soldiers in performing yoga in the Cantonment area here and later met the bereaved family of Lt Colonel Pankaj Singh, who was killed in Arunachal Pradesh recently. The minister reached Kanpur airport by a special plane this morning and spent around 20 minutes with the army officers, soldiers and their families while participating in a yoga programme at Garrison Ground. Despite yoga being an "indigenous practice", the defence minister said most people in the country were unaware of its importance. The minister also noted the potential of yoga as an employment generator besides a practice to keep people healthy. "Today, the world looks at India as people everywhere want to adopt yoga as a part of their lifestyle. Yoga helps us keep healthy. It also has employment generation potential," said the defence minister. He later visited the ancestral house of Lt Colonel Pankaj Singh in Vimannagar in Chakeri area of the city and paid tributes to him. Singh was killed in action in Arunachal Pradesh on 13 June. Parrikar consoled his family members and assured them of all possible help from the defence ministry. He also offered Singh's wife, assistance in seeking a job if she so desired. Asked the border dispute with China, Parrikar said Indo-China "frontier" was "stable" and there have been no incidents of encroachment since last year. The minister, however, chose not to answer queries about GST. PTI Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will lead a 13-member delegation to China from 26 June to seek investments into the state and also explore possible tie-ups for the development of capital city Amaravati. Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, Municipal Administration Minister P Narayana, seven bureaucrats and three personal staffers of the Chief Minister will be part of the delegation that will tour China for four days. The delegation will attend the World Economic Forum's 10th annual meeting of New Champions in Tianjin city to explore partnerships for industrial development in AP, a senior official said. It will also visit GICC for an expo, he added. Chandrababu and an official delegation visited China last year to invite Chinese business houses to invest in the state in general and in the new capital in particular. China's GIIC is already partnering with the state government on various infrastructure projects, including the development of a City Square in Vijayawada that is currently serving the functional capital. Jaunpur (UP): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday rejected demands for CBI probe into the Mathura violence in which 29 people, including a Superintendent of Police and an SHO, were killed. "BJP is left without any issue. Therefore it is creating hype over Kairana (migration) and Mathura (violence) unnecessarily. There will be no CBI inquiry into Mathura incident," he said here. BJP has been repeatedly demanding CBI probe into the violence in Mathura earlier this month when police tried to evict activists of an organisation from large tracts of land illegally occupied by them. 29 people, including an SP and an SHO, were killed in the violence during which the activists of the organisation even indulged in firing. BJP has also been raking up the issue of alleged migration from Kairana area to target the Samajwadi Party government. The Chief Minister also attacked BJP over relaxation of FDI norms, saying it has walked "two miles" more than the Congress in this regard. He said BJP was initially opposing FDI but now it has itself opened more gates for it. On Monday, government had launched a second wave of FDI reforms allowing 100 percent inflows in civil aviation and food processing sectors while easing norms in defence and pharmaceuticals. Srinagar: A top Lashkar-e-Taiba commander has been arrested by security forces from Kupwara district of north Kashmir, police said on Tuesday. Abu Ukasha, also known as Hanzullah, was apprehended by security forces during an operation in Sogam area of Kupwara last evening, a police official said. He said on Ukasha's disclosure, the security forces launched a search operation in the nearby forests to track down another LeT militant Abu Bakar. The search operation was still in progress when reports last came in. Ukasha, a resident of Pakistan, is being questioned for information about the militant network in north Kashmir region where he was active for several years now, the official said. Ranchi: At least 30 houses and 10 bikes were set afire and a number of houses looted in violence that erupted after a land broker was murdered on the outskirts of Jharkhand capital Ranchi, police said on Tuesday. According to police, the trouble erupted after Nasim Ansari, a land broker and resident of Newari village, 20 km from Ranchi, was hacked to death on Monday night. The alleged killer, identified as Mohammad Zakir, reportedly called Ansari for a meeting to settle a land dispute. When Ansari was seated, he was allegedly attacked by a sharp weapon and hacked to death. Ansari's supporters later attacked people with weapons. Yet unidentified people set fire to several houses and two-wheelers and some of them indulged in looting. The local residents also clashed with the police in which one police official sustained head injuries. Several media photographers were also attacked and the cameras of two photographers were damaged. Fire fighting vehicles were initially not allowed to enter the village to douse the fire but eventually fire fighters managed to enter after the blaze gained in intensity. A large number of security personnel have been deployed in the area and officials described the situation as "tense but under control". Sydney: Coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef could result in one million fewer visitors and hundreds of millions of dollars in lost tourism revenue each year, according to a report by a Canberra-based think tank. "The massive drop in visitors would result in the loss of one billion Australian dollars (759 million US dollars) in income, and 10,000 tourism jobs," the Australia Institute said in a report Monday. While many potential visitors may seek other Australian attractions, some "175,000 potential visitors may not come to Australia at all," the report said. More than 4,400 people were surveyed for the report in the United States, Britain, China and Australia, said Tom Burmester, a spokesman for the Institute. "China, UK and US are the top three countries, making up two in five tourists visiting Australia," he said Tuesday. A mass bleaching, blamed on global warming and acidification of the ocean, has killed 35 percent of the corals on the northern and central Great Barrier Reef, according to scientists. The impact is still unfolding and it will take decades to regain the largest and oldest corals that have died, researchers from the Australian ARC Center of Excellence said last month. Earlier, Guardian Australia reported that Australia pushed to have a whole chapter on the Great Barrier Reef removed from a UN report on climate change, fearing it would impact tourism. "The Great Barrier Reef is a major tourist attraction. If it's lost to coral bleaching, then there is a big risk of losing the tourists, along with income and jobs," Burmester told dpa. Coral bleaching is caused by a die-off of the living organisms, or algae, inside the coral. It can be triggered by small changes in environmental conditions, like a rise in sea temperature. It is the loss of these colourful algae that causes the corals to turn white and "bleach." Ministry reshuffles are, invariably, messy affairs. But, the reshuffle effected in Karnataka by chief minister Siddaramaiah appears to be getting messier. Worse still is that there are no clear indicators as to how far this mess can reach and create problems for the Congress party in the only major state under its control after the May disaster in Assam and Kerala. The chief minister has been smart enough to get two members of the legislature party Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa and Ramesh Kumar into the ministry to avoid pinpricks on the floor of the assembly. He has also bought peace with leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjuna Kharge by inducting his son, Priyank, into the ministry. But, the problem he faces is from some of the 14 he has dropped from the ministry on grounds of bad performance. The surprising aspect in this exercise, undertaken to bolster the image of the government two years before the next election, has been that the Congress high command has not behaved like the "low command" after the May debacle. It very sternly put its foot down and told the chief minister that consensus among the top state leadership was a prerequisite for Sonia Gandhi to approve the reshuffle plan. Siddaramaiah had, obviously, felt emboldened enough to think that her approval would be received in a jiffy once he presented his plan. After all, he had got the party an extra third seat in the Rajya Sabha with the help of rebel Janata Dal (S) members when just two seats were expected in the biennial elections about a week earlier. Senior Congressmen are not sure what response would have been forthcoming from the high command if the matter was handled by vice-president Rahul Gandhi. "Her handling of the situation is distinctively different," said one senior leader who did not want to be identified, "He very smartly consulted Kharge and a couple of others to go back and tell her that there was consensus on the reshuffle. But, the high command had also told him that it was his responsibility to manage the aftermath of the reshuffle as there is always some heartburn after such an exercise." Clearly, the signal from the high command was not clearly read by the chief minister. The point about consensus from the high command was meant to cover all aspects of the reshuffle. It obviously meant that he should also speak to those whom he plans to drop from the ministry. Speaking at the meeting of the Council of Ministers and saying that "there may be people who will be dropped. You should not think it is a reflection on your work" was not adequate. Siddaramaiah appears to have simply sent the list of ministers to be dropped from the ministry to the Raj Bhavan and gone ahead with the reshuffle. As supporters of those inducted into the ministry celebrated, supporters of those dropped and aspirants indulged in arson and violence. The chief minister, perhaps, forgot an old lesson from mentors like Ramakrishna Hegde and HD Deve Gowda to avoid dissidence, mollycoddling. In terms of performance, there is no doubt that those dropped belong to the categories ranging from no, bad and terrible performance. "But, he seems to have forgotten that even a joker among them enjoys enormous political support in his community as well as in his constituency. There were ways to cajole him and not make him into a dissident," said another senior leader who is a friend-turned-foe of Siddaramaiah. The strange part is that Siddaramaiah did not bother speaking to those ministers who did not attend, by design or otherwise, the Council of Ministers meeting called before the reshuffle. One of them is an old friend of Siddaramaiah and a senior Dalit leader, V Srinivasa Prasad. A veteran Congress man who had shifted once to even serve in the Vajpayee ministry. Prasad, incidentally, is the man who brought Siddaramaiah onto the Ahinda ( Kannada euphemism for the Dalit, OBC and Muslim platform that catapulted Siddaramaiah to a backward classes leader). Prasads grouse is a simple one. "I am not upset over my being dropped from the cabinet. What has upset me is that Siddaramaiah and Kharge had come to me with a begging bowl on the eve of the 2008 Assembly elections asking me to join the Congress. They have exhibited their opportunism. They never took me into confidence and told me that I would be dropped from the ministry. Prasad is important for the party for more reasons than one. He commands considerable influence among the Dalits in the two Parliamentary constituencies of Mysuru and Chamarajanagar. If the Dalits join hands either with the major caste group of Vokkaligas in one constituency and the Lingayats in the other constituency, the combination becomes an indomitable force. It is a similar situation that exists in the coastal district of Mangaluru where Vinay Kumar Sorake has been dropped. Sorake belongs to the Idiga community (toddy-tappers community). The community here would not be appeased by the induction of Kagodu Thimmappa because he belongs to Shivamogga district. It's a similar situation in the predominantly Muslim constituency of Gulbarga, where its representative Qamarul Islam has been dropped. Again, in the Vokkaliga dominated Mandya district, actor Ambareesh has threatened to teach a lesson to those who conspired against him. Political parties invariably wait for the things to settle down before adding fuel to the fire of another party. It is, perhaps, a reflection of the times that the district level leaders from the Janata Dal (S) and the Bharatiya Janata Party have already got into the act to express sympathies with the disgruntled Congress partymen. For the JDS, it is an opportunity to settle scores for the defeat in their candidate in the Rajya Sabha election. For the BJP, its preparations began when BS Yeddyurappa became the party president. These aren't the only problems that Siddaramaiah currently faces. It is well-known that Kagodu Thimmappa and Ramesh Kumar are leaders who will not stop the pinpricks once in the ministry. As one of them was told by a former Union minister on a congratulatory call: "With you in the ministry, my best wishes are with the chief minister". Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister Balram Yadav was on Tuesday sacked by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, for apparently facilitating the merger of Quami Ekta Dal (QED) of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari with the ruling Samajwadi Party. "Balram Yadav, holding charge of Secondary Education ministry, has been removed (from the Council of Ministers) by the Chief Minister," a senior official told PTI. Though no official reason has been cited for the removal, SP leaders said the chief minister was "unhappy" with Balram Yadav for facilitating the controversial merger of QED with SP. The merger was announced earlier in the day by SP spokesman and senior Cabinet Minister Shipal Yadav, who is brother of Akhilesh's father and party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav. "QED is today merging with SP which would strengthen the party," Shivpal said at a press conference jointly addressed by Mukhtar Ansari's brother Afzal Ansari. Interestingly, Shivpal suggested that Mukhtar, the jailed MLA of QED, was not among those who had joined SP. "At present only those here are joining SP. We did not have any talk with Mukthar," he said in reply to a question. QED was founded in 2010 by Mukhtar, along with his brothers Afzal Ansari and Sigbatullaha Ansari. The mafia don is in jail for his alleged involvement in the murder of former BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai. Akhilesh, who was in Jaunpur, was asked by mediapersons to comment on the merger. He evaded a direct reply and merely said, "If party workers perform their responsibilities, then there was no need of another party," an apparent indication of disapproval of the merger. The merger of QED with SP has already given fresh ammunition to the opposition parties to target Samajwadi Party which has often been accused of protecting hooligans. "This is nothing new. Samajwadi Party is trying all means to get back to power in the next elections," BJP leader Vijay Bahadur Pathak said. He said BJP will definitely take up the issue of "increasing lawlessness" in the state during next year's Assembly elections. In a similar refrain, Congress spokesman DP Singh said the merger shows "growing frustration" within the ruling party which is trying all "fair and foul means to retain power by hook or by crook". Opposition parties have targeted Akhilesh on several occasions for patronising 'goonda raj' in the state. However, sources close to Balram Yadav said his son will be given place in Akhilesh Yadav ministry as state minister soon. Thiruvananthapuram: A two-day leadership meeting of BJP will be held from Wednesday to review the results of the 16 May Assembly elections in which the party opened its account in the state legislature. BJP President Amit Shah would attend the state committee meeting on Thursday while a state-level office-bearers meeting will be held tomorrow, a party release said. It is for the first time after Assembly elections that the leadership meetings are being held in the state. A meeting of the NDA Steering Committee would also be held on 23 June, the release said. The meetings would review the performance of BJP in the Assembly elections and discuss constituency-wise reports. It would also discuss and decide the stand to be taken by the party on crucial issues such as the Athirapilly hydro electric project, Mullaperiyar Dam, a bone of contention between Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and the development of national highways. Shah would also take part in the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee commemoration meeting to be held here on 23 June, the release added. BJP fought the 16 May polls in alliance with the Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS), a political party launched by Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam, an outfit of backward Ezhava community. The party scripted a history with its nominee and senior leader O Rajagopal winning the Nemom seat to help the Lotus bloom in the Assembly for the first time and also garnered 15 per cent vote share in the state, dominated by the bipolar politics of Congress-led UDF and CPM-led LDF. Jammu: Hitting out at Subramanian Swamy for his tirade against RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, CPI leader D Raja on Tuesday said the BJP leader should criticise the NDA government at the Centre as all the micro and macro level economic decisions are taken by it. "The point is that Subramanian Swamy has been levelling serious allegations against Raghuram Rajan, but all macro level and micro level economic policies are decided by the government. If Swamy has to criticise the government for economic policies, he should criticise it directly," he told reporters in Jammu. Replying to a question about Rajan's decision not to seek a second term, the CPI leader said, "It is his prerogative because as an individual he has the right.. whether he wants to continue or whether the government is offering second term to him or not. I don't know and I cannot speak for the government or for the RBI Governor. It is a different issue." Advocating resumption of composite dialogue between India and Pakistan, the Rajya Sabha member said the governments of the two countries should engage in a meaningful and serious dialogue. "Government of India will have to take up all related issues with Government of Pakistan. Dialogue is the only alternative. India and Pakistan should conduct themselves as mature nations and not fall prey to any provocation," he said. Even before the birth of the Communist Party of India (CPI) in the late 1920s, Indian communists had started to grapple with the question of what attitude they should adopt towards the national bourgeoisie i.e., the Indian capitalist class and its political representatives. At the second Congress of the Communist International, Vladimir Lenin, leader of the Bolshevik Revolution, had put forward his formulation that communists in colonial countries should forge a united front with national liberation movements led by the national bourgeoisie. Manabendra Nath Roy, a Bengali communist who attended the international communist gathering as a Mexican delegate (there was no communist party in India at that time), had the courage to challenge Lenin and put forward his alternative thesis that communists should build their independent movements to safeguard the interests of the working people. Indian communists have not been able to resolve this dilemma and the Communist Party of India split on this issue in 1964 when 32 members of its National Council staged a walkout and formed the CPM. These leaders were critical of the official line of aligning with the Congress. Today, the CPM itself is facing a sort of existential crisis over the same issue. On Monday, Jagmati Sangwan, general secretary of its womens wing, the All India Democratic Womens Association (AIDWA), walked out of the partys central committee meeting because the party was not willing to criticise the West Bengal leadership for having violated the party line of not forging an electoral alliance with the Congress. As she was announcing her decision before the media to resign not only from the central committee but also from the primary membership of the CPM, word came that she had been summarily expelled for gross indiscipline. She was yet to tender her resignation in writing and she was not given a chance to explain her conduct as was earlier given to party stalwart and Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee. In communist parties, the unwritten rule is that members are not allowed to resign. They are expelled. Was Jagmati Sangwan wrong in demanding that the West Bengal state unit be censored and action be initiated against it? No, not technically. In May last year, the 21st party Congress, the highest decision-making body of the organisation, had laid down the political-tactical line for the next three years in an unambiguous manner: While the main direction of the struggle is against the BJP, the party will continue to oppose the Congress. It has pursued neo-liberal policies and it is the Congress-led UPA governments anti-people policies and massive corruption, which helped the BJP to acquire popular support. The party will have no understanding or electoral alliance with the Congress. However, having been associated with the CPM for the past 30 years, she should have known how the party leadership adopts different standards for different people. In 2012, the CPM had resurrected its old theory of maintaining equal distance from both the Congress and the BJP. This propelled it to roam the country in search of a third front which it preferred to call third alternative. The party tried to cobble up an eleven-party third alternative that collapsed even before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections could take place. These elections witnessed the worst ever results for the Left parties whose strength came down from 24 to just 10 seats. However, the leadership took an inordinately long time to own up responsibility for the defeat. Similarly, for the worst ever performance in West Bengal assembly elections held in April-May this year, no responsibility has been fixed. The central committee has merely said that the decision to forge an electoral alliance with the Congress was not in consonance with the partys political-tactical line. The Jagmati Sangwan episode is symptomatic of the deep malaise that had set in the CPM long ago. The party leadership continues to make appropriate noises about spreading the organisations wings in the Hindi-speaking region, but actually does nothing to realise this goal. And when it stirs out of its inaction, it expels popular leaders like Jagmati. The CPM claims that it functions on the principle of democratic centralism where the lower party committee has to obey the higher committee, and that there is no room for either individualism or factionalism in it. However, the reality is very different. Its Kerala unit is vertically divided into two perpetually warring factions led by the state party secretary and newly-anointed Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and its most popular mass leader VS Achuthanandan. Vijayan is well known for pursuing the same neo-liberal policies that the CPM pretends to oppose at the national level. Till some time ago, communist leaders used to enjoy tremendous respect and admiration even among those who did not agree with their views because they used to lead simple, spartan lives and had spent a lifetime in mass struggles. However, the present leadership is singularly bereft of such leaders who can inspire and attract the youth by their idealism and action. The Indian Left has successfully critiqued the neo-liberal economic policies, but it has not been able to put forward an alternative set of workable economic policies. This is the reason why the Left Front government headed by Buddhadev Bhattacharjee in West Bengal floundered and collapsed. The CPM has also been utterly unsuccessful in keeping criminal elements away from its organisational-political structure. When power slipped from its hands in West Bengal, the criminals as well as fringe supporters overnight switched their loyalty en masse to Trinmool Congress and made their erstwhile political masters the target of their physical attacks. In Kerala, some CPM leaders face criminal charges of plotting the murder of dissident leader TP Chandrasekharan. Vijayan himself was embroiled in corruption cases. In view of the central leaderships inability to rein in factional feuds in the Kerala unit, and the open defiance of the party line by the West Bengal unit, it's ironical that it has come down with a sledgehammer to muffle the voice of its most popular woman leader in the Hindi-speaking region. In this context, it may be recalled that the CPM had resolved at its Salkia Plenum, held in 1978, that it would make special efforts to increase its strength in the Hindi-speaking region. In pursuance of this decision, the party headquarters were shifted from Calcutta (now Kolkata) to Delhi and two weekly party organs in Hindi and Urdu were launched from the national capital. Yet, popular leaders in Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar were being continuously ignored, thus leading to considerable depletion in the partys influence as well as membership. Alarmed at this, the party held a two-day special convention in Delhi in 2005 to highlight the need to spread influence in the Hindi belt. Yet, nothing happened during the past 11 years to raise its spirits. Expulsion of popular mass leaders such as Jagmati Sangwan is going to dent its image and strength further in the Hindi-speaking areas, especially Haryana, where she has been active for the past three decades. After the collapse of the so-called socialist camp led by the erstwhile Soviet Union, and the emergence of state capitalism in China and Vietnam, communist parties all over the world have been facing a crisis as they have not been able to come up with new dreams to sell to the aspirational middle class youth that used to provide it with intellectual leadership. So far as the deprived sections of the society are concerned, Indian communist parties have been singularly unsuccessful in charting out an agitational path and launching inspiring struggles. Merely offering a critique of the governments neo-liberal policies is not going to work with todays youth. The CM shouldve been dignified. Im not the chappal that he wears, which he can wear when he wants and cast away when he doesnt. Had he requested me to step down to make way and give opportunity to others, I wouldve gladly resigned. He should have sent me off with respect. At a press conference in his house on Tuesday, this is how the recently-ejected Karnataka Minister of Housing, MH Ambareesh reacted to CM Siddaramaiahs recent Cabinet reshuffle in Karnataka. A three-time MLA from the politically influential Vokkaliga stronghold of Mandya and more importantly, an enormously popular film star with a cult-like fan following, Ambareeshs stinging angst was also expressed by him resigning from his legislatorship. Siddaramaiahs government got a taste of the fallout when the entire Kannada film industry demonstrated a powerful show of strength by condemning the government and called for a bandh of all film-related activities, reports the Kannada daily, Kannada Prabha. Equally, Nanjanagud located about 60 km from Mandya was witness to a bandh called by the supporters of another dropped (Revenue) Minister, Srinivasa Prasad who dubbed Siddaramaiah as a known betrayer who never recalls people who helped him in crisis. The significant factor in Prasads case is the fact that the chief ministers constituency, Varuna falls in Nanjanagud taluk. As the Indian Express reports, the heads of all local bodies including zilla and village panchayats offered to resign en masse showing solidarity with Prasad. Even as I write this, the dropped ministers, a good number of angry MLAs and their supporters show no signs of stopping their protests: While MLA Shivamurti has begun a dharna right in front of Vidhana Soudha, Malaka Reddy and Malikayya Guttedar have threatened to resign. Legislators ST Somashekhar, Bhairati Basavaraj, Muniratna, Qamarul Islam and Baburao Chinchanasur have raised the pitch against Mallikarjun Kharge, whose son was inducted into the reshuffled cabinet. In a line, the recent Cabinet reshuffle has led to a massive bloodbath in Karnataka Congress. That dissidents have also dared to speak about the High Command in belittling language shows the true extent of this dissidence, which threatens to blow the Congress apart much before the 2018 polls. As this Firstpost analysis obliquely says, "One question that the whole operation throws up is whether [Digvijaya] Singh and Siddaramaiah will be able to cope with the post-surgical complications that have already begun to show up history of Karnatakas politics shows that any political exercise aimed at pleasing all ends up in pleasing none." Ever since he became chief minister, Siddaramaiah has been perpetually caught in a catch-22 situation owing to his status of a gatecrasher-CM in the Congress. The current eruption of rebellion that shows no sign of abating was bound to occur in one or the other form, given how senior leaders and various anti-Siddaramiah factions constantly made no bones about their hostility against him as the CM. If the reshuffle was the result of sustained pressure, the logical rebellious outcome that we now see is the other side of the same coin. To the credit of his political acumen, Siddaramaiah had perhaps foreseen this consequence and had tried to insulate himself for three long years by establishing his own coterie. Unfortunately, this insulation also led to his isolation and caused him to misread the nature and exact extent of the rebellion that has now erupted. He either overestimated his own strength to contain it or went ahead with the reshuffle with an attitude of hubris. Consider this Firstpost piece that shows exactly how badly Siddaramaiah has bungled: the signal from the high command was not clearly read by the chief minister. The point about consensus from the high command was meant to cover all aspects of the reshuffle. It obviously meant that he should also speak to those whom he plans to drop from the ministry. Siddaramaiah appears to have simply sent the list of ministers to be dropped from the ministry to the Raj Bhavan and gone ahead with the reshufflesupporters of those dropped and aspirants indulged in arson and violence. The chief minister, perhaps, forgot an old lesson from mentors like Ramakrishna Hegde and HD Deve Gowda to avoid dissidence, mollycoddling. It appears that Siddaramaiah has realised the enormity of the rebellion but this realisation has come too late. By sending the new minister Tanveer Sait as peace messenger, he has embarked on an aggressive wooing of Dalit strongman Srinivasa Prasad, who when he had gotten wind of his impending ejection began praising PM Modi. As we saw earlier, Prasad has enough political clout to seriously nix Siddaramaiahs chance at victory in the 2018 polls in his own Varuna constituency. Equally, the local media is rife with speculation that dissident MLAs are searching for safe zones to contest from, in the 2018 polls. However this may be, the Congress High Command wont ask Siddaramaiah to step down, although his political capital has dwindled significantly in these three years. The reason: sheer political survival by holding on to the only large state in the Congress kitty. Siddaramaiahs assured exit from the party, if hes asked to step down, will mark the end of the Congress in Karnataka. And so the High Command has almost washed its hands off the ongoing crisis by transferring its management completely to Siddaramaiah. While the Congress is painting the reshuffle as a war Cabinet to fight the 2018 Assembly election, the reality is that the party is only postponing its certain defeat in the 2018 polls. The perception on the ground for at least two years is that Siddaramaiah has turned out to be the worst ever chief minister who has failed to govern and has run the states economy to the ground with his rampant freebie policies, coupled with investors exiting the state. On the socio-political front, his casteist and communal policies have evoked widespread condemnation and outrage. Meanwhile, the Opposition has wasted no time. Both the JD(S) and the BJP have immediately swung into action. A re-energised BJP under Yeddyurappas leadership is in close touch with Malaka Reddy, who is expected to announce his decision on 23 June. Equally, former PM Deve Gowda on his part is trying to pull Ambareesh into the JD(S), of which he was a member in the 1990s. Deve Gowda is also smarting under the humiliation of the Congress clandestine operation of luring eight JD(S) MLAs to cross-vote in the recent Legislative Council and Rajya Sabha polls. Come 2018 polls, the current Congress rebels will most certainly work against the party, if they dont already exit the party much ahead of the polls. As we observe, the High Command at present seems in no position to control these rebels given how the First Familys own future is uncertain in the wake of AugustaWestland and National Herald scandals, and with the sword of Vadras numerous deals hanging over it. Even in the event that the Karnataka CM is replaced by another leader, and Siddaramaiah remains in the Congress, the sorry fact is that he has made the chair incredibly hot; any leader occupying it will be singed. And no chief minister would want to lead such a party in the polls and don the mantle of leading it to an electoral disaster. Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Health Minister and senior CPI(M) leader K K Shailaja on Tuesday expressed reservations over rendering of a Sanskrit 'shloka' during the official International Yoga Day celebrations in the state capital, triggering a controversy. Taking part in the state-level Yoga event at the Central Stadium here, the Minister asked the officials whether the 'shloka' (a couplet of Sanskrit verse) was necessary to be included in the programme schedule. "Ours is a secular country. Each religious community can have its own prayers to concentrate before starting yoga practice. Those who do not believe in any religion also have their own methods to make the mind concentrate," she said adding that a commonly accepted prayer could have been included in such an event. As the issue triggered a controversy with the BJP criticising her, the Minister later clarified to the media that she just expressed her doubt whether rendering such a 'shloka' was necessary in such a public function, participated by people belonging to various religious communities. She dismissed reports that she had sought an explanation from the officials for including the 'shloka' in the programme schedule. BJP state unit President Kummanom Rajasekharan criticised Shylaja over the issue and said her act was 'condemnable' and she should approach yoga 'imbibing the reality'. The raging controversy over Anurag Kashyap's production Udta Punjab, and its epic battle with the Censor Board for Film Certification (CBFC), created headlines for days. The film finally released thanks to the intervention of the Bombay High Court, which ruled in its favour regarding the cuts and censor certificate. The controversies surrounding the film helped it at the box-office where it took a flying opening garnering nearly Rs 33 Crores in its opening weekend. Now taking a leaf out of the landmark judgement, a filmmaker from Kerala is trying to cash in on it. The little known debutant director Saijo Kannanaikkals film Kathakali has been refused a certificate by the Regional office of CBFC in Thiruvananthapuram. The officials who saw the two hour film, on the life and times of a Kathakali artist, asked for three cuts and muting of cuss words. Saijo told the media, CBFC wants the removal of a scene in which the protagonist, Dasan, is undressed and beaten up and another towards the end in which Dasan removes the Kathakali attire and walks naked towards the Bharathapuzha river. It also wants the cuss words removed. The climax scene that they want to cut is the soul of my film. In a fit of rage Saijo approached the powerful Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA), a body of Malayalam film directors and technicians, which staged a dharna in front of CBFCs regional office. FEFKA general secretary B Unnikrishnan is quoted as saying: The CBFC is indulging in politics and behaving as though we have committed a big sin. We have decided to move the Kerala High Court against the boards decision. It is obvious that FEFKA has taken courage from the Bombay High Court landmark judgement that the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has no power to censor movies. Malayalam film directors and producers have been undergoing a long drawn out battle with the Thiruvananthapuram censors. And they feel that they can use the Bombay High Court judgement to clip the wings of CBFC. Meanwhile CBFC regional officer in Thiruvananthapuram Dr A Prathibha told Firstpost: It is nothing but a publicity stunt created by the Kathakali team. There is an existing legal framework within the CBFC regarding the censoring of a film. The director has not even given us a letter that he is unhappy with the cuts and then applied to go to Revising Committee, instead he has gone straight to the media and then to the court. I do not want to comment further on the matter. The buzz is that the court will surely reject the directors appeal as he has not taken the correct method within the framework. It is important to not here that Udta Punjab had gone to court only after the RC rejected their appeal for censor certificate. New Delhi: Accusing the government of creating a "misplaced euphoria" over NSG issue, Congress on Tuesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj of being "less than honest" on it. Senior party leader Anand Sharma said the government should overcome China's position of blocking India's entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), an international grouping that controls supply of atomic fuel and technology. "Now China has taken a position, and the government must overcome that and not create a misplaced euphoria," Sharma told reporters here. "The Prime Minister and the External Affairs Minister, both have been less than honest," he said. He said the previous meetings of the NSG, "contrary to the claims of the Prime Minister and this government, did not have India's membership application on the agenda. Now the government must explain that." Sharma, a former union minister, said when NSG granted the India-specific waiver in 2008, an overwhelming majority of member countries had supported that and the same countries are supporting it today. "If the government is trying to project that it is a new development, it is not. India's application was there. United State of America, France, UK, Germany, Russia, all had supporting us in 2008. Now it is question of India's formal membership...," he said. Sharma said in 2008 July, India and the US had agreed to enter into civil nuclear cooperation and as a result the two countries had signed the '123 Agreement'. To make the agreement operational, there was a requirement for NSG waiver since India is not a non-signitory to the NPT, he said. Rajnath Singh's landing at Civil Lines, right in front of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's house, the venue for the dharna of BJP East Delhi MP Maheish Girri to offer him a glass of juice, on Tuesday evening, to break his indefinite hunger strike is significant. It signifies three things. First, that the BJP leadership has decided to take Arvind Kejriwal head on and not let him go on unchallenged with his sporadic diatribe against them, where he particularly names Prime Minister Narendra Modi for almost everything under the sun. It is pertinent to note that when Arvind Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) were all guns blazing, even using the kind of language which is generally not expected from a ruling party in the NCT of Delhi, claiming that Narendra Modi never graduated and finished his post graduation and had made a false affidavit, the BJP chose to field no less than its president Amit Shah and make him hold a specially-convened press conference to make the public degrees and markssheets of Modi public. It unleashed a huge debate in the media but the issue subsided in the next one or two days. The authorities of Delhi University and Gujarat University too made statements vouching for authenticity of the degrees. Notwithstanding the universities' official statements, the BJP had decided to challenge Arvind Kejriwal politically and "expose" him and his party for making outlandish allegations against the prime minister. Second, look at the present scenario. Arvind Kejriwal was alleging that Maheish Girri was an accused in the murder of NDMC official MM Khan. The charges were serious a murder charge against a sitting MP by the chief minister. But then Arvind Kejriwal didn't have any evidence to corroborate his charge nor had he any means to investigate. It was open for anyone to guess how Kejriwal could've reached to this conclusion, without an investigation. The Delhi police had made some arrests in the case and it had so far not found anything that's what the reports suggest to point fingers towards the BJP MP. Now the fact that Rajnath Singh drove 20 km from his North Bloc office or his Akbar Road office to make his presence felt at the dharna site has important bearings. Singh is not just one of the senior most leaders in the BJP, but the former party president. As home minister he is official number two in the Modi government at the centre. By offering Girri a glass of juice, saying, "you (Girri) challenged for a debate and it was on other person to accept it not to accept it. You can't endanger your life (by continuing the fast) and thus I request you to break the fast", Singh as home minister has made it loud and clear that the BJP stands by Girri's innocence and rejects Kejriwal's charge against him. The Delhi police reports to Rajnath Singh's ministry and therefore, the home minister couldn't have stood in solidarity with Girri without due diligence over the matter. Third, Maheish Girri, a first-time MP could be the new emerging leader in Delhi BJP, which the party was looking for long. He can match Arvind Kejriwal in both rhetoric and action. It also comes on a day when Kejriwal held his characteristic press conference, aiming guns at the prime minister, after the Anti Corruption Bureau filed a Rs 400 crore tanker scam against unnamed persons in Delhi government. Though Kejriwal has not been named and the ACB chief has only indicated that if need be the ACB could question the chief minister in a case where former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit is also a prime accused. Kejriwal said "Modiji, I am not a Rahul Gandhi or Sonia Gandhi that you can scare me. I am not a Robert Vadra that you can have a setting (secret deal) with me. Modi government doesn't file cases against Rahul Gandhi or Sonia Gandhi or Vadra but it targets me.. Modi has tried to intimidate people with raids, false cases and threats. But I am standing like a rock I won't bend, break or back off." He, however, did not respond to the specific charge despite his own government's fact finding committee report that clearly concluded that there was a tanker scam, that had taken place in the previous Sheila Dikshit government. The report was given to him by his own minister Kapil Mishra in July last year. Why didn't he act on it? The same contractor who was accused in tanker scam is still operating now. Mumbai: Softening its stand against the BJP after censuring it over a host of issues, the Shiv Sena on Tuesday said criticism over policies should not be taken personally and that those who want to improve, take comments with an open heart and bring about necessary changes. "Criticism done on policies should not be taken personally. Doing so increases stress. Governments keep committing mistakes. But, in a democracy, it is necessary these mistakes are pointed out," an editorial in Sena mouthpiece Saamana said on Tuesday. "Criticism is not only done to change or remove governments, but to improve its functioning. Those who want to improve take criticism sportingly and with an open heart. A good ruler needs to place his feet on the ground, keep his mind calm and respect criticism," the ruling ally said. On Sunday, addressing Shiv Sena workers at the party's golden jubilee year celebration, Uddhav Thackeray had said he would not have any "twisted" alliance with the ruling partner BJP for BMC polls, and asked the cadres to be ready to contest the polls without alliance. Notably, a senior BJP minister had on Monday said despite Uddhav Thackeray's assertion that he would not accept a "twisted" alliance deal with BJP for the next year's civic polls in Mumbai, he was keen to sew up an alliance. Meanwhile, reacting to the Sena's change in stand, the opposition Congress and NCP said these comments were expected. "We had expected the Sena to soften its stand against the BJP. The Sena knows the corruption that it has allowed in the BMC running into thousands of crores, will ensure that it does not retain power. Thus, they now want to use the BJP to fulfil its agenda," Congress spokesperson Al-Nasser Zakaria alleged. NCP legislator Kiran Pawaskar alleged, "BJP has a policy of teaching a lesson to anybody who revolts against it. It feared Eknath Khadse, so his PA was found involved in corruption and subsequently the minister had to resign." "Now, the Sena is a thorn in BJP's throat. We wonder if the BJP wanted to play a similar tactic with Deepak Sawant, through his PS Sunil Mali and this made the Sena go soft against the BJP," he further claimed. Lucknow: Quami Ekta Dal (QED), having two MLAs, merged with ruling Samajwadi Party on Tuesday ahead of Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh due next year. "QED has merged with SP which would strengthen the party," SP spokesman and senior Cabinet Minister Shivpal Yadav said after a press conference in Lucknow. QED President Afzal Ansari accused the Narendra Modi government of not fulfilling the promises made during the Lok Sabha polls. "Two years of the Modi government is a failure and the issues raised by BJP during the polls were not taken care of after the formation of the government. There is an attempt to vitiate the atmosphere and brotherhood in the society and malign the image of the UP government," he said. "We have merged as we did not want to act like vote cutters in the Assembly polls," he said. In a meeting held in Ghazipur on Saturday, QED said that like-minded parties should come on a common platform to deal with communal forces. All the party office-bearers had authorised Ansari to decide on the issue of merger with SP for the Assembly polls. Asked about non-inclusion of controversial West UP leader DP Yadav in SP in 2012, Yadav said the party did not even want to hear names of those involved in criminal activities. The SP leader said that there had been no discussion with QED MLA Mukhtar Ansari, who is at present lodged in jail. "At present only those here are joining SP. We did not have any discussion with Mukthar," he said. QED has two MLAs- Mukhtar Ansari from Mau Sadar and Sigbatullaha Ansari from Mohammadabad Yusufpur seat. Afzal, Mukthar and Sigbatullaha are brothers. QED also claimed that it has hold over Muslim vote bank in the state. Los Angeles: A 19-year-old British man has been charged for trying to grab a police officer's gun at a Donald Trump rally in Las Vegas in a bid to kill the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. According to a complaint filed in federal court in Nevada, Michael Sandford tried to disarm the officer at Saturday's rally at the Mystere Theatre in the Treasure Island Casino before being overpowered. It said the young man told a Secret Service agent after his arrest that he had driven from California to Las Vegas "to kill Trump," and had been to a range a day earlier to learn to shoot as he had never fired a gun before. "Sandford acknowledged that he would likely only be able to fire one to two rounds and stated he was convinced he would be killed by law enforcement during his attempt on Trump's life," the complaint said. It added that Sandford told investigators he had purchased tickets for a rally in Phoenix, where he "would try again to kill Trump" in the event his plan in Las Vegas failed. Video of his arrest carried by US media show a skinny man with short brown hair and a grey T-shirt being escorted out of the rally by police officers with his hands behind his back. The prosecutor's office said Sandford was ordered held without bond, as he was considered dangerous and represented a flight risk. Britain's Foreign Office is "providing assistance" in the case, a spokesman said. The complaint said Sandford had told investigators he had been in the United States for about 18 months, and had lived in Hoboken, New Jersey, before travelling to California. It said Sandford told investigators that he had targeted officer Ameel Jacob's gun because it was in an unlocked position and would be the easiest way to gain access to a weapon at the rally where those attending had to go through metal detectors. "Sandford further stated that if he were on the street tomorrow, he would try this again," according to the complaint. It said Sandford told the Secret Service that he had been plotting to kill Trump for about a year and finally decided to act on Saturday, as "he finally felt confident to do it." His arrest comes amid one of the nastiest US presidential campaigns in recent history, dominated by violent rhetoric, with Trump lashing out at Mexicans, Muslims and other groups. The real estate billionaire enjoys Secret Service protection but also has his own private security detail that has been accused of using unnecessary force to remove people from events. A number of protesters have been arrested at his rallies where riot police are deployed in force and there have been mounting demonstrations during his campaign appearances in recent months. Baghdad: Iraq's government forces on Tuesday dislodged the Islamic State group from two northern neighborhoods of Fallujah as an Iraqi military commander claimed the month-long offensive to recapture the city had left 2,500 IS militants dead. The announcements came just days after the government had declared the liberation of Fallujah, the last bastion of the Islamic State group in the sprawling western Anbar province. With aerial support from the U.S.-led coalition, Iraqi special forces took control of the neighborhoods of al-Shurta and al-Jughaifi, special forces' Brig. Gen. Haider al-Obeidi told The Associated Press. He said Iraqi military engineers were clearing the streets and buildings of left-over bombs. Teaming up with paramilitary troops and backed by the U.S.-led coalition, Iraqi government forces launched the large-scale Fallujah operation in late May. On Friday, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory after special forces entered the city center, capturing government buildings and the central hospital. Then, Iraqi commanders said 80 percent of the city was under their control, though clashes were still underway in its northern parts. In an interview with the local al-Sumaria TV late on Tuesday, the counterterrorism forces' chief in the Fallujah operation, Lt. General Abdul-Wahab al-Saadi, said about of 2,500 IS fighters have been killed in the offensive. He offered no evidence to back up his claim and also said the number of IS fighters inside Fallujah had ranged between 3,500 to 4,000 when the offensive began. He claimed about 15 percent of them were foreign fighters. He cited Iraqi police reports as saying 1,086 IS-linked suspects have been arrested. He didn't say how many IS militants remain in Fallujah. Iraqi troops have not disclosed their losses in Fallujah, though the Islamic State group claims to have killed dozens The operation has fueled an exodus of thousands of families, overwhelming camps for the displaced run by the government and aid groups. In a briefing today in Geneva, the U.N. refugee agency said more than 85,000 people have fled Fallujah and the surrounding area since the offensive began. UNHCR called for USD 17.5 million to meet the immediate needs of the growing number of displaced. UNHCR spokeswoman Ariane Rummery said that she expected that thousands more "could still be planning to leave the city." "These escalating needs have pushed UNHCR funding into crisis levels," Rummery said. "We are exhausting available resources in Iraq to deal with the rapid developments" in Fallujah. Washington: Amid China's opposition, the US has given a fresh push to India's NSG membership bid by asking members of the elite club to support India's entry into the grouping during the ongoing plenary meeting in Seoul. "We believe, and this has been US policy for some time, that India is ready for membership and the United States calls on participating governments to support India's application at the plenary session of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters. "At the same time, participating governments will need to reach a consensus decision in order to admit any applicant into the group and the United States will certainly be advocating for India's membership," Earnest said as the 5-day annual plenary session of the 48-member club began in the South Korean capital on Monday. His remarks came after China said India's membership is not on the agenda of the NSG meeting in Seoul. The NSG remains divided over non-NPT countries like India becoming its members, China's Foreign Ministry had said on Monday less than 24 hours after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj exuded hope that "we would be able to convince China to support our entry to the NSG." US President Barack Obama, Earnest said, had an opportunity to discuss the issue of India's NSG membership bid with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their White House meeting earlier this month. "The United States, as you know, strongly supports India's application to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group," Earnest said. "We have made our views known both publicly and privately, and we'll continue to do so," Earnest said when asked if the US has reached out to members of the NSG in support of India's application. At a separate news conference, the State Department reiterated the same views. "As you know, during Prime Minister Modi's visit, the President welcomed India's application to join the NSG and reaffirmed that India is ready for membership. We continue to call on the participating governments, the NSG, to support India's application at the plenary session this week itself," State Department Spokesman John Kirby told reporters at his daily news conference. "India's application is something we have routinely talked to other NSG participating members. This is not a new topic of discussion that we've had privately with the members," Kirby said. Last week as well, the US had called on members of the nuclear trading club to support India's membership. Beijing: In an unusual move, China's state media on Tuesday defended Pakistan's nuclear record, saying it was AQ Khan who was responsible for atomic proliferation which was not backed by the government and argued that any exemption to India for NSG entry should also be given to Pakistan. "While India strives for Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) inclusion, it prevents Pakistan from joining by insisting on the latter's bad record of nuclear proliferation. Actually, the proliferation carried out by Pakistan was done by Abdul Qadeer Khan, Pakistan's chief nuclear scientist, and was not an official policy of the Pakistani government," an article in the state-run Global Times said. "Khan was punished by the government afterwards with several years of house arrest. If the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the NSG can give India an exemption, it should apply to Pakistan as well," it said. This is probably the first time Chinese official media has directly made a case for Pakistan's inclusion in the NSG. China officially maintains that there should be consensus about admitting all members. "China and other countries are opposed to NSG including India while excluding Pakistan, because it means solving India's problem but creating another bigger problem. If India joins hands with Pakistan to seek NSG membership, it seems more pragmatic than joining alone," said the article titled China no barrier to India joining NSG. India and Pakistan conducted nuclear tests in 1998, which were condemned by the international community, and the US, the EU and Japan all imposed harsh sanctions on the two countries. After the September 11 attacks, the sanctions were gradually lifted. The US even signed with India a Civil Nuclear Agreement and backs India's bid to join NSG. But the issue of the legitimacy of India's "nuclear status" has not been solved, it said. "If India and Pakistan are allowed to join the NPT and adopt the CTBT, it will tarnish the authority of both. How can nuclear weapons development in other countries such as North Korea, Iran and Israel be dealt with," the article said. The article put the blame of proliferation from Pakistan squarely on nuclear scientist Khan. Khan was disgraced in 2004 when he was forced to accept responsibility for nuclear technology proliferation and was made to live a life of official house arrest. In 2009, the Islamabad High Court declared Khan to be a free citizen of Pakistan, allowing him free movement inside the country. The article came as the NSG began its meeting in Seoul, even as the Chinese foreign ministry said India's admission is not on the agenda. The NSG remains divided over non-NPT countries like India becoming its members, China's Foreign Ministry had said on Monday less than 24 hours after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had exuded hope that "we would be able to convince China to support our entry to the NSG." Brussels: An anti-terror operation was underway at a shopping centre in central Brussels on Tuesday, Belgian prosecutors said, adding that one suspect had been arrested. Prime Minister Charles Michel was holding an emergency meeting with members of his security cabinet, the Belga News agency reported. The incident began at about 10 IST this morning after a report of a man acting suspiciously near the City 2 shopping centre triggered a bomb alert, broadcaster RTL reported. New York: Two days before Britain's referendum on breaking with the European Union, the largest US banks are preparing for a catastrophic scenario that could cost them billions of dollars. Amid the volatile atmosphere in Britain, the banks are outwardly keeping a straight face. "We are locked down on this," said Michael Duvally, spokesman for Goldman Sachs, when asked how his bank is preparing for the possibility that Britain's anti-Europe camp will win in the referendum on Thursday. Morgan Stanley and Bank of America gave identical responses. But in stark contrast, the Wall Street offices of the lawyers who work for the banks are almost under a state of alert, with every option under review, according to banking industry sources speaking anonymously. The vote could have a huge impact on the City of London, where US banks do most of their business for the 28 European Union member countries. If the Brexit measure goes through, it could lead to Britain's losing huge benefits of freely trading with Europe. No longer would US banks be able to easily handle all of their business, broking, lending or other, in EU countries from London. After public opinion polls were proven to be greatly unreliable in recent British elections, the banks are not putting their faith in any of the reported results, or even conducting their own private polls. Instead, they are warning their traders to expect a very long, busy day of handling buy and sell orders across the financial markets during the 23 June referendum. And the same for the next day. JPMorgan Chase has already reserved hotel rooms for traders close to its offices. Call centers dedicated to communications with clients have been put into place, several banks confirmed. "Thursday is going to be a hectic day. We are expecting large movements," one banker said. "Our clients are worried about what's going to happen with the pound. Forex is the biggest concern." The five big US banks employ more than 40,000 people in London, more than in all of the rest of Europe. They benefit from the "passporting rights" regime that allows the bankers to market their services from advising mergers and acquisitions to money management to lending and trading throughout the European Union without having a physical presence in any other EU countries. A vote to leave the EU "would be a negative for the US universal banks since costs could increase and capital markets activity could weaken," analysts at investment bank KBW wrote in a recent report. London: Over 70 British-Indian councillorsm from across the political spectrum on Tuesday backed a campaign to drum up support from the 1.2 million Indian-origin voters against Britain's exit from the EU in Thursday's referendum. The 71 councillors said they believe that being a member of the 28-member European Union significantly benefits Britain, not just economically but in terms of security and trade and are actively campaigning in their local areas to secure the "Remain" vote in the in-out EU referendum. "There are around 1.2 million British Indians voters across the UK and our votes could be absolutely crucial in determining the outcome of the EU referendum on 23 June," said Alok Sharma, a Conservative MP and Prime Minister David Cameron's Infrastructure Envoy for India, who heads the "British Indians for IN" campaign. "It is clear that very many people and business leaders within the British-Indian community agree that voting to remain in the UK is the right choice for our country and our community. Please make sure your vote counts as we are better off and safer as member of the EU," he said. Areas represented by the Remain-favouring Indian-origin councillors include wards in England, Wales and Scotland, and represent the Conservative, Labour, and Liberal Democrat parties, the campaign group said. Councillor Geetha Morla, from Milton Keynes, said: "For me, there is no question about whether or not Britain should remain a member of the EU. The European single market is by far our biggest trading partner, providing jobs and ensuring lower prices in our shops. "Our membership also means we have a seat at the table to determine the rules of doing business and that we can collaborate on issues such as the environment. By contrast, a vote for Brexit is a leap in the dark and a huge gamble on an uncertain future." Balwant Chadha, councillor for Cumbernauld North in North Lanarkshire and the country's first Sikh Justice of the Peace, said: "I strongly believe that Britain is in a much stronger position remaining in EU and safer not only economically and culturally, but is able to lead people in European countries to improve their quality of life." Sandwell councillor Preet Gill said Britain had a history of engaging with the world. "With its rich diversity it cannot and should not be a country that becomes insular but continues to be outward facing and addressing matters like immigration, terrorism and the economy with the EU as together, we are stronger and better," she said. A suicide bomber killed 14 Nepalese security guards who were on way to the Canadian Embassy in Kabul. Reports suggest that the Embassy and its Canadian staff are safe. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took to Twitter to condemn the attack. Today's attack on security workers in Kabul is appalling & cowardly. Our thoughts are with the victims as we stand with the Afghan people. Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) June 20, 2016 Initially claimed to be a Taliban attack, there are conflicting reports now coming in, with the Islamic State in Afghanistan too claiming responsibility for the attack. Nevertheless, the attack targeted at Canada's embassy may force Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to rethink his alleged soft, measured and diplomatic approach towards Islamic terror. In a press conference in March, Trudeau said that Canada was not in war with the Islamic State. This view was out rightly rejected by his European allies, especially France which had suffered a deadly attack in Paris, The Toronto Sun reported. In another instance of allegedly taking a soft approach towards the Islamic State, a Conservative motion to declare the terror group's actions as "genocide" was voted down by the Liberals led by the prime minister. The prime minister claimed that while Canada stands with the world in its fight against the Islamic State, the decision on what constitutes a genocide must be an objective one. In response, the Conservative leader Rona Ambrose was quoted by CBC News as saying, "This is a low point for the Liberal party and it is a dark spot on Canada's record as a defender of human rights." In an interview to US news channel CBS, the prime minister said that Islamic terror must be overcome with "openness and respect". Interestingly, the government announced ceasing of all airstrikes on Islamic State targets by 22 February, reported CBC News. Such statements and actions are being seen as an indication of Canada's Liberal government's weak resolve to fight the global menace of the Islamic State, be it in Iraq and Syria or in Afghanistan. Afghanistan is in an intriguing position. Already weakened by Taliban's terror, the Islamic State is gradually finding traction among the local population. Canada, an all-weather friend of the US, had been a part of the coalition alliance that overthrew the Taliban in November 2001. Canada's official engagement in the war-torn country got over in March 2014. However, it was not before the country lost 158 soldiers to enemy bullets. Economically speaking too, Canada is an important contributor to Afghanistan's economic rebuilding. Between 2002 and 2013, it disbursed around $2.26 billion in aid. In 2012, the then prime minister Stephen Harper pledged $227 million in development aid between 2014 and 2017. In addition, Afghanistan is reported to have a treasure trove of minerals worth $1 trillion. This makes the country economically attractive to Canada. Thus, Canada is a major stakeholder in the stability of Afghanistan. The attack on the Canadian embassy security guards must act as a wake-up call for Trudeau. A soft approach towards Islamic terror might not be the answer anymore. Yulin: A city in southern China went ahead with an annual dog-meat eating festival on Tuesday despite heavy criticism and protests from animal rights activists. Vendors slaughtered dogs and cooked their meat in dozens of restaurants across the city of Yulin, in an event that has come to symbolize the cruelty and potential for spreading disease associated with the largely unregulated industry. Activists bought dogs from dealers who had been planning to slaughter them, while local residents complained that outsiders were ruining what they consider a local tradition. "We came to Yulin to tell people here dogs are our friends. They should not kill dogs in such a cruel way and many of the dogs they killed are pet dogs," said Yang Yuhua, a volunteer from the central city of Chongqing. An estimated 10 million to 20 million dogs are killed for their meat each year in China, and the Yulin event has become a lightning rod for criticism. Many of the dogs are believed to have been pets stolen from their owners or simply picked up off the street. They are stuffed in cages, and trucked to the city about 2,000 kilometers (1,250 miles) south of Beijing in the province of Guangxi, often without food or water. Cats eaten at the festival are subjected to similar ill treatment. The local government has in recent years sought to disassociate itself from the event, forbidding its employees from attending and limiting its size by shutting down some dog markets and slaughter houses. "The so-called dog-meat eating festival has never been officially recognised by government or by any regulations or laws," said an official reached by telephone at the city government's general office. "We hold meetings every time before the so-called festival, discussing counter measures such as deploying local police, business and sanitary authorities to inspect and deal with those who sell dogs," said the official, who like many Chinese bureaucrats would give only his surname, Liu, because he was not authorized to speak to reporters. Opponents this year expanded their campaign to the United States, petitioning politicians in San Francisco to pressure their Chinese colleagues into calling for an end to the slaughter. As many as 10,000 dogs are believed to be killed during the event, which falls around the summer solstice that arrived yesterday this year. Promoters say eating dog meat during the summer helps ward off the heat and maintain a healthy metabolism. "It's been a tradition for years for us to celebrate the festival. We can't change it simply because they (animal lovers) love dogs," a local resident, who gave only his surname, Huang, told The Associated Press. "They don't want us to eat dog meat. We eat dog meat to celebrate the festival, but since they've come here, they've ruined our mood completely," Huang said. Columbus: Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton plans to portray Republican Donald Trump as an erratic and unfit steward of the nation's economy, returning to Ohio to press the case that workers would bear the brunt of the business mogul's policies. Clinton's Tuesday address in Ohio, one of the nation's most prominent swing states, will aim to place a marker on the economy in a similar manner in which she did on foreign policy earlier this month with a searing takedown of Trump in San Diego. "If we put Donald Trump behind the steering wheel of the economy, he is very likely to drive us off the cliff," said Clinton campaign senior policy adviser Jake Sullivan previewing her remarks. The former secretary of state's address at an alternative high school in Columbus will question Trump's temperament to guide the economy and point to his business record as evidence of how he would treat small businesses and working families if he won the White House. Bolstered by more than $40 million in television advertising, Clinton and her Democratic allies are trying to use this period before the summer Democratic National Convention to disqualify Trump on the economy and prevent him from successfully wooing working-class voters in battleground states like Ohio, Wisconsin and Michigan. Laying the groundwork, Clinton's campaign seized on a report on Monday by Moody's Analytics which found Trump's plans would lead to a "lengthy recession," costing nearly 3.5 million American jobs. The analysis by Moody's Mark Zandi, a former economic advisor to Republican Sen. John McCain's 2008 campaign, predicted Trump's approach would swell the federal debt as the nation's economy becomes more isolated by less trade and cross-border immigration. Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook, in an interview with Ari Rabin-Havt on SiriusXM's The Agenda, said Trump would start "trade wars" overseas that would hurt the nation's manufacturing sector. Trump, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, has pointed to trade as a major difference with Clinton, saying last week that her support of past trade deals such as the North American Free Trade Agreement had cost the country "millions of jobs." He also has assailed her promotion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal as Obama's secretary of state as a sell-out of US workers. Clinton announced her opposition to the so-called TPP last October, saying it failed to meet her test of providing good jobs, raising wages and protecting national security. Clinton also planned to make a more proactive case on the economy on Wednesday in Raleigh, North Carolina. Sullivan said she would lay out the "progressive economic agenda" she would embrace to help workers who have not yet benefited from the economic recovery. While the twin speeches on the economy will set a framework for the general election, Clinton's pitch will also attempt to connect with Democratic primary voters who supported Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who has not yet endorsed Clinton or conceded the nomination to her. Clinton and Sanders' campaigns are discussing ways of addressing key economic issues in the Democratic platform which will be approved at the Philadelphia convention, including the TPP pact, providing free college tuition and cutting student debt and expanding Medicare and Social Security. "Some of these issues are going to get worked out," said Larry Cohen, a former president of the Communications Workers of America and a Sanders adviser. "Some of them may go to the convention floor but ultimately the things that a president controls rather than a Congress get extra weight." Clinton said in a recent interview with USA Today that if Congress failed to act she would pledge to use her executive authority as president to close the so-called "carried interest loophole" that allows hedge fund managers to pay lower tax rates than other taxpayers by referring to their income as investment income. Clinton was expected to discuss those proposed changes this week. Beijing: China, which has been opposing India's NSG membership bid, on Tuesday for the first time said the "door is open" for discussions on the issue but took a swipe at the US for backing India, saying it was one of those who made the rule against the entry of non-NPT countries into NSG. Chinese Foreign Ministry, however, asked the 48-member NSG to "stay focussed" on whether the criteria should be changed on entry of non-NPT countries into the elite group. "I have not seen the US statement supporting India. But US is one of those who made the rule that non-NPT countries should not join the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing. "The relevant rule was made on the principle that NPT was the cornerstone of the NSG," she said. Hua made the remarks in response to a question on US asking members of the nuclear trading club to support India's application. Later talking to Indian media, Hua said while discussions are going on among the NSG members, the admission of new members is not listed in the current plenary meeting in Seoul. "The door is open. The room is there. We never said we are against who (a country). We did not target any country, India or Pakistan," Hua said. China for its part cares about non-proliferation treaty (NPT) as criteria for admission of the new members into the NSG, she said. "This is the core of the international non-proliferation. If the non-proliferation regime is changed how can we explain the Iranian nuclear treaty," Hua argued. "We just had a treaty with Iran. We have North Korean issues there...So this concerns the core issue whether NPT and non proliferation system could be impacted by this," she said. Reiterating what she said on Monday, Hua stated that, "According to my understanding, it (entry of new members) is not on the agenda of the NSG meeting in Seoul." "The door is open for the admission of the non-NPT members. It is never closed. It is open. But the members of the NSG should stay focussed on whether the criteria should be changed and whether non-NPT members should be admitted into the NSG," she said. On US' backing for India's NSG bid, Hua said, "We care about rules. US just sets the rules. This is not an issue between China and India but (about) the pillar for non-proliferation system," she said. Amid China's opposition, the US has given a fresh push to India's NSG membership bid by asking members of the elite club to support India's entry into the grouping during the ongoing plenary meeting in Seoul. "We believe, and this has been US policy for some time, that India is ready for membership and the United States calls on participating governments to support India's application at the plenary session of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters. "At the same time, participating governments will need to reach a consensus decision in order to admit any applicant into the group and the United States will certainly be advocating for India's membership," Earnest said as the 5-day annual plenary session of the 48-member club began in the South Korean capital on Monday. While majority of the elite group members backed India's membership, it is understood that apart from China, countries like Turkey, South Africa, Ireland and New Zealand were not in favour of India's entry into the NSG. China maintains opposition to India's entry, arguing that it has not signed Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). However, it has been batting for its close ally Pakistan's entry if NSG extends any exemption for India. Pakistan applied for NSG membership, a week after India submitted its membership application. India has asserted that being a signatory to the NPT was not essential for joining the NSG as there has been a precedent in this regard, citing the case of France. India is seeking membership of NSG to enable it to trade in and export nuclear technology. The access to the NSG, which regulates the global trade of nuclear technology, is expected to open up the international market for energy-starved India, which has an ambitious energy generation programme. India is looking at 63,000 MW energy requirement through the nuclear programme by 2030. The NSG looks after critical issues relating to nuclear sector and its members are allowed to trade in and export nuclear technology. Membership of the grouping will help India significantly expand its atomic energy sector. India has been reaching out to NSG member countries seeking support for its entry. The NSG works under the principle of consensus and even one country's vote against India will scuttle its bid. The Hague: The International Criminal Court Tuesday handed down its toughest sentence yet, ordering former Congolese vice president Jean-Pierre Bemba to serve 18 years in jail for "sadistic, cruel" rapes and murders by his troops in Central African Republic. "The chamber sentences Mr Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo to a total of 18 years of imprisonment," said judge Sylvia Steiner as the once feared rebel leader, who has denied all culpability, sat intently listening in the courtroom, showing no emotion. In justifying the ruling, Steiner said the former militia leader had failed to exercise control over his private army sent into CAR in late October 2002 where they carried out a series of rapes, murders and pillaging of "particular cruelty." Bemba, dressed in a dark suit and blue tie, is the highest-level official to be sentenced by the ICC after being convicted in March on five charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. And he is the only the third person to be sentenced at the tribunal based in The Hague since it began work in 2002. The atrocities were carried out by Bemba's private army, the Congolese Liberation Movement (MLC), when he sent them into neighbouring CAR in late October 2002 to put down a coup against then president Ange-Felix Patasse. The 1,500 troops unleashed a five-month campaign of terror, during which the judges said "entire families were victimised." Some victims were raped repeatedly by as many as 20 soldiers, others were shot point blank for refusing to hand over a motorbike or a sheep. 'No mitigating circumstances' Prosecutors had called for a sentence of at least 25 years imprisonment. The case however is likely to drag on for a few more years, as his defence team has already filed notice that it intends to appeal, and argued that Bemba should be released immediately as he has been behind bars since his arrest in 2008. Bemba was "extremely disappointed" with Tuesday's sentence, his lawyer Kate Gibson told AFP. The jail term was "dramatically outside the sentences that have been given to commanders before the other courts and tribunals," she said. "Today's sentence is by no means the end of the road for Mr Bemba," she added. "It merely signals that we are now moving to the next phase of the process which is the appeal." The three-judge bench however insisted it had "not found any mitigating circumstances" to reduce its sentence. Reading out their findings at the world's only permanent war crimes court, based in The Hague, Judge Steiner said Bemba had done "more than tolerate the crimes as a commander". "Mr Bemba's failure to take action was deliberately aimed at encouraging the attacks directed against the civilian population," she said, adding he had all the necessary means to deter his troops from committing the crimes. 'Justice for victims' Bemba, a rich businessman who became one of the vice presidents of the Democratic Republic of Congo, was arrested in Brussels in 2008 after losing a bid for his country's presidency. His case was the first at the ICC to focus on rape as a weapon of war and the first to highlight a military commander's responsibility for the conduct of the troops under his control. In a swift reaction, Human Rights Watch said in a statement on Twitter that it welcomed the sentence saying it "offers a measure of justice for victims of sexual violence." It also served as a warning to "other commanders that they too can be held accountable for rapes and other serious abuses committed by troops under their control." But his defence has argued that "the whole trial process was flawed and unfair and that Mr Bemba's rights as an accused were violated throughout," his lawyer Peter Haynes said. "No reasonable trial chamber could have convicted him of the charges he faced," Haynes argued in a filing late Monday. In different cases, the ICC has previously sentenced two other Congolese warlords to 14 and 12 years respectively. Berlin: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lost a German court battle against a top media boss Tuesday when his appeal in a bitter row over free speech was thrown out. Erdogan had sought a court order to stop the Axel Springer media group's chief Mathias Doepfner from repeating support for a TV satirist who crudely insulted the Turkish leader. After failing to get an injunction from a lower court last month, Erdogan also lost an appeal before the higher regional court in the western German city of Cologne. The judges said they considered Doepfner's letter of support "a permissible expression of opinion as protected under Article 5" of Germany's constitution, the court said in a statement. Erdogan could still seek recourse before Germany's top tribunal, the Federal Constitutional Court. The legal action came after Doepfner published in April an open letter in one of the Springer group's newspapers, in which he backed Jan Boehmermann the satirist who in a poem accused Erdogan of bestiality and watching child pornography. Boehmermann's recital of his so-called "Defamatory Poem" on national television in late March sparked a diplomatic firestorm and a row over freedom of expression. During the broadcast Boehmermann gleefully admitted his poem flouted Germany's legal limits to free speech and was intended as a provocation. In his letter, Doepfner took the comedian's side, declaring: "For me, your poem worked. I laughed out loud." In a controversial move, Chancellor Angela Merkel authorised criminal proceedings against the comedian after Turkey requested he be prosecuted for defamation. The higher regional court stressed Tuesday that its ruling in favour of Doepfner had no bearing on the other case still pending. Erdogan has come in for fierce Western criticism of late over his increasingly authoritarian rule, just as the European Union has turned to Turkey to help stem the influx of asylum seekers from Middle East war zones. Stockholm: Emissions of greenhouse gases in the European Union fell to a new low in 2014, the bloc's environmental watchdog said on Tuesday, citing more use of renewable energy and better energy efficiency. The reduction in 2014, the most recent year covered in the report, was 4.1 per cent lower than in the previous year, the Copenhagen-based European Environment Agency (EEA) said. Since 1990, the EU has cut greenhouse gas emissions blamed for climate warming by almost one fourth, the EEA said. "It is an important step towards reaching our 2030 and 2050 climate targets," EEA chief Hans Bruyninckx said in a statement. The EU has set out to reduce emissions of at least 40 per cent by 2030, compared to 1990 levels, and by 80 per cent by 2050. He added the EU needs to increase "investments in technology and innovation aimed at reducing our dependence on fossil fuels." Factors that contributed to the 24.4-per-cent drop from 1990 included more use of renewable energy sources, the use of less carbon intensive fuels and improvements in energy efficiency, the EEA said. The agency also cited the economic recession and lower demand for energy to heat households due to milder winters since 1990. New Delhi: Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar may travel to Seoul to push for India's bid for NSG membership at the plenary of the 48-nation grouping on 23 and 24 June. According to government sources, the foreign secretary is watching the situation "very closely" and, depending on the "feedback" from the official-level meeting of NSG ahead of the crucial plenary on Thursday and Friday in the South Korean capital, he may travel to Seoul to give a "final push". The official-level session of NSG started Monday. With China leading the opposition against India's entry into the elite Nuclear Supplier's Group (NSG), New Delhi is in a diplomatic overdrive to reach out to countries to support its bid. Senior External Affairs Ministry Official Amandeep Singh Gill, in-charge of 'Disarmament & International Security' division, is already in Seoul to "garner" support as well as "explain" India's case, sources said. The main meeting of the NSG Plenary on 24 June will happen a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi travels to Tashkent for Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit, which is also being attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping. Modi may meet Xi on the sidelines of the SCO summit and raise the issue of India's NSG membership but whether the discussions pave the way for a seat for New Delhi at the nuclear high table is a moot point. China has been opposed to India's entry into NSG on the ground that it is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). However, it has been batting for entry of its close ally Pakistan, also not a signatory to NPT, if India were to be inducted into the elite grouping. India has asserted that being a signatory to the NPT was not essential for joining the NSG, citing the precedent of France. India is seeking membership of NSG to enable it to trade in and export nuclear technology. The membership of NSG, which regulates global trade in nuclear technology, is expected to open up the international market for energy-starved India, which has an ambitious energy generation programme. India has set for itself an ambitious target of generating 63,000 MW of nuclear energy by 2030. The NSG looks after critical issues relating to nuclear sector and its members are allowed to trade in and export nuclear technology. Membership of the grouping will help India significantly expand its atomic energy sector. Islamabad: Pakistan's former ambassador in the US was "lobbying against his own country" and "creating hurdles for the government", the country's top diplomat said on Tuesday, apparently referring to Hussain Haqqani who was sacked by the government at the army's behest. "A former Pakistani ambassador is working against his own country in the US," the Prime Minister's Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz told the National Assembly without naming the ex-ambassador. He said that Pakistan's diplomatic mission in the US is facing challenges due to the former ambassador's campaign. "This person is trying to tackle all our diplomatic efforts in boosting the bilateral ties between Pakistan and the United States," Aziz was quoted as saying by Dawn. He was "lobbying against his own country" and "creating hurdles for the government," Aziz said. The adviser added that the "Foreign Office has serious reservation on the activities of the said person in the US." According to knowledgeable sources, Aziz was referring to Haqqani who was appointed as ambassador during rule of former President Asif Ali Zardari and later sacked at the insistence by army which was not happy with his working. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif accused Haqqani earlier this year by naming for working against F-16 planes deal, which was unsuccessful as US congress refused to fund the purchase of eight latest F-16s. Haqqani, who served as Pakistan's ambassador to the US from April 2008 to November 2011, was sacked for allegedly authoring a memo seeking Washington's help to prevent a coup in the country. EDINBURGH Two opinion polls on Monday suggested support for Britain staying in the European Union had recovered some ground following the murder of a pro-EU lawmaker, but a third poll found support for a "Brexit" ahead by a whisker. Britons vote on Thursday to decide whether to quit the bloc they joined in 1973, a choice with far-reaching economic and political consequences for Britain and the whole of Europe. Earlier on Monday, as expectations grew that Britain would stick with the status quo, the pound had its biggest one-day rise in seven years. Separately, George Soros, the billionaire who bet against the pound in 1992, said a vote to leave would trigger a bigger, more disruptive devaluation in Britain's currency than the fall on Black Wednesday. Campaigning had been suspended for three days after the killing of Jo Cox, a lawmaker and passionate advocate for Remain, led to soul searching about the campaign and its tone. Cox was shot and stabbed in her constituency. An ORB poll for The Daily Telegraph newspaper found support for Remain at 53 percent, up 5 percentage points on the previous one, with support for Leave on 46 percent, down three points. "All the signs of ORBs latest and final poll point to a referendum that will truly come down to the wire," said Lynton Crosby, a political strategist who advised the ruling Conservative Party at the last national election in 2015. The "Leave" camp had "failed to quash the almost ubiquitous perception that it is the riskier of the two options," he said. Respected social research body NatCen also published a poll that found Remain on 53 percent and Leave on 47 percent, using a method that took on recommendations by an official inquiry into why pollsters got last year's election wrong and conducted from May 16 to June 12. However, an online poll by YouGov for The Times showed Leave ahead on 44 percent, up one point, with Remain on 42 percent, down two points. That survey was conducted over the weekend after Cox was killed. Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the Labour Party, said her murder was likely "extreme political violence." Those wishing to stay in the bloc, including Prime Minister David Cameron, have focussed on what they describe as the economic advantages provided by EU membership and the risks posed by leaving. Those arguing to quit have focussed on what they say are pressures on public services and jobs created by high immigration levels that cannot be reduced due to EU freedom of movement rules. Sayeeda Warsi, a former co-chair of the Conservative Party, has switched her support to the "Remain" campaign because of the tactics used by the other side, she announced on Monday. She pointed to a poster from one of the "Leave" campaigns, which used a photo of refugees walking through a field in Europe under the slogan "Breaking Point" - a message she said she did not want to form "the basis of the kind of Britain that I want to live in and to bring my kids up in". Prior to the murder of Cox polls had shifted towards "Leave". (Reporting By Elisabeth O'Leary and Estelle Shirbon; Editing by Estelle Shirbon, Toni Reinhold) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Islamabad : India always tried to maintain its "hegemony" in the South Asia region and Pakistan has rejected this while "effectively" protecting its interests, Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz has claimed. Answering a question about Indo-Pak ties in an interview to Samaa TV, Aziz said India has always tried to maintain its hegemony in the South Asia region. "Pakistan rejected this (Indian) hegemony and has effectively protected its interests and its stance over Kashmir, nuclear deterrence and conventional balance," Aziz was quoted as saying. He maintained that "protecting Pakistan's sovereignty and vital interests is a great achievement as a nation". Talking about the Afghan refugees problem, Aziz said it became a security issue for Pakistan as refugee camps have become "safe havens for terrorists" due to unregulated movement. "We have reestablished our writ over FATA (tribal areas) but if Afghan border remains unregulated, our tribal areas can't stay safe," he said. Calling for repatriation of Afghan refugees, Aziz said the repatriation will be a gradual movement and Pakistan will need a plan of action for the process. He said Pakistan is paying for the policies it adopted during the Russian invasion of Afghanistan which resulted in five million refugees coming to Pakistan with "drugs, guns bringing instability". Aziz claimed that when the current government came to power, it decided to pursue the policy of non-interference which means Pakistan will not fight someone else's wars. Beijing: China is no barrier to India's NSG membership, says a leading state-run Chinese daily even as it clubbed India and Pakistan together in their quest for membership to the elite nuclear club, saying just allowing New Delhi entry would create "another bigger problem". In an op-ed in the Global Times, Long Xingchun, research fellow at the Charhar Institute and director of the Center for Indian Studies at China West Normal University, also takes a very kind view of Pakistan's nuclear proliferation record, blaming it only on nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan. Long also slams the US for "casting its eyes on India's nuclear market" as the reason for its backing New Delhi's candidature. In comments that come just ahead of the plenary at Seoul of the 48-member nuclear grouping, the writer says: "India joining NSG does not harm China's own interests. India advocates nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament and commits itself to no-first-use of nuclear weapons as China does. It could also help enhance bilateral cooperation in civil nuclear energies. Measures that can boost mutual trust could be established among China, India and Pakistan, the three nuclear powers in Asia." It pits both India and Pakistan together in their pursuit for NSG membership, saying both countries have not inked the Non Proliferation Treaty. "The US even signed with India a Civil Nuclear Agreement and backs India's bid to join NSG. But the issue of the legitimacy of India's "nuclear status" has not been solved. "If India and Pakistan are allowed to join the NPT and adopt the CTBT, it will tarnish the authority of both. How can nuclear weapon development in other countries such as North Korea, Iran and Israel be dealt with? "If the US is sincere in supporting India's NSG membership, it should not just cast its eyes on India's nuclear market. It should solve India's "nuclear status" first so as to eradicate the contradictions between India and the existing international nuclear non-proliferation mechanism. "While India strives for NSG inclusion, it prevents Pakistan from joining by insisting on the latter's bad record of nuclear proliferation. "Actually, the proliferation carried out by Pakistan was done by Abdul Qadeer Khan, Pakistan's chief nuclear scientist, and was not an official policy of the Pakistani government. Khan was punished by the government afterward with several years of house arrest. If the NPT and the NSG can give India an exemption, it should apply to Pakistan as well. "China and other countries oppose to NSG including India while excluding Pakistan, because it means solving India's problem but creating another bigger problem. If India joins hands with Pakistan to seek NSG membership, it seems more pragmatic than joining alone," he suggests. Long's piece voices China's official view of backing Pakistan, its all-weather friend, for NSG membership. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to meet in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting this week, when the NSG issue is expected to be taken up. TOKYO Campaigning for an election to Japan's upper house of parliament begins on Wednesday, as surveys give Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling bloc the lead, despite doubts about his growth policies and desire to revise the post-war pacifist constitution. Abe's coalition is in no danger of losing power in the election but he needs a solid win to keep his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lawmakers in line and perhaps stay on another three years after his tenure as LDP president expires in 2018. Abe is casting the July 10 election for half the seats in the 242-member chamber as a referendum on his decision to delay a planned hike in an unpopular sales tax and his "Abenomics" recipe of hyper-easy monetary policy, spending and reform. "Our policies have had some success, but we are still only halfway to where we want to be," Abe said in a televised debate on Tuesday. "I want to accelerate Abenomics, shift up two or three gears and make sure the economy is growing." Media surveys show about twice as many voters plan to vote for Abe's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) as for the main opposition Democratic Party, but also show support for Abe and his party slipping amid growing doubt that his efforts to revive the economy are working. Turnout is expected to be weak after hitting a record low of 52.6 percent in a 2013 upper house vote. About 2.4 million Japanese aged 18 and 19 will be able to vote for the first time, but surveys suggest the turnout of this group will be lower than among their parents and grandparents. The expected victory for the ruling bloc is thus more likely to be a vote of no-confidence in the opposition than a groundswell of support for Abe and his policies. "Abenomics is not working out well and Abe's security policies are not popular. You'd think he'd be vulnerable," said Jeffrey Kingston, director of Asia studies at Temple University's Japan campus. "But the opposition is weak and discredited, and even though they will be cooperating, I don't think it will make a big difference." Some analysts, however, said the LDP could lose some of the 51 seats it held among those up for grabs, thanks to a historic move by opposition parties to join hands. The Democratic Party and three smaller parties, including the Japanese Communist Party, are backing unified candidates in 32 single-seat districts, and have support from grassroots civic groups opposed to Abe's hawkish security policies and drive to revise the constitution. But regaining public trust is a tough task for the Democrats after a 2009 to 2012 tenure many remember for infighting and unkept promises. "The Democratic Party is the only opposition party that has experience governing and can learn from its mistakes and change," its policy chief, Shiori Yamao, told Reuters, adding that it was also drawing on the energy of women and the youth. "We are becoming a party that cannot only take power but govern properly, so please believe in us again." Abe has set a target for his coalition of winning a majority of the 121 seats being contested. [L4N19C1PI] The premier has said the ruling bloc hopes to win a two-thirds majority with like-minded opposition parties to open the path to revising the postwar pacifist constitution, but has recently played down that target. Surveys show a majority of voters see no need to change the charter, which conservatives see as an obstacle to beefing up defence and a humiliating symbol of defeat in World War Two. (Additional reporting by Tetsushi Kajimoto and Stanley White; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Islamophobia is nothing new to America. It has been on a constant rise since the early 20th century, but the recent string of terror attacks linked to the Islamic State in Paris, San Bernardino and Orlando has led to a wave of Islamophobic instances. According to a report published in The Guardian, 55 percent of Americans have voiced an unfavourable opinion of Islam. A new study has shown that some 50 percent of all Muslim students in the US have been bullied by their classmates, reported PBS. More surprisingly, a YouGov poll conducted earlier this year found that 55 percent of surveyed Americans had an unfavourable opinion of Islam. All this data clearly points to the extent of Islamophobia prevalent in the US. Shockingly enough, when Brits were asked this year what words came to their minds when they heard the word Muslim, most of them responded: terror, terrorism and terrorist. It is not difficult to see then why much of the presumptive US Republican nominee Donald Trumps rhetoric in his election campaign revolves around Islamophobia. It also shows how the Americans, who have long been known for their melting pot, are now turning into anti-Muslim day-in and day-out. At the same time, the climate of growing Islamophobic sentiments in the US should be a note of introspection on part of Muslims as well. The other day, I was surprised when I read an interview in India's largest newspaper. Shireen Qudosi, a Muslim political analyst based in the US, is a die-hard supporter of Trump who is seen as overtly anti-Muslim. Speaking to The Times of India, Qudosi not only heaped high praises for Trump, but also welcomed his categorical call for a blackout ban on Muslims in the aftermath of the Orlando massacre. She put it blatantly: Donald Trump is right in calling out radical Islamic ideology as the foundation for extremist groups like IS. What happened in Orlando goes beyond immigration, gun control, etc." She also said, "Muslims are too busy crying Islamophobia rather than tackling Jihadism or other issues including domestic violence, mental health and womens rights. These are the real issues for us as Muslims. To many Muslim apologists and even liberal Islamic scholars, Qudosi herself sounds Islamophobic. But, regardless of what Islamophobia means, it distresses a common Muslim like me to see more and more open-minded, freethinking and well-educated Muslims complaining that the crisis goes to the heart of Islam. Perhaps it will take a great deal of time and effort to fathom the dilemma of Islamophobia. But one thing is for sure as long as the atrocities of the violent jihadist extremism against the liberal democrats or moderates are on the rampage, many more the likes of Qudosi will come out to speak. An increasingly heated debate both in national and international media on 'Islamophobia' is a disturbing trend. The spate of terrorist atrocities from Brussels, Paris, Pathankot to San Bernardino and lately in Orlando's LGBT nightclub has fuelled the fire. In the wake of this entire rampage, Islamophobia has now developed into a complete and coherent field of study, both in media and academia. Though still in its infancy, the subject has caught the imagination of various research wings and even universities across the world. No wonder then that the two top educational centers at opposite ends of the US have recently launched "Islamophobia studies" as referred to at a UC Berkeley conference. In his remarks, the director of UC Berkeley Islamophobia Research & Documentation Project (IRDP) Hatem Bazian has affirmed that, this is a multi-year research project that connects the academic study of Islamophobia with the public square." Historiographers have noted that the term "Islamophobia" was first coined in 1991 in the Runnymede Trust Report in the context of Muslims in the UK in particular and Europe in general. It was conceptually defined as "unfounded hostility towards Muslims, and therefore fear or dislike of all or most Muslims." Based on case studies, the report pointed out the Islamophobic perceptions that demonise Islam as "an inherently violent political ideology" and Muslims as "xenophobic", "intolerant", "monolithic", "archaic" etc. Given this renewed politicised trend in western Islamic studies or among Middle East researches, John Esposito, director of Georgetown University's Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding (ACMCU) has depicted Islamophobia as "an empirical fact". However, he critiqued the mainstream media for disseminating this "alleged bigotry beginning with the Ground Zero Mosque controversy". Esposito asserted that media coverage of Islam hit an all-time high in 2015. The causes are fairly obvious and some of them are good reasons to be concerned: international terrorist attacks", he said. While there are still those, in great numbers, who maintain that Islamophobia does not exist, it has been reintroduced and reaffirmed by the hopeful American Republican candidate, Donald Trump. With an avid interest in winning the US presidential election, Trump has got an opportunity to manipulate the recent Orlando mass shooting to further his political ends. In lieu of combating radical Islamism in the aftermath of the massacre, he is trying hard to make it a point to center-stage in the upcoming election. Lets not forget that when a similar terror attack was carried out by the IS in San Bernardino, California in 2015, Trump had got emboldened enough to call for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the US. But his call was debunked at that time by an overwhelming number of the American liberal democrats as "xenophobic", "chauvinistic" and "undemocratic". However, the obnoxious massacre of Orlando has resulted into a drastic increase in the Islamophobic sentiments among US citizens. Thus, it propelled Trump and the ilk to speak out louder. It has not only prompted Trump to call for Obamas resignation, but has also catapulted his chances overnight to replace Obama in the White House. So, Islamophobia, fuelled by Trump and his supporters, has got paramount importance in the 2016 presidential election in US. However, the US President Obamas refusal to even utter the words radical Islamism or radical Jihadism in the wake of Orlando massacre has perturbed not only the outspoken Islamophobes in the country, but also a large number of the liberal democrats. Earlier, this controversy kicked off in January 2015 after the Charlie Hebdo shootings in Paris, when the French PM Manuel Valls said in a speech that the country was at war against radical Islam." Later, President Obama and his administration had seemingly "bent over backwards to not ever say that, as journalist and political pundit Mara Liasson put it. But this time, many observers in the US and the wider world critiqued this unwillingness or inability to identify the radical ideological underpinnings behind the nefarious mass shooting of Orlando, raising a plethora of questions. For instance, Ted Cruz, an American attorney and politician, called it "bizarre, politically correct doublespeak" that was "not befitting a commander-in-chief." But Obama retorted all such allegations in his official remarks after the Counter-IS Meeting, as the Treasury Department of Washington D.C. has put it, For a while now, the main contribution of some of my friends on the other side of the aisle have made in the fight against IS is to criticise this administration and me for not using the phrase radical Islam, "Thats the key, they tell us we cant beat IS unless we call them radical Islamists. What exactly would using this label accomplish? What exactly would it change? Would it make IS less committed to trying to kill Americans? Would it bring in more allies? Is there a military strategy that is served by this? The answer is none of the above. Calling a threat by a different name does not make it go away. This is a political distraction, Obama said. Obama claims that since he became the US President, he has been clear about how extremist groups have perverted Islam to justify terrorism. Of course, he has repeatedly called on the Muslim governments the world over to cooperate to reject the twisted interpretation of one of the worlds great religions. An overwhelming number of the US citizens, however, have developed Islamophic sentiments suggesting that Trumps call for a blackout ban on Muslims might sound outrageous, but it could appeal to the 55 percent of Americans who favour an unfavourable opinion of Islam. Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi is a Scholar of comparative religion and classical Arabic-Islamic sciences, Researcher in Culture & Communication Studies and Commentator on Muslim Affairs in Media. He can be contacted at grdehlavi@gmail.com MEXICO CITY At least eight people were killed in clashes in southern Mexico over the weekend when police and members of a teachers' union faced off in violent confrontations, a senior state official said, piling fresh pressure on the country's embattled ruling party. Violence erupted on Sunday when police dislodged protesters blocking a highway in the southern state of Oaxaca, a hotbed of dissent from radical teachers' groups opposed to education reforms pushed through by the government three years ago. Speaking on local radio early on Monday, Jorge Ruiz, Oaxaca's state secretary for public safety, said eight people died in two separate confrontations, raising the death toll in the clashes from a previous tally of six. He said six people died near the town of Nochixtlan, about 50 miles (80 km) northwest of the city of Oaxaca, while two others were killed in related protests in Juchitan, in the southeast of Oaxaca state. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said on Twitter he was sorry for the loss of life and the federal government would help Oaxaca state investigate the incident. "I've given instructions so that ... actions can be taken to solve the conflict," he wrote. The violence is the latest in a series of setbacks to Pena Nieto's government, which has faced widespread criticism for its failures to crack down on graft and impunity, contain drug gang violence or jumpstart the economy. It also deals a fresh blow to the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), still smarting from a drubbing in regional elections earlier this month which put it on the back foot in the run-up to the next presidential election in 2018. The violence has tarnished the reputations of two of the party's leading contenders for the 2018 ticket: Education Minister Aurelio Nuno and Interior Minister Miguel Angel Osorio Chong, whose brief includes domestic security. Rocio Nahle, the leftist National Regeneration Movement (Morena) party's parliamentary coordinator, said Nuno should resign over the violence, but blamed Osorio Chong as well. "Pena Nieto will go down in history as one of the worst presidents in terms of violating human rights," she told Reuters. 'INSUFFICIENT' ACCOUNTABILITY The violence came as Christof Heyns, the United Nations' Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, said on Monday that police accountability in Mexico was insufficient. "Extrajudicial executions and excessive use of force by security agents persist," Heyns said in a U.N. report. The unrest has escalated since police arrested the leader of the local teachers' union earlier this month. Ruben Nunez, head of one of the most combative factions of Mexico's CNTE union, Oaxaca's Section 22, was detained on suspicion of money laundering. The CNTE has led efforts to resist federal education reforms, particularly its mandate to carry out teacher evaluations. Miguel Zurita, a CNTE representative in Oaxaca, said that when police arrived to dislodge Sunday's protest near Nochixtlan, they were unwilling to enter into a dialogue. "What we lived through yesterday was something brutal, something that has no name," he said. "They arrived armed and they arrived shooting." The Mexican government, however, defended its handling of the protests. In a statement, the National Security Commission denied federal forces had used firearms against protesters, saying images circulating online of police with rifles were faked. Enrique Galindo, the head of Mexico's federal police, said masked individuals who were not affiliated to the teachers' union were behind much of the violence, lobbing Molotov cocktails and shooting at police and civilians. (Additional reporting by Frank Jack Daniel and Stephanie Ulmer-Nebehay; editing by Gabriel Stargardter and Cynthia Osterman) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Kathmandu: The Nepalese government has decided to dispatch an aircraft to Afghanistan to bring home the remains of 12 Nepali nationals killed in the Kabul suicide bombing on Monday. A meeting of Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli and the cabinet ministers on Tuesday morning decided to send a Nepal Airlines aircraft to Kabul to bring the mortal remains home, Oli's Press Advisor Pramod Dahal told Xinhua news agency. Deputy Prime Minister Kamal Thapa, who is also in charge of foreign affairs, said the government has made preparations to send an aircraft to Kabul to bring home the injured and the caskets of the Nepalis killed in the attack. The Nepali nationals were working as security guards with the Kabul-based Canadian embassy, and were hired out by Sabre International, a British security consultancy firm. At least seven Nepali security guards working with the Canadian embassy were also injured in the terror attack. At least 14 guards 12 Nepali and two Indians were killed and nine persons were injured after a suicide bomber struck a minibus in the Afghan capital of Kabul on Monday. Meanwhile, Acting Nepali Ambassador in Islamabad Tirtha Raj Aryal has reached Kabul to initiate the process to send home the mortal remains of the Nepali nationals. Nepal does not have diplomatic mission in Kabul and its Islamabad-based envoy is concurrently accredited to Afghanistan. Bharat Raj Paudyal, a spokesman at the Nepalese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said all the 12 Nepalis killed in the bombing have been identified. Initially, the Afghan Interior Ministry stated that the 14 killed in the attack were Nepalis. However, during verification it was revealed that two were Indian nationals. SEOUL North Korea fired one missile from its east coast just before 6 a.m. on Wednesday (2100 GMT Tuesday) but it appears to have failed, South Korea's military officials said. The missile launched was believed to be an intermediate-range Musudan missile, said one of the officials, who asked for anonymity because he was not formally authorised to speak to the media. The U.S. military has detected a missile launch from North Korea, Navy Commander Dave Benham, a spokesman from the U.S. military's Pacific Command, told Reuters on Tuesday without providing details. Japan on Tuesday put its military on alert for a possible North Korean ballistic missile launch and South Korea's Yonhap News Agency said, citing an unnamed government source, that the North was seen to be moving an intermediate-range missile to its east coast. North Korea has failed in all four previous attempts to launch the Musudan, which theoretically has the range to reach any part of Japan and the U.S. territory of Guam. North Korea is believed to have up to 30 Musudan missiles, according to South Korean media, which officials said were first deployed around 2007, although the North had never attempted to test-fire them until this year. (Reporting by Jack Kim and Ju-min Park in Seoul, Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali in Washington, D.C.; Editing by G Crosse, Toni Reinhold) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. It was World Giraffe Day on Tuesday, and as animal activists tried to raise awareness about the animal, it was Angelo Vukasovic, the treasurer of the Sweden Democrats Party in Nybro, who made headlines. Photos of the political worker hunting lions, giraffes and zebras went viral, as did his statement that giraffe meat was the tastiest he had eaten. According to the Daily Mail, Vukasovic apparently told Aftonbladet, a Swedish publication, "Ive eaten 80 percent of the animals Ive killed, including the lion in the picture. The tastiest meat Ive ever eaten, and will ever eat, is giraffe." His statement and photos drew widespread criticism on social media with commenters referring to him as moron, bloody caveman and a disgrace to Sweden. However, according to The Local, Vukasovic told Aftonbladet that the hunts, which took place in South Africa, were perfectly legal. The Local also reported that Vukasovics party, the Sweden Democrats, will decide whether any action needs to be taken after it looks into the matter. Vukasovics photos are not the first to cause controversy over the hunting of animals. In late 2015, American dentist Walter Palmer was forced to shut his practice after it came to light that he had killed famous lion Cecil in the Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe during a hunt. Cecil was a fixture in the vast Hwange National Park and had been fitted with a GPS collar as part of Oxford University lion research. Cecil's death caused global outrage but Zimbabwe refused to charge Palmer with any crime (two others, however, are being prosecuted). The killing was legal, the government said, because Palmer had the right permits when he shot Cecil with a bow and arrow outside the park. He later said in an interview, "If I had known this lion had a name and was important to the country or a study obviously I wouldn't have taken it. Nobody in our hunting party knew before or after the name of this lion." In October 2015, it was revealed that a German hunter had shot and killed one of the biggest bull elephants seen in Zimbabwe in three decades. The kill took place outside Gonarezhou National Park, in the south of the country, said Louis Muller, chairman of the Zimbabwe Professional Hunters and Guides Association. The elephant had rarely been seen until it was killed this month, Muller said. It was believed to be more than 40 years old, with tusks that weighed 55 kgs (121 pounds) each, the biggest recorded in Zimbabwe in 30 years, he said. With inputs from agencies Vatican City: Pope Francis is amplifying his opposition to capital punishment, saying it's an offense to life, contradicts God's plan and serves no purpose for punishment. In a video message to an anti-death penalty congress in Norway, Francis declared: "The commandment 'Thou shalt not kill' has absolute value and applies both to the innocent and to the guilty." Francis has gone beyond his predecessors and traditional Catholic teaching in saying there is simply no justification for the death penalty today. He said Tuesday that rather than rendering justice, it fosters vengeance. Church teaching allows for recourse to capital punishment when it is the only way to defend lives "effectively" against an aggressor. Francis said: "It must not be forgotten that the inviolable and God-given right to life also belongs to the criminal." Washington: The White House on Tuesday denounced the "cowardice" of US senators who failed to pass gun control legislation taken up in the wake of the Orlando nightclub massacre. Four bills two proposed by Republicans and two by Democrats went down to defeat in the US Senate late Monday. "What we saw last night on the floor of the United States Senate was a shameful display of cowardice," White House spokesman Josh Earnest told MSNBC television. "They were common sense bills that were put forward that should have drawn strong bipartisan support that would prevent individuals who are currently suspected of having ties to terrorism from being able to buy a gun," he said. A measure put forward by Democrats sought to bar people on FBI watchlists or no-fly lists from buying firearms. Another Democrat-backed bill aimed to strengthen criminal and mental health background checks for those seeking to purchase firearms at gun shows and on the Internet. A Republican measure proposed a 72-hour waiting period for those on FBI watchlists seeking to buy weapons, so that the government has time to seek a court order to block the sale if need be. The second Republican proposal aimed to improve the background check system. Democrats rejected both GOP measures. Guns are responsible for some 90 deaths each day in the United States, but serious legislative efforts to enact gun control are only raised after particularly horrific shootings. Americans are still reeling from a lone gunman's 12 June attack at the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida that left 49 dead and 53 wounded, making it the deadliest mass shooting ever in the United States. Police stormed the club and killed the gunman, 29-year old Omar Mateen, a Muslim American of Afghan descent who pledged allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State group during the attack. President Barack Obama has spoken out after each tragic shooting, exhorting Congress to enact stronger gun control laws to no avail. Obama made a similar plea last week while meeting with the families of the Orlando shooting victims. So far, however, the Republican-led US legislature has failed to pass any new gun control laws, with opponents saying that to do so would infringe on the constitutional rights of gun owners. Earnest said their reticence has more to do with deference to the US gun lobby group, especially the powerful National Rifle Association. "Republicans have run around and spent the last week saying radical Islamic extremism to anybody who will listen, but when it actually comes to preventing those extremists from being able to walk into a gun store and buy a gun, they're AWOL," Earnest said. "They won't do anything about it because they're scared of the NRA." Seoul: North Korea appears to be readying another test of a powerful, new medium-range missile, following a series of failures for a ballistic weapons programme that aspires to threaten the US mainland, multiple reports said on Tuesday. Japanese and South Korean media quoted official sources as saying North Korea looked to have deployed a so-called Musudan missile near its east coast. The North Korea has made four failed attempts this year to test fly the Musudan, which has an estimated range of anywhere between 2,500 and 4,000 kilometres (1,550 to 2,500 miles). The lower range covers the whole of South Korea and Japan, while the upper range would include US military bases on Guam. "We have detected signs that the North has deployed what appears to be a Musudan missile," South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted an unidentified government official as saying. Japan's Kyodo News agency and public broadcaster NHK both cited unidentified sources as saying preparations for a missile launch might be underway. The Defence Ministry in Seoul declined to confirm the reports, but said it was "closely monitoring the situation." UN resolutions ban North Korea from any use of ballistic missile technology, although it regularly fires short-range missiles into the sea off its east coast. Kyodo said Japan's military had been ordered to intercept any missile or falling parts that might threaten Japanese territory. First unveiled as an indigenous missile at a military parade in Pyongyang in October 2010, the Musudan has never been successfully flight-tested. Three failures in April were seen as an embarrassment for the Pyongyang leadership, coming ahead of a rare ruling party congress that was meant to celebrate the country's achievements. The latest attempt in May was also deemed to have failed. Karachi: The son of the Chief Justice of Sindh High Court has been abducted by unidentified armed men here in Pakistan's largest city and economic hub and police have detained five people in this connection. Ovais Sajjad Shah, himself an advocate, was apparently abducted by armed men from outside a popular shopping mart in the posh Clifton area yesterday. Ovais, the son of Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, had just come out of the mart when four armed men wearing peak caps emerged from a white car with a green number plate and forcibly took him away. Green number plates are reserved for government vehicles. DIG Police District South, Munir Ahmed Sheikh told the media that Ovais went missing after he left the Sindh High Court in the afternoon to meet a friend in Clifton. "We are looking at the CCTV cameras in the Clifton area to ascertain what happened. But he apparently stopped over at the shopping mart," Sheikh said. He said the family of the Chief Justice informed that his son has gone missing in the evening. A senior police official said so far no case of abduction has been registered but Ovais has gone missing and is untraceable. "His mobile phone is also switched off since late afternoon. We have detained five people from the parking area for questioning," he said. Ovais was pleading around 90 cases, including one where he was hired by 700 sacked employees of the Karachi Port Trust to fight their case. Ovais's kidnapping comes just weeks after sons of two high profile politicians returned home after spending years in captivity. Shahbaz Taseer, the son of former slain Punjab governor, Salman Taseer was recovered in March from the Baluchistan province after spending five years in captivity. He was kidnapped by militants and kept in Afghanistan. In May, Ali Haider the son of former Prime Minister, Yousuf Raza Gilani who was kidnapped from Multan was recovered from Afghanistan after three years in captivity of militant outfits. Karachi which is Pakistan's economic hub and biggest city has for years been a hotbed for criminals, gangsters and militants who are involved in kidnapping for ransom, target killings, sectarian violence, terrorism, bank robberies and other crimes. Street crime remains one of the biggest problems here despite the paramilitary rangers and police carrying out a clean-up operation in Karachi since September 2013. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah expressed concern over the incident and said no stone would be left unturned to locate the the Chief Justice's son. Shah ordered deployment of police at key exit and entry points of the metropolis to recover him, his spokesperson said. ISTANBUL Turkish authorities on Monday arrested three prominent campaigners for press freedom, including the local representative of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), on charges of spreading terrorist propaganda, human rights groups said. The arrests further stoked fears for media freedom in Turkey under President Tayyip Erdogan following a series of high-profile cases against opposition newspapers and broadcasters. The three are RSF representative Erol Onderoglu, author Ahmet Nesin and Sebnem Korur Fincanci, president of the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey. A court ordered they be held in pre-trial detention after they guest-edited a newspaper on Kurdish issues and campaigned against efforts to censor it, said RSF and another group, EuroMed Rights. A statement from European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn said the court decision "goes against Turkey's commitment to respect fundamental rights, including freedom of media. "The EU has repeatedly stressed that Turkey, as a candidate country (for EU membership), must aspire to the highest possible democratic standards and practices," read the statement, which was shared with reporters. Onderoglu was arrested for his work on three articles about security operations in Turkey's largely Kurdish southeast and infighting among security forces which appeared in the May 18 edition of the Ozgur Gundem magazine, said Johann Bihr from RSF. Bihr described Onderoglu, who had worked for RSF for two decades, as a "victim of the abuses he always denounced". An official at Erdogan's office declined to comment on the cases. It was unclear how long the three would be held in custody or when they would face trial. Separately, top-selling Hurriyet newspaper said its New York correspondent, Razi Canikligil, was detained on Monday upon his arrival at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport. It offered no further details, including what charges he might face. Canikligil has reported on the U.S. prosecution of Turkish-Iranian businessman Reza Zarrab on charges he helped Iran evade American sanctions. Zarrab's arrest in Florida in March and the case against him has captured attention in Turkey, where he was detained in 2013 in a corruption probe into individuals with close ties to Erdogan. A U.S. judge in New York on Monday scheduled Zarrab's trial for Jan. 23. Last month, Turkey came under fire for sentencing two prominent journalists at the opposition Cumhuriyet newspaper to at least five years in jail for revealing state secrets in a case in which Erdogan was named as a complainant. Authorities have seized or shut down several newspapers and taken broadcasters off the air in the last year, usually citing security concerns. They deny trying to muzzle free expression. Turkey's record on press freedoms and broader human rights has increased reservations among some European politicians about whether Turkey, a NATO member, is a suitable candidate for European Union membership. But their criticism has been relatively muted in recent months because the EU needs Turkey's close cooperation in curbing the flow of illegal migrants into Europe. Under a deal agreed in March, Turkey is set to benefit from speedier EU accession talks and visa-free access to Europe for its citizens if it takes back all migrants and refugees who cross the Aegean Sea to Greece illegally. (Additional reporting by Ayla Jean Yackley; Editing by Gareth Jones and Jonathan Oatis) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. London: Uncertainty, division and tension continued in Britain two days ahead of a referendum on its European Union membership as campaign rallies resumed on Tuesday. Campaigning renewed after a three-day suspension following the murder of Pro-EU Labour Party lawmaker Jo Cox on Thursday. Both Remain and Leave camps were making last-ditch efforts to gain support, as polls on Monday showed an uncertain outcome of the upcoming vote, Xinhua news agency reported. An ORB poll for the Daily Telegraph put the support for Remain at 53 percent, up five percentage points on the previous one, with Leave down to 46 percent. A survey conducted from 16 May to 12 June by social research body NatCen found the support at 53 percent for Remain versus 47 percent for Leave, while an online poll over the weekend by YouGov for The Times showed a slim lead of Leave at 44 percent, with Remain at 42 percent. "All the signs of ORB's latest and final poll point to a referendum that will truly come down to the wire," political strategist Lynton Crosby said. The slightly Remain-tipped poll results led to a strong recovery of the pound sterling on market earlier on Monday and a rise in Asian stocks on Tuesday. Billionaire George Soros warned that a Brexit outcome would trigger a pound decline of at least 15 per cent as in September 1992, and possibly a more disruptive more than 20 percent, with "an immediate and dramatic impact on financial markets, investment, prices and jobs". Gloomy predictions of other experts include a start of EU breaking apart, and protectionism and nationalism harming global trade. An optimistic scenario limits pain elsewhere than Britain in Europe to a lesser extent, and suggests an affected global market soon to recover with no big economic damage. Soros said powerful speculative forces are eager to exploit any miscalculations by the British government or voters. Risks loom ahead with the Thursday vote deemed as a turning point in the political and economic fate of both Britain and Europe. Risks from quitting and economic advantages provided by EU membership have been major arguments of Remain campaigners, including Prime Minister David Cameron. Supporters for Leave blame EU freedom of movement rules for immigrant inflows that they believe have stepped up pressures on public services and jobs. J.K. Rowling, author of the "Harry Potter" series, said on Monday: "We'll have to decide which monsters we believe are real and which illusory." In her eyes, quitting the EU would amount to a protest "against everything about modern life that scares us". She reckons nationalism is on the march across the Western world. "How can a retreat into selfish and insecure individualism be the right response when Europe faces genuine threats?" The vote on EU membership has polarised Britons. The severity of the division may be reflected in the murder of Cox on Thursday. The bloodshed led to a shift in polls away from Leave. Cameron led tearful tributes in the parliament on Monday to Cox, while urging unity "against the hatred that killed her". Washington: The US on Monday asked the members of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) to consider and support India's application to join the grouping during their plenary meeting in Seoul beginning on Tuesday. "We believe, and this has been US policy for some time, that India is ready for membership and the United States calls on participating governments to support India's application at the plenary session of NSG later this week," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters at his daily news conference. "At same time, participating governments will need to reach a consensus decision in order to admit any applicant into the group, and the United States will certainly be advocating for India's membership," Earnest said on the eve of the 48-member grouping's plenary meeting in Seoul beginning Tuesday. His comments came after China has said that India's membership is not on the agenda of the NSG meeting. US President Barack Obama, Earnest said, had an opportunity to discuss this issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he was at the White House early this month, he said. "The United States, as you know, strongly supports India's application to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group," Earnest said. "We have made our views known both publicly and privately, and we'll continue to do so in advance of the meeting this week," Earnest said when asked if the US has reached out to members of the NSG in support of India's application. At a separate news conference, the State Department reiterated the same. "As you know, during Prime Minister Modi's visit, the President welcomed India's application to join the NSG and reaffirmed that India is ready for membership. We continue to call on the participating governments, the NSG, to support India's application at the plenary session this week itself," State Department Spokesman John Kirby told reporters at his daily news conference. "This is something that we have India's application is something we have routinely talked to other NSG participating members. This is not a new topic of discussion that we've had privately with the members," Kirby said. Pakistan applied for NSG membership, a week after India submitted its membership applications. Washington: Hillary Clinton's search for a running mate is moving into a more intense phase, according to several Democrats, as aides contact a pared-down pool of candidates to ask for reams of personal information and set up interviews with the presumptive Democratic nominee's vetting team. Those on the shortlist include Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a favorite of progressives who has emerged as a blistering critic of presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump; Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, a well-liked lawmaker from an important general election battleground state; and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro of Texas, a rising star in the Democratic Party. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Clinton's toughest primary rival, is not on the shortlist of vice presidential candidates, according to one Democrat. A small group of Clinton campaign confidants has been sifting through publicly available information about more than two dozen possible contenders for more than a month. But with Democratic primary voting wrapping up last week, the list has been culled significantly and the campaign has begun contacting those under consideration. Several Democrats described Clinton's vice presidential search process on the condition of anonymity, because they were not authorized by her campaign to publicly discuss it. Clinton campaign spokesman Brian Fallon would not comment. Clinton was pressing forward on her search for a running mate as her GOP rival struggled with dismal fundraising and major questions about his campaign organization. Trump fired his campaign manager Monday and new fundraising data showed donors gave the businessman's campaign just over $3 million last month. If Clinton were to tap Warren as her No. 2, she would be choosing one of the Senate's most outspoken liberals and a proponent of tough Wall Street regulation. She has long been viewed as a running mate who could help Clinton appeal to Sanders' loyal supporters. She is also relishing taking on Trump, blasting the businessman in speeches and on Twitter as a "thin-skinned, racist bully" embracing a running mate's traditionally aggressive role. While Warren and Clinton do not have a close relationship, they recently met for about an hour in Washington. The senator also gave a pep talk to staff at the Clinton campaign's Brooklyn headquarters last week. Kaine, a former Virginia governor who previously headed the Democratic National Committee, is well-liked within the party and is more moderate than Warren. While he may not excite liberals, he's seen as a running mate who could appeal to independents and swing voters in his home state and elsewhere. President Barack Obama thoroughly vetted Kaine as he searched for a running mate in 2008, ultimately passing over the Virginian in favor of then-Delaware Sen. Joe Biden. Castro, a telegenic 41-year-old Texan, would bring youthful enthusiasm to Clinton's campaign and would be the first Hispanic on a major party ticket. Obama plucked him from his post as San Antonio mayor in 2014 to serve in the Cabinet, a move seen by some Democrats as a way to bolster Castro's national profile for a potential vice presidential run. Warren, Kaine and Castro represent the two schools of thinking about the running mate pick that have emerged among those closest to Clinton's campaign. Some advisers believe Clinton should pick a running-mate that would energize Democrats: a woman, a staunch liberal or a minority. Others argue that Trump's deep unpopularity gives Clinton an opportunity to win over a share of independents and Republican-leaning voters with a more centrist pick, such as Kaine. Clinton is also said to be cognizant about the risks of tapping a senator who would be replaced by a Republican governor if Democrats won in November. That's a particular liability for Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker. Clinton's campaign is said to have considered both, but it was unclear Monday whether either would be fully vetted for the vice presidential slot. While Warren's seat would be temporarily filled by an appointee named by the Republican governor of Massachusetts, the state would hold a special election for a permanent replacement. A handful of other Democrats are also said to be under consideration, though the full list is being closely guarded by the Clinton campaign. Longtime Clinton allies John Podesta and Cheryl Mills are overseeing the search and few people beyond them are believed to know the full list of candidates being vetted. Clinton herself as been vague in describing her thinking about picking a running mate. "I'm looking broadly and widely and I'm gonna begin to really, you know, dive into thinking hard about this," she told CBS News earlier this month. "I'm gonna be looking, first and foremost, as to who I believe could fulfill the responsibilities of being president and commander in chief." United Nations: "Yoga is not Indian" and "it does not belong to India", mystic and yoga master Jaggi Vasudev told a UN meeting on Monday with a rhetorical flourish. He asserted that this was because yoga was "an absolute science and technology for well-being". He added: "Science cannot be Indian" because of its universality and absoluteness. "Yes, it originated in India," he told a multinational audience of diplomats and international officials. "As Indians we are proud of it. But it does not belong to India. The very fact that the UN has declared an International Yoga Day means India has gifted it to the world. It does not belong to India any more." Vasudev was speaking at the Yoga Day eve event "Conversation with Masters: Yoga for the Achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)." As part of Yoga Day celebrations, a series of yoga poses were projected on to side of the UN Secretariat building on Monday night. On Tuesday, Yoga Day will be formally celebrated with a yoga session at which Mogens Lykketoft, president of the General Assembly, will be the chief guest and Under Secretary General Cristina Gallach will be a featured speaker. In his address, Vasudev focused on yoga as a science and technology for human betterment that, he said, went beyond just physical well-being. The path to achieving those goals starts with the individual, he said. "You cannot transform the world without changing the individual. The world is a larger manifestation of who we are." Just the short-sighted pursuit of "well-being" can be counterproductive, Vasudev said, citing the ecological degradation that has resulted from it. Human well-being has to be addressed in a scientific way and everyone has to realise the universal oneness to achieve true well-being. This is where yoga came in as a scientific way of obliterating individual boundaries, he said. To popularise yoga, Vasudev said, begin with 'upayoga' for those who are not ready to deal with the spirituality of it. Upayoga starts with the physical and psychological aspects, he said. "The significant aspect of my personal work has been to remove all the frills of culture that yoga had acquired through this millennia of transmission," Vasudeve said. "So one thing is to take off all the cultural frills and present it as an absolute science and a technology for well being." This was important in an environment where there were people of different nationalities, beliefs and ideologies, Vasudev said. "It is very very important that yoga is brought as a proper science, not as a cultural thing, not as an Indian thing." India's Permanent Representative Syed Akbaruddin said that "both aspects of yoga, mindful thought and mindful action, have a direct bearing on our collective response to global problems". The meeting was an attempt to "delve into this intellectual side of yoga and to relate it to the political vision we have collectively set ourselves in the form of the SDGs", he added. Tao Porchon-Lynch, who at 97 years is considered the world's oldest yoga teacher in a formal setting, was the other yoga master at the meeting. She recalled her meeting with Mahatma Gandhi, who she said told her "not to be afraid. When you believe in something, go and do it". That advice helped her join the French Resistance against Nazi Germany during World War II, she said. The World Health Organisation's (WHO) executive director at the UN office, Nata Menabde, said yoga was India's gift to the world and it was special because of that. WHO was trying to integrate yoga and traditional practices into the allopathic medicine system and primary health services. To further this, India and WHO had recently signed an agreement. Ambassadors gave personal testimonies of how they relate to yoga. Liechtenstein's Permanent Representative Christian Wenaweser said he had approached yoga from a "non-spiritual place" yet it helped him "connect to myself and to others." Wenaweser conducts yoga lessons for diplomats and others at the UN. Masud Bin Momen, the Permanent Representative of Bangladesh, said he was suffering from sciatica and yoga was the answer to his condition, especially the cobra pose. Nepal's Permanent Representative Durga Prasad Bhattarai decried the "over-commercialisation" of yoga. Vasudev said that whatever became popular was susceptible to commercialisation. "On the surface there may be disturbance, but the core is undisturbed." Alternaty Real Estate is proud to congratulate our Client, Khou Investment Co., Ltd., for having officially signed the Hotel Management Agreement (HMA) with Marriott International to operate their first property in Phnom Penh, Cambodia under the Courtyard by Marriott brand. Marriott International, Inc., is one of the largest lodging companies globally with more than 4,500 properties in 87 countries and territories and will become the world's largest lodging company upon completing its merger later this year with Starwood Hotels and Resorts. Courtyard by Marriott is the Upper Midscale offering in Marriott's brand portforlio with more than 1,000 hotels in 46 countries. The Courtyard by Marriott Phnom Penh will have 189 rooms with one all-day dining, a dynamic lobby cafe and exciting sky bar. The project is currently under construction and is expected to open in 2017. Alternaty was involved in the consultancy work as well as review and negotiation of the commercial terms on behalf of the developer. A detailed list of Alternaty consultancy services and track record can be found here. According to Mauro Gasparotti, Executive Director at Alternaty, "International tourist arrivals in Cambodia has achieved remarkable CAGR (Compounded Annual Growth Rate) of 13.74% from 2010 to 2015 and a 2.6% growth in Q1 2016 compared to the same period last year. Phnom Penh is one of the main destinations, together with Siem Riep and Sihanoukville for leisure and business travellers. The majority of the international arrivals are from Vietnam (16.2%), China (16.2%) and Korea (9.8%). Despite the strong performance, there remains a shortage of quality midscale products that offer value for money accommodation. International midscale hotels have lower operating and construction costs compared to upscale hotels, allowing developers to increase investment margins and reduce volatility risks typical of the hospitality industry. With Midscale products, the planning and design stage is extremely important and developers need to ensure they are professionally guided with regards to space planning and space efficiency, in order to fully benefit from the efficiencies that well-designed midscale products can offer." Rocky Khou General Manager Khou Investment Co., Ltd ST. LOUIS A St. Louis police sergeant acted in self-defense when he shot and killed an armed robber in January at a fast-food restaurant on South Grand, according to Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce. Joyce on Monday released her offices report on the Jan. 17 shooting of Crayton Big Wes West, 52, who was killed by a St. Louis police sergeant who confronted West inside the Kentucky Fried Chicken on Grand Boulevard near Gravois Avenue. West pointed a gun at the officer and refused to drop the weapon, police said at the time. The officer did not have time for an alternative method of force or opportunity for de-escalation, Joyces report said, and evidence and witnesses corroborated the sergeants account of the shooting. She said she will not file charges in the case. Police identified the officer Monday as Sgt. Michael Pratt, who has been on the force for more than 13 years. Joyces findings are based on an investigation by the departments Force Investigative Unit and interviews with several witnesses. The report says Pratt would not be interviewed by prosecutors based on advice from his lawyer. A robbery, then a shooting The report includes a surveillance video clip that shows a man identified as West robbing a KFC clerk at gunpoint and grabbing money from the cash register. A customer in the drive-thru who saw the robbery called 911 and flagged down the police sergeant at a gas station across the street to report the holdup, Joyces report says. Pratt parked in the KFC lot, got out and saw West inside, near the door. Pratt told investigators he believed West saw his patrol car as he was trying to leave and retreated back inside the restaurant. Joyces report says that during the confrontation between the officer and West, West told the officer the robber was in the back of the restaurant. Witnesses and workers, however, contradicted Wests claim and told the officer that West was the robber. The sergeant drew his gun, yelled at West to show his hands and yelled, Dont do it! Dont do it! as he saw West pulling a gun from his waistband, according to the report. The sergeant fired twice, hitting West once in the chest and once in the back. Police found a loaded .38-caliber revolver at the scene, according to the report. Police also found fingerprints that matched West from the restaurant countertop, cash taken from the register, and the floor. A second video shows West try to leave the restaurant before a uniformed officer confronts him at the exit. The officer draws his weapon and appears to fire and West falls to the ground. A diner in the restaurant dives to the floor. Another officer arrives within seconds. There were several customers and workers in the restaurant at the time of the 6 p.m. shooting, some of whom saw West with a gun. Some employees hid in a freezer during the robbery. The sergeant was 42 at the time of the shooting. He was not hurt. He was not wearing a body camera at the time, though some sergeants had begun participating in a pilot body camera program. Police Chief Sam Dotson responded to the report with a statement Monday, saying: We appreciate the communitys patience as these investigations are complex and require a great amount of time and resources to examine the facts in totality. We are thankful for the cooperation of witnesses as they provided the insight investigators and prosecutors needed to arrive at their conclusion. History of robberies {{tncms-asset app="editorial" id="9283f9e4-bdfc-11e5-a024-00163ec2aa77(/initial tncms-asset)West was on Missouris sex offender registry for a July 1980 robbery in which he sodomized a boy, 16. West was 18 at the time. Court records and Post-Dispatch news stories from 1987 show that West was sentenced to 60 years in prison for a string of fast-food restaurant robberies in St. Louis. He used a cap pistol to rob seven restaurants over a 10-day stretch in October 1986. After he was caught, he told police he had robbed the restaurants to pay his utility bills and meet his car payments, according to a Post-Dispatch article. People had been threatened in some of the fast-food holdups, but no one was hurt. Pratt had been monitoring a march in memory of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. before the shooting. The shooting drew some protesters from the memorial, where Black Lives Matter activists decried fatal police shootings. West was black. The police sergeant is white. The U.N. will send more troops and continued support against terrorists in Mali it announced this week, on the one-year anniversary of the U.N.'s intervention in the West African country. "On the occasion of the first anniversary of the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali, the Secretary-General welcomes the renewed commitment to peace expressed by the President of Mali, Ibrahim Boubakar Keita, and his Government," Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said in a statement released Monday. "The Secretary-General trusts that the signatory parties will ensure the swift and full implementation of the agreement, bearing in mind the many challenges that lie ahead. He encourages them to remain steadfast in their efforts." Last week Mali Prime Minister Modibo Keita addressed the U.N. Security Council in New York, particularly noting that the U.N. would send 2,500 troops in addition to the 12,000 already on the ground. But he warned that the solution to violence in Mali is not entirely in numbers. "The solution... is not in quantity but in quality," Keita told VOA Afrique. He recounted recommendations made to the Security Council, including "to strengthen the operational capacity of MINUSMA (United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali) by giving it adequate resources, appropriate means to deal with the advance of terrorism." The prime minister stated that this does not mean that Mali is incapable of fighting jihadists, but, on the contrary, shows their commitment to fighting terrorist forces in Africa. His second recommendation to the U.N. was to train Malian forces themselves. MINUSMA was established by the U.N. in 2013 to stabilize the country after the Tuareg rebellion in 2012. The base has seen 66 deaths since it's establishment, making it the most dangerous U.N. deployment in the world. Violence, particularly in the North of the country where some rebel groups are based, has fluctuated since the rebellion. Nineteen people were killed in the Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako last November, an attack claimed by a branch of terror group al-Qaida. But the prime minister says the threat of terrorism in Mali is a universal threat. "If terrorism has a future in Mali, that means it has a future in the world," Keita said. "Which country isn't concerned about an attack today? Thousands of kilometers from Mali attacks are carried out every day - whether they are in Africa, in Europe, or in the U.S." Mali has been battling multiple militant groups in recent years, including al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), with roots in Algeria, and the homegrown Ansar Dine - a group lead by prominent Tuareg leader Iyad Ag Ghaly. Both groups aim to spread Islamic law in Mali. Keita says that Mali will not engage in any dialogue with Ghaly. "We can't associate with anyone supporting terrorism," he said. The governments Non-mandatory Central Provident Fund System sent to the Legislative Assembly (AL) for debate and voting yesterday seems to have left both employers and employees unconvinced. In fact, several lawmakers slammed the proposal as the debate heated up at the AL plenary session. The debate was prolonged and at some points quite lively with the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Alexis Tam, hearing much criticism from both sides. Ng Kuok Cheong questioned the government as to why a clear timeline for the implementation of the law has never been presented or even mentioned. We didnt hear about the number of institutions that will start to implement this system? Will the gaming concessionaries or public utility companies like water or electricity participate in this change? he asked. Another of the concerns shared by a large number of lawmakers in the assembly was in regards to the requirement for a worker contribute under the same company for a period of at least three years in order to be able to guarantee 30 percent of their employers contributions, while they would have to remain at the same company no less than 10 years to retrieve all of the money. On this matter most of the lawmakers expressed disagreement with the requirement, suggesting the government find a solution based on a percentage according to the contributing duration. Ella Lei, Mak Soi Kun and Lam Heong Sang went even further adding that the proposal does not take into consideration the different professions and the specificities of some of them. They raised the example of construction workers, who are often subjected to work conditions in which they are employed or contracted on a temporary basis. Not all activity sectors are suitable for the application of this legislation. For example, in the case of construction workers, there is a great deal of mobility and that depends on many factors that the workers do not affect, lawmaker Mak Soi Kun remarked. Lawmaker Kou Hoi In was one of the most active voices in expressing disagreement with the proposal and accused Alexis Tam of twisting the figures when the Secretary claimed the proposal had reached a consensus at the Standing Committee for the Coordination of Social Affairs. Kou insisted: It is not true! The employers do not agree and have expressed several concerns. The same lawmaker also stated that with this proposal the government is putting an added pressure on SMEs and on the young generation, claiming also that this isnt the right time for this [legislation], an opinion also shared by many other lawmakers. Kou also criticized the benefits that the government claims to have established for the companies as an incentive saying the government says it is a benefit, but almost nobody [in SMEs] pay taxes so this benefit [in the nature of a triple tax reduction] will be applicable to almost nobody. Pereira Coutinho deemed the proposal a rubbish solution, stating, I will vote against. This is neither fish nor fowl, he said. Alexis Tam replied: The MSAR needs to implement this legislation to guarantee the quality of life of the population after retirement. The secretary added that the government acknowledges that the implementation of the law will have some impact on the employers side but claims that the government hopes to take this initial step first. It is a difficult one but we must do this! In an attempt to explain the threshold of the three-year-contribution requirement, the President of the Administrative Committee of the Social Security Fund, Iong Kong Io said: The idea is to reinforce the fidelity of employees and also to stabilize the work force. Also yesterday, the review to the Foreign Trade Law was approved with all votes in favor (30) and absolutely no discussion or vote declarations. Macau Foundation has become a VIP club of high-ranked officials Lawmaker Au Kam San addressed the plenary to express his concerns over the monetary donations from the government and the lack of control and inspection over the activities of the Macau Foundation (FM). Au said during the period before the agenda: The Macau Foundation, fed with public money, has become a VIP club of high-ranked officials, tycoons and big associations. The lawmaker said that the foundations transformation had occured because the Foundations Board of Trustees is composed of 20 members that represent all the major pro government associations. He stated that the FM refuses inspection by not providing answers and data regarding its activities. The lawmaker further claimed, there is a private university that deducts annually from Macao Foundation under the pretext of developing technologies and in the way of financing themselves in the hundreds of millions of patacas. The lawmaker urged the Chief Executive, Chui Sai On and the government to fulfill the law and to publicly publish the accounts of the FM. RM Chinas President Xi Jinping is in Poland for a visit that is expected to boost Chinese investment in the region and open the Chinese market to Polish food producers. Poland has been Chinas largest partner in central and eastern Europe, with trade worth tens of billions of euro. But Poland is chiefly an importer and is hoping to boost its economy by increasing exports, mainly of farm products. China is seeking to develop large infrastructure and energy projects in Europe. The countries are due to sign some 40 deals and memoranda of understanding during the visit, mostly related to construction, raw materials, energy, new technologies and science. The adviser to President Andrzej Duda, Krzysztof Szczerski, has said that Poland wants to be the key partner for China in the region. Warsaw wants to have a role in upgrading and building new land and sea transport links between China and the European Union. Talks will also include human rights issues in China and global security, he said. Xi and Duda are to attend the arrival of a Chinese cargo train in Warsaw, in a symbolic opening of a connection between China and Europe. They will also attend an economic forum. Xi is also due to meet Prime Minister Beata Szydlo and Parliament speakers. Xi and his wife arrived late Sunday and had dinner with Duda. The last visit to Poland by a Chinese president was in 2004, by Hu Jintao. AP Hong Kongs leader said yesterday hell raise concerns with the Chinese government over the case of a bookseller secretly detained for months in the mainland and whose revelations about his ordeal have sparked fear and anger over Beijings tightening grip. Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying also said officials would review a notification system for when residents are detained by authorities in mainland China, after Beijing failed to alert the semiautonomous Chinese citys government about Lam Wing-kee until months after he went missing. In Leungs first public comments on the matter, he told reporters he attaches great importance to Lams case. Hes one of five booksellers whose disappearance raised international concern over fears Beijing is eroding Hong Kongs wide autonomy. The five were linked to a Hong Kong publishing company and bookshop that churned out breathless tomes about political intrigue among Chinas communist top leadership that are banned in the mainland. Lam, who was the bookshops manager, was allowed to return to Hong Kong last week on the condition he bring back a hard drive containing a list of the shops clients, including many mail-order customers in mainland China. But he changed his mind at the last minute and instead spoke publicly about his ordeal. Leung said he would write to Beijing to express Hong Kong residents concern and misgivings over Lams case. Lam said he was detained Oct. 24 after he crossed into the neighboring mainland city of Shenzhen, blindfolded and taken by train to another city, where he was confined to a small room for months and interrogated about the publishing companys authors and customers. Beijing did not notify the Hong Kong government about Lam and three of his colleagues until Feb. 4. We believe that theres room for review and possibly improvement in the notification system, Leung said. The case has fanned concerns about Chinas encroachment on the citys autonomy, guaranteed to the former British colony under the One Country, Two Systems principle when it was returned to China in 1997. Thousands of protesters took to Hong Kongs streets on Saturday in a show of support for Lam and the citys autonomy. Hong Kongs government said in February that only Hong Kongs law-enforcement agencies can enforce laws in the city and that its police are seeking assistance from mainland Chinese authorities. MDT/Agencies LG Electronics Inc., with businesses spanning TVs to washing machines, is looking at home appliance acquisitions to fuel its global expansion and withstand a slowing smartphone market. The company will probably focus on business-to-business targets, such as component makers, Jo Seong-Jin, president of LGs home appliance division, said in an interview. Earnings from the business will increase in the quarters ahead, Jo said, as he expects the units sales to rise about 10 percent this year. LG shares climbed 4.1 percent yesterday, the most in almost a month. The KOSPI gained 1.4 percent in Seoul. LG, like larger rival Samsung Electronics Co., is trying to innovate and push into premium segments to capture more affluent consumers amid increased competition from Chinese rivals including Midea Group Co. and and Haier Electronics Group Co. LG released its Twin Wash machine in July last year, enabling users to do two loads of laundry at the same time. The home appliance industry growth, including washers and refrigerators, is unlikely to show a significant expansion going forward, Jo said. The overall home appliance market is expected to grow about 2.5 to 3 percent by sales this year whereas our sales for premium sets alone will generate a whopping 10 to 15 percent growth. Seoul-based LG is considering an expansion of its production footprint, which already includes plants in 11 countries from South Korea and China to Turkey and Mexico. The company may increase its investment in Vietnam and hasnt ruled out establishing factories elsewhere in North America as well as Brazil and South Africa, Jo said. LG posted operating profit of 505.2 billion won (USD431 million) on sales of 13.4 trillion won in the three months ended March, the company said in April. Home appliance earnings surged 78 percent to 407.8 billion won in the quarter. Midea, Chinas biggest maker of home appliances, agreed in March to buy a majority stake in Toshiba Corp.s appliance unit. Haier agreed in January to buy General Electric Co.s appliance division for $5.4 billion. Jungah Lee, Bloomberg ABUSE OF POWER ON PUBLIC SERVICES Pereira Coutinho, said that seniority, merit, professional experience and competence were all almost replaced by family relations and friendship as requisites to assessing the public servants work performance. He also claims that many supervisors undertake an abuse of power over government workers in order to make them fail. He added that psychological and even physical attacks are transpiring that contribute to a lowering of the general morale of workers. He stated that the announced independent committee would not solve any of these problems, as the members of the body would be chosen by the government and third parties. GOVT RENTALS Leong Veng Chai, addressed the plenary in the period before the agenda to criticize the governments decision regarding the rental of private facilities. The lawmaker noted that the government last year spent around MOP1.1 billion on rentals of private spaces and the venues which host the Public Prosecutions Office and the Court of First Instance, among others He took the opportunity to address the issue specially after the information that the 1st Notary Office currently operating in the Holy House of Mercy building in the historical center is to be moved to the MSAR Service Center in the Areia Preta district. PUBLIC CONSULTATION Wong Kit Cheng, expressed concerns over what the lawmaker considers a manipulation of the results of public consultations. Wong said that the substitution of the sale of live poultry for refrigerated poultry meat in the markets had run contrary to true public opinion. She said that the government reached the conclusion that the majority of the people were not against the measure by consolidating two opinion categories together those in favor of the measure and those who did not express an opinion. The lawmaker claims that in this way the government is forcing the results to be favorable to the measure they seek to implement. Wong suggested that instead the government should take on board the opinion articulated by Zhong Nanshan, a member of Chinese Academy of Engineering. Zhong stated that a centralized poultry slaughter similar to what transpires in both Taiwan and Singapore would be a viable option for Macau for preserving the business activity of market sellers. Imagine the entire population of Britain uprooted: The U.N. refugee agency says just over that number 65 million people were displaced worldwide by the end of last year, easily setting a new postwar record, as it warned that European and other rich nations can expect the tide to continue if root causes arent addressed. In a year when more than a million people arrived on European shores, UNHCR said continued conflicts and persecution in places like Syria and Afghanistan fueled a nearly 10-percent increase in the total number of refugees and internally displaced people in 2015. I hope that the message carried by those forcibly displaced reaches the leaderships: We need action, political action, to stop conflicts, said Filippo Grandi, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. The message that they have carried is: If you dont solve problems, problems will come to you. The figures are contained in the Geneva-based agencys latest Global Trends Report issued yesterday, timed for World Refugee Day. They show that for the first time since World War II, the 60 million mark was crossed, even topping the equivalent of the total U.K. population of about 64.6 million. If these 65.3 million persons were a nation, they would make up the 21st largest in the world, the report said. With stark detail, UNHCR said that on average, 24 people had been displaced every minute of every day last year or 34,000 people a day up from 6 every minute in 2005. Global displacement has roughly doubled since 1997, and risen by 50 percent since 2011 alone when the Syria war began. About 11.5 million people from Syria had fled their homes: 6.6 million within the war-ravaged country and 4.9 million abroad. More than half of all refugees came from three countries: Syria, Afghanistan and Somalia, and more than half of all displaced people were children, UNCHR said. Turkey was the top host country for the second year running, taking in 2.5 million people nearly all from neighboring Syria. Afghan neighbor Pakistan had 1.6 million, while Lebanon, next to Syria, hosted 1.1 million. UNHCR said the total figures of forcibly displaced people amounted to about one in every 113 people on the planet. Grandi said policymakers and advocacy groups admittedly face daunting challenges in helping the largest subset of displaced people: Some 40.8 million internally displaced in countries in conflict. Another 21.3 million were refugees and some 3.2 million more were seeking asylum. More than a million people fled to Europe last year, causing a political crisis in the EU with Greece and Italy facing the initial brunt, Germany welcoming in hundreds of thousands, and some eastern European countries erecting strict barriers to block the flow. Concerns about immigration have affected the debate in Britain about whether to remain in the European bloc ahead of Thursdays Brexit referendum. So far this year, the flow of refugees into Europe has eased through the Turkey-to-Greece route that was the dominant thoroughfare last year. A recent EU-Turkey deal allows Greece to return Syrian asylum-seekers to Turkey without evaluation of their protection claims on the basis it is a safe third country. Human Rights Watch on Monday urged the EU to evaluate Syrian refugees protection claims on the merits. Grandi called on countries to work to fight the xenophobia that has accompanied the rise in refugee populations, and decried both physical barriers like fences erected by some European countries as well as legislative ones that limit access to richer, more peaceful EU states. Such European policies were spreading a negative example around the world, he said. There is no plan B for Europe in the long run, Grandi said. Europe will continue to receive people seeking asylum. Their numbers may vary [] but it is inevitable. Jamey Keaten, Geneva, AP The Identification Department, the Public Security Police Force (PSP) and the Public Security Forces Affairs Bureau have been cooperating closely with relevant counterpart authorities in Australia to expedite a new process of immigration clearance for residents of the two territories. As of yesterday, MSAR electronic passport holders can now use Australias automated immigration clearance system as well as vice-versa, although the visa requirements for Macau residents traveling to Australia will remain unchanged. Macau residents who are aged 16 or above and hold a valid Macau electronic passport can enter Australia via the countrys automated system, termed SmartGate. Upon arrival, eligible users need to proceed to the designated kiosk for the completion of certain operations as instructed by authorities. Visitors will need to have their photo taken and register with facial recognition software. Previously, MSAR electronic passport holders had been able to access Australias SmartGate arrivals system on a trial basis at eight major international airports in the country, including Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. Moreover, residents who are over 1.2 meters tall and hold a valid MSAR passport or electronic passport can use Australias automated immigration clearance system when departing from the country. Residents who wish to use this exit option will need to have registered their photo with facial recognition software and will be required to deposit their completed Outgoing Passenger Card after proceeding through the gate. Australian residents will be granted similar privileges when entering and exiting Macau through Macaus Automated Passenger Clearance System, e-Channel. This will be made available to Australian travelers after they have registered at the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal, the Taipa Ferry Terminal, the Border Gate or the Immigration Department Building at the PSP. UniCredit SpA is accelerating its search for a successor to departing Chief Executive Officer Federico Ghizzoni and may draw up a short list as soon as this week, people with knowledge of the matter said. The banks nomination committee, supported by Egon Zehnder International Inc., is seeking to identify a small number of candidates for final assessment, said the people, asking not to be identified because the matter is private. Former Intesa Sanpaolo SpA CEO Corrado Passera is also being considered for the role, according to the people. UniCredit shares have dropped about 17 percent since May 24, when Ghizzoni announced that hes ready to step down. While the CEOs departure was seen as paving the way for a capital increase, the drawn-out succession process comes at a time when Italian banks are facing investor scrutiny about their non-performing loans and holdings of government debt. Mr. Passera is a proven turnaround manager who laid the groundwork for Italys best bank Intesa Sanpaolo, said Johan De Mulder an analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein Ltd., with an outperform on Intesa Sanpaolo. He would be a very good choice. Passera, 61, a former McKinsey & Co. consultant, took over at Intesa in 2002. During his nine years as CEO, he oversaw the 34 billion-euro (USD39 billion) acquisition of smaller competitor Sanpaolo IMI SpA in 2006, helping the bank become the countrys largest lender. In 2011, he was named economic development minister in a Cabinet appointed by Italian prime minister Mario Monti and founded center-right party Italia Unica three years later. Italian newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano reported Sunday that UniCredit is likely to name Passera as its next CEO. A spokesman for UniCredit declined to comment, while an official for Passera said the former CEO hasnt been contacted by the lender. Mediobanca SpAs CEO Alberto Nagel, Unione di Banche Italiane SpAs CEO Victor Massiah, the head of Credit Agricole SAs Cariparma unit Giampiero Maioli, and Intesa Sanpaolos general manager Gaetano Micciche are also being considered for the job, one of the people said. Ghizzoni, 60, agreed to step down as investors demanded a change in management. While the CEO led UniCredit through the sovereign-debt crisis, regulatory changes and Italys longest recession since World War II, he struggled to bolster returns as bad loans mounted, leaving the bank among Europes least capitalized lenders. Sonia Sirletti, Bloomberg Idaho senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch put out statements Monday evening explaining their votes on the four gun-control proposals that failed in the Senate that afternoon. Two of the proposals were backed by Republicans, two by Democrats, and none cleared the Senate's 60-vote threshold for a bill to move on. Monday's votes were held after a filibuster by Senate Democrats last week led by Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, held after the Orlando nightclub shooting reignited national debate on the issue. Idaho's two Republican senators both voted for the two Republican-backed proposals that were put forward and against the two Democratic-backed ones. It is not surprising that some are trying to use recent tragedy to change the Second Amendment rights in our Constitution, Crapo said. We must not allow these attacks to result in diminishing the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans. Enacting new regulations on guns raises difficult questions about the protection of a constitutionally guaranteed right, Risch said. No one wants potential terrorists or those who wish us harm to have access to a weapon, but in keeping weapons out of these peoples hands it is vital we guarantee law-abiding Americans rights are not denied without due process. I believe senators Grassley and Cornyn both offered amendments that thoughtfully balanced the protection of constitutional rights with the need to improve public safety. Their legislation would update and improve our current processes, provide necessary judicial oversight, and defend against an administration that would attempt to overreach its authority. MOSCOW Idaho Elks Rehab awarded St. Lukes Health Foundation a $2.15 million grant to support physical rehab services during the recent Idaho State Elks Association summer convention in Moscow. Through the funding from this grant, St. Lukes is helping Idaho Elks Rehab fulfill our mission of advancing physical rehab in Idaho, said Robert Shaw, chairman of the board of Idaho Elks Rehab. Providing this funding to the largest healthcare provider in Idaho will have a tremendous impact on patients needing rehab. This grant will allow St. Lukes to continue to build upon the Elks 69-year legacy and tradition of providing exceptional physical rehabilitation services for Idahoans, said Kathy Moore, CEO, St. Lukes West Region. Idaho Elks Rehab, the state project of the Idaho State Elks Association, officially made the transition last year from serving as a longtime operator of rehabilitation healthcare to a new emphasis of funding physical rehab across the state. The organization awards grants to nonprofit rehab providers, educators and researchers throughout Idaho for state-of-the-art equipment and to support program development, staff education and research. BOISE | Jan Rogers, CEO of Regional Economic Development for Eastern Idaho, has been appointed to the United States Investment Advisory Council established by the Commerce Department in April. As one of 19 private and public sector leaders from across the nation, Rogers will advise U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker on the development and implementation of strategies and programs to attract and retain foreign direct investment in the United States. I am honored to have been appointed to the IAC and look forward to providing counsel on issues that affect foreign investment into the United States, particularly in rural communities, said Rogers, who will serve a two-year term. Im excited to help set the priorities for this newly established council and work among many of the top public and private sector economic development and business leaders in the nation. Rogers has spent the last 15 years developing economies throughout Idaho including attracting 35 businesses, over $1 billion in capital investments and 5,000 jobs. Prior to her current role at REDI, she served as the executive director of the Southern Idaho Economic Development Organization for 14 years. Rogers has also served as the president of the Idaho Economic Development Association and is currently on the board of directors of the International Economic Development Council. We are thrilled to have Jan representing Idaho and the United States as a business leader in economic development and foreign investment, Governor C.L. Butch Otter said of the appointment. Her success in southern and eastern Idaho communities demonstrates her expertise in rural economic development the value of her advocacy for rural investment. She will bring a passion for her craft and a wealth of experience and knowledge to the U.S. Investment Advisory Council." The IACs inaugural meeting will be today, to coincide with the 2016 SelectUSA Investment Summit, a three-day event in Washington, D.C., that promotes FDI in the United States. The Summit will attract more than 2,000 participants from economic development organizations as well as U.S. and foreign firms, service providers, domestic and international media, and senior Obama administration and government officials. TWIN FALLS The Canyons Retirement Community has broken ground at 1215 Cheney Drive W., south of Pole Line Road West and north of Xavier Charter School. Pocatello-based Tanabell Health Services will operate the facility, estimated to cost $12 million. We are looking to be open Dec. 1, spokeswoman Jessica Smith said. A groundbreaking ceremony is planned for 2 p.m. June 30. The site is accessible by North College Road West. Canyons Retirement Community is planned to have 40 assisted living beds, 20 memory care beds and 28 independent living cottages, Smith said. It will also be home to Heritage Home and Hospice. Construction on the more than 6-acre plot began about a month ago. To speed up the process, the independent living cottages will be manufactured off-site, Smith said. Each will have its own garage. Canyons Retirement Community estimates it will have 100 employees upon opening. Twin Falls County Monday Arraignments Marsha Ann Shetler, 33, Twin Falls; three counts delivery of a controlled substance, two counts possession of a controlled substance, $50,000 bond, public defender denied, preliminary hearing July 1. Cory David Harmon, Jr., 27, Twin Falls; aggravated battery, $50,000 bond, public defender appointed, preliminary hearing July 1. Cory David Harmon, Jr., 27, Twin Falls; possession of marijuana, $100 bond, public defender appointed, pretrial Aug. 16. Charles Joseph Lee, 37, Twin Falls; aggravated battery, public defender appointed, preliminary hearing July 1. Danielle Lee Kennedy, 35, Twin Falls; resisting or obstructing arrest, own recognizance release, public defender appointed, pretrial Aug. 9. Danielle Lee Kennedy, 35, Twin Falls; assault or battery upon certain personnel, $1,000 bond, public defender appointed, preliminary hearing July 1. Christine Torres, 50, Bronx, New York; misappropriation of personal information, possessing fraudulently obtained goods, $50,000 bond, public defender appointed, preliminary hearing July 1. Sean Thomas Benitez, 20, Twin Falls; providing false information to law enforcement, $100 bond, public defender appointed, pretrial Aug. 2. Sean Thomas Benitez, 20, Twin Falls; petit theft, fail to appear for misdemeanor citation, public defender appointed, pretrial Aug. 2. Eric Dewayne Berry, 45, Jerome; possession of a controlled substance, introduction of certain articles into correctional facility, $50,000 bond, public defender appointed, preliminary hearing July 1. Gage Lee Fairbanks, 19, Twin Falls; possession of a controlled substance, $2,000 bond, public defender appointed, preliminary hearing July 1. Jose Manuel Mendez-Rodriguez, 30, Twin Falls; domestic battery, own recognizance release, hired private counsel, pretrial July 19. Gerald D. Armitage, 74, Buhl; driving under the influence excessive, open container by driver, to hire private counsel, pretrial Aug. 2. Miguel Angel Flores, 21, Twin Falls; driving without privileges, failure to appear, $1,000 bond, public defender appointed, pretrial Aug. 2. Heber Gordillo-Diaz, 25, Burley; driving under the influence excessive, open container by driver, fail to purchase drivers license, $2,500 bond, public defender appointed, pretrial July 19. Francisco Javier Lopez, 27, Buhl; delivery of paraphernalia, two counts delivery of a controlled substance, $100,000 bond, public defender appointed, preliminary hearing July 1. TWIN FALLS Aside from denying false rumors that are swirling around the Internet, prosecutors and police are saying very little about an alleged sexual assault by three juveniles that occurred June 2 at the Fawnbrook Apartments in Twin Falls. In that way, this case is just like any other of its nature. Police and prosecutors treat sexual assault cases very carefully no matter what the age of the victims or alleged perpetrators, and when only juveniles are involved, the cases are often kept completely sealed. On its website, the Idaho Supreme Court explains that juveniles charged with a crime first appear in court for an admit or deny hearing, which is similar to an adult arraignment. At this hearing the court shall also determine the confidentiality status of juvenile case records and proceedings, the Supreme Court says. On Monday, no juvenile cases were opened to the public. A judge could unseal it if its in the public interest, Twin Falls County Prosecutor Grant Loebs said of the Fawnbrook case. But he doesnt expect it to be. Absent the false reports, this is not a case that would be made public. Juvenile cases involving sexual misconduct are not that uncommon, the prosecutor said. The reason for sealing juvenile cases is to protect juvenile perpetrators as much as to protect victims. Loebs said juvenile court is aimed at maximum rehabilitation and minimum public stigma and punishment. As for protecting victims, Twin Falls Police Chief Craig Kingsbury addressed that Monday night while briefing the Twin Falls City Council on the case, saying sexual assaults take time to investigate properly and cant be done in an hour like on TV. He said most cases are reported well after the sexual assault occurs, and neither patrol officers nor detectives take statements from juvenile victims thats left to St. Lukes Children at Risk Evaluation Services, or CARES, a team specially trained to interview children involved in sexual assaults. The questions and question formulation when interviewing young victims is so important, the chief said. We dont want to do anything thats going to re-victimize we dont want this child to have to tell that story more than once, if we can help it and we also dont want to do anything thats going to jeopardize the prosecution if an officer or detective were to improperly formulate questions. At a CARES interview, the juvenile victim is in a comfortable, neutral place not a police station and the interviewers are trained to provide questions that are developmentally appropriate for that child to make sure the child can comprehend the questions, Kingsbury said. CARES interviewers are properly trained forensic interviewers who also interview young perpetrators of sexual crimes to try to find out why they commit such acts, Kingsbury said. The police chief said that while investigating the Fawnbrook case, the investigators took their time appropriately, worked with CARES to make sure everything was done right, and then submitted the case to the prosecutors office just like any of these cases. TWIN FALLS College of Southern Idaho trustees distanced themselves Monday from false online reports about an alleged sexual assault involving refugees, saying no one in the incident was resettled in Twin Falls through the colleges refugee resettlement program. Theres misinformation circulating, CSI board chairman Karl Kleinkopf said. He encouraged people to attend Monday nights Twin Falls City Council meeting, which included a briefing by Police Chief Craig Kingsbury. A Twin Falls city police officer was in the back of the trustees meeting room, but no-one spoke during a public comment period, and the board quickly turned its attention to other business, including a feasibility study for an amphitheater. They heard a presentation but didnt take action. Within a couple of years, students and community members could have access to an outdoor space where they could watch performances, study and socialize. CSI President Jeff Fox put together a group of employees to craft a feasibility study for the proposed amphitheater. It needs to be a space where students gather, said Laine Steel, a communication-theater professor and chairman of a seven-member committee. The group wants an amphitheater between the gymnasium and the Fine Arts Building. It could hold up to 600 people, with the opportunity to expand in the future, Steel said. Trustee Jan Mittleider asked how much it would cost to build. Lane said thats not in my purview and the committee didnt consider that question. But Steel said he thinks work would be inexpensive initially and could be done in-house with a little earth moving and putting in a retaining wall next to the gymnasium. During their meeting, trustees also: Heard an information item about fiscal year 2018 legislative requests, totaling $668,000. CSI has a joint request with Idaho State University for a center for education innovation, with $270,000 in requested funding. It would be a program for college education students who plan to become teachers. Other funding requests are to expand a summer bridge program for first-year, degree-seeking students; hire full-time faculty members in English and math for CSIs Idaho Falls center; and hire two full-time CSI faculty members to work in high school dual credit programs in math and technology. Approved a Head Start/Early Head Start report and grant request. The college has received oral confirmation of receiving a new grant, which will ensure programs stay up and running for the next five years. CSI has received grants since 1999. But this year, other nonprofit organizations were allowed to apply. The program will also submit a $450,000 grant request to lengthen the Head Start day to six hours at seven centers, including in Twin Falls and Burley. That could happen starting with the 2017 school year. Awarded a $1 million bid to Don Anderson Construction for a remodel of the Canyon Building. The project budget is $1.3 million, which includes construction costs, architect fees, contingency and $50,000 for furnishings. Money is from the plant facilities fund. Heard a Cheney Drive bypass road update. The road, which connects with North College Road, is slated to open sometime this year, but college officials didnt share a specific timeline. Heard an update on the welcome center remodel in the Taylor Building. Work is slated for completion Aug. 10, but employees could be back in the building as soon as late July. Awarded a bid of $5.23 per meal to Moms Meals of Ankeny, Iowa, for the CSI Office on Agings program to provide home-delivered meals to seniors who arent served by a local senior center. A four-year contract starts July 1. Approved four-year contracts with 16 south-central Idaho senior centers to deliver meals and with seven vendors to provide transportation services. Contracts begin July 1. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy TWIN FALLS The City Council should have better handled reports of a young girl who was sexually assaulted by boys at a Twin Falls apartment complex earlier this month, said many residents who addressed the board at its meeting Monday night. A crowd packed the chambers to hear a briefing from Twin Falls Police Chief Craig Kingsbury about false reports circulating about the incident, which contrary to claims on anti-Muslim websites did not involve Syrian refugees. Residents said the Council should have released more information more quickly or expressed sympathy for the girls family, while others criticized Islam, refugee resettlement, the media or Prosecuting Attorney Grant Loebs. We need to know whats going on with this case, said Davis Odell. Odell said people dont need to know the names of the boys accused the two boys in custody are 10 and 14, respectively, and the case has been sealed but that the city should be transparent. We need to understand what the implications are of this, she said. Vice Mayor Suzanne Hawkins, who presided over the meeting, said the City Council should have done a better job of communicating with people, but that the situation was new for them too and that they were learning as well. Two boys from Middle Eastern families are in custody in relation to a sexual assault on a 5-year-old girl that, authorities say, happened at the Fawnbrook Apartments on June 2. Several people came to the City Council a week ago calling on city officials to release more information. Police and Loebs office were saying little last week, but the story blew up over the weekend after the boys were taken into custody. Many anti-refugee resettlement and anti-Islamic blogs picked up on it, and some incorrectly reported that the boys were Syrian refugees or contained other details on the attack that authorities have denied. The nation of Islam has declared global jihad on us, Vicky Davis of Twin Falls told the City Council. And Obama, this administration, is bringing them in as fast as he possibly can. Theyre on your head, your head, your head, yours, yours, she said as she pointed at each Council member. Terrence Edwards passed out pocket copies of the U.S. Constitution to the City Council, saying some of them might need to read it and be reminded of the oath they have all sworn to uphold it. The Muslim influence is not just a religion, he said. Its a theocracy. Edwards said the Council wouldnt be here tonight if they had been proactive on the issue two or three years ago, and criticized President Obama for dividing Americans further. Coexistence doesnt exist in our country, he said. Julie Ruf criticized Councilman Chris Talkington, who at last weeks meeting asked Ruf if she agreed with some white supremacist comments made at a February meeting and also said he was glad the critics of refugee resettlement werent around when his ancestors came over from Ireland. Ruf said she is of Irish descent as well, and that people shouldnt have to worry about being attacked for speaking at a public meeting. That was entirely dishonorable of your seat, she said. Ruf reiterated her opposition to refugee resettlement she said she talks to refugees, and most of them were not fleeing any sort of crisis and said that, while there were inaccuracies in some of the stories told about the sexual assault, Ill tell you most liberals have their facts wrong, too. She went on to criticize the media in general and the Times-News in particular. Ive been called so many names its ridiculous, thanks to the Times-News, Ruf said. Jesse Stroup agreed, saying people who come to speak shouldnt be met with sarcasm and rude insinuations. I dont know why you feel it was appropriate to treat (them) like their concerns were of little or no significance, she said. Talkington stood by his comments, saying one of the anti-refugee speakers at a Council meeting in February called for preservation of the white race and thats why he brought it up. Susie Kapeleris was one of the few people to praise the Council, saying she supported the way the situation has been handled. She thanked them for the attempt to refute misinformation that I think is purely to stir up bigotry and hatred. Eric Odell said that he had many Muslims working under him when he was a shift leader at Chobani, and that while most of them were great people, a few were evil or frightening. Odell called for some sort of local refugee vetting system (the federal government has the sole responsibility for vetting refugees now) to better pick the ones who deserve a second chance. BURLEY About 20 second- and third-graders peered through magnifying glasses and found treasures on the grounds surrounding the College of Southern Idahos Mini-Cassia Center on Monday. The exercise was part of CSIs Idaho STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Olympics 2016 science camp. The children were told to use their senses of sight and touch to explore leaves, rocks and bits of bark they scavenged from the lawn outside the college. Science is everywhere, Jennifer Schafer, Burley Junior High School teacher said. Its really fun to see the kids light up when they are learning. Afterward, the children retreated to their classroom to record what they found in a journal. More than 90 students, from kindergarten through seventh grade, enrolled in the camp this year, in its eighth year at the college. The camp will run through Thursday and is geared toward the Olympics theme, which will include experiments related to metrics, human physiology, health, nutrition and physical activity. Students will also draw, design and build boats to race, said Amy Christopherson, director of the CSI Mini-Cassia Center. Many teachers still struggle to find time to work science into their classrooms, Christopherson said. It is often relegated to the status of an extra activity that a teacher works in if they have spare time, she said. Not so at the camp. The kids get to learn something about science in a new way, and theres something new each year, said Annie Lilya, a Dworshak Elementary School teacher who has participated in the science camp for five years. Christopherson said there is a strong need for STEM related activities in the community. There has been a surge in enrollment at the college in those types of learning experiences for children. Families are choosing camps again, Christopherson said. The science camp is the cornerstone of the colleges summer activities for children, but enrollment has also grown in robotics and other science-related classes, she said. For the teachers who come and participate in the science camp, they get to try out new activities and experiments and hopefully take them back and use them in their classrooms, Christopherson said. Seven teachers from Minidoka and Cassia counties teach the classes, which are broken into age groups. I am really passionate about this camp. It provides a great opportunity for students and a great learning experience, Christopherson said. Its really fun to see the loyal parents and excited kids return each year. JEROME Police say alcohol was involved in a Jerome County crash that killed two teens Monday night. About 8 p.m. Monday, 16-year-old Baily Helsley of Nampa was driving south on 300 West in a red 2002 Honda Civic. Idaho State Police say Helsley failed to yield at a stop sign and was struck on the drivers side by a black 2011 Hyundai Elantra driven by Casey Clapp, 18, of Wendell. Clapp was driving west on 200 North. The Honda Civic was torn in half in the collision, said Jerome County Sheriff Doug McFall. Helsley and his passenger, Deven Schulz, a 16-year-old girl from Jerome, were thrown from the Honda and died at the scene. Police say both were wearing seat belts. Clapp and his passenger, Emily Lozano, 18, of Jerome, were both taken by ambulance to St. Lukes Magic Valley Medical Center in Twin Falls. Another passenger, Salvador Bielmas, 16, of Wendell, was taken by helicopter to St. Lukes. Lozano was wearing a seat belt, but Clapp and Bielmas were not, police said. Police blocked 200 N. 300 W. for more than four hours. Police are still investigating. TWIN FALLS Zions Bank employees spent Monday afternoon painting a house on Monroe Street, transforming old white siding and faded blue trim into a light brown. A planter box stood empty out front, which they planned to fill with flowers and potting soil donated by Windsors Greenhouses and Nursery in Kimberly. Our goal is to try to give back to the community in which we live, said Dan Gammon, who works for Zions Bank and is the Paint-a-Thon team captain. Zions Bank has been doing the Paint-a-Thon for the past 26 years, an event where employees volunteer to spend a day painting the home and doing landscaping for seniors and disabled people who cant afford to do it on their own. In that time, volunteers have painted almost 1,100 homes in Idaho and Utah. Zions Bank employees in the two states will be taking part in the effort through June 24 and plan to clean, scrape and paint 44 homes this year. Boy did I need their help, and what a wonderful blessing its been to have them come and do their wonderful things for me, said Louise Jay, who has lived in her Monroe Street house for close to 30 years. The bank finds people to help in a variety of different ways, said bank spokeswoman Nicola McIntosh public nominations, referrals from churches and different agencies or from team captains. We just try and reach out and find someone that has a need and go in and do it, Gammon said. Jay, who is 73 and lives on her Social Security check, said she has a wonderful bishop who passed on her name to Zions Bank. About two dozen people from the bank gathered at the home after its branches closed and more employees got out of work to help a crew whod started earlier in the day. Gammon said the volunteers come from the banks Gooding, Twin Falls and Burley branches and from every different area of its business. We should have good representation from all the branches, Gammon said. Some brought their children to help. Its a good family activity as well as a bank service project, he said. Jay has 10 children and more than 30 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Three of her kids still live in town, with the rest elsewhere, and two of her kids as far away as western New York. The whole family will be able to see her newly spruced-up house soon, though, when they get back together for a planned family reunion in Twin Falls in August. Oh, she said, its going to be wonderful. Q: I noticed that when there are terrorist attacks on foreign soil that some local businesses lower their flags half-staff. Do they do that on their own or are they advised by someone to do so and if so who? A: Only the president of the United States or the governor of a state can order flags to be flown at half-staff, said Shawn Barigar, mayor of Twin Falls. Typically, the presidential orders include flags at all government buildings and military posts, etc. Barigar said a list of presidential proclamations related to such orders can be found at http://us.halfstaff.org. It describes those times that were in response to terrorist attacks on foreign soil,'" he said. According to the website, the most recent presidential proclamation honoring the victims of the attack in Orlando, Fla. was released June 12 and ended June 16. Idahos most recent historical state half-staff notice was released by Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter ordering flags to be lowered to half-staff in honor of Air Force Captain David Lyon of Sandpoint on Jan. 8, 2014. Captain Lyon was killed in Afghanistan on Dec. 27, 2014 when his vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device. Prior to 2014, Governor Otter ordered flags lowered in honor of U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Kenneth Cochran of Wilder on Jan. 30, 2012. Flags were lowered to half-staff from dawn to dusk at all state office buildings in Idaho. The 20-year-old was killed Jan. 15, 2012 in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Half-staff email reminders and an alert widget is available on the website. Scheduled days when the American flag is flown at half-staff include: Peace Officers Memorial Day/Armed Forces Day, May 15 Memorial Day, last Monday in May Patriot Day, Sept. 11 Korean War Veterans Armistice Day, July 27 National Firefighters Memorial Day, October Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, Dec. 7 On Memorial Day the flag should be displayed at half-staff until noon only, then raised to the top of the staff. This unique custom honors the war dead for the morning, and living veterans for the rest of the day. During all other national holidays, the flag is at half-staff from sunrise until sunset. According to the United States Flag Code Section 7.m: The flag, when flown at half-staff, should be first hoisted to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position. The flag should be again raised to the peak before it is lowered for the day. When evil struck Orlando last Sunday killing dozens at a gay night club, I reacted with horror with everyone else. I use the word evil deliberately. Some are blaming gun availability. Others would probably blame global warming, or poverty or bullying or any of the other buzzword causes of the self-appointed social justice guardians who seek to blame the worlds ills on all their oppositional political factions: whites with privilege, people of faith, capitalists, pro-lifers, gun nuts and conservatives. I dont think these dangerous, hideous, human monsters that kill nearly 50 people at once over their sexual orientation can be explained by income inequality or a slightly higher thermometer reading. Omar Mateen did not blow 49 people away and then himself because of someone elses white privilege. He didnt even do it because he was able to buy a gun. He did it because he allowed an evil ideology of rage to permeate his spirit, overriding his own humanity and he acted on it. I blame evil, because radical Islam is evil. If we define the term generically as the spiritual force designed to inflict misery on mankind, then radical Islam fits the bill: a spiritually adversarial force casting a pall of darkness and submission across the planet in this generation with high hopes of annihilating Jews and beheading Christians. Those are just their religious foes. Their secular enemies gays, atheists, Americans and all Westerners, and rape victims all get tossed off tall buildings, stoned to death or doused with gasoline in a cage and set on fire. If this is not the face of evil, nothing is. Yet, we plod along frustrated that we have a president who will not verbally identify the true threat, because he says doing so becomes a terrorist recruiting tool. His refusal to widen his vocabulary to a place of accurate specificity actually and unwittingly reveals an insult to non-terrorist Muslims: that their temperaments are so fragile that identifying the radical elements of their faith will make extremism more inviting. Every last Muslim should be offended our president thinks so little of them. In the same way President Obama has been the nations most effective inadvertent gun salesman in his efforts to curb the nations tradition of firearm ownership, every time he fails to say radical Islam, 10,000 people point it out. He and Hillary Clinton say it doesnt matter what we call it, we just have to do something about it. Well then lets just call it Athletes Foot because getting a tube of fungal creme at Walgreens is a whole lot easier than waging war against a fast-spreading violent and extreme religious ideology metastasizing into a regional caliphate. Im sure Im a raging moron for suggesting that in order to fix a problem, you must first identify the problem. Using a highly generic term like violent extremism offers nothing. Its like a math story problem that goes like this: Johnny is at the store, so therefore how many candy bars did he buy? Theres simply not enough useful information found in such vagueness. Violent extremism could refer to either Al Qaeda, protesters throwing punches at a Trump rally, Occupy activists starting a car on fire, or Nancy Pelosi throwing a shoe at Ted Cruz. In this case, the problem is not generic extremism but a radicalized form of Islam that is not in any way compatible with humanity, nor responsive to peaceful diplomacy, or susceptible to any other disincentives besides force. And it is apparently hard to chase down and kill every last terrorist while wearing mom jeans. This problem is exploding across Europe like a suicide vest, and its leading edge has made deep cuts here in both Orlando and San Bernardino. And our president has been made incapable of addressing the problem, hamstrung by the unreality of his liberal foreign policy. Progressivisms intoxicating doctrines might succeed feeding the elitist egos that pump out untested social theory. What those doctrines fail to provide is an actual solution. Secular social theories dont solve evil. This particular evil radicalized Islam is solved only by miracles and munitions. Israeli Prime Minister Sunday gave the green light for the allocation of further $18 million to expand the controversial settlements in the West bank, days after Tel Aviv attack. The decision comes as the cabinet already allocated $88 million for the same purpose, reports say. Prime Minister Netanyahu cited security concerns for the decision, which, he said, would enhance security in the settlements days after a Palestinian duo killed 4 people on June 6 in an attack in central Tel Aviv. The Israeli Premier, calling the allocation an assistance plan to strengthen communities, also indicated that it would assist small business and boost tourism. Israels settlement policy in Palestinian territories has been condemned by the international community including the U.S. and the EU. The policy is deemed as the bone of contention between Palestinians and Israelis. Palestinians claim the plan erodes their aspiration for statehood. France has initiated diplomatic efforts to revive failed peace talks between Palestinians and Israelis but the French move has received a cold shoulder from Netanyahus right-wing cabinet. The Israeli cabinet Sunday decision stirred Palestinians anger and Saeb Erekat, secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organization, panned the move that he termed a slap in the face of the international community. Israel is doing everything possible to sabotage every effort to achieve a just and lasting peace, he said. Morocco and Rwanda are ushering in this week a new era of cooperation and partnership, translating thus the two Heads of States shared political will to consolidate bilateral ties. This is taking place on the occasion of the official two-day visit President Paul Kagame of Rwanda started on Monday to Morocco. Shortly after arrival, King Mohammed VI held tete-a-tete talks with his guest and decorated him with Wissam Al-Mohammadi, the highest honor in Morocco. The contents of the tete-a-tete talks were not disclosed but earlier press reports said that the two African leaders would discuss new approaches and new initiatives to deepen the two countries relations in all areas. Rwandan media also commented that President Kagames first official visit to Morocco aims at underlining the close relationship existing between the two countries, while Moroccan media underscored that the visit will open a new chapter in bilateral political and economic relations. Later in the evening, King Mohammed VI hosted an official iftar in honor of President Kagame and his accompanying delegation at the Royal Palace in Casablanca. This is Kagames first official visit to Morocco but this is not the first time he makes a trip to the Kingdom. In November last year, he took part in a forum held in the Moroccan northern city of Tangiers by Amadeus Institute, a Moroccan think tank. He was awarded MEDays Grand Prix in recognition of the efforts he made to restore faith in his countrymen and lead his country, which was marked by one of the most horrible tragedies in modern history, towards freedom and democracy. President kagame was also honored for prioritizing education and health and for investing in human capital to create inclusive and sustainable growth. During his trip to Tangiers, President Kagame hailed Moroccos increasing commitment to Africa and invited Moroccan investors and business people to do business in Rwanda. On Monday, Rwandan Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo, who is part of Kagames party, expressed admiration for the entrepreneurial spirit of Moroccan businessmen and for the progress achieved by the North African country. She told reporters that her country is eager to bolster cooperation with Morocco and to share its experience, particularly in the areas of housing, crafts and investments. As underlined by analysts, President Kagames visit in Morocco will give a new momentum to political, economic and social relations between the two countries, especially so that the North African Kingdom, which has established a very strong partnership with West African countries, is now seeking to upgrade its relations with other states, mainly in central and eastern Africa. So, enhancing partnership with Rwanda falls in line with the Kingdoms African strategy and efforts to promote South-South cooperation, spearheaded by King Mohammed VI, who is convinced that economic and social development secures peace and stability. As the UN-led peace talks between the Yemeni government and the Houthis in Kuwait are expected to announce, before the end of the week, a plan geared towards ending the war, the two warring parties exchanged prisoners in Taiz over the past two days. The government released 118 prisoners while the Houthis freed 76 but officials loyal to President Hadi said the agreement was a local initiative and not part of the UN-led talks. The Houthis said the POWs release was a good will gesture. UN Special envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed said big progress has been made at the talks, which have been going on for 60days. The problem now is reaching a clear political agreement to allow convergence of views, he said. Reaching a final political agreement could be the daunting task between the two groups because the government forces want the Houthis to withdraw from occupied areas and handover their weapons before a political transition could be considered. More than a year of military offensive by the Saudi-led coalition to retake Sanaa has been unfruitful. Fighting is expected to continue as some of the prisoners freed recently promised to return to the battlefield. The Special Envoy will be briefing the UN Security Council on Tuesday and there is optimism that the report will be positive. Despite the goodwill gestures from both sides, fighting between them continues in some areas, worsening the humanitarian situation in the country. More than 6,000 people have been killed and more than 2 million have fled their homes.Yemen is one of the poorest countries in the Gulf. Hezbollah, the Lebanon-based politico-military group, and Iran have vehemently responded to Bahrains decision to strip Shiite Cleric Ayatollah Isa Qassim of his citizenship because he serves foreign interests and promotes sectarianism and violence. Hezbollah warned that the decision pushes the Bahraini people to difficult choices, which will have terrible consequences for this corrupt dictatorial regime. Hezbollah claimed that stripping Qassim of his citizenship sent a very wrongful message that there will be no reform, rights, dialogue or political approach. It called on the Bahrainis to express their anger and rage decisively. Bahrain has often claimed that Hezbollah and Iran interfere in its domestic affairs. Commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC,) Major General Qassem Soleimani, warned the Manama regime to stay away from the Bahraini Shiite cleric. He argued that trespassing him is a redline whose crossing will set fire to Bahrain and the entire region and leave people with no other option, but armed resistance. Hezbollah said the move against Qassim is very dangerous considering his religious position and role as a true guarantee for Bahrains present and future. The Shiite clerics citizenship was revoked by the cabinet, which claimed that he was abusing his position to serve foreign interests and promote sectarianism and violence. Although he is a strong advocate of absolute allegiance to the clergy, Qassim stayed in contact with organizations and parties that are enemies of the kingdom, the Interior Ministry stated. Gulf States are increasingly using the measure against those who encourage protests against government policies especially demands for political reforms. Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates have made use of the measure this year. Bahrain is ruled by the Sunni minority with strong support from Riyadh and since 2011, the Shia majority has been calling for structural political reforms. Six Jordanian soldiers stationed at the border with Syria were killed in a car explosion in the early morning of Tuesday but no group has claimed responsibility for the attack. The military released a statement stating that several of the attacking vehicles were destroyed and a booby-trapped car was used. The state TV described it as a cowardly terrorist attack and an official told AFP that the number of casualties could increase as 14 others are injured. The car exploded in the Rukban district opposite the Syrian refugee camp according to the military statement. Jordan shelters more than a million refugees from Palestine, Syria and Iraq but the latest incident could have a negative impact on the kingdoms hospitality because it came two weeks after five Jordanian intelligence agents were killed by a gunman who stormed the General Intelligence Directorate office in Ain el-Basha near Palestinian refugee camp of al Baqaa. Rukban is close to the Syrian and Iraqi border but the attack is reported to have been launched from the Syrian side. The Syrian refugee camp near the border houses more than 55,000 people and serves as a screening post before entering into Jordanian territory. Officials told Al Jazeera that bombs exploded in the buffer zone between the Jordanian border and the camp, in the desolate desert area. Jordan has strongly mobilized its forces against the Islamic State under the US-led coalition after the group burnt a Jordanian pilot alive. It is unclear if the attack will lead to new tough measures along the border and against those fleeing the conflicts in neighboring Syria and Iraq. A court in Somalia has sentenced 43 al-Shabaab militants to death this weekend, local media reported. The prosecutor of the court in northern Somalian town of Garow said the militants who were arrested during the heavy clashes in Puntland early this year have been in prison for the past three months. They [the militants] were members of al-Shabaab, an organization of Sunni extremists that has been fighting for the domination of Somalia for years. This is the biggest number of Al-shabaab members in history sentenced to death at one time. Al-shabaab, whose name means The Youth, seeks to impose its strict version of sharia, Islamic law in Somalia, where it frequently launches attacks against security and government targets, as well as hotels and restaurants in the capital. The group affiliated with al Qaeda, has also been behind deadly attacks in Kenya and Uganda. Both contribute troops to an African Union peacekeeping force in Somalia. The groups militants killed five police officers in a border region in north-eastern Kenya on Monday. Their latest attack on Monday was first related by a regional official before the governor confirmed and condemned the attack via his official twitter handle. We condemn the attack by al Shabaab at Dimu this morning, five police officers killed. The info about their presence was long shared by our locals, the Mandera County Governor tweeted. A total of 1,300 girls in Ghana were defiled in 2014 while the recorded cases of rape increased from 290 in 2012 to 342 in 2014, the West African nations Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit said on Monday. According to the Body, 19 percent of Ghanaian women aged 15-49 has experienced sexual violence. Defilement also continues to be on the rise, accounting for around 66 percent of all sexual offences, the organization reported. Ghana has recently intensified the combat against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) as well as elimination of all forms of violence against women and children. The country has been ranked very high in numerous surveys of gender-based violence around the world. One reason is that many Ghanaians believe husbands have justifiable reasons for beating their wives. These women are caught between modern cultures that propagate equal rights for men and women and traditional Ghanaian beliefs based on male dominance. The Ghanaian police say less than 20 percent of women in northern Ghana report abuses in their marital homes. Traditions in most parts of rural Ghana dictate that a woman cannot, under any circumstances, leave the home of her husband. Most families would rather send the woman back to her husband if she comes to them with complaints. Rwandas President Paul Kagame arrived in Casablanca on Monday on a two-day official visit to Morocco. The Rwandan head of state was welcomed by King Mohammed VI at an official ceremony at the Royal Palace in Casablanca. The Moroccan Sovereign will hold talks with his African guest and will host an official iftar in his honor, says the Ministry of the Royal Household, Protocol and Chancellery. This is Paul Kagames first official visit in Morocco. In November 2015, the Rwandan President had participated in Tangiers in MEDAYS, a forum organized by the Moroccan Amadeus Institute. Paul Kagame was then awarded the Grand Prix in recognition of his endeavors to promote education and health. This first official visit to Morocco by the Rwandan President reflects the two countries desire to boost their relations and will surely open up a new chapter in their political and economic relations and enhance their partnership within the frame of a win-win South-South cooperation. King Mohammed VI has made of partnership with other African countries a strategic component of Moroccan diplomacy in Africa and has tirelessly endeavored to promote south-south cooperation. The opening of Morocco onto East African countries falls in line with this African policy spearheaded by Mohammed VI. Banking on its strong political, economic and trade partnership with West and Central African countries, Morocco is currently endeavoring to expand its sphere of influence to the eastern parts of Africa. Now, Rwanda appears to be the best spot wherefrom to lead this breakthrough in East Africa and with English-speaking countries especially that both countries have initiated sound economic reforms and that both countries support South-South partnership to break away from the yoke of the former colonial powers. Credit: Monash University The way men are treated for prostate cancer is set to change with the launch of the world's largest national prostate cancer registry incorporating clinical data alongside patient feedback of their lived experiences. The Prostate Cancer Outcomes Registry Australia and New Zealand (PCOR-ANZ) is housed in the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (SPHPM) at Monash University. The registry gives doctors (and future patients) the most comprehensive insight into men's quality of life after they are diagnosed and treated for prostate cancer. Launched by the Movember Foundation, thanks to funds raised by the Movember community, the registry spans across all states and territories in Australia and New Zealand, equipping clinicians with the information they need to minimise the risk of life-changing side effects and redefine what treatment success looks like. Associate Professor Sue Evans, Head of the Clinical Registry Unit at SPHPM, said the registry will bring urologists and oncologists together to redefine what success looks like for prostate cancer treatment and life beyond the disease. "For the first time, doctors in Australia and New Zealand will have access to patient experience results from around the country. This will equip doctors with the data they need to minimise the risk of life-changing side effects and redefine what success looks like to transform the treatment and care of prostate cancer patients," said Associate Professor Evans. Men who have gone through treatment for prostate cancer are often left with adverse effects that seriously impact their ability to live a normal life, including incontinence, sexual and intimacy issues and psychological distress. In Australia, prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men, with around 120,000 men living with the disease and this is expected to rise to 267,000 by 2017. It's estimated that 18,138 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed this year. One in seven men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer before the age of 75. For men living with prostate cancer, there are a variety of treatment options now available which vary according to the type of prostate cancer diagnosed but can include: active surveillance, hormone therapy, surgery, radiotherapy or a combination of therapies. "Through the launch of this registry, Australia is leading the way in significantly improving how prostate cancer is treated around the world. In the future we will be able to compare clinical outcomes across the globe and, as a result, help minimise side effects of treatment," said Associate Professor Evans. The expansion of the national registry to incorporate data from all states follows successful registries in Victoria and South Australia. Explore further Streamlined approach and treatments improve the quality of care for men with prostate cancer The landscape of the Hawaiian islands is as idyllic as a postcard: long, sandy beaches, hibiscus flowers, clear waters of tropical fish and coral reefs. When you arrive at the airport the air is warm and ukulele music is piped out at you. Flower garlands are for sale. There are hundreds of islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, spread over 1,500 miles in the central Pacific Ocean. The eight main islands include Kauai, Maui and the island of Hawaii, nicknamed The Big Island to differentiate it from the whole state. The Big Island has a live but well-tempered volcano, which has created a dream-like landscape of black rock. Hawaiian myths explain the weird natural features including the tiny, tear-shaped lava rocks that lie all around on the volcano's sides, named "Pele's tears" after the Hawaiian fire goddess. The legend has it that if you take any of Pele's tears away with you, you will be cursed for the rest of your life, unless you return them to where they belong. In the midst of all the beauty, Hawaii has some dark and sinister stories. Mirena (not her real name), who is now 60, was born on the island of Kauai. I meet her on Skype: me in my sitting room in the evening, the English weather dark outside; her in the office where she works at a local school, early in the morning, the light bright and palm trees visible from the window. Mirena is a charismatic woman who speaks with passion. She comes across as warm, caring and professional, and her silver earrings flash against her dark, short hair. Mirena remembers a Hawaii from before the tourism boom, growing up playing in the red Anahola dirt, running through the cane fields. She recalls the simplicity of much of the lifestyle then, the excitement when the first stop light was erected for the cane field trucks, with children walking across the island to go and look at it. Despite the setting, Mirena's childhood was far from a paradise. "I saw things" she says. "I saw things children shouldn't see." Mirena was born in 1955, the year that an experiment began. Mirena's family, like all families on Kauai who had babies in that year, was approached by two researchers: Emmy Werner and Ruth Smith. Werner and Smith were psychologists who had become interested in which factors in a child's early life set them off on a positive trajectory, and which ones really get in the way of them reaching their full potential. Little did the families or the researchers know that this would turn into one of the longest studies of child development and childhood adversity that there has ever been. "We were not even born when the initial investigations started," says Mirena. "There were 698 families that said, 'Yes, we'll support whatever you need.'" The researchers monitored the families from before the babies' birth, following them and checking in at ages one, two, 10, 18, 32 and 40. They managed to track most of the cohort. "When you come from an island such as Kauai, people don't move away," explains Mirena. "And if they do move away, chances are you're going to find somebody, some relative, who knows where they are they were pretty successful in tracking us down." The researchers followed first the parents and then the children, finding out all sorts of things about how the cohort were doing and what sort of background they had come from. They used a mix of semi-structured interviews, questionnaires and community records of mental health, marriage, divorce, criminal convictions, school achievement and employment. "My recollection of being a participant, I think the first time, age 18, I was already a young mother," says Mirena. "I got a phone call from Dr Ruth Smith she introduced herself and said, 'Can I come and talk story?' which is interview. We're talking story right now." Mirena spent her childhood in a three-bedroom house, with her parents and six siblings. The children walked the mile to and from school, arriving back home to a house they were responsible for keeping clean and tidy. She recalls the black-and-white TV with a piece of shaded paper stuck on the front to make it look like colour. Hawaii back then was a mix of plantations and a growing hotel industry. Mirena's father worked for the coastguard. Her mother worked for Aloha Airlines as an entertainer, hula dancing and singing. Mirena's family had very little money to feed the seven children, and her father drank heavily. Her parents' marriage was often difficult and sometimes physically violent. "We were very poor, my father was an alcoholic," Mirena says. The researchers in the Kauai study separated the nearly 700 children involved into two groups. Approximately two-thirds were thought to be at low risk of developing any difficulties, but about one-third were classed as "high-risk": born into poverty, perinatal stress, family discord (including domestic violence), parental alcoholism or illness. "Well, my family definitely fell in the 'at-risk' category," says Mirena. "And you know, I didn't fully when you live in an environment, that's just where you are. You don't ever stand back and say, 'Well, I was at risk.'" The researchers expected to find that the "high-risk" children would do less well than the others as they grew up. In line with those expectations, they found that two-thirds of this group went on to develop significant problems. But totally unexpectedly, approximately one-third of the "high-risk" children didn't. They developed into competent, confident and caring individuals, without significant problems in adult life. The study of what made these children resilient has become as least as important as the study of the negative effects of a difficult childhood. Why did some of these children do so well despite their adverse circumstances? The study of how some of these Kauai children thrived despite early adversity is still ongoing. Lali McCubbin is the current principal investigator. The daughter of Hamilton McCubbin, who worked with the original researchers, she knows the history of the project well and has some Hawaiian heritage herself. "This was a really groundbreaking study," she says. "What made the study unique was that despite these risk factors that wasn't a guarantee that you would be on a certain trajectory. And in fact, what we found was there was resilience. These children were able to thrive, were able to grow, were able to develop able to live productive and fulfilling lives. "A lot of these risk factors are what my father grew up with," McCubbin adds. "Alcoholism, strict discipline, domestic violence. And I was very fortunate, I didn't grow up with that, I had a stable home, a very loving home. None of those risk factors. So I was fascinated with how you can take a risk factor intergenerationally and create not intergenerational trauma but intergenerational resilience." Three clusters of protective factors tended to mark out the children who did well despite being "high-risk": aspects of the child's temperament, having someone who was consistently caring (typically but not necessarily a family member), and having a sense of belonging to a wider group. Overall, the third of "high-risk" children who showed resilience tended to have grown up in families of four children or fewer, with two years or more between them and their siblings, few prolonged separations from their primary caregiver, and a close bond with at least one caregiver. They tended to be described positively as infants, with adjectives such as "active", "cuddly" or "alert", and they had friends at school and emotional support outside of their families. Those who did better also tended to have more extracurricular activities and, if female, to avoid pregnancy until after their teenage years. The picture was complex, though, with different factors seeming to be important at different ages, McCubbin explains. At age 10, doing well was linked to having been born without complications and having parents with fewer difficulties such as mental health problems, chronic poverty or trouble parenting. At age 10 and 18, positive individual personality traits seemed to help, as well as the presence of positive relationships, though not necessarily with the parents. At age 32 and 40, having a stable marriage was protective, as was participation in the armed forces. Strikingly, even some children who had "gone off the rails" in their teenage years managed to turn things around and get their lives back on track by the time they were in their 30s and 40s, often without the help of mental health professionals. Many of the factors involved in such turnarounds, and several of the factors associated with resilience throughout the children's lives, involve relationships of some kind, whether within the context of a larger community a school, a religion, the armed services or in the context of one important person. "Our relationships really are key," says McCubbin. "One person can make a big difference." Wider research suggests that the more risk factors children face, the more protective factors they are likely to need to compensate. But as McCubbin says, "A lot of the research supports this idea of relationships, and the need to have a sense of someone that believes in you or someone that supports you even in a chaotic environment, just having that one person." "Children don't know what goes on in the lives of the adults who care for them," says Mirena. "They're subject to that life and not by choice. No child chooses to be poor, no child chooses to have alcoholism in their home. It just is, and you deal with it." Mirena has done a lot of thinking about her parents' role in her life, and the importance of having caring and supportive people and environments outside the immediate family home. "My parents, bless their hearts, love them to pieces, but they didn't do what parents ought to do," says Mirena. "They were too busy trying to figure out themselves trying to figure out what do you do with this house full of kids and not enough money to support them My mom was too busy coping with an alcoholic husband " As the eldest child, Mirena often felt responsible for trying to resolve family rows. She has memories of her parents' violent arguments. "I saw my mom just raging with my dad. He's in the kitchen, sitting, she's busted all the bottles all over the kitchen There's blood everywhere and I'm thinking, 'What can I do? I'm just a kid.'" Mirena thinks her grandmother played a pivotal role. "Luckily for me, we had a gran-ma down the street," she says. "My mother's parents lived nearby. They made a huge difference for me, just knowing that somebody loved me no matter what. And I was not always the easiest child. I was sometimes very aggressive and you become that when you have to defend your family. And we spent most of our days outside, so dirty, we were always dirty. Long, tangled hair. "When things were really bad I would end up at my gran-ma's house. She was not living that far away I cut through the park and cut through the cane fields and by the time I got to her there was red dirt and mud everywhere. And my gran-ma was immaculately clean. Her house was spotless And so when I showed up, on her doorstep, full of Anahola red dirt and mud I just think, what did my gran-ma think when she saw me, coming her way? "But not once do I remember being turned away from her home, not once. What she would do is she would take me in the outside cement tub. And she would wash the mud off me. And then she'd take me in the inside bathtub and I remember my gran-ma is the only one who would scrub me clean. "You know we were on our own as children: if we took a bath, we took a bath if we didn't, we didn't. There was no hot water so most of the time we didn't until we were forced to. But my grandmother would scrub me clean, to get all the dirt out of my very long hair. And then she'd sit me at her knee, and she'd patiently take every tangle out of my hair And I'm crying cos it hurts and she's saying to me 'almost pau' Hawaiian word for finished. 'Almost pau' very gentle. 'Almost pau.' And sometimes finishing would take an hour I'm sitting at her knee for an hour. But she would be eventually pau, and I remember I'd stand up, and she'd take that comb and she'd go all the way down the back. And I remember as a little girl just feeling clean. And feeling pretty. And feeling like maybe somebody could love me today, maybe I'm OK today. That's what my gran-ma did for me. Just made me feel like I was OK." Mirena also thinks the boarding school she went to when she was 12 helped. "I realised when I came here and I lived in the dorm, with all these different people, that families didn't have to be like this," she says. The school's sense of community was important for her, and she remains working there today. It's also where she met her future husband, with whom she now has seven children and 15 grandchildren of her own. She says she recalls her grandmother often, particularly when thinking how she wants to be with her family. "I remember on some of my darkest hours, raising these children in my life, thinking about her and knowing that I need to give as much as she gave to me. There is nothing that surpasses for me that example of love and caring. So I do my best to be that kind of gran-ma to my own." It seems blindingly obvious that how we are cared for by our parents or primary caregivers is crucial, but the growing realisation of just how important love and affection are to children has only come about in the last century. Many of the studies that helped us to understand how childhood experiences can affect our adult selves hadn't been published back when Mirena and the rest of the Kauai cohort were born. Some of what we know about the effect of parenting comes from watching animals. At Stanford University in the 1930s, in a series of experiments that would be unlikely to get through an ethics committee today, Harry Harlow separated baby rhesus monkeys from their mothers, and raised them in separate cages. He allowed the baby monkeys access to two models of a larger monkey: one made only of wire, but with a bottle of milk attached, and one with no milk attached but which was covered in a soft terry-towelling-type material. The young monkeys spent all their time on the soft model mother, craving the comfort, and only went to the wire one for food, before quickly returning to the towelled surrogate. This put into question all previous ideas about food and shelter being the primary drives for an infant, and suggested that the role of comfort might be much more important than was previously thought. We often talk about "getting attached" to someone or something, but the psychological understanding of attachment is more specific. The father of attachment theory was John Bowlby, a psychiatrist, psychologist and psychoanalyst, who defined it as a "deep and enduring emotional bond that connects one person to another across time and space". Most babies and their caregivers form an attachment, and the quality of this attachment can be affected by the sort of care the baby experiences. We know now that these early attachment relationships can form the basis, to some degree, for the way we relate to others as we grow up, even in adult romantic relationships. Bowlby was interested in what happened to children who were separated from their caregivers early on. One of his earliest studies was of 88 adolescent patients from his clinic in London. Half had been referred for stealing, and half had emotional troubles but had not shown delinquent behaviour. Bowlby noticed that the "44 thieves", as he called them, were much more likely than the control group to have lost a caregiver when they were young, which led him to think about how early experiences of loss can have profound effects. Bowlby went on to write extensively about the importance of attachment and loss of attachment figures, influencing his colleague Mary Ainsworth to develop a way of measuring the quality of attachment between a caregiver and child, which is still used today. The "strange situation", as it's called, involves observing a child's reaction to their caregiver leaving the room and later returning, and also their reaction to a stranger. Based on their reactions, their attachment can be classified in ways that can partly predict their later development. The most worrying classification, "disorganised attachment", tends to be seen in children whose attachment figures have caused them harm, and has been linked to much poorer abilities to relate to others and regulate emotions in later life. In the Kauai study, the children living in adverse circumstances largely remained in their homes, and some of them thrived regardless. But across the other side of the world, anyone in Europe old enough to watch TV in 1990 is likely to have a memory of the Romanian orphans. Images of children found in orphanages after the collapse of Nicolae Ceausescu's rule are deeply sad: bleak rooms, packed full of small children with big eyes, pulling themselves up on their cot bars to see the Western camera operators filming them. Under Ceausescu, abortion and contraception had been banned, leading to a massive rise in birth rates. Children without anyone to care for them had been left in institutions, to experience immense emotional deprivation and neglect. They had very little individualised care, no one to hug them or comfort them, no one to sing them to sleep. Their basic physical needs were met in terms of being given food and kept warm, but their basic emotional needs for affection and comfort were not. They learned not to even bother reaching out when adults were around. The discovery of the conditions in the orphanages prompted a rush of compassion and charity initiatives to adopt the children. The UK Department of Health contacted a researcher at King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Michael Rutter, to ask him to measure what was going on. "Like everyone else, I saw the media," explains Rutter, sitting with me in his light and airy office at the Social Developmental and Genetic Psychiatry Centre in south London. "But [the research] all started because the Department of Health contacted me, to say they didn't know what was going to happen to these kids, would it be possible to do a study, follow them through, and find out what were the policy and practice implications? So I said, let's have a go." For Rutter, this was a scientific opportunity as well as a practical one: "This was a natural experiment." All previous studies of children in care had involved groups of children who had entered institutions at a range of ages, meaning that variation in their behaviour and wellbeing might be related to things that had happened before they were in care. The Romanian orphans, though, had all been admitted within the first two weeks of life. "It's a horrible thing to have happened," says Rutter, "but given that it did happen, one may as well learn as much as possible." Rutter's study assessed the children over time as they settled into new adoptive families. "The findings were surprises all along the line," he says. Prevailing wisdom at the time was that serious adversity in childhood led to a range of emotional and behavioural problems. Rutter's research found something different when the children were followed up: apart from a minority who had specific patterns of extreme social difficulties, such as autistic spectrum disorders, "There was no increase in the ordinary emotional and behavioural problems," he says. "So that was one surprise." Another surprise was that if the children were adopted out of care early enough within six months then they seemed to go on to develop well. Rutter sees this resilience in the face of adversity as a dynamic process: "Resilience initially was talked about as if it were a trait, and it's become clear that's quite the wrong way of looking at it," he says. "It's a process, it's not a thing. "You can be resilient to some things and not others," he explains. "And you can be resilient in some circumstances and not others." He acknowledges that "children, or for that matter adults, who are resilient to some sorts of things are more likely to be resilient to others," but he stresses that resilience is not a fixed trait. Rutter offers a medical analogy: "The way to protect children against infections is either to allow natural immunity to develop or to immunise." Either way, children benefit from limited early exposure to pathogens. To prevent this from happening is, in the long term, harmful. Likewise, children need some stress in their lives, so they can learn to cope with it. "Development involves both change and challenge and also continuity," says Rutter. "So to see the norm as stability is wrong." This suggests that there is something about the way that some children adapt to and cope with adverse circumstances that enables them to be emotionally resilient. It's not the stress itself that inevitably causes problems, although in the face of enormous adversity it would be much harder to remain resilient, but it's the interaction between the stress and the ways of coping that is really important. Maybe some ways of coping are more helpful than others, and maybe some protective factors mean that the stress gets managed better. Rutter recalls a child he saw early on from the Romanian cohort who was really struggling with his behaviour and emotional wellbeing, but who has now gone on to develop in a seemingly resilient way. "He has done very well," says Rutter. "Relationships at home are splendid, so there was a complete turnaround and it's difficult to know precisely why that happened, but the fact that it did happen reminds you that it's a mistake to write off situations as if they can't be changed." What if there are some children who need extra help, though, to boost them up to the same level of development as their more resilient peers? We still know very little about the mechanisms involved in resilience and how we can help them to be more effective. If we think of it as an adaptive process, how do our brains, our thought processes and our behaviours change to help us to cope with adverse early circumstances? Eamon McCrory, Professor of Developmental Neuroscience and Psychopathology at University College London, is investigating just this. McCrory and his team are collecting a combination of brain images, cognitive assessments, DNA and perceptual data, from children who have been maltreated and allocated a social worker, and also from a control group who have not. The two groups have been painstakingly matched by age, pubertal development, IQ, socioeconomic status, ethnicity and sex. The researchers aim to follow their cohort for as long as funding allows, trying to unpick what would predict which of the children who have been maltreated will go on to develop difficulties and which will be resilient. McCrory used to work clinically for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and he understands the clinical challenges that are involved with this population: "Resources are very limited," he explains, "so if you have a hundred children referred to social services who experienced maltreatment, we know that the majority of them actually won't develop a mental health problem. But then a minority are at significantly elevated risk At the moment, we have no reliable way of knowing which kid is which. So it seems sensible to try and move the focus back from the disorder to a much earlier stage in the process and characterise the risk profile Only longitudinal designs can give us this information." McCrory's research is searching for reliable clues that a child will go on to develop difficulties, so that we can begin to know who to target to help. So far, McCrory has identified three main areas where there are likely to be differences: threat processing, brain structure, and autobiographical memory. Studies of war veterans as well as maltreated children reveal that areas of the brain involved in processing threats, such as the amygdala, are more responsive both in the soldiers coming back from war and in children who have experienced early abuse. It makes sense that if you have been in danger a lot, then your brain may have adapted to be very sensitive to threat. "Our main theoretical proposal at the moment is around a concept of latent vulnerability," McCrory says, "which is the idea that maltreatment leads a number of biological and neurocognitive systems to adapt to a context characterised by early stress, threat and unpredictability, and adaptations to those systems may be adaptive and helpful in that context, but embed vulnerability in the longer term." The team are also scanning the children's brains to try to see whether difference in brain structure in maltreated children are stable over time or changeable. "We know very little about malleability of brain structure over time," explains McCrory. "We know there are structural differences in the orbitofrontal cortex and the mediotemporal lobe, for example, which are quite robust, but we've no idea whether they are static or whether they may shift over time, at least in certain children." The third area the team think is important is autobiographical memory. The brain system involved in thinking about and processing memories of personal history might also be shaped by early traumatic experiences in a way that is adaptive in the short term but unhelpful in the longer term. "Autobiographical memory is the process whereby you record and encode your own experiences and make sense of [them]," explains McCrory. "We know that individuals who have depression and PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder] have an over-general autobiographical memory pattern, where they lack specificity in their recall of past experience We also know that kids who have experienced maltreatment can show higher levels of this over-general memory pattern. And longitudinal studies have shown that a pattern of over-general memory can act as a risk factor for future disorder. "One hypothesis is that the over-general memory limits an individual's ability to effectively assimilate and negotiate future experiences, because we draw on our past experiences to be able to predict the contingencies and likelihood of events in the future, and use that knowledge to negotiate those experiences well. So over-general memory might limit one's ability to negotiate future stressors." It makes sense that if horrible things have happened to you in the past, you will want to avoid thinking about and remembering them, which might lead to a tendency to have a memory that's light on detail. McCrory's team are finding reliable associations between over-general memory patterns and childhood maltreatment. Back to Mirena in Hawaii, and she finds it hard to know whether her memory has been affected by her early experiences: "from a personal perspective I wouldn't know," she says. "We don't know what we don't remember." The memories she does have of her family growing up are mixed. In our conversations, she often describes them fondly: her father as "a brilliant man" who "read all the time" and was "just kind of ordinary except when he was drunk", and her mother as "a beautiful Hawaiian woman who had a beautiful voice, who did her best". Alongside these descriptions are darker memories, of coming home to arguments in the kitchen, or worse: "I saw my mother try to kill my father on several occasions, cos daddy was drunk and mom was mad. And I was usually the one that would try to stop them." While we talk, Mirena sometimes becomes tearful, remembering difficult times, and other times speaks with passion about the importance of protecting other children. In an ideal world, we wouldn't have to work out how to best to help children who have been abused or neglected; we would instead be able to remove those risks. Admitting that we don't live in that ideal world, and trying to understand what we can do to prevent the negative effects of childhood adversity and to boost individual resilience, is perhaps the next best thing. Everyone I interviewed for this piece had a sense of optimism. "That's the psychological perspective, right?" says Lali McCubbin. "We want to believe that people can turn their lives around." McCrory certainly does: "I think it's hopeful to see that recovery is possible and that these [brain systems] are systems characterised by plasticity, and so the questions are then about how do you promote that, are there developmental periods where that is more possible, and how much can we enhance plasticity over those periods?" The concept of childhood resilience is complex. McCubbin recalls a conversation she had with her father and Emmy Werner about the use of the term, discussing whether they would have called it resilience if they had known then how much it would take off. "And they weren't sure if they would, and I liked that because it's really about adaptation A lot of people miss that take-home message, and that 'Oh, the individual wasn't resilient', it kind of blames the individual rather than looking at their context. What may be resilient for you may not be the same for somebody else." The idea of resilience as an adaptive process rather than an individual trait opens up the potential for other people to be involved in that process. McCubbin sees the importance of relationships as being wider than only protective relationships with people, and she and her team have created a new measure of "relational wellbeing" to try to capture this. "We think of relationship as with a person," she says. "But what we really found was that it was relationship with the land, relationship with nature, relationship with God, relationship with ancestors, relationship with culture." McCubbin's team have just finished pilot interviews with eight of the original cohort, now in their 60s. She weaves in the Hawaiian idea of aloha as she describes the research. "There's a tourist version of aloha," she explains, talking about a word that is variably translated as "love and compassion", "mercy" and "connectedness" or "being part of all and all being part of me". "Aloha means hello and goodbye, but actually aloha means 'breath of life'," McCubbin continues. "That was one of the things in our interviews, we were collecting their mana'o, their life's breath We got chicken skin when you hear it that way, just that sense of aloha and that sense of how we're all connected." Mirena is clear about the importance of human connection, and so is the research, although we have a way to go before what we are learning about how to best care for children who have survived childhood maltreatment is clearly understood and communicated to all those working with children. For Mirena, the vital thing is still "that there's somebody they know cares about them. Just one person, it can make all the difference." Explore further Responding to child maltreatment Provided by Mosaic This article first appeared on Mosaic and is republished here under a Creative Commons licence. Key findings from a statewide analysis of the impact of Medicaid expansion in Michigan in the first nine months. Credit: University of Michigan It happened fast. It happened in nearly every hospital in the state of Michigan. And it didn't come with dreaded side effects. "It" was a change in the type of patients treated by the state's 130 hospitals - or rather, the insurance status of those patients. A new study shows that the proportion of those patients who lacked insurance dropped by nearly 4 percentage points, and the proportion covered by Medicaid rose more than 6 points, within three months of the launch of the Healthy Michigan Plan in April 2014. The plan enrolled hundreds of thousands of low-income Michiganders between the ages of 18 and 64 in Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act. The new findings, reported in JAMA by a team from the University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, confirm directly what other studies have predicted or implied: That Medicaid expansion can help relieve hospitals' burden of caring for patients who have little or no means to pay. The researchers were also the first to look specifically at whether all hospitals across a Medicaid expansion state experienced the shift in insurance coverage for their patients. They were surprised at how uniformly the shift in coverage occurred for hospitals across the state. In all, 94 percent of hospitals treated fewer uninsured patients, and 88 percent had more Medicaid-covered patients, in the last 9 months of 2014 compared with the same period in each of the two years before expansion. But even as more patients had coverage that could pay for their care, hospitals didn't see a sudden rise in the total number of non-elderly adult patients, the study finds. In fact, the total number of hospitalizations in the year after the expansion was slightly lower than the average for the two years before expansion. Some had expressed worries about newly covered Michiganders flooding hospitals with 'pent up demand' for advanced care. "This is evidence that broader availability of insurance coverage for residents of Michigan is translating into coverage at the time when people are most in need of it - namely, when they are sick enough to be in the hospital," says Matthew M. Davis, M.D., MAPP, the lead author and a U-M professor of internal medicine, pediatrics, public policy and public health. "The Healthy Michigan Plan appears to be shifting the balance for almost all Michigan hospitals, to have a higher proportion of patients who have insurance coverage." The data used in the study are from the Michigan Health and Hospital Association's Michigan Inpatient Database, which includes data on all hospital stays no matter what the insurance status of the patient. The data do not indicate whether Medicaid-covered hospital patients had traditional or Healthy Michigan Plan coverage, nor whether their condition was serious enough that it might have caused them to seek hospital-level care even if they didn't have insurance. However, Davis notes that hospitals tend to have similar thresholds for admitting patients based on their condition. The study also did not determine if hospitals experienced a dip in uncompensated care, the costs of which hospitals have to absorb when patients lack insurance. However, other studies have shown that hospitals with fewer uninsured patients have lower uncompensated care costs. Nineteen states have not expanded their Medicaid programs under the ACA. Findings from this study may add further information to debates in their state capitals. Larger evaluation under way Davis and the study's senior author, IHPI director John Z. Ayanian, M.D., M.P.P., are also involved in a much larger IHPI-led, state-funded effort to evaluate the impact of Medicaid expansion in Michigan. The new study was not part of that evaluation, but further work by other IHPI researchers will probe the impact of Medicaid expansion on uncompensated care costs absorbed by Michigan hospitals. The evaluation will also look at what being covered under the Health Michigan Plan means for the financial health of individuals, not just hospitals. Often, hospitals will attempt to bill uninsured patients for some or all of the cost of their care, and set up payment plans or other debt arrangements to try to recoup some of the cost. "When uninsured individuals are so ill they need to be hospitalized, it poses financial risks to them as well as to the hospitals that they're admitted to," says Davis. "Medicaid expansion in 31 states and the District of Columbia has reduced that risk. Meanwhile, uninsured individuals in states that haven't expanded the program continue to face that risk - as do the hospitals there." IHPI members are also looking at the effect of expansion on the mix of patients being seen in outpatient clinics and emergency departments around the state. Last Friday, U-M researchers published data from the first year after expansion, showing that access to care went up, and wait times for initial primary care appointments around the state did not go up, for Medicaid patients, despite requirements under the plan that enrollees seek a primary care appointment soon after getting coverage. Explore further Remaining uninsured may be difficult to reach via ACA Provided by University of Michigan Health System Credit: National Cancer Institute Using unmanned drones to deliver vaccines in low- and middle-income countries may save money and improve vaccination rates, new research led by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center suggests. The cost savings would come from drones being able to deliver vaccines more quickly and cheaply than land-based methods limited by road conditions and the need for costly fuel and maintenance, the researchers note in their study, published June 20 in the journal Vaccine. "Many low- and middle-income countries are struggling to get lifesaving vaccines to people to keep them from getting sick or dying from preventable diseases," says senior author Bruce Y. Lee, MD, MBA, an associate professor at the Bloomberg School and director of operations research at its International Vaccine Access Center. "You make all these vaccines but they're of no value if we don't get them to the people who need them. So there is an urgent need to find new, cost-effective ways to do this." In low- and middle-income countries, there are many challenges faced by immunization programs, which provide childhood vaccines such as hepatitis B, tetanus, measles and rotavirus, and will be utilized in the future as vaccines for dengue, malaria and Zika are developed and brought to market. After entering a country, vaccine vials typically travel by road through two to four storage locations before arriving at clinics where health workers administer doses to patients. Most vaccines need to remain refrigerated until they are used or they will spoil. Non-vaccine costs of routine immunizations are expected to rise by 80 percent between 2010 and 2020, with more than one-third of costs attributable to supply chain logistics. Supply chain inefficiencies can mean that many vaccines don't even reach the people who need them. Meanwhile, unmanned drones have proliferated in recent years because they can traverse difficult terrain, reduce labor costs and replace fleets of vehicles. They have been used for surveillance and in humanitarian aid delivery and are now being developed to transport medical samples and supplies, though previously little has been known whether this is a cost-effective use of the new technology. For their study, Lee and his colleagues created a HERMES computer model to simulate a traditional land-based transportation system - a combination of trucks, motorbikes and public transit - and compared it with an unmanned drone system for delivering vaccines as part of an immunization program. Seattle-based non-governmental organization Village Reach helped provide data for the model. They varied characteristics such as geography, population, road conditions and vaccine schedule in order to assess which conditions would most contribute to drones offering the biggest cost savings. They found that using drones to get vaccines to the last stop on their journey - vaccination locations - could slightly improve vaccine availability - potentially immunizing 96 percent of the target population as compared to 94 percent using land-based transport - while producing significant savings: eight cents for every dose administered (roughly a 20 percent savings). To save money, the drones would need to carry at least .4 liters of vaccines and the researchers say that the drones could carry at least 1.5 liters. If there were no flight delays for scheduled drone deliveries and the drones carried 1.5 liters, the researchers noted, each flight could cost up to $8.93 and annual infrastructure and overhead costs could cost up to $60,000 and still produce savings. As a comparison, the researchers studied the traditional land-based immunization system in Mozambique, which has achieved 94 percent vaccine coverage, but they note that many countries currently cover fewer than 60 percent of the population using land-based approaches. "Currently, in many locations, vehicles that transport vaccines aren't always available or reliable," Lee says. "Assuming that drones are reliable, are capable of making the necessary trips and have properly trained operators, they could be a less expensive means of transporting vaccines, especially in remote areas. They could be particularly valuable when there is more demand for certain vaccines than anticipated and immunization locations must place urgent orders." While the computer models are good at theoretically analyzing the cost effectiveness of drone technology, the researchers say that real-world testing must be done to make certain that drones are a viable way to transport vaccines. And many obstacles may exist. Regulatory issues could limit the ability of drones to deliver goods and commodities. Maintaining and operating the equipment would require specialized tools and skills that may be difficult to access in these developing countries. Since no person would accompany a shipment, greater coordination would be needed between those shipping and those receiving the vaccines. Appropriate packing to maintain vaccine quality would need to be developed. Drones are currently being tested for medical supply deliveries in rural Virginia, Bhutan and Papua New Guinea. UNICEF is testing the feasibility of using them to transport lab samples in Malawi. And in Tanzania, there are efforts afoot to transport blood and essential medications. Explore further Rwanda hopes to use drones to deliver medical supplies More information: "The Economic and Operational Value of Using Drones to Transport Vaccines," Vaccine, 2016. Journal information: Vaccine "The Economic and Operational Value of Using Drones to Transport Vaccines,", 2016. In an effort to address widespread concerns related to testosterone deficiency (TD) and its treatment with testosterone therapy, a group of international experts has developed a set of resolutions and conclusions to provide clarity for physicians and patients. At a consensus conference held in Prague, Czech Republic last fall, the experts debated nine resolutions, with unanimous approval. The details of the conference were published today in a Mayo Clinic Proceedings report. Much of the controversy surrounding testosterone therapy stems from intense media attention on recent reports suggesting increased heart-related risks associated with testosterone treatment. "The importance of this meeting was to set aside the various distortions and misinformation that have appeared regarding testosterone therapy and to establish what is scientifically true based on the best available evidence," said Abraham Morgentaler, MD, chairman of the consensus conference. Morgentaler is the Director of Men's Health Boston and an Associate Clinical Professor of Urology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School. After examining the best available scientific evidence, Morgentaler and colleagueswho included experts with specialties in urology, endocrinology, diabetes, internal medicine, and basic science researchagreed on the following: TD is a well-established, clinically significant medical condition that negatively affects male sexuality, reproduction, general health and quality of life. Symptoms and signs of TD occur as a result of low levels of testosterone and may benefit from treatment regardless of whether there is an identified underlying origin. TD is a global public health concern. Testosterone therapy for men with TD is effective, rational, and evidence-based. There is no testosterone concentration threshold that reliably distinguishes those who will respond to treatment from those who will not. There is no scientific basis for any age-specific recommendations against the use of testosterone therapy in adult males. The evidence does not support increased risks of cardiovascular events with testosterone therapy. The evidence does not support increased risk of prostate cancer with testosterone therapy. The evidence supports a major research initiative to explore possible benefits of testosterone therapy for cardiometabolic disease, including diabetes. "It will be surprising to those unfamiliar with the literature to learn how weak the evidence is supporting the alleged risks of cardiovascular disease and prostate cancer," said Michael Zitzmann, MD, vice-chair of the conference and a Professor in the Centre for Reproductive Medicine and Andrology at the University of Muenster in Germany. "Indeed, there is substantial data suggesting there may actually be cardio-protective benefits of testosterone therapy." "The medical and scientific communities are still largely unaware of the major negative impact of testosterone deficiency on general health," added co-author Abdulmaged Traish, PhD, a Professor of Urology at Boston University Medical Center. "The media-driven focus on unproven risks has obscured the known health risks of untreated testosterone deficiency: obesity, reduced bone mineral density, and increased mortality." Explore further Testosterone undecanoate cuts anemia in hypogonadal men Mayo Clinic is highlighting the potential merits of using precision medicine in prescribing antidepressants. Details appear in the current issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Eleven percent of Americans 12 years and older have been prescribed antidepressant medication, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data from 2005-2008. These medications are regularly prescribed in psychiatric, pediatric, adolescent, family and general medicine clinics nationwide. Mark A. Frye, M.D., department chair of Psychiatry and Psychology at Mayo Clinic, recognizes there is increasing interest in individualizing treatment selection for more than 20 treatments approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for major depressive disorder. By doing so, physicians may be able to provide greater precision to pharmacotherapy recommendations for individual patients beyond the large-scale, clinical trials evidence base. "The medical community continues to recognize that genetic variation may contribute to disparate patient reactions to drugs," Dr. Frye says. "For example, some may experience adverse side effects, while others respond positively to the same drug." He says the different responses to pharmacotherapy provide a unique opportunity to develop pharmacogenetic guidelines for psychiatry. These comments are reflected in an evidence review of other studies published in the July issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings. This review focuses on two major genetic tests that screen for pharmacokinetic metabolizing genes CYP2D6 and CYP2C19enzymes that metabolize selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI). Dr. Frye explains that using the electronic health record along with genetic testing results has the potential to further enable prescribers the ability to individualize treatment for their patients taking antidepressants. Explore further Bipolar disorder takes different path in patients who binge eat, study suggests Ivanishvili plans to build new hotel on the border with Abkhazia Former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili has revealed a plan to build a luxury hotel in western Georgia on the border with the breakaway region of Abkhazia.He told journalists on Friday that he also has some other plans which he will disclose when they are approved.I plan to build a high class hotel in a place where there is a conditional border, the businessman said.Ivanishvili said that everything is moving at a great pace within the new government, unlike their predecessors.Today I am building, but the National Movement almost manage to turn the word build into a negative word.The plan is to build a hotel in Ganmukhuri, a beach resort on Black Sea coast next to Abkhazia, a self-proclaimed republic that broke loose from Georgia in the early 1990s and which Russia took control over following the 2008 war.Ganmukhuri was used as a venue for fiery rhetoric by former President Saakashvili, who opened a patriot camp there for Georgia's youth. Former Tbilisi Mayor Gigi Ugulava called Ganmukhuri the beginning of the way to Abkhazia. The coastal resort is special in that although on Georgian-controlled territory, it is on the right, or Abkhaz, side of the border river Inguri.Ivanishvili also announced that he wants to meet with people in different regions of Georgia ahead of the election for parliament October 8.I think of organizing two meetings a week, on Mondays and on Thursdays, in order to manage [to hold] meetings in all ten regions, he said, adding that the meetings will begin on September 1.I guess I will have to make one or two TV speeches in Tbilisi as well and meet with people.Ivanishvili created the Georgian Dream coalition which won the last parliamentary election in 2012. He served as prime minister for about a year and then resigned, but is believed to still play an important role in the governments decision-making process. Abkhazia does not want to join Russia By Messenger Staff The de-facto Prime Minister of Georgias western breakaway region of Abkhazia has told Russias news agency RIA novosti that the region does not plan to hold a referendum to join Russia.The statement came after the claims of Georgias other breakaway territory, Tskhinvali (South Ossetia), about conducting such a referendum next year.We do not oppose the referendum in South Ossetia. Tskhinvali's motives are clear. Ossetians are divided, part of them now live in Russia, some in South Ossetia. Therefore, they have a natural desire to reunite, the de-facto Prime Minister of Abkhazia Arthur Mikvabia told RIA novosti.We have a different situation. We want to be an independent country and a reliable and loyal ally of Russia, he added.The attempt of Tskhinvali to hold the referendum was strongly condemned by the Government of Georgia and almost the whole of the international community, as they believe Tskhinvali and Abkhazia are integral parts of Georgia.The Government of Georgia stated the referendum violated all international laws and regulations and had no legal basis.Russia and Nicaragua recognised Abkhazias and Tskhinvalis independence in 2008 in the wake of the Russia-Georgia war. In 2009, Venezuela, Nauru and Tuvalu took the same step, but after several years Vanuatu reversed its view and said the regions were part of Georgia.Abkhazians have always been different from South Ossetians. It was always easier for Russia to do everything it wished in de-facto Ossetia.Abkhazians clearly state they wish independence both from Georgia and Russia. However, gradually they will guess or they have already guessed Russia needs only the land without the locals.Step by step Russia will settle its own people there and when their number will outnumber the locals Moscow will then declare the land is Russian.Herewith, if one looks at the photos of Abkhazia, they will see signs of very low development. The Abkhazian coast is the most beautiful in all of Georgia, but unlike Batumi, Abkhazia has not enjoyed a transformation into a modern and developed city, something that would undoubtedly have happened had Abkhazia remained as an official part of Georgia; many younger Abkhazians are undoubtedly aware of this, and will hopefully realise that being a part of Georgia would be more beneficial for the region. The News in Brief ECHR to Rule in Merabishvilis Pretrial Detention Case on June 14 The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) will announce its decision over a complaint filed by Georgias former Interior Minister, Vano Merabishvili, over his pretrial detention on June 14, the Strasbourg-based court said on Friday. Merabishvili, secretary general of the UNM opposition party, who was also the PM for few months before the UNM was defeated in the 2012 elections, was arrested in May 2013 and charged with misspending and vote-buying; other set of criminal charges were filed against him later all of them denied by Merabishvili as politically motivated. A court in Kutaisi ordered Merabishvilis pretrial detention on May 22 2013, and his motion for release was declined four months later, when the court remanded him in pretrial detention on September 25, 2013. Merabishvili was found guilty and sentenced to a numprison terms in several separate trials. In February 2014 he was sentenced in two separate cases by Kutaisi City Court to five years in jail on charges of misspending and vote-buying; in the same month he was sentenced to 4 years and 6 months in jail in connection to the case of breaking up of the protest rally in Tbilisi in May, 2011; and in October, 2014 he was sentenced to 3 years in jail on charges of abuse of power in case related to the Sandro Girgvliani murder. In his application to the Strasbourg-based human right court, Merabishvili claims that the courts decision to place him in the pretrial detention was taken based on unclear legal rules without giving a specific time limit for his detention; he also argued that this decision lacked reasonable grounds; he also complained that the court rejected his motion for release in September 2013 without carrying out a proper judicial review of his request. Merabishvili also alleged in his complaint that initiation of criminal proceedings against him and his arrest were used by the authorities to exclude him from the political life of the country, resulting in the weakening of the UNM party and preventing him from standing as a candidate in the presidential election which was held in October 2013. He also claimed that his persecution continued during the pretrial detention when in December, 2013 he was allegedly removed from his cell and taken for a late-night meeting with then chief prosecutor, Otar Partskhaladze, whom Merabishvili accused of intimidation. i>(Civil.ge) MIA detains Ukraines citizen wanted by INTERPOL Georgias Interior Ministry has detained a Ukrainian citizen wanted by INTERPOL. As IPN has been informed by the Interior Ministry, Ukrainian citizen Diglam B.,born in 1979, has been detained when he tried to leave Georgia and cross the Georgia-Azerbaijan border. As reported, he has been on Interpols wanted list since 10.12.2015. Diglam B. has been accused of intentional damage to health. Pre-extradition procedures are underway at present. (IPN) Georgias Prime Minister meets German Chancellor this week Georgias Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili is set to pay a two-day visit to Germany to discuss the countrys visa liberalisation prospects with top German officials. Kvirikashvili will be in Germany on June 15 and 16. Kvirikashvili is scheduled to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel and discuss bilateral relations, Georgias European integration along with Georgias visa liberalisation process. The two leaders will then address the media following their face-to-face meeting. Meanwhile, the foreign ministers of the European Union (EU) member states are scheduled to discuss Georgia's visa-free travel at their June 20 meeting. Yesterday, the European Commissioner for Migration, Internal Affairs and Citizenship Issues Dimitris Avramopulous reconfirmed Georgia had fulfilled all the commitments for its visa liberalisation. "The Commission has been very clear in its recommendations, Avramopulous said. "I hope that there will be a progress on this issue in the Council and Parliament soon, he added. (Agenda.ge) Border guards abduct two from village of Bershueti So-called border guards have abducted two people from the village of Bershueti in the Gori municipality. A father and son, Roin and Giorgi Zautashvili, were feeding cattle along the village. As reported by Gori Municipality Governors representative Davit Tsertsvadze, they were on territory controlled by Georgia when detained by occupation forces. (IPN) First time: Asian Development Banks high-profile delegation in Georgia The Asian Development Bank (ADB) fully supports the Georgian Governments four-point reform plan and has sent a delegation of high company officials to convey this message to Georgia.The Banks executive directors offered their words of support for Georgia when they met Georgias Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili in Tbilisi late on June 13.The ADB officials are on a three-day visit to Tbilisi. The delegation includes seven executive and alternate directors, and while here the group will meet local high officials.This was the first time such a high-profile ABD delegation has visited Georgia.At yesterdays meeting PM Kvirikashvili said Georgia appreciated the Banks assistance to develop infrastructure in the country and preferential allocation of financial resources.The PMs Administration said the two sides discussed in detail the Governments four-point reform plan, future infrastructural projects and education reform in Georgia."Representatives of the Asian Development Bank expressed their readiness to assist Georgia to strengthen its role as a transport corridor, as well as in terms of reforming the system of vocational education, the PMs press office said.The ABD is a development partner with the biggest portfolio in Georgia. The organisation supports the country to develop its infrastructure projects. The ABD also approved a three-year budget support program for Georgia.The ABD delegation consisted of Executive Directors of the ABD Board of Directors: Zhongjing Wang, Matthew Fox, Gaudencio Hernandez, Jr., Philaslak Yukkasemwong, Mapa Pathirana, Michael Strauss, Sarafjon Sheraliev. The ex-PM meeting with the media By Messenger Staff If we imagine theoretically that the Georgian Dream party reverses its course, I will support any party that will lead the country in the right direction, Georgias former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili said at a meeting with representatives of media yesterday.He talked about how much he is involved in the election campaign, and said that while he does not go to the party headquarters, he "may attend meetings once a month.""I'm not involved in the election process. It might be excessive. I do not go to party headquarters. I may only attend meetings once a month, if anybody has questions. Processes are going on without me. As a citizen, I want to express support to the Georgian Dream, as this is the only party that will continue to walk in the European direction. This is the only reason for which I support them.If we imagine theoretically that the Georgian Dream party reverses its course, I will support any party which will lead the country in the right direction. The team includes a lot of successful people who share this course. Georgian Dream, led by Kvirikashvili, has no alternative in this regard, he said.Almost all the opposition parties in Georgia claim Ivanishvili is an informal ruler of the country. However, many of them admit that if Ivanishvili had not defeated the previous ruling United National Movement (UNM) party in 2012, a fair parliamentary race would be impossible.Before the elections, Ivanishvili was known to the public solely for his large-scaled philanthropic activities. People could not even recognise his face, as there were very few photos of Ivanishvili on the Internet at that time.After defeating the UNM in 2012 Ivanishvili quit his Prime Ministers post after about in a year and a half as he had promised he would (for the vaguest of reasons), but stressed he would empower the civil sector and monitor the Governments activities.Now Ivanishvili is meeting with media and holding several hour-long press conferences in order to support the ruling team in the upcoming October 8 parliamentary race.However, his activities are causing question marks as to his honesty regarding his involvement with the government and many people have expressed their anger on social networks.Some write that Ivanishvili must come back to power to fulfil what he had promised prior to the 2012 election or leave the politics once and all and break all contact with the Governments policy.Ivanishvili's public activities also fuel speculation that he truly is the informal ruler of Georgia. The News in Brief Giorgi Kvirikashvili not to stay in Parliament after elections Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili is not going to remain in Parliament after the elections. As Giorgi Kvirikashvili told journalists in response to reported information that he may be chosen as Chairman of Parliament after the elections, he will remain in his current post. "Yesterday I heard a story about this issue. I'm not going to stay in Parliament. This is ruled out. I'm going to be in the position where I am today, because I have a lot of important work to do, said Kvirikashvili. The Prime Minister also made comments on the appointment of Dimitri Kumsishvili as the first Vice Prime Minister. "This is due to the fact that I and Kakha Kaladze will be very actively involved in the elections, while the economic team needs a good coordination. Therefore, all kinds of rumors and speculation about this matter is inappropriate," he said. (IPN) CEC: Number of Voters 3.47 Million The number of Georgias eligible voters stands at 3,473,316 according to figures released by the Central Election Commission on June 13. The CEC is responsible for compiling voter lists based on data provided on quarterly basis by the relevant authorities, primarily the Justice Ministrys Public Service Development Agency. The election commission will have to release updated figures on number of voters no later than October 3, five days before the parliamentary elections. Data released by the CEC also includes the number of voters in each of the 73 election districts. Georgias election districts have been redrawn to narrow the huge discrepancy in the size of single-mandate constituencies by merging some small districts and dividing larger ones. As a result boundaries of single-mandate constituencies no longer coincide with those of administrative borders of municipalities. The number of voters in each election district varies from 41,598 in the smallest one (Tbilisis single-mandate constituency covering mostly the capital citys Vake district) to 54,168 in the largest one (Rustavi is one of the two single-mandate constituencies). Before the redistricting, the number of voters was ranging from over 150,000 in the largest one to less than 6,000 in the smallest one. Lawmakers from the opposition UNM party have challenged the electoral redistricting in the Constitutional Court, claiming that the boundaries were redrawn to the detriment of opposition parties. The Constitutional Court found the appeal admissible and it is now being considered. As an interim measure pending the verdict, applicants also wanted to suspend application of the disputed clauses of the election code, but the request was declined by the Constitutional Court. (Civil.ge) Angela Merkel to visit Georgia in the near future German Chancellor Angela Merkel might visit Georgia this summer, Interpressnews reports. The news agency is quoting Reiner Haseloff, the minister president of the German federal state of Saxony-Anhalt, who added: In the near future, chancellor Angela Merkel is planning to visit your country. I wish I could be a member of that delegation, because I want to learn more about your country from different sides. It is good that our partnership is becoming more intense and tight. This is a great achievement for both countries. Haseloff said Georgia and Germany will be cooperating more closely in the field of education and science and announced that a memorandum of understanding will be signed on expanding exchange programs. Former Georgian PM Irakli Garibashvili invited Merkel in June 2014. She accepted the invitation, and the government began preparing for her visit, which was confirmed by Garibashvili and Foreign Minister of Germany Walter Steinmeir in December. But in February, 2015, Georgias ambassador to Germany Lado Chanturia said Merkels visit was postponed and would not take place that spring because Germany was hosting the G7 meeting. (DF watch) @ByKristenMClark Seeking to become the fourth Democrat to qualify for Florida's open U.S. Senate seat, Orlando U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson submitted his candidate paperwork this afternoon at the state Bureau of Elections' office in Tallahassee. Shortly after noon, Grayson dropped off his $10,440 check to get on the ballot, along with his candidate oath. Three other Democrats officially qualified on Monday, the first of the five-day window for candidates to qualify for this year's primary and general elections. They were: U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy of Jupiter, Jacksonville attorney Reginald Luster and California businessman "Rocky" Roque De La Fuente, a former presidential hopeful who moved to Orlando in March. (Murphy pre-filed by submitting his paperwork two weeks ago.) Miami labor attorney and former naval officer Pam Keith -- who, along with Murphy and Grayson, has been actively campaigning for months -- has yet to submit her paperwork. She has until noon Friday to do so. Before the deadline, there may be other candidates who jump in the race, as well. De La Fuente and Luster only started campaigning for the seat this month, and De La Fuente -- who spent $6 million of his own money on an unsuccessful presidential bid -- could potentially be a wild card in the Senate contest. On the Republican side, still only Manatee County developer Carlos Beruff and Orlando businessman Todd Wilcox had qualified by 2:45 p.m. Tuesday -- as the political world still waits for incumbent Republican Marco Rubio to make a decision on seeking re-election. Photo credit: U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Orlando, submits his paperwork to qualify for Florida's U.S. Senate race on June 21, 2016 at the Florida Bureau of Elections' office in Tallahassee. Kristen M. Clark / Herald/Times Tallahassee bureau Carlos Beruff reassured his campaign staff late Monday that he has no intention of backing out of his bid to win a seat in the U.S. Senate and is ready to open his wallet even further to get it done. Beruff, a Manatee County land developer who has already spent over $4 million of his own money to run for the seat, told his staff that he's prepared to put another $10 million to $15 million into the race to win the Republican primary according to sources in the meeting. Campaign spokesman Chris Hartline would not comment on the meeting, but said the campaign is ramping up its advertising. That includes signing contracts with television stations for advertising that will run through next week. The commitment comes as U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio has said he is considering changing his mind and running for re-election, partly because the shootings in Orlando gave him "pause" to think about how he can best serve. Rubio has not said when he will make a decision, but has to be noon on Friday - the deadline to qualify for the U.S. Senate race. Five Republicans were initially in the race to replace Rubio in the Senate. Beruff and Orlando area businessman Todd Wilcox have both said they are not intimidated by the prospect of running against Rubio. Both of those campaigns have cited the fact that Rubio lost 66 counties to Donald Trump in Florida's Republican presidential primary in March. U.S. Rep. David Jolly has already dropped out of the race, and Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera is expected to drop out if his friend Rubio gets into the race. U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis's campaign has said they are ignoring the Rubio rumors. But if Rubio gets in, there is speculation DeSantis would instead run for re-election to the U.S. House. Jolly's exit has open the playing field for the Republican candidates. Jolly, through two highly publicized campaigns, had an advantage in the Tampa Bay media market. But with him out, Tampa Bay - which represents about a quarter of all Republican primary voters - is now wide open. Beruff, who has lived in Manatee and Sarasota counties is banking on being able to make headway in the region with Jolly out. Hillary Clinton leads Donald Trump 47-39 in Florida in a new Quinnipiac poll released this morning. That's the largest lead Clinton has in three key swing states. They are in a dead heat in Ohio 40-40 and Clinton leads Trump in Pennsylvania 42-40. This is also the largest lead Clinton has had in Florida since the Q poll asked voters about a Clinton-Trump match-up in August 2015 -- the only time that Trump was ahead of Clinton. In October, Clinton was ahead five points and in May she was ahead by one point. The poll found that 58 percent of Florida voters found Trump's comments about the judge of Mexican descent racist -- and the margins were similar in Ohio and Pennsylvania. When broken down by party in Florida, 29 percent of Republican voters felt Trump's comments were racist as did 90 percent of Democratic voters. By wide margins, voters in each state say Clinton is better prepared than Trump to be president; that she is more intelligent than Trump and that she has higher moral standards, according to the poll. However, voters are divided on whether Trump is more honest and trustworthy than Clinton and voters in Ohio and Pennsylvania find him more inspiring. Florida voters give Clinton and Trump negative favorability ratings: 39 - 53 percent for her and 33 - 61 percent for him. Independents favor Clinton 44-35. "Of the three swing states, Florida has the largest number of electoral votes. In fact, it has the most of any of the roughly dozen states around the country considered to be in play. It is Hillary Clinton's best state and perhaps Donald Trump's toughest lift. One reason might be Florida has a larger Hispanic population than the other two states, and Trump has clashed with Hispanic leaders over some of his remarks," said Peter Brown, assistant director of the poll. The poll of 975 Florida voters was conducted June 8-19 and has a margin of error of 3.1 percent. Surveys were conducted on land and cell lines and in English and Spanish. @alextdaugherty Former Congressman Joe Garcia isn't hitting the airwaves anytime soon. The Democrat, who is running for his old 26th District seat in South Miami-Dade and the Florida Keys, is focused on saving funds for a potential general election matchup with Republican Carlos Curbelo. "At some point we may look at doing television advertising," Garcia said. "Last time, the Koch Brothers and company spent almost $7 million attacking me and I have no doubt they will be back again." The 26th District race promises to be one of the most expensive in the country, and Garcia appears to be saving resources instead of spending on his primary campaign with Annette Taddeo. The district was redrawn prior to this year's election and is seen as a prime pickup target for House Democrats. "This is a district that's been redesigned on three separate occasions to try to keep me from winning," Garcia said. Garcia represented the district for one term before losing to Curbelo. Taddeo trails in the polls and must build her name recognition with voters before the August 30th primary. She has endorsements from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, EMILY's List and the AFL-CIO. "If Washington knew how to win elections we would have a Congress that's Democratic," Garcia said in response to the DCCC's endorsement of Taddeo. "While it's very nice to be running for Congress for a year and a half, it's not my polls that say I'm winning." Garcia chose not to highlight any policy differences with Taddeo, who recently touted her progressive stance on the Cuban embargo. "I understand she wants to create a distinction and I'm sure I could too but its not worth it," Garcia said. Garcia pointed out his long-term friendship between himself and Taddeo, stating that he attended fundraisers at Taddeo's house and that they have endorsed each other in previous elections before this year's primary. He saved his sharpest criticism for Curbelo. "Mr. Curbelo opposed DACA and now he is for it, or at least not going to oppose it," Garcia said. "This is a guy who opposes Obamacare and voted to shut it down on every single occasion, yet his district is one of the ones that has benefited the most in the country with healthcare." Florida Sens. Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio voted on party lines this evening on four gun bills that surfaced after the Orlando massacre. All four bills died. What am I going to tell 49 grieving families? What am I going to tell the families of those that are still in the hospital fighting for their lives?' Nelson said at a news conference after the votes. 'What am I going to tell the trauma surgeon whose blood-stained shoes have been shown in a picture on so many news programs and who said he didnt know, in the midst of the screams and the cries, if they were black or white, or gay or straight, as they brought in over 40, all at one time, into that trauma operating room? What am I going to tell the community of Orlando that is trying to come together in the healing? Sadly, what I am going to have to tell them is that the NRA won again. Rubio issued a long explanation for his votes. At the end of the day, we know that law-abiding Americans will abide by whatever laws are passed affecting their Second Amendments rights, and that criminals and terrorists will keep ignoring these laws. Senators Cornyn and Grassley have struck the proper balance between addressing gaps in the law that could be exploited by terrorists while taking care not to place new burdens on lawful gun owners who simply want to protect themselves and their families. We know that the impetus for todays votes was the Orlando terrorist attack. We cant say for sure if anything in our laws would have stopped this maniac from carrying out some form of attack, but I know that the proposals I supported today would specifically fill gaps that are evident after this attack and protect people who may one day find themselves needing firearms to protect themselves. The Democrat proposals are politically-motivated and driven by a larger ideological agenda to disarm Americans. Democratic measures: Sen. Dianne Feinstein's proposal to allow the attorney general to deny firearms and explosives to suspected terrorists. Nelson voted yes; Rubio voted no. Sens. Chris Murphy, Cory Booker and Chuck Schumer plan to expand backgroud checks, including at a gun show. Nelson voted yes; Rubio voted no. Republican measures > Sen, John Cornyn's plan to delay the sale of guns to terrorism suspect for three days or longer. Nelson voted no; Rubio voted yes. > Sen. Charles Grassley's plan to increase funding for background checks but not to expand them. Nelson voted no; Rubio voted yes. Full Rubio statement: I supported Senator Cornyns bipartisan proposal, because in the case of the Orlando terrorist, it would have left him on the national background check system for five years and triggered additional review when he attempted to purchase a gun. This reasonable proposal would protect law-abiding Americans by ensuring that their Second Amendment rights are not denied unless terrorism suspicions are adjudicated by a court, following actual notice and a hearing. After all, the standard for denying someone any constitutional right must be a high one; it cannot be because the federal government says so. I opposed Senator Feinsteins proposal because it would not prevent terrorist attacks, but it would deny thousands of law-abiding Americans their constitutionally protected right to bear arms without any due process. Our terror watch lists are a mess that need to be fixed. We know there are thousands of innocent Americans who have been put on these lists without any justification, and getting their names cleared can be an arduous process. That is a fundamental violation of our constitutionally protected Second Amendment rights. Of course, no one supports terrorists getting any weapons, but we must also make sure that law-abiding Americans can own firearms to protect themselves. I opposed Senator Murphys proposal because it places too many burdens on law-abiding Americans exercising their Second Amendment rights, specifically as it relates to the transfer of firearms between friends and neighbors, and could criminalize many routine activities that occur between gun owners. This proposal places all the burdens on law-abiding Americans, who will grudgingly comply with everything, while criminals and terrorists ignore them. I instead supported Senator Grassleys proposal, which makes improvements to the national background check system without infringing on the rights of honest, law-abiding Americans. The Orlando terrorist attack has left a major void in the hearts of all the impacted families, their friends and others like me who have been deeply moved by what weve learned over the last eight days about the 49 people who were killed. These were young people in the primes of their lives, sons and daughters, taken too soon. This terrorist attack reminds us of the high stakes in this war on terror and how we cannot continue to allow radical Islamic terror groups to plan and train for attacks against the United States and our allies abroad, or allow their efforts to inspire homegrown terrorist acts like this. Even as we fight terrorists overseas and strengthen our abilities to prevent homegrown extremism, we cannot undermine the American peoples Second Amendment rights to protect themselves and their families. At the end of the day, we know that law-abiding Americans will abide by whatever laws are passed affecting their Second Amendments rights, and that criminals and terrorists will keep ignoring these laws. Senators Cornyn and Grassley have struck the proper balance between addressing gaps in the law that could be exploited by terrorists while taking care not to place new burdens on lawful gun owners who simply want to protect themselves and their families. We know that the impetus for todays votes was the Orlando terrorist attack. We cant say for sure if anything in our laws would have stopped this maniac from carrying out some form of attack, but I know that the proposals I supported today would specifically fill gaps that are evident after this attack and protect people who may one day find themselves needing firearms to protect themselves. The Democrat proposals are politically-motivated and driven by a larger ideological agenda to disarm Americans. Senator Cornyn amendment #4742: This amendment provides law enforcement with appropriate tools to investigate and detain terrorists while preventing them from obtaining firearms and also protecting fundamental due process rights. After taking appropriate steps to confirm the identity of the prospective transferee and confirm or rule out their connection to terrorism, federal prosecutors will have the needed authority to arrest and detain terrorists immediately. Senator Grassley amendment #4751: This amendment addresses gun violence by improving federal and state law enforcements ability to share and access records in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). Additionally, the amendment provides better protections from gun violence by addressing mental illness in the criminal justice system and strengthening laws against trafficking of illegal firearms. -- Alex Leary, Tampa Bay Times @ByKristenMClark Former presidential hopeful and newly qualified Democratic U.S. Senate candidate "Rocky" Roque De La Fuente was not a registered Democrat in Florida until this afternoon after the Herald/Times inquired about the status of his voter registration. Records show De La Fuente registered as a "no party affiliation" voter on March 28, after he moved to Orlando from his hometown of San Diego, Calif. That was his current status as of 2:57 p.m. today, according to an email from the Orange County Supervisor of Elections' office. As the Herald/Times then made inquiries to De La Fuente's campaign and the San Diego County (Calif.) Registrar of Voters, De La Fuente went to the Orange County Supervisor of Elections' office and changed his affiliation to the Florida Democratic Party. His amended voter application is time-stamped as received by the office at 3:43 p.m. But De La Fuente told the Herald/Times in an interview shortly after that that he had corrected his voter registration this morning. Thousands of Montanans live today with Alzheimer's disease, and the number of those effected from the debilitating mental disease is only expected to grow in the coming decade. But without a comprehensive state plan to improve care and bolster resources, officials are concerned that they won't be able to meet the needs of people suffering from the disease, as well as those of their families and caregivers. "We have numerous resources at the ready but have lacked an organized inventory and efficient way to deliver them throughout the state to those in need," said Lynn Mullowney, executive director of the Montana chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. With that in mind, on Monday Gov. Steve Bullock and the Montana Alzheimer's/Dementia Work Group rolled out the Montana Alzheimer's State Plan, Montana's first-ever plan to prepare for and deal with the disease and similar conditions. "Montana now has a framework to cooperatively address the full range of issues surrounding Alzheimers disease and related dementias," Bullock said in a prepared statement. "While the scientific community continues seeking treatments and curative therapies, Montanas comprehensive state plan will help provide vital services and supports for individuals and families facing the disease today." Across the state, 19,000 people have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's or related dementia and another 49,000 people provide care for them, while officials expect the number of people affected to grow by 40 percent by 2025. The plan involved a two-year examination of the disease and its effect in Montana by the work group and lays out a set of recommendations to address the social and economic impact it has around the state. "We've needed a thoughtfully prepared and purposefully executed Montana Alzheimer's State Plan," Mullowney said. Included in the plan are 11 main goals that, ideally, would create and improve health care opportunities for Alzheimer's treatment and management in communities statewide. The goals range from promoting public awareness and providing education, training and tools for health care professionals to expanding and improving home- and hospital-based care and better data collection, keeping enough trained health workers at the ready and implementing systemic changes to help caregivers. Along with the recommendations, the plan includes action steps specific to each goal, with the planned end result being a higher quilaity of life for people living with Alzheimer's. Mullowney said the prevalence of the disease in Montana, along with its impact on families and those who treat it, makes it something that has the potential to touch every person in Montana. That combined with what the working group determined to be a health care system that currently doesn't meet all of the needs of Alzheimer's patients due to a lack of coordination makes it a serious concern and stresses even more the need for a comprehensive plan, she said. Even so, the plan won't mean much if it isn't put into action. "Now begins the critical work of implementation," Mullowney said. "If everyone in Montana who has Alzheimer's or a related dementia (and those providing their care) lived in one city, it would have a population of nearly 70,000, and be second in size only to Billings. Because Alzheimer's affects another person every 66 seconds, we have no time to waste." Longest Day The plan's announcement intentionally came in conjunction with The Longest Day, a daylong national Alzheimer's Association effort held each year on the day of the summer solstice to honor those suffering from or caring for people with the disease, spread awareness and raise funds. In Billings, recently-opened Expresso Brake mobile coffee shop and espresso bar teamed up with the local Alzheimer's Association to help in the effort, sharing information with customers and donating $1 from every drink sold to support the association. Owners Dan and Lisa Williams brought in a guest barista from local businesses and organizations at each of a dozen hourlong stops throughout the day to help serve coffee, espresso and other drinks. The custom-built truck follows a route through town, stopping at various points for an hour or so and serving people who work in nearby areas before moving on, as well as working hired events. Dan Williams said he's known Mullowney for years and when she approached him about helping, he and his wife got on board right away. "The idea was to get guest baristas and maybe they'd bring a new crowd with them," he said. "We absolutely want to help out and give back, and this is a way to spread awareness about the disease." Stephanie Bond works in performance improvement at St. Vincent Healthcare and served as a guest barista twice throughout the day. She said since she's worked around Alzheimer's patients and has lost grandparents to the disease, she didn't think twice about volunteering to help. "I've seen the impact it can have on families," she said. "It's really difficult to describe. It can be devastating." The working group that designed the state plan is made up of more than 40 Alzheimer's advocates who spent the last two years gathering information from people, agencies and organizations across Montana. Mullowney said that the group's work and ensuing plan come on the heels of the first National Alzheimer's Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease, set in 2012 with a goal of treating and preventing the disease by 2025. It's an effort, she said, that could provide much-needed help and resources to thousands of people in Montana. "We are fortunate to have a skilled and impassioned collective of private individuals and public entities all wanting to make a difference in the face of this unrelenting illness," Mullowney said. "Now begins the real work of creating a dementia-capable Montana." A Darby man appeared in Missoula County Justice Court on Monday to face charges for allegedly punching his mother, holding a knife to her throat and threatening to cut her. John Edward Culver, 36, went before Justice of the Peace Karen Orzech for his initial appearance. He is charged with felony assault with a weapon and misdemeanor partner or family member assault. He is currently on parole for a prior conviction of assault with a weapon. According to court records, on June 17 the Missoula Police Department was called to a report of a suicidal male traveling through Missoula en route to Ravalli County from Helena. A Montana Veterans Affairs staff member also called 911 to say that Culver would be coming to the Montana VA clinic in Missoula with his mother. The staff member said that Culvers mother told her that Culver was aggressive and intoxicated. The mother reported that he had taken Klonopin and had been drinking, and he had used a knife to threaten her during the trip. An officer made contact with the mother after she and Culver arrived at the clinic. The officer noticed that Culvers mother was wincing in pain and appeared to clutch her ribs on the right side of her abdomen. When asked about her injuries, Culvers mother said she had recently suffered a fall. When officers asked about her previous statement that Culver had threatened her with a knife, she became very emotional and agitated, and asked who told the officers that information. She initially denied that Culver had caused her any injuries and then reportedly stated if he did, I wouldnt tell you. Eventually she admitted that Culver had punched her several times in the abdomen and arms as well as grasped her by the neck and hair with his hands. She showed officers fresh abrasions on her arms and neck. She told police she believed her ribs may have been cracked as a direct result of strikes inflicted on her by Culver. She then stated that Culver assaulted her in front of several onlookers in a parking lot by the Poverello Center but did not understand why nobody called 911. She also indicated that Culver had held a knife to her neck and threatened to cut her throat. She stated she was eventually able to persuade him to set the knife down. When police asked her if she was afraid, she reported that she is only fearful of her son when he experiences an episode or when he is intoxicated. She said she feels Culver is a danger only to himself and to her. When police later informed her that they would be arresting Culver for criminal charges, she became agitated and uncooperative and refused to allow any photographs of her injuries. Orzech ordered that Culver be held on $50,000 bond and have no contact with his alleged victim and that he have no contact with weapons or drugs. Culver's mother was in the courtroom, and she asked if it was OK to speak with her son on the phone as long as they didn't discuss the case. Her request was granted by Orzech. In 1914, my great-grandfather, Hartvig Knudsen, immigrated to this country from Denmark. He was 17 years old. Upon arrival, he learned English and refused to speak Danish with his brothers who had preceded him to Montana, because he was an American now. In 1917, he enlisted in the United States Army and served in World War I. He married a northeast Montana girl, homesteaded at McCabe, and 100 years later, here I am. My great-grandfather came to this country the right way. He followed the law. He became a U.S. citizen. He wanted to be an American. When he got here, he recognized that he was no longer a Dane, but an American. He loved his new country so much that, after only two years here, he signed up to defend her in the Great War. As we speak, President Obama is relocating tens of thousands of Syrian and other Muslim country refugees into our country. These people are not following the same legal immigration process that my great-grandfather and Im guessing many of your ancestors did. They are being unfairly moved to the front of the line, given privileged status, and being placed in our heartland at a record rate. There are no requirements that these refugees take courses in U.S. history, civics or English, as is required of foreigners seeking U.S. citizenship today. They are not being required to assimilate to our American culture. In fact, most of them are tacitly encouraged to bring their culture with them, and are now demanding that we assimilate to them. Much of this Muslim culture is foreign and strange to us. Our culture doesnt require our women to cover themselves head to toe. We dont treat our women as second-class citizens, and not allow them to speak or testify in court. We dont teach our sons that it is appropriate to beat their wives if they are disobedient. And we dont condone death as the appropriate punishment for those who choose to follow a different lifestyle or who dont follow the same religion that we do. Gov. Steve Bullock has said that he would not oppose any plan to relocate Syrian refugees into Montana. He tells us not to worry, that the U.S. government background checks all of these refugees. Well, governor, my wife was a contracted federal background investigator for several years, and its difficult enough to do a background check on a U.S. citizen for the last five years. It requires weeks of neighbor interviews, employer interviews, family interviews and paperwork checking, all within the U.S. Do you really think a background check of this level is being conducted on an unknown refugee from Syria, a nearly third-world, non-ally country? Do you really believe that, even if Syria had background records on its citizens, the Syrian government would provide that information to the U.S. government? Greg Gianforte opposes efforts to relocate refugees into Montana, and supports efforts to secure our countrys borders. He believes that only those immigrants who want to be Americans should receive the privilege of U.S. citizenship. I hope youll all remember that on Election Day and join me in supporting and voting for Greg Gianforte for Montana governor. In response to Rep. Ed Greefs June 8 Missoulian guest column: Empty rail cars detract from scenic beauty. I applaud Greef for pointing out that there is scenic beauty which we enjoy in the Bitterroot Valley and I am pleased that he is now on record as saying it is something worth protecting. This is a very good gesture, however, as a state legislator, I think he should be thinking of bigger-picture issues. If he is going to spend his time focused on a local site-specific problem, then it should be one whose fix benefits the state. This is an ideal situation where he could be supporting legislation that recognizes and protects one of the assets that makes Montana special. Instead, he is publically criticizing Montana Rail Link for doing what they have a constitutional right to do with their property. We are fortunate to live in a state where people travel from all over the world to visit. Montanas scenic beauty is a major reason why out-of-state visitors spend close to $4 billion annually, supporting over 55,000 jobs and creating a more diversified economy. As a legislator responsible for state-level policy, he should be asking what the state should be doing to assist counties in focusing economic development in places and in ways that dont irreparably harm the scenic quality of the entire state. Where does Greef stand on supporting legislation that might help eliminate future threats of a similar nature in other scenic places in Montana? Although Greef has been in office since 2010, his legislative record doesnt provide us many clues about where he stands on supporting efforts that benefit all citizens. One clue I found which could be interpreted on where he stands on wise land use decisions is his sponsoring of House Bill 289 in the last session. It eliminated the requirement that a county needed a growth policy before a targeted economic development district could be designated. While creating special tax increment financing districts is an important tool to encourage new businesses to move into rural areas of insufficient service infrastructure, the elimination of the growth policy provision weakens the ability of residents to have a say in where industrial growth, and its consequent impacts, should go. Although I support Greefs sponsoring a bill that promotes economic development, he chose a quick-fix solution that eliminates the need for a big picture look at a proposal and has potential long-term, statewide, unintended consequences. Requiring a comprehensive growth policy is a valuable tool and does have its benefits. For example, it can be used to direct industrial and other intensive developments to the most appropriate places with the least impact to other valuable assets, like scenery. Thinking about unintended consequences of legislation is part of being a big picture thinker. State representatives owe a responsibility to their local constituents, but they also have a responsibility to the entire state. The people of Montana need more than just someone who complains publically to get local votes; we need a legislator who takes the broad view in problem-solving and who thinks bigger than their back yard. U.S. House passes human rights resolution regarding organ harvesting atrocities: The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed on June 13 House Resolution 343, which expresses concern regarding persistent and credible reports of systematic, state-sanctioned organ harvesting from non-consenting prisoners of conscience in the People's Republic of China, including from large numbers of Falun Gong practitioners and members of other religious and ethnic minority groups, including Christians, Tibetans and Uighurs. The resolution further calls on the regime to immediately end the 17-year persecution of Falun Gong, and release all Falun Gong practitioners and other prisoners of conscience. It calls for a credible, transparent and independent investigation into the Chinas organ transplantation system. Falun Gong is an ancient Chinese self-improvement practice that follows the principles of truthfulness, compassion and tolerance. It was banned by the Chinese regime in 1999 because of its popularity, and practitioners are arrested, tortured and sometimes killed for their belief. It is now practiced by over 100 million people in over 114 countries throughout the world. The resolution garnered strong bipartisan support, with 185 co-sponsors from congressmen throughout the country. Thanks to U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke for voting for this resolution. Katherine Combes, Kalispell Why does gun violence exist? There is no evidence-based answer to that question, and the reason for the lack of science around this issue is surprising, if not appalling there is a ban on federal funding for gun violence research. In the wake of the mass shooting in Orlando, Fla., on June 12, and prior to that awful event, many have been calling for an end to the ban, knowing that research is one of the most valuable elements in understanding the facts about gun violence. Earlier this month, delegates attending the American Medical Associations annual conference voted to recognize that gun violence is a public health issue, and that public health solutions are needed to address the problem. The AMA delegates said part of the solution is to end the ban on gun violence research, established by Congress in 1996 the ban basically prevents the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from funding such research. What might such research teach us? For one, we might learn how those perpetrating gun violence acquire their weapons. We might learn if attempts to limit access to firearms might lead to a reduction in crime or suicide. We also might learn whether firearms owners with a history of drug and alcohol convictions are more likely to commit violence than gun owners without such a history. We might learn more about what we already know that those arrested for violent crimes tend to be young men; that a history of violence can predict involvement in gun-related crimes; that unemployment is a risk factor for violence. Heres the history of the ban on gun violence research, as reported by The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in its April 26, 2016 issue: The CDC hasnt funded research into gun violence prevention for two decades, ever since Congress included something called the Dickey Amendment for then-Rep. Jay Dickey, R-Ark., who introduced it on page 245 of the 750-page Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act of 1997 None of the funds made available for injury prevention and control at the (CDC) may be used to advocate or promote gun control. JAMA reported that the amendment was in response to a CDC-funded study that concluded having a gun in the home was associated with a higher risk of homicide by a family member or intimate acquaintance. Additionally, JAMA reported that the same language now also applies to the National Institutes of Health, since the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2012. However, the NIH has managed to fund at least one major gun violence study since 2012. I have not been able to locate any articles related to how much that puts the NIH at risk, given the ban. The JAMA article went on to quote AMA President Steven Stack, who noted the importance of finding evidence-based solutions to gun violence. An epidemiological analysis of gun violence is vital so physicians and other health providers, law enforcement and society at large may be able to prevent injury, death and other harms to society resulting from firearms, Stack told JAMA. The journal also reported this: More than 30,000 Americans die annually from firearms used in homicides and suicides, and hundreds more die in incidents in which a gun accidentally discharges. Thats an average of 88 deaths daily from homicides, suicides and unintentional gunshots. As a December 2015 article in Modern Healthcare put it, Its the equivalent of an airplane falling out of the sky every day. Americans are dying from gun violence. Using science to establish solutions is a core value of public health. We in the field need Congress to lift the ban on gun violence research so that the CDC and NIH can be unfettered in pursuit of answers. Police reports PARTY PALACE FIGHT A helicopter flew a Butte man to a Missoula hospital after another man head-butted and punched him at the Party Palace bar, Park and Main, early Friday. Police say Bryant Mannie Hansen, 24, of Butte, punched the 37-year-old man shortly after midnight Thursday and left the scene. After being punched, the victim fell to the floor and struck his head, police said. Hansen left the scene in a copper-colored Dodge pickup and was pulled over in the 800 block of Dewey Boulevard. He was booked for felony assault, driving drunk and having no liability insurance and was released hours later Friday after posting $25,000 bail. The victim was reported in stable condition, police said Monday. CHAIN LONGER THAN THOUGHT A Butte man who misjudged how much slack a pit bull had on his chain was bitten twice on the arm, and after some confusion, the dogs owner was taken to jail on an outstanding warrant. Police say the 42-year-old man was walking by in the 400 block of Iron Street Friday afternoon when the pit bull got to him. The victim was treated at St. James Healthcare. Amber Ingram, 38, of Butte, came outside of her house and told police and Animal Control she didnt know where the pit bull was, but she was arrested for a warrant out of Butte City Court. A man in the house then came out with the dog, which was taken and quarantined. THAT'S NOT AN ID Police asked a man to show them identification late Friday night but he pulled out a colorful marijuana pipe instead and was cuffed. Officers responded to 1800 block of Harrison Avenue on a report that someone was passed out on the sidewalk. Police asked for ID but Marcus Anthony Yerkich, 21, handed them a green, orange and blue marijuana pipe. They also found a bag of pot on him, and although he told police he had a Montana medical marijuana card, he did not. He was booked for possession of drugs and paraphernalia, both misdemeanors. PARKING LOT DISTURBANCE A man who was yelling and throwing things around in the Walmart parking lot Friday night was arrested for having methamphetamine. Leonard Ray Lillyblad, 60, told officers he was speaking to Lord and was from both Butte and Colorado but had no ID. He did have a wallet in his back pocket, however, and revealed a small bag of meth when he was placed in the back of a patrol car. He was booked for felony possession of dangerous drugs and misdemeanor criminal contempt and obstructing a peace officer. HOLED UP IN BATHROOM A man who tried to shoplift a sweatshirt from a Town Pump locked himself in the stores bathroom stall and only came out after repeated requests from an officer. Police say Joseph Loren Bates, 37, of Butte, took a sweatshirt off a rack, worked to get an anti-theft device off and put it on in the bathroom, then put on his coat over it. He was arrested for misdemeanor shoplifting and booked with bond set at $1,085. SPARRING GONE BAD Two men who were sparring on Broadway Street outside the Leggat apartment building ended up behind bars late Sunday. Polcie say Brenden Lee White, 24, of Butte, had thrown objects at a street light and broke it before he and Jack Wayne Brown, 44, of Butte began sparring in the street. Brown was arrested for misdemeanor disorderly conduct and White was booked on complaints of criminal mischief and disorderly conduct, both misdemeanors. BOY PULLS KNIFE An 11-year old boy was arrested Saturday night after pulling a knife on two girls at Clark Park. The girls said they got into an argument with the boy when he pulled a knife and threatened them. He was arrested for assault with a weapon but was released to his parents. The drop zone was tiny and the winds were whirling, but that didnt stop the first step of a bridge building effort on Blodgett Creek. It went without a hitch, said Bitterroot Forest trails foreman Steve Bull. This summer, the Bitterroot National Forest plans to replace a sagging stock bridge about three miles up from what many consider the forests most popular trailhead. Last week, the Montana Conservation Corps crew that will build the bridge across Blodgett Creek hiked up to the spot while members of the forests helitack team worked to package the nine loads of lumber and other materials that will be used to build the structure later this summer. The most daunting appeared to be the 40-foot-long, 950-pound stringers that would be used to create the bridges base. Bitterroot Forest helicopter manager John McKee screwed on rubber tires cut in half onto the bottom of the massive pieces of lumber in hopes of providing some protection. The landing zone is kind of small and there are a lot of rocks right there, McKee said. Ive never done this before. Well see if it will help. The type 3 helicopter used that day is based in Hamilton through the fire season. At the trailheads elevation and the days cool temperatures, McKee said it was capable of lifting up to 1,600 pounds. Cool air is better for this kind of work, he said. At the bridge site, the MCC crew and Bull had created a kind of sawhorse from a couple of logs for the stringers to rest on until work commences sometime in late July. That pilot was very impressive, Bull said. He placed those stringers right down on the spot they needed to be. I was a little worried because the winds were kicking up and we were in a tight little spot, but he and the helitack crew did an exceptional job. Without the use of a helicopter to transport the large stringers, Bull said it would have been difficult, if not impossible, to rebuild the bridge. Advertisement (1 of 1): 0:13 There is really no way to get those stringers in without a helicopter, he said. Theres no timber nearby that you could use to build the bridge either. Construction work on the bridge itself is planned to begin about July 26. The trail will remain open during construction, except for those few times when the MCC crew is using ropes to swing heavy rocks or the stringers into place. It wont happen very often and the wait shouldnt be too long, Bull said. It does take a little while when youre rigging up a 1,000-pound stringer and moving it into place. During construction, people will have to get their feet wet to get across the creek. People will have to ford the creek, Bull said. Its very flat and there shouldnt be that much water in the creek by that time of year. They will just have to peel off their shoes to get across. Bull guesses that it will take about six weeks to complete the job. Their plans call for enlarging the abutments in hopes that theyll last for several lifecycles of the bridges placed there. Im estimating that were going to place 60 to 80 tons of rock into the abutments, Bull said. Bull will be working with a seven-person MCC crew. They have been allotted four eight-day hitches to get the job done. I dont believe its going to take us quite that much time, he said. We are fortunate to have these MCC crews here on the forest. They are fantastic. The bridge is being paid for by monies allocated by the Ravalli County Resource Advisory Committee. The committee allocates a portion of the federal payment in lieu of taxes (PILT) monies that come into Ravalli County for a variety of natural-resource-based projects. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy Donald Trump is coming off one of the worst weeks of his presidential campaign. The presumptive Republican nominees polling numbers and favorability scores are suffering another dip after he made a string of eyebrow-raising statements about a federal judge, Muslims and the shooting in Orlando. News outlets have reported conservatives are reigniting an attempt to block Trump at the Republican convention in July. And Trump recently fired his longtime campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski. As the InsideGov visualization shows, presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton leads Trump by about 6 points as of June 17, according to polling data averages from RealClearPolitics. COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa An April site visit indicates the Columbus School District will end Fiscal Year 2016 with a positive unspent balance, the first in three years. But in a report, state educational officials who conducted the visit cautioned the district would need to continue monitoring its personnel and financial needs to prevent a relapse to negative figures. Superintendent Gary Benda provided the report from Jeff Berger, Iowa Department of Education Deputy Director, Division of School Finance and Support Services; and Thomas Cooley, Chief, IDE Bureau of Finance, Facilities, Operations and Transportation Services, to the Columbus School Board during its regular monthly meeting Monday. Cooley headed a team that included four consultants that visited the school from April 4-6. According to a cover letter from the two state officials, the visit was to determine if the districts financial records and other information supported a financial action plan the school board adopted several months ago in an effort to return to a positive unspent balance. Although the team acknowledged the district would likely end its 2015-16 fiscal year with a positive unspent balance, it also warned of future potential problems. The team is concerned that anticipated staff changes for the incoming year may result in a return to a negative position in the future if the long term impact of these changes are not closely monitored, Berger and Cooley reported in the cover letter that was dated May 5. Benda did not address any specific points in the 25-page report and board members did not ask any specific questions. The board is scheduled to meet with members of the team during its July 18 meeting. Benda did urge board members to review the report prior to the July meeting so they could be prepared to respond to any questions from the team. Ive never done this, so I dont know what they will come up with, he told the board. Included in the report was a three-page list of conclusions and recommendations from the IDE team that called for Columbus school officials to closely monitor its future staff hiring, ensure it stayed within its published budget for the General Fund, review its Teacher Leadership and Compensation funding to avoid over-estimation of miscellaneous income and other issues. In other action, the board voted 3-1 not to approve an online class agreement with Muscatine Community College (MCC) that would have provided dual college credit for Columbus students. According to discussions during Mondays meeting and an earlier meeting, Columbus traditionally has paid $250 per online class. That amount is identified in a current board policy, but under a previously approved agreement, the college had charged around 50 percent of its normal class fee. Last year the school district spent nearly $14,700 for students to take the classes. Benda told the board Monday that MCC had proposed dropping the fee to around 22 percent, but that would still mean the district would pay around $7,000. He suggested the district continue to offer the $250 for students to take online courses, either through four-year college offerings, the Iowa Online program or other options the school may find. Board member Joy Lekwa said she supported the agreement because it offered Columbus students an opportunity to take college credit courses. Board member Dave Duncan was absent. In final action, the board voted to establish a $20 School Instructional Materials Fee for next year that all students will pay. It will replace a $60-$65 fee students now pay. LETTS, Iowa The Grandview-Letts Lions will host a community blood drive from 1:30 pm to 6:30 p.m, on Thursday, July 14 in the librarys Community Room, 125 E. Iowa St., Letts. All donors will receive an I Gave to Save summer t-shirt; will be entered into a drawing for a $300 gas card; and will be entered into the summer drawing for a new Ford Fiesta. To donate, please contact Earl McGill at (319) 729-2281 or visit www.bloodcenterimpact.org and use code 123 to locate the drive. Potential donors must be at least 17 years of age (16 with parental permission form available through www.bloodcenter.org) and weigh more than 110 pounds. A photo I.D. is required to donate. For questions about eligibility, please call the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center at (800)747-5401. Donors who last gave blood on or before 5/19/16 are eligible to give at this drive. Blood donation is a safe, simple procedure that takes about 45 minutes to one hour. Individuals with diabetes or controlled high blood pressure may be accepted as eligible donors. Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center is the provider of blood and blood components to more than 90 hospitals in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Wisconsin. Locally, MVRBC is the exclusive provider to of blood products to patients at hospitals in Muscatine, Burlington, Washington, Iowa City, and the Quad Cities. MUSCATINE, Iowa The Muscatine City Council will hold a special meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 23 at City Hall to discuss proposed changes to the Muscatine city code. A citizens group calling themselves Take Back Muscatine, will hold an informational picket at 6 p.m. Thursday in front of Muscatine City Hall, 215 Sycamore St. The council voted unanimously at the April 21 meeting to direct the city attorney to draft changes to the city code, including changing the appointing authority for all boards and commissions to the city council. The proposed draft amendments would also change the appointment and removal authority for the fire chief and police chief to the city administrator, which would then need to be approved by the city council. The mayor currently holds the appointment authorities, subject to the approval of the city council. Councilman Tom Spread made the motion, which included direction to hold an in-depth session that the city attorney should attend after the code changes had been drafted. Spread said he began considering proposing changes in January while reflecting on his first term as a council member. Mayor Diana Broderson said she does not support the changes, and is concerned they will remove checks and balances from the system. "Since the Mayor has taken office, many of her commission appointment have been denied by the council. As well, her request that the council open its meetings with an invocation delivered by the diverse faith and secular communities in Muscatine was also voted down by the council," according to a press release from Take Back Muscatine. "We at Take Back Muscatine see the councils actions as not in the spirit of good government, based on shared powers, checks and balances." Take Back Muscatine is urging citizens to call their councilman and ask them what is the reason for stripping the mayor of power, when just last year, they already updated the city charter. "If the mayors appointment powers were not an issue then, why is it an issue now? We feel that the city councils actions have nothing to do with good governance, but only with isolating a democratically elected mayor with whom they do not agree," according to the group's press release. Chinese President Xi Jinping published a signed article on leading Uzbek newspaper Narodnoye Slove under the title of "A Glorious New Chapter in China-Uzbekistan Friendship" on Tuesday, ahead of his state visit to the Central Asian country. The English translated version of the article, also carried by the Jahon news agency, is as follows. A Glorious New Chapter in China-Uzbekistan Friendship By H.E. Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China "Grass-covered land is lush green and snow-clad mountains are translucent and silvery," to quote a poem written by a Chinese envoy in Ming Dynasty after his mission to Central Asia over 600 years ago. The magnificent landscape of Uzbekistan is familiar to and admired by the Chinese people since ancient times. I first visited your beautiful country in September 2013 and was deeply impressed by its distinct natural scenery, time-honored history and cultural heritage, and the hard-working and talented people. At this fascinating time of lush green, I will once again visit Uzbekistan and attend the Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Tashkent at the invitation of President Islam Karimov. This is a visit I am very much looking forward to. The people of our two countries are diligent, courageous and honest. They cherish friendship and share similar views on personal dedication to the welfare of the nation and the world. Over 2,000 years ago, the ancient Silk Road connected China and Uzbekistan and has since witnessed the growth of two-way trade, mutual learning and people-to-people friendship. Zhang Qian in Western Han Dynasty, Xuan Zang in Tang Dynasty and Chen Cheng in Ming Dynasty traveled to Uzbekistan as an envoy or for a stopover. Renowned historical and cultural figures in Uzbekistan such as Alisher Navoi, Mirza Ulugbek and Muhammad Al Khwarizmi are known in China for their works and thoughts. Central Asia is the meeting place of Chinese and Western cultures, and Uzbekistan has played an important role as a bridge of communication. Over the centuries, China and Uzbekistan have maintained close contacts and fostered a fine tradition of friendly exchanges, thus laying a solid foundation for the good-neighborly relations we enjoy today. Uzbekistan is a major country in Central Asia. China views its relations with Uzbekistan from a strategic and long-term perspective. China was among the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with Uzbekistan shortly after its independence. Over the past 24 years, bilateral relations have stood the test of time and changes in the international landscape and kept a momentum of sound and steady growth. Our two sides have rendered each other firm support on issues concerning our respective core interests and achieved fruitful results in cooperation in various fields. Since 2013, President Karimov and I have stayed in close touch by way of meetings, phone calls and correspondence, and have developed good working relations and deep personal friendship. Our two sides have signed such important documents as the Treaty on Friendly Cooperation and the Development Plan for the Strategic Partnership (2014-2018), thus cementing the political and legal foundation of bilateral relations. We are jointly building the Belt and Road, synergizing our national strategies, seeking innovative drivers for cooperation, and enhancing international coordination and security cooperation. With bilateral cooperation growing in both breadth and depth, China-Uzbekistan relations have entered a golden era of rapid development. Jointly building the Belt and Road is a highlight and priority in our bilateral cooperation. In policy communication, our two countries have signed the cooperation document on jointly building the Belt and Road and are working on an outline of cooperation plan. China appreciates that Uzbekistan was one of the first countries to express interest in the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and has joined it as a founding member. In 2015, our two-way trade reached 3.5 billion U.S. dollars, up by more than 70-fold compared with the early days of our diplomatic relations. China has been Uzbekistan's biggest source of investment and second largest trading partner for three years. All four pipelines of the China-Central Asia natural gas pipeline system run through Uzbekistan. In February this year, our two sides completed the construction of the Angren-Pap railway tunnel, the longest of its kind in Central Asia and a new link in the transportation corridor connecting China and Central Asia. Both sides support the building of a railway linking China, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan and will reach out to the relevant country to make progress in the project. Our two countries have jointly established plants for the production of tire, PVC and soda, carried out cooperation in cotton processing, and registered initial success in the production of ceramic tiles, smart phones, leather products and shoes in the China-Uzbekistan Industrial Park. It is fair to say that important "early harvests" have been achieved in our cooperation on the Belt and Road. Both China and Uzbekistan have a long history and splendid culture. People-to-people and cultural exchanges have been part and parcel of our bilateral relations. In recent years, the two sides have made fresh progress in student exchange programs, Chinese language training, sub-national exchanges, joint archaeological projects and translation of literary works. As a result of these, the friendship between our peoples has deepened. Cultural cooperation has brought our peoples closer. Thanks to our good collaboration, the first Confucius Institute in Central Asia was opened in Tashkent 11 years ago and has since produced more than 3,000 "ambassadors" promoting China-Uzbekistan friendship. The State Administration of Cultural Heritage of China, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the Northwest University of China have worked actively with Uzbekistan on joint archaeological research and restoration, making important contributions to restoring the historical sites of the Silk Road. Just recently, the Uzbek edition of the Cat Country, a novel written by renowned Chinese writer Lao She and translated by a Uzbek sinologist, has been published. I trust it will open another window for people in Uzbekistan to know more about Chinese literature. China and Uzbekistan are a community of common interest and shared future featuring equality, solidarity and win-win cooperation. To pursue development and national renewal is the dream of both our peoples. Given the deep changes in the international landscape, slow recovery in the world economy and daunting tasks of development for all countries, to enhance our bilateral cooperation in all respects meets the trend of history and serves the fundamental interest of our two countries and peoples. We hope that China and Uzbekistan will make greater achievements in the pursuit of common development and prosperity. -- We need to enhance political mutual trust and mutual support. The ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius said, "In his dealings with friends, one should be trustworthy in what he says." Political mutual trust is an important basis for the sound growth of China-Uzbekistan relations. We will continue to extend each other firm support on issues concerning each other's core interests such as sovereignty, security and development. China firmly supports Uzbekistan in its independent choice of a development path that suits its national conditions, understands and respects the measures taken by the Uzbek government for national stability and economic and social development, and opposes interference by external forces in Uzbekistan's internal affairs. Les emplois a Rennes sont abondants et varies. Il y a quelque chose pour tout le monde. Que vous soyez a la recherche dun emploi [] Les blattes ou cafards (Blatta orientalis) sont des insectes qui appartiennent a la famille des Blattoptera. Ils se caracterisent par leur forme allongee, leurs ailes [] Communications Minister Faith Muthambi has hit out at Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande over recent comments he made about digital television. Nzimande, who also heads up the South African Communist Party (SACP), told Eyewitness News last week that Muthambi went against ANC policy on digital migration. In 2015, Muthambi sided with the SABC and MultiChoice by altering policy to ensure that subsidised set-top boxes for 5 million poorer households would not be encrypted. But broadcaster e.tv legally challenged this decision by saying that an unencrypted system would hinder the provision of high quality content while risking the piracy of content. And last month, Bloemfonteins Supreme Court of Appeal struck down Muthambis decision by saying it would force e.tv to fork out an extra R3bn to make encyrpted set-top boxes for the poorer households. Its very unfortunate that its the SCA that must reinstate what was originally the position of the ANC, Nzimande told Eyewitness News. We know that Naspers and Multichoice have been lobbying very hard, but Im not saying its as a result of that lobbying that he has done that, but we know that they have been lobbying very very hard in order to keep their monopoly. Thats why monopolies are dangerous, Nzimande added. However, Muthambi has hit back at Nzimandes comments by alleging that the matter of encryption has been misunderstood. To either expressly or by implication allege that Minister Muthambi has gone against the ANC policy on digital migration amendments is patently untrue, said Muthambis office in a statement. Furthermore it is disingenuous and a veiled attack on the integrity of Minister Muthambi to seek to suggest that the Minister may have been successfully lobbied by any group of interested parties, Muthambis office added. Muthambis office said its unclear why Nzimande singled out MultiChoice as she claims that e.tv has also been lobbying just as hard as have manufacturers and other entities in civil society. Muthambi, in the statement, further said that her position regarding encryption is that there will be a control system to prevent the sale of government subsidised STBs outside of South Africa. Muthambi, though, didnt explain what this control system entails exactly or how it differs from encryption, but she said that such a mechanism has been put in place. It is not the position of government to subsidise commercial players, by putting in place encryption for conditional access which is a pay TV technology. Government and the policy has been very clear that if parties want to do this then it is at their own cost. It is unfortunate that the two types of encryption have been conveniently confused and conflated to undermine the Cabinet position and isolate Minister Muthambi, said Muthambis office. Meanwhile, South Africa risks falling behind the rest of the world on digital migration as the country missed a key International Telecommunications Union (ITU) deadline in June last year. Government, though, started its subsidised set-top box roll-out in parts of the Northern Cape late last year while parts of Limpopo have been earmarked this year so far. However, the telecoms industry has called for faster action on digital migration as the SABC is sitting on key frequencies that will be used for faster mobile broadband. South Africa is falling behind on broadband roll out and access, said Vodacom CEO Shameel Joosub in a statement to shareholders earlier this year.Due to the countrys dependency on mobile data, it is key to secure access to spectrum to unlock this growth potential and fulfill the growing data demands of the population, he said. Fin24 More on digital migration E.tv wins set-top box encryption court case South Africas digital migration policy unlawful and invalid Get rid of Muthambi, digital migration is going nowhere: DA Eskom has synchronised the last unit at Ingula power station in KwaZulu-Natal, which will add 333 megawatts to the national grid. Ingula successfully synchronised its last unit, Unit 1, to the national grid at 6:57pm on 16 June 2016, National Youth Day, marking a key milestone towards the full commercial operation of the unit ahead of the scheduled deadline of January 2017, said Eskom on Sunday. Synchronisation is the process where after construction and commissioning, the unit is connected to the electricity grid for the first time. After synchronisation, further optimisation and testing takes place to ensure that the unit is safe and reliable. The unit is then declared commercial and handed over to the generation division for operation. The power utilitys Group Chief Executive, Brian Molefe, dedicated Unit 1 to the memory of Hector Peterson and the class of 1976. In honour of the 40th commemoration of June 16 in South Africas history, Eskom dedicates Unit 1 to the memory of Hector Peterson and the class of 76, who created a lasting legacy for the youth of the future. We are proud to have synchronised all four units at Ingula ahead of schedule. We look forward to Ingula rapidly nearing commercial completion and meeting the 2017 deadline, thereby enhancing the security of Eskoms electricity supply to power South Africa into the future, said Molefe. Ingula Unit 1 with its 333 MW capacity now completes the synchronisation of all four of Ingula units, totalling 1 332 MW. Recently Eskom announced that its Ingula Unit 4 had been declared commercial on 10 June 2016. The rest of the three units Units 3, 2 and 1 are on track for commercial operation in 2017 and will support the electricity grid. Once completed in the next five years, Eskoms capacity expansion programme, which is the largest in the companys history, will increase generation capacity by 1717 384MW, transmission lines by 9 756km and substation capacity by 42 470 megavolt amps. This will enable us to provide security of electricity supply to South African homes and businesses, powering economic expansion and extending electricity to millions of households that currently rely on other fuel sources for domestic cooking and heating, said Eskom. SANews More on Eskom Former Eskom director found guilty of fraud, money laundering Illegal electricity connections trip Eskom supply to Johannesburg Traditionally a family meal, a comforting, delicious Sunday supper, can make the weekend feel longer. Its origins can be traced back to the Sunday Roast, a British and Irish main meal that is traditionally served on Sunday, consisting of roasted meat, roast potato, with accompaniments such as Yorkshire pudding, stuffing, vegetables and gravy. However, residents of the United Kingdom aren't the only ones feasting on Sundays. Take stock of the Italian-American practice of preparing Sunday gravy, a meaty red sauce that gets better with time and is used in tasty meals served not only for a main meal on Sunday but all week long. And just when do you think the grandma in Lyon or Lille served up poulet grand-mere? Does Sunday supper bring you back to your childhood? Does it bring back memories of a favorite dish? Time around the family table has a way of creating quite memorable moments. It's amazing how we can smell or just think of a favorite food and immediately be transported back to the moment we enjoyed it. Most people agree that planning a weekly Sunday dinner with family and friends is an enviable goal. But after a busy week at work and home, preparing a family dinner can be daunting. That's why chefs and restaurateurs are stepping up to the plate, offering diners something new, something different, something of value to wrap up the weekend. Forget fighting the hungry crowds on Fridays and Saturdays. For tasty meals -- and quite often -- deals, try a new night -- Sunday. Rex Huang, head chef at Ninebark in downtown Napa, felt the need to cater to colleagues and friends in the valley -- along with visitors from the Bay Area and beyond -- with a casual meal on a weekly basis. With the blessing of chef/partner Matthew Lightner, Huang is challenging his six-member culinary team to come up with menus for Sunday supper that incorporate the best ingredients and flavor philosophy of the restaurant. "It's still a Ninebark experience," he points out, with a third of the weekly Sunday night dishes coming from the current Ninebark menu. The rest, he says, are "dishes in development, dishes we love but some may be in trial runs, so to speak. "For example, we serve a crudo but we may tweak it five or six different ways. We might be serving bone-in pork loin with crispy skin doing it with different kitchen techniques or applications. The cooks are excited because they can express their creativity." Sunday supper also allows for more casual service because it means shared plates as diners serve one another family style. To that end, Huang and the Ninebark staff encourage large groups of family and friends to gather for Sunday Supper. "It's more fun," says the chef, "and it's the best way to experience it." He's not discouraging couples from showing up, only pointing out the experience is livelier when parties are larger. Huang also wants to provide a "place for all the industry people we have (in Napa Valley). They know good food and wine and we want them to know that this is their restaurant, too." Inspired by a Japanese restaurant in Southern California that served an omakase meal in a casual fine dining setting, Huang notes the Ninebark's Sunday Supper is one that offers "a fresh dining experience week to week." Ingredients and dishes for a recent Sunday Supper menu included: Lamb carpaccio flatbread, tzatziki, pea greens Deviled eggs, salad, pickles Mixed green salad Warm potato salad, creme fraiche, trout Pea and carrot pasta, cream sauce, nettles Leg of lamb, chickpea panisse, mint essence, asparagus sabayon Carrot cake, carrot curd, carrot chips Sunday Supper generally consists of six to eight courses, with the tab running between $50 and $70 per person -- more often than not $60. The regular a la carte menu is not available Sunday evenings, although a snacks menu is available in the street level and third floor bars. Sunday Supper service begins at 5 p.m., with the last seating at 8. To make reservations or check on the menu, go to Ninebark-Napa.com, or call 707-226-7821. A native of Danville, chef Huang came to his current calling late in life. He began working in Silicon Valley tech startups, "but then '08 happened," he notes. "I'd been thinking about moving to New York City, but when I got there the jobs in tech just weren't appealing. I always had a passion for cooking. Instead of watching cartoons as a kid on Saturday mornings, I watched cooking shows then volunteered to help my mother. "So I decided to give restaurants a shot. That first restaurant was a pop-up I liked this new model. I walked in the door and offered to help. They gave me a shot as unpaid labor. For two months I worked 115 hours a week. That was the best culinary school anybody could have. "The whole concept of the restaurant changed every month we had 24 hours to make the conversion. It was then that I fell in love with the kitchen, the team concept, the industry. "I told my then-girlfriend -- now wife -- that I'll keep doing this as long as doors keep opening." One of the doors that opened belonged to Atera, Matthew Lightner's two Michelin-starred restaurant in Manhattan, where Huang served as executive sous chef for 2 years. Ninebark is located at 813 Main St., Napa. Vintners Larry and Suzanne Turley have ensured that 10 acres with vineyards and a 100-year-old olive grove along Napa Valleys main highway will remain as open space. The Turleys recently donated a conservation easement for the land along Highway 29 near St. Helena to the Land Trust of Napa County. That means they continue to own the land, but have given up the rights for most development. We think its important to protect these beautiful places in Napa, Suzanne Chamber Turley said in a Land Trust press release. Places that have long been important to us. The land is on the east side of Highway 29, near the Bale Grist Mill. This section of Napa Valley is only a mile wide, with forested hills framing a valley floor largely covered in vines. It is the heart of wine country. Theres a lot of scenic value there, Land Trust CEO Doug Parker said on Monday. Also, the 10 acres has some historical value. The land was once owned by W.W. Lyman, who came to California in 1871, helped found Grace Episcopal Church in St. Helena, owned the Grist Mill property and was secretary of the Napa Valley Wine Co. Conservation easements provide a higher degree of open space protection than county zoning laws, which can change. They can be tailored to allow such activities as farming. Larry and Suzanne Turley have donated two other conservation easements to the Land Trust. One covers 11 acres adjacent to the latest donation and the other covers 35 acres on Howell Mountain on the east side of Napa Valley. The steps involved in creating the easement with the Land Trust are not difficult, Larry Turley said in the press release. And the knowledge that these few steps lead to permanent protection of the land makes it very rewarding. Parker praised the Turleys for their generosity. The Turleys of Turley Wine Cellars also donated an easement in Paso Robles in San Luis Obispo County and are looking at donating an easement in Amador County. The nonprofit Land Trust of Napa County is celebrating its 40th anniversary. It has preserved more than 57,000 acres through a combination of conservation easements, ownership and property transfers to various agencies. The acreage is equal to about 10 percent of Napa County. Easement donations can result in federal and state income tax benefits to the donor. As the holder of a conservation agreement, the Land Trust is responsible to monitor the land in the future. Earlier this month, the Land Trust announced easements on more than 1,500 acres of ranchland on the eastern shore of Lake Berryessa. On the abutments of a railroad bridge spanning the Oxbow Commons, the meaning of the words and symbols is clear and forceful enough: #49DEAD, ORLANDO, a pair of red hearts cracked down the middle. But to absorb the full weight of what was lost on June 12, a passer-by must look down to the concrete in this downtown Napa park to the chalk outlines of people sprawled out in death. Arms and legs splayed, chests draped on cement stools, the silhouettes modeled after the tracings of lifeless bodies at a crime scene are numbered from 1 to 49, each outline marking a victim of the mass shooting by a self-described ISIS supporter at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. This is no epic mural visible to thousands, but rather the outline of a tribute in one of downtowns quietest corners. It is the work of an hour and a half, the brainstorm of a Napan who hopes imagery can spell out the Orlando horrors where even eloquent words fall short. We got together Saturday night, with a bunch of chalk and just some people who happened to show up, said Kenneth Fish, a writer and photographer who led the creation of the chalk art installation and shared photos of the work on social media. We wanted to see what 49 bodies look like in a given space. It was scary. It was a lot. After the attack at the Pulse nightclub considered the deadliest mass shooting on U.S. soil gay-rights supporters in Napa quickly joined others nationwide in paying tribute to the victims. The final day of the Napa Valley Pride celebration, held only hours after the Orlando massacre, included a moment of silence before the evening dance, and the LGBTQ Connection group held a community gathering and candlelight vigil June 14, two days after the shooting. By Thursday, Fish gained an inner compulsion to do more, and the backdrop to his twice-a-day walking route immediately became his canvas. To show the enormity of the lives lost, he decided, he would use colored chalks to show how much space so many victims would occupy. The only mild reservations came from Fishs husband, Robbie Hayes. He didnt stop me, but reminded me that bail is expensive! he said of Hayes, whom he married in 2008 before the passage of Californias since-overturned ballot measure banning same-sex marriage. Saturday morning, I bought the chalk. By the evening I had myself a small posse, and other people showed up; we were all crying by the end of the night. The drawing began at 9 p.m., and as the impromptu artists were nearing completion an hour later, police officers arrived at the Commons, a flood-control bypass of the Napa River that serves as recreational space in the summer. According to Fish, police had been called to the park after reports of spray-painting, but soon left after seeing the group drawing in washable chalk instead. Through the rest of the weekend, images of the Orlando tribute began appearing on Twitter and Instagram, with the #49DEAD hashtag doubling as guide sign and message. None of the mural makers will face arrests or citations, although a police spokesman later stopped short of supporting the groups means, if not their ends. It is technically a form of vandalism, Sgt. Brian Campagna said Monday afternoon. The city Parks and Recreation department still has to clean it up, remove it by powerwashing to expedite what nature would do with rain. There is a cost that the city absorbs as a result. The tribute to the Orlando victims came a little more than a week before Napa expects to begin installing floodlights in the Commons, partly to discourage graffiti creators in the year-old park, according to Campagna. Napa Police respects peoples ability to express their First Amendment rights, but we dont condone it in this manner, he said of Fishs mural. Fishs work may not be long for the Oxbow Commons; Campagna said city parks staff were slated to wash its traces away on Tuesday, though not at police direction. For however long his chalk drawings remain, Fish hopes their existence can make Floridians affected by the attack feel a little less alone in their grief. Id want them to at least be very aware that all the way on the other side of the country, weve noticed and were sad and we are all together in our sadness, he said. And more so, Im seeing people interacting with it. I was there (Sunday) morning and someone was leaving flowers there, and then I swung by this morning and all the flowers were gone except for one rose. By the middle of Monday morning, that solitary rose still adorned one of the chalk figures an outline of not one but two people, bearing two numbers, seemingly showing one victim covering and protecting the other. A small boy wearing inline skates glided down a path below the railroad span, toward the flower and the silhouette. He gently picked up the blossom, gave a long look to the inscription #49BODIES, touched the white chalk for a lingering moment then set down the rose and glided off, toward the sunlight. SONOMA Sonoma Raceway and the California Highway Patrol unveiled their plans to reduce race-day traffic on area roadways during this weekends Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event. NASCARs annual visit to the Sonoma wine country marks one of the Bay Areas largest single-day sporting events, and the addition of racing fans to the normal wine country visitor traffic puts tremendous strain on the surrounding road systems, particularly the two-lane stretches of Highways 37 and 121. Traffic on the surrounding roadways is expected to be most affected during the following days/times: Friday, 3-7 p.m. Saturday: Moderate traffic expected with lane controls in place all day Sunday: Non-race fans should avoid the area all day The heaviest traffic is expected on Sunday, and race fans heading to the track are advised to arrive early (gates open at 6 a.m.) to avoid traffic and enjoy the complete race-day experience. In past years, up to 85 percent of the drivers passing the raceway on Highways 37 and 121 during peak entry and exit times are not attending the event. When combined with race traffic, the results can bring hours of congestion for all drivers. The raceways traffic management plan includes measures intended to divert traffic from the adjacent highways on race day. Some of these initiatives include: A total of 46 changeable message signs will be distributed along highways up to a 15-mile radius around the facility directing non-race traffic away from Highways 37 and 121. Seven signs placed along Highway 121 to direct raceway guests to the appropriate entry gate. The signs will also help explain lane delineation for raceway and Sonoma/Napa traffic. The raceway will employ a traffic manager, who will work closely with a CHP officer to provide real-time direction to maximize ingress and egress for raceway traffic. The CHP supports and endorses Sonoma Raceways efforts to minimize the impact of traffic in and around the raceway, said CHP Sgt. Brad Bradshaw. The raceway has done an excellent job advising residents, businesses and visitors of the Napa and Sonoma Valleys with its mailers, signage and electronic message boards. Following the implementation of this new traffic plan in 2014, we have seen a substantial reduction in traffic issues during events around the raceway. For more information about the Toyota/Save Mart 350, Sonoma Raceways traffic plan, best routes to and from the race and transportation options, visit www.sonomaraceway.com or call 800-870-7223. OK! Enough already. We get it. The Napa Register does not support Donald Trump. But four consecutive Trump bashings in the Guest Editorial column without at least one article about the other contestant in the race is hardly an unbiased, balanced news media! So much for an unbiased, balanced and fair newspaper. Newspapers were at one time balanced, unbiased, and fair in reporting news. They allowed the reader to determine on their own what was truth. Whether a newspaper is a supporter of Trump or not, there is such a thing as fairness. Where are the balanced Guest Editorials concerning Hillary Clinton? Her own actions and words have demonstrated she is dangerous to the security of the United States. She has proven, by her own words and actions, that she is dishonest, conniving, totally untruthful and a phony. It is clear to anyone who is fair and balanced to the facts and her own words that she will say and do anything to get elected, take any position on an issue then reverse it later, and is deceitful, conniving and dangerous. She claims to be the best thing that has happened to women and the gay, lesbian and transgender community. She claims over and over she has been in the forefront of supporting women's rights and the gay community. Yet the Clinton Foundation has taken some $25 million dollars in so-called donations from Saudi Arabia, $5 million from Qatar, $5 million from Brunei, who knows how much from Iran, and was the main broker of the Iranian Deal (in secret meetings). All these countries enslave women, allow them no human rights or personal dignity, stones women to death for transgressions of adultery, and have death penalties for anyone who is gay. She lied to the families of the four American citizens killed in Benghazi, to the American people, and the entire world, blaming the attack on a video. Her own emails have proven she knew from almost instantly that the attack was a well coordinated terrorist attack and had nothing to do with a video. She attacked the women with whom Bill Clinton was accused of having sexual encounters with vicious and dishonest personal attacks on their integrity and their value as women. She ripped them apart to the American people. Yet all this and she still claims she is a champion for women's rights and the gay communities. Hillary Clinton endangered the security of the United States and the American people by conduction classified and top secret government business solely on an unsecured private email server. The FBI has uncovered some 2,000 so far of such emails from the 150,000 emails turned over to the State Department - three years late. The laws governing such documents and government business are clear. Documents do not have to be marked classified or top secret to qualify as classified government documents. She, by law, had to sign a document stressing this very fact. All federal government employees have to sign such a document. Ask Gen. David Petraeus if this law applies to government officials. A public official governed by the act only has to "know" or "should have known" such business and or documents are of a "classified nature," marked as such or not. It is the nature of the documents that determines such documents under the law. Violations are considered criminal offenses. So Trump's rhetoric may be controversial, no question. But he has not placed the United States in a national security breach. And to date, best I can determine, no one has shown a clear propensity for Trump to be a habitual and chronic liar. Not by any proof by actual tangible facts anyway. I have presented here a very short, detailed other side of the picture article for the fellow readers of the Register. I included facts, because my mere opinion, as was the case so far with the four consecutive Guest Editorials, is irrelevant. The Register's readers are quite capable of forming their own informed (or otherwise) opinions on the matter of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton's qualifications, or lack thereof, to become our next president and commander in chief. I have included such actual facts for review and consideration in making such a monumental decision. Personal emotions on the issue are irrelevant. The nation, and the rest of the world rests in the balance, as do several Supreme Court Justices in the next four to eight years. The course of this great nation could be irreversibly changed for decades if not generations. Robert Wilkinson Napa Updated Editor's Note: The author of this letter advises that the original editor's note was in error. He was referring to the guest editorials that appeared in print (and also online) on June 5, 8, 12, and 15, not the consecutive commentaries that ran online June 13, 14 and 15. Pop-up Italian restaurant at V. Sattui Winery on Friday No need to travel to Italy for acclaimed, authentic Italian cuisine. Michelin star chef Stefano Masanti brings his restaurant, Il Cantinone, to the cellars of V. Sattui Winery for two very special pop-up dinners on Friday, June 24, and Friday, Oct. 14. Masanti is the founder, visionary and executive chef of northern Italys Il Cantinone restaurant. Masanti and his wife, Raffaella, a professional sommelier, greet guests in the restaurant located in the small ski-village of Madesimo, in the Italian Alps. During the off-season, they spend their time at V. Sattui. On both nights, dinner will begin at 6 p.m. and feature a multicourse tasting menu paired with V. Sattui wines. Cost is $130 per person for V. Sattui members and $155 per person for nonmembers. Reservations can be made at VSattui.com or by calling 963-7774. After exploring the possible installation of solar arrays at St. Helena schools, trustees plan to table the matter and reconsider it in the future. A study found that the minimal energy cost savings that would result from installing solar panels at the primary, elementary and high schools would be offset by significant risks if the company operating the system were to go out of business. Trustees and members of the school districts Facilities Committee were also concerned that technological advances and state financial incentives could improve in the next few years, leaving the district locked into a less advantageous 25-year agreement. We cant just walk into something because we think its the right thing to do, said Trustee Maria Haug, who sits on the Facilities Committee. We really have to look at the possible repercussions. The study by Sage Renewable Energy Consulting Inc. proposed a 582-kilowatt-peak array consisting of solar panels at three schools. It found that annual cost savings would be between $6,640 and $10,800. Factoring in other safety and structural costs, Trustee Jeff Conwell said the savings would be closer to $5,000-$8,000 a year, if the project goes 100 percent perfect. Were going to wait a few years until we can get better numbers, said Conwell, who also sits on the Facilities Committee. Wed very much like to do it, but it has to make sense. We were afraid we were actually going to lose money by doing the project. Haug said it wasnt an easy decision for the Facilities Committee, since we all wanted to support solar. But she was disappointed that the district wasnt given more flexibility regarding the placement of the panels, which would be owned by the vendor and leased by the district through a Power Purchase Agreement. To maximize the savings, the consultant had recommended installing solar panels at the RLS Middle School track, which Haug said wouldnt make sense. The solar structures had to be exactly as they proposed, Haug said. And there was a fairly high risk to the district as to what could happen if the company providing the solar power went out of business. The committee concluded that the district could probably save just as much money through a district-wide energy conservation program, which could be as simple as turning off more lights, installing more energy-efficient lights, powering down computers and removing classroom refrigerators and other personal appliances. The Land Trust of Napa County has closed a conservation easement donated by Larry Turley and Suzanne Chambers Turley on Highway 29 between St. Helena and Calistoga. The conservation easement will protect the Olive House property, just south of the Bale Grist Mill. By partnering with the Land Trust in creating the conservation easement, the Turleys preserve the property forever, limiting future development while maintaining the land in private ownership and protecting its agricultural and natural values over the long-term. We think its important to protect these beautiful places in Napa, said Suzanne Chambers Turley. Places that have long been important to us. The property includes a 100-year-old olive grove as well as zinfandel and petite syrah vineyards. We very much appreciate the generosity of Larry and Suzanne in donating this easement to permanently protect their land, said Land Trust CEO Doug Parker. This is the third time they have donated an easement in Napa, protecting vineyards, natural areas and now this olive grove as well. The Turleys previously donated a conservation easement over an adjacent property. And in 2007, they donated a conservation easement over 35 acres on Howell Mountain, within the watershed of Conn Creek, one of the key streams supplying water to Lake Hennessey, the main water source for the city of Napa. The steps involved in creating the easement with the Land Trust are not difficult, said Larry Turley, and the knowledge that these few steps lead to permanent protection of the land makes it very rewarding. After doing our first easement in Napa, we decided to do the same thing in Paso Robles, where we have land as well. And I am now looking into doing another easement in Amador County. The property has some significant history in Napa County. It was formerly owned by W.W. Lyman, who at one point also owned the Bale Grist Mill. He came to California in 1871 and was involved in winemaking, farming and milling. He helped found Grace Episcopal Church and the IOOF Hall in St. Helena and was secretary of the Napa Valley Wine Co., one of the largest companies engaged in the wine business in the state at that time. Pardon my French, but its too blazing hot today. I made the mistake of complaining to my neighbor, who was kind enough to remind me (after a peek at his cellphone) that its only 93, and that the REAL hot stuff (as he put it with a bit too much relish) will arrive next week, when the mercury is expected to crawl up into the triple digits at which point you, my Dear Readers, are likely to find me melted into a puddle of goo like the Wicked Witch of the West. Oh, what a world *** Cindy Hood at We Care Animal Rescue was overjoyed by Karen Provenza and her New Tech High students who have been volunteering at We Care this month. Words cannot express the appreciation for all of your hard work, Cindy says. The students earn my heartiest huzzahs. Heres hoping word will spread that helping animals is a cool and fun way for young (and not so young) people to serve the community. *** After two columns full of academic achievements, here are two more to tell you about. Hadley Bickford of St. Helena earned her way onto the Deans List at Iowa State University for the spring semester, earning a GPA of at least 3.5 in her chosen major of animal science. A second round of hearty huzzahs for Hadley. *** In that same vein, Emily Griffin of Angwin received a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology on May 29 from Linfield College in Oregon. Nicely done, Emily. *** Men are pigs, goes the patently offensive and demonstrably incorrect phrase. Napa Emergency Womens Services believes otherwise, and theyre soliciting nominations for their annual Men Making NEWS awards. The four categories for public nomination are Young Man of the Year, Male Role Model of the Year, Father of the Year (or Father Figure), and Peace Officer of the Year. Two additional awards will be given: NEWS Champion of the Year and the NEWS Hope Award for a local business. The deadline for nominations is July 1, so get a form from Karen Calhoun (252-3687, karenc@napanews.org). The winners will be honored at an event at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 14, at Lucky Penny Community Arts Center in Napa. *** A few items caught my eye as I perused Megan Jones monthly missive on the goings-on at the St. Helena Public Library. First, Martha Morrison, a 94-year-old New England native whose paintings will be on display throughout July, will be on hand for an artist reception at 5 p.m. Wednesday, July 6. The most intriguing tidbit is that Martha once worked as a nurse-on-horseback in Kentucky. Something tells me shell have some rollicking good stories to share. *** Second, its the fourth cativersary of Elsie the Library Cat, who took up residence in the library on July 16, 2012. The library is putting together a celebration thats sure to elicit her purr of approval: a Cat Video Film Festival at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 14. Bring gifts (preferably kitty toys and treats) to donate to We Care Animal Rescue, and enjoy the undoubtedly cute and funny videos. A tip of the cap to the Friends & Foundation, St. Helena Public Library, for sponsoring the event. *** When you turn on the faucet, do you ever wonder exactly whats coming out? If you do, feel free to peruse the citys annual water quality report. It wont be mailed out this year, but you can read it online (cityofsthelena.org/WaterQuality) or request a paper copy by visiting City Hall, emailing water@cityofsthelena.org, or calling 967-2792. The upshot is that our tap water is perfectly safe. Hunter Hayes is like a gift that keeps on giving. If something positive is opening in country music, odds are his name is behind it. While in Atlanta Hunter got a chance to see the new music facility donated to the Whitehead Boys and Girls Club that is pretty hi-tech! It was all part of a collaboration between the Notes for Notes music foundation and the Country Music Association. And while Mr. Hayes was there he showed the kids the power of music by performing. Now the children get to take over with the practices and performances. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed Israeli President Reuven Rivlin to NATO Headquarters on Tuesday (21 June 2016) to discuss NATO-Israel cooperation. For more than twenty years, Israel has been a very active NATO partner through the Mediterranean Dialogue, the only security forum that brings together NATO Allies with Israel and Arab countries, said the Secretary General. He stressed that NATO and Israel are taking cooperation a step further, agreeing to establish an Israeli Mission at NATO, headed by Israels Ambassador to the European Union. The Secretary General noted that Israel was the first Mediterranean Dialogue country to agree a Security of Information Agreement with NATO in 2001. He highlighted that NATO is commitment to increasing cooperation with Israel, as well as with other Mediterranean Dialogue partners. During their talks, Mr. Stoltenberg and President Rivlin discussed the evolving security situation in the Middle East and Africa. The Secretary General expressed his condolences on the recent terrorist attacks in Tel Aviv. Terrorism has touched so many of our cities, from Brussels to Ankara, and from Orlando to Tel Aviv, he said. He underlined that countries that share the same values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law must stand united against hate and terrorism. YEREVAN. You can expect anything from the aggressive Azerbaijani state at any time. Karabakh War veteran, Soviet military commander, and Armenian political and military figure Norat Ter-Grigoryants told the aforementioned to Armenian News-NEWS.am. In his words, the UN Security Council resolutions have never noted that it was the Azerbaijani side that attacked. As per Ter-Grigoryants, Azerbaijan is arming a terrorist army. [But] the UN Security Council is not taking any measure toward the aggressor and terrorist state, he added. The military expert expressed a view that Azerbaijan carried out reconnaissance through the recent four-day war against Nagorno-Karabakh, to find out the weak or strong points of the Armenian army. But they met with good resistance, he stressed. They saw that our soldiers are ready for anything. In Norat Ter-Grigoryants words, however, the Russian president put the aggressor and the victim on the same dimension. [But] our army showed that it is [combat-] ready, skilled, and psychologically faithful, he added. But it is insulting to me that the UN Security Council, the OSCE [i.e. the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe] do not take the necessary steps toward the aggressor [i.e. Azerbaijan], since it swings arms, in violation of the UN Charter. Polish government prepares for 'potential use of nuclear or chemical weapons' by Kremlin Iran: Unknown shoot and kill 2 IRGC members EU calls on defense ministers of bloc countries to coordinate arms purchases Finance Ministry: Armenia plans to increase pensions in July next year Terrorist who carried out shooting in Shiraz is foreigner Saudi Arabia slams countries for using emergency oil reserves to manipulate prices Azerbaijani who fought in ranks of AFU killed in Kiev as result of Iranian drone strike Konstantin Zatulin: You don't have to be Armenian to love Armenia and Armenians Biden's approval rating approaches lowest level of his presidency just 2 weeks before election White House tones down its previous optimism about the midterm elections Ford Motor leaves Russian market by selling its stake in Sollers joint venture Council of Lazarev Club considers ban on Konstantin Zatulin to enter Armenia outrageous trick The New York Times: Saudi Arabia pissed off U.S. by derailing a secret deal Samvel Karapetyan: Various forces are pushing Armenia away from Russia, this cannot be allowed Dubai Silicon Oasis interested in cooperation with Armenia in IT sector Jens Stoltenberg announces his intention to visit Turkey Wiktorin: EU observation mission will ease tensions Saudi Aramco: European embargo on Russian oil increases uncertainty in global oil market Commander of Lithuanian Armed Forces against transfer of howitzers and air defense systems to Ukraine Armenian Finance Ministry gives outlook on economic activity and debt ratio Minister: Rehabilitation works after Azerbaijani Armed Forces' invasion continue About 230 kilometers of roads are being built and repaired in Syunik Bloomberg: Europe has more gas than it can use Pashinyan says he would like to sign Armenian-Azerbaijani peace deal before end of year 168.am: President of Artsakh leaves for Russian capital Armenia's Pashinyan: I will attend trilateral meeting in Sochi Bloomberg: China's budget deficit since beginning of year approached record trillion dollars PM: There is expectation that CSTO will adopt roadmap to restore Armenias territorial integrity Pope receives Armenian FM Armenia ruling party convention to be closed to media Dollar falls, euro rises in Armenia Kremlin: Russia has information that Ukraine is preparing terrorist attack using 'dirty bomb' Governor underscores EU envoy to Armenias efforts in returning of Shirak Province POWs (PHOTOS) Putin: US is using Ukraine as battering ram against Russia, CSTO, and CIS Russian journalist Ksenia Sobchak leaves Russia Russian military practices massive nuclear strike in response to nuclear attack of adversary Germany restricts visas for Iranian passport holders Belarus Foreign Minister visits Iran Iran expands sanctions against EU Zatulin says it is necessary to discuss relations between Russia and Armenia at different levels Ardshinbank is the only company from Armenia with assigned ratings from the big three credit rating agencies Armenia Security Council chief receives OSCE needs assessment mission members Kremlin comments on deployment of American division in Romania Iltalehti: draft bill on Finland's membership in NATO allows deployment of nuclear weapons Kremlin informs about preparation for Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan leaders meeting Armenia envoy briefs Costa Rica president on South Caucasus situation Legislature head on chances of Armenia leaving CSTO: There is very little time left for us to make decision Mercedes confirms intention to leave Russia Armenia parliament speaker: No document on table Air-raid alarm sirens to be installed in Estonia Armenia legislature head: PM will go to Sochi on October 31, meet with Russia, Azerbaijan presidents US State Department: Armenia, Azerbaijan should decide whether Putin's invitation would be useful to them US transfers to Ukraine first 2 NASAMS complexes Armenia National Assembly speaker: Phrase about signing peace treaty by years end is tacit deadline Armenia parliament speaker: We have 240 casualties as result of Azerbaijan attack Armenia FM in Vatican, meets with Substitute for Holy See Secretariat of State for General Affairs Israel president gives US intel on Iran UAVs in Ukraine Copper prices are rising World oil prices falling Armenia MPs approve several changes to laws FM: Armenia has never lost its belief in humanity despite facing many challenges, calamities Canada embassy to soon be opened in Armenia Biden: Russia would be making serious mistake to use tactical nuclear weapon Margarita Simonyan says she is banned from entering Armenia Newspaper: Artsakh Public Council establishment causes concern in political arena First sneakers for horses created in US India fines Google for $113 million Mass dedicated to peace in Armenia is celebrated at Vatican Saudi Arabia decides to be more mature guy in its quarrel with US Biden says Russia would make 'serious mistake' if it deploys tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine Ukrainian media report on Dnipro rocket attack Romania plans to intensify talks on Black Sea and military purchases Karekin II and Aram I refuse to participate in World Armenian Forum IMF Director: Ukraine's need for external financing could reach $5 billion month Turkey continues to beat out gas discount from Russia and payment deferral from Gazprom Alen Simonyan refuses to participate in fifth meeting of Russian-Armenian Lazarev Club New Serbian government plans to invest 12 billion euros in energy projects UN Security Council to meet at Russia's request over accusations that Iran is supplying drones to Russia Leading Wall Street bankers warn of recession in US and Europe Armenian FM tells Vatican secretary of state about Azerbaijani aggression Secretary of Armenian Security Council holds telephone conversation with Biden's aide IEA head: World still needs Russian oil to flow into the market Norwegian police arrest man on suspicion of spying for Russia Ambassador-at-Large meets with Personal Representative of OSCE Chairman-in-Office EU to offer banks to offer mandatory instant payments in euros Ambassador: Active efforts of Armenian authorities are registering regress in Armenian-Russian relations Saudi minister: Saudi Arabia and US will overcome unjustified spat Zatulin: My ban on entering Armenia coincides with trilateral meeting planned in Russia Rishi Sunak vows to fix 'mistakes' of Liz Truss MFA comments on information about meeting of special envoys of Armenia and Turkey Daily Sabah: Armenian, Turkish special representatives next meeting planned in Turkey The Telegraph: US President Biden mispronounces Rishi Sunak's name Zelenskyy proposes creating platforms for the 'de-occupation' of Transnistria and Abkhazia 'Armenia' bloc deputy: Nikol Pashinyan and Suren Papikyan are lying Dollar falls, euro rises Stanislav Zass discusses with Lavrov situation in CSTO zone of responsibility New British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife are richer than royalty Klaar: EU actively engaged in Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process at all levels Nissan reveals updated Juke crossover FM briefs Sovereign Order of Malta Grand Chancellor on Armenia position on normalizing relations with Azerbaijan The refugees do not become a burden for a country that had given them shelters. On the contrary, the money provided to them as an assistance can give a powerful impetus to the economy, concluded the American scientists, reported Lenta. The researchers studied the impact of three Congolese camps in Rwanda on the economy of the country. In two camps the refugees received assistance in cash, whereas in the third camp they receive the assistance in the form of food. The economists evaluated the impact of the camps on the surrounding areas (ten kilometers in radius). It turned out that each new refugee arrival (who receives $120 per year) increased the income of the population by 60-90 percent ($200-250) . Such an increase is determined by purchasing local goods and services by refugees. The refugees were the main customers of 17.3 % of private entrepreneurs. Moreover, the economic "bonuses" were sensible throughout the country as well . It turned out that each refugee from a camp increased the trade volume by 49-55 dollars in that province as compared to other districts of Rwanda. At the same time, the impact of the third camp on the economy where the refugees were provided with food, was considerably weaker. 89 percent of the refugees sold in the markets products they had received (corn, bean, vegetable oil, and salt), to purchase other foods. However, it increased the supply in the grocery markets. Moreover, the local food manufacturers had to compete with the refugees who supplied cheaper food in the market. In total, the "bonus" per refugee made $ 145 only. The head of the research group Edward Taylor summarizes that if the refugees have a possibility to interact with the local economy, they will significantly increase the income level. Today racism and intolerance have become real enemies for us to fight; Europe should unite to prevent them from developing further. Every single person who demonstrates racism should be stopped and punished. Once Europe suffered a sad experience of the escalation of violence and intolerance and it had a name: the Nazi regime, said Naira Karapetyan, a member of the Armenian delegation, at the PACE plenary session held on June 20. Unfortunately, here in the Council of Europe there are still member States whose regimes use strong words of intolerance and racism toward ethnicities, nationalities and other countries, spreading hatred and shaking spears at other countries. So yes, No Hate, No Fear, but also no to lying to Europe. We have plenty of evidence of the destruction of the cultural heritage of ancient Armenia. Do not lie to Europe. The latest report on Azerbaijan of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance firmly confirms what I am saying. Referring to the paragraph 21 of the report Naira Karapetyan stressed: Here we read that an entire generation of Azerbaijanis has now grown up listening to constant rhetoric of Armenian aggression. According to a 2012 survey, 91% perceived Armenia as Azerbaijans greatest enemy. The same paragraph also states: According to other sources, there is a conflict-ridden domestic political discourse and Azerbaijans leadership, education system and media are very prolific in their denigration of Armenians. Political opponents are accused of having Armenian roots or of receiving funds from Armenian sources. It is not simply about that issue. According to Naira Karapetyan there are many other examples. The curriculum of schools includes tasks and games that teach children to treat Armenian as enemies. It will be no surprise to the Council of Europe that in its report ECRI also mentioned the case of Ramil Safarov, which was the basis of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe report Document 13450 by Mr Chope. I remind the Assembly that Ramil Safarov, an Azeri military officer who killed an Armenian colleague while he was asleep solely because he was Armenian, was given a flat and other honours. In its press release ECRI pointed out the risk that such action could cultivate a sense of impunity for the perpetrators of racist crimes of the most serious nature. That is no surprise, given the Azeri regimes style. Just a month ago, another murderer - again, an Azeri military officer - who beheaded Qyaram Sloyan, a solider in the Karabakh defence army, was also honoured by President Aliyev. This kind of racism starts first of all from high-ranking officials. She read an example from the speech of President Aliyev. "There are forces that do not like us and our achievements . We can divide them into several groups . First of all, they are our main enemies, Armenians around the world, and the corrupt politicians who are under the influence of their lobby." Karapetyan called on the Parliamentary Assembly to stop Nazism, racism and intolerance, and to stop the Aliyev regime. Intro: Naira Karapetyan in her speech in the PACE urges the European countries to prevent racism and intolerance towards Armenians that the Azerbaijani government inseminates in its population. A group of pilgrims from Russia will join the 25 thousand Catholics and pray during Saturdays Holy Mass which Pope Francis will offer at Vardanants Square in Gyumri, Armenia. Fr. Petros Yesayan, the spiritual leader of the Armenian Catholic community in Moscow, told the abovementioned to RIA Novosti news agency of Russia. Aside from Muscovites, Catholic groups from the Armenian communities in several other Russian cities also will arrive in Armenia on his occasion. The official schedule for the Popes visit to Armenia is as follows: Friday, June 24 15.00 Arrival at Yerevans Zvartnots Airport with welcome ceremony there. 15.35 Visit to pray at Apostolic Cathedral at Etchmiadzin (Greetings given by Catholicos of All Armenia, Karekin II and by Pope Francis) 18.00 Courtesy visit to Armenia's President in the Presidential Palace. 18.30 Meeting with civil authorities and the Diplomatic Corps in the Presidential Palace (speech by the Pope) 19.30 Private meeting with Catholicos in the Apostolic Palace Saturday, June 25 08.45 Visit to Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan 10.00 Journey by plane to Gyumri 11.00 Holy Mass in Gyumris Vardanants Square (Homily By the Pope and greeting by Catholicos) 16.45 Visit to the Armenian Apostolic Cathedral of the Seven Wounds 17.15 Visit to the Holy Martyrs Armenian Catholic Cathedral in Gyumri 18.00 Journey by plane back to Yerevan 19.00 Ecumenical Encounter and Prayer for Peace in Yerevans Republic Square Sunday, June 26 09.15 Meeting with Catholic Bishops of Armenia in the Apostolic Palace at Etchmiadzin 10.00 Participation in Divine Liturgy in the Armenian Apostolic Cathedral (Homily by Catholicos and greeting by the Pope) Ecumenical Lunch with the Catholicos, Archbishops and Bishops of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Catholic Bishops of Armenia and Cardinals and Bishops from the Papal entourage in the Apostolic Palace. 15.00 Meeting with delegates and benefactors of the Apostolic Armenian Church in the Apostolic Palace 16.05 Signing of Joint Declaration in the Apostolic Palace 17.00 Prayer at Khor Virap Monastery 18.15 Farewell Ceremony at airport 18.30 Departure by plane for Rome All times are in Armenia standard time. Tawni Tidwell is the first Westerner to be certified in Tibetan medicine by Tibetan teachers in the Tibetan language. The PhD candidate in Emorys Department of Anthropology is now working on a dissertation about how Tibetan physicians diagnose diseases, especially cancer. I see myself as a bridge between Tibetan medicine and Western science, says Tidwell, who became a Tibetan physician in 2015. I feel like each has something to offer the other. Tidwell was born in Colorado but lived from the ages of two to five in South Korea, where her father was a U.S. Army surgeon. Tidwell and her mother lived in mainstream Seoul, which gave her an affinity for Asia when she returned to Colorado. She was also influenced by the Native American ancestry on both sides of her family and by the ecology of Colorado, where she became involved in rock climbing and winter mountaineering. Tidwell has trained as an animal tracker, worked as a ranger at a biological preserve, taught wilderness survival lessons, and led gap-year students on trips to learn about traditional cultures through the Where There Be Dragons program. Tidwell studied at the premier Tibetan medical school outside of Tibet, in northern India (the cultural and intellectual capital of the displaced Tibetan community). In order to enroll, she had to pass a five-day exam of memorized Tibetan grammar and Buddhist logic, as well as general Tibetan cultural knowledge. From there on, each year she had to recite from memory 115 pages of a medical textbook in Tibetan, considered one of the most difficult languages for non-native speakers to master. She also had to complete written exams, coursework and attend classes, all in the Tibetan language among Tibetan peers. Read an interview with Tidwell, covering some of the milestones of her long and winding road to becoming a certified Tibetan medical practitioner. View Full Story in eScienceCommons Luo Jie / China Daily The "Brexiteers"those who want Britain to leave the European Unionargue that their goal would be virtually cost-free and have no effect on the United Kingdom's global trade. They are wrong. Start with the basics. Leaving the EU means that the UK would exit the EU's Customs Union, which is the basis for cross-border free trade among the EU's 28 members. It also means exit from the Single Marketthe basis for the free movement of goods and services among EU members. By definition, non-members of the EU cannot belong to the Single Market. So what would happen next? During the two-year period before Britain's withdrawal takes final effect, there would be UK-EU negotiations on many pointssovereignty, the legal order, immigration, finances and economic matters. The assumption is that a crucial goal for Britain would be to negotiate a trading relationship as close as possible to the free-trade relationships that exist today. That is easier said than done. The best result would be if all players agreed to maintain the free trade already achieved, with the UK setting a new external tariff on a duty-free basis, applicable to all comers. This is what happened in the 1970s after Britain and Denmark left the European Free Trade Association: Free-trade agreements were negotiated among EFTA members and between them and the EU (or the European Economic Community as it was then known). But Brexiteers should realize that there is no guarantee that this would happen againand, in any case, there would be complications. While this solution would be good for the 45 percent of British exports that are sold in EU markets, it would reduce protection for British industries to zero. Under the rules of the World Trade Organization, the same import duties must be applied to all WTO participantswhich means that if Britain's imports from the EU are duty-free, its imports from the rest of the world must be, too. The alternative would be for British exporters to accept the EU's common external tariff, and for the UK to create its own import tariff, applied to all imports, including from the EU. Because the common tariff is at a relatively low level on industrial and fishery products, this might not be an insuperable barrier for British exports, and it would allow some flexibility in protecting UK companies from imports. The potential pitfall is that any British tariff increase above the EU level would expose the UK to claims for compensation from third countries in the WTO. The bigger question that the Brexiteers need to answer is how to secure a high level of access to the EU's internal market. This is vitally important for Britain's service industries, particularly for the city of London's exports of financial services. In the view of many observers, including me, access to the Single Market through the EEA is no longer available. But what if we're wrong? The point is that such a deal would go against all the instincts (and rhetoric) of the Brexiteers, because it would mean accepting the EU's "four freedoms": not just the free movement of goods, services, and capitalbut of people, too. That would be hard to square with the Brexit objective of "controlling our borders". The Brexiteers would also blanch at Britain's obligation under an EEA-type agreement to continue contributing to the EU budget. The final consequence of Brexit is that the UK would lose its free-trade arrangements with third countries under the many trade agreements that the EU has signed since 2000. Replacing these agreements with bilateral deals would take time. There is no guarantee that the EU would agree to an interim continuation of free trade, and it seems certain that British exports would face higher tariffs than its former EU partners in those third countries. The author is a former deputy director-general at the WTO and a former deputy director-general at the European Commission Directorate-General for Trade. Project Syndicate NEW DELHI: Apple Inc that has its own stores across the globe may also get to set up its own outlets in India, rather than sell through other chains, with the government easing the sourcing norms for foreign players in single-brand retailing. In a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, the local sourcing norms of 30 percent on single brands in general were relaxed for up to three years and for those with "state-of-the-art" and "cutting-edge" technologies for five years. This, analysts believe, will particularly favour Apple Inc. "Of course, the move is going to help Apple," said Vishal Tripathi, Research Director at global market consultancy firm Gartner. The Cupertino-based tech giant has been pushing for such a move which also had the strong backing of the commerce ministry. "This will sure lead the tech giant to open its signature iWorld stores in India soon. The move, however, may affect its current partners' business in India once Apple decides to go alone," Tripathi told IANS. An e-mail query to Apple India evoked no response till the release of this article. With the bureaucracy in India catching on to loosely-worded phrases while giving their approvals to projects, some analysts felt some terms needed to be elaborated further. But the overall response was this will be done in a more detailed manner. "The catch here remains what is the definition of the 'cutting-edge' technology or how the government will define what is 'state-of-the-art' technology," said Faisal Kawoosa, Lead Analyst with CyberMedia Research (CMR), a market research firm. "Then in a similar manner, how will Apple prove that it has got the right features for availing the benefits? The norms have been carved out in such a way now that Apple needs to prove that the company deserves it," Kawoosa said. The Confederation of Indian Industry did not name Apple specifically in its reaction. "Relaxation of local sourcing norms under single brand retail trading for advanced technology products would encourage global brands to build up their participation in the country," the chamber said. Last month, Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said she was pursuing Apple Inc's case with the Prime Minister's Office regarding the norm of 30 percent compulsory local sourcing for single brand foreign retail entities. India does not take up the cases of foreign multi-brand retailers. "We took a line that we wouldn't mind waiving off the local sourcing norm for Apple's high-end products," she had told reporters. Soon after, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley also relented and said he was all for scrapping the norm. Apple chief executive Tim Cook is also reported to have made this pitch when he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi here in May. Now that the path appears to have been cleared, there are some more loose ends to be tied up, analysts said. "I don't see people queuing up at Apple signature stores in India as they do worldwide," Tripathi said. "It will benefit to buy from an Apple store if the cost and alternative buying options like EMI are the same as compared to partner stores." Read Also: IIT-Kharagpur Develops Radio Frequency Tracker For Safety Of School Kids Uber's Upstart Rival in Pakistan Uses Rickshaws, Low-Tech Phones NEW YORK: Researchers led by an Indian-origin scientist have developed a software that can turn any smartphone into an eye-tracking device, a discovery that can help in psychological experiments and marketing research. In addition to making existing applications of eye-tracking technology more accessible, the system could enable new computer interfaces or help detect signs of incipient neurological disease or mental illness. Since few people have the external devices, there's no big incentive to develop applications for them. "Since there are no applications, there's no incentive for people to buy the devices. We thought we should break this circle and try to make an eye tracker that works on a single mobile device, using just your front-facing camera," explained Aditya Khosla, graduate student in electrical engineering and computer science at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Khosla and his colleagues from MIT and University of Georgia built their eye tracker using machine learning, a technique in which computers learn to perform tasks by looking for patterns in large sets of training examples. Currently, Khosla says, their training set includes examples of gaze patterns from 1,500 mobile-device users. Previously, the largest data sets used to train experimental eye-tracking systems had topped out at about 50 users. To assemble data sets, "most other groups tend to call people into the lab," Khosla says. "It's really hard to scale that up. Calling 50 people in itself is already a fairly tedious process. But we realised we could do this through crowdsourcing," he added. In the paper, the researchers report an initial round of experiments, using training data drawn from 800 mobile-device users. On that basis, they were able to get the system's margin of error down to 1.5 centimetres, a twofold improvement over previous experimental systems. The researchers recruited application users through Amazon's Mechanical Turk crowdsourcing site and paid them a small fee for each successfully executed tap. The data set contains, on average, 1,600 images for each user. The team from MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and the University of Georgia described their new system in a paper set to presented at the "Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition" conference in Las Vegas on June 28. Read Also: NASA To Build Quieter, Battery-Powered Airplane IBM Patents Google Glass-Like Night Vision Eyewear BENGALURU: After hinting in 2015 about its intentions to roll into Pakistan, Uber started its operation on March 2, 2016 in Lahore. It has been 3 months since then, and Pakistani citizens have welcomed the American multinational online transportation network firm with open arms. But things are now becoming slightly difficult for Uber as a little-known local competitor is setting up a competition. Named Rixi, the Lahore-based service has counted on a mix of new ideas and old technology to tap low-income residents who travel in rickshaws, not cabs reports Reuters. The local service providers have targeted a big chunk of the market as their service is based on rickshaws instead of cars. Not only this, SMS phone messaging instead of smart-phones is been used by this platform to allow users in bidding the nearby drivers. According to reports, more than 130 million cellphone subscriptions are present in Pakistan, out of which only 21 percent have subscribed to data packages. This gives massive opportunities for firms to target a relatively low-tech customer base. Adnan Khawaja, the founder of Rixi stated, Our company works with more than 1,000 rickshaw drivers in Lahore, where many people rely on small, noisy three-wheelers that are well suited to beating traffic in the eastern city's crowded streets. Cellphone towers are being leveraged by this Lahore-based service provider to by-poll the location of the drivers which bypasses poor smart-phone penetration in the low-income rickshaw market. The platform matches passengers' messaged locations on Google Maps for the drivers to locate them. "If you look at Uber's operational model, they will be depending on the smartphones. In countries like Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, that population is growing, but it's still smaller compared to the vast market," commented Khawaja. When asked about this prominent competition to Uber, their head of expansion in Pakistan, Zohair Yousafi stated, We continue to explore products that would stimulate demand , and better service the city, whether that is a motorbike, whether that is a rickshaw, whether that is a chopper. Uber also stated that they had already tested SMS-based services, but there are no immediate plans to deploy such a service in Pakistan. Another entrepreneur, Shehmir Shaikh has recently launched errand start-up Scooty Bhejo in Lahore, attacking Ubers customer base in Pakistan. "Abroad, Uber has made waves because of the readily available technology that people are using, like iPhones in their hands. We don't have that here. (And) the major form of transport is not cars," added Shaikh. Though there will be plenty of roadblocks in the road to success for Rixi, Adam Ghaznavi a technology entrepreneur who has studied the rickshaw market is confident of Rixis success in Pakistan. Pakistan will not necessarily be a large market for taxi ride hailing apps like Uber, but it could be very lucrative for an equivalent app for rickshaws. If somebody can figure that out, the potential is huge, stated Ghaznavi. Read Also: Apple Devices Get 8 New Features Digital Partnerships Key To India's Educational Transformation: Adobe Gravitational waves detected from second pair of colliding black holes Four months after stunning the world with the announcement that they had detected gravitational waves from a collision of two black holes and confirmed a major prediction of Albert Einsteins 1915 general theory of relativity, scientists say theyve done it again. The second event, detected Dec. 25 by both of the twin Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, or LIGO, detectors, located in Livingston, Louisiana, and Hanford, Washington, sheds new light on black holes and how common they are. This second detection confirms our expectations that binary black holes are abundant in the universe and LIGO will see many more in the future said Sergey Klimenko, a University of Florida scientist who is analyzing the data from LIGO, the same detectors used in the first detection. Gravitational waves carry information about their origins and about the nature of gravity that cannot otherwise be obtained, and physicists have concluded that these gravitational waves were produced during the final moments of the merger of two black holes 14 and 8 times the mass of the sun to produce a single, more massive spinning black hole that is 21 times the mass of the sun. During the merger, which occurred approximately 1.4 billion years ago, a quantity of energy roughly equivalent to the mass of the sun was converted into gravitational waves. The detected signal comes from the last 55 orbits of the black holes before their merger. Based on the arrival time of the signals with the Livingston detector measuring the waves 1.1 milliseconds before the Hanford detector the position of the source in the sky can be roughly determined. The first detection of gravitational waves, which occurred Sept. 14 and was announced Feb. 11 F, was a milestone in physics and astronomy and marked the beginning of the new field of gravitational-wave astronomy. The contributions of the University of Florida LIGO group are everywhere in LIGO. says Caltech's David H. Reitze, executive director of the LIGO Laboratory and Professor of Physics at the University of Florida. We led the design and construction of the Input Optics, and played important intellectual roles in many of the other subsystems. The UFLIGO group also leads one of the main data analysis pipelines searching for the most general sources of gravitational waves, those coming from astrophysical sources that defy theoretical prediction. Before moving to Caltech in 2011, David Reitze managed the development of the Advanced LIGO Input Optics at UF, the optical system with the largest number of optical components. When he left, we not only lost a good friend but also a great scientist with exceptional organizational skills in our department; but the IO was in such a good shape and the entire IO team at UF was so strong that finishing the five million dollar project turned out to be fairly straight forward, said Prof. Guido Mueller who, together with Prof. David Tanner, has lead the UF Input Optics group since 2011. The LIGO Observatories are funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), and were conceived, built, and are operated by Caltech and MIT. The discovery, accepted for publication in the journal Physical Review Letters, was made by the LIGO Scientific Collaboration (which includes the GEO Collaboration and the Australian Consortium for Interferometric Gravitational Astronomy) and the Virgo Collaboration using data from the two LIGO detectors. LIGO research is carried out by the LIGO Scientific Collaboration (LSC), a group of more than 1,000 scientists from universities around the United States and in 14 other countries. More than 90 universities and research institutes in the LSC develop detector technology and analyze data; approximately 250 students are strong contributing members of the collaboration. The LSC detector network includes the LIGO interferometers and the GEO600 detector. Virgo research is carried out by the Virgo Collaboration, consisting of more than 250 physicists and engineers belonging to 19 different European research groups: six from Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) in France; eight from the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) in Italy; two in The Netherlands with Nikhef; the Wigner RCP in Hungary; the POLGRAW group in Poland and the European Gravitational Observatory (EGO), the laboratory hosting the Virgo detector near Pisa in Italy. The NSF leads in financial support for Advanced LIGO. Funding organizations in Germany (Max Planck Society), the U.K. (Science and Technology Facilities Council, STFC) and Australia (Australian Research Council) also have made significant commitments to the project. Several of the key technologies that made Advanced LIGO so much more sensitive have been developed and tested by the German UK GEO collaboration. Significant computer resources have been contributed by the AEI Hannover Atlas Cluster, the LIGO Laboratory, Syracuse University, the ARCCA cluster at Cardiff University, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and the Open Science Grid. Several universities designed, built, and tested key components and techniques for Advanced LIGO: The Australian National University, the University of Adelaide, the University of Western Australia, the University of Florida, Stanford University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Louisiana State University. The GEO team includes scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute, AEI), Leibniz Universitat Hannover, along with partners at the University of Glasgow, Cardiff University, the University of Birmingham, other universities in the United Kingdom and Germany, and the University of the Balearic Islands in Spain. New Delhi, June 21 (ANI-NewsVoir): Essar announced its Raniganj (East) Block in West Bengal as India's first CBM (Coal Bed Methane) asset to cross the one million SCMD (Standard Cubic Metres per Day) production milestone. This makes Essar the country's largest unconventional gas player. The targeted plateau production from the Block is three million SCMD. As per 2016 NSAI (Netherland Sewell and Associates, Inc.) report, the proven, probable and possible gross CBM reserves in the Raniganj (East) Block is estimated at 1.09 TCF (Trillion Cubic Feet). The Block is assessed to have additional resources in the 'contingent' category of around 270 BCF (Billion Cubic Feet). "We married talent with technology to transform reserves to production. In the last 12 months, the average well productivity has more than doubled, the gas break-out time in new wells has reduced to days instead of months, and the work-over cycle has reduced to a fifth. Our collaborative relationship with international service providers has resulted in win-win solutions," said CEO-E&P Essar, Manish Maheshwari. Essar has commenced supply to Matix Fertilizers for its pre-commissioning activities at the rate of 150,000 SCMD. Besides Matix, the CBM gas is being supplied to industrial consumers in the catchment area of Durgapur. The gas pricing is in compliance with the government notified formula of October 2014. "There are tremendous opportunities in the domestic unconventional hydrocarbon sector. The Hydrocarbon Exploration Licensing Policy (HELP), which was announced by the Government in March 2016, recognizes this potential in contributing towards national energy security," Maheshwari added. A study was undertaken with the support of USTDA (US Trade & Development Agency), by an independent US firm that has expertise in shale has made a preliminary assessment of original in-place shale gas resources of around eight TCF underneath the CBM play in the Raniganj (East) Block. (ANI-NewsVoir) The actress, who is known for her incredible lithe torso, will be conducting an exclusive 'Yoga Masterclass' that will be addressed by Ambassador Vikram Misri along with the 41-year-old actress. This will be followed by a film that will be showcased to the audience. This year marks the 17th edition of the most spectacular celebration of Indian Cinema worldwide. With the perfect destination to host the gala celebrations, the International Indian Film Academy is all geared up to unfold and present a breathtaking amalgamation of two richly diverse countries and cultures. IIFA 2016 aims at bringing the magic of Indian Cinema to Spain and opening doors for Indian cinema across Europe and Latin America. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged people to embrace yoga for better physical and mental health as he led thousands here on Tuesday morning to mark the second International Yoga Day. Simultaneously, hundreds of thousands across the country began the day with yoga exercises. Modi oversaw some 30,000 yoga enthusiasts in Chandigarh's Capitol Complex performing deep breathing and stretching exercises before joining them. The complex is one of the acclaimed creations of Chandigarh's founder-architect French architect Le Corbusier. "Make yoga a part of your life," the prime minister said in a brief address. "Just as the mobile phone is now a part of your life, make yoga too a part of your life." He said the International Yoga Day had become a mass movement like no other in the world. The UN last year declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga. Underlining that yoga was not a religious activity, Modi said it helped to control the mind and maintain a healthy body for a healthy balance between the two. Yoga, he added, helped people to lead a disciplined life. The prime minister later got down from the stage from where he addressed the gathering to shake hands with specially-abled yoga enthusiasts. Donning T-shirts and track-pants, yoga enthusiasts, shortlisted to perform yoga, began lining up around the spruced up complex around 4 a.m. on Tuesday. Over 96,000 people had registered themselves to take part in the event. Of this, over 30,000 were picked, including 10,000 each from Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana. These included school and college students, youths, elderly, specially challenged, security personnel and yoga activists. Those taking part in the event have been training for the past 15 days. Unprecedented security was in place around the venue in Chandigarh's high-security area of Sector 1. The area was sealed off by paramilitary commandos and security agencies ahead of the event. The Capitol Complex wore a new look with the concrete floor covered with a green carpet. Besides the main event, yoga day was held at 100 other locations across Chandigarh. Yoga guru Ramdev started his record-breaking yoga event in Faridabad town in Haryana, adjoining the national capital, early on Tuesday. Organisers said over 100,000 people performed yoga with Ramdev, setting a world record. The main event of the first International Yoga Day celebration was held on Rajpath in the heart of New Delhi last year. --IANS js/mr/vm ( 409 Words) 2016-06-21-07:42:02 (IANS) Tweeting from Beijing, Chouhan said, "Great enthusiasm in China, sharing moments from today's #YogaDay celebrations @ Beijing," and posted pictures from there. "Celebrated the 2nd #InternationalDayofYoga with my new friends here in Beijing. Yoga connects people heart-to-heart," he wrote on twitter. In a message, he said that yoga binds people and their hearts and builds positivity. "It gives peace to mind and body and gives boundless happiness. Yoga has no geographical boundaries - it can be performed anywhere." He also greeted China on the occasion of Yoga Day. --IANS hindi-shilpee/rn/vt ( 129 Words) 2016-06-21-16:12:03 (IANS) International Day Of Yoga celebrations began across the nation on Tuesday, as various states were seen holding yoga sessions, where people turned out in large numbers to practice the ancient Indian discipline. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in a mass yoga demonstration at the Capitol Complex in Chandigarh. Over 30, 000 people, including 100 differently-abled children, are expected to participate in the event in Chandigarh, which is set to begin at 6.30 am. The theme this year's event is to 'Connect the Youth'. As per reports, 10,000 participants each from Chandigarh and adjoining states of Haryana and Punjab will perform yoga asanas with Prime Minister Modi at the main event at the complex. Elaborate arrangements have been put in place to ensure smooth performance at the venue. The complex is divided into 8 blocks where 500 master trainers along with their team members will perform. Nearly 600 buses are being used to ferry the participants to the venue. 300 pre-fabricated bio-toilets and 30,000 mats are being used on the occasion. Stringent security arrangements have been put in place for event in Chandigarh. About 4000 paramilitary and 3000 Chandigarh police personnel have been deployed to guard the programme. In the run up to the event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a commemorative postal stamp on Surya Namaskara in the national capital yesterday. The Ministry of Human Resource Development took up the initiative of 'Yoga Olympiad', which saw participation of school children from across 21 states. Over 173 Indian missions across the world are also organizing Yoga Day celebrations to spread awareness about the ancient Indian exercise. Besides, the main event on the Yoga Day, several Indian missions have organized a series of curtain raiser events in various parts of the world to spread Yoga awareness. Meanwhile, the United Nations headquarters in New York was lit up ahead of International Yoga Day. The United Nations General Assembly declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga on December 11 in 2014 after a call from the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi during his address to UN General Assembly on September 27. (ANI) Tibetan Prime Minister-in-exile Lobsang Sangay on Monday, expressed solidarity with refugees around the world on the occasion of World Refugee Day in Dharamsala. June 20 is observed as World Refugee Day around the world. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and civic groups around the world host events in order to draw the public's attention to millions of refugees worldwide who have been forced to flee their homes due to war, conflict or persecution. "On the one hand, to observe the World Refugee Day is to be sad about all those countries and the people, and on the other hand, is to have resolve and determination. Pledge yourself to fight on, to end your status of refugee and go back home, and that is the wish of the Tibetan people, and our solidarity goes out to all the refugees around the world," said Sangay. According to the UNHCR, 65.3 million people were uprooted worldwide last year, many of them fleeing wars only to face walls, tougher laws and xenophobia as they reach borders. The figure, which jumped from 59.5 million in 2014 and by 50 percent in five years, means that 1 in every 113 people on the planet is now a refugee, asylum-seeker or internally displaced in a home country. Tibetans escaped into India in 1959 when there was a threat to life during occupation of Tibet by China. Since then Tibetans have been living in-exile here and struggling for their homeland. "Being a refugee, the saddest thing is that I have never been to my country that is Tibet and I have never touched the land and even I have never tasted the water of Tibet so this is the saddest thing as I am a Tibetan and I should go to Tibet as that is our country but eventually we can't go," said Tenzin Saldon, a Tibetan refugee. According to a report, two million new asylum claims were lodged in industrialized countries in 2015. Nearly 100,000 were children unaccompanied or separated from their families, a three-fold rise on 2014 and a historic high. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be leading over 30,000 yoga enthusiasts in Chandigarh's Capitol Complex amid heavy security. Yoga enthusiasts, specially shortlisted to perform yoga with the prime minister, started lining up around the spruced up complex around 4 a.m. on Tuesday. These included school and college students, youths and the elderly. Those taking part in the event have been training for yoga exercises for the past 15 days. Unprecedented security arrangements were in place around the venue in Chandigarh's high-security area of Sector 1 for over 24 hours. The area was sealed off by paramilitary commandos and security agencies ahead of the event. Yoga guru Ramdev started his record-breaking yoga event in Faridabad town in Haryana, adjoining the national capital, early on Tuesday. Organisers said over 100,000 people performed yoga with Ramdev, setting a world record. In Chandigarh, a total of 30,000 participants -- 10,000 each from Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana -- donning T-shirts and black or blue tracksuit lowers will perform deep breathing and stretching exercises against the backdrop of the Capitol Complex, one of the acclaimed creations of Chandigarh's founder-architect French architect Le Corbusier. Apart from the main event, yoga day events will be held at 100 other locations across Chandigarh. The UN General Assembly had declared June 21 as the International Yoga Day following a resolution moved by India and co-sponsored by a large number of nations. The first International Yoga Day celebration was organised in June last year, the main event taking place on Rajpath in the heart of New Delhi. --IANS js/mr ( 286 Words) 2016-06-21-06:30:02 (IANS) Disgruntled former Karnataka MinisterAmbareesh today compared Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah toAdolf Hitler and accused of removing Ministers at his whims andfancies without consulting others. Addressing a press conference here, he said that he will not backtrack his decision to quit the Assembly and would personally tenderhis resignation. "Is he (Mr Siddaramaiah) a Hitler to take decision withoutconsulting a person who will be affected by his action. I have beenin politics for 46 years and have worked as Union Minister and asState Minister. There had not been even a single black mark in myfunctioning," he bemoaned following his removal from the ministryduring the massive reshuffle of the Ministry on June 19. "If Mr Siddaramaiah had asked me personally to pave way for othersafter having served as Minister for three years, I would havecertainly obliged. But he did not have such a courtesy to ask beforedropping," he added. Mr Ambareesh had sent his resignation yesterday through hisSecretary Srinivas to Deputy Speaker Shivashankara Reddy, who is the pro-term Speaker following resignation of Kagodu Thimappa afterinclusion into the Cabinet. However, Mr Reddy had returned the resignation letter stating that he (Mr Ambareesh) should personally submit it. Replying to a question, Mr Ambareesh said "when they areterming me as an inefficient Minister, there is no reason incontinuing even as a Legislator." To another question, he said that there was no proposal before him to join any other party. Mr Ambareesh also took strong exception to the Chief Minister'saction in dropping Mr Srinivasa Prasad. He was an able andintelligent person but he was also removed from the Cabinet.UNI MSP CNR CS 1236 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0284-796345.Xml With the first light this morning, security forces resumed search operation in the woods in the frontier district of Kupwara, where a brief encounter followeed after the arrest of a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) foreign militants. However, there was no report of any casualty in the encounter so far, official sources said here today. They said security forces and Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir police resumed search operation in Sheikh Nard forest in Sogam. The operation was stopped in the dense forest late last night due to darkness. A brief encounter ensued between militants hiding in the woods and security forces after a top LeT commander was arrested last evening at Sogam market in Lobal in Kupwara. However, two of his accomplishes manage to give a slip to security forces. Later, security forces and SOG immediately launched a search operation in Nagbal and Sheikh Nard forest area in Sogam. However, when security forces were moving towards a particular area in the forest, militants hiding there fired at them with automatic weapons. The security forces also retaliated ensuing an encounter, they said, adding the exchange of fire continued for an hour. Additional security forces were rushed to the area to cordon off the forest area to foil any attempt by the militants to escape. The top LeT commander, identified as Abu Ukasha alias Hanzullah, believed to be a Pakistani resident, was arrested along with a grenade at Sogam market in Lobal in Kupwara at around 1900 hrs. They said following specific information, police intercepted a person at Sogam market in Lobal in Kupwara at around 1900 hrs. "During checking, a grenade and cash was recovered from the person, who has been identified as Abu Ukasha alias Hanzullah, believed to be a Pakistani resident," they said.UNI ABS SV SB PM1114 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0433-796216.Xml As many as 4,273 doctors and 9,811 paramedics are working in different government hospitals in Jammu and Kashmir, where 1,715 positions of doctors and 2,275 paramedics are still vacant, officials said today. There is sanctioned strength of 5,988 doctors and 12,086 paramedics in hospitals, they said. There is sanctioned strength of 4,312 doctors in Health Services, out of which 3,306 are in position and 1,006 posts are vacant. Similarly, 9,365 is the sanctioned strength of paramedics, out of which 7,989 are in position and 1,376 posts are vacant. "In medical education sector there is a sanctioned strength of 1,676 doctors, of which 967 are in position and 709 vacant," they said. There is a sanctioned strength of 2,721 paramedics, out of which 1,822 are in position and 899 are vacant. They further said that 226 posts of consultants in different disciplines were referred to Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC), of which 189 selections have been received and 37 are still pending with the recruiting body. Officials said that 83 posts of lecturers in various disciplines of Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar and 33 posts of lecturers in various disciplines of GMC Jammu have already been referred to the PSC They said 97 posts of Medical Officers have already been referred to the PSC and 475 posts of paramedics lying vacant under direct quota have been referred to the Service Selection Board. UNI ABS SB 1120 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0433-796227.Xml Refuting Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's charge squarely blaming the DMK for ceding of Katchatheevu, an islet in the Palk Bay to Sri Lanka, DMK President M Karunanidhi today said he had at any point of time never accepted ceding of the islet. In a statement here, he said ''at any point of time, I had neither accepted nor abetted ceding of Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka''. He made it clear that he was never part of the agreements signed in 1974 and 1976 following which the islet was ceded to Lanka. ''As the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu I had registered my opposition then itself when the islet was ceded to Sri Lanka'', he said and recalled the letter written by him to then Prime Minister in this regard. Mr Karunanidhi, in his letter in 1974, had said ''on behalf of the Government and the people of Tamil Nadu, I am constrained to express our deep sense of disappointment over the recent Indo-Sri-Lanka agreement, according to which, Sri Lanka's claim to Katchatheevu has been conceded by the Government of India''. Recalling the resolution adopted in the Assembly in the letter, he said ''may I express the hope that you will take into consideration the unanimous decision contained in the resolution and take appropriate action''. Mr Karunanidhi said immediately after the islet was ceded to Sri Lanka by the Centre, he had had convened an all party meeting and elicited the views of various political parties. However, he sought to know from Ms Jayalalithaa whether she had convened an all party meeting on the issue at least once in the State. Stating that he had strived hard to the maximum extent possible to retrieve back the Katchatheevu during his tenure as Chief Minister, the DMK Chief referred to Ms Jayalalithaa's letter to then Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao in 1994 that ceding of the tiny Island to the Island Nation had been done by the Indian Government in the interest of better bilateral relations.UNI GV CS 1244 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0434-796386.Xml A total of 600 army personnel and their familiesparticipated in the Yoga programme organised as part of second InternationalDay of Yoga here today. An official statement here said yoga, an invaluable traditional gift of ancient India, not only brings harmony between man and nature, but also inculcates a holistic approach to health and well being. Lieutenant General Jagbir Singh, General Officer Commanding Dakshin Bharat Area graced the occasion. Trained instructors demonstrated the correct postures for various Asanas and explained their benefits to soldiers and their families. The Jawans have also been undergoing a structured training in Yoga which was very much evident in their synchronized and well timed performance. A similar event was also organised by the Indian Navy to mark the occasion. The Indian Navy collaborated with various organizations wherein trained instructors have been regularly undertaking special sessions for naval personnel, families and children at various locations in Chennai, Arakkonam, Tirunelveli, Ramanathapuram and other locations where naval bases and naval detachments were located. In Chennai, `Centralized Yoga Sessions' were held regularly at the Naval Base, INS Adyar's parade ground, with two fully trained Yoga instructors from "Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram", a Public Charitable Trust, recognized by the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry, with nearly four decades of eminence in Yoga and Yoga Therapy, conducting practice sessions for the naval personnel and their families twice a week. Today at INS Adyar, the Indian Navy, along with other countrymen and the International community across the globe, wholeheartedly celebrated the second International Yoga Day. Regular practice sessions have been undertaken as per the "Common Yoga Protocol" of the Ministry of Ayush and tutored by the Yoga instructors. More than 300 naval personnel from units under Headquarters Tamilnadu and Puducherry Naval Area including INS Adyar and ships based at Chennai such as Car Nicobar, Cora Divh, Chriyam, Chetlat, INFAC T-83, INFAC T84 participated in the Mass Yoga session along with their families including children making it a grandiose event. Rear Admiral Alok Bharnagar, Flag Officer Tamilnadu and Puducherry Naval Area accompanied by Mrs Deepa Bhatnagar, President NWWA Tamil Nadu Region also participated and led the team during the event. The yoga session started with a prayer and included a number of poses in standing, sitting and lying positions. This was followed by Pranayama and meditation and the eventended with a sankalpa (pledge) to commit oneself to becoming a healthy, peaceful, joyful and loving human being. At the Heavy Vehicles Factory premises at Avadi, about 500 people participated in the Mass Yoga Demonstration. An Interactive session on Yoga and its health benefit was also organized for the benefit of employees. Meanwhile, the Art of Living also celebrated the "International Day of Yoga" by organising a mega programme at the Marina Beachfront.UNI GV CS 1254 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0434-796393.Xml A local court of North Tripura today sent two surrendered National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) militants to three days judicial custody here. The militants were arrested from Damcherra area in eastern border of the state with Mizoram. Police have recovered fake Indian currency of Rs 1 lakh from their possession.Acting on a tip-off, police raided a passenger jeep coming towards Mizoram border from National Highway 44 and detained Hemendra Reang (48) and Balaram Reang (29) with fake notes of Rs 1,000 denomination. According to police, both of them are surrendered militants and residing in Nepaltilla area under Kumarghat sub-division of Unokuti district in North Tripura. A report said they have been involved in transaction racket of fake notes in Tripura. ''The fake notes are coming from Myanmar and its neighbouring locations via Mizoram, which have been circulated in North-eastern region largely,'' police said, adding that the notes were difficult to detect. The accused claimed that they had received the money from a person of Muslim dominated Tarapur village of Fatikroy in Kumarghat. They were given the money to be handed over to a person in Damcherra, against some commission.The anonymous person was yet to be traced, police said.UNI BB AD PR 1333 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0108-796353.Xml India today led the world in celebrating the second International Yoga Day, with President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling for making it an integral part of one's life.At the break of dawn, Indians and people across the globe went into different postures of the ancient Indian practice for alleviating both the body and the soul.This universal embrace of the yoga happens at the initiative of Mr Modi, who during his visit in 2014 to the UN had highlighted the importance of the yoga and the UN at his behest declared this day as International Yoga Day.Reports of celebrations have been coming in from various Indian missions including UAE, Tunisia, Sudan, Venezuela, Colombia, Guatemala and Uruguay, New Zealand and Australia.Addressing a press conference on Sunday, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had said the International Yoga Day was being celebrated in 191 countries across the world, barring strife-torn Yemen and Libya.Leading the celebrations in the country, the President and the Prime Minister called upon people to make it an integral part of their life.While Mr Mukherjee inaugurated the Yoga Day at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Mr Modi led around 30,000 yoga enthusiasts to celebrate the event at the Capitol Complex in Chandigarh. The President urged the people to make the practice of yoga an integral part of life as it would provide mental and physical strength. More UNI RBE-AR SW RSA 1456 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0092-796681.Xml Indian Air Force (IAF) has agreed to hand over 11.8 acres of land to Airport Authority of India (AAI) at Leh airport. However, the state government will have to allot 28 acres of land in lieu of the land being handed over to AAI. This information was given by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who also holds Tourism portfolio also, in reply to a question by Nawang Rigzin Jora in the Legislative Assembly today. The reply said that as per IAF they will handover 11.8 acres of land to AAI for construction of Terminal Building (TB) only after getting No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the state government land of 28 acres in lieu of the land. Few meeting were arranged to address the issue of land with IAF authorities at Leh and Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir. It said most of the impediments are cleared except the indent which need to be raised by Defence Estate Officer (DEO). However, the delay is from the side of DEO and the matter is being taken up with the Principal DEO, Government of India (GoI) through Chief Minsiter's Office for expediting raising of indent. In a reply to a separate question by Mr Jora who wanted to know the steps contemplated to address shortage of flights in Ladakh and exorbitant airfares affecting the tourist trade severely, the Chief Minister said since the parking bays are limited at Leh airport and window of operations is limited, the problem of shortage of flights will persist till the expansion of terminal and apron takes place. However, it said, a meeting was held under the chairmanship of M Kanna, Economic Advisor, Ministry of Aviation, GoI in 2013 with Deputy Commissioner, Leh and other officials of different department. The reply said that the chairman apart from various assurance taken up in respect of speeding up of completion of infrastructure problems constraining augmentation of flight to Leh suggested to reduce 21 per cent VAT on ATF in the region by the state government which is accounting for 50 per cent operating cost of flight. The Chief Minister said moreover Air Traffic is linked to the market driven demand and supply mechanics and the state government has no control over the airfare. However, the only solution is increase number of flights which will be possible only once adequate parking stands are created by AAI at Leh airport.UNI BAS DS RSA 1641 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0177-797019.Xml Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Deputy Speaker Nazir Ahmad Gurezi today directed the government to take action against officer of Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) found involved in allegedly allotting work worth Rs 45 lakh to 50 lakh to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) workers without e-tendering in north Bandipora, district. However, the government said that no work has been allotted in the area so far. The direction by the Deputy Speaker came after main opposition National Conference (NC)member Muhammad Akbar Lone said he has not received any reply from the government over the issue which he raised yesterday in the House. The Deputy Speaker initially ordered to government to stop the work and act against officers of I&FC if the allegations were proven right. However, Mr Lone requested the Deputy Speaker not to stop the work, but asked him to direct the government not to release funds for the work done and take action against the accused officers. Meanwhile, Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Sham Lal Chaudhary said no work has been so far allotted to anyone in the area. "The allegations have no grounds as only few JCBs were pressed into service in the area. No work has been allotted in the area so far," Mr Chaudhary said. However, Mr Lone reiterated that he will resign if he was proven wrong. Mr Lone has yesterday allegations that tenders were given to ruling PDP workers by I&FC without e-tendering in Shadipora area in his Sonawari constituency. Hitting out at the government, he had said the current regime claims to provide corruption-free governance in the state, but they were the same people who were encouraging it in his constituency. Mr Lone had added that he will resign from the seat if the government proved that it has issued tenders for the work. Mr Lone had requested the Speaker to intervene and direct the government to inquire into the incident. The Speaker had yesterday directed the government to take note of the issue. UNI ABS SW RSA PM1619 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0433-796805.Xml They were demanding among other things, immediate reinstatement of them. It may be noted that, as many as 2612 employees were terminated on direction from the Central Election Commission at the time of the assembly elections here, alleging model code of violation in their appointment. Now the employees formed a Joint Action Committee(JAC) and were demanding their reinstatement, as the elections were over. The employees, who observed a fast yesterday, today held a demonstration at the main office and locked the office at Gorimedu.UNI PAB KVV AK 1620 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0414-796895.Xml AIMIM president and Hyderabad MP Asauddin Owaisi today challenged the ruling Samajwadi Party to debate with him over putting a ban on his rally in Uttar Pradesh. " If Mulayam Singh Yadav (SP chief) and Akhilesh Yadav (Chief Minister) have courage, then they should come up and debate with me on illegal approach to put ban on my rallies in the state. Besides, the SP government should also debate on Kairana issue," he told media persons here. " I have made the list of the officials, who have denied permission during the past couple of years and it would be handed over to the Election Commission for a free and fair elections," Mr Owaisi said, ''Had Mulayam followed the ideology of Dr Ram Manohar Lohia, then SP would have allowed my rally, but they are now violating even the ideologies of the great socialist leader, The AIMIM chief remarked. Mr Owaisi was here to attend an Iftar function last evening at Jama Masjid park, which was attended by a large number of people. The Hyderabad MP is slated to attend an Iftar in Bijnore, this evening. When Mr Owaisi was asked to comment on the controversial statement of Bollywood actor Salman Khan, the politician questioned," Who is Salman,'' I am a bigger star than him". Terming both the BJP and SP as two sides of the same coin, he said the real face of SP government in UP has come up in Mathura violence incident. "The incident itself proves that the government was sleeping and all the officials were helping the encroachers," he alleged. He also questioned why no muslim won the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from UP." It was the fault of SP only as except for five family members, Mulayam Singh Yadav did not allow any one to win," Mr Qwaisi added. Blaming both the BJP and SP for the Mathura and Kairana issues, the AIMIM president said BJP shifted the focus from Mathura to Kairana, just to save the skin of SP government in UP." Both these parties are conspiring to create communal tension in the state before the Assembly elections," he alleged.UNI MB RJ RSA RK1737 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0196-797044.Xml A police spokesperson here today said that following a specific information about transportation of drugs, a checkpoint was established at Upper Bazaar Qazigund on the national highway. He said police intercepted a vehicle at the checkpoint and during checking recovered 11 kgs of poppy straw. The accused, identified as Hilal Ahmad Malik, was immediately taken into custody, he said, adding manhunt has been launched to nab two more people involved in this case. Police have registered a case, he added.UNI ABS YSS CJ RSA VP1716 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0433-796956.Xml The BJP President practiced Yoga at Sector 12, HUDA Park, Faridabad, along with Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Shah expressed happiness over the large turnout of people on the Day. The BJP President praised Yoga guru for promoting Yoga in the World. Talking to reporters, Baba Ramdev said modern technology was used to help people see the instructions for practicing Yoga. At the event, 'Shirshasana' and 'Surya Namaskar' were performed. Meanwhile, the Yoga programme was also held at BJP Headquarters in the national capital, where BJP General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya participated, along with a large number of party workers.UNI NY RJ RSA 1909 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0099-797490.Xml Coal India Ltd (CIL) has decided to begin auction of coal linkages to the cement sector consumers from June 28. India Coal Market Watch (ICMW) in a report said t the state owned PSU CILwould offer only two million tons of coal even as the sector was not fully satisfied with theway the auction is being planned. However, the offered quantity could be increased by CIL depending on the responseto the auction as was done in the case of sponge iron when the offered quantity wasincreased to 3.78 million tons (mt) from initially offered quantity of only about 2 mt. Sources, who attended the pre-bid meeting on June 19 in Kolkata called by CIL withthose who have registered to participate in the auction, said "The way things stand as ofnow, it appears that the linkage auction for the cement sector will meet the fate similar tothat of sponge iron (held between June 10 and 16) when only about 55 per cent of theoffered quantity was booked," ICMW said. "A number of issues could not get clarified in the pre-bid meeting and the entire thingappears to be messed up as of now," they said. "On one hand, CIL recently reduced the prices of its higher grades of coal so the cementsector can use more of that coal. But, on the other, it is offering only limited quantities ofhigher grades in the linkage auction," said a cement company official who attended themeeting. "Why is it that only low grades of coals are being offered, if they (CIL) want to make the entire auction a success? If you want larger participation from the cement sector, then why coals of grade aboveG10 are being offered?" he asked, pointing out that the cement sector traditionally procures coals above G8."It is not only the grades of coal that are planned to be offered in the auction which is an issue, but the sources from which these are being offered is also an issue. The cement sector traditionally procures coal of higher grades from select mines, but the same is not being offered in the auction," said a second source."The company is offering coal from mines such as that from Rajmahal and Sonpurbazaari, which is not preferred by even power sector consumers," a third source said.CIL officials on the other hand rues that the cement sector was not buying their higher grades and going for imported coal instead."We want to use domestic coal, but not the lower grades. If adequate quantities of coal from traditional sources are offered, there is no reason why cement companies will not participate in the auction," anofficial from an association representing coal consumers said.UNI PC PY RK1908 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0140-797517.Xml Delhi BJP MP Maheish Girri, who has been on a hunger strike since Sunday evening outside Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence in protest against allegation of his involvement in the murder of NDMC estate officer M M Khan, today called off the strike at the request of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. Speaking at the dharna site, Mr Singh urged him to call off the strike saying his life was more precious to the party and the country. On Mr Kejriwal not accepting his challenge on the "false allegations" levelled against him by Mr Kejriwal, the Union Home Minister said, "Whether or not, person accepts the challenge should be left to his own courage. However, life of BJP from East Delhi Maheish Girri is more precious for us. So, I request him to call off his strike."Soon after, Mr Girrri withdrew the strike by taking a glass of juice at the dharna site. More UNI SM/AR SW RSA 1831 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0271-797350.Xml Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has reiterated that Samajwadi Party (SP) will return to power in the state because of its work it has done in the last four and half years that brought smiles on the faces of people. "People want performance from the government and SP has lived up to the expectations of the people. Compare our work with other governments performance and you will see the difference," Mr Yadav told reporters here, when he had come to meet the family members of martyred Santosh Yadav who was killed in Jawahar Bagh clash on June 2. He said, "SP leaders will go to the people with report card. I am confident that we will pass the test with flying colours and form the next government in Uttar Pradesh." The Chief Minister was caustic about Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and said, "the party has failed to fulfill its promise. Its leader had promised acche din. Where is that acche din. If people start believing BJP leaders they will be ruined. People have burnt their fingers once and will not repeat their mistake in Assembly elections." "The BJP is unnecessarily trying to make Mathura incident and exodus of people from Kairana as an election issue. These are no issue at all. The saffron party has failed to find faults in our development scheme, so it has come up with some formula to defame the SP government," the Chief Minister said. He said BJP is trying to sow seeds of hatred and mistrust among the impressionable minds of the people. "I am sure people will give a befitting reply to this communal party in the coming elections," Mr Yadav added. Earlier, the Chief Minister met the family members of the martyred Santosh Yadav, who was posted in as Station Officer of Farah (Mathura) and had gone to evacuate Jawahar Bagh from the encroachers on June 2, when he was killed along with SP city Mukul Dwivedi. Mr Yadav handed over a cheque of Rs 50 lakh to the widow of Santosh Yadav.UNI MB DS 1958 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0177-797649.Xml In the pre-trial judgement in a case pertaining to the monies from the erstwhile state of Hyderabad lying in a UK bank since late 1940s, an English court has dismissed Pakistan's application invoking limitation against India's claim to the monies. The judgement states that Pakistan's application for summary disposal of the claim in its favour must fail. The costs for the failure of this application of Pakistan will be awarded to India.The legal action in the matter, currently sub-judice, was initiated by Pakistan in 2013. Pakistan's subsequent application for discontinuance of the case was rejected by the same court in 2015. India was also awarded substantial costs against Pakistan at that stage."Pending trial or settlement of the matter, it is premature to reach any conclusion regarding ownership of the monies, especially as the present judgement readily acknowledges that there is much force in many of India's arguments to strike out Pakistan's claim of ownership," MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup said, reacting to the pre-trial judgment. The case will now proceed to trial, unless settled. India had already rejected Pakistan's offer of out of court settlement saying that Islamabad's claim was not valid.India maintains that Pakistan had no entitlement to the 35 million GBP sitting in a bank account since September 20, 1948. UNI MK AE 2000 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0090-797702.Xml : The CPI(M) branch committee office was set ablaze by unidentified miscreants in the wee hours today at Vadukumpad near Thalassery in this district of Kerala. Police said the office, functioning on the second floor inside a tiled house was set ablaze by miscreants around 0200 hrs and caused damage to all the furniture and fittings, apart from the roof of the building. Cops and fire-engine personnel rushed to the spot and doused the fire. A case has been registered, following a complaint from one Shaiju, CPI(M) branch secretary and investigation was, under way, police added.. Incidentally, CPI(M) alleged that BJP/RSS were behind the nefarious designs. The party district secretary P Jayarajan also visited the spot.UNI AK KVV AK 2040 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0324-797023.Xml An investors' delegation from Japan met Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav here today and praised initiatives taken by him to improve infrastructure through construction of Metro train service in Lucknow and Agra-Lucknow Expressway.The members said as Uttar Pradesh is a big state, the opportunities of investments here are very high. They also showed their willingness to invest in Uttar Pradesh. The Chief Minister welcomed them with an open arm and assured all help to them. "We have a single window system where all the problems of the investors are solved in a jiffy. The state is ready to extend any help," Mr Yadav said to the Japanese delegation that was led by Masami Amano of Budha Nippon Solar Company. Mr Yadav said, ''Government has investment policy in place which is investor-friendly. We have new solar energy policy as the government is committed to harness solar energy to the maximum.'' ''This Samajwadi Party Government is committed to the holistic development of Uttar Pradesh which is possible only if there is development in industrial sector," Mr Yadav said. The Japanese delegation said they will get back very soon.UNI MB PY AE 2115 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0298-797896.Xml ''Nearly 1700 migrant voters of Anantnag constituency may exercise franchise at 19 special polling stations in Jammu, Udhampur and Delhi,'' an official here said. Anantnag Constituency seat fell vacant after the demise of former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed while sitting Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and his daughter is also among the contestants and trying her fate to win as MLA. The official, however, said Anantnag constituency is one of the largest migrants segment and to facilitate voting, 13 special polling stations would be established in Jammu district tomorrow. ''Around 1,756 voters of Jammu district have filled up the 'M form' and opted to cast votes at 13 stations, which is centrally located near migrant localities,'' he asserted. Election Commission have set up special polling stations at Jammu, Delhi and Udhampur to enable Kashmiri migrants to cast their votes in Anantnag by poll tomorrow. He however, said 18 voters in Udhampur have submitted form 'M' and are eligible to participate in the election process while one special polling booth has been set up at Municipal Committee office. Five polling booths have been set up in Delhi to felicities migrants in voting exercise.UNI VBH PY AE 2305 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0298-798016.Xml At the start of June, Foreign Minister Wang Yi berated Canadian reporter Amanda Connolly when she asked about human rights in China. Fuming, Wang accused her of prejudice. "I want to tell you that it's the Chinese people who most understand China's human rights record - not you, but the Chinese people themselves. You have no right to speak on this. The Chinese people have the right to speak," he lectured scathingly. Interestingly, one Chinese citizen has just exercised that right. In fact, he gave a withering critique of China's legal system, as well as its trampling of Hong Kong laws. Lam Wing-kee, one of five detailed booksellers from Hong Kong, was allowed to return on the proviso he would collect for investigators a database of 400-500 mainland readers from his bookshop, of which he was store manager. Instead, he exposed in a press conference on 16 June the treatment he had undergone at the hands of the Chinese authorities. His claims were a literal bombshell. After his arrest when crossing the border from Hong Kong into Shenzhen on 24 October 2015, Lam was blindfolded and bundled 1,100km by train to Ningbo.He was forced to sign a form giving up rights to legal representation and contact with family members...He was never formally charged.Lam was interrogated up to four times a week.He was forced to give a scripted television confession.He was held in solitary confinement for eight months under 24-hour surveillance. A guard would even hold a string tied to the end of his toothbrush to prevent him from swallowing it in any suicide attempt, he related. The bookseller saga has gripped Hong Kong for months. Five men associated with Causeway Bay Books and the Mighty Current publishing house, which locally published and distributed books critical of the Beijing government, disappeared one after another last year. All eventually surfaced on the mainland, claiming they had gone there voluntarily. Only one remains in Chinese custody, the others having returned home. The clear import of Lam's allegations is that the Chinese authorities are above the law. It also shows Beijing blatantly breaks the spirit and regulations enshrined in the One Country, Two Systems principle. Foreign Minister Wang's words - "I want to tell you that it's the Chinese people who most understand China's human rights record" - ring very hollow in the light of Lam's lamentable treatment. The 61-year-old Lam commented on his incarceration, "I couldn't believe this could happen to me. It was very surreal. I thought I was in another world and even hoped my situation was a dream and not reality. As a Hongkonger I am a free man. I did not commit any crimes but I was locked up for no reason for five months." Referring to his televised confession, Lam said, "There was a director and there was a script. I had to memorize the lines and read them in front of TV." Only Lam has dared to speak out. "If I don't speak up...then there is no hope for Hong Kong. "I had to pluck up a lot of courage, thought about it for two nights, before I decided tell you all what happened, as originally and completely as I could." Lam was adamant; "I also want to tell the whole world. This is Hongkongers' bottom line: Hongkongers will not bow down before brute force." With clenched fists, he declared, "The Chinese government has forced Hong Kong people into a dead end." There is genuine concern among some sectors of Hong Kong that they could meet the same fate. Andrei Chang, editor of the defense publication Kanwa, permantly departed Hong Kong in May for Japan. He told ANI that he too feared being abducted. Chang feels particular vulnerable as he writes regular exposes about China's military. One of the booksellers, Gui Minhai, who is also a Swedish national, disappeared from Pattaya in Thailand. The logical conclusion is that China kidnapped him from there. In Lam's case, the bare facts are stark. China detained a Hong Kong citizen for eight months and denied him due legal process. The territory's autonomy has been severely eroded. Foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said, "Lam Wing-kee is a Chinese citizen, and he has violated China's laws on the mainland. Related authorities in China are authorized to handle the case in accordance with the law." However, are the charges politically motivated rather than criminal acts? Winnie Tam SC, chairwoman of the Hong Kong Bar Association, queried, "The Hong Kong government has to ask what was it that Lam committed, where does his criminal responsibility lie, what gives the mainland, whichever department, the right to take him away or detain him. These are answers we really need to know." In April 2015 the Cyberspace Administration of China issued a directive saying that terrorism, illegal religion, fake reporters, foreign harmful culture and counter-revolutionary information from Hong Kong and Taiwan were subject to suppression and eradication. This is itself inflammatory, as Taiwanese could be arrested in the same way if they set foot in China. Lam said he was not arrested by regular police, but by a secretive central investigation team that usually only takes cases of very senior politicians. Such ad hoc groups are commissioned directly by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and are not subject to regular law enforcement restrictions. This underscores the notion that Beijing was concerned about subversion. It is keenly aware of internal dissent, hence the desire to find out who is behind the bookshop and who is buying books. This also indicates acute paranoia among President Xi Jinping's inner circle, which cannot tolerate any bad publicity. Lam was supposedly accompanied by two Chinese investigators, yet another violation of Hong Kong law, since Chinese law enforcement has no jurisdiction in the territory. However, Steve Vickers, CEO of Hong Kong-based political and corporate risk consultancy Steve Vickers and Associates, told ANI that the 2014 Occupy Central movement attracted the Chinese security apparatus in force. Democrats "pulled the tiger's tail and they're now paying the price," he said. "They're here in large numbers now, as they would be in any other territory they control. Now its presence is substantial and it will materially change everything." The Hong Kong government has not addressed the issue of such Chinese security personnel operating covertly or overtly there. Furthermore, in 2014 it was discovered the People's Liberation Army (PLA) was operating a secret installation atop Hong Kong's tallest peak. The electronic and signals intelligence facility possesses a likely ability to eavesdrop on phone calls and communications. The facility's existence was kept under wraps for approximately three years. The three other booksellers previously allowed to return to Hong Kong have remained silent on their arrests, even requesting Hong Kong police to cease investigations. Interestingly, since Lam's revelations, there has been a storm of criticism and denials. This is all part of the murky obfuscation that has dogged revelations and counter-revelations throughout the whole bookseller saga. Fellow bookseller Lee Po disappeared from Hong Kong in December, but he denied Lam's claims that he was kidnapped. Oddly, however, the Hong Kong government had no record of his legally leaving the territory. In Gui's television cameo from imprisonment, he said he had returned voluntarily to set right a 2004 drink-driving incident. Is this believable? The Sing Tao Daily has been the only Hong Kong newspaper given exclusive interviews and access within China on the issue. It quoted the Ningbo authorities as saying, "He stayed there voluntarily as he had family disputes in Hong Kong." Lam, however, separated from his wife several years ago. In another article, Sing Tao Daily interview Lam's 37-year-old girlfriend, surnamed Hu. She heaped criticism on him, "He is not like a man. He has completely ruined the image of Hong Kong's men." She directly challenged Lam's version, saying she was arrested alongside him and that they were given the right to legal representation. "He introduced me to the business of the bookstore, repeatedly brainwashing me. Lam Wing-kee never told me it was contrary to mainland laws to sell these books through mailing," she complained. Hu is under investigation and awaiting trial. Elsewhere, fellow bookseller Lui Por argued, "There was absolutely no such thing as coerced confessions or prearranged media interviews with a script. I never imagined Lam Wing-kee was such a dishonest person. He should bravely admit his guilt and shoulder the legal responsibility." Another bookseller, Cheung Chi-ping, asserted, "Lam's press conference was premeditated and an attack on the one country, two systems principle." Why such disarray and accusations from among even former associates? The most logical is that the other booksellers are too scared to tell the truth. Indeed, all the others have family on the mainland. Lam does not. One can surmise that if they do not toe the official line, their relatives will suffer. Vitriolic public attacks and character assassination are a well-used ploy in communist China. It appears China has embarked upon an all-out smear campaign against Lam, even using leverage against his former colleagues. Bused-in protestors also staged a protest on 19 June, The South China Morning Post quoted Johnny Lau Yui-siu, a China watcher, "As Mr Lam's remarks exposed the nature of the incident and the processes of the investigation, the government is on the losing side. It is customary for the mainland to wage a propaganda war and character assassination against [him]." Gui's daughter, Angela Gui, currently studying in the UK, praised Lam's bravery on her Twitter account. "It is sad that the only person [who] has spoken out has done so because he has not got family on the mainland that could be threatened and punished for his choice to tell the truth." She asserted it was "beyond doubt" that her father had been abducted and forced to confess. Amnesty International said in a February statement, "The Chinese authorities are showing total contempt for due process and the rule of law in the case of five detained Hong Kong booksellers." William Nee, the organization's China researcher, stated, "These detentions make a mockery of the Chinese government's claims to be 'ruling the country according to the law'. The Chinese authorities seem to think that if they can get detained people under their control to write implausible letters or call family members saying that they are proactively 'cooperating with investigations' they can do away with due process and human rights." The Hong Kong administration has been revealed as a toothless tiger too. It has no influence over Beijing, and cannot uphold cross-border jurisdictional rights. Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying admitted the city's detention notification mechanism with the mainland had "room for improvement". He promised to write a letter to Beijing to address Hong Kong concerns. China's human rights record was already in tatters. Amnesty International's 2015-16 annual report summarized the situation: "The government launched a massive nationwide crackdown against human rights lawyers. Other activists and human rights defenders continued to be systematically subjected to harassment and intimidation." This should all be enough to make Foreign Minister Wang blow his top. Then again, he has his hands full orchestrating the propaganda campaign to support China's contentious South China Sea territorial claims, which are likely to be struck down by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague next month. Certainly, Lam's allegations against China will not just go away, despite a heated Beijing-backed campaign against him. Meanwhile, some in Hong Kong will be wary of a midnight knock on the door, a possibility with which Chinese citizens must already contend.(ANI) Iran's Foreign Ministry on Monday condemned the Bahraini regime's "intensification of its security approach toward religious and national leaders, opposition to religious beliefs and principles, and misappropriation of religious assets and funds of the Bahraini people", Xinhua news agency reported. It urged Bahrain to end "stopping its illegal behaviour (towards the dissidents), avoiding the destruction of all the bridges for communication with the people and moderate leaders of the country by accepting the realities and holding serious national dialogue." Commander of Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), Major General Qassem Soleimani, also on Monday warned Bahrain of the consequences of its move. It would set fire to Bahrain and the entire region, and "leave the people (of Bahrain) with no choice but armed resistance", Soleimani said. This would result in the collapse of the "bloodthirsty regime", said Soleimani, adding the regime is repressing its people while the UN, the US and Western countries maintain their "meaningful silence". The Quds Force, also known as Qods, is a special unit of Iran's IRGC responsible for "extraterritorial" missions. Bahrain announced on Monday that it had revoked the citizenship of the country's most powerful Shia cleric, saying the move was part of the measures to fight extremism. Sheikh Isa Qassim, the leader of the opposition group Al Wefaq National Islamic Society, was stripped of nationality, the country's Interior Ministry said in a statement. The statement accused Qassim of forming "groups that follow foreign religious ideologies and political entities" and of playing "a key role in fostering extremism and sectarianism in Bahrain". --IANS py/vm ( 291 Words) 2016-06-21-09:06:12 (IANS) Pakistan's Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz has said that Afghan refugee camps within Pakistan turned into 'safe havens' for terrorists after the country's armed forces destroyed the militants' infrastructure in tribal areas. Mr Aziz said the issue of Afghan refugees has become a security threat for Pakistan as these refugee camps have become 'safe havens for terrorists' due to unregulated movement, a report in daily Dawn, based on the Advisor to PM's interview to a TV news channel, said. "We have re-established our writ over FATA but if Afghan border remains unregulated, our tribal areas can't stay safe," Mr Aziz said. Calling for repatriation of Afghan refugees, he said that the repatriation will be a gradual movement and Pakistan will need a plan of action for the process. Answering a question, he said yesterday's meeting between Afghan delegation and Pakistan's diplomatic staff was held in a friendly environment and both sides agreed upon developing a mechanism for border management. About the recent tensions with Afghanistan, Mr Aziz claimed that Pakistan is paying for the policies it adopted during the Russian invasion of Afghanistan, "five million refugees came here, along with drugs, guns bringing instability to Pakistan". "Then occured 9/11 and then the Mujahideen that we, US and other countries jointly created were thrown out (from Afghanistan) into our tribal areas and then started a wave of suicide attacks and terrorism which killed more than 7000 Pakistanis," he said. Mr Aziz added that when the current government came into power, it decided to pursue the policy of non-interference which means Pakistan will not fight someone else's wars. Talking about Indo-Pak relations, he alleged that India has always tried to maintain its 'hegemony' in the South Asian region."But Pakistan rejected this hegemony and has effectively protected its interests and its stance over Kashmir, nuclear deterrence and conventional balance," he said.He maintained that "protecting Pakistan's sovereignty and vital interests is a great achievement as a nation". UNI XC ADG SS -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0105-796204.Xml Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump's campaign raised 3.1 million dollar from donors in May, more than doubling previous monthly hauls as he began soliciting donations to battle Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.But with spending that outpaced inflows, the New York real estate magnate's campaign began June with just 1.29 million dollar in cash, putting it well-behind Clinton's 42 million dollar war chest, according to federal disclosures filed late yesterday.Clinton's campaign raised 26 million dollar in May.The figures underscore the huge money advantage Clinton is hoping to enjoy leading into the November 8 election, one that could allow her a large staff and millions of dollars of television and digital ads in battleground states.Trump, who has self-funded most of his campaign and only held his first general election fundraiser on May 26th, is betting he can run a race that builds on his low-spending, insurgent primary operation.Trump's surrogates, however, have said the cash is now "pouring in" for the general election. For months the biggest cash injections into Trump's campaign coffers were from his personal bank accounts. He has loaned his campaign 46 million dollar since launching last year.Trump may still have several hurdles to cross before convincing deep-pocketed donors to write the kind of checks that would make him competitive with Clinton's campaign bank account.Trump donors, allies and other Republican operatives continue to express concerns about his campaign operation, which has been dogged by internal battles, a threadbare campaign infrastructure of about 30 paid staffers, and a barely existent fundraising apparatus.Yesterday, Trump fired his campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, who had been tasked with overseeing the campaign's fundraising arm.The primary Super PAC supporting Trump, Great America PAC, reported raising 1.4 million dollar in May - accounting for most of the 2.5 million dollar the group has raised this year. The PAC had 500,971 dollar cash remaining at the beginning of June.Clinton's cash advantage has been fueled in part by the Super PAC supporting her. Priorities USA raised 12 million dollar in the last month, ending May with a 52 million dollar in cash. Three unions, AFT Solidarity, Liuna Building America and International Union of Operating Engineers, each gave 1 million dollar.The group has largely been tasked with attacking Trump. And so far, they have spent more than 5.7 million dollar this year on television ads alone attacking the Republican.REUTERS SDR pm0845 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0431-796169.Xml Democratic Republic of Congo declared a yellow fever epidemic in three provinces, including the capital Kinshasa, after confirming 67 cases of the disease, with another 1,000 suspected cases being monitored.Health Minister Felix Kabange said yesterday, only seven of the proven cases were indigenous to the Central African country, while 58 were imported from Angola, where the outbreak began. A further two cases came from remote forested areas not linked to the current outbreak. Five people in total have died, Kabange added."I declare today a localised epidemic of yellow fever in the provinces of Kinshasa, Kongo Central and Kwango," Kabange told a news conference.Kinshasa is the primary concern for global health officials since it has a densely-packed population of more than 12 million and poor healthcare infrastructure.Yellow fever is transmitted by the same mosquitoes that spread the Zika and dengue viruses, although it is a much more serious disease. The "yellow" in the name refers to the jaundice that affects some infected patients.The global stockpile of vaccines has already been depleted twice this year to immunise people in Angola, Uganda and Congo. It stands at 6 million doses, but this may not be enough if there are simultaneous outbreaks in multiple highly-populated areas, experts warn.Almost 18 million doses have been distributed for emergency vaccination campaigns so far in the three African countries.The current method for making vaccines, using chicken eggs, takes a year.World Health Organisation (WHO) advisers have recommended using a fifth of the standard dose of vaccine in the event of a global shortage - enough to immunise temporarily but not to give lifelong immunity."An epidemic in such a large city (as Kinshasa) is always difficult to handle," said WHO's Congo representative Yokouide Allarangar.A vaccination campaign has been staged in two of the city's health zones deemed as high risk because the virus is circulating but is not linked to imported cases, he said."We need to quickly try to contain these zones where the virus circulates to prevent the disease from spreading to other zones," he said, adding that a million of the city's residents have been vaccinated so far.Manufacturers of the vaccine include the Institut Pasteur, government factories in Brazil and Russia as well as French drugmaker Sanofi.Congo's outbreak, since January, comes at a time when political tensions linked to an upcoming presidential election and an economic crisis stoked by a slump in global commodity prices is already putting a huge strain on the country's stability.President Joseph Kabila is facing opposition, which has sometimes turned violent, amid concerns that he will try to cling to power beyond the expiry of his mandate at year-end.REUTERS VS0507 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0440-796128.Xml The Florida nightclub killer called himself an "Islamic soldier" and threatened to strap hostages into explosive vests in calls with police during the three-hour siege, according to transcripts released by the FBI. From inside the gay Orlando nightclub, the gunman, Omar Mateen told police negotiators to tell America to stop bombing Syria and Iraq and that was why he was "out here right now." The conversations shed more light on the possible motivations of Mateen, who killed 49 people and injured 53 in the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history. In a first call he made to a 911 emergency operator, Mateen said "I pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, may God protect him, on behalf of the Islamic State," referring to the head of Islamic State. Authorities believe Mateen, a US citizen of Afghan descent, acted alone in the June 12 rampage, with no help from Islamist militant networks. The 29-year-old security guard was killed by police after more than three hours in the club. The FBI and US State Department released partial transcripts of the four calls with the emergency operator and crisis negotiators earlier yesterday, omitting the shooter''s references to the leader of Islamic State, saying they did not want to provide a platform for propaganda. But they later reversed their decision and released the unredacted version after a wave of criticism from US House of Representative Speaker Paul Ryan, Florida Governor Rick Scott and other political leaders. Mateen''s conversations were made public as police sought to fend off criticism that they may have acted too slowly to end a three-hour standoff at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando.Mateen threatened to detonate a car rigged with bombs and to strap hostages into explosive vests, according to transcripts of the 911 calls he made while police tried to rescue people trapped in the club. No explosive vests or bombs were found in the club or the suspect''s car, however, the FBI said. "You people are gonna get it and I''m gonna ignite it if they try to do anything stupid," Mateen said during one of the calls, according to the FBI transcript. ''CHILLING, CALM AND DELIBERATE'' "While the killer made these murderous statements, he did so in a chilling, calm and deliberate manner," FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Ron Hopper told a news conference. Mateen also said he was wearing an explosive vest like the kind "used in France," apparently referring to the deadly assault in Paris last November by Islamic militants, the transcript said. Speaker Ryan had called for the full text to be released and accused the Obama administration of censoring references to Islamic State. He said the decision to edit the transcript was "preposterous" and that everyone knew Mateen was a radical Islamic extremist inspired by Islamic State. "We also know he intentionally targeted the LGBT community," the top elected Republican official said. "The administration should release the full, unredacted transcript so the public is clear-eyed about who did this and why." The FBI and Justice Department said the omissions had caused an "unnecessary distraction" and that was why they eventually decided to release the unredacted transcripts and summaries of the calls. The attack renewed debate about gun control in the United States. The US Senate yesterday rejected four measures restricting gun sales, dealing a bitter setback to advocates who have failed to get even modest gun curbs through Congress despite repeated mass shootings.REUTERS DUR SDR PM0942 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0442-796183.Xml Informing Members of Parliament that 14 Nepalis were killed in the suicide attack in Afghan capital Kabul, Kamal Thapa, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, said that the government is making arrangements to bring the bodies back. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has, however, confirmed only 12 names of those killed in the attack. A Taliban suicide bomber on Monday attacked a minibus carrying the Nepali workers who were on their way to the Canadian Embassy in Kabul where they work. Condemning the attack as a crime against humanity, Thapa said diplomatic efforts have been stepped up to bring the bodies back and ensure that the injured get proper treatment. "Acting Ambassador to Pakistan Tirtha Raj Aryal has been asked to fly to Kabul to take stock of the situation and make arrangements to bring the bodies back," the Kathmandu Post quoted Thapa, as saying . Meanwhile, deploring the incident, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was not a targeted attack on Nepali citizens. "Terrorists carry out various kinds of attacks, and we do not believe the attack was targeted at any specific group," said Bharat Raj Paudyal, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "There were other nationalities as well on the bus that was attacked. We do not see any reason behind targeting Nepalis," he added. Following the incident, Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani called up Thapa and expressed condolence. Thapa, requested the Afghan government to assist in the treatment of the injured Nepalis and sending the bodies. Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli yesterday condemned the attack and said that he was shocked by the incident. "I express my heartfelt condolences for the victims. I pray for the speedy recovery of those injured in the suicide attack in Kabul. Nepal government strongly condemns the Kabul incident," Oli said in a statement. He added that the government is doing the needful to fly the bodies back. (ANI) Local officials stated that a number of unknown gunmen abducted dozens of passengers on Kabul-Kandahar Highway. The passengers were stopped in Mahajer Bazaar area in Gereshk district in the province and then were transferred to an unknown location, Tolo News quoted Provincial Police Chief, Aqa Noor Kentozai, as saying. Search operations have started to rescue the abductees, added Kentozai. This comes after Taliban abducted more than 200 passengers on Baghlan-Kunduz Highway two weeks ago. (ANI) A German appeals court today said it had rejected an appeal filed by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan after a lower court refused to grant him an injunction against the CEO of German publisher Axel Springer.Erdogan had sought a preliminary injunction to prevent Mathias Doepfner from repeating a derogatory term about the Turkish leader after he publicly expressed support for a crude poem about Erdogan read by comedian Jan Boehmermann on German television in March.The court upheld the May ruling from the lower court, saying the comments by Doepfner were protected under German freedom of speech laws.REUTERS AKC NS1514 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0432-796767.Xml The Philippines and communist guerrillas are planning to each declare ceasefires before formal peace talks resume next month in Norway, the first in 30 years, government and rebels negotiators said today.The Philippines has been talking on and off since 1986 with the National Democratic Front, the political arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines, to end nearly 50 years of conflict that has killed more than 40,000 people.The process stalled four years ago, when Manila declined to free political prisoners."After we resume talks formally, we declare a unilateral ceasefire," Silvestre Bello, the incoming labour minister and a peace negotiator, told reporters in the southern region of Davao, days after returning from informal talks with exiled rebel leaders in Oslo.Both sides agreed to resume talks in Norway after the incoming government of Rodrigo Duterte offered to free about 20 jailed rebel negotiators and some ailing political prisoners.Hopes are high that Duterte's cordial relations with the rebels could bolster any peace deal."It is possible we will have a separate but coordinated and simultaneous ceasefire with the government," Luis Jalandoni, a rebel negotiator, told Reuters by telephone from his base in Utrecht, Netherlands."We will still discuss the mode and timeframe of the truce, but we can easily agree to a simultaneous ceasefire."Bello said he expected the truce to be in place before Duterte attends a joint session of Congress for his first State of the Nation address on July 25.The two sides had agreed to a ceasefire in 1986 but it ended two months later when police opened fire at protesting farmers near the presidential palace, killing 13 people.Bello said a third party, a foreign country, may be asked to monitor the ceasefire implementation.He said the government expected peace talks to run for nine to 12 months and reach agreement on key economic, social, political and electoral reforms, including land reform and nationalisation of some industries.REUTERS AKC NS1531 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0432-796813.Xml President Barack Obama is again facing dissent from within his administration - this time from Attorney General Loretta Lynch - over his plans to shutter the Guantanamo Bay military prison, according to senior administration officials.Lynch, a former federal prosecutor whom Obama appointed to head the Justice Department two years ago, is opposing a White House-backed proposal that would allow Guantanamo Bay prisoners to plead guilty to terrorism charges in federal court by videoconference, the officials said.Over the past three months, Lynch has twice intervened to block administration proposals on the issue, objecting that they would violate longstanding rules of criminal-justice procedure.In the first case, her last-minute opposition derailed a White House-initiated legislative proposal to allow video guilty pleas after nearly two months of interagency negotiations and law drafting. In the second case, Lynch blocked the administration from publicly supporting a Senate proposal to legalize video guilty pleas."It's been a fierce interagency tussle," said a senior Obama administration official, who supports the proposal and asked not to be identified.White House officials confirmed that President Obama supports the proposal. But the president declined to overrule objections from Lynch, the administration's top law-enforcement official."There were some frustrations," said a White House official who spoke on condition of anonymity. "The top lawyer in the land has weighed in, and that was the DOJ's purview to do that."If enacted into law, the Obama-backed plan would allow detained terrorism suspects who plead guilty to serve their sentences in a third-country prison, without setting foot on US soil. The plan would thus sidestep a Congressional ban on transferring detainees to the United States, which has left dozens of prisoners in long-term judicial limbo in Guantanamo, the American military enclave in Cuba.Obama has vowed to close the prison on his watch. But while he has overseen the release of some 160 men from the prison, the facility still holds 80 detainees.The video plea plan has broad backing within the administration, including from senior State Department and Pentagon officials. A Defense Department spokesman declined to comment.The most enthusiastic backers of the plan have been defense lawyers representing up to a dozen Guantanamo Bay detainees who are eager to extricate their clients from seemingly indefinite detention.Republicans in Congress have opposed the president's plans to empty the prison, on the grounds that many of the detainees are highly dangerous. But there is some bipartisan support for the proposal as well, a rarity in the Guantanamo debate.Kevin Bishop, a spokesman for Senator Lindsey Graham, a leading Republican voice on defense and national security issues, said Graham was "intrigued" by the proposal.While support from a Republican senator would by no means guarantee the votes needed to pass, it does give the proposal a better chance than schemes that would transfer detainees from the Cuban enclave to the United States.Obama views the video feed proposal as a meaningful step toward closing the facility and making good on one of his earliest pledges as president, administration officials said.Of the 80 prisoners remaining in Guantanamo, roughly 30 have been approved for transfer to third countries by an interagency review board. Most of those 30 men are expected to be released from Guantanamo in coming weeks, according to administration officials.The officials said they think that as many as 10 more prisoners could be added to the approved-for-transfer list by the review board. Finally, another 10 detainees are standing trial in military commissions.That leaves roughly 30 detainees whom the government deems too dangerous to release but unlikely to be successfully prosecuted in court. As a result, those men would likely have to be transferred to detention in the United States if the prison were closed.Administration officials say that allowing video feeds could reduce that number to somewhere between 10 and 20. The administration believes that with such a small number of prisoners requiring transfer to the United States, it would be easier to win support for closing the facility, which is run by a staff of 2,000 military personnel."This is the group that gives the president the most heartburn," said the senior administration official.Lynch and her deputies at the Justice Department argued that the laws of criminal procedure do not allow defendants to plead guilty remotely by videoconference.Even if Congress were to pass the law, Lynch and her aides have told the White House that federal judges may rule that such pleas are in effect involuntary, because Guantanamo detainees would not have the option of standing trial in a US courtroom.A defendant in federal court usually has the option to plead guilty or face a trial by jury. In the case of Guantanamo detainees, the only option they would likely face is to plead guilty or remain in indefinite detention."How would a judge assure himself that the plea is truly voluntary when if the plea is not entered, the alternative is you're still in Gitmo" said a person familiar with Lynch's concerns about the proposal. "That's the wrinkle."Lawyers for Guantanamo detainee Majid Khan, a 36-year-old Pakistani citizen, first proposed allowing Khan to plead guilty by videoconference in a legal memo submitted to the Department of Justice in November. In 2012, Khan confessed in military court to delivering 50,000 dollar to Qaeda operatives who used it to carry out a truck bombing in Indonesia, and to plotting with Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks, on various planned strikes.Senate investigators found internal CIA documents confirming that Khan's CIA interrogators subjected him to forced rectal feedings. Khan's lawyers say the experience amounted to rape. He was also water-boarded.That treatment makes it difficult for the Department of Justice to successfully prosecute Khan in federal court, according to administration officials.When White House officials learned that Khan and other detainees were ready to plead guilty to terrorism charges in federal court, they thought they had found a solution.Efforts to try detainees, including Mohammed and other Sept.11 suspects, in military tribunals at Guantanamo have bogged down over legal disputes. Only eight defendants have been fully prosecuted. Three verdicts have been overturned."The beauty of a guilty plea is you don't need a trial," said the senior administration official who supports the video plea proposal.In February, senior Obama aides proposed pushing ahead with video guilty pleas at an interagency meeting at the White House on the closure of Guantanamo, according to officials briefed on the meeting.Justice Department officials said they opposed video guilty pleas. Matthew Axelrod, the chief of staff to Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, said the proposal would violate laws of criminal procedure, according to the officials.The meeting ended with an agreement to pursue new legislation allowing the guilty pleas, the officials said, which the Department of Justice supported.One week later, President Obama rolled out his plan to close the prison in a nationally televised announcement from the Roosevelt Room. Obama's plan included seeking "legislative changes that might enable detainees who are interested in pleading guilty" in US federal courts.Administration officials spent much of the next two months drafting the new law. On a Friday afternoon in mid-April, White House staff emailed all the involved agencies with a final draft of the bill, according to the officials. The bill would be submitted to Congress the following yesterday, the White House email said.That weekend, Lynch intervened unexpectedly and said the Justice Department opposed the bill. The eleventh-hour move frustrated White House staff. Deciding again to not overrule Lynch, the White House shelved the bill.In late May, White House officials found a sympathetic lawmaker who inserted language authorizing video pleas into the annual defense spending bill. The White House drafted a policy memo publicly supporting the proposal, which is known as a Statement of Administration Policy, or SAP.Lynch opposed the idea, according to administration officials, sparking renewed tensions between the Justice Department and White House.A SAP is the president's public declaration on the substance of a bill, according to Samuel Kernell, a political science professor at the University of California at San Diego. Without one, it's often more difficult to get lawmakers on the fence to vote the way the White House wants.The White House again bowed to Lynch's objections and declined to issue the SAP.REUTERS AKC NS1645 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0432-797020.Xml French police today arrested a man with suspected links to the killer of a police commander and raided several houses, the prosecutor's office said, part of a deepening investigation into last week's attack claimed by Islamic State.The police probe is focusing on suspected associates of Larossi Abballa, the Frenchman of Moroccan origin who pledged allegiance to the Islamist militant group and told police negotiators during the attack that he had answered a call to "kill infidels at home with their families.""There was a chance that these people might carry out other attacks against police officers. We were removing any doubt," said the Versailles prosecutor leading the investigation.The prosecutor did not name the man who had been detained and it was not immediately clear whether police missed other targets or decided no further arrests were required.Today's swoop came after the Paris prosecutor's office said on Saturday that two other suspected associates were to be placed under investigation for membership of a terrorist organisation.Abballa stabbed 42-year-old Jean-Baptiste Salvaing to death in a suburb west of Paris before taking Salvaing's partner, Jessica Schneider, and their son hostage. He used a knife to kill Schneider before he was shot dead by elite commandos.Abballa was jailed in 2013 for his involvement in a militant recruitment network that sent young men to Pakistan. The men placed under investigation on Saturday, named as Charaf-Din Aberouz and Saad Rajraji, were founding members of the group and sentenced alongside Abballa, prosecutors said.At this stage, investigators have not made any direct link between Aberouz and Rajraji and the killings last Monday, the first Islamic State-inspired attack in France since militant gunmen and bombers killed 130 people in Paris last November.REUTERS AKC RSA RK1715 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0432-797102.Xml A Taliban suicide bomber on Monday attacked a minibus carrying the Nepali workers who were on their way to the Canadian Embassy in Kabul where they work. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) confirmed 12 names of those killed in the attack. The ill- fated Nepali nationals were hired by a British security consultancy firm, Sabre International, for the security of Kabul-based Canadian mission, reports the Himalayan Times. Earlier today, former king Gyanendra Shah condemned and expressed condolence to the families of deceased and wished for speedy recovery of those injured in the incident. (ANI) The decision to send the aircraft was decided by the government earlier in the day. The Nepal Airlines aircraft is flying to Kabul these evening, reports the Himalayan Times. A Taliban suicide bomber on Monday attacked a minibus carrying the Nepali workers who were on their way to the Canadian Embassy in Kabul where they work. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) confirmed 12 names of those killed in the attack. Bhurtel informed that two of the seven injured Nepalis are in a critical condition and the government is mulling to take the two to New Delhi for further treatment. He said that Nepal will take a decision whether to stop granting permission for foreign employment in Afghanistan after probing the incident and analysing the findings. The ill- fated Nepali nationals were hired by a British security consultancy firm, Sabre International, for the security of Kabul-based Canadian mission. (ANI) A view shows Tehran's skyline with snow-covered mountains in the background, Iran May 2, 2016. (Reuters photo) TEHRAN, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Iran's announcement on Monday of foiling a major bombing plot is believed to be the latest victory in its efforts to boost security across the Islamic republic. The Intelligence Ministry, in a statement carried by local media outlets, said the intelligence services recently thwarted "one of the biggest terrorist plots" targeting Tehran and other cities. "In this criminal plot, a terrorist group had schemed to carry out a series of bombings in different parts of the country, including in Tehran," state-run IRINN TV quoted the statement as saying. "In the operations by the Intelligence Ministry, the terrorists were detained and a number of bombs, ready to explode, and a sizeable amount of materials for making bombs were seized from the terrorists," the statement said. Further information about the terrorist plot will be announced in the following days as the investigation process advances, it added. Also on Monday, Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani said that "the Iranian authorities had suspected several people of trying to launch bomb attacks in Tehran." The plotters, who planned to carry out attacks in the holy month of Ramadan, were arrested over the past few days, Shamkhani was quoted as saying by semi-official Fars news agency. "The capable and experienced security forces of Iran are able to foil any terrorist act in any part of the country," he said. He said Takfiri terrorist groups seek to sow discord among Muslims. Last week, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said that its forces smashed two "terrorist" cells and killed 12 terrorists in northwestern Iran. Three members of the IRGC also died in the clashes with "counter-revolutionary terrorist groups" on Wednesday, the IRGC said in a statement on Thursday. A sizeable supply of ammunition, equipment and documents were also captured in the operations, according to the statement. Following the incursion of two terrorist teams into the country from the border region of Oshnavieh in Iran's northwestern province of West Azarbaijan on Wednesday, the Hamzeh Seyed al-Shohada headquarters of the ground forces of the IRGC managed to identify and bust them thanks to the intelligence and military operations, said the statement. A report by Fars news agency said on Thursday that the "terrorists" belonged to outlawed "counter-revolutionary terrorist groups," including the Kurdish Democratic Party, who had crossed the northwestern borders into the country. On June 13, Press TV also reported that Iranian security forces killed five Jaish-ul-Adl terrorist group members in the southeastern provinces of Sistan and Baluchestan. Jaish al-Adl, which in Arabic translates to the Army of Justice, is a Sunni rebel group attempting to fight for the rights of Sunni Muslims in the Iranian provinces of Sistan and Baluchestan, and was responsible for numerous attacks against Iran's border posts. Police spokesman Saeed Montazer-al-Mahdi said the terrorists had planned to conduct terror attacks and that Iranian security forces confiscated substantial amounts of ammunition from them. The terrorists were killed during the clashes with police, Al-Mahdi said, adding that a policeman was also killed during the clashes, according to Press TV. On June 13, the IRGC said they also disabled a terrorist group in the northwest of the country, killing five terrorists, all all members of the Free Life Party of Kurdistan (PJAK). The PJAK is an Iranian offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, and the five terrorists were killed in an ambush near the city of Sardasht in Iran's northwestern province of West Azerbaijan along the border with Turkey, the IRGC said on its website. The IRGC added that the PJAK members were also behind the "martyrdom" of three members from the local Basiji militia forces. JOHANNESBURG, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese products are stars at the ongoing Southern African International Trade Exhibition which is held in Johannesburg. The exhibition which kicked off on Sunday and is to last till Tuesday see about 276 Chinese companies exhibiting their products. "China is an important partner in this show," Gary Wright, one of the organizers of the event told Xinhua. Wright said the Chinese products are popular with visitors thanks to their good qualities and reasonable prices, "Some people came to the exhibition specifically looking for Chinese products." The exhibited Chinese products include machinery tools, construction materials, home and office decorations, etc. Wright added some of the visitors are looking forward to establish long-term business relationships with the Chinese exhibitors. Among the Chinese companies, Dongguan CXM Technology is exhibiting self-balancing scooter. Anna Wang, the company's sales manager told Xinhua many South Africans show great interests in the product. "This is the first time our company take part in this exhibition, our products attract lots of people and we are seeing a great market potential,"she said. Fumane Malavi, a South African businessman said he would like to distribute the scooter in the country. "This self-balancing scooter is what we need for the future. We have many cycle lanes and malls where this kind of eco-friendly product could be highly in demand,"Malavi said. Phindile Zulu, a South African fashion designer said she is impressed by many Chinese products at the show. The Yoafeng Power Technology sales manager Huaming Xu said he hoped to clinch some deals before the show ends. Xu, whose company produces generators, said many people are making inquiries. "I am hoping to get some deals before the end of the exhibition. Many people have been coming and asking about our generators, some even asked to buy our samples," he said. Sara Zhang, sales manager of Ningxia Wolfberry Goji Industry, which sells organic berry products hopes to explore the African market by kicking start businesses in South Africa. Many Chinese companies who spoke to Xinhua said they expect to leave with deals or lead to follow-ups when they leave South Africa. Enditem STRASBOURG, June 20 (Xinhua) -- The Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) launched an initiative on Monday to counter terrorism. Using the hashtag NoHateNoFear, the initiative was unveiled at the opening of the PACE summer session here, which brings together parliamentary representatives of the CoE's 47 member states. "We have to prevent the mutual suspicion and hostility that fear of terrorism engenders as a sickness in its own right," PACE president Pedro Agramunt stated. "This is the main purpose of our assembly's initiative against terrorism." The PACE members gathered in the CoE's chamber brandished placards bearing the NoHateNoFear message. "Terrorism is violence calculated to create an atmosphere of fear and alarm, panic, despair, anger and hate," Agramunt continued. "But terror only works when we let our fear and anger dictate what happens next. We must not fall into this trap. We must prevent them from achieving their broader objective, which is to divide us." He called on politicians to take their responsibility and speak out publicly against fear and hatred, and to promote fundamental freedoms and the values of tolerance, non-discrimination, and respect for human dignity. "Through practical action in their parliaments and in their constituencies, parliamentarians can help immunize society against fear and hatred," the PACE president said. To close the ceremony, a video that French journalist Antoine Leiris had posted on Facebook was broadcast in the chamber. In the video, Leiris, who lost his wife in the attack on the Bataclan theater in Paris in November last year, posted a defiant message to the terrorists: "You will not have my hatred." "This message lies at the very heart of our initiative," Agramunt commented. Against a background of political, social, and economic instability in Europe, exacerbated by the refugee crisis which has encouraged nationalist and populist responses in parts of the continent, the fight against terrorism is generating tensions between the duty to protect citizens, and respect for everyday freedoms. In addition to the issue of terrorism, the refugee crisis will occupy much of the PACE agenda this week. On Tuesday, parliamentarians will debate a report entitled 'Refugees at risk in Greece' on the eve of a speech in the chamber by Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. The report followed a CoE delegation to refugee camps in the country. "We were able to see with our own eyes that Greece is doing everything possible to help," Agramunt stated on Monday. "The refugee crisis is a European responsibility and a European response is needed." Also on the agenda of the PACE summer session is the functioning of democratic institutions in Turkey, violence against migrants, the fight against the hyper-sexualization of children, transparency and openness in European Union(EU) institutions, and women in the armed forces. The role of PACE as a pan-European forum for inter-parliamentary dialogue and cooperation will be debated on Wednesday, at a time when the EU waits nervously for the outcome of the 'Brexit' referendum in the United Kingdom on June 23. Enditem A Libyan coastguardboat carrying mostly African illegal migrants arrives at the port in the city of Misrata, Libya, on May 3, 2015, after the coastguard intercepted five boats carrying around 500 people trying to reachEurope. (Xinhua/Hamza Turkia) BRUSSELS, June 20 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) here on Monday announced to extend until July 27, 2017 the mandate of the EUNAFOR MED Operation Sophia, the EU naval operation to disrupt the business model of human smugglers and traffickers in the southern central Mediterranean. According to a press release issued by the Council of the EU, the EU reinforced the operation's mandate by adding two supporting tasks: training of the Libyan coastguards and navy and contributing to the implementation of the UN arms embargo on the high seas off the coast of Libya. It said that legitimate Libyan authorities requested support in capacity building and training of their coastguards and navy. The mission's objective is to enhance their capability to disrupt smuggling and trafficking in Libya and perform search and rescue activities to save lives so that security in the Libyan territorial waters improves. With regard to countering illegal arms trafficking, the operation will contribute to information sharing and support implementation of the UN arms embargo on the high seas off the coast of Libya. This will increase maritime situation awareness and limit arms flows to Daesh (the Islamic State) and other terrorist groups, the EU statement said. EUNAVFOR MED Operation Sophia was launched on June 22, 2015. The operation entered its active phase in October 2015, which enables the identification, capture and disposal of vessels used or suspected of being used by migrants' smugglers or traffickers. Since then, the operation has contributed to the arrest and transfer to the Italian authorities of 71 suspected smugglers and traffickers and neutralized 139 vessels. In addition, the operation has helped save close to 16,000 lives. WARSAW, June 20 (Xinhua) -- The fourth edition of the Poland-China Regional Forum was held here on Monday, gathering representatives from several regions in Poland and China. The forum's main topic was "Strengthening the logistic hubs and promoting regional pragmatic cooperation." It evolved around "infrastructure and traffic and communication", "the revitalization of old industrial base", and "cultivating regional innovation and growth." More than 150 representatives attended the forum. These topics became subjects of deepened and thorough communication between the two sides who reached important consensuses regarding most of the topics. Poland's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Development, Mateusz Morawiecki, held a meeting and feted Chinese guests. Li Xiaolin, president of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), said in her speech that regional cooperation was a driving force for the development of the Chinese-Polish relations, as well as a new and crucial growth point for bilateral pragmatic and concrete cooperation. She expressed the hope that both sides could take the opportunity brought by the forum and actively carry out projects, thoroughly exploit the cooperation potential, raise the level of mutually beneficial cooperation and realize development together for the well-being of both nations. Jerzy Leszczynski, official of the Podlaskie province, said he hoped to see the cooperation in the fields of economy, technology and education. The Podlaskie province, a good example of a region changing from traditional agricultural one to innovative economy, due to its geographical location, can also make itself a good communication hub, he said. Leszczynski cordially invited Chinese to take interest in the region. After the forum, the two sides jointly issued a document entitled "Initiatives to strengthen regional cooperation between China and Poland" and signed a series of cooperation agreements regarding multiple projects. The Poland-China Regional Forum is an event which has been promoted by the authorities of both countries since 2013. LISBON, June 20, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa (R) speaks with European Council President Donald Tusk during their meeting at Sao Bento Palace in Lisbon, Portugal on June 20, 2016. European Council President Donald Tusk warned the impact a Brexit would have on the European Union (EU) and urged British citizens to vote to stay in the European Union during his official visit here on Monday. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun) LISBON, June 20 (Xinhua) -- European Council President Donald Tusk warned the impact a Brexit would have on the European Union (EU) and urged British citizens to vote to stay in the European Union during his official visit here on Monday. "I want to call for all British citizens, on behalf of, I know that for a fact, almost all European leaders: Stay with us; we need you," Tusk told journalists at the prime minister's residence in Lisbon. Not only Europe, but also the Western community would become weaker if Britain were to leave the EU, he added. "The biggest threat, in fact, is what we don't know, about the possible consequences of Brexit and I have no doubt that the political and geopolitical consequences are completely unpredictable," he warned. "If we have something massive and unpredictable in politics, it always means something very dangerous and this is real, it is not a theory." When asked what his biggest fear was about Brexit, he replied: "The biggest fear is that it can encourage other Eurosceptics to leave, it can be the first step of disintegration," he said about potential risk of the EU breaking up. He concluded that in Portugal and other member states you could feel a lack of confidence in Europe which meant a "massive" risk. His comments came only days before the British go to the polls to decide on whether or not to remain in the EU. Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa also highlighted the risks of a Brexit, pointing out Britain and Portugal had the "oldest bilateral relationship in Europe." Portugal's progress and a possible sanction for having missed its eurozone deficit target was another issue both officials commented on. "I am happy to know that Portugal has come a long way since the financial crisis. And I want to be very clear: For sure Portugal is on the right track. I have no doubts," Tusk said. Costa also highlighted that Portugal was on the right track and insisted the EU not punish the country. "What is important is to confirm that the implementation this year is running in line with our forecasts, and therefore sanctions are even less justified," Costa pointed out. "Even though we did not reach the objective last year, this year we are on a positive trajectory, as the execution data both on the revenue side and on the expenditure side have confirmed. I hope that convinces the EU not to apply sanctions of this kind." Regarding the refugee crisis, Costa said a "common response" was needed by the EU and said a feeling of confidence by citizens in Europe was required to face terrorism, external threats, and economic challenges ahead. Tusk, who has urged for global solidarity, thanked Portugal for its active role in the refugee crisis and pointed out that the country was an example to follow in this domain. UNITED NATIONS, June 20 (Xinhua) -- The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) on Monday condemned bomb attacks in civilian-populated areas in the capital Kabul and Badakhshan in north Afghanistan earlier in the day, killing at least 22 people, a UN spokesman said here. "The mission has reiterated its call for anti-government elements, including the Taliban, to immediately cease all attacks in civilian-populated areas and any attacks deliberately targeting civilians, including attacks against diplomatic facilities and personnel," Farhan Haq, the deputy UN spokesman, said at a daily news briefing here. At least 22 people were killed in the two separate bomb attacks in Afghanistan on Monday, reports said. The death toll included at least 14 when a suicide bomber struck a minibus carrying Nepali security contractors in the capital Kabul, reports said. Hours later, a second bomb attack killed at least eight civilians and wounded 18 others in a crowded market in Badakhshan, said the reports. Enditem JUBA, June 20 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan is expecting China's support to fund development in the health, education, infrastructure and energy sectors, an official said on Monday. The Director General Governance in the Parliamentary Affairs Ministry, Afram Wani Peter, told Xinhua in Juba that South Sudan's transitional government of national unity has been seeking Chinese support for development since its formation in April. "The Chinese are giving us open programs and we hope to prioritize education, health, infrastructure and energy," Wani said in an interview with Xinhua. He hailed China for offering support to the disrupted oil production, which serves as the lifeline of South Sudan's economy. The minister said China sent its engineers to repair damaged oil pipelines during the war. "China stood with us without reservations and it has continued to stand with us even after the conflict," said Wani who had just returned after leading a ministerial level delegation to Shanghai, China's financial hub. On top of offering training to officials, China has offered masters and PHD education programs to South Sudanese students, the official added. 50 South Sudanese students will soon go to China to learn Mandarin, he revealed. "From the beginning of May, we have sent four groups to China for training on taxation, research, railway and roads," he said. Wani further said that China's support towards peace in the war-torn country was critical for its stability and development. South Sudan has been seeking to recover from the civil war, which killed hundreds of thousands of people, following the formation of the transitional government of national unity. Enditem This file photo taken on March 15, 2016 shows Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump with his campaign manager Corey Lewandowski(L) addressing the media following victory in the Florida state primary in West Palm Beach, Florida. AFP PHOTO / RHONA WISE WASHINGTON, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump dismissed his campaign manager on Monday as the New York billionaire developer was bogged down in controversies. "The Donald J. Trump Campaign for President, which has set a historic record in the Republican primary having received almost 14 million votes, has today announced that Corey Lewandowski will no longer be working with the campaign," according to a statement offered by the Trump campaign to The New York Times. Also with a belligerent character as Trump, Lewandowski was reportedly in constant conflict with GOP officials at the Republican national committee. His competing relations with Trump's new campaign chairman Paul Manafort, an experienced presidential campaign advisor to many Republican candidates, was also a reason behind his dismissal, according to local media who cited sources familiar with the issue. The dismissal of one crucial member of Trump's core team came at a time when Trump was ripped by both Democrats and leaders within his own party after he made a series of controversial remarks, including his accusation that a Hispanic-American judge overseeing a civil fraud suit in California involving Trump University was biased. ACCRA, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Wenzhou, a city in southeast China's Zhejiang Province has signed a sister-city relations pact with Ghana's Kumasi, the country's second largest city. The new partnership is expected to open up businesses and boost trade between Kumasi, Ghana's fastest growing city and Wenzhou, one of the Zhejiang Province's economic and cultural centers. The co-operation focuses on technology transfer, education and infrastructure, according to Xu Liyi, the Party Secretary of Wenzhou Municipal Committee, who visited the West African country recently. Under the agreement, business persons from Kumasi and Wenzhou will be brought together to share ideas and explore ways to improve the business environment in both cities. Additionally, the Wenzhou University and the Kumasi Technical University, together with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), will embark on exchange programs for students. The Wenzhou University will also provide scholarships for selected students in Kumasi. The Metropolitan Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, Kojo Bonsu, hoped the city would take advantage of the new partnership which is mutually beneficial. "We are going to bring the business people in Kumasi and Wenzhou together to form a synergy. Chinese will bring technologies to Kumasi and help the city to develop," said Bonsu, who visited China a couple of months ago to seal the deal. For Xu Liyi, the partnership will greatly improve the manufacturing and technology sectors of both cities as the economy of Wenzhou and Kumasi are highly complementary to each other. "We can cooperate in different areas, including capital, human resource, technology and marketing. And we are also very happy to see that more and more Wenzhou businessmen are investing and doing business in Kumasi because of its business attraction," said Xu. Enditem TEHRAN, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Iran on Monday warned Bahrain of consequences after the latter revoked citizenship of a top Shiite cleric, Press TV reported. It would set fire to Bahrain and the entire region, and "leave the people (of Bahrain) with no choice but armed resistance," Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) was quoted as saying. Bahrain announced on Monday it had revoked the citizenship of the country's most powerful Shiite cleric, saying the move was part of measures to fight extremism. Sheikh Isa Qassim, who was stripped of nationality, is the leader of the opposition group Al Wefaq National Islamic Society, the Bahraini Interior Ministry said in a statement. The statement accused Isa Qassim of forming "groups that follow foreign religious ideologies and political entities" and of playing "a key role in fostering extremism and sectarianism in Bahrain." This would result in the collapse of the "bloodthirsty regime," said Soleimani, adding that the regime is repressing its people while the United Nations, the U.S. and Western countries maintain their "meaningful silence." Soleimani has left Iraq for Syria to oversee resistance operations as the fight with terrorists takes a violent turn recently, said a local report. The Quds Force, also known as Qods, is a special unit of Iran's IRGC responsible for "extraterritorial" missions. Iran, a major regional ally of Syrian and Iraqi governments in their fight against the militant groups, has repeatedly announced the presence of its military advisors in both countries. Enditem TEHRAN, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry condemned on Monday Bahrain's move to strip the citizenship of the country's top Shiite cleric, Sheikh Isa Qassim, Press TV reported. The ministry also condemned the Bahraini regime's "intensification of its security approach toward religious and national leaders, opposition to religious beliefs and principles, and misappropriation of religious assets and funds of the Bahraini people," according to the report. It urged Bahraini kingdom to end "stopping its illegal behavior (towards the dissidents), avoiding the destruction of all the bridges for communication with the people and moderate leaders of the country by accepting the realities of the country and holding serious national dialog." Crackdown on the peaceful demands of the people would dash any hope of reformation in Bahrain through dialogue and peaceful means, it said in a statement. Bahrain announced on Monday it had revoked the citizenship of the country's most powerful Shiite cleric, saying the move was part of the measures to fight extremism. Sheikh Isa Qassim, the leader of the opposition group Al Wefaq National Islamic Society, was stripped of nationality, the Bahraini Interior Ministry said in a statement. The statement accused Isa Qassim of forming "groups that follow foreign religious ideologies and political entities" and of playing "a key role in fostering extremism and sectarianism in Bahrain." KIEV, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Zhang Wenxian, a student from Macao, arrived at the Boryspil International Airport in Kiev, the capital of Ukrain, on Monday. "I have never been to the European countries before. It is my first time in Europe and I am glad to be here, in the Eastern European country, in Ukraine," Zhang told Xinhua upon his arrival. The 25-year-old holidaymaker became the first Chinese citizen to be issued visa on arrival at the Boryspil airport under the eased travel rules introduced by Ukraine earlier in the day for visitors from China. Under the simplified visa procedure, Chinese tourists and businessmen can get 15-day Ukrainian entry visas upon their arrival at the Boryspil airport if they have a document confirming the business or tourist purpose of the visit. At the airport, everything looked prepared for issuing the visas: four special cabins were installed in the middle of the arrivals hall and four consular officers, dressed in business suits, were ready to provide their services for travellers. With a big backpack on his back and a map of Kiev in his hands, Zhang looked like a typical adventure seeker. The traveller said he decided to visit Ukraine immediately after having learned from the media outlets that Kiev plans to introduce a visa-on-arrival policy for Chinese tourists. "I have heard that Ukraine is a very beautiful country, where there are beautiful boulevards and streets. It is also famous for very beautiful girls and beautiful architecture. The people from China are really interested in Ukraine," Zhang said. The eased visa rules are also good news for Yu Yu, a transfer passenger travelling via Ukraine to Turkey. "I am a lucky man because I do not have to wait 24 hours before my next flight at the airport," Yu told Xinhua after receiving his visa. Yu, who is a chief executive at a Dalian-based firm which produces and exports luxury vehicles and fur clothes, said that simplified visa regime inspired him to seek business partners in Ukraine. "Thanks to the initiative, I plan to visit Ukraine again. In general, I highly welcome this decision. Firstly, it will contribute to the economic development of China and Ukraine. Secondly, it is good, because China maintains friendly relations with all former Soviet republics. It will deepen our ties," Yu said. Another advantage of the eased travel regime is time-saving. The visa issuing process at the airport takes between 15 and 20 minutes. Previously, Chinese citizens have to travel hundreds of kilometers to apply for a visa at the Ukrainian embassy in Beijing and then wait at least 15 days for approval. "I think, this initiative is very useful because it makes visa obtaining process much more comfortable. Last time, it took about a month for me to get the Ukrainian visa," said a businessman from South China's Guangdong Province, who called himself Kevin. He was echoed by Ya Qin, a business lady from Beijing, who frequently visited Kiev. She said that the simplified visa procedures would encourage Chinese travellers to Ukraine and facilitate the two-way business. "It is such good news for Chinese citizens! Ukraine is a very beautiful and large country, which is worth visiting. Besides, this move will improve business ties between Ukraine and China, because many Chinese businessmen want to do business with Ukrainian partners," Ya told Xinhua. Despite the fact that the visa obtaining procedure would be substantially simplified the authorities of the Boryspil airport still urge Chinese travellers to be cautious while preparing their documents. Volodymyr Zavgorodniy, the head of the operational division of the Consular Service department at the Boryspil airport, advised visitors from China to carefully follow the specific travel requirements before their arrival in Ukraine. "Tourist travellers are obliged to show the consular officer either a travel voucher, or an agreement with a travel agency, or a hotel reservation," Zavgorodniy told Xinhua. "As to business visitors, they have to present either an invitation from the Ukrainian state-run company, or an invitation from a private firm approved by the State Migration Service, or an invitation from a foreign diplomatic mission working in Ukraine," he added. Besides, each visa applicant should have a return flight ticket and a financial support of 750 U.S. dollars for 15 days of the trip. The visa-on-arrival for Chinese citizens would be available at Boryspil airport through Sept. 30, 2016. The visa fee is about 100 dollars. Fighters of the Syria Democratic Forces prepare mortar shells in northern province of Raqqa, Syria May 27, 2016. (Reuters photo) DAMASCUS, June 20 (Xinhua) -- The Islamic State (IS) group has expelled the government troops from Syria's northern province of al-Raqqa, a monitor group reported Monday. The IS unleashed a wide scale offensive on Monday, managing to reverse the progress of the Syrian army and allied fighters, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The Syrian army retreated to a place 40 kilometer away from the al-Tabaqa airbase in al-Raqqa countryside; formerly they were only seven kilometers from that spot, which was the main goal of the military offensive on al-Raqqa, the de facto capital of the IS. The observatory said the army is out of the administrative borders of al-Raqqa again. The Syrian army entered al-Raqqa's administrative borders on June 4, days after offensive against the route between the town of Athriya in the central province of Hama, and the Al-Tabaqa town in al-Raqqa countryside. Pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV said the aim of attacking Al-Raqqa is to recapture the town of Al-Tabqa due to its strategic importance. It would enable Syrian army to sever key routes linking Al-Raqqa to the northern province of Aleppo, where IS controls some of the border towns near Turkey and from where it smuggles fighters and weapons. CARACAS, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela's National Electoral Council (CNE) on Monday launched the validation process of 1,352,052 signatures on a petition to hold a recall referendum on President Nicolas Maduro. The CNE has installed biometric scanners at its regional branches in the country's 24 states, and registered voters have until Friday to validate their signatures, the president of the electoral body, Tibisay Lucena, announced in early June. The validation process represents the second step of the petition process, after the country's right-wing coalition, the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD), organized a signature drive and submitted just under 2 million signatures. The CNE found some 605,727 signatures to be fake or fraudulent. The ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) has called for an investigation into the irregularities, such as including the names of deceased or non-existent voters, or minors. Accredited observers from both the MUD and the PSUV will be monitoring the process, which will be followed by a revision of the validated signatures until July 26. Venezuela's Constitution allows for a recall referendum on the president, but the lengthy process cannot be completed this year, officials have said. Maduro, who was elected in 2013, is presiding over an acute economic crisis aggravated by deep divisions within the Venezuelan society. BERLIN, June 20 (Xinhua) -- German leading politicians defended German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Monday after his controversial remarks on recent military maneuvers of NATO. The foreign minister is absolutely right when he notes the fact that NATO is not attributable to the Cold War, said Sigmar Gabriel, leader of Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD) in Berlin on Monday. "We have to remain in discussion with Russia," said Gabriel, while calling allegations against Steinmeier "absurd". German President Joachim Gauck also defended Steinmeier indirectly during a state visit to the Romanian capital Bucharest, as he said that German diplomacy is endeavoring to keep doors for talks with Moscow open. However, he added that no one should have any doubt on the allegiance of the Germans in the context of NATO. Steinmeier's remarks did not imply a rejection of the Minsk agreements, also said the President. Steinmeier criticized recent military maneuvers of NATO in Eastern Europe against Russia, accusing the military alliance of "warmongering" and calling for more dialogues with Russia. Meanwhile, he also underpinned his criticism of NATO's Russia policy on Monday at the sidelines of a meeting with EU counterparts in Luxembourg. He said he has the impression that the defense alliance has completely forgotten exchanges and dialogue at the moment. In his opinion, the aim must be to seek ways to ease conflicts, and deterrence will not be enough in the end. NATO launched a large-scale exercise in Poland on June 6. The two-week drill involved 31,000 troops, 14,000 of them from the United States. On last Tuesday, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced to deploy four multinational battalions to Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Germany also plans to deploy troops for it. WARSAW, June 20, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a speech at opening ceremony of the Silk Road Forum and Poland-China Regional Cooperation and Business Forum, in Warsaw, Poland, June 20, 2016. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin) WARSAW, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday called on China and Poland to build their partnership into a paradigm of cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. Xi made the remarks at the Silk Road Forum and Poland-China Regional Cooperation and Business Forum held in the Polish capital. China and Poland share the vision of promoting prosperity along the routes of Belt and Road, and of playing a bigger role in regional cooperation, said Xi. Meanwhile, he said that the Belt and Road Initiative has seen outstanding progress and that countries along the Belt and Road have responded actively since it was put forward three years ago. Referring to the initiative as a common endeavor, Xi urged participating countries to relate to each other with the principles of mutual respect and inclusiveness. Furthermore, the Chinese president made a five-point proposal on the development of the Belt and Road, China-Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) cooperation, as well as China-Poland cooperation. Xi proposed to designate economy and trade as an area of priority in cooperation. He called for joint efforts to improve China-Europe trade and investment mechanism, raise the level of liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment, and create new trade centers and growth poles by incorporating Europe's advanced technologies, China's industrial capacity and Poland's location and talent advantages. Xi called for closer synergy of China-CEE cooperation mechanism and the development of the Belt and Road, in a bid to forge lasting and practical China-CEE cooperation. On optimizing mechanisms, he called on Chinese and Polish local governments to bridge cooperation between the two countries' enterprises and civil organizations, expand practical cooperation, and consolidate public foundation for China-Poland friendship. The Chinese president also highlighted the supporting and leading role of think tanks. He urged them to help the governments study routes and plans for the Belt and Road development, align plans and strategies, coordinate policies and design mechanisms, and help the public understand polices. Xi stressed that China is confident to maintain economic growth at a medium-high speed, and welcomes all countries to share the dividends of China's fast development. Polish leaders, who were also present at the forum, pledged support for the Belt and Road Initiative and commitment for promoting Europe-Asia cooperation, saying the Belt and Road links the two continents both in history and at present. They added that the dovetailing of Poland's Amber Road and the Silk Road will play a significant role in promoting security, prosperity and development of Europe and Asia. Xi arrived here Sunday for a state visit, the first by a Chinese head of state to Poland in 12 years and the second leg of his current three-nation Eurasia tour. Xi visited Serbia before Poland, and is expected to travel to Uzbekistan for a state visit and to attend a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. WASHINGTON, June 20 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Senate on Monday blocked four gun-control measures as the country was still reeling from the deadliest shooting massacre in U.S. history. The failure to pass any of the measures was widely expected even long before the vote began, since the competing bills, two Democratic and two Republican proposals, were mere repetition of the partisan fight on the gun-control issue. The votes of all four bills, which focused on whether to expand background check and to block selling of firearms to anyone on federal government's terrorism watch list, were largely along party lines. Democrats insisted that the sales of firearms should be blocked if there is a "reasonable suspicion" that someone is and will possibly be on the government's terrorism watch list. In an even longer shot, Democrats also sought a background check for the sales and transfer of guns with a handful of exception, a long-held stance almost unanimously opposed by Republicans in both chambers. Currently, purchasing firearms at gun shows and on the Internet does not require any background check in the majority of U.S. states. On the Republican side, GOP lawmakers were pushing forward a measure that would allow the government to delay a gun sale to a suspected terrorist for 72 hours while attorney generals have to seek a court order within the period to permanently block the sale. Also, instead of imposing an almost universal background check system, Republicans' proposal for expanding background check included providing incentives to share mental health records. After Monday's failed votes, Senator Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine will on Tuesday introduce a new legislation lauded by some as "a bipartisan compromise" to block suspected terrorists from buying guns. According to Annie Clark, a spokeswoman for the Maine senator, Collins' proposal would allow attorney generals to block the sale of firearms to people on the "no fly" list or the selectee list. Unlike the "no fly" list, which bans people on the list from flying from, to and within the United States, people on the selectee list are required to undergo additional security screening at airports without being permanently grounded. The Senate's latest legislative effort to curb rampant gun violence comes at a time when the country witnessed the deadliest terror attack in the history since the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001. Forty-nine people were killed and 53 others wounded, on June 12 in a shooting spree at a popular LGBT nightclub in Orlando, Florida. The gunman, identified by authorities as Omar Mateen of Port St. Lucie, Florida, was found dead inside the nightclub after a shootout with the police. According to investigators, Mateen legally purchased a handgun and an assault-style rifle weeks before the attack. He was temporarily on Federal Bureau of Investigation's terrorism watch list in 2013. In recent years, after high-profile mass shootings occurred, such as the carnage at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut in 2012 which claimed 28 lives, including 20 children, Democrats tried but failed each time to reform the country's flawed gun laws. In 2013, the Obama administration's gun control initiatives, including expanded background check and bans on assault weapons, were stymied in Congress after staunch opposition from Republican lawmakers and gun-rights lobby groups. After the shooting spree in San Bernardino, California, last year, in which 14 were killed and 22 more injured, Democrats downgraded efforts to trying to pass a measure to keep people on terrorism watch list from purchasing gun. That legislative effort again failed. During his presidency, Obama has been confronted with more than a dozen of high-profile mass shootings, and in an interview last year he called the failure to reform U.S. gun laws "one of the greatest frustrations" of his presidency. "If you ask me where has been the one area where I feel that I've been most frustrated and most stymied, it is the fact that the United States of America is the one advanced nation on Earth in which we do not have sufficient common-sense gun safety laws, even in the face of repeated mass killings," Obama told BBC in July, 2015. CARACAS, June 20 (Xinhua) -- A multidisciplinary team have been deployed to the north-eastern Venezuelan state of Sucre, where violence has increased after food shortage protests, the country's Vice President Aristobulo Isturiz announced Monday. During a news conference with local press, Isturiz assured that the "irregular" events in Cumana, Sucre's capital, where people died, have been "contained" by the authorities and security organizations. "The events in Cumana were definitely contained with respect to human rights and in recognition of the humanism framework," said the vice president, adding that calm has returned to the eastern Venezuelan city. A new head of the Integral Defense Operating Zone has been appointed for the state of Sucre, representing the Bolivarian National Armed Forces within the state. The state's operational commander in the Bolivarian National Guard has also been replaced and a restructuring of Sucre's state police has been ordered. Isturiz also announced that during this week, several ministers will head to the state to see to the people's needs. Education Minster Rodulfo Perez will also visit Sucre and it is thought that around 2,000 workers from Sucre with irregularities in their employment contracts will join the payroll of this ministry. Medication and other basic medical supplies will begin to be distributed, aiming to ease the shortage. The Venezuelan government is evaluating whether to compensate the traders affected by the looting that took place in the state on June 14. Photo taken with mobile phone on June 13, 2016 shows customers selecting gun at a shop in Orlando, the United States. The American society has been buzzing with measures to prevent further gun-related violence in the United States, after a shooting spree in an Orlando nightclub left 49 dead and 53 wounded on Sunday. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu) WASHINGTON, June 20 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Senate on Monday blocked four gun-control measures as the country was still reeling from the deadliest shooting massacre in U.S. history. The failure to pass any of the measures was widely expected even long before the vote began, since the competing bills, two Democratic and two Republican proposals, were mere repetition of the partisan fight on the gun-control issue. The votes of all four bills, which focused on whether to expand background check and to block selling of firearms to anyone on federal government's terrorism watch list, were largely along party lines. Democrats insisted that the sales of firearms should be blocked if there is a "reasonable suspicion" that someone is and will possibly be on the government's terrorism watch list. In an even longer shot, Democrats also sought a background check for the sales and transfer of guns with a handful of exception, a long-held stance almost unanimously opposed by Republicans in both chambers. Currently, purchasing firearms at gun shows and on the Internet does not require any background check in the majority of U.S. states. On the Republican side, GOP lawmakers were pushing forward a measure that would allow the government to delay a gun sale to a suspected terrorist for 72 hours while attorney generals have to seek a court order within the period to permanently block the sale. Also, instead of imposing an almost universal background check system, Republicans' proposal for expanding background check included providing incentives to share mental health records. After Monday's failed votes, Senator Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine will on Tuesday introduce a new legislation lauded by some as "a bipartisan compromise" to block suspected terrorists from buying guns. According to Annie Clark, a spokeswoman for the Maine senator, Collins' proposal would allow attorney generals to block the sale of firearms to people on the "no fly" list or the selectee list. Unlike the "no fly" list, which bans people on the list from flying from, to and within the United States, people on the selectee list are required to undergo additional security screening at airports without being permanently grounded. The Senate's latest legislative effort to curb rampant gun violence comes at a time when the country witnessed the deadliest terror attack in the history since the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001. Forty-nine people were killed and 53 others wounded, on June 12 in a shooting spree at a popular LGBT nightclub in Orlando, Florida. The gunman, identified by authorities as Omar Mateen of Port St. Lucie, Florida, was found dead inside the nightclub after a shootout with the police. According to investigators, Mateen legally purchased a handgun and an assault-style rifle weeks before the attack. He was temporarily on Federal Bureau of Investigation's terrorism watch list in 2013. In recent years, after high-profile mass shootings occurred, such as the carnage at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut in 2012 which claimed 28 lives, including 20 children, Democrats tried but failed each time to reform the country's flawed gun laws. In 2013, the Obama administration's gun control initiatives, including expanded background check and bans on assault weapons, were stymied in Congress after staunch opposition from Republican lawmakers and gun-rights lobby groups. After the shooting spree in San Bernardino, California, last year, in which 14 were killed and 22 more injured, Democrats downgraded efforts to trying to pass a measure to keep people on terrorism watch list from purchasing gun. That legislative effort again failed. During his presidency, Obama has been confronted with more than a dozen of high-profile mass shootings, and in an interview last year he called the failure to reform U.S. gun laws "one of the greatest frustrations" of his presidency. "If you ask me where has been the one area where I feel that I've been most frustrated and most stymied, it is the fact that the United States of America is the one advanced nation on Earth in which we do not have sufficient common-sense gun safety laws, even in the face of repeated mass killings," Obama told BBC in July, 2015. ORLANDO, June 13, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Highway-patrol troopers stand guard near the mass shooting scene in Orlando, the United States, June 12, 2016. At least fifty people were killed and 53 others wounded early Sunday in a shooting spree at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu) WASHINGTON, June 20 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday afternoon released a full transcript of a 911 call made by Orlando nightclub gunman Omar Mateen under intense criticism from Republicans for previously deleting references to the Islamic State (IS) and its leader. According to the new full transcript, Mateen told the 911 dispatcher in the 2:35 a.m. call on June 12 that he pledged "allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi may God protect him (Arabic), on behalf on the Islamic State." In an earlier version released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), references to IS and its leader were withheld, causing House Speaker Paul Ryan to quickly criticize the DOJ's decision as "preposterous." "We know the shooter was a radical Islamist extremist inspired by ISIS. We also know he intentionally targeted the LGBT community," said Ryan in a statement, referring to another acronym of the extremist group. "The administration should release the full, unredacted transcript so the public is clear-eyed about who did this, and why," said Ryan. In explaining its decision to reverse course and release the full transcript, the DOJ admitted Monday afternoon in a joint statement with FBI that the release of uncensored transcript came after "unnecessary distraction" caused by GOP complaints. "Unfortunately, the unreleased portions of the transcript that named the terrorist organizations and leaders have caused an unnecessary distraction from the hard work that the FBI and our law enforcement partners have been doing to investigate this heinous crime," said the statement. "As much of this information had been previously reported, we have re-issued the complete transcript to include these references in order to provide the highest level of transparency possible under the circumstances," the statement concluded. In addition to the transcript, the FBI also released on Monday summaries of three calls between Mateen and negotiators at 2:48 a.m., 3:03 a.m. and 3:24 a.m. on June 12. It was revealed in the summaries that Mateen called himself an Islamic soldier and claimed that he had equipped himself with explosives. Later investigation found no explosives. Forty-nine people were killed and 53 others wounded, including a police officer in the June 12 shooting at a popular gay nightclub Pulse in Orlando, Florida. It was the deadliest terror attack in U.S. history since the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001. Related: News Analysis: Terrorism, gun control to take center stage in 2016 presidential race after Orlando shooting by Matthew Rusling WASHINGTON, June 13 (Xinhua) -- After the mass shooting incident in Florida, terrorism and gun control will likely become major issues in the 2016 U.S. presidential race. In one of the worst terror attacks in U.S. history, 49 people were killed and 53 others were wounded Sunday at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Full story Orlando nightclub gunman did pledge allegiance to IS: police chief ORLANDO, the United States, June 13 (Xinhua) -- The lone gunman who killed 49 and wounded 53 at a popular gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, did pledge allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) and tried to negotiate with police during the attack, said Orlando Police Chief John Mina at a morning news briefing on Monday. WARSAW, June 20, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) and Polish President Andrzej Duda attend a press conference after their talks in Warsaw, Poland, June 20, 2016. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang) WARSAW, June 20 (Xinhua) -- China and Poland agreed on Monday to lift their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership, showing a shared commitment to further growing their bilateral cooperation. The upgrade, written into a joint communique, was announced after talks between visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Polish counterpart, Andrzej Duda. The two countries pledged to translate their political mutual trust into tangible and sustainable achievements in cooperation and make the upgrading of the relations beneficial to the people. DOVETAILING DEVELOPMENT PLANS Hailing the growing bilateral ties especially since the establishment of a strategic partnership in 2011, Xi called for China and Poland to dovetail their development plans when meeting with Duda. The joint communique said China and Poland are ready to push forward the bilateral cooperation within the framework of China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and Poland's sustainable development strategy. Proposed by Xi in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt that links China with Europe through Central and Western Asia by inland routes, and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road connecting China with other Asian countries, Africa and Europe by sea routes. Poland, sitting in the heartland of Europe, is seen as having a potentially great role in the regional development initiative. China and Poland will strengthen the synergy of their development plans, and boost mutually beneficial cooperation to promote peace, sustainable development and common prosperity, said the joint communique. Xi said he is expecting projects like the China-Europe freight train service to lead the Belt and Road cooperation and the bilateral cooperation on inter-connectivity and industrial capacity. Duda said his country stands ready to boost cooperation with China in such domains as economy and trade and people-to-people exchanges within the framework of the comprehensive strategic partnership and through China-Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) cooperation, the Belt and Road Initiative and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. During Xi's visit, China and Poland agreed to strive for early harvests of the Belt and Road cooperation, and pledged to increase cooperation in agriculture, finance, communication, environmental protection, high technology, aerospace and new energy, and encourage two-way investment. PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE EXCHANGES The two countries with a long tradition of friendly interactions vowed to push forward cultural and people-to-people exchanges, so as to consolidate the development of the bilateral ties over the long term. In the meeting with Duda, Xi said China and Poland should consolidate friendship and push forward people-to-people exchanges. According to the joint communique, China and Poland agreed to expand their cooperation in areas such as culture, education and sports, boost exchanges in areas such as tourism, medical care and think tanks, and facilitate exchanges between the youths of the two countries. The two sides also said they are willing to improve visa application procedures to better facilitate people-to-people exchanges. During the visit, China's First Lady Peng Liyuan toured the Frederick Chopin Museum in Warsaw. After enjoying a classic piano piece composed by the towering Polish musician, Peng said the two countries, both boasting unique, rich and diverse art and cultural heritage, have vast room for cultural exchanges and cooperation. POLAND AS GATEWAY TO EUROPE Duda pledged that Poland will be a gateway to Europe for China, while the Chinese side spoke highly of Poland's role in promoting China-CEE and China-European Union (EU) relations. Poland is an important country in the EU, and the biggest and most populous country and largest economy in the CEE region. Experts see a significant role for Poland in China-CEE and China-Europe relations. Sitting in European heartland, the country has indeed been a transportation hub for China-Europe freight train service in recent years. Almost all of the regular China-Europe freight trains pass through Poland. In the joint communique, China and Poland said they support early conclusion of the negotiations on an ambitious and extensive China-EU investment agreement, which covers market access and investment protection. They pledged to enhance communication and coordination based on the principles of openness, inclusiveness, mutual benefit and win-win results, to jointly promote China-CEE cooperation. China and Poland believe that the China-CEE cooperation mechanism is an effective and significant platform and that it contributes to the development of the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership, too, the document said. The Chinese president arrived in Poland Sunday on the second stop of his three-nation Eurasia tour. He visited Serbia before Poland, and is to travel to Uzbekistan for a state visit and to attend a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Tashkent. 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 SYDNEY, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Australia has granted a three-year extension for a Chinese company to reduce its 80-percent stake in Australian cotton farm Cubbie Station after it indicated it could not meet the October 2015 deadline. Australia approved the sale of Cubby Station to a consortium comprising Shandong Ruyi Scientific & Technological Group Co. Ltd. - 80 percent - and local company Lempriere - 20 percent - on the provision that the textile manufacturer would reduce its holdings to 51 percent within three years. Though foreign ownership of Australian farmland is a sensitive political issue, heightened in the current general election, Australian Treasurer Scott Morrison granted the extension as a reflection of the "genuine undertakings" Shandong Ruyi had made reduce its interest. "It also recognizes the fact Ruyi has met the other undertakings placed on it through the FIRB approval process," Morrison told Xinhua on Tuesday. Australian agriculture lobby groups however are concerned about the inconsistent messages coming from Australian authorities over foreign investment into farmland after a Chinese consortium was prohibited from purchasing arid cattle producer S. Kidman & Co., Australia's largest land holding. "The industry's quite happy to have a firm 'yes' or 'no', but they need to know before they go into the due diligence or analysis or the proposal of a purchase as to what the rules are," Agribusiness Australia spokesman Tim Burrows told Australia's National Broadcaster. "We can't have a situation where the rules change many months after the investor's started looking at the project or the proposal." Australia in February changed its regulatory framework for foreign investor purchases into agriculture, slashing the threshold for Australia's Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) approval to 15 million Australian dollars (11.21 million U.S. dollars). Instead of taking unenforceable undertaking applications as with the previous Labor party government, applicable to Shandong Ruyi, the FIRB now imposes binding sale conditions on applications. Local analysts however have said the FIRB's, and subsequently Morrison's granting of an extension was not unusual. "In relation to the one-off conditions like the divestment orders, what FIRB normally likes to see is progress toward the goal," Herbert Smith Freehills partner Matthew FitzGerald told the ABC. "And if there are problems with the conditions being met, it wants to understand those issues and how they're being addressed." SINGAPORE, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese mainland will continue to contribute the largest share of tourists to Asia Pacific in 2016, according to the MasterCard Asia Pacific Destinations Index released on Tuesday. According to the report, 50.4 million tourists from the Chinese mainland are projected to travel to destinations across Asia Pacific this year, making up 15.7 percent of total international overnight arrivals in the region at the city level destination. In 2016, Chinese travelers are expected to spend 45.3 billion U.S. dollars in Asia Pacific destinations, making up 18.2 percent of total tourist expenditure in the region. Four of the top five origin markets with the highest contribution of international overnight arrivals to Asia Pacific destinations are from Northeast Asia -- South Korea ranked second after Chinese mainland, followed by China's Taiwan, the United States and Japan. The four Northeast Asian markets are expected to contribute 38.4 percent of total international overnight arrivals in the region in 2016. In the meantime, of the top 10 Asia Pacific destinations, four have Chinese mainland as their biggest source of tourists, led by Seoul with Chinese tourists projected to make up 50.5 percent of international overnight arrivals, followed by Bangkok at 38.2 percent, Pattaya at 28.8 percent and Phuket at 25.6 percent. The dramatic expansion of outbound China tourism to Asia Pacific destinations can be seen in its growth. China propelled from sixth biggest contributor of tourists to Asia Pacific in 2009 to reach the top spot in 2012 with a 9.8 percent share. It has retained top position ever since with a 15.7 percent share driven by 25.9 percent compounded average annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2009 to 2016. Japan in contrast has seen its share of tourists to Asia Pacific destinations drop, from top spot in 2009 to fifth spot in 2016 with a 1.1 percent CAGR from 2009 to 2016. The United States at number four has consistently been the highest ranked non-Asia Pacific origin country since 2009. The United Kingdom is the only other non-Asia Pacific origin country within the top 10 at ninth place. "In the past few years, the mix of tourists in key Asia Pacific destination has changed significantly reflecting the economic rise of China and other emerging Asian economies. Where you might have found tourists from Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea and the United States, you are now much more likely to come across travelers from Chinese mainland," said Matthew Driver, executive vice president of Global Products & Solutions for Asia Pacific for MasterCard. The impact of the economic transformation of China and specifically the rise in disposable incomes is the biggest driver of tourism growth globally. "While we are expecting similar growth from India and Indonesia in the longer term, as well as other segments such as Halal tourism, Chinese tourists are more concentrated in Asia and impact markets at a larger scale," Driver said. "This growth is very positive for the Asia Pacific tourism industry and there remains a huge opportunity for industry players to tap into it and benefit from it. Like any other important market, players can gain advantage if they identify the relevant segments of the market for their business, understand their unique needs and then design products and services to best cater to their needs, complementing the services they provide to other key traveler segments." BRASILIA, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian Foreign Minister Jose Serra said Monday he plans to propose that South America's Mercosur trade bloc relax its common external tariff. The common tariff applied by all the members of the Southern Common Market -- Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela -- "excessively" limits Brazil's ability to enter into new trade agreements with countries outside the bloc, Serra said. Speaking at an official event in southeast Sao Paulo state, Serra said it was time to update Mercosur norms. "We are excessively tied down by Mercosur's customs unification clause," said Serra, who wants Brazil to be able to independently and unilaterally negotiate trade agreements, which the regulations of the regional trade bloc bans. "In every negotiation, Brazil had to take Mercosur with it," complained Serra, saying it "held Brazil back." When countries form trade blocs, they agree to a common external tariff on imports -- in Mercosur's case, from 0 percent to 20 percent, depending on the product -- to prioritize trade between members and discourage re-exporting. According to Serra, Brazil has signed only three free-trade agreements as part of Mercosur, with Israel, Egypt and Palestine. Mercosur signed a fourth agreement with Lebanon in 2014. The Brazilian top diplomat also criticized the protectionist policies of developed countries. "The world's most protectionist countries are the developed countries," said Serra, adding "Brazil's tariffs on agricultural exports are child's play compared to those of countries such as Norway and the United States." Created in 1991, Mercosur is undergoing a period of adjustment as recent political events and elections in its two biggest economies, Brazil and Argentina, have seen progressive left-leaning governments give way to conservative pro-business administrations. On Monday, Paraguay's Foreign Minister Eladio Loizaga said he and his Mercosur counterparts will likely meet in the first week of July to discuss the economic and political crisis gripping Venezuela. In a statement issued by the ministry in Paraguay's capital Asuncion, the minister said the severity of the crisis demanded a high-level meeting. "It has to be a ministerial meeting, it cannot be a meeting of deputy ministers, because it has to deal with a sensitive issue," said Loizaga. Paraguay called the meeting, saying it was concerned by the fact that Venezuela is scheduled to take over the six-month rotating presidency of the trade bloc from Uruguay next month. SEOUL, June 21 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has deployed what is believed to be its intermediate-range Musudan ballistic missile in its east coast, Yonhap news agency reported on Tuesday. A government source was quoted as saying that no immediate sign of firing has been detected yet. An official at South Korea's defense ministry told Xinhua that the military is closely watching relevant situations. MOSCOW, June 21 (Xinhua) -- The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has been successful both regionally and globally in spite of a complex international environment, Russian experts have said. "The SCO has established itself as one of the most influential subjects of the modern system of international relations in conditions of geopolitical turbulence," Anatoly Smirnov, president of the National Institute for Research of Global Security, told Xinhua ahead of the upcoming SCO summit to be held in Uzbekistan's capital city of Tashkent. The SCO has set an example by adequately responding to, as well as settling crisis situations politically and diplomatically within the framework of international law, said the expert. Its success, Smirnov said, is largely determined by the "Shanghai Spirit," which "embodies mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, mutual consultations, as well as respect for cultural diversity and a desire for common development." Upholding regional security is one of the responsibilities that the SCO shoulders. Smirnov expected the forthcoming SCO summit in Tashkent will focus on the development and implementation of joint measures for fighting terrorism, separatism and extremism in all their manifestations. The struggle against illicit drug production and trafficking, transnational organized crime, crimes involving the use of modern information technologies, as well as illegal migration and human trafficking will also be among the most important issues to be discussed, Smirnov said. "The SCO has a fine-tuned mechanism to deal with these issues," he added. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the SCO's establishment. Founded in 2001, the SCO now has China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as its full members. The SCO has proved its efficiency and relevance in its 15 years of existence, helping each member to become stronger in all respects, Grigory Trofimchuk, chairman of the Advisory Board of the Workshop of Eurasian Ideas Research Support Foundation, told Xinhua. The broad integration between the SCO members is most clearly manifested in the cooperation between commercial companies, particularly small- and medium-sized businesses, said Trofimchuk. "The SCO has heralded a cooperative trend ... Now people are talking about the alignment of the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union and the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative," he said. However, Trofimchuk noted that a lack of coordination of national legislation has somewhat impeded the integration process, an area he said needs to be improved to further boost the exchange of goods and cargo, as well as the migration of labor resources. The SCO remains as one of the pillars of Eurasian integration and therefore it has to formulate "concise, clear and simple principles," said Trofimchuk. MAPUTO, April 20, 2016 (Xinhua) -- File photo taken on March 3, 2016 shows a piece of an airplane displayed during a news conference in Maputo, capital of Mozambique. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau on April 20, 2016 released a technical examination report, definitively saying the debris found in Mozambique was part of the lost Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. (Xinhua/Li Xiaopeng) CANBERRA, June 21 (Xinhua) -- An Australian support group for family members of passengers who were aboard missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has released photographs of personal items this week that could belong to the missing travelers. Aircrash Support Group Australia (ASGA) has publicly released photographs which were recently found in Madagascar, but Australian authorities were hesitant to investigate the lead which could help rescuers identify where the airliner went down. A spokesperson from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) told Xinhua on Tuesday that it would be "difficult" to link the items in the photographs to passengers who were on the missing Boeing 777, as there were no names, labels or identifiable markers on the items. "It would be difficult to identify any item which does not have any unique markings and is not a part of the aircraft structure," the spokesperson said. ASGA is hoping that family members might be able to positively identify some of the items from the pictures so that authorities will further investigate the whereabouts of the missing plane. "These pictures are now being made public and the items are being handed to the authorities for further action," ASGA said in a statement on Monday. However the ATSB said it was hesitant to get involved at this stage; the spokesperson told Xinhua that "Malaysian authorities are responsible for the investigation into the disappearance of MH370 and would possess the most information about those lost aboard the aircraft and their possessions." The Australian-led search for the missing airplane is set to conclude in early August, when the ocean search in a designated 120,000 square km zone in the Indian Ocean is completed. Currently, search vessels have covered 105,000 square km. MH370 was a scheduled passenger flight carrying 239 passengers and crew from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, but went missing in the early hours of March 8, 2014. SEOUL, June 21 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has deployed what is believed to be its intermediate-range Musudan ballistic missile in its east coast, Yonhap news agency reported on Tuesday citing a government source. The source, however, was quoted as saying that no immediate sign of firing has been detected yet. An official at South Korea's defense ministry told Xinhua that the military is closely watching relevant situations. The Musudan missile, known to be capable of hitting part of the U.S. territory such as Guam and the outer reaches of Alaska, was test-launched four times, one on May 31, two on April 28 and one on April 15 each. However, the Seoul's military believed that all of the four test-firings failed as the missiles exploded in mid-air or crashed in waters several seconds after lift-off. Pyongyang has allegedly deployed the Musudan missiles since 2007. The ballistic missile is considered especially threatening as it if fired from a mobile launcher, making it hard to detect and track in times of military conflicts. It can also carry a nuclear warhead. The DPRK may test-launch the deployed Musudan missile around the 66th anniversary on June 25 of the three-year Korean War or June 29 when the DPRK's fourth session of the 13th Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) will be convened. The first session of the 13th SPA re-elected top leader Kim Jong Un as the first chairman of the National Defense Commission (NDC) in April 2014. The SPA, the highest legislative body of the DPRK, is convened once or twice a year. The possible fifth test-firing of the Musudan missile would be in line with Kim's order on March 15 to test a nuclear warhead and ballistic rockets capable of carrying the warhead"in a short time." After the seventh ruling Workers'Party of Korea (WPK) congress that lasted four days through May 9, the DPRK repeatedly made dialogue overtures toward South Korea to talk about military matters in order to defuse tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Seoul, however, had rejected the proposals as Pyongyang had yet to express its willingness to denuclearize. South Korea held fast to its position that no dialogue would be held with the DPRK unless Pyongyang shows its denuclearization will through sincere actions. PHNOM PENH, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia received some 275,000 Chinese tourists in the first four months of 2016, up 13 percent if compared to the same period last year, said a Tourism Ministry report on Tuesday. The number of Chinese visitors to the Southeast Asian country accounted for 16 percent of total foreigners to the kingdom during the January-April period this year, the report said. It added that China ranked the second largest source of tourists to Cambodia after Vietnam, whose 306,000 people traveled to Cambodia during the period, down 3 percent year-on-year. Kong Sopheareak, chief of the Tourism Ministry's statistics and planning department, said Cambodia-China excellent relations and Cambodia's attractive tourism sites are key factors to lure more Chinese tourists. Also, there are many direct flights between the two countries, he said. "More importantly, now, Chinese people are rich and they are keen to travel overseas," he told Xinhua. "For my prediction, China will overtake Vietnam in one or two years to become the first largest source of tourists to Cambodia." Cambodia sees China as a major market for its fast-growing tourism industry. Earlier this year, the country released a white paper targeting 2 million Chinese tourists by 2020. The white paper lists steps to be taken by tourism authorities to facilitate visits by Chinese tourists, such as providing Chinese signage and documents for visa processing, encouraging local use of the Chinese yuan currency, and ensuring that food and accommodation facilities are suited to Chinese tastes. Cambodia is renowned for two cultural sites on the UNESCO's World Heritage List. One is the 12th century Angkor Archaeological Park in northwestern Siem Reap province and the other is the 11th century Preah Vihear Temple in northwestern Preah Vihear province. Besides, it has many interesting eco-tourism sites, including a 450-km pristine coastline stretching across four provinces in the country's southwestern part. BOGOTA, June 21, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Image taken on June 16, 2016 shows the superintendent of the National Police of Colombia Oscar Gonzalez posing in front of a mural painted by himself in the sector of Quiba, in Bogota, Colombia. Oscar Gonzalez goes by the name "Oso" ("Bear") and his eye-catching graffiti murals can be seen on walls and doorways around Colombia's capital Bogota. Today, as assistant superintendent of police, Gonzalez incorporates art into police department programs to curb drug use among Colombian youth. (Xinhua/Jhon Paz) By Cesar Marino Garcia BOGOTA, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Known as "Oso" ( "Bear" in English), police officer Oscar Gonzalez uses his passion, art, to counter the evil of drugs. Eye-catching graffiti murals painted by him can be seen on walls and doorways around the capital Bogota to call attention to the social disease of drug abuse. Since youth, he learned how to use spray paint to turn his thoughts and feelings into works of art, slowly carving his niche among the city's graffiti artists. While art may be his passion, helping people is his calling. Today, as an assistant police superintendent, Gonzalez combines the two things he loves best by incorporating art into police department programs designed to curb drug use among young Colombians. Over eight years, he has traveled around the country, visiting poor inner-city communities and introducing children and teens at risk of drug addiction to art. Like him, they have also learned to express their hopes and anxieties through street art. "This idea springs from an ability or talent ... of mine," Gonzalez told Xinhua. "I try to involve them ... to make them realize they can make the most of their free time through sports, music and, in this case, art, and it's been very well accepted by the youngsters, especially since graffitis have a lot of impact worldwide." According to the anti-narcotics bureau of his department, drug abuse is the leading cause of dysfunctional or disintegrated families, and is also linked to domestic violence, high dropout rates and other sufferings. To keep young people away from drugs, the police anti-drug educational programs focus on early childhood with such activities as talks or presentations at schools. The efforts are part of the Drug Abuse Resistance Education, or DARE, an international program created by a former Los Angeles police chief that aims to steer children away from drugs and violence by warning them of the dangers. "As the saying goes, prevention is the best intervention," Gonzalez said. However, police alone cannot do it well unless parents, teachers and the community as a whole get involved, he stressed. The graffiti artist-cum-policeman visits neighborhoods like Quiba, in south Bogota, where thousands of Colombians displaced by the country's long-running civil war have taken refuge in ramshackle homes. Dressed in paint-spattered overalls, and accompanied by other international graffiti artists, "Oso" spreads his message of hope to marginalized families by beautifying their surroundings with his colorful street art. A graffiti carries a positive message, and gives the residents something different to see in their grey neighborhood, an artist said. "They are going to smile at least. That's more than gratifying for us." It is worthy to note that residents have a say in this as their permission is needed before the artists paint their graffitis. "We don't deface walls, we paint designs with an optimistic message and a prior approval of the community," Gonzalez said. SEOUL, June 21 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's exports were expected to keep the longest monthly fall in June as the shipments posted a double-digit decline for the first 20 days of this month, customs data showed on Tuesday. Exports, which account for about half of the export-driven economy, came in at 25.66 billion U.S. dollars for the first 20 days of June, down 12.8 percent from the same period of last year, according to the Korea Customs Service. The country's exports reduced 6.0 percent in May, maintaining the longest monthly fall of 17 months since the relevant data began to be compiled in 1970. Given that this year's June has less business days compared with last year, this month's exports actually increased 0.6 percent, the customs office said. For the first 20 days of June, imports amounted to 21.75 billion U.S. dollars, sending the trade surplus to 3.91 billion dollars. RIO DE JANEIRO, June 20 (Xinhua) -- The Rio de Janeiro state government was accused of making extravagant spending amid a deep financial crisis. The state declared state of public calamity last Friday, due to a severe financial crisis. However, as a local news radio station reported, the headquarters of the state government maintained a public bidding for purchases for an extravagant banquet. The bidding was to be held on Tuesday, and featured the purchases of fancy fruits, such as blueberries and raspberries, all of which are imported and very expensive, in addition to significant amounts of expensive fish and filet steak. The purchases would cost the state 361,000 reals (106,000 U.S. dollars). The minimum monthly wage in Brazil is currently 880 reals (258 U.S. dollars). The state government was criticized for holding such expensive purchases while the public servants are not being paid and hot meals at schools were replaced by snacks for lack of money. In Rio de Janeiro State University (UERJ), the largest university administrated by the state government, students' meals were also suspended for the lack of money. The university has been at strike for three months because professors and outsourced workers did not receive their wages. After the scandal, Rio state's interim governor Francisco Dornelles canceled the bidding. However, the distrust over Rio's capacity to hold the Olympic Games in August has increased with every stumble the administration takes. AMMAN, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Many Jordanian border guards were killed on Tuesday at dawn in a booby trapped car explosion at no man's land in boder area between Jordan and Syria, the Jordan Armed Forces said in a statement on official Facebook account. The explosion occurred near the Syrian refugees camp at the no man's land between Jordan and Syria at 5:30 a.m. local time, killing and injuring the officer. The Jordanian army engaged with many enemy vehicles and destroyed them at the same time. More than 50,000 Syrian refugees are stranded at the no man's land as Jordan discovered a large number of them were members of the terrorist Islamic State or supporters and manjoirty of them came from areas under the control of the terrorist movement in Syria. Since 2011, the Jordanian army foiled many attempts by terrorists to infiltrate into Jordan. JERUSALEM, June 21 (Xinhua) -- A Palestinian was killed and three Israelis lightly injured after a group of Palestinians pelted cars with rocks and firebombs at cars on a major highway overnight, the Israeli army said early Tuesday. A group of Palestinians threw rocks and Molotov cocktails at cars driving along Route 443, which connects the Jerusalem and West Bank area with central Israel. Three Israelis were lightly injured and evacuated to the Shaarei Tzedek hospital in Jerusalem. In response, Israeli soldiers shot at the Palestinians, killing one of them. Two other Palestinian were reportedly wounded, according to Palestinian media reports. According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson, the soldiers at the scene shot the Palestinians after they "hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails at moving vehicles near the village of Beit Sira" in the central West Bank. "An initial review suggests that as the (Palestinian) mob continued, nearby forces acted in order to protect the passing vehicles from danger and fired towards the assailant," the IDF spokesperson said in a statement. "Forces confirmed hits resulting in the death of one of the attackers," it said, adding two Palestinian suspects were arrested. Thirty two Israelis and 205 Palestinians have been killed in an ongoing wave of violence which started in October. While Israelis were killed in shooting, stabbing and car-ramming attacks, the Palestinians were killed either in clashes during protests with Israeli security forces, or gunned down after trying to carry out attacks against Israelis. While the Israeli leaders blame the Palestinian Authority for "incitement to violence" that prompted the wave of unrest, the Palestinians charge it is the result of 49 years of Israeli occupation of the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip territories, where they wish to establish a Palestinian state. BEIJING, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Xinhua News Agency released a short film Monday to commemorate the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC). The nine-and-a-half-minute video profiles the pursuit of independence and state prosperity. It features photographs and footage from Xinhua's China Photo Archives, a repository of more than 10 million images from 1892 to the present day. The film begins with "Internationale," sung in Russian by 95-year-old Qu Duyi, the only daughter of Qu Qiubai, a key leader of the CPC in its early days. Qu Duyi and her husband co-founded Xinhua's Moscow bureau, the agency's third foreign bureau. Eighty-one years ago, Qu Qiubai sang the same song on his way to his execution after being captured by the Kuomintang. "My father had a faith in communist society and fought for it," said Qu Duyi in the film. The video also features footage and images of outstanding CPC members across the years, including Lei Feng, a soldier who was known for selflessly devoting his time and money to those in need; Jiao Yulu, a local-level official role model; and Wang Jinxi, a model-oil worker who was dubbed "iron man." "For a person, 95 years is a very long time, but to a Party, which is ahead of the times, it is its prime. Our dreams, and those of our fathers, are in the distance," the narrator says at the end of the film. GUANGZHOU, June 21 (Xinhua) -- A former Communist Party of China chief of Wukan Village in south China's Guangdong Province has admitted to accepting bribes, according to a local procuratorate Tuesday. Lin Zulian, also former head of Wukan, admitted that he had taken money from village livelihood and procurement projects, said Shanwei City procurator-general Yuan Huaiyu. In a video released by the procuratorate, Lin said, "due to my negligence and ignorance of our laws, I accepted bribes from those involved in livelihood and procurement projects, which is my biggest criminal offense. I confess this to the procuratorate." According to Yuan, officials in Lufeng City received information about Lin's alleged bribery. The procuratorate opened an official investigation Friday following a three month initial investigation. Prosecutors said the amount of bribes was substantial, without giving a specific figure. Home to 13,000 residents, Wukan was thrown into the international spotlight in 2011 when residents protested for months against the village committee's illegal land grabs, corruption, violations of financing and election rules. Lin was appointed the new CPC chief of the village after the event. BEIJING, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Chen Ning was pleasantly surprised when it took just four hours for his business license to be approved by Shenzhen city government in south China. In the past, the process could last months. "I was astonished," said Chen, who graduated from Georgia Institute of Technology, the United States, with a PhD in engineering, decided to return to China two years ago to start a human intelligence device company. A year later, his firm released a human face recognition system, which cut the time it took to identify a person from a facial database from several weeks to a few seconds. Recently, the police used the system to identify a suspect from a video clip, it took just five seconds. The system will be used at this year's G20 summit in Hangzhou, China. Chen is one of millions of Chinese overseas graduates who aspire to bring their knowledge and intelligence back home. The central government has been promoting entrepreneurship and innovation as a key driver of the nation's economic transition. This drive is called "shuangchuang," a national plan to boost innovative activities as a way to ride out the major economic transition and maintain sustained growth. The government has made market entry easier, cut red tape and rolled out tax breaks for startups. Overseas returnees, as well as college students and migrant workers, are emerging as major forces in entrepreneurship. Data released by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security showed the number of overseas returnees in 2015 was 12.1 percent from that recorded in 2014. LinkedIn observed in its latest survey that in the past five years, more and more overseas Chinese graduates had returned to China, with more than half from the United States and Britain. The survey also showed that returnees were encouraged by the good momentum of Chinese economy and the country's talent policy. China at present has 321 industrial parks, housing 24,000 enterprises, where returned overseas students can start their own businesses. Last year, returnees participated in 19,000 research and development projects. "The wave is likely to continue in the coming years as there is still ample room for improvement," said Zhou Shiping, an official with the State Administration for Industry and Commerce. He explained that there were 16 companies for every 1,000 people in China, much lower than 44 in Germany, 43 in Japan and 26 in the United States. Tang Tao, vice minister of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, said earlier this year that the government will improve measures to persuade Chinese students to return home, including better public services and projects such as the "Thousand Talents" recruitment program for global experts launched in 2008. CHANDIGARH, June 21, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi practices yoga during a mass yoga session marking the International Yoga Day in Chandigarh, north India, June 21, 2016. Tens of thousands of people participated in the mass yoga session in Chandigarh early Tuesday. (Xinhua/Bi Xiaoyang) NEW DELHI, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday joined over 30,000 people in stretching, twisting and bending for asanas (ancient exercises) as the country celebrated the second International Yoga Day. Dressed in a white T-shirt and track pants with a scarf, Modi performed a variety of poses, along with 30,000 people, on a mat at the Capitol Complex in the central government-controlled territory of Chandigarh, barely three hours drive from the national capital. Urging people to embrace yoga like they have taken to the mobile phone, the prime minister delinked it from religion and said that it "gives us health assurance at zero budget," helps control the mind and helps people to lead a disciplined life. "Yoga is not a religious activity. Many people do not understand yoga completely. It is not what you will get from yoga but what is important is what you will give to yoga and what all (ailments) will it rid you of... It helps is getting mukti (salvation) from health issues," he said. In the Indian capital, President Pranab Mukherjee led a sessions at his official residence, the Rashtrapati Bhavan, where around 1,000 people took part, while 57 ministers led yoga sessions across the country. Local TV channels showed footage of millions of others doing yoga at similar events in hundreds of Indian cities and towns. Preparations are also being done for yoga sessions in Britain and at the iconic Times Square in New York. The United Nations announced the International Day of Yoga in 2014 after Modi, a yoga enthusiast who says he practises the ancient Indian art daily, lobbied the world body to declare June 21 as the International Yoga Day. The scale tree fossil taken on June 19, 2016. (Xinhua) KUNMING, June 21 (Xinhua) - Experts have dismissed the wide-spread online rumor that a fossil recently found in southwest China's Yunnan Province is that of a boa. They say the so-called "dragon fossil" is a scale tree fossil dating back to 250 million years ago. The fossil, 130 cm long and 17 cm in diameter, was discovered near a river in Yunnan's Zhenxiong county earlier this month. Local villagers believed the fossil belongs to a boa or even imagined it as a dragon which actually only exists in Chinese legendary because they could see "scales" on it. The fossil was stolen the night it was discovered. The remaining parts have been moved to safety by local cultural authorities. The scale tree fossil taken on June 19, 2016. (Xinhua) Archaeologists said that it is a typical scale tree fossil, which belongs to the late Permian period, a geologic period extending from 298.9 to 252.17 million years ago. Scale trees thrived during the Carboniferous period and Permian period between 350 million to 250 million years ago, and were able to grow as high as 50 meters, according to Feng Zhuo, a professor with Yunnan University. VANCOUVER, June 20 (Xinhua) -- A derelict historic mansion in Vancouver is on the way to its original glory, thanks to the efforts of its new owner, a Chinese immigrant. Mingfei Zhao bought the three-story house called The Rosemary three years ago for 11 million Canadian dollars (8.5 million U.S. dollars) in a ritzy Westside neighborhood. "As soon as he saw the home, he put in an aggressive offer to purchase the home, just because he fell in love with it," said Jim Perkins, president of Fair Trade Works, is in charge of renovating the 14,000-square-foot residence for Zhao. After nearly three years of repair, the renovation is about half-way complete and needs at least a year and half before final completion, Perkins told Xinhua. By the time the renovation is done, Zhao would have invested about 6 million Canadian dollars (4.65 million U.S. dollars), he said. Perkins said the biggest challenge with this project is simply the disarray that the home was in. Completed in 1918, the house was poorly maintained, leading to leaks and rot. Moreover, it had been abused by the movie industry for a couple of decades, which had left behind at least 10 layers of paint. "But now we're kind of into the fun part where we've restored all the existing rooms and we're going into rebuilding and redesigning the kitchen, the basement, the top floor," Perkins added. Built originally for businessman Albert Tulk, The Rosemary was occupied by Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia in the 1930s and 40s. Later, the sprawling mansion became home of a group of Catholic nuns. The exterior of the house is protected by the City of Vancouver's stringent heritage regulations, meaning that many of the exterior features must be restored and preserved as originally designed. The Rosemary is an architectural blend of English Manor and Art-and-Crafts design. There are altogether 220 such buildings that are protected by heritage laws in Vancouver. Perkins believed The Rosemary is a very unique property and will be one of the most unique properties in British Columbia. LONDON, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Uncertainty, division and tension continue in Britain two days ahead of a referendum on its European Union membership as campaign rallies resumed Tuesday. Campaigning renewed after a three-day suspension following the murder of Pro-EU Labor Party lawmaker Jo Cox on Thursday. Both Remain and Leave camps are making last-ditch efforts to gain support, as polls on Monday show an uncertain outcome of the upcoming vote. An ORB poll for the Daily Telegraph newspaper put the support for Remain at 53 percent, up 5 percentage points on the previous one, with Leave down to 46 percent. A survey conducted from May 16 to June 12 by social research body NatCen found the support at 53 percent for Remain versus 47 percent for Leave, while an online poll over the weekend by YouGov for The Times shows a slim lead of Leave at 44 percent, with Remain at 42 percent. "All the signs of ORB's latest and final poll point to a referendum that will truly come down to the wire," political strategist Lynton Crosby wrote in the Daily Telegraph. The slightly Remain-tipped poll results led to a strong recovery of the pound sterling on market earlier Monday and a rise in Asian stocks on Tuesday. Billionaire George Soros warned in The Guardian newspaper that a Brexit outcome would trigger a pound decline of at least 15 percent as in September 1992, and possibly a more disruptive more than 20 percent, with "an immediate and dramatic impact on financial markets, investment, prices and jobs." Gloomy predictions of other experts include a start of European Union breaking apart, and protectionism and nationalism harming global trade. An optimistic scenario limits pain elsewhere than Britain in Europe to a lesser extent, and suggests an affected global market soon to recover with no big economic damage. Soros said in The Guardian that powerful speculative forces are eager to exploit any miscalculations by the British government or British voters. Risks loom ahead with the Thursday vote deemed as a turning point in the political and economic fate of both Britain and Europe. Risks from quitting and economic advantages provided by EU membership have been major arguments of Remain campaigners, including Prime Minister David Cameron. Supporters for Leave blame EU freedom of movement rules for immigrant inflows that they believe have stepped up pressures on public services and jobs. J.K. Rowling, author of the "Harry Potter" series, said Monday in a blog posting: "We'll have to decide which monsters we believe are real and which illusory." In her eyes, quitting the EU would amount to a protest "against everything about modern life that scares us." She reckons nationalism is on the march across the Western world. "How can a retreat into selfish and insecure individualism be the right response when Europe faces genuine threats?" The vote on EU membership has polarized Britons. Severity of the division may be reflected in the murder of Cox on Thursday. The bloodshed led to a shift in polls away from Leave. Cameron led tearful tributes in Parliament on Monday to Cox, while urging unity "against the hatred that killed her." CANBERRA, June 21 (Xinhua) -- After 37 years of struggles and legal battles, the Kenbi land near Darwin, the capital city of Northern Territory in Australia, is officially handed back to its traditional owners, the Larrakia people, at a ceremony held in Darwin on Tuesday. At the ceremony, which was live broadcast across Australia by the national broadcaster ABC, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull handed a symbolic document made of bark to the traditional owners. "Today we formally recognise what Larrakia people have always known -- that this is Aboriginal land. That this is the lands of the Larrakia people," he said. "I acknowledge that Larrakia people have cared for this country for tens of thousands of years. That your songs have been sung since time out of mind and those songs have held and passed on the knowledge of your customs, your traditions, your lore and I pay my deepest respects to you and your elders past and present." Traditional owners were overwhelmed by bittersweet sentiment. One of the traditional owners, Zoe Singh, told the ABC that she is "happy, overwhelmed, but sad at the same time because our elders aren't here to see this." Turnbull said the day marks a historic day in the settlement of one of the most complex and protracted land claims in the history of the Land Rights Act. The Kenbi claim, which covers most of Cox Peninsula -- 130 kilometers by road and 10 kilometers by ferry from Darwin -- was the longest-running Aboriginal land claim case in Australia's history. The case, officially lodged in 1979, went on to be the subject of two extensive hearings, three Federal Court reviews, two High Court appeals and much division among the local Aboriginal people, who have disputed who had the right to claim ownership. Finally, Justice Peter Gray found in 2000 that there were six persons recognized as Traditional Owners. The prime minister hailed the achievements made by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and vowed to continue to address the challenges, including closing the gap in health and social outcomes. Turnbull said in this upcoming election, there are at least 12 candidates from across all political parties who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander seeking a position in the Federal Parliament. If six or seven of those candidates are successful, he said, Australia will have parity in the federal parliament -- that is, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders will be represented in the parliament as they are in the population. File photo of Wu Jianmin.[Photo/IC] On Saturday, I heard the sad news of the death of Wu Jianmin, a veteran Chinese diplomat who served long stints in Belgium, the Netherland, Switzerland and France. At the age of 77, Wu, who used to be French-Chinese language interpreter for the late chairman Mao Zedong and premier Zhou Enlai, died in a car accident in Central China's Hubei province, where he was scheduled to deliver a speech. In newspapers, on television as well as social media platforms, people from various walks of life have shown their deep sorrow and heart-felt respect to this mild, eloquent, visionary and peace-loving bridge-builder, who was a frequent speaker at various functions even after his retirement. I knew him for years, apart from interviews, he frequently addressed various events organized by my newspaper. On April 1, 2014, Wu spoke at an international seminar on China's reforms and the implications for the European Union, an event that was co-organized by China Daily in the College of Europe in the Belgium city of Bruges, where President Xi Jinping wrapped up his tour of Western Europe that day by giving a speech on Sino-EU relations. Joining a host of prominent speakers, Wu urged peace-building at a time when there were geopolitical concerns in several regions. Beyond his thoughts and visions, I was deeply impressed by his way of dealing with ordinary everyday matters. He was 75 year-old and traveling alone. My friends arranged to pick him up and send him to the airport in Brussels. Shortly after he checked in and sat down to wait for his flight back to Beijing, Wu sent us a thank-you message. When he returned home, he emailed us immediately, thanking us again. In writing to me, he began with "nin hao", which is usually away for the young to address the old in Chinese culture. After that, he sometimes, shared me some of his articles by mail. Hearing of his death, I could not help but reread our email exchanges. Now, as President Xi pays his second visit to Europe within three months, Wu would certainly have commented on the significance of the tour, which bonds China and Central and Eastern Europe closer. But we will not hear his voice any more. Though his passing brings sadness, we can take comfort in the thought that at least he can rest peacefully for a number of reasons. First, partly due to his efforts when he was working as China's ambassador to France, his spirited efforts led to a honeymoon period in the Sino-French relationship and that between China and EU. At present, China and EU ties are not in ideal shape, but that is not to say that China's relations with some member states are not in a honeymoon period. Second, Wu's legacy as president of China Foreign Affairs University from 2003 to 2008 is tremendous. In deep sorrow, many students and graduates have been showing their profound respect, vowing to follow the example Wu set and strive to work as professional diplomats. Third, after his retirement, Wu also became keen on supporting dialogue platforms to boost understanding between China and the rest of the world. In doing so, teams of young people have learned about public diplomacy and how to convince others with sincerity and solution-based approaches. Such training for "young ambassadors" will ensure they will carry on his mission to bridge the gap of understanding and make this world a peaceful place. The author is deputy editor of China Daily European Edition. fujing@chinadaily.com.cn BANGKOK, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Mangoes in northern Thailand are being picked in first harvest and mostly bound for export to China, confirmed a Thai government official on Tuesday. Yu Wen and R2E2 mangoes which have been grown in Chiang Mai province since the last few years are currently picked in their first harvest and mostly destined for the Chinese market, according to Sompol Sankham, the chief provincial agricultural official. Plantations of Yu Wen and R2E2 mangoes will very likely be expanded throughout Chiang Mai due to increasing demands from China, he said. Yu Wen and R2E2 mangoes are produced in addition to Nam Dokmai (flower on water) mango, most of which was earlier harvested and exported to China, Japan, South Korea and the Middle East. Chiang Mai, one of Thailand's largest mango-growing areas, has produced an estimated 70,000 tons of Nam Dokmai mango in some 22,000 acres of plantation yearly, earning some 28 million U.S. dollars in sales yearly, the agricultural official said. ANKARA, June 21 (Xinhua) -- A curfew was declared early Tuesday in 25 villages located in southeastern Turkish province of Diyarbakir, local governor's office stated on Tuesday. The curfew in 25 villages in the Lice, Hani, Silvan and Hazro districts of Diyarbakir started at 5 a.m. on June 21, as security forces initiated a wide-scale operation against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants in the region, Diyarbakir Governor's office stated on its website. Armored vehicles and professional teams were dispatched to the area. Meanwhile, Police in Diyarbakir discovered a minibus loaded with one ton of explosives in Ergani district on Monday night, local news reported Tuesday. The explosives in the minibus, which was carrying a fake plate of Turkish capital Ankara, were deactivated by bomb experts after police teams evacuated nearby houses and blocked the entrances and exits to the neighborhood of the scene. The van was taken to a police station. The Turkish Armed Forces stated on Tuesday that the air forces carried out aerial operations against PKK targets in rural areas of Lice in Diyarbakir and Kandil, Sinat and Haftanin regions of northern Iraq on Monday. Diyarbakir, of which the most population is Kurds rather than Turks, has been a focal point for conflict between Turkish armed forces and PKK militants. Over 470 members of Turkish security forces and thousands of PKK members have been killed in confrontations inside Turkey and in northern Iraq since last July. More than 40,000 people have lost their lives in clashes with the PKK since 1984, when the group first started anti-government attacks. The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union and Turkey. ISLAMABAD, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain will lead the country's delegation to the meeting of the Heads of States Council of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent on June 23 and 24, an official announcement said Tuesday. Pakistan is expected to sign the "Memorandum of Obligations" in Tashkent which will be a major step towards becoming a full member of the SCO, the Foreign Ministry said. Prior to that, as an Observer State of the SCO, Pakistan has been making substantive contribution to regional peace, security and development, a foreign ministry statement said. Pakistan was invited to start the process of becoming full SCO member at the Heads of State Council meeting held in Ufa, Russia in July 2015. SCO is an important organization founded in Shanghai in 2001. Its member states include China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The SCO Heads of States Council is the highest decision-making body of the organization. The SCO also has five Observers and three Dialogue Partners. Pakistan became an Observer in SCO in 2005 and was the first country to apply for full membership in 2010. The president will also hold important bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the SCO Summit, the statement said. SYDNEY, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Australians are warming to a stronger China as they rank the China-Australia relationship at the same level as its relationship with the United States in an annual foreign policy poll. In a clear shift from two years ago, 30 percent of Australians view China as the country's "best friend in Asia," compared with 25 percent who say it's Japan (second place), according to the annual Lowy Institute for International Policy poll released on Tuesday. Both China and Japan were in equal first place in the 2014 poll. The positive influences on this view include the China's economic growth, its culture and history as well as the people-to-people relations, with 85 percent of respondents saying the people they have met have had a positive influence. But Australians hold the China-Australia relationship as equally important as its relationship with the United States, according to the survey, with both polling at 43 percent. The vote was split down the middle though, with Australians aged under 45 viewing China as more important, compared with those aged 45 and over viewing the U.S. as more important. "Young Australians were the most enthusiastic about deepening ties with China," Australia-China Relations Institute (ACRI) deputy director James Laurenceson told Xinhua. "That augers well for the future of the Australia-China relationship." The annual poll surveyed 1,202 Australian adults between Feb. 26 and March 15 on a wide range of issues, including Australia's foreign policy, refugees and immigration, foreign investment, U.S. domestic politics, Middle East security issues and Australia's role in the world. BAMAKO, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Belgium will double the number of its soldiers in Mali to 175, the country's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Development Cooperation Alexander de Croo announced Monday in Bamako during a meeting with Mali President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. The minister is in Mali under the auspices of a Joint Cooperation Commission between the two countries. A statement from Mali presidency said the Belgian cooperation program for 2016-2019 will increase the country's support to Mali to 31 million euros. The money will go towards supporting the implementation of the Mali peace and reconciliation agreement. Part of the money will also go towards supporting security initiatives, decentralization, rights of women as well as activities of the UN Peacekeeping mission in Mali. Early in the year, Belgium agreed to significantly reinforce its contingent within the Training Mission of Malian Forces that was launched in 2013 by the European Union, the statement said. At the start of French Serval operation in January 2013, Belgium offered two helicopters to support French troops in Mali's northern region of Sevare. This support was however stopped due to budgetary constraints. Zhang Xiangchen (L Front), Deputy International Trade Representative from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce exchanges signed Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) documents on Cooperation for Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) with Erastus Mwencha (R Front ), Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) at the African Union (AU) headquarters in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, June 16, 2016. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde) ADDIS ABABA, June 21 (Xinhua) -- China has pledged continued support for the operationlization of the first pan-African health agency-- the African Center for Disease Control (CDC). At a recent meeting with African Union officials at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Chinese officials reaffirmed the commitment to further assistance to help realize the early operationalization of the Africa CDC. During the meeting, the African Union and China expressed their commitment to the implementation of the outcomes under the Johannesburg summit of the Forum China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and to taking the relation between the two sides to a higher level. Zhang Xiangchen, deputy international trade representative with the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, met and held talks with Erastus Mwencha, Deputy Chairperson of the AU Commission at the Headquarters of the pan-African bloc in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa. After discussion, AU and China have signed agreement of three documents for cooperation including on Africa Center for Disease Control (Africa CDC). During the FOCAC summit held last December in Johannesburg, South Africa, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced 10 major areas of cooperation with Africa including cooperation on the health sector. At the opening of their discussion, Mwencha noted that Africa and China have been strengthening their cooperation on trade, investment, and technical cooperation, also under FOCAC and other platforms, which has brought mutual benefits to the peoples of Africa and China. Beatrice Yordoldo (front L), the last confirmed Ebola patient discharged in Liberia, receives a certificate from Col. Yang Haiwei (front R), China's EbolaTreatment Unit (ETU) Commanding Officer, during a brief ceremony in Monrovia, capital of Liberia, on March 5, 2015. Liberia discharged the last confirmed Ebola patient on Thursday from a Chinese-run ETU. (Xinhua/Li Bin) Stating that AU always attaches great importance to the cooperation with China, the Deputy Chairperson said the latest agreement signed would help bring the level of cooperation between the two sides to a higher level. "The fact that six months down the road we are now signing an agreement to continue with the implementation shows the commitment in both sides to realize the benefit out of this," he added. Speaking on the occasion, Zhang noted that the main purpose of his visit to the AU was to discuss ways of implementing the outcomes of the FOCAC summit in Johannesburg and further enhancing the cooperation with Africa on infrastructure, public health and other important areas. "Infrastructure cooperation and public health cooperation are the two priority areas for the cooperation between AU and China. After fruitful discussion, we reached a broad consensus on strengthening cooperation in the two areas. These three documents demonstrate our willingness to continue our cooperation in the two main areas," noted Zhang. The MoU on Africa CDC aims to encourage the promise of Chinese government made by President Xi at the Johannesburg FOCAC Summit to help Africa improve its public health. On the basis of the MoU, China will support AU's efforts to the establishment of the Africa CDC and will provide assistance in infrastructure construction and operation of the Africa CDC. WASHINGTON, June 20 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Commerce Department on Monday announced its preliminary affirmative determination in the countervailing duty (CVD) investigation against imports of certain biaxial integral geogrid products from China, signaling that it may impose punitive duties on the products. The department said that producers and exporters of such products from China had received countervailing subsidies from 16.6 percent to 128.27 percent. As a result of the preliminary affirmative determinations, the department will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to require cash deposits based on these preliminary rates. The Commerce Department launched antidumping duty and CVD investigations against imports of such products from China in January 2016, in response to a request from Tensar Corporation. The department is scheduled to make its final determinations in October this year, unless the statutory deadline is extended. Punitive duties would be imposed after both the Commerce Department and the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) make affirmative final rulings. The USITC is scheduled to make its final determination in December 2016. Biaxial integral geogrid products are used in the construction of paved and unpaved roads, as well as in other construction projects, such as for reinforcing foundations or working platforms that are built on top of unstable soils. Imports of these products from China were estimated at about 1.5 billion U.S. dollars in 2014, according to official U.S. data. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce has repeatedly urged the United States to abide by its commitment against protectionism and work together with China and other members of the international community to maintain a free, open and just international trade environment. People flash victory signs as they walk along damaged buildings following heavy fightings between government troops and Kurdish fighters after the curfew on May 30, 2016 in the majority Kurdish city town of Yuksekova, southeastern Turkey near the border with Iraq and Iran. (Xinhua/AFP Photo) ANKARA, June 21 (Xinhua) -- A curfew was declared early Tuesday in 25 villages located in southeastern Turkish province of Diyarbakir, local governor's office stated on Tuesday. The curfew in 25 villages in the Lice, Hani, Silvan and Hazro districts of Diyarbakir started at 5 a.m. on June 21, as security forces initiated a wide-scale operation against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants in the region, Diyarbakir Governor's office stated on its website. Armored vehicles and professional teams were dispatched to the area. Meanwhile, Police in Diyarbakir discovered a minibus loaded with one ton of explosives in Ergani district on Monday night, local news reported Tuesday. The explosives in the minibus, which was carrying a fake plate of Turkish capital Ankara, were deactivated by bomb experts after police teams evacuated nearby houses and blocked the entrances and exits to the neighborhood of the scene. The van was taken to a police station. The Turkish Armed Forces stated on Tuesday that the air forces carried out aerial operations against PKK targets in rural areas of Lice in Diyarbakir and Kandil, Sinat and Haftanin regions of northern Iraq on Monday. Diyarbakir, of which the most population is Kurds rather than Turks, has been a focal point for conflict between Turkish armed forces and PKK militants. Over 470 members of Turkish security forces and thousands of PKK members have been killed in confrontations inside Turkey and in northern Iraq since last July. More than 40,000 people have lost their lives in clashes with the PKK since 1984, when the group first started anti-government attacks. DAKAR, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Senegal's Higher Education Minister Mary Teuw Niane and the Director General of Huawei Senegal, Yu Yong, on Monday signed a training agreement under the program dubbed "Seeds for the Future," through which ten Senegalese students will benefit from training in China. Huawei's "Seeds for the Future" program will reach 167 countries, 140 universities and over 1,700 students. The agreement will enable Senegal to join the Huawei program and for Senegalese students to benefit from training in China, the Senegalese minister said. He said the process for selecting beneficiaries will be done "without any discrimination of anyone through an inclusive selection panel." "The program will not only enable our students to improve themselves, but also meet students from other parts of the world and hence enhance their network," he said. "We hope that this new collaboration will be fruitful for the two parties and will contribute to the training of quality human resource that is necessary for attracting large companies like Huawei to Senegal," he said. The director of Huawei in Senegal said the "program will train beneficiaries in the new information and communication technologies." "We are ready for the collaboration and we believe that beneficiaries will explore all possibilities offered by Huawei," Yu said. He said the beneficiaries of the program will undergo a two-week training in China. During the first week, they will learn about the Chinese culture and the second week, they will learn about the information and communication technologies. DAR ES SALAAM, June 21 (Xinhua) -- African bank governors meeting in Tanzania said on Monday that the adoption of the Chinese yuan by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will make the currency play a major role in international financial markets. Economic experts from various African countries attending the eastern and southern African governors forum also believed that the adoption of the yuan was an important milestone in the integration of the Chinese economy into African financial systems. The IMF has adopted the yuan as part of its special drawing rights basket of currencies. "Tanzania is not left behind, already the Bank of Tanzania's five percent of foreign currency reserve is being held in Renminbi," Tanzania's Central Bank Governor Beno Ndulu told the forum facilitated by the Macro-economic and Financial Management Institute of Eastern and Southern Africa (MEFMI). Ndulu said the adoption of the yuan was a reminder that Africa should start giving the Renminbi due consideration as both reserve, investment and settlement currency given China's deepening engagement with the continent. He said the decision by the IMF reflected major shifts in the global economy and was a recognition of China's progress over the last few decades in moving towards a more open and market based economy. The governor said China played an increasingly prominent role in the global economy and it was entirely logical that its currency should also play a role in international financial markets. On the benefits of using the currency, Ndulu said it was profitable to transact bonds using the yuan than the euro and the U.S. dollar because the Chinese currency was stable. The yuan is the sixth currency to join the U.S. dollar, Swiss Franc, the euro, the Japanese yen and the British pound in the basket of currencies that make up the special drawing right. Caleb Fundanga, MEFMI Executive Director, said there was need for the region to put in place supportive measures to encourage use of the yuan amid growing global demand for the currency. "Greater usage of the currency in bilateral transactions will provide further impetus for trade and investments links between China and the region resulting in benefits for both sides," he said. Africa has been the leading aid recipient from China. HELSINKI, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Finnish Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Lenita Toivakka would not be a member of the new Cabinet, Helsingin Sanomat newspaper reported Tuesday. Toivakka exchanged views with head of her National Coalition Party, Petter Orpo, and they agreed that she would step down, said the paper. Toivakka got negative publicity in November when she was found on the board of her family business when it set up a holding company in Belgium. When the matter was discussed in Parliament, she used language "not compatible for parliamentary conduct," said the newspaper. Toivakka, who acknowledged in an interview with Helsingin Sanomat that she had become a burden of her party, will stay on as a backbench member of parliament. Photo taken on June 19, 2016 shows billboard welcoming Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit in Tashkent, capital city of Uzbekistan. Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to Uzbekistan and attend the 16th meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Tashkent. (Xinhua/Sadat) MOSCOW, June 21 (Xinhua) -- The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has been successful both regionally and globally in spite of a complex international environment, Russian experts have said. "The SCO has established itself as one of the most influential subjects of the modern system of international relations in conditions of geopolitical turbulence," Anatoly Smirnov, president of the National Institute for Research of Global Security, told Xinhua ahead of the upcoming SCO summit to be held in Uzbekistan's capital city of Tashkent. The SCO has set an example by adequately responding to, as well as settling crisis situations politically and diplomatically within the framework of international law, said the expert. Its success, Smirnov said, is largely determined by the "Shanghai Spirit," which "embodies mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, mutual consultations, as well as respect for cultural diversity and a desire for common development." Upholding regional security is one of the responsibilities that the SCO shoulders. Smirnov expected the forthcoming SCO summit in Tashkent will focus on the development and implementation of joint measures for fighting terrorism, separatism and extremism in all their manifestations. The struggle against illicit drug production and trafficking, transnational organized crime, crimes involving the use of modern information technologies, as well as illegal migration and human trafficking will also be among the most important issues to be discussed, Smirnov said. "The SCO has a fine-tuned mechanism to deal with these issues," he added. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the SCO's establishment. Founded in 2001, the SCO now has China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as its full members. The SCO has proved its efficiency and relevance in its 15 years of existence, helping each member to become stronger in all respects, Grigory Trofimchuk, chairman of the Advisory Board of the Workshop of Eurasian Ideas Research Support Foundation, told Xinhua. The broad integration between the SCO members is most clearly manifested in the cooperation between commercial companies, particularly small- and medium-sized businesses, said Trofimchuk. "The SCO has heralded a cooperative trend ... Now people are talking about the alignment of the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union and the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative," he said. However, Trofimchuk noted that a lack of coordination of national legislation has somewhat impeded the integration process, an area he said needs to be improved to further boost the exchange of goods and cargo, as well as the migration of labor resources. GAZA, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Gaza has been blockaded for decade and Gazans live in misery since Gaza military groups captured the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit from his tank in a cross-border raid southeast of the Gaza Strip in June 2006. According to the Gaza-based Health Ministry's figures, around 1,500 children were born in Gaza since 2006, a year which was significant and a turning point in the history of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. The parents of Saleh said since 2006, life in Gaza has been miserable. The boy Saleh and his family, who live just several hundred meters away from the borderline area, have undergone the worst-ever ten years in their life. They witnessed three large-scale wars Israel waged on the Gaza Strip in late 2008, 2012 and 2014 respectively. The smiling boy, who still suffers from nightmares and bedwetting due to the wars, said "They (Israel) destroyed my house and my bedroom. I need to get my toys back because I like playing." Although Shalit was released in a prisoner swap deal reached between Israel and Islamic Hamas movement in October 2010, the living conditions in Gaza have continued worsening due to a tight blockade Israel has imposed on the impoverished coastal enclave since 2006. Amjad al-Kheisi, the 48-year-old father of ten children, said his life began to get harder in 2003 when the Israeli security forces informed him that he wouldn't be allowed to work in Israel anymore for security reasons. "Before 2003, I worked in Israel in the sector of construction, and my life was good then," he said. "After I was prevented from working in Israel, I worked in Gaza in the field of construction until the kidnapping of Gilad Shalit, when the borders and the crossing points between Gaza and Israel were closed and construction raw materials were not allowed to be shipped into the enclave," the father said. Following the abduction of Shalit, Amjad and his younger brother who live together in the same building remained totally unemployed. In June 2007, when Hamas movement violently seized control of the Gaza Strip, Israel tightened its blockade, fully closing all border crossing points and considering the coastal enclave as a hostile entity. In December 2008, Israel launched a three-week massive air and ground attack on the Gaza Strip to rein in its militant groups, mainly Hamas movement, such as deterring them from firing rockets into Israel. More than 1,400 Palestinians were killed and 5,000 injured. In 2012, Israel waged an 8-day large-scale air strike on the enclave and killed Hamas military commander Ahmed al-Ja'bari. In 2014, Israel launched the largest-ever military operation on Gaza which lasted for 50 days, killing more than 2,200 Palestinians and wounded more than 11,000. "In each war, I used to escape from my house with my wife and children, staying at houses of our relatives and friends and then when the wars were over, we returned to our home. During each war, our house was badly damaged, but in the last war in 2014, our house was completely destroyed," said Amjad. The al-Kheisi family are not the only Gazans who have suffered worsening living conditions during the past decade. Official figures showed tens of thousands of the coastal enclave civilians have fallen prey to the wars. Adnan Abu Hasna, the Gaza media advisor of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), said since the abduction of Shalit and the Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip, the humanitarian situation there has spiralled downward. "Rate of unemployment due to the Israeli blockade has gradually went from 25 percent before 2006 up to 45 percent now and rate of poverty grew up to more than 50 percent," Abu Hasna told Xinhua. "After the Israeli war on Gaza in 2014, around 80 percent of Gaza populations began to receive humanitarian aid," he added. When asked about how to feed his wife and his ten children, Amjad said international aid organizations provide him 50 kg of flour every month to make bread and pay him 1,800 Israeli Shekels (about 370 U.S. dollars) every three months. "I don't want just food and money which are not a big deal for me. Our life has become so miserable during the past ten years," said Somaya al-Kheisi, the mother of the boy. "All what I'm dreaming about is to rebuild our destroyed house and be able to provide better living conditions to our children." Talal Oukal, a political analyst from Gaza, told Xinhua that life in the Gaza Strip was relatively good before 2006, "but after Shalit was kidnapped, it seems that this young man has a curse because since he was kidnapped and after he was freed, Gaza has never seen one good day in the past 10 years." GARISSA, Kenya, June 21 (Xinhua) -- A government vehicle hit an improvised explosive device planted along the road in the northeastern Kenyan county of Garissa on Monday evening, leaving one person dead and three others wounded. The ambulance was en route to pick up a patient when the explosion took place at Owane, said Northeastern Regional Coordinator, Mohamud Saleh, on Tuesday. Saleh said the driver of the ambulance died on the spot while the other passengers -- his co-driver, a community health nutritionist and a student at a local school -- suffered injuries and are being treated in hospital. "Unlike before when they normally bury the IEDs in the middle of the road, this time round they placed the object on the tree and the vehicle torched it leading to its explosion. The shrapnel that come from the IED is what caused the death and injuries of the victims," said Saleh. Security officers have been deployed to the area to pursue the assailants, believed to be Somalia's Al-Shabaab militants. On Monday morning, suspected Al-Shabaab militants ambushed a police vehicle escorting a commuter bus in neighbouring Mandera country, killing five police officers. "We cannot completely rule out a connection between the two incidences. We understand that these militiamen have been assembling themselves along the border since the beginning of Ramadhan," Saleh said, referring to Al-Shabaab militants. Kenyan police had warned that Al-Shabaab militants were planning to stage attacks in Kenya during the month of Ramadhan. The Islamist group Al-Shabaab, which controls some areas in southern Somalia, has carried out several bloody attacks in Kenya in recent years. WARSAW, June 20, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) holds talks with Polish President Andrzej Duda in Warsaw, Poland, June 20, 2016. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang) by Xinhua writers Wang Fengfeng, Meng Na WARSAW, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday concluded his state visit to Poland, the second leg of his three-nation Eurasia tour. During his stay in Poland, which started on Sunday, Xi reached agreements with his Polish counterpart, Andrzej Duda, on promoting economic ties within China's Belt and Road and Poland's Amber Road frameworks, as the two countries seek new markets and frontiers for their development strategies. MODERN TRAINS ON ANCIENT TRADE ROUTES The most visually impressive moment of the visit came on Monday afternoon, when an express freight train, with whistles blowing, slowly pulled into a cargo terminal in Warsaw. All the containers on board were painted with the uniform logo of CHINA RAILWAY Express. Xi and Duda witnessed the moment on site, which marked the arrival of the first such trains from China along tracks that go as far as 10,000 kilometers to the coast of the west Pacific. The new family brand consolidated the sometimes confusing China-Europe freights' brands, which ply the route of the ancient Silk Road. China-Europe freight rail transport has become the poster boy of China-Poland economic cooperation. Nearly all such trans-continental trains from China go through Poland, which sits in the very center of Europe. Such geological advantage has put Poland on a unique position in the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, which comprises the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road and aims at building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa. The freight trains got not only a photo opportunity in the visit. Xi, Duda and Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo all talked about the rail service on multiple occasions. With regular service, the trains will become a facilitator in two-way trade between China and Europe. Krzysztof Janeczko, a project manager in Hatrans Logistics company in the railway hub of Lodz, said they oversaw two freight trains from China each week, and more and more European companies are contacting them to transport goods to China via trains. At an economic forum on Monday attended by Xi, Szydlo noted that China is the starting point of the Silk Road, while Poland is the starting point of Amber Road, which links the Baltic and the Black Sea regions. He added that during Xi's visit, the two countries have inked cooperation agreements that could effectively link the two trading routes, bringing China closer to the doorsteps of Europe. ECONOMY, ECONOMY! During Xi's visit, leaders of the two countries talked about synergizing development strategies, while the Polish business community is more concerned about what China means for the nation's economy. Wojciech Mazurkiewicz, a portfolio manager at TFI PZU SA, an investment company, said that his company is looking to invest in corporate bonds in China, and actively seeking business opportunities to facilitate the Chinese investment in the Central and Eastern European (CEE) region. "China is becoming richer and richer. It is also exporting its capital," said Mazurkiewicz. "Apart from being a transportation hub, Poland can be one of the financial hubs in this region for Chinese capital." Besides finance, an area Xi and Duda vowed to explore, they also agreed that the two countries should expand cooperation in agriculture, telecommunications, environmental protection, advanced technology, aviation and new energy. Poland has been one of the most robust economies in Europe. With bilateral trade with China reaching 17.1 billion U.S. dollars in 2015, it has become China's largest trading partner in the CEE region, and China Poland's largest in Asia. Expanding economic interaction with the global economic powerhouse of China can be a boon to Poland. For China, Poland means more than just one country, as experts thought that Xi's trip to the CEE countries should be seen as a whole. He Maochun, an economic expert at Tsinghua University, said that the CEE countries such as Serbia and Poland are vital junction points along the Silk Road. As China and the CEE countries are at similar economic development stages and have a long history of cooperation, their development needs are strongly complementary, noted the economist. With a clear outlook and a smooth cooperation mechanism that has already been in place, the CEE nations can serve as China's bridges towards western Europe, he added. In his talks with Xi, Duda said that Poland stands ready to become a portal to Europe for the world's second largest economy. Addressing Monday's trade forum, Xi said China is capable of maintaining a healthy growth rate for its economy, and welcomes other countries to hitch a hike on the Chinese express train of development. Poland is also one of the first countries to recognize the People's Republic of China and establish diplomatic ties with it. Under such a backdrop, Xi called on the two countries to build their partnership into a paradigm of cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. The two sides, during Xi's stay, lifted their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership. Xi has already visited Serbia, and from Poland, he will travel to Uzbekistan, which sits on the ancient Silk Road and is an important country along the Silk Road Economic Belt, for a state visit. He will also attend a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent. KUNDUZ, Afghanistan, June 21 (Xinhua) -- A Taliban key commander Mullah Gul Khan alias Khanjar (sword) along with four of his bodyguards were killed as an unmanned plane struck their hideout in Imam Sahib district of the northern Kunduz province on Tuesday, provincial police chief Mohammad Qasim Jangalbagh said. "Acting upon intelligence report, the government forces conducted drone attack in Imam Sahib district at around noon and killed Mullah Gul Khan alias Khanjar (sword) along with four of his armed bodyguards," Jangalbagh told Xinhua. Khanjar was involved in a series of terrorist activities including organizing roadside bombings and attacking security personnel in Kunduz province, the official said, asserting his killing could be a major blow to the Taliban militants in Kunduz and the neighboring Baghlan and Takhar provinces. In a similar blow to the Taliban, the government forces captured Qari Zahir the Taliban spy chief and military operational commander in Baghlan province on Sunday. LHASA, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Kelsang, 62, is delighted to see more tourists visiting his hometown. For the past 20 years, he has made a living by providing horses to Buddhists and tourists wanting to make the mountainous journey to Yumbulagang, Tibet's first temple, in Shannan Prefecture. He makes more than 300 yuan (45.6 U.S dollars) a day during peak season. "Much better than toiling in the fields," he said. Kelsang said his income increased after the Qinghai-Tibet railway opened 10 years ago, and more tourists could access the plateau area in southwest China. Since July 1, 2006, the 1,956 kilometer railway, which at its highest point is 5,072 meters above sea level, has linked Xining, capital of Qinghai Province, to Lhasa, capital of Tibet. It is the world's highest and longest plateau railroad and the first to connect Tibet Autonomous Region with the rest of China. In 2015, 20.2 million tourists visited Tibet, 11 times more than before the railway opened. Moreover, tourism revenue last year exceeded 28 billion yuan, 15 times more than a decade ago. Liu Wengang, a train operator, said train tickets sold very quickly. Often, during the peak season from April to September, they sell out a month in advance. To meet demand, six passenger trains run every day. The number of cargo trains has also doubled to 10 trains daily. "The Qinghai-Tibet Railway has activated the potential of Tibet, which was untapped for years, and attracted investment," said Liao Yidong, vice chairman with Tibet Federation of Industry and Commerce. Chinese dairy giant Mengniu announced earlier this month it would invest 200 million yuan in to a dairy farm and processing project in Lhasa. Yang Haijiang, a planner with Qinghai-Tibet Railway Co., said the line now has 18 loading stations, including industrial zones and coal bases, with trains transporting industrial salt, fertilizers, alkali, coal, aluminum, and iron ore out of the plateau from these stations. According to Yang, more railway lines are also planned on the plateau, such as one connecting Nyingchi, Tibet, with Ya'an, Sichuan Province. "With these lines forming a network, 'the roof of the world' will become more accessible," said Yang. According to Tibetan government statistics, GDP surged from 25 billion yuan in 2005 to 102.6 billion yuan in 2015, with an annual growth rate of over 10 percent. The figures in Qinghai also rose, from 64 billion yuan in 2005 to 241.7 billion yuan in 2015. BEIJING, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Experts from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan have jointly compiled a modern history book of China, the first since 1949. The work, which covers the period from 1912 to 1949, has been published by the Social Sciences Academic Press, according to the Institute of Modern History under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, which organized the project. Since October 2010, 57 historians, including 34 from the mainland, 21 from Taiwan and two from Hong Kong, have worked on the project. The 1,268-page work elaborates on a series of major issues concerning politics, the military, foreign affairs, ideology and culture. The work was composed of two books, one on the general history of that period and the other on various special subjects. It is the first work on Chinese modern history to be jointly compiled by experts from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan since the Communist Party of China (CPC) established the People's Republic of China in 1949 after defeating the Kuomintang, which retreated to Taiwan. During the 1912-1949 period, the CPC and Kuomintang came together twice to defeat the warlord government and the Japanese invasion, but went on to fight each other. The work respects the different readings of history, and while there are some areas where both sides agree, the publication contains different readings of the same issues, according to Wang Jianlang, head of the Institute of Modern History under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Wang is one of the chief compilers of the book, another is Huang Ko-wu, a research fellow with the Institute of Modern History under Taipei-based Academia Sinica. Another work of Chinese modern history about the late Qing Dynasty (1840-1911) will also be compiled by historians from both sides of the Taiwan Strait. by Denis Elamu JUBA, June 21 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan still suffers pockets of insecurity posed by armed groups on the periphery fueled by being left out on the peace deal signed last August between former warring factions, experts have said. Despite President Salva Kiir and former rebel leader and now First Vice President Riek Machar having ended hostilities by forming a transitional government of national unity in April, militia groups that neither honor peace agreements nor directives from the two leaders still pose a major security threat. These militia groups are in existence despite the government and the former rebel force, Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in opposition (SPLM-IO) forces having reached settlement on the hitherto disputed cantonment areas of greater Bhar El Ghazal and Equatoria regions. The unity government is facing a difficulty dealing with attacks on government installations by these militia groups operating in Western Bhar El Ghazal and other areas like Equatoria region's Kajo Keji area where violent clashes erupted in June between SPLA-IO forces and the South Sudan army (SPLA). Attacks by an unknown militia group on military installations on Wednesday in Raja town in newly created Lol State forced the governor and hundreds of people to flee for safety. The attacks targeted the local military installations, national security services and Governor Zachariah Rizik's offices, prompting the government troops to engage the attackers, who allegedly also looted Raja town. Analysts say such violence by nascent armed groups operating on the periphery could unravel the nascent security gains and worsen the already fragile economy especially if oil-producing regions are targeted like in the past. Army spokesman Brigadier Lul Ruai Koang told Xinhua on Monday that the security situation in Raja was back to normal following the attacks by what he described as criminals. "There is nothing new our security situation has regained normalcy and our intelligence reports have established that criminal groups with different intentions of spoiling the peace agreement were behind the attacks," he said. He added that the army had learnt lessons and beefed up its security operations in the area. Meanwhile, SPLM-IO spokesman in the capital Juba, William Ezekiel, denied any involvement of their group in the devastating Raja attacks although he alluded to the presence of their troops outside Raja town. "We are not part and parcel of what happened in Raja. Our forces remain in their cantonment areas and we are not controlling Raja where the attacks took place," Ezekiel told Xinhua. He added the SPLM-IO also has presence in Kajo Keji town near the Ugandan border of Moyo town where sporadic clashes occurred this month between their troops and SPLA. Abraham Awolich, a security and political analyst at the Juba-based Sudd Institute, said such attacks posed a threat to the nascent peace agreement and could cause a security breakdown leading to a return to conflict. "We know that there were people who took advantage of the security relapse due to the civil conflict knowing they were not part and parcel of the signed peace agreement. These groups are possibly involved in local fights among communities," Awolich said. He revealed that some militia groups fighting in oil-rich Upper Nile and Unity state broke away from the SPLM-IO. "They know that if they intensify attacks against the government they may be considered through negotiations after they have been identified. But if their attacks and grievances persist it could unravel the signed peace deal dragging the country back to war," he said. In addition, the government is facing an economic crunch amid industrial action from a majority of civil servants following strikes by medical workers, university lecturers and teachers over delayed salaries and allowances. And currently, judicial staff including judges are on strike. Alic Garang, an analyst with South Sudan's think tank Ebony Center for Strategic Studies, said crime rate in the country was on the rise due to high living costs caused by more than two years of civil conflict and global drop in the price of oil exports, which is the country's almost only source of revenue. "Some of these petty crimes include phone theft, burglary, and stealing anything. Authorities in the Ministry of Interior and elsewhere have already confirmed that crime rates are on the rise," he said. He added the industrial action by civil servants will disrupt the unity government. "If teachers refuse to teach, judges refuse to go to courtrooms and civil servants choose to stay at home, then this development creates a situation of anarchy and criminals may exploit the situation for selfish ends," he said. JERUSALEM, June 21 (Xinhua) -- A Palestinian teen was killed "by accident" by Israeli soldiers after rocks and firebombs were thrown on a major highway in Israel early Tuesday, the Israeli army said. Overnight between Monday and Tuesday, rocks and firebombs were hurled at cars traveling on the 443 highway, connecting Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and the West Bank, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson said Tuesday. As a result, an Israeli and two tourists were lightly injured. Israeli soldiers at the scene shot a group of Palestinians, which they said were responsible for the attack, killing a 15-year-old boy and injuring three others, according to Palestinian media outlets. However, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) retracted its earlier statement, and said on Tuesday afternoon that it appears the Palestinian teen was a "bystander" and was not involved in throwing rocks or firebombs at Israeli cars. The retraction was made after an initial investigation of the incident by the Israeli military. Now, a spokesperson for the IDF told Xinhua, it is believed that the people shot by the Israeli soldiers were not involved in the incident. The Palestinian Ma'an news agency said three other Palestinians are hospitalized in serious condition at a Ramallah hospital. Palestinian media identified the 15-year-old Palestinian who was killed as Mahmoud Badran from the West Bank village of Kafr Qadum. According to a report by the Ha'aretz daily newspaper, Israeli soldiers ran to look for the attackers and erroneously shot at a Palestinian car, where Badran was in, traveling with his family. The IDF spokesperson said the investigation will continue at a regional military battalion near Ramallah. An ongoing wave of violence between Israelis and Palestinians have been underway since October, claiming the lives of 32 Israelis, who died in car-ramming, stabbing and shooting attacks, and 205 Palestinians. Some of the Palestinians died after clashes ensued with Israeli security forces during protests. Others were gunned down after allegedly committing, or trying to commit, an attack against Israelis. Israeli human rights groups, the Palestinians and some members of the international community have accused Israeli forces of using unnecessary force against Palestinian attackers or alleged attackers, even when they do not pose an imminent danger. BERLIN, June 21 (Xinhua) -- German investors remained confident about German economic prospect despite risks that Britain might choose to leave the European Union in a referendum this week, a survey found on Tuesday. Mannheim-based ZEW institute said its monthly economic sentiment index for Germany improved by 12.8 points and reached 19.2 points in June, showing that investors and market analysts were more confident than in the previous month about German economic outlook in six months ahead. "The improvement of economic sentiment indicates that the financial market experts have confidence in the resilience of the German economy," said ZEW President Achim Wambach in a statement. "However, general economic conditions remain challenging," he added, "Apart from the weak global economic dynamics, it is mainly the EU referendum in Britain which causes uncertainty." German economists and business groups have warned that a Brexit would hurt both British and European economies. In a separate survey on Tuesday, ZEW found that most investors and market analysts expected Britain to remain in the European Single Market even if the country votes to leave on Thursday. However, uncertainty about the country's relations with the EU would remain in place. "The UK would face years of fundamental uncertainty regarding its future in Europe if the referendum result is for leave," said Friedrich Heinemann, head of the ZEW "Public Finance" Research Department. According to the survey, investors and analysts expect that in case of a Brexit, the probability of a recession in Britain in the coming 12 months would increase by 44.9 percentage points, while the danger of a recession in Germany and the euro zone would only grow marginally. BUKHARA, Uzbekistan, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in the ancient city of Bukhara in central-southern Uzbekistan on Tuesday, starting his state visit to this Central Asian country. Bukhara is a city-museum with a history of more than 2,500 years. Located along the route of the ancient Silk Road, the city has long served as a center of trade, scholarship, culture and religion. UNESCO listed the Historic Center of Bukhara, which boasts numerous mosques, as a World Heritage Site in 1993. Xi will later travel to the Uzbek capital of Tashkent, where he will hold talks with his Uzbek counterpart, Islam Karimov, on promoting bilateral relations and jointly building the China-proposed Silk Road Economic Belt, as well as on major international and regional issues. In Tashkent, Xi will also attend the 16th meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Heads of State on June 23 and 24. Uzbekistan is the third and final stop of Xi's ongoing three-nation tour, which has taken him to Serbia and Poland. BEIJING, June 21 (Xinhua) -- The 3rd Forum on China-Africa media cooperation began in Beijing on Tuesday, with a joint declaration on exchange of personnel. The two-day event has drawn 320 media representatives and government officials from China and 44 African countries, according to the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, which is co-hosting the event with the African Union of Broadcasting. According to the declaration, Chinese and African media will encourage more personnel and information exchanges to contribute to the China-Africa comprehensive strategic partnership. BUKHARA, Uzbekistan, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in the ancient city of Bukhara in central-southern Uzbekistan Tuesday, starting his state visit to this Central Asian country. Bukhara is a city-museum with a history of more than 2,500 years. Located along the route of the ancient the Silk Road, the city has long served as a center of trade, scholarship, culture, and religion. UNESCO listed the Historic Center of Bukhara, which boasts numerous mosques, as a World Heritage Site in 1993. Xi will later travel to the Uzbek capital Tashkent, where he will hold talks with his Uzbek counterpart, Islam Karimov, on promoting bilateral relations and jointly building the China-proposed Silk Road Economic Belt, as well as on major international and regional issues. China and Uzbekistan established a strategic partnership in 2012, and leaders of the two countries have met on multiple occasions over recent years. In September 2013, Xi paid a state visit to Uzbekistan. China has been Uzbekistan's second largest trading partner and biggest source of investment for three years in a row. In cultural cooperation, Uzbekistan opened the first Confucius Institute in Central Asia in Tashkent in 2005, and a second such institute was established in 2014 in Samarkand, a historic city in southeastern Uzbekistan. "Uzbekistan is a strategic partner of China and also an important cooperative partner in combating the 'three evil forces' (of terrorism, separatism and extremism) and jointly building the Silk Road Economic Belt," Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Li Huilai told reporters ahead of Xi's visit. "The China-Uzbekistan relations are at their best in history." In Tashkent, Xi will also attend the 16th meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Heads of State on June 23 and 24, to exchange views with other leaders on all-ranging cooperation within the organization and on major international and regional issues. Xi will chair a trilateral meeting of leaders of China, Russia and Mongolia on the sidelines of the summit, the third of its kind. He will also hold bilateral meetings with leaders of other countries. Uzbekistan is the third and final stop of Xi's three-nation tour, which has taken him to Serbia and Poland. BEIJING, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday concluded state visits to Serbia and Poland, two of China's old friends in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and important links in China's Belt and Road Initiative. The CEE trip yielded positive outcomes, including the upgrading of China-Serbia and China-Poland relations to comprehensive strategic partnerships, and commitments to advancing cooperation in Belt and Road projects. Xi's visits to the two countries, both of which are strategically located, are aimed at further cementing ties with the two countries, and improving the alignment of the two's respective development strategies with those of China. Growth in bilateral cooperation will result in enhanced connectivity, greater investment and other practical benefits for CEE and Europe as a whole, experts observed. China-CEE cooperation, also known as the 16+1 mechanism, and China-Europe cooperation, "could serve as a driving force and a model for the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative," said Cui Hongjian, a China-Europe relations specialist with the China Institute of International Studies. BOOMING 16+1 COOPERATION Over the past four years, guided by the spirit of mutual respect, mutual benefit, openness and inclusiveness, the 16+1 cooperation has maintained strong momentum, expanded and deepened, and has become more mature and ready for harvest, the Chinese president said in a signed article published on a leading Polish newspaper last Friday. CEE, home to many emerging economies, makes up nearly one fourth of all countries along the Belt and Road. These countries' cooperation with China, the world's largest developing country, has been burgeoning, covering a wide range of fields such as trade, investment, infrastructure, finance, tourism and education. Trade volume between China and CEE countries reached 56.2 billion U.S. dollars in 2015, a 28-percent increase from 2010. Chinese investment in the 16 CEE countries exceeded 5 billion dollars, while CEE has invested more than 1.2 billion dollars in China. Connectivity has also improved. Recent years have seen a number of Chinese cities launch freight train services to Europe, including two lines linking China's Chengdu and Suzhou with Poland's Lodz and Warsaw. The trains, which transport goods faster than by sea and more cheaply than by air, could help build destination cities into regional logistics hubs and propel their economic growth. "China-Europe freight trains have played a significant role in boosting infrastructure connectivity among the Belt and Road countries, and meeting transportation needs in international trade," said Zhu Shuai, researcher with the China Center for Information Industry Development under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. At the bilateral level, China has signed cooperation documents with seven CEE countries, including Serbia and Poland, to promote the Belt and Road Initiative. Transport and energy infrastructure cooperation serve as a highlight of China's relations with CEE countries. Serbia, for example, has cooperated with China on a number of infrastructure projects, including the Mihajlo Pupin Bridge, the expansion and upgrading of Kostolac Power Plant, and the Belgrade-Budapest railway. Cooperation projects carried out under the 16+1 mechanism will "not only help accelerate CEE growth, but also balance development in different European regions and greatly promote Europe's integration process," Zhu commented. STRENGTHENED CHINA-EUROPE TIES With CEE serving as an important gateway to Europe, the 16+1 mechanism is important to China-Europe cooperation. Headway made in China-CEE cooperation supplements and promotes China-Europe ties. Leaders of European countries and China have on various occasions vowed to push for the integration of their development strategies, which place special emphasis on infrastructure development and industrial capacity cooperation. During German Chancellor Angela Merkel's visit to China earlier this month, the two sides agreed to boost cooperation on conjoining China's "Made in China 2025" blueprint and Germany's "Industrial 4.0" strategy. China and Europe are also seeking cooperation in projects like the Trans-European Transport Networks, China-Europe Land-Sea Express Line and New Eurasian Continental Bridge. High-level visits have helped bolster the cooperation. In recent years, President Xi has made several visits to European countries, including the Netherlands, France, Germany and Belgium in 2014; Britain in 2015; and the Czech Republic in March this year. Such visits could lead to better understanding and alignment of each other's strategies, new cooperation projects and more effective implementation of existing ones, Cui Hongjian with the China Institute of International Studies said. "After all, it is bilateral cooperation in concrete projects that shores up 16+1 cooperation, and the integration of China's and Europe's development strategies," Cui said. Photo taken on April 5, 2016 shows the lighthouse on Zhubi Reef of Nansha Islands in the South China Sea, south China. (Xinhua file photo) BEIJING, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Dozens of countries have expressed support for China's stance on the South China Sea dispute, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Tuesday. Hua at a regular news briefing rejected reports that only eight countries back China on the issue, saying, "I knew some Western media sometimes call black white but I didn't expect they would have problems with numbers." More and more countries are showing China their support after they have a better understanding of the issue and the nature of the arbitration, Hua said, noting Zambia, Cameroon, Ethiopia and Malawi have recently joined the list. China and Serbia stressed in a joint statement Saturday that the South China Sea dispute should be settled by parties directly concerned through friendly consultations and negotiations, Hua said. Those directly involved should abide by bilateral agreements and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) while seeking a peaceful solution, she said. Hua also voiced appreciation and gratitude for Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's remarks on the issue. Speaking at a graduation ceremony, the prime minister said that the tribunal's upcoming decision is "politically motivated" and Cambodia will not support the decision. Hua reiterated that China will not accept nor participate in the arbitration unilaterally launched by the Philippines. No one should demand China accept any result from an illegal and unfair arbitration. China's stance helps safeguard the dignity and authority of international law, Hua noted. She said China, with regard to territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, will not accept any plan imposed on it. China will continue to solve disputes with countries directly involved on the basis of respecting historical facts and in accordance with international law, Hua said. Related: Spotlight: Cambodian PM says not to back arbitral tribunal's upcoming decision over South China Sea PHNOM PENH, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said on Monday that the country will not support an arbitral tribunal's upcoming decision over the South China Sea issue and called on all parties concerned in the disputes to resolve their differences through bilateral negotiations. DAMASCUS, June 21 (Xinhua) -- When the Islamic State (IS) stormed al-Raqqa province in northern Syria and declared it as a de facto capital in 2014, many people fled and sought refuge in other Syrian cities with hope to return to their homes. Now, as the Syrian army has unleashed a wide-scale offensive against al-Raqqa, hopes have gone high among those who have been displaced for too long that returning home is no longer a far-fetched dream. Salah has fled al-Raqqa five years ago, and he had almost lost all hopes of returning before hearing the news a couple of weeks ago about a wide-scale offensive the Syrian army unleashed on al-Raqqa. "I have fled my home in al-Raqqa to Adra al-Omaliyeh near Damascus, from which I also fled till I reached here in Damascus' town of Hirjalleh. I have left my home because of fear of violence," he said. The 60-year-old man added he heard on news that the army is advancing into al-Raqqa, describing the news as "the best I have heard in years." "I think that is a very good move. I have been displaced from one place to another for five years, and I am telling you it's not easy at all." Salah now lives with his family in a room at a displacement center in Hirjalleh town near the capital Damascus, and sells cigarettes and biscuits to his fellow displaced people at the refugee center to make a living. Next to him was Sami, a 15-year-old boy, who managed to flee al-Raqqa a couple of months ago with the help of smugglers, who got him out of the city, into the desert all the way to the southern province of Swaida till he was finally transported to Hirjalleh by the authorities. Sami said his family couldn't run away with him because they didn't have the money to pay the smuggler, so they decided to let him go and save him the threat of IS and their obligatory military service. His family also decided to let him leave, after the IS militants imprisoned him for five days for showing up late to the prayers. "When I heard the army and the Kurdish-led fighters were closing in on al-Raqqa, hope was rekindled in my heart that this city would one day be free of the terrorists so that I could return home. All of us need to return home, to return to our jobs and our lives free from the IS terrorists," he said. Officials tasked with observing the flow of internally displaced people in Syria told Xinhua on condition of anonymity that the displacement from al-Raqqa has spiked over the past few months, in what appeared to be people's anticipation of a wide-scale move against the terror group's stronghold. However, people who have fled speak that they couldn't take it anymore under the rule of IS. Bassem, a 25-year-old man, told Xinhua he has seen things in al-Raqqa that make the man's hair go white, from the horrible scenes he witnesses. "I was arrested because they spotted a cigarette in my hand. People don't dare to smoke in public and those who are caught smoking will be subject to a brutal punishment." Bassem recounted that the IS police, called Husbah, caught a woman on street on charges of showing part of her foot. "They put her in a cage in a cemetery and left her screaming all night long, until the woman went crazy," he recalled. All of the horrible practices and the ramped up military offensives against the IS strongholds pushed those people to flee. Bassem was also smuggled out of al-Raqqa by traffickers who take a considerable amount of money to smuggle people out of the IS strongholds through the deserts. The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces have been advancing against the IS stronghold of Manbej in northern Syria, and parts of the northern countryside of al-Raqqa. The Syrian army has unleashed a wide-scale offensive earlier this month against al-Raqqa, before the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the IS militants managed to reverse the progress of the army in al-Raqqa on Monday. On June 4, the Syrian army entered Al-Raqqa's administrative borders, days after unleashing a wide-scale offensive against the route between the town of Athriya in the central province of Hama, and the Al-Tabaqa town in Al-Raqqa countryside. Pan-Arab Al-Mayadeen TV said the aim of attacking Al-Raqqa is to recapture the town of Al-Tabqa due to its strategic importance. The route would enable the Syrian army to sever key routes linking Al-Raqqa with the northern province of Aleppo, where IS control some of the border towns near Turkey and from where it smuggles fighters and weapons. However, the Observatory, a UK-based group, said the IS unleashed a wide-scale counter-offensive, succeeding to push back the army. Still, military sources stressed that the military campaign against al-Raqqa will continue, despite the setbacks. Displaced people from the minority Yazidi sect, fleeing violence from forces loyal to the Islamic State in Sinjar town, walk towards the Syrianborder on the outskirts of Sinjar mountain near theSyrian border town of Elierbeh of Al-Hasakah Governorate. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) DAMASCUS, June 21 (Xinhua) -- When the Islamic State (IS) stormed al-Raqqa province in northern Syria and declared it as a de facto capital in 2014, many people fled and sought refuge in other Syrian cities with hope to return to their homes. Now, as the Syrian army has unleashed a wide-scale offensive against al-Raqqa, hopes have gone high among those who have been displaced for too long that returning home is no longer a far-fetched dream. Salah has fled al-Raqqa five years ago, and he had almost lost all hopes of returning before hearing the news a couple of weeks ago about a wide-scale offensive the Syrian army unleashed on al-Raqqa. "I have fled my home in al-Raqqa to Adra al-Omaliyeh near Damascus, from which I also fled till I reached here in Damascus' town of Hirjalleh. I have left my home because of fear of violence," he said. The 60-year-old man added he heard on news that the army is advancing into al-Raqqa, describing the news as "the best I have heard in years." "I think that is a very good move. I have been displaced from one place to another for five years, and I am telling you it's not easy at all." Salah now lives with his family in a room at a displacement center in Hirjalleh town near the capital Damascus, and sells cigarettes and biscuits to his fellow displaced people at the refugee center to make a living. Next to him was Sami, a 15-year-old boy, who managed to flee al-Raqqa a couple of months ago with the help of smugglers, who got him out of the city, into the desert all the way to the southern province of Swaida till he was finally transported to Hirjalleh by the authorities. A woman receives food given out as Iftar meals by a member of Saaed group for the poor and internally displaced Syrians during the month of Ramadan in Damascus, Syria June 18, 2016. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Sami said his family couldn't run away with him because they didn't have the money to pay the smuggler, so they decided to let him go and save him the threat of IS and their obligatory military service. His family also decided to let him leave, after the IS militants imprisoned him for five days for showing up late to the prayers. "When I heard the army and the Kurdish-led fighters were closing in on al-Raqqa, hope was rekindled in my heart that this city would one day be free of the terrorists so that I could return home. All of us need to return home, to return to our jobs and our lives free from the IS terrorists," he said. Officials tasked with observing the flow of internally displaced people in Syria told Xinhua on condition of anonymity that the displacement from al-Raqqa has spiked over the past few months, in what appeared to be people's anticipation of a wide-scale move against the terror group's stronghold. However, people who have fled speak that they couldn't take it anymore under the rule of IS. Bassem, a 25-year-old man, told Xinhua he has seen things in al-Raqqa that make the man's hair go white, from the horrible scenes he witnesses. "I was arrested because they spotted a cigarette in my hand. People don't dare to smoke in public and those who are caught smoking will be subject to a brutal punishment." Bassem recounted that the IS police, called Husbah, caught a woman on street on charges of showing part of her foot. "They put her in a cage in a cemetery and left her screaming all night long, until the woman went crazy," he recalled. All of the horrible practices and the ramped up military offensives against the IS strongholds pushed those people to flee. Bassem was also smuggled out of al-Raqqa by traffickers who take a considerable amount of money to smuggle people out of the IS strongholds through the deserts. The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces have been advancing against the IS stronghold of Manbej in northern Syria, and parts of the northern countryside of al-Raqqa. The Syrian army has unleashed a wide-scale offensive earlier this month against al-Raqqa, before the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the IS militants managed to reverse the progress of the army in al-Raqqa on Monday. On June 4, the Syrian army entered Al-Raqqa's administrative borders, days after unleashing a wide-scale offensive against the route between the town of Athriya in the central province of Hama, and the Al-Tabaqa town in Al-Raqqa countryside. Pan-Arab Al-Mayadeen TV said the aim of attacking Al-Raqqa is to recapture the town of Al-Tabqa due to its strategic importance. The route would enable the Syrian army to sever key routes linking Al-Raqqa with the northern province of Aleppo, where IS control some of the border towns near Turkey and from where it smuggles fighters and weapons. However, the Observatory, a UK-based group, said the IS unleashed a wide-scale counter-offensive, succeeding to push back the army. Still, military sources stressed that the military campaign against al-Raqqa will continue, despite the setbacks. THE HAGUE, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Former DR Congolese vice president Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo was convicted to a sentence of 18 years imprisonment by the trial chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Tuesday. On March 21, the trial chamber had already declared Bemba allegedly guilty of two counts of crimes against humanity (murder and rape) and three counts of war crimes (murder, rape and pillaging). In the courtroom in The Hague, presiding judge Sylvia Steiner on Tuesday said that the alleged murder crimes and the pillaging justified 16 years in jail and that alleged rape as war crime and rape as crime against humanity justified an 18-year punishment. The time of detention, around eight years, will be deducted from his sentence. The alleged crimes were committed in Congo's neighboring country, the Central African Republic, between October 26, 2002 to March 15, 2003 by a contingent of the Mouvement de Liberation du Congo (the Movement for the Liberation of Congo) troops. According to the chamber, Bemba was a military commander with effective authority and control over the forces that allegedly committed the crimes. The parties, prosecution and defense, may appeal the decision. Bemba was arrested by the Belgian authorities on May 24, 2008, pursuant to an ICC arrest warrant, and surrendered to the ICC on June 3, 2008. His trial started in November, 2010 and the closing statements were delivered in November, 2014. BEIJING, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Senior Communist Party of China (CPC) official Sun Chunlan on Tuesday called on non-communist parties to help the CPC and the government win the war against poverty. Sun, head of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks at a meeting on supervision of non-communist parties' central committees in poverty alleviation work. "The process of supervision should be turned into a process of jointly detecting, studying and solving problems, as well as pushing for policy execution," Sun said. It is of great significance for non-communist parties' central committees to supervise poverty relief, as this shows the importance that the CPC Central Committee attaches to multi-party cooperation and is also a useful attempt to give better play to non-communist parties' supervisory roles, according to Sun. China has eight non-communist political parties that participate in state affairs under the leadership of the CPC. Under the multi-party cooperation system, the CPC and non-communist parties work together and supervise each other. Each of the eight parties has been tasked with supervising poverty relief work in a provincial-level region in central and western China. MOSCOW, June 21 (Xinhua) -- The 15-year-old Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has become a model for regional and international cooperation, Chinese Ambassador to Russia Li Hui has said. "The SCO has been able to find a successful organizational model for new-type regional cooperation, in which the desire for security is implemented through mutual trust and mutually beneficial cooperation," Li said in a joint interview with Russian and Chinese media on Monday. The Treaty on Long-Term Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation signed by the SCO member states implemented in legal form the concept of friendly ties, one that can pass from generation to generation, the diplomat said. Li said that the trust of the SCO members in each other's policies and interaction on the international stage has already reached a high level. The SCO has established in the last 15 years an operation model based on security and economic cooperation, Li said. The regional alliance has responded effectively to the challenges of security, peace and stability in the region, and actively promotes cooperation between member states in trade, transport and communications, agriculture and finance, thus allowing for broader prospects of development, he said. The SCO "circle of friends" is constantly expanding, and the SCO family now includes six member countries, six observer countries and six dialogue partners, Li said. The SCO also supports cooperation with the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), as well as other international or regional organizations. Li noted that the SCO acts as a positive force to ensure security, stability and sustainable development worldwide. China and Russia, both as important member states of the organization, continuously strengthen good neighborly ties and political trust with the other participants. Beijing and Moscow play a constructive role in the development of the SCO to enhance its international position and influence, Li said. Currently, the group's primary task is the pairing of China's Belt and Road initiative with the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union. Li says the idea has been agreed upon by Chinese and Russian leaders in order to promote the economic development of the SCO states and guarantee the future prosperity of their peoples. BAMAKO, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Mali President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita on Monday said implementation of the Mali Peace and Reconciliation Agreement should be accelerated due to the worsening security situation. The agreement was signed on May 15, 2015 between the Mali government and armed groups of the North. In a speech to the nation, Keita said he had decided to "make the implementation of the agreement an absolute priority." "One year since the signing of the agreement, delays in implementation of the agreement and extension of terrorist threats across the entire country demonstrates that the path to peace is still full of pitfalls." However, he said, "there has been some progress in implementing the agreement despite the delays." At the same time, the president appointed Mahamadou Diagouraga as his representative in the committee charged with implementing the peace and reconciliation agreement. The Malian president equally called for "better coordination between international partners, the French Barkhane forces, the UN peacekeeping mission (MINUSMA) and the Malian authorities." "We need to work together to defeat the enemies of peace who are essentially the terrorists and drug traffickers in the North," Keita said. He said it was important "that the next mandate of MINUSMA which will be examined in June by the UN Security Council, will give the mission all necessary powers so that the zones where it is deployed do not serve as operation ground for forces hostile to peace." PARIS, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Aircraft manufacturer giant Airbus announced Tuesday the world's newest airliner, the Airbus A350XWB, would make its first demonstration tour of China between June 25 and July 2. During the trip, a test aircraft is to fly to the Chinese cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Haikou and Chengdu. According to Airbus, the tour follows the A350's endorsement by China Eastern Airlines who ordered 20 A350-900 aircraft in April 2016. Air China also ordered 10 A350-900. China is one of the fastest growing markets for air transport, the Airbus said. The Chinese aviation industry has made important contributions to the development and making of the A350 XWB. Airbus' (Beijing) Engineering Center together and its partner Aviation Industry Corporation of China participated in the program's development, involving specific design work for the airframe. Some five percent of the airframe is manufactured in China. The A350 XWB is a symbol of strategic industrial cooperation between Airbus and China's aviation industry. The aircraft seats 42 in business class and 210 in economy class. The flights will be operated by Airbus flight crews. To date, Airbus has recorded some 800 firm orders for the A350 XWB from 42 customers worldwide, Airbus said. TOKYO, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Japanese leading telecommunication supplier SoftBank Group announced Tuesday that it has decided to sell its majority stake in a Finnish mobile game maker to Chinese internet giant Tencent Holdings. SoftBank will sell all of its 72.2 percent stake in the Finland-based mobile game maker Supercell to Tencent for expected aggregate cash consideration of approximately 7.3 billion U.S. dollars, said the Japanese telecommunications giant in a release. Supercell, SoftBank and Tencent on Tuesday announced the signing of a definitive agreement pursuant to which a consortium established by Tencent will acquire up to 84 percent of Supercell, according to the release. SoftBank bought 51 percent stake in Supercell for 1.53 billion U.S. dollars in 2013, and increased its stake to some 72.2 percent last year. The implied valuation for 100 percent of Supercell's equity is approximately 10.2 billion U.S. dollars. Total returns to SoftBank's investment, including dividends received during ownership, amount to approximately 8.4 billion U.S. dollars. "The transaction, which is currently expected to close during the third calendar quarter of 2016, is subject to customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions," said SoftBank, adding that "SoftBank will no longer own any shares in Supercell following closing." "Supercell is known for its creativity, focus on player experience, and unique culture, which have enabled it to create innovative mobile games that are wildly popular globally," said Martin Lau, President of Tencent. "Tencent is dedicated to building long-term strategic partnerships with leading game companies." TEHRAN, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Iranian parliament condemned Bahrain on Tuesday for stripping the citizenship of a top Shiite cleric Sheikh Isa Qassim, calling it "inhumane," Press TV reported. Ali Larijani, the Iranian parliament speaker described the move as "immature" and "adventurist," saying that it reflects the political crisis in the country. He added that recent intensification of a crackdown on Shiite Muslims in Bahrain signals the looming demise of the ruling Al Khalifah regime. The decision is only the latest in a string of "inhumane" measures that include repressing political dissent, manipulating Shia religious funds, and killing Bahraini civilians, Larijani said. Also on Tuesday, 251 Iranian lawmakers issued a statement condemning the kingdom's move and criticizing what they called the intentional community's silence. "Have the rulers of this Islamic state (Bahrain) thought about the dangerous and unpredictable consequences of this unwise move?" the report cited the statement as saying. "What does this deadly silence in the face of the flagrant violation of international law by the ruling reactionary regime in Bahrain mean?" it added. Bahrain announced on Monday it had revoked the citizenship of Qassim, the leader of the opposition group Al Wefaq National Islamic Society, saying the move was part of the measures to fight extremism. The statement accused Qassim of forming "groups that follow foreign religious ideologies and political entities" and of playing "a key role in fostering extremism and sectarianism in Bahrain." Iran's Foreign Ministry on Monday also condemned this move. BUKHARA, June 21, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping (R,front) and his wife Peng Liyuan are greeted by Uzbek Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoev (L,front) and Governor of Bukhara Province Muhiddin Esanov upon their arrival at Bukhara International Airport, Uzbekistan, June 21, 2016. Xi Jinping arrived for a state visit to Uzbekistan and will attend the 16th meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Tashkent. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang) BUKHARA, Uzbekistan, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in the ancient city of Bukhara in central-southern Uzbekistan Tuesday, starting his state visit to this Central Asian country. Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, were greeted by Uzbek Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoev and Governor of Bukhara Province Muhiddin Esanov at the airport. In a written speech delivered at the airport, Xi hailed the time-honored friendship between China and Uzbekistan, noting that the peoples of the two countries had jointly opened the great Silk Road more than 2,000 years ago. Currently, the two sides have carried out all-ranging cooperation within the framework of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and have achieved fruitful results, Xi said. "I'm looking forward to exchanging views with President Islam Karimov on elevating our relations and deepening mutually-beneficial cooperation in all areas, thus jointly drawing up the beautiful blueprint for our relations and building a community of shared interest and future," he said. "Meanwhile, I'am looking forward to attending the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on its 15th anniversary, to jointly look back at the history of our organization with other leaders, sum up the achievements of our cooperation, carry forward the 'Shanghai Spirit,' and chart the course for the future of the organization," he added. Bukhara is a city-museum with a history of more than 2,500 years. Located along the route of the ancient Silk Road, the city has long served as a center of trade, scholarship, culture, and religion. UNESCO listed the Historic Center of Bukhara, which boasts numerous mosques, as a World Heritage Site in 1993. Xi will later travel to the Uzbek capital Tashkent, where he will hold talks with Karimov on promoting bilateral relations and jointly building the China-proposed Silk Road Economic Belt, as well as on major international and regional issues. China and Uzbekistan established a strategic partnership in 2012, and leaders of the two countries have met on multiple occasions over recent years. In September 2013, Xi paid a state visit to Uzbekistan. China has been Uzbekistan's second largest trading partner and biggest source of investment for three years in a row. In cultural cooperation, Uzbekistan opened the first Confucius Institute in Central Asia in Tashkent in 2005, and a second such institute was established in 2014 in Samarkand, a historical city in southeastern Uzbekistan. "Uzbekistan is a strategic partner of China and also an important cooperative partner in combating the 'three evil forces' (of terrorism, separatism and extremism) and jointly building the Silk Road Economic Belt," Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Li Huilai told reporters ahead of Xi's visit. "The China-Uzbekistan relations are at their best in history." In Tashkent, Xi will also attend the 16th meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State on June 23 and 24, to exchange views with other leaders on all-ranging cooperation within the organization and on major international and regional issues. Xi will chair a trilateral meeting of leaders of China, Russia and Mongolia on the sidelines of the summit, the third of its kind. He will also hold bilateral meetings with leaders of other countries. Uzbekistan is the third and final stop of Xi's three-nation tour, which has taken him to Serbia and Poland. Sorry, this news has been deleted. A member of Iraqi government forces flashes the sign of victory in the back of an armoured vehicle during an operation, backed by air support from the US-led coalition, in Fallujah's southern Shuhada neighbourhood to retake the area from the Islamic State (IS) group on June 15, 2016. (Xinhua/AFP) BAGHDAD, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi security forces on Tuesday extended their grip in the city of Fallujah, sweeping neighborhoods for pockets of Islamic State (IS) militants in the northern part of the city, a security source said. The troops, backed by U.S.-led coalition and Iraqi aircraft, managed to free the neighborhood of Shurta and the adjacent Jughaifi and raised the Iraqi flag on some buildings, said the source on condition of anonymity. Fighting is still underway against pockets of IS resistance in the remaining several neighborhoods in the northern part of the city Fallujah, some 50 km west of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, the source said. "Most of the city is now under the control of Iraqi forces after days of fierce fighting with IS militants," it added. Meanwhile, an army force and allied paramilitary units, known as Hashd Shaabi, recaptured the village of Mukhtar, just north of Fallujah after driving out IS militants, according to the source. Late last Friday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared substantial victory against IS group in Fallujah after the recapture of the government compound. "Our troops have fulfilled their promise and freed the city of Fallujah," Abadi addressed the nation on the state-run Iraqiya television. "Fallujah has returned to the homeland and our forces took control of the heart of the city," Abadi said. Nasir Nuri, spokesman of the Iraqi Defense Ministry told local media that "Fallujah will be freed completely within days, depending on the resistance of the remaining pockets and the number of roadside bombs and booby-trapped buildings." Government troops and allied militias have currently been fighting for months to reclaim key cities and towns in Anbar province from IS militants, who attempted to approach Baghdad after seizing most of the province. Iraq has been witnessing a wave of violence since IS militants controlled parts of its northern and western regions in June 2014. HANOI, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam targets to have all rural residents nationwide to get at least 60 liters of clean water each per day by 2020 under the National Target Program for Rural Water and Sanitation, according to Director of the National Center for Clean Water and Rural Environment Sanitation Le Thieu Son on Tuesday. Speaking at a workshop in Vietnam's capital Hanoi on Tuesday, Son said that his center will focus on transferring suitable technologies in the field to localities and areas vulnerable to climate change and natural calamities, quoted Vietnam's state-run news agency VNA. Technical support for investors in the field and assistance to households in installing water treatment devices to improve water quality will also be focused, he added. According to the center, there are 16,220 collective clean water supply projects in rural areas across the country. As of 2015, some 86 percent of rural people had access to sanitary water. The proportion of rural people using water that meets national safety standards was 45 percent while 65 percent of rural households had hygienic toilet facilities. Enditem BUDAPEST, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto noted on Tuesday that should Britons vote to leave the EU, it would put a strong damper on enlargement of the bloc despite a strategic need to speed it up. The words came when Szijjarto talked with his Albanian counterpart Ditmir Bushati in Budapest on Tuesday on Albania's aspirations to become a European Union member and on bilateral ties. Szijjarto called on the European Commission to propose a date when the accession talks with Albania could begin, underlining Hungary's vested interest in peace and stability in the West Balkans. Szijjarto also noted that should Britain vote to leave the EU, it would put a strong damper on enlargement. Bushati welcomed Hungary's support, adding that his country was endeavoring to get as close to the EU as possible. Szijjarto said that bilateral trade between Hungary and Albania had gone up by 16 percent in 2015, and rose by 25 percent in the first quarter of this year. He cited a 208 million-euro (235 million U.S. dollars) line of credit Hungary's Eximbank has made available to Hungarian and Albanian businesses to encourage cooperation. Bushati underlined that the political ties between the two countries were excellent and boosting economic ties was a realistic possibility. He added that direct flights between Budapest and Tirana would begin soon. Enditem BEIJING, June 21, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Zhao Leji (R), a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the CPC Central Committee Organization Department, meets with Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Beijing, capital of China, June 21, 2016. (Xinhua/Wang Ye) BEIJING, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Zhao Leji met with Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday. China-India ties are at a new stage since the leaders of two countries reached consensus to foster a closer development partnership, said Zhao, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the CPC Central Committee Organization Department. Zhao said the CPC is willing to enhance friendly communication with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and have more people-to-people exchanges. Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who is also a senior official of BJP, called for more cooperation between BJP and CPC, and he hopes the two countries will have more pragmatic cooperation, especially local cooperation. ROME, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Financial and fiscal crimes, and waste in the public sector, cost Italy over 2.3 billion euros (2.6 billion U.S. dollars) in the first five months of 2016, Italian police said on Tuesday. Some 3,300 people who evaded their taxes totally were uncovered from January to May in 2016, and assets worth 300 million euros (339 million U.S. dollars)were seized from them, the police report said. Overall, the Italian finance police discovered some 840 "phantom companies" created to disguise profits and avoid tax obligations. Of the total amount, 360 millions euros (406 million U.S. dollars) were domestic and European Union (EU) funds illegally drawn, the report said. Latest data was unveiled in a preliminary report released by the Guardia di Finanza (GdF) -- Italian finance police. According to the report, some 1,850 people were also charged with crimes against the public administration, of which 118 were put into jail. "Corruption and economic crime are complex and interdependent phenomena, which are able to hit and pollute the economic fabric and the financial system," Italian Economy Minister Pier Carlo Padoan said at the event. Investigating and countering financial crime would require police to join forces more at the international level, police officials said. "We need to further widen our efforts," GdF chief General Commander Giorgio Toschi said. "Our investigative approach must be increasingly based on international cooperation among police forces, and a swift information exchange among countries." In countering the illegal business of Italian mafia groups, the financial police seized 1.3 billion euros (1.47 billion U.S. dollars) in various assets, which included 220 companies. About 1,000 people were denounced for alleged money laundering in connection with the mafia, and some 300 others for alleged self-laundering, which has been deemed a crime in Italy since late 2014 to strengthen anti-mafia legislation. The GdF also arrested 33 human smugglers during rescue operations to save migrants and refugees across the Mediterranean Sea, the report said. Enditem ABUJA, June 21 (Xinhua) -- The Nigerian government has entered a 30-day ceasefire agreement with militants responsible for attacks on oil and gas installations in the Niger Delta region of the country, local media reported on Tuesday, citing local sources privy to the truce. In the temporary ceasefire agreement reached last week, according to The Guardian Newspaper, the Niger Delta Avengers agitated for a greater share of Nigeria's oil wealth to go to the impoverished Delta region. Crude oil sales make up about 70 percent of national income and the vast majority of that oil comes from the southern swampland. "It was very difficult getting the Niger Delta Avengers to the negotiating table but we eventually did through a proxy channel and achieved the truce," an unnamed source said. Although local officials are keeping mum on the agreement, the local media said the militants had also listed the opening of a maritime university situated in the region as one of the conditions for ending its attacks on oil and gas facilities. Local media said during negotiation, Nigeria's oil minister, Ibe Kachikwu had led a team of government officials to plead with the militants to give President Muhammadu Buhari and his cabinet enough time to come up with a comprehensive Niger Delta plan that would address most of their demands. "You would have noticed that there have been no bombings of oil assets in recent days. This is the fall out of the 30 days of quiet reached with the minister and his team," another source told the local ThisDay Newspaper. Last week the Niger Delta Avengers, through its spokesperson, Mudoch Agbinibo, said they would negotiate with the government if independent foreign mediators were involved. To pave way for proper negotiation with the militant group, the Nigerian government earlier ordered a ceasefire by troops, withdrew fighter jets and battleships that had been deployed in the region to flush out the economic saboteurs. While carrying out its vicious attacks on oil and gas installations in the Niger Delta, the militant group had forced major oil firms operating in the West African country to either declare force majeure or cut down production of crude oil in Nigeria, impacting negatively on power supply and the country's oil earnings. Enditem BEIJING, June 21, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (C, front) visits China Construction Bank in Beijing, capital of China, on June 20, 2016. Li Keqiang visited China Construction Bank and the People's Bank of China, the central bank, and presided over a symposium on Monday. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei) BEIJING, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Premier Li Keqiang said China will continue its prudent monetary policy and proactive fiscal policy, maintaining reasonable growth in aggregate credit, to better serve the real economy. Li made the remarks at a seminar after a visit to China Construction Bank and the People's Bank of China, the central bank, on Monday. China should maintain its prudent monetary policy, enhance the monetary policy coordination with the proactive fiscal policy, make policies more flexible and targeted, lay stress on pre-emptive policy adjustment and fine-tuning, and maintain reasonable credit growth, he said. While China's financial sector has supported economic development, global economic growth is still weak and some regions and industries in the country are faced with major difficulties, he said. Li said multiple policy tools should be used to keep liquidity reasonably ample, guide market expectations, and create a good financial environment for dealing with risks and challenges and promoting continuous and stable economic growth. The premier also called for the implementation of differentiated financial policies so as to support supply-side structural reform. Commercial banks must improve in serving the real economy, small and micro businesses in particular, the premier said. To better serve the real economy, the financial sector should increase support for the agriculture, farmers, and rural areas, he said. The premier also pointed to private investment and the new economy, such as logistics, energy saving, environmental protection and smart manufacturing, as fields that deserve more financial support. Li stressed the importance of reform in the efficiency of the financial sector and in preventing financial risk. Private banks and consumer finance companies should develop in an orderly manner and steps should be taken to promote regional equity markets for small and medium-sized enterprises, he added. On financial regulation, the premier urged better oversight of abnormal trans-border capital flow and risks stemming from Internet finance, so as to prevent systemic or regional financial risks. ATHENS, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Greece has received 7.5 billion euros (8.5 billion U.S. dollars) in new bailout funds, European Stability Mechanism (ESM) Managing Director Klaus Regling announced here Tuesday after meeting with Greek Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos. Regling also assured that European partners remained committed to providing further assistance to Greece in coming years, although the extent of the financing needs were yet not clear. The ESM head insisted in statements to the press that Greece should stick to the 3.5 percent GDP primary surplus target in 2018, as agreed with its international lenders last year, although Athens and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are calling for a "more realistic" 2.0 percent goal. Also on an official visit to Greece on Tuesday was European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker who said the country was now on the right path to economic recovery. "Today, Greece is on the right path. The results are encouraging," Juncker stated during a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, urging Greek people to continue on this path of reform. "Europe is incomplete without Greece, eurozone is not complete without Greece and Greece cannot be complete without euro and the EU," Juncker stressed during a televised joint press conference. For his part, the Greek prime minister underlined "Greece can turn page and after six years of recession and austerity, it can design the structural changes needed to achieve fair development and a more optimistic prospect for Greek people." Regarding the next steps after the conclusion of the bailout review and the disbursement of the new aid tranche to Athens, Tsipras said an agreement on debt relief should not take long. Related: Central Bank of Greece calls for debt relief ATHENS, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Central Bank of Greece Governor Yannis Stournaras formally submitted to parliament on Wednesday the bank's annual monetary policy report for 2015-2016 which suggests imminent debt restructuring, deep reforms and lower primary surplus targets to deal with the six-year debt crisis. During a meeting with Parliament Speaker Nikos Voutsis the central banker urged for a debt restructuring "that will not impose losses on the creditors, but will be a situation where both Greece and its lenders stand to gain," according to an e-mailed press statement. Full story Spotlight: Greece aiming to attract tourists from China: officials by Alexia Vlachou ATHENS, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Greek officials are aiming to attract more tourists from China and boost direct flights, hoping Chinese tourism will play a significant role in the growth of the industry in the future. BERLIN, June 21 (Xinhua) -- German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said on Tuesday the European Union (EU) must change regardless of the result of a referendum on Britain's membership of the EU this week. "Europe is not in a good shape," Schaeuble was quoted as saying by German dpa news agency in a conference of Germany's ruling Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party in Berlin. He told the conference the EU could not go on as before even if the British people chose to stay in the Thursday referendum. If the EU failed to reform, people across the 28-member bloc would say the EU had failed to understand their concerns. German politicians and economists have warned in recent weeks a Brexit would hurt both British and European economies and lead to the disintegration of the union. Last week, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said a Brexit would mean Britain would no longer have access to the European single market. However, she said it was up to the British people to determine their nation's future relations with the EU. Enditem LONDON, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Two leading experts on international law in Britain have recently published two research papers, both concluding that an arbitral tribunal which allowed the South China Sea case initiated by the Philippines against China to go ahead is not convincing in many respects. Antonios Tzanakopoulos, associate professor of public international law at the University of Oxford, and Chris Whomersley, a former deputy legal adviser to the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, were the experts. In 2002, China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including the Philippines, signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), which stipulated that "the parties concerned undertake to resolve their territorial and jurisdictional disputes by peaceful means, without resorting to the threat or use of force, through friendly consultations and negotiations by sovereign states directly concerned." Whomersley argued that "there is a strong case for saying that the Philippines was estopped from ignoring the declaration and proceeding to the institution of legal proceedings." Tzanakopoulos, in his paper, observed that "the relevant provision therein regarding resolution of disputes by negotiation was drafted in clearly binding terms, stating that the parties 'undertake' to resolve disputes through friendly consultations." The South China Sea disputes involve many of the littoral states, and any determination by the tribunal may have the effect of rendering states other than the Philippines and China the "indispensable third parties," Tzanakopoulos wrote in his paper. He argued that "the South China Sea disputes, as multilateral disputes, are not fit for determination in the context of a bilateral, adversarial proceeding between only two of the many disputing states." Whomersley, in his paper, also pointed to the potential damage to international relations by an unconvincing decision of the tribunal. He warned "it is potentially destabilizing to the general course of international business that the Tribunal accepted that the Philippines could resile from the undertakings in a formal document like the Declaration (DOC)." Tzanakopoulos also warned in his paper: "The complex and multilateral nature of the relevant disputes" in the South China Sea could lead to "a rather hard case" for the arbitration system. "Hard cases make bad law, and it may be that the Annex VII Tribunal in the Philippines-China dispute has not taken this fully under advisement," he explained. The scholar suggested that the best solution to these complex disputes is putting aside disputes and engaging in joint exploitation of the territory in the South China Sea, put forward by the late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping decades ago. "Perhaps zones of cooperation will do much to allow the littoral states to enjoy the benefits of the South China Sea without all the fallout that adjudication inevitably produces in the face of strong objections," he concluded in his paper. LAGOS, June 21 (Xinhua) -- The Nigerian government on Tuesday alerted citizens living along the banks of River Niger of imminent flooding. Spokesperson for the National Orientation Agency (NOA) Fidel Agu said in a statement reaching Xinhua in Lagos that the alert has become necessary following intelligence reports from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN-OCHA). The Niger River Basin, traversing the Republics of Guinea, Mali, Niger and Nigeria, would be flooded in mid-2016 due to forecasted heavy downpour, he said. Agu warned that many Nigerians would be among the one hundred million people to be affected along the flood path of the more than two million square kilometers Niger River Basin. The spokesperson assured that all relevant government organs and other stakeholders had been alerted and measures were being put in place to ensure their safety. Nigeria, in 2012, spent billion of naira in tackling floods and its effect across the country, while about 360 lives were lost and properties worth billions of naira were destroyed. Enditem By Steven Cleary, Zhang Jianhua VIENTIANE, June 21 (Xinhua) Wonders of history, nature and culture abound in South-East Asia and are increasingly attracting visitors from both within the region and further abroad. The hustle and bustle of urban life has ushered in a new era of prosperity, convenience and unparalleled economic opportunities to many millions of city dwellers across the continent and beyond. Amid such modernization, there's an increasing need for urbanites to touch with green spaces where they can refresh their spirits, alongside family and friends during valuable time away from their regular duties. For this reason an increasing number of travelers are finding themselves exploring the wonders that tropical Southeast Asia has to offer. Getting in touch with nature and the leisurely pace and rich culture of rural lifestyles are just some of the benefits for those visitors willing to explore a little further than the well-beaten tourist trails in the diverse region. Rare and wonderful plant and animal species can be seen in a wide variety of habitats spanning mountain ranges, river valleys and coastal shores. Visitors are finding increasing levels of comfort and accessibility as regional transport connectivity improves via air, sea and land, as a result of improving infrastructure and enterprise. Aiming to hasten this development and ease of movement between natural attractions across the region is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Ecotourism Forum being held in the southern Lao center of Pakse from June 22-25. The forum brings together ministers responsible for tourism from across the 10-member group as well as collected expertise from China, Japan and the Republic of Korea, three major markets with increasing potential for ecotourism the region is keen to tap. Speakers from institutions such as the World Wildlife Fund, the Adventure Travel Trade Association, the Asian Development Bank, the Wildlife Conservation Society, and Birdlife International will attend the forum alongside representatives of sector operators and regulators from Europe, Latin America and the United States. The forum will deliberate on the theme: "ASEAN Without Borders: Roadmap for Strategic Development of Ecotourism Clusters and Tourism Corridors" and is expected to result in the "Pakse Declaration on ASEAN Roadmap for Strategic Development of Ecotourism" being adopted, to help get visitors to sites across the region more smoothly and effectively to better share the benefits of the growing market. The confab comes as eco-tourism sector operators seek to increase their share of leisure travel spending in Southeast Asia, which generated a total of 158 billion U.S. dollars in 2014 and is projected to rise to some 285.5 billion U.S. dollars by 2025, according to a 2015 World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) report. Among the many and varied participants, host Laos is one of the countries best-placed to benefit from both improved connectivity and growing market for leisure travel comprising natural locations. The least-developed country (LDC) is sparsely populated compared to its neighbors with just an estimated six and a half million person population yet welcomed some 4.6 million international arrivals, according to official figures for 2015. The relatively small size belies an incredible richness of landscape and culture, from the Mekong riverside, to the untamed jungles of the Annamite Cordillera, home to species including the iconic Asian elephant, curious pangolin, as well as the rare and elusive tree-hopping gibbon. The country also boasts more than the occasional waterfall including Khonepapheng, one of the world's largest by width according to the World Waterfall Database, at an incredible 10,783 meters wide, nearly double its nearest competitor, the Para on the Rio Caura in Venezuela, at some 5,608 meters. Just up river the nearby Siphandone (meaning 4,000 islands) sees the Mekong spread out and slow its pace to a most relaxing flow with islets pocked by palms and bamboo groves moving at a leisurely speed that is nothing if not contagious. Nature also abounds near the country's historic sites, including the UNESCO World Heritage Listed Angkorian era Wat Phou and the famed northern city of Luang Prabang, close to the coffee plantations of the fertile Bolaven Plateau and turquoise cascades of Kuang Si respectively. The country is aiming to add its historical recognition with proposed UNESCO listings for the mysterious Plain of Jars and Stone Pillar Mountain (Phou Hin Nam Nor) as well. The latter's striking geography of 82,000 hectares is traversed by rivers and caves, peaking in Tad Konglor, a 7 km long underground stretch of the Xe Bang Fai river with an impressive light show at its heart and rare animal and plant species along its periphery. Meanwhile, the far north is home to the award--winning Nam Nern Sight Safari, a boat tour which sees locals rewarded for safely identifying and preserving rare wildlife. Such attractions exist along with the increasingly popular karst-strewn tourist hotspot of Vang Vieng, home to famed mountain biking trails, river kayaking and tubing, hot air ballooning, spelunking and more. The popular town will promise even more when it's connected to the Lao-China railway now under construction and part of a planned rail link from Kunming all the way to Singapore, that will bring millions of people closer together. Such initiatives along with improved roads, smoother visa and cross-border movements and improved peer-to-peer links between sites in different countries of the region, are seen as key to unlocking the vast potential of ecotourism, bringing joy to travelers and creating useful and sustainable employment opportunities for rural and remote communities, as they seek to improve their lives and livelihoods in harmony with the preservation of their rich cultural and natural heritage. Enditem CHENGDU, June 21 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese panda expert on Tuesday expressed concern for a giant panda at California's San Diego Zoo which was reported to be suffering from heart disease after a physical examination. Gao Gao is 26, old for a Panda, said Wang Chengdong, director of the veterinary hospital at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in southwest China's Sichuan Province. Wang said he saw Gao Gao at the zoo last September when he was in good physical condition with a good appetite at that time, Wang said. "When giant pandas become older, they are prone to age-related disease," Wang said. As Gao Gao is old, it is hard to cure his heart disease. Medicine and rest are indispensable, according to Wang. Pandas in China rarely suffer heart disease, Wang said. "Gao Gao is too old to have an operation so we suggest he receive conservative treatment instead," Wang said. Gao Gao was found in a nature reserve in Sichuan in April 1993 when he was a cub. He was separated from his mother and had suffered serious injuries. Panda researchers saved him and took him to the center. He was sent to the United States in January 2003 as part of a 12-year research cooperation program between the two nations. Wild giant pandas' life span is usually 15 to 20 years while the life span of captive pandas can reach 30 years. NAIROBI, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's Deputy President William Ruto has urged East Africa's business community to consider forming a common market in the region. He was speaking on Tuesday to members of the East African Business Council (EABC), a body of the private sector in the East Africa Community (EAC), which groups Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda and South Sudan. "We should have one common market that brings together all the six countries. This will give a true meaning of the EAC spirit," Ruto said. Ruto lamented the lack of a common market against a backdrop of the integration process in the region. "You will be better off when you present yourselves under companies bearing East Africa Community (EAC) symbol than your individual countries when competing for tenders to undertake mega projects within the region," he told the EABC members. Ruto called on the private sector to play an effective role in accelerating trade among the EAC member countries, saying the private sector should encourage business entities and partnerships across the EAC region. "There is need for us to encourage a situation where we should have companies with partners from the six EAC member countries. By doing this we will make our integration a reality," said Ruto. Ruto called for unity in eliminating non-tariff barriers that have become stumbling block to the free flow of business within the EAC member countries. He said governments in the region could create a conducive environment including improvement of infrastructure if the private sector took the lead by coming up with proposals aimed at accelerating the integration process. EABC chairman, Econie Nijimbere, praised the role Kenya had played in introducing various reforms to support the EAC business community. He singled out the introduction of interstate pass and the use of identification cards by EAC citizens, implementation of EAC single tourist visa, and the abolishment of the railway development levy on goods originating from EAC partner states as some of the efforts spearheaded by Kenya. Enditem VIENTIANE, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Senior officials responsible for tourism affairs discussed on Tuesday in Champassak the draft Pakse Declaration expected to be adopted by Ministers of Tourism of ASEAN member countries on Wednesday. "Today's discussion aims to reach agreement on the content of the declaration before it is submitted to the Roundtable Meeting of ASEAN Tourism Ministers for consideration and approval," Laos' state-run news agency KPL Tuesday quoted chair of the meeting Soun Manivong, who serves as Director General of Lao Department of Tourism Development, Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, as saying. The content of the Pakse Declaration focuses on seeking ways of cooperation on the sustainable use of natural resources to bring economic interests to local people and promote the development of tourism networks and tourism corridors in the region according to KPL. The draft document "Pakse Declaration on ASEAN Roadmap for Strategic Development of Ecotourism" calls for an ASEAN coordinated roadmap to strategically identify, plan and develop an inter-connected network of ecotourism sites which are linked to major overland and river passageways. These ecotourism clusters and tourism corridors are developed to traverse all ASEAN nations, transcending borders and wildlife frontiers, facilitating tourists to travel deep into rural areas and nature reserves and to experience the essence of ASEAN's ecotourism attractions. This visionary development will unlock economic opportunities along overland and river routes; a major socio-economic initiative to create employment and uplift communities, revitalize idle natural resources and transform impoverished rural areas, said KPL. Enditem TEHRAN, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Iranian lawmakers and political figures strongly condemned Bahrain's recent move to strip the citizenship of the country's top Shiite cleric, Sheikh Isa Qassim, and warned of its consequences. In a statement issued on Tuesday, 251 Iranian lawmakers condemned the Kingdom's decision to revoke the citizenship of Qassim and criticized what they called the intentional silence over it. "Have the rulers of this Islamic state (Bahrain) thought about the dangerous and unpredictable consequences of this unwise move?" Press TV cited the statement as saying. "What does this deadly silence in the face of flagrant violation of international law by the ruling reactionary regime in Bahrain mean?" the statement said. Bahrain announced on Monday it had revoked the citizenship of the country's most powerful Shiite cleric, saying the move was part of the measures to fight extremism. Sheikh Isa Qassim, the leader of the opposition group Al Wefaq National Islamic Society, was stripped of nationality, the Bahraini Interior Ministry said in a statement. The statement accused Isa Qassim of "forming groups that follow foreign religious ideologies and political entities" and of "playing a key role in fostering extremism and sectarianism in Bahrain." Also on Tuesday, Iran's Parliament (Majlis) speaker, Ali Larjani, censured Bahrain's measure to strip the citizenship of Qassim as a "inhumane" measure, Press TV reported. The recent intensification of a crackdown on Shiite Muslims in Bahrain signals the looming demise of the ruling Al Khalifah regime, Larjani was quoted as saying. He described the Kingdiom's decision as "immature" and "adventurist," saying that it reflected the political crisis in the Persian Gulf island. The decision is the latest in a string of "inhumane" measures that include repressing political dissent and killing Bahraini civilians, Larijani said. Besides, Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said in a statement on Tuesday that the measure by Bahrain will lead to the uprising in the country and virtual overthrow of the ruling kingdom. The IRGC warned the Al Khalifah of "dire consequences" of revoking the citizenship of the Shiite cleric. On Monday, Iran's Foreign Ministry also condemned Bahrain's move of "intensification of its security approach toward religious and national leaders, opposition to religious beliefs and principles, and mis-appropriation of religious assets and funds of the Bahraini people." It urged Bahraini kingdom to end "stopping its illegal behavior (towards the dissidents), avoiding the destruction of all the bridges for communication with the people and moderate leaders of the country by accepting the realities of the country and holding serious national dialogue." Crackdown on the peaceful demands of the people would dash any hope of reformation in Bahrain through dialogue and peaceful means, it said in a statement. Further, a senior Iranian military official on Monday warned Bahrain of the consequences after the latter revoked citizenship of the Shiite cleric. It would set fire to Bahrain and the entire region, and "leave the people (of Bahrain) with no choice but armed resistance," Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of IRGC was quoted as saying. This would result in the collapse of the "bloodthirsty regime," said Soleimani, adding that the regime is repressing its people while the United Nations, the U.S. and Western countries maintain their "meaningful silence." Soleimani has left Iraq for Syria to oversee resistance operations as the fight with terrorists takes a violent turn recently, said semi-official Mehr news agency's report on Monday. The Quds Force, also known as Qods, is a special unit of Iran's IRGC responsible for "extraterritorial" missions. On Jan. 4, Bahrain severed diplomatic relations with Iran, a day after Saudi Arabia cut ties with Tehran amid outrage over the Saudi execution of a Shiite cleric. Bahrain has long accused Iran of trying to stir up unrest among the country's Shiite population. However, Tehran denies such finger-pointing. Enditem TASHKENT, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping published a signed article on leading Uzbek newspaper Narodnoye Slove under the title of "A Glorious New Chapter in China-Uzbekistan Friendship" on Tuesday, ahead of his state visit to the Central Asian country. The English translated version of the article, also carried by the Jahon news agency, is as follows. A Glorious New Chapter in China-Uzbekistan Friendship By H.E. Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China "Grass-covered land is lush green and snow-clad mountains are translucent and silvery," to quote a poem written by a Chinese envoy in Ming Dynasty after his mission to Central Asia over 600 years ago. The magnificent landscape of Uzbekistan is familiar to and admired by the Chinese people since ancient times. I first visited your beautiful country in September 2013 and was deeply impressed by its distinct natural scenery, time-honored history and cultural heritage, and the hard-working and talented people. At this fascinating time of lush green, I will once again visit Uzbekistan and attend the Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Tashkent at the invitation of President Islam Karimov. This is a visit I am very much looking forward to. The people of our two countries are diligent, courageous and honest. They cherish friendship and share similar views on personal dedication to the welfare of the nation and the world. Over 2,000 years ago, the ancient Silk Road connected China and Uzbekistan and has since witnessed the growth of two-way trade, mutual learning and people-to-people friendship. Zhang Qian in Western Han Dynasty, Xuan Zang in Tang Dynasty and Chen Cheng in Ming Dynasty traveled to Uzbekistan as an envoy or for a stopover. Renowned historical and cultural figures in Uzbekistan such as Alisher Navoi, Mirza Ulugbek and Muhammad Al Khwarizmi are known in China for their works and thoughts. Central Asia is the meeting place of Chinese and Western cultures, and Uzbekistan has played an important role as a bridge of communication. Over the centuries, China and Uzbekistan have maintained close contacts and fostered a fine tradition of friendly exchanges, thus laying a solid foundation for the good-neighborly relations we enjoy today. Uzbekistan is a major country in Central Asia. China views its relations with Uzbekistan from a strategic and long-term perspective. China was among the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with Uzbekistan shortly after its independence. Over the past 24 years, bilateral relations have stood the test of time and changes in the international landscape and kept a momentum of sound and steady growth. Our two sides have rendered each other firm support on issues concerning our respective core interests and achieved fruitful results in cooperation in various fields. AMMAN, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Jordan on Tuesday declared its north and northeastern borders closed military zones after an attack killed six Jordanian troops. Chairman of the joint chiefs of staff of the Jordanian army Meshal Zaben said any movements of vehicles or individuals in the mentioned areas without prior condition will be fealty with as enemy targets with no exception, according to a statement by the army. King Abdullah II of Jordan on Tuesday vowed a response after the terrorist attack that killed six Jordanians troops and injured 14 others at the borders with Syria, the state-run Petra news agency reported. "Jordan will strike with an iron fist all those who try to harm its security and borders," the king, also the supreme commander of the Jordan Armed Forces, said at a meeting at the army headquarters Tuesday. The king expressed pride in the soldiers that defend the country's borders from terrorists, commending the unity and solidarity among Jordanians. "These terrorist attacks will only make us more determined to face terrorism and fight its gangs," said the King. The Jordan Armed Forces on Tuesday said six Jordanian officers were killed and 14 others were injured in the terrorist attack at dawn on Tuesday at the borders with Syria. Those killed include four border guard members, a civil defense member and a member of the public security department. Of the total 14 injured, nine are members of the public security department, it said in a statement. They were killed when a suicide bomber drove a booby trapped car and managed to evade shotguns by the troops and exploded himself at a forward military post in at the no man's land area between Jordan and Syria, the Jordan Armed Forces said. An explosion occurred near the Syrian refugees camp at the no man's land between Jordan and Syria at 5:30AM Amman time, killing and injuring the officer. The military post that was attacked was dedicated for serving the Syrian refugees at the no man's land who were seeking safe refuge in Jordan. The Jordanian army engaged with many enemy vehicles and destroyed them at the same time. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Nasser Judeh condemned the terrorist attack. "Terrorists strike again against our border guard," the minister said in a tweet Tuesday. "A number of fallen and injured Jordanian heroes. This evil will be defeated," said Judeh on his official Twitter account. More than 50,000 Syrian refugees are stranded at the no man's land as Jordan discovered a large number of them were members of the Islamic State and the majority of them came from areas under the control of the terrorist movement in Syria. Enditem MANILA, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Three Abu Sayyaf men were killed and around 10 others and 16 soldiers were wounded in a firefight in Patikul town in Sulu in southern Philippines on Tuesday afternoon. Maj Filemon Tan, spokesman of the Western Mindanao Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said the firefight broke out around 2:20 pm in Sitio Bud Duwa in barangay Pansul during a security operation. Tan said soldiers from the Army's 32nd Infantry Battalion clashed with the terrorists, numbering around 200 men, for one and a half hours until the enemy "scampered towards several direction." Tan said three of Abu Sayyaf men were killed and 10 others were injured based on information gathered by the military. Tan said the 16 injured soldiers were brought to a trauma hospital in Camp Teodulfo Bautista in Jolo town, also in Sulu. Formed in the early 1990s, the Abu Sayyaf is a radical offshoot of a Muslim separatist insurgency in the south of the mainly catholic Philippines. The U.S. and the Philippines have both listed the Abu Sayyaf as a terrorist organization for carrying out kidnappings, beheadings and bombings. The Abu Sayyaf have killed two Canadians they seized from a Philippine yachting resort last September because ransom deadlines were not met. They are still holding a Norwegian and a Philippine woman abducted from the same resort. Enditem HELSINKI, June 21 (Xinhua) -- A change of leadership at the Finnish National Coalition Party, known as the conservative party, led to adjustments in the coalition government on Tuesday. The new conservative chairman Petteri Orpo will become the new finance minister. The position was previously occupied by the conservative chairman Alexander Stubb. Following his defeat at the party convention in June, Stubb said he would not accept any cabinet position. The position of minister of interior will belong to Paula Risikko, 56. She is a seasoned conservative member of parliament and has held several cabinet positions Risikko is known as a tough negotiator and a specialist in the ongoing health care reform. She has a doctorate degree in health sciences. As current Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Lenita Toivakka chose to quit, the conservative party assigned Kai Mykkanen, 36, to take up the position. Mykkanen was elected for the first time into parliament in May 2015. He has held various administrative positions in public service and the industries, and has degrees in politics and economics. Besides being a specialist on Russia, Mykkanen has profiled himself as a moderate environmentalist. The conservative party has four ministerial positions in the 14-member cabinet. Minister for Education Sanni Grahn-Laasonen retains her position. There were no changes in other party portfolios. Enditem By Shristi Kafle KATHMANDU, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Nepal's one of the busiest shopping street, also known as the heart of capital city, Durbar Marg turned into a Yoga avenue for more than a hour on Tuesday morning as thousands of people gathered to practice yoga. Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, deputy prime ministers, ministers, members of Parliament, dignitaries along with people from all walks of life participated in the mega event hosted by the Nepal government on the occasion of 2nd International Day of Yoga. Clad in cream-colored attire with an additional layer of white t-shirt, 64-year-old Prime Minister along with the First Lady Radhika Shakya led the mass of people by sitting in a cross-legged yoga posture in a front-row. Though national and international photo journalists were in rush to capture the movements of Nepalese PM, they were compelled to return empty handed as the PM couldn't perform yoga postures due to his regular ailments. However, despite of the health problems, Oli attempted the soothing Om' chanting and added energy and enthusiasm on the general yoga followers. Addressing the yoga-enthusiasts after getting into stage, Nepalese PM Oli said that the discipline of yoga doesn't belong to any specific religion, age group or section of society but it's common for all. "Yoga is not for any specific caste, religion or location. It is a common knowledge that enables us to maintain healthy body and healthy mind. It has been created for the welfare of all human lives", the Prime Minister said in the back-drop of Narayanhiti Palace turned Museum. Taking credit of origin of this ancient discipline in the holy Nepalese land, he highlighted on transforming the society through brotherhood with the help of spiritual practice of yoga. The Prime Minister further mentioned that yoga is based on scientific research. Yoga, he added, helps to give the message of unity to the world amid chaos and evils. According to the Hindu mythology, Yoga was a scared knowledge of Lord Shiva who is regarded as the most powerful of all Hindu Gods. It is believed that Lord Shiva created humans named as Machendranath Yogi and later Gorakchyanath in the holy spot of the Himalayan country, who perfected the art of Yoga and spread the teachings. Yoga is believed to enable a new dimension of oneness as it unites bodies and mind leading to completeness. 40-year-old Yadav Neupane, a Yoga Instructor who has been practicing Yoga since last 10 years in Bhaktapur told Xinhua on the spot "Yoga has a history of thousand years in our land. It is very much essential to our daily life. Our life style which has been spoiled by the junk food and pollution in environment will be transformed into a healthy one only through Yoga. " According to the instructors, maximum of the yoga followers in the country are women. They have a routine of gathering in local yoga centers every morning from 6 to 7 am and practicing different postures. Most of the participants on street yoga camp were also women, dressed in traditional white kurtha salwar. Having been suffering from various health problems like gastritis, diabetes and uterus ailments, Nepalese women regard yoga as a perfect medium to remain healthy. "I started practicing Yoga two years back. At that time, I had infection in uterus and urine. But now, I don't have any of those problems, Yoga brought a miraculous change in my life", 35-year-old Muna Pokharel, a beautician by profession shared with Xinhua. This is the first time that Nepal government organized a mass celebratory event to mark the International Day of Yoga, which was declared by the United Nations in 2015. Ministry of Education in joint coordination with Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation organized various yoga camps across the capital city. Thousands of school students of valley also participated in yoga demonstrations in schools to explore the new dimension of self and clarity. Enditem Photo taken on Dec. 15, 2015 shows an exterior scene of the conference hall of the 14th prime ministers' meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), in Zhengzhou, central China's Henan Province. (Xinhua/Li Bo) MOSCOW, June 21 (Xinhua) -- The 15-year-old Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has become a model for regional and international cooperation, Chinese Ambassador to Russia Li Hui has said. "The SCO has been able to find a successful organizational model for new-type regional cooperation, in which the desire for security is implemented through mutual trust and mutually beneficial cooperation," Li said in a joint interview with Russian and Chinese media on Monday. The Treaty on Long-Term Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation signed by the SCO member states implemented in legal form the concept of friendly ties, one that can pass from generation to generation, the diplomat said. Li said that the trust of the SCO members in each other's policies and interaction on the international stage has already reached a high level. The SCO has established in the last 15 years an operation model based on security and economic cooperation, Li said. The regional alliance has responded effectively to the challenges of security, peace and stability in the region, and actively promotes cooperation between member states in trade, transport and communications, agriculture and finance, thus allowing for broader prospects of development, he said. Chinese ambassador to Russia Li Hui delivers a speech during a performance staged by Chinese students studying in Russia, at the Chinese Embassy in Moscow, Russia, Jan. 20, 2013. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) The SCO "circle of friends" is constantly expanding, and the SCO family now includes six member countries, six observer countries and six dialogue partners, Li said. The SCO also supports cooperation with the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), as well as other international or regional organizations. Li noted that the SCO acts as a positive force to ensure security, stability and sustainable development worldwide. China and Russia, both as important member states of the organization, continuously strengthen good neighborly ties and political trust with the other participants. Beijing and Moscow play a constructive role in the development of the SCO to enhance its international position and influence, Li said. Currently, the group's primary task is the pairing of China's Belt and Road initiative with the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union. Li says the idea has been agreed upon by Chinese and Russian leaders in order to promote the economic development of the SCO states and guarantee the future prosperity of their peoples. Fire fighters work at apipeline explosion scene at Ijegun area in Lagos, southwest Nigeria, March 16, 2014. According to Ibrahim Farniloye, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) public information officer of Lagos, the explosion was as a result of underground spillage through points of previous vandalization. (Xinhua/Olatunji Obasa) ABUJA, June 21 (Xinhua) -- The Nigerian government has entered a 30-day ceasefire agreement with militants responsible for attacks on oil and gas installations in the Niger Delta region of the country, local media reported on Tuesday, citing local sources privy to the truce. In the temporary ceasefire agreement reached last week, according to The Guardian Newspaper, the Niger Delta Avengers agitated for a greater share of Nigeria's oil wealth to go to the impoverished Delta region. Crude oil sales make up about 70 percent of national income and the vast majority of that oil comes from the southern swampland. "It was very difficult getting the Niger Delta Avengers to the negotiating table but we eventually did through a proxy channel and achieved the truce," an unnamed source said. Although local officials are keeping mum on the agreement, the local media said the militants had also listed the opening of a maritime university situated in the region as one of the conditions for ending its attacks on oil and gas facilities. Local media said during negotiation, Nigeria's oil minister, Ibe Kachikwu had led a team of government officials to plead with the militants to give President Muhammadu Buhari and his cabinet enough time to come up with a comprehensive Niger Delta plan that would address most of their demands. "You would have noticed that there have been no bombings of oil assets in recent days. This is the fall out of the 30 days of quiet reached with the minister and his team," another source told the local ThisDay Newspaper. Last week the Niger Delta Avengers, through its spokesperson, Mudoch Agbinibo, said they would negotiate with the government if independent foreign mediators were involved. To pave way for proper negotiation with the militant group, the Nigerian government earlier ordered a ceasefire by troops, withdrew fighter jets and battleships that had been deployed in the region to flush out the economic saboteurs. While carrying out its vicious attacks on oil and gas installations in the Niger Delta, the militant group had forced major oil firms operating in the West African country to either declare force majeure or cut down production of crude oil in Nigeria, impacting negatively on power supply and the country's oil earnings. Zimbabweans receive food ration from a World Food Programme (WFP) distribution center at rural Mupinga area in Chiredzi, Zimbabwe, Oct. 6, 2015. (Xinhua) GENEVA, June 21 (Xinhua) -- 30 years after the declaration on the right to development was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1986, South Centre's Executive Director Martin Khor urged both developed and developing states to integrate the inalienable right to development into common policy directives. In an written interview with Xinhua, the 30th anniversary of the concept was hailed by the official, who highlighted that the term "right to development" carries a great sense of meaning and of hope. "It is a human right, where every human person and all peoples are entitled to participate in, contribute to and enjoy development in which all rights and freedoms can be fully realized," he explained. As an author of many books on trade and sustainable development, the official called for "a new international order", since imbalances and inequities in the current status quo continue to hinder the ability of countries to comprehensively improve the lives of their citizens. He added that the right to development is also integral to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agreed upon by the international community last year. Ambitious by nature and in scope, Khor cautioned that the accomplishment of the 17 goals by 2030 depends on the global community's capacity to catalyse cohesive cooperation, identify key obstacles and subsequently remove hurdles. "Fulfilling the SDGs would go a long way to realising the right to development," he noted, adding that the right to development's unique approach would be beneficial when implementing the SDGs, and vice versa. According to the official, this would require policy makers in developed countries to take heed of both the interests and needs of people in developing countries when formulating domestic directives. He also elaborated on some of the global issues that affect the right to development in light of myriad threats facing the world today. The effects of climate change, particularly for developing and poorer countries, was labelled "an existential problem for the human race" by Khor, who also reminded that the rise in anti-microbial resistance could hail a post-antibiotic age where "every antibiotic ever developed is at risk of becoming useless." As was the case with overpriced treatments in the past, such challenges affect the poorest countries the most, given their endemic lack of resources, expertise and mitigating factors. "Developing countries require funds and technology such as microscopes and diagnostic tools," Khor said. "They also need to have access to existing and new antibiotics at affordable prices; and people in all countries need to be protected from anti-microbial resistance if their life expectancy is to be maintained and if there is to be realisation to the right to development," he added. An intergovernmental organization of developing countries that helps the latter combine their efforts and expertise to promote their common interests in the international arena, the South Centre was established by an intergovernmental agreement which came into force on July 31, 1995. by Salah Takieddine BEIRUT, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Statistics by international bodies ranked Lebanon in first place worldwide regarding the ratio of refugees compared with its inhabitants. Lebanon hosts over 1.5 million Syrian refugees, 550,000 Palestinian refugees, 20,000 Iraqi and Sudanese refugees, whereas its total population does not exceed four million. Since the uprising against Syrian President Bashar El-Assad's regime in March 2011, thousands of refugees fled their war-torn countries and settled in various parts of Lebanon, and the United Nations Higher Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) provides them with the necessary aid. However, Lebanon's Social Affairs Ministry released figures showing the international aid provided to Syrian refugees does not cover more than 20 percent of their estimated needs, calculated by the UNHCR to be close to 2.1 billion U.S. dollars. Meanwhile, Lebanon's resources are being depleted particularly in the services sector, as well as education and health and environment fields. On the World Refugee Day, which falls on June 20 every year, Imad Abou-Ali, coordinator of international aid organizations and Syrian refugees in the Saghbine camp in West Bekaa, criticized the aid rationing to the refugees as 70 percent live below the poverty line, with a daily three dollar wage. He told Xinhua that the children's rights bill is being violated on a daily basis, as Syrian families send their children to work in private businesses for a daily wage ranging between three to five dollars. Meanwhile, the Syrian refugees' harsh living conditions in Lebanon, in addition to lacking work opportunities, forced many female refugees to prostitute themselves in order to secure their daily needs. For example, 35-year-old Syrian refugee S.CH told Xinhua that she lost her husband in the war and found herself obliged to be a prostitute at a night club to feed her four children. "One night, the Lebanese security services arrested me along with 12 other Syrian females for prostitution," she said, adding that "after I was released from jail, I prostituted myself again, and most prostitution rings hire Syrian females." As for refugee Leila al-Hamad, she called on donor countries on the World Refugee Day to seriously deal with the Syrian crisis and work effectively towards ending the war in their country. In north Lebanon, the regular protests were organized on the World Refugee Day to draw the world's attention to the Palestinians' ordeal in the refugee camps of Nahr el-Bared and al-Biddawi. Around 70,000 Palestinians live in the two refugee camps and they face harsh conditions aggravated by the aid cut provided by the UNRWA. In addition, armed battles which erupted in 2007 between the Lebanese army and the extremist "Fath el-Islam" militants resulted in the destruction of the Nahr el-Bared camp and the displacement of around 40,000 refugees. Most of Nahr el-Bared camp inhabitants were moved to the al-Biddawi camp and other Lebanese villages in the north, as the rehabilitation and reconstruction project funded by the international community has yet to be completed. Subsequently, several Palestinian refugees sought migration to Europe in the past two years. However, most attempts ended miserably with the sinking of illegal boats which were illegally transporting refugees from north Lebanon to Turkey or Greece. In al-Beddawi camp, 67-year-old Palestinian Mohammad Awad told Xinhua that he has been calling for decades on the international community to apply with the United Nations resolutions related to the Palestinian cause. "But it seems our cause has been forgotten and our suffering has become merely headline text for the world's media," he said. Enditem CAIRO, April 15, 2016 (Xinhua) -- A protestor holds a placard during a demonstration protesting against the Egyptian government's decision to transfer two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia in front of the Journalists Syndicate in Cairo, Egypt on April 15, 2016. Hundreds of Egyptians gathered Friday afternoon outside the press syndicate in Cairo to protest against Egypt's recent official transfer of two controversial islands to Saudi Arabia. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) by Mahmoud Fouly, Emad al-Azrak CAIRO, June 21 (Xinhua) -- The ruling of an Egyptian court that nullifies a recent maritime demarcation deal to transfer two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia is "enforceable" and legally binding to all Egyptian authorities, said legal experts. On Tuesday, an Egyptian administrative court nullified a deal signed between Cairo and Riyadh in April on maritime border demarcation that placed the two Red Sea islands of Tiran and Sanafir into the Saudi regional water. The court provided several reasons for rejecting the deal, including former agreements, old maps, an index of names of Egyptian places made by the finance ministry in 1945 and other official documents, practices and facts dating back to 1884. "According to the above, it is definite that both the islands of Tiran and Sanafir belong to the Egyptian territories and are located within the borders of the Egyptian state and that Egypt has continuously exercised sovereignty over the two islands," the court issued in a document for the arguments of its verdict. Soon after the verdict, the State Lawsuits Authority representing the government appealed the court ruling against the maritime accord supported by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and announced in April during a lengthy rare visit of Saudi King Salman. Although the verdict is not final and can be appealed by the Egyptian government, it is still "enforceable" and it makes the recent deal null and void, preventing the Egyptian parliament from discussing the issue. "The verdict is enforceable and binding to all the country's institutions including the parliament, and the government's appeal is to be determined by the Supreme Administrative Court," Shawki al-Sayyid, law professor at Cairo University, told Xinhua. The agreement has been approved by the Saudi Shura Council, the kingdom's formal advisory body, but has not yet been discussed or ratified by the Egyptian parliament. "Since it has not been approved by the Egyptian parliament, it is still non-binding and not in effect," the law professor argued, stressing the parliament is obliged not to discuss the agreement due to Tuesday's enforceable court order until a final verdict is issued by the Supreme Administrative Court. Egyptian-Saudi demarcation deal caused debate in Egypt as it has been sharply criticized by political activists including former presidential candidates who argued that Sisi's administration was giving up Egyptian territories to Saudi Arabia in return for the kingdom's financial support. However, President Sisi said in an earlier speech that the two islands originally belonged to Saudi Arabia and it was time for Egypt to return them to their rightful owner. The issue also sparked anti-government protests that led to the detention of dozens of young people and activists, most of whom were eventually released. Khaled Ali, a lawyer, human rights advocate and former presidential candidate, along with some other lawyers filed a lawsuit against the deal arguing it violated previous agreements and maps that asserted Egypt's sovereignty over the two islands. "The court ruling is historical; it voids the agreement signed by the Egyptian prime minister and confirms the Egyptian sovereignty over the two islands," Ali said following the court order, adding in case the Egyptian government appeals the verdict, it has to provide all the documents that prove Saudi Arabia's ownership of the islands. Egyptian Judge Tahani al-Gebali, former deputy chief of the Supreme Constitutional Court, said that the anti-deal court order shows that Egypt has an independent judiciary and is governed by the law. "In the light of this court order, the Egyptian parliament is obliged to completely refrain from discussing the agreement until a final verdict is issued," Gebali told Xinhua. She stressed that if the Supreme Administrative Court approves the verdict, despite the government's appeal, the deal will be null and void, and if it rejects the verdict, the legal procedures for approving the agreement will be resumed. Saudi Arabia is one of the strongest supporters of Sisi's administration and it led oil-rich Gulf states, excluding Qatar, to assist Sisi's government with billions of U.S. dollars and tons of oil supplies to maintain Egypt's stability following the military removal of former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in early July 2013. Related: Hundreds protest Egypt's Red Sea island transfer to Saudi Arabia CAIRO, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of Egyptians gathered Friday afternoon outside the press syndicate in Cairo to protest against Egypt's recent official transfer of two controversial islands to Saudi Arabia. The protesters chanted slogans against giving up what they believe to be "Egyptian territory" to the oil-rich Kingdom, claiming the Egyptian leadership gave up Tiran and Sanafir islands in return for Saudi aid. Full story Egypt, Saudi Arabia agree on establishing land bridge between two countries: state-TV CAIRO, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Egypt and Saudi Arabia have agreed Friday on establishing a land bridge to connect the two countries, visiting King Salman Bin Abdel-Aziz said in a joint press conference. LUSAKA, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Some refugees who were subjected to xenophobic attacks in Lusaka, the Zambian capital, have demanded compensation. In April, shops belonging to some refugees, mostly from Rwanda, were attacked by local people after the owners were suspected of being behind a spate of ritual killings that had hit some parts of the city. Seven people were found dead with body parts missing. Emile Hatungimana, chairman-general of the refugee community in Zambia, said the xenophobic attacks and looting of foreign-owned shops and property were barbaric and senseless, and that the victims should be compensated. "Many are the victims and so far none is talking about compensation. At least something to start rebuilding their livelihoods again," he said during commemoration of this year's World Refugee Day, according to a the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) statement received Tuesday. He thanked stakeholders who offered sanctuary to the refugees and other foreigners during the xenophobic attacks. Laura Lo Castro, the UNHCR Representative in Zambia, also condemned the attacks on the foreigners. While revealing that the UNHCR was not in a position to compensate all the refugees affected by the xenophobic attacks, she said some assistance through the agency's implementing partner Action Africa Help International Zambia would be given to the most desperate cases. Zambia currently hosts over 50,000 refugees. Enditem YAOUNDE, June 21 (Xinhua) -- 17 fighters from an armed group were killed and more than 30 others were injured when they had clashes with UN peacekeepers in Central African Republic (CAR) capital Bangui Monday, according to a report by CAR Red Cross on Tuesday. A team from the UN peacekeeping troops faced violent resistence from the armed group Monday afternoon when they went to PK5, a Muslim area in Bangui, to try to secure the release of 6 policemen who were taken hostages on Saturday during patrolling in the area, said the report. The exchange of the gunfire with the peacekeepers brought big casualties to the armed group. CAR Red Cross told Xinhua they recovered 11 bodies from the fighters on the site. The Red Cross said 36 injured fighters were taken to the General Hospital in Bangui, and out of them, 6 died later. It is reported the 6 policemen were liberated on Tuesday afternoon after the negotiations conducted by Hamadou Bakirou, a MP from Bambari in central CAR. Enditem BARCELONA, Spain, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Spain should take and make good use of the opportunities offered by the Chinese market, former Spanish ambassador to China, Mr. Eugenio Bregolat Obiols, said on the occasion of the Summit on Economics and Business with China held here on Tuesday. "The development of consumption in China will be a central issue for the global economy in the coming years and decades, there will be more consumption than in the U.S. and elsewhere," Bregolat told Xinhua. "In 10 years, 200 million students are going to graduate in China, a big part of them engineers and scientists," he explained. During his speech at the summit he highlighted the important and fast changes occurred in the Chinese economy since the 1970s, noting the importance of the current process of changing growth model. "The data is positive, the country is moving towards this change," he said, highlighting the rise in domestic consumption in which there is still "great potential for growth." The summit was attended by representatives of public and private institutions and was conceived as a "platform for exchange, with a very high level of participation" in the words of Director of the Confucius Institute of Barcelona Foundation, Dr. Chang Shiru. Representatives of companies such as ZTE Corporation, Air China, AVIC International Aero-Development Corporation, Roca, CaixaBank and INFUN GROUP respectively explained their experiences in Chinese and Spanish markets. According to Chang, "Sino-Spanish relations need knowledge and determination." He added that "technical issues are also important and in this event there are many resources in this regard." Enditem Displaced Iraqis who fled the government's operation against the Islamic State (IS) group in the city of Fallujah carry basic food items donated by a NGO called Preemptive Love Coalition on June 20, 2016 in a camp in Khaldiyeh. / AFP PHOTO / HAIDAR MOHAMMED ALI UNITED NATIONS, June 21 (Xinhua) -- The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) on Tuesday said that 17.5 million U.S. dollars are urgently needed to meet the immediate needs of refugees fleeing Fallujah, a UN spokesman told reporters here. "It says that more than 85,000 people have fled Fallujah and the surrounding area since a government military offensive to retake the city from extremists began on 23 May," Stephane Dujarric, the UN spokesman, said at a daily news briefing here. "The funds are desperately needed to expand the number of camps and to provide urgently needed relief supplies for displaced people who have already endured months of deprivation and hardship without enough food or medicine," UNHCR Spokesperson Ariane Rummery said in another news briefing. "We also need funds to provide psycho-social and other support to this exhausted and deeply traumatized population." Of those fleeing Fallujah, about 60,000 fled over a period of just three days last week, on June 15-18, and thousands more could still be planning to leave the city, UN officials said. Fallujah is a city in the Iraqi province of Al Anbar, located roughly 69 kilometers west of the capital Baghdad on the Euphrates. Thousands of civilians are caught in the crossfire in and around Fallujah as Iraqi government forces and allied militias are trying to recapture the city. Iraqi government troops and allied militias have currently been fighting for months to reclaim key cities and towns in Anbar from Islamic State militants, who attempted to advance toward Baghdad after seizing most of Anbar province. Iraq is currently witnessing a wave of violence since the Islamic State controlled parts of Iraq's northern and western regions in June 2014. Displaced Iraqis who fled the government's operation against the Islamic State (IS) group in the city of Fallujah collect water bottles donated by a NGO called Preemptive Love Coalition amidst a dust storm on June 20, 2016 in a camp in Khaldiyeh. / AFP PHOTO / HAIDAR MOHAMMED ALI The Iraqi government has established a number of camps for the 60,000 people already displaced in Anbar, and in anticipation of movement from the Fallujah area. The United Nations warned that these facilities are overstretched, with little capacity to absorb more people. UNHCR and its partners have been providing tents and relief aid to displaced families in Amiriyat al Falluja, Al Khalidiya and Habbaniyah Tourist City -- all within 20 to 30 kilometers of Fallujah. But with last week's surge in arrivals the overcrowding is growing, the officials said, adding that two and sometimes three families have to share tents in many cases while others sleep in the open, without hygiene facilities. Rising temperatures, the absence of shade and insufficient clean drinking water are compounding an already desperate situation, they said. These escalating needs have pushed UNHCR funding into crisis levels. Almost half-way through the year, UNHCR has received only 21 percent of funds needed for Iraq and the surrounding region, said the officials. Displaced Iraqis who fled the government's operation against the Islamic State (IS) group in the city of Fallujah carry basic food items donated by a NGO called Preemptive Love Coalition on June 20, 2016 in a camp in Khaldiyeh. / AFP PHOTO / HAIDAR MOHAMMED ALI Only 127.7 million U.S. dollars were received against the projected needs of 584 million U.S. dollars in 2016, and UNHCR is exhausting available resources in Iraq to deal with the rapid developments in Fallujah, the officials said. On Monday, Stephen O'Brien, the UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and UN emergency relief coordinator, released 15 million U.S. dollars from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to provide urgent assistance for people affected by the recent fighting in Fallujah, Dujarric said. HARARE, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe on Tuesday told visiting Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Ming that Zimbabwe backed China on the South China Sea issue. "President Mugabe has made it clear that he supports the position of the Chinese side on the South China Sea," Zhang told reporters after the meeting. He said Zimbabwe is also firmly supporting China in settling the dispute through bilateral talks and peaceful negotiations. Since 2013, the Philippines has been headstrong in bringing its maritime dispute with China to an international tribunal. It filed a compulsory arbitration against China at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague with respect to the two sides' dispute. China maintains that the tribunal handling of the arbitration proceedings has no jurisdiction over the case, which is in essence about territorial sovereignty and maritime delimitation. Territorial issues are beyond the scope of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and China has excluded maritime delimitation from compulsory arbitration in a declaration it made in 2006 in accordance with Article 298 of UNCLOS. China, therefore, has made it clear it will not accept or get involved in those proceedings. "The so-called South China Sea issue is an issue between China and littoral countries of the South China Sea," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said earlier this month, adding that China has opposed the internationalization of the South China Sea issue from the very beginning. According to China's foreign ministry, by mid-June this year, some 60 countries have announced their approval of China's stance. Dr Zheng Guoguang introduced the progress of the aid project. (Source: CMA.GOV.CN/Hu Xiaoping) On June 17 the local time, China Meteorological Administration (CMA), along with World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Secretariat held a press conference on meteorological aid project in Geneva. Dr Zheng Guoguang from CMA; Mr Ma Zhaoxu, Permanent Representative of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG); Mr David Grimes, President of WMO; Mr Petteri Taalas, Secretary-General of WMO; Permanent Representatives to UNOG from several recipient countries like Kenya and Sudan; And executive members attending the 68th session of WMO Executive Council were present at the press conference. At the press conference, Mr Ma Zhaoxu extended welcome to all representatives. Dr. Zheng Guoguang reported on the progress and operation of the aid project undertaken by CMA in the spirit of the Fifth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in July, 2012. Dr. David Grimes, and Amos MAKARAU, President of WMO African Regional Association, delivered speeches at the conference and extended their congratulations and gratitude to the implementation of the aid project. During the press conference, representatives watched the introduction video of the aid project. Under the guidance of the Ministry of Commerce (MOC), since 2013, CMA has invited representatives from African countries to visit China in order to get access to their respective conditions and requirements. On the basis of communication with WMO Secretariat, the WMO African Regional Association, relevant African countries as well as field survey, the Comoros, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Namibia, DRC, Cameroon and Sudan were finalized as the recipient countries. The aid project aims to enhance the capabilities of meteorological disasters monitoring, forecasting, early-warning and service. It also covers areas such as weather observation, information network and data processing, and weather information release and service. By the mid-June, 2016, the installation, commissioning and training related to the Comoros project have been successfully completed. The project was delivered at a handover ceremony in Moroni, the capital of Comoros. Observational data stemmed from the Comoros project have entered the local forecast system, and become both regionally and globally accessible through the GTS system. The Zimbabwe project has completed the installation and commissioning of automatic weather station, FY-3 meteorological satellite data receiving and processing system, meteorological early-warning radio control system, meteorological early warning radio, and standard virtual meteorological TV studio, and associated training activities. Preparation work like equipment production has been completed for the aid project in other countries. The implementation work will be launched at the second half of this year. The entire meteorological aid project in all seven recipient countries will be completed by the end of 2016. The aid project in Africa will enhance the capabilities of recipient countries in terms of weather disasters monitoring, forecasting, early-warning, and service and also symbolize Chinas contribution to the global meteorological cause. (Source: www.cma.gov.cn) YADONG, June 20, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Indian nationals wait in a queue at a certificate office of public security bureau of Yadong County, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 20, 2016. The first batch of 42 Indian pilgrims on Monday morning began a 12-day trip along a mountain pass linking India's Sikkim State to the sacred Mount Kangrinboqe and Mapam Yumco Lake in Ngari Prefecture, Tibet, marking the start of this year's pilgrimage. On June 22, 2015, China opened a new route along the Himalayan Nathu La Pass for pilgrims from India traveling to Tibet, to further promote religious exchanges between the two countries. A total of 240 Indian pilgrims entered Tibet through Nathu La Pass last year. (Xinhua/Liu Dongjun) NEW YORK, June 20, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Enthusiasts participate in a yoga class during the 14th Annual Solstice in Times Square event in New York, the United States, June 20, 2016. Thousands of yoga enthusiasts participated in the yoga class in Times Square to celebrate the summer solstice here on Monday. (Xinhua/Li Changxiang) Ex-cop held with gun, ammo The PoS CID investigators went to the southern city after receiving information about the activities of the ex-cop. The team, led by acting Superintendent Ajit Persad, along with Sgt Joseph Corraspie and Sgt Brian Nixon, executed a search warrant at the retired policemans home in Pleasantville where they reportedly found a gun and ammunition. The ex-cop did not have a valid permit for the gun and was taken into custody. The gun will be sent to the Forensic Science Centre in St James for ballistic experts to determine if it was used in any recent crimes. Also, while on executing the warrant the PoS CID team also acted on separate information about illegal immigrants in the same area in Pleasantville, among them a 46-year-old Venezuelan woman. The detained the woman and three Jamaicans. The Venezuelan woman and one Jamaican man were held for overstaying their time in the country while another Jamaican man and woman were arrested for not having a work permit. Up until yesterday the five were still in custody and charges were expected to be laid. PH driver fleeces pensioner of $27,000 Fitzpatrick James, 75, of North Manzanilla yesterday praised Eastern Division police after the suspect was nabbed at his home on Sunday. James got the shock of his life on March 29 when he went to his bank in Sangre Grande and discovered $27,000 had been withdrawn from his account. He had last checked his account on March 10 and all his savings were in tact. He made a report to Sangre Grande police, and officers requested surveillance footage from the bank which investigators received recently. The video showed the taxi driver, whom they suspected making withdrawals the bank within the period in March when it was believed the pensioners money was withdrawn. Sangre Grande CID led by Inspector Ken Lutchman, Cpl Shaheed Khan, WPC Nikeisha Linton, PCs Harris, Joseph, Henry and Cielto were the team of investigators, and last Sunday, at about 1 am, they went to the 40-year-old suspects home in south Manzanilla and detained him. The pensioner told police because of his poor memory he had written his PIN on a piece of paper which he attached to his bank card. He believed he may have accidentally dropped the bank card in the suspects taxi. It is claimed that the taxi driver found the card and seized the opportunity to withdraw the pensioners money on separate occasions. The suspect was due to be charged yesterday for appearance before a Sangre Grande magistrate today. Yesterday, the victim praised police for seeking justice on his behalf. The arrest of the suspect was under the supervision of Assistant Commissioner of Police Surujdean Persad who also commended the investigators. Girl injured by speeding car The name and age of the girl has not yet been released to the media, but Newsday understands that, at about 8.30 am yesterday, the girl and her family were attempting to cross the Eastern Main Road in Laventille when a brown Nissan B 14, heading west, overtook a vehicle which had stopped to allow the family to cross. As the girl was crossing the car smashed into her, throwing her several feet into the air. The child fell several feet from the point of impact. Police officers on patrol saw the accident and responded immediately. They rushed the girl to hospital to be treated for her injuries and she remained warded in a serious condition. The driver of the vehicle was detained and questioned. Fantastic Bitter Cassava Nevertheless, I went to the Little Carib Theatre in Woodbrook last Thursday night anyway to take in Bitter Cassava, an internationally- acclaimed play, written and directed by Dr Lester Efebo Wilkinson. As the band comprising Marva Newton (guitar), Alisford Phillips (bass), Girma Daniel (flute) and Louis Mc Williams (drums) played its opening number, I was put in a mood of questionable expectations. Then came the first scene with Sam William Blondell (Muhammad Muwakil), Pa Cefus (Darin Gibson) and the police (Gervon Abraham). What struck me was how realistic the acting was. I immediately got rapt up into the opening sequence of the story. By the time Justina (Tishanna Williams), Sams common-law wife came into the picture my emotions started running wild. Compounding the situation was the Chorus Of Villagers who sided with Sam against Justina. However, I couldnt ignore the fantastic voices and dance movements of the chorus group in their opening song. It was amazing. That chorus group featured Deon Baptiste (dance captain), Deborah Maitland (principal chantwell), Chantal Baptiste (chantwell), Cherysh La Touche, Shauntelle Jones, Karina Solomon, Dillon Thomas, Kelcee John, Britney Jones, Kerry Ann Julien, Nicole Carter, Amy Langaigne, Rayshawn Pierre, Triston Wallace, Dwayne White and Kerri Mc Neil. As the story continued unfolding, with Sam, a young man in a common-law relationship with Justina, who has three children with him, meets and falls in love with another woman from the city, Betty-Lou (Ruby Parris) and decides that Justina has to leave his house. And so, he chases her from his home. This scene produced more gut-wrenching feelings inside of me, when Sam eventually marries the new woman and humiliates Justina in the process. With feelings of hurt, disappointment and defeat, Justina commits suicide. My eyes became watery and I soon started wondering what was I doing at the play. However, before taking her life, Justina, the young mother of Sams three children, put a curse on Sam and his new household. The tragedy that follows his brutal betrayal of Justina, as told to the police by Pa Cefus, the narrator and the oldest man in the village, is full of pore-raising drama, excitement, relevant music and believe it or not, lots of humour. Mostly responsible for that humour are supporting actresses Kimmy Stoute-Robinson and Tafar Lewis and supporting actors Kurtis Gross and Wendell Ettienne, Papa Iban (Kurtis Gross) while Mavis John makes a special appearance as Mother Lucy. The singing, dancing, acting, music and engaging plot all the way through to its final tragic closing where Justina eventually gets her sweet revenge, made for a wonderful experience of Bitter Cassava. It epitomised the saying: Hell hath no fury like a woman wronged. I was truly happy with my decision to go to what turned out to be a fantastic play. Speaking with Newsday after the performance Wilkinson said the entire cast was hand-picked, as were the musicians. He wrote the play back in 1979 to highlight the social ills of society, however, he said: It is no different today. What amazes me is how little we have moved over the years. It is mind-boggling. He added that some women still fear men, men still ill treat women, children are still ignored and generally the talk is the same. In a message from Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, Minister of Community Development, Culture and the Arts, and patron of the production, she said Bitter Cassava speaks to the issue of the breakdown of the family unit and its role as the cornerstone of the community. As such, she stated that this strengthens the need for the work of our Community Mediation Services Division as the Ministry works to resolve conflicts in communities inclusive of domestic issues and parenting and counselling services 2 nabbed with bogus pension cheques, IDs The two men, ages 31 and 36, who are from Sangre Grande and Sangre Chiquito went to the Sangre Grande branch of Republic Branch, at about 1.50 pm, and attempted to encash three pension cheques, with values of $3,500 each, in the names of Selwyn Acres, Nestor Phillip and Sybil John. The men also had in their possession three ID cards bearing these three names and photographs which at first glance appeared to be authentic. However, the banks tellers became suspicious and alerted officers of the Sangre Grande Police Station. A party of officers led by Inspector Ken Lutchman, including PCs Ryan Sookdeo, Kishan Sankar, Aleem Hosein and WPC Kinda Clarke went to the bank and detained the two men. The suspects were taken to the police station and questioned and have remained in custody. Last Thursday, investigators went to the Ministry of Social Development and the Election and Boundaries Commission (EBC) in Port-of-Spain where officials at both State agencies determined the pension cheques and ID cards were bogus. Their records showed no registration for anyone named Selwyn Acres, Nestor Phillip and Sybil John. EBC and ministry officials were however concerned about how authentic the ID cards and cheques appeared to be, and have begun their own investigations to determine if any employee at their agencies with access to the preparation of official cards and cheques is involved. The EBC is also expected to conduct a detailed search of its records to determine if the persons pictured on the fake IDs are indeed registered but under different names. The Fraud Squad has been called in as officials from the EBC and ministry personnel are due to be meet to further discuss the development. Calls to the EBCs communications unit and Minister of Social Development Cherrie-Ann Crichlow- Cockburn for comment on the fraud case went unanswered yesterday. WPC Clarke yesterday laid charges for three fraud offences against the two men who are due to appear before a Sangre Grande magistrate today. Assistant Commissioner of Police Surujdean Persad, who is in charge of three police divisions (Eastern, Northern and Northern Eastern), yesterday said that within recent times officers have observed an increase in persons attempting to cash pension cheques using fraudulent documents. He added he has his team will continue to take action to stamp out this type of crime. A senior Fraud Squad officer also told Newsday yesterday there have been numerous reports recently to the bureau about the fraudulent use of ID cards and cheques. The source disclosed Northern Division police are currently investigating a case where two men were held trying to encash cheques reportedly issued by the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation at a bank in Arima. The men were released pending further inquires Govt to curb old chicken imports The revelation about the chicken parts were made on Friday last during a Joint Select Committee (JSC) on food fraud. In a telephone interview, Gopee-Scoon said the poultry industry was a very important one in this country. It employs 30,000 persons, more so, it is a meat item consumed by most. It is a major source of protein, any contaminated chicken or chicken that is over the age for human consumption would affect the health of our people, so it is a major health concern, she said. The minister disclosed that before the JSC meeting, Government had placed the standardisation of the poultry industry as a matter of priority. She explained that the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) of Caricom improved a standard for poultry in 2012 that this country never adopted. We really do have to move with speed towards doing it. What this means is that the Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards (TTBS) is working on implementing the standards and that will involve a number of ministries and agencies as chicken is far reaching. Chicken that is imported and exported and the whole process within TT from egg to live bird, Gopee-Scoon said. This process will involve the TTBS, Chemical, Food and Drugs Division of the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Consumer Affairs Division within the Ministry of Trade and the Environmental Management Authority. Gopee-Scoon said it was difficult to say when the standardisation will be implemented as it involves legislation and regulation. The Government sees this as an urgent one and we are accelerating all our efforts do it, but to do it thoroughly in the best interest of the population because it is a health issue, she said. Also yesterday, Chief Medical Officer Dr Akenath Misir, speaking on the report that consumers were being sold imported chicken unfit for human consumption, said the Health Ministry was not the one who gave permits to the people who imported the chicken. He said this was done by the Agriculture Ministry and the Health Ministry did not have a say in that matter. When the meat reaches the country and it is on the shelves, then Chemistry, Food and Drug Division (CFDD) can do something (which falls under the purview of the Health Ministry), but we do not give the permits to bring in the chicken, he said. Misir assured there were inspectors within the Health Inspectorate to conduct surveillance and test the quality and shelf life of the meats. He also confirmed the CFDD lab has been out of commission for about a year, but said the ministry was trying to get it up and running as quickly as they could. Boy, 15, drowns in river Haroun Gonsalves, a student of Toco Secondary School, was swimming with four friends, at about 12.30 pm, when he began struggling to stay afloat and went under water. His friends raised an alarm and a search was carried out but the exercise was hampered by heavy rainfall which triggered a rise in the river level by more than 30 feet, police reported yesterday. The Coast Guard was called in but Gonsalves was not found. The Coast Guard resumed their search yesterday and they found Gonsalves body stuck at the bottom of the river at about 10 am. Rains came, Debe floods Many residents report they were marooned in their homes and are today counting their losses. Some say the flooding over the long holiday weekend was the worst to hit their communities in years. There is no road. The road is now a river. It is one of the worst (floods),said Doonath Sieunarine, 58, of Chester Street, Debe. The frustrated residents said they were unable to leave their homes for long periods over the three-day weekend. It is really frustrating and this has been going on for a while, every time rain falls there is flood and then we have to clean slush and mud from inside and outside our homes, he explained. Sieunarine said he spent the entire Sunday night sweeping mud and slush from his premises and was forced to repeat the same process on Monday. It is like we are doing the same thing over and over whenever rain falls, we just have to brace ourselves to clean all this mud and slush, he said. Sieunarine said his washing machine was damaged. Water was coming in really fast and we tried to lift all the furniture and appliances to higher grounds, but the water damaged the washing machine, so this is just additional expenses for my family, he lamented. Sieunarine said he feared what would be the outcome when it rains again. We cant live like this, I dont know what is going to happen when rain falls again,he said. Flood waters rose to approximately three feet high in some areas yesterday. Grandfather of 11, Mohan Boodhai, told Newsday he had been living in the community for the past 66 years and the flooding over the past few days was the worst he had ever witnessed. Our entire house was surrounded by flood waters, we could not go outside for hours and had to wait until the water subside and then right after when rain fell it was the same thing again, he said. A frustrated Boodhai said residents were fed up of complaining. The water is stagnant with no where to flow because there is no proper drainage. How much longer will we continue to live like this?he asked. Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal, who represents the affected communities, yesterday said he visited the areas last week and spoke to residents. He said he is currently holding discussions with a private developer to construct drains on his land to allow the water to flow out. He hopes the situation would be resolved in a few days. Citizens not keeping homes clean This was confirmed yesterday by Chief Medical Officer Dr Akenath Misir, who said this was in part due to the unsanitary conditions created by citizens. In the past few months the Health Ministry, working together with regional corporations, has been cleaning empty lots, abandoned buildings and clearing drains in a bid to keep down the breeding of mosquitoes. The minister has been urging citizens to keep their surroundings clean to ensure mosquitoes did not have a place to breed. However, in some cases, according to chairman of the Tunapuna/ Piarco Regional Corporation, Edwin Gooding, one as recent as two weeks ago, no sooner had workers cleared one area of debris and garbage, they were faced with the same problem a couple of days later. The Health Minister had implemented certain measures to spread awareness not only about Zika, but all mosquito-borne viruses including dengue and yellow fever. We see the figure going up and one of the reasons was environmental uncleanliness, and now that the rainy season is upon us, we always expect a surge because of the water levels rising which is conducive to mosquitoes breeding, Misir told Newsday yesterday. He said the rising water levels compounded by unsanitary conditions contributed to the rise in mosquito breeding, and therefore a greater risk of contracting a mosquito- borne disease. Misir said while he did not have the actual figures on hand, the number of dengue and Chinkungunya (ChikV) cases were not as high when compared to previous years. Labour calls for changes to labour laws Delivering the opening salvo was Steel Workers Union of Trinidad and Tobago (SWUTT) president Christopher Henry, who, addressing hundreds of workers at Charlie King Junction, Fyzabad, observed loopholes in existing legislation, among them the Severance and Benefit Act, the Companys Act and the Industrial Relations Act, which allowed companies such as Indian steel giant, ArcelorMittal, to avoid paying one black cent to any of its 644 retrenched employees. Not even the workers deferred earnings, their pensions, will they be able to access not until the age of 60 because of rules and laws over our own money, over a billion dollars, he said before criticising the Pension Fund trustee, Republic Bank for telling the union they did not have a say on which insurance company will be given the portfolio to provide annuities and distribute our money. It was not until we sent them a strong message by protesting for one day only in front their headquarters was there an agreement by them to allow us a say in our own business, Henry said, adding, I beg to ask the question, how are we expected to take care of our families with no separation packages and no pension money? Simply they do not care, it is not their concern, that is why we have to protest. Labour must unite as never before to ensure that legislation is immediately amended and it must be done retroactively to ensure that all ArcelorMittal workers and other workers who were denied their severance payments, receive their just due and to ensure that this injustice will never happen again to another citizen of our twin-island State, Henry said. Also in a fighting mood was Amalgamated Workers Union (AMU), first vice president, Michael Prentiss, who, at first, thoroughly confused the crowd as he waved a yellow jersey saying the party represented, referring to the now Opposition United National Congress, should never again be voted into office before tearing off his unions trademark red union jersey to reveal a red Peoples National Movement (PNM) Diego Martin West jersey. Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley is the parliamentary representative for Diego Martin West. I want to send a message to the PNM and I want PNM people to remember this, when you was in your tabanca mood, workers in this country was running up and down and fighting the good fight to save this country, he said. We put up PNM in 1956 to 86, we put NAR, we get betrayed, 91 we vote back PNM, we vote back UNC, we vote Partnership which was the worst mistake we ever made in we life, and then we vote PNM and dont believe allyuh win it without labour. He then removed the PNM jersey to reveal a blue MSJ jersey saying, I want 30 local government seats for the MSJ in the Local Government Election. The crowd erupted with cheers, laughter and applause as the union leaders on the platform congratulated Prentiss on his speech. And not to be left out was Communications Workers Union (CWU) president general, Joseph Remy, who warned against the retrenchment of workers at the Tourism Development Corporation (TDC), saying the workers were not responsible for giving out contracts. We are now representing workers of the Tourism Development Corporation, and if you want to challenge the previous government for their corruption, challenge them, if you want to challenge the board, challenge them, but you see the workers that we represent, stay far from those workers, Remy said, adding, because those workers were never responsible for the myriad of contracts that were given out. Run down the contractors, run down the management, leave the workers alone, he said. Meanwhile, Trinidad United Farmers Association president, Shiraz Khan, who cited a report laid in Parliament by then Finance Minister Winston Dookeran who had stated taxes owed by businesspersons had amounted to $53 billion, which could be used to fund the nations deficit. This is a report from 2010 in the Parliament when Dookeran said that taxes owed to government by the business people amounted to 53 billion dollars. So we going on a road show to raise US$1 billion which is $6.5 billion and we not making sure that the businessmen pay their taxes in this country, Khan said. And tackling the issue of food security, Khan called for a resolution against the importation of foodstuff which was destroying the local agricultural sector. We have to pass a resolution to denounce the importation of food in this country, it is destroying the work of farmers in this country, and I want every one of you in your communities to invite the farmers to set up a farmers market in your community to protect your local farmer, Khan said. Earlier in the march, a small contingent of members of the Public Services Association (PSA) calling themselves Team Phoenix or the Real PSA Rebels unveiled a bobolee (replica) of PSA president Watson Duke. The members walked with the image from Avocat Junction to Charlie King Junction in Fyzabad where the rally took place. PSA, which represents the largest body of workers in the country, has split from the rest of the labour movement Stew: Britain helps boost TT services sector Cooperation in the education and energy sectors among British and local firms already exist and show the potential for expansion in other services, Stew observed in his feature address at the Trinidad and Tobago Coalition of Service Industries (TTCSI) annual general meeting at Hilton Trinidad, St Anns last Friday. I can safely claim that Britain and Trinidad and Tobago enjoy a strong partnership in the services sector, Stew remarked, according to a release from the TTCSI. In the example of the education sector, Stew referred to the offer of leadership and management courses by Britains City and Guilds at local training institutions such as the Kenson School of Production and Technology and Trinzuela College. The financial-related services also play a key role in the relationship, he noted, the TTCSI reported. As for the energy sector, TTCSI indicates Stew spoke of how British firms such as Stork Technical Services, Bibby Offshore, and Peterson Logistics have made long-standing investments in TT, reflecting the transfer of knowledge and skills, which led to significant local employment. Stew is reported to have observed that British and TT ties have built relationships beyond local borders, again citing an example of how British expertise helped Kenson and Hummingbird Helicopter Services connect with the Falkland Islands energy sector, which is still in its infancy. These links led to the export of services, translating into significant revenue and economic growth, Stew is quoted as saying. My team at the British High Commission is ready to build further on this. To support your organisation with training, guidance, expertise and experience in how to further develop the services sector here, Stew said, offering assistance to the TTCSI. As the second largest exporter of services in the world after the United States, Britain has had the biggest share of financial service exports by, some way, at 29 percent in recent years. As a result, Stew revealed it has also driven significant foreign direct investment with foreign companies investing over ?100 billion in Britain during the last nine years. Stew explained the strong growth and development of Britains service sector was brought about by technological and social developments, innovation and invention. TTCSI reports he said the service sector not only contributes to Britains stable economy, but is also making a strong contribution to a stable global economy. Invention and innovation would drive diversification into the services sector, Stew advised, noting however the process would take time.In her remarks, TTCSI president Angela Lee Loy acknowledged that the greater part of the population worked in the service sector. She said Central Bank data showed that in the first quarter of 2015, approximately 83 percent of all workers were employed in the services sector, with the majority in personal services, wholesale and retail trade (including restaurants and hotels) and construction services. She further said the main performer over the last four years was the financial sector, which grew by 30 percent and accounted for around 63 percent of the growth in services. Personal services also increased by 42 percent, accounting for nine percent of the growth in the services sector, she added, noting TT must take steps to develop the full potential of the sector. She said Government has begun its diversification thrust, but much more can be done, remarking, There is no better time than the present to create an enabling environment to encourage and attract sustainable investments, which would put the sector on the right path for growth and development. Deputy mayor helps PoS women This was also known as a Bill of Rights for Women and has been ratified by 189 states. Following a special meeting of CEDAW held in New York earlier this year, Permanand was tasked by the international body to develop a project in the capital city of Port-of-Spain, around the theme of the forum which was Sustainable Development and Womens Empowerment. Holding the view that having women work from home could help in the prevention of teenage pregnancies and gang membership, which she believed contributed to the societal ills which caused the breakdown of family life, Permanand developed a series of seminars for the women of Port-of-Spain entitled Empowering Urban Women. The deputy mayor believed that enabling women to run small or micro-businesses from their homes, with minimum overheads, could solve issues of unemployment while building family life. The first seminar took place in April where invitations were extended to all members of the Port-of-Spain council and other regional corporations, who in turn informed their residents of the special project, and the benefits to be gained. Representatives of First Citizens Bank, the credit union movement and the Ministry of Labour and Small and Micro Development offered advice and guidance on starting and managing a micro-business. The ministry outlined ways in which it could assist in empowering the women who would seriously like to embrace this concept of earning from home and securing a better family life. A second seminar was held earlier this month, and a third was scheduled to take place next month. And while the project has been geared toward women, Permanand has decided that she would also engage urban men between the ages of 17 to 25 as they, too, may be in need of guidance. Garcia: Past students, PTAs must help govt schools Denominational schools perform better because they have a very strong stakeholder association. These are the Old Boys and Old Girls, the past students, the alumni associations, where the past students have an interest in these schools. They assist the schools financially and with all other resources. We are trying our best to encourage our government schools to establish alumni associations. We want to ensure that in our schools there are strong Parent Teachers Associations (PTA) regardless of the name they want to call it, whether its a parent support group or whatever, but one that would give that support, Garcia said during a telephone interview yesterday. Garcia was responding to his speech he made last Saturday during the Education Ministrys 2015 SE A Recognition Ceremony held at the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts (SAPA), San Fernando where he said that the top 200 performing students at the SE A exam came from denominational schools. He said it was time for government primary schools to step up to the plate. Garcia also cited the environment where the students were taught played a major role in the way they learned. The environment that the denominational schools provide is a stimulating environment that is provided by the boards. I served as a principal at a denominational secondary school and I was accountable not only to the Ministry of Education, but also to the board of management. Every month, or at least twice a term, we had meetings with the board where I had to report to them on my tenure as principal, and therefore having to account to the board, it also gave me as a principal that extra stimulus to ensure that our students performed well. This is what I am trying to achieve in the government schools. Most of the resources from the State in terms of education are spent on the government schools and they have to step up to the plate, the minister said. Garcia said a large part of the problem facing government schools was a lack of parental support, which was something they depended on. He said in schools where there were existing PTAs, or where parents played an integral part in the lives and education of their children, those children excelled. My view has always been that every child has the ability to learn, some may learn at a faster rate, but every child has that ability. Once the child is given the necessary support, they will learn. The students must be given the encouragement and the motivation so that they could perform. And how can they be given that encouragement? A combination of the parents, teachers, members of the community, it must be a whole school approach, he said. Garcia said the ministry was looking to establish strong local school boards providing mainly persons from the community, and those with the requisite skills to assist the schools. I dont want to bash principals and teachers, but we have noticed that there are some areas of deficiencies in the leadership in some of these schools, and we are trying our best to strengthen the leadership. At the Education Ministry we have embarked on what is called school based management projects where we want to empower our principals and our managers so that they can effectively carry out their responsibilities, he said. Chambers seek more for Tobago Fishing, agro-processing, small manufacturing, we also need some management of the quarry that we have in Studley Park; that is a gold mine for Tobago but the management needs to be put in place. What is our niche in Tobago where tourism is concerned, we have no idea - is it eco, is it clean, safe and serene, is it turtle watching, what is it that we really and truly pushing to say this is our tourism product? Cruickshank asked. Todays Tobago budget for fiscal 2017 will be presented by Finance Secretary Joel Jack from 10 am at the Assembly Legislature in Scarborough. This will Jacks fourth presentation of the budgetary statement and his final before the 2017 Tobago House of Assembly election. Chairman of the Finance Committee of the Tobago Forwards, Anselm Richards does not expect the budget would bring forth anything new. In an interview with Newsday Tobago yesterday, Newsdays sister paper, Richards described the budget as another storytelling occasion. In Tobago, we dont need a budget statement, we need a statement of resurrection. We have had fifteen budgets from this administration, this is the sixteenth budget. And I have taken the time to revisit all those budgets, as a matter of fact they have also rehashed some of the themes and when you look at some of the programmes and projects, it is the same thing that they have been bringing forward over and over. From that kind of evidence, there is nothing to provide any great expectations as to what we should expect from the budget, he said. Richards said that over the years, the budget has been viewed as a kind of wish list arrangement. They ask for $5 million and all kinds of unreasonable sums and at the end of it, they are unable to properly account for it. I would want to see this administration, led by the honourable Orville London, since that this is likely to be the last budget presentation he would preside over as Chief Secretary, that he would find and gather and harness the strength to make a policy statement that they would commission a forensic audit of the THA, to deal with all those volumes of allegations of corruption and mismanagement of the peoples money over the last sixteen years and more so, the use of the unspent balances and the misuse of the contingency fund, he said. Richards said he was looking forward to the roll out of a comprehensive economic adjustment for the Tobago economy to deal with the fallout from the recession. We are now receiving our releases monthly, as opposed to en bloc, in advance and on a quarterly basis. and that places the THA in a position of financial exposure. This is critical because the Trinidad economy is down as we have now dipped into the Heritage and Stabilisation Fund. We need to know how we are going to diversify and manage the economy going forward in Tobago to deal with those levels of uncertainty and the impact it is expected to have on the lives of Tobagonians and our revenue guarantee, he said. He also stressed that attention must be paid to the islands internal security system. For president of the Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association, Chris James, Tobago must become a year round sustainable industry and get a greater share of the regional arrivals that will top 30 million this year. We presented our request to the Secretary of Finance on May 20t for this years budget proposal. This included the continued support for airlift whilst we rebuild the industry in Tobago plus funding for a continuous and sustained destination marketing in all our source markets, James said. He also noted the associations request for education programme explaining value and importance of tourism and its benefit to the Trinidad and Tobago economy as well as an agreed aspirational brand and logo that appeals to the widest possible audience. Of course, (there are) our continued requests for the airport upgrade completion and port improvements, a solution to the air and sea-bridge problems and an analysis of incentives for both domestic and FDI, he said. What you need to know about the Octagon Art Festival on Sunday in Ames news Left: Cover of The Economist. Right: Cover of The Spectator. [Photo/Agencies] British newspapers and magazines are divided over the European Union referendum questions, as the heavyweight Sunday papers expressed their views, joining a host of leading daily newspapers and magazines that weighed in with their take on Brexit in editorials published last week. Much like the opinion polls leading up to Thursday's historic vote, media outlets are split roughly down the middle as to whether Britain should remain in the European Union. Many publications came out with predictable stances given their respective political leanings and well-documented opinions on the EU, though there were some surprises. Both The Sunday Times and The Mail on Sunday ran contrary to their daily sister papers The Times and The Daily Mail respectively. Opposing sibling publication the Daily Mail's pro-Brexit stance, The Mail on Sunday came out in support of the Remain camp. "Britain would be compelled to stand and fight alone for its existence in a hard, globalised world where those who cannot survive on their wits quickly fall behind," the paper said in an editorial on Sunday. "The single-minded leaders of the Leave campaign contend that the issue is not, in the end, economic, but that they value independence so highly they are ready to pay any price for it." The Sunday Times meanwhile backed the Leave campaign, expressing concerns over sovereignty, security and the EU's sluggish economic recovery post-recession. "In the event of Brexit, Brussels may pursue a 'global security strategy,' perhaps including an EU army without a UK veto," the editorial read on Sunday. "We must keep out. It is NATO that guarantees our security." This view was at odds with associated publication The Times, which urged readers on Friday to vote "In" due to the "unknown and alarming consequences" a Brexit may entail. The Times and Sunday Times are owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, and the media magnate is reported to support Leave campaign. Times editor John Witherow's decision to run the editorial is alleged to have followed several heated staff meetings. On Tuesday last week The Sun, the paper with the widest print circulation in the UK that also falls under the News Corp umbrella, wrote that its support of Brexit was consistent with its "relentless" campaign "against the ever-expanding superstate." The Observer the Guardian's associated Sunday paper predictably threw itself behind the Remain vote, saying that the EU was a force for good "despite its many flaws." The Daily Telegraph, a consistent critic of the EU, is in favour of leaving and counts leading Brexiteer Boris Johnson amongst its regular columnists. Weekly magazine The Spectator ran a blistering critique of the European Union on Saturday, while The Economist and the The New Statesman both backed Remain, the latter stating that: "Almost all economists forecast that Britain would suffer an immediate shock, and reduced growth and living standards in the long term." Contact the reporter at angus@mail.chinadailyuk.com Obamas tantrum against Trump proves his anti-terror policies have failed as if the body count werent enough (Freedom.news) Post Orlando, the worst terrorist attack on American soil since 9/11, President Obama is right about one thing: Too many people have died. The thing is, he bears some responsibility for each and every one of those deaths. If youre thinking thats unfair, then ask yourself this: Do you think Obama, as a U.S. senator prior to becoming president, or any other Democrat currently holding office in Washington, D.C., would not be blaming any Republican president for these attacks, if the GOP had held the White House for the past seven-plus years? If you do, then youre fooling yourself; at one point most Democrats either blamed George W. Bush for the 9/11 attacks or thought he had prior knowledge of them. Talk about whack jobs. So the accusation is eminently fair. And accurate. After all, if Obama, as president, believes he can take credit for the good things he says he has accomplished, then he has to own up for bad policy as well. And boy, have his anti-terrorism policies been bad. His virtual open borders policies and his soft-shoe approach to fighting ISIS he should have long ago asked Congress for a declaration of war against the group because it has declared war on us have only exacerbated the terrorist threat to our country. And now presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald J. Trump is calling the president out over his failed policies, and Mr. Hope and Change doesnt like it, so he lashes out at Trump in a televised tantrum that demonstrates the failure of his policies like nothing else could. As noted by Michael Goodwin over at the New York Post: If it is true that the best defense is a good offense, President Obama should be celebrating in the end zone now. Obviously furious over criticism that his anti-terror policies are weak and that the Orlando slaughter proves it, he went on a televised tirade to let America know hes mad as hell and not going to take it anymore. He laid waste to a field of straw men, cable-TV pundits and the always-evil partisan rhetoric, by which he means anyone who disagrees with him. It was a striking display of personal anger and pent-up grievances and a total failure of leadership during a national crisis. It also, inadvertently, captured why Donald Trump was able to brawl his way to the GOP nomination. All his nice Republican rivals couldnt stir voters because they never knew how to rattle Obama the way Trump is doing. The president didnt mention Trump yesterday, but the whole speech was nothing but a desperate and incoherent reaction to Trumpism. Apparently, the way to get at No Drama Obama is to point out the obvious to actually say publicly what others in the sycophantic media and even in polite Republican circles dare not say, even though it needs to be said. For gods sake, ISIS and ISIS-inspired Islamic extremists are killing us on our own streets and in our places of business can we stop pretending they arent and talk openly about how current administration policies are obviously not working? Our freedom and our Constitution are at stake. But instead of reserving that uncharacteristic public display of anger for ISIS, our thin-skinned president directs it instead at Donald Trump. And why? Because he dared to place blame for the carnage precisely where it needs to be placed. Its not guns or political opponents who threaten our country, like Obama (and Hillary Clinton) would have you believe. Its an existential and easily identifiable outside threat Islamic extremism that uses terrorism to advance its geopolitical goals. Occasional air strikes coupled with open borders and whining about the Second Amendment is not a coherent strategy to protect the country. Trump knows that and is not afraid to say it aloud. Obamas tantrum and scores of dead and wounded Americans prove he has no honest rebuttal to the accusations. More: Freedom.news is part of the USA Features Media network. Check out our daily headlines here. Submit a correction >> Servers used to launch cyber attacks sell for as little as 6 bucks on the cybercrime market (Cyberwar.news) FRANKFURT (Reuters) A major underground marketplace acting like an eBay for criminals is selling access to more than 70,000 compromised servers allowing buyers to carry out widespread cyber-attacks around the world, security experts said on last week. Researchers at Kaspersky Lab, a global computer security firm based in Moscow, said the online forum appears to be run by a Russian speaking group. It offers access to hacked computers owned by governments, companies and universities in 173 countries, unbeknownst to the servers legitimate owners. Access goes for as little as $6 for a compromised server. Each comes pre-equipped with a variety of software to mount denial-of-service attacks on other networks, launch spam campaigns, illicitly manufacture bitcoin currency or compromise online or retail payment systems, the researchers said. Starting at $7, buyers can gain access to government servers in several countries, including interior and foreign ministries, commerce departments and several town halls, said Costin Raiu, director of Kasperskys research and analysis team. He said the market might also be used to exploit hundreds of millions of old, stolen email credentials reported in recent months to be circulating in the criminal underground. Stolen credentials are just one aspect of the cybercrime business, Raiu told Reuters in an interview. In reality, there is a lot more going on in the underground. These things are all interconnected. The marketplace goes by the name xDedic. Dedic is short for dedicated, a term used in Russian online forums for a computer under remote control of a hacker and available for use by other parties. XDedic connects sellers of compromised servers with criminal buyers. The markets owners take a 5 percent up-front fee on all money put into trading accounts, Raiu said. Kaspersky found the machines run remote desktop software widely used by network administrators to provide technical support for Microsoft Windows users. Access to servers with high capacity network connections may cost up to $15. Low prices, searchable feature lists that advertise attack capabilities, together with services to protect illicit users from becoming detected attract buyers from entry-level cybercriminals to state-sponsored espionage groups. An unnamed Internet service provider in Europe alerted Kaspersky to the existence of xDedic, Raiu said. High-profile targets include a U.S. aerospace firm, banks in the United States, Philippines, Kazakhstan, Jordan, Ghana, Cyprus, South Korea and Saudi Arabia, chemical firms in Singapore and Thailand and oil companies in China and the United Arab Emirates, Kaspersky found. Raiu declined to name the organizations. He said Kaspersky has notified national computer emergency response teams in several countries. Reporting By Eric Auchard; Editing by David Gregorio More: Cyberwar.news is part of the USA Features Media network. Check out our daily headlines here. Submit a correction >> White disgruntled Islam convert couple, not shocking as it is the go-to religion for the incarcerated A Muslim couple in Arkansas, who claimed months ago they were falsely accused of making terroristic threats, was arrested Thursday on suspicion of making terroristic threats. (Article by Jason Silverstein, republished from //www.nydailynews.com/news/national/arkansas-muslim-couple-arrested-alleged-series-threats-article-1.2679518) Alan and Daphne Crawford, of Fayetteville, were cuffed separately on the same day for an alleged streak of bizarre, violent threats against apparent strangers, police said. The FBI is now investigating the couple. The arrests on Thursday came six months after the couple earned brief national attention for claiming they faced discrimination in a local mall, only days after the San Bernardino terror attacks. Police said at the time the couple may have recently converted to Islam. Back then, the Crawfords claimed they were kicked out of a shopping center simply for being Muslims dressed in a thobe and hijab. But police said shoppers became suspicious after the couple threatened customers and appeared to be walking around filming the area. That was only the start of the couples crazed behavior, according to arrest affidavits obtained by KFSM. On May 24, while eating in a Prairie Grove diner, the couple became enraged for supposed bad service and unfair prices, the affidavit says. Alan Crawford, referring to their waitress, said, Only a Christian would treat them like that. On the way out, Daphne Crawford allegedly told the waitress: People like you are the reason we kill. After that confrontation, the Crawfords made several social media posts threatening violence and showing weapons, according to the affidavit. Daphne Crawford allegedly sent one woman pictures of Alan kneeling in Muslim garb, holding an apparent assault rifle, police said. The post said the husband was a former Navy SEAL who would show up at the womans house with an AK-47. Weeks later, on June 8, Alan Crawford began an argument with a car lot owner, when a vehicle he wanted to rent was damaged by a hail storm. Even though the lot owner offered a refund, Crawford allegedly threatened to murder him and asked a nearby woman for a gun, according to the affidavit. Police arrested the couple the next week. Both were charged with terroristic threatening and posted bond on Friday. The FBI Little Rock branch did not immediately return requests for comment. Read more at: //www.nydailynews.com/news/national/arkansas-muslim-couple-arrested-alleged-series-threats-article-1.2679518 Submit a correction >> Celebrations of International Yoga Day,2016 At Mumbai Port Trust - "Awaken Your Heart at Gateway of India" Mumbai, Tue, 21 Jun 2016 NI Wire The 21st June has been declared as The International Yoga Day by the Hon'b1e Prime Minister of India in the year 2015. Ever since, then, the entire world has joined hands in celebrating this day as The International Yoga Day". In keeping with the theme, Mumbai Port Trust has arranged a slew of programmes from 19 to 2 lst June 2016. The events are being arranged on this occasion at various locations viz., Gateway of India, Conference Hall at Vijay Deep, Ballard Estate, Welfare Centre at Nadkarni Park, Wadala for the benefit of port employees, port users as also general public who would like to participate. Mumbai Port Trust has been conducting Yoga classes for the benefit of its employees and their family members for more than two decades. Considering the rise in the cases of various stress related health issues like diabetis, hypertension, etc., it is very important to align the body, mind and soul. With a view to spread more awareness amongst the Mumbai Port Trust employees and also to general citizens of Mumbai, Mumbai Port Trust has successfully brought various institutes imparting yoga skills in Mumbai under one umbrella. This is an effort, first of its kind in the city and Mumbai Port has appealed to its employees and citizens to participate in large numbers to derive benefits from this unique event. Through these events Mumbai Port Trust is taking forward the Government of Indias vision to build awareness of YOCIA as a practice that brings about physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing of every individual. The programme is planned as per the protocol given by the Ministry of Ayush, Government of India. In the event at Gateway of India, being held from 7.00 a.m. to10.00 a.m. on 21st June 2016, Patanjali Yog Sutras compiled in about 2nd century AD (describing Yoga as a cessation of the activities of the mind) will be conducted. The method to get out of the mind and also to reach the stage of Dharana, Dhyana and ultimately Samadhi through the practice of Ashtanga Yog will be demonstrated by Patanjali Yog Samithi Mumbai at the Gateway of India. Bhastrika is a unique concept to cleanse the body, prana (breath), and elevate the soul to different level of consciousness. The event named Bhastrika by Ballard Pier was held near Green Gate/Tiger Gate, Ballard Pier between 10.00 a.m. and 2.OO p.m. on Sunday 19 June 2016 in association with Patanjali Yog Samiti, Heartfulness Institute, Satyanand Yog Centre and Yog Kala Upasana Foundation. Also a Upa Yoga session for employees of Mumbai Port Trust was conducted by Isha Foundation at Vijay Deep on 2O June 2016. Heartfulness Institute will also be organizing a meditation session on its unique form of meditation (Raja yoga) - supported by yogic transmission. By focusing on the heart the centre of our existence the practice teaches us to relax, meditate and reach our full potential as human beings. This extra-ordinary meditation technique will be demonstrated by none other than Shri Sanjay Bhatia, Chairman, Mumbai Port Trust, at the Gateway of India at 8. 15 a.m. on 2 lst June 20 16 at the same venue. The events on 21.06.20 16 will commence from 7.00 a.m. onwards at the Gateway of India. The citizens of Mumbai and its suburbs are invited to participate in these unique events to learn the techniques of harnessing their energies and directing the same to achieve ones goal and lead a stress-free life and Get Awakened at Gateway of India. Source: PIB PM Modi Joins As India Celebrates International Yoga Day New Delhi, Tue, 21 Jun 2016 NI Wire On the occassion of second International Yoga Day, thousands of people within and across the country celebrate by stretching and relaxing their mind and body through yoga exercises, alongside PM Narendra Modi leading the events in Chandigarh on tuesday morning. PM Modi believes Yoga carries the capability to unite people and hence, while addressing thousands of yoga enthusiasts participating in a mass yoga demonstration in Chandigarh, he urged everyone to embrace yoga and practise it everyday to achieve and sustain the peace within mind, body and soul. He also said, With zero budget, yoga provides health assurance and it does not discriminate between rich and poor. PM Modi led the Yoga celebrations with around 30,000 yoga enthusiasts in the Capitol Complex in Chandigarh earlier on tuesday morning. Despite the early thundershowers and raining, thousands of people managed to turn up in participating in the event. All the yoga enthusiasts began lining up, in their track suits or t-shirts and track pants, around 4 am. PM Modi addressed the crowd and told them to not just celebrate or practise yoga for a day, instead embrace it for their entire lives. He quoted the use of mobile phone in daily life and requested people to never forget to practise yoga as they never forget to use their mobile phones. He also went ahead to address the specially abled Yoga enthusiasts, present in the crowd, personally and shook hands with them as the emphasis for this years' event was to ensure participation from Divyangs, a nomenclature coined by the Modi government for specially disabled people. Modi clearly mentioned that Yoga is not some religious practise, instead it is a form of exercise that ensures the balance of peace and strength within the mind and body. 30,000 people were picked from a whole of 96,000 registrations done, from which 10,000 people each were picked from Haryana, Chandigarh, Punjab, which included school, college students, youth and elderly, specially abled people, security officials and Yoga activists. Those taking part in the event were being trained constantly from past 15 days. The area was completely secured and sealed off by paramilitary commandos and security agencies ahead of the event. Meanwhile, in Faridabad town of Haryana, Yoga Guru Ramdev started his event adjoining the National Capital on tuesday, which turned out to be record breaking. Other BJP Ministers and Modi's top cabinets were also seen practising and promoting Yoga in differents parts of the country. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh joined yoga enthusiasts in Lucknow despite of the heavy rainfall. Kiren Rijiju participated in his home state Itanagar while Education Minister Smriti Irani participated in an event in Bhopal. BJP President Amit Shah led an event in Faridabad as its chief guest. Around 173 Indian missions, across the world are organising mass Yoga demonstrations in order to spread awareness for the Second International Yoga Day. The event will also be observed by 191 of 193 members of the United Nation. The government has been promoting Yoga from the very beginning, calling it as ancient India wisdom. The International Yoga Day celebrations were started last year to encourage people to embrace yoga in their daily lives. And not just this, PM Modi announced national and international yoga awards to be awarded on forthcoming Yoga Days in regard to honour those who will work to make promote yoga practises. A multibillion-dollar high-speed rail deal between China and Russia is expected to be signed during Russian president Vladimir Putins visit to Beijing this week, when the two nations are expected to extend military cooperation. Chinas foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang announced on Monday the Putin would start his state visit on June 25. Up to 30 trade agreements could be signed. China has recently confirmed plans to provide a 400 billion-rouble (HK$48 billion) loan to build a high-speed railway between the Russian cities of Moscow and Kazan. In April, two Chinese state banks agreed to lend more than US$12 billion to develop a liquefied natural gas plant in the Russian Arctic, after more than a year of delays. Negotiations between the two sides were complicated by US sanctions against the projects majority shareholder Novatek, which is partly-owned by Putins close ally and Russian billionaire Gennady Timchenko. If implemented, the deal would make China the biggest consumer of Russian gas, importing 68 billion cubic metres annually. The railway deal is expected to be signed, and the first batch of the loan for the gas deal is expected to be agreed upon during Putins upcoming visit, said Alexander Gabuev, a senior associate and the chair of the Russia in the Asia-Pacific Programme at the Carnegie Moscow Centre. China is a large market for commodities [and] a source for capital, technology, and infrastructure. Russia has an abundance of mineral resources, which requires capital, technology, and infrastructure. Thats a natural match China will invest around 4.7 trillion yuan ($724 billion) in transport infrastructure projects over the next three years. The 2016-2018 plan from Chinas Ministry of Transport and National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) will see China push forward 303 key transportation projects including railways, highways, waterways, airports and urban rail. The investment plan would improve the countrys high-speed transport networks and inter-city links to meet the demands of Chinas wider economic and social development. The China led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has its war chest ready for action. Bank president Jin Liqun said on Tuesday that the bank has approved a $1.2 billion lending portfolio this year and will make those projects known on June 24. Early projects are expected in Pakistan and Indonesia is also high on the list. Developing the new Silk Road, if it works, could bring an economic prosperity to a vast and complex region often mired in poverty and religious violence. If it brings modernity, it opens the door for made in China technologies and brands that, for now, are largely closed due to lack of market depth along the Silk Road target nations. SOURCES Frobes, Reuters, South China Morning Post War is Boring makes a convincing and comprehensive case that expensive aircraft carriers and fourth and fifth generation planes are too expensive and vulnerable. A Russian firm that is reportedly selling a Club-K cruise missile concealable in shipping containers deployable on trucks, rail cars or merchant ships. China has around 100 fast missile boats primarily of the Hubei class with stealth catamaran hulls that carry eight anti-ship cruise missiles with current ranges of 160 nautical miles. A coordinated attack would also likely include aircraft and Sovremenny-class destroyers and, in the next decade, an estimated 7580 submarines both nuclear and diesel armed with torpedoes and some with wave skimming, supersonic anti-ship missiles supplied by or copied from advanced Russian models. China could produce 1,227 DF-21D ballistic anti-ship missiles for the cost of a single U.S. carrier. The range of the DF-21D anti-ship missile to be 1,5001,750 nautical miles and some speculate the range to be greater. The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will have an unrefueled combat radius of 730 nautical miles. The US fleet must be able to defend against a large number of incoming weapons approaching on evasive trajectories at greater than twice the speed of sound, while the attacker needs to only score a few hits. These new anti-ship missiles put U.S. forces on the wrong side of physics, the U.S. Naval War Colleges Andrew Erickson warned. Ballistic missiles are just the most recent challenge to carrier vulnerability. I would argue that you can put a ship out of action faster by putting a hole in the bottom [with a torpedo] than by putting a hole in the top [with a weapon like the DF-21], former U.S. Naval Operations chief Gary Roughhead said. This extends to diesel submarines. Although the number of simulated sinkings by ships of the Navy is officially unacknowledged, there are reports of around a dozen U.S. aircraft carriers being sunk in exercises with friendly countries including Canada, Denmark and Chile. Missile ranges and speeds will increase. Missiles will become more elusive and accurate and could be nuclear-tipped. Sensors will see further and more accurately, significantly reducing the fog of war. Surface ships, no matter where located, will be increasingly vulnerable. Supercavitating torpedoes such as the Russian Shkval already travel at 200 knots and can track ships for more than 1,000 kilometers. Above the surface, supersonic anti-ship missiles that currently travel at Mach 2 will be replaced by hypersonic missiles that will travel at Mach 5, and Mach 10 and Mach 25. Although TV viewers were in awe of images of precision weapons during Desert Storm, precision guided munitions had improved in effectiveness by 12 to 20 fold by the time of the second Iraq war. Those improvements will continue to be matched by increases in range accompanied, in some instances, by hypersonic speed. New passive and active methods including the use of VHF and UHF from other sources will make stealth increasingly elusive to achieve. Worryingly, Defense News has reported claims by Chinese sources that its DWL002 passive radar had already rendered the F-35 obsolete. New and very low-cost landing ships such as the USNS Montford Point and John Glenn can be built at about 1/25th to 1/30th the cost of a supercarrier and project advanced missiles, drones, helicopters, V-22 Ospreys or jump jets. Instead of an arsenal of 90 missiles on an existing Aegis craft, the new Afloat forward stage base ship Lewis B. Puller can hold 2,000 missiles at one-fourth the cost of an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. Afloat forward stage base ship Lewis B. Puller Railguns with over 5 megajoules per shot will take longer to develop because of the wear on the railgun. DARPA is making progress on coordinating swarms of drones Diesel submarines are ten times cheaper than nuclear submarines. Air independent propulsion can make the diesel submarine quieter and more deadly. The Naval technological breakthrough that is needed is to have submarines on the ocean bottom. Todays submarines are link blimps in the ocean. They float high over the sea floor. Dr Robert Ballard proposes submarines that hide on the ocean floor. Modern nuclear attack submarines like the American Seawolf class are estimated to have a test depth of 490 meters (1,600 ft), which would imply (see above) a collapse depth of 730 meters (2,400 ft). Each 10 metres (33 feet) of depth puts another atmosphere (1 bar, 14.7 psi, 100 kPa) of pressure on the hull, so at 300 metres (1,000 feet), the hull is withstanding thirty atmospheres (30 bar, 441 psi, 3,000 kPa) of water pressure. World War II German U-boats generally had collapse depths in the range of 200 to 280 metres (660 to 920 feet). The average ocean depth is 2.65 miles (14,000 feet). In 1984, Dr Robert Ballard demonstrated the ability to operate on the ocean floor during a two-week exploration near Icelands Reykjanes Ridge. He took the Navys deep-sea research submarine, the NR-1, down 3,000 feet and drove it around volcanic peaks; he even hid in the occasional lava tube. At the time, the NR-1 was the Navys largest deep-sea research submarine and its smallest nuclear sub. At a length of 150 feet and 400 tons, it could support a crew of 13 for up to a month. But most importantly, the NR-1 had retractable wheels and portals. The wheels allowed the NR-1 to roll along the seafloor. The portals allowed the sub drivers to see where the hell they were going. In a complex, jumbled terrain with rocks, mountains, and canyons, the sound waves get so jumbled up that its impossible to make any sense of the sounds that come back. Navies also use very sensitive magnetic detectors to locate the giant, metallic mass of the submarine as it moves underwater. But this method is less effective in some kinds of seafloor terrain. For example, near basaltic rocks, which interfere with even simple compasses and create downright havoc with sensitive magnetic sub-hunting gear. Between the jumbled sonar and the magnetic interference of the ocean floor, it can be very hard to find something hiding in the seafloor terrain. Ballard illustrated this point clearly when he dared the Navy to find him while he was tooling around on the Reykjanes Ridge in the NR-1. Two weeks of searching later, the Navy had no clue where he was. SOURCES Vice, Wikipedia, Ocean Service NOAA, War is Boring, DARPA The researcher hired by Toyota Motor Corp. to spearhead its robotics and artificial intelligence efforts says the automakers production principles can be applied to build affordable helper robots for rapidly aging societies. Robot makers are struggling with the same scale challenges that the auto industry overcame with the miracle that occurred when Henry Ford developed the assembly line, according to Gill Pratt, the chief executive officer of Toyota Research Institute. Toyotas vaunted production system later showed how to make cars both more cheaply and reliably, despite mistake-prone humans role in manufacturing, he said. My thought is, if the Toyota production system can be applied to cars, maybe it can also be applied to robots, because theyre quite similar, Pratt told reporters Friday in Tokyo. Hes particularly sanguine about the prospects for devices that would help the elderly age where they live. The car of the future and the robot of the future in the home are both essentially doing the same thing, he said. Toyota had been delving into robotic applications beyond cars before President Akio Toyoda hired Pratt last year to run a research institute that it will fund with $1 billion over five years. The interests are in keeping with a push by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for a robot revolution in Japan, with a target to more than quadruple the nations robotics industry sales to 2.4 trillion ($23 billion) by 2020. Toyota has been working on a motorized wheelchair that scales stairs, a wearable that guides the blind, a helper device that retrieves objects for the bedridden, and trainers for patients rehabilitating the ability to walk and stay balanced. The worlds largest automaker is forging ahead in robotics as Google, the technology giant and a challenger in the race to develop driverless cars, shows signs of pulling back. Googles parent Alphabet Inc. has put Boston Dynamics up for sale after concluding it isnt likely to produce a marketable product within the next few years, Bloomberg News reported in March. Toyota Research Institute is among the potential buyers, a person familiar with the matter said. SOURCE- Japan Times, Toyota The $5 billion widening of the Panama Canal will be inaugurated on June 26th when the first vessel officially sails through. Over 960 million cubic meters of cargo passed through the canal in 2015, a new record and an amount that Francisco Miguez of the ACP calls the maximum we could do in the existing locks. The expansion increases capacity to 1.7 billion cubic meters. The biggest container ships that could use the old canal, known as Panamaxes, can carry around 5,000 TEUs (20-foot equivalent units, or a standard shipping container). Neo-Panamaxes that will squeeze through the new locks can carry around 13,000 TEUs. The worlds largest ships have space for nearly 20,000 TEUs, the majority of the global fleet will now fit through the canal. The expansion will not only fill the coffers of the ACP and the Panamanian government. It will also change how freight moves around the world. Traffic could divert from the Suez Canal. Larger vessels, which currently ply that route between Asia and Americas east coast, now have the option of going through Panama. Americas east-coast ports should get busier. In the past, many containers heading from Asia to the eastern seaboard would arrive at west-coast ports, such as Los Angeles and Long Beach Vessels carrying liquefied natural gas from Americas shale beds will be able to pass through the locks for the first time, heading to Asia. They are expected to account for 20% of cargo by volume by 2020. East-coast ports are preparing for the windfall, says Mika Vehvilainen of Cargotec, a maker of cargo-handling equipment. Ports in Baltimore, Charleston, Miami, New York and Savannah are updating facilities to accommodate the Neo-Panamaxes. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey plans to spend $2.7 billion on enlarging its terminals and shipping lanes, and a further $1.3 billion to raise a bridge by 20 metres. Shipping lines costs will also fall, in part through economies of scale but also because ports are automating facilities at the same time as preparing them for Neo-Panamaxes SOURCE- Economist This allowed fellow Democrats, like his CT counterpart, Sen. Even as Trump's position would place him in direct opposition to many congressional Republicans, there were signs of potential movement that could ultimately break a years-long log jam on Capitol Hill. Vulnerable senators in swing states are trying to be careful not to offend gun owners and have been reluctant to side with Democrats. If any of the measures is able to gain enough support that could drag out the Senate's debate. Democratic Minority Leader Harry Reid told Politico: "Republicans must join us for those measures to pass. But that won't happen if the Republicans continue to take their orders - and I mean orders - from the National Rifle Association and Gun Owners of America". "We can ban Rambo-style assault weapons". Patrick Toomey, a Republican in a tough re-election race this year who has sought compromise in the past on gun control measures. After a gunman opened fire on revellers at the Pulse nightclub in Florida this week, people are calling for tighter gun control. The filibuster generated an estimated 530,000 tweets before midnight. It's still unclear after U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Sen. Murphy spent much of the time speaking about the shooting at Newtown, Connecticut's Sandy Hook Elementary School in December 2012. Lawmakers, for example, rejected Feinstein's proposal in a 45-54 vote at the time. The chances of passage for either are slim. Tourists and staff filled the galleries past midnight, and Democratic Sens. The Democratic legislation would allow the attorney general to ban gun sales to suspected terrorists, including those on watch lists, if there is "reasonable belief" the weapons may be used to carry out an attack. "We should be focused on terrorism and stopping ISIS", Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said in an interview Thursday. Senate Democrats ended their filibuster after Republican Party leaders agreed to allow votes on two proposed gun control measures. Dianne Feinstein, that would deny sales of firearms to persons on a government suspected terrorist list. Democrats argue that this would overburden Justice. The Senate will vote on four proposals on Monday. "They've changed the dynamic of this whole issue", said Diaz, an author and expert on terrorism and the gun industry. Gun rights groups questioned how effective the two proposals would be. He found plenty of Republican support. Sen. They prefer restricting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens to actually targeting the bad guys. This is not a gun control issue. "He believes that the solution should block terrorists from buying guns, help authorities pursue terror suspects who try, and protect law abiding gun owners", said a Young spokesperson. With US Democrats demanding action Wednesday to reduce violence following the Orlando massacre, Republican Donald Trump signaled openness to legislation preventing terror suspects from purchasing firearms, a flicker of bipartisanship in a toxic presidential campaign. Chris Murphy succeeded in winning a pledge to hold votes on expanded gun background and "no-fly, no-gun" legislation. Murphy said he opposes Cornyn's alternative, which would give the Justice Department a 72-hour timeline to go through the court system to bar a gun sale. "That's not how you stop terrorism". Lam said he was detained October 24 after he crossed into the neighboring mainland city of Shenzhen, blindfolded and taken by train to another city, where he was confined to a small room for months and interrogated about the publishing company's authors and customers. Later, Lam said he was told that his acts of buying and selling books banned in mainland China were illegal and that he faced prosecution. Also we are attaching great importance to protecting and safeguarding the freedom and safety of Hong Kong citizens as well. Lam is the fourth to be released back to Hong Kong, while one, Gui Minhai, remains in detention. One pro-democracy lawmaker said Chinese authorities were acting like "thugs" and accused the Hong Kong government of being a puppet of Beijing. China has refused to be drawn on Lam's accusations, saying only that it is entitled to pursue the case as he broke mainland laws. The Hong Kong government issued a statement Thursday chiding the mainland over the bookseller case. All five of the booksellers were involved with publisher Mighty Current and its shop Causeway Bay Books, which sold gossipy titles about China's elite. Two other booksellers - Lui Bo and Cheung Chi-ping - returned to Hong Kong in March to close their missing-persons cases, but neither have disclosed details about their disappearance. He said he was interrogated about the identities of the publishing company's authors, but he couldn't tell them because he didn't know. Asked if he was anxious he would be taken away to the mainland from Hong Kong like Lee had been and if he intends to ask for police protection, Lam said no to both questions. The 61-year-old revealed he was picked up at the border near Shenzhen, before being blindfolded, handcuffed and taken by train to the port city of Ningbo 1400km away. Lam said he had only been allowed back into Hong Kong to collect a list of his bookstore's Chinese customers and was expected to return to the mainland - something he now does not intend to do. Mr Lam is the only bookseller to have spoken openly and said the case had "violated the rights of Hong Kong people". But Lam said he would never return to China. "We now have confirmation of what we always suspected: We are all vulnerable to arbitrary arrest by Mainland operatives, even in Hong Kong, and we can not expect any help or protection from our own local authorities". "He [Lam Wing Kee] has exposed what many have suspected all along: that this was a concerted operation by the Chinese authorities to go after the booksellers". "This is not just my personal matter or Causeway Bay Books, this is about the human rights of Hong Kong people", he said, stating it was a blatant disregard of the "One Country, Two Systems" principle. Oscar Lai, a member of pro-democracy group Demosisto, throws a newspaper reporting Hong Kong bookseller Lam Wing-Kee toward the Chinese central government's liaison office in Hong Kong, Friday, June 17, 2016. And he said he hoped the Chinese government would not "mistreat my friends because of what I've done". He says he does not want to hand over the records and made a decision to speak out instead. But I didn't tell him how I returned to the mainland. "Lam Wing-kee's fearless statements about his kidnapping and illegal detention yesterday have finally confirmed what we all suspected had really happened to the "missing" Causeway Bay booksellers", she said. The disappearance in December of the fifth publisher - British passport holder Lee Bo - sparked worldwide outcry as it appeared highly likely that he was taken by Chinese agents who were operating in Hong Kong. Iranian state TV says the country's intelligence agents have disrupted "the biggest terrorist plot" ever to target Tehran. Terrorists were arrested, bombs were detonated and equipment was seized, IRNA said. Takfiris is a derogatory term in both Arab and Farsi referring to Muslims who accuse others of being "nonbelievers". Sunni militants Islamic State (ISIS) group is often referred to as "takfiris" by Iranian authorities. The Islamic State is a Sunni group that Iran is helping to defeat in both Iraq and Syria. Stay on topic - This helps keep the thread focused on the discussion at hand. The relationship between Iran and Saudi Arabia has been strained since the Saudi's executed a Prominent Shite cleric at the beginning of this year in January. Iran has warned of possible militant assaults targeting the country, which hasn't seen large-scale attacks since the 1980s. Due to people's participation in establishment of security and the blood of martyrs, Iran is safer than European states, Iranian senior security official said on Sunday. The suicide bombings in Tehran and other cities were planned to take place during Ramzan, he added. Attacks in Saudi Arabia followed the execution and the Saudi's ultimately cut all official diplomatic relations with Iran. "A series of bomb attacks prepared in various areas deep inside the country and especially in Tehran and some other provinces. were foiled, the terrorists were arrested and a number of ready-made bombs were recovered", it said. The elite Revolutionary Guards killed 12 Kurdish rebels in fighting near the Iraqi border on Wednesday that also left three members of the Guards dead. The Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan said Kurds killed more than 12 Guard members, including a colonel. A news anchor on Iran's state television station read from a statement based on information provided by Iran's intelligence Ministry. Sushma Swaraj said the foreign outreach had helped India enlist assistance of global players like the US, France, Germany and England in flagship schemes like "Smart Cities". She also said that India's Foreign Secretary Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, had visited Beijing on June 16 and 17 for bilateral talks during which "all issues, including NSG membership" were discussed. Ties with the U.S. are probably at their closest today, she said, expressing happiness that the United States of America had designated India as a major defence partner. Sharma said in 2008 July, India and the usa had agreed to enter into civil nuclear cooperation and as a result the two countries had signed the "123 Agreement". India enjoys most of the benefits of membership under a 2008 exemption to NSG rules granted to support its nuclear cooperation deal with Washington, though the country has never signed the treaty. She was confident China would eventually back India, quite possibly when the issue comes up for discussion at the NSG's plenary meeting in Seoul on June 23. The NSG plenary meeting in Seoul, Republic of Korea, on June 23 and 24 will discuss India's application to enter the NSG. Stating that China is talking only about the criteria and procedures to be adopted for membership of the elite 48-nation atomic trading bloc, Swaraj said India was hopeful it will be able to convince China to give its backing. On Sunday, Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj expressed considerable optimism saying that China was not against India's bid but only objected to 'procedures'. "We hope to become a member of the NSG by year-end". The NSG works on unanimity and even one "no" vote can scuttle India's bid. Pakistan submitted its membership application on May 19, a week after India, which applied on May 12. "Well, as you know, during Prime Minister Modi's visit, the President (Barack Obama) welcomed India's application to join the NSG and reaffirmed that India is ready for membership". The security czar said Premier Nawaz's relations with any world leader were above his personal relations, and Sushma should not try to portray Nawaz-Modi relations as personal. Masih, who had managed to flee from captivity of the IS, claimed all the 39 Indians had been killed. He, however, cautioned the media not to indulge in "needless speculation" about India's membership and await "factual developments" of the coming days. To a query, Mrs Swaraj said, she did not have any proof of their killing than the statement of Harjit Masih. Not Found The requested URL was not found on this server. Apache Server Port 80 Lam Wing-Kee's comments at a packed news conference were the first detailed account of what happened to the men, who were associated with a publisher of gossipy books on China's Communist leadership that are banned on the mainland. The question is, as the head of Hong Kong, will he [continue to] defend Hong Kong's autonomy... Lam said he didn't seek help from the Hong Kong government due to their pro-mainland attitude in recent years. He narrated his eight-month-long mental torture and that he was blindfolded and handcuffed by a special task force while crossing the border to Shenzhen in October. Hong Kong's acting leader, John Tsang, once again reiterated that it was illegal for any outside authorities to enforce laws in Hong Kong, but stopped short of saying what follow-up steps his government would take. Lam is one of five booksellers who published salacious titles about leading Chinese politicians and disappeared at the end of 2015 in a case that drew worldwide condemnation and heightened the fear that Beijing was tightening its grip on Hong Kong. The disappearance of the booksellers drew global attention, with the British government saying it believed that Lee Po had been taken to China under duress. A pro-democracy protester holds the newspaper with picture of Hong Kong bookseller Lam Wing-Kee outside the Chinese central government's liaison office in Hong Kong, Friday, June 17, 2016. Hong Kong retains rule of law and civil liberties such as freedom of speech unseen on the mainland under its status as a special Chinese administrative region that runs until 2047. He has exposed what many have suspected all along: "that this was a concerted operation by the Chinese authorities to go after the booksellers". "I don't feel scared because there are so many people here", said Mr Lam, surrounded by more than 1,000 supporters who had gathered in Hong Kong to protest against his detention and to demand answers from the city's authorities over the booksellers' case. He was taken to a police station and held in a cell overnight. The next morning he was taken by train to Ningbo, a city to the north in China's Zhejiang Province. They said China has violated the semi-autonomous system under which the city is ruled. A succession of political groups protested outside China's liaison office in Hong Kong Friday. Ip Kwok-him, a pro-Beijing member of Hong Kong's legislative council, opposed calls for further investigation, claiming that Lam's return has brought the matter to rest. The two, Cheung Chi-ping and Lui Por, told Sing Tao Daily that Lam was lying. "I felt helpless. I didn't know what they would do to me". In a surprise interview Lam Wing-kee broke his silence Thursday over how he had been detained on a visit to China and was interrogated for months with no access to a lawyer or his family. Lam said his interrogators were particularly interested in details about the writers behind two of the company's books. The Swedish embassy in Beijing said Friday that repeated requests for a meeting with Gui had not been granted since they last saw him in February. "The information surrounding the disappearances of Gui Minhai's colleagues, including recent developments, is alarming", said an embassy spokesperson who was not authorized to be named. However, Lam said he had resolved not to help the Chinese authorities, and chose to go public with his experiences because he felt the case "implicates the whole of Hong Kong society". During his time in detention, Lam never came into contact with the others. At a Thursday press conference, Lam revealed he had a girlfriend on the mainland and suggested he had no choice but to sacrifice the couple's relationship to tell Hong Kong of his terrifying ordeal. After a year when more than a million people arrived on European shores, UNHCR said Monday World Refugee Day that continued conflicts and persecution in places like Syria and Afghanistan fueled a almost 10-percent increase in the total number of refugees and internally displaced people in 2015. "Greece should not be left alone to address this challenge", the United Nations chief said after a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, adding, "We must work together to protect people and address the causes of displacement". Around one-third of those are refugees, while the rest are internally displaced or asylum-seekers. We are now at 65 million people. More than half of all refugees came from three countries: Syria, Afghanistan and Somalia, and more than half of all displaced people were children, UNCHR said. The current number of refugees and those displaced is the "highest since the aftermath of World War II". Palestinians are the largest group of refugees at more than five million, including those who fled at the creation of Israel in 1948 and their descendants. "More people are being displaced by war and persecution and that's worrying in itself, but the factors that endanger refugees are multiplying too". Troublingly, 51% of the world's refugees were children, the United Nations said. In particular, the Least Developed Countries - those least able to meet the development needs of their own citizens, let alone the humanitarian needs often associated with refugee crises - provided asylum to over 4 million refugees. Grandi said that it was imperative for governments to look for more humane and dignified means of ensuring that refugees no longer expose themselves to movement risks during conflicts. SA also has the highest number of pending asylum applications of any country, with the majority of asylum-seekers coming from Sub-Saharan Africa. For decades Afghanistan was the biggest country of origin, and although it has been recently overtaken by Syria, it still has 2.7m refugees. The Geneva-based agency urged leaders from Europe and elsewhere to do more to end the wars that are fanning the exodus of people from their homelands. 24 people a minute were forced to flee their homes in 2015. And there are 21.3 million refugees. Zimbabweans now make up the majority of asylum applications for SA, followed by Ethiopia (9 300), Nigeria (6 600), and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (6 400). The Asia and Pacific region accounted for nearly a sixth of the world's refugees and internally displaced people in 2015, making it the third largest region for displacement overall. This chart depicts the number of refugees and displaced people in the world for the past 20 years. Myanmar was the region's second largest producer of both refugees and internally displaced people (451,800 and 451,000 respectively). Pakistan (1.5 million) and Islamic Republic of Iran (979,000) remain among the world's leading refugee hosting countries. 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. Click the photo to write a caption and have a chance to win a free subscription to the Norfolk Daily News. EgyptAir announced Monday families of the 66 people who died in the crash of its Flight MS804 will receive each an advance compensation of $25,000, before insurance companies release the rest of the compensation. The victims relatives will be able to receive the compensation once a certificate of inheritor has been established, Satwat Mussallam, Head of the Egyptian national carrier, told media. Additional compensation will be offered to the families of the victims once the company sorts out details with various insurance companies as investigations into the crash of the aircraft unfold, Mussallam said at a press conference. EgyptAir Flight MS804 disappeared from radar on June 19 on its way to Cairo after flying from Paris. It crashed into the Mediterranean after entering 16 km into the Egyptian air space and reportedly 40 minutes from landing. Investigators are still trying to pin down the cause of the crash. The investigation committee confirmed recovery of the two black boxes, which will help solve the puzzle of the tragedy. Hands off. Photo: J.D. Pooley/Getty Images Earlier this month, Hillary Clinton gave a major speech on why entrusting Americas nuclear stockpile to an ill-tempered ignoramus would be a poor decision. On Tuesday, the Democratic nominee gave another high-profile address that argued that giving said ignoramus control over our economy would be similarly imprudent. A few weeks ago, I said his foreign-policy proposals and reckless statements represent a danger to our national security. But you might think that because he has spent his life as a businessman he would be better prepared to handle the economy, Clinton said of Trump, before a crowd of supporters in Columbus, Ohio. Well, it turns out hes dangerous there, too Just like he shouldnt have his finger on the button, he shouldnt have his hands on our economy. Hillary Clinton in Columbus, Ohio: Donald Trump is "dangerous" on the economy https://t.co/Njtv0jOt5G https://t.co/NLuRXovq9H CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) June 21, 2016 Clinton pitched her critique of Trump to the center of the electorate, arguing that his incompetence on economic matters transcends ideology. Liberals and conservatives say Trumps ideas would be disastrous, Clinton observed. The Chamber of Commerce and labor unions. Mitt Romney and Elizabeth Warren. Economists on the right and the left and the center all agree: Trump would throw us back into recession. This is similar to the note she struck in her foreign-policy speech, and it suggests the Clinton campaign is leaning into its Dangerous Donald strategy, which aims to engineer a November landslide by framing the election as a referendum on Trumps fitness for office, rather than progressive policy. In Columbus, Clinton offered many critiques that even a devotee of Austrian economics would find relevant. She highlighted a report from Moodys Analytics written by a former adviser to John McCain that argued that Trumps policies would result in a lengthy recession. She savaged Trumps bizarre suggestion that America might benefit from renegotiating its debt. And she argued that the GOP nominees long record of failed businesses and bankruptcies betray the moguls financial incompetence. Many of these points were delivered in zinger form. Hes written a lot of books about business. They all seem to end at Chapter 11, Clinton quipped. Trump countered Clinton with zingers that, in their lack of cleverness, betrayed his cash-poor campaigns want of quality joke writers. How can Hillary run the economy when she can't even send emails without putting entire nation at risk? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 21, 2016 Still, the Democratic nominee did sprinkle in a few ideological attacks on her rival, decrying his $10 trillion tax cut and hostility to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau as attempts to rig the economy for Wall Street again. Clinton has regained a healthy polling lead over Trump in recent weeks. Oddly, though, some recent polls show that voters have more faith in Trump when it comes to matters of economic policy. A CNN/ORC survey released Tuesday found that 51 percent of registered voters prefer Trump to manage the economy, compared to 43 percent who preferred Clinton. That result echoed the findings of a Gallup poll from early June. Democrats have traditionally enjoyed an advantage on pocketbook issues. The fact that Trump is outperforming the Democratic nominee on the economy despite trailing her significantly in overall support suggests Clinton has more work to do in alerting the public to Trumps less-than-stellar business record. Thanks to the GOP nominees incompetent handling of his campaigns finances, however, Clinton shouldnt have much trouble getting her message across. Puff, puff? Pass. Photo: KENZO TRIBOUILLARD/AFP/Getty Images Since at least 1936, back when the film Reefer Madness was still sometimes viewed by sober people, opponents of legalized marijuana have been asking, Wont somebody please think of the children? In the run-up to Colorados decision to legalize marijuana, the president of National Families in Action warned that commercial cannabis would literally dumb down the precious minds of generations of children. Psychiatrist Christian Thurstone argued in 2010 that Colorados relaxed laws have made the drug widely available and irresistible to too many adolescents. The New York Times David Brooks wrote that, while his youthful dalliance with weed didnt ruin his life, if America stopped arresting other teens for doing what he did, it would nurture a moral ecology in which it is a bit harder to be the sort of person most of us want to be. But more than three years after Colorado legalized weed, its teens are all right, according to a new survey from the states Department of Public Health and Environment. In 2015, 21 percent of Colorado adolescents told pollsters they had used marijuana in the past 30 days down four points from 2009, when teens were still being jailed for lighting up. Colorado youths rate of marijuana use is also a half-point beneath the national average. As the Washington Posts Christopher Ingraham notes, one reason legalization has had little effect on teens pot use is that marijuana was already easy to procure before it was available to adults over the counter. Its still illegal for anyone under 21 to buy weed in the Rocky Mountain State, so young people remain reliant on a black market that was functioning just fine prior to legalization. Across the country, roughly 80 percent of 12th-graders say that weed is easy to get. But another explanation for the decline in Colorado adolescents marijuana use is that this generation of teens is exceptionally well-behaved. A study released this month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that American teens are having a lot less sex, drinking less alcohol, and smoking less pot and tobacco than they did in 2007. The kids are vaping more than before, but this is mostly because vaping exists more than it used to (and/or because of the terrible example set by our elected leaders). Perhaps putting people in cages for victimless crimes is not a prerequisite for a healthy moral ecology. Elizabeth Warren. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images On Monday, Senate Republicans voted against giving the Executive branch the unilateral authority to revoke the constitutional rights of any American citizen it deems a suspected terrorist. Senate Democrats responded by accusing their colleagues of treason. .@ChrisMurphyCT said it right: The @SenateGOP have decided to sell weapons to ISIS. Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) June 20, 2016 Writers at liberal think tanks shamed Republicans for opposing the further erosion of Americans due-process rights. .@JohnCornyn voted against allowing AG to stop transfer of gun to suspected terrorist pic.twitter.com/S14eKvFUoo igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) June 20, 2016 Even Bernie Sanders who has given civil-liberties concerns more weight than most elected leaders during our endless war on terror suggested that barring potential terrorists from accessing firearms was a no-brainer. It's not hard to understand: terrorists, potential terrorists, criminals and the dangerously mentally ill shouldn't have access to guns. Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) June 20, 2016 Potential terrorists is an appropriately Orwellian phrase. According to a 2013 document obtained by the Intercept, the Obama administrations guidelines for branding an individual a suspected terrorist specifically stipulate that concrete facts are not required to make that designation. Which may explain why there are more than 800,000 individuals in the Terrorist Screening Database (TSB). Americans have no recourse for learning whether they are on this master list. The smaller subset of individuals placed on the No-Fly List can contest their inclusion by submitting a written statement, but may not contest the governments decision at a live hearing before a judge. This lack of transparency and due process makes it impossible to know how many people have had their rights restricted on flimsy grounds or else by mere bureaucratic error. Multiple reporters have found themselves added to the No-Fly List, ostensibly because of nothing more than their travel habits. And, as Voxs Dara Lind notes, the government has proven itself less than eager to err on the side of too little surveillance being acquitted of terrorism charges (or having such charges dismissed) in open court is considered grounds to add someone to the watch list, not to remove them from it. But Senate Democrats believe that this list isnt broad enough. Their preferred legislation doesnt just give the U.S. attorney general the power to bar those in the TSB from procuring firearms, but also anyone who has been the subject of a terrorism investigation at any time in the last five years. This is a dubious standard for revoking (what is currently construed as) a constitutional right. A 2015 study in the Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology found that the FBIs post-9/11 terrorism investigations were rife with instances of entrapment undercover agents encouraging disaffected Muslim men to engage in terrorist violence. The Democrats standard would ostensibly revoke the Second Amendment rights of American Muslims for the crime of merely being targeted by such efforts; the criterion is not a terrorism conviction or charge, but merely a history of having fallen under the FBIs suspicious gaze. Both the NRA and the Senate GOP have framed their opposition to the Democrats proposal around concerns of due process. There is obvious hypocrisy in the party that invented the No-Fly List decrying the no-gun list as an assault on civil liberties. But just because a position is hypocritical doesnt mean its wrong. Senate Republicans offered an alternative proposal that would have required the government to provide American citizens with an opportunity to challenge their status as a suspected terrorist before a judge within 72 hours of having their gun purchases blocked. Citing the profound logistical difficulties of establishing such a legal process, Democrats voted against the measure. There is no contradiction between supporting gun control and opposing efforts to expand the governments authority to revoke rights without due process. On Monday, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid derided the Republicans counter proposals as political stunts that would be meaningless in doing something to stop gun violence. But the same can be said of the Democrats attempt to restrict gun sales to suspected terrorists. Firearm homicides by suspected terrorists who purchased guns illegally account for roughly zero percent of gun deaths in America. Expanding background checks, banning assault weapons, and, in the long term, appointing a Supreme Court willing to overturn District of Columbia v. Heller are worthier goals for gun-control advocates to pursue. The Democratic Partys rhetorical focus on the terror gap is about politics, not public health. The fact that Republican legislators are prepared to deny a home to Syrian widows and orphans on the basis of national security but not to deny a suspected terrorist access to deadly weapons helpfully illustrates the GOPs maniacal fealty to firearm fetishists. For once, Democrats get to attack Republicans for being soft on terror. But in doing so, liberals emulate their opposition more than they realize. After Orlando, Donald Trump argued that anyone who opposed his plan to drastically curtail American Muslims civil liberties was aiding ISIS. On Monday, Elizabeth Warren did the same. Donald Trump. Photo: Ralph Freso/Getty Images This week, the people of the United Kingdom might choose, for no obvious reason, to inflict grievous harm on their own economy. On Thursday, voters in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland will head to the polls for a referendum on whether to stay in or leave the European Union, the group of nations with which the U.K. does a plurality of its trade. If the so-called Bremain side wins, nothing changes Britain remains in the EU, and those trade relationships will be undisturbed. But if the Brexit camp wins and the U.K. says so long to Europes economic community, economists expect a lot of unpleasantness to ensue, beginning with significant short-term financial dislocations (read, markets tanking) and in decades ahead making the average Briton significantly poorer thousands of dollars per year in lost income than she would otherwise be. As of Monday evening, the markets give Brexit something like a 40 percent chance of happening. Why would the British choose to do something so obviously against their own self-interest? Why would they voluntarily take money out of their own pockets? Whats the matter with East Anglia? Those are not easy questions to answer, but the rise of Donald Trump here does help to explain what is going on across the pond. Boats decorated with flags and banners from the Fishing for Leave group that is campaigning for a leave vote in the EU referendum sail by the British Houses of Parliament. Photo: Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images If voters decide to leave on June 23, the United Kingdom would secede from the 28-member European Union and would then be stuck trying to figure out what kind of new ties it wants with Europe and the world. This would be complicated, to say the least and there are no great options. It could go it alone, setting up new trade and immigration deals nation by nation but it would do so with market clout equivalent to about 4 percent of world GDP, versus the European Unions one-quarter. Or it could try to go the way of Norway, maintaining free trade and open borders with the bloc, abiding by a bunch of European regulations, while losing its influence in Brussels. But since the EUs regulations are a major reason why many Britons are dissatisfied with the relationship, its difficult to imagine that route. It is worth acknowledging that the European Union is a mess of an international institution, and it makes some sense that Britain would not be euphoric about being part of it right now. Consider the EUs tragically inept response to the global financial crisis, its equally cruel mismanagement of the refugee crisis, its corporatism, its many lesser sins. The leave campaign has surfaced a number of very good arguments about the ways it weighs on Britain, and prompted a lot of important discussion about the ways London might change its relationship with Brussels. Even given all that, the business community is strongly against leaving. The CBI a kind of British Business Roundtable polled its members recently. A significant majority said that exit would damage their access to E.U. markets, the U.K.s ability to influence policies that affect their business would diminish, foreign direct investment would fall, the U.K.s ability to participate in E.U. supply chains would decline, and that the U.K.s international competitiveness would decline. Economists agree with the business leaders. There are plenty of analyses from investment banks, the International Monetary Fund, and the British government out there estimating the effects of Brexit, and they generally come to the same conclusion. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, to choose one, expects it would be a negative shock to the British economy, reducing per-household income by about $3,100 by 2020 and $4,500 by 2030. Output would be 5 percent smaller than it would be otherwise in that latter year. In the most pessimistic scenario modeled by researchers for the London School of Economics, output would ultimately take a 9.5 percent hit, a loss of a similar size to that resulting from the global financial crisis of 2008-09. Some lonely Bremain campaigners. Photo: Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty Images There are a few economists for Brexit, and many who think that leaving might not be that bad, depending on how the United Kingdom sets up its relationships with the world afterward. But, by and large, the profession is remarkably united in supporting Bremain. In a recent survey, just 11 percent of British economists disputed the notion that there would be substantial negative long-term consequences for the U.K. financial sector if the U.K. were to leave the E.U., and zero percent zero percent! said they believed that the broader economic effect would be positive. Yet, in one recent poll of people who say they will definitely vote, the leaves have it, 49 percent to 48 percent. And among leave voters, 44 percent say that Brexit would have no effect on British jobs, and 45 percent say the effect would be good; only 3 percent of leave voters believe that the economy would actually weaken outside the European Union. With that last figure in mind, its fair to question whether the average Brexit supporter is grounded in reality. It would be one thing to make a clear-eyed choice, accepting an economic hit based on a devotion to some larger political principle. But most pro-Brexit voters seem to live in a fantasy where bouncing from the EU will help the economy. Thats troubling. This mass separation from reality also represents a parallel to what is going on with our strange, sad election in the United States. Both Donald Trump and Brexit have bubbled up during periods of slow-but-steady growth, high inequality, and wage stagnation economic conditions that rankle voters but do not obsess them. In the United States, for the first time in a very long time, economic strife is not what is driving the polls. When you ask Americans what the most important problem facing the country is, economic concerns are still the most cited. Even so, a majority of respondents name something else crime, drugs, guns, how the government is run as the most important issue. Similarly, the economy is no longer Britons main concern. Right now, when asked what the most important issue facing the country is, they cite immigration, the National Health Service, and their relationship with Europe. The economy comes in fourth. In both cases, that seems to have left space for other concerns to override simple economic ones. (It seems to me there is a reason neither Brexit nor Trump really took hold in 2008 or 2010. You dont try alternative medicines when you know you need surgery.) And in both cases, a sense of crisis around immigration, a deep sense of nationalism, and a distaste for elites and technocrats has taken hold. Lets start with immigration. Among Republicans, Trump has tapped into a deep vein of anti-immigrant, pro-nativist sentiment, promising to seal the countrys borders and threatening to deport millions of people. Heres one finding from Pew that suggests how his beliefs have translated into votes: Among the vast majority of GOP voters who think that the growing number of newcomers to the U.S.threatens traditional American customs and values,$2 59 percent have warm feelings toward Donald Trump with 42 percent saying they feel very warmly toward him. Similarly, those voting for Brexit tend to worry about immigration making England less English, and about immigrants taking Britons jobs. Citizens of regions where immigration is perceived as damaging are much more likely to vote for Brexit, one study found. (Ill note here that it is not obvious that leaving the European Union would do anything to tamp down on immigration, and that immigrants from the European Economic Area are a boon to the United Kingdoms economy.) Immigration is certainly fair game for a policy debate, but beyond the legitimate questions theres a dark underbelly to the anti-immigrant sentiment driving both the Donalds astonishing rise in the United States and Brexits surprising success. Trump is openly xenophobic and racist, intentionally riling up his supporters in the worst ways and encouraging them to embrace and express their own bigotries. Thats a dangerous road for any nation to start down. Some leaders of Brexit are openly xenophobic and racist and are using the same tactics. It makes fair-minded observers wonder what the real point is here: modest changes in immigration policy, or the rejection of the values that allow for a pluralistic society? Then there is the issue of antipathy toward elites. Trump is a rich and connected New Yorker, a Wharton grad, and the coddled inheritor of a real-estate fortune, sure. Nevertheless, with his middle finger raised to the Republican Establishment and to common standards of propriety, he has ridden a wave of distaste for the more buttoned-up masters of the universe. His voters are unusually likely to agree with statements like It doesnt really matter who you vote for because the rich control both political parties, Politics usually boils down to a struggle between the people and the powerful, and The system is stacked against people like me. Similarly, the leave campaign has painted the remain campaign as urbane, out of touch, and beholden to a bunch of inept pencil pushers in Brussels, and has argued against trusting experts, elites, the powerful. People in this country have had enough of experts, said Michael Gove, the justice secretary and a leader of the leave movement, while appearing on Sky News. Leave voters are unusually likely to agree with statements like To me, there isnt much difference between the major political parties in Britain, They are out of touch, and they dont fight for people like me, and Britains political parties, political institutions, and corporate powers are totally out of touch. A Vote Leave sign is seen by the roadside in Smarden urging people to vote for Brexit in the upcoming EU referendum. Photo: Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images Now, they might have a point on some of that. But in both cases, this anti-elite sentiment seems to have morphed into a blithe anti-empiricism. (Numbers are only for technocrats these days, it seems.) The leave campaigns headline economic argument is that the United Kingdom sends 350 million pounds, or half a billion dollars, a week to the European Union. This figure has been repeatedly and exhaustively debunked, yet it persists. Similarly well, not entirely similarly Trumps policy proposals are the most banana-pants, math-challenged economic fantasy imaginable: He promises to pay off the national debt while also cutting taxes, insists a crippling trade war would help the economy, and so on. His supporters seem not to care. Be wary of political causes that are unfazed by facts that would seem to undercut their core assertions. Finally, the supporters of both Brexit and our presumptive GOP nominee feel a yen for national self-reliance. Many Britons are concerned that London has ceded too much sovereignty to Brussels, and believe that British laws should be made in Parliament. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for us to take back control of this country, said Boris Johnson, the former mayor of London and current member of Parliament, campaigning for Brexit. The nationalist yen is more cancerous here. Were going to take our country back, said Trump, campaigning for the presidency, making promises about global domination rather than a global partnership. But theres a reason that nations have, at the margins, ceded slivers of control to participate in larger economic and political alliances. Namely because they work, as measured by making us safer and more prosperous. None of these arguments are likely to convince a well-informed voter that either Brexit or electing Trump would be good for them in an economic sense. But in the case of Brexit (and the GOP base), they seem to be winning out. Whats the matter with East Anglia is that voters seem to be willing to trade away something real their economic well-being for things that are notional and even unrealistic: a more visceral desire to make England England again, to chasten the elites who brought on all this malaise, and to keep foreigners out. The Donald, for what it is worth, is on Team Leave. Huh? he said when The Hollywood Reporter asked him about it recently. The journalist interviewing him proceeded to explain what Brexit was to the candidate, who apparently was not familiar with it. Oh yeah, I think they should leave, Trump replied. Photo: Andrew Burton/Getty Images Thanks to more victims turning in gropers and flashers to the police, reports of sex crimes on the New York City subway are up 57 percent over last year. More than 450 offenses mostly public lewdness and snapping voyeuristic pictures have been reported since the beginning of the year, versus about 300 for this period in 2015. Officers have also made 72 more arrests in 2016 than the year before, according to The Wall Street Journal. But, again, transit officials stress that massive jump doesnt mean there are more creeps on the trains just that more (mostly) women are coming forward and that the MTAs and the NYPDs transit units are doing a much better job of cracking down on these crimes through awareness campaigns, an online complaint system, and plainclothes patrols. Senator Chris Murphy was disappointed with Mondays outcome. Photo: Alex Wong/2016 Getty Images Late last week, in the wake of the mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, C-SPAN enjoyed a spike in viewership as Senate Democrats led by Connecticut senator Chris Murphy filibustered for just under 15 hours to force a vote on gun-control legislation. Dozens of Democrats (and one Republican) took to the floor to recount the toll mass shootings have taken on the country and to demand action, and in the end, Republicans agreed to vote on four proposed measures. For a fleeting moment, the country collectively imagined a world in which a gun-control proposal could gain bipartisan support. But legislative bodies have a way of disappointing even the most starry-eyed among us, and on Monday evening, the Senate voted down all four proposals. Unsurprisingly, the votes largely fell along party lines. The Senate rejected two measures designed to keep those on a terrorist watch list from purchasing firearms. One, proposed by Democratic senator Dianne Feinstein, would have allowed the attorney general to bar anyone suspected of terrorist activity from buying guns and explosives. The Senate voted 47 to 53 to reject the measure, with only one Democrat voting against it and two Republicans voting in favor. Most Republicans against the measure said it didnt protect the Second Amendment rights of people who were on the terrorist watch list which reportedly includes about 800,000 names by mistake. The other was a proposal by Texas senator John Cornyn that wouldve allowed authorities to delay a gun sale to a suspected terrorist for 72 hours or longer if a judge ruled during that period that there was probable cause to block the sale. That measure was defeated 53 to 47, with Democratic critics saying it necessitated too great a burden of proof in too short a time. The two other rejected proposals had to do with background checks. One proposed by Murphy along with Senator Cory Booker and Senator Charles Schumer expanded background checks for anyone purchasing a firearm, including at gun shows or online a measure GOP lawmakers deemed too stringent. Instead, the majority of Republicans backed a measure by Senator Charles Grassley that wouldve expanded the funding for but not the breadth of background checks. Following the rulings, Murphy told reporters the votes were proof the NRA has a vice-like grip on Congress. And other Democratic lawmakers were equally disappointed. Here's @HillaryClinton's full statement on the Senate guns vote pic.twitter.com/TDmsMVT7db Gabriel Debenedetti (@gdebenedetti) June 20, 2016 Even after yet another massacre of innocent men & women, we still lack the political will to stand up to the gun lobby and protect Americans Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) June 20, 2016 Its hard to believe that our GOP colleagues voted to allow suspected terrorists to buy guns. We will keep pushing till they see the light. Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) June 20, 2016 Ashamed & disgusted that the Senate works for the @NRA & not the majority of Americans who support basic solutions to stop gun violence. Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) June 20, 2016 But it seems the Senate hasnt given up on the idea of gun control just yet. According to The Wall Street Journal, a bipartisan effort led by Senator Susan Collins a moderate Republican is expected to file yet another proposal to prevent suspected terrorists from buying guns, and lawmakers have said the proposal is expected to come up for a vote this week. On Monday, Collinss proposal, which would ban gun sales to people who appear on the much smaller no-fly and airport selectee lists gained the support of one Democratic and two Republican senators. Congress cannot continue on the path its on by voting on bills that dont have a chance of actually passing, Senator Heidi Heitkamp, who supports Collinss measure, said in a statement. We need to reach a bipartisan compromise that truly aims to address the issue of keeping guns out of the hands of potential terrorists, while protecting Americans constitutional rights. Feinstein, meanwhile, said that Collinss measure would leave out a huge number of known or suspected terrorists. Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images North Americas assisted-suicide landscape changed in a profound, historic way on Friday. As NPR reported, that was when Canadas Senate approved that nations new physician-assisted-suicide law. The law was initially brought about by a ruling from Canadas Supreme Court last year that banned a law against physician-assisted suicide, but left it to the countrys legislature to regulate and determine the scope of the practice. One interesting aspect of Canadas version of physician-assisted suicide is that only Canadians are eligible for it. This mirrors how its done in the handful of U.S. states where physician-assisted suicide is already legal, which include Washington, Oregon, and Vermont (Californias state legislature approved assisted suicide there recently, but things havent been finalized). The criteria for establishing residency in a U.S. state dont tend to be onerous (though one should always keep in mind that its hard to get certain forms of ID if youre low-income). In Washington, for example, Examples of proof of residency include, but are not limited to, possession of a Washington drivers license, registration to vote in Washington, or evidence that the qualified patient owns or leases property in Washington. And in Vermont, the law leaves things intentionally vague on this front, as the FAQ for Vermonts Patient Choice and Control at End of Life Act puts it: The Act [does not specify what qualifies a person as a resident: it is up to the patients physician to make that determination. Factors demonstrating residency include, but are not limited to 1) Possession of a Vermont drivers license; 2) Registration to vote in Vermont; 3) Evidence that a person leases/owns property in Vermont; or 4) Filing of a Vermont tax return for the most recent tax year. Setting aside the serious resources required to uproot and move somewhere, it is (of course) harder to establish citizenship in Canada than it is for an American to change their state of residency. It sounds as though Canada did not want to end up as a destination for so-called suicide tourism. Its a weird, grim-sounding phrase, but this isnt a hypothetical concern. Take Switzerland: There, CNN noted in 2014, there are no rules to regulate under which conditions someone can receive assisted suicide, though medical professional codes allow it in certain circumstances. Nor are there residency requirements, and thats why hundreds of people have come to Switzerland from elsewhere to end their lives. Canadas decision to enact a much more liberal stance on assisted suicide than the U.S., but to make sure people cant cross the border to end their lives, represents one of the trillion tricky issues that accompany this debate. Some EU states are effectively serving as lab rats at the moment, and theres a sense in some of them that people are being allowed to end their lives for an increasingly broader array of reasons. Belgium, which enacted its euthanasia law in 2002, is seen as taking one of the most liberal approaches, which has led to some rather strange and heart-wrenching stories. In 2013, [the famous/infamous Belgian euthanasia physician] Wim Distelmans euthanized a forty-four-year-old transgender man, Nathan Verhelst, because Verhelst was devastated by the failure of his sex-change surgeries; he said that he felt like a monster when he looked in the mirror, wrote Rachel Aviv in her absolute must-read piece on this subject for The New Yorker a year ago. Farewell, everybody, Verhelst said from his hospital bed, seconds before receiving a lethal injection. More recently, the BBC reported on a Belgian man who wants to end his life because, he says, he cant live with his pedophilia; the first step of his application was approved. As the BBC noted, There were 1,807 confirmed cases of euthanasia in 2013, the most recent year for which figures are available. There are no easy or obvious answers for any of this, but if you want to know more about how physician-assisted suicide works in Europe, definitely read that New Yorker article or watch VICEs recent mini-doc, which I mentioned in another recent post on the subject. These controversies are only going to grow more heated. If you wanted to choose a celebrity avatar for everything supposedly weird about The Youth, you could do worse than Jaden Smith: a gnomic tweeter, sometime crystal devotee, self-described Future of Music, Photography, and Filmmaking, who has little attachment to the gender binary. Earlier this year, the 17-year-old son of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, brother of Willow, appeared in a Louis Vuitton womenswear campaign. Jaden Smith, quasar of contemporary teen behaviors, wears a fringed white top and an embellished, knee-length black skirt. Wait, though. Rub your eyes, refocus your gaze, and really, is there any real reason why this ought to be weird? He looks good. And gender norms they are pretty arbitrary, right? Smith also wore a dress, with a loose sport coat and sneakers, when he took The Hunger Games Amandla Stenberg to the prom. (Stenberg, meanwhile, recently came out as bisexual over Snapchat, though shes also shrugged at conventional identity politics: I dont really see sexuality in boxes, she has said.) Smiths insouciant attitude toward gender looks less like affectation than evidence of a world that has changed profoundly in the two decades since his father starred on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Or, for that matter, since his father refused to kiss a man onscreen 23 years ago. Caitlyn Jenners coming out last year was a Kardashian-scale teachable moment the opportunity for patient, prime-time explanations of why not to take gender for granted. But beyond the transgender tipping point heralded by Time and the broader awakening of identity politics, there is another revelation going on: a growing acceptance, especially among a broad swath of young people, of easy gender fluidity and ambiguity. In 2014, Facebook stopped limiting its gender options to male or female and began giving users some 50 other choices (from neutrois to genderqueer to cis). In 2015, the site abandoned that preset menu altogether and just let users enter up to ten terms of their own. We find ourselves poised someplace between gender mattering tremendously and mattering not very much at all. The impulse to reexamine assumptions has had practical consequences gender-neutral college dorms and high-school bathrooms and cultural ripples. Writers like Jill Soloway (creator of TVs Transparent) and Maggie Nelson (author of the queer-family memoir The Argonauts) have found human drama in genders mutability. Meanwhile, BuzzFeed offers an illustrated list showing What People Say to Gender Nonbinary People vs. the Subtext We Often Hear, and Rookie presents the recent comic My Gender Is Weird. Heres Teen Vogue on another photo of Jaden Smith in a skirt suit: The midi skirt set sends up a poignant rejection of heteronormativity. What sage could have predicted that heteronormativity would eventually make its way into the vocabulary of teen magazines and shareable web content? Only, perhaps, the queer theorist Judith Butler. Butler laughs when I tell her about the Teen Vogue verdict on Jaden Smith. I think there arent very many of us who could have foreseen it, Butler says, considering the blossoming mainstream interest in gender issues. We are speaking shortly after President Obama publicly voiced his support for transgender rights in the fight against North Carolinas bathroom law, and gender as something in need of definition, as something potentially ambiguous or complex is at the center of national debate. Such an utterance coming out of a U.S. president would be impossible in the 1990s, Butler says. Gender Trouble, published in 1990, made Butler a star: It introduced performativity, the idea that gender isnt something we are but something we continually do, opening the door for cultural configurations of sex and gender [to] proliferate, as she put it in the books conclusion, confounding the very binarism of sex, and exposing its fundamental unnaturalness. If not for Butlers work, you wouldnt have the version of genderqueer-ness that we now have, says Jack Halberstam, a gender-studies professor at Columbia. She made it clear that the body is not a stable foundation for gender expression. For much of her career, Butler was known mostly within academia, in part because of the difficulty of her prose. And yet the work Butler demands of readers is of a kind that, more than ever, they are willing to do now if not necessarily while reading theoretical texts, then in moving through their daily lives. People outside the academy question their assumptions; they wrestle with unfamiliar ideas and examine their own discomfort. Dont laugh, read a recent headline in the Washington Post. I have a serious reason for raising my cats gender neutral. (The reason: as a reminder to use the right pronouns for nonbinary friends.) Theoryspeak, meanwhile, has infiltrated civilian vocabularies. Trope and problematic and heteronormative; even, in a not-quite-Butlerian sense, performative the sort of words that rankled queer theorys culture-wars critics are right at home on Tumblr and Twitter. In a broad-stroke, vastly simplified version, the understanding of gender that Gender Trouble suggests is not only recognizable; it is pop. I was watching Scandal the other night, Butler tells me, and there was a great moment where a black character says, Oh, race is just a social construct. She enjoys observing this kind of cultural cross-pollination. I thought it was hilarious! It was a moment where an academic argument was brought into popular culture. (Butler also watches Transparent, which she considers enormously entertaining but much better on Jewish life than it is on trans life. Its a little bit of a throwback to the La Cage aux Folles idea of transgender.) This kind of thing happens with some frequency now, and often transcends mere hilarity, as when Laverne Cox talks in interviews about Simone de Beauvoir. Laverne says, It was that phrase, that one is not born but rather becomes a woman, that made it possible for me to think that I could become trans, Butler says. You know, its kind of trippy that heres this popular-culture person who has read and struggled with ideas, and went out into the world, and brought them with her to reach new audiences. My mothers generation, in their mid-80s, theyre having major debates about these issues, she tells me. Its all on the table. And its all speakable. Gender Trouble hasnt changed chapters still feel like long-distance runs. And yet completing this feat of endurance today leaves the liberal-artsy reader with a curious sense of lightness. The feeling is not of your worldviews being upended but rather thoroughly explained. That gender is not an essential biological fact: Sure. That it comes into being through repeated actions, so, like, I become recognizable as a girl by doing girl things: Okay. That the world as we know it has generally presumed everyone to be straight; that people who dont play by the rules, gender-wise, straightness-wise, pay the price; and that, while maybe we cant totally escape all of this, we can find ways of questioning it, possibly even undermining it, and so making life more livable for everybody: Yeah, sounds about right. Alexandra Kleeman, a young novelist whose book You Too Can Have a Body Like Mine concerns femininity in all its elaborately constructed strangeness, told me about the day early in her first semester of graduate school at Berkeley (where Butler teaches) when she saw the professor sitting on a curb, talking on her phone. Butler was crouched down near the ground; she looked so small, said Kleeman, and yet she contained all that theory. In conversation, various Butler admirers and former students I spoke with tried to suggest her presence via celebrity comparison: Bob Dylan, Jon Stewart, Serena Williams. Like many famous people and not many academics, Judith Butler is both an exciting idea and an actual person. At 60, Butler has the lean, undeniable elegance of a cross-dressing Shakespearean heroine a version of androgyny that has less to do with masculinity or femininity than with pants being expedient attire. Once, to her amused interest, a German newspaper described her as looking like a young Italian man. She wears a lot of black and gray. Her hair is short, side-parted, and falls forward a bit as she talks, requiring her to push it back with both hands. Butler grew up in Cleveland, where her father was a dentist and her mothers family owned movie theaters. When she was 12 or 13, a friend of her mothers interviewed her as part of a teacher-training program. Asked for her dream job, the preteen Judith said she hoped to be a philosopher or a clown. This answer sounds either impossibly innocent or impossibly precocious; given that she was a middle-schooler who pestered her rabbi with questions about Martin Buber, probably the latter. Butler was an intense, focused reader. She was also gay, and so applying to colleges brought its own set of considerations. Butler went to Bennington because it seemed to be a place where, as a young queer kid, I would be okay in 1974, she says. I knew that there were other people there who were at least minimally bisexual. (Her parents, while not always wholly comfortable with her sexuality, were ultimately accepting. She remembers that her father was very happy when she came home from college with a Jewish girlfriend.) After two years, she transferred to Yale for its philosophy program, where she remained through graduate school. Butler was active in New Haven and Yale womens groups, and her time on campus coincided with the emergence of womens studies as an academic discipline. She wrote her dissertation on Hegel and received a Ph.D. in philosophy. With Gender Trouble, published when she was 33, Butler began articulating a theory of gender that fit into the Continental tradition shed studied. The book drew on Foucault, Freud, Levi-Strauss, Lacan, Irigaray, Wittig, Kristeva, and de Beauvoir. (Hegel, Derrida, and Nietzsche lurked in the background.) But Butler begins her analysis in a place thats recognizably practical: How does womanhood get defined; on what assumptions does it depend? And, if a feminist movement defines itself as fighting for womens rights, whose rights does it have in mind? Halberstam, who was in grad school (and genderqueer) when Gender Trouble came out, remembers the book as a revelation, an escape from the suffocation of the eras identity politics. Academic feminism was riddled with problems at that time based upon these phrases like The personal is political that had led to people sort of sitting around in circles holding hands and telling each other about their lives, Halberstam says. Gender Trouble gave people a way of thinking critically, philosophically, abstractly about what it means to be in a political struggle where the category of womanhood, rather than holding together and cohering, might well be splintering and falling apart. She and her fellow queer theorists were responding to forces already alive in the culture, Butler says, bringing an intellectual framework to bear on the efforts of activists. In an essay (that began as a talk she gave at Yale in 1989, at the Conference on Homosexuality), Butler puzzled through what it meant to perform her particular identity category to theorize as a lesbian. All such categories, lesbian included, could be instruments of regulatory regimes, whether as the normalizing categories of oppressive structures or as the rallying points for a liberatory contestation of that very oppression. Its not that she rejected the label, she continued, but that she would like to remain permanently troubled by identity categories. In fact, she added, if the category were to offer no trouble, it would cease to be interesting to me: It is precisely the pleasure produced by the instability of those categories which sustains the various erotic practices that make me a candidate for the category to begin with. Butler resisted attempts to pin her down, but she couldnt avoid the flattening force of her reputation. In the early 90s, a University of Iowa undergrad published a zine called Judy!; she called Butler a bit Gap but still a fox. Recognition beyond academia took longer. It wasnt until 1998 that the New York Times explained the rise of queer theory to its readers, though the paper had cited Butler alongside Cornel West as examples of superstar professors the month before. (Butlers first appearance in those pages was a letter to the editor in 1995: She took on the authors of an op-ed criticizing gangsta-rap lyrics by turning their Plato reference against them. Whether its Sophocles or Snoop Doggy Dogg, the social distress they represent will not be eliminated by condemning the representation, she wrote.) By the late 90s, Butler had the kind of entrenched status that attracts critics. For several years, the journal Philosophy and Literature ran a Bad Writing contest of academic prose. Butler earned the dubious honor in 1998 with this sentence: The move from a structuralist account in which capital is understood to structure social relations in relatively homologous ways to a view of hegemony in which power relations are subject to repetition, convergence, and rearticulation brought the question of temporality into the thinking of structure, and marked a shift from a form of Althusserian theory that takes structural totalities as theoretical objects to one in which the insights into the contingent possibility of structure inaugurate a renewed conception of hegemony as bound up with the contingent sites and strategies of the rearticulation of power. The following year, the philosopher Martha Nussbaum wrote a long takedown of Butler for The New Republic. Nussbaum took issue with her prose, which she called exasperating; she argued that it obscured derivative thought. Most significantly, though, Nussbaum disapproved of Butlers version of feminism: In her view, Butler was ignoring the material suffering of women who are hungry, illiterate, violated, beaten in favor of focusing narcissistically on personal self-presentation. Butlers work, she argued, amounted to an ineffectual, passive, hip quietism; gays and lesbians do not achieve legal protection through intellectual activity like Butlers, she added, almost as an afterthought. The complaints of Butlers critics back in the 90s and todays critics of campus p.c. culture share a skepticism at the power of words to shape the world. In formulating her idea of gender performativity, Butler had drawn on the work of J. L. Austin, the philosopher of language who first proposed performative utterances: These are speech acts that dont just describe reality but change it, like saying I do in a wedding ceremony. Her move was to apply this idea to actions as well as words. But as Austin pointed out, performative acts can still be infelicitous saying I do doesnt change things if the people saying it arent allowed to wed. Theres always the element of social context, a need for recognition and reciprocity. Paying attention to matters like pronouns acknowledges and takes very, very seriously the idea that language matters, Butler says. I always feel rude when I interrupt someone to say, No, dont call me that, thats not okay, Butler tells me. I feel like, Ugh, Im the police, Im patrolling everybodys language. On the other hand, I dont want to live with gender references that are really offensive to me. A particular conundrum is getting addressed as a lady in restaurants. Its just like Oh my God, I have not been in the struggle for this long to be called a lady. Sometimes Im with folks, born to various genders, who want to be a lady. For them its fabulous to be a lady. And I love ladies; dont get me wrong, she says. Im glad we live in a world in which there are ladies. In a small class, Butler asks students pronoun preferences; sometimes they care, sometimes they dont. Its the most immediate, local way to make an intervention, she says. But it doesnt exactly attack the foundations of transphobia or homophobia, she continues, in a vein Nussbaum might appreciate. I dont think we can engage in the kind of linguistic idealism that would say that, Oh, if we only change our language, we change the world. At Berkeley, where shes worked since 1993, Butler is in many ways surprisingly accessible for an academic celebrity. She shoulders a standard teaching load. This means that during the spring semester of 2016, for example, she could be found twice a week in a classroom with 50 undergraduates, leading a 100-level comp-lit lecture on Dramas of Queer Kinship. Butler is an easy performer, beckoning students to scoot their chairs forward. Watch her address a crowd and you become aware of how her writing is animated by her presence if reading her work is strenuous, in person its Butler herself, and not her audience, expending energy. Butler used to have an office alongside the rest of her colleagues in the comp-lit department, but the traffic she attracted eventually became oppressive. Now she works amid the art-history department: The Van Gogh postcard outside her office door is camouflage. Still, I pass a pair of students craning their necks. That was Judith Butler who just went by us, one says, going into the bathroom! Butler came to Berkeley not long after Gender Trouble made her reputation. Part of the Bay Areas appeal was the prospect of a comfortable place for her to have a family somewhere to raise a child and have that child feel at home. Wendy Brown, Butlers partner, is a political-science professor at Berkeley, and their son, Isaac, is now 21. Once, when he was younger, I said, So, how is it for you having queer parents? Butler remembers. He said, Thats not the hard part. The hard part is having two academics. Isaac has long curly hair and studies music at Wesleyan; in an interview he and his band gave as freshmen, he said his dream date was Beyonce or Grace Kelly. Their feminism is much more clear than mine when I was their age, says Butler of her son and his (mostly heterosexual) male friends. She had a conversation with a group of them not long ago about navigating campus sex in an ethical way. For them, it wasnt a sense that they needed to be a cop but that they needed to show up and exemplify a different kind of culture and be in conversation with other men who resist that. These situations dont always have to be a matter of policing behavior, she pointed out, with an academics idealism and a parents eye for positive reinforcement. Like, Yes, I like to party; I like to dance; I like to have sex! But lets think about the conditions under which that can work. Its the basis of sexual ethics. What kind of community do we want to build? Isaac belongs to a generation for whom Butler is part of the canon. Today, it is possible to go online and read Judith Butlers theory of gender performativity as explained with cats. There are Facebook pages like Judith Butler Is My Homegirl. Quotes from Gender Trouble are reliably reblogged on Tumblr. And yet, Maria Trumpler, director of Yales Office of LGBTQ Resources and a professor of womens, gender, and sexuality studies, says that for the kids she sees at Yale today, 40 years after Butler was an undergraduate there, Gender Trouble is really old-fashioned. The last four years in particular have seen an enormous growth of student interest in identities beyond the binary, Trumpler says, like agender, bigender, genderqueer. Butler is thrilled to see the work that has gone beyond hers. I didnt take on trans very well, she says of Gender Trouble. The book doesnt account for the experience of gender that someone like Caitlyn Jenner describes when she says her brain feels much more female than it is male, for example. So, in many ways, its a very dated book, Butler says. And its one that wasnt able to profit from the extraordinary scholarship thats happened in that area in the intervening years. David Halperin was another early queer theorist and is the author, most recently, of How to Be Gay. He teaches at the University of Michigan. These days, he says, students learn Butlers ideas in courses on social justice, where everything is turned into a kind of sermon about what the proper political views are to have about minorities and equality, stigma, multiculturalism, and so on. The ideas become a series of political lessons, often encountered second- or third-hand in other texts. Lara Sokoloff, a member of the Yale class of 2016, who did her thesis on gender politics, sees Butler as very much this maternal figure in gender studies. When we did all this back then, we were trying to find ways to say and think what had never been said or thought, Halperin says. The shift from marginal to mainstream can be startling for academics who made their names as radicals. Butler has begun to anticipate the freedom of her eventual retirement from Berkeley. (Self-care is important, especially as you age, she says; she goes to yoga twice a week and swims almost every day.) Retirement deinstitutionalizes your work, she explains. It doesnt diminish the amount of work. Even as society has caught up to the questions she raised about gender, even if in some senses its surpassed her, shes looking toward other, still-thorny issues. In recent years, Butler has been considering how we define the human. Whose lives do we see as valuable; whose deaths are therefore grievable? Shes written on post-9/11 war on terror rhetoric, Guantanamo, Israel, and police brutality. Difficulty, for Butler, often remains the point. But the possibility of things getting a little easier is one of the charms of this new world. A project shes been talking about lately with the psychologist and writer Ken Corbett, a friend, is a new version of Gender Trouble illustrated, for kids ages 8 to 12. *This article appears in the June 13, 2016 issue of New York Magazine. South African schoolgirls. Photo: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images In January, the mayor of the Uthukela district in South Africa announced the Maiden Bursary Awards, a college scholarship given to 16 girls who had remained virgins through their high-school years. The idea, Mayor Dudu Mazibuko told press at the time, was thought up as a way to curtail pregnancy, exploitation, and STDs. But the Commission for Gender Equality ruled on Friday that the entire concept is fundamentally discriminatory. The scholarships had also received international backlash from womens-rights groups. The commission who ruled against the virginity scholarships on Friday said that they go against the ethos of the constitutional provisions in relation to dignity, equality and discrimination and that virginity is not intrinsic to the task of studying. The district has been given 60 days to respond to the commissions recommendation. Holy shit :( Reply Thread Link creepy Reply Thread Link holy shit freaking out on a plane is the worst thing Reply Thread Link i'm ALREADY terrified of planes, so this is my worst nightmare ... literally Reply Parent Thread Link I've been on two flights where someone was just NOT ready for it. And keeping in mind that both flights were in the Arctic where turbulence takes on a whole new meaning all of us were so worried for these passengers. Up there that's one of the only ways of getting around so its not like anyone has a choice and everybody was trying so hard to make it better but its not always possible. I can't even imagine what it was like for them inside their heads because it was terrifying to watch. Reply Parent Thread Link Well maybe someone really is doing those things to her and she isn't having an episode but a breakdown from some sort of fucked up abuse? I love her character in legally blonde so much.. I'm so gay Edited at 2016-06-21 01:48 am (UTC) Reply Thread Link I think she also had a problem with prescription pills before too. I hope she's okay or getting help for herself. Reply Parent Thread Link Oh no .. I hope someone close to her actually cares for her to step in and help.. Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah, even though she was mixing pills and alcohol, it's still possible that she was yelling about some actual abuse she is actually suffering or has suffered in the past. It might have been a delusion brought on by the drink/drugs, but it might have been her losing all inhibition and saying something true. I really hope it's not, though. Reply Parent Thread Link omg I hope she's okay :-/ Reply Thread Link Wtf! I hope she's okay :( Reply Thread Link ohmygod, i hope she gets help away from whoever's hurting her. Reply Thread Link Yikes; I hope she's okay. Reply Thread Link wow, i hope she's ok :/ Reply Thread Link holy shit :\ Reply Thread Link holy shit, I hope she stays safe Reply Thread Link :( Hope she feels better. Reply Thread Link Oh my word I hope she's okay :( Reply Thread Link your icon Reply Parent Thread Link Refining revenues have for many oil businesses been the difference between life and death over these past two years. Now they are helping some of the biggest oil companies in the world ramp up their balance sheets in a different, more final way. Chevron, BP, Shell, Total, and Lukoil have all recently sold or are looking to sell downstream assets, which fetch higher prices than fields. The reason: urgent need for cash, at least for three of these five, and suspicions that the recent oil price rally will soon be renewed and will push down refining margins as fuel prices lag behind crude oil on the upward curve. Chevron is currently looking for a buyer for its Burnaby refinery in Canada, after offloading one in April, in Hawaii. Its 75 percent stake in a Cape Town refinery is also for sale, and has been since January. The company has been struggling with sparse cash flows after investing heavily in large-scale natural gas projects, such as the Australian Gorgon and Wheatstone offshore fields, and failing to remain profitable through the recent price crisis. Shell is in a similar position. Unlike Chevron, it went for a peer acquisition, splashing some $53 billion on BG Group and its natural gas assets. As a result, Shell is now undergoing a restructuring, which includes the sale of some downstream assets, such as its 51 percent stake in its Malaysian refining operations, sold in February, and reportedly, its Martinez refinery in California. Related: Slavery At Sea: The Ugly Underbelly Of Oil Shipping Both deals are part of a $30-billion asset sale plan devised to restore cash flows following the BG Group acquisition that didnt take place at the best of times, amid the raging oil price crisis. Total, the French major, has been doing fairly well and is not in such urgent need of cash, unlike its bigger rivals, but last year when it put its Port Arthur refinery up for sale, it must certainly have been worried about the direction oil prices were taking. Now this sale is no longer on the table, but the company has retained its advisor on the matter, Lazard. A Reuters report notes that all these sales concern relatively minor refining operations, and none of the three companies are offloading their biggest downstream operations. Of course they wouldnt who knows when the next oil price crash will happen? BP has also been selling assets, upstream and downstream, after finding itself between the rock that is dropping oil prices and the hard place it put itself in after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion. Since then, its had to pay over $50 billion in fines and compensations, and theres more to come as there are groups of plaintiffs still suing the company. Related: OPEC May Be Forcing Venezuela Into Regime Change So, BP has been divesting assets and will continue to do so in all likelihood until it gets back firmly on its feet Lukoil, on the other hand, managed to survive the price rout with relatively moderate damages. It is now considering a spin-off for its European refining operations, or a sale of the lot. Despite the stable profitability of refining and retail operations, the Russian giant is betting on exploration and production, probably planning to take advantage of its return to Iran, along with ongoing operations at home and abroad. Selling non-core downstream operations is a logical choice at a time when production assets are not especially sought after. However, selling too many non-core assets too fast will leave the seller with little space for future maneuvering in case the market swings again. It seems Big Oil is betting on another price jump, which may or may not happen. If it does, the sales of small refineries wont matter so much. But what if the jump is short-lived and then prices start sinking again? By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Oil has been truly black gold for countries such as Nigeria and AngolaAfricas top oil exporters. It has sustained their economies, accounting for over 90 percent of exports and significant portions of GDP. Yet now this treasure trove has turned into a real headache, largely because of the shale oil and gas boom in the U.S., and of course, the global oil price rout. Before the shale revolution, Nigeria was exporting around a million barrels daily to the U.S., peaking at 1.3 million bpd in 2006. In July 2014, no Nigerian oil entered the U.S. and the average daily for the year was 58,000 bpd a minuscule amount compared with the 983,000 bpd from 2010, according to figures from EIA. Last year, Nigerian oil exports to the U.S. averaged 57,000 bpd. For Angola, the decrease was a bit more moderate, from 383,000 bpd in 2010 to 124,000 bpd in 2015, but it still had grim consequences for the economy, seeing as the U.S. was Angolas second-biggest exports destination in 2014, after China and before India. Angola and Nigeria didnt just lose a huge export revenue stream with the shale boom, though. They also suffered some of the harshest consequences of the consequent global oversupply that brought oil prices to multi-year lows. Because of their over-reliance on oil, African oil producers as a whole had no mechanisms in place to counteract the effects of the slump. In Angola, for instance, 60,000 jobs have been lost in the past 12 months alone, because of the price slump. The country is currently negotiating with the IMF on a new loan to help prop up its finances and hoping that the rebound in crude will continue. Nigeria, for its part, has had to deal with a corruption scandal in its state oil company and intensified terrorist activity in the heart of its oil industry the Niger Delta on top of lower oil prices. The latest figures released by the government showed that the income from oil and gas was down by over a third on both an annual and a quarterly basis in the first quarter of 2016. Related: Oil Rallies With Risk-On Rebound The two biggest markets for Nigerian and Angolan crude are India and China. Yet, competition for these markets is getting increasingly stiffer, what with the U.S. energy self-sufficiency and no shortage of exporters desperate to get some moneyany moneyfor their crude. Like most of Africa, Nigeria and Angola, as well as smaller local oil producers, are suffering from the so-called resource curse that has seen African nationsendowed with some of the worlds largest reserves of minerals, oil, and gasstruggle to survive. The root of the problem seems to be the lack of relevant expertise that would help these countries manage their natural riches in an effective way. For the oil producers specifically, its the over-reliance on a single commodity as a source of government revenue that has sealed their fate, at least for now. Venezuelas current drama has becomeor should becomea cautionary tale for other small countries that depend on oil revenues. While its true that its easier to talk about economic diversification than to make it happen, there seems to be no other viable alternative for Africas biggest oil producers. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Oil exports from Saudi Arabia tumbled to their lowest point in six months according to the latest Joint Organizations Data Initiative (JODI) published on 20 June 2016. As reported by Bloomberg, output sent abroad for the worlds biggest crude exporter suffered a monthly fall of 100,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 7.44 million bpd last April. Exports in that month reached their lowest level since the 7.36 million bpd shipped out in October 2015. The drop in exports occurred despite a rise in oil production of 10.26 million bpd in April versus 10.22 million bpd a month earlier according to the JODI. Nevertheless, production lags behind the record 10.56 million bpd obtained in June 2015. Several factors can explain the discrepancy behind Saudi Arabias oil exports and production, such as the greater domestic demand for energy. JODI figures showed the amount of crude oil burnt to generate power rose from 397,000 bpd in March to 501,000 bpd in April. Additionally, foreign refineries purchased less oil to account for maintenance that typically takes place in April and May prior to the expected summer demand. This may account for the decline in Saudi crude oil inventories, which dipped to around 290.85 million barrels in April from nearly 296.666 million barrels a month earlier and the peak of 329.43 million barrels in October last year. Related: How The Brexit Vote Will Impact Oil Prices The JODI also reported a decline in oil exports for several Arabian Peninsula states. Qatari exports last April plummeted to an eleven-year low, while OPEC members Iraq and Kuwait also suffered from lower shipments abroad. The new data may provide ammunition for senior government officials and royal figures seeking to pivot Saudi Arabia away from relying so much on oil to power its economy. Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is reportedly one of the main proponents of the Saudi Vision 2030 economic reforms that could more than triple non-oil revenue to about US$141 billion by 2020. By Erwin Cifuentes for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: When Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman first announced the Kingdoms post-oil blueprint in April many commentators were skeptical. Saudi Arabia, they said, has been talking about ditching its oil dependency and diversifying its economy for decades. The pace with which the current leadership, spearheaded by the youthful deputy crown prince, has proceeded to implement its ambitious plans, on paper at least, might just be giving the most cynical observer pause for thought. At the beginning of May the Saudi cabinet approved the National Transformation Program, which aims to triple the Kingdom's non-oil revenue and create 450,000 private sector jobs by 2020. Previously untapped industries like mining and tourism are due to be opened up for foreign investment, while the gargantuan sovereign wealth fund created to invest overseas and generate new revenue streams will help replace the petrodollars, which currently account for about 80 percent of the states income. The recent announcement of a $3.5 billion cash injection into Uber typifies the Kingdoms radical new departure, while the high-growth potential of companies catering to the countrys growing population such as British companies Marks & Spencer or Jaguar/Land Rover signal the advent of new investment opportunities. Meanwhile, much to the consternation of its OPEC partners, Saudi continues to rebuff calls to put an export cap in place in a calculated effort to win market share from its competitors, notably Iran. This maneuver forms the second flank of its economic offensive: by flooding the market with crude exports it has caused prices to fall below the level of profitability for many other oil producing states thus forcing them to cut back on production. It expects to keep this up until 2020 - the year the National Transformation Plan is hoped to start paying off. The effect of the Saudis beggar-thy-neighbor approach to oil output is nowhere felt more keenly than in Russia. Related: OPEC May Be Forcing Venezuela Into Regime Change Lukoil, Russia's largest private producer, announced a 59 percent fall in profits and cuts to capital expenditure in the first quarter of 2016; the companys CEO Vagit Alekperov predicts that overall Russian output will fall by 2-3 percent, the first fall in production in Russia for many years. The knock on effects of which have been a 4 percent slide in GDP and 10 percent cuts in spending to try to plug the black hole in the government's budget. Similarly, Rosneft reported a 75 percent drop in profits. Its no surprise that at the recent Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum(SPIEF), panels talking about the looming death of hydrocarbon were ubiquitous. This dire outlook has prompted calls for Russia to start putting in place its own, Saudi-style, economic diversification strategy. At the Moscow Economic Forum, convened at Moscow State University the forums co-chair, Konstantin Babkin called for increased investment in infrastructure to counter Russia's weak productivity growth and the fall in export goods being manufactured in the country. In a similar vein, Oleg Smolin, the first deputy chairman of the State Dumas Committee on Education, has signaled the need for a rise in spending on education to 5 percent of GDP, having fallen to less than 3 percent currently. Smolin warned that failure to do so would deprive Russian of well-paid jobs that it needs to close the economic gap on its Western counterparts. However, where Russia has failed to diversify beyond oil production, it has at least made some strides at diversifying within it, buoyed by the devaluation of the ruble, which has so far kept production costs down. Recognizing that Russia cant compete with the Saudis in an oil-price war, Lukoil has decided instead to back a challenger who can, namely Iran. The Russian company has announced plans to restart operations in two Iranian oilfields, which were abandoned in 2013 when international sanctions were imposed on Tehran over its nuclear development program. At the SPIEF, Royal Dutch/Shell signed a deal with Gazprom to invest in a Baltic LNG project, while the Italian company ENI is on the verge of buying a large chunk from Rosneft. Likewise, energy cooperation deals with China have propelled Russia past Saudi Arabia as the worlds biggest exporter to the Asian superpower, even if some of their more ambitious joint plans have been pushed from the medium to the long-term horizon and others are less profitable than they first seemed. Related: Slavery At Sea: The Ugly Underbelly Of Oil Shipping But while its ties with China and Iran may be blossoming, Russias more important ties with the West are withering. In sharp contrast with the Saudi Deputy Crown Prince who has been met with open doors in his American sojourn, Russian political representatives find themselves under travel bans, their overseas properties confiscated and access to market funding dried up thanks to sanctions imposed by the West after the Russian annexation of Crimea. This poses a serious handicap to its fledgling diversification agenda, effectively leaving it dead in the water. With much less room to maneuver than Saudi Arabia when it comes to loosening the straitjacket of oil dependence, Russia needs to a make a corrective change to its political course or it runs the risk of being sunk by the same energy curse which proved fatal to the Soviet Union before it. According to a seminal analysis by Yegor Gaidar, an architect of Russias transition to a market economy under Boris Yeltsin, the USSRs collapse can be traced to Saudi Arabias 1985 decision to boost production and apply downward pressures on the global oil price, which led to a collapse in government revenues and global influence. It seems the lessons of the past werent properly learned, as Saudi Arabia is yet again in the drivers seat, playing the oil card to upset not just Iran but also Russia. And just like in the past, Moscow is woefully ill-prepared. By Scott Belinksi for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The rankings prelude indicates that researchers equally-weighted measures of revenue, profits, assets and market value in order to name the 25 biggest players in the global energy industry. Last week, Exxon became one of only five oil majors to remain a part of the Fortune 500 list. The firm took second place overall with earnings at $1.8 billion in the second quarter. Exxons role in shielding the oil and gas industry, particularly in the United States, from incoming changes due to rising environmental concerns has been significant. The New York Attorney General is currently carrying out an investigation regarding Exxons role in hiding the effects of oil and gas production and consumption from the public. The company denies all claims lodged in the case. PetroChina was the second highest oil major on the list, as it and its peers suffered severe financial blows due to production costs that ran from $40 to $60 a barrel in a $50 a barrel global market. Related: Big Oil Betting On Another Price Jump With Refinery Sales The French firm Total, the third largest oil major, has been receptive to creating progressive industry standards after 195 countries agreed to pursue the Paris Climate Change Accord late last year. Sinopec, a Chinese oil giant, stood in fourth place after suffering a 50 percent decline in profits in recent months. By Zainab Calcuttawala for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported that a magnitude-3.7 earthquake hit the oil-rich state of Oklahoma early on 20 June 2016. The tremor was detected at approximately 3:00 AM local time near the city of Fairview in the north-central part of the state, and at a depth of approximately 4.3 kilometers below ground. The quake occurred following a magnitude-3.2 tremor the previous day near the northern border with Kansas. No incidents of major damage or injuries have been reported with either tremor. According to the Oklahoma Geological Survey, at least thirty-three earthquakes have occurred in the state since 14 June, including more than a dozen since 17 June. Ten of these tremors, including the event on Monday morning, were a minimum 3.0 on the Richter scale, while eighteen measured at magnitudes of 2.5 and 2.9. The latest USGS earthquake hazards map released in March concluded that seismic risk in Oklahoma is similar to that in Alaska and California. Recorded tremors in Oklahoma mushroomed from twenty-one in 2005 to nearly 6000 a decade later. In 2015 alone, the USGS detected almost 900 earthquakes at a magnitude of 3.0 and above. Related: OPEC May Be Forcing Venezuela Into Regime Change Researchers believe the spike in earthquakes result from the billions of barrels of salty wastewater injected underground that have come to the surface during oil and natural gas exploration. The waters injection back into the earth has put pressure on Oklahomas fault lines, which have led to tremors that have caused material damage. The state has thousands of disposal wells, particularly in the northwestern and central regions, where most of the earthquakes are occurring. Oil and gas are Oklahomas largest industry and employ roughly one in six workers in the state. Oklahoma is the third-largest and sixth-largest producer of natural gas and oil, respectively, in the U.S. By Erwin Cifuentes for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Recently, we visited Engine Co. 6 on Brady Street, a firehouse that, in addition to being well-known in the neighborhood, has a long history on the East Side. The first station was built here in 1875 and was replaced with the current building in 1946. The first fire house was built at 1693 N. Franklin Pl. in either 1875, '76 or '77, depending on your source. A city historic designation report for a different firehouse, attributes the building to architect Thomas N. Philpot, who is thought to have designed the "Chief Lippert" station on 7th and North in 1876. The same report notes that Henry Koch, who drew the firehouse on Broadway for Engine Co. 1 in 1872, also submitted plans for the project. Philpot's "Lippert" and Butler No. 6 station's have nearly identical Italianate designs. According to "Beertown Blazes," a definitive book on the Milwaukee Fire Department, the station, officially called A.A.R. Butler No. 6, was the last station to get a name and a number. (Incidentally, in their earliest days, Milwaukee elementary schools also had names: Cass Street was the Juneau School, Maryland Avenue was the Murray School, District 2 was The Jefferson School, etc.) The city spent $5,930 to erect the quarters with its 150-foot lookout tower for the men of Engine Co. 6, who were by then wearing matching uniforms, something the department instituted in 1874. Above is the first known photo of the crew, who sit upon and stand next to their 1872 horse-drawn Amoskeag steamer, dubbed "The Ludington." In 1910, the quarters were home to 10 men, six horses, a hose wagon and a fire engine (though sources differ on whether or not Engine 6 was still running an 1880 Ahrens or an 1893 1st size American). According to the 1910 Sanborn map (which voted Ahrens), the station was equipped with 2,000 feet of 2.5-inch hose. Because firemen seem to be especially conscious and proud of department history, the photo above and the one below, from 1911, showing hose wagon 6, are displayed in the Engine Co. 6 office today. A caption reads, "each steam pumper was quartered with a hose wagon. ... Left to right: Pipeman Louis Dombrowski, Lt. Eugene Hackett, Pipeman Andrew Milkowski, Driver John Zinda and Capt. Phillip Plunkett. Unfortunately, the horses are not identified." Alas, over the years, two Engine 6 firefighters have fallen in the line of duty: Pipeman Thomas Sullivan died in the Becker-Conrad Tanneries fire beneath the Holton Street viaduct in December 1892 and 24-year-old Ralph Helminiak was asphyxiated in a house fire at 2437 N. 1st St. in January 1971. More than 300 firemen, some of whom traveled from as far as Madison and Chicago, attended Helminiak's funeral to participate in a solemn procession led by Engine 6's vehicle, which was laden with flowers. At the dawn of 1946, Engine Co. 6 moved into the Engine Co. 21 house at 2050 N. Palmer St., while the old firehouse was razed and a new one almost certainly designed by Charles Malig was built on the same site. The timing was unfortunate. Engine 6 moved over to Palmer Street and the Franklin Place house was closed on Jan. 7, 1946. Exactly three weeks later, a massive three-alarm blaze engulfed a commercial and residential building, displacing 17 residents and damaging a variety of businesses, including Schowalter's Pharmacy, United Radio repair shop, Kosobucki Jewelers, Joe Famularo's barber shop, Humboldt Beauty Shop, Joseph Ziino's law office and John Seng's dental office. The morning after the fire which sent three firemen to the hospital and left the neighborhood sheathed in ice from water poured on the blaze the Sentinel noted, "a pedestrian had turned in an alarm at E. Brady St. and N. Franklin Pl. (Ironically, a fire station at that corner during the many years in which no serious fire occurred in the neighborhood, was moved only a short time ago.)" Originally estimated to cost $45,000, the two-story red brick quarters which welcomed Engine Co. 6 back home just before New Year's Day, in late December, 1947 it ended up costing nearly double that. In October that year, though Fire Chief Edward Wischer was forced to trim his budget request ditching the idea of getting five new inspectors and 10 new firefighters, among other line items he did win the $450 needed to buy a stove and refrigerator for the new quarters. "Wischer asserted that firemen had asked donations from merchants with which to buy a cooking stove and refrigerator," wrote the Journal. "In the past, firemen have bought their own stoves and refrigerators for firehouse. They also buy their own food." These days, the city provides firehouses with a stove, a sink, a table, some hard backed chairs and one refrigerator. Firefighters still buy their own food and any other amenities exercise equipment, TVs, appliances, etc. for the quarters. During my visit, Capt. Carter Hunnicutt and his the other three firefighters on duty graciously hosted me for lunch and showed me around. As is now the rule, each shift has four firefighters, which is pretty much the minimum for staffing an engine. After some great grilled burgers, corn on the cob, Asian slaw, tortellini and guacamole thanks to Pat Gatton Hunnicutt showed me the historical photos in the office (most of which are included here above), and the quarters upstairs. The dorm space is quite large for a house that Hunnicutt says because the station can only fit one vehicle likely never housed more than perhaps six or so people at any given time. We went to the basement to see the maze of bracing (pictured above) that helps support the engine sitting above us. Today's trucks (sorry, firefighters, I know a "truck" is an altogether different bird) are considerably weightier than vehicles were back in the 1940s. For the first time ever, I not only got to shoot a photo looking up into the hose tower (pictured above), I also got to shoot some at the top of the house tower, which was pretty amazing for a geek like me. I was pleased to see that at least a few firefighters had marked their names up there for posterity. Seems only right. These three wood-slatted horizontal posts are what the 50-foot hoses wrap around when they hang. A motorized chain raises and lowers the hoses. Interestingly, if you look up in the station, you'll notice that there are four holes for brass poles, but only one of them actually has a pole in it these days. Hunnicutt tells me that Engine 6 crew members occasionally use the pole for a speedy trip downstairs. I know what you're thinking. And, yes, finally, I got my chance. It was fun, though I think my descent was so slow that it was painful for a seasoned firefighter to watch. US President Barack Obama speaks at the SelectUSA Investment Summit in Washington June 20, 2016. [Photo/Agencies] For Liu Shoutian, chairman of the Beiyang Financial Leasing (Tianjin) Co Ltd, investing in the United States now looks so much easier than it did before. Just two hours after US Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker gave her welcoming remarks at the 2016 SelectUSA Investment Summit on Monday morning, Liu said he was surprised that the threshold of investing in the US was not as high as he imagined. "I didn't realize that the US was so eager to attract foreign direct investment, in a sense even stronger than that in China," he said. The SelectUSA Investment Summit, being held at the Washington Hilton from June 19-21, has drawn some 2,400 attendees from 70 markets, including about 150 from the Chinese mainland, the largest of all delegations. Liu, who is attending the summit for the first time, said he is looking for opportunities in manufacturing and trade. His company's main investments in China are in healthcare and petrochemicals. US President Barack Obama delivered a lunch keynote speech in which he touted the US as the place for investors in every aspect from innovation to global supply chain. "If you choose a place to expand your portfolio, to place your bests, to open up a plant, to start building the next great new business or service, you should select the USA because nowhere in the world and never in history has there been a better place to grow your business," Obama said. Hu Bo, general manager of Senzhen HQT Petroleum and Additives Co Ltd, said he was impressed to find that the governmental test centers in the US are providing free services to businesses. "That is probably why US companies can make such high-quality products," he said. "In China, such tests are very expensive." Hu said he came to find out about the gap between his company's products and those in the US and also see if there might be a partnership for a joint venture. Zhu Haicheng, deputy director of Hangzhou-based Zhejiang Chession Law Firm, said he came to the summit on behalf of his three clients in textile and equipment manufacturing who have been selling their products in the US market through trade companies. Reprinted from Campaign For America's Future Some politicians and commentators say that Bernie Sanders is losing leverage because he hasn't conceded the Democratic primary to front-runner Hillary Clinton. To believe that is to misunderstand both the candidate and his supporters. Sanders received a mandate in "defeat" that most politicians never achieve in victory. The calls to surrender reached a fever pitch before the last primary even ended. We were told that Sanders was being stubborn, that he was rapidly losing influence. It was even said that all of the convention's prime-time speaking spots would be taken soon if he didn't concede soon, as if they were reservations at Nobu and he had no pull with the maitre d'. If Bernie were denied a prime-time slot at the convention, chaos would ensue. You can be sure that whenever and however the deal is struck, they'll make room for him at a peak viewing hour. The Clinton team's impatience is understandable, even if it lacks a certain grace. But they're misreading both Sanders' nature and the nature of the negotiations now underway. So is The New York Times' Nate Cohn, who tweeted: "A fun thought experiment: Imagine Sanders winning but Clinton refusing to endorse unless he adopted her views, etc." That thought experiment would make sense in a typical primary campaign. But this year is different. Even without context, the raw numbers are impressive. Leverage? As New Yorkers used to say, "I got your leverage right here": -- 12 million votes. -- Victory in 22 states. -- 45 percent of pledged delegates. -- A history-making small-dollar fundraising campaign that out-raised his well-heeled opponent. That was all while facing one of the most powerful Democratic clans in history, rejecting big-money donors, and challenging one of the most famous people in the world as a leftist outsider. Leverage? Consider the trend line: Twelve months ago Bernie Sanders was all but unknown nationally. He didn't fit the typical "politician" profile in age, style, or rhetoric. He was a self-described democratic socialist. And he faced overwhelming obstacles erected by the party machinery at all levels. Memories are short. When Sanders announced his run in April 2015, FiveThirtyEight's Harry Enten opened his article by writing he was "almost certainly not going to be the Democratic nominee for president in 2016. "Hillary Clinton is the most dominant non-incumbent front-runner in modern primary history. It would take a truly special candidate to defeat her," he continued, "and Sanders ... is not the politician for the job." Besides, he added, "there seems to be very little desire on the left for a challenger to Clinton." That was what pretty much what everyone thought. Look what happened. There's no need to re-litigate all the roadblocks Sanders faced, at least not now. It's enough to say that the success he achieved, against overwhelming odds and "the most dominant non-incumbent front-runner in modern primary history," affirms the power of his message. David Cameron has been trotting out his favourite leaders of British business to say how valuable the EU is to their economic health as a subset of Project Fear. The big business avowal of the value of the EU and the Single Market to their respective businesses is genuinely felt and their fear moving away from the cosy shelter of the EU is real. Their problem is not that they will lose business as a result of the BREXIT; they are afraid that the cosy club of interlocking cartels and price-fixing mechanisms of the EU might be exposed to the European citizens if Britain leaves. Capitalism is rooted in the belief that free and open competition will create the "hidden hand of the market" to promote efficiency and competitive pricing; a sort of economic Darwinism. The only problem is that these promoters of capitalism want this competition to take place in somebody else's business. For their own businesses they would prefer a situation where free competition is controlled and a small band of producers join together to fix prices, restrain trade by preventing the new entry into the market of non-cartel manufacturers, and establishing a cozy relationship with the political regulators whose job it is to control them and promote free competition. EU Fines Imposed on Cartels 1990-2016 Fines on Cartels (Image by Cartel Commission EU) Details DMCA That is twenty-three billion Euros so far from a Commission that is slow, unreliable and pressured to keep the barriers on competition in place. A recent study at Oxford reports "One of the most contentious and high-profile aspects of EU competition law and policy has been the regulation of those serious competition or antitrust violations now often referred to as 'hard core cartels'. Such cartel activity typically involves large and powerful corporate producers and traders operating across Europe and beyond, and comprise practices such as price fixing, bid rigging, market sharing, and limiting production in order to ensure 'market stability' and maintain and increase profits." A cartel is an agreement between competing firms in a market to control prices or exclude entry of a new competitor in a market. It is a formal organization of manufacturers or providers of a service that agrees to fix selling prices, purchase prices, or reduce production, maintaining their control of their market sector; a restraint on competitive trade. In some cases, companies producing similar goods meet together and agree a minimum price for the products among them; avoiding competition on price. In similar cases these producers agree to keep competitors out of their markets by insisting on delaying the acceptance of the new company's designs or improvements in their restrictive markets. In other cases, the cartel forms a 'ring' of similar companies to agree a minimum price for each member to quote on a local or international tender. They then agree on which member should get to make the lowest bid at that price on the artificially raised and agreed price. They take turns winning inflated tenders. These are common practices in many economies but they are supposed to be regulated by antitrust law. There are several European Directives which promise to enforce the EU antitrust legislation. There is even a Commission to investigate complaints. Antitrust violations are very common within the EU. Most EU citizens have no idea how widespread and pernicious these cartels can be. A key defining principle of doing business within the EU is that many, if not most, European industries operate outside the rules of free competition. Most operate as cartels; groups of businesses in the same industry which meet together and establish prices and working relationships. They don't call this operating a cartel; the polite euphemism is "operating an orderly market". They set high prices for the goods they produce, sure in the knowledge that their cartel will prevent any other company underbidding them on price. There are EU cartels for steel, sugar, milk, transport, cement, food production, pharmaceuticals, electrical goods, paper and paper products, computers, cars, construction, mobile phones, vacuum cleaners and many others. This both raises prices and inhibits innovation. The EU competition authorities are notoriously slow in prosecuting cartels but have been able to proceed against some Cartels of All Kinds (Image by Oxford Studies on European Law) Details DMCA These are some of the ones who were caught and prosecuted. The damage they have done to the EU economy was estimated by the Commission The Costs of Collusion (Image by Cartel Commission EU) Details DMCA These are fines paid by some of the EU's largest companies. Major Firms Fined (Image by Cartel Commission EU) Details DMCA As an initial guide It will be clearer if some specific cases are looked at, using the EU Commission's own descriptions. Steel Abrasives Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Angel's and Devil's Food Cake (Image by Alex Gorzen) Details DMCA There's a morality gap between Democrats and Republicans with the Democrats lagging far behind. The Republican National Convention rules committee will consider a conscience clause allowing committed delegates to change their vote on the convention's first ballot. This could unseat the morally challenged presumed nominee Donald Trump. Democrats have no such clause to deal with the flagrant lack of morality displayed by nominee Hillary Clinton during her time as Untied States Senator and Secretary of State. (Image: Alex Gorzen) Donald Trump received 14 million votes in Republican primaries translating to more than 1500 delegates pledged to vote for him on the first ballot at the Republican National Convention. The delegate total is 250 more than required for nomination. Trump wins, right? Maybe not. Utah convention delegate Kendall Unruh is proposing a change in convention rules to allow delegates to change their pledged votes if that vote violates their conscience, "the guide to the rightness or wrongness of one's behavior" that constitutes morality. Her version of the rule change is clear: "If any such delegate notifies the secretary of his or her intent to cast a vote of conscience, whether personal or religious, each such delegate shall be unbound and unconstrained by these rules on any given vote, including the first ballot." BallotPedia, June 20 Kendall Unruh's proposal would be fairly meaningless were it not for the following comments by Paul Ryan (R-WI), Speaker of the House of Representatives and Chairman of the Republican National Convention. On Meet the Press Sunday, Ryan opened the gates for a serious dump Trump strategy. CHUCK TODD: Do you think it is that members in the House Republican conference [should] follow [their] conscience? If you don't want to support him, don't do it -- PAUL RYAN: Oh, absolutely. The last thing I would do is tell anybody to do something that's contrary to their conscience. Of course I wouldn't do that. Look, believe me, Chuck. I get that this a very strange situation. [Trump is] a very unique nominee. But I feel as a responsibility institutionally as the speaker of the House that I should not be leading some chasm in the middle of our party. Because you know what I know that'll do? That'll definitely knock us out of the White House. NBC News, June 17 Ryan tries to come off as even handed and "not to be leading some chasm in the middle of our party." That's nonsense. The chasm is about releasing delegates from their pledge to represent the expressed will of voters in their respective states. That's unprecedented in modern history for a first ballot in either party convention. Ryan endorsed the technical means of denying Trump the votes he supposedly earned by winning all of those primaries. The Varieties of Conscience Experience Did Paul Ryan have some sort of conscience experience when he realized that Trump violated his deep-seated morality? Could it be Trump's total disregard for the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution? Maybe it's Trump's racist comments about Muslims and Mexicans that piqued the Speaker's conscience? Is there something Ryan knows that we don't (e.g., Trump paid hardly any taxes, bribed segments of the press, has a love child in every state)? What's changed since Ryan initially offered to sit down and work with Trump as the presumed nominee? Donald Trump Is Down-Ballot Republicans' Biggest Risk, June 17 There's a real chance that Trump, with a 70% disapproval rating, could drag down Republican incumbents in a Congress with an 80% plus disapproval rate. We're shifting from the morality of conscience to the morality of convenience. At least the Republicans are framing issues in terms of conscience and morality. I'm with her and she's not him -- The Democrats are far worse It's one thing for Democrats to claim that Trump is blatantly immoral. It's entirely another to prop up Hillary Clinton as moral simply because she's not Donald Trump. This is mindless and insulting to those of us who have to hear and read such garbage. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121 "Rob Kall's book is amazing. He's created a real breakthrough, visionary how-to for a sustainable, quality future. Like Saul Alinski's Rules for Radicals, this book is destined to become a classic must-read for all those concerned with social, economic, and environmental justice in today's interconnected world. Story shapes the world and our world needs new stories if we are to survive and thrive. The story of the bottom-up evolution and revolution is one that can change individuals, groups, businesses, religions, and governments for the positive as it shows how bottom-up inclusiveness, connectedness, collaboration, empathy, innovation, and freeform creativity can help unleash the great potentials for good inherent in our very nature. If you want to improve things in your world and the world, first read this book, then apply the suggestions. Change is sure to come." Pamela Jaye Smith, mythologist and author of InnerDrives, Power of the Dark Side, Symbols* Images* Codes* and award-winning writer-producer-director Without human unification humanity cannot survive. Climate collapse is devastating the planet's ability to feed its people. Both the oceans and agricultural lands are dying. Climate collapse is transforming the oceans toward a point where they will no longer support higher forms of life. Its effects are compounded by vast worldwide production of toxic poisons in the name of satisfying ecologically destructive and insane capitalist consumerism. As Annie Leonard points out in "The Story of Stuff" consumerism was, and remains, a fundamental (intended) component of capitalism, without which all these hundreds of thousands of companies would go out of business. Yet it would take five planets to satisfy this insane social-economic-political demand of capitalism. Isn't that simply suicidal? What would it take for human beings to live in harmony with the life-support systems of the Earth? We would have to begin thinking in terms of human needs rather than infinite consumption "wants." We would have to stop producing many things, for example, billions of tons of non-biodegradable plastics. We would have to stop pulling oil, gas, and coal out of the ground and, instead, intentionally supply the entire Earth with solar, wind, or water power. We would have to transform all of agriculture, including the use of pesticides, to organic, locally produced and ecologically farmed processes in order to conserve the loss of topsoil, stop the destruction of wetland ecosystems, restore the forests, etc. Global economic life would have to transform to a market socialism carefully regulated to supply the basic needs of all (food, housing, healthcare, education, sustainable environment, peace, and justice), and no company, nation, or group could be allowed to manipulate the market for private gain. We would need a vast worldwide civilian development workforce to absorb all the jobs lost in the conversion and to restore the ecosystems of the Earth as much as possible. All this means that if we want an environment that sustains higher forms of life by the end of this century, we will have to begin now from genuine human unity. Everyone (all 7 and more billion people, 193 nations, and thousands of cultures and languages): everyone will need to be on-board. How is this even possible? I have already critiqued the new "sustainable development goals" (from 2015 to 2030) of the UN and shown the ways they are impossible to actualize under the current system, and I will not repeat this here. (http://www.opednews.com/articles/The-New-Sustainable-Develo-by-Dr-Glen-T-Martin-Economic_Global-Warming_Imperialism_Militarism-151016-233.html) The UN can do nothing apart from the will of the nations that compose it, and the wills of some 193 sovereign entities take us about as far from human unity as one can imagine. Robert Parry has just published an excellent article on Reader Supported News about "The State Department's Collective Madness." He details the staffing of the State Department, from the time of President Reagan to the present, with Neocon hawks, mindless ethnocentric exceptionalists, and heartless shock-doctrine economic imperialists. No longer are there "diplomats" who live in a multi-polar world where the quality of relationships with different nations and cultures matters. Rather, State Department Neocons relate to other nations as "well-dressed, well-spoken but thuggish enforcers of U.S. hegemony." They are even willing to risk a nuclear war with Russia in their blind egoism and thoughtless aggression. It might shed some light on these people who largely control the vast military might of the US by reflecting on the famous developmental "integral psychology" of Ken Wilber, or, for that matter, any number of other top thinkers and psychologists (such as Lawrence Kohlberg or Carol Gilligan) who have demonstrated the stages of human moral and cognitive development. All these thinkers place "egoism" at the level of gross immaturity. This is manifested in a person always thinking about themselves, about their personal benefit, their career, their wealth, their group (insofar as it benefits them), etc. Young children inevitably go through this stage, but many adults never seriously transcend this stage and continue to plague society with their selfish actions (Corporate or Wall-street CEOs? Donald Trump? Hilary Clinton? - a war-monger and Neocon if there ever was one.). These psychologists uniformly name the next highest stage of moral development as "ethnocentric." At some point as they mature many people submerge their selfish interests into their culture, their religion, their society, their nation, etc. The good of the group may then be placed before one's selfish interests. But this level is still clearly immature, for emergence to human maturity begins with the "pluralist" level in which we see that there are many cultures, religions, nations, etc., and that my own background has no superiority over that of others. The process of growth then progresses to the "universal" level in which the pluralism is respected within a framework of unity, hence, a mature person respects genuine "unity in diversity." Kohlberg calls the emergence into moral maturity the "stage of autonomy," when one's actions are governed by universal principles of equality and justice applied to all persons equally. Wilber and Gilligan call this stage "worldcentric" in which the concern is for our common humanity, the common good of all persons, the good of all future generations, etc. Mature people recognize our common humanity and our common human dignity. They act from that recognition for universal justice, for human unity, and for the good of future generations. The US State Department (and the Pentagon) are clearly staffed by moral midgets, moral midgets who have the most immense military force in the history of humankind at their disposal. No wonder it is so important at the present moment to get Bernie Sanders elected or to continue the political revolution that he has led. We need an adult in the White House! Pepe Escobar's Empire of Chaos (a collection of his many articles over the last few years) transports one instantly into a multi-polar world of some 193 nations all competing with one another for success or at least mere survival. His "roving eye" expresses what the Chinese are doing, or the Russians, Iranians, Saudis, Israelis, Turks, Germans, Brazilians, etc.: each with its own perspective on the world and each concerned with its own perceived national self-interests. The US appears as what it is (a super-power intent on maintaining its declining empire through coercion, propaganda, and military force). However, not one of these nations is putting environmental action first and directing its resources to immediate conversion to an ecologically sustainable economy, industry, and culture. Indeed, even if some nation wanted to undertake this monumental conversion, it would not be possible to do it alone. In a capitalist world order, dominated by IMF, World Bank, Wall Street and other financial and banking cartels, economic survival requires trashing the environment. Venezuela, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and others, for example, economically survive by pumping oil and gas from the Earth to be used by polluting industries, militaries, and consumers worldwide to further destroy the biosphere, just as the United States economically survives through maintaining the petrodollar as the world reserve currency and by producing and selling weapons worldwide. The global economic system and sovereign nation-state system together form a world system that is destroying the Earth. If this picture makes the future look bleak, it is because the future is bleak. Even if the moral midgets in the State Department and Pentagon were to grow to the level of pluralism (recognizing and affirming a multi-polar world order), the world would still not have a viable future. A viable future would mean that the heads and governments of all these nations move beyond their present ethnocentrism to a "worldcentric" level of maturity in which they recognize and affirm human unity first and foremost, as a protector and prerequisite for genuine diversity. How might this even possibly happen? The answer lies in recognizing the power that the world system can have over human practices and thinking. The present world system produces ethnocentric, egoistic, and utterly unsustainable economic, industrial, and military practices, as we have seen. As stated above, even a nation wanting to do the right thing for future generations is effectively prevented from acting by the present world system. Human unity in diversity, human moral growth, and the transformation of our world system to a worldcentric one go hand in hand. Change the system and you have gone a long way toward changing human consciousness. (Karl Marx was one of the first to understand this.) The Constitution for the Federation of Earth changes the world system to global social democracy based on the principle of unity in diversity. It unites humanity, making every human being legally a world citizen responsible to humanity, the Earth, and future generations. Great thinkers from Albert Einstein to Carl Gustave Jung have declared that we cannot solve fundamental problems on the same level at which the problems occur. We must move to a higher level from which the problems are not so much solved as dissolved. This is our human situation on the Earth. We are trying to solve our problems from within the same world economic-political system that generates these problems in the first place. Therefore the problems only get worse and worse, portending the death of humanity and the biosphere that supports our life. We must move to a higher level of unification from which these seemingly intractable problems will simply disappear. The Earth Constitution preserves all the nations (and cultural diversity of the world) but unites them under one World Parliament legislating enforceable world laws for everyone. http://worldparliament-gov.org/constitution/the-earth-constitution/ It makes world peace a human right (what could be more obvious and fundamental?). It also makes an ecologically sustainable world system a human right (also obvious and fundamental). It puts everyone on the same page. It is all of us or none. Unless we unite together in a genuine worldcentric human unity, future generations will not have a chance. They will be destroyed by either climate collapse or war or both. We must begin talking about the Earth Constitution, studying it, making it an object of debate on every talk show and public forum. It is widely available in several languages in both print and digital form. It offers humanity a way out from our current suicidal trajectory. The Constitution, discussed around the Earth, can serve as the catalyst for establishing human unity. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Edward Lozansky and Jim Jatras Originally published in Chronicles magazine. Since the end of the Cold War, American foreign policy could almost have been designed to undermine our national interests. Whether under Republican George W. Bush or Democrats Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, we have seen "regime changes" and "color revolutions," facilitation of global jihadism while claiming to combat it, and gratuitous confrontation with post-communist Russia, which was going out of its way to become our reliable ally. For those familiar with the operational code of the late Soviet Union, the counterproductive skew of American policy has a familiar ring. The Bolsheviks sacrificed the interests of the Russian people in pursuit of their Marxist-Leninist vision. In his famous work, "The Three Sources and Three Component Parts of Marxism," Vladimir Lenin, the founder of the Soviet state, described the roots of his ruling ideology in 19th-century German philosophy, British political economy, and French utopian socialism. It's time to ask why, under GOP and Democratic administrations alike, American foreign policy is so dysfunctional. Also, one could notice that this policy has three components as well. First, consider the power of money centered in the Washington establishment, sometimes summarized as the Military-Industrial Complex (MIC). This huge network of institutions, both public and private, whose bread and butter depend on global adventurism, today extends well beyond the MIC that outgoing President Dwight Eisenhower described in 1960. Reportedly, an earlier draft of the speech used the term "military-industrial-Congressional" complex. Asked about the omission from the final text, Eisenhower is said to have answered : "It was more than enough to take on the military and private industry. I couldn't take on the Congress as well." The bipartisan "oligarchy" (as Senator Jeff Sessions calls it) or the "deep state" (as author Mike Lofgren calls it) includes elements of all three branches of the U.S. government, the financial industry, government contractors, think tanks, many NGOs, the political parties and their campaign operatives, lobbyists and PR flacks for any of the foregoing as well as for foreign interests (think of Saudi contributions to the Clinton Foundation), and of course the Mainstream Media that serve as bulletin boards for official information (ask Ben Rhodes). Somebody is making a lot of money, but it sure isn't the ordinary folk in what the elite of both parties concentrated on the coasts disdain as "Flyover Country." Second, it would be a mistake to think this is all just money-grubbing. The same way as members of the old Soviet nomenklatura depended on Marxism-Leninism both as a working methodology and as a justification for their prerogatives and privileges, the entrenched duopoly of Democratic liberal interventionists and Republican neoconservatives relies upon an ideological imperative. A 1996 article by William Kristol and Robert Kagan, misleadingly titled "Toward a Neo-Reaganite Foreign Policy, called for the U.S. to establish and maintain indefinitely "benevolent global hegemony" -- American world domination for its own sake. Kristol and Kagan laid down virtually all of the elements that have guided U.S. foreign policy during the ensuing years, including confronting Russia and China. It is no accident that the same folks were enthusiastic supporters of Bill Clinton's Balkan interventions of 1990s, under the guidance of people like then-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who once opined regarding the sanctions-related deaths of a half million Iraqi children that "the price is worth it." Few on either side of the partisan aisle would dissent from Albright's conviction that a militant United States has a special wisdom: "If we have to use force, it is because we are America; we are the indispensable nation. We stand tall and we see further than other countries into the future", said Albright, with Nobel Peace laureate Barack Obama repeating this line over and over again. We are the midwife of history: Lenin couldn't have said it better. Third, the bipartisan Washington network and its ideological "software" are an open invitation to ethnic and foreign lobbies bent on spoiling the historic opportunity for rapprochement with Russia and making Moscow an ally instead of an adversary. The first round of NATO expansion (Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary) was thoughtlessly influenced by the above mentioned MIC and neocons/neolibs and Bill Clinton's belief that it would help him to win reelection in 1996 by bolstering his appeal with immigrant communities. Today, weak allies like the Baltic States and Poland that contribute nothing to American security -- along with non-allies Ukraine and Georgia -- are happy to behave provocatively towards Russia, the only power on earth capable of destroying us, because Uncle Sam has their back. How many Americans would imperil New York for Tallinn, if they even know where that is? One could say the same for Obama's game of chicken with Beijing in the South China Sea, risking war to support the claims of Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, and Brunei. In Syria, Saudi and Turkish intelligence services support Wahhabist jihadists with Washington's blessing -- and then we're shocked when terrorists hit us at home. Donald Trump is right to question the value of these foolish and dangerous commitments. If he is elected, he needs to take a hard look at the three components that have ill-served us for so long and should be jettisoned the same way Russia dumped Marxism-Leninism in 1991. If on the other hand Hillary Clinton, a Leninist if ever there was one, is elected, we know that she will continue and even intensify them with potentially catastrophic consequences. Edward Lozansky is president of the American University in Moscow. Jim Jatras is a former U.S. diplomat and foreign policy adviser to the Senate GOP leadership. He shortly will release a major study on the media's role as a transmission belt for "wars of choice." Reprinted from Smirking Chimp What is wrong with Americans? Okay, that's a very open-ended question with many potential answers. What I'd like to talk about this time is: why is it that Americans only begin to get serious about a problem after it's too late to solve it? Currently, I'm thinking about the latest, depressingly predictable response to the Orlando massacre. As usual, right-wingers like Donald Trump want to restrict immigration. But even setting aside the obvious moral and practical economic objections to nativism, how would that prevent future mass shootings (in part) in the name of the Islamic State? Orlando shooter Omar Nateen wasn't an immigrant. He was born in Queens, New York; his parents were from Afghanistan. If the Republicans' goal is to get rid of potentially self radicalized Muslims, it's too late. There are 3.3 million Muslims in the United States. Many are full-fledged citizens. Any group of people that numbers in the millions includes some who are mentally ill, some who are politically radical, some who are religious fundamentalists, and some who are some combination of all three. Since it's illegal to deport U.S. citizens, millions of whom are Muslim, a few of whom are crazy -- and the United States insists on pursuing an endless "war on terror" against Muslim countries -- there's no way that a policy of reduced immigration can prevent future attacks by homegrown Islamists. On what passes for a Left, Democrats like Hillary Clinton are pushing for tighter restrictions on guns. As usual. Indeed, it's hard to argue that civilians require military grade weapons like the semi-automatic AR-15 assault rifle used to kill 49 people at the Pulse nightclub. Hunters don't use them. If the AR-15 is legal, why not hand grenades? Had Nateen been forced to use a pistol or long gun instead, his bullets would have been smaller, the death toll lower. Some of his victims might have been able to overpower him as he tried to reload. Here again, however, it's too late to fix the problem. The cat is out of the bag. Two years ago, the national sport shooting foundation estimated that there were between 5 million and 8.2 million assault-style rifles in American homes. Sales of these weapons always spike after mass shootings, so it's a safe bet that that number has risen by at least 1 million or two since then. Even if Hillary Clinton were to succeed beyond her wildest dreams, assault weapons were banned permanently, what about those millions of AR-15's already in circulation? Would she be willing to send jackbooted federal thugs door to door to search every home until every last one of them, or at least the lion's share, were rounded up and melted down? Of course not. The truth is, this ship sailed back in 2004 when Congress allowed the federal ban on assault weapons to expire without being renewed. Congress's failure to act over the last 12 years has transformed the United States into a nation awash in military hardware. Mass shootings are the new normal. Get over it. "It's too late to do anything about it, now let's act" mania appears to have become as much of a part of our national character as the myth that everyone is a member of the middle class. Progressives and liberals who form the base of the Democratic Party, most of whom supported Bernie Sanders during the primaries, are engaged in a robust debate over whether to switch over to Hillary Clinton this fall, support a third-party candidate like Green Party presidential nominee Jill Stein, or stay home on election day. It's the same old question: Do you vote for the lesser of two evils? Isn't that voting for evil? Democrats for Clinton are trying to convince Bernie Sanders voters that November represents an existential threat, that if Donald Trump is elected everything we know and love about America will be destroyed. They don't get it. The US State Department's "Dissent Channel" is a mechanism through which department personnel may disagree with administration policy without fear of job retribution. On June 17, Mark Landler of the New York Times revealed the existence of a recent "Dissent Channel" memo bearing the signatures of 51 diplomats and other department officials and calling for "a more militarily assertive US role in Syria [versus the Assad regime], based on the judicious use of stand-off and air weapons." Let me open my dissent to the dissent by invoking the late Pete Seeger: "Oh when will they ever learn?" The "judicious use" of US military force in the Middle East and Central Asia has made things worse, not better, for 25 years now. The first Gulf War weakened admittedly draconian, but at least secular, rule in the region, unleashing al Qaeda on the world. The US invasions and occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq turned those countries into festering wounds, breeding grounds for raging infections of militant Islamism. US interventions in Libya, Syria and elsewhere have accelerated, not suppressed, the growth and virulence of those infections. How many civilians have died in the Middle East and Central Asia due to these "judicious uses" of US military force over the last quarter century? There's no way to know. Estimates of the death toll in Syria so far range from about 150,000 to nearly half a million. Thousands in Libya. Tens of thousands in Afghanistan. Hundreds of thousands, possibly more than a million, in Iraq. That's not counting thousands of American deaths -- more than 6,000 US troops, more than 3,000 American civilians -- directly related to successive administrations' hubristic ambition to run the lives of people, and dictate the policies of governments, in these countries. US military force, "judicious" or otherwise, has failed to produce peace, democracy or stability in the region. In fact, it has had precisely the opposite effect. It hasn't worked. It isn't going to start working now. The proper course is neither continuing the administration's half-hearted policy of funding and supporting "good" Islamists versus "bad" Islamists in Syria, nor the aggressive military policy advocated for by these State Department dissenters. The proper course is complete US military withdrawal from the region. Their problems are theirs, not America's, to solve. The quicker we learn that, the better their lives, and ours, will become. The US is in a deep foreign policy hole of its own creation. Time to stop digging. Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121 "The book is very well written...very important in this individualized capitalistic illusory world that enslaves us all within its tentacles and forces us to believe that we are atomized and disconnected beings. Indigenous Lakota people end prayers with "Mitakuye Oyasin...all my relations..." An ancient African proverb states, "A person is a person only because of and with others..." This instructive text is very useful for us living in what we are always told is the modern world, because it reconnects us all and reminds us that ultimately, the endless circle of the Universe binds and connects us all and the Earth is Mother to us with no hierarchy...the ones at the bottom matter the most...like the ants who build mounds and hills, all working in unison and harmony...the book teaches that we were created for community and our destiny is organic community...anything else is doomed..." Julian Kunnie, Professor of Religious Studies/Classics at the University of Arizona and author of The Cost of Globalization: Dangers to the Earth and Its People Scarecrow (Image by Jack W. Pearce) Details DMCA I used to condemn these outrages so mean: The Towers, Sandy Hook, and San Bernadeen, But as the years pass and rife clues come to light, I find myself passing to suspicion outright. Coincidence, of course, is 'meh' as old rags, But dozens together do raise the red flags. . And it's not I believe there are just no bad guys, But the ones they show us have too-perfect guise: Naive Chechen brothers and bi-polar teens, Islamic Macbeths with untoward spleens, Afghani lone wolves in full i.d. crisis. Who call 9-1-1 to say they dig ISIS. . The pattern repeats amidst loose ends unbound, Amazing hard facts that credulity pound, Like the Sandy Hook guy who first took his life Then stored the rifle like a careful housewife. Or good folks carting the hurt back to Pulse, Or putting them down to walk like adults. . Actors paint scenes as if of squashed ants: Guts and heads splashed, but no blood on their pants. No blood at all when you gander around, No ambulance squawking, no patients ill-found. Just Anderson Cooper saying it's all true, Showing his biceps and Reserve Navy crew. . Then money moves in like a fat jungle snake, Millions for victims, a new start to make. Federal cash floods departments and districts, Firemen fund pensions, their plumbing gets fix-its. Brisk biz there is for all parties involved, Of any fib told, one and all feel absolved: . "'Cause, yeah, there's been trauma, but what can we say? The top brass in Wash-town said this is the way To help keep our nation aware and secure, Who're we to say they're wrong and demur? Those guys are experts and know this old world, And say what they see would keep our hair curled." . So it continues and scarce a soul cheeses, Glad of the dough that much their lives eases, And if someone gets real and talks to the press, The mainstream media will quickly suppress The proof that all wasn't exactly per se, But who gives a hoot: old news anyway. Philip Kraske Social Media Pages: "A Legacy of Chains and Other Stories" is Philip Kraske's lastest book. It can be found at his website: www.philipkraske.com The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors. OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help. If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership. Articles Listed By Date List By Popularity Search Title Date Between Any 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Any 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 and Any 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Any 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Page 1 of 2 First Last Back Next 2 View All (1 comments) SHARE Germany and the EU's Continuing War Against the Greek People The background to the current Greek negotiations with Germany and the EU Monday, May 22, 2017The background to the current Greek negotiations with Germany and the EU (3 comments) SHARE Russia's Blunt Weapon Much of the oncern about Russian aggression is based on the Putin programme of "maskirovka", or pretending srength instead of the reality of weakness. Wednesday, March 8, 2017Much of the oncern about Russian aggression is based on the Putin programme of "maskirovka", or pretending srength instead of the reality of weakness. (1 comments) SHARE Trump and Chinese Business There are clear violations of the Emolument Clause when Trump deals with Chinese companies and banks. Friday, February 17, 2017There are clear violations of the Emolument Clause when Trump deals with Chinese companies and banks. SHARE Water Scarcity In The Fertile Crescent -- The Other War The origins of the conflict in Syria can be traced to the drought produced by the extensive climate change (warming)in the region Wednesday, January 4, 2017The origins of the conflict in Syria can be traced to the drought produced by the extensive climate change (warming)in the region (2 comments) SHARE The Syrian Chimera and The Queen of Hearts The unforeen consequences of the Syrian ceasefire and plans for peace talks. Saturday, December 31, 2016The unforeen consequences of the Syrian ceasefire and plans for peace talks. (3 comments) SHARE The Turkish Crackdown On Civil Liberties And The Cypriot Question There have been many problems created in Turkey with the removal of civil liberties and constitutional rights of Turkish citizens as a result of Erdogan and the AKP using this coup attempt to create an opportunity to purge the Turkish military, the civil service, the judges, the lawyers, the teachers and the universities Thursday, July 21, 2016There have been many problems created in Turkey with the removal of civil liberties and constitutional rights of Turkish citizens as a result of Erdogan and the AKP using this coup attempt to create an opportunity to purge the Turkish military, the civil service, the judges, the lawyers, the teachers and the universities (16 comments) SHARE The Roots of The Russian Purge of the Baltic Fleet Admirals On the 29th of June Putin's Ministry of Defence suddenly announced it was firing 50 naval officers, including Vice Admiral Viktor Kravchuk and chief of staff Rear Admiral Sergei Popov. Saturday, July 16, 2016On the 29th of June Putin's Ministry of Defence suddenly announced it was firing 50 naval officers, including Vice Admiral Viktor Kravchuk and chief of staff Rear Admiral Sergei Popov. (1 comments) SHARE Brexit: Escaping an Abusive Polygamous Marriage One of the great difficulties for the general public trying to make sense of the competing arguments for and against Brexit has been the constant and intense climate of Project Fear which the Remain campaign delivered at every opportunity. The prospect of leaving the embrace of the European Union to carry on an economic and political life outside that union was constantly being referred to by commentators as a divorce by Brita Wednesday, July 6, 2016One of the great difficulties for the general public trying to make sense of the competing arguments for and against Brexit has been the constant and intense climate of Project Fear which the Remain campaign delivered at every opportunity. The prospect of leaving the embrace of the European Union to carry on an economic and political life outside that union was constantly being referred to by commentators as a divorce by Brita SHARE The Preposterous Farce of A Second Scottish Referendum In the wake of the British vote to leave the European Union the Scottish First Minister has engaged with the broadcast and press media to threaten to take Scotland into a referendum to allow the nation to leave the United Kingdom and join the EU. This is an empty gesture and posturing by the ruling SNP to try to turn the Scottish dissatisfaction with the Brexit vote into a greater power for the SNP. Tuesday, June 28, 2016In the wake of the British vote to leave the European Union the Scottish First Minister has engaged with the broadcast and press media to threaten to take Scotland into a referendum to allow the nation to leave the United Kingdom and join the EU. This is an empty gesture and posturing by the ruling SNP to try to turn the Scottish dissatisfaction with the Brexit vote into a greater power for the SNP. (2 comments) SHARE BREXIT: Big Business, Cartels and the Single Market The European Union and the Single Market is dominated by cartels. This is why so many large UK businesses want to stay in rather than compete in free trade. Tuesday, June 21, 2016The European Union and the Single Market is dominated by cartels. This is why so many large UK businesses want to stay in rather than compete in free trade. (2 comments) SHARE BREXIT, Security and The European Toy Soldiers One of the key issues raised by those who campaign to keep Britain within the European Union is that its security is enhanced by remaining in the EU. It is a false and dangerous argument to make that Brexit will leave the UK isolated (let alone Cameron's assertion of a Third World War). It will be Europe who will be isolated and insecure. Tuesday, June 14, 2016One of the key issues raised by those who campaign to keep Britain within the European Union is that its security is enhanced by remaining in the EU. It is a false and dangerous argument to make that Brexit will leave the UK isolated (let alone Cameron's assertion of a Third World War). It will be Europe who will be isolated and insecure. (1 comments) SHARE Jacob Zuma, the 'Vula Boys' and the Tokoloshe The political background to South Africa's economic crisis and the recurrent crisis over Black Empowerment. Tuesday, December 15, 2015The political background to South Africa's economic crisis and the recurrent crisis over Black Empowerment. SHARE Turkish Labour And The Turkish Political Challenge The Turkish labour movement will be a major factor in the November election in Turkey. Saturday, October 17, 2015The Turkish labour movement will be a major factor in the November election in Turkey. (8 comments) SHARE The Turkish Dilemma The failures, deceits and temporising of Erdogan and the AKP have been exposed to the world with the recent explosions in Ankara. Friday, October 16, 2015The failures, deceits and temporising of Erdogan and the AKP have been exposed to the world with the recent explosions in Ankara. (1 comments) SHARE Schrodinger's Cat Is Dead Fundamentally, the Euro exists as a currency but is founded on the willing suspension of disbelief that somewhere, under the piles of excrement, there is a real pony passing nutrients through its system which constantly augments the piles. The simple fact is that reading the piles of excremental waste which surround the Euro has become a ritualised art form, like phrenology Wednesday, July 15, 2015Fundamentally, the Euro exists as a currency but is founded on the willing suspension of disbelief that somewhere, under the piles of excrement, there is a real pony passing nutrients through its system which constantly augments the piles. The simple fact is that reading the piles of excremental waste which surround the Euro has become a ritualised art form, like phrenology (1 comments) SHARE Consensual Rape in Greece It is time for democrats and Europeans of any moral worth to demonstrate their shame and embarrassment at the behaviour of their elected officials and to try and wrest control back of the European Union to allow it to follow the principles it was intended to achieve at the Treaty of Rome. Monday, July 13, 2015It is time for democrats and Europeans of any moral worth to demonstrate their shame and embarrassment at the behaviour of their elected officials and to try and wrest control back of the European Union to allow it to follow the principles it was intended to achieve at the Treaty of Rome. (1 comments) SHARE The Unspeakable German Hypocrisy on Greek Debt The disastrous effect of German and French arms sales to the Greek debt Thursday, July 9, 2015The disastrous effect of German and French arms sales to the Greek debt (1 comments) SHARE Time For A New 'Oxi' Day Greeks should vote "Oxi" (No!) on Sunday. Saturday, July 4, 2015Greeks should vote "Oxi" (No!) on Sunday. SHARE The Fourth Plenum and the Chinese Labour Movement The Chinese Communist Party is making adjustments to promote the rule of law and to suppress corruption. This will assist the Chinese labor movement as well. Saturday, December 13, 2014The Chinese Communist Party is making adjustments to promote the rule of law and to suppress corruption. This will assist the Chinese labor movement as well. (2 comments) SHARE Hong Kong Democrats and the Triads The role of the triads is important in understanding their recent activity in Hong Kong. Sunday, October 19, 2014The role of the triads is important in understanding their recent activity in Hong Kong. Page 1 of 2 First Last Back Next 2 View All Articles Listed By Date List By Popularity Search Title Date Between Any 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Any 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 and Any 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Any 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 (2 comments) SHARE Sentencing Reform Proposition, in response to the Stanford rape case We can easily remove racial bias from sentencing with one simple change. Tuesday, June 21, 2016We can easily remove racial bias from sentencing with one simple change. (1 comments) SHARE UGANDA - Human Rights Emergency unfolding for LGBT's Human rights atrocities are unfolding and will take a serious turn for the worse unless action is taken RIGHT NOW. President Museveni signed the anti-homosexuality legislation in Uganda, with a penalty of life imprisonment for "aggravated homosexuality." Wednesday, February 26, 2014Human rights atrocities are unfolding and will take a serious turn for the worse unless action is taken RIGHT NOW. President Museveni signed the anti-homosexuality legislation in Uganda, with a penalty of life imprisonment for "aggravated homosexuality." (1 comments) SHARE Why We Should Fly Naked This Thanksgiving. I propose that we wll show up to the screening counter with our luggage and boarding passes and not one stitch of clothing. It's exactly the kind of prank Ben Franklin would have approved of. Sunday, November 21, 2010I propose that we wll show up to the screening counter with our luggage and boarding passes and not one stitch of clothing. It's exactly the kind of prank Ben Franklin would have approved of. (1 comments) SHARE Gay Rights Battle: Senate Filibuster and DADT are the biggest wastes of time and money in recent memory. We are going to rise above this toxic level of existence. We are going to push back by ignoring, and by no longer accepting the bigoted arguments as though they have any credibility whatsoever, because they don't. And those who continue to adhere to the bigoted beliefs will just have to suffer the marginalization that it brings to them. But we have to organize. Wednesday, September 22, 2010We are going to rise above this toxic level of existence. We are going to push back by ignoring, and by no longer accepting the bigoted arguments as though they have any credibility whatsoever, because they don't. And those who continue to adhere to the bigoted beliefs will just have to suffer the marginalization that it brings to them. But we have to organize. (1 comments) SHARE Five gay men arrested in Kenya Five gay men arrested in Mombasa, Kenya; Mobs call for death by fire Posted at LBGT Asylum News Monday, February 22, 2010Five gay men arrested in Mombasa, Kenya; Mobs call for death by fire Posted at LBGT Asylum News SHARE Pajamas Media.com - unbelievable conservative website Today I stumbled across something called Pajamas Media.com - they have a youtube page as well. It is an unbelievable conservative website with articles and short videos bashing the left and liberals. Tuesday, October 13, 2009Today I stumbled across something called Pajamas Media.com - they have a youtube page as well. It is an unbelievable conservative website with articles and short videos bashing the left and liberals. (1 comments) SHARE The Twisted Logic of Medical Insurance Companies: My Personal Battle A personal account of a health care issue, which points out that we are missing the boat in the current health care debate - that necessary health care is a human right. Sunday, September 27, 2009A personal account of a health care issue, which points out that we are missing the boat in the current health care debate - that necessary health care is a human right. (8 comments) SHARE More Universal Wisdom to Chew on. Third in a series of articles prepared strictly to try to interject some of the Universal Wisdom being articulated by the scientists and philosophers of the day, this article asks what Progressives are going to do about the Church. Thursday, April 30, 2009Third in a series of articles prepared strictly to try to interject some of the Universal Wisdom being articulated by the scientists and philosophers of the day, this article asks what Progressives are going to do about the Church. (59 comments) SHARE Young preacher tasered, beaten at Arizona traffic stop for refusing to submit to warrantless search Young preacher Tasered, beaten at Arizona traffic stop for refusing to submit to warrantless search Sunday, April 19, 2009Young preacher Tasered, beaten at Arizona traffic stop for refusing to submit to warrantless search (2 comments) SHARE Translating Universal Wisdom into the political debate. Building on the theme started by my most recent article, in which I announced that "Poverty will end when we decide it will end, and not one moment before that," I am going to begin a series of articles for the purpose of introducing Universal Wisdom into the political debate. Tuesday, April 14, 2009Building on the theme started by my most recent article, in which I announced that "Poverty will end when we decide it will end, and not one moment before that," I am going to begin a series of articles for the purpose of introducing Universal Wisdom into the political debate. (1 comments) SHARE And Now for a Perspective Other than the One You Will Get from the Mainstream. So I sit and contemplate how we got here. I am totally blown away by all the Happy Easter ruckus that is going on. Saturday, April 11, 2009So I sit and contemplate how we got here. I am totally blown away by all the Happy Easter ruckus that is going on. (4 comments) SHARE Case Study: Costs of My January Back Surgery. Case study of the costs of my January 2009 back surgery in Southern California. Who's cooking the books? Monday, March 16, 2009Case study of the costs of my January 2009 back surgery in Southern California. Who's cooking the books? SHARE Brasscheck TV.com shows us the real truth of what we are up against. If we don't stand up and say the right thing when called to do so, we are not living up to our highest potential. Tuesday, October 21, 2008If we don't stand up and say the right thing when called to do so, we are not living up to our highest potential. (4 comments) SHARE Universal Health Care None of the health care reforms currently proposed cut the mustard. Friday, October 17, 2008None of the health care reforms currently proposed cut the mustard. (7 comments) SHARE Time for Progressives to confront the right-wing Doublespeak It is way past time for us to take control of this debate, which has been framed in such a way as to demonize any sort of wealth redistribution, even when basic human needs are the focus. Saturday, August 16, 2008It is way past time for us to take control of this debate, which has been framed in such a way as to demonize any sort of wealth redistribution, even when basic human needs are the focus. Articles Listed By Date List By Popularity Search Title Date Between Any 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Any 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 and Any 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Any 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Page 1 of 7 First Last Back Next 2 3 4 5 6 7 View All SHARE Palestinian Popular resistance - Friday in Kafr Qaddum Two youths have been injured by rubber coated-bullet shots and treated by medics on location. Nobody has been shot to death today. Resistance in Kafr Qaddum has been going on for over 10 years, and the casualty toll on the village has been heavy. Saturday, August 27, 2022Two youths have been injured by rubber coated-bullet shots and treated by medics on location. Nobody has been shot to death today. Resistance in Kafr Qaddum has been going on for over 10 years, and the casualty toll on the village has been heavy. (13 comments) SHARE Israeli Supreme Court's new paradigm: Apartheid and ethnic cleansing with equality Israeli Supreme Court' s recent judgments finds the right for equality between Palestinians and settlers, while permitting Jewish settlements and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The Israeli Supreme Court purports to provide legitimization for the Apartheid regime, while Religious Zionism provides the racist ideology. Friday, May 6, 2022Israeli Supreme Court' s recent judgments finds the right for equality between Palestinians and settlers, while permitting Jewish settlements and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The Israeli Supreme Court purports to provide legitimization for the Apartheid regime, while Religious Zionism provides the racist ideology. (4 comments) SHARE Holocaust Commemoration Day and "Religious Zionism" "Religious Zionism" is closely associated with the racist, brigand, violent and murderous Jewish-Orthodox-Israeli sect, which was established and has been funded and armed by Israeli governments for decades. The sect provides the religious ideology for the occupation, the Jewish settlements, and the Israeli apartheid regime. Jews of good faith, in Israel and worldwide, should be the first to denounce the sect. Monday, January 31, 2022"Religious Zionism" is closely associated with the racist, brigand, violent and murderous Jewish-Orthodox-Israeli sect, which was established and has been funded and armed by Israeli governments for decades. The sect provides the religious ideology for the occupation, the Jewish settlements, and the Israeli apartheid regime. Jews of good faith, in Israel and worldwide, should be the first to denounce the sect. SHARE Deep State in Israel - from drone sales to China to murderous pogroms in Palestine Veteran Israeli security and intelligence analyst Yossi Melman describes Deep State in Israel through collusion of the secretive security apparatus and the judges. Based on entirely different set of facts, OpEdNews.com 2013 article reached the same conclusions: "ISRAEL: Nation hijacked by a Shin-Bet Judiciary Gang". Obviously, "Democracy" is inconsistent with an Apartheid regime. Wednesday, January 5, 2022Veteran Israeli security and intelligence analyst Yossi Melman describes Deep State in Israel through collusion of the secretive security apparatus and the judges. Based on entirely different set of facts, OpEdNews.com 2013 article reached the same conclusions: "ISRAEL: Nation hijacked by a Shin-Bet Judiciary Gang". Obviously, "Democracy" is inconsistent with an Apartheid regime. (1 comments) SHARE The remedy for murderous police brutality in Israel and the occupied territories is gag orders "An epidemic of gag orders" in Israel includes secretive gag orders pertaining to cases in which police shot civilians, both in Israel proper and in the occupied Palestinian territories. The US and US Jewish lobby are the main patrons of the Israeli regime and its conduct. Recently, police have launched investigations of activists, who purportedly violated such secretive gag orders in social network posts. Wednesday, July 14, 2021"An epidemic of gag orders" in Israel includes secretive gag orders pertaining to cases in which police shot civilians, both in Israel proper and in the occupied Palestinian territories. The US and US Jewish lobby are the main patrons of the Israeli regime and its conduct. Recently, police have launched investigations of activists, who purportedly violated such secretive gag orders in social network posts. (2 comments) SHARE Israel Supreme Court establishes a "constitutional" apartheid regime Yesterday's judgment, affirming the controversial Jewish nation-state law, is likely to be remembered as the Israeli Dred Scott. The Israeli justices are experts at writing hundreds of pages of "constitutional" sophistry in a nation with no constitution, out of touch with the facts on the ground. Law Prof. Manny Mautner has recently described another such Israeli Supreme Court judgment "surrealistic"... . Saturday, July 10, 2021Yesterday's judgment, affirming the controversial Jewish nation-state law, is likely to be remembered as the Israeli Dred Scott. The Israeli justices are experts at writing hundreds of pages of "constitutional" sophistry in a nation with no constitution, out of touch with the facts on the ground. Law Prof. Manny Mautner has recently described another such Israeli Supreme Court judgment "surrealistic"... . (3 comments) SHARE Death of Unit 8200 cybersecurity officer Tomer Eiges - a political assassination? In what appears to be a sea change in Israeli mentality, the public is refusing to accept government far-reaching censorship and lies in this case. Tuesday, June 8, 2021In what appears to be a sea change in Israeli mentality, the public is refusing to accept government far-reaching censorship and lies in this case. (6 comments) SHARE Jerusalem Jewish holiday tradition - anti-Arab pogroms Ultra-orthodox Jews in Jerusalem stage annual anti-Arab pogroms on the holiday of Purim with police complicity. Last night it ended with one dead. At the same time, police suppress Israeli Arab protests against police failure to provide equal protection with rubber bullets, stun grenades and tear gas. This is the face of Apartheid and brazen government corruption within the 1967 borders... Monday, March 1, 2021Ultra-orthodox Jews in Jerusalem stage annual anti-Arab pogroms on the holiday of Purim with police complicity. Last night it ended with one dead. At the same time, police suppress Israeli Arab protests against police failure to provide equal protection with rubber bullets, stun grenades and tear gas. This is the face of Apartheid and brazen government corruption within the 1967 borders... (5 comments) SHARE Assange & UK justice system - Twitter deems OpEdNews report potentially malicious According to Twitter, the true, valid OpEdNews report could be malicious, harmful, or misleading, and in violation of Twitter Rules. Twitter posts such warnings even in private, direct messages. Sending the link to the OpEdNews report in a private, direct message in Twitter may lead to blocking of the sender's account... Friday, December 4, 2020According to Twitter, the true, valid OpEdNews report could be malicious, harmful, or misleading, and in violation of Twitter Rules. Twitter posts such warnings even in private, direct messages. Sending the link to the OpEdNews report in a private, direct message in Twitter may lead to blocking of the sender's account... (2 comments) SHARE Netanyahu's agenda for a new government: Annexation of Palestine with US consent? Dispute over annexation is reportedly delaying the formation of a new government. Tuesday, March 31, 2020Dispute over annexation is reportedly delaying the formation of a new government. (2 comments) SHARE Israel - the regime has been transformed into a criminal parody There is no plausible explanation for the dramatic events of the past 3 days, where Gantz, the narrow majority leader, purportedly committed to fight Netanyahu's corruption, yielded and joined Netanyahu to form a new government. Sunday, March 29, 2020There is no plausible explanation for the dramatic events of the past 3 days, where Gantz, the narrow majority leader, purportedly committed to fight Netanyahu's corruption, yielded and joined Netanyahu to form a new government. (2 comments) SHARE [Videos] Collapse of the Israeli regime - dancing in Jerusalem "This is a regime change in real time." Wednesday, March 25, 2020"This is a regime change in real time." SHARE "Not every regime succumbs to Corona, but Israel's is in the high-risk group" A dramatic day, including a black flag car convoy to the the Knesset (parliament) in Jerusalem battling with police and a Supreme Court hearing regarding new big brother electronic policing. In the background - closing of the courts, inexplicable extension of Netanyahu's criminal arraignment hearing, and refusal to permit the newly Knesset to convene. Friday, March 20, 2020A dramatic day, including a black flag car convoy to the the Knesset (parliament) in Jerusalem battling with police and a Supreme Court hearing regarding new big brother electronic policing. In the background - closing of the courts, inexplicable extension of Netanyahu's criminal arraignment hearing, and refusal to permit the newly Knesset to convene. (3 comments) SHARE Sex, bribes and recordings rocking the Israeli justice system Media report that the entire content of former Chairman of the Israel Bar Association Effi Naveh's mobile phone was leaked. It is only the latest scandal plaguing the Israeli justice system, already under siege since entering a head-on collision with Prime Minister Netanyahu. Friday, December 27, 2019Media report that the entire content of former Chairman of the Israel Bar Association Effi Naveh's mobile phone was leaked. It is only the latest scandal plaguing the Israeli justice system, already under siege since entering a head-on collision with Prime Minister Netanyahu. (9 comments) SHARE Is Netanyahu ready to deceive Israelis and the US into war before the general election? Today, IDF's "cute deceptive maneuver" failed. It could have led to escalation and war against Hezbollah, Iran's proxy in Lebanon, dragging the US into war as well... Monday, September 2, 2019Today, IDF's "cute deceptive maneuver" failed. It could have led to escalation and war against Hezbollah, Iran's proxy in Lebanon, dragging the US into war as well... (1 comments) SHARE Notoriously racist, settlers' "Rabbi" wins Jewish scholarship prize The prize, sponsored by Israeli Ministry of Education, comes just days after new Israeli Education Minister called for permanent Apartheid regime with "no political-level voting rights" for Palestinians. Funded by the State, the settlers are the hard core of a new brand of Judaism, which is characterized by racist, militant, violent, and at times murderous tendencies. Now - also perceived as a growing threat to the government. Wednesday, July 17, 2019The prize, sponsored by Israeli Ministry of Education, comes just days after new Israeli Education Minister called for permanent Apartheid regime with "no political-level voting rights" for Palestinians. Funded by the State, the settlers are the hard core of a new brand of Judaism, which is characterized by racist, militant, violent, and at times murderous tendencies. Now - also perceived as a growing threat to the government. (1 comments) SHARE Apartheid or "Conversion Therapy" in Israel - which is worse? "Conversion therapy" statements by Israeli Education Minister Peretz grabbed intentional media headlines. Media by and large ignored his statements, on the very same occasion, in favor of establishing formal, permanent apartheid regime in Israel. Current conditions in Palestine are de facto, informal apartheid, justified by the Israeli and US governments as "temporary" for over 50 years... Monday, July 15, 2019"Conversion therapy" statements by Israeli Education Minister Peretz grabbed intentional media headlines. Media by and large ignored his statements, on the very same occasion, in favor of establishing formal, permanent apartheid regime in Israel. Current conditions in Palestine are de facto, informal apartheid, justified by the Israeli and US governments as "temporary" for over 50 years... SHARE "Whorehouse in the Judicial Appointment Committee" in Israel The common name is "Sex for Judgeship" scandal, but in an early June hearing on his disqualification in the Bloggers' affair, Judge Benny Sagi issued a gag order, prohibiting the use of that name" The disqualification hearing exposed that the Bloggers' affair was in fact an early whistle-blowing of the scandal... Saturday, July 13, 2019The common name is "Sex for Judgeship" scandal, but in an early June hearing on his disqualification in the Bloggers' affair, Judge Benny Sagi issued a gag order, prohibiting the use of that name" The disqualification hearing exposed that the Bloggers' affair was in fact an early whistle-blowing of the scandal... (3 comments) SHARE Black Jews riot in Israel following the "neutralizing" of 18 yo Solomon Tekah Vigilante killings, or extra-judicial executions have become normative in dealing with Palestinians in Palestine, where they are routinely referred to by media and by the authorities as "neutralizing". The practice is leaking inside the 1967 borders with the killing of Israeli-Palestinians and black Jews. Saturday, July 6, 2019Vigilante killings, or extra-judicial executions have become normative in dealing with Palestinians in Palestine, where they are routinely referred to by media and by the authorities as "neutralizing". The practice is leaking inside the 1967 borders with the killing of Israeli-Palestinians and black Jews. SHARE Government corruption in Israel: "A house bearing a steel shield, eaten by termites from the inside"... The annual, three day "national security" conference in Tel-Aviv boasted a long line of senior US and Israeli government and corporate officials. This year, the organizers changed the topic to "national resilience" - including government corruption as a key factor in evaluating the strength of the state. Wednesday, July 3, 2019The annual, three day "national security" conference in Tel-Aviv boasted a long line of senior US and Israeli government and corporate officials. This year, the organizers changed the topic to "national resilience" - including government corruption as a key factor in evaluating the strength of the state. Page 1 of 7 First Last Back Next 2 3 4 5 6 7 View All Trump calls for profiling Muslims as a response to terrorism NEW YORK: Republican presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump, who has proposed a ban on Muslim immigration into the United States and surveillance of mosques, is now calling for profiling Muslims as a response to terrorism. I think profiling is something that were going to have to start thinking about as a country, Trump said on CBS News Sunday programme. You look at Israel and you look at others, and they do it and they do it successfully, he added. While hurrying to add that I hate the concept of profiling, Trump said that we have to start using common sense and we have to use, you know, we have to use our heads. Profiling is an oft-criticised law enforcement tactic. The US National Institute of Justice defines racial profiling as a practice that targets people for suspicion of crime based on their race, ethnicity, religion or national origin. African-Americans and Hispanics have long protested police profiling that ranges from traffic stops to questioning about alleged crimes. Trump has stepped up comments about radical Islamic extremism in the wake of last weeks mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, and his proposals have drawn criticism from opponents. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said the Muslim migration ban and other proposals would help the Islamic State and other extremists recruit new members, and alienate Muslim nations who are helping the US fight terrorism. Trumps approach is un-American, Clinton said last week. It goes against everything we stand for as a country founded on religious freedom. But it is also dangerous. In the interview, Trump said France also places mosques under surveillance. Theyre doing it in France. In fact, in some instances, theyre closing down mosques. People dont want to talk about it. People arent talking about it. But look at what theyre doing in France. Theyre actually closing down mosques, he asserted. Civil rights activists, Muslims, African-Americans, Latinos and others condemned Trumps statement, saying that profiling is unconstitutional. The billionaire businessman previously called for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States. He has also called for a database to track Muslims across the United States, and he has also said that the US would have absolutely no choice but to close down mosques. The Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) has condemned the Orlando nightclub shooting that left dozens of people dead last week, and called for unity among all Americans and warned politicians against exploiting the tragedy to score points. Omar Mateen stormed the Pulse Club on June 12, killing 49 people and injured 53 others at the gay club, marking the worst ever mass shooting in US history. The 29-year-old suspect was an American-born US citizen born to parents of Afghan origin. He was allegedly a Daesh sympathiser. At a speech in New Hampshire last week, he talked about taking a hardline on certain people trying to enter the US, and promised to suspend immigration from areas of the world where there is a proven history of terrorism against the US, Europe, and our allies. The bottom line is that the only reason the killer was in America in the first place was because we allowed his family to come here, he said, referring to Omar Mateens parents, who immigrated from Afghanistan. President Barack Obama doubled down on Trump with stinging criticism in response, telling a Tuesday press conference that the Republicans proposals wont make us safe. We now have proposals from the presumptive Republican nominee for president of the United States to bar all Muslims from immigrating into America, Obama said. " " Matt Britten, a citizen journalist for MySpace, conducts interviews during the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colo. John Shearer/ Getty Images Citizen journalism refers to any type of news gathering and reporting -- writing and publishing articles about a newsworthy topic, or posting photographs or video of a newsworthy event -- that is done by members of the general public rather than the professional news agencies commonly referred to as "mainstream media." Citizen journalism has been in existence at least since Thomas Paine wrote self-published pamphlets like Common Sense that stoked the fires of independence in 1776 [source: Glaser]. But any conversation about citizen journalism in the modern age is mostly a conversation about the transformative effect of the Internet on the democratization of information. Before the Internet, only professional journalists had access to the technology and organizational infrastructure to publish their work to a large audience. If the average citizen wanted to contribute to the news cycle, he or she could write a letter to the editor or circulate a homemade newspaper or "zine" through the mail. But today, armed with a PC and a high-speed Internet connection, absolutely anyone can share newsworthy information and opinions with a worldwide audience. Advertisement New York University journalism professor Jay Rosen offers this definition of citizen journalism: "When the people formerly known as the audience employ the press tools they have in their possession to inform one another, that's citizen journalism [source: Rosen]." Thanks to technological innovations, these "press tools" now include desktop publishing software, digital cameras and video camcorders, and blogging software and social media Web sites for publishing material online. Amateur journalists have been responsible for a number of notable "scoops" in the past decade. In 2004, a team of conservative bloggers exposed fraudulent documents used in a "60 Minutes" story about President George W. Bush's military service. The controversy, known as Rathergate, led to the firing of several CBS employees and tarnished the reputation of respected journalist Dan Rather, who left the network in 2006. Photos and videos shot by eyewitnesses during the the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, 2005 London Tube bombings and the 2007 Virginia Tech shootings also provided vivid imagery that brought those stories home [source: Mediabistro]. The rise of citizen journalism has been controversial, because it raises the question: what does it mean to be a "professional" journalist if everyone is a journalist? Critics of citizen journalism argue that real journalists, professional or amateur, adhere to certain standards like fact checking, naming sources, searching out opinions on both sides of an issue and avoiding libelous statements [source: Hogg]. You don't need to have a degree in journalism or carry press credentials to practice these principles, but publishing a personal opinion about a politician or posting a grainy cell phone video of a celebrity does not necessarily make you a journalist. Interestingly, in the wake of mass budget cuts to U.S. newspapers, largely due to the rise of the Internet as a communications tool, mainstream media outlets have quickly (and somewhat ironically) moved to incorporate elements of citizen journalism into their news programs and publications. Cable news networks solicit viewer photos and videos of breaking news stories. Newspaper reporters write blogs and update Twitter accounts, inviting reader interaction and participation. After all, if the local paper doesn't have the staff to cover City Hall, then bloggers will step in to publicize issues that matter to local readers [source: Stverak]. To learn more about media, journalism and the impact of the Internet, see the related links on the next page. " " Prostitutes in the Czech Republic in 2002, a year before the U.N. would denounce the area as a haven for human trafficking. Sean Gallup/ Getty Images As schoolchildren, we learned that Abraham Lincoln freed slaves in the United States. And we learned that the elimination of slavery, in combination with the Civil Rights Movement that would come a century later, was a fulfillment of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, which states that all men are created equal. In the U.S., we tell ourselves that we've learned this lesson, that we don't value one human life over another. Yet, in the world today, there are more slaves than at any other time in human history [source: Wallace]. Modern slavery isn't just something that happens in backwards countries; it continues in the most developed countries in the world, including the U.S. Advertisement These present-day slaves are the victims of human trafficking. Traffickers use force and fraud to compel their victims into forced labor or sexual exploitation. Here's how that might work: A woman in a poor, Eastern European country sees a billboard advertising glamorous waitressing jobs in Paris or New York City. Eager for a chance to work in an affluent country, where people make their own destinies, she calls the number on the billboard. She's told that for $3,000, a company will take her to Paris or New York, where she can claim the waitressing job. She ponies up the money, or agrees to pay the company out of her waitressing earnings, and boards a plane. When the plane lands, however, that woman isn't taken to a cafe or a restaurant. Instead, she's taken to a brothel, where she's sold to the owner and forced to become a prostitute. She must pay off that $3,000, she is told, in addition to her daily room and board. She's in a country where she knows no one, where she has no official paperwork and where she's been threatened with violence or death if she runs away from the brothel. If she's not taken to a brothel, she might be taken to a sweatshop, where she works alongside small children for 15 hours a day. She might work in a private home, tending to a family's needs; unlike a nanny or a housekeeper, however, she'll never receive a paycheck or a chance to talk to her family again. Human trafficking claims many victims -- men, women and children from all over the world. It's a crime that many people want to put an end to, but it will be no easy task. In this article, we'll take a closer look at human trafficking and the struggle to stop it. " " Image Gallery: Yoga It's never too early -- or too late -- to start practicing yoga. See more yoga pictures. John Eder/Taxi/ Getty Images According to a 2008 poll commissioned by a leading yoga magazine, 15.8 million Americans practice the discipline each year [source: Billard]. And yoga is big business in the United States -- every year, these yogis and yoginis spend almost $6 billion on classes, retreats, clothing and DVDs [source: Billard]. You can find yoga offered everywhere from gyms to community centers to retirement homes. When celebrities are asked how they keep in shape and stay sane amongst the craziness of Hollywood, they usually mention yoga. There are yoga classes specifically for dogs, babies, nudists, couples and punk rock aficionados. Your doctor might recommend that you take a few classes at your next check-up, and there's talk of making yoga an Olympic sport. So how did yoga come to be so popular in the U.S.? A typical yoga class in the U.S. might involve a series of postures, known as asanas. The postures, which comprise forward bends, back bends, lunges and twists, have names like downward-facing dog, pigeon, camel, crane and eagle. Throughout a typical class, you'd also practice some breathing exercises and you might do a guided meditation followed by a "namaste". If you were to ask the people leaving such a class what they got out of it, their answers would probably differ. Some might say that they get a great workout that helps them fit into their jeans, while others might say that they feel calmer and more relaxed. Some might be confused why a doctor wanted them to listen to such nonsense for an hour. But this type of class only represents a very small window into the entire world of yoga. Advertisement Yoga is an ancient tradition that was first mentioned in the Vedas, a set of scriptures written 5,000 years ago. The word "yoga" is usually translated as "union" or "yoke," and early writings about the practice talk about a union between the body and mind that will help an individual develop a union with the universal. Yoga was praised in the Bhagavad Gita, thought to be written in 300 B.C., as a means of freeing the mind from the physical world, but the ancient text makes no mention of an exercise regimen. Rather, the Bhagavad Gita outlines three types of yoga: karma, bhakti and jnana. Karma yoga was based on selfless action, bhakti yoga was a form of devotion and prayer and jnana yoga referred to scholarly pursuits and the study of philosophy and knowledge. So how do students working on their downward-facing dogs link to these ancient Indian texts about devotion and philosophy? On the next page, we'll consider yoga's long journey to the Western world. A mix of human activity and natural climate change has made caribou a threatened species both provincially and federally. Credit: University of Alberta The Alberta government recently announced an aggressive protection plan for caribou ranges in northern and central Alberta. The new plan includes adding 1.8 million hectares of protected land for a total of 4.9 million hectares across Alberta. Stan Boutin, University of Alberta professor (biological sciences) and Alberta Biodiversity Conservation Chair, will oversee the advisory panel implementing and monitoring the new plan. "The caribou file has simmered for at least 10 years," says Boutin, noting that the announcement is a major accomplishment after a half-decade of failed attempts to negotiate a range management plan. "To the credit of this NDP government, they brought in a mediator to see if he could stickhandle his way through this morass." Boutin says that caribou need large patches of undisturbed forest to avoid predators and sees the announcement as a major step in the right direction. "The plan has all the prongs needed for potential recovery: protection, aggressive restoration of features we created as humans through seismic lines and reforestry, and some control of predators for the time being." A mix of human activity and natural climate change has made caribou a threatened species both provincially and federally. "In reality, this caribou system is so complicated. Not only have our activities changed things, the changing climate has created an environment for deer to thrive, driving up the wolf population, which is ultimately bad for caribou." The solution up until now has been a controversial wolf control program. "It's a full-fledged war on wolves," says Boutin, who advocates instead for a solution that protects both species. "How are we accepting that this is ongoing?" In addition to advocating for caribou habitat recreation, Boutin has been pushing for a somewhat provocative solution to caribou conservation, which will ultimately help the wolf population as well. With an ambitious time frame to break ground by the end of 2016, Boutin will be piloting a fenced-in protected area for female caribou and young offspring as a refuge from wolves. "The major pressures are on early survival. If we can improve that, we can really help the plight of the caribou." Though predatory control can stabilize the caribou population, the goal with the fenced-in area is to bump up the herd, providing a "pulse" to the caribou population each year. Boutin sees this as a benefit not only to caribou, but also to wolves. "Hopefully we can start to wean ourselves off of the wolf control." Boutin has also been in ongoing discussion with industry partners to expand similar experiments in eastern Alberta. Though fences are widely used around the world for animal conservationin Hawaii and New Zealand for nesting birds and in Africa for game management, for exampleit is a relatively new concept for North America. The idea of protective fencing for caribou is untested, but Boutin is optimistic. "We are into major intervention. No one should ever dream that this won't be somewhat artificial. We are going to aggressively manage it. That's why these fences aren't out of the question. If this experiment is a success, we can cut back on the removal of wolves. I see a potential double win." Explore further Canada to stage helicopter wolf hunt to save caribou JCU's Dr Tasmin Rymer led a study that produced a template measuring several crucial factors, including an animal's physiology and environment, to determine how it would handle a severe drought. Dr Rymer said scientists believe the current rate of climate change is unprecedented in Earth's history and will lead to more and worse droughts in many areas. "So we developed a theoretical framework that allows researchers to estimate the likelihood that a species will be able to cope," she said. Dr Rymer said the "Adaptive Triquetra" model considers the primary driving stressors of droughts: temperature, limited water, and reduced food availability. Then it looks at how well an animal's specific body system could mount a response, and the extent to which its traits are adaptable. "We have provided a comprehensive suite of traits to consider when making predictions about species' resilience to drought. It's designed to help scientists assess the potential for a species or population to cope with increasing aridity," she said. Dr Rymer said the process is more complex than it sounds, with much work still needed to fully determine the characteristics of many species before the model can be applied to them. She said the Adaptive Triquetra is still a conceptual framework in need of empirical testing, but held great promise for fine-tuning wildlife management. "If you found a species was particularly vulnerable to water stress, such as in a drought, you might design a management plan that provides access to artificial water points. If you found a species was vulnerable to increased temperatures, you might provide subterranean shelters." Dr Rymer said in one example of where the model would have been useful, managers of a reserve in South Africa assumed their animals were suffering from lack of water during a drought, but in fact they had denuded the vegetation around their few artificially-built water holes and the animals were starving. "If they had dropped fences and spaced water sources widely apart, this would have promoted movement and foraging over a wider area. Our model may have suggested this course of action if it had been in use," said Dr Rymer. "Knowing which species are at risk and what stressors have the greatest impact allows for more effective management strategies to be put into place." Explore further Predicting plant responses to drought Credit: Victoria University Research by Victoria University of Wellington senior lecturer Dr Kate McMillan shows the importance of people-to-people links in building New Zealand as an Asia-Pacific trading nation. Dr McMillan recently completed Relations and Relationships: 40 years of people movement from ASEAN countries to New Zealand, a report commissioned by the Asia New Zealand Foundation to mark the fortieth anniversary of New Zealand's relations with ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations). "ASEAN is a hugely diverse and dynamic region with much to offer and teach New Zealanders looking for experiences and opportunities abroad. "To facilitate this relationship it is essential for New Zealanders to become familiar with the languages and cultures of the ten member countries of ASEAN. We also need to deepen our appreciation for the experiences and perspectives of ASEAN nationals. People flows between ASEAN and New Zealand have a central role to play in both." The report looks at the movement of people between ASEAN countries and New Zealand from 1975-2016. It shows that the relationships built through ASEAN students, immigrants and refugees, and short-term visitors, such as tourists and business people, are essential to the continued development of New Zealand's relationship with the Asia-Pacific. "Early flows of people to New Zealand from the region were dominated by students studying here on Colombo Plan scholarships, and refugees from Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Contemporary people movements are more diverse. There are professionals looking to live permanently in New Zealand, temporary workers filling essential skills gaps, young people on working holiday visas, seasonal horticultural workers, fee-paying students, tourists, refugees and business visitors. "The stand-out story, though, is that of Filipino migration, with Filipinos now filling major labour market gaps in the aged-care, construction and diary industries in New Zealand." She says changes in the numbers and types of people flows between New Zealand and ASEAN have been supported by government initiatives, including an increase in scholarships for ASEAN students to study in New Zealand, the ASEAN Young Business Leaders Initiative, ASEAN Fellowships, and Special Work Category Visas that flow from the ASEAN Australia New Zealand Free Trade Agreement. Economic growth and development within the ASEAN countries has also played a major role, with emerging middle classes in a number of ASEAN countries taking advantage of educational, tourism and business opportunities in New Zealand. "The movement of New Zealanders to ASEAN countries has increased as well, with New Zealanders increasingly looking to work, live, study, do business and holiday in those countries." ASEAN was created to promote economic and political cooperation in Southeast Asia. Its members are: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Explore further Sanofi builds $75 mn factory in Vietnam for ASEAN markets More information: Strong history, bright future: Harnessing New Zealand's connections with Southeast Asia: Strong history, bright future: Harnessing New Zealand's connections with Southeast Asia: www.asianz.org.nz/media-releas rnessing-new-zealand %E2%80%99s-connections-southeast-asia Credit: Youris.com Railways and public transport systems are particularly vulnerable to thunderstorms. But early warning remains a challenge, which makes it hard for operators to take adequate measures With summertime and heat waves approaching, thunderstorms are becoming more frequent again. Recently several regions in Europe were hit by devastating thunderstorms along with strong winds, lightning strikes, hail and flash floods. France and Germany were the most affected with reports of several fatalities. Floods swept through entire towns and cities, blocking roads and railways. The trouble is that "extreme thunderstorms are becoming more frequent due to climate change," says Matthias Mather, head of environmental management at the German National Railway company Deutsche Bahn in Berlin. Measures have already been taken such as cutting down large trees in places along railways considered possible black spots that were particularly hard hit during past extreme weather events, he explains. But while railway operators in Germany are quite well prepared for floods, "we still do not have an appropriate concept for lightning," he adds. It is true that meteorological information providers can give reasonably accurate warnings on large-scale synoptic storms over time scales of a few hours, says Chris Baker, professor at the Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education at the University of Birmingham, UK. But "thunderstorms are much more difficult to predict because of their small spatial and time scales although we can predict the weather conditions that may or may not lead to thunderstorms," he says. This makes it hard for railway operators to put operational measures into place in due time. Of course, if there are urgent warnings of severe weather, trains are usually stopped at the next station, Mather says. But the lead times for such measures "are necessarily quite long, over periods of a few hours or more," Baker points out. A 24-hour warning is needed in order to be in a reasonable state of preparedness. For emergency situations, a 2-hour warning is required to brace for the event to come, Mather adds. In his view, railway operators would thus benefit from more precise forecasting and warnings in time and space. Today, most up-to-date thunderstorm forecasting is based on a so-called ingredient-based methodology, according to Tomas Pucik, researcher at the European Severe Storms Laboratory in Wessling, Germany. "If well-known weather ingredients are present, there is a high probability of a severe thunderstorm within a certain region," he explains. In this case, weather experts can issue a general warning for a larger area several hours to days ahead. However, only when a storm starts developing, can scientists assess how severe it might get. They track the route of the storm and thus predict on time scales of minutes, which region will be affected next. This forecast is based on data including radar or satellite observations. Of course, "the problem with these warnings is that they may not give enough lead-time," says Pucik. As part of the EU-project RAIN, Pucik and colleagues have therefore analysed past events, such as a severe thunderstorm in North-western Germany in June 2014, where six people were killed and tens of thousands of toppling and uprooted trees blocked railway tracks and damaged their overhead lines. As a lesson from this incident "we recommend spreading the idea of ingredient forecasting as this is still a relatively new topic," Pucik stresses. Better detection networks would help increase the lead-time of more precise warnings, he adds. Indeed, "more precise warnings could be obtained from weather radar," Baker agrees. "But the issue would be how these warnings could be used to implement train restrictions over very short time scales without causing massive disruption," he says. In the future, it is also important to look at the wider surroundings affected by thunderstorms, Mather maintains. For example, "floods often occur in entirely different areas than the thunderstorm itself", he concludes. Explore further Researchers advise warning systems and preparation to mitigate the effects of extreme weather events John Pomeroy. Photo by David Stobbe Speaking to media earlier in the year, John Pomeroy put forward that Western Canada was primed for extreme wildfire conditions. When flames raged across Fort McMurray, Alta. throughout the month of May, razing homes to the ground and forcing evacuations, he was dismayed to see that his predictions had come true. And he doesn't think we're through the worst of it. "It's very disturbing that it turned out to be the case. We couldn't predict Fort McMurray would be the place, but we could say with a fair bit of confidence that they would be remarkably large firesand we're not done yet," he said. As director of the Centre for Hydrology at the University of Saskatchewan and a member of the Global Institute for Water Security, Pomeroy's expertise lies not in wildfire prediction or management, but rather water and climate research. The scope of his work is significant, pulling in everything from Prairie wetland drainage to the impact changes in farming and cultivation can have on hydrology and even the measurement of meltwater movement through snow packs in the Canadian Rockies. It's that last example that lead Pomeroy to believe wildfires would be a major concern moving into the summer, as water stored in the mountain and prairie snowpacks plays a major role in hydrating the Prairies. "This mountain water's important," Pomeroy said. "It feeds the irrigation in Alberta and Saskatchewan, and then also supports the rivers that are used for water supply for Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon and through pipelines to Regina." According to his work, the mountain snowpacks melted about six weeks early and prairie snowpacks did not form at all in parts of Alberta. Since these stores are a major water resource, feeding into rivers, streams and other channels as they thaw, an early melt can mean a long, dry summer. "How late lying that snow pack is has a strong correlation to forest fires. If you have an extra month or month and a half of summer without the extra rainfall to keep things wet, you can develop very dry conditions where fires can develop. Even with normal rainfall patterns and a longer summer because it's warmer, we get into trouble with drought and with fires," Pomeroy said. "It's a pretty uncertain business, but we were able to say even by February that we were heading into trouble due to a warmer than normal winter with lower than normal snowpacks." Worse yet, Pomeroy now thinks that 2016 is in a unique position to possibly be a year of both fires and flooding. "We're not out of the woods yet. When you have a longer snow-free season, you have a longer potential flooding season. The situation of intense rains that can create flooding like we had in 2013 in the mountains, and 2014 in the prairies can't really develop until the snowpack is largely gone. So in a low snowpack year there's simply greater opportunity for that to occur. . "2013 in the mountains would have been a drought year if not for the three days of flooding in late Junethe rest of the year was really very dry. You can have both at the same time." Explore further NASA satellites image Fort McMurray fires day and night New evidence suggests that the dark brown Stone's sheep likely weathered the last ice age in a smaller ice-free area south of Beringia. Credit: University of Alberta Evolutionary biologists studying the lineages of thinhorn sheep have found evidence suggesting that the species diverged hundreds of thousands of years earlier than previously thought. During the last ice age, most of North America was covered by inhospitable glaciers, forcing plants and animals to seek refuge in ice-free regions known as refugia. In some cases, individuals from the same species were separated in different refugia where they accumulated variances between populations over time, sometimes resulting in the formation of new species. An iconic symbol of the mountains of western North America, the ancestors of the two dominant varieties of thinhorn sheep were believed to have weathered the last ice age together in the Beringian refugium, which today spans Alaska and the northern Yukon. After the glaciers melted some 10,000 years ago, this theory posits, the species diverged into the white Dall's sheep and the dark Stone's sheep that we know today. When scientists looked into the DNA of both subspecies, however, they found it told a different story. "The separation is hard to date, because with glaciation, fossilization is a hard thing to achieve," explains Sim Zijian, PhD candidate in the Department of Biological Sciences and lead author on the study. "Traditionally when you're trying to figure out what species came first and how they split, you use fossils. But that's not possible here because these sheep live on top of mountains, where it's rocky. Fossils just don't form on rock." Instead, scientists turned to genetics, conducting a phylogenetic studythe study of lineagesinto both subspecies of sheep. Looking at samples of modern animals, they found that, based on how the lineages were split, the division between the light-coloured Dall's sheep and the dark Stone's sheep is deeper than would be expected if they had both survived in the Beringian refugium. The findings support the idea that there was likely a second smaller refugium located south of Beringia that sheltered one of the two thinhorn groups through the glacial advance. Dalls sheep, usually found farther north than their darker cousins, are easily recognizable by their snowy white fur. Credit: University of Alberta "We used to think they were all in one place. Now we think they were in two places, and based on the typology of this phylogenetic study, we can show that it is this survival in different refugia that gave rise to the two different subspecies that we see today," says Zijian. "So that gives us the confidence to say that one subspecies, in this case the Stone's sheep, probably survived in that smaller ice-free refugium." The findings will be reflected in an update of the subspecies distribution map, which includes a third, somewhat more nebulous group known as Fannin's sheep, which can vary dramatically in colour from mostly light to mostly dark. "We've always known that the Fannin's sheep were there, but we didn't really know what they were," says Zijian. "Are they just a type of Stone's sheep? Are they just a type of Dall's sheep? Why are there so many colour variations in this one area? The answer, it turns out, is none of the above. Fannin's sheep are a hybrid of Dall's and Stone's sheepa product of the two subspecies reuniting following their separation over the last ice age. Though this may seem like a relatively small takeaway, Zijian emphasizes the importance of maintaining an accurate picture of subspecies distribution. "In today's management framework, the ability to define groups and what these groups are truly made of is very important," he explains, adding that having clearly defined groups is critical when establishing conservation frameworks. Explore further New species from the Pliocene of Tibet reveals origin of Ice Age mountain sheep More information: Zijian Sim et al. Genome-wide set of SNPs reveals evidence for two glacial refugia and admixture from postglacial recolonization in an alpine ungulate, Molecular Ecology (2016). Journal information: Molecular Ecology Zijian Sim et al. Genome-wide set of SNPs reveals evidence for two glacial refugia and admixture from postglacial recolonization in an alpine ungulate,(2016). DOI: 10.1111/mec.13701 For Immediate Release The International Criminal Court (ICC) today sentenced Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to 18 years in prison for rape, pillage, and murder carried out by troops under his command in the Central African Republic from 2002 to 2003. This March, Bemba was the first person to be convicted at the ICC for rape as a war crime and a crime against humanity. Todays sentencing marks a critical turning point for the thousands of women, children, and men who were victims of Bembas orchestrated campaign of rape and murder, said Karen Naimer, director of the Program on Sexual Violence in Conflict Zones at Physicians for Human Rights (PHR). The punishment meted out today cant turn back the clock, but it can bring a measure of closure to those victims whove waited patiently more than a dozen years for this day to come. The Bemba conviction was the ICCs first verdict to recognize rape as a weapon of war and to employ the doctrine of command responsibility: that leaders are accountable for the crimes of their subordinates. The case is also historic because a record number of civilian victims more than 5,200 participated in the proceedings and may now be eligible for reparations. The Courts responsibility to the victims does not end with a conviction and sentencing, said PHRs Naimer. The ICCs Trust Fund for Victims must now issue meaningful reparations to all those who are eligible for such relief. The Court must step up to acknowledge these victims; doing any less would be a disservice to their suffering and their courage. PHR launched the Program on Sexual Violence in Conflict Zones, a multi-year training and advocacy initiative in 2011, with the aim of forging coalitions among regional medical, law enforcement, and legal experts in Central and East Africa. PHRs goal is to dramatically increase local capacity for the collection of court-admissible evidence of sexual violence to support prosecutions for these crimes. Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) is a New York-based advocacy organization that uses science and medicine to prevent mass atrocities and severe human rights violations. Learn more here. ASI (Restaurant Manager) Announces New Business Development Manager Hire Silver Spring, MD (June 21, 2016) Action Systems, Inc. announced today that Chuck Twesten has joined the company as Regional Business Development Manager, where he is responsible for all aspects of channel sales. Chuck comes with over 30 years of experience from both a vendor and reseller perspective. Not only does he have a unique blend of technical and sales knowledge, but he also owned a dealership that marketed to the restaurant/hospitality industry. He spent the last several years as the Midwest and Southeast Regional Director of Sales for a top tier POS company, Retail Control Solutions, where he was instrumental in building and managing the sales team as well as developing existing major accounts and securing new accounts. Chuck says that it has been very rewarding working in the hospitality/restaurant industry because he helps others improve their bottom line through better control and efficiency. I am excited to start a new challenge with ASI and I look forward to working with the team to further develop their already extensive products and services. I am fortunate to be joining such a respected and forward-thinking company that takes a partner-centric approach to its business relationships and prides itself on offering top quality POS software products, Chucks wealth of experience and industry knowledge will bring value to both our resellers and ASI. ASI is on a growth track, bringing our new Tablet/Cloud-based product, Duet, and a new version of our traditional POS product, Restaurant Manager, to market exclusively through our reseller channel. We are glad to have a person with Chucks experience on our team, said Joe Finizio, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at ASI. Chuck, who is based in St. Louis, Mo, is a long-time member of the RSPA/ICRDA, Hospitality Systems Dealer Association Board of Directors (HSDA) and the Missouri Restaurant Association Board of Directors. About Action Systems Inc. Founded in 1987, ASI has focused exclusively on providing open architecture Point-of- Sale (POS) solutions to the food service industry. Their feature-full POS product, Restaurant Manager, has been installed in over 20,000 restaurants around the world and currently includes specialized applications for table service, nightclubs and bars, pizza and delivery, quick service, and chain operations. ASI became an industry leader in mobile POS with the introduction in 2002 of a patented, wireless handheld POS solution, a position that is being extended with the release of Duet, a Tablet/Cloud-based SaaS solution that is targeted at independent restaurants and regional chains. ASI sells its POS solutions through an extensive network of Value-Added Resellers (VARs) based in the U.S. and Canada as well as in other international markets including Mexico, Latin America, Asia, the Middle East and many European countries. Other POS news: Claris Solutions Appoints Dan Natale Business Development and Consulting Partner NEW YORK June 21, 2016 Claris Solutions Group, a global management consulting firm serving the retail industry, today announcement it has appointed Dan Natale to the position of business development and consulting partner. A 35-year veteran of the retail industry, Mr. Natale, 60, will oversee the companys strategic consulting services designed to improve operational performance for leading retailers throughout the U.S. and international markets. Prior to joining Claris Solutions Group, Mr. Natale served for 15 years with ShopperTrak, a leading provider of shopper behavior insights and location-based analytics. He most recently held the position of vice president of sales for Europe and the Americas, where he was responsible for that companys business development efforts and initial global expansion. Mr. Natales efforts contributed to ShopperTraks years of sustained growth and recent sale of the company to Tyco Retail Solutions. Mr. Natale previously worked for 25 years with Napa Auto Parts, where, as vice president of store operations, he was responsible for both wholesale and retail markets. His responsibilities included oversight of operations for more than 100 Napa Auto Parts stores throughout the mid-Atlantic. In that capacity, he consistently drove revenue growth and store profitability. Dans understanding of advanced shopper analytics, retail store operations and business process improvement is unsurpassed within our industry, said Wade Mosteller, senior partner for Claris Solutions Group. He brings strategic insights and practical expertise that will help our clients realize the kinds of operational efficiencies that ultimately drive sales and long-term growth. We are delighted to welcome Dan to our Claris family and excited about the expanded capabilities he will bring to our clients. A native of New Jersey, Mr. Natale attended Middlesex County College where his course of study was Marketing. He has served on the board of directors for Quaker City Motor Parts, is a frequent industry speaker, and has been regularly featured in The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg Radio and industry trade journals regarding trends and strategies in retail traffic analytics and operations. Mr. Natale resides in Yardley, PA. About Claris Solutions Group Founded in 1998, Claris Solutions is a global management consulting firm specializing in all aspects of retail performance improvement and growth. The company offers a broad range of consulting services for retail executives in design, merchandising, distribution, operations, information technology and finance. Additional information is available at www.claris-solutions.com. Other Point of Sale blogs that may interest you: Processing.com receives significant investment from LaSalle Capital June 21, 2016 Sherman Oaks, CA Processing.com, a global payments solutions provider, is pleased to announce that LaSalle Capital, a Chicago-based private equity firm, has partnered with its executive team to collaborate on the execution of managements vision of further expansion. As part of the transaction, LaSalle Capital acquired an interest in Processing.com. Avi Chesed, CEO of Processing.com, stated, We are thrilled to partner with LaSalle Capital at this exciting period of our growth. We believe that LaSalles expertise in helping build technology-enabled service companies will enable the Company to expand its global footprint and vastly accelerate our expansion. Jon Avganim, President of Processing.com, continued, We are excited about what the partnership with LaSalle means for our customers as it will allow us to further invest in our technology-driven solutions for merchants, ISOs, and acquiring banks. Nick Christopher, Partner at LaSalle Capital, commented, The management team has built a scalable and innovative payments platform with superior service, reliability and security. We look forward to working with management to continue the growth of the Company as a leader in the payments industry. About Processing.com Processing.com is a leading PSP focused on providing e-commerce merchants payment processing solutions and services that allow for the acceptance of online payments in multiple currencies around the globe. Processing.com connects its customers through the Companys proprietary payment processing platform to an extensive network of acquiring banks. In addition, the Company deploys industry-leading security and fraud analytics as well as real-time reporting tools. About LaSalle Capital LaSalle Capital is a leading private equity firm with extensive experience in the lower middle market managing two funds totaling over $330 million in capital. The LaSalle Capital team has deep experience in partnering with management teams to grow and develop middle market businesses and adds value to companies by providing a strategic operating focus and promoting growth organically and through acquisitions. Other Point of Sale blogs that may interest you: For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser Peng Liyuan (center), wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, listens to an introduction while visiting the Fryderyk Chopin Museum with Agata Kornhauser-Duda (first, left), wife of Polish President Andrzej Duda, in Warsaw, Poland, June 20, 2016. [Photo by XIE HUANCHI/XINHUA] HUBBARDTON, Vermont -- A Moreau man who police had been seeking for nearly 10 days on felony criminal contempt charges was arrested Sunday at a campground in western Vermont, police said. Robert D. Carota Jr., 51, of Fort Edward Road, was arrested as a fugitive from justice after Vermont State Police arrested him at the KOA Kampground on Route 30 in Hubbardton, Vermont, police said. He was with the woman who has the order of protection against him that has resulted in the criminal contempt charges against him. Officers found him staying in a recreational vehicle there after getting a tip from the Washington County Sheriff's Office. Sheriff's Senior Investigator Tony LeClaire said investigators knew he worked as a contractor and learned he was scheduled to work on a job in the Lake Bomoseen area of Vermont this week. "We started calling campgrounds in the area and figured out where he was staying," LeClaire said. He was sent to Marble Valley Regional Correctional Center as a fugitive from justice and on a new charge of violation of an abuse prevention order for being with the woman he is barred from seeing, according to Vermont State Police. He will be held pending extradition proceedings. Carota, a three-time felon, was being sought since June 10, shortly after he pleaded guilty to first-degree criminal contempt, a felony, in Washington County Court for violating an order of protection his girlfriend has against him. Police watched as he got in a car with the woman after the court proceeding, and he twice ran from them that night as they pulled over vehicles he was riding in with her, authorities said. He faces additional felony criminal contempt counts in Washington County for those two incidents. Fair Haven, Vermont and Castleton, Vermont police departments assisted Vermont State Police. An extradition hearing is expected in Vermont later this week. Felony criminal contempt is punishable by up to 4 years in state prison. Carota was scheduled to be sentenced to 1.5 to 3 years in state prison for the charge to which he pleaded guilty June 10. FORT EDWARD A woman from New Mexico arrested in Whitehall in January for using a fake name after claiming she worked for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has turned down a plea deal and appears headed to trial. Ayn Stern, who was indicted by a Washington County grand jury earlier this year under 14 aliases as authorities tried to determine her true identity, rejected an offer that would include a guilty plea to a felony and a state prison term of 1 to 3 years. Washington County Judge Kelly McKeighan scheduled trial in the case to begin Sept. 19, with pretrial hearings July 8 and Sept. 9. Her court-appointed lawyer, Garfield Raymond, said Stern believes she was legally entitled to use the name she gave police, which was a maiden name. The names she used are names that are associated with her family, he said. Raymond is Sterns third lawyer since her arrest Jan. 8 by Whitehall Police. Two others asked to be removed from the case after having trouble communicating with her. McKeighan discussed the case with the Washington County District Attorneys Office, but Stern remained in a holding cell behind the courtroom. McKeighan ejected her from court for causing disturbances during past proceedings and left her back there Friday as well. Shes a little bit disruptive this morning, Raymond said after meeting with Stern in the holding cell earlier in the morning. Stern drew police attention in January after she clashed with staff at Putortis Market in Whitehall over an electronic money transfer. During the dispute, she claimed she worked for U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which prompted store staff who doubted her story to contact police. She gave police officers the name Danby Flatcher, but when officers determined who she was, they learned she had a long history of fraud, impersonation of a lawyer and use of fake names around the country. Stern wound up in Whitehall after responding to a newspaper classified ad placed by a North William Street homeowner who had a room for rent. Stern told McKeighan at her arraignment that her maiden name is Ayn Stern, but her married name was Danby Flatcher. She did not explain why her first name changed after exchanging vows. She faces four felony counts each of forgery and offering a false instrument for filing and a misdemeanor count of obstructing governmental administration for signing the purportedly false name on police and Washington County Jail documents. Raymond said she is adamant about her innocence. Stern is being held in Washington County Jail for lack of bail. A proposal to force banks to maintain houses that they are taking through foreclosure hit a roadblock Monday. Hudson Falls officials want permission to fix code violations when houses are in foreclosure, if the banks refuse to do the work. Then they would add the cost of the repairs to the tax bill, which banks almost always pay because they do not want to lose the property. Washington County supervisors pointed out several worst-case scenarios that could wind up costing the county dearly. Among them: If Hudson Falls put $5,000 onto a tax bill and the bank refused to pay, the county would be stuck with the bill. The county reimburses the village for any unpaid taxes. Hudson Falls Village Attorney William Nikas offered a compromise: The county would not reimburse the village for the unpaid repair bill, just the property taxes. Then, when the property sold at auction, if it brought in more than the taxes, the village would get reimbursed. Supervisors didnt leap onto that idea, either. They noted that would cut down on any profit the county made at the auction. In the end, the supervisors tabled the proposal for more study. This is the first time its introduced, said Government Operations Chairman and Hampton Supervisor David OBrien. This is something well seriously look at. I think everyone in the room thought it was a good idea to look at. But he wanted to make sure the proposal was drafted to avoid big expenses. He noted a recent demolition in Cambridge cost $500,000. We are very conservative and we dont want to pass unnecessary burdens onto the taxpayers, he said. Nikas said the village has no intention of using the rule for demolitions, and would not consider an emergency demolition to be a property maintenance issue. But he acknowledged that some code violations could cost $2,000 or more to fix. It could be filling a pool thats unsafe, he said. He isnt worried about the county getting stuck with a bill. Most of the time, the bank continues to pay property taxes until it finishes foreclosure and sells the property. Its a rare occasion that a bank stops paying taxes, he said. And the village wont act capriciously, he added. Were going to make sure its likely well get our money back. If not, well plan a little different, he said. But OBrien and the other supervisors have to consider more than just Hudson Falls. The proposal, if adopted, would go into effect for all villages and towns, OBrien said. Independent film producers have toured The Shirt Factory arts and healing center in Glens Falls and the old Warren County Courthouse in Lake George as tentative locations to shoot scenes for a circa 1920s-30s period docu-drama to be filmed primarily in Warren County. Its an independent film. It does have a pretty good story to it, said Edward Bartholomew, president of EDC Warren County, at the organizations board meeting Tuesday. It involves some technology that was used by women in the workplace in the 20s and 30s. The plot involves the use of radium in the textile industry, Eric Unkaupf, owner of The Shirt Factory, said later Tuesday. I showed them the space, maybe, six months ago, he said. Bartholomew said the producers would hire professional actors and actresses for the lead roles, but also would be looking for area residents for walk-on roles. Count me in (for a walk-on role,) said SUNY Adirondack President Kristine Duffy, an EDC Warren County board member. Bartholomew said after the meeting that a confidentiality agreement with the producers prohibits him from disclosing their identity or further details about the film. We hope to have more information next month, he said. He said other locations in Warren County might be considered once the script is finished. Theyre finalizing their script and story book in terms of settings now, Bartholomew said. Unkaupf said he does not remember the names of the producers who toured The Shirt Factory, a former garment factory at the corner of Lawrence and Cooper streets in Glens Falls. There was a couple of women and theyre from the Northeast here somewhere. But I dont remember more than that, he said. I got a call from Ed maybe a day before they came up. I gave them the 50-cent tour. Unkaupf said the filmmakers have not yet directly expressed definitive interest in using the building or negotiating a contract. The building was constructed in 1902 as a factory for McMullen-Levens Co., a dress maker. McMullen-Leavens acquired the Troy Shirt Guild brand name in 1940, and continued dress making at the Lawrence Street factory until 1976 and shirt making until 1996. Unkaupf bought the building in the late 1990s, and leases space for artist studios, galleries, offices and retail shops. Unkaupf said the producers were impressed with the architectural character of the factory building as well as some specific features such as the old freight elevator and an outside alley between The Shirt Factory and another building. They were looking to some very specific things for some very specific scenes. The building had a lot of the features that they were looking for, he said. The producers are interested in filming courtroom scenes at the old Warren County Courthouse in Lake George, which is now a museum and meeting space, Bartholomew said. Efforts to solidify the film being shot locally gained momentum recently when the state Senate and Assembly passed legislation to include Warren County in an enhanced state film industry tax credit. Under the legislation, filmmakers who shoot in Warren County and other new counties added to the program would be eligible for a 40 percent state tax credit of wages paid during production and 45 percent of wages paid during post-production costs, versus 30 percent and 35 percent under the standard credit. The legislation is awaiting Gov. Andrew Cuomos signature. The producers contacted EDC Warren County several months ago after attending a cultural heritage tourism conference in the region, John Wheatley, vice president of EDC Warren County, has said. The film could be an opportunity for Warren County to break into the industry, Bartholomew said. Well know that we have arrived if we get a TV series, he said. Smaller-scale productions may be more realistic, said Jim Siplon, chief operating officer of Just Beverages. Theres an enormous amount of that in short film and direct-to-internet that doesnt necessarily need the infrastructure (that a major movie requires), said Siplon, an EDC Warren County board member. A measure passed by the state Board of Regents officially took effect Monday and will offer a new pathway to graduation for students with disabilities. According to a news release issued by the state Department of Education, the measure, passed by the board on June 14, will allow certain students with disabilities to obtain a local diploma from their institution without having passed all of their Regents exams, which are required to obtain a Regents diploma. Michael Patton, superintendent of the South Glens Falls Central School District, said the new measure is a step in the right direction. He said he does not see it as a lowering of standards, but as a way for students to receive credit for the work they have done. The district has already been using the measure in its evaluation of student transcripts, he said. We are hoping that there are a few kids that will benefit, Patton said. For Ronald LaRue, the new pathway is a relief. LaRues son, who struggles with a learning disability that makes memory recall difficult, has taken the Global History Regents seven times. He said the problem is the exam is a cumulative one of material covered in both ninth and tenth grades. He just cant recall stuff from ninth grade, LaRue said. On Tuesday, LaRues son took the exam for what he hopes will be the final time. He said having this avenue available is comforting, though he hopes his son will not need it. Too often, the Regents exams act as a deterrent to students wanting to continue in education, LaRue said. After having several kids attend college, he feels the exams should not be the end-all. It should not be a stumbling block to go on, LaRue said. The new pathway will still require students to achieve a minimum score on both the English Language Arts Regents as well as the Math Regents. The Department of Education called these exams in its news release foundational skills for which there must be a standardized measure of achievement. Once a student has achieved the minimum score on the ELA and math exams, the superintendent of their respective school, or principal if they attend a private or charter school, must certify that the student has otherwise met the requirements for graduation with a local diploma. In conducting the review, the superintendent or principal will be required to evaluate a students performance by looking at final course grade, interim grades such as homework and quizzes, and exams required for graduation. The new option will only be available to students who have a current Individualized Education Program and are enrolled in a special education program or receiving other related services. Presenting the call to action, Dr. Geraldine Mukeshimana-Minister of Agriculture and Animal resources of Rwanda, said participants at the 7 AASW and FARA GA called on actors in African agriculture research and innovation to join forces to facilitate increased adoption of appropriate technology and innovation by rural communities to sustainably increase their productivity. This can be achieved by spelling out innovative technology platform models across Africa. They are to strengthen the capacity of research institutions to appreciate innovations of intermediary institutions and work with them to provide advisory services to end users, enabling them to adopt the innovations identified. This should be supported by enabling regulatory framework and policies under rural infrastructure required. There should be advocates for managing the desired agricultural and food systems of the future Actors are to identify, prioritise and develop the research, innovation, capacities and actions required at all levels to meet current and future needs. This requires strategic and critical assessment of existing demand to meet labour market needs. Attention should be given to developing strong processes for multi-sectoral and stakeholder approaches toward building the needed synergies for greater buy-in to agricultural sector targets. Institutional arrangements for coordinating agricultural corrective productions and capacity building at continental, sub-regional, and national levels should be strengthened Key players and actors in agriculture were called on to promote the development of value chain agri-business and youth agri-preneurship. This will in turn ensure institutional support for the creation of viable small and large-scale enterprises that add value to agricultural produce and deliver market needs in environmentally sustainable and socially equitable ways. Actors should also ensure that the right policies and interventions are in place to promote intra-regional trade. Focus should be given to institutional, financial and technical innovations that attract youth into all stages of the agricultural value chain. Industry actors are to develop data and knowledge systems to create a public evidence-based and new mechanism that clearly demonstrates the most impact and return on investment in national and international agriculture and food research and innovations. This will require advocates to push for open sharing of data and science applications in agriculture at national, regional, and global levels. It also requires cultivating a culture wherein decisions are informed by evidence. Actors were called on to generate appropriate indicators of agricultural science, technology and innovation indicators for food nutrition, security, economic, social and health and environmental benefit, recognising the cost synergies and trade-offs. Actors were also charged to establish the agric-science technology and innovation observatory. Dr. Mukeshimana said the 7 AASW and FARA GA recognised the pivotal role of research and innovation in agriculture for achieving the goals and targets set out in the continents policy framework on agriculture. She noted that policy frameworks such as the comprehensive agricultural development programme agreed by stakeholders in the Malabo Declaration to accelerate agricultural development and transformation through science, technology and innovation strategies for Africa, the African Development Banks Africa Feed Africa initiative, and the UNs sustainable development goals are all geared toward food security for Africa. The minister said it was felt that ending poverty, hunger and malnutrition in Africa requires integrated agricultural innovation systems that are sustainable, equitable and economically viable for smallholder farmers, as well as ensuring equal opportunities for women, the youth and the marginalised, so that no one is left behind. According to her, to capitalise on increased application of science and technology as a means to improve livelihoods in terms of food and nutrition security, wealth and job-creation as well as natural resource management, the 7 AASW brought together key actors in agriculture research and innovation to deliberate on the critical actions required to achieve this goal, leading to development of the call to action. We are looking at different ways to do this. One way that we have been flagging is the idea of creating financial institution, Abugre told Journalists in Accra. W"e call it the Savannah Investment and Development Bank. Fortunately after discussions with the Ministry of Finance, they have given us a no-objection to pursue the idea, meaning all the idea is sensible. Abugre further revealed that a number of investors have expressed interest in the idea. He said: A number of development partners are very interested in the idea. And one of the ways in which it is crystallizing is to create a whole sale bank." Abugre explained that the bank will raised capital from the international capital market on a long term and lend it to existing commercial institutions as well as savings and loans institutions on a short to medium term basis. This is the fourth time Gilbert Adum (executive director of ) has won such a grant for his conservation work in saving the amphibians. Worth 55,000 cedis, the grant will be used to close mining pits and reforest areas in and around the Sui River Forest Reserve. The pits, consequences of the activities of illegal miners in the area, are a threat to the lives of not only frogs, but human. Many deaths have been recorded in mining communities because of abandoned pits. The giant squeaker frog (scientifically known as Arthroleptis Krokosua) was believed to have gone extinct but were rediscovered through the work of Save the Frogs in 2009 in the Sui Forest. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), the giant squeaker frog; is near threatened. [The frog is] considered to occur in two threat-defined locations (one in Guinea and one in Ghana), and is undergoing a continuing decline in the extent and quality of its habitat- the conservation agency said. Save the Frogs Ghana has received about 170,000 cedis from Rufford Foundation to aid in its work. The move is to streamline expenditure and ensure that the company operates in an efficient manner. It is, however, not clear how this will translate into cuts in expenditure or whether the decision will affect Ghana at all. Executive Group Head of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, Ade Ayiyemi said the move is to ensure that the bank runs more efficiently. "We should know the value of ECG. We will be happy if the real value of ECG is made clear to Ghanaians. The value, the cost of the entity, we [need] to know as Ghanaians," General Secretary of PUWU, Mr Ato Kwamena Bondzi-Quaye told Citi FM. Bondzi-Quaye comment comes on the heels of a directive by government gave on Monday for the assets of ECG to be evaluated by KPMG as part of moves to privatise the company. A memo signed by the Director of Finance at ECG, Frank Anokwafo, directed the General Managers of ECG in Accra West branch, Eastern, and Western Regions to prepare for a thorough declaration and revaluation of the assets of the company. The memo noted that government has contracted Messrs KPMG as consultants to undertake a physical inventory and revaluation of the companys fixed assets in fulfillment of its policy of carrying out this exercise every five years and also to assist in determining appropriate values to be assigned them for the impending concession arrangement."The consultant and his team will be visiting your region and a number of districts from 20th June 2016 to 1st July 2016 to do a physical inventory of both movable and immovable property i.e. vehicles, substations, switchgear, computers, electricity networks and all others," according to the memo. In addition, the memo ordered the release of the regional and district engineers to assist the team of evaluators in locating the networks and various substations as well as switchgear in the regions.It also called for the release of "transport officers to assist the team to identify all vehicles in the regional and district offices; the release of a human resource officer to assist the team in identifying structures in the region." "The provision of first class accommodation (including meals) to the team which includes expatriates," it added. The memo also urged the General Managers of ECG across the country to support the exercise with all the necessary attention and seriousness it deserves. READ MORE: ECG to begin mass disconnection exercise The directive is part of president Mahamas effort to fixthe challenges in the distribution of energy in the country. This is part of efforts by the university to clear debts owed utility companies. Treasurer of the University of Ghana Students Representation Council (SRC), Prince Ampofo Amoah, has described the proposed utility bills as harsh. This is very harsh because Humanities undergraduate students are paying less as tuition fees, he told Joy News Channel on Multi TV. As a representative of the students on the Council [of students, lecturers, and university board], I thought I should sensitise students on what is likely to pop up, he added. Both of the government and operators are looking for more competitive offshore players to take after the projects and boost the market. Till now, Petroleum Commission, Ghana Maritime Authority, Ghana Ports & Harbours Authority, Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, GEPetrol, Eni have all confirmed to address a presentation on Deep Offshore West Africa Congress 2016, the first-ever conference focused on deepwater of the region. The global offshore market is affected by the low oil price and come into the downturn. But with several capital intensive field developments sanctioned prior to the oil price decline, West Africa is anticipated to see robust demand growth through to 2018, mostly contributed by the deepwater projects. Over the 2016-2020 timeframe a capex demand compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4% is forecast. The officials believe this event will bring some fresh and stimulate more players into the market. The Deep Offshore West Africa Congress 2016 will discuss the regulation, new licensing terms, technical & commercial risks aspects, international & local partnership, impacts from low oil & gas price. Till now the event has received registered delegates more than 150 people, and the registration will be closed before June 23. Topics include: GNPC Offshore and Deepwater Development Focus Strategy And Assets In Equatorial Guinea Ghana Maritime and Ship Regulations Ghana Ports and Harbor involve in Offshore Exploration Panel Discussion: Examining the Major Challenges Need to be Addressed Firstly in West Africa Offshore Development Reactivating the Investment Passion And Confidence to Explore West Africa Offshore & Deepwater Resource Minimizing the Operational and Exploratory Cost to Secure the Offshore Projects Progress on Time Examining the Solutions to Enhance Service Sectors Profit And SMEs in Offshore Oil and Gas Development Which Future for Africa Deep Water Exploration Improving Well Intervention with Integrated and Compact Vessels They have since been cautioned and granted bail.According to the Jirapa District Police Commander ASP Daniel Nettey the girls were warned by the judge to stop plucking the shea nuts since he had packed his car under the tree. The girls were rude towards the magistrate, so he called the policeman to arrest them. When they were brought, I just instructed that they should caution them and release them so that very evening they were granted bail, Im yet to go into the case and see the appropriate charge that can best be against them", he said. According to the group, the material used for branding the bus breaches the law.A person may drive a motor vehicle which has glass other than windscreen and front glass, tinted with light transmittance of at least 70% to allow the occupants to see and be seen if the form or tinting material applied to the windscreen or window is free from bubbles or scratches or the form or material applied to the windowdoes not reduce the visibility of the person driving the motor vehicle in any direction, counsel for the group, Kwabena Kunadu-Yiadom told Accra-based Joy FM. We are not so much interest in the president or the other former heads of statewe are interested in the materials or the fixtures used. If in the process the effigies are removed [then] fine, he added. The branding of the new Chinese Huanghai buses for the MMT with portraits of John Mahama and past presidents caused public outcry, resulting in the resignation of the Minister of Transport, Ms Dzifa Attivor, in December. Subsequently, the Chief of Staff, Mr Julius Debrah, ordered the Attorney General to probe the contract and report back to him. According to them, the hikes in utility bills are affecting their businesses and livelihoods. They have therefore called on President Mahama to intervene or else they will stage similar demonstrations in the coming days. The calls by the residents come on the back of a directive by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) for the ECG to suspend the implementation of the current billing software until further notice. This followed complaints from customers who use the post-paid meters that they are being overcharged after the new tariff implementation. But in a statement, the ECG said it has taken note of the various complaints from customers and stakeholders regarding meters and billing. The attorney generals office has not sent a counsel to represent the government in court on several occasions including on Tuesday morning and as such the judges of the countrys highest court have ordered them to appear when it sits on Wednesday. Two Ghanaians; Henry Boakye and Margaret Bamful; want the court to determine that the president acted unconstitutionally by agreeing with the United States government to host the two former detainees in Ghana and as such are among other reliefs; seeking interpretation of article 75 of the constitution. The article which talks about the execution of treaties says: (1) The President may execute or cause to be executed treaties, agreements or conventions in the name of Ghana. (2) A treaty, agreement or convention executed by or under the authority of the President shall be subject to ratification by - (a) Act of Parliament; or (b) a resolution of Parliament supported by the votes of more than one-half of all the members of Parliament. Members of Parliament were not consulted in the decision to bring the two former detainees. Khalid Muhammad Salih Al-Dhuby and Mahmud Umar Muhammad Bin Atef have been in the country since early January. Their presence caused huge public outcry as many felt the government was treading on dangerous grounds by bringing people suspected to have been terrorists into the country. He was reacting to media report that said the supply was disconnected last Friday, June 17, 2016 over failure to meet full payment of the debt as required by N-Gas. Jinapor explained on Peace FM Tuesday that officials of Volta River Authority held a meeting with the West African Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCo) and agreed to pay $46 million of the debt. He added that so far, $10 million has been paid and measures are in place to pay the remaining $36 million. In all honesty, the gas supply is very low, Jinapor added. Jinapor also added that gas supply will be low for the next three weeks. "A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to cut a sod for the commencement of an onshore receiving facilities for Sankofa gas.... It is estimated at 1.5 trillion cubic feet. It is capable of supplying Ghana with 1000 megawatts of power for the next 20 years, president Mahama said."Indeed, my vision is to make Ghana a net exporter of Power when the West Africa Regional electricity market becomes operational sometime next year," he stated. The President has been under fire for accepting a Ford Expedition vehicle from a Burkinabe contractor worth $100, 000 after the latter won the bid to construct the $650,000 Ghana Embassy Wall in the Burkina Faso capital, Ouagadougou. Dr. Omane Boamah later in a statement denied any wrong doing on the part of the president since the Ford Expedition was added to the governments pool of vehicles. But the Policy Advisor of the PPP Kofi Asamoah-Siaw said the president has embarrassed the nation and cannot be resolved with the usual propagandist approach without the culprit suffering the penalty for it. He called on parliament to initiate an impeachment process against the president for what he described as an act of gross misconduct. He indicated that as they wait to see what action parliament will take, the PPP has instructed its lawyers to file a complaint with CHRAJ. This he said is in accordance with article 287 of the 1992 Constitution. Article 287(1) states that an allegation that a public officer has contravened or has not complied with a provision of this Chapter shall be made to the Commissioner for Human Rights and Administrative Justice and, in the case of the Commissioner of Human Rights and Administrative Justice, to the Chief Justice who shall, unless the person concerned makes a written admission of the contravention or non-compliance, cause the matter to be investigated. President Mahama will not be the first president to be dragged to CHRAJ if the PPP succeeds. Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! According to a post on his church's Facebook page, the incident happened on Sunday, June 19, during one of its deliverance service, when Pastor Mnguni led the members out of the church to the courtyard where he pointed to the tree and commanded them to start chowing on the leaves. Three of the members, always quick to believe their pastor, began plucking the leaves and eating them voraciously. This is how the church described the incident: "Demonstration of God's Power The Man of God prophet Penuel while ministering about 'Fathers Who Do not Reject The Power of God', he went to a Mango tree and declared it to be KFC, Pizza and Spaghetti. After the declaration he commanded some of the congregants to eat from the tree and as declared, three (3) of the congregants rushed to eat. After eating they confirmed that what they ate is indeed KFC and the other said it was Pizza and the last one said that it tasted like spaghetti. ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD. To God Be The Glory!" This is not the first time Pastor Mnguni has stirred up such controversies as he was the same one who ordered his female members not to wear pants and underwear to the church so that the holy spirit can enter them directly. It is a period of fasting, prayer and reflection for two billion Muslims worldwide. After thirty days of fasting comes Eid-al-Fitr, a religious holiday to signify the end of fast. Many Ghanaian Muslims celebrate Eid-al-Fitr by attending communal prayers, listening to sermons and sharing with neighbours and the less fortunate (zakat). This Eid, you could be on your way to quality time in grand style in Dubai. The Emirati city is ready to welcome participants in this years Eid in Dubai Promotion by SatGuru Travels; a leading travel agency with offices across the world including Accra. With as little as 334 dollars (about 1,400 cedis) you will travel to Dubai to spend five days in the city that has the Burj Khalifa; the worlds tallest building. This package includes visa, hotel accommodation and tours across many of Dubais most attractive spots from July 6 to July 10, 2016. With its large shopping malls, skyscrapers, nature parks and resorts; there is a lot to see and experience in Dubai. The promotion starts on Monday June 20 and interested persons are advised to call early to reserve a place on this epic journey. At the age of 58, late Afro Beat icon, Fela Anikulapo Kuti had been arrested 200 times, contested for presidency and had married 27 women on the same day but to his manager, Rikki Stein, he remained an enigma and was first and foremost a friend whose bravery and resolve for change remains unrivaled. For 15 years, Rikki Stein was Felas manager and during this period, he dedicated 15 years of his life towards working with a man whose ghost and message continued to haunt the very walls of Nigerias corridor of power. In this interview Stein revealed how he met the fallen star, some of his unforgettable moments with him and how he came to respect the musical brand and person that Fela stood for. This year marks 19 years since the death of Fela, and according to Riki Stein, the great Abami Eda still keeps him busy. Its because we put up his music worldwide, the catalogue of 50 albums, plus compilations, plus Vinyls. We have a series of Vinyl box sets that we put out, that we invite respected artistes to curate. The first was Questlove from The Roots, the second was Ginger Baker, and the third was Brian Eno, and we are just in the process of asking Erykah Badu to do box 4. In an emotional revelation Stein detailed his first encounter with Fela Kuti in London, and how they were brought together via chance. The duo hit it off at the first meeting, which was the start of a great relationship which last for over a decade. I met Fela first in the back of a Mercedes van, on the M4 Motorway in the UK, lying in the heap of African dancers on our way back from a show. Someboy put on a cassette, and it was sorrow, tears and blood. I had never heard Fela before. I went away and did some research, and I found out some more. Then I met somebody, who knew one of the people that was working with him when he was in London on tour. At the time I was working on a rainforest festival, and I wanted to invite artistes from all the rainforest countries of the world to come together, plus people that could talk about the issues of deforestation. So I put together a proposal because I wanted Fela to join my board of advisers, and also to come play at the festival. I put a leather-bound proposal together. It was in the winter, and I had a hat, a coat and a scarf, and I knocked on the door, and he said come in. The room was filled with pretty girls, and Fela and his speedos as usual. And I sat down next to him, and I gave him this proposal and he was leafing through the thing, and I was talking into his ear. I cant remember what I said, but I said something, he spun around and looked at me, and we both started laughing, and we just became friends in that instant. Stein also shared details about his work with Fela, recounting how much of a visionary Fela was, and the influence he wielded around the country as a man who fought for the people. He also spoke of Felas burial, detailing scenes from the burial day. On the issue of Felas post-death global status, Stein talked about detractors who credit his death for the growth of his music, and his influence. Thats a wicked thing to say, Rikki replied. He further talked about Felas message and how much of it still remains relevant today, due to the unending ills of the society. Zaldana took to Twitter on Monday, June 20, 2016, to pour her heart out over the demise of the 27-year-old actor. She wrote, Devastated by our friend's loss, We are mourning his passing and celebrating the beautiful spirit that he was. #RIPAnton. According to Us Magazine, the actress learnt of Yelchins passing after touching down in Cuba. The actor died on Sunday, June 19, 2016. J.J. Abrams, who is the director of the Star Trek franchise, also poured out his emotion concerning the death of the actor. Anton you were brilliant. You were kind. You were funny as hell, and supremely talented, Abrams wrote on Twitter. Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! The eyes are the most beautiful part of the human body; they help us see the world as it is. Every day, as we bat our lids to the splendor of a new dawn, it is definitely a privilege, especially for the fact that not all enjoy such natural exercise. However, for the vicissitudes of human existence some dont exactly need to see the world through their eyes, they learn to do so with their minds! This months workshop seeks to help blind children build their self-confidence, become more independent and creative with their minds, and empower them towards their dreams, hence the theme . The team would also be privileged to reach out to a wide population of primary school children, one hundred and thirty-five in number, who though without sight, are all blessed with beautiful VISION! Interestingly, as a special appearance at the workshop is Israel Etim who even though blind, is a successful radio producer, blogger and CEO of ShowTime Naija. He would also be empowering the children with his words. Event details are as follows: Date: Friday, June 24, 2016 Venue: Pacelli School for the blind and partially sighted, Surulere, Lagos, Nigeria Speakers: - Israel Etim- Chinonye J. Chidolue- James Ademuyiwa- Blue Adonis Facilitators: The Child Hero Empowerment Campaign Team Love to volunteer with the Child Hero Empowerment Team? Need more information/ wish to support or sponsor the Child Hero Campaign? Kindly reach us at projectchildhero@gmail.com or call Ifeanyi Bernard on +2348032124263 This much was revealed by the State Police Commissioner, Fatai Owoseni, while parading Kun who was said to have been doing business in the country in the last five years. Owoseni added that Kun had paid the would be assassins the sum of N1.4 million to eliminate his partner but luck however ran out on him after the assassins were arrested before they could carry out the hit. According to the police boss, majority of the money paid to the hired assassins has been recovered while they also confessed that they were sent by the Chinese. The Chinese national who is in business with some Nigerians, happened to have a business misunderstanding with one of the Nigerians and he thought the best way to resolve the business misunderstanding is to eliminate his Nigerian business partner. He had recruited a fellow who is his co-accused to go and help him recruit more people in order for them to kill the Nigerian business partner that he had a misunderstanding with and he had paid the sum of N1.4 million for the assignment. But on interrogation, Kun denied ever wanting to assassinate his Nigerian business partner. Kun said: This Nigerian man, many years ago, he did business with my company. He owed me money and is a fraudster. The Police Command spokesman, DSP. Abubakar Zubairu, told newsmen in Kaduna on Monday that Umar, 67, and Auwal,30, were arrested following a complaint by the parents of the girl. Zubairu said that Auwal, who was the parent's neighbour, was also arrested after medical personnel confirmed an earlier alleged rape on the minor. He said `Auwal was arrested in an earlier rape allegation with the same girl, adding that``additional information from a medical doctor also indicated that she was earlier raped before that time and was dis-Virginied". The spokesman said that the suspects would soon appear in court. But , the mother of the victim, Hindatu Mohammed, told newsmen that the incident occurred on Monday, June 13, around 1p.m. at Soba Street, Tudun Wada Area in Kaduna. ``After my six years old daughter returned from school, I sent her to buy detergent for me, but she didn't return early as expected. ``And I was worried and one boy came to my house to inform me that my daughter has been raped, she said. According to her, a woman who was passing-by caught the old man in the act in an uncompleted building within the area and she called for help which resulted to his arrest. ``So, I went out with my co-wife to see for myself after which we reported the case at Tudun Nupawa Police Station. ``On arriving at the station, we were informed that my daughter had been taken to hospital to ascertain if she was actually raped. ``The police personnel later returned and confirmed that rape actually took place and I was asked to pay N500 for fuel, which I did. ``I am so afraid that she might be infected with HIV and AIDS and I was told that after the doctors investigation that it was discovered that she had been raped earlier by another person. ``And it was our neighbour Muhammed Auwal that my daughter identified and the police had already arrested him, they are both in police custody, she said. The mother claimed that so far she spent N8, 000, but "we are yet to receive any drug. "We are only using natural herbs to heal her from injuries inflicted on her. The IGP added that all the policemen linked with the killing of the officer which caused a lot of tension in his local community, have been nabbed and will face the full weight of the law for killing the man and claiming he was an armed robber. Akpos was allegedly killed by operatives of SARS with a huge protest carried by aggrieved citizens of his community over the manner he was killed. Arase had then urged Nigerians to be calm, adding that police authorities have waded into the matter to ensure that justice was served. The Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), ACP Olabisi Kolawole, in a statement signed by the IGP, said: Upon the receipt of the information, the IGP immediately directed that the matter be investigated to ensure justice is served." The incident was confirmed by the company, which reported that its representatives were mishandled in a violent attack. One of its officers, Pere Alazigha, the Business Service Manager, sustained a machete wound, while another officer was pushed off from the ladder. Kingsley Achife, the Chief Operating Officer, PHEDC, opened up on the incident in a statement. He said, The attack, which was spearheaded by youths, resulted in injury to three policemen; the Business Service Manager, Pere Alazigha; a linesman, Christian Umegbewe, and other staff members involved in the disconnection exercise. While Alazigha was left with a machete cut on his body, Umegbewe was pushed down from the ladder by the youths during the disconnection process. Both of them were immediately hospitalised. PHEDC will not relent in its commitment towards serving our paying customers and this we hope to achieve by ensuring that customers pay for energy consumed. They were arrested on June 13, 2016, according to the spokesperson for the state command, DSP Abubakar Zubairu. Zubairu said, The duo, aged 67, and 30-year-old respectively, were arrested following a complaint by the parents of the girl. Auwal, who was the parents neighbour, was arrested after medical personnel confirmed an earlier alleged rape on the same minor. The suspects would soon appear in court, Hindatu Mohammed, the mother of the infant said her daughter had just returned from school, when she sent her on an errand. It was during the court of this that a boy came to report that her daughter has been raped, and the culprit apprehended. She said, One boy came to my house to inform me that my daughter has been raped and that a woman who was passing-by caught the old man in the act in an uncompleted building within the area and she called for help which resulted to his arrest. So, I went out with my co-wife to see for myself after which we reported the case at Tudun Nupawa Police Station. On arriving at the station, we were informed that my daughter had been taken to hospital to ascertain if she was actually raped. The police personnel later returned and confirmed that rape actually took place and I was asked to pay N500 for fuel, which I did. I am so afraid that she might be infected with HIV and AIDS and I was told that after the doctors investigation, it was discovered that she had earlier been raped by another person and it was our neighbor, Muhammed Auwal that my daughter identified. I have spent N8, 000 so far but we are yet to receive any drug; we are only using natural herbs to heal her from injuries inflicted on her. I am calling on the security agencies to give my daughter justice because people are calling and asking me to forgive them. According to the Daily Post, the incident happened on Sunday, June 19, 2016. Ten vehicles were also destroyed in the explosion. Salihu Tanko Yakasai, the Director General, Media and Communications, for the Government House in Kano, gave a confirmation of the accident. He referred to a report provided by an eyewitness, who said that the fire resulting from the explosion led to the destruction of shops and valuable materials in the vicinity. The incident began around 07:30 PM, moments after the tanker driver stopped to break his Ramadan fast. Prof. Hafiz Abubakar, who is the Acting Governor for Kano State, described the explosion as an unfortunate one. This was disclosed via a statement issued by Acting President of NARD Borno, Muhammad Abdullahi in Maiduguri. The statement reads: It should be noted that all inhabitants of the 27 local government areas of Borno State are currently residing in Internally Displaced Persons camps within Maiduguri Metropolis. Two days ago, about 200 victims with different ailments were freed from captivity within Bama town and its environs, all receiving care in our facility. Maiduguri is a war theatre comprising of the men of the Nigeria Army, they need all our support in terms of the provision of health care service, Abdullahi said. Mr Mohammed Muhiuddin, UNICEFs Chief Field Officer in Sokoto State, said the intervention would cover nutrition, education, water, sanitation and hygiene. According to him, success of the programmes would depend on timely release of funds by the state government. According to him, under the 2016 work plan, the state government will contribute N755.68 million, while UNICEF will contribute over N1.5 billion. Prof. Abdullahi Shinkafi, the Secretary to the State Government, who spoke after signing the document, said the state government would not fail in its responsibilities. Abubakar, who made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Yola on Monday, said every Nigerian had a role to play to help an IDPs/ or refugees to live with some comfort. "The world may refer to them as IDPs and refugees, but they have names, faces and stories. Let's help them in our own little ways, so that they will not feel less as humans. ``It is sad that about 2.2 million persons are displaced in a nation like Nigeria. Nigerians should live in peace and extend hands of fellowship to the IDPs and refugees. ``This would ensure that peace and tranquility that the North East zone presently enjoys can be sustained, he said. He commended the Adamawa Peace Initiative (API), for its continuous support to the IDPs in Yola, adding that they were using the association to bring succour to the IDPs. The House members faulted the EFCC for freezing Fayoses account without a court order, adding that he enjoys immunity as a serving Governor. The lawmakers also passed a vote of Confidence on the Ekiti state Governor, adding that June 21 is a memorable day in the state because it is the anniversary of Fayoses election. Speaking to newsmen, the Speaker of the House, Rt Hon. (Pastor) Kola Oluwawole read the resolution of the lawmakers after their plenary session. Oluwawole said "The 26 of us in the House of Assembly are resolutely loyal to the governor and his government and no amount of intimidation or monetary inducement can sway us otherwise. In view of all these developments and other pressing matters, this House sat today and passed the following resolutions: 1. That the EFCC should investigate all allegations of financial mismanagement made against former governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, without further delay; 2. That the EFCC should defreeze the account of Governor Ayodele Fayose immediately, because it is illegal, null and void, due to the immunity he enjoys under Section 308 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; 3. That the EFCC should work within the legal framework of its establishment and stop being an agent of the APC; 4. That this honorable House passed a vote of confidence on His Excellency, Governor Ayodele Fayose today, being exactly two years after the conduct of his election adjudged to be free and fair by the international community and all concerned; 5. That this House extends an invitation to former Ekiti State Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Dapo Kolawole, to clarify some issues he raised during his recent media briefing on African Independent Television (AIT). 6. That the APC-led Federal Government should concentrate on good governance to reduce poverty and several security challenges in the country, rather than embarking on a wild goose chase of perceived opposition elements as seen in its several attempts to muzzle Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State and many others. The controversial governor turned the case against him by the EFCC saying even President Buhari can't claim to be clean neither can his wife claim a corrupt-free bill. In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, Fayose said President Buhari was far from being corrupt-free. Even the President cannot claim to be an angel. The estate he built in Abuja is known to us. His wife was indicted over the Halliburton Scandal (sic). When that American, Jefferson, was being sentenced, the Presidents wife was mentioned as having wired $170,000 to Jefferson. Her name was on page 25 of the sentencing of Jefferson. We can serialize the judgment for people to see and read," Fayose claimed. ALSO READ: Government Exhibits 36-87 (6/26/02 $170,000 wire transfer from account in Nigeria in the name of Aisha Buhari to an account in the name of The ANJ Group, LLC, identifying William Jefferson as Beneficiary), the U.S. Government Sentencing Memorandum said on page 22. Fayose revived the controversy surrounding the role allegedly played by Aisha Buhari in the Haliburton Scandal hours after the Ibrahim Magu led EFCC froze his Zenith Bank account for alleged involvement in the Arms Deal fraud. Fayoses account was frozen by the anti-corruption agency on Monday, June 20, 2016. For the court to make an order, there must be papers (court process) filed in court and signed by the judge. Section 308(1)(a) says no suit can be instituted against Fayose in any court in Nigeria. So, no process of court can be issued, signed or served, if it bears Fayoses name, in his personal capacity, Adegboruwa said according to Daily Post. By sections 26-34 of the EFCC Act, a suspect must have been arrested for his account to be frozen. By section 308 of 1999 Constitution, Fayose cannot be arrested and his bank account cannot be frozen. We must encourage EFCC to act according to law, or else we go into full blown dictatorship. There is no controversy in this matter. EFCC should de-freeze the account, pile up its investigations and wait for Fayose to complete his tenure. Pure and simple, he added. Ajulo made his response via a statement. It reads: This indeed came as a shock considering the personality involved, a sitting governor that enjoys immunity till the determination of his office as governor of a State in Nigeria. It is the law that to freeze an account, there must be an order of court for the attachment of the bank account. It is also trite that for the court to make such order, there must be papers (court process) filed in court and signed by the judge. By the provision of Section 308(1)(a) of our Constitution as amended no suit can be instituted against Ayodele Fayose and/or any Nigerian governor in any court in Nigeria. Therefore, no process of court can be issued, signed or served, against Ayodele Fayose in his personal capacity, whereas the bank account in question is his personal account as such in his personal name. Moreover, sections 26-34 of the EFCC Act, established a process to be followed that is, a suspect must have been arrested for his account to be frozen however section 308 of 1999 Constitution, exempted Ayodele Fayose from those could be arrested and his bank account cannot be frozen. Premium Times reports that the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said the Governors allegations are laughable. He also said Fayose is that ischildishly obsessed with the desire to grab the headlines and insulting people at will because of his incurably boorish instincts. Shehu said the Federal Government would have ignored the Governors allegations, but decided to respond so innocent Nigerians will not be swayed by falsehood. The Presidential spokesman also said Mrs. Buhari had no direct or indirect connection with Congressman William Jefferson, an American lawmaker who was convicted in 2009. He also challenged Governor Fayose to provide proof of his allegations for Nigerians to see. Governor Ayo Fayose on Monday, June 20, 2016, told President Buhari not to believe that he is a saint. Idris also said he will display accountability and integrity in the discharge of his duties. Daily Post reports that the police boss said "That is the issue of integrity and accountability, issue of respect for diversity, issue of compassion, issues of ensuring that our streets, our neighbourhoods, our communities remain safe. We are going to do everything possible to ensure that we provide the best service to this country. The outgoing police IG, Solomon Arase, also called on Nigerians to support the new police boss. Arase also said I want to formally introduce my successor, AIG Idris Kpotum, he is going to be in acting capacity until confirmation from the police council. I want to cease this opportunity to thank Nigerians for the cooperation given me while I serve as inspector-general of police, by extension I want to also appeal to you to give the same support that you gave to me to my successor. He is a younger man so I am sure he will be abreast with the contemporary policing issues. The director made this known while speaking with newsmen in Kaduna that the fire affected the Ministry of Justice, burning books, computers and furniture. He told newsmen that the building was empty when the fire started at 2 a.m. from the central offices. ``Fire men moved swiftly when the distress call was made by police officers on the incident. `` He said fire officials spent some hours with 16,000 litres of water to battle the inferno from spreading to other offices. The director said the cause of the fire was suspected to be an electrical upsurge. ``We thank God no live was lost and no injuries were sustained,`` he said. Mr Emmanuel Barau, Public Relations Officer of the ministry, said the offices included Permanent Secretarys office, Chief Accountant`s office, and those of other top directors. The Chairman, Joint Committee on Aviation and Anti-Corruption, Sen. Hope Uzodinma, made this known at the two day investigative hearing in Abuja on Monday. He said the committee would leave no stone unturned in unravelling the mystery behind the fund. ``We are interested in finding out the fact to reposition the industry. ``We will not leave any stone unturned because the Federal Government has invested so much in the industry, yet there is one problem or the other. Responding, The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, told the committee that his ministry and agencies under it, based on available records, were not aware of the fund. Amaechi said that the ministry did not know anything about 40million dollars neither did "we know about any N86.6 billion". The Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, said out of the N120 billion intervention fund, only N39.5 billion had been recovered, while N81billion was still outstanding. Emefiele, represented by Director, Development Finance Department, Mr Mudashiru Olaitan, said that 10 Airlines benefitted from the fund, adding that some of them had gone moribund. He said Air Nigeria and Chanchangi Airlines had folded up, while Arik, Dana, Aero, Kabo, Overland, First Nation, Odenegene airlines, were still in operation on the strength of the fund. He explained that the monitoring and implementation of the fund by the beneficiaries was given to Bank of Industry which facilitated the loans for the airlines. Osinbajo made the plea in a message to the opening of the First International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Regional Conference on Monday in Lagos. The vice president, who was represented by the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General, Mr Abubakar Malami, said that dispute resolution mechanism was a factor in all investments' decisions. ``Every prudent society must design and constantly draw the processes through which disputes could be resolved in an amicable manner. ``In the world of today, commercial arbitration is now recognised as a preferred method of solving several commercial disputes. ``Arbitration is now seen as not only possessing the desired speed but also aggregating competency and often times, relationship is tied to this process,`` Osinbajo said. He, however, urged conference participants to take time in addressing critical issues which would expand legal arbitration as a desired tool for dispute resolution in Nigeria. Also speaking, the President, of ICC in Paris, Mr Alexis Mourre, commended Nigeria for hosting the first Africa Regional Arbitration Conference. Mourre said that with more engagements and interactions on arbitration, commercial practitioners would recognise the arbitration; just like common law and civil laws. He said that ICC was one of the institutions which adopted arbitration, adding that 70 per cent of world arbitration came from ICC. Mourre said that more people were needed in Africa to adopt arbitration. ``Arbitration is booming in Africa. No future of arbitration without African arbitration. Yet it is still difficult to find good arbitrators in Africa. ``We hope that at the end of the conference, we will be seeing more arbitrators in Africa,`` the News Agency of Nigeria (.NAN).Quotes Mourre as saying. The Chairman, Planning Committee, Nigeria ICC, Mrs Dorothy Ufot, said that the theme of the three-day event, scheduled to hold from June 19 to June 21, is ``Arbitration and Africa: Prospects and Challenges. She said that the planning committee came up with the idea as a result of Africa being the next major destination for Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) by the international community. Ufot urged the international community to support Africa's efforts to promote economic growth and investments. She said that the interest of investors across the continent was so numerous that oil mining companies were looking forward to developing natural resources. ``The investors are also interested in infrastructure, technology, agri-business, consumer goods and manufacturing companies that would create sustained growth and create jobs and improved livelihood. ``There is no how commercial disputes will not arise during the processes and the conference aims at setting background for their resolution, Ufot said. According to her, ICC Nigeria is an affiliate of ICC Headquarters in Paris.She said that ICC in Paris had ICC International Court of Arbitration as one of its operational arms. Ufot recalled that ICC was established in 1919 in Paris, which was one of the largest business organisations in the world with over six million companies and chambers of commerce and business associates in more than 130 countries including Nigeria. She said that the conference had been taken all over the world, adding that Nigeria was grateful to host the First ICC Regional Conference. Ufot also commended the president of ICC International for ensuring that the conference holds in Nigeria. ``All countries in Africa are busy trying to attract foreign investments. You will agree with me that without international arbitration, there cannot be foreign investors. ``In any jurisdiction, arbitration is one of the viable components of attracting foreign investors, she said. The National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, made this known to newsmen on Monday in Abuja. He said that the investigation would ascertain the truth in the allegation. "At this stage I don't think there is anything to say. In fact everything is still a guess work. ``Nobody has said yes or they have been arrested or asked to make statement or whatever. As a party we do not think it is the business of the party to interfere in judicial matters of that nature. ``We will just wait and see as we are also making investigations to be sure what the situation is, Odigie-Oyegun said. On allegation that the party leadership wanted the Senate leadership removed for lack of cordial relationship with the executive, the Chairman said: ``No, no, no; this is the kind of problem that the press always cause. ``You are now taking the sensational aspect. You are forgetting the nitty-gritty. Did what they say really happen? That is what you should look at. ``Take the two copies (the new copy and the old copy) of the Senate rules and see if there is a difference. If there is a difference, at what formal meeting was it approved and adopted? ``You should start from this so that when you are commenting it would not be sensation, it would be based on fact and reality. ``You see, we have to change the way we do things in this country; we have to start telling people what is right and what is wrong and to choose what is right as against what is wrong. ``This is where I expect you to start. Don't start making it party versus ex-issue. The point would be: was an offence committed? Establish that first and then you can move on, he said. She revealed this in an Instagram post dedicated to 50 Cent, thanking him for his unwavering support. She ended her message by revealing that she has a role in the upcoming season of "Power." ALSO READ: undefined "This man @50cent is so special to me; I don't even think he knows how special he is to me. When I needed people's support the most he didn't run away & pretend to be too busy like a lot of others. He took out time to write & sign not 1 but 2 separate letters in the hopes of helping me win my appeals when I was incarcerated. He didn't have to do it but he did & I truly appreciate it...thank you," Remy Ma wrote. "now let's get ready 4 my role on POWER," she concluded. Remy Ma joins cast including Omari Hardwick, Curtis 50 Cent Jackson,Joseph Sikora, Lela Loren, aturi Naughton, Andy Bean, Lucy Walters and Jerry Ferrara. ALSO READ: undefined About Power: The series follows James St. Patrick, nicknamed "Ghost," owner of a popular New York City nightclub. In addition, he is a major player in one of the city's biggest illegal drug networks. He struggles to balance these two lives, and the balance topples when he realizes he wants to leave the drug ring in order to support his legitimate business, and commit to his mistress. The second season premiere of '"Power" emerged the 'most ever watched' for a Starz Original series season premiere episode. Jackson will be honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award, while Williams will receive the evenings Humanitarian Award on Sunday, June 26, 2016. Samuel L. Jackson is a critically acclaimed and award-winning actor popular for his roles in movies including "Pulp Fiction," "Django Unchained," The Hateful Eight among others. Jesse Williams is an actor and activist best known for his role as Dr. Jackson Avery on the popular series Greys Anatomy. The actor who uses his celebrity platform to shine a light on the injustices of our society, is an outspoken advocate of the Black Lives Matter movement. During Ferguson, he stood with thousands of protesters to make sure that unarmed teen Mike Browns death was not in vain. ALSO READ: undefined Gabrielle Union (Being Mary Jane), Taraji P Henson (Empire), Kerry Washington (Scandal), Viola Davis (How to get Away with Murder),Tracee Ellis Ross, Idris Elba, Anthony Anderson, "Beast of No Nation" among others are among the nominees. He was appointed during a stakeholders congress convened by Chairman AGN Abuja, Agility Onwurah. The congress which held in Awka, Anambra State over the weekend, set up the committee to redeem the guild following its According to a statement issued by the guild, the essence of the meeting was to discuss and seek a lasting solution to the lingering crisis in the Guild, and the need to constitute a solid structure to resuscitate the guild. ALSO READ: undefined Other members of the committee include, Hakeem Rhaman (Vice Chairman), Renell Badejo (Secretary), Bob Emmanuel Udokwu (Adviser), Ochendo Mc Smith (PRO), Rita Tony Edochie (Member), Ernest Obi (Member), Vitalis Ndubisi (Member), Zenith Abubarka (Member), Rita Daniels (Member) and Edith Irabor (Member). Delivering his acceptance speech, Eboh promised to bring the guild to an enviable height. "We promise to bring the guild to an enviable height and to conduct a credible National election within three months," he said. ALSO READ: undefined Eboh had contested for the AGN President position in 2012, but lost to Ibinabo Fiberesima. According to a statement issued on Monday in Abuja by Mr Edegbe Odemwingie, APC Assistant Director of Publicity, the Chairman, Gov. Aminu Masari said the meeting would further strengthen the party. The report read in part: ''There is an urgent need to set up a high-powered reconciliation team to meet with the state governor, all aspirants and other critical stakeholders in order to strengthen the party and restore harmony for a successful governorship election. ''The committee commends the efforts of the Commissioner of Police, the Director, State Security Service, the Commandant-General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, and their men for the remarkable way they handled the entire exercise. ''The committee hereby expresses its appreciation to the party for finding its members worthy of such important assignment, and pledge the loyalty and commitment of all its members to the party and the nation.'' In the statement, the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, while receiving the report, thanked the Masari-led committee for successfully conducting the governorship primary in Benin. The committee members included: Rep. Andrew Uchendu (Secretary), Rep. Yusuf Maianguwa, Dr Tunde Esan, Alhaji Shuaibu Musa, Alhaji Ibrahim Soja and Mr Amara Iwuanyanwu. They referred to the alleged forgery case as an internal matter, adding that the Federal Government was dabbling into the affairs of the Senate. The lawmakers also wondered why the government insisted on prosecuting the principal officers despite a Federal High court ruling that the matter is an internal affair. The Reps said the move by the executive is a calculated attempt to rubbish the National Assembly. The House of Representatives also issued a resolution saying The House strongly urges Mr. President, who has sworn to an oath to defend and protect the constitution, to prevail on the members of the executive council to desist from further steps that will cripple the National Assembly. These include prosecuting the presiding officers of the Senate over alleged forgery of Senate Rules, which a competent court of law has also recognised as strictly the internal affair of the National Assembly, and which judgement has not been set aside by any superior court. Citing other instances of disregard for the National Assembly, the Representatives observed that ministers and heads of agencies ignored invitations to appear before committees for oversight. It is now commonplace that ministers and heads of parastatals ignore invitations by committees at will. The House committees have therefore been rendered toothless because no consequences are attached to such wanton refusal of ministers to attend sessions. The Federal Government recently slammed fresh forgery charges on Saraki and Ekweremadu. Well, I was. I hated it but sat there listening to my father dishing out harsh advises about staying off men and focusing on my books! In my mind, I really wanted to tell him, "shut up!" but looking back now, I think I got my first dating lessons from my father. These three Nigerian ladies are sharing their first dating lessons they learned from their own dads just when the world recently celebrated Father's Day. ALSO READ: P 1.) Did you like talking boys with your father? Tolani: "Funny enough, I did! My dad was really cool. I could say, one of those really cool dads. Lol. He's of late now but he wanted me to tell him everything when I was growing up including my love life. It was always a shy moment but I loved it." Amara: "I never had a chance to hang out with my father so much as to have long conversations about men. He left us with my mother when I was really young and I have lived with my mom all my life. When I got to talk with my father, it was just ok." Yetunde: "I hated it!!!! It was very embarrassing to the best of my knowledge. But he still sat me down for those chats. Maybe I didn't listen as much as I should have. Lol." 2.) What's the first dating lesson your dad gave you? Tolani: "Stay away from boys, they are not worth it." Amara: "Please do not allow a guy get you pregnant before you finish school" Yetunde: "Men are dangerous! They never want anything good from a young school girl". Lol. 3.) What's the best dating advice you'd give to your son or daughter? Tolani: "I will hammer on them to focus on school instead of having student boyfriends or girlfriends. I will have to explain to them why educations is way more important than relationships and what you could achieve in life with certificates instead of being a baby mama." Amara: "Sex, love, relationships are great and part of life but it comes and gets better with age. Every age has its priority and when you are a student, sex or relationships can't be on top". President of the union, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi, stated this at a Public Hearing on the bill, organised by the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Sexual Harassment Bill was sponsored by Senator Ovie Omo-Agege (LP- Delta Central) and co-sponsored by 57 other senators. The bill seeks to criminalise sexual harassment in tertiary institutions and it, among other things, proposes a five-year jail term for lecturers found guilty of sexual harassment of students. Ogunyemi said that universities were established by law as autonomous bodies, adding that there were laws that clearly articulated redress procedures. As a global norm, universities and other tertiary institutions are established by law as autonomous bodies and have their own laws regulating their affairs. This includes misconduct generally among both staff and students, with clearly articulated appropriate redress mechanism. Any law or bill which seeks to supplant these laws violates the university autonomy. In this particular instance, the bill violates the Federal Government of Nigeria and ASUU agreement of 2009 and as such should be rejected, he said. He said that the bill was discriminatory because it was targeted at educators. According to Ogunyemi, it is unfair to come up with such a bill; sexual harassment is a societal problem and not peculiar to tertiary institutions. He also said that the bill was a violation of Section 42 (1) of the 1999 Constitution, adding that it was embarrassing that the legislative arm could seek to make such law that would violate the Constitution. Ogunyemi also pointed out that besides violating the Constitution, the bill failed to take cognizance of various extant legislation that adequately dealt with sexual offences. ALSO READ: Senate committee commends female students Faulting the bill further, he said that it failed to provide convincing evidence to show that sexual harassment in tertiary institutions had attained a higher magnitude than other spheres of the society. The bill is discriminatory, selective, spiteful, and impulsive and lacks logic and any intellectual base by attacking the character and persons of those in tertiary institutions rather than addressing the issue holistically. "Furthermore, the bill is dangerous and inimical to the institutions as it contains several loose and ambiguous words and terms which could also be used to harass, intimidate, victimize and persecute, especially lecturers, through false accusation, he said. However, the National Universities Commission (NUC) supported the introduction of the bill in view of its relevance and called for its passage. The Executive Secretary of the commission, Professor Julius Okojie, said that while federal and state universities had administrative structures for handling grievances, there was nothing wrong in having a legislation to help with that. University Miscellaneous Provision Act gives them power to formulate policies and by-laws to guide them and most institutions have structures to handle these incidences. However, there is nothing wrong if there is a legislation to add to what is on ground. We are only saying that universities are doing something about sexual harassment, which may not be enough, he said. Okojie therefore called on the senate to extend the scope of the bill to cover primary and secondary schools. The bill appears to have duplication of offences already created in our extant laws. There should be holistic approach to accommodate existing regulations in schools, he said. He advised that beyond enactment of laws, Code of Conduct should be given to workers in schools, reiterating the need to be morally sound. He called for more awareness on the matter as well as the need to have dress codes in schools to prevent any form of harassment. ALSO READ: Lecturer involved in sexual harassment scandal says he was framed Senate is empowered to determine what a dress code should be. During a research, we noticed that the issue of harassment is linked to suggestive dressing, Okojie disclosed. On its part, Legal Aid Council drew the attention of the senate to some provisions of the bill that required re-examination. According to Director-General of the council, Joy Bob-Manuel, the mandate of the council is to defend, and unless laws are made in clear terms, lawyers can take advantage of loopholes to make their case. We are aware that when a case goes to court technicalities rubbish it. So, there are provisions in the bill that should be looked at a second time. For instance, 18-year bracket contained in the bill can form technical defeat. The Expert Host is a company that provides hosting solutions to lots of business and personal websites. According to TechCabal report, founder of the company Dennis Isong put the company up for bidding, WhoGoHost made an offer, and the deal was set in motion. The acquisition of The Expert Host is WhoGoHost's second since the company was founded by Opeyemi Awoyemi in 2006, with its first acquisition being iHost Africa. WhoGoHost is reputed to have established itself as the largest web hosting company in Nigeria. The company has over 13,000 hosting accounts and more than 25,000 active domains, according to TechCabal. Detail regarding how much WhoGoHost acquired The Expert Host for, and other relevant details concerning the acquisition, were not released to the public. Judge Sylvia Steiner said troops from the Movement for the Liberation of Congo (MLC), which Bemba directed, had acted with "particular cruelty" when they rampaged through the neighbouring country in support of then-president Ange-Felix Patasse. One victim had described how, still a virgin, she had been raped in front of her father while other soldiers held the father at gunpoint. "After the attacks, some parents found their daughters lying on the ground crying and bleeding from their vaginas," Steiner said, describing as an aggravating circumstance the fact that victims had been "particularly defenceless". Bemba had armed his troops and then paid them so little that they were spurred to pillage, Steiner said. He had made only token attempts at disciplining them, in order to deflect international attention the crimes were drawing. Bemba, who did not speak at the hearing, received three sentences of 18 years for rape and pillage and two of 16 years for murder, all of which will be served concurrently. The son of a businessman who became rich during years of close association with former Congolese leader Mobutu Sese Seko, Bemba entered government under current President Joseph Kabila in 2003 as part of a power-sharing deal that ended years of civil war. Originally a rebel force in Congo's northwest, the MLC is now CAR's second-largest opposition party, and Bemba retains a significant following in the West. He can appeal his conviction and sentence. Eve Bazaiba, secretary general of Bemba's MLC party, criticised the court's ruling. "We will continue and we will never cease denouncing the selective justice of the ICC," she told a few hundred supporters in Kinshasa. But Geraldine Mattioli-Zeltner, international justice advocacy director at Human Rights Watch, said the sentence offered a measure of justice for victims of sexual violence in Central African Republic. The Belgian capital of 1.2 million people remains on edge under a high security alert three months after three Islamic State suicide bombers blew themselves up at Brussels Airport and in a metro train, killing 32 people. On Tuesday, Brussels police detained a man near the bustling City2 shopping centre after he announced that he was strapped with explosives that would be set off remotely. The area was sealed off while bomb experts checked the man's belt. The man, born in 1990 and identified as J.B., had called police himself to say he had been kidnapped and forced to don an explosives belt. It proved to be a false alarm. "J.B. is known to police, also because of mental problems," a Brussels prosecutors spokeswoman said. The man remained in police custody but had to be freed within 24 hours unless a judge approved a request from prosecutors to place him under formal arrest and to be examined by a psychiatrist. In 2014 J.B. told police he had been ordered to go to Syria to join Islamist militants fighting in the civil war there, an incident that remains under investigation, prosecutors said. Police also located a car that J.B. said had brought him to the shopping mall and questioning the owner before releasing him when it transpired that J.B. had only memorised a random number plate. "The decree has been promised to be sent tomorrow, it will trump the previous ministerial decree which had dictated a zero tolerance policy," Eid Hawash, spokesman for the agriculture ministry, told Reuters. The prime minister had said in a statement earlier on Tuesday that he had instructed the government to authorise imports of wheat with up to 0.05 percent levels of the fungus. The Philippines has been talking on and off since 1986 with the National Democratic Front, the political arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines, to end nearly 50 years of conflict that has killed more than 40,000 people. The process stalled four years ago, when Manila declined to free political prisoners. "After we resume talks formally, we declare a unilateral ceasefire," Silvestre Bello, the incoming labour minister and a peace negotiator, told reporters in the southern region of Davao, days after returning from informal talks with exiled rebel leaders in Oslo. Both sides agreed to resume talks in Norway after the incoming government of Rodrigo Duterte offered to free about 20 jailed rebel negotiators and some ailing political prisoners. Hopes are high that Duterte's cordial relations with the rebels could bolster any peace deal. "It is possible we will have a separate but coordinated and simultaneous ceasefire with the government," Luis Jalandoni, a rebel negotiator, told Reuters by telephone from his base in Utrecht, Netherlands. "We will still discuss the mode and timeframe of the truce, but we can easily agree to a simultaneous ceasefire." Bello said he expected the truce to be in place before Duterte attends a joint session of Congress for his first State of the Nation address on July 25. The two sides had agreed to a ceasefire in 1986 but it ended two months later when police opened fire at protesting farmers near the presidential palace, killing 13 people. Bello said a third party, a foreign country, may be asked to monitor the ceasefire implementation. A Davenport woman faces up to life plus 30 years in federal prison after admitting that she tried to bring 8 pounds of methamphetamine into the Quad-Cities in November. Theresa Gay Morales, 51, on Monday entered an open plea in U.S. District Court, Davenport, to charges of conspiracy, distribution of a controlled substance, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and being a felon in possession of a firearm. An open plea means there is no agreement on a sentence. Morales will be sentenced Oct. 18. According to an affidavit filed by agents with the Quad-City Metropolitan Enforcement Group, or MEG: In early November, agents used a confidential source to investigate the distribution of methamphetamine by Theresa Morales, who was living in Bettendorf. The confidential source told agents that Morales received large amounts of crystal methamphetamine from a man later identified as Cesar Angeles Ballesteros. The source said Morales would travel to where he was and obtain the methamphetamine, including a run to Las Vegas where Morales collected about 10 pounds of methamphetamine, rented and car and drove back to the Quad-City area. On Nov. 10, agents determined that Morales had flown from Chicago to Phoenix and was returning in a particular vehicle. On Nov. 13, agents located Morales on Interstate 80 and tried to initiate a traffic stop. Before stopping, Morales and her passenger, Ashley Marie Palmer, had thrown about eight pounds of methamphetamine from the vehicle. During questioning, Morales told agents she traveled to Phoenix and got eight pounds of methamphetamine from two males working through Angeles Ballesteros. Morales said she had transported meth for Ballesteros about 12 times with the largest amount being 15 pounds, according to court records. Morales, who has felony convictions in Illinois and Iowa, also had a .22-caliber semiautomatic pistol in a safe deposit box at a Bettendorf bank, according to prosecutors. Palmer pleaded guilty earlier this month to conspiracy and will be sentenced Oct. 18. Angeles Ballesteros will be tried July 5 along with co-defendants Douglas Ray Lairmore, Abraham Guevara-Ocampo, Robert J. Skinner Jr. and Tammy Velazquez. Another co-defendant, Kimberly Edwards, pleaded guilty in May to conspiracy. She will be sentenced Oct. 17. Some Bettendorf School Board members were unwilling Monday to sign what was called a "re-audit letter" verifying steps taken by the district to Mary Mosiman, Iowa's state auditor. Because of multiple concerns over the districts 2014 audit and financial report, the state auditors office performed a re-audit, with results made public in late May. The decision to perform the re-audit occurred in September 2015 and came at the request of Maxine McEnany, the districts financial officer, and other board members. Board president Pepper Trahan and board member Mike Pyevich voted against signing the letter, submitted by outgoing Superintendent Theron Schutte. In addition, McEnany refused to sign the letter. Voting to sign the letter were Betsy Justis, Gordon Staley, Stacey Struck and Scott Tinsman. Board member Paul Castro was not present. Schutte, whose last day with the district is June 30, said the state auditor's office contacted him to say the state had failed to provide what is called a "representation letter" with its final reaudit report, complete with appropriate signatures. Because the board had previously voted unanimously to approve the re-audit, Schutte said he almost did not add the letter to the June 20 agenda. However, he finally decided to invite the district's attorney Wendy Meyer of the Davenport law firm of Lane & Waterman to explain what the letter actually meant. Then, the board could vote on signing it or not. "We provided them with everything they asked for, right?" Tinsman, a member of the board's finance committee, said. Meyer said that was done. "It says that all the information has been provided," she said. However, McEnany said some transactions are not in the district's original audit, or the re-audit, and she also mentioned there are many opinions as to what information should be included. As an example, McEnany talked about tuition for an employee's relative, which amounted to $10,000. "The attorney said we had to do this," she said. Schutte said the attorney's fees on the financial procedures currently stand at $28,000. On a question from a member of the public, district officials are still looking into the amount of the funds that came into question with the audits. "We have to trust all the information was provided," Schutte said. Pyevich, who voted against signing the letter, was uncomfortable with its terms. "I can't confirm or deny it was all turned over to the state," he said. Trahan contacted the state auditor's office, and said she was told it was fine if not all board members signed the letter. Rodger Wilming, president of the Bettendorf Education Association and a language arts teacher at the high school, also weighed in with the discussion. "The difficulty is, if there are things that Maxine or anyone else feels are missing in the audits, only the state can explain why the decisions were made," he said. "We can't hang our hat on this." State auditors might be willing to come back to Bettendorf and explain themselves, Schutte said. The state of Illinois has told the Federal Railroad Administration that it is moving forward with the Chicago to Quad-Cities passenger rail project, an official said Tuesday. The decision may well keep in place $177 million in federal funding that was awarded in 2010 for the connection, but that will be up to the Federal Railroad Administration, which had said the grant would expire June 30. Local officials have been lobbying Gov. Bruce Rauner to ask for an extension. The Illinois Department of Transportation has informed the Federal Railroad Administration that it will be proceeding with the proposal to reintroduce passenger rail service between Chicago and Moline," Guy Tridgell, a spokesman for the Illinois DOT wrote in an email Tuesday morning. "As we move forward, we remain strongly committed to looking out for the best interest of all Illinois taxpayers." The state's initial match for the grant amounts to $45 million, and in the midst of the budget impasse, the governor's office has been willing to say lately only that the project is under review. The railroad administration sent a letter to the state on April 4 outlining steps to close the grant, as well as options to allow it to be extended. A grant amendment would include a revised timeline for the project. In a statement Tuesday, the federal agency said: "The Federal Railroad Administration is encouraged to hear that IDOT wants to move forward with the Chicago to Quad-Cities passenger rail project. FRA received verbal notification from IDOT that it intends to submit a grant amendment, and we look forward to receiving IDOTs written request." Quad-City rail backers said Tuesday they are happy with the state's commitment and now will turn to the Federal Railroad Administration to try to ensure the federal grant remains in place. Henry Marquard, director of government relations for the Quad-Cities Chamber of Commerce, said it is his understanding that Republican and Democratic budget proposals in Springfield include funding for the rail project, but without a resolution to the impasse, it may be difficult for the state to commit to a timeline. Still, he said he's hopeful that the state's commitment will satisfy the FRA. "Based on the governor and the DOT and the two proposed budgets out there, were hopeful the FRA ... will recognize that Illinois is committed to making this happen," he said. Local backers have emphasized the impact of the project on the local economy, as well as local commitment of funds. The city of Moline has invested $4.6 million, which has leveraged other state and federal funds for the construction of a multi-modal station, which will include a private hotel at the site. U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Ill., who has sought to pressure the Rauner administration into seeking a grant extension, said Tuesday this is a step in the right direction but she also pointedly accused the Republican governor of dragging his feet. "I am glad that we were able to convince Governor Rauner to stop stalling and move toward accepting this $177 million job-creating federal investment, however, his decision to wait until the last minute means that the Federal Rail Administration must decide whether to allow an extension on this project," Bustos said. She said she would continue to keep tabs on the project. Longest Day, big mess A busy weekend at Credit Island means a busy Monday for Brian Glaudel. A seasonal worker for Davenport Parks and Recreaction, Glaudel had his hands full, collecting the garbage that spilled out of cans in the park and along the Mississippi River shoreline. "To be honest, I can't tell if somebody dumped it or the raccoons got to it," he said of the mess. Wearing long pants and sleeves despite the heat on the year's longest day, Glaudel said, "We're actually supposed to wear some sort of coverage on the arms and that, just because of what we deal with." Just a few feet from the spilled-over garbage can he was picking up, more garbage appeared to have blown into the long grass and weeds near the river's shore. And among the trash was a small snake, moving slowly through the grass. "I'm not scared of snakes at all," he said. "They don't bother me. I just keep going." Credit Island continued As workers cleared the park of remnants and wooden staging from a weekend obstacle-course event, Cuong Nguyen cast two fishing lines into the river from a dock. A lone catfish swam circles in his five-gallon bucket. "The water is high, fast and dirty, so fishing is no good," Nguyen said. "I see people fishing all the time when I'm not (fishing). It's my day off, so I decided to come." His 4-year-old daughter asked to join Nguyen at the park, but he said it was too hot. Besides, it's hard to get any fishing done with a 4-year-old near water, he said. "I just got the one catfish, but I'm thinking of going home," he said after an hour's worth of angling. "There's a breeze, but there's too much water coming down from the north. It's no good." Splashing water, giggling kids All the parents spotted the photo opportunity. As children splashed, ran and giggled through the water at Schwiebert Riverfront Park's spray park in Rock Island, cellphone-toting parents tried to get a decent shot. "Look at me!" one shouted. "Stand still for a second!" ordered another. With the river as a backdrop, Stephanie Holland was among the parent-photographers. "We live over in Bettendorf, so it's not too far for us to come on over here," she said of the park visit. "I'm a teacher, so I have summers off, and I try to find fun things to do with my kids." Although Holland was not aware Monday was the longest day of the year, she said she was looking forward to the evening's "strawberry moon" (see related story). "It's really supposed to be something special," she said. "We've been to this park before, but this is our first visit this year. My kids are 8 and almost 2, so this is nice. The pools are a little crowded." Ice cream at the fireplace A Whitey's Ice Cream manager in Rock Island said business was a little slow Monday afternoon, but she had no doubts it would pick up big later in the long day. "Families will really start coming in," Jacie Umlandt said with certainty. "Families stop in when they leave Whitewater Junction (city pool). They compare sunburns." Some might think ice cream sales go way up when the weather is especially hot, but Whitey's workers have said the more pleasant days are the busiest. People like to eat their ice cream outside, and nobody likes it dripping down their hands. "I have one lady who comes only in the fall," Umlandt said. "She likes to sit in front of her fireplace and eat ice cream." MUSCATINE, Iowa Legos, oobleck, and school have more in common than meets the eye at College for Kids, a two-week summer program held at Central Middle School and Jefferson Elementary. First through sixth grade students from eight different school districts participated in the program, which is organized by co-coordinators Laurie Schroeder and Troy Kulland. The program, Kulland and Schroeder said, is designed to give students hands-on learning experiences they may not have time or resources to have during the regular school year. "We fill in the gaps that a normal school year can't do, it gives them a chance to be creative, use their imaginations, think outside the box," Kulland said. Teachers love being creative in the classes as well. "Our teachers that come here, they also get the opportunity to teach a lot of things they don't have a chance to and they love it," Kulland said. The 742 students move to different classes throughout the day, with 60 volunteers, soon-to-be high school freshman, in addition to teachers to help the classes run smoothly. One volunteer, Kendra Degner, said she was beginning to earn hours for a silver cord, a community service recognition students are awarded for a certain number of hours once they reach high school graduation. But of course, she said, that was not the only reason. "It's really fun to help," said Degner. In new classes this year, students were able to build their own robotic racing cars with motion sensors that told the cars when to start and stop. Garret Head, a sixth-grader, and Zachery Bean, a seventh-grader, said they enjoyed learning while using Legos. On Monday, they experimented with different variables to try to affect the speed of the car. "We're trying to change the pulley system, and we're changing the tires to see what will be the fastest," Head explained. Using an iPad, the students could see the car's reaction to the motion sensor and its speed. "We're using fun kids toys with science, to make fun learning," Head said. The Lego classes were added, Schroeder said, to increase the science and technology aspects of the summer school. "This is being able to understand science at a higher level than just reading out of the text," she said. The introductory Lego class was working on pulley systems, assembling the pulleys as a team. Fifth-graders Fiona Glynn and Dakota Storm said they liked having a chance to build projects on their own and follow the instructions themselves. "I have fun building and sorting the pieces," Glynn said. "It's hands-on so you get to build it instead of just the teacher building it and you just answering a question," Storm agreed. Students were able to move outside as well, with kiddie pools full of oobleck, a substance that will pour like a liquid but solidify when a force acts upon it. The strange goo entertained students, teachers, and volunteers, but also taught students lessons in science. Schroeder said that they tried to put themselves in students' shoes, and one important aspect of the program was allowing them to meet students from other school districts, as well as enjoying the classes. "We want them to walk away with loving to learn more...they are learning, not just hands-on but technology, we have iPads, computers, projectors," she said. The hands-on learning, Schroeder said, allows the accelerated summer program to reach more students who may not feel they fit in to traditional education structures, and continues learning throughout the summer. Students must score a 75 percent or above on the Iowa Assessment to qualify, or be recommended by teachers. Fees and other information can be found at http://muscatinec4k.weebly.com/, a website that was created by students as part of the program. Familiar smells of boiling harira, the Moroccan tomato-based soup, waft throughout their Davenport home. Plates of strawberries and deviled eggs accompany mixed nuts, cheese and crackers and a bowl of dates on the dining room table. This isnt anything special, stresses Lou Ann Talbi, as she prepares the fast-breaking meal for her family. Although her husband, Aziz Talbi, isnt showing any telling signs of hunger or dehydration as he sits contently in his living room before sunset, the devout Muslim hasnt eaten or drunk anything for almost 18 hours. Monday marked the summer solstice and the longest day of fasting this year for Muslims during the holy month of Ramadan, when they abstain from any food and drink, including water, from first light to sundown each day. Because Islam is based on a lunar calendar, the start of Ramadan on the Gregorian calendar varies each year, usually starting about 10 days earlier than the previous year. Lisa Killinger, president of the Muslim Community of the Quad-Cities, said Ramadan this year, which began June 5 and ends July 5, is the longest its been, in terms of fasting hours, in 35 years. But the long days of sunlight dont seem to bother Aziz, a native Moroccan who immigrated to the United States in 1984 and moved to the Quad-Cities for a job at Case New Holland in 1996. The electrical engineer-turned-restaurateur, who also formerly worked for Deere & Co. before opening Olive Tree Cafe in Bettendorf and later Davenport, said Ramadan presents an extra challenge this time of year, but he didnt harp on it. I dont look at it as a burden, said Aziz, who misses his morning cup of coffee and hummus more than anything. If I looked at it as a burden, it would be hard, but this is a time when we reflect on the blessings we have. Ramadan also encourages acts of charity, increased worship and abstaining from bad habits. About 9:45 p.m., following a light meal consisting of soup, deviled eggs, dates and black tea, Aziz stepped away from the dinner table to pray with his 9-year-old daughter, Halima. In the kitchen, as Olive, the family's lovebird chirped and sang, Lou Ann prepared the main course: chicken tacos with all the fixings, which Aziz finished off with a thermos of coffee. "It shouldnt be any different than a regular day," he said. Chad Gaul has been presented with a senatorship, the highest national honor that can be given to a Jaycee. Only one out of 1,000 Jaycees becomes a senator in the organization. The purpose of the senate is to assist and mentor Jaycees, bestow college scholarships and promote fellowship among the Jaycees. Gaul has held every position eligible on the Jaycees board in his 10-year tenure. He served as president and went on to hold numerous state and national positions. To promote the Jaycees, he has marched in the Labor Day parade to promote the Jaycee Haunted House, driven to deliver posters and tickets for Bridal Expo, picked the older children to shop for at Jaycee Santa and helped rehab almost every house in the Rebuilding Together annual work day. Pets in heaven? Our Florida preacher, Vic Willis, had a recent sermon, One big question. It had many worldly specifics, but after the sermon, seven adult worshipers at Englewood United Methodist Church asked about pets in heaven. His stock answer for any grieving child who just lost Fido is always, Heaven is a place that has all the living things and people that you love of course, Fido is there. However, his stock answer could not resolve the question from seven adult parishioners, nor could it be answered by scripture. So, I polled the deeper theologians of the church about this animals-in-heaven thing, says Preacher Vic in the church bulletin. The consensus was, We know there will be dogs in heaven cats, were not sure about. After this concern, someone gave Preacher Vic a cartoon of a dog on the throne of heaven saying to a new human arrival, Yes, I know its a shock, seeing how you all spelled it backward all these years. Its my turn It must be Tuesday morning because its my turn for a column. On Tuesdays and Sundays, my space now allows more room for my wisdom and an occasional picture and to follow one readers encouragement that I keep pasted on my desk: Your insights into our little world, whether it is to rant and rave about our pet peeves, or to put positive spins on the little things life for a few minutes we can escape the bigger, scarier things that seem so overwhelming and to give us a little bit of hope for better things. Beating the rug to Your column about house cleaning reminded me of an old family joke, writes Irene Kraske of New London, Wisconsin. My husband, John, and his cousin, Irv, as teenagers were asked by their gram to take the rug out and beat it. So, they beat it to the downtown movie house. THE DISAPPEARANCE of spring house cleaning and the origins of Play Doh from wallpaper cleaner dough broke me up, writes Kay K. Runge, the former chief librarian for Davenport. Jean Bawden, Binks wife, was our next-door neighbor and she had spring and fall housecleaning down to a science. I bet you could eat off the floor of the attic in her home. Sounds of childhood Rain on the roof, the rumble of thunder in the night Paul and Carol Bruss of Bettendorf invite nostalgia-minded folks to send me the sounds that best conjured up their childhood memories. They sent a few: Mooing cows, dad cutting the grass with a push mower, train whistles and Sunday morning church bells. Gas station tale My idol, the late Herb Caen, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle, liked to admonish me: At least once a week, you gotta saturate the readers with nostalgia. So, heres an old gas station tale: IM BOB JOHSON, an 86-year-old retired Navy aviator and can never forget working for Archie Welch from 1943 to 1948 at Forest Hill Service at 23rd Avenue and 27th Street in Moline. Archie ran it as an independent cut rate station. Gas was rationed in those World War II days with an A sticker good for four gallons a week. Gas was 16.9 cents a gallon. I earned 40 cents an hour and got $9.90 a week for 25 hours. Customers would come in for the bargain gasoline and to see Archie in his flat straw that he wore from Easter to Thanksgiving and to see his olive drab coveralls, frayed at the heels from walking on them. He always had a wad of bills in his pocket, big enough to choke a Clydesdale horse. Hot dogs and memories Postscript to a column a week ago today on the glory of hot dogs: About 10 years ago, the good old hot dog stand on the Davenport levee invited Paula Sands of KWQC-TV and me to to concoct our favorite dogs. Wundram: Vienna beef frank, Chicago green relish, ample sprinkles of cheddar cheese, grilled onions, dill pickle stick and dash of celery salt on a poppy seed bun. Paula: Taco dog, a Vienna beef frank covered with lettuce, salsa and cheddar cheese, topped with crunchy tortilla chips. The delicacies were a steal at $2.75. YOUR MUSINGS about hot dogs reminds me of the 1950s and tunies, a hot dog made from tuna fish, says Tom Gilsenan of Iowa City. My family lived in southern California and tunies were on the school lunch menu on Tuesday and Friday. Something in the water Marcia Allen of Bettendorf reports that she has three granddaughters all born on a 25th of the month: Mason Dooley, Feb. 25; Gia Allen, May 25; Reese Allen, July 25. Guns: Monday was a big day for them. Or, at least, it was a big day for the typically binary argument over the confluence of guns and constitutional rights. Almost universally, the popular gun debate boils down -- right or wrong -- to the Second Amendment's "right to bear arms." And off-cited Amendment No. 2 wasn't missing from Monday's multi-layered gun-heavy news cycle. The U.S. Supreme Court essentially ruled -- by not ruling, mind you -- that Connecticut's ban on assault weapons is constitutional under the Second Amendment. OK, that's settled. But perhaps even more pressing constitutional questions -- relating to the Fourth, Fifth and 14th amendments -- circled the U.S. Senate. Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Illinois, and Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, were right in the thick of it. Congressional Republicans have been under significant heat from minority Democrats, following the recent mass shooting in Orlando. Senate Democrats late last week ceased a filibuster only after Republicans promised an up or down vote on gun control on Monday. At the time of my writing, the Senate had just gaveled in, with four gun control amendments on the docket. None were expected to pass. But, in at least one case, there might be actual room for compromise going forward. Kirk's bipartisan legislation, also sponsored by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, might be an actual conversation starter. Kirk was, last year, the only Republican to support Feinstein's call to ban anyone on the terrorist watch list from a gun purchase. Now, his name sits atop the bill. But, in this case, Republican dissenters, led by Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, raised reasonable concerns about the Kirk/Feinstein bill's potential infringement on due process. The Fourth Amendment protects U.S. citizens from illegal search and seizure. The Fifth Amendment guarantees due process. It's the reason cops need warrants before busting into your house. It's the basis for that "innocent until proven guilty" mantra. The 14th Amendment's Equal Protection clause muddies the issue even further. Under the Kirk/Feinstein amendment, someone merely suspected of a crime could be denied access to a gun. Tom Cruise starred in a movie about this once, didn't he? Such lists, mind you, already exist and, for years, have been used to keep people off of airplanes. Watch lists concern the National Rifle Association and the American Civil Liberties Union alike. These lists carry more than a whiff of McCarthy. And, frankly, infants have wrongly ended up on them, thanks to a technical glitch or two. Cornyn's pitch would permit the government to delay a gun sale for 72 hours, should someone on the list try to buy one. But, within that time, prosecutors would have to show probable cause in court, thereby, in theory, grappling with the due process problem. For once, the Kirk/Cornyn split represents a real, substantive discussion about gun rights in the post-9/11 surveillance state. Meanwhile, Grassley's amendment, which would have tweaked and better funded the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, was a direct reaction to a more robust amendment by Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Connecticut. Murphy hoped to require mandatory background checks for all gun purchases, including private sales, Internet sales and at gun shows. Neither version had a chance. The two sides are just too far apart. Terms such as "rights" and "amendments" are tossed around like roadside litter following every mass shooting. The Supreme Court, essentially through abstentia, upheld assault weapons bans. No, the real debates are about other equally critical rights. And it's in those questions where the substance resides. Perhaps we've been talking about the wrong rights all along. SPRINGFIELD A state senator from suburban Chicago plans to move forward with a bill that would ban the trapping of bobcats and the sale of their pelts ahead of the state's first legal hunting season for the once-threatened species in more than 40 years. Sen. Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, said he was holding his bill because he had reached an agreement with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources that would have reduced the number of permits available for hunting and trapping the small wild cats and further restricted where they could be hunted. But he said the department's director, Wayne Rosenthal, walked away from the agreement toward the end of the General Assembly's spring session "for reasons unknown to me." In response to concerns from constituents, Harmon now plans to advance his legislation, which he said has the support of "a strong, bipartisan, veto-proof majority" in the Senate. Under the Department of Natural Resources' rules, 500 permits will be issued for the 2016-17 bobcat hunting and trapping season, and no one will be allowed to take more than one bobcat per season. But Harmon said allowing trapping would make those rules more difficult to enforce. "We are proposing a very small number of permits, relatively speaking, according to the department," he said. "And with trapping, there's really no way to gauge how many animals you might take. If you set a half a dozen traps and you have a permit for only one bobcat, what happens if you take two?" Harmon said he would like to ban the sale of bobcat pelts because proponents argued that allowing the species to be hunted was about controlling a growing population that was becoming a nuisance, not trophy hunting or pelt sales. "I've gotten conflicting information about that since," he said. "There appears to be some value to the pelts, and there appears to be a great deal of interest in trophy hunting." The Department of Natural Resources opposes the bill because it says limited bobcat hunting is an important tool for population control. "The recovery of the bobcat population in Illinois is a conservation success story for everyone," spokesman Chris Young wrote in an email. "Management of bobcats through a regulated hunting and trapping season is the next step in its long-term conservation, and proposed levels of take are considered non-detrimental to the long-term viability of Illinois' bobcat population." The sale of bobcat pelts is regulated under federal law, Young said. The department says Harmon shouldn't be surprised that it's moving forward with the rules as proposed because the senator didn't uphold his part of the agreement. He had agreed to advance a bill that would do away with registration requirements for small boats, which would save money, according to the department. "The department begrudgingly made a deal to which the senator did not hold up his end of the bargain," said Jason Heffley, Rosenthal's chief of staff. "There should be no surprise on the senator's part that we filed the rules we filed." The hunting and trapping of bobcats in Illinois was banned in 1972, and the cats were placed on the state's first threatened species list in 1977. The species was removed from the list in 1999. Despite emotional appeals, Rapid City landowners, including a state legislator, will pay costs for dead tree removal. Mayor Steve Allender needed to break a tied Rapid City Council to rule against state Senator Phil Jensen and the Roman and Wilma Kurylas Revocable Living Trust. The council in April denied Jensens appeal after he was cited in September for violating the citys tree maintenance ordinance that requires removal of dead or dangerous trees. He had seven days to respond to the citys citation to appeal or 30 days to remove the tree. He did neither. In February, the citys contractor removed the dead tree and another deemed dangerous. Over an hour of discussion at Monday's city council meeting was dedicated to code enforcement assessments for tree removal. Jensen argued at Monday's City Council meeting that the city should have followed different procedures regarding the enforcement of the code including how he was notified and that part of the tree was still alive and should not have been removed. He said he attempted to cut the dead portion of the tree down himself with the help of a friend, but it was entangled in a power line and then he was too busy to finish. "I did not choose to appeal within seven days because I had every intention of cutting the dead out of that tree," Jensen said Monday. "We rented a cherry picker and we cut out as much as we could and then the holidays were upon us and then session began and then it became obvious that I was going to have to wait until spring to cut out the remaining dead because I didn't want to cut out live branches from the tree and I wouldn't know until it was starting to bud out again." Former Alderman Ron Sasso, who lost a bid for city council earlier this month, testified on behalf of Jensen. Sasso argued that when he worked on crafting the original ordinance, those involved were careful to not go so far as, "stepping on peoples personal freedom." Dave Phelps also testified on behalf of Jensen, explaining he helped Jensen to cut down part of the tree. The council tied 4-4 on the vote to approve the resolution to levy the $1,392 assessment on Jensen and $4,642 on a property owned by the Roman and Wilma Kurylas Revocable Living Trust that had eight trees cut down. David Johnson, owner of The Johnson Tree Company, testified on behalf of the Kurylas trust that the trees the city cut down were not dead. Mayor Allender broke the ties on both votes to fine the landowners. Aldermen Chad Lewis, John Roberts, Jerry Wright and Alderwoman Darla Drew voted against approving the assessments. Council members in favor of the assessments were Steve Laurenti, Ritchie Nordstrom, Amanda Scott and Brad Estes. Alderman Ron Weifenbach and Alderwoman Charity Doyle were not present Monday. Allender said Jensen and his attorney met with him and made their case for why Jensen does not believe he should have to pay his bill. Allender basically said the state lawmaker does not believe the rules apply to him. "The city ordinance lays out an appeal process for this issue," Allender said, noting that no such appeal was made. "And then a kind of out-of-the-ordinary appeal to the Mayor's office ... and it's my determination that Mr. Jensen, who is a state lawmaker and makes process for people, does not want to follow the city's processes, does not believe that he has any responsibility in this issue in this instance." The council also discussed at length the request by Allender to waive landfill fees for Hermosa residents affected by the tornado last week. The council decided to postpone action until its July 5 meeting. Todd Stainbrook, owner of a construction company and a Hermosa resident, was not affected by the tornado but volunteered to help the community and cleanup effort. He told residents to charge their landfill loads to his account to speed up the process, he said. His total bill was just over $2,062. Aldermen Wright, Nordstrom, Roberts, Estes and Scott, wanted more information before voting. Laurenti, Lewis and Drew expressed support for waiving landfill fees for the Hermosa tornado victims. Laurenti said helping neighboring communities in times of disaster is the kind of precedent he thinks Rapid City should set. In other news, the council approved the Rapid City Fire Department's request to apply for and accept if granted a $1,076,121 grant from FEMA for staffing through their Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response or SAFER grant. Jon Vanderford with KOLN/KGIN TV in Lincoln and Grand Island visited the Mari Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center on the Chadron State College campus Thursday, May 26, to film several segments for the stations human interest and rural life magazine called Pure Nebraska. His wife and co-anchor, Taryn Vanderford, along with Brad Anderson also filmed segments at the center. One of the three segments filmed at the Sandoz Center will likely air the week of June 13 and all three will be available online at 1011now.com later this month. Sarah Polak, director of the Sandoz Center, said the segments on Pure Nebraska will be a great way to show Lincoln viewers the Sandoz Centers great resources. Pure Nebraska highlights things special about our state. By having Pure Nebraska visit the Center, we are able to show people who may not be familiar with the Center, or western Nebraska, what we have to offer and what we contribute to the heritage of the state, Polak said. Jon Vanderford said his crew likes to travel around the state and show viewers great places to visit. We have been wanting to travel to the Chadron area to do some stories for a while. We wanted to learn more about this famous Nebraska author, and what our viewers can enjoy during a visit to the Sandoz Center, he said. Friday morning after their stay in Chadron, the film crew and Jon and Taryns children took State Highway 27 south of Gordon, and visited Sandozs grave and the familys orchard. The Sandhills are some of the most breathtaking weve seen. It was raining hard, but that didnt stop us. I think we were amazed at Maris life story and at how many books she actually wrote. It was interesting to learn about her youth and how that had an impact on her writing, Vanderford said. Polak said most visitors from eastern Nebraska find it interesting that Sandoz lived in Lincoln for several years and the buildings where she lived and worked are still there. Some visitors to the center have never read Sandozs books and others have read all of them, Polak said. In general, Maris honesty is what resonates with people the most. The majority of visitors have read either Old Jules or Crazy Horse. Her examination of these two men and their lives in a rather unglamorous fashion resonates with people, especially after they have visited here, Polak said. Mari does a great job of describing the landscape, but once people visit, they better understand the conditions and lives that Mari describes in her books. The Sandoz Center is open year round and admission is free. Archival resources are open by appointment to interested individuals or groups. Details are available by contacting Polak at spolak@csc.edu. HOT SPRINGS For the past year, Hot Springs own Autumn Simunek, daughter of Kelly and Diane Simunek, has represented the state of South Dakota as Miss South Dakota. She participated in the Miss America pageant, and traveled far and wide to represent the Miss South Dakota Pageant, Miss America, help the Childrens Miracle Network and focus on her platform of serving veterans. Saturday evening, Autumn gave up her crown for a new Miss South Dakota although shell always be a Miss South Dakota. As a way of saying goodbye to the Miss South Dakota title and hello to a new future, The Star asked Autumn to share four of her most memorable or meaningful experiences as Miss South Dakota, also what she learned during her reign. Below are her answers. Attending and competing at Miss America Performing my talent on the Miss America stage in Atlantic City was definitely the highlight of Miss America, Simunek said. It was everything I had anticipated, and a feeling I will never forget. I was recovering from pneumonia, and was overjoyed with emotions, knowing I gave my best performance. It was also great to hear my name announced on stage as a The Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Medal recipient the only Miss South Dakota to receive this recognition on the Miss America stage 22 of the 51 contestants received this award, recognizing our achievements of personal challenge in service, skill areas and health and fitness. Its a privilege to have competed at Miss America to represent South Dakota, and especially, to represent Hot Springs, The Veterans Town, and the hometown of the Miss South Dakota pageant. I have definitely learned that giving back is extremely important at any age. After returning home, the announcement of being named as the winner of the Miss America Foundation Jean Bartel Scholarship for Military Awareness, rounding my scholarship awards to $56,000 was so gratifying, and a reward of the mission of the Miss America program. My Platform Autumns platform as Miss South Dakota was 5 Stars for Serving Those Who Served Thank Our Heroes, Celebrate Our Heroes, Give Back, Volunteer and Hire A Hero. It was truly gratifying to work with numerous community members and organizations statewide that shared the passion of serving our military members and their families, she said. Recently, I was interviewed for the American Legion Auxiliary National Headquarters magazine a surreal moment for my year. In partnering with the South Dakota American Legion Auxiliary, my fourth annual Veterans Holiday Relief Drive escalated to new heights, raising $45,000 this yearfor a four-year total of more than $85,000. Through my series of relief drives and the associated three-month service-learning project, I personally worked with over 50 schools, elementary through collegiate. Its more than about the data; its the real connections with the people in need, the people who I learn from and the people who grew from my project throughout the years. From beginning to end, the relief drive is an eight month project; however, this year community organizations and members have continued to contact me all year, giving, allowing me to give back continuously. There have been many moments hard to put in words. For Memorial Day, the South Dakota Paralyzed Veterans of America connected me with a veteran who was in desperate need to be the recipient of a meaningful donation. Some of the students in the classrooms have spoken about being homeless, and why it was important to them to participate in the relief drive project. One specific student told her military story of having to move several times throughout her education, and why this relief drive project was so important to veterans and troops alike. One of my projects was to host a Military Appreciation Month Ceremony for the top-contributing school, which was the Howard School District this year, as well as nominate and present over 25 schools with National American Legion Auxiliary Good Deed Awards. I honestly could not have fulfilled all my goals this without the team of the South Dakota American Legion Family and the South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs. Non-stop events Countless people and numerous events made my year memorable; from lighting the Hot Springs City fireworks on the Fourth of July, singing the national anthem at several events including being a guest at Governor Dennis Dauguaards State of the State Address, welcoming our troops home at Ellsworth Air Force Base, judging hot wings to fundraise for Veterans, attending Girls State, and working on Purple Up! For Military Kids mayoral proclamations to lighting up the Sioux Falls Park Falls purple, to name a few. One particularly touching memory for her was singing the national anthem at the Korean War Ambassador Peace Medal Ceremony, where she received her grandfathers Korean War Ambassador for Peace medal and met several South Korean dignitaries. As I also attended The University of South Dakota as a part-time Music Education major, and I was employed as a teacher at the Vermillion Organization Dance Studio. My year was also full of other projects, and behind-the-scenes creating a team bond and preparing the 2016 contestants for the job of Miss South Dakota. As the South Dakota Ambassador for Childrens Miracle Network Hospitals, Miss Americas national platform, my efforts led to building the Miss South Dakota Organization brand presence with a CMNH Campaign for our 2016 contestants, and forming the Miss South Dakota CMNH Legacy Scholarship. Among the benefits of this networking was a $1,000 scholarship from the Miss America Organization to our state franchise, as the Top Social Media Poster in the nation to advance the Miss America Serves initiativebased on a total of 19,479 posts. Raising more than $22,000 for Childrens Miracle Network Hospitals, and being the recipient of the state Miracle Maker Award for five years, became even more meaningful to me when my own newborn nephew required critical hospital care, and as I met and worked with families with similar needs. Therefore, I was thrilled to continue my annual Dance Camp and Miracle Dancers Benefit this year, thanks to all the participating volunteers, parents, and their kids who help make local miracles and scholarships right from our area. Growth I have definitely learned that I cant accomplish all my goals in one year. I have been very fortunate to have competed for five years in the Miss America program and grown within the Miss South Dakota Organization. This dream began at age seven on the Miss South Dakota stage as a Little Sister, and remained as I devoted myself to several facets of the Miss South Dakota Organization Little Sister, Tech Crew, Local Pageant Producer/Choreographer, Miss SD Entertainer, and Miss South Dakotas Outstanding Teen 2007. After five years of competition, this year seemed like a short span of time as I attended more than 250 meetings, events, fundraisers, performances, and schools, while traveling over 40,000 miles. Each opportunity proved meaningful as I talked with over 17,000 youth about the mission of the Miss America program, my platform, 5 Stars for Serving Those Who Served, as well as volunteering as a selfless act, and the benefits of music and dance. I have grown tremendously in the past six years. I learned that the best strength comes with being vulnerable, and from growing up in a strong community and working as a team. This year, I am thrilled to end my reign by volunteering during the Miss South Dakota practice week to assist at the Custer and Hot Springs50th Commemoration of the Vietnam War Memorial Exhibit Dedication and Flag Day Ceremonies. The entire Miss South Dakota Pageant cast, contestants, and entertainers will perform with Cameron and I at the annual June 14th Flag Day Ceremony at the State Veterans Home in Hot Springs. I have truly been humbled by what I have been afforded all these years from the tremendous extent of local and state-wide support and from the Miss South Dakota Organization. My year of service as Miss South Dakota is only the beginning of a lifetime commitment to service. I thank each and every one of you for following and supporting my journey from my heart. HOT SPRINGS Several fires have taken place locally as a result of the very dry conditions. They include: River Bottom fire - On June 14, five miles north of Edgemont, a 2-acre fire caused by lighting ignited and eventually burned about 5 acres. Nebraska and South Dakota State resources responded to this fire. Myrtle Ann fire - At 4:19 p.m., southeast of Pringle a 5-acre fire was ignited by lighting, calling out Federal, State and local firefighting resources. This fire grew until is consumed 75 acres, according to fire officials. Fall River County Emergency Manager Frank Maynard wants to make people aware that National Lightning Safety Awareness Week is June 19-25. Maynard points to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) guidelines on lighting safety as good advice to follow. These guidelines include the following tips: The threat that someone will be struck by lightning depends on their behavior during thunderstorms. The theat of a lighting strike increases as a thunderstorm approaches, it reaches a peak when the storm is overhead, and then gradually diminishes as the storm moves away. There is no safe place outside when thunderstorms are in the area. If you hear thunder, you are likely within striking distance of the storm. Remember, When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors! Too many people wait far too long to get to a safe place when thunderstorms approach. The best way to protect yourself from lightning is to avoid the threat. Dont be caught outside in a storm. Have a lightning safety plan, and cancel or postpone activities early if thunderstorms are expected. Monitor weather conditions and get to a safe place before the weather becomes threatening. Substantial buildings and hard-topped vehicles are safe options. Rain shelters, small sheds, and open vehicles are not safe. When inside, dont touch anything plugged into an electrical outlet, plumbing, and corded phones. Cell phones and cordless phones are safe. Also, keep away from outside doors and windows and do not lie on a garage floor. Maynard urges people to visit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) website, http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/safety.shtml for more information on how to handle lighting safely. The owners of an alpaca farm east of Rapid City looked on as their home burned to the ground early Monday morning. No one was hurt, but the home was destroyed, and three dogs died in the blaze. Everythings all gone, said homeowner Glenn Lepp. The Lepps have lived at the Caputa Alpaca Farm since 2007. The farm is a free attraction 10 miles east of Rapid City on Highway 44 where visitors can get up close and interact with a herd of alpacas, which resemble small llamas. None of the alpacas was harmed during the fire, and the small barns they are stabled in remain intact. Though their home is destroyed, the Lepps have no intention of abandoning the alpaca farm. The animals will continue to be cared for on the property until the Lepps can get back on their feet. Glenn Lepps son, Chad Lepp, was the first to notice the flames. He was sleeping in the living room when he awoke around 5 a.m. with the smell of something burning in his nostrils. He said there was an orange glow coming from the back porch. Chad woke his parents and his son and they escaped the quickly spreading flames. We probably had five or ten more minutes to get out, Chad Lepp said as he sorted through the wreckage. Chad had come with his son from Idaho to visit and help around the farm. They brought Chads service dog, a female weimaraner named Sieben, which means seven in German. Chad got her eight years ago from the VA to help him adjust after returning from his tour with the Army in Iraq. Sieben and Chad were usually inseparable, but when the family fled the burning home, the veterans faithful companion was nowhere in sight. She was one of the three dogs who perished in the blaze, along with another weimaraner and a chihuahua. Firefighters with the Rapid Valley, New Underwood, Box Elder and North Haines fire departments received notification of the fire at 5:17 a.m., according to Rapid Valley Fire Department spokesman Captain Jim Bussell. A Valley fire engine arrived at the fire at 5:34 a.m., and began spraying water on the blaze two minutes later. The Box Elder and North Haines fire departments arrived within the next 20 minutes. Lack of nearby hydrants made it difficult to fight the blaze, Bussell said. That forced the fire crews to rely on water hauled in on tanker trucks from Rapid City Regional Airport. When Rapid Valley crews arrived, 80 percent of the structure was involved in fire, Bussell said. Firefighters took a defensive approach, choosing to protect adjacent vehicles and structures, as well as livestock nearby. Firefighters were able to stop the forward progress of the fire and salvage some items from inside the home, as well as from a nearby recreational vehicle. The flames burned most of the single-story ranch house to the ground, eating through wood and metal until it hit a brick wall near the rear section of the home. Behind that wall, a few rooms remained standing, but the fire damage was extensive. Blackened insulation hung like streamers from the charred ceiling in the master bedroom, where Debbie and Glenn Lepp had been sleeping when the first flames came to life on the porch. The Lepps dont know what caused the fire. An electrical malfunction? A combination of hot and dry weather conditions? These are only guesses. The fire is under investigation. Were going to rebuild, Glenn Lepp said. This piece of property is too nice to be lost that way. Those who would like to help the Lepps get back on their feet can donate funds at gofundme.com/2adybrf2. The man suspected of killing a woman at a Rapid City motel last November will be brought back from Texas to face second-degree murder charges, local authorities said Monday. San Marcos Police Department online records show officers there arrested Brian David Duncan, 60, on Saturday. They acted on a Rapid City police warrant for Duncans arrest in the death of his companion, 60-year-old Helen Wright. She died at the Western Thrifty Inn on East North Street. Her body was found on a motel bed on Nov. 4, 2015, and investigators initially classified the case a suspicious death. A Rapid City Police Department statement at the time said Duncan and Wright had been living in the hotel room. Detectives initially wanted to question Duncan, who could not be found and was believed to be driving a gold Toyota Highlander with Colorado license plates. Investigators later accused Duncan, of Rapid City, of being responsible for Wrights death. Preliminary autopsy results indicated Wright had died two days earlier, sometime Nov. 2, of assault-related injuries. SALT LAKE CITY | Polygamous sect leader Lyle Jeffs has fled home confinement in Salt Lake City less than two weeks after he was let out of jail pending trial on charges in a multimillion-dollar food stamp fraud scheme. A warrant for Jeffs' arrest was issued Sunday afternoon after he took off sometime over the weekend, said U.S. Attorney's Office spokeswoman Melodie Rydalch. She said authorities aren't releasing details about how he got loose. U.S. District Judge Ted Stewart released Jeffs from jail June 9 after several previous requests were denied. Jeffs was ordered to wear a GPS monitor and stay in a Salt Lake County house, except for going to work, doctor's appointments and court hearings. He was also required to give up his passport. In granting Jeffs' release, Stewart said the other 10 defendants in the fraud case who have been let out of jail, including his brother Seth Jeffs, have complied with the court's conditions. Stewart also acknowledged that Jeffs' jail time would be longer than expected with the trial being pushed back to October. Prosecutors objected to his release, calling Jeffs a flight risk. They also warned that witnesses would clam up out of fear of reprisal from Jeffs, who runs day-to-day operations in the community on the Utah-Arizona border. He is the brother of the sect's highest leader Warren Jeffs, who is serving a life sentence in Texas after being convicted of sexually assaulting girls he considered brides. Their brother Seth Jeffs is the head of the sect's compound near Pringle in Custer County, S.D. In April, Stewart sided with prosecutors in denying Lyle Jeffs' release. The judge wrote in that ruling that Lyle Jeffs couldn't be trusted to adhere to conditions of release because of his loyalty to his brother, plus a history of evading law enforcement by using aliases and concealing his whereabouts. Stewart wrote that Lyle Jeffs travels with armed guards who are "willing to take extreme efforts to protect him." Stewart didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Jeffs' attorney, Kathryn Nester, was not immediately available for comment. She argued at the June 9 hearing that her client's constitutional rights would have been violated if he was jailed until trial. The FBI, which is leading the effort to find Jeffs, asked the public to report any leads or information about where the 56-year-old man could be. Sam Brower, a private investigator who has researched the church for years, received a phone call from authorities Monday morning asking to get the word out and report any leads about Lyle Jeffs' whereabouts. Brower said he thinks Lyle Jeffs may still be in the region and catchable. Brower said this proves that prosecutors were right when they said Lyle Jeffs was a flight risk. "Why the court would ever think the guy in charge of this criminal organization would not run is beyond me," Brower said. "The world needs to stop thinking about them as a religious group." Lyle Jeffs was arrested and indicted in February on charges of diverting at least $12 million worth of federal benefits. Prosecutors say sect leaders instructed followers to buy items with their food stamp cards and give them to a church warehouse where leaders decided how to distribute products to followers. They say food stamps were also cashed at sect-owned stores without the users getting anything in return. The money was then diverted to front companies and used to pay thousands for a tractor, truck and other items, prosecutors say. All the defendants have pleaded not guilty to fraud and money laundering charges. Members of the sect, known as the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, believe polygamy brings exaltation in heaven. The group is an offshoot of mainstream Mormonism, which disavowed polygamy more than 100 years ago. People who need pain-killing medicine like opioids are rightfully concerned. A prominent Custer logger cant function without them due to a lifetime of back problems from the hardest kind of work. Many people in our aging population couldnt get out of bed in the morning without opioids. And its not just about terminal cancer. Debilitating pain comes in many forms. Opioids are among the most important alternatives to control acute and chronic pain. Recently the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have been fighting an escalating public relations battle against opioid use, perhaps the single-most essential class of painkillers. These drugs work; really well. They are also addictive. As with many modern drugs, the side effects can be fatal. So can the absence of meaningful pain control. Legislation is making its way through the Congress (Senate Bill 524) to address painkillers and the addiction that can result. The thing is, people with chronic pain are dependent on opioids. Addiction is a secondary concern. They care about controlling their pain. They know they are dependent and thats OK. Without access to legal pain medication, people in severe pain may self-medicate with over-the-counter drugs or illegal uncontrolled drugs. People without real pain relief turn to alcohol or worse. The side effects of using alcohol and unregulated drugs to treat pain are catastrophic on many levels, for patients and society. In a recent article, Rapid City Regional Hospital emergency room Dr. Steve Dicks expressed frustration about the ease with which patients can obtain pain medicine in South Dakota. More than half a page in this paper was devoted to a story about people playing the system to get high through legal prescriptions. Left unaddressed was what people in real pain acute, unrelenting, chronic pain are supposed to do for pain relief. I wondered if Dr. Dicks has ever suffered the kind of pain he is asked to treat? The people working on the legislation in Congress more than likely havent got a clue. Commonly, doctors and working legislators dont suffer from chronic pain. As such they have no real understanding about why addiction is not a concern to people who depend on these medications for daily relief. Dr. Dicks assertion that Rapid City has great facilities and programs to help people deal with addiction is wrong. In fact, per capita, South Dakota may have the fewest resources to help people in pain and/or addicts of any state. In-patient and residential programs with a medical care component are practically non-existent. Outpatient programs are principally dependent on Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, neither of which offer medical intervention to help addicts or alcoholics withdraw from chemical addiction, never mind treating chronic pain. The city/county drug and alcohol abuse facility is essentially a drunk tank. Twenty-four hours and youre back on the street or in jail, left to your own devices. Private providers arent interested in doing the hard, complex work of treating chronic pain or addiction, partly because we dont have effective alternative pain control methods, and partly because the pay is the same for taking care of easy cases. The few specialty pain clinics take an integrated interdisciplinary approach to pain management, but its also outpatient treatment, dependent on separate moving parts. Appointments with specialists are scheduled months apart, too long to endure for most people in pain. Dr. Dicks accepts that people in pain need pain relief. Hes not a pain specialist. Its not clear what that relief would be or where it would come from, absent opioids. South Dakota needs help dealing with chronic pain and treating addiction. Severely restricting opioids is not the answer. WATERTOWN Charemon Dunham of Iroquois, was elected the first female State Commander of The American Legion Department of South Dakota by delegates attending the 98th Annual State Convention of The American Legion in Watertown on Sunday, June 19. Dunham was nominated by Past Department Commander Byron Callies of Watertown and her nomination was seconded by Hugh Holmes of Mitchell. Commander Dunham is a 26-year, Paid-Up-For-Life member of Bensley-Rounds Post 280 of Iroquois. She has held most Post offices, including Post Commander from 1995-1997 and 2003-2005. Commander Dunham is a United States Army Veteran who served from 1974-1976 attaining the rank of Specialist 4 and also from 1979-1990 attaining the rank of Captain. The American Legion is the largest war-time veteran service organization in South Dakota with approximately 21,000 members serving in 240 local American Legion Posts across the state. Russian official arrested in connection with Karelia lake tragedy MOSCOW, June 21 (RAPSI) Anatoliy Kovalenko, the head of Karelia's consumer rights watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, has been arrested on suspicion of negligence in relation to an accident at the lake Syamozero resulted in the deaths of 14 children, the Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin announced on Tuesday. Investigators claim that in 2015 Karelias executive authorities including regional office of Rospotrbnadzor received complaints of numerous law violations concerning organization of childrens recreation by the Park-Hotel Syamozero management. However, Kovalenko and other officials did not take any action against managers of the childrens camp. Earlier, a case was opened under the Criminal Codes Article Fulfillment of Works or Rendering of Services Which Do Not Meet Safety Standards against the Park-Hotel executive Elena Reshetova, her deputy Vadim Vinogradov, instructors Lyudmila Vasilyeva and Regina Ivanova and Valeriy Krupodershikov. According to investigators, on June 18 children and instructors of the childrens camp Park-Hotel Syamozero were sailing on a raft and two canoes over the lake Syamozero in Karelia. 47 children were accompanied by 4 adults (Vinogradov, Krupodershchikov, Ivanova and Vasilyeva) who did not take gathering storm into account. Storm made sailing extremely dangerous: a raft with children and two adults washed up near one of the islands while both canoes were capsized, leaving passengers in the open waters. Only some managed to swim across to the shore. According to the latest data of the Investigative Committee, 14 children drowned with 13 bodies found. Searches for the last one are in progress. Other children survived and were evacuated. Alleged Russian spy in U.S. to be sentenced on June 29 NEW YORK, June 21 (RAPSI, Vladimir Yaduta) Alexander Fishenko, the key figure in a criminal case relating to export of electronic components to Russia without required licenses, is expected to be sentenced on June 29. The session of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York has been repeatedly postponed. As it follows from the court records at RAPSI disposal, some principal issues still remain unsettled by the Fishenkos defense and prosecutors. Last week, the defense presented its feedback as concerned prosecutors statements. In particular, Fishenkos lawyers disagreed with prosecutors stating that the defendant had established his company for the purpose of unlawfully exporting electronic components and maintained that he had intended it to be a lawful export entity. Further, the defense pointed out that seven out of ten key partners Fishenkos company worked with had special permissions from Russias Defense Ministry. The lawyers insisted that there were dozens if not hundreds of such companies in the USA and following the prosecutors line of reasoning, they all should be at least suspected of wrongdoing. At last, the lawyers also believed that the prosecution overstated figures as concerned the prohibited exports trying to give impression that Fishenko had no intention to comply with the U.S. legislation and made no effort to do so. Numerous facts, according to the lawyers, were evidence of Fishenkos company efforts to comply with the U.S. export regulations and the respective measures it implemented. Mr. Fishenko intended ARC to be a lawful export company in which he could utilize his professional skills and Russian contacts to build a successful business his small slice of the American Dream, his lawyers maintained. The prosecution demands Fishenko to be sentenced to 211 months (about 17 years) in prison. However, the maximum sentence imposed in a similar case involving much more grave charges was 84 months (7 years) and Fishenko should spend in jail no more than 50 months (about 4 years). In October 2012, FBI made public the fact that eight people had been arrested on charges of unlawfully exporting high technologies to Russia for needs of the Russian military and special services. Four employees of Arc Electronics, a private Houston-based company, were arrested alongside the companys co-owner Alexander Fishenko. The firm took part in transactions aimed to purchase electronic components from US manufacturers and consequently sell these components to Russian firms. As the case material show, the customer of Fishenkos company was Apex System having connections to a number of Russian enterprises. A superseding 25-count indictment was presented to a New York court in November 2014. The charges include a conspiracy aimed at violation of the US International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and The Arms Export Control Act (AECA). The court records show that Fishenko, not being a diplomatic or consular official, or an attache of a foreign state carried out illegal purchases of electronic components without prior notification of the US Attorney General. There are a total of 11 defendants in the case, three of them have been placed on the wanted list. Four of the eight arrested - Viktoria Klebanova, Alexander Fishenko, Alexander Posobilov and Anastasia Dyatlova - have U.S. and Russian passports. As concerns Fishenko, he attended Technical University in St. Petersburg, Russia, from 1987 to 1994, studying dialectrics and semiconductors but left his studies to immigrate to the United States. Since 2003 he is a naturalized US citizen, married and the father of a 10-year-old son. According to his lawyers, Fishenko has not seen his family for three years and could speak with his wife by telephone only. She attempted to visit him last July after having received clearance from the MDC, but upon arrival she was denied admission and counsels efforts to secure her entry were unsuccessful. Fishenko pleaded guilty to the entire indictment in September of 2015. In particular, he agreed in his guilty plea that he violated United States law by selling electronic components to Russia without required licenses. He also pleaded guilty to ancillary money laundering, wire fraud, obstruction of justice and being an unregistered foreign agent. State Duma passes bill to curb abusive debt collection practices MOSCOW, June 21 (RAPSI) The State Duma, Russias lower house of parliament, adopted in the third and final reading on Tuesday a bill that aims to curb abusive debt collection practices. The bill submitted by Sergei Naryshkin, the speaker of State Duma, and Valentina Matvienko, the speaker of the Federation Council, expressly prohibits debt collectors from using physical force against debtors, being abusive, unfair or deceptive in trying to collect a debt. The bill also prohibits debt collectors from informing third parties about debt including relatives and colleagues, publishing the information about debtors online and posting it elsewhere. Moreover, the bill limits communication between collectors and debtors. Personal meetings are allowed no more than once a week, while collectors can call debtors no more than twice a week. Under the bill, debtors are allowed to reject any offers for cooperation with collectors. The legislation also stipulates fines of up to 2 million rubles (about $31,200) for breach of liaison protocol between debtors and execution creditors. People convicted of economic offenses or crimes against public security would be prohibited from performing collection activity. The bill was introduced amid shocking incidents involving debt collectors which occurred lately throughout Russia. In January, a Molotov cocktail was thrown into the window of a wooden house in the Russian city of Ulyanovsk. A 2-year-old child was badly burned and sent to a hospital. The boy was saved by his grandfather, who also received injuries in the fire. The bomb was allegedly thrown by a collector seeking repayment of a debt. Shortly after the incident, a man was arrested and later charged with an attempted murder. In late March, another incident took place in the Novosibirsk Region. Unknown persons, allegedly the collectors, broke into the debtors apartment. The woman became a victim of sexual violence; her minor child and husband were beaten. Prosecutor General Yuri Chaika has got the situation related to activity of debt collectors under his own control. According to prosecutors, collectors often harass and abuse people who owe money. From January to June 2015, about 22,000 complaints were filed by Russian citizens against unlawful acts committed by would-be collectors, former Human Rights Commissioner Ella Panfilova said earlier citing by the Interior Ministrys information. Gov. Steve Bullock is scheduled to discuss his new Montana Energy Plan at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Payne Family Native American Center. Bullock will discuss his plans for the future of Montanas energy with Mayor John Engen, Diana Maneta of Montana Renewable Energy Association and Jack Lawson, the president of Missoula Federal Credit Union. Adam Pimley, founder of Sage Creek Solutions, said the discussion will focus on how the new energy plan affects Missoula. The event, which is open to everyone, will highlight how renewable energy could help provide more jobs in Montana, Maneta said. We have the opportunity to make Montana huge in the energy market, Maneta said. The message behind Charge Montana is that the energy market is changing, and Montana needs to change with it said Jeff Fox, Montana Policy Manager of Renewable Northwest. "This is a golden opportunity to hear the governor talk about where Montana energy is headed," Fox said. Kathmandu, Nepal: The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed a corruption case at Special Court (SC) against a police person on the charge of possessing a fake educational certificate. According to the CIAA the charge cited a police personnel is Head Constable of Nepal Bhimsen Basnet. He has been alleged for submitting the fake certificate of SLC examinations for joining the service. Kathmandu, Nepal: Two of the seven injured security guards, who were injured in a suicide attack in Afghanistan on Monday, have been airlifted to New Delhi of India for treatment on Tuesday. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) three persons will be airlifted to New Delhi by Wednesday. As remaining two injured persons are reported very critical condition, the MoFA is still indecisive whether to airlift them to New Delhi or not. It is said that a Nepali team, which would likely to take off to Kabul of Afghanistan on Wednesday, would make decision whether to take them in home or airlift to New Delhi for treatment. Ten 10 government officials from the MoFA, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Civil Aviation and Foreign Employment Promotion Board, and a Nepal Army medical team would leave to Kabul once the Afghanistan government allows flying the airlines there. It is said that a chartered aircraft of Nepal Airlines and a team are on a standby to fly to Kabul to airlift the bodies of the suicide attack victims, states the MoFA on Tuesday. 12 Nepali security guards were killed in the Kabul on Monday in a suicide attack. HUMLA: Officials from Nepal and Tibet Autonomous Region of China held talks at Taklakot along the Nepal-China border . In the meeting, the Nepali side urged the Tibetan officials to grant permission to Nepali citizens to visit Mansarovar on producing their citizenship certificates. It has been learned that Nepali side plans seek permission for the herders from Humla district to graze their cattle on the Tibetan side, and discuss potential food support to Nepal. The Nepali delegation in the talks comprises Chief District officer Dr Krishna Bahadur Ghimire, Local Development Officer Baldev Joshi, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Bishnu Hari Gautam among other officials.RSS [Appearing in Mainstream Weekly] According to a report in the Hindu newspaper of 12 June 2016, Sanatan Sanstha spokesperson Abhay Vartak said that he is asad to see that Hindu organisations [are] being targeted in spite of a Hindu government being in powera . He forgot that the law has no religion and that the law is above the government in power. A man who kills another human being is a murderer, plain and simple, and he is liable to the same punishment regardless of his religion. Most important, the Constitution of India requires the government of India to have no religion. It is of course characteristic that Hindutva people should expect to be above the law when their people run the government. They have neither principles nor morals, after all, and they derive their strength from ahamare loga in the government and the administration, not least the police forces. The painstakingly built up structure of Indian democracy a the Constitution, various institutions, the body of laws a means nothing to them. All of these things can be bent to their will by those in power. Voh toh hai thanedar ka sala is the guiding principle. As we have seen in the two years since Hindutva came to power, its people are above the law. Their most horrific actions are not punished and are, in fact, given the seal of approval by the prime ministers silence. He was silent even about the barbaric killing of Akhlaq at Dadri. And of course he does not bat an eye-lid when people of his afamilya honour criminals from among themselves and hold amahapanchayatsa to plan mayhem. Sangeet Som, who criminally helped to instigate the Muzaffarnagar violence with a fake video and inflammatory speeches, and his fellow MLA Suresh Rana, were first felicitated by the BJP in Agra at a rally for Modi, then prime ministerial candidate, in November 2013. Modi said nothing about the two in his speech. For a man who lavishly ridicules and abuses his opponents, silence about the foul behaviour and the crimes of people of his own afamilya can only be seen as approval. That was before Modi became prime minister. After he came to power, those who committed crimes before 2014 have retroactively been declared innocent. This has been done systematically, and many now hold that the system of justice itself has been subverted and corrupted. Gujarat, Modis fief, has predictably seen the worst of this. Maya Kodnani, sentenced to 28 years imprisonment for her role in the Naroda Patiya massacre, was granted bail by the Gujarat High Court a on 30 July 2014 a on grounds of ill health. D.G. Vanzara, the aencounter specialista who spent over seven years locked up in the Tulsiram Prajapati case, is out on bail and making grand public appearances. Amit Shah, then home minister of Gujarat, arrested in 2010 in the same case and described as akingpin and prime accuseda , is not only out on bail and free to go to Gujarat, from which he had been externed, but is also Party Boss in Delhi. His standing in the Sangh Parivar may even be higher because of the charges against him. In these days of Hindutva, reality is of no consequence while the rulers image is all-important. When Party Boss Shah speaks to his party workers, he never asks them to do what they promised in their manifestos. His entire focus is on what they should make the people believe. The grand spectacle of Modis coronation and the staged photos of him and other leaders with brooms are image building and only that. So is the plastering of his and Shahs faces all over the newspapers and, indeed, wherever one cares to look. All this is of course only to be expected, for in the general election of 2014 Modis image was played up while reality was concocted a or disguised and suppressed. Modi is an achiever only for those who have manufactured his image: his achievements are imaginary. These two years of Hindutva have seen no improvement in the lives of the common people. There has, in fact, been a decline, looking at many indicators a and this is when the effects of handing over the country to rapacious big capital have yet to fully manifest themselves. All we have of the promised Good Days is an endless flow of loud but empty slogans. These slogans are too many to count, and I shall speak only of the strident and incessant calls for patriotism. How do we explain them? India is at war with no one; and India has no enemies. Pakistan, the aenemya according to Hindutva, has been put in that role precisely so that patriotism may be invoked. We then see that the calls for patriotism are not aimed at making Indians love India. They are a device for labelling aanti-nationala those people whom the Hindu Right fears. These are chiefly Muslims, tribals and those of the Left a or, as a friend said the other day, all who can think for themselves and who can see through the giant web of lies which Hindutva has fashioned. There is one pair of slogans which gives hope. Students, who have felt the fist of a malign State and of Hindutva toadies planted in high positions above them, can be heard shouting both aJai Bheem!a and aLal Salam!a I am one of those who believe that this new alignment will not remain confined to academia but will burst forth upon all of India. SNc Channels: Search About Salem-News.com Jun-20-2016 16:30 TweetFollow @OregonNews Interagency Wildland Firefighting School Begins in Sweet Home Classes begin today and continue through Friday. Photo: Oregon Dept. of Forestry (SWEET HOME, Ore.) - For the 20th consecutive year, forestry officials from the U.S. Forest Service, Oregon Department of Forestry and Bureau of Land Management are hosting an interagency fire school to prepare new firefighters for the rigors of fighting fire, both in Oregon's forests and in rural-urban interface areas. This intensive training -- so essential to the safety and effectiveness of fire crews as they battle blazes during fire season -- is an opportunity for members of the media to observe and take video or photos of firefighting, initial attack, fire safety protocol and various tasks involved in fire suppression. Co-Incident Commanders Shawn Sheldon, Deputy Fire Staff, U.S. Forest Service and BLM, Willamette National Forest; and Craig Pettinger, Unit Forester, Oregon Department of Forestry, Sweet Home; see fire school as an opportunity to train firefighters in both tactical skills and safety. Safety principles of fire training include wearing protective gear, safe use of tools, being on the lookout for hazards and maintaining proper spacing among workers. "Fire School provides crucial education and training in wildland fire to new firefighters and gives career firefighters a chance to refresh their skills, explore leadership opportunities and come together as a team working towards a common goal," said Sheldon. "A nearby forest landowner, Cascade Timber Consulting, Inc., provides a new field site each year and we are very grateful," he added. "Field exercises greatly enhance the students' training experience -- working in smoke, hiking through uneven terrain and working closely with crew members to dig fireline are all things they'll experience this season as wildland firefighters." More than 200 trainees from a variety of agencies across the state - including the Willamette, and Siuslaw National Forests, Bureau of Land Management, and Oregon Department of Forestry - will be in attendance this year. The interagency school takes place June 20 through Friday June 24 at Sweet Home High School, 1920 Long Street in Sweet Home. Classes, then a field exercise: Trainees spend the first part of the week in a classroom setting. Classes include basic fire behavior, map and compass use, teamwork, safety, use of engines, tools and hose lays, fighting fire in the rural-urban interface and fire investigation. Students sleep in tents at the school and eat their meals communally, giving them a taste of a real fire camp. "Safety is paramount in every aspect of wildland firefighting, and it begins with our training exercises," said Pettinger. "Working together in a training setting improves communications and builds effective relationships for the agencies to draw on during fire season." The five-day course culminates in a live fire exercise. The June 24 exercise provides trainees with the final challenge: applying their newly acquired skills to suppress and mop-up a real fire. Source: Oregon Dept. of Forestry _________________________________________ Oregon | Wildfire | Business | Health | Most Commented on Articles for June 20, 2016 | Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Our editorial and writing team at ScreenAnarchy includes several filmmakers, such as the multi-talented Shelagh M. Rowan-Legg. She serves here as critic and Associate Editor, but right now her focus is on her second short film. Her first short, Measure, did quite well and her next will be an action-comedy, Flow. I am not involved in any way with the film, but I have watched the first video for her fundraising campaign, and it's one of the best such videos that I have ever seen (no hyperbole, and I've seen a lot). You can watch the video (and learn more) at Indiegogo. Here's the official statement: FLOW: An Action-Comedy, has launched an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign. Programmer for FrightFest and Associate Editor at ScreenAnarchy, Rowan-Legg is making her second short film, Flow. Produced by Jen Handorf (The Borderlands, Prevenge) and Alexandra Bentley (Last Showing), the film will be shot in the UK this August. The campaign goal is USD $12,000, and has already reached more than 30% of its funding. Flow is an action-comedy film, featuring two women lead characters: soldiers on the battlefield, who must not only fight the enemy, but each other as well, in a heated argument about body functions that are hard to avoid. It's a story inspired by the great kick-ass heroines of genre film (Ripley, Sarah Conner, Zoe from Firefly, Brienne of Tarth, to name a few), and the work of amazing filmmakers such as Gareth Evans, Kathryn Bigelow, Lexi Alexander, and Joss Whedon. Fantastic genre film has, in recent years, become a strong arena for women behind the camera, and the team behind Flow wants to make it even better. Especially as they are calling on crowdfunding to support the project, they wanted to make sure that it did something for the filmmaking community as well. With that in mind, not only is the film written, directed and produced by women, but also the crew will be almost entirely women. The campaign has some amazing perks! There's a special thanks in the credits, a DVD copy of the film, a copy of the poster, and a hand-knit scarf made by Rowan-Legg, in the colour of the contributor's choosing. Rowan-Legg has worked as a festival programmer for a decade, starting out at Toronto After Dark Film Festival (2006-2014) and now at FrightFest in the UK. She is a critic and associate editor for ScreenAnarchy, and a critic for Sight & Sound. She is also an academic, and her book The Spanish Fantastic: Contemporary Filmmaking in Horror, Fantasy and Sci-Fi will be published this autumn. Her first short film, Measure, has played at festivals around the world, including Stranger With My Face in Australia, Morbido Fest in Mexico, and International Horror Hotel in the US, where it won Best Micro Short. The campaign will run until early August. Below is the first campaign video. The first movie I remember renting was Independence Day, and during the 48 hours I had it, I probably watched it six or seven times. For a young kid, the charisma of its leads, the iconic imagery of its set pieces and its simple good vs. evil plotting added up to an irresistible package. 20 years on, director Roland Emmerich and producer Dean Devlin have returned to the well for Independence Day: Resurgence. The original was a fun, campy b-movie with a huge budget, but this sequel is an utter failure in almost every regard. So much so, that it makes me wish the aliens had won at the end of the first movie. That would have robbed us of ID4's fist-pumping finale, but also saved us from this pricey monstrosity. 20 years after the people of Earth came together to repel alien invaders, the human race once again faces extinction. Ex-President Whitmore (Bill Pullman) and the kooky Dr. Brakish Okun (Brent Spiner), who apparently didn't die in the first instalment, are both getting headaches and premonitions of an alien invasion. A downed spaceship in Africa has sent out a distress call and not long after a mysterious spherical ship appears before a defence base on the moon and is promptly shot down on orders from the United Nations. Science whiz David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum) hops on a ride to the moon, along with a foxy French scientist and an African warlord, to inspect the felled craft. Then the real threat comes, a mothership 3,000 miles wide that plants itself over the entire Atlantic Ocean. Special effects have come a long way in 20 years and the team behind Resurgence clearly felt the need to up the ante. While the new elements are certainly bigger, they're also clunky and silly, but not in a fun way. Replacing the unforgettable images of monuments being blown to smithereens by an alien beam of light are jumbled vistas of cities being torn apart by the gravitational pull of the extravagantly large alien ship. Gone too is the charm of the original's cast. Will Smith's cocky pilot has died in the interim between the films and is replaced by his grown up stepson, also a pilot, played with the charisma of an office chair by Jessie T. Usher. Other new additions include a woefully drab Liam Hemsworth as a brave orphan pilot, a gormless Maika Monroe as Whitmore's grownup daughter/presidential aide/pilot and HK star Angelababy as, you guessed it, a pilot. A crass attempt to woo the Chinese film market, Angelababy's character is a very poor fit in an already leaden cast of new recruits and is exacerbated by some bad Chinese product placement (space milk, anyone?). Returning cast members fare marginally better, with Goldblum somewhat charming though fed less convincing one-liners, Judd Hirsh tottering around for no ostensible reason and Bill Pullman seeming a little raspier and the worse for wear. William Fichtner is fine as top military brass and poor Charlotte Gainsbourg is given nothing to do as Goldblum's maybe love interest. The plot of Resurgence doesn't make a great deal of sense, but this issue didn't hurt the first film, nor did its corny dialogue. What does hurt is the absence of fun. The plotting is murky, elements fly in thick and fast without being given the time to stick and we're never given the chance to develop any fondness for the characters. Without ID4's simplicity and its appealing characters it's hard to imagine young viewers falling in love with this lazy followup in the same way. An awkward summer tentpole that fails to match its hefty price tag with any heart or innovation, Independence Day: Resurgence spends 90 minutes vainly swinging for the fences before falling back on its roots in an overly familiar final reel. 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). Open letter from large group of reform advocates urges Prez Obama to "accelerate the process" for granting clemency | Main | "Society would benefit from rewarding attorneys for identifying the wrongly and unnecessarily imprisoned" June 21, 2016 Bureau of Justice Statistics releases new detailed report on recidivism of federal offenders This official press release reports on some of the interesting highlights of this interesting new report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics about recidivism rates and patterns for federal offenders. The report is formally titled "Recidivism of Offenders Placed on Federal Community Supervision in 2005: Patterns from 2005 to 2010." Here is the text of the BJS press release on the report: Of the nearly 43,000 federal offenders who were placed on federal community supervision in fiscal year 2005, an estimated 43 percent were arrested at least once within five years of their placement, the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) announced today. An estimated 18 percent of these offenders were arrested at least once within one year of placement on community supervision and 35 percent were arrested at least once within three years of placement. An estimated 80 percent of offenders who were placed on federal community supervision in 2005 were male. More than a third (41 percent) were white and nearly a third (31 percent) were black. An estimated 28 percent were age 29 or younger and about 42 percent were age 40 or older. The first arrest offense for federal offenders after placement on community supervision varied by federal and nonfederal offenses. Among federal offenses, public order offenses, such as probation violations, accounted for 90 percent of first arrests of federal offenders after placement on community supervision, compared to 33 percent of first arrests for nonfederal offenses. In comparing federal and state prisoners placed on community supervision, almost half (47 percent) of federal prisoners were arrested within five years, compared to more than three-quarters (77 percent) of state prisoners. Nearly a third (32 percent) of federal prisoners returned to prison within five years of their release to community supervision, compared to more than half (59 percent) of the state prisoners. Other findings include Nearly a quarter (23 percent) of federal offenders on community supervision were directly sentenced to probation, while more than three-quarters (77 percent) began a term of community supervision following release from prison. An estimated 70 percent of federal offenders on community supervision had at least one prior nonfederal arrest, and more than a third (35 percent) had four or more prior nonfederal arrests. June 21, 2016 at 03:51 PM | Permalink Comments "probation violations, accounted for 90 percent of first arrests of federal offenders after placement on community supervision" and I would bet most if not all were minor infractions of probation (i.e. drug usage). Posted by: ED | Jun 21, 2016 7:33:35 PM I'm just beginning a period of supervised release after halfway house and federal custody. From my experience so far with the P.O., it seems he/she is often more interested in "process" and "checking boxes" than in holistic concern for the my well being or even legitimate concerns about community safety. I wonder how many offenders recidivate, not IN SPITE OF supervised release but, instead, BECAUSE of supervised release--the accumulated obstacles that supervised release impose (many of which that have no connection to the offender's past crimes or even risk relevance) weigh the offender down more to the breaking point. Would he or she have fared better just left to his own devices? So many condition and such long periods of release that offenders can't get traction, or work, and eventually give up. The supervised release mechanism is protected, of course, because it can point to the "checked boxes" and say, 'we did our job' even if parts of the process are counter to the outcome of long-term integration. And, unlike most professions (teachers, bricklayers, football players), the system of supervised release is judged by the process and not by what is accomplished...For a sports analogy, they can point to the long, 90-yard drive that doesn't end in a touchdown and still consider it a success and keep their jobs. Everyone else looks at it and sees failure. But I'm hopeful for myself. Posted by: KF | Jun 22, 2016 10:07:35 AM KF you stated it better than I could, maintenance of job security at it's best, thanks for your comments. Posted by: ED | Jun 22, 2016 6:35:47 PM I'd be curious to know what state you are in, as there seems to be a wide variety of experiences depending on where you are released/supervised... Posted by: AN | Jul 1, 2016 8:58:22 AM Post a comment "Ban the Box, Criminal Records, and Statistical Discrimination: A Field Experiment" | Main | "What is 'violent' crime?" June 21, 2016 Intriguing review of Georgia's intriguing modern history with capital punishment Because many modern landmark Supreme Court death penalty cases came from Georgia (e.g., Furman, Gregg, Coker, McKlesky), the Peach State will always have a plum role in any story of the modern history of the death penalty. And this recent local article, headlined "Georgia executions rise, while death sentences plummet," details why Georgia's most recent history with capital punishment also merits attention. Here is how the piece starts: Its Georgias new death penalty paradox: the state is executing inmates at a record clip, but prosecutors almost never seek the death penalty anymore, and juries refuse to impose it when they do. During each of the past two years, Georgia executed five inmates. If, as expected, the state carries out another execution later this year, it will have put more people to death six in 2016 than in any single year since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated capital punishment four decades ago. But the last time a Georgia jury imposed a death sentence was in March 2014. And district attorneys have been turning away from death as a sentencing option, more often allowing killers to receive sentences of life in prison without the possibility of parole. A decade ago, state prosecutors filed notices of intent to seek the death penalty against 34 accused killers. That number dropped to 26 in 2011 and to 13 last year. How many times have Georgia DAs sought the death penalty so far this year? Once. And this was against a man accused of killing a priest a clergyman who had signed a document saying if he died a violent death he did not want his killer to face the death penalty. The incongruity of the increasing numbers of executions and the plummeting numbers of death sentences took both prosecutors and defense attorneys by surprise. Wow, Atlanta criminal defense attorney Akil Secret said. Maybe the times are changing. The precipitous declines raise the question of whether prior capital sentences were justified, Secret said. If a life-without-parole sentence is sufficient for todays worst crimes, why isnt it sufficient for those crimes from the past where death was imposed? June 21, 2016 at 07:27 AM | Permalink Comments One future to contemplate---in the near future, routine medical treatment will extend life for decades. Of course, some liberal judges will see an 8th Amendment obligation to give that treatment to criminals in prison, and you will have horrible murderers getting treatment (that not every law-abiding person will get). Society will then be confronted with murderers who have been incarcerated for 100 years. The problem for the death penalty in our society is that a vocal minority has demonized it, and courts have made it a giant PITA. Very few people forthrightly take up the cudgel for the death penalty. Personally, I get a little satisfaction every time a death sentence is carried out. Of course, I wish that it weren't necessary, but when society has the moral courage to express its outrage at a horrible crime, there is something noble and good about that. Many crimes are appallingly evil, and the people who commit them forfeit their right to exist. When our august courts thwart society's right to carry out this punishment by using lawless stays and blowing off the law, they are complicit in the evil and deserve the white-hot hatred of the victims' families and society itself. Posted by: federalist | Jun 21, 2016 8:44:53 AM It's no mystery. We have kickass capital defenders. And juries typically only kill people with bad lawyers. Posted by: Andrew Fleischman | Jun 21, 2016 9:47:23 PM You have courts that hook up capital defendants, and lawlessly so. Posted by: federalist | Jun 22, 2016 5:08:48 PM Post a comment "What is 'violent' crime?" | Main | Bureau of Justice Statistics releases new detailed report on recidivism of federal offenders June 21, 2016 Open letter from large group of reform advocates urges Prez Obama to "accelerate the process" for granting clemency As reported in this new USA Today piece, headlined "Experts warn White House that time is running out for clemency initiative," an impressive group signed on to this open letter to Prez Obama discussing his clemency activities. Here are excerpts from the USA Today reporting providing some pf the leteer's context and content: Thousands of federal inmates could be eligible to have their sentences reduced under the Obama administration's initiative to free non-violent offenders from prison, but experts are warning the White House that time is running out for the president to take action. A record-setting number of clemency petitions, lack of resources and a confusion over eligibility have hampered President Obama's plan to use his constitutional pardon power to shorten sentences, particularly for low-level drug offenders serving mandatory minimum sentences. If those inmates are going to have any hope, President Obama needs to personally intervene in the process, a group of advocates, law professors and attorneys said in a letter to the president Tuesday. "The initiative has been plagued by bureaucratic inefficiencies that have kept petitions that meet all of your stated criteria from reaching your desk," the letter said. "We are concerned that as your days in office diminish, the clemency initiative is moving too slowly to meet the goals you set when you announced it in 2014." The letter was signed by 41 people, led by Julie Stewart of Families Against Mandatory Minimums and including and law professors from Harvard, Yale, Georgetown, Berkeley, Columbia, Northwestern, New York University and others. Also notable: former White House special adviser Van Jones and former U.S. District Judge Nancy Gertner. In response, the White House said Obama "has demonstrated a commitment to the commutations process not seen by any other president in the modern era." He's issued more commutations than the past seven presidents combined, written personal letters to clemency recipients and met with recipients to urge society to give them second chances. "As we have said, the president will continue to issue additional commutations throughout the remainder of his time in office," said Assistant White House Press Secretary Brandi Hoffine. "The clemency process alone, however, will not address the vast injustices in the criminal justice system resulting from years of unduly harsh and outdated sentencing policies." Obama has stepped up the pace of commutations in his last year in office, no longer waiting until the end of the year to announce clemency decisions. Obama granted 61 commutations in March, 58 in May and 42 this month part of what White House Counsel Neil Eggleston said was a deliberate attempt to grant clemency on a more regular basis. In all, Obama has commuted the sentences of 348 people, more than any president since Franklin Roosevelt. (He's also granted just 70 pardons, fewer than any full-term president since 1800.) But according to the Office of Pardon Attorney, 11,861 commutation petitions were still pending as of June 6, fueled largely by the Judtice Department's call for more applications from volunteer defense attorneys in 2014. And this isn't the first time there have been warnings of a backlog in the process. A year ago, former Pardon Attorney Deborah Leff told defense lawyers that "the clock is running," and that petitions weren't coming in quickly enough. There were questions about the eligibility criteria, and many cases required a complete re-examination of court and prison records. Then in January, Leff resigned, citing a lack of resources and interference from Deputy Attorney General Sally Quillian Yates that prevented her recommendations from reaching the president's desk. I had the honor of being asked to sign on to this open letter, and I agree with nearly all of its sentiments. But, as I stressed in this post a few months ago, I have been clamoring for clemency reform since Prez Obama's first day on the job, and I remain deeply disappointed and troubled that there seems to have been no serious interest or commitment to any kind of structural/institutional reform in this space. As a result, I did not feel I could comfortable sign this letter because it includes a sentence stating that, in th clemency arena, the signers "believe [Prez Obama's] leadership will bring lasting change to the country and set the table for further reforms in future administrations." I certainly do not want to unduly criticize Prez Obama's (still very important) efforts in this arena, and I am especially pleased to see this open letter getting press attention. But, unless Prez Obama does something more than just grant a few hundred more commutations (which is what I am expecting to see in the coming months), I am still going to view his Presidency in terms of a unique missed opportunity to create a criminal justice reform legacy in this historically and constitutionally important arena. June 21, 2016 at 03:16 PM | Permalink Comments Post a comment As the final stage of San Francisco International Airport's $4.1 billion 10-year capital improvement plan, Terminal 1 is getting partially demolished in favor of two new boarding areas, a central check-in and security space, and new baggage claim and mezzanine areas. The Business Times had word that construction will begin on June 29 and last until 2020. A temporary boarding area is opening this month to serve the domestic airlines typically housed in the terminal: Delta, US, Alaska, and Frontier. The most recent renovation, the penultimate of the capital improvement plan, was completed this year: That was of Terminal 3, and it added three more boarding gates and streamlined, centralized security. Previous to that, Terminal 2 renovations were completed in 2011, bringing more dining options, two yoga rooms, and a "recomposure zone." SFO saw 50 million total passengers in 2015, its most ever in line with record tourism numbers in San Francisco overall that year. Meanwhile, the Mercury News reported earlier this month that Oakland is also at work increasing its number of nonstop flights to Oakland International Airport. Related: Virgin America To Remain Its Own Separate Brand For Now, Maybe Forever Did you enjoy a nice Lady Day? That symbolic event was celebrated at Google at the end of last week in a concerted response to the sexist comments of an unnamed shareholder in Google's parent company, Alphabet. You see, at an Alphabet shareholders meeting, this (male) shareholder addressed Alphabet's CFO, Ruth Porat, as the "lady CFO," a slip written about here by CNN that would seem to belie the shareholder's undue emphasis on Porat's gender. The remark was widely mocked on Twitter, and minutes later, Sonen Capital's Danielle Ginach called the dude out. "I am sorry to put another shareholder on the spot," she said according to USA Today, "But Ms. Porat is the CFO, not the lady CFO." Later, Ginach would add to the news outlet that "When it was my turn to speak, there was no way I was not going to acknowledge it. She has been a tremendous leader for Google, but her leadership aside, that was an unbelievably sexist comment. Imagine addressing the 'man CFO.' What is the relationship between gender and CFO?" Hence, some days later, the decision from an internal group at Google to deride the shareholder's comment with a dedicated "Lady Day." On Thursday (and also Friday) women added "Lady" to their job title in email signatures and the company directory. The following GIF made it into an internal landing page, apparently. As Meg Mason, "Lady Partner Operations Manager, Shopping," told USA Today, "I wanted to do something fun and 'googley' that allowed us all to stand together, and to show that someone's gender is entirely irrelevant to how they do their job." Also, and I think confusingly, men at Google like Bob Jung appeared to have added gender to their title. But instead of adding "Male," they, and he, also added Lady their titles to become "Lady Director, Software Engineering." While this "tongue-in-cheek" protest might call attention to the disrespect and bias inherent in considering, first and foremost, a person's gender in the workplace, I feel compelled to add that it does awfully little to address the actual gender gap at Google! That was, at least as of 2015, pretty bad at about 70 percent male according to publicly reported numbers. To get "more granular," the technical side of Google was even more male-dominated, with 82 percent of those employees male. Last, and most pertinent to the discussion of Alphabet's CFO, Google's leadership was 78 percent male and just 22 percent female at the time of that diversity overview. Anyway, what I mean to say is, with numbers like that, it might be more illustrative for all the men at google to add "Male" to their title than for everyone to add "Lady," no? Related: Huge Gender Wage Gap Persists For Computer Programmers A motorcyclist who was arrested after he allegedly struck and killed a cable car operator while driving under the influence took a plea bargain Monday that the dead man's family characterizes as "a slap in the face." As previously reported, it was around 10:30 p.m. on June 11, 2015 when then-22-year-old William Kanta Makepeace allegedly broke traffic laws by illegally passing a cable car stopped at Taylor and Francisco streets, then slammed his motorcycle into the cable car's operator as he stepped from the vehicle. The cable car operator, then-50-year-old Reynaldo Abraham Avy Morante, suffered a fractured skull and a traumatic brain injury as a result of the collision and was in a coma and on life support until his death on January 12 of this year. Makepeace, who remained at the scene of the crash, was arrested on the spot. According to the San Francisco District Attorneys Office, Makepeaces blood alcohol level was .12 percent at the time of the collision. Any reading over .08 is considered over the legal limit in California. Bay City News reports that Makepeace is "a lifelong San Francisco resident, attended Skidmore College in Albany, New York, where he studied anthropology and business. After his graduation in 2014, he was employed by Bloomberg LP in San Francisco in financial sales and analytics." In court Monday, he pled guilty to charges of misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter and misdemeanor driving under the influence, and will concurrently serve one year of home detention and five years probation. During his probation, the Chron notes, Makepeace will still be allowed to drive on San Francisco's streets, albeit in a limited fashion. Instead, he can "only operate a vehicle going to and from work," District Attorney's Department spokesperson Max Szabo says. Reading a statement from Josephine Morante, one of the two children Reynaldo Morante left behind, Prosecutor Lailah Morris said that "the family objected to the plea agreement allowing Makepeace to plead to misdemeanors rather than felonies." Its honestly a slap in the face that our father is dead and you are walking away with two misdemeanors, Josephine Morante wrote to Makepeace, who "listened silently to the statement with a serious expression but did not make a statement of his own," BCN reports. San Francisco Superior Court Judge Edward Torpoco seemed equally uncomfortable with the sentence, saying Mr. Makepeace, I think you are getting away extremely leniently in this case." "If it were up to me, this case would be proceeding on a felony basis and youd be looking at significant county jail or state prison time. But Im not the prosecutor, Im the judge." Previously: SF Cable Car Operator Struck By Allegedly Drunk Motorcyclist Has Died John Kelly Vanderlinde loves to cook. As he relates in John Kellys Cocina: Chef-inspired recipes for the everyday home cook, he received a cookbook as a Christmas giftat age 8. A chef into adulthood, he bristles at the complexity of many recipes; his cookbook stresses wholesome, fresh food prepared simply to let the natural flavor shine. Along with delicious-looking recipes for chocolate chip cookies, perfectly baked chicken, sweet and sour pork, Vietnamese beef stew, bourbon-glazed salmon, rice pilaf and pea salad, Vanderlinde provides useful ideas on must-haves in your kitchen and top kitchen tips. Keep your knives sharp, he advises. A signing and reception for John Kellys Cocina will be held from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, June 25 at Stone Creek Coffee, 422 N. Fifth St. Theres a growing recognition that jail isnt the best place for those with a mental health issue who have committed low-level offenses. Now, thanks to a $2 million grant from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Milwaukee County will be implementing strategies to provide support to those with a mental illness to keep them out of jail. The Milwaukee Community Justice Councila collaboration of local law enforcement, behavioral health experts, judges, prosecutors, defenders and corrections staffwas one of just 11 jurisdictions that won the foundations national Safety and Justice Challenge in April. With the stated goal of reducing racial and ethnic disparities in the justice system, the Milwaukee grant is aiming to shrink the average daily jail population by 18% over two years by targeting low-level offenders who need mental health help. Since people of color are overrepresented in our local jails, the new grant will have its greatest impact on African American and Latino Milwaukeeans who are in the criminal justice system. The new initiative represents a turning point in the local criminal justice systems treatment of individuals whose offenses are linked to their mental health issues. An estimated 35% of those in the county jail and House of Correction receive psychotropic medication. Its an opportunity for us to really focus on a comprehensive plan to keep the mentally ill out of our jails and, by extension, out of our prisons, Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm told the Shepherd. And we do it in a way that keeps the community safe and also takes advantage of resources that exist in the community and knits all of those together so that were making much more informed, intelligent decisions about how we handle people who are suffering from mental illness. Tom Reed, the first assistant state public defender and a member of the Community Justice Council, said the MacArthur Foundations Safety and Justice Challenge is an acknowledgement that as a nation we need to get smarter about using law enforcement and criminal justice resources and, at the same time, not unnecessarily harm low-level offenders, some of whom have mental health issues, who could be better served outside of the system. There are a very large number of people in jails and there has not been a systematic analysis and review and thinking about do we have the right people in jail for the right amount of time, Reed said. Friends of the Shepherd Help support Milwaukee's locally owned free weekly newspaper. LEARN MORE Milwaukee County Health and Human Services Director Hector Colon emailed that the grant will provide quicker access to treatment for those with mental health or substance use issues. Individuals who are booked in jail but identified as suffering from mental health or substance abuse issues will be removed from jail within 48 hours and connected with appropriate services, Colon wrote. The New Approach Chisholm said the new initiative requires training, resources and staff and will be taking shape in the next few months. Specifically, the $2 million Milwaukee grant covers these key areas: Implementing the book and release strategy Downtown: When youre arrested for a low-level offense in the Milwaukee County suburbs, youre likely to be taken to the district station, given a court date and releasedwhats called book and release. In the City of Milwaukee, however, almost every arrestincluding those for misdemeanorsresults in a trip to the police station for booking, then a trip to the county jail and re-booking there. The grant allows the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) to start a book and release pilot program at the Downtown District 1 station. Reed said the Community Justice Councils analysis found that the MPDs process is slow and can result in some individuals being detained in jail for up to five to eight days, which can have a very disruptive effect on that persons health and wellbeing, employment, housing and relationships. The book and release strategy can be thought of a way of speaking to a set of process improvements that are designed to release people promptly who we are going to be releasing and doing that in a way that minimizes that disruption wherever possible, Reed said. Chisholm said the initial pilot program would focus on those who seem to have a mental health issue, but could be expanded to include others who are suspected to have committed low-level, nonviolent offenses as well. It would also bring MPDs policies more in line with suburban policing strategies and reduce the disparity in the treatment of disproportionately minority offenders in the city and white offenders in the suburbs. Changing police interventions: The MacArthur grant also helps to change the way those with a mental health issue first encounter law enforcement. The grant will help Milwaukee County increase the number of those who specialize in helping individuals during a mental health crisis, the Crisis Mobile Services and the Crisis Assessment Response Team (CART). The proposed 2017 budget for Milwaukee Countys Behavioral Health Division (BHD) adds two CART teams to the existing two teams, which only operate within the City of Milwaukee, with the help of the MacArthur grant. One of the new teams would be deployed county-wide. A budget amendment offered by Milwaukee County Mental Health Board members Mary Neubauer and Brenda Wesley would fund an additional five teams, with three focused on West Allis. The boards finance committee whittled that down to one additional team last weekapparently because Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele told the board he didnt want the board to raise property taxes and board members are concerned about the amendments financial impact. But it could be reintroduced at the full boards meeting on the budget on June 23. The Mental Health Board is also looking at ways to expand resources in the community and decrease reliance on visits to the emergency room and in-patient services. The 2017 BHD budget includes funds for a North Side community hub, where individuals with a mental health issue can get help, but offers no funds for a planned South Side counterpart. The budget does include funding for 24-7 staffing of crisis resource centers, which Abele had vetoed in last years budget. Chisholm said hed welcome as many CART teams as possible, but his current focus is along the Wisconsin Avenue and State Street corridor, from the river to 27th Street, where his offices data show is where its needed most. Screening for mental health issues: The grant also allows the county to provide assistance to those who are booked on a low-level crime largely as a result of a mental health issue. Somewhere between two thirds and three quarters of the people who are incarcerated with mental health issues are there for misdemeanors and extremely low-level, nonviolent felony cases, Reed said. Those felony cases can be like spitting at someone. Instead of booking them into the jail and disrupting their lives, the MacArthur grant would allow the county to begin offering supportive services to this vulnerable population and stabilize them so that they dont become even more ill while being held in jail. People can get trapped in the court system, Reed said. What the post-booking stabilization offers is the ability to find someone before they are charged and we get them into the mental health care that they really need and then they are stabilized so if they are facing criminal charges they are competent when they are facing them. Reaching out to heavy users of the system: A Community Justice Council analysis found that theres a strong overlap between high law enforcement encounters and high mental health needs. They found that in one year, 85 Milwaukeeans used $4.8 million of behavioral health services and also consumed a high amount of law enforcement resources. Instead of arresting and jailing these heavy system utilizers, the grant would set the stage for connecting them with comprehensive mental health services and support. Recognizing trauma: The vast majority of men and women with mental health issues in the criminal justice system are victims of traumaeither experienced personally or as a witness to it. Major trauma has a physiological impact on the brain and changes the way the individual responds to stress or other triggering events. The MacArthur grant will allow the county to develop a trauma-informed training program for those working in the criminal justice system so that theyre more aware of the signs of trauma in the individuals they encounter. Chisholm said victims of crimes currently are screened for trauma exposure. Going forward, offenders will be screened for it as well, just as theyre screened for mental illnesses or substance abuse problems. We spend a lot of our time directing victims to trauma-informed care, Chisholm said. The question that becomes so abundantly clear to me is the distinction between the offender and the victim is on a spectrum. Sometimes the victims have been offenders and sometimes the offender has been a victim. It just seems that if were aware of that, why not introduce some sort of trauma-informed screening toward behavior change? Better data collection: Chisholms office has become a data-driven one, and this grant would allow for better data collection and sharing so that members of the criminal justice and behavioral health systems can make better decisions about this targeted population. Looking beyond this grant, in the long term Chisholm said hed like the county to have a mental health court, similar to the drug treatment court, for those who are charged with crimes related to their mental health issues. Advice from Florida To help support and inform local leaders, the Milwaukee Community Justice Council and the state public defenders office brought in Judge Steven Leifman of the Miami-Dade Criminal Mental Health Project to speak about pioneering efforts there to reduce the number of low-level offenders with mental illnesses. Leifman told the audience at Marquette University on June 14 that as a judge he realized that he was a gatekeeper to the largest psychiatric institution in Floridathe jailsince more mentally ill people were incarcerated than getting treatment in hospitals. Even worse, the local jail was crowded and filthy, inmates werent getting necessary support, and policy-makers were disconnected from the impact of their decisions about mentally ill offenders, he said. Leifman realized that jail wasnt the best option for these individuals. In many ways, we made mental illness a crime, Leifman said. Over the course of a decade, Liefman and other stakeholders have transformed their system and offer more services for those with mental illnesses who have gotten caught in it. Resources have been freed up, recidivism is down and, best of all, these individuals are getting the help they need so they can live their best lives. Leifman said the problems encountered in Miami and Milwaukee are experienced throughout the nation as we fund jails but not mental health services. As you start to peel back why this is occurring youre going to find a parallel track of untreated mental illness and substance abuse and massive cuts in those areas in this country, Leifman said. We have replaced hospitals with our jails. It has become a very shameful American tragedy, one that has not worked to serve anyone very well. Its one that must be reversed. And the good news is that it can absolutely be reversed. Last week, Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) leaders offered their alternative plan for the Republican-crafted Opportunity Schools and Partnership Program (OSPP). The law allows Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele to take over and privatize up to three schools in the next academic year but MPS has other plans. Abele and his appointed OSPP Commissioner Demond Means had offered a plan in April that would take over one MPS school and turn it into a charter school under the MPS umbrella this fall. They presented their proposal as a better alternative than offering up to three schools to a private charter operator and taking them out of the MPS district. They gave the MPS board a June 23 deadline to act on the proposal. Instead, on June 17 MPS Superintendent Darienne Driver and MPS Board President Mark Sain announced their alternative plan, which would launch an early education program in the 35th Street Elementary School and share space with Assata, an MPS partnership school. The 2016-2017 school year would be used as a planning year, and it would be set to open in fall 2017. Driver and Sain said they had major concerns about the Abele-Means proposal namely, that it didnt conform to the OSPP law, didnt include a mechanism for selecting a school and Abele and Means havent starting developing a request for proposals for the OSPP school in case MPS didnt accept their offer. We had to take a few things into considerationfirst and foremost, it had to be whats best for our students, Driver told the Shepherd. And also to keep our community stabilized. Driver said there was no mechanism for selecting a school to be taken over. More than 50 MPS schools qualified for the OSPP because of their low performance. OSPP Commissioner Means had said he wouldnt pick a school until after MPS agreed to his proposal, saying that it would create anxiety within the school communities to make public the schools that were under his consideration. We are not going to be selecting a school, Driver said. With that in mind, we thought it would be best to look at early childhood options. We see this as an opportunity to bring some resources into the 35th Street site. She said she contacted some early childhood program partners in the community over the weekend to see if they could come together with Abele and Means to make the proposal work. Friends of the Shepherd Help support Milwaukee's locally owned free weekly newspaper. LEARN MORE Driver and Sain called the early childhood alternative a value-added program for Milwaukee students, and pointed to a just-released Speakers Task Force on Urban Education report calling for more investments in early childhood programs in Wisconsins urban centers. Foundationally, this helps our students get off the ground, Sain said. When you look at some of the deficits that some of our communitys young people are coming from, the early childhood component helps to prepare them for their school career. This is something that we feel is value-added. Its something that can truly help the district as well as the citys children move forward academically. Driver and Sain said they have a June 23 meeting on the schedule with Abele and hope to persuade him to take up their offer. Abeles office didnt respond to the Shepherds query about his and Means options if they reject MPS plan. Pressure from Community Groups Ironically, the MPS alternative plan is much like the first proposal floated by Abele last fall and throughout his campaign for re-election. Hed said he wanted to develop an early elementary feeder school in an MPS building and not take over a school outright. But after the election, Abele scrapped that proposal, saying it wouldnt conform to the OSPP legislation, which was inserted into the state budget by Abele allies Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) and state Rep. Dale Kooyenga (R-Brookfield) last summer. In late April Means sent the proposal for the independent MPS charter school to the MPS board, and gave them the June 23 deadline for a response. If MPS didnt take his offer, he said he would find a charter operator to take over a school this fall. According to the countys attorneys Means could draft and send out the request for proposals and submit his own proposal without any other oversight, meaning that Means could take over a school himself this fall. Public school advocatesled by Schools and Communities United (SCU)have been pressuring Abele and Means to refuse to participate in the OSPP, calling it an undemocratic and unjust law that would hurt Milwaukees African American and Latino students and further chip away at MPS stability. Theyve shown up at Abeles and Means public appearances and on Monday held a rally outside of the Courthouse, where Abele has his offices. We see the takeover plan as an attack on our communities fundamental democratic rights by removing public institutions from the control of democratically elected boards, said SCU Co-chair Ingrid Walker-Henry in a statement. We also believe this is part of a larger plan to privatize Wisconsins public education system. The most recent of the totally predictable mass murders that occur every few months in this country was a perfect storm combining many of the racial, religious and social hatreds that have inflamed Republicans this election year. Think about it. The mass shooting took place in a gay Orlando dance club on Latino Night and was committed by a Muslim who pledged allegiance to foreign terrorists. Thats why soon-to-be Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump was so delighted. He barely knew which vile strain of hatred to tap into first to promote his candidacy. No surprise, though, that Trumps reaction managed to combine three of his favorite topicshatred of immigrants, hatred of Muslims and love of himself. Appreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism, Trump tweeted. National Journal columnist Ron Fournier described Trump as taking a victory lap in blood. Id prefer to think Trump was simply lying as he usually does. As low an opinion as many of us have of Trump supporters, its difficult to believe very many human beings actually reacted to the mass killing of 49 people and wounding dozens of others by sending their congrats to Donald Trump. Trump immediately tried to use the Orlando massacre to bolster his proposals to ban followers of Islam from entering the U.S. and to round up and deport 11 million undocumented immigrants, possibly including some of the grieving families. Since Latinos were targeted in the murderous, racial hate crime, Trump could just as easily blame a bigoted Republican presidential candidate who racially stereotypes immigrants from Mexico as rapists and murderers. Nah. That would be wrong. Well, then, since the shootings appeared to be rooted in hatred of gays, Trump could have blamed Republican politicians in Wisconsin and 10 other states planning to sue the federal government to defend their right to discriminate against transgender people using bathrooms. Friends of the Shepherd Help support Milwaukee's locally owned free weekly newspaper. LEARN MORE No, in Trumps mind it would be completely unfair to blame Republicans for any of the irrational hatred they promote to inflame their voters. Trump really thought he should be basking in congrats for drawing such a clear connection between the worst mass murder in Americas long history of mass murders and his own public opposition to immigrants and the Islamic religion. Never mind that the shooter was described by those who knew him as not a very devout Muslim and that he was born in New York just like Trump. The bottom line, Trump declared, is that the only reason the killer was in America in the first place was because we allowed his family to come here from Afghanistan. Trump Blames Muslims But it wasnt just the killers immigrant parents who were to blame for the Orlando bloodbath, Trump said. All American Muslims were to blame because Muslim communities know those in their midst who are about to go on murderous rampages. Yet they do nothing to stop them or alert authorities. Republicans often make such charges against minority communities. Thats why I always feel fortunate to be a white person. Ive never had to answer for my own personal involvement in one of the grisliest serial murders in American history. I was living in Milwaukee between 1978 and 1991, when another white member of my community, Jeffrey Dahmer, raped, murdered and cannibalized 17 men and boys. Dahmer worked at a chocolate factory just a couple of blocks from my newspaper office. But white people are never considered responsible for horrible crimes committed by members of their race even when they live in the same community. African Americans and other people of color always are. Trumps major contribution to political hatred this year has been to extend the same kind of broad-brush prejudice that is usually reserved for racial minorities to an entire world religion of 1.6 billion people. House Speaker Paul Ryan continues to denounce the candidate hes endorsed for president to preserve his own future candidacy after Trumps ugly campaign comes crashing down in November. No one is even surprised any more by the twisted, bigoted nonsense spewing out of Trumps mouth. Trump entered presidential politics as a birther accusing Barack Obama of conspiring from the time he was born to cover up his foreign Muslim birth so he could grow up to become an evil Manchurian Muslim president. Now Trump is using Orlando to push that crazed theory to the next lunatic level by openly suggesting President Obama might secretly be supporting terrorist attacks by radical Muslims in America. Theres something going on, Trump warned ominously. Boy, there sure is. And Trump happens to be right that one of Americas gravest threats is tied directly to its open borders. The bottom line is that the only reason the Republican Party is about to nominate an offensive, hateful menace to democracy as its presidential candidate is because we allowed Trumps mother to emigrate here from Scotland in 1930. If youre looking for a cafe with integrity where the food is good, the price reasonable and the atmosphere simple, relaxed and relaxing, the Beerline Cafe is entirely worth the hunt. This all-vegetarian restaurant, open mornings through evenings seven days a week, is named for its neighborhood where a railroad spur called the Beerline B once carried supplies along the Milwaukee River to the citys historic breweries. Youll find its welcoming patio at the western end of a condo building on Humboldt Avenue and Commerce Street. Or you could get there by walking eastward down the peaceful Riverwalk from Lakefront Brewery or the Marsupial Bridge, or westward through the extraordinary river restoration from the pedestrian bridge at Caesars Park. Crepes, savory or sweet, are the specialty, as well as the cafes unique crepe variant, the cromelette, an omelet made on the crepe maker with a variety of carefully prepared and creative fillings. Toasted paninis, luscious seasonal salads and soups and heavenly house dishes such as the pesto mac n cheese or the mushroom barley burger (both entirely vegan and entirely delicious) make up much of the rest of the menu. Most dishes, including every crepe and cromelette, can be ordered vegan and/or gluten free. Seductive smoothies made with whole, skim, soy, almond or rice milk and unusual combinations of fruits and seasonings are meals in themselves. There are drinks for each day, hour and mood. Stone Creek coffee and Rishi Tea concoctions come in every popular coffee house variety. Enjoy red or white wines on tap or bottled, local craft beers, mimosas made with Zardetto Cuvee and fresh squeezed orange juice or beermosas made with Milwaukee Brewing Companys Booyah Apricot Saison. There are fresh juices and juice blends, astonishments like coconut water, tapuat with bee pollen, honey and ginger, and boxed fresh water to go. Owner Michael Allen opened the cafe in September 2015. I was in non-profit work with Milwaukees Public Allies leadership development program, he explains. I traveled a lot for that job and because I like crepes, Id go to creperies in other cities. There was nothing like that here. Ive been a vegetarian all my adult life and Milwaukee has very few completely vegetarian restaurants. Its a meat-and-potatoes town so this was kind of a risk. Allen also designed the interior of the airy, sun-filled, glass-walled room. The handsome tables, chairs, window seats and serving area were made from reclaimed barn wood by an Amish carpenter in northern Wisconsin. The piece de resistance is a living wall of local plants with its own irrigation system. In addition to the healthy food (which doesnt taste like health food), less visible efforts like low-flow faucets, waste-reduction practices, compostable carryout containers and LED lighting won the cafe the only three-star rating in Milwaukee from the national Green Restaurant Association for sustainable practices. Four stars is tops and Allen is headed there. Gentleness, care and something like a laid-back attentiveness characterize the place. Together, separately and with other friends including a discriminating 40-year vegetarian who adored it, weve sampled a broad range of the menu items and liked them all a lot. Beerline Cafe 2076 N. Commerce St. 414-265-5644 $-$$ beerlinecafe.com OD. GF. Vegan. Tikkun Ha-Ir is a Jewish 501(c)3 now in its 13th year. To celebrate its Bar Mitzvah, the organization is throwing a bittersweet event that honors their executive director, Judy Baruch, a founding member who will retire on June 30. The celebration takes place on Tuesday, June 28 at the Jewish Home and Care Center, 1414 N. Prospect Ave. The $54 minimum donation supports Tikkun Ha-Ir and involves silent auction, music by Lil Rev and a dessert buffet. Off the Cuff spoke with Mrs. Baruch about Tikkun Ha-Ir and building a better Milwaukee through study and civic engagement. What is the relationship between the organization Tikkun Ha-Ir and the concept of Tikkun Olam? Tikkun Olam is often translated as repair the world. In Jewish thought it is understood as an exhortation to ameliorate the problems of the world: to put the shards of glass back together into a whole. Tikkun Ha-Irwhich means repair the cityfocuses on those shards in an urban settings, especially with respect to poverty. The founders of the organization felt they should restrict their focus in order to bring about the most change. Our official founding was in 2003, but we had worked as a loose federation for two years prior. Two of the founders were rabbisone Orthodox and one Reform. We try to appeal to the broadest scope of the Jewish community to assist in our efforts. What does the organization do in Milwaukee? Even within the scope of urban poverty we cant take on everything. So we focus on hunger, shelter, environmental justice and voter engagement. We foster connections with other agencies in the city that work with families. For instance, in our Surplus Harvest Project we gather surplus produce from farmers markets and have donated more than 100,000 servings to food pantries. Thats several tons of food in the past four or five years. This allows people who are struggling financially to get fresh produce. Last year we began doing workforce engagement with a womens prison. They help us prepare the produce, to clean it and chop it. We are working with MATC to have these women use their time in the Chop Shop towards getting a food services certificate. Stay on top of the news of the day Subscribe to our free, daily e-newsletter to get Milwaukee's latest local news, restaurants, music, arts and entertainment and events delivered right to your inbox every weekday, plus a bonus Week in Review email on Saturdays. SIGN UP How does Tikkun Ha-Ir use study to create a more just city? We try to anchor what we do in Jewish thought and Jewish text. We have Brunchn Learns and Social Justice Book Club. Well get together and talk about what the Torah says about our obligation to feed the poor. Often well invite a rabbi to come talk on topics from hunger to shelter to capital punishment to immigration. What is your history with the organization? Ive been the only executive director. Im retiring in mid-July and we have a new director coming from California but who was born in Milwaukee. It is an honor to have worked with such a fabulous board and volunteers. Together we have accomplished wonderful things. Whats next for you, Judy Baruch? I dont know! My husband retired last year so were trying to figure out what to do. We have some grandchildren who were looking forward to spending more time with. Well take some time to figure out what speaks to us. SIOUX CITY | Metro Sioux City residents may put small branches downed by Friday's storm curbside for pickup. Branches no longer than 4 feet in length and larger than 2 inches in diameter may be bundled and placed curbside in Sioux City. They will be collected by Gill Hauling. Bundles are not to weigh more than 35 pounds. Bundles must have a solid waste sticker affixed and those can be purchased at Bomgaars, grocery stores and City Hall. Branches and other debris small enough may be placed in a garbage can. Additionally, city crews will remove branches and trees that have fallen into city streets or the right-of-way. Private property owners are responsible for downed trees that originated on their property. Citizens may also take debris to the Citizen Convenience Center, 5800 28th St., where a minimum fee of $15 will apply. Woodbury County's Secondary Roads department will not be collecting debris from county residential private property. Rural residents are encouraged to safely burn any debris, take debris to the landfill or contact a local city hall for direction. South Sioux City has declared an emergency cleanup to remove extensive tree damage. The city's Public Works department will pick up debris curbside. The sticks and branches must be cut into manageable pieces. City crews will pick up debris in South Sioux City through Friday and into next week. BLENCOE, Iowa | A Blencoe, Iowa man who officials say pointed a gun at his family and officers faces several felony charges. John Gibson, 37, was charged with two counts of felony assault on a peace officer and felony possession of a dangerous weapon by a felon. He was also charged with three counts of child endangerment, assault with intent to injure and two drug-related misdemeanors. A release from the Monona County Sheriff's Office said Gibson pointed a rifle at officers who responded to a possible disturbance at 178 Main St. in Blenco. He was taken into custody after several minutes of negotiation. Officers determined that Gibson had assaulted his family members and pointed a firearm at them. A search warrant for the residence turned up marijuana and paraphernalia. BLENCOE, Iowa | A Macy, Nebraska who police say kidnapped a female and fled from police Saturday faces multiple charges. Lamonte Bertucci, 26, was charged with willful injury and second-degree kidnapping, both felonies, as well as assault while participating in a felony, assault on a jailer and several traffic violations. The Monona County Sheriff's Office in a release said the department was contacted by the Macy Police Department on June 18 advising its officers were in pursuit of a vehicle heading east on Highway 175 into Iowa. He failed to stop and appeared to be holding a female passenger in the vehicle as she attempted to escape. Deputies joined the pursuit southbound on Interstate 29 where speeds reached 100 miles per hour. The vehicle stopped south of Blencoe, Iowa where officers arrested Bertucci. The female was transported to a hospital to be treated for injuries. SIOUX CITY | Even if allegations contained in a state report detailing Sioux City's discharge of improperly treated wastewater into the Missouri River are all true, there's no need for the Iowa Attorney General's office to be involved, an outside attorney representing the city said. Guy Cook, a prominent Des Moines lawyer hired recently by the city, said he will argue before the state Environmental Protection Commission on Tuesday that state regulators are already equipped to handle the alleged violations. "The EPC has the authority to handle administrative code matters and has no need to refer them to the attorney general's office to handle these matters," Cook said. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has asked that the case be referred to the attorney general's office because it can seek higher penalties than the DNR, whose penalties are capped at $10,000. The EPC will consider that request when it meets at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Honey Creek State Park Resort Conference Center near Moravia in southern Iowa. The commission may vote to transfer the case to the attorney general's office, leave the case with the DNR or delay its decision until a future meeting. DNR officials believe the seriousness of the allegations may warrant higher fines. "We believe the potential is there, and we defer to the attorney general's office to make that determination," DNR spokesman Kevin Baskins said. In an April litigation report, the DNR said it found "overwhelming evidence" that at least six city employees manipulated the levels of chemicals used to treat sewage from the city's wastewater treatment plant, resulting in discharges with high levels of harmful E. coli bacteria and potentially endangering public health. The DNR alleges that the city violated one Iowa code provision, seven Iowa administrative codes and 12 federal permit conditions. The agency has asked Attorney General Tom Miller to take civil action against the city for the illegal discharges, which took place during an 803-day period from March 2012 to June 2015. Copies of the report were included in materials provided for commissioners' review prior to the meeting. Cook called the report full of "one-sided, inaccurate and misleading information," and said he would outline legal reasons why the case should not be handed to the attorney general's office. Cook also said the city should be given credit for the remedial action it has taken since the violations were revealed. The city has since been in compliance, he said. "This is about solving issues, solving problems and not creating more," Cook said. The DNR began its investigation into the city's operations after receiving a tip that two plant supervisors, Jay Niday and Pat Schwarte, had dramatically raised chlorine and bisulfate doses on days that E. coli samples were taken and then reduced the levels. The DNR report said that at least four other city employees took part in the manipulation of test results on directions from Niday and Schwarte. The report did not identify the other workers. The city later fired Niday and Schwarte. Niday, the former wastewater operator in charge, told investigators the city saved at least $100,000 in one year when workers administered the smaller levels of chlorine. SIOUX CITY | The city's sirens didn't blow during Friday night's gusty storm because the wind speed was just below the threshold for triggering the outdoor alarms, a top emergency manager said Monday. Responding to a Sioux City resident's question, during Monday's City Council meeting, about the sirens' effectiveness, Woodbury County Emergency Management Coordinator Michelle Skaff explained that the sirens set the alarms off when winds reach 70 mph. The winds reportedly reached as high as 69 mph during the storm, according to a report made to the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls at 3:40 a.m. Saturday. Skaff said the NWS had predicted 50 mph winds at 9 p.m. Friday. When the first severe thunderstorm warning was issued shortly before 10 p.m., reports were that winds would reach 60 mph. Skaff said the communications center had contacted the weather service throughout the evening and had notified Awesome Biker Nights about the potential for 50 mph high winds. Leadership then cleared the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino's Battery Park, prematurely ending one of the concerts for the downtown festival. Skaff commended her team for being proactive during the weather event. "I want to compliment the communications center because they were very active in monitoring the progress," she said. "They were active with a phone call to the National Weather Service prior to the warning." Skaff said the area's policy about wind speeds is recognized as best practice for warning sirens by the Iowa Emergency Management Association. She said the city's sirens are functional. WAYNE, Neb. | Brad Weber isn't sure what to expect when former Wayne High School band students gather for the first time as an alumni marching band next month. He doesn't yet know how many will be there or if those who come will have even picked up a musical instrument, much less marched, since they graduated. The retired band director just expects it to be fun. "They may not be in step, but just keep a beat. That's what music's about, just getting together and connecting again and hopefully sharing some memories," said Weber, who retired in 2013 after 27 years as the school's band director. When Wayne Community School Foundation executive director Lindsay McLaughlin approached him a couple weeks ago about forming an alumni band to march in the Wayne Chicken Show parade on July 9, Weber was all in. McLaughlin said that while organizing a first-ever all-class reunion for Wayne High alumni to be held in conjunction with the annual Chicken Show celebration, some alums said it would be fun to form an alumni band. It only made sense, McLaughlin said, to ask Weber to be involved. He'd taught hundreds of kids over the years and was one of the school's most popular teachers. "Once they knew Mr. Weber was going to be involved with the alumni band, people got more interested," McLaughlin said. There's no doubt that the chance to play for Weber again appealed to those who have already committed to participating. "Hopefully a lot of people will respond to it because he's had a lot of students over the years. It was the thing to do in that school was play in the band. They wanted to be in band so they could be in his class," said Blake Lyon, a 2005 graduate who's now the band director at Westwood High School in Sloan, Iowa. Lyon was one of the first to sign up for the alumni band, and Weber said about 16 people of all ages committed in the first few days after Facebook posts and emails went out to alumni a couple weeks ago. Weber's optimistic about how many alums show up. "I was hoping for a lot, anywhere from 50, 100, who knows," said Weber, who still teaches percussion as an adjunct faculty member at Wayne State College. The band will play a simple cadence and the Wayne High and Wayne State fight songs. Those who aren't able to march will ride on a trailer with the band so they can play along. If you don't have an instrument, no problem. Weber's working with Wayne State College director of bands David Bohnert and current Wayne High band director Alex Wieland, another of his former students, to organize the band, and both have instruments alumni can borrow for the day. Wieland, a 2005 Wayne graduate who also will be marching, said there's an excitement about the alumni band, even from people who will be unable to play in it. "Most people are thrilled with the opportunity either to perform in the band or watch them play," he said. "We'll make do with whoever we have." He and Weber both hope that once people see the band marching in the parade, they'll want to take part next year. "I'm excited about it," Weber said. "Maybe this will be the beginning of something that can just kind of explode, each year get more and more." This first edition of the alumni band, he thinks, will get the endeavor off on the right note. SERGEANT BLUFF | Several area law enforcement and rescue units responded to an RV fire on Interstate 29 south of the Sergeant Bluff rest area Monday afternoon. The call came shortly after 2 p.m. Maj. Todd Wieck with the Woodbury County Sheriff's Office said two people were in the RV headed northbound on Interstate 29 north of the Port Neal exit when another RV traveling behind them alerted them of the fire. Both were able to escape uninjured. Wieck said they had been traveling to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. Law enforcement shut down the two northbound lanes of the interstate as fire crews battled the blaze. The RV was a total loss, Wieck said. Crews remained on site performing cleanup for several hours. One lane traveling northbound reopened at 3:30 p.m. It re-closed again briefly around 5:30 as a front-end loader and flatbed were brought on scene. The Sergeant Bluff and Salix fire departments, the Woodbury County Sheriff's Office and the Iowa Department of Transportation responded to the scene. MORAVIA, Iowa | Any state action to be taken against the city of Sioux City for discharging improperly treated wastewater into the Missouri River will now be up to Iowa Attorney General's Office. The state Environmental Protection Commission on Tuesday voted unanimously to grant an Iowa Department of Natural Resources request to refer the case to the attorney general. "We need to send a message to other municipalities that are maybe trying to slide by," commissioner Chad Ingels, of Randalia, said prior to the vote, taken after nearly 45 minutes of discussion at the EPC's meeting at the Honey Creek State Park Resort near Moravia. The DNR had asked that the case be referred to Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller's office because it can seek higher penalties than the DNR, whose penalties are capped at $10,000. DNR officials believe the seriousness of the allegations warrants higher fines. Guy Cook, a Des Moines attorney hired to represent the city, said the commission's decision was "regrettable." "It's an inefficient use of resources because it's government vs. government," Cook said. "We'll look at whether this decision might be appealed." Cook and DNR attorney Carrie Schoenebaum both told the commission that the federal Environmental Protection Agency is looking into the violations. The EPA is considering whether criminal charges are warranted against plant operators who manipulated the levels of chemicals used to treat sewage from the city's wastewater treatment plant, resulting in discharges with high levels of harmful E. coli bacteria and potentially endangering public health. "We've been in communication with the EPA, and they know we're investigating for civil violations," Schoenebaum said. Contacted last week, EPA officials in the agency's Kansas City, Kansas, office declined to comment on the investigation. The DNR began its investigation into the city's operations after receiving a tip in April 2015 that two plant supervisors, Jay Niday and Pat Schwarte, had dramatically raised chlorine and bisulfate doses on days that E. coli samples were taken and then reduced the levels. The DNR report said that at least four other city employees took part in the manipulation of test results on directions from Niday and Schwarte, who were fired after the city was notified of the violations. The report did not identify the other workers. Niday, the former wastewater operator in charge, told investigators the city saved at least $100,000 in one year when workers administered the smaller levels of chlorine. Commissioner Bob Sinclair, of Sigourney, asked Cook what motives Niday and Schwarte had for their actions. "They have no good explanations that we've been able to decipher at this point," Cook said, adding that it appeared that the practice had been going on since before the city took over plant operations from American Water in early 2011. The city hired several American Water employees when it took over the plant, including Niday. Cook urged the commission not to refer the matter to the attorney general and instead allow the EPA, which also has jurisdiction over the case, to handle it. "They're the authority that really should be reviewing this," he said. There is no timeline for the attorney general's review once its environmental law division receives the case information from the DNR, assistant attorney general Jacob Larson said. "We will conduct a review of the entire case," he said. The attorney general could find there is no cause for action or file a lawsuit for civil violations against the city. A settlement agreement between the city and state also could be reached at any point in the process, Larson said. In an April litigation report, the DNR said the city violated state laws, administrative codes and federal permit conditions during an 803-day period from March 2012 to June 2015, all after the city gave the DNR reassurance it would be in full compliance after receiving administrative notice of other violations from the DNR. Schoenebaum said the city's samples that were tested and submitted to the DNR during that period hid the actions being taken by workers there. "The samples presented to the DNR are not an accurate representation of the discharges," Schoenebaum said. Cook said the DNR's report is misleading and inaccurate. During the 803-day period, the city was not required to add chlorine to wastewater discharges on at least 377 days because it's not needed during certain times of the year. The city should also be given credit for its swift action taken against Niday and Schwarte, other remedial actions and for being in full compliance since the discovery of the improper discharges. "This case is far from what it appears to be," Cook said. "Even if you accept these allegations ... the violations do not warrant referral to the attorney general." The only public comment heard on the DNR's request was from Sierra Club Iowa Chapter director Neila Seaman, who asked that the case be referred to the attorney general. "What can be a more egregious violation of the public trust than to put (river users) at risk?" Seaman said. STORM LAKE, Iowa | A Storm Lake man has pleaded guilty to making methamphetamine in an apartment where a three-year-old girl was living. Alan Coleman, 22, entered his plea Monday in Buena Vista County District Court to two counts of possession of a precursor with intent to manufacture and one count of child endangerment. Sentencing was set for Aug. 15. Coleman was arrested March 14 after police responded to a report that he and Kelli Bendixen were smoking marijuana in their apartment in the 700 block of Lake Avenue while the three-year-old was there. During a search of the apartment, police found an active meth lab in Coleman's bedroom. Bendixen, 30, has pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of child endangerment and possession of a controlled substance. She was placed on two years probation and received a two-day jail sentence for drug possession. The child was released to grandparents. MONTGOMERY, Iowa | Dickinson County authorities are continuing to investigate after the body of a deceased 65-year-old Lake Park man was found submerged in water near a submerged wrecked vehicle Tuesday morning. According to a news release from the Dickinson County Sheriffs Office, deputies received a report of a 2004 Jeep Cherokee partially submerged in water in the 1100 block of 190th Avenue, which is north of Montgomery in the Diamond Lake Township. After finding the owner of the vehicle was not home, authorities searched the water around the vehicle and discovered the body of 65-year-old Dale Peters, of Lake Park, the release said. According to the release, authorities believe Peters lost control of the vehicle on the gravel road and entered the west ditch, where the vehicle rolled once. The vehicle was a total loss. Assisting in the recovery were the Lake Park Rescue, Lake Park Fire Department, Arnolds Park/Okoboji Dive Team, Lakes Regional Healthcare Ambulance, Iowa State Patrol, Dickinson County Emergency Management and the Dickinson County Communications Center. The accident remains under investigation. Democrats ask why a hunter needs this type of a weapon to hunt. Well, there are thousands of fences and obstacles that are crossed by hunters in the U.S. every year. With one button, the rifle's ammo clip is removed. With one hand, the bolt is cycled and is automatically locked open. Now the rifle is easily shown to be empty and safe so that the hunter can safely cross the fence or other obstacle, keeping them and anyone close safe. The Nebraska Legislature and Gov. Pete Ricketts managed to enact a modest reduction in property taxes in the session completed earlier this year, but they have more work to do So its disappointing that the Platte Institute for Economic Research is beating the drums across the state for a package that includes both income tax cuts and property tax cuts. Including income tax cuts creates an unnecessary and counterproductive distraction. Nonetheless Sen. Jim Smith, who plans to seek the chairmanship of the Revenue Committee, said he plans to introduce a package with both cuts next year. Ricketts and the Legislature should focus solely on reducing Nebraskas property tax rate. Thats what the people want, based on the hearings held a couple years ago across Nebraska. And its the message most frequently delivered to legislative candidates on the campaign trail, based on interviews with the Lincoln Journal Star editorial board. Income tax cuts, however, continue to be popular in conservative think tanks. Theyre also promoted heavily by the American Legislative Exchange Council, backed by the Koch brothers. That priority is misguided. Incomes taxes amount to about 25 percent of the tax revenue collected in Nebraska. Sales tax accounts for 31 percent. Property taxes have gradually grown to 36 percent of the tax revenue collected in Nebraska. As the OpenSky Policy Institute, another local think tank, advocates, legislators should work toward trying to equalize those three forms of revenue, with the goal of long-term stability in the states tax structure. Judging from the revenue reports this year, providing any tax cuts at all will be a challenge. With one month to go in the states fiscal year, revenue is about $70 million short of projections. Meanwhile the disaster that can befall a state that slashes taxes too drastically continues to unfold in Kansas, where Gov. Sam Brownback recently said he plans to call a special session to avoid school closures. Nebraskans shouldnt expect to hear much about the problem in Kansas as the Platte Institute works its way across the state holding town hall meetings with state senators. In fact the institute has a column making fun of what it calls Kansas Derangement Syndrome. Nebraskans should look across the border anyhow. The state may not be a smoking ruin as the blog jeers, but its a genuine mess. Bloomberg columnist Justin Fox touted Nebraskas cautious, go-slow approach in a March column titled Kansas tried tax cuts. Its neighbor didnt. Guess which worked? The neighbor was Nebraska, which Fox pointed out has created more jobs and has a lower unemployment rate than Kansas. The smartest, most effective thing Nebraskas elected officials can do to safeguard the good life is to focus single-mindedly on reducing property taxes. Lincoln (Neb.) Journal Star British voters have been debating the implications of their countrys relationship with Europe for decades. On Thursday June 23, that increasingly messy debate will finally reach its climax. The UK Government has called a public referendum to decide whether Britain should officially cut ties with the European Union. Radical conservatives argue that by ditching Brussels, the British economy would flourish under a golden age of deregulation. Theyre also keen on reducing net migration by axing the free movement charter that comes attached to an EU membership card. Yet financial experts arent so sure its worth the risk. The International Monetary Fund, Bank of England, US Federal Reserve and Institute for Fiscal Studies have all issued warnings concerning the potential economic ramifications of a so-called Brexit. Equities will apparently tank by 15 percent, currencies will shed value and loads of British institutions will face major funding cuts. But what would a Brexit mean for businesses in America? The Consequences If Britain Left the EU At present, US companies have over $558 billion invested across, and collectively employ over 1.2 million people in the UK. Gap, Coca-Cola and Walmart are all heavily exposed in Britain while almost a fifth of Fords global revenues come from Britain. Experts reckon all of these corporations would indeed take a heavy hit in the event of a Brexit. As a wealthy, English-speaking country, Britain is a crucial access point for big American companies keen on doing business with the rest of Europe. As part of the EUs single market, Britain enjoys unhindered trade with over 30 countries and 500 million consumers. A vast majority of those member states operate using the same currency and boast the same, uniform industry standards as dictated by Brussels. That makes it frightfully easy in order to export goods across the continent. Yet if British voters decide to opt out of that single market, the country will subsequently be forced to start from scratch and begin the tedious process of renegotiating separate trade agreements with Europe. Without uniform trade policies and non-tariff barriers in place, some products could end up facing starkly different regulatory requirements on a country-to-country basis. That means American companies with production operations in Britain could ultimately be unnecessarily encumbered by a Brexit. But exporting from Britain wouldnt be the only problem American businesses could run into if voters decide to ditch Europe. American companies export some $56 billion worth of goods to Britain each and every year like clockwork. That figure isnt exclusive to huge multinationals, either. It includes artisans on Etsy, niche manufacturers, independent publishers and food producers of all shapes and sizes. Yet in the likely event that the Pound continues to plummet as a result of a Brexit, economic growth in Britain will stagnate and small business owners operating out of the UK will have less money in their pockets. American goods will effectively become more expensive, putting off British buyers and causing smaller, independent US businesses to lose out on crucial revenues. Make no mistake: if investments from big American companies wither, the British economy will stumble and small businesses on both sides of the pond will end up paying the price. Thats why small business owners arent terribly keen on the idea. According to a survey conducted in March by BritishAmerican Business, 95 percent of US and British companies say they are opposed to a Brexit. But at the moment, its looking like Thursdays vote could go either way. Pollsters have reported both campaigns are locked in a dead-heat, and analysts are totally split over whats going to happen. So if your business is heavily reliant on income from British consumers or youre selling goods or services across Europe via Britain, now would be a good time to start hedging your bets. And if youre a small business owner whos keen on exporting to Britain in the future, you might want to wait a week or so in order to see how this one plays out. New York state just passed a paid family leave proposal that some see as the most forward-thinking piece of legislation of its kind ever enacted. Others feel it could turn into a bitter pill that the states hundreds of thousands of small businesses may be forced to swallow. On March 31, 2016, the New York State Legislature completed a budget deal, which, in addition to promising a minimum wage hike to $15 per hour, created a bill mandating paid family leave. New York magazine called it the nations strongest and most comprehensive ever. Passage of the bill makes New York the fifth state to make family leave a requirement following California, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Washington. New York Paid Family Leave Act: Details Paid Family Leave (PFL) Program Facts Under the program, full-time and part-time employees will get up to 12 weeks of paid time off to care for a newborn infant, ailing spouse, child, domestic partner or another family member. The bill guarantees job protection, which means employees do not have to fear the loss of their jobs while tending to family needs. Persons only have to be employed by a company for six months to qualify, and even that short a tenure is sufficient to cover the entire 12-week term. The bill doesnt go into effect until January 1, 2018, and will be phased in over time. New York Paid Family Leave Act: Consequences Implications for Small Business While the bills passage is good news for employees, the idea of mandatory paid leave can be challenging to very small businesses, particularly those with fewer than 10 workers. Unfortunately, even the smallest of businesses those with a single employee are not exempt. To better understand the implications PFL presents to small businesses in New York, Small Business Trends turned to Mike Trabold, director of compliance at Paychex, a provider of payroll, human resource and benefits outsourcing solutions for small- to medium-sized businesses. Trabold admitted that the family leave program will create some degree of a burden for businesses but said the news is not all bad and that the state tried, in his opinion, to make things less painful. He listed the following as evidence: No Direct Expense for Small Business Any worker taking advantage of the family leave program will have a portion of their salary paid for by the state, Trabold said. A formula determines the exact amount, but its 50 percent of the employees wage up to a threshold. (That will rise to 67 percent over time.) Paid family leave will be funded as part of the Temporary Disability Insurance program that has been in place in New York since 1950. Roughly one dollar per week will be deducted from employee paychecks. The state will build up a fund out of which paid leave payments will come, and no employer contribution is required, Trabold said. Extended Implementation Timeframe Another way the state is attempting to lessen the burden on business, according to Trabold, is by extending the timeframe for implementation. The process doesnt even start until January 1, 2018, and is then phased in through 2021, Trabold said. That gives small businesses time to prepare, react and gain clarity on what the responsibilities are. Paid Family Leave as an Employer Benefit Trabold went so far as to suggest that small businesses view New Yorks paid family leave program as a good thing in that it enables them to provide paid leave as a benefit, the same as larger companies. Small businesses will be able to attract capable workers more readily with paid family leave in place, he said. Otherwise, employees would be forced to resign or fear being fired just to take care of a household member. A Better Balance (ABB), a non-profit organization that has been advocating for paid family leave for years, agrees. In a statement summarizing the new bill, ABB said that the program would help to make small businesses more competitive by ensuring that all workers can receive paid family leave regardless of the size of their company. Small businesses often cannot afford to provide the same paid leave benefits as larger companies, and they lose valuable workers as a result, ABB said. See Also: 4 Ideas for Family Side Hustles ABB didnt stop there, however, but asserted that the program will save employers money. PFL will benefit employers by lowering turnover, boosting productivity and enhancing employee morale, the statement said. PFL Burden on All Businesses Not everyone feels as friendly toward the law as ABB. The Business Council of New York State, Inc. (BCNYS), a non-profit advocating on the side of business, calls it the most expansive and least business-friendly paid family leave law in the nation, saying that it places an undue burden on all businesses, especially those with smaller numbers of employees. In a memo sent to legislators before the bills passage, BCNYS listed the following as reasons for its position: Interferes with Employee/Employer Relationships Instead of allowing employers to determine the terms and conditions of employment, the state becomes the arbiter, BCNYS said. Increased Benefits Come with Higher Costs The law falls under the Temporary Disability Insurance program and is, therefore, considered a disability payment. When fully enacted, PFL will more than quadruple the current disability payment of $170 per week to around $800. BCNYS feels that an increase of that amount will only serve to broaden the scope of the benefits and result in expanded use, which, according to the organization, will drive up the amount that employers pay for disability insurance. Non-alignment with Federal Family Medical Leave Act The federal government already has a family leave law in place the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) administered by the Department of Labor, which provides up to 12 weeks of job-protected unpaid leave for certain employees. PFL does not mirror its federal counterpart in areas such as the definition of family, the relationship between the type of family care and an employees own disability and the issue of job guarantee. Small businesses, having to contend with both federal and state guidelines will now have multiple tiers of rules and requirements to deal with, BCNYS said. Employee Replacement Costs The Business Councils biggest objection to the paid family leave act relates to employee replacement costs. A worker taking extended time off leaves a hole that has to be filled by other staff working overtime or by finding, hiring and training a new temporary employee as a replacement both of which are direct costs to the business. This is especially troubling for very small businesses with only one or two employees. While its feasible to ask employees to work overtime when there are enough of them to take up the slack, one-or-two employee businesses arent afforded that luxury. They either find a replacement or, more likely, the boss has to shoulder the burden. The problem becomes exacerbated because leave can be intermittent. For instance, the pizza parlor with an employee who needs to take off Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons to care for a family member may be faced with shifts going unfilled, which could interfere with the businesss ability to meet customer needs or run efficiently. Compliance Costs Frank Kerbein, director of the Center for Human Resources at BCNYS, in a telephone interview with Small Business Trends, expressed concern over the likelihood that small businesses will run into compliance issues due to the rules and regulations associated with the program. The Federal Family Medical Leave Act has been around 23 years and is still not always administrated correctly, Kerbein said. In large organizations, it takes one person just to manage the program. A small business may not have an HR person, which means that, in spite of its best intentions, the company could fail to comply with the new law, resulting in fines and penalties. Other Cost Concerns Kerbein is also skeptical of the states ability to hold costs down for employees who pay into the program weekly, to cover its costs. Governor Cuomo campaigned on this issue saying it would cost no more than $1 per week, he said. The current weekly disability payment of $170 costs employees 67 cents per week. This benefit will go up to $800 per week when fully implemented. As such, were skeptical the state can maintain the $1 per week cap. More likely, costs will rise to four or five dollars per week and, at that point, the legislature could come back and tell employers that they have to pay for it. Kerbein also expressed concern over the amount of time business owners will need to administer the program, which he says could turn into hours per year. And that, too, is a cost, he said. Currently, the paid leave program only applies to employees who live in the state of New York. Out of state employees are not eligible. International Relations June 21, 2016 Christina Delistathi What Should Socialists Argue in the EU Referendum? Can socialists take a principled position in relation to the UKs European Union membership referendum on 23 June, or should we wish a plague on both your houses? Christina Delistathi puts the case to leave, Charlie Hore for a remain vote, and Rob Owen for a radical abstention. Left Exit Not Just a Vote The referendum to stay in or leave the EU is ripping the Tories apart, but has also opened up an intense debate on the Left with many people arguing to vote to stay. They fear that the leave vote is mobilising racists, that the end of free movement will make it harder for migrant workers from poorer EU countries to move freely through Europe, and that an exit will signal an assault on our rights currently protected by EU legislation. Yet both the leave and stay sides involve racist and nationalist arguments. UKIPs role in the leave campaign is obvious, but the stay side includes Cameron and Theresa May with her despicable plan to cherry pick deserving refugees. Unless the radical Left articulates a clear anti-capitalist campaign with demands that unite migrants and non-migrants, there is a real danger that anti-racists will be tied behind Camerons chauvinist rhetoric or Corbyns calls for a reformed EU a strategy which was tried by Syriza in Greece and failed so spectacularly. Many also argue that the free movement of labour among EU states, which has allowed people to build a better life in another country, fosters internationalism. The free movement of labour shouldnt blind us to the fact that it applies only, and unevenly, to EU citizens. Whichever way the vote goes, the EU remains a fortress of ever-tightening border controls against refugees and migrants fleeing war and poverty. Fortress Europe is responsible for the thousands who drown in the Mediterranean or face razor fences and walls. Internationalism is not strengthened by accepting the right of free movement only for one group of workers. We need to remind ourselves that the only way to beat xenophobia is to defend the rights of all, migrant and non-migrants alike, and to consider the working class, our class, in unity across all borders. EU Promotes Privatisation The EU is not a defender of our rights. Its a bosses institution and protects the bosses rights. The most recent action to defend the NHS came from junior doctors, whereas the push toward NHS privatisation is aided by EU trade rules that insist companies across Europe can tender for all contracts. The only reliable defence of our rights comes from our struggles. It took just two days of talks before EU leaders accepted Camerons demands to limit child benefits and tax credits for migrant workers, plunging them deeper into poverty and opening the door for more benefit cuts for us all. To suggest then that the EU is what makes things better for working class people, is to accept to sacrifice the rights of one section of the working class those without an EU passport in the hope of keeping the rights of the rest. It does not prevent the ruling class from singling out vulnerable groups of migrant workers, undermining our class unity. Migrant and non-migrant workers have repeatedly fought together to secure social rights, welfare benefits and pensions. Think of the cleaners of the living wage campaign, who have fought and won. The only way to safeguard our rights is to ensure that they are available to all. What Kind of Campaign? A Left out of the EU campaign has to do more than expose the EU as a capitalist and racist institution. The starting point of our campaign should be to use the referendum to strengthen our class, so it cannot end with a vote. Many argue that a left exit position would have too small a voice to impact on the debate, suggesting that socialist ideas are irrelevant. Yet Corbyns victory, which came from campaigning against austerity and for a fairer society, has shown that an audience for a left alternative exists. Last summer, tens of thousands demonstrated in London in solidarity with refugees and many have organised regular trips to Calais. There is a sizable audience for our arguments and this makes it all the more urgent to organise such a campaign. We must give voice to anti-racists and steer the debate to the left. Recently, a number of trade unionists and activists launched a Left exit campaign. This is a very positive step. We need to confront both faces of racism: islamophobia and anti-immigrant rhetoric. Our campaign must fight for the rights of the largely Muslim Syrian refugees and also have specific demands that safeguard the rights of migrants already here, such as equal access to benefits, welfare, health and education, and working rights. We must prepare a campaign in the unions to fight against austerity and protect everyones rights. We must also take on the argument that tighter border controls and fewer migrants will make life better for working class people. Fears that an exit from the EU may trigger an assault on migrants rights are well founded. Thats why its important to go on the offensive now. We must combine our no vote with a campaign that goes beyond the 23rd June, articulates an alternative to austerity, organises with migrant workers and defends everyones rights. We shouldnt fear having a small voice in this moment we should rather fear the long term consequences of failing to articulate the interests of the whole of our class from all corners of the globe. Campaign to Remain Theres no dispute that the EU is a bosses union: racist, neoliberal and pro-austerity. The attacks on Greece, and the Fortress Europe walls set up against refugees show the real nature of the institution. But when attacks on refugees and the right to migrate are increasing, does it help to reinforce borders across Europe? Wont we just be swapping Fortress Europe for Fortress Britain? Theres no ready-made answer, and we have to think through what the referendum will mean in practice for British politics, and for the working class. And for me that means voting to remain, for three main reasons: Whose referendum? Not ours British Prime Minister David Cameron conceded the referendum as a sop to the racist right of the Tory party; its never been a demand of the left. And its happening now because of a defeat for the left Cameron winning the election last May. UKIP have been central to articulating the demand, but its more importantly about the rifts in the Tory party. Given its origins, inevitably immigration and arguments about numbers have dominated the campaign so far. Camerons negotiations with the EU centred on restricting migrant workers rights, and the criticism from the Tory right is that he wasnt harsh enough. However bad Camerons attacks, the Tories pushing to leave want to go further. This is quite different from Scotland the left and the working class could shape the Scottish referendum because the impetus for independence came from an anti-Tory groundswell. The opposite is true of the EU referendum. Why the left is divided The EU hasnt been a focus of the lefts campaigning for decades, largely because successive British governments have been more right-wing and neoliberal than the EU, so it is hardly surprising that many activists dont see it as the main enemy. But there have also been more fundamental shifts that we should pay attention to. In the labour movement there has been a sea-change in attitudes, with many who once opposed the EU, now seeing it as a shield against the Tories. That is in part a reaction to decades of defeats, but it is also true that the EU has produced real reforms that the Tories opposed, in particular over workers rights and the environment. When Eurosceptics talk about a bonfire of regulations, those gains are what they have in mind. There have also been deeper shifts in social attitudes over issues such as racism, sexism and homophobia and views on Europe are part of that. Those changes were fought for, and are still contested, as current attacks on refugees and migrants show. But we have not lost all the ground gained, however fierce the rights attacks. The anti-racist reaction that so many young people have against UKIP and the Eurosceptic right is a healthy one, and we should back it. The changing working class There are close on three million EU citizens here, with equal rights to housing, work, and health care. It is migration that has mainly fuelled the rights demand for the referendum, meaning that in Britain the issue of the EU is about migration in a way that isnt true in other European countries. Leaving the EU would threaten those rights. Exactly how that would play out isnt really the issue the point of leaving the EU, for most of those pushing it, is to make migrants lives more precarious. And we only have to look at the USA to see how a society can be dependent on migrant workers, and yet deny them basic rights. The way forward Of course there are principled socialists who are arguing for an internationalist exit from the EU. But they are a minority of a minority. The balance of forces is overwhelming with the right, with too many on the left making concessions to the idea that the free movement of labour harms British workers. Our arguments on the referendum need to centre on defending migrants and refugees, and the right to migrate. And we need to make common cause with those arguing for an exit who also put those at the centre of their politics, and see divisions on the vote as a secondary issue. We will have far more in common with each other than we will with most of those campaigning for either outcome. In or out, workers have to fight was a useful slogan in the early 1970s, and it seems to have become apt again. How you vote should be the end of an argument, not the beginning. But it seems to me that a position grounded in anti-racism and defending workers rights leads to one logical conclusion: the road to defending and extending the right to migrate cannot go through restricting existing migration rights, which would be the practical outcome of a vote to leave the EU. A Plague on Both Houses 2008 exposed the EUs shaky foundations. Its structures were placed under tremendous pressure by financial tremors emanating from the USA. The attempt to manage the resulting crisis laid bare the debt relationships that underpin the common market and exposed the brutally undemocratic heart of the EU. Despite its hegemonic role, German capitalism has shown itself both unable and unwilling to resolve the problems underpinning the crisis when the interests of the eurozone conflict with its own immediate interests particularly ensuring repayments on loans from debtor nations within the EU. The most extreme example was the crushing austerity measures demanded of Greece in exchange for further loans, despite warnings from the other major eurozone economies that it would leave no path to recovery for the Greek economy; an economy previously absorbing billions of dollars worth of German exports a year. British capitalism has consciously placed itself on the fringes of Europe and EU membership has had little bearing on left-wing or working class politics domestically. The referendum has been driven and continues to be shaped by a crisis on the right of British politics. A crisis where both sides are equally committed to deepening austerity and have collectively driven an agenda several steps to the right of anything emanating from Brussels. Their division, notionally over questions of sovereignty, is over whether Britain is best placed as a neoliberal outlier within the EU (with greater access to Eurozone markets). Or if the city and British firms could better exploit global markets if freed from the protectionist instincts and red tape of Europe. Socialists have no side in this split but it doesnt mean we cant exploit divisions to our advantage. Opportunities for the Left? We have largely ignored the question of Europe for decades as successive governments, Thatcher, Blair then Cameron have driven forward agendas to the right of mainstream European politics. Slashing of services, growing insecurity and austerity have all been driven by Westminster. For most working class people the only impact of EU membership (bar cheaper holidays) has been an increase in European economic migration and red tape regulations on workplace rights. In most communities the only people arguing enthusiastically in opposition to the EU have been closet racists and right-wing Tories. In an attempt to generate support both camps have pitched narratives unfavourable to the left. The remain camp has focused on economic viability and scare mongering around the financial uncertainty of exit. While the Brexit camp has built upon a dog whistle campaign hostile to the idea of mass migration from Eastern Europe and the idea of Britishness. A significant section of the wider left takes opposition to the racism of this postcolonial idea of Britishness as a starting point and combines it with illusions that the EU can be reformed to represent a more progressive anti-nationalist Europeanism. This reflects the sense amongst working class communities that a large Brexit would be a vote against the increasingly multicultural life of our cities. In this context revolutionaries have to put out propaganda exposing and explaining the neoliberal nature of the EU in a dialogue with those voting to remain and attempt to organise the anti-racist sentiment into active solidarity with migrants. Emphasis on the latter is essential if we are to counteract the most likely consequence of the referendum an increase in anti-migrant legislation and the confidence of those most hostile to multiculturalism. Dont Lend our Votes to the Right Unless a recurrence of the Greek crisis upsets the dynamic of the referendum left exit arguments will prove unable to shape the debate beyond the far left and certain unions. If we cant shape the wider debate then votes to remain are lent in support of Cameron and votes to leave are adding to the numbers in support of a more openly racist, nationalistic conservativism. The only good outcome on 23 June is a low turnout that demonstrates neither section of the right has gained traction over the question of Europe. The radical left should patiently explain our anti-capitalist critique of the EU and fight where we can win in solidarity with junior doctors, building the solidarity and combativity of our side. This article was originally published in the rs21 magazine. There are many fitness goals out there that we desire. Some of us want to be leaner and others wish to put on muscle mass. The thing is, for you to achieve your fitness goals, you need to Booking photos via Calvert Co. Sheriff's Office. PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. Booking photos via Calvert Co. Sheriff's Office. Disclaimer: In the U.S.A., all persons accused of a crime by the State are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. See: http://so.md/presumed-innocence. Additionally, all of the information provided above is solely from the perspective of the respective law enforcement agency and does not provide any direct input from the accused or persons otherwise mentioned. You can find additional information about the case by searching the Maryland Judiciary Case Search Database using the accused's name and date of birth. The database is online at http://so.md/mdcasesearch . Persons named who have been found innocent or not guilty of all charges in the respective case, and/or have had the case ordered expunged by the court can have their name, age, and city redacted by following the process defined at http://so.md/expungeme. (June 20, 2016)The Calvert County Sheriff's Office today released the following incident and arrest reports.WEEKLY SUMMARY: During the week of June 13 through June 19, deputies responded to 1,409 calls for service throughout the community.BURGLARY CASE #16-34262: On June 18, at 2:50am, Deputy R. Shrawder was made aware of a possible intruder in an unoccupied home located on Prince Frederick Boulevard in Prince Frederick. Upon checking the home, he observed, to be inside. After the home was cleared, numerous items were sitting in plain view, which were later determined to belong to a shed burglary occurring on Dares Beach Road, Prince Frederick. This burglary also took place on June 18 (Case #16-34269). Marsh was arrested and charged with 4th Degree Burglary, 2nd Degree Burglary, Burglary 4th Degree/Tools and Theft Less than $1000.00.CDS VIOLATION CASE #16-33903: On June 16, Deputy S. Trotter conducted a vehicle stop, at approximately 9:52am on Calvert Beach Road/Solomon's Island Road. The driver,, was arrested for driving on a revoked license. A secondary search conducted at the Detention Center yielded illegal Fentanyl patches attached to the suspect's body. He received an additional charge of CDS: Possession-Not Marijuana (Fentanyl).CDS VIOLATION CASE #16-33850: On June 16, at approximately 12:25am, Deputy S. Moran conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle traveling in an unsafe manner on S. Solomon's Island Road in Prince Frederick. He discovered the driver,, to be driving without a license and in possession of paraphernalia (containing traces of cocaine). He was transported to the Detention Center and charged with the driving Offense and Possession of Paraphernalia (plastic containers & baggies).CDS VIOLATION CASE #16-33758: On June 15, at approximately 4:00pm, Deputy C. Ward conducted a traffic stop at the area of Northbound Route 4 at Commerce Lane in Prince Frederick. When he approached the vehicle, he observed crushed pills in the driver's lap. The driver,, and passenger, were found to be in possession of illegal drugs. King was arrested for Possession of a Synthetic narcotic (Suboxone) and Possession of Morphine. Schwartz was arrested for Possession of Morphine and Possession of Oxycontin.CDS VIOLATION CASE #16-33636: On June 15, Deputy J. Denton conducted a traffic stop at 5:00pm on N. Solomon's Island Road/Plum Point Road in Huntingtown. The driver,, was found to be in possession of paraphernalia with traces of a controlled dangerous substance (Oxycodone). He was charged with illegal Possession of Paraphernalia and transported to the Detention Center.CDS VIOLATION CASE #16-33570: On June 14, Deputy J. Ward responded to the report of a drug violation at the Calvert County Detention Center located in Barstow. Upon arrival Deputy Ward was informed that while searching inmate,, Oxycontin was located in the inmate's wallet. Chase was charged with one count of CDS Possession-Not Marijuana and for Possession of Contraband in a place of confinement.CDS VIOLATION CASE #16-33551: On June 14, at approximately 4:30pm, Deputy E. Bradley was near Lake Lariat on Thunderbird Drive in Lusby. He detected a strong odor of unburnt marijuana on an individual as he passed by him on foot. He discovered, to be in possession of a large amount of Marijuana. He was arrested and charged with Possession of Marijuana over 10+ grams.CDS VIOLATION CASE #16-33406: On June 14, Deputy T. Buckler and Cpl. R. Wilson attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by. When the driver did not comply, a felony stop was made. It was determined that Rawlings, his passenger,, and his rear passenger,, were all in possession of a large amount of marijuana. All three were transported to the Detention Center and charged with Possession of Marijuana 10+ grams. Bryan Rawlings was also charged with Litter/Dump under 100 lbs.DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY CASE #16-33718: On June 15, Deputy P. Aurich responded to Mary Ann Drive in Owings for the report of damage to a vehicle. Sometime between 12:05am and 1:30pm on June 12, an unknown person(s) scratched the victim's door with an unknown object. LEONARDTOWN, Md. Disclaimer: In the U.S.A., all persons accused of a crime by the State are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. See: http://so.md/presumed-innocence. Additionally, all of the information provided above is solely from the perspective of the respective law enforcement agency and does not provide any direct input from the accused or persons otherwise mentioned. You can find additional information about the case by searching the Maryland Judiciary Case Search Database using the accused's name and date of birth. The database is online at http://so.md/mdcasesearch . Persons named who have been found innocent or not guilty of all charges in the respective case, and/or have had the case ordered expunged by the court can have their name, age, and city redacted by following the process defined at http://so.md/expungeme. (June 21, 2016)The St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office today released the following incident reports.ARMED SUICIDAL MAN SURRENDERS: On June 20, at approximately 5:17 p.m., deputies and troopers responded to the St. George's Hundred neighborhood in Great Mills for a check the welfare. The report was for a white male threatening suicide with a handgun. Responding deputies encountered the 36-year-old subject holding a handgun to his head near a neighborhood pond. A perimeter was established, crisis negotiators were contacted, and emergency services personnel responded to the scene. Deputies communicated with the subject for a period leading to his safe surrender. He was transported to MedStar St. Mary's Hospital for an emergency evaluation. There were no injuries as a result of this incident.PROPERTY DESTRUCTION: On 6/20/2016, unknown suspect(s) used an unknown object to damage three mailboxes in the areas of Rison Lane and Yowaiski Mill Road in Mechanicsville. Deputy D. Lawrence is investigating the case. CASE# 31696-16, 31971-16ARSON: Unknown suspect(s) set a mailbox on fire in the 39000 block of Doctor Johnson Road in Mechanicsville. The Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office responded and assumed the investigation. CASE# 31979-16ARSON: Unknown suspect(s) placed fireworks inside a mailbox in the 38000 block of Dean Way in Mechanicsville. The Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office responded to the scene and assumed the investigation. CASE#32005-16THEFT: Unknown suspect(s) entered a residence and stole property in the 27000 block of Mill Seat Drive in Mechanicsville. DFC A. Schultz is investigating the case. CASE# 32001-16BREAKING AND ENTERING TO A MOTOR VEHICLE: Unknown suspect(s) entered a residence and stole property in the 46000 block of Rogers Drive in Lexington Park. Corporal T. Seyfried is investigating the case. CASE# 32030-16ATTEMPTED BURGLARY: Between 6/2016 and 6/17, unknown suspect(s) attempted to force entry into a victim's hot dog stand at the Farmer's Market in Charlotte Hall. Nothing appeared to be missing. Deputy J. Smith is investigating the case. CASE# 31410-16THEFT: Sometime during the month of September, unknown suspect(s) stole property from a residence in the 22000 block of Newtowne Neck Road in Leonardtown. Deputy J. Smith is investigating the case. CASE# 31464-16BREAKING AND ENTERING TO A MOTOR VEHICLE: Unknown suspect(s) entered a motor vehicle and removed gasoline from the tank in the 27000 block of Chapel Court in Mechanicsville. Corporal J. Kirkner is investigating the case. CASE# 31554-16COUNTERFEIT COMPLAINT: A victim reported receiving a fake $100 bill while working in the area of Warwick Court in Lexington Park. CASE# 31534-16VANDALISM: Unknown suspect(s) damaged the entrance gate to Myrtle Point Park in California. Deputy First Class D. Potter is investigating the case. CASE# 31637-16BURGLARY: Between 6/11 and 6/18, unknown suspects forced entry into a food trailer at the Farmer's Market in Charlotte Hall. Deputy J. Smith is investigating the case. CASE# 31641-16THEFT: During the overnight hours of 6/17 into 6/18, unknown suspects entered a victim's yard and stole property. Deputy L. Johnson is investigating the case. CASE# 31687-16ATTEMPTED BURGLARY: During the overnight hours of 6/18 into 6/19, unknown suspect(s) attempted to force entry into a residence in the 24000 block of North Patuxent Beach Road in California. Deputy J. Bare is investigating the case. CASE# 31853-16BURGLARY: Unknown suspect(s) forced entry into a residence in the 46000 block of Columbus Drive in Lexington Park. DFC D. Potter is investigating the case. CASE# 31887-16 Republican Steve Waugh represents St. Mary's and Calvert counties in the Maryland Senate. Republican Steve Waugh represents St. Mary's and Calvert counties in the Maryland Senate. When we saw what happened in Orlando, some wept, some were outraged, some offered leadership. I expected to see our president pull this nation together against a common enemy, but he chose a different path. Let's try to agree on some things before we throw away our civil liberties in the absence of leadership.Three days after this attack, the New York Times wasn't sure why the terrorist acted, "the precise motivation for the rampage remains unclear." but they were willing to bet it was "driven too often by Republican politicians who see prejudice as something to exploit, not extinguish." The Times is more interested in blaming the GOP than ISIS. This kind of manipulation is beyond the pale.They declared it a "hate crime," perhaps a convenient deflection from terrorism. The difference is the object of the act: if you hope to benefit you are a criminal; if you hope to instill fear, you are a terrorist. The "why" of it isn't just important, it is everything.The terrorist left no doubt about his motivation. He posted it on Facebook, Twitter, texts and phone calls to 911 and even gave a TV interview during the attack. U.S. Attorney General Lynch said that included "this individual's pledges of allegiance to terrorist groups" Clearly all this information was available immediately, so the President did not give us the full truth the next day when he said, "We've reached no definitive judgment on the precise motivations of the killer."This man was not a criminal. He was an enemy combatant. Defined in law and by judges, an enemy combatant "includes any person who has committed a belligerent act or has directly supported hostilities in aid of enemy armed forces." When a man shoots people while declaring his dying allegiance to the ISIS caliphate, he is an enemy combatanteven if he was a U.S. citizen.There are seven ways to voluntarily relinquish citizenship, delineated in 8 U.S. Code 1481. He did four. There is no mistaking this man no longer saw himself as an Americanhe joined the war against us.We often are blinded by our own civility. It is hard to comprehend that such evil exists: "We spilled rivers of our blood to water the seeds of the khilafah, laid its foundation with our skulls, and built its tower over our corpses." The tool is irrelevantdenied one weapon this kind of evil will find another, like a knife in France or nails in pressure cookers like Boston.Our Constitution enshrines the rights we are endowed with by our Creator. Today, people suggest we should allow liberties to be taken from us by the government, which we can petition for their return after due consideration. However, that means we forfeit those civil liberties without due process, the burden for their return is on the citizen, with uncertain delay from the government.The Terror Watchlist is referred to as if it is some specific database of suspected terrorists. If they were suspected terrorists they would be under investigation by the FBInot on a 'watch' list. Because these lists are classified, the State of Maryland cannot know how people get on the list, who is on the list, nor can citizens know how to get off it. It's important to realize that the Orlando terrorist was not on any list, or under investigation. The law being proposed would have not affected himthe very definition of feckless.What other rights would we consider giving up to the government, to see if they returned? Your right to vote? To trial? To free assembly?Who are we empowering with this extraordinary breech of our rights? This president, or the next? I am shocked to see my Democratic colleagues so enthusiastic to potentially trust a President Trump with their civil rights.The President seemed more inclined to call his critics 'yapping partisans without a strategy' than to bring us together against this self-declared enemy. For clarity, the number of sorties we had flown against ISIS in the 644 days since he launched the fight against them equates to 20 per day: that could be handily flown by a single squadron during my service. As a benchmark, 644 days after Pearl Harbor we accepted the surrender of Italy. Talking about gun control distracts from the central issue.I will oppose any attempt to rob us of our civil liberties, with every ounce of my being. I pray that my Democratic colleagues will be as respectful of your rights, and will set a higher standard for the debate than the New York Times. Cariacature of Donald Trump and Chris Christie by DonkeyHotey. Inset of Gov. Larry Hogan, photo by Governor's staff photographer. With Donald Trump being the first anti-establishment, populist candidate to make it to the presumptive-nominee role since Ronald Reagan, the establishment is worried and on the attack against Trump. One tactic is to paint him as a racist and extremist and attempt to get mainstream politicians to pull their support. The Democratic Governor's Association (DGA) has repeatedly called out Hogan for not 'taking a position' on Trump. Poor Gov. Larry Hogan, Jr. He's tried like the dickens to separate himself from controversial Republican presidential contender Donald Trump.He's said how disgusted he is with national politicsan indirect slam at Trump.He's noted he won't be going to the Republican National Convention in Cleveland next month, anyway.He has said he's no fan of Trump and that the combustible New York developer ought not be the Republican nominee.He endorsed and campaigned for a Trump rival, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.He says he's not part of the presidential discussion and doesn't want to talk about Trump any more.When pressed further by reporters, Hogan said he was "speechless."But, the questioner continued, would he campaign for Republican Trump in Maryland? That, Hogan said was "a stupid" question.In exasperation, Hogan nearly mimicked a statement to reporters made by the late Gov. Marvin Mandel in denying any role in an enrichment scheme by his friends. Hogan's version: He's not involved and doesn't plan to be involved in anything having to do with any aspect of Trumpian presidential politics.None of these quasi-, semi- or circuitous denials seemed to work. Hogan's Trump baggage keeps weighing him down.Reporters still are badgering him. Does he support the new leader of his party? Does he agree with the almost daily conspiracy allegations and undocumented bombshells coming from Trump's tweets?He's tried dodging reporters, cutting off his responses, walking away from the podium or rushing into his waiting vehicle.He even made the claim, "I have nothing to do with Donald Trump"as though the man about to become titular head of the GOP is an alien to Maryland's Republican governor.Finally, Hogan tried a more direct response: He's not going to vote for Trump in the November election.Does that mean he intends to vote for Democrat Hillary Clinton or Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson, the former New Mexico governor? Or will it be a write-in presidential name?Hogan says he'll make up his mind when he casts his ballot.Maryland Democrats are gleeful watching the Republican governor twist like a pretzel attempting to half-divorce himself from Trump.Both Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz and U.S. Rep. John Delaney potential Democratic opponents in 2018have tweaked Hogan for his intransigence in separating himself from Trump.Delaney even paid for a truck to haul a billboard around the State House questioning Hogan's silence.Callers to right-wing talk shows indicated a mixed verdict on Hogan's "I won't vote for Trump" statement. Some applauded him for taking a principled stand. Others condemned him for what they consider a turncoat action.Hogan's position may anger many staunch conservative Republicans in the short run but over the long term the discontented are likely to stick by Hogan when he runs for a second term in two years.Those who doubt Hogan's loyalty to the GOP will see the governor campaigning for Republican Del. Kathy Szeliga of Baltimore County, who is running for U.S. Senate in November. Szeliga has denounced some of Trump's comments as racist and discriminatory, yet she has not gone as far as Hogan in her separation from the presidential candidate.Questions will keep coming Hogan's way, though. He has yet to condemn any of Trump's beyond-the-pale accusations or indicated whether he agrees or disagrees with what Trump alleges.Questions also will start coming about Hogan's position on presidential issues that impact Maryland, such as the need, or lack of a need, for more gun-control legislation in light of the slaughter in Orlando.The next four-plus months could be quite uncomfortable for Governor Hogan as he continues to try to tiptoe around the presidential conundrum Trump is creating for Republican leaders. CALVERT COUNTY, Md. (June 21, 2016)An overdue boater, who triggered an extensive search overnight Sunday by federal, state and local agencies, was located and charged with drunken operation, Maryland Natural Resources Police reported. The incident in Calvert County is a reminder of the dangers of driving a boat under the influence of alcohol or drugs, as officers gear up for the Operation Dry Water enforcement campaign this coming weekend. Jonathan Mark Wagner, 26, of Lusby, left the Navy Recreation Center on the Patuxent River at midday on Saturday. He told family he wanted to make sure his 19-foot boat was in good running order. When he had not returned that night, his family went to the launching ramp and found his vehicle and boat trailer still parked. Natural Resources Police patrol boats, the Coast Guard, Calvert County and Charles County volunteer first responders and a Maryland State Police helicopter Trooper 7 were activated to assist in the search. At about 2:30 a.m., officers located the vessel returning to the boat ramp from a restaurant on St. Leonard's Creek and noticed Wagner had difficulty docking the boat. Subsequently he failed field sobriety tests, was arrested and taken to the local State Police barrack for a breathalyzer test. He registered a 0.09 blood alcohol content, above the legal limit. Wagner was charged with three counts of operating a boat while impaired and with negligent operation. He will be required to appear in Calvert District Court at a later date. Beginning Friday, Natural Resources Police, the Coast Guard and other maritime law enforcement agencies will participate in Operation Dry Water, a nationwide crackdown on alcohol- and drug-impaired boaters. From Deep Creek Lake and the Patuxent River to the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, officers will conduct saturation patrols looking for boaters whose blood alcohol content exceeds the state limit. The goal of the three-day campaign - that combines messages about the dangers of boating under the influence and an increased police presence on the water - aims to drastically reduce the number of accidents and deaths due to impaired boating. "Keeping the public safe is our number one priority," said Maryland Natural Resources Superintendent Colonel Robert K. "Ken" Ziegler Jr. "Alcohol and drugs can turn a safe boater into a deadly menace. Maryland's participation in Operation Dry Water makes it clear that we have no tolerance for alcohol- or drug-impaired boaters." During last year's campaign, officers arrested nine people for impaired operating, issued 87 tickets for other boating violations and conducted 727 vessel safety checks. The maximum penalty in Maryland for operating a vessel while impaired by alcohol is a $1,000 fine and a year in jail for the first offense. GREENBELT, Md. (June 21, 2016)Jose Antonio Jaramillo, age 54, of Lusby, Maryland, pleaded guilty today in federal court to production of child pornography.The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge Clark E. Settles of HSI Washington D.C.; Calvert County Sheriff Mike Evans; and Colonel William M. Pallozzi, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police.According to his plea agreement, from at least December 2014 through July 2015, Jaramillo, posing as teenaged male named, "Tommy James," "Thomas James Jones," or "Thomas James," used email, applications on cellular phones and social media sites to induce, coerce and entice more than five minor female victims between the ages of 13 and 16 to send him sexually explicit images of themselves over the internet.Jaramillo admitted that, using the "Tommy James" persona, he engaged in or attempted to engage in, sexually explicit conversations with at least 14 minor females and induced at least seven victims to produce sexually explicit images and videos of themselves and transmit those images to Jaramillo.As part of his plea agreement, Jaramillo must register as a sex offender in the place where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).Jaramillo and the government have agreed that if the Court accepts the plea agreement Jaramillo will be sentenced to between 15 and 19 years in prison, followed by up to a lifetime of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm has scheduled sentencing for September 21, 2016 at 9:30 a.m.This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "resources" tab on the left of the page.United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended HSI Baltimore and Washington, D.C, the Calvert County Sheriff's Office, and the Maryland State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ray D. McKenzie and Kristi N. O'Malley, who are prosecuting the case. LEONARDTOWN, Md. Booking photos. From left to right: Disclaimer: In the U.S.A., all persons accused of a crime by the State are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. See: http://so.md/presumed-innocence. Additionally, all of the information provided above is solely from the perspective of the respective law enforcement agency and does not provide any direct input from the accused or persons otherwise mentioned. You can find additional information about the case by searching the Maryland Judiciary Case Search Database using the accused's name and date of birth. The database is online at http://so.md/mdcasesearch . Persons named who have been found innocent or not guilty of all charges in the respective case, and/or have had the case ordered expunged by the court can have their name, age, and city redacted by following the process defined at http://so.md/expungeme. (June 21, 2016)The St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office today released the following incident and arrest reports.6/17/2016 MALICIOUS DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY: Deputy D. Potter responded to the 21000 block of St. Lo Place in Lexington Park for a reported property destruction. The suspect,, used a steering wheel locking mechanism to break every window in a victim's motor vehicle in the 21000 block of St. Lo place in Lexington Park. Scott was transported to the St. Mary's County Detention Center where she was charged with Malicious Destruction of Property having a value of $100 or more. CASE# 31497-166/17/2016 VIOLATION OF A PROTECTIVE ORDER: Deputy J. Lacey responded to the 45000 block of Indian Way in Lexington Park for the report of a violation of a protective order. The victim called the Emergency Communications Center and reported the suspect,, was knocking on the victim's door. Cutchember was placed under arrest and charged with Violation of a Protective Order. CASE# 31424-166/19/2016 ASSAULT: Corporal D. Reppel responded to the 17000 block of Jutland Drive in St. Inigoes for the report of a domestic assault in progress. The victim alleged the suspect,, bit the victim in the ear and hit the victim in the head with car keys. The victim displayed injuries consistent with the allegations. Dement was placed under arrest and transported to the St. Mary's County Detention Center. She was charged with Second Degree Assault. CASE# 31916-166/20/2016 SHOPLIFTING: Corporal E. O Connor responded to the Belk's Department Store in California for the report of a theft. The suspect,, attempted to steal merchandise from the store by concealing it in her purse. Buck fled the scene in a motor vehicle before being located by Corporal O' Connor. Nadine was transported to the St. Mary's County Detention Center and charged with Theft Less than $1000. CASE# 32011-16The Criminal Investigations Division, Sex Offender Compliance Unit, on June 17 arrested the following individuals for Failing to Register as Sex Offender as required by the Maryland statue:, Failure to Register as Tier II Sex Offender;, Failure to Register as a Tier II Sex Offender, and Failure to Notify of Employment Change; and, Failure to Register as Tier III Sex Offender.Anyone with information related to sex offenders is asked to contact Detective William Raddatz by email at William.Raddatz@stmarysmd.com or by phone at 301-475-4200, ext. *1948The Vice/Narcotics Division is issuing a warning regarding the powerful opioid pain reliever fentanyl. The Sheriff's Office reports a rise in fentanyl-related overdoses and the sale of fentanyl on the streets."Fentanyl has been a problem for other jurisdictions nationwide and unfortunately, it has presented itself locally in St. Mary's County. Although there has only been a few cases reported, the Sheriff's Office remains proactive by identifying developing trends in our community, in addition to keeping our citizens aware and up-to-date with the most current information," said Captain Daniel Alioto, Vice/Narcotics Commander.Fentanyl can be used safely if prescribed, but is a killer on the streets. Fentanyl is a schedule II narcotic and is often seen in patch form when prescribed to the terminally ill, such as Hospice care patients. It's an analgesic and an anesthetic, 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine, and 30 to 50 times stronger than heroin, and the most powerful opiate available. Fentanyl is transdermal; it can be easily absorbed through the skin.This powerful drug is often paired with heroin or benzodiazepines to quicken the onset and enhance the high. Often, a minuscule amount of Fentanyl, in a powder form, is all it takes for an overdose to occur.Many abusers believe they are purchasing heroin or don't know the heroin or drug they are consuming has been laced with fentanyl. Many forms of Fentanyl are being imported from Mexico and China as well as being developed from synthetic ingredients and sold illegally.For educational purposes, the Sheriff's Office encourages the community to watch a video being circulated by the Drug Enforcement Agency, warning of fentanyl poisoning. http://bit.ly/28Nitf9 LGBT Community leaders mixed music with words of encouragement Sunday evening at a Fort Lauderdale memorial for the victims of the Pulse Nightclub massacre in Orlando. We will not go back into the closet, said Robert Boo, Chief Executive Officer of Pride Center at Equality Park. Boo was a last minute replacement on the dais for Terry DeCarlo, Executive Director of the LGBT Center of Central Florida who remained in Orlando assisting with the investigation into what is being called the worst mass shooting in U.S. In a letter, read by Boo, DeCarlo writes, The world has reached out in many, many ways. From emails and phone calls that arrived from Mayors and Ambassadors from around the world, to hundreds of thousands of personal emails and cards, the love from around the globe has been immense. Joining Boo as speakers were Our Fund Foundation President David Jobin, South Florida Gay News Publisher Norm Kent, Equality Florida Deputy Director Stratton Pollitzer, Harvey Milk Foundation Education Director Miriam Ritchter, Broward County Public Defender Howard Finkelstein, Reverend Leslie Tipton, entertainer Tiffany Arieagus, health care advocates Stephen Fallon, Will Portalatin and Jason King and former police officer Mike Verdugo. Presented by Our Fund, SFGN and the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the program ran for two hours and included a string quartet performance by members of the South Florida Symphony. Kent urged those inside the Nova Southeastern Universitys Art Museum Auditorium to not back down from terror. Today, it falls upon us to fight back again, Kent said. We need advocacy, not apathy. First and foremost, we have to be intolerant of intolerance. We cant look the other way when we are degraded or demeaned. We have to be accepted unconditionally, not tolerated pleasantly. Pollizter said a fund created by Equality Florida in the wake of the attack has received more than 110,000 individual donations amounting to more than $5.5 million dollars. Pollizter also reminded supporters to speak out against bigotry. We must condemn the homophobia that lead to this, Pollizter said. Each speaker read names of the victims before offering their personal views on the attack. Fallon, Founder of Latinos Salud, an HIV service organization for gay Latinos, blasted the shooter. He knew where he wanted to direct his orgy of hate, said Fallon, noting the killings occurred on Latin night at an LGBT club. It was a 2-for-1. The Latino community in Orlando, Fallon said, is a very small community that will live with this shock for decades. Portalatin, a native of Puerto Rico and Chairman of the Board of Directors for Latinos Salud, spoke in Spanish and English. It struck a nerve in me and my community, he said. Hate has no place in our heart and soul. King urged young people to not let fear win. The Governmental Affairs Manager for AHFs Southern Bureau said he was pleased with the strong show of support at Saturdays Stonewall Parade in Wilton Manors. We enjoyed a sense of unity that only common struggle can produce, King said. Finkelstein, who has a lesbian daughter, said that while investigators search for why the massacre happened there is no answer to an act of hate and insanity. Elsewhere, Arieagus, dressed in drag, attempted to lighten a somber mood saying she wasnt scared having lived through the Underground Railroad times of the AIDS epidemic. She also urged the attendees to take action especially in regards to gun control. For more photos check out our Facebook gallery here. People from the San Francisco LGBT and Latino communities joined forces on Saturday, June 18 to honor the memories of the lives lost inside Orlando's Pulse nightclub on June 12. Forty-nine LGBT people between the ages of 18-50 were killed in what is now the worst mass shooting in U.S. history most of the victims were Latino. The afternoon began with a march from the Castro District, the heart of the Bay Area LGBT community, to the city's primarily Latino Mission District. The march was coordinated by a number of Latino LGBT organizations, with assistance from long time gay activist Cleve Jones, who helped get the word out and who organized the march's Castro District commencement. Jones, who founded the AIDS Memorial Quilt and was a personal friend to Harvey Milk, was among those who led the hundreds of marchers as they made their way through the adjoining neighborhoods. "For decades we've asked people to meet at Castro to mourn our losses and celebrate our victories," Jones told SFGN as the march was getting underway. "Today we're marching to the Mission to show our solidarity with a community deep in grief. We're here to support what the Latino LGBT community is organizing." Forty-nine of the marchers were asked to carry signs bearing the names of Pulse victims. David A. Diaz, a fifty-year-old gay man who lives near the Castro, carried a sign, which bore the name of 22 year old Peter Gonzales. Diaz drew a red heart underneath Gonzalez' name. "As a gay man and as a Cuban American I strongly identify with the victims of this tragedy," Diaz told SFGN as he marched. "When my family escaped Cuba they started their journey in the USA in Florida, so if they'd made a different decision I might have grown up in Florida, and I might have been one of those people. It's important to me that their identity as Latinos isn't erased." As the march continued, many passersby applauded. LGBT people stood in the windows of their homes, waving rainbow flags. "I'm here because it's a tragedy," said Edgar Littleton, an African American gay man. "They've been killing gays for hundreds of years, and no one cares. This must stop." Around midway through the march, participants began chanting "Viva, Orlando! Somos Orlando!" (Orlando lives we are Orlando.) "It all boils down to love," said Steve Ibarra, a gay man. "Love is at the core of our behavior and understanding. If we can just be the love we want to see in the world, the world would be peaceful and loving." Those sentiments were echoed repeatedly as a memorial service took place in front of Galeria De La Raza, a Mission District art gallery and artist's collective which serves the Latino community. The ceremony began with a prayer for peace, healing and remembrance by Estela Garcia and the Two Spirit Drummers. Lito Sandoval, President San Francisco's Latino Democratic Club noted that Latinos and other communities of color often face discrimination and exclusion, even within the LGBT sphere. "We are devastated over the loss of forty-nine Queer, and trans Latinos and Afro Americans," Sandoval said, speaking from the podium. "We are here today in solidarity. Our communities often have to make separate nightclubs even in LGBT communities our spaces like Esta Noche are routinely shut down because of escalating gentrification." Esta Noche was a popular queer Latino club in the Mission District, which closed in 2014 the space is now a trendy watering hole. Drag queen Persia, a regular performer at Esta Noche, performed a musical number during the program. She danced her way from the podium down into the crowd and hugged several attendees. Several speakers decried the attempts by mainstream media to make the Orlando murders about the war on terrorism. They noted that Islam does not condone violence. Alex. U. Inn, a popular African American drag king in San Francisco broke down into tears as he took to the podium. Inn noted that fellow drag king Kimberly KJ Morris was among the dead at Pulse. "If we could all say I love you to each other when we see each other," Inn said as his voice cracked. "We can change the world from hate to love just by our spirit." Openly gay San Francisco District 9 Supervisor David Campos, who represents the Mission District, is now working towards erecting a memorial to the Pulse shooting victims at Harvey Milk Plaza in the Castro. (EDGE) On Friday, a gay New York City police officer was posthumously honored when Greenwich Village block was named in his honor. The move came 35 years after NYPD Sgt. Charles Cochrane came out publicly during a City Council hearing on gay rights. The block between Sixth Avenue and Washington Place is now named "Sgt. Charles H. Cochrane Way." "Charlie possessed the instincts, the composure and the eye for detail that helped him excel in every aspect of police work," NYPD Chief of Department James O'Neill said. "Charlie knew every law, every department procedure and treated everyone he encountered with the utmost respect." "Today we co-named the intersection of Washington Place and Sixth Avenue in honor of Sgt. Charles H. Cochrane," said openly gay NYC Councilman Corey Johnson during the dedication ceremony on Friday. "In 1981, Sgt. Cochrane broke a major barrier when he came out publicly as a gay veteran of the NYPD. He went on to found the Gay Officers Action League, which to this day fights for the dignity of LGBT police officers. He is a true legend who paved the way for all of us!" According to DNAInfo, in 1981, then-Patrolmen's Benevolent Association Vice President Pat Burns spoke out against a gay rights bill at a City Council hearing. He claimed that he didn't know of any openly gay policemen. Cochrane stood up at that hearing and came out as a gay man. "He said, I've got to do this," Cochrane's sister Mary Anne Cochrane Sundresh said of her brother Friday. "To know the community not just here in New York but around the world has kept it going, it shows the spirit." Cochrane died of cancer in 2008. Cochrane's sister remarked on the recent massacre in Orlando to point to how far the LGBT community has come since her brother came out in the early 1980's. "Do you really think that 35 years ago thousands of people would stand in line and donate blood for six or seven hours, would they do that when they think it's for that community?" she asked. "That's how far we've come." Tropical Storm Danielle NASA NASA and NOAA satellites saw the tropical low pressure area formerly known as System 94L develop into tropical depression 4 then become the fourth named tropical cyclone of the North Atlantic Hurricane Season on June 20. On June 19, the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument aboard NASA-NOAA-DODs Suomi NPP satellite captured a visible light image of System 94L as it was consolidating into tropical depression in the Bay of Campeche. System 94L became Tropical Depression 4 by 5 p.m. EDT/4 p.m. CDT when its center was about 190 miles (305 km) east-southeast of Tuxpan, Mexico. An animation NOAAs GOES-East satellite imagery from June 18 to 20 was created by the NASA/NOAA GOES Project at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. The animation shows the development of System 94L in the western Caribbean Sea and movement of the storm into the Bay of Campeche and Southwestern Gulf of Mexico where it strengthened into Tropical Depression 4 and then Tropical Storm Danielle. On June 20 a Tropical Storm Warning was in effect from Laguna Verde to Rio Panuco, Mexico as Danielle was spreading heavy rain across eastern Mexico. Danielle developed in the Bay of Campeche and moved west toward the east coast of Mexico. At 10 a.m. CDT (1500 UTC) on Monday, June 20, 2016 the center of Tropical Storm Danielle was located near 20.7 degrees north latitude and 96.3 degrees west longitude. That puts the storms center about 75 miles (120 km) east-southeast of Tuxpan, Mexico and about 105 miles (165 km) north of Veracruz. The National Hurricane Center said that Danielle was moving toward the west near 7 mph (11 kph). A motion toward the west or west-northwest is expected during the next day or so. On the forecast track, the center of Danielle is expected to move inland over eastern Mexico later today or tonight. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1007 millibars. Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 45 mph (75 kph) with higher gusts. Little change in strength is expected before Danielle makes landfall in Mexico later today. For updated forecasts and local effects including rainfall, storm surge and winds, visit: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov NASA FISO Presentation: Campaign-Level Dynamic Network Modelling for Spaceflight Logistics for the Flexible Path Concept. NASA Now available is the June 1, 2016 NASA Future In-Space Operations (FISO) telecon material. The speaker was Koki Ho an assistant professor at the Department of Aerospace Engineering of University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) who discussed Campaign-Level Dynamic Network Modelling for Spaceflight Logistics for the Flexible Path Concept. Koki Ho is an assistant professor at the Department of Aerospace Engineering of University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). Prior to that, he was a visiting researcher at JPL from September-December, 2015. Koki received his Ph.D. from MIT, and his Masters and Bachelors degrees from the University of Tokyo. Koki also has multiple flight project experiences including a small satellite Nano-JASMINE and a mercury spacecraft Bepi-Colombo. Kokis research interests include development of mathematical theories and their application to rigorous space mission analysis, design, and optimization. Listen to podcast of Campaign-Level Dynamic Network Modelling for Spaceflight Logistics for the Flexible Path Concept telecon: Download the MP3 File. Download the presentation (PDF). Third Van Allen Belt University of Alberta Earths magnetosphere, the region of space dominated by Earths magnetic field, protects our planet from the harsh battering of the solar wind. Like a protective shield, the magnetosphere absorbs and deflects plasma from the solar wind which originates from the Sun. When conditions are right, beautiful dancing auroral displays are generated. But when the solar wind is most violent, extreme space weather storms can create intense radiation in the Van Allen belts and drive electrical currents which can damage terrestrial electrical power grids. Earth could then be at risk for up to trillions of dollars of damage. Announced today in Nature Physics, a new discovery led by researchers at the University of Alberta shows for the first time how the puzzling third Van Allen radiation belt is created by a space tsunami. Intense so-called ultra-low frequency (ULF) plasma waves, which are excited on the scale of the whole magnetosphere, transport the outer part of the belt radiation harmlessly into interplanetary space and create the previously unexplained feature of the third belt. Remarkably, we observed huge plasma waves, says Ian Mann, physics professor at the University of Alberta, lead author on the study and former Canada Research Chair in Space Physics. Rather like a space tsunami, they slosh the radiation belts around and very rapidly wash away the outer part of the belt, explaining the structure of the enigmatic third radiation belt. The research also points to the importance of these waves for reducing the space radiation threat to satellites during other space storms as well. Space radiation poses a threat to the operation of the satellite infrastructure upon which our twenty-first century technological society relies, adds Mann. Understanding how such radiation is energized and lost is one of the biggest challenges for space research. For the last 50 years, and since the accidental discovery of the Van Allen belts at the beginning of the space age, forecasting this space radiation has become essential to the operation of satellites and human exploration in space. The Van Allen belts, named after their discoverer, are regions within the magnetosphere where high-energy protons and electrons are trapped by Earths magnetic field. Known since 1958, these regions were historically classified into two inner and outer belts. However, in 2013, NASAs Van Allen Probes reported an unexplained third Van Allen belt that had not previously been observed. This third Van Allen belt lasted only a few weeks before it vanished, and its cause remained inexplicable. Mann is co-investigator on the NASA Van Allen Probes mission. One of his teams main objectives is to model the process by which plasma waves in the magnetosphere control the dynamics of the intense relativistic particles in the Van Allen beltswith one of the goals of the Van Allen Probes mission being to develop sufficient understanding to reach the point of predictability. The appearance of the third Van Allen belt, one of the first major discoveries of the Van Allen Probes era, had continued to puzzle scientists with ever increasingly complex explanation models being developed. However, the explanation announced today shows that once the effects of these huge ULF waves are included, everything falls into place. We have discovered a very elegant explanation for the dynamics of the third belt, says Mann. Our results show a remarkable simplicity in belt response once the dominant processes are accurately specified. Many of the services we rely on today, such as GPS and satellite-based telecommunications, are affected by radiation within the Van Allen belts. Radiation in the form of high-energy electrons, often called satellite killer electrons because of their threat to satellites, is a high profile focus for the International Living with a Star (ILWS) Program and international cooperation between multiple international space agencies. Recent socio-economic studies of the impact of a severe space weather storm have estimated that the cost of the overall damage and follow-on impacts on space-based and terrestrial infrastructure could be as large as high as $2 trillion USD. Politicians are also starting to give serious consideration to the risk from space weather. The White House recently announced the implementation of a Space Weather Action Plan highlighting the importance of space weather research like this recent discovery. The action plan seeks to mitigate the effects of extreme space weather by developing specific actions targeting mitigation and promoting international collaboration. Mann, lead author of this new study, is the chairman of an international Space Weather Expert Group operated under the auspices of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS); the Expert Group has a three-year work plan and is charged with examining and developing strategies to address the space weather threat through international cooperation. As a nation living under the auroral zone, Canada faces a much larger potential threat from space weather impacts than other countries. Explaining the dynamics of the ultra-relativistic third Van Allen radiation belt appears in the June 20 issue of Nature Physics. The study was partly funded through the Geospace Observatory Canada Program of the Canada Space Agency and was supported by the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada. The Van Allen Probe Energetic Particle, Composition, and Thermal plasma instrument suite (ECT), whose data are used in this study, is led by the University of New Hampshire and supported under subcontract from the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory under Contract No. 967399 under NASAs Prime Contract No. NAS5-01072. Ditz pointed out that the cash-strapped US government carrying record annual deficits and total debts could not afford the $1 trillion price tag of the Obama nuclear armament plan. "It makes no sense to spend hundreds of billions of dollars building new versions of weapons we aren't going to use," Ditz maintained. The next US president should also reverse Obamas decision to deploy anti-ballistic missile radars and interceptors in Romania and Poland, Ditz added. "Getting Russia back to the talks on arms reduction is likely as simple as abandoning the European missile defense system, which is of little to no utility to begin with, and seemingly exists just to spite Russia's opposition to having such a system in place." The United States had such an enormous nuclear arsenal that no one would start a war on the risk that half or three quarters of the nuclear weapons might not be fully reliable, Ditz concluded. The referendum comes at the worst time possible for the European Union with public support for the European institutions plunging drastically amid the refugee crisis and economic difficulties. According to a survey issued by the Pew Research Center earlier in June, 47 percent of respondents in 10 European states have an "unfavorable view" of the European Union. Success for the Leave campaign in the United Kingdom referendum could motivate other members of the bloc to follow the suit: according to a recent Ipsos Mori survey carried out in eight EU states Italy, France, Sweden, Belgium, Poland, Germany, Spain and Hungary nearly half of the 6,000 people interviewed were in favor of holding a UK-style referendum on EU membership in their country. A particularly high number of respondents 58 and 55 percent respectively called for such a vote in key members of the Union, namely Italy and France. Fabian Zuleeg, chief executive designate of the European Policy Centre, a Brussels-based independent think tank, noted that the Eurosceptic forces gaining traction in a number of EU states could exploit the situation. "For many of those who would like to see a fragmented EU, Brexit would be very welcome. That is not only external but also internal, when we look at the populists, when we look at the right wing extremists which are gaining ground," he told Sputnik. The rejection of Brussels as a supranational authority by the British public could even boost regional separatism inside EU member states. Catalan President Carles Puigdemont has already said that Brexit could prompt a referendum in the region which is seeking independence, not from Brussels, but from Madrid. Flanders, the Basque country and northern Italy may follow the suit. Patricia Hogwood, reader in European Politics in the Department of Politics and International Relations in the University of Westminster, believes that although calls for separatism from the establishment in other EU states would be unlikely, the referendum "would certainly promote centrifugal pressures within the EU." "I think further calls for separatism would be unlikely. It is more likely that calls for a Europe a la Carte would intensify, as member states that are traditionally reluctant to fully commit to selected areas of European integration attempted to follow the UK path of trying to negotiate a special relationship within the EU," she told Sputnik. One for all According to Swati Dhingra, a lecturer in the Department of Economics of the London School of Economics, uncertainty surrounds the issue of EU workers' employment in the United Kingdom and vice-versa after the Brexit as there have not yet been any detailed proposals on the matter. "In terms of immigration, there is a sort of uncertainty about what is going to happen to people. That is something that needs to be talked about, there is no proposal at the moment. The issue really is that in principle, according to international law, if you are an EU immigrant staying in London, you should be able to stay There are also concerns that UK immigrants who are in the EU would also potentially have to leave if they no longer have the right to remain," Dhingra said. At the same time, Jonathan Beech, managing director of Migrate UK, specialists in immigration law for professionals and businesses, told Sputnik that the UK Points-Based System for attracting skills workers would need to be revised in the event of Brexit, in order to prioritize those sectors that would suffer skills shortages. "The UK currently adopts a Points Based System which is primarily geared towards attracting skilled migrants only for jobs that would either require a degree or roles that are senior and very technical in nature. Numerous migrants also require a level of English language and need to be paid at the going rate for the job that they are performing. The UK currently employs hundreds of thousands of EU migrants in roles that would not qualify under the current Points Based System. These roles are vital for the UK economy so keeping the current system in place and limiting numbers to 100,000 a year or less would be devastating. The UK will therefore need to comprehensively revise the current Points Based System that may offer different criteria to EU nationals or may follow a system that prioritizes current skills shortages." Brexit Not to Solve All Employment Problems British opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has said that people from the European Union, especially from Eastern Europe, are working in the United Kingdom, paying taxes and have made the United Kingdom their new home, cautioning against blaming everything on migration. According to Corbyn, in order to achieve a better society for all, no upper limits should be introduced on migration, but instead working conditions should be improved throughout Europe. TEHRAN (Sputnik) While some believe that Abdollahian replacement fits the framework of the common staff changes, others think that are international agreements are behind his removal. Serving as deputy foreign minister, Abdollahian was for many years engaged in important Arab issues, including the Syrian and Yemeni conflict. "Iran's Foreign Ministry has sought and continues to seek a peaceful solution for the countries in the region through giving assurances, and therefore putting a man well-versed in the region's crises stems from the [Foreign] Ministry's desire to promote peaceful solutions at the international events, which are associated with both the Syrian and Yemeni issues. Thus, it is impossible for the decision to carry more than it in fact does," former Iranian Ambassador to Germany Shamseddin Kharqani told Sputnik. Since last year, Sweden's discrimination ombudsman has been providing support for people to swim topless, even if they are perceived as women. The controversial decision concerns so-called "intergenders," which are people who identify themselves between or beyond the traditional man/woman-division of gender. Surprisingly, this decision was largely unknown for the majority of Swedes themselves, but made news after a shirtless person, who had been evicted from a public bathhouse in Stockholm, reported the incident to the discrimination ombudsman and received full support. Therefore, the requirement for women to dress the upper body was formally removed. In practice, this means that bath houses risk becoming the subject of ombudsman's criticism if the staff reject a female bather with a bare breast. Per Holfve of the discrimination ombudsman's office, welcomed the revised rules. MOSCOW (Sputnik) A bus carrying locals rammed into a tourist bus with Australians returning from a trip to the Ekasup Cultural Village, the Vanuatu Daily Post said. According to the outlet, all three casualties are locals and most of those wounded are Australian nationals. Many received serious injuries, with one woman fighting for her life. P&O Cruises Australia, a cruise line that brought Australians to the island, cited a statement from Vanuatus government where it vowed to toughen road rules to ensure safety of tourists. Tourism is a key industry in the South Pacific island nation. A new Guinness World Record was created by 1,632 expectant mothers who participated in the largest prenatal yoga class in Rajkot. The previous record was set earlier this month in China, where 913 pregnant women took part in a yoga class at Dr. Phoenixsun Maternity Hospital in Hefei city in Anhui Province on June 5. "All the essential approvals were taken from the Guinness administration. We will send video and other important documents to register the Rajkot women as the new record holder," said Vikrant Pandey, an administrative official who organized the event. As per criteria of Guinness World Records, all the participants were 12 weeks or more pregnant, according to the organizer. Though the minimum period required for the session was 30 minutes, the participants performed yoga for 47 minutes. A few days before that a Hindu woman had visited the shop and noticed the offensive footwear there. When she expressed her anger over it, the shop owner could not offer any explanation. The incident gained wider attention on social media, drawing condemnation from different people and rights groups. Reports surfaced earlier on Tuesday that Pyongyang had deployed a projectile to its east coast, though it was unclear if it was intended for launch. "We have detected signs that the North has depoyed what appears to be a Musudan missile," Yonhap said, citing a South Korean government source. The DPRK has test fired a number of ballistic missiles in recent months. These have been condemned by the United Nations, with the US, South Korea, China, and Russia urging Pyongyang to tone down the tests. Harsh new sanctions were put in place in response to earlier tests. Pyongyang has also claimed to have developed a miniaturized nuclear warhead that could, theoretically, be launched with an intercontinental missile. LONDON (Sputnik) Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales Natalie Bennett told Sputnik the United Kingdom should oppose the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) agreement by staying in the European Union and supporting citizen movements. "So the way to stop TTIP is for Britain to stay as part of the EU and to grow, develop our citizen movements across Europe to fight TTIP," Bennett said, speaking about numerous anti-TTIP citizen movements in EU member states. She added that the TTIP posed several large threats to the United Kingdom, including the threat to the country's democracy through the mechanism that regulates relations between the states and investors. On June 7, the Chinese government warned the billionaire from starting a currency war against yuan. In a press-release, the government said that attempts by Soros to take on the renminbi and Hong Kong dollar were "doomed to fail." Recently, the well-informed American website ZeroHedge published an article which stated that the US is suffering from a "Dutch disease" and "financial predators." The article was in response to Soros who last week once again predicted an economic collapse in China. In 1992, Soros dealt a blow to the British pound, bringing the Bank of England to its knees. The British government had to withdraw its national currency from the European exchange system. This is enough for the Chinese government to be alarmed over Soros predictions, the article read. Beijings response to Soros is part of Chinas tough measures against those trying to provoke a meltdown in the Chinese market, it added. "Currently, there is a downturn in the Chinese economy. Neocons are trying to use the situation to destroy everyone threating to American hegemony, including China," the author wrote. George Soros is a well-known American business magnate and philanthropist. The financier rules a huge financial empire and has written 12 books on subjects ranging from terrorism to global capitalism and is one of the richest, most influential people in the world. MOSCOW (Sputnik) According to Sechin, the deals include agreements with Italian Eni and Fincantieri companies, BP, and the consortium of Indian companies on sale of 23.9 percent in Vankorneft (a Rosneft subsidiary). "Our company alone signed a number of deals worth some $44-45 billion," Sechin said in an interview with Rossiya-24 television. At least 332 agreements worth more than a trillion rubles ($15.7 billion) were signed at the 2016 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Complaints from US and European companies over losses they have suffered from the sanctions regime imposed on Russia are often overstated, he believes. "The complaints about losses are often exaggerated. Companies love to exaggerate, pro-Russian lobbyists love to exaggerate," Fried said during a panel discussion at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He acknowledged that sanctions "have unintended consequences and they always have costs." The costs can be mitigated, he added, but "they cannot be wished away." The lack of legal status also means that asylum seekers are unable to receive health care or send their children to school. Turkey's Minister of Education Nabi Avc acknowledged "only 325,000 Syrians in Turkey are attending school, out of more than 756,000 school-age refugees in Turkey." Human Rights Watch suspects the actual number of children refugees could be even higher. While Turkey's refugee legislation allows refugees to apply for legal jobs, it still requires subjects to meet certain residency criteria and is only applicable if they can find an employer willing to sponsor them. These conditions render most of the refugees' quest for work effectively impossible, resulting in poverty and exploitation. Without legal protection, even Syrians who were lucky enough to get jobs have to work for a fraction of the salary paid to Turkish citizens. "The EU is morally, and indeed legally, obliged to share some of the refugee burden by not sending Syrian refugees back to Turkey without assessing their asylum claims," Stephanie Gee said. According to Turkish officials, Turkey spends $500 million monthly on hosting Syrian refugees. Under the controversial EU-Turkey deal, the European Union will pay 3 billion to Turkey, 180 million of which have already been disbursed. Human Rights Watch argues that Turkey cannot currently qualify as "safe third country," a place where refugees could be safely sent from the European countries. Turkey signed the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol, but limited its application to European refugees, excluding all others from its protection. A 2013 law established a system of international protection for non-European asylum seekers that brings Turkish refugee law closer to the convention's provisions. A special 2014 legislation provides additional temporary protection for Syrian refugees, but it could be terminated at will by the Council of Ministers. If that happened, beneficiaries would lose the guarantee that they could remain in the country legally. "A man was arrested at 5.30 this morning, possibly in possession of explosives. The bomb disposal team of the army is verifying whether this is the case," a spokeswoman for the Brussels prosecutor said as quoted by Reuters. Doesn't look good near City 2 and nearby Metrostation in Brussels.. Street is locked down.. #Brussels pic.twitter.com/xLRpfk3Q68 William (@will90LFC) 21 2016 . "There is a very strong threat because the police were warned that a man was carrying an explosive belt which, it seems, would have ended up in this building," an RTL reporter said. I was reported later that the man had no explosives. The threat level in Brussels will remain unchanged (level 3) following today's bomb alert at #City2 https://t.co/ZlwvK4HWsz Anne Laumen (@AnneLaumen) 21 2016 . Another suspect was arrested in the Schaerbeek neighborhood not far away from the City2, Belgian newspaper Derniere Heure reported. The suspect was said to be sitting "in a car with an explosive belt." "The situation is under control," Prime Minister Charles Michel said following an emergency meeting on the matter, as quoted by Het Nieuwsblad. On March 22, two explosions hit Brussels Airport. A third blast hit Maelbeek metro station near the headquarters of the EU institutions, killing over 30 people and injuring at least 300. The Daesh terrorist group, outlawed in many countries including Russia, claimed responsibility for the attack. According to Chirtoaca, granting autonomous status to ethnic Romanians would help put an end to serious violations of their constitutional rights. In a statement released on Tuesday the Assembly of the Romanians of Bukovina said that President Poroshenkos decision to grant autonomous rights to the Crimean Tatars had created a precedent for representatives of all other ethnic groups living in the country. We, the Romanians of Bukovina, have special rights to autonomy. Until 1944 Northern Bukovina was part of Romania and our ancestors had spent centuries creating the cultural and material wealth of this territory, while today we are deprived of our fundamental rights and freedoms, the statement said. LONDON (Sputnik) The United Kingdom's possible exit from the European Union (Brexit) may lead to the political disintegration within the bloc and significant political changes, prompting other EU states to have a similar referendum, General Secretary of Labour Leave campaign Brendan Chilton told Sputnik. "The problem with the EU now is that it does not really have a single foreign policy, it has 28 policies. I think the general commitments will all stay the same. But Britain exit from the EU could bring significant changes for the EU. If we leave, how many countries will follow? We could see a sort of a diplomatic turmoil," Chilton said. On Thursday, June 23, the United Kingdom will vote in a referendum on whether it should stay in or leave the European Union. The referendum was scheduled after UK Prime Minister David Cameron and the leaders of the 27 EU member states agreed in February to grant the United Kingdom a special status within the bloc. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The plane carrying Kaczynski , his wife and a number of high-ranking officials crashed in heavy fog as it attempted to land at an airfield near Smolensk on April 10, 2010. All 96 passengers and crew on board died in the crash. The Moscow-based Interstate Aviation Committee said in a report that the crews decision not to route the plane to an alternative aerodrome was the direct cause of the crash. "There are no grounds to assume that the Smolensk crash was caused by an attack with the use of explosives: the BOR [Government Protection Bureau] checked the Tu-154 aircraft properly," Dobosz said, as quoted by the PAP news agency. In early February, the Polish Defense Ministry said that Warsaw would restart its investigation into the crash from the very beginning. On Tuesday, Pawel Bielawny, a former deputy BOR head, received a 1.5-year suspended sentence for improper execution of his duties while preparing Kaczynskis visit to Smolensk. BRUSSELS (Sputnik) The arrest of the head of a human rights organization and several journalists in Turkey goes against Ankara's obligations to respect media freedom in order to seek EU membership, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini and EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn said in a joint statement. On Monday, a Turkish court ordered the arrest and pre-trial detention of Erol Onderoglu and his two colleagues, Ahmet Nesin and Sebnem Korur Fincanci, who have been charged with spreading terror propaganda while participating in a campaign of solidarity with the Kurdish Ozgur Gundem daily which has recently experienced pressure from Ankara. "The arrest of the President of Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (HRFT), Prof. Sebnem Korur Fincanci, and of two journalists, Erol Onderoglu (from Reporters Without Borders [RSF]) and Ahmet Nesin, today goes against Turkey's commitment to respect the fundamental rights, including freedom of media. Any alleged wrongdoing or crime should be subject to due process, and respect to the principle of presumption of innocence should be guaranteed," the statement published Monday read. "Those who want Britain to stay in the EU cannot find counterarguments. Their words about common tax measures and a coordinated migrant policy are weaker that the populist criticism of the European technocracy. Plans to democratize the EU are considered as jokes," the article read. According to the author, the upcoming vote and populist rhetoric contrast with the model European countries adhered after World War II. Then, Europe was a zone of concord and liberal internationalism, in both political and economic terms. "The current global challenges require regional and global efforts. Any attempts of isolation make no sense. Today, Europe is more important than ever," the article read. "This is all true. But those arguments cannot reach to an ordinary worker. Current visions of a united Europe are vague and too theoretical. They ignore peoples needs," the author underscored. According to the article, the European post-war integration model has been abandoned in favor of the intergovernmental scheme according to which nations pursue their interests, paying no regard to the European Commission. "National interests brought the European spirit into decay. Thus, ordinary people dont like the European Union," the journalist wrote. "In order to make further European integration possible, France and Germany should immediately abandon differences and elaborate a common approach. The only way to overcome peoples discontent is via politics. But if Paris and Berlin fails to reach a consensus Germany would be the next to leave the bloc," he concluded. EDINBURGH (Sputnik) On Monday, a Turkish court ordered the arrest and pre-trial detention of Erol Onderoglu and his two colleagues, Ahmet Nesin and Sebnem Korur Fincanci, who have been charged with spreading terror propaganda while participating in a campaign of solidarity with the Kurdish Ozgur Gundem daily which has recently been pressured by Ankara. "Showing solidarity by working as journalist or editor-in-chief cannot be considered as doing terror propaganda. Turkish authorities are clearly misusing the legislation to silence critics and human rights defenders," Blicher Bjerregard said in a statement. Turkey's crackdown on journalists and restrictions on freedom of speech have been condemned by the international community, including the Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the United Nations, the United States, the European Union and Russia. KIEV (Sputnik) US experts will arrive in Ukraine to advise on the country's Customs Service reform, Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman said Tuesday. "A technical mission will come from June 28 to July 11. We have reached such an agreement on customs reform. Representatives of the US customs administration [the US Customs and Border Protection agency] will arrive," Groysman stated at a press conference. He added that Kiev was mulling a large-scale customs reform to achieve better performance of the state's Customs Service. The thing is, however, that not all German representatives support his initiative. Maas has even been slammed for his excessive Puritanism and for his attempts to impose restrictions and regulations to set certain ethical standards, which many Germans consider doubtful, DW wrote. Indeed, public opinion polls show that most Germans don't feel bad about advertisements depicting half-naked or naked women and men. Almost 60 percent of respondents are absolutely comfortable with the nudity in public ads full or partial. However, it is worth mentioning that there is a significant difference between respondents of both sexes. Thus, more than a third of women consider nakedness on billboards and on social networks offensive and discriminatory, while only 15 percent of men support this point of view. However, when it comes to certain restrictions, representatives of both sexes hold similar positions: 38 percent of all those questioned, for example, believe that a demonstration of completely bare breasts should be prohibited. At the same time, the rest of the respondents do not have anything against them, or just do not care. On the other hand, some respondents also called to introduce a ban on depicting naked male torsos. For instance, they consider it unfair that Facebook prohibits publication of bare breasts, but allows pictures of men with a nude upper body. Belgrade and Pristina signed the so-called Brussels Agreement back in 2013, but the situation hasnt changed ever since, mainly because of the Kosovo leaders refusal to implement what the sides had agreed on three years ago, Marko Djuric, director of the Serbian governments office for Kosovo and Metohija, told Radio Sputnik. The aggressive and often openly anti-Serbian rhetoric of the Albanian elites in Pristina is creating a negative political atmosphere detrimental to our attempt to normalize relations between us. Serbia has been working hard to make this happen, but Im afraid that the failure to implement the agreement and Pristinas often chauvinistic rhetoric are putting the very future of this dialogue on the line, Marko Djuric said. He added that by paying lip service to their desire to normalize ties with Belgrade, Pristina puts in question the fundamental rights of the Kosovo MOSCOW (Sputnik) The think tanks include the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) and the Centre for Economic Performance (CEP). "In our lifetimes we have never seen such a degree of unanimity among economists on a major policy issue. The precise effect, in terms of numerical percentage, is of course uncertain. But that we would be financially worse off outside the EU than in is almost certainly true," the directors of the three institutions said in a joint statement, as quoted by The Independent newspaper. The directors also cast doubt on the Leave campaign promise that the post-Brexit United Kingdom will be able to trade with European nations on good terms while saving up to 10 billion pounds ($14.7 billion) on public services and tax cuts. "We've been worried for a long time about the spiral of decline in press freedom in Turkey, but this case represents a new low, even for the Turkish authorities. This is a group of journalists who have been co-editing a pro-Kurdish daily newspaper in order to stand in solidarity with people who have been constantly harassed, intimidated and threatened. Now, 37 of the 44 people who have been involved in co-editing this newspaper are under criminal investigation. It is a bleak day for press freedom in Turkey." The arrests are being made under controversial anti-terror laws that go to the heart of the controversial EU-Turkey migrant deal, under which "irregular migrants" those refused asylum are returned for Greece to Turkey, in return on a one-for-one basis for Syrian refugees being relocated from Turkey to EU member states. Critics including the UN refugee agency UNHCR say the deal is immoral, if not illegal under the Geneva Convention. Stunned that an Istanbul court ordered the pre-trial detention of our Turkey representative #PressFreedom @RSF_inter pic.twitter.com/8j9ugEd0jL Christophe Deloire (@chrisdeloire) 20 June 2016 Firm Stance But just as controversially the deal is contingent on the acceleration of Turkey's accession into the EU. However, critics say Turkey's poor record on human rights and press freedom mean the deal will fail. "The Turkish authorities are clearly misusing legislation designed to combat terrorism to silence critics and human rights defenders. That, of course is a huge concern and should be a concern for all those who value human rights. Clearly it must be a sticking point to any advance on Turkey joining the EU," Dear told Sputnik. The EU should take a much firmer stand against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over the issue, says Dear. "There are clearly business reasons why some countries want to speed up the process of Turkey becoming part of the EU. For all civil society and human rights defenders and those who believe in press freedom, there are many, many changes and steps that need to be taken before this should even be considered and the first of those is to release all the imprisoned journalists and drop the criminal charges against human rights defenders and journalists." MADRID (Sputnik) In September 2015, the European Commission called on EU member states to redistribute 160,000 asylum seekers from Africa and the Middle East located in Greece, Italy and Hungary throughout the bloc over two years. Brussels quota system for refugee admission took into account demographic, social and economic indicators for each country. Certain EU states, primarily from the eastern part of the bloc, opposed the quota system. For instance, Slovakia filed a lawsuit at the European Court of Justice against the EU mechanism. "This is not a refugee crisis, but a humanitarian catastrophe, which has turned into a political crisis due to the EU inability to fulfill its obligations The European Commission should make an effort to ensure that obligations and applicable laws on asylum are complied with," Aguilar, a member of the Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE), said. He recalled that the package of EU asylum laws was not a proposal, but a legally binding set of laws. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Boris Johnson, who is a former London Mayor and one of the key supporters of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union, said on Tuesday that he would make a TV apology if potential Brexit leads to the economic recession. "Of course I will Im not certain what my political career holds anyway. This is far more important than any individual political career," Johnson said, as quoted by The Guardian, answering a question whether he had enough political courage to apologize if recession followed Brexit. He added that neither the UK capital, nor the country itself have anything to fear from leaving the 28-nation bloc. Having arrived alone in Scotland 20 years ago, Anja soon settled down and had a family. A potential Brexit concerns her not only because of the economic impact it could have but because of a possible separation from her children. 'Immigrants Won't Just Disappear' The fear of immigration, according to Anja, is what is persuading people she knows to vote 'Leave'. "They are scared of Britain giving up its identity they feel they have been taken over by different nationalities and are afraid of losing their particular way of living. To an extent I understand this, but I can't see how it will help if Britain leaves the EU the immigrants won't just disappear," Anja said. "There are a lot of problems in the EU and a lot of it could be done much, much better, but the problems won't be solved by leaving," she told Sputnik. "It may be fear driving the Leave vote in the UK, but there is "concern" in Germany and the rest of Europe that the UK could exit the EU," she continued. "I think people are even more concerned in Germany and in Europe than the British people. The few people in Scotland that I do know who will vote to leave the EU are driven by fear. I think people are nostalgic about the past and are scared of losing their ways but even if you stopped immigration and closed borders, the world has moved on now and you can't turn back the clock. It's obviously easier to blame immigrants for this happening." 'It Has to Work Both Ways' However Schiefler thinks that Britain's response to take 20,000 Syrian refugees over the next five years is "ludicrous." "It's not like the country is too small for this. But I admit Britain is different to Germany, where we have lots of big cities and our infrastructure is different." Anja Schiefler was also quick to point out that people voting in the referendum should remember just how many Britons live abroad. "It has to work both ways there are a lot of British pensioners living in Spain and Brits working abroad. I think it would be very difficult to close borders and not let anyone in or out." Looking towards a future and in the instance Britain votes to leave the EU, Anja predicts that Scotland won't be far behind in holding another independence referendum. "Maybe the whole thing will fall apart if Britain goes. Smaller countries may break off as they think that they can manage things better themselves. And obviously it will make the US, for example, stronger, if Europe becomes weaker." The latest poll for IG Group,by New Survation Polling puts the Remain camp just ahead with 44.9 percent compared to the Leave campaign's 43.8 percent while 11.3 percent remain undecided. Just days before, a YouGov poll revealed 50.8 percent in favor of leaving the EU, while an ORB poll showed 51.8 percent to Remain. With opinion polls neck and neck, the days leading up to the EU membership referendum will remain an emotional roller-coaster not just for Anja, but for the public and politicians alike. BERLIN (Sputnik) Pre-trial detention of five Russians arrested in Cologne for fighting Spanish tourists has been extended on the basis of their potential failure to appear in court if released, a spokesperson of the Cologne prosecutor's office said Tuesday. "We proceed from the assumption that if released from custody, they [Russian nationals] can fail to appear in court. Just for this reason the pre-trial detention has been prolonged," the spokesperson said. Five Russian nationals were detained on June 16 in the city center and the sixth one at the airport while trying to leave for Ibiza. They are suspected of involvement in a fight with three Spanish tourists two of whom were injured. The law enforcers knew about the activities of a local criminal group that hired migrants from the east and forced them to slave at an illegal factory they had set up inside a large warehouse in Kostowiec, a town in eastern Poland. According to a police representative, the premises the Ukrainian slaves worked and lived in were hot and dusty and totally unfit for humans. The other factory raided on Monday, was in the town of Zielona Gora in western Poland. "It can make a little difference in that direction [changing EU foreign policy]," Lilley said emphasizing that "it may make EU foreign policy more hostile to America on some issues. If there is ever a repetition of such things as Iraq war, for example, it is more likely that more EU members will take a separate view from the United States." While speaking about trade, Lilley said that British exporters would not be harmed by possible Brexit, whereas EU exporters would lose a substantial market share. "Our exporters would be no worse-off. But EU exporters would be worse-off. So we are in a very strong position. Sooner or later we will reach a free trade agreement with the EU," Lilley said. The parliamentarian added that in case of Brexit, Britain could expect tough trade negotiations with the European bloc. "These will certainly be tough negotiations, but we are in a very strong position. We are the biggest market for exports from other EU countries in the world. Moreover, they export far more to us than we export to them. So they have more to lose if they provoke a trade war between us. The only thing they can do under WTO rules is applying same tariffs to us, as they do to the rest of the world," Lilley elaborated. KOLYMVARI (Sputnik) Preparations for the Council took over 50 years as it was set to become the first meeting of the heads all the Orthodox churches in more than 1,000 years. Of the 14 national Orthodox churches, four said that they would not attend the event, including the Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Georgian and Bulgarian Orthodox Churches, as well as the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East. The Serbian Church had insisted on postponing the Council but eventually decided to send a delegation to the meeting. "The question whether or not the Serbian Church will leave is not on the agenda. There are no reasons for this. Representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church are satisfied with how the Council and the discussions are being held," one of the bishops told reporters. "They fully know that the terrorists are using their sites. They make some effort to take down terrorist accounts, but some of the things they do are just not enough. For example, if there is an individual 'Dr. Isis', you'll have 'Dr. Isis 101' they find 'Dr Isis 101' and take his account down. And the next day he'll create an account 'Dr. Isis 102'. It just seems that it doesn't take a high degree of intelligence to realize that they are using the same prefix over and over again and in fact they flaunt this." Though some have argued that the law suit may only curtail free speech and drive extremist organisations underground, therefore making it harder for security services to monitor their communications. "Well, first of all this is not a law suit about the content of what these people are posting, this is about their use of an infrastructure that allows them to conduct operations, to recruit members, to put out operational orders, to spread propaganda that's what this lawsuit is about," Altman told Sputnik. "I think companies could do a far better job in terms of limiting the terrorists' ability to use their sites. And then what also should not go unnoticed is that these companies place advertisements on the postings for these terrorist activities." The attacks in Paris were met with shock and grief around the world, with messages and displays of solidarity being sent from all corners of the globe. Altman hopes that this legal challenge will have a global impact, changing the way multi-national corporations work to combat terrorism. "Whether we win or lose the lawsuit, and it's an uphill battle with these three big companies. This has certainly brought what has been going on to the forefront and I think that these companies will not be allowed to just take the same approach to how they managed terrorism in the past. So, as I see it, whether the law suit is won or lost, the public wins because things are going to change for the better. Everybody wins." This will be a major showdown for Hollande, who is already suffering the ignominy of being the most unpopular president in a generation. Meanwhile, he will have to compete for his party's nomination in the 2017 presidential election, after his Socialist Party will hold primary elections early next year, marking the first time in more than 50 years that a sitting French president is forced to vie for his party's nomination. The labor reforms would give employers more scope to lay-off workers, cut costs and allow some employees to work far longer than the current and much cherished maximum 35-hour week. Other reforms include a cap on severance pay for workers dismissed by a company. The current uncertain cost of laying-off workers mean that companies are risk-averse to doing so, leaving them less flexible and in some cases less productive. Opponents say the reforms would undermine workers' rights on pay, overtime and breaks. For the first time, a sitting French President will have to face an open primary election. Good bye #Hollande? https://t.co/vRq2l7PINm Mathieu von Rohr (@mathieuvonrohr) 19 June 2016 The reforms were narrowly agreed in France's lower house of parliament but were set to be thrown out by its upper house which is dominated by the Republicans. However, Hollande's government invoked the little-used Article 49.3 of the constitution to bypass parliament and enact the reforms, sparking two weeks of strikes that have seen the French transport system brought to its knees and oil refineries blockaded, causing fuel shortages across the nation. MOSCOW (Sputnik) According to The New York Post newspaper, Polyakov admitted that he had hacked into accounts belonging to the ticket-selling website StubHub and had used the information he derived to buy 3,500 tickets worth $1.6 million for different concerts and sporting events. He is looking at 4-12 years in prison. Polyakov has registered his preference to be deported once he has served his prison term. "Im looking forward to being deported and being reunited with my family," Polyakov was quoted as saying by the newspaper on Monday. Lambert also expressed concern over the fact that in case migration to the United Kingdom decreases, some job vacancies requiring special skills will remain vacant. "I also have a lot of concerns over the workers rights in case of Brexit," she said. However, the US might be not interested in signing a separate free trade deal with the United Kingdom in case of Brexit, Lambert said. "The UK will desperately try to have its own free trade agreement with the United States, separate from TTIP [Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership] and the EU But it is not at all clear whether the United States will rush to negotiate with the UK. If they can continue negotiating with the European market, why should they prioritize a smaller UK market?" Lambert said. At the same time, Britains membership of the European Union is not an obstacle for Britain to have closer trade relations with BRICS countries, Jean Lambert. Brexiters use the possibility of establishing closer trade relations with BRICS outside the European bloc as one of the arguments in favor of leaving the EU. "India is not even queuing up to make trade deals with the EU, but there is a long queue of those who want trade relations with India. So, I do not think that the UK will necessarily queue-jump [to have trade deals with India] in case of Brexit," Lambert said. "Also, our membership in the EU does not stop us now from developing our trade with other countries. We don't have better trade relations with BRICS countries presumably because we are not offering the things that they want. Brexit does not change that," she continued. Possible Brexit will reshape the balance of powers within the European bloc, making Germany even more powerful, Jean Lambert stated. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said earlier that the member states of the defense alliance approved the deployment of one battalion to each of the four states: Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Poland, the media source reported In his interview, Jones confirmed that a number of NATO countries will participate in the initiative and deploy battalions in the Baltic countries and Poland as part of a new NATO mission. However, there is so far no specific information on how many troops and in what configuration each country will provide. Jones also stressed that further details will be clarified during the NATO summit in Warsaw. He also mentioned that a motorized brigade of about 5,000 soldiers will be deployed in the region and that the US military will arrive there in January next year, suggesting that the military from other countries would arrive at NATO's eastern borders about the same time. These arrests are an act of intimidation against the countrys opposition; such actions of the authorities have no legal basis, and are arbitrary. The chief editor of the opposition newspaper Cumhuriyet, Gian Dundar, commenting on the situation to Sputnik, described the situation as madness and arbitrariness of the authorities. With these arrests, we are told the following: we do not accept the opposition and all those who support it. We will do at home whatever we please, as you sit quietly and do not interfere. Dundar said. Reporters without Borders is one of the most influential and respected international organizations, the editor added. He further said that what Turkey is witnessing today as a country, is a complete separation from the rest of the civilized, free world. The editor further said that to talk about any legal aspects of what is happening is impossible because in principle, the use of the word right in relation to the current situation in the country is not true, because it still gives people the illusion that people in Turkey live in a legal state. Meanwhile, the state selects target number of people who are seen by the top as expressing dangerous statements, performing objectionable acts and afterwards by the courts decision, these people find themselves behind bars. We are all aware that these arrests have nothing to do with justice, Dundar concluded. Lawmakers from the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM), together with supporters from other opposition parties, submitted a proposal to the parliament to hold a vote on Ivanovs impeachment in April, after his decision to terminate investigation against 56 governmental officials involved in a wiretapping scandal. The calls to suspend the country's president continued despite the withdrawal of pardons by Ivanov. "I find [it] strange [that] people under 18 cannot vote, since the outcome of the EU referendum will affect the lives of people who are 16 and 17 years old," she said. "And, if you are considered old enough to go to war or marry, I cannot see why you cannot vote on something so important." Young Britons who took part in the event clashed over the same issues that so-called Remainers, like PM David Cameron, and Brexiteers, like former London mayor Boris Johnson, have been wrangling over for the last several months, but with much more grace and much less scaremongering and name-calling. 4 young #idebate outline their points on the issue of immigration surrounding the #EUref logical & respectful points pic.twitter.com/irb2qo8vqn Ahmed Al-aagam (@a_alaagam) June 21, 2016 Pro-Brexit youth underlined how leaving the Union would be a victory for democracy and a defeat for hypertrophic EU-led legislation, and that leaving the EU could allow the UK to "open up to the rest of the world." Young Remainers underlined the economic benefits of the single market, the EU immigrants' contribution to Britain's GDP, and the unintended political fallout were the Brexiteers to triumph. 'A migrant in the NHS is more likely to be helping you than taking your place in the queue' #DisenfranchisedVoices pic.twitter.com/yRVuVpv7UE IDEA in the UK (@idebate_uk) June 21, 2016 "It would give power to people like Johnson, Gove and Farage in the UK, and to the far right throughout Europe. That's dangerous," said Sonya, a Remainer. Another Remainer teenager pointed out how many Irish women have benefited from the EU's open cross-border movement to travel to the UK and get an abortion, an illegal medical process in Ireland. The most ethical argument is to #remain we are not at breaking point! #idebate #migration pic.twitter.com/8NcoJnQjpy IDEA in the UK (@idebate_uk) June 21, 2016 While none of the young debaters can vote in the historic UK referendum on Thursday, much has been said on how youth could help to close the generation gap between older-Brexiteers and young-Remainers by engaging more with parents and grandparents. A similar dynamic is thought to have played a large role in tipping the scales in last year's referendum on gay marriage in Ireland in which same-sex marriages were approved. I am really amazing by the of the quality of #EUREF youth debate organised by @idebate_uk #idebate pic.twitter.com/zlE5PMMgOI Ahmed Al-aagam (@a_alaagam) June 21, 2016 Following the debates, some "grown-ups" attending the Westminster event might have changed their minds, after listening to the young debaters. "I was leaning Leave, but some of the arguments I heard from the pro-stay, like those about equal pay and environmental protection, have sort of made me think twice," mother-of-two Martha told Sputnik after the debate. "I guess now I'm back on the fence. I could even vote for Remain." "I was a Remain supporter, and I still am, but I'm just amazed at how these kids have shown how it's possible to take on serious, controversial issues in a civilized way," said 40-year-old Rajee, who is from south London. "If I think about the level of the actual debate, I feel like we've failed their generation." MOSCOW (Sputnik) A suicide note by the father was found near the four bodies confirming the murder-suicide theory, prosecutor Samuel Vuelta-Simon was cited by the BFMTV channel as saying. The family, including children aged 11 and 16, were discovered by a neighbor who alerted the police, according to the outlet. All four had gunshot wounds seemingly from a handgun. Police in the nearby city of Bayonne have opened an inquiry and will hold a press conference Wednesday morning, although they suspect it was a family drama. "If we have 'No' on Thursday it will obviously deepen the crisis in the Conservative Party, Prime Minister and Chancellor [of the Exchequer George Osborne] will undoubtedly have to resign However, [if] was to take over from Cameron and Osborne would be in the head of the Conservative Party that was tearing itself to pieces," Griffiths said in an interview. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Canikligil was covering the case of Turkish national Reza Zarrab, who has been charged in the United States with violating US sanctions against Iran. "Hurriyet newspaper New York [correspondent] Razi Canikligil detained at Ataturk Airport. Details coming," the newspaper reported on Monday. BISHKEK (Sputnik) Recruiters working for an international extremist organization, who have been recruiting Kyrgyz citizens to join the war in Syria, have been detained by security forces in the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek, the press service of Kyrgyzstan's State Committee on National Security (GKNB) said on Tuesday. "GKNB, in the course of an operation to detect and prevent the smuggling of recruits of international terrorist organizations participating in the war in Syria, identified and arrested Zh. F., born in 1992, and A. B., born in 1966, in Bishkek," the press-service said in a statement. According to the statement, an investigation revealed that the detainees are officially wanted in one of the neighboring countries, and in February of this year, illegally crossed the state border of Kyrgyzstan. Denmark's 12-year struggle against the Taliban fundamentalist movement in Afghanistan ended two years ago, but Denmark still sends a lot of support in the form of economic aid to the war-torn country. In total, Denmark has contributed one billion kroner (150 million dollars) to the Afghan school system, but a shocking documentary by Danish Radio revealed that a number of schools in fact were fully or partially controlled by the Taliban terrorists, whereas other schools had far fewer students than claimed. Danish politicians have called it a scandal. One of the 270 schools that received Danish support and was featured in the documentary is Qarghan Thipa, where teaching is fully dictated by the Taliban. Despite the fact that the school is located in a government-controlled area, the agenda is largely set by the terrorist organization, which among other things opposes female education. The UN estimates that the Taliban control or have significant influence in half of Afghanistan. "Those people simply give us the curriculum in accordance to their principles," headmaster Noor Mohammed told Danish Radio. MOSCOW (Sputnik) On Monday, media reported on at least eight people had been shot dead by a Turkish border guard as they tried to escape from war-torn Syria to Turkey. "We still have to establish the details, but it does look like a group of Syrian asylum seekers were indeed shot at by Turkish border guards," Gerry Simpson, a HRW expert, was quoted as saying by RT. Footage showing the dead refugees was established to be from an area where the HRW has previously recorded violence against Syrian asylum seekers, Simpson added. DUBAI (Sputnik) A least six guards died at the Syrian-Jordanian border as result of a terrorist attack, the Jordanian Armed Forces said in a statement on Tuesday. "Six soldiers died, 14 were injured as result of car explosion in the district of Rukban near the Syrian border," the statement said, broadcast by Jordan Radio and Television Corporation (JRTV). Earlier in the day, media reported that the car exploded near a camp for Syrian refugees at the border between the two countries, which is a home to about 70,000 people. BEIRUT (Sputnik) According to Sabsabi, the Russian Reconciliation Center, headquartered at the Hmeymim air base, will participate in the program by distributing food in the provinces of Latakia and Homs. "Twenty thousand dinner portions and 5,000 breakfast portions are distributed daily in poor districts and shelters. In the coming days, we will distribute 120 tonnes of food (10,000 boxes, 12 kilograms each)," Sabsabi told RIA Novosti, adding that there are more than 250 volunteers engaged in the program. Earlier, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov pledged to provide meals for Syrians during the Muslim holy month, Ramadan. MOSCOW (Sputnik) According to the source, the special envoy may address the issue of a new roadmap on political settlement that he planned to present last week but decided to postpone it due to disagreements between the parties to the conflict. Last week, a diplomatic source told Sputnik that the UN special envoy was to submit the draft deal to Yemeni negotiators in a short time. Wahhab added, as cited by the Daily Star newspaper, that Jordan would face consequences for its support for extremists in Syria. According to media reports, the car exploded near a camp for Syrian refugees at the border between the two countries, which is a home to about 70,000 people. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Russia's growing influence on the international arena may help cease US complete control over the settlement of conflicts in the Middle East, Palestinian Ambassador to Russia Abdel Hafiz Nofal said Tuesday. "Now, we have to stop US monopoly on the Meddle East problem resolution. Of course, here, a special role belongs to Russia, and if circumstances ripen, we could convene an international conference," Nofal told a press conference at Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency. The ambassador added that Moscow could suggest a new vision as was the case with Syria. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) In the beginning of June, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), backed by the United States, have begun an offensive on Manbij to free the city from terrorists. "Near Manbij, 13 strikes struck 12 separate ISIL [Daesh] tactical units and destroyed five ISIL fighting positions and two ISIL vehicles and damaged a separate ISIL fighting position," CENTCOM stated on Tuesday. BEIRUT (Sputnik) According to the Lebanese Al Mayadeen television channel, two militant commanders died during clashes with the Syrian army near the city of Darayya, a suburb of Damascus. Active combat operations have been taking place between the Syrian army and terrorist groups that have controlled Darayya since November 2012. Up to 8,000 people out of the town's pre-war population of 78,000 inhabitants are estimated by the United Nations to have remained in Darayya, which is located 5 miles southwest of Damascus. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Earlier in the day, several Jordanian soldiers were killed and injured after an explosion occurred near a refugee camp hosting Syrians close to the border between the two countries. "King's Advisor for Military Affairs, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mashal Mohammad Zaben issued an order [declaring] northern, northeastern border areas closed military zones as of this date," the statement read. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) US Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter Daesh Brett McGurk held meetings with the leaders of Iraq and Kurdistan Region during his visit to the country on June 18-21, US Embassy in Iraq announced in a release on Tuesday. Accompanied by US Ambassador to Iraq Stuart Jones, Mr. McGurk met with senior government and security officials, including Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi, COR [Council of Representatives] Speaker Jabouri, Anbar Governor Rawi, President of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region Barzani and KRG DPM [Kurdistan Regional Government Deputy Prime Minister Qubad] Talabani, the release said. The embassy noted that McGurk commended the Iraqi security forces on their successful efforts in Fallujah as well as in Anbar province. Members of the Syrian National Coalition claim that on Monday Turkish border guards shot eleven Syrians who were trying to flee to the Turkish territory amid violence in Syria. The Turkish military denied these reports, but their statements have been considered inconclusive by the EU which is now supposed to check the veracity of such reports. Replying to the question of whether similar incidents could have happened before, Turkdogan said that there used to be a lot of violations of that kind at the Syrian-Turkish border and that many civilians were killed during similar incidents. But still the militants are afraid of us by instinct, it is undignified for a brave warrior to be killed by a woman's bullet, as they consider women as second-class citizens, 24-year-old Hasiba Nouzad, a Turkish Kurdish woman by birth, told RIA Novosti. Currently, she is a commander of the women's division squad called Hezi-Agri (The Power of Fire). Two years ago I saw on TV and online what Daesh is doing in Sinjar (Yazidi town under Daesh). I cried a lot as it really moved me and I decided that my place is here. I have to fight to protect my people, Hasiba said. Alas her husband did not share her enthusiasm and decided to move to Germany like many other refugees. However, the couple is in touch and talk on Skype. In May, Peshmerga fighters were faced with a fierce battle with Daesh as the terrorists broke into Telskhov village which has been under control of the Kurds for the past one year. About 400 terrorists broke into the village but the Kurds quickly managed to pull a large group together calling for reinforcements. They were assisted by the US Special Forces and aviation. We surrounded the militants in Telskhov. We heard them asking for reinforcements from their commanders in Mosul: Save us, we are surrounded, Hasiba recalls the militants as saying. Haseeba is not angry with her husband as she said, Of course, with him it would have been easier for me, but it's his choice, he told me that he does not want to fight. Whether I'll go back to him? I do not know, because I do not know for how long I will fight. First we destroy Daesh and then we shall see, Hasiba said. Revenge for the Loved Ones Asima Dahar is a Yazidi girl who has joined the ranks to fight against the militants who captured her loved ones and took them prisoners. About 30 thousand Yazidis were taken as prisoners by Daesh when they took control of the city of Sinjar. Five thousand men were executed and two thousand women were taken as prisoners. Militants killed my uncle, my cousin and brother was captured. Their fate exactly is unknown to me; it seems that my brother has to work on some of the most difficult jobs at the hands of the militants, Asima said. Nevertheless, the situation has become more complicated, as the recognition of this decision to null and void would create problems in the bilateral relations between Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The discontent of the people on this issue would create more threats, the politician said. The two islands Tiran and Sanafir are uninhabited and located at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba, a strategic part of the Red Sea bordered by Israel, Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. In turn, Khamdi Haikal, leader of the Egyptian People's Movement and one of the commissioners of the case on invalidity of decision of transferring Tiran and Sanafir spoke to Sputnik saying that today's verdict was expected, since historically this land belongs to Egypt and it is under Egyptian sovereignty. Saudi Arabia declares that it owns the islands. But Tiran and Sanafir have been under the sovereignty and control of Egypt for hundreds of years before the birth of the founder of Saudi Arabia, King Abdul Aziz in 1932, Haikal concluded. Earlier, it was reported that the court judged that the agreement on maritime borders between Egypt and Saudi Arabia signed in April this year was invalid. In April, the agreement between Cairo and Riyadh on the islands of Tiran and Sanafir at the southern entrance to the Gulf of Aqaba triggered a week of mass rallies on the streets in central Cairo. Some 400 people were arrested, dozens were sentenced to prison. However, later an appeals court in Cairo overturned this ruling and the protesters were released. Originally stationed in the Persian Gulf, the Trumans redeployment to the Mediterranean was controversial and seen as a response to Russias military operations in Syria. Earlier this month, one US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the ship, one of 19 US aircraft carriers in service around the globe, "provides some needed presence in the Med to checkthe Russians." Rear Adm. Bret Batchelder, the USS Trumans highest-ranking officer, told reporters that the move was, "a demonstration of capabilityfor sure." Still, while the USS Truman, along with the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, posed a threat to Daesh terrorists, it was never a concern for the Kremlin, according to experts. "We need better protection in that part of the border," said one military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, according to Defense News. "Air defense is more a priority than deterrence or offensive capabilities." To that effect, Ankara plans to develop Serhat, a counter-mortar radar system that will work with the Korkut self-propelled air-defense gun system. Both are developed by Aselsan, Turkeys largest defense firm. MOSCOW (Sputnik) A Russian air carrier also delivered 18 tonnes of UN aid food products and grain to the Islamist-besieged town of Deir ez-Zor. "Low-income families in Massyad (Aleppo province) and a camp for internally displaced persons in Damascus have received three tons of humanitarian cargoes with food products and sweets for children," the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement. Syria has been mired in a civil war since 2011, with government forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad fighting numerous opposition factions and extremist groups. "I don't think the main issues are politics and disputes." Erdan said in a Facebook post, "The questions that must be asked are about our personal security, the values of the police, and the attempts to boycott and delegitimize Israel around the world. Because I have been promised the proper tools, I will have the ability to take action and bring about real change." Erdan detailed how he would fight the movement, which Israeli President Reuven Rivlin called, "a first-rate strategic threat," and said his past government experience has prepared him for his new position. "As a member of the cabinet, I am well aware of the danger that faces us due to the anti-Israel activities of the BDS movement," he said. "As part of my job, I will take on anti-Israel activities in the international arena, such as attempts to attack us in the International Criminal Court, attempts by the Palestinians to have us expelled from FIFA, and more." "I warned the FBI Director in February 2003 that this would happen, and that he and the FBI would be helpless to stop it, if the United States went ahead and launched a war on Iraq." Escalating US military operations in the Middle East in response to the Orlando attack would not deter future ones, but make them more likely, Rowley explained. "Now, both [presumptive US presidential candidates Donald] Trump and [Hillary] Clinton claim that military actions are the solutions to our problems, but a serious assessment of these various attacks shows the opposite." Most Americans still did not recognize the background to the increasing violence occurring domestically, Rowley maintained. "The shooting in Orlando is certainly related to the so-called War on Terror." South Korean and Japanese military officials are monitoring the situation, though there have been no signs of a launch detected. "We have detected signs that the North has deployed what appears to be a Musudan missile," agency cited the source. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Russian Vice Commander Lt. Gen. Viktor Gumenny, who arrived at the testing ground in Kazakhstan for the launch, was quoted as saying that the missile had "successfully fulfilled its task by engaging the test target at the scheduled time." "At 7:00 a.m. [4:00GMT] Tuesday, June 21, anti-missile and anti-aircraft forces of the Aerospace Forces together with industry representatives successfully test-fired a short-range antimissile system of the Russian missile shield at the Sary-Shagan testing ground," the press release read. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Most of the construction work will be carried out within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command in the Hawaii area of responsibility, the Defense Department stated. "CCI Construction Services; D&D Construction; Dawson Federal; GSI Pacific; TKH-ASI LLC and Hawaii Pacific JV [all in] Hawaii are each being awarded contracts for construction projects [worth] $245 million," the announcement said on Monday. The work will involve providing equipment for "new construction, repair, alteration and related demolition of existing infrastructure within the state of Hawaii," the announcement added. Despite the fact that the very notion of "hybrid war" is vague and ill-defined, in Sweden it is being largely touted as a greater danger than terrorism, with the media "revealing" fictitious psychological impact operations on Russia's part in both traditional and social media. On top of that, "hybrid war" methods may supposedly be used to knock out computer systems, telecommunications and energy facilities. Earlier this month, Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist signed a controversial treaty on military cooperation with the United States with another one with the UK to follow. Despite having signed two high-profile treaties with NATO heavyweights and allowing neutral Sweden to serve as a playground for NATO war games, Hultqvist stressed, that neither of the steps should be interpreted as a move towards the alliance. Earlier this year, plans detailing cooperation with the UK were signed for their respective navies and air forces, and now the two governments also want to include armies. The brutal group that still maintains its grip on large parts of Iraq and Syria has also used the new technology. However, unlike leading militaries of the world, the militants apparently lack access to sophisticated robots of the future armed to the teeth with cutting-edge weaponry. Denis Fedutinov, a leading Russian expert in the field of unmanned aircraft, told Svobodnaya Pressa that it is hard to determine what drones Daesh utilizes since limited information on the subject is available through open sources. "The militants could receive unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) through three sources," he said. First are commercially available systems, including Chinese-made X-UAV and multipropeller drones that have been spotted on the Syrian battleground. According to Ulriksen, disbanding crucial military structures and weakening coastal defense undermines Norway's defense capacity. "It also makes it problematic to accept the allied reinforcements from the sea in the event of a war," Ulriksen said. On the other hand, former defense chief Sverre Diesen hailed the long-term plan as a "decisive breakthrough for a more rational financing of the Armed Forces." He argued that the military budget hike was absolutely necessary to keep pace with the rapid technological developments. According to Diesen, this is also a premise for stopping the disintegration of Norway's defense capacity, which supposedly has been going on for the past 25 years. However, even Diesen was highly critical of the decision to close down the Coastal Ranger Command, which he described as one of the military's "best and most valuable departments." According to Diesen, the future belongs to small and mobile forces, able both to deliver fire from their own weapons and point out targets for missiles and other long-distance precision weapons. MOSCOW (Sputnik) According to Al-Ahram newspaper, these are the first drills for the Mistral-class vessel Gamal Abdel Nasser, named after a former Egyptian president. Previously, the ship only entered the sea for small technical tests and for the training of the Egyptian crew. The joint exercises, conducted under the code name Cleopatra, are expected to last several days. In August 2015, Paris and Moscow formally terminated the 1.2-billion-euro (some $1.3 billion at current exchange rates) deal on the construction and delivery of two Mistral-class helicopter carriers. Shortly after, French President Francois Hollande confirmed that a deal had been reached with Egypt on the delivery of the two Mistrals to the Arab country. In April, the Pentagon accused a Russian combat jet of flying too close to another US spy plane operating in the Baltic, again a stone's throw away from Russia's borders. The Russian Defense Ministry responded to the Pentagon claims that a Russian aircraft allegedly performed an "unsafe" interception of a US jet over the Baltic region, saying that all Russian aircraft frights are carried out under international rules. The resolution also claims that Russia's operations in the Arctic, Black Sea, eastern Mediterranean and Syria are intended to deny the United States access to "key areas of Eurasia." The resolution notes US Air Force General Philip Breedlove has stated that Russia continues to seek ways to extend its international influence. Earlier this month, Breedlove, who previously headed NATO and the US European Command, underscored the urgency of enhancing US-Russian communications to build confidence between the two nations. NATO has been engaged in three large-scale military exercises close to Russia's borders. These include Baltops, Saber Strike and Anakonda. Approximately 6,100 troops from 17 countries take part in the former. A total of 10,000 soldiers are taking part in the US-led Saber Strike 2016, while the Polish-led Anakonda drills involved more than 25,000 troops from 24 states. Osborn explains that "acoustic superiority" means engineering a "circumstance wherein US submarines can operate undetected in or near enemy water or coastline" while conducting reconnaissance or attack missions. Furthermore, the vessels boasting such a feature would be able to "sense" adversary's activities at farther ranges than its competitors can. "We are talking about changes in sensors and changes in the capabilities aboard the ship that we think could be very dramatic in terms of improving our ability to compete in our acoustic spectrum," Rear Adm. Charles Richard, Director of Undersea Warfare told Scout Warrior. Citing Rear Adm. Charles Richard, Osborn points out that the US Navy effort is related to Russia and China's recent submarine modernization programs, diminishing the technological gap between the emerging powers and the US, thus far threatening Washington's superiority in undersea warfare. "Chinese SSBNs [nuclear-armed submarines] are now able to patrol with nuclear-armed JL-2 missiles able to strike targets more than 4,500 nautical miles," Osborn notes. China's undersea warfare capabilities spark Richard's concerns, despite the fact the military official assured Osborn that the US Navy's R&D (research and development) approach will ensure Washington's hegemony at sea. And still, China's upcoming sharp increase in attack submarines and nuclear-armed submarines (SSBN) may change the balance of power in the Asia-Pacific region in the long run. It is expected that the new stealthy USS South Dakota (SSN-790) will officially enter into service in August 2018. In July 2015, US President Barack Obama issued an executive order creating a national strategic computing initiative. The order was put in place "in order to maximize the benefits of HPC (high performance computing) for economic competitiveness and scientific discovery" The US has been aware of Chinas attempts at developing indigenous processors for a few years now. In 2010, Steven Koonin, undersecretary for science at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), predicted that China would be "using entirely indigenous components that is expected to be complete within the next 12 to 18 months." "It is clear that DOE will not be the only organization working to push the limits of computer performance," he added. China would go on to develop a small supercomputer in 2011. While this used Chinese processors, it still relied on big systems from the US to operate. "They have never paid tax. They haven't contributed anything." However, Daisley doesn't agree that migrants who have come to Britain decades ago, have been working and paying their taxes, should be forced to leave. "That's not right. I don't accept that. I don't think it will happen. What will happen is people coming into the UK after Brexit will be really scrutinized." "The British people are getting fed up with those coming in the country with nothing. They can't speak English, they have no money and no jobs, thinking they can get housing for nothing." James Daisley's father fought in the First World War and he recalls how hard it was for people of that generation to fight for a free Britain. Now that the UK have joined the EU, it is evident this union cares little about the people, as it allows thousands of refugees and immigrants to freely move across borders and enter the UK said Daisley. "These people that are coming into the country have a criminal record and we can't put them out of the country as it effects their human rights. It is not right. It's like tying our hands and gagging us at the same time. We don't deserve it. And this vote is a opportunity to let the EU know we won't stand for it," Daisley told Sputnik. Daisley condemns the "scaremongering" techniques of Bremain campaigners, saying they are "coming from people with lots of money". "It stinks quite badly. Before Britain joined the European Union it was a great country, still is and will be a great country. Regardless of what the European countries say, we are still Britain! It won't change just because we have left," Daisley told Sputnik. "All we are getting is a headache. Where do you stop? If you don't stop now, the next thing you know Turkey will be joining the EU regardless of their human rights that everyone is complaining about." James Daisley recognizes that once the UK leaves the European Union, this sets a precedent for other EU states who may decide to follow Britain's example. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) On Monday, the North Korean Defense Committee said it would respond with nuclear strikes against US military bases in South Korea in case of any provocations. We are closely monitoring the situation on the Korean Peninsula in coordination with our regional allies, Ross stated on Monday. We urge North Korea to refrain from provocative actions that aggravate tensions and instead focus on fulfilling its international obligations and commitments. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Kirbys comments come amid the State Departments preparation of a response to the recent internal employee memorandum calling for a military action against the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad. "Nobody is happy with the status quo of events on the ground, and that is whywe are discussing other alternatives, other options that may be applied, mindful that the current approach is without question struggling," Kirby said. "As the president [Obama] said himself, none of those other options be they military or not in nature are better, in terms of long-term outcome, are going to be better than the political solution we are trying to pursue." MOSCOW (Sputnik) Brits are preparing to vote Thursday in a referendum on continued EU membership. Writing in the Guardian newspaper, the US magnate warned them of a possible "black Friday" that could follow the decision to leave, comparing it to the "black Wednesday" of 1992. "Sterling is almost certain to fall steeply and quickly if there is a vote to leave," he claimed. "I would expect this devaluation to be bigger and more disruptive than the 15% devaluation that occurred in September 1992." Britain has called for a tough stance towards Moscow while Slovakia has called the sanctions ineffective. In turn, Slovakian Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak said that the EU should not ignore some European countries desire to revise Brussels policy towards Moscow. Lajcak said that that European dialogue is needed because there is a "growing demand for a political discussion" about sanctions against Russia. He added that such countries as Italy, Bulgaria, and Greece are interested in easing the restrictions. "I am not calling for abolishing the sanctions. But what I don't want to see is that we formally maintain the sanctions and behind the sanctions, everyone is signing big deals with Russia, visiting, meeting people who are blacklisted," Lajcak was quoted as saying by Reuters. According to the LBC, this could set the outcome of the referendum in favor of the Remain campaign. UK nationals will vote on Thursday in a referendum on the country's EU membership, after Cameron and the leaders of the 27 EU member states agreed in February to grant the United Kingdom a special status within the bloc. The newspaper added that the federal chancellery had already been informed about the visit that would be the first since October. Moscow and Berlin have seen a deterioration of relations over Ukraines internal conflict, which escalated in 2014. NATO has built up its military presence on the bloc's eastern flank in the months following the outbreak of the Ukrainian civil war, which the West blames on Russia, although Moscow had nothing to do with the US-sponsored coup and its implications. The bloc's strategy has been championed by hardliners in the US, as well as the Eastern European states and the Baltics. For its part, Germany has cautiously called for a more pragmatic approach to handling Moscow. Duma Foreign Affairs Committee Alexei Pushkov referred to Steinmeier's comments as "a voice of reason" that cut through the "veil of threats and hysteria." ."" . (@Alexey_Pushkov) 18 2016 . German historian and political analyst Alexander Rahr, who serves as Research Director of the German-Russian Forum, said that Steinmeier's remarks came at a time when Western Europe is changing its attitude toward Russia. Germany is not the only country that is trying to improve its relations with Russia, the expert told the Vzglyad newspaper. France and Italy are also on this list, while Eastern Europe, particularly Poland, the Baltic states and Sweden have adopted a tough stance towards Moscow. "Frankly speaking, the rhetoric of some Eastern European countries [with regard to Russia] is annoying," Rahr said. Some were critical of Steinmeier. Berthold Kohler, an editor at the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, asked whether it was Putin's birthday and if the Russian president had received his "present" yet. Soros was speaking at an event in London hosted by Open Russia, a movement founded by Mikhail Khodorkovsky. The businessman added that the current situation is much the same when the EU flourished while the Soviet Union started collapsing. He also noted that he felt "more than ever" that the destiny of the EU is hinged on Ukraines future. LONDON (Sputnik) The United Kingdom's possible exit from the European Union (Brexit) is unlikely to fuel separatism movement in Scotland and Northern Ireland, General Secretary of Labour Leave campaign Brendan Chilton told Sputnik. "Scotland did reject independence [at a referendum]. So if the UK votes to leave, we are voting as the UK, not as its constituent parts. If Scotland wanted to leave the UK after Brexit, it would be outside the pound area, and also outside the EU. Therefore, Scotland would have to re-apply to join the EU, and it would have to set the euro In terms of the Northern Ireland, it is pretty split on the issue [of remaining a UK's part]. There are unionists and nationalists," Chilton said. He added that there were no reasons for the split within the United Kingdom. TASHKENT (Sputnik) The SCO is a political, economic and military alliance that includes Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The SCO leaders are expected to sign an accession memorandum with Pakistan and India at the upcoming summit. Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia have observer status in the organization. "With significantly extended opportunities for cooperation, the SCO's role and influence are increasingly growing," Xi was quoted as saying by the Uzbekistan National News Agency. Xi added that the SCO has stretched across the Asian continent since being established in 1996 and has in this time embraced a large array of issues, including regional security, economics, trade and humanitarian cooperation. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Earlier in the day, the Israeli president visited Brussels for the first time ever to meet with Tusk and other European officials. "Lasting peace in the region remains a top priority for the European Union. We continue to work with both sides and coordinate with partners in the Middle East to support the two-state solution. The European Union is ready to back up a peace deal with an unprecedented package of cooperation and support to both Israel and the future state of Palestine," Tusk told reporters after meeting Israeli President Reuven Rivlin in Brussels. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The EU leaders summit is scheduled for June 28-29. Extending the EU economic sanctions against Russia, which are due to expire in July, is likely to be on the summit's agenda. Yes. But it still needs a formal Council decision, the source said, when asked whether the bloc has agreed to extend the sanctions. Relations between Russia and the West deteriorated amid the 2014 crisis in Ukraine. The European Union, the United States and their allies have introduced several rounds of anti-Russian sanctions since the reunification of Crimea with Russia in 2014, accusing Moscow of meddling in the Ukrainian conflict, a claim Russian authorities have repeatedly denied. Russia's response to NATO's activities has largely remained on the "precrisis" level, the analyst wrote for the news website Lenta.ru. The crisis in this case refers to the tensions between Russia and the West that were sparked by the outbreak of the Ukrainian civil war and Crimea's reunification with Russia. Russia's deployments in the last two years "clearly show" what the country's priorities are. Moscow has been focused on areas to the south and southeast in case conflicts in Ukraine, the Caucasus and Central Asia flare up. Not to mention that Russia's present battle missions take place in Syria. "In this context, standoff with NATO is viewed as a headache that requires extremely costly and time-consuming efforts that siphon resources away from priority tasks," the analyst observed. PARIS (Sputnik) The French leader added that local elections in the Donbass region and the release of other prisoners were issues still to be worked out. "The Normandy format allowed to achieve some progress [in implementing the Minsk agreements], particularly the release of several people held in captivity," Hollande said. MOSCOW (Sputnik) He reiterated that it would be "more or less logical" to link the implementation of the Minsk agreements by the Ukrainian government with anti-Russia sanctions. "Unfortunately neither France, nor Germany, nor Russia can carry out a single point [of the Minsk agreements], it can only be done by Kiev Therefore, we consider phrases about the link between the sanctions and Moscows implementation of the Minsk agreements absolutely illogical," Peskov told reporters. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The US envoy argued the United States is "trying very hard" to support Russian, French, German and Ukrainian efforts to implement the Minsk agreements on settling the conflict in eastern Ukraine as part of the Normandy format. "I would be surprised if you wouldnt see Mrs. Nuland in Moscow again in the not-too-distant future," Tefft said in a transcript of his speech released by the US embassy in Moscow on Tuesday. In February 2015, a peace agreement was signed between Ukraines conflicting sides in the Belarusian capital of Minsk, after talks of the Normandy Four countries, comprising Russia, Germany, Ukraine and France. The deal stipulates a full ceasefire, weapons withdrawal from the line of contact in eastern Ukraine, an all-for-all prisoner exchange and constitutional reforms, which would give a special status to the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk peoples republics. MOSCOW (Sputnik) On Monday, Global Counsel issued a report titled "The Consequences of the EU Referendum," which predicts the possible effects of a referendum on EU membership both in case of Brexit and if UK voters decide to stay in the 28-nation bloc. "Sources of instability could come from calls in Scotland for a second independence referendum. Scottish National Party leader Nicola Sturgeon would only want this if she was confident of victory. Much depends on the polls in the aftermath of a vote to leave and how the likely political and economic uncertainty across the UK impacts on attitudes in Scotland. She may, however, struggle to contain demands within her own party for a fresh vote," it was predicted in the report. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Speaking at a conference, Enstrom criticized Niinisto's decision to invite the Russian president to Finland this July, saying that it is "hard to understand," the Yle news portal reported. "All around the world Ive heard about how it is very important that the international community make it clear to Russia that it has acted wrongly, yet it is seen as equally important to maintain dialogue," Niinisto said, adding that Enstrom is "a bit behind the times." According to the news outlet, the Finnish leader insisted there be no attempts to influence Helsinkis foreign policy during bilateral talks with Moscow. "Since December Podemos have formed an alliance with the regional independence supporting parties, the Spanish Green Party, Equos, and the Communist party, building a strong alliance. They have the momentum behind them. They're now the left wing force in Spain running as Unidos Podemos," Fox told Sputnik. But even with a new alliance, polls show that Sunday's results may still fail to deliver a majority party, meaning that for the first time in Spanish democratic history a coalition government will have to be formed. "The big question is, do PSOE, who can't form a government themselves, support Rajoy, go into coalition with their natural enemy, or, do they bite the bullet and even though they hate Podemos? They hate the new left wingers and that they've lost the mantle of the left do they find common ground to work from." Current polling puts Rajoy's PP on around 30%, Podemos around 24-27% and PSOE at around 20%. Podemos is doing quite well in the polls. Elections are sunday. They could have a left coalition. https://t.co/qr63vFLYsA Tim de Gier (@timdegier) June 20, 2016 Yet it is likely that with just 20% of the popular vote PSOE will be the "King makers" in this election, as Fox suggests, since a government will only be formed if they lend their support to either the new alliance Unidos Podemos or the conservative PP. Spanish law bans publication of polls five days before election, so poll watchers tweet 'price of fruit' instead https://t.co/C0e3IUQEr4 Chris Terry (@CJTerry) June 21, 2016 "PSEO have 20% and are now largely a regional party in Andalucia and Extremadura in the south, they have that bedrock regional vote, but there is no stomach for a 3rd election. Sunday may result in the same situation [as December], but if PSOE don't form a coalition they'll get hammered by their support. It puts more pressure on the politicians to reach an agreement." Hard to believe it's a Spanish general election on Sunday. Not a single poster or propaganda anywhere. #chilled Bee Wiles (@Bee_Wiles1) June 21, 2016 PSOE's Pedro Sanchez says he will not form an alliance with PP or Podemos, but Colin believes that this is largely pre-election rhetoricand that in order to avoid a 3rd election current PSOE leader may stand down. "There's no chance of Sanchez becoming a prime minister. What may well happen is PSOE might not even get to 20%, they might then say Sanchez cannot be the person that does the negotiations, so they'll dump him and bring in a new personality who has credibility, who says 'let's be pragmatic'. They could put Rajoy back in power, but that's like Labour putting the Tories back in power in the UK. The lesser of the two difficulties is they get someone new who says 'we don't like it but it's the lesser of two evils, we have no future if we put the PP in power, let's put Podemos in power. We don't like them but we will see whether we are right or wrong'." LONDON (Sputnik) The UK Conservative party is deeply split on the issue of Brexit, and the process of its re-unification after the vote will be extremely difficult, Peter Lilley, a Conservative member of parliament and former trade minister and social security minister, told Sputnik. "There are quite a lot of those in the Conservative party who support remain out of party loyalty and loyalty to Prime Minister. So if we do leave, many Conservatives will be pleased in their heart of hearts. It will be a difficult process trying to re-unite the party, whatever the results would be," Lilley said. He added that certain changes in the Cabinet will follow. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Earlier this month, the Israeli prime minister visited Moscow to discuss a wide range of international issues, including Syria, with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Further development of mutually beneficial Russian-Israeli cooperation was discussed in light of Benjamin Netanyahus official visit to Russia on June 7. Key aspects of the Palestinian-Israeli settlement were also considered," the press service said. Palestinians seek recognition for their independent state on the territories of West Bank as well as East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. The Israeli government denies Palestine's claims, refusing to diplomatically recognize the existence of a Palestinian state. Peace talks between the sides are consistently deadlocked. MADRID (Sputnik) Lopez Aguilar added that Spanish socialists had always spoken in favor of maintaining friendly relations with Russia, but this did not encompass the sanctions. "I do not think that Spain will change its decision in the coming months. Spain supports the common EU position on the sanctions issue, imposed after the Ukrainian developments. If a change of government takes place, we, PSOE, suggest working in a more positive manner in the EU, in particular on issues of foreign policy and issues of common security but the position on sanctions will remain the same," Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar said. The lawmaker stressed that European Union's role in international relations had decreased, which has made more difficult for the bloc to resolve crises, including the conflict in Ukraine. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Polish President Andrzej Duda and his French counterpart Francois Hollande discussed anti-Russia sanctions over the phone and agreed on the necessity of the dialogue from the position of power, Foreign Policy Adviser to the Polish President Krzysztof Szczerski said Tuesday. "The position of Germany France, Poland is common and comes down to the fact that sanctions were imposed in connection with the violation of international law, the Minsk process is a formula for overcoming violations of the international law, and that without the implementation [of the Minsk agreement] there could be no talks about their [sanctions] lifting. We are talking about the dialogue which is handled from the position of unity and power," Szczerski said, as quoted by Poland's W Polityce online news outlet. Relations between the European Union and Russia soured after Brussels imposed several rounds of economic sanctions against Moscow after Crimea reunified with Russia and in light of Russia's alleged role in the conflict in southeastern Ukraine. Russia has refuted any allegations of involvement in the hostilities and advocated settling the conflict between the Kiev forces and southeastern Ukrainian pro-independence militia peacefully. Needless to say, Washington has not been happy with its allies for not sharing the burden. In June 2011, Robert Gates, who served as the US defense chief at the time, famously called NATO a "two-tiered alliance" that comprises those, who provide funds and conduct combat missions, and those, who enjoy the benefits, but do not contribute. For Gates, this situation was unacceptable. Although it might look like nothing has changed since then, NATO's 2014 summit in Wales became a watershed moment for the bloc when leaders and not only defense ministers said they were committed to the 2-percent goal. "Many European states as of last year have stopped cutting their defense outlays and have started to slowly boost their spending," Majumdar noted, citing an unnamed senior NATO diplomat. "After more than two decades of defense cut backs, NATO's defense budgets stopped shrinking last year and have started to increase with 1.5 percent growth per annum." It follows then that the bloc's officials have finally found a tactic that works, namely overhyping the non-existent threat emanating from Russia. For its part, Moscow has expressed concerns with NATO's increasingly aggressive behavior that is detrimental to European security and stability. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Earlier in June, Netanyahu came to Moscow to mark the 25th anniversary of the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between Israel and Russia. This was the third Israeli prime minister's visit to Russia since September 2015. "As you know, Russia seeks to pursue a well-balanced, steady policy both with Israel and Palestine And [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu's visit should be regarded in the whole Middle East conflict perspective," Nofal said, adding that good relations between Israel and Russia contribute to the Palestine-Israel peace process. It should be noted that in this context Russia's support for Bashar al-Assad is logical: by assisting the legitimate Syrian president Moscow is de-facto preserving the country's sovereignty, integrity and statehood. Furthermore, the Kremlin's support for the Syrian leader is "legal under international law," Buchanan points out. Remarkably, Syria's legitimate authorities did not invite the US military to carry out any "anti-terrorist" operations on the ground in the region. In light of this both the diplomatic memo and Kerry's recent remark that Washington's patience in Syria is "not infinite" sound strange. James Jatras, a former US Senate foreign policy analyst, dubbed Kerry's words a "very mixed message." On the one hand, Washington is waging war against Daesh, on the other the Obama administration still supports such groups as Ahrar al-Sham and Jaish al-Islam which resemble Daesh and al-Nusra Front in all but name. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Israeli President Reuven Rivlin invited on Tuesday NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to visit his country, saying such a visit would strengthen the relations between Israel and the Alliance. "Secretary General, I would like to take this occasion and to invite you to visit us in Israel. I know your visit would be an important step of strengthening our ties even further and you will be welcomed as an honored guest and a true friend of Israel," Rivlin said after a meeting with Stoltenberg. The NATO chief, in turn, said he would like to visit the country. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Moscow echoed the UN Security Councils stance that no preconditions should precede the talks between government and the opposition, and argued that leniency toward the Nusra Front terrorist organization in Syria is unacceptable. "The focus was on the issue of conflict settlement in Syria, including consolidating the ceasefire with the simultaneously ceaseless struggle against terrorists The prospects of resuming intra-Syrian negotiations in Geneva were also considered," the ministry said. BERLIN (Sputnik) The letter is expected to be published in German Frankfurter Rundschau and Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspapers on Wednesday, the day which marks the 75th anniversary of Nazi Germanys invasion of Soviet Russia during World War II, in which Soviet losses stood at about 20 million, by most estimates. "On June 22, 2016, on a historic anniversary, we address the Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel and German government: only the policy of mutual understanding with Russia and of settlement of conflicts and contradictions on behalf of the international law opens prospects of peaceful future for Europe We urge to learn lessons from the most awful war until now to reach a new quality of German-Russian relations," the letter obtained by RIA Novosti said. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Following the visit to Ukraine, Nuland will depart for Moscow to discuss the Ukrainian crisis with Russian officials, according to the State Department. "On June 21, Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland will travel to Kyiv, Ukraine, to meet with senior Ukrainian government officials to discuss bilateral and regional issues, including reform priorities and Minsk implementation," the release stated. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) When Rose corrected Biden saying "Assad out of power," Biden apologized and explained that his reference to Saddam was a Freudian slip. "What we are talking about is we are going in, and we are, piece by piece, trying to decimate ISIS [Daesh] and in the process Al-Nusra, so that we eliminate the most immediate single threat to US interest," Biden said of US efforts in Syria. "At the same time, were continuing to work the international community to reach a negotiated settlement that gets Saddam out of power, have him leave." For instance, she propagated the creation of a so-called "no-fly zone" in Syria in 2015. "I personally would be advocating now for a no-fly zone and humanitarian corridors to try to stop the carnage on the ground and from the air, to try to provide some way to take stock of what's happening, to try to stem the flow of refugees," Clinton told NBC affiliate WHDH in Boston. It is worth mentioning that NATO's airstrikes that bombed Libya into chaos were preceded by the implementation of a strikingly similar no-fly zone in the region. Furthermore, in late September 2015 Hillary Clinton told NBC News that she regarded defeating Daesh and toppling Bashar al-Assad as equally top priorities. Moscow's involvement in Syrian affairs has seriously upset the applecart of military intervention proponents in the US political establishment. Still, there are clear signs that they are not going to give up: a recent diplomatic memo by 51 State Department Diplomat calls upon Barack Obama to launch an all-out military campaign in Syria against Bashar al-Assad and the Syrian Arab Army. "It is true that Barack Obama has kind of been a barrier to some of the more aggressive policies that have been emanating from both the State Department and the Pentagon Certainly, if Hillary Clinton is elected, I imagine many of these war mongering State Department officials are appointees or friends of Hillary Clinton, people who agree with her approach," Karen Kwiatkowsky, retired US Air Force officer, told RT, commenting on the memo. MOSCOW (Sputnik) A NATO summit due to be held at the National Stadium in Warsaw is scheduled for July 8-9. "The alliance must seek to avoid escalating tensions and drifting toward a new confrontation with Russia when taking steps at the Warsaw summit to strengthen NATOs deterrence and defense posture and reassure allies," the NTI said in a report. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Ackermann noted that the United States can "breathe" because the outlook for Europe rolling over the anti-Russian sanctions "looks good." "We do this [rollover anti-Russian sanctions] every six months and it creates some nervousness in the United States," Ackermann stated at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "Dont be too nervous, because you should not forget that Minsk is our process the United States is not sitting at the table." Both the United States and European Union have agreed that the successful implementation of the Ukrainian peace agreements the Minsk accords is the precondition for lifting sanctions against Russia. A sudden change in the Chinese stand is likely to pave the way for Indias membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group. The door is open for the admission of the non-NPT members. It is never closed. It is open. But the members of the NSG should stay focused on whether the criteria should be changed and whether non-NPT members should be admitted into the NSG, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Tuesday. Hua Chunying also said that India was not being specifically targeted. We did not target any country, India or Pakistan. "Israels prime minister wants to stand against any peace process in this issue. Therefore, we dont have any kind of feeling that there will be approaching to this peace process," Nofal said. The Arab Peace Initiative, also known as the Saudi Initiative, is a 10-sentence proposal for an end to the ArabIsraeli conflict that was endorsed by the Arab League in 2002. The initiative offers Israel normalization of relations with the Arab world in return for withdrawal from land occupied in 1967, the recognition of a Palestinian state with its capital in East Jerusalem and a fair solution to the issue of Palestinian refugees. "The next round [of Syrian talks] which as you know I have postponed until I have a formal reassurance that at least two co-chairs [of ISSG, Russia and the United States] may have a common ground on which we can start working. Two co-chairs will be able to actually prepare the ground for the cessation of hostilities which will then be regionally accepted by everyone including the government of Syria and opposition forces," de Mistura said. The latest round of intra-Syrian talks took place in Geneva on April 13-27. The Moscow-Cairo group, particularly its Moscow platform led by Qadri Jamil, proposed the idea of appointing several deputies for Syrian President Bashar Assad, and delegating his full powers to them. "During the conversation, the sides exchanged views on the current situation in Iraq, with a focus on the ongoing armed forces'. operation to free Fallujah and other Iraqi cities and towns from the militants of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant [formal name of Daesh] terrorist group," the ministry said. The Iraqi Army and Shiite militias, backed by US airstrikes, launched the offensive to retake Fallujah on May 22. From a sweltering Los Angeles, on the first official day of Summer, I speak to some of the many claims and allegations that this year's Democratic primary was "stolen" either by Hillary Clinton, the DNC, or anybody else. Just a few thoughts on all of this from someone who has investigated and covered issues of Election Integrity and fraud and voter suppression and non-overseeable computer voting systems and tabulators, often in excruciating detail, for more than a decade at The BRAD BLOG, on The BradCast, and anywhere else that would have me. As part of today's epic rant on all of this, I also offer some advice to those who believe California was "stolen", and how state law allows them to actually try and find outif they really want to. Also today, the Sanders campaign says supporters are answering his call from last week for fresh candidates to step up and run for office with progressive platforms at the local, state and federal level. Meanwhile, the NRA-funded Republicans continue to obstruct any meaningful legislative action to try and help prevent gun violence following last week's massacre in Orlando, as the U.S. Senate blocks attempts to bar suspected terrorists from buying weapons of mass destruction at local gun shops, gun shows and online. All of that is playing out, as Donald Trump, the GOP's presumptive nominee for President, offers a particularly egregious lie in hopes of backpedaling from his repeated statements last week that he would have liked to have seen club patrons with many more guns in that dark, crowded LGBT nightclub in Orlando. It's a position that even the terrorist-enabling NRA no longer seems to fully agree with. VOSTOCHNY COSMODROME (Sputnik) The first stage of the construction of the Vostochny Cosmodrome must be completed by October 31, 2016, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said Tuesday. "I decided to demand that Spetsstroy fully mobilizes its forces so that all unfinished objects are finished by October 31," Rogozin said, adding that he was referring to the first construction stage. The deputy prime minister noted that an independent expertise would be carried out to assess the objects' readiness. MOSCOW (Sputnik) De Margerie and three crew members died on the night of October 20, 2014, when his business jet crashed at Moscows Vnukovo International Airport. "Deputy Prosecutor General of Russia Viktor Grin confirmed the accusation of guilt in the criminal case opened on the basis of evidence of a crime under Art. 263 part 3 of the Russian Criminal Code (violation of traffic security and air vehicle operation rules) upon the crash of a plane en route from Moscow to Paris at Vnukovo airport," the statement reads. The prosecutor's office brought charges against snowplow driver Vladimir Martynenko, whose vehicle hit against the plane during takeoff provoking the crash, as well as senior shift engineer Vladimir Ledenev and air traffic controllers Roman Dunaev, Aleksander Kruglov and Nadezhda Arkhipova. . If you do not agree with the blocking, please use the Access to the chat has been blocked for violating the rules . You will be able to participate again through:. If you do not agree with the blocking, please use the feedback form The discussion is closed. You can participate in the discussion within 24 hours after the publication of the article. Answering a question about the most amazing thing about Russian people, Tony Watkins said that it was their overall spirit. If you take the whole history of Russia and all of the good, the bad and the ugly things that have happened whether politically, socially, whatever, yet people just seem to get on with the stuff, get on with their lives. There's some sort of hardness in a positive way, like resilience. Like, "there's a problem but thats okay, let's just get on with our lives". He said he was also impressed by the Russian women who appeared to him to be by far the stronger sex when it comes to work. Russian women are very strong painting the streets, cleaning the streets, doing constructions, all sorts of jobs. You'll never see this in the West, ever. And they are women, that's a nice thing: one minute they can be painting the wall, next minute you'll see them going out to a restaurant, cafe looking their very best. When he first came to Russia 20 years ago he thought that Russian women were like weightlifters, big and powerful. In fact, he found them to be very beautiful, both outside and inside. For me it's a real big difference. When you're a guy <> its just nice to walk around and see nice girls, nice people, but nice not just pretty, nice characters as well. For me, its a key thing. We just need more people to be nice to each other and everything will be a little bit different, Tony said in conclusion. Shortly after he came to Russia in 1996, Tony Watkins formed the group Smokebreakers. The band has played in 50 cities across Russia and also toured in Germany, Ireland, Denmark, Spain, the Baltic countries and the former Soviet republics. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Putin held talks with Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Hyperloop One Shervin Pishevar within the framework of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) 2016 on June 16-18. "He [Pishevar] spoke out separately during the meeting with investors. He spoke about the project President [Putin] expressed support and promised its backing," Peskov told RIA Novosti. Peskov said that the issue was not about financial support since the project was an investment one. If NATO doesnt believe Russia to be a threat, then why are rotational deployments necessary? As Jason Ditz points out writing for AntiWar.com, Pavels comments are starkly at odds with his peers in the alliance. "Thats the exact opposite of what most US commanders have suggested, but Gen. Pavel insisted that the deployments in the Baltics were a 'political' question and not a military one, and that no further escalation should be considered," Ditz writes. Political pressure may be one explanation, but another could be financial. More troops mean more money, and Stoltenberg has put pressure on member states to put more money into defense. "At the initial stage, the Moon base will be manned by no more than 2-4 people, with their number later rising to 10-12 people," Olga Zharova, of the TsNIIMash machine-building institute, was quoted by the Izvestia newspaper on Tuesday. The location for the outpost has not been chosen yet. The Moons south pole is generally perceived as the optimal choice. The colonization of the Moon will start with identifying a perfect spot where manned and cargo spaceships could land safely, the spokeswoman said. BEIJING (Sputnik) Moscow and Beijing are considering RD-180 rocket engines deliveries to China as part of broader cooperation in the field of aerospace, Russian Ambassador to China Andrei Denisov said Tuesday. "The possible delivery of RD-180 rocket engines is being considered by us and our Chinese partners as a constituent part of broader cooperation, for example, in the field of design of heavy rockets, cooperation in the filed of space stations, distant space missions," he told journalists. Any program can be loaded into the device. The tablet can become an advertising platform, can be used for shopping at an online store or even become a trading kiosk, Ivan Alekhin said. He further noted that 98% of the components are produced in Russia, with a vast majority of buyers being foreign companies. Currently, more than five thousand units have been exported to other countries. For example, in Dubai BigPad is already in shopping centers. In Austria, BigPad is being used to sell bitcoins and in Colombia it is planned to install them on the subway for public use. Packaged Milk Straight From Farm The innovative technology allows 30Sec Milk to pasteurize and package the milk 30 seconds after milking cows. There is no need to wait until the milk from the farm goes through several stages of processing. The technology works as follows: vacuum pumps milk the cow, it then passes through a filter and the milk is pasteurized for 10 seconds at a temperature of 75 C. Right after that it is cooled to 3-5 C and then poured into packets. On each package the buyer will be able to find a QR-Code. By scanning it on a smartphone, the buyer can see photo of the cow, its age, breed and feeding method. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Vice-Chancellors of 96 major UK universities in an open letter published on Tuesday warned about negative impact of the so-called Brexit on London's global positions in education, science and innovation. "EU membership supports British universities to attract the brightest and best minds from across Europe, enhancing university research and teaching and contributing to economic growth. Voluntarily cutting ourselves out of the worlds largest economic bloc would undermine our position as a global leader in science and innovation, impoverish our campuses and limit opportunities for British people," the letter sent to the Independent newspaper said. The letter added that both UK universities and students would be "stronger in Europe." KOLYMBARI (CRETE) (Sputnik) According to Father Alexandros, the US funds have come from non-state sources only, and the US government was involved neither in organizing nor in financing the Council. "It is 2.5 million euros. All these are funds from donors, mostly from Greeks living in the United States and Greeks in Greece itself. Donors from the US have provided 1.5 million euros, from Greece one million," Reverend Father Alexandros Karloutsos, the assistant to the archbishop for public affairs, told RIA Novosti. A significant part of budget has been allocated to communications, transport and security measures. Father Alexandros noted that the Greek government had provided the Council with police forces to maintain order, as well as with vehicles and infrastructure. "Ive decided that since were in the middle of an election year, that I would do my graduation speech in the style of some of the 2016 presidential candidates," Jacks speech begins. He then launches into his Trump impersonation, complete with excessive hand gestures. "Were learning languages from Spain, from France, from Germany and China," he said. "You know, people say I dont like China, I love China. I mean, I love China. I mean, I have so many terrific friends in China. But I took Spanish and let me just tell you, by the way, that it was fantastic. Muy fantastico." The teens parents told the station that he has had an interest in politics for years, but began doing impersonations as a small child. "If you were to ask him what he really wants to do, he really truly does want to be president someday. He feels a great desire to be a leader," said his father, John Aiello. "A politician or a comedian, which the lines do sometimes blur." During the primaries, his parents took him to Iowa for the caucuses, where he met Bernie Sanders, Marco Rubio, Rand Paul, and Carly Fiorina. "As far as schools go, TMS is in the top one half of one half of one percent of schools in the entire country," he said as Bernie Sanders, receiving a standing ovation. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The contract will also cover counter proliferation systems engineering support, systems analysis, strategic project support, telecommunications analysis and technical support, the Defense Department noted. "Zero Point [of] Virginia Beach, Virginia, has been awarded a five-year contract [worth] $49 million to include training for radio-controlled improvised explosive devices, electronic countermeasures [and] explosive ordinance disposal," the announcement stated on Monday. The primary place of performance will be the Aberdeen Training Facility in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, but services will be provided worldwide, with an estimated completion date of June 27, 2022, the announcement added. NAVAIR technicians in Jacksonville, Florida used this technology in June of 2014 to repair a harrier that had damaged its nose cone while landing on the USS Bataan. Each of the three aircraft platforms will have two metal parts printed, according to Navy Aviation Enterprise Marcia Hart. The CH-53K will have its titanium clevis latch and lug latch printed, while the MV-22 Osprey will have its titanium engine nacelle link and stainless steel lever for the fire extinguishing system available for print. H-1 helicopters will have the same option for their stainless steel upper uni-ball suppressor support and engine mount apex fitting. "As we develop our standards and understand how to ensure quality using [additive manufacturing] processes, we want to work with industry to enable them to make these parts," Hart said. "We need to develop a broad industry base that understands how to make [the parts] safely." She also said that parts for the CH-53E Super Stallions and AV-8B Harriers will be printed in a second set of demonstrations. An online brochure for the Navy Seals describes the virtues of 3D printing. "The review would show, based on competent scientific review, that the current missile defense systems (that is, the Navy Aegis system, the ground-based missile defense system, and the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system (THAAD) will be incapable of dealing with the most simple decoys." This finding is based in the fundamental physics of infrared phenomena that show improvements in sensors can never change the outcome of the conclusions, Postol pointed out. "This means that the United States is simply wasting its money on these systems." If the next US administration commits itself to using fundamental science to determine whether or not taxpayer monies are properly being spent, the result will be the cancellation of these systems that are creating fundamental problems between the United States, Russia, and China, Postol added. "The bottom line is that these systems give us the worst of both worlds. They provide us with no reliable defense capabilities, and they are antagonizing and creating fear in Russia and China that is counterproductive and is ending all efforts at future arms reductions." Postol recalled that that successive US administrations were investing scores of billions of dollars in missile defense systems that had no capabilities, but inspire fear. "The pursuit of these systems by the United States raises questions in the minds of potential adversaries about what the United States leadership believes it can do. Does it believe that it can attack Russia or China and use these missile defenses to defend against a ragged retaliation?" Continued enormous US investment in systems that could not work was bound to make other nations fear that eventually they might have some level of effectiveness, Postol noted. "Contrary to popular belief, the pursuit of these missile-defense systems is much more than a waste of money. It is quickly foreclosing any future reductions in nuclear weapons, which are the greatest danger to the United States and the rest of the countries in the world." The next US president should determine whether or not these systems can be expected to provide any reasonable defensive capability and scrap them if they do not, Postol concluded. The Spectrum newspaper reported Monday that firefighting activities had been thwarted, because people used unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) at the attitudes that are used by firefighting aircraft for a third day in a row. The newspaper added that local sheriff's office sent out an alert calling on local residents not to fly the UAVs in the area of the wildfire, adding that use of drones could result in misdemeanor charges. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The attacker, US national Omar Mateen, paid a fee to obtain a wristband for the night club entrance, CNN reported citing law enforcement officials. The US authorities believe Mateen entered the venue to assess the security situation at the club, according to the news outlet. In addition, the day before the attack the gunman bought three plane tickets for himself and his family to fly to San Francisco in July, according to media reports. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) On June 12, 29-year old US national Omar Mateen attacked the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, killing 49 people and wounding 53 others. Mateen pledged allegiance to the Islamic State terror group, which is outlawed in the United States, Russia and numerous other countries. "This was clearly an act of terror and an act of hate," Lynch stated when asked by reporters about Mateens motivations. Radio Sputniks Loud and Clear speaks with author and cartoonist Ted Rall, and Robert McCaw of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, about the feasibility of such a program and whether profiling already exists in the US. "If you look at the Department of Justices guidelines on racial and religious profiling it generally prohibits profiling, but makes exceptions in cases of national security." said McCaw, explaining that federal guidelines also allow for the ethnic and racial mapping of neighborhoods, along with the infiltration of mosques by using informants and agents provocateurs, "That seek to solicit and trap Muslim youth into fabricated and scripted acts of terrorism." As intrusive as these guidelines are, McCaw said they at least have restrictions, and he fears such restrictions would totally disappear under a Trump administration. He said, "Id hate to see what that looks like." Rall feels that Trumps anti-intellectual sentiment will contribute to an undemocratic environment. "I think he represents a clear threat of authoritarianism, that goes beyond what weve already seen in the post 9/11 era," he said. "He [Trump] plays very fast and loose with facts, and even faster and looser with his willingness to deploy tactics that, aside from the fact that they have very little utility, in terms of preventing or reducing or mitigating the risk of terrorism, are obviously completely anti-American and counter to what most people consider to be emblematic of a free or democratic society." BEIJING (Sputnik) Denisov added that intellectual property rights protection was the focus area of cooperation in space technologies for Russia. "I can't but underline that this cooperation is of exclusively peaceful, civil nature, and in the long run it is profitable for the whole mankind rather than solely for the participating countries, as any space research and development program is," Denisov told journalists. On Monday, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said that Moscow and Beijing would sign a deal on the protection of intellectual property in the field of rocket technologies during Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to China scheduled for June 25. The pilot's dental problems began in Liberia, where he claims he was tortured by Liberia security services that abducted him before handing him over to US authorities. Yaroshenko also said a US doctor recently confirmed to him that the medical operation carried out in January was botched and corrective surgery was necessary. Yaroshenko was operated on in a Trenton, New Jersey, hospital after first complaining of health problems in 2014, three years after he was sent to the Fort Dix Prison for alleged drug trafficking. "Recently, for the first time since my operation, I was inspected by a surgeon from the same hospital where I had my operation. The doctor confirmed my complaint that the operation was carried out with low quality and required an additional surgery to correct the previous surgery," Yaroshenko told Sputnik on Monday. The US authorities detained Yaroshenko in Liberia in 2010 after conducting a sting operation across West Africa, and transferred the Russian pilot to the United States where he was sentenced to 20 years in prison on charges of smuggling cocaine. Yaroshenko said the court ignored much evidence proving that US prosecutors and drug enforcement authorities had fabricated the case against him. Things are not going well for Daesh in Iraq and Syria. The group has recently lost the city of Fallujah. This victory will pave the way for more military operations against the militants, Iraqi Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmad Jamal told the publication. These campaigns "will primarily be aimed at freeing Mosul, the largest Iraqi city under Daesh control. The army has already carried out several operations in the north of Saladin Governorate. For instance, the [security forces] have pushed the terrorists out of the city of al-Shirqat and adjacent areas," he detailed. The Saladin (or Salaheddin) province borders on Nineveh Governorate, whose capital is Mosul. MOSCOW (Sputnik) On June 12, US national Omar Mateen, 29, opened fire in the Pulse nightclub, killing 49 people and injuring more than 50 others. The suspect was killed by law enforcement during the siege. The Latvian man wrote online that he did not regret that the tragedy had taken place and he wished other homosexuals and lesbians would suffer the same fate. He praised the gunman and said that putting terrorists on trial was perhaps a mistake, Baltnews reported, citing Latvian police. According to the media outlet, inspectors are now assessing the man's comments on social media regarding the shooting and will take a decision on further steps after they have completed their analysis. GENEVA (Sputnik) The diplomat cited last May's events as example, when al-Nusra Front terrorists in Syria's village of Zara had killed dozens of civilians. "We urge experts to prepare a separate report on crimes of jihadists from the Nusra Front, taking in consideration the fact that there are plenty of evidence of atrocities committed by representatives of this group," the mission's senior human rights adviser, Alexei Goltyaev, said at the 32nd regular session of the Human Rights Council. Al-Nusra Front activity also poses a threat to the Russia-US-brokered ceasefire regime in Syria effective since February 27, Goltyaev added. "We keep an eye on these things," Ted Joynt, the superintendent of facilities for Smiths Falls told the CBC. "We consistently monitor for about the last year. [It's] nothing to be concerned about, nothing more than what happens at other industries. When asked if a large amount of bodies being processed in this way would present a problem however, Joynt admitted that he was unsure. There have been two spikes in abnormalities since the process began, but Joynt could not conclusively determine that the funeral home was at fault. "It could be a problem. We haven't experienced that yet. I don't know how many bodies they'd have to do in a day for that to be a problem," he said. "The liquid mixes with all the other wastewater from the Galipeau Centre, so it tends to dilute it down quite a bit before it gets into our pipes." As unsettling as the process may sound to some, Hilton maintains that it is the way of the future, as it is 100% green. "Flame-based [cremation] is not environmentally friendly, but up until this point, that's the only thing we've had. Now, I think people are looking at it a different way, Hilton said. "You're entering yourself back to your natural state as you come into this world. You come in by water, and you leave by water," Hilton said. "It's green, all the way around." Standardbred Canada, the Canadian harness racing industry leader, announced today that Dan Gall has been named the associations President and Chief Executive Officer. Gall joins Standardbred Canada with more than 15 years leadership experience in the gaming industry. Since 2000, he has served OLG Slots in general management roles in seven different locations, including Western Fair District, Woodbine, Kawartha Downs, Hiawatha, and Clinton. As General Manager, he has responsibility for implementing and successfully managing the annual strategic plan, broad-based operational and fiscal management responsibility which includes support for the horse racing industry through racing events, marketing and industry relations. Im very happy to welcome Dan Gall as Standardbred Canadas President & CEO, said Chair of the Board, Joanne Colville. Dan certainly understands the horse racing industry, having worked side-by-side with us for the last 15 years at OLG Slots. Dan has extensive general management experience, and in particular is an excellent leader who will build a strong team in the workplace while forging positive relations with all of Standardbred Canadas members and industry partners. Gall, who resides in Bayfield, Ontario will join Standardbred Canada in mid-July. He is looking forward to the position and understands the task at hand. I have spent most of my career working in the same venue at many of Ontarios racetracks, said Gall. "I witnessed the changes in the industry and understand the importance of Standardbred Canadas role. I recognize the challenges facing the industry and Im confident that Standardbred Canada will continue to have a positive influence on the industry for many years to come. In March, Standardbred Canadas Board of Directors retained Mandrake Management Consultants to search for the associations President & CEO. The search was national in scope, screening more than 30 individuals with horse racing, breeding and gaming experience. A Selection Committee made up from the Board of Directors met with a recommended short list of six individuals who in turn went through multiple interviews, assessments, background and reference checks prior to meeting with and being appointed by Standardbred Canadas Board of Directors. Horse Racing New Brunswick has issued an update in regard to the water situation at Fredericton Raceway. Horse Racing New Brunswick initially issued a release this morning (Tuesday, June 21) which stating that Fredericton Exhibition Limited had refused to turn the water on for barn, track, and horse safety, and that the scheduled July 1 program at Fredericton Raceway is now at risk. Roberta Nixon, HRNBs executive director, had said that FEL is prohibiting HRNB from properly maintaining the track and from meeting federal regulations that will affect race days. Nixon issued a follow-up announcement in the afternoon which stated that Fredericton Exhibition Limited then turned the water on roughly an hour and a half after HRNB sent out its original release regarding the matter. The FEL and HRNB have been in an ongoing dispute this year that has included everything from a lockout to court injunctions. To conclude the HRNB release on the issue the contents of which appear below Nixon said, Fredericton Exhibition Limiteds refusal to turn the water on does beg the question of whether they want horse racing to continue in Fredericton or come to an end after 150 years? Fredericton Exhibition Limited Refuses To Turn Water On For Barn And Track, Horse Safety And July 1st At Risk This is about horse safety and well-being. It is also putting our July 1st race day at risk. Fredericton Exhibition Limited (FEL) has publicly complained about the reduced number of race dates at Fredericton Raceway this year, now they are prohibiting HRNB from properly maintaining the track and from meeting federal regulations that will affect race days, stated Horse Racing New Brunswick Executive Director Roberta Nixon. HRNB pays the water bills for both the parcel of land they lease from Fredericton Exhibition Limited as well as for water FEL uses for events they hold in their Cattle Barn. They also pay for the plumber that does the work. Nixon explained, This gentlemens agreement has been in place for many years and is not written into the lease between HRNB and FEL. The water valves for most of the barns and water truck are on Fredericton Exhibition property. Racetracks require ongoing maintenance to keep the surface safe for the horses running on it. One of the most important tasks is applying water. This is done by means of a water truck that sprays the track surface. Normally we water the track surface daily unless Mother Nature helps us with some rain. On race days it must be watered a number of times, explained Charlie Miles, president of the Fredericton Horsemen Association. Also affected will be race days. July 1st is traditionally a busy day of horse racing. Federal regulations require racehorses be tested for performance enhancement. This is done under the strict watch of the CPMA in a test barn that is exclusively for this purpose. Ms. Nixon explained, The test barn must be properly cleaned and disinfected at the start of the racing season. That requires water. On race days the forensics specialists doing the horse testing require water as well. If we cannot meet those federal regulations, the CPMA will not allow us to hold any races at Fredericton Raceway. HRNB recently asked Fredericton Exhibition to turn the water on from winter shut-off. Mike Vokey, executive director of FEL, told HRNB via email a fee of $1,000 must be paid in advance to pay for the water. We already pay for the water and for the plumber, not to mention the $72,000 we pay in property tax and into FELs Capital Fund. Where does it end? said Nixon. Ms. Nixon continued, Fredericton Exhibition Limiteds refusal to turn the water on does beg the question of whether they want horse racing to continue in Fredericton or come to an end after 150 years? The Board of Horse Racing Alberta (HRA) has made its decision on the applicants invited to move forward into the Request For Proposal phase for the construction and operation of a horse racing facility in the Edmonton area. "After reviewing the external committee's in-depth review and recommendations of the seven Expressions Of Interests to construct, own and operate a horse racing facility in or near the Edmonton area, the Board of Horse Racing Alberta has invited seven applicants to move forward into the Request For Proposal phase," stated a HRA release issued Monday. The deadline for Request For Proposal submissions will be Monday, August 8, 2016. The initial call posted at the end of April received seven Expressions of Interest, prompted by the announcement in February that Northlands would not be hosting live horse racing past 2016. Status of Copts in Egypt Remains Precarious Despite Positive Rhetoric of Egyptian Government Contact: Lindsay Vessey, Coptic Solidarity , 801-512-1713, coptadvocacy@copticsolidarity.org WASHINGTON, June 21, 2016 / Standard Newswire / -- Coptic Solidarity's 7th Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. entitled The Future of Egypt's Religious Minorities: Status of Copts after Two Revolutions affirmed the pressing need to protect the rights of the largest Christian minority in the Middle East, and the rights of aggrieved minority communities in the region as a whole.Coptic Solidarity was honored to host Members of Congress Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA), Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ), Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA), Rep. Dave Trott (R-MI), Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) and Rep. Fortenberry (R-NE), USCIRF Commissioner Dr. Daniel I. Mark, U.S. State Department Special Advisor for Religious Minorities in the Near East and South/Central Asia Mr. Knox Thames, Co-Secretary General of the Transatlantic Parliamentary Group on Counter Terrorism Dr. Walid Phares, President of the St. Cyril of Alexandria Orthodox Christian Society Holy Transfiguration College Fr. Michael Sorial, Senior Fellow of Hudson Institute Nina Shea, Co-Director for Policy and Research, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Dwight Bashir, Esther K. Wagner Fellow, Washington Institute Dr. Eric Trager, Visiting Fellow, Brookings Institute Dr. Sarah Yerkes and many more excellent speakers. Leading Egyptian entrepreneur and progressive voice Naguib Sawiris provided a pointed and candid keynote speech at the Annual Banquet Dinner.The Conference highlighted the range of institutionalized, long-standing discriminatory practices targeting Copts, as well the shocking lynching of an elderly Christian woman, Soad Thabet, that laid bare the depth to which regressive Islamism has penetrated into Egyptian society, under the complacent eyes of the authorities. While recognizing positive rhetoric and symbolic acts by Egyptian authorities toward the Coptic community and against the worst forms of Islamism, openly-discriminatory rules, such as the "anti-blasphemy" law, restrictions on church building and designation of religion on state identification cards, as well as the de facto exclusion of Copts from senior state positions, the use of informal reconciliation sessions to circumvent the application of law in acts of sectarian violence against Copts, the conflation of the state with Islam and a culture that educates and encourages treatment of Copts as outsiders in their own land, continue to firmly designate Egypt's Christians as second class citizens. The situation with Christian and other minority communities in much of the region is even more alarming, so much so that the United States and other countries rightly have formally designated what has been occurring as acts of genocide.Coptic Solidarity announced its new initiative, Maspero Remembrance Day, marking the upcoming fifth anniversary of the murder of 28 peaceful protestors on October 9, 2011. More details and resources will be released shortly to assist with communities wishing to join in these commemorative efforts. Coptic Solidarity affirms the critical need for justice to be served in Maspero, to ensure all citizens have equal protection under the law and that the law is applied equally and fairly to all citizens regardless of their creed.Following the Conference, Coptic Solidarity President, Alex Shalaby, announced his resignation at the organization's General Assembly. Mr. Shalaby will continue to serve on the board of Coptic Solidarity. Coptic Solidarity Vice President, Dr. George Gurguis, was unanimously elected to finish Mr. Shalaby's term as President. Dr. Gurguis is a staff psychiatrist at Dallas VA Medical Center and Associate Professor of Psychiatry at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.Coptic Solidarity is an organization seeking to help minorities, particularly the Copts, of Egypt and we support those in Egypt working for democracy, freedom, and the protection of the fundamental rights of all Egyptian citizens. For more information, contact Lindsay Vessey at 801-512-1713 or coptadvocacy@copticsolidarity.org Supreme Court Decision on Abortion Could Increase the Danger of Abortion to Texas Women SAN ANTONIO, Texas, June 20, 2016 / Standard Newswire / -- Over 200 Texas women are already hospitalized annually in Texas as a result of abortion under current procedures. Over 500 Texas women a year already have to be taken by ambulance from the abortion clinic to hospitals and emergency rooms. Based on the abortionists' own expert witnesses, 210 Texas women per year must be hospitalized for abortion. 10 patients per week have to go to an emergency room after an abortion, see Texas Brief on the merits, p. 35. This shows that serious abortion injuries are common enough to require ER and hospital admitting privileges and serious safety regulations. If the Texas law requiring ambulatory surgical centers and hospital admitting privileges is struck down, these numbers could increase dramatically. These injuries include punctured uteruses, punctured colons, punctured bowels, hemorrhaging, severe bleeding, septic shock and other life threatening injuries. The abortion industry wants the Supreme Court to ignore these life-threatening injuries. 3,348 Women Injured by Abortion represented by The Justice Foundation were hurt by the unsafe medical practices, misrepresentations and deception of the abortion industry. Many of them suffered physical injuries as mentioned above. Many more suffered serious psychological injuries as a result of their abortions. All have asked the Court to uphold Texas' law which allows abortion regulation with an emphasis on women's safety. The Brief documents extensive injuries to women. The women's Amicus Curiae Brief also shows that Texas doctors can still legally perform far more abortions in Texas than were performed in recent years. The 2,549 Texas members of ACOG (American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) alone could each do 50 abortions per year, even if the Texas law is upheld, for a total of 127,450 abortions. Even under the Texas law, any doctor can still perform up to 50 abortions per year. On the other hand, Texas Health Department statistics, in 2014, the last year for which statistics are available, show only 63,849 abortions were performed in Texas. Allan Parker, President of The Justice Foundation and Counsel of Record, stated, "The argument that women won't have access to abortions in Texas if safety laws are upheld is another exaggeration, a misleading deception by the abortionists. The thousands of women that I represent have been seriously and grievously injured by the abortion industry." Women who have experienced abortion say: Cindy Collins says, "The Supreme Court must listen to the massive pain and large numbers of women hurt by abortion." Myra Myers says, "As a married woman, I know that nothing wounds you like being responsible for the death of your own child, whether married or not." Nona Ellington says, "It ruined any chance of giving birth. As a result, I had 5 miscarriages, 3 of them tubal pregnancies, requiring emergency surgery and were very near death experiences. I have suffered from several bouts of depression and attempted suicide, selfmutilation and an 18 year-long abusive marriage as an aftermath of the abortion." It's Election season and our editor's mailbox is overflowing. Who do your neighbors support? Read about it here. Students In Need is off to a promising start. The Daily News five-week drive to raise money to assist students at Lower Columbia College has already tallied $7,500. Most of that is from a $5,000 donation from Lee Enterprises, owner of The Daily News, but weve received many inquiries and a few checks already since the drive started Sunday. The newspaper will donate every penny it raises to the LCC Foundation, which will use it for its Student Success Fund. The fund makes grants to students to help pay personal expenses to help them stay in school. Donating is simple. Fill out the accompaning coupon and mail a check to the newspaper or go to TDN.com and click on the Students in Need Logo. The coupon will appear in the paper daily until the drive ends. A report on the first donations will appear in Wednesdays edition. Its been 30 years since Rusty Preston opened her first resale shop, a 600-square-foot store in downtown Portland. Preston, now 68, said she was a single mother who was lucky to have no choice but to succeed. Within four years, Preston said she had a handful of stores scattered throughout the metro area. A feature article in Northwest Business magazine propelled her into the spotlight. She began consulting across the Northwest, making a name for herself by turning struggling thrift stores into viable business enterprises. Im famous for doing it in 90 days. If I didnt succeed, I didnt get paid. I always got paid, Preston said, raising her eyebrows for emphasis. She took at break in 2012, when she sold her business (Rustys Resale) to her daughter Amy Tippitt, who relocated the business from Milwaukee, Ore., to Castle Rock. Now Preston has come out of retirement to help Tippitt move the business to West Kelso and rebrand the venture as 8 to 28 Womens Clothing Exchange. The shop offers affordable clothing for plus-sized women in a comfortable environment. We dont consider ourselves a thrift store, Preston said, while weaving between racks of blazers and blouses. She estimates that at any given time 60 to 80 percent of the stores products are new, purchased from wholesalers and liquidators. The rest is bought from customers who trade or sell for cash or store credit. The clothing has to have been purchased in the last three years and must be clean, pressed and on hangers for the store to even consider buying it. The goal is to offer designer and name brand clothing at Target and Walmart prices, Tippitt said. The 4,000-square-foot shop is a big jump from the 1,700-square-foot space where Rustys Resale was in Castle Rock. The people (in Castle Rock) were wonderful. Its just that we didnt get enough traffic, said Tippitt, 45. Although Preston is now formally the owner of 8 to 28 Womens Exchange, eventually Tippitt hopes take over ownership again. It took more than $50,000 to remodel the 1970s-era building, which had been vacant for about two years. A vault inside the shop is a remnant of the buildings original purpose as a savings and loan center. Cement walls couldnt be knocked out, but contractors relandscaped, repainted walls and added new lighting and equipment. And thanks to a spacious layout, customers can peruse dresses, bras, shoes and accessories with relative ease instead of feeling cramped in a small shop, Preston said. Preston hatched the idea for a plus-size resale shop when she was job hunting in the 1980s and thought there were few affordable options for curvier women on a budget. She and Tippitt hope to build a welcoming space where plus-size women dont have to feel self-conscious. These people are not treated the same in other stores, Preston said. This is a second home for them. Longview Fire Department Battalion Chief Troy Buzalsky told a swarm of bees to buzz off Monday. Buzalsky responded Monday afternoon to a call from an elderly couple with a bee problem. A swarm of honeybees had nested in their chimney and had started coming into their 25th Avenue home. Buzalsky said the couple had called a beekeeper and pest control agent but, perhaps because of where the nest was located in the three-story chimney, couldnt get the bees out. They were just out of options, Buzalsky said. "We get calls when people run out of resources. So Buzalsky lit a fire in the chimney to push the bees out. Its just one of the many unconventional calls Buzalsky said firefighters receive. Ive had to catch squirrels in peoples homes before. Its not necessarily what we hang our hat on, he said. (But ) who better to start a fire in a chimney? MUMBAI (Reuters) - Gold futures in India edged down on Friday as the rupee rebounded from the record lows hit this week even though demand failed to pick up as prices remained unattractive for buyers. * Higher prices amid a lean season has dampened gold demand in India, one of the world's top consumers. * India's wedding season is drawing to a close and gold demand tends to be weak during the June-September monsoon months. * The most-active gold for June delivery on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) was down 0.16 percent at 28,835 rupees by 7 p.m. * "Gold demand usually comes down during this period as the wedding season is almost ending," said Jayanthi Lal Gowani, a gold dealer from Andhra Pradesh. * The rupee, which plays an important role in determining the landed cost of the dollar-quoted yellow metal, recovered from the record lows hit this week following intervention from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). * Gowani expects gold demand to pick up if prices fall to 28,000-28,200 rupees. * Gold prices rose back above $1,560 an ounce in Europe on Friday, snapping four sessions of losses, as the euro recovered from two-year lows against the dollar, though worries over the outlook for the euro zone kept investors on edge. * In volume terms, gold demand in the first quarter of 2012 fell 29 percent in India, with the sharpest fall coming in the investment demand segment - which tumbled 46 percent. * Gold demand in India is likely to moderate in 2012 as higher inflation trims disposable income at a time prices are stubbornly high on a weak rupee, the head of the World Gold Council in the country told Reuters last week. (Reporting by Meenakshi Sharma; editing by Malini Menon) hidden The Chinese government appears to be abiding by its September pledge to stop supporting the hacking of American trade secrets to help companies there compete, private U.S. security executives and government advisors said on Monday. FireEye Inc, the U.S. network security company best known for fighting sophisticated Chinese hacking, said in a report released late Monday that breaches attributed to China-based groups had plunged by 90 percent in the past two years. The most dramatic drop came during last summer's run-up to the bilateral agreement, it added. FireEye's Mandiant unit in 2013 famously blamed a specific unit of China's Peoples Liberation Army for a major campaign of economic espionage. Kevin Mandia, the Mandiant founder who took over last week as FireEye chief executive, said in an interview that several factors seemed to be behind the shift. He cited embarrassment from Mandiant's 2013 report and the following year's indictment of five PLA officers from the same unit Mandiant uncovered. Prosecutors said the victims included U.S. Steel, Alcoa Inc, and Westinghouse Electric. Mandia also cited the threat just before the agreement that the United States could impose sanctions on Chinese officials and companies. "They all contributed to a positive result," Mandia said. A senior Obama administration official said the government was not yet ready to proclaim that China was fully complying with the agreement but said the new report would factor into its monitoring. "We are still doing an assessment," said the official, speaking on condition he not be named. The official added that a just-concluded second round of talks with China on the finer points of the agreement had gone well. He noted that China had sent senior leaders even after the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security pulled out because of the Orlando shootings. FireEye said that Chinese intrusions into some U.S. firms have continued, with at least two hacked in 2016. But while the hackers installed "back doors" to enable future spying, FireEye said it had seen no evidence that data was stolen. Both hacked companies had government contracts, said FireEye analyst Laura Galante, noting that it was plausible that the intrusions were stepping stones toward gathering information on government or military people or projects, which remain fair game under the September accord. FireEye and other security companies said that as the Chinese government-backed hackers dropped wholesale theft of U.S. intellectual property, they increased spying on political and military targets in other countries and regions, including Russia, the Middle East, Japan and South Korea. Another security firm, CrowdStrike, has observed more Chinese state-supported hackers spying outside of the United States over the past year, company Vice President Adam Meyers said in an interview. Targets include Russian and Ukrainian military targets, Indian political groups and the Mongolian mining industry, Meyers said. FireEye and CrowdStrike said they were confident that the attacks are being carried out either directly by the Chinese government or on its behalf by hired contractors. Since late last year there has been a flurry of new espionage activity against Russian government agencies and technology firms, as well as other targets in India, Japan and South Korea, said Kurt Baumgartner, a researcher with Russian security software maker Kaspersky Lab. He said those groups use tools and infrastructure that depend on Chinese-language characters. One of those groups, known as Mirage or APT 15, appears to have ended a spree of attacks on the U.S. energy sector and is now focusing on government and diplomatic targets in Russia and former Soviet republics, Baumgartner said. Reuters hidden Elliott Management Corp's deal to acquire Dell Inc's software assets shows how the U.S. hedge fund and a prominent activist investor is stepping up its private equity practice, and positioning itself for more takeovers in the tech sector. The more than $2 billion purchase, done with buyout firm Francisco Partners, is an offshoot of Elliott's campaign against storage company EMC Corp, which agreed to be bought by Dell Inc last year for $67 billion. Dell shed the software assets because it deemed them non-core following the deal with EMC. Unlike its previous offers to companies, where Elliott threatened to buy a business it was agitating against, this time, the attempted leveraged buyout was not a target of Elliott. Elliott clinched the Dell software deal through Evergreen Coast Capital, a new tech-focused private equity wing housed inside the $28 billion hedge fund. "The lines between activism and private equity have been blurring for a while now," said Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, senior associate dean at the Yale School of Management, referring to Evergreen. "This is a high profile and poignant demonstration of this." Elliott is now the only major activist hedge fund boasting an in-house private equity team, ready to buy control of companies, streamline them, and sell them later for a premium. Activists, by contrast, mostly purchase minority stakes and push for major changes at a company, including putting it up for sale, often with a shorter time frame than a private equity investor. Starting at least a year ago, Elliott began building up its ability to carry out leveraged buyouts in the technology sector, according to people familiar with the matter. It hired Isaac Kim, previously a principal at private equity firm Golden Gate Capital, who joined in October to spearhead its private equity efforts. The money allocated to Evergreen Coast Capital will come from the firm's overall pile of capital, rather than a separate fund devoted to private equity, people familiar with the matter said. Jesse Cohn, a senior portfolio manager at Elliott who oversees its technology activism business, is also overseeing Evergreen, which is based in Menlo Park, California, the people said. Elliott declined to comment on Evergreen, beyond its reference to the affiliate in Monday's press release. Private equity deal-making is not new for Elliott. The firm has previously offered to buy companies that it has called on to explore a sale. In the cases of business software companies Compuware and Riverbed, Elliott pushed the companies to explore a sale and made its own offer for both, though both ended up being acquired by another buyout firm, Thoma Bravo LLC. Reuters hidden The central banks of Indonesia and South Korea have been hit by cyber attacks on their public websites since activist hacking group Anonymous pledged last month to target banks across the world, senior officials in the two countries told Reuters. In response to the attempted hacks, Bank Indonesia (BI) has blocked 149 regions that don't usually access its website, including several small African countries, Deputy Governor Ronald Waas said in an interview late on Monday. He said several central banks were hit by similar attacks and were sharing the IP addresses used by the perpetrators. Central banks have been on high alert in the wake of revelations that hackers issued fraudulent money transfers to steal $81 million from the Bangladesh central bank in February. No money was lost in the attacks on Bank Indonesia and the Bank of Korea, which were mainly DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attempts, the officials said. There was no word on who the hackers were. Waas said the cyber attacks were unsuccessful because of the cooperation between central banks. "There is regional cooperation between central banks. Those who have gotten hit are sharing their experiences," he said. Anonymous, a loosely associated international network of activists and hackers, originated in 2003. It said in a YouTube video posted in early May that it would launch a 30-day campaign to attack central bank sites in what it dubbed as Operation Icarus. DDoS is its preferred method of attack, disabling websites by flooding them with internet requests, overwhelming the servers temporarily. Sometimes the hackers succeed in gaining access to data, but rarely do they penetrate more critical systems in such attacks. Bank of Korea officials told Reuters there was at least one DDoS attack on the bank's website in May. No harm was done, they said. "In May, we've had so many disturbances," Benny Sadwiko, who is leading Bank Indonesia's cyber security efforts, told Reuters. "They are trying to attack the reputation of the banks. So we're blocking IP addresses from countries that don't usually access us." In just half a day on Monday, Bank Indonesia detected 273 viruses and 67,000 spam emails to its email server and website, officials said. In early May, Greece's central bank said that its website became the target of a cyber attack by Anonymous for a few minutes before the bank's security systems managed to tackle it. The Central Bank of Cyprus has also said its website briefly came under attack in May. Reuters hidden At least a dozen countries are considering or have enacted laws restricting online speech, a trend that is alarming policymakers and others who see the internet as a valuable medium for debate and expression. Such curbs are called out as a threat to the open internet in a report on internet governance set to be released today at an Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development meeting in Cancun, Mexico. The report, reviewed by Reuters, warns of dangers for the global internet, including intrusive surveillance, rising cybercrime and fragmentation as governments exert control of online content. It was prepared by the London-based Chatham House think tank and the Centre for International Governance Innovation, founded by former BlackBerry Ltd co-chief Jim Balsillie. China and Iran long have restricted online speech. Now limitations are under discussion in countries that have had a more open approach to speech, including Brazil, Malaysia, Pakistan, Bolivia, Kenya and Nigeria. Advocates said some of the proposals would criminalize conversations online that otherwise would be protected under the countries' constitutions. Some use broad language to outlaw online postings that "disturb the public order" or "convey false statements" - formulations that could enable crackdowns on political speech, critics said. "Free expression is one of the foundational elements of the internet," said Michael Chertoff, former U.S. secretary of Homeland Security and a co-author of the internet governance report. "It shouldn't be protecting the political interests of the ruling party or something of that sort." Turkey and Thailand also have cracked down on online speech, and a number of developing world countries have unplugged social media sites altogether during elections and other sensitive moments. In the U.S. as well, some have called for restrictions on Internet communications. Speech limitations create business and ethical conflicts for companies like Facebook Inc, Twitter Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google, platforms for debate and political organizing. "This is the next evolution of political suppression," said Richard Forno, assistant director of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County Center for Cybersecurity. "Technology facilitates freedom of expression, and politicians don't like that." "FIGHTING DELINQUENCY" Tanzania and Ethiopia have passed laws restricting online speech. In others, including Pakistan, Brazil, Bolivia and Kenya, proposals are under discussion or under legislative consideration, according to a review of laws by Reuters and reports by Internet activist groups. In Bolivia, President Evo Morales earlier this year said that the country needs to "regulate the social networks." A bill has been drafted and is ready for introduction in the legislature, said Leonardo Loza, head of one of Bolivia's coca growers unions, a supporter of the proposal." It is aimed at educating and disciplining people, particularly young Bolivians, and fighting delinquency on social networks," Loza said. "Freedom of expression can't be lying to the people or insulting citizens and politicians." A bill in Pakistan would allow the government to block internet content to protect the "integrity, security or defense" of the state. The legislation, which has passed a vote in Pakistan's lower house of parliament, is supposed to target terrorism, but critics said the language is broad. It comes after Pakistan blocked YouTube in 2012 when a video it deemed inflammatory sparked protests across the country and much of the Muslim world. Earlier this year, YouTube, which is owned by Google, agreed to launch a local version of its site in the country. But now, the internet report said, the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority can ask the company to remove any material it finds offensive. COMPANIES IN THE CROSSFIRE U.S. internet companies have faced mounting pressure in recent years to restrict content. Companies' terms of service lay out what users can and cannot post, and they said they apply a single standard globally. They aim to comply with local laws, but often confront demands to remove even legal content. The new laws threaten to raise a whole new set of compliance and enforcement issues. "There's a technical question, which is, could you comply if you wanted to, and then the bigger meta question is why would you want to cooperate with this politicized drive to suppress freedom of expression," said Andrew McLaughlin, Google's former director of global policy and now leading content organization at Medium. Facebook, Twitter and Google declined to comment for this story. Reuters hidden Tesla Motors Inc is eyeing Shanghai for its China production base in an investment that could be worth about $9 billion, Bloomberg reported. Tesla has signed a non-binding agreement with Shanghai government-owned Jinqiao Group for the production base, Bloomberg reported on Monday, citing a person familiar with the matter. Jinqiao and Tesla may invest about $4.5 billion each in the partnership, with the Chinese group putting up land for most of its share, Bloomberg reported. Tesla and Jinqiao were not immediately available for comment. Suzhou and Hefei are among the other Chinese cities vying for the project, according to the report. Earlier this year, Tesla Motors Inc hired Volkswagen executive Peter Hochholdinger as its vice president of vehicle production with the aim of improving and increasing production for Tesla's cars. Tesla is looking to ramp up production five-fold in two years to 500,000 vehicles per year, a task many industry observers say appears nearly impossible even with the hiring of key talent. The electric-auto maker's aggressive new production timeframe, announced by its chief executive, Elon Musk, in a first-quarter earnings call, puts intense pressure on suppliers and calls into question the company's ability to accelerate its assembly line. Design of the Model 3, due in late 2017, is not yet complete, adding to the time crunch Reuters Naina Khedekar Tim Cook was in India recently and started his trip with lord Ganeshas blessings to probably elevate the falling sales by setting the ball rolling in India. Looks like, finally, there is some good news for him and Apple fans in India. The government's decision to relax FDI norms includes single-brand retail trading. This means, the Cupertino-based company can now open its stores in India. After norms relaxed (30 percent) in November 2015, Apple had applied for exemption on the ground that it was introducing state-of-the-art and cutting-edge technology to the country. However, the DIPP found that there was nothing to show that Apples technology is cutting edge revealing that Apple may have once again hit a roadblock when it comes to opening its Apple Stores in India. Apple also put forth a presentation to the industrial policy and promotion secretary Ramesh Abhishek where the Cupertino tech giant pressed for the special provision. The same indicating that Apple really fits the case, because there was very little that the company could source from the country that is limited to some chargers that are currently being exported to markets like China. Interestingly, the norms have now been relaxed for products said to come with state-of-the-art and cutting edge technology. The new norm will allow single-brand retail trading and exemption from local sourcing norms for state-of-the-art and cutting edge technology with a waiver for three years, and the option to extend it for five years. This means Apple Stores could be set up just in a matter of time. This will also benefit others such as furniture company IKEA. This also means paving in way to Chinese vendors like Xiaomi and LeEco. https://twitter.com/PMOIndia/status/744825375159689216 We will inform Apple to indicate whether they would like to avail new provisions, Ramesh Abhishek, Secretary of Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion said. Tim Cooks visit, may have been no surprise, and actually a well planned one. It came right after the whole refurbished conundrum. In India, Cook announced a startup incubator in Bengaluru, and a new development centre in Hyderabad and there are also reports about local manufacturing in partnership with Foxconn. All the development will be a push to Modis Make in India initiative, but Cook will want his share of bargain. And, looks like, he has got it. Apple has big money bags, so investing into development, research, manufacturing and so on, wouldnt be a daunting task. While Apple could get its numbers going, the Indian government could actually manage to get a good share of bargain its Make in India initiative. For Apple customers though, this will be a win-win situation. With the major roadblock gone, we may now see some news about Apple stores trickling in. It is already reported that the company is planning for 2000 - 3000 sq feet stores in India. With dipping sales globally and a slowing China market, Apple can no longer ignore the Indian market. The idea of stores is to drive larger audience to experience its premium devices. Though the focus may not be sales yet, it will eventually boil down to introduce its products and eventually convert these into potential buyers. The new norms also come to some other sectors, in all nine sectors, such as 74 percent FDI allowed in pharma sector that will allow foreign investors to invest up to 74 percent in its existing domestic companies without the need for government's approval. The norm will also allow 100 percent FDI in scheduled airlines. In defence sector, foreign companies can own 100 percent equity. You can read the changes coming to other sectors here. So, where do you think Apple will open its first store in India? Pranjal Kshirsagar Think of pharmacy stores and the image that pops up in your head is a shop around the corner, walls lined with packs of medicines. A pharmacy has rarely been linked to being digital, despite it being heavily dependent on logistics, supply chain and even analytics. Healthcare startup CareOnGo hopes to change that. The prime focus of CareOnGo is to allow pharmacies to shift from blind inventory to managed inventory. The company was founded on the ideal of bringing transparency in the pharma supply chain by enabling bulk procurement channel for co-branded pharmacies. "We want to introduce technology in this supply chain which was completely missing till now. Right from procuring the inventory to managing and selling it, CareOnGo provides the end-to-end solution to the micro-pharmacies to work more efficiently and increased business," explains Yogesh Agarwal, co-founder at CareOnGo. The company works with a 21 member team with workforce spread across technology, marketing and business partnerships. Talking about the business model, Agarwal says, "With more than 90 percent of the Pharmacy Retail market operated by micro-entrepreneurs, CareOnGo ushers these stand-alone pharmacies into the digital age by expanding their consumer reach and enabling them with a purchase platform for their inventory. CareOnGo platform links with the inventory system of these pharmacies and using its strong data algorithms, analyses varied trends and purchase patterns providing a highly efficient procurement platform for the micro-pharmacies. Thus, by partnering with a large base of pharmacies, CareOnGo aims to use its technology to become the first e-distributor in this space." The company is currently building a cloud-based ERP and POS solution for co-branded pharmacies, enabling them to track their inventory more efficiently. The company will continue to work on more solutions with an aim to usher in technology to this industry filled with inefficiencies. CareOnGo also uses a conversational bot to connect with their users and facilitate them to order and find medicines in their locality. Speaking about the funding, Agarwal says, "We have raised $300,000 in seed funding and an undisclosed amount in our Pre Series A funding recently by a consortium of investors, which includes Anupam Mittal and Anand Mittal of People Group; Ravi Garikipati, Head of Flipkart's ads business; Vibhu Garg, Co-Founder of Unicommerce; Singapore Angel Network and Konglo Ventures among others. The round also saw participation from US, Singapore and Muscat-based investors." Agarwal adds that the funds will be invested in research and development of their tech offerings, with special focus on analytics products like their recently launched pharmalytics (a combination of the word pharmacy and analytics) platform. CareOnGo also looks to expand its B2B offerings deeper into the pharmacies by providing analytics, advanced POS solutions and aggregating micro-pharmacies in India. CareOnGo currently operates in 8 cities and plans to expand to 15 more by the end of the year. "We are in line to launch 10+ new categories into our consumer-focused app. We plan to solve the problems of the end-consumers by connecting the dots backwards through technology. We are committed to our mission of providing a transparent, trusted, and reliable mobile chain of CareOnGo branded pharmacies," adds Agarwal revealing the company's expansion plans. "Unlike our competitors who are dealing in only online pharmacy space, we are building a technology-based ecosystem, which ensures quality and consistency with a turnaround and delivery time unmatched by any other player in the market today," he adds. Jimmy Veseys rights are on the move. The Nashville Predators announced theyve traded the rights to Vesey to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Minnesotas third-round selection. https://twitter.com/PredsNHL/status/744990784928235520 The college star, whos set to become a free agent before the start of the season, is one of the most coveted free agent college players in a long time. The Predators initially drafted Vesey in 2012, but after the 23-year-old dominated at Harvard University, they couldnt get him to commit to a deal. It didnt appear like he was willing to sign with the Predators, so Nashville did well to get a decently high pick for him. The trade makes sense for the Sabres. Acquiring Vesey, whos got a potentially high ceiling, for a third-round pick is not a bad deal for exclusive negotiating rights with him until August 15th. Veseys agent says hes still going to test the market. Just received from Vesey's agent: "Jimmy's intent at this time has not changed and is prepared to become a free agent on August 15." #Sabres Nick Filipowski (@NICK_WKBW) June 20, 2016 Vesey and Sabres star Jack Eichel are supposedly training buddies and both are represented by the same agent Peter Fish. Buffalo perhaps feels they can relay the existing relationships with Vesey into a new contract. Its a solid gamble. Sure, the move could backfire and we could get to mid-August and Vesey decides to sign somewhere else in free agency, but Buffalo is betting they can entice Vesey before that date hits. If the Sabres can pull off the signing, the third-round pick is a nice price to get such a talented, coveted player. Chuadanga DC gets death threat Unidentified caller demands Tk 10 lakh as extortion Staff Reporter : Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Chuadanga Saima Yunus on Monday got death threat from an unidentified criminal who demanded Tk 10 lakh from her as extortion money. The caller introducing him as Major Ziaur Rahman, a regional leader of East Bengal Communist Party ML, phoned DC and threatened to kill her family members if the extortion money is not paid immediately, police said. "A General Diary has been filed with the Chuadanga Sadar Police Station in this connection. Sub-Inspector Sharif Hossain filed the GD," Additional Police Super Belayet Hossain told The New Nation on Monday evening. According to the GD a person named Major Ziaur Rahman called the DC at 2:49pm and demanded Tk 10 lakh as extortion. The man told the DC that he came from Kolkata after a long time. A good number of his party workers are in jail. Huge money is needed to release them from the jail and he managed Tk 40 lakh. Now he needs Tk 10 lakh only. The DC will have to give the money. Otherwise he threatened to kill all the family members of DC, the GD added. "We've identified that the unknown person has called from Madaripur. We are conducting drive to arrest the culprit," Belayet Hossain said. Journalist Santosh Mandal dies at NY hospital Dhaka, June 21 (UNB)-Senior journalist Santosh Mandal passed away at a hospital in New York early Tuesday. He was 47. A senior member of Crime Reporters Association of Bangladesh, Santosh breathed his last at Kings County Hospital Center in Brooklyn around 2pm (local time). Fakir Selim, a journalist of Voice of America, Washington, confirmed the news, saying Santosh was admitted to the hospital after he complained of chest pain and died there later. He is survived by wife, one son, one daughter and a host of relatives and well-wishers to mourn his death. Santosh embarked on his journalism career with the daily Rupali in 1994. Later he worked with the Bangla daily Sangbad, TV channel Channel i and English newspaper Daily Sun. He was acting editor of online news portal risingbd.com. He was born in Chowgacha upazila of Jessore district in 1969. Brexit race tight as murder upends campaign With all the talk about European workers in the campaign ahead of Britain\'s EU membership referendum on Thursday, many Poles living in the UK are concerned about what the future holds . Britain's referendum on European Union membership could go either way, polls indicated Tuesday, after a day of tearful tributes to slain lawmaker Jo Cox whose brutal murder has overshadowed the campaign. The killing last week sparked accusations of hate-mongering in an already heated battle for votes before the momentous ballot on Thursday that could determine the political and economic fate of Europe. Polls indicated the result will likely be close. An ORB survey for the Daily Telegraph showed the "Remain" on 49 percent, unchanged from a week earlier, while "Leave" was up three points to 47 percent. "All the signs of ORB's latest and final poll point to a referendum that will truly come down to the wire," political strategist Lynton Crosby wrote in the Daily Telegraph. "The referendum outcome is uncertain. I wish Britain the best." A second poll by YouGov for The Times showed "Leave" taking a slim lead of 44 percent support versus 42 percent for "Remain". The surveys were mostly taken after the shock murder of Cox, a pro-EU Labour lawmaker and mother of two, who was shot and stabbed in northern England last week. Her alleged killer, 52-year-old Thomas Mair, gave his name as "Death to traitors, freedom for Britain" in his first court appearance after being charged with her murder. Commentators questioned whether campaign rhetoric had stirred ugly currents, as criticism focused on a poster unveiled by anti-EU campaigner Nigel Farage, showing a queue of migrants and the words "Breaking Point". A senior member of Cameron's ruling Conservatives, former party chair Sayeeda Warsi, said she was withdrawing support for "Leave" because of the poster. Farage said the poster was an accurate depiction of the EU's refugee crisis and accused his rivals of unashamedly using Cox's death to boost their cause. "The 'Remain' camp are using these awful circumstances to try to say that the motives of one deranged, dangerous individual were similar of half the country or perhaps more who believe we should leave the EU," he told the BBC. A third study showed the "Remain" side with a six-point lead on 53 percent, using a methodology that adjusts the data according to how likely respondents are to vote. Nevertheless, the researchers NatCen emphasised that a 50-50 result was still within their survey's margin of error. "It is important to remember that the outcome looks so close that any lead should be treated with caution," NatCen senior research fellow John Curtice said in a statement. - 'Britannic golden age' - Two newspapers, the Guardian and the Daily Telegraph, used their Tuesday front pages to endorse opposing sides. "The EU embodies the best of us as a free people in a peaceful Europe," urged The Guardian. "Vote against a divided nation that turns inwards. Vote to remain." The Guardian also published an article by billionaire George Soros warning of a "Black Friday" if the country votes to leave. The business magnate forecast an even steeper drop than occurred on "Black Wednesday" in 1992, which he famously profited from. "A vote to leave could see the week end with a Black Friday, and serious consequences for ordinary people," he wrote. In contrast, the Daily Telegraph implored readers to back Brexit. "A world of opportunity awaits a fully independent United Kingdom. In supporting a vote to leave the EU, we are not harking back to some Britannic golden age," it argued. "If this Thursday's referendum is a choice between fear and hope, then we choose hope." The British referendum has opened the prospect of other nations demanding a vote, perhaps placing in peril the very survival of the European project, which was born out of a determination to forge lasting peace after two world wars. "Whatever the UK vote is, we must take a long hard look on the future of the Union. Would be foolish to ignore such a warning signal," EU president Donald Tusk wrote on Twitter. Yoga in daily life Prof Dr Gobinda Chandra Das : Yoga not only prevents or controls the diseases but also plays an important role in healing them. Though it was first invented in India but now it has gained popularity and vastly practiced all over the world. Only in USA, almost two crore people practice yoga. Coordinated with Positive thinking, pranayam, neurobic gym, meditation, the complete practice of yoga can help a man to rouse his limitless inner strength. UNO has proclaimed 21 June as International Yoga Day and now it is being observed in more than 260 cities of 190 countries. Make yoga a part of your life and then the soundness and peacefulness of body and soul will be ensured. Weight loss, strong flexible body, bright skin, calm mind, good health etc what we want can be gained by yoga. By practicing yoga postures it is possible to get rid of many kinds of physical complexities like high blood pressure, diabetes, and coronary artery blockage etc and lead a physically, mentally and spiritually healthy life. Yoga is philosophy of life, yoga is self ruling, and yoga is system of life. Yoga is not only an alternative treatment method but also its application can annihilate disease. It is god gifted. It is a science for curing diseases not only of body but also of mind. Yoga is not a figurative or symptomatic treatment method like allopath but it is a way of healing by detecting the main cause of disease. Among the numerous benefits of regular yoga practice some are discussed below: Fitness: physically healthy does not mean totally fit. You will be totally fit when you will be healthy physically, mentally, spiritually and socially. Your emotion will be under your control. It is said that absence of disease is not health; health is multidimensional expansion of life. With how much joy and inspiration you are enjoying life is the proof of your health. Yoga gives you complete health. It always keeps you fit physically, mentally and spiritually. Stress relief: we all get stressed more or less due to our whole day's workload. We feel tired after returning home. Often we lose our temper. Stress is the main cause of this. We become depressed physically and mentally. Yoga can free us from this. By practicing yoga postures, pranayam and meditation it is possible to lead a life full of joy. Mental peace: who does not want mental peace? We try to get mental peace by doing so many things. We visit beautiful places, listen melodious song; want to pass our time in natural beauty. But to get mental peace regularly it's not necessary to do so many things. By practicing yoga postures, meditation, pranayam, neurobic regularly mental peace and concentration can be increased. Make it your habit; surely you will get good result. Improve immunity: Regular practice of yoga can help us to develop our immunity. There is so much pollution around us. All time many kinds of germs are entering our body and trying to harm us. To fight against them our inner immunity power must be increased. Yoga increases blood circulation and empower the tissue and muscle. It makes white corpuscles more active and increases the preventive power of our body. Breathing technique and meditation also help in this process. Increase energy: at the end of the day we become tired. After returning home we have no further energy remaining. Practicing of yoga postures for only some minutes can provide energy even after whole day. After getting up in the morning if one practices yoga postures for some time, he will remain fresh and energetic the whole day. Better relationship: yoga can even help improve our relationship with our near ones such as father, mother, friends, spouse, relatives, office colleague etc. A happy and relaxed mind is always better to deal with sensitive relationship matters. And as the matter of relationship is very sensitive so we must keep an eye on it with great care. Yoga is a regular practice. Practicing yoga in irregular basis does not give good outcome. Practicing yoga under the supervision of a trainer is better than practicing it alone. Now many yoga practicing centres have been established in different places of the country including Dhaka. In the city, Holistic Health Care Centre has become popular among many capital dwellers (especially Holistic Diabetes Club at Dhanmondi Lake) for its successful management of yoga practices. According to one's necessity a trainer can suggest which postures are needed for him. Besides this many diseases can be kept under control with the help of yoga postures. Such as- high blood pressure, diabetes, heart problem, asthma, indigestion, constipation, migraine, anxieties and depression etc. one can get rid of these types of diseses easily by practicing some special yoga postures (Pranayam, Meditation, Neurobic Gym and Acu pressure). And many people have kept diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and asthma under control by practicing yoga postures. (The writer is Director of Holistic Health Care Centre) Former Adviser to the Caretaker Government Sultana Kamal speaking at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity on Tuesday in protest against hindering implementation of Vested Property Act. When politicians are historians Michael J. Boskin : "History doesn't repeat itself, but it does rhyme," quipped Mark Twain. For generations, political leaders have been lending credence to that observation, as they have attempted to shape their legacies, taking credit for what worked and blaming predecessors or political opponents for what failed. Many politicians continue to spin the facts even after they have left office. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill once boasted that, "History will be kind to me, for I intend to write it." And, indeed, his multi-volume opus on World War II contains not only many of his most memorable lines ("their finest hour," "so much owed by so many to so few"); it is also packed with justifications for his actions during the war. Churchill's writings may be biased, but they offer remarkable inside information and details that are not readily inferred from memos and briefs, which usually are incomplete and guarded in style. As historians know, there is great pressure to remember the past as the victors want it remembered. As Napoleon Bonaparte once put it, "History is a set of lies agreed upon." Today, it is US President Barack Obama's turn to attempt to define his legacy, as his presidency winds down and attention turns to the election of his successor. And he has already been busy. During Obama's recent visit to Japan for the G7 summit, for example, he became the first sitting US president to visit Hiroshima, devastated in 1945 by the nuclear attack ordered by President Harry S. Truman to avoid a ground invasion and hasten the end of World War II. Obama has also been touting his economic accomplishments, claiming he prevented another Great Depression. He has said that his Recovery Act stopped the unemployment rate from soaring to 30% - five points higher than what it was at the peak of the Great Depression. That is a priori nonsense. Obama's own advisers have estimated that his stimulus package prevented a rise in unemployment of one percentage point at peak unemployment, not the 20-percentage-point increase the president seems to be claiming. Obama is not the first political leader to engage in hyperbole, but even by the standards of the Internet age, that one is a whopper. He has also frequently claimed that all economists agree that his policies worked. The truth is that while some agree with his advisers' assessments, others believe the stimulus had little or even a negative effect. It is interesting that Obama feels the need, as his days count down, to glorify his actions. And it will be even more interesting to see how he uses his intelligence, eloquence, and experience after his retirement. The two presidents with whom I worked most closely, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, mostly let others do the talking and writing. Both seemed comfortable with what they had accomplished and what they had to leave undone; and both grew in stature and popularity with time. Instant evaluations of political leaders are usually modified, often considerably, by subsequent generations. Historians and journalists have touted few presidents' accomplishments more than those of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. I consider FDR the greatest president of the twentieth century because of his leadership during WWII. But most economists now reject the early claims that his New Deal ended the Great Depression. Indeed, in 1938, unemployment remained at more than 17%. FDR's close friend, Treasury Secretary Henry Morgenthau Jr., worried that "after eight yearswe [will] have just as much unemployment as when we startedand an enormous debt, to boot." Some economists believe that FDR's programs, by propping up prices and wages, were counterproductive, preventing markets from clearing and rebounding. Most economic historians now believe that it was only the massive mobilization of WWII that ended the depression. In contrast to FDR, Truman was initially considered a mediocre president, a haberdasher from Missouri who just happened to be the vice president who succeeded FDR after his death. Truman almost lost the 1948 election to the Republican Thomas Dewey. In 1953, when he was succeeded by Dwight Eisenhower, few would have predicted that he would later be included among the ranks of the near-great presidents. And yet it was Truman who ended WWII and oversaw creation of the postwar global security and economic architecture: the Marshall Plan, NATO, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank. And it was his policies that allowed war-devastated societies to rebuild and made strong allies of defeated Germany and Japan, in contrast to the havoc perpetrated at the end of World War I by the Treaty of Versailles. Moreover, it was under Truman that the first great step in America's civil-rights revolution, the desegregation of the army, took place. Legend has it that shortly after President Richard Nixon re-established relations with China, Premier Zhou Enlai, asked what he thought of the French Revolution, replied, "It's too early to say." Similarly, it is likely too early for a fair assessment of leaders such as German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister David Cameron. While both have had promising tenures, each has been confronted by a major, if not quite existential, challenge: immigration from the Middle East for Merkel and the relationship with Europe for Cameron. Sometimes there is a clear connection between a leader's policies and the condition of a country during his or her tenure. I will not disagree with a historian who determines that Venezuela was eviscerated by President Hugo Chavez's populist socialism and economic illiteracy. But, in the case of other important leaders - China's Xi Jinping, India's Narendra Modi, Argentina's Mauricio Macri, Mexico's Enrique Pena Nieto - it is still early days. They will preside over many more challenges, and they will be judged by what they bequeath to their successors (and how their successors deal with it). History is fickle that way; the historians who write it are more fickle still. (Michael J. Boskin is Professor of Economics at Stanford University and Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution. He was Chairman of George H. W. Bush's Council of Economic Advisers from 1989 to 1993). Courtesy: Project Syndicate Bus services halted at Sayedabad for 11 hrs Hundreds of people got stuck in gridlock under the Hanif Flyover in the city due to an eleven-hour transport strike on Tuesday. Staff Reporter :The operation of all long route buses started from Sayedabad in the capital this afternoon after remaining stopped for about 11 hours following a clash between two groups of transport workers centering establishment of supremacy in their city office.In continuation of Monday's clash, operations of all inter-district buses remained halted from 5:00am to 4:00pm on Tuesday.Thousands of stranded passengers at Sayedabad went into immense sufferings as the bus owners and transport workers of the long route destinations kept their vehicles shelved.After the clash, they also placed buses on the exit point of Mayor Hanif flyover in Jatrabari point and sealed it off for about half-an-hour. So, outgoing buses were stuck in traffic.The paribahan workers' programme made the city life almost paralyzed while the passengers' suffering was seen in miserable condition over 30 districts of the southern and eastern parts of the country. Bangladesh Sramik Union (BSU) and Dhaka District Sramik Union (DDSU), two groups of transport workers, clashed over occupation of an office in the locality on Monday.Nurul Islam, Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (Wari zone), told The New Nation that the bus services resumed from 4.00pm after an effective meeting between the concerned administrations and transport workers. "Jatrabari is the most popular exit and entry points to and from Chittagong and Sylhet, the commuters of these two regions and its adjacent areas are the most affected," the DC said. KA Mujibur Rahman, Vice-President of the DDSU, told The New Nation, "We have evicted the occupiers from our office following the order of High Court and Labor Court."A BNP-backed vested transport workers used the office for extortion, he claimed, adding that they had no legal documents to use the office, but using it over ten years. Bangladesh Sramik Union's Executive Member Abdur Rahman said that the plying of bus service has started after mutual understanding.Sarak Paribahan Sramik Union's General Secretary Osman Ali said that the clash occurred when DDSU occupied the office from them on Sunday night. Workers blocked the flyover using buses on the streets in Gulistan and Sayedabad, said Mofij Uddin Ahmed, Joint Commissioner, South Division of Traffic under DMP. He claimed that the plying of vehicular movement came under control of police around 4:00pm.Additional police personnel have been deployed in the area to avert any further clashes and incidents, the police official said.On Monday, Bangladesh Sramik Union and Dhaka District Sramik Union (DDSU), two groups of transport workers, clashed over establishing the supremacy of an office in the city. British youth held in US after bid to 'kill Trump' Arrested Briton wanted \'to kill Donald Trump\'. Internet photo AFP, Los Angeles : A 19-year-old British man has been charged for trying to grab a police officer's gun at a Donald Trump rally in Las Vegas in an apparent bid to kill the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. According to a complaint filed in federal court in Nevada, Michael Sandford tried to disarm the officer at Saturday's rally at the Mystere Theatre in the Treasure Island Casino before being overpowered. It said the young man told a Secret Service agent after his arrest that he had driven from California to Las Vegas "to kill Trump", and had been to a range a day earlier to learn to shoot as he had never fired a gun before. "Sandford acknowledged that he would likely only be able to fire one to two rounds and stated he was convinced he would be killed by law enforcement during his attempt on Trump's life," the complaint said. It added that Sandford told investigators he had purchased tickets for a rally in Phoenix, where he "would try again to kill Trump" in the event his plan in Las Vegas failed. Video of his arrest carried by US media show a skinny man with short brown hair and a grey T-shirt being quickly escorted out of the rally by police officers with his hands behind his back. The prosecutor's office said Sandford was ordered held without bond, as he was considered dangerous and represented a flight risk. Britain's Foreign Office is "providing assistance" in the case, a spokesman said. The complaint said Sandford had told investigators he had been in the United States for about 18 months, and had lived in Hoboken, New Jersey, before traveling to California. Sandford told investigators that he had targeted officer Ameel Jacob's gun because it was in an unlocked position and would be the easiest way to gain access to a weapon at the rally where those attending had to go through metal detectors. He struck up a conversation with Jacob, telling him he wanted an autograph from Trump before lunging at his gun and grabbing the firearm with both hands, prosecutors said. Sandford allegedly told the Secret Service that he had been plotting to kill Trump for about a year and finally decided to act on Saturday, as "he finally felt confident to do it". "Sandford further stated that if he were on the street tomorrow, he would try this again," according to the complaint. His arrest comes amid one of the nastiest US presidential campaigns in recent history, dominated by violent rhetoric, with Trump lashing out at Mexicans, Muslims and other groups. The real estate billionaire enjoys Secret Service protection but also has his own private security detail, which has been accused of using unnecessary force to remove people from events. A number of protesters have been arrested at his rallies where riot police are deployed in force, and there have been mounting demonstrations during his campaign appearances in recent months. According to an investigation by the Politico news website, the security team that patrols Trump's rallies has "at times inflamed the already high tensions around his divisive campaign, rather than defusing them". Trump's critics have also accused his campaign of racial profiling and removing people from events based on their appearance. Sandford is due to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on July 5. He faces more than 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if found guilty on the charge of "act of violence on restricted grounds." A Trump campaign official declined to comment on Sandford's arrest. SC stays acquittal of 11 convicts Staff Reporter : The Supreme Court on Monday stayed a High Court order that acquitted 11 accused in the Awami League leader Ahsanullah Master killing case until July 14. Chamber judge of the Appellate Division Justice Hasan Foez Siddique passed the order upon a petition filed by the government. The full bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha will hold the next hearing on the petition that day, said Attorney General Mahbubey Alam. The government filed the prayer to the Appellate Division seeking a stay order on acquittal of 11 convicts so that they are not freed before the full verdict of the case is released. The High Court on June 5 upheld a trial court verdict confirming death penalty for six persons and commuted capital punishment for seven others to life-term imprisonment and acquitted 11 from the charges of the high profile Ahsanullah murder case. Zahid Ahsan Russel, MP, son of slain Ahsanullah Master, expressed disappointment at the verdict and decided to appeal to the Appellate Division. Attorney General Mahbubey Alam talking to the reporter in his office said that the acquitted 11 accused should not be released as many witnesses gave deposition against them as they were recognized on the day of killing of Ahsanullah Master. The killers were bearing weapons and were involved with the killing mission. Those who have been acquitted are Amir Hossain, Boro Jahangir, son of Nur Hossain, Foysal (fugitive), Lokman Hossain Bulu, Rony Fakir (fugitive), Khokon (fugitive), Dulal Miah, Rakibuddin Sarkar alias Pappu Sarkar, Ayub Ali, Jahangir, son of Meher Ali and Monir. Gunmen killed Ahsanullah Master, a freedom fighter in a rally of Swechchhasebok League, a pro-AL body at Noagaon in Tongi on May 7, 2004. Victim's brother Matiur Rahman filed a case with Tongi Police Station against 17 people. A speedy trial tribunal sentenced 22 people, including BNP leader Nurul Islam Sarkar, to death and six others to life-term imprisonment on April 16, 2005. Of them, two convicts died during the trial proceedings, while 17 are currently behind the bar and nine others are on the run. BB men to meet NY Fed next month Reuters, Dhaka : Bangladesh central bank officials will hold a meeting with the New York Federal Reserve next month to try and speed up efforts to recover $81 million stolen by hackers from its account at the Fed, officials in Dhaka said. More than four months after the hackers broke into the computer systems of Bangladesh Bank and transferred money into bank accounts in Philippines using the SWIFT payment network, there is no breakthrough yet in investigations. Most of the money has disappeared into casinos in the Philippines and remains missing. While the criminal investigation has made slow progress, Bangladesh Bank has focused on getting back the money, leaning on the New York Fed and the Philippines central bank for help. Bangladesh Bank deputy governor Mohammad Razee Hassan, who heads its financial intelligence unit, will meet Fed officials in New York on July 15, two officials at the bank in Dhaka said. Both said the talks follow a meeting in Basel in Switzerland in May where the heads of the Bangladesh central bank, the New York Fed and representatives from SWIFT agreed to help Bangladesh Bank get back its money. One official involved in the preparations for the meeting said on Tuesday they would also be discussing future arrangements on the central bank's deposits held in New York. "Its a follow-up meeting for recovery of funds. But there are other things as well. Fed is holding our account. We are their customers, there are things we need to discuss," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity, citing bank rules. The official said he was not sure if SWIFT would be part of the meeting. SWIFT had no immediate comment to make. Bangladesh police investigators have said that SWIFT technicians introduced security loopholes when connecting the messaging network to Bangladesh's first real-time gross settlement (RTGS) system late last year. SWIFT, a cooperative owned by 3,000 financial institutions, has rejected those allegations and said its messaging platform was not breached in the Bangladesh hack. Make no more delay in relocating tanneries to Savar THE saga of relocating tannery factories from Hazaribagh to Savar's new tannery city sees no end. Started from more than one decade ago delay in building the basic infrastructure lost the vital time when the River Buriganga became partly dead with tannery waste from congested factories on the riverbank. It appears that factory owners are now exploiting the move as a last minute ploy to extract financial benefits from the government in the name of financing construction of new factory buildings and cost recovery of the shifting. Since the government is not agreeing they are also delaying. We believe that the government must be harsh now to secure the transfer without further delay. In the latest move the High Court has asked the factory owners -154 in all to quickly shift and count for a daily fine of Tk 50,000 until they have moved out to Savar tannery city. Earlier the Industry Minister had issued a 72-hour ultimatum on factory owners to take out their factories to Savar or else face closure. He also warned them that their plots at Savar Industrial City would also be cancelled. But they sustained the warning while trying to realize financial benefits around it. We know that the European Union (EU), as the biggest market of Bangladesh leather products is bringing severe pressure on the government to secure immediate shift of the factories to save Buriganga River. Their warning also includes a ban on export of leather and leather goods to European market. Under such pressure physical the relocation process started in 2014 but it remained stalled so far. The latest government deadline expired on April 10 and we believe that the court action this time will be able to secure the transfer. In our view the government has given enough time and if the court action also faces deadline, the government must think of more practical measures like closure of factories to secure owners compliance. Tannery factory owners are rich people earning handsome foreign exchange annually from exporting semi-processed and processed leather goods. But they may have been inspired by the easy bank loans and grabbing of such loans by vested interest people who have made most state-owned banks almost empty. When money has become so easy; they are trying their way, it is not unusual. But what is most unacceptable is that tanneries are dumping around 21,000 cubic metres of poisonous untreated waste into the Buriganga River on a daily basis. As per environmental scientists the disposal of untreated chemical waste into the river and its feeder canals is not only destroying them but also causing severe health problem including skin disease, respiratory problem and cancer. We must say please tannery owners you must move out quickly. Fakhrul for Nat'l convention to curb militancy Staff Reporter : BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday called upon the government to hold a national convention in order to forge a national consensus with all among the political parties of the country to eliminate militancy. "The government is practising falsehood about militancy. They should leave it in the greater interest. The country is heading towards a grave situation, which must be checked," said the BNP leader. He said it while attending an Iftar mahfil organised by Dhaka University unit of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal in the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh. He said the militancy cannot be eliminated alone. Mirza Fakhrul also accused the government of carrying out propaganda about militancy and destroying the democratic institutions one by one. "Their aim is not to curb militancy, rather to eliminate the opposition using the militancy issue. That is why they are shifting the responsibility to the opposition instead of nabbing the real perpetrators," he said. He further said they are killing the accused in the crossfire to hide the real story. "The ruling Awami League is killing democracy and snatching all democratic and voting rights of the people, pushing the country's existence at a stalk," he said. He alleged that they have no freedom of expression. The BNP is not allowed to hold meeting and rally. Former Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University Professor Dr. Emaj Uddin Ahmed, former pro-VC of the University AFM Yusuf Haidar, BNP leader Khairul Kabir Khokon, Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anny, Shahidul Islam Babul, Chhatra Dal President Razib Ahsan and General Secretary Akramul Hasan, among others, were present on the program. Not crossfire, take killers to court: Ajoy Roy bdnews24.com :He lost his son to mindless assassins, but the father of slain author Avijit Roy says he would rather see his son's killers face a court of justice than be shot dead in so-called police encounters.Ajoy Roy, a retired physics professor of Dhaka University, spoke to bdnews24.com on Tuesday."Crossfires are extrajudicial killing. I keep a conscience so I can't possibly want that," said the 76-year-old, stressing the need to catch terror suspects alive. Mukul Rana aka 'Sharif', who was said to have been a top operative of militant group Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), was recently killed in a 'shootout' at Dhaka. Smuggled foreign magazines flood BD Govt loses huge revenue, legal agent deprives Reza Mahmud :Different prominent foreign magazines like Time, Economists and Fortune are allegedly smuggled into Bangladesh by some dishonest businessmen causing huge revenue loses to the government.International Book Agencies Limited, the sole agent of these international magazines, has recently sent an application to the Secretary of National Board of Revenue (NBR) detailing the issue.In the application, the agent complained that some smugglers are bringing the magazines ignoring all rules of the government. Mostly, the magazines are brought in the country from India, where the cover prices are comparatively low. Taking huge readers and subscribers under consideration, the authorities of those magazines have fixed lower cover prices of their publications in India compared to Bangladesh. Especially, a big amount of revenue, which comes from advertisement, plays a key role in fixing lower price of magazines in India. Availing this opportunity, some dishonest businessmen and smugglers are bringing weekly Time, Economists, India Today and fortnightly Fortune from India apparently dodging all duties and taxes of the government. "The government should immediately take step to stop smuggling of the magazines. The government offices also should buy the magazines from the real agents, who are giving taxes to the government," Md Harunur Rashid, former Director General of Bangla Academy, said.Sources said, the smugglers usually bring the magazines by currier services declaring false item. Sometimes these are also brought in disguise along with other imported periodicals and books with an intention to evade taxes.The dishonest businessmen buy these magazines in comparatively cheaper price from India and sell those in Bangladesh in a lower price than offered by the local agent, the sources said.As a result, the subscribers are showing more interest to smuggled magazines, rather than buying from agencies. Even some government offices, who buy the magazines under tender system, invites tender from different organisations in lower prices. In that case, the legal agent got deprived and faces huge loss. Selina Doja Ponni, the chairperson of International Book Agencies Limited, told The New Nation on Tuesday, "As a sole agent, we are paying the government all duties, VAT, income tax and other taxes. When we import 2000 copies of magazines, there is no assurance that all will be sold. Every week a lot of magazines stay unsold. But we have to pay all the VAT and other taxes." "It is strictly prohibited selling of the magazines from one country to another. But the smugglers bring these magazines from India to sell in Bangladesh. Our clients are decreasing in numbers. Every week we are counting unsold magazines. It is hampering our business," she said.Selina Doja further said, the President, Prime Minister, Ministers, secretaries and high officials, among others, are readers of these magazines. BNP expresses solidarity with RK Mission A seven-member BNP delegation went Ramkrishna Mission in the city on Tuesday to express their solidarity with authorities following the recent death threat to its priest. Staff Reporter :The BNP on Tuesday expressed solidarity with the Ramkrishna Mission as the militants had issued a death threat to the Chief of the Mission. "We have expressed our solidarity with the Ramkrishna Mission as the Chief of the Mission has been threatened by militants that he will be hacked to death. The mission is a historic institute, so the threat made the people, especially Hindus community, anxious," said BNP Standing Committee member Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain. The BNP senior leader also said their party wants a national consensus to eliminate militancy and terrorism from the country. In the wake of the death threat, a seven-member delegation of BNP led by Dr. Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain went to the mission yesterday. They held a meeting with the Mission Principal Swami Dhrubesha Nandji Moharaj. The meeting lasted for half an hour.He told journalists that, "We came here to express our solidarity at the instruction of our party Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia." Dr. Mosharraf Hossain said, "Recently some miscreants have given death threat to the chief of Ramkrishna Mission by sending a letter. We, along with the people of Bangladesh are anxious with the matter. Our Chairperson Khaleda Zia feels that seriously. She has sent us here to declared unity with the mission. We condemn the threat." He also said, "We said to the Principal of the Mission that we are always with them, when we were in power and now.Replying to a query of a journalist, Dr. Mosharraf Hossain said the principal has expressed happiness over the BNP delegation's visit to the mission. The senior BNP leader also said, his party condemned all target killings and terror activities. Wherever any incidents took place BNP team reached there and expressed condolences.He said that whenever any incident happened the government had played blame game. "The government always try to divert the public eyes from their failures by playing blame game," he said, adding that every quarter should be get out from such act. He reiterated that BNP is a liberal democratic party and never support or involve with militancy and extremism.He called for a greater unity and compromise with all the political parties and others. He also gave importance to democratic atmosphere saying that it is now absence from Bangladesh. BNP Standing Committee member Goyeswar Chandra Roy, central leader Abdullah Al Noman, Khairul Kabir Khokon, Nitai Roy Chowdhury, Abdus Salam Azad and Joyonto Kumar Kundu were the other members of the delegation. What's the irony? "As the first number one system of China that is completely based on homegrown processors, the Sunway TaihuLight system demonstrates the significant progress that China has made in the domain of designing and manufacturing large-scale computation system." China is Leading the World in Supercomputing "Considering that just 10 years ago, China claimed a mere 28 systems on the list, with none ranked in the top 30, the nation has come further and faster than any other country in the history of supercomputing," said the latest Top500 announcement. China beats its own record with the World's fastest supercomputer., a newly built supercomputer from China, now ranks as the world's most powerful machine.During the International Supercomputer Conference in Germany on Monday, Top500 declared China's 10.65 Million-core Sunway TaihuLight as the world's fastest supercomputer. Moreover, the supercomputer is leading by a wide margin, too.With 93 petaflops of processing power, Sunway TaihuLight is nearly three times more powerful than the world's previous fastest supercomputer,, which had been the world's fastest computer for last 3 years with speeds of 33.9 petaflops per second.That's 93 quadrillion floating point operations per second (FLOP), which means the supercomputer can perform around 93,000 trillion calculations per second, at its peak.The Sunway TaihuLight supercomputer is installed at the National Supercomputing Centre in Wuxi.is one of the world's most efficient systems, withat a relatively modest 15.37 Megawatts of energy consumption.The microprocessors inside Sunway TaihuLight are 100 percent Chinese.Sunway TaihuLight is powered entirely by Chinese processors (the 260-core ShenWei 26010) and runs on a custom Linux-based operating system.Speaking of the TOP500 list , the National Supercomputing Centre's director, Professor Dr. Guangwen Yang said:In the past, China relied heavily on American processors for its supercomputers , but the US thought that China was using the Tianhe-2, which was built with Intel cores, to run its nuclear simulations.Due to this reason, the United States government banned Intel from exporting its powerful Xeon processors over a year ago to a number of Chinese supercomputer makers.The US decision did not halt the Chinese progress. Instead, it seems like the US policy has made an opposite effect.For the first time since the Top500 list began, China has overtaken the United States in the amount of supercomputers being used. China has 167 computers in the top 500 while the US has 165.Sunway TaihuLight will be used in scientific research and engineering work in fields including life science research, data analytics, advanced manufacturing and climate, weather and Earth systems modeling. From left: Boustany, Campbell, Fleming and Kennedy Theres at least one televised debate already on the books for the U.S. Senate race. Itll take place Wednesday, Nov. 2, in Baton Rouge and is being hosted by Raycom Media. The carrying stations include WVUE-TV New Orleans, WAFB-TV Baton Rouge, KSLA-TV Shreveport and KPLC-TV Lake Charles. To participate candidates must be polling at at 5 percent or higher in a survey that will be commissioned by Raycom Media and its partners after qualifying. In the event of a runoff, a second debate will take place on Thursday, Dec. 8, in Baton Rouge. The debates will be broadcast live statewide and candidates have until June 15 to agree to participate. Once again the Louisiana chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business will be partnering with the Restaurant Association and the Retailers Association to host a forum focused on small business issues this cycle. The U.S. Senate forum will be held at Ruffinos De La Ronde Hall in downtown Baton Rouge on Wednesday, June 29 at 11:30 a.m. Invited candidates include Congressman Charles Boustany, Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell, Congressman John Fleming and Treasurer John Kennedy. Pre-purchase property inspection is a relatively new thing in the United Kingdom. Its not something that most people have heard about, but it has become increasingly popular over the last few years with the rise in property prices and increased demand for high quality homes. What are the benefits of pre-purchase building inspection? What can you expect to find out when you pay someone else to inspect your home before you buy it? And what should you look for during an inspection? Many people want to know if theyre buying a house thats been well maintained or if its had any serious problems. If youve found a place on the market that seems attractive, but then discover some issues after moving in, you may not be as excited about buying it as you thought you were. Its important to do your due diligence when looking at properties. A lot goes into making a property appealing to potential buyers, from the landscaping to the flooring to the kitchen appliances. The same applies when inspecting a property there are many things that need checking over to make sure everything is running smoothly. Here are some of the benefits of performing a pre-purchase inspection: You get to see exactly what will happen to your money When you go shopping for a new car, youll probably be shown several different models. You might even be shown one that looks like a great value, but doesnt fit around all of the extra features that you want. When it comes time to actually buy the vehicle, however, you wont have seen how your money will be spent on it once you drive it off the showroom floor. Likewise, when you shop for a new home, you dont really know what youre getting yourself into until you move in. In order to get a feel for whether the home youre considering is what you want, you normally have to spend quite a bit of time inside it. This allows you to learn more about everything that youre going to be spending your hard-earned cash on. A pre-purchase building inspection gives you much the same kind of experience without having to spend thousands of dollars. Since youre paying for the service, you can expect to see exactly what youre paying for, instead of just seeing a vague idea of what you might end up with. You find out about potential major repairs Some buildings are very expensive to maintain, which means that owners often neglect them for the sake of saving money. While youre paying for a building inspection, youre also paying for a professional who knows how to spot signs of trouble and repair work that needs doing. If you notice that a particular area of your new home needs fixing right away, you can call in an expert to take care of it quickly. If you find that theres something wrong with your boiler, you wont have to wait weeks for a plumber to come over and fix it. Instead, youll have access to a solution immediately. You can save hundreds of pounds by finding out about potential problems early on One of the biggest expenses when you first buy a home is the cost of moving in. Many people dont realize this until its too late. Buying a home involves not only paying for the actual house, but also for moving costs, furniture, and other items that have to be moved along with the home. Having a good idea ahead of time of what youre likely to encounter can help you avoid these kinds of costs. If you know youll need to replace the plumbing system, for example, youll be able to put together a budget for the expense and plan accordingly. You can protect your investment by finding out if the homes been well cared for While there are plenty of people who think that houses always look better when theyre newly built, youd be surprised at how well maintained older residences can still look nice. Sometimes, though, those homes need some additional maintenance to keep them looking their best. This could involve repairs that arent so noticeable or small improvements that you wouldnt consider otherwise. Even worse, some houses have fallen into disrepair without anyone noticing. This is why having a professional perform a building inspection prior to purchasing a home is such a big benefit. Not only will it give you insight into the state of the property, but it will also give you peace of mind knowing youre not getting taken advantage of. As long as youre aware of the potential pitfalls, youll have less reason to worry about the state of your new home. You can use information gathered during a building inspection to negotiate a lower price If youre worried about buying a home because you suspect that it may need extensive renovation work, you may already have a rough idea of how much work youll need to do to bring it up to scratch. That knowledge can come in handy if you decide to buy the home. You can use all of the details that you gather during a building inspection to present a realistic picture of what the home is worth to prospective buyers. If a potential buyer thinks that the home is worth more than what you paid for it, you can try negotiating a lower price. You can sell your home faster and for more money If you decide to list your home on the market soon after buying it, youll need to price it accurately in order to attract buyers. But if youve already done a thorough building inspection, youll know exactly what work is needed and what the current market conditions are. In other words, youll be able to make a more accurate estimate of the amount of money youve invested in the home and how much its worth. If you find that youre selling your house for close to its full market value, you can use this information to convince the potential buyer that your home is worth the asking price. Even if youre planning to stay in the home for a while before you decide to sell, the fact that you did a thorough building inspection will give you more confidence when listing it. Prospective buyers will know exactly what theyre paying for. Your home will hold its value longer As mentioned earlier, the value of a home depends heavily upon the condition of the building itself. If your home is in bad shape, potential buyers wont be interested in buying it. On the other hand, if youve performed a thorough building inspection and know what sort of repairs are necessary, you can offer your prospective buyer a compelling reason to invest in your property. When you buy a home, youre essentially agreeing to have it inspected periodically to ensure that it stays in top shape. Not only does this allow you to avoid expensive repairs down the road, but it can also increase the value of your home. You can make smart decisions about property investments Buying real estate isnt as simple as just driving a couple of minutes to pick up a house. There are lots of considerations involved, ranging from location to cost. The same is true when youre investing in property. If you find a house that meets all of your requirements, youll want to make sure that you have a solid understanding of where it stands with regards to the rest of the market. If you havent spent enough time researching the area, you could inadvertently end up with a bad deal. There are lots of resources available online that can help you determine the overall level of competition in your area. They can also help you figure out if there are any properties that meet your requirements that you didnt know about. If you own rental property, you can use the information to identify tenants who might cause damage If you own rental property and youve noticed that certain tenants consistently cause damage, you can use the results of a building inspection to identify them. You can then contact them directly to let them know that youre watching them closely and that you dont appreciate the problem theyre causing. They might start taking better care of their homes, which would be good news for everyone. It could also be the case that youll find out that theyre responsible for previous damages that werent caught during a previous visit. You can make smarter decisions about hiring contractors If youve hired contractors to build or repair your home, you might want to ask them for references. However, unless you perform a thorough building inspection, you might not know exactly what to look for. For instance, maybe you only checked the roof for leaks or the walls for cracks. You might not have looked underneath the foundation for anything that could cause a future issue. By performing a building inspection, you can ensure that you hire reputable contractors who will be trustworthy with your money. You can avoid purchasing a home thats in poor condition Of course, the main benefit of structural inspections perth is that it helps you avoid purchasing a home thats in poor condition. Before you make the decision to buy a home, you should do whatever you can to find out about the state of the building. You can also ask your realtor about what sorts of inspections are typically recommended. Some agents say that its standard practice to check the heating system, the roof, the electrical wiring, and the floors. Others will tell you that they recommend that you check the entire structure. Either way, if you choose to hire an inspector, youll find out exactly what needs to be fixed and how much it will cost to do so. As a result, it can be concluded that a pre-purchase building inspection is highly important for the buyers because it provides transparency regarding the current conditions of the structure. Additionally, the building owner is made aware of any upgrades or repairs that are required, which could lead to a fair deal throughout the purchasing and selling process. Rent To Own Homes Tucson 4 bed 2 bath . 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Therefore, there are many people who are sexually restricted. But what happens when you continue to be sexually restricted? Frustration may build up and you may end up taking your sexual stress out on your partner. If you are able to adopt sextoy in a timely manner, you can get rid of those problems. I want to have more exciting sex than Im having now. I want more variation in masturbation I want to get even stronger pleasure than I do on my own. If you have any of these problems, please stay with me until the end. What is sex toys for Indian? Sextoy, as the name implies, is a toy used during sex and masturbation. It is a generic term for vibrators, Egg-vibrators, Electric massagers, dildo, handcuffs and condoms. They are used to make regular sex more exciting or to make masturbation more pleasurable. Because sextoy is very stimulating, it can help you to get rid of the problems and frustrations of being in a rut of sex with your partner for a long time, or if you are unhappy with the lack of pleasure in sex with your partner. The ability to satisfy your desires with movement, texture, and size, which cannot be done by a normal human being, can help you to be satisfied with sex and, as a result, improve your relationship with your partner. It is also said to help improve sexual dysfunction (inability to get an erection or ejaculate) and difficulty in feeling during sex (insensitivity), which is attracting more attention than in the past. In recent years, the demand for sextoy has increased due to the spread of smartphones and the Internet and the increasing number of people using online shopping. Even those who are concerned about the appearance of sextoy (and find it difficult to purchase) can now easily obtain it by using mail order. In the case of online shopping, most of the stores have taken steps to ensure that the contents of the products delivered to you are not revealed, so you can purchase them without your family members knowing. Until a while ago, you had to go to the store where the adult goods were sold to buy them, so it was quite a hurdle to overcome. Also, many people may have an image that sextoy is somehow embarrassing to own. But nowadays, some of them are so stylish and cute that you cant believe they are sextoy at a glance. More and more people are using them for travel and outdoor use because they are not too bulky and are suitable for carrying around. Sextoy situation in India Before introducing the recommended sextoy for Indians, lets talk about one of the sextoy situations in India in recent years. In India, due to the high concentration of population, the following six cities have particularly high sales of sextoy in India. Mumbai Kolkata Bangalore Delhi Chennai Hyderabad These cities account for roughly 70 percent of sextoy sales in India. In the future, the percentage of sextoy use will gradually increase in other cities in India as well. If you never talk about sextoy publicly, that girl in your neighborhood might be a sextoy user too. If you are interested in sextoy, you dont have to suppress your desire for it. What are Sextoys for beginner? Among all sextoys, sextoy for beginners are vibrators, dildo, masturbators, Sex Lubricants, and condoms. Sex Lubricants and condoms, which are familiar to people who have had sex, are also a great beginners sextoy. I will explain the details of each toy later, but there are many sextoy products that are painful to use and can only be used after some anal expansion. I assume that the Indian readers of this article are people who have not had much experience with sextoy. If such people use professional sextoy suddenly, they are at risk of injury or trauma. Therefore, to introduce sextoy, you need to start with a beginners version and gradually become familiar with it. Advantages of using sextoy for Indians There are three advantages of using sextoy for Indians You can masturbate in a wide variety of ways. Can have stimulating sex Can develop new sexual zones If you try to masturbate with your own fingers or hands, it tends to be a pattern. However, with sextoy, you can easily masturbate in a variety of ways. You will definitely be fascinated by the attraction of new stimulation. Also, your daily sex life will be more exciting than ever. There are many things in sextoy that are visually stimulating and give you a strong and intense feeling of pleasure. This allows you to see your partners promiscuity in a way that you wouldnt normally see it. When you are in a relationship, sex with your partner may become a pattern, but it can also eliminate these problems. It can also lead to the development of new sexual zones (which is the training of sexual stimulation to allow you to feel orgasms). For more information on the development of new sexual zones, see the following articles [Women's Erogenous Zone]How to find and develop, 7 hidden sexual zones !![In India] In this issue, we will dissect the female erogenous zone! ..." Many of you may be like that. Men, in particular, shou... Thus, the use of sextoy can only be a good thing for the men and women of India. Sextoy for beginner men in India So, lets continue with the recommended goods for Indian sextoy beginners. For ease of understanding, we will introduce them by gender. Lets start with the men! The following five goods are recommended for novice Indian sextoy men Masturbator Cock rings Love Doll Sex Lubricants Toys for the prostate Lets check each one in detail. Masturbator The masturbator is a sextoy for men that elaborately reproduces a womans vagina, mouth, and anus, and is one of the most popular sextoy products. It is used by men to masturbate, and it is popular because it provides stronger stimulation and pleasure more easily than using hands. Most are made of good quality silicone, and their softness is something that cannot be achieved with ones own hands. They can provide stronger pleasure than a real womans vagina, so be careful not to overuse them. (You wont be able to have an orgasm in a womans vagina anymore.) Again Male masturbators are a wonderful toy. I do not need any favourite timing, bothersome bargaining. You do not have to worry too much. Revolutionize your masturbation time! ! ! Made in Japan is a wonderful kinky toy.#sextoysindia #SexToyIndia #Japanhttps://t.co/4k70QGzoTP pic.twitter.com/tRVdxTKPpa SEXToys India PR (@SextoysIndia) November 12, 2018 Some of them are disposable, while others can be washed and used over and over again, so its fun to buy a few to use depending on your mood. If you want to know more about masturbator, please click here Really pleasant male masturbation and how to do it Are you in a rut with your daily masturbation routine? I'm going to show you five ways men masturbate that you might ... [For Beginners] How to choose and use a male masturbator without fail Gentlemen.Have you ever used a masturbator? The person who sees this article is probably the one who has not experien... Cock Ring A cock ring is literally a ring-shaped sextoy that is worn on a mans penis. It maintains an erection by binding the penis with a ring of rubber and blocking blood flow. It is sometimes used as an accessory to be worn on the penis, and may be made of metal or plastic as well as rubber. In some cases, cock rings have parts or vibrators attached to them that stimulate the vagina, so they kill two birds with one stone, giving a woman pleasure while maintaining an erection. Cock rings are also sometimes used to treat erectile dysfunction. It can help with erectile dysfunction, where the penis doesnt get hard when you get an erection or doesnt last long when you try to insert it. Men who are prone to breakage or who are unsure of the hardness and size of their erections can use a cock ring to increase the size of their penis and maintain an erection for a longer period of time. Cock rings vary in price from around RS700 to over RS2000 with a vibrator function. Some of them do not fit your penis, so you should check the size of the cock ring before you buy. You should know the size of your partners or your own penis when it is erect. [Penis enlargement] What is a cock ring? Types and usage Cock rings can make your penis bigger and harder. It also makes sex with women more fulfilling and increases your sat... Love Doll Love dolls, also known as Dutchwives, are dolls with the appearance of a woman who can experience simulated sex. There are dolls that look like a woman, but they have no face and only have their breasts and lower torso cut off, and some dolls are so realistic that they can actually be mistaken for real women. Some expensive dolls can cost more than 1 million yen, and the quality of the doll is easily influenced by the price. The higher the price, the higher the quality of the doll will be, the closer it will be to the real woman, and the cheaper the doll will be, the less elaborate it will be, making it look like a real doll! Something is wrong! That is also true. You cant go wrong if you choose a balance between price and taste. There are stores that allow you to make custom-made love dolls, so you can create a girl of your choice. You can make a girl of your choice. You can start with inexpensive love dolls at first, and once you get used to it, you can try custom-made love dolls. If you want to know more about Love doll, please click here Thorough explanation of the charm of sex dolls! Have you ever heard of sex dolls that are used primarily for pseudo-sex purposes? It is a doll that is quite close to... Sex lubricants Sex lubricants are used as a substitute for lubricating fluid during sex or as a lubricant for men to use masturbator rules. It is not uncommon for women to have difficulty getting wet, depending on their physical condition, or to have difficulty getting wet due to their constitution. Forcing the penis into the vagina at such times can cause painful intercourse. There are various types of Sex Lubricants, some with a warming effect, some with a cooling effect, and some with a scent. Changing the Sex Lubricant used during play is recommended as a good sex accent. If you want to learn more about Sex Lubricants, click here. What is sex lubricant?Explain the difference and usage of each ingredient The word "sex toy" may seem like a hurdle to overcome, but lotion is actually one of the most familiar sex toys. Many... Toys for the Prostate Another sextoy for men is prostate toys. The most famous prostate toys include Enemagra, which was originally a prostate massager developed by an American urologist to treat an enlarged prostate line. Modern prostate toys are imitations of Enemagra that have spread as sextoy for men. Many people think of prostate toys as being used by gay men, but in fact they are often used by straight men. What is the prostate? The prostate is an organ found only in men. It is a walnut-sized organ located deep in the pelvis, just below the bladder, and its primary role is to protect and nourish sperm. You cannot touch the prostate gland from outside the body, but you can touch it by inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus. By inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus and touching the prostate and developing it, you can feel intense orgasms. Orgasms felt in the prostate are mainly dry orgasms, which are orgasms that do not involve ejaculation. (You can also feel orgasms with ejaculation through prostate stimulation.) The prostate is called the male G-spot, and dry orgasms can be much more intense than ejaculation. Therefore, men who are able to develop a prostate can become addicted to the pleasure. sextoy for beinner women in India The following are the recommended goods for Indian women who are new to sextoy. The following three are recommended for use by women who are new to sextoy. Vibrator. Dildo Electric Masserger Lets check out what each one is in detail. If you want to check out womens toys, click here. [BEST25]Sex Toys for Women in IndiaThat Can Help You Have an Orgasm There are many women who pretend to feel orgasm during sex. But don't worry, you don't have to pretend to feel orgasm... Vibrators A vibrator is a sextoy that vibrates with an Egg-Vibrator to provide stimulation and is often referred to simply as a vibrator. Some vibrate as well as rotate, and there are many variations of sextoy. It is quite a popular sextoy, and is well recognized by people who do not know much about sextoy. Its usage is similar to that of a massager, but it is more compact and easier to carry than a massager, and many of them look as cute as a lipstick or a macaroon, so they are popular among women. For a while, a famous influencer on twitter said, This is good! You may have heard of the topic of this article by introducing the recommended vibrators. Vibrators are great for women to use on their own, but they are also recommended for men who have difficulty satisfying women with sex. Since it is powered by electricity, it is far less tiring than moving your hands by yourself. This makes it easier to satisfy a woman with sex because you can caress her for longer than usual. Vibrators are mainly used on the female side, but they can also be used on men. When used on men, they are used to attack the nipples and glans, and in both cases it is recommended to wear a condom for hygiene reasons. Introducing how to use the vibrator, its purpose, and how to choose it! Vibrator uses the vibrations caused by the rotation of the motor to provide stimulation. It is one or two of the most... Dildo A dildo is a model sextoy made to mimic a male penis. It can be made of silicone, elastomer (think of it as a material similar to PVC), metal or glass. A dildo can be used by a man for his female partner during sex, or by a woman for masturbation to get pleasure from it. They are mainly inserted into women, but some can be used in the male anus as well. It is sometimes used synonymously with vibrators, but the vibrator is not the same thing as a vibrating device. A model of a penis that does not vibrate is a dildo. Some of them have suction cups that can be attached to the floor or wall so that you can enjoy realistic masturbation without using your hands. For fun, there is a dildo made in the shape of your partners penis. This one is also popular as a gift, and if youve been together for a long time and are having trouble finding a gift for your partner, you might want to pick one. To learn more about dildo, please click here. What is Dildo: Orgasms with Dildos for Men and Women A dildo is a model of a male organ that is used by women for masturbation and by men to stimulate the prostate gland. Th... Electric Masserger A Electric Masserger is a hand-held electric massager, also known as a handheld massager, and can usually be purchased at electronics stores. It was originally designed to relieve stiff shoulders and back pain, so the hurdle of buying one in a physical store is quite low. Many people may have seen or used it in some form or another, as it is often installed in leisure hotels. Such a massager is highly recommended for beginners because it is easy for women to get pleasure from it when they use it during masturbation. It is larger than Egg-Vibrator and vibrations are stronger than those of Egg-Vibrators and vibrators, so even just hitting the clitoris can give you a great deal of pleasure. For those women who have never had an orgasm during sex with their man, the massager may be a good way to get a feel for what it feels like to have an orgasm. It looks and feels like an electric massager, so you wont have to feel awkward if your roommate finds out. If you are in a rut of having sex with your partner, if you want to feel an orgasm through masturbation, or if you are thinking of using a sextoy, why dont you try it from a simple massager? To learn more about Electric Masserger, click here. What is a massager? Introducing types, selection methods, and usage Originally, the Magic-wand vibrator and the massage machine were sold as a home massage machine used for the back and th... How to choose a sextoy for Indian Now that weve covered the different types of sextoy, heres how to choose one. Especially if you are trying sextoy for the first time, pay attention to the following three points: Does the size fit you (the partner)? Does the size fit you (your partner)? Is the environment able to produce sound without problems? Price range First of all, the choice of size is quite important. Most sextoy are used against or inserted into the genitals, but the genitals are very delicate organs for both men and women. For this reason, using an inappropriate size may cause damage. Secondly, the environment should be able to produce sound without problems. Some sextoys not only wear, but also rotate and vibrate. Its easier to get pleasure from something that moves than something that doesnt, but the fact that it moves means that the internal rotors make some noise. If you live in a house with thin walls or if you have roommates, you may not be able to concentrate because of the noise, so it is best to choose one that is silent or has a low noise level. Especially in India, where many people live with their families, it is very important that you dont have to worry about sound when you use it. Finally, there is the price range. The price range of sextoy ranges widely, from around RS500 at the cheapest to RS10,000 or more at the highest. Its good to consider how much money you can afford and how much you want to buy. Do you want your family to not find out about sextoy? I live with my family and want to use sextoy without them finding out! If you are a man, you should buy a camouflage sextoy that does not look like a sextoy at first glance. For men, there are many masturbators that do not look like a sextoy, and for women, there are vibrators that only look like cosmetics. If you choose such a type, youll be safe in case your family members find out. How to buy sextoys in India The best way to purchase sextoy is through online shopping. For more information on how to purchase sextoy, please see the article below. Sextoy is one of them. Therefore, you can easily get sextoy in India by using online shopping. SexToysINDIA is a long established and stable sextoy store and you can have sextoy delivered to any place in India. They also offer cash on delivery, so those who are worried about shopping with a credit card do not have to worry. Of course, the latest security is in place, so your information will not be taken out when you use your credit card. To begin with, many people may be concerned about whether they are legally allowed to purchase sextoy. ikmAs it turns out, its not illegal. Right now, it is not open to the public because the Indian adult market is still in the development stage, but it will gradually spread from now on. Take advantage of sextoy and open the door to new pleasures and culture. Cautions for Indians using sextoy When using sextoy, keep the following three things in mind Keep sex toys clean Watch out for electrical leakage Beware of the heat generated by the body while using a sex toy As I mentioned earlier, many sextoy products are used for the delicate zone. Therefore, it is most important to keep the sextoy itself clean. It is very important to keep the sextoy itself clean, because if a slight scratch is created by friction, bacteria can enter and breed there. It is safe to wear a condom when using the masturbator, just in case. In addition, many sextoy devices are powered by a power source, so if they are not waterproof, there is a possibility of electric shock or malfunction due to wetness. Some may even develop heat during continuous use. If the fever becomes too much, you may get burned, so be careful. If you get a fever during use, stop driving the sextoy immediately and refrain from using it. You will enjoy sex more if you keep it safe and use it correctly. Summary What did you think? In this article, we have introduced the recommended sextoy for the beginners of sextoy in India. The sextoy market is growing rapidly in India and it will continue to grow steadily in the future. As India is a rather closed-minded country, it can be difficult to be open about ones sexual habits and values. However, being faithful to ones desires by properly dissolving ones sexual desire is very effective for ones physical and mental health. If this is your first time to learn about sextoy, or if you are interested in using sextoy, why not give it a try? Indian Sextoys for ur best! will introduce you to sextoy and other trivia about sextoy, sexuality, and sexuality for men and women. I want to read more! If you think its a great idea, please bookmark it. CARBONDALE Diane Nilan, national activist for the homeless and president of the Hear Us campaign, has been speaking out against homelessness for more than 30 years. On Tuesday, Nilan in collaboration with the Sparrow Coalition for the community forum series on poverty will present her short film, "Social Insecurity for Seniors," which elaborates on homelessness issues in the small college town of Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The film, screening from 5:30 to 7 p.m. today in Carbondale Public Library, gives a first-person view into the struggle of being homeless and elderly. "I interviewed several people who are (homeless seniors) and tried to let them tell the story of how they became homeless, whats keeping them homeless and whats it like to be homeless," Nilan said. Despite her 15 years advocating against child and family homelessness in America, Nilan said her production had been crucial, mostly because of her identification with the film. "It was actually a very difficult film to make, mostly because my own age," she said. "I am 65 so I identified age-wise, and, you know, I am certainly not that far from homelessness (myself)." Nilan, who has been living and traveling out of her mobile home since her ambition to fight homelessness in 2005, said she hopes her film applies perspective, and enables her audience to acknowledge homeless in their communities. "It's eye-opening for any audience," she said. "(It's also) a great tool to help audiences everywhere understand who are some of the homeless people out in their own community." Sparrow Coalition member Peter Lemish said Nilan's film offers two significant things for the city. The first is creating ideas for combating homelessness, he said. The second: Finding ways in which the community can assist the homeless. "Prior to her work with homeless seniors, (Nilan) was setting up shelters for the homeless particularly in the winter time," said Lemish, who also organizes the groups activities. "(Nilan) has a wide range of experience and we are considering a number of options in terms of how to go about that here so she is also (here) to consult with us and share her ideas." A 43-year-old Carterville man was arrested Monday, charged with the sexual assault of a child younger than 13. Arrested Monday was Nathan King of Carterville. Carterville police were made aware of the alleged assault on Friday, when it was reported to them. Their investigation led them to King, who was charged with predatory criminal sexual assault. That charge involves the sexual assault of a child under the age of 13, according to Carterville Police Chief Heather Reno. He is being held in Williamson County Jail. The Southern MARION The condition of the flight instructor who was airlifted to Barnes-Jewish Hospital on June 10 after a single-engine plane crash has improved from critical to serious, a hospital spokeswoman said. Todd Greiner, of West Frankfort, was airlifted to the St. Louis hospital the day of the crash from the Williamson County Regional Airport. The other passenger in the plane, John Alleman, of Carbondale, also a pilot, died in the accident. Patient privacy laws only allow the hospital to provide a basic status from the following options: critical, serious, fair, good and undetermined. The change in Greiners status from critical to serious represents an improvement, though no more detailed information is available about his condition or the extent of the improvement. Greiner suffered major injuries in the crash, and is facing a long recovery, family and friends previously indicated. Officials and family have said that the purpose of the flight on June 10 was Allemans biennial flight review that all pilots are required to undergo with a flight instructor in order to continue operating aircraft. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the incident, as is standard procedure in all airplane crashes. While it can take a year or more for the NTSB to release a full investigative report, the agency has released a preliminary report. The report says the plane, a Cirrus SR22, crashed after a loss of control during a simulated engine failure maneuver. According to the air traffic control tower personnel, the airplane was performing touch-and-go maneuvers, and then requested a climb to 3,000 feet to perform a simulated engine failure descent to land maneuver, the report continues. The air traffic controller observed the airplane in a left turn descent. As the airplane approached the runway, the controller observed the right wing lift and the airplane stall before the crash. According to the report, the preliminary details included are subject to change in the final report as more information becomes available. MURPHSYBORO In the past nine days, the Murphysboro community has witnessed three fires, one of which led to the death of the man who lived there. Though the fires might seem like an increase, Murphysboro's Fire Chief Steve Swafford said there is not an increase in fires in the area. He said Murphysboro experiences about 14 fires a year, a little more than one a month. A major fire was one handled by the Murphysboro Pomona Somerset Fire Protection District on June 10, in which a 51-year-old Joshua Randall Penrod died. Preliminary results are that Penrod died from smoke inhalation, according to Jackson County coroner Dr. Thomas Kupferer. He said investigators were awaiting the results of toxicology reports which take about three weeks to determine the cause of Penrod's death. Arson is not suspected in that case, but a final determination will be dependent upon the results of a report from the Fire Marshal's office, according to Lt. Jennifer Lindsey of the Jackson County Sheriff's Department. The case is being investigated by the Illinois Office of the State Fire Marshal. Updates on that investigation were not available on Monday afternoon. Two days later, on Sunday, June 12, Murphysboro fire fighters were called to 413 N. 19th St., where a fire was discovered on top of the stove. Investigators believe a man trying to burglarize the home might have started a fire as a diversion. Around 4 a.m. Monday, the Murphysboro fire department assisted with a house fire on North Springer Road in Carbondale. Melvin L. Sanford, 29, of Carbondale was sentenced to 25 years in prison Monday on a home invasion charge after a jury trial in Jackson County Circuit Court, according to Jackson County States Attorney Michael C. Carr. Carbondale police officers were dispatched to a home in Cedar Court Trailer Park on Dec. 11, 2014, after receiving a report of a home invasion and armed robbery. The victims said several black men wearing black clothing entered their home by force, held them at gunpoint and robbed them. The suspects took the victims cellphones before leaving. The officers tracked one of the cellphones, which led them to a 1988 Cadillac registered to Sanford. They stopped the vehicle and arrested Sanford, Terrance Vinson and Elijah J. Mosley. The officers found the stolen cellphones in the vehicle along with other items reported stolen by the victims. Vinson was sentenced to 65 years in prison in March. Mosley received a seven-year sentence in August after pleading guilty to charges. The Southern The Franklin County Sheriffs Office arrested three suspects Monday in connection with a series of burglaries and thefts committed recently in eastern Franklin County, according to Sheriff Donald R. Jones. The crimes occurred over the past week in the rural area of Akin, police said. The Suspects broke into the Eastern Township building, an excavating business and a salvage business and stole a variety of items, including chainsaws, hand tools, propane tanks, and vehicle batteries. Police have recovered some of the stolen items. Seth W. Powell, 20, was charged with one count of burglary and one count of felony theft. Austin L. Alderson, 18, faces three counts of burglaries and four counts of theft, including three felonies and one class A misdemeanor. Both suspects are from Benton. The third suspect, a 17-year-old juvenile, was charged with three counts of burglary, three counts of felony theft and one misdemeanor count. Powell and Alderson are being held in the Franklin County Jail, and the juvenile is being held in the Franklin County Juvenile Detention Center. The investigation is ongoing and more arrests are anticipated, authorities said. I am supposed to be writing about a shooting in Orlando, but my thoughts keep circling back to a funeral in Louisville. About the shooting, you have doubtless already heard your fill of grisly details. Suffice it to say that in the dark hours of Sunday morning, a Muslim man armed with a military-style assault rifle opened fire on Latin Night at a gay nightclub, killing 49 people, wounding dozens more. The atrocity, the biggest mass shooting in American history, ignited another dreary spasm of Islamophobia, led by Donald Trump. In short order, the presumptive Repugnant Party candidate for president bragged about being right on radical Islamic terrorism, suggested that President Obama is sympathetic to terrorists and renewed his call for a ban on Muslim immigration, though he did not explain how that would have stopped the killer, who, like Trump, was born in New York City. For good measure, Trumps Islamophobia was met by the homophobia of one Roger Jimenez, a Baptist preacher in Sacramento who told his congregation it was great that 50 pedophiles were killed today and went on to call for the government to round them all up and put them up against a firing wall and blow their brains out. So yes, this is what I need to be writing about today, the hatred, the division and the rhetorical and actual violence they spawn. But I keep coming back to that funeral for Muhammad Ali. Perhaps you caught some part of the ceremony on television the Friday before the shooting. If you did, perhaps you were struck, as I was, by the fact of ministers, rabbis, Iroquois spiritual leaders, a Jewish comic, a black TV personality and a white politician born in segregated Arkansas, all coming together under one roof to honor an African-American Muslim. Perhaps it spoke to some deep part of you of the potentialities beneath our animosities, the commonalities within our separations. We are taught to regard the animosities and separations as definitive and unavoidable, part and parcel of what it means to be human. That this is a lie is reflected in all the tributaries of color, faith and tribe that flowed together to honor Ali. Animosities and separations are not conditions you are born with. Rather, they are conditions you choose. Jimenez, sadly, made that choice. So did Trump. And so did the man who walked into that nightclub and butchered all those people. They are all alike. Only in degree and choice of weapon do they differ. And as appalled, sickened and repulsed as the massacre leaves me, I am also disgusted by the response from these people in putative positions of responsibility and by the fact that their enablers on the political right will justify, rationalize or otherwise make excuses for these acts of human malpractice. I am tired of chalking this sort of thing up to ideological disagreement. This is not about ideology. No, this is about the mainstreaming and normalizing of hatred in ways not seen for more than 50 years. It is about how people deserve to be treated, about whether we are a country where the exclusion and even execution of vulnerable peoples are bandied casually about from platforms of authority or whether we are a country with the courage of its convictions. I dont expect much from a mass murderer. But youd like to think you can hope for a little I dont know grace, dignity, statesmanship from a preacher and a would-be president. Is simple decency too much to ask? God help us, if it is. Friday saw all sorts of people cross all sorts of cultural lines in order to pay tribute to a man they all somehow recognized as one of their own. It offered shining proof of what human beings can be. Then came Sunday, and an awful reminder of what we too often are. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. NEW YORK Thomson Reuters has released Checkpoint State Clear Comply, which simplifies the analysis of complex state compliance questions for multi-tier partnerships and S Corporations with a presence in multiple states. Tax professionals can use the exclusive logic in the tool to highlight nexus flow-up issues and easily generate comprehensive reports covering the necessary requirements for composite returns, non-resident withholding and annual returns. This is a product that I wish would have existed a while ago, said Darian Allen, CPA, Regan, Levin, Bloss, Brown & Savchak, P.C. This is where I spend most of my time researching and now I no longer have to go to multiple locations to get my answers. Tax professionals face increasingly compressed workloads, said Virginia Lorenzo, senior director of tax editorial with the Tax & Accounting business of Thomson Reuters. Checkpoint State Clear Comply cuts through complexity and can save tax professionals a significant amount of time when researching and documenting state compliance obligations for pass-throughs. Thomson Reuters Checkpoint State Clear Comply maintains up-to-date state filing compliance requirements and reduces the risk of missed filings due to changing requirements in different states. It eliminates time-consuming research by creating reports with critical compliance requirements for state filings on partnerships and S Corporations and allows users to export reports for audit purposes. To learn more, visit tax.tr.com/StateComply. Thomson Reuters Checkpoint provides integrated research, editorial insight, productivity tools, online learning and news updates along with intelligent links to related content and software. It is relied on by hundreds of thousands of tax and accounting professionals, 97 of the Top 100 U.S. law firms, 99 of the Fortune 100 companies, and all of the top 100 U.S. CPA firms. Thomson Reuters Thomson Reuters is the worlds leading source of news and information for professional markets. Our customers rely on us to deliver the intelligence, technology and expertise they need to find trusted answers. The business has operated in more than 100 countries for more than 100 years. Thomson Reuters shares are listed on the Toronto and New York Stock Exchanges. For more information, visit www.thomsonreuters.com. CONTACT Dana Greenstein Public Relations Manager Tax & Accounting Tel: +1 201 536 4397 Email: dana.greenstein@thomsonreuters.com NEW YORK Today Reuters, the worlds largest international multimedia news provider, released version 2.0 of Reuters TV. This new version of the revolutionary connected TV service introduces Featured Programs thematic programs curated and hosted by Reuters journalists alongside live feeds of global events and personalized video newscasts. The update includes a major redesign on both Apple TV and the Web that seeks to set the standard for premium online video delivery. Reuters TV is available for iOS and tvOS devices on the Apple App Store, Android devices via Google Play, and on the web globally at Reuters.tv. Introduced in 2015, Reuters TV is aimed at a growing segment of informed, on-the-go and globally curious consumers who value authenticity and personalization and are too busy to watch traditional TV. For these users, Reuters TV delivers a habitual new category of mid-form engagement that fits between the TV and the Web. Session frequency on Reuters TV has doubled in the past year, as session length has grown 68% and the number of active users has grown by 22 times. Isaac Showman, Managing Director of Reuters TV, said, This update brings us closer to our vision of deconstructing the traditional TV news experience and reimagining it for today. With version 2.0 of Reuters TV, users can choose between an always up-to-date, on-demand personalized newscast, live video coverage of developing global events, and in-depth thematic reporting that provides insight around major stories. For marketers, the updates offer a beautiful canvas to engage a premium audience of urban professionals who are typically watching on their way to and from work. Reuters TV 2.0 features three ways to watch for most users: Reuters Now, an algorithmically assembled but editorially curated news program that is: On-demand Up-to-date Any duration (between 5 and 30 minutes) Customized to each viewer's interests and location Downloadable for offline viewing Featured Programs: Thematic, editorially-curated programs, on topics from Zika to Brexit to the battle to retake Mosul Offers a more in-depth understanding of a major issue in the news Hosted by a Reuters journalist to provide context around the topic Multiple new programs added each week Live feeds: Real-time coverage of global events, from protests to Presidential speeches Unfiltered and uninterrupted Available live and on-demand Currently available on all platforms except Android, with support for that platform coming soon Stephen Adler, Editor in Chief of Reuters, said Im delighted that Reuters TV is continuing to enhance the news-viewing experience through advanced technology and exciting new contributions from our talented global news team. Editorial content from Reuters TV is produced exclusively for the service and draws upon Reuters extraordinary reach from 2,500 journalists in over 160 countries. In order to deliver the services variable program lengths, all content is produced in multiple versions and organized by editorial teams in London, Hong Kong, New York and Washington DC, providing 24/7 coverage for viewers. For more on Reuters TV, including images, background and media information, please visit http://reuters.tv/press. Reuters Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the worlds largest international multimedia news provider reaching more than one billion people every day. Reuters provides trusted business, financial, national, and international news to professionals via Thomson Reuters desktops, the world's media organizations, and directly to consumers at Reuters.com. Thomson Reuters Thomson Reuters is the world's leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals. We combine industry expertise with innovative technology to deliver critical information to leading decision makers in the financial and risk, legal, tax and accounting, intellectual property and science and media markets, powered by the world's most trusted news organization. Thomson Reuters shares are listed on the Toronto and New York Stock Exchange. /By Azernews/ By Amina Nazarli ADA University, an important educational and training institution in the country, is launching a new Master's program in the field of agricultural management. Rector of ADA University Hafiz Pashayev made the remark on Tuesday as part of a conference organized at the university on the topic "Strategic perspective on agriculture: competition, food safety and social aspects". Beginning this September the university launches a two-year program, which will train 25 students. "The program is supported by the Agriculture Ministry. The ministry sees those voids that are now present in the countrys agriculture. In the modern world there is a need for new professional staff, who would work for the future of this industry in the country. I believe that the program will be helpful," the rector emphasized. ADA University has a specific interest in the agricultural industry, and the university together with the Maastricht School of Management is successfully implementing a joint program to issue two diplomas, according to Pashayev. "Two graduates have been certified for this program. We see that the field of agriculture has great potential," he said. Recently, Labor Minister Salim Muslimov said that Azerbaijan has a shortage of personnel for the majority of working specialties. He noted that after the Soviet period, laborer lost popularity in the country. In recent years we have witnessed the rapid development of agriculture in the country. But we do not have or do not have enough working capacity to engage in agriculture. Availability of even single tractor-driver is a source of happiness in far-away regions,: he said. At present, Azerbaijan gives impetus to the development of industries such as tobacco, cotton and silk, Samilov added, stressing that its necessary to grow a qualified specialists for these industries. Earlier, French Ambassador to Azerbaijan Aurelia Boucher said that the French Development Agency (AFD) has already affected 112.5 million euros for transport in Azerbaijan, adding that the agency could spend the same amount and even more for agriculture support. France shares its experience with Azerbaijan in agricultural sector, in particular for the modernization of animal health and epidemiological service. We continue to cooperate in this area and strengthen it thanks to the attention that the government attaches to agriculture, she said. Head of the EU delegation to Azerbaijan Malena Mard, in turn, called education as one of the important issues. Mard noted that the EU works jointly with the Agriculture Ministry and the ADA University to improve the training level of the agriculture specialists. Enjoying advantageous geographic location Azerbaijan has all opportunities to increase food security and production in the country. The country achieved 6.6-percent growth in the volume of agricultural production in 2015. The agricultural sector is important in Azerbaijan not only to increase export potential, but also to restore and protect the countrys food security. By James Badcock Lita Cabellut is one of Spain 's most successful artists, but she's barely known in her home country. What's more, the woman whose paintings now sell for six figure sums spent her early years living on the street. "My childhood was like that of thousands of street kids around the world," says Lita Cabellut. She used to roam the streets of Barcelona with other homeless children and slept in the open air. "We looked after one another - we did whatever we liked. We took coins out of the fountains, begged Zippo lighters from sailors and stole tourists' wallets. We used to go into restaurants and say our father was in the toilet when they served us, before wolfing down the food and running off." Cabellut was born in a village in Aragon , north-east Spain , in 1961. While she was a baby, she and her mother moved to Barcelona . Her mother ran a brothel in the city and Cabellut was left with her grandmother - but in reality she spent most of her time out on the streets. "I ran errands for the prostitutes. They gave me money to buy packs of cigarettes, sandwiches, condoms or jewellery, and I kept the change." Looking back, she says that "art, of course, was there because art is always around us", but she didn't think about it in a formal sense - she was preoccupied with survival. "A child never recognizes art as something separated. I sold imaginary stars on the streets. Is that not a true performance of art? But for me it was a way to survive." She didn't go to school and it never crossed her mind that one day she would become one of Spain 's most successful artists. "My expectations were to be a dancer, to fly, to run, to be stronger than all children around me. The expectation of a child is always the same - poor or rich, we want to be superheroes," she says. According to the 2014-15 annual report compiled by Artprice, the only living Spaniard who sells more paintings than Cabellut is the Majorcan artist Miquel Barcelo. Now her vivid portraits can sell for $100,000 (70,000) or more - actors Hugh Jackman and Halle Berry , as well as chef, Gordon Ramsay, are each reported to own one. So what changed the course of Cabellut's life so dramatically? Cabellut's grandmother died when she was about 10 years old and she ended up in a Barcelona orphanage before being adopted by "a beautiful Catalan family" at the age of 12. She won't reveal much about them, except that they introduced her to art. They took her to Madrid 's Prado museum, and introduced a 13-year-old Cabellut to Goya's dark and haunting Pilgrimage to San Isidro , which was painted between 1820 and 1823. "I recognised in this painting the expressions in the eyes of the people that I crossed in the streets when I was little," she says. "This painting describes the madness, the hope, the terrific moments that the human being can have when you lose your security. For me, when I saw this painting for the first time I felt the complicity of being a witness." It made such an impression on her that she tried to copy another Goya, one of his sweeter works depicting a country boy with a country girl and a little dog. The result was not spectacular but her adopted family encouraged the adolescent Cabellut to keep painting - they even paid for private tutors to make up for lost time. And for the first time in her life, she also started going to school. "It was very difficult for me at school as I was so far behind. It's hard to start learning to read and write when you are 13, and then there's the psychological difficulty of being put into a class where all the children are much younger. I had a lot of private classes at home. It was necessary because I had to learn everything." She slowly made progress at school, started to listen to the "voice of art" and decided to study art at Amsterdam 's Gerrit Rietveld Academy . "At that time it was hard to get into this school. They had a good reputation in the 80s and that was part of my giant ambitions. Again, I wanted to be a superhero. I had passion, dedication, you can call it delirium - a tremendous hunger." The "three big masters" who influenced her the most were Spain 's Goya, the early Florentine Renaissance sculptor Donatello, and German composer Bach. After graduating, she stayed in the Netherlands and now she has a studio in The Hague , but success didn't come easily. "I did things like giving someone a painting so they would pay my electricity bill and painting a house to get three months' credit in a supermarket. "When you are in a growth period as an artist you have to defend it ferociously because you need that time to find your language and become a maestro. If you swap that time for money, you don't get that time back to develop yourself." At one point, having established a lucrative relationship with a reputable gallery, she decided to start all over again, and didn't sell anything for two years. "I had painted a shocking series on child prostitution and my gallerist said: 'No, Lita, you can't do this. People don't want this. Paint more angels, those angels that sell so well.' I said 'No' and I lost my gallery. "An artist has to follow their trajectory. So today that might be angels, tomorrow demons and ghosts. If you don't follow your artistic development, it just becomes an economic development, and that is very dangerous." Today, Cabellut is best known for her portraits, which include paintings of famous people such as Coco Chanel and Charlie Chaplin, but also anonymous subjects who some might consider ugly. "I do not see ugly people," says Cabellut. "I paint different people. I paint people in whom you need to find the real beauty behind the skin. I have a weakness for underdogs, and one part of me will always stay with them. What drives me is the portrait of the human being, of you, of me, of us." She puts her canvases through a lengthy chemical process to give them a rough and edgy texture and uses techniques that range from "17th-Century studio painting to street art". Some of her larger portraits are two metres high - and for a couple of years she had to be suspended from ropes to reach the top of them. She couldn't stretch after she was involved in an accident in Paris - she was knocked over and injured by a police officer who was chasing a thief. Although Cabellut has held solo exhibitions in London , Dubai and Seoul , she has yet to gain public recognition in her native Spain . Two shows in 2017 are aimed at remedying this: a retrospective at Barcelona 's Antonio Vila Casas foundation, and an exhibition at A Coruna's contemporary art museum where her studio will be recreated. "Of course, my roots are Spanish and I will always be Spanish. It is beautiful that the people from your home count on you and kiss you." As for her birth mother, Cabellut says she has forgiven her for abandoning her. She recalls once visiting her when the painter was a student but found it impossible to tell her how she felt. And when she talks about her work, she refers back to her childhood on the streets of Barcelona . "I still feel like I am selling stars," she says." People are not buying just paint, canvas and resin - it's the magic and emotion that is the spirit of art." OSCE is expected to monitor the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops June 22, Azerbaijani Defense Ministry told Trend June 21. It is planned to hold the monitoring under the mandate of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative on the contact line near the Aghdam village of Azerbaijan's Tovuz district, the ministry said. On the Azerbaijani side, the monitoring will be held by the field assistants of OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative Hristo Hristov and Simon Tiller. On the opposite side, the monitoring will be carried out by the field assistants of OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative Jiri Aberle and Peter Svedberg. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. President of the Rrepublic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has has today reviewed newly reconstructed Mashtaga-Bilgah highway in Sabunchu district, as well as the Absheron and Nasrulla Asgarov streets in Nardaran settlement, Baku. Chairman of Azeravtoyol OJSC Saleh Mammadov informed the head of state about the construction work carried out in Sabunchu district. The reconstruction of Mashtaga-Bilgah highway started in March 2016 under the relevant order of President Ilham Aliyev. The highway links three settlements with the population of 63,000 people. The highway is 9 km in length. Its width was expanded from 7 to 9.5 metres. President Ilham Aliyev was also informed about the project of reconstruction of the Absheron and Nasrulla Asgarov streets. The head of state was informed that before the reconstruction work the total length of the two-lane road section was 2360 metres, while its width was 8 metres. Under the project, after the reconstruction, the number of lanes will be increased to four, and the width of the road will be extended to 18 metres. New 2m-wide sidewalks were built along the street in both directions. A new circle at the intersection of Absheron and Nasrulla Asgarov Streets was built. Nasrulla Asgarov Street was 6 metres in width. The reconstruction saw the width of the road extended up to 16 metres. A completely new infrastructure was created here. The head of state was also informed about Ramana-Mashtaga highway which is under construction. The length of Ramana-Mashtaga highway is 11,500 metres, while its width is 6-7 metres. The width of the highway will be extended up to 8-9 metres. The road will have two lanes. President Ilham Aliyev cut the ribbon symbolizing the official opening of Mashtaga-Bilgah highway after the major overhaul, as well as the Absheron and Nasrulla Asgarov Streets. The head of state tested the highway by driving a car. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday urged the international community to ensure an honorable life for refugees suffering xenophobia and discrimination across the world, Anadolu reported. In a statement released for World Refugee Day, Erdogan said such an honorable life "is the political and moral responsibility of the international community. "Otherwise, the efforts of Turkey with a few countries will not be enough for a solution to the [refugee] issue," he added. Erdogan said Turkey continually took action, in contrast to the international community's inaction, hosting more than three million refugees and making sacrifices to provide them with a decent life. "I hope World Refugee Day reminds the international community of its responsibilities and the conscientious values it should have," the president said. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Turkey was a hope for oppressed people and vowed the country would not turn a deaf ear in the face of screams. "We did not ask those who wanted a hand from us their language, religion or race; we extended our hand. Today and tomorrow as well, we will stand beside them," Yildirim wrote on his Twitter account. A record 65.3 million people around the world were displaced by war and persecution in 2015, the UNs refugee agency said Monday. Of these, nearly a third - 21.3 million people - were forced to seek sanctuary abroad. /By Trend/ /By Azernews/ By Fatma Babayeva After the relations between Turkey and Russia worsened due to the incident with Russian SU-24 bomber in 2015, some say Turkey needs to decrease its reliance on Russian gas and diversify further gas supply routes. Turkey needs to reduce its energy dependence from Russia via gas supplies from alternative sources, Kenan Yavuz, former head of SOCAR Turkey Energy and current board chairman of Turkish Caspian Strategy Research Institute told TRT news channel on June 20. He noted that the construction of the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) may partly facilitate this. The mentioned TANAP pipeline is the Turkish leg of the Southern Gas Corridor and envisages transporting gas from Shah Deniz Phase 2 located in the Azerbaijani section of the Caspian Sea to Turkey (6 billion cubic meters per year) and then to Europe (initially 10 billion cubic meters per year) via connection to Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP). This pipeline stretches from Turkeys border with Georgia to the Greek border of the country. Yavuz further emphasized the great significance of TANAP pipeline not only for Turkey but for the whole region and added that Israeli gas will be useful on the matter to Turkey as well. Russia is the biggest supplier of the natural gas to Turkey via Blue Stream and Trans-Balkan pipelines. BPs estimates show that Turkey imported 39.7 billion cubic meters of natural gas via pipelines in 2015. Some 5.3 billion cubic meters out of this volume was purchased from Azerbaijan (via the South Caucasus Pipeline or Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum) 26.6 billion from Russia and 7.8 billion from Iran. Additionally, Turkey imported 7.5 billion cubic meters of LNG last year. Most part of this volume (3.8 billion cubic meters) was bought from Algeria. The remaining part was imported from Qatar (1.7 billion cubic meters) and Nigeria (1.5 billion cubic meters). Turkey is the second largest importer of the Russian gas after Germany. Turkeys purchase of Russian gas brings about $9 billion to Russian budget annually, Togrul Ismayil political scientist, associate professor of the Department of International Relations at the Ankara-based TOBB University of Economics and Technology told Trend on June 20. He thinks that warming of relations between Russia and Turkey depends on the Russian side. Turkey initially didnt introduce any sanctions against Russia, despite the fact that Moscow violated the air borders of Ankara, noted the expert adding that Russia, on the contrary, began to introduce sanctions against Turkey that caused damage to ordinary citizens. In regards to the Turkish Stream - the suspended pipeline which previously envisaged carrying Russian gas via Bulgaria to southern and central Europe, Ismayil stressed that Turkey will not speculate on this project for the sake of improving relations with Russia. The Turkish Stream project has geopolitical importance for Russia as well, he said, adding that Turkey will proceed from its economic interests in this issue. Although, experts suggest that Turkey needs to reduce dependence on Russian gas, the government strives not to reduce but to bring back previous volumes of trade between two countries. Saudi Arabia's government will sell about SR20 billion ($5.3 billion) of domestic bonds to banks next Monday, the Maaal financial website quoted official sources as saying on Tuesday. Since last August, the government has been selling about SR20 billion of domestic bonds to banks every month to fund a budget deficit caused by low oil prices. In the last few months it has also started borrowing abroad. It raised a $10 billion international loan last month and plans a US dollar bond issue in coming weeks or months. This month's domestic debt sale will comprise five-, seven- and 10-year bonds in fixed- and floating-rate tranches, Maaal said. The fixed-rate bonds would be offered at 60-65 basis points above US Treasuries for the five-year tranche, 72-77 bps over for seven years and 85-90 bps over for 10 years. The floating-rate bonds would be offered at 25 to 30 bps below the three-month Saudi interbank offered rate for five years, 10 to 15 bps below for seven years and flat to 5 bps above for 10 years. The finance ministry did not respond to a phone call seeking comment. - Reuters The UAE emirate of Dubai has made available new plots of land in Dubai World Central for foreigners to purchase under a decision by HH Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice-President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. The Resolution No (8) of 2016, adds new land plots to the freehold area in Dubai World Central available for non-UAE nationals in Dubai, said a Wam report. The decision grants non-UAE nationals the rights to absolute ownership, without a specific time frame, of lands and properties located in land plot numberd 205, 206 and 207 in the Dubai World Central area (521). The borders and area mentioned in the decision are clearly marked in the maps annexed to the decision. It also gives owners the right to benefit from and lease lands and properties in these plots for a period not exceeding 99 years, the report said. The decision aims to support Dubai Aviation Citys objectives to cater to the continuous growth of the aviation sector in Dubai, and to further cement its position as an international hub for aviation and logistics services. Furthermore, it seeks to promote Dubai as a destination of choice for event organisers in aviation-related sectors. The decision also aims to attract further investments to the City, and provide an investment-friendly environment, it said. All the actions taken by Dubai Aviation City in these land plots prior to the issuance of this decision are valid. The decision is effective from the date of issuance and shall be published in the official gazette, the notification added. UAE-based Unikai, a leading fast moving consumer good (FMCG) company, has named Bahrain-based Behzad Group as the official distributor of its products in the kingdom. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by Neeraj Mohra, CEO of Unikai, and Steve Sutton, general manager of Behzad Group, in the presence of Mana Mohammed Saeed Al Mulla, chairman of Unikai, and Fawaz A Behzad, director of finance and administration, Behzad Group. With this move, Behzad Group is tapping into the FMCG industry through distribution of Unikais portfolio of products in the Bahraini market. Al Mulla said: We are pleased with Behzad Group becoming our distributor in Bahrain. We see great potential in the Bahraini FMCG market. We are happy to bring our four main categories of diary, juice, ice-cream, and foods to consumers in the kingdom through this partnership. Our expectations are high and we are confident that the resultant competition among different players and strong category offerings by our company will benefit consumers, he said. Sutton said: We are delighted to tap into the FMCG industry, and join hands with Unikai Foods, which is the regions oldest FMCG group. This partnership is very important for the growth of our group. Their expertise in the consumer packaged goods business and our local market knowledge make a great combination that we will leverage on to steer the FMCG sector in the kingdom, he said. We will also utilise our expertise in the logistics industry to make this strategic partnership even more meaningful, he added. Behzad said: Since its inception in 1973, Behzad Group has had an extensive warehousing and distribution capabilities, and today after over four decades of import experience in the Bahrain market it was a natural step to expand into new sectors such as food distribution. This move carries greater significance since it revolves round a partnership with a leading regional FMCG company. We are fully geared to make Unikai Foods products a household name in Bahrain, he added. TradeArabia News Service Seatrade Tanker Middle East, a key conference for the tanker industry, will take place as part of Seatrade Maritime Middle East and Dubai Maritime Week, later this year, in Dubai, UAE. The conference will be held on November 1 in the forum area at the main event and will be moderated by Katharina Stanzel, managing director of International Association of Independent Tanker Owners (Intertanko), bringing with her significant industry expertise, said a statement. Topics during the half-day conference will include a comprehensive discussion of the fundamentals of the crude oil tanker market and an analysis of the factors influencing the shape of product tanker demand and those driving it, including refining, and the composition of the order book, it said. Delegates will be encouraged to enter discussion with the panel speakers and a networking luncheon will follow the morning session, it added. Chris Hayman, chairman of Seatrade, said: In light of discussions that we have had with major stakeholders in the industry and general market feedback, I am pleased that we can reintroduce this important theme to the overall programme in the knowledge that the tanker shipping market is continuing to perform well. The low oil price has continued to benefit the tanker market in both crude and product sectors, he said. Recent signs of increased demand for crude oil imports in India and China give grounds for optimism. Demand is being generated by the granting of import licences to Chinas privately owned teapot refineries a trend that is expected to continue in coming months. Growing near-term OPEC supply and declining US production will support tanker demand by increasing voyage distances, he added. New refinery development in the region also bodes well for the product tanker sector, and a tight market for finance will act as a constraint on new orders, despite low prices. Meanwhile the return of Iran to the market adds an interesting new dynamic, Hayman concluded. TradeArabia News Service Microsoft Gulf has called on regional start-ups to strongly consider the cloud as a means of easily scaling up their business operations, citing several UAE success stories as proof that. Through Microsofts BizSpark, a global programme that helps startups succeed by giving free access to Microsoft cloud services, software and support, enterprise-level technology tools are no longer out of reach for SMEs, it said. We are very pleased with the progress that regional start-ups have made, said Samer Abu-Ltaif, general Manager, Microsoft Gulf. The BizSpark scheme is chartered to provide companies with the right tools software, services, cloud computing and the right training, to turn their ideas into thriving enterprises. BizSpark allows us to connect start-ups with incubators that we work with, and get them the right guidance on their journey, as they become an integral part of the diversification of the economy in this part of the world. In January this year, Satya Nadella, chief executive officer of Microsoft, met with several UAE-based entrepreneurs while on a visit to the country. Each of the business leaders had made strides in growth for their venture through BizSpark and were interested to know how they could take bolder steps using Microsofts Azure cloud platform. Unlike any CEO you could imagine, Nadella was able to listen to our idea and intimately understand it, and provide feedback and guidance on how we can further leverage Microsoft technologies and grow as a start-up, said Rami Salman, founder and CEO, Wrappup, which has developed a meeting productivity tool that allows users to record meeting conversations, summarise them and then search them. Mohamed Elwazer is founder and CEO of KinTrans. His start-up journey starts with a very personal story. One day I saw a deaf child in the Metro station and he was trying to communicate with a police officer using sign language, and obviously the police officer didnt understand him, Elwazer explained. Later, I saw some people dancing in front of an Xbox Kinect system and thought that was something we could use to develop a sign-language translator. Because of its capital-intensive demands, 10 years ago Elwazers idea is one that could easily have run out of steam without an angel investor or VC funding, but BizSpark helped him to take it forward. It would have cost us a lot of money to reach where we are now without Microsofts support, he said. BizSpark is a fantastic programme for start-ups and entrepreneurs, said Thea Myhrvold, founder and CEO, teachmenow.com, an online global marketplace that connects students with tutors in one-to-one, real-time learning sessions. Myhrvold insists it is a place where anyone can teach and everyone can learn. Myhrvold also believes that cloud architecture helped her company get off the ground more quickly than it would have if it had been forced to procure an expanse of costly equipment. BizSpark really helped us to get on the Azure platform without a heavy investment, she said. This was an excellent kick-start for us to grow our business and grow it fast. We also get a lot of training, one-to-one support and mentorship from experts at Microsoft. For start-ups, scalability can often be paramount in capitalising on sales opportunities or bringing a new idea to market quickly, before it can be copied. BizSpark helps fledgling companies to grow at a pace that suits them, all while getting the right guidance to keep the business on track. Teambase built a solution for the insurance industry that features behaviour like that of an online banking system. BizSpark has given us the opportunity to utilise the cloud at virtually no cost and allows us to run our existing solutions while at the same time experimenting with new technologies," said Teambase managing director Robert Koval. We were able to take our solution thats been running here in the Middle East for three years, and scale it out to China, Singapore and Indonesia in recent months. Wrappups Salman also believes that the ability to grow quickly and on demand, is key to the success of a small business, and something that the cloud is able to provide. When youre a start-up, you are always solving so many problems at once, he said. Microsoft was able to solve one major issue for us, and thats scale. They empower a start-up to look like much more than a start-up, providing nascent-stage businesses like ours with all the capabilities of a massive enterprise, with the security, scalability and affordability of the cloud. We aim to have a global reach and one million users by the end of 2016, added Myhrvold of teachmenow.com. Azure really helps us grow and scale fast. Microsofts mission is to empower every person and organisation on the planet to achieve more, said Abu-Ltaif. Our passion for this extends particularly to entrepreneurs, to allow them to achieve more and be more. Microsoft was once a start-up, and we are proud to play a part in the success stories of the next generation of businesses. We want entrepreneurs to know that, through programmes like BizSpark, Microsoft stands ready to take those first bold steps with them, as they look to their future. The BizSpark programme has empowered over 90,000 startups around the world, it said. - TradeArabia News Service Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris said hes prepared to invest in Oi SA, the Brazilian wireless carrier that filed for bankruptcy protection on $19 billion in debt this week. Sawiris, who controls a majority stake in Egypts Orascom Telecom Media and Technology Holding SAE, said Oi has great potential once its debt is restructured and provided the company gets a capital increase and a strong industrial plan. Egypts second-richest man is ready to invest if hes granted exclusivity for talks, he told Bloomberg in an interview on Tuesday. Oi needs a shareholder with a strong telecoms background to solve their operational problems in addition to their financial ones," Sawiris said by phone. Sawiris isnt the only foreign billionaire who has showed interest in Oi, the most indebted phone company in Brazil. In February, Russias Mikhail Fridman withdrew a proposal to help finance a merger between Oi and Telecom Italia SpAs Brazilian unit, Tim Participacoes SA. Oi filed for bankruptcy protection on Monday after failing to reach an agreement with creditors following a series of mergers and leadership changes that failed to help the carrier get on solid financial footing. Sawiris said that a merger between Oi and Tim Participacoes makes a lot of sense, but that first Oi needs to stand on its own feet. The Egyptian businessman said he would welcome a deal with Fridman, a former business partner. Sawiris didnt specify what shape his investment could take. His interest in buying Oi was first reported by Estado de S. Paulo columnist Sonia Racy. Oi sought protection from creditors so it could keep serving customers, the company said in its filing Monday. Talks with creditors stalled last week after some board members disagreed with a plan by bondholders to swap debt for equity, giving them 95 per cent of the company and leaving current shareholders with a 5 per cent stake. Oi was under pressure to seek protection because it has a 231 million euro-denominated ($262 million) bond maturing in almost a month. The filing came 10 days after Bayard Gontijo resigned as chief executive officer after disagreeing with some board members on how to proceed on negotiations with debt holders. Worth $4 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Sawiris helped shape Italys phone industry. In 2005, he bought wireless carrier Wind in a 12.2 billion-euro deal from utility company Enel SpA and sold it six years later to VimpelCom, the carrier part-owned by Fridman.-Bloomberg A new Mercedes-Benz E-Class car has been unveiled by Al Haddad Motors (AHM), exclusive dealer for the German automotive brand in Bahrain, reported the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication. To read further, please visit GDNonline. Dubai Municipality plans to set up the largest plant in the Middle East to convert solid waste into energy at a cost of Dh2 billion ($544 million), a report said. The move falls in line with the national agenda to reduce the landfill by 75 percent by 2021, in addition to protecting the environment from methane gas emitted by the landfill, added WAM, the Emirates official news agency. The plant, to be built in Warsan district 2, will take three years to complete, Hussain Nasser Lootah, Director-General of Dubai Municipality was quoted as saying in the report. It will be operational in the second quarter of 2020 during which it will receive 2,000 metric tonnes of municipal solid waste per day in the first phase to produce 60 megawatts, he added. Essa Al Maidoor, deputy-director of Dubai Municipality, said the waste incineration project is the first of the four projects to produce green energy. Dubai Municipality aims to produce 7 per cent of Dubai's total energy from clean energy sources by 2020, he added. China imported around 1.24 million barrels per day of crude oil from Russia last month Russia beat out Saudi Arabia as China's largest oil supplier in May, customs data showed on Tuesday, marking the third month in a row the world's biggest oil producer has topped the world's biggest oil exporter in feeding China's market. Russia's exports to the world's No 2 oil consumer hit a fresh record and reflect continuing strong demand from China's independent refiners. China imported 5.245 million tonnes, or around 1.24 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil from Russia last month, up 33.7 percent year on year, and beating the previous record in April of 1.17 million bpd. Russian imports surpassed Saudi Arabian imports for the first time on a cumulative basis. For the first five months of 2016, Russian imports are 41.8 percent higher than a year ago at 1.06 million bpd, while Saudi Arabian imports averaged 1.05 million bpd. "Russian oil remains the teapots' top pick, suiting them in the way that teapots' throughput planning was often shorter-term that requires prompt deliveries," said a senior China-based trader with a global supplier who frequently deals with independent plants. Crude imports from Saudi Arabia jumped 33.6 percent in May from a year ago to 961,000 bpd, data showed, but easing off the 1.0 million bpd level in the previous month. Nicknamed "teapots" due to their relative smaller scale versus state refiners, these refineries helped boost China's crude demand by more than 1 million bpd in the first five months of the year. Russia's low-sulphur ESPO grade has been a favourite for these plants due to the smaller cargo size and geographical proximity, while higher sulphur grades from Saudi Arabia and Iraq has not been as appealing because of larger shipment sizes and because they typically are sold under long-term contracts. China is also speeding up approvals for crude import licenses and quotas for independent refiners. Shandong-based Haiyou Petrochemical Group was granted a crude import licence on June 14, while two other refineries were given import quotas in May. Imports from Iran rose 19.5 percent in May from a year earlier to 619,300 bpd, compared with April's 671,176 bpd. Imports for the first five months held largely flat. Iraqi exports to China rose 56.6 percent in May from a year ago to 801,120 bpd. Imports for the first five months rose 18.4 percent. China's total crude oil imports expanded 39 percent last month from a year earlier to 7.59 million bpd, the biggest jump in more than six years. RECORD DIESEL EXPORTS China's refiners also continued to fuel an ongoing glut in Asia's fuel products markets, especially in gasoline and diesel, contributing to a sharp decline in regional profit margins this year. China's diesel exports rose more than four-fold in May from a year earlier to a record 1.48 million tonnes, customs data showed, reflecting a slowdown in China's heavy industry which typically uses diesel and continuing growth in throughput at independent refineries. Exports of gasoline, used mostly by passenger vehicles, more than doubled in May from a year earlier to 780,000 tonnes as China's newly licensed independent refiners churned out more petrol than the domestic market can handle. As a result of China's surging refined product exports, overall benchmark Singapore refinery margins, or cracks, have fallen by more than half this year to under $4.90 per barrel. --Reuters A firefighting aircraft from Los Angeles City Fire Department takes off from Encanto Park after refilling its water tanks as firefighters battle the thousand-acre plus 'Fish' wildland fire that erupted near the Angeles National Forest, Duarte, Califonia on June 20. High temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) have hampered firefighting efforts throughout Southern California. EPA/Bob Riha Jr. Reports that Bahrain Airport Services (BAS) might no longer be the sole ground handler at the expanded Bahrain International Airport (BIA) have been dismissed as malicious rumours by a top official, reported the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication. To read further, please visit GDNonline. Etihad Cargo, the freight division of Etihad Airways, was presented the Cargo Airline of the Year award at the Air Cargo Week Awards in Shanghai, China. This is the second successive year that the airline has won the award, having collected it in Munich in 2015. The annual awards are voted for by the industry and presented during Air Cargo Europe in Munich or Air Cargo China in Shanghai. The awards are presented in nine categories ranging from Airfreight Forwarder of the Year to Cargo Airline of the Year. David Kerr, senior vice president of Etihad Cargo, said: Were delighted to be recognised by our peers and this is an award that were proud to win but it is also testament to a lot of hard work by the Etihad Cargo team during the last year, as weve grown the business, added new products and additional destinations to our global network. Being voted for by the cargo community means a lot to us and it underlines the approach were taking to our customers. We want to take that further during the year ahead and continue to deliver a first class, award-winning service to the different areas of the globe where we operate. We will be continuing to expand and have already added additional aircraft to our fleet in the first part of this year. The cargo division of Etihad Airways is continuing a strong performance into 2016. Freight volumes out of Europe have been performing well for the carrier during the first quarter, with over 11 per cent growth demonstrated. That performance has been led by markets in Italy and Germany, which reflects the partnerships the airline has with equity partners such as Alitalia and Air Berlin. Plans for the future continue to progress with cargo facilities being upgraded at Abu Dhabi Airport. The upgrades being undertaken will be a key component of the growth story for Etihad Cargo over the next few years, giving the division a larger platform from which to expand. In the dedicated cargo fleet, two new Boeing 777 freighters have already been added this year and commenced services on destinations such as Bogota, Guangzhou, Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Shanghai. The two new aircraft have additional seats for stable grooms, which has enabled the team to expand its SkyStables product. Sky Stables has increased by over 50 per cent in value on the last year while further enhancements have included the addition of an A330 freighter service to Brussels, which commenced operations in the last week. In the passenger fleet, new destinations are being added to Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen in Turkey and Rabat in Morocco and will provide additional bellyhold cargo capacity. The airline has also commenced its third daily A380 service to London Heathrow, and added additional A380s to Mumbai and Melbourne. New Boeing 787s are serving Dusseldorf and Perth with Shanghai, Istanbul and Johannesburg commencing operation over the summer and providing further opportunities on bellyhold cargo. - TradeArabia News Service Dammam-based SaudiGulf Airlines aims to begin operations this year with domestic flights scheduled for September and international flights to Dubai expected to launch by year-end, said a report. According to a report in Arab News, the carrier is preparing to receive its airline operating license on Wednesday. The license will be granted in an official ceremony on June 22 in the presence of the Minister of Transport and the director of General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA). The granting of the license comes after the company has completed and met all safety and flight requirements necessary to receive the AOC license as required by civil aviation regulations in the kingdom and as per the International Organization for Civil Aviation, the report said. Owned by the Abdel Hadi Al-Qahtani & Sons group, Saudi Gulf Airlines plans to fly from Dammam to Jeddah, Riyadh and Dubai. The $2 billion plant was supposed to be the future. It was supposed to turn coal into gasoline, ushering in a new era of low-carbon coal projects. Mostly, it was supposed to create jobs in a county where there were too few. The only problem: What was supposed to happen never did. DKRW Advanced Fuels notified state and local officials last month it is suspending plans for a coal gasification plant near Medicine Bow. The announcement was not unexpected. The project has been plagued by delays since its conception in 2004. Company officials had proposed reducing the projects size and even hinted at a suspension in recent months. The development brings to a halt, at least a temporarily, a drama that has riled Carbon County for more than a decade and underscores the difficulty of making a coal-to-gasification facility a reality. Only a handful of such plants exist around the world, often employed in countries with limited access to global crude markets. The Medicine Bow facility would have been Americas first. Executives at Houston-based DKRW heralded the plant as the beginning of a new wave of coal technology, one that would create a new market for a mineral with a contracting customer base. Carbon dioxide emissions would be pumped to a nearby oilfield. And in the communities of Medicine Bow (population 279) and Hanna (827), where economic life slowly withered following the closure of a coal mine that served the Union Pacific railroad, the plant would bring 450 full-time jobs. In the end, economics proved the projects downfall, just as many observers predicted. Coal gasification facilities rely on the difference between coal and crude prices. If oil is high, as it was for much of the past decade, then there is money to be made. But oil prices collapsed in 2014 and have failed to recover to levels sufficient to justify the projects hefty price tag. DKRW Managing Director Robert Kelly, in a letter to state regulators, said was the project is not feasible at todays oil prices. The Houston-based firm does not intend to fulfill the terms of its state permit, which required the company submit a new socioeconomic report and construction schedule by last week, he said. State regulators had not received the documents as of Friday. We regret not being able to move forward at this time, Kelly wrote state regulators on May 16. The announcement did not appear to constitute a complete abandonment of the facility. DKRW representatives did not respond to requests for comment, but state and local officials who had been in contact with the company said executives left open the door to reviving plans for the plant. Indeed, Kelly signaled as much in his letter to state regulators. If conditions change to allow pursuit of the project, we understand we may need to seek a new permit, he wrote. Yet such a revival faces long odds. Delays have left DKRW without a coal supplier, a contractor and demonstrated financing. Arch Coal last year successfully petitioned state regulators to remove a condition from its mining permit that would have allowed DKRW to purchase the St. Louis-based mining firms Carbon Basin reserves. DKRW has been without a contractor since it terminated its contract with Sincopec Engineering Group in 2014. And financing for the project remains elusive. In 2009, the U.S. Department of Energy said it would consider DKRWs application for a $1.75 billion loan guarantee. Three years later, with the loan guarantee program engulfed in scandal over its financing of the bankrupt solar panel maker Solyndra, company executives declared they would seek private financing. They reversed course again in 2014, saying a change in leadership at the Energy Department was cause for new hope over the companys application. DKRWs application remains pending. Wyoming, for its part, did its best to lay out the welcome mat. In 2012, Carbon County commissioners voted to support the companys request for $300 million in state industrial development bonds. But before state officials could decide on the request, the company reversed course and said it would pursue private financing. The Wyoming Business Council approved a $1.9 million business readiness grant in 2007 for the reconstruction of two county roads to support the plants construction. One was refurbished to the tune of roughly $1.5 million. Ron Gullberg, a business council spokesman, noted the road projects were also intended to aid other energy development and ranching operations in the area. Carbon County received another $162,000 in state community impact assistance for the project. The effort wasnt confined to the Cowboy State. Wyomings congressional delegation championed the project in Washington. In 2006, the trio of then-U.S. Sens. Craig Thomas, Mike Enzi and U.S. Rep. Barbara Cubin pushed the Treasury Department for what would have amounted to a $1.3 billion tax credit. Almost a decade later the trio, this time composed of Enzi, U.S. Sen. John Barrasso and U.S. Rep. Cynthia Lummis, pleaded with the Energy Department to complete its review of the project. In Carbon County, where construction delays had almost become an annual event, news of the suspension was greeted with a sense of weariness. Opponents of the facility, who had questioned the projects environmental impact and DKRW executives connections with Enron, declined to declare victory. I have learned not to trust anything from anybody in this project, said Jason Lillegraven, a retired University of Wyoming geologist who has long opposed the facility. Even supporters of the project seemed resigned to its fate. Leo Chapman, a Carbon County commissioner, has advocated for the plant in the hope it would bring badly needed jobs to the region. In recent years, he found himself in frequent debates with family members and friends over the projects future. At one point, he and a colleague took up a bet. They would wager a quarter on whether the facility would be built. After the projects first setback, Chapman paid up. But he took the extra step of lamenting the quarter on the hope DKRWs fortunes would change and he would get his quarter back. His friend recently wrote an email asking if he could spend the quarter now, Chapman said. Asked what he thought of the projects viability going forward, the county commissioner replied, Im not betting my quarter on that for a while. Ive lost enough. Wednesday 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, 50 S. Wolcott, Ste. 200; 5:09 p.m., 917 N. Beech; 7 p.m., 500 S. Wolcott, Ste. 200; 7 p.m., Glenrock, 615 W. Deer St. (downstairs); 7:30 p.m., 837 E. C St.; 8 p.m., Douglas, 628 S. Richards #5; 8 p.m., 328 1/2 E. A (upstairs), closed; 8:23 p.m., Evansville: 719 3rd, Evansville Christian Church. Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are open. Casper info: 266-9578; Douglas info: (307) 351-1688. Al-Anon: 7-8 p.m.,500 S. Wolcott, Ste. 200, for grades 6 and up. Info: 377-7260 or 258-1444; 7 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 302 E. 2nd. Use east entrance, meet downstairs in Room 12. Narcotics Anonymous: 12 p.m., 500 S. Wolcott, 12-24 Club; 8 p.m., 302 E. 2nd St., Methodist Church, enter east side. Web site: http://www.urmrna.org. Nicotine Anonymous: Noon, 500 S. Wolcott, 12-24 Club. Info: Pam M., 577-0518; Troy Y., 267-6326. NAMI: 7:30 p.m., 133 W. Sixth St. Connections/All Diagnosis support group for persons with mood disorders. Info: 234-0440. OIF/OEF Support Group: 6:30-8 p.m., Casper Vet Center, 1030 N. Poplar St., Ste. B. All OIF/OEF Veterans are invited to attend. No need to pre-register. Info: 261-5355. Teen Addiction Anonymous: 7-8 p.m., 12-24 Club Teton Room. Info: 258-7439. TOPS #35 Weight Loss: 6:45 a.m., First Presbyterian Church, 804 S. Wolcott. Weigh-in is from 6:45 a.m.-7:10 a.m. Info: 258-2603 or 234-5644. TOPS #162: 8:30 a.m., United Methodist Church, 1880 Poplar. Anyone interested is invited to join. Info: 472-4926. St. Pats garage sale needs stuff Donations for St. Patricks annual benefit garage sale will be accepted between 9:45 a.m. and 5 p.m. at the church gymnasium, Fourth and Country Club. Well accept donations of clean sellable items, except for TVs/parts, computers/printers, VHS tapes, Christmas trees, car parts/tires, and clothing/shoes; however, we will accept baby clothes up to size 2. The sale is set for Thursday, June 23, from 5 to 7 p.m., with a $5 early bird fee; Friday, June 24, from 8 a.m. to noon and 4 to 7 p.m.; and Saturday, June 25, from 8 a.m. to noon. A clearance sale will start around 10 a.m. on Saturday. Reveille hears CPA Olsen The Reveille Rotary Club will host Cynthia Olsen as its guest speaker for the 7 a.m. Wednesday meeting at the Central Wyoming Senior Services Center, 1831 E. Fourth St. Olsen, a certified public accountant and certified fraud examiner, is the audit manager with Skogen, Cometto and Associates in Casper. She will be sharing her insight relating to finances, record keeping and organizing documents for tax time. Reveille Rotary meetings are open to the public. Guests and anyone interested in Rotary is welcome. Rocky Mountain puppets Experience the magic of Rocky Mountain Puppets with ventriloquist Meghan Casey and friends. Shows will be presented at the Natrona County Library at 1 and 3 p.m. Learn about health, nutrition, and even some basic survival skills as Rocky Mountain Puppets ascends to the top of Mount Healthmore in this years program, Climbing Mount Healthmore. These family-friendly shows are free and open to the public, regardless of age. Seating is limited. We will begin handing out tickets one hour prior to each performance. Call 577-READ ext. 5 for more information. Family continues suicide support Good Grief, Support will continue at 5:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at the 12-24 Club, 500 S. Wolcott, by request of attendees. The family of J.R. Hunter, who died from suicide in June 2015 began the support before the especially tough holiday season. Anyone who is grieving a suicide, death, or considering suicide is encouraged to attend. Attendance at the meeting, as well as the content, will be strictly confidential. The Fresh Start Cafe will be open, and you can eat during the meetings. This meeting place was offered by Dan Cantine of the 12-24 Club. You need not be a member to attend. Veteran Cigar Night Every Wednesday from 5:30 to 7 p.m., all veterans are invited to Veteran Cigar Night at the Casper Cigar Company, 4717 W. Yellowstone Highway, sponsored by Casper Cigar Company. There is no cost to attend. This is a time and place for our communitys combat veterans to relax and share their stories with other combat veterans while enjoying a good cigar. Veterans receive 20 percent off cigars. For more information, call Josh Cruse at 307-337-4400 or josh@caspercigar.com Chicken fried steak at the Elks Wednesday Night Special at the Casper Elks Lodge is chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans and corn. All you can eat for $7, children 5 to 12 are $3. Serving from 6 to 7 p.m. or until gone. Members, significant other and guest accompanied by a member. For more information, call 234-4839. The lodge will be closed Friday and Saturday for the fishing derby at Alcovas Okie Beach shelter. Free Wednesday lecture at fort Fort Caspar Museum is pleased to announce its annual free summer lecture series for 2016. The lectures will be held on seven consecutive Wednesday evenings at 6:30 pm, through July 20. Each lecture will take place in the Multi-Use Room at Fort Caspar Museum. The programs are adult focused and will last approximately 60 minutes, including the lecture and a discussion opportunity. Most of the talks will feature a PowerPoint presentation, and if the speaker has published on a relevant topic, the lecture will conclude with a book signing. June 22, Miss V will present Amelia Earhart: Angel of Flight; Join Miss V as she steps into the shoes of the worlds most famous and beloved aviatrix in this thoughtful, well-scripted, and unique approach to the life and work of Ms. Earhart. Before her disappearance over the Pacific Ocean, Amelia Earhart and her husband spent time in Wyoming at the Double D Ranch outside of Meeteetse in the early 1930s. The couple even planned to build a cabin near the old mining town of Kirwin. Miss V, who herself fell in love with the back country of Wyoming, is also a musician and a skilled rancher, and she currently resides in Thermopolis. Gold prospectors meet The Casper Chapter of the Gold Prospectors Association of America will hold its June meeting at 7 p.m., at the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Building, 2211 King Blvd. Entere through the east door. There will be an equipment demo in the east parking lot at 6 p.m. Come and see Ricks new dry washer. The business meeting will include discussions of past and future outings, along with general business. For more information about GPAA or the Casper chapter, or about prospecting in general, call Rick Messina, 234-0244. RAPID CITY, S.D. Authorities have identified the man killed in a shooting near a Burger King in Rapid City and are looking for two suspects in the case. Rapid City police said Monday that 23-year-old Kiawe Walker of Rapid City died in the Friday shooting. Authorities responded to a report of a man with a gunshot wound at a Burger King. Police say the victim walked to the restaurant from a nearby location and asked employees for help. Officials say emergency workers tried to revive the victim, but he died at the scene. The incident is being investigated as a homicide by police and the Pennington County Sheriff's Office. CHEYENNE The FBI is reviving a program here thats aimed at educating community leaders about the bureau and its responsibilities. For the first time in 10 years, the FBI has planned for an eight-week course called the Citizens Academy to take place in Wyoming. The course is intended to spread awareness about the FBI and give citizens a better understanding of the bureaus structure and operations. Participants will learn from the FBIs evidence response team about how to collect and preserve evidence such as fingerprints and shoe and tire impressions, experience firing weapons such as the Thompson submachine gun, hear about real-life undercover operations that have taken place here and get to know local FBI agents. Arlen Scholl, the FBIs supervisory senior resident agent in Cheyenne, said the goal of the course is to show the public what we really do and separate fact from fiction to avoid the CSI effect people thinking what they see on television shows is an accurate depiction of real-life investigations. Classes will be held at various locations in Cheyenne on seven Wednesday evenings and one Saturday in August and September. The dates are Aug. 10, 17, 24 and 31 and Sept. 10, 14, 21 and 28. Business, civic, religious and community leaders are invited to apply by July 1. One undercover case likely to be discussed, because it has been completely adjudicated, is that of Andrew Silicani, a Cheyenne man sentenced last year to spend 35 years in prison for trying to hire someone to kill his mother and stepfather so he could cash in on his inheritance. Silicani carried out his murder-for-hire attempt while serving time in state prison for his role in a robbery/stabbing that happened in Cheyenne in 2011. Agents might also talk about high-profile child pornography busts that have happened here, Scholl said. White-collar financial crimes such as one mans scam of selling wind farms that didnt exist are also on the class agenda, Scholl said. The FBIs role in Indian Country, domestic and international terrorism, intelligence missions and cyber crimes will be discussed as well. Scholl said one of the classes will be at the Wyoming National Guard Joint Forces Readiness Center in Cheyenne, where participants will learn about the countrys nuclear mission and how law enforcement interacts with F.E. Warren Air Force Base. Another week, participants will meet at the Wyoming State Crime Lab to learn more about evidence processing. Weapon firing will take place on the one Saturday of the course at the Cheyenne Police Departments firing range and be followed by a barbecue lunch. Scholl said participants also will have an opportunity to learn from bomb technicians and try on those uniforms. Wyoming is part of the FBIs Denver Division. The state is split into four regions, with satellite offices located in Casper, Cheyenne, Jackson and Lander. The busiest is the Lander office, which covers the Wind River Indian Reservation. Twelve FBI agents are assigned to Wyoming. Four are based in Cheyenne, two in Casper, five in Lander and one in Jackson. CHEYENNE Gov. Matt Mead proposed Tuesday cutting $248 million from the state budget beginning July 1, which will result in 677 layoffs of private-sector employees who work for companies that do business with the state. There are no easy answers, no easy process to address the situation, he said. The planned cuts represent about 8 percent of the states two-year budget that starts July 1, Mead said. They come in response to declining revenues from oil, gas and coal, which provide 70 percent of the money in state coffers. In recent months, state economists have revised revenue projections downward by $600 million. For instance, coal production has fallen to 1995 levels. The governor presented his recommendations to the Joint Appropriations Committee, a group of lawmakers who review the state budget. The committee and legislative leadership will review the plan and either adopt the cuts or reject them and plan a special legislative session, Mead said. I dont like the cuts, Mead said. You will not like them either. The more appropriate question is, have we cut in the right places and the right amount? GOP leaders on Tuesday said a special session is unlikely. Legislative reaction The Appropriations Committee will look at Meads proposal and determine whether the governor missed anything, said Senate President Phil Nicholas, R-Laramie, who said he has been through the process a few times during his years in the Legislature. In almost all those instances, what we find is that when given the information the governor has, we would probably implement those same changes, said Nicholas. So we understand that budgets from time to time have to be reduced to meet falling revenues, and we direct the governor to respond to those events. Nicholas believes the cuts should have been closer to 12 percent, but 8 percent is a decent beginning, he said. Rep. Mary Throne of Cheyenne, the Democratic leader in the House, called the cuts potentially devastating and the direct result of poor decisions made in the legislative session. All the Democrats in the Legislature voted against the budget bill, adopted in March, because they disagreed with the Republican majoritys fiscal decisions. In decisions, that my caucus opposed, we funded buildings instead of leaving the governor the flexibility to implement the budget we just passed to serve the citizens of Wyoming, she said. The failure to expand Medicaid only made a difficult situation worse. As policymakers, I fear we are continuing to take steps that will further weaken our economy. Health hit hard Meads proposed reductions will hit the Department of Health hardest, with $90 million in cuts. The department receives a considerable amount of federal money, and Mead said he tried to cut the agency in a way that would affect that funding the least. The nearly 700 lost jobs will come from private-sector employees who work in health care, he said. Seven state employees will lose their jobs, Mead said: three in the Wyoming Attorney Generals office, one at the Department of Health and three at the University of Wyomings medical education program. That number could drop if workers quit or retire, he said. Although the state is cutting $90 million from the Department of Health, its director, Tom Forslund, told lawmakers the actual fiscal impact will be $133.4 million, due to a loss in federal funds of programs in which the federal government matches state money. Thats on top of $10 million the Legislature cut from the department in March, Forslund said. In all, 9.2 percent of the Health Departments budget will be slashed, Forslund said. Twenty-three Health Department programs are being cut. An oral health program for low-income people, mainly children, is being eliminated. Other programs are being reduced such as a substance abuse and suicide prevention program, which is being cut by $2.1 million, or 16 percent, Forslund said. Wyoming has historically had one of the nations highest suicide rates. There are signs the proposed cuts are affecting state employee morale. Forslund said in his agency, some employees accused him of cutting the programs he dislikes. Forslund said that was not true. He didnt want to cut any service. Forslund said he cant say whether any private companies that provide contract services for the Health Department such as taking care of people with mental health needs will go out of business. Some of it will depend on whether the service providers have reserves, are financially strong and can sustain reductions. Itll hit across the state, he said. Cuts vary by agency While the cuts average 8 percent, they vary by agency. For example, an 8 percent hit at the Department of Corrections would have been $20 million, but because of steep cuts made by the Legislature in March, Mead said he will slash $17 million. The Department of Family Services, meanwhile, will be cut by $13.9 million instead of $19 million to help protect the states safety net. Reductions of this magnitude should not be achieved with across-the-board cuts, Mead said. In March, lawmakers adopted a $3 billion budget for the new two-year budget cycle, which begins July 1. That budget includes spending $221 million from the states $1.8 billion rainy day fund. Investment income over coming years will repay the fund, lawmakers said. The budget also eliminated all state government positions that had been vacant for six months or longer, it cut numerous programs and reduced nearly all agency budgets by 1.5 percent. However, after lawmakers departed Cheyenne, a state report showed revenues would continue to plunge by about $120 million. The state will cut $56.3 million from the traditional Medicaid program and will lose $29.9 million from the federal government in matching money for doing so, bringing the total reduction of Medicaid to $86.2 million, or 6 percent. Lawmakers continue to reject Medicaid expansion, a different program under the Affordable Care Act. Expansion, Mead has argued, would boost the economy and provide health care to 20,000 low-income Wyoming adults. Meads office estimated that had expansion passed last year, about $268 million would have flowed to hospitals and clinics, doctors and other health care providers. Additionally, the Wyoming Department of Health would have saved money over the two-year budget cycle. The department offers services such as cancer screenings to low-income people that would be covered by Medicaid. The money for the services came from the general fund. Mead said if the Wyoming Legislature had expanded Medicaid, the cuts would not have been as severe. He said he will continue to push for expansion. Forslund, the Health Department director, reminded lawmakers that for three years he asked them to shift spending of the services from the general fund to the Medicaid program. But most of those services will be eliminated July 1 as a result of the cuts. Now the Legislature will not be able to shift costs. Impact on construction Wyoming is undergoing a state building boom, which Democrats have criticized as unnecessary. Mead said he looked at the construction projects during his budget deliberations. But many of them are being paid for from federal Abandoned Mine Land money, and Mead said he lacked the flexibility to stop their construction. Mead has asked the Wyoming Legislature to delay construction of a state office building in Casper, which isnt scheduled to begin until 2018. He also wants the state to delay expansion of a state prison in Torrington. Mead said he is more concerned with structural problems at the 16-year-old Wyoming State Penitentiary, which has buckling walls and warped floors. The state is considering costly repairs, abandoning the building and erecting a new prison or a combination of the two. An international biotech startup company has moved to Tucson, joining the growing industry in Southern Arizona. 3dbiosurfaces Technologies LLC leased space at the Top of Swan Professional Offices, at the northeast corner of Swan Road and Skyline Drive, from Swan Skyline Plaza LLC. Bob Davis, associate broker and partner of Tango Commercial Real Estate, represented the tenant in the 667-square-foot lease. 3dbiosurfaces is developing a patented, low-cost diagnostic tool used for genetic testing in the healthcare industry. 3dbiosurfaces Technologies LLC joins Southern Arizona, adding to the diagnostics-related enterprises establishing a presence in the area due in part to the available talent, support resources and lifestyle opportunities of our region, Davis said. Other recent commercial transactions include: TUCSON, Ariz. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos is pleading with the public to avoid the outdoors after three heat-related deaths in the Tucson area just this weekend. Nanos said the three deaths are easily preventable by avoiding the outdoors in record heat. At least five people in Arizona have died in heat-related incidents in the past two days. That includes a hiker from out of the country who was with a small group at a Ventana Canyon trail outside of Tucson. Another member of the group who is also a foreigner is still missing and the sheriff's department will continue to search until sundown. A 19-year-old woman died on Sunday while hiking near Tucson. A 28-year-old woman also died while mountain biking in the Phoenix area. And a 25-year-old man hiking near Gold Canyon also died because of the heat. In the wake of three heat-related deaths on Sunday and dangerous high temperatures, authorities are calling for residents to make responsible decisions when venturing outdoors. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, whose agency is leading the effort to find a missing hiker along Ventana Trail #98, lamented the deaths and called on residents to use just an ounce of smartness in avoiding strenuous outdoor activity during extreme heat. I walked outside yesterday and went, This is an oven, I think Im going to go to the movie theater, Nanos said at a Monday press conference at the Ventana trailhead near the intersection of North Craycroft and North Kolb roads. Coronado National Forest spokeswoman Heidi Schewel said people who use trails need to understand their limitations and not push themselves beyond them. A lot of individual safety is tied to situational awareness and personal responsibility, she said. As of Monday afternoon, authorities were still looking for Marcus Turowski, a 33-year-old German man visiting Tucson. Anyone who might have seen Turowski on the trail is asked to call 911. Turowski and two other German men were hiking the Ventana trail Sunday morning when they apparently became dehydrated. One of the men hiked out of the trail, and searchers found one of his companions, Stefan Guenster, 57, dead about 4 miles from the trailhead, officials said. In a separate incident Sunday, Adrienna Rasmussen, 18, died from heat-related complications while hiking with a 22-year-old man on the Finger Rock Trail. The man was airlifted to Tucson Medical Center and treated for heat-related illness. Also on Sunday, 54-year-old Jana Kirkpatrick died while walking on The Loop multiuse path in the 5000 block of South Outlet Center Drive, near East Irvington Road and Interstate 10, officials said. Kirkpatricks husband called 911 when she didnt return from a walk she took at 3 p.m. Authorities also responded to a call for help from a 22-year-old woman who suffered heat-related problems while hiking with a friend near Seven Falls in Sabino Canyon. The two were able to hike out on their own around noon Sunday after sheriffs deputies were called and provided them with water. Nearly 30 volunteers with the Southern Arizona Rescue Association pitched in to help find the stranded hikers, said spokeswoman Shelley Littin. Yesterday certainly was an anomaly, Littin said. I dont remember a time where weve had three calls in one day. Nearly 30 volunteers pitched in to find stranded hikers, about three times the normal number of volunteers, she said, adding some of them took vacation days from work in order to help. Contrary to a commonly held belief, Nanos said about 80 percent of rescues are of local residents. And about 85 percent of heat-related emergencies in Pima County involve local residents, said Dr. Michele Manos, a senior consultant at the Pima County Health Department. As the rescues mount, some local residents have called for a law that would charge stranded hikers for the cost of their rescue. When asked whether he thought such a law would be appropriate, Nanos said he would leave that to others to decide and argue. The stupid motorist law we have is there, and its never really done anything, Nanos said. I dont want to fine people to get my resources back. Were obligated to keep people safe and rescue them. The Southern Arizona Rescue Association (SARA) opposes such a law, as does the national Mountain Rescue Association. SARA issued a statement Monday in support of Mountain Rescues position that no one should ever be made to feel they must delay in notifying the proper authorities of a search or rescue incident out of fear of possible charges. The expert volunteer teams of MRA are proud to be able to provide search and rescue at no cost and have no plans to charge in the future. Officials said they could not close the trails during times of extreme temperatures. The problem is we can only advise you, Nanos said. You have the right and the freedom to go where you want. The Coronado National Forest does not close trails due to weather conditions, Schewel said. We encourage people to know the environment that theyre entering and know what conditions to expect and plan accordingly, Schewel said. Besides, she said, closing the trails wouldnt stop everybody from using them. Heat-related illness progresses from thirst, at which point the body is already mildly dehydrated, to heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke, which is life-threatening, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. The agency advises drinking at least 2 liters of water daily, even while staying indoors, and avoiding alcohol and caffeine. When outdoors, the agency advises drinking at least 1 liter of water each hour. Even more water is needed during strenuous outdoor activity, when the human body can lose up to 4 liters per hour. To minimize heat exposure, the agency advises wearing light-colored clothing, which reflects light, and wearing a hat or using an umbrella. Smaller, more frequent meals also help avoid metabolic heat. While entertainer Princes death from an overdose of fentanyl has brought more national attention to the potent painkiller, fentanyl is just one of several ways Arizonans are dying of opioid abuse. Maricopa County released data for the first time earlier this month following a public records request by the Arizona Daily Star. Since no statewide data exists, numbers from the states largest county provide a broader look at whats happening in Arizona. In April, the Star reported that there were 93 overdose deaths tied directly to heroin in 2015, with nearly 200 additional cases attributed to opiate-based painkillers such as oxycodone, methadone, hydrocodone and morphine. The figures, from the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner, show there were four times as many heroin-related deaths in 2015 as in 2010. Both Pima and Maricopa counties received federal funding through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to track overdose deaths from all substances including opioids such as heroin, oxycodone and morphine as well as the synthetic fentanyl. Like Pima County, Maricopa County has seen a significant jump, with 155 deaths from heroin in 2015 up from 54 in 2010. Fentanyl deaths in Maricopa County rose to 45 in 2015, up from 28 a year earlier. Pima County jumped from seven fentanyl deaths in 2014 to 17 last year. What were looking at are the total number of deaths that are believed to involve a drug overdose, said Dr. Rebecca Sunenshine, medical director for disease control with Maricopa Countys Department of Public Health. In some cases, she said, an individual might have died with more than one drug in his or her system. Fentanyl represents no more than 5 to 10 percent of total opioid-related deaths in Maricopa County, Sunenshine said. Examining the data is important in figuring out how to prevent more people from dying. Officials have said fentanyl should not be seen as a unique problem, but as a feature of a heroin epidemic fueled by prescription painkillers. You have to know your baseline, she said. You have to follow trends over time to see if the interventions are working. Pharmaceutical fentanyl is the strongest opioid available and is used to treat severe pain, producing a euphoria up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. The CDC launched Prescription Drug Overdose: Prevention for States to fight the nations prescription drug overdose epidemic. Sixteen states were selected, including Arizona, with plans to give each $750,000 to $1 million annually to carry out research and bolster prevention efforts. Theres a lot of data out there that we didnt have the opportunity to explore because we didnt have the funding or the staff, she said. Now this has become an issue of national interest. Sunenshine said since this is the first time Maricopa County has been able to analyze the data so thoroughly, officials still are determining how to look at trends from year to year. When you look at Pima, there are 10 other counties in their report and, overall, they saw the highest number due to opioids, she said. Its safe to say we see a similar trend. An Arizona Daily Star story from March examined how fentanyl made by the Sinaloa cartel is increasingly making its way through Arizona, with many fearing a subsequent rise in drug-related deaths. In recent years, more than 700 people are reported to have died of fentanyl abuse nationwide, but the real number is believed to be higher because many state labs and coroners offices were not routinely testing for fentanyl. And most deaths are attributed to the illegally manufactured version of the drug that is mixed with heroin, often unbeknownst to the user. Opioids, including prescription painkillers and heroin, killed more than 28,000 people in 2014, more than any year on record, the CDC reports. At least half of all opioid overdose deaths involve a prescription opioid. She said its also tricky because some drugs are difficult to decipher in the system. Sometimes heroin can appear to be morphine, for example. What I would say overall, she said, is that the number of opioid-related deaths has been consistently high since 2012. Tucson recorded its third heat-related death on Sunday night when a woman walking on The Loop multi-use path collapsed and died, sheriff's officials said Monday. Officials on Monday also identified the two hikers who died while out on trails north of Tucson as well as a third hiker who is presently believed to be missing in the Catalina Mountains. The woman, 54-year-old Jana Kirkpatrick, was reported missing at around 7:30 p.m. Sunday. She was found dead on the walking path in the 4900 block of South Outlet Drive, near East Irvington Road and Interstate 10. Sheriff's officials are attributing her death to the heat. The two hikers who died were identified as Adrienna Rasmussen, 18, who was hiking with a male companion on the Finger Rock Trail, and Stefan Guenster, 57, from Germany, who died while hiking on the Ventana Canyon Trail No. 98 on Sunday. Also, authorities are still searching for another hiker who went missing in Ventana Canyon on Sunday during record-breaking heat. Search-and-rescue officials resumed the search Monday morning for another German man who was hiking with Guenster. The missing hiker, identified as Marcus Turowski, 33, of Germany, was in a group of three men hiking up a trail when they apparently became dehydrated. One of the men was able to hike out of the trail and searchers found Guenster dead about four miles from the trailhead, officials said. Two people died Sunday while hiking in the Tucson area, including a woman hiking on the Finger Rock Trail. The rescue effort in Ventana Canyon was one of three major rescue efforts conducted Sunday. Sundays high reached 115, which broke the 112-degree record set in 1989. Look for a high of 109 in Tucson on Monday. The National Weather Service said the dangerous heat will continue today and Tuesday, with slightly lower high temperatures expected by Wednesday. More heat-related deaths, including a 28-year-old woman who died while mountain biking, were reported in the Phoenix area this weekend as temperatures topped out there at 118 degrees. Despite the intense Arizona heat, hikers could still be found on trails along the Catalina Mountains. The female hiker, believed to be 19 years old and from out of state, was hiking the Finger Rock Trail with a male partner when they lost their way, according to Deputy Courtney Rodriguez, a Pima County sheriffs spokeswoman. A call for help was placed around 11:30 a.m., Rodriguez said. Search-and-rescue deputies from the Sheriffs Department and Southern Arizona Rescue Association attempted to retrieve the two by helicopter, but the woman died before they reached the scene. The male hiker was taken to Tucson Medical Center, where he was being treated for his injuries. Around 1927, Southwestern artist Effie Anderson Smith, who was often called Arizonas dean of women painters, donated several of her paintings to the University of Arizonas newly built library. The pictures hung majestically in the reading room of what is now the Arizona State Museum for several years but have since disappeared, and according to her great-grandnephew, Steven Carlson, no one at the university or the museum has any idea what happened to these works of art. The mystery of Effies missing paintings continues to stir interest around the state even though Effie has been gone for many years. Born in Arkansas in 1869, Effie painted her first landscapes at the age of 15. By 1892 already a widow after her first husband died a year after they were married she made her way west, initially taking up residence in New Mexico, where she met and married mining engineer Andrew Young (A.Y.) Smith in 1895. The couple settled in Pearce, Arizona, where Andrew worked for the Commonwealth Mine, eventually becoming the companys president. The Smiths had three children, but only a son survived infancy. Effie often accompanied her husband on business trips to California, affording her the opportunity to meet and take classes from some of Californias major impressionists of the time. According to Carlson, Her studies had a great influence on her approach to painting as she became a prolific desert painter around the Sulpher Springs Valley, Tucson, the Grand Canyon, Painted Desert and beyond. Douglas historian Cynthia Hayostek said Effie found inspiration in configurations found only in the desert. Geological formations, Effie believed, were one of the four reasons for Arizonas great scenic beauty. Another was sand, which Effie saw as a prism that reflected colors. The other two causes, she said, were clear air and its sunshine. During the 1920s, Effies work was exhibited throughout Arizona. A 1927 article in the Tucson Citizen announced a display of 28 of her paintings at Tucsons Santa Rita Hotel, and called her work the most notable exhibit of paintings by an Arizona artist ever seen in Tucson. The article also mentioned the paintings she had recently gifted to the university, including another of her landscapes that hung over the fireplace in Cochise Hall. During this time, Effie created a series of paintings of the Grand Canyon that were sold at the El Tovar Hotel and received critical acclaim. An article in the publication Progressive Arizona and the Great Southwest noted, Before Mrs. Smith painted the Grand Canyon she made a thorough study of its geology. She knew what each kind of rock in its composition reflected what lights and shades of color. Her colors were true because she knew the fundamental reasons for them. ... They have achieved a well merited recognition as being among the best of the Grand Canyon paintings. In 1929, the Smiths lost everything, including many of Effies paintings, when their Pearce home burned to the ground. With upcoming major exhibits in New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., Effie recreated her lost canvases in record time, all while rebuilding her home. After Andrews death in 1931, Effie submerged herself in her painting. The 1930s and 1940s are considered her most prolific periods, as she painted, wrote, taught and lectured around Arizona. She managed to hold on to her property in Pearce through the Depression years, but in 1941 Effie moved into the Gadsden Hotel in Douglas, selling paintings out of her studio on the hotels third floor. She founded an art league and taught classes while exhibiting and lecturing around the state. It was a 1947 article in the Douglas Dispatch celebrating the hanging of one of her Grand Canyon pictures in the lobby of the Gadsden Hotel that first dubbed her the dean of women painters and an acknowledged master in her field of art. Effie and Andrew took great pride in their adopted state. Effie was a Cochise County delegate to the Republican State Convention in 1920, while Andrew lost his bid for the Arizona Senate in 1922. As a member of the Tucson Fine Arts Association and the national League of American Penwomen, Effie often lectured about her avid interest in painting. In a 1932 speech before the Tucson Womens Club, she compared the beauty of painting to the enchantment of music. If every sound has its corresponding color wave, may we not dream of a bewildering color feast flung on canvas to the tones of a Wagner overture or a Beethoven sonata? What a fascinating problem it would be to work out the color probabilities of the great masterpieces of music. I believe Beethoven of all the masters would best have interpreted this desert land of ours. Being deaf he dwelt in the vast silences and understood their vibrations. In 1951, with her eyesight failing, Effie moved into Prescotts Arizona Pioneers Home. She died there April 21, 1955, at the age of 86. Many of Effies paintings are on display in the Douglas-Williams House Museum at the Douglas Historical Society, but the location of the paintings once prominently displayed at the University of Arizona are still a mystery to be resolved. A 1932 Tucson Citizen article described two of the paintings as that of the mouth of Cochise Stronghold, which the great warrior called My Home, and a remarkable portrayal of a Grand Canyon view. Recently, several of Effies early paintings were located in dire disrepair. Carlson, her great-grandnephew, initiated a campaign to raise money to restore these paintings and was successful in obtaining enough funds to start the project, yet many more of Effies landscapes are in need of assistance. The Douglas Historical Society is leading a project to obtain additional funds for restoration of Effies work. To learn more about Effie, go to effieandersonsmith.com Its Sunday morning in Tucson. The lights are off, the air is cool, and people are dancing. Some move like ballet dancers, others are more aerobic. One woman dances with a walker, another lies on the floor. Theres no talking on the dance floor of this growing gathering called The Spirit of Movement, which regularly attracts upward of 60 people ranging in age from young adults to senior citizens. Instead of speaking, this gathering is all about moving to a variety of music for two continuous hours. Some participants say its spiritual, others say its physical. Many say its both. The creator of Spirit of Movement is Sandra Morse, a local communications expert who was inspired after she learned about a moving meditation called 5Rhythms when she was at a workshop in California. She cites benefits as both emotional and physical health. The physical aspect certainly cant hurt. A study that came out in March in the Journal of Alzheimers Disease says regular physical activity, including dancing, can reduce the risk of Alzheimers as people age. And the effects of meditation, prayer and spiritual practice on overall health are currently being studied at the University of Arizonas Center for Integrative Medicine, led by renowned mind-body researcher Dr. Esther Sternberg. Sternberg is using scientific rigor to show how stress makes people sick, and the way activities like prayer and meditation trigger reactions in the body that can make them well. No wrong way UA professor Tracey Osborne and her partner Sapana Doshi, also a UA professor, have been going to Spirit of Movement for the past year and a half. The weekly movement sessions began in November 2014. There are no limitations. You could be in a chair, Osborne says. You can be your authentic self. Both Osborne and Doshi are energetic on the dance floor, and have the glow associated with a rigorous workout. Its a time when I reset for the work week negotiate out the craziness, Doshi says. There is no wrong way to do it. She says after two hours, she always feels an emotional lightness, perhaps from the endorphins. Endorphins are chemicals that the body releases during exercise and are associated with positive feelings. But its not just about working out. Doshi says there is a false dichotomy between mind and body, but that really they are very connected. This is about reconnecting to ourselves, our bodies, and doing it with other people. It is uplifting and inspiring, she says. Once people start, they find it hard to stop, says Melanie Cooley, who is beginning a movement teacher training program to earn her certification in 5Rhythms. Cooley says she believes shell be the first person in Arizona to be certified in the practice, and eventually expects to teach locally. Body language The 5Rhythms was developed by the late American dancer and musician Gabrielle Roth as a practice intended not just for a physical workout but to ignite creativity, connection and community. Learning about the 5Rhythms got Morse thinking about connection in the Tucson community, and about the way Americans have typically worshiped passively sitting in pews. Getting people collectively moving on Sunday mornings seemed like a good alternative. The Spirit of Movement is not a 5Rhythms class, nor is it an official practice of Roths method. But its based on Roths idea of expanding ones world through dance, using music that corresponds with her 5Rhythms flowing, staccato, chaos, lyrical and stillness. Morses husband Michael Morse is a DJ for the local gathering, and plays tunes that range from Celtic to reggae to Brandi Carlile. Sometimes people link arms and dance together, while others remain alone. They take cues from body language. We want freedom for people freedom to move, freedom to express, Sandra Morse says. Everyone has rhythm. They dont always know it, but they do. Mind and body The Sunday Spirit of Movement sessions start at 10:30 a.m. and begin slowly. People drop in and occasionally sit on the sidelines for a drink of water. The music picks up speed, and by 11:30 a.m., many people are moving quickly, some of them vigorously jumping up and down. Shortly after noon the music slows, and by 12:30 p.m., most dancers are on the ground. At the end of each session, the group forms a circle and joins hands. They briefly share announcements and welcome newcomers before leaving for the day. In spite of sharing almost no words, participants say theyve become a community. PHOENIX Gov. Doug Ducey wants a federal judge to block or at least narrow efforts by lawyers for the Tohono Oodham Nation to question his staffers in the legal fight over the Glendale casino. Attorneys for the governor have told U.S. District Court Judge David Campbell the tribe is not entitled to some of the information it is seeking. They say some of it is protected by attorney-client privilege. The governors legal team also said there is no right for the tribe to delve into internal discussions that took place within the Governors Office, even if it did not involve legal advice. And Duceys lawyers warned Campbell that allowing tribal attorneys to look into such matters would set a bad precedent. Any disclosure of internal discussions regarding the subpoena topics would have a chilling effect on future deliberations within the state executive branch, the governors lawyers said. The executive branch and especially the Governors Office frequently have to make difficult decisions that affect state funding, public safety, and relations with various tribes located within Arizona, they continued. As a result, the executive branch must have the ability to openly discuss options and weigh recommendations without fear these internal communications become public for unnecessary scrutiny. At a hearing Friday, Campbell said he wants to get legal briefs from the tribes attorneys on why they think theyre entitled to delve into these areas. He gave them until the end of the month to respond. In the interim, tribal lawyers will be able to question two former state employees on Wednesday: Steve Hart, who previously served as director of the Arizona Department of Gaming, and Mike Bielicki, who was an aide to Gov. Jane Hull when she was negotiating new gaming compacts with the Oodham and other tribes. The move comes as the tribe is seeking to persuade Campbell to effectively order state Gaming Director Daniel Bergin to allow it to have full-scale Class III gaming at its new Glendale casino. Bergin has refused, contending the tribe effectively committed fraud more than a decade ago as voters were being asked to approve new gaming compacts. He said the tribe concealed its plans for the Glendale casino from state officials and the public even as voters were being told that approving the compacts would mean no new casinos in the Phoenix area. With the lawsuit unresolved, the tribe opened the facility as a Class II casino with devices that look like slot machines but operate electronically like interconnected bingo games. Those are not subject to state regulation. The tribe, however, wants not only full-blown slots but also games like blackjack and poker, which require state approval. Among the questions tribal attorneys want to ask are the basis for any belief by the governor at the time of the 2002 public vote that there would be no expansion of gaming in the area. MEXICO Officials, union cast blame for clashes OAXACA Mexican authorities and protesters on Monday traded accusations of responsibility for weekend clashes that left at least six people dead and more than 100 wounded in the restive southern state of Oaxaca. Federal Police Chief Enrique Galindo, speaking on local radio, said few teachers were involved in the violence and attributed it to other, unspecified radical groups. However the radical teachers union involved in the protests denied that, and alleged that police infiltrators were to blame. The clashes are the latest flashpoint in an ongoing battle for control of public education in Oaxaca. BELGIUM 6 detained in foiled train attack BRUSSELS Six people were detained in connection with an attack last year on a Thalys express train to France that was foiled by three Americans, Belgian authorities said Monday. The Federal Prosecutors Office said six houses in the greater Brussels area were searched in the operation, and an investigating judge was to decide later whether the people taken in for questioning should remain in custody. No arms or explosives were found. TURKEY Journalists, academic arrested by govt ISTANBUL A Turkish court placed two Turkish journalists and an academic in pretrial arrest Monday over charges of disseminating terrorist propaganda, according to Reporters Without Borders and Turkish media reports. Reporters Without Borders Erol Onderoglu, along with journalist Ahmet Nesin and academic Sebnem Korur Fincanci, had participated in a solidarity campaign in support of Ozgur Gundem, a pro-Kurdish publication subject to multiple investigations and lawsuits. Help India! By Shaj Hameed for Twocircles.net The firing by Jafri played a pivotal role in inciting the mob CM Modi, allegedly the chief architect of the anti-Muslim pogrom in Gujarat in 2002, speaking on the Gulberg Society massacre where former MP Ahsan Jafri was burned alive along with 68 others. (Statement reported by the Hindustan Times, March 2, 2002). Support TwoCircles Firing by former lawmaker Ehsan Jafri, one of the 69 victims of the Gulberg Society massacre in Gujarat in 2002, acted as a catalyst and infuriated the mob that killed him, said Judge P. B. Desai on 17 June 2016, while sentencing 11 of the attackers to life in jail and 13 others to lesser terms. (Statement reported by NDTV, The Hindu, etc.) The special court has finally delivered its verdict on the Gulberg Society massacre carried out by Hindu mobs in Gujarat in 2002, as part of the alleged state-machinery aided, Government abetted (Hindus must be allowed to vent their anger on Muslims, the then CM and now Prime Minister Narendra Modi had apparently instructed the state bureaucracy) Muslim genocide. A decade and a half after the incident, after going through a wealth of evidence and after examining many witnesses, the court has come to the same conclusion which was proclaimed by Modi a few days after the massacre; that the responsibility of triggering the tragedy lay with one man: Ehsan Jafri, the first of the victims who were lynched to death by Hindutva fanatics on that fateful day. The judgement noted that the mob was involved only in stone-pelting and damaging properties belonging to the members of the minority community, but that once Jafri started to fire, the mob turned violent and indulged in a massacre of men, women and children of the minority community. Nothing could be farther from the ground situation. We all know what the Gujarat riots were, and how orchestrated the ethnic cleansing of Muslims was. This observation by the court does not take into consideration the entirety of the Gujarat riots. If it can be argued that Jafri had indeed fired at the mob which incited them, how would one explain the more ghastly killings that took place elsewhere in Gujarat during these riots, which were clearly well-organized? For example, who incited the mob at Naroda Patya? And more importantly, if the only intentions of the mob at Gulberg Society were stone-pelting and arson, how did they get their swords as soon as Jafri began firing? Whether Jafri actually fired, is still debated. According to a Times of India (Ahmedabad) report dated 9 June 2002, highly reliable police sources had confirmed that Jafri had not fired a single round. Recounting the incident, the report says, Jafri had always thought of himself as a man who had respect in society. So, around 3.00 p.m., he came down once again to the gate of the housing society to appeal to the mob to disperse. In what as a gamble that failed, he suggested that the mob take him but leave others in the society alone. The mob readily complied: it got hold of Jafri and killed him in gory fashion. By 3.30 p.m., everything was over. Nevertheless, when the siege ended, the rioters had carried out numerous rapes and around 69 persons hacked to death or burnt alive, including Jafri. The claim that Jafri had fired was first made in the chargesheet of the case, which was then parroted by Narendra Modi and later by the Special Investigation Team, which has now been lent credence by the verdict. This claim was not supported by any eye-witness in the court. It is a different thing that even if Jafri had actually fired in self-defence, it does not amount to a crime under the Indian Penal Code. The court also stated that the mob had gathered spontaneously following rumours that several people were killed in Jafris firing. This is contrary to the FIR (no. 4/5/200) itself, which records that from about 7.00-7.30 a.m. onwards, a mob had gathered in the area and had started attacking Muslim-owned establishments. Though the police dispersed them, they reassembled around 1.00-.30 pm armed with swords, sticks, pipes and kerosene, shouting Jai Shri Ram. The mob then went on a rampage, burning and looting shops. The police failed to disperse them this time. They entered Gulberg Society from the back and started stoning and burning property and people. The FIR states that it was at this stage that there was private firing by Muslims (if at all there was any firing in reality), and not the other way round as stated by the court. The court has also slammed the selective amnesia of eyewitnesses for stating the truth about not noticing any firing from Jafris weapon. The court also ruled out negligence or inaction on the part of the police, saying that the limited police force had no means to disperse the mob. However, the Meghani Nagar police station, under whose jurisdiction Gulberg Society falls, had 130 police personnel on the day of the incident, but armed only with teargas shells. When a huge and heavily-armed mob assembled, the police should have been supported with arms and reinforcement force, especially after Jafri had personally met and appraised the then police commissioner, P. C. Pande at around 10.30 a.m. on the day of the massacre, of the explosive situation. Though Pande assured help, it was never delivered. Moreover, Jafri had also met M. K. Tandon at 1.30 p.m., as the latter arrived at the gate of Gulberg Society. Tandon promised to rush reinforcement force, and fled the scene. Whether he had fled on his own or was asked to leave by higher ups is something that can be arrived at only by a careful analysis of the phone records, which were ignored by the court. This doubt is further deepened by the aforementioned Times of India article which quotes a top source as saying, Tandon made a blunder. If he had stuck on at the society, the very presence of the joint commissioner would have deterred the mob. After all, the observations that the Gulberg Society massacre was not pre-planned and the fact that only 24 people were convicted out of the 66 chargesheeted from the massive mob that raped several women, plundered and burned a number of shops and homes and butchered 69 people are insignificant in comparison to the courts remark that Modi and his state government took all necessary steps to control law and order during the riots. The author is a writer based in Dubai Help India! By A Mirsab, TwoCircles.net, Solapur (Maharashtra): More than two years after Mohsin Sadiq Shaikh was brutally murdered by Hindutva militants in Pune, his family has received no reparation despite government promises. Support TwoCircles On June 2, 2014, twenty-four years old Mohsin Shaikh, a resident of Solapur district in Maharashtra who was working as a manager in an IT firm in Pune was assaulted and killed by the members of Hindu Rashtra Sena (HRS) when he was returning from a Mosque. The incident had taken place only a week after Narendra Modi took Prime Ministerial oath in New Delhi. Following this brutal killing, the then CM Prithviraj Chavan announced and provided Rs 5 lakh to the family as compensation and also promised to provide government job to Mubin Shaikh, a brother of Mohsin. However, no such job was given to him by the state government citing technical flaws in offering job to the brother of victim. R R Patil, the then state home minister had lauded the family for maintaining peace after the murder and told them that they were eligible for compensation from Central Government under Central Relief Scheme and asked them to write a letter to collector for claiming it. Subsequently on September 5, 2014 a district level committee established under Central Relief Scheme held a meeting in Solapur and it found deceased family eligible for compensation of amount Rs 3 Lakh from the Central Government. Following this finding, Solapur Collector informed Pune Collector about the committees recommendation and asked for completing the required formalities. Pune Collector then wrote to the State Secretary requesting to forward Committees findings to the Central Government and to facilitate in obtaining Rs 3 lakh by the victims family. Speaking with TwoCircles.net, Sadiq Shaikh, the father of Mohsin told, I keep calling Mantralaya and every time they give me different answers. Sometime Jagtap Sahib picks up phone and says file has gone missing while other time Govindraj Sahib says it is in progress. In November 2015 Pune Collector office informed Sadiq Shaikh that there were some errors in the original proposal of compensation which were corrected in October 2015 and a fresh proposal was sent to the State Secretary office. I did write to Pune Collector who informed me that their part was completed and it is pending at the secretarys office, he says. He is of the view that the BJP government at state and at the centre is reluctant to help them. The changed government has caused a problem for me in obtaining compensation. Ever since the government changed at state neither an officer nor a minister inquired us about our well-being or at least about the compensation amount, he said with a sorrowful voice. Despite repeated attempts by TwoCircles.net, no one from the State Secretariat office provided comments on the issue. Related: Three Ramadans without Mohsin Shaikh, a mother recalls memories of her son Mohsin Shaikh killing: Two years later still waiting for charges to be framed Maharashtra ATS questions slain techie Mohsins family in blast case while Govt deals HRS with velvet gloves Maharashtra CM backtracks on his promise, rejects job to Mohsin Shaikhs kin Wanxiang comfortable stateside Updated: 2016-06-21 10:32 By Hua Shengdun in Washington(China Daily USA) $25 billion global auto-parts maker's US plant one of 40 worldwide, first studied local risks Wanxiang America, a subsidiary of China's largest auto-parts manufacturer, feels at home in the US. "Often times, we debate about who we are. And today, instead of saying we are a Chinese company, which is where we are originally from, I would say we are indeed a USA company," said Ni Pin, president of Wanxiang America, on Monday. Ni spoke at the SelectUSA summit, where more than 150 Chinese delegates were looking to expand their businesses into the US. Ni took part in a panel discussion on risk-taking and resilience, hosted by the Washington Hilton Hotel. Wanxiang Group has become a global company with $25 billion in revenue, owning more than 40 auto-manufacturing plants worldwide. One in every two vehicles made in the US is equipped with components made in Wanxiang's US plants. It has operations in 26 US states and employs more than 13,500 people. Ni's company is well acquainted with taking risks in the US market, having first invested here in 1994. Since then, the company has played a positive role in the US economy, buying out failing companies and turning them into profitable businesses. The most publicized and controversial example was when Wanxiang America bought the A123 battery company in 2013. In 2012, the year before Wanxiang America bought A123, Ni recalled, "the company had lost about $200 million to $300 million. Less than 18 months later, we turned the company into positive cash flow." Despite the success coming during his leadership at the helm, Ni refuses to take credit for the turnaround. "The magic really came from the China market," he said. Even in 2015, Ni said that more than 60 percent of his company's output is shipped to China, the largest auto market in the world. However, the company's output is all that China receives from Wanxiang America. Ni said that the company has a policy to reinvest all of its profits back into the US. The reinvestments of Wanxiang's profits have created a $6 billion portfolio of US real estate. Wanxiang's US real estate unit includes office towers, shopping centers, warehouses and resort homes, making it the second-largest Chinese real estate investor by number of properties held in the US. Ni's success in America did not come easily. He said that one of the most challenging adjustments for doing business in the US was getting used to its strict legal system, compared with China's model of constant reform. "If you want to be successful in business in China, you have to be brave in terms of pushing the envelope," Ni said. Allan Fong and Chunying Cai in Washington contributed to this story. City cashing in on construction of new launch center Updated: 2016-06-21 02:54 By Liu Xiaoli(China Daily) China's fourth and most southerly space launch center is preparing for its maiden launch at the end of this month, boosting local tourism. Construction of the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center in Hainan province has resulted in the costal city improving facilities to welcome more space enthusiasts and visitors. Xue Yinggang, who owns the Hangtiancheng Hotel in Longlou township, Wenchang, said he is excited about the business opportunities brought by the center his new neighbor. Xue, who used to farm in Longlou's Xidiyuan village, said his farmland was used to build the center in 2010, which led to him moving to Longlou. Looking to the business opportunities the center will bring, he borrowed 8 million yuan ($1.21 million) from a bank to build and open the hotel that year. "All rooms from this Thursday to Monday next week have been booked," Xue said, referring to the anticipated period for the maiden launch of China's new-generation Long March 7 carrier rocket. The city has set up eight free viewing areas for the launch. They cover 0.45 square kilometers and can accommodate nearly 26,000 people. It has also started to improve its transportation network, has erected new traffic signs, and built more toilets and parking lots to benefit from an increase in visitors. Tens of thousands are expected to go to Wenchang for the launch. By Sunday, all the city's 19,900 hotel beds had been fully booked. The Wenchang Hilton, the only international hotel chain in Longlou, is fully booked for Friday and Saturday, manager Robert Tong said. Chen Hongbo, a photographer from Haikou, the provincial capital, said he is happy to be going to Wenchang to watch the launch. "I am so excited that I will be witnessing history being made. In addition, the sea and mountains at Wenchang are beautiful, so my family will enjoy this trip." Xue Xiangwen, head of the Wenchang Tourism Bureau, said local authorities suggest that tourists consider visiting the city after the upcoming launch, as there will be many more launches at the center. China, CEE countries strengthen health cooperation Updated: 2016-06-21 04:11 (Xinhua) NANJING -- The second health ministers forum between China and Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries was held in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province on Monday. Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong and Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka attended the opening ceremony. Liu said the health sector cooperation will inject new impetus for the "16+1 cooperation." The "16+1" refers to China and the 16 CEE countries. The forum concluded with the release of a joint communique, which declared the establishment of the China-CEE federation for the promotion of health cooperation. China, the CEE countries and other nations will strengthen exchanges and cooperation in the health sector and take coordinated action to safeguard the health rights of all and cope with global health threats such as SARS, bird flu and Ebola, according to the communique. China starts emergency response to Hubei, Xinjiang floods Updated: 2016-06-21 09:51 (Xinhua) BEIJING -- Chinese disaster relief authorities have started an emergency response to floods in Hubei province and Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. The National Commission for Disaster Relief and the Ministry of Civil Affairs began the level-four emergency response on Monday afternoon and sent teams to help relief work in the two regions. Heavy rains and floods have left six dead and 15 missing in Hubei and three dead and one missing in Xinjiang. Nearly 140,000 people had been relocated in the two regions. Authorities have arranged 1,000 tents and 1,000 folding beds for the flood-hit areas in Hubei. Hubei provincial authorities also sent four work teams to guide disaster relief efforts. Xinjiang authorities sent two work teams and allocated 932,000 yuan ($142,000) in cash, food and drinking water worth 1.83 million yuan and hundreds of tents. IS reportedly dislodges gov't troops from al-Raqqa Updated: 2016-06-21 09:17 (Xinhua) DAMASCUS -- The Islamic State (IS) group has expelled the government troops from Syria's northern province of al-Raqqa, a monitor group reported Monday. The IS unleashed a wide scale offensive on Monday, managing to reverse the progress of the Syrian army and allied fighters, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The Syrian army retreated to a place 40 kilometer away from the al-Tabaqa airbase in al-Raqqa countryside; formerly they were only seven kilometers from that spot, which was the main goal of the military offensive on al-Raqqa, the de facto capital of the IS. The observatory said the army is out of the administrative borders of al-Raqqa again. The Syrian army entered al-Raqqa's administrative borders on June 4, days after offensive against the route between the town of Athriya in the central province of Hama, and the Al-Tabaqa town in al-Raqqa countryside. Pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV said the aim of attacking Al-Raqqa is to recapture the town of Al-Tabqa due to its strategic importance. It would enable Syrian army to sever key routes linking Al-Raqqa to the northern province of Aleppo, where IS controls some of the border towns near Turkey and from where it smuggles fighters and weapons. Chinese investors tap US market at summit Updated: 2016-06-21 14:00 By CHEN WEIHUA in Washington(chinadaily.com.cn) US President Barack Obama speaks at the SelectUSA Investment Summit in Washington June 20, 2016. [Photo/Agencies] For Liu Shoutian, chairman of the Beiyang Financial Leasing (Tianjin) Co Ltd, investing in the United States now looks so much easier than it did before. Just two hours after US Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker gave her welcoming remarks at the 2016 SelectUSA Investment Summit on Monday morning, Liu said he was surprised that the threshold of investing in the US was not as high as he imagined. "I didn't realize that the US was so eager to attract foreign direct investment, in a sense even stronger than that in China," he said. The SelectUSA Investment Summit, being held at the Washington Hilton from June 19-21, has drawn some 2,400 attendees from 70 markets, including about 150 from the Chinese mainland, the largest of all delegations. Liu, who is attending the summit for the first time, said he is looking for opportunities in manufacturing and trade. His company's main investments in China are in healthcare and petrochemicals. US President Barack Obama delivered a lunch keynote speech in which he touted the US as the place for investors in every aspect from innovation to global supply chain. "If you choose a place to expand your portfolio, to place your bests, to open up a plant, to start building the next great new business or service, you should select the USA because nowhere in the world and never in history has there been a better place to grow your business," Obama said. Hu Bo, general manager of Senzhen HQT Petroleum and Additives Co Ltd, said he was impressed to find that the governmental test centers in the US are providing free services to businesses. "That is probably why US companies can make such high-quality products," he said. "In China, such tests are very expensive." Hu said he came to find out about the gap between his company's products and those in the US and also see if there might be a partnership for a joint venture. Zhu Haicheng, deputy director of Hangzhou-based Zhejiang Chession Law Firm, said he came to the summit on behalf of his three clients in textile and equipment manufacturing who have been selling their products in the US market through trade companies. Rio government denounced for extravagant spending during crisis Updated: 2016-06-21 16:00 (Xinhua) RIO DE JANEIRO - The Rio de Janeiro state government was accused of making extravagant spending amid a deep financial crisis. The state declared state of public calamity last Friday, due to a severe financial crisis. However, as a local news radio station reported, the headquarters of the state government maintained a public bidding for purchases for an extravagant banquet. The bidding was to be held on Tuesday, and featured the purchases of fancy fruits, such as blueberries and raspberries, all of which are imported and very expensive, in addition to significant amounts of expensive fish and filet steak. The purchases would cost the state 361,000 reals ($106,000). The minimum monthly wage in Brazil is currently 880 reals ($258). The state government was criticized for holding such expensive purchases while the public servants are not being paid and hot meals at schools were replaced by snacks for lack of money. In Rio de Janeiro State University (UERJ), the largest university administrated by the state government, students' meals were also suspended for the lack of money. The university has been at strike for three months because professors and outsourced workers did not receive their wages. After the scandal, Rio state's interim governor Francisco Dornelles canceled the bidding. However, the distrust over Rio's capacity to hold the Olympic Games in August has increased with every stumble the administration takes. Investors seek inroads to US at DC summit Updated: 2016-06-21 11:01 By Chen Weihua in Washington(China Daily USA) For Liu Shoutian, chairman of the Beiyang Financial Leasing (Tianjin) Co Ltd, investing in the United States now looks so much easier than it did before. Just two hours after US Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker gave her welcoming remarks at the 2016 SelectUSA Investment Summit on Monday morning, Liu said he was surprised that the threshold of investing in the US was not as high as he imagined. "I didn't realize that the US was so eager to attract foreign direct investment, in a sense even stronger than that in China," he said. The SelectUSA Investment Summit, being held at the Washington Hilton from June 19-21, has drawn some 2,400 attendees from 70 markets, including about 150 from the Chinese mainland, the largest of all delegations. Liu, who is attending the summit for the first time, said he is looking for opportunities in manufacturing and trade. His company's main investments in China are in healthcare and petrochemicals. US President Barack Obama delivered a lunch keynote speech in which he touted the US as the place for investors in every aspect from innovation to global supply chain. "If you choose a place to expand your portfolio, to place your bests, to open up a plant, to start building the next great new business or service, you should select the USA - because nowhere in the world and never in history has there been a better place to grow your business," Obama said. Hu Bo, general manager of Senzhen HQT Petroleum and Additives Co Ltd, said he was impressed to find that the governmental test centers in the US are providing free services to businesses. "That is probably why US companies can make such high-quality products," he said. "In China, such tests are very expensive." Hu said he came to find out about the gap between his company's products and those in the US and also see if there might be a partnership for a joint venture. Zhu Haicheng, deputy director of Hangzhou-based Zhejiang Chession Law Firm, said he came to the summit on behalf of his three clients in textile and equipment manufacturing who have been selling their products in the US market through trade companies. "They hope to establish their own entities here in the US and a stable sales network," he said. Zhu said these clients also hope the US market will absorb some of their excess capacity and build up their brand to compete with other global brands. Like several of those present, Hu Huamin, chairman of Henan Aeroport International Flower Industry Co Ltd, was attending the summit for the first time. As one of the few in the Chinese delegation in the agriculture business, she hoped to find a US partner that shared similar goals. "I want to see if there is a good investment opportunity for us here," she said, "and also if there is new technology and product variety we can introduce in China." Xu Chen, president of Bank of China in the United States, also serves as chairman of the China General Chamber of Commerce (USA), an organization whose members are mostly Chinese companies in the US. He described the Chinese and US economies as highly complementary. Xu listed real estate, healthcare, insurance, food processing, high-end consumer goods and the cultural industry as some of the hot spots for Chinese investors. In his view, the fast-aging Chinese society will create a huge market for the healthcare industry. He believes Chinese capital and manufacturing capacity can be greatly enhanced with US technology to serve the Chinese market. Chinese investors poured $73.52 billion into 4,136 non-financial entities overseas in the first five months of this year, up a hefty 61.9 percent from the same period last year, according to Shen Danyang, spokesman of China's Ministry of Commerce. chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com Please turn JavaScript on and reload the page. Loading... Checking your browser before accessing the website. This process is automatic. Your browser will redirect to your requested content shortly. Please wait a few seconds. Viet Nam ranks 27th in the list of countries where servers have been hacked and are sold on a global forum for cybercriminals to buy and sell. VNS Photo HCM CITY - Kaspersky Lab researchers have identified a global forum where cybercriminals can buy and sell access to compromised servers for as little as US$6. The xDedic marketplace, which appears to be run by a Russian-speaking group, lists 70,624 hacked Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) servers for sale, it said in a release. Many of the servers host or provide access to popular consumer websites and services, and some have software installed for direct mail, financial accounting and Point-of-Sale processing. They can be used to target owners infrastructure or as a launch pad for wider attacks, while the owners, including government entities, corporations and universities, have little or no idea of what is happening. xDedic is a powerful example of a new kind of cybercriminal marketplace: well organised and supported and offering everyone from entry-level cybercriminals to APT groups fast, cheap and easy access to legitimate organisational infrastructure that keeps their crimes below the radar for as long as possible. The xDedic marketplace seems to have opened for business some time in 2014, and has grown significantly in popularity since the middle of 2015. Last month it listed 70,624 servers from 173 countries for sale, posted in the names of 416 different sellers. The top 10 countries affected are Brazil, China, Russia, India, Spain, Italy, France, Australia, South Africa and Malaysia. Viet Nam ranks 27th in the list with 841 servers hacked. Kaspersky Lab has advised organisations to install a robust security solution as part of a comprehensive and multi-layered approach to IT security, enforce the use of strong passwords as part of the server authentication process, implement a continuous process of patch management and undertake a regular security audit of the IT infrastructure and others. VNS Australias Department of Agriculture and Water Resources has certified that the Hanoi Irradiation Centre will irradiate Vietnamese lychees exported to the market. Photo zing.vn HA NOI Australias Department of Agriculture and Water Resources has certified that the Hanoi Irradiation Centre will irradiate Vietnamese lychees exported to the market. The Plant Protection Department under Viet Nams Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development received official recognition from the Australian department yesterday. The lychees will go through irradiation treatment in Ha Noi instead of being shipped to the south, which helps reduce transport cost and time. The outcome was attributed to the close co-operation between the Vietnamese Plant Protection Department, Australian competent agencies, and the Australian Embassy in Viet Nam, as well as the active engagement of the Ha Noi Irradiation Centre and businesses. Head of the Plant Protection Department Hoang Trung said the centre will help lychee exporters reduce costs by around VN16 million (US$717) per tonne. According to Australian regulations, to enter the market, the Vietnamese fresh lychees must apply cultivation measures to mitigate harmful organisms and ensure quality and safety under the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP). Farmers have to record the production process to facilitate the trace of their fruits origin. The fresh lychees must be transported to the registered packaging and labelling facilities for further examination at the Plant Protection Department. The fruits will be treated at Son Son and An Phu irradiation companies and Ha Noi Irradiation Centre. The Vietnamese plant inspection agencies will grant phytosanitary certificates to batches that satisfy the markets requirements. Irradiation is considered a safe technology that helps kill all bacteria and microorganisms and keeps fruit fresh for longer periods, even up to a few months. VNS Up to 78 per cent of the asked enterprises said they are aware of the trade deal, an increase of 10 per cent compared with that in 2014. Photo VNA HA NOI The proportion of enterprises in Viet Nam showing support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) rose from 62 per cent in 2014 to 72 per cent in 2015, according to the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI)s recent survey participated by about 1,000 businesses. The survey indicated that 78 per cent of the asked enterprises said they are aware of the trade deal, up from 68 per cent in 2014. The figures, which are on the rise, reflect the businesses are ready for the pact, at least in terms of the attitude, said Director of the VCCIs WTO Centre Nguyen Thi Thu Trang. She referred to those as reasons to be optimistic about the success of the deal. It is also reported that, by the end of 2015, 70 per cent of the domestic enterprises showed understanding of the pact, lower than 86 per cent of FDI companies from the TPP member states and 82 per cent of those from the TPP outsiders. However, local firms expressed the strongest approval for the trade deal with 73 per cent of the respondents backing the accord, compared to 67 per cent of the FDI companies from the TPP members and 65 per cent of those from outside the pact. The TPP was concluded on October 5, 2015 after seven years of negotiation between 12 countries Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States and Viet Nam. It was signed on February 4 this year and is in the process of being ratified by each member state. The ratification procedures will take about two years. VNS Giant foods and flavours producer Kido Group (KDC) has reported sales of over VN3.1 trillion (US$136 million) for fiscal year 2015. Photo vietstock.vn HCM CITY Giant foods and flavours producer Kido Group (KDC) has reported sales of over VN3.1 trillion (US$136 million) for fiscal year 2015. Pre-tax profit was VN6.7 trillion ($294 million). The company sold its snacks business last year. At its annual general meeting last week KDC said the confectionery business contributed in the first six months of 2015, and cooking oil, instant noodles, and seasonings for the whole year. The ice cream and yogurt business continued to contribute significantly as it grew 30 per cent year-on-year. The company has decided to pay a one-time dividend of VN20,000 per share in addition to a normal dividend of VN1,400. For this year KDC targets profit before tax of VN1.5 trillion ($66 million). The company continues to invest in its market leading brands that are expanding further into the frozen food category while also developing new categories of products like oil and noodles. It product portfolio in the frozen foods category will be expanded with a VN400 billion production facility in the northern province of Bac Ninh. The group will continue to seek opportunities to expand into new product categories, working with new partners and considering mergers and acquisitions to penetrate new markets. VNS HCM CITYGlitterbeat, a branch of the German-based company Glitterhouse Records, has released a new album in Europe that features traditional Vietnamese music. The album, Hanoi Masters: War is a Wound, Peace is a Scar, features folk and traditional songs in xam (folk music popular in the north) and chau van (ritual singing) written by unknown artisans and veteran musicians like Pho uc Phuong. It is produced by American producer Ian Brennan and musician and zitherest Vo Van Anh, known as Vanessa Vo, who has composed soundtracks for several Oscar and Emmy nominees. The album features Anh and traditional performers such as Pham Mong Hai, Nguyen Thi Lan, Xuan Hoach, Vo Tuan Minh and Nguyen Quoc Hung. The artists play traditional instruments, such as the an tranh (16-chord zither), an nguyet (Vietnamese two-chord guitar) and an bau (monochord). In her interview with the Guardian, Anh said the music on the album reflects the hearts and minds of artists who lived during war and understand the value of peace. Anh was born in Ha Noi but lives in California. She began studying an tranh when she was 4. She graduated from the Viet Nam Academy of Music in Ha Noi and taught there later. She is a professional an bau, an tam thap luc (36-string zither) and an Trung (bamboo xylophone) player. She also plays the drums. She co-composed and recorded for the 2009 Emmy Award-winning soundtrack of the documentary Bolinao 52, a production on Vietnamese boat people by Vietnamese-American director uc Nguyen, and for the 2003 Academy Awards nominee Daughter from Danang, a documentary about the life of Mai Thi Hiep, one of the children brought to the US from Viet Nam in 1975 during Operation Babylift. The album will be introduced at the World of Music, Arts and Dance-WOMAD in London next month. /VNS Could you please provide a thumb-nail description of the sectors growth in 2016? In the first six months of 2016, the countrys airports receive around 38.8 million passengers and 503,000 tonnes of cargo, an increase of 29.9 per cent and 7.9 per cent as compared to the same period last year. The year 2016 also marks the strongest growth of the aviation sector. In the meantime, flight safety has always been basically well-performed. The number of flight incidents reported was 35, 2.8 per cent lower than the same period in 2015. Most of the incidents were due to technical faults (22) and the rest were caused by people. Contrary to the sectors strong growth, the number of foreign passengers using domestic airlines slightly decreases. Is it a drawback? I do not think it is a drawback, on the contrary. Viet Nams airlines are growing well, but clearly enough international airlines are also increasing their flights to Viet Nam. In fact, we would like to reduce the market share of domestic airlines to around 40 per cent to boost the number of international airlines flights to Viet Nam. In the region, international airlines are still considering Singapore, Thailand and Hong Kong as key markets. This is the competition for international destinations strategy to which Viet Nams aviation is looking forward. In regard to domestic market, Vietnam Airlines and VietjetAir are the main competitors with 40-42 per cent of market share. The competition surely benefits the people most. The growth of airlines and the increase of international flights to Viet Nam have made congestion at airports more serious. How do you see the problem? Congestion stems from the limited capacity of airport infrastructure and of the routes into and out of airports, and even in the sky during rush hours. There were cases in which a plane couldnt land at the destined airport and had to wander aimlessly in the sky or had to land in another airport. I can give Tan Son Nhat Airport as an example. The Ministry of Transport and the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam have studied plans to accommodate overflow in Cam Ranh and Can Tho airports. Could you please elaborate the project to ease congestion at Tan Son Nhat airport? Tan Son Nhat Airport alone received more than 14 million passengers in the first half of 2016. The figure tells it all: use of the airport is on a sharp rise. To cope with the situation, besides solutions in the short term, plans to expand the airport are also on the table. The Government recently approved the transfer of military flights out of the Tan Son Nhat Airport and has policy to set aside more military land for civil aviation to address the congestion. In addition, HCM City plans to expand traffic routes approaching the airport, such as the upgrading of Truong Son junction and working with the Ministry of Defence to build a road parallel to Cong Hoa road and expand the Hoang Hoa Tham road. The only runway at the Tan Son Nhat Airport needs to be fixed as quickly as possible, which is the main reason for the airports low cappacity. Currently, the city is planning to build a terminal for 10 million civilian and military passengers. On the other hand, the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam plans to expand the airports domestic terminal to accommodate some four or five million additional passengers. When all the projects are completed, the airport will accommodate 40 million passengers annually. Some claim that the Noi Bai Airport will face passenger overload in three years. What is your comment? The Noi Bai Airport was designed for a capacity of 25 million passengers annually. At present, the number of domestic and foreign passengers to the airport is some 17 million, which is projected to increase to 19 million in 2017 and 20 million in 2020. Therefore, in the next four years, overload will not occur at the Noi Bai Airport. However, the expansion of the airport to serve 50 million annually in 2030 needs to be worked out soon to meet growing demand. The Government has agreed [to the expansion] in principle and the transport ministry and civil aviation administration are issuing plans for public comments. --VNS As an IT expert, how do you evaluate the power of social networks to affect daily life? The impact is growing stronger, along with the internet, which helps people access information. Social networks are now called the fifth power and they have changed concepts of journalism and media. The power is no longer in the hands of newspapers and news agencies. Anyone can access power through social networks. Any person can sit in front of a computer, search the web and upload information on his or her Facebook page, becoming a reporter. This imbues in people a sense of power. Many people, even popular scholars and intellectuals, spend three to four hours a day sharing comments and discussing nonsense on social media, especially Facebook. I thought educated people should spend more time on real work. If all people, especially young educated ones, spend more time on virtual life, society and the economy will suffer. This is the negative impact of social networks. The power of social networks has changed people a lot. Why is that? I know many intellectuals have profound knowledge and want to be heard. Now they have a new channel to disseminate their knowledge and thoughts. Some businessmen say social media is a more useful tool to advertise their brands than traditional media. So, it is easy to understand why young people have illusions about the power of social networks. Is there any way to reduce the negative impact of social networks? They cannot be controlled. Thats nonsense. People cant live without smart phones and check Facebook or other social networks all the time. There have been some studies showing that the time people spend in restrooms has doubled or tripled. The first thing people look at when getting up in the morning are their phones. People prefer online chatting to offline conversation. However, the social networks also brought good things to society, making it more open and granting everyone a voice. .-- VNS Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (R) receives Salvador Valdes Mesa (L), Vice President of the Council of State and Special Envoy of First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba in Ha Noi yesterday. VNA/VNS Photo Doan Tan HA NOi The Cuban Party, State and people will exert every effort to reinforce and strengthen the special relations with Viet Nam, said a Cuban official. Salvador Valdes Mesa, Vice President of the Council of State and Special Envoy of First Secretary of the Communist Party, made his remarks to Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in Ha Noi yesterday. The Party chief said Mesas visit demonstrates the mutual trust between the two countries top leaders as well as the time-honoured friendship, solidarity and co-operation between the Vietnamese and Cuban Parties, States and peoples. He congratulated the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) on the successful organisation of its 7th National Congress and spoke highly of Cubas remarkable achievements in updating its socio-economic model, as well as its attainments in external affairs over the past few years. Major policies adopted at the 7th PCC National Congress will help Cuba overcome challenges towards sustainable economic development, while successfully defending the countrys revolutionary achievements and marching firmly on the path of socialism, he said. Party General Secretary Trong also reiterated the support and solidarity of the Vietnamese Party, State and people towards Cubas building and development, adding that the faithful relations between the two Parties, State and peoples are valuable assets that need to be preserved and passed on to future generations. Also yesterday, the Cuban official was received by President Tran ai Quang, who suggested Viet Nam and Cuba expand economic and investment co-operation, especially in the fields of agriculture, tourism, health, education, and pharmaceuticals. Quang expressed his hope that the two nations will reach agreements to turn their potential into special programmes, and intensify experience sharing to serve each others national construction and defense. The guest spoke highly of Viet Nams help for Cuba in ensuring food security, stating that Cuba will meet 50 per cent of domestic demands thanks to the Southeast Asian countrys assistance. He also took the occasion to convey President Raul Castros invitation to President Quang to visit Cuba. The Vietnamese State leader accepted the invitation. Welcoming Lao Defense Minister Party General Secretary Trong (R) receives Lao Defence Minister Chansamone Channhalat (L) yesterday. VNA/VNS Photo Doan Tan On the same day, Party General Secretary Trong received Lao Defence Minister Chansamone Channhalat, noting the close-knit relations between the Vietnamese and Lao defence ministries. Trong suggested the two sides enhance co-ordination to effectively carry out bilateral defence co-operation to ensure political security, social order and safety. It is also necessary to jointly build a shared borderline of peace, stability and sustainable development, he added. In turn, the Lao Minister said the Lao Party, State, army and people will spare no effort to keep and nurture the special solidarity with Viet Nam for the sake of their two peoples.The Vietnamese and Lao armies need to push ahead with co-operation to ensure political security and defend revolutionary achievements in their respective countries. Meeting the Lao Minister yesterday, President Tran ai Quang said the growing bilateral collaboration will significantly contribute to successfully implementing the Resolution adopted at the 12th Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam and another approved at the 10th Congress of the Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party (LPRP). Chansamones selection of Viet Nam as his first stop as Defence Minister shows that the Lao Party, State and army attach much importance to the traditional friendship, Quang said. He hailed the outcomes of the talks between the two countries defence ministers. President Quang said Viet Nam pledged to do its utmost to support Laos in organising this years ASEAN events and to celebrate the 55 th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties and 40 years of the signing of Vietnam-Laos Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation in 2017. For his part, the Lao minister thanked the Vietnamese Party, State and people for supporting Lao counterparts, and confirmed that Laos will spare no effort to nurture the special relations between the two nations. During talks yesterday between the Lao Minister and Defence Minister Ngo Xuan Lich, both agreed to continue to fully implement their co-operation plan, with a focus on the exchange of visits, Party and political work, training, experience sharing, search for and repatriation of the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who sacrificed their lives in Laos. The two countries will intensify collaboration between border defence forces in the fight against trans-national crimes to ensure security in their border areas, as well as fight plots dividing the Vietnam-Laos traditional friendship. VNS Viet Nams Embassy in Malaysia has taken protective measures towards the 23 Vietnamese fishermen recently arrested by the Malaysia Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA). VNA/VNS Photo KUALA LUMPUR Viet Nams Embassy in Malaysia has taken protective measures towards the 23 Vietnamese fishermen recently arrested by the Malaysia Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA). Vietnamese Ambassador to Malaysia Pham Cao Phong said the measures aim to provide the fishermen safety and humane treatment, in line with international and local laws. According to the ambassador, immediately after Malaysian media reported the MMEA arrested 23 Vietnamese fishermen and one fishing boat in Malaysias Kelantan waters, the embassy contacted the Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the MMEA to verify the report and to obtain detailed information about the fishermen. According to MMEAs reply, 23 Vietnamese fishermen on board boat CM9699TS were arrested on June 16. The arrest took place 110 nautical miles from Kuala Tok Bali shore in Kelantan state. The alleged offense is breaching Article 15 of Malaysias 1985 fishing law. The boat was detained for investigation purposes under Article 47 of the law. The Embassy sent a diplomatic note to relevant Malaysian agencies, requesting to visit the fishermen and asking local agencies to ensure their lives and humane treatment, in line with international and local laws. The Embassy also demanded the release of the fishermen as soon as possible. The Embassy reported the incident to the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and asked relevant provincial Peoples Committees to coordinate in verifying the identities of the fishermen. --VNS National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan delivers speech during her visit to the northern mountainous province of Cao Bang yesterday. VNA/VNS Photo Trong uc CAO BANG The northern mountainous province of Cao Bang should redefine its development priorities and focus investment on agriculture and rural areas, National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan suggested. The NA Chairwoman and her entourage had a working session with provincial leaders yesterday to examine the localitys achievement of socio-economic targets, its construction of new-style rural areas from 2010 to 2016 and agriculture restructuring. Though Cao Bang made efforts to connect the producers of farm products with export markets, it should take measures to address the slow pace of economic restructuring, she said. The provinces proposal on promoting regional connectivity as part of transport connections to create more trading opportunities needs to be considered thoroughly, she noted. The legislator said the combined modern rural area construction and agricultural restructuring programme is a hard nut to crack for Cao Bang when only two of its 177 participating communes have met the set criteria over the past five years. She said the National Assembly will consider allocating funds for the programme for localities nationwide in the future. The locality made progress in developing agricultural and forest production, as well as holding dialogues with enterprises to help them overcome business and production challenges. In the first half of 2016, its industrial production value is estimated at VND1.08 trillion (US$48.4 million). The same day, the top legislator visited Nam Tuan Commune in Hoa An District and asked the district to exert more effort to improve locals living conditions, citing the high percentage of poor households at 35.7 per cent of the population. Earlier, she visited the Pac Bo national special relic site in Ha Quang District, where late President Ho Chi Minh lived and worked from February 8, 1941, to late March 1941. VNS HCM City Peoples Committee Chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong greeted visiting Lao Defence Minister Chansamone Channhalat yesterday. VNA/VNS Photo HCM CITY HCM City Peoples Committee Chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong greeted visiting Lao Defence Minister Chansamone Channhalat yesterday. Phong congratulated the minister on his election to the Politburo and as head of the Defence Ministry and spoke highly of the Lao officials decision to visit Viet Nam first after taking office. HCM City is leading other provinces and cities nationwide in terms of engagements with Lao localities, particularly Vientiane and Champasak, Phong said. He told his guests about a number of projects that the southern hub is organising in Laos, including initiatives to help Vientiane boost its budget management capacity and help Champasak Province carry out community planning for Paksong town. The minister said Lao localities appreciate the assistance they have received from HCM City. He lauded the business hubs achievements in military and socio-economic development, which he considered valuable lessons and experiences for Laos to learn from during its own development path. VNS Head of the Party Central Committees Commission for Publicity and Education Vo Van Thuong delivers speech at a meeting between the Commission and the Steering Committee for External Information Service with the countrys representatives in Ha Noi yesterday. VNA/VNS Photo HA NOI The heads of representative Vietnamese agencies abroad for the 2016-2019 tenure should help bring home new, modern communication methods to serve the countrys external communication programmes. Head of the Party Central Committees Commission for Publicity and Education Vo Van Thuong made the suggestion at a meeting between the Commission and the Steering Committee for External Information Service with the countrys representatives in Ha Noi yesterday. Thuong, Politburo member and Party Secretary, said the representative Vietnamese agencies abroad serve as a bridge to bring Viet Nams news to the world and vice versa, including coverage about the Party and States policies and guidelines, the country and its history, culture and people, as well as Viet Nams stance on regional and global matters. He asked the representatives to continue realising the Politburos Conclusion 16 on external information development for 2011-2020, the Governments action programme on external information for 2013-2020 and a scheme on improving external information works of representative Vietnamese agencies abroad. The officials were asked to rally support from the authorities, media, businesses and Vietnamese nationals in their host countries and make forecasts on any developments involving Viet Nam, putting forward solutions to complex and sensitive cases. VNS HA NOI Seven-year-old inh Thanh Phong felt more than excited - not only because he could make new friends from ASEAN countries, but also because he could deliver his wish for the ASEAN vision at the 4th ASEAN Children Forum (ACF) hosted by Viet Nam this year. Phong came to the forum as the first-prize winner of the ASEAN painting and writing contest for ASEANs 2025 vision under the ACF framework, a chance for regional children to show their interests and dreams for ASEAN in the next nine years. Phongs art work features a mother stretching her arms to hold children. The big mother, as Phong called her, is the ASEAN mother. He wished that ASEAN would be like a mother who protects children in the region. In my countryside, there are a lot of disadvantaged children. I wish they would be surrounded by parents affection, the grade-two student said. Phongs message was just one of a wide range of wishes offered by participating children at ACF, which started in Ha Noi yesterday and ends on Thursday. During the four-day event, 40 children from nine ASEAN countries (except Brunei) have joined panel discussions about pressing childrens issues. This year, as the event host, Viet Nam has selected the theme One ASEAN, One Vision For Children. The forum holds significant meaning, especially because the ASEAN Community was set up late last year with a commitment to prioritise social welfare and childrens rights. Huynh Thanh Ninh, 16, one of five Vietnamese participants at the forum, was excited for his first time at an international event. Hailing from a poor village in the central Quang Nam Province, Ninh said that children in his hometown go to school in the morning then come home to help their parents with housework and business in the afternoon. Rarely do they have any chances to take part in social regional activities. Children in my hometown are very reserved in expressing their opinions, he said. I want to find ways to motivate them to voice their concerns and encourage their participation in local and international forums. That is also the purpose of the gathering, where childrens voices are raised and heard by governmental officials of ASEAN countries regarding their rights and expectations for a human-centred community where children share and enjoy common values. Hoang Ngo Van Nhi, 15, from Ha Noi, treasured her participation in the event and said it is a great experience for her, a grade-nine student of Nguyen Sieu Secondary School. I would share my concerns over climate change as well as potential risks that children might face in an online environment, she said while discussing her chance to stand up and raise her voice on behalf of Vietnamese children. She also hoped that students and officials would seek solutions to end school violence. Violence is also a topic to be discussed during the four-day event, in addition to child trafficking, child protection online and the impact of climate change on children. Delivering a remark to launch the event yesterday, Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs ao Ngoc Dung said that the Party, the State and the Government as well as central and local agencies always pay special attention to child protection and education. Boosting childrens rights is a key focus along with national socio-economic targets. The minister expected children to voice their concerns, participate in active discussions and contribute creative suggestions for a joint agreement among ASEAN Children to be submitted to ASEAN Ministers in charge of social welfare for consideration, he said. VNS HA NOI The press plays an important role in influencing public opinion about major public issues, said delegates at a conference held yesterday on the occasion of National Journalism Day (June 21). But a report published at the conference also highlighted reporters difficulties in conveying information to readers. Former deputy of the 12th National Assembly, Nguyen Minh Thuyet, said todays readers demand hot news but also deeper reflection, requiring media to report news and events in a clearer and more diversified manner. Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Van Hien Viet Nam online magazine, Vu Xuan Ban, said the responsibility placed on journalists requires them to always be honest, objective and patient and to always make the interests of the country and the nation a top priority, he said. However, journalists also face many difficulties in reporting news and events, according to a study released yesterday by the Centre for Research on Development under the Viet Nam Union of Science and Technology Associations. The independent study on factors affecting journalists work during the 2011-15 period found that the working environment of journalists has become more complicated with higher risks. Journalists are prevented from publishing certain information and have been threatened or attacked at a growing rate over the past five years. In March, journalist o Doan Hoang from the Lao ong (Labour) newspaper was attacked by three suspects while on duty and driving a motorbike near Kim Van-Kim Lu Residential Area in Hoang Mai District. He reported the incident to the district police immediately after it occurred. As an investigative journalist, his articles cast a spotlight on serious social issues, including wildlife traficking. Last November, two Giao Thong (Transport) newspaper reporters were attacked and their assets snatched while they were researching an investigative report on overloaded trucks carrying sand on roads in District 9 of HCM City. In some cases journalists are unable to get access to information, and their work tools are seized or damaged to prevent them from publishing information. Around 44 per cent of 1,134 surveyed journalists said they were prevented from publishing information at least once, according to the study. It revealed that journalists often face obstacles when reporting issues relating to social events, land management, environmental protection, investigations and prosecution. Participants also noted that the National Assemblys approval of the Law on Information Access was a great success in promoting transparency in Viet Nam. Editor-in-Chief of the Viet Nam Audio Visual Magazine, Pham Bich San, stressed that many journalists still lack tools to report news and their stories reflect personal views rather than reality. Government portal The Chairman of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front Central Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan yesterday visited the Government Portal on the occasion of national journalism day. He congratulated the management board and staff of the Government portal on this occasion and praised their contribution to the dissemination information about Party and State policies and laws that support efforts to promote administrative reform and transparency of the State apparatus and agencies. He noted that the Government portal needed to update its contents in keeping with the countrys deeper integration into the world. Reporters and editors should improve ethics and professionalism to produce work that conveys accurate and speedy information to readers, he said. - VNS Mai Phan Loi. Photo doisongphapluat.com HA NOI The Ministry of Information and Communications revoked a journalists press card yesterday for a serious violation of Government regulations. The ministry required the HCM Law Newspaper to revoke the press card of Mai Phan Loi and to return it to the Press Department, in line with the laws. Loi, head of Ha Noi Bureau of the HCM City Law Newspaper, had his press card revoked for violating a circular of the ministry and for seriously offending the honour of the Vietnamese Peoples Army. His offenses caused deep psychological wounds to families, relatives and comrades of soldiers and officials who were in distress during their mission and his actions also affected the prestige of the press, according to a decision issued by Minister Truong Minh Tuan yesterday. Earlier, Loi posted a status update for voting titled Why was the CASA rescue plane shattered? to collect opinions from readers. He also presented some ideas for readers to deduce, such as: the plane was shot; the plane was of poor quality, and due to corruption in the defence sector. His status update immediately caused great public concern. - VNS President of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan yesterday visited to Major Nguyen Huu Cuong, the surviving pilot of aircraft SU30 MK2 that recently went missing in the waters off of Nghe An Province. Photo vietnamnet.vn HA NOI President of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan yesterday visited and presented gifts to Major Nguyen Huu Cuong, the surviving pilot of aircraft SU30 MK2 that recently went missing in the waters off of Nghe An Province. The aircraft SU30 MK2 with two pilots went missing at 6:50am June 14 during a training session in the area of Hon Mat Island, about 40km off the coast of Nghe Ans Vinh city. Fishermen on Friday found the body of the other pilot, Lieutemant Colonel Tran Quang Khai at sea. He was carried back to his hometown in Bac Giang Province where the funeral was held on Monday. The aircraft wreckage, meanwhile, remains unaccounted for. Cuong, who is also the head of the SU30 fighter squadron under Division 371s Regiment 923 of the Air Defence-Air Force Service, was in stable condition when he was found by fisherman Pham Van Le from the neighbouring province of Ha Tinh. He was carried back to the mainland on June 15 and is currently under treatment at the central military hospital 108 in Ha Noi. Nhan wished that Cuong would recover soon, and pledged that the VFF would help him with personal matters. Cuong expressed thanks to the Party, State, VFF and medical staff of Military Hospital 108, and said he wants to recover soon to return to work. VNS A view of the Ninh Kieu Wharf in the southern province of Can Tho. Increasing security of land rights and transparency of land governance would contribute to government accountability, reduce costs for businesses and strengthen the climate for responsible investment in the Mekong region. VNA/VNS Photo Bich Hong HA NOI Increasing security of land rights and transparency of land governance would contribute to government accountability, reduce costs for businesses and strengthen the climate for responsible investment in the Mekong region, a regional land forum in Ha Noi was told yesterday. The Mekong region land forum, the first of its kind in the region, is a platform for dialogue and information sharing on key land governance challenges affecting vulnerable groups, including small farmers, minority groups and women. The event, themed Bringing land governance into ASEAN economic integration, was held in the context of ASEAN economic integration, especially for Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Viet Nam. In Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Viet Nam, land has always played a significant role as place of residence and source of livelihood, especially for those vulnerable groups such as women, ethnic minorities in remote areas and poor smallholding farmers seriously affected by inefficient land ownership mechanism and competing interests. Land governance is at the centre of development challenges in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Viet Nam, where the governments are revising land policies and practices in order to face these challenges. Le Quoc Doanh, Vice Minister of the Agriculture and Rural Development, said land governance is of utmost relevance for the ASEAN regional development. Good land governance, he said, is reflected in the level of efficiency, transparency, participation and accountability and is a prerequisite factor for sustainable development. Policy makers and researchers at the forum are expected to put forward measures for better land policies, creating conditions to attract investment in agriculture in Viet Nam and other ASEAN countries. Ngo ong Hai, Vice Chairman of the Party Central Committees Economic Commitssion, said that during the industrialisation and modernisation process of Viet Nam, land was not effectively governed and exploited. Land in many areas was polluted and deteriorated while drought and salt water intrusion are threatening many regions. To improve the efficiency of State management of land, the 6th meeting of the 11th Party Central Committee issued a resolution on finalizing policies and laws relating to land, with a focus on land planning, allocation and leasing, land compensation, resettlement and developing the real estate sector, he said. The Land Law was issued in 2013 to create the legal foundation for implementation of the resolution. Country director of GIZ in Viet Nam, Jochem Lange, emphasized that ensuring responsible and sustainable investments in land has become an ever-more vital element of our social and economic development as trade and investments will increase with stronger integration of the ASEAN nations. Professor of Human Geography Phil Hirsch from the University of Sydneys School of Geosciences pointed out some challenges for land governance, including transboundary challenges, post-reform challenges and confusion between national and public interests. He suggested some solutions, including regulation and policy reforms, development of regional civil society, corporate accountability, private sector engagement and sharing of knowledge and experience. During the three-day event, participants from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Viet Nam, as well as national and international organisations, civil society, private sector and academia debated whether the right measures are being taken to ensure that large-scale investment in land adhere to both national and international standards and serve the people and the economy. The security of local peoples rights to land is also on the agenda, as countries in the region advance to formalise the traditional land use of farmers by registering their land and issuing titles. Also on the agenda are topics dealing with land conflicts, the recognition of customary rights to land, community forestry and womens rights to land tenure. The forum is part of the Mekong Land Region Governance project, which aims to foster more favourable policies and practices for securing the rights and access of family farmers to land and natural resources, and to strengthen the effectiveness of stakeholders through learning, alliance building and regional co-operation. It facilitates knowledge sharing across projects and country borders, supports multi-stakeholder dialogue, and assists regional co-operation between Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Viet Nam and beyond. VNS High court rules for police in search case WASHINGTON (AP) A divided Supreme Court bolstered police powers Monday, ruling evidence of a crime in some cases may be used against a defendant even if the police did something illegal in obtaining it. The 5-3 decision drew heated dissents from liberal justices who warned the outcome would encourage police to violate peoples rights. The ruling comes in a case in which a police detective illegally stopped defendant Joseph Edward Strieff on the streets of South Salt Lake City, Utah. A name check revealed an outstanding warrant for him. Police Detective Doug Fackrell arrested Strieff and routinely searched him, finding he was carrying methamphetamine. The case raised the question of whether the valid warrant outweighs the stop, which was illegal because Fackrell lacked any reasonable suspicion Strieff had been violating the law. It was the courts latest case questions whether evidence should be thrown out of court because the police did something wrong that led to discovery of evidence. Justice Clarence Thomas said for the court the officers actions were not a flagrant violation of the law. Wife of Jesus papyrus likely a fake BOSTON (AP) A Harvard professor who caused a huge splash when she unveiled a small fragment of papyrus she said referred to Jesus being married now says its likely a forgery. Harvard Divinity School professor Karen King presented the piece of papyrus in Rome in 2012. The fragment, written in Coptic, includes the phrase, Jesus said to them, My wife. From the beginning there were doubts about its authenticity. King said it is more likely than not the fragment is a modern forgery. She cited an investigative article published last week on the website of The Atlantic magazine that raised questions about the owner of papyrus, Florida businessman Walter Fritz. The Atlantic found inconsistencies in Fritzs story about the papyrus. Extreme heatwave grips Southwest PHOENIX (AP) A severe heatwave ushered in the first day of summer Monday in the broiling Southwest, where extreme temperatures were blamed for at least five deaths over the weekend. Towns along the Arizona-California border were getting the brunt of the extreme temperatures Monday. In Palm Springs, the thermometer hit 121 degrees in the early afternoon. The temperature in Phoenix broke a record and hit 116 degrees. The National Weather Service reported 17 daily heat records were broken in Southern California on Sunday. A cool off was expected in the coming days. Newscaster fired for post, sues station PITTSBURGH (AP) A Pittsburgh newscaster fired after her comments in a Facebook post about a shooting were deemed racially insensitive sued her former employer Monday, saying television station WTAE let her go because she is white. In a Facebook post, Wendy Bell commented on the March 9 shooting of five black people in the poor Pittsburgh suburb of Wilkinsburg. You neednt be a criminal profiler to draw a mental sketch of the killers who broke so many hearts, Bell wrote March 21. They are young black men, likely in their teens or in their early 20s. They have multiple siblings from multiple fathers and their mothers work multiple jobs. These boys have been in the system before. Theyve grown up there. They know the police. Theyve been arrested. Drug trial failure leads to layoffs AMES (AP) An Ames drug company has laid off 87 people after a clinical trial failed on its new medication to fight a type of cancer. NewLink Genetics confirmed the layoffs Monday. NewLink received negative clinical trial results last month regarding its medication called algenpantucel-L, which NewLink was developing to treat patients with a form of pancreatic cancer. The trial results showed the drug didnt offer patients higher survivability rates than standard care alone. Regulatory filings show NewLink had 210 employees and had offices in Ames, Austin, Texas, and Devens, Mass., at the end of 2015. Osceola teen killed by train OSCEOLA (AP) A middle school student was killed by a train in south-central Iowa. Officers and medics were sent to the Osceola depot around 12:20 p.m. Monday. Police have not said what led to the student being struck. His name hasnt been released. Authorities say he attended classes in the Clarke Community School District. The incident is being investigated. Pipeline to run under sacred tribal site DES MOINES (AP) State officials have revoked a stop-work order on the Bakken oil pipeline where tribal officials object to disrupting sacred American Indian land in northwest Iowa that includes burial grounds. Iowa Department of Natural Resources spokesman Kevin Baskins said the department granted Texas-based Dakota Access LLC an amendment to its sovereign lands construction permit. Baskins said the pipeline will be located about 85 feet underground in the Big Sioux River Wildlife Management Area by using special equipment rather than digging a trench for a route. State Archaeologist John Doershuk said in an email last week to department director Chuck Gipp the proposed method is a satisfactory avoidance procedure. Indigenous Environmental Network organizer Dallas Goldtooth says his organization opposes the departments decision to allow the pipeline to be constructed in the area. Officials seek men in black along roads MUSCATINE (AP) Authorities in southeast Iowa are trying to find the mysterious men in black trench coats who have been spotted in the dark alongside roadways. Several people on social media have been sharing news of sightings along Iowa Highway 22 west of Muscatine and elsewhere. Theyve been dubbed the men in black. In some cases they just stand along the highway. In other instances theyve stepped onto the pavement as motorists pass. Muscatine County Sheriff C.J. Ryan said no crimes have been connected to the black-clad men or teenagers. But he says theyre engaged in a dangerous activity and could be held criminally or civilly responsible if someone were injured or property were damaged. WATERLOO A Waterloo man has been arrested after allegedly robbing a pharmacy of prescription drugs using a note. Waterloo police arrested Jasmin Kudic, 21, of 1133 Columbus Drive, for second-degree robbery. His bond was set at $50,000. According to police, a man walked into Walgreens, 111 W. Ridgeway Ave., at about 9:15 p.m. Monday, went to the pharmacy counter and handed the clerk a note. The note indicated the robber was armed and demanded three bottles of oxycodone and Xanan. He then left the store with the pills. Waterloo officers recognized Kudic from the stores surveillance video. They went to his home and found a bottle for one of the medications outside near a trash can, and an oxycodone prescription sheet was located on the sidewalk near the house, court records state. Kudic was taken to the police station, and while at the station he allegedly threw away a prescription sheet for alprazolam, which is generic Xanax. No injuries were reported in the robbery, and there are no indications that Kudic was actually armed. Oxycodone is a pain killer, and Xanax is a sedative used to treat anxiety. Second-degree robbery is punishable by up to 10 years in prison upon conviction. Kudic has prior convictions for burglary and extortion in connection with a November 2013 BB gun holdup at a San Marnan Drive convenience store. WATERLOO Megan Middleton doesnt like coming back home anymore. Never in my life did I think I would hate coming to my hometown. I cant be here. Its not the same, Middleton said. She had returned to Waterloo with her fiance, 35-year-old Celio Antonio Posada of Minneapolis, Minn., in August 2014. They stopped in at the El Senior Tequila nightclub for a quick drink, and that is where they first met Rodolfo Gonzalez-Pena. By the end of the night, Posada would be dead, slumped against a vehicle in the parking lot with gunshot wounds to the chest and head. Gonzalez was detained a block away with a handgun tucked into the seat of his pickup truck. Middleton addressed Gonzalez on Monday as he was sentenced to prison for first-degree murder in Posadas death. I want you to understand that what you did has changed the lives of so many people, Middleton said. You took somebody that meant the world to a lot of people. There are children growing up without a father, and I dont think that the impact of that will be paid by you spending your life in prison. Gonzalez, 37, who claimed self-defense at his May 2015 trial, remained silent. Judge Kellyann Lekar imposed the mandatory sentence for first-degree murder life in prison without parole. She opted to run a two-year sentence for carrying a firearm stemming from the same incident concurrently. A third charge from that night, driving with a suspended license, was dismissed. Assistant County Attorney Brook Jacobsen said the sentence was appropriate given the nature of the crime. Certainly, Mr. Posada didnt need to have his life taken in this fashion, Jacbosen said. At trial, Gonzalez said Posada had threatened to kill him and brandished a knife, and he claimed he was defending himself when he shot Posada. Prosecutors argued Gonzalezs account didnt mesh with evidence that included a blood trial that showed Posada was first shot in the chest and then walked a distance before he collapsed next to a vehicle and was then shot a second time at a downward angle to the head. After his conviction, Gonzalez argued for a retrial, claiming his request for a Spanish translator wasnt granted. WATERLOO A young man who surrendered to police following a brief standoff has been taken to a local hospital for an evaluation. Officers were called to 211 Newell St. shortly before 1:30 p.m. Tuesday after receiving a report of a person with a gun in the home threatening to harm himself and others. Police evacuated the house, shut down the street and surrounded the home for about 20 minutes with guns drawn before a man emerged with his hands up. He was taken into custody without further incident. After patrol officers cleared the home, police applied for a warrant to search the home. No injuries were reported. Police are now conducting a search of the home. Shortly after the standoff, an unrelated fight broke out among spectators who had gathered. One resident said people in a vehicle began fighting with a person on foot. The vehicle then drove off, striking a parked van as it left. CEDAR RAPIDS Sen. Joni Ernst would like to say she was surprised by Democratic opposition to common sense firearms legislation that failed to win passage in the U.S. Senate on Monday night. But I am not because, again, what we saw, the rhetoric coming from the Democrats is all about focusing on gun control, but rejecting the notion of the Second Amendment in that everyone should have due process when it comes to their right to own a gun, the Iowa Republican said Tuesday. On largely party-line votes, the Senate on Monday rejected proposals from both parties to prevent suspected terrorists from obtaining guns and expanding the federal governments system of background checks. The votes came eight days after a shooting in an Orlando night club that claimed 49 lives, making it the largest mass shooting in U.S. history. Ernst and Sen. Chuck Grassley, also a Republican, voted for an amendment to give the FBI three days to investigate individuals with suspected links to terrorism. If evidence of terrorist ties were found, the FBI could seek a warrant from a judge to prevent that person from buying a gun. Ernst called it a reasonable solution without unlawfully infringing on law-abiding U.S. citizens Second Amendment rights. Iowas senators also supported Grassleys amendment to improve background checks without unlawfully infringing on law-abiding Americans Second Amendment rights, Ernst said. Grassley said rather than addressing the real problem of radical Islamic terrorism the Democrat leadership has taken their eyes off the ball and is trying to turn this tragedy into another debate about guns, Grassley said. His general election opponent, Democrat Patty Judge, was quick to say Grassley not only opposed common sense legislation to prohibit terrorism suspects from buying guns, but his background check amendment would make it easier for mentally ill people to buy guns. If youre too dangerous to fly on a plane or the government suspects you of terrorism, then you shouldnt be able to buy a gun that shouldnt be up for debate, Judge said. However, Ernst said government agencies have told senators 38 percent of the names on the watch list are incorrect. Thats why she opposed Democratic amendments that banned anyone on a terror watch list from buying guns, Ernst said. CEDAR RAPIDS In the wee hours of Sunday morning, Iowa Democrats approved a platform plank calling for the legalization of all drugs. Monday, Democratic legislative leaders made clear they dont embrace that position and will either run away from it or ignore the policy position adopted by party activists. Ive spent a good deal of my life as a substance abuse counselor and Im not going to support legalization of methamphetamine and illegal opioids, House Minority Leader Mark Smith, D-Marshalltown, said. I just cant go that direction. In calling for the legalization of all drugs, delegates rejected a minority report from the Platform Committee that called for replacing legalizing with decriminalizing all drugs, Platform Committee Chairman Mike Robinson of Linn County said. Another minority report called for deleting the plank altogether. Interestingly enough, they went with legalizing all drugs, Robinson said. That prompted a flurry of social media posts along the lines of who put Keith Richards on the platform committee? and when smack is outlawed only outlaws will shoot smack. Long-time activist and blogger John Deeth of Iowa City tweeted he claimed copyright on Hillary Is Our Heroin just so Jeff Kaufmann will have to pay me royalties when he prints it on bumper stickers. Its fair game, Kaufmann, the chairman if the Republican Party of Iowa, said Monday. They will be looking at every semi-colon in our platform, so turnabout is fair play. Kaufmann acknowledged conventions can sometimes mirror the typical Iowans, sometimes they dont. Still he was taken aback by Democrats adopting a plank most Iowans will consider way outside the mainstream. Weve had some agitation for that sort of thing, but it was rejected pretty strongly, he said. Its not unusual there are elements to the platform that some Democrats agree with and some Democrats disagree with, Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs, said, and legalizing drugs is not a position exclusive to Democrats. Do some Democrats want to do that? Yes. Do some Libertarians want to do that? Did Ron Paul want to do that? Gronstal said. He thinks Iowa voters will understand there are very few people running for office who would advocate for that. That legislation will not move through the Iowa Legislature, Gronstal added. Legalizing all drugs is clearly not in the mainstream but I think there are a lot more times the Republicans face that challenge, he added. The Democratic convention also approve a plank calling for a $15-an-hour minimum wage rather than the committees proposal to eliminate the minimum age in favor of a living wage. There was little disagreement among Democrats about raising the minimum wage. The question was how much and how fast. The fight for $15 plank replaced one that simply called for replacing the minimum wage with a living wage. CEDAR RAPIDS Everyone knows the sequel is worse than the original, U.S. Sen. Charles Grassleys campaign is warning in a web ad that hits his Democratic challengers record. A Patty Judge sequel would feature the horrific scandals, tears from lost jobs and heartache from out-of-control deficits that most Iowans do not want to relive, Robert Haus, campaign manager for Grassley Works, said about the campaigns ad at www.therealpattyjudge.com that warns Shes back. Judge was a state senator and Iowa agriculture commissioner before she was Gov. Chet Culvers lieutenant governor from 2007-11. Before being voted out of office in 2010, Grassley Works says the Culver-Judge administration spent $1.14 for every $1 of revenue the state collected, was responsible for job losses and making flood victims wait for state help. Judge also refused to take even a token pay cut after she and Culver ordered a 10 percent across-the-board budget cut. The best way to predict the future is to look at a candidates past, Haus said, and Iowans thought they were done with Patty Judge in 2010 after voting her out of office. Judges campaign turned that around quickly Monday, pointing out at www.CostlyGrassley.com, federal spending has increased by 1,010 percent, the national debt has increased by 3,510 percent, and there has been a budget deficit reported 37 years during the Republicans 41-years in Washington. Mondays back-and-forth come on the heels of Judge calling on Iowa Democratic Party state convention delegates to join her in sending a clear message that it is time for government to get back to work for us by helping her retire Grassley. Its time to break up the old boys club and get back to work, Judge told more than 1,500 activists in Des Moines Saturday. Its time to change the way that Washington operates. That change begins right here, right now, in Iowa. Among the changes she wants to make are a $15-an-hour minimum wage, free community college and lowering the cost of a college education; and passing a ban on gun sales to people on the no-fly list. Judge is lunging to the left in an attempt to unite the liberal wing of her party behind her sputtering candidacy, Haus said. Her tired, old ideas didnt work in Iowa and they would be a disaster in Washington. Judges solutions always involve more government, higher taxes, and fewer personal freedoms. Its another Grassley term that Iowans cant afford, Judge campaign manager Sam Roecker countered. Hes failing to take any responsibility for the past 41 years of dysfunction in Washington, Roecker said. Not only did he support deregulating the financial industry, but he stood by as government spending and the national debt soared. Hes too costly for Iowa families. Court documents show how a record amount of lethal opioid and meth traveled from Mexico and ended up packed into the walls of a Waterloo home, where police found the drugs in 2021. Political animals STAN EASTMAN WATERLOO After a hard look at who is running for president, I have decided to vote for my neighborhood squirrel. The reason is simple. No matter what I do to keep him out of our bird feeders, he always gets in to feed. I can change location, raise the feeders, put blockers on them but to no avail. He never gives up or talks badly about the other squirrels in the neighborhood, and he can be trusted to show up tomorrow. Now on the gun control issue we protect our ducks more than we do our people. When you go duck hunting in Iowa you are only allowed three shotgun shells in your shotgun, not 20 rounds in an assault rifle, and no assault rifle can be used to deer hunt in the state of Iowa. Oh, and by the way, next time youre in a gun shop, are you thinking of duck hunting while you are looking to buy that foxy looking assault rifle? Oh, wait a minute! I might be voting for the neighborhood raccoon! Have a nice day! Obama was clear JANICE NOLTING CEDAR FALLS It seems Ed Rogers, a contributor to the Washington Post and Waterloo Courier, has a hearing problem as he accuses President Obama of not fully describing the difference between the Islamic proper and the Islamic extremists. I watched and heard President Obamas last speech explicitly attempting to clarify the difference between the two. Nobody has clarified the difference as well as Obama and Hillary Clinton as to the importance of distinguishing the Islamic people from their extremist counterparts. There are Muslims who attend the college town in which I live. They are a kind and decent people who believe and worship a kind and decent religion. Instead of the Bible, they read the Quran. Instead of Jesus being the messenger, they refer to Muhammad. In much the same as we all worship in our own individual religions. This fact is what President Obama is attempting to convey, so we dont participate in ethnic cleansing, as Donald Trump advocates. A president who had been awarded the distinguished Nobel Peace Prize wants to continue to clean up the mess the last Republican president caused by keeping our country strong and at peace. Festival a success CHRIS SHIMP My Waterloo Days chairperson WATERLOO As a proud resident who was born and raised in Waterloo, My Waterloo Days has always been a significant and important event in my life. When I was presented with the opportunity to become the chairman of the 35th annual My Waterloo Days, I jumped at the chance. My Waterloo Days is an enormous celebratory event that signifies Waterloo. I could not have asked for a better group of committee members and volunteers to help make it happen. The positive impression these volunteers make on their community is something to be commended. I would like to extend a personal thank you to all of these individuals. Id also like to give a special thank you to all of the Cedar Valley residents who came and supported the My Waterloo Days festival. I look forward to many great My Waterloo Days festivals to come. Assyrian Group Sues Turkish-Kuwaiti Bank for Funding Terrorism (AINA) -- Assyrians who fled the war in Syria filed a lawsuit against a bank which is largely owned by Kuwait Finance House and the Turkish Authority for Foundations, based in Turkey. The lawsuit accuses the bank, Kuveyt Turk Katilim Bankasi A.S. (KTKB), and its parent financial institutions of funding terrorism. The lawsuit was filed in a court in North Carolina, United States. The organization behind the the lawsuit is called St. Francis Assisi and was formed on June 6, 2016. The Christian organization is represented by Mogeeb Weiss in San Francisco but Tom Creal seems to be the one behind the case. A reporter for the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet, Tolga Tanis, interviewed Tom Creal and published a story in Turkish. According to Tanis' article, titled Turkey and the Terrorist Financing, Tom Creal formed a team of eight employees that will prepare the lawsuit against KTKB, which is identified as the hub of the financing of several terrorist groups in Syria. Among the terror organizations mentioned being supported are the Islamic State (IS), Al-Nusra Front and several other radical Islamic terror groups. In the lawsuit there is a plea for compensation of 75,000 dollars per person. Creal is a financial expert and worked in Afghanistan as a reporter for the UN until 2009. After his mission in Afghanistan he left the United Nations and formed the organization The Hunters Group, to work for states and civil society organizations with the task to hunt black money. According to Tolga Tanis, the evidence against KTKB is very strong. Via social media, KTKB have asked people to donate money to several terrorist groups in Syria through the Bank and its accounts. The fund-raising campaigns are said to have been organized under the pretext of funding humanitarian aid. The Turkish connection is massive. The Vice Chairman of KTKB is Adnan Ertem, who is also the head of the state authority Directorate General Of Foundations in Turkey. With regards to Turkey's role in financing terrorism, Tolga Tanis cites the recently released annual Country Report of the US State Department on terrorism from 2015 (p.159): The nonprofit sector is not audited on a regular basis for CFT vulnerabilities and does not receive adequate anti-money laundering/combating the financing of terrorism outreach or guidance from the Turkish government. The General Director of Foundations issues licenses for charitable foundations and oversees them, but there are a limited number of auditors to cover the more than 70,000 institutions. Analysts expect this case to grow and the connection between Turkey and the financing of terrorist groups revealed (AINA 2016-06-16), in which case the Assyrians behind the lawsuit against KTKB will find themselves standing against Turkey, which is accused of financing terrorist groups. WATERLOO At-large City Council Members Steve Schmitt, Tom Lind and Second Ward Councilman Bruce Jacobs have scheduled another budget town hall meeting 1 to 3 p.m. June 26 at Law Court Theatre, Waterloo Center for the Arts, 225 Commercial St. The public will be invited to provide ideas and feedback regarding the budgets of specific City of Waterloo departments at this meeting, the Central Garage and Code Enforcement/Legal. Department heads from the aforementioned areas will be invited to attend as well. All Waterloo residents are welcome to attend. Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff May. 24, 2016 | CANTON, KY; SMITHLAND, KY By West Kentucky Star Staff May. 24, 2016 | 10:07 AM | CANTON, KY; SMITHLAND, KY Annual inspections on western Kentucky bridges continue this week and are ahead of schedule. Keith Todd from KYTC said Tuesday morning that their inspection crew has made excellent progress, and the inspection of the US 68/KY 80 Lake Barkley Bridge at Canton (in Trigg County) should be completed Tuesday. This means the lane restriction and 8 ft. width restriction will end when the work zone comes down by about 3:00 pm. Additional inspectors were available to assist on this project so they could finish quicker. The inspection team will now be moving to the US 60 Cumberland River Bridge at Smithland starting Wednesday. KYTC says drivers should expect an 8-foot width restriction and alternating traffic flow controlled by flaggers during the inspection work. The extra help will be used at this bridge, too, so its inspection should also take less time than normal - probably 2 days instead of 4-5 days. Everyone is asked to approach and travel through the work zone with caution. 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05 (4) Oct 29 (1) Oct 01 (1) Jul 29 (1) May 11 (1) Jul 11 (1) Cold testing of interim storage facility completed at Ignalina 21 June 2016 Share Cold testing - one of the first stages of the commissioning process - has been completed at the new Interim Spent Fuel Storage Facility (ISFSF) for units 1 and 2 of the shut-down Ignalina nuclear power plant in Lithuania. The work started in January and was completed on 16 June, the plant (SE INPP) announced yesterday. The cold tests aim to trial the equipment and operational systems, without the use of radioactive waste, to demonstrate their safety and that they meet the design and operation requirements. Successful completion of cold testing is one of the conditions to obtain an operating licence for the ISFSF from the country's State Nuclear Power Safety Inspectorate, Vatesi. Receipt of this licence will permit the start of preparations for the final stage of the project - hot testing, which will employ used nuclear fuel. This stage is to start in late September and will take a year to complete, SE INPP said. The ISFSF is to start industrial operations in October 2017. "The new ISFSF will provide safe and long-term storage for all of the used nuclear fuel from units 1 and 2 that is currently stored in CONSTOR RBMK1500 / M2 dry containers," SE INPP said. The ISFSF - located about one kilometre from the plant - is to store most of the used fuel that has accumulated over the course of the plant's operation. Some 18,000 RBMK-1500 fuel assemblies from Ignalina units 1 and 2 will be stored in a total of 202 metal and concrete Constor containers at the facility for 50 years. Known as the B1 Project, the ISFSF is financially supported by the Ignalina International Decommissioning Support Fund (IIDSF) administrated by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The IIDSF is funded by the European Commission as well as by Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK. Researched and written by World Nuclear News Related topics Jun 21, 2016 | By Benedict Surgeons at Boston Childrens Hospital have used 3D printing to assist complex brain surgery on an infant suffering from severe encephalocele. 3D printed models of the deformed skull, through which parts of the patients brain were growing, were used during surgical planning. When parents-to-be Sierra and Dustin Yoder were told that Bentley, their unborn baby, was suffering from a rare condition called encephalocele, otherwise known as cranium bifidum, they naturally feared the worst. When conducting a routine ultrasound, doctors discovered that parts of Bentleys brain were protruding through gaps in his skull, and the diagnosis was grim: Bentley was unlikely to survive long after birth, and even if he did, his brain would not function properly. Sierra and Dustin, both from Sugarcreek, Ohio, swallowed the news, but were determined to meet their son before saying goodbye, and refused to terminate the pregnancy. The child was born on his due date, October 31, 2015, andto everyones surpriseappeared to have normal brain function, in spite of the large sac protruding from the back of his head. Months later and Bentley was still in ship shape, developing normally and crying when hungry. The exuberant youngster was defying all expectations. At four months old, Bentley was taken to the Cleveland Clinic by his parents, where a surgeon concluded that Bentley was indeed using his brain from outside of his head, but that it would be an almighty task to return it to the cranium. Ever the optimists, Sierra and Dustin approached Dr. John Meera at Boston Childrens Hospital, whose team of surgeons examined Bentley. They found that the parts of his brain protruding through his skull were responsible for cognitive functions such as motor control, problem-solving, and vision, and could therefore not be removed. They could, however, potentially be reinserted into the skull. Because of the complexity of the operation, the Boston Childrens Hospital surgeons needed an extra helping hand in their surgical planninghelp that came from 3D printing. By 3D printing a model of Bentleys skull using visual data from brain scans, surgeons were able to practice the procedure on a plastic replica of the patients head before going into the operating room, giving them some much-needed extra preparation. The 3D printed skull was used to determine how much of the 100 cubic centimeters of externalized brain could be returned to the cranium. The six-hour surgery began on May 24, at a stage where Bentleys skull was just about strong enough to withstand surgery, but before the encephalocele began to pose a greater risk of rupture. The surgeons first drained cerebrospinal fluid from Bentleys brain, before making further cuts into the cranium, enabling them to move parts of the patients brain back into his head. Leftover bone was used to close the gap. Although the surgery went well, Bentley returned for a pair of follow-up procedures, first to add a shunt and then to drain further fluid from his brain. Now seven months old, Bentley appears healthy, although doctors are still unsure how his future will pan out. Given the adversity their son has already overcome, Sierra and Dustin remain hopeful about his chances, but refuse to get ahead of themselves: We just have to take it step by step, Sierra told the Washington Post. A month ago, a similarly complex operation was performed in China, where a young patient was suffering from a rare condition called narrow cranial disease. As with Bentleys operation, a 3D printed skull model was used to assist surgeons, giving one-year-old Chen Chen a greater chance of survival. With additive manufacturing being used to assist such delicate procedures all over the world, the medical 3D printing revolution is evidently in full swing. Posted in 3D Printing Application Maybe you also like: RanchRifle wrote at 6/22/2016 11:13:01 AM:We do, indeed, live in a time of miracles. Jun 21, 2016 | By Tess As many of our readers will already know, HP has taken the 3D printing world by storm with its Jet Fusion 3D printer systems, capable of printing ten times as fast as existing systems, for half the cost. In light of the companys achievements within additive manufacturing, the company has also announced that it will be expanding its International Centre in Sant Cugat, Barcelona, which specializes in the development of large format printing and 3D printing technologies. The announcement was made by Helena Herrero, HP Iberias president, who said, Our commitment to this latest technology, which is set to reinvent design, prototyping and manufacturinghas resulted in these facilities becoming too small. In order to promote more innovation and further advancements within the field of 3D printing, HP is reportedly set to invest 60 million ($67.7 million) a year into the centres research and development. According to a company representative, the HP International Centre in Sant Cugat currently employs 1,700 professionals from 60 different nationalities, making it one of the largest 3D printing centres outside of the United States. The Sant Cugat centre is also responsible for registering about 150 patents a year, and expects that number to rise to over 200 patents a year in the next year. HP recently unveiled its first two 3D printer models at the RAPID 3D additive manufacturing conference in Orlando, Florida: the HP Jet Fusion 3D 3200 Printer, and the HP Jet Fusion 3D 4200 Printer. The 3200 model, designed for prototyping, will be available as of mid 2017, and the more advanced model, the 4200, designed for prototyping and short-run manufacturing, will begin shipping as of October 2016. The 4200 is currently available for pre-order. Ramon Pastor Ramon Pastor, vice president and general manager 3D printing at HPs Sant Cugat Center, explains that the new 3D printing systems and the expansion of HPs centre are not just products, but an opportunity for Spain to stake its place in the industrial revolution that additive manufacturing is bringing about. According to Pastor, the growing technology, which allows for high quality parts to be manufactured both economically and democratically, will result in a shift in the industrial paradigm, and we can expect to see some major changes within the manufacturing industry within the next 5 to 10 years. Since unveiling the new and innovative Jet Fusion 3D printer systems, HP has already partnered with such high-profile clients as BMW, who will use the technology for serial part production and customization, and Nike, which will use it for manufacturing footwear. . Posted in 3D Printer Company Maybe you also like: Jun 21, 2016 | By Tess For the first time in the countrys history, a team of South Korean doctors have successfully implanted a 3D printed heel bone into a patients foot, who was suffering from a severe tumor. The innovative surgery is one of over a hundred successful surgeries involving 3D printed implants in Korea this year, and is another example of the many benefits 3D printed prosthetics and implants can offer. Before 3D printing, the patient in question, a young man in his 20s suffering from a tumor in his foot, would have likely needed to wait for a bone tissue donor, a process which can take a long time, or even have his foot amputated to keep the disease from spreading. With CT scanning and 3D printing technologies, however, the patient was fortunate enough to have a custom made implant ready for him in just a couple weeks. In making the custom implant, the doctors first captured a CT scan of the patients foot, which they were then able to translate into a digital 3D model on which they designed the implant. With the digital design complete, the heel implant was then additively manufactured out of a titanium alloya safe and strong material traditionally used for 3D printed implantsusing a laser beam additive manufacturing technology. Dr. Kang Hyun Guy, an orthopedic surgeon at the National Cancer Center explains, The heel bone is strong enough to support the patients weight and it perfectly fits his anatomy, significantly lowering the possibility of a complication developing down the line. Dr. Kang Hyun Guy South Korea is one of the worlds leading countries in the way of 3D printed medical implants, as it was the first country in the world to officially approve 3D printed cranial skull implants. Just last month as well, the South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety issued a statement announcing they were seeking fast-track approval for 3D printed medical devices. As mentioned, the last year has already seen more than a hundred 3D printed implant surgeries in South Korea, and while not much can be said about long-term effects, the majority of them have been successful. For instance, a 16-year-old girl with a tumor in her pelvis was implanted with a 3D printed pelvic bone last year. Not only did the custom made implant cut the surgery time down by half, but it also helped to speed up the recovery process, as the patient was walking again in just a week. Dr. Shin Dong-Ah, who led the surgery on the teen, shows the results of the surgery almost a year later. He says, This is an X-ray that was taken of Ms. Kang [the patient] last month. You can see the ligaments have grown out and is perfectly attached to the implanted pelvic bone, meaning the surgery was a success. While approvals and regulations surrounding 3D printed medical devices are underway all around the globe, there is little doubt that they are heralding in an era of new and more efficient medical procedures. Posted in 3D Printing Application Maybe you also like: Christopher Benfey at The New York Review of Books: A multivalent exhibition now at the New-York Historical Society, drawn from the sprawling folk art collection of the sculptor Elie Nadelman (1882-1946) and his independently wealthy wife, Viola (1878-1962), is far more interesting than even its organizers seem to realize. The more than two hundred objects on display range from clipper ship figureheads (It was not just a sailor who carved this but an artist, Nadelman remarked of a ravishing gilded eagle with detachable wings) to miniature carved animals, amid a trove of carefully selected pottery, exquisitely detailed needle-cases, and an early, ingenious earthenware roach motelthe glazed, funnel-shaped opening of which traps roaches lured inside by molasses. This staggering array of material is complemented by a dozen or so of Nadelmans wondrous figurative sculptures, fashioned in weathered cherry or mahogany and often given an overlay of seemingly aging paint. The big news of the exhibition is that Nadelman (along with Viola, already a well-informed specialist, before their 1919 marriage, in antique lace and embroidery) was also among the first generation of serious collectors of American folk art and among the first to use the Germanic derived notion of a national Volk to confer prestige on such objects rather than the pejorative adjective primitive, favored by early twentieth-century enthusiasts of African masks, peasant carvings, and Native American pottery. more here. Andrew Brown at The Boston Globe: The campaign to get Britain out of the European Union is hard enough to understand if you are British. For foreigners it must be quite incomprehensible. Although Scotland, Wales, and Ireland are all solidly in favor of remaining, English attitudes towards Europe have become as delusional, and as powerful, as American attitudes towards gun control. We are suffering from national psychosis: post-imperial stress disorder. Three dates are useful in understanding the deeper roots of what is happening to this country 1945, 1956, and 1966. 1945, when the second world war ended, still feels like yesterday in the English imagination. We were bankrupt, with our cities bombed to rubble and hundreds of thousands of young men killed or wounded. Food, clothing, and petrol were all rationed and would be for another five years. But when you ask if British society was better then, a huge majority of the English people think it was. The overall figure is 51 percent worse today to 27 percent better, and when you break it down it is only those under 24 or non-white who think things have really gotten better since the war. Otherwise men and women from every region of the country believe that British society has got worse in the 70 years of European peace and unimaginable prosperity since the war. The problem, you see, is that this peace and prosperity did not come on our own terms which brings us to the second crucial date, of 1956. That was when the British Army, in collaboration with the French and the Israelis, invaded Egypt to recapture the Suez canal. I was there, though only a year old: My father was at the time the British consul in Ismailia, on the canal. Hed known things were going wrong for months, ever since he received a top-secret coded cable asking where the post office was in Ismailia something that showed that an invasion was being planned, but that no one had any maps for it. more here. Shoaib Daniyal in Scroll.in: At the height of the Islamic Golden Age a period from the mid-8th century to the mid-13th century when Islamic civilisation is believed to have reached its intellectual and cultural zenith homosexuality was openly spoken and written about. Abu Nuwas (756-814), one of the great Arab classical poets during the time of the Abbasid Caliphate, wrote publicly about his homosexual desires and relations. His homoerotic poetry was openly circulated right up until the 20th century. Nuwas was an important historical figure he even made a couple of appearances in The Book of One Thousand and One Nights (known in Urdu as Alif Laila). It was only as late as 2001 that Arabs started to blush at Nuwas homoerotism. In 2001, the Egyptian Ministry of Culture, under pressure from Islamic fundamentalists, burnt 6,000 volumes of his poetry. Most modern Muslims, therefore, have little knowledge of what the Islamic Golden Age was really about, even though they keep on wanting to go back to it. ISIS have no idea what restoring the Caliphate actually means, a tweet by Belgian-Egyptian journalist Khaled Diab said. In Baghdad, itd involve booze, odes to wine, science and a gay court poet. More here. If you are among the last of your friends to visit the new North American capital of cool, cut through the tourist hoopla with this itinerary from native celebrity chef Gabriela Camara, who was the culinary darling of CDMX, home to her much beloved restaurant, Contramar, well before Hayes Valley foodies began lining up for stylish, authentic Mexican fare at Cala. Buen viaje! Camara recommends staying either in Condesa, Roma, or Cuauhtemocthese neighborhoods, all easily walkable and within close proximity to each other, contain enough amazing restaurants, bars, and galleries to keep you busy during your stay. The neighborhoods are also within close proximity to each other and are easily walkable. Roma Norte in particular is like Mexico City's Mission Districtyou'll find fixies, skinny jeans, and ironic mustaches everywhere. Camara recommends staying in Airbnbs they're plentiful and inexpensive. Eat + Drink in CDMX (Courtesy of Restaurante el Cardenal) Marisqueria El K-guamo Camara is known for her love of seafood, so when she recommends a street cart specializing in mariscos, you know it's the best. El K-guamo has been serving some of the freshest, most delicious seafood in the Centro for more than 40 years. Camara suggests the mixed-fish quesadilla or the insanely yummy fried-fish filet slathered in mayo and topped with a bright salsa and creamy avocado. // Marisqueria El K-guamo,Ayuntamiento at the corner of Lopez 82 and 83 (Centro Historico), tripadvisor.com El Cardenal The original location of El Cardenalon Calle Palma in the Centro since the 1960sis Camara's preferred white-tablecloth spot. Suited servers bring traditional Mexican fare with no stuffy vibes or prices. Go for lunch and get the mole negrochicken leg is braised until tender and topped with a rich thick dark mole sauce that's smokey, sweet, and slightly spicy. Make tacos out of it with the accompanying tortillas for utter perfection in a meal. // El Cardenal, Palma #23 (Centro Historico), restauranteelcardenal.com Maximo Bistro Chef Eduardo Garcia has cooked in New York's Le Bernadin as well as Pujol, one of the best restaurants in Mexico City (and, for that matter, the world). Here, the food is a bit more accessible and familiar (think smoked salmon ceviche, or a mushroom risotto) using local and organic Mexican ingredients with European techniques. Reservations are recommended. // Tonala 133, Colonia Roma. maximobistrot.com.mx Bosforo Bosforo may be the coolest place in Mexico City. It's a super small, dark mezcal cantina with strong drinks. There's a DJ that constantly spins loud, moody, minimal wave that makes you feel like you're in space. It's attached to a restaurant next doororder the grasshopper quesadilla to help soak up all the alcohol. // Luis Moya 31, Col Centro, facebook.com Tacos Hola The perennially popular Tacos Hola offers some of Camara's favorite stewed tacos, or guisados, on fresh handmade tortillasthe braised chard with onions and tomatoes is particularly good. // Av. Amsterdam 135, Cuauhtemoc, Hipodromo, tripadvisor.com Bluechiip Ltd (ASX:BCT) understands that every sample - stem cells, blood, eggs, sperm and other biospecimens - is critical, so our objective is to manage each one with optimal quality in the most efficient way. Bluechiip's advanced management solution is the only one that provides sample temperature with ID in cryogenic environments to. Most importantly, this delivers confidence in every sample. Bluechiip's unique patented technology is a MEMS-based wireless tracking solution that contains no electronics. It represents a generational change from current tracking methods such as labels (hand-written and pre-printed), barcodes (linear and 2D), and Radio Frequency Identification. Bluechiip tags are either embedded or manufactured into storage products such as vials or bags. Each product can be easily identified, and critical information such as sample temperature, is detected by readers and stored in the Bluechiip software. In addition to functioning in extreme temperatures, the Bluechiip(R) Advanced Sample management solution can survive autoclaving, gamma irradiation sterilization, humidification, centrifuging, cryogenic storage and frosting. Bluechiip's technology has applications in healthcare, including in cryogenic storage facilities (biobanks and biorepositories), pathology, clinical trials and forensics. Other key markets include cold-chain logistics/supply chain, security/defence, industrial/manufacturing and aerospace/aviation. Bluechiip: Delivering confidence in every sample. 88 Energy Ltd's (ASX:88E) (LON:88E) goal is to build a successful exploration and production company that delivers material benefits to its shareholders and contributes to the development of the regions in which it works. It aims to achieve this by targeting overlooked or emerging play types where its small team of experts can move quickly to capitalise on opportunities prior to larger industry players moving in. The opportunities the company will seek will be based on robust technical evaluation together with informed socio-political decisions and cultural sensitivity in business relationships. Forecast Surge in High Purity Alumina Demand Driven by Lithium-ion Batteries Perth, June 21, 2016 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Following its 3 June 2016 announcement regarding the strong interest shown in Altech Chemicals Limited (Altech/the Company) ( ASX: ATC ) as an emerging high purity alumina (HPA) producer during the 12th China International Battery Fair, the Company is pleased to present its 10-year forecast of global demand for HPA used in the lithium-ion battery manufacturing sector. Highlights: - HPA demand for lithium-ion battery manufacture forecast to increase at 30% per year to 2025 - Demand forecast to increase from ~1,000tpa in 2016 to ~15,000tpa in 2025 - Equivalent to four (4) of Altech's proposed HPA plants required to satisfy 2025 demand - Electric vehicle manufacturers requiring lithium-ion batteries with HPA coated separators The Company has estimated that demand for HPA from lithium-ion battery manufacturers will grow significantly over the next decade from forecast usage of ~1,000tpa in 2016 to ~15,000tpa in 2025; this represents annual year-on-year demand growth of approximately 30% per year. In order to meet this demand, additional HPA production capacity equivalent to four (4) of Altech's proposed 4,000tpa HPA plants in Malaysia would need to be constructed and commissioned during the forecast period, as illustrated in Figure 1, in link below. The HPA demand forecast has been calculated based on lithium-ion battery manufacturing data recently published by Deutsche Bank. The data predicts annual global demand for lithium-ion batteries will rise from 70 gigawatt-hours (GWh) per year in 2015 to 535GWh per year by 2025 (see Figure 2, in link below). The Company has applied reported HPA usage per kilowatt-hour in lithium-ion battery separators (a vital battery component) to calculate forecast global HPA demand for the lithium-ion battery manufacturing sector. HPA and lithium-ion batteries The major application of HPA in lithium-ion batteries is as a coating on the ceramic separator sheet that divides the cathode and anode electrodes within the battery. HPA-coated separators withstand unusually high temperature incursions, increase battery separator shrinkage temperatures and reduce flammability during thermal runaways, and thus make lithium-ion batteries much safer. HPA-coated battery separators also increase a battery's discharge rate; lower self-discharge; and lengthen battery life cycles. Electric vehicle manufacturers are increasingly demanding lithium-ion batteries with 99.99% (4N) HPA-coated separators. American automotive company Tesla recently announced the 2018 launch of its lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility called "Gigafactory" in the USA. The name Gigafactory comes from the factory's planned annual battery pack output capacity of 50GWh. In co-operation with Panasonic and other strategic partners, the Gigafactory will reportedly produce batteries for significantly less cost using economies of scale, innovative manufacturing, reduction of waste, and the simple optimisation of locating most manufacturing processes under one roof. Tesla expects to drive down the per kilowatt hour (kWh) cost of the battery pack by more than 30%. By 2020, the Gigafactory will reportedly reach full capacity and produce more lithium-ion batteries annually than were produced worldwide in 2013. Altech estimates that at its full production rate the Tesla Gigafactory will require around 2,020tpa of HPA for separator coatings, which is equivalent to half the output of the Company's proposed Malaysian HPA plant. Altech managing director Mr Iggy Tan said, "HPA demand growth in the LED sector has long been acknowledged and understood; this growth is however now complemented by HPA demand growth in the lithium-ion battery industry, specifically from battery separator sheet manufacturers. "The timing for construction of Altech's proposed HPA plant in Malaysia appears perfect, with two parallel streams of near-term HPA demand growth now apparent. The important point is that we are entering a market showing high demand growth, Altech's proposed production capacity should be easily absorbed without the need to fight for market share", Mr Tan concluded. To view figures, please visit: http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/B92INO91 About Altech Chemicals Ltd Altech Chemicals Limited (ASX:ATC) (FRA:A3Y) is aiming to become one of the world's leading suppliers of 99.99% (4N) high purity alumina (Al2O3) through the construction and operation of a 4,500tpa high purity alumina (HPA) processing plant at Johor, Malaysia. Feedstock for the plant will be sourced from the Company's 100%-owned kaolin deposit at Meckering, Western Australia and shipped to Malaysia. HPA is a high-value, high margin and highly demanded product as it is the critical ingredient required for the production of synthetic sapphire. Synthetic sapphire is used in the manufacture of substrates for LED lights, semiconductor wafers used in the electronics industry, and scratch-resistant sapphire glass used for wristwatch faces, optical windows and smartphone components. Increasingly HPA is used by lithium-ion battery manufacturers as the coating on the battery's separator, which improves performance, longevity and safety of the battery. With global HPA demand approximately 19,000t (2018), it is estimated that this demand will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30% (2018-2028); by 2028 HPA market demand will be approximately 272,000t, driven by the increasing adoption of LEDs worldwide as well as the demand for HPA by lithium-ion battery manufacturers to serve the surging electric vehicle market. Project Technical Manager Appointed Perth, June 21, 2016 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Cardinal Resources Limited ( ASX:CDV ) ("Cardinal" or "the Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Julian Barnes as the Company's Project Technical Manager. Dr Barnes has 34 years of experience in over 52 countries in a wide variety of commodities and has over 25 years experience in undertaking bank due diligence studies for the majority of the major resource lending institutions. Dr Barnes co-founded Resources Service Group (subsequently RSG Global) in 1986. In 2004, he joined Dundee Precious Metals Inc. and was responsible for their worldwide exploration activities, project acquisition and investment due diligence. Following this, Dr Barnes was responsible for all technical aspects including exploration, project management, development, and management of Preliminary Economic Assesment (PEA) studies and due diligence for various companies as a specialist consultant. Dr Barnes has extensive experience in due diligence studies, company and project reviews for major global resource lending institutions and mining companies located throughout the world. Archie Koimtsidis, Managing Director of Cardinal, said: "We have appointed Dr Julian Barnes, as he has the qualifications and experience to make a significant contribution to our company. Dr Barnes will initially focus on taking the Namdini Project through to a Bankable Feasibility Study. Dr Barnes will work alongside our Exploration Manager, Mr Paul Abbott who will continue to explore beyond the newly discovered orebody in search of more gold. "Cardinal welcomes Dr Barnes to the role of Project Technical Manager whose important skills will be invaluable in progressing the Company's objectives." About Cardinal Resources Ltd Cardinal Resources Ltd (ASX:CDV) (TSE:CDV) (OTCMKTS:CRDNF) is a West African gold exploration and development Company that holds interests in tenements within Ghana, West Africa. The Company is focused on the development of the Namdini Project with a gold Ore Reserve of 5.1Moz (0.4 Moz Proved and 4.7 Moz Probable) and a soon to be completed Feasibility Study. Exploration programmes are also underway at the Company's Bolgatanga (Northern Ghana) and Subranum (Southern Ghana) Projects. Cardinal confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information included in its announcement of the Ore Reserve of 3 April 2019. All material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning this estimate continue to apply and have not materially changed. A man on New Mexicos Most Wanted List was arrested in El Paso last Monday. Tommy Alvarado, 24, had a warrant for his arrest after he did not show up for probation and parole appointments, according to a news release from the U.S. Marshals Service. He had been on the most wanted list since Mar. 2. Alvarado was initially arrested in 2006 in Las Cruces on charges of drug trafficking, court documents showed. He was sentenced to three years in prison and five years of probation. His probation started in September 2008. In January, he violated probation by being in possession of a firearm, the release said. He was taken into custody and released on bond on Jan. 31, when he immediately fled the state. On Apr. 9, Alvarado was a passenger in a vehicle that fled from El Paso authorities. The vehicle was stopped, and Alvarado was taken into custody in possession of a firearm and methamphetamine. He is awaiting extradition to New Mexico. Alvarado is a known gang member. A jury on Tuesday afternoon found Ronald Santiago not guilty of murder and other charges in the 2005 deaths of John and Bernadette Ohlemacher.. Santiagos trial began Jan. 22 after at least three trips to appellate courts. Evidence tossed twice by a trial judge on different grounds each time was ultimately reinstated by the state Supreme Court in 2010 and 2012, reviving the case. Deputy District Attorney Jason Yamato said in opening statements that the couples daughter Renee Ohlemacher was cleared by Albuquerque Police Department investigators a year after the murders and that detectives were led to Santiago in June 2006. At that point, a Secret Service agent looking into financial crimes learned in the course of questioning that Santiago had worked on the dead couples mortgage refinancing and that despite his $90,000-a-year income at Countrywide Mortgage, he moonlighted as an armed security guard. The firearm he used was a 9 mm Ruger the same type of gun used in the Ohlemacher shootings, Yamato said. The gun was never recovered. Previous Journal coverage of the case can be found here. As painted by defense attorney Natalie Bruce, Renee Ohlemacher was a young woman who despised her parents and wanted to get out of New Mexico, who had motive and opportunity to see her parents dead, who benefited from their deaths and who displayed odd behavior in the days and weeks after it occurred. A motive suggested by Yamato that Greg Ohlemacher expected to net $48,000 in cash and had threatened to call the police on Countrywide if funds werent released was rebuffed by Bruce in her opening statement. She said evidence will show the loan never even truly got started. FARMINGTON A jury earlier this week convicted a Farmington man in the stabbing of his pregnant girlfriend in February. After a one-day trial, Kyle Desoto, 27, was found guilty Wednesday of aggravated battery of a household member with a deadly weapon, a third-degree felony. San Juan County Chief Deputy District Attorney Dustin OBrien said the offense was punishable by up to three years in prison. Desotos court-appointed attorney, Ruth Wheeler, did not respond to a request for comment. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled, according to court records. Desoto was arrested Feb. 24 after his girlfriend of five years accused him of stabbing her in the neck, according to the arrest warrant affidavit. The girlfriend, who was four months pregnant, told detectives Desoto started freaking out and accused her of infidelity. Desoto stabbed her in the neck with a knife that looked like a hatchet, cut his own arm and then called 911, the affidavit states. He claimed two Native American men attacked him and his girlfriend because of drug debts he owed to one of the men, according to the affidavit. The girlfriend was separated from Desoto at the hospital and told detectives Desoto fabricated the story, the affidavit states. Desoto was confronted with his girlfriends statements and admitted to the crime, according to the affidavit. Steve Garrison covers crime and courts for The Daily Times. He can be reached at 505-564-4644 and stgarrison@daily-times.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveGarrisonDT on Twitter. 2015 The Daily Times (Farmington, N.M.) Visit The Daily Times (Farmington, N.M.) at www.daily-times.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. _____ Topics: t000002458,t000027866,t000027879,t000002487,g000219985,g000065627,g000362661,g000066164 A New Mexico State Police officer who pulled over a woman for tailgating Saturday charged her with a much more serious offense when he found she was hauling over a hundred pounds of marijuana, according to court documents. The officer first spotted Frances Camacho, 35, driving a grey Nissan that was following another vehicle too closely on Interstate 40 near the Route 66 Casino, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court. When he pulled her over she was shaking, breathing heavily and very fidgety. Camacho didnt consent to a search of her car, so the officer called a K9 unit to sniff the outside. The dog alerted that there may be drugs within the vehicle and a search turned up 110 pounds of marijuana in the trunk, according to the complaint. Camacho was charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and booked into the county jail. SANTA FE The New Mexico Supreme Court has ruled that it is settled federal law that Indian tribes enjoy immunity from lawsuits, even when access to what had been a public road is at issue. The doctrine of tribal sovereign immunity is a wholesale bar to suit against a tribe in New Mexico for any relief be it monetary, declaratory or injunctive, the high court held in an opinion issued last week. The ruling has left Hamaatsa, Inc., an Indian-run, nonprofit learning center with a farm that offers indigenous story camps and other programs in Sandoval County, with no way in or out of its property adjacent to San Felipe Pueblo, said Hamaatsas Deborah Littlebird. She said that, Monday afternoon, cattle-guard gates across a disputed access road had been locked. We are trapped in here like wild animals, Littlebird said. They just penned us in. In its Thursday ruling, the Supreme Court reversed a prior decision by the state Court of Appeals and dismissed a lawsuit over the road filed by Hamaatsa against San Felipe. Hamaatsas 320 acres is next to land that the federal Bureau of Land Management conveyed to the pueblo in 2001. In the conveyance, the BLM reserved a 40-foot-wide easement along an existing road for full use as a road by the United States for public purposes. But, in 2009, San Felipe notified the nonprofit that it had no right to cross pueblo property and that use of the road was trespassing. In filing suit, Hamaatsa said the land crossed by the road had belonged to the BLM since 1906 and the road had been a public road since at least 1935. Hamaatsa said the road provides its only access. The pueblo asserted sovereign immunity, but both District Judge John F. Davis and the Court of Appeals refused to dismiss the suit. The appeals court said San Felipe offered no evidence of any property or governance interests whatsoever in the road or that the road, concededly a state public road, would threaten or otherwise affect its sovereignty. If simply asserting sovereign immunity constituted grounds for dismissal, the appeals court maintained, a pueblo could acquire any land crossed by a public road and immediately deny the motoring public and all neighboring property owners access. But the Supreme Court said the unequivocal precedent of the U.S. Supreme Court is that the only exceptions to tribal sovereign immunity are congressional authorization and a tribes own waiver of immunity. The argument that the doctrine deprives Hamaatsa of legal recourse isnt sufficient, the state Supreme Court said. We commiserate with the less-than-ideal situation Hamaatsa now finds itself in, the opinion written by Justice Barbara Vigil said. But, she added, The beneficial aspects of tribal sovereign immunity in advancing the welfare and self-sufficiency of Indian tribes demand its application in all cases where Congress does not otherwise provide. Deborah Littlebird said Hamaatsa received no notice before the locked gates on the disputed road were discovered when someone tried to leave Monday afternoon. If theres a fire or someone gets ill, we have no way to leave, said Littlebird, who runs Hamaatsa with husband Larry Littlebird. Hamaatsas website says he is from Laguna and Santo Domingo pueblos. Efforts by the Journal to get comment from San Felipe Pueblo through a lawyer earlier Monday were unsuccessful. Before the locked gates were discovered, Hamaatsa provided a statement saying our only desire has been to be good neighbors with San Felipe. Hamaatsa said it purchased its land, previously part of the Ball Ranch, from the New Mexico Nature Conservancy. Were mystified why we are the first owners to be affected by access to the same property, said the nonprofit. Its unsettling to cope with the impact of this road dispute it has affected everything, our peace of mind, our daily operations, and the ability of our staff and program participants to feel safe as they come and go, the statement said. Our desire is to continue our restorative work unencumbered and live in peace with our neighbors, San Felipe Pueblo. WASHINGTON We Americans have a confused and contradictory relationship with vacation. In theory we love it; in practice, we often dread it. So much expectation is heaped on a few weeks of free time that disappointment, if not inevitable, is common. Worse, our escape from the job and daily routine fills us with anxiety that, somehow, this interlude will inflict a gruesome revenge once we return to work. Nevertheless, we go forth. We hustle to beaches, mountains, national parks, theme parks, unfamiliar cities or best yet! the backyard. The democratization of recreation is one of the 20th centurys quiet upheavals. Leisure travel spending in 2015 totaled nearly $651 billion and involved 1.7 billion person-trips, says the U.S. Travel Association. In the 19th century, only the rich could abandon sweltering cities for cooler resorts: Saratoga, N.Y.; Newport, R.I.; Cape May, N.J. But some of us have trouble letting go. Millions of Americans arent taking all the vacation time theyve earned and thats a commentary on Americas new work culture. Here are the numbers. Among full-time American workers, about 90 percent receive some paid vacation, says the Labor Department. From 1978 to around 2000, these workers earned and took an average of 20 days a year of vacation, according to studies done by a travel industry group called Project Time Off. In 2015, full-time workers actually earned almost 22 days of vacation but took only 16. About half of workers leave some vacation days unused. This amounts to 658 million unused days, worth about $223 billion in spending, the study says. Naturally, the travel industry tends to describe this as a crisis. It would prefer to see all that money going into the coffers of airlines, restaurants, theme parks and other tourism businesses. It regards people who dont use all their vacation time as slightly deranged or worse. The industrys term for employees who dont exhaust their vacation days is work martyr. You might think that this allergy to pleasure reflects the unsteady state of the U.S. labor market. People dont spend too much time away from the office for fear that their jobs will have disappeared when they return. There may be something to this. After all, the gap between vacation earned and vacation taken first appeared around 2000, just as the tech boom was ending, and has gotten worse ever since. Some survey data are consistent with this view. When asked why they dont take more vacation, respondents to the Project Time Off study cited the following: fear of returning to a mountain of work (37 percent); a belief that no one else can do the job (30 percent); a decision that I cannot financially afford a vacation (30 percent). But if the business cycles ups and downs mainly caused these anxieties, then the economys recovery (todays unemployment rate: 4.7 percent) should have reversed them. It should encourage workers to use more of their vacation time. It hasnt. What truly unnerves workers, argues study author Katie Denis, is growing internet connectivity, from email to smartphones. The boundaries between work and home have blurred; the office is omnipresent, she says. There is a new work culture. Americans increasingly check email on vacation or limit their time away from the office. Interestingly, these attitudes are strongest among millennials (born 1981 to 1997) and, says Denis, disprove the common notion that younger Americans are slackers who feel entitled to jobs. To the contrary, she cites figures destined for a future report showing why millennials are more fearful than most others of taking longer vacations: 30 percent want to show complete dedication to work (compared with 22 percent overall). 27 percent dont want to be seen as replaceable (compared with 19 percent). 27 percent feel guilty about using vacation time (compared with 19 percent). Probably most Europeans regard Americans obsession with work as lunacy. In Europe, vacations are a right. Countries in the European Union must provide at least a month. In 2014, average French employees worked one-fifth fewer hours than their American counterparts, reports the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. In some ways, the European system is superior to ours, and in other ways, it isnt. Encumbered by regulations, their labor markets are not especially flexible, and long-term unemployment, especially among the young, is a persistent problem. Americans focus on work reflects ambition, insecurity and personal identity. These old values survive and infuse the new work culture. Its worth remembering that our disregard of vacations also affirms that the American work ethic often declared dead endures. Samuelsons columns, including those not published in the Journal, can be read at abqjournal.com/opinion look for the syndicated columnist link. Copyright, The Washington Post Writers Group. Just as sure as Monday was the first day of summer, New Mexico is in the throes of another fire season. As temperatures continue to rise and trees and underbrush continue to dry out, the health and safety of the states bosques, forests, and wooded areas are once again threatened by fireworks season. Gov. Susana Martinez on June 6 had asked local leaders to hold emergency meetings to consider a modest fireworks ban, because the state Legislature since 1999 has refused to give the governor any authority to do so herself. And it has given municipalities only limited authority. In 2012, the 266-plus square miles of the Whitewater-Baldy Fire in the Gila National Forest didnt convince legislators to beef up the law. Neither did the 156,293-acre Las Conchas Fire in the Jemez Mountains the year before. Well see if this years North Fire (33,000-plus acres so far in the Magdalena Ranger District) or the Dog Head Fire (17,000-plus acres so far in the Manzanos) do. The governor made a pragmatic request that should have been heeded. But municipalities had to take action and declare extreme or severe drought conditions no less than 20 days prior to a holiday for which fireworks may be sold. This year, that was June 14. So it looks like this year it will be up to individuals to limit the states exposure to more wildfires by limiting their use of fireworks. No, the current fires have not been linked to fireworks. But when the state is this tinder-dry as it has been in years past should anyone put lives and property at risk for fun? 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. Excuses, excuses. Thats what the 2nd Judicial District Attorneys Office is offering up to explain why it allowed a murder charge to be dismissed against Charles Robinson after the office failed to test his DNA in a timely fashion. Its not like Robinson was accused of shoplifting. No, he faced a murder charge in the May 23, 2014, fatal shooting of Thomas Manuel, 25, after deputies say he and Robinson got into an altercation at a friends house in Tijeras. Robinson fled the state but was arrested a couple of weeks later in Wyoming. He was extradited to Bernalillo County in December 2014, where he was jailed. But it wasnt until mid-August 2015 that the DAs Office asked to get a DNA sample from his cheek. His attorney objected, but a district judge ordered it to be done. And it was taken on Sept. 3, 2015. But Assistant District Attorney Kara Kupper says her paralegal failed to see to it that it was tested. Because of an oversight on her part, she did not get that done. Kupper told Judge Alisa Hadfield in passing the buck during an Oct. 28 hearing. Perhaps Kupper should have made sure her paralegal had taken care of it. After all, this was her murder case. Faced with going forward with shaky eyewitnesses and no scientific evidence, Kupper agreed to allow the case to be dismissed without prejudice, meaning it could be refiled. The DNA has since been tested, according to DA public information officer Phil Sisneros. Robinson was out of jail eight hours after the hearing, and since then hes been busy. Hes racked up serious charges in connection with four new cases, including one in which another man was killed, although not by Robinson. Thank you, District Attorneys Office. All DA Kari Brandenburg can say in defense of this show of incompetence is to blame the new speedy trial rules law. Oh really. To recap: Robinson was taken into Bernalillo County custody in December 2014 and in the ensuing 10 months, prosecutors couldnt get his DNA processed. So just how many months does Brandenburg think are needed to get one DNA sample tested? This is unacceptable and an example of why change is sorely needed at the Bernalillo County DAs Office. Since Brandenburg chose not to seek re-election, lets hope her successor does a better job of seeing that prosecutors in the office stay on top of their cases. And ensure that bad guys dont continue to get Get Out of Jail Free cards. 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. SANTA FE New Mexicos shaky budget situation is generating concern among state lawmakers and talk about legislators possibly having to return to the state Capitol later this year to make additional cuts or spending adjustments. Were on fumes, Legislative Finance Committee Director David Abbey told members of a legislative interim committee Monday, referring to state revenue collections that are 10 percent less or roughly $454 million for the current fiscal year than they were a year ago at this time. Senate Finance Committee Chairman John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, said lawmakers could have to go back to Santa Fe for a special legislative session by as soon as August if the states revenue picture doesnt improve. Right now, it doesnt look very good, Smith told the Journal after Mondays hearing. If things dont turn around on the revenue side, there could be additional belt-trimming. Gov. Susana Martinez would have to call lawmakers back to the Roundhouse for such a session, something she has done twice since taking office in 2011. Neither of those previous special sessions was called for budget-balancing reasons. But the two-term GOP governor does not currently plan to call a special session. A Department of Finance and Administration spokeswoman said Monday that the Martinez administration has taken steps to limit nonessential spending, including cutting back on state employee travel. As weve done in years past, were going to continue practicing fiscal responsibility to help us deal with the persistently low energy prices, DFA spokeswoman Julia Ruetten said. As things currently stand, the $6.2 billion budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1 calls for state spending to decrease for the first time in five years. Thats largely due to plummeting oil and natural gas prices that have led to a slowdown in drilling and a corresponding downturn in tax and royalty collections. New Mexicos budget crunch has already prompted plans for Medicaid provider rate cuts for hospitals, doctors, and dentists around the state, and increased admission fees at state-run museums and historic sites. But those cost-saving measures might not be enough. The state is on pace to have just $63.1 million or about 1 percent of state spending in its primary cash reserve for the coming budget year. Cash reserves are generally used as a buffer in case the state takes in less revenue than expected. The primary cash reserve was at $319.8 million last year but has been drawn down by the Legislature to avoid even steeper budget cuts. Meanwhile, several Republican lawmakers signaled Monday that theyre open to at least weighing tax increase proposals an idea that would go against the no tax increase stance held by Martinez since she took office. Rep. Jason Harper, R-Rio Rancho, chairman of the interim Revenue Stabilization and Tax Policy Committee, said reimposing the gross receipts tax on grocery items and increasing the states gasoline tax set at 17 cents per gallon might be among the options he would consider. I think its naive to say no new taxes or no changing taxes, Harper told the Journal, adding that any tax increases could be offset by tax cuts in other areas. As our economy changes, weve got to change our tax structure. Sen. Martin Heinrich once a member of the National Rifle Association who earned high marks on the powerful organizations political scorecards is no longer a member of the group. Common sense solutions require an ability to work across the aisle, Heinrich said in a statement in response to my question about his NRA membership status last week. As someone who has a true passion for hunting, Ive found partnering with sportsmens groups to be a better fit in protecting the Second Amendment and the outdoor traditions I want to pass on to future generations. The NRA gave Heinrichs voting record on gun rights an A grade when he sought re-election to the U.S. House in 2010 and a B grade in 2012, when he ran for the Senate. Heinrichs statement said he gave up his NRA membership years ago. His spokeswoman said that no one is sure when but that he could have left the group as long as five years ago. On Monday, Heinrich and Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., voted for legislation that would expand background checks and allow the attorney general to ban gun sales to suspected terrorists, but the legislation failed. The NRA has consistently opposed limitations on gun ownership, making the organization a lightning rod in American politics, especially after mass shootings. Heinrich and Udall have both announced support in recent years for background checks and other modest gun control measures, but they say they support Second Amendment rights generally. Both voted against an assault weapons ban in 2013. Illegal shift: House Republicans want to prevent the Library of Congress from abolishing the term illegal alien from its bibliographic records, but Democrats in New Mexicos congressional delegation say they support the librarys intent to make the switch. The library wants to use the terms non-citizens or unauthorized immigration for cataloging and search purposes instead of illegal aliens, which some immigrant rights groups and others deem offensive. Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and Reps. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Ben Ray Lujan all New Mexico Democrats said they back the Library of Congress in the debate. Sen. Udall would oppose measures to politicize the Library of Congress decisions on what it believes are the best ways to catalog and index information to most effectively serve the researchers who use the library, a Udall spokesman said. Lujan Grisham noted that the library once used the subject heading Negro, and now uses African American. Rep. Steve Pearce said in a statement, This is not language I use, referring to the term illegal alien. However, his statement indicates support for continued use of the term illegal alien by the Library of Congress unless Congress passes a law mandating a change. I would certainly review and consider any legislative proposal to change the language used throughout the United States Code, he said. Until a time when this can be accomplished, federal agencies throughout the government should be following the law and keeping uniformity in the legal code. Michael Coleman: mcoleman@abqjournal.com The New Mexico Supreme Court reversed 2012 murder and kidnapping convictions and ordered a new trial for the murder charge based on the constitutional right to confront a witness Monday, but it also used the opinion to weigh in on judicial use of social media. The case against Truett Thomas was one that brought controversy and potential sanctions against 2nd Judicial District Judge Sam Winder, who tried it. Winder posted on his election campaign Facebook page about the case. Winder, an appointee of the governor, subsequently lost the election and was unsuccessful in seeking later appointments. While the Supreme Court did not explain whether social media activity by the judge during trial was grounds for reversal, it caution(ed) judges to avoid both impropriety and its appearance in their use of social media. The court ordered acquittal on the kidnapping charge after concluding there was not enough evidence to support a conviction. Truett, 55, is now serving life for the murder, plus 18 years for kidnapping at the Guadalupe County Correctional Facility in Santa Rosa. Truett was charged in the June 3, 2010, death of Guadalupe Ashford, whose body was found behind a trash can at the edge of a parking lot where shed been dragged in Albuquerque. She had skull fractures and cuts, but the medical investigator could not determine the precise injury, beyond blunt force trauma, that caused the death, or fix a specific time of death. There were no witnesses. A DNA analysis of blood on a paver stone thought to be the murder weapon was made by an Albuquerque Police Department forensic scientist. That led police to Thomas, who denied ever having met Ashford. On appeal, Thomas raised the two-year delay in getting to trial, Winders comments on the verdict and the use of Skype for the DNA analysts testimony in support of reversal. After noting the convictions, Winder posted, Justice was served. Thank you for your prayers. The court found in Thomas favor only on the issue of confrontation, deciding that Thomas had not given a knowing waiver of that right. The DNA analyst had moved out of state by the time of trial and the court allowed testimony via Skype in which the on-screen analyst faced the jury. Thomas attorney had initially said during a pretrial conference that, although he didnt like the Skype setup, I think it will work . Its just weird. Upon reconsideration, he voiced his belief a week later that it presented a right-to-confront problem. The judge decided the defense right to object had been waived and did not directly discuss the waiver with Thomas, according to the opinion for a unanimous court by Chief Justice Charles Daniels. Justice Judith Nakamura, who was not on the court when the case was presented, did not participate. With no discussion in the record between the district court and defendant concerning his confrontation rights, there is no evidence that (he) understood those rights and that he voluntarily agreed to waive them, the opinion says. The court acknowledged that there are complex and time-consuming procedures in the courts of two states to compel an out-of-state witness, but nevertheless faulted the prosecution for failing to show that it couldnt have made it happen. The witness, moreover, was a critical one, the justices concluded. There is no reasonable possibility the testimony of the absent forensic analyst did not influence the verdict, the opinion said. As to social media, the court said limitations on judicial conduct apply with equal force to virtual actions and online comments. A judge who is a candidate should not post personal messages on campaign sites other than statements of qualification and shouldnt allow public comments or dialogs especially regarding any pending matters to be posted. A judges online friendships, just like a judges real-life friendships, must be treated with a great deal of care . A judge must understand the requirements of the Code of Judicial Conduct and how the code may be implicated in the technological characteristics of social media in order to participate responsibly in social networking, the court said. ORLANDO, Fla. The gunman who launched last weeks deadly shooting rampage at an Orlando gay nightclub identified himself to police as an Islamic solider and demanded that the U.S. stop bombing Syria and Iraq, the FBI said Monday. In the name of God the merciful praise be to God, Omar Mateen, a security guard from southeast Florida, told a police dispatcher in a 2:35 a.m. phone call June 12 from Pulse nightclub. Im in Orlando, and I did the shootings. The call, detailed in transcripts released Monday by the FBI, came about half an hour after Mateen, 29, entered the popular gay nightspot and began a rapid-fire barrage that left 49 people dead. During that first, 50-second conversation, Mateen pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, head of the militant group Islamic State: May God protect him, he said in Arabic, according to the new FBI report. The full transcript was released only after several Republican political leaders criticized a version released earlier Monday in which the names of al-Baghdadi and Islamic State, as well as the full name of the gunman, were redacted. Out of respect for the victims of this horrific tragedy, law enforcement will not be releasing audio of the shooters 911 calls at this time. Furthermore, the name of the shooter and that of the person/group to whom he pledged allegiance are omitted, the FBI said in its initial release. FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Ronald Hopper said this was an attempt to avoid giving credence to cowards or fueling copycats. Were not going to propagate violent extremism, he said. But Florida Gov. Rick Scott said not including references by name to the group, which is also referred to by the acronym ISIS, deprived victims families of a full picture of the killers motive. He accused the Obama administration of shying away from focusing on Islamic State. Weve got to call this for what it is, he told Fox News. This is evil, its ISIS, its radical Islam. House Speaker Paul D. Ryan had also been critical of the initial editing, calling it preposterous censorship and insisting that an unredacted transcript was necessary so the public is clear-eyed about who did this, and why. Before long, federal officials backtracked. In a joint statement with the Justice Department, the FBI several hours later released a new version of Mateens 911 call with no omissions. The agency said it reconsidered after realizing the unreleased portions had caused an unnecessary distraction from the hard work that the FBI and our law enforcement partners have been doing to investigate this heinous crime. The statement also noted that much of the redacted material had already been reported. Mateen never gave his name during his 911 call, but he did claim responsibility for the attack. Whats your name? the dispatcher asked at that point. My name is I pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, may God protect him, on behalf of the Islamic State, Mateen replied. The dispatcher tried to find out where he was before Mateen abruptly hung up. Mateen went on to have three conversations with Orlando police negotiators. The first conversation lasted nine minutes, the second 16 minutes and the last was three minutes. At one point, a crisis negotiator asked the shooter what he had done. You already know what I did, Mateen responded, adding that there was a bomb-filled vehicle outside the club. You people are gonna get it, and Im gonna ignite it if they try to do anything stupid, he said. FBI officials said that during the calls Mateen told negotiators he had a vest, which he compared to explosives used in a recent terrorist attack in France. He also told police to tell the U.S. to stop bombing Syria and Iraq, saying that this was why he was out here right now. In the next few days, Mateen told them, youre going to see more of this type of action going on. Orlando Police Chief John Mina declined to go into detail about the negotiations during a news conference Monday, but said one purpose of the conversations was to keep Mateen talking to distract him from shooting more victims. After an initial round of shots was fired at about 2 a.m., Mina said, no other shots were fired inside the nightclub until three hours later, when police burst into the building using a tactical vehicle. At 5:15 a.m., the FBI said, members of the SWAT team shot and killed Mateen. Asked whether any civilians had been killed during the shootout between police and Mateen, Mina said he couldnt comment because it was part of an ongoing investigation. He then added, Those killings are on the suspect and on the suspect alone. Some of the questions around the timeline have centered on the three hours that elapsed between the initial shootings and when police stormed the bathroom where Mateen was holed up with hostages. Mina emphasized that police first entered the nightclub six minutes after authorities first got word of the shooting. And the new details released Monday make it clear that emergency officials were rescuing victims inside the club during the hours between the initial siege and the end of the drama. In one case, at 4:21 a.m., Orlando police pulled an air-conditioning unit out of a dressing room window in order for victims to evacuate, the report said. Im very confident they saved many, many lives, Mina said. Hopper said investigators had conducted more than 500 interviews, collected more than 600 pieces of evidence from the crime scene and received thousands of tips. Investigators said they were combing through social media accounts and contacting people who knew Mateen even people who talked to him only once in search of clues to a motive. Hopper hedged when asked whether Mateen was gay, saying those allegations are still being vetted out. By Monday, someone had claimed the gunmans body, which had been housed separately from the bodies of the 49 victims, according to the Orange County, Fla., medical examiners office. There was no word on who claimed the body or whether any funeral was planned. Bedar Bakht, who knew Mateen and his family from the mosque they attended in Fort Pierce, Fla., said the imam there has said he will not perform traditional funeral prayers for Mateen at the mosque before any burial. Bakht isnt even sure whether he would attend the funeral, if there was one. The thing he has done. I dont know if I want to go to his funeral, he said. Given the attack, Bakht said, Mateen doesnt deserve the attention that any funeral gets. Besides, he said, its believed that those with more than 100 people at their funeral are rewarded in the hereafter. Why would I attend and give him the reward? Bakht said. Its not right. (Times staff writer Del Quentin Wilber in Washington contributed to this report.) Some Manzano Mountain residents forced out of their homes by the fast-moving Dog Head Fire will finally be allowed to return this morning. Law enforcement officials in Torrance and Bernalillo counties on Monday announced plans to lift evacuation orders in some areas beginning at 8 a.m. An update posted on the federal Incident Information System on Monday night reported that crews had the 17,891-acre fire 46 percent contained. Officials anticipate more slow growth today along the fires open edges. Nearly 1,000 firefighters are on site. Giving a brief update to Gov. Susana Martinez on Monday afternoon, Jay Lusher, with the interagency Southwest Area Incident Management team, said hand crews and bulldozers had successfully constructed lines all the way around the fire. Now were working on securing that line, he said, adding that crews are also searching for and extinguishing remaining hotspots. Martinez accompanied a group of fire officials through portions of blackened land to a home on the Chilili Land Grant that firefighters were able to save, thanks primarily to the residents preparation. The drive to the house revealed several areas, and a few homes, dyed pink by retardant dropped from air tankers in hopes of slowing the fires pace until firefighters could respond. Its gonna take a little bit to clean those up, Lusher said of the pink homes. But theyre still standing. Lusher said firefighters are forced to work quickly, with a blaze burning at their backs, to beef up a homes existing defenses. We put our efforts into the houses that have the best chance of survival, he said. At this home, he explained, crews cut down trees in the backyard and removed brush from beneath a raised porch. Lusher noted that the homeowner set them up for success by keeping trees away from her home. They were able to swiftly create additional defenses as the wildfire approached. This was close, Martinez said, as she walked behind the home. Just yards away from the back wall were dozens of charred trees. Its amazing to watch where the fire stops, Martinez said, noting that a back lawn was in good shape and the only visible damage was melted ductwork around the top of the home. The 90-year-old woman who lives there had left in a hurry. She delayed evacuation as she worried about her two dogs and agreed to go to a shelter only after firefighters promised to return daily to feed them. As the group of officials looked out at a burned ridge east of the home, Lusher said it will take time for the land to recover, but that fire has always been part of the areas ecosystem. A lot of people look at these areas and think its never going to be the same; its always just going to be black like that, he said. Youd be pretty surprised by this fall how much stuff will be already growing in a lot of these areas. Meanwhile, crews in northern New Mexico managed to contain a 3-acre blaze in the Santa Fe National Forest, near Hummingbird Music Camp, YMCA Camp Shaver and multiple recreation sites. Officials said the fire was human-caused and started Sunday. Copyright 2016 Albuquerque Journal Jeremy Romero is perhaps best-known to the public as the Corrales police officer who was nearly paralyzed from the waist down in an on-duty crash that occurred in 2014 while he was chasing a stolen car. But back in 2011, he was a rookie undercover investigator with the state Department of Public Safety in Albuquerque an eager young officer whose lawyer says was destined for a great career in law enforcement. His dream job was cut short when Romero was fired not long after reporting a fellow officer for allegedly cavorting with prostitutes. Newly unsealed records show Romero last year won $900,000 from the state to settle a whistleblower lawsuit he filed against DPS over his termination. Its a significant amount of money, his attorney, Rachel Higgins, said Monday. But it cant change anything that happened. His life is inexorably changed, Higgins said, calling Romeros injuries catastrophic. However, whats true of him, and I think always will be, is that he is a public servant at the end of the day. Romero is fitted with $70,000 worth of exoskeleton robotics that give him limited ability to walk and led to his nickname of Robocop. Romero now volunteers as a reserve officer for the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office. He couldnt be reached for comment Monday. He continues to work as hard as he can to regain his physical capacity, and that, in and of itself, is more than a full-time job, Higgins said. DPS officials denied any wrongdoing. Retaliation is unacceptable and not tolerated at the Department of Public Safety, said Herman Lovato, DPS spokesman, in an email response to Journal questions on Monday. Prostitute settlement Romeros settlement brings the total payout in legal claims associated with the alleged improper conduct by former DPS agent Timothy Carlson to $1.2 million, including a $300,000 settlement paid by the state in 2014 to an ex-prostitute who contended she was forced to perform sexual acts on Carlson. And Carlson? He was arrested by Albuquerque police in March 2012 six months after Romeros firing on two counts of felony criminal sexual penetration, extortion and demanding or receiving a bribe. The Bernalillo County District Attorneys office dropped the charges two months later, but a spokesman for the office said Monday the office has two cases against Carlson that are still considered open. On Monday, Carlsons attorney Robert Gorence told the Journal, I assumed but obviously was never told by anyone at the DAs Office, that a dismissal, followed by four years of inactivity, meant they didnt think there was a case to pursue. From the investigation that was done by my office, I would concur. All gone from DPS Carlson was fired by the DPS. Fred Jasler, Romeros former immediate supervisor at the Special Investigations Division, now works as a bureau chief for the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy, which trains police recruits. Jasler didnt return a request for comment Monday. But according to Romeros lawsuit, Jasler dismissed Romeros concerns about Carlson when Romero first reported seeing him with a woman who appeared to be a prostitute. At the time, Carlson was tasked with enforcement of liquor control and related issues. Jasler reportedly called Carlson the areas best agent and told Romero, I dont want you getting involved in any (expletive), according to the whistleblower lawsuit. On a subsequent patrol, Romero again saw Carlson in a similar area of town, again with a woman Romero thought appeared to be a prostitute. Concerned that the agent was engaging in illegal activities, Romero reported that sighting to Jasler, the lawsuit alleged. Defendant Jasler responded, I really think you arent going to last around here. You are really starting to stir up (expletive).' Later, according to the lawsuit, Carlson made it clear he had heard about Romeros inquiries with Jasler and was displeased, calling him a pussy for making the report. Romeros lawsuit said he discovered he needed to take a training class before using a firearm Jasler had assigned him. After Romero notified Jasler, Jasler became irritated and responded, Why did you tell? You know what your days are numbered. After two months on the job, Romero wanted to transfer to the SID in Santa Fe, but Jasler denied it, the lawsuit alleged. Three days later Romero was terminated. Carlson investigated Meanwhile, Carlson had already been on the Albuquerque Police Departments radar. In the spring of 2011, months before Romeros firing, two members of APDs gang unit pulled over Carlson in his state-issued pickup truck after witnessing him pick up a woman standing at Moon and Central. The woman told the officers she and Carlson had not yet arranged for any exchange of money for sex. According to a police report, the APD officers had to leave suddenly to help another officer who was involved in a vehicle pursuit. In March 2012, APD detectives received tips about Carlson, and they launched an investigation that included a search of his undercover DPS vehicle. Theresa Hasci, an attorney whose firm of Kennedy, Kennedy & Ives represented the ex-prostitute in her lawsuit, said discovery in the case showed APD had a confession from Carlson, physical evidence from the undercover DPS vehicle, and an undercover recording of Carlson with a prostitute. But Hasci said most of the evidence was missing from APD when the law firm requested it for the ex-prostitutes lawsuit. All thats left are the pictures of the car. They had nothing. It was frustrating, Hasci said. She said the discovery also showed Carlson told a DPS superior that he had actually been pulled over by APD officers in the past with a woman they suspected of being a prostitute and they let him go because, he said, they dont burn blue. Higgins, Romeros lawyer, said that if her client had not been terminated by DPS, he would have done that (undercover) job until he was able to retire with honors. He really thought when he reported what he saw, what he believed to be an improper act by a colleague, that somebody would care to investigate. I dont think he could have ever imagined the response that he got. Higgins added: They operated, we believe in Mr. Carlsons case, above the law, outside of the law, and despite the law. WASHINGTON The Supreme Court agreed Monday to decide a case from Los Angeles on whether foreigners who are held for deportation are entitled to hearings that could lead to their release on bond. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the government must provide a bond hearing and prove by clear and convincing evidence that detainees would pose a flight risk if set free. Obama administration lawyers, in a strongly worded appeal, accused the appeals court of a radical revision of the law that governs foreigners who are picked up trying to enter the country illegally and criminals who are being held for deportation. Throughout the history of U.S. immigration law, Congress has never provided bond hearings for aliens detained at the threshold of entry to the country, U.S. Solicitor General Donald Verrilli said in asking the high court to consider the case. The law says aliens who have criminal records shall be detained and deported, he said. Lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union had won the appeals court ruling after suing in federal court in Los Angeles and arguing that people who are held for more than six months deserve a hearing. Some of the detainees have jobs and families in the United States, and a significant percentage of them are eventually spared from deportation, the ACLU argued. Verrilli said the 9th Circuits ruling, if adopted nationwide, would pose a threat to public safety and put a heavy burden on the immigration system. The high court said it would hear the case in the fall, so a final ruling may not come until after President Barack Obama leaves office. The case is Jennings v. Rodriguez. In a second case from Los Angeles, the court cast doubt on whether service advisers who work at auto dealerships are entitled to overtime pay. The federal law that sets minimum wages and extra pay for overtime had long included an exemption for any salesman who is primarily engaged in selling or servicing automobiles. The notion was that these employees were paid commissions on their sales, not for the hours they worked. This exemption had also covered the more than 40,000 service advisors at car dealerships nationwide who advise customers who need work on their vehicles; they too receive commissions. But in 2011, the Labor Department announced a new rule that limited the exemption to salespeople only, not service advisers. When service advisors at Encino Motor Cars, a Mercedes-Benz dealership, sued seeking overtime pay, a federal judge initially dismissed their claim, citing the earlier exemption. But they won before the 9th Circuit court, which relied on the Labor Departments new policy. The Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal, and on Monday set aside the 9th Circuits decision in Encino Motor Cars v. Navarro. Justice Anthony Kennedy said the Labor Department had failed to explain its switch in policy, and he faulted the 9th Circuit for relying on its new rule. The case now goes back to the 9th Circuit for a second look. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented. They said they would have ruled that the law makes clear that service advisers do not qualify for overtime because they are engaged in servicing automobiles. MEXICO CITY The long-simmering dispute between Mexicos federal government and a radical arm of the countrys teachers union erupted into violence over the weekend, as riot police clashed with protesters in the southern state of Oaxaca, leaving at least six dead and more than 100 others wounded. Teachers canceled classes in Oaxaca on Monday after the violence, where protesters threw rocks and molotov cocktails and set vehicles ablaze.Witnesses reported that police fired into the crowds. The violence marked the bloodiest moment in a conflict that has intensified during the administration of President Enrique Pena Nieto. As part of Pena Nietos reform agenda, authorities overhauled the public education system, requiring mandatory testing for all teachers. The National Coordinator of Education Workers, the dissident faction of the national teachers union, has fought those changes from the beginning by holding repeated protests. Its members, particularly those from the most aggressive branch in Oaxaca, called Section 22, have blocked roads, burned buildings, seized oil-distribution facilities and tried to boycott last years midterm elections. More recently, federal prosecutors accused union leaders of stealing public funds, prompting a new wave of roadblocks, bus stoppages and other civil unrest. While violence was reported in different parts of Oaxaca on Sunday, the most intense clash occurred in the municipality of Nochixtlan, northwest of Oaxaca city. According to published reports in the Mexican press, rows of riot police faced off against masses of protesters, with buses blocking the road between them and plumes of black smoke rising from street fires. The governor of Oaxaca, Gabino Cue, and the chief of the federal police, Enrique Gallindo, told reporters Sunday evening that six civilians died. They said an additional 53 civilians, 41 federal police and 14 state police officers were injured. Leaders of Section 22 on Monday put the death toll at eight people. They said 22 others had disappeared and 45 suffered gunshot wounds. The union officials said in a news conference that the victims included teachers, parents and other protesters. Union officials called the violence a massacre and demanded the resignations of Pena Nieto, Cue and others. In an interview on Mexican radio, Gallindo described the violence as an ambush against police by some 2,000 people who had surrounded them. We began to see that they brought molotov cocktails, powerful rockets. I have many police burned on their hands and feet, who lost fingers, Gallindo said. Violence was also reported in other parts of Oaxaca. People set fire to a federal police station in Huajuapan de Leon, northwest of Oaxaca city, on Sunday night. On Monday, protesting teachers took to the streets in the coastal city of Acapulco. Mexicos National Human Rights Commission said it would open an investigation into the deaths. Some analysts blamed the federal government for the violence. They know the limitations of the Mexican cops. Despite that, they sent them in there with guns, said Rodolfo Soriano-Nunez, a sociologist who has studied the teachers unions. The whole thing is a mess. Pena Nietos administration has made education reform and wresting power from the teachers union a priority. Authorities opposed how the unions dissident factions could control decisions over state education budgets, teacher appointments and other administrative decisions. In addition to implementing the new testing program, authorities dissolved a Oaxaca state education agency controlled by Section 22, arrested its leaders and deployed federal police to ensure that teachers could take the required tests safely. Opponents have argued that the federal government has ignored failing schools across the poor states in rural southeastern Mexico. They say that tests dont adequately assess teachers skills and particularly punish those in poor, rural areas who have different educational backgrounds. Aurelio Nuno Mayer, the education secretary, told The Washington Post earlier this year that 2016 will be brutally intense, with a level of transformation that we havent seen in decades. Sundays violence has evoked memories of a decade ago, when teachers clashed with police in Oaxaca. The 2006 unrest lasted for months, as strikes over teachers salaries morphed into a range of demands. The colonial cobblestone streets of Oaxaca city looked like a battleground, with barbed wire and barricades, and police eventually drove out the protesters. As the conflict has dragged on, all sides have been accused of corrupt behavior at the expense of students. There are no saints, there are no heroes, down there, Soriano-Nunez said. DENVER A man is facing criminal charges after being accused of setting his girlfriend on fire at a Clear Creek County campsite, leaving the woman critically injured. The Denver Post reports (http://dpo.st/28Ng9Ty ) John Anthony Vasquez was ordered held Monday on $2 million bail. The 32-year-old suspect faces an attempted murder charge and a violation of a protective order. Authorities had responded to the camping area Friday to find a woman with burns covering a large portion of her body. Vasquez is suspected to have poured gasoline on the woman before setting her on fire. The victim was taken to a hospital, where she remains in critical condition. The womans young sons had also been at the campsite but were unharmed. Booking documents do not indicate if Vasquez has hired an attorney. ___ Information from: The Denver Post, http://www.denverpost.com Miss Albuquerque Stephanie Chavez, 23, was crowned Miss New Mexico on Saturday evening on the final night of the 75th Annual Miss New Mexico Pageant. Its such a blur, said Chavez. I know its such a cliche when I say its such a surreal feeling, but it really is. Chavez performed the song Thats Life, originally by Frank Sinatra, for the talent portion of the pageant. Her platform is titled Stephanies Ponytail: How I Learned to Read Childrens Literacy. When asked about how the next president of the U.S. should address immigration, as part of the on-stage question contest, Chavez said that Americans should remain open. Keep in mind that America was founded on immigration, said Chavez, also commenting that immigrants should enter legally with pride to becoming an American citizen. Chavez said she has been working towards earning Miss New Mexico for six years. Im so excited it finally happened, said Chavez. Hard work really pays off. Im truly honored to be standing here right now. Chavez also shared some advice to future pageant contestants. Do not give up if you dont win your second, third, fourth or fifth year, said Chavez. Be persistent on pursuing your dream. Chavez won a $5,000 scholarship as part of her winnings and will be competing at the Miss America pageant on Sept. 11. 1993 Miss New Mexico pageant winner Sharron Melton hosted the concluding ceremony. It is my turn to give back, because somebody once did it for me, said Melton during the ceremony, reflecting on her experiences as a contestant. Those titles dont go away. The responsibilities dont go away. Last years Miss New Mexico winner Marissa Livingston was also part of the ceremony, commenting on her own learning experiences while speaking on behalf of the contestants. I know I can do it, said Livingston. Its just going to take time and perseverance. The four runners-up for Miss New Mexico were Miss Duke City Ashley Fresquez, 21, Miss Central New Mexico Amelia Linde, 22, Miss Otero County Brandi Blair, 22, and Miss Rio Rancho Elizabeth Nelson, 22. In addition to being second runner-up, Linde won the Miss America Community Service Award. Rounding out the top 10 finalists were Miss Sandoval County Chanel Wiese, 24, Miss Bernalillo County Brooke Ayala, 21, Miss Northern New Mexico Morgan Kennedy, 22, Miss Las Cruces Faith Annelies Cortez, 24, and Miss Hobbs Kagan Massey, 25. Miss Roosevelt County Kathryn Kincheloe, 19, won Miss Congeniality. Miss Lea County Kaci Benge, 19, won the New Mexico Miracle Maker award for raising the most money for the Childrens Miracle Network. Scholarships were awarded to the top 10 contestants. Fresquez won $4,000; Linde won $3,000; Blair won $2,000, and Nelson won $1,000, with all others on the top 10 winning $500. 2016 The Portales News-Tribune (Clovis, N.M.) Visit The Portales News-Tribune (Clovis, N.M.) at www.pntonline.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. _____ BRUSSELS The tipping point might have been three years ago, when the European Union wanted to ban open bottles of olive oil that staple of easygoing culinary fun from restaurant tables across Europe. British Euroskeptics, who have railed for years against what they see as the EUs excessive intrusion into daily life with a long list of petty rules, finally had an example of overreach that promised to irritate everyone who loves to dip crusty bread into oil. A referendum Thursday will decide whether Britain remains a part of the 28-nation EU. Though the debate has centered more on immigration and the economy, the sense of sovereignty and independence is also a key theme for those in favor of leaving, who often point to attempts to regulate things like olive oil, toasters, and lawn mowers as they make their case that EU regulations can be absurd and stifling. Those who defend the EUs rulemaking argue that a union of so many nations representing half a billion people in a single trading zone the so-called single market needs extremely detailed regulations to create a level playing field for olive producers from Spain to Greece and for chemical companies from Finland to Italy. The 2013 olive oil plan, intended to ensure hygiene and curtail fraud, set off a barrage of complaints and never actually took effect. It is clear that this olive oil measure intended for consumers does not have widespread support among consumers, a contrite Dacian Ciolos, then EU farm commissioner, said at the time. In fact, the backlash against it prompted the EU to begin rolling back some of the rules that have sparked contempt from British citizens. Steven Blockmans, an analyst with the Center for European Policy Studies, noted that the plan to ban open olive oil dispensers came after many in Britain were already used to mocking perceived EU diktats that would regulate things like the curvature of cucumbers. It may well be, he said, that it was the proverbial straw that broke the camels back. By that time, the British media had made excessive regulations its favorite cane with which to flog the EU. The European Union now has a special Euromyths blog set up to debunk all the wrong claims. Even in Britain, many no longer take them too seriously, especially after the popular QI television program did a call my bluff test on such media stories: that the EU would force trawlermen to wear hairnets while fishing (not true), force producers to call sausages emulsified high-fat offal tubes (not true) and force circus tightrope walkers to wear hard hats during their act (also not true). Prime Minister David Cameron, who is campaigning for Britain to remain in the EU, and governments from the right and left before him, has called on the EU to stop the red tape. The leave campaigners, including former London Mayor Boris Johnson, have gone much further, seizing on it as a key issue in their calls to leave the bloc. Why should they tell us how powerful our vacuum cleaners should be? Johnson told voters in May. Why should they tell us how powerful our hairdryers should be? Well, to protect the environment, defenders of regulation say, rules on chemicals are vital while rules on energy consumption of consumer products also help. You need indeed quite technical standardization up to the level of cogs and cents and grams, which is of course tedious and very technical in nature, Blockmans said. This is the inconsistency of the Leave camp, said Professor Paul De Grauwe of the London School of Economics. They say: One we want to keep access to the EU market. Two all rules have to go, no more rules from Brussels. We will do that ourselves. Well, as the British say: You cannot have your cake and eat it, said De Grauwe. Yet in fact the EU Commission, which proposes rules, has started to roll back on regulation, pretty much ever since the olive oil debacle. Now, in the words of EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, the EU wants to be big on big things and small on small things. Juncker now even has an official first vice president in charge of Better Regulation to boldly cut red tape. For some in Britain, though, any rule from Brussels will always be one too many, whatever the advantages of a seamless trade zone across 28 nations. A man whose body was dumped on a Northeast Albuquerque cul de sac was identified Tuesday as 49-year-old Larry Sanchez. Police have not released any other new details about the crime, which surprised residents of the quiet neighborhood on Casa Feliz near Wyoming and Academy. A police spokesman said a man called 911 around 2 a.m. Monday saying his friend had been shot. Officers arrived and found Sanchez dead of a gunshot wound, according to spokesman Fred Duran. A man listed in public records as Sanchezs father declined to comment Tuesday. Spokesman Tanner Tixier said officers believe the crime occurred elsewhere, though they were still trying to confirm that Monday. Tixier said Tuesday that nobody had been arrested in connection with Sanchezs death, which is being investigated as a homicide. He urged anyone with information to call 242-COPS. LOS ANGELES The Latest on wildfires burning in the West (all times local): 4:05 p.m. Navopache Electric Cooperative has de-energized the power lines to three eastern Arizona towns on the White Mountain Apache Indian Reservation to help crews battling a wildfire. Authorities say the interruption of electricity Tuesday in Cedar Creek, Cibecue and Carrizo is necessary to protect firefighters while they conduct burnout operations near the power lines. The fire that began June 15 now is about 56 square miles and is expected to grow a few more square miles Tuesday. Its 20 percent contained and remains about 2 miles north of the sparsely-populated community of Cedar Creek. Show Low, Pinetop-Lakeside and the immediate surrounding areas also remain under pre-evacuation notices. 3:15 p.m. California authorities have ordered 600 homes evacuated due to a wildfire near Potrero, a town southeast of San Diego near the border with Mexico. Cal Fire Capt. Kendal Bortisser estimates the evacuation ordered Tuesday involves more than 1,500 people. The San Diego County Sheriffs Department says the area is the community of Lake Morena Village northwest of the city of Campo. The department says alerts were sent to 476 telephone numbers, along with 120 text messages and 103 emails. An earlier evacuation involved 75 people. ___ 1:40 p.m. Officials have evacuated about 100 homes in a southwest Utah mountain town as a wildfire less than a mile away is moving down a rocky slope toward the community. U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Cigi (SEE-gee) Burton says the evacuated area is a subdivision that includes summer homes in the town of Pine Valley, about 35 miles north of the city of St. George. A nearby campground area was also evacuated and several roads and trails were closed. Burton says drone sightings in recent days forced firefighters to ground their aircraft, stopping their progress on the fire, which kicked up Tuesday morning. Burton says the lightning-sparked wildfire is less than a square mile. Its been burning since June 13 but firefighters have been relying heavily on aircraft to stop the flames because it is burning in a rugged, steep area. ___ 11:45 a.m. Southern California air pollution regulators have issued a smoke advisory due to two wildfires burning in the San Gabriel Mountains 20 miles northeast of Los Angeles. The South Coast Air Quality Management District said the smoke is moving eastward Tuesday toward the inland region. Areas of unhealthy air quality are likely to range from the San Gabriel Valley into San Bernardino and Riverside counties Mountains and deserts remain extremely hot but the National Weather Service says the heat wave that has fried Southern California with extraordinary temperatures is moderating, especially toward the coast. At midmorning Tuesday, the temperature in downtown Los Angeles was 16 degrees lower than at the same time 24 hours earlier, when it was nearing 100. ___ 11:20 a.m. Authorities say record-breaking weather caused a wildfire in eastern Arizona to grow by nearly 22 square miles in one day. Officials expect the fire to grow a few more square miles Tuesday. Extreme heat and low humidity Monday made the terrain more ignitable than usual, bringing the fires size to about 56 square miles. The fire is 20 percent contained. Fire spokeswoman Katy Gray says residents are still under pre-evacuation notice. The fire is about 2 miles north of the sparsely-populated community of Cedar Creek. Increased humidity and cooler temperatures Tuesday could help firefighting efforts, but will also bring more erratic winds and evening thunderstorms. The blaze began June 15, and its cause is under investigation. 10 a.m. Hundreds of firefighters have cleared the way for some evacuees to return to their homes in central New Mexico. Authorities in Bernalillo and Torrance counties lifted evacuation orders in some areas Tuesday after crews contained nearly half of a wildfire that has destroyed two dozen homes. National Guard and law enforcement officers are stationed along main roads to check IDs as people return. Gov. Susana Martinez planned to be among those working the checkpoints. The governor is urging federal authorities to assess damage so preparations can be made before monsoon season brings possible flooding problems. The human-caused fire was reported June 14. It raced across 28 square miles of tinder-dry forest in the Manzano Mountains south of Albuquerque until more favorable weather helped to slow its growth. In northern New Mexico, crews contained a fire that had threatened popular recreation spots in the Jemez Mountains. ___ 7:35 a.m. Firefighters hope to begin building containment lines around two wildfires in the San Gabriel Mountains northeast of Los Angeles. U.S. Forest Service spokesman Nathan Judy says the fires a few miles apart above foothill suburbs have together burned nearly 8 square miles as of Tuesday morning but no homes have been lost. The heat wave that has seared Southern California since last weekend will not be as extreme as it was on Monday, but firefighters will be facing near-triple-digit temperatures and single-digit humidity. West of Santa Barbara, firefighters have increased containment of a nearly 12-square-mile blaze to 70 percent a week after it started. Weather is expected to remain favorable for several days and mandatory evacuation orders will start to be reduced Wednesday. East of San Diego, a wildfire burning near the desert town of Potrero is holding at just under 12 square miles although it remains only 5 percent contained. TYLER, Texas In a story June 21 about a county judge accused of illegally holding closed meetings, The Associated Press reported erroneously that the meetings were held to discuss a contract involving red light camera traffic enforcement. The contract involved traffic enforcement, but not red light cameras. The AP also erroneously reported that Smith County Judge Joel Baker was removed from office. He was suspended without pay. A corrected version of the story is below: Texas county judge suspended after open meetings indictment An East Texas county judge has been suspended without pay after allegedly holding illegal closed meetings to discuss a traffic enforcement contract TYLER, Texas An East Texas county judge has been suspended without pay after allegedly holding illegal closed meetings to discuss a traffic enforcement contract. Smith County Judge Joel Baker was suspended without pay Tuesday by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. Baker was indicted last Thursday on three misdemeanor counts of violating the Texas Open Meetings Act. The elected official denies wrongdoing and remains free on $2,000 bond. The indictment says three closed meetings were illegally held in 2014 for commissioners to discuss a monitoring contract with Arizona-based American Traffic Solutions Inc. Commissioners approved the 10-year deal during a public meeting. The group Grassroots America-We the People complained to the Texas Attorney Generals Office. Baker, who has been Smith County judge since 2007, didnt immediately return a message for comment Tuesday. ___ Online: https://www.smith-county.com/ Victims of predatory priests and workers with the Diocese of Gallup have finally agreed to and won a multi-million dollar settlement for their claims, a federal judge ruled this morning. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge David T. Thuma in May approved a plan for the payments, but the plan had to be approved by a vote among claimants. James Stang, a Los Angeles attorney who represents 57 claimants in the case, said in May that he anticipated his clients would approve the proposed settlement. And on Tuesday, Thuma announced in court in Albuquerque that the victims did approve the plan. The agreement will provide an estimated $350,000 per claimant, though amounts likely would vary depending on circumstances. Thuma formally sanctioned the settlements before a courtroom filled with attorneys and some of the survivors. The largest share $11.55 million will be provided by the Catholic Mutual Relief Society of America, a nonprofit that insures many Roman Catholic dioceses. Catholic Mutual insured the diocese from 1977 to 1990, when some of the abuses occurred. The Diocese of Gallup will contribute $3 million and may have to sell its chancery offices in Gallup, subject to the terms of a loan agreement with a bank. In addition to abuse claims, the settlement also will pay for legal and professional costs that totaled more than $3.5 million through Dec. 30. The two primary law firms agreed to a $416,000 reduction in fees, according to the disclosure statement. Journal staff writer Olivier Uyttebrouck contributed to this report. PHOENIX Law enforcement agencies across Arizona are sifting through evidence lockers looking for every last untested sexual assault kit under new efforts driven largely by Gov. Doug Ducey. Its part of a push across the country to cut the backlog of untested DNA evidence in sexual assault cases. The samples went untested for a variety of reasons, such as cases where the parties involved agreed that sexual contact occurred but disagreed about whether it was consensual. But the kits are now considered a valuable tool in identifying serial offenders. Test results can be entered into a database that can lead officials to discover whether an assailant is a repeat offender. The latest count of untested kits reveals Maricopa County alone has at least 4,000. Behind each kit is a person, usually a woman, who underwent an intimate and thorough examination in the aftermath of a suspected sexual assault. They go through this in the hope that evidence will be used to identify an offender and get that person off the streets, said Ilse Knecht, director of policy and advocacy for the Joyful Heart Foundation, a victims advocacy group. The governor was outraged to hear about the untested kits, his spokesman Daniel Scarpinato said. We need to have a process, Scarpinato said. It shouldnt be a patchwork based on what county or city you are in. Women who are victims should know how this is going to be dealt with from a statewide perspective. Arizona joins a long list of states confronting the issue. This spring, Idaho lawmakers signed off on a statewide system for collecting and tracking DNA evidence of sexual assault, implementing a timeline if police decide to send the evidence to a state forensic laboratory for testing, unless the victim requests otherwise. In Nevada, lawmakers set aside almost $3.7 million late last year to test about 7,500 sexual assault evidence kits languishing in police vaults around the state, including some in Las Vegas dating back 30 years. The effort comes after Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval signed a law extending to 20 years the statute of limitations for reporting sex assaults in Nevada. The impetus for the Arizona effort is Duceys task force, which includes the Maricopa County Attorneys Office and the Arizona Department of Public safety. Earlier this year, Ducey called for changes in his state of the state address. Since then, hes signed an executive order forming a task force to come up with ways address the untested kits. The task force is expected to make a full accounting of the kits and offer recommendations to the governor by October. Ducey also included $500,000 in next years budget to deal with the states untested kits. But with an average cost of $600 per kit for testing, the new funding will cover less than a quarter of untested kits in Maricopa County. Scarpinato called the funds a starting point but said the governor was open to providing additional resources to make sure the job gets finished. Arizona law enforcement agencies already are embracing the changes, though they refuse to say practices that led to the backlog were wrong. To say that we did it the best we did really good, but we always could do better, said Mary Roberts, assistant Phoenix police chief. Roberts said the old way of thinking was that it didnt always make sense to test every kit. She described a case where a victim was sexually assaulted and tested, but police obtained better evidence from fluids left on a T-shirt. Roberts thought at the time there was no point in testing that kit because police arrested and a jury convicted the criminal based on evidence from the shirt. But more and more law enforcement agencies are looking to test all kits to enter the DNA into a national database looking for repeat offenders. Now we are looking with wide vision at the predator nature of these types of offenses, she said. Roberts stressed that kits go untested for a variety of reasons, but the practice faces new scrutiny as advocacy groups, law enforcement and attorneys work together to devise better methods. Law enforcement owes it to victims to see if those cases can be investigated, said Jon Eliason, special victims division chief for the Maricopa County Attorneys Office. The office received a $1.9 million grant to help resolve the backlog earlier this year, Eliason said. Knecht said the grant and the governors efforts are examples of the reforms happening around the country. You have to start somewhere, she said. Everybody wants to make their community safer. They want to solve crime. Copyright 2016 Albuquerque Journal The legal tab for hiring an Ohio-based attorney to help City Hall negotiate with the U.S. Department of Justice could hit $1 million. Mayor Richard Berrys administration asked the City Council this week to authorize an extra $250,000 for attorney Scott Greenwood, which would push his total contract to $1 million. Greenwood led Albuquerques negotiations with the Justice Department as the two sides crafted a settlement agreement requiring a series of reforms in the city police department. A federal investigation in 2014 concluded APD had a pattern of violating peoples rights through the use of force, and the mayor announced the hiring of Greenwood under a no-bid contract the next day. City Attorney Jessica Hernandez said Monday that the contract extension is warranted because of Greenwoods expertise. But it comes after Greenwoods absence was noted from recent court hearings and conferences as the city works to carry out the settlement. And in the past month: Hernandez told auditors in late May that she was having trouble reaching Greenwood and that he hadnt responded to attempts to get in touch with him. The city auditor said last month that she couldnt find any invoices submitted by Greenwood to the city for at least the past year. The auditor has been reviewing Greenwoods bills after determining that he had overcharged the city about $1,600 at one point. And Greenwood himself told the Journal earlier this month that he had been paid far less than the $750,000 the city had already authorized for him. Greenwood, a civil-rights attorney based in Cincinnati, Ohio, worked on a similar police-reform effort there. A former federal magistrate judge is also helping the city work with the DOJ. It is in the citys best interest, Hernandez said Monday, to have these outside consultants available for unique issues that relate to their areas of expertise. This contract supplement ensures that the city continues to have this resource available if it is necessary. She said Greenwood has committed to submitting his remaining invoices, which will show how much of the $750,000 already authorized is owed to him. The extra $250,000 would cover future work over the next year. The City Council is expected to act on the request Aug. 1. Greenwood didnt immediately return a telephone call from the Journal this week, but he said earlier this month that the city has indicated he may become more involved in the case again. City Councilor Ken Sanchez, in particular, has said Greenwoods expertise would help APD as it carries out the reforms required under the DOJ settlement. Greenwood led the early negotiations on the settlement but faded into the background a bit once the agreement was approved. Hernandez and another city attorney on staff took over much of the DOJ work at that point. They also hired former U.S. Magistrate Judge Lorenzo Garcia to help write new policies that will guide officers conduct in the field. $125K more for ART defense The Denver-based law firm defending the Albuquerque Rapid Transit project in court could see its contract grow to $200,000. City Attorney Jessica Hernandez is asking councilors to authorize the extra spending. Kaplan Kirsch and Rockwell LLP is now working under a $75,000 contract. The firm is defending the city in federal court, where opponents are asking a judge to order a halt to the $119 million project. They say that allowing the city to move ahead with the project would violate federal, state and city laws covering environmental protections, historic preservation and other rules. The city contends the project is legally sound. Albuquerque Rapid Transit would create a network of bus-only lanes and bus stations in the middle of Central Avenue. ACAs library of educational tools help members improve their business practices. ACA also holds the most popular industry conferences and offers credentialing for collectors, attorneys, and more. ACAs Training Zone subscription gives agencies access to almost all of our education for one low cost. The F-35A is on track to be declared initially operationally capable between August and December 2016. IOC is the first step Air Combat Command will take in bringing the F-35 online as the latest fifth generation multirole fighter. In IOC configuration, the aircraft will be able to penetrate areas with developed air defenses, provide close air support to ground troops and be readily deployable to conflict theaters. Col. David Chace is the F-35 systems management office chief and lead for F-35 operational requirements at Air Combat Command. He leads a multi-discipline team of maintenance professionals, program managers, operators and engineers not only with the responsibility for F-35 requirements, but also weapons systems fielding. Below is a recent Q&A with Chace that outlines where ACC is in the IOC process. Q1: What is the process for becoming IOC? A1: There are a number of criteria that must be met in terms of capabilities and performance to become IOC. The requirements, established in 2013, include 12-24 aircraft with trained and equipped Airman for basic close air support, interdiction and limited SEAD/DEAD in a contested environment and operating from a deployed location. To support those operations we need the proper logistics and operational elements in place, including having the proper personnel, equipment and appropriate technical manuals. Q2: Do you think you will reach IOC with just 12 F-35 aircraft? A2: The forecast is that we will have more than 12 aircraft. There are currently 12 aircraft available at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. Some of those are going through the last few modifications required to support IOC. We will have additional aircraft in the modification process beginning in August. Depending on the actual IOC date, modifications may be complete on the additional F-35s. Q3: Who decides when the F-35 is IOC? A3: The commander of Air Combat Command will make the IOC decision in direct consultation with the Chief of Staff of the Air Force. It is a capabilities-based decision, with input received from units assigned to operational testing and evaluation at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho and Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada and Edwards Air Force Base, California. Q4: Where is the F-35 in the IOC timeline? A4: Since beginning this process over five years ago with the first F-35s on the ground, we are in the final stages of IOC. These steps focus on training and equipping our personnel. There are no known technical issues today that would prevent us from reaching IOC in our August-December timeframe. The F-35 recently deployed from Hill to Mountain Home where crews, maintenance and support personnel conducted a number of missions. During that deployment, crews attained a 100 percent sortie generation rate with 88 of 88 planned sorties and a 94 percent hit rate with 15 of 16 bombs on target. These numbers provide a positive indication of where we are when it comes to stability and component performance. Feedback from the events at Mountain Home will feed into the overall evaluation of F-35 capabilities. The second evaluation will take place in the operational test environment with F-35 mission sets the Air Force intends to execute after IOC. All reports will be delivered in July and feed into the overall F-35 capabilities report. The ultimate goal is to provide a needed capability to the warfighter to execute the mission. It is not calendar-based or event-based. Q5: What has the feedback been from the field so far? A5: The feedback from unit operators in place today has been very positive for the F-35, not just concerning performance but the ability the aircraft has with other platforms. In particular at Hill, integration with the F-15E has gone very well. Weve also been demonstrating the ability to put bombs on target. All of that information will be provided to us in the formal IOC readiness assessments. Q6: What are some of the key metrics youre hoping to see out of the deployment to Mountain Home? A6: Were looking for the ability to deliver combat power and the instruments that go into supporting that, such as aircraft stability and the capability to generate sorties. Were also looking for feedback on the functionality of ALIS to support that sortie generation. Q7: What weapons capability will the F-35 have achieved at IOC? Q7: The F-35, a 5th generation aircraft, is a survival platform that can detect, track and engage targets in a contested environment. At the time we declare IOC we will focus on three mission sets that will concentration on the number and type of weapons the aircraft can carry. Those weapons include two GBU-31s and two GBU-12s, or two AMRAAMs. Q8: Is this aircraft capable of deploying to Iraq or Syria to battle ISIS like the F-22 did? A8: After IOC, it will be available to support the needs of the combatant commanders. Q9: How soon the F-35 will be deployed to overseas locations? A9: There are a number of events being considered for the F-35, to include training exercises and deployments. These events are being assessed and planned for through the needs of the combatant commanders. Q10: After IOC is declared, what are the next steps for the F-35? A10: Its a constantly evolving responsibility working hand-in-hand with our sister services and partners in development. We are actively engaged in the other activities taking place to field the F-35, such as system upgrades, such as Block 3F for full warfighter capability and future basing locations. Additional squadrons are planned for Hill as well as at Luke Air Force Base with seven of the partner nations, Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska and locations in Europe and the Pacific. The entry of the F-35 into Air National Guard units will take place in Burlington, Vermont and the first F-35 weapons school class at Nellis Air Force Base is also being projected on the timeline. We also continue to evaluate the future threat environment and how the F-35 must adapt to remain survivable against those threats. Right now were looking at delivering the first increment of modernization to the F-35 in late 2020 or early 2021. Long Island CPA firm Janover LLCs JRS Financial Services unit has merged in Hagan & Burns CPAs PC. Hagan & Burns is a two-partner practice in New York that focuses on financial and operations principal matters, and regulatory and consulting services for broker-dealers. It will now operate under the JRS brand. Joel Sinkin and Bill Carlino of Transition Advisors, a mergers and acquisitions consulting firm serving the accounting profession, arranged the deal. H&Bs two partners, Len Hagan and Rosemary Burns, have joined JRS as principals, strengthening JRS's position in providing financial management and advisory services to the financial services industry. Hagan & Burns has proudly served the broker-dealer community on Wall Street and throughout the country for over 20 years, providing a variety of financial, operational, regulatory and compliance services, the two partners said in a statement. Hagan & Burns looks forward to our future with the Janover family, combining our experience and services, and enduring dedication to our clients. Janover is one of the biggest independent CPA firms in the New York area and generated nearly $30 million in annual revenues last year. We are excited about adding the Hagan & Burns team to our organization, said JRS Financial Services managing director Chad Kirschenblatt in a statement. Their professionalism, wealth of knowledge and experience in the broker-dealer industry will prove to be tremendous assets for our clients. The tax man cometh for some of the richest money managers in the U.S. Theyve had eight years to dream up a dodge. So far, no luck. The deadline they face is Dec. 31, 2017. Thats when a loophole closes, and hedge-fund managers will have to pay taxes on performance fees parked offshore. Some have brought the money home, taking the hit, but others have waited to benefit from the magic of tax-deferred compounding. And in the hope that clever advisers would come up with a workaround for a total that some estimates put at $100 billionat least. They figured that by the time we got to 2017, someone would have found a way to eliminate all of the tax, says Richard LeVine, of counsel at Withers Bergman, a New Haven, Connecticut, law firm that has been a pioneer in tax planning to the ultra-wealthy. That didnt happen. Now we are halfway through 2016, and its going to get very busy. The experts failure to find a fix is excellent news for the U.S. Treasury and states including Connecticut and New York, where many hedge funders live and work. The combined bill for the likes of Steven Cohen, David Tepper and John Paulson could reach tens of billions. Charities could benefit too, because the best way for the rich to cut liabilities is to donate to an IRS-approved cause. Not Talking The $100 billion number, it should be noted, is a very rough estimate, based on tax-advisers conversations with clients, brokers and fund-service providers. The law covers fees paid by hedge-fund clients not subject to U.S. taxes that managers have invested in their offshore funds. Theyre not required to report the amount of this deferred compensation to the government, and they arent keen on talking about it. When lawmakers closed the loophole in 2008, the Joint Committee on Taxation figured the tax-code change would generate about $25 billion over the ensuing decade, culminating with $8 billion in 2017. But the congressional committee didnt disclose how it made its calculations, and staff members declined to comment when contacted recently. Tax lawyers say the panels revenue forecasts are lowgiven what they know about individuals who could single-handedly account for big chunks of the forecast just for 2017. Choosing Florida George Soros, for example, had by the end of 2013 amassed $13.3 billion through Soros Fund Management by taking advantage of the deferrals, according to Irish regulatory filings. Soros declined to comment, as did Cohen, Tepper, Paulson and other fund managers contacted for this story. Tepper, once the wealthiest resident of New Jersey, decamped last year to Florida, where the state income tax is zero. While a person with knowledge of his thinking says Teppers move to Miami Beach was made primarily for family reasons, tax planning was a factor. Laws in Connecticut and New York say they can collect taxes on the income earned when people worked or resided there, no matter where they live at the moment, but New Jersey has no such statute. Congress gave fund managers nearly a decade to bring their money home because lawmakers didnt see the loophole as especially outrageous, since they figured the tax bill would have to be paid at some point anyway. Charity Play It seems the bill really cant be avoided. LeVine and fellow Withers Bergman partner Stanley Bergman, along with other tax lawyers, are telling clients theres a way to ease the pain, though, for future generations at least. It works like this: Dump the money into a charitable lead annuity trust, CLAT for short, and have the trust purchase a private-placement life insurance policy. The U.S. allows the taxpayer to deduct up to 30 percent of adjusted gross income for contributions to the trust, so the manager saves right off the bat. Whats in the trust can be invested, and only the original deposit plus government-set interest must be donated. The Internal Revenue Service adjusts the interest-rate threshold; right now gains over 1.8 percent stay in the life-insurance policy, where they grow, un-taxed, for later distribution. Scott Sambur, a partner at Seward & Kissel in New York, figures the kids of a middle-aged manager with $100 million offshore who goes the CLAT-insurance policy route would end up pretty happy. Assuming an annualized rate of return on investments of 7 percent for 28 years, Sambur says the manager could leave more than $260 million to his heirs tax free. Its perfectly legal, and just the kind of maneuver that raises ire in an election year where much of the campaign rhetoric has focused on the countrys income inequality. The rich and their tax experts always manage to figure something out, says Steven Rosenthal, a senior fellow at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center. In this cat and mouse game, the advisers have the edge. But only in helping enrich fund managers heirs. You are still paying tax on 70 percent, LeVine says. No one has come up with the magic bullet. Winners of the Direct, Glass, Print & Publishing, Promo & Activation and Radio Lions were announced last night at the 63rd International Festival of Creativity. Industry stars gathered at the red carpet ceremony to celebrate the benchmarks of world-class creativity and for the first time in Cannes Lions history, the show was live-streamed via YouTube. Mindshare Mumbai walked away with the Grand Prix in Glass Lions this year for the 6 Pack Band initiative for Hindustan Unilever. The initiative saw HULs Brooke Bond Red Label brand and Mindshare come together to create Indias first transgender pop band. Glass Lions Jury President, Madeline di Nonno, described the work as global, inclusive and impactful. Gender equality is not only a womens issue. It includes all aspects of marginalisation, discrimination and unconscious bias faced by all genders, she added. Glass: The Lion for Change was launched last year in partnership with Lean In.Org. The award recognises work that positively impacts ingrained gender inequality, imbalance or injustice. Meanwhile, India scored two more wins at the Glass Lions. The Dads#Share the Load case study done for Procter & Gamble India fetched BBDO Mumbai a Glass Lion. Ogilvy & Mather, Mumbai won a Glass Lion for its campaign calling for ban on open sale of acid. The winning campaign Beauty Tips By Reshma, which features an acid attack survivor Reshma, has been done for NGO Make Love Not Scars. Entry fees from Glass will now be distributed to causes aligned with the goals of the award, including: UN Women, No Ceilings, Men Engage, Gender and Development Network, Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, Women for Women, Pro Mujer, Equality Now Inc. and Global Fund for Women. With the assistance of a unique giving platform created by in/PACT, Festival attendees will each be able to allocate 100 of proceeds (25, up to four times) throughout the remainder of the Festival to their cause of choice, via the Cannes Lions App.This year, we are honoured and excited to amplify our efforts, enabling delegates to play an active role, said Kevin Eyres, CEO of in/PACT. This years Festival has seen record-breaking award entries and over 15,000 attendees are expected to descend on Cannes before the end of the Festival week. And for the first time, the awards shows on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday, will be live-streamed via YouTube, taking the Lions to a broader, global audience. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has issued the Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) for e-auction of 266 FM radio channels in 92 cities in the second batch of private FM Phase 3. The second batch consists of 227 channels in 69 new cities, besides 39 channels in 23 existing cities. Out of 69 new cities taken up for auction in the second batch, 20 cities with 80 channels are having population of 3-10 lakh , 38 cities with 114 channels are having population of 1-3 lakh, whereas 11 cities in border areas of Jammu & Kashmir and North Eastern states with population up to one lakh having 33 channels have also been included. The Notice comprises the eligibility criteria, application procedures, reserve prices of channels, frequencies available for selection, auction rules, etc., and is aimed at inviting applications from the interested companies for participation in the forthcoming auction. Applications are required to be submitted latest by 5.00 pm on August 1, 2016. Based on the applications, the Government shall pre-qualify applicants who meet the eligibility criteria for participation in the auction. The issuance of NIA for the second batch under private FM Phase III will further the process of expansion of FM radio broadcasting services through private agencies (Phase 3) that began with the notification of FM Phase 3 Policy guidelines dated July 25, 2011, read with its modified paragraph 31 dated January 21, 2015, and moved forward with the e-auction of the first batch of FM Phase 3. E-auction of first batch, which commenced on July 27, 2015 and got over on September 9, 2015 resulting in selling of 91 channels in 54 cities. It also paved the way for migration (renewal) of 181 Phase 2 licenses to Phase 3. The first batch comprised vacant channels in existing cities only, that is, the cities where private FM operators were already present, hence the operationalisation of channels in new cities taken up in the second batch will lead to actual geographical expansion of private FM radio. Amongst the 266 channels on offer, special incentives are being provided to 36 channels in 14 cities in J&K and North Eastern states. By this, the FM Phase 3 policy exudes the Governments thrust for concerted development of the North Eastern states and J&K. It provides much needed support to the FM radio broadcasting services in cities of North Eastern part of India as in the cities of Jammu & Kashmir and Island territories, with provision of annual fee of the channels in these areas at half the rates for first three years, besides provision of Prasar Bharati infrastructure at half the lease rentals. Rediffusion Y&R has opened its score at Cannes Lions this year with a Bronze Lion in the Health and Wellness category for its work, titled Dipper Condoms, done for Tata Motors. Of the shortlists declared so far (June 21, 2016), the work has also been shortlisted in Media Lions and Outdoor. Meanwhile, Rediffusion Y&R had secured four more shortlists in the Health and Wellness category three for its work done for Amway Nutrilite Fiber and one for its work done for HLL Lifecares Moods 1500 Dots Condom. While speaking on the agencys metal prospects at Cannes Lions 2016, Rahul Jauhari, Chief Creative Officer, Rediffusion Y&R, said, We have high hopes from Dipper Condms, our work done for Tata Motors. He further said, Outdoor and Media are some of the other categories where we hope to score well. On Indias performance at Cannes Lions this year, Jauhari said, One can only wish and hope that as a country we do better and better. While Jauhari is not attending the Festival this year, he feels that over the years, Cannes Lions has pretty much become the grandest and most inspiring collective show of the advertising industry worldwide. One could always look forward to some sterling work that changed the way one saw a category or the way one advertised. With Yoga becoming synonymous with healthy lifestyles, it couldnt be more apt to have a day to celebrate it. The 5,000-year-old physical, mental and spiritual practice that originated in India, transform both body and mind. On December 11 in 2014, the United Nations General Assembly declared June 21st the Summer Solstice (The longest day) as the International Day of Yoga. Zee Anmol will celebrate this Yoga Day in a very unique manner by spreading the joy of Yoga with the future leaders of tomorrow i.e. School Children from nine districts of Maharashtra. On the occasion of International Yoga Day, Zee Anmol along with specialist Yoga Gurus will teach the students of the Municipality schools of 9 districts of Maharashtra the art of Yoga. The channel along with the guru will visit Krishi Pandit Bhanoji Raon Dhakle High School in Padalshindi, Georai in Beed District, Vasant Vidyalaya in Dhanora BK, Ahmadpur in Latur, Sant Tukaram Vidyalaya in Dhanora BK, Jintur in Parbhani District, Late English School in Dahegaon Bangla, Gangapur in Aurangabad District, Kids Gurukul English School in Sillod District, Zila Parishad School in Georai District, Rambhabai Gulabchand Kataria Mahavidyalay in Boribel District, GD Kondadev Madhyamik Vidyalay in Malthan District and K Surajbhai Kisandas Kat6aria English Medium School in Kalewadi District. 'Zee Anmol stands for the most invaluable things in life love, family, memories! It showcases the best shows on Indian television and has emerged as the No 1 FTA channel (Source: BARC) on television. Available across major MSOs, cable operators and key DTH platforms, Zee Anmol showcases some of the most unforgettable shows from ZEEs repository. The current programming line-up of Zee Anmol includes shows like Jodha Akbar, Bandini, Ghar Ki Lakshmi Betiyaan & Baba Aiso Var Dhoondo. The Airbus A350XWB is embarking on its first demo tour of China between 25th June and 2nd July 2016. During the eight day trip, A350 XWB test aircraft MSN2 (Manufacturer serial number) will fly to Beijing (PEK), Shanghai (SHA), Guangzhou (CAN), Haikou (HAK) and Chengdu (CTU). The tour follows the A350s endorsement by China Eastern Airlines who ordered 20 A350-900 aircraft in April 2016. Air China also ordered 10 A350-900. The unrivalled operational performance and cabin comfort of the A350 XWB will give Chinese airlines a competitive edge and to attract more passenger on international routes. China is one of the fastest growing markets for air transport and Airbus has supplied 50 per cent of the in-service commercial aircraft fleet in China. Chinese aviation industry has made important contributions to the development and making of the A350 XWB. Airbus (Beijing) Engineering Centre together and its partner Aviation Industry Corporation of China participated in the programmes development, involving specific design work for the airframe. Some five percent of the airframe is manufactured in China. The A350 XWB is a symbol of strategic industrial cooperation between Airbus and Chinas aviation industry. Featuring a distinctive Carbon signature livery to reflect its primary construction from advanced materials, the MSN002 is one of Airbus fleet of five test A350-900 aircraft and one of two with a fully functional cabin (42 business class and 210 economy class seats). The flights will be operated by Airbus flight crews. The A350 XWB features the latest aerodynamic design, carbon fibre fuselage and wings, plus new fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce engines. Together, these latest technologies translate into unrivalled levels of operational efficiency, with a 25 per cent reduction in fuel burn and emissions, and significantly lower maintenance costs. The spaciousness, quietness, beautiful interior and ambient lighting in the cabin contribute to superior levels of comfort and well-being, setting new standards in terms of flight experience for all passengers. To date, Airbus has recorded some 800 firm orders for the A350 XWB from 42 customers worldwide, already making it one of the most successful widebody aircraft ever. B-1, B-52 bombers set stage for increased wartime versatility Air Force Global Strike Commands B-1 Lancer and B-52 Stratofortress bombers have taken turns overseas with airstrikes in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. Each airframe provides invaluable capabilities, such as the Lancers maximum payload size and supersonic speed and the Stratofortress unmatched array of weapons. These capabilities came together in a new way with an integration flight to southern Louisiana June 15. In the inaugural flight, a B-1 from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, and a B-52 from Barksdale flew in unison with a B-1 aviator, Capt. Dane Kidman, taking on the distinctive role of mission commander and crewmember aboard the B-52. The intent of this flight was to strengthen the bomber culture within Air Force Global Strike Command and 8th Air Force especially now that all the bombers are unified under the same command, said Capt. James Bresnahan, 11th Bomb Squadron weapons and tactics flight commander. In order to do that, we needed to meet each other, learn how each others aircraft and crews operate. We were able to see what our similarities we share and combine our strengths for optimal efficiency. This flight, part of the larger scale inaugural Bomber Road Show, was the culminating exercise of a week-long event. The integration began with the aircrews of the two formal training units coming together in school houses to cross-talk about similarities and differences between training and operations of the two aircraft. The bomber duo departed Barksdale to a training area in a simulated threat environment to perform an airstrike targeting scenario. Upon arrival, they checked in with a controlling agency and received mission objectives which included multiple simulated targets. What this allowed us to do was to exercise our capability to work as a team of aircraft while maximizing the amount of weapons, firepower and timeliness we bring to the fight, said Kidman. Simulated targets included buildings, a helicopter and high value targets. As mission commander, Kidman orchestrated the attack based on each targets location in the threat environment and the capabilities of each aircraft. According to crewmembers, both crews benefited from this integration flight. They emphasized the uniqueness of seeing what a mission commander is capable of when he knows how to employ the strengths of two types of aircraft versus a mission commander who goes in only knowing one aircrafts capabilities, an impactful benefit that can be useful in a combat zone. Training aircrew to be knowledgeable on and able to operate multiple bomber aircraft makes the aviators more dynamic and can add mission flexibility and increased timeliness, enhancing capability of operations in a combat zone. Learning how to integrate different principles from aviators who fly a different jet than I do creates a synergistic effect in the bomber community worldwide, said Capt. Brian Milner, 28th Bomb Squadron weapons and tactics flight commander and B-1 instructor. Not only does this capability provide additional aircraft, but it makes our Air Force more lethal and more damaging when we have multiple aircraft operating as one cohesive unit operating in a wartime environment. (This feature is part of the " Through Airmen's Eyes " series. These stories focus on individual Airmen, highlighting their Air Force story.)The strength of a working relationship can grow exponentially when, at the office, a co-worker jumps all around his cage recklessly wagging his tail, ready to cover faces with big, fat, slobbery kisses.That is the reality for a military working dog handler in the 21st Security Forces Squadron.Senior Airman Tariq Russell and his dog, Ppaul, rely on the relationship they developed with each other to create a safe working environment while protecting Airmen at Peterson Air Force Base.Thanks partly to his father, Russells love for dogs began when he was a young boy growing up in Southern California.Since I can remember, my father has been breeding dogs, Russell said. We had around 20 dogs in my backyard at any given time and because of that upbringing thats what interested me most about being a military working dog handler and working with these dogs.Conversely, Russell pointed out that his passion for dogs had some growing to do in the beginning.The first dog that I had growing up was a Rottweiler, Russell said. I was absolutely terrified of it at first. However, once I got more exposed to dogs and became more accustomed to them, thats when my fascination took off and it was just a whole other experience from then on.Fast forward to February 2016 and Russell is now a graduate of canine school and a fully certified MWD handler. He was ecstatic to learn about the dog that would accompany him during every working hour from here on out, he said.When I asked about when I was going to get my dog, I was told by my flight chief that the dog I would be assigned to was super independent and tough, Russell said. He likes to boss people around and wants to be in charge. They said it was going to be a while.Russell said he knew from the moment he met Ppaul, his MWD, he was in for a challenge.He had a stigma about him, Russell said. He was aggressive and would bite you if you tried to correct him. He wasnt very handler friendly when I first got him.After many bites, hours of training and hundreds of corrections, Ppaul began to show signs of growth. The bond was there, and it was only a matter of time before it became unbreakable, he said. Russell knew there was only one more test before he knew he had the trust of Ppaul.I was told that he didnt like to be picked up, Russell said. I promised myself never to do it because I was told he would bite your face if you tried. I dont know why, but one day I thought to myself Im going to try it, so I picked him up. To my surprise, he had no reaction and responded very well. From that day, I knew we would make an amazing MWD team.Since that day, the working relationship between Russell and Ppaul has been so stellar it was noticed by Russells trainers and leadership team.Ive been told a few different times that Ppaul and I work extremely well together and that we are a great fit, Russell said. Theres an unbelievable feeling that comes over me when I hear that. I just think back to the day when I was told he was going to be a hard dog to work with and knowing firsthand how much we have grown together I feel lucky.Sadly, Russell is scheduled to leave for Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, this fall and will have to say goodbye to Ppaul. Russell said he is already dreading leaving Ppaul behind, but he is doing his best to make sure his buddy wont be without companionship.I dont want him sitting in his kennel for days or weeks without anything to do, Russell said. Thats why I have been already asking my supervisors if we have a handler for him when I leave. I know he will be in good hands though. Im just going to miss him a lot. Nothing has changed in last several years, Mumbaikars are suffering because of BMCs lethargic working style and nexus. Ahead of Monsoons, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) made tall claims that the city is prepared to tackle incessant rains, but on the day of reckoning, the reality is out in the open. The first heavy showers washed away the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporations (BMC) claims. The BMC spent hundreds of crores to gear up for Monsoons. Several branches of trees came down near National Park which was thrown in nallah by the locals, hence creating waterlogging. Anurag Sathe (25) lost his life after a part of a slab fallen on him at Kalbadevi. He was rushed to the GT Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival. Four other people sustained injuries after a tree collapsed on a few nearby shanties in Ghatkopar. The injured were identified as Roshan Prajapati (19), Pradeep Gajarajan Tiwar (18), Nita Gajarajan Tiwar (20) and Abhay Saleem Khan (37). Skywalk which is one of the sahara for the commuters, to stay away from the heavy rain, is found leaking. When our editor in chief found one at Mumbai Metro and tweeted the pictures tagging Mumbai Metro, the reply from Reliance Metro was of blame game. They replied, We are co-ordinating with the concerned officials to resolve the issue at the earliest. Thank you for your feedback. The portion of the skywalk referred to by you is under the purview of MCGM. The civic bodys disaster control room was flooded with complaints of water-logging and trees falling, from across the city. We have received hundreds of complaints about water-logging in the city and suburbs. There are over 60 complaints about trees falling. Around 94 de-watering pumps have been pressed into action in the flooded areas to flush out water, said an official from the BMCs control room. Trains Delayed Central Railways The rains also disrupted railway traffic in Mumbai as the water-logged tracks of central railways Main line and Harbour line hit services. Trains were running nearly at an interval of 45 minutes. No local trains arrived at Diva, Mumbra and Kalwa stations for around 45 minutes since 7:45am, complained an official. Suburban passengers were stranded at Diva, Dombivli. Railway officials said the problem surfaced due to snags reported at Thane and suburbs which was caused by water logging on the Mumbai stretch. Few trains couldnt leave the Kurla car-shed also due to water logging. The woes of commuters increased after the engine failure of Mandovi Express was reported at Dadar station. Because of this, the fast trains were being diverted to the slow line. Additionally, few passengers came on the tracks due to unavailability of space on platforms at Diva station which prompted railway police and RPF authorities to deploy the additional force at the station to prevent any untoward incident, said the official. Western Railways At 11.18 am on Monday, every single train on the Western Railway (WR) came to a halt. The WR has been struggling with technical glitches for a while, but the rainfall led to a major fault in the overhead cables that supply power to the trains, leading to the entire system being paralysed. Trains stopped on both slow and fast lines towards Churchgate and towards the Borivli end from Dadar. Peak hours were still on and thousands of people were stranded at railway stations and inside trains, with many forced to jump on the tracks and walk out. Mumbaikars say Commuters were seen carrying umbrellas on Tuesday as Mumbaiites welcomed the downpour. It is such a relief that the rain gods decided to bless the city with much-needed showers. While we fear waterlogging issues, at least a drop in temperatures will be liberating, said Archana Naik, resident of Goregaon. IMD official The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that the city would receive a spell of heavy rainfall. The weather conditions are favorable and the city is likely to get good rainfall this week, said an official from IMD, Mumbai. The city of Nagpur and Chinese city of Jinan have become sister cities after signing a pact which allows for exchange of ideas and technology in the field of education, sports, youth affairs, urban planning among other areas. The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and Jinan, in a historic move, entered into an agreement yesterday to develop sister-city relationship. Nagpur civic commissioner Shravan Hardikar and Director of Jinan Municipal Peoples Congress, Xu Changyu, signed the pact here in the presence of Nagpur mayor Pravin Datke and officials from the visiting Chinese delegation. Jinan is capital of Eastern Chinas Shandong province with a population of about 30 lakh and is know for its beautiful lakes. The move is a part of an agreement signed between Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Peoples Republic of China, for facilitating co-operation and linkages between cities and states or provinces of India and China in May 2013. Hardikar gave a presentation on NMCs developmental projects. Xu Changyu spoke in detail about Jinan and its expertise in fields of education, culture, development of rivers, urban planning etc. He also suggested that NMC send students from the city to Jinan for seeking knowledge about various technologies. Datke said Jinans assistance could be taken for improvement of education, production of various orange products and mining activities. NMC may also seek Jinans cooperation in the field of sports, youth affairs, urban planning, waste water management, infrastructure, environment, public health and exchange of trade and commercial delegations, an official release said. Also, financial assistant can be sought from Jinan for executing of few developmental projects in the orange city. The agreement has been executed for five years and can be extended by another five years, it said. This is for the first time a city from Vidarbha has developed sister city concept with any foreign city, the release added. June 20, 2016 Like so many locations, Palestines first airport has three names, each reflecting a different narrative. When it was established in 1920 by the British mandatory government of Palestine, it was given the name Jerusalem Airport. A photo taken in 1969 after the 1967 Israeli occupation reflects the original name, albeit with the Hebrew lettering placed above the English and Arabic names. Palestinians often refer to the airport, which is located near the Palestinian village of Qalandia, north of Jerusalem, as Qalandia Airport. The term has gained popularity since 1948. The Qalandia refugee camp erected near the village also carries the same name, as does the infamous Qalandia checkpoint not far from the town and the airport strip. Palestinian filmmaker Nahed Awwad has reflected on the history of the Qalandia Airport in a documentary titled 5 Minutes from Home and an article in the Journal of Palestine Studies. The film reflects the extreme Palestinian yearning for times past when travel by airport was very much available without the current hassles of crossing the bridge to Jordan. But as history is written by the victors, the only name that has a Wikipedia entry is that of Atarot Airport while the subtext gives the names of Jerusalem and Qalandia. The Israeli media has given the airport the name Atarot Airport in reference to a Jewish moshav (cooperative) settlement that carries the name that has a Biblical reference in Joshua 16:2. Atarot Moshav lies close to the current location of the airport. The moshav was abandoned in the 1948 war and was re-established as an industrial park after the 1967 Israeli occupation. While it was in operation, mostly for local flights, the Jerusalem Airport gained political notoriety in 1979 when Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin used it to make a point to Egypt and the world regarding the future of Jerusalem. Upon his return from a visit to Egypt, Begin made a highly publicized landing in the airport, which is literally a stones throw from the Qalandia refugee camp, to reflect on Israels refusal to include Jerusalem in the talks that were going on in Egypt following the Camp David agreement. The Jerusalem Airport stopped operating shortly after the outbreak of the second intifada in October 2000, as the security situation around the airport became difficult. Because the airport stopped operating, the Israel Airports Authority, which was managing the airport, turned it over July 2001 to the Israeli army. And it hasnt operated since. Today, 15 years later, the fight over the naming of the airport might become obsolete, especially if current Israeli plans to build a large settlement complex on the airport landing area housing some 15,000 units becomes a reality. The chairman of the Israeli Jerusalem municipalitys planning commission is reported to have recommended the establishment of the housing complex on the airport lands. But officials of Jerusalems municipality city have denied such plans. The closest area to the airport is the Palestinian neighborhood Hai al-Matar (Arabic for the airport neighborhood). Although the entire area is full of high-rise buildings, the roads are rundown. As you approach the airport, you come face to face with the high Israeli-built wall. Jamal Dajani, head of strategic communications and spokesman for Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, told Al-Monitor that the unregulated high-rise buildings are not an accident. There is a reason that the Israelis have turned a blind eye to these high-rise buildings that attract Palestinian couples wanting to live in municipal Jerusalem, while having unfettered access to Ramallah. According to Dajani, the existence of these towering 15- to 20-story buildings literally next to the airport runway ensures that the airport will never operate again. Rumors of the possibility of turning the airport into a Jewish settlement have the head of the adjacent Kufr Aqab village council extremely worried. Bassam Maswadi expressed frustration and hopelessness when it comes to what Israel will or will not do. In an interview with Al-Monitor, Maswadi said that no one will agree to these plans. We wish this will not happen because many lives will be lost if the Israelis try to carry out these plans. Maswadi sounded pessimistic. This is Palestinian land, and this is an occupation. If the Israelis decide on something, they will not listen to us or to anyone else, he said in a tone of helplessness. The current debate about the future of the airport began in 2012 as a result of a unilateral Israeli decision in February 2012 to turn over the airport land to the Israeli-run Jerusalem municipality, thus whetting the Israeli municipalities appetite to create yet another settlement housing complex. It is not clear if that decision is connected to the leaks that came out in April 2008 about Israeli-Palestinian talks, which revealed that then-Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni had allegedly promised that the airport would become part of the future state of Palestine. The absence of a peace process appears to have emboldened Israeli officials and has given them yet another opportunity to take away Palestinian lands and turn them into exclusive Jewish settlements. The Jerusalem Airport has both a symbolic and a practical meaning to Palestinians because it provides that flickering hope that one day this decades-old ordeal of occupation and travel restrictions will be over. Nothing gives a trapped and occupied people hope like the freedom to fly anywhere in the world. Taking this hope away will turn off yet another candle of hope to an embattled population. June 20, 2016 When Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif traveled to Norway and Germany to meet European and American officials last week, many Iran observers were surprised to see Foreign Ministry spokesman Hossein Jaberi Ansari in photos of the meetings. Then, on June 19, it became clear why Ansari had been so visible when it was announced that Ansari had been appointed deputy foreign minister for Arab and African affairs. Ansari succeeded Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, a well-known diplomat fluent in Arabic and English who had held the position since 2011. No reason was given for Ansaris quick promotion he had only been appointed spokesman in October. Many conservative sites and newspapers appeared surprised by the sudden change. Conservative Mashregh News wrote that Abdollahian is the perfect example of a revolutionary diplomat and that Iran needs more diplomats like him so that the country is not taken for a ride at the negotiation table. The glowing profile of Abdollahian questioned why he was removed when for the first time diplomatic discussions on Syria and Yemen have become serious. The Mashregh article also said that regardless of the change, Iran would continue its Islamic resistance. The article was not critical of Ansari, writing that he undoubtedly has capabilities worthy of respect, which he was shown previously. Since the start of the Syrian crisis, Abdollahian had a key role in implementing Irans diplomacy in Syria and a number of times participated in negotiations to resolve the Syrian crisis in place of the foreign minister, wrote Javan newspaper, which is linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The paper warned that replacing him could have different external signals. According to Javan, when the rumors of Abdollahians replacement first surfaced in April, a newspaper close to Lebanons March 14 movement, Mustaqbal, welcomed the news, saying that it was a positive step in strengthening the relationship with Arab [countries]. The Javan article said that Ansari is more inclined toward negotiations with the Syrian opposition, and that before he had an official position within the Foreign Ministry, he had implicitly criticized Irans approach in Syria. A statement by Basij university students published by Tasnim News Agency was by far the most critical of the reactions to Abdollahians removal. The statement said this was part of an effort to improve ties with Saudi Arabia, given Iran and Saudi Arabias regional rivalry and Abdollahians responsibilities in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen. The Basij statement also questioned why his removal was announced just three days after Zarif met with US Secretary of State John Kerry in Norway. The statement said that the removal would weaken the resistance and is designed to pave the way for BARJAM 2, meaning a landmark international deal in the vein of the comprehensive nuclear deal, which is known by the acronym BARJAM in Iran. Fars News also believes there is a larger plan behind the change and viewed Abdollahians removal as a conciliatory gesture by the Hassan Rouhani government in order to improve ties with Arab countries in the Persian Gulf. Fars News reported that the move is linked to an unconfirmed confidential letter from Rouhani to the emir of Kuwait calling for talks in order to improve ties between Iran and its neighbors. Adding another twist in the plot, Abdollahian was appointed as Irans ambassador to Oman, but was unable to accept the position due to unexpected personal and family problems. He will serve as adviser to Zarif instead. Bahram Qassemi will succeed Ansari as spokesman. In other news, Irans Intelligence Ministry said that it had thwarted a bomb attack inside the country. It said the attacks were planned by takfiri-Wahhabi terrorists, which is a term usually used to describe Sunni extremist groups such as the Islamic State and al-Qaeda. June 21, 2016 Few contemporary artists have their work displayed at the front of the main hall of parliament. For 50 years, heads of state, presidents and hundreds of government ministers and Knesset members have delivered speeches against the backdrop of Dani Karavans creation, the large Galilee stones covering the wall behind the podium of the Knesset speaker. Tens of thousands of visitors from Israel and abroad have gazed at the creation from the balcony. Karavan is now asking that his work be taken down. Sometimes Im ashamed of having made it, the laureate of the Israel Prize (1977) said on June 8. He spoke several days after becoming the first non-Spanish artist to be awarded a prestigious Catalan prize for cultural contribution. Previous recipients were the likes of Pablo Picasso and Joan Miro. The prize was awarded to Karavan for Passages, an artwork he created in Portbou in Spain as a tribute to German-Jewish philosopher Walter Benjamin at the site where he committed suicide. The harsh comments made at the annual Herzliya Conference, offering a reflection stage for Israel's top politicians and intellectuals, by one of the top Israeli artists in the world were drowned out by former Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alons criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and the attack by former Prime Minister Ehud Barak discrediting Netanyahu. In an interview with Al-Monitor, Karavan explained why he was ashamed of his work. On that morning [when I made this decision], I read in Haaretz that Culture Minister Miri Regev had decided to cut one-third of the state support for theaters, musical ensembles and dance troupes that do not perform across the Green Line [in West Bank settlements]. How can one tell people where to perform and where not to perform? The state has to fund the arts with integrity, in a businesslike fashion. Without any strings, only respect for the law. Theres no law that obliges artists to perform outside the borders of the state. Were not a dictatorship.'' The text of the interview follows. Al-Monitor: An elected government doesnt have the right to set budgetary priorities? Karavan: When the State of Israel applies Israeli law to all the occupied territories and turns them into a part of Israel, artists will perform there as they do in Tel Aviv and Beersheba. But as long as an occupation regime rules the West Bank, demolishes [Palestinian] homes and wipes out the Green Line, a performance in the settlements is a violation of international law. Anyone traveling to an occupied area to serve the occupying power could be brought before the International Criminal Court in The Hague. The day will come when states that respect international law will ban the performance of an artist who performs in the settlements. The Batsheva Dance Company, for example, is invited to perform all over the world. If it is forced to perform in [the settlement city of] Ariel due to budget pressure, it could fall victim to an international boycott. Its enough that we have a Supreme Court justice [Noam Sohlberg] and a defense minister [Avigdor Liberman] residing in occupied territory. Al-Monitor: But there are theaters and artists even those who oppose the occupation that perform in the settlements because they cannot survive without government support. Are they simply following the herd? Karavan: An artist is first and foremost a human being and must act like one. If he follows his conscience and is sensitive to human rights, he must not hide it. I dont see them as following the herd. That would be an insult to herds. I would be happy if all artists would refuse to perform in the settlements. On the other hand, its easy for me because Im not dependent on anyone or government support. I dont know what Id do if I were responsible for 30 members of an ensemble who have to make a living. I believe I would have persuaded the group not to perform there. A moral person reading Ilana Hammermans book in which she describes the injustice of the occupation that she personally experienced cannot sing and dance in front of settlers. As a member of the board of the human rights organization Yesh Din, I'm exposed to this cruel reality. Al-Monitor: Arent boycotts a politicization of culture? Karavan: I'm all for the Habima National Theater putting on William Shakespeares Cornelius in Ariel and Woman Flees Tidings by David Grossman, and that the [progressive] Tzavta Theater go on stage there with Michal Aharonis Angina Pectoris. Its important that actors present texts that tell the truth about bloodshed, racism, aggressiveness and injustice. Theres no need to provide the settlers with comedy shows to entertain them. Its true that unlike the past, theres no censorship on plays these days. The [Tel Aviv] Cameri Theater would not have taken down Hanoch Levins Queen of the Bathtub [a satirical 1970 play deriding Israels euphoria over its victory in the 1967 Six-Day War]. For now, authorities are content with harassing Arabic-language theaters that stage what the regime views as problematic plays and threatening to slash the budgets of settlement performance refuseniks. Al-Monitor: You travel a great deal and spend much time in your Paris studio. Do you sense a change in the attitude toward Israel? Karavan: I feel they dont like us. There were times in Europe when there was pride in being an Israeli. There were always anti-Semites, but they kept a low profile. Today, we provide the anti-Semites with fuel. Its not just the occupation. [Allegedly], the biggest thief in Europe is a Jew with ties to the prime minister of Israel [Arnaud Mimran, suspected of stealing at least 282 million euros ($317 million) from the European Union]. Al-Monitor: What has to happen for you to want to visit the Knesset these days? Karavan: The Knesset members have to respect the Declaration of Independence and be worthy of being called Zionists. They have to talk about the Arabs the way [revisionist leader Zeev] Jabotinsky spoke about them and be worthy of being called right-wingers. They have to stop harassing organizations criticizing the government, in the spirit of the prophets of Israel, and be worthy of being called Jews. Im 85 already. Its high time that the young artists along with other lovers of peace and democracy stand outside the prime minister's residence on Jerusalems Balfour Street and shout out loud, What are you doing here and who gave you permission to cut out a grave for us here [paraphrasing Isaiah 22:16]. June 20, 2016 Former Minister Haim Ramon, the former chairman of the National Labor Union and a senior member of the Labor Party, was the sponsor and founder of the movement Save Jewish Jerusalem. In recent months, he spun ties with left and centrist activists, convincing them to join his initiative to prevent an Arab majority within the boundaries of Jerusalem by breaking away from the Palestinians neighborhoods of East Jerusalem. It remains unclear whether Ramons initiative aims at paving his way back into politics, although some of the movements members allege that in recent months that has been the only thing on his mind. Al-Monitor discovered that this situation together with a hatred-inciting video clip that was published on the movement's behalf generated a wave of senior movement members quitting the initiative only six months after it was established. The movements key argument has been that unless Israel acts swiftly, its capital city will soon have a majority of Arab voters, mostly from East Jerusalem, who will be able to alter the citys political balance. As Israeli residents, East Jerusalem Arabs can vote in the municipal elections; if they all come together, an Arab mayor could very well be elected. In the recent 2013 municipal elections, only 0.7% of Jerusalems Arab residents took part in the elections. This small figure has not stopped the members of Save Jewish Jerusalem from contending that the Arab residents might use this democratic tool to wit, the elections to take over the city politically. Ramon also managed to mobilize the Peace and Security Association, whose members include retired senior officers from the Israel Defense Forces. By getting their support for the plan, which calls for the partition of Jerusalem, the initiative got the much-needed security public stamp of approval. Among other things, the plan consists of pulling out of Arab neighborhoods such as Jabel Mukaber, Sur Baher, Issawiya and Shuafat. Some of the initiatives supporters include former Shin Bet director Ami Ayalon, retired generals Amiram Levin and Amos Yaron, retired Police Commissioner Elik Ron, as well as a long list of former military personnel and centrist and leftist intellectuals who support the two-state solution. Shaul Arieli, a retired colonel, a member of the Peace and Security Association and a sponsor of the Geneva Peace Initiative, drafted the plan's underlying principles. According to the movements initiative, Israel must take a unilateral step and let the Palestinian Authority (PA) assume control over East Jerusalems 28 Palestinian neighborhoods. The latter will be declared Area B, which means as defined in the 1993 Oslo Accord that Israel will oversee security matters while the PA will be responsible for civilian affairs. What this implies is that the 200,000 residents in those areas will have their Israeli residency revoked. According to the plan, once this stage is complete, a wall will be built around those areas. In an article Arieli published June 4 on the occasion of Jerusalem Day, he explained that the 1967 decision to expand the citys municipal boundaries had been implemented hastily and without forethought and careful planning. The movements plan drew scathing criticism from right- and left-wing members, as well as from Palestinians and experts on Jerusalem. Their main contention was that the plan was unfeasible and could potentially increase the number of violent clashes in the city. Ramons reaction to this criticism was that the right is opposed to the plan because it believes in the Greater Jerusalem. The left is opposed because it cares about the Palestinians. We, on the other hand, will do whats good for Israel. In recent days, the movement has seen significant internal schisms. Some of its members who, as noted, consist of former senior defense establishment officials were surprised by its initial moves that were carried out on their behalf. The movement has recently posted billboards and published a video clip that left some members dumbstruck. Calling the clip racist and inflammatory, they say it contradicts their values and worldview as well as that of other members who have joined the initiative. One of the movements members, a senior former defense official who told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that he feels cheated, said, I was asked to join the initiative and I expressed my support of the idea. And then they pursued a direction I cannot be a part of. According to him, he and other members have asked to remove their names from its list of supporters and have notified Ramon about that. The fear-mongering clip that Ramons movement disseminated leaves nothing to the imagination. Armed with knives, rifles and hand grenades, a group of Palestinians, some hooded, decide to conquer Jerusalem from the Jews. After looking into different methods of operation such as intifadas, blowing up buses or terrorism using knives, they decide to rally the Arab majority in the city to elect an Arab mayor. At the end of the clip, Jerusalem falls into Palestinian hands and a narrator says in Arabic, We have Al-Quds ("Jerusalem" in Arabic). Al-Monitor approached some of the movements founders to get their responses to the video clip. They all replied, No comment. Others asked for time to think about it and to react after protesting to Ramon. It destroys everything thats been built for years and every notion we had about [Israeli] leftists, Hani Issawi, a resident of Issawiya, told Al-Monitor after watching the video clip. If they, too, fall into this abyss and join the rampant racism, then the problem runs much deeper than we thought it did. According to him, the residents of East Jerusalem are reluctant to stay in a Jerusalem under Israeli rule, preferring indeed to live under the PA. However, Ramons plan is misguided because it champions disengagement and separation in order to keep Jerusalem strictly Jewish instead of trying to make peace between the two populations. The tools theyre using to promote their plan are seriously wrong. These are people who always championed peace. And even if we havent reached peace, at least we thought they supported co-existence, Issawi added. According to him, he was mainly disappointed with Ayalon who, together with Sari Nusseibeh, took part in the 2002 Peoples Voice peace plan. The next few days will determine whether Save Jewish Jerusalem will disappear only six months after its kickoff. June 21, 2016 RAMALLAH, West Bank There are 120,000 Palestinians living in the city of Yatta, which makes up 25% of the Hebron area, south of the West Bank. The second-largest city in Hebron governorate in terms of area and population, Yatta has been living under siege since the day after the June 8 Tel Aviv attack, which was perpetrated by two Palestinian cousins from Yatta, Mohammed and Khaled Makhamra. To isolate the city, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) closed its entrances using cement blocks and sand and stone berms, carrying out raids and searches in many of the citys houses. On the afternoon of June 15, the IDF tightened its hold on Yatta, closing the citys entrances, blocking its dirt back roads and the ones linking it with the surrounding areas. The move came a few hours after the IDF had temporarily opened two roads leading to Yatta, only to block them again, forcing Palestinians to take little-used paths to Hebron or Ramallah for their daily activities and jobs. Israels mini-Cabinet for security and political affairs concluded its emergency meeting on June 9 by ordering a near-complete siege on the city of Yatta and revoking the work permits of the perpetrators family members. The mayor of the Yatta municipality, Moussa Makhamra, told Al-Monitor, Israel has used all sorts of collective punishment in the city since June 9. The army closed 12 entrances with sand berms and cement blocks, turning Yatta into a large prison in which 120,000 people are detained. He is not related to the attackers but belongs to the Makhamra tribe, the largest in Yatta. The siege deprived all the towns and villages surrounding Yatta from many services such as health care, supplies and trade, which Yatta usually provides. By isolating the city, Israel suspended all daily activities, he added. Makhamra explained, The citys economy has been nearly paralyzed, with the export of marble, food and agricultural products halted, not to mention the difficulty of movement, whether for individuals or merchandise. An environmental problem has also arisen as a result of the garbage piling up in the streets for four days and our inability to remove it and transport it to a landfill outside of the city. On June 13, the Israeli army allowed only a part of the waste to be removed within a short period of time, following an agreement between the Israeli Civil Administration and the Palestinian District Civil Liaison Office. In parallel with the ongoing siege, the IDF has been conducting daily raid and inspection operations targeting many homes. As a result, 13 youths were arrested on June 9, many houses were vandalized and thousands of residents were stripped of their permits to pray at Al-Aqsa Mosque. The work permits of 236 members of the Makhamra family were revoked, and Israels national water company reduced the citys share of water to less than half its normal supply, according to Makhamra. Makhamra said, Using sand berms and cement blocks, Israel has been imposing a tight siege, with 12 entrances closed so far. Whenever Israelis find a new path Palestinians use, they close it immediately with bulldozers. These measures have been inflicting daily economic losses of 1 million shekels [$260,000] in all sectors. The house of prisoner Murad Idis was demolished on June 11, and demolition notices have been delivered to three other houses. Since the outbreak of the current popular uprising in October 2015, Israel has been pursuing a policy of collective punishment for any Palestinian village or city with a resident who has attacked the occupation forces, closing them off and suspending the residents work permits. Israel twice laid siege to Qabatiya in Jenin governorate, first on Feb. 4 and then Feb. 22, after three youths from the city were involved in a shooting in Jerusalem. Legal experts consider Israels collective punishment policy a crime and a violation of international law. International law professor at Birzeit University Hanna Isa told Al-Monitor, What Yatta is going through can be described as collective punishment, which is prohibited by international law, notably Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 on the protection of civilian persons in times of war. Isa added, All conventions related to international humanitarian law prohibit collective punishment against civilians, regardless of the incident that takes place within the city or outside it. By adopting such policy, Israel is committing several crimes, including the crime of aggression against civilians and humanity. This is a case of groundless punishment and a war crime by violating the laws and customs of war as stipulated by the Hague Conventions of 1899-1907. Despite the calls of Israeli ministers, such as Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz, who called for a longer siege on Yatta, the siege is not expected to last long. According to Israeli security assessments, collective punishment will only increase the frustration of Palestinians, thus leading to more attacks. Israeli security and military leaders advised Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman June 12 not to deny Palestinian workers entry into Israel and not to impose a siege on large Palestinian areas, as the tactic has failed to end the uprising. June 21, 2016 Saudi Deputy Crown Prince and Defense Minister Mohammed bin Salman is expected in New York on June 22 to meet with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. His visit is an apparent attempt to settle the dispute that resulted from Ban accusing Riyadh of applying undue pressure on the United Nations to remove the Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen from a list of entities violating children's rights. US President Barack Obama had hosted Mohammed on June 17 at the White House. Following the meeting, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said at a press conference that it had been positive, focusing on the strategic relationship between the two countries and on ways the relationship can be strengthened. Furthermore, Obama was briefed about the kingdoms outlook as presented in Saudi Vision 2030, the economic reform plan prepared by McKinsey & Company to guide Saudi Arabia in developing an economy based on sustainable investments, regardless of oil prices and fluctuations. The communique circulated by the Saudi Royal Court on June 12, the day before Mohammed began his travels, stated, At the direction of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, and in response to an invitation extended by the government of the US, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, deputy crown prince, second deputy prime minister and defense minister, shall, on Monday June 13, 2016, depart for an official visit to the US. It thus can be concluded that Riyadh heeded an invitation hastily extended by Washington and that the Obama administration set the date for the visit despite the fact that senior Saudi officials do not traditionally embark on official foreign visits during the month of Ramadan. As indicated in the communique, Mohammed's US visit was at the behest of his father, King Salman. Mohammed had previously visited the United States on two occasions in May 2015, when he accompanied his cousin Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef to a meeting with Obama during the US-Gulf Cooperation Council summit at Camp David, and in September 2015, when he accompanied his father to discuss Middle East issues, including the nuclear deal with Iran, counterterrorism and the crises in Syria and Yemen. What distinguishes the current visit is that Mohammed is leading the Saudi delegation in his capacity as deputy crown prince, second deputy prime minister, defense minister and president of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs. Endowed with such varied powers, he held talks with a range of American officials, including Secretary of State John Kerry, who met with him at his home in Washington on the evening of June 13. At the White House, Mohammed had also discussed, on behalf of the Saudi king, joint military, economic and security issues. Thus, it seems, Mohammed has the final say in Riyadh concerning these matters, allowing him to craft any subsequent agreements in their regard. Although Mohammed arrived in Washington on June 13, the White House waited until June 16 to announce, through Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz, that Obama would meet with the deputy crown prince June 17 to discuss the conflicts in Syria and Yemen as well as the campaign against the Islamic State and other issues. It seems that Obamas decision to meet with Mohammed and US support for the ambitious Saudi Vision 2030 were linked to the outcome of Mohammeds meetings with State Department, defense and security officials in Washington. It also seems that Obamas decision depended on Mohammeds receptiveness to the US point of view on the issues of combating terrorism in Iraq and Syria as well as ending the war in Yemen. Although the stated purpose of Mohammeds US visit, as Jubeir asserted at his press conference, was to hold talks and explore investment opportunities, there has been speculation and political commentary that his meetings with officials from Congress and the US security and intelligence communities will lead to marginalizing Nayef, who also serves as interior minister and chairman of the Council of Political and Security Affairs. This possibility is lent some credibility as Nayef has been absent from the media, unlike Mohammed, whose political role has been increasing in the domestic and foreign arenas. It is necessary, however, that Nayef remain at the top of the political and security hierarchy to ensure the security and stability of the Saudi ruling family and its control inside the kingdom. Meanwhile, news of Nayefs deteriorating health, as reported June 18 by NBC, which quoted a former intelligence source, does not seem accurate, given that he was seen June 16 in one of the largest mosques in Riyadh praying at the funeral of one of the princesses. In addition, he participated in the Saudi Cabinet session on June 20. Even if the rumors about Nayefs health are true, it would not represent a problem for the ruling regime, whose history is full of instances of kings who remained in office despite their waning health. In such cases, the real governance of the country was transferred to the crown prince, as when Prince Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz assumed the real reins of power in 1995, when his brother King Fahd bin Abdul-Aziz fell ill, until the latters death in 2005. Mohammed, who is close to Nayef, is very ambitious and has promoted himself to the world in his many visits to Western capitals. Despite all this, his ascending the throne will not be easy, as he will need to establish numerous relations and spend a lot of money to prove himself to his brothers and cousins who believe they are more entitled to the throne in terms of age and experience. Mohammed also needs to rehabilitate his tarnished image among Saudi citizens after having raised oil prices and imposed taxes. June 21, 2016 Iranian politicians and military commanders have condemned the Sunni ruling family in Bahrain for revoking the citizenship of the countrys top Shiite cleric, Ayatollah Sheikh Isa Qassim. No statement surprised and gained more traction in Iranian and regional media than that of Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, the head of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force. They certainly know that trespassing the sanctuary of Ayatollah Sheikh Isa Qassim is a red line whose crossing will set fire to Bahrain and the region and will leave people with no path but armed resistance, the statement by Soleimani read. It continued, The Al Khalifa [Bahrains rulers] will pay the price of their actions, and its result will be nothing but the annihilation of this bloodthirsty regime. Soleimani also had a warning to Bahrains allies, saying, The supporters of Al Khalifa should know insulting Ayatollah Sheikh Isa Qassim and the continuation of pressure on the people of Bahrain is the beginning of a bloody uprising. Saudi Arabia, Irans regional rival, and the United States, which has stationed its 5th Fleet in Bahrain, are the countrys two most important allies and have helped the country weather the storm of protests led by the countrys Shiites, who make up the majority of the country. Soleimanis issuance of an extremely harsh political statement is a rare move for the general, who is currently in Syria and fighting alongside forces aligned with Iran, Syria, Hezbollah and Russia against mostly forces aligned with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United States and Turkey. Reformist newspaper Etemaad called the statement an unprecedented warning of Gen. Soleimani to Bahrain. Conservative Vatan-e Emrooz referred to the statement as an ultimatum to Bahrains rulers. The statement made the front page of half a dozen Iranian newspapers. Qassim is known as the spiritual father of the countrys now-banned opposition group Al-Wefaq, whose leader Sheikh Ali Salman is serving a nine-year jail sentence. Qassim was born in Bahrain in 1937 and conducted his clerical studies in Najaf, Iraq, and Qom, Iran. Two advisers to President Hassan Rouhani, who has been reportedly trying to mend fences between Iran and regional neighbors, took a softer position with respect to Qassim. Hamid Aboutalebi, deputy chief of staff for political affairs, while critical of crushing dissent, tweeted that the path to resolving the crisis in Bahrain is through peaceful means, which both the people of Bahrain and Qassim had advocated and spoken of. Hesamodin Ashna, presidential aide for cultural affairs, wrote on Facebook that the newly appointed deputy foreign minister for Arab and African affairs, Hossein Jaberi Ansari, has his first serious challenge in part from Soleimanis statement. Conservative analysts praised Soleimanis statement. Mehdi Mohammadi, who was an adviser to Saeed Jalili, wrote that Soleimanis statement was the beginning of a movement in Irans strategy in the region. Mohammadi said he would write more on the topic later, but he viewed this new geopolitical movement as the finishing of military operations in Syria and Iraq, creation of a resistance army in the region, development of intelligence infrastructure against the Saudi-Israel alliance and the removal of the moderate Western-inclined. Conservative analyst Saadollah Zaeri said it was natural for Soleimani to oppose the decision by Bahrain to revoke Qassims citizenship. He added, Until now, we have spoken with a soft position toward the Al Khalifa regime, and this regime has shown that it does not the ears to listen to peaceful speech. Also condemning Bahrains decision to revoke Qassim's citizenship are the IRGC, Irans parliament, Irans allies in the region, including Hezbollah, and Iraqs Hadi al-Amiri and Qais Khazali. June 20, 2016 President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Binali Yildirim, his new handpicked prime minister, aren't ready to concede any mistakes in foreign policy, but appear determined to rescue Turkey from its increasing political and diplomatic isolation in the international arena. One way to break Turkey's shell of isolation would be to place the blame for its seclusion tactfully on former Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who until recently was the architect of Turkeys foreign policy during Justice and Development Party rule. Turkey is now keen to repair its relations with a number of countries, including Israel, Egypt, Russia and Syria. The quest to restore relations with Israel started quite a while ago. Turkish Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioglu, a former ambassador to Tel Aviv, was at the center of secret negotiations held with his Israeli counterparts. Despite some signals that the two sides are very close to a breakthrough, nothing tangible has yet come out of the talks. Yildirim said, We are coming to a point with Israel. They are also showing [willingness]. There are contacts. Its not concluded yet, [but] I dont think it will take long. The determinative thing here is eliminating the isolation of Gaza for humanitarian purposes." Yildirim also has recently sent conciliatory messages to Russia, Syria and Egypt. Among the four, the latest move was with Russia. There cant be any permanent enmities between these countries encircling the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. An incident happened with Russia," Yildirim said, referring to Turkey shooting down a Russian jet in November. "We, of course, wont allow the violations of our sovereign rights. However, its not wise to focus on a single incident. We need to look at the bigger picture. There is no animosity between our peoples. Its possible to return to the old days and even take [relations] further. After underlining that diplomatic channels are open, Yildirim said Erdogan "has shown his will." He added, "Russia showed will too. It will be settled after this point." Erdogan sent a congratulatory message to Putin on June 12, marking the anniversary of Russia's independence day and asking for improvement in their bilateral relations. In the message, Erdogan wrote, "I hope relations between Turkey and Russia will reach the levels they deserve. His loyalists were quick to declare that the letter brought about immediate improvement" in relations. One of Erdogans mouthpieces, the daily Takvim, claimed in a June 16 headline that Putin even backtracked from his negative stance regarding Turkey. However, veteran journalist Abdulhamit Bilici, former editor-in-chief of the daily Zaman, posted an image of the Takvim story on his Twitter account and wrote mockingly, The one who backtracked is Erdogan, but the pro-government daily has written just the opposite. Is society aware that it is treated as stupid?! And Moscow's official reaction did not confirm the optimism of Turkish sources. A Kremlin statement said bluntly, There is no need to respond to such letters. Consequently and unfortunately, there was nothing in the content of Erdogans letter that deserves a response. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Erdogan's letter to Putin was merely "a simple protocol procedure and there is nothing substantial in the letter." She elaborated, saying that in terms of normalizing relations, Russian officials do not see any progress on the Turkish side concerning meeting the conditions defined by the Russian side. The source of all these statements is the Russian news agency Sputnik. Therefore, the official Turkish interpretation of the situation that some progress is being made to repair the crumbling relations is premature. Erdogan and Yildirim's latest remarks simply met with a Russian rebuff. Turkey finds itself in such isolation that the Russian side seems to be playing on Ankara's weakness, dictating its terms of any amelioration and displaying patience and confidence that it will emerge the ultimate winner. Turkeys desperation is also evident by its relatively low-profile quest to open new channels with the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Ankara would have us believe that Turkey has gone from being the most intransigent foe of Assads rule to a pragmatic neighbor. Turkey is seeking to open a channel to the power center in Damascus that, until very recently, Turkey seemed to want eradicated. For Erdogan, the removal of Assad, a onetime close friend, had to be immediate. He had no patience even to link his departure to a timetable. But now we see that a former military intelligence chief of Turkey has been conducting contacts in Damascus for a while. Turkish Foreign Ministry officials are informed about the developments, which they pass along to Erdogan. Certain details of such contacts have been revealed thanks to an interview published in the daily Haberturk. The chairman of the small pro-military Homeland Party, who is behind the initiative with Damascus, said, Assad is ready to be friends again with Turkey if terrorists stop being exported to Syria from Turkey. Assad sees the United States as the power [that would] divide Syria and the PYD as its pawn. The PYD is the US-supported Kurdish nationalist Democratic Union Party. From that wording, it is not difficult to assume that the attitude toward Kurdish self-rule in Syria could serve as the lowest common denominator that could bring Ankara and Damascus together. Actually, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus has said relations between Turkey and Syria will improve out of necessity. A statement by Yildirim confirms what had been relatively speculative news and observations. We are seeing an effort to open a corridor that connects to the Mediterranean from Iraq and Syrias north. Its an intention that moves forward with [Kurdish] cantons. Turkey has sensitivities on the subject. We wont allow a fait accompli. Our [concern is] not the local terrorist organizations. Its the coalition forces and the United States. Syrias territorial integrity is important for us, he said. We are back at square one. What drives Turkeys Syria policy is Kurdophobia and its mistrust of Washington's relations with the Syrian Kurds. On the possibility of improved relations with Damascus, one should be prudent. As with Moscow, there is not much to support optimism because Erdogans Turkey is in no position to meet Assads conditions. Not exporting terrorists into Syria means Erdogan should stop supporting the mostly Salafi-Sunni Syrian opposition. That is synonymous with Turkey tearing up and throwing away the most if not the only effective card it holds in its Syria policy. It's also synonymous with remaining helpless against the perceived American-Kurdish cooperation in northern Syria. It seems isolation and desperation in Turkey's foreign policy will continue in a vicious circle for the foreseeable future. Critter Fuqua Triple Take.png Old Crow Medicine Show cofounder Critter Fuqua joined Triple Take to discuss his favorite book, music and film. (Band photo courtesy of Laura Partain) If you know anything about "Wagon Wheel," you know Bob Dylan has influenced Old Crow Medicine Show. The band took a sketch of a song from Dylan and created the song we know, love and hear at every bar with a mediocre cover band. (And I'll be the first to admit, "Wagon Wheel" is on my short list of songs I never tire of, alongside "Sweet Home Alabama" and most of Ryan Adams' catalog.) Old Crow will be in Birmingham--and may play that iconic song--Friday night. But it could be accompanied by new material; the band has been in and out of the studio lately, hard at work on a new album. Band cofounder Critter Fuqua says you'll have to show up to see if new songs make the set list. The show is at Iron City, and tickets range from $39.50 to $45. Fuqua joined me, John Hammontree and Edward Bowser by phone for the latest episode of Triple Take. In each episode of the podcast, we talk to interesting people about the books, albums and films that shape them. Fuqua spoke to us about the book "Dune" by Frank Herbert and how fantastical elements play out in music; "Ghostbusters;" and Dylan's influence on him and the band. Learn more about Old Crow Medicine Show at crowmedicine.com. You can also follow our hosts: Carla Jean Whitley on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest Instagram; John Hammontree on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and Edward Bowser on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Like what you hear? Subscribe to Triple Take in iTunes or your podcast app of choice. We'll release new episodes twice a month. We're also open to suggestions for future guests, which you can make in the comments below. Vote for the greatest Southern musician: Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee (Old Crow is seeded 14th in this region of our Ultimate Southern Music Bracket.) Arguably the birthplace of modern music, the South has been home to icons in every genre. In a head-to-head 64-team bracket, who will emerge victorious? Over the next few weeks we need you to help us find the voice of the South. Vote for your favorites in every region and see the rules here. Louis Armstrong or Willie Nelson? Dixie Chicks or Beyonce? Texas and Louisiana are home to some of the South's biggest names. Vote for your favorites to emerge from this region. If you don't vote, then you have no one to blame but yourself for a Final Four slot going to Juvenile. Vote in the other regions here: Alabama-Georgia Arkansas-Mississippi-Tennessee Florida-South Carolina-North Carolina-Virginia-Kentucky (aka the ACC) Play along at home with a printable copy of The Ultimate Southern Music Bracket. REGION 2: TEXAS - LOUISIANA (VOTING ENDS JUNE 25, 11:50 P.M.) (1) Louis Armstrong vs. (16) Scarface You'd be hard-pressed to find a fan of American music who didn't give up all available kudos to one of jazz music's earliest icons. Satchmo wasn't normal. All along the Mississippi River, mythical tales Armstrong's precision and imagination redefined the popular perception of what a trumpet player could achieve, even for music lovers who hadn't yet had a chance to hear him in person. Albeit less timeless, Houston rapper Scarface takes on Armstrong's attitude when it comes to long-tenured leadership in his respective genre. As one of the few consistently relevant veteran rappers, Scarface remains the last of the elder statesmen in Southern hip-hop. A former member of the Geto Boys, his calling card is sinister storytelling. The scenery in your average Uncle Face song is significant more bleak than the "Wonderful World" you'd find in an Armstrong tune. If you aren't in tears after a Scarface album, you likely listened to it the wrong way. -Jared Boyd (8) Neville Brothers vs. (9) Dixie Chicks Taken individually, the Neville Brothers' accomplishments are remarkable. Art Neville was a founder of funk's legendary band The Meters, in which brother Cyril also played. Aaron's R&B songs and duets with Linda Rondstadt both charted in the top 10. Charles played saxophone with greats such as B.B. King. Collectively, they're New Orleans' first family of funk. But as the Neville Brothers, they've had one hit on the American charts. That means the Texas-bred Dixie Chicks may be misplaced as the ninth seed. The trio of Natalie Maines, Emily Robison and Martie Maguire dominated country charts in the late '90s and into the early 2000s. Their voices and instruments united to form a powerful country group--and their voices also led to the Dixie Chicks' decline. After Natalie Maines' 2003 statements against President George W. Bush, the band's music and messages became undeniably more fervent. Crowds diminished and the band's last album, "Taking the Long Way," received little airplay, but it debuted at No. 1 and brought home five Grammys. A decade after its release, will fans rally behind them in this bracket? That's up to you. -Carla Jean Whitley (5) ZZ Top vs. (12) Stevie Ray Vaughan What is it about Texas and dad-rock guitar heroes? The state produced two of the most formidable examples thereof in Stevie Ray Vaughn and ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons. During the '70s, Gibbons' greasy, Les Paul riffs and leads fueled top hits like "La Grange" and "Tush." Vaughn's gutsy, Jimi Hendrix-inspired playing propelled him to stardom in the mid-'80s with his versions of "Pride and Joy" and "Texas Flood." Both acts drew heavily from the blues, adding rock electricity while always keeping at least one foot firmly in the mud. About a decade after its "Tres Hombres" to "Tejas" prime, ZZ Top became unlikely MTV stars when the band added synthesizers and drum machines to their sound, producing undeniable hits like "Legs" and "Sharp Dressed Man." We will never know if Vaughn might have undergone a reinvention. The force-of-nature guitarist died in a 1990 helicopter crash while on tour with Eric Clapton. -Matt Wake (4) Jerry Lee Lewis vs. (13) Lil Wayne These two artists have a lot more in common than what initially meets the eye. Although eras apart, Jerry Leezy, like Lil Weezy, exemplifies the sort of energy an artist can possess when turned loose on the South, able to ride the zeitgeist until the wheels are shattered. The secret link is all in the imagery invoked in their most popular song titles. A proverbial "hot boy" of his time, Jerry Lee Lewis was in the command of sweaty dance floors all over the South when his style of energetic honky-tonk piano completely stunned audiences. Wayne's approach to the party isn't much different. If you strip away the sonics and get right down to the message, when Lil Wayne got to wobblity-wobbling at the end of "Back that Thang Up" there was "A Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On." -Jared Boyd (6) The Meters vs. (11) George Strait George Strait is a man of many words. In fact, he's one of the most verbose songwriters of his genre, known for squeezing emotion out of the simplest and most-relatable of themes. The Meters take a wholly different approach. You aren't going to have much trouble memorizing their call-and-response lyrics. What will be challenging, however, is the task of getting their blistering instrumental arrangements out of your head while you dance along in amazement. -Jared Boyd (3) Beyonce vs. (14) UGK This is beautiful. Another match made in heaven. Beyonce vs. the Underground Kingz is basically a Texas showdown over Jay Z's manhood. In this corner, you've got the "big Southern rap impresarios," Pimp C and Bun B, who joined Jay-Z on the hip-hop classic "Big Pimpin'" delivering one of my all-time favorite punchlines: "Go read a book, you illiterate son of a b****, and step up your vocab." But even before that, UGK were among the most influential voices in Southern hip-hop. They'd undoubtedly be a bigger household name if their careers hadn't been stunted by Pimp C's incarceration and untimely death in 2007. And in this corner, you've got Hova's wife and partner, who has established herself a Southern feminist icon. Ever since she spun off of Destiny's Child, Beyonce has been a force in pop and R&B music. But with the release of "Lemonade" - an album that may have been fueled by Jay Z's alleged affair - she sent the Beyhive, her legion of super fans, into a full-on frenzy. Beyonce is everywhere. Pepsi commercials. Super Bowls. Streaming platforms that are named Tidal. That one episode of Smart Guy. Oh, and she's also been nominated for more Grammys than any woman in history. -John Hammontree (7) Dr. John vs. (10) George Jones My grandfather, Carl Eugene "Sorghum" Vann, spent a lot of time at racetracks. He was a driver himself, prior to becoming a father, and he's in the Alabama Auto Racing Pioneers Hall of Fame Room in Talladega. So there was plenty of cause for folks to chat with Pepaw at the races--but many times, a new pal would walk away with a casual, "Good talking to ya, George." My grandfather was George Jones' doppelganger, and so you'll have to forgive me for having a soft spot for The Possum. But it's one shared by generations of country music fans: Songs like "He Stopped Loving Her Today" are so infused with emotion that it's hard not to cry along. There's something about Texans named George, I guess. They sure can sing. Likewise, Dr. John embodies the sound of his hometown, New Orleans. Apply whichever genre label you favor: jazz, funk, zydeco, whatever. Dr. John comes by it honest. He grew up in a musical family, and his father exposed him to great jazz musicians early on. Those influences, as well as New Orleans' voodoo, mix up with gritty vocals to create Dr. John's singular style. This one's a battle of homegrown influences, for sure. -Carla Jean Whitley (2) Willie Nelson vs. (15) Juvenile Willie Nelson is one of those guys no one could hate. The charm of his easygoing songwriting just won't allow it. Very few could pull off the rough-and-tough outlaw aesthetic and also deliver romantic hits like "Always on my Mind." But Nelson enjoyed a career long enough to warrant a few changes in his repertoire. Fans of Juvenile might notice he shares Nelson's knack for blending a menacing persona with sentiment. Juvie hit it big by way of "Ha," a rap single that felt like it was recorded from his stream of conscious. After confusing the New York-centric rap world with his bouncy New Orleans gangster rap, Juvie retreated to using his voice to belt out croony tunes like "Rodeo" and "Slow Motion," two minor hits that themselves feel like rap flirting with the outlaw sound. -Jared Boyd Alabama-Georgia Arkansas-Mississippi-Tennessee Florida-South Carolina-North Carolina-Virginia-Kentucky (aka the ACC) Listen to the Texas-Louisiana nominees: Britton Buckner, a Birmingham native and Hoover High School graduate, has a nickname among Muslims in the Middle East. They call her Basma Bamya. That's Arabic for "Smile Okra." She got the nickname in Egypt when she was there in 2010-2012, after the Arab Spring, working for Catholic Relief Services. Her initials are B.B., she smiles a lot, and she taught them how to fry okra. They eat okra in Egypt? "It looks a little bit different, but it's the same," she said. Egyptians prefer it stewed, with tomatoes, Buckner said. Or, at least they did before she taught them to fry it. "I love fried okra," she said. They also eat okra in Iraq, where Buckner is head of programming for Catholic Relief Services. "It's a popular dish in the Middle East," she said. Brutal terrorists Buckner coordinates efforts to help the million of Iraqis displaced by ISIS military takeovers in Iraq. "ISIS is one of the most brutal terrorist groups we've seen in the Middle East," Buckner said. "The ISIS frontline is about 40 minutes away from where we work. The area we work is controlled by Kurdish military. I've never felt insecure. It's about community acceptance. We're seen as independent, impartial, giving help for anyone who is in need." Buckner, 35, graduated from Hoover High School in 1999, then went to the University of the South, where she earned bachelor's degrees in history and religion. She then earned a master of divinity degree from Harvard University. Although she is a head of programming for Catholic Relief Services, she's not a Catholic herself. She attended Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church growing up. About 11 years ago, she signed on with Catholic Relief Services for the opportunity to take part in their international relief efforts. Buckner is currently back in the United States to attend a summit in Baltimore, June 22-28, for all heads of programming for Catholic Relief Services from 100 countries around the world. "We are preparing for the next wave of displacement, as the Iraqi government fights against ISIS in Mosul," Buckner said. "As we have more and more families fleeing ISIS, there's more burden on the government." Sweet Home Alabama Buckner had a chance to return home to Alabama from June 15-20, visiting her parents. Her father, Richard Buckner, retired from Birmingham Steel Erectors. Her mother, Ellen Buckner, was a professor of nursing at UAB for more than 40 years and now teaches mostly online courses through the University of South Alabama. After her conference, Buckner will return to Iraq to continue leading humanitarian efforts for victims of ISIS. Iraq has been facing a new wave of displacement from the fighting in Fallujah. Displaced Iraqis Buckner has overseen providing displaced Iraqis with shelter, food, living supplies, along with education and trauma support for children. "We are building shelters," Buckner said. "We are supporting the needs of children. We're doing that across the north of Iraq. We've reached over 100,000 people with these services. We have over three million families displaced by ISIS. The fighting is forcing these families to flee on a moment's notice." Buckner said she doesn't think Americans are aware of the scale of the current crisis in Iraq. "We hear a lot about the Syrian refugee crisis," she said. "These Iraqis are being displaced within the borders of their own country." Most of them are Sunni Muslim, but there are also Yazidis and Christians. "There's a significant Christian population," she said. "Catholic Relief Services helps all families who are in need regardless of creed." People fleeing violence have few options. "It's a very insecure environment," Buckner said. "Families are starving in Fallujah. When they try to escape, they're stopped at checkpoints. We're providing food, water, hygiene." Starting schools Catholic Relief Services works with local authorities to establish Arabic-language schools with Iraqi teachers and an Iraqi curriculum. "Immediately after displacement, we help re-establish a routine," Buckner said. "What children really need is to get back into school." There are plenty of teachers, she said. "Iraq is largely a middle-income country, with teachers, doctors and lawyers," she said. "There are hundreds of thousands of teachers who want to work but didn't have a school to go to." Catholic Relief Services in Iraq sets up tents for children of families displaced by ISIS military attacks. The children are taught in Arabic by Iraqi teachers. About a million displaced Iraqis have settled in Kurdish territory. "In August 2014, when ISIS came in, the families were welcomed in northern Iraq," Buckner said. As the displacement continues from fighting, the crisis has grown. "With 50,000 to 100,000 families at a time, they're being stuck at checkpoints," Buckner said. "The Catholic Church, because of their longstanding relationships and neutrality, has been able to access these areas," Buckner said. Although she didn't know exactly what she would be doing, Buckner knew in high school she wanted to work overseas. "I always had some interest in international work," Buckner said. "My friends at Hoover High School were ethnically and religiously diverse." She started her foreign relief work in the historically war-torn regions of Bosnia and Serbia. After the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Buckner was assigned there from 2013-2014. "We helped thousands get back on their feet after that horrible disaster," she said. "We provided shelter, water, sanitation, job creation. We were still responding up to five years after." When she went to Egypt, she thought it would be more peaceful, and that friends and family could come visit the pyramids. In the aftermath of the Arab Spring, the government of Egypt was thrown into turmoil. "There was hope for democracy among young people," Buckner said. "There are mixed feelings about what was accomplished. There was a lack of economic development. Thousands of people had lost their income." She worked on job creation projects in slum areas in Egypt. Muslim stereotypes Along the way, she's learned that stereotypes of Muslims are not helpful. "In my time in Egypt and Iraq, I've been impressed with the warmth and generosity of the people I've met," Buckner said. "We're talking about regular people. Doctors, lawyers and teachers who want what's best for their families. I've asked them, 'Do you have any resentment for me, being an American?' They say, 'No, that's politics.' People are people at the end of the day. I generally find that to be the case. Iraqis, Egyptians, Muslims are people, they want to live a prosperous life and support their families. Islam is a religion of peace and solidarity with the poor. They are much quicker to forget, forgive and to love. I was welcomed with open arms, honestly. I was welcomed into people's homes. I was not expected to fast (during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan). People recognize I'm a Christian and they respect that. We all have our own religion, our own customs." In the Middle East, that includes the custom of eating okra, just like in the South. An Egyptian police officer once stopped Buckner and questioned her. He asked her name. She told him Basma Bamya: Smile Okra. "He laughed and let me go," she said. bigfoot cutout.jpg Officials in Clarke County, Ala., want to know the identity of a man behind the viral online story claiming a Bigfoot creature is harassing his family and hurting his outdoor pets in the community of Gainestown. (Bigfoot cutout photo by Kelly Kazek/kkazek@al.com) Officials in Clarke County, Ala., want to know the identity of a man behind the viral online story claiming a Bigfoot creature is harassing his family and hurting his outdoor pets in the community of Gainestown. In its June 9 edition, the weekly Clarke County Democrat featured a story by reporter Jim Cox asking anyone with information about or photos of the creature to contact the newspaper office in Grove Hill. In the story, Cox quotes Clarke County Sheriff Ray Norris: "We've never had one reported ... Call us, I'd sure like to see one." Norris has not responded to two messages left with his office from AL.com. The request came after a story was published on CryptozoologyNews.com on May 30, with an unnamed man saying he plans to kill the creature if authorities don't capture it. The story was a popular share on social media since its posting. The May 30 story was a follow-up to a 2015 report on bfro.net, the Bigfoot Field Research Organization website, in which the unnamed male witness states: "Its [sic] starting to kill the family pets and chase people." According to CrytozoologyNews.com, the witness is a Texas native who has family in Gainestown, an unincorporated Clarke County community of about 800 residents. The man reported he is "tired of dealing" with the Bigfoot, which he describes as being 8 feet tall and covered with reddish-brown fur. The witness estimated the creature weighs about 800 pounds and said it smelled like "cheese gone bad." In the 2015 report on the BFRO site, the same witness (also unnamed on this site) described a sighting categorized by BFRO as "Class A," which means it involved "clear sightings in circumstances where misinterpretation or misidentification of other animals can be ruled out with greater confidence." The witness' 2015 report states: "I am trying to get some of the guys together and try and kill it because no one will do anything to research and capture this thing. We know where it lives and how it travels, all we want is for someone to capture and remove it. I live in Texas but my family lives in Alabama, and they are living in fear of this thing so it has to go one way or another." That initial report was investigated by Mike Brumfield with BFRO, who wrote: "There is no doubt in my mind this was a real encounter. I know the area and if I were a Sasquatch, that's where I would live." Brumfield also reported that Sasquatches - Sasqui? - have been previously spotted in the area. He wrote that he explained to the man "That they all have their own personalities and more likely there isn't just one in the area. I suggested that they may not take lightly to one of theirs getting shot. The folks living there who had close encounters realized at how much they look like humans, and they really couldn't kill any of them." Join al.com reporter Kelly Kazek on her weekly journey through Alabama to record the region's quirky history, strange roadside attractions and tales of colorful characters. Find her on Facebook or follow her Odd Travels and Real Alabama boards on Pinterest. Authorities have now released the name of a man found dead in a southwest Birmingham alley. The Jefferson County Coroner's Office identified the victim as Lindsey Franklin Jones. He was 33. Jones' body was found about 8:30 a.m. Monday when a passerby in the alley spotted him in an overgrown area of 17th Street S.W. and Pearson Avenue. Jones was lying on his back and was shot at least once in the upper body. The man who found him then went to a nearby convenience store where he called police. Jones was pronounced dead on the scene by Birmingham and Fire Rescue Service. Birmingham police spokesman Lt. Sean Edwards said witnesses heard shots about 1 a.m., and saw two men running from the location. "It appears the victim was running from someone before he was shot,'' Edwards said. "This was not random." Homicide investigators are back out in the area today searching for clues. They have not identified a suspect or suspects in the slaying. Jones is Birmingham's 48th homicide victim this year. At least four of those have been ruled justifiable, and therefore are not deemed criminal. In all of Jefferson County, there have been 72 homicides. Anyone with information on the case is asked to call Birmingham homicide detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777. The FBI has released an unredacted transcript of the 911 call Omar Mateen made during the massacre at Pulse nightclub in Orlando on June 12, the Justice Department said in a statement. Orlando nightclub shooter Omar Mateen worked as a security guard in Florida. (Contributed photo/MySpace) The full text includes Mateen's name and the groups and people to whom he pledged allegiance. FBI agents said they omitted the text from the first transcript that was released Monday morning in an effort to provide transparency while being sensitive to those impacted by a shooting that left 49 dead and more than 50 wounded. "We also did not want to provide the killer or terrorist organizations with a publicity platform for hateful propaganda," the statement said. Mateen identified himself as an "Islamic solider" during a series of phone calls to both 911 dispatchers and crisis negotiators. During the initial call at 2:35 a.m. Mateen pledge allegiance to Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The censored transcript enraged some political leaders. House Speaker Paul Ryan asked President Barack Obama to reverse the decision. "We know the shooter was a radical Islamist extremist inspired by ISIS. We also know he intentionally targeted the LGBT community," Ryan said in a statement. "The administration should release the full, unredacted transcript so the public is clear-eyed about who did this, and why." Agents released the full transcript after saying the redacted copy "caused an unnecessary distraction" from the investigation. The unredacted transcript goes as follows: 2:35 a.m.: Shooter contacted a 911 operator from inside Pulse. The call lasted approximately 50 seconds: (OD) Orlando Police Dispatcher (OM) Omar Mateen OD: Emergency 911, this is being recorded. OM: In the name of God the Merciful, the beneficent [Arabic] OD: What? OM: Praise be to God, and prayers as well as peace be upon the prophet of God [Arabic]. I wanna let you know, I'm in Orlando and I did the shootings. OD: What's your name? OM: My name is I pledge of allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi of the Islamic State. OD: Ok, What's your name? OM: I pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi may God protect him [Arabic], on behalf of the Islamic State. OD: Alright, where are you at? OM: In Orlando. OD: Where in Orlando? [End of call.] A 15-year-old girl trapped for a harrowing 45 minutes was rescued by Trussville firefighters. But Darby Risner wasn't stuck in a cave or overturned car or crib. She was stuck in the head of Barney the dinosaur. The big, plush, purple head of Barney the dinosaur. It's true. And the last thing on her mind at that point was I love you, you love me.... "The head was closing in on me,'' Darby told Al.com. "It was like a stuck-in-a-small-place-and-can't-get-out-panicking." It all began Sunday night as a joke on her friends. The prank, however, went awry and the joke ended up being on Darby. Darby and a group of her girlfriends were at a spend the night party after church. While waiting for her friends to come downstairs, she spotted the Barney head which her pastor had bought several years ago at a going-out-of-business sale. Since then, the bodysuit has been lost but members have passed around the Barney head on an as-need basis for whatever reason. "Darby thought, 'I'm going to scare them when they come downstairs,''' said her mother, Audrey Shannon. "She put the Barney head on and when she sat down on the sofa to wait for them, it dropped. It slipped over her shoulders. When they finally came down, she got up and realized it had dropped so low, she couldn't get it off. It was digging into her." Her four friends and the parents of one of the friends then tried to get Darby out of the head. It wouldn't budge. They slathered Vaseline on her arms, but it still was a no-go. "It gave her short little Barney arms since it was nearly at her elbows,'' Shannon said. "It was hilarious. She couldn't see, so they had to guide her." Darby started feeling a little nauseated and more than a little warm, so that's when they decided to take the rescue efforts up a notch, or five. "I kind of gasped in fear like, 'Oh no, what did I do?''' Darby said. The family had friends at the Trussville Fire Department so they gave them a call and asked if they could help. The hitch was they didn't want sirens, and firefighters said if they responded to the home, they'd have to run all emergency lights. So that's when they all piled into a minivan and headed toward the fire station. Trussville Fire Lt. Vince Bruno, a 33-year veteran, was there when the gang paraded in. "When they walked in, you couldn't help but start laughing,'' Bruno said. "We tried to be professional, and she was a little distraught, but we had to giggle about it." The firefighters also tried to pull off the head, but their efforts were to no avail. "She's so little that when they lifted the head, it lifted her off the ground so they had to hold down her feet,'' Shannon said. "And with the Vaseline on her arms, they said it was like trying to wrestle a greased pig." Bruno said ultimately they made some release cuts in the back of the head to relieve the pressure and remove Barney from Darby. "It was such a relief,'' Darby said. "I have laughed about it." For the firefighters, it was a much-needed respite from the types of calls they usually have to deal with. "That's a first for me and it will probably be the last, but at least I know how to handle it if it happens again,'' Bruno said. "It's something we'll talk about for years to come." An inmate convicted of first-degree sodomy in Madison County died after a suspected suicide at the St. Clair Correctional Facility, officials said. Brian Tyrell Smith Correctional officers found Brian Tyrell Smith, 39, hanging from a bed sheet in his one-person segregation cell during a routine security check at 8:40 p.m. Friday. Medical staff arrived to revive the inmate, but he was pronounced dead at 8:50 p.m. Smith was serving a 30-year prison sentence after being convicted in 2000. The Alabama Department of Corrections is investigating the death. Suspended Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore responded Tuesday to judicial ethics charges leveled last month by the state's Judicial Inquiry Commission regarding an order he issued in opposition to gay marriage. Moore, in his response, asks the Alabama Court of the Judiciary to dismiss the charges filed by JIC against him. Moore had a deadline - extended to today - in which to respond to the JIC's charges. which were brought May 6. The charges center on Moore's alleged violation of judicial ethics when in January he advised probate judges in the state that the Alabama Supreme Court's order from March 2015 telling them not to issue same-sex marriage licenses was still in effect, despite the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling three months later making same-sex marriage legal nationwide. Now that Moore has responded the Alabama Court of the Judiciary will set a trial date to hear the charges. In his response Tuesday, Moore argues that the JIC is comparing the current complaint with the one that got him ousted from the Alabama Supreme Court in 2003 after he defied a federal court order telling him to remove a Ten Commandments statue from the supreme court building. "The JIC's complaint is premised upon the false proposition that in his Administrative Order of January 16, 2016, the Chief Justice defied the federal courts," Moore's response states. The purpose of that Order, however, was to instruct probate judges about the status of the state-court injunction that had first been imposed upon them in March 2015, Moore's response states. The Alabama Supreme Court, days after the U.S. Supreme Court ruling making same-sex marriage legal, had asked for briefs from parties on what to do with its March 2015 order. Not until March of this year did the Alabama Supreme Court dismiss the petitions from two anti-gay marriage groups, including the Alabama Policy Institute (API), that had spawned its March 2015 order. "The sole purpose of the (January 2016) Administrative Order in question was to inform the probate judges that six months after that briefing order, the Court still remained in deliberation on the matter and that, therefore, the API orders continued in effect pending 'further decision.'" "An order issued by a court with jurisdiction, even if erroneous, remains in effect until modified by the court that issued it or by a superior court having jurisdiction over the order in a case before it," the response states The response was filed by Mat Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, a conservative non-profit religious freedom group which represents Moore. "The Administrative Order of Chief Justice Moore expressly said he could not provide guidance to the probate judges because the matter was pending before the Alabama Supreme Court," Staver stated in a press release in which he provided a copy of their response. "The JIC apparently wanted the Chief Justice to openly disobey the Alabama Supreme Court and to take matters into his own hands," Staver stated. "The JIC's position is astounding and clearly wrong. It is no wonder why the JIC has no jurisdiction to render legal decisions. When it veers into this forbidden realm, it makes no sense," Staver also says the JIC lacked jurisdiction to issue the charges because they all deal with a legal interpretation that is beyond its authority. "We have asked that these baseless charges be dismissed," he stated. Liberty Counsel a few weeks ago filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of Moore against the JIC, asking among other things that the law that automatically suspends a judge when charged by JIC be declared unconstitutional. The group last week also filed a similar suit on behalf of Alabama Associate Justice Tom Parker, who also has been under investigation by JIC for public comments he has made about same-sex marriage. The complaints regarding both Moore and Parker to JIC were both filed by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore Response by KentFaulk Tennessee 3-year-old was found safe after her non-custodian father kidnapped her at gunpoint, WBIR reported. Tremiyah Rainer was taken during an altercation between her mother and father, Ladarrius Johnson. According to reports, Johnson fired several shots at the mother before he fled on foot with the child on Steuben Drive in Memphis. An AMBER Alert was issues for the child following the incident. The girl was later found and returned to her mother. Johnson, who has a history of domestic assault and robbery, was arrested. Two former Jefferson County pharmacists were sentenced to federal prison - one to 12 months and the other 10 months - for their roles in the distribution of tainted drugs in 2011 that authorities say contributed to the deaths of nine patients at various Birmingham-area hospitals who developed bloodstream infections. The two men had been charged and pleaded guilty to misdemeanor violations of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA), according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice Tuesday. David Allen, 60, of McCalla, Alabama, was the former pharmacist-in-charge at the now-shuttered Advanced Specialty Pharmacy, doing business as Meds IV, was sentenced to 12 months in prison. Timothy Rogers, 48, of Hoover, Alabama, was the former president of Meds IV, was sentenced to 10 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Virginia Hopkins. Hopkins also sentenced both defendants to one year of supervised release following their imprisonment and a $5,000 fine, according to the press release from the DOJ. According to the DOJ statement: Meds IV compounded various drugs for human use, including an intravenous drug known as Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN). TPN is liquid nutrition administered intravenously to patients who cannot or should not receive their nutrition through eating. The information alleged that beginning in or around February 2011, Meds IV compounded its own amino acid solution, which it then mixed with other ingredients to form TPN. However, the amino acid used in compounding the TPN was contaminated with bacteria, Serratia marcescens (S. marcescens), afrer it was prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions, according to the federal authorities' statement. As alleged in the charges against Allen and Rogers, between March 5 and 15, 2011, nine patients at various Birmingham-area hospitals who developed bloodstream infections caused by S. marcescens died, and several other hospital patients developed S. marcescens bloodstream infections but survived. According to the charges, all of these patients had been given TPN that was compounded and distributed by Meds IV. As alleged in the information, while a number of the patients who died had underlying conditions which may have contributed to their deaths, medical records of some patients suggest that the S. marcescens bloodstream infections were also a significant factor. During an inspection at Meds IV starting on March 22, 2011, investigators from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found S. marcescens that was indistinguishable from the outbreak strain on a tap-water faucet, in an open container of amino acid powder, and on the surface of mixing equipment that had been used to make TPN, according to the DOJ statement. The FDA and CDC investigators linked the S. marcescens to TPN that had been compounded by Meds IV. Officials with the DOJ, U.S. Attorney's Office and the FDA's Office of Criminal Investigations issued statements after the sentencings. "Compounding pharmacies are entrusted with protecting the public's health from any harm their drugs may impose and must comply with the law," said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer, head of the Justice Department's Civil Division. "These cases demonstrate that the Department of Justice will continue to work aggressively with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to protect consumers from drugs compounded under insanitary conditions." U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance for the Northern District of Alabama stated that: "Meds IV provided intravenous nutrition to patients, without taking legally required precautions in the preparation of its product." "Producing unsafe and contaminated drugs poses a serious threat to the U.S. public health and cannot be tolerated," said Director George Karavetsos of the FDA's Office of Criminal Investigations. "The FDA remains fully committed to aggressively pursuing those who place unsuspecting American consumers at risk by distributing adulterated drugs." The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Heide L. Herrmann of the Justice Department's Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Henry Cornelius of the Northern District of Alabama. They were assisted by Associate Chief Counsel Shannon M. Singleton of the Food and Drug Division, Office of General Counsel, Department of Health and Human Services. The case was investigated by the FDA's Office of Criminal Investigations. Vincent Rutherford at 2016 RCP Vincent Rutherford, in the foreground, listens to speakers during the Rocket City Pride event in Huntsville on June 18, 2016. Rutherford was an event director, and has also personally experienced violence directed at the gay community. (Courtesy of Rocket City Pride) Vincent Rutherford was having a great week. The 52-year-old Florida native was busy but thrilled to be directing one of the biggest parties in Huntsville - Rocket City Pride 2016 - for a cause he deeply believes in. He was so busy, in fact, that when he received a text at 3 a.m. June 12, he ignored it. A few hours later, his mom called. There was a shooting, she said. At a gay nightclub in Orlando, 49 people were gunned down by a terrorist. For Rutherford, it was a heart-stopping moment of shock and disbelief. Everything came rushing back. Rutherford, born and raised in Miami, came out as gay when he was 13. His first boyfriend was beaten to death outside a gay nightclub in Miami in the late 1970s. "I was young then," he said. "You can't really describe the feeling to someone. But it hurts because it's something you can't change about yourself. It's who you are, how you're made up." Rutherford, who now lives in Huntsville, said the Orlando shooting dredged up old fear and anxiety just when he'd hoped his country was pulling further and further away from intolerance and violence directed at the LGBT community. "I thought all of this was over and taken care of," he said. "But here I am in 2016, seeing this massacre of my brothers and sisters. It's brought back a lot of those memories in me. Reliving all of that fear of being chased, being targeted." Opening the doors For the gay community, nightclubs are not just nightclubs. Over the years, they have been a kind of safe haven, said Rutherford. Some have likened it to church or a sanctuary. "Being in the club was the only place you could really be yourself, hold someone's hand and kiss them," he said. "For some people, they felt more secure in a bar than they did in their own homes." The morning after the shooting, Rutherford and other Pride leaders headed to the offices of Free2Be, a Huntsville nonprofit that provides support and services to LGBTQ people and to the community. "We opened the doors and people were coming in crying, just wanting to be around everyone," he said. "I spent that whole day Sunday comforting other people, talking to kids and older people, telling them please don't let this push us back in the closet." Some wanted to cancel Rocket City Pride, a week of events celebrating the LGBTQ community in North Alabama and Southern Tennessee, afraid of a copycat shooter. Rutherford disagreed. "My gut reaction is that if I'm going to go down in a hail of bullets, I'll have a rainbow flag in my hand, saying, 'Life well lived,'" he said. The event directors decided the show would go on. "We assured them we could not hide, and anyway we're in Huntsville, which to me is an (LGBTQ-friendly) oasis in the state of Alabama." Rutherford also pointed out that the police in Huntsville "have always done their utmost to protect us, and I can't thank them enough." He knew a few people who chose not to attend the Pride Parade last Saturday, citing safety concerns for their children and families. "The Orlando shooting created fear," said Rutherford. "But we have to stand up to fear and face it head on. That's why we decided to keep going: out, loud and proud." Rocket City Pride 2016 was the biggest in the event's five-year history, according to Bronwen Murray of In the Loop Communications. An estimated 12,000 people attended the week's festivities. Evolving attitudes The day after the Orlando shooting, after spending the day comforting the community at Free2Be, Rutherford said he broke down once he was finally alone. He was overwhelmed with sadness, "remembering all the people I've found along the way, who have fought long and hard for our rights." Rutherford has been an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ rights for decades and has watched as the nation's attitude toward the LGBTQ community has shifted and evolved over the past 40 years. "My biggest fear from all of this is that it will keep people at home and hiding," he said. "I have spoken to several who are afraid now to have their rainbow flag flying or to say who they are at their workplaces." Rutherford said he appreciated seeing local leaders at Rocket City Pride event on Saturday, including Rep. Laura Hall, Rep. Anthony Daniels and Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle. "The ones who came were great, but I also want more from them," he said. "I want them to protect us in our communities, our homes. You can be married in this state on Saturday, and be fired on Monday for marrying who you love." He wants to see lawmakers work to protect the employment and housing rights of people in the LGBTQ community. He also wants to see churches, organizations and individuals outside that community to speak openly against intolerance and discrimination. "Young people need to see positive role models out there," he said. "The straight allies in the community need to take a stand for us. We have carried the flag this far, but we need every ally to speak up for every man, woman and child who is living their lives in fear." A 3-year-old South Carolina boy died Sunday one day after his twin brother drowned in a backyard pool. The boys went outside to play with other children while attending a party with their family at a residence in Easley, S.C. on Saturday, the Independent Mail reported. Their bodies were later found at the bottom of a pool, according to the report. The boys had apparently sneaked through a locked gate to gain access to the pool. Caleb Marcengill was pronounced dead shortly after being transported to a hospital. His brother, Ezekiel, remained on life support until Sunday afternoon. The boys death was ruled accidental, Anderson County Deputy Coroner Don McCown told the newspaper. Their father, Brandon Marcengill, urged everyone to hug their children. "Hold them tight," he said. "You protect your kids as best as you can. They reach an age where they can run around and play. How do you defend against everything?" prekindergarten photo Oliver Elementary Birmingham Alex Walsh 2013.JPG Students work in a prekindergarten classroom at Oliver Elementary School in Birmingham in 2013. ( Alex Walsh/awalsh@al.com) Alabama's national ranking on well-being of children fell to 46th in the latest annual report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. It was the second straight year for Alabama to drop in the Kids Count Data Book, which lists 16 indicators of child well-being in four areas: economic, educational, health and family and community. Alabama had ranked 44th in 2014 and 45th in 2015. Alabama has improved in seven of the 16 indicators since 2008, most notably in health. The state has seen a decline in the number of low birth weight babies, the proportion of children without health insurance, child and teen deaths and alcohol and drug abuse by teens, according to Kids Count. Alabama's teen birth rate has decreased by 37 percent since 2008. But the statistics in the economic well-being categories have gotten worse. The percentage of children living in poverty in Alabama has increased 27 percent since 2008. Twenty-eight percent of Alabama children lived in poverty in 2014, compared to 22 percent nationally. The percentage of children living in single-parent families has increased by 11 percent since 2008. "Alabama continues to sort of lag behind the rest of the country," said Rhonda Mann, policy and research director of VOICES for Alabama's Children. "As other states are pulling out we continue to have a very difficult time of pulling out of the recession." Mann said poverty puts children at a disadvantage in multiple ways. For example, poor families are more likely to live in school districts that have fewer resources. Children in high poverty areas might not have a safe place to play outside. And some low-income neighborhoods lack convenient access for healthy foods, especially for families with limited transportation options, Mann said. "Poverty can actually impact every area of their life," Mann said. A child in a poor household whose parents also came from poverty can start school at a disadvantage partly because they will have heard far fewer words during the first few years of life, Mann said. That can result in a smaller vocabulary than their peers. Mann said that's why it's important for Alabama to continue to expand its voluntary, state-funded prekindergarten program. "That's what the state's First Class Pre K program is about, is helping to close that gap of educational achievement before a child actually starts formal school and helping them to get on a more even par with their peers so they don't continue to get behind," Mann said. The Legislature boosted prekindergarten funding by $16 million, to $64 million, in the budget for the upcoming school year. That is expected to expand the program's availability to about 25 percent of the state's 4-year-olds. The Annie E. Casey Foundation, based in Baltimore, awards grants to help poor and disadvantaged children and families. VOICES for Alabama's Children is the Alabama grantee for the foundation, and publishes an annual Alabama Kids Count Data Book that includes measures of child well-being broken down by counties. The Alabama Kids Count book comes out in December. A Piedmont woman died on Sunday while taking a walk in the extreme heat in Tucson, Ariz., according to reports. Jana Kirkpatrick, 54, was a traveling nurse working in Tucson at the time of her death, according to Facebook posts. She was one of four heat-related deaths in the Tucson area over the weekend as record-breaking temperatures reached 115 degrees. According to the Pima County Sheriff's Office, Kirkpatrick was found dead on The Loop, a walking and biking path around metro Tucson, at around 3 p.m. on Sunday. Her husband called 911 when Kirkpatrick failed to return from her walk. The couple was staying at the Studio Six Extended Stay Motel near The Loop, KVOA reported. Kirkpatrick was a former nurse at Northeast Alabama Regional Medical Center. Friends mourned the loss of Kirkpatrick on Facebook. "To have such a tragedy strike at a time that she was finally fulfilling one of her dreams of travel nursing is just unimaginable," Belinda Wolfe Mckenzie, of Oxford, wrote. "She could tell some of the funniest stories that you could ever hear, and she truly was just a good person." "I know that she will be dearly missed by her family and friends and I count myself fortunate to have had the pleasure of knowing her and being her friend," she wrote. Stacey Bullock said Kirkpatrick was a great person. "It just break (sic) my heart to hear about the passing of Jana Kirkpatrick," she wrote. This report will be updated when more information becomes available. Al Jazeera speaks to residents of the capital about the upcoming referendum on the UKs continued membership of the EU. London, United Kingdom The UK will soon know if it will continue to be a member of the European Union or whether it will be heading for a Brexit. The referendum scheduled for Thursday is too close to call with the Leave campaign, once trailing by double digits, now two points ahead, according to pollster YouGov. The Remain campaign led by Prime Minister David Cameron and the opposition Labour party has struggled to contain the populist Eurosceptic appeal of their opponents, most notably the UK Independence Party (UKIP). Those in favour of remaining in the 27-country bloc argue that the UKs economic security is reliant on its continued membership. Supporters of the Brexit campaign, however, argue leaving the EU will give the UK increased control over immigration and protect its sovereignty from what they say is an increasing transfer of power from London to Brussels. Al Jazeera spoke to residents on the streets of the British capital about their views on the referendum and their fears or hopes should the UK decide to leave the EU. Beth Humphreys against Brexit British citizen United we stand, divided we fall I think there is a lot of support provided by the EU. We have better trade opportunities with them, we have more choice in our shops, we have better travel through the freedom of movement. We are a small island and need support from other nations. I do think we would be more isolated if we leave and we would lack the new ideas that come across from Europe and the liaison with other governments. Im not against immigration. I love meeting people from different cultures and backgrounds and I think it adds a real richness to our country and society. Conor Sheehan against Brexit British citizen I want to stay in the EU because I havent heard any good arguments for leaving, and with all the uncertainty with leaving I dont know why we should take a step into the dark. Ive spent a year living in Europe and I dont want to be restricted in moving around. People are saying we pay so much money in the EU, but then were going to have to pay money if were in the free trade area. I just think there is no genuine argument for leaving. Mira Ishisaka undecided Slovakian citizen Im undecided because to be honest I feel as though Im not that deeply informed about both sides. Im leaning towards staying in because I am scared about leaving its like opening a mystery unknown box. Why risk it? Mohammed Mughal supports Brexit British citizen I fully support Brexit. Ive been self-employed for 32 years and Ive seen businesses going downhill because of the influx of outside manpower. With the new people coming in, nobody is worried about the quality just the price since they work for cheaper pay. We as British businesses are suffering. Farukh Mukhamedov undecided Russian citizen Having restrictions on skilled workers coming in the country (if Brexit happens) is anti-economical when a lot of Europeans contribute highly to our society. Rabile Mahamud against Brexit Danish citizen I dont support the Brexit campaign being an EU national myself, so I might be biased. I just think we need to stay stronger together in the European Union. Our position as a nation is so much stronger in the EU. We trade easily and it benefits us by giving us the freedom of movement. If we segregate ourselves from the mainland, well only be making lives difficult for ourselves Farrukh Alladin supports Brexit British/Pakistani citizen The influx of unskilled migrants is likely to create more trouble, more crime and more problems in schools, housing and other things that are struggling right now. I think there should be a cap on immigration. You cannot come up and say youre going to use the benefits of the country. Im a graduate and have a Masters in Business Administration I bring my skills here. Djamila Izza against Brexit British citizen I would like the UK to remain because it protects us with a lot of human rights laws like workers rights and environmental rights, which Im passionate about. I think we should be working towards a world without borders, so leaving and shutting up shop is a backward step. I think the anti-immigrant rhetoric used is disgusting. Its scaremongering, its racist, and its not what being British is about. Giorgia Dinnocenzo against Brexit Italian citizen I dont support the Brexit campaign the concept of the EU is about different countries coming together and establishing policies where they help each other. Im scared being European of being personally affected if Britain did leave the EU. Ive been listening to debates and nobody seems to answer what would happen to EU citizens like myself in Britain. I am scared and confused about my standing in Britain. Im left wondering things such as would I need a visa, would my rights and finances change. So I am very worried and confused. Macedonians have protested against the government in up to 20 cities for more than two months. Skopje, Macedonia When dozens of angry demonstrators ransacked the presidential office in the Macedonian capital in early April, the windows were shattered and furniture set ablaze. Zdravko Saveski, a 39-year-old member of the leftist Levica partys presidential committee, insisted that he did not participate in damaging the building or the furniture. Yet he was charged with participation in a mob and destroying state property and placed under house arrest for more than 50 days during the police investigation. Speaking to Al Jazeera while still under house arrest earlier this month, he sipped from a mug of coffee and chain-smoked in the living room of his one-bedroom flat on the outskirts of the Macedonian capital. What I did was throw an egg inside the office and burned a photo of the president, he recalled. A former political science professor and trade unionist-turned-organiser, Saveski is among at least 34 demonstrators who have been dealt charges since mass anti-corruption protests broke out in early April, according to local activists. Because protesters have used paint-filled balloons to target government buildings and nationalistic monuments, the movement has been dubbed the Colourful Revolution. Marches have been held in 20 cities across the country. The movement draws supporters from the ethnic Macedonian majority and the Albanian minority. They have called on the government to drop charges against all demonstrators accused of vandalising public property or destroying cultural heritage sites. Pardons The latest unrest was triggered by President Gjorge Ivanovs decision to issue pardons to 56 people politicians and their confidantes under criminal investigation. Many of them are connected to the conservative ruling party, the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organisation Democratic Party for Macedonian Unity (VMRO-DPMNE). Home to an estimated 2.1 million people, Macedonia has pending applications in both the European Union and NATO. Under three-pronged pressure from the EU, NATO and internal unrest, Ivanov rescinded the pardons on June 6. Opposition leader Zoran Zaev of the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) accuses the government of wiretapping more than 20,000 people, including politicians, judges, journalists, NGO workers and others. Among those initially pardoned was former Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, who entered office in 2006 and stepped down in January as part of an EU-sponsored agreement to pave the way for elections. Previously scheduled once in April and later in June, elections were postponed both times by the government. Gruevski blamed foreign intelligence services for the wiretapping, saying that it was fabricated. With Macedonias political crisis deepening, Colourful Revolution supporters have issued a list of demands to the government. Our strength and their failure In addition to demanding pardons for protesters facing criminal charges, they have called for a transitional government, the resignation of the president and transparent measures toward democratic elections, among other demands. The government failed to meet the movements deadline, which was scheduled for Saturday. Saveski argued that the Macedonian government targeted him in order to prevent him from participating in the ongoing anti-corruption protests. Some of the demonstrators who participated in the ransacking of the presidential office were masked. Yet, Saveski insists that others, who were clearly identifiable, were not arrested or placed under house arrest. The [government] wanted me in custody because they perceive me as a prominent organiser of protests, he said. They think hierarchical, but we organise horizontally. This is our strength and their failure. For now, however, he argued protesters have shaken the government. Quite a lot of people are convinced that if the regime stabilises itself, there could be an open dictatorship; and quite a lot of people will go to prison, including myself. Jasmina Golubovska, a 30-year-old activist, said police arrived at her home on Tuesday morning, but she was not there. The charges against her were still unclear, she told Al Jazeera by telephone. We are going to continue, she said. We dont care about the charges. We are not giving up Many of the activists who have been targeted by police were given charges related to throwing paint on the parliament, the government offices or monuments built as part of the Skopje 2014 project. Initiated under former Prime Minister Gruevski, the Skopje 2014 programme has seen dozens of statues and other monuments built across the capital as part of a drive to strengthen national identity and draw more tourism revenue. Sold to the public at a cost of 80 million euros ($91m), Skopje 2014s tab had topped 560 million euros ($636) by 2015, according to an investigation by the Balkans Investigative Reporting Network. Transparency and accountability have shrunk under this government, Fani Karanfilova-Panovska, executive director of the Open Society Foundation Macedonia, told Al Jazeera. I think no one in this country knows how much [Skopje 2014] has cost our public budget. Ivo Kotevski, a VMRO-DPMNE spokesman, blamed the protests on the SDSM opposition party and foreign-funded NGOs. The [protesters] dont have any support, he told Al Jazeera by telephone on Tuesday. They have seen that the majority of Macedonians are against them. Kotevski expects more people to be arrested following the protests in Skopje on Monday, when thousands marched through the streets. Speaking to Al Jazeera at a protest earlier this month, Pavle Bogoevski, a 30-year-old civil society campaigner, recalled learning he had been charged with damaging cultural heritage while watching the news. Ever since we started this, we knew what we were getting into, he said. Im going to keep coming [to protests]. Its a personal obligation. As demonstrators waved Macedonian flags and blew whistles behind him, Bogoevski said he doesnt mind going to jail as long as politicians also face justice. Until then, we are not giving up. Follow Patrick Strickland on Twitter: @P_Strickland_ Whatever the result, the vote will prove only the beginning of a long process to redefine 21st-century Britain. In their attempts to win the hearts and minds of British voters before this weeks referendum on British membership of the European Union, it seems to me the Leave camp focused primarily on the hearts, while the Remain campaign spoke to the minds. No point in repeating all the arguments here. In short, Leave has warned of the loss of national sovereignty, security freedom, pride and identity, while Remain underlines the preservation of economic prosperity, stability and influence. The referendum is no doubt historic. And it is paramount that the people weigh in on such a fateful decision. But regardless of the result, the vote will prove only the beginning of a long process to redefine 21st-century Britain. Indeed, the challenge facing Britain could prove more English and British than continental European. Brexit or Engxit? I find Brexit the shorthand word for leaving the EU misleading and the motivation behind it mystifying. A more accurate term would be Engxit. After all, the other non-English components of Britain are largely opposed to exiting the EU. Many Scots, Welsh and Irish would rather leave Britain than exit the EU. READ MORE: Beyond the Brexit debate In the predominantly English Britain, where eight out of 10 citizens or more are English, the historic, cultural and economic arguments and sensibilities behind the idea of exiting the continents union are more English than British. Judging from Europe's history, the alternative to unity is not pretty. by Indeed, a Leave vote could lead to Britains break-up, according to present and former British leaders. And if you think its all part of some fear tactics by the Bremain camp, think again. The Welsh are already warning of a constitutional crisis if the English vote in favour of leaving. Likewise, the Scots threaten to hold another referendum on leaving Britain. Even neighbouring Ireland is alarmed by the prospects of turmoil in its relation with Britain where 600,000 Irish citizens reside. Erecting a British EU land border will have a big effect on their bilateral trade which exceeds one billion euros ($1.13bn) a week. And last but not least, I gather many of the recent immigrants, who are more likely to refer to themselves as British than English, and the almost two million Europeans living in Britain (like the million-plus British residing on the continent) would also like to see Britain stay in Europe. So if its not exactly British, what prompts so many English to want to withdraw from Europe back to the island? Does the problem lie with Europe, or does it lie in England? The Evil continent Engxiters have demonised the authoritarian EU which burdens and weakens Britains economy, limits its sovereignty, restricts its freedom of action, and increasingly defines its identity and its future. They reckon the EU is dysfunctional and utterly undemocratic, and unelected bureaucrats rule supreme there. And they are alarmed by the ambition of the powerful EU members to turn it into a federal super state with its army and president. Some of their criticism is partially true and is shared by other EU members, especially regarding the pervasive bureaucracy and slow decision-making process. But they are seen, at least in part, as a necessary evil to maintain and manage a union of 28 sovereign nations with distinct identities, languages and cultures. READ MORE: Brexit the UKs rage against dying of colonial light The solution, it follows, should be to reform and democratise not demonise the EU; and to firm it up, not break it up. Because judging from Europes history, the alternative to unity is not pretty. Demonising Europe is necessary to break away and make Britain great again. by Former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis, known for his vocal criticism of the Union, had the following to say to the British: Just like in the early 1930s, Britain and Greece cannot escape Europe by building a mental or legislative wall behind which to hide. Either we band together to democratise or we suffer the consequences of a pan-European nightmare that no border can keep out. But clearly, the problem is not only European; it is also British. And demonising Europe is necessary to break away and make Britain great again. Delusional? Perhaps. But its real. You say tomayto, I say tomhato Sitting in London or New York, one hears the same speech nowadays, albeit with different accents; and it is populist, hateful, xenophobic and paranoid. The resemblance between the arguments made by the Leave campaigns leading spokesman Boris Johnson and those of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump couldnt be mistaken. More so than the hair. On both sides of the Atlantic, major segments of the Right are embracing a populist, nationalist, fear-mongering discourse. They warn of imminent decline, caution of international agreements, and vow to put their country first, by keeping immigrants out. Both promise to make their countries great again. And both speak to the grievances of disgruntled and bitter working people who suffered from recent economic crises and loss of jobs, and who wish for better pay and better working conditions. But instead of providing the right diagnoses and prescription for the national malaise, the populist Right incite against all thats foreign, including their fellow citizens of different ethnicity or religion. And yet, the historic, political and cultural differences between the United States and the United Kingdom, or, for that matter, the contrast between the Americas and Europe, cannot be overemphasised. It is, after all, Europe that wrought and fought some of the worlds worst wars. Resurrecting nationalism The British-American TV satirist John Oliver has pointed out in one of his recent monologues on Brexit advocates: Its now official, not everything sounds smarter in an English accent. Well, perhaps not everything, but Johnson & co. do sound smarter than the linguistically challenged Trump. Not since the days of Bush-Blair have Britain and the US been so divided by a common language, to paraphrase an old saying attributed to the Irish playwright Bernard Shaw. And its not limited to pronunciation. Ever since the decline of the British Empire five or six decades ago, England has paid lip service to Europe and instead pinned its hopes on the new rising empire in North America, wishing to play the role of the modern Greeks for the new Roman empire. But as the United States has downplayed Britains special status in recent years, and Europe has discarded its reservations and warnings, Britain, or should I say England, finds itself lost. And the answer: resurrecting nationalism? But more on that tomorrow. Making England great again. Marwan Bishara is the senior political analyst at Al Jazeera. Follow him on Facebook. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. After six years of financial and social crisis, will the refugees trapped in Athens destroy the city or spark a rebirth? By the time the refugee tide hit Athens last summer, five years of financial crisis had already hollowed out its ancient centre. The marble pavements had been chipped and broken to provide ammunition against the riot-police, scorch marks from flaming Molotov cocktails marked the tarmac, and boarded-up stores and rough sleepers accrued around the refined commercial arcades and neoclassical and modernist architecture. The nosediving economy and clashes between demonstrators and police resulted in thousands of shops closing, historical buildings burning and a general air of abandonment. Athenians queue up for food handouts, scavenge in bins, and congest medical clinics run by charities. Drug addicts have returned to the downtown to congregate in poorly lit side-streets and shoot up in the snatched privacy of parked cars shadows. Meanwhile, solidly immigrant neighbourhoods that developed over the past 30 years of Greek middle-class flight to the suburbs thrum with large families during the day, emptying out with the approach of iftar. Covered women carry bulging bags from neighbourhood supermarkets to overcrowded flats redolent with the smell of cooking. On hot nights, groups of men crowd the pavements. Urban prisons on the Mediterranean These scenes are being replicated across a necklace of Mediterranean cities such as Beirut, Istanbul, Naples, and Marseilles, as they become urban holding zones along the European periphery. Unable to move forward into the European Union but unwilling to go back to Turkey or Libya, the refugees settle into rundown urban neighbourhoods. Their presence is tolerated for injecting off-grid cash into strained economies, and resented for ghettoising the same districts. READ MORE: Wired on Mount Athos With conflict and terrorism racking traditional Mediterranean tourism destinations such as Egypt, Turkey and Tunisia, Greece is experiencing its busiest summer tourism season ever. With conflict and terrorism racking traditional Mediterranean tourism destinations such as Egypt, Turkey and Tunisia, Greece is experiencing its busiest summer tourism season ever. by But Athens looks shabby, with those who havent visited since the 2004 Athens Olympics professing shock at the grimy exhaustion displayed by buildings and inhabitants alike. Grassroots solidarity groups, NGOs and humanitarian organisations have stepped in to help the Greek state to manage the needs of more than a half million refugees living in Athens who join destitute Greeks in using public services already stretch by reduced health and municipality budgets. Add to this a crashed property market, middle-class flight, and neglect of the historical centre, and you have a city being torn apart at the seams. Will the additional migrant burden cause Athens to collapse, or can it provide an example of how to house and integrate refugees at a time of systemic crisis? From refugee anathema to crisis pivot Many of the first-generation migrant workers who settled in Athens in the economically vibrant 1990s departed with the crisis. Those who replaced them intended to go on through Greece to northern Europe but were discouraged by a lack of jobs, surging racism and a right-wing government conducting security sweeps and pushbacks in the Aegean Sea. s horror stories emerged about the terrible conditions in detention camps, Greece quickly ceased to be either a destination or a country to which those caught deeper inside Europe might be deported. In 2013, a wall was completed across the border with Turkey, closing the Greek corridor. Left-wing Syriza was elected in 2015 and closed the detention camps. But as ISIL (also known as ISIS) spread across Iraq and Syria and civil war engulfed Libya, refugee arrivals to Greece started picking up again, until the summer of 2015 when Athens was overwhelmed by the hundreds of thousands of people crossing from Turkey to the Greek islands. READ MORE: Greece and the swansong of the nation-state In the capitals largest park, Afghans erected a tent city among the busts of prominent ancient Greeks, and disoriented families straight off the boat crowded the citys central squares. An extraordinary show of public solidarity ensued: grandmothers donated plastic bags filled with food, students played with refugee children, and activists cooked and provided night-time security. Crisis along prosperity Even as the refugee crisis spiralled, Greeks were polarised by a summertime referendum face-off with Brussels that resulted in harsher austerity. Despite the heavy atmosphere, there was an upturn in the capitals fortunes as Airbnb apartments took off, resulting in Athens becoming a city-break destination for tourists rather than a one-night stop en route to the islands. A creative younger generation raised during the crisis rediscovered the centre and coexisted with migrants in gritty neighbourhoods such as Exarcheia, Kerameikos and Kypseli. They mixed in the open-air farmers markets and partied with young Arabs, Africans and European hippies and hipsters in the bars and street carnivals. All the [foreign] artists and architects I speak with want to come here, said architect George Tzirtzilakis. No one ever cared about the Greece of the Olympic Games; its buildings and projects were entirely irrelevant. It was the crisis that shook up Greece and brought it back to the fore. Now, the UN refugee agency, the UNHCR, and Athens municipality are running a pilot scheme whereby some 6,000 refugees awaiting the processing of their asylum claims will be housed in some 1,000 apartments. The idea is to get refugees out of the pressure-cooker camp environment but this also carries the risk of exposing vulnerable groups to the roaring heroin trade. READ MORE: The wild will chase away the tame Friction from older generations of Greeks more used to emigrating than welcoming migrants is already rising in central Athens where the experiment is being applied. Unlike the cosmopolitan 19th century, when these cities' ethnically mixed diplomatic and trading elites travelled across the region and could communicate in a number of languages, a century of nationalism killed multiculturalism and encouraged xenophobia. by Cities as peripheral holding centres Athens may become one of a handful of urban migration hubs at the EUs frontline, along with Naples, Beirut and Istanbul, in which Africans, Arabs and Asians settle once theyve collided with the inner EUs sealed borders. ver the next decade, these Mediterranean cities will transform ever faster, as new arrivals fleeing conflict, exclusionary economic policies and climate change make them into temporary homes. But unlike the cosmopolitan 19th century, when these cities ethnically mixed diplomatic and trading elites travelled across the region and could communicate in a number of languages, a century of nationalism killed multiculturalism and encouraged xenophobia. Todays Athenian knows little about his Alexandrian, Khartoumi and Tehrani predecessors, and has imbibed the values of a society dominated by corrupt political and business statism, the Orthodox Church, and a narrative that Greece is inseparably Western and unrelated to the MENA region. It may not be surprising that Greeks find it difficult to relate to Middle Easterners, but as long as they do so they will remain trapped in the short-termist mindset that plunged them into the economic crisis in the first place. A society still in a period of deflating expectations could do worse than engage with the migrants on its soil, encourage them to learn Greek or English as a working language, and empower the older generation of Greek-speaking migrants to establish a support and managerial system. The worst-case scenario is that the best-educated and most polyglot human capital available will be cherry-picked to reinforce Europes mid-income managerial class. Those who fail to make the cut will be either deported or forced to put together new lives where they are. They will do so against the crumbling medieval and modernist architecture of Mediterranean countries that were created and formed by Westernising narratives, but discovered along the way that they were not quite Western enough. Iason Athanasiadis is an award-winning photojournalist who covers the Middle East. He has written this as part of the Reviving Cities project, presenting how the unprecedented arrival of refugees arriving in port cities around the Mediterranean will impact upon each others identities. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. More than 20 civilians killed in an explosion at an ammunition store in the Libyan town of Garabulli east of Tripoli. More than 20 civilians have been killed in an explosion at an ammunition store in the Libyan town of Garabulli in the restive east, officials have said. The number of casualties is rising and we are working hard to transfer them to nearest hospitals, Mohamed Assayed, a municipal official, told the Reuters news agency. Some 30 people had been wounded, he added. Tuesdays blast in Garabulli, a town 50km east of the capital, Tripoli, happened as residents entered the depot, though it was not immediately clear what had triggered the blast. Assayed said the store was under control of an armed group from the city of Misrata, but the group had left the depot after clashing with local residents. READ MORE: ISIL losing in Iraq, Syria; gaining in Libya A Garabulli resident, who also confirmed the deaths, said the clashes erupted after a dispute in a shop between locals and a member of the armed group who was refusing to pay. Libya has descended into chaos after the toppling and death of Muammar Gaddafi five years ago and has turned into a battleground of rival groups battling for powers. Libyas nascent military has struggled to secure army bases and curb armed groups, with the power vacuum allowing the Libyan chapter of the Islamic State of Iraq and the levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) to expand its presence. The group is estimated to have around 5,000 fighters in the country. Soldiers killed Also, on Tuesday, at least 18 members of Libyas pro-government forces were killed in clashes with ISIL fighters in several parts of Sirte, as they prepared for a final assault on the groups stronghold. A medical source told the Reuters news agency that 70 others were wounded. The forces loyal to the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) said dozens of ISIL fighters had also been killed in the past 24 hours, adding that they were pinned down in pockets across the coastal city. The pro-GNA forces said fighters were targeting ISIL-held areas of Sirte with heavy artillery while loyalist aircraft were carrying out sorties every day to strike ISIL or carry out reconnaissance missions. ISIL has hit back with a string of suicide car bombings in a bid to defend their stronghold on the Mediterranean coast. At least 184 loyalist troops have been killed and hundreds wounded since the start of the offensive to capture Sirte, 450km east of Tripoli. The anti-ISIL forces launched an operation in May to retake Sirte, which the armed group has controlled since June last year. ICC sentences Jean-Pierre Bemba to 18 years for murders, rapes and pillaging committed by his troops in CAR. The International Criminal Court has sentenced former Congolese vice president Jean-Pierre Bemba to 18 years for murders, rapes and pillaging committed by his troops in the Central African Republic more than a decade ago. The verdicts announced on Tuesday focused on the actions of his troops, as Bemba commanded a private army of 1,500 men who intervened in the neighbouring Central African Republics civil war. The chamber sentences Mr Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo to a total of 18 years of imprisonment, said judge Sylvia Steiner, ruling that the former militia leader had failed to exercise control over his private army sent into the Central African Republic in late October 2002 where they carried out sadistic rapes, murders and pillaging of particular cruelty. Fadi El Abdullah, a spokesman for the ICC told Al Jazeera the ruling was important for the victims and the first time they would see justice for the crimes they suffered from. Prosecutors at the ICC had called for a minimum 25-year jail term in the landmark case, the first to focus on rape as a weapon of war by the ICC, which was set up in 2002 to try the worlds worst crimes. Bemba was convicted in March on two counts of crimes against humanity as well as three counts of war crimes. His arrest in 2008 came as a surprise both to Bemba and his supporters and opponents at home. He had been living in semi-exile in Europe for several years when prosecutors sprung a trap by issuing an arrest warrant during a visit to Belgium, Congos former colonial master. His forces the Movement for the Liberation of Congo militia (MLC) had deliberately targeted civilians as part of a modus operandi as they sought to halt the coup bid against the Central African Republics then-president Ange-Felix Patasse. Men, women and children were all raped in one case three generations of the same family were gang-raped by MLC soldiers who held them at gunpoint and forced relatives to watch. Government to appeal courts nullification of President Sisis plan to cede control of two Red Sea islands to Riyadh. An Egyptian court has reversed a decision to hand over two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia. Tuesdays verdict by the highest administrative court in Cairo declared void a maritime border accord with Saudi Arabia, which would have seen Egypt surrender control of the Tiran and Sanafir islands at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba. While the verdict is not final, it could deal a blow to Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisis government, which has eagerly argued that the agreement would bring economic benefits for Egypt. The initial deal was made public in April during a high-profile visit to Cairo by the Saudi monarch, King Salman, during which he announced a mutli-billion dollar aid package to Egypt. Critics argue the islands will be given to Saudi Arabia as a payoff, something the government has denied. The government said it would appeal the courts verdict on Tuesday. The government is studying the reasons for the ruling and will challenge it at the higher administrative court of the State Council and request that it be cancelled, Magdy al-Agaty, minister of legal and parliamentary affairs, said. Judge Yehia al-Dakroury ruled that Egyptian sovereignty over the islands holds and could not be amended in favour of another state. Tiran and Sanafir lie between Saudi Arabia and Egypts Sinai Peninsula at the narrow entrance to the Gulf of Aqaba leading to Jordan and Israel. Saudi and Egyptian officials say they belong to the kingdom and were only under Egyptian control because Saudi Arabia asked Egypt in 1950 to protect them. Ali argued that according to a 1906 maritime treaty between Egypt and the Ottoman Empire, the islands are Egyptian. The treaty precedes the founding of Saudi Arabia in 1932. The demarcation agreement was also due to be discussed by parliament in the coming weeks. Two parliamentarians said the debate would go ahead and take into account the verdict. Egyptian court jails scores for islands protests A group of Egyptian rights lawyers filed the lawsuit with Egypts Administrative Court at the State Council arguing that President Sisi, Prime Minister Sherif Ismail and Parliament Speaker Ali Abdel Al had wrongfully relinquished Egypts rights over the two islands. Led by Khaled Ali, a lawyer and former presidential hopeful, they argued the border demarcation agreement was illegal, citing article 151 of the Egyptian constitution, which states that all matters regarding the drawing of Egypts borders must be reviewed by the parliament. The Egyptian constitution also states that a national referendum is required before any changes to the states borders can be finalised. One of the lawyers who co-filed the lawsuit, Malek Adly, has been detained since late April over under of spreading false rumors and inciting protests against the agreement, AhramOnline reported. The agreement in April sparked protests across Egypt. More than 150 people were jailed in connection to riots at the time, although many were later released or had their sentences reduced. Egyptian troops have been stationed on the two islands since the 1950s at the request of Saudi Arabia. The head of Irans Revolutionary Guards has issued a warning to Bahrain suggesting there could be armed resistance across the country after Manama stripped the kingdoms top Shia cleric of his citizenship. The Bahrain News Agency quoted the Interior Ministry on Monday as saying that Sheikh Isa Qassim had played a key role in creating an extremist sectarian atmosphere and working to divide Bahraini society. The move against Qassim comes less than a week after a court suspended the activities of the countrys leading Shia opposition group, Al-Wefaq, on charges of terrorism, extremism and violence in the kingdom, and having ties to a foreign power pointing a finger at Iran, a vocal critic of the Sunni-led monarchy. General Qassem Suleimani, commander of the Revoutionary Guards elite Quds Force, warned Bahrain on Monday its move against Qassim could set the region on fire. Al-Khalifa [the rulers of Bahrain] will definitely pay the price for that and their bloodthirsty regime will be toppled, Suleimani said in a statement published by Irans state-run Fars news agency. READ MORE: Bahrain strips Sheikh Isa Qassim of nationality After the decision was announced, several hundred Qassim supporters gathered outside his home in the mostly Shia village of Diraz west of the capital, carrying posters and chanting religious slogans. Bahraini media reported last week that authorities had been investigating a bank account in Qassims name holding nearly $10m to determine where the funds were coming from and how they were being spent. The exiled opposition group the Bahrian Institute for Rights and Democracy released a statement warning the states move against Qassim would escalate domestic tensions and could lead to violence. We are deeply concerned that these actions will escalate tensions on the streets and may even lead to violence, as targeting the countrys leading Shia cleric is considered a red line for many Bahrainis, said Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, the groups director of advocacy. The US State Department said it was alarmed by the move, and that it was unaware of any credible evidence to support the removal of the spiritual leaders citizenship. Qassim, who had served as a member of parliament in the 1970s, could face deportation, though dozens of other Bahrainis stripped of their nationality have remained in the country without the benefits of citizenship, such as access to free healthcare and pensions. Their passports are revoked and they are considered stateless. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Raad Al-Hussein, says at least 250 people have been stripped of their Bahraini citizenship in recent years due to alleged disloyalty. Rights groups say at least five were deported in recent months after having their citizenship stripped. Bahrain has been in turmoil since a 2011 uprising backed by majority Shia Muslims and others demanding reforms and a greater rights from the Sunni-controlled kingdom. The government crushed the protests with the help of its Sunni Arab Gulf allies suspicious of Iran and opposed to a growing Shia influence across the region. Washington says rest of city is still being fought over four days after Baghdad claimed control of Sunni city from ISIL. Iraqi forces are so far in control of one-third of the city of Fallujah, the US government has said four days after Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared the city liberated from the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) group. Approximately one-third of the city of Fallujah has been cleared by Iraqi-led ground forces, US Defence Department spokesman Matthew Allen said on Tuesday. The rest of the city remains contested and we will continue to support the government of Iraq in eliminating ISIL from Fallujah, Allen added, saying the battle has been and will continue to be a difficult fight. Abadi had announced that Fallujah, a long-standing stronghold of ISIL some 50km west of Baghdad, was freed after government forces recaptured the government compound in the city centre. The progress by government forces in the Fallujah comes months after they recaptured Ramadi, the other major city in the Sunni-dominated Anbar province. The Iraqi army declared Ramadi liberated in late December, but fighting continued for weeks in some districts. Also Read: Fallujah civilians: Militias take turns to torture us The government offensive that began on May 23 has displaced more than 60,000 people, with most people forced to fend for themselves. They have been eating rotten dates and animal feed and drinking from the river, which is undrinkable. Karl Schembri, of the Norwegian Refugee Council, earlier told Al Jazeera, explaining that the city was already enduring difficult humanitarian conditions. Upwards of 3.4 million Iraqis have been displaced since January 2014, according to UNHCR, the UN refugee agency. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) has recaptured large areas of territory in the northern Syrian province of Raqqa that it recently lost to forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad, opposition activists have said. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Tuesday that ISIL forces had pushed government forces some 40km from Tabqa, an area west of Raqqa city that has a dam and an airbase. Government troops and allied militiamen had reached within 7km of the airport on Sunday, according to the observatory. READ MORE: Clashes rage over Syrias Tabqa air base Tabqa airbase was the last position held by government forces in Raqqa province before ISIL overran it in August 2014, killing scores of detained soldiers in a massacre they documented on video. The ISIL-linked Aamaq news agency posted a video showing the armed group in control of Thawra oilfield as warplanes conducted air strikes nearby. Government forces had seized the field on Sunday, only to lose it hours later. ISIL has been under pressure in Iraq, Syria and Libya in recent weeks, but the gains in Raqqa show it is still able to take on Syrian troops backed by Russian warplanes. According to defence analysts at think-tank IHS Jane ISIL lost about 14 percent of its territory in 2015, while Syrias Kurds almost tripled theirs. More than five years since the conflict started, more than 270,000 Syrians have been killed in the fighting, and almost 11 million Syrians half the countrys prewar population have been displaced from their homes. Jordanian army says northern and northeastern border with Syria a closed military zone after attack kills six. Jordan has declared its borders with southern Syria a military zone after a suicide attack claimed the lives of six soldiers near a refugee camp housing thousands of Syrians. General Mishal al Zibn, the chief of staff of the Jordanian army, declared the porous northern and northeastern border on Tuesday a closed military zone, warning that any movement in the area would be treated without leniency. Any vehicle and personnel movement within these areas that move without prior coordination will be treated as enemy targets and dealt with firmly and without leniency, the army statement said. International relief workers said that the Jordanian authorities had also suspended all humanitarian aid to the area and that this could put the lives of refugees at risk. At least six people were killed and 14 others injured earlier on Tuesday in an attack carried out by a suicide car bomber in in al-Rukban, a desolate desert area that has become home to about 70,000 Syrian refugees. The victims were mostly army personnel, according to an earlier army statement. Jordans King Abdullah II condemned the attack and threatened to strike with an iron fist whoever assaults or attempts to harm it or its borders. The attack came two weeks after five Jordanian intelligence agents were killed when a gunman stormed the General Intelligence Directorate office in Ain el-Basha near the Palestinian refugee camp of al Baqaa. No information on the motives or affiliation of the attacker has been released by the Jordanian authorities. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) controls large areas in neighbouring Syria and Iraq. Jordan has fortified border defences to prevent attacks and infiltration attempts. Jordan has also widened a crackdown on ISIL sympathisers at home, jailing hundreds in the past two years for promoting the groups ideas on social media. The kingdom is a member of the US-led international military coalition against ISIL. Six soldiers killed and others wounded after car bomb explodes near Syrian refugee camp of al-Rukban, officials say. At least six Jordanian soldiers were killed after a car bomb exploded near the countrys border with Syria, Jordanian officials said. The attack early on Tuesday in the al-Rukban district opposite a Syrian refugee camp, which houses about 70,000 people, was part of a coordinated attack involving multiple vehicles. Officials told Al Jazeera that bombs exploded in the buffer zone between the Jordanian border and the camp in the desolate desert area. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. Six soldiers have been martyred and 14 others were wounded in the terrorist attack, an official told the AFP news agency, speaking on condition of anonymity and adding that it was a preliminary toll. Jordans state TV described the incident as a cowardly terrorist attack. The army said in a brief statement that several of the attacking vehicles were destroyed. In an official statement on Tuesday, the countrys army chief declared northern and north eastern border areas with Syria as closed military areas. The attack came two weeks after five Jordanian intelligence agents were killed when a gunman stormed the General Intelligence Directorate office in Ain el-Basha near the Palestinian refugee camp of al Baqaa. No information on the motives or affiliation of the attacker has been released by the Jordanian authorities. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) controls large areas in neighbouring Syria and Iraq, and Jordan has fortified border defences to prevent attacks and infiltration attempts. Jordan has also widened a crackdown on ISIL sympathisers at home, jailing hundreds in the past two years for promoting the groups ideas on social media. The kingdom is a member of the US-led international military coalition against ISIL. Government wants oppressed Muslim minority to be referred to as people who believe in Islam ahead of UN visit. Myanmar has banned its officials from referring to the oppressed Muslim minority as Rohingya, instead insisting they are called people who believe in Islam. The order by the Information Ministry attempts to sidestep the controversy that surrounds the identity of the Rohingya and head off disquiet during an ongoing visit by United Nations Special Rapporteur on Myanmar Yanghee Lee. Rohingya or Bengali shall not be used during Lees visit, the ministry said in a letter. Instead, people who believe in Islam in Rakhine State shall be used, it added. READ MORE: Who are the Rohingya? The letter, dated June 16 and labelled secret, added ethnic Rakhine should be referred to as people who believe in Buddhism in Rakhine State. UN envoy Lee is expected to visit Rakhine later this week. Inside Story: Is Rohingya plight being ignored? Buddhist nationalists bitterly oppose the use of the term Rohingya to describe the roughly million-strong minority most of whom live in strife-torn western Rakhine State. Hardliners instead label the stateless group Bengalis, shorthand for people from neighbouring Bangladesh, even though Rohingya people have lived in Myanmar for generations. Successive governments have refused to grant the majority of them citizenship. Scores of Rohingya have died in sectarian violence since 2012 and tens of thousands more have since languished in squalid displacement camps in western Rakhine State. On Monday, the UN warned that ongoing violations against the Rohingya could amount to crimes against humanity. In a report the UN human rights office said it had found a pattern of gross violations against the Rohingya [which] suggest a widespread or systematic attack in turn giving rise to the possible commission of crimes against humanity if established in a court of law. EXCLUSIVE: Strong evidence of genocide in Myanmar The report was published amid hope that Myanmars new government, steered by Aung San Suu Kyi and her pro-democracy party, would address deep hatreds in Rakhine State. But Suu Kyi has disappointed rights groups by avoiding direct discussion of the incendiary issue and asking for space while she seeks to build trust in the troubled state. Tens of thousands of Rohingya are confined to camps in Rakhine state and barred from travel, many struggling to access basic healthcare or education. The UN report said they are subject to a web of abuse by state security officials including summary executions, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and detention, torture and ill-treatment, and forced labour. FBI says no proof Omar Mateen was directed by foreign armed group as it releases suspects first conversation with 911. The FBI has released the transcripts of conversations between Omar Mateen, the Florida gunman, and the 911 emergency service, as well as with three crisis negotiators. Mateen, whose June 12 assault on a gay bar in Orlando left him and 49 people dead, pledged his loyalty to the Islamic State of Syria and the Levant (ISIL) as well as some other often-conflicting groups, according to FBI. The majority of the victims were lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people of colour, as it was a Latin night at the Pulse nightclub. During the 50-second call, Mateen made murderous statements in a chilling, calm and deliberate manner, Ronald Hopper, FBI assistant special agent in charge in Orlando, said on Monday. However, there is no evidence that Mateen, who was born in the United States to Afghan immigrants, was directed by a foreign armed group, Hopper said. Mateens name and the groups and people to whom he pledged allegiance were omitted from the excerpt. But the FBI has previously said he pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of ISIL, also known as ISIS. Shortly after the call, Mateen had three conversations with crisis negotiators in which he identified himself as a religious soldier and told a negotiator to tell America to stop bombing Syria and Iraq. He said that was why he was out here right now, according to the excerpt. City officials have refused to provide hundreds of 911 calls to the Associated Press and a coalition of news organisations, citing confidentiality under Florida law, and arguing that an ongoing investigation kept the tapes secret. READ MORE: The Orlando shooting and the deadly legacy of the AR-15 rifle Hopper also said that the tapes would not be released out of respect for the victims. Yes, the audio was compelling, but to expose that now would be excruciatingly painful to exploit them in this way, Hopper said. Violent rhetoric Hopper said officials are not going to propagate violent rhetoric by giving full transcripts with no redactions. The AP and others requested the 911 tapes and related data, a common practice after such major events. The recordings could offer insight into how law-enforcement agencies responded. READ MORE: Rage and desperation in Orlando Meanwhile, four people remain in a critical condition, according to hospital officials, more than a week after they were wounded in the nightclub attack. Orlando Regional Medical Center said 18 victims of the shooting were still at the hospital as of Monday morning and three more surgeries were scheduled for the day. The other 14 patients are listed in stable condition. Ryans criticism The transcripts were initially released in a heavily redacted form, but after criticism from Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and others, the Department of Justice and the FBI released a full transcript of Mateens first conversation with 911. After criticism, DOJ and FBI now release unredacted transcript of Omar Mateen's first conversation with 911 operator pic.twitter.com/gNPFH83QtE Robert Mackey (@RobertMackey) June 20, 2016 However, other phone conversations were ostensibly still being withheld from the public eye. The FBI had previously said that Mateen had spoken with 911 three times, as The Intercepts Robert Mackey pointed out. Ryan had issued a statement earlier in the day, decrying the redactions as preposterous. The administration should release the full, unredacted so the public is clear-eyed about who did this, and why, he said. Senate rejects measures by Republicans and Democrats to stem gun violence after worst shooting in modern US history. The Republican-controlled US Senate rejected four competing gun-control measures just days after the Orlando nightclub massacre, highlighting the feuding over an issue set to resonate during a heated presidential election year. With a month to go before Republicans and Democrats formally nominate their White House hopefuls, politicians failed on Monday to compromise on one of the most sensitive hot-button issues in America. Even as they sought to appear keen to take action after the deadliest mass shooting in US history that left 49 dead at a gay nightclub in Orlando a week ago, Republicans and Democrats voted down four amendments two from each party that would have limited some gun purchases, including those by suspects on FBI watchlists. The recent attacks in Orlando as much as people are concerned and upset about them are not going to force members of Congress to fundamentally vote against their own self-interest, Jason Johnson, political science professor at Hiram College, told Al Jazeera. Their own self-interest is that they want to have money from the National Rifle Association (NRA), they want to continue to have that kind of financial support running for office, and despite the fact that an overwhelming proportion of Americans, Republican and Democrats and gun owners think that at least some of these four legislative ideas were reasonable policy, Congress is not going to move that way. The two Democratic texts sought to bar those on FBI watchlists or no-fly lists from buying firearms, and to strengthen criminal and mental health background checks for those seeking to purchase firearms at gun shows and on the Internet. Republicans are opposed to those measures. In general, they oppose any effort to limit gun rights, saying they are protected by the US Constitutions Second Amendment. They proposed a 72-hour waiting period for those on FBI watchlists seeking to buy weapons, so that the government has time to seek a court order to block the sale if need be. The second Republican proposal aimed to improve the background check system. Democrats rejected both Republican measures. Such efforts often struggle to pass the Senate, where 60 of 100 votes are needed for legislation to advance. [Gun control] will continue to be talked about because there will be another shooting, added Johnson, of Hiram College. Nothing will change in America about gun policy until we do something about how members of Congress get, and are lobbied against and for, when theyre running for office. Reform unlikely before vote The Senate voted on similar measures following the December 2012 Connecticut school massacre and the San Bernardino attacks last year, but to no avail. Every single senator wants to deny terrorists access to guns they use to harm innocent civilians, but theres a right way to do things and a wrong way, said Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas. Number two Senate Democrat Dick Durbin was livid at the failure of politicians to come together on such a pressing issue after yet another shooting. Tonight, the Senate turned its back on victims of gun violence from Orlando to San Bernardino, from Newtown to the streets of Chicago, Durbin said in a statement. There are 46 senators who are Democrats or generally vote with Democrats, and 54 Republicans. Susan Collins, a moderate Republican senator from Maine, was expected to unveil some kind of compromise legislation, but it also seemed unlikely to pass. Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has spoken out at length about the need to curb gun violence in the week since the Orlando tragedy, but she had a shorter message Monday. Enough, she said in a one-word statement, followed by the names and ages of the 49 Orlando victims. Democrats know they have only a slim chance of succeeding with gun reform before the November elections. Their goal for now is to push the debate on guns and turn it into a true campaign issue. OPINION: The hate behind the Orlando massacre Ultimately, the only way that you win this issue is by building a political infrastructure around the country that rivals that of the gun lobby, Democratic Senator Chris Murphy told ABCs This Week show on Sunday. Last week, Murphy mounted a 15-hour filibuster on the Senate floor that prompted Republican leaders to schedule Mondays cloture votes, designed to bring debate to a close. Our filibuster helped galvanize an entire country around this issue, he said. Trump defends NRA Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump made waves last week when he suggested that he would meet the National Rifle Association which has endorsed him to push a ban on weapons sales to those on watchlists. On Sunday, Trump said the NRA was seeking to defend the best interests of our country, adding: They want to make the right decision. Since the attack on the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Trump controversially said that he only wished more of the people in the club had guns to defend themselves. But the NRAs executive vice president and chief executive Wayne LaPierre contradicted Trump, saying: I dont think you should have firearms where people are drinking. Trump has since walked back his comments, tweeting that he was obviously talking about additional guards or employees. An Israeli court has ordered Mazen Qerish to vacate the home where his family has lived for eight decades. Jerusalem Mazen Qerish, 58, should have been busy preparing for the holy month of Ramadan. Instead, he woke up earlier this month facing eviction from the Jerusalem home where his family has lived for generations. Following a protracted legal battle to remain in the house, the familys final appeal against the eviction was rejected by an Israeli court on May 30, giving him two days to leave his home and imposing a fine of 200,000 shekels ($50,000). We dont have a second home. There is nowhere else for us to go, said Mazen, whose family has lived in this building in al-Saadiyeh neighbourhood, near al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalems Old City, since 1936. Mazens grandfather originally rented the property from a Palestinian landlord. But in 1987, the landlord sold the property to a third party linked to the ultra-nationalist Ateret Cohanim organisation. The group, which works to promote Jewish settlement in occupied East Jerusalem, has backed a legal campaign to evict the family. READ MORE: Palestinians defy Israels Jerusalem ban The first court battle lasted from 1996 to 2003, and the Qerish family won after it was established that they were protected tenants and could not be forced out, Mazen told Al Jazeera. Their protected status was valid for three generations after the Israeli military occupied the eastern half of Jerusalem in 1967. However, when Mazens mother died in 2009, she was considered by the court to be the last member of the third generation, meaning the family lost its status as protected tenants. In July 2010, Israeli settlers seized a number of units within the larger family home while most of the family members were attending a wedding, Mazen told Al Jazeera. He was home at the time, and recalled settlers entering the property after midnight. They broke down the door and entered. There were around 25 settlers and 10 to 15 soldiers. They were surprised to see me. I started shouting, and they said they wouldnt do anything to me. They took the furniture from the homes and dumped it later at the UN. I was completely shocked. It was the worst day in my life. The owners of the property launched fresh legal proceedings, and an Israeli court ruled that Mazens family had to evacuate the property. Years of legal appeals followed as they attempted to stave off the eviction. Meanwhile, his family lived in the same compound as the settlers, sharing an entranceway and courtyard. A huge Israeli flag adorns the shared front door. Plaques on the walls, bearing the logo of Ateret Cohanim, thank US-based families for sponsoring the renovation of the apartments. The settlers tried to prevent me leaving and we got into a fight. Since they moved here, they have tried to put pressure on us in order to make us leave. by Thaer, Mazen Qerish's son Asked about the organisations role in the eviction of the family, Ateret Cohanims executive director, Daniel Luria, said it acted as a facilitator, depending on what the owners wanted to happen. He would not discuss specifics. Its very confidential, both in relation to the Arabs involved in the deal and the Jews involved in the acquisition, Luria told Al Jazeera. In the shared courtyard, a crowd-control barrier divides the space, while a string of Israeli flags hang from the apartments occupied by settlers. It has been like living in a prison, Mazen said. The settlers caused a lot of trouble. They threw garbage at us; they hit my kids. I called the police and submitted many complaints, but they never did anything about it. Sometimes there were fights and my kids were arrested, he added. I was afraid for my kids, because I didnt want them to go to jail. Mazens son, Thaer, 20, remembered a fight that took place two years ago as he tried to leave the house and take his sweetcorn cart outside on to the street. The settlers tried to prevent me leaving and we got into a fight. People from the neighbourhood rushed to help me, but the corn went everywhere, he said. Since they moved here, they have tried to put pressure on us in order to make us leave. Q&A: We are being evicted because we are Palestinians Human rights groups have warned that the eviction order delivered to the Qerish family should be seen as part of a wider trend, whereby ultra-nationalist groups are working with the Israeli government to establish and increase the Jewish presence in East Jerusalem. It is part of a mounting trend of evictions, demolitions and massive demolition orders in the Old City and the historic basin, said Betty Herschman, director for international relations and advocacy at Ir Amim, an Israeli NGO. We have a very insidious form of settlement going on in the historic basin. We refer to it as private settlement in the heart of Palestinian communities, but in fact the settlers receive all kinds of support, both covert and overt, from the Israeli government, including the government spending hundreds of millions of shekels on private security for the settlers. Israels annexation and control of East Jerusalem has never been recognised by the international community, and Palestinians claim the area as the capital of their future state. The transfer of Jewish citizens to these areas under occupation is considered illegal under international law and according to Herschman, it is also a grave threat to the prospects for a two-state solution to the conflict. This is not accidental and is designed to consolidate Israeli control of the historic basin, she told Al Jazeera. Meanwhile, in the living room of his home under a whirring ceiling fan, Mazen and two of his brothers, Majed and Monzeh, passed around old family photos and reminisced about happier days in the house. This was a beautiful time in our lives, said Mazen, looking at pictures of a family celebration in the house in the 1980s. We used to come together and make barbecues in the courtyard. We used to throw big family parties in this home. We used to be able to leave freely and not worry that our home would be taken when we returned. We used to rent a bus and all go to the countryside for picnics. I celebrated my wedding in this house, added Majed, smiling at a photo taken in 1986. We all celebrated our weddings here in this house. Faced with the failure of his last appeal, Mazen remained adamant that he would not evacuate the house. As of this week, his family has not packed any belongings. I am here, he said. If they want to evict me they will have to use force, because I will not leave. At least 185 activists killed worldwide, making it the highest recorded death toll, UK watchdog says in its report. With more than three people killed every week, 2015 was the deadliest year for environmental and land activists, according to a new study. Global Witness said there were 185 reported deaths across 16 countries, making it the highest recorded death toll of environmental activists in a single year. According to the report published on Monday by the UK-based watchdog, fatal attacks increased by nearly 60 percent over the previous year. Go prepare your tomb, are the kind of death threats Lottie Cunningham has received. My colleagues were told to buy black suits because I was going to die, said Cunningham, a lawyer who advocates for the rights of indigenous communities in Nicaragua and their threatened territories. Leaders defending their land and young people have died, said Cunningham. [Others] lose their arms, lose their legs. They are hunted. The countries with the most deaths are Brazil and the Philippines, with 50 and 33 deaths respectively. Forty percent of environmental and land defenders killed were indigenous, according to the report. The number might be higher since indigenous victims are under-reported, Global Witness said. Brazils Fundao dam collapse: The silence after the mud Smaller communities are completely displaced as their land is cleared for whatever developments are planned, according to the UK-based watchdog. The main industries threatening environmentalists lives are mining, logging and agricultural businesses. In one incident, activists in Peru launched a protest against a Chinese-run mining company. Police opened fire on the protesters, killing four of them and injuring 15 others. Raimundo dos Santos Rodrigues was a Brazilian activist who worked to defend the Gurupi reserve in the Amazon rainforest from illegal logging. He also pushed for the rights of local farmers and indigenous groups. Last year, two unidentified men ambushed and attacked Rodrigues and his wife. He died as a result of his injuries. Members of his community fled their lands after the attack and now live in destitution, said the report. Global Witness highlights that corrupt authorities facilitate the environmental degradation these companies cause. [Governments] need to tackle the root causes of the violence: lack of formal land rights and corruption that ensures these projects get the green light in the first place, Billy Kyte, the Global Witness campaign leader, said. Cunningham was part of a group that filed a case with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. They received a mandate urging the Nicaraguan government to step in and protect the indigenous groups threatened. However, nothing changed for the communities. People come in with papers saying they bought the land, but this is a lie because it is illegal to sell indigenous reserves, Cunningham said. Foreign companies that come in to mine or start agricultural businesses are not involved in the conflict, even though they displace communities, explained Cunningham. The Choctaw v climate change: The earth is speaking Filipino activist Michelle Campos father and grandfather were killed by an armed group. Campos grandfather was the leader of an organisation campaigning against mining companies exploiting the mineral-rich land of Mindanao, Philippines. Twenty-two activists from the Lumad people in Mindanao were killed last year, which makes the area one of the deadliest for environmental activists. We get threatened, vilified and killed for standing up to the mining companies on our land and the paramilitaries that protect them, Campos, who belongs to the Lumad indigenous community, told Global Witness. Around 97 percent of the mining industry in the Philippines is controlled by foreign companies from countries such as the United States, Canada, China and Japan. Reporters Without Borders representative among three arrested for spreading terror propaganda, rights groups say. Turkish authorities have arrested three prominent press freedom campaigners, including the local representative of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), on charges of spreading terrorist propaganda, according to human rights groups. In addition to RSF representative Erol Onderoglu, author Ahmet Nesin and Sebnem Korur Fincanci, president of the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey, were also arrested on Monday. A court ordered they be held in pre-trial detention after they guest-edited a newspaper on Kurdish issues and campaigned against efforts to censor it, said RSF and another group, EuroMed Rights. A statement from Federica Mogherini, the European Union foreign policy chief, and Johannes Hahn, the enlargement commissioner, said the court decision goes against Turkeys commitment to respect fundamental rights, including freedom of media . The EU has repeatedly stressed that Turkey, as a candidate country [for EU membership], must aspire to the highest possible democratic standards and practices, read her statement. Onderoglu was arrested for his work on three articles about security operations in Turkeys largely Kurdish southeast and infighting among security forces which appeared in the May 18 edition of the Ozgur Gundem magazine, said Johann Bihr from RSF. Bihr described Onderoglu, who had worked for RSF for two decades, as a victim of the abuses he always denounced. It was unclear how long the three would be held in custody or when they would face trial. Turkish officials contacted declined to comment on the issue or did not get back to Al Jazeeras calls. Correspondent in custody Separately, top-selling Hurriyet newspaper, said its New York correspondent, Razi Canikligil, was detained on Monday upon his arrival at Istanbuls Ataturk Airport. He was released on Tuesday after being questioned. The newspaper said that he was arrested over a tweet he posted. Canikligil has reported on the US prosecution of Turkish-Iranian businessman Reza Zarrab on charges he helped Iran evade American sanctions. READ MORE: Is press freedom under attack in Turkey? Zarrabs arrest in Florida in March and the case against him has captured attention in Turkey, where he was arrested in 2013 in a corruption probe into individuals with close ties to Erdogan. A US judge in New York on Monday scheduled Zarrabs trial for January 23. Last month, Turkey came under fire for sentencing two prominent journalists at the opposition Cumhuriyet newspaper to at least five years in jail for revealing state secrets in a case in which Erdogan was named as a complainant. Authorities have seized or shut down several newspapers and taken broadcasters off the air in the last year, usually citing security concerns. They deny trying to muzzle free expression. Vehicles torched and roads barricaded in Pretoria in protests over disputed mayoral candidate for municipal elections. Vehicles were torched and roads were barricaded with rocks and burning tyres in South Africas capital Pretoria in violent protests over a disputed mayoral candidate for upcoming municipal elections. Local media reported that several buses were also set ablaze in other townships in the administrative capital, which is also known as Tshwane, on Tuesday. A portion of the countrys main highway, the N1, was closed off after protesters hurled stones at cars. The unrest erupted on Monday after the ruling African National Congress (ANC) released the names of mayoral nominees for local government elections on August 3. Similar protests broke out earlier this month in Durban in the home province of President Jacob Zuma, signalling increasing factionalism within the party ahead of a vote which analysts believe could see the ANC lose power in some major cities. The party is reeling under factionalism, corruption and leadership without credibility, said political analyst Prince Mashele. READ MORE: The uprising that changed South Africa Police refused to give details of damage or casualties caused by the protests, but said they were investigating a case of murder, along with malicious damage to property and intimidation. Local media reported that an ANC supporter was shot during a party gathering in Pretoria on Sunday, and later died in hospital. Several deaths attributed to factionalism within the ANC have been reported from around the country in the run-up to the elections. ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe denied that the Pretoria protests were sparked by the partys choice of a mayoral nominee, but described them as acts of thuggery driven by factionalism and patronage. The case against Assange is as political as it is legal; where does it go from here? Plus, Kenyas election influencers. A story of blackmail, conspiracy, courage and fear. We follow the Italian judge trying to take on the mafia. A film by Paul Sapin and Toby Follett Sicilian judge Antonino Di Matteo is one of the most threatened and protected men in Italy. As the chief prosecutor in Italys trial of the century, he has more than 20 bodyguards, ensuring his safety around the clock. On trial are 10 men who stand accused of being part of a conspiracy between the mafia and the state. Five of the defendants are mafia bosses and five are members of the political establishment, including senior police chiefs and politicians. The mafia isn't only the mafia that shoots, bombs and trafficks drugs. That's one aspect of the mafia, the military mafia. The mafia is above all something else. It's an organisation that wants to exercise power in place of the state. by Judge Antonino Di Matteo Central to Di Matteos case is the story of Italys most famous anti-mafia judges, Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino. During the 1980s they prosecuted hundreds of Cosa Nostra members in what was known as the Maxi Trial, the largest mafia court case in history. Four hundred and seventy five mafiosi were brought to court and 346 were found guilty. For over 130 years in Italy we pretended the mafia didnt exist. Not until Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino did we have magistrates in Sicily who said, No. The mafia in Italy exists. The mafia in Sicily exists. And its the judiciarys duty to fight and try to destroy the mafia, says Saverio Lodato, author of Forty Years of Mafia. The Cosa Nostra boss of bosses, Salvatore Toto Riina, had been tried in absentia and sentenced to life in prison. After the trial, Riina allegedly sought revenge. Judge Giovanni Falcone was assassinated on May 23, 1992, near the mafia heartland of Palermo. Two months later, while investigating Falcones murder, Judge Paolo Borsellino was also killed by a massive car bomb in Via DAmelio, a residential street in Palermo. Inspired by these two judges, Di Matteo is now taking up where they left off. He is trying to shine a light on Italys so-called season of terror from 1991 to 1994, when the mafia organised a series of bombings and murders to force a negotiation with the government. I was brought up with the legend of Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino. I was a law student when they were working on the Maxi Trial. In those men I saw a chance to fight back, Di Matteo says. He has received a series of death threats. In an attempt to halt the trial, Riina, who is now behind bars, called for Di Matteos assassination. He was caught on a prison CCTV camera telling a fellow prisoner: So if we can, kill him. Itll be an execution like we used to have in Palermo. Many Italians have taken to the streets in solidarity with the judge. But there has been a notable silence from political leaders. We citizens are angry. The more we realise that no one is interested in Dr Di Matteo, the angrier we become, says Linda Grasso, the founder of Civilian Bodyguards, a movement to protect the prosecutor. I want to know the reason for this silence. What are they frightened of? Why are they silent? We cant allow this man, a hero to us, to suffer this silence and indifference from the institutions We want to protect our judges while theyre alive, not commemorate them after their deaths. The threat to Di Matteo hasnt prevented the magistrate from attending the courtroom. The trial is ongoing and all of the accused deny the charges against them. I am conflicted. To give up would be a personal defeat. But it would offer respite for me and my family. Finally, a margin of freedom. Maybe even tranquillity. But only maybe. Even if I gave up, it doesnt mean I would get fewer death threats, Di Matteo reflects. We knew from the beginning that it would be an uphill struggle. A road littered with attacks, pitfalls, moments of difficulty. I believe the truth about these massacres, which have made all decent Italians weep, can be found in the stories we are trying to open up. If we dont uncover our history we cant progress. We run the risk that this disease of the past that still plagues us today could infect our future. A Very Sicilian Justice , narrated by Helen Mirren, is an intimate portrait of an Italian judge living under constant threat as he tries to take on the mafia. Among those profiled in the film are a former mafia assassin-turned-state witness as well as Borsellinos brother, and the son of late former mayor of Palermo Vito Ciancimino, who was also known as Don Vito. FILMMAKERS VIEW By Paul Sapin The Italians were calling it the trial of the century and at the centre of proceedings was the chief prosecuting judge, Dr Antonino Di Matteo. On trial were five mafiosi and five men of the state, including politicians and senior policemen, who were being accused of collusion with the mafia during the season of terror that gripped Italy from 1991 to 1994. Di Matteo was now the most threatened man in Italy, and we wanted to tell his story. The first challenge was to win over the judge so he would agree to let us make the film. He has a 20-man security team guarding him and his family 24/7. The interventions of the brother of one of the bodyguards killed when Italys most famous ant-mafia judges Falcone and Borsellino were assassinated in 1992, and those of Linda Grasso, the founder of the anti-mafia protest group Civilian Bodyguards helped expedite an introduction to Di Matteo. Even so, it took months to arrange our first meeting with the heavily-protected judge. Meanwhile, we began to film with a number of the individuals involved with the story, including various anti-mafia activists and Salvatore, the brother of murdered Judge Borsellino. Once we had secured Di Matteos interest in the film, we had to convince the bodyguards that we were capable of observing their strict and ever-changing security protocols. This made for some intriguing and mysterious rendezvous very late at night and into the early hours of the morning to explore just how all of us were going to make this film without getting shot or blown up. Our goal to portray aspects of the court case was inhibited by the fact that the presiding judge of the state-mafia trial would not permit cameras on the floor of the courtroom. This meant that we were kept, literally, at a distance from the proceedings and removed from the drama of what was taking place. This reinforced the need to concentrate the focus of our story on the personal circumstances of the judge. We filmed off and on for a year. On each occasion we had to conduct lengthy and complex negotiations to determine where we could go and how close we could get to Di Matteos proscribed life. There were new security alerts all the time. Developments in an ongoing bomb plot to kill Di Matteo were uncovered during our filming when the phone taps of a lawyer acting on behalf of a mafia boss at the centre of the plot were made public. Once again, security protocol for the judge had to be changed and we had to go with the flow. It was a real filming achievement when, after nine months, the judge trusted us enough to invite us to his country home. It wasnt merely a matter of trust on his part. The visit required a huge security operation to keep the judge safe in a part of Sicily notorious for being a hotbed of mafia activity. Seventy police and bodyguards were called on to safeguard the route and the property where we filmed. There were safety issues concerning our contributors and also for our film team. Our confidence was shored up by Monica Capodici, an author and brave anti-mafia activist from the Corleone area of Sicily who acted as our location producer. She took us to places and opened doors that would have normally been closed to us. Towards the end of our last filming trip, Monica became the target of a threatening text message accusing her of accompanying foreign journalists to rubbish your land. The threat has now become part of Di Matteos investigations. In A Very Sicilian Justice , we believe we have captured a personal portrait of an honourable man who faces death on a daily basis for trying to achieve justice. His case and his plight are largely ignored by the Italian press and politicians. We hope that this film will not only bring attention to what Di Matteo is trying to achieve for Italy, but that publicity from the film may even afford him additional protection. We are grateful to him, his family and the brave ant-mafia activists who helped us. We have been very fortunate in securing the services of Helen Mirren who agreed to narrate our documentary. Helen is passionate about Italy and she also has a personal connection to the story. The brother of her close friend the man who helped us to first meet Judge Di Matteo was killed by the mafia when they blew up Judge Falcone. Homeownership in America today is at a crossroads. The percentage of homeowners has dropped to 63.5%, down from a peak of 69.1% just before the housing crisis. We know how to safely reverse that trend. Now is the time to act. To improve minority homeownership rates, and in the process bolster the overall homeownership rate, the mortgage industry should begin by taking a careful look at the criteria used to enable homeownership, known in the industry as the three Cs: credit, collateral and capacity. The forecasts of a declining homeownership rate are based on static assumptions about public policy and the effectiveness and growth of private sector and nonprofit programs that would encourage homeownership. By some estimates, the homeownership rate will decline even more sharply in the decade ahead as millennials choose to rent, instead of own, their homes. They ignore the fact that, while most research shows that millennials are not buying homes now, 80% of millennials overall say that owning a home is an important part of the American dream. Additionally, 87% of African-Americans and 84% of Hispanics agree. For the most part, forecasts of a further decline in homeownership assume that, because homeownership rates for minority groups have trailed that of whites, and because minorities are the fastest-growing segment of the overall population, the homeownership rate has to decline. The past does not have to be prologue and more emphatically, there's no need for past trends to carry forward into the future. Because minority homeownership rates have historically been lower than those of whites doesn't mean that they have to continue along the same path. Prior to the housing crisis of 2008, the homeownership rate for minorities was on the rise. Although early criticism of the crash was leveled at loose credit standards, more exhaustive and less myopic research has shown that rational credit standards that enabled previously underserved populations to obtain homeownership were not the main culprit. Post-crisis credit standards have tightened considerably and housing counselors in the NeighborWorks network report that borrowers who they think should be getting approved for mortgages are not. These housing counselors know their markets, and are not in the business of pushing consumers into homeownership before they are ready. In fact, research from the Urban Institute for NeighborWorks America shows that homeowners who work with housing counselors are one-third less likely to default on their mortgages. If we want the homeownership rate to increase, then credit requirements especially around qualifying credit scores for the best mortgage rate available have to make sense. Today they don't. As for collateral, generally speaking, the more equity in a home the less likely a homeowner is to default. However, this leads to lenders and investors in mortgages to look less favorably on low-down-payment mortgages, the type of mortgage often used by minorities who generally have less wealth to draw on for a down payment. Homebuyers who have low down payments are not bad risks, especially when armed with the knowledge that homebuyer education and counseling provides. The mortgage lending community has to do better at reaching borrowers with less wealth, who are also often minorities, about low-down-payment products. Moreover, the nonprofit community has to do more to inform consumers about down-payment assistance programs. Household surveys done by NeighborWorks have consistently shown that two-thirds of consumers are unsure of or not aware of down-payment programs in their communities. That has to change if the homeownership rate is to reverse its downward path. Finally, capacity. Capacity is the ability or income to meet the mortgage obligation as well as other expenses without undergoing undue financial stress. NeighborWorks is not in favor of stated income mortgages. We don't want borrowers to take on more debt than they can manage. We want lenders to verify income. However, we also want lenders to not use cookie-cutter measures to qualify a borrower. As said before, minorities generally have less wealth, and sometimes that means that they also have lower incomes. That does not mean that their income isn't enough to manage a mortgage, if properly evaluated and counseled. One role of a housing counselor is to tell a consumer the truth about their finances income, expenses, savings goals, etc. Basically, a budget. When housing counselors work with lenders the entire financial picture of the borrower is considered, rather than only a single ratio. As a result, more homeownership options will be available to everyone, including minorities, who otherwise would not have been able to secure a mortgage. A few lending products introduced this year are moving in the right direction, offering alternative ways of looking at income, particularly of every adult living in the home, including those not on the mortgage. These products have gotten off to a slow start. They have to accelerate to be effective. Marietta Rodriguez is the vice president of homeownership programs and lending at NeighborWorks America, a congressionally chartered nonpartisan nonprofit headquartered in Washington. Jeff Amberg Go big or go home is no longer the mantra for crossing $10 billion in assets. Bankers and industry experts once held fast to a belief that institutions had to leap over that threshold to generate enough scale to offset the toll of regulation, including caps on interchange fees and mandatory stress testing, waiting on the other side. Several banks even elected to sell before crossing the mark. A number of banks have been bucking the trend in recent months, announcing deals that could have them tiptoe over the mark, including South State in Columbia, S.C.; WesBanco in Wheeling, W.Va.; Pinnacle Financial in Nashville, Tenn.; and United Community Banks in Blairsville, Ga. WesBanco, for its part, has said it plans to manage its assets to stay below $10 billion. Several reasons exist for the shift, industry observers said. Bankers are becoming more comfortable with the costs of new regulation. At the same time, consolidation is unpredictable, and many executives are reluctant to pass on a small, but strategically important, deal in order to wait on a bigger opportunity. "I feel like the marketplace has incorrectly assumed that banks need to be 20% or 30% larger to cross $10 billion of assets," said Christopher Marinac, an analyst at FIG Partners. "You have to run your business and make the right long-term business decisions." The $8.7 billion-asset South State was once an active acquirer, more than doubling in size between late 2011 to early 2013 with three deals. Management decided to take a break after buying the $3.2 billion-asset First Financial Holdings to make sure South State's fundamentals were sound, said Robert Hill Jr., the company's chief executive. South State, which was prepared to grow organically, had been cutting costs to offset expenses associated with stress testing and the roughly $7.6 million in lost revenue from an impending cap on interchange revenue. South State, however, couldn't pass up a chance to buy the $1.9 billion-asset Southeastern Bank Financial in Augusta, Ga. The holding company for Georgia Bank & Trust is a good cultural fit that should offset any hits South State will take from becoming a bigger institution, industry observers said. "This just seemed to be an ideal partner" for South State, said Lee Burrows, chief executive of Banks Street Partners. "You wouldn't want to pass that up because you are trickling over $10 billion of assets. This still gives them time to prepare, so I think it is inevitable." Banks that cross $10 billion in assets have time to prepare, since interchange caps do not kick in immediately. South State, for instance, will not feel the impact of those caps until the third quarter of 2018, or roughly a year earlier than if it had grown organically. The $335 million all-stock deal is small enough that it doesn't "take any of the options off the table for us," Hill said. While South State favors organic growth, he said the company could buy a second bank before taking another pause to focus on organically expanding core operations. Such an approach should be appealing to investors and regulators, industry experts said. "If you're really honest about it, investors should want to see organic growth," Marinac said. "There are moments when the market likes the roll-up strategy, but really, internal sustainable growth is what the market focuses on long term." The banking industry has had ample opportunity to study and adapt to new regulation, removing the urgency to pursue large, transformational deals. "There's been enough time to understand the hurdle and how you cross it," Hill said. "People have the ability to figure out the right strategy for them. Our first [objective] was to figure out how to do it organically, then cut expenses and finally find a good partner to accelerate that process." As banks reach $8 billion of assets, regulators start asking management for details on how they plan to cross the regulatory mark, said Randy Dennis, president of DD&F Consulting. As a result, bankers start building infrastructure for the new requirements well before making the jump. "Banks have to get ready for it," Dennis said. "Regulators aren't being heavy handed about it; they're just trying to help banks prepare in an orderly fashion." Bankers are also limited by the flow of industry consolidation. At May 31, the number of deals announced this year was off 16% from 2015. There are a limited number of banks with $2 billion to $5 billion of assets that could allow a buyer to vault itself over the regulatory threshold. Strategy, rather than asset size, should be a driving factor as banks look to expand, said Daniel Blanton, Southeastern's chief executive and chairman of the American Bankers Association. South State was drawn to Southeastern's Augusta operations because the city had become "a major university town" with a growing military presence, he said. "I think a smart company is driven by the business model they want to do and the markets they want to be in," Blanton added. "What happens with assets just happens." Mascoma Savings Bank in New Hampshire spent six months searching for a new president and chief executive before selecting one of its directors for the job. Clay Adams will take over those posts at the $1.4 billion-asset mutual on Jan. 1; he will join Mascoma's management team this fall. Adams will succeed Stephen Christy, who announced in January that he would retire at the end of the year. Adams, who has been a director since 2011, chairs the board's strategic planning committee, the mutual's wealth management unit and the Mascoma Savings Bank Foundation. As CEO he will work to help the bank serve new customers and incorporate new technologies, it said in a press release Tuesday. Adams is CEO of Simon Pearce, a Burlington, Vt., manufacturer and distributor of handcrafted glass products. Previously he was CEO of the consulting firm Resource Systems Group in White River Junction, Vt. He also worked with Mercer Management Consulting in Boston and Putnam, Hayes & Bartlett, an economic consulting firm in Washington. Mascoma Savings hired Kaplan Partners in Philadelphia to help find Christy's successor. Will Hillary Clinton pick Elizabeth Warren as her running mate? That's a major decision facing the presumptive Democratic nominee as the national convention approaches. Forget the latest assault on the United States by a radicalized Islamist. Ignore the flagging economy, the failure of Obamacare, the FBI investigation of her private self-server. Nothing could prove more strategic than Hillary's choice of running mate in enabling the Clintons to return to the White House. According to Hillary, when they left there sixteen years ago, they were all but penniless, drained by the legal costs of Bill's scandalous affair with intern Monica Lewinsky, which Hillary characterized as a vast right-wing conspiracy. Since then, the Clinton fortunes have reversed with a vengeance from church mice to millionaires 170 times over. Chalk it up, if you will, to being shrew calculators or in the case of Hillary, a calculating shrew. From college onward, ,she has been an Energizer bunny driven to realize her lifelong ambition as the first female president of the United States. Now that her hard-fought goal is within reach, it's damn the Trump torpedoes, full speed ahead. But the glitch is that some of those unwelcome missiles are being launched at her by members of the out-but-not-down Bernie Sanders movement. And even while Hillary's clinching the Democratic nomination has made Bernie more irrelevant with each passing day in the countdown to Philly, he still has something she doesn't: the fealty of impassioned supporters without whose votes Hillary may not be able to win in November. Six seemingly interminable months ago, I became aware for the first time of the A-B-C movement within the Democrat party ranks: Anybody But Clinton. Disheartened though Sanders acolytes may be at this point, many of them are still determined not to vote for Hillary. If they sit this election out or, worse, if enough of them opt to vote for populist Trump Hillary's chances of victory could be compromised. What to do? Well, vilify Trump, of course. That's a given. Scare voters into believing that no matter how problematic the prospect of Commander-in-Chief Hillary may seem to some, The Donald would be far worse. Paint a terrifying scenario: a world at war, Putin and The Donald sitting down together to break bread and slurp borscht, a tsunami of Arab wrath and economic repercussions from Trump's temporary ban on hoards of un-vetted Syrian Moslem refugees coming to our shores, a slowdown in the flow of drugs from south of the border due to an honest-to-God wall. That sort of scary stuff. Whatever it takes. But elections are won less often by those who vote against candidates than by those who vote for them. We rarely relish going out of our way to watch a lousy movie just because it's better than anything else that's playing. The same applies to the theater of politics. So Hillary can't necessarily count on graphic trailers of hatred for Trump to bring disenchanted or lukewarm voters to the polls not when her opposition seems to have some unprecedented gusts of enthusiasm at his back. So the two-pronged conundrum for Hillary consists of the negativity of Bernie supporters and the passivity of other Democrats. How best to neutralize both? Perhaps by picking Elizabeth Warren as the vice presidential running mate! She has plenty of left-of-center appeal to those who feel or at least felt The Bern. And her shrill rhetoric is notoriously anti-Wall Street, which was one of the central rallying points of the Sanders campaign. Pocahontas has plenty of pizzazz. She is feisty and fearless in pouncing on Trump. She's already shown her determination to flip The Donald off the way she flipped properties during the housing crisis to turn a neat profit. Despite her preference for fellow New Englander Bernie, she's now embraced the Clinton cause as an outspoken surrogate on the campaign trail. Some may even suppose her to be as the first Native American to run on a national ticket! (Note: My children are far more genetically American Indian than she is, but they never parlayed it into personal gain.) Still, it's a bit premature for the presses to roll out Clinton-Warren campaign placards. Or to think of catchy slogans like "Two (Women) for the Price of One" or " Nurturing a New America" or "Giving birth to the American Dream." (The term "Gender Bender" should figure in there somewhere.) Warren is being vetted, but so are a number of other, lesser known liberal Democrats who could appeal to the growing base of the party. Nor should one overlook the negatives in choosing Senator Warren of Massachusetts, a state that Clinton already has in her political pocket. Would Warren make a viable difference, for example, in swinging purple states like Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Florida into the Clinton column? Would the crucial independent vote, which tends to be moderate, feel comfortable with an edgy lefty professor, who rakes in big bucks for teaching few classes? The prospect of having Warren as second in command may not sit well with a lot of Americans, especially with candidate Clinton, still under FBI investigation. But there is a far more essential, if self-servingly sinister, reason why Hillary might be reluctant to tap darling-of-the-left Elizabeth Warren. She's a woman. This statement will come as a surprise only if you still define Hillary in her own terms: as an altruistic champion of women. Yet Hillary has historically cared less about women than about using them for her own good. She "identifies" with middle- and lower-class women as political assets the way she pegged Bill's bimbos as political liabilities. Promoting the glorious, glass ceiling-shattering concept of America's first female president is nothing more than a high-minded gesture to propel her ambition along the low road to the White House. Hillary's outrageous sense of "entitlement" is, in the end, based primarily on her sex, certainly not on her accomplishments. So I have an inkling that after her long and devious political slog, Hillary Rodham Clinton does not exactly relish the idea of sharing the glory, or the podium, with another female. If she does, it will evolve from a desperate conclusion that without Elizabeth Warren on the ticket, her dream of a lifetime could once again slip away. Is the Republican Party anticipating a floor fight in Cleveland? That's how I read the Trump campaign's out of the blue firing of campaign manager Corey Lewandowski. It will be seen by many insiders to mean that the hoary, appallingly corrupt, veteran Washington DC insider Paul Manafort won the low level war that has been simmering inside the Trump campaign the last few months. Manafort likes to take credit for corralling the delegates needed for Jerry Ford to beat out Ronald Reagan in 1976, and earlier this year Trump hired him to line up convention delegates for his campaign. Unlike the 42-year-old Lewandowski, the 67-year-old Manafort also has a better working relationship with the Republican National Committee. His reputation is also somewhat less combative than Lewandowski's, whom many political insiders and media people felt picked unnecessary fights. Manafort has been involved in most GOP presidential contests over the last 40 years. In the off years he has lobbied for overseas scum like Ukraine's Viktor Yanukovych, Pakistan's Inter-Service Intelligence agency and Ferdinand Marcos. How much real influence Manafort has had in recent presidential elections may be open to question. I have never been a fan of most of the DC based campaign consultant class. I think they are charlatans who basically engage in extortion: their pitch all too often is hire me for some role in your campaign or I will go negative on your campaigns to all my media friends who host political talk shows. That said, Manafort does have a reputation for ruthlessness. How the reputation of this long time insider will influence the delegates to this Republican National Convention remains to be seen. In recent years, many local party organizations have been taken over by Tea Party insurgents who purely loathe people like Manafort. The Tea Party will have a lot of delegates in Cleveland. Consider, too, the often-underestimated Paul Ryan, who will be the convention chair. After his VP slot on the 2012 ticket, Ryan seemed resolved to return to his subsidiary role in House leadership. But who was the major beneficiary of the Summer of 2015 Freedom Caucus revolt against Speaker Boehner? It was Paul Ryan, who apparently had be dragged against his will into accepting the Speakership. I never believed that for a second. Ryan, age 46, is a nine-term veteran of the House. People as young as Ryan was when he first ran for office tend to be steeped in ambition. Nor should Ryan's expertise in dry budgetary manners be seen as meaning that he lacks facility when it comes to manipulating people rather than budgetary programs. Recently Speaker Ryan stated this about convention delegates The last thing I would do is tell anybody to do something thats contrary to their conscience, In the battle conducted inside the House of Representatives in 2014-15, Ryan took a similar position. Unlike many others in party leadership who were jostling to ultimately replace Boehner, Ryan never said the dissenting voices should violate core beliefs just to get along with the old guard. In the end, because he had a reputation for always letting all the factions have their say, Ryan ended up being the only person all the sides could agree upon for Speaker. One might almost think Ryan planned it that way when he refused to accept the far more openly partisan role of House Majority Leader after defeat of the presumptive Speaker in waiting, Eric Cantor, in the 2014 primary. As Majority Leader, Ryan would have been expected to actively guard Boehner's back. As chairman of Ways and Means. Ryan could appear to stay above the fray. And in the end, become the consensus choice. If the Cleveland Convention turns into a bloody floor fight seeming to fatally wound the presumptive nominee and the leader of the insurgents, there will be Ryan, above the fray, ready to be begged to take the nomination and prevent the party from handing the presidency to Hillary Clinton. It happened in the House of Representatives, more or less like that. You all know what I mean by The Cringe. Its the reflex of every conservative and Republican notable when the media catches them making a WrongThink statement. When Donald Trump raises the question of a Hispanic-American judge belonging to an organization with Raza in its name, Republican notables go into the Cringe. When Donald Trump raises a question about whats going on with President Obamas approach to Islam, Republican notables go into the Cringe. When the usual liberal suspects blame Christians and conservatives and the NRA for the Orlando massacre, because hate, there doesnt seem anyone, any notable, with the cojones to organize a fight-back. Sure, nobodies like me may object. Somebodies like Jonah Goldberg may object. But who cares about that? The problem is that nobody in the conservative/Republican establishment is prepared to take the risk, to go on offense, and make the Democrats pay for their lies. I know its hard. CBS fugitive Sharyl Attkisson reckons that there has never been a period like the present for enforcing ruling class orthodoxy in the media, and almost everything that conservatives -- or I should say non-liberals -- want is off-limits to our ruling class and not to be endured. The likely result for any courageous fool contesting the ruling-class narrative is end of career or worse. And yet, while liberals are the most repulsive bullies where straight white Christian American CEOs are concerned, they are the most cringing cowards where everything else is concerned. It seems eerily familiar to the appeasement of the 1930s where the British and French ruling classes were open in their desire not to upset Herr Hitler. So, I ask myself, what was really going down in the appeasement of the Nazis? Why were Britain and France blind to the provocations of the Nazis and the roadmap laid out in Mein Kampf? The answer is that doing something about Hitler meant that the ruling class would have to abandon the worldview that all good educated people had developed after World War I -- the idea of never again and collective security and arms limitation treaties and Peace. It is easy for us to sneer at the naivete of the ruling class in those times. But we all know how hard it is to admit we are wrong, even in the smallest things. Imagine how hard it is to deal with the fact that your whole worldview is collapsed upon the floor. Like most ruling classes, our liberal friends have constructed their world view to paint a pretty picture of themselves as a caring compassionate lords of the manor. Their faith is that, without them, women and minorities would go to the wall, because racists, sexists, homophobes. But their faith has a little problem. Magnificent as it is for establishing domestic political hegemony and domination for educated liberals and casting white Christian heterosexual gun-loving men into outer darkness, it has nothing to say about, say, radical Muslims that want to take over the world. On the liberal view, Muslims are helpless victims of capitalism and colonialism and maybe even the Crusades, and liberals are here to help them and end their marginalization and humiliation under the horror of Islamophobia. Why, if a U.S.-born Afghan-American decides to go out and shoot up a Hispanic gay bar, it must be that he was carefully taught to hate by homegrown gun-loving white Christian gay bashers. Shout-out to Hispanics and gays and Hispanic gays: Liberals dont care about people like you; they only care about your vote. What do we do about it? Steve Sailer has a nice little piece about a previous terror panic in the U.S. It occurred a century ago during the last immigration surge, as anarchists ran around with bombs assassinating national politicians. Sacco and Vanzetti, innocent or guilty, were members of an anarchist group. It all got settled when the U.S. passed an immigration bill and deported about 556 anarchists (including the sainted Emma Goldman) in the 1920s. Id say it was the deportation thing that did the trick. Think of it as the flip side of the terrorist credo: kill one innocent and frighten a million. In this case it is deport one terrorist and knock some sense into a thousand. After all, no homegrown terrorist actually wants to go back home; they are just mad as hell at their pathetic life as a security guard and they are not going to take it anymore. Perhaps we could also improve a few attitudes by sending would-be ISIS fighters to Americanism boot camp. But leave off the terror, pal. Dont expect our liberal friends to figure this out any time soon. But we Neanderthals can at least demand that our conservative and Republicans notables Cut the Cringe. As in lead, follow, or get out of the way! Christopher Chantrill @chrischantrill runs the go-to site on US government finances, usgovernmentspending.com. Also see his American Manifesto and get his Road to the Middle Class. The recent consensus by the German foreign minister, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and presidential candidate Donald Trump on the problem and activity of NATO has come as an unexpected surprise. First came the statement on June 17, 2016 by the German foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who accused his fellow members of the NATO alliance of warmongering against Russia, and warned of inflaming the situation with loud saber-rattling. Steinmeier was critical of the recent NATO military exercises in Poland and the Baltic countries. This was the most extensive war game in Eastern Europe since the end of the Cold War. Accompanied by fighter jets, ships, and 3,000 vehicles, more than 31,000 troops, including 14,000 from the U.S. and 1,000 from the UK had participated in Operation Anaconda, a 10-day exercise aimed at countering a Russian attack. Somewhat ominously, this was the first time since Nazi Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939 and started World War II that German tanks had entered Poland. For his part, the German foreign minister did not want to renew an old confrontation. He agreed that NATO must maintain its military preparedness, but he also argued that NATO should not create pretexts to renew an old confrontation. This is a different point of view from that of NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, who declared that Russia was seeking to create a zone of influence through military means. In contrast, Steinmeier argued that there ought to be more space for dialogue and cooperation between NATO and Russia. An echo of this argument came on the same day from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who spoke on foreign relations and his view of U.S. presidential candidates. Putin has asserted on a number of times that Russia has no plans to intervene in any country in Eastern Europe. He made the point that NATO needs a foreign enemy otherwise there would be no reason for its existence. In his remarks on June 17, 2016, Putin accepted that the U.S. is probably the only superpower in the world. He asserted that Russia wanted to and was ready to work with the US. However, though the world needs strong nations, we dont want them constantly getting mixed up in our affairs. Most intriguing for Americans were Putins comments on present day U.S. presidential candidates. In earlier remarks Putin had referred to Donald Trump as bright, brilliant, talented. He praised Trump for saying he was ready to restore full-fledged American-Russian relations. At that time, he said little about Hillary Clinton, referring to her obliquely in saying husband and wife are the same devil. He later confessed he had been too impulsive, and that he will work with whomever the American people chooses as its president. On June 17, Putin politely and carefully referred to Hillary, saying he had not worked much with Clinton while she was secretary of state. Without comment, he said, She probably has her own view of US-Russian relations. Putin was more compelling about Bill Clinton with whom he had very nice relationship. He acknowledged he was grateful to Bill for several moments when I was making my entrance into world politics. Putin, however, did not mention his disagreement with Hillary in 2011 when he said that her State Department sent signals and support to opposition leaders during large street protests against the government when Putin was prime minister. Trump has incorrectly argued that Putin, in those early remarks, had referred to him as a genius and misinterpreted his remarks as a great honor. This was not the case and Putin became more diplomatic and cautious in his language. It was not his business to assess Trumps worthiness. In a somewhat ambiguous remark he limited his characterization of Donald Trump to being flamboyant, and colorful, talented without any doubt. It is interesting to examine the interrelation between Trump and Russia from both a political and personal point of view. Politically, Trump, though his full views on the issue and on foreign policy in general are unclear, is in tune with Putin and Russia regarding NATO. In his speech on April 27, 2016 Trump was critical of NATO, in which only four of the 28 countries, besides the U.S., are spending the minimum required 2% of GDP on defense. More important, Trump called for the upgrading of NATOs outdated mission and structure, stemming from the Cold War, which was designed to meet the threat from the Soviet Union that doesnt exist anymore. That objective is obsolete. Together with Russia, NATO, he argued should confront shared challenges, especially migration and Islamic terrorism. NATO should be changed to fight terrorism. In spite of Trumps implication to the contrary, so far there has been no personal relationship between him and Putin. Since 1987, Trump, and members of family and staff, have made a number of business trips to Russia examining the possibility of building luxury apartments and a condominium complex in Moscow. Indeed, many commentators thought that Trumps presidential campaign was originally intended to focus on his dream of building a Trump Tower in Moscow. But Trump, in spite of his attempt to do so, has never met Putin. In November 2013 Trump took the Miss Universe pageant to Moscow, and personally invited Putin to attend the ceremonies. Putin accepted but finally did not attend, sending a decorative box in Russian style to Trump, and a close associate. This was Vladimir Kozhin, a close ally and longtime friend, who is now Putins adviser on military and technical cooperation. At the same time Trump reached out to another of Putins associates, Aras Agalarov, a real estate billionaire, popularly known as the Trump of Russia, almost certainly for real estate projects rather for discussion of any political issue. However, it is worth noting that Paul Manafort, Trumps main campaign manager, was an adviser to Victor Yanukovych, the pro-Russian president of Ukraine who fled to Russia after the 2014 revolution in Ukraine. Trumps foreign policy ideas are not yet clear or perhaps not yet formulated. But on the specific issue of Russia he has proposed cooperation with Moscow on Syria, counterterrorism, and trade, while remaining uncritical and even defensive about Russian censorship, dismantling of news organizations, and violations of human rights. It is probably true that both Trump and Clinton agree that the level of cooperation with Russia should be increased. It is now time for Hillary Clinton to make clear her position on NATO and its objectives, especially on the priority to be given to the war on Islamist terrorism. The American Left is just plain evil. Not only do they not seek truth, they suppress it. Everything the Left does, including shamefully exploiting the slaughter of Americans in a nightclub, is to further their deception and their power to force their unpopular agenda down our throats. Leftists are the minority. However, they own the federal government, social media, public education, Hollywood, and the Democratic party. They incite misdirected anger, hate and guilt to bully the public into embracing their anti-American and anti-God agenda. Because the Left controls the media, they get away with falsely portraying their opposition. The Left takes disapproval of them forcing their agenda on us to absurd extremes. For example: If you say no to men using girl's restrooms, Leftists in the media brand you an insane hatemonger who seeks the murder of all homosexuals. If you disagree with the Left's illogical obsession with disarming Americans, repealing the second amendment, Leftist media brands you a racist toothless idiot redneck that wants to shoot all people who do not look like you. The Left used the same take-opposition-to-absurd-extremes tactic to brand the Tea Party racist. The good folks in the Tea Party simply disagreed with Obama's unlawful overreaching and ignoring of the Constitution. The Congressional Black caucus despicably took their opposition to the absurd extreme of claiming that the Tea Party would love to see black Americans hanging on a tree. Upon hearing about the Orlando nightclub shooting, I told my wife Mary, You watch, the Left will say all who disapprove with men using girl's restrooms are just as bad as the Orlando shooter. Sure enough, that was the Left's outrageous absurd storyline reported by numerous news outlets. Summarizing the Left's media blitz, they said if you do not affirm the LGBT community and the implementation of their agenda, you are equal to the Orlando shooter; a rabid hater, responsible for those killed in the nightclub. I wonder how many Americans are falling for it. Do you see how the Left's insidious game is played? All who oppose the Left's relentless attacks on biblical principles and our constitutional rights are branded stupid, haters, and bigots by the media. Then the Left launches a shock and awe campaign to destroy the offender. More and more Americans know the drill. More and more are bullied into silence and compliance. It is sad how the Left has been able to pervert the word love into meaning we must embrace deviant and immoral behaviors. The most annoying thing about the Left's bogus image of caring more than the rest of us is that their policies and ideas end up harming the people they claim to champion 99% of the time. Decades of blacks faithfully voting for Democrats (Leftists) has resulted in urban areas becoming hellholes of black on black crime, fatherless households, epidemic school dropouts, poverty and government dependency. Leftists always make every situation they touch worse. Obama's Leftist (politically correct) CVE policy tied the hands of the FBI, blocked them from using intel they had on the Islamist terrorist Orlando shooter. Thus, Obama bears some responsibility for the deaths of the homosexuals in the Orlando nightclub. Pure and simple. And yet, Obama and his media buddies are relentlessly trying to blame the massacre on Christians and American gun owners. Despicably, Obama and his media buddies are hell-bent on convincing Americans that the greatest source of evil and threat to Americans is not Islamist terrorists. It is Christians and American gun owners. Again, I wonder how many Americans are being duped by their deception and misdirection from the truth? Speaking of Obama's evil efforts to cover for Islam and blame Christians and American gun owners, his DOJ is deleting all references to radical Islamic beliefs from the transcripts of the Orlando shooter's 911 call. By the way, America has suffered a terrorist attack every year under Obama. Deaths from terrorism have quadrupled under Obama. And yet, thanks to his media buddies covering for him, Obama approval polling is over 50%. At times, the Left's seemingly successful steamrolling of our culture puts me in a bit of a funk. History chronicles that the path America has chosen has destroyed other civilizations; destruction of the traditional family (fatherless households and etc.); the graying of the line between right and wrong and rebellion against God's natural laws. Therefore, I mourn for my country. However, I do find encouragement to continue fighting the good fight by reminding myself that God is in control and America is worth it. As she tallied up my groceries, I asked the supermarket cashier, Are you still working at the bank? When I moved to Florida 16 years ago, this same Hispanic woman was working as a bank-teller and supermarket cashier. She relied, Yes. I said, You're amazing. The elderly woman chuckled and said, Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do. God is good. Her cheerful demeanor and self-reliance blessed me. Obviously, she does not believe taxpayers owe her a living. Folks, I realize this anecdotal example of character is not a big deal. And yet, it served as a cool sip of water in my desert of despair regarding the declining character of my country. God is good! Lloyd Marcus, The Unhyphenated American Chairman: The Conservative Campaign Committee LloydMarcus.com The conservative radio personality, Chris Plante (WMAL, Washington, DC) opines that the most insidious power of the media is their power to ignore. While it is certainly true that the chief editor of a major newspaper or the producer of a network newscast has the ability to spike or kill a story, which is essentially their way of ignoring the news if you will, what is more subtle, deceitfuland dare I suggest corruptis their penchant to frame a story to fit a specific narrative. They no longer report the news, but they do shape a message. There is not a finer example of the media ignoring the facts and shaping a message than what we are witnessing regarding Hillary Clintons email server, the classified material on that server, as well as the case of the missing emails. The media have embraced the Clinton campaigns narrative that there is nothing to see here, that there wasnt some mishandling email controversy, at most, or repeat Secretary Clintons own bogus statement, using a personal e-mail was permissible as other Secretaries of State did the same thing. Other excuses have been thrown against the wall to see if something will stick, such as, she was trying to protect her privacy or she was clueless about how regular emails work on a conventional computer. Anyone in the intelligence community and DOD holding a top secret clearance with Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI)a type of classified information concerning or derived from sensitive intelligence sources, methods, or analytical processesknows that not only is Hillary Clinton (and her minions) lying but that the mediaunable to completely ignore the multifaceted issuehas shifted to shaping the narrative. The KGB disinformation service couldnt have done a better job. To transfer any classified information onto an unclassified system, you have to work at it. To transfer classified information from a secure classified system and move it to an unclassified system is not only difficult, it is illegal. Those within the intelligence community know this action, in all of its forms, is called espionage. The essence of espionage is the unauthorized movement of classified documents out of a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility, a SCIF, and into the hands of any person not entitled to receive it. The men and women with TS/SCI who toil in the IC and DOD, working with the nations most trusted secrets, know that if they were to secure a private email server and move any shred, chad, or hint of classified information onto that server, the FBI would be on them like stink on a dead fish with a one-way ticket to a federal brig. And they would be charged with espionage. Seventy years ago, a long-term Democrat, the former government lawyer and senior State Department official, Alger Hiss, removed classified information from the U.S. State Department. Classified documents that moved in and out of the Secretarys office, stopped at his desk where he typed copies on his office typewriter. He slipped the copies into a briefcase and provided them to his Soviet agent who photographed and microfilmed them. When the FBI finally retrieved the spools of microfilm, the Hiss Papers printed out to a stack 4 feet tall. The FBI case against Alger Hiss was a clear-cut case of espionage, however, the Justice Department only authorized a lesser chargeperjurydue to the statute of limitations. The espionage case against Alger Hiss and the case against Hillary Clinton are eerily similar. Both were long-term Democrats, former lawyers, and senior State Department officials that removed classified information from its proper place of custodyor to be lost, stolen, abstracted, or destroyed. It is an undeniable fact that both systematically transferred thousands of pieces of classified information out of the State Departments offices at Foggy Bottom. Additionally, there is the issue of 33,000 missing emails. Maybe Julian Assange of WikiLeaks fame could help us out here and release those documents. It may be noteworthy that if Mrs. Clintons missing emails were ever recovered and printed out, that stack of papers would reach over 10 feet tall.[*] Alger Hiss was a lightweight compared to Hillary Clinton, as his production for the Soviet Unions KGB was still considered impressive for him to receive several awards in absentia. The former Secretary of State, gave her State Department emails containing Top Secret and other classified information to her lawyer. Im fairly certain, David Kendall was not a fully cleared individual and transferring classified material to someone not authorized to receive them is an act of espionage. Congressman Trey Gowdy introduced Americans to the legal issue known as spoliation of evidence. When some item of relevant evidencewhether documents, physical objects or datarelevant to an ongoing legal matteris destroyed, discarded or modified in some way, the U.S. legal system allows investigators to presume that the missing evidence was unfavorable to that party and furthermore allows them to draw conclusions accordingly. The classic junior high school excuse, the dog ate my homework, or they were emails dealing with Chelseas wedding or yoga isnt valid under the law when the disappearance and their handling is suspicious. Even Inspector Clouseau would find the admission of 33,000 emails, scrubbed or wiped clean from a private server, to be highly suspicious. The intentional destruction or negligent loss of evidence suggests that Hillary Clinton believed that her emails were harmful to her, and that consciousness of guilt led her to destroy, hide or lose them. The media will never acknowledge Secretary Clintons intentional destruction her emailsclassic spoliation of evidenceeven if they were beat over the head with it. A recent survey found that not a single member of the White House correspondent pool was a Republican. Journalists and those correspondents take their orders from senior editors and producers. When its 44-to-zero Republicans, the numbers are on their side and so is their ability to control and dictate the White House message and Democrat party narrative. Today, no news or story from the mainstream media can ever be trusted or considered, in the immortal words of Sergeant Joe Friday, Just the truth, maam. Dr. Paul Kengors expose on Frank Marshal Davis, The Communist, demonstrated that the one-time editor traveled to the Soviet Union and learned the fine art of propaganda and disinformation from instructors from the KGB. Sixty years later, it appears Americas journalism schools now teach the same propaganda coursework and disinformation strategies as Cold War Moscow. The old Soviet press gave their all for the Motherland and warped the news as required to ensure it fit Stalins and the Communist Partys message. Isnt that what is going on with todays media? A better question may be, Who isnt a socialist or a closet communist in todays Democrat-centric media, carrying the water for the White House, running a Soviet-style disinformation campaign and obscuring the facts in the case of Hillary Clinton? The President recently endorsed the Democrat nominee for President. The media obfuscated the fact that the FBI received what was tantamount to marching orders from the chief law enforcement officer. If the FBI Director insists and submit charges; treason, espionage or something lesser, the Justice Department will ignore the evidence and will never approve an indictment of Mrs. Clinton. And the media will have done its job of ignoring the facts and maintaining the Clinton campaigns narrative that this was nothing but Republican witch hunting. Mark Hewitt is the author of the espionage thrillers Special Access and Shoot Down. Having to listen to threats from the worst president in U.S. history is reason enough for Brits to vote to pull out of the European Union in the June 23 national referendum. The murder of Jo Cox, a female member of Parliament who supported remaining in the EU and consequently opening the floodgate of Middle East immigration, as called for by Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel has placed a pall on the referendum campaign. Before the incident , Brexit (meaning Britain's exit the EU) was leading in the polls. Obama was in the U.K. before the demise of Jo Cox when he issued his extortion: if you Brits quit the EU, you will go to the bottom of the U.S. list of trading partners. The wry smugness on his face was evident, likely derived from his pleasure bossing around the nation whose empire was equal to none in human history. Britannia's rule included Kenya, home of Obama's father, and the scene of ugly resistance by Jomo Kenyatta and his Mau-Mau movement, made familiar to Americans by Robert Ruark's book Something of Value and the sequel, Uhuru. Thus, coursing through Obama's blood is a resentment for the British empire that lingers. For instance, one of his first acts as president was to return a bust of Winston Churchill, a gift to the United States from Great Britain, symbolizing the friendship between the two allies since World War II. Much later, the Obama White House was caught lying in its denial that the bust was returned, knowing that it has resided in the British embassy since 2008. (Turns out there were two identical busts of Churchill by sculptor Jacob Epstein: the one given back by Obama and a second presented to President Lyndon Johnson in 1965.) While the Churchill bust served as an unintended symbol of Obama's antipathy to the mother of all empires, it was only a soupcon of an all-pervasive hatred of imperial Great Britain drummed into the heads of all little socialists like young Barack. This party-line propaganda goes back to Lenin and his phobic hatred of Great Britain as the fount of bourgeois values, evil international bankers, and empire. This negative criticism of Britain faded after World War II, to be replaced in the communist mind with the U.S. Recall the refrain of anti-American slogans beginning in the 1950s against the bomb, and America as the epitome of imperialism in Vietnam. The U.S., to leftists, is the heir to Rule Britannia. Thus it is that young Barack learned at the knee of his earliest mentors that the U.S. is an empire, a condition it inherited from the British. That's why his global perspective is to have the U.S. knocked off its pedestal as world leader and our arsenal decimated, with each nation in his one-world goal viewed as somehow equal. It follows that young Barack saw the European Union as a great leap forward to extinguish nationalism seen by socialists as the root cause of war and, best of all, solve problems and run government collectively. To Obama, the EU is a dream come true in the making: nations subsume their pesky sovereignty to hold hands with their neighbors for the "greater good." Better, the EU is a huge and byzantine bureaucracy, all speaking different languages and meeting in two capitals governed by Euro ministers, totally out of touch with their countries and oblivious to constituents. Obviously, then, the EU is nirvana to socialists the power to write down and regulate every transaction and activity, with 28 different countries forced to obey. Now the end is finally nigh not just for Britain, but for many more members under legal pressure to accept a quota of refugees from the Middle East. Obama's advice to Britain to remain in the EU is disingenuous, obviously not for Britain's own good. Perhaps it isn't time to shelve that #NeverTrump movement yet. Rumors abound about why Corey Lewandowski was fired from Donald Trump's campaign, but now that we're focused on the personnel issues in Trump's 2016 run, rather than the policy issues, there may be some major problems in the closet. Some reports claim that Lewandowski "allegedly tried to shop negative stories about Ivanka [Trump's] husband, New York Observer owner and campaign confidante Jared Kushner." If true, it's clearly an unworkable situation for The Donald, since his loyalties on that front are unquestionable. Although the question of why Lewandowski was allegedly up to that behavior if indeed he was is the one requiring an answer. Those unknown "sources" in the Trump campaign said that after Lewandowski's dismissal, "they were also frustrated that Lewandowski seemed to encourage Trump's worst behavior, including his attempts to delegitimize the Indiana-born federal judge presiding over [sic] [the] Trump University [sic] [lawsuits] by describing him as a 'Mexican.'" In addition, apparently, "now with Trump's poll numbers falling well behind Hillary Clinton's, Lewandowski lost his bulwark and Trump was finally willing to fire him." Herein lies the problem. If that biased polling campaign underway last week using massive oversampling of liberals in any way fooled Trump and his advisers, they really are stupid. In fact, Trump's valid concerns about the judicial system, as well as other supposedly controversial views aired in public, are what attracts widespread public support to him. The moment Trump goes mainstream up against Hillary Clinton's juggernaut, he is dead in the water. The entire portion of the political spectrum from the Reagan Democrats through the Tea Party is more cynical about political flim-flam this cycle then ever before, and they uniformly despise the GOP establishment and those polished Republicans. They are looking for bold authenticity. Deny them this, and they will sit at home, or even cross the aisle to vote for Clinton just to shove that poker farther into the Republican eye. Lewandowski's slogan, "Let Trump be Trump," was the winning approach, and provided he was not acting as a conduit for the truly more wacko components of the political spectrum (see, e.g., LGBTQ activists), why mess with a winning formula? The optics of the firing after Lewandowski was disgracefully smeared by the Breitbart reporter for a faux assault are also terrible, as evident by the crowing about Lewandowski's removal today by the former Breitbart "journalists" themselves. The real slide apparently started with the hiring of Paul Manafort as Trump's political consultant, who eventually became the campaign chairman and chief strategist. Now that many commentators are looking behind the Trump campaign curtain, Manafort's hiring and winning a power struggle with Lewandowski look terrible and may come back to haunt Trump once the Clinton team starts firing on all cylinders in attack ads during the final weeks of the campaign. Lewandowski's background is varied, to say the least, and clearly not pristine. But Manafort's is downright troubling. His long-term linkage to some repugnant foreign entities, including national security threats such as Pakistan's intelligence service, among others, will attract the Clinton campaign's undivided attention at some point. Manafort's shady past effectively negates any moral high ground the Trump campaign had over Clinton certainly on the Huma Abedin file (i.e., just exchange one set of Islamic extremist connections for another), and potentially extending to a negation of the Benghazi incident. Partisans may try to hand-wave these problems under the table, but for the Silent Majority, the moral clarity between Trump and Clinton was severely muddied by Manafort's presence, and his ultimate apparent victory over Lewandowski. On Bill O'Reilly's show Monday night, Trump said the following about the day's events: We ran a small, beautiful, well-unified campaign ... It worked very well in the primaries ... But we're going to go a little bit of a different route from this point forward. A little different style. If that style involves a Trump who tones it down on economic and national security issues, particularly those appealing to the broad nationalist voter base, Clinton will run away in a landslide. If Trump changed his campaign ignoring the "dance with the one that brought you" rule because of faulty polling numbers, then all hope is lost in the search for intelligent life among either establishment or "outsider" Republicans. Oh, well. Darwinian rules are on. Time will tell whether Trump's decision was correct or if he climbed into bed with the wrong team and alienated his loyalists. If the news from mid-April is correct that former Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper is now giving political advice to Sheldon Adelson on how to win elections, and since Adelson is backing Trump's campaign, perhaps the long descent to electoral failure for the GOP presidential campaign really is written in stone. If these are your advisers for Trump 2016, consider the race lost, and think about hoisting the #NeverTrump flag again. But wait...some #NeverTrumpers have had previous and utterly absurd love-ins over Harper that could induce gagging for their uncritical press release-like propaganda, which only deepens the level of slop on the right. Politics should be survival of the fittest, and as of the end of day on June 20, 2016, the conservative movement appears to be on shaky ground. The best advice for Trump at this point is to clean house entirely. Confusion reigns, and the decades-long rot in the conservative movement continues to resurface. Trump was supposed to be the one for a fresh start. Perhaps that was too much to hope for, and the best remedy is a quick death and subsequent regrouping once the old garbage has been disposed of. If we can't get to this point quickly and cleanly, many true conservatives will act out of spite at the incompetence and place their mark in the "D" column come November. For those who think this won't happen, I introduce Exhibit A the Canadian federal election of October 2015. Mess with the base, and the base will mess with you tenfold in return. The social conservatives have already left the building, and many others on the right are not far behind. Yesterday, a seminal moment was reached in the Trump campaign as his top aides and close family members met at Trump Towers to look for ways to right the ship and get the campaign back on track. How bad is it? The latest report from the FEC shows that at the end of May, Trump had just $1.3 million in cash on hand, while Clinton had $42 million. Jim Geraghty, in his "Morning Jolt" newsletter, tracks the other grim statistics: He isnt hiring staff; he has about 30 paid staff around the country while Hillary Clinton has something in the neighborhood of 700 Hes refusing to spend any money on ads:The Clinton campaign and its allies are airing just over $23 million in television ads in eight potential battleground states: Nevada, Colorado, Iowa, Ohio, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia and New Hampshire, according to data released by NBC News. The Trump campaign? Zero. Either Trump is illiquid, or he doesnt have the money. Hes either refusing to fundraise, or seriously slacking in this key component of a presidential campaign: While Trump had promised Priebus that he would call two dozen top GOP donors, when RNC chief of staff Katie Walsh recently presented Trump with a list of more than 20 donors, he called only three before stopping, according to two sources familiar with the situation. Its unclear whether he resumed the donor calls later. Hes destroyed existing relationships between the Republican party and corporate America that previously had been beyond the realm of policy differences: Apple has told Republican leaders it will not provide funding or other support for the partys 2016 presidential convention, as its done in the past, citing Donald Trumps controversial comments about women, immigrants and minorities. Unlike Facebook, Google and Microsoft, which have all said they will provide some support to the GOP event in Cleveland next month, Apple decided against donating technology or cash to the effort, according to two sources familiar with the iPhone makers plans. Hes getting less popular and hes only creating more headaches for everyone else in the party. Hes trailing in Kansas, tied in Utah, and Arizona looks shaky. Republican primary voters selected a candidate with very little appeal to the broader electorate. So which is worse? Alienating the 13.8 million voters who selected him in the primary? Or alienating a majority of the 120 million to130 million who will vote in November? Theres no goodoption left; which one is less bad? Forbes explains why it's "insane" for Trump to rely on the RNC to raise money for the campaign as the candidate has demanded: A man with $10 billion and a decent shot at the presidency ought to be able to free up substantial funds to do that and to do anything to win. Thats emphatically not happening. The Occams razor explanation is that hes not worth $10 billion. However much he is worth, he appears not to possess the liquidity to conjure up the necessary $1 billion, or hundreds or even tens of millions, that a national campaign requires. Even a million is a stretch. This might be OK if Trump were willing to raise money. After all, self-funding presidential campaigns are rare because they cost so much. But Trump doesnt appear to be willing to do the minimum required on this front either. He dislikes calling rich donors. He has said that he wants the Republican Party apparatus to take over the functions of a national campaign. This is insane, because the Republican Party has its own job to do. Its supposed to work concert with the nominees national organization, and with down-ballot campaigns. So handing it this huge extra job, without the money to make it happen, will hurt not just Trump but the entire Republican slate. But the firing of longtime campaign manager Corey Lewandowski may signal the beginning of a turnaround. Lewandowski and Paul Manafort, the campaign chairman, had been fighting for Trump's soul, with Lewandowski pushing to allow Trump to continue his bombastic, bomb-throwing rhetoric while Manafort insisted that Trump needs to tone it down. The exit of Lewandowski sends a signal to GOP insiders and donors that Trump may be willing to adopt a more conventional pose going forward. While Trump remains competitive in the polls, trailing Clinton by 5 points in the latest CNN survey, Hillary is about to embark on a $23-million ad blitz in battleground states a strategy that Trump cannot counter at all. Recall that Romney faced a similar problem in 2012, ending the primary season with very little cash. Obama took the opportunity to flood the airwaves with negative ads to define Romney as a rich ogre who didn't care about ordinary Americans. It worked, and the rest is history. This is a campaign with no national organization, no overall strategy, no organized fundraising apparatus, no get-out-the-vote operation explains why it's "insane" for Trump to rely on the RNC to raise money for the campaign as the candidate has demanded. in short, it's an aimless, disorganized mess. With four and a half months to go to election day, the Trump campaign is in big trouble, and you would hope that the intervention by top aides and family yesterday convinced the candidate to begin doing what must be done to get back in the race. If you have been looking for an antidote to Black Lives Matter, Heather Mac Donalds new book published today, The War on Cops: How the New Attack on Law and Order Makes Everyone Less Safe, is the prescription. Ms. Mac Donald is the most effective, articulate, and knowledgeable writer today on issues of law enforcement and criminal justice. In this book, she has brought together a powerful refutation of the lefts efforts led by the Obama administration to undo the considerable progress in reducing crime America has made since Rudy Giuliani became mayor of New York and modeled a new paradigm of law enforcement. The book is divided into four major parts. The first and longest is devoted to Burning Cities and the Ferguson Effect, tracing the events in Ferguson, Missouri that led to Black Lives Matter and the Obama administrations efforts to pillory local law enforcement as racist when disproportionate numbers of blacks get into trouble. Ferguson became the touchstone for a broader attack on cops, and Mac Donald develops the story with great insight and detail. The Ferguson Effect, as most readers know, is the rebound in crime rates that has resulted from the lefts attacks on cops in the wake of Ferguson. I followed the Ferguson riots and aftermath closely, but I learned a lot from this book about what was really happening and what was done with events there by those with political agendas. The level of detail in this account is stunning, with Mac Donald explaining and refuting the arguments of the left and BLM. The second section of the book, Handcuffing the Cops, logically follows and shows what is being done to frustrate the effective measures that have reduced our crime rates. Mac Donald calls these efforts de-policing, in particular the war on stop-and-frisk policies whereby police go after gun-carrying people to get them off the streets before they wreak mayhem. Part three, The Truth about Crime, focuses on the real root of the core offenders who cause most of the street crime in our cities: the collapse of two-parent families. A significant focus here is on Chicago, and President Obamas record there, from the time he was a community organizer to the present, virtually ignoring the problem while decrying other factors (racism, poverty). The final part, Incarceration and its Critics, focuses on the campaign against mass incarceration, yet another race-infused movement that aims at returning more effenders to the streets to commit more crime. Ms. Mac Donald writes in a tone I can describe only as cold fire intense but not hyperbolic, armed with facts and irrefutable logic. The moment for this book is now, with a presidential election looming that will set the course for the next four years and beyond, and with the prospect of a rapidly rising crime rate devastating our cities should BLM and others succeed in placing allies in positions of power. If you face the prospect of talking with friends or relatives about crime and want to be able to explain to them why the attacks on cops and the justice system will do incredible harm to life in our cities, this book will give you excatly what you need. Cheers for Vin Scully, the legendary voice of the Dodgers. He's called a lot of games and big moments over the years. His comments about socialism earned an A+ in the Truth Hall of Fame: Socialism, failing to work as it always does. This time in Venezuela. You talk about giving everybody something free and all of a sudden, theres no food to eat. And who do you think is the richest person in Venezuela? The daughter of Hugo Chavez. Hello. Down in Venezuela, the situation has reached "failed state" status. What do you call a state where soldiers have to protect bakeries so that people don't steal flour or bread? It is horrific, as we see in this report from The New York Times: With delivery trucks under constant attack, the nations food is now transported under armed guard. Soldiers stand watch over bakeries. The police fire rubber bullets at desperate mobs storming grocery stores, pharmacies and butcher shops. A 4-year-old girl was shot to death as street gangs fought over food. Venezuela is convulsing from hunger. I visited Venezuela a couple of times before Chavez. A nation "convulsing from hunger" is not what I found. On the contrary, it was a happy country, full of well-stocked stores and some of the finest restaurants in the world. To be fair, it was not a perfect country too much dependence on oil and too many imported goods. But there was no hunger or shortage of anything. Cuba went through a period like this in the 1960s. Unlike Venezuela today, Castro had a USSR willing to pay the bills as long as he served as a spokesman for socialism in the Third World and sent troops to fight wars in Africa. Here is the bottom line: millions of U.S. citizens voted for Senator Sanders, a man who would love to turn the U.S. into that place where the government gives you this and that, paid for by the rich. I am not going to say that every Sanders voter was voting for socialism, but a lot of them did by accepting the idea that government will provide you health care and tuition. How is that working out in Venezuela? Frankly, how is "free stuff" working out anywhere else? Here is an idea: every young person in college should listen to that quick audio from Vince Scully. Better yet, they should go down to Caracas for a few months and see what Sanders has in mind. P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter. I don't know where and when we Jews learned to hate ourselves. I guess it's that so many millions of people hate us that we feel it's easier to go along with them. We assume we must have deserved it if we were almost wiped out during WWII, and now Iran (aided by Obama's nuclear negotiations) wants to do it again. In the concentration camps, some Jews identified with the Nazis and shoved each other into ovens. In The Bridge on the River Kwai, Alec Guinness identified with the Japanese and tried to save the bridge he had built for them. Now many of the self-hating Jews have turned against Israel and side with the Palestinians, claiming that the Jews have cruelly settled into an "occupation" of the West Bank. Bernie Sanders, an awkward self-hating Jew, picked a platform abandoning Israel. I guess being a clumsy, simplistic, ideological Jew is too much for him to admit. He'd rather identify with the enemy so he doesn't have to recognize that he is one of the hated. Sanders would rather side with the Palestinians and pretend he is not what he is. Maybe it will keep him out of the gas chamber. Maybe he can push his family in instead. Democrat Jews do not want to see Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. They hate Israel. They hate themselves. They are their own worst enemies, like the editors of National Review belittling Donald Trump and cutting their own throats. Liberal Jews love Palestinians because it makes them feel that they are generous in spirit and forgiving. They don't care about the Jews who have been blown up on buses. They don't care about women's mutilations or men stoning their wives for their own adultery see The Stoning of Soraya M for more on that. Democrat Jews feel sorry for the Palestinians who tie suicide belts to their own children as if it is Democrats' fault for not sharing their incomes, giving Palestinians food stamps, and helping them along. Liberal Jews defend horrid Palestinians because they think it makes them look generous. There is nothing generous about self-betrayal. The news is full of reports of that Attorney General Loretta Lynch has ordered that the term "ISIS" be redacted from the DOJ's reports of the statements made by Omar Mateen. Though Mateen explicitly dedicated his monstrous mass murder to ISIS, Attorney General Lynch said she would not "proclaim" the group by name. It is a wretched development that the attorney general has sunk to insulting the American people with Pravda talking points. (Who needs Winston Smith?) Nobody seems to understand the fundamental reason for her obfuscation. It is wrongfully attributed to the fact that the administration does not want to take on ISIS in a meaningful way. This president will never fight Islamic terrorism in a meaningful way. But it is not so much because he actively supports Islamic terrorism although he well may. Rather, he prefers to destroy the sovereignty and standing of America without the bother of crazed Muslims bombing, slicing, or shooting Americans. He would prefer to continue quietly importing hundreds of thousands of non-white people from countries with virtually no traditions of political freedom without the distraction of Islamic monstrosities popping up all over. The heart and soul of Obama's worldview, and of the worldview of both black attorneys general he has appointed, are that all hate stems from white racism, and therefore all terrorism is ultimately caused by white racism. If Islamic violence cannot be attributed to white people, it cannot be attributed to anybody. White guilt is the only reason why an undistinguished junior senator with a questionable past became president. White guilt is the only reason Obama, Holder, and now Lynch rose to power. The alpha and omega of their anti-Americanism is anti-white racism. They will not name ISIS, less because they are defending Islamic terrorism and more because they are defending their model of hate. Catherine Engelbrecht's take on Loretta Lynch's virulent anti-white words and interpretation of law is spot-on. Loretta Lynch will not name ISIS for the same reason she did not name or prosecute any of the criminals from the riots in Ferguson or Baltimore. She redacted the word "Islamic" and any intimation of it from the murderer's own words for the same reason black-on-black crime will always be caused by lax gun laws. It's so simple: white guilt forever; black guilt, Mexican guilt, Moslem guilt never. It would be too unkind to say that the Obama administration resembles The Gang that Couldn't Shoot Straight, the appellation given by the novelist Jimmy Breslin to a story about Brooklyn Mafiosi. Yet even loyal supporters of the administration are perplexed and embarrassed by the decision on June 19, 2016 of Attorney General Loretta Lynch to redact the most important parts of the transcript of the self-described soldier of Allah, the Islamist murderer of 49 people in Orlando, Florida. Two recent actions have illustrated the insularity of mind, the remoteness, of the U.S. administration from reality and given the impression of a fanatical obsession with a fabricated version of affairs. One is the repeated refusal by President Barack Obama and, on June 20, 2016, Attorney General Lynch to acknowledge that terrorist incidents are linked to if not the result of radical Islam. The other is an unwillingness to abide by the Freedom of Information Act of 1966 that allows anyone to request information from executive branch government agencies. It is inexplicable why Barack Obama and Loretta Lynch persist in refusing to utter the words radical Islam, as if they were a kind of witchcraft, in referring to the terrorists in the U.S. The murderers told us who they were and explained their actions. Major Nidal Hasan, who killed 13 at Fort Hood on November 5, 2009, said he was linked to the notorious terrorist leader Anwar al-Awlaki. Muhammad Abdulazeez, who killed 5 at Chattanooga, Tenn., on July 16, 2015, was motivated by Islamist propaganda. The couple who killed 14 in San Bernardino on June 12, 2016 were inspired by Islamist groups. Why cannot the president and the attorney general accept the references to Islamic terrorism by the perpetrators, including those made by the murderer Omar Mateen in Orlando in his calls to the police during his intervals of murdering 49 people? Mateen had clearly said he had pledged allegiance to the ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and the ISIS organization. It is unrewarding that the administration's excuse for not speaking frankly is desire to avoid alienating supposed allies in the Muslim world. What an extraordinary difference between the Obama administration's inability to speak truth to the American public and the forthrightness and clarity of French political leaders in responding to terror in their country and elsewhere in Europe. After the ghastly series of massacres starting on January 7, 2015 at the Charlie Hebdo offices in Paris and the nearby kosher supermarket that killed 17 people, French prime minister Manuel Valls stated the obvious. The Obama administration should heed Valls's words: "[w]e are at war, but not against a religion, not against a civilization, but at war to defend our values. It is a war against terrorism, against jihadism, against radical Islam." After the terrorism on March 22, 2016 at the airport and metro station in Brussels, Valls repeated the reality: the existence of war against the three mentioned enemies. President Obama correctly said that all of us have a responsibility to refute the view that groups like ISIS somehow represent Islam. The problem is that no serious critic of his foreign policy has suggested that this is the case. All accept that that the vast numbers of Muslims in the U.S. and around the world are peaceful people. But it is the height of irresponsibility to deny or overlook the fact that a part of the Muslim community can be characterized as adherents of radical Islam. Similarly, it is not true that addressing the terrorists correctly as radical Islamists will in some way discourage efforts to combat them, nor does it suggest that the West is fighting a war against a religion or, even worse, encouraging would-be jihadists to join the terrorist groups. The statement and decision of Loretta Lynch redacting the specific enemy, Islamic jihadists, from the transcript of the 911 calls made by the terrorist become incomprehensible, except as politically motivated moves politicizing the Department of Justice. Both Lynch and Obama have spoken of the Orlando massacre as an act of terror, an act of hate. But neither mentioned that it was inspired by terrorist ideology or that Mateen stated his allegiance to the world's major terrorist group. It is a truism that Mateen was not directed by ISIS or was part of a larger operation. ISIS has fully explained its strategy of calling for lone wolf operations rather than relying on large-scale, disciplined, and organized ones. Lynch's actions and non-actions have revealed a wider problem in the Obama administration: the lack of transparency in, if not the continuing politicizing of, the Department of Justice, already familiar from members of previous and present administrations, such as John Mitchell in the Nixon administration and Eric Holder, the previous attorney general. On April 1, 2016, the White House was inexcusably undiplomatic by censoring a video of French president Francois Hollande and redacting his remarks that Islamist terrorism is at the root of terrorism. On a number of occasions, Obama has assured the country that his administration is the most transparent administration in history. His memorandum to the heads of executive departments and agencies declared that the administration would, consistent with law and policy, disclose information rapidly in forms that the public can readily find and use. Accordingly, there has been some commitment to transparency. But, even admitting the growing problem because of the increase in the number of requests for information, there have been frequent departures from this noble principle. Rather, there has been secrecy and imperfect disclosure of information in off-the-record and concealed meetings. We know that the State Department edited the transcript of the journalist James Rosen. The White House spin-doctor Ben Rhodes has arrogantly revealed his deception of the media and the general public over the nuclear deal with Iran. Censorship has been rife. It may be true, as the administration argues, that some information needs to be private, but the clear and frequent pronouncements by Mateen do not fall in this category. The record of the administration regarding secrecy and openness and transparency has been imperfect. Pertinent to the ongoing presidential campaign, a federal judge in May 2015 rebuked the State Department for not releasing the emails of Hillary Clinton and ordered them to be released in batches every 30 days. More broadly in 2014, the Obama administration censored or refused to release more government records than in any previous year. About 39% of total requests for information were censored, or access was denied. In about 30% of other instances, no records could be found, or the request was found unreasonable. Federal officials could not find any records for one sixth, or 13,000, of the requests for information. Happily, it was a severe backlash and strong public concern from American citizens about the proposed redaction by Lynch that caused the Department of Justice to change its mind and make public the seemingly whole transcript of Mateen's remarks. The administration's behavior, by denying or minimizing reference to the perpetrators as Islamic or linked to ISIS in some way, is largely political in character. Its explanation that by redacting the information, it is preventing spreading of Islamic propaganda is a specious one. The families of the 49 killed in Orlando deserve better from their rulers. From a must-read article on the FBIs Orlando intel failure by Pamela Geller: Under Obama, the Department of Homeland Security was prohibited from using words like jihad and sharia. Instead, according to the Daily Caller: One of the sitting members on the Homeland Security Advisory Councils (HSAC) Subcommittee on Countering Violent Extremism is a 25-year-old immigrant of Syrian heritage who said that the 9/11 attacks changed the world for good and has consistently disparaged America, free speech and white people on social media. Laila Alawa was one of just 15 people tapped to serve on the newly-formed HSAC Subcommittee on Countering Violent Extremism in 2015 the same year she became an American citizen. The result? The subcommittee Alawa serves on instructed the DHS to begin using American English instead of religious, legal and cultural terms like jihad, sharia, takfir or umma when discussing terrorism in order to avoid offending Muslims. Not only did this Syrian immigrant cheer 9/11; in April 2013 she told me to go fk yourself after I called the Boston bombing jihad. This is who Obama assigns to keep us safe. Who is going to keep us safe from this woman? And she is not alone: another Homeland Security Advisor, Salam al-Marayati, has said that the U.S. is doing Israels dirty work and blamed Israel for the 9/11 attacks. Salam al-Marayati defends terrorist acts and the groups who carry them out. (snip) The ghastly death toll is a stunning indictment of Obamas sharia-compliant countering violent extremism policies. Obama now seeks to disarm us and import hundreds of thousands more believers after his policies has led to an unprecedented escalation in the war in the homeland. Guns are not the problem. Bombs, knives, suicide vests, machetes, cars its the jihad. We in America should never be surprised to find that things have not turned out the way Washington politicians planned them, particularly in the Middle East. The very idea that the Obama regime knows best how to manipulate the forces at play in places like Iraq is laughable. How is it that this administration trusts the word of officials in either Iraq or Iran when there is no precedent for such beliefs? Now it appears that Mr. Obama is directly responsible for the stream of refugees leaving Fallujah and for the piles of dead humans left behind to bake in the sun until they are the consistency of beef jerky. Via Debka: The pro-Iranian militias were enabled to reach central Fallujah and overwhelm ISIS by the massive bombing raids carried out by US AV-8B Harrier II jets, which flew in from bases in the Persian Gulf, and F/A-18 Hornets from the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier in the eastern Mediterranean. There is not much difference between the barbarous acts perpetrated by ISIS and the savagery of Shiite militiamen against the Sunni dwellers of the Iraqi city. In many cases it is even worse. The pro-Iranian fighters are burning down and blowing up houses, murdering and raping women, and executing children and the elderly with bayonets or gunfire. many Sunnis are fleeing in dread of their liberators, the pro-Iranian Iraqi Shiite militias that captured the eastern and central parts of Fallujah. These militias, the Popular Mobilization Forces and the Badar Forces, take their orders from Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Al Qods Brigades, and Brig. Gen. Mohammad Pakpour, commander of the Revolutionary Guard Corps ground forces. DEBKAfiles military and counterterrorism sources point to an especially grave repercussion coming as a direct result of the war crimes allowed to occur in Fallujah. Washington will be hard put to enlist any local Sunni allies for the capture of the two main ISIS strongholds, Mosul in Iraq and Raqqa in Syria. Some of the American field commanders may believe they can dispense with Sunni support and rely on other local forces, such as the Kurds, to step forward. But they must take into account that many young Sunnis, after witnessing pro-Iranian atrocities in Fallujah may well opt to side with ISIS as the lesser evil. In normal times, it might be that Mr. Obama would at least be sanctioned by Congress for abetting war crimes. However, we have been inured to accepting the deaths of civilian others as part of the Revolution that is supposed to bring us to our Socialist Utopia. The grief, universally expressed, at the 49 people slaughtered in Orlando, Florida will not be extended to the dead in Iraq. The only thing of which I am sure is that had Israel engaged in such tactics, it would cease to exist by the concerted will and actions of a unified United Nations. How do I know? Please recall that in 1982, Israel was condemned by the U.N., and Arik Sharon lost his position as commander of the Israel Defense Forces because he failed to act against marauding Christian Phalange troops who slaughtered between 800 and 2,000 Muslims. His was a sin of omission, but Mr. Obamas was a sin of commission. Yet for Mr. Obama, things remain the same today as they were the day before the deaths of innocents in Fallujah. Things are getting dicey in the skies above Syria as Russia continues to pound U.S.-backed rebels who are fighting ISIS as the U.S. looks to counter. On June 16, the two sides nearly came to blows, as the Daily Beast reports: The incident began when at least two twin-engine Su-34 bombers, some of Moscows most advanced warplanes, struck what the Pentagon described as a border garrison housing around 200 U.S.-supported rebels in At Tanf on the Syrian side of the Syria-Jordan border. The rebels had been conducting counter-ISIL operations in the area, the Pentagon stated on June 18, using an alternative acronym for ISIS. The United States and its allies in Syria clearly did not expect the air strike. The rebels in At Tanf are party to a shaky ceasefire agreement between rebel forces and the regime of Syrian president Bashar Al Assadand, by extension, the Russian military contingent backing Al Assad. The Los Angeles Times reported that Russian planes had not previously been active over At Tanf. The Su-34s initial strike wounded, and perhaps killed, some of the rebels in At Tanf. The U.S. Navy scrambled F/A-18 fighters to intercept the Russians, the Los Angeles Times reported. The Navy has deployed two aircraft carriers to the region for strikes on ISIS. As the F/A-18s approached the Su-34s, officials with U.S. Central Commandwhich oversees Americas wars in the Middle East and Afghanistanused a special hotline to contact their Russian counterparts directing Russias own intervention in Syria. Arriving over At Tanf, the American pilots apparently spoke directly to the Russian aviators. Pilots CAN communicate with one another on a communications channel set up to avoid air accidents, Central Command confirmed in a statement to The Daily Beast. Washington and Moscow had established the hotline as part of a so-called Safety of Flight Memorandum of Understanding that the two governments signed in October specifically in order to avoid the kind of aerial confrontation that occurred over Syria last week. With the American jets flying close enough to visually identify the Su-34s, the Russians departed the air space over At Tanf. Some time shortly thereafter, the F/A-18s ran low on fuel and left the area in order to link up with an aerial tanker. Thats when the Su-34s reportedly returned to At Tanfand bombed the rebels again. According to the Los Angeles Times, the second strike killed first-responders assisting survivors of the first bombing run. It's not known what rules of engagement American pilots are operating under over Syria, but you have to think, given the consequences, that the fighters would be allowed to open fire only under direct orders from their superiors. If our F-18s had caught the Russians bombing the rebels, would those orders have been given? The day after the attack, what the Daily Beast describes as an "extraordinary" conference call was convened at the Pentagon with senior U.S. military officials and their Russian counterparts. We can assume that the U.S. expressed its displeasure at Russian bombing anti-ISIS rebels who were also part of the ceasefire arrangement. What the Russians replied is anyone's guess. The Russians seem determined to force a military victory in the civil war. That can't be done until all rebels either are dead or give up. Moscow doesn't care who is backing the rebels and whom they are fighting. Russia will apparently risk war with the U.S. to achieve its strategic objectives. And since the U.S. has no discernible strategic objectives, we are stuck with reacting to Russia's aggressive moves. The danger of overreacting isn't far away. In the prairies near Olympia, in Washington, in northwestern United States, thousands upon thousands of grass-covered humps bulges out of the ground like an enormous bubble wrap. These humps are called mima mounds, named after the Mima Prairie, and they range in size from near imperceptible to more than two meters tall, and several meters across. Since their discovery by Charles Wilkes, a US naval officer and explorer, in 1841, these mysterious mounds have intrigued scientists and provoked curiosity, speculation, and debate. Wilkes initially thought that the mounds were graves of ancient Indians but when he ordered his men to dig up, they found no bones. We now know that these mounds are thousands of years old but we still dont know who or what created them. Over the years dozens of theories have been advanced implicating everything from earthquakes to glaciers to gophers to even aliens. Photo credit: Washington DNR/Flickr Mima mounds are not unique to Washington. Similar formations have been found in other US states and all across the globe, except Antarctica. In California and Oregon they are known as hogwallow mounds, in New Mexico and Colorado as prairie mounds, and in the southeastern states as pimple mounds. The South Africans call them "heuweltjies", or little hills, and the Brazilians call theirs "campos de murundus", or mound fields. The shape, size and composition of the mounds vary from place to place. They are typically circular to oval in shape, and composed of darker soil mixed with organic matter, including charcoal, on top of the gravel bed, with dark intrusions extending downward and usually mixed with small boulders. One of the most popular theories that seems to have gained some traction among scientists credit pocket gophers, a small, burrowing rodent that build tunnels underground. According to this theory, each mima mound develops through the effort of many generation of gophers. However, pocket gophers are solitary and fiercely territorial and there is no evidence that the animals ever reinhabit old mound sites. Another issue with this theory lies in the big rocks commonly found in and on top of the mounds. These rocks are too large for gophers to move. Besides, some mima mounds are found in areas where gophers are not found and never lived in the past. A competing theory suggest that the mounds resulted from the accumulation of wind-blown sediments around clumps of vegetation. They are known as nabkhas, and are commonly seen in arid regions such as the Arabian Desert, and New Mexico in the United States. Another theory suggests that gravel and stones washed upon a melting glacier collected in depressions known as sun cups. When all the ice melted away, the sediment collected in the sun cups were left behind, forming the mounds that remain today. The mima mounds in Washington originally covered about 30,000 acres and once had an estimated 900,000 mounds, but housing development, road building, farming and other development projects destroyed nearly all of them. The remaining mounds are now designated a National Natural Landmark and protected under the Mima Mounds Natural Area Preserve. Mima mounds are also present at the Scatter Creek Unit, located in southern Thurston County, Washington. Related: These Mysterious Mounds in South America Are Made of Worm Poop Photo credit: JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD/Wikimedia Photo credit: Morgan Davis/Flickr Photo credit: Brian Henderson/Flickr Photo credit: Brian Henderson/Flickr Photo credit: Scott Smithson/Flickr Photo credit: Washington DNR/Flickr Sources: Wikipedia / faculty.washington.edu / BBC / Live Science / Oregon Live The Fairphone 1 and its successor, the Fairphone 2, may not be the most well-known or highest-selling smartphones in the world, but the devices come with a unique proposition that understandably appeals to many a user. The company behind the brand says that its main motivation behind embarking on the project was to develop a smartphone that does not fund violence and human rights abuses in conflict-prone zones around the world. Fairphone is based out of Amsterdam, Netherlands, and most of the materials it acquires for use in its phones are reportedly conflict-free, even though the company makes it a point to source its materials from high-risk regions like the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda so as to help rebuild the communities in these war-torn nations. However, try as they might, the Fairphone staff could not get all of the materials from conflict-free sources for either of the two devices the company has released thus far. Now, however, things seem to be changing for the better, as the company has now announced that it has traceable supply chains for all four internationally-recognized conflict minerals, which happen to be tantalum, tin, tungsten and gold. While the Dutch firm already uses certified Fairtrade gold and conflict-free tantalum and tin in its Fairphone 2, it is now saying that after a long and arduous struggle trying to get more conflict-free materials for its phones, it has finally been able to integrate conflict-free tungsten in its supply chain. Advertisement Starting this August, the tungsten used in Fairphones devices will come from the conflict-free New Bugarama mine in Northern Rwanda that employs between 700 and 1200 people and has comparatively improved health and safety standards for its workers. Fairphone also says that about half its tungsten requirement comes from recycled sources, thus making the Fairphone 2 environment-friendly. Whats interesting is that the company does not only take great care in sourcing its raw materials responsibly, but also reportedly pays out a portion of its revenues to a worker welfare fund that helps the workers who actually manufacture the Fairphone devices. While the popularity of the Fairphone wont help end all the bloodshed around the world, the founder of the company and buyers of the device need to be lauded for starting and sustaining a movement that will hopefully gain more momentum in the days to come. https://youtu.be/2ONjzELD4r0 When it comes to companies that have fallen from their top spots, Nokia is one of the ones that people often think of most, at least in the world of mobile technology, that is. Nokia was once the only brand of cell phone that people would purchase, but with the launch of the iPhone and Androids dominance, Nokia found it hard to keep up with their ageing Symbian platform. Signing a deal with Microsoft to run Windows Phone exclusively, a deal that some would argue was the end of Nokia as we knew them, ultimately led to their fading away from the smartphone game altogether. While devices that Microsoft launch themselves running Windows Phone are arguably whats left of Nokia, its not the same. One product that Nokia was apparently working on before their smartphone division was sold to Microsoft entirely, was a smartwatch dubbed Moonraker. We had heard of, and seen pictures of what Moonraker could have been last year, but now an enterprising Twitter user has found more evidence of what Moonraker the watch could have been. An animated GIF that seems to be from a test app pulled from an early Moonraker SDK shows what could have become part of the app that helps users get their smartwatch all set up and configured. It included tips on how to dismiss notifications with a drag to the right, not unlike how they work now in Android Wear, as well as a demonstration of a home button to switch between views. Finally, a gesture of a long press on the home screen would give users the opportunity to see their latest missed notifications on their wrists. Advertisement Watch faces that could be created by the user themselves could be created with images on the background and some more customizations applied to them. One of the below wallpapers in the image shared by Twitter users @tfwboredom, lines up with previous images of the Moonraker that had been leaked before, so all of this looks pretty legitimate. While its not exactly inspiring to take a look back at what could have been, theres a certain attraction in doing so, especially for those interested in all aspects of technology. The smartphone market is unsurprisingly packed and competitive these days, and whether directly or indirectly, the fierce competition has led to more than a couple high-level executives leaving their positions at their respective companies in pursuit of new goals and careers. The latest is Motorolas design lead, Jim Wicks, who was reported earlier this afternoon to be leaving his long-standing role at the now Lenovo-owned phone brand for a position as a full-time faculty member at Northwestern University at their Segal Design Institute. Wicks exit from Motorola follows that of Rick Osterloh, who just barely left his role as the most recent President of Motorola back at the end of April to head up the new unified hardware division at Google, which in itself was an interesting move as Osterloh previously worked for Google when Motorola was part of the company. With Wicks leaving, it doesnt necessarily spell out any doom and gloom for Motorola, as they seem to have a clear path forward under the leadership of Lenovo, and will now be known as the Moto brand. Regardless, the absence of Wicks presence is sure to be felt given he was the man behind the design of two of Motorolas popular and groundbreaking devices, the original Moto X, and the original Moto 360 smartwatch that launched back in the Summer of 2014. Advertisement Wicks has been a part of Motorola since 2001, and although the Moto X and Moto 360 are more recent popular devices, he was also onboard during the design of the RAZR, which might still be Motorolas most well-known device, meaning Motorola is losing an integral part of their design team. Even though two of Motorolas high-level executives are now gone, Motorolas recent announcements of the Moto Z lineup and the earlier announced Moto G4 family of devices displays that the company has plenty of life left in it, and, through continued perseverance should have no trouble being a staple in the mobile device industry. Time will tell of course, if Motorola loses any more of its senior staff. Jim Wicks is reported to start up at Northwestern as early as next month, teaching design courses, as well as providing mentorship for teams of design students. Softbank, the Japanese technology and telecommunications company that owns Americas fourth-largest carrier, Sprint, has seen some amount of turmoil in recent times, with a section of investors getting increasingly agitated with the companys President, Mr. Nikesh Arora. The former Google executive, who was personally appointed to his post by the companys founder and CEO, Mr. Masayoshi Son back in 2014, has now resigned from his job, with increasingly-vocal activist investors not just raising questions regarding his competence, but also alleging a conflict of interest because of his relaions with a private equity firm. He was widely believed to be the next-in-line to take over from Mr. Son as the CEO of the company. Mr. Arora hasnt been the most popular with sections of Softbank shareholders after many of his investments in India and the U.S. failed to yield the sort of results they would have expected. While one of Softbanks most controversial investments in the U.S. was the buyout of Sprint, the deal happened under Mr. Sons watch back in 2013, much before Mr. Arora even came into the picture. However, the outgoing Softbank President has been on the board of the struggling U.S. carrier for a while now, but things have only gone from bad to worse during that time with the company ceding ground to the smaller, but more agile T-Mobile, who took over from the beleaguered telecommunications company as the third-largest wireless carrier in the U.S. last year. Advertisement While Mr. Aroras tenure as the President of Softback was fairly controversial, the man at the center of the storm has categorically denied all allegations of conflicts of interest. The company had even formed a special committee to investigate those allegations, and it was just on Monday that the committee, comprising of independent members of SoftBanks board of directors, had officially given the outgoing president a clean chit, absolving Mr. Arora from all charges of impropriety. While most media outlets are now attributing Mr. Aroras resignation to the ongoing controversy, Mr. Son has released a statement denying that it had anything to do with Mr. Aroras decision. Instead, he said, his own recent decision to stay on as the CEO of the company for at least another five to ten years was what prompted Mr. Arora to put in his papers. In October 2015, the Paranoid Android development team announced they were taking a break from writing custom ROMs for selected Android smartphones and tablets. Until then, the Paranoid series of custom ROMs were respected and enjoyed by thousands, if not millions, of Android devices. The software offers a number of new features and optimizations over and above stock Android, allowing smartphone owners to change how their device works whilst still providing the basic Android framework. These new features covered aspects from floating menus to changing settings in the device and when the Paranoid Android project closed its doors, the industry was not sure how permanent this would be. Fortunately, a little over a week ago the Paranoid Android team announced that they were back. Since October, the team have added new members to cover more aspects of ROM development and the last announcement covered the limited number of devices and some software features that were covered. These covered devices include most of the Nexus devices released since 2012, including the Nexus 4, 5, 5X, 6 and 6P smartphones. Some variants of the Nexus 7 were covered along with the Nexus 9, but sadly the Nexus 10 didnt get a look in. Paranoid Android also covered the first three OnePlus handsets, the Wi-Fi only variant of the Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet and Sony Xperia Z3 Compact smartphone. The rationale behind a limited portfolio of supported devices is simple: Paranoid Android are learning to walk (again) before running and are aiming for the best possible experience on these devices. However, it appears that a little over a week after announcing their comeback, the Paranoid Android have released an update to their new ROM including a range of bug fixes and support for more devices. Fans of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus are now supported along with a broader range of Sony devices. The latest update includes Googles June critical vulnerability security patch for Nexus devices. The Paranoid Android have updated and fixed issues for all devices in the theme engine, web browser and gallery applications. Some of the weird touchscreen issues whereby gestures were accidentally triggered have been fixed and for CAF devices, the camera application has also been updated. The original release contained a bug whereby fast charging was not properly showing on the screen and this too has been fixed. The information we have is that a number of individual devices also have bespoke bug fixes and improvements to their handset: for example, the release for the OnePlus 2 includes revisions to improve battery life and reduce heating from the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor. Advertisement Perhaps more exciting is the number of devices being added to the list of supported handsets and tablets. This update brings support for the Google Pixel C convertible tablet, the Shinano family of Sony devices and the OnePlus 3. The Paranoid Android team have also announced plans to include all 22 Sony Xperia devices that are supported within the SonyXperiaDev project Sonys support of the AOSP is almost certainly helping here. For customers already on the Paranoid Android ROM, whilst the software includes a built-in updated, the Paranoid team have decided not to push this update through this mechanism. Customers will have to visit the source website to download the new software. The reason for this is because the Paranoid Android team are still testing the over-the-air update mechanism before rolling out platform updates. Samsung Pay is one of the mobile payment solutions which is making a significant mark on the industry. As this is one of the most widely accepted mobile payments, it stands to reason that Samsung is very quickly being able to carve out their status as one of the leading mobile payment providers. A momentum Samsung seem happy with and happy to continue taking advantage of. As a result, the company has over the last few weeks been rolling out the service to a number of new countries. A point which Samsung confirmed today in a blog post as further evidence of their keen intention to expand the payment option as quickly as possible. Samsung today again confirmed that the last few weeks has seen Samsung Pay expand to Spain, which Samsung notes is the first European market to see the payment option arrive. This was along with Samsung Pay also launching in Singapore and in Australia over the last few weeks. Launches which Samsung also note are firsts with the Singapore launch being the first in the South East Asian region and Australia the first in the Oceania region. As part of the same announcement, Samsung went on to note that the expansion will not stop there with other areas including the UK, Brazil and Canada all due to get Samsung Pay later this year. Advertisement While discussing the expansion of Samsung Pay, Samsung also took the opportunity to note just how well the payment option is doing in the already-established countries. For instance, Samsung notes that in the U.S, Samsung Pay started with support for only four banks in September 2015 and has now grown to be supported by 300 major and regional banks and credit unions. As well as including additional features like support for gift cards, and loyalty/membership programs. While in the companys home country, South Korea, Samsung notes that since Samsung Pay launched, the payment solution has now processed more than $1 billion in transactions in South Korea alone. All figures which are not bad when you take into consideration how long Samsung Pay has been available and the early stage of mobile payments in general. YouTube is no stranger to huge amounts of backlash from the music industry. While they do their best to find musicians content and help them monetize it, their efforts have not been enough to placate artists and labels, who allege that the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, or DMCA, is partly at fault. YouTubes $3 billion paid to the music industry at large is allegedly only a small part of what they are rightfully due, comparing YouTube to other, more lucrative channels through which fans can get a hold of their music. The list already includes a number of big names like Katy Perry, U2 and Billy Joel, and the latest to join the fight is none other than country-pop superstar, Taylor Swift. In the letter, the stars voice their shared concern about the ability of the next generation of creators to earn a living. They say that the DMCA, written and passed in an era that is technologically out-of-date, and is one of the biggest problems confronting songwriters and recording artists today. Their argument boils down to the fact that musicians are being paid less and less, while consumers are able to carry around almost every recorded song in history via digital downloads and streaming services, but having those same services pay artists unfairly. Naturally, YouTube catches some flak in the letter, in a roundabout fashion, in a line that alleges that the DMCA in its current form has allowed major tech companies to grow and generate huge profits. The letter goes on to say that the tech companies enjoying increased traffic and user count springing from artists work were not the intended protectorate of the original draft of the DMCA, and that its impossible for tens of thousands of individual songwriters and artists to muster the resources necessary to comply with its application. The artists conclude their letter by calling for Congress to enact sensible reform that balances the interests of creators with the interests of the companies who exploit music for their financial enrichment. Advertisement While the letter may sound a bit harsh and some may even be inclined to call the artists greedy, given most of their lifestyles, their concerns in the letter are quite legitimate. The DMCA, in its current form, is difficult to navigate for artists who have been wronged, and makes it easy for tech companies to shift any responsibility for unauthorized content to the user. The DMCA was drafted up to guard against piracy, but in todays age of streaming services and DRM-free marketplaces, piracy is, while still a concern, no longer the biggest issue. Thus, while platforms like YouTube are great for lesser-known artists, they could endanger artists careers in some cases by eating into record sales while not paying some artists enough to live on. Migrants: EU summit draft, investment plan by September Ready to support unity government in Libya (ANSAmed) - BRUSSELS, JUNE 21 - The draft conclusions for the EU Council summit on June 28 and 29 said that "the EU Commission will present a proposal for an investment plan with third countries by September, that must be examined as a priority by the European Parliament and European Council". In addition, the European Council "reaffirms that it is ready to support the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA), and asks all groups in Libya to work with the GNA as the only legitimate government to restore stability, fight against terrorism and face migration in the central Mediterranean.(ANSAmed). Migrants: Tunisia, documentary examines why people leave Crowdfunding campaign for editing 'Kannouta' (ANSAmed) - TUNIS, JUNE 21 - "Kannuota" (a Tunisian dialect word for 'boat') is a 40-minute documentary film based on the reasons behind illegal migration from Tunisia and its perception on the part of young Tunisians, starting from the poor neighborhoods of Tunis. It was filmed by two activists in human rights and civil society: local director Zied Ben Taleb, and long-time Tunis resident German native Margarete Luetke Twenhoeven. The documentary still needs to be edited and optimized to be released in theaters and at various international film festivals, so its creators have launched an online crowdfunding campaign in which contributions can be made to a local bank account. "In Tunisia, we're in contact with illegal emigration every day," said Ben Taleb. "Words like 'Lambadusa' and 'Harraga' (literally 'those who burn borders') are always in our ears and on our minds. But what pushes our friends to risk death in order to reach Italian shores?" "Kannouta" tries to explain this by interviewing 11 people of various ages from different cities, including the father of a young man who lost his life at sea and a smuggler. Above all, it tries to unveil the internal suffering that pushes a person to risk their own life in order to change their destiny. "Freedom of movement is a nice word, but for the majority of Tunisians who leave illegally, travel is neither easy nor guaranteed," said Margarete Luetke Twenhoeven. "With this documentary, we want these people to be able to show the world their reasons and what the system has in store for them".(ANSAmed). Migrants: IOM: 214,000 arrivals by sea to Europe in 2016 2,861 deaths vs 1,838 in first half of 2015 (ANSAmed) - GENEVA, JUNE 21 - A total of 214,691 migrants and refugees have reached Europe by sea so far in 2016, according to the most recent estimates released on Tuesday by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). At least 2,861 migrants and refugees have died on the journey, compared to the 1,838 deaths registered during the first six months of 2015. From the beginning of the year up to June 19, the IOM has recorded 157,801 arrivals in Greece, 55,510 in Italy, 1,352 in Spain and 28 in Cyprus. (ANSAmed). ISTANBUL - Cilem Dogan, the Turkish 28-year old who killed her violent husband last year because she said he wanted to force her into prostitution, has been released on bail after nearly a year in prison. Following her arrest, Dogan became a "symbol" of the Turkish feminist movement. Sentenced to 15 years for murder by a court in Adana in the country's south, she was released from prison yesterday after a bail payment of 50,000 Turkish lira (about 15,000 euros). In front of the judges, Dogan defended herself by saying that she killed her husband, 33-year-old Hasan Karabulut, in self-defence. The man, whom she married in 2013 and with whom she had a daughter, allegedly threatened her for wanting a divorce. "Will women always die? Let some men die too. I killed him for my honour," Dogan said following her arrest. Outside the prison she was welcomed by supporters from the feminist movement, working on denouncing femicides and violence against women in Turkey. (ANSAmed). Egypt: govt considering appeal against islands sentence Govt says respects magistrates' decision, studying motivations (ANSAmed) - CAIRO, JUNE 21- The Egyptian government is considering presenting an appeal to a court sentence that quashed the agreement to hand sovereignty of two islands to Saudi Arabia, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Magdy Al Agaty announced. "We respect the decisions of the judiciary, and we are studying the motivations of the sentence to take all the necessary measure to present an appeal to the High Administrative Court of the Council of State," Al Agaty said. (ANSAmed). ISTANBUL - Turkish and Israeli diplomatic delegations will meet Sunday to finalize an accord to normalize bilateral relations, which have been in crisis since the Mavi Marmara incident in 2010, said Turkish daily Hurriyet, citing "high-level sources". The Turkish delegation will be led by Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioglu and the Israeli delegation will be led by special envoy Yosef Chekhanover. The same sources said that the accord should be signed in July, bringing the return of ambassadors by the end of the month. In addition to an apology from Tel Aviv, Ankara is asking for financial compensation for the victims' families. It still remains to be seen how the most problematic knot will be untied, that of Turkey's request to lift the blockade on the Gaza Strip. The signing would bring the two countries to release reciprocal restrictions on international accords, thereby opening the way to possible commercial pacts and joint military exercises. Talks between Turkey and Israel secretly recommenced at the end of 2015, followed by official meetings this year in Geneva and London. Last week, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim expressed optimism regarding a near-future conclusion to a normalization agreement with Israel.(ANSAmed). (ANSAmed) - BRUSSELS, JUNE 21 - The draft conclusions for the EU Council summit on June 28 and 29 said that "the EU Commission will present a proposal for an investment plan with third countries by September, that must be examined as a priority by the European Parliament and European Council". In addition, the European Council "reaffirms that it is ready to support the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA), and asks all groups in Libya to work with the GNA as the only legitimate government to restore stability, fight against terrorism and face migration in the central Mediterranean.(ANSAmed). For the 407MRH - a modified variant of the Bell 407GX specifically designed for light attack, close air support, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions - CAE will design and manufacture a high-fidelity, fixed-based Level-7 equivalent flight training device (FTD). In addition, CAE will provide a suite of desktop trainers and brief/debrief systems. The full suite of 407MRH training systems will be delivered to the UAE during 2017. CAE said it will be working closely with NorthStar Aviation, who last year signed a collaboration agreement with the Candian company to conduct flight test data collection and support the development of high-fidelity training devices for the helicopter. The UAE as well as other Gulf Cooperation Council countries are making significant investments in simulation-based training. These will be the first simulator and training devices developed for the 407MRH so our partnership with NorthStar Aviation along with CAE's extensive experience with helicopter simulation will help ensure we deliver world-class training systems on-schedule, said Gene Colabatistto, CAE's group president, defence & security. CAE will also design and manufacture a UH-60M ABH full-mission simulator for the UAE JAC to be delivered in 2018. The full-mission simulator for the Black Hawk helicopter will feature a six-degree-of-freedom motion system, vibration platform, and extreme field-of-view display system. Picture (c) Sadegh Ghorbani The Iranian aircraft landed on runway 13 which was experiencing a 13kt tailwind at the time and overran the end of the runway. The domestic flight W54525 had routed from Ahvaz. There were no injuries among the 79 passengers and crew and Irans accident investigators are carrying out an inquiry. On Sunday the management team representing the Jordanian Government shareholding in the airline, met and appointed former health minister Saeed Samih Darwazeh (pictured left) as its representative on the board replacing Suleiman Hafez. Hafez, an economist and politician who had been elected in 2014 and reelected as chairman just three months ago. He had replaced Nasser Lozi who had led the airline since 2006. T odays board meeting is being chaired by the vice-chairman Dr. Nofan Ajarmeh and it is widely expected that Darwazeh will be nominated to succeed Hafez. Darwazeh has a degree in industrial engineering from Purdue University and an MBA from INSEAD and is currently chairman and CEO of Hikma Pharmaceuticals. The first exams will be delivered on Thursday 22nd September 2016 at British Side Language School, in Besiktas, Istanbul. This new exam service will give aircraft maintenance engineers in Istanbul and the surrounding regions the opportunity to sit UK CAA EASA Part-66 AML examinations locally. The exams will be delivered under the oversight of the UK CAA and will be administered locally by the British Council in Istanbul. CAA International (CAAi) is a globally recognised aviation consultancy and is a wholly owned subsidiary of the UK Civil Aviation Authority (UK CAA). CAAi offers advisory services, professional training and aviation examination services to help clients deliver and promote best practice in aviation safety, security, economic regulation and consumer protection, helping to create a flying world fit for the 21st Century. Le CBD, cette molecule active du cannabis a aujourdhui le vent en poupe. Et cela est en grande partie du au fait quil permet... YEREVAN, JUNE 20, ARMENPRESS. The June 20 meeting of Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani Presidents in St. Petersburg was the reasonable continuation of the May 16 Vienna summit, where other important agreements were made. After the meeting of the Presidents, Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian expressed this opinion. ARMENPRESS presents Nalbandians full speech. We are grateful to the President of the Russian Federation for organizing this meeting of the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan in St. Petersburg. This was the reasonable continuation of the May 16 Vienna summit, where other important agreements were made aimed at creating appropriate conditions for the resumption of the negotiation process. As you know, an announcement was made in Vienna on the Ministerial level of the Co-chairing countries, which reflected those agreements and commitments, which the sides had assumed: Firstly, the conflict settlement by an exclusively peaceful path, respect for the 1994-1995 trilateral term-less ceasefire agreement. Those agreements, the importance of which was especially stressed by the ministers of the co-chairing countries. Agreements were also reached on the creation of incident investigation mechanisms along the Nagorno Karabakh-Azerbaijan line of contact and the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, as well as broadening the capabilities of the team of the OSCE Personal representative of the chairperson in office. As you know, afterwards the separate meetings of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijani took place in Brussels and Paris with the Co-chairs, where relevant detailed proposals were made in regard to these two suggestions: the creation of investigative mechanisms and expanding the team of the OSCE personal representative of the chairperson in office. The Armenian side is working with the Co-chairing countries on these two proposals. Unfortunately, we can say that Azerbaijan is not displaying a constructive approach on this issue until now. As a matter of fact, until now they were preventing the OSCE Financial and Budget Committee for financing the expansion of the team of the OSCE Personal representative of the chairperson in office. Today, during the St. Petersburg meeting, on the Presidents level, it was once again stressed that this team must be expanded. This was mentioned in the announcement which was made by the Presidents as a result of the meeting. It also concerns the creation of the mechanism, which was decided in Vienna, and it wasnt the first time. The sides had agreed on the creation of such mechanism at least two times on the Presidents level, in 2011 in Sochi and in 2012. The same thing had happened again: Every time Azerbaijan tries to step back. Of course, during the period of Vienna and St. Petersburg, the Azerbaijani side with different announcements, I cant say constructive, you all know what announcements are made in Baku, as well as the fact that yesterday and today, during the summit days, Azerbaijan is conducting large-scale military exercises, with 25000 soldiers, heavy military hardware and weaponry. I dont think this is a constructive approach before and during the summit. In spite of this, I can say that todays meeting was quite useful, and with some caution I can also say that it proceeded in a constructive atmosphere. On some issues the Presidents came to the understanding that if agreements are made on them, then there will be the opportunity to move the negotiation process forward to the settlement of the conflict. This is also mentioned in the announcement made by the Presidents on the results of the St. Petersburg summit. An agreement was reached to continue meetings on the level of Presidents and Ministers, and the process will be continued in the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing format. It was no coincidence that the Ambassadors of the co-chairing countries were invited to be present during the final stage of the Presidents meeting. The President of Armenia also had a separate meeting with the co-chairs and presented our impressions on the results of this summit. YEREVAN, JUNE 21, ARMENPRESS. The Defense Ministry of Nagorno Karabakh informs overnight June 20-21 the ceasefire regime was mainly maintained in Nagorno Karabakh-Azerbaijan line of contact. The Azerbaijani side fired small arms in some areas of the contact line. The Defense Army forces refrained from taking counter measures and continued confidently fulfilling their military duties. YEREVAN, JUNE 21, ARMENPRESS. The U.S. Senate on Monday rejected four measures restricting gun sales after last week's massacre in an Orlando nightclub, dealing a bitter setback to advocates who have failed to get even modest gun curbs through Congress despite repeated mass shootings, Reuters reports. A group of senators was still hoping to forge a compromise for later in the week aimed at keeping firearms away from people on terrorism watch lists, although that effort faced an uphill battle with critics in both parties skeptical about its chances. Last week's massacre, the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, had intensified pressure on lawmakers, who moved swiftly to take the issue to the Senate floor. But the gun-control measures lost in largely party-line votes that showed the lingering political power in Congress of gun rights defenders and the National Rifle Association. Republicans and their allies in the NRA gun lobby said the Democratic bills were too restrictive and trampled on the constitutional right to bear arms. Democrats attacked the Republicans' two proposals as too weak and accused them of being in the thrall of the NRA. "What am I going to tell the community of Orlando?" asked Democratic Senator Bill Nelson of Florida after the votes. "Sadly, what Im going to tell them is the NRA won again." Chris Cox, executive director of the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action, attacked the Democrats' amendments and thanked Republicans for rejecting them. "Today, the American people witnessed an embarrassing display in the United States," he said. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, said the Democratic measures were ineffective and Republican senators "are pursuing real solutions that can help keep Americans safer from the threat of terrorism." As the parties remain largely locked in their positions, polls show Americans are increasingly in favor of more restrictions on guns in a country with more than 310 million weapons, about one for every citizen. The issue is already a prominent one for voters in November elections. Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton supports new gun restrictions, while Republican Donald Trump expressed a willingness to talk to the NRA about the issue. After the votes, Clinton issued a one-word statement: "Enough." It was followed by the names and ages of the dead in Orlando. Gun control efforts failed after mass shootings at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012 and a conference center in San Bernardino, California, in 2015. But some senators see resistance to gun restrictions softening as national security looms larger in the debate. The Orlando gunman, Omar Mateen, pledged allegiance to the militant group Islamic State as he killed 49 people in a gay nightclub. "This country is under attack ... it's not a plane or an explosive device, it's an assault weapon," said Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat who led a 15-hour filibuster last week to draw attention to the effort to restrict guns. Best Travel Products and Services Would you like to submit an article in the Travel category or any of the sub-category below? Click here to submit your article. Would you like to have your product or service listed on this page? Contact us. Refugee Tales features stories including [Chris] Cleaves The Lorry Drivers Tale, [Ali] Smiths The Detainees Tale, [Marina] Lewyckas The Dependants Tale [The book] stems from refugee charity the Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group, which sends volunteers into the two detention centres at Gatwick airport to speak to the hundreds of people who are held there. by Sumon Corraya Protestants, Catholics and other Christians hold a prayer meeting in Dhaka and Khulna. In the capital, Mgr D'Rozario called on dormant humanity [to] become aware of the violence". In Khulna, I feel comforted by this prayer, said one Protestant. I hope the terrorists stop persecuting us. Dhaka (AsiaNews) Some 2,000 Bangladeshi Christians, from various denominations, gathered yesterday to condemn Islamic terrorism, which has left a long trail of blood across the country, and pray for humanity to wake up. The ecumenical prayer service was held simultaneously in the Archdiocese of Dhaka and in the Diocese of Khulna. Participants called for action to stop a wave of violence by Islamic radicals against members of minorities, foreigners, students, professors, bloggers and secular activists. In the capital, the meeting took place in Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Tejgaon, which has the countrys largest Catholic congregation, more than 20,000 members. Fr Kamal Corraya spoke to AsiaNews about the event. "We live in fear because every day ordinary folks become victims of Islamic militants. For this reason, we urged Christian leaders to call on humanity to wake up. Mgr Patrick D'Rozario, archbishop of Dhaka, led the prayer. Archbishop George Kocherry, apostolic nuncio in Bangladesh, and various Protestant clergymen were present, each reading a passage from the Bible. "All mankind cries because no one is safe in this country, Fr Corraya said. Today, Bangladeshs Christian community is united in this prayer that we offer to God Almighty, said Mgr DRozario. Let us pray that this will become a country of unity, peace and harmony, he added. Let us pray that dormant humanity become aware of the violence, murders committed in secret, and the persecution. May Almighty God bless [the terrorists] so that they change their minds." "There is no place for violence in the teachings of Jesus Christ, said Paul Shishi, moderator of the Protestant Church of Bangladesh. In Khulna Mgr James Romen Boiragi led the prayer meeting. "I feel comforted by this prayer, said one Protestant present at the prayer meeting. I hope the terrorists stop persecuting us, and that we may live in peace. by Nirmala Carvalho The yogi Adityanath is a member of the ruling Hindu nationalist party, candidate Minister in the next cabinet reshuffle. He said that Mother Teresa was "part of a plot to convert India to Christianity". Separatist ambitions of northeastern part of the country result of attempted conversion to Christianity. The archbishop of Ranchi recalls that the Blessed "loved everyone with sincere love and served the poorest of the poor." Mumbai (AsiaNews) - Mother Teresa "was part of the plot to convert India to Christianity" and separatist groups in the northeast of the country rose up du to "the incidents of mass conversions: These are the latest controversial claims by yogi Adityanath, BJP Parliamentary exponent [Bharatiya Janata Party, the Hindu nationalist party in the government - ed], against Mother Teresa, who next September 4th will be proclaimed a saint by Pope Francis. Speaking to AsiaNews Card. Telesphore Toppo, archbishop of Ranchi, said: "Let them say whatever they want. God bless them. " The Hindu MP Gorakhpur, from Uttar Pradesh, spoke during a religious meeting held last June 18, in Basti. He stated that Christians "choose the Dalits specifically for conversions " and then invited the Hindus not to commend Christianity. The yogi [ascetic, mystic] is among the candidates for the ministerial seats in the next Cabinet reshuffle of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Speaking of the situation of the Hindus in the north eastern part of India, he said: "You have no idea what is happening. You should visit those places to see the real conditions ". Speaking exclusively to AsiaNews, Cardinal Toppo said, the entire world acclaims her as Mother, being an instrument of Gods love she was loved as a mother. I knew Mother personally, Mother Teresa's life was driven by a passion to build lives through forgiveness, healing, giving them respect and through making them true human beings in the image and likeness of God. Speaking of the radical comments on Mother Teresa, Cardinal. Toppo said: "The whole world called her 'Mother', since she was fully an instrument of God." The cardinal, who personally knew the founder of the Missionaries of Charity, says that "the whole existence of the Mother has been driven by a passion to build lives through forgiveness, healing, respect and doing the real human beings people image and likeness of God ". The archbishop of Ranchi declares: "Mother was loved by everyone, and she loved everyone, especially the poorest of the poor with genuine Love. In fact the Government Census has revealed that the Christian population is 2.3%, [27.8 million out of a total of 1.2 billion people ]. The BJP deputy is not the only one to make controversial comments about the Blessed. Last year, Mohan Bhagwat, a prominent Hindu leader and head of the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, a nationalist paramilitary group), said that "the main aim of Mother Teresa in serving the poor was to convert them to Christianity." Even then, the reaction of the whole of India was clear: religious and political leaders of all sides united to declare "she is a saint. Firmly rejecting all charges against Mother Teresa, Fr. Brian Kolodiejchuk, postulator of her cause to the Holy See: " Mother Teresa offered tender, loving care to those most in need, the poorest of the poor, all over the world independently of their race, color, nationality, cast or creed. In each human being, she saw a child of God, created for greater things: to love and to be loved.. [...] She respected everyone, including atheists and agnostics". Fr. Brian speaks of the example of a Hindu who worked with Mother Teresa for 23 years. " When I asked her whether she converted, she answered, Yes, I convert. I convert you to be a better Hindu, or a better Muslim, or a better Protestant, or a better Catholic, or a better Parsee, or a better Sikh, or a better Buddhist. And after you have found God, it is for you to do what God wants you to do. Bachar Madhala, from Haja village in the West Bank, killed an American tourist and wounded two Israeli citizens in March last. Today the military razed his home, continuing the demolition policy desired by Netanyahu. Overnight, soldiers shot dead a Palestinian and wounded three other young 20 year olds. They were throwing objects at passing cars. Jerusalem (AsiaNews / Agencies) - This morning a group of Israeli soldiers demolished the home of a Palestinian who, last March, killed an American tourist and injured Israeli citizens in a bayonet attack. According to an Army spokesman, "the security forces, following government guidelines, have brought down Bachar Madhalas house in the village of Haja, in the West Bank." At the time of the attack, the Israeli security forces had shot dead the young Madhala, after he stabbed several people in a tourist area of Tel Aviv. The attack dates back to March 8 last - on the eve of the official visit of US Vice President Joe Biden to Israel - and caused the death of a 29 year-old US citizen, in addition to injuring a dozen Israelis. Since last October, after ultra-Orthodox Jews engaged in provocative behaviour on the Temple Mount, incidents and clashes have multiplied in Israel and the Palestinian territories in what has come to be dubbed the knife intifada. Since it began, 207 Palestinians, 32 Israelis, two Americans and one Sudanese and one Eritrean have been killed. Most Palestinians were killed trying to stab or fire on passing cars or soldiers. The others were killed during demonstrations or clashes with the military. Faced with this escalation of violence that culminated in the attack in Tel Aviv on June 8, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided to step up the demolition of the homes of Palestinian assailants. A measure which, according to critics, is a "collective punishment" which ends up exacerbating the tension. Confirming the continuing climate of violence, last night Israeli soldiers killed a 20-year-old Palestinian named Mahmoud Badran and seriously wounded two others near the village of Beit Ur, in the West Bank. The soldiers opened fire on three young men, intent on throwing objects, stones and rocks at cars (belonging to Israeli citizens) in transit. The army leadership have opened an investigation into the affair. Israeli media report that two drivers were slightly injured by shrapnel and their cars damaged, while traveling along the road 443. This connects Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, crossing Occupied Palestinian Territories for several kilometers. Qassem Soleimani criticises Bahrain for stripping Ayatollah Isa Qassim of his citizenship, which could lead to Shia armed resistance, crossing a red line that could inflame the country and the Middle East. Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the Arab League express full support for Bahrain. Manama (AsiaNews/Agencies) The head of the Quds Force, the Revolutionary Guards' overseas arm, the arm, has warned of armed resistance in Bahrain after the Sunni-ruled kingdom stripped a top Shia cleric of his citizenship. For General Qassem Soleimani, Bahrain's action against Sheikh Isa Qassim could "set the region on fire". "The al-Khalifa [rulers of Bahrain] surely know their aggression against Sheikh Isa Qassim is a red line and that crossing it would set Bahrain and the whole region on fire, and it would leave no choice for people but to resort to armed resistance," Gen Soleimani said in a statement released by the semi-official Fars news agency. Earlier, Iran's Foreign Ministry had also criticised the move. Iran has long championed the rights of Bahrain's Shia community against the kingdom's autocratic Sunni ruling family. It has also denied Bahrains accusations that it has incited violence and terrorism in the kingdom. Announcing the move to strip him of his Bahraini citizenship, Bahraini authorities said the cleric, who claims the title of ayatollah, used his position and role to serve foreign interests as well as favour confessionalism and violence. Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the Arab League stand behind Bahrains decision. In a statement carried by Saudi Press Agency, Saudi authorities stressed their support for Bahrain and its efforts against extremism and terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. Arab League Secretary General Nabil al-Arabi said his organisation supported Bahrains judicial measures to regulate the activities of organisations and civil groups in order to safeguard the countrys security. Similarly, Egypts Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing its full support for Bahrains measures. Meanwhile, in Bahrains itself, thousands of protesters have gathered near the Shia clerics home in a show of support, chanting slogans against King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa and his government. This has raised fears that protests could turn into riots. Bahrain's interior ministry has warned against any protests. For analysts and local political experts, a political issue has turned into a religious dispute. The countrys rulers have chosen to up the ante to avoid losing their dominant position. Sheikh Isa Qassim had backed protests led by the Shia community for greater civil and political rights. Bahrain is a Gulf monarchy ruled by a Sunni dynasty in a country where the majority of the population (at least 60-70%) is Shia and want constitutional changes and social and economic rights. In 2011 in the wake of the Arab Spring, riots broke out that the king of Bahrain a US ally supported by Riyadh put down with Saudi military aid. In recent weeks, the authorities have arrested and sentenced Shia activists and religious leaders and suspended the activities of Al-Wefaq, the main Shia opposition group, on charges of terrorism, extremism and violence as well as ties to a foreign power (i.e. Iran). The new confrontation between Iran and a Gulf monarchy combined with religious, political, and diplomatic tensions between Riyadh and Tehran is a source of major concern in the West, especially the United States. The US State Department said it was "alarmed" at Bahrains move against the Shia cleric, adding that it was "unaware of any credible evidence" to support the removal of citizenship. Vatican City (AsiaNews) - There will also be a dozen descendants of the persecuted Armenians who were greeted by Benedict XV among people that Pope Francis will meet next Saturday in Yerevan, Armenia. The encounter will take place during the visit that the Pope will make to the Tzitzernakaberd Memorial Complex, (pictured) which commemorates the genocide of 1915, in the outskirts of the capital. The visit, reported during a briefing given by the director of the Holy See Press Office, Father Federico Lombardi, will open the second day of the Pope's trip to Armenia. The program of the visit to the memorial provides, in addition to the meeting with the descendants of those who were hosted in Castel Gandolfo, and with a group of children who will have photos of the persecution. Francis, accompanied by Catholicos Karekin II will be welcomed by President Sargsyan, present a crown of flowers, recite a prayer and plant a tree. The trip to Armenia to take place June 24 to 26, he continued Father Lombardi, will take place "within the framework of a two stage trip to the Caucasus", it will be followed by Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan in September. This "division" also marked the previous trips of John Paul II to these countries, a sign of disputes that are still very much alive, like the ongoing tensions in the enclave of Nagorno Karabakh caught in a bloody conflict with Azerbaijan. During the briefing the question on the use of the term genocide surfaced once again. Turkey strongly rejects these term. Father Lombardi used the term "Medz Yeghern", "Great Evil", which is used by the Armenians. He then recalled that speaks to the Joint Declaration signed by John Paul II and Karekin I, cited last year by Francis, speaks of genocide. However, what the Pope will say in Armenia remains unknown as he never discloses his speeches in advance. by Joseph Masilamany Kuching (AsiaNews) - Christians in the Sarawak State accompanied Muslims in the ritual breaking of their Ramadan fast (iftar). The occasion was organized by the Islamic Information Centre for friendship and sharing (IIc) and took place in the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Kuching, with the two communities celebrated in harmony. Serawak State, located in Borneo, has a predominantly Christian population and is considered the "the most peaceful area in Malaysia". Msgr. John Ha, Archbishop of Kuching, attended the event thanking Zabaria Matali, IIC President, for having conceived the initiative. The prelate said that some of the Christians present also shared the daily fast with Muslims, to show solidarity with them during Ramadan. In his speech during the evening, the Archbishop stressed the importance of an inter-religious gesture of friendship like this, "in a multi-religious and multi-racial Malaysia, where there may be ugliness and beauty, depending on how one treats others. The ugliness takes the form of suspicion, contempt, aggression and conviction, leading to hatred and violence. " On the contrary, he continued, "beauty comes from harmony and peace among people of different faiths and ethnicities who respect each other and the fact that they are like the different colors of the rainbow that crosses the sky." Peace, according to the prelate, is not synonymous with tolerance, because "tolerance implies mutual antipathy, and the mutual respect and acceptance typical of believers in God make space for each other in society." The Archbishop stated that there are differences between Muslims and Christians, but "today we focus on what unites. Both Islam and Christianity give great attention to the practices of Ramadan and Lent, that God has given us to build our relationship with Him and with one another". by Bernardo Cervellera For some, Mgr Mas blog post praising the Patriotic Association and acknowledging his mistakes is nothing but dirt. For others, he chose humiliation for the sake of his diocese. Many wonder why the Holy See has remained silent about the articles content and the bishops persecution. Some suspect the Vatican views the episode in positive terms. Yet, the Ma Daqin affair raises a major question. Has Benedict XVIs Letter to Chinese Catholics (which describes the Patriotic Association as incompatible with Catholic doctrine) been abolished? If it has, who did it? A journey of compromises without truth is full of risks. Vatican City (AsiaNews) In Shanghai, confusion continues to prevail among Catholics following their bishops betrayal. Mgr Thaddeus Ma Daqin, who spent four years under house arrest for quitting the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association (CPCA), confessed his errors on 12 June in an article in which he praised the CPCA for its the irreplaceable role in the development of the Church in China. Many Catholics and friends of the bishop believe he was forced to write that article, and that its content is just dirt. However, a priest in northern China (also under government surveillance) has words of compassion for Mgr Ma. Mgr Ma Daqins change is understandable, he told AsiaNews. He agreed to put up with all the humiliations [he received] after closely considering them. He did it for the sake of his diocese, so that he could go back to take care of it. The Chinese government was beside itself after 'losing face' to the bishops attitude four years ago. His contrition and praise for the Patriotic Association on his blog allow the government to regain its sense of honour, and this could make things easier for Ma himself." Yet, for many Chinese Catholics, in different parts of the country, the biggest surprise is the silence coming from the Vatican. Many would like the Holy See explain whether the article that Mgr Ma wrote or did not write contains "elements that are incompatible with the Catholic doctrine." Has Benedict XVIs letter been abolished? In fact, the article, full of lavish praise for the CPCA, undermines what Benedict XVI said in his Letter to Chinese Catholics, namely that the implementation of the principles of independence and autonomy, self-management and democratic administration of the Church is incompatible with Catholic doctrine (N. 7). For many Chinese, the Vaticans silence gives the impression that Benedict XVIs letter has been superseded. A 70-year-old clergyman asked, Has Benedict XVIs Letter to Chinese Catholics been abolished? If so by whom? With what authority, since Pope Francis said that it was still valid? "Let us assume for arguments sake that Mgr Mas article is an attempt to reach an agreement with the authorities. Is there not a risk placing the journey of faith into the hands of political scheming? How far can this bargaining go? Once we accept to be subordinate in one situation, we are on a slippery slope. Where will it end? What matters to us? Do we accept everything the CPCA and the government tell us? Do we accept excommunicated bishops? Do we accept every unlawful bishop (those who have not yet been officially excommunicated)? If this is the case, there is no truth. Why continue being Christian then? Many expect Mgr Ma to ended up like Mgr Wu Qinqing, bishop of Zhouzhi (Shaanxi). Ordained without CPCA permission, he was held in solitary confinement for ten years. He was eventually installed by the government as bishop of his diocese after agreeing to concelebrate with an unlawful bishop. "Soon enough, we shall see Ma Daqin concelebrate Mass with an unlawful bishop, or he will put on a show of his conversion during preparations for the Ninth Assembly (of Chinese Catholic representatives), or even during the Assembly." The Vaticans silence in this situation is something really bad because it creates more confusion, to the say the least, said bitterly the clergyman from a diocese in central China. A southern bishop also feels quite embarrassed by the silence coming from the Holy See. "It doesnt matter who wrote the article, the Holy See must reiterate that the article contains elements that are not compatible with the Church's doctrine, he said. Otherwise, this creates suspicions and fears, as if someone in the Vatican allowed Ma Daqins 'conversion', perhaps hoping to engage the Chinese government in dialogue. The silence coming from the Holy See only creates confusion and raises many questions." Failure of China-Holy See talks Ma Daqins flip-flop represents the failure of the Vaticans policy vis-a-vis China, said a Beijing professional who spoke to AsiaNews. "If the published article is by Mgr Ma, we must acknowledge that the Vaticans policy (of engaging the government of China whilst insisting that the CPCA is incompatible with Catholic doctrine) is a failure. If it is not by Ma Daqin, then it was an act of compulsion and persecution, which no one has denounced, not even the Holy Se. "What this episode shows is the failure of the Vaticans policy. The latter has never morally backed Mgr Ma Daqin, even though he sent many messages to the pope. From the Holy See, he only got an embarrassing silence. If Ma Daqin was forced to write the post on his blog, it means that he was the victim of violence, forced to follow the regimes policy of false religious freedom. This, once again, shows the failure of Vaticans policy towards the Chinese government. This dialogue failed to provide this poor bishop even a minimal form of freedom. It is worth noting that this position is the opposite of what some commentators said recently about China-Vatican relations, namely that Ma Daqins affair is a sign of hope for talks between Beijing and the Holy See because it removes some obstacles. In all this, no one has slammed Chinese authorities for placing Ma Daqin under house arrest for four years. No one has felt outraged that a bishop of the Catholic Church could not be reached in order to know what he thought, how he lived, or what he suffered. He is just a case, a negative one first, now positive one, in the relationship between China and the Holy See. Yet, Pope Francis has called on priests and bishops (and I think also lay people) not to reduce human problems to the status of cases, but rather take to heart the harassed faces of those involved. The southern China village protesting for the release of the leader Lin Zuluan, who fought for the recovery of unlawfully expropriated land. The authorities at an impasse: the man is also the local Communist leader, and has always acted in accordance with national law. The Global Times warns: "The land protests cannot be resolved by democratic means". Guangzhou (AsiaNews) - The government of the southern province of Guangdong has accused some Hong Kong press of "inciting, planning and orchestrating" the protests related to the expropriation of the lands of the village of Wukan. The protests by the inhabitants over the wrongdoings of local political leaders first came to international attention five years ago but has returned to make headlines in recent days over the controversial arrest of village leader Lin Zuluan. Accused of "corruption", the man is a symbol of the demonstrations for justice that shook the southern province of 2011. An official in Shanwei has pointed the finger at the Hong Kong Chinese-language newspaper, Apple Daily, and against the online media group Media Initium. Speaking during a press conference this morning, the local press office chief Shi Shuoyan said: We welcome overseas media to interview and report, according to the law and regulations, objectively and fairly However, he added, "However, a few overseas media, have been inciting, planning and directing in Wukan. We will take measures according to the law. In a very rare move in Chinese national policy the man then mentioned the media outlets under fire by name. Chan Pui-man, director of the Apple Daily, denies the allegations: "We sent people to follow the news, certainly not to do the activities that we are charged with". Tension remains high in the village. The inhabitants have already proven they are willing to "continue to fight for justice" and demand the return the 2011 protests. The village chief Lin, also the local Communist Party secretary, asked his fellow citizens from prison to " do what you think is right, even if it goes against the directives of the authorities". Thousands of people took to the streets last Sunday, June 19, and the next day hundreds more signed and posted huge white placards calling for the release of Lin. One protester said: "We have to go ahead with the protests. We believe that the village leader is innocent and has agreed to bear the blame of the situation in our name ". After protests some residents have been "warned" by the police, who arrested two other people: Lin Liyi, the leaders nephew and his deputy Cai Lichou. The issue is also worrying the national leadership. Lin Zuluan has been called "a good fellow", and his actions have always complied with the law. However, an editorial in the Global Times - the People's Daily international edition - warns: "The disputes over property rights cannot be solved merely through democratic means, but only through the law. The lawyer for the wife amidst a $100m divorce, has jumped ship to the law firm representing the husband. The wife, who cant be named, sought to protest against the move in the West Australian Family Court, saying her former lawyer who also cant be named knows personal information that could now fall into her husbands hands. The lawyer, who has worked on the case as a junior with a team of lawyers since January last year, denied she had access to deeply personal information, in what is one of Australias most expensive divorces in history. The wife has argued that she was present during discussions between the more senior members of the legal team and therefore exposed to matters relating to [her] emotional state and personality. A senior member of the wifes firm told the court he had spoken to the lawyer on a number of occasions about the wifes emotional state and personality and potential frailties. According to a report by The Australian, the husband is contesting the wifes contributions made to the familys fortune and over the living arrangements on their son. The wife sought to have her husbands firm prevented from acting for him, saying, Ms K [the lawyer] has had access to my files and been privy to discussions which contain confidential information I am concerned that having met and interacted with me [she] may also have knowledge of my emotional state and other matters very relevant to our son, who is almost eight years of age. Judge John Walters said while care must be taken while handling confidential information, the was no absolute rule a lawyer who acted for a client in a particular matter must not act against that client in the same or any other matter. The husbands legal team argued that they had no confidential documents that the lawyer had handled, and that she wouldnt be working on the case. The entire staff had been instructed not to discuss the case with her. Walters said that lawyers often learn a great deal about a clients personality, weaknesses and strengths, honesty or perhaps dishonesty while handling their cases, but he said it was not obvious Ms K had received confidential information, and she had given the court an undertaking she would not share what she knew with the husbands legal team, The Australian reported. By Rob Brooks, Scientia Professor of Evolutionary Ecology; Director, Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, UNSW Australia How do sex differences arise? Few questions animate as much disagreement and contention, in everyday society and in academic study. For as long as the question has been asked, the answers have fallen between two extremes: sex differences arise innately, or they come from social experience. That same polarity defines much of the study of human behaviour and society, and has done since the ancient Greeks asked whether ideas arose innately (Rationalism) or from experience (Empiricism). The modern fault-line runs deepest between rationalist biology and empiricist socialisation. Impossible as it might seem for any serious thinker, awake and aware and living in the current Century, to dismiss either biology or socialisation, you might be surprised. Dogmatism and ignorance still stifle the study of human behaviour, and the topics of gender and sex differences in particular. And the lay public is equally awash in tightly-held, but often flimsy ideas about how women and men come to differ, on average, in all sorts of traits. The evidence is in: samples of women and men differ, on average, in a vast number of personality, emotional, behavioural, cognitive and attitudinal measures. Yes, the sexes overlap. And one cannot and should not rush to inferring anything about a person from the average properties of those who share the same genital configuration. But sex differences are present, found in many replicate studies, and often similar in magnitude across societies. Rationalist biology holds that such differences have evolved. The combination of traits that made our male ancestors successful fathers differ from those that turned our female ancestors into successful mothers. This idea chimes with the repeated presence of so many sex differences across cultures, but the fact that the magnitude of the differences varies considerably among cultures suggests much more than biological determinism. The Empiricist thinking that has dominated the study of gender in the social sciences for more than half a century holds that sex differences arise from extensive socialisation, and differences in the power that women and men hold and wield. This view brings us the notion that by ceasing to socialise boys and girls into stereotyped sex roles, and breaking down power inequities within societies, sex differences will diminish. The idea that teaching, socialisation and structural change will progressively erode sex differences and gendered behaviour has a powerful hold. It underpins social interventions from No Gender December (a.k.a. the Christmastime war on pink toys) to the current Stop it at the Start campaign against domestic violence. A testable prediction A recent book chapter by eminent evolutionary psychologist David P. Schmitt adds an interesting dimension, sure to be controversial, but also with considerable potential to rejuvenate debate. The book, The Evolution of Sexuality (Springer, editors Todd K Shackleford and Ranald D. Hansen), at US $139 will likely prove inaccesible to readers without access to an academic library. Alice Eagly, Wendy Wood and Mary Johannesen-Schmidt, among the most persuasive advocates for the primacy of socialisation into sex roles, predicted that increasing gender equality would lead to the demise of many sex differences. That prediction seems so intuitive, so consistent with contemporary thinking about gender equity, that it hardly needs testing. But Schmitt didnt think so. He recognised that not only should the idea be put to the test, but that there exists a wealth of data on cross-cultural on variation in personality, behavioural and other traits that could be matched with good measures of gender equity and sex role ideology. Counter to the prediction of social role theory, in only 2 out of 28 traits examined by Schmitt did sex differences narrow as gender equity increased. In six traits, the sex difference remained stable, and in 20 traits it widened. For example, women tend to score higher than men on personality tests for extraversion, agreeableness and conscientiousness. Gender equity tends to elevate all three of these traits, but it does so more in women, widening the average sex difference. Likewise, men score higher than women for the Dark Triad traits of Machiavellianism, Narcissism and Psychopathy. Gender equity has the salutary effect of reducing each of these three rather nasty traits, but it does so more for women than for men, resulting in wider sex differences. The two traits in which gender equity narrowed sex differences are instructive, too. Women are more likely than men to value resources and wealth in a mate. Gender equity reduces this preference, but does so more in women, narrowing the sex difference. And men tend to report a more unrestricted sociosexuality - fantasising about, attitudes toward and engaging in uncommitted sex - than women do. Sexuality grows less restricted with gender equity in both sexes, but more so in women, again narrowing the sex difference. The narrowing of sex differences in preference for wealthy mates and sociosexuality are to be expected, and very much in line with the politics of sexual and domestic liberation. This is exactly what any observer of contemporary society would have expected, irrespective of the moral valence they give to the issues involved. Many behavioural traits showed general changes for the better with increasing gender equity. Personalities take on more socially desirable forms. Couples emphasise love within their romantic relationships. Intimate partner violence declines. And rates of depression decrease. And yet the fact that sex differences in so many of those traits increased opens up considerable new space for empirical study, and for us to question dogma and doctine of all kinds about how sex differences arise. This study is just a start. There remains some way to travel if we are to make stronger inferences about causation. But it is worth wrapping our head around the paradox that moves toward gender equity in opportunity, including the dismantling of patriarchal power structures, might, paradoxically, also widen sex differences. Disclosure Rob Brooks receives funding from the Australian Research Council. Originally published in The Conversation. More must be done to end migrant worker exploitation in Australia, especially with regards to worker safeguards in trade agreements, it is claimed.The Migration Institute of Australia is asking all political parties currently campaigning in the run up to the general election in July to commit to actively working to end migrant worker exploitation.According to MIA national president Angela Julian-Armitage, the continued exploitation of these workers is simply abhorrent and not in keeping with Australian values.She was speaking after yet another investigation showed how workers from overseas end up being paid less than the minimum wage. In the latest discovery it is claimed that several Chinese construction site workers in Australia, under the Subclass 400 visa granted as part of the China Australia Free Trade Agreement, were being paid less.There were also concerns about safety on sites and questions about the true unavailability of Australian workers to fill the specialist jobs these workers were granted visas to do."What the recent media reports have, yet again, shown is that not enough is being done to bring an end to migrant worker exploitation in this country. This is a major human rights issue in Australia and all sides of politics must agree that the next Parliament will do more to eradicate migrant worker exploitation," said Julian-Armitage."Reactive responses to this issue each time the media reports on another case of migrant worker exploitation are simply not good enough," she added.The MIA has sent a letter to all major political party leaders calling on them to commit their party to ending migrant worker exploitation ahead of the election on 02 July. It says that it fully supports current safeguards in place for Australian workers and the work of Fair Work Ombudsman and Fair Work Commission and that more needs to be done to make sure that migrant workers have the same access to these safeguards, which includes writing them into Australia's trade agreements with other nations."Trade agreements have become an important part of the Australian economy and will continue to in future. However, the economic benefits of these agreements to Australia should not ameliorate or jeopardised workers safeguards," explained Julian-Armitage."Australia will have a need for skilled migrant workers for as ever long there is a paucity amongst our own residents and to replenish and build our workforce faced with the challenges of an ageing population and that impact on our workforce," she pointed out."It is our moral and ethical obligation to treat our migrant workers with the decency and respect any other Australian worker would expect in the workplace," she added."The Migration Institute of Australia is committed and ready to work with all Parliamentarians post-election to assist in crafting solutions in order to put an end to migrant worker exploitation in Australia," she concluded. To claim points for 'skilled employment' , does candidate needs to stick with one employer for number of years ? Can number of years counted if candidate changed his/her job of the past 10 years ? Let say Jan 10 ,2013- Feb 10,2014, candidate work as programmer then Jun19,2014 until Nov 10, 2015, candidate work for another employer with work role same as programmer (but title is system analyst) ? Can total of years counted from 2013 until 2015 with number of few months gap in between job transition? Some advice needed on lodging/paying online for 820 application. Still have over a month before my husbands tourist visa will expire, however was planning to apply prior to June 30 in expectation of a possible rise in the application fee on July 1. But in the chaos of moving halfway around the world, finding a place to live and starting a new job, time has gotten away from me a little bit and that deadline is looming quickly. I had gathered most of the documents needed for the application earlier in the year, but I know that I will still need to put a huge amount of time into organising and preparing them to be uploaded - time that I will really struggle to find in the next couple of weeks (moving house on July 2, among other things). So I am wondering if I can get away with just filling in the actual application form online, submitting it and paying the fee before June 30, and then letting it sit for two to three weeks before I really get stuck into getting all the evidence uploaded. Or is leaving it that long pushing my luck? Given the processing times I can't imagine anyone is going to come even close to taking a look at it in that time, but maybe someone out there wiser than me knows something I don't.. It's obviously a hugely important stage of our life, and I want to give it my absolute full attention rather than just throw it all together in a rush. Secondary questions on the same topic - have just been through the application form for the applicant and ran into the boxes for filling in the history and aspects of the relationship (2000 characters each). From memory, I thought it is ok to upload these as separate documents (2000 characters is not much for all that info) - I had planned to upload these as separate files and just fill in the box with the name of the document uploaded, however now it looks like once I submit the form, which I need to do before I pay I think, I can't go back and change anything - so I don't know in advance the location of the file I would upload. What's the best way to handle this? Just prepare a shortened 'summary' version of what I have already written in my relationship statements and assume they will refer to the uploaded statements later on? Also not sure if this is meant to be written from the applicants perspective, joint perspective or in third person? Any advice on how to handle this would be much appreciated. And last of all, does anyone have any advise on the best or easiest way to pay the application fee onshore while avoiding the credit/debit card surcharge? Thank you in advance for any advice, I know I am asking a lot - I have spent months and months preparing for this moment however with so much else going on in life lately, feel suddenly horribly under-prepared to actually go ahead with it all! While the Baleno's production is set to commence early 2017, the new Swift Dzire will roll out in 2018. Maruti Suzuki Indias premium hatchback model, the Baleno, is set to be the first model to roll out from parent Suzuki Motor Corporations Mehsana plant in Gujarat from January 2017, according to sources in the know. The carmaker is believed to be looking at an initial number of around 85,000 units of the Baleno from the new plant, of which around half will be the 1.3-litre diesel variant. The car comes in both petrol and diesel options with the automatic transmission to be offered in petrol. The second model to roll out from the factory in 2018 will be the new Swift Dzire that is being developed on a new platform with a number of innovations. Maruti Suzuki, which currently produces the Baleno at the Manesar plant, may eventually explore the option of shifting the entire Baleno production to the Gujarat plant to release manufacturing capacity at its two Haryana facilities for other upcoming models. The carmaker has already indicated that construction work on the Gujarat factory is on track. The first assembly line will produce 2,50,000 units with other manufacturing lines to be added based on market demand. RC Bhargava, chairman of Maruti Suzuki India, confirmed to sister publication Autocar Professional that the carmaker will start production by January or February in Gujarat and the plant schedule is on track. He, however, maintained that there are no plans at present to shift the entire Baleno production to Gujarat. We are now back to normal production at our Manesar and Gurgaon plants and there will be no shortfall in production across all models in a few months. All the targets will be met. A few weeks earlier, both the plants had discontinued production due to the outbreak of fire at key AC kit supplier Subros manufacturing facility at Manesar. The carmaker had then advanced its annual maintenance closure of the factories to enable restoration of supplies from Subros. With the company targeting about 70,000 units of Baleno exports per annum initially, according to sources, and then ramping up numbers, manufacturing it in Gujarat as well within close proximity to the Mundra Port would make sense. Overall, the Baleno has seen good demand following its launch last October as is also being witnessed by the Vitara Brezza. So far, Maruti has delivered 64,000 units of the Baleno in the domestic market and the model has a waiting period of about 8 months. Interestingly, a sales executive at the Nexa dealership in New Delhi pegs the petrol sales at 60 percent of the total with the diesel portfolio contributing the balance. The most sought-after trim at the dealership continues to be the Delta edition in the mid-trim level, across both variants. Maruti commenced exports of the made-in-India Baleno for the first time to Suzuki in Japan around end-January 2016 from the Mundra Port in Gujarat. This was followed by exports to Europe in February after an interregnum of about 3-4 years. As part of the carmaker's plan to carry forward the Indian governments Make in India programme, the Baleno will be exported to about 100 global markets. SUV We've recently had a stint in the 991.2 Turbo S and we can confirm that the mid-cycle revamp has managed to make the supercar even sharper. For one thing, the throttle response is nothing short of bewildering. And when you have Charlie Eastwood, the 20-year-old Porsche Carrera Cup GB Scholar behind the wheel, as it happens in this clip, the action becomes even more explosive.Returning to the question mentioned above, there are plenty of reasons for which the two went at it on the infamous Goodwood Hillclimb, but we'll stick to the two most important ones.First of all, the German automaker did it... because it could - as expressed by the Porsche man occupying the driver seat of the Cayenne , the high-ground-clearance Porsche is fast enough to allow for such shenanigans, be they more or less serious, to be organized.As for the second answer, this has to do with the fact that Porsche needs to keep its Cayenne under the spotlights. This need appeared when the Bentley Bentayga came to life at last year's Frankfurt Motor Show.Sure, Crewe'splays in a different league, but the Cayenne no longer represents the single most refined badge on the SUV market.Then there's the actual competition, which comes from the Maserati Levante. Since the Italian go-fast SUV was introduced back in March at the Geneva Motor Show, the fight we're discussing here is as real as they get.And with the Cayenne now starting to age, things aren't simple. Speaking of which, is we want to look into the future, we'll mention the high-riding Porsche's next generation will arrive by the end of 2018. Oh, and those of you who want to know more about the third-gen Cayenne's powertrains should keep an eye on the upcoming second-generation Panamera. BHP Production of the all-new, in-house developed engine has started at the companys engine plant in Cologne, Germany. From here, the 5.2-liter V12 complete with two Mitsubishi Heavy Industry turbochargers will be shipped by road to the Aston Martin factory in Gaydon. Depending on demand, the Ford-filled workforce at Cologne can build 130 units or thereabout per week.With 608 PS (600) on tap, this engine is mightier than the AE28 V12 it replaces. Speaking of output, the electric wastegate and twin-scroll feed are crucial to the power developed by the newly-developed AE31. In its ultimate spec for road-going vehicles, the naturally aspirated 5.9-liter V12 produces 576 PS (568 BHP) in the current Aston Martin Vanquish . In the DB9 GT, on the other hand, youre looking at 547 PS (540 BHP).To arrive at dealers this fall, the 2017 Aston Martin DB11 will be followed by a Vanquish thats slated to be motivated by the same 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12, albeit with sizably more power. Speaking to AutoExpress , Aston Martin chief powertrain engineer Brian Fitzsimons tells that the AE31 has been proven to 820 BHP.Just to put that figure into perspective, the 6.0-liter twin-turbo V12 in the Pagani Huarya BC is good for 800 PS (789 BHP). Dont know about you, but that sounds like a lot for a Vanquish, which is why Im not keeping my hopes up for an 820 BHP grand tourer. Truth be told, the AE31 uses conventional fuel injection, not the direct injection that is so popular these days. More surprisingly, the brand spanking new AE31 has the same 89 mm bore, 21.5 mm bore offset, and 60-degree V-angle as the AE28, which happens to be 13 years old.I sure wish that the Aston Martin Vanquish with 820 brake horsepower will someday become real, though. Dacia still makes the most convenient cars in their segments, and this new gearbox option is surprisingly cheap to order - just 500 euros (around $563_ extra.Other automakers charge almost double for their automatic transmission choices, and some carmakers ask even more, in the range of 2,000 euros (approx. $2,250). Naturally, they provide more advanced units, but Dacia's proposition is no slouch.After our first drive in the Dacia models with the Easy-R automated manual gearbox, we decided to make a guide to explain how it operates.We are not going to be too technical about it so that you can read ahead without too much engineering knowledge. The plan is to explain what kind of gearbox is the Easy-R, why is it different, and what you should know about it.As we previously explained, the new gearbox option from Dacia is not an automatic unit per se. Instead, it is an automated manual. The term refers to a conventional manual transmission, which has ditched the control of the clutch from the driver and passed the shifting mechanism to a small robot.PSA Peugeot-Citroen calls this technology a piloted manual gearbox, while others describe it as a robotized gearbox. Dacia just describes it as its two pedal solution, without being shy of its roots. There is nothing shameful about this kind of gearbox, as it is just a good old manual without a clutch pedal and conventional shifting mechanism.Since it is a simpler solution, it does not require specific or specialized maintenance. This is a significant selling point for Dacia, a brand that focuses on providing value to its customers. Furthermore, the clutch mechanism is included in the vehicles warranty, something that the clients of manuals would never dream of, as it is seen as a consumable for those vehicles.Just like any other automated manual gearbox, the Easy-R from Dacia has a small control unit. This is mated through CANBUS with the engine control unit, and communicates with the gear selector and pedals. Naturally, we are only talking about two pedals here, because the clutch pedal is no longer necessary. Depending on driving conditions and driving input, the gearbox decides its next action.Lets imagine a start-up. Right foot on the brake pedal, turn the key, the engine is started. At this point, the gearbox is in Neutral. The driver then moves the selector to the Reverse gear or the Drive mode, if they want to go forward.When the selector is moved, an electronically-operated actuator disengages the clutch. At the same time, the robot controlling the shift mechanism selects the desired gear. Since the driver still has a foot on the brake, the car is still, but the clutch is disengaged. Once the parking brake is disengaged and the brake pedal released, the crawl mode is activated.Some of you might be accustomed to the "crawl" term. In the case of this gearbox, it refers to when the car moves forward or backward after selecting a gear and releasing the brake. Notice no gas pedal is mentioned just yet, because the crawl mode works at small speeds, suitable for parking maneuvers or slowly moving in a queue.Once the steps described above have been performed, imagine the vehicle has reached a clear stretch of road. At this point, the driver accelerates. If the crawl mode gathered sufficient speed, the clutch has been completely engaged. If not, it is once the gas pedal is pressed. This will avoid unnecessary wear for the clutch disc, but would be impossible to avoid in a conventional car.The vehicle accelerates normally through 1st gear. Here comes the point when a shift is required. What does the driver do? If the Drive mode is activated, no further action is required. The gearbox will disengage the clutch, while the shifting mechanism selects the second gear. The clutch is then engaged back. It can be perceived while driving, but it is smoother than the average human driver, which forms the majority of customers for almost every automaker.Second gear is on, and the car keeps accelerating. The actions mentioned above are repeated up until fifth gear. In the case of diesel engines, a sixth gear is also available. The gears are selected accordingly, just like a human driver would, but more economically and with extra comfort.Once the third gear is reached, the shift to fourth becomes almost imperceivable, and the same goes for fifth and sixth. Quick hint from us: if you sense the moment the car is about to change gear, lift off the gas for a brief moment, then get back on the throttle smoothly. The result will bring a smoother gear change, and your passengers will approve this.At this point, you are wondering how the manual mode operates. Well, it is just like the automated one, with the only difference is that the driver must move the gearshift selector forward (towards the dash) for a lower gear, or backward (towards the back seats) for a superior gear. As explained above, lifting the right foot from the gas pedal is a good idea for smooth shifting, but not mandatory.Downshifting operates just like the regular mode, but is activated when the driver has lifted their foot from the throttle for a prolonged enough period to make the vehicle slow down to a velocity requiring a downshift. This mode will also be activated if the brake pedal is pressed long enough to trigger the same decrease in speed.Just like in the upshift scenario described above, the actuator briefly disengages the clutch, ensuring that the robot can operate the shift mechanism without grinding the gears, and then the clutch is engaged again.In the case of a kick-down, the industry term for when the driver presses the gas pedal hard, the gearbox will quickly calculate which gear should be selected, and then promptly proceed to it. How?First, the actuator (electrically operated on the TCe engines, and electro-hydraulically on dCi engines) disengages the clutch. The second step means selecting the appropriate gear, and the re-engaging the clutch. It is slower than a race car driver, but faster than the average human, as well as more comfortable.The Easy-R from Dacia is an exceptional product because it is a first for the Romanian brand. It is also unexpectedly affordable for a two-pedal solution, and it is surprisingly comfortable to drive. It is easy to understand that is is not a performance application, but having expectations of this kind from an affordable car is linked to fiction.Still, Dacias new piloted manual gearbox option is not slow, but just not as fast as a dual-clutch unit or modern automatic gearbox. We are talking about units with more than six forward gears, as these tend to be faster.When compared to the average driver, Dacias Easy-R gearbox is more economical, more comfortable, and possibly faster in some situations. The latter claim is a rough estimate on our part, by accounting for the fact that a human cannot shift as quickly every single time, when a machine can do this over and over.The gearbox control system was co-developed with the specialists at ZF, and they are known to have vast expertise in the field. Yelchin died this Sunday after he was pinned against a gate post by his 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee . The cause of his death was labeled blunt trauma asphyxia, and investigators have yet to determine what led to his untimely passing.The brick gate post was at a bottom of a steep incline, so the car managed to pick up some speed as it rolled down the hill.At the moment, investigators and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles must determine if the vehicle owned by Yelchin was recalled, or was expecting a service appointment to arrange a fix.As Automotive News notes, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles issued a recall for vehicles fitted with a monostable shifter, including the 2014-2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The recall was announced in April, 2016, and affected 811,586 Jeep, Dodge, and Chrysler models.While there was nothing wrong with the shifter, its design was considered cumbersome to use. A monostable shifter is an electronically operated unit which ditches the classic design of a gated and intentionally tricky route for the gearshift selector of automatic transmissions.Instead of moving a conventional lever, users of the system employed by Fiat-Chrysler models and a few German sedans would only have to move the switch forward or backward to go through the traditional gear options: Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive, Low, Sport, et cetera. FCA issued a voluntary recall action to install upgraded software in the vehicles, which would keep the cars stationary if the cars were in a gear other than Park when the drivers side door was open. Furthermore, drivers would receive audio and visual warnings if they would attempt to stop the engine without switching to Park.The problem with this system was that some users could not determine if they had selected the "Park" gear, thus increasing the risk of the vehicle rolling away Fiat Chrysler Automobiles representatives have extended their condolences to the family and friends of the 27-year-old actor. At this point, they believe it would be premature to speculate the cause of the tragedy. AWD This is strictly a custom twin-turbo setup created by HST Turbotuning. The gigantic blowers sit right at the back of the car, where an Aventador would have its exhaust system. But they aren't there so the car can set a 200 mph half-mile record in Texas. No, they are there because the owner wants to have fun.We all know how fun a high-strung supercar can be, especially with the right man behind the wheel. Even though the Austrians aren't exactly known for being the most daring drift drivers in the world, this fellow seems to know what he is doing.In a previous video, he said that he wanted to take the output all the way to 1,000 hp. Despite the shenanigans, it looks like the R8 has been built to race. It's got yellowed headlights and the big rear wing of a touring car. But when you have a super-powered car in your garage and a perfect, wet road, resisting the temptation is impossible.Even though a Ferrari might seem like the ideal drift supercar, this isn't the firstmachine we've seen doing donuts. In fact, there is a Monster Energy Murcielago run by Japanese pro ace Daigo Saito . This kind of proves that when it comes to drifting, people want to see the impossible happening. They guy probably drifted every BMW M3 there has ever been, but at one point, he must have decided the engine needs to be behind him. You can't do this with a hot hatch like the A45 AMG , no matter how fast it might be in a straight line. Chattanooga's new electric carsharing service will consist of Nissan Leafs. Photo courtesy of Nissan. The Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA), in partnership with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and the Electric Power Board (EPB), is pleased to announce an agreement with Green Commuter, which will create a new transportation alternative through an electric vehicle carsharing system in Chattanooga, Tenn. The agreement with Green Commuter is important because it allows CARTA to enhance public transportation options with the introduction of an electric vehicle carsharing system to benefit all Chattanoogans, said Brent Matthews, CARTAs director of parking. With the completion of the first phase of this project, Chattanooga now has approximately 20 electric vehicle charging locations.The carsharing service is set to launch in about a month. In addition, new solar power generation facilities are under construction; they will be integrated into the EPB power grid. We are excited to work with EPB, CARTA, and Green Commuter to bring solar-assisted electric charging stations and electric vehicle car sharing to Chattanooga, said Cindy Herron, TVAs vice president of Energy Right Solutions. Electric vehicles and solar-assisted vehicle charging maximizes the benefits of clean energy, reduces emissions, and encourages solar power and electric transportation in Chattanooga. Chattanoogans should be proud of this agreement because we are the first medium-size city in the nation to implement an electric vehicle car-sharing system to reduce emissions and traffic congestion," said Matthews. In addition, data from this project will be shared with other communities to support similar electric vehicle implementations across the Tennessee Valley. To learn more and register, visit www.greencommuter.org/locations. 21 June 2016 15:37 (UTC+04:00) The OSCE is expected to monitor the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops June 22, Azerbaijani Defense Ministry reported on June 21. It is planned to hold the monitoring under the mandate of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative on the contact line near the Aghdam village of Azerbaijan's Tovuz district, the ministry said. On the Azerbaijani side, the monitoring will be held by the field assistants of OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative Hristo Hristov and Simon Tiller. On the opposite side, the monitoring will be carried out by the field assistants of OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative Jiri Aberle and Peter Svedberg. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 21 June 2016 10:00 (UTC+04:00) By Shams El Arifeen Children die from preventable and treatable conditions like diarrhea and pneumonia every day, with the developing world accounting for the majority of victims. The need to produce innovative and cost-effective solutions that can be delivered in resource-deprived settings could not be more apparent. Consider pneumonia, which accounts for 15% of all deaths of children under five years old nearly a million children each year. A key component of the treatment of hospitalized children with severe pneumonia is bubble CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure), in which a compressor delivers oxygen to the patient, ensuring a continuous flow of air during the treatment process. In the developed world, mechanical ventilators provide the respiratory support of bubble CPAP. But mechanical ventilators are far too expensive for developing-country health systems, leaving millions of patients in much of the Global South without access to life-saving bubble CPAP. But with a combination of medical expertise and inventive thinking, Jobayer Chisti, my colleague at the health research organization icddr,b, has developed a simple and affordable alternative to bubble CPAP using materials that are readily available even in poor countries, such as empty shampoo bottles and plastic tubing. Last year, Chisti and his team, in collaboration with colleagues from Australia and with funding from the Australian Agency for International Development, conducted a clinical trial in Bangladesh to compare the efficacy of this alternative apparatus to the low- and high-flow oxygen therapies recommended by the World Health Organization in resource-poor contexts. The results were inspiring. Bubble CPAP delivered with the ultra-low cost apparatus was shown to be as effective as the standard low- and high-flow oxygen therapies. In fact, just 4% of infants died when treated with the improvised bubble CPAP device, compared with 15% of those receiving low-flow oxygen therapy. The case for further testing of Chistis alternative bubble CPAP delivery system not to mention its implementation in places where alternative treatments are not available is clear. If future trials demonstrate similar high efficacy, low-cost bubble CPAP could become the standard of care for pneumonia in resource-deprived settings, potentially saving thousands of lives every year. But Chistis research has implications far beyond the invention itself. It reinforces the idea, which has been a defining motivation of my own work leading the Maternal and Child Health Division at icddr,b, that innovators living and working in resource-poor settings are among the best equipped to develop and test cost-effective health solutions. After all, nobody understands the limitations of a weak health-care system better than someone who has to work in one. That is why globally networked, developing-country-based health research institutes like icddr,b are invaluable. They provide a platform for local researchers and innovators to recognize opportunities that an outsider may never see, and to develop and evaluate their ideas in the precise environment for which they are designed. With the data they collect, developing-country health-care innovators can set the stage for their clinical advances to be transformed into national public policies, not just in their own countries, but in resource-deprived communities worldwide. The results promise to transform the lives of neglected and impoverished people everywhere. Copyright: Project Syndicate: Health-Care Innovation in the Global South --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 21 June 2016 12:17 (UTC+04:00) By Amina Nazarli Soon, while coming to Azerbaijan on a tourist visa, tourists can take advantage of Azerbaijan's tax- free system. Tax-free shopping used in many countries will soon be fully available in Azerbaijan after the adoption of the law in the Parliament. Tax-free in Azerbaijan will give foreigners an opportunity to get a refund of VAT after returning home. This system will make shopping in Azerbaijan more affordable and attractive for foreigners. Deputy Minister for Taxes Sahib Alakbarov said that currently the system is applied in test mode. The Taxes Ministry and the Finance Ministry for a long time have been working on the introduction of tax-free in Azerbaijan. The preparatory work has been finalized and the necessary documents prepared and submitted to the relevant authorities. Test mode is underway for several days. I believe that in the near future after the adoption of the relevant law by the Parliament, we will start a full-fledged application of the system, Alakbarov emphasized. For now, more than 70 shops in the country and Bakus Heydar Aliyev International Airport apply tax-free. Soon the system is expected to operate in the countrys other airports including in Lankaran, Nakhchivan, Ganja and Gabala. To use the Tax Free system in Azerbaijan, the value of goods purchased at one electronic invoice shall not be less than 300 manats ($200) including the value added tax (VAT). The goods should be exported from the country within 90 days of the date of purchase. VAT payment is returned back only in this period. The VAT rate for all goods is set at 18 percent in Azerbaijan. Thus, 20 percent of VAT amount will be deducted as the payment for services, and the other 80 percent will be refunded to the applicant. To benefit the tax-free service it is necessary to buy tax-free goods at specific Tax Free shops. Then, passport is to be produced for filling an electronic tax invoice. The signed and stamped tax invoice will include the amount of the paid VAT and its last return date. When leaving the country, a visitor should present to airport customs his electronic tax invoice together with passport. Finally, the customs tax invoice should be presented to an authorized bank. The refund can be made both in cash and non-cash (after 10 days) way. Tax-free does not apply to the following products: excisable goods; foodstuffs; medicines and medical equipment; items which are of particular value to the preservation of cultural heritage and is considered the country's cultural and historical value; products, the sale of which is exempt from VAT in the country; goods which requires a license for export; frameless, raw or ungraded precious stones; precious metals in the form of ingots; goods exported from Azerbaijan without accompaniment; vehicles and spare parts; goods exported by mail service or Internet. The system is not applied for Azerbaijani citizens, persons under 14 years, stateless persons and foreigners who have obtained a permit for temporary or permanent residence in Azerbaijan or get a work permit for paid employment as well as persons who are crew members of Air Transport, performing direct duties. -- Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 21 June 2016 10:30 (UTC+04:00) Presidents of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia, Vladimir Putin, Ilham Aliyev and Serzh Sargsyan adopted a joint statement following the meeting in St. Petersburg June 20. Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents confirmed the agreements signed during the Vienna meeting held May 16 on stabilizing the situation in the zone of conflict and creating an atmosphere to push forward the peace process, said message on the website of Kremlin. For this purpose, the sides agreed to increase the number of international observers in the zone of conflict. The two parties expressed satisfaction with the ceasefire regime which has been preserved on the line of contact in recent times. The parties further exchanged views on the essential aspects of the settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The presidents emphasized that mutual understanding was achieved on a number of issues the settlement of which will make it possible to create conditions for the progress in the conflicts settlement. The presidents also pointed out the importance of their regular contacts on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and agreed to continue those contacts in this format in addition to the work of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs who were invited to the final part of the St. Petersburg meeting. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 21 June 2016 14:40 (UTC+04:00) By Gulgiz Dadashova Azerbaijan and Armenia have made a serious step to find a peaceful resolution to the long-lasting Nagorno-Karabakh conflict at a meeting in St-Petersburg through the mediation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, as the sides agreed on creating an atmosphere to push forward the peace process. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan sat at a table of talks arranged by the head of key regional power Russia after the recent worst violence in decades in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. A Moscow-brokered ceasefire put an end to heavy clashes in early April, which were dubbed as Four Day War, whilst tensions remained high as Armenia continued to target the Azerbaijani civilians in the frontline zone. The Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents first met on May 16, when they agreed to respect the Russia-backed ceasefire in the Vienna meeting with international mediators including representatives from Russia, the United States and France. Presidents Aliyev and Sargsyan also agreed to continue the peace talks in June and Russia became the host of next round of the peace talks, which were assessed as positive by Baku. The meeting was constructive. We believe this meeting to create opportunities for achieving progress in the negotiation process to resolve the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, said Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov following the meeting. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was also pleased with the results of talks. The sides outlined concrete steps towards intensifying the negotiation process and agreed on a trilateral declaration which confirms their commitment to the normalization of the situation on the line of contact and their consent to increase the OSCE observers working in the zone of conflict, he said. The sides also expressed commitment to creating conditions for ensuring sustainable progress in the talks on political settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, he added. In a joint statement after the meeting, the two sides said they had agreed in particular to increase the number of international observers in the conflict zone in order to help strengthen the halt in hostilities, the Kremlin reported. However, no details were provided over the target number of monitors or a timeframe for when they would be deployed. Currently, only six unarmed OSCE observers have been deployed in the region to monitor the situation. The presidents also emphasized that mutual understanding was achieved on a number of issues which will make possible to create conditions for the progress in the conflicts settlement. Presidents Aliyev and Sargsyan further pointed out the importance of their regular contacts on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and agreed to continue those contacts in this format in addition to the work of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, who were invited to the final part of the St. Petersburg meeting, according to the Kremlin. In case Russia continues playing a leading role in the conflict resolution, its influence will likely increase, and that will prove for the Kremlin's superior mediation skills over the West. Moscows energetic diplomacy was a kind of expected move as the giant northern neighbor can play a key role in the conflict resolution given its leverages. Secretary General of the OSCE Lamberto Zannier and most recently German Chancellor Angela Merkel have voiced that Russia can play a key role in the conflict resolution. Baku has repeatedly voiced its hope that Moscow will press its strategic partner and force it to make concessions. Before the trilateral presidential summit, President Aliyev with his Russian counterpart had a one-to-one meeting, where the Azerbaijani side reminded that to change the status quo, it is necessary to start de-occupation of Azerbaijani territories which have been under occupation for over 20 years. Hopefully, we will manage to give constructive dynamics to the negotiation process which in fact, hasnt been conducted over the last two years, said President Aliyev. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 21 June 2016 13:32 (UTC+04:00) By Fatma Babayeva The population of Azerbaijan is expected to grow to 12.1 million people by 2050, thus increasing the country's demand for food supplies in the future. The remarks were made by Vusal Gasimli, Executive Director of the Center for Economic Reforms and Communication during the conference on Strategic perspective on agriculture: completion, food security and social aspects which was held at ADA University. Gasimli noted that the amount of the consumed kilocalories will increase from daily 2,800 to 3,050 per capita in this timeframe, which means that demand for the food products will surge by 70 percent in Azerbaijan until 2050. In regards to the food security, Azerbaijan needs to build a strategy focused on this issue how to meet the growing demand of the country for food supplies, he added. Not less important is increasing the processing capacity of the agricultural sector, he said. For instance, in the developed countries, with processing each ton of agricultural products, added value increased to $200. In developing countries, this figure stands at $50. By increasing the processing capacity, Azerbaijan can also obtain the same added value, which is one of the components of competitiveness. This difference between the developed and developing countries can be explained with the fact that the developed countries process 98 percent of the agricultural products, whilst developing countries including Azerbaijan process only 30 percent. Therefore, Azerbaijan has a great potential to increase processing, which will not only ensure food security of the country, but also obtain high added value, said Gasimli. The development of agriculture is one of the priority directions for Azerbaijan to boost the non-oil sector and to diversify its national economy. The country achieved 6.6-percent growth in the volume of agricultural production in 2015. Azerbaijani government supports agricultural sector at the state level and implements various agricultural projects aimed at increasing volume of domestic production and decrease dependence on the imported goods. Earlier, The World Bank endorsed the 2015-2020 Country Partnership Framework for Azerbaijan. The framework represents a five-year joint strategy of the WB Group, which is comprised of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the International Finance Corporation and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency. The CPF aims at supporting Azerbaijan on its path toward sustainable, inclusive and private sector-led growth by focusing on two areas: public sector management and service delivery and economic competitiveness. In the turbulent global economic environment which calls for efficiency in public spending and for a new model of growth, the CPF will help Azerbaijan to maintain and enhance its achievements on the twin goals and strengthen the countrys resilience to external shocks. Moreover, 4 percent growth is forecast by the WB in Azerbaijan in 2016-2018. Enjoying advantageous geographic location Azerbaijan has all possibilities to increase food security and production in the country. --- Fatma Babayeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Fatma_Babayeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 21 June 2016 17:05 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev viewed Rahima Khanim Mosque-Shrine complex in Nardaran, Sabunchu district on June 21, Azertac reported. On the same day, President Aliyev met with residents of Nardaran settlement, Sabunchu district. President Aliyev, addressing the audience, touched upon the reconstruction of roads in the district and surrounding areas, and said measures would be continued to ensure socio-economic development of Baku suburbs, including Nardaran. The president stressed the importance of the creation of new jobs. The head of state said residents of Nardaran, which is one of the ancient Baku settlements, were always loyal to statehood. President Aliyev noted that all freedoms, including freedom of religion, were fully provided in the country. The head of state said Azerbaijan`s achievements in this field were highly appreciated by international organizations. The head of state hailed Nardaran residents` contribution to strengthening Azerbaijan`s independence. On behalf of Nardaran residents, Agasaid Orujov expressed his gratitude to President Aliyev for his care and attention. President Aliyev then talked with local residents. Then a picture was taken. President Aliyev also reviewed newly reconstructed Mashtaga-Bilgah highway in Sabunchu district, as well as the Absheron and Nasrulla Asgarov streets in Nardaran settlement, Baku. Chairman of Azeravtoyol OJSC Saleh Mammadov informed the head of state about the construction work carried out in Sabunchu district. The reconstruction of Mashtaga-Bilgah highway started in March 2016 under the relevant order of President Ilham Aliyev. The highway links three settlements with the population of 63,000 people. The highway is 9 km in length. Its width was expanded from 7 to 9.5 metres. President Aliyev was also informed about the project of reconstruction of the Absheron and Nasrulla Asgarov streets. The head of state was also informed about Ramana-Mashtaga highway which is under construction. The length of Ramana-Mashtaga highway is 11,500 metres, while its width is 6-7 metres. The width of the highway will be extended up to 8-9 metres. The road will have two lanes. The president cut the ribbon symbolizing the official opening of Mashtaga-Bilgah highway after the major overhaul, as well as the Absheron and Nasrulla Asgarov Streets. The head of state tested the highway by driving a car. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 21 June 2016 11:42 (UTC+04:00) By Nigar Abbasova Azerbaijan and Tajikistan have agreed to cooperate in the sphere of labor and employment of population. The cooperation agreement was signed within the framework of an official visit of Azerbaijani delegation headed by Salim Muslimov, the Azerbaijani minister of labor and social protection to Tajikistan. Muslimov visited the country upon the request of the Tajik Ministry for Migration and Employment for exchange of experience in the spheres of labor-market regulation, pursuing of an active policy in the market, planning and development of human resources, labor protection, data systems in the market, development of the system of professional training, preparation and realization of joint projects with the participation of international organizations and concerned state bodies as well as vocational rehabilitation of invalid persons. During the meeting, Tajik minister Sumangul Tagoyzoda emphasized that her country attaches special importance to cooperation with Azerbaijan in the field of labor and employment. She stated that this meeting will be important for the two countries to expand cooperation, Azertac reports. Muslimov informed the Tajik side about the dynamics of socio-economic development that his country has achieved as a result of successful internal and external policy of President Ilham Aliyev. The minister said that more than 1.5 million workplaces have been created in the country, where the GDP increased 3.4 times, unemployment and poverty levels decreased by 5 percent, over the last 12 years. These positive processes have been observed with the growth of the average monthly wage more than 5.6 times, income of the population 7 times and with the reduction of poverty 3 times lower than the level of poverty, which makes about 5 percent. Noting that the necessary work on exchange of experiences in the relevant areas of business will be done, Muslumov stressed that the expansion of bilateral cooperation in this regard is advisable. Tagoyzoda further stated that the work done towards labor and employment of population in Azerbaijan, including supporting access of young people, persons with disabilities to the labor market, as well as the reforms carried out for creation of labor and social protection system on the basis of modern innovative approaches are of great interest. She stressed that they will pay special attention to studying of experience of Azerbaijan in these fields, as well as the implementation of the bilateral exchange of experience and information. The cooperation document which was signed by Salim Muslimov and his Tajik counterpart covers areas of cooperation, as well as the issue of solving the employment problems. The agreement also stipulates implementation of cooperation in the spheres of exchange of analysis and informational resources, experience exchange in the spheres of vocational training and retraining of specialists, mutual participation of experts and specialists in the international events held in the two countries as well as arrangement of educational trips for the professional development of the sides. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on May 29, 1992. The embassy of Tajikistan in Azerbaijan has been operating since March 23, 2008. Embassy of Azerbaijan in Dushanbe began functioning on September 22, 2007. The trade turnover between the two countries amounted to approximately $3 million in the first five months of 2016 according to Tajikistan`s State Statistics Committee. -- Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 21 June 2016 13:52 (UTC+04:00) By Amina Nazarli After Iran and Russia, Egypt has become the next to eye on the Azerbaijans pharmaceutical market. The Mediterranean country, with rich and ancient medicine traditions, is interested in opening the plant for the production of medical equipment and drugs in Azerbaijan, in particular, drugs for hepatitis C. Egyptian Ambassador to the country Suzanne Jamil said that the issue has been already discussed between the two sides. The first stage of the negotiations have been held. The Egyptian delegation is expected to visit Azerbaijan for the further discussions on July 14-16, she told Trend. Egypt has already received a permit for the supply of certain medicines in Azerbaijan, the ambassador noted adding that Egypt is interested in expending trade ties with Azerbaijan. "Prior to 2010, trade relations between the two countries developed more rapidly. However, after the two revolutions that Egypt has experienced, the economic cooperation growth slowed, the diplomat said. November will see a regular meeting of the joint intergovernmental commission in Cairo, where the two sides will have new opportunities to discuss areas of cooperation, and according to the ambassador, this will give some impetus to the expansion of mutual relations in the economic sphere. Speaking about the possible purchase of the share in the Egypts refineries by the Azerbaijani state company SOCAR, Jamil noted that the Egyptian side has already submitted its proposals and is waiting for Azerbaijans response. Touching upon cooperation in tourism, the Egyptian diplomat noted that there were some difficulties in this area for her country. After a number of known incidents including the explosion of the Russian aircraft over Sinai and other terrorist acts, the number of visitors to Egypt has declined markedly. Egypt will not surrender, we will continue to work. Unfortunately, no one can feel secured against terrorism in the modern world. Terrorist attacks occur in the U.S., Europe, and Turkey, as well, she emphasized. Tourism has traditionally played one of the most important places in Egypt's economy, and more than four million Egyptians are working in tourism sector, which brings almost 12 percent of the countrys GDP in revenue from tourism. The two countries also seek to open a new stage of cooperation in tourism. For the past two years thousands of Azerbaijanis visited Egypt. Last year their number reached up to more than 3,000. The most popular months for travel were December, January and March. Meanwhile the flow of the national tourists to Egypt is expected to increase even more, since Sharm el-Sheikh-Baku direct flight was launched from June 3. Air Cairo low fare subsidiary of Egypt Air opened regular Baku-Sharm el-Sheikh-Baku flights to be performed once a week. Trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Egypt by the end of 2015 amounted to $3.7 million against $94 million in 2014, according to the Azerbaijan State Customs Committee. This reduction is associated with a turnover of more than 800-fold drop in exports. Cairo and Baku have had relations which date back to centuries ago but since the last century they have developed closer contacts. Since Azerbaijan has gained its independence in 1991, the two countries have started building relations in the political, economic, cultural and educational spheres. -- Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 21 June 2016 12:29 (UTC+04:00) By Nigar Abbasova The Central Bank of Azerbaijan will pursue a strategy of flexibility rise in monetary policy, Elman Rustamov chairman of CBA was quoted as saying while addressing an event at Azerbaijan State University of Economics. Rustamov gave thorough information about the macroeconomic stability, economic growth, development of non-oil industry, diversification of economy, monetary policy as well as capitalization of banks reached in the past 10 years. Azerbaijan has managed to preserve economic growth rates regardless recent developments in the region and drop of oil prices in the world market, he said. Rustamov also underlined that the countrys economy could improve through the development of non-oil sector. The countrys economy has grown by 3-4 times, which is a high figure, he added. Rustamov also gave the information about integrated actions to be implemented by the CBA jointly with the countrys government mentioning that the preservation of financial stability in the banking sector is one of the issues of top priority. He stated that certain measures taken with a view of protecting deposits of the population are aimed at the upgrading deposits insurance system, strengthening positions of capitals and liquidity as well as stability of the banking sector. Rustamov underlined that the development of non-cash payments, wider use of e-payment and innovative technologies in the payment sphere are among the most important objectives of the CBA. CBA will attribute an important role to such features as human capital, development and modernization of research and analysis base as well as control procedures. The bank is going to pursue a strategy which allows rising of the monetary policy, provides financial stability of the national economy and raises internationally its competitiveness, he said. Previously Rustamov mentioned that the CBA will increase efforts to improve stability of banks against risks in conditions of volatile economic environment in 2016 focusing on stress tests, which will be carried out to preserve financial stability and effective governance in the banking sector. He also said that the bank planned to take additional measures jointly with the government to balance the foreign exchange market. In 2015, some 43 banks carried out activities in Azerbaijan, and their number fell to 37 in January 2016. Azerbaijan is currently engaged in the minimization of its oil dependence and diversification of its economy, which requires ensuring growth of non-oil sector of economy and increasing the volume of foreign investment in this field. Official exchange rate of the US dollar and euro to Azerbaijani manat was set at 1.5240 manats and 1.7273 manats, respectively on June 21. -- Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 21 June 2016 13:05 (UTC+04:00) Local qualification round for Seedstars World competition among Azerbaijani start-ups took place in the technopark of Qafqaz University. With Pasha Bank and QU Technopark among the supporters along with Azercell and Barama Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre, the event was broadcasted live by TechNote. The winner to represent Azerbaijan in Seedstars World 2017 was announced after the final decision of the judges. The project named Kvotter will compete in Switzerland to become the best start-up of the world in 2017. Food look and Keep Face took the 2nd and 3rd places respectively. The winner of the 2nd place was awarded a mobile device from Huawei, while the 3rd place winner got presents from Barama Centre. Imran Baghirov, Strategic Adjacencies and Customer Channels Department Director at Azercell and general manager of Barama Business Incubator, competition organizer and Seedstars ambassador, stated that there were more successful projects in this local qualifying round. 10-12 start-ups qualified to the second round of the selection process presented their start-up projects before the jury and field specialists. The event brings together investors, company representatives, as well as university and ecosystem members. The winner of local competition will take all-expense-paid trip to Switzerland to represent his/her country in global Seedstars World competition. More importantly, the winning project competes with global start-ups for investment. Seedstars World is the global competition to identify talented youth in emerging and fast-growing start-up market. The competition aims to provide support for entrepreneurs in emerging countries. While Seedstars World covered 36 countries last year, in 2016 participating countries in this competition have reached 60. It drew the attention of entrepreneurs from Silicon Valley (center for hi-tech companies in California, US) and Western Europe. Previous participants of the competition were able to create over 360 jobs and attract some USD 20 million as investment. Azercell Telecom LLC, telecommunication market leader of Azerbaijan, collaborates with Swiss company of Seedstars in the World Start-up Competition. Imran Baghirov, head of Strategic Partnership and Customer Channel Management Department, has recently been appointed a Seedstars World ambassador. In addition, newly established direction called STARS provides an opportunity for start-ups in travel and financial technology to show their ideas. Azercell Telecom LLC was founded in 1996 and since the first years sustains a leading position in the market. Azercell introduced number of technological innovations in Azerbaijan: GSM technology, advance payment mobile services, M2M,MobilBank, GPRS/EDGE (mobile internet), 24/7 Customer Care, full-time operating Azercell Express offices, mobile e-service ASAN imza (ASAN signature) and others. With 48,2% share of Azerbaijans mobile market Azercells network covers 99,8% of the countrys population. In 2015, the number of Azercells subscribers reached 4,5 million people. In 2011 Azercell deployed 3G and in 2012 the fourth generation network LTE in Azerbaijan. The Company is the leader of Azerbaijans mobile communication industry and the biggest investor in the non-oil sector. Azercell is a part of Telia Company Group of Companies serving 186 million subscribers in 17 countries worldwide with 27,000 employees. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 21 June 2016 15:43 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijan has increased the export of food products to Russia, said Vusal Gasimli, executive director of the countrys Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication. He told reporters on June 21 that Azerbaijan is increasing the export of non-oil products to Russia and this suggests that the trade relations between the two countries are reaching to a more qualitative level. Azerbaijan has great potential to export a wide range of food and agricultural products to Russia, said Gasimli. It is observed against the background of the deterioration of Russias relations with the EU and Turkey. This gave an even greater opportunity to Azerbaijani entrepreneurs and producers to enter the Russian market. Moreover, Azerbaijan and Russia have very good relations in the spheres of transportation and logistics, he said, adding that this is an advantage for Azerbaijan. Azerbaijans Guba-Khachmaz and Sheki-Zagatala zones especially have a competitive advantage in supplying fruit and vegetable products to Russia, said Gasimli. Earlier, the two countries have agreed to eliminate all problems arising during export of Azerbaijani agricultural products to Russia. The agreement was achieved during the talks between Chairman of the Azerbaijani State Customs Committee Aydin Aliyev and leadership of the Russian Federal Customs Service. In April Azerbaijan entered the top 3 suppliers of agricultural products to Russia among the CIS countries. The country increased the supply of agrarian goods to Russia by four times after Moscow imposed anti-Turkish sanctions. The trade turnover with Russia amounted to $465.87 million in January-April 2016, some $78.5 million of which fall to export to this country, according to the Azerbaijani State Customs Committee. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 21 June 2016 16:44 (UTC+04:00) By Nigar Abbasova The global and regional processes that occurred in the world economy in 2015 had only a slight impact on Azerbaijan, Natig Amirov, Azerbaijani presidential aide on economic reforms said. He made the remarks during Social business way for development conference. Amirov underlined that the minimal impact of the processes is the result of the countrys policy and measures taken for the development of non-oil sector of economy. Drop in oil prices, devaluation of the national currencies of Azerbaijan and its primary trade partners as well as other economic and political processes that occurred in the world has influenced Azerbaijan. Economic reforms implemented in the country that have a logical and strong basis as well as measures taken for the development of the non-oil industry have minimized the negative impact, he added. He said that the increase of the countrys GDP by 1.1 percent in the last year as well as the fact that the volume of GDP per capita amounted to 5,703 manats ($3,767) are good examples in this regards. As much as 15.9 billion manats ($10.4) have been invested in the basic capital of the country while the share of domestic investments in the capital amounted to 56 percent. He mentioned that the current situation in the world market stipulates expanding and accelerating the implemented reforms. He also added that the national currency will gradually acquire its fundamental value. Amirov underlined that the devaluation of the national currency was inevitable taking into account negative developments ongoing in the world economy then. Negative impact of processes that occurred in the world financial markets necessitated devaluation of the national currency with a view of preserving competitiveness of the countrys non-oil industry, he said. Purposeful measures taken in the monetary market of the country has considerably stabilized the national currency, he stated. Main directions of the strategic road map of the national economy as well as priority sectors of the economy have been set by the president. The main objective of the road map is to ensure sustainable economic growth, correctly define the development strategies for auxiliary sectors that contribute to creating the economys leading sectors and the necessary economic infrastructure. Special working group headed by Natig Amirov is engaged in drawing up a plan in accordance with the main directions of the road map. Strategy project on the economic improvement for 2016-2020 is expected to be prepared by mid-September, 2016. Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister and rector of ADA University Hafiz Pashayev, addressing the conference held in ADA University mentioned that low oil prices have a positive impact on the implementation of economic reforms in Azerbaijan. He underlined that the countrys economy currently experiences an important stage as income from the oil sector decreases. Oil prices may provide support for the implementation of economic reforms should they remain at the same level, he said. Pashayev underlined that certain commissions have already been created in the country to stipulate implementation of economic reforms. Azerbaijans GDP has grown by 3.2 times over the past ten years. The non-oil sector has grown by 2.6 times, industrial production by 2.7 times, agriculture by 1.5 times, and investments by 6.5 times. The Central Bank of Azerbaijan acquired $1.19 billion cash fund in January-April 2016, which is 5.4 times lower than the amount purchased in 2015. The volume of operations held in currency exchange exceeded $1.2 billion in that period. The growth amounted to 20 percent as compared to the rates shown in the same period of 2015. The CBA switched to the floating rate of manat on December 21, 2015. Official exchange rate of the U.S. dollar and euro to Azerbaijani manat was set at 1.5240 manats and 1.7273 manats, respectively on June 21. -- Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 21 June 2016 18:01 (UTC+04:00) By Amina Nazarli A two-fold increase in the volume of funds allocated to the off-budget fund of the Azerbaijan Taxes Ministry will significantly improve the tax administration. Deputy Minister of Taxes Sahib Alakbarov said that an increase in off-budget fund is not only a premium to the salary or premium of employees involved in this or other areas. Off-budgetary funds exist in many areas. This practice is used in many countries around the world. The bulk of the off-budget fund is directed to the development of the system, strengthening the material-technical base. First of all, the Taxes Ministry is a state structure with a high level of digitalization and electronic decision issues require quite a lot of money. This is our main direction, Alakbarov said. Another part goes to the payment of bonuses to the salaries of employees, granting them premiums, i.e. covers the steps to strengthen their social protection. I believe that double increase in off-budget fund will allow to improve tax administration and will strengthen the material-technical base, and in the future we will see the results of this step as an increase of tax revenue, he said. Last week, Azerbaijan adopted the changes to the Tax Code, according to which a special budget fund of social protection of tax authorities employees will be formed at the expense of 50 percent of the amount of financial sanctions imposed by the tax authorities, and received by the state budget instead of the pre-existing 25 percent. -- Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 21 June 2016 10:44 (UTC+04:00) President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday urged the international community to ensure an honorable life for refugees suffering xenophobia and discrimination across the world, Anadolu reported. In a statement released for World Refugee Day, Erdogan said such an honorable life "is the political and moral responsibility of the international community. "Otherwise, the efforts of Turkey with a few countries will not be enough for a solution to the [refugee] issue," he added. Erdogan said Turkey continually took action, in contrast to the international community's inaction, hosting more than three million refugees and making sacrifices to provide them with a decent life. "I hope World Refugee Day reminds the international community of its responsibilities and the conscientious values it should have," the president said. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Turkey was a hope for oppressed people and vowed the country would not turn a deaf ear in the face of screams. "We did not ask those who wanted a hand from us their language, religion or race; we extended our hand. Today and tomorrow as well, we will stand beside them," Yildirim wrote on his Twitter account. A record 65.3 million people around the world were displaced by war and persecution in 2015, the UNs refugee agency said Monday. Of these, nearly a third - 21.3 million people - were forced to seek sanctuary abroad. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 21 June 2016 12:41 (UTC+04:00) By Fatma Babayeva After the relations between Turkey and Russia worsened due to the incident with Russian SU-24 bomber in 2015, some say Turkey needs to decrease its reliance on Russian gas and diversify further gas supply routes. Turkey needs to reduce its energy dependence from Russia via gas supplies from alternative sources, Kenan Yavuz, former head of SOCAR Turkey Energy and current board chairman of Turkish Caspian Strategy Research Institute told TRT news channel on June 20. He noted that the construction of the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) may partly facilitate this. The mentioned TANAP pipeline is the Turkish leg of the Southern Gas Corridor and envisages transporting gas from Shah Deniz Phase 2 located in the Azerbaijani section of the Caspian Sea to Turkey (6 billion cubic meters per year) and then to Europe (initially 10 billion cubic meters per year) via connection to Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP). This pipeline stretches from Turkeys border with Georgia to the Greek border of the country. Yavuz further emphasized the great significance of TANAP pipeline not only for Turkey but for the whole region and added that Israeli gas will be useful on the matter to Turkey as well. Russia is the biggest supplier of the natural gas to Turkey via Blue Stream and Trans-Balkan pipelines. BPs estimates show that Turkey imported 39.7 billion cubic meters of natural gas via pipelines in 2015. Some 5.3 billion cubic meters out of this volume was purchased from Azerbaijan (via the South Caucasus Pipeline or Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum) 26.6 billion from Russia and 7.8 billion from Iran. Additionally, Turkey imported 7.5 billion cubic meters of LNG last year. Most part of this volume (3.8 billion cubic meters) was bought from Algeria. The remaining part was imported from Qatar (1.7 billion cubic meters) and Nigeria (1.5 billion cubic meters). Turkey is the second largest importer of the Russian gas after Germany. Turkeys purchase of Russian gas brings about $9 billion to Russian budget annually, Togrul Ismayil political scientist, associate professor of the Department of International Relations at the Ankara-based TOBB University of Economics and Technology told Trend on June 20. He thinks that warming of relations between Russia and Turkey depends on the Russian side. Turkey initially didnt introduce any sanctions against Russia, despite the fact that Moscow violated the air borders of Ankara, noted the expert adding that Russia, on the contrary, began to introduce sanctions against Turkey that caused damage to ordinary citizens. In regards to the Turkish Stream - the suspended pipeline which previously envisaged carrying Russian gas via Bulgaria to southern and central Europe, Ismayil stressed that Turkey will not speculate on this project for the sake of improving relations with Russia. The Turkish Stream project has geopolitical importance for Russia as well, he said, adding that Turkey will proceed from its economic interests in this issue. Although, experts suggest that Turkey needs to reduce dependence on Russian gas, the government strives not to reduce but to bring back previous volumes of trade between two countries. --- Fatma Babayeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Fatma_Babayeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz World Chocolate Master Ruth Hinks is supporting Marie Curie through her new exclusive chocolate brownie recipe. Hinks is calling upon the UKs bakers to donate, download and inspire this month to help raise vital funds for Marie Curie, as part of the charitys national Blooming Great Tea Party Campaign. In association with kitchen sink manufacturer Franke, Hinks has created an exclusive recipe for what she describes as the most indulgent chocolate brownies youll ever taste, which is now available to download from www.franke.co.uk/charity in return for an online donation to Marie Curie. Also on the website is an instructional video from Hinks herself that gives a step-by-step guide of hints and tips for a successful bake. After donating, there is a chance for anyone to win a prize by uploading a photo of themselves with an inspirational message for Marie Curie, to the Franke Facebook page at FrankeUK or on Twitter @FrankeUK using the hashtag #BloomingGreat Gary Gottenbusch can twist-tie a homemade pretzel almost as fast as anyone on the planet. A fourth-generation baker who apprenticed in Germany specializing in the European production of breads, he believes the key to success involves blending innovation, tradition, technology and training to produce fine high-quality European breads and pastries. That tradition served the family well since the 1960s as its Servatii Pastry Shop and Deli evolved from a single retail bakery to 14 stores today serving the greater Cincinnati area. However, emerging technology allowed Mr. Gottenbusch to start a new, separate wholesale business called Pretzel Baron, which has just begun to take the familys signature premium Bavarian pretzels across the nation through foodservice chains, retail in-store bakery/deli and even through private label and co-manufacturing channels. (See Birth of a Baron on Page xxx.) For Mr. Gottenbusch, the emergence of European pretzel-tying equipment helped fulfill an aspiration that goes back three decades to when he attended AIB International, where he began marrying bakings art and science in his mind. The technology has finally caught up to my fantasy of the 1980s when I was dreaming about making artisan products on a large, wholesale system, he said. Late last year, Pretzel Baron began ramping up production in a refurbished, 84,000-sq-ft bakery in northern Cincinnati that houses a new state-of-the-art soft pretzel line with a current capacity of turning out more than 60 million products annually. What makes the line special? While most twisted soft pretzel technology is proprietary or patented, Pretzel Baron has become one of the first US companies to import Fritsch automatic twisters from Germany. I first saw the technology at iba [the international baking show in Germany] about 10 years ago and fell in love with it, he recalled. I said, I have to get one of those. The two twisters can crank out 2- to 6-oz soft pretzels at rates exceeding 2,000 pieces an hour or much faster than Mr. Gottenbusch or any other highly skilled master baker ever could by hand. In anticipation of increasing demand for his products, hes planning to install a third twister in October that will bolster the lines capability to 90 million pieces annually. While Pretzel Baron also makes the ever-popular pretzel sticks, bites and rolls, its ability to manufacture a high volume of twists establishes the companys initial point of differentiation in the marketplace. Most any bakery can convert a line to make pretzel sticks, but to make the twisted products requires these twisters, he observed. Because were so automated, its even cost-effective for us to produce unique 2-oz twisted pretzels, which have become more popular at this point than larger pretzels. A second differentiator is the familys Old World formula that has made the pretzels a Cincinnati favorite at the Servatii retail bakeries as well as in area supermarkets and at outdoor festivals. And the soft pretzels are perfect as a snack or appetizer alone or with butter, mustard or cheese dips in restaurants, bars or anywhere beer is sold. Its also a clean-label product flour, water, yeast, salt, malt and a little oil, Mr. Gottenbusch noted. Its light and chewy. There are no preservatives or dough conditioners because we flash-freeze the products before packaging them. From an appearance perspective, the slight burst in the pretzels belly or where all of the twists intersect gives them a more artisan look. On the larger 6-oz pretzels, the bakery scores its larger pretzels to control the burst and give them a rustic look. Advertiser Disclosure We are an independent, advertising-supported comparison service. Our goal is to help you make smarter financial decisions by providing you with interactive tools and financial calculators, publishing original and objective content, by enabling you to conduct research and compare information for free - so that you can make financial decisions with confidence. Bankrate has partnerships with issuers including, but not limited to, American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi and Discover. How We Make Money The offers that appear on this site are from companies that compensate us. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site, including, for example, the order in which they may appear within the listing categories. But this compensation does not influence the information we publish, or the reviews that you see on this site. We do not include the universe of companies or financial offers that may be available to you. Sept. 15, 2022 Even though some states have decriminalized or legalized marijuana for medical or recreational use, under federal law, Marijuana remains an illegal Schedule I Controlled Substance, with a high potential for abuse and no currently accepted medical use. The Rubonia Community Center opens its doors to the community for the first time in nearly three years. Rubonia Community Center opens after $75K in renovations $22K spent on summer program, currently underway Rubonia Community Association trying to raise money to continue programs into the fall You know I always had a positive outlook, said Morris Goff, Summer Program Coordinator, Rubonia Community Association. I didnt know when it would open, but I kept the faith that Rubonia would get it. The community center was closed in 2014. Goff and others fought to get it re-opened. Their hard work paid off. The county stepped up to help and spent $75,000 in renovations and another $22,000 to run a summer program. Evani Ponpey, 7, said she was very excited to learn she could attend a camp so close to home this year. It was easy because I could walk here, she said. As of Monday, 60 children had registered. Even more came throughout the day, by looking to sign up. Lauren Thompson, 13, said shes thankful to be there. It keeps the kids off the streets and they are safer, said Thompson. Kids arent out riding their bicycles in the streets and it also helps parents out with having their kids here. While the children at the camp will be playing a lot, theyll also be learning. Field trips are also planned. Were going to go down to aquatic centers, were going to be at the libraries, were going to be at the museums, said Goff. The summer program will be ending July 29th. The Rubonia Community Association is trying to raise money to continue programs into the fall. To help, visit: gofundme.com/rubonia. This Gofundme.com site is not managed by Bay News 9. For more information on how the site works and the rules visit http://www.gofundme.com/safety. A black bear that had climbed up a tree in front of an east Tampa home has safely been removed. Bear in tree in east Tampa neighborhood Bear was about 15 feet up in tree Bear is estimated to be about 6 feet long, 200 to 300 pounds FWC: Bear will be relocated back to natural habitat A trapper tranquilized the bear, which eventually fell from the tree and was placed in a cage. According to Fish and Wildlife officials, the bear will be relocated to the Ocala National Forest. The bear was first spotted in the area of East Linebaugh Avenue and North 46th Street near Adventure Island. I wasnt worried in the beginning," said Amos Brown, a neighbor. "I assumed hes just from Busch Gardens, hes a teenage bear, no problem but then when my wife started talking about the Cincinnati Zoo gorilla, mentioning the Disney resort alligator- now she has my heart pumping. An officer responding to another call spotted the animal roaming the neighborhood around 5:30 a.m. He initially couldn't determine if the animal was a bear or a large dog. He quickly determined the 6-foot-long animal was a bear and followed it in the neighborhood. Eventually, the bear was spotted in a backyard and several officers responded. The bear became scared and climbed up about 15 feet in a tree in the front yard of a home at 4213 Linebaugh Ave. Fish and Wildlife officials responded, along with Tampa police. The family of a man killed in the Pulse nightclub shooting traveled from Puerto Rico to Tampa to accept his posthumous college degree on Tuesday. Martin Torres, 33, was one of the 49 victims killed in the June 12, 2016, shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando. Martin Torres' family traveled from Puerto Rico to Tampa Family accepted Torres' degree from Ana G. Mendez University in Tampa Torres was one of 49 killed in the June 12, 2016, Pulse nightclub shooting Torres was a first-year student studying to be a pharmacy technician. "Martin was our student," said Jose Diaz, the outreach director at Ana G. Mendez. "It was hard, and it was really sad because, as you see, we're a small campus." Faculty, staff and many of the 78 students in Torres' graduating class were heartbroken by the news of his death. "The security guard was his friend, the receptionist was his friend, the librarian was his friend," Diaz said. "So, he knows most of the people on campus and they were very affected because that was a situation that no one expected." Last week, the school held a memorial ceremony for Martin. His classmates all signed a banner to give to his family. A British man arrested at a weekend Donald Trump rally in Las Vegas tried to grab a police officer's gun so he could kill the presidential candidate after planning an assassination for about a year, according to authorities. 20-year-old man plotted for a year to kill Trump, Secret Service says Michael Steven Sandford charged with act of violence on restricted grounds Secret Service says Sandford tried to take cop's gun in Las Vegas U.S. Secret Service agents said Michael Steven Sandford approached a Las Vegas police officer at the campaign stop to say he wanted Trump's autograph but that he then tried to take the weapon. A complaint filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Nevada charges Sandford, 20, with an act of violence on restricted grounds. He was denied bail during a court appearance later in the day. His court-appointed attorney said he was living out of his car and in the country illegally after overstaying a visa. Sanford has not entered a plea. The arrest happened relatively quietly at a campaign stop seen as peaceful compared with the mayhem at the presumptive Republican nominee's recent events in San Jose, California, and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Gregg Donovan was among about 1,500 gathered Saturday to see Trump at the Treasure Island casino on the Las Vegas Strip. For the event, he donned the top hat and red jacket that made him recognizable in his former job as swanky Beverly Hills' official greeter for more than a decade. Donovan said he didn't know about the charge against Sanford until he saw news reports. But he recognized him because the two had stood in line together for nine hours waiting to get into the Trump event. Sanford even held Donovan's spot in line for a bathroom break. "I was No. 5, and he was No. 4," Donovan said. They spoke, Donovan said, though Sanford didn't say much and seemed "strange." Donovan didn't elaborate on what made Sanford seem odd. After waiting, they passed through metal detectors manned by Secret Service, police and casino security officials. Federal Magistrate Judge George Foley said in court Monday that Sandford was a potential danger to the community and a flight risk. Sandford wore leg irons and appeared to tremble during the hearing. Heather Fraley, his assigned public defender, said Sandford appeared to be competent. She said he hadn't been diagnosed with a mental illness but that he has autism and previously attempted suicide. He doesn't have a job. Sanford's mother told court researchers that he was treated for obsessive compulsive disorder and anorexia when he was younger, and that he once ran away from a hospital in England, according to the public defender. Fraley argued that Sandford should go to a halfway house because he didn't have a criminal history, but the judge said he should stay in detention ahead of a July 5 court date. Agents said Sandford told them he had been in the U.S. for about a year and a half, lived in Hoboken, New Jersey, and drove to the San Bernardino, California, area before coming to Las Vegas on June 16. Sandford told officers he was convinced he would die in the assassination attempt. He said he also reserved a ticket for a Trump rally in Phoenix, scheduled for later Saturday, as a backup plan. The criminal complaint said Sandford was arrested after grabbing the handle of an officer's gun while trying to remove it from a holster. Sanford told authorities that he went to the Battlefield Vegas shooting range the day before the rally and fired 20 rounds from a 9mm Glock pistol to learn how to use it. Police detectives who visited the range spoke with an employee who confirmed that he provided Sandford shooting lessons, according to the complaint signed by Secret Service Special Agent Joseph Hall. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Paying for a car isn't a cheap endeavor, but it turns out that buying a car in Beaumont could be costing you more money. Autolist.com, a San Francisco-based website providing used and new car listings, ranked Beaumont as the No. 57 best place to purchase a used car in the Lone Star State. Used vehicles sold in Beaumont were on average $424 more than the Texas average, according to Autolist. The company analyzed data from the first quarter of 2016, looking at prices of cars sold throughout the city, state and country. Dealer density contributed "significantly" to price discrepancies while other factors such as manufacturer community presence and geographic demands. The most affordable places to purchase a used vehicle in Texas was in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Richardson, which sold cars at on average of $624 below the state average ranked first, followed by Garland, Dallas, Carrollton and Plano. By county, Orange County ranked No. 88, selling used cars at $389 more than the state average. Jefferson County, which includes Beaumont, ranked No. 1o2 at $499 more than the state average, and Hardin County ranked No. 122 at $797 more than the state average. However, Autolist identified models that sold below the state average. Jeep Wranglers are the most affordable cars in the area, selling $1,262 below the state average. See the other cars named the "most affordable" in the Beaumont area in the gallery above. Two bridges in Newton County wiped out by mid-March flooding should be rebuilt in a year, said newly appointed Newton County Judge Rosemary Johnson Johnson, who took office Monday, said the Texas Department of Transportation assured her the bridges would be back in place by next year. The bridge at Quick Sand Creek on FM 2626 must be replaced, and the Burr's Ferry Bridge on Texas 63 that crosses the Sabine River needs extensive repairs, said Sarah Dupre, spokeswoman for the state agency. The transportation department is trying to expedite permitting for the bridge reconstructions, which could cost a combined $10 million. "With emergency contracting procedures, the entire process of getting a project to construction is accelerated. Typically, construction is able to begin four to six months sooner than a traditional project," said Dupre in an email. TxDOT has already spent about $500,000 on debris pickup in Newton County because of the flooding. The flooding occurred March 7 through March 12, when almost 20 inches of rain fell in some places onto the Sabine River watershed and directly on Toledo Bend Reservoir. The monster rainstorm began in the Four Corners region of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona, heavy with moisture from the Pacific Ocean and tripled in saturation by the time it neared the Gulf of Mexico. The upper level low pressure system began to dump in high intensity as it crawled above Southeast Texas and southwestern Louisiana. The Sabine River Authority opened all of its floodgates and let the torrent loose on the lower Sabine watershed, flooding homes in Deweyville and parts of Orange County. Johnson said the damaged bridges still cause problems for people, particularly ones who live on FM 2626 and commute to the Southern Forest Products mill. "A two- or three-minute commute is now 30 minutes," she said. Johnson said she talked recently with a veteran who must travel to Louisiana to see a physician. She said he must drive 40 minutes out of his way to get across the Sabine. "It takes him way out of his way," she said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate GALVESTON A Jacinto City man is fighting for his life in a Houston hospital after developing an infection from "flesh-eating" bacteria during a beach trip earlier this month. Brian Parrott, 50, became sick after swimming in the water during a trip with his son's family to the beach in Galveston on June 12. After Parrott became increasingly ill over the ensuing days, he was transported by ambulance on Thursday to LBJ Hospital, where doctors amputated his right leg beneath the knee. Now Parrott is struggling to survive a little-known bacterial infection called Vibrio that is rarely fatal, but that can prove deadly under the right circumstances. "It's just terrible," said his mother, Donna Dailey, by phone on Tuesday. For Parrott, the nightmare began shortly after his family arrived in Galveston. "He was sitting at the side of the beach for quite awhile with his granddaughter, then he went into the water for a couple of hours," Dailey said. Parrott didn't realize the risks to his health, his mother said. He is diabetic, a condition that weakens the immune system and made him susceptible to Vibrio, a bacteria that lurks in all saltwater and brackish water. He also didn't know that anyone with a cut or open wound should either avoid saltwater bathing or wear a waterproof bandage, and that warm weather increases the risk of infection. The day after his trip to the beach, Parrott's leg turned red, Dailey said. He attributed the redness to the heat and ignored it. On Tuesday, he became nauseous. By Wednesday, blisters covered his leg and his family was urging him to see a doctor. Parrott was sure he could tough it out and refused. "Thursday we called an ambulance and took him to the hospital," Dailey said. The doctors at LBJ Hospital quickly realized the severity of Parrott's infection, amputating his leg below the knee at about 4 p.m. that day. "They didn't know if they would be able to save his life," Dailey said. As of Tuesday, doctors were uncertain whether they would have to remove more of his leg, or even whether he would survive. The agony at one point made Parrott despondent, Dailey said. "Yesterday morning was horrible," she said, referring to Monday. "He was saying he didn't know if he could take it any more. Today he seems better." Dailey said doctors told her that her son was afflicted by a "flesh-eating" bacteria, but never told her the name of the bacteria. Diana Martinez, epidemiology program manage for Harris County Public Health, said that her office had opened an investigation into a reported case of Vibrio. Martinez said she was prevented by privacy and legal considerations from confirming that the victim was Parrott, but said that it involved a middle-aged man who was exposed to saltwater. The case is the second this year reported to Harris County. One case has been reported this year to the Houston Health Department and two cases to the Galveston County Health District. Vibrio, which has been dubbed "flesh eating" by news outlets, is rarely fatal. Nationwide there are about 80,000 infections annually and 100 deaths, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The total number of cases reported to Galveston and Harris counties and the city of Houston were 20 in 2015, 27 in 2014 and 28 in 2013. Most reported cases stem from eating raw shellfish, said Scott Packard, a spokesman for the Galveston County Health District. When ingested, Vibrio can cause watery diarrhea, often accompanied by abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting, fever, and chills. Symptoms usually occur within 24 hours and last about three days. Severe illness is rare and typically occurs in people with a weakened immune system. Packard said that anyone whose open wound becomes sore after swimming in saltwater or brackish water should immediately consult a doctor. "Vibriosis is treatable," Packard said. "If you don't have open cuts or sores, it's unlikely you will be infected." Martinez said that doctors and scientist never use the term "flesh eating." She said she first heard the term used in the mid-1990s when the media applied it to a sensational case in Great Britain caused by Necrotizing Fasciitis, a bacterial infection that is not associated with saltwater contact. Martinez does not recall hearing the term applied to Vibrio until the middle of the last decade. "It's not a medical term," she said. "I don't know how it came to be but I've seen it used historically." Even before his illness, it had been a difficult year for Parrott. He had only recently landed a job in security for a trucking company after being laid off just before Christmas. He lost his health insurance when he was laid off, his mom said, and his new job has none. Just as Parrott lost his leg, his wife, Elida, learned that her stepfather was diagnosed with cancer. Dailey is worried about what will happen to her son and his family now that he is unable to work and will face medical expenses that he can't pay. "I don't know how he is going to do it," Dailey said. Parrott and his wife have two sons, ages 26 and 17, and a daughter, 24. Relatives have started a page to raise money at www.gofundme.com/2ags378. As of 9 p.m. Tuesday there were $85 in contributions. With three weeks left on their official terms, managers appointed to the Beaumont ISD school board in July 2014 learned on Tuesday that they could stay on as long as the state's education commissioner deems necessary. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued an opinion, which carries the force of law, that gives Education Commissioner Mike Morath the authority to extend any managers' appointments indefinitely. Previous state law gave the appointees 24 months to finish their assignment and call for a trustee election. BISD Board of Managers President Jimmy Simmons said the board intends next month to call a trustee election for May 17, 2017. According to the AG's ruling, Morath will have the authority to add the elected trustees to the board of managers at will, replacing a third of the appointed managers with a third of the elected trustees until the board is completely replaced. The timing of the replacements will be at the education commissioner's discretion. Paxton's opinion reconciles two pieces of legislation on the topic that passed in the 2015 Legislature. The Texas Senate in May 2015 passed House Bill 3106, which gave the education commissioner the option to add up to two additional years for appointed boards of managers to serve a school district. House Bill 1842 required the commissioner to announce within two years when the appointment would expire and required the commissioner to replace the managers with an elected board of trustees on a one-third basis over three years. Before leaving his post this past December, former education commissioner Michael Williams sent Paxton a letter asking for "guidance on the amendments" because the bills had conflicting interpretations. School district trustee elections must be conducted in regular election cycles and at the same time as another local election. Beaumont school trustee elections typically happen on the same day as a city council election, or the first Saturday in May in an odd-numbered year. The board of managers was appointed on July 14, 2014, replacing an elected school board that the previous education commissioner declared had lost the ability to govern the district. Since the appointment happened in an even-numbered year, the next possible election date fell in 2017, which automatically extended the managers' terms by 10 months. Simmons said he hopes Morath provides a transition plan by next month's meeting date. "We will call for an election for May 17, 2017," Simmons said. "We'll do that sometime in July even though we don't have district lines yet." Voters approved a 5-2 district arrangement in 2011, but it was never put in place. The election in 2013 never happened because of state and federal court cases that went unresolved before an election could take place. DWallach@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/dwallach With an election upon us in June and an even bigger one in November, Jefferson County Voter Registrar Allison Nathan Getz along with other county officials, the Tax Assessor's Office, County Clerk and leadership of the Republican and Democratic parties are pushing to increase numbers in election poll workers. Getz wants taxpayers of Jefferson county to know that she is aware of the issues, and wants to inform the public there is a high need for poll workers in Jefferson County. The Julie Rogers "Gift of Life" Program and Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas will offer the last free health screening of the month this Saturday at the Carl A. Parker Multipurpose Center, 1800 Lakeshore Drive, Port Arthur. The free health screenings are for medically uninsured or under-insured Southeast Texas men. Screenings, which will be available from 9-11 a.m., are non-invasive blood tests for prostate cancer, cholesterol, HIV and Hepatitis C, and blood sugar and blood pressure checks. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A federal magistrate judge has recommended dropping an electrical workers union from a conspiracy and defamation lawsuit brought by former Beaumont ISD contract electrician Calvin Walker and former employee Jessie Haynes. Citing a "failure to plead a number of elements of claims" against the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Magistrate Keith Giblin last Friday recommended that the lawsuit be dismissed with prejudice. The dismissal is the second one the judge has recommended in the case in two months. So far, 10 defendants have been dropped from the lawsuit Walker filed last July accusing more than 30 individuals and entities of conspiring to ruin his reputation and business. Walker asserted that the IBEW and Local 479 sought to "get him one way or another" when he refused to join the union in 2004, Giblin wrote in his report and recommendations. Walker then contracted his electrical services to BISD, work that previously had been done by an IBEW member, according to the report. In April 2008, union member Stephen Lisle filed a complaint against Walker with the Texas Department of Licensing and Registration, accusing Walker of fraudulently obtaining his electrician's license, Giblin wrote. Walker initially contested the complaint but ultimately agreed to pay a fine, relinquish his master electrician's license and retake the required licensing exam, according to Giblin's report. Acting on Giblin's recommendation, U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone last month dismissed claims against the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas and a former assistant federal prosecutor. In March, Crone threw out the lawsuit against The Beaumont Enterprise and a former reporter on multiple grounds, finding Walker failed to meet his burden under the Texas Citizens Participation Act, which is intended to prevent meritless lawsuits from interfering with protected speech. In February, she dismissed six other defendants from the suit on similar grounds - Beaumont attorney Wayne Reaud, Beaumont City Councilman Mike Getz, local journalist Jerry Jordan and The Examiner newspaper, its publisher and a reporter. More than 20 defendants, including the school district's board of managers, have asked to be dismissed from the suit. Meanwhile, Walker faces four state charges of fraud and two counts of money-laundering - all first-degree felonies - on allegations he embezzled at least $2 million from the Beaumont Independent School District and the city of Port Arthur and converted the money into life insurance annuities, according to the indictment. Walker was indicted in 2014, but the trial has been put on hold pending his appeal of the indictment. Walker argued in his appeal that because he previously was prosecuted on the same charge by the U.S. Attorney's Office he should be protected by the double jeopardy defense, according to court filings. He has told The Enterprise he is not guilty. Walker is in the fourth year of a five-year probation sentence after pleading guilty in 2012 to one misdemeanor count of failure to timely pay taxes. His 2011 federal trial on fraud ended in a mistrial. All other charges against him were dismissed with his plea in 2012. BScott@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/BrandonKScott This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate From Wilshire Street, an abandoned north Vidor home is barely visible through the dense grass and saplings that have overtaken it. City leaders will knock down the eyesore, which appeals more to rodents than residents, and offer tax breaks to builders and new homeowners with hopes of revitalizing the property. "This isn't an overnight plan," Vidor Mayor Robert Viator said of a 3-month-old strategy. "We're basically trying to shift over a period of time to a tax base that gains in time rather than depreciates." The city, one of two in Southeast Texas to offer such a program, has budgeted $64,000 on "Pride and Progress" to clear abandoned properties. The commitment will likely rise in the future, the mayor said. Viator credits the program with clearing 11 properties and attracting six new home builders, a number that seems low in comparison to other regional cities but is already equal to Vidor's annual average. Vidor is now hoping to convince Orange County commissioners to waive its share of property taxes for participating developers and homeowners in the county's second-largest town. Such an expansion would mean the tax abatements include every taxing entity in Vidor except for the school district, which is prohibited by law from offering the incentive, Viator said. The incentives last two years for developers - giving them time to sell - and seven years after that for homeowners, with the 100-percent waiver gradually shrinking over time. Vidor, after growing rapidly in the '60s and '70s as folks left the industrialized areas of Beaumont and Port Arthur for the nearby bedroom community, has been stagnant for the past three and a half decades. Population fell from roughly 12,000 people in 1980 to 10,600 in 2010. On average, the city grants about six new residential construction permits per year, Viator said. Meanwhile, Lumberton has emerged as Beaumont's fastest-growing offshoot, with a 37 percent population boost from 2000 to 2010 taking them to 12,000 residents. An average of 82 new homes were built each year from 2013-15 in the city, which does not levy property taxes, according to a permits clerk. In the landlocked Mid-County city of Groves, the city averages 20 new home builds per year, city manager D.E. Sosa said, in part thanks to a long-running incentive program much like what Vidor is just beginning. Since Groves' "Peace and Dignity" program began in 2004, the city has razed almost 200 properties and seen about 230 homes valued at a combined $40 million spring up on vacant lots, Sosa said. "It's not an overnight thing," Sosa said. "Vidor is not going to see huge success in one or two years. ... It's better to light one candle than to curse the darkness." The benefits cascade through the community, Sosa said. More people take care of their lawns, tidy up trash piles and remove other eyesores from their properties. Groves is also hiring a full-time code enforcement officer starting in the next year to administer city cleanliness rules and monitor which properties are abandoned, Sosa said. Groves doesn't waive property taxes but offers an incentive of several thousand dollars to develop vacant lots. The city pays for water and sewer hook-ups, culvert and driveway installation and rescinds bank liens costing thousands. EBesson@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/EricBesson_news This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The small town of Wink, Texas, located just west of Odessa, is home to two growing problems that researchers say could threaten the city: sinkholes. RELATED: North Texas firefighters rescue 'extremely lucky' horse from sinkhole The sinkholes are located a mile apart and sit between Wink and Kermit off I-20 west of Midland-Odessa, and could converge into one huge hole, a new study released by researchers at Southern Methodist University found. "A collapse could be catastrophic," said Jin-Woo Kim, in an SMU news release. One sinkhole, discovered in 1980 is 360 feet across, about the size of a football field, and the other is 670-900 feet across and was found in 2002, Lu said. Using radar remote sensing, SMU researchers discovered the sinkholes are expanding, one at 13 centimeters a year, and new ones are continuing to form in the area, according to the study. The study states there is a lot of oil and gas production equipment and installations and hazardous liquid pipelines in the area and when fresh water is injected underground, it "can dissolve the interbedded salt layers and accelerate the sinkhole collapse." RELATED: Australian sinkhole becomes eyesore on beautiful beach "If I lived there, I would be very much concerned," Zhong Lu, an SMU professor who helped conduct the study published in the journal Remote Sensing, told mySA.com Monday. RELATED: Occupied police SUV swallowed by massive sinkhole in Colorado Officials have fenced off the area around the sinkholes and they will be monitored, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Despite the sinkholes growing two inches closer to each other each year, residents are not reportedly not alarmed by their presence. "They're a ways off from the highway; if nobody mentions it, then nobody is interested in it," Kermit City Manager Gloria Saenz told the New York Daily News. Click through the gallery to see the sinkhole grow in size over the years. kbradshaw@express-news.net Twitter: @kbrad5 JAMA Internal Medicine published a study which found physicians who received one free meal from a pharmaceutical company were more prone to prescribe the company's drug than physicians who did not receive a free meal, according to Wall Street Journal. In the study, researchers analyzed government data which tracked industry payments to physicians and physicians' Medicare Part D prescriptions for the elderly. The investigators also looked at 2013 payments and prescriptions linked to brand-name cardiovascular drugs and one antidepressant, each of which had less costly alternatives. The drugs investigators examined include: AstraZeneca PLC's cholesterol-lowering Crestor Allergan PLC's Bystolic treatment for high blood pressure Daiichi Sankyo's Benicar for high blood pressure Pfizer's Pristiq Here are nine key notes: 1. The study found physicians who received one meal linked to Crestor promotion were 18 percent more likely to choose Crestor over a less costly alterative. 2. Additionally, physicians were 70 percent more likely to prescribe Bystolic, Benicar (52 percent) and Pristiq (118 percent) when they received a free meal. 3. However, the study did find the likelihood of a physician prescribing Pristiq decreased after the third day of obtaining a free meal. 4. After facing criticism that providing physicians payments and gifts wrongly influences medical decisions and increases drug costs, many pharmaceutical companies have scaled back on such bonuses. PhRMA implemented a voluntary code in 2002 which detailed how to form relationships with physicians and what is appropriate to provide. 5. PhRMA's code allows 'modest' meals for physicians, enabling drug-sales representatives to provide food and beverages to physicians to pitch their drug. Additionally, representatives frequently invite physicians to free dinners, during which they promote a specific drug. 6. While many claim the free meals allow physicians to become more educated about new medicine's appropriate use, past studies have illustrated even small payments or gifts are linked to a higher frequency of prescribing for promoted brands. 7. The study's findings may contest the idea sales reps are educating physicians, as physicians may feel pressure to reciprocate, thus impacting their prescribing certain drugs. 8. A study author argued pharmaceutical companies could better spend their money on medical research for innovative medicine, rather than using that money to fuel the "tensions between the profits of healthcare companies, the independence of physicians and the integrity of our work and the affordability of medical care." 9. In response to the study's findings, Pfizer said the company does not compensate healthcare professionals to prescribe its drugs, and Allergan did not issue any comments. More healthcare news: ASD Management celebrates 20 years in business Robert Zasa looks back on ASC industry evolution AmSurg finalizes $10B merger with Envision Healthcare, SCA establishes its 1st physician advisory board & more 6 key notes on ASC companies Top coding, billing challenges for spine, pain management ASCs Although Oklahoma hospitals recently dodged Medicaid cuts that were slated to take effect this summer, some hospitals in the state are still struggling to keep their doors open. One of those facilities is 39-bed Purcell (Okla.) Municipal Hospital, part of St. Louis-based SSM Health. Officials told KOCO 5 that Purcell Municipal may have to close at the end of this year. Medicare reimbursement reductions and rising commercial insurance deductibles have caused financial troubles for the hospital. Purcell Municipal CFO Jennifer Warren told KOCO that the hospital has cut nine positions, reduced hours for 16 other workers and eliminated services, including mammography and wound care, to stay afloat. Although the goal is to keep the hospital open, the facility's future isn't promising. "I think the chances are more that we would close than not," Ms. Warren told KOCO. However, a ballot initiative could save the hospital. The city of Purcell placed a penny sales tax on the August ballot, which would bring in $1 million for the hospital if it passes, according to the report. More articles on healthcare finance: 20 most costly inpatient conditions Ascension Wisconsin to close hospital 5 health systems with strong finances With the depletion of Social Security looming and inadequate savings among many Americans, five states are testing innovative and controversial new legislation to help people better prepare for retirement. The new state laws could open the door to similar measures in other states depending on the outcomes of the upcoming election, according to Bloomberg. Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland and Oregon have all passed laws mandating employers to either offer employees their own retirement plans or connect workers to an adequate state plan. California is also considering a similar law. Retirement experts hope these plans, the earliest of which take effect next year, will help improve Americans' 401(k) plans, according to the report. Here are five insights about the new laws, and how the presidential election could impact people's retirement. 1. Under the new laws, work-based retirement plans are opt-out, not opt-in. They will require that employees be automatically enrolled in a state-sanctioned retirement plan if their employer doesn't offer one. The self-employed wouldn't be automatically enrolled, but they would have access to a new portable saving option that has been vetted by experts, according to the report. 2. The new laws couldn't come soon enough, according to supporters, as the government estimates Social Security will no longer afford to pay full benefits by 2034. According to Bloomberg, three out of five American households have no money saved in a retirement account, and only about half of private sector employees have a retirement plan from their employer. 3. While Democrats have championed the new state laws, the upcoming election could bring in a wave of Republican lawmakers hesitant to impose such requirements on employers. "Encouraging people to save for retirement is a good thing, but forcing a new mandate and taking over a private-sector industry is not the appropriate role for the state," Conn. Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano (R) said earlier this year, according to the report. 4. AARP, which supports the retirement laws, says it will be pressing state candidates to take a stance. 5. The presidential candidates have barely discussed personal finance. Both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have only addressed Social Security, and in mostly vague terms. Mr. Trump said he wants to keep Social Security as is without cutting benefits, while Ms. Clinton proposed a slight expansion of the federal program while raising taxes among the top earners to bolster its finances. Another healthcare organization is notifying patients of a data breach related to the breach of Bizmatics' servers. Vincent Vein Center in Grand Junction, Colo., uses Bizmatics' EHR and practice management tool called PrognoCIS. In 2015, Bizmatics learned unauthorized hackers had accessed its servers and notified healthcare organizations using their platform. Potentially compromised information includes names, addresses, health insurance information, other identifying information and some Social Security numbers. No credit card or financial information is stored in the files that were breached. According to the letter Bizmatics sent to VincentVeinCenter, there is no evidence any client records were accessed or acquired by the unauthorized persons. Other healthcare organizations also affected by the Bizmatics server breach include Pain Treatment Centers of America in Little Rock, Ark., and Southeast Eye Institute in Pinellas Park, Fla. More articles on data breaches: The top 5 cybersecurity threats hospitals need to watch for 12 latest healthcare data breaches It costs $4M to respond to a data breach: This and 6 more key findings from IBM Steve Barron, senior vice president of operations for San Francisco-based Dignity Health's Southern California Service Area, is retiring. Here are six things to know about Mr. Barron. 1. His retirement announcement comes after nearly 40 years in executive-level healthcare positions in Washington and California. 2. Mr. Barron joined Dignity Health in 1999, then known as Catholic Healthcare West, serving as president of St. Bernardine Medical Center in San Bernardino, Calif., for 15 years. 3. In late 2010, Mr. Barron took on a dual responsibility leading St. Bernardine and Community Hospital of San Bernardino. 4. In 2012, Dignity Health's Southern California hospitals were consolidated into service areas, and Mr. Barron took on leadership of the company's Southern California East region. In that role, he Today, he guides the strategic direction of the six-hospital Dignity Health Southern California Service Area, which includes St. Bernardine and Community Hospital, as well as California Hospital Medical Center in Los Angeles, Glendale (Calif.) Memorial Hospital, Northridge (Calif.) Hospital Medical Center, and St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach. 5. Outside of his duties at Dignity, he has served on the boards of several healthcare organizations in Southern California, including as the chairman-elect of the Hospital Association of Southern California's executive committee. 6. Mr. Barron will remain in his current role and aid in the leadership transition through October. More articles on executive moves: 22 latest hospital, health system executive moves Piedmont Medical Center names new CEO: 4 things to know Community Healthcare System CEO to retire: 3 things to know Frustrated by a lack of transparency in its operating system and various problems over the last 19 years, Bergen County, N.J., is seeking a new manager for Paramus, N.J.-based Bergen Regional Medical Center. Amid a dozen responses, one unlikely team of healthcare organizations in the area has emerged as a top contender, though its members have recently been divided by a contentious insurance debate, according to NJBIZ. The 1,000-bed BergenRegionalMedicalCenter is the fourth-largest publicly owned hospital in the U.S. Its current management contract is due to expire March 15, 2017, according to the report. Wyckoff, N.J.-based Christian Health Care Center, Englewood (N.J.) Hospital and Medical Center, Hackensack (N.J.) University Medical Center, Teaneck, N.J.-based Holy Name Medical Center and Ridgewood, N.J.-based Valley Health System, have submitted independent proposals to jointly manage Bergen Regional Medical Center. At issue between the hospitals is Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey's tiered OMNIA Health plan, which splits nearly all of the state's hospitals and health systems into two tiers. Providers in the top tier offer services to plan members at a reduced cost, and all other hospitals remain at the normal in-network price. Many Catholic hospitals and safety-net hospitals were left out of the top tier, saying this put them at a stark disadvantage and leading them to sue Horizon. In early June, the Appelate Division of New Jersey's Superior Court upheld the Department of Banking and Insurance's approval of the tiered health network. Although the hospital members of the coalition said it is too early to say how its members would work together, it provided the following statement to NJBIZ: "We are pleased to come together as a coalition of Bergen County healthcare providers to jointly submit our responses to the Bergen County Improvement Authority's Request for Information as part of its exploration of options related to the future operation of Bergen Regional Medical Center [] we look forward to moving ahead with the due diligence process and collectively ensure that the vital role and important range of services provided at Bergen Regional continues and is enhanced to better serve the community." A culture of engagement and accountability is essential for health systems to succeed in an era of population health management and accountable care. Strong organizational cultures enable and nurture the new behaviors, actions and investments required to navigate the many changes affecting the healthcare industry, particularly the transition to value-based care. But driving cultural improvement is not easy, and it does not happen overnight. To the contrary, efforts to change culture must take into account the history, heritage and attitudes of an organization's past. And they must be carefully and continually assessed, developed and nurtured at all levels of the organization. This roundtable, sponsored by Gallagher Integrated, includes responses from three recognized leaders from renowned health systems across the U.S. Participants include: John Chessare, MD, President and CEO, GBMC HealthCare System, Greater Baltimore Medical Center Howard Grant, JD, MD, President and CEO, Lahey Health (Burlington, Mass.) William Pryor, Chief Human Resources Officer, Cape Fear Valley Health System (Fayetteville, N.C.) Note: Gallagher Integrated did not influence the responses provided in this roundtable in any way. Question: How do organizational cultures need to evolve in the new era of healthcare? Dr. Grant: Organizations must create a safe environment for evolutionary behavior, thereby encouraging staff to embrace change while recognizing that it is not always easy. As reimbursement diminishes while costs of care delivery rise, the most successful organizations will be the ones that are the most nimble. Healthcare organizations must be quicker to adapt than they have been historically, and celebrate innovation to create an environment that welcomes reengineering and value-based reimbursement. Dr. Chessare: The new era of healthcare is about change. Most of us agree that this change is moving us toward the national triple aim of improving the patient experience, improving the health of populations and lowering the cost of healthcare. At GBMC we've added a fourth aim: To increase joy among those providing the care. Historically, many physicians even though they didn't realize or believe they were doing this acted as if they were trying to maintain the status quo. But now we really need to be more introspective and focus on what it is that our communities, patients and country needs us to do. To get from where we are today to realizing the triple aim, an organization must have a culture of change. Mr. Pryor: As chief of HR, I've had a tremendous amount of discussion about this over the last several years. As a leader, you have to explain to employees what needs to change and why. You make the case for those changes at every level you can town hall meetings, staff meetings, videos, emails, etc... At this point, the Affordable Care Act isn't new, but it is still effecting change. You can sit back and wait for things to happen, or you can be proactive. We've decided to be proactive. Q: How can organizational culture guide individual behavior? HG: A healthy organizational culture should define expectations for individual caregivers' performance in critical areas like quality of care, patient safety, patient experience and operational efficiency. When an organization's culture expects leaders to embrace defined goals, and gives individuals the tools and guidance they need to realize that performance, the results tend to fall in line with the desired outcomes. The strongest cultures thrive, even during periods of the greatest stress, because their caregivers have the confidence to navigate whatever challenges are placed in front of them. JC: Leaders must have two-way conversations with employees and clearly define the organization's vision so they understand and buy-in to it. We tell new folks the expectation is they will do every time what they would want done to their own loved ones. And underlining that vision is the idea that we are always striving for continuous improvement. The best way to influence behavior is to thank and celebrate people who exhibit this culture, and for those who don't, we have direct, discrete conversations with them. The literature suggests you get more out of celebrating successes than highlighting failure, but you're not a great manager if you don't have a conversation with someone whose behaviors are at odds with the vision. WP: We have to get our folks to understand where we are going and how they can contribute to our goals. If employees do not see the connection to the larger mission, they will wonder why they are there. Under the ACA, each organization has to figure out where they need to be and develop actions that everyone can take to drive change. Take the patient experience. Everyone in the health system plays a role in that. No matter what role someone has, they need to take a positive approach and have a smile on their face. Q: What are the ways that engagement can impact organizational success? HG: Engagement is the most critical ingredient of an organization's success because a committed workforce is far more likely to deliver the highest quality, most compassionate and most efficient care. And clear communication is a key driver to realize a high level of engagement initially and then to sustain it. Consistent expression of goals, expectations and aspirations to both internal and external audiences solidifies engagement, which in turn increases the likelihood of enhanced performance in all facets of the organization. It takes a concerted and protracted effort to establish a high level of engagement and persistent focus to sustain it. JC: Engagement is essential because without an engaged workforce, there isn't a way to improve and meet the goals of the triple aim. As CEO, I often say I'm the No. 1 cheerleader of the organization. I make sure people have what they need to get the job done. But if people only rely on senior leaders to change the organization, that's silly. The engagement of people who are doing the work is what will generate continuous improvement. WP: Employees do better in terms of providing quality healthcare and a great patient experience when they are engaged. Engagement really drives every facet of a health system. And it is contagious. If there are employees who are resistant and disengaged, those negative headwinds will pull you away from where you're trying to go. We want peer pressure to be positive. At the same time, we clearly define our culture at new employee orientation. If an employee doesn't want to buy into our culture, then they should not come here. We want everyone to want to be here. Q: How are healthcare organization cultures impacted by the shifts toward population health management? HG: We are in the midst of profound changes in cultural perspectives on our priorities for healthcare delivery systems. The hospital-centric healthcare world is rapidly morphing into a systemic approach to enhancing the health of a population. The organizations that will thrive in this new arena will demonstrate flexibility in all aspects of their operations as they migrate away from the way we have managed our business for decades. The critical balancing act is figuring out how to preserve the most cherished components of your culture like the commitment to deliver compassionate patient care or colleagues' respect for each other while radically changing care models and how caregivers are rewarded for their performance. It will take a delicate touch. JC: It's not really that organizations' cultures are impacted by population health management, but that in order to make such efforts successful, you really need to have a culture of action and improvement. If employees have the mindset that they will just come into work, do what they're told and go home, there is no way you can transform your organization. Population health management requires a massive redesign and a culture of performance improvement. WP: The approach has to be more patient-centered and effective. Organizationally, you have to be able to look at your patients not only episodically, but as a whole. For some patients, it is necessary to ask, what keeps this patient coming back to the emergency room? We have a paramedic program where we return to patients' homes to make sure they have the right medications, they are making their doctor appointments and have the care they need so that they can get well sooner. The organizational culture has to continue to evolve to meet the patients need on their turf. Q: How can organizations leverage culture to not only embrace but encourage transformation? HG: It starts with trust and respect. If a healthcare organization's mission is clear, and it enjoys a commitment from its staff and other community stakeholders to that mission, it is much more likely to adopt transformation more smoothly. The strongest healthcare organizations have an engaged workforce that will recognize that the transformation will be in the best interest of everyone their patients, their organization, their workforce and the communities they serve. Celebrate that the innovative successes are achieved in large part because of the strong culture and trust; and subsequent transformations will reinforce the notion that creative innovation is the norm as opposed to the exception. JC: If you get your people to adopt the mindset that it's their right and duty to suggest ways to improve, they will have a greater sense of ownership over the change. Once in that mindset, they will start running with the ball and they will want to transform. Our opportunity to do the right thing in healthcare is here. In Maryland, we have global hospital budgets that allow us to experiment and create more value for our patients and communities. Shame on any leader who doesn't take steps to transform the organization to get us to the triple aim. WP: At the end of the day, you have to make the case to every employee, physician, nurse, environmental services worker whomever that they play a part in achieving the organization's goals. You must be able to break it down and explain the case at every level so each employee sees how they contribute to the big picture. Rising administrative costs have prompted many small physician practices to consider whether to remain independent, join a larger group or seek hospital employment, according to a Crain's Detroit Business report by Jay Greene. Here are two things to know about the issue. The Affordable Care Act and related changes over the past six years have increased administrative costs for physician practices, leading many to consider joining larger groups. Some physicians join larger organizations also because physicians are "worried about being lost in the shuffle." For more on this story and a look at how the Affordable Care Act is performing, read Mr. Greene's full report in Crain's Detroit Business. Metro Health, a single-hospital system in Wyoming, Mich., and University of Michigan have signed a letter of intent for Metro Health to join U-M Health System in Ann Arbor. Through the partnership, Metro Health's hospital and its network of physicians, nurses and other providers will combine with U-M Health System. Metro Health President Michael Fass expressed excitement about the deal. "It is no secret that U-M has some of the best providers in the state and country," he said. "By joining the 'leaders and best' we can build on our existing expertise and provide our patients and community with enhanced access to specialized healthcare services, scientific discovery and advanced technology." With the letter of intent signed, both organizations will begin a period of due diligence. Last year, Metro Health called off an affiliation with Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems a deal that had been in the works since 2013. Through the transaction, CHS would have purchased an 80 percent equity interest in Metro Health's hospital. More articles on healthcare industry transactions: HCA buys Dallas hospital 8 recent healthcare transactions and partnerships AmSurg, Envision Healthcare ink merger: 7 things to know Buffalo, N.Y.-based Kaleida Health has reached a tentative agreement with three unions. The three-year agreement, with the Communications Workers of America/AFL-CIO (CWA1168), International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE 17) and 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, covers 7,500 unionized employees. The agreement follows three months of "cordial, good-faith negotiations," Kaleida said. Kaleida did not release full details of the contract, as it must still be ratified by the union membership. However, the health system did say the contract calls for wage increases and hiring additional frontline staff while making changes to work rules. Ratification voting is expected to occur in the next few weeks. More articles on human capital and risk: Nevada Regional Hospital workers demonstrate over staffing Indiana Regional Medical Center reaches stalemate in union contract talks Sacred Heart physicians reach tentative labor agreement, cancel picket Nurses at Presence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet, Ill., are alleging that a recent "boot camp" training was punitive and humiliating, The Herald-News reports. The Illinois Nurses Association, which represents the workers, said the emergency room training involved forcing nurses to drink water without access to restrooms, as well as nurses sitting on a bedpan in a patient bed for 30 minutes in a public hallway while wearing goggles and headphones to simulate poor vision and hearing, according to the report. The union claims the training was disciplinary after certain patient satisfaction scores. In response to the experience, the union filed a petition with the hospital contending that the training session violated scheduling provisions in the union contract, The Herald-News reports. "I think they're looking for better dialogue on these kinds of matters going forward," Chris Martin, spokesman with the INA, said, according to the report. In a statement provided to The Herald-News, hospital officials said nurses "are held in the highest esteem," and participants found the training "a positive and productive experience." The hospital said the training provided "new best practice insights" that the nurses are eager to implement. More articles on human capital and risk: Nevada Regional Hospital workers demonstrate over staffing Indiana Regional Medical Center reaches stalemate in union contract talks Sacred Heart physicians reach tentative labor agreement, cancel picket The following hospital lawsuits were reported within the past month. 1. Nurses claim discrimination in lawsuits against NJ hospital Four lawsuits filed on behalf of former nurses of Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton, N.J., claim the nurses faced months of racial and disability discrimination before they were unjustly fired. 2. Advocate-NorthShore merger on hold pending FTC's appeal U.S. Northern District Judge Jorge Alonso granted an injunction request from the Federal Trade Commission, pausing Downers Grove, Ill.-based Advocate Health Care and Evanston, Ill.-based NorthShore University HealthSystem's merger plans. 3. Mercy files $4.1M suit against Aetna for allegedly withholding reimbursement Chesterfield, Mo.-based Mercy filed suit against Aetna, claiming the health insurance company has failed to pay the full, agreed upon amount for care provided to certain newborn babies. 4. Chicago hospital accused of illegally transferring pension obligations to an order of nuns A group of former employees accused Holy Cross Hospital in Chicago of improperly classifying its pension as a "church plan" exempt from federal law. 5. CNO claims hospital forced her out after she raised concerns about EMR A former nursing executive at Sonoma West Medical Center in Sebastopol, Calif., filed a lawsuit against the hospital, alleging she was fired after raising concerns the EMR was a threat to patient safety 6. Feds: Carolinas HealthCare forced steering restrictions in top payer contracts The Department of Justice and North Carolina Attorney General filed an antitrust lawsuit against Carolinas HealthCare, alleging the Charlotte, N.C.-based system drove up costs in the region by imposing steering restrictions in contracts with commercial health insurers. 7. Cigna ordered to pay $13M to physician-owned hospital A Texas federal judge ordered Cigna to pay more than $13 million to Humble (Texas) Surgical Hospital, concluding that the Bloomfield, Conn.-based insurer breached the terms of its policies by refusing to cover out-of-network services provided by the physician-owned facility. 8. NJ hospital to pay $450k for allegedly billing Medicare for unnecessary heart procedures Saint Michael's Medical Center in Newark, N.J., agreed to pay $450,000 to resolve false claims allegations. 9. Former Aspen Valley Hospital District worker sues hospital for disclosing HIV status A former employee of the Aspen (Colo.) Valley Hospital District is suing the hospital, alleging the organization breached his right to privacy when it disclosed he was HIV positive. 10. UPMC settles one mold infection lawsuit for $1.35M After four patients contracted mold infections in two UPMC hospitals in Pittsburgh, the system faced two lawsuits from patients' family members. One such case was recently settled for $1.35 million. 11. Trinity Health hospital to pay $107M to settle pension mismanagement lawsuit Hartford, Conn.-based St. Francis Hospital, part of Livonia, Mich.-based Trinity Health, will pay $107 million to settle a lawsuit alleging it mismanaged its pension plan. 12. Feds join executive's $50M false claims suit against Prime Healthcare The Department of Justice intervened in a whistle-blower lawsuit against Prime Healthcare, alleging the Ontario, Calif.-based hospital chain defrauded the federal government of millions of dollars by billing Medicare for medically unnecessary inpatient short-stay admissions, which should have been classified as outpatient or observation cases. 13. Lee Memorial wants to evict another patient Lee Memorial Hospital in Fort Myers, Fla., is suing to evict a patient with dementia and Parkinson's disease who has remained at the Fort Myers, Fla.-based hospital for nearly three months after physicians cleared him to leave. 14. Whistle-blower claims 33 hospitals submitted more than $1B in fictitious costs A whistle-blower defended the viability of a federal complaint he filed, saying 33 hospitals in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia benefited from fictitious cost report claims submitted to Medicare and Medicaid. 15. MLK Hospital sues BCBS of Ga. for giving reimbursement money to patients Los Angeles-based Martin Luther King Hospital filed suit against Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia, alleging the insurer sends reimbursement money for emergency room services directly to patients as a means of retaliation against out-of-network hospital prices. 16. Cardiothoracic surgeon claims discrimination in lawsuit against Oregon hospital A cardiothoracic surgeon filed suit against St. Charles Health System, accusing the Bend, Ore.-based system of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act when he was fired in November. 17. Mississippi health system to pay $150M over failed pension plan Pascagoula, Miss.-based Singing River Health System entered into a federal settlement that releases it from liability over its failed pension plan. 18. Transgender nurse sues Dignity Health for refusing to cover gender reassignment costs A transgender Dignity Health employee filed suit against the San Francisco-based hospital chain, alleging the system wrongfully denied him coverage for hormone therapy and sex-reassignment surgery Kansas' Medicaid application backlog is four times greater than state officials thought, according to The Kansas City Star. Although previous reports said the state reduced its list of low-income residents waiting to be approved for Medicaid coverage to 3,480, the most recent count found it is actually up to 15,393 residents. In a letter dated June 10, Susan Mosier, secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, blamed the inaccurate numbers on a company the state contracted to manage the backlog of Medicaid applicants. The letter was written to James Scott, associate regional administrator of CMS in Kansas, according to the report. Ms. Mosier wrote that applicants who were denied eligibility and then reapplied were not counted on the state's backlog reports until the most recent filing in May. The federal government requires bi-weekly reports from the state on its backlog status and updates on what it is doing to address it, according to the report. Kansas switched its computer system for Medicaid application processing in 2015 and it has since experienced a myriad of issues, including the issue with backlog status reports. Angela de Rocha, a spokeswoman for the state's health department, said officials were disappointed when they uncovered the mistake, as they had committed various resources over the last several months toward shrinking the backlog, according to the report. "The state really, really regrets this and is unhappy that we thought we were making so much progress," said Ms. de Rocha, according to the report. "And it turns out we weren't making the degree of progress we had hoped." To continue following the latest news and information for Bedfordshire and surrounding areas, simply enter your full postcode below Danske Bank is tightening access to euro currency accounts in the run-up to the EU referendum vote Danske Bank says it is tightening access to euro currency accounts in the run-up to this week's EU referendum vote. It said it is adopting a "more stringent review procedure when it comes to approving the opening of any new euro accounts" and with "the pending outcome of the EU referendum unknown we are closely monitoring currency flows". And, according to economist John Simpson, that could be because the bank doesn't want to "encourage" customers and businesses to begin currency speculation, and move money into euros, given the assumption sterling's value will plummet in the event of Brexit. "What Danske Bank appears to be saying is, they don't want temporary customers simply moving money if the vote goes the wrong way, and the pound falls," he said. "It's a sensible policy, and they are not going to encourage currency speculation." A Bank of Ireland UK spokeswoman said it was continuing to offer euro deposit and savings accounts for both personal and business customers. An Ulster Bank spokeswoman said euro accounts were still open to existing customers but terms and conditions applied. First Trust said it was still offering euro accounts to business customers with sterling accounts. Meanwhile, one of Northern Ireland's top business leaders says there will be "less inward investment" and the "threat of significant job losses" in the event of a Brexit. United Dairy Farmers chief executive and Belfast Harbour chairman David Dobbin stated he was "voting to stay in the EU" and that he was "urging others to do so". He warned farmers would receive less in the event of Brexit, and that many other companies say they will be adversely affected if Britain leaves the EU. The fact that billions have been wiped off share values with just the threat of a Brexit vote is clear evidence of the economic damage which markets expect should we leave, he said. Mr Dobbin also warned that without a return to border controls with the Republic then Northern Ireland will be wide open to EU immigrants and if that is the case then we might face more stringent border controls on travel from Northern Ireland to the Great Britain. And another voice in the Remain camp, animal food giant Devenish Nutrition, has warned that leaving the EU would represent a massive and unnecessary risk to our business environment in combination with a lengthy period of political and economic uncertainty. We see potential for improvements to the legislation and regulation of the EU and believe this can best be achieved if the UK votes to give our Government a mandate to continue to be a key driver of positive and well-considered change within the EU, it said. But campaigning for the UK to exit the EU, Ciga Healthcare boss Irwin Armstrong, once again blasted its anti-competitive and protectionist trading rules. Meanwhile, leading American business consultant Frank Costello, says Northern Irelands efforts to win inward investment will be blown out of the water if theres a Brexit. Mr Costello, who runs a transatlantic consultancy advising US and local firms, said the competitive advantage of a cut in corporation tax would mean little if Britain leaves the EU. Also in favour of remaining in the EU, a spokesman for Lakeland Dairies, which recently took on Fane Valley Dairies in Banbridge, said: The EU referendum is one for the electorate to decide based on their informed and thoughtful consideration of the overall debate. Irwin Armstrong suggests a points system should be employed to control what he says is currently a not sustainable level of immigration into the UK Irwin Armstrong loves a good debate and enjoys the limelight. Which is just as well since hes become the go-to guy for a pro-Brexit opinion. Ive never been so popular! he joked. My little factory near Ballymena has been inundated with media types recently. Weve had RTE, Sky, BBC, ITN and UTV traipsing through here. And Ive been taking part in debates all over Northern Ireland since last November. Back in the Autumn, Irwin was leaning towards Brexit, but was persuadable on the question of EU membership. That was before Cameron came back from the EU negotiations with his so-called deal which amounted to nothing of value, said Irwin, a long-time Conservative Party member. That convinced me that the UK is better out of the EU. Irwin (65) is a former chair of the Conservatives in Northern Ireland and stood as a candidate for the Conservative-UUP electoral pact, UCUNF, in the 2010 General Election. I knew Id never get elected, squeezed as I was between Jim Allister and Ian Paisley, but I was pleased to get nearly 5,000 votes. I prefer being a businessman and a back-room guy in politics. Im a Conservative because I believe in small government, equal opportunities for all, no glass ceilings and a safety net for those who need it. I was very much a Thatcherite. I really admired Margaret Thatcher and I was at her funeral. Irwin served on the Conservatives national board for two years, gaining entry to the inner circle of political power. Ive sat at the Cabinet table in Downing Street talking to David Cameron and Ive had a tour of Chequers. That means a lot when you consider that I grew up on a small farm in North Antrim with no electricity or running water. Irwins father, Ernest, was a digger driver and well-known prize fighter who fought in Belfast. The youngest of three sons, Irwin passed the 11-plus and went to Ballymena Academy, before studying business and accountancy at the former Belfast College of Business Studies. His first job was with Courthaulds in Carrickfergus, later moving to Enkalon in Antrim. In the mid-Seventies, he joined the Northern Ireland Development Agency where his case work included DeLorean. We met management in Dunmurry every Monday morning and we had our concerns, recalled Irwin. We felt that the contracts that had been written werent tight enough. Money was going out that should not have been going out, but we were over-ruled and our knuckles were rapped for being negative. In 1982, he decided he didnt want to be a civil servant and set up his own consultancy, spending the next two decades helping companies to raise finance and draw up marketing strategies. He worked with major companies including FG Wilson and STC, as well as the Industrial Development Board (IDB), and had an office in Saudi Arabia until the outbreak of the first Gulf War. His first move into manufacturing was to set up a factory in Bulgaria making razor blades. I negotiated a contract with the communist government, but had to renegotiate it after the fall of communism there. I was in the capital Sofia the night they took the red flag off the party headquarters. In 2005, Irwin set up Ciga Healthcare, importing testing kits for pregnancy, ovulation and menopause from China and supplying them to supermarkets and pharmacy chains. It was meant to be a sideline to my consultancy work and it was just me and my wife, Sally, packing the kits. But it expanded rapidly when we won contracts first with Asda, then with Tesco, Sainsburys and Boots. Later, we moved into testing kits for diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol. However, the recession hit in 2008 and the massive drop in exchange rates meant we needed a rapid reappraisal. The business contracted at that stage and then moved into professional testing kits for the NHS and the HSE in the Republic. We also supply a machine that tests for infection and inflammation. Doctors are equipping their surgeries with them to provide accurate information before prescribing antibiotics. Were doing research and development work with Ulster University to develop new machines for testing. Ciga Healthcare has an office in the United States where it has contracts with drugstore giants Walgreen and Rite Aid, as well as Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada. The company now employs 23 people, including Irwins sons Niall (a former UUP councillor) and Allan. Ciga achieved sales of 3m last year and Irwin expects this to grow to 5m in 2017, Brexit or no Brexit. He sells very little in Europe, blaming the anti-competitive and protectionist trading rules. As far as my business is concerned, theres no advantage for us being in the EU, he said. Its 28 different markets and they will nearly always find rules and regulations to keep you out. In France, for example, our kits can only be sold in pharmacies and not on supermarket shelves. There are 20,000 pharmacies and no chains, unlike the UK where there are 10,000 pharmacies and most are part of chains. Its too complicated and expensive to do business in France, similarly Spain and Germany. Irwins frustration with Europe goes way beyond his personal experience of the market. In 1975 I voted to join the EEC because I thought it was a trading deal. Its now a juggernaut driving towards a united Europe with a single army and a single currency. I was against Maastricht and against the euro. All the elites wanted us to join, but thankfully we didnt. The Remain camp cant tell us what the EU will look like in ten years or how much it will cost to be a member. I think other countries will leave the EU. When you look at trade, the EU represents just 15% of world trade, while the rest of the world accounts for the other 85%. The Commonwealth nations are entirely open to doing business with the UK. We have excellent trade links with them and similar legal systems. The UK will do very well outside the EU. Irwin employs several foreign nationals in his Ballymena factory, mostly from Poland, and is full of praise for their professionalism and work ethic. He agrees that many companies rely heavily upon migrant labour and says employers will not lose out if theres a Brexit. The migrant workers who are here will remain here, but there needs to be a discussion about an Australian-style points system. We dont need to stop immigration, in fact we should be bringing in more highly skilled people from the Commonwealth. I think its quite reasonable that companies should be able to bring skilled people in to fill specific jobs, but we cant continue to have huge numbers of people pouring into the UK. Its not sustainable. Whether the vote goes his way or not, Irwin has already set his sights on another campaign. My next target is helping to drive forward the case for integrated education, he said. It goes back to my upbringing. Im an atheist and my parents were liberal. I played hurling with friends when I was a child and our home was a place where everyone met for conversation. I feel strongly that if we bring kids together at an early stage, a lot of our negative attitudes towards each other will disappear and Northern Ireland will become a better and more prosperous society, where everyone has a chance to do well. Irwin Armstrong is one of the few vocal pro-Brexit business leaders in Northern Ireland. But what have other bosses had to say on the subject of the EU Referendum? Michael Ryan, vice-president and general manager of aerospace giant Bombardier: It is better for our company that the UK remains within the EU. Access to integrated European supply chains is critical to our business, and the free movement of goods across Europe contributes significantly to our competitiveness. William Wright, founder and chairman of busmaker Wrightbus: I am totally in favour of getting out. It is time to take back control of our own affairs. The bureaucracy of Europe is not conducive to the UKs business interests. I am firmly in the leave camp. Janet McCollum, chief executive of poultry giant Moy Park: We are a European business and Europe is our market and we are strongly in favour of the UK remaining within the EU. Remaining gives firms greater certainty about the future. Bill Wolsey, managing director of hospitality giant Beannchor, owners of the Merchant Hotel: We will have difficulty getting people to come here. Even though we have a far higher percentage of local people working for us, there still will be a massive shortfall. Terry Cross, founder of Delta Print and Packaging: Its a common market and there should be a common currency and no barriers to trade across all the EU states, including Britain. We need to scale up and work together to compete with China, Russia and the US. Theres nobody coming forward with an overwhelming case that wed be much better outside the EU. Liam Nagle, chief executive of Norbrook Holdings: We have to look at the facts that 80% of our sales come from outside the UK and Ireland. And 50m of our sales come from EU members, and we are very dependent on free movement over the border. Hundreds of our workers commute over the border every day for work. And we buy about 30m in raw materials from EU countries. James Bardrick, UK chief of Citigroup: We believe the UKs position as a global leader in many areas of financial services is in no small part aided by efficient and effective access to the EUs single market the largest single market in the world. Northern Ireland "cannot afford to gamble with thousands of jobs", a trade union boss urging voters to stay in the EU has said. Peter Bunting, Irish Congress of Trade Unions' assistant general secretary, said the "risk and uncertainty resulting from leaving is bound to have economic effects, which workers will be expected to pay for". His comments come after the Financial Services Union (FSU) also urged its members in Northern Ireland and throughout the UK to reject Brexit. Larry Broderick, general secretary of the FSU, said that a UK withdrawal from the EU "would have a negative impact on the economy and jobs". "While some Brexiteers seem to believe that any negative effect would be temporary and that the UK could eventually develop trading relationships as a separate entity, no-one can say with certainty what the nature of these relationships would be and how long they would take to be established," he said. "So at best, Brexit represents a risky leap into the unknown, at worst, it seems like economic suicide. "Workers in the financial services sector are particularly vulnerable to economic downturns - since the prospects for the sector are directly related to the level of activity in the economy as a whole." Mr Bunting said, in particular, that the majority of those within the manufacturing sector, are on "high alert" and "employers and unions are united in their calls for Remain". "The EU is by far Northern Ireland's biggest trading partner, accounting for 56% of our goods and services exports," he said. "That is one reason why the unions representing workers in manufacturing are arguing to remain. The risk resulting from leaving is bound to have economic effects, which workers will be expected to pay for." He said other sectors facing a hit from a Brexit include farming, agri-food, science sectors, finance and other skilled roles. Mr Broderick said: "Our members are already facing far-reaching challenges to their livelihoods in terms of the internal restructuring of financial institutions and the emergence of new potentially disruptive technologies. We could not, therefore, recommend adding further threats to their future job security and living standards by this leap into the unknown. "We, therefore, concur with the position taken by both the British Trades Union Congress and the Northern Ireland Committee of ICTU in urging all our members who are eligible to vote in the referendum this week to exercise their right - and to vote in favour of the UK's continuing membership of the European Union." The majority of trade unions in Northern Ireland and the UK have come out in support of remaining part of the UK. However, Nipsa - Northern Ireland's largest trade union - is backing a Brexit. It believes the EU benefits big business, rather than individuals, and is also concerned about the ongoing negotiations around the TTIP trade agreement between the EU and the US. All businesses hate uncertainty. Unfortunately, the referendum debate has brought plenty of this and it has already impacted on business activity and investment in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. The Republic's economy has been going through a sweet spot over the past 24 months. Unemployment has nearly halved from its crisis peak and national debt as the percentage of GDP will have dropped from a high of over 120% to about 80% by next year. Economic growth was the strongest of any country in the EU last year and we will most likely top the EU table again in 2016. Thursday's referendum vote is a significant concern for business, however, and it has already added considerable uncertainty to the economic outlook. Over recent months, Ibec has been focused on ensuring that the concerns of business in the Republic of Ireland were recognised in the congested Brexit debate. While this is a vote for the UK, the deep cultural political, cultural, geographic and commercial ties mean it would be negligent for us to passively stand by without making our voices heard. The UK's EU membership is of key strategic importance to Ireland and Irish business, but the interests of the UK and Europe are also best served by a vote to remain. Ireland has worked closely with the UK across a wide range of areas in Europe and we are stronger when we work together. A vote to Remain offers continuity for Ireland and the UK, but the fallout from the campaign will nevertheless reverberate for years to come. A vote to Leave is a much greater concern. It would prove damaging to Ireland's recovery and would push the EU back into an unstable period of crisis management, at a time when it should be looking to the future. Brexit poses a number of serious risks to the Irish economy, in terms of exchange rate movements, trade disruptions, loss of investment and regulatory divergence. Exchange rate movements are the most immediate risk. In the aftermath of a possible Brexit the sterling/euro exchange rate could well move towards parity. This would leave Republic of Ireland firms selling into the UK market 30% less competitive than they were in January through exchange rate movements alone. Disruptions and barriers to trade between Ireland and the UK resulting from Brexit will be a costly burden for the Irish business community. Worryingly, any new UK-EU arrangements may undermine free trade. An agreement would take at least two years to crystalise, but is likely to take much longer. This would bring a level of uncertainty for Irish firms exporting to the UK in the short term impacting on employment, investment and export plans. The risk to trade flows has been underestimated because of the very significant knock on impact that changing investment patterns could have on trade. Ireland could potentially stand to gain from investment flight following a Brexit, with some UK-based corporates and financial sector firms looking to relocate to the European single market. However, this potential upside would pale in significance to the negative disruption and uncertainty that would stem from the UK leaving the EU. Firms operating within both the EU and UK markets would also have to deal with the prospect of regulatory divergence over the years ahead. For services companies operating in both jurisdictions, the impacts are potentially greater as it is possible that the UK would have to abide by common standards in their domestic services market. Any disruption to cross border commercial activity could have a very destabilising effect on the economy of Northern Ireland. Business north and south has been a major beneficiary of the peace process over recent decades, a UK departure from the EU would remove a shared economic, political and legal backdrop and could set back positive political and economic developments of recent years. Through constant engagement with our members across a wide spectrum of sectors, it is clear that a vote to remain is still the overwhelming desire of the Republic of Ireland's business community. As things stand, the result is too close to call. The last few days of campaigning and voter turnout will ultimately decide the outcome. However, a vote to leave will have far-reaching implications for businesses north and south of the border. With that in mind, we say: Don't go. Let's work together in a stronger, forward looking Europe, that can support shared prosperity on the island of Ireland. Sales of Joules have risen in Germany and America Fashion brand Joules has posted a 12.7% rise in annual revenues to 131.3 million as the newly-listed retailer benefited from a sharp rise in international sales. Overseas turnover increased 24.7% to 13.2 million, with international now representing over 10% of overall group sales. Joules has a strong presence in Germany and North America. Chief executive Colin Porter hailed Joules's "great progress" and said further growth was on the way. He said: "This has been a year of great progress in further developing Joules as a fun, family, 'time-off' lifestyle brand across multiple sales channels both in the UK and internationally. "We have a clear growth strategy of increasing customer value, rolling-out UK stores, accelerating international growth, and delivering product extensions." Retail sales rose 11% to 93.7 million and wholesale revenue was up 17.6% to 37.2 million. The company floated on London's junior market in May and saw founder Tom Joule pocket 40 million as he trimmed his 80% stake to below 50%. Mr Joule founded the fashion retailer in 1989 and today it operates 98 stores in the UK and Ireland. Unskilled migrants from the European Union are costing British taxpayers 6.6 billion a year, the Economists for Brexit group has claimed. New analysis by the group estimates that such migrants cost each UK taxpayer 17.75 per month. Meanwhile, the group also claims that the average family of unskilled migrants costs the UK almost 30,000 a year once tax, public service use and benefit payments have been taken into account. But Remain campaigners have slammed the group for making "baseless claims". Economists for Brexit admits in its own report that the 6.6 billion figure is "necessarily highly imprecise" because of a lack of detailed data on things like migrant wages and household size. The report also states the 6.6 billion figure is a "necessarily rough estimate for essentially illustrative purposes". Patrick Minford, co-chairman of Economists for Brexit, said: "Migration can be an economically positive or negative issue. To make it a success you need control and in the EU there is zero prospect of that happening. "Skilled migrants offer a huge economic boost to the UK and it would therefore be entirely appropriate to continue to attract those from around the world that offer a significant contribution to the UK. "However, it is clear from our analysis that the UK is suffering in economic terms significantly from the vast numbers of unskilled EU migrants, which is only set to get worse." But former shadow Labour chancellor Chris Leslie hit back and said: "These are baseless claims from Patrick Minford, who boasts that leaving Europe would eliminate British manufacturing. "The country's most credible economists all now agree that leaving would damage the UK economy, push up prices and cause unemployment." Eddie Izzard has called on younger voters to back the Remain campaign Comedian Eddie Izzard urged young people to "send out a positive message to the world" by voting to stay in the EU as he sought to bolster support for the Remain camp among university students. While older people were more likely to be Eurosceptic, young people embraced the positive aspects of being part of the 28-member bloc, the cross-dressing comic said. He told the Press Association: "Younger people - 75% to 80% are positive about Europe. They look out there and see the opportunities, the low cost flights, the free roaming charges - it's a brilliant thing. "They want to come out and have the opportunities. They are writing to their parents and grandparents saying, 'Can you not see what we are seeing out there?' "Young people can make a complete sea-change and send out a positive message to the world that we are proud of being British, but also reaching out saying: 'Can we learn from you?'" Speaking at the University of Sussex, Izzard said he believed young people were more enthused about the EU referendum than the general election - which focused more on "mortgages and families". He described the endorsement by David Beckham to stay in the EU as "excellent". And he revealed his biggest fear of a Brexit victory would be the "negative signal" it would send, as well as concerns that a recession may be triggered by a vote to leave . Izzard also criticised the negativity of the Leave campaign as he urged young people not to leave it to older generations to decide their futures, insisting that every vote would be needed. He said: "They say that the entire population of Turkey is going to move into your house, marry your brother or sister, drive off in your car - they can just say any figures they want. "And that's not what this should be about. This should be about a real campaign where people are talking about real figures." Former Miss Northern Ireland Tiffany Brien has revealed dramatic photographs of how much her stomach can bloat in just a few hours. The beauty blogger posted the photographs on her Facebook page to make the point. "we are not all what we seem on social media". In the first photograph her stomach is noticeably bloated, while in the second her tummy is toned and taut from her hard work at the gym. She commented: "No I'm not six months pregnant. It's just my food baby ... These two photos are 12 hours apart, left before bed and right when I woke up ..." Ms Brien added: "We are not all what we seem on social media. I thought I would share a bad day with you to show you nobody is 'perfect' and it is ok to have an off day where your body just decides to not play ball. Don't worry girls, it happens to the best of us, all part and parcel of being a female! It is a delightful cocktail of lack of sleep, stress, hormones and food intolerances. A mixture for a whole lotta bloat." The Holywood woman won Miss Northern Ireland in 2012, she went on to be placed in the top ten at Miss World Beach Beauty and was first runner up at Miss World Sport. However she admitted despite her glamorous life, bloating can afflict her at inconvenient moments, such on while on an evening out in a tight dress, "I could be half way into my main course and I suddenly feel uncomfortable and now really unattractive with a big bloated belly". Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Miss Northern Ireland 2012 Tiffany Brien pictured at Helens Bay. Photography Mark McCormick 29/05/12 Tiffany Brien in action modelling Tiffany Brien, former miss Northern Ireland, in the 10k race of Belfast Telegraph Runher Stormont Series Tiffany Brien, former miss Northern Ireland, in the 10k race / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Miss Northern Ireland 2012 Tiffany Brien pictured at Helens Bay. Photography Mark McCormick 29/05/12 Ms Brien said she has noticed that certain foods can trigger the bloating, and also warns that stress and not getting enough sleep can also trigger it. She also added some her of top tips to avoid bloating. * Get your zzz's! Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Former Miss Northern Ireland Tiffany Brien has shared photographs online to illustrate her battle with bloating Former Miss Northern Ireland Tiffany Brien has shared photographs online to illustrate her battle with bloating Tiffany Brien as she is now / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Former Miss Northern Ireland Tiffany Brien has shared photographs online to illustrate her battle with bloating * Write a food dairy and reflect where and when you bloat. * Don't over exercise to compensate for a bloated belly. It's not fat. Exercising will most likely make it worse. * Look into gut health supplements - multivitamins and probiotics. * Drink peppermint tea to soothe your tum. * Relax and be happy... It'll be ok, you're not alone. Promise. Emily Eavis said David Bowie's performance at Glastonbury in 2000 was one of the highlights in the festival's history The Met Office has urged music fans heading to the Glastonbury Festival to pack their sunglasses and their wellies as a weekend of mixed weather is forecast. Gates open on Wednesday before the festival begins on Friday, with Muse, Adele and Coldplay all headlining - and David Bowie will be celebrated with the festival's first ever classical music headliner. Campers tweeted in horror as pictures emerged on Monday of flooding at the Somerset site, with paths under water and camping areas already turned into mudbaths. Met forecaster Emma Boorman said there is hope the site could dry out before the heaviest crowds arrive on Friday. "When you have people and mud it exacerbates the situation so if there's no people on site today and a mostly dry day, it should give things a chance to dry out a little bit," she said. The mercury is expected to reach a high of 21C (69F) on Thursday before settling at 19C (66F) over Saturday and Sunday. Unfortunately for Adele, she may be singing in the rain rather than setting fire to it as Saturday, the day she will headline the Pyramid stage, is expected to be wettest of the festival. "Thursday should stay dry, as should Friday, but by Saturday there may well be some showers around, Ms Boorman added. "There's rain from time to time but also some good dry weather, so it's worth packing for a mixture of conditions: wellies and sunglasses." She also had some final advice for campers: "Make sure you put your tent on the top of a hill; if you have to walk further, just walk it, because otherwise they could be swimming in mud." American composer Philip Glass's Heroes Symphony, written in 1996 in homage to Bowie's 1977 album Heroes, will be brought to life with an immersive laser performance by Chris Levine on the Park Stage on June 25. Starting just before midnight, Charles Hazlewood will direct a classical orchestra featuring Army of Generals and members of the British Paraorchestra for "a 45-minute symphonic meditation" inspired by Bowie's album. Festival organiser Emily Eavis said: "We are delighted that David Bowie's life will be celebrated by Glastonbury's first ever classical music headliner. "Bowie's performance of Heroes in his 2000 Pyramid set was one of the all-time moments in our history and it just feels so right that we will relive it again on Saturday night through the brilliance of Philip Glass's symphony." Award-winning British conductor Hazlewood added: "If Bowie had any interest in what might be played by all of us after he'd gone, then I reckon a world class orchestra breathing fire into Glass's Heroes Symphony would make him very happy indeed. "And with the added genius of laser virtuoso Chris Levine creating a visual counterpoint to Glass's luminescent textures, this will be the most extraordinary sound and vision ever witnessed at Glastonbury." The performance will be broadcast live on BBC Four. :: Philip Glass's Heroes Symphony will play on The Park Stage on June 25 from 11.45pm to 0.30am. Glastonbury runs from June 22 to 26. Emily Eavis said David Bowie's performance at Glastonbury in 2000 was one of the highlights in the festival's history David Bowie will be celebrated at Glastonbury with the festival's first ever classical music headliner. American composer Philip Glass's Heroes Symphony, written in 1996 in homage to Bowie's 1977 album Heroes, will be brought to life with an immersive laser performance by Chris Levine on the Park Stage on June 25. Starting just before midnight, Charles Hazlewood will direct a classical orchestra featuring Army of Generals and members of the British Paraorchestra for "a 45-minute symphonic meditation" inspired by Bowie's album. Festival organiser Emily Eavis said: "We are delighted that David Bowie's life will be celebrated by Glastonbury's first ever classical music headliner. "Bowie's performance of Heroes in his 2000 Pyramid set was one of the all-time moments in our history and it just feels so right that we will relive it again on Saturday night through the brilliance of Philip Glass's symphony." Award-winning British conductor Hazlewood added: "If Bowie had any interest in what might be played by all of us after he'd gone, then I reckon a world class orchestra breathing fire into Glass's Heroes Symphony would make him very happy indeed. "And with the added genius of laser virtuoso Chris Levine creating a visual counterpoint to Glass's luminescent textures, this will be the most extraordinary sound and vision ever witnessed at Glastonbury." The performance will be broadcast live on BBC Four. :: Philip Glass's Heroes Symphony will play on The Park Stage on June 25 from 11.45pm to 0.30am. Glastonbury runs from June 22 to 26. First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness with Shaun Kelly, head of KPMG International, and Alastair Hamilton (right), chief executive of Invest NI A leading American business consultant says Northern Ireland's efforts to win inward investment will be blown out of the water if there is a Brexit. Frank Costello, who runs a Transatlantic consultancy advising US and local firms, said the competitive advantage of a cut in corporation tax would mean little if the UK leaves the EU. "It's a situation of great irony that Northern Ireland is about to get a reduction in corporation tax but a Brexit would do little to help that opportunity," he said. "It's beyond short-sighted. Anyone in society, business or politics in Northern Ireland who believes that a Brexit will help stability is defying logic. Britain will be peripheral in the world economy and Northern Ireland will be even further isolated. "Getting US and Canadian companies to look at investment opportunities here is always an effort, but to put the whammy of a Brexit on the table as well is just plain nuts." Venture capitalist Mr Costello is a former head of international trade and business assistance for the Boston Economic Development Industrial Corporation and served as chief of staff to Congressman Joseph Kennedy. Based in Belfast since 1999, he has helped to raise millions of dollars in finance for a number of Northern Ireland companies, particularly in the tech sector, including the scientific camera company Andor Technologies in west Belfast. "Capital is a coward and the UK is showing that it is not predictable and not stable," said Mr Costello. "The effect is happening already. "Companies are just not looking here, there's been a slowdown in interest in recent months. It's a shame because we have shown that we can grow firms in life sciences, technology and financial services, the three main sectors being targeted by Invest NI. But that advantage will be lost if the UK exits the EU. "Ireland, on the other hand, is quite comfortable and competitive within Europe and its economy is growing, specially in fintech and financial services. "It will continue to thrive while the north is left behind." The Prime Minister has warned that leaving the European Union "puts the open Border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland at risk". David Cameron has also suggested that First Minister Arlene Foster is "fundamentally wrong" that the UK could negotiate its own trade agreements if it decides to go it alone. "The UK has free trade with the rest of the EU, including the Republic of Ireland, because we are in a single market. That means no tariffs, no barriers; meaning more jobs, prosperity and opportunities. It's improved living standards for people in the UK and Ireland immeasurably. "Beyond the EU, we have free trade agreements with 53 countries and territories. It's all very well saying we could sign lots of deals ourselves. But that's not the way these deals work in this day and age. The best free trade deals are done between large blocs. "Barack Obama said it himself; so did the Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe. "The question in this referendum is where do we have the best chance of succeeding. "And in terms of trading with the world, and getting the terms that suit us, our bargaining power is undoubtedly better with the weight of 27 other countries and a market of 500 million people behind us," he told the Impartial Reporter newspaper. In the event of Britain deciding to leave the EU, Mr Cameron has warned there may be "implications" in border areas, such as Fermanagh and Cavan. "Now we don't know for certain what a new travel regime might be. Those who want to leave the EU have not spelt out in any detail at all what our relationship with the countries remaining in the EU would look like," he said. "If we voted to leave the EU, for the first time the UK would be outside but sharing a land border with an EU country. For the first time since it joined, the Republic would share a border with a non-EU country. "People might say, 'Well, the Common Travel Area has been in existence since the 1920s, that would just continue regardless'. "But a lot has changed since then. Indeed, many in the Irish Parliament, the Irish Government and indeed two of my predecessors as prime minister have all suggested the agreement might become redundant if the UK leaves the EU." "It is right that people think very carefully about the implications of this. There are the practical implications; people living on the border use one another's hospitals and airports, and travel for business, or just to see friends and relatives down the road. An open border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland is in fact really important to daily life in border counties. "Then there are the symbolic implications, of passport checks being conducted between the two nations on the island of Ireland or the similarly unpalatable prospect of checks on people from Northern Ireland travelling within the UK. "Life could look very different for people in the border counties and beyond," he cautioned. In terms of cross-border trade, Mr Cameron claimed exports "would be subject to so-called rules of origin that would require customs procedures" at the border. "That would mean added time, costs and complications for companies. That would affect business. It would hit jobs. It would slow growth." And he could give no guarantee to farmers when asked about the single farm payment. "Once again, we don't know. It's a leap in the dark. What we do know is that, with a seat at the table, we can negotiate the best CAP possible. "There's also the fact that, within the EU, we have a seat at the table to decide the rules on exporting across Europe. "If we left, we'd lose our say - but still have to follow the rules on everything we sold to the EU, which, at the moment is 60% of farming exports. "If we ended up with a deal like Canada has with the EU - which some Leave campaigners have advocated - that would mean quotas and tariffs of up to 70% on our beef. There are also what are called non-tariff barriers to consider. "In the Single Market, we can break down these barriers so they don't hinder our farmers. Outside, we can't." Asked if leaving the EU would damage the Northern Ireland peace process, Mr Cameron said: "We should think very carefully before doing anything that puts any of the [political] framework at risk." The Prime Minister believes a Brexit "would be a risk for both the Republic and Northern Ireland". He stated: "Compare things today to what they were like just a few decades ago. Today, there are thousands of people crossing the border to get to work every day; tourists travelling around safely; trade flowing easily. "If you do anything to harden that border, it's clear you harm the people on both sides of it." Remain campaigner Claire Hanna struggled to name one of the EU commissioners in an radio interview. The SDLP South Belfast MLA was on the BBC's Stephen Nolan show arguing for people to vote for the UK to remain within the European Union. Asked if she could name an EU commissioner - policy makers for the European Union - she replied: "Yeah" "What is it about knowing names, I'm not going to start." Yep, forgot a name on air (#seniormoment) but note gleeful Brexiters haven't challenged any of my actual arguments! https://t.co/0MCRIoNyQq Claire Hanna (@ClaireHanna) June 21, 2016 When asked to name one, she added: "My mind has gone blank now. "But does it matter?" Even when help came, it was of no use to the MLA. "I've gone completely blank. Someone texted me a name which is wrong," she told Nolan. "Is that what it is about, it's about knowing the names of people? If people don't know the name of the health minister does that mean they can't go in and use the the health services?" Asked if she knew the British Commissioner, she responded: "Well I know the Agricultural Commissioner and that's Phil Hogan. "I don't remember, I'll hold my hands up. "Some thing in my mind says Britain doesn't have one at the moment and I've named the Ireland commissioner, Phil Hogan, the Agricultural Commissioner which is one of the crucial things. She added: "They are not faceless bureaucrats, it's not a personality contest, it doesn't mean things are not being done. "On the relevance, that's our fault we need to make it relevant in the same way as we need to do civics education in schools. "Do people know how legislation is made at Westminster, I would argue that they don't." Later the MLA tweeted to say she had a "senior moment" during the live radio interview but noted how her critics had not challenged any of her arguments made during the debate. This is not the first time an SDLP representative has struggled on Stephen Nolan's show. In the run-up to the election the party's spending plans faced a barrage of criticism after Gerard Diver's appearance on the radio programme. Read More The EU Commission is composed of a College of Commissioners of 28 members - one for each member state. They include the President and Vice-Presidents and serve a five year term. Each Commissioner is assigned responsibility for specific policy areas by the President. Commissioners are nominated by their respective countries. The president is proposed to the European Parliament by the European Commission and is voted on by the 751 MEPs. The Commission as a whole needs the Parliament's consent. Commissioners cover a number of briefs from agricultural, business, climate action, energy and transport. The current crop will serve until 2019. Jonathan Hill is the UK's nominated commissioner. His responsibilities include financial stability, financial services and capital markets union. The EU Commission President: Jean-Claude Juncker Vice Presidents: Frans Timmermans Ferderica Mogherini Kristalina Georgieva Andrus Ansip Maros Sefcovic Valdis Dombrovskis Jyrki Katainen Commissioners Fears are growing of violence erupting on the streets of Belfast after dissident republicans announced plans for a rally outside City Hall this summer. Organisers of the anti-interment march have told the Parades Commission that they expect 5,000 people to take part in the event on August 7. There are major concerns over disturbances, with loyalists threatening to hold counter-demonstrations if the rally is given the go-ahead. Unionist politicians last night said the parade would place huge pressure on an already over-stretched PSNI and result in a ring of steel being placed around the city during the height of the tourist season. Ulster Unionist councillor Jim Rodgers warned: "This is a recipe for mayhem on the streets and it will harm efforts to build better community relations." Dissident republicans have marched through the city centre to commemorate internment before, but this is the first time they have sought to hold a rally outside City Hall. They want to set off from Andersonstown and walk along the Falls Road before making their way through Castle Street into Donegall Place and Donegall Square North. Four flute bands are scheduled to take part. The Parades Commission is considering the application. A spokesman for the Anti-Internment League, which is organising the rally, said it would be peaceful, not provocative. "Loyalists march through the city all the time," he added. "Last weekend, thousands took part in a Somme demonstration and the Loyal Orders regularly parade through the town. "If Belfast really is a shared space, there is no reason why republicans shouldn't have the same access as others. Our parade will be over at 1.30pm, so it will have virtually no effect on trade or shopping." But councillor Rodgers said: "It was only a matter of time before these people decided they were holding a rally at City Hall. I would appeal to them to behave responsibly and change their plans. The last thing we need is serious disturbances in the city centre. This stunt will place pressure on the security forces and will drive tourists away. "Thousands of visitors arrive in Belfast every day and cruise ships dock here. We need to build a new Northern Ireland, not host contentious rallies." DUP councillor Lee Reynolds added: "This march has a history of significant breaches of Parades Commission determinations. The Parades Commission must act on that, otherwise it will be seen as a double standard after punitive action against Orange marches." This is the fourth year that dissidents have sought to march through the city to commemorate internment's introduction. In 2013, 56 PSNI officers were injured after loyalist protesters attacked the police during the demonstration. The following year, trouble was prevented following a massive police operation which saw streets blocked off hours in advance. Last year, there were clashes between the PSNI and republicans after police stopped the march, which started in north Belfast, entering the city centre. A British woman jailed in Peru for drug smuggling is expected to be released later. Melissa Reid, 22, from Lenzie, East Dunbartonshire, and Michaella McCollum, from Dungannon, Co Tyrone, were jailed in 2013 after trying to smuggle cocaine worth 1.5 million from Peru to Spain. A judge in Lima last month granted an order to expel Reid as she met the legal requirements for release. According to reports, the release process has now been completed. McCollum, 23, was freed in March under new legislation but was required to remain on parole in Peru. It is understood Reid will be able to return to the UK a free woman. The pair were caught at Lima Airport trying to board a flight with 24lb (11kg) of cocaine in food packets hidden in their luggage. They claimed they were forced into carrying the drugs but pleaded guilty to the charges and were sentenced to six years and eight months. Reid's father Billy has previously said the impact of his daughter's crime on his family had been ''horrendous'' and spoke out in a video warning of the consequences of drug offences abroad. A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said: "We continue to provide assistance to Melissa Reid and remain in contact with her family and local authorities." A judge has described two men who made Facebook threats against a mosque in Coleraine following last year's Paris attacks as "knuckle-draggers". District Judge Peter King was speaking yesterday at Coleraine Magistrates' Court, where James Boyd (27), of Windyhill Road, Macosquin, and Lee Gareth Darren McConnell (31), of Millfields, Balnamore, were each sentenced to five months in jail, suspended for three years. Both previously admitted sending a grossly offensive message on the website. Yesterday, McConnell also pleaded guilty to publishing written material that was threatening, abusive or insulting and intending to stir up fear. Boyd also admitted a charge of sending a menacing message. The court heard Boyd had written: "When are we going to burn it? Surely we could get a crowd handy." McConnell, meanwhile, wrote: "They need burned alive in the mosque, the tramps". A prosecutor said there was no evidence the mosque had been attacked as a result of the comments, but he added that it had cancelled services for a time as a direct result. The lawyer added that police were told by Boyd that freedom of speech meant he often made comments about "Pakis". He also admitted he may be "a wee bit racist", but was not against black and Chinese people and bought food from kebab shops. The prosecutor claimed McConnell told police that although Muslims had made threats to European countries, he was "not racist" and his comments were only for his friends to see. Defence barrister Alan Stewart said Boyd, a student, had "wrecked his life" by making the comments. His client also admitted it was the stupidest thing he had ever done. Mr Stewart said Boyd attended university with Muslims and "would never dream" of making such comments to them. The lawyer added: "He did not properly engage his brain before typing the comments." Francis Rafferty, defence barrister for McConnell, told the court the internet could be as much of a hindrance as a help to some people. "These stupid, moronic comments would be the kind of thing the idiotic would say to each other in bars and it wouldn't go any further," he added. "But with Facebook and Twitter, they are given flight and make their way out into the world without any thought for the consequences." Mr Rafferty said McConnell had seen something on the news, felt the need to share his opinions with friends and "had jumped on the bandwagon", following other comments, but had now shown remorse. Boyd was in the dock at the court and McConnell appeared via video link from prison. District Judge King told the duo: "You both decided in relation to a terrorist outrage in Paris, committed in the name of a violent and extremist group in the Middle East, to not extend any sympathy to the victims." Instead, added the judge, they put up "violent" views on Facebook. He said both men had discussed, in violent terms, what they were planning to do at "a place of worship used by a vulnerable minority". Calling the men "knuckle-draggers" he said, thankfully, there was no damage to the mosque but there was a degree of disruption. He stated that the court could not allow the publication of such material to go without being marked in the "most severe way". Imposing a five-month sentence on each defendant, suspended for the maximum three years, he said the case was clearly motivated by hostility. Judge King told Boyd he was astounded that, as a student, he had got involved and told him to take a hard look at how he reacted to "those who come to our society that don't look like yourself". Dog owners have been urged to wash their dogs after a walk. [File photo] Fears are growing a killer canine disease may be spreading to Northern Ireland with dog owners urged to wash their pets after a walk. The Daily Mail has reported a warning for dog owners to wash their pets after taking them for a walk to avoid the disease Alabama Rot. It has been responsible for the deaths of almost 80 dogs in the UK over four years. The disease originated in America in the 1980s and causes skin lesions and kidney failure. In the last four months it has claimed the lives of 14 pets, the Mail reported. There is no known way to prevent the disease. Confined to southern England it's thought 'highly likely' Scotland and Northern Ireland have had cases recently. The cause is still unknown, and only one in three dogs is likely to survive even if it gets rapid treatment. Vets have urged owners to take extra precautions when out walking their dogs this summer. David Walker, from Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists in Winchester told the Daily Mail: "We have a strong suspicion Alabama Rot has an environment trigger but we cannot confirm that with 100 per cent confidence. "The suspicion is that whatever causes this disease is ingested orally. "While there is currently no known way to prevent a dog from contracting the disease, there is a very useful guide available online to help people understand where in the UK confirmed cases have been found and advice on how to spot signs." He added: "There is a suggestion that there is an environmental factor, we don't have clear evidence to back that up, but it can't not help to wash down your dog after a walk." Northern Ireland fans play football at the Trocadero in Paris, France, ahead of their team's clash with Germany Northern Ireland fans celebrated like they had won the Euros after qualifying for the last 16. The Green And White Army (GAWA) danced down the boulevards of Paris after a historic night in the French capital saw their team progress in their first major tournament for 30 years. Joe Thompson, from Cullybackey, in Co Antrim, downed a pint of Kronenbourg and declared: "We are not going home yet." The faithful had to wait a short time for results in other games to confirm their place, but there was a party atmosphere from the minute the game against Germany ended on Tuesday with a narrow 0-1 loss. Supporters flew from Kuwait, Beirut and the US to be at the crunch final group clash at the Parc des Princes - the Park of Princes - and acclaimed their heroes like royalty with a standing ovation at the end. They had besieged Paris in a mass of green shirts, flags, sombreros and banners. And long after the Germans scored a first half deadlock breaker, fans in the stadium were still "doing the bouncie" following a result which is far better than feared. They sang "Everywhere we go it is the Ulster boys making all the noise," and the emotion poured from the solid wall of green. The men in green chanted at their counterparts: "You only sing when you are winning," and in one corner of the stadium the cries of Deutschland were drowned out by the UIstermen. The atmosphere was cemented by a veritable battle of the bands between supporters with rival drummers. The First Finaghy Northern Ireland Supporters' Club from South Belfast transports its bass drum to most away matches. Sam McClean said: "We have a carry case. We have lugged it on taxis, trains, buses, the whole lot, then we take it home on a plane. "Oversized baggage, you see. It goes everywhere." They took it to the Northern Ireland war memorial in France at the Ulster Tower on Monday. "It gets the crowd going," said Mr McClean The Euros had been fantastic, he added. "You will never get it again, the atmosphere is unreal," he said An inflatable crocodile which has been a permanent feature of Northern Ireland's travelling entourage again showed up in the capital, a nd the two bass drummers from south Belfast and London led the Ulstermen in raucous full voice in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower. A beach ball was tossed enthusiastically between fans as bemused tourists with ears echoing from the drumbeat elbowed their way through the square and towards the Seine. Earlier, Northern Ireland fans played their counterparts in a sign of friendship and co-operation ahead of the match. Stormont Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness attended his first Northern Ireland game. Paris appeared to be full of Germans partying into the small hours. Some Northern Ireland fans near the Eiffel Tower found it hard to comprehend their team's achievement. Brian Houston said: "We are over the moon to qualify. We did not expect it." Dave Wylie added: "It is unbelievable. The atmosphere was like nothing we have ever experienced. "Fans celebrating in the stand for 45 minutes after the game was over and we lost, ridiculous but unbelievable to qualify, so let's hope we get a good draw in the next round." Snow Patrol singer Gary Lightbody tweeted: "We did it! We're guaranteed a place in the last 16. Dreamland! "Well done all the Norn Iron squad and staff. This is epic. So happy!" Approximately 1.5kg of suspected commercial explosives have been found at Maeve House in the New Lodge area of North Belfast (PSNI/PA) One and a half kilograms of what is believed to be Semtex plastic explosive have been found at a block of flats in north Belfast. Pic Pacemaker One and a half kilograms of what is believed to be Semtex plastic explosive have been found at a block of flats in north Belfast. Pic Pacemaker One and a half kilograms of what is believed to be Semtex plastic explosive have been found at a block of flats in north Belfast. Pic Pacemaker Police in Northern Ireland have said it is too early to link an explosives haul to any particular terror group. An estimated 1.5 kilograms of explosives, believed to be Semtex, were found at the Maeve House tower block in the mainly nationalist New Lodge area of north Belfast on Monday. It is thought there was enough to make three under car booby-trap bombs. Chief Superintendent Chris Noble from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said: "These items will now be subject to a detailed forensic examination. Until this has been completed, it is too early to link these items to any particular group. Our investigations are currently ongoing and we are following a number of lines of enquiry. "This was a significant recovery and we want to make sure that we gather every single piece of available information to assist us with our inquiries." The discovery followed a tip-off from a member of the public, the PSNI said. Mr Noble added: "This seizure demonstrates that when people provide us with information, we will act on it to ensure everyone in our community is kept safe." Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers said it highlighted the severe threat and need for ongoing public vigilance. Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness also said he was pleased the weapons had been taken off the streets. Last month, an armour-piercing improvised rocket, two anti-personnel mines, s everal pipe bombs, magazines and ammunition for an assault rifle, bomb component parts and command wires were recovered from a terrorist hide in woodland near Larne, Co Antrim. And, in March, police found bomb-making parts and explosives at the Carnfunnock Country Park, also near Larne. A fitness instructor accused of sexually assaulting a woman spent two nights in prison after breaching his bail conditions. Aaron John Wright, formerly of Railway Road in Coleraine but now of Captain Street Lower, has since been released with an electronic monitoring tag. The 38-year-old is charged with sexual assault and common assault against the same woman. He is also said to have caused unnecessary suffering to a dog last December 27, the same date as the other allegations. Coleraine Magistrates' Court was told earlier this week that the defendant was brought to court in Ballymena on Saturday June 11 over an alleged breach of his bail terms, before being remanded in custody. Wright was due to appear at a court in Coleraine via videolink from Maghaberry Prison this week. However, when his case was called he was not present in the videolink room, so the hearing went ahead in his absence. A prosecutor told the latest hearing a new condition had been added to the defendant's bail terms - an electronic tag. Few details of how he breached the original conditions were disclosed in court. A defence lawyer merely said rent arrears at his client's former Railway Road address meant locks were changed, and that was part of the reason for the breach. The lawyer added there should be no issue with the tag for his client and told how a new address at Captain Street Lower has been found, after which the case was adjourned to next week. At a recent hearing, a defence lawyer complained at the length of time the courts had taken to deal with the case. They told Coleraine Magistrates' Court on Monday June 6 the case was "straightforward" and involved one complainant and one other witness. With the case adjourned until next week, District Judge Liam McNally said prosecutors needed to review its progress and give reasons for the delay. At this week's hearing, Wright was released from prison on his own bail of 350 with conditions that he does not attempt to see, speak or contact the woman he is accused of assaulting. He is also banned from entering Ballymoney and from consuming alcohol. He is not allowed to possess or consume any illegal drugs or legal highs and is not to abuse prescription drugs. He additionally has a night-time curfew from 11pm to 5am, and during those hours is subject to electronic monitoring. The Northern Ireland Assembly has supported a call from DUP MLAs Emma Little Pengelly and Trevor Clarke to establish an accessible register of those convicted of animal cruelty offences. There has been a grass roots campaign calling for such a register to allow those banned from keeping animals to be tracked. Read More On Tuesday the Assembly supported the call from Ms Little Pengelly and Mr Clarke for urgent further action to tackle animal cruelty including the establishment of an accessible register of those convicted of animal cruelty offences and who have been disqualified from keeping animals. Speaking after the debate, Ms Little Pengelly who proposed the motion said the law needs to be strengthened to protect animals. "There are hundreds of thousands of pet owners and animal lovers across Northern Ireland who are disgusted and frustrated by the lenient sentences handed down to those who abuse animals," she said "Recent cases have highlighted horrific abuse. This is an issue that has been raised to me by many constituents who want to see further and urgent action. "We need to work to strengthen the law, building on important progress made in the Justice Act 2016 to enhance penalties, in order to prevent harm from happening and have appropriate sentences to those convicted of horrific acts of cruelty and abuse of animals. "An accessible register could play an important role in protecting pets, and preventing abusers from accessing animals." Mr Clarke welcomed support for the motion from across the chamber. "Animal cruelty is an issue that disgusts all right thinking people in Northern Ireland," he said. "I am determined to do all that I can to ensure the Judiciary have a strong range of penalties however we need the Judiciary in Northern Ireland to ensure they are using the full range of sentencing powers the Assembly has provided for them. "Many are concerned about reported lenient sentences in cases of extreme abuse. We will also be driving forward a strengthening of legislative provisions to maximise protections for pets and penalties for animal cruelty and abuse." The Department of Justice committed no unlawful act in its handling of Northern Ireland's abortion regime, the Court of Appeal has heard. The Department of Justice committed no unlawful act in its handling of Northern Ireland's abortion regime, the Court of Appeal has heard. Senior judges were also told a landmark ruling that the near-blanket ban on terminations breaches the European Convention on Human Rights went further than Strasbourg jurisprudence. Counsel for the Department argued the verdict took "a wrong turn" in holding the foetus has no Article 2 right to life. During the second day of a new court battle over abortion laws in Northern Ireland, judges queried whether new guidelines provided sufficient clarification. Unlike other parts of the UK, terminations are currently only legal within the region to protect the woman's life or if there is a risk of serious damage to her well-being. Last year the High Court ruled that the failure to provide exceptions to the near-blanket ban for cases of fatal foetal abnormalities (FFAs) and victims of rape or incest breaches entitlements to respect for private and family life. Mr Justice Horner also made a formal declaration that the legislation is incompatible with the UK's obligations under the Human Rights Act. His decision is now being appealed by both the Department and Attorney General John Larkin QC. The NI Human Rights Commission, who issued the original proceedings, is also mounting a cross-appeal in a bid to have the regime declared inhuman, degrading and discriminatory. Its legal action began after the Department launched a public consultation on amending the criminal law. That process concluded with a recommendation for new legislation dealing with cases of FFA. But with no proposed changes covering pregnancies resulting from sexual crime, the Commission insisted the consultation does not go far enough. It was also seeking to have terminations legalised in cases of rape or serious foetal malformation. During the original legal battle arguments were also made on behalf of the Catholic Bishops in Northern Ireland, and Sarah Ewart - a woman from Northern Ireland who went to England for an abortion after learning her unborn baby had no chance of survival. In court today Tony McGleenan QC, for the Department, said: "The view of the Department is that they had committed no public law wrong and engaged in no unlawful act that would warrant the intrusive remedies sought by the applicant." He contended that there is no imperative under the European Convention to modify the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act governing abortion law. Pressed on a finding that the foetus has no Article 2 right, Mr McGleenan claimed: "The judge took a wrong turn." He added: "As of yet the (European Court of Human Rights) has not made a determination on whether or not Article 2 protection extends to the unborn child. "That's an issue that the Strasbourg court has deliberately not resolved." The appeal continues. The body of a tourist said to have fallen more than 400ft from the top of a cliff has been found near a lake. Agnieszka Szypulska's remains were discovered close to Binevenagh Lake outside Coleraine on Saturday. It is understood the 39-year-old Canadian and Polish national was travelling alone on a holiday to Northern Ireland. She is believed to have been visiting the Articlave area just over a month ago on May 12. The lake sits on a cliff-top and is set in a forest overlooking Benone Strand beach. Her body was spotted by a family at the bottom of the cliff shortly before midday on Saturday, after which the emergency services were notified. Police are not treating her death as suspicious. Her body was recovered by around 20 volunteers from North West Mountain Rescue in a five-hour operation. They described the location as "extremely remote and potentially dangerous". Team member Louis Edmondson told the BBC: "The body was found at the base of the cliff. They are huge cliffs about 400ft high and there is a lake on top. "The body was found at the bottom, which is still a couple of hundred feet above ground level. We can only speculate as to what happened. "There were two sides to our job. One was to go in and carry out the sad task of recovering the body, which is never pleasant under any circumstances. "The second task was that some of our team were lowered down from the top to see if there was any evidence on what we call the potential fall line. "There was some evidence found, which we passed over to the PSNI. All the evidence points to her falling from the top. "She was equipped for walking in the mountains. We didn't get close to the body until the police had finished doing the work that they had to do. "I heard them say that it looked like she had a compass on her, she was dressed in hiking boots and she was dressed in outdoor gear." He added that conditions in the remote area can sometimes be difficult for walkers. "It can be quite treacherous underfoot up there," Mr Edmondson said. "Although many people do walk it, you have to be very careful. She was found in amongst the rocks, so there could be several possibilities there, which I'm sure the police will find out in due course. "It's also very high. One of our team actually went down and we had to take him back up again because it was so tall - there just wasn't enough rope to go all the way down there. "That gives you an idea of just how high that is. This is all speculation, but she was found at the bottom. It's extremely sad." DUP councillor Alan Robinson added: "Our thoughts are with her family at this time. We always try to promote tourism in Limavady and it's just very sad that this particular visit to Limavady has had a very tragic end." Police appealed for information to help them piece together Agnieszka's movements over the last month. Sergeant Stephen Taylor said: "I am trying to trace anyone who may have spoken to or seen Agnieszka over the past few days. If you believe you have any information that may assist us in our enquiries, please contact police at Limavady on the non-emergency number 101." The parents of Jo Cox, Jean and Gordon Leadbeater, look at flowers laid in Parliament Square yesterday MP Jo Cox's death should fuel a fresh start to how politics is done here, First Minister Arlene Foster has told the Assembly. The DUP leader said she hoped the tragic killing would lead MLAs to redouble their efforts "to do politics differently". Stormont staged tributes to the Labour MP at the same time as a debate took place in the Commons, which was recalled from recess yesterday. Speaker Robin Newton said he had written to his Westminster counterpart, John Bercow, voicing the condolences of the Assembly to Mrs Cox's family over their "heartbreaking loss", adding: "We have too much history of elected representatives from all sides being subject to threat or attack". Mrs Foster said: "When I took over as First Minister, I made a call for us to do politics differently. We have made progress, but let this event help us to redouble our efforts in Northern Ireland. "On this day, let us remember the words of President Kennedy that civility is not a sign of weakness, and remember that this dreadful event can bring a new civility to politics and not just for a few days. It can be seen as a new start in how politics is done." Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness added: "All of this has to serve to inspire all of us to ensure, particularly given what we came through during the conflict here, that we continue to work together with a positive and constructive spirit and in a spirit of generosity with each other to ensure that we continue to move forward." Former Justice Minister David Ford said: "Too many public representatives are subject to a tide of vilification for the work that they do, and it seems to be an issue that particularly affects women in public life, who are subjected to torrents of abuse from men who feel they have some right to spew out hatred." UUP leader Mike Nesbitt said his party's former South Belfast MP, Rev Robert Bradford, was the first Northern Ireland MP murdered during the Troubles. "In November 1981, he was doing what Jo Cox was trying to do last Thursday: serving his constituents by holding a surgery in a community centre in Finaghy in Belfast," he added. "No one party has a monopoly on the death of elected politicians during the course of our Troubles. We know only too well what it is like to see others attack the democratic process." In the Commons, Northern Ireland MPs also spoke out against the murder. Nigel Dodds, deputy leader of the DUP, said Mrs Cox's life should not be defined by how it ended, but by what she did while she was alive. He also said people from all sides in Northern Ireland had experienced attacks and lost friends during the Troubles, adding: "We have felt the pain and anguish that those close to Jo are going through now. "I speak today, by agreement, for all the Northern Ireland parties and members represented in this house. "Whatever is said cannot adequately express our deepest, most heartfelt feelings, but through the words which have been spoken already and will be spoken, I pray that Jo's family may find some comfort and solace at this terrible time. "It is right that we as parliamentarians should meet today to record not just our disgust and outrage at what has happened to an honoured colleague, but also to express our determination to uphold the values of democracy and the open and accessible way in which we conduct our political life in this country." The agreement was announced in April during a visit to Cairo by the Saudi monarch, King Salman An Egyptian court has rejected as "unconstitutional" a border agreement that would have transferred two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia, and which had sparked street protests in Cairo. The ruling was a rare rebuke of the government's foreign policy by the judiciary, which has been largely supportive of President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, and could strain ties with Riyadh, which has provided billions of dollars in aid to Egypt in recent years. Mr el-Sissi's government has zealously defended the April agreement, arguing that it would bring economic benefits to Egypt. It says the islands have always been part of Saudi Arabia, and were only placed under Egyptian control in 1950 for protection from Israel. The government said it has appealed the ruling. The uninhabited islands of Tiran and Sanafir lie along narrow shipping lanes leading north to the port cities of Eilat and Aqaba in Israel and Jordan, respectively. Israel occupied the two islands in the 1956 Suez War, but withdrew the following year. The closure of the strait by then Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser is seen as one of the main causes of the June 1967 Arab-Israeli war, in which Egypt lost the Sinai Peninsula. The Sinai was returned to Egypt, together with the two islands, under the landmark 1979 peace treaty with Israel. Under the treaty's provisions, Egypt is not allowed to station troops on either island. The court said the reality on the ground shows that Egypt has long exercised full and uncontested sovereignty over the two islands. "To the extent that Egypt sacrificed the blood of its sons in defence of the two islands, that speaks loudly of them being Egyptian territory," it said in the ruling. It said surrendering the islands to the Saudis was a "gross violation" of the country's constitution, citing a clause in the 2014 charter requiring a nationwide referendum on agreements "related to making peace and alliance, and those related to the rights of sovereignty". Critics of the border agreement, which was announced during a high-profile visit by King Salman alongside billions of dollars' worth of new Saudi aid, view it as a sell-off of sovereign territory. Thousands of protesters took to the streets over the islands, in the largest demonstrations since Mr el-Sissi was elected in 2014. Authorities responded with a wave of arrests of protesters and activists. However, most were later acquitted, released on bail or fined after brief trials. There was no immediate comment from the Saudi government on the court ruling. Egypt's parliament, which is packed with government supporters, has been expected to debate the agreement and vote on whether to endorse it. No date has been set for the discussion, and it was not immediately clear what impact Tuesday's ruling might have on the parliamentary process. In a brief verdict met with an eruption of applause and joyful chants, judge Yahya Dakroury ruled that the two islands at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba remain under Egyptian sovereignty and banned "any changes on the two islands for the benefit of any foreign country". "This is a very important step," said Khalid Ali, a prominent rights lawyer and former presidential candidate who jointly brought the case against the government with another lawyer. "I appeal to the Egyptian government... to implement the court's ruling. This is the land of our ancestors; you must protect it, and those islands are Egyptian and will remain Egyptian forever." Mr Ali spoke as about two dozen supporters outside the court chanted "bread, freedom, those islands are Egyptian", a play on the most popular slogan of Egypt's 2011 uprising - "bread, freedom and social justice" - that toppled autocrat Hosni Mubarak. Billions of dollars of aid from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates have kept Egypt's ailing economy afloat in the nearly three years since el-Sissi, as defense minister, led the military's ouster of the Islamist Mohammed Morsi, Egypt's first freely elected president. Mr el-Sissi has acknowledged that the demarcation negotiations were held over several months in secrecy to avoid unwanted media attention and opposition to the deal. "We did not surrender our rights, but we restored the rights of others," Mr el-Sissi said in April. "Please, I don't want anyone to talk about this any more." AP Michaella McCollum, right, and Melissa Reid, left, were jailed in Peru last year after they admitted trying to smuggle cocaine worth 1.5 million pounds from Peru to Spain (AP) Belfast solicitor Peter Madden said Michaella McCollum and co-accused Melissa Reid have been well treated by the authorities Lawyer Peter Madden, who represents Michaella McCollum, has claimed his client has suffered from a lack of food. Michaella McCollum, centre, and Melissa Reid leave the court after being sentenced in Peru. CAUGHT ON CAMERA: Michaella and Melissa caught on CCTV loading bags into a car in Peru Michaella McCollum Connolly with rugby star Tommy Bowe while doing promotional work at an official Ulster Rugby event Michaella McCollum Connolly (left) and friend Melissa Reid in the airport after they were arrested Michaella McCollum, left, and Melissa Reid listen to a translator during a hearing at court in Callao, Peru (AP) Michaella McCollum Connolly, handcuffed, arrives for a court hearing in Lima, Peru, clutching the book 'Secrets About Life Every Woman Should Know: Ten principles for spiritual and emotional fulfillment' (AP Photo/Karel Navarro) Michaella McCollum Connolly pictured during an interview with RTE in 2016 after being released on parole from a Peruvian prison Michaella McCollum Connolly in one of the Ibiza clubs where she worked as a dancer A new play inspired by the exploits of Tyrone drug smuggler Michaella McCollum is set to hit the stage. Writer and director Kat Woods, originally from Enniskillen, has based her latest work on the story of McCollum and her friend Melissa Reid, who were caught with drugs worth 1.5m at an airport in Peru in 2013. Kat's new play, called Mule, is set to preview in London next month before it goes to the world-famous Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August. The Peru Two, as McCollum and Reid were dubbed, will not benefit from the production. Expand Expand Previous Next Close Michaella McCollum Connolly Michaella McCollum Connolly in one of the Ibiza clubs where she worked as a dancer / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Michaella McCollum Connolly The story will feature different characters and an altered plot, but the idea and themes for Kat's play were inspired by McCollum and Reid. Kat explained: "I was inspired by their story. I read quite a bit about them because they were engulfed in this media frenzy whenever it first broke. "I had been reading a lot of hate towards the two girls and that really affected me as a person and made me question my own humanity. They were young girls who made a huge mistake - it's not a mistake I would ever make - but it was still a mistake. "The play looks at drug smuggling, the consequences, the fallout and the time in prison, but it's not a play of their story. But I do want to make people think about why they rush in and judge people straight away. "We don't know the actual story behind what happened." The pair have recently hit the headlines again after McCollum was released from prison in Peru while Reid has made requests to be transferred to Scotland. Expand Close Michaella McCollum Connolly / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Michaella McCollum Connolly McCollum was widely criticised after she underwent a glamorous makeover and appeared in an interview with RTE just days after her release. Kat added: "I have seen a few tweets about how we're putting this girl on a pedestal and that she has contributed to people's addictions. "It's an argument that just goes round and round in circles and I just want it to be about the play." Expand Close Michaella McCollum Connolly / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Michaella McCollum Connolly This will be Kat's third production at the Fringe festival and it has already created quite a buzz. Mule has been chosen as the Pick of the Fringe by the Guardian, was the Stage Critics' Choice, and Kat received the prestigious Peggy Ramsey Award for her work this year. The production will run at the Gilded Balloon in the Scottish capital from August 3-29. In 2014, her play Belfast Boy won two awards and was named one of the must-see shows out of 3,200 at the festival. Based on the true story of a friend who fled Belfast during the Troubles, it recounts his story as he spoke to a psychologist. Her last play 'Wasted', which looked at the theme of consent, was transferred to New York and will hopefully get a London run in September. Kat was spotted by arts company Omnibus last year and they made her an associate writer. They have helped her to produce and market Mule. "It's been amazing news for me that it's already picked up recognition," she said. "Omnibus have really helped to push it for me and there's a great buzz about it before we even go to Edinburgh. "There's also a real timeliness about it as they [McCollum and Reid] are back in the news. "I've been working on it for a while and I never thought it would coincide in this way, so hopefully it will go down well," Kat added. New wildfires have erupted near Los Angeles, forcing people from their suburban homes as an intense heatwave stretching from the West Coast to New Mexico blistered the region. Towering columns of smoke rose from the San Gabriel Mountains as two fires burning less than two miles apart devoured brush on steep slopes above foothill suburbs. Police in the city of Azusa and parts of Duarte ordered several hundred homes evacuated. Others are under voluntary evacuations. "It's crazy. It's super close," said 17-year-old Tawni Atencio, whose family was evacuating their home in Bradbury. She said the flames were just a couple miles away and were making the house hot despite air conditioning. She watched as smoke from the fire billowed outside and helicopters dropped retardant on the flames. "It looked like a bomb exploded," she said. "It's scary. We're just praying it doesn't get to our house." The two fires grew to a combined seven square miles and brought fears they could soon merge into one. The first was sparked by a fatal car crash, the California Highway Patrol said. The second was much closer to foothill areas and brought quick evacuations. Its cause has not been found. "We immediately had homes under threat," Los Angeles County Deputy Chief John B Tripp said. But then the fire immediately started burning away from the homes, toward the forest. "That was extremely fortunate for us," he added. A night-time change in wind direction, however, could return serious danger in a hurry, Mr Tripp added. Officials had warned of extreme fire danger in the region as the heat peaked. Temperatures surpassed 100 degrees across much of Southern California well before noon, while some desert cities sizzled in the 120s. Elsewhere, crews made progress against a nearly week-old blaze in rugged coastal mountains west of Santa Barbara. Overnight winds pushed flames into previously burned areas, allowing firefighters to boost containment to more than 50%. Most mandatory evacuations will be lifted on Wednesday morning and nearly all by Saturday. About 270 homes and other buildings were threatened by the blaze, which has charred more than 12 square miles since Wednesday. Other blazes burned wide swathes across Arizona and New Mexico, where firefighters also faced blistering temperatures. In central New Mexico, a 28-square-mile fire that erupted last week and destroyed 24 homes in the Manzano Mountains south of Albuquerque was largely uncontained. Higher humidity overnight allowed crews to strengthen lines around the fire. In eastern Arizona, a fire doubled to nearly 42 square miles and led officials to warn a community of 300 residents to prepare to evacuate. The blaze on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation south-west of Show Low was not moving quickly toward the community of Cedar Creek thanks to sparse vegetation and shifting winds. Like so many other things in life, it's the statistics behind the headlines that tell the real story. So, for example, when yesterday's Belfast Telegraph Ipsos/MORI poll indicated that a majority of Protestants (and it's fair to assume that most of them are unionists) are sceptical about the merits of EU membership, many people would have assumed that the scepticism was linked to their concerns about UK sovereignty and the "constitutional integrity" of the UK. Yet more of those polled placed bureaucracy, membership costs and fewer open borders before their concerns about a possible break-up of the UK. Which, in turn, suggests, that they're not buying into the line peddled by some in the Remain camp that a vote to Leave represents a danger to the Union. A few months ago, the UUP decided that, "on balance", it would be better if the UK remained in the EU. Writing in this newspaper on March 7, Mike Nesbitt said: "My question is simple. How can a unionist support Brexit when it clearly poses an existential threat to the future of the Union they believe in? "You can argue Ms Sturgeon will press the referendum button sooner or later, but I do not want my fingerprints on that button." But yesterday's poll seems to confirm that a majority of unionists don't regard Brexit as an existential threat (significantly, even those unionists who will be voting Remain don't cite the UK's constitutional integrity as a pressing concern). Indeed, the poll also indicates that, in response to the question, "Who, if any, of these individuals will be important to you in deciding how to vote?" (the list included Arlene Foster, Boris Johnson, David Cameron, Jim Allister, Mike Nesbitt and Theresa Villiers), the pro-Brexit Foster trumped Nesbitt by 22% to 10%. And since the UUP also failed to make any traction in last month's Assembly election, it seems fair to conclude that its pro-EU stance damaged the party electorally. One of the conundrums raised by the referendum can be summed up thus: Why are a majority of unionists backing Brexit when it could undermine the Union; and why are a majority of nationalists/republicans supporting a Conservative Prime Minister's argument that "a vote to Remain is in the best interests of the United Kingdom"? In terms of unionism, the poll answers the question: most of them, Remain and Leave, don't seem to believe that the Union is under threat, anyway. According to the poll, of the Catholics who believe the UK would be weaker if it left the EU, only a fraction think that it "would begin the break-up of the UK". In other words, they don't buy into Brexit as an existential threat, either. That said, an overwhelming majority of Catholics/nationalists/republicans will vote Remain, which tends to suggest they believe their chances of Irish unity are better inside, rather than outside the EU - which seems to be the thinking of the SNP, as well. Ironically, anti-UK nationalism believes it has a better chance of furthering its agenda if the UK remains in the even bigger union of the EU. There is logic in their thinking. It is much easier to push for Scottish independence and Irish unity if both Scotland and Northern Ireland are in the EU at the time. Irish unity would be tricky enough without the added complication of having to renegotiate membership of the EU, as well. It's not, perhaps, an insurmountable problem, but it certainly complicates the dynamics for both Scottish and Irish nationalists. If the SNP and Sinn Fein believed that Brexit would hasten the break-up of the UK, they would support Brexit. But it won't, so they don't: another one of those peculiar ironies thrown up by the referendum. I was particularly interested in the responses to the question, "If the UK were to leave the EU, how, if at all, do you think NI's relationship with the RoI would be affected?" Some 28% (32% Protestant/24% Catholic) thought there would be no impact at all, while 30% (28% Protestant/33% Catholic) thought there might be border controls and checkpoints. A minuscule number from both sides believed it would worsen relationships, damage the peace process, or reignite the Troubles - an almost trivial response given the warnings from key figures in the Remain camp. The poll suggests that scare tactics from either side are not working. As of June 12, when this poll was concluded, 37% of respondents (27% Protestant/20% Catholic) were either undecided, or didn't know the answer to the question, "Do you believe the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland would be weaker if it left the EU?". Of those who did answer, 37% believed the UK would be weaker and 26% thought it would be stronger. So, it looks like the undecided/don't knows will swing the result. Since June 12 there have been some key debates. Nigel Farage launched his "Breaking Point" poster, most of the newspapers declared their hand and Jo Cox was murdered. All of those factors, and dozens of others, will have an impact. The undecided will finally make up their mind (although, for many, it may be not to vote), while some who thought they had picked a side will have had their minds changed by events and rising fears. I think the main thing to draw from this poll is that neither the Brexit nor Remain side believes that all that much will actually change, irrespective of the outcome. They don't fear a return to violence, or a collapse of the Assembly, and seem to believe the UK and the Republic will still have a good relationship. There is no sense that the Union will fall apart if Brexit wins. The idea of a "hard border" doesn't exercise the minds of a substantial majority in either the unionist or nationalist camps. The odds remain in favour of Northern Ireland voting to stay in the EU. Indeed, the odds remain in favour of the UK staying. So, one final irony: given the absence of toxicity and anger in the campaign here, for once we look normal compared to how the campaign has raged in England. After 100,000 Bangladeshi Islamic clerics and scholars issued a fatwa last week against religious extremism, the countrys religious affairs minister told parliament on Tuesday that tens of thousands of imams were already giving anti-militancy sermons. Imams at 55,180 mosques which have enrolled in the government-sponsored Mosque-Based Child and Mass Literacy program were now delivering Islams peaceful messages and denouncing all forms of unrest, terrorism and militant activities in their sermons before prayers, Minister Motior Rahman told lawmakers in response to an MPs question. This program has been progressing well. It has a huge positive impact on children who are prone to be the victims of the abusers of Islam, the militants. Anything you hear in childhood has a huge impact in future. When a child hears that militancy is prohibited in Islam, he will never be radicalized, said Rahman, who sometimes volunteers as an imam is also a member of a parliamentary Standing Committee on Religious Affairs. We have [received] some allegations that some imams did not preach anti-militant messages. So, we at the standing committees meetings, asked the MPs to supervise whether the imams have been preaching those messages, Rahman added. The power of sermons Through the program imams teach Arabic and Bengali to illiterate adults and children. The standing committee, which acts as a parliamentary watchdog on the ministry, has in the past called for the government to ensure transparency and accountability in the literacy program, according to committee member Abdul Awal. Considering the threat of militancy and extremism through misinterpretation of Islam, this government for the first time included anti-militancy sermons in the program. In addition to expanding education, the under-privileged children and people come to know about anti-militancy messages of Islam, Awal told BenarNews. Many of the imams working as part of the literacy program have been preaching against terrorism and militancy in the name of Islam, Maulana Farid Uddin Masud, president of Bangladesh Jamatul Ulema, which issued the fatwa, told BenarNews. This government has included anti-militancy component in the program. We will get the benefits in the future. If anti-militancy component was included before, we would not see the scourge of militant attacks in Bangladesh, Masud said. The organization that he heads issued the fatwa, or religious decree, after Bangladeshi authorities sought help from clerics at mosques across the country in using their influence as Islamic preachers to dissuade youths from becoming radicalized and turning to violent extremism. I have been preaching sermons against militancy and extremism for several years. Before every Friday prayer and at all religious gatherings, I preach that Islam in no way supports extremism and violence, Muhammad Abul Kalam, the imam of a mosque in Jhalkathi district, told BenarNews. As religious leaders, clerics have the responsibility to present the right message of Islam, he said. It has an impact Before every Friday prayer, our respected imam preaches peaceful messages of Islam and condemns the killing of people in the pretext of Islam. Of course, it has an impact because people believe the religious leaders, Mahbubur Rahman, a member of a mosque in Ataikula, Pabna district, told BenarNews. The worlds fourth-largest country with a Muslim population, Bangladesh has been gripped in recent years by a wave of killings carried out by suspected militants. At least 36 people, including secular bloggers, publishers, foreigners, gay-rights activists, religious minorities and others, have been killed in attacks by suspected Islamic radicals since February 2013, according to Bangladeshs home ministry. Indian forestry officials examine the carcass of a rhinoceros that was killed and de-horned by poachers in the Kaziranga National Park, Assam state, June 29, 2015. The recent arrest of a senior forestry official on corruption charges in northeastern India may be linked to a rhinoceros-poaching ring that helps fund local rebels and involves park rangers, officials said. The scary fact is that militant groups in the region have made it [animal poaching] their main source of income, and poaching is fast becoming an organized industry, a police official close to the investigation in Assam state told BenarNews. Police have recovered high-end arms and ammunition from most of the suspects arrested in poaching cases, including AK-56 and AK-47, .303 rifles and pistols, such as the 7.65 mm, which is made in Spain, the official said on condition of anonymity. Suvashish Das, district forest officer at Kaziranga National Park in Assam, confirmed that poachers were receiving sophisticated weapons from at least one tribal separatist faction, the Karbi Peoples Liberation Tigers (KPLT). The group has been fighting for an autonomous state since 2011. The KPLT is directly involved in the smuggling of animal body parts to countries like Vietnam and China, Das told BenarNews. Of the 22 rhinos poached in Assam this year, 21 were killed within the 430-square-kilometer (160-square-mile) Kaziranga National Park, according to official figures. About 2,400 rhinos were in the sanctuary as of 2015, Das said. The Great One-Horned Rhinoceros On June 14 police arrested Mahat Chandra Talukdar, an acting divisional forest officer for Assam state, after officers seized unaccounted cash totaling more than 20 million rupees ($296,516) and animal hides and ivory during a raid on his home. "We suspect that wealth he [Talukdar] he has amassed has come from being part of a larger racket of smuggling rhino horns," the anonymous police official said. During the 1980s and 90s, Talukdar served for four years as a forest ranger at Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Assam that is home to the Great One-Horned Rhinoceros, an indigenous species listed as vulnerable by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the 111-year reserve in Assam hosts two-thirds of the worlds population of this sub-species of rhino. The Great One-Horned Rhinoceros is the largest among rhino species and is native to the northern Indian subcontinent, according to WWF. Yet the rhinos in Kaziranga have been threatened by poachers in recent years. Rhino horn is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat fever, rheumatism, and gout among other disorders, while in Vietnam it is used as an aphrodisiac. Since 2009, more than 260 people have been arrested for poaching rhinos in Assam, but no suspects have been convicted, according to official figures. In 2015, 11 rhino poachers were killed by security forces and 20 arrested in Assam state. In 2014, 22 were killed in encounters while 40 of them were arrested, official figures show. Offensive against poachers Promila Rani Brahma, the states new minister of the environment and forests, said her office was investigating allegations that some staff members at Kaziranga National Park were involved in the illegal trade of animal parts originating from the reserve. We have drawn out a comprehensive strategy to put a complete stop to poaching in the park. Local police have been asked to join the offensive against poachers, Brahma, whose Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) recently won state assembly elections, told BenarNews. Brahma said she had sought a report on incidents of rhino poaching in the Kaziranga National Park during Talukdars tenure at the sanctuary. I think all the animal parts recovered from [Talukdars] house are from Kaziranga National Park. His association with rhino poachers is something that should be part of the investigation. A thorough probe will bring this fact to light, she told reporters earlier. As many as 189 rhinos were killed between 1989 and 1993 when Talukdar was a forest ranger in the Kaziranga National Park, local media reported, quoting figures from Assams forest department. Officials said Talukdar was involved in smuggling animal parts, particularly the prized horn of the rhinos. Das, the district forest officer at Kaziranga, said efforts to curb poaching had proved effective. Officials in Aceh attempt to push a migrant boat back out to sea, June 20, 2016. Indonesia on Tuesday gave the U.N. refugee agency and International Organization for Migration (IOM) access to 44 Sri Lankans whose boat ran aground 10 days ago off the coast of Aceh, as witnessed by a BenarNews reporter. Local authorities also suspended attempts to tow the ship back to international waters, after two days of bad weather. On Tuesday, high waves drenched the engine and caused the boat to list 45 degrees. Looking at the condition of the boat now, no way can it be pulled back to sea, said Achmad Samadan, head of immigration at the provincial governments Ministry of Law and Human Rights. He said personnel from the IOM and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) would be able to collect complete data on the migrants. Well know who they really are. Let there not be inaccurate data, he said. In Jakarta, Dicky Komar, a human rights official at the foreign ministry, said a joint team of local and central government officials were on site to observe the situation. We are trying to find the best solution for them. We are working with UNHCR and IOM to address the issue of asylum seekers and refugees, he said. Via India Acehnese officials had prevented the migrants from coming ashore for a week, then changed their minds, saying they could disembark while their boat was being repaired. Since Saturday, the migrants have been housed in an open tent on Lhoknga beach, about 15 kms (9 miles) northwest of the provincial capital of Banda Aceh. Local officials have given them fuel and food. During a visit by BenarNews to the scene, migrant children played as adults dozed in the shade. Nurdin Hasan/BenarNews A 25-year-old woman, who was six months pregnant and gave her name as Sudha, told BenarNews she was a Sri Lankan national born in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Her parents fled there during the decades-long war between Sri Lankas government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), which ended in 2009, she said. One year after my parents fled to Tamil Nadu, I was born, Sudha said. According to her, all the people aboard the ship are Sri Lankan Tamils who had lived in Tamil Nadu for years and have refugee documents issued by the Indian government. Tamil people have a hard time finding work and we dont have identity [cards] because we are seen as Sri Lankan, she said. She said they left India for Australia in the hope of a better life, but the ships captain deserted them on the open sea and left them drifting until they came aground off the coast of Aceh. My brother-in-law has been in Australia for three years. He went there in a boat like us, she said. Asked if they were prepared to return to India, she said, No way can we go back there. Well die, because no one can work in Tamil Nadu. Herry Sudiarto, a senior immigration official in Banda Aceh, earlier told BenarNews that the 17 men, 22 women and five children aboard the boat had no official documents. A long and difficult journey In a statement last week, Amnesty International (AI) criticized Indonesia for confining the travelers to the Indian-flagged boat (pictured above). These people have endured a long and difficult journey already. Now that they have reached land in Aceh, they should be allowed to disembark and meet UNHCR officials, said Josef Benedict, AIs director of campaigns for Southeast and the Pacific. The migrants had travelled 1,700 kms (1056 miles) over 20 days before reaching Indonesian waters, the statement said. Thomas Vargas, the UNHCR representative in Indonesia, told BenarNews on Monday that he hoped the Indonesian government would allow his staff to interview the migrants. We hope to get access and speak to the migrants to find out if they are really seeking asylum, he said. UNHCR could then assist Indonesia in handling the next steps, he said. At a press conference in Kuching, Sarawak, NGOs representing Dayaks show solidarity with Bill Kayong, a land-rights activist who was gunned down in the East Malaysia state, June 21, 2016. Dayak community leaders and NGOs expressed shock and anger after a land-rights activist who campaigned on behalf of indigenous communities was gunned down Tuesday at an intersection in the eastern Malaysian state of Sarawak. Activist Bill Kayong, 43, a Dayak who was a secretary for the local branch of the opposition Peoples Justice Party (PKR) and who recently ran for a seat in the Sarawak state assembly, was shot dead in Miri city as he was driving to work on Tuesday morning, according to police. Kayong has done a lot for the community and we will continue our fight. You touch one Dayak, you touch all Dayaks. This incident will only make us stronger, Peter John Jaban, a fellow indigenous rights activist, told BenarNews. Indigenous leaders in Sarawak a timber-rich and largely undeveloped state on Borneo island, whose population is dominated by tribal communities joined civil society leaders across Malaysia in condemning Kayongs killing. He had also served as secretary for Pedas, an NGO advocating rights for Dayaks in Sarawak. Following the shooting, 13 local NGOs representing local tribes held a news conference in Kuching, the state capital, where they voiced solidarity with the slain activist. In light of this senseless act, we call and urge the Dayak communities to keep calm and not to take the laws into their own hands, Dusit Jaul, president of the Sarawak Dayak Graduates Association, told the news conference. We do not want to speculate on the matter. All we want is for the police to investigate and not let the culprits go unpunished. We want justice for Kayong, Jaul added. Baru Bian, chairman of the PKR in Sarawak, remembered Kayong as a young man zealously pursuing justice for the people. We have lost a loyal comrade and a good friend. Words cannot begin to express the sorrow and outrage we feel that Bill was so brutally and coldly shot and killed, the PKR chairman said in a statement. Kayong, a father of two, had contested the seat for the Bekenu constituency in last months state assembly elections, but lost to incumbent Rosey Yunus, a member of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition. A new battleground Kayong was shot dead a day after Global Witness, a London-based NGO, reported that 185 environmental activists were killed last year worldwide, marking a 59 percent increase from 2014. Among those killed were six activists from India, three from Indonesia and two from Thailand. The Global Witness report, titled On Dangerous Ground, cited the case of Salim Kancil, an Indonesian farmer who had helped lead protests against an illegal sand-mining operation in East Java province and who was beaten, electrocuted and stabbed to death by at least a dozen men in September 2015. 2015 was the worst year on record for killings of land and environmental defenders people struggling to protect their land, forests and rivers through peaceful actions, against mounting odds, the report by Global Witness said. The environment is emerging as a new battleground for human rights. As demand for products like timber, minerals and palm oil continues, governments, companies and criminal gangs are exploiting land with little regard for the people who live on it. Natural resource-rich Sarawak has long been a battleground for campaigners advocating environmental conservation and land rights for local tribes. Sixteen years ago, Bruno Manser, a Swiss environmentalist who had been campaigning for the rights of the states indigenous people, disappeared and is presumed dead. Police set up task force On Tuesday, police in Sarawak appealed to the public for help in tracking down Kayongs killers. The traffic light intersection is normally busy during that time of the morning and we believe many motorists may have witnessed the incident, Dev Kumar, chief senior assistant commissioner for the states Criminal Investigation Department, said in a statement. In Kuala Lumpur, Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said his department had formed a task force to probe the killing in Sarawak, but he warned the public not to speculate about a motive in the case. Let us probe what really happened. We will find out how and what happened in due time, The Star newspaper quoted Khalid as saying. Bill Kayong, shown at the Malaysian Parliament, was shot dead while on his way to work in Sarawak state on June 21, 2016. [BenarNews] ein Google-Unternehmen Google-Dienste anzubieten und zu betreiben Ausfalle zu prufen und Manahmen gegen Spam, Betrug und Missbrauch zu ergreifen Daten zu Zielgruppeninteraktionen und Websitestatistiken zu erheben. Mit den gewonnenen Informationen mochten wir verstehen, wie unsere Dienste verwendet werden, und die Qualitat dieser Dienste verbessern. neue Dienste zu entwickeln und zu verbessern Werbung auszuliefern und ihre Wirkung zu messen personalisierte Inhalte anzuzeigen, abhangig von Ihren Einstellungen personalisierte Werbung anzuzeigen, abhangig von Ihren Einstellungen Wenn Sie Alle ablehnen auswahlen, verwenden wir Cookies nicht fur diese zusatzlichen Zwecke. 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But theres a spy in prison this morning that helps us understand why he shouldnt. Ill explain. Your second brief, If youre looking for a good paying job, you might consider being a CEO for a health insurance company. One executive made $142M dollars last year. Let's talk about that. And as always, Im keeping an eye out for developing stories. Put this one on your radar. Mexican cartels are grooming American kids online and paying them cash to traffic illegals or run drugs across the border. Ill share details. If you enjoyed this episode of the President's Daily Brief, remember to subscribe and listen daily at podfollow.com/pdb. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices For Immediate Release, June 21, 2016 Contact: Jenny Loda, Center for Biological Diversity, (510) 844-7100 x 336, jloda@biologicaldiversity.org Kelly Davis, Save Our Springs Alliance, (512) 477-2320 x 306, kelly@sosalliance.org Texas DOT Changes Course, Will Assess Highway Project's Impacts on Threatened Salamanders, Birds AUSTIN, Texas In response to a notice of intent to sue filed by the Center for Biological Diversity and Save Our Springs Alliance in May, the Texas Department of Transportation changed course on a major highway project in Austin, withdrawing its finding that the highway would have no impact on three federally protected species (two salamanders and a bird). The states transportation agency said in a letter that it has initiated consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on the three species. The construction of the MoPac Intersections Project across the environmentally sensitive Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone, in southwest Austin, is likely to harm federally protected Barton Springs salamanders, Austin blind salamanders and golden-cheeked warblers. The Texas Department of Transportation initially conducted an inadequate, cursory environmental review of the project and did not consult with the Fish and Wildlife Service to ensure it would not jeopardize the survival of the endangered species, in violation of the Endangered Species Act. The Department has now reversed course and initiated consultation with the Fish and Wildlife Service for these species. Im glad the Texas Department of Transportation is willing to admit its error and is now taking the threats to these endangered salamanders and birds seriously, said Jenny Loda, a biologist and attorney with the Center whose work is dedicated to protecting rare amphibians and reptiles. Unchecked sprawl and transportation projects have already pushed these unique little guys toward extinction. Its crucial to ensure that any new highway projects are not going to accelerate the threats that are quickly wiping them out. Central Texas Edwards Aquifer region provides habitat for more than 50 species of animals and plants living nowhere else in the world. Since the Edwards Aquifer also provides much of San Antonio's water supply, and about 50,000 people rely on Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer for their drinking water, the cleanliness of the aquifers is a critical issue for people as well as wildlife. I am happy to see Texas transportation officials taking a positive step in the right direction, said Kelly Davis, an attorney with Save Our Springs Alliance. I hope that they will also begin to take seriously the environmentally damaging impacts of the many other highway projects planned in the sensitive Barton Springs Recharge Zone and work with the Fish and Wildlife Service to ensure that they will not impact endangered species. The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places. Save Our Springs Alliance is an environmental nonprofit organization based in Austin, Texas dedicated to protecting the Edwards Aquifer, its springs and streams, and the natural and cultural heritage of the Hill Country. For Immediate Release, June 21, 2016 Contact: Nick Cady, Cascadia Wildlands, (314) 482-3746 Tierra Curry, Center for Biological Diversity, (928) 522-3681 Steve Pedery, Oregon Wild, (503) 283-6343 ext. 212 Bob Sallinger, Portland Audubon, (503) 380-9728 Greater Protections Sought for Threatened Marbled Murrelets in Oregon PORTLAND, Ore. Conservation groups submitted petitions today asking the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Oregon Board of Forestry to take new measures to better identify and protect important forest areas for protected marbled murrelets. The petition to the wildlife department requests that it uplist the marbled murrelet to endangered status under the Oregon Endangered Species Act. The petition to the forestry board asks the agency to identify and protect important forest sites critical to the species survival. The agencies are required to work together to recover murrelets. Cascadia Wildlands, Oregon Wild, Coast Range Forest Watch, the Center for Biological Diversity, the Audubon Society of Portland and the Oregon Chapter of the Sierra Club signed on to the petition, citing Oregons weak Forest Practices Act and the continuing clear-cutting of the seabirds habitat. While murrelets have been listed as a threatened species for nearly 30 years, Oregon has never developed a plan to recover them or protect the old-growth forests where they live. Because murrelets are currently listed as threatened under state law, Oregon has a duty to protect and recover this species and its habitat, said Nick Cady, legal director at Cascadia Wildlands. Not only has the state failed to take any meaningful measures to recover and protect murrelets, the state itself, through aggressive clearcut logging on its state forests, is primarily responsible for the recent dramatic loss in breeding habitat. Endangered protections will not only more accurately reflect how vulnerable Oregons murrelets and old-growth forests are, but also ensure the development of a plan to protect and recover these elusive sea-birds and their habitat. The marbled murrelet was originally listed under the Oregon Endangered Species Act in 1987. Despite this listing and commitment to recovery, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has not developed survival guidelines for the species, leaving the murrelet in limbo with no enforceable mechanism from Oregon to help its population recover. The Oregon Board of Forestry has similarly neglected responsibilities to identify and protect forest areas critical to murrelet recovery on state and private lands. Clearcutting on private lands to export raw logs to Asia, and clearcutting of older forests and potential habitat on state lands, has fragmented Oregons coastal rainforests and put the bird at even greater risk of extinction. Conservation efforts from these two agencies should result in the identification of critical habitat areas for the species and compel the development of rules to protect these areas. For the last 30 years, Oregons plan for marbled murrelets has been to look the other way while their habitat is clear-cut, said Oregon Wild Conservation Director Steve Pedery. Oregonians expect better from our governor and state agencies. They need to develop a plan to protect murrelets and their habitat, and they need to stand up to pressure from the clearcut lobby and the county politicians who do their bidding. Murrelets only nest and roost in old-growth and mature forests forests that are at risk from proposals to increase logging on Bureau of Land Management lands in western Oregon and from Oregons efforts to ramp up logging on state forests and privatize the 93,000-acre Elliott State Forest east of Coos Bay. The murrelet monitoring report released last month by leading murrelet biologists stressed the urgent need to arrest the loss of suitable habitat on all lands, especially on non-federal lands in the relatively near term. We live in a state where Oregonians treasure our old-growth forests and wildlife, but where theres a growing gap between the publics values and the actions of our politicians and state agencies, said Tierra Curry, a senior scientist with the Center for Biological Diversity. State regulators and Gov. Brown have a legal and moral responsibility to protect murrelets and their forest habitat. According to statute, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has, as its primary mission, an obligation to prevent the serious depletion of any indigenous species. However, the agency currently spends 2 percent of its budget on conservation, and in recent years has come under increasing criticism for prioritizing logging, livestock grazing and other extractive interests over its conservation mission. Oregonians treasure our old-growth forests and wildlife, and the state has an obligation to conserve these iconic species and habitats for the enjoyment of present and future generations, said Chris Smith with the Oregon Chapter of the Sierra Club. Our management policies and practices need to align with these values and ODFW's responsibility." Marbled murrelet populations are spiraling downward in the Pacific Northwest and the state's outdated clearcutting policies are a big part of the problem, said Bob Sallinger, conservation director at the Audubon Society of Portland. If we are going to have any hope of recovering this species, the state needs to step up and recognize its responsibility to protect marbled murrelets and other old-growth dependent species. Background The marbled murrelet is a member of the auk family, which includes birds like auklets, guillemots and puffins. These seabirds get their name from the marbling pattern of black, gray and white that covers their backs during the non-breeding season. When murrelets are breeding, they molt to a plain brown plumage. They form lifelong breeding pairs and feed on small, schooling fish such as herring. Populations of marbled murrelets are closely tied to the amount of old forest habitat available for nesting. The central Oregon coast is one of the last strongholds for murrelets. While forest practices have changed on federal lands managed by the Siuslaw National Forest, scientists warn that more needs to be done to protect murrelet habitat on state and private lands where logging practices continue to indiscriminately remove nesting habitat. Expected Timeline The Department of Fish and Wildlife must acknowledge receipt of the petition within 10 working days and determine within two years whether the marbled murrelet warrants endangered status. The Board of Forestry has 90 days to either begin rulemaking or deny the petition. The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places. www.biologicaldiversity.org For Immediate Release, June 21, 2016 Contact: Tara Easter, Center for Biological Diversity (971) 717-6408, teaster@biologicaldiversity.org Dr. Myra Crawford, Cahaba Riverkeeper, (205) 967-2600, info@cahabariverkeeper.org Petition Filed to Protect Rare Alabama Snail Under Endangered Species Act Once Thought to Be Extinct, Oblong Rocksnails Threatened by Habitat Degradation, Pollution, Climate Change BIRMINGHAM, Ala. The Center for Biological Diversity and Cahaba Riverkeeper filed a formal petition today to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seeking protection for oblong rocksnails under the Endangered Species Act. The oblong rocksnail is a freshwater, nickel-sized snail with a characteristic three-banded shell and black-and-yellow-striped soft body. This species, found only in the Cahaba River in Alabama, was thought to be extinct for 70 years until it was rediscovered in 2011. The oblong rocksnail has been given a rare second chance at survival, said Tara Easter, a scientist with the Center. The Endangered Species Act is the snails best lifeline to make sure its around for generations to come. Oblong rocksnails were driven to near extinction by 1935, likely as a result of pollution and effluent from expanding agriculture and urban development in the Cahaba River Basin, and were officially declared extinct in 2000. The species was rediscovered in 2011, but threats to its survival including urban sprawl, pollution, sedimentation, small population size, limited range and climate change threaten its long-term viability. Threats to the snail and other species will mount as urban-area growth leads to more stormwater runoff, habitat fragmentation, and development of irrigation systems and wastewater treatment plants, said Myra Crawford, executive director of Cahaba Riverkeeper. Rocksnails are critical to the health of the Cahaba River ecosystem and the Mobile River basin, one of the most biologically rich freshwater systems in the United States, said Easter. We should do everything we can to protect this diverse area, because its an underappreciated national treasure. The Southeast is a global hotspot of both biodiversity and extinction. The region boasts more kinds of freshwater animals than anywhere else in the world, and the Mobile River basin in Alabama is the epicenter of mollusk diversity. But human population growth, pollution, impoundments and invasive species have also made this basin a hotspot of the global extinction crisis and the site of one-third of known mollusk extinctions globally. The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places. When we smoke cigarettes, dozens of genes important for immune defense are altered in the epithelial cells that line the respiratory tract. Several of these changes likely increase the risk of bacterial infections, viruses, and inflammation. Now, UNC School of Medicine scientists report that vaping electronic cigarettes alters those same genes and hundreds more that are important for immune defense in the upper airway. "I was really surprised by these results," said lead researcher Ilona Jaspers, professor of pediatrics, and microbiology and immunology at UNC. "That's why we kept going back to make sure this was accurate." The finding, published in the American Journal of Physiology, suggests that inhaling the vaporized flavored liquids in e-cigarettes is not without consequences, at least on the level of epithelial cell gene expression - the critical process by which our genes give rise to proteins important for various functions in cells. The discovery cannot yet be linked to long-term health effects of e-cigarette use or the risk of diseases usually associated with long-term cigarette smoking such as cancer, emphysema, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. "We honestly do not yet know what long-term effects e-cigarettes might have on health," said Jaspers, senior author and director of UNC's toxicology curriculum. "I suspect that the effects of e-cigarettes will not be the same as the effects of cigarette smoking." So far, though, the evidence suggests that long-term e-cigarette use will not be harmless. E-cigarettes have only been on the market in the United States since 2006, and usage skyrocketed just a few years ago. The more than 7,000 flavors available in e-cigarettes are FDA approved, though that approval process was based on data generated for oral consumption, not inhalation. To study what effects e-cigarettes have on genes that help our upper airways fight off potentially harmful pathogens, Jaspers' lab recruited 13 non-smokers, 14 smokers, and 12 e-cigarette users. Each participant kept a journal documenting their cigarette or e-cigarette use, and in collaboration with researchers from the University of California at San Francisco, Jaspers' team analyzed participant urine and blood samples to confirm nicotine levels and biomarkers relevant to tobacco exposure. After about three weeks, researchers took samples from the nasal passages of each participant to analyze the expression of genes important for immune responses. Visually and functionally, the epithelial layers of our nasal passages are very similar to the epithelial layers in our lungs. All epithelial cells along our airways - from our noses to the tiny bronchioles deep in our lungs - need to function properly to trap and dispatch particles and pathogens so we don't get sick. These epithelial cells are critical for normal immune defense. Certain genes in these cells must give rise to proper amounts of proteins, which orchestrate the overall immune response. It has long been known that cigarette smoking modifies this gene expression, which is one reason researchers think smokers are more sensitive to upper respiratory problems. Using the non-smokers as the baseline comparison group, Jaspers' team found that smoking cigarettes decreased the gene expression of 53 genes important for the immune response of epithelial cells. Using e-cigarettes decreased the gene expression of 358 genes important for immune defense - including all 53 genes implicated in the smoking group. "We compared these genes one by one," Jaspers said, "And we found that each gene common to both groups was suppressed more in the e-cigarette group. We currently do not know exactly how e-cigarettes do this." Jaspers said her lab's findings do not mean that smoking e-cigarettes is as bad as or worse than smoking regular cigarettes "I think it is a mistake to try to directly compare cigarette smoking and e-cigarette use," Jaspers said. "We shouldn't ask 'smoking causes cancer; do e-cigarettes cause cancer? Smoking causes emphysema; do e-cigarettes cause emphysema?'" She said that inhaling burnt tobacco and inhaling vaporized flavored liquids are fundamentally different, and it's more likely that e-cigarettes could induce different biological changes and play different roles in other respiratory problems. "We know that diseases like COPD, cancer, and emphysema usually take many years to develop in smokers," Jaspers said. "But people have not been using e-cigarettes for very long. So we don't know yet how the effects of e-cigarette use might manifest in 10 or 15 years. We're at the beginning of cataloging and observing what may or may not be happening." Next, Jaspers will study how epithelial cells in e-cigarette users respond to a flu vaccine. This, she said, could help her team measure the immune response of epithelial cells in smokers, non-smokers, and e-cigarette users. "We just finished our collection of samples," Jaspers said. "We'll see." Source: University of North Carolina Health Care The incidence of Parkinson's disease and parkinsonism increased significantly in 30 years from 1976 to 2005, Mayo Clinic researchers reported today in a study in JAMA Neurology. This trend was noted in particular for men age 70 and older. According to the researchers, this is the first study to suggest such an increasing trend. MULTIMEDIA ALERT: Video and audio are available for download on the Mayo Clinic News Network. The study shows that men of all ages had a 17 percent higher risk of developing parkinsonism and 24 percent higher risk of developing Parkinson's disease for every 10 calendar years. The study also showed that men 70 and older had an even greater increase -- a 24 percent higher risk of developing parkinsonism and 35 percent higher risk of developing Parkinson's disease for every 10 calendar years. Using the Rochester Epidemiology Project, Mayo Clinic researchers were able to look at the complete medical records -- from birth to death -- of anyone in Olmsted County, Minnesota, who received at least one of the diagnoses related to parkinsonism. The records were reviewed by a movement disorders specialist to confirm the diagnosis and to classify different types of parkinsonism, including the most common type, Parkinson's disease. "We have reasons to believe that this is a real trend," says Rodolfo Savica, M.D., Ph.D., lead author and neurologist at Mayo Clinic. "The trend is probably not caused merely by changes in people's awareness or changes in medical practice over time. We have evidence to suggest that there has been a genuine increase in the risk of Parkinson's disease. "The researchers point to environmental and lifestyle changes as potential causes for the increase. "There has been a dramatic change in exposure to some risk factors in the United States," Dr. Savica says. "We know that environmental agents like pesticides or smoking or other agents in the environment have changed in the last 70 years or so. Changes in exposure to a number of risk factors may have caused Parkinson's disease to rise." The study, based on almost 1,000 patients affected by parkinsonism, is the first to consider long-term trends in risk over 30 years. It also provides evidence contrary to two previous U.S. studies and one Canadian study that showed no trend, and particularly contrary to three United Kingdom studies that suggested a possible decline in the occurrence of Parkinson's disease over time. The Mayo Clinic study also revealed a possible higher incidence of both parkinsonism and Parkinson's disease in men and women born from 1915 to 1924. "This observation is important because the persons born in that particular decade may have been exposed to some environmental or other factors during their intrauterine life or early after birth that increased the risk," Dr. Savica says. "We need to confirm this hypothesis. "Parkinsonism is the umbrella term that includes Parkinson's disease but also may include other disorders. The diagnosis of parkinsonism requires the presence of slowness of movement and at least one other symptom -- a tremor while at rest, muscle rigidity or a tendency to fall. Parkinson's disease is defined as having the manifestations of parkinsonism but without any other known causes, and it is the most common type of parkinsonism. The researchers urged caution in interpreting the trends, which may be from an increased awareness of symptoms and improved access to care. In the study's earlier years, for example, patients with cancer or severe cardiac disease may not have been diagnosed with parkinsonism or Parkinson's disease if doctors did not consider their movement disorder to be important in their care. "Parkinson's disease is an important disease and a cause of disability, especially in older ages, and we don't want to have people untreated for a condition that is treatable just because they have four or five other diseases that are more prominent," Dr. Savica says. The observation that the time trends were more evident in men than in women may support a genuine trend in incidence. Recognition of symptoms in the context of multiple illnesses should have changed similarly over time in men and women, the study notes. Thus, if the trend was not genuine it should have been similar in men and women. Parkinsonism and Parkinson's disease tend to affect more men than women in general. But Dr. Savica also notes that the increase was more dramatic in men, but the study also showed a similar trend in women -- an increase in Parkinson's disease in women 70 years of age and older. However, the trend in women did not reach statistical significance. "Differences in men and women may be important in understanding the environmental causes of Parkinson's disease," Dr. Savica says. If the trend of increasing incidence rates is genuine, and can be replicated in other populations, it has major implications for finding the causes of Parkinson's disease and for public health, the researchers note. From a research perspective, the trend should prompt studies to identify environmental or lifestyle changes during the study subjects' lifespan. Environmental or lifestyle factors could include smoking, pesticide use, head trauma, coffee consumption and other factors. Source: Mayo Clinic The system consists of two newly developed programs that automatically identify the 3-D positions of target areas based on the signals from the scintillators (shown as white dots), and determine... "Clock genes" turn on and off, or "Express", in rhythmic patterns throughout the body to regulate physiological conditions and behaviour. When and how these genes express, especially in tissues outside the brain, is still poorly understood. Until now, scientists have lacked sufficient means to simultaneously monitor gene rhythms in specific tissues in freely moving subjects. Bioluminescence is a technique that often involves modifying certain genes. When the target gene is switched on, it also expresses an inserted gene, leading to the emission of a light signal. Every time the target gene turns on, light is emitted. This technique has been successfully used to monitor gene expression in fully anaesthetized mice. However, anaesthesia is believed to affect the expression of clock genes. Other techniques not requiring anaesthetization have their own limitations. A team of scientists from Hokkaido University in Japan developed a new imaging technique that allowed them to monitor the expression of clock genes, including the per1 gene, in multiple tissues in moving fully conscious mice. When per1, which is known to be important for maintaining circadian rhythms, turns on in the transgenic mice, a light signal is emitted. To track the movement of the mouse, scintillators that fluoresce were attached to the back and head of the mice. The team developed a software program that was able to detect the three-dimensional position of the scintillators in the freely moving mice based on images received from two separate cameras placed in the mouse cage. The team also developed a set of algorithms that allowed them to identify the intensity of the bioluminescent signals from target tissues (olfactory bulb, right and left ears and cortex, skin) despite the movement of the mice. "Using the present system, we observed robust circadian rhythmicity in per1 expression at six different areas in the bodies of freely moving mice," the researchers report in their study published in the journal Nature Communications. Per1 expression was at its peak in all six areas at the onset of mouse daily activity. When the Hokkaido team artificially shifted the hours of night and day for the mice, such as might happen when shifting time zones, per1's rhythmic expression became desynchronized for one day in the different areas and then synchronized again. While further improvements are still required, the new monitoring technique could be widely applied to many areas of biomedical research, as well as in applications beyond medicine, the researchers say. Source: Hokkaido University Kenya's iHub is moving into its 'next chapter', with new funding on board and a new chief executive officer (CEO) on the agenda. Now, the renowned innovation space wants you to play a part in its future. Kenya's iHub. Photo credit: Disrupt Africa Launched in Nairobi in 2010, the iHub provides a home for Kenyas tech community and allows developers and entrepreneurs to connect and work on ideas. It currently has more than 16,000 members, and also includes the m:lab incubator, iHub Research and Gearbox. Disrupt Africa reported in March the hub had raised funding from local investors Bitange Ndemo, Becky Wanjiku, Ken Mwenda and Miguel Granier as it moved into what co-founder Erik Hersman described as the next chapter, while it is now on the hunt for a CEO to help it scale operations. iHub executive director Josiah Mugambi said last week a key goal is getting the local tech industry more involved in the iHub, which he said is a crucial part of strengthening the organisation. A forum was scheduled for last week to map out how anyone interested in being closely involved, can be part of the next chapter of the iHub. By end of 2015, internally-generated revenue consisted of about 70% of the hubs budget, with the iHub team now aiming for the hub to become 100% sustainable this year. Mugambi said this would give it the flexibility to create the programmes that the community needs most, and create a bigger space to accommodate its growing membership. As we move into this new season, I remain excited and committed to the ongoing success of iHub, Mugambi said. I will continue to be a big part of the organisation, moving into a new strategic role that looks to extend our vision beyond Nairobi. iHub has been an instrumental catalyst in supporting Kenyas tech ecosystem and I look forward to continuing to be a part of seeing that vision grow and spread. Technological innovation will act as a catalyst in boosting productivity and growth in Africa's agribusiness sector, in particular. From data-gathering drones to artificial intelligence farming, technology is making the agricultural sector more precise and efficient, the latest PwC Agribusiness report has found. Image by 123RF The agricultural sector is regarded as one of the most critical industries for the African continent due to economic potential and is projected to become a US$1trillion industry in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) by 2030. More than half (58.8%) of survey respondents consider investment in Africa as an opportunity for their businesses to expand. The top four countries they are planning to invest in are Zambia, Botswana, Tanzania and South Africa. Agriculture is currently standing on the edge of a second green revolution. This revolution will entail fundamental shifts in how the agricultural sector utilises and implements innovative technology to improve output in a sustainable manner and address the need for greater food security globally. These were some of the highlights of PwCs latest Africa Agribusinesses Insights Survey 2016, released recently. Currently, there is a second green revolution underway. There is a desperate need for food security and therefore higher agricultural output without compromising resources in the process, said Frans Weilbach, Agribusiness industry leader for PwC Africa. Advances in technology and innovation are the key to the future of agriculture as agribusinesses strive to feed an increasing population against a background of climate change, scarcity of water and a host of environmental concerns. Innovative technology and advancements in productivity are becoming increasingly important as pressure mounts on food systems, says Weilbach. The global population is growing rapidly and the climate is ever-changing. Agribusinesses are making changes to go high-tech. From data-gathering drones to artificial intelligence farming, technology is making the agricultural sector more precise and efficient as agribusinesses push for increased profits. Strategic challenges: Africa PwCs Agribusinesses Insights Survey 2016 was carried out among a group of African agribusinesses that are mainly focused on delivering agricultural and related services to primary producers. The survey focuses on the strategic challenges that agribusiness leaders face in their businesses and it highlights areas where technological innovation is already taking place and where it can make a difference in the future. In addition, the survey provides viewpoints on the agricultural sector in Nigeria and Kenya. Survey respondents, however are less optimistic about revenue growth over the next 12 months compared with their expectations a year ago. The majority of agribusinesses (46.2%) are expecting revenue growth of between 0-5%, and 26.9% of businesses expect it to be between 6-10%. The biggest challenges to business growth cited by business leaders were access to technology, the scarcity of natural resources and supply-side uncertainties. African agribusinesses also feel that there is a long way to go toward better support from government in the sector. For example, businesses are of the view that government does not offer sufficient tax incentives to ensure international competitiveness. Furthermore, they say government is not doing enough to develop skilled workers in the sector. Edward Kerich, PwC director in Kenya, says: Kenya relies heavily on the agricultural sector as the mainstay of its economy, with agriculture contributing 29% of GDP. Kenya is SSAs leading tea exporter and one of the worlds largest black tea producers. A significant development in the agricultural sector is growth in the number of privately owned tea factories outside of those owned by the KTDA and the large multinationals in the country. The contribution of the tea industry to the Kenyan economy is expected to continue growing, and the benefits realised will be enhanced as some factories move to cheaper renewable energy such as hydropower production. Rasheed Rahji, PwC partner in Nigeria, says: Agriculture contributed 24.18% to real GDP in Nigeria in Q4 2015. This is mainly due to mechanised farming and to other activities in the agribusiness value chain. It is being fuelled by the Government owing to its focus on agribusiness as a driver for poverty alleviation, and in part by continued investment by commercial farmers. Given the fall in the international price of crude oil over the past 18 months, the Government has encouraged agricultural exports as an alternative foreign exchange earner. A number of challenges in the agricultural sector remain to be addressed. These include inadequate infrastructure, access to credit, and the training and education of smallholder farmers in modern farming techniques. Adequate focus on these matters would certainly assist in improving Nigerias food security, grow its GDP and increase its foreign earnings. Risk management African agribusinesses also indicated they have maintained focus on risk management, with the majority of survey respondents (95.2%), periodically conducting a formal risk assessment. It is also positive to note that 53.8% of respondents prepare an integrated report. Human resources (HR) models and processes are beginning to evolve, with more emphasis being placed on technology to improve networks and data. Agribusinesses are looking to their HR teams to provide not only basic services and transactional activities, but also strategic insights and workforce intelligence. Businesses indicated internal HR capacity, labour unrest, employee turnover, and communication between employees and management, as the most challenging human resources matters. Although there is widespread consensus on the reality of global climate change, much uncertainty still exists when it comes to the exact measurable impact of changes in climatic conditions on agriculture and food security. The majority of agribusinesses are of the view that climate change will have a significant impact on SSA agriculture in the future 41.2% indicated that there will be a significant impact in the short term and 35.3% that there will be an impact over the next 20 years. In addition, 35.3% of agribusiness leaders indicated that they are considering investment in renewable energy, while 29.4% have already done so. The main forms of renewable energy that agribusinesses have invested in are solar energy and biogas. Increased pressure on the profitability of farming and agricultural business activities is forcing the agricultural sector to be an early adopter of new technologies in order that it may improve the productivity and profitability of the sector. Artificial intelligence Survey respondents noted the availability of real-time data as the biggest opportunity for technological innovation. In addition drones are fast becoming a real green-tech tool. Global research also shows that artificial intelligence (AI) farming will be the main enabling factor in increasing the worlds agricultural production capacity to meet the demands of the growing population. This goes hand in hand with precision farming and other technology trends. The majority of survey respondents (76.5%) agree that AI farming will make a major contribution to increasing capacity in Africa over the next 10 years. Only 47% of businesses had already invested or plan to invest in the development of AI farming capabilities for primary production. This could be due to the cost of implementation, which was noted as the biggest restriction to the use of AI farming capabilities (64.7%). All agribusinesses indicated that they felt a responsibility towards food security. Food quality and safety is the one pillar of food security that respondents indicated they can contribute towards the most followed by availability and affordability. It is also positive to note that all businesses indicated their agribusinesses contribute towards corporate social investment (CSI). The top three areas of investment are: healthcare, education and personal upliftment. It is predicted that technological innovation will act as a catalyst in lifting agribusiness to the next level in Africa. The winners will be those agribusinesses that seize the opportunity to create new opportunities through technology they will be able to reach their strategic goals faster and more efficiently, concludes Weilbach. Brian Chesky cofounder and CEO of Airbnb, kicked off his keynote presentation at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity with the following rather staggering quote: "Tonight in Cannes, 5,100 people are staying at Airbnb and 1.3million people are staying in an Airbnb somewhere in the world." This is the company that a few years ago coined its name after its first guest stayed on an inflated mattress and was served a fabulous breakfast. Chesky sums up the humble beginning as: They were greeted as strangers and left as friends. Its a statement that highlights Cheskys belief that all people are fundamentally good. They wanted to create a sharing and trusting world, where people who travel always feel they belong. Good intentions aside, it hasnt always been smooth sailing. For example, in 2011 a womans apartment was trashed after a guests visit and the backlash was severe. People posted messages with the hashtag #RIPAIRBNB. As a company, they had to make a decision on how to deal with this crisis, was based on the difference between a business decision and principle decision. They did what they believed was right: They wrote a letter to a million people apologising to the owner of the trashed apartment with a $50k guarantee as well as Cheskys personal email address. If you are not willing to risk anything, do nothing, states Chesky This ties into the trend of people moving from trusting big brands to trusting people. This is evident from social media in all forms, where the people have a voice. Mobile: Beyond the smartphone Travel is one of the least informed industries there is, as tourism promotes things that locals would never do themselves. Chesky uses the analogy of travelling on a cruise ship vs. staying at an Airbnb. When a traveller comes off the ship, they are an outsider. When you stay at an Airbnb, you get to know the area and community. You are an insider. You are connected. We are in the business of providing amazing trips for people. An end-to-end experience where you get to interact with the people, he explains. Chesky believes the future is all about mobile, and this is not to just about the smartphone. More people are more mobile in their cities. Live a month here and a month there. Thats why Chesky says politicians like Donald Trump wanting to build a wall and the possibility of Brexit or Britains exit from the EU are creating a world of hunkering down and isolation, which younger people do not want. They want to be global citizens. They want a world where they feel they can be trusted and where they can belong, and Airbnb wants to provide this. The decision whether to use real people connected with a brand or to pay actors or voice artists is often a difficult one to make. In its favour, a marketing ad using real people, telling real stories, has the sort of authenticity that no slick script ever could. Seeing real people sends a message that the brand is not aloof, that it is part of your community and that it understands you. On the downside, using some business people to speak about their organisations can tank badly. You know what I mean: close your eyes and hear the blunt, nasal tones saying: Hi, Im so-and-so If something grates instantly, it can turn you off the rest of the message. However, in using real people for the new Pam Golding Properties campaign, ad agency 140 BBDO decided to use Pam Golding agents. You see them, sometimes confident, sometimes a bit bashful, sometimes giggly, in their own environments or doing their hobbies. They are an interesting gender, race and age mix, reflecting the changes that are happening in our society, political points-scoring notwithstanding. The message that runs through it is simple: Hi, Im Pam... Everyone is Pam clearly not by name or even gender, but by their shared commitment to the real estate company. The end of the commercial shows the actual Pam Golding, still going strong, as is the brand she established back in 1976 a truly South African institution. She is the actual Pam. I suppose one could wonder whether the idea came out of the global Je suis solidarity protests that have followed terror attacks. But I dont think that is a bad thing on the contrary, it taps into a need (increasing, I believe, in this age of digital isolation) by people to be part of a group and to show that they care. I am Pam is simple. It is comforting. And when you want to buy a house you need simplicity, comfort and, above all, trust. All of the various Pams convey that. So, Orchids to Pam Golding and to 140 BBDO, as well as one to Michael Middleton and Janet Sender from Jump Films, who made it all come to life. Screengrabs from the ad - they're all 'Pam'. Warning: Grumpy Old Man about to rage about language (again!) I recognise language is always changing and that English, the worlds most common form of verbal communication, is adapting to the influence of digital technology, where everything is quicker and short cuts abound. However, sometimes companies use words in incorrect contexts that in effect render them senseless and this has nothing to do with technology. Latest culprit is MTN, which recently issued a breathless press release (arent they all, though?) saying the cell phone network was ranging the much-awaited Huawei P9 and P9 Lite LTE smartphone, for both prepaid and post-paid customers. Ranging? In correct English terms, range or ranging are words used to denote variations in things like length, or distance for example. Ranging can also mean going on ahead of something. I do understand what MTN was trying to say: that it is introducing the new smartphone range. But that is, emphatically, not what it said in the release. I would worry about my cellular service provider being sloppy with the way it uses words, especially when I may have to argue with it at some stage about the fine print in its T&Cs. So, MTN, start (ar)ranging to collect your Onion. *Note that Bizcommunity staff and management do not necessarily share the views of its contributors - the opinions and statements expressed herein are solely those of the author.* Ornico's campaign analysis of the inaugural The CEO SleepOut in 2015 has been awarded two Gold Awards at the prestigious AMEC Awards, held in London on 16 June 2016. This is the world's premium awards celebrating excellence in communications measurement and evaluation. Ornico was awarded Gold for both the "Best use of measurement for a single event" and "Best measurement of a not-for profit campaign", beating stiff competition from global campaigns featuring Pope Francis, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Unicef. Now in its 14th year, the AMEC Awards aim to recognise and celebrate exceptional global work and accomplishments in making research, measurement and analytics integral in communication. It is the first time that an entry from Africa has received this international award. Ornico, the Brand Intelligence research company, joined The CEO SleepOut as a friend in 2015, volunteering its media research and analysis services to assist the organisation in its fundraising initiative. By using the Barcelona Principles best measurement principles Ornico could clearly demonstrate that key media and public relations objectives were being met. The CEO SleepOut 2015 surpassed its targets and raised more than R26m for Girls and Boys Town, the most ever for a single South African fund raising initiative. Solid benchmarks were also created to enable improved campaign planning for The CEO SleepOut 2016 being held on the Nelson Mandela Bridge in Johannesburg on 28 July 2016. The fact that our philanthropic event from South Africa was acknowledged on a global stage, alongside such notable brands as The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Mission Australia, not to mention Pope St. Frances, is incredibly humbling. We are proud to position Ornico as a Friend in the 2015 and 2016 CEO SleepOut Champions line-up, says Ali Gregg, CEO of The SleepOutTM. Gregg added that Ornicos in-depth media tracking, before and after the event, provided them with a credible and tangible platform to demonstrate that they met their communication objectives. Ali Gregg believes that Ornicos best measurement principles can and should be used as a valuable analytics tool across multiple industries in South Africa, in traditional business and not-for-profit sectors. AMEC (The International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication) is the worlds largest professional body for communications research, media intelligence and insights and boasts membership from more than 48 countries. It is arguably most well-known for pioneering the Barcelona Principles of public relations and communication measurement. ROI is a buzzword many companies, agencies and brands try to pursue. The question asked should always be, what are we trying to achieve and how do we measure it? That is why we are excited to have won this award, it enables us to help our clients be world-class in measuring what matters, says Ornico CEO Oresti Patricios The AMEC Awards was held in conjunction with AMECs 2016 International Summit which saw global communication experts from more than 30 countries in attendance. New research, Worldwide Digital Advertising: 2016-2020, from UK-based Juniper Research, has found that despite the rising adoption of ad blockers, better audience targeting will drive higher click through rates and increase publisher revenues. The study found that global digital advertising spend across mobile, wearable and online devices will exceed $285bn by 2020, up from an estimated $160bn in 2016. This will be driven by an average annual growth of 22% in mobile and wearable advertising spend, as brands and retailers continue to invest in mobile consumer engagement. Research author Sam Barker added, Publishers, such as Facebook, are utilising their unprecedented audience knowledge to offer advertisers highly accurate targeting, thereby increasing the click through rates that advertisers are witnessing now. Publishers who are able to offer the most efficient targeting are set to become the most popular amongst advertisers. The report highlighted that increased ad revenues will be further driven by faster real time bidding processes from exchanges such as the Rubicon Project and Fiksu. By streamlining the bidding process, page load times are reduced increasing the user experience. Mobile becomes the biggest platform Last year saw ad revenues from mobile platforms surpassing those from online platforms, offering publishers the opportunity to capitalise on a sector that is both growing and has a comparatively low adoption of mobile ad blockers. However, mobile ad blocking adoption is expected to increase over the next five years, as users bring the benefits of the technology onto their mobile devices. The research also warned that publishers will have to contend with the introduction of network level ad blocking, currently being deployed by the UK mobile operator Three. The whitepaper, Digital Advertisers vs The Ad Blockers is now available to download from the Juniper website, together with further details of the full research. Juniper Research provides research and analytical services to the global hi-tech communications sector, providing consultancy, analyst reports and industry commentary. Serco worked closely with e-commerce retailer, Takealot.com, in its move to own and operate its own fleet of dry body vehicles. Takealot has large warehouses in both Johannesburg and Cape Town from where they deliver consumer goods direct to online buyers. Serco, in consultation with the Takealot team, designed some key aspects into the new fleet of 22 vehicles it has supplied to the company, including: Lightweight bodies fitted onto Hyundai H100 vehicles for easy access and to suit door-to-door deliveries Nosecones for improved performance and fuel efficiency Tail lifts to facilitate quick and efficient loading and offloading of goods. Serco completed the manufacture of the bodies at its factories in Cape Town and Johannesburg earlier this year. Serco's managing director, Clinton Holcroft, said buying online and having the goods - both dry and perishable - delivered to your home was a fast growing trend in the United Kingdom and Europe generally. Buying online is happening in South Africa and I have no doubt it will soon become extremely popular. Having smaller, more maneuverable vehicles to handle deliveries makes good sense, especially as heavy vehicles are often prohibited from entering housing estates. Many South Africans have shopped online, but their total spend is only a fraction of retail spend in South Africa. Effective Measure, a provider of digital audience, brand and advertising effectiveness measurement and targeting solutions, interviewed 12,000 people recently about online shopping. It found 56% of respondents had shopped online. As much as 48% of them were aged between 25 and 44. Most respondents lived in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape. As much as 50% of respondents had a household income of R20,000 plus. The respondents were educated, with 58% having a post matric qualification and they are economically active, with more than 60% working full time. As much as 87% of respondents accessed the internet and 26% spend more than five hours on the internet daily. This is a significantly large number than those who watch television. As much as 38% of the respondents were accessing the internet primarily through a mobile phone and 29% accessed it from a work or personal computer. A staggering 59% of online shoppers preferred to do their online shopping on a desktop computer. This was while 27% preferred to use their mobile phone. "I think people trust buying goods via a desktop computer as opposed to via a mobile phone. They feel their account details will be protected and the transaction will be safe," said Nicolle Harding, the Effective Measure lead for SA said. This would shift in time. Nevertheless, 59% said an "on delivery" payment option would motivate them to do more online purchases. "There are various things which could inspire more online shopping. One of these is that the delivery of goods improves; that reliability improves thanks to better transport infrastructure. Its a lot easier to get goods quickly in the US," said Harding. Harding said she expected companies to take advantage of peoples growing use of mobile phones. Mobile commerce in Africa was growing about 2.5 times quicker than e-commerce was. This was even if online shopping still accounted for only a few percent of the value of annual shopping in South Africa. Newly listed fast foods franchisor Gold Brands Investments, which owns the Chesanyama brand, has acquired affordable eatery concept Mama Chaka's - heralding an unexpected return to the JSE of food sector entrepreneur Dennis Finch. Donna Oosthuyse from the JSE; Praxia Nathanael, Gold Brands Investments CEO and chief operating officer, Stylianos Nathanael, at the groups listing.Picture: Martin Rhodes On Monday, Gold Brands said it would pay between R15m to R20m for Mama Chakas, depending on the achievement of profit warranties. The vendors of Mama Chakas are Roelcor Holdings, Axiom Developments, where Finch is a director; and Yvonne Mhinga (vocalist and composer Yvonne Chaka Chaka), serves as the brand ambassador. Finch, who was last seen on the JSE in the late 1990s with the listing of restaurant franchising cluster King Consolidated Holdings (Kingco), will join Gold Brands to run the Mama Chakas division. Finch listed Kingco, which at one time owned fast-food and restaurant brands such as Bimbos, Mikes Kitchen, the Keg, McGintys, and Saddles in the late nineties. Kingco was not a listing savoured by the market, and after enduring a torrid trading period for about 10 years, it was delisted from the JSE in 2009. The Mama Chakas concept and brand was developed by Finch in 2014, and mainly comprises of meals based on affordable and traditional chicken and beef recipes. The Mama Chakas brand has an emerging market flavour, and operates through 14 franchised kiosks and converted spaza shops, as well as via 27 Total fuel station Bonjour outlet stores. Gold Brands said there were plans to roll out 115 outlets over the next 24 months noting that Mama Chakas had recently been listed in Fresh Stop stores. Last week, Gold Brands reported maiden results with revenue 14% higher at R235.5m, and gross profit jumping 38% to R61m for the year ending February. Headline earnings came in at 10.25c per share. Nenegate and the subsequent fallout put South Africa firmly on the investment communities' radar, but it did have a positive spin-off in that it forced government, big business and labour to play nicely and come up with a plan to save the country from junk status. For their part, the government put together the Nine-Point Plan aimed at reigniting growth and creating jobs, which yesterday it reported was making steady progress. The plan focuses on areas such as energy, tourism, agriculture, boosting SMMES, science and technology, industrialisation, transport and others. Energy The Integrated Energy Plan, the overarching energy policy, will, once completed, provide answers to various questions the country has been grappling with regarding energy. The energy contribution of IPPs is expected to grow to approximately 7MW in 2016, while private investment in the programme currently exceeds R194bn. The DoE will announce the preferred bidders from the first bid submission for domestic coal projects in July 2016. The bids will have a combined capacity of 900MW at an investment of R45bn, rolled over the next four years. Fifty-two percent of total job opportunities in highly successful Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Programme have gone to the youth. The Biofuels Regulatory Framework will be submitted to cabinet during this financial year. It will outline how the nascent biofuels industry will be financially selected and supported. The nuclear energy expansion programme remains part of the future energy mix. The procurement plan for 9,600MW nuclear build programme will be implemented at a pace informed by what the country can afford. The DoE has worked on facilitating the gas-to-power programme. The exploitation of ndigenous gas (coal bed methane and shale gas) as well as the regional natural gas resources must be seen in the broader context of regional integration. Solar water heating has taken off, with contracts placed for the supply of the first 9,000 baseline systems. The next step is to commence with the training of local communities in the installation of the systems, with a specific target being the youth, women and other designated groups. The electrification programme has made remarkable progress in increasing access to electricity in South Africa by connecting over 6,7m households between 1994 and March 2016. As of February 2016, access to electricity stands at 88% since 1994. Tourism The travel and tourism sector in general attracted capital investment of R63bn in 2015 and contributed R118,6bn directly. This primarily reflects the economic activity generated by industries such as hotels, restaurants, leisure activities, travel agents, airlines and other passenger transportation services (excluding commuter services). This progress generated 703,000 jobs directly in 2015 (4,5% of total employment). The total contribution of travel and tourism to employment, including wider effects from investment, the supply chain and induced income impacts, was 1,5m jobs in 2015, which is 9,9% of total employment. Agriculture With regards to financing for agriculture, the Land Bank is making progress. Internal governance and control processes have improved considerably as reflected in unqualified audit opinions since the 2012 financial year and reduced non-performing loans which now represent approximately 5,5% of the now significantly larger loan book, down from 22,5% in 2009. The loan book has expanded from R16bn in 2008 to approaching R40bn to date. About R2,5bn or 6,5% of the loan book is devoted to development loans compared to no investment eight years ago. The process of transforming the Land Bank into a strong development finance institution that plays an even bigger and more effective role in rural and agricultural development will be accelerated and deepened. Science and technology The department of science and technology recently launched the country's first bio-manufacturing industry development centre (BIDC) in Pretoria. Currently its supporting 19 enterprises of which 16 are owned by black entrepreneurs, including 10 black women-owned enterprises. 55 permanent and 171 temporary jobs have already been created, with 54 interns trained. Companies incubated at the BIDC have access to ready-to-use bio-manufacturing facilities, support in research and development laboratories. The initial phase will result in the creation of permanent and temporary jobs with the economic impact projected at R250m per annum in the next five years. Unlocking SMMEs, cooperatives and township enterprise potential A total of 117 black women-owned enterprises have been supported through the cooperative incentive scheme to the value of R35,9m, while 325 women-owned enterprises were supported through the Black Business Supplier Development Programme to the value of R45,2m. The department of small business development has provided support to 992 informal retailers and 45 informal trader organisations in the past financial year nationally. Of these, 559 were women owned and 213 were young traders. Industrial policy action plan and investment promotion The department of trade and industry has attracted investments of over R25bn in the automotive industry in the past five years, which supporst more than 4,000 jobs with total employment in the plant already exceeding 8,000 jobs. Toyota injected of R6,1bn investment into South Africa's manufacturing industry and the country's local vehicle production. BMW has also announced the construction of a R6bn state-of-the-art body shop, which will allow it to produce and export the next generation of the BMW X3. Operation Phakisa: boosting the ocean economy and tourism Over the last 18 months, approximately R17bn in investments had been attracted, creating approximately 4,500 jobs. Within the aquaculture sector, 10 aquaculture projects had been implemented. This secured investments totalling R444m from government and industry, creating around 521 jobs (23% women and 66% youth) and a projected production of 2,901 tonnes. South African National Parks (SANParks) is refuting several media reports that suggest that the part of the fence that was dropped between the Kruger National Park and Limpopo National Park as part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park agreement is to blame for the shooting of wildlife. The statement cannot be true for a number of reasons; some amongst others is the fact that there is no fence that can prevent thieves from doing their dirty work if they are determined to do so; and again the area where the fence was dropped over ten years ago, an area of about 40km north of Shingwedzi, is not where the park has suffered the highest number of rhino poaching incidents since the scourge began in 2008. The fact is that the highest number of rhino poached is in the southern part of the park where the fence is still intact. It is equally important to note that the fence that was removed in 2004 also had no security features and it was a simple five-foot high cable fence. SANParks is fully committed to the Peace Parks concept and, thus, a committed member of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park which comprises of the Kruger National Park in South Africa, Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and Limpopo National Park in Mozambique, said William Mabasa the acting head of communications in SANParks. Bigger space for wildlife On 9 December 2002, the heads of state of Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe signed an international treaty at Xai-Xai in Mozambique to establish the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park which we are all committed to making sure reaches its full realisation which is to afford our wildlife a bigger space on which to roam and provide economic benefits to the three countries involved, said Mabasa. The Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA) is truly the jewel among the various southern African TFCAs currently being developed, continued Mabasa. In 2006, the Giriyondo tourist access facility between the Limpopo and Kruger National Parks was opened. Almost 5,000 heads of game have been translocated from Kruger to Limpopo National Park. This, combined with 40km of fencing being dropped, has encouraged more animals, including over 1,000 elephants and over 1,000 buffalo, to cross the border of their own accord. A spill over of the wildlife crime wave A fence will never keep thieves out of any area. The dropped fence is not the reason for the increased poaching in South Africa. Poaching is also not a uniquely South African problem, it is a continental, if not a worldwide, problem which needs a global approach to win. Sub-Saharan Africa is losing 30,000 elephants to wildlife crime every year and what we are experiencing now is a spill over of this crime wave into South Africa said Mabasa. As long as the demand for illegal ivory and rhino horn exists and escalates, interventions at the ground level cannot solve the problem. A multi-pronged approach addressing the entire illicit trafficking chain is the only feasible way to address organised wildlife crime. By simplifying it and putting blame on the removal of a 40km cable fence line out of the total border area of Kruger of over 400km, does not do justice to the complexity and seriousness of the challenges being faced. Benefits of the peace parks initiative It is further of importance to note, that as a result of the peace parks initiative, over R640 million is being made available for developing the Mozambique component of the Transfrontier Park until 2022. Amongst others, the funding includes support for infrastructure development, socio-economic development (which constitutes a rural development and resettlement programme to move close to 8,000 people away from the core Transfrontier Park to areas more suitable for sustainable livelihoods) as well as park management and anti-poaching operations. Without the existence of the Transfrontier Park, investments at this scale and level would simply not have been possible. Kruger National Park officials are working together with Limpopo National Park on a continuous basis and have together in the past achieved a lot of successes in their collaboration in a number of strategic anti-poaching interventions, including improved cross-border collaboration and operations, joint training initiatives and the development of a joint communications system. SANParks is committed to conservation and building relations with its neighbours, concluded Mabasa. The South African government's new regulations for the importation of livestock will affect the Namibian livestock industry severely as it would limit livestock exports to that country and reduce producers' income. afnewsagency via pixabay The new import regulations for the export of cattle, sheep and goats from Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, and Swaziland, according to the South African Government Gazette No. 714, is aimed at protecting that country's animal health status. The new regulations, effective from 1 July, involve strict animal health testing, and will basically close the door on imports from Namibia. Chief veterinary officer Milton Maseke said Namibia exports on average around 250,000 weaners and an equal number of goats and fat-tailed sheep to neighboring South Africa. The new SA conditions will result in extra testing and quarantines for the animals, resulting in fewer animals becoming eligible for export. "From our previous experience, we are only able to certify 10% of the animals under these conditions," the veterinarian said, adding that this would mean more animals will remain in Namibia. This will increase the pressure on scarce resources such as grazing due to the drought and lack of marketing options for producers, thereby reducing their income. He said the Department of Veterinary Services in its efforts to mitigate the impact on Namibian livestock producers will meet to strategise how the limited certification can equitably be made available to producers to ensure that at least some animals continue to be exported to South Africa. Maseke could not comment at this stage on what Namibia's response will be on the finality of the consultations with South Africa. Anja Boshoff of the Meat Board echoed similar sentiments that the new regulations will delay animal exports to SA and increase costs to the producer to have their livestock exported. "It will mean extra vaccination and national identification tagging. Planning will be difficult with the animal health testing as our country does not have many veterinarians," she added. However, Boshoff urged producers not to panic, saying there is still another ongoing negotiation on the export of slaughter stock, which could result in favourable regulations for exportation to South Africa. She, however, acknowledged that the latter negotiations have lost momentum, adding that she could thus not say when it would resume and be concluded. Boshoff thus advised the producers to be prepared to comply with the new regulations, saying veterinary services is busy finalising a protocol to prepare for animal exports to South Africa. The Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU) says more must be done to promote farming as a career choice to the youth if we want to promote a productive and profitable professional sector. Leaders of farmers organisations in Southern Africa unpacked this issue at a SACAU Annual Conference held last month in Swaziland, under the theme Youth, Technology, and Agricultural Transformation. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), young people aged 15 - 24 make up 14% of the global population. Speaking at the conference, SACAU CEO Ishmael Sunga said it was time to change perceptions of agriculture in order to bring in a younger generation into the sector: Engaging the youth would provide greater opportunities to modernise agriculture and make it more productive and competitive, said Sunga. With an aging farming population and low productivity, youth are vital in improving agricultural productivity, adds Sunga. Therefore, farmers organisations need to promote farming as a career choice as this will ensure participation in agricultural activities by the youth. In order to enable transformation, the sector will need to be professionalised, particularly with respect to the development of a new generation of farmers. The youth, who are viewed as the potential users of modern ICTs, could be used as a key to drive transformation in farming, said Sunga. The deployment of ICTs in agricultural development is perhaps the catalyst that is needed for the involvement of the youth in this sector, said Dr. B. Sibusiso Dlamini, prime minister of Swaziland. Farmers organisations need to build bridges between the relatively inexperienced young farmers and the older farmers who have invaluable experience. The theme for ArchitectureZA (AZA) 2016, 'SCALE', will explore ratio and proportion in design, says Daniel van der Merwe, president of the Gauteng Institute for Architecture (GIfA) and architect at PPC. The conference will examine how architects and other designers work with both bigness and smallness across disciplines. We will show how architects can work across all manners of different scales, incorporating both micro and macro scale into design. The Wits Johannesburg campus, as the venue, allows for a fantastic array of SCALE elements to be incorporated into the programme, he adds. The AZA16 festival brings together local and international professionals. Workshops, seminars and exhibitions provide an opportunity for multi-disciplinary delegates to network and learn. Keynote speakers will include experts from both South Africa and abroad, such as Emeritus Professor of Architecture at the University of California in Berkeley Stanley Saitowitz, and Baerbel Mueller from the University of Applied Arts Vienna. Building the city Emeritus Professor of Architecture at the University of California in Berkeley Stanley Saitowitz Saitowitz will explore the topic of building the city an ancient process which has been in progress for millennia. He will demonstrate how each contributing part in architecture should add to the whole of a city, taking its surroundings into account. The festival also provides an opportunity for students to showcase their unique designs. A submission area for the Des Baker 2016 competition will be set up at AZA16. To qualify for the competition (with up to R 25,000 to be won), students need to identify issues related to urbanisation and develop long-term interventions. The task is to design multiple small urban objects for various locations, forming a network as part of a strategy to address an identified issue. This years AZA is going to be the best yet! says van der Merwe. We cannot wait to see the creativity and growth that will take place at the event. It will showcase how solutions, both big and small, can make a positive difference in areas where urbanisation is taking place. For designers and architects, it is most definitely one not to be missed, he concludes. For more information about AZA16, go to http://architectureza.org. In the ongoing US court battle between the ZA Central Registry (ZACR) and DotConnectAfrica Trust (DCA), a California court granted the ZACR's motion to dismiss all claims against it by DCA, in relation to DCA's ongoing attempts to stall the public availability of the .africa (dotAfrica) generic Top Level Domain (gTLD). The Californian judge sent a firm message to DCA that its spurious claims against the ZACR are deficient in law and do not stand up to proper scrutiny. As matters currently stand, the next step in these US-based legal proceedings is to wait for the judge to rule on the ZACRs motion to reconsider his Preliminary Injunction. We are confident matters will again be concluded in our favour, said ZACR CEO, Lucky Masilela. DCA now has the opportunity to amend its claims or the case against ZACR will be withdrawn. It is important to note that DCAs additional claims against ICANN (The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names & Numbers) are still being evaluated by the court. The ZACR is the African Union Commissions preferred registry operator for the dotAfrica gTLD and has more than the 60% required support from individual African governments. ZACR, Africas largest registry operator, furthermore has a legally binding ICANN Registry Agreement, signed on 24 March 2014. On 12 April 2016, the Central District Court of California granted a preliminary injunction in favour of DCA, which prevented the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) from immediately delegating the rights to the dotAfrica gTLD to ZACR. Subsequent to the preliminary injunction, ZACR has joined the litigation process directly and has requested the judge to reconsider his previous decision. The reason for the ZACR request is that the judge based his decision on a key factual error. DCAs application never passed ICANNs Initial Evaluation (IE) process and it is unlikely that it ever will because DCA does not have the requisite government support and has attracted significant government opposition. We will continue to support the court process and look forward to a speedy resolution that will advance Africas Internet interests, concluded Masilela. On its last stop in South Africa, the floating bookshop Logos Hope , will make her first ever visit to Cape Town and will be open to the public at the V&A Waterfront on 24 June. In addition to its array of quality and affordable books, the unique vessel offers exlclusive on-board events. Arne List via Wikiedia Commons Logos Hope offers an expanded selection of over 5,000 titles at affordable prices. They cover a range of subjects including science, sports, hobbies, and family life. With childrens titles, academic texts, dictionaries, atlases and more, the book fair is something the whole family can enjoy. Additionally, the rest of the Visitor Experience deck is also open for the public to explore. From the Welcome Area, which introduces the new vessel through a short movie and interactive displays, to the International Cafe, which has ice cream, drinks, and snacks for sale, there is sure to be something for everyone. Details: MV Logos Hope will open to the public at V&A Waterfront, Jetty 2, from 24 June to 11 July 2016. Opening hours are: 24 June from 2pm 9.30pm, Sundays through Tuesdays from 2pm 9.30pm and Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10am 9.30 pm. Entrance fee is R5. Children under 12 years old enter for free, but must be accompanied by an adult. Pensioners over 65 years old also enter for free. The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe Date: Sat, 25 June 2016 | Sun, 3 July | 10 July Time: 3pm 4.45pm/7pm - 8.45pm Tickets: R50 (Children under 12 and Elderly over 65 half price, children below two years free of charge) - All events have limited seats. Tickets are available in Computicket store located at all Checkers, Shoprite, CheckersHyper, House & Home China has built the world's fastest supercomputer using locally made microchips, a survey said on Monday, the first time the country has taken the top spot without using US technology. Jack Dongarra The Sunway TaihuLight machine is twice as fast as the previous number one, which was built in China with chips from US firm Intel, the Top500 survey of supercomputers said on its website www.top500.org. China also has more top-ranked supercomputers than the US for the first time since the survey began, with 167 compared to 165. Located at China's national supercomputer centre in the eastern city of Wuxi, the Sunway TaihuLight will be used for climate modelling and life science research. Its performance ends "speculation that China would have to rely on Western technology to compete effectively in the upper echelons of supercomputing," the survey's website said. The supercomputers on the Top500 list, which is produced twice a year, are rated based on speed in a benchmark test by experts from Germany and the US. Of the top ten fastest computers, two are in China, with four in the US, the ranking said. Others are in Japan, Germany, Switzerland and Saudi Arabia. China has poured money into big-ticket science and technology projects as it seeks to become a high-tech leader. It plans to open the world's largest radio telescope in south-eastern China this year, state-media reported. But despite some gains the country's scientific output still lags behind, and its universities generally fare poorly in global rankings. Source: AFP Also read: Introducing Lengau: Africa's fastest super computer Bidvest McCarthy has invested in a new Isuzu Trucks franchise dealership sited at Gateway Industrial Park in Pretoria East. Bidvest McCarthy Isuzu Trucks is offering on-site, after hours and Saturday servicing as well as a drivers' lounge where drivers can relax while their trucks are being serviced. Isuzu Trucks chief operating officer, Craig Uren, emphasises the importance of truck service and parts supply. Isuzu Truck dealers are a service organisation that also sell trucks and this new dealer is a further development that flows out of a truck marketing study conducted in 2002. There are Isuzu truck dealers in Pretoria North, Pretoria West and Midrand. The Bidvest McCarthy Pretoria East investment now closes the service loop for this region in addition to a route presence on the N4. At the helm of the new operation is Bidvest McCarthy dealer principal Liza-Marie Gibson. Steve Keys, group chief executive officer of Bidvest Automotive, comments, While South Africa is experiencing economic hard times, we do not see the market segments that this new dealership will serve contracting as much as the economy. Business success comes from cooperation and collaboration... The Bidvest industrial conglomerate is extensively involved in freight management, logistics services, terminal operations, and marine and aviation services. Euromonitor International has published a new report entitled Apparel and Footwear in 2016: Trends, Developments and Prospects. It has found that the global apparel and footwear industry remains strong, posting over 5% value growth in 2015 - slightly up from the previous year. Asia Pacific remains the world's largest regional apparel and footwear market. Despite slowing growth, sales in the region still grew by $30bn in 2015. However, The Middle East and Africa is set to be the most dynamic region for apparel and footwear over 2015 to 2020 with value sales of $134bn by 2020. Apparel and footwear analyst of Euromonitor, Bernadette Kissane, commented: In apparel and footwear, the differences between emerging and developed markets are significant. Developed markets reported value and volume growth of 2%, while emerging markets witnessed value growth of 8% and volume at 3% in apparel and footwear during 2015. Consumers remain cautious in developed markets as economic growth appears fragile, additionally, wider availability of trend-led products at low prices and impressive growth in e-commerce continue to affect unit prices and value growth. In contrast, emerging markets are benefiting from rising disposable incomes and aspirational purchases. Africa is considered to be the 'next Asia' for the fashion industry, both in terms of the consumer base as well as product sourcing. Thriving economies and substantially young populations that are tech savvy are resulting in growing awareness of global fashion brands throughout the region. Increasing exposure to international media, combined with rising disposable incomes, provides lucrative opportunities for brands seeking to capitalise on the long-term growth of this region. SA has played a pivotal role The report highlights that South Africa has played a pivotal role in the development of the region, accounting for 12% of absolute value growth over 2010 to 2015. As a result, the market has attracted a slew of international brands, including Zara, Gap, Forever21 and, more recently, H&M. In addition to capitalising on the growing middle class, the market is also seen as a springboard into Africa. Internet retailing is increasing in importance, with dynamic growth that continues to surpass the overall apparel industry. The proliferation of smartphones and tablets, which posted CAGRs of 38% and 165%, respectively, over 2010 to 2015, has enabled consumers to research products before they buy. As it becomes cheaper to access the internet and e-tailers offer free delivery, consumers are beginning to favour shopping from home, providing additional opportunities for brands to reach consumers in more rural areas. Although the market has been steadily growing for the past five years, 2016 is expected to be the start of slowing growth as economic and political instability take its toll on the industry. Loeries Creative Future Scholarship: Investing in creativity to secure the future Yolisa Motha Former US president John F Kennedy is quoted as saying: Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education. In South Africa, were acutely aware of the gulf that exists between where we are as a nation and where we want to be, and I believe that the only sustainable way to get there is through investing in the young minds who hold our future in their hands, Andrew Human, CEO of the Loeries. Now in its ninth year, the Loeries Creative Future Scholarship seeks to push South Africa forward by bolstering its creative economy through investing in creative skills development. The scholarship aims to assist learners from disadvantaged backgrounds to study brand communication at a tertiary level, and build awareness of the career opportunities available in the creative services sector. Unlike other education funds, the Loeries Creative Future Scholarship goes to high schools and seeks out talented individuals. Through this process, learners who would otherwise be unaware of the opportunities available to them are given a foothold to enter the creative economy. The Loeries Creative Future Scholarship is the richest scholarship in the local creative industry. It includes tuition fees, allowances for study materials and textbooks, a computer, living expenses, transport subsidy, mentorship, internships and assistance with employment after graduation. In 2017, the Loeries is once again partnering with the Vega School of Brand Leadership in Durban, and entry is open to Grade 12 learners in KwaZulu-Natal. It is our aim to help youngsters transform their lives with the best asset they have their minds, says Andrew Human, CEO of the Loeries. In 2015, Yolisa Motha and Nomfundo Mcoyi, both from Durban Girls High School, were awarded full scholarships. Both have embarked on the next phase of their creative journeys, and are in their first year at Vega School of Brand Leadership in Durban. Additional scholarships in 2015 were awarded to Azuri Muhuli from Glenwood High School and Wandile Cele from Hillgrove High School, to study at Vega Durban; and Melissa Paterson from Durban Girls High School, who is in her first year at Design School South Africa, Durban. The Entry Process: Entries are open exclusively to talented Grade 12 learners from financially disadvantaged backgrounds in KwaZulu-Natal. To help streamline the selection process, educators should identify Grade 12 learners who show strong potential in disciplines such as writing, design, photography, animation, film, drawing or the like and apply on their behalf by Monday, 4 July. The selection process involves a review of learners portfolios, a creative challenge, and a grueling interview. Successful candidates must matriculate with university exemption. Entries close on 4 July. Go to loeries.com to download the entry form and be part of a future that looks for creative solutions to real problems. Major Partners of the Loeries 2016 Tourism KwaZulu-Natal (TKZN), the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, KwaZulu-Natal Province (EDTEA), EThekwini Municipality Durban Tourism, DStv Media Sales, Gearhouse South Africa Category Partners Accenture, Adams & Adams, ADreach, Channel O, Facebook, Film & Publication Board, Google, JCDecaux, Public Relations Institute of Southern Africa (PRISA), The Times, Unilever South Africa, Woolworths, YFM Additional Partners and Official Suppliers AAA School of Advertising, Antalis South Africa, Aon South Africa, Arcade Content, Association of Practitioners in Advertising, Backsberg, BEE Online, Brand Council SA, Clive Stewart Photography, Egg Films, First Source, Funk Productions, Gallo Images, Graphica, Grid Worldwide, HelloCrowd, Hetzner, Mobile Marketing Association South Africa, Multiprint Litho, Newsclip, Paygate, Rocketseed, Red Hot Ops, Scan Display, South African Airways, Telkom SA SOC Ltd, Tiekie Barnard Consultancy, Tsogo Sun, Vega School of Brand Leadership Official Media Partners Adlip.com, Between 10and5, Bizcommunity.com, Coloribus Advertising Archive, Design Times, Film & Event Media, iDidTht.com, Marketing Edge Nigeria, Music in Africa, The Redzone Ndosi Strategies' first annual Meeting of the Minds: South Africa's Enterprising Next Generation event will take place on Saturday, 25 June at the Farm SoHo in New York City. Launched by two New York-based South Africans, Yoliswa Cele and Vuma Shongwe, we interviewed them to find out more about the event and its significance in relation to Youth Month. Vuma Shongwe and Yoliswa Cele, co-founders of Ndosi Strategies Tell us a bit about yourselves, as well as the company you co-founded. Yoliswa Cele: I am a South African-born, New York-bred social entrepreneur, the daughter of a Durban-raised housekeeper who migrated to the USA and worked her way up to a 15-year nursing career. My work and passions are centred on youth development, advocacy and social/economic impact in both the diaspora and Africa. As part of the South African diaspora, I am dedicated to contributing to the nations development from any corner of the world where I may find myself. Vuma Shongwe: I am a South African diasporan. Being in the position I am in makes me feel as though I have an opportunity to contribute from a distinct perspective on a number of issues confronting Africa. I would like to make use of the disassociation between myself and my home (which was beyond my control) to build and aid in constructive engagement - in effect, taking the distance and building closeness. Ndosi Strategies is a startup firm providing development services, international platforms and economic investment for primarily African-led startups, public/private organisations, SMEs and entrepreneurs. It is an expression of the need to participate in pushing the boundaries of success and opportunity for Africans in an effective way, making the tools accessible and being invested in the outcome. The scale at which we can catalyse progress by propelling and accelerating indigenous innovation and developing a business arena is immense. All of the promise and possibilities present in Africa can be realised, so our position is calculated with that reality in mind. You have to be active and commited for anything to happen and, given the position of our firm and our talents, we can and should affect change. In this capacity, we will enable other agents of change and take more than a spectator's role in the fate of Africa as a globalised continent. Ndosi Strategies is hosting its first Meeting of the Minds event in New York this month - what's it all about? Meeting of the Minds aims to publicise the African entrepreneurial movement. There needs to be an open platform for the unrecognised forces that are responsible for shaping and, in effect, creating our economy, to deliver their stories without interpretation. We will host South African entrepreneurs and allow them the space to tell the story of business and industry in the independent nation South Africa is today. We'll hear what they view as significant, what is valuable to them, and allow them to broaden their reach and prospects. We will do so in an environment that will make decision-makers and market players register South Africa as a nation equally significant as Nigeria and Kenya, and Africa as investment-worthy as any western or more heavily developed continent. Keynote speaker: Thebe Ikalafeng, founder of African brand and reputation advisory firm Brand Leadership Group What motivated you to launch the event? We noticed that the perceptions around Africa; such as helplessness, inefficiency, stagnation, and being unproductive / uncompetitive, extended out of the social and political arenas and into economics and commerce. However, based on our experience and research, this was extremely inaccurate. In fact, the opposite was true, the dominant communication didn't convey the on-ground reality, and we couldn't sit quietly and swallow the "pitiful Africa" narrative. Theres also the detrimental effects it has had on discussions about the future and our present, as well as the wealth of contradictory narratives we constantly came across. We opted to take a stand and be responsible for turning the discourse towards objective first-hand insight into the situation. The actual players and businesses themselves should be the narrators. How does the event align with 40th anniversary of Youth Month in SA? Although they are now seasoned elders, the leadership and the liberators of our nation were the youth. South Africa is a recent example of the value of youth in the growth of humanity. Recognising the contribution of the youth is imperative and incorporating and recognising them, their skills, ability and their relevance can't be overlooked. Now in this era, the youth are the active element in liberating and advancing Africa in general and South Africa in particular. These young, ambitious, fearless, imaginative, skilled, innovative, and dedicated Africans are the only way that the regression of centuries of inhumanity and deprivation will rapidly be reversed. This event is a result of the uprising that Youth Month commemorates. How would you describe South Africa's current entrepreneurial culture? Is there enough support - who still needs to come to the party? In our observation and interaction, we see the entrepreneur culture as significant, thriving, and highly undervalued. The entrepreneurial space in South Africa is the exact sector that supported and produced the liberation of the nation. The spirit of self-sufficiency and triumph over adversity is the core of entrepreneurship. In South Africa, it was a cultural norm for people to own local businesses and even grow them to the municipal metropolitan or regional level. That may be overshadowed now by an employment focus, but the character that created entrepreneurs even in a time of immense limitations, is still a part of the social and cultural make-up of South Africa. Right now, regardless of the difficulty and the hurdles to business success, we see a proliferation of self-starters in the business field. The youth, not unlike their predecessors, are taking a stand and carving out their own paths to success. They need support and nurturing, but there is no shortage of viable and saleable ideas. We have to collectively begin to patronise and promote our domestic businesses, realising that that value will create greater value for all of us. Again, due to the challenges unique to developing and nascent nations, particularly those of Africa, we notice that the actual quality and competitiveness of African entrepreneurs is undersold. In South Africa, we see ideas on par with and exceeding those of other African nations, and even globally, regardless of region. The belief and investment in new novel concepts, solutions, and products is way too low. But that's positive because given that environment, the level of innovation and drive is even more remarkable and significant. If properly supported, incentivised and promoted, we could see less quick flips and far more job creation, industrial development and national production in a short period of time. We need to communicate this to the chronically unsupported majority. The disadvantaged and the under-represented in any society are often untapped pools of new potential for economies, as well as for many other areas of consequence in growing and sustaining nations. As such, bringing them into the equation is non-negotiable. South African-based participants include Kenny Morifi-Winslow, fashion and cultural digital anthropologist, and Siya Beyile, founder of The Threaded Man. Which industries are most likely to see entrepreneurial growth in the near future? Tech is obviously a good shot, and we can stand to make vast improvement there, however, agriculture, service, and consumer goods, are all going to be growth areas. All are poised to experience growth in activity, unavoidable need for innovation, and heightened demand or a combination of those stimuli. But notably, the most promising area is our informal economy. The township economy is immensely resilient and will be conventionalised in some way in our lifetime. The key is that it is developed by agents who are reflective of its participants and is developed on its own unique terms. It really does have the potential to revolutionise economics in South Africa. Being an area that could be shaped by the unique ecosystem that is the indigenous South African social environment, it could result in an epic windfall for those involved if done correctly. In addition, an arena we are poised to have a great impact in is energy. Based on the current difficulties in this area and our unique geographic and geological characteristics, South Africa is potentially a game changer in the renewable and sustainable energy arena. The global demand for this is unquestionable, however development can be hinged on high capital investment and that leaves room for uncertainty around how our participation in the field will actually pan out. Individuals such as Siya Xhuza and the Musk family of enterprises can be major factors in a successful exploitation of the new demand for renewable energy. What can be done to accelerate youth development in SA? A pluralistic mentality can go a long way. We would benefit from a reinvigorated sense of community and collectivism, particularly among and relative to the youth - a true application of "ubuntu" in advancing the nation. The young have to see themselves as interconnected and their actions as being similarly interrelated. Government involvement and investment is overstated. Its significance has been established, however, the limits of what government can achieve is something that has not been looked into. At this juncture, youth, with the inclination to greatness, can most readily benefit from doing their best to exploit any opportunities, and their own talent and energy. Apart from that, emphasising the spirit of reinvestment and increasing participation, access, and awareness, within their own demographic, would create more growth and progress than solely focusing on the effort of the legislative and public sectors, which have realities and dynamics to contend with that often starkly counter their more noble mandates. The calculation of investment possible, potential returns, and cost of not, is still seemingly more complicated than accepting inability to be effective in a broad way. Understanding the practicality of being able to do, and enabling others to as well, is simple but powerful and the essence of youth advancement in an environment where youth have been models of self-reliance. What does Youth Month mean for you? It means that there is much more to be done. There are big shoes to fill and big shadows to cast. We have to be as transformative or more so than our forebears were. It therefore means that the nation is committed to being a global competitor of significance. Imagination and impatience, the spirit of youth is undisputedly the life-blood of the republic. It has to be fostered and cultivated; it must be active for the nation to persist and prosper. To what do you attribute your success? Hunger. Disappointment. Adversity. Disregard. Having the benefit of the particular upbringing and the fortune of a deep cultural connection to perseverance and resistance, made us consumate problem-solvers. But more importantly, it made every challenge a new opportunity to learn or develop. We believe in our strength, but more significantly, we believe in the inevitability of success. Any words of encouragement for those wanting to follow in your footsteps? Do. Be focused, be passionate, be thorough, be unorthodox, be intentional in your success, and be active. You are only as weak as you believe and every challenge is a new solution. Yoliswa Cele is CEO, and Vuma Shongwe is COO of Ndosi Strategies. Both are co-founders of the organisation. The Meeting of The Minds event is sponsored by Brand SA. For more info, go to https://tmotmsany.eventbrite.com. The Egyptian Criminal Court sentenced Ibrahim Helal, former director of news at Al Jazeera's Arabic channel, and Alaa Sablan, identified by the prosecution as an Al Jazeera journalist, to death on Saturday, 18 June 2016. Dr Mostefa Souag. Photo credit: Aljazeera The two journalists were falsely accused of wrongdoing under what is known as The Espionage Case, together with the deposed former Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi, and a number of media professionals, the Al Jazeera statement read. Al Jazeera Media Network denounces, condemns, and entirely rejects the verdict. Al Jazeera believes this is an unjust and politicised sentence that is a part of the ruthless campaign against freedom of speech and expression, in order to muzzle the voice of free press. Al Jazeera finds the sentence incriminating to the profession of journalism, which all international laws and legislation seek to protect, and to all journalists, who should be enabled to report with objectivity, professionalism, and integrity. In his comments on the sentence, Dr Mostefa Souag, acting director general of Al Jazeera Media Network, said: The sentence issued by the Egyptian Criminal court is considered an entire failure for the justice and court system in Egypt; a country classified as one of the most dangerous places for journalists to work in. This sentence is only one of many politicised sentences that target Al Jazeera and its employees. They are illogical convictions and legally baseless. Al Jazeera strongly denounces targeting its journalists and stands by the other journalists who have also been sentenced. Souag pointed out that all the sentences issued and all the legal cases presented to Egyptian courts against Al Jazeeras journalists, since deposing the former president Mohamed Morsi, were legally baseless, and that all the trials were conducted in an environment that lacked accuracy and integrity. He affirmed that all allegations against Ibrahaim Helal are totally false and that the only thing such allegations prove is that the Egyptian judiciary system is no longer independent. Souag confirmed that Al Jazeera is standing by Ibrahim Helal and Alaa Sablan, like it did with all its journalists who were subjected to similar circumstances; and it will not deviate from its editorial policy or code of ethics. Al Jazeera calls upon the international community and upon international and humanitarian organisations in particular, to show solidarity with the journalists who received unjust sentences that outrageously oppose all international and regional laws and conventions that clearly support the protection of journalists and incriminate all forms of assault against them. The State and Township Level Committees, formed on 15 June, would examine whether the verification card holders are genuine Burmese citizens or not, said an Arakan government official. The municipal minister U Min Aung, also in charge Arakan governments spokesperson, recently confirmed that the committees in both State and township level were recommended by the Arakan State chief minister U Nyi Pu. He also opined that the process of scrutinizing citizenship issues in Arakan would begin very soon. Speaking to Narinjara News over telephone, U Min Aung added that the States security & border affairs minister Colonel Htin Lin would lead the committee as its chairman. The managing director of the States immigration department would serve as its secretary. The State administrator and the police chief will serve as the members of the scrutinizing committee for the verification card holders, stated U Min Aung. In township level, the local administrator would lead the committee as its chairmen, where four responsible government officials from concerned departments would be appointed as its members. It may be noted that the Arakan immigration department issued around 700 NVC to the Muslim residents in Mray Bon and Kyauk Pru townships very recently. The committees would scrutinize these verification card holders in the beginning. We are following three important steps to complete the process. First, the township level committee will scrutinize NVC holders and send the report to the State level committee. Secondly, the State level committee will scrutinize the report again and send to the union level committee. Finally, the union level committee will decide about their citizenship demand, a Mray Bon township administrator said. An official from KIA Regiment 6 who had returned to Mongkoe and did not want to be named spoke to K.N.G. He said that KIA Platoon 4 from Battalion 36, part of KIA Regiment 6 and the Kachin Peoples Militia (MHH) Platoon 1 launched the attack against the Burma Army who retaliated with heavy weapons. The fighting lasted for about 20 minutes. He said that they had carried out the attack because the Burma Army was carrying out military activities in the area. There are over 300 Burma Army soldiers in the Mongkoe area. Translated by Thida Linn Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI During talks at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday, they discussed the situation in Rakhine State, the ongoing peace process, human rights laws, freedom of assembly and freedom of association, economic and social rights, providing humanitarian aid, and developments on joining the remaining international core human rights treaties. During the 12-day visit Ms Lee will also meet with various stakeholders, including political and community leaders and civil society representatives. The checkpoint is at the entrance to Kaw Sak Village on the Mawlamyine to Kaw Bein Ramawaddy Road in Mon State. The Thaton District NMSP secretary Nai Kyi San told I.M.N.A that the Burma Army confiscated an AK rifle, a pistol, and a walkie-talkie from the tollgate supervisor Nai Shwe Par Kit. He said: LIB-81 are based in Zar Ta Pyin. Around 30 soldiers surrounded [the tollgate] and detained our tollgate supervisor Nai Shwe Par Kit, but our man was released [whilst being taken somewhere else] after being told not to show his face [in the area] again and to take down the tollgate. [They] didnt give back the weapons and equipment. He also said that the Burma Armys sudden seizure of the tollgate without any reason was an act of bullying against the NMSP. The Thaton District NMSP took charge of building Mawlamyine to Kaw Bein Ramawaddy road in 1997-98, under the Border Areas National Races Youth Development program. They opened the tollgate to collect money for road security and maintenance. Nai Han Thar Bon Khai, the head of the NMSP Regional Development Department who is based in Mawlamyine said that the NMSP would continue to make enquiries with the authorities to try and find out the reasons why the army took over Kaw Sak Tollgate. A similar incident took place in Ye Township on 15 May after the Burma Navy detained five workers from an NMSP-owned sheep farm on Kaw Kun Lon Island in the west of Andin Village. The workers were eventually released after being held for a few days. Reported by Min Paing for M.N.A. Translated by Thida Linn Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI It looks like you have reached this page in error ... The content you are looking for has either moved, or if you typed in the address there might have been a mistake. If you believe there has been a technical error please let us know. Most Popular Destinations Importance And Relevance Of Yoga In The Contemporary World Wellness oi-Staff Well, Yoga is quite an ancient subject, but over the recent times, it has gained more popularity than before. This is due to the quest for survival. Nowadays, humans are facing both physical as well as psychological stress, and they are so badly trapped that even if they want to get rid of it they are just helpless. You all must be aware and agree as well that Yoga helps you in attaining physical, mental and spiritual health. Also Read: International Yoga Day: Yoga Asanas For Headache What Does The Term "Yoga" Mean? The term "Yoga" itself has been originated from the Sanskrit term "Yog", meaning, 'to join' or 'unite'. Thousands of years ago, Yoga was discovered in India and the rishis (sage) used to practice this art in order to keep their senses in control and stay in peace. This is also an art of meditation and helps to gain an insight into oneself. Ancient people also related such things to God, which the modern science claims to be absolute scientific, without looking into the history, this is what Yoga has given to the world. Why We Need Yoga In Today's Life? Now, to leave everything apart, if we talk about today, people are just so occupied, some with work, some without. So much of competition is there that people have actually forgotten about their personal lives, which has been left behind due to professionalism. There is so much of bluffing, back-stabbing, leg pulling, especially in the corporate sector and now life has all together been about 'The Survival of the Fittest'. Life has become a race and all are running at the same pace. They feel the repercussions much later in life, when they have nothing to lose. Hence, you need to wake up before it is too late and start talking and spending time with yourself, instead of enjoying the parties and going to the clubs. Youngsters are even worse victims. When they find no solution, they get into the habit of smoking and drinking and even drugs at times. Later on, when they have hardly any time left, they are busy emptying their pockets to the psychiatrists or doctors. Also Read: Virabhadrasana Or Warrior Pose For Desk-Bound Jobs Importance Of Yoga In Today's World However, nowadays, people have realised the valued and importance of Yoga in their life and are doing everything possible to practice it. Many schools and colleges, along with health-related courses are promoting the same because of the rise in the multiple problems which are hitting the scene. Yoga has an overall benefit, and there are hundreds of asanas varying from various levels - starting from beginners and continuing till the expert level. From head to toe, you name any ailment, and YES! Yoga has the correct answer to all your queries. It helps you in complete rejuvenation and also relaxes your senses. At one point of time, when your mind is in the middle of nowhere, and you become clueless, Yoga is the best medicine. But yes, you must take an expert advice before the onset of any asana. Only then will you enjoy performing the asanas. So, just enjoy and stay healthy, eat healthy and have a happy mind by following Yoga in your day-to-day life. GET THE BEST BOLDSKY STORIES! Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, June 21, 2016, 10:00 [IST] Alleged computer hacker Motlhaleemang Moalosi will have to wait until this week Thursday to hear from the court if he will get his computer which was seized by the police. Moalosi is implicated in the Sebina sex scandal that involves the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) councilor for Sebina Kemmonye Amon.He is alleged to have hacked into the Assistant Minister of Education, Skills and Development Fidelis Molaos Facebook account implicating him (Molao) in the sex scandal. Moalosi who is currently studying for a Masters Degree in Computer Science is said to have found access into the ministers social media account and fabricated a conversation between him (Molao) and Amon. The police have since seized his laptop for further investigations. Moalosi, who is also a Botswana Congress Party (BCP) activist, recently filed an urgent application to with the Francistown High Court in an effort to get his laptop from the police. Arguing before Francistown High Court Judge, Barnabas Nyamadzabo last week, Moalosis attorney Owen Nsala said by seizing Moalosis computer, which he uses for his studies at the Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BUIST), the police acted unlawfully and trampled on Moalosis right to education. Nsala further argued that there were no charges against his client thus far, adding that the DPP does not have any docket incriminating him (Moalosi). Representing the state, Wada Nfila said that the seizure of the laptop was lawful as per Section 57 of Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act. Moreover, Nfila argued that the said Act states that a police officer is entitled to seize any property, which they believe would help them in the investigations. The first respondent in the case is Detective senior superintendent Sergeant Marapo of the Botswana Police while the second responded is the Attorney General. The case will continue on the 23 of June where the court is expected to deal with the merits of the case. VISAKHAPATNAM (PTI): Hindustan Shipyard Ltd (HSL) on Monday said it has come out of difficulties and is hopeful of getting contracts worth Rs 20,000 crore in next five years. The PSU which had been incurring losses for the over last three decades came out of difficulties and posted profit last year, CMD of HSL Rear Admiral L V Sarat Babu said. The shipyard, running in the red since 1981, earned a profit of Rs 20 crore in 2015-16 and hopes to continue well in the coming years, he told reporters ahead of HSL's platinum jubilee celebrations Tuesday. HSL is expecting orders worth Rs 20,000 crore for the construction of ships in the next five years. Some of these orders will be executed with technical support of Hyundai Shipyard of South Korea, Babu said. Established in 1941, the city-headquartered HSL's first cargo ship 'Jala Usha" was launched by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on March 14, 1948, he said. "During the last 75 years of its existence, the Shipyard had constructed 177 different vessels, including cargo, warships, passenger ships and tugs." The company has also undertaken repair works of 1,950 vessels, Babu said, adding that HSL has constructed nine ships since January 2016, and will enhance its production capacity in future. The company has orders worth Rs 1,200 crore in the current financial year, the Rear Admiral further said. "In a major boost for both Hindustan Shipyard and the Indian Navy, submarine INS Sindhukirti successfully completed its maiden deep dive trials recently after undergoing repairs and modernisation at HSL." "Repair-cum-upgradation of INS Sindhukirti was the first-of-its-kind exercise undertaken by an Indian shipyard with support from the Navy. It is a noteworthy achievement for Hindustan Shipyard as it emboldens the nation's will and pursuit towards the 'Make in India' campaign," Babu said. Another submarine INS Sindhuvir will also come at HSL for partial refit work later this year. The shipyard, working under the Ministry of Defence, has sent a proposal to the MoD seeking financial assistance of Rs 200 crore in view of losses incurred by it due to 'Hudhud' cyclone which hit the Visakhapatnam coast in October 2014, he added. The participants perform Yoga, on the occasion of the 2nd International Day of Yoga - 2016, at Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam on June 21, 2016. A PIB photo NEW DELHI (PTI): Indian Armed forces on Tuesday marked the second International Yoga Day across the country by performing 'aasanas' at several events including on warships. Apart from holding yoga camps in units across the country, the Indian Navy and Coast Guard also organised programmes on ships like INS Airavat, Virat and ICGS Sagar. Personnel on Indian ships out in the Pacific Ocean also celebrated the day by performing different aasanas. "#IYD2016 Yoga by our brave sailors & officers at sea in NW Pacific ocean & in S Korea this morning," the Indian Navy tweeted. Yoga camps were held at places ranging from Andaman and Nicobar Islands to high altitude areas where units of armed forces are posted. Army Chief Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag, IAF Chief Arup Raha and Coast Guard Director General Rajendra Singh took part in the events. The Army Chief participated in a programme organised at the Parade Day ground at Delhi Cantonment, while the Air Force Chief attended an event at Wellingdon Camp, Air Force Station in Delhi. The Coast Guard Director General was part of the Yoga day event at the CG headquarters in Delhi. WASHINGTON (PTI): Indo-US military ties are closer than ever as America's re-balance policy in the strategic Asia Pacific region is complimenting India's Act East policy, Defence Secretary Ashton Carter said Monday as he praised India for helping strengthen Vietnam's military capabilities. "In the closer than ever US-India military relationship which, thanks to America's strategic and technological handshakes, with America's re-balance shaking hands with India's Act East policy and the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative grasping the hand of Prime Minister Modi's 'Make in India' programme includes more frequent exercises and more mutual defence co-development and co-production," Carter told a Washington audience. In his address to the Centre for New American Security, a top US think-tank, Carter said that the Asia-Pacific security network is coming together in three key ways. "First, some pioneering trilateral mechanisms are bringing together like-minded allies and partners to maximise individual contributions and connect nations that previously worked together only bilaterally," he said. For example, the US-Japan-Republic of Korea trilateral partnership helps us coordinate responses to North Korean nuclear and missile provocations. "And our three nations will conduct a trilateral ballistic missile warning exercise later this month," he added. "And through joint activities like the aforementioned MALABAR Exercise, the US-Japan-India trilateral relationship is starting to provide real, practical security cooperation that spans the entire region from the Indian Ocean to the Western Pacific," Carter said. Second and beyond relationships involving the United States, many countries within the Asia-Pacific are coming together on their own in bilateral and trilateral mechanisms, he noted. "For example, India is increasing its training with Vietnam's military and coast guard on their common platforms. And the Japan-Australia-India trilateral meeting last year was a welcome development and addition to the region's security network," Carter said. "And third, and even more broadly, all of our nations are creating a networked, multilateral regional security architecture from one end of the region to the other through the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting-Plus," he said, adding that later this year he would host an informal defence ministers dialogue in Hawaii with all of the ASEAN countries. Carter said the Asia-Pacific security network is not aimed at any particular country. "Although we have disagreements with China, especially over its destabilising behaviour in the South China Sea, we're committed to working with them and to persuading them to avoid self-isolation," he said. K2-33b, shown in this illustration, is one of the youngest exoplanets detected to date. It makes a complete orbit around its star in about five days. Photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech. WASHINGTON (BNS): Astronomers have discovered the youngest fully formed exoplanet ever detected. The discovery was made using NASA's Kepler Space Telescope and its extended K2 mission, as well as the W. M. Keck Observatory on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. The newfound planet, K2-33b, is a bit larger than Neptune and whips tightly around its star every five days. It is only 5 to 10 million years old, making it one of a very few newborn planets found to date. "By comparison, the planet K2-33b is very young. You might think of it as an infant," said Trevor David of Caltech in Pasadena, lead author of a new study published online June 20, 2016, in the journal Nature. "The newborn planet will help us better understand how planets form, which is important for understanding the processes that led to the formation of Earth," said co-author Erik Petigura of Caltech. Astronomers have discovered and confirmed roughly 3,000 exoplanets so far; however, nearly all of them are hosted by middle-aged stars, with ages of a billion years or more. A surprising feature in the discovery of K2-33b is how close the newborn planet lies to its star. The planet is nearly 10 times closer to its star than Mercury is to our sun, making it hot. The first signals of the planet's existence were measured by K2. The telescope's camera detected a periodic dimming of the light emitted by the planet's host star, a sign that an orbiting planet could be regularly passing in front of the star and blocking the light. Data from the Keck Observatory validated that the dimming was indeed caused by a planet, and also helped confirm its youthful age. Ames manages the Kepler and K2 missions for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, managed Kepler mission development. Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation operates the flight system with support from the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado at Boulder. An unrelated file photo. SEOUL (AFP): North Korea appears to be readying another test of a powerful, new medium-range missile, following a series of failures for a ballistic weapons programme that aspires to threaten the US mainland, multiple reports said Tuesday. Japanese and South Korean media quoted official sources as saying North Korea looked to have deployed a so-called Musudan missile near its east coast. The North has made four failed attempts this year to test fly the Musudan, which has an estimated range of anywhere between 2,500 and 4,000 kilometres. The lower range covers the whole of South Korea and Japan, while the upper range would include US military bases on Guam. "We have detected signs that the North has deployed what appears to be a Musudan missile," South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted an unidentified government official as saying. Japan's Kyodo News agency and public broadcaster NHK both cited unidentified sources as saying preparations for a missile launch might be underway. The Defence Ministry in Seoul declined to confirm the reports, but said it was "closely monitoring the situation." UN resolutions ban North Korea from any use of ballistic missile technology, although it regularly fires short-range missiles into the sea off its east coast. Kyodo said Japan's military had been ordered to intercept any missile or falling parts that might threaten Japanese territory. First unveiled as an indigenous missile at a military parade in Pyongyang in October 2010, the Musudan has never been successfully flight-tested. Three failures in April were seen as an embarrassment for the Pyongyang leadership, coming ahead of a rare ruling party congress that was meant to celebrate the country's achievements. The latest attempt in May was also deemed to have failed. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 21/06/2016 (2318 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA The federal Liberal government has enlisted the independent Public Policy Forum to assess the state of Canadas struggling news industry as it mulls over potential policy options. A rash of newspaper closures and newsroom layoffs this past winter, combined with a looming debt bomb for Postmedia Network Canada Corp., Canadas largest newspaper chain, has added a sense of urgency to a decade-long disruption of the journalism that Heritage Minister Melanie Jolys office says plays a central role in a healthy democracy. The Commons heritage committee has already begun hearings on how Canadians, and particularly local communities, are being served through news, broadcasting, digital and print media, according to a February committee motion. Heritage Minister Melanie Joly answers a question during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Thursday, June 16, 2016. The federal Liberal government has enlisted the independent Public Policy Forum to assess the state of Canada's struggling news industry as it mulls over potential policy options. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld But specific government policy prescriptions for the digital news age are not within the expertise of the federal public service. Nor, for that matter, are they something any government wants to be seen imposing or offering up to the journalists and organizations who report on it. Its a sensitive area of policy making, Ed Greenspon, the president of the Public Policy Forum and former Globe and Mail editor and reporter, told The Canadian Press in an interview. Were not, if you will, hired by the government. But were doing this in co-operation with the government. Joly was unavailable over several days for an interview on the policy study but her office offered up a statement confirming the Public Policy Forums mandate. Journalism plays a central role in a healthy democracy, from holding governments accountable to providing a platform for citizen engagement, spokesman Pierre-Olivier Herbert said in an email. We acknowledge that newspapers are facing industry-wide challenges as they adapt to changing technology, demographics, audience preferences and competition for advertising dollars. The government, he added, has contracted the Public Policy Forum to provide an analysis of recent changes in the Canadian newspaper industry and identify policy options. Greenspon said hell begin the first of six roundtables starting next week, where invited experts will debate the state of play and share ideas for potential government action. The forum will also hire pollsters to research how Canadians view the news media and its role in democratic society. Theyll wrap things up with a final symposium next fall. The project was spawned in January after the Guelph Mercury and Nanaimo Daily News closed their doors after more than a century of publishing, Postmedia announced another big round of newsroom layoffs, Rogers announced layoffs and the Toronto Star closed its printing plant. For an industry thats seen a decade of incremental retreats, it was a brutal month. The simple problem for most news media is that advertising no longer pays the cost of producing journalism. Digital ad rates are a fraction of old newspaper ad rates, and platforms like Google and Facebook have become dominant in attracting ad dollars while producing no journalism themselves. Thats become a major flashpoint in Europe, where Google has been battling copyright lawsuits from beleaguered news organizations for years. In Canada, government policy-making for the news industry is not unprecedented. A 1965 income tax section, for example, treats advertisers in Canadian-owned media differently than advertisers in foreign-owned media coming into Canada, to the benefit of Canadian-owned media. There have been royal commissions and major government studies on the news media, and a generation ago todays mass concentration of media ownership would have been considered a national scandal. Its all grist for the mill. The roundtables will gather together people who are already deeply immersed in grappling with these issues. Now, with an apparently ready audience among policy-makers, says Greenspon, there is an opportunity to put some ideas into action. Hes hesitant, at the beginning of the review process, to state any policy preferences but he does reveal his reporters bias. One of the challenges we have is the way the media landscape is evolving theres more and more people processing and commenting on news that we already know about, and fewer and fewer hunters and gatherers of the news. That cant be a good thing, said Greenspon. We need to make sure theres still hunting and gathering going on. Torstar Corp., the owner of the Toronto Star, Canadas largest daily newspaper by circulation, holds an investment in The Canadian Press as part of a joint agreement with a subsidiary of the Globe and Mail and the parent company of Montreals La Presse. Follow @BCheadle on Twitter Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 21/06/2016 (2318 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. CALGARY The Alberta Energy Regulator is making it tougher to transfer oil and gas well licences in view of a recent court ruling that allowed the buyer of a bankrupt companys assets to avoid acquiring wells with high environmental liabilities. In an announcement, the AER said licence transfer applications will now be considered non-routine under its temporary new measures. It added that it will refuse to approve the transfer of AER licences, approvals and permits if the transaction results in the buyers asset value falling below two times the cost of its environmental liabilities. Currently, companies are only required to maintain an equal amount of assets and liabilities. AER spokesman Ryan Bartlett said 219 or 28 per cent of the 788 companies registered as licensees with the AER have a liability management ratio or LMR above the newly required 2.0. He said companies can improve their LMR by cleaning up old wellsites, posting security or revamping their proposed well transactions. The regulator acknowledged its regulations may inconvenience some stakeholders but pointed out it wants to work with industry and the province to develop broader permanent regulatory measures. They are attempting to put a higher hurdle rate for acquirers of assets. That will have an impact and this is of deep concern to us, said Gary Leach, president of the Explorers and Producers Association of Canada. He said the new rules will reduce the number of potential buyers for assets his members are trying to sell. But he added the rules may be necessary to avoid increasing liabilities for the Alberta orphan well fund, an industry financed pool of money that is used to clean up well sites for owners who cant or wont do it themselves. This case has shaken up what was the old order and until theres a new order in place, whether its through legislative fixes or what, what were seeing is the regulator trying to stabilize the situation, said Leach. He called on the regulator to use flexibility in interpreting new regulations. The Alberta Court of Queens Bench ruled in May in the case of bankrupt producer Redwater Energy that the rights of lenders to be paid back ranks above the right of the provincial regulator to require the reclamation of oil and gas wells. The regulator has launched an appeal of the decision because it could encourage more companies to enter receivership and bankruptcy to avoid obligations to clean up around oil and gas wells. The lawsuit has been closely watched as a precedent-setting case as more bankruptcies loom in the oil and gas industry in the face of chronically low prices. Follow @HealingSlowly on Twitter. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 21/06/2016 (2318 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. REGINA Religious leaders across Saskatchewan say doctors who dont want to help patients die shouldnt be forced to refer them to another physician who will. Christian, Muslim and Jewish leaders met with Health Minister Dustin Duncan at the Saskatchewan legislature Tuesday and said facilities should not be forced to help people end their lives either. Duncan said the province is looking at ways to accommodate those concerns about the new federal law that allows medical assisted dying. The law says doctors cant be forced to provide the service. But the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan policy also says they must not abandon a patient who makes this request and they need to arrange timely access to another physician or resources. We also feel that people do have a right to information, said Mary Deutscher, with the justice and peace commission of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon. We have no problem with providing that information, but theres something different about a direct referral, that actually says that you need to find someone who will carry through on what we see as a very harmful action. Do you want to force doctors to have to harm people that they care for? And many of these doctors do see this as a harmful action. Maj. Mike Hoeft with the Salvation Army said religious leaders hope that all health-care workers, including nurses and care aides, have a choice, too. Hoeft said facilities should also be allowed to have a conscientious objection on assisted dying, noting that many are run by faith-based organizations. We as organizations would then be placed in the position of determining whether we abide by a regulation or whether we abide by the conscience and collective voice of our denominations, said Hoeft. The government can certainly impose upon facilities its will, but then the individual denominations would then need to determine whether they would continue to operate those facilities. Duncan said the province could overrule the college policy on referrals, potentially through regulations or legislation, but that is yet to be determined. He said the government is looking at other options, such as a registry of doctors willing to aid in dying that patients could access through the Ministry of Health, the college of physicians and surgeons or the Saskatchewan Medical Association. Its a bit of a distinction, but I know for a number of physicians, as well as other health providers, even the act of specifically referring an individual to another person, for many people was in a way taking part in the act of a physician-assisted death, and for some people that goes against their conscience, said Duncan. Duncan said the religious leaders raised the possibility that faith-based organizations would remove themselves from the delivery of health care if facilities are forced to provide the service. That would be a concern, the health minister said. I think that faith-based organizations have provided great services for many years in Saskatchewan. They have a proud tradition and we certainly want to see them continue to provide services into the future. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 21/06/2016 (2318 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A Wisconsin city has been given the green light to draw water from the Great Lakes after eight states approved a precedent-setting request that had raised concerns in Canada and the U.S. The go-ahead means the city of Waukesha has become the first exception to an agreement banning diversions of water away from the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River basin. The city of about 70,000 people asked to divert water from Lake Michigan because its own aquifer is running low and the water is contaminated with high levels of naturally occurring, cancer-causing radium. In this Sept. 12, 2013 file photo, the Fox River flows through downtown Waukesha, Wis. Wisconsin city has been given the green light to draw water from the Great Lakes after eight states approved a precedent-setting request that had raised concerns in Canada and the U.S. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP Photo/John Flesher Critics in Canada and the U.S. warned that the request would set a dangerous example for other communities facing water shortages. But after making a series of amendments, the representatives of eight states adjoining the Great Lakes who had final say on the matter after input from Ontario and Quebec gave Waukeshas $207-million proposal unanimous approval at a meeting Tuesday. There are a lot of emotions and politics surrounding this issue, but voting yes in co-operation with our Great Lakes neighbours is the best way to conserve one of our greatest natural resources, said Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder. Mandating strict conditions for withdrawing and returning the water sets a strong precedent for protecting the Great Lakes. Under a current regional agreement between the states and Ontario and Quebec, diversions of water away from the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River basin are banned, with limited exceptions that can be made only when certain conditions are met. Waukesha argued that although its located outside the boundary of the Great Lakes basin, it is part of a county straddling that geographical line and should be allowed access to the lakes water. It also promised to return treated water to Lake Michigan. Ontario, which conducted a review of the plan, expressed concerns about Waukeshas request and had found that the potential impacts of the diversion on Great Lakes water quantity had not been sufficiently assessed. We remain apprehensive about the diversion by Waukesha and will continue to voice the concerns of Ontarians, Jason Travers, director of the Natural Resources Conservation Policy Branch at Ontarios Ministry of Natural Resources said Tuesday. We also recognize that there is an opportunity to improve the current process by refining existing guidelines. Ontario and Quebec did not get a say in the final vote on Waukeshas request, but representatives of the two provinces were involved in preliminary approval granted to Waukesha last month, which said the citys request could comply with the regional agreement if certain conditions were met. Those conditions included shrinking the size of the area it would provide with Lake Michigan water and limiting the average amount of water it would draw to 31 million litres a day. Opponents of Waukeshas plan warned, however, that the city was likely the first of several communities that would seek to become exceptions to the agreement meant to protect the Great Lakes. Its frustrating. A lot of time, effort and money has gone into making our Great Lakes beautiful and preserving the water quality, and this is what can happen in a blink of an eye, said Mitch Twolan, mayor of Huron-Kinloss, Ont. He is also on the board of directors of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, which represents more than 100 local governments on both sides of the border. The group had urged the Great Lake state governors to reject Waukeshas application, saying the citys amended service area was still too large, the return flow of water to Lake Michigan had not been analysed closely enough, and the approval process dealing with Waukeshas request has not allowed enough public participation. A Canadian environmental group, which was also among the opponents of Waukeshas plan, added that the city did not consider treating the radium in its water supply closely enough. Waukesha did not demonstrate clearly that they had assessed that option, said Keith Brooks, a spokesman for Environmental Defence. If we start drawing more water from the lakes than can be replenished, then the water levels are going to go down. Ultimately, only a very small amount of this is a renewable resource. with files from the Associated Press Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 21/06/2016 (2318 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. VICTORIA A mother who says her baby is hospitalized with whooping cough in Victoria is warning parents who dont vaccinate their children that there can be consequences for other kids. Annie Mae Braiden says her 10-week-old daughter has been in the pediatric intensive care unit at Victoria General Hospital for more than a month after contracting the disease. What you do with your kids is your choice, but do not tell me that not vaccinating your kids isnt hurting anyone but your own kids, Braiden wrote in a Facebook post that had been shared nearly 21,000 times by Tuesday. Annie Mae Braiden and her daughter Isabelle are shown in a photo from Braiden's Facebook page. A Vancouver Island mother whose baby is hospitalized with whooping cough says her sick daughter is proof that children who are not vaccinated can harm others.THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Facebook-Annie Mae Braiden Isabelle is proof that it harms the other little babes who arent old enough to get their vaccines yet. Braiden told her story and posted photos of the tiny girl with tubes taped to her face in an emotional Facebook entry on Friday. She expects her child could be hospitalized for another two months. Braiden, who declined an interview, said in her post that Isabelle was on a ventilator for three weeks. The girl has had to learn to eat again, and has endured withdrawals from morphine and sedatives, she wrote. On one occasion, the mother watched a nurse pick up Isabelle and run down a hall to the intensive care unit because it appeared the girl might die, she wrote. It never crossed my mind to not vaccinate. I want to protect my children and other children, Braiden said. Please vaccinate your kids, its not fair that my little girl is in the (hospital) coughing and not being able to breath from a disease that shouldnt be around in this day and age. Dr. Jeff Bishop, a pediatrician who is treating Isabelle at Victoria General Hospital, said whooping cough is incredibly infectious and spreads easily through contact with anyone who is inadequately vaccinated. He said that anecdotally, he has noticed over the past year the hospital has treated more children with whooping cough than usual. A small number of children have died during the past five years, he added. Its a hard topic. It does bring up such emotions, said Bishop, who could not speak about Isabelles case directly for privacy reasons. He said immunization has been studied extensively and the research concludes that the benefits of vaccinations far outweighs the risks. These are diseases that kill children and were lucky that in Canada we see them very rarely. But were seeing them come back. Were seeing measles, were seeing babies die from whooping cough where previously we werent. Bishop said the current available vaccine provides about 80 per cent coverage, but that still means 20 per cent of people with a full course are susceptible. He said there was a change to the vaccine in 1997 that made it much safer, but possibly less effective at providing long-term coverage. He also noted there is a fairly low rate of complete vaccination in B.C. and on Vancouver Island. By Tamsyn Burgmann in Vancouver, follow @TamsynBurgmann on Twitter Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 21/06/2016 (2318 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. TROIS-RIVIERES, Que. Up to 35 Quebec provincial police officers and judicial laboratory specialists searched a wooded area Tuesday hoping to find more clues in the case of a young girl whose remains were found last December. Cedrika Provencher was nine years old when she went missing in 2007 from her hometown of Trois-Rivieres, about 130 kilometres northeast of Montreal. Police received fresh information which led to the new search, said Capt. Guy Lapointe. A photo of missing nine-year-old girl Cedrika Provencher is shown in this handout photo.Quebec provincial police have resumed their search in a wooded area for more clues in the case of a young girl whose remains were found last December. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO I cant say when it will end, whether it will be today (Tuesday) or tomorrow (Wednesday), he said. What I can say is that it will end when all of our verifications tied to the information we received are complete. Bones discovered in the wooded area six months ago were identified as her remains. Police searched the surroundings at the time and Lapointe said officers were satisfied when they had completed their work. Tuesdays operation in the same area is completely independent and separate from what was done last December. Lapointe wouldnt say what information triggered the search, but he reminded people to contact police immediately if they have any tips related to the case regardless of how mundane they might think they are. Sometimes people have information they think is insignificant, he said. Thats not true. Any new information, for us, coupled with what we already have, can help us advance the case. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 21/06/2016 (2318 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. TORONTO Torontos police chief is set to apologize for raids on local bathhouses that explicitly targeted the citys gay community more than three decades ago. Const. Allyson Douglas-Cook says Mark Saunders plans to deliver the apology on Wednesday, but did not have further details. Douglas-Cook says Saunders will directly tackle a series of raids that took place in 1981, in which officers barged into four bathhouses and rounded up the people inside. Police officers stand on the steps of the Ontario Legislature in Toronto in the early hours of Feb. 7, 1981 after gay rights demonstrators marched there in protest of the arrests on Feb. 5, 1981 of 253 men in four city steam baths. Toronto's police chief is set to apologize for raids on local bathhouses that explicitly targeted the city's gay community more than three decades ago. THE CANADIAN PRESS/UPC/Gary Hershorn Nearly 300 people were arrested and charged with owning or being found in a common bawdy house. More than 90 per cent of the charges were dropped in years to come, and the raids galvanized Torontos LGBTQ community to fight for their rights and find a political voice. Observers say Saunderss apology is a necessary acknowledgment of the fact that the bathhouse raids ruined countless lives. Trevor Hart, LGBTQ health researcher and Director of Ryerson Universitys HIV Prevention Lab, said the raids were devastating at a time when the rights of gay men were rarely discussed or understood. The police incursion into a private space resulted in names and photos of closeted men being splashed across the media, leading to lost jobs, damaged relationships and a sense of broader betrayal, Hart said. Telling people that theres no safe place for them has drastic, horrible effects on peoples mental health and well-being, he said in a telephone interview. . . . Theres a sense that something is wrong with me. People will punish me. I cant do anything about it, and I will suffer.' The 1981 raids took place on February 5 when about a hundred officers converged on four separate bathhouses in co-ordinated raids. At 11 P.M. officers used fists and crowbars to enter the Romans II Health and Recreation Spa, Club Toronto, the Richmond Street Health Emporium and the Barracks, all of which had been operating for months or years before the raids. Newspaper accounts at the time describe police barging into private rooms and dragging occupants into communal lobbies or police cars, sometimes draped only in towels. The raids, dubbed Operation Soap, triggered nearly instant backlash. Nearly 3,000 marchers took to the streets the following day to decry the police action. In the following months, Hart said public figures such as Canadian literary luminary Margaret Atwood and then member of Parliament Sven Robinson also began to speak out in support of Torontos gay community. Hart said the relationship between police and the citys LGBTQ residents is no longer nearly as antagonistic. He commended Saunders for making an apology, even if it is coming too late, but said police need to remain vigilant in combating hate crimes that are still committed on a regular basis. Hart also hopes the apology will touch on other instances of LGBTQ persecution in Torontos history, namely a raid on the gay-friendly Body Politic newspaper that resulted in the seizure of lists of subscribers and advertisers. Public ire over the years has also singled out a second raid on Club Toronto, this time at a womens only bathhouse event. The 2000 raid, which saw male officers barging in on many naked women, was purportedly in response to liquor licensing violations. Hart said he hopes Saunderss conciliatory words are accompanied by pledges of ongoing support and reassurance that Toronto has become a safer place than it was in 1981. Mark Saunders actually making a public apology on behalf of Toronto police wont change what happened, but we hope will contribute to an environment of safety that will help people to have a sense of comfort and decreased social isolation. Airliner KLM will take off from Dublin Airport for the first time in half a century after sealing a deal on a new route to Amsterdam. The Dutch flag carrier will start its twice daily service between the Irish capital and Schiphol Airport on October 30. The flights will link into KLM's long haul routes, opening up "easy connections" to destinations such as Johannesburg, Havana, Beijing and Hong Kong, the airline says. Return fares between Dublin and Amsterdam will be upwards of 99. KLM was the first continental carrier to serve Dublin Airport in 1947. The airline pulled out in 1966 - 50 years ago this year. Vincent Harrison, managing director of Dublin Airport, said the service was the 16th new route announced already this year under expansion plans. "After five decades away, we're delighted to welcome KLM back to Dublin Airport," he said. "This new service will offer enhanced choice and connectivity to passengers travelling to Amsterdam and also for those connecting to onward destinations from the Schiphol hub." Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, has said the announcement is more good news for Irish tourism. Todays announcement by KLM is more good news for Irish tourism, as we head into the high season, said Gibbons. Not only will it help grow visitor numbers from the Netherlands, but this new flight will offer connectivity from other important tourism markets, including North America, Asia and the Middle East. We look forward to co-operating with KLM to maximise the promotion of this new service from Amsterdam to Dublin. As an island, the importance of convenient, direct, non-stop flights cannot be overstated they are absolutely critical to achieving growth in inbound tourism. Aer Lingus will continue to run two flights every day between Dublin and Amsterdam. Let Me Tell You is a new bespoke podcast series from Hosts Daniel McConnell and Paul Hosford take a look back at some of the most dramatic moments in recent Irish political history from the unique perspective of one of the key players involved. The Minister for Finance Michael Noonan has said the Government is planning to introduce a rainy day fund to help balance the economy when needed. Minister Noonan has said the fund will be made up of 1bn a year contributions between 2019 and 2021. The aim of the fund will be to stimulate the economy in times of recession, and will be used to allocate further money to in times of increased exchequer income. The announcement was made as part of the Government's Summer Economic Statement this afternoon. Minister Noonan has said as the economy recovers the Government should have extra money to put aside for times of need. The Summer Economic Statement shows that the budgetary position is set on a safe and sustainable path and Ireland has now formally exited the Excessive Deficit Procedure, said Noonan. The Fiscal Space for 2017 will be just shy of 1bn. It is projected that Ireland will have a balanced budget in 2018. A new element in providing for key services for our citizens will be the introduction of a rainy day fund from 2019 following the achievement of a balanced budget. This is a prudent approach which reflects the lessons learned from the past. As the Irish economy tends to be more variable than elsewhere it is appropriate to set aside a certain amount each year. This can be used to support activity and employment if necessary. You can read the Summer Economic Statement in full here. A Fine Gael senator has suggested Ireland should re-join the Commonwealth on the eve of the Brexit uote in the United Kingdom, writes Daniel McConnell, Irish Examiner Political Editor. . Roscommon senator and ex-TD Frank Feighan said returning to the Commonwealth after more than six decades would lead to a strengthening of Irelands economic and cultural ties internationally. Speaking on the Seanad Order of Business, Mr Feighan said: Among the Commonwealths many noble objectives is the promotion of democracy, rule of law, human rights, good governance and social and economic development. Yes, there will be detractors from obvious quarters about the notion of re-joining the Commonwealth but would such a move not fit perfectly with this new era of political and religious tolerance on our islands? Fianna Fail Senator Mark Daly appeared to scoff at Mr Feighens suggestion, saying: We did not see that in the Fine Gael manifesto. Undeterred, Mr Feighen added: "Would rejoining not help further develop a pluralist Ireland where all our different identities are always mutually recognised and respected? Would it also not just strengthen existing trade, business, cultural and political relationships but nurture new ones across the world?" Ireland left the Commonweal in the 1949 after being declared a Republic. Queen Elizabeth II is the designated head of the British Commonwealth. The Queen is recognised as monarch in 16 of the 53 Commonwealth countries across the world. READ MORE: Read More: Mary McAleese says she is 'really worried' about the consequences if Britain votes to leave the European Union. She says 'a hard border' between the North and the Republic would be inevitable, and is concerned about the effects on the peace process. Teachers who qualified after 2011 are demanding equal pay to their older colleagues. Several hundred primary school teachers protested outside Leinster house this evening to let politicians know their views. They say they will be paid hundreds of thousands less throughout their careers because of the cuts. These teachers say their older colleagues support their demands. "We've been travelling the country to make sure that everyone is aware, because the problem was a lot of people weren't aware of the extent of the cuts. "People are coming to work, working alongside each other with the same roles and responsibilities yet are not paid the same." US Vice President Joe Biden arrives in Ireland for a six day trip where he will take in Dublin, Mayo and Louth. He will be joined on the visit by his brother, sister, children and grandchildren. The Taliban has abducted around 60 people after ambushing a series of buses and cars in southern Afghanistan's Helmand province. The insurgents later said they released all but 27 of those abducted. Police in Helmand said the attack happened in Gareshk district. The Taliban forced the buses and cars to stop at gunpoint. It is not known where the Taliban took the abducted passengers. The abductions come amid increased Taliban attacks as part of their summer offensive. The insurgents frequently target buses carrying civil servants or those perceived to be working for the Kabul government. On Monday, a Taliban suicide bomber killed 14 Nepalese security guards in an attack on their minibus in the Afghan capital. And in late May, a suicide bomber struck a minibus carrying court employees during the morning rush hour, also in Kabul, killing 11 people. The Taliban also claimed that attack. In Tuesday's attack, Abdull Ghafoor Tokhi, the Helmand transportation director, said the Taliban "stopped a couple of buses and around 15 other vehicles on the main highway and searched them all" - suggesting they were looking for someone or something specific and had enough time to go through all the vehicles. Later on Tuesday, Helmand police chief General Aqa Noor Kentoz said Afghan security forces launched an operation to find the abducted passengers. He said it was too early to say how many government employees were among those travelling in the attacked buses and cars. Taliban spokesman Qari Yusouf Ahmadi confirmed the group was behind the assault and said the insurgents still hold 27 of the abducted people but freed the others. He said: "We freed all but 27 ... there will be an investigation and we will find out if they are government employees and if so, they will be handed over to the Taliban judicial officials to decide on their fate." Earlier this month, the Taliban killed 12 people they had captured, including policemen and soldiers, in eastern Ghazni province. Last month, Taliban-linked insurgents killed at least nine people after seizing passengers off buses in the northern Kunduz province. A young Briton accused of attempting to grab a police officer's gun in a bid to kill Donald Trump has appeared in a US court in shackles. Michael Steven Sandford, from Dorking in Surrey, was arrested at a rally in a Las Vegas casino on Saturday after going for the weapon as he asked for the presidential hopeful's autograph. The 20-year-old, who was in America without permission, later told police he wanted to kill the presumptive Republican nominee, according to the Secret Service. Sandford, who is said to have autism, told investigators he expected to die in the attempt, which he had been planning for a year. He arrived in the city on Friday, when he went to a local shooting range where he reportedly learned how to use a gun for the first time. On Monday, Sandford was denied bail at a district court in Nevada, where he appeared charged with an act of violence on restricted grounds. Federal Magistrate Judge George Foley declined to release Sandford, who appeared before him in leg irons, over concerns that he was a potential danger to the community and a flight risk. He will appear in court again on July 5. A federal public defender told the court that Sandford was autistic yet competent, although he did not enter a plea. His mother, who has not been named, told the judge he had a history of mental health problems. According to court research, Sandford did not have permission to be in the US after overstaying a visa and was unemployed. Papers filed at the court said he had been in the country for around 18 months and lived in Hoboken, New Jersey. He had driven across the US to San Bernardino, California, and had been living out of his car before travelling on to Las Vegas on Thursday. On Friday, he visited the Battlefield Vegas shooting range where he practised using a 9mm Glock pistol, firing off 20 rounds. The following day he went to the Treasure Island Casino where Mr Trump was addressing a rally of 1,500 supporters amid tight security. Attendees had to pass through metal detectors manned by Secret Service, police and casino security officials. One of those in the crowd, Gregg Donovan, said he had briefly spoken to Sandford while they queued and he seemed "strange". When he later asked to get an autograph from the billionaire, Sandford allegedly attempted to take a police officer's holstered gun before being tackled and frogmarched from the venue. A Secret Service report said Sandford told officers he had been planning the assassination for around 12 months and believed he would die in the process. He had also bought a ticket to a rally in Phoenix, Arizona, for later on Saturday as a back-up. Sandford was carrying a UK driving licence at the time he was arrested. A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are providing assistance following an arrest of a British national in Las Vegas." Children as young as one have fallen prey to paedophiles using the internet, with crimes including more than 100 rapes involving predators operating online in the last year. The NSPCC said 38 police forces in England and Wales had recorded 3,186 sex crimes against children in 2015/16 that involved offenders using the internet. Offences included sexual assaults, grooming victims, and inciting children to take part in sex acts. Most victims where an age was provided by police were 13 (535), but 272 were under 10 and the youngest was one. This is the first year that police have been required to "cyber flag" sex abuse cases where the internet was used, although the NSPCC added that "a small number" of forces said they did not know about or were not using the Home Office scheme. Chief executive of the NSPCC Peter Wanless said: "These figures confirm our fears that the online world is playing a significant role in the sexual abuse of children in the UK. "It's clear that a large volume of sexual assaults and rapes of children have involved the use of the internet - for example by grooming victims before abusing them offline, or live-streaming the abuse. "We know grooming is on the rise because children are increasingly telling our ChildLine service how they are being targeted online. "Predatory adults posing as children try to meet them or blackmail them into meeting up or performing sexual acts on webcams, which obviously terrifies them and can leave some feeling suicidal. "By revealing this first year of data we hope to highlight how police are under increasing pressure to cope with online offences so we have to ensure they have the resources and training to make them fit for tackling crime in the 21st century. And the Government must make mental health support available to every child who has endured abuse." The figures were obtained via a Freedom of Information request to police in England, Wales and Northern Ireland by the NSPCC. Anne Longfield, Children's Commissioner for England, said: "Sadly these concerning figures may be just the tip of the iceberg, because children rarely tell someone that they are being abused - often through fear of the consequences or because they cannot put their experiences into words. "Successful police operations show that online sexual offenders use sophisticated methods to target, trick and groom children, and may target hundreds of children at a time. The internet is increasingly integral to children's lives and they need to be educated about the risks, as well as how to report suspicious behaviour. "The effect of abuse, whether it happens offline or online is devastating, and we need to ensure therapy to help them recover from their ordeal is available." Chief Constable Stephen Kavanagh, national lead for digital investigation and intelligence, said children are "desensitised" to meeting strangers in person who they have only previously had contact with online. He cited research by West Yorkshire Police, which surveyed 2,500 secondary school children and found that 103 aged under 13 had arranged to meet someone in person that they had met online. He said: "Grooming of children is hugely under reported and taking place on an industrial scale. what we are seeing is children are desensitised to having contact with strangers who they only know through the digital age." Alton Towers operator Merlin will be sentenced later this year in connection with the Smiler roller coaster crash which left five people seriously injured. Merlin Attractions Operations Ltd has already admitted a breach of health and safety rules over the incident in June last year, which left two young women needing leg amputations when their carriage hit another stationary car. During a half-hour hearing at Stafford Crown Court on Tuesday, attended by several of Merlin's directors, a date was set for the sentencing when the company is expected to receive a hefty fine. The Recorder of Stafford Judge Michael Chambers QC listed a two-day hearing beginning on Monday September 26 at the same court. Bernard Thorogood, prosecuting for the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE), told the judge the victims of the crash and their relatives are expected to attend the next hearing and asked if provisions could be made to accommodate them. He added: "Members of those injured will want to come to the hearing." During a previous court hearing in April, victims Vicky Balch and Leah Washington, who each lost a leg in the crash, as well as Joe Pugh, Daniel Thorpe and Chandaben Chauhan attended. Mr Thorogood said he would also be producing medical evidence charting the "diagnosis and prognosis" of the victims, to show the impact that the crash has had on their lives. Merlin has already accepted responsibility for the crash after an investigation found a computer block stopping the ride because of the stationary car on the track was over-ridden by staff, causing the collision. As a result, the full carriage ploughed into the rear of the empty car, leaving those in the front row badly hurt. Concluding the hearing, Judge Chambers said although there were some differences between Merlin and the HSE, "the thrust of the prosecution case appears to be accepted by the defence". He added: "Can we aim to start at 10am on Monday, September 26." A British woman jailed in Peru for drug smuggling is expected to be released later. Melissa Reid, 22, from Lenzie, East Dunbartonshire, and Michaella McCollum, from Dungannon, Co Tyrone, were jailed in 2013 after trying to smuggle cocaine worth 1.5m (1.95m) from Peru to Spain. A judge in Lima last month granted an order to expel Reid as she met the legal requirements for release. According to reports, the release process has now been completed. McCollum, 23, was freed in March under new legislation but was required to remain on parole in Peru. It is understood Reid will be able to return to the UK a free woman. The pair were caught at Lima Airport trying to board a flight with 24lb (11kg) of cocaine in food packets hidden in their luggage. They claimed they were forced into carrying the drugs but pleaded guilty to the charges and were sentenced to six years and eight months. Reid's father Billy has previously said the impact of his daughter's crime on his family had been ''horrendous'' and spoke out in a video warning of the consequences of drug offences abroad. A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said: "We continue to provide assistance to Melissa Reid and remain in contact with her family and local authorities." Firefighters worked to make gains against Southern California wildfires as an intense heat wave eased slightly on Tuesday. Two adjacent fires in the San Gabriel Mountains, 20 miles north-east of Los Angeles, remained uncontained but had not destroyed any homes while their combined size grew to more than eight square miles. About 770 homes in the foothill city of Duarte were under evacuation orders and residents of Bradbury and Monrovia just to the west were urged to be ready to leave immediately if given the word. "Our big threat today is still that left side of the fire, the west flank," said Los Angeles County Deputy Fire Chief John Tripp. "There's a fire line that goes from the bottom of the slope all the way up to the top of the mountain." A 4am wind shift started bringing the fire down the mountains but a helicopter making night-time water drops slowed the advance. Significant progress, however, was made overnight on the east side of Duarte, where flames creeped down to the bottom of slopes behind homes and firefighters extinguished them. The other fire in what was dubbed the San Gabriel Complex forced evacuation of 69 people. The fires erupted separately on Monday and scared homeowners before burning mostly away from the cities. Charlie Downing, out of breath and with his shirt off because of the heat, said when he first smelled fire and felt heat that he ran outside of his house and was astonished by the size and nearness of the flames. "I came running over just to look and it was 15 to 20 feet in the air," Mr Downing told reporters. "By the time I came back and told my grandma and my kids to get in the car, it was right by the car." Power lines appear to spark as massive Southern California wildfire continues to spread. https://t.co/nbZQvqUXZHhttps://t.co/1DaRNiGqOf ABC News (@ABC) June 20, 2016 He and two neighbours sprayed the flames with their yard hoses until firefighters arrived minutes later. Two towering columns of smoke rose from the mountain range, reminiscent of a 2009 fire that scorched 250 square miles of the Angeles National Forest as it burned for weeks. Elsewhere, crews made progress against a week-old blaze in rugged coastal mountains west of Santa Barbara, boosting containment to 70 percent. About 270 homes and other buildings were threatened by the blaze, which has charred more than 12 square miles since Wednesday. Authorities planned to begin lifting mandatory evacuations there on Wednesday. Another wildfire in the desert close to the Mexico border south-east of San Diego was holding at nearly 12 square miles after forcing the evacuation of about 75 people from a ranching community. Other blazes burned wide swaths across Arizona and New Mexico, where firefighters also faced blistering heat. In New Mexico, a 28-square-mile fire that erupted last week and destroyed 24 homes in the mountains south of Albuquerque showed signs of slowing down. Higher humidity has allowed crews to strengthen lines, and some evacuees would be allowed to return home on Tuesday. In eastern Arizona, a fire doubled to nearly 42 square miles and led officials to warn a community of 300 residents to prepare to evacuate. The blaze on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation was not moving quickly toward the community of Cedar Creek because of sparse vegetation and shifting winds. Update 3.55pm: Ellie Butler's maternal grandparents described their utter devastation at her death, saying: "She was our shining light" after her father Ben was sentence to at least 23 years in jail for her murder. Grandmother Linda Gray died on the first day of the murder trial and her husband Neal was understood to be too ill to give evidence. The couple had cared for Ellie after her father Ben Butler was accused of shaking her as a baby, but they were forced to hand her back 11 months before her death. In a joint statement written ahead of the trial, they described how they struggled to come to terms with the "shock and horror" of her death. They said: "Our lives have changed so dramatically due to the impact and shock and horror of this event that we struggle every day to deal with the reality of the death of our dear granddaughter Ellie. She was our shining light. "Ellie was a very beautiful, bubbly and intelligent little girl who always had a smile on her face and even at such a young age she was nobody's fool. She was our life and she gave so much pleasure to us and our family too, how we all miss her." The couple went on: "Local people, some of whom we did not even know, came to express their sadness upon hearing of her death and we received over a hundred messages of sympathy. This gave us great comfort in our time of mourning. Ellie had many friends in school and the community all of whom were totally grief-stricken. "We have difficulty facing people and people have difficulty facing us and visiting our home. It affects our everyday lives. It was such a great privilege and pleasure to have been Ellie's grandparents and to be able to have loved her in her short life. This goes for our family and friends too." The couple did not directly refer to their daughter Jennie Gray or Butler. However, they said: "We did not realise that some people could be so wicked in life." They added: "Our beautiful granddaughter Ellie, we all miss her very, very, much, more than any words can express. Life will never be the same for us again." Update 3.45pm: A family court judge handed "all the power" to murderous Ben Butler when she decided he had been the victim of a miscarriage of justice over a claim he had shaken his daughter as a baby, a serious case review has found. Mrs Justice Hogg ordered Sutton Council to send letters to education, child protection and health bodies, stressing that Butler was innocent after she decided that his daughter Ellie should be returned to his care in November 2012. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison in March 2009 for shaking Ellie as a baby two years previously. But in 2010 his conviction was quashed, as appeal judges could not rule out an unknown cause for her injuries. Less than a year after Ellie was placed back in her father's care, following a catalogue of violent abuse including a broken shoulder that went untreated for a month, he murdered the six-year-old. Speaking on Tuesday as a serious case review on the run-up to Ellie's death was published, chairwoman of the Sutton Safeguarding Children Board Christine Davies said Mrs Justice Hogg's decision over the letters, and to appoint private firm Services for Children to deal with the case, tied their hands. Ellie Butler with her father Ben. She said: "We are all deeply saddened by the death of Ellie Butler. The death of any child is always tragic but more so in these circumstances. Ellie was harmed by her parents, the very people who were supposed to protect her and keep her safe. "The serious case review concluded that the Family Court's decision to exonerate Ben Butler of harming Ellie in 2007, combined with its subsequent order for agencies to be sent a letter to that effect, had a very significant impact on how agencies could protect his children from that point in time onwards. "Ben Butler's exoneration and the judge's statement about him being a victim of a miscarriage of justice had the effect of handing all the power to the parents. "This coupled with the assessment made by Services for Children to support Ellie and her sibling to be cared for by their parents were critical factors." Ben Butler Update 1.30pm: Ben Butler has been sentenced to life with a minimum of 23 years in prison for murdering daughter Ellie. Earlier: In the UK - a father has been found guilty of murdering his six-year-old daughter - 11 months after winning a high-profile custody battle. 36-year-old Ben Butler killed Ellie while looking after her in October 2013. A jury also found him and his partner Jennie Gray guilty of child cruelty. They came up with an elaborate plot to destroy evidence - and make it look like an accident - before calling for an ambulance. Ellie Butler's absences from school and bruises should have been "a red flag" that she was being mistreated, a leading children's charity has said. The youngster was returned to her parents in November 2012 after High Court judge Mrs Justice Hogg ruled that her father Ben Butler had been the victim of a miscarriage of justice over a quashed conviction for shaking her as a baby. In reality he was a violent thug and once back in his care, Ellie suffered a series of injuries including a broken shoulder that was left untreated for a month before she died at her father's hands in late October 2013. He and her mother Jennie Gray focused on hiding evidence instead of getting help for their daughter when she had been fatally injured. An NSPCC spokesman said: "This tragedy raises serious questions about why Ellie was returned to the man who would eventually kill her - questions which a serious case review must address. "There were signs such as absences from school and bruising which should have acted as a red flag that Ellie was in danger. "Despite this she was left at the mercy of Ben Butler, who has shown himself to be a violent, aggressive and manipulative man, more concerned with covering his tracks than seeking medical help for his daughter. Screen grab from an undated home video issued by the Metropolitan Police of Ellie Butler with her father Ben who has been found guilty at the Old Bailey of murdering his six-year-old daughter. Picture: Metropolitan Police/PA. "He was aided in this sickening crime by his partner Jennie Gray, who has been revealed to be just as conniving, deceptive and duplicitous. There are obviously lessons to be learned from such a harrowing case." Malcolm McHaffie, London deputy chief crown prosecutor, said Ellie's parents "did all they could to divert the police investigation" away from Butler. "Six-year-old Ellie Butler was murdered in her home, where she should have felt safe, by her violent father who should have loved and protected her," he said. "The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) presented evidence of Ben Butler's contempt for his daughter and his aggressive nature and volatile temper through text messages and diary entries. "We may never know exactly what happened in the last few hours of Ellie's life, but the CPS built a strong case to show that her death was the result of deliberate violence by Butler. "Butler and his partner and Ellie's mother, Jennie Gray, did all they could to try to divert the police investigation away from any suspicion of Butler. However, the Crown's expert medical evidence showed that Ellie's catastrophic head injuries could not have been the result of an accident, but must have been deliberately inflicted. "This was a complex and challenging case which involved a thorough police investigation and was clearly and carefully presented to the court by the CPS. Their hard work and dedication has helped secure justice for Ellie." The third iteration of the Karachi Biennale (KB) is slated to run between October 31 and November 13 across nine... MANILA: The use of LNG imports for power generation in the Philippines next year should not be a disincentive for... It is that time of the year again! Cane crushing season is barely four weeks away, with proposals making round for... London Bridge Road at the southern entrance to Googong Foreshores Point Hut Crossing Oaks Estate Crossing Sunshine Crossing Angle Crossing the unsealed section of Boboyan Road (to all traffic except four wheel drive vehicles) the unsealed section of Brindabella Road (to all traffic except four wheel drive vehicles). The following recreational areas remain closed: Googong Foreshores downstream picnic area (at the northern end) Googong Foreshores boat ramp. Artist Fiona Hall's exhibition Wrong Way Time is on at the National Gallery of Australia until July 10. The ultimate foodie festival, the Canberra Region Truffle Festival is back for another year until August. Bush Capital: The natural history of the ACT at the Canberra Museum and Gallery (CMAG) shows the natural history of the Territory with specimens, illustrations, photographs, works of art and sound. From March 12 to June 26. Free. Come to the National Archives and explore exquisite garments, sleek fashion shoots, designers, retailers and bloggers in Faith, Fashion, Fusion - Muslim Women's Style in Australia. Until September 4. Touch or click through for more David Pope Today: Partly cloudy. Medium (60%) chance of rain this morning. Winds northwesterly 15 to 25 km/h tending westerly 30 to 45 km/h in the morning then becoming light in the evening. Max 12. Tomorrow: Partly cloudy. Medium (60%) chance of showers in the late afternoon and evening. Light winds becoming northwesterly 20 to 30 km/h in the morning. Min 3, Max 12. Friday: Cloudy. High (80%) chance of showers, most likely in the morning and afternoon. Winds northwesterly 20 to 30 km/h turning westerly 15 to 20 km/h during the day. Min 5, Max 11. AFL clubs could win the power to negotiate their own beer deals after the competition's most enduring sponsor has significantly cut its multi-million dollar arrangement with the league. Carlton United Breweries has reduced its AFL contract midway through the beer company's latest 10-year deal in an occasionally testy negotiation which saw CUB accuse the league of last year promoting a rival beer company at the MCG. CUB's marketing director Richard Oppy. Credit:Ashleigh Bonner While both parties have denied the incident led to the brewer cutting its AFL deal reportedly by one third, Fairfax Media understands the negotiations were punctuated by some acrimony when CUB's new owners moved to cut their AFL sponsorship more than 12 months ago. The AFL's commercial operations boss Darren Birch said it remained unclear whether clubs would now have the opportunity to negotiate their own beer rights. He said the league would work with clubs "to look how we can responsibly maximise the beer category". You have got to admire the benevolence of Chris Scott the man behind our latest Gold Coast childcare giant, G8 Education. Shares are rising again after the damage caused by the failure of last year's Affinity Education bid which claimed the scalp of chairman Jenny Hutson but Scott has yet to share the wealth created by the stock, which has risen 800 per cent since 2011. The 2 million shares he acquired, with the help of a company loan in 2010, were actually for his estranged wife Juwarseh Scott and the kids. And then he was forced to come out and clarify the G8 share ownership of Geosine, a private company he once owned and controlled. The rollout of solar cells on industrial and commercial buildings could accelerate significantly across Australia if an initiative to simplify lease agreements and finance costs is successful in reaching the hip-pocket nerves of landlords and tenants. While Australia has the world's highest per capita penetration of solar panels on residential rooftops, it lags with solar on commercial buildings despite having acres of low-rise industrial sheds suitable for power generation. Solar panels on a commercial building in Melbourne. "There is a lot of roof space out there currently not generating any energy," said Ivor Frischknecht, the chief executive of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). Small businesses in particular were failing to reap the benefits of lower electricity prices on commercial properties they lease because their agreements lumped the cost of installing energy efficient features on the landlord, while giving the savings to tenants. Land sales for homes on Melbourne's outskirts are booming at the same time as the city's CBD apartment market teeters on the brink of oversupply. More than 1500 new home buyers purchased a block of land in one of the city's outer suburbs in April, the highest number since Oliver Hume Real Estate Group began collecting data more than a decade ago. Demand for housing on the city's outskirts is being driven by first-home buyers and investors. Credit:Paul Rovere The agency, which tracks land sales across the eastern seaboard, said the number of lots sold had risen consistently since slumping to 533 in April 2011 after the federal and state governments axed first-home owner grants. April's sales were the highest since 2004, up markedly on the previous year, pointing to buyer confidence and robust demand for land, the group said. The two women seeking to fly the flag for Australia's interests abroad have put aside diplomatic niceties during a robust foreign affairs election campaign debate. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and her opposition counterpart Tanya Plibersek sparred over the New Colombo Plan, foreign aid, innovation and the maritime border with East Timor at the National Press Club in Canberra on Tuesday. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and her opposition counterpart Tanya Plibersek sparred over the New Colombo Plan, foreign aid, innovation and the maritime border with East Timor at the National Press Club in Canberra on Tuesday. Credit:Graham Tidy Ms Bishop is miffed that Labor wants to axe her ideas hub called the InnovationXchange, which she once described as a "little funky, hipster, Googly, Facebooky-type place". Authorities have unsuccessfully attempted to push the boat back into the water, despite stormy seas. But when the weather clears, the intention is to tow the boat. Indonesian navy commander Kicky Salvachdie has said the boat will be escorted to the maritime border. "After that it's up to them." The impasse has become increasingly desperate. Indonesian police fired a warning shot into the air last week after several women scrambled from the deck onto the foreshore. The group has since been permitted to huddle in a tent on the beach. A seven-month-old child is among the passengers, doubtlessly magnifying the distress. The vessel has been marooned almost a fortnight on the beach in Aceh Besar near the western port of Lhoknga, apparently after a perilous open ocean voyage from southern India. It is far from clear whether the men, women and children on board are seeking asylum from persecution, or as Indonesian authorities contend are hoping for economic opportunity. A proper assessment of their circumstances is required, far more than the hasty assertions so far made. It may well be up to Australia. The passengers have said they could not get citizenship in India and plan to sail south to Australia "for a better life and to earn money". If the vessel does indeed make it to Australian waters, and the lamentable policy to turn back boats is applied, 44 people will be caught in a game of ping-pong between national jurisdictions. What should be the guiding principle in this case, and every case, is never to put people in the way of harm. The United Nations refugee agency has rightly warned there are already too many people losing their lives at sea in search of a better life. At some point, a country must take responsibility and allow these people safe harbour and consider their situation, rather than relying on the few fleeting comments about their intentions reported after questions from the media. History has too many sad lessons of loss when countries turn away from humanitarian obligation. The UN this week released the latest statistics on global trends in migration to coincide with World Refugee Day. The most alarming figure showed war and persecution has driven more people from their homes than at any time since records began. About 65.3 million people are now displaced, and of those people classified as refugees, about half have fled conflicts in just three countries: Syria (4.9 million), Afghanistan (2.7 million) and Somalia (1.1 million). The scale of this challenge is staggering, all the more so when compared with the political convulsions caused in Australia by the arrival of relatively few asylum seekers. Countries in the Middle East and Europe have struggled to cope with the mass movement of refugees, especially from Syria. Thousands of people are thought to have perished attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea, while resentment stoked by prejudice has tested the commitment of some European nations to international conventions. International refugee law is not without failings, but what should never be overlooked, particularly at times of stress, is the fundamental obligation to help those in desperate need. Australia may be geographically distant from these conflicts, but the moral responsibility to assist applies regardless. Yet in this election, both major parties have refused any mature debate on what role Australia can play to ameliorate the global refugee crisis, choosing instead to punish people in offshore camps. It is important to remember that many of the most inefficient taxes we pay are levied by state governments. Where is the discussion about removing or replacing some of these taxes like stamp duty on real property? The ACT has replaced this duty with land tax and South Australia has proposed the same for commercial property conveyances from 2018. Potentially this gives South Australia an advantage over NSW in the competition for business investment and jobs. NSW is already a good place to invest and do business but more could be done to enhance its competitiveness, not just with other states but with countries like Singapore and New Zealand. Of course what we need is a national tax reform package, with proper consideration of all 125 of the taxes and charges we're subjected to, only 10 of which generate around 90 per cent of total revenue. Both major parties in this federal election campaign have eschewed such holistic reform. Nationally, we squandered the opportunity the mining boom gave us to invest in critical infrastructure projects and pursue deep tax reform. The Baird government is getting it right on infrastructure investment and creating the conditions business need to invest and create jobs but is it about to make the same mistake by squandering the gains from the property boom? The infrastructure reforms announced in the budget will be critical to NSWs long-term prosperity taking the lead and implementing tax reform will further amplify these benefits for the people of NSW. Daily, this bitter 2016 race is reworking a familiar saying: "You made this election, so lie in it." Of course, the use of the word "lie" here has a darker meaning than peaceful repose. On top of personal factors, elections are fought on policy differences, some of which are real and many, exaggerated. So what to do when your opponent adopts the same policy? Answer: question their commitment. Lie by suggesting they are lying and will not deliver. The Coalition has been doing this all year on border protection claiming that even if Labor's largely identical policy on boat turn-backs and mandatory off-shore detention is in lock-step with the government, you cannot trust it to see it through. Senator Wong challenged Mr Turnbull's insistence that the national vote would be conducted respectfully, calling that proposition "the hollowest of hollow words". The lesbian mother-of-two used the annual Lionel Murphy Memorial Lecture on Tuesday to deliver a personal rebuke of the planned plebiscite, which Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has promised to hold if the Coalition is re-elected. Heterosexual politicians fail to grasp the hatred gay and lesbian Australians will endure during a plebiscite on same-sex marriage, Labor frontbencher Penny Wong says. "A plebiscite designed to deny me and many other Australians a marriage certificate will instead license hate speech to those who need little encouragement," she said. Penny Wong and partner Sophie Allouache after the birth of their daughter Alexandra in 2011. "Mr Turnbull, and many commentators on this subject, don't understand that for gay and lesbian Australians hate speech is not abstract. It's real. It's part of our everyday life." Senator Wong said she did not doubt the "good sense" of the Australian people, but knew from bitter personal experience that opponents would seek to denigrate gay and lesbian relationships like the one she shares with partner Sophie Allouache. "I oppose a plebiscite because I do not want my relationship, my family, to be the subject of inquiry, of censure, of condemnation, by others. And I don't want other relationships, other families, to be targeted either," Senator Wong said. "It's this sense of trying to deliver the consumer something before they even think they have a problem. And now it's: 'Why shouldn't we be able to predict what you think you want, based on your behaviour, based on the time of day, based on where you are located? How about we serve you results based on your calendar entry and how long it would normally take you to get somewhere and let you know that you should leave earlier because there is a lot of traffic'. "That level of thought about the customer was completely mind-blowing for me. It gave me a sense what was possible." When people interact with organisations and are asked where they live they can get upset because they've already told other organisations where they live. "It's up to us to help them by finding out." Half of all viewers for the high-rating indigenous science fiction series Cleverman were online. The ABC was no longer primarily in the business of broadcasting what it wanted at the times it wanted. What's your postcode? Why is your neighbourhood special? What is it that keeps you there or what made you leave? These are the questions that Simon Ross is asking photographers across Australia in his pursuit to create a photographic patchwork quilt of Australia as a nation. The Postcode Project is an online community gallery which aspires to gather beautiful photographs from every postcode in Australia in order to paint a picture of our nation today. The Postcode Project, 2780, Katoomba, NSW. "Katoomba was developed as a tourist destination in the 19th century and still is today, with the main attractions being the amazing views, bush walks and the occasional dump of snow. It also houses a significant cluster of creative talent which includes writers, painters, sculptors and thespians. It??s population of 8000 swells to over 50, 000 during the annual Winter Magic, a festival celebrating the winter solstice." Credit:Marty Walker "In every corner of every postcode is a chapter of the story waiting to be told," Ross writes, "In the small towns and big cities, the dying suburbs and booming subdivisions, the industrial areas, backyards, parks, waterfronts, the outback, the in between, coffee shops, farmers markets and surf clubs. All the parts of this place that will never be part of a tourism advertisement still count for as much as the icons we so often see." A coroner has apologised to the family of a murdered policeman killed on duty in Tamworth in 2012 but praised the officer's heroic actions in his final moments to handcuff his killer. In an inquest in Tamworth Coroner's Court on Tuesday, Deputy State Coroner Hugh Dillon said Senior Constable David Rixon had suffered a "grossly premature death" by "a damaged human being". Senior Constable David Rixon's wife, Fiona, and some of his children including Haley, Matthew and Patrick, and family friend Bruce Scanlon outside Tamworth court. Credit:Geoff O'Neill Michael Allan Jacobs is serving life in prison for the murder of the Tamworth highway patrol officer who was gunned down in Lorraine St, West Tamworth on the morning of March 2, 2012. In front of Senior Constable Rixon's children, family, friends and colleagues, Mr Dillon said the 40-year-old policeman was "a true officer of the law" who was "very courageous". Sniping the Sydney siege gunman was never more than a remote possibility and a likely missed shot risked "catastrophic" consequences, an inquest has heard. The NSW police tactical commander who was in charge of the three snipers positioned around Martin Place said none had had a clear shot. Katrina Dawson and Tori Johnson, victims of the Lindt Cafe siege two years ago. Each was behind glass windows and would have lost further accuracy shooting through the Lindt cafe windows as well. A 15-year-old girl has been charged over an alleged bomb hoax at Cairns State High School on Monday. Police said the teenager entered the school grounds at midday and assaulted two staff members. A 15-year-old girl has been charged over an alleged bomb hoax at a Cairns school on Monday. Credit:Tom Threadingham It will also be alleged the girl made threats against the school, causing it to be evacuated. Police located and arrested the girl and determined the threat to be unsubstantiated. A valley club-goer has accused a police officer of making sickening homophobic remarks after an altercation in the popular night time precinct. Sameer Mane and his friend Rick Collins had spent Saturday night visiting venues in Fortitude Valley before stopping for a burger on the way home. Sameer Mane and Rick Collins had an altercation with police in the Valley Mall where an officer is accused of having made a homophobic remark. Credit:Michelle Smith An altercation began between Mr Collins and a staff member at the fast food outlet resulting in police being called where he alleged they were "man handled" from the premises and told to leave. In the process of escorting them away from the Brunswick Street Mall, Mr Collins and Mr Mane told Fairfax Media one of the officers, who had already repeatedly sworn at them, made homophobic remarks. Australia's duelling prime ministerial candidates continue to target a delay-plagued section of Queensland's busiest motorway in the final fortnight before the federal poll. The Turnbull government will on Wednesday join Labor in supporting an upgrade to the Gateway Motorway merge, widening the M1 to five lanes southbound from Eight Mile Plains to Springwood. Both parties have pledged money to the Logan stretch of the M1 Motorway. Credit:File/Paul Rovere But the Queensland Labor government accused Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull of "ripping off" the state to the tune of $66 million. The coalition's $105 million promise is less than the opposition's but comes with the promise of a second upgrade, worth $110 million, to the M1 from Mudgeeraba to Varsity Lakes. Temperatures in several Queensland cities will drop below zero this weekend as a low-pressure trough approaching the Western Australia coast is expected to bring a "cool blast". Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Adam Blazak said temperatures were forecast to be about seven degrees below average across the state. Temperatures on Friday should be normal during the day, however the surface trough will cause the mercury to drop across inland areas on Friday evening and south-east Queensland is expected to feel the cold on Saturday. The Darling Downs region will see temperatures plummet below zero, with Dalby expected to reach minus 2 degrees and Stanthorpe minus 3 degrees. Red apples could be a bit less red as temperatures rise due to climate change, Royal Galas are likely to suffer more sun damage, and some fruit growers are likely to rip out trees and opt for different varieties. The looming impact of climate change on the fruit growing industry is detailed in a new report out of the University of Melbourne, which says climate change could affect what is grown and where in some Australian apple growing regions. The report concentrates on science, but as climate change affects farmers and the fruit that they grow, a changing climate is likely to have some impact on the apples displayed on the shelves of Australian supermarkets in future years. Northern Victoria's Goulburn Valley, one of the biggest apple-growing districts in Australia, faces a real threat from a rise in the number of hot days in January that could lead to "sun damage" on Royal Gala apples, the report warns. Royal Gala apples Melbourne Zoo's newborn elephant remains in a critical condition. The Asian female calf was born on Wednesday, and is unable to stand on her own as two of her feet are curled backwards. Num-Oi, the mother of the baby elephant who is battling for her life at Melbourne Zoo. Credit:Wayne Taylor As she can't stand, the calf has not been able to suckle and is being given a combination of an artificial elephant milk formula and milk from her mother, Num-Oi. But the artificial formula has led to an infection. The zoo's head vet, Michael Lynch, said there were many potential problems when hand-raising Asian elephant calves, particularly gastro-intestinal issues associated with the use of milk formula. The man's youngest victim was just five years old when he first raped her. This, combined with a previous sentence imposed for similar crimes committed in New South Wales, means he will be at least 85 before he is released. The man, 66, was on Tuesday sentenced to serve 19 years in jail (with a 15-year non-parole period) for abhorrent crimes against children aged 10 and younger. One of Victoria's worst sexual predators a former policeman who raped children for more than a decade has been handed one of the state's longest sentences for sexual offences. Three of the man's victims on Tuesday said they wanted his name made public, saying they believed more victims could come forward if they knew he was behind bars. But Fairfax Media is unable to name the paedophile due to a request from the County Court. The man was a police officer between 1967 and 1979, when he resigned from the force after the mother of one of his victims reported the abuse to his colleagues. On Tuesday, County Court Judge John Carmody said the day after the woman reported the abuse, "a number of police" came to the family home and questioned the boy about what had happened. While the woman said she didn't want to take the matter any further, the officers told her that the man"wouldn't be in the police force any more and would be moved away". The court was told on Friday that after Victoria Police failed to act on the complaint, the man went on to sexually assault and rape children for at least another four years. The disappearance of a Warnbro teenager with Asperger's syndrome is now being reviewed by WA Police's major crime squad eight days after he was reported missing. Aaron Pajich, 18, was last sighted in Rockingham on June 13 where police believe he was going to see a man and a woman he met on a gaming website. Mr Pajich has been missing for nine days. Six days later, a southern suburbs mother told WAtoday she had made a police report after seeing a similar young man in the same line as her and her son at United Cinemas, Rockingham, around 4.30pm on Saturday. A police spokeswoman said the case would be reviewed by the major crime squad on Tuesday after originally being investigated by the missing persons unit. The state opposition wants the Barnett government to investigate how confidential records of mental health patients were left in the courtyard of an Albany hospital. WA Health Minister John Day has admitted any breach of patient confidentially is unacceptable and said an investigation of the incident was already underway. Confidential records of mental health patients were left in the courtyard of the Albany Regional Hospital. Albany Labor MP Peter Watson said a woman was walking through the grounds of the Albany Regional Hospital on June 8, when she stumbled across the documents from the mental health section. "The documents showed the patients name, date of birth, reason for admission, doctor's comments, and names and contacts of next of kin," he said outside Parliament House on Tuesday. Goshen, New York: In chilling detail, a New York State Police investigator has publicly described for the first time a 45-minute walk he took on a Hudson river island with Angelika Graswald, whose remarks to him later led to charges that she murdered her fiance while the two were kayaking there last year. Graswald said she felt "trapped" and had withheld her fiance's paddle after his kayak capsized, the investigator, Donald DeQuarto, testified in a pre-trial hearing. Angelika Graswald in court with her lawyers. Credit:New York Times "'I took his paddle when he was in the water,'" Graswald had told him, DeQuarto said. The walk and subsequent questioning took place 10 days after the fiance, Vincent Viafore, 46, disappeared into the cold waters of the Hudson river, on April 19 last year. Graswald was visiting Bannerman Island, where the couple had stopped on the day of the drowning, and ran into investigators who were searching for clues to the episode, which was still being treated as an accident. The system punches a hole in Israel's system for regulating Palestinians' access to work inside Israel, and has security implications: Attackers like the two Palestinian men who fatally shot four people this month at a Tel Aviv cafe sneak through as well. A Palestinian smuggler directs cars filled with workers across the border fence area in the West Bank. Credit:New York Times The two men lived in Yatta, a village in the West Bank's south, near where the unfinished barrier consists mostly of a metal fence with numerous gaps and holes. Micky Rosenfeld, an Israeli police spokesman, said they had entered Israel illegally, "most probably via one of the areas which are open or not completed". The Shin Bet, Israel's internal security agency, says that from October 1 of last year to February 1, 21 Palestinians who attacked Israelis were in the country illegally. Labourers with work permits line up to pass through the Qalandiya checkpoint from the West Bank into Israel earlier this month. Credit:New York Times Since the Tel Aviv attack, Israel's Defence Ministry has promised to extend a more effective form of the barrier to the south, an area heavily trafficked by smugglers. But the government's other response to the shooting, the cancellation of 83,000 special permits for Palestinians to cross during the holy month of Ramadan, may reveal how difficult it will be to staunch the flow. At the Qalandiya checkpoint outside the city of Ramallah on the Friday after the attack, men stood at the edge of the restive crowds no longer able to pass through, shouting "tahreeb, tahreeb" - Arabic for "smuggling, smuggling". Workers pass through a tunnel at a construction site in Israel that employs illegal labourers among its Palestinian workers. Credit:New York Times There are about 55,000 Palestinians with permits working legally in Israel, and an estimated 20,000 in the settlements, according to the Palestinian Labour Ministry. That is down from a peak of 140,000 before the second intifada in 2000, the ministry says (when the population was about two-thirds the size). Estimates vary widely on the number of illegal workers. Khalil Shikaki, director of the Palestinian Centre for Policy and Survey Research in Ramallah, said 30,000 was a reasonable guess; Nuriel said it was closer to 60,000, depending on the time of year. Most work in construction, agriculture or restaurants. The separation barrier near the Shuafat refugee camp in the West Bank. Credit:New York Times Rosenfeld, the police spokesman, said hundreds of illegal workers were picked up each week, but authorities were "focusing on arresting those that are attempting to bring in the Palestinians illegally". The first time someone is caught in Israel illegally, he said, the police simply record the incident and release the worker back to the West Bank. Repeat offenders "will appear before the courts" and may face other penalties, Rosenfeld said, adding that anyone suspected of links to terrorism is referred to the military. But Palestinian workers who have been arrested multiple times said in interviews that the most serious consequences they have faced have been an interrogation and being dropped off at a checkpoint as far as possible from where they were picked up. At a large construction site in Israel, an illegal worker in a yellow hard hat who goes by the name Abu Khalid estimated that he had gone over the wall dozens of times in the last year alone. Like many others interviewed, he said his routine was to cross the wall, work inside Israel for a few days or weeks, and then go back to the West Bank for a short rest. Some employers house workers in trailers, some workers stay with relatives or friends, and some, like Abu Khalid, camp outside. Workers "punch in" as soon as they arrive at a job site, he added, and both Israeli and Palestinian contractors know they have no permits. At day's end, Abu Khalid continued, "we go find a water pipe to take a shower, and then we find a nice tree and sleep under it". One recent day near Dahriya and neighbouring Ramadin, pickups jammed with illegal workers played cat-and-mouse with Israeli military Humvees, racing from gap to gap as smugglers chattered on phones nearby. Workers and smugglers alike understand that terrorism is bad for business. A driver for the smugglers in Dahriya who spoke on the condition that he be identified only as Abu Ramzi said he and his colleagues alert Palestinian security forces at the first hint that a client intends to commit violence in Israel. He complained that the Israeli military had stepped up patrols of the southern barrier since the Tel Aviv shootings. "Before this last attack, the army would act as if nothing was going on - 30 or 40 workers would cross into Israel all at once," said Abu Ramzi, 34. "This last attack has temporarily complicated our operation." Still, he said, "we will always find ways to get these workers in". The bereaved widower of an Indonesian woman who was allegedly poisoned with cyanide-laced coffee by a friend from her student days in Australia has called for justice to be served, revealing the couple had planned to start a family by the end of the year. Australian permanent resident Jessica Kumala Wongso has been accused of the premeditated murder of Wayan Mirna Salihin, with whom she studied at the Billy Blue College of Design in Sydney. "I want justice to be served in accordance with the law," Ms Salihin's husband, Arief Soemarko, told Fairfax Media at Ms Wongso's trial at the Central Jakarta District Court. Music & Nightlife Story Saved You can find this story in My Bookmarks. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Mortgage industry veteran and managing director of MoneyQuest, Michael Russell, has labelled recent comparisons with the UK mortgage market incredibly misleading.Speaking at the FBAA National Tour last week, the former CEO of Mortgages at Barclays in the UK, Steve Weston, spoke about the major differences between the broker markets in Australia and the UK According to Weston, Australia is one of the last markets in the world to pay trail commissions to mortgage brokers. Because of this, he said it is a reasonable assumption to say ASIC will be questioning this.The other big, big difference is on remuneration and that is something we should be concerned about with ASIC because regulators will speak to their international counterparts, Weston told brokers.However, Russell said comparing the Australian mortgage market with its overseas counterparts particularly the UK and the US is misleading.Talk of commissions being at a cliff edge are completely unfounded, particularly when ASIC itself has said on more than one occasion it is going into the review without any pre-conceived views, Russell said.Furthermore, recent comparisons with the UK and US markets have been incredibly misleading and I really hope that Australian mortgage brokers havent been lulled into thinking we are destined to go down the same path.The Australian mortgage market is almost the polar opposite to that operating in the UK and US. While fixed rates, short loan lives and churn are the norm in these markets, here variable rates, longer loan lives and effectively zero churn are our foundation.According to Russell, much of the commentary surrounding ASICs remuneration review of mortgage broking is sensationalised.Much of the commentary in recent weeks has been very disappointing and clearly designed to sensationalise what we in the industry, always knew was inevitable, he said.Theres certainly no reason to get caught up in the sensationalism but rather as an industry we need to remain calm and very confident in the standards we now work to.He said the changes to come from the review will be measured, and brokers have nothing to be concerned about.Finally, while we fully expect to see some remuneration changes to come from the review, we are very confident they will be measured and implemented in full consultation with both the industry and customers best outcomes at heart. The Mortgage and Finance Association of Australia ( MFAA ) is urging brokers to connect with their local politicians in light of ASICs remuneration review.We all feel that the industry needs to do more to promote the positive benefits of brokers with all stakeholders more broadly, but especially to their respective federal parliamentarians, the MFAA has said in a statement.We feel that these elected representatives need to hear from their constituents about the consumer benefits a broker provides.The MFAA has now thrown its support behind the MyBrokerMyChoice website, designed to help brokers promote the positive benefits of the profession to key stakeholders. The website was launched by AFG earlier this year, however, free of AFG branding, the MFAA is promoting the industry at large to take advantage of the resources.This site makes it easy for all brokers to send a clear message to their representatives and to ask their customers to do the same, the MFAA said.We need to send the message to these decision influencers that mortgage brokers are consumer advocates, local employers and voters.The Association has announced it will assist in promoting the site to its members, encouraging all brokers and aggregator bodies to use it to develop a collective voice to represent the benefits of the profession to both political parties.We are working closely with the major political parties but this adds another voice to the arena with professional templates and information, so all representatives can see that the industry drives healthy consumer choices.We hope that in the coming weeks brokers access the site and educate their local representatives, media and any other group that, without brokers, consumers are not likely to have such beneficial choices. As the NRL Rookies start to find their feet in the competition, tonight's theme is centered around teamwork. Jordan celebrates his 21st birthday and the boys travel inland for a farm-inspired Captain's Challenge. From country to the city and the NRL Rookies are faced with their toughest opponents yet, when they take on the Melbourne Storm Under 20s Holden Cup side at AAMI Park. An injury cloud looms over yet another player and the realisation of its severity results in tears, highlighting just how much this opportunity means to him. The stakes are high and the boys know that one slight slip-up can cost them everything they have been working for An NRL contract and to be the inaugural winner of the NRL Rookie. Head to www.NRLRookie.com to watch full catch-up Episodes 1 to 3 of the NRL Rookie as well as online exclusive extras. Last Tuesday night's inspirational Episode 3 featured Broncos greats and former club skippers Wally Lewis and Darren Lockyer getting involved with these hopeful young guns. The eventual winner of The NRL Rookie will land the coveted prize of a contract with one of the 16 clubs in the National Rugby League. 28 finalists were selected from thousands of applicants from around the world in Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the United Kingdom and United States. And they are being pushed to their absolute limits of physical and psychological endurance, with searching assessments of their rugby league skills, in a quest to win the ultimate prize. NRL Rookie on Facebook | NRL Rookie on Twitter WATCHING THE SHOW IN AUSTRALIA Each episode will air five times per week on free-to-air television across the Nine Network: PREMIERE - Tuesday - GO! 7:30PM (SYD/MEL/BRIS) ENCORE 1 - Wednesday - CH9 10:30PM (SYD/BRIS) ENCORE 2 - Saturday - CH9 1PM (BRIS) ENCORE 3 - Sunday - CH9 2:30PM (SYD) ENCORE 4 - Monday - GO! 11:30PM (SYD/MEL/BRIS/ADE/PER). Please Note: These times may vary from week to week so be sure to check your local TV guides. If you don't manage to watch the show on TV then all episodes can be watched for free at any time right here on www.nrlrookie.com where you will also be able to watch a wide range of online exclusive extras. IN NEW ZEALAND Free-to-air broadcaster TVNZ will be showing The NRL Rookie on the Duke Channel. The show will go on air simultaneously with Australia, therefore 21:30 local NZ time, with another encore play later in the week. Please check the TVNZ website for more details (www.tvnz.co.nz). If you don't manage to watch the show on TV then all episodes can be watched for free at any time right here on www.nrlrookie.com where you will also be able to watch a wide range of online exclusive extras. IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA The National Broadcasting Corporation of PNG will be showing The NRL Rookie on the NBCTV Channel. Please check the NBCPNG website for more details (www.nbcpng.com). If you don't manage to watch the show on TV then all episodes can be watched for free at any time right here on www.nrlrookie.com where you will also be able to watch a wide range of online exclusive extras. NRL ROOKIE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA To be eligible for the program, NRL Rookies had to meet the following criteria: The Applicant had to be at least 20 years of age. The Applicant must never have been on an NRL first grade Top 25 Squad List or played an NRL first grade game. The Applicant must not have played a Second Tier NRL match (NSW/QLD Cup) or a Holden Cup U20s in either of the last three seasons (being 2013-2015). The NRL Rookie is a new reality show offering a guaranteed NRL contract to the Rookie who can prove he has what it takes to perform at the highest level. Watch catch up episodes and online exclusive extras right here! Phillies are World Series bound! How to watch, plus the full schedule latest news October 3, 2022 Dee Gambit Hundreds if not thousands of new and returning TV shows and movies are released every month your options of what to watch are endless. Variety, they say is ... In this episode of Scream, Happy Birthday to Me, Emma throws a surprise party for Kieran but a bottle of tequila makes the event anything but festive, Sheriff Acosta searches for Jake, and the killer makes a bold move. With all of the trouble Audrey is going through to cover her ass, she might find it easier to come clean. Shes had a rough few days, and now shes out burying the bloody corkscrew used to kill the motel clerk as if our mystery killer isnt watching and that thing wont show back up somewhere down the line. Better to toss it in the lake, I think. Sure enough, she wakes up with it in her bed the next morning Godfather-esque style. Scream: How the Killer Messes with Audrey in Vacancy >>> Eli Comes Between Kieran and Emma Emma is still plagued by nightmares, with the latest being Kieran getting killed by Ghostface/Brandon James in the middle of pre-coital bliss. Her dream journal is definitely a must-read. Eli and Kieran are doing their best Odd Couple impersonation. Eli wanders in after being out all night, and Kieran is concerned that his cousin is up to no good. These two have dirt on each other, but since we cant know what it is, they talk in veiled threats. Kierans got a good thing going in Lakewood and he doesnt want Eli to mess it up. Eli continues to covet Emma. He runs into her at Grindhouse where hes filling out a job application. He suggests that they plan a party for Kierans birthday, even though he knows Kieran and Emma have a romantic one-on-one date planned. Eli convinces her that Kieran actually wants more of a celebration than hes letting on. Note to Scream writers: please stop conveying vital information via text messages. It makes it kind of hard to read. Geesh. Where in the World is Jake Fitzgerald? Brooke remains obsessed with Jake. She continues to text, suspecting that hes gone to Mexico with his parents. He finally responds and promises that shell see him soon. Audrey Grows Suspicious of Stavo At school, Audrey gets a text: Hey, killer. Isnt it fun to be screwed with? Ive got my eye on you. She looks around and spots Stavo giving her some side eye. He would appear to be the frontrunner as our mystery killer, but that would be too obvious, wouldnt it? He could just be a major creeper. Audrey snaps a few pictures of him, so hes now on her radar as her possible stalker. Audrey asks Brooke and Em what they think of Stavo, and Brooke believes hes a total weirdo, a fanboy obsessed with the Lakewood Six. Audrey excuses herself from study hall, and a few minutes later the fire alarm goes off. The library clears out, and Audrey takes the opportunity to snoop through Stavos computer. She finds drawings of several members of the Lakewood Six, herself included. But the real kicker is a picture of Emma with a knife sticking out of her head. The Sheriff Searches for Jake The Mayor tells Sheriff Acosta that he needs help tracking down Jake. The Mayor explains that he doesnt believe Jake is missing so much as avoiding him. Quinn wants to have a few words with Brookes ex. He explains that Jake screwed him over and skipped town. The esteemed Mayor would like Acosta to find him. The Sheriff finds it hard to deny Quinns request once he reminds the Sheriff how he did him a solid by hiring him and all. The Sheriff pokes around and learns that Jake called in sick to school with strep throat. Its not entirely suspicious that a kid whose parents are out of town would blow off school. Acostas going to have to dig a little deeper. He arrives at Jakes house but, of course, nobody answers the door. Party People in the House Plans for Kierans surprise party are going ahead. Emmas mom will be out for the night, so the jam will be at her place. Eli has a fake ID, which means booze. Noah has asked Zoe to be his date, and as he tries to find the perfect ensemble, Audrey quizzes him about Stavo. Noah thinks the kid is pretty cool, especially since Stavo is a fan of The Morgue podcast. Audrey tells Noah about the pictures she found and Brookes theory that hes obsessed with the Six. Audrey thinks shes right. Noah argues that Brooke thinks everyone is obsessed with her. Noah accuses Audrey of being paranoid. Emma and Eli have a couple of pre-party cocktails while getting things set up and share a moment. No lip-locking, but theres a bit of chemistry there. Luckily, Em is saved by the bell the doorbell. Brooke arrives, toting a huge and very expensive bottle of tequila that she found sitting on the porch. A card says the gift is from Jake. Emma confides in Brooke about her almost-kiss with Eli, and even though shes with Kieran, Emma is definitely feeling the Eli vibe. Brooke isnt. Soon, the party is in full swing. Stavo is handing out shots of tequila when the birthday boy arrives. Kieran questions the change in plans, and Emma says that Eli suggested it. Audrey wants to know why Brooke invited Stavo, and she says she didnt. But she seems to be having a change of heart about him, deciding that hes probably harmless and what the hell, its a party. Scream Recap: Emma Learns the Truth About Her Father >>> A Really Bad Trip Noah and Zoe point out that the tequila tasted and smelled a bit funky. (How can you tell?) Brooke comments that theres no telling what it is since it came from Jake. This catches Audreys attention. Shes the only one who knows that Jakes dead, so she figures foul play is afoot. All of a sudden, people are starting to get really sick. Nothing puts a damper on a party more than mass vomiting. Stavo believes the tequila was laced with Ayahuasca. He says that when he lived in Phoenix, it was a thing to go to the desert and trip on the psychoactive brew. It had the same pungent smell as that tequila, and he suspects they all might have been dosed. This party just got interesting. Soon, the puking will stop and the hallucinating will begin. Emma learns that Eli played her as well as another interesting tidbit. Kieran tells her that Eli once borrowed a neighbors dog, and the canine wound up dead. She barely has time to process this before she starts tripping, hearing pigs squealing. Shes lured out into the woods by a younger version of herself, where she encounters the killer. She thinks its a hallucination, but the attack is real enough to send her running. She encounters her dad, who is very much real. The Sheriff gets called and has a hard time believing the whole dosed-with-an-ancient-hallucinogenic-drug story. Emma insists that she was almost killed by someone in a Brandon James mask, but Kevin cant corroborate her story; nobody can. Brooke tells Emma that she also saw a lot of weird stuff that wasnt real (Jake mostly). She blames it all on Jake and his toxic tequila. The Sheriff asks if Jake was actually at the party, but Brooke says that while he didnt make an appearance, Jake was the one responsible for the doped-up tequila on the doorstep. Audrey comes to Emmas defense. She fully believes Emmas story. Audrey also tells the Sheriff that he might want to question Stavo since he seems to enjoy drawing Emma covered in blood. Brandon James: The Sequel Later at home, Stavo swears to his dad that he didnt do anything. Acosta tells his son he trusts and believes him. But he searches Stavos room the first chance he gets and finds a Brandon James mask. Kevin gives Emma a picture of them during happier times as a reminder that he wasnt always a bad father. He wants to help his daughter, but hes just too messed-up. Kevins going to leave and try to get his act together. The next morning, Emmas still convinced that her attacker was real. Kieran thinks shes been under a lot of stress, especially when it comes to figuring out whats real and what isnt. Maybe she did come back too soon after all. Emma doesnt believe going back to the treatment facility will change anything. Everything she needs to fix is right here. Eli is eavesdropping nearby. Noah and Audrey are dealing with some fallout from the party as well. They had a bit of a three-way thing going with Zoe. In Audreys defense, she thought she was making out with her dead ex. For people who were tripping out of their minds, they remember a lot. Noah questions why Audrey apologized to him before their lips locked, but she chalks it up to the drugs. Obviously, Audrey is harboring some guilty feelings about her girlfriends death. The ice is thawing between Stavo and Brooke. He tried to help her out while she was hallucinating, and even though visions of Jake sent her into a major freak-out, she appreciates his effort. Eli tries to make amends with Emma. He tells her that he believes she was attacked, even if Kieran doesnt. His attempt to worm his way back into Ems good graces doesnt go as planned. Emma isnt interested in him telling her what Eli thinks she wants to hear. In fact, he doesnt get it at all. If what Emma saw in the woods was real, theres a new killer in town. At a special assembly announcing the Lady of the Lake finalists, Brooke is reunited with Jake. As she stands on stage, blood drops on her (an homage to Carrie, no doubt) and Jakes mutilated body follows. Now everyone knows that theres a new psycho in town. Scream airs Mondays at 11pm on MTV. (Image courtesy of MTV) Saving Saintpaulia, the African violet The ubiquitous houseplant is imperiled in the wild, and scientists are crowdfunding an effort to sequence its genome A scene from the West Usambara mountains in Tanzania, pictured in October 1997. These mountains, part of the Eastern Arc Mountains, are home to African violets. Credit: Charlotte Lindqvist The African violet can be viewed as a flagship plant, a sort of panda of the plant world, in the conservation of the Eastern Arc Mountains biodiversity. BUFFALO, N.Y. The African violet is one of the worlds most common houseplants. You can buy it at Lowes. You can get it at the nursery. You can find it in the grocery store. But in the wild, this flower that blooms in brilliant shades of purple and pink is imperiled. The clearing of forests for timber and agriculture has endangered its native habitat, which forms a land-based archipelago of sorts, consisting of the highest points of the Eastern Arc Mountains that run through Kenya and Tanzania. With these threats in mind, a team of scientists is crowdfunding a project that could help assure the future of the plant: an effort to sequence its genome. The research, led by University at Buffalo biologists Charlotte Lindqvist and Victor Albert, will likely focus on Saintpaulia ionantha, one of several species that comprise the African violet genus. The project team also includes Aureliano Bombarely, a genobotanist at Virginia Tech with an interest in plant domestication and evolution. The Eastern Arc Mountains hold a very large diversity of both plants and animals, says Lindqvist, an assistant professor of biological sciences in the UB College of Arts and Sciences. It's a biodiversity hotspot, and the African violet can be viewed as a flagship plant, a sort of panda of the plant world, in the conservation of the Eastern Arc Mountains biodiversity. By mapping the flowers DNA, the project could yield insights that benefit both breeding and conservation. For commercial growers, the research could elucidate which genes control traits such as petal shape and color. This could bolster the multimillion-dollar African violet industry, making it easier to cultivate plants with desired aesthetic qualities, or even allow for new possibilities varieties of the flower that have never been seen before. From the standpoint of conservation, sequencing the genome of a single plant can actually provide insight into how the size of the species population fluctuated over the course of history valuable information for environmental stewardship, Lindqvist says. From a single genome, we can get an understanding, or at least a good insight, into how the African violet has adapted in the past to environmental changes, says Lindqvist, who studied the plant in the wild as part of her PhD dissertation. This information can be used to inform us about how the African violet might adapt or respond to future changes, both when it comes to habitat encroachment and also to changes in the environment. And while the initial crowdfunding effort will work with one genome, the researchers hope to eventually sequence the DNA of multiple African violets, with genetic samples coming from spare leaves carefully picked from various locations within the Eastern Arc Mountains. This more expansive project will enable the scientists to see the genetic variability within the genus: Which plants are most similar to others, and which are most distinct? The answer to these questions should inform conservation efforts, helping to determine which populations of African violets must be guarded most carefully in order to preserve genetic diversity. As Lindqvist explains, genetic variation is vital because it allows a species to adapt and survive in the face of threats such as changing climate patterns and novel forms of disease. For more information on the crowdfunding project, visit https://experiment.com/projects/the-african-violet-genome-project-tools-for-conservation-and-breeding. To help celebrate the opening of the new Champion Timber branch in Weybridge, a trio of trikes and riders, known as The Champions Angels, will be out and about from 27 to 29 June. Anyone who spots a Champions Angel can take a photo or video and upload it to the Champion Timber Facebook page to be in with the chance of winning a cordless drill. The deadline for entering is midnight on 30 June. The Angels will be handing out Champion Timber branded goodies, and one of the trikes even has a hot drink machine attached so a free cuppa could be on the cards! The new Weybridge store will open its doors on 27 June, with an official opening event taking place on 28 June from 4pm until 6pm. Goody bags, special deals and free refreshments will be on offer, plus the chance to meet and sponsor yard sales manager, Kraig Seymour. Mr Seymour is taking part in two death-defying fundraising challenges for childrens hospice charity Shooting Star Chase. He said: This summer should be a memorable one for Champion Timber, as we open our 10th store, and for me personally, as Ill be doing a parachute jump and abseiling down the Spinnaker Tower! Im nervous about the challenges, but theyre both in aid of a really good cause so Im going to go for it! In celebration of Champion Timbers 10th store opening in Weybridge on Tuesday 28 June, the yard sales manager of the new branch Kraig Seymour will be taking on two daring fundraising challenges over the summer. Mr Seymour will first be tackling a 100 metre abseil down the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth harbour. His second challenge will be a parachute jump. As Champion Timber is keen to be involved in the Weybridge community, Mr Seymour has chosen to fundraise for local cause Shooting Star Chase, a childrens hospice charity caring for babies, children and young people with life-limiting conditions, and their families. The official opening of the Weybridge branch takes place on 28 June. Goody bags, special deals and free refreshments will be on offer on the day, and a representative from Shooting Star Chase will be on hand to talk about the charity. Mr Seymour said: Im feeling a mixture of excitement and terror at the thought of completing these two challenges more so the Spinnaker Tower abseil funnily enough. But I just keep reminding myself where the fundraised money is going, to help Shooting Star Chase, and it makes me feel humble. Im looking forward to my role as yard sales manager at the new Weybridge branch too and these challenges are a great way to kick it all off. The one-day show run by Toolbank Southampton opened its doors to over 200 retailers and builders merchants from across the South and West region on 17 March. Held at the prestigious Newbury Racecourse, the show hosted over 100 exhibitors for brands to showcase the latest hardware and tool technologies. Great Southern show organiser and Toolbank Southampton operations manager Anna Biney said: The exhibition was a great opportunity for the UKs brands to showcase some of the best tools and equipment. The flexible space of the Grandstand Conference Suite at Newbury Racecourse was a suitable venue for attendees to see new products and the latest promotional offers. The trade show this year saw a significant increase, attracting retailers from across three branches, allowing manufacturers to display the latest stands to create a vibrant exhibition atmosphere. At Toolbank, we employ a range of marketing techniques to communicate with our stakeholders, however there is no substitute for meeting people face-to-face and the feedback from our events demonstrate that this is exactly what our suppliers and customers want. Cyclists will be heading out of the gates at the Kent Blaxill Colchester branch early on 1 July on a 120-mile charity tour of Essex and Suffolk, aiming to raise 6,000. Among them will be a recumbent bicycle, or velomobile, which will be ridden in a lying position by long-time Kent Blaxill employee Andy English. In total, around 60 riders, comprising customers, staff and suppliers, will be taking part in the sportive, organised by Kent Blaxill and sponsored by Crown, which will be raising money for the Rob George Foundation and the East Anglian Air Ambulance. The route will go via Kent Blaxill Saffron Walden, Bury St Edmunds and Sudbury branches, before riders finish back in Colchester at about 5pm. Of his recumbent cycle, Mr English said: It is very aerodynamic and so is capable of averaging speeds of around 20-25 mph, although I am at a disadvantage on the hills. On the continent they are known as rocket bikes. It is such a magical piece of engineering that riding it brings a smile to my face. Cyclists will be wearing shirts specially designed for the event and will be competing either as individuals or as part of teams. Riders can be sponsored at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/. It is the second charity cycle ride organised by Kent Blaxill, the previous event being held in 2013 to mark the companys 175th anniversary. Picture caption: Kent Blaxill staff riders: (l -r) Andrew Tanner, Scott Morrison and managing director Simon Blaxill, with Andy English in his velomobile. Opinion / Columnist Chadya Tapiwa Diamond Advocate Ntate Moruti is a Father, a Legal Practitioner, a Lecturer, a Researcher, a Political Analyst-cum-Activist and is also the director of Information and Publicity in the South African Youth Assembly of the Morgan Tsvangirai led Movement for Democratic Change. Tapiwa is a man after God's heart like King David. He read law the University of KwaZulu Natal and is Researching towards an LLM. He concomitantly lives in the Natal Midlands and Johannesburg. He can be contacted on 27 (0)84 566 2756 or email him at diamondtapiwa@gmail.com,or twitter @mantronieqscie or like Tapiwa Diamond Chadya on facebook. He writes in his own personal capacity. is a Father, a Legal Practitioner, a Lecturer, a Researcher, a Political Analyst-cum-Activist and is also the director of Information and Publicity in the South African Youth Assembly of the Morgan Tsvangirai led Movement for Democratic Change. Tapiwa is a man after God's heart like King David. He read law the University of KwaZulu Natal and is Researching towards an LLM. He concomitantly lives in the Natal Midlands and Johannesburg. He can be contacted on 27 (0)84 566 2756 or email him at diamondtapiwa@gmail.com,or twitter @mantronieqscie or like Tapiwa Diamond Chadya on facebook. He writes in his own personal capacity. Zanu-PF's not-so-cleverly-hidden commitment to the people's plight has finally come out of the plastic paper bag, leaving human rights and the make-believe rule of law up in malodorous smolder. The irrefutable substantiation is nowadays there for all to see from Zanu-PF's manifestly egotistic, illegal and even barbaric departmental directives which have been deceitfully issued at the boarder posts and in the banking sectors.All this has been done in the false name of promoting local industries, to the effect that no person shall be allowed entry at any port of entry with groceries and any commodities into Zimbabwe unless one attains a special permit. Such permit should beyond reasonable doubt categorically prove that such goods and commodities are not readily available in Zimbabwe. This is sickening! Who does that?Day in day out the people of Zimbabwe have been made to endure serious inhumane state of affairs and perennial treatment as third class citizens from the ruling party. On a daily basis there is always something new that ordinary Zimbabweans have to face and live with. The truth of the matter is that the Zanu-PF government no longer serves the interest of the voters.The ruling party has lowered the bar so low that they can lead and run the institutions anyhow without gazzeting public interest changes as according to the codified rules and promulgated regulations. The propensity to unleash and deploy unsound economic and business decisions to achieve narrow political underhand dealings is linked to old, rusty and aged leadership. Such levels of insanity are unfortunate, dangerous and harmful to the society of Zimbabwe.The sad part about politics is that the voters are reluctant to rise and revolt. It is barbaric and psychotic to burn the library when there is a shortage of accommodation, and in return burn the clinic when the library is not refurbished, but in all cases it is the language that politicians understand.The fact that the advanced in years Robert Mugabe is still clinging to power smacks of sickening and intolerable hunger for power that was last seen in the Apartheid regime. Such decisions by Zanu-PF have already made beyond rational disputation that there is no direction in the shake-shake-jongwe-house. It is a sad reflection, but the only true 'sons of the soil' in Zanu-PF who would have steered Zimbabwe into the breadbasket rather than the begging basket were eliminated by Robert Mugabe in freak accidents.But indeed we are comforted by the hope that their bones have risen and have manifested in the form, style and manner of President Morgan Tsvangirai.Currently Zimbabwe's hope lies in the MDC-T and failure-to-with, in the combined opposition led by non other than Morgan Tsvangirai who has solid years of opposition politics in the troubled. Indeed, the well experienced and respected opposition party leader has made telling nationwide intercession that has raised relevant questions which Zanu-PF has failed convincingly, and or neglected and or failed to answer accordingly.After emergency formation of the former people's party Zanu-PF, neither political party nor person has given Robert Mugabe and his troopers the jeepers-creepers that they have received from Morgan Tsvangirai and his ever-red-oiled-machine. They have came and gone, they have joined and left the party, but the sell-outs and implants from the Zanu-PF intelligence in the MDC-T have failed to bring down the biggest opposition party. Well done Morgan Tsvangirai.Ever since the evolution of opposition and strong resistance to barbaric ideologies of Robert Mugabe and Zanu-PF by Morgan Tsvangirai, many opportunists and chancers have tried their luck but to no avail. They have came into the fray in their different sexes, shapes and sizes, but Morgan Tsvangirai remains a true cadre to change the seemingly unchangeable plight of the Zimbabwean citizen.To be politically relevant and vocal, it is imperative that one gets exonerated by the society and have political and social sins washed away. The recent media frenzy about the disgusting and shameful Zanu-PF fraudster William 'Acie Lumumba' Mutumanje and his backyard shack shenanigans as well as Jim Kunaka are just a waste of printing space. The former re-joined and the latter exited Zanu-PF respectively and simultaneously. These young and upcoming fraudsters have already been groomed for the worst and are playing with the people's minds.Let the truth be told; if and when one doesn't follow orders in Zanu-PF, they simply just die. Its either they drown in an empty swimming pool; or get run over by a blue-train whose 'last seen' was 15 years ago; or you just die from one panado overdose! The likes of Boarder Gezi, Elliot Manyika, Josiah Tongogara and Herbert Chitepo have stories to tell. So the message to Acie Lumumba is that the young fella needs to stop making unnecessary noise and divert the people's attention; Get a blade please!The people of Zimbabwe will never be silenced forever. The silly sex-tapes have already been erased from our memories and the real issues keep on pilling. Whose country is it anyway? The introduction of bond coins is a futile attempt to redress the economic meltdown that Zimbabwe is facing.Those in Zanu-PF can rig the elections, but they can never rig the economy. Bond coins are not enough to rig the economy. Real change and strategy is needed as in yesterday. The Zimbabwe that is a happy home is no longer under the guardianship of the aged Robert Mugabe. The legacy, influence, patent and copy right name of Robert Mugabe will stay forever, but that will never change the economy. Zimbabwe needs a real transformation that is out sourced from either the MDC-T party, and or a combined voice of the opposition led by Morgan Tsvangirai.Under Robert Mugabe and his Zanu-PF, the last fifteen years have seen a concerted effort to slay and exterminate the exceptional scheme of agricultural production and financial respect that has been national pride. The new and corrupt system has created Zanu-PF colonies within it that are redolent and or malodorous and evocative of the Rhodesian and Apartheid "Whites Only" businesses that are now once again springing up as colonies in our Zimbabwe.As part of 'Zanu-PF Only' business initiatives in the country, bans on imported goods and commodities in an attempt to promote retail chain stores owned by the ruling elites that range from the deputy president Phe Mpoko to many other clusters of little ministers who have earmarked themselves as business islands. They import into Zimbabwe and tuck in their chain stores, only to resell and an exorbitant price to the citizens.Every Zimbabwean is selling airtime by the street corner and many survive through cross boarder trading and such bans on imports will only do nothing but brew a storm that will send Zanu-PF packing. Such reasoning from Zanu-PF will be rejected by the people of Zimbabwe.Robert Mugabe has a dangerous social, political and economic agenda which he is practicing with his violent and tribal cabal of Zanues in a fraudulent manner with no accountability checks and balances. He must be stopped by any and all means necessary.After everything is said and done, there is a need for prayer en masse and deliverance from all social evils that has befallen the nation. Prophets have spoken and it is important to listen to such divine voices of reasoning.Free Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe and Zanu-PF must go!------------------------ Higher taxes, trash pickup? Many special questions await voters Nov. 8 They're sometimes easy to miss, but many South Jersey communities have special questions before voters on their Nov. 8 ballots. A Burnham-On-Sea resident has called on the Town Council to be more cautious about awarding business support grants to commercial organisations. Helen Groves, right, a former town and district councillor, spoke out during Monday evenings Policy and Finance Committee meeting. She started by saying: I would like to make absolutely and unambiguously clear that I am not referring to long-standing organisations such as the Chambers of Trade in either town which are properly constituted and have always worked well both with the Town Council and the wider community to the benefit of all, nor should this be construed as criticism of any form of the business people, who after all should and must act in the very best interests of their respective businesses. It is the right of any resident to freely express their views and it should be clear that it is this right which is being exercised a statement of opinion and genuine disquiet with the current situation. Having clarified, I do wish to raise a number of concerns with this committee in regards to grant applications which have a primary or sole benefit to businesses within the towns, though with the possible exception of Christmas lights and floral displays I am not aware of any particular business support grants being made within Highbridge. I, like a very large number of residents within both towns, feel a great deal of unease at the significant increase of these types of grants over the last few years and question whether it is appropriate for the Town Council, which receives no form of receipts from businesses within the area, to be financing this form of grant at all? She added: The argument used to support this form of grant funding, which falls outside of the specific margins of the Tesco funding, is so far as I am aware that the event or other provision will either secure employment or increase employment. A laudable aim. But I would ask this council to provide a single shred of evidence that so much as one job has been secured or created as a result of the high level of investment it has made. The secondary argument is amenity, this is a reasonable argument which can justifiably be used to award grants for Christmas lights, provision of street furniture, funding of some events if they are primarily geared towards community benefit, such as the towns annual fireworks event or the Foodfest which are both well supported. But in many cases these events have not been well supported, are unsustainable without continued large scale support from this council and others and represent extremely poor value to the public who are actually financing the endeavour. There is a reasonable question to be asked regarding what is a realistic expectation from the business community. Most councils require businesses to buy the hanging baskets from them for example. In our town and in some part due to confusion over what the Tesco funding is paying for and what the Town Councils duties actually are, there seems to be an increasing perception that the Town Council is obligated to provide a support that it simply cannot without compromising other budgets. Helen added: Further I am very concerned that there appears to be an unequal approach to due diligence on the part of this council. Some grant applicants seem to have very few checks imposed upon them (beyond the submission of accounts etc. which are the minimal requirements) whilst others are dragged over the coals. Some seem to be expected to account for every penny, whilst others appear to mismanage funding, constitutional commitments etc. Yet are still able to return asking for grant increases or new grants and worse still are awarded them on what appears to be the line of reasoning, that as we have already awarded a grant, more will have to be given to ensure the initial funding is not lost. It is a good money after bad argument and implies insufficient checks have been made to begin with. It is my view that this council suffers from mission creep. A one-off grant often becomes a yearly expectation and this frankly does not inspire faith in the observer. It is my view and that of many others that the Town Council needs to set clear criteria for funding of businesses if it is to do it at all and whilst business is important to residents in terms of employment and facility, it is necessary that if you financially support businesses you are clear about why you are doing so and exactly what the benefit is to residents how is success measured, for example, and is the same criteria being applied to everyone. Any such policy must be fair and apply to both towns. There should also be a yearly cap, because ultimately all the funding the Town Council has at its disposal is drawn directly from the pockets of householders, not businesses. You have a relatively small grants budget and it is vital that the importance of community based support is not overlooked. To fail to address the reasonable concerns of the residents of both Towns will be read as contempt by the same. It is already creating unfair resentment towards the business community and generates an undeliverable expectation from all. Setting a clear and unambiguous policy is the only way that this council can demonstrate it is acting in a fair, transparent and unbiased manner and protect itself from accusations of nepotism, which regardless of the opinion of elected members is precisely how many view the actions of their councillors. Limited, India's largest backoffice firm has appointed Carol Lindstrom, former vice chairman of consulting firm Deloitte LLP to its board of directors. The appointment of Lindstorm, which is effective immediately, would help reach out to chief executives of global firms which are looking at transforming their businesses amidst global uncertainty ."It is an honor to have Carol join the Board. Her global experience in technology and consulting will be extremely valuable to and we look forward to her contributions. We are very proud of the caliber of our twelve-member board, which now includes three distinguished women," said Robert Scott, Chairman of the Board, Genpact in a statement. Lindstrom recently retired as vice chairman of Deloitte LLP, where she led strategic relationship management, and was also president of the Deloitte Foundation. Lindstrom held many management and client leadership positions during her Deloitte career, including managing director of global strategic relationship clients in the United States; managing director of Deloitte's e-business unit, dc.com; managing director of the Americas technology practice; managing director of the San Francisco and Orange County practices; and lead advisory and client service partner for many significant clients. She joined the firm in 1995 after having served as a partner at Andersen Consulting for many years. She received a bachelor's degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. "Carol has unique experience and expertise in large-scale technology implementations and transformation journeys for clients in our targeted industry verticals, as well as great insights on cultivating deep client relationships. Carol's presence in Silicon Valley for many years will also help us as we continue our pivot on Lean DigitalSM. We are thrilled with this addition to the diverse leadership and collective business acumen of our Board as we serve our clients and shareholders," said N V 'Tiger' Tyagarajan, president and CEO, Genpact in the statement. With referendum on whether Britain will remain in the European Union around the corner, Indian IT are bracing for the impact of the verdict. If Britain choses to 'Leave', the feels the effect would be negative for the sector in the short term. For Indian IT companies, United Kingdom in the 2015-2016 financial year, accounted for almost 17 percent of the total $100 billion global IT exports. At present there are 800 Indian in UK employing 110,000 individuals. will increase flight frequencies to Bangkok and Dubai but the airline will not add new foreign destinations for the time being, say sources. Vijay Mallya has resigned as chairman of healthcare and agriculture firm Bayer CropScience after 12 years.Mallya, UB Group chairman who is in self exile in the United Kingdom, after the Enforcement Directorate began investigating alleged fund diversion of loans taken from IDBI Bank to offshore accounts, will resign from Bayer CropScience effective June 30.During his tenure, Bayer CropScience has grown significantly into a market leading position, the company said but did not elaborate the reasons for his exit.In February, Mallya quit United Spirits, after he signed a non compete agreement with its buyer British liquor maker Diageo. Subsequently in March, Mallya stepped as chairman of drug maker Sanofi India. Mallya, who owes over Rs 7,200 crore to a consortium of banks led by State Bank of India, which has filed cases against him in the Debt Recovery Tribunal, Karnataka High Court and the Supreme Court. Even the worlds third highest-paid executive can be hopelessly outmanoeuvred by a wily entrepreneur. Ask Nikesh Arora, the super-smart former president and chief operating officer of SoftBank Japans third largest public company which he joined two years ago. Some investors had questioned Nikesh Arora's track record and investments in India, especially in like Housing.com. What happened was a result of some irrational exuberance from investors in Indian start-ups. User charges on extra automated teller machine (ATM) withdrawals above the monthly cap of five free transactions fetched handsome gains for the State Bank of India (SBI) in 2015-16, reply to an RTI query has revealed. earned Rs 310.44 crore revenue from ATM transactions in 2015-16, which was 47.5% higher than the previous year, as per an RTI reply given to Chandrashekhar Gaud, an activist based in Neemuch in Madhya Pradesh. Extra withdrawals from ATMs resulted in Rs 210.47 crore revenue for the bank in 2014-15, Gaud said, quoting from the reply. The Reserve Bank had in November 2014 allowed banks to cap free ATM usages at five a month and charge for extra usages. The decision came after banks were reporting heavy losses from ATM business with alone reporting hundreds of crores in losses. The bank charges Rs 20 per transaction from its customers after they cross the limit of five free monthly withdrawals, Gaud said and demanded that should enhance the free transactions cap. Nearly 24 hours after Nikesh Arora, representative director, resident and chief operating officer of SoftBank Group (SBG) was given a clean chit, he decided to resign. Arora, however, would remain an advisor to SoftBank. Star Health and Allied Insurance, which had recently tied up with two large public-sector banks, is looking to raise funds from private equity (PE) investors. In an interview with M Saraswathy, V Jagannathan, chairman and managing director of the company, talks about its future strategy. Edited excerpts: The company has seen an improvement in its performance, posting profit in FY16 after it had reported a loss in FY15. What were the strategies that were taken to reduce losses? We are a growing company; our management expenses have come down and the claims as well as the procurement cost remained at the same level. This has led to profitability. For this financial year, we have set a target of Rs 2800 crore of gross written premium. Indian with operations in the UK and the European Union (EU), face an increased risk of losing market share, higher trade barriers and immigration issues if Britain votes on Thursday to leave the bloc, warn company heads. Some of Indias top have widespread operations in both Britain and the EU. Such as Tata Motors subsidiary, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), Tata Steel Europe (TSE), Motherson Sumi, Tech Mahindra and Bharat Forge. Analysts said if the UK leaves the EU, it would result in its currency falling against the dollar by at least 15 to 20 per cent. That would be 25-30 per cent below its pre-referendum trading range of $1.50 to $1.60. This fall would mean JLR and TSE will earn less from sales in Europe, apart from facing a higher trade wall from the EU. In a letter sent to employees on June 10, Ralf Speth, the JLR chief executive, said Britain leaving the EU would be highly damaging and make buying of components and sale of products in the latter more difficult the EU is its largest market, taking a fourth of its products. Remaining in the EU will increase chances to grow, create jobs and attract investment, Speth wrote. Similarly, TSE told its staff the relationship between the UK and the EU was very relevant for the company. The EU is by far our largest export market, with over a third of our UK steel heading there... (and) access to that market is fundamental to our business, said Tim Morris, head of public affairs there. If Britain were to exit the EU, he cautioned, it would no longer be able to influence some of the major regulations which impact its UK operations, such as environmental controls and anti-dumping measures. It is likely we would still need to adhere to EU rules to enter that market. The difference: We would no longer have a say in how they are set up or applied. The worlds largest retail chain, Walmart, is looking at the new regulatory environment for setting up food-only outlets in the country. Unlock 30+ premium stories daily hand-picked by our editors, across devices on browser and app. Full access to our intuitive epaper - clip, save, share articles from any device; newspaper archives from 2006. Curated newsletters on markets, personal finance, policy & politics, start-ups, technology, and more. Pick your 5 favourite companies, get a daily email with all news updates on them. 26 years of website archives. Stressing on development of infrastructure to boost growth, Union Minister on Tuesday favoured early completion of Hyderabad Metro project and also improving the MMTS rail services in the city. Dattatreya, the Lok Sabha member from Secunderabad, discussed the metro project, Multi-Modal Transport System (MMTS) and promoting IT sector in the city with Telangana IT, Industries and Municipal Administration Minister K T Rama Rao. "We felt that we will meet Chief Minister (K Chandrasekhar Rao) also, if need be, and take all necessary decisions and start it (Hyderabad Metro) at the earliest," Dattatreya told reporters. Highlighting the need to de-congest Hyderabad, the BJP leader said he would try to hold a meeting with Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on improving MMTS (suburban rail system) and also to develop Secunderabad station to international standards. Noting that the Narendra Modi Government started the 'Digital India' and 'Skill India' initiatives, he said the Centre would help IT sector to grow further in Hyderabad. Rama Rao submitted a Detailed Project Report (DPR) again on the Information Technology Investment Region (ITIR) to the Union Minister on the occasion. The ITIR was sanctioned to Hyderabad during undivided Andhra Pradesh. Dattatreya promised to organise a meeting on ITIR, said Rama Rao, son of the Chief Minister. The NDA Government believed in friendly relations between the Centre and states, Dattatreya said. Rama Rao said the Telangana Government does not believe in a confrontation with the Centre and wants to work together. Ameerul Islam, the accused in the brutal rape and murder of Dalit student Jisha, was on Tuesday sent to 10-day police custody. The police had the Assam native's custody for detailed interrogation and evidence collection. Based on this, a court today granted the police the permission to keep him in custody until June 30. According to reports, the police has also taken Ameerul Islam's brother, Badar ul-Islam, into custody from Perumbavoor. The accused in the brutal rape and murder of Dalit student Jisha was sent to judicial custody for 14 days by the Perumbavoor Court on Friday. The High Court had last week rejected the plea for a CBI probe into the case, stating that the new SIT had been set up in the case The 29-year-old law student was brutally raped and murdered on April 28, in which her body sustained at least 30 injuries, including on her private parts. Kerala Health and Social Welfare Minister K K Shailaja said, on Tuesday, her government is planning to open to help women in distress in all 14 districts in the state. "Union government has offered aid to set up the in all districts of the state. We have to identify a place for the centre in all the 14 districts of the state and submit a report for further clearance," she said after meeting Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Maneka Gandhi. are a one-stop crisis centre for women in distress and are funded by the Union government. The proposed Nirbhaya centres would have facility to accommodate victims in case of emergencies and we plan to submit the report soon, the Minister added. Shailaja also met Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot and said that she has got a very positive response from him for upgrading Institute of Speech & Hearing (NISH) in Thiruvananthapuram to a Central University. "Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot has proposed to upgrade NISH as a Central University and will be known as University for Rehabilitation Sciences and Disability Studies," she said. The Minister also said that the state has sought Centre's assistance in providing Disability Cards to the 7 lakh differently-abled in the state. "The Centre has promised to help the state government in providing the necessary software for the proposed Unique Identity Card for the differently-abled which will be linked with their Aadhar card," the Minister said. A mega medical camp is also being planned in Kannur in September to distribute assistive devices for the differently-abled with the Union government bearing all the expenses, she said. The Minister also said that the state is planning to provide an insurance worth Rs 2 lakh for the differently-abled with an assistance from the Centre. Kerala government has also requested the Centre to provide the special package declared for the Endosulfan victims which was announced by the Union government following a direction from the Human Rights Commission. Kerala Health Minister also announced the plan to launch a 'She Pad' project in higher secondary schools of the state. "Kerala State Women's Development Corporation will fund the project to distribute sanitary napkins, almirahs and incinerators to treat the pads in government higher secondary schools across the state," Shailaja said. People should make an integral part of their lives for overall harmony between body and mind, President Pranab Mukherjee said today. The President kicked off the second International Day celebrations at Rashtrapati Bhavan here with around 1,000 people participating in a mass event. Addressing the participants, the President said people should make the practise of yoga an integral part of life. "Yoga will enable people live a healthy life. It will create overall harmony between body and mind. It will enhance mental and physical well-being," he said. The President also recalled that on December 11, 2014, the General Assembly of the United Nations had approved by consensus a resolution co-sponsored by 177 countries to declare June 21 as International Day of Yoga. The government said, on Tuesday, it would ask for two more battalions of central forces to tackle the Left-wing extremism (LEW) in the state. "We would like to seek two more battalions of any central armed forces like Boarder Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force, Sashastra Seema Bal and Indo-Tibetan Border Police," Chief secretary A P Padhi said after presiding over a meeting. Senior officers of CRPF, BSF, intelligence wings of both the central and state governments were present at the meeting. The state presently has deployed a total of 17 battalions of central armed police forces including eight each battalions of CRPF and BSF and one battalion of Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (COBRA), a specialised unit of the CRPF in the state to tackle the LWE situation. Apart from the central para-military force, the state has also deployed its special operation group (SOG) jawans, district voluntary force (DVF) and general police in anti-maoist operations. "Besides operational and coordination issues, we have discussed on intelligence sharing with two adjoining states as Maoists shift their base to neighbouring states when there was operation from one side," a senior official engaged in anti-maoist operation said. As the LWE situation still posed a challenge in districts like Malkangiri, Koraput, Nuapada, Rayagada, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Balangir, Nayagarh, Rourkela and Bargarh, the officer said more forces were required for these places. Recently, while addressing the Assembly, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had said that the LWE situation has improved in districts like Jajpur, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Myurbhanj, Gajapati, Ganjam, Nabarangapur, Sambalpur, Deogarh and Sundargarh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi today joined over 30,000 people here for the second International Yoga Day celebrations as he pitched for treating diseases like diabetes through the ancient spiritual discipline. Modi, dressed in a white-coloured t-shirt and trouser along with a scarf, led over 30,000 participants, including defence forces personnel and school children, for the second celebrations here at the Capitol Complex amid tight security. The Prime Minister, who arrived here last night, participated in a mass demonstration of 'Common Yoga Protocol'. A yoga enthusiast himself, he performed yoga 'asanas' along with the people at the event. Over 30,000 people from all ages -- 10,000 each from Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana -- performed yoga 'asanas' on pink and blue coloured mats during the event. Separately, about 10,000 people also performed yoga at over 100 other locations in Chandigarh itself. Earlier addressing the gathering, Modi pitched for treating diabetes through yoga. "I want to request trainers who are associated with yoga, from this public platform. From next year when we celebrate yoga day, in this one year, you continue to do what you do for yoga but focus on one subject and this is my subject -- diabetes -- Diabetes and yoga," he said. "All people belonging to the yoga field, whatever knowledge they have, they must continue with the rest of their yoga activities but this (diabetes) must be the main focus," Modi said. Expressing concern over rising number of patients suffering from diabetes, Modi asked yoga trainers to help in controlling the disease. "In India, patients suffering from diabetes are rising. We might be able to get rid of this disease or not but with the help of yoga, diabetes can be controlled. Can we start a public campaign to suggest measures in yoga to the common man suffering from diabetes. "It will be an achievement if we can help in treating diabetes. From next year, we can take another disease. But I want that for good health, we should address any one disease every year. We should run a public campaign with an aim to address one disease," he said. Yoga is not only a way to get rid of a disease but it also guarantees wellness. For holistic development of lives, yoga is a great way, he said. In the run up to the event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a commemorative postal stamp on Surya Namaskara in the capital yesterday. The Ministry of Human Resource Development took up the initiative of 'Yoga Olympiad', which saw participation of school children from across 21 states. Over 173 Indian missions across the world are also organising Yoga Day celebrations to spread awareness about the ancient Indian exercise. Besides, the main event on the Yoga Day, several Indian missions have organised a series of curtain raiser events in various parts of the world to spread Yoga awareness. Meanwhile, the United Nations headquarters in New York was lit up ahead of International Yoga Day. The United Nations General Assembly declared June 21 as the on December 11 in 2014 after a call from the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi during his address to UN General Assembly on September 27. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday in the Uzbekistan capital Tashkent in an attempt to win Beijing's support for India's membership to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). Modi will be meeting President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit meeting that is currently on in Tashkent. The SCO is a Eurasian political, economic, and military organisation which was founded in 2001 in Shanghai by China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Highly placed sources said that the meeting between PM Modi and President Xi Jinping would be an exclusive one-on-one discussion, where the top agenda would be to seek China's support for India's membership in the NSG. China, till now, has been playing the role of a dampener on the issue of clearing the way for India's admission to the NSG, by repeatedly stating that it is not on the agenda of the grouping which began its plenary session in Seoul, South Korea, yesterday. On the other hand, the United States has called on the participating governments of the NSG to support India's application for membership. State Department spokesperson John Kirby said in a press briefing that Washington has not changed its stand regarding India's application for membership to the elite group. "Well, as you know, during Prime Minister Modi's visit, the President (Barack Obama) welcomed India's application to join the NSG and reaffirmed that India is ready for membership. We continue to call - and nothing's changed about our position. We continue to call on the participating governments of the NSG to support India's application at the plenary session this week in Seoul," he said. When asked if the Obama government has taken up the matter with China, who has been firmly against India's inclusion in the NSG, Kerry asserted that the US has routinely spoken to other NSG participating members regarding the matter. "This is something that we have - India's application is something we have routinely talked to other NSG participating members. This is not a new topic of discussion that we've had privately with the members," he said. Ahead of the NSG meeting in Seoul to decide upon India and Pakistan's membership, China reportedly continued its resolute stand yesterday, saying that the matter of India's admission was not on the agenda. This statement came as a backhand to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's optimistic statement earlier, that China is not blocking India's entry to the NSG but is only talking about 'criteria and procedures'. "The NSG entry is crucial for India's energy policy. China is not blocking India's entry to the NSG. It is only talking about criteria and procedures. I am hopeful that we would be able to convince China to support our entry to the NSG," Swaraj said in a press briefing. Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar made a two-day trip to China on June 16 and 17 to discuss India's with his Chinese counterpart. China has maintained that more talks were needed to build a consensus on which countries can join the 48-nation NSG following the United States' push to include India in the elite group. The countries, who oppose India's membership, argue that its inclusion in the group would further undermine efforts to prevent proliferation and also infuriate New Delhi's rival Pakistan. Islamabad, which enjoys the backing of its close ally China, has also responded to India's membership bid and asked for its admission as well. The decision on Indian membership will only be decided at the NSG plenary meeting in Seoul scheduled on June 23 and 24. India claims that 21 of 23 nations back its bid. The NSG works on unanimity and even one "no" vote can scuttle India's bid. The US has strongly backed India's bid and so have Britain, Russia and Switzerland. Any big port project in India should not go through before consulting fisherfolk residing in the area, as their livelihood would get hit because of erosion or accretion of the coastline, says the draft National Policy on Marine Fisheries. While foreign airlines cant directly own more than 49 per cent in Indian airlines, despite Mondays liberalised Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy, their group or investors can fully own airlines in India with government approval. Rishi Sunak's wealth and the fact that he represents racial diversity, but not economic or class diversity, do not and cannot take away from the ... Prime Minister Narendra Modi is preparing to leave for a Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) plenary meeting in South Korea on June 23-24, for a last-ditch attempt to gain India membership of that body. Meanwhile, an international arbitration court is finalising a ruling that would allow New Delhi to strike back at Beijing, if it continues to oppose Indian membership. Public sector lender Bank of India (BoI) has sold 18 per cent stake in Star Union Dai-ichi Life Insurance to Japanese partner Dai-lchi Life Insurance. While the company did not disclose the financial details of the deal, sources said the value of the 18 per cent stake was Rs 540 crore, valuing the insurance company at Rs 3,000 crore. As the proposed banks (SFBs) inch towards the deadline for launch, a number of them are opting for a holding company structure, in which the bank would be the subsidiary of their microfinance institution (MFI) or the holding company. The Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that Yoga has now become crown of the worlds health" and we feel proud that Indias thousands years old culture has proved to be resource of health" for the entire world and its people. He was leading the Yoga celebrations on the Grounds of CCS University in Meerut today. . . Participating in the second International Yoga Day" with thousands of people at Meerut, Shri Naqvi appealed to the people to make this International Yoga Day" a day of commitment to good health. Celebration of International Yoga Day" by the entire world community with passion and enthusiasm is another evidence of Indias growing prestige at global level, he said. He congratulated the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi whose efforts have resulted into global recognition and acceptance of Yoga. . . Shri Naqvi said that Yoga is more important today as human mind and body has been affected by stress and pollution. Yoga is the golden key to good health" and good health is real wealth". . . He said that Yoga is not just an exercise but it is health science". Yoga provides energy to our body as well as our mind. It helps in maintaining a balance in our lifestyle. Yoga is the union of the individual self with the universal self. The aim of yoga is to calm the chaos of conflicting impulses. . . Shri Naqvi himself has been practicing Yoga for the last several years and Yoga provides benefit to people of all age groups. Shri Naqvi said that it is not correct to link Yoga with a particular religion, region or community. Only ignorant people are looking at Yoga with narrow mindset". Politics on health is harmful for health, he said. . . YSK/Uma As part of the celebrations of second International Day of Yoga, Ministry of AYUSH is organising a two-day International Conference titled Yoga for Body and Beyond from 22nd to 23 June, 2016 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. Vice President Shri Hamid Ansari, will Inaugurate the Conference at 11 A.M. Lok Sabha Speaker Smt. Sumitra Mahajan, will grace the Valedictory Session of the Conference at 5.00 P.M. on 23rd June. Minister of State (Independent Charge) for AYUSH, Shri Shripad Yesso Naik will be the Guest of Honour in both the sessions. Swami Ramdev, Dr. Pranav Pandya, Swami Amrita Suryananda, Swami Chidanand Muni, Prof. H.R. Nagendra, will also grace the occasion during Inaugural session. . . Apart from international resource persons, about 70 international delegates from 32 countries have confirmed their participation in the Conference. The countries include Iraq, Afghanistan, Algeria, Malaysia, Spain, Russia, Portugal, Australia, Belgium, China, Egypt, Iceland, Japan, Kuwait, Korea, Kenya, Slovenia, Uzbekistan and U.A.E. Minister of Health and Quality of Life, Government of Mauritius, Mr. Anil Kumarsingh Gayan is also expected to attend the Conference. . . During the nine technical sessions of the Conference eminent Yoga Gurus, exponents and experts will extensively deliberate upon various themes such as Yoga and Physical Wellbeing", Insights from Yoga Scholars", Integration of Yoga in Healthcare Delivery System", Yoga for Mental health", Yoga for Body and Beyond". There will also be a panel discussion and an open ended session on experience sharing by Foreign delegates. . . During the inaugural session certificates will be presented to the winners of Best Yoga Apparels and Best Yoga Geet, which were commissioned by Ministry of AYUSH. During the valedictory session, Certificates will be presented to representatives of first certified Yoga School in India, first Personnel Certification Body and certified Yoga Professionals from Japan under the Scheme launched by Ministry of AYUSH and managed by Quality Council of India for Yoga Professionals and Yoga Schools. . . AB/SK A 19-year-old Britsh man has been charged for trying to grab a police officer's gun at a rally in Las Vegas in a bid to kill the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. According to a complaint filed in federal court in Nevada, Michael Sandford tried to disarm the officer at Saturday's rally at the Mystere Theatre in the Treasure Island Casino before being overpowered. It said the young man told a Secret Service agent after his arrest that he had driven from California to Las Vegas "to kill Trump," and had been to a range a day earlier to learn to shoot as he had never fired a gun before. "Sandford acknowledged that he would likely only be able to fire one to two rounds and stated he was convinced he would be killed by law enforcement during his attempt on Trump's life," the complaint said. It added that Sandford told investigators he had purchased tickets for a rally in Phoenix, where he "would try again to kill Trump" in the event his plan in Las Vegas failed. Video of his arrest carried by US media show a skinny man with short brown hair and a grey T-shirt being escorted out of the rally by police officers with his hands behind his back. The prosecutor's office said Sandford was ordered held without bond, as he was considered dangerous and represented a flight risk. Britain's Foreign Office is "providing assistance" in the case, a spokesman said. The complaint said Sandford had told investigators he had been in the United States for about 18 months, and had lived in Hoboken, New Jersey, before traveling to California. It said Sandford told investigators that he had targeted officer Ameel Jacob's gun because it was in an unlocked position and would be the easiest way to gain access to a weapon at the rally where those attending had to go through metal detectors. "Sandford further stated that if he were on the street tomorrow, he would try this again," according to the complaint. It said Sandford told the Secret Service that he had been plotting to kill Trump for about a year and finally decided to act on Saturday, as "he finally felt confident to do it." His arrest comes amid one of the nastiest US presidential campaigns in recent history, dominated by violent rhetoric, with Trump lashing out at Mexicans, Muslims and other groups. The real estate billionaire enjoys Secret Service protection but also has his own private security detail that has been accused of using unnecessary force to remove people from events. A number of protesters have been arrested at his rallies where riot police are deployed in force and there have been mounting demonstrations during his campaign appearances in recent months. In an unusual move, China's state media today defended Pakistan's nuclear record, saying it was A Q Khan who was responsible for atomic proliferation which was not backed by the government and argued that any exemption to India for NSG entry should also be given to Pakistan. "While India strives for Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) inclusion, it prevents Pakistan from joining by insisting on the latter's bad record of nuclear proliferation. Actually, the proliferation carried out by Pakistan was done by Abdul Qadeer Khan, Pakistan's chief nuclear scientist, and was not an official policy of the Pakistani government," an article in the state-run Global Times said. "Khan was punished by the government afterwards with several years of house arrest. If the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the NSG can give India an exemption, it should apply to Pakistan as well," it said. This is probably the first time Chinese official media has directly made a case for Pakistan's inclusion in the NSG. China officially maintains that there should be consensus about admitting all members. "China and other countries are opposed to NSG including India while excluding Pakistan, because it means solving India's problem but creating another bigger problem. If India joins hands with Pakistan to seek NSG membership, it seems more pragmatic than joining alone," said the article titled 'China no barrier to India joining NSG'. India and Pakistan conducted nuclear tests in 1998, which were condemned by the community, and the US, the EU and Japan all imposed harsh sanctions on the two countries. After the September 11 attacks, the sanctions were gradually lifted. The US even signed with India a Civil Nuclear Agreement and backs India's bid to join NSG. But the issue of the legitimacy of India's "nuclear status" has not been solved, it said. "If India and Pakistan are allowed to join the NPT and adopt the CTBT, it will tarnish the authority of both. How can nuclear weapons development in other countries such as North Korea, Iran and Israel be dealt with," the article said. The article put the blame of proliferation from Pakistan squarely on nuclear scientist Khan. Khan was disgraced in 2004 when he was forced to accept responsibility for nuclear technology proliferation and was made to live a life of official house arrest. In 2009, the Islamabad High Court declared Khan to be a free citizen of Pakistan, allowing him free movement inside the country. The article came as the NSG began its meeting in Seoul, even as the Chinese foreign ministry said India's admission is not on the agenda. The NSG remains divided over non-NPT countries like India becoming its members, China's Foreign Ministry had said yesterday less than 24 hours after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had exuded hope that "we would be able to convince China to support our entry to the NSG. Citing the example of an Indian agricultural tech company, President today extended an open invitation to foreign companies to choose America and establish their manufacturing bases, while urging them to invest in the US. "At that same (2015) summit, an agricultural tech company from Surat met economic development representatives from Missouri and within a year, it established its US headquarters in St Louis. We want more success stories like these," he said in his address to the SelectUSA Investment Summit, an annual event aimed at attracting foreign investment into the US. "We want more of you to invest in America. We are ready to welcome more of the jobs you help create, just as you are ready for American workers and customers to help you succeed globally. I believe investing in the US is the best business decision you can make," he said. Several Indian companies are attending the annual SelectUSA Investment summit. "Today, I am proud to announce a ninth hub based in Los Angeles that will design smart sensors to make all types of manufacturing more efficient. We have got more hubs on the way," Obama said. The US President said SelectUSA has proven to be a pretty good innovation and investment in itself. "When your companies come together, you help bring countries and cultures together. You generate greater understanding among people from different parts of the world. That's one of the most important things that you produce, and you should never underestimate its value," he said. Created in 2011, this is the third-annual SelectUSA Investment Summit and is the first-ever federal effort to bring job-creating investment to the US. Nepal's Ministry of Labour and Employment Spokesperson Govinda Mani Bhurtel said, on Tuesday, that a Airlines aircraft will bring the injured and the bodies of 12 Nepali citizens, who were killed in a suicide bomb attack in Afghan capital Kabul by Wednesday. The decision to send the aircraft was decided by the government earlier in the day. The Airlines aircraft is flying to Kabul these evening, reports the Himalayan Times. A Taliban suicide bomber on Monday attacked a minibus carrying the Nepali workers who were on their way to the Canadian Embassy in Kabul where they work. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) confirmed 12 names of those killed in the attack. Bhurtel informed that two of the seven injured Nepalis are in a critical condition and the government is mulling to take the two to New Delhi for further treatment. He said that will take a decision whether to stop granting permission for foreign employment in Afghanistan after probing the incident and analysing the findings. The ill- fated Nepali nationals were hired by a British security consultancy firm, Sabre International, for the security of Kabul-based Canadian mission. has no shortage of economic advisors. Scores of world-class experts pour ideas into her campaign on the policies she should champion in her bid for the White House. But before much of the input reaches the Democratic candidate, it is filtered through a pair of staffers known inside the campaign as the "Economikes." Working out of Clinton's campaign headquarters in Brooklyn, New York, Michael Shapiro and Michael Schmidt are helping shape what could be a lasting economic agenda if the former secretary of state overcomes Republican rival Donald Trump in November's election. In an interview with Reuters, Shapiro and Schmidt described Clinton's process for forming policy by broadly soliciting ideas and crafting them into the action points that she takes to voters. Before Clinton takes a position, Shapiro said: "she wants to know we have talked to and gotten input from everyone, making sure that we're consulting with labor, making sure that we're consulting with experts." Clinton's inclusive approach to developing policy positions has been faulted for being slow and unwieldy. Much of the work of sifting through the wealth of sometimes disparate ideas and data it yields falls to the Economikes. Both are recent graduates of Yale Law School. Prior to joining the campaign, Schmidt, 30, worked at the US Treasury Department and the Yale Investments Office, helping manage the university's endowment. Shapiro, 29, worked at the White House for the National Economic Council. Earlier this year, he married the daughter of New York Senator Chuck Schumer. The pair helps Clinton draw upon a deep bench of advisers, including economist Alan Krueger, Duke professor Aaron Chatterji and Simon Johnson, a former chief economist for the Monetary Fund, along with scores of other academics and business people. Some communicate regularly through emails, conference calls, meetings and memos. Others are tapped once or twice for specific expertise. Frequent contributor Alan Blinder, the former vice chairman of the Federal Reserve, said he will "usually email the Mikes" with ideas. The fruit of the process will be on display today in Ohio, where Clinton is expected to give a speech contrasting her economic vision with that of Trump, a businessman who often names himself as his main adviser and is known for his off-the-cuff style. Clinton has called raising middle class incomes the defining economic challenge of the time. So far, she has presented a mix of goals, including making child care more affordable and boosting jobs. Some business leaders have said her approach is reassuring, but progressives have criticized her policies as too moderate. Trump, in contrast, often has taken business leaders by surprise with his policy proposals. He has promised to renegotiate trade deals to pump up US manufacturing, vowed to penalize companies that move their headquarters abroad to avoid taxes, and pledged to dismantle Obama's financial regulation reforms. One of the Mikes While the "Economikes" nickname began as a joke, Shapiro said the campaign's digital team made it stick by using it in a Q&A posted on Clinton's web site. Their bosses, senior policy advisers Jake Sullivan and Maya Harris, have been known to stick their heads out of their offices and ask for "one of the Mikes." On email chains, CC: notes will sometimes include "plus the Economikes." Humor aside, their work often is serious business. After the tainted water crisis hit national headlines in January, Clinton dispatched Schmidt and her political director, Amanda Renteria, to Flint, Michigan to investigate. Schmidt said the effort informed Clinton's approach to the water crisis during the Democratic debate in Flint, including her call for the governor to resign. In other cases, they said, Clinton will ask the pair to research issues she's heard on the campaign trail, such as the case of an Iowa bowling alley owner, who told the candidate student debt made it hard for him to get business loans. The campaign since has rolled out proposals to allow for refinancing of student debt and the use of income-based repayment programs to cut monthly payments. Shapiro and Schmidt said the policy points they bring back to Clinton typically lead her to ask more questions, a process that can go on for several rounds before the candidate finally settles on a policy proposal. Donald Trump will embark on the US presidential campaign with a war chest tens of millions of dollars smaller than that of his well-organized rival Hillary Clinton, financial documents show. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee has a mere $1.3 million, according to reports filed last night with the Federal Election Commission. That sum represents an unprecedented low in recent history for a major presidential campaign. Clinton's campaign -- backed by big donors -- had more than $42 million in the bank as of May 31, its report showed. Her super PAC (political action committee), known as Priorities USA, has another $52 million, it was reported as saying. The news came on the same day Trump dumped his controversial campaign manager as he tried to revitalize his White House bid after recent stumbles. He has taken a hit in the national polls and prompted outrage with comments about Muslims in the wake of the Orlando gay club massacre. However yesterday's reports reinforce perceptions that his campaign lags woefully behind Clinton's, which is planning to spend more than$100 million on a television advertising blitz ahead of the November election. Last week Clinton launched a media blitz of ads attacking Trump in eight key states -- Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia. Trump -- who has alienated many traditional Republican big donors and had to lend his own campaign $2 million last month -- is reported to have aired no ads since he clinched the Republican nomination last month. The financial gap mirrors the organizational one. Clinton's staff of some 700 people dwarfs Trump's skeleton staff of around 70, putting him at a huge disadvantage in the swing states needed to win the election. Assembling operations on the ground takes time. But Trump's campaign, which has prided itself on its lean organization, is planning to outsource it to the Republican party -- a task it normally does not perform. The party yesterday reported raising only $13 million during May, about a third of the money it raised in May 2012 when Mitt Romney was the nominee. China's cancellation of Jaguar Land Rover's patent on the Range Rover Evoque will not stop it from going after an alleged Chinese copycat in a separate unfair competition and copyright proceeding, a Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) spokesperson said on Tuesday. A source told Reuters earlier this month that JLR, owned by India's Tata Motors , was suing Chinese automaker Jiangling Motors for allegedly copying the British firm's Range Rover Evoque. at the time confirmed it had filed new legal actions against Jiangling. "It's still the same situation," spokesperson Andrew Marsh told Reuters on Tuesday. The action on copyright and unfair competition are separate from the patent proceedings, he said. His comments come after a media report said JLR's copycat lawsuit against Jiangling could suffer a setback given both companies' patents had been cancelled by Chinese authorities. Public records on the website of China's patent re-examination board show the Evoque patent was ruled invalid in April because the design had been displayed or published elsewhere before a patent application was filed. The board also ruled in May to invalidate the patent of the alleged copycat, Jiangling's Landwind X7, saying in the decision that it strongly resembled the Evoque. Both automakers could still appeal the board's ruling on the patents' validity, said Chen Jihong, a Beijing-based intellectual property lawyer at Zhong Lun Law Firm. Even if the patent remains invalid, could argue separately that Jiangling is competing unfairly by confusing customers or that the Evoque's design is automatically protected under copyright law as a piece of music or other creative work would be, Chen said. has deployed the intermediate-range Musudan ballistic missile on its east coast, the media reported on Tuesday. A government source said no immediate sign of firing was yet detected, Xinhua reported. An official at South Korea's defence ministry said the military was closely watching the situation. on Tuesday threatened to detain indefinitely two Americans if former detainee and Christian missionary Kenneth Bae kept publicly criticising the Kim Jong-un regime. "Pyongyang will neither make any compromise nor conduct negotiations with the US over the issue of American criminals nor take any humanitarian measures as long as Bae Jun Ho (Kenneth Bae's Korean name) keeps spouting invectives against North Korea," Efe news on Tuesday cited a statement as saying. American nationals now in custody in will never be able to go back to the US, the statement said. insisted that this was just a warning and accused the US of being responsible for a false propaganda campaign led by Kenneth Bae since his release two years ago. Bae, freed in November 2014 after serving two years of a 15-year prison sentence for alleged attempts to spread Christianity in North Korea, has published a book on his experiences as a prisoner in the Communist country and has criticised the regime's human rights abuses on various occasions. Pyongyang said it provided everything to Bae during his prison life from a humanitarian point of view and called the missionary ungrateful and a "Judas". Meanwhile, the US government responded to North Korea's new ultimatum with a statement defending Kenneth Bae's "freedom of speech" to criticise the regime. In addition, Washington urged Pyongyang to "grant special amnesty and immediately release on humanitarian grounds" to the two Americans detained in North Korea. One of the Americans detained is a University of Virginia student Otto Warmbier, 21, who was sentenced to 15 years' hard labour on the charge of attempting to steal a propaganda banner from a hotel in Pyongyang. The other is 62-year-old Kim Dong-chul, a US citizen of Korean origin who received 10 years' hard labour on charges of espionage and subversion to "overthrow the social system" of North Korea. Pakistan's concerns on India's role in Afghanistan are "overestimated", a top Obama Administration official said, on Tuesday, and warned that the country will not have a "bright future" unless it takes action against terror groups like Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network. "India has been a supportive partner for Afghanistan. It has provided a limited amount but important military assistance (to Afghanistan)," the Special US Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Olson, told a Washington audience at the Atlantic Council, a top American think-tank. "I sometime feel that the degree of Indian influence on Afghanistan may be overestimated in Pakistan," Olson said when asked about apprehensions about Indian influence in Afghanistan. Olson who before taking up this assignment was the US Ambassador to referred to the quite often heard Pakistani narrative that there are 24 Indian consulates in Afghanistan. The fact is, he said, there are "four Indian consulates in Afghanistan" as against the Pakistani narrative. Noting that has its own security concerns, Olson said that the United States believes that " will not be secure, until and unless" it takes actions against terrorist organisations, in particular the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network that take terrorist actions against its neighbours. Praising Pakistan for launching its anti-terror campaigns in Waziristan, Olson said Pakistan is now experiencing lower level of violence and its economy has stabilised. However, the challenge for Pakistan has been its reluctance to take strong actions against terrorist networks that go after its neighbours. "Pakistan will not have a bright future until and unless it goes after the Taliban," Olson said, adding that in that sense it needs consolidation of its anti-terrorist actions against these groups. Taliban, he said, has consolidated itself under the new leadership. There clearly is a role for other countries in the region, but for the moment the challenge is to keep the negotiations going. Responding to a question, Olson said Pakistan remains committed to the peace process and this needs to be encouraged. He also urged Pakistan to use its relationship to bring the Taliban to the peace table. A Pakistani Senate committee, on Tuesday, declared the forced conversion of Hindu girls to Islam as un-Islamic and appealed to the government to adopt a comprehensive mechanism for the protection of women belonging to minority communities. "Forced conversion of girls to Islam is against the teachings of Islam and also a violation of law in the country," said Senate Standing Committee on Religious Affairs' Chairman Hafiz Hamdullah. He said that religion is a personal matter of every individual, and an individual can not be converted by force, the Dawn reported. Leader of House in the Senate Raja Zafarul Haq also stated that compelling anyone to convert is against the teachings of Islam. "We are already under observation from human rights organisations due to growing incidents of force conversions," Haq added. Senator Gian Chand informed the committee that Hindu girls in Sindh are the victims of force conversions and incidents of force conversions in Sindh are alarming. Chand said that police and local administration do not help the victims or their families in cases of forced conversions. "Police does not take action fearing the reaction of the Muslim community," Chand said. The standing committee appealed to the government to adopt a comprehensive mechanism for the protection of women belonging to minority communities. The committee also directed the federal and provincial governments to draft legislation which would curb the practice. Last year, a move to criminalise forced religious conversions and to prevent misuse of the blasphemy law was endorsed by the members of the Senate's Functional Committee on Human Rights. The son of a high court judge in was abducted by unidentified armed men from outside a shopping mart here, media reports said today. Ovais Shah, the son of the Chief Justice of Sindh High Court, was abducted from Clifton by four armed men who came in a white car with a green number plate. Green number plates are reserved for government vehicles in . A senior police official said so far no case of kidnapping had been registered but Ovais was missing and untraceable until now. "His mobile phone is switched off. We have detained five persons from the parking area for questioning," he said. The abduction came just weeks after the sons of two high-profile politicians returned home after spending years in captivity of militant outfits. Shahbaz Taseer, the son of former slain Punjab governor Salman Taseer, returned home in March after spending five years in captivity. In May, Ali Haider, the son of former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, was rescued in Afghanistan after spending three years in captivity of militants. There has been an uptick in discriminatory backlash targeting Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus and Arabs in the following the recent terrorist attacks, a top Obama Administration official said today and asked people to speak out against such discrimination. "Following recent heinous acts of terrorism over the past year, we see an uptick in discriminatory backlash targeting Muslim communities. We also see this backlash targeting communities perceived to be Muslim: Arabs, Sikhs and South Asians, including people of the Hindu faith," said Vanita Gupta, principal deputy assistant attorney general for civil rights. "This discriminatory backlash doesn't just harm one community. It violates the defining values of our country. As a nation and as a people we cannot, and we will not, stay silent when individuals choose to attack or discriminate against any faith or any community. Together, we must speak out. And together, we must respond," Indian-American Gupta said in her key note address to the inaugural policy conference of the Hindu American Foundation. Gupta said President Barack Obama and Attorney General Loretta E Lynch have made this point several times in recent months. "To anyone who feels afraid, targeted or discriminated against because of which religion you practice or where you worship, I want to say this we see you. We will protect you. And we will do everything in our power to defend your rights to live free from violence, harassment and discrimination rights that our Constitution guarantees and rights that form the bedrock of a free, open and inclusive society," she said. Gupta said to advance this mission, the Justice Department continues to vigorously prosecute religion-based hate crimes. In 2015, the FBI updated its Hate Crime Data Collection Guidelines and Training Manual, and it now uses separate categories to track hate crimes targeting Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus and Arabs. "This greatly enhances our ability to understand the problem of hate violence and effectively allocate resources," she observed. "In addition, with faith communities reporting violence against houses of worship, we want to ensure you get access to the resources, assistance, guidance and support you need to keep your communities safe," she added. "Last December, the Civil Rights Division participated in a webinar sponsored by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) to help prepare houses of worship for emergencies by reviewing available resources. More than 1,900 clergy and religious community leaders watched the webinar," she said. Venezuela has asked the Organization of American States (OAS) to cancel a Thursday meeting on the country's economic and political crisis in which its possible suspension could be discussed. In a letter to OAS General Secretary Luis Almagro, Venezuelan Ambassador Bernardo Alvarez asked the 34-country organisation to scrap a session of its permanent council in Washington requested by Almagro to discuss possible punitive measures, including suspending Venezuela over its human rights record. Almagro "is not entitled" to convene the meeting, the letter said, adding that his request must be declared "inadmissible." Almagro requested the meeting invoking a charter which regulates government behaviour in member states and enables the OAS to address the "alteration of the constitutional order" that "seriously impairs" democracy in a member country. Venezuela's opposition-controlled legislature had asked him to invoke the charter to assess whether the government of President Nicolas Maduro violated standards. The opposition accuses the authorities of curtailing freedom of expression and jailing dozens of its leaders and activists for political reasons, among other charges. The government denies the accusations. Maduro vehemently denounced Almagro's move earlier this month. Almagro had "misused" the charter's authority by improperly opening the possibility of intervening in the affairs of a member state, Alvarez wrote on Monday. The OAS council is set to talk with three ex-leaders trying to mediate between Maduro and opponents seeking to remove him from office tomorrow. The three mediators are former Spanish prime minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, and former presidents Leonel Fernandez of the Dominican Republic and Martin Torrijos of Panama. The mediation led by Zapatero has been proposed as a possible alternative to suspending Venezuela from the OAS. Maduro's opponents are pushing to hold a referendum on whether to cut short his term to ease mounting humanitarian concerns. The opposition blame him for an economic crisis that has led to food shortages and prompted riots and looting. Maduro blames the crisis on an "economic war" against him by the business elite. Storytelling is at the heart of . It seems to be the common message of the diverse group of speakers at the Palais des Festivals here on the French Riviera. David Copperfield, arguably the most famous magician in the world, said in his session that the success of his magic is not in the tricks so much as in the human context in which he sets them. He made the Statue of Liberty disappear once: But he says the context of the importance of preserving liberty in the world is what made the illusion meaningful. Comparing what he does with advertising, he said it is the human story and not the gimmickry that makes creative work strike a chord with audiences. Of course, a magician cannot satisfy his audience only with a talk, so Copperfield gifted a magically floating paper rose to a young lady in the audience, set it on fire with his lighter and then turned it into a real rose. For me, this was the perfect opening act to this year's Cannes Lions. Heavy selling of Tata Motors' shares in May because of concerns over Brexit has proved to be a wrong call on the part of domestic mutual fund managers. With looming uncertainties on the automaker's earnings in the backdrop of Britain's referendum on exiting the European Union (EU), fund managers sold Tata Motors' shares worth Rs 1,025 crore last month, data show. The National Stock Exchange has issued a clarification on this report. Please read it at the end. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has called for a meeting on Friday with the National Stock Exchange (NSE) over the dark fibre and unfair access controversy, said people in the know. The area under onion is likely to decline by at least five per cent this kharif season due to a delayed monsoon. The second International Day of Yoga was celebrated by Army's Fire and Fury Corps today at the Siachen Glacier, along with several other high-altitude forward locations in Leh and Kargil. Apart from giving an impetus to physical fitness, the event also spread awareness on benefits of Yoga amongst the soldiers. The Indian Army has incorporated Yoga Asanas into the daily routine of the soldier in High Altitude Areas deployed in harsh climatic conditions. Practice of Yoga by soldiers in such an environment helps them to combat various diseases such as high altitude sickness, hypoxia, pulmonary odema and the psychological stresses of isolation and fatigue. The respiratory adaptations of Pranayama help the soldiers to better adapt to the low oxygen environment in High Altitude Areas. The main event to commemorate the Yoga Day was held at the Capitol Complex in Chandigarh which witnessed the participation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Punjab and Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki, Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal and his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar besides others. Addressing the International Yoga Day celebrations in Chandigarh this morning, Prime Minister Modi said yoga provides health assurance with zero spending. He said yoga has become a people's mass movement, adding the people in all parts of the nation have been connected to yoga. June 21 was declared as the International Day of Yoga by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2014. Over 190 countries, including 40 Islamic nations, supported the move to have a special day for yoga. With the monsoon well on its way, Mumbaikars are now playing host to its usual traffic woes as water-logging and power outages are putting a dampener on the respite the rains have brought. With local train service, which is called as the lifeline of the 'business capital', severely affected because of heavy rains, people of Mumbai have been forced to face a lot of difficulties. The Western Railway of the Mumbai suburban network came to a halt after someone stole a battery box at the Mahim Electric Sub Station. Adding to the woes, auto rickshaws and taxis have decided to go on a strike opposing Ola and Uber Taxi services. But this is not the first time that Mumbaikars are facing this trouble as every monsoon, railway services in the city gets disrupted due to water logging on the tracks which lead to signal failures. Consequently, lakhs of commuters are affected. Every year, the railways take several precautions to prevent by working on Signalling and Telecommunication (S&T) and Civil works, but the incidents of signal failures occur proving the railways claims to be wrong. Central Railway PRO AK Jain told ANI that they are keeping their focus primarily on Suburban network now as it is working day today and rush hour is to begin soon. "We are updating alerting our commuters through our tweeter and Whatsapp network regularly since early morning. We have requested some FM channels also to spread the word so that commuters can plan in a better way," he said. "We are on wait and watch mode, keeping close watch, if rain continues, we will issue new alerts and advisory," he added. The PRO also informed that they advised BEST (the transport wing of Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking) for arranging extra buses. Due to heavy rain, water logging at Mankhurd, Track Down at Vidya Vihar Thane, Vikroli Bhandup CR main and harbour line train services affected Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had on Friday reviewed the rain situation prevailing in the city following heavy rains and problems related to water logging at the disaster management room and assured that his government will be able to handle the situation. Seasonal rains in Mumbai began after the southwest monsoon hit the western coast last week. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has reportedly asked residents not to venture out of their homes unless 'absolutely necessary'. The BMC had earlier ordered schools in Mumbai to close in view of the heavy rain and problems related to water logging. The Congress on Tuesday dubbed as extremely unfortunate BJP MLA Ravindra Chavan's remark comparing Dalits with pigs and said this is a reflection of the saffron party's thinking with regard to the Hindu caste system as well as the Dalits in the country. Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi told ANI that the BJP has always been harsh with the people of lower castes. "It is extremely unfortunate and upsetting how the Bharatiya Janata Party continues attacking the Dalits on various issues. We have seen how Rohith Vemula's mother is still fighting for justice and she still hasn't got justice for her son's suicide. There were debates happening around whether he was a Dalit or not," said Chaturvedi. "We have heard absolutely insulting and derogatory terms used by General (Retd.) V.K. Singh. Now, we see Mr Chavan speaking out and yet nothing will be done. As far as the Bharatiya Janata Party government is concerned, there is no accountability and probably it is also a reflection of what the BJP thinks with regard to the Hindu caste system as well as the Dalits in the country," she added. Chavan, the BJP MLA from Dombivli, had last week compared farmers and Dalits to the piglets trapped in a gutter. The Dombivli MLA made this weird comparison while speaking at a function at Kalyan in Thane. The comparison has landed the BJP leader in big trouble after the video went viral on social media. The opposition condemned the BJP MLA's statement and demanded action against him. Minister of State for External Affairs General (Retd.) V.K. To mark the 2nd World Yoga day, the Ministry of civil Aviation and Airports Authority of India practice yoga with great fervor at New Delhi. At the INA Colony, the officials and family members of Airports Authority of India performed yoga under the guidance of experts with a message to keep themselves healthy. The Chairman of Airports Authority of India S. Raheja, who was present during the program, motivated the staff to perform yoga regularly to stay fit. He said, "India introduced yoga to whole world and it is given a new phase to that. Yoga is beneficial for both heart and mind. We have tied up with Isha foundation and yoga program has taken place at our major airports. We wish our staff to practice yoga on daily basis." In a separate event at Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan, the officials of the Ministry of Civil Aviation took part in the yoga event to mark the second International Yoga Day. The message of adopting yoga in one's daily life for a healthy mind and a healthy body was also conveyed during the program.Yoga experts also demonstrated the Yoga poses during the program. The secretary at the Ministry of Civil Aviation R N Chaubey said yoga is important in today's hectic lifestyle. R.N. Chaubey, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, said, "The step of promoting Yoga among others is very appreciable. In today's scenario we neglect our health. Yoga camp conveys the message of healthy mind and heart. Yoga should be made a part of our lives because it will lead to healthy lives and will help in developing the nation." The United Nations in 2014 declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga after adopting a measure proposed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The day is marked by mass practice of yoga and other healthy activities across the world. The 193-member U.N. General Assembly approved by consensus a resolution establishing a day to commemorate the ancient practice. Essar announced its Raniganj (East) Block in West Bengal as India's first CBM (Coal Bed Methane) asset to cross the one million SCMD (Standard Cubic Metres per Day) production milestone. This makes Essar the country's largest unconventional gas player. The targeted plateau production from the Block is three million SCMD. As per 2016 NSAI (Netherland Sewell and Associates, Inc.) report, the proven, probable and possible gross CBM reserves in the Raniganj (East) Block is estimated at 1.09 TCF (Trillion Cubic Feet). The Block is assessed to have additional resources in the 'contingent' category of around 270 BCF (Billion Cubic Feet). "We married talent with technology to transform reserves to production. In the last 12 months, the average well productivity has more than doubled, the gas break-out time in new wells has reduced to days instead of months, and the work-over cycle has reduced to a fifth. Our collaborative relationship with international service providers has resulted in win-win solutions," said CEO-E&P Essar, Manish Maheshwari. Essar has commenced supply to Matix Fertilizers for its pre-commissioning activities at the rate of 150,000 SCMD. Besides Matix, the CBM gas is being supplied to industrial consumers in the catchment area of Durgapur. The gas pricing is in compliance with the government notified formula of October 2014. "There are tremendous opportunities in the domestic unconventional hydrocarbon sector. The Hydrocarbon Exploration Licensing Policy (HELP), which was announced by the Government in March 2016, recognizes this potential in contributing towards national energy security," Maheshwari added. A study was undertaken with the support of USTDA (US Trade & Development Agency), by an independent US firm that has expertise in shale has made a preliminary assessment of original in-place shale gas resources of around eight TCF underneath the CBM play in the Raniganj (East) Block. The second International Day of Yoga was commemorated at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport here on Tuesday with fliers and airport community people participating in a yoga sessions organised by the Delhi International Airport (P) Limited (DIAL) in association with Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthanam University (SVYASA). CEO-DIAL I. Prabhakara Rao inaugurated the International Day of Yoga near the 'Surya Namaskar' statue at the Terminal 3 Domestic departure area in lines with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiative to popularise yoga worldwide as an invaluable gift of ancient Indian tradition. Addressing the participants, Rao, said: "Yoga is a scientific way of life that focuses on bringing harmony between soul and body to attain self-realisation. By performing yoga asanas people get rid of all kinds of sufferings and achieve a sense of freedom in every walk of life with holistic health and happiness. We want to inculcate the habit of yoga practice among our fliers and employees, who lead a very fast paced lifestyle." The celebration included various yoga sessions along with yoga research, demonstration and doctor consultation for yoga therapy. The United Nations General Assembly declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga on December 11, 2014, after a call for the adoption of June 21st as International Day of Yoga by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his address to the UN General Assembly on September 27, 2014. According to the UN, this year's observance of the International Day of Yoga highlights the important role healthy living plays in the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals. This was adopted last year by all 193 United Nations Member States. Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan is on a promotion spree for his new drama thriller 'Madaari'. After a recent visit to Ahmedabad with his son, the 'Piku' star is now all set to resume the promotional tour with a visit to Pune. 'Madaari', has been shot across various locations in India and therefore, the actor has also planned an elaborate promotional tour across various cities for the film. Talking about his visit to Pune, Irrfan said, "Madaari' is very special film. The subject of the film is very intriguing and it is a story I want to take to every nook and corner of India. I am looking forward to visiting Pune." Since the film is inspired from several true life incidents, Irrfan feels that a film like 'Madaari' should reach out to the audiences, hence he will be leaving no stone unturned and will try and reach out to as many people he can. 'Madaari' is all set to release on July 15, 2016. The Europe-wide Signature campaign protesting against Pakistani attempts to illegally annex Gilgit Baltistan, China's designs to cement its stake in Jammu and Kashmir and to raise awareness regarding the objections of the people of Gilgit Baltistan in particular, and Jammu and Kashmir in general, being organized by Junaid Qureshi, a Kashmiri writer, international Human Rights activist and Senior Leader of Srinagar-based JKDLP, was held in front of the United Nations Office in Geneva on JUne 18 and 19. The renowned Kashmiri writer had started the Europe-wide signature campaign from Amsterdam in April. The campaign has already been held in Brussels, Vienna, Paris and reached Geneva during the 32nd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council. Hundreds of signatures were collected during the two days in front of the UN and thousands of people were about the reservations of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan and the rest of Jammu & Kashmir vis-a-vis the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor in Kashmir by distributing pamphlets and flyers. Expressing his satisfaction about the progress of the Signature Campaign and the reactions of the people, the Kashmiri writer said, "The Construction of the China-Pakistan Economic corridor is illegal. All Human rights defenders, the UN and the European decision-making institutions, like the EU Parliament should take note and initiate a debate. We, the people of Jammu & Kashmir cannot and will not allow further division of our homeland. We will not allow any country to loot our resources". The organizer of the Campaign and Senior leader of JKDLP, Junaid Qureshi had addressed the UN a day before, on Friday 17th of June, by speaking at a side-event and strongly objecting to the Chinese presence in Gilgit Baltistan and Pakistan attempts to annex the region, which according to Junaid Qureshi is part of the State of Jammu and Kashmir. He also demanded the release of Baba Jan and his associates, who has been imprisoned by Pakistan on fabricated charges of terrorism. Munir Mengal, the president of The Baloch Voice Association, a Paris-based organization which has raised the Baloch human rights issue in the European Parliament and at the United Nations, came to the venue to show solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The Baloch Voice Association president said, "I think, we all the victims of Pakistan i.e. Kashmiri, Baloch, and Gilgit-Baltistan people must be together and stand against the illegal occupation of our lands and against the illegal strategic designs of the occupier assisted by China". Mr. Mengal further expressed that, "China must understand that Pakistan has illegally occupied Balochistan by force and any design without the consent of the local people is illegal. The UN has a liability to question Pakistan about the presence of its forces in Balochistan". Junaid Qureshi further added that the aims and objectives of the Signature Campaign is to create awareness and provoke a debate. He said, "next month, the signature campaign will move to the UK and will be held in cities like London, Bradford and Birmingham. I hope that the people of UK will support us in the same welcoming manner as the rest of Europe. We hope to collect thousands of signatures there". Madhya Pradesh has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Chinese giant Sany Group, one of the world's biggest machinery makers, for working on investment proposals worth $1 billion. The MoU was signed following a detailed discussion between Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan and Liang Wengen, chairman of the board of Sany Group, on investment possibilities in Madhya Pradesh, said a press release issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO). Wengen said Sany Group was interested in investing around $1 billion in the state in the energy sector and in building industrial infrastructure. Chauhan said his government will make all possible arrangements to ensure ease of business for Sany in Madhya Pradesh. "I do not hold hands easily, and when I do, I do not let it go," he said. "I welcome you to Madhya Pradesh to see for yourself what we can offer. Please attend out Global Investor Summit in Indore, our commercial capital, on October 22-23," said the Chief Minister while inviting Wengen. The MoU was signed by Madhya Pradesh Trade and Investment Facilitation Corporation Managing Director D.P. Ahuja and Sany Group vice president Li Jingjing. "We are not looking for opportunities to invest 10-20 million dollars, we are looking for opportunities to invest $1 billion in your state," Wengen told Chief Minister Chauhan during the meeting. "We want to establish large scale electricity plants or build factories to manufacture our construction equipment," he said. "We can contribute both technology and capital. We can take advantage of your huge market and have better development. In this way we can strengthen the friendship between our great countries," Wengen added. Wengen expressed interest in developing an industrial town in Madhya Pradesh. Chief Minister said his company has strong opportunities to develop such a town in several cities, including Gwalior, which is not far from New Delhi. At the end of the meeting, Wengen presented the Chief Minister a scroll of traditional Chinese painting, while the Chief Minister also presented a gift to him. Sitting on a hunger strike outside Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence for over the last two days, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Maheish Girri on Tuesday did not miss out on participating in the second International Yoga Day celebrations. Girri performed Yoga outside Kejriwal's residence where he has been protesting since Sunday evening. Girri, who has been sitting on a hunger strike to prove his allegations regarding NDMC official M.M. Khan's murder, had yesterday alleged that the AAP supremo was putting baseless allegations on others to get rid of the corruption charges. He however asked Kejriwal for a public debate on his allegations. Kejriwal had earlier flatly refused Girri's demand of having an 'open debate' in MM Khan's murder case. "Is there an open debate in a murder case? Is this the criminal justice system of the BJP wherein they allow the accused of a murder case to sit in protest in front of Kejriwal's residence? I think this is the message of the Modi Government that anyone who commits a crime by killing a person should come and sit in protest in front of Kejriwal's residence and then the big BJP leaders would come to support the accused," Kejriwal said. He also used the occasion to train guns at the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Government at the Centre, saying the NDA regime's criminal justice system allows a person to commit the crime and then sit in protest outside Kejriwal's residence. Khan was shot dead in Jamia Nagar on May 16, a day before he was scheduled to pass the final order on the lease terms of a hotel which was functioning on a property leased out by the civic body. Asserting that Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) is also part of the Kashmir dispute, Awami Workers Party (AWP) president and Supreme Court advocate Abid Hassan Minto pointed out that when asked about its legal status, the Pakistan Government has no answer to it. Speaking at a seminar titled 'Gilgit-Baltistan: Democracy or a Colonial System?' Minto asserted that anyone who speaks against the establishment's policy is made to face the consequences. "Just one secretary has the power to run the affairs of Kashmir and GB and now the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is passing through GB. However, controversies are arising which are harming the project," Dawn quoted him as saying. Minto said that the UN, India and Pakistan were not interested in resolving the Kashmir issue. Talking about the agreement between Quaid-i-Azam and Jawaharlal Nehru at the time of partition, he said that states had the right to remain independent if they wanted and that heads of states also had the right to decide on the matter. "Pakistan has been talking about Kashmir and holding a referendum but has not contacted any international body in the last 70 years to address the issue. If the Kashmir matter is solved, there will be no tension between Pakistan and India and the establishment will not get one-fourth of the country's budget," he added. He said that the Army has ruled the country for 35 years but never bothered to take the issue to the International Court of Justice. "Some elements just want to keep the issue alive and don't want to solve it. On the other hand, India is an emerging power and no one wants to go against it," he said. Meanwhile, other speakers at the event demanded that Baba Jan, a social and political activist and the other 11 political activists who were sentenced to 70 years in prison be released. Representative of the Jammu and Kashmir National Awami Party, Professor Mark Khaleeq said that instead of allowing the people of Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan to decide their future, the establishment has been taking decisions for them. Awami Workers Party, Gilgit-Baltistan President Zahoor Elahi said the problems in the region will increase if state agencies continue to interfere in the matters of Gilgit-Baltistan. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz has asserted that India has always tried to 'maintain its hegemony' in the South Asian region but Islamabad has effectively stood in New Delhi's way. "But Pakistan rejected this hegemony and has effectively protected its interests and its stance over Kashmir, nuclear deterrence and conventional balance," The Dawn quoted Aziz as saying in an interview with Samaa TV. He maintained that "protecting Pakistan's sovereignty and vital interests is a great achievement as a nation". This comes in the wake of the upcoming Nuclear Suppliers' Group (NSG) meeting in Seoul on June 23rd and 24th where the membership bid of India and Pakistan will be raised. Earleir, Aziz reportedly had telephonic conversations with his counterparts in Russia, South Korea and New Zealand in a bid to get their nod for Pakistan's NSG membership. In its case against India's bid in the NSG, Pakistan has claimed that adding India in the elite group could 'affect the strategic stability of South Asia'. Meanwhile, with China playing a dampener saying that India's admission to the elite NSG is not on the agenda of the grouping which began its plenary session in Seoul yesterday, the United States has called on the participating governments of the NSG to support India's application. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday extended greetings to the people on the occasion of International Yoga Day and described it as a moment to feel proud of India's heritage of Yoga, which he said has been recognised worldwide. "Yoga is very beneficial for our mental and physical health. The people who practice yoga stay happy and healthy. I appeal everyone to practice yoga and stay healthy. It is a moment to feel proud as the whole world today has adopted our ancient old heritage of Yoga," Chouhan, who is on a five-day visit to China, said in a video message. Chouhan said Yoga gives immense peace as it is a combination of body, mind and soul and it is purely scientific and beyond any religion, caste or community. "Regular practice of Yoga fills our mind with positive energies. It has been an integral part of our life since time immemorial. Exhort youth to practice Yoga regularly for good health and contribute to making of a spiritually healthy nation for better future," he said in a series of tweet. Meanwhile, calling on the world to embrace Yoga as a discipline in everyday life, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, today, asserted that the ancient Indian art was the most selfless of its kind, as it did not discriminate, did not ask for much, but simply functioned for the betterment of mankind and brought every society together. Talking about Yoga as a roaring business success, he said that the form was gaining popularity as a major business and profession as well and that the demand for Yoga trainers across the globe was growing every day. "Let's focus on one thing in the coming days and that is how to mitigate diabetes through Yoga. Diabetes can surely be controlled through Yoga. Let us make Yoga more popular world over. Let India produce good Yoga teachers," the Prime Minister said in Chandigarh Yoga camp. Meanwhile, the United Nations headquarters in New York lit up to mark the occasion of International Yoga Day. The United Nations General Assembly declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga on December 11 in 2014 after a call from the Prime Minister Modi during his address to UN General Assembly on September 27. At least 12 Taliban insurgents, including two commanders were killed in a gun-battle with Afghan security forces in Helmand province. The 2015 Maiwand Military Corps in a statement today, said the clash took place in Nad Ali district after a group of Taliban fighters attacked a military outpost and started firing against the forces, reports Tolo News. The security forces have also seized a number of weapons during the clash. No casualty was suffered by security forces in the conflict, the statement said. Meanwhile, the Helmand police officials have said military operations in the province will continue in a bid to eliminate anti-state groups. The security officials had last week announced that a large-scale military operation will be launched in Gereshk, Marjah and Nad Ali districts in order to clear the areas of Taliban. Issuing clarification on the judgment by a United Kingdom court in the Hyderabad fund case, the Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday said the English court has dismissed Pakistan's application invoking limitation against India's claim to the monies. The MEA, in an official statement, said it is premature to reach any conclusion regarding ownership of funds, as the matter was sub-judice. According to reports, India had challenged the 35 million pounds in a bank account in the name of the High Commissioner of Pakistan since 20th September 1948, which was transferred by Nizam of Hyderabad before acceding to India. "In the pre-trial judgement in a case pertaining to the monies from the erstwhile state of Hyderabad lying in a UK bank since late 1940s, an English court has dismissed Pakistan's application invoking limitation against India's claim to the monies. The judgement states that Pakistan's application for summary disposal of the claim in her favour must fail. The costs for the failure of this application of Pakistan will be awarded to India," statement said. "The legal action in the matter, currently sub-judice, was initiated by Pakistan in 2013. Pakistan's subsequent application for discontinuance of the case was rejected by the same court in 2015," it added. MEA said India was also awarded substantial costs against Pakistan at that stage. "Pending trial or settlement of the matter, it is premature to reach any conclusion regarding ownership of the monies, especially as the present judgement readily acknowledges that there is much force in many of India's arguments to strike out Pakistan's claim of ownership," MEA said. Earlier, the Pakistan Foreign Office, in its official release, said that the 75-page judgment of Justice Henderson was a clear vindication of Islamabad's principled stance, and added that an effective legal strategy was being pursued by the new legal team. According to the release, India had failed to persuade the court that Islamabad's position was untenable and that it could show no legal entitlement to the 35 million GBP sitting in a bank account in the name of the High Commissioner of Pakistan, since September 20, 1948. Pakistan's legal team was led by by Khawar Qureshi QC, who advanced strong legal arguments and placed cogent evidence before the judge, which defeated the India's argument that Pakistan's claim to the monies was not valid, the official release said. Islamabad had offered to mediate in front of retired Law Lords Lord Hoffman or Lord Hope in July 2015, but India had refused on the basis that it believed Pakistan's claim was not valid. The official release said that Islamabad remains committed to resolving all disputes by negotiation and believes that the path to peace and progress lies in dialogue. Stating that all aspects of the 400-crore of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) are being analysed, the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Monday said that it would very soon question all accused, including Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his predecessor Sheila Dikshit. ACB chief M K Meena said that they have received two complaints - one from Delhi's Water Minister Kapil Mishra and another from BJP leader Vijender Gupta - related to the scam. The anti-corruption body added that an FIR has been registered under relevant Sections of the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act against Kejriwal and Dikshit on the basis of the complaints. "We have received a complaint from Kapil Mishra ji and Vijender Gupta ji in 400 crores water scam. After analysing all prospects, we have registered criminal case against all accused. The investigation is going on, action will be taken as per the law and all those who are involved will be questioned very soon," Meena said. "We will even question Arvind Kejriwal and Sheila Dikshit because they have been named in the complaints," he added. Earlier this month, the AAP government sent a report of a fact-finding committee on the scam to Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung. BJP's Vijender Gupta in his complaint to the LG, said that Kejriwal had suppressed the report in connection with the water scam for 11 months. Later, Jung forwarded the committee's report as well as Gupta's complaint to the ACB. Last week, Delhi Water Minister Mishra wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the LG, recommending either a CBI or ACB probe against Dikshit in this regard. Apollo Hospitals Enterprise rose 0.6% to Rs 1,308 at 9:30 IST on BSE after the company said that it signed Memorandum of Understanding with China's Hainan Ecological Smart City Group. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 20 June 2016. Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 43.68 points or 0.16% at 26,823.24. On BSE, so far 772 shares were traded in the counter as against average daily volume of 15,817 shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit high of Rs 1,316 and low of Rs 1,305.60 so far during the day. Apollo Hospitals Enterprise said that it signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China's Hainan Ecological Smart City Group (HESCG) to jointly build a hospital in Hainan Province, China, where a Smart City is being developed in China's largest Special Economic Zone. HESCG is a Chinese industrial park development and operations company from the Hainan province of China. The collaboration with Apollo Hospitals would begin with the development of a state of the art hospital and the colleges and will lead to the development of advanced healthcare IT systems and telemedicine solutions. The MoU is also aimed at expanding to other parts of China and also extend into India with suitable model of collaboration which will be discussed post the signing of the MoU. HESCG will provide land, all the investments for the construction, commissioning and equipping the hospital besides all operative expenses, while Apollo Hospitals Group would provide its services for technical consulting, planning and commissioning of the hospital and post completion of the hospital, provide services for the operations and management of the hospital. Apollo Hospitals would also support in building the technical and management personnel, install it's acclaimed patient care clinical protocols and practices, the company said in a statement. Apollo Hospitals Enterprise's net profit fell 2.1% to Rs 75.69 crore on 16% rise in net sales to Rs 1396.26 crore in Q4 March 2016 over Q4 March 2015. Apollo Hospitals is one of Asia's largest healthcare groups. Powered by Capital Market - Live News Representative, Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre in India, Mr. Chung- Kwang Tien on Thursday announced that Taiwan would want to revive the possibilities of working out free trade agreement with India for which a feasibility study was conducted three years ago. Immediately after witnessing the signing of a protocol and cooperation agreement between PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Taiwan Chamber of Commerce here on Thursday, Mr. Tien also disclosed that Indian cabinet has already approved the cooperation agreement with Taiwan in the field of agriculture and horticulture including approving widening of civil aviation activities between the two countries on 15 June 2016). In view of both countries wanting to broad-base their both economic and trade engagements, the idea for reworking free trade agreement between India and Taiwan would further cement their ties for manufacturing and services sector and create an ideal situation for moving towards the free trade regime between the two, pointing out that Taiwan is a late entrant into India's economic landscape, which is so huge and wide, said Mr. Tien. According to him, the two countries should intensify their trade and economic cooperation in electronics and IT among other things and gradually evolve for free trade agreement. The agreement signed by the President, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dr. Mahesh Gupta and President, Taiwan Chamber of Commerce, Mr. G F Hao also aims at promoting trade and investment relations between the two countries as also constantly endeavour to improve co-operation with two Organisations. The other objectives of the agreement comprise to assist in the organisation of trade and market research missions, conferences, symposia and other methods of trade promotional activity in each other's country. With this agreement in place, the two Chambers will organize seminars, conferences, exhibitions, trade fairs and other promotional activities to further business relations between the two countries and create and maintain a continuing exchange of information about economic developments and other matters affecting the business interests of their members. This Agreement becomes effective on the day of signing, and shall remain operative until either of the two Organisations requests its termination in writing to the other Organisation at least three months in advance. Both Organisations will have the right to propose amendments if and when they consider such amendments necessary to improve the co-operation between them. Powered by Capital Market - Live News Vikas WSP files court case for USD 40 mn against customer Vikas WSP announced that the Company has been availing Working Capital Facilities for Export from Punjab National Bank, Union Bank of India and Bank of India under consortium and a Working Capital aggregating to Rs. 177.44 crore is outstanding as on 27 May 2016 against these facilities. The Company had settled a legal suit in US court for USD 80 millions (Rs 494 crore) in the year 2014-15 but after paying USD 40 million, the customer has stopped paying the installment in July'15. Consequently due to non recovery of the said dues to the extent of USD 40 million approximately Rs 268 crores, the Company has not been able to make payment to banks on a timely basis. These bankers have declared the company's banking facility as non performing assets (NPA) mainly on account of non realization of export receipts and also served a notice to the Directors of the Company for declaring as will full defaulter. However, the Company has started making payment of dues vide its letter dated 20 June 2016 at its own and the Company has filed a court case for USD 40 million against the customer. Powered by Capital Market - Live News People of 135 nationalities joined the Yoga Day festivities on Tuesday at the UN, celebrating its universality and relevance to the world body's mission. Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev led several hundred people through a series of simple yoga exercises in front of the glass-fronted UN tower under a brilliant midday sun, with a cool breeze floating in from the East River. He demonstrated 'Upayoga,' the simplified introductory form of the ancient holistic science, which, he said, can easily be adapted to practice in everyday settings. The Yoga Day celebrations at the UN this year, emceed by Miss America 2014, Nina Davuluri, focused on the ancient Indian tradition's role in achieving the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that were adopted by world leaders last year. UN General Assembly President Mogens Lykketoft said yoga can act to strengthen our unity with nature and with one another. With the world facing the challenges of climate change and disorder, he said he hoped that the Yoga Day can spur action to attain the SDGs. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon sent a message that the Yoga Day this year "highlights the important role healthy living plays in the realisation of the SDGs." "Practicing yoga can also help raise awareness of our role as consumers of the planet's resources and as individuals with a duty to respect and live in peace with our neighbours.," he said. "All these elements are essential to building a sustainable future of dignity and opportunity for all." Under Secretary General Cristina Gallach, who read Ban's message, added that she felt the celebration "reflects the positive impact that yoga has on all of us." Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his message relayed at the event said it was natural that the celebration that brings together everyone across the world is held at the UN headquarters where it all began when the General Assembly in 2014 declared June 21 Day of Yoga. India's Permanent Representaive Syed Akbaruddin said that the 135 nationalities that were present "at the altar of multilateralism" set a record for largest such representation. He invoked the sloka, "Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu," and said that its message, "May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all," was apt for the occasion. At least 20 fighters of the Shia Houthi group were killed on Tuesday when they launched armed attacks on government-controlled areas and a strategic airbase in Yemen's southern province of Lahj, a military official said. He said the attacks were unleashed in the early hours of Tuesday by scores of Houthi fighters and their allies, with the aim to advance towards the government troops based inside the country's biggest airbase in Lahj province, Xinhua reported. According to the military source, the Houthi fighters captured a mountain overlooking the strategic military airbase of Al-Anad which is located about 60 km away from Yemen's temporary capital of Aden. The Yemeni military source said the pro-government army troops responded with heavy shelling, triggering intense battles that left about 20 Houthi fighters dead. An army commander in Lahj said the Houthi militants attempted to infiltrate into areas surrounding the military airbase at dawn on Tuesday, but the pro-government army repelled the attacks, after carrying out Saudi-led airstrikes against them. Pro-government troops backed by armoured vehicles of the Saudi-led coalition arrived in the area and engaged in more gunbattles with Houthis, leaving 10 soldiers injured, the commander said. Witnesses said warplanes of the Saudi-led coalition launched heavy air raids and struck several plateaus seized by Houthi fighters outside Lahj province in an attempt to impede them from making more ground advances. Tuesday's fighting occurred despite the cease-fire that came into force on April 10 and was supposed to pave the way for the Kuwait peace talks, but both warring sides have complained of violations by each other, along with continuing heavy shelling and airstrikes. The UN-brokered negotiations began in Kuwait on April 21 under the auspices of the United Nations to seek a reconciliation end to more than a year of civil war in . The talks is the third of its kind since the conflict began after Houthi militias stormed the capital Sanaa and expelled the government into exile in September 2014. Previous peace negotiations had failed to end hostilities. More than 60 days passed of ongoing consultations in Kuwait, but rival negotiators have so far failed to agree on the agenda in line with the UN Security Council Resolution. The resolution orders Houthi militias to withdraw from Sanaa and all other cities, hand back weapons and release political prisoners before forming new sharing transitional government. Houthi and Saleh delegates have been insisting on forming a new transitional government before discussing other topics. Both rival delegations keep trading accusations of cease-fire breaches all over the three weeks of talks that progress slowly. The civil war has drawn in Saudi-led coalition on March 2015, in response to President Hadi's call to restore his internationally recognised government to the capital, Sanaa. The civil war has killed more than 6,000 people, half of them civilians, injured more 35,000 others, and displaced over two millions, according to humanitarian aid agencies. Yemen's conflict began after 2011 massive popular protests that demanded an end to the 33-year rule of then President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Assam on Tuesday celebrated the second International Yoga Day along with the rest of the world with the state government announcing that at least one yoga development centre will be set up in each development block. Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal participated in the official International Yoga Day function at Majuli, a large river island in the Brahmaputra River that is also his constituency. He was joined by Health and Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and thousands of school students and people from other walks of life. It was Sonowal's first visit to the island after becoming Chief Minister last month. The yoga events organised elsehwere in Assam also attracted large participation. Sonowal told the gathering at Majuli that yoga helps to build not only healthy body and mind but also moulds the personality of the practitioner. "For inculcating discipline and punctuality and grooming of personality, the world has realised the importance of yoga," he said. He said the state government is committed to making Assam a developed and prosperous state in the country and yoga will have a role to play in that transformation. "For making Assam a developed state, we have to be disciplined, punctual and hard working. Sri Sri Sankaradeva and Sri Sri Madhabdeva tried to bring about major transformation in the state through yoga. We have to follow their ideals to attain our avowed goals," he said. Health and Education Minister Sarma announced government's decision to set up yoga development centres in more than 300 development blocks across the state. "These centres will help to inculcate scientific temperament by imparting yoga knowledge to the youth," Sarma said. He said the International Day of Yoga is being observed at the state, district, sub-divisional, block and panchayat levels across the state. Chief Minister Sonowal praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his effort to popularise yoga across the world. "This is a matter of pride for 125 crore Indians. Our prime minister deserves encomiums for prevailing upon the United Nations to observe June 21 as the International Day of Yoga," Sonowal said. He also credited Modi with taking bold and innovative initiatives to push India on the path of development and securing for the country a pride of place in the comity of nations. "People are reaping the fruits of development because the present central government is committed, responsive and people-oriented one," he said. --IANS ah/kb/dg Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged people to embrace yoga for better physical and mental health as he led thousands here on Tuesday morning to mark the second International Yoga Day. Simultaneously, hundreds of thousands across the country began the day with yoga exercises. Modi oversaw some 30,000 yoga enthusiasts in Chandigarh's Capitol Complex performing deep breathing and stretching exercises before joining them. The complex is one of the acclaimed creations of Chandigarh's founder-architect French architect Le Corbusier. "Make yoga a part of your life," the prime minister said in a brief address. "Just as the mobile phone is now a part of your life, make yoga too a part of your life." He said the International Yoga Day had become a mass movement like no other in the world. The UN last year declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga. Underlining that yoga was not a religious activity, Modi said it helped to control the mind and maintain a healthy body for a healthy balance between the two. Yoga, he added, helped people to lead a disciplined life. The prime minister later got down from the stage from where he addressed the gathering to shake hands with specially-abled yoga enthusiasts. Donning T-shirts and track-pants, yoga enthusiasts, shortlisted to perform yoga, began lining up around the spruced up complex around 4 a.m. on Tuesday. Over 96,000 people had registered themselves to take part in the event. Of this, over 30,000 were picked, including 10,000 each from Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana. These included school and college students, youths, elderly, specially challenged, security personnel and yoga activists. Those taking part in the event have been training for the past 15 days. Unprecedented security was in place around the venue in Chandigarh's high-security area of Sector 1. The area was sealed off by paramilitary commandos and security agencies ahead of the event. The Capitol Complex wore a new look with the concrete floor covered with a green carpet. Besides the main event, yoga day was held at 100 other locations across Chandigarh. Yoga guru Ramdev started his record-breaking yoga event in Faridabad town in Haryana, adjoining the national capital, early on Tuesday. Organisers said over 100,000 people performed yoga with Ramdev, setting a world record. The main event of the first International Yoga Day celebration was held on Rajpath in the heart of New Delhi last year. --IANS js/mr/vm Budget airline SpiceJet celebrated International Yoga Day by conducting practice sessions on all its two-hour flights across the network, a top official said on Tuesday. The Yoga practice was carried out in collaboration with Sadhguru's Isha Foundation in which 40 trained crew members helped passengers to practice the ancient Indian art, said SpiceJet's Kamal Hingorani, Senior Vice President and head of Inflight Services. The instructors performed 10-minute capsule 'Upa-Yoga' exercises on the long-haul flights and the participants joined it while seated and helped activate joints, muscles and energy systems which would overcome jetlag, fear of flying and breathing difficulties. "Having pioneered 'High On Yoga@35,000 feet' last year, SpiceJet gifted on-board Yoga to flyers in India and abroad and uphold India's cultural heritage in a unique manner," Hingorani said. Designed for all its domestic and international flights exceeding two hours' duration, SpiceJet will offer the initiative on an ongoing basis. --IANS qn/pgh/vt A special vigilance court here on Tuesday dismissed the interim bail pleas of Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) former chairman Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh and his wife Usha Sinha, police said. The court dismissed their pleas on the ground that granting them interim bail will hamper ongoing investigations by the Bihar Police SIT. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Monday arrested the couple from Varanasi in connection with the Class 12 toppers' scam. Earlier, the SIT brought the duo for presenting them in court amid tight security. Scores of people had gathered in the court premises to catch a glimpse of the couple, who had their faces covered. Last week, a Patna civil court issued an arrest warrant against Lalkeshwar Prasad, who until recently headed the BSEB which conducts the Class 10 and 12 examinations. Prasad went underground after resigning when the scam surfaced. A TV channel broadcast a sting in which two Class 12 toppers could not answer even elementary questions about the subjects they had 'topped' in. Usha Sinha, a former Janata Dal-United legislator in Bihar, was also missing since her name surfaced in the scam. So far, 10 persons have been arrested in the case. --IANS ik/tsb/dg A commemorative silver coin to mark the 300th martyrdom day of Sikh military commander Banda Singh Bahadur was released here on Tuesday by union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. "The Khalsa history is of (the) brave (men)... it motivates people," the minister said while addressing a gathering after releasing the coin. Jaitley said the coin will help people remember Banda Bahadur and his sacrifice. The minister said it would be good if a documentary on the Sikh warrior's life was made since not all know the Sikh history. Jaitley recalled the battles fought by Banda Bahadur against the Mughal army and how he attained martyrdom 300 years ago. Banda Bahadur established his rule to protect honour and tradition of his people, by defeating Mughals in 1710. Later in 1716, at the age of 46 he was captured and executed by Mughals in Delhi. The release of the commemorative coin comes months ahead of the 2017 assembly elections in Punjab. A few weeks ago, the Arvind Kejriwal government in Delhi put out newspaper advertisements to announce renaming of the Barapulla flyover after Banda Singh Bahadur. --IANS sk/tsb/vt Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday shuffled portfolios of his ministers, alloting some of them to the 13 new ministers inducted two days back. According to an official notification, Governor Vajubhai Vala, on the chief minister's recommendation, allocated the revenue portfolio to Kagodu Thimmappa. The 84-year-old, seniormost Congress lawmaker from Shivamogga was the assembly speaker since the party returned to power in May 2013. The key portfolio was held by Mysuru region's lawmaker Srinivasa Prasad, who was among the 14 ministers dropped on Sunday. Of the 13 new faces, nine were sworn-in with cabinet rank and four as ministers of state. In the 33-member ministry, including the chief minister, 27 hold cabinet ranks, while six are ministers of state. In addition to finance, personal and intelligence wing, Siddaramaiah has kept housing and information and broadcasting portfolios with him. Rebel Kannada star and Mandya lawmaker M.H. Ambareesh was holding housing. Senior cabinet ministers G. Parameshwara (home), Ramalinga Reddy (transport), T.B. Jayachandra (law & parliamentary affairs), B. Ramanatha Rai (forests & environment), H.K. Patil (rural development & panchayat raj), H.C. Mahadevappa (public works & ports), K.J. George (Bengaluru development), M.B. Patil (major & medium irrigation), H. Anjaneya (social welfare), D.K Shivakumar (energy), H.C. Mahadevappa (cooperation) and R. Roshan Baig (urban development) retained their portfolios. Baig has been given Haj as an additional portfolio, in lieu of information & broadcasting, the chief minister took away from him. Lone woman cabinet minister Umashree retained women & child development, Kannada & culture, while two ministers of state, promoted on Monday to cabinet rank -- Krishna Byregowda (agriculture) and Sharanprakash Patil (medical education) also retained their portfolios. Cabinet minister U.T. Khader has been shifted to food & civil supplies and consumer affairs from health & family welfare, which new cabinet minister K.R. Ramesh Kumar will hold from Wednesday. Of the other new cabinet ministers, Tanveer Sait has been given primary & secondary education, minority welfare and Wakf, S.S. Mallikarjuna horticulture, Ramesh Jarakiholi small scale industries, M.R. Seetharam science & technology, Santhosh Lad labour, Basavaraj Rayareddi higher education and M.H. Yamanappa excise. Of the newly ministers of state, Priyank Kharge got the high-profile IT & BT and tourism, which Deshpande was holding till the reshuffle. As the youngest minister in the cabinet, 36-year-old Priyank is a first-time lawmaker from Kalaburgi district in the state's northern region and son of Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjuna Kharge. Other three new ministers of state - R.M. Lamani has been given textiles, Eshwara Kandre municipalities & local bodies, and Pramod Madhwaraj youth services & fisheries. Incumbent ministers of state Vinay Kulkarni and A. Manju retained mines & geology and animal husbandry & sericulture respectively. --IANS fb/vd Several movie stars as well as Kerala and Tamil Nadu ministers are likely to attend the engagement of Congress legislator Adoor Prakash's son with businessman Biju Ramesh's daughter here on Thursday. Informed sources said that apart from Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his predecessor Oommen Chandy is also expected at the event. Ramesh, who owns nine bar hotels here, hogged the limelight after he accused the then Finance Minister K.M. Mani of accepting bribe to open bars closed by the Oommen Chandy-led United Democratic Front government as per their 2014 liquor policy. Ramesh also levelled similar allegations against Congress ministers K. Babu, Ramesh Chennithala and V.S. Sivakumar. Mani finally quit last year. The UDF had then alleged that Ramesh was being used as a political tool by the Communist Party of India-Marxist, then in the opposition, and that they had conspired to bring down the Chandy government. Prakash, a former Revenue Minister, has invited all his former colleagues in the Chandy cabinet for the engagement ceremony. Ramesh personally went to Chandy's house to extend an invite to him, an aide of the former Congress Chief Minister told IANS. Ramesh contested the Thiruvananthapuram assembly seat on an AIADMK ticket this year but, notwithstanding a high-profile campaign, lost his security deposit. --IANS sg/tsb/dg At a time when smartphones in India -- especially in the Rs 8,000-Rs 15,000 ($120-$225) price band -- are going through a massive change, global internet and technology conglomerate LeEco has brought to the fore a new handset that may be a challenge to its rivals. While its previous model, the Rs 10,999 Le 1s Eco, has broken several industry records and has become the highest-selling online smartphone brand in the country, newly-launched Le 2 at Rs.11,999 is once again set to impact the smartphone landscape in India. What works for the device. In a first for the Indian consumers, Le 2 comes with "Continual Lossless" Digital Audio (CLDA) technology that has made the traditional 3.5 mm audio jack redundant. So you do not need to insert headphone into a 3.5 mm rounded socket as before. You can hear your favourite music with the USB Type-C port which is used to charge the device. The phone comes with a LeEco proprietary headphone set. The company has also provided a small adapter to connect other headphones. "Continual Digital Lossless Audio or CLDA is LeEco's proprietary technology that is a global first in the smartphones industry, replacing the 3.5mm headphone jack with a standard Type-C interface for a revolutionary music experience," Atul Jain, COO, Smart Electronics Business, LeEco India, told IANS. "The CLDA standard raises the bar for audio quality and represents a digital architecture that enables end-to-end lossless digital music transmission," he added. With 3GB RAM and 32GB ROM and weighing 153 gram, the dual-SIM, 5-5 inch device has 16MP rear camera and 8MP front camera. It comes with a full-HD resolution display and a mirror-surfaced fingerprint sensor. Powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 652 processor,Le2 supports 4G LTE (VoLTE ready) and runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow. The non-removable 3000 mAh battery can get charged to half of its capacity in a flat 30 minutes. The device, available in gold, silver and grey, is a competition to Moto G4, Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 and the Coolpad Note 3 Plus, among others. What does not work. Well, if the device is charging, you will not be able to listen to your favourite music as the port is the same. Also, heating issues with a metal body remain which, of course, is an issue with almost all metal-body devices. Conclusion: At Rs 11,999, it is a good deal. Remember that one year LeEco's membership worth Rs 4,900 also comes free with the device where the users will have access to over 2,000 movies (in 10 languages) and over 100 live TV channels. The first flash sale of Le2 will begin on June 28. Registrations for Le2 are on. (Anuj Sharma can be contacted at anuj.s@ians.in)--IANS anuj/na/hs/ky/tb A 45-year-old man was killed and his teenaged son injured on Tuesday morning when they were fired upon by unidentified persons in a Swift car in east Delhi. Three passersby were also injured in the incident, police said. Deputy Commissioner of Police Ajit Kumar told IANS: "Kailash Gupta was shot dead by a few unidentified men in Bhajanpura area." The incident occurred at around 8.15 a.m. near a 'mazaar' in east Delhi's Bhajanpura area. Kailash, a resident of Harsh Vihar, was on a motor cycle with his son Rajan, 16, when the incident occurred, police said. "His son received bullet injuries in the firing," the DCP said, adding: "Two other passersby were injured in the firing incident, while another person was hit by the assailants' car." All the injured were taken to hospital. They have been identified as Banwari Lal, Ram Lakhan and Javed, police said. "A case of murder has been registered. We are probing the matter from all angles," the DCP said. The police is also looking at CCTV footage of the area to identify the assailants' car. A senior police officer, requesting anonymity, told IANS: "Prima facie, it seems to be a case of personal enmity." --IANS aks/rn/dg is committed to increasing cooperation with Israel, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said here on Tuesday while meeting Israeli President Reuven Rivlin. "For more than 20 years, Israel has been a very active partner through the Mediterranean dialogue, the only security forum that brings together NATO Allies with Israel and Arab countries," Stoltenberg said at the NATO headquarters. He stressed that NATO and Israel are taking cooperation a step further, agreeing to establish an Israeli Mission at NATO, headed by Israel's Ambassador to the European Union, according to a NATO press release, Xinhua reported. Stoltenberg noted that Israel was the first Mediterranean dialogue country to agree a Security of Information Agreement with NATO in 2001. He highlighted that NATO is committed to increasing cooperation with Israel, as well as with other Mediterranean dialogue partners. They also discussed the evolving security situation in the Middle East and Africa. Stoltenberg expressed his condolences on the recent terrorist attacks in Tel Aviv, which killed at least four Israelis. A large section of the population in Britain -- 43 per cent -- is living with chronic pain, a major cause of disability and distress, says a new study based on an analysis of the available evidence. The number of affected population -- roughly 28 million adults based population statistics for 2013 -- is likely to rise as the population ages, the researchers warned. Women were more likely than men to be affected by chronic pain, irrespective of age or pain type, the findings showed. For the study, Alan Fayaz from Imperial College London, and colleagues trawled relevant databases to find research on different types of pain, published after 1990. Their search included studies on population based estimates of chronic pain - defined as lasting more than three months - chronic widespread pain, fibromyalgia (a rheumatic condition characterised by muscular or musculoskeletal pain), and chronic neuropathic pain (caused by nerve signalling problems). From among 1,737 relevant articles, 19 studies, involving just under 140,000 adults, were deemed suitable for inclusion in the final analysis. Their analysis showed that 43 per cent of the population experience chronic pain, and 14 per cent of adults live with chronic widespread pain. The summarised data also showed that eight per cent of adults in Britain experience chronic neuropathic pain, and 5.5 per cent live with fibromyalgia, a long-term condition that causes simultaneous pain in many different parts of the body. Unsurprisingly, the researchers found that older people were more likely to live with pain over the long term. Among 18-25 year olds, the prevalence was 14 per cent, although it may be as high as 30 per cent among 18-39 year olds - a sizeable chunk of the working population, the researchers said. Among those aged 75 and above, the prevalence was almost two thirds (62 per cent). The findings, published in the online journal BMJ Open, suggest that if current trends continue, the burden of chronic pain may increase further still as the population ages. --IANS gb/dg Sartaj Aziz, Pakistan's top foreign affairs advisor, on Tuesday said that Islamabad was "making successful efforts" against New Delhi's Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) membership bid, ahead of the bloc important plenary in Seoul this week. Aziz's remarks come days after India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said that New Delhi was "not opposed" to Islamabad's entry to the 48-nation bloc. India and Pakistan have both applied for the NSG membership and both countries are lobbying with member nations to seek support for their bids. Pakistan's all-weather friend China has been consistenly opposing India's bid for NSG membership. Aziz was briefing the National Assembly to counter opposition criticism that Pakistan lacks a foreign minister and was losing out in influencing friendly countries in the face of India's growing diplomatic outreach. Aziz rejected the accusations and said that Indian Prime Minister Narender Modi's recent visits to Muslim countries -- Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Iran -- haven't led to "deterioration" in Islamabad's relation with those countries. The advisor strongly denied that Modi's visits to the Islamic countries were an example of the "failure of Pakistan's foreign policy" and added that Islamabad is "working upon its policy of non-interference" in the affairs of other states. "The impression was given that our (Pakistan's) relations with Muslim countries have deteriorated after Modi paid visit to two such countries," he said. He highlighted Pakistan's "historic and religious" relations with Muslim countries, saying that ties with Iran are "moving in the right direction", and that after the lifting of sanctions against Tehran, Pakistan-Iran relations are getting strengthened. He said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), CASA-1000, TAPI and Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline Project are concrete achievements which will help increase connectivity with the region. He pointed out that with the SCO membership, Pakistan's political role in the region will be enhanced. Aziz reaffirmed that Pakistan has not been isolated in the region, but "after 9-11 Muslim countries suffered hostilities" and that Islamabad's "successful foreign policies helped in securing Pakistan". The foreign affairs advisor said that compared to other countries in the region, Pakistan's foreign ministry budget is very low. "In the last three years the budget has only increased by 14 percent." However, National Assembly members were unmoved by Aziz's long speech, and many slammed him. "At this age Sartaj Aziz should pray on a prayer mat," opposition lawmaker Jamshed Dasti said, taking a jibe at Aziz, who is 87. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Shireen Mazari too lamented the absence of a foreign minister in the country. "As a result, there is no direction to the country's foreign policy," she said. --IANS ahm/rn/vt Superstar Salman Khan has courted controversy after comparing himself to a "raped woman" when he was asked to comment on his experience of shooting for his forthcoming film "Sultan". In a media interaction here on Saturday, Salman was asked how difficult it was to shoot wrestling scenes for the movie. "While shooting during those six hours, there was so much of lifting and thrusting that it was unbelievable. If I was lifting a 120 kg person and dropping him down, I had to do it 10 times," he said. "(I did it) 10 times from five different angles. So, six and half or seven hours. Either, I was picking him and throwing (him) or else, he was picking me up and throwing me... So it was like the most difficult thing. "When I used to walk out of the ring, I used to feel actually like a raped woman walking out... I don't think you... It was most difficult ...I couldn't take steps. I would eat and then, head right back to weight training. That couldn't stop." Journalists present broke into a chatter and laughter after the comment. This can be heard in the audio recording of the interaction too. However, the comment sent social media users into a tizzy, with many slamming the actor for his "callous remark" after a website, SpotboyE, carried the detailed quotes of Salman Khan as an "interview" on Monday. Designer-politician Shaina NC tweeted: "Rape is an exercise of power to destruct a woman's self esteem, from what I know of Salman Khan, he respects women, so he must apologise." One Twitter user posted: "Salman Khan says he felt like a 'raped woman'. Wow... What a way to express your tiredness", "If you are a Salman Khan fan, it's good, but if you support his pathetic statement, you are nothing but a disgusting creature". However, several journalists who were present at the interaction session said Salman has been misquoted. "Why doesn't the media put out the entire quote rather than pick the 'r..e'. I remember even Aamir Khan's quote was chopped and put out to create controversy. Should listen to the recording of the interview," posted seasoned journalist Bharati Dubey of Absolute India. A popular radio jockey Alok also tweeted: "Salman Khan is misquoted for his statement. I was present in that interview and he never meant it in wrong sense. Listen audio before trolling him." He possibly meant the interaction with about thirty journalists which is often called a "group interview" by media managers who arrange the event. The National Commission for Women has taken note of Salman's comment and have asked him to apologise for it within a week. --IANS uma-sug-rb/vm The Shanghai Disney Resort, which officially opened last Thursday, is expected to surpass the Palace Museum in Beijing as the top spot for visitors in China. According to a report by online travel agency Ctrip, the resort is expected to receive at least 15 million visitors a year, more than 40,000 a day, China Daily reported. Last year, the Palace Museum saw a total of 15 million tourists. With each visitor expected to spend an average of 2,219 yuan ($340) on a trip to Shanghai Disney, revenue would reach 33 billion yuan a year, the report said. It also found that tourists from Shanghai are likely to make up 40 per cent of visitors. Chi Huiguang, a Beijing resident who went to the Disney Resort on a high-speed train, said she has been to Disneyland in Los Angeles and the one in Shanghai was equally good -- especially the smiling staff -- despite the long lines and high prices for tickets and food. Ctrip said about four out of 10 current visitors are couples and 30 per cent are parents accompanying their kids. But as the summer vacation arrives, more parents are expected to visit the resort with their children, the agency said. It also forecast that a peak in visitors would appear during the 10 days after the official opening of the resort and in early July. So trying to avoid the peak would be better, the agency suggested. The resort is expected to receive at least 7.3 million visitors within the year, according to the agency. --IANS py/vm Two Telugu youth, including a student, met a watery grave in two separate incidents in US, according to information reaching their families. Namboori Sridatta (25), who was working with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in Arizona, drowned while picnicking with friends at a waterfall. According to his family in Vanasthalipuram in Hyderabad, the incident took place on Sunday but they received the information late on Monday. Sridatta, who was on weekend with friends, slipped and fell down in the water. Rescue workers recovered his body. The youth had gone to the US five years ago and after education at Arizona University, got a job at TCS. "He was to come home next month but yesterday we got this shocking news," said Sridatta's father N.V.M. Swamy, a private employee. The family has appealed to the Indian government to ensure that the body is brought home early. In another incident, P. Naresh (24), a student in California, drowned in a river during picnic. The incident occurred in Livermore River Park on Sunday. According to information reaching his family in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh, he was on a picnic with his friends on a boat when he slipped and fell in the water. The body was recovered during a search operation launched by the local police. Naresh was studying MS second year. His death shattered dreams of the poor family in Bandipalem village. His father Purnaiah, a small farmer, said he had telephoned him recently to inform that he will be doing a part time job and send money home from next month. Naresh's family has urged the Indian government to make arrangements for bringing the body back home. --IANS ms/vd Pakistan Army Chief Gen. Raheel Sharif on Tuesday met German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and discussed matters relating to regional security and bilateral ties. According to an Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement, the German Foreign Minister acknowledged Pakistan's contribution in the war against terrorism and regional peace. Steinmeier told Sharif that Germany understands challenges faced by Islamabad and assured full support for Pakistan's efforts for stability and peace in the region, said the statement. "We have sacrificed immensely, more than any other nation. The world needs to stand by us till dividends are fully realised," Sharif told Steinmeier. According to the statement, he further said that terrorism has morphed into a global phenomenon and warrants a global response. "In order to effectively win, synergy by all is required," he said. --IANS ahm/bg Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday described yoga as a great "ancient powerful technique". "Yoga brings several kinds of benefits. It's a great ancient powerful technique," Naidu said while taking part in an International Yoga Day event at Connaught Place here. "Yoga in essence is the integration of body, mind and intellect with the self, individual with the family, the family with the society, society with the nation and the nation with the whole creation," he added. Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung and Naidu performed yoga asanas along with thousand on the occasion. --IANS av/mr Saying yoga has become a major economic activity worldwide, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said it gives health benefits on "zero budget". Modi spoke while leading over 30,000 yoga enthusiasts at the Capitol Complex here to mark the second International Yoga Day. "There is no health insurance with zero budget but yoga gives health assurance on zero budget. For developing countries like India, a lot can be saved if we focus on preventive health care," he said. "Among all the methods of preventive care, yoga is cheap and available to all. Therefore it is important to make yoga a part of our lives." Modi said yoga was today connecting people. "Yoga is a big economic activity across the world, it is a profession," he said, while addressing people at the complex. --IANS aks/akk-ao/sid/js/mr/rn "Yoga is not Indian" and "it does not belong to India", mystic and yoga master Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev told a UN meeting on Monday with a rhetorical flourish. He asserted that this was because yoga was "an absolute science and technology for well-being". He added: "Science cannot be Indian" because of its universality and absoluteness. "Yes, it originated in India," he told a multinational audience of diplomats and international officials. "As Indians we are proud of it. But it does not belong to India. The very fact that the UN has declared an International Yoga Day means India has gifted it to the world. It does not belong to India any more." Vasudev was speaking at the Yoga Day eve event "Conversation with Masters: Yoga for the Achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)." As part of Yoga Day celebrations, a series of yoga poses were projected on to side of the UN Secretariat building on Monday night. On Tuesday, Yoga Day will be formally celebrated with a yoga session at which Mogens Lykketoft, president of the General Assembly, will be the chief guest and Under Secretary General Cristina Gallach will be a featured speaker. In his address, Vasudev focused on yoga as a science and technology for human betterment that, he said, went beyond just physical well-being. The path to achieving those goals starts with the individual, he said. "You cannot transform the world without changing the individual. The world is a larger manifestation of who we are." Just the short-sighted pursuit of "well-being" can be counterproductive, Vasudev said, citing the ecological degradation that has resulted from it. Human well-being has to be addressed in a scientific way and everyone has to realise the universal oneness to achieve true well-being. This is where yoga came in as a scientific way of obliterating individual boundaries, he said. To popularise yoga, Vasudev said, begin with 'upayoga' for those who are not ready to deal with the spirituality of it. Upayoga starts with the physical and psychological aspects, he said. "The significant aspect of my personal work has been to remove all the frills of culture that yoga had acquired through this millennia of transmission," Vasudeve said. "So one thing is to take off all the cultural frills and present it as an absolute science and a technology for well being." This was important in an environment where there were people of different nationalities, beliefs and ideologies, Vasudev said. "It is very very important that yoga is brought as a proper science, not as a cultural thing, not as an Indian thing." India's Permanent Representative Syed Akbaruddin said that "both aspects of yoga, mindful thought and mindful action, have a direct bearing on our collective response to global problems". The meeting was an attempt to "delve into this intellectual side of yoga and to relate it to the political vision we have collectively set ourselves in the form of the SDGs", he added. Tao Porchon-Lynch, who at 97 years is considered the world's oldest yoga teacher in a formal setting, was the other yoga master at the meeting. She recalled her meeting with Mahatma Gandhi, who she said told her "not to be afraid. When you believe in something, go and do it". That advice helped her join the French Resistance against Nazi Germany during World War II, she said. The World Health Organisation's (WHO) executive director at the UN office, Nata Menabde, said yoga was India's gift to the world and it was special because of that. WHO was trying to integrate yoga and traditional practices into the allopathic medicine system and primary health services. To further this, India and WHO had recently signed an agreement. Ambassadors gave personal testimonies of how they relate to yoga. Liechtenstein's Permanent Representative Christian Wenaweser said he had approached yoga from a "non-spiritual place" yet it helped him "connect to myself and to others." Wenaweser conducts yoga lessons for diplomats and others at the UN. Masud Bin Momen, the Permanent Representative of Bangladesh, said he was suffering from sciatica and yoga was the answer to his condition, especially the cobra pose. Nepal's Permanent Representative Durga Prasad Bhattarai decried the "over-commercialisation" of yoga. Vasudev said that whatever became popular was susceptible to commercialisation. "On the surface there may be disturbance, but the core is undisturbed." (Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in) --IANS al/mr The unsuccessful strategy of the (CPI-M) in West Bengal to join hands with the Congress ahead of Assembly polls in the state earlier this year is turning out to be a bone of contention in the party. The Bengal unit of the CPI-M clashed with party leaders from Kerala, Assam and Tripura at the three-day central committee meeting of the party in Delhi over the weekend. Some members questioned why the party's Bengal unit insisted on an alliance with the Congress in total conflict with the party resolutions adopted earlier against any ties with the Congress at the state level. At one point party General Secretary Sitaram Yechury had to step in and contain leaders, who insisted the Bengal camp admit failure for its insistence on such an alliance. Apropos the article, "CEOs adopt as stress buster" (June 21) by Raghavendra Kamath and M Saraswathy, practising is crucial for combating stress and body ailments. Meditation and pranayama (breathing exercises) help calm the mind and prevent it from getting surrounded by ego, desire and fear. This helps one regain composure, boosts mental strength and wards off psychological disorders. is caught in the middle of a high-stakes game between its larger neighbours, Saudi Arabia and Iran. What's at stake is economic and political dominance of the West Asia. The tiny kingdom's Sunni monarchy depends on the support it receives from Riyadh and other oil-rich sheikhdoms in the Gulf for its survival but in return has become a proxy for their pan-regional feud with Iran. The BJP on Tuesday said the the Congress government in headed by Mukul Sangma would not be able to last its full term until 2018. "Given the trend what the people of are sending as a message, I don't think this government will last its full term. It will fall under the burden of its own power games and contradictions," BJP national spokesperson Nalin S. Kohli told journalists. His statement assumed significance in the wake of the infighting within the ruling party over the demand of the change of leadership. "Mukul Sangma's government is groaning and moaning under the weight of its own internal contradictions and power tussles," claimed Kohli, who is also the in-charge of the party in . Moreover, he said the people of the state, and especially Garo Hills, had sent a "loud, clear, unambiguous message" by rejecting the Congress and its policies in the by-election to the Tura parliamentary constituency in western Meghalaya. National People's Party candidate Conrad Sangma, the youngest son of former Lok Sabha Speaker Purno A Sangma, won the by-election by nearly two lakh votes against Congress candidate Dikkanchi D. Shira, the wife of Chief Minister Sangma. "When Sangma's wife loses in 23 of the 24 Assembly constituencies to Conrad Sangma, the writing cannot be clearer on the wall," Kohli said. Revealing that members from various parties, including the Congress, are joining the BJP, he said: "When a ship is sinking, everyone likes to leave that ship, and everybody likes to join a party of hope. When people elected a party of development and a party of positive agenda for governance, this wave is continuing everywhere. "In Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma and others left the Congress, and its negative politics, and the people of Assam gave the BJP a historic mandate," he said, adding their doors were open to "anyone who comes with a decision to be part of BJP's of development" and "who does not join the BJP with pre-conditions and terms of seeking power". Media baron Subhash Chandra, who won the recent Rajya Sabha election from Haryana with BJP's backing, on Tuesday said that complaints against him for alleged fraud to secure victory in the polls were "an abuse of the process of the law" and "frivolous" in nature. "The present complaints are an abuse of the process of the law and are simply counterblast to losing the elections," he said in a statement issued here. Chandra also said that the complaints were based on "whimsical assumptions" without a shred of evidential backing. "Election Commission in Delhi had reviewed the proceedings post counting and after going through the same had given clearance to declare the results. The same is clearly reflected in the videos that were reviewed by the Election Commission," he said. Chandra said the theory that he cheated by magically exchanging the pen provided by Election Commission to cast the vote was wrong. "It is a matter to record that the entire election process was transparent and no one, during the vote counting process, could have been certain as to the fact that Congress votes could be rejected/declared invalid as there was no mark to identify as who had marked which ballot," he added. The fall of events and complaints followed after the election results were aimed at maligning my reputation and goodwill as an elected candidate, he said. On June 17, lawyer R.K. Anand, who was also in the fray, lodged a complaint with Chandigarh Police against Chandra, BJP legislators Aseem Goel and Bhai Jai Parkash, certain officials from the returning officer's office and other "unknown persons". Maharashtra Lokayukta Justice (Retd) M L Tahaliyani has given a clean chit to former Maharashtra Minister in the bribery case involving his "personal assistant" Gajanan Patil and closed a complaint in the matter. Incidentally, the clean chit came a week before Khadse resigned from the BJP-led ministry in the wake of a series of charges, including alleged irregularity in buying an MIDC plot at Bhosari in Pune. The Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested Patil from outside the 'Mantralaya' (state secretariat) gate last month for allegedly demanding a Rs 30-crore bribe from Mumbai-based entrepreneur Ramesh Jadhav in a land allotment matter. The Lokayukta and senior ACB officials heard the complainant on May 27, before passing the order the same day. "At least 12 recordings of the conversation between the complainant (Jadhav) and Gajanan Patil were made," the Lokayukta report said. "The transcription doesn't indicate that either the former revenue minister or any of his employees were involved in the alleged demand made by the accused Gajanan Patil," the Lokayukta said, adding "the complaint needs to be closed and is accordingly closed". "The complainant has many other grievances against the government including lacklustre attitude of the government to his request for allotment of land for educational purpose and other work," the Lokayukta said. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday had expressed confidence that Khadse would emerge clean from the probe into allegations against him. "I am confident that Natha bhau (Khadse) will emerge clean from this 'Agnipariksha' (test by fire)," he had said. The Maharashtra ACB had also given a clean chit to Khadse in the Rs 30-crore bribe demand matter. The agency had submitted a status report on the investigations in the case to the Chief Minister, where it has categorically mentioned that the "investigations so far haven't revealed any evidence to suggest that the Minister (Khadse) had demanded a bribe". At least 24 students of a government primary school were taken ill today after consuming meal served to them under Mid-Day Meal scheme in Bihar's Aurangabad district, an official said. Navi Nagar's Circle Officer (CO) Rana Akshaya Pratap Singh said the students complained of stomach pain and vomiting soon after consuming meal at the primary school in Ghirsindi village. The ailing students were admitted to Navi Nagar referral hospital for treatment, he said. Navi Nagar police station in-charge Ashish Sah, who rushed to the hospital after the incident, said he was trying to find out whether there were traces of lizard's poison in the food, according to the symptoms reported by the students. The CO said an administrative probe was on in the matter. Four persons died in lightning strikes at separate places of Bihar's Aurangabad district today, officials said. A man and his son became victims of the lightning strike while they were returning home from field in Darmikala village under Tandwa police station. Under Daudnagar police station, one person each became victim of lightning strikes in Aarai and Pansa villages. Officials said the victims' families would get Rs four lakh each as compensation for death in natural calamity. As many as 448 Sikh pilgrims today crossed over to Pakistan on a special train from Attari international railway station to observe the 177th death anniversary of Sikh emperor Maharaja Ranjit Singh. According to Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the pilgrims were welcomed at Lahore railway station by Pakistani authorities, including members of Pakistan Wakf Board and Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (PSGPC) who showered rose petals on them. The pilgrims will visit Gurdwara Nankana Sahib from Lahore by train. Afterwards, they would travel to other gurdwaras located at different provinces of Pakistan. After paying obeisance at various Sikh shrines, the delegation would come to Gurdwara Dera Sahib in Lahore on June 29 to observe the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. They would return to India on June 30. An ancient fort was built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh adjacent to Gurdwara Dera Sahib. The fort has rare articles, including traditional Sikh weapons, guns, swords, daggers and war uniforms of Sher-e-Punjab in its collection. The Sikh delegation is led by SGPC member Gurmeet Singh Booh who is scheduled to hold talks with Pakistani authorities, including members of Wakf Board and PSGPC, regarding re-settlement of dates of Sikh religious occasions in Pakistan in accordance with the Sikh Nanak Shahi calendar. Booh will also take up the matter of security of the minority Sikh community in Pakistan, besides maintenance of all the gurdwaras there. He will also take up the matter of a liberal visa-issuance process for Sikh pilgrims in Pakistan, said an SGPC official. A South African woman, alleged to be an international drug peddler, was arrested at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) with 14 kg of narcotic worth Rs 2 crore while her Nigerian accomplice was nabbed from Burari area here. Officials said around 10:00 PM yesterday, CISF sleuths detected suspicious movement of a flier, identified as Belinda F (42), who was to travel to Addis Ababa. A detailed search of the passenger and her belongings led the Central Industrial Security Force personnel finding narcotic drug 'methaqualone' from her bag. The drug was neatly packed in black paper wrappers, they said. CISF spokesperson Hemendra Singh said the woman was handed over to anti-narcotics sleuths who later arrested her. Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Director (Delhi Zone) Rohit Sharma said while CISF sleuths handed over the woman to the agency based on their 'Look Out Circular' against her, they later went on to arrest her friend Obiefoka F Okeke (32) from the Burari area of Delhi. Okeke is a Nigerain national. Belinda was on NCB's wanted list and was an international drug peddler, Sharma said, adding the agency is on the trail of their third associate J Paul. He said after laboratory tests, the drugs consignment was found to be 14.2 kg, out of the 18 kg seized from her bag, and the value of the contraband is about Rs 2 crore in the international market. Belinda came to India on June 18 on a business visa and had its validity till July 21, they said. A South African woman, alleged to be an international drug peddler, has been arrested at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) with 18 kg of a narcotic worth Rs 50 lakh. Officials said at about 10:00 PM yesterday CISF sleuths detected suspicious movement of a flier, identified as Belinda F (42), who was to travel to Addis Ababa. A detailed search of the passenger and her belongings led Central Industrial Security Force personnel finding 18 kg of narcotic drug 'methaqualone' from a bag. The drug was neatly packed in black paper wrappers, they said. The woman has been handed over to anti-narcotics sleuths who arrested her. Belinda was on their wanted list and was an international drug peddler, they said. "Preliminary assessment has pegged the cost of the seized drugs at Rs 50 lakh," CISF spokesperson Hemendra Singh said. Belinda came to India on June 18 on a business visa and had its validity till July 21, they said. In line with trending terms like "Brexit" and "Rexit", now Twitteratis have coined a new expression "Nexit" after India-born Nikesh Arora announced his surprised resignation as President and COO at SoftBank. For the past several days, two words 'Brexit' and 'Rexit' have been trending. 'Brexit' in short stands for Britain's possible exit from the European Union, while 'Rexit' word came up after RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan decided against seeking a second term. On Twitter, Arora's surprise exit was being referred as '#Nexit', in line with the trending terms -- #Rexit (Rajan deciding not to take a second term) and #Brexit (Britain's possible exit from the EU). India-born Nikesh Arora, President and COO at Japanese conglomerate SoftBank, today said he is stepping down from his role as Masayoshi Son wanted to continue as the CEO for the next 5-10 years. The 48-year-old former Chief Business Officer at Google decided to call it a day as his 58-year-old boss Son said he was planning to quit at the age of 60 but felt he was "still a bit too young". The development interestingly came just a day after Arora getting a clean-chit from a special committee set up by SoftBank to look into the allegations against him from some shareholders about his conduct and qualifications. "Masa 2 continue 2 be CEO for 5-10 years, respect that. Learnt a lot. Clean chit from board after through review. Time for me to move on," Arora said in a tweet. He added: "I did as promised...Didn't want to be CEO-in-waiting past my sell-by-date." Arora had joined SoftBank as its Vice-Chairman and CEO of SB Group US in September 2014 from search giant Google. In May last year, he was elevated to President and COO, the first time in 35-year history of SoftBank that anyone was given the President title. At that time, Son had mentioned that Arora is the most likely candidate to succeed him in future. Arora, who is responsible for global operations, has led SoftBank's investments in India in eCommerce firm Snapdeal, ride-hailing service Ola, real-estate website Housing.Com, hotel-booking app Oyo Rooms and Grofers. Asked about his exit affecting investment dynamics of SB portfolio companies in India, Arora said "plan to support them for an year, hence continuing as advisor". "Going to continue to support the Indian startup ecosystem ....Can't change faith if you change jobs," he tweeted. Arora, who is among the highest paid global executives, received USD 135 million pay package including a joining bonus in 2014-15, and was paid USD 73 million last year. On the clean chit from the special committee, the Banaras Hindu University-graduate said he never had a doubt. "My father was a man with the highest integrity, if there was one thing he tought me, that was it," he added. An adaptation of Agatha Christie's classic story "The Witness For The Prosecution" is coming to BBC One. Two hour-long episodes have been ordered by the broadcaster, and production will begin later this year. Writer Sarah Phelps ('The Casual Vacancy') will adapt the thriller, while Julian Jarrold will direct, reported Digital Spy. "The Witness For The Prosecution" is set in 1920s London, and details the murder of rich heiress Emily French. Sarah Phelps said: "With the long terrible shadow of the Great War falling across the rackety, feral 1920s, The Witness for the Prosecution is a compelling story of deceit, desire, murder, money and morality, innocence and guilt, heartbreak and most painful and dangerous of all, love. "At the centre of this dark and tangled net is the astonishing character of Romaine, a noir heroine for all our times." The airing date of 'The Witness For The Prosecution' is not yet decided. Tamil Nadu government today said all prisoners were equal for it and the state was providing medical treatment to a Muslim convict with a chronic ailment. "All prisoners are equal for the government. Medical treatment is being given for I Abuthahir in G Kuppuswamy Naidu Memorial Hospital," Prisons Minister C Ve Shanmugam said intervening IUML member K A M Muhammed Abubacker, who sought release of 49 Muslim prisoners, including Abuthahir, imprisoned for more than 15 years in the state. Prisoners were equal for the government irrespective of caste or religion, he said. Abuthahir was convicted in the Coimbatore serial blast case and also sentenced to life imprisonment in the sensational murder of Assistant Jailor of Central Prison (Madurai) Jayaprakash. Madras High Court had directed medical treatment for Abuthahir in a private hospital based on a petition in 2013. Abubacker, participating in the debate on the motion of thanks to the governor's address, said 49 Muslim prisoners were languishing in prisons for over 15 years and appealed for their premature release. Among them were Abuthahir and Dindigul Meeran with chronic ailments, he said. Shanmugam said a case was pending in the Madras High Court over the premature release of over 1,400 prisoners by the state government in 2008. The court had said the release of prisoners was subject to the final order in the matter. He also said incarceration for a period of 14 years does not entitle prisoners to premature release. However, the state government may consider premature release after looking into aspects like recommendation of an advisory board constituted in this regard. Speaking to reporters later, Abubacker said prisoners could be considered for premature release by the state on grounds like health, good conduct and completion of 14 years in prison. Anti-GM crop activists today sought time from the government to put forth their concerns regarding commercialisation of transgenic mustard, whose research and testing they alleged were done in a "fraudulent and unscientific" manner. A day after the country's biotech regulator GEAC met for the second time this year, the activists also threatened to "force" the government to debate the issue of commercial cultivation of GM mustard as it pertains to the health and environment of people. Delhi University's Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants has sought permission for environmental release of its transgenic mustard variety from the GEAC. Coalition for a GM-Free India alleged although they were called by the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) meeting yesterday, the regulator behaved in an "unreasonable and unjust" manner which forced them to walk out. "The GEAC did invite us for a meeting to discuss concerns with regard to transgenic technology and GM mustard on June 20 but behaved in an unreasonable and unjust fashion which forced us to walk out. "Despite an invitation for a team to come for a discussion from our side, GEAC did the unfair thing of first insisting on only one person coming in front of the committee and gave only 10 minutes of presentation time. Please note that this is the fourth time that this farcical process has been run by GEAC, twice with just 12-36 hours' notice," the Coalition wrote in its letter to Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar. The Coalition had yesterday termed the transgenic mustard hybrid as a "major scientific fraud" and, said GEAC had chosen to become "opaque and unscientific" while alleging that scientists at Delhi University notched up yield increases through "rigged protocols". "We will force the government and the nation to debate the issue, as it pertains to the health and environment of all the citizens, and it also pertains to farm livelihoods on which all members of our network work. "We write to request you to provide us with the time that you promised. The revelations that we have dug out about the fraudulent and unscientific R&D and testing of DMH-11 transgenic mustard are of an extremely serious nature. "If the government is serious about upholding scientific integrity and rigour in this country, it should listen to the evidence and analysis that we have on this transgenic mustard," the Coalition said in its letter. Environment Ministry sources, however, yesterday said two groups were invited to the GEAC to make their representations and while one group gave its presentation, the other group (coalition) decided not to citing paucity of time. "GEAC has now decided to give them time in July so that they can make a detailed presentation," an Environment Ministry source had said. Playing an unhinged serial-killer is not one of the easiest things to pull off but Nawazuddin Siddiqui says he was confident about his role in "Raman Raghav 2.0" because Anurag Kashyap was behind the camera. Nawaz, 42, first collaborated with Kashyap in a small role in the director's debut film "Black Friday" but it was "Gangs of Wasseypur 2" that saw the actor play his first memorable lead role. The "Badlapur" star says he shares a great chemistry with Kashyap, who, he feels manages to get the best out of him. "I feel very confident with Anurag. When he is behind the camera, I feel I can be the best actor in the world. He gives me that kind of security, which an actor seeks in his director. I can't explain the chemistry we have but we can sit for hours together without exchanging a word," Nawaz told PTI in an interview. Anurag has already spoken about how disturbing it was for Nawaz to play the role as the actor fell ill during the making of the film, which is a contemporary take on notorious serial killer Raman Raghav. The movie released this Friday. Nawaz says it was hard to believe that a person like this existed and it was a disturbing process to prepare for it. "The process of preparing it was disturbing. He is not a normal person. He is proud of his killings and has a justification for it. I may not think like that but when you are playing a character like this, you have to believe that otherwise you won't be able to justify it." To unwind from his movie roles, Nawaz takes a trip to his village in Muzaffarnagar and spends time farming. "It is important to separate the reel from reality. I go to my village and do farming. I like it there. I feel like I am the same old person. It gives you a breathing space." Ask whether things have changed in the village now that he has become a big star, Nawaz says, "My stardom does not work there. You have to stay like a farmer and they like that. They feel that they have their old friend back. Nawaz has come to be known as one of the finest actors in Bollywood and his chameleon-like ability to transform on-screen has endeared him not only to the indie filmmakers but also to star-driven projects be it Salman Khan's "Kick", "Bajrangi Bhaijaan" or Shah Rukh's upcoming drama "Raees". He, however, says he is careful in selecting the big budget projects as he believes he can't afford to make mistakes. "I do only those big projects where I feel I have something to do. The character should be important, it should have individuality. In 'Bajarangi', I had a unique character, Salman and a director like Kabir Khan. "It is difficult to say no sometimes. I want the other person to understand my reasons. When you have options, then you have to be careful. I feel I can't afford to make a single mistake, it is not forgivable for me. So, I am careful. There are people who understand why I say no but sometimes people think 'How can he reject my film?'." Nawaz has a number of projects lined up including "Haraamkhor", comedy film "Ghoomketu", a Sohail Khan film and his "Lunchbox" director Ritesh Batra's project titled "Photographer". "'Ghoomketu' is an out and out comedy. It is currently being edited. I am doing Sohail Khan's film with Amy Jackson and also Ritesh Batra's 'Photographer'. "Comedy is the easiest thing for me because I did 150 plays during my theatre days. I understand the timing and what makes people laugh. But the most interesting emotion for me is romance and luckily I am doing such films now. "My film with Amy is romantic and Ritesh's film is full of romance. I am excited to reteam with him after 'Lunchbox'. Actor-turned-politician Ambareesh, who resigned as MLA after being dropped as minister, Tuesday hit out at Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over the move, saying "are we like slippers to use and throw away". "We should have been sent in a dignified way. That is only my objection nothing else. Are we like slippers to use and then throw?" said Ambareesh, as the ruling Congress grappled with the flare up of discontent in the aftermath of Sunday's major ministry reshuffle. The sulking actor-turned-politician said he was "ill-treated" by Siddaramaih. Maintaining that he was not informed by the chief minister about dropping him, Ambareesh also asked: "Is it dictatorship or Hitler's rule to just throw away (ministers)?" The rejig that saw 14 ministers being axed and 13 others inducted to give a face-lift to the three-year-old Siddaramaiah government before 2018 Assembly polls has created problems for the chief minister who took up the exercise after getting Congress High Command's nod. Ambareesh yesterday sent a one-line resignation letter addressed to the Assembly Speaker through his personal assistant but it is yet to be accepted as he himself did not submit it. "When I'm incapable why should I continue? When Chief Minister has called me incapable what can I do as an MLA? So I have resigned," Ambareesh told reporters here. He said: "I will go and give it (resignation) personally." Asked about the one-line resignation letter, he said "Only one line should be there (in the resignation letter), reasonsshould not be given..." Ambareesh, who was the Housing Minister before being dropped, also said the chief minister has not called up to convince him not to resign as MLA. Responding to a question whether Siddaramaiah had contacted him, he said: "No... As Chief Minister, there should have been at least some dignity. I was also a central minister, have been a three-time MP; have worked along with him in his cabinet. "If he had called me and asked me to make way for others, I would have resigned happily. Don't I command at least that amount of respect?" hequestioned. When reminded that the chief minister during the meeting of council of ministers had indicated that a few Ministers will be dropped and sought cooperation, he said: "not in wholesale, we are not wholesale, I'm not saleable... I have led a respectable life, I command certain amount of dignity in public life." He said he had never lobbied for power, adding "now they have felt that I'm incapable and dropped me." The chief minister calling up and informing him about dropping him from the ministry would have added value to the post Siddaramaiah holds, he added. Armed forces today marked the second International Yoga Day across the country by performing 'aasanas' at several events including on warships. Apart from holding yoga camps in units across the country, the Indian Navy and Coast Guard also organised programmes on ships like INS Airavat, Virat and ICGS Sagar. Personnel on Indian ships out in the Pacific Ocean also celebrated the day by performing different aasanas. "#IYD2016 Yoga by our brave sailors & officers at sea in NW Pacific ocean & in S Korea this morning," the Indian Navy tweeted. Yoga camps were held at places ranging from Andaman and Nicobar Islands to high altitude areas where units of armed forces are posted. Army Chief Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag, IAF Chief Arup Raha and Coast Guard Director General Rajendra Singh took part in the events. The Army Chief participated in a programme organised at the Parade Day ground at Delhi Cantonment, while the Air Force Chief attended an event at Wellingdon Camp, Air Force Station here. The Coast Guard Director General was part of the Yoga day event at the CG headquarters here. (REOPENS DES 12) Meanwhile, in Mumbai, armed forces personnel, including their family, participated in various Yoga camps held at different locations concurrently. The camps were conducted by the Yoga instructors of the Navy under the guidance of certified civilian instructors, a Defence release said. The Mumbai Garrison of the Army also marked the day with mass participation of all ranks and families in the station. The programme at Colaba Military Station was organised under the aegis of Headquarters Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa Area, wherein over 800 officers participated, the release said. Similar events were also organised at Kalina and Malad/Kandivli Military stations in the mega-polis and in other units of Maharashtra, it added. Army today paid tribute to Lance Havildar Prem Bahadur Reshmi Magar, who was killed in a gun fight near the Line of Control in North Kashmir. A funeral with full military honours was organised at 14 Gorkha Training Centre Subathu here for Magar of 3/1 Gorkha Rifles who made the supreme sacrifice during a counter infiltration operation along the LOC in Tangdhar area of Kupwara district on Thursday, a Defence spokesman said. Last post sounded and wreaths were laid on behalf of Chief of Army Staff, Army Commander Western Command and other military dignitaries in a solemn ceremony, he said. The funeral was attended by all ranks of the Cantonment, besides civilian dignitaries and next of kin of the gallant soldier, the spokesperson said. Magar (37) was deployed on active duty at Kalban Nar in Tangdhar sector where the major infiltration bid was foiled and four terrorists were eliminated in a fierce gun fight. Magar sustained gunshot wounds during the fight and later succumbed to his injuries. Amid sub-zero temperature, the Army celebrated at the Siachen Glacier, situated at the height of over 20,000 feet. "The soldiers and the officers posted at Siachen, commonly known as the highest battlefield in the world, on Tuesday celebrated International Yoga Day", a defence spokesman said. He said apart from Siachen, the Army's Fire and Fury Corps also celebrated the day at Leh, Kargil and other forward locations along the Line of Control (LoC) and Line of Actual Control (LAC). The event at Leh was attended by over 900 personnel which included officers, junior commissioned officers and jawans of the Leh Garrisson, the spokesman said. "Large attendances were also organised at Siachen, Kargil and other forward locations along the borders," he said. Apart from giving an impetus to physical fitness, the events were aimed to popularise yoga and also to spread awareness on benefits of yoga among the soldiers, he said, adding large number of soldiers showed interest in learning yoga asanas, pranayama and meditation. The Indian Army has incorporated yoga asanas into the daily routine of the soldiers in high altitude areas with harsh climatic conditions, he said. More than 600 army personnel and their families attended a special yoga camp at helipad ground of Mathura Cantt today as part of the International Yoga Day celebrations. The event witnessed the participation of all senior officers of Mathura Garrison along with core commander of Strike 1 Corps. "Yoga, an invaluable gift of ancient India, not only embodies unity of mind and body, thought and action, restraint and fulfillment but also develops harmony between man and nature, inculcating a holistic approach to health and well being," General Commanding Officer, Strike 1 Corps, Lieutenant General Shokin Chauhan said. The Art of Living Foundation today led thousands of yoga enthusiasts at different venues in Mumbai and adjoining Navi Mumbai to mark the second International Yoga Day. The main attraction was a yoga camp organised by the NGO at Poisar Gymkhana which was led by Swami Purnachaitanya from the Netherlands and attended by BJP MP Gopal Shetty, among others. Nearly 100 policemen attended another event at Nagpada Police station and learnt the basics of the ancient fitness regime. "The sequence of postures was based on the common yoga protocol prescribed by the Ministry of Ayush and the celebrations drew people from all walks of life, including children, youth and senior citizens," said a senior volunteer from the Foundation. Mumbai chapter of the Foundation, in a statement, said yoga sessions were also held in prisons, corporate offices (at about 1000 locations), on cargo ships, schools for specially- abled children and public parks, among other locations. The Foundation, through its volunteers and teachers, reached out to millions of yoga lovers in over 156 countries, it said. Former Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) chairman Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh, his wife Usha Sinha and five others were today remanded in 14 days judicial custody in connection with the intermediate toppers scam. Special vigilance judge Raghvendra Kumar Singh passed the order after the seven were produced in his court in the wake of the special investigation team (SIT), probing the intermediate toppers scam, slapped charges against them under the provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. Lalkeshwar and Usha, a former JD(U) MLA, besides Prabhat Jaiswal who had provided refuge to them for over a week when they went into hiding, were produced before the court a day after they were arrested from Varanasi in connection with the scandal. They were brought to Patna today on transmit remand. Four other accused - Kumari Shakuntala, principal of Rambriksh Benipuri Mahila Vidyalaya, Muzaffarpur; Rita Kumari, a teacher of Gandhi Higher School, Bharwal, Muzaffarpur; Nandkishore Yadav, a committee member of Kishun Rai College, Bhagwanganj, Muzaffarpur; and Nishu Singh, of Bidupur in Vaishali district, were arrested from different places by the SIT and were also produced in the vigilance court. All the seven accused have been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The scam had rocked Bihar earlier this month after Ruby Rai, a student of Vishun Roy College in Vaishali district who had topped in the arts category, failed to answered basic questions and went on to describe political science as 'prodigal science' that taught cooking. Embarrassed by the irregularities, the state government had ordered a SIT probe in the matter during which Bachcha Rai, the principal of Vishun Roy College, was arrested besides some other accused persons. The SIT subsequently booked Lalkeshwar and his wife Usha, a former principal of the Ganga Devi women's college in Patna, in the intermediate toppers scam, but the couple dodged arrest and went underground for over a week before being finally arrested from Varanasi. NCP today accused the BJP-led NDA governments at the Centre and Maharashtra of "miserably" failing to fulfil the promises made in run up to the Lok Sabha elections. "Both the governments have miserably failed to provide any relief to the common people and to oblige the promises they had made during the election campaign two years back," senior NCP leader Dilip Walse Patil told reporters here today. He also accused the NDA governments of failing to rein in the rise in prices of essential commodities. "Central government has completely failed to control the rising prices of essential commodities, particularly pulses, while the state (Maharashtra) government has failed to handle the drought-like situation and provide any relief to the cotton growers and restrict the farmers suicides," the former Speaker of Legislative Assembly said. Walse Patil said the Narendra Modi government is indulged in "saffronisation" of education instead of concentrating on improving the quality of education. "The agriculture production and the industrial output are on the decline and people are still waiting for Rs 15 lakh which they were promised would get deposited in their savings account," he said referring to BJP's then Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's poll promise of repatriating the black money stashed abroad. Walse Patil said the state government has failed to give the high remunerative prices to cotton. "The government has also failed to curb suicides of farmers in Vidarbha and Marathwada regions. The law and order situation is worsening," he alleged. He said farmers in Maharashtra are still awaiting waiver as well as restructuring of crop loans. Walse Patil was recently appointed as the Nagpur district incharge of party affairs ahead of the civic body elections. "NCP is gearing up to contest the forthcoming civic elections across the state on its own. But the final decision on alliance with Congress or other like-minded parties depends on our party leadership," he added. To a query, the senior politician dismissed any possibility of NCP supporting the BJP government in state if its alliance partner Shiv Sena were to withdraw support. He said Congress is "natural ally" of NCP. Over 70 British-Indian councillors from across the political spectrum today backed a campaign to drum up support from the 1.2 million Indian-origin voters against Britain's exit from the EU in Thursday's referendum. The 71 councillors said they believe that being a member of the 28-member European Union significantlybenefits Britain, not just economically but in terms of security and trade and are actively campaigning in their local areas to secure the "Remain" vote in the in-out EU referendum. "There are around 1.2 million British Indians voters across the UK and our votes could be absolutely crucial in determining the outcome of the EU referendum on23 June," said Alok Sharma, a Conservative MP and Prime Minister David Cameron's Infrastructure Envoy for India, who heads the "British Indians for IN" campaign. "It is clear that very many people and business leaders within the British-Indian community agree that voting to remain in the UK is the right choice for our country and our community. Please make sure your vote counts as we are better off and safer asmember of the EU," he said. Areas represented by the Remain-favouring Indian-origin councillors include wards in England, Wales and Scotland, and represent the Conservative, Labour, and Liberal Democrat parties, the campaign group said. Councillor Geetha Morla, from Milton Keynes,said: "For me, there is no question about whether or notBritain should remain a member of the EU. The European single market is by far our biggest trading partner, providing jobs and ensuring lower prices in our shops. "Our membership also means we have a seat at the table to determine the rules of doing business and that we can collaborate on issues such as the environment. By contrast, a vote for Brexit is a leap in the dark and a huge gamble on an uncertain future." Balwant Chadha, councillor for Cumbernauld North in North Lanarkshireand the country's first Sikh Justice of the Peace, said:"I strongly believe thatBritainis in a much stronger position remaining in EU and safer not only economicallyand culturally, but is able to lead people in European countries to improve their qualityof life." SandwellcouncillorPreet Gill said Britain had a history of engaging with the world. "With its rich diversity it cannot and should not be a country that becomes insular but continues to be outward facing and addressing matters like immigration, terrorism and the economy with the EU as together, we are stronger and better," she said. Leicester City Councillor Vijay Singh Riyait believesthat Britain's membership of the EU is critical to our long-term prospects, commenting:"Britain's future economic and social well-being relies on us being an integral part of the EU and working to tackle the big issues facing us all such as climate change, migration and security with our Europeans friends." CouncillorKamaljit Singh Chana, from Harrow Council, said the choice for him issimple:"I want a seat at the table whereby I can effectively contribute to an issue, influence and set strategy that will affect my country." CouncillorMukesh Malhotra fromHounslow said his vote to remain would be a vote for his children and grandchildren. "Our membership of EU supports jobs and investment and helps deliver social justice. I stay remain for the benefit of my children & grandson in the future," he said. Senior Labour MP Virendra Sharma MP, who represents Ealing Southall constituency with a large British Indian community and also a part of the British Indian for IN cross-party group welcomed the overwhelming grassroots support. He said: "Being a member of the EU means that the UK is better off and safer in an increasingly uncertain world. While the UK is in the EU it stands between the Commonwealth and Europe, we are a stronger trading partner for India while we have access to the Single Market. "Voting to remain means staying part of the single market of 500 million people - Britain's biggest trading partner - with a say over the rules of doing business across Europe. That means more jobs, lower prices, and more financial security for British families. A 19-year-old British man has been charged for trying to grab a police officer's gun at a Donald Trump rally in Las Vegas in a bid to kill the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. According to a complaint filed in federal court in Nevada, Michael Sandford tried to disarm the officer at Saturday's rally at the Mystere Theatre in the Treasure Island Casino before being overpowered. It said the young man told a Secret Service agent after his arrest that he had driven from California to Las Vegas "to kill Trump," and had been to a range a day earlier to learn to shoot as he had never fired a gun before. "Sandford acknowledged that he would likely only be able to fire one to two rounds and stated he was convinced he would be killed by law enforcement during his attempt on Trump's life," the complaint said. It added that Sandford told investigators he had purchased tickets for a rally in Phoenix, where he "would try again to kill Trump" in the event his plan in Las Vegas failed. Video of his arrest carried by US media show a skinny man with short brown hair and a grey T-shirt being escorted out of the rally by police officers with his hands behind his back. The prosecutor's office said Sandford was ordered held without bond, as he was considered dangerous and represented a flight risk. Britain's Foreign Office is "providing assistance" in the case, a spokesman said. The complaint said Sandford had told investigators he had been in the United States for about 18 months, and had lived in Hoboken, New Jersey, before travelling to California. It said Sandford told investigators that he had targeted officer Ameel Jacob's gun because it was in an unlocked position and would be the easiest way to gain access to a weapon at the rally where those attending had to go through metal detectors. "Sandford further stated that if he were on the street tomorrow, he would try this again," according to the complaint. It said Sandford told the Secret Service that he had been plotting to kill Trump for about a year and finally decided to act on Saturday, as "he finally felt confident to do it." His arrest comes amid one of the nastiest US presidential campaigns in recent history, dominated by violent rhetoric, with Trump lashing out at Mexicans, Muslims and other groups. The real estate billionaire enjoys Secret Service protection but also has his own private security detail that has been accused of using unnecessary force to remove people from events. A number of protesters have been arrested at his rallies where riot police are deployed in force and there have been mounting demonstrations during his campaign appearances in recent months. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today said it is a misconception that the Centre was trying to do away with subsidy on different schemes, adding that maximum grant for the purpose has been provided by the NDA government. "Sometimes people try to create a misconception that government will end subsidy...Today I want to tell you that we are giving more grant than what was being given by earlier governments," he said. Singh was speaking after distributing free LPG connections to poor women under the "Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana" here. "In the current financial year, central government will give a subsidy of over Rs 2,50,000 crore but there is a move to create misconception among the people," he alleged. Singh said, "Our government is of the view that cooking gas should be supplied straight to houses through pipeline instead of cylinders and we are happy that oil companies have started work in this direction." "Gas from Paradeep in Odisha will reach Lucknow via West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand...Gas connections will be piped like water and power lines," he said. Lauding Indian Oil Corporation's efforts in implementing the scheme, Singh said the Centre will bear the burden to the tune of Rs 8,000 crore for providing free LPG connections to five crore BPL (below poverty line) families over the next three years. Meanwhile, Kaushal Kishore, a BJP MP from Mohanlalganj, alleged that gas agencies were harming the aims of 'Ujjwala' scheme by seeking Rs 1,600 from every connection seeker. They were also not providing benefit of instalments meant for beneficiaries. State convenor of Indian Oil Corporation Avinash Verma said more than three lakh connections have been given in Uttar Pradesh under the scheme which was launched in Ballia on May 1. By July-end this figure will go up to 10 lakh, he added. On the occasion, gas connections were provided to 150 poor women of which 11 were handed over by the union minister. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had, in his Budget speech in February, announced a provision of Rs. 2,000 crore this financial year to provide LPG connections to 1.5 crore women from BPL households. The new users will not have to pay the security deposit, while the administrative costs of Rs 1,600, cost of pressure regulator booklet and safety-hose will be borne by the government. China today continued to stonewall India's bid for NSG membership despite a fresh push by the US as the 48-nation grouping remained divided over the entry of a non-NPT signatory country like India. The Chinese Foreign Ministry sang different tunes, first saying that it was not targeting any country such as India or Pakistan and then taking a swipe at the US for backing India's case citing the rule that countries which have not signed the NPT should not be allowed into NSG. The Chinese comments came after the White House said India was "ready" for NSG membership and asked participating governments to support India's application at the plenary session of NSG in Seoul two days from now. At the same time, Beijing said the "door is open" for discussions on the issue but then emphasised on whether criteria for memberships should be changed instead of making exceptions. In other words, China is seeking to equate India with its impeccable non-proliferation record with that of Pakistan for which it is batting. Given this scenario and continued Chinese opposition, it is very likely that a consensus on India's membership will elude the grouping's plenary on June 23-24. Some 20 members are said to be backing India, some are undecided and some are opposed to it. New Delhi is closely monitoring the goings-on in the South Korean capital and may depute its Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar to lobby with members if it sees any prospect of Indian bid succeeding. A Chinese man was today sentenced to death by a court for setting a passenger bus on fire which killed three people. The defendant Xu Xiaofu sought revenge on society by causing the fire in 2014 which left three people dead and 16 others injured because his improper demands had not been met, Intermediate People's Court of Yantai City in Shandong Province said, without specifying Xu's demands. Xu torched the bus in the city of Longkou on August 20, 2014 with a bottle of petrol he carried in his bag. He poured petrol on clothes in the bag and set fire to the bus, state-run Xinhua agency reported. A passenger died at the scene and two others died in hospital. Six people were seriously injured. Xu escaped after the fire but was arrested by police two days later. He was sentenced to death and deprived of political rights for life by the court. Xu said he would appeal against the sentence in a higher court. Union Minister Piyush Goyal today said the Coal India Ltd (CIL) has set a coal production target of one billion tonne. "The target before the Coal Ministry and CIL is very challenging. The aim is to attain one billion tonne of coal production," the Union Minister of State for Coal and Power (independent charge) said at Korba district headquarters. Power shortage level in the country has come down to 2.1 per cent from 4.2 per cent, he said. Goyal took part in a series of programmes in Korba as part of a month-long 'VikasParv' being observed to mark NDA government completing two years in the office. Korba is known as power hub of the state as it has more then ten thermal power plants. The Minister briefed media about the achievements of two years of NDA rule in the country and also addressed a public meeting at Gevra after reaching Korba where he announced that a medical college will be set up by CIL in the state. A medical college will be set up by the CIL in the state, which will benefit the students. Besides that a cultural building will also be built in SECL (South Eastern Coalfields Limited) mining area, which will available to the weaker sections of the society for free of cost, he said. The minister also announced other construction works to be carried out in Korba. He also visited coal mines area and held a meeting with officials and representatives of labour unions. In the morning, Goyal took part in the International Yoga Day celebrations at the Central School in Raipur. Goyal and Chief Minister Raman Singh also held a high-level deliberations on the rail connectivity during a meeting here. About 270 km new railway link will be laid in Chhattisgarh soon with the Centre's co-operation. The railway line will link Dongargarh, Khairagarh, Kawardha, Mungeli, Kota and Katghora to Bilaspur, a government official said. There was a detailed presentation on the 'Rail Corridor' and coal blocks, the official. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister also deliberated on the coal block issue. Underscoring yoga's message of promoting harmony, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon today asked citizens across nations to commit to unity regardless of ethnicity, faith, gender and sexual orientation. "On this International Day of Yoga, I urge everyone to embrace healthier choices and lifestyles and to commit to unity with our fellow human beings, regardless of ethnicity, faith, age, gender identity or sexual orientation.Let us celebrate this Day - and every day - as members of one human family sharing one common, precious home," Ban said in his message for 2nd International Day of Yoga which is being commemorated across the world today. Ban called for equality among humans irrespective of their nationalities and sexual orientation assumes significance in the wake of the tragic shooting last week in Orlando in which 49 people were killed and over 50 injured when 29-year old Omar Mateen opened fire in a popular gay nightclub. The UN Chief's message for yoga day was read out by veteran Indian diplomat and currently his Special Advisor on Myanmar Vijay Nambiar during a special panel discussion organised here by India's Permanent Mission to the UN on the eve of yoga day. Ban said that the ancient physical, mental and spiritual practice of Yoga originated in India and is now practised in various forms around the world. "Yoga balances body and soul, physical health and mental well-being. It promotes harmony among people, and between ourselves and the natural world," he said, adding that the United Nations General Assembly had proclaimedJune 21 as the International Day of Yoga in recognition of its "universal appeal". He noted the second observance of the International Day of Yoga highlights the important role healthy living plays in the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals, adopted last year by all 193 United Nations member states. Ban highlighted that as an exercise, yoga has multiple benefits and can help cultivate healthier lifestyles in current times when physical inactivity is linked with a number of non-communicable diseases, such as cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. "Practising yoga can also help raise awareness of our role as consumers of the planet's resources and as individuals with a duty to respect and live in peace with our neighbours. All these elements are essential to building a sustainable future of dignity and opportunity for all," he said. Meanwhile, renowned spiritual leader and Isha Foundation founder Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev said that yoga is India's gift to the world. "We must understand that yoga is not an Indian (thing). If you want to call yoga Indian, then you must call gravity European," Sadhguru said at a panel discussion organised here yesterday by India's Permanent Mission to the UN. (REOPENS FGN004) Sadhguru said even though the idea of commemorating an international yoga day was mooted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it was "almost like the world was waiting for it" when 177 nations supported the UN resolution proclaiming June 21 as International Day of Yoga. "Yes, yoga originated from India and as Indians we are proud of it but it does not belong to India," he said, during the panel discussion 'Conversation with Yoga Masters' that also featured Tao Porchon-Lynch, 97 year-old Yoga Master and activist. "The very fact that the UN has declared it as international yoga day means India has gifted it (Yoga) to the world. It does not belong to India anymore," Sadhguru said to an audience that included senior UN officials, ambassadors and other dignitaries from various countries. Underlining that yoga is becoming a world-wide phenomenon, he said the science of yoga is not just about health and fitness but it is the "ultimate solution for every aspect of human existence." He predicted that over the next 30-50 years, there will be a big movement towards scientific process for inner well- being. In a conversation with well-known author and activist Max Kennedy, son of American politician Robert F Kennedy, Sadhguru said his focus over the years has been to remove all the "frills of culture" that yoga has acquired through the millennia. Diplomats from Nepal, Bangladesh,Liechtenstein and World Health Organisation also spoke about the importance of yoga and shared personal experiences of how the ancient practice has enriched their lives. President of General Assembly Morgens Lykketoft is the Chief Guest at the event, which will also be attended by Under Secretary General for Communications and Public Information Cristina Gallach. The celebration will be led by Sadhguru and include simple Yoga pratice and a musical incantation on Yoga. Special Yogic meals will be served. Future Consumer Enterprise has received Competition Commission of India (CCI) approval to buy consumer products business of Grasim Industries, part of Aditya Birla Group. Kishore Biyani-led Future Consumer Enterprise is engaged in the business of sourcing, branding, marketing and distribution of FMCG, food and grocery products. A diversified entity, Grasim Industries has interests in viscose staple fibre, cement and chemicals, among others. Its consumer product division business includes those related to skin care, baby care and hand sanitisers. CCI, which keeps a tab on unfair business practices across sectors, has approved the deal, as per the regulator's website. In May last year, Grasim had signed a Business Transfer Agreement with Future Consumer Enterprise for the sale of its consumer products division on a slump sale basis. Congress workers were today taken into preventive custody while taking out a protest march towards Capitol Complex here, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present to take part in the second International Yoga Day (IYD) event. The party workers from Chandigarh and Punjab were carrying black flags as they marched but they were stopped by the police at Sector 34-35 and sector 15 respectively and taken into preventive custody, police said. They were later released. Chandigarh Territorial Congress President Pradeep Chhabra claimed that over 200 of party workers were taken into custody. He said they were not opposing Yoga but their protest was against alleged wrong policies of the Modi government. He alleged that the Chandigarh Administration has "wasted huge sum of money" on the mega event. "Our protest was against the anti-people policies of the Modi government which has hurt every section of the society be it farmer, common man, trader, youth," Chhabra said. "The BJP-led government has failed on every front despite making big promises before elections," he alleged. Congress workers from Punjab said they were also protesting against the farmer suicide issue. Members of Congress' students union NSUI also held protest against the Modi government near gate no 1 of Panjab University. They were also detained. A mass display of yoga, organised by a CPI(M)-supported outfit, and state-wide programmes by BJP besides yoga sessions and commemorative events marked the second International Yoga Day celebrations in LDF-ruled Kerala. Inaugurating the 'Chethana Yoga' of the CPI(M) supported outfit in Kollam beach, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan urged to free Yoga from the grip of religion and spirituality to help majority of people get its positive results. A large number of people, including women, participated in the programme, organised by the party-supported outfit 'Indian Martial Arts Academy'. "Yoga should not be related to any particular religion. When Yoga is connected with religion and spirituality, a large section of people will be denied its positive results," Vijayan said. The state-level observance of Yoga Day was inaugurated by state Health and Social Justice Minister K K Shailaja at the Central Stadium here. She pressed for ensuring secularism in the yoga practise and said yoga does not belong to any religion. Governor Justice (Rtd) P Sathasivam led the yoga session at his official residence Rajbhavan, which was attended by the employees there. Various government and private institutions, hospitals and NGOs organised programmes to commemorate the occasion across the state. Union Environment and Forests Minister Prakash Javadekar was the chief guest at the BJP's state-level programme held at an auditorium in nearby Kaimanom this morning. After taking part in the Yoga session, the Minister also witnessed a yoga display by children. Addressing the gathering, he said yoga was not 'religion specific' or 'caste specific' and it was for humanity. The interest for yoga was growing around the world due to the observance of the International Yoga Day since last year, he said. "It is the second year of the International Yoga Day observance and it has already become a public movement all around the world. This is not religion specific or caste specific. It is for all humanity. That is why the world has adopted it," Javadekar said. Along with the physical fitness, harmony and peace were also core objectives of Yoga, he said, urging Congress and Communist party activists in the state also to practise yoga. A large number of dignitaries, including BJP state President Kummanom Rajasekharan, veteran party leader and the lone BJP MLA in the state Assembly O Rajagopal were among those who attended the event. CBI today questioned Nidhi Tawde, wife of arrested Hindu Janajagruti Samiti member VirendraSing Tawde, in connection with rationalist Narendra Dabholkar murder case. Nidhi, who is not an accused in the case, was examined about details relating to alleged conspiracy to eliminate Dabholkar as the agency believes she might be witness to some development when it was being hatched, sources said. Searches were also carried out at her properties on the outskirts of Mumbai. Sources said the agency has information about her participation in programmes against Dabholkar with her husband, besides, she had been an active member of Sanatan Sanstha, which is under scanner in the case. They said the agency will also ask her about cyber forensic evidence like email, messages recovered from the laptops of Tawde which were sent to Sarang Akolkar, another suspect against whom a Red Corner Notice is pending in 2009 Goa blasts. Dabholkar was shot dead by two unidentified men during morning walk on Omkareshwar Bridge in Pune on August 20, 2013. Tawde and Akolkar wanted to eliminate Dabholkar in 2009 itself, but they dropped the plan due to the Margao bomb blast which took place the same year, CBI sources said, citing evidence pieced together by the agency. Tawde, suspected to be the mastermind of the conspiracy, kept on planning a hit on the activist along with Akolkar. The plan was finally executed on August 20, 2013, they said. The probe into Dabholkar murder case was handed over to CBI in May 2014 by the Bombay High Court. The NIA is handling the Margao blast case. The sources also said Tawde hated Dabholkar for his relentless campaign against superstition. He also allegedly played a key role in the 2009 Sangli-Miraj riots. The Sanstha has denied any role in Dabholkar's murder and termed Tawde's arrest as "mysterious". The Dalai Lama is set to speak about compassion and universal responsibility at the University of Utah today. His speech comes after stops in Washington, D.C. And California. The Tibetan spiritual leader was greeted by an admiring crowd of a few hundred people who waited in nearly 100-degree heat outside his Salt Lake City hotel when he arrived in Utah yesterday. The 80-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate was greeted at the airport by Salt Lake City mayor Jackie Biskupski and Salt Lake County mayor Ben McAdams. He's also expected to meet with Mormon church leaders and high-ranking politicians like Gov. Gary Herbert. That's in spite of a warning letter from a Weber State University professor who helped broker Utah's relations with China. Professor Taowen Le said it could jeopardize that relationship, but Utah leaders said the China connection doesn't mean giving up core values like the freedom of speech. The sentiment echoes Beijing's position on President Barack Obama's meeting with the Dalai Lama last week. Beijing accuses Tibetan spiritual leader of heading a campaign to split the region off from the rest of China, though the Dalai Lama says he simply wants a higher degree of autonomy under Chinese rule. The appearance at the University of Utah was scheduled after the Dalai Lama had to cancel a speech last year after doctors at the Mayo Clinic told him to rest. The university has said he resumed his regular schedule after being treated for a prostate problem. Eleven more people died due to floods and landslides in China as heavy rains and hailstorms wrecked havoc in several provinces since the weekend, taking the death toll in rains during the past few days to 33. Ministry of civil affairs yesterday said22 people were killed in rains andfloodsin China. Six more persons died in eastern Jiangxi Province, the provincial civil affairs department said. Among them, two drowned in swollen rivers, while four killed by lightening. Three persons remain missing, 105,700 hectares of crops were ruined, 969 houses destroyed and direct economic losses worth USD 328.5 million have been estimated in the region. About 199,000 people have been displaced, including about 13,000 from Guxiandu, Poyang County where a river breached its banks last evening. More than 400 armed police plan to mend a 100-meter gap in the river defenses tomorrow. "We're waiting because the water level remains high," said a police spokesman. Many villagers were trapped on upper floors. Rescuers distributed food and water to them and took the elderly and children to safe places. In Zhangjialing village, 70 per cent of homes were flooded in water up to four meters deep. Rescuers are trying to help the villagers as water levels continue to rise. In Xingwen County, southwestern Sichuan province, five bodies were found at a railway construction site, bringing the death toll from landslides in the county to seven. Following heavy rain, a landslide occurred around 3 AM on Sunday that destroyed workers' dormitories. Three persons were hospitalised, state-run Xinhua agency reported. A spokesperson with the Yangtze River Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said the storms since the weekend had taken tributaries at the upper and middle reaches of the river to their highest level in decades. Vice Premier Wang Yang called for intensified efforts to prevent flood and mitigate losses from floods on Saturday. Affected by El Nino, China would face very complicated weather conditions and there is a relatively high possibility of basin-wide floods occurring this year, Wang warned. The Jammu and Kashmir government today said it would take up with the Centre the issue of land for construction of a terminal building at Leh Airport. '"As per IAF, they will hand over 11.8 acres of land to Airport Authority of India for construction of Terminal Building (at Leh Airport) only after getting No Objection Certificate for the state government's land of 28 acres," the government said. In a written reply in the state Assembly to a question raised by Nawang Rigzin Jora of Congress, the government said few meetings were arranged to address the land issue with IAF authorities at Leh and Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir. "Most of the impediments are cleared except the indent which needs to be raised by the Defence Estates Officer (DEO). However, the delay is from the DEO side. Matter is being taken up with Principal Defence Estate Officer, Government of India through Chief Minister's office for expediting raising of indent," the government said. About the steps contemplated to address the shortage of flights in Ladakh and exorbitant airfares affecting the tourism trade severely, it said since the parking bays and window of operations are limited at Leh airport, the shortage will persist till the expansion of the terminal and apron takes place. However, the government said a high-level meeting was held under the chairmanship of Economic Advisor, Union Ministry of Aviation, M Kanna on July 2, 2013 at Leh. The Chairman apart from various assurance taken up in respect of speeding up of completion of infrastructure problems constraining augmentation of flight to Leh, suggested to reduce 21 per cent VAT on ATF in the region by the state government which is accounting for 50 per cent of operating cost of flight, the government said. Moreover, it said air tariff is linked to the market driven demand and supply mechanics and the state government has no control over the airfares. However, the only solution is increase in number of flights which would be possible only once adequate parking stands are created by AAI at the Leh airport, the government said. Oceans occupy about 71 per cent of the earth's surface but we know more about the surface of the Moon and about Mars than we do about the deep seafloor despite the fact that we have yet to extract a gram of food, a breath of oxygen or a drop of water from those bodies, says a new book. Today oceans happen to be the last frontier for humankind. The future of humankind will depend to a great extent on the resources to be taken from the ocean volume and the seafloor says the book 'Oceans and the Future of the Human Race', by Sudipta Kumar De. Even with the technology available today humankind has better maps of the surface of Mars and dark side of the Moon than of the bottom of the oceans. While a dozen people have walked on the Moon 384,400 kms above the earth's surface, only three have descended and come back from the deepest part in the sea, just 11 kms below, the book says. Most of horrifying part of our realization is that the ocean's vast resources are not limitless though once thought to be too big to fail, but our ignorance is vast, says the book brought out by GenNext Publication. Today, we can go to Mars, but the deep ocean really is our final frontier. The unexplored oceans hold mysteries more compelling, environments more challenging and life-forms more bizarre than anything the vacuum of space has to offer, the book says. Ocean, the living blue engine, is also the cornerstone of the earth's life support system. If it is in trouble, so are we, the author says. Possible solutions to the world's energy, food, environmental and other problems are far more likely to be found in the nearby oceans than in distant space, the author says. The space is a distant, hostile and barren place, the study of which yields few major discoveries and an abundance of overhyped claims. By contrast the oceans are nearby and their study is a potential source of discoveries that could prove helpful for addressing a wide range of national concerns from climate change to disease; for reducing energy, mineral and potable water shortage, the author says. Also, it is cheaper to go down than up. NASA is spending billions in search of extraterrestrial lives while there are at least 750, 000 new species still waiting to be discovered beneath the waves, the author says. When millions of poor people die from hunger, lack of medicine and water, it is an ocean scientist who can help them, not a space scientist, the book says. For the scientists who dedicate their lives to the pursuit of knowledge about the sea, it is a sad state of affairs. Although money from private and nonprofit corporations appears to be on the rise, they cannot support the level of funding that basic oceanographic research requires, the book says. This is an unfortunate reality, but this is also a part of the job of being an ocean scientist. Even around 150 years ago the situation was better. For many scientists overfishing now ranks as one of the greatest impacts of human activity on oceans. It increases the vulnerability of ocean ecosystems and contributes to the decline of other elements of the marine food-chain, including birds and mammals. Today, 70 per cent of global commercial fisheries are in trouble. Nine of the world's 17 main fishing areas face serious decline. These include the Gulf of Thailand, the waters of South East Asia, the North Sea, the Mediterranean, Australia, the Grand Banks and the Baltic. Also, of the 80 million metric tons of fish caught every year, fishing fleets dump millions of tons of dead 'by-catch' at sea, the author says. In ancient India, there existed a strange belief that if any Hindu crossed the seas, he would lose his religion. But taking a close look at India's maritime history there is evidence of very large number of Indians who should have had lost their religion as they had crossed the seas to trade and build empires in distant lands, the author says. Those Indian traders had a fair knowledge of all the ancient oceans and seas. According to Marcopolo an Indian ship could carry crews between 100 and 300. Kautilya's Arthashastra lays down the functions of the Port Commissioner and Harbor Master. The Board of Shipping was one of the six departments of the Mauryan empire, the author says. The author rues that today apart from historians hardly anybody is interested in the past. We should pay interest to the historic oceanography because its learning connects us to the world's overall history-commerce, warfare, resources and weather because mighty oceans have shaped humanity's past, the book says. India is endowed with a rich marine biota all along its approximately 8000 km coastline. The coral reefs that occur in her tropical water demonstrate the highest level of known diversity among marine species. The marine diversity is largely unexplored and therefore, offers a great challenge and opportunity for new discoveries, the book says. An Egyptian court, on Tuesday, quashed a government's border deal with Saudi Arabia to hand over two strategic Red Sea islands to the Gulf nation that had sparked public outrage in the country. The Egyptian Administrative Court ruled that two islands Tiran and Sanafir, which were under Egypt's control for over 60 years, should remain under the Egyptian sovereignty. The agreement of transferring the two islands to Saudi Arabia was signed on April 8 as part of a short visit by Saudi King Salman to Cairo. Egyptian lawyers Khaled Ali and Ali Ayoub had filed a lawsuit in the Egyptian Administrative Court at the State Council against the deal. Their report included that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Prime Minister Sherif Ismail and Parliament Speaker Ali Abdel-Al had wrongfully waived Egyptian sovereignty rights over the two islands. The court decision is not final and can be appealed. The Egyptian government had described the deal as "an important achievement that will make the two countries benefit economically". The handover sparked an outcry from many Egyptians activists who rallied on April 25 to protest against the government's deal. The protesters, in different parts of the country, organised marches against the deal and accused the government of selling the islands in return for Saudi investments. The police used tear gas to disperse the anti-government rallies and many protesters were arrested as street protests are banned without prior permission from police as part of a controversial protest law issued in 2013. Saudi Arabia has been a major financial backer to since el-Sisi took power after ousting Mohammad Morsi, Egypt's first freely elected president, in a military coup in 2013. Realty firm Emaar MGF today said it has got Occupancy Certificate for the first phase of its 200-acre integrated township in Gurgaon. The company has already offered 150 plots for possession to its customers, and has received the occupancy certificate for 413 more units, whose possession and handover will commence soon, Emaar MGF said in a statement. ********* Future Group, Bajaj Finance launch co-branded store card * Future Group and Bajaj Finance today announced the launch of a co-branded store card, through which they expect to serve over a crore of Future Group customers by 2021. Through the card, customers can convert their purchases from any Future Group brands into easy EMIs (equated monthly instalments) ranging from groceries, fashion to consumer durables and furniture, according to a joint statement. ********* Aspire Systems makes key appointments * Global technology services firm Aspire Systems today announced key appointments as part of strengthening its leadership team. Sunil Bajaj who was earlier with IT giant Infosys has been appointed as Retail-Director, while Srinivasa Rao Peyyalamitta who was serving Polaris Financial Technology has joined as Vice-President Development Services, the city-based company said in a statement. Sathappan S has taken up as Head-Corporate Social Responsibility. ********* Muthoot Finance acquires Muthoot Insurance Brokers * Gold financing company, Muthoot Finance has completed the acquisition of Muthoot Insurance Brokers (MIBPL) by transfer of equity shares from its existing shareholders for a consideration of Rs 20 crore. With the completion of this deal, MIBPL has become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Muthoot Finance, the company said in a release here today. "Approval for the transfer of shares has been received from Reserve Bank and Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority subsequent to which the transaction is completed," the company said. MIBPL has been distributing both life and non-life insurance products of various insurance companies. SpiceJet offers tickets starting at Rs 737 * Budget carrier SpiceJet today said it is offering all inclusive one way fares starting from Rs 737 for select domestic destinations. The 'Spicy Annual Sale' would be on till November 24 and tickets would be for travel during January 9 - October 28 next year. "The starting fare of Rs 737/- all inclusive is applicable on sectors like Chennai-Coimbatore-Chennai, Jammu-Srinagar-Jammu, Chandigarh-Srinagar-Chandigarh and Agartala-Guwahati covering distance up to 500 kilometres," the airline said in a release. According to SpiceJet, the offer would be on a first-come-first-serve basis. * * * * * * Rituparna Chakraborty gets Business Woman in Asia Award * Indian Staffing Federation President Rituparna Chakraborty has become the only Indian women to win Telstra Business Woman in Asia Award 2016. Chakraborty is the Co-founder of TeamLease Services, a leading staffing services provider. Other winners of 2016 Telstra Australian Business Women's Awards include Andrea Mason for Business Woman of the Year, Jenny Paradiso from Suntrix in South Australia (Entrepreneur Award), Inspector Virginia Nelson from the Queensland Police Service (Public Sector and Academia Award), Jackie McArthur from Martin Brower in NSW (Corporate and Private Award) and Anna Ross from Kester Black in Victoria (Young Business Woman of the Year). * * * * * * BSE Institute partners with IDC Herzliya to offer programs * BSE Institute today said it has entered into a pact with Israel's University IDC Herzliya to offer collaborative programmes, research initiatives and student exchange programmes. The pact would provide excellent opportunities to students from both the countries who aspire to study abroad and exchange innovative ideas, BSE Institute said in a statement. Both BSE Institute and Israel's IDC Herzliya endeavour to provide world-class education to the students through collaborative programmes, research initiatives and student exchange initiatives. Subex Borad to consider raising funds in Mar 24 meeting * Subex Ltd today said its board will meet on March 24 to consider raising funds through issuance of equity shares on a preferential basis. "The meeting of the Board of Directors of the company will be held on Friday, March 24, 2017 at Bangalore, inter alia, to consider and approve the raising of funds by way of issue of equity shares on preferential basis for the company," Subex said in a BSE filing. It did not provide further details. EU ambassadors agreed to roll over damaging economic sanctions against Russia for six months in the absence of any progress on resolving the Ukraine conflict, European sources said today. The measures target the oil, financial and defence sectors of the Russian economy and were first imposed after the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in July 2014, blamed on pro-Moscow rebels in eastern Ukraine. Sources told AFP that envoys from the 28 member states of the European Union approved the decision in principle, which will now go to ministers for formal approval, possibly on Friday. The sanctions were due to expire at the end of July and will now run to January 2017, they said. Russia admits the sanctions have had a serious impact but insists they do more harm than good to all and are a major obstacle to improving ties so the two sides can tackle shared problems, such as the Islamic State jihadi threat. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Tuesday there was no alternative to the EU sanctions to pressure Russia to implement the Minsk ceasefire accords it signed up to. "Sanctions are the only instrument left... There is no alternative to that," Poroshenko said, ahead of a meeting with French President Francois Hollande. The sanctions have been controversial from the start, with EU member states such as Germany, Italy and Hungary fearful of getting locked in a damaging stand-off with Russia, a major political and economic partner. Other member states, such as Britain, have taken a harder line, insisting that Russia's intervention in Ukraine and its 2014 annexation of Crimea are a serious breach of international law and cannot go unpunished. British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond warned yesterday it would be "a mistake, a big mistake," to suggest any relaxation of the sanctions regime without real progress on Ukraine. "The thing that (President Vladimir) Putin understands is clear, decisive postures and a resolute approach on the delivery of the commitments," Hammond said, on the sidelines of an EU foreign ministers' meeting in Luxembourg. But his French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault called Monday in Luxembourg for EU leaders to have a "real debate" on the future of the economic sanctions, which could not just be rolled over automatically every time. It was important that EU leaders review what progress has been made, if any, to see what could be done to encourage a possible opening, he said. Ayrault's remarks followed comments late last month by German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier that the EU should consider a "step-by-step" relaxation of the economic sanctions if there was progress on Ukraine. The EU last week rolled over for another year to June 2017 separate sanctions imposed after Russia's March 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. The EU has also imposed a separate set of visa ban and asset freeze measures against individual Russian and Ukrainian figures for backing the separatist cause in early 2014. These measures run until September. A series of reforms announced by India in particularly increasing Foreign Direct Investment in a number of sectors will provide a fillip to the potential of US-India bilateral trade, a business advocacy group has said. "The widened scope of FDI norms in defence, civil aviation, broadcasting services, and pharmaceuticals will provide a fillip to the potential of the US-India bilateral trade," US India Business Council (USIBC) President Mukesh Aghi said while referring to a series of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) reforms by India yesterday. Close on the heels of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Washington earlier this month, the notice that India would liberalise FDI in defence, broadcasting services, civil aviation and pharmaceuticals sectors has further buoyed investor sentiment, it said. Modi's recent visit to the US included major investment announcements by companies such as Amazon and Star India. "We applaud the liberalisation of FDI to 74 per cent in brownfield investments under the automatic route in the pharmaceutical sector, while also allowing investments beyond 74 per cent and up to 100 per cent through government approval," Aghi said. Allowing up to 74 per cent through the automatic route will encourage investment to move swiftly into India in this important and growing sector and will further promote and expand healthcare access in India, Aghi said. The long-awaited National Civil Aviation Policy is expected to promote regional connectivity, boost tourism and stimulate the economy in tier 2-3 cities. India is the fastest growing aviation market with 21 per cent plus growth in the domestic sector in 2015-16, and can become one of the largest aviation markets in the foreseeable future, he added. "India continues to attract FDIs despite an uncertain global outlook. Major improvements have taken place in India's economy since Prime Minister Modi assumed office," Aghi said. "These reforms include accelerated infrastructure investment, greater openness to foreign direct investment, less red tape, and a revised bankruptcy code. "We had stated earlier that USD 45 billion is only a starting point for American companies to invest in India. With these newly announced reforms, FDIs, technology transfers, and jobs are likely to increase substantially," he said. The Indian government yesterday launched a second wave of FDI reforms allowing 100 per cent inflows in civil aviation and food processing sectors while easing norms in defence and pharmaceuticals, steps apparently aimed at neutralising fallout of Raghuram Rajan's decision to exit RBI. A case was today registered against Sunil Mali, personal secretary of Maharashtra Health Minister Deepak Sawant, in connection with sexual harassment of a woman doctor. The FIR was lodged under sections 354 A (sexual harassment) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of IPC, a police officer said, adding no arrest has been made. Yesterday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had directed Principal Secretary, Health, Sujata Saunik, to probe the allegations after the woman doctor sent a written complaint to him. The 26-year-old doctor alleged that Mali asked her inappropriate and personal questions for around two hours in the minister's ante-chamber in March this year. She wanted to give a presentation to the minister on her digitised primary health centre (PHC) project at Patonda village in Jalgaon district as she wanted to implement it at other PHCs across the state. Mali has denied the allegations. Sources in the ministry said yesterday that he had been asked to go on leave. The woman submitted a written complaint to police yesterday. A Republican candidate for Congress in Florida has launched a contest on his Facebook campaign page to give away a semi-automatic rifle on Independence Day. Greg Evers announced the giveaway barely a week after a shooting at a gay nightclub killed 49 people in Orlando, which is about five hours drive from the Florida Panhandle congressional district Evers seeks to represent. "With terrorism incidents on the rise, both at home and abroad, protecting our constitutional rights has never been more important," Evers said. "With all that's happening in the world today, I've never felt stronger about the importance of the second amendment in protecting our homeland than I do now." Evers has served in the Florida Legislature since 2001, including the Senate the past six years. The National Rifle Association has given him an A-plus grade for the past 15 years. The NRA says the second amendment to the U.S. Constitution gives Americans a broad right to bear arms. Advocates of stricter gun control say the amendment doesn't mean citizens should have the right to own assault weapons. The custom-built AR-15 rifle, which the Evers campaign says is the "Homeland Defender" collector's edition, will be given away to one randomly chosen person who has liked and shared Evers' page or signed up on his campaign website. It is open only to adults in the district. The winner will be selected on July 4 and must pass all required background and security checks. The rifle was made in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, and displays the Second Amendment on a metal plate on the right side near the trigger guard. Evers added that the giveaway had been in the works and that an announcement had been held until now. "I've always been a supporter of the Second Amendment. Terrorism and ISIS is a constant threat," Evers said, mentioning the Islamic State group. Evers is one of five candidates running in the August 30 Republican primary for the seat being vacated by Republican Jeff Miller. Evers' chief rival is state Rep. Matt Gaetz, who has also received an A-plus grade from the NRA. "This is a campaign gimmick. Instead of giving away something that benefits one, he should have found a way to make all Floridians safer," Gaetz said. Relaxed FDI norms will ensure increased competition in the "huge" domestic aviation sector but foreign airlines will never be allowed to fully own a domestic carrier, a top government official said today. In a significant reform measure aimed at bolstering the country's high growth potential civil aviation sector, the government has allowed foreign entities, except overseas carriers, to own up to 100 per cent stake in local airlines. Besides, 100 per cent Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has been permitted through the automatic route in brownfield airports. "There will be more and more competition (in aviation sector). That is the signal that is going out," Civil Aviation Secretary R N Choubey told PTI about the relaxed FDI norms and their long-term impact. "With 22 per cent growth rate I think it is a huge market for anybody to come and invest," he said. India's domestic traffic has been growing in double digit since last 21 months owing to a host of factors including low fuel prices, ease of doing business and capacity augmentation by the domestic carriers, among others. Driven by low fares, domestic air travel witnessed an increase of around 21.63 per cent in number of passengers last month as compared to May 2015. According to an analysis conducted by the ministry, air fares declined by 18.1 per cent in the February-April period of this year over the same period of 2015. While 100 per cent FDI has been allowed in airlines, the limit for foreign carriers remains at 49 per cent. "Foreign airlines will not be allowed to invest more than 49 per cent. A foreign airline will never get to own a (Indian) airline," Choubey said. Airlines operating under the scheme will be provided viability gap funding (VGF), which will be shared by the Centre and the states concerned, for a limited period. Towards VGF, the civil aviation ministry will create a Regional Connectivity Fund (RCF), which will be funded by a "levy or fee per departure on all domestic flights other than the ones on Category II / Category IIA routes under Route Dispersal Guidelines (RDG), RCS routes and flights using small aircraft below 80 passenger seats". Apart from VGF, the select airlines participating in the scheme will be extended various concessions, including two per cent excise duty on jet fuel drawn at RCS airports as well as lower VAT on the fuel. According to the ministry, state governments are encouraged to also consider "extending any additional incentives like underwriting of passenger seats to encourage operators / additionally support select airline operators in undertaking operations under the scheme". The Airports Authority of India (AAI) will be the implementing agency for the scheme which will be in place for 10 years and the provisions will be reviewed at least once in three years. "Airfare for all passengers seats on an RCS flight will not be subject to any levies or charges imposed by the airport operators... Service tax will be levied on 10 per cent of the taxable value (abatement of 90 per cent) of tickets for all passengers seats on RCS flight, without any input credit, for an initial period of one year from the date of notification of the scheme," the ministry said. Interested entities can submit their proposals to be part of the scheme from today, Choubey said. Government will give exemption to foreign players like Apple Inc, coming with 'state of the art' technology, from the mandatory local sourcing norms in the single brand retail sector for up to three years. Secretary in the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ramesh Abhishek said that after the exemption period, they will be given five years to comply with mandatory 30 per cent domestic sourcing. The measure, he said, is aimed at creating more jobs and promoting growth of MSMEs. "For us, local sourcing is an important issue because we need to create jobs. Interest of MSMEs is very important. Companies whose products will be certified as 'state of the art', will get exemption for up to three years," Abhishek told PTI. After completion of the exemption period, the foreign company in the next five years will have to meet the domestic sourcing norm at an annualised average rate of 30 per cent. Thereafter, they have to comply with the norm on an annual basis. The decision assumes significance as the US-based Apple Inc had sought complete exemption from the sourcing provisions. But the finance ministry has rejected that. Now they would have to apply afresh to avail the benefits of the changed policy. On the issue of defining the term "cutting edge", he said that the department is in talks with the Finance Ministry on this. When asked about the changes in the FDI policy for the food processing sector, he said there are "no conditions" for foreign investors in this. "This decision would benefit farmers. A foreign investor would anyway invest in front-end and back-end, so there was no need to put any conditions for them," he said. On the defence sector, he said removal of the "state of the art" norms would provide greater clarity to investors and the country would be able to get more FDI in the sector. Further, the secretary added that yesterday's decisions to relax FDI norms in about eight sectors, including civil aviation and private security agencies, would help in attracting more foreign inflows. Abhishek added that press note on all the eight sectors would be released soon by the DIPP. "In the last two years, we have liberalised the FDI regime and has attracted huge investments. It has helped in boosting investors confidence also and with the new changes, we expect to increase more FDI," he said. In 2015-16, FDI in the country grew by about 30 per cent to USD 40 billion. Pakistan's former ambassador in the US was "lobbying against his own country" and "creating hurdles for the government", the country's top diplomat said today, apparently referring to Hussain Haqqani who was sacked by the government at the army's behest. "A former Pakistani ambassador is working against his own country in the US," the Prime Minister's Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz told the National Assembly without naming the ex-ambassador. He said that Pakistan's diplomatic mission in the US is facing challenges due to the former ambassador's campaign. "This person is trying to tackle all our diplomatic efforts in boosting the bilateral ties between Pakistan and the United States," Aziz was quoted as saying by Dawn. He was "lobbying against his own country" and "creating hurdles for the government", Aziz said. The adviser added that the "Foreign Office has serious reservation on the activities of the said person in the US." According to knowledgeable sources, Aziz was referring to Haqqani who was appointed as ambassador during rule of former President Asif Ali Zardari and later sacked at the insistence by army which was not happy with his working. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif accused Haqqani earlier this year by naming for working against F-16 planes deal, which was unsuccessful as US congress refused to fund the purchase of eight latest F-16s. Haqqani, who served as Pakistan's ambassador to the US from April 2008 to November 2011, was sacked for allegedly authoring a memo seeking Washington's help to prevent a coup in the country. (Reopens FES 122) Refuting Aziz's allegations, Haqqani said that he is not engaged in lobbying and would never lobby against what "I consider to be the interest of Pakistan." "I am now a scholar in the US, not a lobbyist," said Haqqani, currently a Senior Fellow and Director for South and Central Asia at the Hudson Institute, a top US think-tank. "If my opinions as a scholar carry so much weight that US policy is being affected by them then the Pakistan Foreign Ministry should try to influence my opinions rather than treating me like a pariah and making false allegations against me in the Pakistani media," he said in a statement. Haqqani said Pakistan's difficulties in the US were the result of years of supporting jihadis and making excuses that are having less and less effect on Americans. Moreover, Pakistan's dependence on US aid made it susceptible to changes in the US national mood and attitude. "I did not make the AQ Khan network, support the Taliban as they killed US soldiers in Afghanistan or allow UN designated terrorist groups to function openly so there is no point in blaming me for these policy failures. Neither I nor any other former ambassador was responsible for the OBL (Osama Bin Laden) fiasco," he added. Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar may travel to Seoul to push for India's bid for NSG membership at the plenary of the 48-nation grouping on June 23-24. According to government sources, the Foreign Secretary is watching the situation "very closely" and, depending on the "feedback" from the official-level meeting of NSG ahead of the crucial plenary on Thursday and Friday in the South Korean capital, he may travel to Seoul to give a "final push". The official-level session of NSG started yesterday. With China leading the opposition against India's entry into the elite Nuclear Supplier's Group (NSG), New Delhi is in a diplomatic overdrive to reach out to countries to support its bid. Senior External Affairs Ministry Official Amandeep Singh Gill, in-charge of 'Disarmament & International Security' division, is already in Seoul to "garner" support as well as "explain" India's case, sources said. The main meeting of the NSG Plenary on June 24 will happen a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi travels to Tashkent for Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit, which is also being attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping. Modi may meet Xi on the sidelines of the SCO summit and raise the issue of India's NSG membership but whether the discussions pave the way for a seat for New Delhi at the nuclear high table is a moot point. China has been opposed to India's entry into NSG on the ground that it is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). However, it has been batting for entry of its close ally Pakistan, also not a signatory to NPT, if India were to be inducted into the elite grouping. India has asserted that being a signatory to the NPT was not essential for joining the NSG, citing the precedent of France. India is seeking membership of NSG to enable it to trade in and export nuclear technology. The membership of NSG, which regulates global trade in nuclear technology, is expected to open up the international market for energy-starved India, which has an ambitious energy generation programme. India has set for itself an ambitious target of generating 63,000 MW of nuclear energy by 2030. The NSG looks after critical issues relating to nuclear sector and its members are allowed to trade in and export nuclear technology. Membership of the grouping will help India significantly expand its atomic energy sector. Essar Oil today said gas output of its Raniganj coal-bed methane (CBM) block in West Bengal has crossed 1 million standard cubic meters per day, the first Indian unconventional hydrocarbon field to achieve the mark. Essar Oil, which has so far invested Rs 3,300 crore in the CBM block, is targeting to reach peak output of 3 mmscmd in 2017-18 fiscal year. "Raniganj (East) Block in West Bengal has become India's first CBM (Coal Bed Methane) asset to cross the 1 mmscmd production milestone. This makes Essar the country's largest unconventional gas player," the company said in a statement. Essar had started test production from the block in 2011. As per 2016 NSAI (Netherlands Sewell & Associates, Inc.) report, the proven, probable and possible gross CBM reserves in the Raniganj (East) Block is estimated at 1.09 trillion cubic feet. The Block has an additional resources in the 'contingent' category of around 270 billion cubic feet. "We are targeting 1.8-1.9 mmscmd of production by the end of current fiscal and by mid of 2017-18 fiscal we should be producing peak output of 3 mmscmd," the company's CEO-E&P Manish Maheshwari said. In the last 12 months, the average well productivity has more than doubled, he said adding the company has planned a capex of Rs 500 crore for CBM exploration and production this fiscal. "Essar has commenced supply to Matix Fertilisers for its pre-commissioning activities at the rate of 150,000 scmd. Besides Matix, the CBM gas is being supplied to industrial consumers in the catchment area of Durgapur," the statement said. The price of gas is as per government notified rate is USD 3.06 per million British thermal unit at present. "There are tremendous opportunities in the domestic unconventional hydrocarbon sector. The Hydrocarbon Exploration Licensing Policy (HELP), which was announced by the Government in March 2016, recognises this potential in contributing towards national energy security," Maheshwari added. An independent study puts in-place shale gas resources of around 8 Tcf underneath the CBM play in the Raniganj (East) Block, the statement said. Besides Raniganj (East), Essar has four other CBM blocks including in in Jharkhand and two in Odisha. Essar has approached the government for permission to further explore shale formations the CBM block. Government doctors have met Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and demanded revision of the 7th Pay Commission recommendations. Representatives of the Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) and JACSDO (Joint Action Council of Service Doctor Organisation) met Jaitley yesterday and put forward their demands saying, the recommendations are "discriminating to doctors". "The Minister listened to our issues patiently and attentively. He was appraised especially for NPA issue. He showed his concern about our salary being relatively reduced by 7 CPC. "He assured us that our representation is being directed to Secretary Expenditure for re-evaluation. He also assured, if any concern still remains pending in the matter of NPA (and other issues), it shall be scrutinised and considered by forthcoming 'Anomalies Committee' which shall be appointed hereafter," said FORDA in a statement issued today. FORDA and JACSDO have strongly been opposing the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission and have written to the Prime Minister and Health Minister. "When the 7th CPC was constituted we doctors were very hopeful that our demands will be looked after, which is increasing Non-Practising Allowance (NPA) to 40 per cent from existent 25 per cent, instead it has been reduced to 20 per cent. "The basic pay and NPA were merged together while calculating House Rental Allowance (HRA) earlier, but this has now been omitted and HRA will be calculated only with basic pay resulting in less than the desired salary," said FORDA President Dr Pankaj Solanki. The doctor's body also demanded uniform pay scales, night shift allowances which currently exists for nursing staff in government hospitals and the formulation of a uniform central residency scheme for the resident doctors of India. FORDA is an umbrella organisation of 15,000 resident doctors across 41 government hospitals in the capital. JACSDO represents 11 organised and unorganised Central Health Services (CHS), Indian Railway Medical Services (IRMS), Indian Ordinance Health Services (IOHS), MCD, NDMC, Delhi administration and ESIC. Asked about negotiations with the Maharashtra government, MARD's general secretary Dr Parthiv Sanghavi said, "When we contacted Medical Education Minister Girish Mahajan regarding the same, we got just two minutes with him." "Nobody is giving the resident doctors any written assurance, hence they are not convinced. As long as the resident doctors are not convinced, they would not resume the duty," he said. A senior official from the Medical Education department said, "We have assured them of deploying some 400 security personnel by April 1, but the resident doctors are not convinced by it." "They want it immediately but as the budget session (of Maharashtra Assembly) is on, without informing the House, government cannot take any major decision," the official told To tame spiralling prices of pulses, government, on Tuesday, sent a high-level delegation to Mozambique to explore short and long-term measures to import the commodities on a government-to-government basis. Retail prices have shot up as high as Rs 200 per kg owing to a seven million tonnes shortfall in the domestic output following two consecutive drought years. "A high-level delegation led by Secretary, Consumer Affairs, Hem Pande today left for Mozambique. The delegation will explore both short-term and long-term measures to import from Mozambique on a government-to-government basis," the Consumer Affairs Ministry said in a release. The delegation comprises senior officials from the Commerce and Agriculture Ministries as well as from state-run Metals and Minerals Trading Corporation of India (MMTC), it said. Already, another delegation is in Myanmar to discuss availability of for import from there, it added. The talks with Myanmar, which has about 50,000 tonnes of tur, are in advanced stage but the southeast Asian country is apprehensive of committing pulses supply to India in the absence of adequate infrastructure, according to traders. Unlike India, Myanmar does not have public trading agencies like MMTC and State Trading Corporation (STC), they added. Besides Mozambique, India is also exploring options in other African nations like Malawi to lease farms for growing pulses to meet India's demand. A decision to explore pulses import on a government-to- government basis was taken last week in a meeting chaired by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. Pulses prices have been shooting up despite several government measures including imposition of stock holding limits on traders, creation of buffer stock up to eight lakh tonnes and ban on chana futures, among others. As per the industry data, private traders have so far imported three million tonnes of pulses, which are expected to arrive between August and December. Last year, private import of pulses were at a record 5.79 million tonnes. Production of pulses is estimated to have declined to 17.06 million tonnes in 2015-16 crop year (July-June) due to two consecutive years of drought, while the demand stands at 23.5 million tonnes. The Gujarat government has appointed a 15-member committee headed by a retired High Court judge to decide the fee structure for filling up 25 per cent management quota seats in self-financed private medical colleges, a senior state minister said today. The committee will be headed by a retired judge of the Gujarat High Court, Health Minister Nitin Patel told PTI. "The decision has been taken after I met representatives of such colleges in Gandhinagar a few days back. I discussed a state government's Ordinance on abolishing 15 per cent NRI quota currently in place in such colleges," he said. According to the Minister, now the 15 per cent NRI quota is replaced by an increased 25 per cent management quota (which was earlier 10 per cent) "to ensure that Gujarat domicile students get maximum benefit". "Under the new rules of the management quota, applying students would be expected to have completed class 12 from a Gujarat school and (he/she) should have a domicile," he added. The colleges representatives said the government's move would cause colleges to incur losses. Patel further said this year 75 per cent seats will be filled by students taking the GujCET and the rest (25 per cent) by management quota students. In a significant move, Haryana government has decided to allow conduct of students union polls in college and university, fulfilling a long pending demand of the students. "With the decision to conduct polls for college and university students unions, the BJP has fulfilled its pre-poll promise," Haryana Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma said. Sharma was speaking after a review meeting of Higher Education Department chaired by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar here today, an official release said. Notably, the last students union election in Haryana were held nearly two decades ago. The Delhi High Court has put on hold the government's decision to cap the price of well-known anti-fungal cream Itch Guard, manufactured by drug major Reckitt Benckiser, on the company's plea challenging it. In its interim order, a vacation bench of justices G S Sistani and P S Teji said the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority's (NPPA) decision should be kept in abeyance till it decides the company's plea to review the ceiling fixed on the product. Reckitt's application for reviewing the price control order is pending before the NPPA. "The impugned order (of NPPA) should be kept in abeyance till the review application filed by petitioner (Reckitt) is decided. A week thereafter (of the decision), the petitioner can move the court if they have any grievances with regard to the findings," the court said disposing of the company's plea. The order came on Reckitt's plea challenging the ceiling price fixation order of May 9, that fixed a cap on clotrimazole one per cent cream, a formulation used in its anti-fungal cream Itch Guard. Appearing for the company, senior advocate P Chidambaram, had said that the order has been passed by respondent 2 (NPPA) without following the mandatory procedure under the Drug (Price Control) Order (DPCO) 2013 for arriving at the ceiling price. He had also contended that NPPA's decision was illegal, arbitrary and ultra vires of the DPCO 2013. He also said that Itch Guard, containing clotrimazole one per cent cream and manufactured by the petitioner, has a turnover of Rs 54.9 crore. Advocate T P Singh, appearing for the government, had argued that the drug major's plea in the high court was premature as it has already filed a review application which is pending for consideration before the authority. A UK court today rejected India's plea to dismiss Pakistan's claim to the nearly Rs 350 crore under the Hyderabad Fund case, pushing the matter for a full trial. In a release Pakistan Foreign Office said, "The English High Court rejected Indian attempt to strike out Pakistan's claim to the Hyderabad Fund, on 21 June 2016...India failed to persuade the Court that Pakistan's position was untenable and that it could show no legal entitlement to the 35 million GBP sitting in a bank account in the name of the High Commissioner of Pakistan, since 20th September 1948. "The Judge accepted that there was good evidence in support of Pakistan's claim to the monies, which needed to be fully considered at a trial." However, External Affairs Ministry in New Delhi said, "pending trial or settlement of the matter, it is premature to reach any conclusion regarding ownership of the monies, especially as the present judgement readily acknowledges that there is much force in many of India's arguments to strike out Pakistan's claim of ownership." The Indian side also cited previous judgement in the case when Pakistan's subsequent application for discontinuance of the case was rejected by the same court in 2015 and India was also awarded substantial costs against Pakistan at that stage. Known as the 'Hyderabad Funds Case', the matter relates to transfer of 1,007,940 pounds and 9 Shillings to a London bank account in the name of the High Commissioner in the UK for the then newly formed state of Pakistan, Habib Ibrahim Rahimtoola, at the Westminster Bank (now Natwest) in 1948. The money was transferred by an agent who appeared to be acting on behalf of the absolute ruler of one of the largest and richest of the Indian princely states, the 7th Nizam of Hyderabad. Following the partition in 1947, and the formation of the independent sovereign states of India and Pakistan, the numerous princely states within the sub-continent were permitted by the UK to elect to join either of the two new states, or to remain independent. The Nizam chose to remain independent. However, on September 18, 1948, Hyderabad was annexed to India. On September 20, 1948 the money was transferred to Rahimtoola by the agent. On September 27, 1948 the Nizam sought to reverse the transfer of money claiming that it had been made without his authority. The Bank was unwilling to comply with the Nizam's request without the agreement of the account holder. Such consent was not forthcoming, and for a number of years matters remained unresolved. As the successor state to the Nizam's State of Hyderabad, India has all along sought its claim over the money maintaining that it was State monies and not Nizam's private monies. Judges at the International Criminal Court today sentenced former Congolese vice president Jean-Pierre Bemba to 18 years in jail for a series of brutal rapes and murders in Central African Republic over a decade ago. "The chamber sentences Mr Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo to a total of 18 years of imprisonment," said judge Sylvia Steiner, passing the tribunal's toughest term to date. In justifying the stiff ruling, she said the former militia leader had failed to exercise control over his private army sent into CAR in late October 2002 where they carried out a series of "sadistic" rapes, murders and pillaging of "particular cruelty." Bemba is the highest-level official to be sentenced by the ICC after being convicted in March on five charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. And he is the only the third person to be sentenced at the ICC since it began work in 2002. The atrocities were carried out by Bemba's private army, the Congolese Liberation Movement (MLC), when he sent them into neighbouring CAR in late October 2002 to put down a coup against then president Ange-Felix Patasse. The 1,500 troops unleashed a five-month campaign of terror, during which the judges said "entire families were victimised" and which was aimed at squashing any resistance to Patasse's rule. Prosecutors had called for a sentence of at least 25 years imprisonment at the end of Bemba's lengthy trial which opened in November 2010. The case however is likely to drag on for a few more years, as his defence team has already filed notice that it intends to appeal the conviction, and argued that Bemba should be released immediately as he has been behind bars since his arrest in 2008. But the three-judge bench said it had "not found any mitigating circumstances" to allow a reduction in sentence. Reading out their findings at the world's only permanent war crimes court, based in The Hague, judge Steiner said Bemba had done "more than tolerate the crimes as a commander". "Bemba's failure to take action was deliberately aimed at encouraging the attacks directed against the civilian population," she said. Bemba, a rich businessman who became one of the vice presidents of the Democratic Republic of Congo, was arrested in Brussels in 2008 after losing a bid for his country's presidency. His case was the first at the ICC to focus on rape as a weapon of war and the first to highlight a military commander's responsibility for the conduct of the troops under his control. Jute industry has urged the West Bengal government to introduce a along with jute packaging laws for different agro products in the state for sustainability of the jute sector. "Indian Jute Mills Association (IJMA) has met the state Labour Minister Malay Ghatak recently and apprised him of the latest problems. Beside, requesting him to take some immediate steps, we have urged him that state government issues order for packing 100% potato and rice in jute bags," an IJMA official told PTI. "We have tried to convey that there is an urgent need for a and jute packaging laws for different agro products in the state for long term sustainability as the Centre remains indifferent to the problems of the jute sector," he said. There is a compulsory Jute Packaging Act (JPM 1987) by the Centre, but there is gradual dilution in orders. The Union government in the past pointed out corruption and inability to meet the demand of the government by the jute mills. IJMA in their memorandum to Ghatak said, the Centre's recent move to reduce and peg orders at 2.5 lakh bales per month would affect millions of jute cultivators and they would be deprived of proper income. There is possibility of bumper production of to over 90 lakh bales of raw jute this year, he said. IJMA has also asked the minister to convene a meeting of group of ministers of the state along with the Jute Commissioner to sort out immediate issues. An Indian-origin hedge fund manager charged last week with insider trading was found dead with a slashed neck in an apparent suicide, police said today. Sanjay Valvani, 44, was found unconscious on the bedroom floor at home in the upscale neighbourhood of Brooklyn Heights with a slash wound to his neck late on Monday afternoon, a police spokesman told AFP. He was found by his 44-year-old wife. The knife and a brief, handwritten note were recovered at the scene. A medical examiner will determine the official cause of death, police said. His defense lawyers Barry Berke and Eric Tirschwell called his death "a horrible tragedy that is difficult to comprehend." They paid tribute to Valvani as a loving father, husband, son and brother. "We hope for the sake of his family and his memory that it will not be forgotten that the charges against him were only unproven accusations and he had always maintained his innocence," they said. Valvani surrendered to police last Tuesday in connection with an alleged 2005 to 2011 scheme to obtain confidential information from the Food and Drug Administration about pending drug approvals to trade in pharmaceutical securities. The Securities and Exchange Commission alleged that he reaped unlawful profits of nearly USD 32 million for hedge funds investing in health-care securities by insider trading on tips he received. He was charged on five counts, including security and wire fraud. The most serious charges carried a maximum sentence of 20 years if he had been convicted. Indonesia has allowed international humanitarian organisations to assist Tamil migrants stranded in Aceh after bad weather foiled much-criticized plans to tow the group's boat back into international waters. The migrant boat came ashore more than a week ago after its engine broke down off the northernmost province of Sumatra. Indonesia provided food, water and repairs but refused to let the 44 migrants disembark until Saturday. They have been sheltered in tents, and Indonesian efforts to refloat the beached vessel have ended with it tilted on its side and its engine inundated by seawater. The International Organisation for Migration said today that Indonesia has invited it and the UN's refugee agency to assist the migrants. IOM said it is providing aid as needed and assessing what the migrants' needs are likely to be in the coming days and weeks. The migrants, who left from India a month ago, may have originally come from Sri Lanka where the Tamil minority has suffered persecution. Some of the migrants told The Associated Press last week they had been in India for several years and had paid a significant amount of money for the boat to take them to Australia. Indonesia has insisted it would be acceptable to tow the group back out to sea because Indonesia wasn't their destination, a stance that has been condemned by human rights groups. "Mother Nature has forced the issue as it impossible for this group to safely remain aboard the vessel ...," IOM said in a statement. But the head of the immigration office in Aceh continued to insist the shelter given to the Tamils was temporary. "The government's position is still the same. We will be towing them back to international waters," said the immigration official Achmad Samadan. The International Yoga Day was today celebrated in the Kalyani University jointly by the Yoga Centre, the department of physical education and the NSS. On the occasion more than 350 students demonstrated various yoga postures at the university play ground today. Malyandu Saha, vice-chancellor of the university while inaugurating the programme said, "As health is wealth, everybody should practice Yoga to keep the body fit." The university will also organise a symposium on Yoga to observe the world Yoga day. International Yoga Day was enthusiastically observed across Odisha today, with Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Jual Oram participating in programmes at Bhubaneswar and Sundargarh respectively. In the state capital, Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan attended a yoga camp at Janata Maidan where a large number of people assembled for the session organised by Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangthana (NYKS). Highlighting the benefits of the exercise, Pradhan said people should get up early in the morning and perform yoga regularly in order to keep themselves physically and mentally fit. Besides India, International Yoga Day is being observed in a large number of countries as yoga has been recognised as a means to maintain good health, the minister said. The day was also celebrated at Kalinga Stadium where a large number of people belonging to different sections of society, including school students, leaders and distinguished personalities took part in the yoga session. Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram participated in a yoga event at Rajgangpur in Sundargarh district. The day was also observed in different educational institutions and industrial units across the state. In the seaside pilgrim town of Puri, internationally acclaimed sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik created a sand sculpture depicting "Surya Namaskar" on the occasion. Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) organised a Mass Yoga Camp at the Ispat Stadium. Coal miners began their day with yoga at 34 Yoga and Vayamshala Kendras set-up by Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) across its townships in Odisha to celebrate the Day. Central University of Orissa at Landguda in Koraput district also observed the yoga day. His songs are always rooted in literature and lyricist Irshad Kamil is happy that poetry is making a comeback in Bollywood songs. Kamil, 44, who is inclined towards poetry and folk tunes, be it the inclusion of Baba Farid's popular hymn 'Kaga sab tan khaiyo...' in 'Nadan Parindey' from "Rockstar" or immensely hummable 'Jag Ghoomeya' from "Sultan", says without literature it is not possible to write good songs. "I take involving poetry in Bollywood albums as a welcoming move. Vocabulary wise I experiment a lot. I did PhD in Hindi poetry and that is the reason why there is a strong influence of literature in my lyrics. I feel, be it any writer, reading is must, without reading good literature, you cannot write well," Kamil told PTI. The lyricist feels involving poetry in the songs not only enriches them, but also popularizes the poets, who have not received the recognition they deserved. "If 'Ikk Kudi' was not part of 'Udta Punjab,' how many people would have known it is written by Shiv Kumar Batalvi, people, who are not avid readers, also know him now. "Be it Faiz, Ghalib, Bulle Shah... Poetry only enriches the lyrics. When I write, I keep in mind to not be superficial and repetitive. I try to find out innovative ways to express the same feeling and poetry helps me in that," he added. Kamil, who is getting a lot of praise for his latest venture 'Sultan' said his favourite track from the album is 'Jag Ghoomeya' sung by Rahat Fatel Ali Khan. The writer feels one needs to get into the skin of the character and understand the feelings when penning a romantic song. "One needs to go into the story of the character before writing anything. If you are not able to understand the character completely you cannot write from your heart. "Superficial lyrics can be written but, to write love songs like 'Jag Ghoomeya' one needs to become the character," he said. Produced by Yash Raj Films, "Sultan" has superstar Salman Khan in the lead role of a wrestler, but for Kamil, casting is the last thing he would think about while writing the songs. "I don't think casting influences my lyrics. They may matter after sometime. But initially, it's only the story and the character. I don't select films by looking at the star cast. If I feel I can contribute to a movie as a lyricist then only I take up that project. "An actor's presence does not affect me. I feel if the actor is himself on the screen then the film doesn't touch the audience. The actor has to become the character he/she is playing. I don't write to justify the image of any actor. That way, I won't be doing justice to my work," he said. Directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, the movie marks Kamil's third collaboration with the filmmaker after "Gunday" and "Mere Brother Ki Dulhan". The lyricist said he shares a good rapport with Zafar and understand his vision. "This is my third project with Ali Abbas Zafar. I can properly understand what he wants in certain kind of situations. A director sees his film at least 20 times in his imagination before it comes to the cast and crew. We all join very late. If the director doesn't like my lyrics, I don't mind changing it. I will rewrite the songs even ten times if needed. It is my job," he said. Also starring Anushka Sharma as Aarfa, the movie revolves around a wrestler from Haryana, Sultan Ali Khan, and his quest to prove himself after he hits the rock bottom in his career. Music composers Vishal-Shekhar have given the music of the film, which is set to hit the theaters this Eid. The next project Kamil will be taking up is Sushant Singh Rajput-Kriti Sanon starrer "Raabta". The first schedule of the film was recently completed in Budapest, Hungary. A leading Iranian general has warned Bahrain it is fanning armed rebellion and "will pay the price" after a crackdown on its Shiite majority saw the community's spiritual leader stripped of his nationality. The warning from General Qassem Suleimani, head of the elite Revolutionary Guards' overseas operations arm, the Quds Force, came after Washington too, strongly criticised the move by its Gulf Arab ally. "Surely they know that the aggression against Ayatollah Sheikh Isa Qassim is a red line... That will leave no option for the people but to resort to armed resistance," Suleimani told state media on Monday. Bahrain's rulers "will pay the price and it will have no result but the destruction of this bloodthirsty regime," he added. It was a rare public pronouncement from Suleimani. As has stepped up its military involvement in neighbouring Iraq and in Syria, he has adopted an increasingly high profile but he still rarely speaks out on policy issues. has long championed the rights of Bahrain's Shiite majority against the kingdom's autocratic Sunni ruling family. But it denies Manama's accusations that it has incited violence in the kingdom. The Bahraini interior ministry alluded to the accusations in its statement announcing the decision against the Shiite spiritual leader on Monday. Sheikh Qassim abused his position to "serve foreign interests and promote... Sectarianism and violence," it said. Bahrain has been shaken by unrest since security forces crushed Shiite-led protests demanding a constitutional monarchy and an elected prime minister in 2011. Despite repeated calls from their Western allies, Bahrain's rulers have made no concessions to the Shiite opposition but have instead launched an intensifying crackdown. In 2015, authorities stripped 208 Bahrainis of their citizenship, according to the US-based Human Rights Watch. It says at least five people whose nationality had been revoked were deported between February and March alone. The decision against Qassim follows the suspension of Bahrain's main Shiite opposition group, Al-Wefaq, whose political chief Sheikh Ali Salman is serving a nine-year jail term on charges of inciting violence. Al-Wefaq was the largest faction in parliament before its members quit in protest at the 2011 crackdown. Iraq's government forces today dislodged the Islamic State group from two northern neighborhoods of Fallujah as an Iraqi military commander claimed the month-long offensive to recapture the city had left 2,500 IS militants dead. The announcements came just days after the government had declared the liberation of Fallujah, the last bastion of the Islamic State group in the sprawling western Anbar province. With aerial support from the U.S.-led coalition, Iraqi special forces took control of the neighborhoods of al-Shurta and al-Jughaifi, special forces' Brig. Gen. Haider al-Obeidi told The Associated Press. He said Iraqi military engineers were clearing the streets and buildings of left-over bombs. Teaming up with paramilitary troops and backed by the U.S.-led coalition, Iraqi government forces launched the large-scale Fallujah operation in late May. On Friday, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory after special forces entered the city center, capturing government buildings and the central hospital. Then, Iraqi commanders said 80 percent of the city was under their control, though clashes were still underway in its northern parts. In an interview with the local al-Sumaria TV late yesterday, the counterterrorism forces' chief in the Fallujah operation, Lt. General Abdul-Wahab al-Saadi, said about of 2,500 IS fighters have been killed in the offensive. He offered no evidence to back up his claim and also said the number of IS fighters inside Fallujah had ranged between 3,500 to 4,000 when the offensive began. He claimed about 15 percent of them were foreign fighters. He cited Iraqi police reports as saying 1,086 IS-linked suspects have been arrested. He didn't say how many IS militants remain in Fallujah. Iraqi troops have not disclosed their losses in Fallujah, though the Islamic State group claims to have killed dozens The operation has fueled an exodus of thousands of families, overwhelming camps for the displaced run by the government and aid groups. In a briefing today in Geneva, the U.N. Refugee agency said more than 85,000 people have fled Fallujah and the surrounding area since the offensive began. UNHCR called for USD 17.5 million to meet the immediate needs of the growing number of displaced. UNHCR spokeswoman Ariane Rummery said that she expected that thousands more "could still be planning to leave the city." "These escalating needs have pushed UNHCR funding into crisis levels," Rummery said. "We are exhausting available resources in Iraq to deal with the rapid developments" in Fallujah. Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian and seriously wounded two others near the West Bank village of Beit Ur early today, Palestinian security officials said. They named the dead man as Mahmoud Badran, 20, and said Israeli liaison officials told them soldiers opened fire at the three as they hurled rocks at traffic on a nearby Israeli highway. The army said it was looking into the incident but Israeli media reported that several vehicles had been damaged and two drivers lightly injured by glass from shattered windscreens as Palestinians threw bottles and heavy stones at traffic on the busy highway 443. The road cuts through the occupied West Bank for several miles on its way from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv. Since October violence in Israel and the Palestinian territories has killed at least 209 Palestinians, 32 Israelis, two Americans, an Eritrean and a Sudanese. Israeli authorities say most of the Palestinians were killed as they carried out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks. Others were killed in clashes with security forces or by Israeli air strikes in the Gaza Strip. Yesterday, a young Palestinian man said to be suffering from Down's syndrome was buried. He was fatally shot by Israeli troops in the occupied West Bank last month and died in hospital. ITBP troops, including 25 newly inducted women personnel, today performed yoga on the banks of Pangong Tso lake, situated at a height of 14,400 ft in Leh, to mark International Yoga Day (IYD). A total of 125 jawans and officers of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police undertook the exercise near the high-altitude location in Jammu and Kashmir where they are deployed as part of their task to secure the Sino-India border. "Twenty-five women personnel who were recently inducted for border guarding duties also participated in the programme for the first time," a force spokesperson said. Personnel of paramilitary CISF held these exercises at various locations in the country including at various civil airports that they guard. The force also organised an event for all the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) at Connaught Place here. Forces like Border Security Force, Sashastra Seema Bal and Central Reserve Police Force also held the IYD events at multiple locations in the country where they are deployed, including in anti-Naxal operations theatre. A total of 1,190 commandos of the elite National Security Guard (NSG) also held the Yoga session at their garrison in Manesar near here. In a bid to bolster the communication outreach of its two key flagship programmes 'Swacch Bharat' and 'Ganga Rejuvenation', the government has formed a High Powered Committee headed by Union Minister which will hold its first meeting on Wednesday. Apart from Jaitley, who holds Finance and Information and Broadcasting portfolios, Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu, Drinking Water and Sanitation Minister Birender Singh, Water Resources Minister Uma Bharati, Women and Child Development minister Maneka Gandhi, HRD minister Smriti Irani and Minister of State for I&B Rajyavardhan Rathore are members of the committee. "The committee will look at the progress made under the schemes and work to coordinate and monitor intensive Multimedia Campaigns for dissemination, outreach and advocacy," a senior official told Press Trust of India on Tuesday. The panel has been formed in line with the recommendations of a Group of Secretaries on 'Swacch Bharat' Mission and 'Ganga Rejuvenation'. "A key aspect related to these schemes is awareness so that people have a sense of ownership towards these key schemes. The panel would try to outline a communication outreach with regard to strategy, design, content creation and implementation of these key initiatives," the official said. Apart from Jaitley and other ministers, senior officials of the concerned ministries and top officials of Doordarshan, All India Radio, Department of Audio Visual Publicity (DAVP) etc will also be present in the meeting. Among the terms of references of the group are planning for integrated media campaign and allocation of integrated Multi-Media campaigns. The panel, which will meet at least once every month, will also come up with communication innovations on the two schemes. Maharashtra government today approved a proposal to grant minority status to Jews in the state. The decision was taken at a meeting of the state Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. "Maharashtra Cabinet approves minority status to Jew community. This decision will benefit students from these communities to avail scholarships from the state government and setting up of educational institutions," Fadnavis said. The move, which was announced by then Maharashtra Minority Affairs Minister Eknath Khadse, is expected to make life easier for members of the community in the state. After being officially recognised as a minority community, the Jews would enjoy several privileges like other minority communities. It would become easier for them to register their marriages. They would also be able to set up their own educational institutes and practice and promote their culture. Jews have been a part of the Indian society for over 2,300 years now. According to 2001 Census, the number of Jews living in India was 4,650 with 2,466 of them residing in Maharashtra. However, Principal Secretary of Minority department, Jayashree Mukherjee said the state government has no official record of the number of people from the community in Maharashtra. She also said that there will not be an additional burden on the state exchequer with their inclusion in minorities. "The Jews should have been given (minority status) long back, but somehow they weren't given. The government has no official records of the number of people in the community as their population is too less. But, according to them (community members), their population in the state is 2,466," she told PTI. When asked why the community was given the minority status now, she said, "They asked for it now so we gave it." "As far as financial aspects are concerned, their inclusion will not have any effect on the state exchequer and the burden will borne from the existing budget itself," Mukherjee said. The Jews of Manipur and Mizoram identify themselves as Beni Menashe. There are also some in Andhra Pradesh who call themselves Bene Ephraim Jews. India is one of the few countries in the world where Jews have never faced any harassment or persecution. (REOPENS BOM14) The Cabinet also approved setting up of Counter insurgency and Anti-Terrorist School at Surabuldi, Nagpur. This will provide state-of-the-art training facilities to police department for jungle and field tactics, map reading, ambush and handling of different weapons. Centre and Maharashtra government will jointly contribute funds for this school. The Cabinet also sanctioned creation of various posts for this school. The Cabinet approved handing over of the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital from Ichalkaranji Municipal Council to the state government. It also decided to hand over 1440 sq mt of govt land to Gondia Municipal Council for construction of a 'Samaj Bhavan'. "Cabinet considers this decision as a special case and the government fulfilled its assurance given on the floor of the house," Fadnavis tweeted. The meeting approved giving wages to employees from Industrial & Labour Courts, Commissionerate of workmen's compensation & wages board, Mumbai as per Shetty Commission recommendations and the difference of wages would be paid in two equal instalments. The AAP today took out a candle march at Jantar Mantar to protest against the killing of NDMC estate officer M M Khan and demanded arrest of East Delhi MP Maheish Girri and NDMC vice-chairman Karan Singh Tanwar, alleging the involvement of two BJP leaders in the case. "It is unfortunate that the Delhi Polic has given them a clean chit when proofs have been presented against them. We hope that the Delhi Police arrests the two leaders," AAP's Delhi unit convenor Dilip Pandey said. AAP's Okhla MLA Amanatullah was also present. Pandey said the party will stand by Khan's family. 57-year-old Khan was shot dead on May 16, a day before he was scheduled to pass the final order on a hotel's lease terms. The owner of a four-star hotel Ramesh Kakkar has been arrested in the case. Lt Governor Kiran Bedi led the second International Yoga Day celebrations in the Union Territory but Chief Minister V Narayanasamy and his ministerial colleagues gave the event a miss. Bedi took part in a mass yoga demonstration attended by 6,000 school and college students, officials and NCC volunteers and performed as many as 40 different asanas lasting nearly 90 minutes from 6.30 am on the Beach Road here. Narayanasamy, heading the Congress government, and his ministerial colleagues, scheduled to participate in the yoga day celebration, were conspicuous by their absence and visited Yanam to participate in some other government functions there. They later left for New Delhi from Chennai to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and others in the capital to take up projects related to the union territory, an official said. The Chief Minister had already expressed the inability to be present at the yoga function here due to the official engagements in Yanam, the official said when contacted. Bedi told reporters that yoga "is the best gift India has given to nine billion people across the world. I want to thank my leader Prime Minister Narendra Modi who took this cause up in General Assembly of the United Nations (for declaring International Yoga Day)..." she said. By the initiative, Modi had united the humanity, she said. Earlier, addressing the participants, Bedi said: "We are all moving towards one world. Yoga is real humanity. Yoga is coming from our Vedas. All over the world, yoga isbeing celebrated as it unites mind, body and soul. Yoga stands for unity and harmony." Director General of Police of Puducherry Sunil Kumar Gautam, Secretary to Lt Governor G Theva Needhi Das, Vice Chancellor of Pondicherry University Anisa Basheer Khan, officials of various departments and representatives of different organisations were among the participants. The entire two-km stretch of beach road was thronged by long rows of participants. Lakhs of people across India and abroad stretched themselves in various postures to mark the second International Yoga Day today as Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the main event in Chandigarh, performing asanas, maintaining that yoga is not a religious activity. Dressed in a white T-shirt and trousers with a scarf around his neck, Modi joined over 30,000 people including defense forces personnel and school children for the event and asked people to embrace yoga like they have taken to mobile phones, saying "it gives us health assurance at zero budget". He also pitched for treating diabetes through Yoga and announced two awards including international Yoga awards for excellent work in the field. President Pranab Mukherjee kicked off the celebrations at Rashtrapati Bhavan with around 1,000 persons participating in a mass yoga event. The day had its share of controversies with Kerala Health Minister and senior CPI(M) leader K K Shailaja expressing reservations over rendering of a Sanskrit 'shloka'. Taking part in the state-level Yoga event in Thiruvananthapuram, the Minister asked the officials whether the 'shloka' was necessary to be included in the programme schedule and suggested a commonly accepted prayer could have been included at the event. No official programme was organised by the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar where Union minister Ravishankar Prasad, led thousands of people in observing the fitness regime. In Puducherry, Chief Minister V.Narayanasamy and his ministerial colleagues, who were scheduled to participate in the yoga day celebration, were conspicuous by their absence. Lt Governor Kiran Bedi led participants at the mass yoga demonstration. Union Ministers fanned out to various states to lead the yoga day celebrations. Braving rains, Home Minister Rajnath Singh participated in the main programme at KD Singh Babu Stadium in Lucknow. In Jaipur, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and Union Minister Uma Bharti were present at the event venue. However, Bharti was seen sitting on a chair and did not perform asanas due to health reasons. She only did some breathing exercises. While Governor Vidyasagar Rao and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis led the functions in Mumbai, the event in Madhya Pradesh was led by HRD Minister Smriti Irani. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu performed asanas at the state level event in Vijaywada. The day also saw nearly 2,000 pregnant women setting a record by performing yoga in Gujarat's Rajkot. At the United Nations, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon asked citizens across nations to embrace healthier choices to mark the International Day of Yoga. "On this International Day of Yoga, I urge everyone to embrace healthier choices and lifestyles and to commit to unity with our fellow human beings, regardless of ethnicity, faith, age, gender identity or sexual orientation," Ban said. The UN Chief's message for yoga day was read out by Indian diplomat and currently his Special Advisor on Myanmar Vijay Nambiar during a special panel discussion organised by India's Permanent Mission to the UN. Ahead of the Day, several striking images of complex yoga postures illuminated the UN headquarters. Armed forces also marked the Day across the country by performing 'aasanas' at several events including on warships. In Kashmir, the main function was held at the official residence of Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh in Srinagar where several BJP leaders including MLAs took part. Officials said two events were conducted by the National Cadet Corps (NCC) exclusively for its girl cadets at Government School Kothibagh and Government Girls Higher Secondary School Nawakadal. At the main Yoga event in Chandigarh, the Prime Minister stressed that yoga is not 'Dharmik Karamkand' (a religious activity) but a "science for this life". He also urged people not to drag yoga into a controversy. Pitching for treating diseases like diabetes through the ancient discipline, he said, "All people belonging to yoga field, whatever knowledge they have, they must continue with the rest of their yoga activities but this (diabetes) must be the main focus". As participants bent and stretched themselves at the French architect Le-Corbusier designed Capitol Complex, he said Yoga is not about what one will get, but it is about what one can give up. He said with zero budget, Yoga provides health assurance, and does not discriminate between rich and poor. Urging people not to put Yoga into any controversy, Modi stressed upon them to adopt it for good life. On the awards for yoga, Modi said there will be a expert committee which will frame rules for giving out awards. "India wants that those associated with Yoga in the country and rest of the world be awarded. Those working for yoga in the country should be honoured. And this tradition be taken forward then. Gradually, we can take it to state and district level," he said. Modi noted that Yoga was turning out to be "very big" business. "Today yoga is becoming a very big business. It is developing as big profession. Demand for yoga trainers is growing. Employment opportunities for youth are rising. In many parts of the world, there are places where TV channels are dedicated to showing Yoga programmes only," he said Modi said Centre has started working towards fixing norms and protocols for Yoga training to take it to the world. "Today in every part of world, yoga has become a subject of prestige. Our ancestors, 'rishi munis', gave this science, to us and it is our responsibility to take Yoga to the world. We should do our capacity building. Expert Yoga teachers should be ready in the country. "Government's quality council has worked in the direction of fixing norms with regard to yoga training. Centre has started working in association with WHO to fix protocols and scientific ways for yoga," he said. The PM noted that the day got immense support from across the world, turning it into one of the biggest campaign. "I also express gratitude to the United Nations. It is a matter of pride that people across the world are connecting with it (Yoga Day) celebrations. We should give new power, new energy and new inspiration to Yoga," he said. (REOPENS DEL25) Meanwhile, leading the Yoga day celebrations today in Thiruvananthpuram, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar termed yoga to be a way of life which is the most effective health prescription which any doctor can give. "It is the key to good health, harmony and peace. With Yoga, you can be at peace with yourself, you can be at peace with your family, your surroundings and you can also be at peace with your work. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visionary leadership has given a boost to our heritage of Yoga and given it world wide acceptance and also popularised it all over," he said. (Reopen DES59) In Shimla, Union Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh led the Yoga Day celebrations in which former Chief Minister P K Dhumal participated. Governor Acharya Devvrat made an early start with a session at Raj Bhawan in which a large number of people took part. Rao Inderjit Singh said yoga has cut across religious, caste and geographical barriers and today 170 out of 193 countries including Muslim countries have realised the relevance Yoga in living healthy life and its healing abilities. A mega event was organised at Annadale under the aegis of Army Training Command (ARTRAC) in which more than 500 officers, soldiers and their families participated. The para military forces also celebrated the day in a big way and about 1500 men of para military forces including Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Wireless training centre, Indo-Tibet Border police (ITBP) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Himachal police participated in the programme organised at Kasumpti. In Uttarakhand capital Dehradun, Governor K K Paul led the celebrations in which all officials and staff members of Raj Bhawan performed various Yoga asanas and kriyas. "Mean Girls" actress Lindsay Lohan paid tribute to actor "Star Trek" actor Anton Yelchin and blamed Hollywood for the accident which killed him. The 29-year-old actress seemed to be very confused about how the accident went down, reported Ace Showbiz. She uploaded a screen shot of Anton's death as she wrote, "This is the result of#hollywood a beautiful life has come to an end.." "Surround your life with good people and know who your #true#friends are my prayers and love goes out to anton's family #anton," she added. "This breaks my heart. He was my friend I am so sorry to Anton's father." Anton passed away in the early hours of June 19 after a bizzare accident that left him pinned between his own car and a brick column at his home in Studio City, California. His jeep rolled backwards after he left it in neutral on his inclined driveways. Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil today alleged that the BJP-led state government was conducting a "pseudo probe" in the case of purchase of the MIDC land near Pune by former revenue minister Eknath Khadse. "The government is conducting a pseudo probe in the Khadse (MIDC land) case. We had demanded inquiry by a sitting judge of high court under the Commissions of Inquiry Act," Vikhe-Patil said. "However, the government announced inquiry by a retired judge and the Chief Minister gave him a clean chit during a party meet in Pune even before the inquiry began. All this shows that it is a pseudo probe," he said. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had announced here yesterday that a judicial committee of a retired Bombay High Court judge will probe the purchase of the MIDC land by Khadse. Khadse, the seniormost BJP leader, had to resign earlier this month over the controversial deal wherein he had purchased three-acre plot at Bhosari, believed to be owned by the state Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) in name of his kin for Rs 3.75 crore as against the market price of Rs 40 crore. Recently, Fadnavis had also said that he was confident that Khadse would emerge clean from this "Agnipariksha" (test by fire), against the backdrop of a string of allegations against him. In the wake of CBI arresting Sanatan Sanstha member Virendra Tawade in rationalist Narendra Dabholkar murder case, Vikhe Patil demanded that the government should ban the Hindu right-wing organisation. "Why is the government delaying the decision when almost everyday shocking revelations are being made regarding the organisation's involvement in murder of rationalists like Dabholkar and (Govind) Pansare," he said. The Congress leader also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for choosing Chandigarh to hold the main event to mark the second International Yoga Day today. The decision to go to Chandigarh is "political", Vikhe Patil said, adding, "Modi should have come to Marathwada instead. Rs 2,000-cr bank guarantee for okayed Press trust of india Mumbai, 22 June These banks are predominantly in Vidarbha, Marathwada, and North Maharashtra Maharashtra government today approved a bank guarantee of Rs 2,000 crore to district cooperative banks to sanction additional loans to farmers, contending they would need more money in the upcoming sowing season of kharif crops. Chandrakant Patil, Minister for Cooperation, said Marathwada Rural Bank and 16 other cooperative banks had demanded additional Rs 2,000 crore for distribution as crop loans among farmers. "Due to restructuring of loans since the last three years (2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16), and drought situation, farmers could not repay installments of loans that forced cooperative banks to seek additional monetary help from the Government," said Patil. In view of this, the government has approved an additional bank guarantee of Rs 2,000 crore to district cooperative banks so that farmers are able to avail crop loans, he said. These banks are predominantly in Vidarbha, Marathwada, and North Maharashtra. The Minister said he has asked cooperative banks not to recover pending loan amount from farmers' crop insurance payments deposited in their bank accounts. "We will take action against those banks that recover farmer loan from crop insurance benefits. Farmers should come forward and complain if any bank deducts their insurance amount to recover crop loan." Devendra Fadnavis has reviewed the prevailing agriculture scenario with all District Collectors and appealed to nationalised banks to provide loans to farmers wherever required, he said. A 35-year-old man, who was among among six villagers abducted by Maoists on Sunday, was allegedly murdered by the banned outfit, police said today. "Body of Chidem Samaiyya was found this morning in the forest near his native place Sendrapalli village under Madded police station limits," a senior police official told PTI. As per the preliminary information, Samaiyya and five other villagers were kidnapped by the ultras on the night of June 19 from Sendrapalli village in insurgency-hit Bijapur district. Though five of them later returned to their homes, Samaiyya's body was found with grievous injuries in the forest, he said. "It appears that the victim was repeatedly hit by a heavy stone leading to his death," he said, adding that the motive behind Samaiyya's murder is being investigated. Security personnel were rushed to thevillage and efforts are on to trace the Maoists, he said. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has hosted an 'Iftar party' for about 200 orphan girls at the heritage site of Zero Bridge on River Jhelum here. "I am really honoured to be a part of this special occasion. Nothing is more fulfilling for me than sharing Iftar with these beautiful children who have been deprived of the love and care of their parents," she said while interacting with them last evening. She said that her government would ensure a safe and secure environment to enable them to become successful in life. Mehbooba called for a collective effort to alleviate the suffering and emotional distress of orphans and assist them in making a mark in their lives. Education is one of the prime tools to break the vicious circle of impoverishment, she said. The PDP leader said that the objective should be to make available same educational and other facilities to these girls, as available to others in more fortunate circumstances. Mehbooba said such children need to be provided the emotional stability to help them overcome their challenges, focus on their studies, enhance their skills and build a sense of belonging. "More than two-decade long turmoil in the state has not only resulted in colossal death and destruction but has left behind a trail of tragedies which include hundreds of orphans and destitute. "I urge all the conscientious citizens of the state to work towards stabilisation of peace efforts and help the government usher Jammu and Kashmir into an optimistic era of prosperity and emotional healing for the sufferers of violence," she added. The Mexican authorities investigated whether police were responsible for any deaths in weekend violence that killed 10 people amid protests by teachers opposed to the government's education reform. The investigation came yesterday as thousands of people led by the radical CNTE teachers union marched in the capital of the southern state of Oaxaca to denounce Sunday's deaths as a "massacre." The unrest followed months of protests by teachers who reject President Enrique Pena Nieto's landmark reform, which requires educators to undergo performance evaluations. Eight people died in Asuncion Nochixtlan, where police said they were ambushed by an unidentified armed group after officers removed barricades set up by teachers. Two other people, including a journalist, were killed in another town by unknown gunmen. Pena Nieto said he "lamented" the deaths and that the attorney general's office would help state prosecutors investigate the violence "and punish those responsible." The agency overseeing the federal police said its internal affairs department would also investigate the clashes in Asuncion Nochixtlan. Interior Minister Miguel Osorio Chong said Sunday's violence was "grave" and that the investigation would determine whether the "use of weapons the state and federal police was adequate or not" in Asuncion Nochixtlan. Police officers were initially deployed without weapons to remove a weeklong road blockade in Asuncion Nochixtlan, federal police chief Enrique Galindo said. But armed police were sent after officers were "ambushed" by 2,000 unidentified "radicals," some of whom were armed, he added. None of the gunmen were teachers, he said. Seven civilians died of bullet wounds in Asuncion Nochixtlan and another person was killed by an explosive, Oaxaca chief prosecutor Joaquin Carrillo said. Officials had earlier reported six deaths. "Lines of investigation are being built," Carillo told a news conference, adding that "nothing will be ruled out." Officers will give statements to prosecutors as part of the investigation to determine "who started or didn't start (firing)," Galindo said. At least 55 officers were injured, including eight who had gunshot wounds. were burned, lost fingers to firework blasts or were hit with machetes. Some 53 civilians were injured in the clashes and more than 20 people were arrested. Cutting across party lines, members of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly today demanded that their role in development works be defined as some members alleged that they were being "humiliated" by the bureaucracy. "The elected representatives (MLA) who have been given mandate by the people are helpless before the bureaucracy and the executive, they are being humiliated," CPI(M) MLA M Y Tarigami said. He was speaking during the Question Hour on a question asked by independent MLA Hakim Mohammad Yasin. Tarigami said while District Development Boards were there, it was ironic that these institutions were being headed by a minister nominated by the government. "The minister is not a locally elected person of the district. Does he know more about the constituencies than the MLAs," he said and sought a greater role for MLAs in the development process. The CPI(M) MLA found support from members of ruling PDP-BJP combine as well as opposition parties Congress and National Conference. Several MLAs spoke on the need for involving the local MLAs in planning and monitoring of development works in their respective constituencies. Initially, the Finance minister Haseeb Drabu responded to the demand by saying the Assembly Constituency was neither an administrative unit nor a development unit. However, as most of the MLAs stood for defining the role of MLAs in these works, Drabu said it was for the House to decide what kind of role they want. "I have no objection. Let this house decide," he said. Earlier, reading out the prepared answer, the Finance Minister said the district captial expenditure (CAPEX) budgets were approved by the District Development Boards. He said the MLAs of the area are the members of these Boards which accords approval to the District CAPEX Budgets. The minister said that circular instructions have already been issued to all the District Development Commissioners to consult legislators concerned before formulation of draft district capex budgets, centrally sponsored schemes and suggestions of the legislators are appropriately incorporated in the concerned schemes. He said it was for the first time that before budget session, the board meetings were held in order to take the concerned MLAs on board. Attacks on hospitals since Syria's war broke out five years ago have left more than 700 doctors and medical workers dead, many of them in air strikes, UN investigators said today. The UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria also condemned horrific violations by jihadists and voiced concern that Al-Qaeda-affiliated militants may have recruited hundreds of children into their ranks. Commission chief Paulo Pinheiro told the UN Human Rights Council that widespread, targeted aerial attacks on hospitals and clinics across Syria "have resulted in scores of civilian deaths, including much-needed medical workers." "More than 700 doctors and medical personnel have been killed in attacks on hospitals since the beginning of the conflict," he said. Pinheiro, who was presenting the commission's latest report to the council, said attacks on medical facilities and the deaths of so many medical professionals had made access to health care in the violence-wracked country extremely difficult - and in some areas completely impossible. "As civilian casualties mount, the number of medical facilities and staff decreases, limiting even further access to medical care," he said. Pinheiro also denounced frequent attacks on other infrastructure essential to civilian life, such as markets, schools and bakeries. "With each attack, terrorised survivors are left more vulnerable," he said, adding that "schools, hospitals, mosques, water stations ... Are all being turned into rubble." Since March 2011, Syria's brutal conflict has left more than 280,000 people dead and forced half the population to flee their homes. War broke out after President Bashar al-Assad's regime unleashed a brutal crackdown against protesters demanding political change in Arab Spring-inspired protests. It has since become a multi-front war between regime forces, jihadists and other groups with the civilian population caught in the crossfire. The UN and rights groups have repeatedly called on all sides in the war to stop attacking civilian infrastructure including hospitals. Pinheiro also said the commission was investigating allegations that the Al-Nusra Front "and other Al-Qaeda-affiliated groups have recruited hundreds of children under 15 in Idlib" in northwestern Syria. The brutality of Syria's conflict is preventing millions of children from attending school, and activists have warned this is helping fuel jihadist recruitment drives. Pinheiro also condemned the violations committed by the Islamic State group. In a report published last week, the commission warned that IS jihadists were continuing to commit genocide against the Yazidi minority in Iraq and Syria. Three more persons were today arrested in connection with the Rs 350-crore Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) road scam, taking the total number of people in police custody so far to 22. Site engineers Dattatraya Sudan Dhas (26) of Mahavir Roads & Infra, Ashish Ramnath Jaiswal (27) of J.Kumar-K.R. Construction (JV) and Rishikesh Gajanan Shinde (23) of J.Kumar-K.R. Constructions were arrested, a senior police officer said. Yesterday, police had arrested five site engineers in connection with the scam. Last year, Mumbai Mayor Snehal Ambekar had written to BMC chief Ajoy Mehta complaining about the poor quality of newly-constructed roads in the city, police had said. A Special Investigating Team (SIT) was formed under the leadership of assistant commissioner of police (ACP, Colaba Division) Rajendra Chavan to probe the case, said police. According to police, a case was registered in this regard at the Azad Maidan police station on April 27, after the BMC's internal inquiry revealed that more than two dozen roads in the city were of poor quality. The investigators had found that the arrested accused were hand in glove with the contractors concerned in the roads scam, police had said. Nawazuddin Siddiqui is one actor who has maintained a fine balance between commercial and serious cinema, but he says it's a myth that all mainstream commercial films don't have a good story. Nawazuddin has entertained the audience with his power packed performances in films like "Gangs of Wasseypur", "Manjhi: The Mountain Man", "Badlapur", "Kick", "Bajrangi Bhaijaan" and others. "It is important to explore every genre as an actor. It's a myth that commercial films don't have a good story, look at 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan'," Nawazuddin told PTI. The 42-year-old actor will continue doing all kind of films as it challenges and excites them. "I would balance it out by doing both mainstream commercial and alternate cinema and small films. Commercial films help me in getting attention of audience for my other films," he said. The "Kahaani" actor will be seen next in Anurag Kashyap's "Raman Raghav 2.0", which is based on the psychotic serial killer Raman Raghav who operated in Mumbai during the mid-1960s. The powerhouse actor plays the title character while Vicky Kaushal reprises a cop. The film will open in theatres on June 24. "His (Raman Raghav) thoughts were very different from normal human beings. He had logic behind every murder. He had a justification for every murder he committed. It is hard to believe why he did it (killing people). He is not correct socially and ethically. "It took some time for me to absorb his ideology, logic. Playing this character was mentally exhausting for me. I have tried my best to do the role convincingly," he said. To get into the skin of the character, the "Gangs of Wasseypur" actor did proper research, like reading about him (Raman Raghav) and about various psychopath killers across the world to understand their mindset. In the past, Anurag and Nawazuddin have worked in films like "Black Friday", "Gangs of Wasseypur", "The Lunch Box" and others. "I am thankful to Anurag for giving me unusual and unexpected roles. Anurag is a very talented filmmaker and his films are appreciated by people. I am hopeful 'Raman Raghav' will do well," Nawazuddin said. The NCP women's wing today lodged a police complaint against Bollywood actor Salman Khan over his "rape" remarks and also staged a protest here. Party activists, led by Maharashtra unit President of NCP women's wing Chitra Wagh, submitted a written complaint to Sitabuldi Police Station. In the complaint, the Opposition party members said the 50-year-old actor's remarks were derogatory and he should be booked under relevant sections of IPC for insulting women. The women activists, wearing black ribbons, later staged a demonstration at a square near the police station. They warned of street protests if an offence was not registered against the actor, who courted controversy after saying his filming schedule for "Sultan" was so gruelling that he felt like a "raped woman". When contacted Police Information Centre said they have received the complaint and it would be forwarded to appropriate authorities for action. The North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) has suspended four officials of the Building Department for regularisation of properties in alleged violation of rules and in connection with building collapse case in Paharganj area. A complaint was filed regarding regularisation of amalgamated (combining smaller plots) properties in Rohini Zone following which the then executive engineer J P Verma and office inspector of the zone Jagdish Kumar Golani have been placed under suspension with immediate effect, a senior municipal corporation official said. An assistant engineer and a junior engineer have been suspended in connection with the collpase of a building at Gali Masjid Tevar Khan in Sadar Paharganj Zone. The superintending engineer in the suspension order of assistant engineer R K Khari and junior engineer Rajinder Kumar noted "serious lapses and dereliction of duty" on their part in connection with collpase incident yesterday. No nation can fulfil its potential if people are denied the right to practice freedom of religion, a top US official has said while underlining that upholding religious freedom remains a top priority for the Obama administration. Rabbi David Saperstein, the US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, in his keynote address to the inaugural policy conference of the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) said in all countries including the US and India, "holding of fundamental freedom is responsibility of government" and each and every person. "During her visit to India earlier this year, the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights, Sarah B Sewall, noted that in India more than 170 million Muslims live alongside Hindus, Christians, Buddhists, Sikhs and Jains," the top American diplomat on international religious freedom said. "Across India faith communities and civil society organisations are mobilising to challenge religious intolerance," he noted. "When some voices openly worry that Indian Muslims would be swayed by Daesh propaganda, (Union) Home Minister (Rajnath) Singh responded by calling the Muslim community patriots and praising the diversity as an enduring trend. That is the kind of leadership we need to see from public officials more of across the globe," he said. Religious freedom, Saperstein said, remains a top priority for the Obama Administration. Noting that current challenges of international religious freedom are daunting, the US official said no nation can fulfil its potential if people are denied the right to practice freedom of religion. "We apply this principle in bilateral relations with every country in South Asia," he said in his remarks at HAF, the top Hindu advocacy group for the Hindu community in the US. Of the view that in South Asia, challenges to religious freedom are serious, Saperstein in response to a question said the bulk of what is happening in the region is the bulk of what is happening in America. "The bulk of what is happening in South Asia is the bulk of what is happening let's say in North America including the shooting in Orlando. It is not actually that ISIL is mobilising, it is rather people who have decided for one reason or the other to engage in extremist activities, being inspired by or using as a justification or trying to be a part of this group in their mind and identifying with ISIL," he said. Saperstein said the challenges to religious freedom in South Asia "are serious" and the US addreses them in a range of ways. "In Pakistan, we continue to see authorities enforce blasphemy laws and convictions still occur," he said, adding that members of the Ahmadiyya continue to face discrimination. (Reopens FGN 19) Text books in Pakistan still contain discriminatory languages for religious minorities, he said, adding that the US continues to monitor the situation of Hindu minorities there. "We remain very concern by the reports of kidnapping, forced conversions of Hindu women and girls, related allegations of forced marriage of victims. In some areas of the country social discrimination makes life deeply challenging for the Hindu community," he said. The social hostility and restrictive laws have forces many Hindu communities to flee the country, the top US diplomat said. "Star Trek" stalwart Walter Koenig has paid a touching tribute to his film counterpart Anton Yelchin following the young actor's untimely passing. Yelchin, 27, was killed after his Jeep rolled down his driveway and crushed him against a brick pillar at his San Fernando Valley home in California on Sunday, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Yelchin played the character of Pavel Chekov in the three recent film versions of the sci-fi story. Koenig, who played Chekov in the 1960s series and its subsequent films, offered his condolences saying, "We spoke on a sound stage for about two hours. His reputation as an artist preceded him, however. I knew I was in the presence of a gifted performer. "What I learned that day was how bright and sensitive he was. I walked away thinking - this is a good person. My heart goes out to his mother and father. I know what you're going through." Koenig went through his own shocking tragedy in 2010, after his actor son, Andrew, was found dead in a Canadian park after he went missing. His death was ruled a suicide. Meanwhile, Yelchin's "Alpha Dog" co-star Justin Timberlake took to Twitter to pay his respects to the late actor, writing, "Anton Yelchin. Genius actor. Amazing human being. Gone WAY too soon. May he rest in peace." Fellow castmate Emile Hirsch tweeted, "I can't believe Anton is gone. He was a great man, a true friend, and an artist. Love you buddy." The late actor has also been honoured by his co-stars such as Zoe Saldana, Zachary Quinto, John Cho and director JJ Abrams, as well as members of the original Star Trek TV series, including George Takei and William Shatner. Yelchin's death is currently under investigation by both Los Angeles authorities and representatives from Fiat Chrysler, the maker of the actor's Jeep, after reports indicated his and other 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokees were part of a recall linked to other 'roll away' incidents. The certification course introduced by (QCI) since last one year has got 8,000 registrations from yoga professionals vying to be instructors or teachers in this ancient field. "In alliance with the Ministry of AYUSH, QCI is ensuring authentic and legitimate practice of this age-old Indian tradition. Certification from such established authorities will ensure that yoga is recognised as a trusted Indian brand across the world," QCI Chairman Adil Zainulbhai told PTI on Tuesday. According to QCI records, in a span of just one year, the scheme has received about 8,000 registrations from yoga professionals across India. The council has roped in eminent yoga personalities like Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Baba Ramdev, H R Nagendra and O P Tiwari, who helped design the scheme to ensure that even a basic trainer evolves into a guru. "With these towering personalities on board, as well as collaborations with health and fitness leaders across India, this initiative will not only bring about positive change in the lives of the people, but will popularise yoga according to the ancient text, as a result establish the required discipline and fool-proof methods, and help it flourish into a well-defined practice," a QCI spokesman said. QCI secretary general Dr R P Singh said, "World renowned yoga stalwarts and gurus have laid a philosophy based on Patanjali sutras for the world to follow and practice. "The common protocol, which is the bedrock for all professionals getting certified in the scheme promoted by Ministry of AYUSH and developed by QCI, will ensure homogeneity and excellence amongst practising yogis," he said. "It is a matter of great celebration that institutions and organisations have adopted this certification with open arms and have made it a preferred qualification for all job roles as an instructor or a teacher," he said. QCI confirmed that so far schemes designed for this sector are applicable to yoga professionals, yoga schools, AYUSH hospitals and institutions and wellness centres. "The focus of the Voluntary Yoga Professional Certification Scheme is to certify the competence of yoga professionals. The competence standard was prepared by constituting a group of experts as the multi-stakeholder committee having knowledge on different schools of yoga," the QCI spokesman said. This scheme for yoga professionals will evaluate levels of competency, including instructor, teacher, master and acharya. "The certification will provide overseas and local employment opportunities across government schools, colleges, yoga institutions and other government recruitments in yoga stream. Preference is given to certified candidates in yoga teacher recruitments in India as well as opportunities abroad," he said. "Successful candidates who wish to travel overseas for yoga promotion will get a boost from the Ministry of External Affairs as their visa fee will be exempted and their applications will be fast-tracked," the QCI said. QCI official stated that not only in India, the scheme has received a roaring reception around the world, including countries like Japan and Belgium. QCI has already conducted yoga certification examination in Japan which was attended by close to 25 yoga professionals. Pakistan has "successfully" blocked India's bid to gain membership of the NSG, prime minister's advisor on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz on Tuesday told parliament. Pakistan has a strong case to gain Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) membership on merit and non-discriminatory basis, Aziz said in a statement. "We have been making successful efforts against India's Nuclear Suppliers Group membership," he said. His remarks came ahead of the key meeting of the 48-nation NSG this week in Seoul when it will take up the applications of India and Pakistan. Aziz also told lawmakers that Pakistan was not being isolated and its official foreign policy was being tuned to the new alignments in the world. He said Pakistan would continue to follow the policy of non-interference in affairs of other countries. He said foreign policy was geared for the protection of interests and nuclear assets. Aziz said that Pakistan's political role would increase after becoming full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. He said Pakistan enjoyed historical relations with the Muslim world which were based on common religion and recent visits by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Muslim countries will not affect Pakistan's ties with them. Earlier, opposition parties blamed the government for failing to safeguard interests saying Pakistan was being isolated in the region and demanded a review of its foreign policy. On the second International Yoga Day, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar joined soldiers in performing yoga in the Cantonment area here and later met the bereaved family of Lt Colonel Pankaj Singh, who was killed in Arunachal Pradesh recently. The minister reached Kanpur airport by a special plane this morning and spent around 20 minutes with the army officers, soldiers and their families while participating in a yoga programme at Garrison Ground. Despite yoga being an "indigenous practice", the defence minister said most people in the country were unaware of its importance. The minister also noted the potential of yoga as an employment generator besides a practice to keep people healthy. " Today, the world looks at India as people everywhere want to adopt yoga as a part of their lifestyle. Yoga helps us keep healthy. It also has employment generation potential," said the defence minister. He later visited the ancestral house of Lt Colonel Pankaj Singh in Vimannagar in Chakeri area of the city and paid tributes to him. Singh was killed in action in Arunachal Pradesh on June 13. Parrikar consoled his family members and assured them of all possible help from the defence ministry. He also offered Singh's wife, assistance in seeking a job if she so desired. Asked the border dispute with China, Parrikar said Indo-China "frontier" was "stable" and there have been no incidents of encroachment since last year. The minister, however, chose not to answer queries about GST. A court today remanded the prime accused in the sensational rape and murder case of a Dalit woman at nearby Perumbavoor to ten days police custody. The move comes a day after the accused was subjected to an identification parade. Passing orders on an application moved by police, Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Perumbavoor sent accused Ameerul Islam to police custody till 4.30 PM on June 30. When the court asked 23-year old Islam, a migrant worker from Assasm arrested on June 16 in connection with the murder, whether he wanted to say anything, he said he wished to go to his village. The police moved the custody application a day after the test identification parade of the migrant labourer, held in the presence of a magistrate at Kakkanad sub-jail. A woman witness in the case, who had given statement to the police earlier claiming that she had seen a man walk out of the residence of the victim on April 28, was brought to the jail for identifying the accused. After the arrest, Islam was remanded to 14 days judicial custody and lodged in Kakkanad sub-jail. While announcing the arrest, a top police official had declined to produce him before the media as they wanted to build a strong case against him. "We will collect more evidence, including identification parade, to build a strong prosecution," Additional Director General of Police, B Sandhya, heading the Special Investigation Team in the case, had said. The accused was arrested on the charge of killing the law student, 50 days after the gruesome incident, that had become a major issue in the recent Kerala Assembly elections. The 30-year-woman who hailed from a poor family, was raped and brutally assaulted using sharp-edged weapons before being murdered at her house on April 28. The Madras High Court today admitted a PIL seeking to direct the health department officials to form a special unit at theGovernment Rajaji Hospital here to identify the brain dead patients and to harvest organs from them by counselling their family members for organ donations. Justices K K Sasidharan and B Gokuldass admitted the PIL and adjourned it for further hearing without mentioning the date. The PIL submitted that there was need to effectively implement organ transplant programmes in the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) like in private hospitals. While the private hospitals in Madurai had harvested organs from 20 patients this year, the GRHhere did even create awareness regarding brain dead patients of the hospitals, though way back in 2013, 14,424 patients were admitted with urology problem, it said. In 2015, 320 patients died because they had kidney problem in the GRH, the PIL claimed. The hospital did not create a chance to give organ donation to the relatives of the brain dead patients despite the fact that a huge number of patients of the GRH needed kidney transplant, it said. A large number of people were waiting for a long for the transplant of lung, liver and kidney. If the GRH initiated action to harvest organs from the brain dead persons, several lives could be saved, the PIL submitted. No official programme was organised by the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar on the occasion of International Yoga Day today, even as Union Minister Ravishankar Prasad lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making yoga a "global event". Ravishankar Prasad, Giriraj Singh, Ramkripal Yadav were among the Union ministers who led thousands of people in observing the fitness regime in separate programmes in the state today. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the yoga session at Gandhi Maidan in the state capital, Prasad, the Union communications and IT minister said organising the ancient fitness regime on a mass scale fostered unity among the people. He also lauded the Prime Minister for making yoga a global event with hundreds of countries organising World Yoga Day celebrations. Union Minister of State for MSME Giriraj Singh joined the people in participating in a yoga session at a function in Kankerbagh locality in Patna, while his ministerial colleague Ramkripal Yadav did so at Muzaffarpur. Speaking to reporters, Giriraj Singh lashed out at Nitish Kumar government for opposing yoga on the ground that it was a publicity drive by the BJP and the NDA government at the Centre. "I can understand your (Nitish Kumar) annoyance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but not so with yoga," he said. Union minister of State for Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ramkripal Yadav, participated in a yoga session at Muzaffarpur. A city court has freed nine persons charged with human trafficking and buying someone for slavery, saying the police had failed to prove that a woman was bought for prostitution and asking the Police Commissioner to initiate action against the officers responsible. The court said the SHO of Desh Bandhu Gupta Road Police Station and the investigating officer did not scrutinise the charge sheet properly which caused damage to the prosecution case. "On perusal of record, it is revealed that disclosure of accused Rajesh reflects amount of only Rs 50, whereas the charge sheet reflects Rs 50,000 for selling of the victim, but no explanation has been furnished before filing the charge sheet in the court.... Necessary action be taken against IO and SHO. "Copy of this order be sent to the Commissioner of Police, New Delhi, for necessary action and compliance," Additional Sessions Judge Ramesh Kumar II said. The court said there was contradiction on the point of selling of the woman which also cast doubt on the prosecution's case and added that no corroborative evidence could be placed on record to prove that the accused raped her. The court acquitted Archana, Naresh, Rajesh Kumar, Meena, Mazid, Asgar Ali, Awnish Sharma, Mohd Naseem and Deepak of various charges including 370 (buying or disposing of any person as a slave), 370A(2) (exploitation of trafficked person), 343 (wrongful confinement), 109 (punishment of abetment of an offence), 376 (rape) and 34 (common intention) of the IPC and sections of Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act. The FIR was lodged in February 2014 on the allegation that a woman had come to Delhi from Assam with a person known to her family in search of a job. The man had then forced her into prostitution. The woman alleged that she was sold for Rs 50,000 and forced into prostitution. One night, the woman managed to flee from the house where she was confined and informed the police about her condition, it said. During the trial, the accused claimed they were falsely implicated in the case and said they had no connection with the woman. The Himalayan mountain region was colonised by East Asians of high altitude origin, the first ancient DNA investigation of the region has found. The study generated genomic data of eight individuals ranging in time from the earliest known human settlements to the establishment of the Tibetan Empire. The findings demonstrate that the genetic make-up of high-altitude Himalayan populations has remained remarkably stable despite cultural transitions and exposure to outside populations through trade. "We demonstrate that the Himalayan mountain region was colonised by East Asians of high altitude origin, followed by millennia of genetic stability despite marked changes in material culture and mortuary behaviour," said Christina Warinner, professor at the University of Oklahoma. Since prehistory, the Himalayan mountain range has presented a formidable barrier to population migration, while at the same time its transverse valleys have long served as conduits for trade and exchange, researchers said. Yet, despite the economic and cultural importance of Himalayan trade routes, little was known about the region's peopling and early population history. The high altitude transverse valleys of the Himalayan arc were among the last habitable places permanently colonised by prehistoric humans due to the challenges of resource scarcity, cold stress and hypoxia. "Ancient DNA has the power to reveal aspects of population history that are very difficult to infer from modern populations or archaeological material culture alone," said Mark Aldenderfer, from the University of California. The modern populations of these valleys, who share cultural and linguistic affinities with people found today on the Tibetan plateau, were commonly assumed to be the descendants of the earliest inhabitants of the Himalayan arc. However, previous research suggests these valleys may have been originally populated from areas other than the Tibetan plateau, including those at low elevation. Researchers, including those from University of Chicago and Uppsala University in Sweden, sequenced the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes of eight high-altitude Himalayan individuals dating to three distinct cultural periods spanning 3,150 to 1,250 years before present. They compared these ancient DNA sequences to genetic data from diverse modern humans, including four Sherpa and two Tibetans from Nepal. All eight prehistoric individuals across the three time periods were most closely related to contemporary highland East Asian populations, ie,the Sherpa and Tibetans. This strengthens evidence that the diverse material culture of prehistoric Himalayan populations is the result of culture diffusion rather than large-scale gene flow or population replacement from outside highland East Asia. Both prehistoric individuals and contemporary Tibetan populations shared beneficial mutations in two genes, EGLN1 and EPAS1, which are implicated in adaptation to low-oxygen conditions found at high altitudes, researchers said. The study was published in the journal PNAS. The Madras High Court today made it clear that the investigation of cases relating to the recruitment scam in State Transport Corporation allegedly involving ex-minister Senthil Balaji, has to go beyond lower level officials in order to find out the beneficiary of the bribe. The judge also directed the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Central Crime Branch (job racketing) to take over the probe besides ordering the Deputy Commissioner of Police, CCB to monitor the investigation. Passing orders on a petition by one of the victims, Justice P N Prakash said, "This court is of the view that it is the duty of the police to probe beyond the lower level minions and find out as to where the huge sum of Rs 2 crore has gone." The matter relates to the Criminal Original Petition filed by one Gopi claiming that he had paid an amount of Rs 2. 31 Lakhs after being promised job in State Transport Corporation by one Ashokan and another Karthick, who claimed to be relatives of the AIADMK minister. Gopi in his petition submitted that police had collected complaints from individual persons, but saw to it that the name of the minister did not figure in the complaint in order to shield him. He further submitted that Devasagayam, on whose complaint the sole FIR was registered, has now somersaulted, because he has been won over by the accused. When the matter came up today, the state government informed the Court that so far 81 were complaints were received so far and a total of 12 persons have been arrested in connection with the case. Recording the submissions, the judge said, "In the considered opinion of this court, that cannot absolve an accused from criminal liability just because the de facto complainant had joined hands with the accused." Gopi has merely stated that a sum of Rs 2.31 lakh was given to the minister during January and March 2015, but has not mentioned the date on which the amount was handed over, which is very crucial in a case of receipt of illegal gratification under the provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act, he observed. It also held that yet another FIR need not be registered, as police already have an FIR on a complaint dated April 4, 2015. Earlier,the public prosecutor told the court that investigation into the case was going on in full steam and that Gopi would be added as a witness in the case. Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje today visited two three-year-old girls who were allegedly kidnapped and raped in separate incidents in the city. A three-year-old girl went missing on Saturday night and was allegedly raped. She was found in the SMS hospital premises on Sunday morning. In separate incident, another girl of the same age was abducted from near Adarsh Nagar and was allegedly raped on Jaipur-Agra highway on the night of June 11. Raje directed the doctors at the J K Lone hospital, where the girls are admitted, to take good care of them. "The police is doing their job. The culprit in one of the cases has been arrested and efforts are on to nab the accused in the other case. The team of doctors promptly took care of the girls," she told reporters. "A counselling of such accused is also needed so that we can make a safe society," she said. Raje said that NGOs can be roped in for counselling. The state Health Minister Rajendra Rathore, district collector Siddharth Mahajan and others were also present at the hospital. More than a lakh people were claimed to have attended Ramdev's International Yoga Day function here today where BJP chief Amit Shah was also present. The function was part of an ongoing 5-day camp to observe the International Yoga Day. Apart from Shah, BJP general secretary Anil Jain and Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Krishan Pal Gurjar attended the event at Faridabad's HUDA grounds. Organisers of the camp claimed with over one lakh people performing Yoga simultaneously, a new Guinness record had been created. However, there was no official confirmation. Rohtash, a performer at the camp, did 51 push-ups in a minute while carrying a weight of 80 pounds on his back. He was later felicitated by Shah and Ramdev. Baba Ramdev performed Shirshasana along with 400 kids. A group of 8 persons performed Surya Namaskar a total of 1,500 times. "I am pleased to see such a huge participation from the public on the 2nd International Yoga Day. A revolution which was started years ago for Yoga, has been successful now. Yoga is our ancient legacy but it became extinct when India was enslaved. However, today, this legacy has been shown to the world by Baba Ramdev," said Amit Shah. Talking to the reporters, Ramdev said, "Yoga was performed with the help of modern technology. A total of 20 cameras were installed so that people can clearly see the instructions and easily perform yoga. Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar today inaugurated the International Yoga Day celebrations at the European Parliament in Brussels, saying Yoga is aspiring for the highest goal of the world as one family. "I am so glad that today here in the European Parliament, the heart of Europe, where 48 countries sit and do their deliberations and lead their countries, they are taking up this beautiful mission of wellness and bringing happiness to people," Ravi Shankar said while interacting with parliament members at the prestigious Yehudi Menuhin Hall. He said, "Is Yoga only a physical exercise? No! Yoga is bringing the rhythm in life. Yoga is feeling the connection with oneself. And with everyone around. Yoga is aspiring for the highest goal of the world as one family. And unity with the infinity. It brings harmony in one's environment." He said, "I would like to thank UN for declaring last year June 21, the longest day, as World Yoga Day. Especially the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) who has made extra effort to bring Yoga to the main stream population." The AOL founder said that though Yoga was born in the Indian sub continent, "it belongs to the world". G Van Orden, Member of the European Parliament for the East of England region for the Conservative Party, praised Ravi Shankar for his work on disaster relief and peace missions in various countries. Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil today alleged that there was "rampant" corruption in the state health department and government doctors have paid bribe to the tune of Rs 50 crore to get transfers to places of their choice. "The corruption is so rampant in the health department of the state government that it appears as if the Minister (State Health Minister Deepak Sawant) and his staff have prepared a menu card (for the transfers)," Vikhe-Patil told reporters here today. "The charges are-- Rs 2-2.5 lakh for transfer of a medical officer, Rs 10 lakh for transfer of a district health officer, Rs 15 lakh for transfer of a district surgeon, etc. The rates increase if a specific district or city is being demanded," he said. "For effecting transfers in the department, at least Rs 50 crore have been accepted as bribe so far. All these transactions have happened through Sawant's personal secretary Sunil Mali," the Congress leader said and demanded that the government should arrest Mali at the earliest. The ACB should arrest Mali immediately and check his phone and computer records for traces of corruption, he said. Health Minister Sawant was not available for comment. A woman doctor from Jalgaon district had recently written a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis alleging that she was "harassed" by Mali. Mali has been sent on compulsory leave after complaint by the woman medical officer. "But, sending him on compulsory leave is not enough and he should be arrested immediately," Vikhe-Patil said. The Health Minister should take up the responsibility in the case and resign, he added. Six school students from Madurai were rescued by the local police here while they were buying liquor and handed over to their parents. Police said the students had stolen the ATM card of their parents and had withdrawn Rs 15,000 from the accounts purchased clothes in a local shop. They had also purchased liquor in a shop near the bus stand. Some autoricshaw drivers questioned them and informed the police. Police took the boys in the age group of 10-15 to the Police station and informed their parents and handed over to them. India-born Softbank President and COO Nikesh Arora has resigned from the company with effect from June 22 but will stay in advisory role for a year. "SoftBank Group Corp (SBG) announces the resignation of Nikesh Arora, Representative Director, President & COO, from the position of Representative Director and Director of SBG with the expiration of the term of office at the conclusion on of the 36th Annual General Meeting of Shareholders," SoftBank said in a statement. The meeting will be held on June 22. "The difference of expected timelines between the two leads to Arora's resignation from the position of representative Director and Director of SBG with the expiration of the term of office and his next steps," the Japanese firm statement said. Arora, who was being seen as the successor to SoftBank Chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son, in a tweet said he plans to support the group for an year and "hence continuing as advisor". Arora, who is the Representative Director, President and COO of SBG currently, will assume an advisory role, effective July 1. Praising Arora's work at SBG, Son said he should be CEO of a global business. "I had hoped to hand over the reins of SoftBank to him on my 60th birthday - but I feel my work is not done. I want to cement SoftBank 2.0, develop Sprint to its true potential and work on a few more crazy ideas. This will require me to be CEO for at least another five to ten years - this is not a time frame for me to keep Nikesh waiting for the top job," he said in a statement. He added that Arora will move to an advisory role and continue to support SoftBank, while he zeroes in on his next challenge. "Masa 2 continue 2 be CEO for 5-10 years, respect that. Learnt a lot. Clean chit from board after through review. Time for me to move on," Arora said in a tweet. "Going to continue to support the Indian startup ecosystem....Can't change faith if you change jobs :)!," he said in another tweet. Yesterday, SoftBank had said the allegations levelled by some shareholders against Arora, including those questioning his conduct and qualifications, have been found to be "without merit". Arora had joined SoftBank as its Vice-Chairman and CEO of SB Group US -- previously SoftBank Internet and Media Inc -- in September 2014 from search giant Google. Maharashtra government today informed the Bombay High Court that it has undertaken a series of measures to provide security to doctors in hospitals and ensure that they are not assaulted by relatives of patients. Such measures include posting of additional policemen in hospitals and handing over the responsibility of monitoring CCTV cameras installed there to the nearest police stations. Other measures include recruitment of security guards by Maharashtra State Security Corporation at hospitals. Like policemen, the security guards have powers to arrest any person who is in possession of arms or weapon while entering hospitals, state Advocate General Rohit Deo told a division bench. The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by social activist Afaq Mandviya, challenging the strike undertaken recently by resident doctors of Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD). During the hearing, MARD had urged that the government has not taken any security measures to protect them from physical assaults by relatives of ailing patients, who are not satisfied with the treatment provided to their kith and kin. The court thereupon asked the government to immediately go into the issue of providing security to the doctors. The AG today informed that CCTV cameras in hospitals would be connected to nearest police station so that the policemen can monitor the situation and take steps in case of emergency. He also informed that restrictions would be imposed on the number of visitors entering the hospitals and on the timings of their visit. MARD lawyer also informed that an incident had occurred in Gondia area of Nagpur in which a doctor was assaulted on June 18. The AG said that this matter was currently being heard by Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court. He also informed that a meeting of the Commission, appointed to look into the grievances of MARD members, had been held recently. Another meeting has been fixed on July 4. The bench today asked the government to inform how many policemen have been posted at hospitals in Mumbai. The court posted the next hearing on June 28 for directions. Swedish authorities have written to the Ecuadorean foreign office in UK seeking a meeting with Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, as he began his fifth year holed out in the Ecuadoran embassy here. It could prove to be a major breakthrough in the protracted standoff between the 44-year-old Assange and Sweden, where he is wanted in relation to a 2010 rape allegation. "Interviewing Assange inside the embassy has been Ecuador's request for four years. Over 1,400 days we have been asking the Swedes to come and interrogate him in our embassy. So it is welcome there has been change of heart and some sign of political will," said Ecuador's foreign minister, Dr Guillaume Long. "But since November 2010 and March 2015, Sweden made 44 such requests to other countries to interview suspects in other cases. So it is very common and could be easily done, but we faced total refusal for years," he added. Long confirmed that the Swedish attorney general had made a formal request that was being considered, 'The Guardian' reported. The Australian national has been living inside Ecuador's UK mission for four years after the South American country offered him asylum. Assange denies the rape charges and has fought against being extradited to Sweden, saying he fears he would then be transferred to the US to face charges on Wikileaks' activities. A UN working group had ruled in February that Assange was being arbitrarily detained. However, the UK Foreign Office has called for the UN decision to be reviewed, saying Assange was staying in the embassy voluntarily and that the UK had a legal duty to extradite himto Sweden. Long said Ecuador's legal department will now examine Sweden's request and would also want assurances that the UK would not seek to prosecute Assange for avoiding arrest. Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh on Tuesday asked Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to pursue the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal matter in the Supreme Court instead of getting resolutions passed in panchayats. "This is a lame attempt at covering up by Badal for weakening Punjab's case in the Supreme Court (in connection with SYL)," he said in a statement. The former Chief Minister was reacting to resolutions being passed at panchayats opposing the construction of the canal as reported by a section of the media. "Who in his right senses would imagine that panchayat resolutions can influence a Supreme Court decision as Badal is trying to make everyone believe," Amarinder asked. He suggested that the state must insist on setting up of a fresh tribunal to look into the actual availability of water right now before a final decision is taken. He said, the actual water flow in the erstwhile Punjab rivers, between 1921 and 1945, was 15.8 MAF (million acre feet). Since then, the glaciers have melted and the water flow has substantially come down to 13 MAF now. The Amritsar MP maintained that Eradi Commission, on whose recommendations Haryana has built up its case, had claimed the water flow to be 18 MAF which was wrong as the figures were taken during floods in Punjab when the water level was high. Amarinder alleged that Badal with his characteristic indecisiveness has weakened Punjab's case "which, otherwise, was legally very strong after the passage of the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act in 2004", while stating, "thanks to Badal, Punjab is now at the risk of losing everything that it had gained in 2004 with the passage of the Act". He maintained that Badal was deliberately trying to politicise the issue so that he could prepare the ground for "wriggling out of the situation and hide his failures". "I am sure, he is planning to enact some political drama ahead of the elections," Amarinder said, adding, "it is so unfortunate that even at this crucial stage, Badal is still concerned more about himself than saving Punjab's waters". The United Nations said it delivered food and medical aid to besieged Syrians on the rural outskirts of Damascus over the weekend. The relief shipments went to Ein Terma and Hamouria -- areas surrounded by regime forces -- as well as the difficult to reach Hazeh, Beit Sawa and Eftreis areas. The communities are in the Kafr Batna region, which hasn't received aid since mid-April. UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq yesterday welcomed the news, but said "much more progress is required." "The UN continues to call for unconditional, unimpeded and sustained access to the millions of people in besieged and hard to reach locations across Syria," he added. Since the beginning of the year, 86 land convoys have entered areas that are under siege or difficult to reach, delivering crucial supplies to 850,000 civilians. Last year, the UN sent only 34 aid deliveries, down from 50 in 2014. Erbin and Zamalka, two of 18 besieged areas identified by the UN, have gone without potentially life-saving assistance since November 2012. The rural Damascus suburbs in East Ghouta are controlled by rebel forces and encircled by Syrian regime troops. The UN plans on sending humanitarian assistance via airdrops, using planes in rural areas and helicopters in densely populated regions. Some 592,700 Syrian residents are currently living under siege, according to the United Nations. It says 452,700 of them are besieged by government troops, particularly in rural Damascus, 110,000 by the Islamic State group in the eastern city Deir Ezzor, 20,000 by the al-Qaeda-affiliated Al-Nusra Front and rebel groups in northeastern Idlib province, and 10,000 by pro-regime fighters and armed groups in the Yarmouk Camp district of Damascus, home to Palestinian refugees. A day after Anti Corruption Branch (ACB) registered an FIR in the alleged 400-crore water tanker scam, the Delhi BJP today claimed the irregularities continued even during the Kejriwal government. "Kejriwal government not only tried to save former chief minister Sheila Dikshit in the DJB water tanker scam but also permitted work by the same contractors who were working during her regime," Delhi BJP president Satish Upadhyay alleged. Leader of Opposition and party MLA Vijender Gupta, on whose complaint the ACB registered the FIR, claimed the "scam" was going on as the monthly payments to the contractors were being made and the government has not taken any action against any official or the "guilty" contractors. He demanded the payments made to the contractors during the Kejriwal government be realised from Aam Aadmi Party. The ACB registered a case yesterday in connection with the alleged scam linking Dikshit. "The government sat on the fact-finding committee report for 11 months after it had been submitted in July 2015. The scam is continuing as no official or contractor has been punished and the monthly payments for supply of tanker water is going on," Gupta claimed. Attacking the AAP government for being "power hungry", Upadhyay demanded Chief Minister Kejriwal's resignation. "In view of the tanker scam, appointment of Parliamentary secretaries and premium bus service scheme, Chief Minister Kejriwal has lost his right to be in power," he added. An accused in a theft case today died in police custody at Udhna police station here after complaining of respiratory problem, police said. Mohbat Thakor (35) was arrested along with three others on June 19 in connection with theft of Rs 32 lakh cash from a dry fruit packaging unit located at Udhna industrial area. A local court had yesterday remanded him to police custody till June 27, they said. "Early this morning, Thakor complaint of respiratory problem and collapsed. It appeared that he had suffered a heart attack, after which he was immediately rushed to a hospital where he was declared brought dead," Surat DCP Jagdish Patel said. "We are yet to receive the postmortem report as doctors have kept it for further examination," he said. Police had recovered over Rs 14 lakh from Thakor's possession, the DCP added. Three men with suspected links to jihadist Larossi Abballa, who killed a police officer and his partner outside Paris last week, were arrested today on suspicion of spying on other police officers, police sources said. The three were arrested in the Paris suburbs of Mureaux and Mantes-la-Jolie, home of Abballa who was shot dead by police after killing the couple at their home on June 13. One of the three suspects is on France's national security watchlist. They are suspected of spying on a police event in the Yvelines region west of Paris, one of the police sources said. Investigators are examining whether they had any connection to the twin killing of police officer Jean-Baptiste Salvaing and civil police employee Jessica Schneider at their home in Magnanville, also in Yvelines. Abballa, 25, killed Salvaing before taking Schneider hostage and slitting her throat. Her three-year-old son who was in the house was was traumatised but unharmed. The convicted radical claimed allegiance to the Islamic State group in a live Facebook video and urged fellow jihadists to carry out more bloodshed. Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said police had found a hit list at the scene of the attack naming police, rappers and journalists. Two other men linked to Abballa were charged and detained by an anti-terror court on Saturday. Saad Rajraji, 27, and Charaf-Din Aberouz, 29, were charged with having links to a terrorist group, but were not found to have any connection to the murder of the police couple. The two men had been convicted along with Abballa in September 2013 as part of a network to send jihadists to Pakistan, sources close to the investigation said. The attack was the first in France since a group of Islamic State gunmen and suicide bombers killed 130 people in Paris in November 2015. Arch rivals ruling AIADMK and DMK today sparred in the Tamil Nadu Assembly over different issues, with the opposition party seeking a debate on the Sri Lankan Tamils problem. The House saw angry exchange of words between the Treasury and Opposition benches after AIADMK member P Vetrivel made some remarks against DMK and Leader of the Opposition M K Stalin. He also dragged in the issue of ceding Katchatheevu islet to Sri Lanka, which was objected by DMK. Leader of the House O Panneerselvam said Vetrivel can raise the issue following which Deputy Leader of DMK Legislature Party Durai Murugan made a demand that the issue be debated separately. "We are ready for a debate on Sri Lankan Tamils issue," he said and urged that Vetrivel, who was speaking on the motion to thank the Governor for his address to the Assembly, to stick to it. Later, Vetrivel criticised DMK for "allowing" the coal-bed methane extraction project on Cauvery river bed, a sensitive issue that figured during the recent polls also, but the opposition party denied it had given approval. Stalin said his party-led government had only signed memorandum of understanding but not approved the project. Electricity Minister P Thangamani, who had the industries portfolio in the previous AIADMK regime, refuted this and said the DMK government had issued a "go" in this regard which amounted to approval. Only the Jayalalithaa-led government withdrew the project as it was "anti-people," he said. The House also saw some noisy scenes, once when AIADMK member Thanga Tamil Selvan made some remarks against DMK President M Karunanidhi while Mano Thangaraj of DMK later targeted Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. Amid the uncertainty over the fate of Uttarakhand's budget, the state Cabinet has decided to convene a special two-day session of the state Assembly from July 4. The decision was taken by the state Cabinet at its meeting chaired by Chief Minister Harish Rawat late last evening, Chief Secretary Shatrughna Singh said. Though the agenda for the special two-day session of the state Assembly has not been decided yet, it is believed that efforts will be made to end the uncertainty over the fate of state's annual budget. The Cabinet arrived at a consensus that the Centre should be requested again to release the state's budget, the Chief Secretary said. Singh was also assigned the task of seeking a legal opinion on adopting a new budget. Chief Minister Harish Rawat had recently written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking release of the state's budget to Uttarakhand. Uncertainty over the budget has been prevailing ever since the political crisis began in Uttarakhand on March 18, when 35 members of the State Assembly sought a division of votes on the appropriation bill on the state's budget totalling Rs 40,422.20 crore. State Assembly Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal declared the budget as passed but Central ministers have been making claims to the contrary. Pakistani censor board today gave a green signal to the release of Indian movie "Udta Punjab" here after suggesting more than "100 cuts" to remove "objectionable and anti-Pakistan" content from the film, which had already run afoul with Indian censors. "All 10-members of the CBFC have unanimously allowed 'Udta Punjab' to be released after editing objectionable content," Mubashir Hasan, the Central Board of Film Censors (CBFC) head, told PTI. Hasan said almost every dialogue had offensive words so they asked for major cuts in the Punjab-set drug drama. "We have cut all derogatory and offensive words/dialogues and anti-Pakistan content from the film. More than 100 cuts, mutes, beeps have been suggested to the film's distributor. Once he will complete the editing as per the requirement of the board, it will again be presented before it for final approval," Hasan said. The Abhishek Chaubey-directed movie, starring Bollywood A-listers Shahid Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Punjabi star Diljit Dosanjh, had run into trouble with the Indian censor board which demanded 89 cuts from the movie. Not to ready to relent, the producers moved the Bombay High Court against the board to get their film cleared for its scheduled release on June 17 while also gathering support from Bollywood. The court passed the movie with just one cut and a revised disclaimer. Earlier, the five-member panel of the board declined to pass 'Udta Punjab' for screening in Pakistan, citing objectionable content but Hasan said they later decided to give it conditional approval. "We had not banned this movie. On the appeal of the distributor the full board sat together today and gave conditional approval for its screening here," Hasan said. He said the board never compromises on anti-Islam, anti-Pakistan and anti-society contents in a film and bans it forthwith. "'Udta Punjab' does not fall in that category. We have asked the distributor to delete those scenes which even slightly refer to Pakistan and words like '786' (which refers to Bismillah) and words 'Maryam'." The film's distributor is likely get the content edited in Dubai in a day or two before presenting it again before the CBFC for final approval. "Udta Punjab is likely to be screened across Pakistan this weekend," the distributor said. The UN envoy for Yemen appealed to the warring parties today to finalize a peace deal as soon as possible, saying slow progress has been made in the past two months and it's now time for concessions on the toughest issues. Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed told the UN Security Council that the opposing parties Houthi Shiite rebels and their allied troops loyal to a former president and Yemen's internationally recognized government have responded positively to a proposed roadmap he presented to end the conflict. But Cheikh Ahmed said by video link from Kuwait where the talks have been taking place that the two sides have not yet agreed on the timeline and sequencing of the steps in the roadmap including when a national unity government would be created. Both sides "have demonstrated over the past weeks a true commitment to make peace, and a political wisdom in negotiations, which did not shy away from broaching sensitive and complicated issues," Cheikh Ahmed said. "I am reassured by the commitment of the two delegations, but I am appealing to them to finalize these difficult negotiations and reach a comprehensive settlement as soon as possible." France's UN Ambassador Francois Delattre said the talks are at "a critical juncture" and the parties need to engage seriously and "show flexibility to find a durable peace." He warned that every passing day with more war "makes terrorist groups" such as the Islamic State and al-Qaida, stronger. The Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, in September 2014, forcing President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi to flee first to the southern port city of Aden and later to Saudi Arabia. A Saudi-led military coalition launched a large-scale airstrike campaign in March 2015 and later began on-the-ground military operations to retake rebel positions. The US backed coalition has had success in driving the rebels out of some southern cities but has so far been unable to dislodge them from the capital and other strongholds in the north. The conflict has killed some 9,000 people since March 2015 a third of them civilians, according to the United Nations. Cheikh Ahmed cited credible reports from international aid organizations "warning of a humanitarian catastrophe, should the situation not be addressed rapidly." According to the UN, more than 80 per cent of Yemenis are in dire need of food, water and other aid. Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister Balram Yadav was today sacked by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, apparently for facilitating merger of Quami Ekta Dal (QED) of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari with the ruling Samajwadi Party. "Balram Yadav, holding charge of Secondary Education ministry, has been removed (from the Council of Ministers) by the Chief Minister," a senior official told PTI. Though no official reason has been cited for the removal, SP leaders said the Chief Minister was "unhappy" with Yadav for facilitating the controversial merger of QED with SP. The merger was announced earlier in the day by SP spokesman and senior Cabinet Minister Shipal Yadav, who is brother of Akhilesh's father and party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav. "QED is today merging with SP which would strengthen the party," Shivpal said at a press conference jointly addressed by Mukhtar Ansari's brother Afzal Ansari. Interestingly, Shivpal suggested that Mukhtar, the jailed MLA of QED, was not among those who had joined SP. "At present only those here are joining SP. We did not have any talk with Mukthar," he said in reply to a question. QED was founded in 2010 by Mukhtar, along with his brothers Afzal Ansari and Sigbatullaha Ansari. The mafia don is in jail for his alleged involvement in the murder of former BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai. Akhilesh, who was in Jaunpur, was asked by mediapersons to comment on the merger. He evaded a direct reply and merely said, "If party workers perform their responsibilities, then there was no need of another party," an apparent indication of disapproval of the merger. The merger of QED with SP has already given fresh ammunition to the opposition parties to target Samajwadi Party which has often been accused of protecting hooligans. "This is nothing new. Samajwadi Party is trying all means to get back to power in the next elections," BJP leader Vijay Bahadur Pathak said. He said BJP will definitely take up the issue of "increasing lawlessness" in the state during next year's Assembly elections. In a similar refrain, Congress spokesman DP Singh said the merger shows "growing frustration" within the ruling party which is trying all "fair and foul means to retain power by hook or by crook". Opposition parties have targeted Akhilesh on several occasions for patronising 'goonda raj' in the state. However, sources close to Balram Yadav said his son will be given place in Akhilesh Yadav ministry as state minister soon. Amid China's opposition, the US has given a fresh push to India's NSG membership bid by asking members of the elite club to support India's entry into the grouping during the ongoing plenary meeting in Seoul. "We believe, and this has been US policy for some time, that India is ready for membership and the United States calls on participating governments to support India's application at the plenary session of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters. "At the same time, participating governments will need to reach a consensus decision in order to admit any applicant into the group and the United States will certainly be advocating for India's membership," Earnest said as the 5-day annual plenary session of the 48-member club began in the South Korean capital yesterday. His remarks came after China said India's membership is not on the agenda of the NSG meeting in Seoul. The NSG remains divided over non-NPT countries like India becoming its members, China's Foreign Ministry had said yesterday less than 24 hours after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj exuded hope that "we would be able to convince China to support our entry to the NSG." US President Barack Obama, Earnest said, had an opportunity to discuss the issue of India's NSG membership bid with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their White House meeting earlier this month. "The United States, as you know, strongly supports India's application to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group," Earnest said. "We have made our views known both publicly and privately, and we'll continue to do so," Earnest said when asked if the US has reached out to members of the NSG in support of India's application. At a separate conference, the State Department reiterated the same views. "As you know, during Prime Minister Modi's visit, the President welcomed India's application to join the NSG and reaffirmed that India is ready for membership. We continue to call on the participating governments, the NSG, to support India's application at the plenary session this week itself," State Department Spokesman John Kirby told reporters at his daily conference. "India's application is something we have routinely talked to other NSG participating members. This is not a new topic of discussion that we've had privately with the members," Kirby said. Last week as well, the US had called on members of the nuclear trading club to support India's membership. While majority of the elite group members backed India's membership, it is understood that apart from China, countries like Turkey, South Africa, Ireland and New Zealand were not in favour of India's entry into the NSG. China maintains opposition to India's entry, arguing that it has not signed Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). However, it has been batting for its close ally Pakistan's entry if NSG extends any exemption for India. Pakistan applied for NSG membership, a week after India submitted its membership application. India has asserted that being a signatory to the NPT was not essential for joining the NSG as there has been a precedent in this regard, citing the case of France. India is seeking membership of NSG to enable it to trade in and export nuclear technology. The access to the NSG, which regulates the global trade of nuclear technology, is expected to open up the international market for energy-starved India, which has an ambitious energy generation programme. India is looking at 63,000 MW energy requirement through the nuclear programme by 2030. The NSG looks after critical issues relating to nuclear sector and its members are allowed to trade in and export nuclear technology. Membership of the grouping will help India significantly expand its atomic energy sector. India has been reaching out to NSG member countries seeking support for its entry. The NSG works under the principle of consensus and even one country's vote against India will scuttle its bid. The US is considering a request to release the last Russian held at Guantanamo Bay so he can join his family in the UK. Ravil Mingazov appeared today before a review board that determines whether prisoners can be released from custody at the US base in Cuba. Mingazov spoke to board members in the Washington, D.C., area by video link from Guantanamo. The Russian government has criticized his confinement and said he should be returned to his homeland. Lawyers for Mingazov say he wants to join family who live in Nottingham, England, under political asylum. The 48-year-old is a former ballet dancer and member of the Russian military. He has been held by the US for suspected links to Islamic militants for nearly 14 years but never charged. Three Vanuatu locals were killed and 12 tourists injured, reportedly all Australian and many of them seriously, when two buses collided in the Pacific nation's capital Port Vila, officials said today. The tourists were on a stopover during a P&O cruise from Brisbane to Noumea in New Caledonia when their bus slammed into a local bus late yesterday. The Vanuatu Daily Post said on Twitter that three locals died in the accident while P&O said 12 tourists were hurt. Air ambulances were flying from Brisbane and Noumea to Port Vila to evacuate the badly injured. "It can now be confirmed that 10 of the Pacific Dawn guests sustained significant injuries," P&O said on its Facebook page. "We have been arranging for air ambulances from Australia and New Caledonia to airlift these passengers to Brisbane or Noumea for specialist medical treatment. "Urgent inquiries are being made to ensure the local people are also receiving the best possible medical care." The Australian Broadcasting Corporation said all the tourists were Australian, with many suffering head injuries, open wounds and bone fractures, adding that three were children. Tourism is hugely important to the Vanuatu economy and Public Utilities Minister Jotham Napat vowed a full investigation would be carried out into the crash. "The Vanuatu government is committed to ensuring safety on our roads," he said in a statement. "Tourism is one of our most important industries and it is a priority of our government to ensure our visitors enjoy all Vanuatu has to offer. Two persons, including a wanted ultra, were lynched today by unidentified villagers at Pandaria village in Naxal-affected Khunti district, police sources said. Unidentified villagers surrounded Tene Gudia, an ultra having allegiance with People's Liberation Front of India (PLFI) and his accomplice Deepak Soy and beaten them to death with lathis, police said. Both the victims have criminal antecedents, the sources said. Deputy Superintendent of Police (Torpa), Deepak Kumar Mahato, who rushed to the spot on being informed of the incident, said bodies have been recovered and sent for post-mortem. In an another incident, police today arrested one PLFI activist from Saketoli. Bakaspur under Karra police station of the district, Mahato said adding that one rifle and four mobile phones were recovered from his possession. A woman arms smuggler was apprehended by a combined team of 7 Assam Rifles and Manipur police including women personnel today from Manipur's Churachandpur district. Twentyfour-year-old L Baite was apprehended from Molnam village, located 4 km from Churachandpur town, police said. One country made 9 mm pistol along with one magazine was recovered from her possession, the police. Yemen security officials say an airstrike by the Saudi-led coalition has mistakenly killed eight civilians who were building a home in an area along the boundary between southern provinces of Lahj and Taiz. The officials say the today airstrike also wounded nine people. It was called in by pro-government fighters who were locked in a fierce battle with Yemen's Shiite rebels for control over a mountain overlooking a military base that's home to forces from Yemen, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates. The officials say the mountain, called Jalis, has been captured by the Shiite rebels known as Houthis after a three-day battle in which some 45 people were killed from both sides. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media. Braving early morning showers, the second International Yoga Day was observed in Aizawl where more than 1,000 yoga enthusiasts participated in yoga exercises organised by the Assam Rifles. Addressing a function on the occasion, state governor Lt Gen (Retd) Nirbhay Sharma, expressed the hope that yoga would transform 'Healthy Mizoram Campaign' into a reality. He also sought to demystify the allegation that yoga was an unsafe exercise for followers of some religious faiths by stating that the sole purpose of yoga was to impart good health to people in general. "Yoga is an invaluable gift of ancient Indian tradition to the world that is presently afflicted with a myriad of health problems," he said. He invited more people to come forward and be a part of the group of yoga practitioners of more than 200 countries who were reaping the benefits of yoga. Meanwhile, the Presbyterian Church's Mizoram Synod warned the church members against the practice of yoga saying it is based on Hindu religion and cannot be suitable for Christians. While accepting that the practice of yoga could cure some illness, the Mizoram Synod said in its message to all the local churches, that it cannot give real cure as given by Jesus Christ. Earlier, the Mizoram Kohhran Hruaitute Committee (MKHC), conglomerate of 14 major church denominations, also made an appeal to the Christians to avoid yoga as it could dilute their religious beliefs. A Yoga-Tai Chi "jugalbandi" at the iconic Great Wall was among the many events held in China today to mark the second International Day of Yoga as thousands of enthusiasts of the ancient Indian spiritual discipline participated in the celebrations. The Indian Embassy here in association with state-run Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, (CPAFFC) hosted yoga events at different places in the run up to the second UN International Yoga Day today. A large group of enthusiasts of Yoga and ancient Chinese martial art Tai-Chi took part in a "Jugalbandi" exercises at the iconic Great Wall. Counselor Culture of the Indian Embassy here Vanaja K Thekkat and four Indian Yoga teachers along with senior officials of the CPAFFC attended the event. Earlier, visiting Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan who is on a five-day visit to China joined Kundalini yoga enthusiasts at a hotel in central Beijing along with the charged'affairesof the Indian Embassy, B Bala Bhaskar, and members of his delegation and took part in the exercises. Indian Consulates in Shanghai and Chengdu have been arranging a series of yoga events in a number of events culminating with similar events today. Ahead of the second UN Yoga Day, Yogi Yoga a well known Yoga centre established by an Indian and his Chinese wife has been selected by the China's Peking University to conduct research in yoga. A Memorandum of Understanding in this regard has been signed. This is first time a Chinese university has come forward to do research in yoga. Local teachers trained by Yogi Yoga will take part in the research programme, he said. Mohan along with his wife Yinyan, a former China editor of the Elle Magazine established the centre which has become immensely popular all over the China. Over the years, yoga has become popular all over China with all most all gyms conducting yoga classes. Last year, China established first yoga college in assistance with India. Based in the Yunnan Minzu (Nationalities) University, the country's first yoga college has become popular with participation of over 3,000 people participating in free yoga sessions offered by the college. India has deputed yoga teachers to conduct training. (REOPENS FES 58) The Yoga Day celebration in Shanghai was spread across three prestigious venues. The opening event was held at the Jing'an Park where over 500 Yoga practitioners joined the event. A large number of expatriates, including Consuls General of US, Colombia, Belgium and Cambodia and representatives of Consulates from Austria, Ecuador, Germany, Indonesia, Iran, Pakistan, Israel, New Zealand, Philippines, Sweden, Seychelles and Sri Lanka also participated in the Yoga session, Indian Consulate in Shanghai said. The Jing'an Park event was broadcast live on local Shanghai channels. Since Shanghai also has a large number of Indians, several members of the community also joined the celebration to mark the Yoga Day. Yoga, practiced by millions of Americans daily, underscores deep cultural ties between India and the US, the White House has said on the occasion of second International Day of Yoga. "There are millions of Americans who benefit from the studious pursuit of yoga and there are many mental and physical health benefits associated with those who pursue this practice regularly," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters. "It underscores the deep cultural ties between our two countries. It certainly is a way that the American people have benefited from the rich and ancient culture of India," Earnest said. In December 2014, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution with a record number of 177 co-sponsoring member states to declare June 21 as the International Day of Yoga. Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard greeted people on the occasion of International Yoga Day. "While many people view yoga simply as a way to increase flexibility and strength, today is a wonderful day to learn and celebrate the benefits that yoga offers," she said. "This spirit of yoga enables us to transcend and overcome the external differences that can be so divisive, here at home and around the world, and instead truly respect and love one another," Gabbard said, the first Hindu elected to the US House of Representatives. The Maryland Governor issued a proclamation commemorating the International Day of Yoga. Proclamations were also issued by the Governor of Illinois, Mayor of Chicago. (REOPENS FES 9) Despite rain, over 500 yoga lovers across Houston rolled out their mats at sprawling Discovery Green lawn before they stretched themselves in various postures to mark the second International Yoga Day (IYD). Consulate General of India, Houston, in partnership with Patanjali Yogpeeth (USA), Yoga studios and several community and supporting organisations made the event a huge success. "It was our pleasure to bring together a large number of diverse Houstonians and institutions for celebrating IYD in a befitting manner. My sincere thanks to all organisers, supporters and sponsors of this event for their contribution towards the IYD," said Anupam Ray, Consul General of India. Agroup session featured three Yogis leading hundreds in an hour long yoga session in the park. In a separate group, acro yoga practitioners invited visitors to try their hand at the acrobatic form of yoga. After the yoga session, the celebration ended with the throwing of seven traditional colours into the air. Each represented a different virtue from love to peace to power. Commercial Feature is a Business Standard Digital Marketing Initiative. The Editorial/Content team at Business Standard has not contributed to writing or editing these articles. For further information, please write to assist@bsmail.in SoftBank President and COO Nikesh Arora on Tuesday said he will step down from the firm on June 22, a day after a special committee found allegations against Arora in a purported shareholder demand "without merit". SoftBank in a release said Arora will take on advisory role in the Group from July 1. Arora said he can't be "CEO-in-waiting past his sell-by date" as the current chief Masayoshi Son wanted to continue for 5-10 years more. The 48-year-old former Chief Business Officer at Google decided to call it a day as his 58-year-old boss Son said he was planning to quit at the age of 60 but felt he was "still a bit too young". Arora, who has been instrumental in SoftBank's investments in Indian entities like Snapdeal, Ola, Grofers, Housing.com and Oyo Rooms, said he intends to focus more on Indian start-up ecosystem going forward. Japanese MNC SoftBank said Masayoshi Son will continue as Chairman and CEO. Nikesh joined Google in 2004 and resigned as senior VP and chief businesss officer of the company in 2014. Arora conveyed his decision in a series of tweets. Extending losses against the American currency for the second straight day, the rupee dropped by another 17 paise to close at 67.48 on persistent dollar demand from banks and importers amidst weakness in equities. Foreign capital outflows also affected the rupee value. Foreign portfolio investors and foreign institutional investors sold shares worth a net Rs 537.46 cr on Monday, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges. The rupee opened lower at 67.40 per dollar against the yesterday's closing level of 67.31 per dollar at the Interbank Foreign Exchange (Forex) market and hovered in a range of 67.35 and 67.5550 before ending at 67.48 per dollar, showing a loss of 17 paise or 0.25 per cent. The domestic currency has dropped by 40 paise or 0.60 per cent in two days. The dollar index was trading lower by 0.08 per cent at against a basket of six currencies in the early trade but ruled steady in the afternoon trade. The RBI fixed the reference rate for the dollar at 67.4767 and euro at 76.4511. In cross-currency trades, the rupee dropped further against the pound sterling to end at 99.47 from 98.49 on Monday and also moved down further against the euro to 76.41 fom 76.25. The domestic currency declined against the Japanese yen to 64.44 per 100 yens from 64.37. At overseas, the British pound eased against the dollar in early Asian trade, a day after posting its biggest daily gain in 7 years on the back of opinion polls that swung in favor of the campaign for Britain to stay in the European Union. The dollar made up some lost ground against its Japanese counterpart the late trade, having come close to a 22-month low earlier in the session ahead of the UK referendum on European Union membership later in the week. Mr Pramit Brahmbhatt of Veracity Financial Services said," Rupee opened on a negative note with at 67.40/USD against previous close at 67.31/USD. Taking cues from negative domestic equity market rupee extended its loss ahead thus by strengthening dollar. Our domestic equity market traded in narrow range with negative bias and closed with a loss of 18 points at 8220 levels. Thus to end the trading session, rupee closed by depreciating 18 paisa at 67.48/USD. Trading range for the spot USD/INR pair will be 67 to 67.80/USD. In forward market, premium for dollar continued to rule easy on sustained receivings from exporters. The benchmark 6-month premium for November moved down to 188-190 paise from 189-191 paise yesterday and far forward May 2017 contract eased further to 382-384 from 384-386 paise. Oil prices fell in Asia, snapping two days of gains, ahead of a report on US crude inventories and the British referendum on whether to stay in the European Union. Meanwhile, the Indian benchmark Sensex ended lower by 54.14 points or 0.20 per cent to 26,812.78. The government on Monday announced sweeping reforms to open up the country's defence, food processing and civil aviation sectors to 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI). It clears the way for Apple and other single-brand retailers to open stores in the country and also increases the foreign ownership limit in brownfield pharma companies to 74 per cent. The announcement, comes two days after RBI governor Raghuram Rajan said he would not seek another term, and was interpreted by critics as the government's move to address concerns about whether reforms he set in motion will stall. However, a senior government official told MAIL TODAY that the reforms were not readied merely in two days and the announcement has nothing to do with Rajan's exit. The new reform measures which relax restrictions on foreign investments in singlebrand retail are expected to benefit Apple as a three-year relaxation introduced on local sourcing norms with an extension of up to five years possible if it can be proven that products are "state of the art". "We will inform Apple to indicate whether they would like to avail the new provisions," Rajesh Abhishek, secretary of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), said. Other single-brand retailers like furniture giant IKEA also stand to benefit. The new rules allow 100 per cent FDI in trading of food products manufactured or produced in India. The norm also covers food products traded on ecommerce platforms, an official statement said. DIPP secretary Ramesh Abhishek said that the 100 per cent FDI has been allowed in marketing of food products without any condition. Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal had earlier demanded that foreign players looking to invest in the sector should mandatorily invest a portion of their investments in building infrastructure at the farm gate level. The minister was pitching for a condition that 25 per cent of the foreign inflows should be invested in creating agri infrastructure. The food processing sector has attracted $5,285.66 million FDI during the April 2012 to December 2015 period. Defence contractors that have been reluctant to transfer technology to manufacture equipment in India would get the right to completely own local operations under the new rules. Earlier, there was a ceiling of 49 percent on foreign investment in defence enterprises. In other changes, the government allowed 100 percent FDI in civil aviation but the investing company cannot be a foreign airline. The safeguard has been introduced to keep out unhealthy competition that would be detrimental to Indian aviation. Norms for overseas investment have also been relaxed in brownfield airports. Until now foreign investment up to 49 per cent was allowed under the automatic route in domestic airlines. It has now been decided to raise this limit to 100 per cent, with FDI of up to 49 per cent under the automatic route and beyond that through government approval. The FDI liberalisation in the aviation sector comes close on the heels of last week's launch of a new policy that lowered barriers to entry for airlines that want to fly on international routes. The government also allowed foreign companies to own up to 74 per cent in 'brownfield' pharmaceuticals projects without prior government approval. India already allows 100 percent ownership of greenfield pharma businesses. In case of private security agencies, FDI up to 49 per cent is now permitted under automatic route and up to 74 per cent through approval route. (In association with Mail Today Bureau) Thursday will be crucial as the citizens of Britain will decide whether the country will remain in the European Union or part, ending the year-long liaison. ALSO READ: Brexit speculation shaking global economy: World Bank Polling will begin in Britain at 10 am local time and will continue all day till 10 pm. But unlike general elections, broadcasters will not release an exit poll because of cross section of voters and concerns over accuracy. A recent study by Number Cruncher Politics, a blog focussed on UK psephology, statistical analysis, opinion polls and politics, calculates a Brexit forecast model and probabilities of outcome. The likeliest outcome as calculated by them is to 'Remain' in the EU. This comes in the wake of Labour Party MP Jo Cox's death which swayed the sentiments of Britain to vote against a Brexit. Cox vehemently supported that Britain to remain a part of the EU ALSO READ: Wondering what Brexit is all about? Read all about it and how it matters to India COUNTING PROCESS Each ballot box will be transported to centres in 382 areas for local counts. First, officials will tally up the number of ballot papers in each box and check if it matches records from the relevant polling station. Following this, the announcement for local turnout will be declared after which teams will begin to sort and count the ballot papers. Finally, each result will be announced locally by the official in charge, who will read it aloud in the counting centre, maybe even in front of a television camera. IT'S THE COUNT MATTERS It doesn't matter how many individual area each sides wins, the total number of votes across the country is what matters. In a scenario where one of the sides dispute the result in a particular area, the ballot papers will be taken back to be recounted which can be time consuming affair. THE COUNTDOWN A recent Bloomberg report explained how the referendum day will pan out: 12.00 Midnight The isles of Scilly, home to 2,000 of UK's 65 million population, and Gibralter, where 33,000 people live, are the first areas from where the results to be announced. A poll in April suggested that 88 per cent will vote to remain. 12.30 to 1 am Poll results of the cities of northeast Sunderland and Newcastle, with a combined population of 600,000, will be the second to declare their results This will be followed by the results from the City of London, Britain's most pro-EU district. However, it accounts for the second smallest count area and is not a clear representative indicator. 1 a.m. to 2 am Oldham is due to provide the first result from northwest England which, according to polls, tends towards a 'leave' Results will speed up from Basildon, in Essex, and Hartlepool in the northeast. Stockport and Salford are to follow with Wales and Scotland completing the western isles. 2 a.m. to 3 a.m. By 2 a.m. 40 per cent of the results are scheduled to announced, thereby highlighting a plausible trend as to where things are moving forward. Vote results of Castle Point in Essex, Lambeth in south London and Oxford are scheduled to be declared with the biggest leave and remain result respectively as per their campaigns. 3 a.m. 140 out of 382 votes will be declared by this time with results of Thanet, Edinburgh, Cambridge and Lancaster out. 4 a.m. This will be clocked as the busiest hour seeing over 100 counts that include Northern Ireland and Birmingham with the combined population of 2.9 million. 5 a.m. Bigger cities like Manchester, Glasgow and Liverpool that are densely inhabited will start to announce their results. If the schedule goes as per the plan, 30 more results would be left. 6 a.m. Leeds and Bristol will be the last two cities to announce their results at this hour followed by rural Cornwall. 7 a.m. Finally, Arun on the south coast, Waveney on the east coast and Harborough in the East Midlands with a combined population of 350,000 will decide the outcomes if the results up till this point are fairly close. It is important to note that these coastal areas are extremely pro-Brexit. Once the result is announced, Chief Counting Officer Jenny Watson will formally announce the national result on June 24th in Manchester. Domestic institutional investors were seen shoring up shares today with purchase worth over Rs 2,100 crore as foreign investors turned jittery with sales worth more than Rs 3,065 crore amid concerns over RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan's decision against a second term. The Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) remained net sellers with a net outflow of Rs 537.46 crore, after taking into account shares worth Rs 3,602.86 crore bought by them. In contrast, the DIIs made a net purchase of Rs 724 crore after selling shares worth Rs 1,380 crore, as per the provisional data compiled by the stock exchanges. While the final inflow and outflow data would be made public later by the depositories, the provisional figures showed a contrasting trend to the traditional pattern of foreign investors being net buyers on a day when the benchmark stock market indices like Sensex and Nifty close with gains. FPIs are estimated to own over 20 per cent shares of all the listed shares available for trading in the country, while the holding of DIIs is just about 7-8 per cent. This ensures that the FPIs remain in a much stronger position to drive the movement of the Indian stock markets. Marketmen said that some big domestic institutions could have been pressed into hectic buying in today's trading session to counter selling by foreign investors on concerns relating to Rajan. They also pointed out that turnover was relatively higher in early morning trades today for a Monday. Stocks and rupee today opened with an early morning plunge but equities bounced back to score a 241-point rally as Rexit jitters got blunted by a new wave of FDI reforms, hectic buying by institutions, talking-up by influential market men and easing Brexit worries. Rupee, however, could not be saved of its morning blues entirely and ended 23 paise down at Rs 67.31 against the US dollar, although intervention by RBI in the forex markets helped its partly recoup the losses. The Indian currency had plunged almost one per cent or 61 paise to a low of Rs 67.69. RBI bought government's securities worth Rs 10,000 crore through OMO purchase auction held today, while the total amount offered by participants stood at Rs 45,922 crore. There have been concerns about a sharp plunge in stock and rupee valuations after Rajan made a surprise announcement over weekend that he would not take a second term at RBI. Stock market benchmark Sensex plunged to as low as 26,438 points in pre-open trade between 0900-0915 hours, down nearly 200 points from its previous close, but early morning buying orders helped limit the opening loss at 178 points. After touching a low of 26,447.88 in opening trade, the Sensex recovered sharply to scale an intra-day high of 26,885.49 points before finishing at 26,866.92, showing a gain of 241.01 points or 0.91 per cent. Nifty closed 68.30 points or 0.84 per cent up at 8,238.50. Britain's exit from the European Union will have a negative impact on the $108-billion Indian IT sector in the short term, industry body Nasscom said today. However, Nasscom said the exact nature and extent of the impact - if "Brexit" happens - will emerge over a longer period of two years or more. Brexit refers to the possibility that Britain will withdraw from the European Union with the in-out referendum on its EU membership to be held on June 23. The UK would have two years to figure out the exact terms of the nation's departure. "An initial analysis indicates that the impact on India's technology sector may be mixed; clearly negative in the short term and harder to discern in the longer term with either scenario having some positive and some negative points," Nasscom said. It added that how and to what extent it will impact Indian IT companies in the region will become fully clear only after "the dust settles on the referendum". Leading IT firms like TCS, Infosys, Wipro and HCL Technologies did not comment on the issue. A Tech Mahindra spokesperson said the company will "wait and see what the outcome of the referendum is" and then assess the situation. According to reports, Indian IT companies get anywhere from 6-18 per cent of their revenues from the UK. The UK has traditionally been the gateway for Indian IT firms to enter Europe and they have set up a large presence in the UK to serve the EU markets from their headquarters in London. "Consequently, a negative implication of Brexit is that Indian IT companies may need to establish separate headquarters/operations for EU, leading to disinvestment from the UK and diversion of activity from the UK to EU," it said. Also, the immediate fallout of Brexit on the IT industry in India would be the impact of any possible decline in the value of the British pound, which would render many existing contracts losing propositions unless they are re-negotiated. In the longer run, Brexit could help strengthen India-UK economic relationship as the UK seeks to compensate for loss of preferential access to EU markets. "India's focus on innovation, entrepreneurship and high-end work renders it a very attractive destination from a talent standpoint and equally in terms of market access. This could work to the benefit of the IT sector in India since the UK currently accounts for about 17 per cent of India's IT exports worldwide," it said. Additionally, with the UK less dependent on intra-EU immigration into the UK, it could become more open to high-skilled immigration from other non-EU countries including India, it added. However, in case Britain decides to stay a part of the EU, the IT industry would need to contend with easy intra-EU migration of skilled workers from India into the UK, since it may continue to be dealt with as an immigration issue and not a trade issue. "In this scenario, in spite of a felt need for skilled workers from overseas, including India, such immigration may remain a lower priority below intra EU and political asylum linked immigration, thereby adversely impacting the IT industry in India," Nasscom said. Consequently, it is important for the UK government to take note of the views of the IT industry as the details of the deal are worked out, it added. The President of the Irish Farmers Association (IFA), Joe Healy, has today claimed urgent action is needed to address the deepening farm income crisis. Mr Healy was speaking at a briefing for TDs and Senators in Dublin. Todays briefing is the start of a major IFA campaign to secure measures that will relieve the "extreme income pressure" being felt by farmers in almost every sector and every county of Ireland. At the briefing, IFA representatives spelled out the steps required by Government to deliver positive change for farmers. Joe Healy said Irish farmers also need Government support for stronger EU legislation to tackle the dominance of retailers and wholesalers in the food supply chain as well as a strong stand against damaging trade deals. Speaking today, Joe Healy said, "With prices running below the cost of production on dairy and grain farms, the income crisis is being compounded by a clear market failure in the Irish financial sector. The cost of financing short-term working capital on farms is very high, with average quoted rates for overdraft facilities of 8%, and higher rates for merchant credit." He added, "The EU Agriculture Council has recognised the need to address cashflow pressures on farms with provision for State Aid through low interest loans or loan guarantees. Our Government needs to move now to provide low cost short-term loans to alleviate cashflow pressures across all sectors." Source: www.businessworld.ie Over half of Irish people want to see the Universal Social Charge (USC) scrapped asap, whereas a further 29% think it needs to be phased out over the next few years. This is according to a new survey released today by Taxback.com. The Universal Social Charge (USC) is a tax on income that replaced both the income levy and the health levy (also known as the health contribution) since 1 January 2011. You pay the USC if your gross income is more than 13,000 per year. (This limit was 4,004 in 2011, 10,036 from 2012 to 2014 and 12,012 in 2015). The survey also highlights general consumer sentiment towards taxation in Ireland overall with 42% saying it taxes the poor too much and the rich too little. Twenty eight per cent say they dont mind paying tax but they dont know where it all goes theyd like to see more accountability while 19% say it discriminates against those who have some money but are not considered rich middle income Ireland. Tax and Payroll Director at www.taxback.com, Christine Keily commented, "In every country there is always going to be some discontent with the way taxes are gathered but in Ireland it seems that most people know that taxes are a necessary evil but are not happy because they think they are taken unfairly from those who dont have it & others are disheartned by the fact that they dont see that we are getting good bang for our buck." Source: www.businessworld.ie About us It was announced today that Irelands investment in the European Space Agency is expected to double employment in the space sector to over 1,000 high value technology jobs in Irish industry over the next four years. This comes after an agreement between The Tyndall National Institute and ESA on the establishment of a Space Business Incubator in Ireland - supporting 25 Irish Start-up companies in space related technologies by 2020 The number of companies in the sector expected to expand to over 80 by 2020, generating annual revenues growing from 76 million in 2015 to 135 million by 2020. This investment will also double employment with the creation of over 1,000 high value technology jobs in Irish industry by 2020. Companies involved with ESA are also projected to increase combined turnover from 274 million to over half a billion by 2020. The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell OConnor, this week welcomed the recently appointed Director General of the European Space Agency, Jan Woerner, to Ireland. On his visit he saw for himself the rapid expansion of the Irish space sector in Ireland and he set out his plans for the European Space Sector and role which Ireland can play. As part of his visit, the European Space Agency and the Tyndall National Institute (as Host in partnership with Maynooth University and Athlone Institute of Technology) signed an agreement establishing a Space Business Incubation Centre in Ireland which will target support for 25 Irish Start-up companies in space related technologies by 2020. Speaking during his visit to Ireland, Mr Jan Woerner said, "Global space economy is undergoing rapid change as more countries enter the 21st century space race. Given the high level of technology innovation we have seen in Ireland, Irish space companies are ideally placed to gain a significant share of the global space market and are already expanding rapidly into it." Source: www.businessworld.ie About us The Irish Independent has today reported that Hacketts bookmakers has been placed in liquidation after over 50 years in business. According to the report, the company said it it had found it difficult to keep pace with larger competitors in recent years as the migration to online betting has intensified. The company had tried to restructure the business by selling a number of its stores to Paddy Power. The restructuring effort reduced the number of stores in the chain down to 18 from 35. Hacketts currently employs 35 people and has a turnover of around 30m. All Hacketts stores have been closed with immediate effect and PwC appointed as liquidators. Paddy Power will honour any outstanding Hacketts customer bets. Managing Director at Hacketts, John Hackett today commented, "The business has struggled in recent years due to several factors including the significantly reduced role of retail betting in the overall betting market, increased competition in mobile and online betting, flat rate betting tax of 1pc on turnover, restricted opening hours in comparison to 24-hour online access and a general reduction in the average customer bet in retail shops after the recession in 2008." Source: www.businessworld.ie PLEASE NOTE! Due to the March 23, 2020 NM DOH Public Health Order, These Event Listings Are Not Accurate! All non-essential businesses are closed, public gatherings are prohibited! (One day some of these events will be rescheduled or will resume, but they are not happening now!) A meeting took place yesterday afternoon between North Inner City public representatives and Taoiseach, Enda Kenny. During the meeting, Workers Party Councillor, Eilis Ryan, proposed that a Docklands tax be levied on large businesses in the Docklands and IFSC with the revenue raised being ring-fenced to fund public investment in local jobs. Cllr Ryan claimed the North Inner City requires large-scale, sustained public investment to help reverse the "neglect of decades." Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Ryan commented, "Businesses in the Docklands and the IFSC have benefited hugely not only from their prime location in the North Inner City, but also from a range of state supports and infrastructural investment. At the same time, residents are left waiting for much-needed public investment in sustainable jobs, as well as in services like social housing." He added, "A ring-fenced Docklands Tax could help fund such investment, and would enable large businesses in the Docklands and IFSC to make a tangible contribution to the community in which they operate." Source: www.businessworld.ie About us The founders of Walsh Whiskey Distillery, Bernard & Rosemary Walsh, have officially opened their 25million Irish whiskey distillery by the banks of the River Barrow at Royal Oak, County Carlow. Royal Oak is now distilling Walsh Whiskey Distillerys whiskeys, The Irishman and Writers Tears, which are already sold in 40 countries worldwide. The new world-class distillery and visitor centre will create 55 jobs and bring 75,000 whiskey tourists to Royal Oak, County Carlow and Irelands Ancient East tourism trail. Located on an 18th century estate comprising 40 acres of pastoral land, the distillery is the only independent Irish whiskey distillery producing all three styles of Irish whiskey pot still, malt and grain from its two production lines using both pot stills and column stills. At full tilt the Walsh Whiskey Distillery at Royal Oak has the capacity to produce 650,000 cases (two and a half million litres of pure alcohol (LPAs) or 8 million bottles) of whiskey annually which is 9.7% of the total Irish whiskey exports in 2014. Walsh Whiskey Distillery will allocate up to 15% of its annual production to contract sales and has recently sealed its first deal with Altia (a leading wine and spirits company in the Nordic and Baltic countries). The distillery at Royal Oak will also include two maturation houses with capacity for 60,000 barrels. Work on these buildings will commence in 2017. The distillery, which is also designed as a visitor experience, will be open to the public from this July. The tours will also incorporate the 18th century Holloden House (c.1755) in a few years when renovations are complete. A total of 75,000 whiskey tourists are expected to visit annually by 2021. The operations at Royal Oak will create a total of 55 permanent and part-time jobs in the Carlow area, over 5 years. The Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, through Enterprise Ireland, is supporting the project. The Founder of Walsh Whiskey Distillery, Mr Bernard Walsh today commented, "After 17 years in business, the opening of our own distillery is both the fulfilment of Rosemary and my own dreams and a game changing moment for the company." He addded, "We are now in control of our destiny and have the capacity, variety and relationships to play our part in the continued revival of Irish whiskey which is one of this countrys great traditions." Source: www.businessworld.ie About us It has been announced today that Dublin City Council is to grant planning permission for a new 257-bed hotel on Dean Street in the St Patricks Cathedral Area. The Hotel is being developed by the Hodson Bay Group on a site, which they assembled by purchasing several adjoining properties at this location. The Group owns and operates the Hodson Bay Hotel, the Sheraton Hotel in Athlone and the Galway Bay Hotel in Galway City. The group has previously stated that the new Hotel will be operated under a franchise license with a major brand and due to their existing strong relationship with Starwood Hotels and Resorts, the new property is likely to be opened as a Sheraton Hotel. The Chairman of Failte Ireland, Michael Cawley, has this week welcomed the news. He said that the development of a four star hotel of this scale so close to a major tourism attraction such as St Patricks Cathedral, together with the recent opening of Teelings Distillery and the Dublin City Council plans for Newmarket Square are major steps towards the development of a world class centre for culture and Heritage in the Heart of the City. Source: www.businessworld.ie About us Irish law firm, McCann FitzGerald has announced the establishment of their Data Investigations Group, a pioneering model for the management of high-volume document review and reporting. By combining the latest data review software and techniques with specialist legal project management, the Data Investigations Group can save clients up to 40% in cost over traditional review and research methods. Operating alongside existing teams in McCann FitzGerald, the Data Investigations Group serves as a central support for the firm to achieve better and more competitive management of work. The group is headed by newly-appointed Director of Data Investigations, Grainne Bryan. Partner at McCann FitzGerald, Karyn Harty commented, "The profession is changing and the challenge is to maintain excellence while embracing technological change in a way that benefits our clients. We have combined our expertise in technology-based review with streamlined project management, enabling legal projects to be completed more quickly and with greater precision." He added, "The result is cost-effective resourcing of large- scale legal work without any compromise in quality. We have seen significant cost savings as a result of this new model, which can be up to 40% compared to traditional delivery models." Source: www.businessworld.ie Mass media disinterest for refugees Published on June 21, 2016 Story by Anastasia Valeeva en it fr es de pl Praising the refugee hunters as national heroes; beating international journalists together with migrants; sentimental pleas with a short-time effect those are few examples of media coverage of the refugee crisis. The backlash is further distrust in the media as such. What are the ways out of it? Cafebabel is following the discussion with the European media experts. Hunting refugees This masked man in a camouflage gear is not a soldier but a refugee hunter, one of many who are patrolling the frontier between Turkey and Bulgaria. When first reported in Bulgarian press, those people were shown as local heroes, praised by government and welcomed by the public according to the polls. Things changed when the international media came in. The enthusiasm went down. However, the overall attitude of media is still okay, says Bulgarian journalist Vesselin Dmitrov. This is one of many examples of how some media fall into populist and oversimplistic reporting. Refugees and media: crisis goes both ways To what extent are the media responsible for shaping public opinion about refugees? While some media are paraphrasing state propaganda, the others seem trapped in emotional, short-sighted appeals. What effect the refugee issue has on media ? These were the topics discussed at the briefing by the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) with experts from the European media sphere and refugees. According to Chiara Sighele, Project Manager of Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso, media failed to play a responsible role and became a mouthpiece for xenophobic rhetoric , leaving public radically uninformed. How to report objectively and not get beaten up? In the mean time, there is no ' free media' as such, but so many of them are state-owned from online newsrooms to citizen websites. It would be wrong to generalize, warns Balazs Nagy Navarro, a prize-winning journalist and media freedom advocate. In his country, Hungary, the pivotal day was on September 16th 2015 when several journalists were beaten up when the crowd of refugees was trying to get through the fence. Obviously those journalists were part of the crowd to put in the limelight the real picture of what was happening. Even though they had badges and professional equipment and thus were recognizable as journalists. Still, they were beaten up by police, and the official response to the call for investigation was that police acted lawfully, professionally and there was no reason to investigate. How to secure journalists' safety under such conditions? Refugees losing hope, media losing interest Refugees tents are piling up in Athens port : set up so close to each other that there is no passageway between them. This is the only privacy they have - they cook, sleep and live in those tents, with the exception for the toilets and bath, for which they have to take the long queues and provide stamped papers. As an evidence, Ola Aljari a Syrian refugee and a journalist in residence at the ECPMF , there is decreasing interest of media for the refugees topic. During the 10 days she spent in Greece looking at the conditions in the refugee camp in Athens port, she only met one journalist. He told her it was getting harder and harder to sell pictures or stories to media. And surely the reason why this has rooted into the industry of todays mass media is that there is no place for good news anymore, no place for balanced reporting, no time for in-depth discussions. The refugees were reluctant to give any more interviews. They were losing hope that media would help them. Is that hope, however, feeding the stereotyped image of the superhero media which can save lives? "The only answer is to further mobilize" This brings us to a broader onthological problem of media. Can media fulfill its social role in the current state? The refugee media coverage has particular connotations in different European countries. In Eastern Europe countries, it is often the lack of experience as a democratic State and being a destination for immigration which is highlighted. In Germany genuine discussions are not possible because the German society is so polarized and any talks have the echo of nazi propaganda. The answer to this is putting more reasonable voices on the arena. The voices that could build fact-based and balanced stories and will not be driven by sensation, exclusive or revenues. As Jane Whyatt from ECPMF said, the refugees are there to stay, its still a story, and its as wrong to ignore them as to put them on the front page with a sentimental picture . It seems that there is no better place for quality journalism now than the refugee crisis. Story by Anastasia Valeeva Brexit from the Spanish coast: Sun, sand... and speculation Published on June 21, 2016 en es pl de it fr The referendum on the UKs future in the European Union is the cause of much uncertainty. If the "Bremain" camp wins the day, everything will keep on much as it was before. But if "Brexit" emerges victorious, the daily existence of thousands of people could change overnight. British expats living in Spain certainly have reason to worry. The Brits have a date with the polls this Thursday the 23rd of June. They'll be voting in a referendum on whether or not to remain one of the 28 member states of the European Union. The uncertainty surrounding what could happen is being closely monitored across the continent, but Spain is giving it special attention. The country hosts the most British citizens outside of the UK itself. According to official data from the Spanish Ministry of Employment, there are 286,012 Brits living in the country as permanent residents who don't require a visa due to their status as European citizens. More specifically the majority live on the Mediterranean coast. This figure heavily differs to the estimations of the Institute for Public Policy Research that there could be as many as 800,000 people who chose not to officially register as residents for tax purposes. The most common profile: pensioners in search of their dream retirement, lovers of sun-sand-and-sea, with a preference for the provinces of Alicante (70,233 Brits), Malaga (49,526) and the Balearic Islands (24,542). According to the British Embassy in Madrid, only expats who have been registered on the British electoral roll in the last 15 years are eligible to vote in the referendum a far from trivial figure. A potential Brexit could cause a plethora of problems for a huge number of people. The loss of the right to claim Spanish welfare benefits and to the European health insurance coverage, for a start. You can add to that the possible devaluation of the pound and the obvious farewell to freedom of movement. Nonetheless, faced with such an unprecedented event, the consequences of a possible withdrawal remain a mystery. "Britains relationship with the EU, following any vote to leave the union, seems unclear. But it is fair to say that a potential Brexit could lead to uncertainty and concern for those living abroad," writes The Guardian. "The EU should adopt a less elitist communication policy " Jose J. Sanmartin Pardo, Professor of Politics at the University of Alicante, says it will be the "more informed and economically active" citizens who will vote "no" to the UK exiting the EU. "The problem lies with those who do not feel represented by the British Government or the European government," he explains. He argues that, among the reasons behind this disaffection, "The European Commission is seen by most British people as an expensive and inefficient institution. The EU should adopt a communication policy that is more universal and less elitist. University students capable of understanding it are in a minority in society." In any case, he says that "a 'yes' to Brexit would be a serious problem, but it does not entail the automatic exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union". Although the average British expat in Spain is around 52 years old, there are those who belong to a younger generation. James, a 28-year-old English teacher, has been living in Barcelona for the last year. When asked about the referendum, he said: "On the 23rd of June I will vote against leaving (...) For a British citizen, like me, who lives outside their country, the effects leaving may have on the ability to move around or look for work abroad are concerning. However, I doubt that such a measure [abolition of free movement] would really be applied. What would happen to all the Europeans living in the UK?" Gibraltar, in the midst of the debate A little further south of the Iberian Peninsula lies Gibraltar, a British overseas territory located just 60 kilometres from Morocco. According to data from a July 2015 census, 29,258 people live here. For them, a hypothetical UK exit would involve another drawback, specifically concerning free movement across the Spanish border. Gibraltar's sovereignty still regularly causes tension between London and Madrid on problems relating to naval and air space, as well as long waits at customs. It's definitely an area to consider on the 23rd of June. What would happen to the territory if the UK votes to leave the Union? There are several options. Would Spain close the borders with its neighbour? Or would it be in favour of establishing joint sovereignty between both states? This possibility has been denied by the Prime Minister of Gibraltar, Fabian Picardo, who has also called for Gibraltar to remain in the EU should Britain vote to leave. "It is important to send a message to those in the UK who think that there would be no adverse consequences for Gibraltar in the event that the UK were to leave the EU," Picardo said in an interview with the Gibraltar Chronicle. In another piece published on Politico, he wrote: "For Gibraltar, the disastrous consequences of economic exclusion from our main trading bloc in our case mostly in financial services would be compounded by giving Spain a brand new opportunity to lock us out at the border." On the other hand, the Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo, who stressed that Gibraltar remains a non-autonomous territory subjected to a process of decolonisation, has reiterated on various occasions that Spain would be willing to resume this debate with London in the case of an exit from the EU. Is this how the wider population feels? According to the BBC, "It's not so much that all Gibraltarians love the European Union project, but rather that many see the EU as the only force standing in the way of a tricky relationship with Spain." --- We've officially been banned from quoting The Clash, but the question nevertheless invokes the famous song. On the 23rd of June 2016, citizens of the United Kingdom will vote on whether or not they want to remain a member state of the European Union. We've a few Babelians who have a thing or two to say about that... Story by Ana Valiente Spanish freelance journalist based in Madrid. Currently exploring the boundless world of documentary filmmaking. Translated from El 'Brexit', a su paso por Espana SHARE From the Porch Steps Beatriz Alvarado/Caller-Times Esther Bonilla Read's latest book "From the Porch Steps" is made up of 74 vignettes grouped in three sections home, school and life. By Beatriz Alvarado of the Caller-Times At his expense, Ruben Bonilla Jr. learned the moral of the Trojan Horse tale from his older sister. Counting cars for points in Calvert, a small town south of Dallas, was a game he and Esther Bonilla Read would play from the porch steps. Read, who is 9 years older than Bonilla, one day wagered on east bound traffic on State Highway 6. Bonilla, then about 7-years-old, went along with her rule. Then a soon-to-be Baylor University student, Read knew Baylor was playing Texas A&M at Kyle Field that day AKA, eastbound bumper-to-bumper traffic. "She picked the side she knew would guarantee victory, further exploiting her little brother," Bonilla said jokingly. Bonilla will forever beware of Greeks bearing gifts. And his sister's humor will forever be a staple in the now-author's writing. The account is among 74 in Read's latest book "From the Porch Steps." The vignettes are grouped in three sections home, school and life. Read, 78, worked in education more than 30 years. Some are based on a catapulting thought scribbled on a sticky note, others are classics retold at family gatherings. She's posted the "little stories" to her Facebook time line since about 2009, she said. They weren't written for publication, it just turned out that way. Besides the humorous particulars of growing up in a small town with five brothers and two sisters, Read also details some anguish in her life, like when her father was summoned for the tail end of World War II. Although the war ended before he was to ship out, Read offers a peek into her and her father's close relationship in the short and throughout the book. "(The book is) to inform and to entertain," she said. Her mother fled from Monterrey, Mexico during the Mexican Revolution to evade her sons being drafted and her father migrated from Mexico City and became and successful entrepreneur, giving Read many personal experiences to chronicle. A copy of Read's book sits on a desk belonging to her nephew, Tony "Duke" Bonilla, Jr. said. The early college high school director at West Oso High said he keeps it there to share with visitors adults and students alike. His favorite story is about when she was a substitute assistant principal and hugged a student instead of disciplining him for disruptive behavior. She realized he was the son of a woman who abandoned her family earlier that day. "That shows the type of educator and person (Read) is," Bonilla said. "She's an inspiration to me and my career." Twitter: @CallerBetty Contributed photo/city of Aransas Pass Aransas Pass received more than 12 inches of rain in five hours starting on May 15 causing widespread flooding. SHARE Contributed photo/city of Aransas Pass Aransas Pass received more than 12 inches of rain in five hours starting on May 15 causing widespread flooding. By Natalia Contreras of the Caller-Times When 12 inches of rain fell in five hours in Aransas Pass and caused widespread flooding, about 150 families and businesses needed help. Help has come here, the U.S. Small Business Administration announced. On Monday the SBA opened a disaster loan outreach center in Aransas Pass to provide financial assistance to those affected in Aransas, Bee, Jim Wells, Live Oak, Nueces, Refugio and San Patricio counties. About 10 inches of rain were also reported May 15 in Corpus Christi. Low-interest federal disaster loans are available to homeowners, businesses of all sizes, renters, and nonprofit organizations, including churches, SBA spokeswoman Cynthia Cowell said. "If their property was affected by this disaster in May, there's money available for them," Cowell said. "The SBA can also assist with the cost of improvements to prevent the damage from happening again." Loans available include business physical disaster loans, home disaster loans and economic injury disaster leans to help meet funds caused by the disaster, regardless of whether there was any property damage. Cowell said the office will be opened until June 30 to help submit loan applications. Deadlines to submit applications are Aug. 15 for physical damage and March 16 for economic injury applications. Aransas Pass Emergency Management Coordinator Capt. Lynn Pearce said residents who were affected should take advantage of the outreach center and its services. "Many of these folks have spent a lot of money already on repairing their homes," Pearce said. "This gives them an opportunity to be more resilient and improve their properties to prevent this from happening again in the future." Businesses and nonprofit organizations can borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment. It may be used for inventory and other business assets, Cowell said. For more information, call the SBA's Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 or www.sba.gov/disaster Twitter: @CallerNatalia DISASTER LOAN OUTREACH CENTER Where: Aransas Pass Civic Center, 700 W. Wheeler Ave. When: Open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday until June 30. GABE HERNANDEZ/CALLER-TIMES Opinion Editor Tom Whitehurst Jr. loads a magazine as he prepares to do a demo oh how fast he can empty an AR-15 on Friday, June 17, 2016, in Corpus Christi. SHARE Gun restriction isn't a popular topic in South Texas. Only a year ago the state's Legislature approved open carry of firearms. The people of this region of the state cherish their guns and their rights, and we respect those rights. What we are about to say doesn't contradict our respect for those rights. What we are about to say would have been true before the Orlando shooting, the worst mass shooting in our nation's history, less than two weeks ago. And it would have been true before the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting nearly four years ago: Further sale of military-style high-capacity firearms to civilians should cease as soon as possible, by congressional action. Congress, further, should limit the number of bullets that can be loaded into those guns by the civilians who already possess them. And gun purchasers should undergo a federally mandated background check to make sure they're not fugitives or otherwise prohibited from gun ownership. If the background check complicates person-to-person sales or sales at gun shows, so be it. A background check wouldn't be any more an invasion of privacy than the requirement to show identification to purchase liquor or verify oneself as the holder of the credit card being used in a purchase. These all are reasonable restrictions whose time came long before Sandy Hook. They also are constitutional. On Monday the Supreme Court declined to hear challenges of capacity limits and bans on the sale of military-style rifles in New York and Connecticut the state where the Sandy Hook shooting occurred. The Supreme Court has acknowledged governmental authority to place reasonable restrictions without violating the Second Amendment right to bear arms. These recommendations wouldn't prevent gun users from hunting, sport-shooting or protecting themselves and their homes from attack by anything short of a military force. The dizzying array of guns that still could be bought are up to those tasks. Proponents of military-style rifles such as the ones used in seven of the eight most recent mass killings argue that there is little difference between them and semi-automatic hunting rifles. That would be true if the magazine capacities of the military-style rifles which we are refraining from addressing as assault weapons were limited to the four- or five-round capacities of the hunting rifles. Do that, and put a scope on the military-style rifle, and, voila, the owner has a hunting or long-range target rifle that only looks sinister. In each issue of the National Rifle Association's magazine is a section reporting incidents of successful self-defense against criminal attackers always with a firearm, usually a shotgun or small-caliber handgun. These are stories even a pacifist would love. They also affirm the NRA's philosophy of having the right to use a gun to defend oneself. But they also show that it doesn't take a military-style semi-automatic rifle capable of firing 30 rounds in a matter of seconds to defend oneself and one's home. If anything, firing that kind of gun inside one's home or from one's doorstep endangers the lives of those in neighboring homes. It's a real possibility with a high-powered rifle fired multiple times, but highly unlikely to happen with a handgun or shotgun because of their limited ranges. Ours is not a knee-jerk position. We let more than a week pass to give it the careful deliberation it deserved. Gun rights advocates roll their eyes at the predictability of demands for gun control after every high-profile shooting. If they have real solutions to the increasing frequency of incidents with this type of weapon, let's hear them. Sure, other types of gun kill people. But they don't kill as many in as short a time. We recognize that with so many of this type of weapon already in mass civilian circulation, years would pass before they became scarce if their distribution were restricted to the military and law enforcement. The longer we wait, the bigger that problem becomes. | BY Lynchy | Quit Victoria has launched an emotionally charged anti-smoking campaign through their agency partner JWT Melbourne. Last Dance features a family who is coming to terms with the tragic consequences of not quitting smoking. In this instance, the father of the family is in the latter stages of terminal cancer. Set to an acoustically re-imagined version of Que Sera Sera, we watch as the father and his wife partake in a last dance together; a poignant and emotionally charged act, which is quietly and painfully observed by his young son. However, the ad offers hope to all smokers by subverting the songs key lyric into an end-line: What will be, doesnt have to be. Quit Victoria executive director Fiona Sharkie said the emotion packed campaign reflected the fact that one in two long-term smokers would die of a smoking-caused disease. Half of those would die in middle age, at a time when many people still have children living at home. With almost 4000 Victorians dying each year due to smoking, this is a scene that is being played out in lounge rooms across the state, she said. This campaign is a powerful reminder for smokers that your smoking doesnt just affect you. It affects your family too. Self-exclusion eats into the effectiveness of anti-smoking ads. The team behind Last Dance worked extremely hard to ensure every element was as relatable to the smoking cohort as possible, said Richard Muntz, Executive Creative Director of JWT Melbourne. Client: Quit Title: Last Dance Agency: JWT, Melbourne ECD: Richard Muntz Creative Director/Writer: Jim Ritchie Creative Director/Art Director: Rob Beamish Agency Producer: Sherry Harvey Client Service Director: Pete Randeria Production Company: The Sweet Shop Director: Luci Schroder Executive Producer: Fiona King Managing Director: Wilf Sweetland DOP: Jeremy Rouse Editing Company: The Butchery Editor: Johanna Scott | BY Ricki Green | Cannes Lionesses, the site that celebrates and champions female creativity, is returning to Cannes this year, and this time it is on a mission to seek out the first ever female creative to strike Cannes Gold. Cannes Lionesses is encouraging people to help out with the search to identify this ground-breaking female creative, the original Peggy Olson, and join the conversation around female creativity in the industry, using the hashtag #canneslionesses. As well as finding the first ever female Gold Lion winner, Cannes Lionesses is aiming to document every female creative to have ever won at Cannes. Then present an inspiring and definitive list of all the Cannes Lionesses throughout history from the festivals launch in 1954 to 2016. This year, as well as featuring video interviews with 2016s crop of female Cannes winners, the site will host interviews with high profile winners from previous years and from across the globe. From the UK this includes Greys Vicki Maguire, Saatchi & Saatchis Kate Stanners and Rosie Arnold, to name but a few. These celebrated female creatives will offer advice and tips to fellow females in the industry, revealing what inspires them, what winning at Cannes has meant to them and how it has impacted their careers. Interviews and other inspiring content will be hosted on the Cannes Lionesses website. Cannes Lionesses was set up last year by award winning mcgarrybowen London creative team Holly Fallows and Charlotte Watmough and is backed by the agency. Says Fallows: Last year there were thousands of winners but only 267 were female creatives. We set up Cannes Lionesses to shine a light on these women and inspire others to follow in their footsteps. Hopefully they will think, If she can do it, so can I. | BY Ricki Green | In a strategic move to bolster the agencys leadership team, the Havas Village has today announced the internal appointments of Dan Smith (right) to managing director of Havas Worldwide Sydney and Ben Sjogren (left) to managing director of Havas Media. The creation of the new roles reflects the significant growth of both agencies over the past 12 months, with the total headcount of Havas Village in Sydney now over 240. Smith has been pivotal in the growth of Havas Worldwide Sydney from an agency of 75 to more than 130 people over the past three years. He previously occupied the role of client services director and for the past 18 months has lead a team of over 50 on one of Australias most high profile integrated accounts, Defence Force Recruiting (DFR). Sjogren joined Havas Media in 2013, guiding the business from its start-up status to a leading force in the industry with over 60 staff. Sjogren has continued to drive the agencys operations and growth trajectory and has presided over a number of major account wins including QBE and Douwe Egberts. Says Anthony Gregorio, CEO, Havas Worldwide: Im delighted to see Dan move into this new role and extend his exceptional leadership across further areas of the business while still playing a pivotal part on the DFR account. The appointment of Dan and Ben is another step in our global strategy of bringing advertising, media and PR disciplines closer together. Says Mike Wilson, CEO, Havas Media: Ben is one of the Australian media industrys best creative and strategic minds. He thoroughly deserves this exciting new role and were looking forward to continuing to drive the agencys growth with Ben at the helm. | BY Ricki Green | McCann Worldgroup has announced that Aussie expat John Mescall has been named president of its Global Creative Council, an expanded creative role charged with helping the worldwide network to marshal creative resources across all of its regions and disciplines. Mescall retains his responsibilities as a global executive creative director. Says Rob Reilly, global creative chairman, McCann Worldgroup: Since moving to New York from Australia two years ago, John has brought his terrific creative energy to the network. Ive asked him to take on additional responsibilities to help maximize our creative opportunities everywhere. Mescall was executive creative director of McCann Australia before he was promoted and moved to New York to join Reillys top global creative leadership team in 2014. He is best known for his creative work on Dumb Ways to Die, the Australian Metro Trains campaign that is the most awarded in advertising history and at the Cannes Lions Festival. This month the campaign also was named the Best of the Decade at the 2016 Asia Pacific Tambuli Awards. Says Mescall: Under Robs leadership, weve been able to come together and leverage our access to global resources to make a big impact, quickly. The Councils goal is to harness the incredible collective intelligence of McCanns global talent and then find smart ways to apply that powerful creative network to real client needs. Not just to organize our leadership or to set standards, as critically important as these are, but to ensure that no matter where in the world the opportunity exists, everyone across McCann Worldgroup is working to make the most of that opportunity. | BY Ricki Green | Simon Hayes (left) and Giles Clayton (right), a young creative team from J. Walter Thompson Sydney, have competed in the Print category of the Cannes Young Lions competition. The pair write exclusively for CB. Thank you creativity For making us look like total douchebags. No, but seriously, thank you to News Corp and everyone at Young Lions whove got us out here to compete in the print competition. Its already been a blast. Two days ago we arrived in Cannes, picked up our matching totes and t-shirts and set about blending in with every other advertising upstart whove swindled their way to the South of France. Our first impression of Cannes is its kind of like Schoolies for rich people. Garish fashions, heaving overpriced bars and insecure blokes doing laps in rented Ferraris instead of their cousins supercharged Nissan Skyline. Theres also the matching shirts, this year branding the theme: Thank you creativity But what does that mean? Good question. Were still not sure either, but it has given us a tonne of LOLs flicking through the lions guide. Each juror was asked to finish the sentence Thank you creativity for And theres some absolute corkers in there. Here are a few of our faves: Thank you creativity for Helping us to imagine the unimaginable, show the unshowable, explain the unexplainable and move the unmoveable. Blurring the line between imagination and reality, so everything can become real. Being the air water and soil needed for imagination to flourish. Being the pulsating heart of our industries collective contribution to the betterment of our communities and our planet. Theres more theres lots lots more. Unfortunately we couldnt get around to reading every inspirational quote as we were thrust into competition, had 24 hours to complete our brief and came back the next day for the winners ceremony. The first judge approached the stage, had a little chat about the work and then announced: The Bronze winner is Aust Aust (clears throat) Austria! | BY Ricki Green | Tourism Western Australia has launched a new marketing campaign through Cummins&Partners as part of a major push to encourage Australian and global travellers to visit the state. The idea highlights some of the many extraordinary experiences on offer across Western Australia, from Rottnest Island and the City of Perth, to Margaret River in the South West and Kookynie in the Golden Outback with stories all told from the intimate perspective of the traveller. Says Adam Ferrier, chief strategy officer, Cummin&Partners: WA is unique in that its the sheer breadth of extraordinary things to do, see and experience that set it apart. Yet, despite this abundance of treasures, Western Australians are typically pretty understated about the amazing state they live in. We wanted to bring these two thoughts together to share with the world the concept that all of these extraordinary experiences are just another day in WA'. T he idea, developed and planned across creative and media by Cummins&Partners, puts the people of WA at its heart, and lives across a broad range of channels. From socially generated content to broadcast communications, the idea features a range of personal stories told from the first person perspective that feel very different from typical tourism advertising. Says Jim Ingram, executive creative director, Cummin&Partners: We know that these days, people are looking above all for personal experiences from a holiday or trip. They want more than just the picture book tourist experience. So we deliberately set out to make sure that the stories we tell in film and beyond are just that personal, intimate and real. The campaign also looks to rally Western Australians to share their pride in their state and their own personal just another day experiences of WA via social media, and through a partnership with 7 West Media that will see consumer photos featuring in both the online and offline pages of The West Australian in coming weeks. Says Louise Scott, executive director, strategy, brand and marketing services at Tourism Western Australia: The most persuasive advert for any tourist destination is a real person whos experienced that place, not just a piece of advertising. Every story we tell across the campaign is therefore told from the perspective of a real person and we want it to grow organically as visitors and the proud residents of Western Australia, share their own personal experiences in WA. This is just the start of an ongoing effort to showcase everything that WA has to offer, from Lucky Bay in the South to Broome in the North and everywhere in between. Were incredibly proud of the new campaign, and cant wait to keep sharing our great story with Australia and beyond. "He has done it by performing a new composition, Elegy for the Arctic, on a floating platform against the backdrop of the Nordenskiold glacier at Svalbard, Norway. He travelled on board Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise on the eve of a significant event for the future of the Arctic: the meeting of the OSPAR Commission, which could secure the first protected area in Arctic international waters. "Einaudi's new piece was inspired by the beauty of the Arctic and the threats it is facing ... Greenpeace had to build a 2.6 x 10-metre artificial iceberg, made from more than 300 triangles of wood stuck together. A grand piano was then placed on top of the platform. The instrument had travelled from a factory in Germany to the Arctic in the hold of the Arctic Sunrise. Afterwards, speaking from the Arctic Sunrise, Ludovico Einaudi said, "Being here ... I could see the purity and fragility of this area with my own eyes as I interpreted a song I wrote to be played here, on the best stage in the world. It is important that we understand the importance of the Arctic, and protect it." For some reason, the Liberal Party has found itself all tied up with special interest groups which want healthcare to be privatised. But that's all they are, special interest groups; and they don't represent the views of the rest of us. Most of us aren't employed by private health funds. Somehow though, those special interest groups have done an awesome job of brainwashing policymakers in the Liberal Party that health spending is out of control. Our Promise: Welcome to Care2, the world's largest community for good. Here, you'll find over 45 million like-minded people working towards progress, kindness, and lasting impact. Care2 Stands Against: bigots, racists, bullies, science deniers, misogynists, gun lobbyists, xenophobes, the willfully ignorant, animal abusers, frackers, and other mean people. If you find yourself aligning with any of those folks, you can move along, nothing to see here. Care2 Stands With: humanitarians, animal lovers, feminists, rabble-rousers, nature-buffs, creatives, the naturally curious, and people who really love to do the right thing. You are our people. You Care. We Care2. The results for the All India Pre-Veterinary Test (AIPVT) 2016 has been declared by the Veterinary Council of India. The results of the AIPVT 2016 was declared on the official website of the council, yesterday i.e. June 20, 2016. Candidates who appeared for the written examination which was held on May 14, 2016 can view their results here. Candidates can follow the below steps to view their AIPVT 2016 results: Candidates have to log on to the official website of the Veterinary Council of India Click on the live link 'Results' Candidates have to input their registration number, roll number and their security pin to access their results On successfully submitting the above details in their respective spaces, the results for AIPVT 2016 will be displayed on your screens Candidates are hereby notified to take a print out of the result sheet for further reference According to the official website, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur and Rajasthan States are also participating in AIPVT-2016 for admission to B.V.Sc. and A.H courses for filling up state quota seats (other than 15 per cent All India quota) in their veterinary colleges. The counseling for 15 per cent of the all-India quota seats in the veterinary colleges shall be conducted by the Veterinary Council of India. The counseling for admission in seats under the control of participating states (other than 15 per cent all-India quota) shall be conducted as per the notifications issued separately by the respective states. Provenance can contribute significantly to a classic cars value. But while a vehicles history may be interesting, its not always pleasant particularly when it comes to WW2-era German automobiles. Like this 1938 Mercedes-Benz 320 Cabriolet B, for example. One of only 34 of its kind ever built, this particular example was the only one made at Mercedes Mannheim factory, and equipped with just about every option in the catalog. It also happened to have been the property and chosen mode of transportation of one of the most evil men ever to talk the earth, and the target of one of historys most daring assassinations. Reinard Heydrich was a senior SS officer and one of Hitlers top lieutenants, widely considered to be one of the architects of the Holocaust. He was also the officer in charge of the Bohemian territories under Nazi occupation, and in 1942 the Czechoslovak government-in-exile executed Operation Anthropoid. Two operatives parachuted in behind enemy lines with help from the British and a plot to assassinate the genocidal officer. They carried out their plans on the outskirts of Prague on May 27, 1942, tossing a converted tank mine under the Mercedes. The story has been told dozens of times in print and on screen including in the upcoming film Anthropoid, set to debut next month. Heydrich succumbed to wounds sustained in the attack a week later, and the car was left as a bombed hulk until its remains were found in a barn in 1980. Since undergoing a comprehensive rebuild and restoration, the magnificent but darkly storied cabriolet has been used on numerous movie sets, and is set to go under the hammer at Campen Auktioner in Denmark on June 26. With collectors of Nazi memorabilia lamentably thick on the ground, we dont doubt that Heydrichs cabrio will fetch a pretty Reichsmark or two. Photo Gallery VIDEO Teslas business model is a recipe for success, and Atieva USA Inc is the latest start-up company that wants to challenge the American car manufacturer in the all-electric segment. Down the road from Tesla Motor Incs headquarters, another brand-new automotive company is attempting to break into the electric business, aiming to offer a family of vehicles designed and built in the United States. Backed by Chinese investors, Atieva plans to introduce a premium electric sedan in 2018, and a pair of luxury crossovers in 2020-2021. According to Reuters, the company wont be rivaling just Tesla, but also three China-based startups that are using Silicon Valley Technologies; two of them founded by the same Chinese internet billionaire backing Atieva (Jia Yueting, who controls giant tech company LeEco). The brainchild of former executives from Tesla and Oracle, Atieva was founded in 2007 and is now testing its drivetrain, composed of high-output electric motors, a lithium-ion battery pack, inverters and controllers, using a Mercedes-Benz Vito commercial van as a mule. The companys Chief Technology Officer Peter Rawlinson, the man who helped develop the Model S while at Tesla, said Atievas secret sauce is tying the hardware together, making it deliver a combined output of 900hp to the 5,000-pound four-wheel-drive van he has named Edna. Sufficient grunt to make the Vito sprint from 0 to 60mph (96km/h) in just 3.1 seconds; very close to Atievas 2.7 seconds target for its 2018 sedan. Developed under the code name Project Cosmos, the future vehicle reportedly looks like a futuristic descendant of the Audi A7. It uses ultra-thin headlamps, with thousands of insect-inspired micro lenses. Atieva has raised several hundred million dollars from investors including the Japanese trading giant Mitsui & Co Ltd, and Venrock a Silicon Valley venture capital firm connected with the Rockefeller family that once funded Intel and Apple. Currently, the company is also looking for a site to build its U.S. manufacturing plant, with director Brian Barron saying the search has narrowed to two possible locations. PHOTO GALLERY VIDEO Inside Atieva Film from Atieva on Vimeo. Derek Jenkins Why I Joined Atieva from Atieva on Vimeo. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter's speech at the Center's annual Human Rights Defenders Forum, "A Time for Peace: Rejecting Violence to Secure Human Rights." I was on a battleship in the Atlantic Ocean in 1945 when the worlds powers got together and formed the United Nations with a clear and express purpose of preventing war in the future. The United Nations was dedicated to peace. A few years later the same global powers assembled and concluded a commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Now, those two great commitments have been abandoned by the world. The United Nations is no longer a repository and guarantor of peace, and even the greatest of nations have not met the expectations of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This year in this forum we are striving to encapsulate ideas from the previous 13 years of meetings, with an emphasis on reducing government commitments and investment of human and financial resources into violence and warfare at the expense of human rights and peaceful solutions to problems. What is needed now, more than ever, is leadership that steers us away from fear and fosters greater confidence in the inherent goodness and ingenuity of humanity. Last year, governments and people united behind the new edition, you might say, of Sustainable Development Agenda, and No. 16 (and you can look it up), one of its key commitments, is to (and I quote) reduce violence and related death rates, to end abuse, to end exploitation, trafficking and all forms of torture, to promote the rule of law at the national and international levels, and to ensure equal access to justice for all. It emphasizes that inclusive and peaceful societies are the key to progress. So, here is another effort, many years later, 60 years later, to recommit the world powers and people to the finest aspects of our ethical values that we inherited from our major religions. This forum here is exploring how we can hold our governments accountable to that commitment at a time when conflict and violent extremism are both on the rise. Since the attacks of September 11, 2001, known as 9/11, we have brought together some of the worlds most effective and courageous human rights defenders and peacemakers to work for human freedom and peace while limiting the reach of violent extremists. Representatives from more than 50 nations have met here to discuss the rise of militarism and the reliance on violence by the major powers to address the threat of terrorism. During that time we have seen the global war on terror escalate out of control and result in an erosion of human rights and more and more widespread violence. On 9/11, a small but determined and well-organized number of al-Qaeda members were confined to a relatively small geographic area, but related movements have now spread widely throughout most of the world, partly because of an unbalanced militaristic response to the attacks by the major powers. Torture has been carried out with impunity, even in my own country; the right to privacy has disappeared; and freedoms of religion, association, and speech are under attack. In recent years, I have spoken out the best I could about the abuse of religious scriptures to promote various forms of violence, including the death penalty, discrimination and abuse of women, and unjust resort to warfare. These are direct violations of my own faith and other great religions, which are founded on love, kindness to strangers, not judging others, justice, and resolving disputes in the least violent manner. The cynical use of religion by groups like al-Qaeda, Daesh, and Boko Haram has had catastrophic consequences to which the United Nations and major governments have failed to respond adequately. In recent years, this forum has explored the setbacks experienced by women and girls as some major leaders use religion to exert control over their lives and to dominate the life of communities and families. Drawing on these discussions, I authored a book called A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence and Power, in which I describe the almost unbelievable persistence of violence against females of all ages. We explored how girl children face discrimination even before they are born, through sex-selective abortions and infanticide; the horrible forced marriage of young girls by the millions, the trafficking of women and girls into sex slavery, and the tragic phenomena of genital cutting and so-called honor killings. The ongoing problem of sexual violence plagues almost every nation. 1 in 3 women face intimate violence sometime in their lives. Sexual assault in our American military and on our college campuses continues on a scale that is direct proof that male abuse and domination of women has become normalized. Its a normal thing to expect. We ignore the fact that women are paid about 23 percent less than men for a years hard work. We must also realize that women are key agents of the changes we need. Women are excluded from leadership in religion, in family and community decision-making, and in legislatures and other political offices. When half of the worlds population is not consulted on important decisions and policies, it is no wonder that so many problems persist. Societies that exclude or permit abuse of women are more violent and warlike, while having women at the forefront of peace efforts or community dialogue tends to calm tensions and avert hostilities. We know that some of the most warlike leaders have been women, but when women are empowered in significant numbers, in the corporate world as well as in politics and in daily life, better decisions are made and more sustainable solutions are adopted. Last year here we heard testimony from women from Colombia, Iraq, Nigeria, Syria, the United States, and other nations involved in warfare who told us that they warned of the coming crises and sought to have preventive action, but that their voices were ignored or suppressed. Where would we be today, you think, if their voices had been heard and if governments had listened to their peace efforts? We need to amplify the voices of peacemakers and human rights defenders, especially women. It is clear that we must embrace human rights and aggressively challenge our societys acceptance of violence, which should never be seen as normal or as the preferred means of solving problems. But we know that this is true: The first time a problem arises in the world, the first response is, What kind of violence would control this new problem? But violence is now normal in our homes, communities, in our culture, in law enforcement and in foreign policy. Here in the United States, lethal police violence and the use of the death penalty, disproportionately against African-Americans, communicates the clear message that the state may kill in the interest of public safety, ignoring far less violent means of protecting the public. The public at large responds by thinking that violence is useful in achieving peaceful objectives. Thats a contrary factor in words: Violence is useful in achieving peaceful objectives. While defending a community or a nation with military force is sometimes justifiable or is sometimes necessary, the distinction between self-defense and excessive force against others has been undermined in the global wars on terror, drugs, and crime. I am grateful that many of you have launched effective collaboration between citizens and government to reduce violence, advance human rights, and create economic prosperity. Determined diplomacy has resulted in the nuclear nonproliferation agreement with Iran, possibly avoiding a war, and also the new normalization of relations between the United States and Cuba. We celebrate these hopeful examples while remembering that all too often, unnecessary violence prevails. The United States is complicit in the oppression of abusive governments when we provide weapons and financial aid to them, as is the case in Egypt, in Honduras, and other nations. And we must never forget the plight of the Palestinians. We lose sight of the fact that violence is evidence of failure, not success. We have failed to heed signs of trouble early enough to address the underlying cause of the problem, or we are in denial about the cause of the problem. We may be too self-serving to care about it, or we seek power and are content with the situation, especially when only the other side is suffering, as from high-level bombing or the use of drones. We cannot end or control the tide of personal, family or community violence, and definitely not terrorism, until we reduce excessive state violence and militarism. I remember that in 1968, opposing the war in Vietnam, Martin Luther King Jr. stated it that was not possible to separate excessive state-sanctioned violence from the bloodshed in our communities. They both exist when we normalize violence. He called on us to reject violence and its cycle of destruction. The world needs to heed his call today. We are at a turning point in history. We can choose either policies of peace and human rights or we can continue our moves toward warfare and human suffering. This is also a time when ordinary people throughout the world are expressing fear, frustration, and anxiety about the future. Many people have lost trust in their governments as the social contract frays. But instead of allowing for constructive dialogue with the public, many governments have tightened their grip, treating journalists and regular citizens as threats to national security. Meanwhile, governments invest far too much in the machinery of war, when investment in human rights would produce more peaceful results. Peace and prosperity are more likely when people are included and respected by their own governments. The Arab Awakening or Arab Spring began when young people rejected systemic human rights abuses and unjust governments. The catastrophic violence that has followed is a failure of those nations leaders to govern justly, and a failure of the international community to help create and support inclusive peace processes and democratic institutions. The cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan so far is nearing $1.7 trillion, (thats 1,700 billion dollars), and global military spending is on the rise, now reaching the level that we knew during the Cold War. The manufacturing and sale of small arms, the cause of 90 percent of civilian deaths, has skyrocketed since 9/11. The expanded use of drone warfare by the United States outside of declared war zones may constitute war crimes, according to the United Nations. Even though some dangerous terrorists are killed, they are immediately replaced, and the use of drones results in more people joining extremist organizations and may make this a choice of other nations and perhaps terrorist groups in the distant future perhaps not so distant. What would we do if almost every country on earth could afford a few drones, loaded with weapons, flying over American cities? The next president of the United States will decide whether to commit more than a trillion dollars (a thousand billion dollars) to upgrade an already excessive nuclear arsenal, including a cruise missile with a nuclear warhead thats called the Long Range Standoff Weapon. All of the so-called upgrades in our nuclear arsenal are actually new technologies that will spur current and potential nuclear powers into joining a new arms race. This will result in tremendous increases of military expenditures by many nations. We should reduce nuclear arsenals, not build new ones. Our next president should reinvigorate the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) and enter determined negotiations with existing and potential nuclear nations particularly Pakistan and India to reduce and eliminate these weapons that are a threat to humanitys existence and a drain on our resources. As long as our new investments in warfare outpace those in peaceful solutions, we will be swimming against an increasingly forceful tide. *** Tomorrow, this group will issue A Call for Peace, Dignity and Justice in our concluding session. I will send this document to the leaders of the U.S. Congress, to the incumbent president, and to candidates seeking the White House in November. I urge every one of you to share this document with your own government. From this conference, we set our sights on a world in which there is a renewed commitment to human rights and peace. Its just that simple. Restore, recommit ourselves and our governments to human rights and peace. We must leave behind the fruitless and catastrophic enmities and competitions that have left our world divided and fearful. In the spirit of the Universal Sustainable Development Agenda, we call on all governments to respond peacefully to the inevitable challenges that well face in the future. The United States is the worlds superpower, and we are likely to maintain the strongest military, and also an influential culture, as well as one of the dominant economies. Were likely to have that in future years. My prayer is that we also, the United States, become the undisputed champion of peace. Wouldnt it be nice if every country on earth, when they have a threat of warfare, would say, Why dont we go to Washington, because the American people are dedicated to peace? I pray also that we become the undisputed champion of human rights. We should restore the United Nations to its original purpose and commitment. Our hallmark should be a peaceful diplomacy. We know that among the founding fathers of our country, they knew that human rights were the driving force in the creation of our nation. As Ive said before, the United States did not invent human rights; human rights invented America. And we should once more set an example for the rest of the world. We should be pre-eminent also in gender equality. People everywhere should see us in the forefront of the struggle for environmental quality, dealing effectively with the real threat of global warming. Every citizen should be confident that our children and grandchildren will have a happier and more fulfilling life even than the one we have. We should be seen as generous in sharing our wealth and prosperity with others. I could go on down the list. My ultimate hope, however, is that people of all nations will join in a competition for best exemplifying and demonstrating these commitments to peace and human rights. Thank you. For the second year in a row, alumni from New York Citys School of Visual Arts MFA Computer Art department have been officially selected for the prestigious Annecy International Animation Film Festival. Shift, a 3D animated short by Cecilia Puglesi and Yijun Liu (MFA 2015 Computer Art) will compete in the graduation films category, and Bloody Dairy by Min Liu (MFA 2013 Computer Art) was selected for the short films out of competition screening. You can watch the trailer for Shift below: The film Bloody Diary is available to watch in its entirety: Cartoon Brew asked them a few questions about their artistic practice and the global trends theyve seen over the last few years. Cartoon Brew: Both Bloody Dairy and Shift portray personal stories whether through a 100-day art project or a character trying to find herself. What inspired these films, and does your work reflect you personally? Min Liu: Everyday things I encounter in my life inspired Bloody Dairy. It was first started with a simple animation about a moment in my day, but by the 30th day, I started adding more interesting elements into it. I do think my work reflects my personality. Im really into dark humor. Most of my works are done in a hand-drawn, and a little bit somewhat cute style, but at the same time its still pretty quirky. Yijun Liu: Yes, my work reflects me personally. I believe finding oneself is a procedure that most people encounter in their own lives. It is a very common and important theme related not only to us, but also to our audience. Thats where our inspiration comes from. Cecilia Puglesi: Shift was born as a storyboard before becoming a script. It became a portrayal of what concerns and interests me through transformation, the quiescence, a search of ambience and space, of distance and proximity, of contrast and rhythm within the composition and time of the storytelling and me. How would you best describe your animation style? Min Liu: Unique with a dark sense of humor. I play with an increased consideration for negative space and a strong color palette to create special visuals. Yijun Liu: Id always like to create art that is fun, gentle, and heartwarming. Cecilia Puglesi: For Shift the animation style was in a graphic manner; the camera movements are quite subtle, being mostly still ones or truck cameras with a slow displacement. In addition the light and shades play a main role enhanced by the use of very painterly textures. The interaction between our characters and with the characters and their world does not rely on strong actions, but rather on the environment surrounding them at a given time and the space between them. You all are international artists. In your short time since graduating from the SVA MFA Computer Art department, what kinds of global animations trends have you seen? Min Liu: I remembered when I graduated in 2013, the combination of 3D assets (especially C4D) and 2D animation was hot in the field of motion graphics design. I felt that starting from 2014, 2D cel animation started slowly back in the trend, and I am really happy to see that there are more warm and organic feelings in current trends. Yijun Liu: In my opinion, animation is connected more closely to the inner activities of humans. Many artists are telling stories based on their observation of human behavior and the psychological reasons behind it. Cecilia Puglesi: After graduation I worked at an advertising animation studio here in NY and I got to see how they mix everything at hand: 3D, 2D cel animation, and motion graphics with their very distinctive, graphic-oriented, signature on each piece. Despite the diversity of techniques and storytelling they manage to keep it perfectly coherent and cohesive and that has been very enriching. At the same time I had the opportunity to travel abroad to some of the festivals in which Shift was selected or awarded. I went to Japan, Taiwan, Spain, Portugal, and Los Angeles and I got to see student and professional films, done with many different techniques from all over the world and meetand share some drinkswith many of their makers. I also attended master classes from animators Regina Pessoa and Bill Plympton whose work I admire and who shared some insights on their coming works, from conception to production and their experiences as animators over the years. What are you looking forward to the most at Annecy? Min Liu: I am really excited to see more great works and meet talented animators from around the world. I believe that I will learn a lot from this experience. Yijun Liu: Meeting outstanding artists and broadening my view. Cecilia Puglesi: Everything! I have been to Annecy Film Festival before and it is a great opportunity to meet people, see their work, get inspired, attend masterclasses and talks, learn and discover what is going on at the time, everywhere in the world, concentrated in one place. Hopefully, I will also meet with recruiters from interesting companies. Finally, this is a special occasion to be there because it the first time in which I will attend the festival with a film in the selection. Im looking forward to sitting in the big theater, lights fading out, paper airplanes flying all the way to the stage, and, as audiences scream Lapin! see the opening titles of Shift appear on screen! Our congratulations to Min Liu, Yijun Liu, and Cecilia Puglesi! To learn more about the program in which they created their films, SVAs MFA Computer Art, visit mfaca.sva.edu or click on the image below: Photo: The Canadian Press UPDATE: 5:32 p.m. A British man accused of trying to take a police officer's gun and kill Donald Trump during a weekend rally in Las Vegas will not be released on bail. Federal Magistrate Judge George Foley said at a hearing Monday that Michael Steven Sandford, 20, was a potential danger to the community and a flight risk. Sandford, who wore leg irons and appeared to tremble during the court hearing, is charged with an act of violence on restricted grounds and was assigned a federal public defender. He has not entered a plea. A man arrested at a Donald Trump rally in Las Vegas told authorities he tried to grab an officer's gun so he could kill the candidate, the Secret Service said. A complaint filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Nevada charges Michael Steven Sandford with an act of violence on restricted grounds. He was expected to appear in court later in the day as the investigation continued. Authorities said Sandford went to a Trump rally on Saturday at the Treasure Island Casino and approached a Las Vegas police officer to say he wanted an autograph from Trump. The report says Sandford was arrested after grabbing the handle of an officer's gun in an attempt to remove it. It wasn't immediately clear if he had an attorney. Las Vegas police say Sandford is 19. He had a United Kingdom driver's license with him at the time, according to the complaint signed by Secret Service Special Agent Joseph Hall. Agents said Sandford told them he had been in the U.S. for about a year and a half, lived in Hoboken, New Jersey, and drove to the San Bernardino, California, area before coming to Las Vegas on June 16. Sandford told officers he had been planning an assassination for about a year and was convinced he would die in the attempt. He said he also reserved a ticket for a Trump rally in Phoenix, scheduled for later in the day, as a backup. He told authorities that he went to the Battlefield Vegas shooting range the day before the rally and fired 20 rounds from a 9mm Glock pistol to learn how to use it. Police detectives who visited the range spoke with an employee who confirmed that he provided Sandford shooting lessons, according to the complaint. About 1,500 people attended the Las Vegas rally, which was held in the Mystere Theater inside the casino. Attendees had to pass through metal detectors manned by Secret Service, police and casino security officials. Photo: Contributed He's been acting chief for three months. Now the Regional District of Central Okanagan has confirmed Jason Satterthwaite as the new chief for North Westside Fire Rescue. Satterthwaite filled in on an interim basis following the resignation of Doug Gardiner in late February. Gardiner took on a role with the Fraser Valley Regional District. Satterthwaite has been the deputy chief of the department since 2014 and played a major role in the North Westside response and resource deployment last summer during the Shelter Cove/Westside Road wildfire, according to a press release. Hes been a member of the department since 2006. Jasons extremely well respected by all members of the department and throughout communities served within the North Westside Fire Protection Area Hes dedicated to the job and brings continuity in leadership thats very important to members of the paid-on-call fire department as they remain committed to serving their neighbours in need during fire emergencies and calls for medical first response, said Community Services Director Chris Radford. The Regional District of Central Okanagan is responsible for fire protection and suppression services provided through four paid-on-call departments in the Ellison, Joe Rich, North Westside and Wilsons Landing communities within the Central Okanagan East and Central Okanagan West electoral areas. Photo: Contributed Police are looking for three men who attacked and robbed a person early Monday morning. Const. Jesse O'Donaghey says West Kelowna RCMP were called to the area of Old Okanagan Highway and Apollo Road just after 3 a.m. The victim was confronted by the three unknown male suspects, one of whom was in possession of a knife, said ODonaghey. The victim was punched by one of the suspects at which time he turned over several electronic devices including his cellular phone to the suspects who fled the area south on Apollo Road. The victim sustained minor injuries, and was able to walk to the police detachment to report the attack. The investigation is ongoing at this time and police are seeking information from the public to help identify the suspects involved. Suspect one has been described to investigators as: First Nations male In his early 20s Slim build Five-feet-six-inches tall Wearing a black baseball cap, a red bandana and a red, black and white jacket. Suspect two has been described to investigators as: First Nations male In his 30s Skinny Five-feet-six-inches or slightly taller With a thin moustache and slicked black hair. Suspect three has been described to investigators as: First Nations male 17 to 20 years of age 160 lbs Five-feet-11-inches or six-feet tall. Anyone with any information is asked to contact the West Kelowna RCMP at 250-768-2880. Photo: Facebook A Pittsburgh newscaster fired after her comments in a Facebook post about a shooting were deemed racially insensitive is suing the television station, claiming she was let go because she is white. In a federal lawsuit filed Monday, Wendy Bell says WTAE fired her on March 30 "because of her race" in violation of her civil rights. She is seeking back pay, punitive damages and her old job. In a Facebook post, Bell commented on the March 9 shooting of five black people in the poor Pittsburgh suburb of Wilkinsburg. She speculated that the gunmen were young, black men with multiple siblings and fathers. No arrests have been made in the case. Her comments sparked a backlash but also drew defenders. A message left with station management was not immediately returned. Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer Two Penticton residents are facing a number of charges following a police search on two residences, where the RCMP say drugs, guns and stolen property were found. The searches followed a report of a break and enter on a residence June 13th and the arrest of two suspects. Security footage on the homowners' camera allowed police to get detailed descriptions of three suspects who were then identified by members of the Targeted Enforcement Unit (TEU), said Cpl. Don Wrigglesworth, RCMP spokespeson. Two suspects, Mika Grgich, 30, and Aaron Ceretti, 29, have been arrested. Penticton RCMP are still actively looking for a 34 year old Penticton man who had not been publicly identified. During the course of the investigation, (police) executed two search warrants and seized a number of stolen items associated to three different break-ins along with two shotguns, ammunition and some drugs, said Wrigglesworth. "Timely communication on the part of the officer involved greatly contributed to the success of this investigation." said Constable Kyle Richmond of the Targeted Enforcement Team. "It allowed us to quickly get these people into custody and recover the victims' property". The two suspects remain in custody and will make appearances in Penticton provincial court later this week on charges, including break and enter, possession of stolen property under $5,000, possession of stolen property over $5,000, possession of a controlled substance (ecstasy and heroin), illegal possession of a firearm and others. Photo: The Canadian Press New wildfires erupted Monday near Los Angeles and chased people from their suburban homes as an intense heatwave stretching from the West Coast to New Mexico blistered the region. Towering columns of smoke rose from the San Gabriel Mountains as two fires a few miles apart devoured brush on steep slopes above foothill suburbs. Police in the city of Azusa and parts of Duarte ordered hundreds of homes evacuated. Others were under voluntary evacuations. "It's crazy. It's super close," said 17-year-old Tawni Atencio, whose family was evacuating their home in Bradbury. She said the flames were just a couple miles away and were making the house hot despite air conditioning. She watched as smoke from the fire billowed outside and helicopters dropped retardant on the flames. "It looked like a bomb exploded," she said. "It's scary. We're just praying it doesn't get to our house." The two fires had grown to a combined 5 square miles. The first was sparked by a fatal car crash, the California Highway Patrol said. The second was much closer to foothill neighbourhoods and brought quick evacuations. Its cause has not been found. "We immediately had homes under threat," Los Angeles County Deputy Chief John B. Tripp said. But then the fire immediately started burning away from the homes, toward the forest. "That was extremely fortunate for us," he said. A nighttime change in wind direction, however, could return serious danger in a hurry, Tripp said. Officials had warned of extreme fire danger in the region as the heat peaked. Temperatures surpassed 100 degrees across much of Southern California well before noon, while some desert cities sizzled in the 120s. Elsewhere, crews made progress against a nearly week-old blaze in rugged coastal mountains west of Santa Barbara. Overnight winds pushed flames into previously burned areas, allowing firefighters to boost containment to more than 50 per cent. Most mandatory evacuations will be lifted Wednesday morning and nearly all by Saturday, authorities said Monday night. About 270 homes and other buildings were threatened by the blaze, which has charred more than 12 square miles since Wednesday. Another wildfire was growing near Potrero, a small desert town close to the Mexico border. It surged to nearly 3 square miles amid triple-digit temperatures and forced the evacuation of about 75 people from the ranching community about 40 miles southeast of San Diego. Three firefighters suffered heat-related injuries and were taken to a hospital for evaluations. Other blazes burned wide swaths across Arizona and New Mexico, where firefighters also faced blistering temperatures. In central New Mexico, a 28-square-mile fire that erupted last week and destroyed 24 homes in the Manzano Mountains south of Albuquerque was largely uncontained. Higher humidity overnight allowed crews to strengthen lines around the fire. Farther north, a small blaze ignited in a popular recreation area where Santa Fe National Forest officials considered some youth camps and campgrounds threatened. Both camps posted social media updates saying the facilities were fine and there was no immediate threat. In eastern Arizona, a fire doubled to nearly 42 square miles and led officials to warn a community of 300 residents to prepare to evacuate. The blaze on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation southwest of Show Low was not moving quickly toward the community of Cedar Creek because of sparse vegetation and shifting winds. In response to Mr. Buckna's letter, "Smith's failed prophecies" on June 17th. As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we believe the original Church that Christ founded fell away into apostasy, thus, a Restoration was required. Joseph Smith, Jr. was the instrument God used to restore the Fullness of the Everlasting Gospel. The scripture Mr. Buckna quoted, John 4:24 ("God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." was retranslated by Joseph Smith to read, "For unto such hath God promised his Spirit. And they who worship him, must worship in spirit and in truth." It is not our purpose to demean any persons belief nor the doctrine of any religion. We extend to all the same respect for their doctrine that we are asking for ours. (That, too, is an article of our faith.) But if one says we are not Christians because we do not hold a fourth- or fifth-century view of the Godhead, then what of those first Christian Saints, many of whom were eyewitnesses of the living Christ, who did not hold such a view either? We declare it is self-evident from the scriptures that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are separate persons, three divine beings, noting such unequivocal illustrations as the Saviours great Intercessory Prayer, His baptism at the hands of John, the experience on the Mount of Transfiguration, and the martyrdom of Stephento name just four. A related reason The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is excluded from the Christian category by some is because we believe, as did the ancient prophets and apostles, in an embodiedbut certainly glorifiedGod. To those who criticize this scripturally based belief, I ask at least rhetorically: If the idea of an embodied God is repugnant, why are the central doctrines and singularly most distinguishing characteristics of all Christianity the Incarnation, the Atonement, and the physical Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ? If having a body is not only not needed but not desirable by Deity, why did the Redeemer of mankind redeem His body, redeeming it from the grasp of death and the grave, guaranteeing it would never again be separated from His spirit in time or eternity? Any who dismiss the concept of an embodied God dismiss both the mortal and the resurrected Christ. No one claiming to be a true Christian will want to do that. The invitation is the same. Come, and let us learn of each other's beliefs and build a true foundation of peace and unity. Dustin Lee Burnham A 19-year-old Vernon man will not be facing murder charges in the death of a man in Polson Park last year. Brandon Wellington was one of three suspects charged with the second-degree murder of 42-year-old Jason Hardy. Dan McLaughlin, communication counsel with the criminal justice branch, said the prosecutor entered a stay of proceedings during a preliminary hearing in a Vernon court room. Hardy's body was found near the Polson Park lawn bowling facility last August. The cause of death has not been released by police. Still facing a second-degree murder charge is Tal La Riviere, 29. A 15-year-old who can not be named because he is a minor was also charged. In the Wellington matter, McLaughlin said the prosecutor determined the charge assessment standard could no longer be met. McLaughlin explained there are standards that must be met for a case to proceed and there must be a likelihood of a conviction. Charges against La Riviere are proceeding, but because the matter is before the courts, McLaughlin could not comment. His next court appearance is Wednesday. At the time of the murder, police said the offence appeared to have been targeted, and the public was not at risk. SE Asia towards oversupply? ICR Research By Published 20 June 2016 The southeast Asian cement market has seen rapid demand growth in recent years. Backed by favourable macroeconomic trends, it is likely to remain one of the fastest-growing cement markets. Many cement producers, both local and international, performed very well in this region and are keen to expand their existing capacity, while for others entering these enticing markets has become a priority. By The Jakarta Advisory Group, Indonesia. On a regional level, southeast Asia has experienced a supply surplus for the past two years. While overcapacity is mainly concentrated in Vietnam and Thailand, almost all other countries in the region import clinker and cement to meet local demand. The remaining surplus is exported to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, eastern parts of Africa and even South America. To continue reading this story and get access to all News, Articles and Video sections of the CemNet.com website, please Register for a subscription to International Cement Review or Login Nepal: planned entry of foreign cement giants ICR Newsroom By 21 June 2016 The proposed entry of foreign cement manufacturers into the Nepalese market has set off an expansion drive amongst domestic producers. Dangote Cement of Nigeria, Reliance Cement of India and Hongshi and Huaxin of China have all been given necessary approvals to begin operations in Nepal. The combined FDI for these companies amounts to US$1.45bn and the total proposed output stands at 22,000tpd. This increase in capacity by foreign companies has created unrest among domestic manufacturers. In a move to compete with this encroaching foreign capacity, domestic producer Arghakhanchi Cement announced that it would be tripling its capacity to 3000tpd wishing the next 1.5 years. Currently, the companys factory has a capacity of 1200tpd. Similarly, Agni Cement Industry, which has a current capacity of 300tpd, has announced plans to set up a new plant with a capacity of 1200tpd. Tara Prasad Pokharel, general secretary of Cement Manufacturers Association of Nepal (CMAN) said, "We dont see any space for foreign investors in the domestic market. They can survive here only if they displace domestic factories." According to CMAN, annual domestic demand stand at about 5.5Mt and domestic production amounts to 4.6Mt. Published under A public meeting was held in Collegedale Monday night for the second reading of the fiscal year 2016-2017 budget, and no one chose to speak. The budget has been described as conservative by City Manager Ted Rogers, with the property tax rate remaining at $1.3713 per $1,000 of assessed value, the same as in 2016. It was given final approval by the commissioners. The 2015-2016 budget was amended to match actual costs and approved by the commissioners. City Engineer Joe Farrow told the commissioners he believes that the city is in the best condition it has ever been. June is the last month he will be working for the city as an employee after doing so for 25 years. He thanked this and the previous administration, saying that it has been a pleasure to work for Collegedale. During that time he has engineered traffic projects and the sewer system, and was praised by Vice Mayor Tim Johnson for a job well done. The sewers in two locations in Collegedale were dedicated to the city on Monday night. Mr. Farrow said that from time to time, new or existing sewer lines are transferred to the city. The commissioners officially voted to accept sewer system lines and easements on Apison Pike at property owned by McKee, and at Grindstone Estates, a mobile home park. Robert Varnell, a strategic planner for the city, presented several recommendations to the citys zoning and codes that have been considered by the planning commission. The city commissioners followed the recommendations as presented. The current zoning ordinance restricted the height of buildings in the C-3 zone to three stories. The ordinance was amended Monday night to allow the height of five stories in order to attract the type of businesses targeted by the city. Most of the C-3 zone is adjacent to I-75. A request to rezone property at 9831 Moore Road from AG to R-2 was denied following the planning commissions recommendation. The parcel has an existing single family house that the owner wanted to convert into a duplex. The decision to deny was because the change would have been spot zoning since the land does not touch any R-2 or R-3 zone and the fact that the lot size was not sufficient for two dwellings without being connected to the sewer system. Approval was given for a new ordinance that will allow alternative concealment of cell phone towers if new ones are built. This would include ways such as disguising a tower to look like a flag pole. Mayor Katie Lamb said the public works departments does a good job of keeping the city clean and neat, but that she has noticed that residents in certain areas are causing it to look messy. In some places, she said garbage cans remain on the street permanently. The citys ordinance concerning garbage disposal requires that cans be placed on the street for removal the day that a house is scheduled for service and that the can be moved to the rear of the property and out of sight following the pick-up. Residents of some rental properties put out garbage and brush after the scheduled time and it remains on the street for a month, she said. Building Codes Officer Andrew Morkert said that offenders are told that the goal is to gain compliance, not to issue fines, "so we try to educate them first." After discussion, it was concluded that the city will add a new resident icon on the citys website which will inform of the citys ordinances and schedules. Repeat offenders get a harsher treatment and will be sent to the city court. The fine for violation of the ordinance concerning disposal of trash and garbage is $50 for each day of non-compliance. Mr. Rogers said that the financial report from May shows that at 91 percent through the year, the city has collected 100 percent of the expected revenue. Expenses are at 149 percent of the planned amount due to the purchase and renovations of property that will serve as the economic development building. It was purchased for $160,000 and $140,000 has been spent on renovations to the existing house. He said the work is almost complete and is now operational. The city has gained 3,000 square feet of space that is providing three public restrooms, eight offices, a conference room, and two kitchens, all for $10 a square foot. The spaces at city hall that have been freed up by the new building will be used for conference rooms and a desk sharing office space for temporary workers. When you meet the Tennessee Werewolves, an upcoming country family band, they will probably all howl in unison as their hello (and goodbye). But hidden behind the wolfy exterior is an inspired and driven group we got the chance to talk to at this years CMA Fest. How did you all happen upon this name and idea for your band? Angel Mary: Well Im a big Johnny Cash fan and you had Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Three and the Tennessee Two. So we ended up taking that part originally for the name but the whole song The Beast in Me that Johnny Cash came up with about fighting that other side and wanting to be good inspired us. So I feel like everybody deals with that, and I think everyones got a wolf side to them and were from Tennessee so it worked out great. Who are some of the bands biggest influences? Antoine Wolf: For me, Marshall Tucker, Allman Brothers, and ZZ Top. Christian Wolf: I have to say David Allen Coe, Waylon Jennings, and Motley Crue. Angel Mary: Definitely Fleetwood Mac, Aerosmith, and Reba McEntire. What are your plans for the rest of 2016? Christian Wolf: Were working on an album right now and were continuing to tour. Weve got meet and greets every day of CMA Fest and its exciting to meet new fans and see people that come back. You meet people from last year and its nice to see them again when they return, its like building a relationship. Angel Mary: Were going to be opening up for Florida Georgia Line, too, and thats exciting. When did you all decide that music is definitely what you wanted it do? Angel Mary: We kind of always as kids were playing and this being a family band with my dad and brother being in the band, we just always grew up playing in the living room together. I think its just something that was always instilled in us that we wanted to do and it came together at the right time. For more info, check them out on TennesseeWerewolves.com, or their social media sites which they make a point of running themselves: Facebook @TennesseeWerewolves, and Twitter @TNwerewolves. Setting out to confirm the predicted structure of Gold-144, researchers discovered an entirely unexpected atomic arrangement (right). The two structures, described in detail for the first time, each have 144 gold atoms, but are uniquely shaped, suggesting they also behave differently. Chemically the same, graphite and diamonds are as physically distinct as two minerals can be, one opaque and soft, the other translucent and hard. What makes them unique is their differing arrangement of carbon atoms. Polymorphs, or materials with the same composition but different structures, are common in bulk materials, and now a new study confirms they exist in nanomaterials, too. Researchers describe two unique structures for the iconic gold nanocluster Au 144 (SR) 60 , better known as Gold-144, including a version never seen before. "We discovered that the same number of gold atoms can arrange to form two different versions of the nanosized cluster," said co-first author Pavol Juhas, a physicist at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory. Their discovery gives engineers a new material to explore, along with the possibility of finding other polymorphic nanoparticles. "This took four years to unravel," said coauthor Simon Billinge, a physicist at Brookhaven Lab, a physics professor at Columbia Engineering, and a member of the Data Science Institute at Columbia University. "We weren't expecting the clusters to take on more than one atomic arrangement. But this discovery gives us more handles to turn when trying to design clusters with new and useful properties." Gold has been used in coins and jewelry for thousands of years for its durability, but shrink it to a size 10,000 times smaller than a human hair, and it becomes wildly unstable and unpredictable. At the nanoscale, gold likes to split apart other particles and molecules, making it a useful material for purifying water, imaging and killing tumors, and making solar panels more efficient, among other applications. Though a variety of nanogold particles and molecules have been made in the lab, very few have had their secret atomic arrangement revealed. But recently, new technologies are bringing these miniscule structures into focus. Under one approach, high-energy x-ray beams are fired at a sample of nanoparticles. Advanced data analytics are used to interpret the x-ray scattering data and infer the sample's structure, which is key to understanding how strong, reactive, or durable the particles might be. Billinge and his lab have pioneered a method, the atomic pair distribution function (PDF) analysis, for interpreting this scattering data. To test the PDF method, Billinge asked chemists at Colorado State University to make tiny samples of Gold-144, a molecule-sized nanogold cluster first isolated in 1995. Its structure had been theoretically predicted in 2009, and though never confirmed, Gold-144 has found numerous applications, including in tissue imaging. Hoping the test would confirm Gold-144's structure, the team analyzed the clusters at the European Synchrotron Radiation Source in Grenoble, France, and used the PDF method to infer their structure. To their surprise, they found an angular core, and not the sphere-like icosahedral core predicted. When they made a new sample and tried the experiment again, this time using Brookhaven Lab's National Synchrotron Light Source and Argonne National Laboratory's Advanced Photon Source (both DOE Office of Science User Facilities), the structure came back spherical. "We didn't understand what was going on, but digging deeper, we realized we had a polymorph," said co-first author Kirsten Jensen, formerly a postdoctoral researcher at Columbia and now a chemistry professor at the University of Copenhagen. Further experiments confirmed the cluster had two versions, sometimes found together, each with a unique structure indicating they behave differently. The researchers are still unsure if Gold-144 can switch from one version to the other, or what, exactly, differentiates the two forms. "While we still have much to learn about how the gold nanoparticles take on different shapes and what those shapes specifically are, we now know that polymorphism can exist and thus should be considered when preparing nanoparticles from other materials," said Juhas, who collaborated with Jensen on modeling and analyzing the PDF data. To make their discovery, the researchers solved what physicists call the nanostructure inverse problem: how can the structure of a tiny nanoparticle in a sample be inferred from an x-ray signal that has been averaged over millions of particles, each with different orientations? "The signal is noisy and highly degraded," said Billinge. "It's the equivalent of trying to recognize if the bird in the tree is a robin or a cardinal, but the image in your binoculars is too blurry and distorted to tell." "Our results demonstrate the power of PDF analysis to reveal the structure of very tiny particles," added study coauthor Christopher Ackerson, a chemistry professor at Colorado State. "I've been trying, off and on, for more than 10 years to get the single-crystal x-ray structure of Gold-144. The presence of polymorphs helps to explain why this molecule has been so resistant to traditional methods." The PDF approach is one of several rival methods being developed to bring nanoparticle structure into focus. Now that it has proven itself, it could help speed up the work of describing other nanostructures. The eventual goal is to design nanoparticles by their desired properties, rather than through trial and error, by understanding how form and function relate. Databases of known and predicted structures could make it possible to design new materials with a few clicks of a mouse. The study is a first step. "We've had a structure model for this iconic gold molecule for years and then this study comes along and says the structure is basically right but it's got a doppelganger," said Robert Whetten, a professor of chemical physics at the University of Texas, San Antonio, who led the team that first isolated Gold-144. "It seemed preposterous to have two distinct structures that underlie its ubiquity, but this is a beautiful paper that will persuade a lot of people." A computer scientist holds up a sensor, camera lens and shield bubble that is part of the Array of Things project. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) The city of Chicago is preparing to install a network of sensors that will track people on city streets walking, biking, driving and privacy experts say it needs to better spell out how it will use that information. The nine-page privacy policy includes just a few paragraphs on how the data will be collected, used and shared. Advertisement "It's a little bit meager in terms of what information is actually conveyed," said Timothy Yim, director of data and privacy at the San Francisco-based Startup Policy Lab. The city plans to install 500 Array of Things devices across the city by the end of 2018. They will house sensors including a low-grade camera and microphone that can capture images and sound from passersby, bringing a new scale of data collection to busy intersections. Officials say the project will help improve city life by analyzing patterns in environmental and human behavior. Advertisement City officials are seeking public input on the policy before installing the first 42 devices, slated to go up around the city starting in late July. The second of two public forums on the policy is from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Harold Washington Library downtown. Blue Sky asked two privacy experts to look over the policy, and both said it sacrificed specifics for brevity. Yim, an attorney, has developed policy frameworks for aerial drones, an emerging technology. While he's in favor of the Array of Things project, he said the policy contained less detail than he would expect. "When I read the privacy notice, one of the things I notice right away is it's very, very short," Yim said. Considering the sensitive nature of a government project like the Array of Things, he said, he would expect to see details about the type of data being collected, the capability of the sensors, what types of information will be shared with partners, where that information will be stored and for how long, and what security measures are in place. Although those details are available on the Array of Things website, Yim said it would be better to include it in the language of the policy as well. He said the policy should also explain better who the "contractors and approved scientific partners" mentioned in the policy are. These individuals could include scientists from other labs that project leaders at Argonne National Laboratory bring in to help, Brenna Berman , commissioner of the Department of Innovation and Technology and the city's chief innovation officer, told Blue Sky ahead of releasing the policy. She was not available to comment Tuesday. Advertisement "We want to know what types of information are potentially being shared with what kinds of third parties," Yim said. He added that although the city said it would not release information publicly, the policy does not restrict how it shares data with partners. Yim said the policy appeared to leave some "wiggle room" by not stating plainly the sensors' capabilities. "The language could definitely be made stronger," Yim said. Ray Everett, principal consultant and data privacy software company TRUSTe, said the presentation of the policy would be more effective if sample photos were included. "That has more impact, if you can actually see the examples and are able to see exactly the kind of data that is being made available to the analysts," Everett said. "The suspicion will arise that maybe these things are capable of doing more than you say." He also recommended the city consider a layered privacy notice that starts with a brief list of bullet points but can be expanded further to allow a reader to dig deeper. Everett was one of the first corporate chief privacy officers in the nation and was a founding board member of the non-profit International Association of Privacy Professionals. Advertisement It is important to have sufficient detail in the Array of Things privacy policy precisely because it will affect so many people, he said. "This is not an Amazon Echo device sitting in your living room that you just bought and are excited to turn on and get the most out of," he said. "You can't opt out when you're walking down the street, so it rises to a greater level of scrutiny, and appropriately so." After the public input period, employees from the city's Department of Innovation and Technology and law department will approve the final policy, a spokeswoman said. The Array of Things program, part of Mayor Rahm Emanuel's push to expand use of data by the city, will be governed by an executive oversight council that will be co-chaired by Berman and Charlie Catlett, director of the Urban Center for Computation and Data at the University of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory. Additional members will "invited based on recommendations from AoT partners and others who work with community groups," the policy said. The oversight council will be advised on cybersecurity and privacy by a separate Security and Privacy Group. Von Welch, director of the Center for Applied Cybersecurity Research at Indiana University, will be the first chairman of the group, which will also include the city's chief information security officer, Tina Hauri. Advertisement aelahi@tribpub.com Twitter @aminamania The website of Ald. Joe Moore, 49th, says that this parking lot of a Rogers Park senior housing center, photographed June 21, 2016, could be the site of a Target store as part of a mixed-use development in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) The Chicago Housing Authority is looking to turn the community room at a Rogers Park senior housing center into something very different a Target store. On Tuesday, the agency's board approved entering into negotiations with Three Corners Development to build a proposed mixed-use development adjacent to the Caroline Hedger Apartments, a CHA senior high-rise at 6400 N. Sheridan Road. Advertisement The proposed development at the northwest corner of Sheridan and Devon Avenue, by Orland Park-based Three Corners, would replace a community room, parking lot and green space for the 22-story senior housing project. Christopher Woods, president of Three Corners, said the project's vision is for a seven-story, 220,000-square-foot development with 120 market-rate apartments and a 35,000-square-foot retail anchor. The development would include two floors of below-ground parking. Advertisement Proposed site of Target store around the Caroline Hedger Apartments along Sheridan and Devon, in Chicago, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) A posting on the website of Ald. Joe Moore, 49th, identified the project's potential retail anchor as Target. Woods declined to confirm that Target was his target. "We're in advanced negotiation of business terms with a national retail anchor that has strong interest in the Chicago market," Woods said. "Today was a necessary step for us to advance those ... (discussions) and translate that into a definitive agreement." CHA spokeswoman Molly Sullivan said in an email Tuesday the agency will discuss the project with Three Corners to "determine the future of the site," but will be looking for community feedback as well. "Details of the proposed project will be considered and reviewed once these discussions get underway," Sullivan said. "CHA also plans to meet with residents at the building to discuss the future of this site." Other recent Rogers Park developments by Three Corners include the Heartland Health Center and the Devon Apartments, a mixed-use project with luxury apartments above commercial and retail space. "It's a logical progression for us because we brought forward $25 million in development in the last two years in Rogers Park," Woods said. "We're long on Rogers Park, we're familiar with the community and we want to continue our investment and expand our footprint there." Woods said it is "to be determined" whether Three Corners buys or leases the land from the CHA. The Caroline Hedger Apartments are owned by the CHA and managed by Chicago-based Habitat Co. Built in 1969, the building was formerly known as Sheridan and Devon Apartments. It is an age-restricted building with 436 studio and one-bedroom apartments. Advertisement While the new project is envisioned as a market-rate development, Woods said he would explore senior housing as well, given its proximity to the Caroline Hedger Apartments, and the public mission of the site's owner. "That's something that we'll sit down with our partners ... and work through what makes the most sense for the community and the CHA," Woods said. rchannick@tribpub.com Twitter @RobertChannick A hexacopter drone is flown during a drone demonstration at a farm and winery on potential use for board members of the National Corn Growers, Thursday, June 11, 2015 in Cordova, Md. Routine commercial use of small drones got a green light from the Obama administration June 21, 2016, after years of struggling to write regulations that would both protect public safety and unleash the economic potential and societal benefits of the new technology. (Alex Brandon / AP) New drone rules from the Federal Aviation Administration limit small unmanned commercial aircraft to 55 pounds and require that they be used in daylight in most cases, but also give operators a way to fly higher than under initial regulations. The final rules, made public Tuesday, help govern a now-nascent industry that the FAA, citing industry forecasts, said could become an $82 billion business with more than 100,000 jobs over the next decade. The rules are needed so the remote-controlled drones can co-exist in the skies with commercial airplanes. Advertisement The FAA already had given special permission for more than 6,000 drones to be used while it worked on the rules. The regulations address height and speed restrictions and other operational limits, such as prohibiting flights over unprotected people on the ground who aren't directly participating in the drone operation. For example, the drone may fly 400 feet above ground level, or, under the final rules, go higher than 400 feet if it remains within 400 feet of a structure. Initially, the FAA allowed drones to fly up to 200 feet, but earlier this year raised the ceiling to 400 feet. Advertisement Some drone operators who had earlier received permission to fly drones were breathing a sigh of relief upon seeing the rules. "It will open up a lot of possibilities and give us more flexibility," said Ryan Koverman, co-founder of Windy City Drones in Lake in the Hills. He cited the ability to fly higher near a structure, as well as what appears to be more leeway to get closer to airports. Troy Walsh of Drone Media Chicago called the FAA's final rules "exciting news." "Up until now, we have had to operate under what's known as a section 333 exemption in lieu of having official guidelines to operate our drones commercially," he said. The final rules, called part 107, "will take much of the burdensome requirements to operate drones commercially, under section 333, out of the equation," while still providing safe guidelines, Walsh said. Dan Isaacson, chief executive of Elgin-based CAVU Videos, called the FAA's new rules "relaxed" and was surprised they don't appear to require insurance. "The FAA's decision is far more accommodating than anyone expected," he said. "For the past few years, the FAA has been waving the yellow flag of caution to drone operators, but today they waved the green flag." The state of Illinois also is working on drone regulations, he said. Kristina Tomasetti, strategic director for property and casualty innovation with USAA, said her insurance company has been testing drones since 2015, including during the recent hailstorms that swept through the Dallas and San Antonio areas. Advertisement Other major companies that have applied with the FAA for permission to use drones include Exelon, Dow Chemical, General Electric and Microsoft. The FAA rules also call for the drone to remain in a visual line of sight of the person operating the flight controls or of an observer. The drones may only operate in daylight, or they may operate 30 minutes before official sunrise or 30 minutes after official sunset if they have anti-collision lighting. The person flying a drone must be at least 16 years old and have a remote pilot certificate, or be directly supervised by someone with such a certificate. One way to qualify for a remote pilot certificate is for an individual to pass an initial aeronautical knowledge test at an FAA-approved center. Security background checks are conducted on all remote pilot applicants. The FAA said it will waive some restrictions if an operator proves the proposed flight will be conducted safely. byerak@tribpub.com Advertisement Twitter @beckyyerak A fresh basil blossom is displayed by Fresh Origins at FMI Connect on June 21, 2016, at McCormick Place in Chicago. (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune) Grocers are taking a closer look at the deli case as consumers, especially younger ones, demand more fresh, prepared meals on-the-go. The deli case, which traditionally has included meat and cheese but now increasingly offers prepared salads, sandwiches and rotisserie chicken, is the fastest growing segment in grocery stores, according to research firm Datassential. Millennials, in particular, are buying more prepared meals for convenience, but they're also demanding more fresh, healthy options. Advertisement While the trend toward healthy, grab-and-go fare has been developing for some time, there are ways for grocers to stake out a larger piece of this market, and possibly even snag some business away from quick-service restaurants, Datassential Director Colleen McClellan said Tuesday at FMI Connect, a trade show for food retailers being held this week at McCormick Place. MiniMeals 2Go by FiveStar Gourmet Foods are displayed June 21, 2016, at FMI Connect, a trade show for food retailers at McCormick Place in Chicago. (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune) Consumers tend to gravitate to items with restaurant brands, such as Panera-branded soups, in grocery stores, McClellan said. Focusing on restaurant-branded goods while also expanding online or kiosk-based ordering and other technologies that enhance food delivery will give grocers a leg up, she said. Advertisement Grocers also can incorporate items already sold in their stores into plates that can be purchased for a quick lunch or dinner, she said. The trend toward fresh prepared foods was evident among exhibitors at FMI Connect. Fresh Origins, a producer of micro-greens and edible flowers, has been in fine-dining restaurants for two decades but only recently started to expand its grocery offerings, according to sales manager John Freitas. Freitas said the company also is trying to expand its business into groceries' prepared food cases, as consumers grow more aware of unique produce. A colorful array of spices from Fresh Origins are shown June 21, 2016, at FMI Connect, a trade show for food retailers at McCormick Place in Chicago. (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune) FiveStar Gourmet Foods, which makes prepared salads, is set to expand into the Chicago market through a deal with Costco on July 11, said Steve Fleckenstein, FiveStar's vice president of sales and marketing. Costco will carry two items from the Ontario, Calif.-based company: a Santa Fe-style salad and a hummus snack pack. Fleckenstein said the company sees many customers stock up on the salads for lunch or dinner all week long while they're shopping for other staples. And Mann's Packing Co., a vegetable grower from Salinas, Calif., recently launched "nourish bowls" a mix of grains, greens, toppings and sauce in four varieties to jump in on the healthy, portable food trend. sbomkamp@tribpub.com Twitter @SamWillTravel Bruce Rauner, the businessman who became Illinois' chief executive in part by emphasizing he wasn't a politician, wants to be known as an education governor. What this reflects is that, in his first year and a half on the job, he's becoming an educated governor. Advertisement The nonpolitician is learning on the job to be a politician, and not a moment too soon, although it remains to be seen how effective the Ivy League-educated investment banker is at it because he and the state legislature remain stalemated without a budget. What was evident as Rauner met Monday with the Chicago Tribune's editorial board is that he has realized that talking about schoolchildren at risk tends to tug at the heart strings more effectively than talking about saving businesses. Advertisement So it's best to frame saving businesses to rescue Illinois' economy as what ultimately saves its public schools. More to the point, it's crucial to avoid being seen as responsible for jeopardizing the education of little Bobby and Britney, which presumably is why he was arguing the merits of passing a stopgap budget enabling the state's public schools to open the new academic year on time. This would on some levels seem antithetical for a governor who believes only crisis motivates change. But it's clear he knows he needs to escape blame if the schools don't open and other vital public services can't be funded because of the bipartisan deadlock in Springfield. Pass the emergency appropriations and everyone buys time. Fail to advance the stopgap budget and he can say he tried, while pinning culpability on Democrats in general and House Speaker Michael Madigan in particular. That too would be politically useful. "If enough people around the state, voters around the state, contact their state senators and their state representatives and say, 'Our schools should open, get the schools open' I hope and believe if enough people around the state do that, that the speaker will back down and let the schools open," Rauner said. "Right now he's holding them up." A businessman is under no obligation to identify as a politician. Advertisement Certainly, when there's growing dissatisfaction with government and disgust with those running it, it pays to cast one's self as an outsider. (See: Trump, Donald.) Upon entering politics, however, it behooves one to be political in the same way that it is not necessary to be a matador to run with the bulls in Pamplona yet vitally important to have a strategy for not getting trampled and gored. CEOs get to manage by fiat, and maybe some think it should be the same in government. Politicians rarely have that luxury and need to build consensus, giving opposing politicians and their constituencies a reason or need to support them. Rauner always acknowledged he would need to outflank Madigan and the established guard in Springfield. It's never been clear how he expected to gain the leverage to actually do it. There was that time during the campaign when Rauner was seen in a video clip citing President Ronald Reagan's move to fire air-traffic controllers, saying he might "sort of have to do a do-over and shut things down for a little while." But Rauner's campaign team quickly backpedaled and said that wasn't part of his strategy. On the other hand, for more than a year the state has been living with that very threat, with funding for various programs held up or requiring special action to release. Advertisement A CEO might not care who gets the blame for unpopular moves if it helps the stock price. A governor has to tread with greater awareness the factions being alienated, even when arguing he or she is immune to public opinions that force ordinary politicians to succumb to political realities. "Change is hard," Rauner said. "Voters want conflicting things. They want a lot of government spending. They don't want higher taxes. So what unprincipled politicians will do is give them what they want, stay in office a while and bail when the crisis hits." Alas, crisis hasn't chased out all the politicians he wants to move on. Rauner said he "ran for governor to dramatically change our trajectory" and compared the state to a runaway train. "I ran because, rather than leave like most of my fellow business owners are doing, I said I'd rather fight," he said. "It's not complicated." (Idle thought: Some business owners are leaving Illinois. Too many, probably. If it were most, however, wouldn't we see a mass exodus on, say, the North Shore?) Advertisement "I've had to put the brakes on the train," he said. "That's caused a lot of disruption in the train cars, but we have to do that. There's no choice." That sounds like a politician, asserting his priorities are still to help taxpayers and job creators while toppling the political lifers holding back needed change. But it always came back to what he said is his longtime role as a school advocate, albeit one who said he didn't regret his comment comparing some Chicago schools to crumbling prisons and still takes a hard line on pensions for teachers. A stopgap budget, he said, would enable legislators to take up compromises after the election and, though he must have known this all along, he thought it was worth pointing out the toughest votes are easier to take during lame-duck sessions. Rauner, in case there was any doubt, also said he intends to run again in 2018. As if running in Pamplona, he seems to realize he needs a plan: Run hard, run fast and position things so others take the fall before trouble reaches him. Advertisement philrosenthal@tribpub.com Twitter @phil_rosenthal Abby Lee Miller arrives at the 3rd Annual Reality TV Awards in Los Angeles. Miller has been charged with hiding $775,000 worth of income from the Lifetime network reality show and spin-off projects during her Chapter 11 bankruptcy. (Rich Fury/Invision/AP) PITTSBURGH "Dance Moms" star Abby Lee Miller is scheduled to plead guilty next week in Pittsburgh to bankruptcy fraud and failing to report more than $10,000 worth of Australian currency she brought into the country. U.S. District Judge Terrence McVerry issued orders scheduling Miller's guilty pleas for Monday shortly after she issued a statement to The Associated Press saying she accepts responsibility for the charges. Advertisement Miller issued the statement after federal prosecutors added the currency reporting charge. She's accused of violating a law in August 2014 that requires people to report bringing more than $10,000 worth of foreign currency into the country. The documents also seek to have her forfeit at least $120,000, though prosecutors wouldn't say whether that's the value of Australian currency she failed to report. Miller was first charged last fall with illegally trying to hide $775,000 worth of income from the Lifetime network reality show and spinoff projects during her Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Advertisement Miller's emailed statement was relayed through her Pittsburgh-based defense attorney Robert Ridge. "Events over the past several months have been extremely challenging for me, my family, my friends and most important, my students. Because of this I made the very difficult decision to close the door on this chapter of my life by accepting responsibility for mistakes I have made along the way," the statement said. "I appreciate all the wonderful messages of support I've received from around the world and look forward to the future and getting back to my life's work; helping young dancers fulfill their potential," Miller's statement concluded. Miller's publicist, Sheryl Main, said Miller's statement about "this chapter" of her life refers only to the criminal charges, not her work on "Dance Moms." Miller is known for her outspoken, brash behavior and pursuit of perfectionism from her students. Critics of "Dance Moms" accuse Miller of being emotionally abusive, and many episodes show her students in tears. The show was based out of her dance studio in Penn Hills, a Pittsburgh suburb, which is why the charges were filed in Pittsburgh even though Miller now lives in Los Angeles. The investigation began when a channel-surfing bankruptcy judge saw Miller on TV in December 2012 and figured she had to be making more than the $8,899 in monthly income she was claiming. The FBI and other agencies eventually determined Miller hid more than $228,000 in income from appearances on "Dance Moms" and a spin-off, "Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition" and nearly $550,000 more from personal appearances, dance sessions and merchandise sold through her website, www.abbyleedancecompany.com. Associated Press Advertisement MOST READ ENTERTAINMENT NEWS THIS HOUR Chicagoan Nick Viall competed for Kaitlyn Bristowe's heart on Season 11 of "The Bachelorette." (Rick Rowell / ABC) After being dumped twice on "The Bachelorette," Chicagoan Nick Viall will search for love on the upcoming season of "Bachelor in Paradise," an ABC representative said Tuesday. Viall, 35, was runner-up on Season 10 with former assistant district attorney Andi Dorfman and Season 11 with spin-class instructor Kaitlyn Bristowe. Advertisement Viall, a Wisconsin native, became known for confronting Dorfman after the finale and asking, "If you weren't in love with me, I'm just not sure why, like, why you made love with me?" He also aggravated his fellow competitors on Bristowe's season with his standoffish attitude. Season 3 of "Bachelor in Paradise," which shows "Bachelor" and "Bachelorette" cast-offs pairing up at a Mexican resort, is set to premiere 7 p.m. Aug. 2 on ABC. "The Bachelor" Season 20 contestants Lace Morris, war veteran Jubilee Sharpe and twins Emily and Haley Ferguson are among the cast members. Advertisement RELATED STORIES: Chicagoans describe what it's like to be cut from 'The Bachelorette' Why some 'Bachelorette' viewers are furious that Jake Pavelka was in the premiere 2 Chicago men try to woo 'The Bachelorette' with gimmicks in premiere Watch the latest movie trailers. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 126 Woody introduces the gang to a homemade spork toy with self-esteem issues in "Toy Story 4." Read the review. (Pixar / AP) A new study says couples who equally or fairly divide household labor have more sex. (Flying Colours / Getty Images) If photos of your '90s hair weren't evidence enough of rapidly shifting tastes, consider new research about what leads to a healthy, happy sex life. In the early 1990s, couples who aimed for an equal division of housework had the lowest sexual frequency and satisfaction. Today they have the highest. Advertisement RELATED: TRENDING LIFE & STYLE NEWS THIS HOUR A new study, "The Gendered Division of Housework and Couples' Sexual Relationships: A Reexamination" looks at the sex lives of three types of heterosexual couples: conventional (the woman does 65 percent or more of the housework), egalitarian (the male partner performs 35-65 percent of the housework) and counterconventional (the man performs 65 percent or more of the housework). Advertisement Conventional roles used to trigger relationship satisfaction and sexual frequency, researchers note, with "traditionally masculine and feminine behaviors consciously or unconsciously (serving) as turn-ons." No more. Today we enjoy "an eroticism of fairness," meaning an equitable arrangement no longer puts a damper on a couple's sex life and, in fact, boosts it slightly. Egalitarian couples had sex an average of 6.8 times per month, the study finds, which is 0.5 times more per month than conventional couples and two times more than counterconventional couples. "Feelings of fairness and satisfaction with the division of housework are central to couples' relationship satisfaction, which is strongly related to sexual intimacy," write authors Daniel L. Carlson, Amanda J. Miller, Sharon Sassler and Sarah Hanson. "These results suggest that egalitarianism within couples has become the cultural ideal." Hallelujah. Previous reports, including a much-discussed New York Times magazine story from 2014, indicated that sharing the burden of domestic duties was a sex-life killer. "But these studies relied on data from the 1980s and early 1990s, and thus represented marriages formed before the recent surge in dual-earner families and social approval of egalitarian gender roles," Sassler writes in a Council on Contemporary Families briefing on the new research. Sassler and her co-authors took data collected from the National Survey on Families and Households two decades ago and compared it with data on heterosexual couples from the national 2006 Marital and Relationship Survey. Their findings bolster a similar study last year from Carlson, an assistant professor of sociology at Georgia State University, that focused specifically on the effect of divvying up child care responsibilities. "We've had a couple of decades to work hard at getting to a better balance," Sassler, a professor in Cornell University's department of policy analysis and management, told me. "And we're seeing that gender equality doesn't destabilize relationships the way it used to." Advertisement Quite the opposite, in fact. "Relationship quality and stability are generally highest when couples are happy with their divisions of labor and find them equitable and fair," the authors write in the full study, which will be published in the August issue of the Journal of Marriage and Family. Inequity, on the other hand, is a turn-off. "Perceived inequality has deleterious impacts on couples' sex lives, and today more men and women believe that conventional or counterconventional domestic arrangements are unfair," the authors write. "More couples today expect that equality is something that must be practiced, not just preached." Of course, what feels equal and fair may differ greatly from household to household, depending on work schedules and other factors. Egalitarian couples, Sassler said, work together to achieve a balance that feels fair to them. "It does mean couples have to negotiate more," she said. "But learning how to ask for what you need isn't such a bad thing." Advertisement And that goes for more than just housework ... hstevens@tribpub.com Twitter @heidistevens13 RELATED STORIES: Want a better sex life? Choreplay definitely works American parents are the unhappiest out of 22 countries Advertisement Trump: I broke glass ceiling for women in construction. Women in construction: Huh? More than 3,000 years old, the magnificent Abu Simbel, originally carved from the faces of stone hills on the west bank of the Nile, was moved to its present site during the 1960s. (John Dowling / Chicago Tribune) On the top deck of the cruise ship River Tosca, the swimming pool was cool and inviting in the afternoon heat. Below, the fabled Nile River was wide and blue and calm. Palm trees dotted the shoreline where farm animals grazed. And I had the deck of the 236-foot ship all to myself. Advertisement RELATED: TRENDING LIFE & STYLE NEWS THIS HOUR That's emblematic of cruising the Nile in a time when Egypt's tourist industry has been decimated by fears that the turmoil of 2011's Arab Spring lingers. The ship, designed to carry 82, had only 16 passengers for a week's journey in late February. We enjoyed hand-and-foot service and had no crowds to fight as we strolled through some of the most famous and spectacular remains of the land of pharaohs. Advertisement Beth Misakonis and her husband, Leo, retired information technology professionals from Mechanicsburg, Penn., decided 2016 was the year for them to rebook their Egyptian cruise that was canceled during the Arab Spring protests. Friends and relatives urged them not to go. But Beth noted that mass shootings happen in the U.S. "I think there are risks anywhere and everywhere," she said. Added Leo, "It's always been on our bucket list." A river cruise isn't always the best way to see a country's highlights, but it works perfectly for Egypt. The Nile's valley is Egypt's heartland and breadbasket, and the river itself is the main highway of Egyptian history, from Cairo in the north to Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel in the south. It's a tour where your clean, cool, spacious hotel room follows you from place to place, with no luggage to haul. Today's Egypt seemed a calm enough place when we visited. The country's military-led regime overthrew an elected Islamist government in 2013 and has since cracked down brutally on all forms of dissent, including the Muslim Brotherhood, the main Islamic social-political movement. The U.S. State Department currently has no official travel warnings or alerts for Egypt, but it tells U.S. citizens to remain alert to local security developments, and notes that terrorist organizations are known to be operating in Egypt. For complete details, go to www.travel.state.gov. Tourists on horseback explore the Great Pyramids of Giza, the only one of the seven wonders of the ancient world still standing. (Terri Colby / Chicago Tribune) Our small group with Uniworld river cruise line all but two of us Americans was often discreetly accompanied by armed guards. Whether that made us feel safer is up for debate, but no one in the group seemed concerned about our security, except perhaps when approached by locals desperate to sell us souvenirs. That wasn't always pleasant, but given the tourism decline it's easy to understand. A firm "la shukran" (no thank you) was usually enough to turn them away. The itinerary began and ended in Cairo, where the Four Seasons Hotel was our refuge in the sprawling, chaotic, dusty metropolis. We spent a full day at the beginning of the tour, and another at the end, in Cairo, at the same hotel. On the first day we saw the Egyptian Museum and Tahrir Square; on the last, we visited the pyramids. After an hour's flight south from Cairo we embarked on the River Tosca at Luxor, site of the ancient Egyptian capital of Thebes. Many of the great sites of Egyptian antiquity are within a short bus ride of Luxor, including the temples of Karnak and Luxor, with their rows of massive columns. Only a bit farther away, on the Nile's west bank, lies the Valley of the Kings, burial place of Egyptian rulers over five centuries. The tombs showcase chambers with well-preserved paintings and hieroglyphics. The River Tosca hosts Uniworld's Nile cruises, offering passengers cabins with sitting rooms and a top-deck pool. (John Dowling / Chicago Tribune) From Luxor we sailed to Aswan, a little more than 100 miles south. We took a ride in a felucca, one of the nimble boats with triangular sails that have plied the river for centuries. On the way to visit a Nubian village, we stopped at a small sandy beach, where I walked down a plank lodged against the boat and waded into the cool, clear waters of the Nile. In British colonial times, Aswan's Old Cataract Hotel (cataract is an old-fashioned term for waterfall) was a favorite stop for tourists, including Agatha Christie, who wrote "Death on the Nile" there. We dropped in for high tea and a tour before returning to the ship. Advertisement These days, Aswan is the southern terminus of Nile cruising the Aswan High Dam, built with Soviet aid in the mid-20th century, cuts off river traffic there. Aswan is also the jumping-off point for what might be Egypt's most spectacular ancient site. And no, I don't mean the pyramids. A short flight south took us to Abu Simbel, the cliff-side temple complex built by the pharaoh Ramses II nearly 3,300 years ago. Sixty-foot-high statues of Ramses guard intimate temple chambers carved from solid rock. Even more amazing is the temple's recent history. When the construction of the high dam threatened to submerge the temple beneath Lake Nasser, the whole complex was carved into pieces and reassembled nearby on higher ground, grafted onto artificial cliffs custom-built to hold it. It's an engineering feat to rival anything the pharaohs accomplished. The Temple of Kom Ombo in Aswan Governorate is close enough to the riverbank to offer boat passengers a good view, and tourists can then do some shopping when you disembark. (Terri Colby / Chicago Tribune) But the trip's most memorable moment didn't involve a temple, tomb or pyramid. On the last full day of the cruise, in late afternoon, my husband and I took a bottle of Egyptian red wine up to the top deck. We had the space to ourselves. The setting sun painted the western sky pink and blue behind streaks of clouds as we cruised north toward Luxor. Red, sandstone cliffs rose in the distance. A light breeze took the edge off the fading heat of the day. The only sound was the thrum of the ship's engines. We sipped our wine, read and watched the riverbank panorama for at least an hour, perhaps two. Then, from the direction of the rising moon, the Muslim call to evening prayer sounded, first from one brightly lit minaret in a riverside town, then another, and finally a chorus of rhythmic, fervent chanting. It was a sound that had been heard at this time of day, in this place for more than a millennium. And the pharaohs of Egypt had journeyed down this stretch of river two millennia before that. Perhaps there was a pretty sunset and a gentle breeze for their cruise, too. Terri Colby is a freelance writer. Advertisement If you go Prices for Uniworld's 12-day Splendors of Egypt and the Nile tour for the rest of 2016 begin at $4,799 a person, airfare not included. There are discounts for early booking and full payment at registration. www.uniworld.com RELATED STORIES: Museums and zoos where you can spend the night 12 travel tips, from catching tall ships to a Colombian deal from Chicago After a visit to Abilene, I like Ike Undeveloped land is seen near the South Loop, southwest of Roosevelt Road and Clark Street along the Chicago River on Aug. 18, 2015. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune) An Iraqi-born British billionaire who bought the largest undeveloped plot of downtown Chicago land from politically connected convicted felon Tony Rezko a decade ago was in on a scam "amounting to theft" when he cut a North Shore businessman out of nearly $13 million he was owed from the deal, the 7th Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals has ruled. The ruling Monday against Nadhmi Auchi and his company, General Mediterranean Holding, throws a potential road bump in front of the proposed development of the 62-acre parcel of land connecting the South Loop and Chinatown, hailed last month as a transformative project that would alter Chicago's skyline. Advertisement Auchi, 79, was convicted in 2003 in France in a corruption scandal, and his involvement in the huge plot southwest of Roosevelt Road and Clark Street has long been a subject of intrigue. Court testimony in 2008 indicated then-Sen. Barack Obama in 2004 attended a party Rezko threw for Auchi in an attempt to interest Auchi in the property. Auchi eventually bought the land from Rezko for $31.8 million, and last month partnered with Related Midwest to develop the site in a deal Mayor Rahm Emanuel is backing. Advertisement But 61-year-old Wilmette resident Semir Sirazi has long maintained he should have received $12.9 million from the proceeds of the sale to Auchi. Rezko used the property to secure loans provided by Sirazi that Rezko then failed to repay, Sirazi said. A federal jury last summer agreed, finding that Auchi and GMH should have paid Sirazi the $12.9 million and awarding Sirazi an additional $5 million in punitive damages. Though Auchi appealed, the 7th Circuit on Monday upheld the jury's verdict. A view looking south from Roosevelt Road to the South Branch of the Chicago River on Aug. 18, 2015, near train lines and land that will be developed into a new neighborhood between the South Loop and Chinatown. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune) U.S. Appellate Judge Richard Posner strongly criticized Auchi and GMH. "There was no possible excuse for the deliberate misconduct, amounting to theft, in which GMH engaged," Posner wrote in an opinion backed by all three judges who heard the appeal. "Auchi is not only the chairman of GMH but also the company's 100 percent owner. He had been kept fully informed of, encouraged, and been centrally involved in approving the fraud against Sirazi, and as the owner of GMH he was enriched by his conduct unjustly." The ruling unless Auchi and GMH appeal it to the U.S. Supreme Court requires GMH and Auchi to pay Sirazi a total of $17.4 million. Sirazi's lawyer Greg Scandaglia welcomed the ruling against Auchi as "complete vindication." Lawyers for GMH and Auchi did not return calls seeking comment. Advertisement (Tribune Graphics) Sirazi has a lien on the property, and unless his claim is resolved it could prove an obstacle to the rezoning and development of the site. Related Midwest plans to add thousands of homes as well as shops, millions of square feet of office space and public access to the Chicago River at what it says will be a whole new neighborhood. But Related spokeswoman Tricia Van Horn declined to answer questions Monday about the case's likely impact on the project, or on what the court's comments say about Auchi's character. kjanssen@tribpub.com Twitter @kimjnews A young boy walks June 20, 2016, in the 1700 block of West 46th Street in the Back of the Yards neighborhood, near a small memorial for a 21-year-old man who was killed the previous day by someone wielding an assault rifle. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune) Fresh off another violent weekend in Chicago, police Superintendent Eddie Johnson stuck to familiar themes during a panel discussion Monday at the City Club of Chicago, lamenting the rocky relationship between his department and minority communities beset by violence and the need to hold repeat gun offenders more accountable. The crowd of civic and business leaders at a downtown restaurant moaned when Johnson said that an average of one illegal gun has been confiscated on Chicago's streets every hour of every day this year. Advertisement "So when you think about that, it's completely unacceptable," he said. "We have to do a better job of holding people accountable." Johnson and the other panelists Kim Foxx, the Democratic nominee for Cook County state's attorney, Cleopatra Cowley-Pendleton, mother of slain teen Hadiya Pendleton, and the Rev. Michael Pfleger touched on other causes for the worst violence some neighborhoods have seen since the late 1990s. Among them: a lack of investment in impoverished neighborhoods on the South and West sides and entrenched segregation. Advertisement Foxx talked about the tally of shooting victims that typically comes out at the end of each weekend in Chicago and the grief that comes along with it. This past weekend saw 59 people shot, 13 of them fatally. "We have high schools in the city of Chicago where we have multiple children who have been killed during the course of one year," Foxx said. "The trauma associated with that leads to behaviors for young people, and the cycle continues to go. And once we only deal with it after the fact when that gun is recovered from the scene, it is too late." Among the 59 people shot this weekend was a 3-year-old boy who was struck near East 61st Street and South Kimbark Avenue in the Woodlawn neighborhood. Police said he was in critical condition at Comer Children's Hospital. The boy was in a car seat when someone fired shots at the vehicle, hitting him in the shoulder, police said. One of the fatalities was a 21-year-old man shot with a high-powered rifle Sunday in the Back of the Yards neighborhood, according to police. The victim, whom the Cook County medical examiner's office identified as Salvador Suarez, was walking east in the 1700 block of West 46th Street around 1:30 p.m. when a car pulled up and someone shot him, striking him as he tried to run, said Chief of Detectives Eugene Roy. Suarez was pronounced dead at the scene, and the shooting was believed to be gang-related, Roy said. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 35 A crossing guard helps pedestrians walk across South Hermitage Avenue in Chicago's Back of the Yards neighborhood in Chicago on June 20, 2016. Salvador Suarez, 21, was killed by someone wielding an assault rifle in the Back of the Yards neighborhood near the front door of Holy Cross Immaculate Heart of Mary Churchon Sunday. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune) Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > Cowley-Pendleton, whose daughter Hadiya was killed in January 2013 when she was mistakenly targeted by a gang member about a mile from President Barack Obama's Chicago home, said social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook exacerbate disputes and lead to gunfire. "You have people who have a perception of Chicago that is so unreal, but it's real," she said. Johnson said the department's force of 12,000 needs more diversity. That, he said, might persuade more African-American and Hispanic residents to help police. Johnson said 71 percent of the applicants for the department's most recent entrance exam were minorities. Advertisement "One thing I've heard time and time again in the minority communities, 'We will feel more comfortable giving information to people who look more like us,'" he said. Chicago Tribune's Alexandra Chachkevitch and Peter Nickeas contributed. jgorner@tribpub.com Twitter @JeremyGorner Amber Honaker was sentenced on June 21, 2016, to five years in prison after pleading guilty to being drunk when she slammed into another vehicle in South Barrington in December, killing one person and seriously injuring another. (Cook County Sheriff's photo) A Palatine woman has been sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to being drunk when she slammed into another vehicle in South Barrington in December, killing one person and seriously injuring another, authorities said. Amber Honaker, 25, pleaded guilty in Cook County court earlier this month to aggravated DUI involving a death and great bodily harm in exchange for the five-year sentence, prosecutors said. Advertisement They said Honaker drank several shots of liquor at a Christmas party Dec. 4, then got behind the wheel with a blood alcohol level of 0.24 three times the legal limit. She was so drunk that she drove south in the northbound lane of Mundhank Road in South Barrington, believing the two-lane road was actually a four-lane highway, prosecutors said. Advertisement Honaker's vehicle crossed the center line and struck the vehicle in which Theresa and Joseph Miceli, of South Barrington, were driving, prosecutors said. They said Theresa Miceli, 85, died five days later from her injuries and that Joseph, her husband of 66 years, was seriously injured. Honaker suffered a broken ankle and clavicle in the crash. The case took an unusual turn in February when Tyler Heyward, who fathered a child with Honaker, sued the Ruth's Chris Steak House in South Barrington on behalf of the boy. Heyward alleged the restaurant had served Honaker "copious quantities of intoxicating liquors" at the Christmas party, and because of the injuries she suffered and the possibility she would go to prison, the 1-year-old child had lost his main means of support. A Cook County judge dismissed the lawsuit in April. Donald Nathan, Heyward's lawyer, said the state's "dram shop" law had recently been amended to prevent a dependent of the intoxicated person from suing the alcohol server. "It's a damn dirty shame that that's the law," he said. "The restaurant should really watch to make sure the people who are over-served don't get into cars." The attorney representing the steakhouse did not return a call for comment. In a victim impact statement read in the courtroom before the sentencing, the Micelis' daughter, Jeanne Seidel, told of the heavy emotional toll of seeing her mother partly conscious and "a bundle of terror" in the hospital in the days after the crash. Advertisement "My mom's eyes that looked so stern when I was in trouble, yet so kind when my world was upside down, now only stared at me in complete terror," she said. She also said her family has had to help her father through endless rehab appointments as they struggle to "keep his spirits high." "Now instead of taking time to absorb our loss, we roll into weeks of care with Dad," she said. Joseph Miceli also wrote a victim impact statement in which he said that he and his family were seeking justice for his wife. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > He said he was driving home with his wife after dinner when he "turned the corner for the final lap, and there was Ms. Honaker's speeding car coming at us in our lane." "My children had to watch their mother suffer five days then die," he wrote. "I walk with a pronounced limp and have internal injuries that cannot be repaired. I know whatever sentence you give her will not compensate us enough for our loss, but please try." Advertisement Prosecutors said the Miceli family agreed to the five-year sentence before it was imposed, though several family members requested in victim impact statements that Honaker be sentenced to the maximum of 14 years. Authorities also said Honaker will have to serve at least 85 percent of the sentence. Brian L. Cox is a freelance reporter; John Keilman is a Tribune reporter. jkeilman@tribpub.com Twitter @JohnKeilman An Englewood man was ordered held in lieu of $900,000 bail Tuesday after prosecutors say he shot and killed his best friend with a semi-automatic handgun over the weekend. Richard Smith, 21, was charged in the Sunday shooting death of 21-year-old Otis Richmond in the 6400 block of South Lowe Avenue, which is Smith's home, according to court records. Prosecutors said Smith was playing video games with Richmond and two other male friends in his bedroom when he complained that his back was sore from sleeping on his gun. Smith allegedly pulled the weapon out, dropped the magazine and pulled the trigger, striking the victim in the abdomen. He was apparently surprised when the gun went off, according to prosecutors. The group drove Richmond to St. Bernard Hospital, where he was pronounced dead just after 7 p.m., according to the medical examiner's office. An autopsy determined that Richmond, of the 5200 block of West Harrison Street, died of a single gunshot wound. A security guard at the hospital contacted police, who later found Smith and two other males walking west near 64th Street. Officers saw bloodstains in the back seat of the car Smith was getting into, which came back as registered to Richmond. Police also noticed bloodstains on Smith's clothing, according to prosecutors. The two males who were in Smith's room at the time of the shooting identified Smith as the person who shot Richmond. He was charged with first-degree murder. nmoreno@tribpub.com Advertisement Twitter @nereidamorenos How tense have things gotten over Mayor Rahm Emanuel's attempt to bring the Lucas Museum to the lakefront and Friends of the Parks' bid to block it? Consider the ominous-sounding text message sent Sunday by the head of the Chicago Park District board to the leader of the parks group: "Time is now truly of the essence. If there is anything we can work out, it needs to happen by Tuesday or the window closes forever." Advertisement To Executive Director Juanita Irizarry, that was a hard deadline to negotiate a deal with the city. "We have been told that Mr. Lucas, the Lucas Museum, will leave Chicago at any moment," she said Tuesday morning. But by Tuesday afternoon with no deal made the Park District's spokeswoman sought to shrug off the text as Park District Board President Jesse H. Ruiz's personal timeline, not representative of a city timetable. Advertisement "The two were communicating by text message to set up a meeting date," said Park District spokeswoman Jessica Maxey-Faulkner. "Mr. Ruiz was referring to his own personal schedule and availability to meet. Nothing else." The squabble marked the latest episode in the increasingly bitter controversy over the planned museum, which has seen numerous legal twists, public posturing, threats and demands since Friends of the Parks went to federal court to prevent the "Star Wars" filmmaker's dream project from being built on a parking lot south of Soldier Field. The rhetoric accelerated into hyperdrive Tuesday, with Emanuel calling the group's negotiating tactics "ridiculous" and "outrageous," and suggesting for the second time this week that "time is not our friend here." That came on a day that the parks group, faced again with the possibility that George Lucas will pull up stakes for a California site, because of its opposition, polled its board members on whether they were willing to budge on their long-standing objection to the Soldier Field location. The answer, Irizarry said, was the same as it has been all along: no. "The strong consensus of our board is to not drop our lawsuit and not negotiate on the originally proposed lakefront site," Irizarry said. Irizarry said the Park District leader told her group to drop the lawsuit and "trust them." Friends of the Parks' federal lawsuit is the last roadblock for the $743 million museum project at a location south of the Bears' home field. Lucas' patience is apparently growing thin, and he is exploring options in his native California. Wary of losing the project, the city filed a motion in May in federal appeals court essentially asking a panel of judges to dismiss the lawsuit. The project already has the blessing of the mayor and the approval of the City Council. Advertisement With no ruling yet from the appeals court, both sides have filled the void. The nearest thing to clarity centered on the alternate plan to build the Lucas Museum at McCormick Place's Lakeside Center on the east side of Lake Shore Drive. The plan has run into political head winds because it has a $1.17 billion price tag and would require extending five taxes beyond their expiration dates. Asked Tuesday if the proposal to tear down the Lakeside Center convention hall and replace it with the museum was dead, Emanuel responded, "I think Springfield pretty much answered that question for you." The state has been tied up for a year in its own budget stalemate and didn't address the Lucas Museum before the session wrapped up last month. Gov. Bruce Rauner said Monday in a meeting with the Tribune eEditorial bBoard that he favors the parking lot site for the museum. There was no discussion of that proposal at Tuesday morning's meeting of the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority. Also Tuesday, the mayor urged Friends to "be part of the solution," not an obstacle to progress. The mayor has said the Lucas project would be a major boost for Chicago's economy and has invested substantial political capital in keeping it here. Advertisement "The sand is running through the hour clock," the mayor said. "... I think Friends of the Parks should be on the same side of helping Chicago secure this museum." In the last two weeks, under intense political pressure, Friends of the Parks' board expressed a willingness to negotiate, but only on the Lakeside Center site. In exchange for its support, the group asked that six conditions be met, including reserving 5 percent of the museum's revenues for neighborhood parks. Ruiz labeled the conditions "nothing short of extortion." By Tuesday evening, there was no indication Friends' stance was any different than it has been for months or that Lucas was pulling out of Chicago. The group's lawsuit, filed in November 2014, contends the Lucas project is a violation of the public trust doctrine, benefits a private interest more than state residents and tarnishes the city's lakefront. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > "We have never had close to a majority that wanted to negotiate on that site," Irizarry said. Lucas museum officials, as they have done throughout much of the process, did not comment on the latest back-and-forth. And Lucas himself continued to say nothing about the controversy over the museum that would bear his name. Advertisement Chicago Tribune's Bill Ruthhart contributed. bkamin@tribpub.com Twitter @BlairKamin poconnell@tribpub.com Twitter @pmocwriter Almost 100 guns were taken off the street over the weekend, police said. The nearly 100 guns included a "handful'' of semi-automatic weapons, according to a statement from police. Advertisement "These guns are built for a battlefield, and they have no business on our streets," said police Superintendent Eddie Johnson in the statement. Following this weekend's roundup, CPD has taken more than 4,200 guns off the streets for the year so far. With the help of community organizations and gun buy-back events, CPD has been able to confiscate these guns and potentially help prevent crime from occurring, police said. Advertisement While there is a national conversation on the availability of high-powered weapons, the Police Department said officers are seeing firsthand the devastation these weapons can cause on Chicago's communities. In recent weeks, Johnson has expressed to lawmakers how important it is for them to join the fight against violence. "While we will continue to proactively work to take guns off our streets, we need everyone to join us in our efforts to keep our neighborhoods safe and we need the rest of the criminal justice system to hold those who use these illegal guns accountable,'' Johnson said in the statement. Police are asking for help in finding a 57-year-old woman who has being missing for about a week. Denise Essex was last seen at City Hall, at 121 N. LaSalle St., on June 13, according to a news release from the Chicago Police Department. Advertisement Essex is 4-foot-3 and 105 pounds. She has brown eyes, black hair and a medium complexion, according to the release. She also has severe depression. Advertisement Anyone with information about the woman's whereabouts should call Area North detectives at 312-744-8266. Jack McCullough walks out of Judge William Brady's courtroom at the DeKalb County Courthouse in Sycamore, Ill., on April 22, 2016, with Crystal Harrolle, an investigator with the public defender's office. Brady formally dismissed a murder case Friday against McCullough, a retired Washington state police officer, who a prosecutor says was wrongly convicted in the 1957 killing of a 7-year-old Sycamore girl, but he put off a decision on whether to appoint a special prosecutor. (Danielle Guerra / Daily Chronicle) A DeKalb County judge said Tuesday he would allow testimony from witnesses before deciding whether to appoint a special prosecutor in the case of Jack McCullough, who had been convicted in the 1957 murder of a Sycamore girl but was freed earlier this spring. Judge William Brady set July 12 to hear from the witnesses, two of whom are expected to testify that State's Attorney Richard Schmack had made up his mind before reviewing the evidence that McCullough was wrongly convicted of the murder of 7-year-old Maria Ridulph. Advertisement McCullough was serving a life sentence when Schmack said this spring that, based on a review of evidence, he believed McCullough was innocent. That led to Brady vacating McCullough's conviction and Schmack then dropping charges, which freed the Seattle-area retiree. But Ridulph's family, led by her brother Charles, has asked the court to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Schmack's decisions. Advertisement Charles Ridulph has said in court filings that he had discussions with Schmack after the state's attorney took office in late 2012. Ridulph contends that Schmack had "prejudged" McCullough to be innocent of the slaying. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > Schmack had asked the court to dismiss the special prosecutor motion, saying the request did not meet the conflict of interest standard required to bring in an outside prosecutor. Brady, though, said he wanted to hear more information before making a decision. "The family is very pleased with the judge's decision. They're thrilled," Charles Ridulph's attorney, Bruce Brandwein, said after the hearing. "They're going to get their day in court." Schmack was not state's attorney in 2012 when McCullough, 76, was found guilty of killing Maria, who disappeared from her Sycamore neighborhood on the night of Dec. 3, 1957. The investigation into her death was reopened decades later by Illinois State Police and DeKalb prosecutors, and in 2011, McCullough, who in 1957 had lived in the same neighborhood as the Ridulphs, was charged. McCullough's conviction was upheld by an appellate court, but Schmack undertook a review when the case came back to DeKalb on a post-conviction petition McCullough filed. This spring, Schmack released a report detailing what he said were errors in the prosecution of McCullough, and his own conclusion, that McCullough could not have killed Ridulph. Charles Ridulph is expected to testify at the July hearing, as is former DeKalb Assistant State's Attorney Julie Trevarthen, who helped prosecute McCullough. She will testify that Schmack made statements about McCullough's innocence before taking office, Brandwein said. Clifford Ward is a freelance reporter. Correction: Judge William Brady's last name was misspelled in an earlier version. It has been updated correctly. Another day, another change to Chicago's proposed online house rental rules. Aldermen advanced Mayor Rahm Emanuel's plan Tuesday to regulate companies like Airbnb, including allowing residents in areas with single-family homes to enact tougher rules for how beds can be rented to visiting out-of-towners. Advertisement The ordinance, which heads to the full City Council on Wednesday, does nothing to give such hyperlocal control in denser parts of the city like downtown and surrounding lakefront neighborhoods, where aldermen and residents have been complaining that swaths of condos and apartments are getting turned into de facto hotel districts by investors who rent them out full time. Under the latest version of the rules, which have changed so much this spring that Emanuel held off calling them for a vote last month because aldermen were confused about what they were being asked to support, residents would be able to start a petition within their precinct to set specific standards for online rentals. The petition could either outlaw any new such rentals from being posted online, or outlaw any new online rentals in houses that are not the host's "primary residence." Advertisement There are more than 2,000 precincts across the city, with 30 to 60 in each of the 50 wards. So the new rules could set up a patchwork of clashing standards on online rentals from block to block. And as with much of Emanuel's effort to get control over the fast-expanding industry, the regulations would only be as good as the city's enforcement of them. The rules could help in places like the North Side 40th Ward, home to Ald. Patrick O'Connor, though not as much as he wanted. O'Connor, Emanuel's council floor leader and one of his closest allies, had pushed for the online rental regulations to include a citywide rule that the homeowner needed to be present for Airbnb rentals in single-family homes, but that language got removed from an earlier draft. Instead, residents in neighborhoods like Andersonville, a hip 40th Ward area with lots of big, expensive houses, would need to collect signatures from 25 percent of registered voters in their precinct on a petition to enact the local rental standards. They would have 90 days to collect the signatures, and their alderman would then present to the City Council an ordinance including the regulatory language from the petition, according to the mayor's proposal. The petition rules would not apply to houses already listed on Airbnb or other such sites when the ordinance passed. They would be grandfathered in and allowed to continue being rented under prior rules. Restrictions passed via petition would be in place for four years, but residents opposed to the standards could get signatures on their own petition to overturn them. The precinct-level control wouldn't do much for neighborhoods like Lincoln Park, where Ald. Michele Smith, 43rd, has been among the loudest advocates for tighter controls to protect full-time residents from getting overrun by partying out-of-town Airbnb guests who come to the area to attend Cubs games and drink at the many local bars. Smith said that of the more than 600 blocks in her ward, three carry the zoning designations for single-family homes that the petition process would cover. "This does absolutely nothing to protect the people in my ward who are desperate for relief from these commercial renters," Smith said. Nor would the single-family home rules help stanch the proliferation of Airbnb rentals in big buildings in and around downtown, where Ald. Brendan Reilly, 42nd, says some places veer between empty ghost towns during the week and raging party houses on weekends. The ordinance also includes limits on the number of units in various-sized buildings that can be rented out, and allows building condo organizations and building owners to prohibit any rentals. Maria Guerra Lapacek, the city's business affairs commissioner, argued Tuesday that those restrictions offer protections in bigger buildings that single-family homes didn't have until the petition language was added. Advertisement But Smith has said the restrictions on condo and rental buildings are porous and difficult for the city to enforce. The mayor's latest ordinance keeps the onus on the city to police the thousands of Chicago units listed on Airbnb and other sites to make sure they comply with regulations setting limits on how many condos or apartments can be rented in each building. It requires the company to pay a fee of $60 per unit listed on the website to help pay for the city inspectors who will be needed to try to keep track of the listings. And it includes a 4 percent fee on each rental, with the proceeds going toward services for homeless people. jebyrne@tribpub.com Twitter @_johnbyrne Welcome to Clout Street: Morning Spin, our weekday feature to catch you up with what's going on in government and politics from Chicago to Springfield. Topspin Gov. Bruce Rauner typically has been unwilling to offer specifics about what he would accept as concessions from Democrats for a grand bargain on the state budget. Advertisement For more than a year, his requirements often have been presented vaguely as some combination of the items in his turnaround agenda, which includes new limits on workers' compensation benefits, new rules for civil lawsuits, a property tax freeze coupled with provisions that allow local governments to decide what gets collectively bargained, term limits on elected officials and new rules for drawing political maps. Along the way, the governor has added to the mix a proposal to help fix the state's pension problem. Rauner visited Tribune Tower on Monday and offered a clearer picture of what he would accept. Advertisement Changes to the rules on civil lawsuits, commonly referred to as "tort reform" is "off the table, for now," Rauner said. "The biggies," Rauner said, are changes to workers' compensation, the property tax freeze with collective bargaining provisions and legislation to alleviate the pension problem. Asked if that would be enough for him to strike a deal with Democrats, Rauner said: "Yeah, sure." That Rauner has set his sights on those items is no secret. There are working groups of lawmakers debating those topics now, and he's focused much of his public comments on the three items in recent weeks. Still, it was the first time we've heard Rauner say specifically what would satisfy his general call for "reforms" alongside a budget deal that includes spending cuts and tax hikes. Rauner's answer might provide more clarity to casual observers of the budget impasse, but it's unlikely to motivate Democratic lawmakers, who say they've lost trust in the governor because of his shifting rhetoric over the past year. Also, many Democrats are opposed to the workers' compensation and collective bargaining proposals, which they contend would hurt the middle class. (Kim Geiger) What's on tap *Mayor Rahm Emanuel is scheduled to attend a Chicago Police Department graduation and promotion ceremony, introduce a staffer at a City Club lunch and visit a new Whole Foods in Hyde Park in the afternoon. *Gov. Rauner will attend the Springfield Chamber of Commerce small business awards luncheon, then later welcome home veterans from an honor flight at the Springfield airport. *Chicago City Council committees could vote on revised Airbnb rental regulations and the mayor's Wrigley Field plaza liquor plan. *Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle will hold a news conference "in support of the American Medical Association's decision to define gun violence as a public health crisis." Advertisement *Lame-duck City Colleges of Chicago Chancellor Cheryl Hyman will speak to the City Club of Chicago. She's likely to talk about an agreement with Arizona State University to expand admissions opportunities for City Colleges graduates. *Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful Tammy Duckworth's campaign will hold a conference call with reporters, where University of Chicago economist Austan Goolsbee, a former adviser to President Barack Obama, will criticize Republican Sen. Mark Kirk's views on economic issues. *Campaign fundraisers: Preckwinkle is holding an event at the Chicago Cultural Center. Ald. Scott Waguespack, 32nd, has one of his own at Will's Northwoods Inn, where the Cubs-Cardinals game will be on TV. What we're writing *Rauner warns GOP could lose seats this fall, turn Madigan into "dictator" of Illinois. *Ald. Beale waters down Uber, Lyft regulations in face of Emanuel pressure. *Claypool pledges to spend "whatever it takes" on CPS lead-in-water removal, but unclear where money will come from. Advertisement *What former Speaker Hastert can expect in prison. *Chicago Park District calls Friends of the Parks wish list outrageous. *How Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin, Kirk voted on Senate gun control bills. *City submits O'Hare "Fly Quiet" plan to FAA for early July start. *Obama library in Washington Park could turn tide in vacant neighborhood. What we're reading *Emanuel's Chicago already at 300 homicides for the year as street violence continues. Advertisement *What Trump learned from Joe McCarthy's top aide. *"Star Trek" actor killed by SUV that was under recall. From the notebook *Session?: Democratic Speaker Michael Madigan indicated he'd be summoning House lawmakers back to the Capitol to work every Wednesday in June in a "continuous session." So far, however, the speaker has canceled the first two Wednesdays. Will he scrap this week's session as well? If so, the decision is likely to be announced today. Lawmakers don't get paid when they blow past their May 31 deadline, so they'd be humping back to Springfield without getting mileage reimbursed or per diems, a complaint some of them make privately. Those who've got challengers this fall also probably prefer to stay home and campaign. *Raging bull?: Mayor Emanuel appeared with "Meet the Fockers" star Robert De Niro for a West Loop hotel groundbreaking on Monday. Our Bill Ruthhart snapped a pic. Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Actor Robert DeNiro and chef Nobu Matsuhisa at the West Loop groundbreaking of Nobu Hotel. pic.twitter.com/VPDPlMs5La Bill Ruthhart (@BillRuthhart) June 20, 2016 Follow the money *Gov. Rauner personally contributed $2.5 million to the Liberty Principles PAC, which is run by conservative radio talk-show host Dan Proft. The political fund is expected to go after Democratic legislative candidates in the fall. Advertisement Asked if the donation was meant to send a message to Madigan, Rauner said he was "just exercising my rights as a citizen." A State Board of Elections search shows Rauner has exercised that right to the tune of nearly $47.5 million over the years, the bulk of it to Citizens for Rauner. *Track campaign contribution reports in real time with this Tribune Twitter account: https://twitter.com/ILCampaignCash Beyond Chicago *Trump parts ways with abrasive campaign manager as he (allegedly, again) pivots to general election footing. Meanwhile, campaign finance report bleak. *Rebuking Trump, Vice President Joe Biden warns against backsliding on democracy. *Supreme Court leaves in place NY, CT assault weapons bans. Advertisement *NIH won't cut price of taxpayer-funded prostate cancer drug. Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., bucked his party on gun control Monday as four separate measures failed to advance in the aftermath of the Orlando, Fla., nightclub massacre. Kirk and Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., cast identical votes to support Democratic measures and reject GOP-authored language. Advertisement Sixty votes were needed to end debate and move to an up-or-down vote on each measure and a "yes" vote signaled a desire for that. A "no" vote signaled a refusal to allow the measure to come to a vote. The measure's lead sponsor is noted. Advertisement Republican measures: (Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa) To notify law enforcement if a person investigated for terrorism in the past five years tries to buy a firearm and to clarify definitions on the mental health prohibition against acquiring and possessing a firearm. Durbin and Kirk, no. (Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas) To delay the sale of a firearm or explosives if the buyer has been investigated for terrorism in the past five years. If such a purchase was attempted, the attorney general and federal, state and local law enforcement would be notified and the sale could be delayed for up to three days to allow for court review. Durbin and Kirk, no. Democratic measures: Advertisement (Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn.) To close the "gun show" loophole by requiring a background check for every firearm sale and to ensure all people who should be banned from buying a firearm are listed in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS. Durbin and Kirk, yes. (Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.) To allow the attorney general to bar suspected terrorists from buying a firearm and to alert law enforcement if a person suspected of terrorism in the past five years tries to buy a gun. Durbin and Kirk, yes. Advertisement kskiba@tribpub.com Twitter @KatherineSkiba A DC-10 air tanker drops Phos-Chek, a fire retardant, on the Fish fire in Duarte on June 22. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) LOS ANGELES New wildfires erupted Monday near Los Angeles and chased people from their suburban homes as an intense heatwave stretching from the West Coast to New Mexico blistered the region. Towering columns of smoke rose from the San Gabriel Mountains as two fires burning less than 2 miles apart devoured brush on steep slopes above foothill suburbs. Advertisement Police in the city of Azusa and parts of Duarte ordered several hundred homes evacuated. Others were under voluntary evacuations. "It's crazy. It's super close," said 17-year-old Tawni Atencio, whose family was evacuating their home in Bradbury. Advertisement She said the flames were just a couple miles away and were making the house hot despite air conditioning. She watched as smoke from the fire billowed outside and helicopters dropped retardant on the flames. "It looked like a bomb exploded," she said. "It's scary. We're just praying it doesn't get to our house." The two fires grew to a combined 7 square miles and brought fears they could soon merge into one. The first was sparked by a fatal car crash, the California Highway Patrol said. The second was much closer to foothill neighborhoods and brought quick evacuations. Its cause has not been found. "We immediately had homes under threat," Los Angeles County Deputy Chief John B. Tripp said. But then the fire immediately started burning away from the homes, toward the forest. "That was extremely fortunate for us," he said. A nighttime change in wind direction, however, could return serious danger in a hurry, Tripp said. Officials had warned of extreme fire danger in the region as the heat peaked. Temperatures surpassed 100 degrees across much of Southern California well before noon, while some desert cities sizzled in the 120s. Advertisement Elsewhere, crews made progress against a nearly week-old blaze in rugged coastal mountains west of Santa Barbara. Overnight winds pushed flames into previously burned areas, allowing firefighters to boost containment to more than 50 percent. Most mandatory evacuations will be lifted Wednesday morning and nearly all by Saturday, authorities said Monday night. About 270 homes and other buildings were threatened by the blaze, which has charred more than 12 square miles since Wednesday. Another wildfire was growing near Potrero, a small desert town close to the Mexico border. It surged to nearly 3 square miles amid triple-digit temperatures and forced the evacuation of about 75 people from the ranching community about 40 miles southeast of San Diego. Three firefighters suffered heat-related injuries and were taken to a hospital for evaluations. Other blazes burned wide swaths across Arizona and New Mexico, where firefighters also faced blistering temperatures. Advertisement In central New Mexico, a 28-square-mile fire that erupted last week and destroyed 24 homes in the Manzano Mountains south of Albuquerque was largely uncontained. Higher humidity overnight allowed crews to strengthen lines around the fire. Farther north, a small blaze ignited in a popular recreation area where Santa Fe National Forest officials considered some youth camps and campgrounds threatened. Both camps posted social media updates saying the facilities were fine and there was no immediate threat. In eastern Arizona, a fire doubled to nearly 42 square miles and led officials to warn a community of 300 residents to prepare to evacuate. The blaze on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation southwest of Show Low was not moving quickly toward the community of Cedar Creek because of sparse vegetation and shifting winds. Associated Press Governors from the eight Great Lakes states agreed Tuesday to allow a Wisconsin city to start pumping millions of gallons a day from Lake Michigan, marking the largest diversion of water from the lakes since Chicago reversed the flow of the Chicago River in 1900. The unanimous decision favoring Waukesha, a Milwaukee suburb of 70,000 about 17 miles west of the lake, is the first test of a 2008 legal compact intended to prevent thirsty communities or countries outside the Great Lakes region from dipping into the world's largest source of fresh surface water. Advertisement Like parts of Chicago, Waukesha is just outside the subcontinental divide separating areas of the Midwest that drain into the Great Lakes from those where water flows toward the Mississippi River. Waukesha's request challenged politicians, scientists and advocates who feared it would set a precedent that cleared the way for potentially bigger diversions, such as pipelines connecting the lakes to Las Vegas or other arid, fast-growing cities. In this Sept. 12, 2013 file photo, the Fox River flows through downtown Waukesha, Wis. A push for expanded access to water from the Great Lakes is at a key point for the city of Waukesha. (John Flesher / AP) What the Wisconsin city ended up getting is considerably more limited. Several officials and observers involved in the long-running debate think the deal could discourage others from attempting a bid for access to water that the Great Lakes region zealously guards as its own. Advertisement Before the eight states approved the new pact, Waukesha agreed to recycle all of the water it draws from Lake Michigan and return it to a river that flows into the lake. Another provision limits the amount pumped to the city to an average of 8 million gallons a day, down from the original request of 10 million. Perhaps even more important is the area served by the new source of water is restricted to Waukesha's current borders, meaning the city can't use it to advance suburban sprawl. "They've set a very high bar," said Peter Annin, co-director of a Northland College water center and author of "The Great Lakes Water Wars." "If you are a water manager in another suburb or rural community, this just doesn't seem like an attractive or inexpensive option." Waukesha sought access to Lake Michigan water because some of its community wells are contaminated with naturally occurring radium a problem also faced by several Chicago suburbs. Great Lakes governors were swayed in part by research showing some of the groundwater now being drawn by Waukesha would flow toward Lake Michigan if it no longer is used by the city. Another argument in Waukesha's favor was that access to Lake Michigan water would free the city of having to treat water from its radium-contaminated wells, which creates radioactive sludge. "The vote today means the City can now move forward in providing a reliable, sustainable, and safe supply of drinking water for its residents," Waukesha Mayor Shawn Reilly said in a statement. More than a decade in the making, the Waukesha diversion was authorized under a limited exception to the water protection agreement between the eight states and two Canadian provinces on the Great Lakes: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, Ontario and Quebec. Regional officials brokered their compact after an Ontario firm unveiled a plan in 1998 to ship 158 million gallons a year from Lake Superior to Asia, intending to create a global market for fresh water. Given the rapid growth of many drought-plagued states and countries, some planners and financial analysts say water will be become more valuable than oil during the coming century. Advertisement Unlike what Waukesha is planning to do, Chicago doesn't return water to the Great Lakes. The city fended off challenges to its 1900 diversion from Lake Michigan and under a 1967 Supreme Court decree draws up to 2.1 billion gallons a day while discharging treated sewage into waterways that drain toward the Mississippi. Lawsuits could still delay the Waukesha diversion. Officials in Racine, for instance, have vehemently opposed the proposal because Waukesha's treated wastewater would flow through their community before reaching Lake Michigan. Waukesha estimates its project will cost $334 million and add hundreds of dollars a year to residential water bills. The city had no reasonable alternative, Reilly said. Environmental groups that opposed the deal were still studying the final agreement but applauded restrictions on the amount of water to be drawn by Waukesha and the area served by the diversion. "In the end you've got a city that's going to pay a lot of money for clean water," said Molly Flanagan, vice president for policy at the nonprofit Alliance for the Great Lakes. "What kind of victory is that?" mhawthorne@tribpub.com Advertisement Twitter: @scribeguy The first warning sign came before the plane had even taken off. Chad Cameron Camp had his choice of seats on the half-empty American Airlines flight from Dallas to Portland. But Camp, 26, curiously chose a middle seat -- right next to an unaccompanied 13-year-old girl, the FBI said in a statement. Advertisement Flight attendants offered to move Camp to another seat where he would have more room, but he declined. "No, I'm fine," he said, the Oregonian reported, citing a criminal complaint. Advertisement When a flight attendant returned for drink service a half hour later, she saw Camp's hand on the teenager's crotch, according to the complaint described by the Oregonian. She also saw "a single tear coming down the victim's cheek." Flight attendants separated Camp and the teenager for the rest of the voyage. And as soon as the plane landed, the unaccompanied minor was rushed off the plane. When Camp exited the plane, he was arrested and charged with abusive sexual contact, according to the FBI. The teenager's attorney, however, says that the airline failed to protect its vulnerable passenger. "This was 30 minutes of hell for this young lady," said Brent Goodfellow, a lawyer representing the girl, who scoffed at the idea that his client had been saved by a heroic flight attendant. "If I have my tray table down or my seat back two inches during the improper time, those guys are going to be on me immediately," Goodfellow told The Washington Post. "This girl got abused for 30 minutes and no one was to be found." Not only did the airline fail to protect her, he added, but American Airlines also charged the girl's family extra to let her travel alone. Advertisement "The family paid $300 extra and this is what they get?" he said, adding that his clients are "absolutely going to sue the airline." American Airlines said it takes "these matters very seriously" and is fully cooperating with law enforcement. "American cares deeply about our young passengers and is committed to providing a safe and pleasant travel experience for them," the airline said in a statement to CNN. As Goodfellow points out, however, this is not the first case of a child allegedly being sexually assaulted aboard an American Airlines flight. In July 2015, a Pakistani doctor was similarly accused of groping an unaccompanied girl aboard an AA flight from New York City to Chicago. Mohammad Asif Chaudhry, 57, was visiting relatives in the United States last summer when he allegedly moved from his assigned seat to sit next to the girl, who was between 12 and 16 years of age. The girl woke up from a nap to find the doctor inappropriately touching her genitals, according to a federal lawsuit filed against Chaudhry and American Airlines. Advertisement "I can't move cause the seat belt sign is on and I want to get away,' the girl said in desperate texts to her mother, the Associated Press reported. "Mommy, I'm scared." Chaudhry claimed that the contact was inadvertent, however. He was acquitted by a federal judge in November. The lawsuit against him and American Airlines continues in an Iowa court. After the incident, American Airlines issued a nearly identical statement to the one last week. "It's a mockery," Goodfellow said of the boilerplate statements. "It's like a slap in the face." He said the airline's reaction was also identical: move the accused man to the back, move the girl to the front and call the FBI, which handles incidents aboard flights. Wednesday's incident allegedly began brewing the moment Camp boarded the airplane. Advertisement The girl was flying home to the Portland area after visiting her father in Dallas. She boarded the flight first. Camp was wearing headphones and talking to himself when he sat down in his assigned seat, 21-B, right next to the girl. "The first word out of his mouth was '(expletive),'" the attorney said. If that wasn't enough of a warning, Goodfellow said, then flight attendants should have realized there was a problem when Camp declined to move to an empty row -- or at least to the aisle seat. "That's a big red flag," the attorney said. "Anybody who has ever flown more than a couple of hours and knows that if there is any empty seat that is not the middle seat, of course they are going to move." Camp continued to mumble and curse to himself before attempting to make small talk, the Oregonian reported, citing the complaint. He began leaning toward her, forcing her to lean away. Advertisement Camp then began brushing up against her upper arm and shoulder while ostensibly turning the pages of a magazine, according to the complaint. Later, he leaned across the girl -- to look out the window, he said -- putting his face just inches from hers, the complaint continues. After twice offering to share his earphones with her, Camp then repeatedly placed his hand on the girl's knee and upper thigh, according to the complaint reported by the Oregonian. "At one point she had to push his hand off of her and cross her legs," Goodfellow told The Post. But Camp just laughed and tried again, according to the complaint. "She was touched over 15 times," Goodfellow said, adding that Camp threw his earphones at the girl when she rebuffed his alleged advances. Advertisement This was 30 minutes of hell for this young lady. Brent Goodfellow, lawyer representing the girl The incident only stopped when a female flight attendant came by to serve drinks and spotted Camp's hand on the girl's crotch, according to the complaint. That's also when the flight attendant noticed that the girl was crying. When confronted, Camp denied doing anything wrong. And when the flight attendant told him to move, he tried to slide over just one seat, to the aisle, but the flight attendant wasn't having it. She moved Camp to the back of the plane and put the girl -- and a male witness -- near the front. As soon as the plane reached its gate in Portland, the girl and the witness were ushered off so that they could give statements to authorities, the Oregonian reported. When Camp exited the plane, he was detained by Port of Portland officials and then arrested by FBI agents, according to a statement from the bureau. Before he was taken to Multnomah County jail, however, the girl had to walk past him to use the airport restroom -- an experience Goodfellow described as "absolutely traumatizing." Camp later pleaded not guilty. Advertisement The attorney accused American Airlines of "extorting" separated families by charging them extra to let unaccompanied minors travel without providing any meaningful protection. The girl's father paid an additional $300 round-trip for her to visit him. In August 2014, American Airlines began requiring parents to pay $150 extra each way for unaccompanied kids ages 12-14 to fly. Previously, only unaccompanied kids ages 4-11 were required to use the service. "This age range not only ensures the safest possible travel for our youngest customers, it's consistent with US Airways policy before the close of our merger," American told its employees, according to the Dallas Morning News. "Our unaccompanied minor service is to ensure your child is boarded onto the aircraft, introduced to the flight attendant, chaperoned during connections and released to the appropriate person at their destination," the airline's website states. "To me, what this is, is American looking for some extra dollars after they've got their baggage fees and all the other things they are now hitting us with," Goodfellow told The Post. "If I'm an executive at American Airlines, I'm thinking: Almost half of our marriages in the United States end in divorce, and there are people moving out of state all the time, and there isn't a dollar figure out there that people aren't going to pay to see their loved ones." Advertisement "Parents are assuming they are going to be getting bodyguard service" for $300, but they are not, he added. Camp never should have been given a seat next to the girl in the first place, Goodfellow argued. He cited some airlines's policies barring men from sitting next to unaccompanied minors. Those policies have come under attack, however, from men who claim that they are sexist. In 2012, an Australian firefighter said he felt like a "pedophile" when a Virgin Australia flight attendant asked him to move from his seat next to two unaccompanied boys, according to CNN. After a public uproar, Virgin said it was reviewing its policy. "Basically, he felt like a pedophile precisely because he was treated like one," Joshua Gans wrote in Forbes shortly after the incident. Other airlines, including British Airways, Qantas and Air New Zealand have also been criticized for similar policies. Advertisement Boris Johnson, ex-mayor of London, wrote an op-ed in 2006 about being asked to move on a British Airways flight before he revealed to the flight attendant that the kids were actually his. British Airways changed its policy in 2010 after being successfully sued by Luxembourgian businessman Mirko Fischer, who complained that he had been treated like a "child molester" by the airline, according to the Telegraph. Allegations of abuse against unaccompanied minors are relatively rare. In 2013, an off-duty Delta pilot was accused of groping an unaccompanied girl on a flight from Detroit to Salt Lake City. Such cases date back to at least 1990, when a Michigan man was arrested for allegedly fondling a 9-year-old girl who was traveling with her 7-year-old sister aboard a Northwest Airlines flight. "Airlines and flight attendants say it's the first such incident they know of and doubt it could happen except under unusual circumstances," the Seattle Times reported, noting that the alleged incident happened during an overnight flight when the lights were dimmed. At the same time, however, the newspaper said the incident had "raised a new concern: youngsters being sexually molested en route." Advertisement Goodfellow said airlines don't necessarily need to revert to bans on men sitting next to unaccompanied minors. He said there are simple, non-discriminatory steps an airline can take, such as sitting unaccompanied minors in aisle seats in front or rear rows, where they are closest to and most easily seen by flight attendants. Whenever possible, unaccompanied minors should also have an empty seat next to them for protection, he said. On Thursday, Camp appeared briefly in U.S. District Court in Portland. His attorney entered a not guilty plea on his behalf, the Oregonian reported. No matter the outcome of Camp's case, Goodfellow said the incident had permanently affected the 13-year-old girl. "She doesn't want to be on an airplane ever again," he said. "This is going to affect the rest of her life." Jack Fuller, a former Chicago Tribune editor and publisher who became a Tribune Publishing executive, focused on writing books when he retired. (Chicago Tribune) When former editor and publisher Jack Fuller stepped down from his post as president of Tribune Co.'s publishing division in 2004, reporters and editors at the Chicago Tribune declared it the end of an era. At the time, the Pulitzer Prize winner was the only Tribune corporate executive with a journalism pedigree. He had spent most of his 40-year journalism career at the Tribune, starting as a copy boy at 16 and eventually rising to the helm of the newsroom and later the company's entire publishing operation. Advertisement As president of Tribune Publishing, Fuller shepherded the acquisition of Times Mirror Co. one of the largest acquisitions in newspaper history. At the heart of the deal was Fuller's perennial commitment to quality journalism. "Newspapers grow out of the soil of the community," Fuller wrote in his book "News Values: Ideas for an Information Age," published in 1996. Whether in print or online, the newspaper needs "to have a distinctive voice that relates well to the community it serves." Advertisement Fuller, 69, died Tuesday in his Chicago home. He was diagnosed several months ago with cancer. Born in Chicago, Fuller followed his financial reporter father into the newsroom, working as a copy boy and later earning a bachelor's degree in journalism from Northwestern University in 1968. From there, he headed to Yale Law School but was drafted into the Army, serving as a Vietnam correspondent for Pacific Stars and Stripes in 1969 and 1970. He spent the summer of 1972 writing for the Washington Post. After earning his law degree from Yale in 1973, Fuller returned to Chicago to resume his journalism career. But after two years as a general assignment reporter at the Tribune, he left the paper to join the U.S. Department of Justice as special assistant to then-Attorney General Edward Levi. He rejoined the Tribune as a Washington correspondent in 1977 and returned to the Tribune Tower in Chicago in 1978 as an editorial writer. Tribune Co. executive Jack Fuller speaks to editorial employees at the Los Angeles Times on March 17, 2000. (Rick Meyer / Los Angeles Times) Appointed editorial page editor in 1981, he won a Pulitzer Prize five years later for editorials focused primarily on constitutional law. He was named executive editor, second-in-command of the newsroom, in 1987 and promoted two years later to vice president and editor. Colleagues recall Fuller's soft-spoken, intellectual demeanor and professorial style. For many years, he sported a beard and wore a beret. When he started wearing glasses, he perched them on the bridge of his nose. He even occasionally smoked a pipe. "Jack was one of the most brilliant writers, editors and newsroom leaders I've known. He had a profound impact on me and many other people at the Tribune. He taught us to be aggressive, fearless and ethical," said Bruce Dold, now editor and publisher of the newspaper. Former top editor Ann Marie Lipinski, who now runs the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard, remembers the day Fuller asked her to leave her job heading the investigative team to become metro editor. He had a way of stoking ambition, she said. "He saw in me abilities and demanded from me responsibilities before I was prepared to see those things and demand those things of myself," Lipinski said. Advertisement At the newsroom's helm, Fuller's writing shifted to novels and occasional jazz reviews. In addition to promoting Lipinski and many others, he recognized the talents of a young writer, editor and trained musician named Howard Reich and chose him to be a staff jazz critic, a position Reich still holds. Jack Fuller takes a congratulatory call in his Chicago Tribune office April 17, 1986, after it was announced that he won the Pulitzer Prize for editorial writing. (Chuck Berman / Chicago Tribune) A trombone player, pianist and jazz aficionado, Fuller believed it was crucial for the Tribune located in a city that's a hub for jazz to have someone dedicated to covering that music and the culture surrounding it, Reich said. When Fuller joined the Pulitzer board in 1992, he launched a personal crusade to redefine the rules of the music category long dominated by classical compositions, Reich said. Jazz entries trickled in as the board made it clear that a musical entry could include improvisational elements. In 1997, trumpet virtuoso Wynton Marsalis became the first musician to win the prize for a jazz composition after the board had put Reich and other jazz experts on the jury. "Jazz is America's classical music, and he wanted the world to know that," Reich said. In 1993, Fuller was named president and CEO of the Chicago Tribune and became publisher a year later. With Fuller's support, the Tribune was one of the first newspapers to enter the digital age making internet access available in the newsroom and launching one of the first online editions, said Howard Tyner, Fuller's successor as editor. "Chicago Tribune was recognized and criticized in many quarters for being the first major paper to take the internet and multimedia seriously," Tyner said. "It was a rational futuristic approach to journalism, and Jack easily could have tamped that down, as I think senior folks at other newspaper companies were doing." Advertisement In 1997, Fuller rose to lead the company's five daily newspapers and syndicated content. Lipinski said Fuller's journalistic integrity made him a master translator for his corporate colleagues in the boardroom who might not understand how a newsroom operates. Both Lipinski and Tyner said that made people want to work for him. "There was this fundamental trust," Lipinski said. "To have his hand at your back and to know that he had faith in you, but also to know you had these shared values about what a newspaper was there to do, was the most inspiring and exhilarating feeling I've ever had as a journalist." Fuller's tenure at the Tribune was a high-water mark for women in the company and the industry, Lipinski said. In addition to promoting female editors in the newsroom, Fuller later appointed female publishers at four of the chain's papers. He insisted it had nothing to do with political correctness or a quest for equality. "You want the best people," he once said. "That means you don't take from 50 percent of the talent pool." Advertisement In 2000, Fuller played a central role in expanding the Tribune empire. With an eye to attracting national advertisers to purchase across television, print and online platforms, the acquisition of Times Mirror Co. added 10 newspapers and their websites, including the Los Angeles Times. The family with the largest stake in the LA Times reportedly would not have sold had it not been for Fuller's credibility as a journalist. "Being bigger and having a bigger footprint makes us more able to control our fate," he said at the time. But shortly after the Times Mirror acquisition, the media industry encountered one of its worst advertising recessions. Online pressure also grew more intense. In the months preceding Fuller's retirement, the company had to compensate advertisers for inflated circulation figures at Newsday and the New York edition of Hoy, the company's Spanish-language newspaper. Fuller insisted that his departure had long been planned and had nothing to do with the circulation scandal; he simply missed writing. He continued to write opinion pieces for the Tribune, novels and other books. His eighth novel, "One From Without," came out this month. Advertisement Fuller is a past president of the Inter American Press Association, which works to monitor and safeguard freedom of expression in the Western Hemisphere. He also served on the board of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and was a trustee of the University of Chicago. He is survived by his wife, Debra Moskovits, and two children from a previous marriage, son Timothy and daughter Katherine Ryan. A memorial service is being planned. mbrachear@tribpub.com Twitter @TribSeeker Trevor Bull created and produced music shows on a suburban public-access cable TV station and later hosted and produced shows on two suburban radio stations. His interest in discussing music on the air was an offshoot of his longtime personal interest in playing blues harmonica in clubs in Chicago and around the country. "Trevor was always very passionate about life and living, even despite health issues," said Greg Bizzaro, who worked with Bull at Wheaton's public-access cable station in the 1990s. "He was the first to be running up on stage at some club in Wyoming and socializing with the best of us and the least of us. He held no judgments, and he was always a strong and courageous person." Advertisement Bull, 63, died of complications from hepatitis May 23 at Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, said his wife, Barb. A longtime resident of Wheaton, Bull had suffered chronic health problems for more than a decade, she said. Born in Chicago, Bull grew up in Oak Lawn and Berwyn. He moved to Pennsylvania when he was in his early 20s but returned to the Chicago area. During his 20s, Bull worked in a print shop and during his off-hours, played blues harmonica in clubs and at festivals. Advertisement Bull later worked in wine sales and then in sales for the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers until he was diagnosed with a genetic, untreatable eye disease, retinitis pigmentosa. Although his vision worsened, Bull never entirely lost his eyesight, his wife said. Settling in Oakbrook Terrace, Bull worked for a time as a detective for the Pinkerton detective agency. He also took a strong interest in local politics, deciding in 1987 to run for both the Oakbrook Terrace City Council and the Oakbrook Terrace Park District's board. He lost the park board race but won a seat on the City Council. After a little over a year on the City Council, Bull stepped down to take a job working for the city of Oakbrook Terrace as the town's deputy city clerk. Bull cooperated with FBI agents who were investigating corruption in Oakbrook Terrace in a scandal that ultimately sent the city's former mayor to federal prison, his wife said. In the early 1990s, Bull and his wife moved to Wheaton, where he began working for the city's public-access cable TV station, Wheaton Community Television. While at WCTV, Bull soon began complaining that a fellow employee was using station equipment for personal projects. Bull was later fired for what Wheaton officials told him was insubordination. Bull filed suit against the city and two defendants in federal court and in 2001 won a $467,000 judgment. After leaving Wheaton's cable station, Bull began hosting a blues radio show, "Groove Merchant," on suburban WJJG-AM, and an outdoor-themed show, "Range and Field," on suburban WBIG-AM. "Trevor's name always reminded me of a Civil War general, and that's kind of what he was like, always ready to charge," said Joe Kreml, former manager of Wheaton's cable station. "He had a passion for whatever he was doing. Whether it was making music, videos, radio shows whatever it was, he was always totally invested. And that made him really fun to work with. He genuinely liked working and collaborating with people." Kreml remembered Bull's love and knowledge of music, as well as his deftness at dealing with the eccentric cast of characters at Wheaton's cable station. Advertisement "Some friends and I produced a comedy show at the station, and Trevor helped us out with making original music for it," Kreml said. "His harmonica-playing was terrific, as was his knowledge of music, and his influence turned me on to a lot of music I never would have heard." In addition to his wife, Bull is survived by two sisters, Judy Oslack and Sue Arnold; and two brothers, Steve and Jeff. Services were held. Bob Goldsborough is a freelance reporter. The critical care team making rounds my team for today stops abruptly in front of the next patient room, and I hear my co-resident present the story: The 18-year-old patient suffered a gunshot wound to the face. The circumstances of the shooting aren't clear, but we heard it had something to do with "gang violence." And we continue listening to the presentation: an update on any changes in the patient's status that happened overnight, his vital signs over the past 24 hours, the input of different specialists, and, finally, the treatment plan for the day. We shuffle into the room an army of white coats with hopeful, patient smiles. We stand in a halo around the bed as we look at the young man, wearing a cervical collar and not able to fully open his mouth. This is what gun violence leaves in its wake. Though we're trained, as doctors and nurses, not to let emotion cloud our clinical judgment as we treat devastating wounds and illnesses, it's still jarring to see the damage that can be done by a weapon so readily available in our society. Advertisement Our patient's head is turned to the left and his eyes flicker open. He's missing several teeth. There's a bullet wound in his throat, which is slowly healing. Saliva collects in the front of his mouth and the back of his throat, and he says he needs to cough. Each day, there's a risk that he'll bleed into his airway. He's connected to several intravenous drips. In a completely unfamiliar environment, surrounded by snaking tubes and lines, surely, he's scared; and the mental fight is as important as the physical one if he is to survive and heal. His mother and sister have pulled the shades down in the room. They sit at the window and watch us with guarded, expectant looks as we file in. The attending physician walks over and sits beside them. He leans back and crosses his legs, then starts to talk. The young man is stable, he says. His throat is healing, slowly. When can he eat? Well, see that yellow bag? That's his nutrition right now. He can't eat. The bullet tore a hole in his throat. Advertisement We can triage the victims, resuscitate their organs and monitor their bodies. Sometimes we can even offer encouragement or comfort to patients and their families. The need for care of this kind never stops. But even though my job is treating gunshot victims after the fact not dealing with the issues that lead to their shootings sometimes I find myself wondering about the events that lead to the moment, beyond my control, that sends an 18-year-old to a team of medical professionals because of a bullet through his face. I ask myself: Will he recover? What will the family do? How will he function when we release him? What's the cost socially and economically to the community? As physicians, we're in a unique role. Like everyone else, we hear the public's outrage about gun violence, read the social-media posts, talk about it at work, home and even happy hour when we take our scrubs off for a minute and try to unwind. But then we go right back to work and see the victims. We browse through their lab values to find out if their electrolytes are in balance or if there's an infection brewing. We stare at them through MRIs and CT scans, tracing the path of the bullet, or bullets, paying close attention to the nearby structures and tissue, examining the damage. We use critical-care resources and personnel to provide the best care possible to the victims of gun violence. In other words, we do our job. But we can't stop gun violence. The estimated annual cost of gun violence in this country is reported to be $229 billion. But the numbers are just that, estimates, given the limited research and federal resources dedicated to understanding the overall toll gun violence takes on Americans. Individual states are taking action to address this ongoing catastrophe California's legislators just approved $5 million for a gun violence research center but what's needed is a nationwide effort. Tuesday, the American Medical Association declared gun violence a "public health crisis" and the organization will lobby Congress to overturn the legislation that for the past 20 years has blocked funding designated for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to study gun violence. Legislation largely supported by the National Rifle Association. What members of Congress who've blocked this funding don't seem to understand is that every day the CDC is limited in its ability to address the causes of gun violence is a day I may see another 18-year-old on my rounds. They don't seem to understand that all I can do as a physician is patch up broken bodies I can't prevent them from being broken in the first place. They fund cancer research and studies on the obesity, but because of political pressure, they continue to deny research on this particular public health crisis. Which is exactly what it is. There are more guns than people in the United States. We need more robust research at the federal level into the full costs of gun violence, and the burden it places on our already strained physical and mental health systems. This research will provide facts; the ammunition risk factors, potential solutions that will illustrate to legislators the need to enact changes to gun laws throughout the United States. In the meantime, we'll put on our white coats, treat our patients' wounds and pray for recovery. Washington Post Milly Turakhia is an anesthesiology resident at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. In March, it looked entirely possible that none of the Republican presidential candidates would arrive at the July convention with the nomination in hand. A contested convention loomed, and Donald Trump's team knew it could be a fierce fight. Referring to the delegates, his adviser Barry Bennett said, "By majority rule, they can do anything that they want. They can throw out the chairman. You can throw out the (Republican National Committee) members. You can do anything." Advertisement Hear that, Republican delegates? And will you heed it? The GOP has never nominated someone so plainly unprepared, unreliable and unfit. Chicago Tribune Editorial Board Trump looks as though he has succeeded in what amounts to a hostile takeover of a party with which he has identified only sporadically over the past three decades. But it's not too late for the delegates to fight him off and choose a nominee who actually represents values the GOP has long championed. Advertisement As it is, party leaders find themselves repeatedly obliged to disassociate themselves from Trump. After his speech following the massacre in Orlando, which reiterated his pledge to stop Muslim immigration, Politico reported, "Many lawmakers are openly frustrated, and refusing to defend the comments and actions of their own standard-bearer, the man they've endorsed for president." Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn vowed not to comment on the presumptive nominee until after the election. The GOP has never nominated someone so plainly unprepared, unreliable and unfit. Most party figures act as though they have no choice. But they do. A group of delegates is organizing an effort called "Free the Delegates." They propose to change party rules to let them vote for whomever they want regardless of how their states' caucuses and primaries turned out and they claim already to have enlisted several hundred delegates and alternates. House Speaker Paul Ryan, who will chair the convention, declined an invitation to oppose the effort. "It is not my job to tell delegates what to do, what not to do or to weigh in on things like that," he said. "They write the rules. They make their decisions." (Scott Stantis) On what grounds could the delegates deny the nomination to the person who defeated every other candidate? First, they could point out that he is fundamentally at odds with many of the party's bedrock policies including those on such vital topics as national security, trade, entitlement reform, fiscal responsibility and religious freedom. They could note that he has never shown a fidelity to any set of political principles, especially conservative ones. They could highlight his volatile temperament and shaky grasp of policy. He has also been inept and irresponsible in his approach to the general election. He starts with a disadvantage. Writing for the conservative National Review, Dan McLaughlin notes that Trump's polling numbers are "at a lower ebb than any general election candidate has hit in the last three elections." On Monday, Trump fired campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, a belated recognition of his inadequacy. This is normally the period when a presumptive nominee takes steps to unite the party and set out themes to appeal beyond to swing voters as Clinton has been doing. But Trump has yet to make that pivot. Nor has he done other things he needs to do in service to the party's cause. Lacking much interest in raising money, which he hardly needed in the primaries, the billionaire could be vastly outspent. He entered June with just $1.3 million in the bank, according to The New York Times compared to Clinton's $41 million. Already, she and groups supporting her have spent $23 million on ads in eight battleground states, while Trump and his allies have spent nothing. Clinton has close to 700 people on her campaign payroll; Trump has about 70. She can also expect a mobilization of support from Democrats running for other offices, as well as state and local party organizations and traditional Democratic interest groups. Trump, by contrast, has done his best to alienate and demoralize Republican officeholders. His behavior has encouraged state parties to concentrate their resources on races down the ballot. His remarks about Mexican immigrants, Muslims, women and David Duke seem almost designed to boost Democratic turnout. Advertisement Trump's campaign is a disaster waiting to happen unless the party uses the Cleveland convention to avert it. Republican delegates can resign themselves to go down on a sinking ship. Or they can mount a mutiny to install a captain who has the judgment, experience and skills needed to guide the vessel safely home. Join the discussion on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook. Newspapers employ people with all sorts of backgrounds, talents and interests. Some write books on the side. Some play classical piano. Some are lawyers. Some are experts on jazz. Some have seen combat during military service. Some have served in the upper levels of government. Then there is Jack Fuller. Believe it or not, each of those descriptions, and more, applied to him. He had a career that would be deemed implausible if it were depicted in one of the eight novels he wrote. The term "Renaissance man" could have been invented for him. He was a person of exceptional curiosity, learning and ability. Advertisement More important to us, though, is that his life's work consisted mostly of the Chicago Tribune. Few people in our 169-year history did as much to shape, guide and elevate this newspaper as he did. We at the Tribune, and Chicago, lost someone special when Jack Fuller died Tuesday at 69. Jack Fuller takes a congratulatory call in his Chicago Tribune office April 17, 1986, after it was announced that he won the Pulitzer Prize for editorial writing. (Chuck Berman / Chicago Tribune) He started at the newspaper as a copyboy a bottom-rung clerk at age 16. After graduating from Northwestern University, being drafted and sent to Vietnam, and earning a law degree from Yale, he came back as a reporter. Later he joined the Tribune Editorial Board, became editorial page editor and won a Pulitzer Prize for editorial writing. He was named editor, then president and CEO and finally publisher of the newspaper. In 1997, he became executive vice president of the parent Tribune Publishing Co., retiring at the end of 2004 as its president. Advertisement In New Haven, he not only got his law degree but studied under novelist and poet Robert Penn Warren. His classmates and friends were Bill Clinton and Hillary Rodham (Hillary, he confided, was the smarter of the two). As a special assistant to Attorney General Edward Levi, he worked alongside Antonin Scalia and Robert Bork. He loved the newspaper business, and he thought journalism had a vital role in society or rather, roles. Sometimes it is reporting the stark, simple facts of everyday life. He recalled the advice he got from a veteran journalist (his father) as a young reporter: "When a fire is burning, you're going to be the only one who cares how the dead spelled their names." Sometimes it is offering information and judgment on the great issues of the day. When Fuller would recount to visiting groups the Tribune's proud history of support for Abraham Lincoln, abolition, free trade and individual rights, you could almost hear "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" playing in the background. As seriously as he took his profession, he also savored the fun of it. One of his favorite (and, he noted, possibly apocryphal) stories was about legendary Tribune Publisher Robert McCormick. Asked why he stayed in Chicago, McCormick pointed at the view from his 24th-floor office and replied: "Every day, I sit on that windowsill and look down, with a dozen roses in one hand and a handful of night soil in the other. And eventually everyone passes under that window." During the 1992 presidential campaign, when Fuller was editor, Bill Clinton came in to meet with the editorial board, doubtless expecting his old friend to deliver our endorsement in the Illinois Democratic primary. The Tribune recommended a vote for Paul Tsongas. But Fuller was not one to let political or philosophical differences sour a friendship. When Scalia died, Fuller noted that he had always rejected the justice's originalist jurisprudence, "but it never got in the way of the warmth between us." If Fuller thought you were wrong, he would tell you exactly why in the most civil, respectful and intellectually honest fashion. Anyone who wanted to learn something from a conversation was advised to engage him. He could talk at length about Miles Davis, constitutional law, Chicago history, Charles Dickens and the charms of Door County, Wis. When he wrote his 2010 nonfiction book, "What Is Happening to News: The Information Explosion and the Crisis in Journalism," his analysis included a chapter about neuroscience because the working of the brain affects what readers want. Fuller began his career when the field was dominated by chain-smoking white men banging away on manual typewriters and ended it when diverse newsrooms were pioneering cyberspace. Throughout that time, he was a model journalist, a wise leader and a stimulating companion. As much as anyone in the modern history of this news organization, Jack Fuller embodied the Tribune. In it, he will live on. Donald Trump's firing of his campaign manager Corey Lewandowski sounds like a big deal, until you realize how small a Trump campaign there is to manage. Late Monday, hours after presumptive Republican presidential nominee Trump let his campaign manager go, new filings revealed that Trump ended May with less than $1.3 million in the bank. Advertisement That might sound like a nice piece of change until you learn that Hillary Clinton, his presumptive Democratic opponent, raised more than $28 million in May and started June with $42 million in cash. Trump's fellow Republican Ben Carson reported $1.8 million $500,000 more than Trump in his campaign fund in May, even though he stopped campaigning in March. Advertisement Overall Team Trump his presidential campaign, the Republican National Committee and Trump's allied super PAC Great America PAC went into June with $21.7 million in cash. That compares to $103.4 million in cash on hand held by Team Clinton, which includes her campaign, the Democratic National Committee and the Priorities USA super PAC. With that, the Clinton campaign spent $1.6 million in ad production and airtime, pummeling Trump with attack ads in battleground states. That compares to only $150,000 spent by Trump's campaign on ads in May. He has preferred to attack "Crooked Hillary" in speeches, on Twitter and through other free-media-generating stunts. Personnel? At last count, the Trump campaign had about 30 staffers nationwide, according to the Associated Press, while Clinton's team has more than 700 nationwide, including 50 people in the critical swing state of Ohio. You could tell that Trump was in trouble when he stopped bragging about his polls, which have generated a drumbeat of bad news for his campaign since Clinton clinched enough delegates in early June to win her party's nomination. On the morning after Lewandowski's firing, RealClearPolitics' daily average of major polls showed Clinton ahead of Trump 45 percent to 39.2 percent. That's a big slide since mid-May, when polls showed the two in more of a dead heat and, in some cases, Trump slightly ahead. But the polls give Clinton little reason to rest comfortably. She and Trump have the highest disapproval ratings more than 50 percent for each of any two presumptive major party nominees in the history of polling. Indeed, the great irony of this campaign is the apparent anti-Clinton derangement syndrome that has driven Republicans to nominate Trump. Now the volatile, pouty-mouthed industrialist with insult-comic style and very little knowledge of government seems increasingly poised to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory. Yet Trump seems to be having too much of a good time in the spotlight to see the sinking of his own campaign ship. Buoyed by billions of dollars in free media coverage generated by his hyperactive Twitter fingers, he seems to have overlooked the traditional pivot from campaigning to the Grand Old Party's conservative base to appealing to moderate swing voters who will decide the November election. Advertisement Lewandowski recently defended his candidate's no-frills approach. "We are leaner, meaner, more efficient, more effective. Get bigger crowds. Get better coverage," Lewandowski said. "If this was the business world, people would be commending Mr. Trump for the way he's run this campaign." Hah! Now Lewandowski is out and, if this were the business world, the Trump campaign would be teetering on bankruptcy. Maybe Trump thinks he can rewrite the book on presidential campaigning by turning his celebrity into a campaign of stunts and free media. Or maybe, as some suspect, he never intended to get this far with what started out as a brand-building stunt and happened to strike a long-neglected core of frustrated, displaced middle-class Americans. Either way, he's stuck with running now and appears to be headed either to a long-shot victory or a crushing defeat. RNC leaders are divided between those debating how much they should help Trump and those who feel the party should dump him at next month's national convention in Cleveland. That's unlikely to happen. The party with the most disunity tends to lose. Advertisement Like it or not, loyal Republicans have little choice left but to support Trump's campaign if they can find it. Clarence Page, a member of the Tribune Editorial Board, blogs at www.chicagotribune.com/pagespage. cpage@tribpub.com Twitter @cptime Some Republicans are trying to figure out how to thwart presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump, shown campaigning in May in Billings, Mont., at the party's convention in Cleveland. (Spencer Platt / Getty Images) The Democratic Party's controversial superdelegate system is probably looking awfully good to mainstream Republicans these days. In that system, roughly 15 percent of the 4,763 delegates who will attend the Democrats' nominating convention next month in Philadelphia are "superdelegates" formally uncommitted and free to vote for any presidential candidate they please. The other delegates, by rule, are bound on at least the first ballot to vote in accordance with the results of their state's caucuses, conventions or primaries. Advertisement Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders hates it. The Vermont senator who ran a strong second to presumptive nominee Hillary Clinton argues that it's not small-d democratic to give that much sway to the party insiders and other big shots who make up the pool of superdelegates. It tilts the nominating process in favor of establishment, mainstream Democrats like Clinton, who has a 12-to-1 advantage over Sanders among the 712 superdelegates. If you don't count their votes, she's still an estimated 163 delegates short of securing the nomination on the first ballot, and Sanders still has a sliver of hope. Advertisement Sanders is reportedly demanding elimination of superdelegates going forward as part of the price for his graceful concession to Clinton. I doubt he gets it. The moderating influence of superdelegates is a feature of the system, not a bug. The Democrats implemented it after the 1980 election cycle precisely to diminish the chances that a populist, outsider candidate would take control of the party during presidential primary season. They didn't really need the superdelegates this time. Although the race seemed close there for a while, Clinton, the insiders' choice, beat Sanders by more than 3 million primary votes and by 389 pledged delegates. Establishment Republicans, however, are no doubt looking on enviously. Although insurgent candidate Donald Trump secured 315 delegates more than the necessary 1,237 majority during the nominating process, if 15 percent of GOP delegates had been held back as uncommitted from the start, that would put 371 swing votes up for grabs, potentially enough to wrest the nomination from him at the next month's convention in Cleveland. As they should. I mean, look. I'm open about my differences with the Republicans, but Trump is a disgrace to the many fine, thoughtful, well-meaning people with whom I've had those differences. He's an ignorant, racist conspiracy monger and a liar and a bully a demagogue who will drag not only his party but the American political process itself down with him. His poll numbers are dreadful, his tiny campaign staff is in disarray and his fundraising has been so anemic that wags online noted that a Kickstarter campaign for a "Veronica Mars" movie pulled in more donations overall than he did in May. Each day seems to bring a new polarizing remark or disqualifying revelation. The "Free The Delegates" movement, currently afoot within the GOP, is their last, best hope. The Washington Post reports that nearly 400 delegates are now part of an effort to change the rules of the convention to unbind all delegates and allow them to vote their conscience. Advertisement The thinking is that they'd reject the increasingly erratic Trump and select a more polished and reliably conservative candidate. Trump has responded that such a coup would be "illegal," but he's wrong. Primaries aren't elections, and parties aren't public agencies bound to administer their own rules. They're private organizations of more or less similarly minded people devoted to long-term goals and self-preservation. They have a right in this case it comes close to a duty to act in their collective self-interest. Given an opportunity to reject "Free the Delegates" during an interview for NBC's "Meet the Press" that aired Sunday, Republican House Speaker and convention chair Paul Ryan instead gave it succor: "It is not my job to tell delegates what to do, what not to do, or to weigh in on things like that," he told moderator Chuck Todd. "They write the rules. They make their decisions the last thing I'm going to do is weigh in and tell delegates what to do." Yes, rejecting Trump at this point would badly and perhaps irrevocably split the party. But so would ratifying him. At this point there's little to lose but the party's reputation and self-respect. And at least those delegates who take a stand and refuse to vote to nominate Trump will be able to leave Cleveland with their heads held high. Twitter @EricZorn Advertisement Join the discussion on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook. The Environmental Protection Agency, led by Gina McCarthy, will have more authority to order safety tests for chemicals and set deadlines for the agency to determine whether dangerous compounds should be restricted or forced off the market. (Evan Vucci / AP) With new evidence surfacing almost weekly about how Americans are absorbing hormone-disrupting chemicals sometimes merely from sitting on a sofa or drinking from a plastic cup the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is getting sweeping new powers to regulate toxic substances in furniture, toys, electronics and household products. Legislation sent this month to President Barack Obama for his expected signature will give the EPA more authority to order safety tests for chemicals and set deadlines for the agency to determine whether dangerous compounds should be restricted or forced off the market. The EPA also will be required to take additional steps to ensure pregnant women, children and other vulnerable populations are protected. Advertisement But even in the best-case scenarios envisioned by lawmakers who backed the unusual bipartisan compromise, it will take the EPA more than a decade to determine the fate of a few dozen chemicals the agency already has identified because they are suspected of posing significant health hazards. For instance, though the EPA knows people are regularly exposed to certain flame retardants and studies show the widely used chemicals are harmful, it could take at least seven years under the new system before rules are in place regulating their use. Chemical companies could get another five years to comply with regulations. Advertisement Meeting those deadlines will depend on more money and manpower at a federal agency that is routinely attacked by the Republican majority in Congress and that GOP candidate Donald Trump has vowed to gut if elected president. Several bureaucratic and judicial hurdles also remain that could delay changes sought by consumers and retailers. "This isn't going to be an overnight success," said Richard Denison, a senior scientist at the nonprofit Environmental Defense Fund who spent years pushing for an overhaul of the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act, the only major environmental statute that hasn't been updated by Congress since it originally took effect. "The reason it's going to take a long time to work is because we've been in such a deep hole for such a long time." Scientists are finding a vast array of chemicals in air, water, food and people, often decades after the compounds were first added to consumer products. In a new analysis of peer-reviewed studies and other data, the nonprofit Environmental Working Group tallied more than 400 known or suspected carcinogens that have been detected in Americans, including nine found at high enough levels to pose a cancer risk. Under existing law, the chemical industry has been allowed to put products on the market without safety testing and to keep many of its formulas secret. Regulators largely have been prohibited from taking action unless they could prove a chemical poses an "unreasonable risk" a threshold so burdensome the EPA couldn't even ban asbestos, a well-documented carcinogen that has killed thousands of people who suffered devastating lung diseases. Agency officials still will have only 90 days to judge a new chemical before it can enter the market. But the EPA will be able to order testing without years of rulemaking and will be required to identify high-priority chemicals for review, with an initial focus on about 90 compounds. "We know these chemicals accumulate in the environment and can cause cancer, neurological disorders and impaired reproduction," said U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat who helped revive reform efforts in 2013 following a Tribune investigation about toxic flame retardants. "For too long, the Environmental Protection Agency has lacked the authority to meaningfully regulate dangerous chemicals and keep them off the market." Members of Congress from both parties, chemical industry representatives and some public health groups hailed the compromise bill as a substantial improvement that balances competing interests. Some leading industry officials began supporting a new national safety law after a growing number of states, motivated by a lack of action at the federal level, enacted bans on specific compounds. Some states, including California and Washington, established programs to study chemicals and draw attention to harmful substances. Advertisement The industry's congressional allies, led by Republican Sen. David Vitter of Louisiana and Republican Rep. John Shimkus of Illinois, secured new limits on state actions when the EPA is studying a chemical. But the provision isn't as sweeping as the total ban on state authority sought by some companies. "No question that this is a significant bill that will have a meaningful impact on the economy and the marketplace," said Anne Kolton, a spokeswoman for the American Chemistry Council, the industry's chief trade group. "It is a compromise, so naturally no one got everything they would have wanted had they been able to craft a reform bill on their own." The EPA approved a flame retardant, known as Firemaster 550, more than a decade ago even though the manufacturer's own health studies found that exposing rats to high doses can lower birth weight, alter female genitalia and cause skeletal malformations. (Sara D. Davis / Chicago Tribune) Two widely used flame retardants highlighted by the Tribune's "Playing With Fire" investigation are examples of how current law fails to guarantee the safety of chemicals in commonly used consumer products. The EPA approved one flame retardant, known as Firemaster 550, more than a decade ago even though the manufacturer's own health studies found that exposing rats to high doses can lower birth weight, alter female genitalia and cause skeletal malformations. More recent studies suggest the chemical ingredients can trigger obesity, anxiety and other problems at significantly lower levels. Chemtura, the Philadelphia-based company that makes the flame retardant, says it introduced the chemical mixture because it offered a "better environmental profile" than Penta, another flame retardant it voluntarily withdrew from the market after studies found it builds up in people and triggers health problems. Another flame retardant, known as TDCPP or chlorinated tris, was voluntarily removed from children's pajamas during the late 1970s after scientists found it could mutate DNA. California lists it as a known carcinogen. Advertisement Yet manufacturers continued to add the chemical to other products. Duke University chemist Heather Stapleton found that until recently chlorinated tris was commonly added to household furniture cushions. Both flame retardants are on the list of chemicals the EPA will assess under the new law. The Environmental Working Group estimates it could take the agency nearly three decades just to finish risk assessments for Firemaster 550, chlorinated tris and about 90 other compounds. Imposing and enforcing regulations would take even longer. "How is that going to reassure the public?" asked David Andrews, the group's senior scientist. "Some of these chemicals are going to end up remaining on the market for another generation." Other substances on the EPA's priority list include asbestos and arsenic, the bisphenol A used in thermal paper and food can linings, and plasticizers known as phthalates. While the agency wraps up those reviews, Andrews said, other worrisome compounds likely will emerge, further challenging the limited agency staff. The most encouraging signs of change may be seen in the marketplace, not in Congress. With parents and advocates clamoring for safer products, retailers like Wal-Mart and Target have been pushing suppliers to avoid entire families of chemicals rather than merely replacing one compound with something slightly different. Andy Igrejas, executive director of the Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families advocacy coalition, said the new law should do more good than harm. Advertisement "This is not a champagne moment," he wrote in a blog post to fellow advocates. "But you deserve a beer at least." mhawthorne@tribpub.com Twitter @scribeguy Lawbreakers E3 2016 Interview Lawbreakers E3 2016 Interview with Andrew Witts of Boss Key going over key multiplayer elements of the intense arcade shooter and what to expect in upcoming alpha events. Lawbreakers is of course the first title from Boss Key which aims to bring players back to the glory days of online arcade shooters when it releases in 2016 on PC. Nexon will be publishing the title and you sign up on the official Lawbreakers site to get into the alpha. You can check out the video interview below which covers many aspects of the title. Read Our Battlefield 1 E3 Impressions Check out our E3 2016 Coverage Traffic is heavy, especially at peak hours, at Sullivan Road and Highland Avenue on the near Northwest Side of Aurora. The city may soon build a roundabout there to make traffic flow better. (Steve Lord / The Beacon-News) A roundabout may be coming to a busy intersection on Aurora's near Northwest Side. Aurora aldermen are set to award a bid of more than $500,000 for a roundabout project at Highland Avenue and Sullivan Road. Advertisement The bid of $526,348, from Geneva Construction Co., of Aurora, was the lowest of three received by the city in the second round of bids officials did for the project. The first bids were rejected because city officials said the cost was too high. This time, the bids were lower, although still higher than the $300,000 an engineering consultant had estimated the roundabout would cost, and higher than the about $400,000 budgeted for the project. Advertisement Eric Gallt, city traffic engineer, said one of the reasons the project has a higher price tag is that the estimate was done years ago. Originally, the roundabout was to be done about three years ago, but city officials decided to wait until after the project to rebuild the Indian Trail bridges over the Fox River was finished. "It's still over budget, but it's a decent price," Gallt said. He had said the first round of bids were higher because the city made the construction schedule too tight, called for stamped concrete as one of the materials and had expensive traffic control devices. The second time around, the city did away with a requirement for stamped, colored concrete in the center of the roundabout, and gave the contractor eight weeks to finish the project, instead of six. As it is, if the council awards the bid at the full City Council meeting next week, the construction project would start soon and should be finished by early September. The intersection would be closed during the construction, prompting the need for a detour around it. The roundabout at Highland Avenue and Sullivan Road, a three-way T-intersection on the near Northwest Side, has been under discussion for several years. It has been the subject of public hearings, council meetings and neighborhood meetings by Ald. Michael Saville, 6th Ward. Most of the traffic at that intersection is through-traffic on Sullivan Road. Highland splits into Sullivan, and carries a lot of traffic going to Presence Mercy Medical Center, a Dreyer Medical Clinic facility, the Heartland Blood Bank, the Kane County Health Department, the Kane County Court Services building and other offices. The other part of the intersection is actually a private driveway for an office building. Currently, the intersection has a four-way stop. Advertisement Because the roads there are all two-lane one in each direction traffic backs up, particularly during peak traffic times on Sullivan Road, city officials said. In a roundabout, traffic slows down but never stops. The roads lead into a circle with an outer lane and an inner lane. When approaching the intersection, traffic gets a yield sign for other traffic in the roundabout, but not a full stop. There are only right turns in a roundabout, and Gallt says they are safer because traffic has to slow down. He also said the rebuilt intersection at Highland and Sullivan would be safer because the T-nature of the intersection would be gone, which would eliminate accidents where cars run into the side of another. slord@tribpub.com The driver from Plano extricated from his semi-tractor after it rolled over Saturday has been released from Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove. At about 7:55 a.m. Saturday, Kendall County Sheriff's deputies responded to a reported single-vehicle rollover accident involving a semi-tractor with a trailer attached at Fox River Drive and Griswold Springs Road, in the Little Rock Township area near Plano. Advertisement The semi-tractor driver, a 32-year-old man from Plano, had been driving eastbound on Griswold Springs Road and allegedly disobeyed a stop sign at Fox River Drive, instead turning south onto the drive at about 15 to 20 miles per hour, a witness told police. The driver then lost control of the semi-tractor, causing it to roll onto its driver's side, according to Kendall County Sheriff's Office reports. Advertisement Little Rock firefighters extricated the driver from the vehicle and a helicopter airlifted him to Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital for further medical treatment, according to sheriff's reports. He was released from the hospital Sunday night. Sheriff's officials identified the driver as David B. Thomas, 32, of Plano. Thomas was cited with disobeying a stop sign and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, according to sheriff's reports. hleone@tribpub.com A traveler waits for a bus in January on the southwest corner of Milwaukee Avenue and Deerfield Parkway in Buffalo Grove. Woodman's Food Market announced plans earlier this month to build a new store near that location. (Ronnie Wachter / Pioneer Press) Weeks after Woodman's Food Market proposed a 242,000-square-foot store in Buffalo Grove, village board members Monday agreed to $7 million in business incentives with the grocery chain one of the board's first official moves on the major project. Along with the package of sales tax incentives, members unanimously annexed the land, giving the village zoning control on the proposed site that representatives from Wisconsin-based Woodman's Food Market have said would include the large grocery market on the northwest corner of Deerfield Parkway and Milwaukee Avenue and a combination gas station, convenience store and car wash on the southwest corner of the intersection. Advertisement The board activity comes roughly a week after village officials toured a Woodman's facility in Kenosha, Wisc. Village Manager Dane Bragg noted during the meeting Monday how excited the village is for the project, but one trustees urged other board members not to treat the proposal like "it's a done deal" even as the board was about to agree upon an incentive deal. "There's still actual zoning and planning of the site," trustee Jeff Berman said. "I expect them to do their job." Advertisement The sales tax incentives trustees approved should help create new turn lanes for the packed intersection currently located near the 25-acre lot, according to village officials. The incentive deal will send all of the sales tax revenue generated from the project into a shared account over the course of years, said both Bret Backus, vice president for real estate at Woodman's, and Chris Stilling, Buffalo Grove community development director. In the first year, $250,000 will go to Buffalo Grove, while Woodman's would receive $250,000 the following year. Additional revenue will be split evenly in future years as it comes in, Backus and Stilling said. The arrangement will last for 20 years, or until Woodman's earns back a $3 million incentive plus whatever it spends on road improvements, according to the agreement. Stilling said Buffalo Grove officials draws money out of the account first to ensure that it sees some benefit every year. "If they have a poor-performing year, then we're still guaranteed to get some revenue," he said. After the $3 million direct incentive, the shared account will hand over up to $4 million more to repay the cost of proposed roadwork improvements. Both Backus and Stilling said the agreement calls for Woodman's to cover the costs initially to add extra lanes at the intersection. The Illinois Department of Transportation would also have to approve the roadwork since the agency owns both Deerfield Parkway and Milwaukee Avenue, Stilling said. The state transportation agency has expressed interest to Stilling, he said. IDOT officials could not be reached for comment Tuesday morning. During the life of the incentive deal, Woodman's development is projected to generate $25 million in revenue for Buffalo Grove, after the agreed upon $7 million in incentives are paid, Stilling told trustees during the meeting Monday. Advertisement Berman said he was pleased with the revenue amount. "It's certainly a large number, one the board appreciates," he said. On Monday, trustees also agreed to forward Woodman's proposed development to the village planning and zoning panel, a group tasked with reviewing construction details and the development of the 25-acre lot. Backus told the board the grocer's investment would create 220 new jobs, with two-thirds of the positions being full time. Once opened, the Buffalo Grove store could carry as many as 100,000 items, he said. Since its founding in 1918, Woodman's has closed only one location and relocated it to a larger space, Backus said. It now operates more than a dozen stores in Wisconsin and the Chicago area, according to its website. If approved, the Woodman's store in Buffalo Grove could open by summer 2018, company representatives have said. Advertisement rwachter@pioneerlocal.com Twitter @RonnieAtPioneer Jermont Montgomery recalls his cousin Travell Montgomery as "a quiet kid" who had a smile that would "definitely light up a room." Travell, 18, was sitting on the front porch of a home in the 8800 block of South Princeton Avenue in the West Chatham neighborhood earlier this month, when three gunmen walked up and opened fire, shooting him in the head, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. Advertisement Travell's brother, Corvell, said the Paul Robeson High School student and his girlfriend of nearly a year were attending a relative's prom send-off party on Saturday, June 13, when the shooting occurred. Corvell termed it "a case of mistaken identity," stressing it was Travell's first time in that part of Chicago. Corvell and Jermont say that Travell was an innocent bystander like his other brother Montreal, who was a victim of gang violence in the Marquette Park neighborhood in November 2010. Advertisement Montreal, who attended Gage Park High School, was running to pick up his girlfriend at a bus stop on Western Avenue when he was hit by one of three shots fired by someone who mistakenly thought he was a rival gang member, Jermont said. Travell and Montreal had nothing to do with gangs, Corvell said. Travell "was doing nothing wrong," Jermont said. "There is no one to blame but the one who pulled the trigger." After Montreal died, Travell was expected to take over his role leading the tight-knit family's younger siblings. "He had to step into his older brother's place," Corvell said. It wasn't easy and Travell made a couple of missteps involving "bad influences" while attending Thornwood High School in South Holland. Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday > But Jermont said things changed for the better after Corvell, Travell's sister, Tasha Montgomery, and other relatives made it clear "we're expecting a lot from you" and he transferred to Robeson. In fact, Travell was scheduled to attend job orientation that Saturday at the Wal-Mart in Country Club Hills, where he had been hired. "He was looking forward to the start of work that morning," Jermont said. Advertisement Reflecting on the family's grief, Jermont said, "What we're going through other families are going through. We share the pain with other families. Whoever took him away didn't know what they took away from us." The one bright spot, Tasha said, is that Travell donated his organs. "He left this Earth helping five people," she said. Dennis Sullivan is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown. Despite its dire financial situation, the Lincoln-Way High School District 210 board managed to eke out a raise for some of its administrators and support staff. After a two-hour closed session, the board unanimously voted last week to give its principals and associate principals, who will be dealing with a larger student population in the upcoming school year, a 1 percent increase, and its support staff, such as clerical and transportation personnel a 1.5 percent increase. Advertisement "We need to take care of our employees," board president Dee Molinare said. Superintendent Scott Tingley said the administrative raises given to those with a one-year contract amount to $22,000, but the district will still see a total savings of $450,000, with administrative staff cuts due to the closing of Lincoln-Way North High School. Pay increases were previously agreed to for those with multi-year contracts, he said. Advertisement The total raises for educational support staff will be between $25,000 and $45,000, depending on retirements and replacements, Tingley said. The overall savings is about $1 million in support staff salaries, he said. The board voted last August to close its North High School, citing a deficit of $5 million, which landed it on the state's financial watch list. Federal authorities are now investigating the finances of the district and have subpoenaed records pertaining to former Supt. Lawrence Wyllie. Financial matters continued to dominate the agenda at Thursday's board of education meeting. The board hired a new finance director, discussed the controversial contract for its on-site day care provider for teachers, and debated allowing an easement on its property at 191st and Harlem Avenue. Kelly Luzzo was hired as the new finance director, with a three-year contract, for $122,000, including salary and pension, Tingley said. She is currently finance director at Consolidated High School District 230 and the wife of Marty Luzzo, an associate principal in the Lincoln-Way district. Tingley said the district has a nepotism policy that allows family members to be hired as long as one is not a direct supervisor over the other. Tingley said they are changing the position as Luzzo comes on board. She will be responsible for day-to-day bookkeeping and internal auditing. The district also plans to keep interim business manager Steve Langert, who retired from District 230. This system allows for better checks and balances, he said. Advertisement Board member Christine Glatz said many districts are using this model of having a full-time finance director and part time business manager. The board also discussed the controversial contract of its in-house day care provider, Aunt Nancy's. Tingley said the cost to the district for utilities for Aunt Nancy's is $10,000 per building, and some board members want to recoup those expenses. The day care provider is currently operating for free under a 10-year agreement signed by Wyllie just months before he retired. Tingley said the district will end its contract with Aunt Nancy's June 30, 2017, allowing it time to seek proposals for another service. "Utilities are a necessary part of doing business. It is time to introduce this concept and the time is now," said newly-sworn in board member Joe Kirkeeng, adding that if the district has an opportunity to recoup any of its money, it has to. While board members acknowledged that having on-site day care is a "huge benefit" for teachers, allowing them to spend more time with students, they are not getting a 20 percent discount as claimed, even though Aunt Nancy is getting a financial break from the district. Advertisement "There is money being left at that table and it should be coming our way," said board member Chris Kosel. Board member Christopher Lucchetti said any day care provider should be paying the district a percentage of its revenues. Molinare told Tingley to "see what we can negotiate." Aunt Nancy's originally had a 10-year contract with Lincoln-Way, from 2008 to 2018, but months before Wyllie retired in 2013, he signed another 10-year contract, extending the agreement to 2023. According to that contract, the school district was to provide at its expense all heat, air conditioning, light, water and snow removal, all building and landscaping maintenance and repairs, and insurance for the buildings. Aunt Nancy's was responsible for all cleaning and janitorial services for the areas it used. The contract could be terminated by either one with 90 days notice. Nancy Power, the daycare's owner, did not respond to messages left by the Daily Southtown. In other financial matters, several board members did not like the terms of a proposed one-year easement agreement, allowing a 40-foot long and 10-foot wide access to its property at 191st and Harlem Avenue for $2,500. Advertisement A developer plans to build a strip mall on an adjacent land-locked parcel, and needs to use the school district's property to access his site. Several board members felt that such an easement could inhibit the potential sale of the district's land. Kosel said he was not in favor of the easement, saying this is the same individual who made bids on the school's land years ago, but his project was delayed and the contract never got executed. Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday > "If we could have sold the property when we wanted to, we would be in better (financial) shape," Kosel said. Kirkeeng did not want to encumber the district's land for a year, and said $2,500 did not seem like enough for a parcel that is worth millions. "Let's make sure this is in our best interest, not the developer's," he said. Advertisement Finally, as per its Agreed Upon Procedures Report, the board approved a $6 million loan from the education fund to the operations and maintenance fund to pay back the bond proceeds that were used for operational expenses instead of capital expenses, Langert said. The district has three years to repay the loan to the education fund. Tingley also reported that all school districts are "hanging in the balance," as the state legislature has yet to approve a budget. "If they don't fund schools, we will have to increase our borrowing," he said. "This would put all school districts in a bind." slafferty@tribpub.com Lincoln-Way High School District 210 has removed plaques honoring former superintendent Lawrence Wyllie at each of the district's schools, the Daily Southtown has learned. Wyllie led the embattled district from 1989 to 2013 and was admired by many in the Lincoln-Way community as well as school board members, who over time called him "an absolute genius in school financing" and a "legend." Advertisement But in recent months, Lincoln-Way has faced mounting scrutiny of its finances and management, with much of it centered around Wyllie's actions and the school board's oversight of his administration. Last month, after news broke that a federal grand jury was probing the district's spending and Wyllie's compensation, parents at a public meeting urged the district's leaders to remove Wyllie's plaques. Advertisement No one responded then, but some parents who attended the district's board meeting last week noticed that the plaque at Lincoln-Way Central had been taken down. In an email this week, district spokeswoman Taryn Atwell confirmed the plaque at each school is down but declined further comment. Karen Town, one of the Lincoln-Way community members who called for the plaques' removal, called it a "positive move." "The bottom line on (the plaques) was something like, 'Thanks Larry,' and that's not what we feel like," Town said. "We don't feel like thanking him for all the things he's done at this point." Wyllie, who has not been charged with any wrongdoing, did not return a message seeking comment. Last year, Lincoln-Way landed on the state's financial watch list, where it remains, after years of overspending. As a cost-saving measure, the district voted to shutter Lincoln-Way North, which first opened in 2008. That prompted a lawsuit, since dismissed, from community members opposed to North's closing. A Daily Southtown investigation since January has revealed questionable financial practices at Lincoln-Way, private uses of public resources and deals benefiting district insiders. Advertisement In May, a federal grand jury issued subpoenas related to district spending and a controversial dog training program, with prosecutors seeking numerous records involving Wyllie. The Securities and Exchange Commission also opened an investigation earlier this month into the district's bonds, budgets and annual financial reports. Although Wyllie retired in 2013, he has been at the center of many of the district's recent controversies. In 2006, voters approved a $225 million referendum measure to fund two new schools and make improvements at the district's existing campuses. A Daily Southtown review of the school district's growth projections, bond documents, internal memos and other records shows that Lincoln-Way officials made faulty assumptions when calculating future population growth to justify the district's push for its $225 million referendum. Now the district's taxpayers owe $474 million in bond debt a staggering sum that is largely the result of risky choices made by administrators and board members. Advertisement Earlier this year, the school district also acknowledged misusing bond funds under Wyllie's leadership. During an April board meeting, Lincoln-Way attorney John Izzo read a resolution stating that from March 2010 to October 2012, $4,340,713.74 in bond money was used to fund noncapital expenditures that had originally been presented to the board as being part of an operations fund. But the expenses ended up instead being characterized as capital funds, Izzo said. The district also spent $306,649.77 to fund noncapital expenditures that were originally presented to the board as being from the transportation fund, Izzo said. "How did this happen? The superintendent at the time, without the board's knowledge or approval, directed the bookkeeping department to record fund journal entries reclassifying the original expenditures as capital expenditures in those two amounts (totaling $4,647,363.51)," Izzo said. Wyllie's role in the creation of Superdog, a dog training school led by an instructor who has worked with Wyllie and his Australian shepherds, has also been scrutinized. In late 2011 and 2012, records and interviews show Wyllie ordered that a barn at Lincoln-Way North be renovated to host Superdog. That cost the district nearly $45,000 and had "no student benefit," Superintendent Scott Tingley acknowledged in January. Advertisement In 2013, after Wyllie retired, the district's former grounds director admitted ordering an employee to create an off-campus memorial plaque for Wyllie's father, records show. Paul Gonzalez, the former official, also admitted ordering "a few school district employees" to remove a large sign from the entrance to Wyllie's Frankfort subdivision and reinstall it when it had been repainted, according to a private investigator's report. Gonzalez previously declined to comment. Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday > Wyllie currently collects the state's largest teacher's pension: $312,000. The school district also paid $368,148 into a private annuity for Wyllie and paid him a $16,000 retirement bonus that was not in his contract. It's not clear when Lincoln-Way first erected the plaques honoring Wyllie. The plaques at North and Central, at least, thanked Wyllie for "the positive impact that he has had on our students, our schools, and our communities." "Your example of servant leadership will continue in the culture of the district you have stewarded so capably," the plaques say. "Thank you, Larry!" Lincoln-Way parent Robin Gareiss read those lines at the district's May 26 board meeting, then paused for a moment. Advertisement "Has any of the brain trust here thought it might be a good idea to remove those plaques?" Gareiss asked, to cheers and applause from residents in attendance. gpratt@tribpub.com Twitter @royalpratt Participating in a check presentation to Equestrian Connection are (from left) Ada Kinscherff, Dawn Fleischman, Equestrian Connection Executive Director Diana Schnell, Laurie Richter, Andrea Friedlander, Kelly Lynch, a therapy rider riding Freckles, Sophie Joseph and Debbie Kny. (Courtesy of Michael Delott Photography) Picture a room full of 100 people judging three pitches for money while they prepare to cast a ballot for the one they like best. Does it sound like an episode of "Shark Tank?" Advertisement Not exactly. The people in the room are part of the 100 Who Care movement. Four times a year they gather at a restaurant or public gathering place to decide what local nonprofit will receive a $100 check from each participant, netting the recipient something in the neighborhood of $10,000. Advertisement "At a 'Shark Tank' everyone can be shot down," said Laurie Richter, the chair of 100 Women Who Care North Suburban Chicago. "For us it is a competition and there will be two losers, but there will always be a winner." The basic premise of the movement is an effort to support different local charities by getting a group of approximately 100 people together to decide between themselves which organization will be the quarterly beneficiary, according to Mike Glickman of Riverwoods, who chairs 100 Men Who Care 10 % More. Members recommend recipients and Glickman goes to work. "I vet them to make sure they're not political or religions," Glickman said. "They have to be a 501c3 and they have to be local. We put them in a hat and draw out three." Once the three are selected, Glickman said the person who recommended the charity gets up in front of the room and makes a five to seven minute presentation to the group. Then they vote. "The one with the most votes wins," Glickman said. "Everyone writes out a $110 check to that charity. We make a check presentation to the winner at our next meeting." Though it is an international movement, Richter, a longtime Lincolnshire resident who now resides in Chicago, said the 100 Who Care Alliance is a loose organization of groups with the same concept who meet to dole out money to local charities. There is no central organization. Richter said the Alliance exists to share ideas. The idea began in 2006 when Karen Dunigan of Jackson, Mich., decided to find 100 women willing to donate $100 each to buy baby cribs for mothers who could not afford them rather than calling 10 people for a $1,000 donation, according to the group's website. Advertisement Richter said the idea spread by word of mouth for years. She learned of it in 2013 while accompanying her husband to a professional get together in Arizona. A woman whose organization was a recipient of funds described the process to her. "She told me about it and I thought what a clever idea," Richter said. "Fundraising can be so much work. You can spend months putting a benefit together to raise $25,000. We can raise $14,000 in two hours," she added saying her chapter gave Dreamcatchers Foundation $14,600 at its last meeting. Since Richter started the north suburban women's group, recipients have included College Bound Opportunities, Youth Services of Glenview and Northbrook, Equestrian Connection, Orphans of the Storm, House of Peace and Little City Foundation. Glickman learned about the idea from his wife. He said he started the men's chapter the same year and it has grown to 80 members. Some of the recipients include Best Futures, Northern Illinois Food Bank, CASA of Lake County, Erika's Lighthouse and Stand Up For Kids, according to Glickman. The Alliance started two years ago when Richter and three other chapter heads decided to organize a conference. She said she hoped 20 chapters would attend and 96 showed up. There are nearly 400 chapters in the world with 249 in the United States and 138 in Canada, according to the Alliance website. In the case of 100 Men Who Care 10% More, the check is $110 rather than $100. Glickman jokingly said it is his idea of being competitive. Both Glickman and Richter said it is not about competition but cooperation. Advertisement "When they went over $100,000, six of us dressed in tuxedos and served them champagne," Glickman said. "When we go over $100,000, they're going to serve us beer." Steve Sadin is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press. Elgin Mayor Dave Kaptain stands near the walk-in boat launch at Trout Park River's Edge, which may be designated as an Illinois Land and Water Reserve. (Mike Danahey / The Courier-News) The Elgin City Council will consider moving along a measure on Wednesday to help preserve what Mayor Dave Kaptain says is one of the city's three natural areas. "We have Trout Park on the northeast side, and Bluff Spring Fen on the southeast side, and the Sleepy Hollow Ravine that's on the northwest side not far from Randall Road and (Interstate) 90," he said. Advertisement The land in question is Trout Park River's Edge, an area along the Fox River and east of Trout Park. The city council is set to discuss a request from the Illinois Nature Preserve Commission to have the site designated as an Illinois Land and Water Reserve. "Trout Park River's Edge is about nine acres in size and is bordered by the Fox River and the Fox River trail, extending from the tollway bridge south to private property," said Steven Byers, Illinois Nature Preserves commissioner, who has been working on the project for about two years with Elgin Parks and Recreation Director Randy Reopelle. Advertisement The commission was created in 1963 under the auspices of the Illinois Natural Areas Preservation Act and has formally protected more than 500 sites totaling approximately 100,000 acres of prairies, woodlands, and wetlands. "The designation from the commission would grant this part of Trout Park a higher level of protection as a natural area," Reopelle said. "It would become an extension of naturalized areas already near it and serve as a buffer zone to residences." Trout Park River's Edge has a circular parking area, bathroom, gazebo, a walk-in boat launch that can be used for kayaks and canoes and is used by fishing enthusiasts. The Fox River Trail passes through it and there are other walking paths, too. Reopelle said the designation would allow the features to stay, but prevent further development, and could help the city get federal and state grant money for site maintenance. The status also could help protect the area from ground water runoff and other forms of water pollution, according to a staff report for Wednesday's committee of the whole meeting, The move would increase the amount of protected land at Trout Park from almost 27 acres to more than 36 acres. It also could mean funding from the Illinois Nature Commission and assistance from Friends of Trout Park. The 9-acre Trout Park River's Edge area is on the east bank of the Fox River. (Mike Danahey / The Courier-News) Now, all maintenance for the Trout Park River's Edge parcel is handled by the city. For 25 years, the Illinois Nature Commission and Friends of Trout Park have taken care of the maintenance for the other protected land -- Trout Park Nature Preserve -- and the expectation is that it will be the same for Trout Park River's Edge with the designation. Byers has noted that the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory found the Trout Park Nature Preserve and the adjacent Fox River Forested Fen Nature Reserve make up the only known 14.5 acres of forested fen wetlands in Illinois. Kaptain notes a sign in Trout Park River's Edge indicates the nearby river and streams allowed Philemon Pratt to open a trout hatchery there in 1870, which gives the park its name. The sign says that in 1909, Trout Park became an amusement park with a roller coaster, boathouse, carousel, ice cream parlor and other attractions. That closed in 1920, and the next year the city bought the spot for a public park. Advertisement The Illinois Nature Preserve Commission hopes to have Elgin's Trout Park River's Edge designated as an Illinois Land and Water Reserve. The area is along the east bank of the Fox River and not far from Interstate 90's bridge over the river. (Mike Danahey / The Courier-News) As late as the early 1970s, the area still had seasonal shops, a restaurant and small cabins for recreational use, Kaptain said. "As the land is now, my wife Sandy and I come down here to take walks in the spring. She loves to take pictures of all the native flowers that bloom here," he said. mdanahey@tribpub.com The 1.5-acre park south of Chick-n-Dip Restaurant, 995 South State Street in Hampshire, has been renamed Henpeck Park. The village recently ran a contest seeking a new name for the former Hampshire Memorial Park at the southeast corner of Route 72 and Getzelman Road. There were 27 entries. Advertisement Hampshire resident Kate Mucci came up with the winning name. She will be awarded with a $50 gift card. "I live in Hampshire with my husband, Bill, and our son, Max," Mucci said. "We have a business, OogaLights in Hampshire, that will be donating lights this year for Hampshire Coon Creek Country Days." Advertisement Mucci chose Henpeck Park as her entry after talking with her father, Joe Marchewka, who has a farm along Kelley Road in Hampshire. He told his daughter that Henpeck was the former name of Hampshire. "It's good for people to appreciate the town's history," Mucci said. As far back as the 1840s, the road to Galena, now known as Route 20, passed through the town of Henpeck. When the Chicago Pacific Railroad later came to the area, Samuel Rowell led the charge to move the town three miles southwest along the newly-built railroad. The village was named Hampshire when it was incorporated in 1876. Rowell became its first village president. Hampshire resident Paul Smithing talked about how the name of Henpeck came about when he was interviewed by Edwin Colcord in 1966 for an article in the Elgin Daily Courier-News. "There are several stories of how Henpeck got its name," Smithing said. "The most logical one concerns the teamsters who hauled grain and supplies over the Old Plank Road between Chicago and Galena during the early 1800s. It seems there were many chickens running about the barns and yard of the hostelry where the men put up their horses and spent the night. This was about halfway on their journey between the towns. The wagons, bulging with grain sacks, were parked near the barns. The hens pecked holes in some of the bags, much to the disgust of the inn's patrons. Jokingly, they called the place 'Henpeck', and the name survived for more than a century." "John Burns ran the hotel at Henpeck called the Halfway House and sometimes referred to as the Burns Hotel," Smithing added. "It was rumored that Abe Lincoln stopped there overnight on his travels through northern Illinois." Denise Moran is a freelance reporter. A Pingree Grove man faces criminal charges for having a sexual relationship with a minor, according to the Kane County State's Attorney's office. Nathan J. Scherer, 25, of the 1-99 block of Boathouse Road, is charged with five counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, each a class 2 felony, according to a news release. Advertisement The complaint states Scherer had sexual contact with the victim, who is younger than 17 years old, on June 19, the release states. He knows the victims, it stated. The victim's parents informed authorities of the allegations, it stated. Scherer was arrested Monday and appeared in bond call Tuesday where his bail was set at $10,000, the release stated. He must post $1,000 bond. Advertisement His next court appearance is set for July 15 at the Kane County Judicial Center in front of Circuit Judge Donald M. Tegeler, Jr. If he posts bond, Scherer is to have no contact with the victim, no unsupervised contact with anyone younger than 18 years old and he is prohibited from being within 150 feet of the victim's residence. If convicted, Scherer faces a minimum sentence of probation or three years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. In addition, Scherer would register for life as a sexual offender in accordance with the Illinois Sex Offender Registration Act. The case remains under investigation. Anyone with information should call their local police department or the Kane County Child Advocacy Center at 630-208-5160. In 1975, I believed Papua New Guinea could become a proud independent and successful nation. How wrong I was, perhaps because at that time I had lived only among coastal people, who seemed quite able to run their own lives. Wow, Papas Dei! Surely it could only get better after the sad prophetic writings on this blog by Chris Overland about the PNG prime ministers project. That was my first mistake. Luhrs too was worried about what had gone on with the university students protests. So I thought better check out PNG Attitude. WE JUST celebrated Father's Day in the United Kingdom and, as I looked out at the drizzle of a typical British summer and ate my Kelloggs, I thought I'd cheer myself up a bit by reading a witty yarn on the ex-kiap website by the excellent tale teller, Gary Luhrs. A nation blessed with such an abundance of natural wealth surely should have become a beacon for developing nations in the United Nations. But no, greedy MPs, subverted by the carpetbaggers who Gary Juffa speaks of in his articles, have run amok for many years. I would place the start of rampant corruption to when the Look North policy kicked in. Perhaps it was too early or too pre-digital for a grassroots rebellion against some of the scams that the big men of Waigani were starting to inflict on their people. Things grew progressively worse until we now have a fugitive from Indonesian justice, Joe Chan a.k.a. Tjandra, in bed with the slime of Waigani and so able to secure the gift of citizenship even though failing to have a residential qualification. Similarly Tjandra has secured huge building contracts, been allowed a multi-million kina rice project and more including clear log felling. Talking about timber, we should not forget the terribly unjust and overwhelmingly illegal SABL leases mainly given to shady companies which could prove to be shadows of the giant caterpillar of Rimbunan Hijau. Citizens are ignored by the mafioso, tongs and multinational spivs who leech onto the bigmen to suck out the wealth of the nation. And lets not forget the multinational corporate exploiters. A second LNG project is being allowed in the desperately impoverished Gulf Province as if the land was terra nullius. The prime minister and his ministers make grandiose speeches in many forums as if there were no people living in Baimuru, Kikori, Ihu. These people have clearly expressed their voices that the refinery must be in the host province so there can be tangible improvements in their muddy creeks and swamps, not another pipeline to foster yet more five-star hotels and high rise developments for Port Moresby. Perhaps people do not know of the rip-offs of the oil companies, the seven sisters as they once were known. Nations worldwide can bear witness to the failure of the extravagant political promises of the benefits oil would bring. The Total company, now about to partner with Oil Search in acquiring InterOil, has a record around the world that augurs badly for PNG and especially the vulnerable ecosystems of the Gulf. Among cases heard or pending involving Total are the bribery and corruption of Iranian officials during sanctions, likewise with the oil-for food corruption in Iraq, bribery of Italian officials to obtain a contract, use of civilian slave labour in Myanmar and a huge oil spill at La Rochelle in France. In 2000, with French government connivance, Total got Elf Oil out of France's biggest ever fraud case. Our esteemed leaders know all this yet are happy to get their snouts into the trough with such multinationals even offering tax holidays, land tax exemptions and import duty exemptions to join Tjandras rice import quotas to protect his project in Papua. The solution? Oh how I wish I had the answer. Sadly, there seems not much hope of a change at the ballot box, assuming an underfunded election actually happens. I am saddened by the almost complete silence from most politicians who appear gagged and blinded by their allegiance to O'Neill. I only hope it won't take PNG four decades as is case with Zimbabwe for it to regain its rightful place as an example of how government can be conducted for the benefit of the people. I do not want my daughters and grandchildren to become beggars in their homeland. I want them to enjoy life as free people, not merely existing but living fulfilling lives. God bless not only the fathers of PNG but all of its people as they hope for a brighter future free from the evil corruptors of the nation. A trial scheduled next week for a North Barrington attorney charged with home invasion and firing shots in his ex-wife's house has been delayed to allow a meeting between his defense attorney and Lake County State's Attorney Michael Nerheim to explore potential plea-deal options. Raymond Clutts, 59, pleaded not guilty in 2014 to two counts of enhanced home invasion, aggravated discharge of a firearm, reckless discharge of a weapon, unlawful use of a weapon and criminal trespass. Advertisement He faces a mandatory range of 26 to 50 years if convicted of the home invasion charges, the most serious of the felonies he faces, according to Assistant State's Attorney Steve DeRue. Clutts allegedly fired a gun several times when his ex-wife was in the home. Noting Clutts' age and the mandatory minimum sentence for a conviction in the case, defense attorney Jed Stone said at a pretrial hearing Tuesday that he has arranged a meeting with Nerheim later this week to explore a negotiated resolution to the case. Advertisement Stone noted that Clutts, who is being held without bond in Lake County Jail, has no prior criminal record and is a local attorney. DeRue told Judge Christen Bishop he also plans to attend the meeting and has no objection. As a result, Bishop rescheduled a trial date for Clutts from next Monday to Aug. 1, if necessary. A meeting between attorneys and the judge in felony cases is a more common method of going over potential plea deal issues than a meeting with the state's attorney, but such meetings are not unusual, officials said. The incident leading to the charges against Clutts began at about 7 p.m. on Nov. 7, 2014, when police received a 911 call reporting multiple gunshots fired at his ex-wife's Hawthorn Woods home. According to authorities, Clutts fired a gun in the home several times when his ex-wife and a child were present. No one was injured. When police arrived, an officer discharged his weapon but did not strike Clutts, police said, and officers then physically took him into custody. A gun was recovered at the scene. The occupants of the house had fled to a neighbor's residence after Clutts began firing the shots, police said. Officials said Clutts was able to enter the home through an unlocked door. Advertisement Due to the seriousness of the incident, the Lake County Major Crime Task Force took over the investigation from Hawthorn Woods police. jrnewton@tribpub.com Twitter @jimnewton5 Firefighters rescued a man from a burning Antioch home early Tuesday. Ty Gauger called 911 after hearing an explosion at a neighbor's home in the 24000 block of West Hawthorne Lane, according to his wife, Barb Gauger. Advertisement "He heard an explosion and ran out of our house, and it was already starting to go up (in flames)," she said. "It was quite a blaze it was shocking. The house is a total loss. It's not like reading about it in the paper. He heard one explosion, then maybe two or three smaller ones. The flames were already shooting up in the air." Antioch firefighters received the call at 5:19 a.m. and the first crews to arrive reported "heavy fire on three sides of the building and heavy smoke throughout," said Chris Lienhardt, a spokesman for the Antioch Fire Department. Advertisement "I've never seen such black smoke come out of a place," neighbor Rod VanTreeck said. "It was nasty. Everyone was out except for the man. But you couldn't go in there without oxygen." The Gaugers told firefighters there was a bed-ridden man still inside the home. Antioch Fire Chief John Nixon said the first crew on the scene battled the blaze and a second crew led by 27-year-old firefighter / emergency medical technician Orion Rich formed a rescue team. "About a third of the house was burning, and we hit the (locked) front door," Rich said. The firefighters eventually broke down the door and began a search, Rich said. "It was pretty black smoke. The smoke was all the way down to the floor," Rich said. "The only thing you could see was the flashlight beam on the floor, and the bottom of the (florescent) air tanks." He said the rescue crew went down a hallway to a bedroom. "We searched the room and found the victim slouched halfway off the bed and onto the floor," Rich said. "Conditions were getting worse so we scooped him up." Advertisement Two other firefighters/ emergency medical technicians Matt Young and John Keene grabbed the man's arms and legs and followed Rich from the burning home. Rich said the man, in his 60s, was in and out of consciousness when they got him outside. Paramedics took him in serious condition to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, Lienhardt said. "Those firefighters took a beating in that room with the smoke and heat," Lienhardt said. "Everything came together and it paid a huge dividend. All the training and preparing for all sorts of events and circumstances paid off." Rich said the rescue was dangerous because they were searching an area close to a fire. "It's the most dangerous area," Rich said. "There was a level of concern, but we know we had a job to do and we had trained for it." Firefighters also rescued an iguana that was in one of the rooms least affected by the heat and smoke. Advertisement "It was a team effort, that's what made this a successful save ... This is a testimonial to our hours of training," Nixon said. "You don't see this in a career very often where you make a lifesaving rescue like this." The cause of the fire remains undetermined, but may have started at the back of the house, Nixon said. Fire investigators and the sheriff's office are investigating. Neighbors Joyce and Jacob West established a program to collect donations and provide food for the displaced residents. fabderholden@tribpub.com Twitter @abderholden This is a roundup of recent Naperville crimes and criminal dispositions in the DuPage County and Will County court systems. Naperville man may do 'boot camp' stint Advertisement A 25-year-old Naperville man was sentenced Monday to six years in prison for stealing a stereo system earlier this year from a car parked near his home. But Travis D. Schlegel, of the 500 block of Kiowa Drive, might be able to avoid serving that time, if he is deemed eligible for enrollment in the Illinois Department of Corrections' "impact incarceration" program, a form of boot camp for first-time offenders, according to DuPage County Circuit Court records. Advertisement Judge John J. Kinsella approved Schlegel's assessment for the program, to be followed by two years of supervised release, court records showed. Schlegel was arrested April 3 after he broke into a car not far from his home and stole its in-dashboard stereo, Naperville police said in April. Schlegel, in an unrelated incident, was found guilty in January of drunken driving. Man gets work-release for revoked license A man who continued driving despite having had his license revoked three times has begun serving 30 weekends in DuPage County jail as his punishment. Edward A. Polich, 53, of the 500 block of East 3rd Street in Lockport, pleaded guilty earlier this month to an amended felony charge of driving with a license that had been revoked for the third time. DuPage County Circuit Court Judge George J. Bakalis ordered Polich to serve 60 days in a jail work-release program that began Friday, according to records. Bakalis also placed Polich on two years of probation and ordered him to undergo counseling, records showed. Naperville police stopped Polich at 4:49 p.m. Sept. 9 in the silver 2007 Toyota Avalon he was driving near Aurora and Ogden avenues, and then discovered his license had been revoked, police said. Man who drove 95 mph guilty of DUI Advertisement A man Naperville police arrested late last summer as he drove his car at 95 mph was convicted Monday of driving under the influence and speeding 35 mph or more over the limit. Jonathan A. Goblet, 24, of the 400 block of Sunflower Court in Yorkville, was placed on a year of supervision for the DUI and a year of conditional discharge for speeding, DuPage County court records said. Associate Judge James J. Konetski, who imposed the sentences, also ordered Goblet to pay just about $1,700 in court costs, and attend the county's DUI school. Naperville police arrested Goblet at 3:32 a.m. Sept. 12 near Shoreline Drive and Frontenac Road in Aurora, after his black, 2013 Mazda 3 was seen traveling at 95 mph on the Naperville side of Route 59, where the speed limit is posted at 40 mph. He had an open container of alcohol in the car at the time, and admitted he had been drinking just prior to his arrest, police said. Mom convicted of shoplifting with kids An Aurora woman who had her three young children help her steal merchandise from a Naperville Walmart store earlier this year has been ordered to perform community service work as her punishment. Maria D. Aguirre-Valenzuela, 33, of the 900 block of Ziegler Avenue, was found guilty in DuPage County Circuit Court of misdemeanor charges of retail theft and contributing to the criminal delinquency of minors. Advertisement Associate Judge Bruce R. Kelsey ordered Aguirre-Valenzuela to perform 30 hours of public service work, court records said. Kelsey also placed her on a year of supervision and ordered her to enroll in and complete parenting classes. Aguirre-Valenzuela was arrested April 22 while stealing from the Walmart SuperCenter at 2552 W. 75th St. in Naperville. Police said was assisted by her daughter and two sons, all between the ages of seven and 13. Woman gets jail in check forgery case A woman from the south suburbs has been sentenced to 90 days in DuPage County jail and placed on two years of probation for possessing $1,600 worth of counterfeited travelers checks in Naperville. Kadeejah E. Fourte, 19, of the 14500 block of Des Plaines Street in Harvey, has already completed her sentence on a felony charge of possession with intent to deliver any document known to be altered or forged. Fourte was convicted May 26 by DuPage County Circuit Court Judge John J. Kinsella, according to court records. Naperville police arrested Fourte at 7:30 p.m. April 12 at the Costco Wholesale warehouse, 1320 S. Route 59. Police in April said she had 16 counterfeit American Express travelers checks with her, each in the amount of $100. Advertisement Fourte, while being taken into custody, pulled away from police and refused to be handcuffed, a police report stated. A misdemeanor charge of resisting or obstructing a police officer was dismissed in exchange for her plea to the forgery count, court records said. The 2016 class of the Community Leadership Program CLT7 graduated this month. The program will be taking a year off to refocus its efforts. (Oak Park-River Forest Community / Handout) After the graduation of its seventh class, a community leadership development program is taking a year off to refocus its efforts. Since 2009, the Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation's Communityworks and Dominican University's Brennan School of Business have joined forces to offer the Community Leadership Program. Advertisement In the past seven years, classes have worked with Dominican faculty as well as local government, business and nonprofit officials on community leadership development. Participants, who meet nine times as a class between October and June, also devise community service projects benefiting Oak Park and River Forest. The 2016 class CLT7 graduated June 17. After several years, re-examining the program is beneficial for continued success, said Kristin Carlson Vogen, president and CEO of the community foundation. Advertisement "This is very common in the business industry especially," she said. "We're just at that juncture." A focus group in the process of being formed will create a new curriculum for the program and consider how program content will be delivered and how organizations will be involved, Carlson Vogen said. "We're going to be taking a year to make sure that we figure that out well," she said. Carlson Vogen said there is a large alumni pool from which to solicit feedback and explore the program's history. John Houseal, co-chairman of the CLP advisory board, said the board and the focus group will talk with alumni, assess past projects and explore possibilities for the future of the program. "I think we're at a unique time," Houseal said, adding that those involved in shaping the future of the program can "do a deeper dive at this point, to maybe recalibrate the program and make it more focused." While there is much to be determined about the program's future, Henry Kranz, marketing director for the community foundation, said the foundation knows it will be more directly involved with the program design. Dominican University President Donna Carroll said the university will continue to serve as the program's academic partner, consulting on the curriculum and providing faculty expertise and space as needed. "At this point in its development, the CLP needs more independence and community involvement in order to be sustainable and to grow in reach and impact," Carroll said in an email. "The community foundation is willing to take on the future administration of and recruitment for the program." Advertisement While the program has typically involved participants who live and work in the Oak Park area, Carlson Vogen said they're also hoping to include those who might work elsewhere, but are Oak Park residents and serve on a school board or something similar. "We really want to broaden that," she said. Carlson Vogen said participants meet nine times as a class, in nine different locations, and she expects that will remain the same, as it exposes participants to new environments. "I think that's a very strong component of the model," she said. Those tasked with re-examining the program will begin focusing their efforts in August or September, Carlson Vogen said, and start recruiting for the next class in January or February 2017. That class, CLT8, will graduate in June 2018. For more information on Communityworks, visit www.oprfcf.org/cw-programs. Advertisement Caitlin Mullen is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press. Takara Beathea Gudell, designer and owner of Takara, reopened her women's clothing and accessories boutique at 140 Harrison St., Oak Park. (Caitlin Mullen / Pioneer Press) An established fashion designer has returned to the Oak Park Arts District to once again sell her clothing and accessories. Takara Beathea Gudell, designer and owner of Takara, reopened her women's clothing and accessories boutique at 140 Harrison St. a location she previously operated out of more than a decade ago in early May. Advertisement "I'm an artist at heart," she said of her fit within the arts district. Beathea Gudell, who has designed clothes and accessories for decades, was last in the space 12 years ago, spending one year there before moving into a bigger storefront on North Marion Street, which she called "a phenomenal experience." Advertisement That shop closed at the end of 2014, when Beathea Gudell decided to focus more on production and wholesale. "I wasn't having fun anymore with the boutique," she said. "I just wanted to go back to the joy of design and the joy of my customer." Beathea Gudell sold her garments to boutiques across the U.S. and Canada and moved her production room to West Garfield Park in Chicago. When she happened to notice her old Harrison Street space was for lease, she said she felt God was telling her the location was meant for her. She planned a pop-up shop for the space, but later decided to stay. Going from the 1,800-square-foot space in Downtown Oak Park to the Harrison Street space, at about 525 square feet, was a nice adjustment for Beathea Gudell. "I love it here; it's very manageable," she said. "It's more joyful for me now." An Oak Park resident for 15 years, Beathea Gudell said her arts district neighbors have been welcoming and her customers excited to see her back in a storefront. Laura Maychruk, owner of The Buzz Cafe and president of the Oak Park Arts District board, said it's nice to have Beathea Gudell back in the neighborhood. "I honestly can pack up and move anywhere, and my customers follow me," Beathea Gudell said. "It was painless, it was easy and from Day One, people have welcomed us back to the arts district." Takara Beathea Gudell, designer and owner of Takara, reopened her women's clothing and accessories boutique at 140 Harrison St. a location she previously operated out of more than a decade ago. (Caitlin Mullen / Pioneer Press) Beathea Gudell sells her line of clothing which she described as architectural and designed to be layered accessories and a signature essential oil in the shop. She said about 90 percent of the clothing for sale is designed by her, and the boutique gets a new collection every week. Prices range from $20 for eyeglass frames to $350 for a high-end garment. Advertisement She said she's been pretty consistent with the Takara look over the years, but while many of her early pieces were one size, she now offers sizes XS to 1X. "The style is the same, but the sizes have been adjusted," Beathea Gudell said. Viktor Schrader, economic development manager with the Oak Park Economic Development Corporation, said Downtown Oak Park felt the loss of her shop, and it's terrific to have someone of her caliber back in the arts district. "She was beloved when she was in Downtown Oak Park," he said. "She kind of epitomizes the small business mentality in Oak Park." Takara, located at 140 Harrison St. in Oak Park, is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. For more information, visit www.shoptakara.com or call 708-315-5076. Caitlin Mullen is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press. An example of a Sasaki Associates wayfinding sign in Walnut Creek, Calif. Oak Park trustees have awarded Sasaki a $135,500 contract to create a new signage system for the village. (Sasaki Associates / Handout) Oak Park trustees have approved a six-figure expense to create and design new signage throughout the village, which trustees hope will help visitors better navigate area businesses and restaurants. Trustees approved the $135,500 contract with Sasaki Associates during the June 20 meeting, and the organization will begin work immediately on developing a new plan for Oak Park. Advertisement "Wayfinding is not just about signs," Rhiannon Sinclair of Sasaki Associates said. "It's about the narrative or the experience you want people who visit, commute and work here to experience [the] place and see it the way you see this beautiful community. Signage is a tool for you to be able to get there." According to village staff, current signage throughout the village is more than a decade old and in need of updating. Advertisement "Back in 2003, over 300 independent pieces of monument signage were installed in the village to really guide visitors, existing residents or tourists to different locations within the village," Village Manager Cara Pavlicek said. "If you look back at that period of time, it was a much different day and age. People didn't have iPhones where you could look to get [information]." The contract calls for Sasaki to create wayfinding that directs people to area attractions, cultural institutions, shopping/dining destinations, parking options and mass transit stations. Trustees approved the contract by a 5-0 vote. Trustees Andrea Ott and Adam Salzman were absent. "We can bring all the different parts of the community together and let them come up with that plan and, if we have the courage, to make that plan come to life," Trustee Peter Barber said, while hoping the signage will have a great presence throughout the village. Phil Barash of Sasaki Associates said the process is expected to take between three and four months to complete, and Sasaki employees will begin to reach out to community members in the immediate future. "You'll see us at the farmer's market or Thursday night events asking questions and trying to understand the community," Barash said. "We're working with village staff to adjust the schedule and look at all the community engagement opportunities that will come in the months ahead." According to village staff, 19 firms responded to the village's request for proposals, while six were selected for interviews. Sasaki representatives are expected to bring a proposal back to the Village Board during a future meeting. At that time, the board will consider awarding contracts for fabrication and installation of the new signage. Advertisement sschering@pioneerlocal.com Twitter @steveschering A former Kouts man accused of killing a friend in 2014 in a Valparaiso apartment they were sharing has pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter. Abraham Bratcher, 36, of the 400 block of Jefferson Street in Kouts, faces a 20 years in prison when he's sentenced July 27 for his plea to Class A felony voluntary manslaughter. Advertisement Bratcher admitted Monday that he shot Gerid W. Forste, 31, of the 400 block of Oak Street in Kouts, on April 2, 2014. The two were staying in an apartment on Black Partridge Lane in Valparaiso. Bratcher had been living in the apartment for two years, although the listed tenant was in California, the charging information states. Advertisement He told police that after Forste's girlfriend and children left in the evening, the two men drank heavily and smoked marijuana, according to the probable cause affidavit. Forste returned from the bathroom acting suspiciously, then admitted to stealing Bratcher's bottle of cologne and was told to put it back, court records state. Bratcher told police that Forste then went into the bedroom of Bratcher's out-of-town roommate and began handling the roommate's AR-15 rifle, which led to a fight between the two men, documents said. Six spent shells from a rifle in the apartment, according to the probable cause affidavit. Four of the shots struck Forste, killing him, documents said. The autopsy on Forste indicated that he was facing away from Bratcher and had his hands up in defensive posture, far enough away from Bratcher that the barrel was not at his chest as Bratcher claimed, court records state. James D. Wolf Jr. is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune. Lake County Auditor John Petalas, from left, his chief Deputy Kathy DeGuilio-Fox and Finance Director Mike Wieser met Tuesday with state Auditor Suzanne Crouch regarding transparency and public dollars. (Carrie Napoleon / Post-Tribune) Transparency was the topic of conversation Tuesday when State Auditor Suzanne Crouch visited the Lake County Auditor's office in Crown Point. The visit was part of a statewide whistle stop tour to check in with local auditors, discuss the role of transparency via the Indiana Gateway for Government Units portal and offer assistance via access to state officials and department heads. Advertisement Lake County Auditor John Petalas, Chief Deputy Kathy DeGuilo-Fox and Mike Wieser, finance director, met with Crouch at the Lake County Government Center. "Transparency, again, is so important. It is what people want. It's what they expect from government," Crouch, a Republican, said. Advertisement Approximately 163,000 people accessed the Gateway in 2015 with about half of those views looking at salaries. Crouch said "that's not enough." She is trying to establish a way the views of the site can be broken down by county. "What we findis most people never heard of the transparency portal," she said. Petalas, a Democrat, said citizens come to his office frustrated by their attempts at public records requests. Most of those citizens do not know that much of the information requested is already available online through the Gateway portal, without the need to make a public information request. Petalas and his staff also shared concerns with Crouch about the coming switch of accounting methods mandated by the State Board of Accounts. The county is seeking a waiver to extend the completion period for the switch due to the volume of work and the need to hire certified public accountants to complete it. He said the challenge in implementing the change will be staff not trained on the new accrual method and new accountants who do not know how the auditor's office works. He expects the county auditor's office would have to hire two or three full-time CPAs to complete the change by the Jan. 1, 2018, deadline and implement it moving forward. Cost for those CPAs would be about $75,000 each per year, a sum Petalas said he "can't imaging going to my county council" for. Wieser said the change likely will be a large expense for most government units, especially the larger counties. While taxpayers will not feel the new expense in their property tax bills due to tax caps, the county will have to find the money elsewhere, which could impact other services. "We will have to cut someplace else," Wieser said. Crouch advised the local officials to discuss their concerns with the state legislature and said she too would raise the issue with state officials to see what options exists. Advertisement "Political party has nothing to do with us serving taxpayers," Crouch said. Carrie Napoleon is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune. Gateway access Anyone wishing to access public financial records may visit the Gateway internet portal at https://gateway.ifionline.org/ Editor's note: Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller submitted this opinion in response to Post-Tribune columnist David Rutter's column "Bad data can stop the best of causes" which ran June 19. The Washington Post recently ran an opinion column disputing a statistic printed on a billboard my office displayed during the month of May to raise awareness of the criminal sex trafficking industry. The billboard read "13 is the average age kids are first used in the sex trade." Advertisement The statistic was used as part of our Indiana's Not Buying It public awareness effort, which aims to alert the public that children are used in commercial sex and urge people particularly men never to tolerate the purchase of another human being. I thank the opinion columnist for his efforts to question and substantiate statistics used to portray human trafficking. There is no question that we want to be as accurate as possible when talking about the horrific crimes that impact youth in Indiana. Advertisement Unfortunately, the victimization of children is real, tragic and increasing whether it be through trafficking, child pornography, child labor or other formerly unspeakable ways in which minors are abused or exploited. The opinion columnist notes that there has been little independently verifiable research to support the claim that 13 is in fact the average entry age into the sex trade. Instead, he notes it appears more likely to be between 15 and 16 years old. While this window may be more accurate until more precise studies are available, it reminds us that these victims still are minors who are below the age of consent, and it underscores the fact that children and teens are targeted and victimized by the sex trafficking industry. During the nearly eight years that I have focused on raising awareness of and combating human trafficking, I have seen abundant indications that this crime is happening here, and that traffickers target vulnerable youth victims who have been abused as children, run away from home or lack a strong family support system, among many indicators of vulnerability. Post Tribune Twice-weekly News updates from Northwest Indiana delivered every Monday and Wednesday > The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children estimates that one in five runaways reported to their organization in 2015 were likely victims of sex trafficking. In 2015, 53 cases of human trafficking in Indiana were reported to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline run by nonprofit Polaris, and of those cases, 13 involved victims who were minors. Such statistics are important, but they are only part of the story. Statistics can't portray the reality trafficking victims face young girls coerced into prostitution through violence and manipulation, cut off from their family and friends, forced into back rooms with strangers, driven to abuse drugs or alcohol, only to be labeled as criminals on their 18th birthdays. Traffickers target and prey on minors, and no matter their age, this is a serious and horrific crime that demands our attention and resources. It stands to reason that traffickers would like nothing better than for the public to be dismissive and assume wrongly that human trafficking is not a problem, but indeed it is a problem, often described as a modern version of slavery. Law enforcement, government agencies, nonprofits and other leaders have done incredible work to identify this crime, prosecute traffickers, support victims and inform the public about the reality of this criminal enterprise. I remain committed to educating the public and others about this issue and combating people's misassumptions that trafficking could not exist here. Part of that involves reducing the demand for commercial sex, and we do that especially by speaking to men about how paying for sex fuels human trafficking. We have also worked with our government and nonprofit colleagues to improve services for child victims. Advertisement Through diligence, compassion and pursuing accurate information, we remain dedicated to fighting human trafficking in Indiana. Greg Zoeller is Indiana attorney general. By Maria Kotova and Allan Xu, Dezan Shira & Associates Editor: Jake Liddle When an entity starts to expand and it is no longer advantageous to operate a Representative Office (RO), a company may look to establish a Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise (WFOE) in China. Timing is key to a smooth employee transfer from an RO to a WFOE (target company), as explored here. However, equally important are the provisions and considerations an entity must take before making an official announcement to employees in order to avoid unnecessary legal disputes with current employees during the process. Here, we provide suggestions and tips for handling employee transfer during the RO-WFOE conversion, and guide the investors through the preparation steps prior to terminating the employees. Precautionary Steps An RO is not an independent legal entity, and therefore cannot directly employ staff. ROs may hire employees via HR agents such as a Foreign Enterprise Human Resources Service Company (FESCO), which largely complicates the hiring procedure. Furthermore, employees are likely to be reluctant to sign termination agreements unless immediate work is arranged. As such, to best maintain a smooth handover, the RO must transfer employees to the target WFOE without a gap in employment contract. Outlined below are some steps for preparation prior to the entitys official announcement. These precautionary measures should be taken in order to mitigate potential risks and to provide a framework for employees to transfer to the target WFOE: Obtain business license and official seal of the WFOE. Essentially, these are the necessary materials obtained to fully establish a WFOE. Once a business license is obtained, a WFOE legally exists and can enter into labor relations when the official seals are carved. Prepare a bank account and inject registered capital into it. Open a social insurance account and housing fund account. Generally, a WFOE can legally hire employees once the business license obtained, but the labor relationships with the employees will only be recognized once a bank account is opened and capital is injected. This is critical for timely payment of both salary and social security contributions since such procedures may, in some cases, be delayed for more than a month for various reasons. However, salary and social contributions should be paid within the first month after transition. Collect information of employees, including average monthly salary, term of employment, date of employment, position, work hours, annual leave balance and other information that may differ from that on a contract. Collection of this information is vital in order to understand liabilities of the employer, to decide who will be transferred and to correctly calculate severance pay in case of termination of contract or contract negotiation. This will ensure that all procedures in connection with the labor transfer are executed in a legal and proper way. Moreover, it is also essential to keep the same benefits previously provided under current packages in the process of drafting a new labor contract to be offered under WFOE employment. Senior staff should hold a meeting with all the employees present to announce the decision of transition and transferal plans, outlining the reasons for why staff transfer is necessary, i.e. adjustments to business strategy and structure. They must also be informed that the RO is to be deregistered. It is important that each employee signs an acknowledgement of the announcement. This is to ensure that each employee is clearly informed of the situation and the companys decision. Without evidence of acknowledgement, if the employer and employee do not reach an agreement, the employee can potentially deny being aware of the announcement, and claim it as illegal termination. The RO, along with FESCO, may be obliged to pay higher severance pay as a compensation. A clear timeline, including the date of announcement issuance, time period for employees to make a decision (such as one week), a deadline for signing a termination agreement with FESCO and signing of a new employment contract with new WFOE should be provided. This provides employees with a clear schedule and time frame in which to perform the transfer preparations. RELATED: Payroll and Human Resource Services In Case of Contract Termination or Negotiation Any sort of disruption such as arbitration or legal action will drastically impact the transition process as it can incur ongoing expenses. Therefore, it is in a companys utmost interest to avoid any problems, and to come to cordial agreements with employees who object to being transferred or wish to negotiate contracts or severance payment. Further steps must be taken to reach such agreement, including negotiation of the termination clause, termination agreement conclusion and severance payment. An employer can check the remaining period of an employees contract and if the period is as short as one or two weeks, the employer can wait until the contract expires in order to avoid labor disputes. If the remaining period is too long, an employer may come to an amicable termination with the employee. Term of service can be a transferal concern for an employee, especially in terms of severance pay. For example, if an employee had worked at an RO for a total of five years and are subsequently transferred to a WFOE, they may be concerned whether or not the previous five years of service are carried over when they sign a labor contract with the new WFOE or if future severance pay is calculated from zero at the beginning of the new contract. Therefore, an employer would generally reassure the employees that their employment period would continue to accumulate under the new entity. Nonetheless, an employer must be aware of two severance options in case of legal action on behalf of an employee: Pay accumulative severance based on previous service years; or Continue cumulatively calculating the length of service under the new contract (this option avoids paying up front). If it comes to the negotiation stage, it is essential that any negotiation is recorded and signed for as means of protection and evidence in case of further dispute. Again, if the company is found to have illegally terminated the employment contract, they may be obliged to pay higher severance pay. Negotiation, of course, should be treated on a case by case basis and by each employees contract review, as considerations such as pregnancy or maternity leave and work injuries or medical treatment will impact a decision. Additionally, there is also potential risk that the amount of social welfare contributions made by the employee may be higher for some employees compared to current contributions. Therefore, the employer may choose one of the options available to negotiate with employees. About Us Asia Briefing Ltd. is a subsidiary of Dezan Shira & Associates. Dezan Shira is a specialist foreign direct investment practice, providing corporate establishment, business advisory, tax advisory and compliance, accounting, payroll, due diligence and financial review services to multinationals investing in China, Hong Kong, India, Vietnam, Singapore and the rest of ASEAN. For further information, please email china@dezshira.com or visit www.dezshira.com. Stay up to date with the latest business and investment trends in Asia by subscribing to our complimentary update service featuring news, commentary and regulatory insight. Human Resources and Payroll in China 2015 This edition of Human Resources and Payroll in China, updated for 2015, provides a firm understanding of Chinas laws and regulations related to human resources and payroll management essential information for foreign investors looking to establish or already running a foreign-invested entity in China, local managers, and HR professionals needing to explain complex points of Chinas labor policies. How IT is Changing Payroll Processing and HR Admin in China In this edition of China Briefing magazine, we examine how foreign multinationals can take better advantage of IT in the gathering, storing, and analyzing of HR information in China. We look at how IT can help foreign companies navigate Chinas nuanced payroll processing regulations, explain how software platforms are becoming essential for HR, and finally answer questions on the efficacy of outsourcing payroll and HR in China. Labor Dispute Management in China In this issue of China Briefing, we discuss how best to manage HR disputes in China. We begin by highlighting how Chinas labor arbitration process and its legal system in general widely differs from the West, and then detail the labor disputes that foreign entities are likely to encounter when restructuring their China business. We conclude with a special feature from Business Advisory Manager Allan Xu, who explains the risks and procedures for terminating senior management in China. Tourists at the Xisha Islands, Hainan Province. [Photo/Xinhua] China COSCO Shipping Corp, which owns the world's largest fleet of specialized carriers and multipurpose vessels, plans to launch cruise lines in the South China Sea next month. The first route is expected to travel from Sanya to the Yongle Island, part of the Xisha Islands in Hainan province. "It is practical to stimulate the local economy through development of tourism, logistics and infrastructure facilities," Xu Lirong, chairman of COSCO Shipping, said over the weekend at the Boao Forum for Entrepreneurs in Boao, Hainan province. China COSCO Shipping signed a contract with China National Travel Service (HK) Group Corp and China Communications Construction Co Ltd in late April, to jointly establish a cruise company to offer tourism services in the South China Sea. They will share resources and management expertise to provide cruise services to major islands of the Xisha. They will also work together in areas such as operating multimodal transportation, cruise ships, wharves and ports, storage and logistics. Under the framework, the cruises will be managed by Dalian-based COSCO Shipping Ferry Co Ltd. The COSCO Shipping subsidiary, however, does have a competitor on this route. Hainan Strait Shipping Co Ltd has been operating cruise services between Sanya and the Xisha Islands for more than two years. The Haikou-based ferry company operated 48 voyages carrying 8,430 people to the Xisha Islands. Dong Liwan, a professor at Shanghai Maritime University, said that even though shipping, tourism and construction companies are enthusiastic about developing the cruise market in the South China Sea, they must be aware that it still takes time and resources to improve service and logistics facilities in those islands. Club Med, the famous France-based resort brand, signed a cooperation agreement with Yuyuan Tourist Mart Co Ltd on Monday. The two companies will establish a new resort, called Club Med Tomamu, within the Hokkaido Tomamu Resort area. It is expected to start operation in 2017. The new resort, which will be Club Med's second resort in Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost island, will feature more than 20 ski trails of various difficulties and boast more than 50 activities, including professional ski courses and instruction. Yuyuan Tourist Mart, in which Fosun International Ltd holds a 29.9 percent stake, acquired in November a 100 percent stake in Hoshino Resorts Group's ski destination Resort Tomamu in Hokkaido. Yuyuan paid 18.36 billion Japanese yen ($175 million) for the property. Since the acquisition was completed, the number of Chinese tourists to Tomamu increased by three times. Occupancy rates, sales revenue and profit have increased by 80 percent so far, said Xu Xiaoliang, chairman of Yuyuan Tourist Mart. In March of 2015, Fosun International bought 98 percent of French company Club Mediterranee SA, the operator and brand-owner of the Club Med resorts, for 1 billion euros ($1.13 billion). So far, Club Med has built four resorts in China while the country has already become the second-largest market for the resort company. As Henri Giscard d'Estaing, chief executive officer of Club Med pointed out, a growing number of people have chosen to travel to Hokkaido, a destination that is especially popular among families and couples fond of outdoor activities. "Club Med's first resort built in Sahoro has always been fully booked. Therefore, to set up another higher standard resort in central Hokkaido will not only meet the growing demand of tourists visiting Japan, but also help expand Club Med's mapping in Hokkaido," he said. "We have noticed in recent years that value in the property industry does not simply come from the purchases of land but rather combining industries relevant to happiness and fashion with properties," said Gong Ping, president of Fosun Property Holdings. Guo Guangchang, chairman of Fosun International, said that the company will look for more investment opportunities in the business and family sectors. Industries that are closely related to people's wealth, health and happiness will be the company's long-term goal. German prosecutors launched a probe into alleged market manipulation by former Volkswagen chief executive Martin Winterkorn on Monday. The state prosecutor's office in Braunschweig, which is near Volkswagen's headquarters in Wolfsburg, said there were "sufficient real indications" that Volksagen deliberately delayed informing shareholders about the company's emissions scandal and its financial consequences last year. Besides Winterkorn, another unnamed Volkswagen manager, was also under investigation, according to the prosecutor's office. Following a revelation of the U.S. regulators, Volkswagen admitted on Sept. 22, 2015 that it had installed illegal devices in some 11 million diesel vehicles to manipulate emissions in order to pass emissions tests. Winterkorn resigned shortly thereafter. He apologized for the scandal, but denied personal wrongdoings. In March this year, Volkswagen admitted that Winterkorn was sent a memorandum in May 2014 about high emissions in some vehicles, though it was unclear whether he read the memo. Late on Monday, Volkswagen said that the statement of the prosecutor's office "does not cite any new facts or information on any serious breaches of duty by the members of the Board of Management now accused". Central banks in Eastern and Southern African are looking into possibility of putting in place supportive measures to encourage use of the Renminbi. Some 20 governors and deputy governors met in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on Monday amid growing global demand for yuan after IMF board to include Chinese currency into Special Drawing Rights (SDR) basket. The meeting organised by Macroeconomic and Financial Management Institute of Eastern and Southern Africa that drew participants form East African and SADC regions. Bank of Tanzania (BoT) Governor Prof Benno Ndulu said the decision to make yuan international money reflects major shifts in the global economy and China moving towards a "more open and market-based economy". "Greater Renminbi usage in bilateral transactions will provide further impetus for trade and investment links between China and the region resulting in benefits for both sides," Prof Ndulu said. The Governor said also central banks in the region would put more thinking behind relocating their reserves to match more closely other five currencies that make up SDR basket. Prof Ndulu said Bank of Tanzania started using yuan as reserve currency in the last two years where 5.0 per cent of total money on foreign reserves is under Renminbi. Though, still US dollar control a line share on 60 per cent. "We were well ahead of IMF," Prof Ndulu said. "Also we buy more Chinese bonds as pay back is relative well compared to invest on US or Europe bonds." Investec Asset Management Senior Economist Dr Michael Power said central bankers delayed for too long to recognise yuan, which may had a negative impact on trade and investment. "I have to explain my biasness (for yuan) we wait too long for recognising of Renminbi. We should have taken the lead and not wait for IMF to endorse it," Dr Power said. Dr Power was answering a question from Reserve Bank of Malawi Deputy Governor, Economics Dr Naomi Ngwira, how wanted to know action to be taken should India's rupee head to same direction. The one-day forum, according to Prof Ndulu, was more than critical for governors as it provided necessary platform for fruitful exchange of views and ideas. "This forum will shape our responses to the Renminbi's envisaged consequential global role," Prof Ndulu said, adding the need for the region to put in place supportive measures to encourage the use of the Renminbi. Statistically speaking, China's trade with African states has grown about ten times in the last decade, with the total value likely to hit US$300 billion in 2015. China's trade with Africa recorded US$10 billion in 2000. In 2014, the figure grew to US$220 billion. China is seeking to raise the amount to US$400 billion by 2020. Experts have it that a yuan internationalisation progress, the rapidly expanding offshore of Renminbi market and greater access to the onshore Chinese market area also providing opportunities for the central banks to diversify and hence their portfolio investments. Hu Kaihong: Good morning ladies, gentlemen and our friends from the press. Welcome to the press conference of the State Council Information Office (SCIO). Today, we will release the White Paper on China's BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, brief you on its main content and share with you the information of the BeiDou system. This white paper is the 100th one released by the SCIO. Mr. Ran Chengqi, director of China's Satellite Navigation System Management Office and spokesperson of the BeiDou system, is present at this press conference. First of all, please allow me to make a brief introduction to the white paper. The BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (hereinafter referred to as the BDS) has been independently built and operated by China to cope with the needs of the country's national security and economic and social development. As a space infrastructure of national significance, the BDS provides all-time, all-weather and high-accuracy positioning, navigation and timing services to global users. At the end of 2012, it began to provide services to the Asia-Pacific region, thus becoming the world's third satellite system in formal operation. The BDS has achieved notable economic and social benefits, as it has been widely used in many sectors and regions across China, and entered the mass market in sectors like smart phones and wearable devices. The white paper we are going to release is the first one released by the Chinese government on China's navigation satellite system. It gives us a comprehensive picture of the system's development, explains its concepts, showcases its achievements and highlights its future. Containing around 5,800 words, the paper consists of three parts, a preface, main text and conclusion. The white paper reiterates that "the BDS is developed by China and dedicated to the world" and under the principles of "independence, openness, compatibility and gradualness," China will provide continuous, stable and reliable services for global users. It also stresses that China will actively push forward international cooperation related to the BDS, work with all other countries, regions and international organizations to promote global satellite navigation development, and help the BDS to better serve the world and benefit mankind. The paper is available in multiple languages, including Chinese, English, French, Russian, German, Spanish, Arabic and Japanese. The Chinese and English versions have been printed by the People's Publishing House and the Foreign Languages Press. You can find them now in every Xinhua Bookstore in China. That's all for me. Now, let's welcome Mr. Ran Chengqi to give us an introduction to the BDS. Ran Chengqi: Ladies and gentlemen, it's my pleasure to meet our friends from the press here. First of all, I would like to thank you all for your keen attention to and strong support for the BDS. The Chinese government has attached great importance to the construction and development of the BDS. Under the principle that "the BDS is developed by China and dedicated to the world" and the principles of "independence, openness, compatibility and gradualness," we have taken a series of measures to promote a sustainable development of the system and pushed forward its industrialization and globalization processes. As one of China's national key technical projects supporting the national innovative development strategy, as well as one of the national strategic emerging industries, the BDS has been included into the country's overall economic and social development plan. In the future, we will continue to promote its globalization, so as to serve the Belt and Road Initiative and serve the world and better benefit mankind. Step by step, we will make the BDS a crucial international infrastructure that serves the world, and make it a world renowned Chinese brand. Ran Chengqi: Please allow me to introduce the satellite system in three parts: I. Construction and operation The construction of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) is based on China's national conditions. With a goal of building a world-class system, BeiDou vows to explore the development of a navigation satellite system with Chinese characteristics. Firstly, BDS suits China's national conditions. The BDS development follows a model of developing regional service capacities then gradually extending the service to a global scale. In line with a three-step development strategy, the system will establish an independent high-accuracy spatial-temporal standard and provide service for Asia-Pacific users in a short time. Secondly, the BDS features a unique technology system. Its space segment is a hybrid constellation consisting of satellites in three kinds of orbits: Geostationary Earth Orbit, Inclined Geosynchronous Satellite Orbit and Medium Earth Orbit. It provides users with special services such as multi-frequency navigation signaling and short message communication. Thirdly, the BDS operates safely and stably. Since providing service in the Asia-Pacific region in 2012, the BDS has operated stably with positioning accuracy of less than 10 meters, fully meeting current standards. Fourthly, BDS's system performance will be promoted continuously. Till now, all the key technologies of networking have been conquered. In the future, the stability of a constellation providing regional service will be enhanced, and the capabilities of the system service will be promoted. The BeiDou Ground Base Enhancement System (BGBES) has set up ground base stations throughout the whole country and began to provide meter- and decimeter-level real-time positioning service for users in China. II. Application and Industrialization The Chinese government attaches great importance to the BDS application and industrialization, and promotes it as a strategic emerging industry. At present, China has built a complete BDS industrial chain comprised of chip modules, application terminals and operation services, and has set up three systems, including industrial supporting, application promotion and innovation. Regarding industrial supporting systems, the Chinese government has formulated relevant policies to improve the establishment of satellite navigation standard systems, promote the standards of verification and implementation and build a comprehensive service system of location data. Regarding the industrial application promotion system, great efforts are being made to promote the application of BDS technologies and products, especially in key sectors related to national security and economy. It also orients to the mass market in the sectors of smart phones, vehicle-borne terminals and wearable devices. Regarding innovation system, China is developing chips, modules, antennae and other basic products based on the BDS and other compatible systems, while encouraging the construction of satellite navigation technology innovation system and promoting integrated development of the BeiDou and Internet plus, big data, cloud computing and other new technologies. Thanks to efforts from both the central and local governments, the BDS has extended its application to the mass market, and its application scale has been enlarged. The benefits brought by the BDS are surfacing both in economic and social areas. III. International cooperation and exchange The BDS belongs to both China and the world. China will push forward the international development of the BDS, actively carry out international cooperation and exchanges in this field, so as to enable the BDS to serve the world and benefit mankind. The first goal is to carry out cooperation between the BDS and other navigation satellite systems. China will strengthen compatibility and interoperability with other navigation satellite systems, so as to provide users with more qualified, diversified, safe and reliable services. The second goal is to actively participate in activities in the field of international satellite navigation. China will actively participate in international satellite navigation affairs, attend activities held by the International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (ICG), International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and other relevant international organizations, support academic exchanges and cooperation in this area and promote satellite navigation applications with the contribution of the BDS. The third goal is to promote the ratification of the BDS by international standards. Currently, positive efforts are being made to advance the recognition of the BDS in the International Civil Aviation Organization, International Maritime Organization, Third-Generation Mobile Communication Standard Partnership Project, and other organizations, which constitutes the foundation of BDS's international development. The fourth goal is to implement BDS's international promotion. Till now, the BDS has cooperated with companies in Pakistan, Thailand, ASEAN and the League of Arab States, making the system an important brand and name card of the whole country. China will continue to push with the construction of the BDS, improve its performance and promote its application. China wishes to advance BDS's service performance, promote the popularization in this field with all countries and users worldwide and make BDS promote the wellbeing of all people and help develop social development. Thank you. I would now like to take your questions. Hu Kaihong: Thank you, Director Ran. Now it's time for questions. May I kindly remind you to inform us of what media outlet you represent before asking your question? CCTV: It has been more than four years since the BeiDou system started functioning in the Asia-Pacific Region. We would like to know how it is running now and what its plan is to provide service globally. Ran Chengqi: The BeiDou Navigation Satellite System officially began its service in 2012, covering the territory of the Asia-Pacific Region. During the past three years, the major functioning of the system has been ameliorated at a stable pace. First, we have ensured the continuous and steady running of the system at the usable rate of 99.996%, which is higher than the required index of at least 95% when the system has openly offered its services. Also, the rate of continuity has surpassed the fundamental criterion of 99.5% and reached 99.986%. Based on this data, we are able to say that the functioning of our system can be guaranteed. Regarding the precise location, we have made a test in the Asia-Pacific region on a wide basis and collected data from users during testing, which subsequently indicates that the functioning of our system has been substantially improved. For example, the systems in Beijing, Urumqi and Xi'an -- the primary cities of the coverage -- can be precise within a distance of five meters. The test in low-latitude countries, like Thailand, also showed precise locating abilities within a distance of five meters. The tests ran well in the regions of western Asian countries which are beyond its official coverage, such as Qatar and Kuwait, where the mechanism can fulfill its mission within a distance of ten meters. Therefore the application of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System in the Asia-Pacific region has been in good operation and trustful. Ran Chengqi: We have started to build a global system while the BDS-2 provides service in the Asia-Pacific region. We have overcome all the challenges and completed all the key technologies, including shaping technological mechanisms, building connections among satellites and guaranteeing the high precision of the Global Position System (GPS) satellite clockall have been undergoing relevant technological verification. Since 2015, we have consecutively launched five new satellites and two alternative satellites for regional service. As you know, we launched a new satellite for backup on June 12, 2016, therefore, the satellites can better support the present system and be tested and operated for global system when the timing is appropriate. Looking ahead, we plan to further confirm and consolidate satellite technologies after the testing of technological capabilities of the five new satellites, which are endeavored to pave road for global system. The general plan is slated to launch about 18 satellites into space around 2018 to provide fundamental services for the countries involved in the "Belt and Road" initiative and complete a global system around 2020. China Radio International: As one of the four major navigation satellite systems in the world, China's BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) is gaining a greater international influence. Can you tell us what kind of work China performed with regard to global cooperation and exchange? Ran Chengqi: I just mentioned the principle that "the BDS is developed by China, and dedicated to the world". My understanding about this is that China should independently build and operate the BDS and make it more international. We also vowed to turn the BDS into one of the most advanced navigation satellite systems in the world, which means internationalization is a must. To be "most advanced", it requires equal or better quality compared with other global navigation satellite systems, an innovative technical system, excellent user experience and complete internationalization. Ran Chengqi: Internationalization should be addressed simultaneously with the building and application of the BDS. So far, we have done the following work to make the system more internationalized. The first thing we did is to deepen bilateral cooperation with other major navigation satellite systems such as the United States' GPS, Russia's Glonass, and Europe's Galileo. Two rounds of talks were held between the US and Chinese governments, generating an agreement and a joint statement on the cooperation between the two systems. A BDS-Glonass cooperation committee has been set up within the framework of the regular meeting between the Chinese and Russian premiers. A joint declaration and an application agreement have been inked after rounds of negotiation, and we will exert greater efforts in producing an inter-government agreement. As for the cooperation with the Galileo system, frequency coordination has been done and the building of an inter-government cooperation mechanism has begun. Ran Chengqi: The second thing we did is to further multi-lateral cooperation. We actively participate in international organizations such as the International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (ICG) and the International Telecommunication Union. China is a founding member of the ICG and has made its own contributions to the development of the global navigation satellite system with tremendous constructive initiatives. Ran Chengqi: The third thing we did is to actively promote the application of the BDS in the Asia-Pacific region, especially in the countries and organizations involved in the "Belt and Road Initiative", such as Pakistan, South Korea, Australia, Saudi Arabia, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the League of Arab States. We will focus on technology exchange, training, and application. I would like to point out that our training efforts will be conducted under the supervision of the country's foreign aid project. The fourth thing we did is to spare no effort in getting the BDS ratified by the relevant international organizations for standardization in the fields of international civil aviation, maritime affairs, and mobile communication, among others. The BDS has become the third navigation satellite system ratified by the International Maritime Organization, and the International Civil Aviation Organization is also speeding up its recognition work. The BDS has also been formally ratified by the International Mobile Communication Organization. Through these means, we are trying to boost the development of the BDS while advancing its application and international cooperation. China National Radio: Today's big data, including the cloud-computing industry, has seencompelling growth. It wasalso mentioned in the White Paper released today that China's BeiDou Navigation Satellite System will be developed while integrating big data, the Internet Plus strategy and cloud computing. Could you elaborate on your perspective? What will you do for integrated development? Have any companies showed a willingness to cooperate with Internet Plus and big data? Could you tell us your plan in thisrespect? Ran Chengqi: The information industry is often mentioned as havingthree economic pillars, that is, the Internet, mobile communication and satellite navigation. With the development of information technology, they are experiencing integration and fusion, among which the location-based service industry relianton satellite navigation,has shown vigorous vitality. We follow the trend of the changing information technology field and promote the integration of the BeiDou system with big data, cloud computing, the Internet and mobile communication. In recent years, we have made great achievements in developing the technology industry. For example, we have first found a solution forthe base products of the BeiDou system and formed a complete industry chain from thechip to the terminal and industry application services. We are also pushing the fusion of the BeiDou system with other information technology, which is forming a new model involving the BeiDou system, the Internet and other industries. You mightnotice that many innovative concepts have been emerging. The BeiDou system has realized its application to the internet of vehicles in improvingvehicle safety and reducing the empty-loading ratio. The system has also realizedemergency rescue, disaster and weather forecasts in the internet of vessels, product tracing and food safety supervision in the internet of things, and care for the elderly and children in the internet of people. Many products have been developed, to be precise. At a recent exhibition of innovative technology achievements, we have seen BeiDou grazing, Beidou vegetable growing and Beidou space watch on display. I'm wearing this watch as we speak.The watch looks simple, but it can receive signals directly from the BeiDou satellite navigation system in the sky. Its time precision is very high, with 50 nanosecondaccuracy. It is supposed to be the most precise watch in the world. The watch can be used for location and navigation as well. Its pedometer and other functions make it functional and fashionable. The watch wasgiven access to the market and sells very well. This is only oneapplication of the BeiDou system. I believe that many of its applications have gone beyond our imagination. The BeiDou applications will help create new models and bring profound development to the nation's economyand society under the guidance of China's strategy of promoting public business and innovation. Thank you. Xinhua: It is well-known that the BeiDou system is an important part of space information infrastructure for China. Can you elaborate on measures China takes on the levels of policies and legislation to ensure the sound and sustainable development of the BeiDou system? Thank you. Ran Chengqi: Actually, the development of satellite navigation demands greater attention from the government, so do its applications. The most support comes from alegislative level. The Chinese government has given great attention to the policies and documents demanded by the BeiDou system during its construction. Since we started to provide the BeiDou system service at the end of 2012, the State Council made it clear in the "Guidance on Promoting Information Consumption and Expanding Domestic Demands" enacted in 2013 that boosting of BeiDou system construction, applications and industry formation should be a vital part of the document. Then, related authorities also published a mid-to-long term plan regarding the national satellite navigation industry. Provinces, cities and industries issued related policies and standards as well to jointly boost the construction and application of the system. A welcome news is that the State Council has listed the Satellite Navigation Regulations of the People's Republic of China into its legislative plan this year. The formulation of the regulations will further promote the system's construction and applications, establish the system's legal status as an important part of national space information infrastructure, solidify and strengthen the system's space service capacity, demonstrate the system's capacity construction process in the name of the Chinese government, and facilitate a better service of the system for the world. Thank you. Wenweipo: Just now Director Ran showed us the Beidou Watch. What other products have been made for BDS application besides the watch? What effects have they had? Are there any promotions in Hong Kong? Ran Chengqi: I will give another detailed introduction about BDS application. At first, the general approach to the system involves overall planning and arrangements about applications of the various systems, industries and infrastructure, regarding international and domestic needs, applications and modes as well as construction and application which are mutually enhancing. Moreover, priorities will be stressed regarding the core chip, antenna, terminal and card. It is nice that over the years, our country has realized completely autonomous control over core chip, terminal card and antenna technologies, which have reached advanced global standards. Our country's best chip has attained the most advanced levels in the world with a 40-nanometer process line. The price of our cheapest chip is less than 10 yuan (US$1.52), lower than the price for similar products on the international market. In the extra-precision application industries, BDS products seize the main market flow. Extra-precision cards and antennae made up, respectively, 30 and 90 percent of the domestic market in the last year with sales of 120,000 and 500,000. By this April, the number of terminals using Beidou technology has exceeded 24 million, and the sales of mobile phones with Beidou chips have exceeded 18 million. According to statistics, in this first quarter 30 percent of smart phones in China were equipped with Beidou chips. We can see a broad possibilities for the application of Beidou. Ran Chengqi: At present, we are planning to build a national extra-precision ground-based augmentation system network in China. Trial operations will start at the end of this year. The trial operational accuracy can reach decimeter level and the operational accuracy will reach centimeter grade. At that time, people will be able to experience excellent service at decimeter and centimeter level up from ten-meter levels. For instance, if we use high-accuracy application services to order a taxi, we don't need to pin down the last 100 or 10 meters by phone. The taxi would be able to pull up directly next us. In addition, high-accuracy application can provide mud-rock flow deformation monitoring, road and bridge monitoring, application of pilotless technology, driver education and training for a driver's license. As a special service of Beidou, high-accuracy application will revolutionize all location-based industries. Ran Chengqi: All of applications I mentioned above have been used in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong government stays in close touch with us. We have systematical and technological exchange, training for applications and station construction for corresponding examination and measurement. I think we will take Hong Kong as a part of China to make overall plans and arrangements. We also hope Hong Kong will make better use of Beidou system. Thank you. China Report, China International Publishing Group: According to a recent Xinhua report, the lighthouse built on the eastern end of the Meiji Reef is the highest building in the Nansha Islands, and it has used the remote monitoring and control terminals of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS). Could you please briefly introduce the other specific applications of the BDS in terms of ship navigation, maritime salvage and oceanic scientific research in the South China Sea? Thank you. Ran Chengqi: Like any other satellite navigation system, the BDS has the function of passive-positioning. I describe this function as a radio mode which only needs to determine a position by receiving signals. At the same time, we have also retained the original characteristic services of the BDS-1, namely the active-positioning service and the short message communication service. The active-positioning service is a mobile phone model which needs to interact with satellites, but it is of benefit to location reporting and short message services. This characteristic application has particularly obvious advantages in areas where mobile communication or communication means are unsound or less developed. Therefore, maritime application is one of the most important development directions of the BDS. So far, we have installed BDS terminals in more than 40,000 fishing boats in the coastal areas. The move can achieve the goals of situation reporting, location reporting and information interaction. With the installation of BDS terminals, it helps fishermen use mobile phones to contact each other via the internet and greatly meet their needs for maritime communication. At the same time, it provides a very good way for information transmission between coastal islands and reefs. Therefore, it has been well received by local governments, fishery departments and fishermen in recent years. Fishermen often say to me that they put two things on their boats before going out for fishing -- the statue of Mazu and the BDS terminal. The former is considered the sacred sea goddess who blesses fishermen. Thus, it can be seen how important the BDS is in the eyes of fishermen. The prospects for BDS application can be broader. It should be said that, the BDS has made a great contribution to China's economic and social development. Hong Kong Ta Kung Pao: What is the latest situation of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) in serving the countries along the "Belt and Road?" Ran Chengqi: The "Belt and Road" Initiative is the overall development strategy of our country. The construction and application of the BDS must be subordinate to the initiative. We have several aspects of consideration. First, when promoting the globalization and application of the BDS-2, which has been in operation in orbit, we placed the countries along the "Belt and Road" as a key consideration. Our cooperation with these countries is comprehensive and involves technical exchange, technology transference training, educational training, product output, and even the establishment of joint ventures, system performance monitoring and high-accuracy positioning, all of which we will unreservedly introduce and recommend to the countries along the "Belt and Road." It should be said that, we have already been in contact with many of these countries, including the above-mentioned Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Myanmar, Egypt, Iran, Indonesia and other countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the League of Arab States. We have very good cooperation with them and many projects have been included in substantive plans. While cooperating with Pakistan, we have completed the first phase of its national geographic positioning network, and the promotion of the second phase of the project is under discussion. In the process of global system construction, we give priority to the projects serving the "Belt and Road" Initiative. Earlier, I said that we will launch 18 satellites to solve the problem of the coverage area along the "Belt and Road" and at the same time, we will further enhance the performance of the BDS. We also hope that the countries along the "Belt and Road" will be able to learn more about the BDS and view it as important means of supporting information services. At the same time, we will do our best to speed up and promote the construction and application. Thank you. Reuters: How deeply has the People's Liberation Army relied on the BeiDou system so far? And which foreign countries is the BeiDou system aspiring to expand to? Ran Chengqi: It is known that the navigation satellite system is of national significance and also a system used by both the military and civilians. The Chinese navigation satellite system also follows the strategic needs of the country, including its social and economic development and national security. Therefore, the construction of the system should contribute to China's national defense. Regarding its use in other countries, we not only collaborate with major countries for example the United States, Russia and European Union but also with countries that are a part of the Belt and Road initiative; moreover, we work actively with various international and multilateral organizations. In a word, we are promoting the international cooperation and application of the system on all fronts. Nikkei: Just to be clear, how many countries are using the BeiDou system? And what are the advantages and disadvantages of the BeiDou system compared to the world's other three major navigation satellite systems? Ran Chengqi: We have a rough estimation that the BeiDou system and BeiDou-related products -- including average ones and high-accuracy ones -- have been used in more than 30 countries around the world. The number of cases of technological cooperation is more than that. BeiDou's functions are comparable to GPS and GLONASS. Next we'll build a world-class system. BeiDou needs to improve in two aspects. First, it is not globally available, so we will accelerate pursuance of that objective. Second, we will seek highly-reliable, non-stop and stable operation, because these are features needed by all users. In addition, we will also develop the final product so that it can bring into being an entire industry chain. Thank you. Hu Kaihong: Now ends the press conference for today. Thank you, director Ran. Thank you all our friends from the press. See you next time. Beijing's Zhongguancun Science Park, one of China's top high-tech innovation hubs, has started an initiative that invites young people from overseas to work or intern in the capital. The initiative, called Inno Pioneer, was launched in mid-June. It aims to attract students and other young professionals from overseas universities and research organizations to start businesses, work for startups or take training at the park, which covers 488 square kilometers and has more than 20,000 companies. Zeng Xiaodong, director of international business at the Zhongguancun Science Park Administrative Committee, said the move would encourage innovation, which comes from communication, collaboration and brainstorming. "The initiative will enable young people from all over the world who are interested in innovation to gather in Zhongguancun and accelerate their efforts to make new things and innovate," he told reporters at Inno Pioneer's launch ceremony. "The success of Silicon Valley lies in its internationalization and global horizons. Young talented people from everywhere with aspiration to innovate are attracted to it and commercialize their ideas." Zeng added that such projects should be supported and encouraged if China wants to build upon its strengths in innovation and high-tech industries. Sam Jang from South Korea, CEO of SounDUX, said his company had already benefitted from Zhongguancun's pro-innovation stance, adding that he looked forward to finding more young workers through the Inno Pioneer initiative. "My company is in the music copyright trade business, which requires talented people from all over the world. The biggest advantage of the Inno Pioneer initiative is that it can gather top professionals from not only China but also foreign nations," he said. Philippe Bardol, commercial investment counselor at the French Embassy in Beijing, told China Daily that Paris now has 50 large business incubators and about 20,000 startups and the French capital is eager to have more exchanges with Beijing, especially Zhongguancun, and the entrepreneurs in both cities. The French Embassy in Beijing hopes incubator projects like Inno Pioneer will help young French entrepreneurs understand the importance and potential of the Chinese market, he said, noting that the embassy has invited 15 to 20 French companies to cooperate commercially with firms in Zhongguancun. Officials from the Beijing government and Zhongguancun management committee have offered a number of favorable measures to overseas business people including long-term visas and fast approval procedures, Bardol said. There was a lot of agreement at Monday's Time Warner Cable News debate featuring the three Democrats running in the 24th Congressional District race. One issue Colleen Deacon, Eric Kingson and Steve Williams agreed on: Whether there should be a federal ban on hydraulic fracturing, a method use to drill for natural gas underground. When asked by the moderators at the debate, all three candidates said they support such a ban. The question was folded into a discussion about whether nuclear power plants should be considered clean energy. This is a hot topic in the 24th District because of Entergy's James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant in Scriba, Oswego County. Entergy plans to close the plant in January, despite efforts by local and state officials to keep the facility open. Kingson said he supports a partial phase-down of nuclear energy. He wants to see more investment in renewable energy and a move away from using fossil fuels. But he acknowledged that the situation with the FitzPatrick plant in Oswego County is "massively problematic" for the area. "Jobs are being lost," he said. Williams took a different approach. While he also supports investing in renewable energy he thinks there should be more of a focus on hydropower, solar and wind energy he views nuclear energy as an "acceptable bridge to the new energy economy." "I think nuclear energy is safe," he said. He also added that he's hopeful a deal can be worked out with Entergy to keep FitzPatrick open. Deacon agreed with her opponents that green energy should be a priority. She also advocated for keeping the district's nuclear power plants open, especially FitzPatrick. The Oswego County plant has more than 600 employees. "We have to look at what devastation this could cause our communities if we shut these plants down," she said. An issue affecting FitzPatrick's status is another Entergy plant, Indian Point, which is located near New York City. Gov. Andrew Cuomo wants to shut down the downstate plant. Deacon said FitzPatrick and Indian Point should be addressed as two separate issues, but Williams disagreed with that approach. "The fact is they're completely connected," he said. Williams also took a swipe at Deacon for encouraging the sides to meet. He suggested that was a go-to response for Deacon when she wasn't informed on a topic. "I don't think there's anything wrong with bringing people to the table," Deacon said. The candidates are vying for the Democratic nomination to challenge U.S. Rep. John Katko in the general election. The primary is Tuesday, June 28. The 24th Congressional District includes all of Cayuga, Onondaga and Wayne counties, plus the western part of Oswego County. You are here: Home A local procuratorate in south China's Guangdong Province said on Monday that the Party chief of Wukan Village has been detained for suspected bribe taking. Lin Zulian, Party chief of Wukan Village in south China's Guangdong Province. [Photo: Xinhua] Lin Zulian, also head of Wukan Village, is suspected of taking bribes during the organization of bids for public projects since 2012, said the people's procuratorate in Lufeng City. The procuratorate opened an official investigation on Friday following three months of initial investigation. Prosecutors said the amount of bribes is substantial, without giving a specific figure. In June 2016 Xi is paying a state visit to Uzbekistan and will attend the 16th meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent. In 2012, China and Uzbekistan signed a declaration on strategic partnership. In the following year, Islam Karimov and Xi Jinping agreed to develop and deepen a new agreement on friendship and partnership and a joint declaration was signed during President Xi's first visit to Tashkent in 2013. China is the leading trade partner of Central Asia, and the dynamics of China-Uzbek trade turnover grow constantly; thus, in 2007, turnover of commodities was US$904 million, and by 2015 it had reached more than US$4.1 billion. In September 2013, during Chinese President Xi's official visit to Uzbekistan more than 30 documents were signed for joint implementation projects with a total value of US$15 billion. In August 2014, during an official visit by the President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov to China, numerous economic and financial agreements were signed, valuing more than US$6.2 billion. Karimov and Xi also signed a strategy partnership development program for 2014-2018. Chinese investments in the economy of Uzbekistan exceed US$6.5 billion. More than 600 enterprises with Chinese capital operate in Uzbekistan, significant joint projects have been implemented, including in the "Djizakas" and "Angren" economic and industrial zones. In 2009 the first gas pipeline between Central Asia and China was constructed; in the following years second and third lines passing through Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan were completed, which allow for diversification of hydrocarbon exports from Central Asia. Since August 2012, Uzbekistan started exporting gas to China, and by 2013, 6 billion cubic meters were being exported. Uzbekistan was among the first to express its support for China's calls for the global Silk Road initiative "Belt and Road," and other Central Asia republics were among the 57 nations convened in Beijing to inaugurate the creation of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) (US$50 billion) as well as the Silk Road Fund (US$40 billion), which is focused on providing investment in infrastructure, energy resources and industries. During June 2016, President Xi's visits to Tashkent, perspective measures on bilateral relations and extending capacity cooperation between China and Uzbekistan will be discussed with Uzbek President Karimov. While during the SCO summit on June 23-24, member countries will adopt new initiatives for the SCO. For the SCO it is first time since its foundation in 2001 when the organization will extend its membership. At present Mongolia, Iran, Afghanistan and Belarus have observers' status, while Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia and Nepal are dialogue-country partners. India and Pakistan will get full membership at the SCO summit in Tashkent, which will significantly expand the political and economic scale of the organization. However, it should be noted that with the expansion of the organization, the SCO will face new challenges and problems. To sum up, China and Uzbekistan have important and strong bilateral relations, which are a prerequisite for economic reform and attracting foreign investment. However, it is essential that bilateral and multilateral agreements are actively implemented and that the range of cooperation between the participating countries is expanded. There can be no doubts that strong cooperation between China and Uzbekistan, as well as between China and Central Asia as a whole, is important for mutual economic development and international connectivity. The author is visiting Fulbright scholar at Johns Hopkins University. He is head of the Department of Contemporary History and International Relations of the Institute of History of the Academy of Science of Uzbekistan. Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. German Chancellor Angela Merkel's China visit comes at an interesting time. Britain is seeking to leave the European Union (EU), and recent polls continue to show that the Brexit and Leave voters are ahead. One of the chief reasons Britain is seeking to leave the EU is so that it can escape EU policies which stop the U.K. from having bilateral trade deals with China and India. The U.S., on the other hand, is going towards a more protectionist future, regardless of which side comes to power, and Donald Trump is within a statistical possibility of winning the U.S. Presidency, which will inevitably lead to a trade war not only with China, but also Japan, and even EU. In this lonely time, Merkel visits China to look for trade allies to sort out differences, as the world economy waits in a tense calm before the perfect storm of the Brexit and Donald Trump. Merkel's visit was about China's status in Europe, the free market status, steel exports and of course about the South China Sea issue. Merkel attended a conference and arrived with six federal ministers, five state secretaries, as well as a 20-member business delegation and met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, and Chairman of the National People's Congress Zhang Dejiang. Merkel's speech in Nanjing barely touched upon the issue of the South China Sea, and vaguely mentioned the rule of law. It was of course not the primary intention, and Merkel was careful that any serious argument or assertiveness from her part might jeopardize the main intention of trade talks. Li Keqiang on his part assured Merkel that China has no intention of a trade war, as well as carefully hinted that outside powers must not interfere in South China Sea matters, a clear hint to Europe to stay out of Asian geopolitics. Merkel cautiously reciprocated, saying that even though Germany doesn't dispute China's market economy status, it is not prudent to "emotionalize the whole thing too much." Germany and China signed more than 20 agreements, including business deals worth around 2.7 billion ($3 billion). These deals include agreements for Airbus, Daimler, and the wind turbine producer WindMW. Merkel's final stop before heading back to Berlin was to Shenyang, as it was reported by Reuters that German companies are investing in constructing a German-China industrial park. "It's good for us that we can cooperate with one another that secures jobs in Germany as well," Merkel was quoted as saying. "But one also sees that, step by step, competition is developing, because people in China also want to get ahead and make products of their own." This entire movement is symbolic and significant, as to how much Germany is trying to accommodate and course a separate path. Merkel's opinion was that there were intensive talks on China's market economy status and EU penalties against Chinese exports such as steel. As readers know, members of the EU parliament opposed China in May. Merkel tried to distance herself from the EU carefully, without too much criticism, saying that the EU needs to urgently decide on China's demand, and that there is still some work to do and that there is no point in being emotional about it. Li, in answer to this, said that China is trying its supply side reforms, and modernizing its economy and that manufacturing is naturally the most important sector in that plan. "We actually don't want to be making cheap products, raw steel for example; consequently, we will accelerate structural change," said Li. "We don't want to fight a trade war because this will benefit no one, particularly when the global economy is undergoing a sluggish recovery," asserted Li. "China has already fulfilled its obligations in joining the WTO. What's needed now is for other parties to fulfill the matching obligations they promised." Overall, this visit was supposed to come earlier. As I have written previously, Britain and Germany are primarily the two European powerhouses, and both are hungry for better relations with China. That is noticeable from their defiance of the American dictum regarding the AIIB, and different from the rest of EU with regards to the trade war with China. Being the practical and business powerhouses of Europe, these two countries understand that having strong trade ties with China is better for the global economy and geopolitics. While at the same time, these two countries have to balance the trade policies of Europe and Human rights laws and maintain a balance between Europe, China and the USA. But, as Deutsche Welle said, it is a step in the right direction, even though it might be a bit late. Sumantra Maitra is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit: http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/SumantraMaitra.htm Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors only, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. Flash Islamist militant group Al-Shabaab on Monday burnt three trucks which were carrying food near Hudur town, the capital of Bakool region in southwestern Somalia, a local official has said. Governor of Bakool region, Mohamed Abdi, told reporters that the Somali National Army had arrived in the area where the incident happened and launched a search for the militants. "Al-Shabaab militants burnt down three big trucks at a location 70 kilometers east of Hudur town in Bakool region, two of the trucks left from this town to Beledweyne town in Hiiraan region, they were empty; the other one came from Beledweyne town with food shipment to Hudur. "The militants removed all passengers and burnt the trucks but did not kill anyone," the governor said. It is said the trucks belonged to individual companies and were used for business. Al-Shabaab militants have isolated Hudur and many other towns in Bakool from other towns in the country and have been blocking humanitarian assistance from reaching vulnerable populations there. The Somali army, alongside the African Union peacekeeping troops in Somalia, has been battling Al-Shabaab militants, which still control some rural areas in southern Somalia and often attack military and civilian targets in the country. Flash An air strike launched by Nigerian government forces has killed a total of 15 Boko Haram fighters who were planning a violent attack in the restive northeastern state of Borno, military authorities said on Monday. The terrorists, who had assembled in Kangarawa axis, located in the northern part of Borno State, were killed on Sunday in a strike launched by the air forces of government, said Ayodele Famuyiwa, spokesperson of the Nigerian Air Force. Famuyiwa told Xinhua the casualties figure was confirmed by ground forces who subsequently consolidated on the gains of the air effort to pursue and inflict further casualty on the fleeing members of the terrorist group. "The latest victory against the Boko Haram terrorists brings to fore the important role of air-power in counter-insurgency operation," he said. Boko Haram has killed more than 10,000 people, mostly in northeastern Nigeria, since it launched its campaign of violence in 2009. The Nigerian army and other local security agencies have made tremendous progress in the fight against the terror group in the past year, retaking most of the areas previously under insurgents' control. Flash Visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday called on China and Poland to build their partnership into a paradigm of cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) and Polish President Andrzej Duda attend a press conference after their talks in Warsaw, Poland, June 20, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] Xi made the remarks at the Silk Road Forum and Poland-China Regional Cooperation and Business Forum held in the Polish capital. China and Poland share the vision of promoting prosperity along the routes of Belt and Road, and of playing a bigger role in regional cooperation, said Xi. Meanwhile, he said that the Belt and Road Initiative has seen outstanding progress and that countries along the Belt and Road have responded actively since it was put forward three years ago. Referring to the initiative as a common endeavor, Xi urged participating countries to relate to each other with the principles of mutual respect and inclusiveness. Furthermore, the Chinese president made a five-point proposal on the development of the Belt and Road, China-Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) cooperation, as well as China-Poland cooperation. Xi proposed to designate economy and trade as an area of priority in cooperation. He called for joint efforts to improve China-Europe trade and investment mechanism, raise the level of liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment, and create new trade centers and growth poles by incorporating Europe's advanced technologies, China's industrial capacity and Poland's location and talent advantages. Xi called for closer synergy of China-CEE cooperation mechanism and the development of the Belt and Road, in a bid to forge lasting and practical China-CEE cooperation. On optimizing mechanisms, he called on Chinese and Polish local governments to bridge cooperation between the two countries' enterprises and civil organizations, expand practical cooperation, and consolidate public foundation for China-Poland friendship. The Chinese president also highlighted the supporting and leading role of think tanks. He urged them to help the governments study routes and plans for the Belt and Road development, align plans and strategies, coordinate policies and design mechanisms, and help the public understand policies. Xi stressed that China is confident to maintain economic growth at a medium-high speed, and welcomes all countries to share the dividends of China's fast development. Polish leaders, who were also present at the forum, pledged support for the Belt and Road Initiative and commitment for promoting Europe-Asia cooperation, saying the Belt and Road links the two continents both in history and at present. They added that the dovetailing of Poland's Amber Road and the Silk Road will play a significant role in promoting security, prosperity and development of Europe and Asia. Xi arrived here Sunday for a state visit, the first by a Chinese head of state to Poland in 12 years and the second leg of his current three-nation Eurasia tour. Xi visited Serbia before Poland, and is expected to travel to Uzbekistan for a state visit and to attend a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Flash China and Poland agreed on Monday to upgrade their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership during Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to the country. Chinese President Xi Jinping attends a welcoming ceremony held by Polish President Andrzej Duda in Warsaw, Poland, June 20, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] Xi and his Polish counterpart, Andrzej Duda, made the announcement after their talks in the Presidential Palace. The two countries lifted their ties to a strategic partnership in 2011. ALIGNING DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES During their talks, the two leaders agreed to align the two countries' development strategies and join hands to build a community of interests featuring mutual benefits and win-win cooperation. The two leaders also agreed to promote the development of the Belt and Road, and launch at an early date some major cooperation projects with exemplary significance for early harvest. Poland is located in the heartland of Europe, with nearly all of the regular China-Europe freight trains going through the country. With its unique location, Poland can play an important role in realizing the Belt and Road Initiative, which aims to revive the ancient trade routes stretching from China to the Middle East, Africa and Europe and even beyond. Xi urged the two countries to transform their political trust into tangible achievements of sustainable practical cooperation, hoping their cooperative projects, including China-Europe freight train service, could play a pilot role in the joint construction of the Belt and Road and enhance China-Poland inter-connectivity as well as industrial capacity cooperation. The two countries need to deepen their cooperation in such fields as economy and trade, finance, agriculture and high-tech industries, Xi said, adding that China and Poland should also promote their people-to-people exchanges and facilitate travels between the two countries. Duda, for his part, said Poland admires what China has accomplished in economic and social development and stands ready to deepen its cooperation with China in the areas of economy, trade, and people-to-people exchanges, and become a portal to Europe for the world's second largest economy. Duda also pledged to support China in hosting the 18th China-EU Summit scheduled in Beijing next month. EXPANDING EXCHANGES The two presidents agreed to expand high-level exchanges, as well as exchanges between legislative and administrative institutions, political parties and regions, and to enhance coordination in international affairs and within multilateral mechanisms such as the United Nations and the Asia-Europe Meeting. The two sides agreed to comprehensively push forward people-to-people exchanges, and to strengthen cultural and educational exchanges as well as cooperation in tourism. They also agreed to strive for more tangible achievements in cooperation at local level and promote exchanges in sports, so as to build a solid social basis for the long-term development of bilateral ties. As Poland is one of the first countries that recognizes and establishes diplomatic ties with the People's Republic of China, the two peoples have enjoyed a long-standing friendship, said Xi. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties 67 years ago, China-Poland relations have continuously made headway, he added. He noted that the two countries have witnessed frequent exchange of high-level visits, with fruitful results in cooperation and growing people-to-people exchanges, especially since they set up a strategic partnership five years ago. The two leaders encouraged companies from both sides to invest in each others' countries and expand cooperation in the areas of agriculture, finance, telecommunications, environmental protection, high-tech, aviation and new energy. Xi said China values its traditional friendship with Poland, and is willing to work with Poland to advance the continuous, healthy and in-depth development of bilateral ties. Before the meeting, Duda hosted a welcoming ceremony for Xi at the Presidential Palace. Poland is the second leg of Xi's current three-nation Eurasia tour. He visited Serbia before Poland, and is to travel to Uzbekistan for a state visit and attend a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Flash Diplomats from countries involved in the stalled Six-Party Talks on the Korean nuclear issue are expected to convene at a gathering in Beijing this week. Experts said that although it is not clear if the six nations will have in-depth contacts or consultations during the meeting, the gathering gives hope for a resumption of the talks. The diplomats will meet at a forum on Northeast Asian security. The Six-Party Talks between China, the United States, Japan, Russia, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea stalled in 2008. Beijing hosted two international seminars on the talks in 2013 and last year, but not all the six countries sent key officials to attend. Choe Son-hui, deputy director-general of the DPRK Foreign Ministry's US Affairs Bureau, arrived in Beijing on Monday, the Seoul-based Yonhap News Agency reported. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying confirmed that key diplomats from all six countries, including Choe and China's special representative for Korean Peninsula affairs Wu Dawei, will attend the 26th Northeast Asia Cooperation Dialogue on Wednesday and Thursday. Other diplomats attending the forum include the US State Department's Special Representative for DPRK Policy, Sung Kim; and Kim Gunn, the Republic of Korea's deputy chief nuclear envoy. Zhang Liangui, an expert on Korean studies at the Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, said, "The most important contacts of officials on the sidelines and at the venue if there are any will be those between the DPRK and the US." Liu Qing, a researcher at the China Institute of International Studies, said that with the Six-Party Talks stalled, "there is no other multilateral mechanism to replace the talks in Northeast Asia", and some parties involved are looking to tweak policies. Liu Jiangyong, deputy dean of the Institute of Modern International Relations at Tsinghua University, said the stalled talks have reduced the chances of detente and given rise to military means to resolve the issue. The Northeast Asia Cooperation Dialogue is co-hosted by the China Institute of International Studies and the Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation at the University of California. Flash South Sudan is expecting China's support to fund development in the health, education, infrastructure and energy sectors, an official said on Monday. The Director General Governance in the Parliamentary Affairs Ministry, Afram Wani Peter, told Xinhua in Juba that South Sudan's transitional government of national unity has been seeking Chinese support for development since its formation in April. "The Chinese are giving us open programs and we hope to prioritize education, health, infrastructure and energy," Wani said in an interview with Xinhua. He hailed China for offering support to the disrupted oil production, which serves as the lifeline of South Sudan's economy. The minister said China sent its engineers to repair damaged oil pipelines during the war. "China stood with us without reservations and it has continued to stand with us even after the conflict," said Wani who had just returned after leading a ministerial level delegation to Shanghai, China's financial hub. On top of offering training to officials, China has offered masters and PHD education programs to South Sudanese students, the official added. 50 South Sudanese students will soon go to China to learn Mandarin, he revealed. "From the beginning of May, we have sent four groups to China for training on taxation, research, railway and roads," he said. Wani further said that China's support towards peace in the war-torn country was critical for its stability and development. South Sudan has been seeking to recover from the civil war, which killed hundreds of thousands of people, following the formation of the transitional government of national unity. SYRACUSE Three Democrats vying for their party's nomination to challenge U.S. Rep. John Katko didn't disagree on much during the first televised debate of the 24th Congressional District race. Colleen Deacon, Eric Kingson and Steve Williams participated in the hour-long debate Monday at Time Warner Cable News studios in Syracuse. The questions covered a range of domestic and foreign policy topics, and even some lighter ones. Leading off the round of questions: Gun control, specifically what role Congress should play in addressing the rise of gun violence in Syracuse and mass shootings, such as the recent terrorist attack at a nightclub in Orlando. The candidates all said they support legislation introduced by U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein and U.S. Rep. Peter King that would bar anyone on terrorist watch lists from purchasing guns. Williams, D-Baldwinsville, said he's a gun owner and supports the Second Amendment. But he doesn't believe there's a need for the type of weapons that were used in Orlando and other mass shootings throughout the country. "As somebody who served in the military, I know what these assault rifles are designed to do," he said. Kingson, D-Manlius, went further and called on Congress to restore the assault weapons ban. He noted that there were more than 30,000 gun deaths last year, two-thirds of which were suicides. "We have to get control of the gun problems," he said. Deacon targeted Katko, R-Camillus, for not supporting the bill backed by Feinstein, a California Democrat, and King, a New York Republican. "This is a commonsense piece of legislation that will work to prevent those from participating in these senseless acts," she said. While guns kicked off the debate, two questions focused on economic themes. On how to bring back jobs to central New York, Deacon said she wouldn't support the Trans-Pacific Partnership a major trade deal supported by President Barack Obama's administration and touted her work as U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's central New York regional director in bringing federal funding to the region to support the burgeoning craft beverage industry. Williams, who also opposes TPP, proposed pairing central New York's largest employers with colleges and universities, particularly community colleges. "We can fill jobs that are available right now," he said. Kingson is opposed to TPP and said unions "have been eroded." He wants to protect workers by expanding Trade Adjustment Assistance benefits aid available to help employees affected by a business shipping jobs to other countries. When asked about income inequality, the candidates all agreed that the federal minimum wage should be raised to $15 an hour. Deacon, though, went further. She supports the FAMILY Act sponsored by Gillibrand, D-N.Y., to establish a federal paid leave program. She also wants to make child care more affordable and address the high number of children 50 percent who are born into poverty. "We need to have people in poverty part of the discussion," she said, adding that there should be a bottom-up, not top-down, approach to tackling poverty in the Syracuse area. Kingson suggested there should be a federal commission to examine how to end poverty throughout the country. "The poverty rate we face in Syracuse and many of our cities this is all part of what's causing the decline of communities," he said. Williams said tax rates should be reviewed. He noted that the highest tax bracket in 1957 was 90 percent. Now, wealthy individuals are paying record-low taxes. "The superwealthy in this country can do better," he said. In between substantive policy questions, debate moderators Liz Benjamin and Solomon Syed mixed in a "lightning round." Among the questions asked during the lightning round: Should Interstate 81's viaduct in downtown Syracuse be replaced with a boulevard? Deacon, Kingson and Williams all said yes. Would they swim in Onondaga Lake? All answered no. And none of the candidates have been to Lakeview Amphitheater for a concert. Yet. The Time Warner Cable News debate was the first of three forums this week featuring the Democratic congressional candidates. At 7 p.m. Tuesday, Deacon, Kingson and Williams will participate in a forum hosted by the Central New York Alliance for Retired Americans, League of Women Voters and the New York State United Teachers Retiree Council 7. The debate will be held at NYSUT's regional office, 4988 Brittonfield Parkway in East Syracuse. The final debate the second of two televised debates will air at 7 p.m. Saturday on WSYR NewsChannel 9. Democratic voters will go to the polls on Tuesday, June 28 to determine who will face Katko in the general election. A poll released last week by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee found Deacon holds a large lead over her competitions in the race for the party's nomination. Flash Iran on Monday warned Bahrain of consequences after the latter revoked citizenship of a top Shiite cleric, Press TV reported. It would set fire to Bahrain and the entire region, and "leave the people (of Bahrain) with no choice but armed resistance," Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) was quoted as saying. Bahrain announced on Monday it had revoked the citizenship of the country's most powerful Shiite cleric, saying the move was part of measures to fight extremism. Sheikh Isa Qassim, who was stripped of nationality, is the leader of the opposition group Al Wefaq National Islamic Society, the Bahraini Interior Ministry said in a statement. The statement accused Isa Qassim of forming "groups that follow foreign religious ideologies and political entities" and of playing "a key role in fostering extremism and sectarianism in Bahrain." This would result in the collapse of the "bloodthirsty regime," said Soleimani, adding that the regime is repressing its people while the United Nations, the U.S. and Western countries maintain their "meaningful silence." Soleimani has left Iraq for Syria to oversee resistance operations as the fight with terrorists takes a violent turn recently, said a local report. The Quds Force, also known as Qods, is a special unit of Iran's IRGC responsible for "extraterritorial" missions. Iran, a major regional ally of Syrian and Iraqi governments in their fight against the militant groups, has repeatedly announced the presence of its military advisors in both countries. Flash A multidisciplinary team have been deployed to the north-eastern Venezuelan state of Sucre, where violence has increased after food shortage protests, the country's Vice President Aristobulo Isturiz announced Monday. During a news conference with local press, Isturiz assured that the "irregular" events in Cumana, Sucre's capital, where people died, have been "contained" by the authorities and security organizations. "The events in Cumana were definitely contained with respect to human rights and in recognition of the humanism framework," said the vice president, adding that calm has returned to the eastern Venezuelan city. A new head of the Integral Defense Operating Zone has been appointed for the state of Sucre, representing the Bolivarian National Armed Forces within the state. The state's operational commander in the Bolivarian National Guard has also been replaced and a restructuring of Sucre's state police has been ordered. Isturiz also announced that during this week, several ministers will head to the state to see to the people's needs. Education Minster Rodulfo Perez will also visit Sucre and it is thought that around 2,000 workers from Sucre with irregularities in their employment contracts will join the payroll of this ministry. Medication and other basic medical supplies will begin to be distributed, aiming to ease the shortage. The Venezuelan government is evaluating whether to compensate the traders affected by the looting that took place in the state on June 14. Flash The U.S. Senate on Monday blocked four gun-control measures as the country was still reeling from the deadliest shooting massacre in U.S. history. The failure to pass any of the measures was widely expected even long before the vote began, since the competing bills, two Democratic and two Republican proposals, were mere repetition of the partisan fight on the gun-control issue. The votes of all four bills, which focused on whether to expand background check and to block selling of firearms to anyone on federal government's terrorism watch list, were largely along party lines. Democrats insisted that the sales of firearms should be blocked if there is a "reasonable suspicion" that someone is and will possibly be on the government's terrorism watch list. In an even longer shot, Democrats also sought a background check for the sales and transfer of guns with a handful of exception, a long-held stance almost unanimously opposed by Republicans in both chambers. Currently, purchasing firearms at gun shows and on the Internet does not require any background check in the majority of U.S. states. On the Republican side, GOP lawmakers were pushing forward a measure that would allow the government to delay a gun sale to a suspected terrorist for 72 hours while attorney generals have to seek a court order within the period to permanently block the sale. Also, instead of imposing an almost universal background check system, Republicans' proposal for expanding background check included providing incentives to share mental health records. After Monday's failed votes, Senator Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine will on Tuesday introduce a new legislation lauded by some as "a bipartisan compromise" to block suspected terrorists from buying guns. According to Annie Clark, a spokeswoman for the Maine senator, Collins' proposal would allow attorney generals to block the sale of firearms to people on the "no fly" list or the selectee list. Unlike the "no fly" list, which bans people on the list from flying from, to and within the United States, people on the selectee list are required to undergo additional security screening at airports without being permanently grounded. The Senate's latest legislative effort to curb rampant gun violence comes at a time when the country witnessed the deadliest terror attack in the history since the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001. Forty-nine people were killed and 53 others wounded, on June 12 in a shooting spree at a popular LGBT nightclub in Orlando, Florida. The gunman, identified by authorities as Omar Mateen of Port St. Lucie, Florida, was found dead inside the nightclub after a shootout with the police. According to investigators, Mateen legally purchased a handgun and an assault-style rifle weeks before the attack. He was temporarily on Federal Bureau of Investigation's terrorism watch list in 2013. In recent years, after high-profile mass shootings occurred, such as the carnage at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut in 2012 which claimed 28 lives, including 20 children, Democrats tried but failed each time to reform the country's flawed gun laws. In 2013, the Obama administration's gun control initiatives, including expanded background check and bans on assault weapons, were stymied in Congress after staunch opposition from Republican lawmakers and gun-rights lobby groups. After the shooting spree in San Bernardino, California, last year, in which 14 were killed and 22 more injured, Democrats downgraded efforts to trying to pass a measure to keep people on terrorism watch list from purchasing gun. That legislative effort again failed. During his presidency, Obama has been confronted with more than a dozen of high-profile mass shootings, and in an interview last year he called the failure to reform U.S. gun laws "one of the greatest frustrations" of his presidency. "If you ask me where has been the one area where I feel that I've been most frustrated and most stymied, it is the fact that the United States of America is the one advanced nation on Earth in which we do not have sufficient common-sense gun safety laws, even in the face of repeated mass killings," Obama told BBC in July, 2015. Flash Kenya's anti-terrorism police on Monday thwarted an attack and killed a wanted Al-Shabaab militant in the coastal town of Kwale. Regional police commander, Francis Wanjohi, said the security officers arrested three other suspects and recovered a hand grenade and a motorbike. Wanjohi said the detectives were acting on intelligence information about a planned terrorist attack in Kwale. "Our officers raided the hideouts of suspected Al-Shabaab returnees and killed one of them. They are a group of Al-Shabaab members whom we have been trailing for months," Wanjohi said, adding "the operation is still on." According to reports, a wanted terror suspect named Idris Aden was among the three arrested during the operation. The police said Aden was dispatched from a Al-Shabaab stronghold in Somalia to coordinate terror attacks in the Kenyan coastal region. Police are investigating if the group was behind recent killings of three community leaders and a reformed Al-Shabaab returnee in the coastal region. The four had come out openly to oppose the extremism ideologies of Al-Shabaab, the Somalia-based Islamist group that has carried out several deadly attacks in Kenya in recent years. The latest incident comes hours after suspcted Al-Shabaab militants killed five police officers and injured four others in an ambush on their vehicle in Mandera county near the border with Somalia. The Mandera incident comes months after an attack on a Nairobi-bound bus in the same area, killing at least two people. Intelligence reports, which Xinhua could not confirm, indicate Al-Shabaab militants are planning attacks in counties of the larger northern Kenya as well as on government security installations in the major cities of Nairobi and Mombasa. You are here: Home Flash Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Jens Stoltenberg marked the launch of the alliance's anti-submarine warfare exercise Dynamic Mongoose in a visit to Norway on Monday, NATO said in a press release. The exercise, which focused on detecting and defending against submarines, will run for 10 days in the Norwegian Sea. Joined by Norwegian Defence Minister Ine Eriksen Soreide, Stoltenberg addressed sailors aboard the Norwegian frigate HNoMS Fridtjof Nansen. Calling naval capabilities "as important as ever", he stressed that NATO must be able to operate "on the sea, over the sea, and also under the sea." A total of 3,000 sailors and aircrew from eight NATO allies will be involved. Four submarines from Canada, Germany, Norway and the United States, along with nine surface ships and four maritime patrol aircraft are taking part in the exercise. This is the fourth time exercise Dynamic Mongoose has been conducted since 2012, 2014 and 2015. Flash U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter and his Israeli counterpart Avigdor Lieberman on Monday reaffirmed the strength of the U.S.-Israeli defense relationship, the Pentagon said in a statement. At their meeting at the Pentagon, Carter reaffirmed the U.S "unwavering commitment to Israel's security," the statement said. The two defense chiefs also discussed regional security challenges in the Middle East and areas of mutual defense cooperation, it said. During his visit to the U.S., Lieberman will also travel to Fort Worth, Texas, for a ceremony as the first F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft destined for Israel rolls off the production line. Israel will be the first U.S. partner to receive the F-35, which will "play a key role in maintaining Israel's qualitative military edge in the Middle East," the statement said. You are here: Home Flash The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has deployed what is believed to be its intermediate-range Musudan ballistic missile in its east coast, Yonhap news agency reported on Tuesday. A government source was quoted as saying that no immediate sign of firing has been detected yet. An official at South Korea's defense ministry told Xinhua that the military is closely watching relevant situations. Flash Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said on Monday that the country will not support an arbitral tribunal's upcoming decision over the South China Sea issue and called on all parties concerned in the disputes to resolve their differences through bilateral negotiations. Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen speaks at a graduation ceremony in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, June 20, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] In 2013, the Philippines unilaterally filed compulsory arbitration against China at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague with respect to the two sides' disputes in the South China Sea. Speaking at a graduation ceremony, the prime minister said that the tribunal's upcoming decision is "politically motivated" and Cambodia will not support the decision. "It seems that there is a badly political conspiracy between some countries and the arbitral tribunal because the decision is not yet delivered, but they have launched a movement to seek support for the tribunal's upcoming decision," Hun Sen said, referring to a powerful country which had sent its ambassadors to lobby ASEAN leaders to support the yet-to-be-released decision. Hun Sen said that the country's ambassador to Cambodia proposed to him that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) should have one voice or statement in support of the arbitral tribunal's decision, which will be issued in the upcoming period. "I would like to declare Cambodia's stance that Cambodia will not issue any joint statement in support of the arbitral tribunal's decision," he said. "Cambodia will have its own statement." The Cambodian leader also called on all parties directly concerned in the disputes to resolve their differences through bilateral negotiations based on international law and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC). "I appeal to countries concerned in the disputes to negotiate with each other," Hun Sen said. "ASEAN cannot measure land for any sides." He also urged uninvolved countries not to douse gasoline on fire. "I'd like to appeal to countries outside the region not to meddle in the issue of South China Sea," he said. "I hope that the new president of the Philippines will be easy with China." In the mid-1990s, China and the Philippines reached a clear agreement on settling their disputes in the South China Sea through negotiation. This has been reaffirmed in many other bilateral documents since then, including the joint statement the two countries issued in September 2011. China maintains that the tribunal handling the arbitration proceedings has no jurisdiction over the case, which is in essence about territorial sovereignty and maritime delimitation. Territorial issues are beyond the scope of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and China has excluded maritime delimitation from compulsory arbitration in a declaration it made in 2006 in accordance with Article 298 of UNCLOS. Therefore, China has made it clear it will not accept or get involved in those proceedings. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement issued on June 8 that China has all along stood for peacefully settling territorial and maritime delimitation disputes through negotiations with states directly concerned on the basis of respecting historical facts and in accordance with the international law. On issues concerning territorial sovereignty and maritime delimitation, China never accepts any recourse to third party settlement, or any means of dispute settlement that is imposed on it, the statement said. Flash Uncertainty, division and tension continue in Britain two days ahead of a referendum on its European Union membership as campaign rallies resumed Tuesday. Campaigning renewed after a three-day suspension following the murder of Pro-EU Labor Party lawmaker Jo Cox on Thursday. Both Remain and Leave camps are making last-ditch efforts to gain support, as polls on Monday show an uncertain outcome of the upcoming vote. An ORB poll for the Daily Telegraph newspaper put the support for Remain at 53 percent, up 5 percentage points on the previous one, with Leave down to 46 percent. A survey conducted from May 16 to June 12 by social research body NatCen found the support at 53 percent for Remain versus 47 percent for Leave, while an online poll over the weekend by YouGov for The Times shows a slim lead of Leave at 44 percent, with Remain at 42 percent. "All the signs of ORB's latest and final poll point to a referendum that will truly come down to the wire," political strategist Lynton Crosby wrote in the Daily Telegraph. The slightly Remain-tipped poll results led to a strong recovery of the pound sterling on market earlier Monday and a rise in Asian stocks on Tuesday. Billionaire George Soros warned in The Guardian newspaper that a Brexit outcome would trigger a pound decline of at least 15 percent as in September 1992, and possibly a more disruptive more than 20 percent, with "an immediate and dramatic impact on financial markets, investment, prices and jobs." Gloomy predictions of other experts include a start of European Union breaking apart, and protectionism and nationalism harming global trade. An optimistic scenario limits pain elsewhere than Britain in Europe to a lesser extent, and suggests an affected global market soon to recover with no big economic damage. Soros said in The Guardian that powerful speculative forces are eager to exploit any miscalculations by the British government or British voters. Risks loom ahead with the Thursday vote deemed as a turning point in the political and economic fate of both Britain and Europe. Risks from quitting and economic advantages provided by EU membership have been major arguments of Remain campaigners, including Prime Minister David Cameron. Supporters for Leave blame EU freedom of movement rules for immigrant inflows that they believe have stepped up pressures on public services and jobs. J.K. Rowling, author of the "Harry Potter" series, said Monday in a blog posting: "We'll have to decide which monsters we believe are real and which illusory." In her eyes, quitting the EU would amount to a protest "against everything about modern life that scares us." She reckons nationalism is on the march across the Western world. "How can a retreat into selfish and insecure individualism be the right response when Europe faces genuine threats?" The vote on EU membership has polarized Britons. Severity of the division may be reflected in the murder of Cox on Thursday. The bloodshed led to a shift in polls away from Leave. Cameron led tearful tributes in Parliament on Monday to Cox, while urging unity "against the hatred that killed her." Flash A Taliban key commander Mullah Gul Khan alias Khanjar (sword) along with four of his bodyguards were killed as an unmanned plane struck their hideout in Imam Sahib district of the northern Kunduz province on Tuesday, provincial police chief Mohammad Qasim Jangalbagh said. "Acting upon intelligence report, the government forces conducted drone attack in Imam Sahib district at around noon and killed Mullah Gul Khan alias Khanjar (sword) along with four of his armed bodyguards," Jangalbagh told Xinhua. Khanjar was involved in a series of terrorist activities including organizing roadside bombings and attacking security personnel in Kunduz province, the official said, asserting his killing could be a major blow to the Taliban militants in Kunduz and the neighboring Baghlan and Takhar provinces. In a similar blow to the Taliban, the government forces captured Qari Zahir the Taliban spy chief and military operational commander in Baghlan province on Sunday. As U.S. Rep. John Katko awaits the winner of the Democratic primary in the 24th Congressional District, he's continuing to raise money at a steady clip. Katko, R-Camillus, raised $205,249.33 in the pre-primary period, which extended from April 1 through June 8. He now has $1,155,536.18 cash on hand, according to his Federal Election Commission filing. One of Katko's potential Democratic foes, Colleen Deacon, raised more money during the pre-primary period. She raked in $215,085.67 ahead of the June 28 primary. Katko raised $120,538.91 from individual donors and $84,550 from political action committees. Some of his notable contributors include: Roger Burdick, owner of Burdick Automotive, contributed $900 to Katko's campaign. He has now given the maximum amount allowed $5,400 ($2,700 for the primary and $2,700 for the general) to the freshman GOP congressman. Todd Caputo, president of Sun Chevrolet, donated $2,700 to Katko's campaign. Neil Goldberg, president of Raymour & Flanigan, gave $1,500. Friends of Joanie Mahoney, the campaign committee for the Onondaga County executive, chipped in $300. This is in addition to $2,000 Mahoney's campaign already donated to Katko. Halliburton's political action committee donated $2,500 to Katko. House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul's PAC, Texas Republicans United, contributed $5,000 to Katko's re-election campaign. American Crystal Sugar Company's PAC also gave $5,000 to the campaign. Flash Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in the ancient city of Bukhara in central-southern Uzbekistan Tuesday, starting his state visit to this Central Asian country. Bukhara is a city-museum with a history of more than 2,500 years. Located along the route of the ancient Silk Road, the city has long served as a center of trade, scholarship, culture, and religion. UNESCO listed the Historic Center of Bukhara, which boasts numerous mosques, as a World Heritage Site in 1993. Xi will later travel to the Uzbek capital Tashkent, where he will hold talks with his Uzbek counterpart, Islam Karimov, on promoting bilateral relations and jointly building the China-proposed Silk Road Economic Belt, as well as on major international and regional issues. China and Uzbekistan established a strategic partnership in 2012, and leaders of the two countries have met on multiple occasions over recent years. In September 2013, Xi paid a state visit to Uzbekistan. China has been Uzbekistan's second largest trading partner and biggest source of investment for three years in a row. In cultural cooperation, Uzbekistan opened the first Confucius Institute in Central Asia in Tashkent in 2005, and a second such institute was established in 2014 in Samarkand, a historic city in southeastern Uzbekistan. "Uzbekistan is a strategic partner of China and also an important cooperative partner in combating the 'three evil forces' (of terrorism, separatism and extremism) and jointly building the Silk Road Economic Belt," Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Li Huilai told reporters ahead of Xi's visit. "The China-Uzbekistan relations are at their best in history." In Tashkent, Xi will also attend the 16th meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Heads of State on June 23 and 24, to exchange views with other leaders on all-ranging cooperation within the organization and on major international and regional issues. Xi will chair a trilateral meeting of leaders of China, Russia and Mongolia on the sidelines of the summit, the third of its kind. He will also hold bilateral meetings with leaders of other countries. Uzbekistan is the third and final stop of Xi's three-nation tour, which has taken him to Serbia and Poland. For several years, the Cayuga County Health Department has provided life-saving cancer screenings to people through a grant-funded program called the Cayuga County Cancer Services Program. This program allows eligible people with limited or no health insurance to be screened for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer. Funding to pay for these screenings is provided by New York state and the federal government. We are one of several counties in New York state that is able to provide eligible residents with these services. The CCCSPs mission is to improve the quality of life for men and women by increasing their access to information and medical care. While more and more people are becoming insured through the Affordable Care Act, there are still those pockets of individuals who do not have insurance and could benefit from the life-saving services we provide. The steps to enrolling are simple. A person with limited or no health insurance can start by calling (315) 253-1455. Staff will ask questions related to health insurance status, age, income and breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening history. Once a person qualifies, they will then be given a list of doctors to select from. Once a doctor is selected, an appointment can be scheduled. Based on the screening results, more testing may be required, and if so, the CCCSP would pay for those services. If someone is diagnosed with breast, cervical, colon or prostate cancer through this program, and does not have health insurance at the time they are diagnosed, they would be enrolled in the Medicaid Cancer Treatment Program. The MCTP will pay for the entire length of the treatment. We recognize that work, family and other obligations may take priority over making time for a doctors appointment, which is why the CCCSP arranges for screening events to be held on weekdays, weekends and evenings. These events are held at different times during the year. On Wednesday, June 29, we are teaming up with Auburn Community Hospital to provide comprehensive cancer screenings to women ages 40 to 64 with limited or no health insurance. Women will be offered breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screenings at no cost. For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call (315) 253-1455 today! We are thrilled to have the opportunity to continue providing these types of services and are committed to improving the communitys health. If you think that you or someone you know might be eligible, call us today! Remember: Early detection is your best protection. Researchers at BGI work in the lab in Shenzhen, Guangdong province. [Photo/CFP] BGI, one of the world's biggest genomics companies, is making efforts to promote innovation in the industry by creating Miracle Light, the only incubation platform in the world that focuses on the genetics industry. "Innovation and entrepreneurship that meet a fundamental need of human development will definitely lead us to a new path," Wang Jian, president of BGI, said at the ceremony marking its launch on Sunday. He said the incubator, which is located in an industrial park in Shenzhen's Nanshan district in Guangdong, aims to provide an open and innovative platform on which scientific research, technological development and industry resources can be integrated together to promote development of the industry. Liu Liang, chief executive officer of Miracle Light, said human resources, capital and marketing are the three main problems the incubator strives to solve. The shortage of talent has been a challenge for the development of the genetics industry. Although there are talented workers available in the medical science, health and ecology sectors, which are all related to genetics, the problem is they do not know how to combine them with gene technology, Liu said. "What we strive to do is to train the talent and to increase the number from 100,000 to 1 million. We encourage those with entrepreneurial spirits to enter the industry to pave the way for its growth," he said. Zhou Luming, former head of the Shenzhen Science and Technology Association and secretary-general of the Committee of China Radical Innovation 100, an exchange and service platform for promoting innovation in the country, said the change in the "global innovation chain" has brought huge opportunities for Chinese startups in the life science industry. "In the past, the global innovation chain was very long. Different organizations were needed to fill different parts in the process. But now, it has become shorter. All the work can be completed with only one company, from basic research to final production," Zhou said. This means Chinese companies will be able to play a bigger role, he said. Mei Yonghong, director of the China National Genebank, said more platforms and channels need to be established so that BGI's rich resources in the genetics industry can be better connected with external resources to create high value-added products and services. "We have great interest and high expectations for Miracle Light and other organizations similar to it," Mei said. The 3,000-square-meter incubator now hosts 10 entrepreneurial projects, said Liu. A worker checks a pressure gauge at an oil pumping station near the Rosneft company owned Suzunskoye oilfield, north from the Russian Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk. [Photo/Agencies] Russia, the world's top oil producer, is reported by Bloomberg to seek Indian or Chinese buyers for a stake of 19.5 percent of its oil giant Rosneft as part of efforts to cover budget deficits and privatize its State-owned sector. China National Petroleum Corp and Indian Oil & Natural Gas Corp have shown interests in the sale, which would fetch at least 700 billion roubles ($11 billion), sources familiar with the matter said. But Rosneft, the country's largest oil producer, will remain the controlling shareholder. Wang Zhongcai, general manager of the overseas oil exploration unit of CNPC, also known as PetroChina, said in April that the company, as a long-standing partner of Rosneft, intends to participate in Russia's privatization plan. Rosneft declined to comment, while CNPC was not immediately available. Russia is putting more focus on energy cooperation with Asia, as China and India are expected to consume 4.8 million barrels per day and 6 million, respectively, by 2040, data from the International Energy Agency said. Experts said the privatization will bring benefits to Russia, given the falling oil prices coupled with plummeting Russian rouble. But buyers must do substantial analysis. "There are still many uncertainties over future oil prices despite a slight rebound, so it is hard to tell whether Russian oil assets are worth that large amount of money," said Gao Jian, a senior analyst at commodities consultancy Sublime China Information Co Ltd. There are also political factors and management risks to be considered while dealing with Russian companies, especially in the state-regulated energy sector, he said. Rosneft has been long wanting to export its oil riches to China. CNPC and Rosneft have set up a joint refinery project in Tianjin, which is currently under construction and expected to be commissioned by 2019. The refinery project would have a crude oil processing capacity of 16 million metric tons. Earlier reports said the Russian company has offered a stake in an East Siberian oil producer Taas-Yuryakh with reserves of nearly 1 billion barrels to CNPC as a part of their broader cooperation in 2013. Bloomberg contributed to this story. Signs show the direction of Vanke group headquarters and Shenzhen Vanke Real Estate at its headquarters in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong province, Nov 2, 2015. [Photo/Agencies] Planned controversial $7 billion acquisition of Shenzhen Metro assets leads to battle Shares of China Vanke Co Ltd, the country's biggest residential developer, tumbled in Hong Kong on Monday. The fall underscored investors' concerns about the clash between the company and its second-largest shareholder, China Resources Co Ltd, over a controversial $6.9 billion deal it is funding through the issue of new shares. Vanke stocks in Hong Kong fell more than 3.5 percent during intraday trading, although they managed to recoup some losses to close at HK$17 ($2.19), down by 2.97 percent. Vanke's plan to buy assets from Shenzhen Metro Group Co Ltd by issuing new shares to the latter has faced strong opposition from China Resources, the State-owned conglomerate that has been attempting to block the deal as it would significantly dilute its shareholding in the developer. If successful, the deal will make subway builder Shenzhen Metro the biggest shareholder of Vanke with a 20.26 percent stake. The shareholding of the current biggest shareholder Baoneng Group and its affiliates will be diluted to 19.27 percent, while China Resources' shareholding will be reduced to 12.1 percent, according to a stock exchange filing. The clash escalated over the weekend as China Resources questioned the legality of Vanke's acquisition proposal and claimed that if failed to obtain a two-thirds majority vote, or eight of the 11 members, from the board. However, Vanke defended the deal, saying it had won the board's endorsement in a seven-to-three vote, as one independent director chose to abstain due to conflict of interest. Legal experts said that China Resources can take legal action against Vanke's management team if it believes the resolution violates corporate law and regulations. China Resources has also threatened to vote against the restructuring plan in a shareholders' meeting, which will be held in September. Goldman Sach analysts were quoted by Bloomberg as saying that introducing Shenzhen Metro as the largest shareholder will see the group become a "railway plus property" business model, as the residential real estate side of the business shows no signs of slowing down. Some analysts said that the deal met strong opposition from China Resources not only because it would dilute its shareholding, but also because the proposed bid price of 15.88 yuan ($2.41) per A share, at a 24 percent discount to Vanke's net asset value, will hurt the interests of other shareholders. Photo taken on Jan 29, 2016 shows the UK and EU flags outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. [Photo/Xinhua] Geese don't come much more golden than the City of London. The narrow lanes of the Square Mile, lined with handsome neoclassical stone and gleaming modern glass, are at the heart of a British financial sector that paid 66 billion pounds ($94 billion) in tax last year and employs more than 2 million people nationwide. It is also without a doubt the country's most lucrative industry. Yet ahead of a June 23 referendum on European Union membership, many of the City's leading lights are deeply worried about its future. London has become the undisputed financial capital of a united Europe - a status that now hangs in the balance. "Just because the City is strong at the moment doesn't mean that it has a perpetual right to remain so," said Marcus Agius, 69, the chairman of Barclays Plc during the 2008 global financial crisis. "Brexit would be an act of supreme folly. In the future we would look back and wonder: 'Why the hell did we do that? What were we thinking?'" City proponents of a Brexit see it as a way of making the financial industry more globally competitive by potentially unshackling it from some EU rules like bonus caps. But the leaders of global banks said a Leave vote would drive them away. They employ the lion's share of the 400,000 workers in the financial district and have been clear about their intentions. JPMorgan Chase & Co Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dimon has 16,000 employees in London and other British cities, and this month told staff a vote to leave could mean a quarter of those jobs might be cut. Executives at Citigroup Inc, Goldman Sachs Group Inc and HSBC Holdings Plc have all issued similar warnings. Central to the Brexit concern is the issue of "passporting". Under EU law, a bank incorporated in any one member state can sell its products and services in all 28, thus accessing a $19 trillion integrated economy with more than 500 million citizens. It's a regime that allows even the largest banks to get by with only satellite offices in hubs like Paris and Madrid, and none at all in many other EU countries, keeping the overwhelming bulk of staff in London. A view of Fosun Group signage in Shanghai. Fosun bid 24.60 euros ($30.20) per share for Club Med on Jan 2, 2015, which values the iconic holiday brand at 939 million euros. [Photo/IC] Club Med, the famous France-based resort brand, signed a cooperation agreement with Yuyuan Tourist Mart Co Ltd on Monday. The two companies will establish a new resort, called Club Med Tomamu, within the Hokkaido Tomamu Resort area. It is expected to start operation in 2017. The new resort, which will be Club Med's second resort in Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost island, will feature more than 20 ski trails of various difficulties and boast more than 50 activities, including professional ski courses and instruction. Yuyuan Tourist Mart, in which Fosun International Ltd holds a 29.9 percent stake, acquired in November a 100 percent stake in Hoshino Resorts Group's ski destination Resort Tomamu in Hokkaido. Yuyuan paid 18.36 billion Japanese yen ($175 million) for the property. Since the acquisition was completed, the number of Chinese tourists to Tomamu increased by three times. Occupancy rates, sales revenue and profit have increased by 80 percent so far, said Xu Xiaoliang, chairman of Yuyuan Tourist Mart. In March of 2015, Fosun International bought 98 percent of French company Club Mediterranee SA, the operator and brand-owner of the Club Med resorts, for 1 billion euros ($1.13 billion). So far, Club Med has built four resorts in China while the country has already become the second-largest market for the resort company. As Henri Giscard d'Estaing, chief executive officer of Club Med pointed out, a growing number of people have chosen to travel to Hokkaido, a destination that is especially popular among families and couples fond of outdoor activities. "Club Med's first resort built in Sahoro has always been fully booked. Therefore, to set up another higher standard resort in central Hokkaido will not only meet the growing demand of tourists visiting Japan, but also help expand Club Med's mapping in Hokkaido," he said. "We have noticed in recent years that value in the property industry does not simply come from the purchases of land but rather combining industries relevant to happiness and fashion with properties," said Gong Ping, president of Fosun Property Holdings. Guo Guangchang, chairman of Fosun International, said that the company will look for more investment opportunities in the business and family sectors. Industries that are closely related to people's wealth, health and happiness will be the company's long-term goal. In less than six months of 2016, China's appetite for overseas acquisitions has already outgrown last year's record, as deal-hungry mainland buyers chase global assets such as real estate, chemicals and high-end technology. China National Chemical Corp's $43 billion bid for Swiss agrichemicals maker Syngenta makes up almost 40 percent of this year's $111.6 billion total, but even without that deal the pace has quickened. Bankers and lawyers say there could, however, be some slowdown in the second half, as mainland buyers face heightened scrutiny at home and abroad. China International Capital Corp, the country's biggest investment bank, expects outbound deals to hit $150 billion this year. Chinese acquirers announced $111.5 billion worth of deals in 2015 from 632 transactions, according to Thomson Reuters data. Completed deals, on which banks are paid fees, last year stood at $73 billion, compared with $45.6 billion so far this year. "We expect outbound M&A activities will continue to rise, but not at the nose-bleeding rate of the first quarter of 2016," said David Wu, head of corporate finance, China, for ING Bank. Uncertainty surrounding the outcome of this week's referendum in Britain over its membership of the European Union and the upcoming US presidential elections in November are factors likely to slow Chinese overseas purchases, bankers say. After many years of focusing on the booming domestic economy, Chinese companies are increasingly looking to diversify their revenues as growth at home slipped to a 25-year low. Chinese state-owned and private companies are also looking to upgrade their manufacturing prowess with overseas technology. Other big purchases announced by China Inc this year include HNA Group's $6.3 billion acquisition of Ingram Micro Inc and Haier Group's $5.4 billion bid for General Electric Co's appliances unit. "Whether it be from the private sector, government or even middle market firms, this expansion is strategic and long-term focused," said John Kim, head of M&A, Asia ex-Japan at Goldman Sachs. "The appetite is particularly voracious for technology, media, healthcare and financial services, and for the foreseeable future it won't be going away," he added. An online video showing a man spanking eight of his trainees at Zhangze Rural Commercial Bank in Changzhi, Shangxi provicne caught the public's attention in China on Monday. According to National Business Daily, the assailant was hired by the bank as an instructor for a training course. The reason why the eight staff members were spanked in front of all the other employees was because they failed to perform in class. The assailant is named Jiang Yang, a chairman of a business consulting company based in Shanghai. The media said Jiang's course cost a minimum of 100,000 yuan ($15,210) per day. Aside from spanking trainees, the course also sees him slapping trainees if they do not complete tasks. The event has triggered a public debate in China, amassing more than 93 million hits on Chinese social media platform Sina Weibo with 45,000 comments. Some netizens said physical punishment of employees who cannot meet targets is a good way to pressure them to work well. The physical punishment is a training method with significant effects. It can rouse trainees, Jiang said to the National Business Daily. But more netizens disagreed with the assailant's behavior. They said Jiang's actions hurt the trainees. For now, the training course has been halted, and the local authorities have asked Jiang Yang to make a public apology. The bank's chairman Chen Xiaofei, and vice president Cui Junan have now been suspended. Visitors learn about online payment solutions at an industry expo in Guiyang, capital of Guizhou province. [Photo provided to China Daily] Alibaba Group Holding Ltd's financial affiliate is planning to purchase a 20 percent stake in Thailand's Ascend Money in a bid to become a key financial services player in Southeast Asia. Zhejiang Ant Small & Micro Financial Services Group, known as Ant Financial and controlled by Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma, also wants an option to increase its Ascend Money holding to 30 percent, according to a statement on the Ministry of Commerce website. The agency is currently reviewing the plans. An investment into Ascend Money, parent of True Money and Ascend Nano, would help Ant Financial expand its online payments and small loans business in Southeast Asia. The company, which is said to be valued at about $60 billion, is following billionaire Ma's aspirations for global expansion as it ventures into countries including South Korea and India. Ascend Group Co Ltd was spun off from True Corporation and is a subsidiary of Thailand's Charoen Pokphand Group Co Ltd, which has interests in agriculture, retail businesses and telecommunications. The Ascend Nano unit is a microfinance and personal loans provider with staff throughout Southeast Asia. The division's goal is to spread e-commerce and electronic payments services to places where many users lack bank accounts such as Myanmar and Indonesia. True Money provides cash cards and electronic wallets, and holds financial-services licenses in key Southeast Asian markets. Ascend Chief Executive Officer Punnamas Vichitkulwongsa in April said the company will spend 6 billion baht ($170 million) on expansion this year, 83 percent of which will be spent outside of Thailand. "The pending investment reflects our commitment to expand internationally, and to bring equal access of financial services to more users around the world," Ant Financial said in a statement. "The investment is conditional on approval from the antimonopoly division of the Ministry of Commerce." Ant Financial received a payment Indian bank license via Paytm, the country's largest payments provider with about 122 million users, as of January, Sabrina Peng, vice-president of international business for the company, said in May. Visitors look at a Tesla Model X electric SUV and Model S electric cars on display during the 14th Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, also known as Auto China 2016, in Beijing, China, May 3 2016. [Photo/IC] Jinqiao Group denied on Tuesday that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Tesla Motors Inc to build Tesla's production facilities in Shanghai. Shares of the public-listed arm of the Shanghai government-owned company surged to daily limit on Tuesday morning after Bloomberg reported it has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Tesla. "We have not signed any document with Tesla," the company said in a statement Tuesday afternoon after its shares suspending trading. An unnamed source also told China Daily on Tuesday that Tesla did not sign a memorandum with Jinqiao Group. The source, who asked not to be identified as the matter is very sensitive, said the location of Tesla China factory is still under the stage of evaluation therefore the company has not yet signed off on any memos. Tesla released a statement on Tuesday saying the company wouldn't comment on rumors or speculations. Tesla plans to build a factory in China by the end of 2018. China has become Tesla's second largest market after the United States in the first quarter of 2016, with a more than 300 percent annual growth rate. Tesla faces import duties of 25 percent. video video video With a compound annual growth rate of 122.4 percent, China's civil aerial photography drone shipments are expected to reach 5.46 million by 2020, of which consumer level drone shipments will exceed 3 million, said market research firm International Data Corp (IDC). According to analysis released at IDC Asia-Pacific/China Market Trend Forum on June 14 in Beijing, China's total civil aerial photography drones market is relatively small at present with shipments in 2015 at just 160,000. An exhibitor (R) introduces a foldable firefighting drone to a visitor at the China Hi-tech Fair in Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong province, Nov 18, 2015.[Photo/Xinhua] As its ecosystem has not been completely established, there will be huge opportunities in the future and the market is expected to take off from the latter half of this year. "While the commercial drone market will grow steadily, the consumer drone market will witness boom in 2017," said Xiao Jing, research manager of IDC China. "The market explosion will be triggered by lower prices and improvements in portability and usability. And for low-end consumer drones, the most crucial function should be one-step take-offs." Xiao predicted that with model airplanes and toy manufacturers gradually entering the market, consumer drones will become more affordable. In addition, several Chinese smartphone manufacturers such as Xiaomi Corp, LeEco Holdings Ltd, Meitu Inc also want a piece of the market and have already launched their drones. A visitor takes photos of a drone made by China North Industries Group Corporation at the China Hi-tech Fair in Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong province, Nov 18, 2015. [Photo/Xinhua] According to a report of Qilu Evening News, featuring a "selfie function" and aiming at female users, Meitu's drone combines its smartphone with a flight system to achieve aerial photography. "It is their channels rather than their technologies that can help them get a piece of the consumer drone market," said Xiao. She said most drone makers, except Shenzhen-based DJI Innovation Technology Co, have little brand influence in the country and smartphone manufactures without core technology of drones can take their brand advantages and users group to promote the popularity of drones among ordinary consumers. Another trend of consumer drones will be the combination between drones and Virtual Reality (VR), said Xiao. "Drones combined with VR devices that enable users to see real-time VR aerial pictures will be successively launched this year. And there will also be more drones carrying 360 degree cameras that able to capture collect panoramic picture sources." She said a main technical difficulty faced by drone makers is how to reduce the chip's volume and power consumption and improve its processing performance without affecting the drone's stable flight control. AUBURN An Auburn man who allegedly confessed to nearly 100 crimes pleaded guilty in three separate cases Thursday in Cayuga County criminal court. Kenneth M. Lafler, of 1 Warren Avenue, admitted his involvement in several local thefts last winter. The 25-year-old was charged with third-degree burglary Nov. 18, 2015, for illegally entering a person's garage with the intent to commit larceny. Less than a month later, Lafler was charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property for possessing two stolen credit cards, which he planned to use for his benefit. And in February, he was charged with third-degree robbery, fourth-degree grand larceny and fourth- and fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property for stealing a woman's purse. In the latest incident, on Feb. 8, 2016, Lafler said he jumped into the passenger side of a woman's car and fought her for her purse. Police said the victim was able to identify Lafler because he had been charged with breaking into her car just two months prior. And, according to Auburn police, Lafler admitted his involvement in nearly 100 open cases upon his December arrest. He was also convicted of third-degree burglary in 2009. The second felony offender pleaded guilty to all charges five felonies and one misdemeanor in exchange for a total of 3 1/2 to 7 years in prison. Judge Mark Fandrich will sentence Lafler July 5. Also in court: An Auburn man with a history of domestic violence admitted to violating his estranged wife's order of protection. Collin Brown was arrested in Gainesville, Georgia, last November for breaking into several cars with the intent to steal. Brown was then extradited to Cayuga County where he was charged with first-degree criminal contempt for violating an order of protection in 2014. The 37-year-old pleaded guilty Thursday to a lesser charge of aggravated criminal contempt, a class D felony for which he can be sentenced to a maximum of 7 years in prison. "We were in the family court waiting room and I gave her my phone number," Brown said, referring to the mother of his son. "I knew I wasn't allowed to do that." A second felony offender, Brown has admitted to violating an order of protection multiple times in he past. In 2013, he pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree criminal contempt for sending a series of angry text messages to his wife, in which he threatened to burn down her home and kill her. Fandrich is expected to sentence Brown to two to four years in prison Aug. 23. Brown was also ordered to pay more than $2,000 in restitution for extradition costs. NANJING -- The second health ministers forum between China and Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries was held in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province on Monday. Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong and Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka attended the opening ceremony. Liu said the health sector cooperation will inject new impetus for the "16+1 cooperation." The "16+1" refers to China and the 16 CEE countries. The forum concluded with the release of a joint communique, which declared the establishment of the China-CEE federation for the promotion of health cooperation. China, the CEE countries and other nations will strengthen exchanges and cooperation in the health sector and take coordinated action to safeguard the health rights of all and cope with global health threats such as SARS, bird flu and Ebola, according to the communique. An British teacher teaches Chinese children how to learn English through paintings. Many students in China have trouble learning English and using it in their daily lives. [Photo/China Daily] She state administration of foreign experts affairs is set to release a raft of guidelines designed to ensure that unqualified foreigners are not employed in schools and educational establishments. T wenty years ago, many English-speaking expats in China applied for teaching jobs because work was easy to come by. Routine inspection of qualifications was almost nonexistent and all most people needed were their mother tongue and an engaging character. The old criteria no longer apply. China is now demanding better-qualified, more-competent English teachers, and by the end of the month the nation's top regulator of expat employment is expected to further raise the bar by implementing a tough application policy. "Expats who want a job as an English teacher will have to obtain a teaching certificate in China, just as Chinese teachers do," said Qiu Xusheng, a senior official with the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs. The new policy has been designed to meet the ever-rising demand for high-quality foreign experts, Qiu said. Although he declined to reveal further details of the upcoming regulations, he said regulators at the provincial and municipal levels will be required to fully implement the new policy. "Once we confirm that people have been hired illegally, we will report the facts to the relevant administrative departments, such as the public security department," he added. A previous guideline, issued in December, imposed stringent requirements for expats from non-Anglophone countries who want to teach English. According to the document, to qualify for an employment visa, teachers from non-English-speaking countries must hold a bachelor's degree or higher from a university in an Anglophone country and have two years' teaching experience. The latter requirement can only be waived if the applicant has an accredited certificate in teaching English as a foreign language or holds a teaching certificate in their home country. Given the lack of details about the new policy, it's still too early to judge how effective it will be, but Chris Stevens, of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt International, a global education provider, believes it will improve the situation. "The new policy is in any sense a good thing. The government is taking steps aimed at improving the level of expat teaching in China," he said, pointing out that some expats enter the country on a tourist visa or a visa issued for business trips, then look for work as teachers. Some take the job for a couple of months just to cover their travel fees. "Students can hardly learn a lot from teachers who lack systematic training," Stevens said. "I don't see any reasons to lower the standards for English teaching when many other professions have them." The new guidelines might be hard on expats who lack professional training and are unable to use their cultural backgrounds as advantages and regard language teaching as a valuable tool to help children grow, he said, adding that well-trained, professional expats can help students in fields unrelated to language skills. "Chinese students tend to be quieter and stand back a little bit compared with students in the United States," Stevens said. "If teachers are aware of the cultural differences and (know) how to motivate quiet students to speak out, how to help them become more confident, they would really benefit the students in the long run." China plans to develop a large family of robots for both its unmanned and manned space programs, according to a senior official with the nation's space agency. Tian Yulong, secretary-general of the China National Space Administration, said the government is drawing up a long-term plan for the development of space robots. "They will consist of Mars rovers, asteroid explorers, robotic arms and service robots that can help maintain and repair an in-orbit space station, space laboratories and satellites," he told reporters on the sidelines of the 13th International Symposium on Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Automation in Space, which is being held in Beijing. The three-day event, which opened on Monday, is being hosted by the space administration and Harbin Institute of Technology, and the attendees come from more than 10 countries including the United States, Germany and Japan. "More efforts will be made to develop advanced robots with higher automation to meet the needs of our deep-space exploration programs," Tian said. He said that China's Mars rover will be based on proven, domestically developed technologies and will benefit from the operation experience of the country's Yutu lunar rover. China plans to send an unmanned probe to orbit and land on Mars around 2020. Since the 1960s, more than 40 probes have journeyed to Mars, but only 19 have accomplished their missions. At present, there are two rovers beaming signals from the planet's surface back to Earth: NASA's Mars Exploration Mission rover "Opportunity" and its Mars Science Laboratory rover "Curiosity". Professor Liu Hong, a senior robotics expert at Harbin Institute of Technology, said space missions are very risky for astronauts as they often involve operations in vacuum, under extreme temperature changes and in high radiation. "Such operations are suitable for robots to carry out," he said. "Robotic arms are an ideal combination of human intelligence and robotic capability, and these will be one of our research focuses." China is already a leader in the research into robotic arms, and its achievement has been recognized by the international space community, according to Liu. Gianfranco Visentin, head of the automation and robotics section of the European Space Research and Technology Center, said the European space community is actively cooperating with China and the two sides are enhancing their collaboration in space robotics and lunar exploration. Cambodia will deport 21 Taiwan residents to the Chinese mainland, a senior Cambodian official said on Monday. Taiwan officials were seeking to have them returned to the island, but Cambodia does not have official relations with Taiwan as it acknowledges the island to be part of one China. Cambodia detained the 21 Taiwan residents along with 14 Chinese mainlanders in coordination with Chinese authorities, which are attempting to halt the proliferation of internet and phone extortion scams that have cost billions of dollars and driven some victims to suicide. Uk Heisela, chief investigator of Cambodia's immigration department, said "they have all confessed to committing the crime", and Cambodia will deport them to the Chinese mainland under the one-China policy. A date for their deportation has not been set yet. Taiwan officials based in Vietnam traveled to Cambodia but were not allowed to visit the suspects from the island, according to Taiwan authorities. However, Heisela and Kem Sarin, spokesman for Cambodia's immigration department, said they were unaware of a visit by the Taiwan officials. Cambodia has deported more than 200 people suspected of involvement in telephone scams to the Chinese mainland since November. In all, nearly 8,000 people have been arrested since 2011 in countries including Indonesia, Cambodia and the Philippines on suspicion of involvement in similar fraud schemes. College student unhappy about being forced to pay twice; policy defended The insistence by China's railway authority that a passenger who lost his ticket pay to have it replaced has aroused another round of discussion on the internet. The passenger, a college sophomore surnamed Hu, claimed when attempting to exit the station in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, on June 14 that he had mislaid his ticket. Railway workers insisted that he must buy a replacement. But Hu complained that the railway's real-name ticketing system could easily prove that he had bought the ticket originally and so he should simply be given a new one. The policy is designed to prevent ticket fraud. Tickets are used to verify that a passenger has paid the correct amount to reach a given destination. Fraud could happen, for example, if a passenger on a long journey with multiple stops gives or sells his ticket to another person who had only paid for a short trip, and then claim the ticket was lost. The other passenger, who paid for a short trip, could use the ticket to exit at the final destination. Hu is one of a number of passengers who have been required to pay for a replacement ticket to exit a railway station. According to the railway authority, since 2012 a person who loses a ticket before traveling can buy a replacement up to 20 minutes before the end of ticket checking. A refund for the lost ticket will be provided at the final destination within 24 hours of arrival if the lost ticket has not been used by another person to exit. Those who mislay their ticket on the train must buy a replacement before exiting. A refund will be given later if the person provides their booking information to a conductor and can show that the booked seat was not occupied by someone else. Hu complained that the process is too complicated. "Why do I have to pay for the same booked seat twice?" he said. "It's easy for the railway workers to verify my booking information with their real-name booking system." Pan Wei, a judge in a similar case in December, said it would be possible for some people to take advantage of a policy allowing free replacement tickets. "The real-name ticketing system can verify passengers' ticket booking but not their exit at a station," Pan said. "People can exit the stations with others' tickets easily." Moreover, Pan said, "It would be expensive to upgrade current equipment or hire more railway workers to verify people exiting stations, as some people expect. All passengers would need to pay for an upgraded fare system or the additional workers' salaries. That's unfair to passengers who keep their tickets well." The China Railway Corporation declined to comment, saying that workers are doing their jobs in accordance with regulations. Peng Yining contributed to this story. Left: A father was detained for attempting to murder his newborn baby in Anyang, Henan province. Right: The baby with his mother at home on Friday. SHI CHUANG/CHINA DAILY Intersex newborn with rare genital structure seen as 'monster'; mother comes to the rescue The father of an intersex baby in Henan province was detained by police on suspicion of attempting to murder the newborn. The baby was born on May 13 in Anyang. After it was found to be an intersex baby, his father and grandfather attempted to kill it three times before the mother contacted authorities, the police said. The father was detained and the grandfather was released pending trial, according to the mother. "We thought we would have a girl. But soon we were told the 'girl' is actually a boy, with an atrophic sex organ. We panicked and got concerned," said the mother, Yang Xiaoqing, adding that her husband attempted to smother the baby because "he is neither a boy nor a girl", but a "monster". According to Zhengzhou Evening News, the father at first attempted to cover the baby's face with a wet towel. Yang heard the baby's crying and stopped her husband. "When I heard my son cry, I was in pain. My wife cried and I gave up," the paper quoted the father as saying. Three days later, he again attempted to smother the infant, covering his face with a wet towel and diapers, and wrapping him up in a blanket, Yang said, and she stopped him again. "He could not bear to kill his own flesh and blood after all, and my father-in-law took over," Yang recalled. She found her baby was missing and called police. The police said they later discovered the baby's grandfather had abandoned him outside the village. "After he was found, he did not eat for 12 hours. I was holding the baby. My heart is broken. He may be a monster to others, but to me, he is and will always be my sweetest baby," the mother said. The couple also have a daughter. "We are in a difficult situation. My husband was locked up, my parents have health issues and the two children need someone to take care of them. But what I worry about most is that my son may suffer discrimination when he grows up," Yang said. Police in Linzhou, Henan province, where the father was detained, did not responded to China Daily's interview request. "Intersex cases are extremely rare. Surgery depends on diagnoses," said Li Jianning, director of the Department of Plastic Surgery at Beijing University Third Hospital. "It is still a stigma in Chinese society. They are being labeled as neither male nor female," Li said. According to the Intersex Society of North America, "If you ask experts at medical centers how often a child is born so noticeably atypical in terms of genitalia that a specialist in sex differentiation is called in, the number comes out to about 1 in 1,500 to 1 in 2,000 births. But a lot more people than that are born with subtler forms of anatomical variations, some of which won't show up until later in life." Unusual sex characteristics Intersex people are born with sex characteristics that do not fit typical notions of male or female bodies, including genitals and chromosome patterns. According to experts, between 0.05 percent and 1.7 percent of the population is born with intersex traits. Remedial surgery depends on diagnoses. A hospital alliance between China and countries in Central and Eastern Europe was set up on Monday to facilitate cooperation in health and medical care. The China-CEEC Hospital Collaboration Alliance has 47 founding members, including 34 major hospitals from China and 13 from five of the European countries, including the Czech Republic. Huang Jiefu, former deputy minister of health and president of the Chinese Hospital Association, made the announcement on Monday at the second Ministers Meeting between China and CEEC that opened in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, on Monday. More European hospitals are expected to join the alliance in the future, with intensified cooperation and exchanges between China and the region, he said. Major missions of the alliance include joint research and academic exchanges in health and medical care, technological cooperation and exchanges, and development of medical tourism in areas such as nursing and rehabilitation, said Xue Xiaolin, vice-president of the association. "Cooperation and exchanges between medical institutions are an important part of the cooperation and exchanges between China and central and eastern European countries," Xue said. "The alliance will serve as an international platform for exchanges and cooperation between medical institutions from these countries." Wang Lingling, deputy secretary-general of the Chinese Hospital Association, said members of the alliance are considering furthering their current cooperation and exchanges involving some new areas, such as attracting overseas tourists with their unique medical care resources. "Some Central and Eastern European countries, such as Hungary and Lithuania, have shown strong interest in traditional Chinese medicine, and hope to promote TCM," she said. Miloslav Ludvik, president of Motol University Hospital in Prague, Czech Republic, said his hospital can offer high-end cardiac surgery, neurosurgery and other medical services. More than 35 million people visit Shaanxi's museums each year, according to the province's cultural heritage administration authority. Guo Xianzeng, deputy director of Shaanxi provincial administration of cultural heritage, said the province has 253 museums at present, of which 145 belong to the local administration of cultural heritage, 47 are trade or industry museums and 61 are private. "The complete museum system at the provincial, municipal and county level holds more than 500 various kinds of exhibitions every year, attracting more than 35 million people, of whom more than 16 million visited ticket-free museums," Guo said. Continuous improvements are being made to museum management, including cultural and creative industry development, improvements to cultural relics exhibitions and construction of smart museums, Guo added. Qiang Yue, director of Shanxi History Museum, said annual visitor numbers at his museum had increased from 500,000 when it first opened to 2.8 million today. Shaanxi is an ancient city, having served as the capital for 13 Chinese dynasties in the past. It is home to a large number of buildings, tombs and relics left from more than 5,000 years of occupation. Shaanxi History Museum and Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum are known the world over and attract millions of visitors from both home and abroad every year. Candidates review their notes before the civil servant recruitment exam of Jiangsu province at Nanjing Forestry University in Nanjing, capital of East China's Jiangsu province, March 12, 2016. [Photo/IC] The number of China's State employees is growing and government posts remain appealing to job seekers, said experts. China had 7.16 million civil servants at the end of 2015, according to the Statistical Communique on China's 2015 National Economic and Social Development issued by the the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. It is the first time that the MHRSS publishes the number of civil servants in China. "This is not a large number compared with that of developed countries," Zhu Lijia, a professor with the National Academy of Governance, told China Economic Weekly. China also has many other State-financed employees that are not civil servants but are still paid for by taxpayers. The number of State employees stands at around 50 million, according to Zhu's estimates, a rise from around 40 million in 2008. The number of State employees is growing as new college graduates and retired soldiers join the ranks every year, with only a limited number of people retiring from their posts, said Shen Ronghua, vice chairman of Chinese Public Administration Society. Another major concern is the disproportionate number of leaders to ordinary staff in government departments. A media report showed that in one government department in Central China's Hunan province, there are 61 cadres of at least section level (the lowest leading position in the hierarchy), compared with only 21 ordinary staff who undertake most of the tasks. "In some Chinese cities, with each municipal leader come seven or eight deputies. The salary of one leader amounts to that of five or six ordinary employees," said Zhu. Both the number of applicants and the number of new civil servants have dropped for two years, according to statistics of the MHRSS. But Zhu Lijia said that does not mean that the civil service has lost its appeal to job seekers. "The drop in the number of applicants for civil servants reflects the fact that college graduates have become more rational in choosing government jobs, and it is also the result of efforts by authorities to keep the number of civil servants at a proper scale," said Zhu. "Compared with other jobs, jobs in the civil service are more stable," said Zhu. "As the economy develops, the salary of civil servants will grow accordingly. Its appeal will not fade in the short term." Lin Zulian, former Party chief of Wukan village, has admitted taking bribes after being detained over the weekend, according to a senior public prosecutor from Shanwei city. "I had poor awareness of the law, so I accepted commissions on the village's livelihood construction projects and took bribes for the purchase of the village's collective assets as well," Lin told officials who are investigating the case. "This (accepting bribes) is my most serious crime, I will confess all my crimes to the procuratorial organ." Yuan Huaiyu, chief procurator of Shanwei Intermediate People's Procuratorate, said Lin had been dismissed from his post for violation of laws and regulations, while investigations are still ongoing. "Procuratorial organs have received reports indicating Lin accepted bribes and had other economic problems since the beginning of the year," Yuan told a news conference on Monday, without revealing how much Lin was accused of accepting. "After more than three months of investigation, the procuratorate formally filed to investigate Lin's case further last Friday." Lin, 72, was taken away for further investigation after dozens of police cars arrived in Wukan village on Friday night and early Saturday morning. Police have urged villagers to actively cooperate with the investigation of Lin's case and report any illegal activities to the police and public procurators. Lin was elected Party chief and director of Wukan administrative committee in 2012, before being re-elected as the Party and administrative head of the village in 2014. Wukan, a coastal fishing village in the eastern part of Guangdong province, was last under the media spotlight in 2011, when more than four months of rallies were held in protest against a previous village head over corruption allegations. The rallies finally came to an end following an agreement made after face-to-face talks between villagers and senior Guangdong provincial officials in 2012. Yang Semao, then deputy director of Wukan village's administrative committee, was detained for allegedly accepting bribes. BEIJING -- Chen Ning was pleasantly surprised when it took just four hours for his business license to be approved by Shenzhen city government in south China. In the past, the process could last months. "I was astonished," said Chen, who graduated from Georgia Institute of Technology, the United States, with a PhD in engineering, decided to return to China two years ago to start a human intelligence device company. A year later, his firm released a human face recognition system, which cut the time it took to identify a person from a facial database from several weeks to a few seconds. Recently, the police used the system to identify a suspect from a video clip, it took just five seconds. The system will be used at this year's G20 summit in Hangzhou, China. Chen is one of millions of Chinese overseas graduates who aspire to bring their knowledge and intelligence back home. The central government has been promoting entrepreneurship and innovation as a key driver of the nation's economic transition. This drive is called "shuangchuang," a national plan to boost innovative activities as a way to ride out the major economic transition and maintain sustained growth. The government has made market entry easier, cut red tape and rolled out tax breaks for startups. Overseas returnees, as well as college students and migrant workers, are emerging as major forces in entrepreneurship. Data released by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security showed the number of overseas returnees in 2015 was 12.1 percent from that recorded in 2014. LinkedIn observed in its latest survey that in the past five years, more and more overseas Chinese graduates had returned to China, with more than half from the United States and Britain. Ngari is among the best sites for astronomical observation on earth, due to its high altitude and large number of cloudless days throughout the year.[Photo by Wang Xiaohua/for chinadaily.com.cn] China has launched its first dark sky reserve in the Tibet autonomous region's Ngari Prefecture. The reserve covers an area of 2,500 square kilometers and aims to limit light pollution by stepping up protection of dark-sky resources for education and tourism development. It was jointly launched by the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation and the regional government of Tibet. Wang Wenyong, head of the legal affairs department with the foundation, said in a news briefing on Tuesday that the launch of the preserve is only the first step in protecting the area from light pollution. The reserve will also try to seek accreditation from the International Dark-Sky Association, a nonprofit organization based in the United State that is devoted to preserving and protecting the night time environment and dark skies globally. Wang Xiaohua, head of the Chinese branch of the International Dark-Sky Association and a leader of the Ngari reserve program, said such areas were important for promoting astronomy. Ngari is among the best sites for astronomical observation on earth, due to its high altitude and large number of cloudless days throughout the year. However, the recent inflow of people from other areas has given rise to increasing urbanization, and thus the associated risk of more light pollution. "If we do not take action now to preserve the area, we risk losing one of the best astronomical sites on earth," said Wang at the news briefing. The foundation has also signed an agreement with authorities in Tibet's Nagchu prefecture to establish a night sky park, which will feature limited lighting facilities and a special area for astronomical observation. Chinese video-sharing site QVOD argued against a 260-million-yuan ($41.8 million) administrative punishment by the Shenzhen Market Supervision Administration in an appeal to the Guangdong Higher People's Court on Tuesday. Shenzhen QVOD Technology, founded in 2007 in Guangdong province, accused the supervision administration of not having the right to hand down administrative punishments, violating administrative procedure law, basing a ruling on inadequate evidence and levying an inappropriate level of fine. The legal representative of Tencent Holdings also participated, as the company was involved in the original trial. Tencent in March 2014 complained to the supervision administration that QVOD was violating its copyright through online video sharing, and was not paying for content. QVOD argued that it was only a search engine and didn't directly provide content, but Tencent said that QVOD provides long-term technical and financial support to the small websites that it links to, and it has established an industrial chain. The supervision administration ordered QVOD to pay a hefty fine of 260 million yuan for copyright infringement, three times what QVOD made by such activities. QVOD claimed that the ruling was a duplicate punishment - after the National Copyright Administration in December 2013 ordered immediate rectification - because the data source was the same in PC and mobile networks. QVOD also argued that it didn't violate public interest, and therefore the case should have been regarded as only a civil infringement. The site has since been shut down. The supervision administration stated that it also received complaints from other companies, including LeTV and Sohu, and QVOD's business model violated the law, which it continued to do after the National Copyright Administration's order. A final decision has yet to be announced. Real economy to be supported with reasonably sufficient liquidity, stable exchange rates China will strengthen the financial sector's role in supporting the real economy by providing reasonably sufficient liquidity and achieving stable exchange rates for the renminbi, according to Premier Li Keqiang. Li made the vow on Monday during a visit to the headquarters of the People's Bank of China the central bank and to China Construction Bank in Beijing. Amid a volatile international financial market, China's financial reforms have been progressing smoothly to mitigate risks and keep renminbi exchange rates stable, effectively supporting domestic economic growth, Li said. However, some regions and industries in the real economy are facing growth difficulties, "and prudent monetary policies must better coordinate with proactive fiscal policies for flexibility and accuracy in financing," Li said. Zhou Xiaochuan, governor of the central bank, said prudent monetary policies have provided reasonably sufficient liquidity to prop up the real economy. Guo Tianyong, head of the China Banking Research Center at Central University of Finance and Economics, said, "The destination for loans is consistent with China's macroeconomic and industrial policies. But banks should further enhance accuracy in lending to targeted business sectors to better serve the real economy." Li said the financial sector must also support the new economy, which features in integration with the internet, innovative enterprises and smart manufacturing. He called on financial institutions to back small and medium-sized enterprises and private businesses at lower cost. "Commercial banks should support the development of the real economy by financing major infrastructure projects, SMEs and innovation-driven companies," he told China Construction Bank employees. As of Monday, the bank had 2.8 trillion yuan ($427 billion) in loans for infrastructure projects, including new loans of 110 billion yuan in this field for the first quarter, a year-on-year increase of 86 percent. Li called on banks to continuously finance companies purchasing agricultural produce and to back agricultural manufacturing as a way to increase farmers' income. The international market has questioned if China intentionally manipulated the renminbi's depreciation after the exchange rate to the US dollar fell by 2 percent following a reform on Aug 11 last year. Li said the exchange rates for the renminbi should be kept at a reasonably stable level instead of fluctuating unilaterally. Wu Qing, deputy director of banking research at the State Council's Development Research Center, said Chinese banks have limited measures to support the real economy, as they are under pressure from the regulatory authority and other government departments. "Traditional means such as collateral loans cannot satisfy the financial demands of SMEs, which are pinning their hopes on financial innovation," Wu said. "But most financial institutions lack the ability to innovate, partly due to regulatory restrictions and a widespread copycat culture. There is a gap between the desire and the reality to serve the real economy." But Wu said there is still hope for better-regulated internet finance companies after an industrywide cleanup. Jiang Xueqing contributed to this story. Regular cruise trips to the Nansha Islands will start operating before 2020, according to a document released by the government in Hainan province. Hainan will launch major cruises of international standard to meet increasing demand and operate regular trips to the islands, according to a proposal put forward by the provincial authority this month. It will also launch South China Sea trips with multiple stops, according to the proposal, which is aimed at promoting the tourism industry in Hainan. The province also aims to optimize cruise routes heading to the Xisha Islands. The document proposes accelerating an upgrade for tourism facilities and the development of quality trips to islands. The province plans a pan-South China Sea cruise line and cruise trip business covering countries along the Maritime Silk Road, the document states. Sun Xiangtao, deputy secretary-general of the Tourism Agency Association in Haikou, the provincial capital, said, "The Nansha Islands are virgin territory for Chinas tourism industry." Cruises currently heading for the Xisha Islands are fully booked each time, he added. A manager, who declined to be named, at Hainan Huizhong International Travel Service, which handles cruise reservations to the Xisha Islands, said the cruises to the Nansha Islands will be very popular. Cruise trips currently only operate as far as the Xisha Islands, which are closer to Hainan Island than the Nansha Islands. One vessel runs from Sanya in southern Hainan province to three of the Xisha Islands. It carries 300 passengers on four or five trips every month and started to operate in April 2013. Passengers have to stay on the vessel overnight, but Xiao Jie, the mayor of Sansha, has said visitors will be able to stay overnight on selected islands where a military presence is not required. Contact the writer at lixiaokun@chinadaily.com.cn Cambodia will deport 21 Taiwan residents to the Chinese mainland, a senior Cambodian official said on Monday. Taiwan officials were seeking to have them returned to the island, but Cambodia does not have official relations with Taiwan as it acknowledges the island to be part of one China. Cambodia detained the 21 Taiwan residents along with 14 Chinese mainlanders in coordination with Chinese authorities, which are attempting to halt the proliferation of internet and phone extortion scams that have cost billions of dollars and driven some victims to suicide. Workers for a Zhanjiang seafood company at the assembly line. Companies in Zhanjiang have been urged to "expand their presences in the global market" and strengthen Sino-foreign cooperation as the country pushes forward with its Belt and Road Initiative. Zhuang Xiaodong, deputy mayor of Zhanjiang, said the city government encourages local companies, particularly private firms, to increase their international investments and trade. "They should spare no effort to expand their presences in the world market," Zhuang told a recent news conference in the port city. "After years of economic development and opening up, Zhanjiang companies have the advantages to go international." Zhanjiang is a major foreign trade port in South China and one of the starting points of the ancient Maritime Silk Road. He said Zhanjiang companies are targeting markets in North America, Europe and Southeast Asia in addition to the nations and regions along the ancient Maritime Silk Road. He added that many Zhanjiang companies have made progress in investing abroad and increasing foreign trade in previous years. On April 19, the largest sugar production facility in Asia officially began operations in Cambodia. Covering an area of 120 square kilometers, the sugar production facility from Guangdong Hengfu Group Sugar Industry Co, a major sugar manufacturer in Zhanjiang, has thus far cost more than $500 million. The facility will be able to produce more than 360,000 metric tons of sugar a year. The sugar producer plans to invest more than $1 billion to construct a 180,000-hectare agricultural development zone in Cambodia that aims to annually produce more than 1.08 million tons of sugar. The Evergreen Group plans to build an industrial development zone in Egypt to increase its presence in the world market. The company, one of the major aquatic product companies in Zhanjiang, has made large investments in Vietnam in recent years. zhengcaixiong@chinadaily.com.cn (China Daily 06/21/2016 page15) An interactive show dedicated to the Netherlands 'most-celebrated post-impressionist painter staged its world debut in Beijing on Saturday. It will tour about 30 cities in China. Deng Zhangyu reports. A shot rings out in the yellow wheatfields trailing a group of crows in the sky, with winds blowing and the smell of straw floating in the air. Then you hear the voice of Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh, who has just shot himself in the chest, revealing how desperate he feels. This is the opening of a show on the life of the Dutch genius of colors, using hi-tech effects to give visitors a glimpse of Van Gogh's world. Australian wine critic Jeremy Oliver and his 2016 edition of The Australian Wine Annual. [Photo provided to China Daily] In 2008, Australia's Jeremy Oliver became the first Western wine critic to create a book especially for the Chinese audience with the publication of Enjoy Wine with Jeremy in Mandarin. Besides radio and television appearances, he is best-known for The Australian Wine Annual, now in its 18th year and produced in Chinese since 2012. Oliver was recently in China for the release of the current edition and to host several wine tastings. He chatted with China Daily's Mike Peters about the wine market in China today. What prompted you to publish your guide in Chinese? Over the past 16 years, I've visited the country close to 60 timesthe first time at the American club in Beijing. Before that I had been in Japan and Singapore, but I had not given China much thought. Once I was here, I realized this was the place to invest time and experience to help people develop their own wine cultures. What forms does that take? Besides writing a book in Chinese, we do Enjoy Wine with Jeremy on video platforms of online television in China. My cohost translates as I share how to match wines with Chinese viewers' own regional cuisines and cuisines they discover, whether European or regional Chinese cuisines. We're also setting up a WeChat account to answer questions in real time. How do Chinese see Australian wines? Chinese have a natural friendliness toward Australian things and people, because we are open and approachable. They see Australia as green, pure, unpolluted. Food products are made to a high standard and safe. There is also a historical connection: Chinese have been a big part of the fabric of Australian society since the gold rush. We are two countries that understand eachother. Looking in the other direction, what is your sense of the Chinese wine industry? China needs legislation to relate what's on the label to what's in the bottlelabels here don't tell enough. Now there is also an anticipated sameness about Chinese wineand they often are. I don't have a complete picture, but quality and labeling still needs to catch up with production. The emergence of a real wine culture will make the industry fly. I sense a lot of curiosity, but not much trust. After trust will come pride. A visitor at the Beijing show. [Photo by Feng Yongbin and Deng Zhangyu/China Daily] A shot rings out in the yellow wheatfields trailing a group of crows in the sky, with winds blowing and the smell of straw floating in the air. Then you hear the voice of Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh, who has just shot himself in the chest, revealing how desperate he feels. This is the opening of a show on the life of the Dutch genius of colors, using hi-tech effects to give visitors a glimpse of Van Gogh's world. The interactive show, Meet Vincent Van Gogh, produced by the Van Gogh Museum had its world debut in Beijing on Saturday. After Beijing, it will tour about 30 destinations in China, including Macao and Shanghai, over five years and then travel across the world. "We do it from the heart and from the head. We do lots of research on Van Gogh and know him well. We want to share it with as many people as possible," says Axel Ruger, director of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. "It's designed for places where there are no works of Van Gogh. People don't have to travel to Amsterdam to know the great artist." Thanks to the 2006 movie Happy Feet, the role of male penguin vocalizations in attracting mates is well known. (The movie focused on Emperor penguins, but males of many penguin species use calls to get the girl.) The purpose of this film was to entertain, not to explain why females find the calls of some males more attractive than others, but a recent study explored female mate choice in Adelie penguins. Female penguins find parenting ability desirable in mates. Females want males that will make good dads, and the calls allow females to choose males accordingly. Thats because calls reveal how much fat males have stored up, and the extreme energetic demands on penguin dads mean that males with more fat are more likely to be successful dads. Female penguins choose pudgy males over lean ones. (I know, there are plenty of men reading this and thinking, If only . . . !) The more energy males have stored, the better care they can provide to their offspring, and superior care increases the likelihood that the young will survive. After laying her eggs, a female Adelie penguin returns to the ocean, leaving the male to guard and protect the eggs until she returns. For the first two weeks, males perform the majority of parental duties, so they have little opportunity to eat. While caring for their young, penguin dads can lose up to a fifth of their body weight. Female penguins cannot tell how fat males are simply by looking at them. Males can vary their appearance by fluffing up their feathers and changing their posture. It is to males advantage to attempt to fool females into thinking they have more fat than they do, but for females, its vital to assess males fat stores accurately. Penguin calls are honest indicators of energy stores, according to a recent study by a team of researchers who spent three months on a remote island in Antarctica where half a million Adelie penguins spend the summer. These scientists weighed many males, recorded their calls, and noted how successful they were at attracting mates and at rearing chicks. One part of the call was associated with high mating and reproductive success. Males who maintained a steady frequency during an extended chattering in the middle of the call were most attractive to females and were chosen first. These males were also heavier and more successful as dads. Researchers believe that the fat around the voice box stabilizes the calls. As males lose weight while caring for chicks, their calls become less consistent in pitch. Males cant lie about their portliness because their calls reveal the truth. Thats why the females choose mates based on their calls and are impressed by calls produced by males with larger fat stores. While the female penguins find the calls attractive, one researcher described the sound males make as a cross between a donkey and a stalled car. To each her own! I hope dads of all sizes had a happy Fathers Day! [Photo provided to China Daily] Recalling his first exhibition in China a year earlier, US artist Robert Rauschenberg (1925-2008) said in a New York Times interview in 1986 that people from the National Art Museum of Chinawhere his show was to openwere so excited at his idea that they kept providing him more exhibition space. The additional costs of transportation and security put him under huge pressure. The final display at the Beijing-based museum included 47 huge paintings and sculpture installations. The three-week exhibition over November and December of 1985 attracted more than 300,000 visitors, many of whom saw their first pieces of Western contemporary art, which were very different from the academic artworks they were used to. Through this groundbreaking exhibition, Rauschenberghailed as one of the United States' most influential artistswas engaged in the cultivation of China's emerging generation of contemporary artists. It was one of the events that gave rise to the '85 avant-garde art movement. Since then, the Chinese contemporary art scene has evolved radically. Many young artists who saw his show three decades ago are today prominent art figures with international recognition. Now, Rauschenberg's art has returned to China through his second exhibition here. It reviews his communication with the country and invites people to look at the world through his vision. The retrospective show at the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art in Beijing's 798 art district is seen by center director Philip Tinari as one of the most important shows in the gallery. Among the works at the Rauschenberg in China show is a set of color photos titled Studies for Chinese Summerhall, which the artist took during his first visit to China in 1982, and which were also on show at the 1985 exhibition. The pictures were taken during a five-week trip during the Rauschenberg Overseas Cultural Interexchange, a project he launched in the early 1980s to gather inspiration through traveling and exhibiting in 10 countries. A scene from the film Song of the Phoenix featuring veteran actor Tao Zeru in the main role. [Photo provided to China Daily] A week after Song of the Phoenix opened, it garnered a paltry 3 million yuan ($454,000) in box-office takings, barely enough to cover the marketing cost. Now, a month after its May 6 opening, it has collected 85 million yuan, a rare feat for an art-house film. What happened in between was an eye-popping act by its 63-year-old producer, a man whom I have known for a while, and whom I talked to recently in a post-screening dialogue. Fang Li was in tears when he saw me. My eyes were moist, too, as were those of many in the audience. I hugged him, a true hero who almost single-handedly saved what Martin Scorsese calls "a lovely little film by a giant in filmmaking". Yes, what happened off-screen was just as dramatic, if not more so, as the story on-screen. On May 12, when the screening rate of the film dipped below four per 1,000 screens, Fang knelt down and begged China's film exhibitors for more screenings. The real-time video went viral. Then, as people flocked to movie theaters across the nation, its screening rate shot up, to 10 percent at one point, way past the first-week performance, which is usually the peak for any film. Fang Li talks about "the 80-million-yuan kowtow" in a recent post-screening event. [Photo provided to China Daily] Some suspected that the video was a marketing ploy, but Zhang Wei, vice-president of the China Film Criticism Society, provided details that confirmed the incident. Shortly before what's now called "the 80-million-yuan kowtow", Zhang and a bunch of students were with Fang, and they extolled the latter's integrity in continuing to support the country's quality films. "He was touched, and maybe he drank some wine afterward," says Zhang. Fang brushed this off, saying "Had I known my act would have this result, I would not have waited a week before kneeling." Fang told me that his act was inspired by the internet meme "guiqiu"a humorous term that literally means to kneel down and begrather than by an ancient practice in China, which carried more solemnity and self-debasement. "I would not do it even for my own films," says Fang. A scene from the film Song of the Phoenix featuring veteran actor Tao Zeru in the main role. [Photo provided to China Daily] When River Road, a quiet, beautiful film he funded, grossed less than 1 million yuan in 2014, he did not think of begging the exhibitors. Even though he is one of the producers of Song of the Phoenix, he has no financial stake in the film. He calls himself "a volunteer producer" who provided resources, including some marketing expenses and his team, as a donation. Fang's act was for Wu Tianming, the director of the film. Wu, a renowned filmmaker whose credits include Old Well and Life, a hugely influential work from the 1980s, is widely considered the godfather of China's fifth-generation directors. When he was in charge of Xi'an Film Studio back then, he broke convention by bankrolling rookies like Zhang Yimou. For those asking the hypothetical question "Would Wu have knelt for more screenings?" the answer is hereas studio head Wu knelt to beg mediocre peers to not hoard resources so that talented newcomers would have a chance. Wu died in 2014, a few days after Song of the Phoenix was completed. A scene from the film Song of the Phoenix featuring veteran actor Tao Zeru in the main role. [Photo provided to China Daily] His daughter, Wu Yanyan, then tried to sell her father's swan song to China's distributorswith no successuntil she met Fang. Fang was trained as an earth and ocean scientist and earned an MBA in the United States. He has a business in Silicon Valley, but started to produce films, mostly art-house fare, early this century. His biggest project was the 2014 directorial debut by best-selling author Han Han. The Continent grossed a whopping 632 million yuan. However, Fang does not agree that he makes "art films". A scene from the film Song of the Phoenix. [Photo provided to China Daily] He tells me that the films he has produced, including Song of the Phoenix, belong in the genre of "drama". He defines "drama" as movies that tell stories and "art films" as experimental works with thin plots. Yet, Chinese translations are so confusing that little distinction can be made by a layperson with no knowledge of nuance. Whatever label one may place on it, Song of the Phoenix has now gained three layers of meaning, making it ripe for future film treatment. The story is about a patriarchal musician who plays the traditional Chinese instrument suona, a high-pitched double-reed with a sound similar to the oboe. The master is meticulous about passing on the techniqueand the social stature associated with itto the next generation. But he is chagrined to find that he could be the last of the line because modern, Western instruments, represented by a brass band in the film, have eroded suona's popularity. In a similar vein, Wu Tianming was from a dying breed, insisting on making films that are personal rather than popular. A scene from the film Song of the Phoenix.[Photo provided to China Daily] Unlike his protege Zhang Yimou, Wu did not switch to so-called commercial films. Now, Fang has taken up the baton, believing that if "films with a soul" (in Fang's words) are made, people will turn up to watch them. At least half of China's filmdom endorsed the film, ranging from pop idols like Lu Han and Fan Bingbing to royalty-like figures Ang Lee and Feng Xiaogang. Zhang and Martin Scorsese each taped a short recommendation, which are shown before the film. Had they all charged for their endorsements, the fees would have added to billions of yuan. Even critics who noticed flaws in the film refrained from publicly pointing them out. Still, the public did not show up. That should give pause to anyone who pays big money for celebrity endorsements. I joked with Fang that he had used the most effective trick in promoting a small film. Other forms have been used before, such as open letters or a boisterous fracas with exhibitors, but none has had much effect. Still others have proposed setting up art-house cinema chains, a platform that's going out of fashion even in developed countries. Fang has an innovative idea: He wants regulators to place a cap on the screening rate of every film, Chinese or foreign, for instance, a maximum of 30 percent of screens for any film and a minimum of 3 percent. "That would guarantee diversity," he says. Related: Arthouse film: From swan song to rebirth of the phoenix? Mickey Mouse performs at Shanghai Disney Resort. Gao Erqiang / China Daily TOURISTS FLOCKED TO the recently opened Shanghai Disney Resort over the weekend, and a few of them reportedly jumped queues, littered the streets and even let children relieve themselves in the open. Beijing Youth Daily commented on Monday: It did not come as a total surprise to see some tourists breaking rules while visiting Disney's first theme park on the Chinese mainland. Such behaviors were seen even during a month's trial period before the park's official opening on Thursday. Apparently, a few Chinese citizens did notor would not bother topass the public behavior test, because for them, Disneyland is no different from the other parks they have visited at home and abroad. Some even reportedly dropped litter in the sea near Palau while visiting the island country in West Pacific Ocean. But assigning thousands of volunteers to instruct tourists to behave properly is unrealistic. And adding some names to the blacklist, as the country's interim regulations on tourists' behavior suggests, has hardly deterred others from misbehaving; besides it is impossible to record the actions of all tourists or restrict all of them. The lack of respect for public order, as seen at the Shanghai Disney Resort, highlights the need to instill a sense of self-discipline in Chinese tourists. And for that to happen, governments at all levels should keep strengthening the social credit system and promoting liberal education in schools. Including tourists' misbehaviors in their credit record may help them develop good habits and teach them to respect public property and order. The process should be carried out in a scientific and fair manner to ensure its influence on tourists is formative. A nurse measures body temperature of patients at a medical center in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. LONG WEI / FOR CHINA DAILY Two days ago, I returned home from a 13 day stay in the hospital in Zhengzhou. I was admitted to Central Hospital of Zhengzhou on June 3. I had surgery the next morning and another one 10 days later. I was in the 'proctology' ward, so, without going into the morbid detail of what was wrong with me, I'll leave it to your imagination of what I was suffering from. More than anything, I had the most intense pain than I've ever experienced in my life except for perhaps kidney stones that I had several years ago. Dr. Li, Dr. Pan and Dr. Hou were not only my attending physicians, but also, my surgeons. Dr. Li was my primary doctor. Hospitals are a bit different in China than in the USA. First, in China, they don't feed you. You have to have someone bring food from the outside. I had no problem with this. I have a lot of friends and Lily, my personal assistant, was with me 24/7 taking care of me. I got plenty of good food to eat (or at least, all that I wanted). I requested and got a private room. I paid double the daily rate to get it, but, it was worth it. A lot of family visits when a Chinese person is in the hospital. I really don't know how they get any rest. Another thing that was different was the daily bill delivered to the room. This was a bit surprising. In the West, we really don't consider the cost until usually several weeks after the treatment we've received. And then, it is usually billed directly to your insurance. You will pay a small portion (deductible) and perhaps 10-20% of the total bill. If you can't pay immediately, you can usually work out a payment plan with the hospital. I was very pleased at another difference I experienced. That is, the doctors are on the ward (hospital floor) nearly at all times. In the USA, the doctor 'visits' his/her patients every day. They leave the hospital and aren't available if you need them. I was very surprised when I learned that my primary physician would also be an attending surgeon. In fact, I had two surgeons, Dr. Li and Dr. Hou, for my first surgery and two more, Dr. Hou and Dr. Pan, for my second one. My past experience in the USA was that the primary physician is usually different than the surgeon. Not in China. I was happy to get that level of care. Each morning and afternoon, the entire staff of nurses would come to my room to check on me and get updated on my current condition. Also, my surgeon would visit every morning to change my bandages. I'd never seen this done with the level of personal care that they gave. Often, several interns would accompany him and observe what he did. I was very impressed even though I lost all modestly in the process. The equipment, facilities and other necessary items to provide care, were all quite modern and very impressive. Considering the condition I was in (a lot of pain), I am very, very pleased with the care, attention, expertise, therapy and medicine that I was treated with. I give very high marks to Dr. Li, Dr. Hou and Dr. Pan and Central Hospital of Zhengzhou for taking care of the first 'laowai' that they'd ever treated in their ward. Thank you gentlemen (doctors) and ladies (nurses) for taking care of me and helping me deal with my issues. Photo taken on Jan 29, 2016 shows the UK and EU flags outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. [Photo/Xinhua] With the Brexit referendum around the corner, supporters on both sides are accelerating their campaigns for or against the motion, leading to a heated debate that is sweeping across not only the British Isles but pretty much the whole Western world. In terms of foreign policy making, the debate can be boiled down to one question: is the EU still relevant to a Britain that aspires to assert itself more on the world political arena, tired of being ranked as a second class power? To put it another way, in the context of globalization in the present day, is the EU facilitating or obstructing Britain's efforts to obtain future world leadership? Trying to clarify this question, the Foreign Affairs Committee reviewed the costs and benefits of EU membership for the UK's role in the world, so there can be a better understanding of both side's arguments. While reviewing the evidence, the two speakers who argued for Britain to stay in the EU traced it back to the establishment of the organization as a framework that has transcended national borders to bring about concerted political actions and an extended free market. Within this framework, Britain gain the following benefits: Top on the list of benefits for Britain to stay is support that the organization may provide for Britain. According to advocates on this side, Britain and other major members like France and Germany have more in common than differences which renders the EU as a launching pad for Britain's larger role in world affairs. The EU's performance in solving the Iranian nuclear problem and imposing sanctions on Russia has provided precedents to prove this. To drop out of the EU is to retreat from the front stage of world politics and to isolate itself on purpose. Britain should not overestimate the influence it is capable of exerting worldwide, which will be considerably reduced if it leaves the EU. Apart from the support it can depend on in participating in world affairs, Britain within the EU has an upper hand in navigating the organization on a course that will suit its needs. By wielding veto power, Britain can forestall policies it doesnt want since unanimous votes are required for the EU to pass any act or to take any action as a whole. As a result, Britain has nothing to fear in staying in the EU. As for the issue of sovereignty, which constitutes the main argument on the Brexit side, if Britain is capable of changing the EU by pushing forward the EU reform that will lead to an institution that is more democratic and responsive, sharing sovereignty is not too bad an idea in an increasingly globalized world. Rather, it is necessary in the face of challenges on a global scale. It will be unwise for Britain to give up the stakes it has in hand now and to slide into becoming an isolated nation going nowhere. Cultural heritage like traditional songs and dances in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region is the focus of a photography project. [Photo provided to China Daily]. More than 30 photographers are spending three months in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region to capture its natural and cultural landscapes. The team will visit through August different parts of the region, including Hami, which is known for its sweet melons, and Turpan, home to the famous Flaming Mountain. The project, initiated by Japanese camera maker Canon six years ago, aims to use photos and videos to showcase fading cultural heritage in China. Every year, it will organize one or two such trips. "If you want to understand the vast land of Xinjiang, you have to come a few times, and each time you need to stay for a month at least," says Liu Bing, honorary president of the region's writers association. The land is not only the largest in size at the provincial level in China but, more importantly, it's a place where the cultures of the East and West meet, integrating over thousands of years. ACCRA -- Wenzhou, a city in East China's Zhejiang province has signed a sister-city relations pact with Ghana's Kumasi, the country's second largest city. The new partnership is expected to open up businesses and boost trade between Kumasi, Ghana's fastest growing city and Wenzhou, one of the Zhejiang Province's economic and cultural centers. The co-operation focuses on technology transfer, education and infrastructure, according to Xu Liyi, the Party Secretary of Wenzhou Municipal Committee, who visited the West African country recently. Under the agreement, business persons from Kumasi and Wenzhou will be brought together to share ideas and explore ways to improve the business environment in both cities. Additionally, the Wenzhou University and the Kumasi Technical University, together with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), will embark on exchange programs for students. The Wenzhou University will also provide scholarships for selected students in Kumasi. The Metropolitan Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, Kojo Bonsu, hoped the city would take advantage of the new partnership which is mutually beneficial. "We are going to bring the business people in Kumasi and Wenzhou together to form a synergy. Chinese will bring technologies to Kumasi and help the city to develop," said Bonsu, who visited China a couple of months ago to seal the deal. For Xu Liyi, the partnership will greatly improve the manufacturing and technology sectors of both cities as the economy of Wenzhou and Kumasi are highly complementary to each other. "We can cooperate in different areas, including capital, human resource, technology and marketing. And we are also very happy to see that more and more Wenzhou businessmen are investing and doing business in Kumasi because of its business attraction," said Xu. Ron Hopper of the FBI folds his hands as he speaks at a press conference about the Pulse night club shootings in Orlando, Florida, US, June 20, 2016.[Photo/VCG] WASHINGTON - US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell set up a vote late on Monday to expand the Federal Bureau of Investigation's authority to use a secretive surveillance order without a warrant to include email metadata and some browsing history information. The move, made via an amendment to a criminal justice appropriations bill, is an effort to respond to last week's mass shooting in an Orlando nightclub after a series of measures to restrict guns offered by both parties failed on Monday. "In the wake of the tragic massacre in Orlando, it is important our law enforcement have the tools they need to conduct counterterrorism investigations," Senator John McCain, an Arizona Republican and sponsor of the amendment, said in a statement. The bill is also supported by Republican Senators John Cornyn, Jeff Sessions and Richard Burr, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee. Privacy advocates denounced the effort, saying it seeks to exploit a mass shooting in order to expand the government's digital spying powers. Pin Ni, president of Wanxiang America, addresses hundreds of prospective investors in the US at the SelectUSA summit in Washington on Monday. [Photo by ALLAN FONG/CHINA DAILY] Wanxiang America, a subsidiary of China's largest auto-parts manufacturer, feels at home in the US. "Often times, we debate about who we are. And today, instead of saying we are a Chinese company, which is where we are originally from, I would say we are indeed a USA company," said Ni Pin, president of Wanxiang America. Ni spoke at the SelectUSA summit, where more than 150 Chinese delegates were looking to expand their businesses into the US. Ni took part in a panel discussion on risk-taking and resilience, hosted by the Washington Hilton Hotel on Monday. Wanxiang Group has become a global company with $25 billion in revenue, owning more than 40 auto-manufacturing plants worldwide. One in every two vehicles made in the US is equipped with components made in Wanxiang's US plants. It has operations in 26 US states and employs more than 13,500 people. Ni's company is well acquainted with taking risks in the US market, having first invested here in 1994. Since then, the company has played a positive role in the US economy, buying out failing companies and turning them into profitable businesses. The most publicized and controversial example was when Wanxiang America bought the A123 battery company in 2013. In 2012, the year before Wanxiang America bought A123, Ni recalled, "the company had lost about $200 million to $300 million. Less than 18 months later, we turned the company into positive cash flow." Despite the success coming during his leadership at the helm, Ni refuses to take credit for the turnaround. "The magic really came from the China market," he said. Playing with fire Flagstaff police investigated a suspicious fire last week. According to the police report, residents of Forest Ridge Apartments, located at 3720 S. Yaqui Drive, noticed smoke coming from a wooded area on the property right at about 6:55 p.m. Thursday. Some of the residents responded to the small fire with fire extinguishers. By the time the police arrived, there were smoldering pine needles but no flames. Flagstaff Fire Department cut a burn line around the fire and dumped a large amount of water on the surrounding pine needles. No one at the scene saw who started the fire. Investigators suspect it may have been started accidentally by someone playing with a lighter or matches. The responding police officer also asked for special patrols to look for kids playing with matches in the area. The case has been closed due to a lack of leads. Charged with DUI Susan Marie Jones, 55, of Kingman was arrested by Flagstaff Police Department on a DUI charge at 12:16 a.m. Friday. Paige F. Winn, 49, of St. George, Utah was arrested by Flagstaff Police Department on a DUI charge at 12:16 a.m. Friday. City and county residents who want to report a crime but wish to remain anonymous may call Silent Witness at 774-6111 or (877) 29-CRIME, submit a tip online at www.coconinosilentwitness.org, or text the word Flagtip along with your information to 274637 (CRIMES). Rewards of up to $2,000 are given for information that leads to an arrest. RIO DE JANEIRO - Brazil's interim President Michel Temer announced Monday that the federal government agreed to suspend payments of its states' debts with the federation until the end of 2016. The measure aims at giving some relief to states which have overwhelming financial problems, such as Rio de Janeiro, which declared a state of calamity due to financial problems last Friday. "What we are announcing today is an emergency situation. We are taking this emergency step and later we will consolidate a great federation reform in the country," said Temer. The federal government also agreed to extend the deadline for payments of the states' debts for 20 years and renew five credit lines of the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) for 10 years. With the measure, Brazil just refrained from receiving 50 billion reais (14.7 billion US dollars) from its states until 2018. Out of those, 20 billion reais (5.9 billion dollars) would be received until the end of this year. The Brazilian government will start collecting its states' payments in January 2017. At first, the states will pay 5.55 percent of the regular installment, and the amounts will gradually increase by 5.55 percent until the middle of 2018, when states will restart their payments. In exchange, the state governments agree to cut costs in the same manner as the federal government. Orlando Police Chief John Mina (L), answers question during a news conference with Ronald Hopper, FBI assistant special agent in charge (M), and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer (R), as he gives updates about the recent mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub, Monday, June 20, 2016, in Orlando,Florida.[Photo/IC] ORLANDO - The Florida nightclub killer called himself an "Islamic soldier" during the three-hour siege, according to transcripts released by the FBI on Monday. From inside the gay Orlando nightclub, the gunman, Omar Mateen told police negotiators to tell America to stop bombing Syria and Iraq and that was why he was "out here right now." The conversations shed more light on the possible motivations of Mateen, who killed 49 people and injured 53 in the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history. Authorities believe Mateen, a US citizen of Afghan descent, acted alone in the June 12 rampage, with no help from Islamist militant networks. The 29-year-old security guard was killed by police after more than three hours in the club. The attack renewed debate about gun control in the United States. The US Senate on Monday rejected four measures restricting gun sales, dealing a bitter setback to advocates who have failed to get even modest gun curbs through Congress despite repeated mass shootings. BEIJING - Experts say that the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague, the Netherlands, has no jurisdiction over South China Sea disputes between China and the Philippines, which unilaterally filed an arbitration case. The Philippines' move went against an agreement it reached with China in the mid-1990s on settling their disputes through negotiation. China has excluded maritime delimitation from compulsory arbitration in a declaration it made in 2006 in accordance with Article 298 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and has made it clear it will not accept or get involved in those proceedings. The experts voiced their viewpoints, saying the tribunal has abused its mandate granted by the UNCLOS by involving itself in a territorial dispute, as territorial issues are beyond the scope of the convention. Antonios Tzanakopoulos, associate professor of public international law at the University of Oxford -- For the most part, the tribunal hasn't answered satisfactorily with respect to why there is a dispute under UNCLOS, and also how these claims do not relate to sovereignty, and in my view they do (relate to sovereignty). Chris Whomersley, former deputy legal adviser to the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office -- Questions of territorial sovereignty, status of features and maritime delimitation are inextricably linked; to consider only one element out of these three is unreal and artificial, and worse it risks producing a distorted result. Peter Li, associate professor of the University of Houston Downtown -- The tribunal has abused its mandate granted by the UNCLOS by involving itself in a territorial dispute that it has no authority to rule over. Greg Austin, professor at University of New South Wales Canberra -- While the Philippines is quite within its rights to use UNCLOS, that will not answer any questions of territorial sovereignty and the Permanent Court will make no judgment and can make no judgment on territorial sovereignty. Yasser Gadallah, director of the Chinese-Egyptian Research Center at Helwan University -- Arbitration requires the consent of the two concerned parties that resort together to an international arbitration committee whose decisions are binding for both of them. Mahmoud Allam, former Egyptian ambassador to China -- The arbitration is apparently unlawful with China being absent. This is common sense in international law. China maintains that the tribunal handling of the arbitration proceedings has no jurisdiction over the case, which is in essence about territorial sovereignty and maritime delimitation. Tony Carty, professor of public law at the University of Aberdeen and Cheng Yu Tung Chair of Public International Law at Tsinghua University Law Faculty Manipulation of opinion by the United States and its allies lies behind the arbitration being sought unilaterally by the Philippines against China on South China Sea issues, according to a British legal expert. Tony Carty, professor of public law at the University of Aberdeen and Cheng Yu Tung Chair of Public International Law at Tsinghua University Law Faculty, spoke with the arbitration tribunal expected to deliver a ruling soon. Carty said China should have a "clear strategy" and embark on "a massive and very effective international publicity campaign to show that the tribunal has been biased in its judgment about jurisdiction". In the likely event of an unfavorable final judgment against China, Beijing must get its message across effectively to world opinion on why it disagrees with the tribunal's decision, Carty said. China has refused to be any part of the arbitration since the proceedings were launched in 2013 under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. This month, Carty was among an international group of legal experts and lawyers who signed a legal opinion document questioning the tribunal's jurisdiction. Carty spoke of concerns about "a one sided interpretation of ambiguous terms the Convention" from the potential ruling of the Tribunal. The interpretation may break the archipelago of the Nansha Islands into so-called individual geographical features, he said. Carty added that some politicians in the US and Britain, as well as some media outlets, had said that the tribunal is permanent and "some kind of final court of appeal". "But in fact it is merely arbitration, in which one of the parties is not prepared to participate." Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Monday that the forthcoming ruling will be "politically motivated" and Cambodia will not support it. The tribunal is a special one set under the Convention, and although it is registered at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague, the court has no particular authority because it depends entirely on consensual proceedings, Carty said. He said the US has had a South China Sea strategy since 1945. "From its point of view, the security consideration is the primary one," he said. If the ruling is made, it is likely that "the US and other defenders of the rule of law will come rushing to defend the Philippines" and to ensure that China does not enforce any of its claims, Carty said. Tony Carty, professor of public law at the University ofAberdeen and member of Tsinghua University Law Faculty Manipulation of opinion by the United States and its allies lies behind the arbitration being sought unilaterally by the Philippines against China on South China Sea issues, according to a British legal expert. Tony Carty, professor of public law at the University of Aberdeen and Cheng Yu Tung Chair of Public International Law at Tsinghua University Law Faculty, spoke with the arbitration tribunal expected to deliver a ruling soon. Carty said China should have a "clear strategy" and embark on "a massive and very effective international publicity campaign to show that the tribunal has been biased in its judgment about jurisdiction". In the likely event of an unfavorable final judgment against China, Beijing must get its message across effectively to world opinion on why it disagrees with the tribunal's decision, Carty said. China has refused to be any part of the arbitration since the proceedings were launched in 2013 under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. This month, Carty was among an international group of legal experts and lawyers who signed a legal opinion document questioning the tribunal's jurisdiction. Carty spoke of concerns about "a flagrant interpretation of the Convention" ahead of the tribunal's ruling. "It is a question of China articulating the complex nature of the manipulation of international law that is going on here," he said. Carty added that some politicians in the US and Britain, as well as some media outlets, had said that the tribunal is permanent and "some kind of final court of appeal". "But in fact it is merely arbitration, in which one of the parties is not prepared to participate." Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Monday that the forthcoming ruling will be politically motivated and Cambodia will not support it. President Xi Jinping's forthcoming visit to Poland is expected to bring more business opportunities to the Chinese-Polish Joint Stock Shipping Company, known as Chipolbrok, the first ever Sino-foreign joint-venture founded in 1951. Radoslaw Chmielinski, Shipping Directors of Chipolbrok Gdynia says, this visit demonstrates that "Poland remains an interesting and strategic partner to China as the growing and dynamic economy in European Union which has developed very much in the last decades." Chipolbrok, with head office in Shanghai and European base at Gdynia, was originally incorporated as a result of an agreement between the governments of China and Poland, and it has been often hailed as a flagship example of the mutually beneficial co-operation between both parties. Assigned to provide the sea transportation link between Chinese and Polish ports for carriage of investment goods and other commodities, Chipolbrok has voyaged through different, sometimes tough political and economic times. At the moment, the company owns and operates 19 vessels with total dead weight tonnage of over 520, 000. Two brand-new vessels, built in Shanghai Shipyard, are expected to become operational at the end of this year. Chmielinski says globalization enforces new ideas and concepts but also means that returning to some good examples of commercial cooperation from the past can have new meaning nowadays. He believes that China's New Silk Road policy would underline China's position and importance in present world where commercial connections are making strong ties between different countries. "We, as the shipping line, can only support such initiative as presently the world needs great ideas showing new possibilities of cooperation and Chipolbrok is happy that this new energy comes from China," he says. Poland nowadays is one of the leaders of growth in Europe and, as a large EU member state, actively advocates strengthening contacts and dialogue with China. Poland also coordinates the relations in the investment field within the "16+1" program of cooperation between the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and China. "Chipolbrok is the clear evidence that our cooperation, established 65 years ago is still working and this is the best example to other companies that mutually beneficial cooperation with China for long time is possible, and can be the basis of successful growth," Chmielinski says. Chinese business representatives in Poland are optimistic that President Xi Jinping's visit will bring further Chinese investment in the country and expand the business ties between two nations, despite the current limited Chinese corporate exposure in Poland. Hou Yubo, Assistant President of LiuGong Dressta Machinery in Poland, says the Chinese President's visit is seen as a historical opportunity for both China and Poland, and even for central and eastern European countries, adding "it will attract the attention not only from government officials and politicians, but more importantly, from entrepreneurs and investors." As a leading Chinese construction equipment manufacturer, LiuGong was one of the very first Chinese companies that entered the Polish market when it acquired HSW, a Polish machinery producer, with a value of $50 million in 2012. "The enhancement of knowledge between our two countries could bridge the gap and explore the potential for further cooperation and it is likely that more of Poland's advantages could be discovered by the Chinese during this visit," he adds. Hou says the reason that there are few Chinese investors in Poland compared with Western European countries can be attributed to the shortage of a marketing strategy in Poland. As a result, China knows relatively little about the country, with knowledge limited to Fryderyk Chopin, Madame Curie and Nicolaus Copernicus, he says. Although Poland has advantages in culture, art, technology and engineering, Hou says, as the country is not widely known in China, most Chinese investments have gone to Western European countries that are good at promoting themselves in China and also offer competitive technology and products. Feng Xiang, managing director of China International Marine Containers in Poland, one of China's largest road trailer producers, believes President Xi's visit will in no doubt enhance the communications between two countries and attract more investments from China. "I hope the visit will help us generate further communication with the potential local partners, and in turn make us be known by Polish clients and expand our market in the country," Feng said. Argentinian pianist Marta Argerich performs with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra during the Inaugural Special Concert of the 17th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition at the Warsaw Philharmonic Concert Hall in Warsaw, Poland, Oct 1, 2015. [Photo/VCG] Chinese students have to be very brave to study in Warsaw, whatever their subject. For a start, the language is fiendishly difficult, and Poland's continental climate means very hot summers and very cold winters. But aspiring students at the Fryderyk Chopin Institute of Music face extra challenges. They have to complete a preparatory year before they can sit entrance examinations to gain admission to a degree course at the institute, one of the biggest, oldest and most prestigious music schools in Europe. Founded in 1821, the institute's patron was Poland's most famous composer and pianist, Fryderyk Chopin. That's quite a heritage in which to immerse Chinese students. The institute set in the heart of Poland's capital, counts among its graduates a former prime minister, Ignacy Jan Paderewski, as well as composers of world renown such as Witold Lutosawski and Benedykt Gorecki. The Symphony of Sorrowful Songs, Gorecki's best-known composition, unexpectedly captured the imagination of millions of people who wouldn't normally listen to classical music, and topped the charts in both Britain and the United States. One of Bach's biggest hits, the Goldberg Variations, now heard mainly on the piano, caused a sensation when it was first recorded by another graduate, the French-Polish harpsichordist Wanda Landowska. The Chopin Institute also founded the immensely challenging international Chopin piano competition, whose winners include piano virtuoso Martha Argerich from Argentina, just 24 when she triumphed. Its jury is always a who's who of piano greats from the world over. Argerich herself does much to encourage young musicians. The competition is held every five years. Fledgling Chinese pianists are among those to benefit from Argerich's close involvement with the institute, and even enter the competition. Chinese pianists have close links with the competition, which started in 1927. In 2010 Li Yundi, then 18 and from Shenzhen, won the contest, and was the youngest-ever winner since WWII. The records from before the war have been lost. President Xi Jinping's visit will be the first step towards a "golden era" for Poland and China, says Bogdan Goralczyk, a Polish sinologist and a former Ambassador. Goralczyk believes bilateral relations will be reinvigorated significantly by the Chinese President's visit to the country, particularly when set against previous state visits between two nations. One is the formulation of '16+1' cooperation group between sixteen Central and Eastern Europe countries and China, which was officially launched in Warsaw during then Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to Poland in 2012. Also, the birth of China-Poland strategic partnerships came about whilst previous President of Poland Bronisaw Komorowski paid an official visit to China in December 2011. "It is a high time to see the highest representative of the Fifth Generation of the Chinese current leadership to visit Poland, to refresh our cooperation and strategic partnership, especially now, in the era of implementation of the One Belt, One Road Initiative," says Goralczyk, now a professor at the University of Warsaw. Polish President Andrzej Duda's visit to China last November and his participation in "16 + 1" summit was a political signal of Polish will to enlarge contacts, communication and cooperation with China by the new Polish leadership since 2015: both at presidential and governmental levels. Poland is also the first CEE country to become the founding member of the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank initiated by China, which is another sign of Polish interest in One Belt, One Road Chinese vision, he says, adding "political will is there and now it's the time to go from words to deeds." Goralczyk notes that China and Poland have one thing in common, which is both in the "middle". "China calls herself the Middle Kingdom, while Poland is located exactly in the middle of Europe. We are located in its center point which helps us create a perfect communication hub in all directions," he says. Building on the railway connections between China's Chengdu and Poland's Lodz, Poland is keen to develop some kind of communication centre in Poland working for the whole European continent. As the country is on the way to Germany and Western Europe, Goralczyk believes that will be an effective factor in that effort. President Xi Jinping's visit to Poland will be a "decisive push" for Sino-Polish relations, says Slawomir Majman, former president of the Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency. The visit will take place at a time when the density of the official conduct between two countries is very high, he says. The new Polish President Andrzej Duda visited Beijing and Shanghai at the end of last year, followed by the Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs' visit to China months ago. Majman says, despite the growing political relations between the two countries, the economic relations are still left behind political relations, admitting that the Polish side have no reason for it. "Such a powerful global economy as the Chinese and such a strong and growing economy in Europe, like Poland, should generate more. We can't be happy with the level of trade, which is roughly 11 to one -- Chinese exports 11 and Polish exports 1. We are not dreamers, so we don't expect that our trade with China will ever be 1 to 1, but it won't be 11 to one for instance 5 to one or 6 to one would be much better," says he. As one of the largest recipients of foreign investment in Europe, Poland's total foreign direct investment exceeded 171.6 billion euros by 2014, but the value of Chinese investment accumulated was merely 0.09% of total foreign investment in Poland, according to the figures from National Bank of Poland. "Poland is not afraid of Chinese capital provided it is going to provide good new jobs," he says, adding courageous, bold, Chinese projects in the country are welcome and the Polish government is pushing the Chinese partners to come up with their side of the project. As an effort to welcome various new visions and ideas of the Chinese revolution, particularly in economic terms, Majman says Poland's commitment to strengthen the relationship with China is not only about the mere trade, or what is taking place during the visit, but is about persistent policy to be an important part of the Chinese revolution of the Belt Road Initiative. From the political aspect of the One Belt and One Road initiative, he says China's involvement in global policies is not just on a bilateral basis but more on a multilateral basis. Hannah Thornsley was on the verge of falling asleep in the afternoon heat as the Flagstaff All-Stars started softball practice Monday afternoon. That is until a Flagstaff Fire Department engine rolled up to the edge of Guadalupe Park and announced it was going to douse the 9- and 10-year-old girls with water. The team stood screaming and jumping as a gush of high-powered water arced over the fence and rained onto the field, drenching them all. After a few minutes longer, the water ceased and the girls got back to practice, soaking and in high spirits. It was really refreshing, said Gracie Schmitz, a wet smile lighting up her face. The special cool-off was much needed as temperatures climbed to a record-breaking 95 degrees In Flagstaff on Monday. Thats just 2 degrees below the areas all-time high of 97. Sundays temperature of 93 degrees also broke a record. Faced with full-on summer heat, Flagstaff residents told the Daily Sun that theyre staying indoors, sipping cold drinks and slurping on otter pops to beat the heat. Many others are heading to the pool -- the Flagstaff Aquaplex was filled to capacity during recreational swimming times over the weekend, said Jacqueline Richwine, aquatics coordinator with the Flagstaff Aquaplex. Others like Flagstaff resident Justin Ohlschlager headed to water elsewhere. Ohlschlager and friends brought pack rafts, inflatable paddle boards and a canoe to East Clear Creek and spent the afternoon paddling and jumping off cliffs into the water on Saturday. It was a nice reprieve from the heat, Ohlschlager said. As hot as it was for Flagstaff, though, Phoenix was downright blistering. The mercury in Phoenix hit 111 on Saturday, a record 118 on Sunday and 116 on Monday -- another record. Several Flagstaff-area businesses said they saw a bump in visitation from people heading up to the high country for respite over the weekend. The patio at Flagstaff Brewing Company is usually bustling on summer weekends, but on Saturday and Sunday the brewery and restaurant saw a noticeable uptick, brewer Jack Flaccus said. Definitely a good chunk of our business was a lot of people from the Valley, people trying to escape the heat, Flaccus said. I think we see a lot of people coming up anyways, but 120 brings more people. Paul Tschudy was one of those people escaping the heat. The Phoenix resident and a friend decided on Friday to make the drive to climb Humphreys Peak. The idea was his buddys and it was 100 percent motivated by the temperature in Phoenix, Tschudy said. Both Slide Rock State Park and Flagstaff Extreme, the adventure course at Fort Tuthill, saw a boost in visitation that employees said was thanks to a combination of Fathers Day and the toasty temperatures in the Valley. Flagstaffs more moderate summer temperatures certainly werent kept a secret and Monday morning, the Arizona Republics website boasted a headline of 4 Arizona places cooler than Phoenix right now. Arizona Snowbowls Scenic Chairlift and the Lava River Cave hike northwest of Flagstaff both made the list. The Scenic Chairlift saw a total of 1,500 visitors on Saturday and Sunday, which is about double what Arizona Snowbowl usually sees on a June weekend, said J.R. Murray, general manager at the mountain. On Sunday it was 77 degrees at the base of the lift and 62 degrees at the top, Murray said. On Tuesday, temperatures in Flagstaff are expected to reach 91 degrees with a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. President Xi Jinping's state visit to Poland, just six months after the Polish President's visit to China, is a clear message that Poland is a very important partner for China in Central Europe, says a Polish think tank analyst. Justyna Szczudlik, an analyst at the Polish Institute of International Affairs, focusing on China, says "this is evidence that bilateral relations on the political and high-level are excellent political dialogue is regular, very intensive, comprehensive and institutionalised." She says Poland perceives the Belt and Road initiative as an opportunity to enhance bilateral economic cooperation, which, despite being upgraded to the 'strategic partnership' level in 2011, is still rather modest. Figures from the International Trade Centre show that the Polish imports from China in 2015 stood at $14.5 billion whereas the exports were $ 2 billion, a trade deficit of over $12.5 billion. Szczudlik says the initiative will be useful in expanding Polish exports to China as Poland records huge trade deficit, admitting that Poland also sees the One Belt and One Road Initiative as a mean to attract Chinese investments to Poland. To further strengthen the collaboration between two nations, Szczudlik suggests OBOR can be connected with the Morawiecki Plan which assumes reindustrialisation and improvement of infrastructure in Poland. "In other words, Chinese capital and technologies could be used in such infrastructural projects like Via Baltica (a road leading through the Baltic States and Poland in Northern Europe), Via Carpathia (an ancient route connecting the Baltic Sea and the Aegean Sea), high-speed trains, and modernisation of sea ports." Poland was the first Central Eastern European country to join the China-initiated Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank as a founding member. Szczudlik says "Poland's membership in AIIB is a natural implementation of the Polish diplomatic agenda of reinvigorating relations with Asia, especially China. Polish application was another message that Poland consequently "filling" a rather vague concept of the "strategic partnership" with real content." At the initial stage, the bank might be a source for Polish companies to gain knowledge about Chinese and Asian market whilst in the longer perspective it could be a venue for launching cooperation with Asian counterparts and facilitate the entry into Chinese and Asian markets by Polish exporters, and attracting Chinese investments to Poland, she says. Although the general political and economic climate in Poland is very welcoming, the stock of Chinese investments in the country is believed to be still very low. One of the reasons, Szczudlik says, is the semantic difference in investments perception, adding "Poland would like to attract greenfield, brownfield and R&D investments as they create jobs and lead to technology transfer. But China is still interested in the M&A type of investment, which means an access to the existing infrastructure, management resources, and distribution channel." Szczudlik notes that it seems that Chinese entrepreneurs are not very familiar with the European Union's law, especially the regulations relating to public procurement. In that sense, China is still "learning" Poland's investment conditions and regulations. "What is more, both sides are waiting for project proposals from the other side, and both countries present a rather reactive and passive approach," she says, adding nevertheless, supposedly this approach is changing the best example is Poland's projects proposal presented by Polish side during Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs visit to China in April. President Xi's visit to Poland and Serbia comes only months after he visited the Czech Republic, which was hailed by analysts as "clear evidence that Central and Eastern Europe is no longer on the peripheries of China's foreign policy." To contact the reporter: wangmingjie@mail.chinadailyuk.com China's Global Newspaper Sorry, the page you requested was not found. Please check the URL for proper spelling and capitalization. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Chinadaily.com.cn, try visiting the Chinadaily home page Combo photo shows Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Polish counterpart, Andrzej Duda (R), waving towards the first CHINA RAILWAY Express freight train as it arrives at the platform in Warsaw, Poland, on June 20, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] WARSAW - Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Polish counterpart, Andrzej Duda, on Monday attended an arrival ceremony of a CHINA RAILWAY Express freight train, which signaled increasing railway links between the two countries. The freight train carrying dozens of containers pulled into a cargo terminal in the Polish capital on Monday afternoon after travelling over 12 days from China. Xi and Duda congratulated each other on the historic moment for the arrival of the first China-Europe freight train under the family brand CHINA RAILWAY Express. The trans-continent train service began in 2011 before starting to use the family brand earlier this month. At present, there are 39 cargo train routes connecting the two continents of Eurasia. Xi, who is on a state visit to Poland, has said he expects that cooperation projects like the China-Europe freight train service could play a pilot role in promoting the construction of the Belt and Road and China-Poland cooperation in inter-connectivity and industrial capacity. "The great Belt and Road Initiative fully complies with Poland's development strategy of transportation and trade, and plays a pivotal role in cementing bilateral ties," said Polish Infrastructure Minister Andrzej Adamczyk at the arrival ceremony. Proposed by Xi in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt that links China with Europe through Central and Western Asia by inland routes and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road connecting China with other Asian countries, Africa and Europe by sea routes. The Chinese people cherish the memory of the Serbian actor Velimir "Bata" Zivojinovic very much, said Chinese President Xi Jinping in Belgrade on Saturday. On hearing of Xi's visit to Serbia, the actor's widow insisted on meeting Xi at Saturday's banquet hosted by President Tomislav Nikolic. That is "because Bata loved China, and both of us liked to be with the Chinese people," said Julijana Lula Zivojinovic. When Nikolic introduced the theme tune of the movie Walter Defends Sarajevo, in which Zivojinovic played the role of Walter, Xi said: "I remember." " Yugoslavian films such as Walter Defends Sarajevo and The Bridge used to be very popular in China," he said. "The movies evoked people's patriotism and were part of the youth of our generation." Zivojinovic, the leading actor in both films, gained great popularity in China for depicting charismatic and heroic guerrillas. At the end of the banquet, the two presidents came up to Julijana, and she warmly shook Xi's hand. "When reports of Bata's death reached China, the Chinese people missed him very much," Xi said. The famous icon of Yugoslavian film passed away on May 22 at the age of 83. When introduced to China in the 1970s, the movies Walter Defends Sarajevo and The Bridge, telling stories of Yugoslavian people's resistance in the World War II, caused a sensation. And, according to Xinhua News Agency, at the opening ceremony of an international tourism fair in February, the tourism authorities of Belgrade played a tourism video featuring Zivojinovic to attract more Chinese tourists to Belgrade. This was the last time Zivojinovic took part in a public activity. When visiting Serbia in December 2014, Premier Li Keqiang met Ljubisa Samardzic, another actor in the film Walter Defends Sarajevo. Chinese President Xi Jinping (2nd L, rear) attends the welcome banquet held by Polish President Andrzej Duda (3rd L, rear) in Warsaw, Poland, on June 20, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] WARSAW - Chinese President Xi Jinping highlighted the long-standing friendship between his country and Poland at a welcome banquet held here Monday in his honor by Polish President Andrzej Duda. Xi, addressing the banquet, recalled that during World War II, Polish fighter pilot Witold Urbanowicz fought in China as a member of the allied forces assisting China, and Dr. S. Flato traveled long distances to provide medical support to China. The Chinese people, he said, will remember that Poland was among the first countries to recognize and establish diplomatic ties with the People's Republic of China and provided assistance and support for the country's reconstruction. At present, China and Poland enjoy ever solid political mutual trust, blossoming mutually beneficial cooperation and ever closer exchanges in all areas, which has brought tangible benefits to the two countries and peoples, Xi said. China-Poland relations, he said, stand at a new stage of history and are blessed with fresh historical opportunities. Xi said China is ready to take the opportunity of the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership to work with Poland to strengthen the synergy of their development strategies, deepen practical cooperation and open up a brighter future for bilateral ties on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit. Duda, for his part, said that though Poland and China are geographically far apart, their friendly interaction dates back to a long time ago, and that China's Belt and Road Initiative has brought the two countries closer to each other. Poland is willing to dovetail its sustainable development strategy with the Belt and Road Initiative and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in all fields, the Polish president said, adding that Poland-China cooperation will bring Europe and Asia closer to each other. The Chinese president traveled from Serbia to Poland on Sunday. His ongoing three-nation Eurasia tour will also take him to Uzbekistan. Ding Xuedong, chairman & CEO of China Investment Corporation said at the Silk Road Forum in Warsaw on Tuesday that his vehicle is also ready to help when Poland and other countries in Central and East Europe need financing. [Photo by Fu Jing/chinadaily.com.cn] Both state and private investors from China pledged to inject fresh capital and technology into Poland and other regions of Europe under the framework of the Belt and Road initiative, which is aimed at boosting Eurasian connectivity. They announced their commitments at the two-day annual Silk Road Forum organized by the Development Research Centre of the State Council and its global partners. President Xi Jinping addressed the opening of this forum on Monday, during his three-country tour Serbia, Poland and Uzbekistan. "China and Poland, similar to other European countries, have faced the same challenges of restructuring economies and developing sustainability, and we are keen on investing in infrastructure, energy-saving, high-tech and innovative sectors in Europe," said Jin Qi, Chairman of Beijing-based Silk Road Fund. The medium- and long-term fund was established in the end of 2014, with a first-phase financial injection of US$10 billion, while Xi pledged that the total investment will be US$40 billion. China and the European Union are negotiating putting a joint fund in place to connect Belt and Road initiatives and the EU's 315-billion-euro investment scheme. Jin's fund is expected to become one of Chinese founders of the joint fund, likely to be unveiled at the Sino-EU leaders meeting next month. "We are determined to forge synergies of meg-projects between China, EU and its member states," Jin told the forum, the third one after those held in Istanbul and Madrid in 2014 and 2015 respectively. The forum on Monday and Tuesday saw the participation of up to 1,000 representatives from various countries and the officials, business leaders and economists, who discussed the standardization of the Eurasian transportation system on land and by sea, innovative ways of finance, global governance and sustainable development and cooperation between China and Europe at regional levels. Ding Xuedong, chairman & CEO of China Investment Corporation, told the forum his vehicle is also ready to fill the financial gap when Poland and other countries in Central and East Europe need funds. Ding said the sixteen countries in the region are expected to need at least one trillion dollars in the coming ten years to improve their infrastructure by building roads, highways, airports and other facilities. "Facing such a huge amount of capital demand in infrastructural construction alone, investment from the government could not satisfy the needs and the countries need to channel more resources," said Ding. Even the West European powers face the challenges of filling the capital gap when upgrading their infrastructure, said Ding. "So the effective mechanism is to pool the resources from the governments, policy loan vehicles, investment funds and private sectors," said Ding, adding that Poland and the rest of Europe are investment targets of this state fund. Apart from the Chinese investment giants, private investors have also attached growing importance to Poland and Europe. Among them is Wu Daohong, chairman of Beijing Shenwu Environment & Energy Technology Co., Ltd, who said that China's private companies have the advantages of cooperating with European partners in high-tech sectors. During an interview with China Daily at the forum, he said he even came with him three patent technologies on biomass and clean energy, especially on using coal in a cleaner way and the talks with Polish partners are continuing. "We are quite sure that our technologies in coal sector are advancing and Poland and China, both rich in coal reserves, could boast of huge opportunities if pollution can be avoided in coal use," said Wu. Stephen Perry from the London-based 48 Group Club said the Belt and Road Initiative, a continuation of China's opening-up drive, will last from 20-50 years and one of the key determinants will be the response of the West. He said "China wants Western involvement, as we have many of the key advanced technologies and we have funding and various capabilities in finance and technology and management that this project will require." "If the West gets invested in this project, we will get large rewards and growth of our own," said Perry. To contact the reporter: fujing@chinadaily.com.cn Accession of Pakistan and India a key issue for the gathering in Uzbekistan Chinese President Xi Jinping (R,front) and his wife Peng Liyuan are greeted by Uzbek Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoev (L,front) and Governor of Bukhara Province Muhiddin Esanov upon their arrival at Bukhara International Airport, Uzbekistan, June 21, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] China sees the upcoming 16th Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit as a new starting point to enhance cooperation among members, President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday as he arrived in Uzbekistan. Xi is visiting the country and attending the summit, which is scheduled for Thursday and Friday. The summit coincides with the 15th anniversary of the six-nation group that works together on anti-terrorism, security and other issues. In a signed article published in a local newspaper, Xi said this year's summit is of great significance in summarizing experiences and charting future cooperation plans. The major document to emerge from the summit is expected to be the Action Plan for 2016-20. This includes specific measures in areas such as politics, security, economic affairs and culture, according to Uzbekistan's Deputy Foreign Minister Anvar Nasirov. Li Jinfeng, a senior researcher on SCO, Russian and Central Asian studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the members are facing problems such as terrorism, separatism and extremism penetrating Central Asia, and cracking down on these three threats should be prioritized. Sun Zhuangzhi, an expert on Russian studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that although the SCO is 15 years old, internal economic cooperation remains inadequate. The Silk Road Economic Belt which links China with Europe through Central and Western Asia will inject new momentum into members' economies, Sun said. The accession of Pakistan and India to the organization will be another key issue at the summit, according to officials from member countries. Our China lawyers have seen a spike in queries from foreign companies encountering problems getting paid by Chinese companies. Im talking mostly about private Chinese companies without affiliates or assets abroad. An excuse commonly offered to the foreigner by the Chinese company is that the rules have recently changed so foreign payments are no longer possible or practicable. Another one is that the Chinese company is simply not allowed to send more that $50,000 at a time or even $50,000 in total each year. The underlying regulations have not changed and there is no limit on the amount that can be remitted abroad by a compliant Chinese company. But Chinese banks are becoming much stricter with certain types of remittances in an effort to limit fraudulent capital outflows and to make sure taxes are paid in China before money leaves the country. Chinese law generally requires a Chinese company to obtain a tax certificate from its local tax bureau before more than $50,000 worth of RMB can be converted into a foreign currency and remitted abroad. As the name might suggest, the certificate confirms the Chinese company has made all necessary tax payments or has some kind of exemption for the money. To obtain the certificate the Chinese company needs to submit copies of the relevant contracts (and oftentimes invoices) and provide particulars of the transaction. The tax certificate must be presented to the foreign exchange bank before the payment transaction occurs. The regulations provide for a blanket $50,000 exemption from approval. No proof or justification is required, up to the $50,000 limit. However, in June of last year, Chinese banks began arbitrarily denying requests for RMB conversion of amounts below the $50,000 limit. Sometimes, problem with getting money out stems from the Chinese company being unable to get a tax certificate and sometimes it stems from the Chinese company not wanting to get a tax certificate because that would require it pay tax it wasnt planning on paying. To be fair, problems sometimes arise when the Chinese company genuinely wants to make a remittance and is prepared to pay the applicable taxes. These problems vary depending on the type of payment. They mostly affect payments for services, royalty payments and Foreign FDI or M&A payments. Payments for purchasing of goods are usually less complicated, so long as the foreign side has its own paperwork in order as well. (Photo : Facebook) New Microsoft Tests Reveal Chrome Drains Battery Faster Than Edge Advertisement The struggle to be the best Internet browser today is not just about speed and security; Microsoft is taking it to a whole new level after incorporating battery consumption into the fray. The tech giant recently released a report showing that its flagship Microsoft Edge browser consumes less power compared to other browsers. Not surprisingly, Google's Chrome browser is at the bottom of the list that includes Mozilla Firefox and Opera. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Microsoft's claim is backed by the power-saving feature of Edge. Microsoft subjected all four browsers in a series of three separate tests. The first test measured the power consumption of the browsers in a controlled environment. The second test was described by Microsoft as "real-world energy telemetry" which the company collected "from millions of Windows 10 devices." The last test presented a time-lapse video of four identical laptops streaming the same video on four different browsers until their respective battery was drained out. On the first test, the Surface Book was used, and the browsers were pitted on simple tasks such as opening websites and watching videos. The first test showed that Edge is the most energy efficient of the four browsers. Describing the second test, Microsoft Edge web platform team director Jason Weber wrote, "These numbers are from actual Windows 10 use 'in the wild,' not artificial tests or hypotheses. The billions of data points from these devices are consistent with the lab results, demonstrating that Microsoft Edge is more efficient in real-world, day-to-day use than the competition." The third test reveals that Edge also outlasts all of its opponents when it comes to battery usage. The time-lapse video shows that Edge lasted more than seven hours, followed by Opera, which lasted more than six hours. Third is Firefox, which registered more than five hours, and at the bottom is Chrome, which scored more than four hours. Microsoft said that the upcoming Windows 10 Anniversary Update will include more energy-saving feature not only for Edge but also for the operating system in general. Advertisement TagsEDGE, microsoft edge, Edge browser, Windows 10, Chrome, Google Chrome, Mozilla firefox, Opera, Internet browser, browser (Photo : Getty Images.) A top North Korean diplomat Choe Son Hui arrived in China on Monday to attend the Northeast Asia Cooperation Dialogue. Advertisement Top North Korean diplomat, Choe Son Hui, has reportedly arrived in China on Monday to participate in informal annual dialogue - Northeast Asia Cooperation Dialogue - hosted by the Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation at the University of California. The annual informal multilateral conference is attended by top government officials from the United States, South Korea, Japan, Russia, China, and North Korea. All these countries were a part of the six-party talks initiated by China in 2003, aiming to stop North Korea from pursuing its controversial nuclear program. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement This will be a rare gathering, in which North Korea participates along with US and other major countries. North Korea is participating in this conference for the first time since 2012 The U.S. State Department has said that its nuclear envoy, Sung Kim, will participate in the conference. However, the State Department has made it clear that Kim has no official plans to meet with the North Korean official during the conference. It is also not clear whether Choe will meet with officials from other countries during the meeting. Pyongyang's decision to participate in the conference is likely to increase the prospect of reviving the six-party talks, which have been stalled since North Korea walked out of the negotiations in 2009. The North Korea's participation also comes just few weeks after North Korea's high profile diplomat Ri Su Yong met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. China has consistently supported the revival of the six party talks. At the same time, Beijing has been vehemently opposing US moves to deploy Thaad Missiles in South Korea. Advertisement TagsNorth Korea, china, North korea and China, North Korea and US (Photo : Getty Images, George Frey ) Veronica Ann Zabala-Aliberto from Arizona State University inspect plants that are growing in a greenhouse outside the Mars Desert Research Station Thursday June 16, 2005 Advertisement Chinese scientists are experimenting the possibilities and potential challenges of human survival in future deep space exploration missions. The study which is expected to be a breakthrough in future space travel involved the simulating space conditions in a capsule. The study is taking place Shenzhen, South China and involves four volunteers who will be participating in the experiments by living in the sealed space capsule for 180 days. During this period, data collected will help develop China's space exploration projects. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement The capsule which comprises several compartments also includes a greenhouse in which scientists have grown around two dozen variety of plants such as strawberries, horse radish, soya beans and peanuts. These plants form an essential part of the controlled ecological life support system that enables humans to live in space by making vital resources like oxygen available naturally. In 2005, scientists in the US simulated Mars-like environments in a desert land located northwest of Utah. A greenhouse was set up outside the Mars Research Station, where scientists from the Arizona state university regularly inspected the plants growing in a self-sustaining system that recycled waste and water from the research station. The findings of the research were believed to be crucial for future missions to Mars. As far as the Chinese human space survival program is concerned, according to Xinhua, some reputed institutions are collaborating to make the experiment a success. They include the Space Institute of Southern China, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harvard University and the German Aerospace Center. Scientists will constantly be monitoring the physiological changes experienced by the volunteers during their six-month stay in the enclosed space, particularly their circadian rhythm and emotional health. All of the collected data will enable China to improve its space exploration programs. Improvements will focus on the quality of life astronauts experience in outer space. As well as developing self-sufficient systems that can recycle air, water and food essential for human survival. Advertisement Tagschina, china news, China Scientists, space exploration, Space, outer space, spacecraft, space travel, china space agency, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Harvard University, german aerospace center, circannual rhythm, circadian clock, Life Supporting Technologies, Xinhua, inflatable capsule World's fastest: the Sunway TaihuLight Advertisement News that China now owns the world's fastest supercomputer, the 93 petaFLOPS "Sunway TaihuLight," has ignited a race among both countries to build the world's first exascale supercomputer. When its built, an exascale supercomputer will automatically become the world's fastest since one exaFLOPS is equivalent to 1018 or 1,000 petaFLOPS. One petaFLOP is equivalent to 1015. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement China plans to have its first exaFLOPS machine up and running by 2020 while the United States sees 2023 as its deadline. But these deadlines are arbitrary. China plans to call its exascale supercomputer, Tianhe-3, continuing a naming convention that began in 2010 when China announced its first petaflop-scale system, Tianhe-1. The first petascale system was developed in the U.S. in 2008. The United States has a plan for coordinating exascale development. Its goal is an exascale system capable "100 times the performance of current 10 petaFLOPS systems across a range of applications representing government needs." Analysts, however, noted that China is emphasizing "peak performance" for its exascale supercomputer while the U.S. prefers "sustained performance." The U.S. goal will take longer to achieve but will be the more practical. China's state-funded push to be recognized as a world leader in science and technology got a huge boost with an announcement by Beijing that Chinese scientists have built the world's fastest supercomputer, and one that doesn't use any microchips made in the United States. This Chinese supercomputer named "Sunway TaihuLight" scored an unprecedented 93 petaFLOPS on the LINPACK benchmark. This performance is nearly three times better than the previous number one system, China's Tianhe-2 supercomputer, which was the world's fastest for past three years. Sunway TaihuLight is also five times faster than Titan, the 17 petaFLOPS machine at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, which is the fastest supercomputer in the United States. Sunway TaihuLight also has a theoretical peak performance of 125.4 petaFLOPS. It is the first system to exceed 100 petaFLOPS. The machine is a monolithic system with 10.65 million compute cores built entirely with Chinese microprocessors. There is no U.S.-made supercomputer system that comes close to the performance of Sunway TaihuLight. The LINPACK benchmarks are used to benchmark and rank supercomputers for the TOP500 list. A petaFLOPS supercomputer has a sustained speed of 1015 FLOPS or one thousand trillion (one quadrillion) FLOPS. FLOPS stands for "floating-point operations per second" and is a measure of computer performance. TaihuLight, which is installed at China's National Supercomputing Center in Wuxi, uses ShenWei CPUs developed by Jiangnan Computing Research Lab in Wuxi. The operating system is a Linux-based Chinese system called Sunway Raise. China describes Sunway TaihuLight as a "domestically designed supercomputer," meaning the supercomputer was built it in-house and doesn't use processor or accelerator technology from U.S. companies like Intel and Nvidia. Sunway TaihuLight is currently running "sizeable applications" that include advanced manufacturing, Earth systems modeling, life science and big data. The U.S. banned the sale of supercomputer microchips to China because it claimed China was using its Tianhe-2 supercomputer for nuclear explosive testing activities. Tianhe-2, which has a peak performance of 54.9 petaFLOPS, uses Intel Xeon processors. Advertisement TagsSunway TaihuLight, Supercomputer, National Supercomputing Center, china, FLOPS (Photo : Reuters) Nespresso will begin selling Cuban coffee in the U.S. this autumn. Advertisement Nestle's Nespresso has announced its plan of selling Cuban coffee in the United States after more than 50 years. In April, the U.S. State Department added coffee to its list of eligible imports produced by independent Cuban entrepreneurs amid the improving trade relations between the U.S. and the communist island country. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Nespresso will be joining TechnoServe, a global nonprofit that works with small farmers and independent businesses, to support small coffee growing operations on the Caribbean island. Nespresso USA secured necessary licensing from the U.S. Department of the Treasury to ship single-use brewer pods containing the Cuban coffee from Europe to the U.S. The company will begin U.S. sales this autumn of Cafecito de Cuba, an espresso roast for its home brewers. Initially, it will be available in limited quantities because it aims to deliver on Nespresso's mission to deliver exclusive and unique coffee experiences. Nespresso says it will make coffee made from the Granma and Santiago de Cuba available at Nespresso retailers starting in the fall of 2016. Importantly, the Nespresso Cuban coffee will only be available to make in the companys specialized Nespresso OriginalLine machines. Nespresso is thrilled to be the first to bring this rare coffee to the U.S., allowing consumers to rediscover this distinct coffee profile, said Guillaume Le Cunff, president of Nespresso USA, in a statement. According to the International Coffee Organization, Cuba harvests about 100,000 60-kg bags of arabica coffee annually. They export about five times more coffee than Jamaica but are nowhere close to Colombias 13.5 million bag harvest, which is considered as the worlds largest. The United States imposed trade restrictions on Cuba in 1960, after the government of revolutionary leader Fidel Castro seized private land, nationalized scores of private companies and imposed heavy taxes on U.S. imports. President John F. Kennedy issued a permanent embargo in 1962. In December 2014, U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro have announced that both countries would move to restore diplomatic relations. Advertisement TagsNespresso, Nestle, Cuban coffee, Cuba, U.S. Cuba 50 Year Embargo, Nespresso brewers, U.S. 50 year embargo Cuba, coffee (Photo : Getty Images) China has pledged a multibillion dollar loan to Russia to build a high-speed railway and develop a gas plant in the Russian Arctic Advertisement Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to visit China on Saturday, and one of the highlights expected during the trip will be a of a multibillion-dollar high-speed railway agreement by the two nations, China's foreign ministry announced on Monday. China's foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said the two countries are expected to extend military cooperation during Putin's state visit and enhance diplomatic and military ties. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Although details of the visit have yet to be announced, political observers said it will most likely result in the signing of more than 30 trade agreements by Beijing and Moscow. 400 billion ruble Lu said Beijing earlier pledged 400 billion ruble (roughly US$6.2 billion) in loans to Moscow to build a high-speed railway that will connect the Russian cities of Moscow and Kazan. China's state banks recently approved a loan of more than 79 billion yuan (US$12 billion) for Russia to develop a liquefied gas plant in the Arctic, after ironing out the kinks in the agreement that caused more than a year of delays. Lu said that if the gas plant deal would push through, China would be the biggest importer of Russian gas. Western sanctions Despite some minor hitches, president Xi and Putin are expected to sign the railway deal as well as agree on the release of the first tranche of the loan for the gas plant during Putin's visit, said Alexander Gabuev, the Russian chair in the Asia-Pacific Programme. "China is a large market for commodities and a source for capital, technology, and infrastructure," he said. "Russia has an abundance of mineral resources, which requires capital, technology, and infrastructure. That's a natural match." Putin's visit comes at a time when Russia is reeling from Western sanctions, as it seeks to further enhance ties with China to combat the harsh economic effects experienced by Moscow. China, for its part, is seeking military support from Russia to counter the US presence in the Asia-Pacific region, including in the disputed South China Sea and the East China Sea. Advertisement TagsRussia, multibillion dollar high-speed railway, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Western sanctions, President Xi Jinping, china (Photo : Getty Images) Dancers perform during the opening ceremony of Shanghai Disney Resort on June 16, 2016 in Shanghai, China. Shanghai Disney Resort held the opening ceremony and welcomed tourists on Thursday. Advertisement The Shanghai Disney Resort, which opened its doors to the public last Thursday, is expected to beat Beijing's Palace Museum to become the No. 1 spot for visitors in China. According to data compiled by online travel agency Ctrip, the new Disney attraction is estimated to attract a minimum of 15 million visitors a year, which is more than 40,000 a day. Last year, a total of 15 million tourists visited the Palace Museum. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement If each visitor's average spending during a trip to the Shanghai Disney Resort is 2,219 Yuan ($340), revenues would exceed 30 billion Yuan a year, according to the report, which added that 40 percent of the park's visitors are likely to be tourists from Shanghai. Chi Huiguang, a Beijing-based visitor who took a high-speed train to the new Disney resort, drew parallels between Disneyland in Los Angeles and the one in Shanghai, saying that they're both just as good. Huiguang pointed out in spite of long linges and expensive tickets and food, the one thing that she found really impressive at Shanghai's Disney Resort was the friendly staff. Ctrip said that approximately four out of 10 visitors are couples while 30 percent are parents accompanying their children. However, with the summer vacation just around the corner, more parents are expected to visit the resort with their kids. Ctrip said about four out of 10 current visitors are couples and 30 per cent are parents accompanying their It is also estimated that the resort would seen a surge in visitors in the 10 days following the resort's official opening in early July and is expected to welcome no less than 7.3 million visitors this year alone. Advertisement TagsShanghai Disney Resort, Disney Resort Shanghai, Disney resort, Disney, china, Palace Museum, Shanghai Disney Resort visitors (Photo : Getty Images) Beijings largest shipping company, COSCO, is set to launch cruise travels in the disputed South China Sea in order to promote tourism in the region. Advertisement China's state-owned shipping company is plans to launch cruise trips in the disputed waters of the South China Sea in a bid to develop tourism in the region. The China Ocean Shipping Company (COSCO), which owns the world's largest fleet of specialized carriers and multipurpose vessels, announced on Tuesday that the cruise services will be operational next month and its first travel route will be from Sanya city in the country's southern province of Hainan to the disputed Paracel Islands. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement "It is practical to stimulate the local economy through development of tourism, logistics and infrastructure facilities," COSCO chairman Xu Lirong said at the Boao Forum for Entrepreneurs in Boao, Hainan over the weekend. The shipping line teamed up with China National Travel Service (HK) Group Corp and China Communications Construction Co Ltd in April to set up a cruise travel company in an attempt to boost tourism in the South China Sea. This isn't the first time a Chinese company has offered cruise servicers to the Paracels. Hainan Strait Shipping Co Ltd has also been running cruise trips between Sanya and the disputed Paracels for more than two years. Beijing introduced cruise travel in the region as a trial run in 2013 and last year, approximately 16,000 tourists took a trip to the Xisha Islands, which is another name for the Paracel Islands. China also started promoting tourism in and around Woody Island, which is the largest island in the Paracels. Senior Hainan official Xiao Jie said in May that cruises are becoming increasingly popular among tourists, for which tickets are not easily available. Beijing claims nearly all of the South China Sea as its own territory and has been wrangling with Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines, who have also voiced claims to parts of the maritime region. Advertisement Tagschina, South China Sea, South China Sea Dispute, COSCO, cruise, South China Sea cruise, Sanya, Paracel Islands, Xisha islands (Photo : Getty Images.) Chinas health ministry has has outlined a plan to cut down on citizens meat consumption by about 50 percent to reduce green house gases in China. Advertisement China's health ministry has unveiled a plan to cut down on citizens' meat consumption by about 50 percent. The move is likely to be welcomed by global warming campaigners, as it will be a major boost to the Chinese government's effort to curb green house gases. According to new guidelines issued by the health ministry, China's new 1.3 billion population can only consume between 40g to 75g of meat per person each day. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement If the new directives are implemented, carbon dioxide equivalent emissions from China's livestock industry would drop 1 billion tonnes by 2030. Scientist believe that at a global level 14.5% of green house gas is produced by consuming cows, chickens, pigs, and other animals. That number is more than emissions from the entire transport sector. "Through this kind of lifestyle change, it is expected that the livestock industry will transform and carbon emissions will be reduced," said Li Junfeng, director general of China's National Center on Climate Change Strategy and International Cooperation. Meat, which was once a rare treat for Chinese people, has today become a regular staple. In 1982, the average Chinese consumer consumed 13kg of meat annually. Now, Chinese people consume an average of 63kg of meat in a year, with an additional 30kg of meat per person likely to be added by 2030, if the trend continues. According to a report published by WildAid, China's meat consumption is likely to add an extra 233m tonnes of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere every year. The report further warns that if high meat consumption continues, it will put further pressure on the water supply as well as further degrade arable land and accentuate China's obesity and diabetes problems. The good thing is that the Chinese government has found much-needed help from top Hollywood celebrities in their drive to reduce nationwide meat consumption. Stars such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and director James Cameron have been involved in a series of advertisements encouraging Chinese people to eat less animal flesh to help sustain the environment. Advertisement Tagschina, China Meat Consumpation, Meat Consumation, China Meat Industry Tollywood actor & Hindupur MLA Nandamuri Balakrishna has celebrated International Yoga Day in style. The actor was seen performing Yoga asanas at KBR park in Hyderabad today morning. On the eve of International Yoga Day, a large gathering is observed at KBR park. Balakrishna appealed people to practice Yoga to stay fit and achieve the goals set by them. The actor was never seen attending such events, and this is the first time for him to take part in a big Yoga event. Balakrishna has personally appreciated the participants of the event. On the other hand, other film personalities, AP and Telangana politicians, Ministers have performed Yoga at several events in the country. In fact, our Prime Minister Narendra Modi also took special care and interest to promote Yoga in the country. COMMENTARY: An atheist group's foray into Texas is like 'a skunk at a lawn party' 21 June, 2016 by Dr. Gregory Tomlin , | HONDO, Texas (Christian Examiner) The phrase "God's country" in rural parlance has very little if anything to do with religion these days. It is, rather, an expression of appreciation for the beauty of a particular place and, in most cases, is employed by a person from that particular region. The open skies of the Wyoming plains may not have much to offer the average person, but find someone who is from there (someone who loves antelope, kangaroo rats and ground hogs) and you'll find someone who believes it is "God's country." The same is true of a host of wooded areas, mountains, deserts and canyons across the United States. People have been saying their little slice of the pie is "God's country" since 1709, when the phrase was first recorded as a reference to an area blessed with beauty, as the beholder of it understood it. The same is true of little Hondo, Texas, on Highway 90 between San Antonio and Uvalde. To love the county seat of Medina County, you need to love Mesquite thorns, cactus, white tail deer and the occasional rattle snake or two. Hondo is as Texas as it comes. Its home to good people and really, really good food (the Hondo Cafe, Hermann Sons Steak House, and Heavy's Bar B Que to name a few). I've passed through Hondo on multiple occasions. When I have there's a particular sight that always catches my attention. It's a sign on the way into town that reads in all capitals, "THIS IS GOD'S COUNTRY. PLEASE DON'T DRIVE THROUGH IT LIKE HELL." Each time I've seen it (it was gone for a period of time for refurbishment), I've chuckled. You can almost hear an old cowboy sitting on the back of his horse saying it. It's the kind of humor that most Texans get, and people who pass through chalk up to the unique outlook on life the people in the small town share. There's no need to rush. Obey our laws. Enjoy the view. Stop and meet the people. Just about everyone I can think of would get that message, unless you're a thin-skinned atheist so blinded by your twisted view of the First Amendment that you see even a popular catchphrase as a threat to your velvet conscience or, worse, as an unconstitutional endorsement of religion that threatens the fabric of the republic. That's how the Freedom from Religion Foundation feels about the little signs in Hondo according to a letter Mayor Jim Danner received from the Wisconsin-based atheist group. In the letter, Co-complainer Annie Laurie Gaylor, one of the leaders of the atheist organization, tells Mayor Danner that the displays are "divisive" because they "endorse a religious message." "It is inappropriate for the City of Hondo to display religious signs that convey government preference for religion over non-religion," Gaylor writes. As proof, she cites Lynch v. Donnelly, which has nothing whatsoever to do with a topic similar to the Hondo sign. In fact, that case has to do with a nativity display in Rhode Island and is a case the atheist plaintiff lost at the U.S. Supreme Court, but Gaylor knows that. She also knows that cases like Aronow v. U.S. have made it clear that public references to God, such as the national motto, "In God We Trust," have been ruled specifically as affirmations of historical belief serving a public purpose and not as an endorsement of religion. Gaylor also insists that the signs violate Lemon v. Kurtzman, or the "Lemon Test," which proposes that a violation of the separation of church and state occurs when there is an excessive entanglement of religion and the state. For that reason, Gaylor barks that the signs must come done and the city must inform her group of what they intend to do. Notice to Wisconsin-based atheist group: Texans do not like being told what they MUST do. They say things like, "Come and take it," when you give them orders. There comes a certain point in the life of most I-can-have-my-belief-but-you-can't-have-yours types where reason is surpassed by zeal for their secularist vision. This is one of those cases. These signs are not a public display of support for a particular faith, representing an entanglement. They're not even a tacit endorsement of a particular deity. After all, these days, the Attorney General can oh, let's say change "Allah" to "God" in an audio transcript and expect that people will take the two as one and the same. No one is compelled toward belief in God by the sign. No one is coerced to violate their conscience by passing the sign unless, of course, they are bothered by common vocabulary. Failure to bow and prostrate oneself before the sign which seems to be what the atheist group thinks is required will not result in confinement or confiscation of property. These tests compulsion, coercion, conscience, confinement, and confiscation along with the context in which the supposed offense occurs should be the determining factors when trying to decide if the word "God" is used in a manner inconsistent with the Constitution. I say all this to say that the atheists' dog won't hunt. What remains to be seen now is if the folks in Hondo are ready to put up the money it will take to fight the inevitable lawsuit the foundation will file. And they will file it. They are well funded in high cotton, as we say and most small towns aren't. What the atheists cannot win in court, they often win by bleeding people dry. The Hondo signs are nothing more than a humorous way of conveying a point using the common vernacular. On this one, the Freedom from Religion Foundation has it flat wrong (again) and their "advice" is about as welcome as a skunk at a lawn party. Dr. Gregory Tomlin covers the intersection of politics, culture and religion for Christian Examiner. He is also a professor of Church History and a faculty instructional mentor for Liberty University's Rawlings School of Divinity. Tomlin earned his Ph.D. at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and also studied at Baylor University and Boston University's summer Institute on Culture, Religion and World Affairs (CURA). He wrote his dissertation on Southern Baptists and their influence on military-foreign policy in Vietnam from 1965-1973. Released transcript of shooter's comments changes 'Allah' to 'God' 21 June, 2016 by Gregory Tomlin , | ORLANDO (Christian Examiner) The Orlando Police Department and FBI earlier today released a timeline of the terror attack at the Pulse nightclub, as well as partial transcripts of the conversations between ISIS-loyalist Omar Mateen and police negotiators. As expected, the transcripts omitted references to the Islamic State and its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. On Sunday on Meet the Press, Attorney General Loretta Lynch said the government would not release portions of the transcript that "further proclaim this man's pledges of allegiance to terrorist groups and further his propaganda." The transcript released by police also contained another surprise that infuriated conservatives who claim the president and his administration are weak-kneed when it comes to associating terror cases with radical Islam. It changed references to Allah, the god of Islam, to God. Selectively editing this transcript is preposterous. We know the shooter was a radical Islamist extremist inspired by ISIS. We also know he intentionally targeted the LGBT community. The administration should release the full, unredacted transcript so the public is clear-eyed about who did this, and why. The call between Mateen and Orlando 911 begins with Mateen saying Arabic, "In the name of Allah the merciful, the beneficent." By way of comparison, the English translation in the redacted transcript reads, "In the name of God." Mateen also declares in Arabic, "Praise be to Allah, and prayers as well as peace be upon the prophet of Allah. I let you know, I'm in Orlando and I did the shootings." Both of the references to Allah in the statement of praise were also changed to "God." After the release of the transcript of the 911 call with its deletions and changes, furor rose among conservative Republicans. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan issued a statement calling the redactions an insult to Americans. "Selectively editing this transcript is preposterous," Ryan said in the statement. "We know the shooter was a radical Islamist extremist inspired by ISIS. We also know he intentionally targeted the LGBT community. The administration should release the full, unredacted transcript so the public is clear-eyed about who did this, and why." Within hours, however, the Obama administration abruptly changed course, perhaps after seeing a voluminous number of critical comments online some even from liberal quarters. Ryan then issued a second statement saying he was glad the administration had released the full transcript to the American people. "But this should have never been an issue in the first place," Ryan said. "The attempt to selectively edit the record reflects a broader, more serious problem: this administration's continued effort to downplay and distract from the threat of radical Islamist extremism. This is unacceptable. To defeat terrorism we have to be clear-eyed about whom we're fighting." On at least three occasions in the transcript, Mateen pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State and the same man who told Americans holding him in Iraq before his release, "I will see you guys in New York." Al-Baghdadi is seen by the followers of ISIS as the new caliph (spiritual and political leader) of Islam. According to the timeline of the shooting, Mateen walked into the club at around 2 a.m. At 2:02 a.m., the first calls came into Orlando's 911 center. In it, people said there were multiple shots fired at the nightclub. Officers from several law enforcement agencies were on hand within six minutes and engaged the shooter in a gun battle. Another call from Mateen to 911 lasted a short time and contained more of the terrorist's rantings about his allegiance to al-Baghdad. Between 2:48 a.m. and 3:24 a.m., Mateen spoke with the police Crisis Negotiation Team. Those calls lasted 9 minutes, 16 minutes and three minutes, respectively. According to the government's account, it was in these calls that Mateen pledge himself to ISIS and its leader, al-Baghdadi. He also told them there were improvised explosive devices outside of the club. "There is some vehicle outside that has some bombs, just to let you know. You people are gonna get it, and I'm gonna ignite it if they try to do anything stupid," Mateen said. He added that he also had an explosive vest like the kind ISIS terrorists "used in France" last year. Those terrorists killed 103 people in three separate locations. After Mateen hung up, and using information gleaned from eyewitness reports, police pulled an air conditioning unit out of the nightclub's dressing room and evacuated some victims. They later breached the nightclub's walls and opened fire on Mateen. He was killed instantly. A door for missions has been opened at a public school located in the Southern Central region of Honduras. Young-Kap Kwon, a missionary sent by Bethany Presbyterian Church in Atlanta and the Atlantic Korean American Presbytery of the PCUSA three years ago, has been able to raise up and invest in Christian teenagers at a public middle and high school through Taekwondo and the Bible. "It is impossible to do missions within a public school," shared Kwon. "But Taekwondo opened up a path for missions to be able to happen within the school. Typically, missions through education required tremendous amounts of finances and resources to purchase the land for the school, build the school building, recruit teachers and students, and maintain the school. But if only we can do missions within a public school, we don't need to build a school nor recruit teachers or students. We don't need finances to maintain the school. We can carry out a missional ministry by selecting the top students within the school, and through them, building up a church that has been renewed by the gospel and raising up leaders for the nation." This kind of mission was also made possible because Bethany Presbyterian Church had donated the Taekwondo Mission Center to Perula Ulua Middle and High School, a public school located in El Progreso. The rights to the property belong to the school, but Kwon has the right to use the center, and the two organizations have agreed that Kwon can use the center freely to carry out ministry. The church also contributed financially in building the center. The groundbreaking ceremony for the center took place on June 20 of last year, with numerous reporters, the superintendant of education, the mayor, and even members of the military present. The students in Kwon's Taekwondo classes have also won first, second, and third place in national competitions over the past two years. This article has been translated. For the original in Korean, visit kr.christianitydaily.com. Obama Refuses to Protect Civil Rights of California Churches Contact: Jeff Sagnip, 202-225-3765; chrissmith.house.gov WASHINGTON, June 21, 2016 /Christian Newswire/ -- "Nearly two years after California imposed its draconian mandate that requires all insurance companies to pay for abortion the Obama Administration has reached a new low -- reinterpreting the Weldon amendment to allow the mandate to continue," said Rep. Chris Smith, Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Congressional Pro-Life Caucus. "This means that Californians, including churches, will continue to be forced to pay for elective abortions in their insurance plans." Since August of 2014 the state of California has mandated that all churches in the state must cover all abortions in their insurance plans even in plans where abortion had previously been excluded. Numerous churches filed complaints with the HHS Office of Civil Rights seeking enforcement of the Weldon Amendment. The Weldon Amendment is an annual appropriations rider, signed into law consistently since 2004, which protects against state-imposed discrimination on the basis of declining to pay for or participate in abortion. Today the HHS Office of Civil Rights (OCR) released its results of the investigation into the California mandate saying "OCR found no violation of the Weldon Amendment and is closing this matter without further action." Smith continued, "The Weldon amendment named for the Florida Congressman Dave Weldon who authored it has been renewed and signed into law annually, including by President Obama. The Weldon Amendment protects against state-imposed abortion mandates. But Obama's Administration has again shown blatant disregard for the rule of law. This decision illustrates the far reaches of Obama's radical pro-abortion ideology forcing churches and communities of faith that have pro-life convictions to participate in and pay for a practice that dismembers and chemically poisons unborn children. "Congress must not let this discrimination stand. We must take this issue out of the hands of the Obama Administration by moving enforcement of current conscience protections to the courts. Congress needs to enact legislation so churches and other victims have a 'private right of action' so they can have their day in court." For the most up to date version of this release please click here: chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399064 The Mission Society Highlights Plight of Refugees -- And the Struggles to Practice Compassion of Christ New Issue of 'Unfinished' Magazine Describes On-the-Ground Outreach Contact: Ty Mays, 770-256-8710 NORCROSS, Ga., June 21, 2016 /Christian Newswire/ -- As the refugee crisis continues to grow, The Mission Society is taking an in-depth look at the situation's complexities, examining the issues facing Christians who feel called to help but have misgivings about the process. Photo: The latest issue of Unfinished, The Mission Society's quarterly publication, provides readers with eyewitness accounts of the plight of refugees, including detailed accounts of how to help through prayer, donation and active engagement. In the summer edition of The Mission Society's magazine, Unfinished, "Rediscovering hospitality: Getting serious about welcoming the stranger," the outreach ministry looks at how Christians are responding, while noting that "God is the God Who Helps." "As we look to help, many of us are afraid, afraid that we will all be pulled under by the tremendous need," said Max Wilkins, president and CEO of The Mission Society. "While God doesn't expect any of us to help everyone in need, I know God has blessed us to be a blessing. "I know God wants us to care for those who have been or will be placed on our doorsteps," he said, adding that Amnesty International found that 80 percent of the polled people in 27 countries would welcome refugees. In the magazine, Charlie and Miki Chastain, missionaries in Europe with The Mission Society, describe their efforts to assist the refugees. "A night spent volunteering in a refugee camp breaks through apathy and emotional barriers we put up," wrote Charlie Chastain. "When you look into the eyes of these individuals and hear their stories, it becomes abundantly clear that these men, women and children are not that different from us." But for others, the slow pace of resettlement is a source of frustration. In Spain, few refugees have been allowed in by the national government, despite urging from local officials and nonprofit groups. "I'm sure that God's heart is sad," said missionary Laurie Drum in Spain. "People whom He loves are standing at the door, and we cannot open it. With our hands tied, we wait and pray for solutions." Jim Ramsay, Vice President for Mission Ministries, also reflected on the appropriate Christian approach. "As Christians, we are to seek the heart of God in the midst of this unfolding story," he wrote. "How God's people respond matters not only to the physical and emotional needs of the refugee, but our response also matters in how faithfully we are living into our identity as His people." The summer issue of Unfinished also features ethicist and author Christine Pohl, Ph.D., whose article "The Perils of Hospitality," outlines seven risks to opening our lives to others, particularly to those not like us. It's an important practice. "A life of hospitality," she writes, "is basic to what it means to be Jesus' disciples." The magazine also tells the experiences of Christians in North America who helped guide refugees through the complexities of Western society and provides practical advice on how to become engaged in assisting refugees through prayer, donation and personal involvement. The latest issue of Unfinished is available for free at www.themissionsociety.org/unfinished-magazine. Founded in 1984 in the Wesleyan tradition, The Mission Society (www.themissionsociety.org) exists to mobilize and deploy the body of Christ globally to join Jesus in His mission, especially among the least-reached peoples. The Mission Society recruits, trains and sends Christian missionaries to minister around the world. Its church ministry department provides seminars, workshops and mentoring for congregations in the United States and abroad, helping equip churches for outreach in their communities and worldwide. The Mission Society has 180 missionaries serving in 35 countries. To schedule an interview with a leader with The Mission Society, contact Ty Mays @ 770-256-8710 or tmays@inchristcommunications.com. Share Tweet BBC's Caroline Wyatt: My faith helps me through MS Caroline Wyatt, who recently left her role as the BBC's religious affairs correspondent due to a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis, has talked openly about how her faith and the prayers of others are helping her through the illness. In an interview with the Radio Times, she talked of coming to terms with the illness, and how she is remaining positive in the face of increased disability. "It is what it is. I am not angry, and I don't want bitterness to start eating away at me. I don't know what the future holds, but I am determined to make the most of my life. "I have had moments of incredible doubt, but I do still have a faith. Has it helped? Yes. This is not something you can deal with on your own and I have been so touched and so overwhelmed by the number of people who have said they're praying for me and thinking of me. And that really helps." Caroline is taking a break from the BBC, but hopes to be back reporting on the canonisation of Mother Theresa later in the year, and to take a more studio-based role in radio in the future. She talked about her shock at falling over in the street recently, and how the illness has attacked her vision and her balance. She has had symptoms such as numbness for some 25 years, though she only received an official diagnosis last year. In fact her condition had been treated as chronic fatigue, which is what prompted her to leave her role as a defence correspondent for the BBC to move to religious affairs in 2014. Though her time spent reporting in war zones meant facing death regularly, she says that the slow progressive disease of MS evokes a different kind of fear than that faced in war. "It's less terrifying to me to think of being blown up and dying than to think, 'Gosh, I might decline slowly day by day, losing a little bit of capability every day.' And where will I end up? Will I end up in a wheelchair, unable to walk, unable to do all the things I love?" She does, however, have a positive attitude to her difficulties, and is seeking to learn from the experience. "I have quite an optimistic disposition. I always hope for the best but if the worst happens, just deal with it. But I realise now that I did live incredibly selfishly. I pursued my career because it was interesting. I wasn't there for my ex-boyfriend's birthday. I wasn't there for Christmasses and many other significant events. It's made me realise that the really, really important things are your family and your close friends, so to a large degree it is reshaping my view of what really matters." She also discussed her childhood. She was adopted from the care of nuns because her mother's family was staunchly Catholic and the parents didn't feel ready for parenthood. However when she returned to Australia to try to find her birth parents, her reconciliation with them ended up in the parents' reconciling too, and they were married within a few years, with their daughter as a bridesmaid. "They absolutely adored each other, so it was lovely to see them back together again and married." Christians and Muslims must keep living together in the Middle East, say Eastern Catholic bishops A conference of Maronite Catholic bishops has called for a Christian presence to remain in the Middle East, and for believers to live alongside Muslims "in a climate of freedom, democracy and respect for diversity." They discussed the situation of the Maronite bishops who are based in Syria, including Damascus and Aleppo, but said they resisted "all international plans" for partitioning the region and called instead to remain "living together, Christians and Muslims," according to the Catholic News Service. Many Christians have fled due to violent conflicts that have afflicted the region, as well as persecution from radical Islamists in recent years. The Pope and the 'Vicar of Baghdad' Andrew White among others have highlighted the flight of Christians from the area. The Maronite Church, an Eastern particular church of the Catholic Church, has its roots in Lebanon, where the synod took place this week. However Maronite bishops from around the world were present at the meeting. They also highlighted the suffering of the people of Aleppo, who have "a scarcity of (the) necessities of life, such as water, electricity and food, and the demolition of homes and the loss of life-taking, in addition to thousands of dead and wounded, widows and the displaced." They highlighted the poverty of the Syrian people that has been worsened by the conflict and the deteriorating economic situation. "Poverty has become universal," they said. Concerns about the worsening economic situation in Lebanon were also raised, and calls to action made to improve the economy. The synod urged the international community to offer aid and assistance to Lebanon to meet the needs of the two million refugees there, most of whom are Syrian, and to work for their "early return" to their homeland. Church of England to sponsor Edinburgh Fringe play about Christian refugee The Church of England has sponsored a play about a Christian refugee who fled persecution and found himself in the Calais 'Jungle' refugee camp. Still Here, tells the story of an Eritrean refugee's journey from his home country to Calais and his meeting with Rachel Partington, the author of the play and artistic director of Theatre for Justice. It will be put on at the Edinburgh Fringe festival, and is the first time the Church of England has sponsored a play at the Scottish event. "It can be difficult to imagine the plight of those who find themselves persecuted for their faith and fleeing from their homes," said its director of communications, Arun Arora. "As Christians we have a responsibility to speak up for the poor and the marginalised." Partington met the man when she visited Calais in December 2015 with members of her church. She has no idea where he is now they had planned to return and visit him, but a large swathe of the camp has since been demolished. Located in the horn of Africa, Eritrea is run under a one party political system. For more than a decade, the government has been persecuting Christians, who make up around half of the population, and other vulnerable groups. According to persecution charity Release International, all evangelical and independent churches have been closed, and many Christians tortured for their faith. Last year, Eritreans were the second largest group to risk the perilous journey across the Mediterranean in the hope of a better life in Europe. The man told Partington that both his mother and sister had been imprisoned because they were Christians, but even during his hardest times while travelling to Calais, God never left his side. He asked her to tell people in the UK about his country. "Is very important," he said. Partington told the Guardian she felt "a strong sense of connection with him". "We were planning to go back, but the camp and the [makeshift] church were demolished. I don't know where he is now. But I had that time talking to him and others, and now I feel a responsibility to pass on what they said." The play, developed by the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School where Partington is a student, will be staged in the grounds of St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh, in a purpose-built tent-like shelter. "The persecuted church is not something we hear a lot about, it needs to be highlighted. My hope is that people will watch the play, and be moved by the human story and maybe some will have the power to help change the situation," Partington said. "These people are desperate, and it's important that we step up to do all we can to help." Egypt: Christians attacked and homes burned by Muslim mob over rumoured church building Christian homes and property have been attacked by a Muslim mob in Egypt over rumours a house under construction was being turned into a church. A large group of Muslims gathered around the house, owned by Coptic Christian Naim Aziz, in Qarayat al Bayda village near Alexandria after Friday prayers on June 17, chanting: "By no means shall there be a church here". "A great deal of fanatic Muslims gathered in front of the new house of my cousin, Naim Aziz, during its construction because of a rumour spread in the village that this building would be turned into a church," Christian resident Mousa Zarif told International Christian Concern (ICC). Aziz told Daily News Egypt that he was in fact building the house for his son to live in, not for a church. It is claimed the mob attacked the home, destroying the construction materials and also attacked Naim and his brother, leaving both men injured. Christian homes and properties in the surrounding area were also reportedly attacked and looted, including a church community centre. "They also intercepted the car of Fr Karas Naser, the priest of the Holy Virgin and the Archangel Michael Coptic Church when he arrived at the village," Zarif said. "They attacked him but some moderate Muslims intervened, rescuing him from their hands and getting him out of the car." When police arrived, they did not stop the destruction. They arrested six coptic Christians, including Aziz and his brother, along with six Muslims. The six Muslims were freed shortly afterwards, while the Christians were released the next day on bail, having been charged with holding prayers without permission and building without a permit. "We are concerned at the failure of the security services to ensure the safety of the Coptic Community and at the arrest of six Copts on spurious charges," said Mervyn Thomas, chief executive of Christian Solidarity Worldwide. "This incident underscores the urgent constitutional requirement for the House of Representatives to issue a law regulating the construction and renovation of houses of worship in a manner that guarantees the right of Christians to worship in community with others." The attack was filmed. A video showed a large crowd shouting "we don't want a church". It also showed the arrival of the police on the scene. Aziz told Copts Today that instead of protecting him and his property, they allowed the destruction to continue. "The police and government authorities in Egypt cannot allow these attacks to go unpunished because the victims come from a minority faith. It is unspeakable that the victims of these attacks were charged with crimes while the perpetrators continue to enjoy total impunity," said William Stark, ICC's regional manager for South Asia. "It continues to show how Christians in Egypt are treated like second class citizens We call on the Egyptian authorities to ensure that justice is served and that Christian communities like this be protected from further assault in Egypt." Christians, mostly Orthodox Copts, account for about 10 per cent of Egypt's population, which is overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim. Sectarian violence sometimes erupts over disputes on issues related to church building, religious conversions and interfaith relationships. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) last month recommended that the US State Department add Egypt to its list of "countries of particular concern", where "particularly severe violations of religious freedom are perpetuated or tolerated". Though the Egyptian government has taken "positive steps to address some religious freedom concerns" in the past year, there remains a "climate of impunity," the USCIRF said. EU referendum: Christians on both sides call for 'good disagreement' as campaign heats up Christians on opposite sides of the EU debate have called for unity and "good disagreement" as the referendum campaign heats up before Thursday's vote. A joint statement of unity signed by 11 Christians from different parties calls for a vote "for a more just and hopeful world". It is part of a wider campaign by the organisation Christians in Politics to encourage Christians to change the tone of political debate and "disagree well". "Last week, we began writing a different letter," the statement read. "It called for a change in tone on the EU referendum debate. It called on voters of the Christian faith to turn away from the typical political discourse dominating this decision, and to find inspiration in a kinder, deeper framework of guidance for their vote. "Tragically, the terrible death of our dear friend and colleague Jo Cox MP has now indeed marked a sea change in the tone of the referendum debate. "The tensions felt up and down the nation before her death have in part been defused by a national outpouring of unity. Unity in grief. Unity in shock. Unity in condemnation of the politics of division." The statement is signed by a number of MPs from both campaigns. Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron has signed the letter and will vote to remain in the EU alongside Labour's Jonathon Reynolds and Stephen Timms and the Conservatives John Glen and Jeremy Lefroy. The DUP's Jeffrey Donaldson and Conservative minister Desmond Swayne have also signed the statement and will back Brexit. Jonathon Reynolds, chair of Christians on the Left and MP for Stalybridge and Hyde, said it was important to recognise other aspects to the debate other than immigration and the economy. "This referendum was about bigger questions like what kind of society do we want," he told Christian Today. The pro-EU MP added he thought divides created in the referendum could be healed after Thursday's vote. "Whichever side wins the result will be close. You have to respect the other side's views and there are genuine concerns over immigration. But you can have a discussion over immigration without resorting to the levels of Nigel Farage. "We have made difficult decisions like this before and I hope we can heal afterwards." On Thursday Britons will vote on whether to remain a part of the European Union. It is the first time a vote has been held on its membership since 1975. Hundreds of Christians to pray for EU referendum in Parliament Square Hundreds of Christians are expected to pray in Parliament Square on the eve before the EU referendum as an increasingly fractious debate enters the last two days. Both sides have been accused of stoking division as the campaigns to remain and leave the European Union re-started after a suspension following the death of MP Jo Cox. Rev Patrick Allerton, associate vicar of St Dionis in Fulham, said a gathering outside Parliament on Wednesday evening will pray for the "healing of our land and healing in political terms" hours before the polls open on Thursday morning. The event from 7-8pm is for Christians of all traditions and is "totally without agenda or political line", Allerton told Christian Today. "It is a visible statement to the watching world that the church is alive and engaged," he said. "It is about being a city on a hill and a lamp on its stand." The event is part of a series of prayer meetings known as 7:14 to encourage Christians to pray for political events. Allerton said the name was based on the Bible verse 2 Chronicles 7:14 and added that being a Christian meant being political. "We declare and proclaim publicly that Jesus Christ is Lord," he said. "In the first century that was the most political statement you could make not Caesar but Jesus is Lord. "We need to be engaged in politics because that is how the world is run and we want it to be run as close to God's will as possible," he said. "That necessitates being engaged in the political process." The prayer meeting is part of a wider effort among churches to engage with the referendum debate. Although the Church of England has officially remained neutral, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York along with a number bishops have publicly backed remaining in the EU. The same goes for all the bishops in the Church in Wales. Similarly, the head of the Catholic Church in the UK has warned Brexit would create "complex problems". Cardinal Vincent Nichols said there was a "long tradition in Christianity, and in Catholicism in particular, of believing in holding things together". The Presbyterian Church of Scotland has also maintained its longstanding support of the EU. But despite overwhelming support for remaining in the EU from their leaders, Christians in the pews tend to sway towards Brexit. A poll for Populus found Christians as a whole are more Eurosceptic than the general public and significantly more so than other faith groups such as Muslims, Jews, Hindus and Sikhs. Giles Fraser, Guardian columnist and Anglican priest in Southwark, London, has sided with the campaign to leave the EU. He told Christian Today the reason he backed Brexit was because he believed the EU isolated poorer communities. "This is a debate between people on the margins and people in the centre," he said. Polls will open at 7am on Thursday morning and close at 10pm. Islamophobia on the rise in US, says report A prominent Muslim advocacy group says Islamophobia is on the rise in the US, citing an increase in attacks on mosques and the creation of 'Muslim-free' businesses, as well as the inflammatory rhetoric of some senior politicians. There are parallels to the situation in the UK, a spokesman for the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) told Christian Today this morning. Miqdaad Versi, the assistant secretary general of the MCB, said the UK is often a "beacon of hope" but that there are "worrying indicators" of Islamophobia that society needs to be aware of. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) released the report yesterday alongside the Center for Race and Gender at the University of California, entitled: "Confronting Fear: Islamophobia and its Impact in the United States". It highlighted that mosques in the US have experienced a spike in incidents of violence or intimidation, with 78 occurring in 2015, compared to 20 the year before. Interestingly they correlated similar 'spikes' with times when Islam had become an election issue in the US, rather than as a response to terrorist attacks or similar. The proposals from presidential candidate Donald Trump to ban Muslims entering the US were one obvious expression of prejudice. "Islamophobia, or anti-Muslim propaganda, has unfortunately moved from the fringes of American society to the mainstream," Nihad Awad, CAIR's executive director, told the Religion News Service. "It reminds me of what happened to the Jews in Europe and Germany," he said. Islam has also become a political issue in the UK more recently, and the MCB says it is worried about the tone of some debate. "In recent elections, Islamophobia has been used to achieve political ends," said Versi, citing the EU referendum and the London Mayoral elections without specifying specific politicians. "That demonstrates a serious problem within many parts of society, that is being exploited by the politicians concerned." The Metropolitan Police reported an increase in Islamophobic incidents in London last year. A variety of types of Islamophobia were discussed in the report. Some businesses in the US have declared themselves "Muslim-free." For example, the American Civil Liberties Union recently filed a lawsuit against a shooting range in Oklahoma for refusing to allow a Muslim to use its services. The report accused 74 groups of doing work that "regularly demonstrates Islamophobic themes." They include the Christian Broadcasting Network, Jihad Watch, and Fox News Channel. The report specifically identified CBN's Pat Robertson's statements regarding Islam, including that "it's almost like it's demonic" and "it's a religion of chaos." CAIR said its strategy is for Islam to have an "equal place" among the religions of the USA. The report said 10 states had enacted "anti-Islam legislation". Various US States have passed bills that restrict the use of foreign law, including sharia law, in USA state courts, according to Al-Jazeera. The report also highlighted apparent inconsistencies between how violence committed by Muslims is perceived compared to violence committed by Christians: "Acts of violence committed in the name of Islam have undoubtedly contributed to negative public perceptions of Islam and Muslims in the United States, and have certainly fuelled Islamophobic reactions. "However, Islam and Muslims are more likely to be held collectively responsible for the actions of an aberrant few. Atrocities committed in the name of Christianity, by Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army or the more recent ethnic cleansing of Muslims by Christian militias in the Central African Republic, have done nothing to darken the reputation of Christianity in the U.S." Pakistan: Five Christians acquitted of blasphemy charges, two jailed Five Christians were on Monday acquitted of blasphemy charges in Pakistan and two were jailed for six months under the blasphemy law and anti-terrorist act, according to the Centre for Legal Aid Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS). The case, which began on August 16, 2015, was against 16 people who were accused of displaying and publishing material considered threatening, abusive and insulting. Charges of instigating sectarian hatred and hurting religious feelings and the sentiments of Muslims were later added. Pastor Aftab Gill of the Biblical Church of God in Gujrat had published a post about an upcoming ordination ceremony and referenced his late father Fazil Masih, who founded the church, calling him 'Rasool'. The term Rasool means prophet in Arabic and is used in the Quran. This offended local Muslims and a case was filed against him by Mukhtar Ahmed, the sub-inspector of Civil Lines Police Station. In September 2015, the one Muslim arrested in the case was released on bail, but all the Christians involved were denied bail. Almost 10 months later, five people Shafqat Gill, Latif Masih, Unitan Fazal Gill, Mohsin Shoukat and Zulfiqar were freed from blasphemy charges. Two others Pastor Aftab Gill and Hajaj Bin Yousaf were imprisoned for six months. Attacks on Christians and Christian institutions are common in Pakistan, ranked as one of the worst countries in the world for Christian persecution by Open Doors. The misuse of Pakistan's notorious blasphemy law is common and it is often used to settle private scores. Among other high-profile cases is that of Asia Bibi, who has been in prison for six years for insulting the prophet Muhammad, an allegation she has always denied. Samsung Galaxy Note 7 release date: regular display version included in lineup? Although Samsung has yet to comment on the rumors, speculations continue to float online about the next company flagship reportedly launching in August. New rumors say that the next Galaxy Note may also become available as a regular standard-display variant. According to SamMobile, although the South Korea-based tech giant has yet to confirm it, the Galaxy Note 7 has been briefly sighted on the company's website. Reportedly, Samsung has listed a new flagship with model number SM-N930F. Although the listing did not indicate any details about the device, the industry follower stated that this may be a hint that the Galaxy Note 7 series will include a version with a regular display. Previously, leaks established that the next Galaxy Note will only have an edge, and even dual-edge, display. However, the SM-N930F model number is reportedly similar to regular Samsung flagship variants. The base models of the Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note 5 bear the numbers SM-N910 and SM-N920, respectively. It is said that fans will have the chance to check out the next Galaxy Note by August, as rumors claim that the Galaxy Note 7 will enter production as early as next month. In addition, observers say that with the speculations coming out of South Korea, it may already be confirmed that Samsung will skip the sixth-gen version of the flagship, going straight to Galaxy Note 7 after the current-gen Galaxy Note 5. Reportedtly, the company is streamlining its flagship products lineup. Since another flagship series, the Galaxy S, is already on the Galaxy S7 version, the Galaxy Note series will have to adjust. While the specs sheet of the next Galaxy Note is still unofficial, speculations suggest that Samsung is pulling out all the stops in making sure that the Galaxy Note 7 is a premium lineup. Under the hood specs reportedly include 6GB of usable RAM, a 256GB storage option and a new display technology. Mark Ferguson Band: New album released by Irish worship group Christian worship group Mark Ferguson Band has released its second album, Hidden. The Irish band, founded in 2007, released the album on June 10 and hosted an official launch in St Marks Parish, Armagh, on June 18. "I am very excited about this album," said Ferguson, one of the band members. "The songs come from a very real experience of life with all its ups and downs. There are strong themes of questioning God, doubts of faith, trusting him, healing and looking towards the world beyond this life." Mark Ferguson Band is made up of Ferguson on vocals, guitar and keys, Jimbo Donaldson on guitar, Timothy Duke on bass and Matt Duke on drums and midi. They have played across Ireland in various worship settings throughout their near decade of music together. Supporters have said: "God has continued to unite, nurture and use them to his glory". Here's a video sampling the tracks from the new album take a listen: The group has also released a video of a live recording of one of the new album's tracks, called "I am yours": Listen in full on Spotify, or purchase the album here. The UK has a proud history of taking in refugees. It must do more now My family knows what it means to be refugees. Some of them came to the UK in 1980 from Iran, while other relatives who happened to be studying in the UK during the Iranian Revolution weren't able to return to their homeland for nearly a decade. The journey to sanctuary from the Middle East to European shores hasn't changed much in 30 years, it seems. Growing up, I heard stories of my family taking long and uncertain journeys through northwest Iran, across Turkey, and into Europe. In order to survive, they relied on the kindness of strangers and the shrapnel that my grandparents had managed to stuff into their pockets before they bundled them into the boot of a car and out of Tehran. They didn't know if they would see my grandparents, or their country, again. Having heard these stories, it is hard to put into words how it felt to arrive on the Greek island of Samos a few weeks ago. Arriving by road at a camp, now a temporary home to thousands of refugees, there isn't much sign that anything is out of the ordinary. Samos looks like any other Greek island. Green and lush, and surrounded by the blue waters of the Aegean, it evokes the feeling of being on holiday, of enjoying good food and time with family. It is only when you look into the distance to Turkey a mile away that you are reminded of what these islands have come to represent. Christian Aid's partner Apostoli an agency firmly rooted in the Greek Orthodox Church and supported by International Orthodox Christian Charities has been working with refugees who have been arriving in Samos for many months. With borders across Europe now closed, more than 56,000 refugees are effectively stranded in Greece. Unable to move forward, they find themselves living in overcrowded camps with little or no access to education and healthcare, and without adequate provision of legal services to support them in their applications for asylum. Most refugees still hope to travel to Germany and struggle to understand why they are being detained in a camp, having fled from countries where conflicts seem ceaseless, and where hopes of a peaceful life have all but been extinguished. One young Syrian man I spoke to voiced his frustration. Pointing at the rows of tents erected behind toilet blocks with poor sanitation, he shook his head. "This isn't Europe," he told me. His family fled to Syria from Palestine as refugees more than 65 years ago. Now they find themselves displaced again, and with their identification documents stolen from the camp, the authorities are struggling to know how to classify his family. The majority of people I met in Samos were travelling with their families, but there were a considerable number of unaccompanied children, mainly young boys, who have made the journey to Greece alone. According to the UN, unaccompanied children now account for a third of all refugees who make the crossing from Turkey to Greece. That's why the work of our partner, the Greek Council for Refugees, to provide legal protection to children living alone is so important. On the Greek mainland I met two young Syrian boys who, supported by the Orthodox Church, were due to be relocated to Spain. They told me about the daily terror of living in their hometown of Homs. As well as the incessant threat of bombs, the fear of being forcibly conscripted had become unbearable for them. Reckoning that their luck was about to run out, they had made the difficult decision to leave Syria. Despite their heartache, I was struck by their resilience and hopefulness, by their love of education, and their desire to make something of themselves in spite of all they had been through. "I cannot wait to learn and to work," Jorg told me. "Have you been to Spain? I hear it is good there." As I left Greece, I found myself reflecting on the lives of the people I had met: the suspension of people's hopes and dreams as they live in limbo in Greece without a political end in sight to a crisis that is wreaking havoc with their lives. I thought too of Jorg, and how quickly hope can be restored and dreams reimagined when a bright future appears possible. Greece has a long history of absorbing refugees and migrants. But now, at a time when the country is experiencing its own economic crisis and having seen first-hand how overwhelming the humanitarian situation is, I can't help but feel Greece has been abandoned, and left to cope alone. The UK has a proud history of offering refuge to people who need it: people like my own family. For the thousands of refugees in Greece, they deserve far, far better than what I saw. Sian Rowbotham is senior emergency programme officer for the European refugee crisis at Christian Aid, which is calling on the UK government to take a fair and proportionate share of refugees, and to provide safe and legal routes for refugees to travel to, and through, Europe. Tomb of Jesus restoration receives $1.3m in funding The controversial project to restore Jesus' supposed tomb received a major boost on Tuesday as the World Monuments Fund (WMF) announced it would donate $1.3m towards the work. The donation will allow the project on the Edicule, or chamber, in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem to begin immediately after more than 50 years of arguments. The gift from Mica Ertegun, the widow of Atlantic Records co-founder Ahmet Ertegun, goes a long way towards the total amount of $3.4m needed to complete the project. It plans to restore the chamber built above the place Jesus's body is believed to have been buried. The restoration will be the first time in two centuries that work has been done on the site. Decades of arguments between the six Christian denominations that control the site have caused a series of delays which means the most sacred monument is largely in ruins. The chamber had become so precarious that last year the Antiquities Authority of Israel declared it unsafe and the site was closed briefly. In March the Coptic, Ethiopian, Syria and Greek Orthodox, Catholic and Armenian churches finally agreed on a plan to restore the site. The work will see the marble slabs around the chamber removed, the 12th century shrine inside repaired and the cracks in the rock tomb filled. Fights between the six Christian communities have sometimes involved physical violence as each guards its rights over the site ferociously. Such is the mistrust that the keys to the Church have been kept by a Muslim family since the 12th century. His Beatitude Patriach Theophilos III of Jerusalem welcomed the donation and thanked Ertegun for allowing the work to begin. "The Holy Sepulchre is the most sacred monument of Christianity. The resurrection of Christ from the tomb is the foundation of our faith, and Christians throughout the world revere this place for its spiritual importance," he said. "Jewish, Christians, and Muslims alike come to Jerusalem to visit at the tomb of Christ. The restoration of the Edicule is of primary importance." Mica Ertegun said: "I am pleased to be the lead donor for the restoration of the Edicule and to help in the restoration of this sacred place of worship for people of many faiths." Trainee vicar with cancer to appear on BBC programme: 'God is always faithful' Katy Garner thought she had received a death sentence when she found a lump near her groin seven years ago. When tests confirmed she had secondary melonoma cancer the trainee vicar from Portsmouth said she "sank into a bit of a hole". In an interview with Christian Today, Garner, who will be ordained on July 2, praised God's faithfulness throughout her journey. "God walks with me. God is someone you can talk to and scream at. He is always the same. He is always faithful. "There have been times when I have wondered where he is because he has not felt present. But I know it's not him but me who has not let him be present," she told Christian Today. "I have no answer to the question of God and suffering," she said. "But I know my journey has been made easier by walking with God." "The times I feel God has been distant have been the most difficult but that is because I had put a block on him." She was first diagnosed in 2009 but after an operation she was declared cancer free. However in 2015, as she was mid way through her training for ordination, Garner felt a second lump. "I knew what it was," she said. "Of course I hoped I was wrong but when the results came through I was not surprised." She said despite being "very cross", she had learnt to be much more hopeful the second time. "The most important thing you can do is stay positive," she told Christian Today. "Research shows that is the best way to fight it." Although she doesn't describe herself as cured, she is in remission thanks to a new treatment still on trial in the UK. Garner will feature in a BBC documentary on Wednesday night to share her story on The Big C and Me. She believes her struggle with cancer will help in her future ministry. "He [God] wouldn't have called me to this unless he was going to give me the resources to see it through," she said. "And when you have been to the brink and back, and you have experience of what living with cancer is like, it does help you to minister to others. "I haven't got the answer about why God allows suffering, but cancer has not made me lose my faith. You have to work through these questions, and I believe that a journey through difficult times can actually strengthen your faith." After her ordination by the Bishop of Portsmouth, Garner will take up a position as a curate for the villages of West Meon, Warnford, East Meon and Langrish, near Petersfield. "Faith is a journey and does involve doubts," she said. "But that does make you revisit the Bible. I've found that it has made me ask questions, and that has meant a more permanent and beautiful relationship with God. I see God in this situation and I couldn't have walked this journey without him." The Big C and Me will air on BBC 1 on Wednesday night. Vietnam: Nuns stage sit-in to protest land grab in Hanoi Nuns in Vietnam have staged a sit-in to defend their property amid claims police failed to intervene in an attempted land grab, according to Asia News. The Sisters of Saint Paul de Chartres staged a sit-in on a piece of land in Hanoi after a local business woman attempted to build on the property. They spotted building materials on the site and informed local authorities, but they allegedly did nothing to stop it. The piece of land was seized by the Communist party in the 1950s, when authorities began taking church-owned hospitals and schools. The property owned by the sisters had been a school, but was sold by the government to a private investor. Despite this, the nuns have maintained a claim for the land. They have asked the government to return it to them so they can continue their work, though under current legislation the authorities are under no obligation to do so. However the nuns still claim that no one has the right to build on the land. "The lot at number 5 Quang Trung, Hoang Kiem District, Hanoi, belongs to the 'disputed land category'. On many occasions, we sent requests to the relevant state organs. Thus, in theory, no one can build on that lot," they wrote in a letter to the authorities. The Sisters of Saint Paul de Chartres have had a presence in Vietnam since 1860, and were originally from France. They settled in Hanoi in 1883, and had a presence there until 1954. They were forced to abandon their work in the country until almost 50 years later, in 2010, when they were allowed to return. Vietnam's constitution guarantees freedom of religion in principle, but, like China, the Communist government tightly controls independent religious practice. According to the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, it represses "individuals and religious groups it views as challenging its authority", including independent Buddhists, Hoa Hao, Cao Dai, and Christians. Of the 93.4 million Vietnamese population more than half identifies with Buddhism. Roman Catholics make up 7 per cent, Cao Dai between 2.5 and 4 per cent; Hoa Hao, 1.5 to 3 per cent; and Protestants, 1 to 2 per cent. Vote Leave board member quits over anti-Muslim tweets One of the lead figures in the campaign to leave the European Union has quit after it emerged she had shared a string of anti-Muslim material on social media. Vote Leave, the official Brexit campaign group, said it accepted the resignation of one of its board members, Arabella Arkwright, and said the tweets did not match the organisation's views, according to The Times. The material included a retweet of a white girl in the middle of a group of burqa-clad people saying: "Britain 2050: why didn't you stop them grandad?", according to the Guardian. Other retweets included a link to material by Tommy Robinson, the founder of the far-right English Defence League, which suggested Muslims would build an Islamic state in Britain. When asked by the Guardian, Arkwright denied the retweets from her account represented her views and said she abhorred racism in every form. She has since resigned from the campaign group and her name has been removed from their website. "I am absolutely appalled that there should be any underlying suggestion that I have any racist tendencies," she said in a statement to the Guardian. "I would like to make it absolutely clear that my RTs and forwarding do not mean that I endorse in any way the content of them. I RT a wide variety of different views on issues related to the referendum with which I do not agree in order that others can see the breadth of opinion on these matters. Is there anything wrong in that? "You will note that my RTs are seldom accompanied by comments from me except Syrian Christians, who it was being widely reported at the time were being tortured for their faith. I am not a political animal and maybe am guilty of being naive, but I reject all prejudice and am deeply sorry for any offence that may have been caused. Moreover, perhaps I can be clear, I abhor any form of racism." A Vote Leave spokesperson said: "As soon as we were made aware of these tweets we asked Arabella to hand in her resignation, which she has done with immediate effect. "These tweets do not reflect the views of the Vote Leave campaign." Texas consumers are expected to receive a combined $33 million as part of an Apple settlement over inflated e-book prices, according to the Texas Attorney General's office. On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court denied Apple's request to review a lower court decision, which ruled that Apple "played a central role in facilitating and executing" a plan to eliminate competition in order to raise E-book prices, violating federal and state antitrust laws. Thirty-three states, including Texas, filed suit against Apple, contending that they worked with five major U.S. publishing companies to inflate e-book prices. All five publishers settled prior to the trial and agreed to compensate consumers with a total of $166 million. Apple will compensate affected consumers beginning this week, according to the Attorney General's office. The compensation includes the $400 million from Apple, plus any funds remaining from the publisher settlements. Texans who purchased E-books between April 1, 2010 and May 21, 2012, will receive $33 million in compensation, the Texas Attorney General's office stated in a press release. "This is the final chapter in this long-fought litigation with Texas leading the pursuit of justice for consumers across the country," Attorney General Ken Paxton stated in the release. "The investigation began over six years ago, and our Antitrust Section continues to maintain its commitment throughout this case: corporations that violate the laws to increase their own profits at the expense of the people of Texas will be held responsible." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Lennar, a national home builder based in Miami, is breaking form with a close-in development of tall townhomes in Spring Branch. Lennar will introduce three-story townhomes in the Knoll Park community in Spring Branch near Longpoint Drive and Campbell Road. The builder's other current developments are outside Beltway 8. "We've been considering several in-town locations for our new luxury townhomes," Don Luke, division president for Lennar Houston, said in an announcement. "With Knoll Park's proximity to I-10, our sense is this new townhome community, with its prime in-town location, will be very well received." Lennar is the second-largest home builder in the Houston area, with 2,420 closings in 2015 combined with sister brand Village Builders, according to a ranking by Metrostudy. The gated community by Friendswood Development, another division of Lennar Corp., will consist of 106 homes with a central park area with fountains. Homes are priced from $390,000 to more than $420,000, according to the builder. Two- and three-bedroom plans will offer 2,033 to 2,728 square feet and space for an elevator. A model home is open at 1755 Trinity Bend Drive. The detached townhomes, called the Skyline Collection, have front porches, spiral staircases at the entry, island kitchens, home offices, great rooms and covered balconies off the master bedrooms. The six plans contain either 2.5 or 3.5 bathrooms and a two-car garage. Meritage Homes recently purchased land near Gessner and Clay Road for another development in the Spring Branch area. Shadowdale Terrace will also be in the Spring Branch Independent School District. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Mohammad Raheel Show More Show Less 3 of 3 Patterson-UTI Energy is trading its Greenspoint offices for a modern headquarters space in the new Remington Square II office park in northwest Houston. The move will enable employees of the drilling services company to work in a mixed-use environment with the latest amenities and retail space nearby, according to NAI Partners, which represented the firm in the new lease. The official Pride Houston week has a wealth of events on its docket. But there are some notable bars and restaurants getting in on the fun and supporting the LGBT community. Triniti restaurant, 2815 S. Shepherd, is launching a new happy hour series at its Sanctuari Bar with special Pride Weekend Celebrations June 23-26. The celebration kicks off with Happy Hour at Sanctuary on Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m. with specialty-themed drinks. On Friday Lunch at Triniti features new dishes from chef Ryan Hildebrand's new summer menu. DNA evidence has linked a man to the death of a 30-year-old Prairie View woman whose body was found more than two years ago in an abandoned house in southeast Houston. Reginald Brown, 46, is charged with murder in the slaying of Amanda Lewis, according to the Houston Police Department. Police have identified a teenage boy who died late Monday night after he was found stabbed and bleeding in a street in southwest Houston. The 14-year-old boy, identified as Joseph Aguirre-Flores, was spotted about 11 p.m. in the 9800 block of Beechnut near the West Sam Houston Parkway South, according to the Houston Police Department. Long before LeBron became King James, another King James commissioned a new translation of the Christian Bible. The book became one of the most influential texts in human history, and is considered some of the greatest writing ever in English. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Local Islamic groups are seeking to educate local residents on what it means to be Muslim. Local Muslims see the efforts as critical, coming at a time when debate on their role in American society has become part of the presidential race, with Republican candidate Donald Trump calling for a temporary moratorium on Muslims entering the country. Adding to the urgency are incidents in which people claiming ties to Islam conduct terrorist acts, such as a lone gunman's June 12 attack on an Orlando, Florida, nightclub that killed 49 people and injured 52. "It has become more important to reach out to the public and define ourselves before others define us," said Mohamed Shalaby, a cardiologist with a medical practice in Webster who is a member of the Clear Lake Islamic Center, 17511 El Camino Real, and of the Houston chapter of the Muslim American Society. More Information Learning about Islam Clear Lake Islamic Center: 17511 El Camino Real, themasjid.org contains a list of community outreach events. Houston chapter of the Muslim American Society: mashouston.org. The chapter has four centers in Houston, including MAS Youth Center-Clear Lake, 16302 Sealark Road, Suite C, Houston. See More Collapse "What we (in the society) have found is that those who have the opportunity to know a Muslim neighbor or a Muslim co-worker or colleague, they have very positive views of Muslims based on their personal experiences," he said. "But the overwhelming majority, statistics say at least 70 percent of Americans, have never met a Muslim or anyone that identifies as a Muslim." That means the only information many people may receive about Muslims is from news media reports of terrorism, Shalaby said. Islamophobia, he said, is due to a mix of misinformation, confusion and fear about the security of the United States because of threats from radical Islamic groups. Nearly 320 people filed into a conference room of the Hilton Houston NASA Clear Lake hotel June 11 for a free meal hosted as part of an outreach effort by the Houston chapter of the society and sponsored by the Clear Lake Islamic Center. The center has held the dinner for three years. Library hosts 'Know Your Muslim Neighbor' "The purpose is to get communities from different backgrounds all together and create an environment of friendship and build relations," said Shalaby, who heads the committee that plans the annual dinner. The event is held during Ramadan, a monthlong observance of fasting and prayer intended to help Muslims grow closer to God. Shalaby said Ramadan, a time of reflection and gratitude, is the perfect time to strengthen community bonds. "The spirit of (Ramadan) is to be charitable and spiritual in all of our relations and family ties," he said, adding that most people may have heard of the observance but know only "pieces and bits" of what it means to Muslims. Invited to the meal were area municipal and county officials, law enforcement officers, firefighters, business owners and other community leaders. All 250 available spots for the dinner quickly filled up, Shalaby said, and the guest list swelled to 320 names. Earlier that day, an MAS-sponsored event called "Know Your Muslim Neighbor" was held at Harris County Public Library system's Freeman branch. The public was invited to learn about Muslim-Americans and their U.S. roots that trace to the 1700s. "We have events throughout the year," Shalaby said. Center joins in interfaith activities Among its community outreach initiatives, the Islamic center regularly hosts an open house so the public can learn about the religion, tour a mosque and ask questions they may have in an "open, welcoming environment," said Sonia Qureshi, an outreach coordinator at the center. The center also takes part in community service projects, often in collaboration with its neighbor, the Bay Area Unitarian Universalist Church. The two organizations have participated in an annual trash cleanup initiative, the annual Bay Area Turning Point Fill-the-Truck event that raises money for a women's and children's shelter and other projects. The church's minister, the Rev. Bruce Beisner, said he enjoys getting to know his Muslim neighbors and that doing so fits his congregation's interfaith mission. Shalaby is a member of the church's Speakers and Events Committee. And the Islamic center's imam, Waleed Basyouni, speaks at one of the church's Sunday services, which members of the Islamic Center also have attended. And after the Nov. 13 terror attacks in Paris, the church held a rally in support of its Muslim neighbors. Between the Islamic Center and the local chapter of the Muslim American Society, other outreach programs include interfaith activities held with congregations of other faiths around the area. The society operates MAS Give, a program held in conjunction with the Houston Food Bank that distributes food to needy families. And the society offers Boy Scout and Girl Scout programs, Shalaby said, as a means to instill their Muslim youth with strong American identities. "That becomes a protection to them from the radical ideas (of terrorist organizations attempting to recruit Muslim youths) and strengthens their self-confidence so that they are not intimidated by negative messages they may face outside," Shalaby said. The Islamic Center is hosting its annual social picnic, "Meet, Greet and Eat," Sept. 25. Time and location are to be determined. "I would say that what we are doing really stems from our belief that being good a Muslim mandates that you become a good citizen, a good neighbor, a good member of your community regardless of what others are thinking of you," Shalaby said. Discrimination incidents vary Nationwide, there has been a backlash against Muslims. The Council on American-Islamic Relations maintains a list of incidents on its website. Shalaby said he hasn't experienced serious discrimination. "In my personal experience, and it might be different from others, I think it depends on where you are and who you are," he said. "I am in Houston, and I think this is a very diverse community, and people have an appreciation of diversity." He and his wife are from Egypt. The two went to medical school together and moved to the Houston area 22 years ago. They have six children. He said he does have friends, especially women who cover their heads with scarfs called hijabs, and children who have experienced discrimination. He said two years ago, a 14-year-old girl he knows was competing in a regional science fair in Houston. While presenting in front of judges, she was asked questions to explain her experiment. A male judge came up to her when she was finished and asked if she was Indian because of the head scarf she was wearing. After the girl said she was not Indian and that she is Muslim, the judge then asked the middle school student if Muslims were the ones who kill everyone who does not belong to their religion. Shalaby said the student reported the judge to school officials, and the incident was addressed. Islamic State threatens imam at Clear Lake Shalaby pointed out that many of those killed by terrorists purporting to represent Islam are Muslims. According to a 2011 report by the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center, in incidents in which religious affiliation of terrorism casualties could be determined, Muslims suffered between 82 percent and 97 percent of terrorism-related deaths during the preceding five years. In April, the terrorist group Islamic State named the Clear Lake center's imam, Basyouni, a Houston-born scholar, to its hit list because he denounces violence. "Those who commit acts of violence against other human beings are definitely not coming from a Muslim perspective of how we see things," Shalaby said. "Actually, we think they are anti-Muslim in their way of thinking and behaving. Terrorists kill much more Muslims than they kill anyone else. If they really cared about Islam, they wouldn't do that." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Local artist Anita Nelson has found her creative community at the Sugar Land Art Center and Gallery. She rents one of the center's 17 studios, where she works on acrylic paintings, mostly of animals. "Realism with a mix of whimsy," Nelson said, describing her work. Artists in the neighboring studios specialize in silk painting or watercolors. Apart from the gallery, which Nelson runs and has space for about 24 paintings, she said there aren't many venues for local artists like hers to display their work. But that could change with a new citywide effort. More Information Need more? For more information about the Sugar Land Art Center and Gallery: sugarlandartcenter.org For more information about the Sugar Land Cultural Arts Foundation: slcaf.org For more information about the Sugar Land Legacy Foundation: sugarlandlegacy.org See More Collapse The city of Sugar Land's first cultural arts manager, Lindsay Davis, is writing the city's first public art plan. The plan would bring more sculptures by regional artists to Sugar Land's plazas and parks, creating gathering spaces and bringing more visitors into the already growing city, Davis said. Noting that Sugar Land's most recent public art installation - a donated sculpture of two girls taking a selfie in front of City Hall - was widely ridiculed on social media, Nelson thinks artists at Sugar Land Art Center and Gallery could provide better pieces and hopes that with a new public art program they get the chance. Davis got started on the art plan in September, reaching out to the local art community to see where the city could help. Now, the city's arts scene is dominated by nonprofits. In addition to the Art Center and Gallery, which offers classes, studio space, summer camps and an Alzheimer's outreach program, nonprofit arts groups include the Sugar Land Cultural Arts Foundation, which was founded to restore a nearly 100-year-old theater, and the Sugar Land Legacy Foundation, which funded one of the city's existing public art pieces - a Veteran's Memorial in Memorial Park. Sugar Land's Town Square has emerged as a cultural center as well. In addition to the selfie statue, it is home to the sculpture of Stephen F. Austin. Created by local artist Bob Pack, the sculpture has become a city landmark and gathering place, Davis said. That sculpture, she said, "really hits home what a piece of art can bring to the area." Davis will have to wait for approval of the art plan before she can start on new installations, but the first area she would like to tackle is what will be a 3.5-acre plaza in front of Sugar Land's future performing arts center. She would likely feature temporary exhibitions on display for one to two years by regional artists there, Davis said. She expects to have a draft of the art plan available for community feedback by the end of the summer, with the possibility of approval from city council and the parks and recreation board by year's end. Installing sculptures can cost thousands of dollars; so the plan will feature ideas for funding, such as a hotel occupancy tax, Davis said. During the 2015 fiscal year, Sugar Land's hotel occupancy tax of 7 percent brought in about $2.5 million, spent on tourism initiatives. A small amount went toward building Sugar Land's future performing arts center. The Cultural Arts Foundation, which raises more than $100,000 annually from its events, would consider donating to public art in the city, board president Tim Stubenrouch said. At the Sugar Land Art Center and Gallery, Nelson and her co-workers recently were busy preparing to put up their sculpture - a 200-pound, abstract piece by a local artist that will be just outside the center's entrance. Though Nelson was involved in the Houston art scene, the Missouri City resident has decided Sugar Land is where she'd rather invest her time and talent. "I live in Fort Bend County," Nelson said. "I want to see (art) happen in Fort Bend County." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Katy resident Meg Glenn has a passion for reading, and she hopes to make it contagious. While the former English and reading teacher in Katy ISD recently retired after 21 years in the classroom, her dedication to getting books into the hands of students has not diminished. That's why she was so drawn to the idea of Little Free Libraries - an international movement that brings bookstands into the hearts of neighborhoods to making reading more accessible. The Little Free Libraries resemble birdhouses or dollhouses, but the insides are stocked with literature. The motto is "take a book, return a book," and passersby are invited to look for a new read or recycle an old novel. More Information Free Library For more information on the Firethorne Little Free Library, visit its Facebook Group Page. For more information on Firethorne, visit www.firethorne.info or call 281-693-1010. See More Collapse It all started in 2009 when Todd Bol in Wisconsin built a model of a one-room schoolhouse as a tribute to his mother, a teacher who loved to read. Bol filled the interior with books and put the structure on a post in his front yard. His idea soon inspired a grassroots movement. He started a nonprofit organization to track the progress and to provide resources to individuals who wanted to erect their own Little Free Libraries. Today, more than 36,000 registered neighborhood book kiosks are scattered around the world. Glenn discovered the concept on Facebook. "One of my friends had one installed in her yard," Glenn said. "I had never heard of them before that, but I thought that I'd like to have one. Then I got busy and put it on the back burner." More than a year ago, she decided to take up the cause again and went to her homeowners' association in the Firethorne development to seek permission to install a Little Free Library in her yard. Margaret Sparkman, the HOA president, not only liked the idea but offered suggestions. "She said, 'Let's see if we could put it in a public park instead,' " Glenn recalled. The HOA board also granted Glenn $1,500 for the project. "That was a way bigger budget that I had ever imagined," Glenn said. "I was so excited. I waited on pins and needles to order the Little Free Library." With the additional funding, she was able to order two structures, which she installed in the subdivision's main playground next to the Firethorne Community Center at the end of February. Sparkman said the community has reacted to Glenn's project. "Letters have been taped inside thanking her for the books," Sparkman said. "It's so wonderful to instill a love of reading in children from an early age." She said adults have requested their own Little Free Library in the community. "The residents just love this," she said. "We have picnic tables out here so they can sit down and enjoy the books with their kids. They read and make it a play day. I just think it's a wonderful idea." Glenn serves as steward for the Little Free Libraries - keeping one stocked with picture books for young readers and the other full of children's and teen books. She makes regular rounds to check on the books and make sure things are straight and tidy. She adds free bookmarks for customers and sometimes adds little surprises. She hosted an official ribbon cutting for the Little Free Libraries in the spring. "It was so great to hear kids say, 'It's so much fun. I've been here three times already,'" Glenn said. "That's been my favorite part." She believes that connecting children with books is a well worth the effort. "I think kids need to have books and get lost in books," she said. "I wanted to bring that to our neighborhood." Firethorne is the first master-planned community in the Katy/Fulshear area to house a Little Free Library. "We have lots of master-planned communities in Katy," Glenn said. "I would love for us to not be the only one with a Little Free Library. I think it's a good match for any community and I hope it takes off." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Residents and business leaders in northwest Houston are continuing to wage an unending war on the proliferation of "bandit" signs along areas of FM 1960. The Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce is taking a proactive approach to dealing with violators of the bandit sign laws by contacting those businesses that provide a phone number on their signs. "We call on those companies and let them know that this is against state law, and they could be fined if they don't remove them," said Barbara Thomason, president of the chamber. "About 30 percent of the time they don't know. Sometimes, they are mean, ugly and will curse you outThose are the people who are repeat offenders." In 2007, the state took the issue up in the Legislature enacting House Bill 413 into law, which amended Chapter 393 of the Texas Transportation Code and outlawed the use of bandit signs in the right-of-way on interstates, county roads and rural roads. A violation could result in a fine of $500 to $1,000 for each offense. Between 2008 and 2011, volunteers, known as bandit sign rangers, retrieved hundreds, if not thousands, of bandit signs along rights-of-way on FM 1960. Joe Barron who is among a handful of bandit sign rangers, said although the state statue is effective, it only levies civil penalties against violators. "It does have some teeth in it," Barron said. "But the laws are only as good as the enforcement behind it." The signs have been a problem in Harris County for many years. Bandit signs are often seen posted along roadways, nailed to a utility pole or in a median, and usually advertise services such as personal training, carpet cleaning, tax preparation or other forms of enterprise. They also advertise yard sales as well as real estate, open houses or political events. A bandit sign can be small, or a large banner between poles, or a large sign placed in the ground. Thomason said when chamber officials are notified of bandit signs in the area, they will typically go out and take photos of the signs to contact the businesses, or provided as evidence to the Harris County Attorney's Office. Typically, if a sign is on public (or county) property and is less than $25 (in value) it can be picked up and discarded, but if the sign value is greater than $25 it may be discarded, but proper notice, usually within 10 days, must be given by the local authorities, such as the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable's Office. If those signs are not claimed within 10 days, they can be auctioned by the county. While there is the punitive element to eradicating bandit signs, there are other measures the chamber is using to help keep the areas clear of bandit signs. Anne Culver, president/ CEO of Scenic Houston, said while the cities can enact and enforce ordinances, counties are limited to state laws, which can be difficult to enforce. "Bandit signs are a particularly touchy issue," she said. "It is especially painful for urban area counties" Scenic Houston, which was launched in the 1960s, helped streamline the city of Houston's sign ordinance that went into effect in 1980. Since then, the organization has expanded to other communities in Greater Houston, and Texas to provide diagnostic tools to help remedy bandit signs, graffiti and other forms of urban blight. "This doesn't find what cities do wrong, it finds what cities do well," Culver said. In the interim, the Harris County Attorney's Office is working to prosecute bandit sign offenders. Bethany Dwyer, assistant county attorney for the Harris County Attorney's Office, was recently appointed to manage the mounting bandit sign violations and said lately she has been able to persuade some of the violators to remove their signs or face the possibility of more fines, but it is a process. "The problem is that when I get one sign down, three more pop up," she said. Some of those violators keep coming back, and others are considered repeat offenders, but others have only recently appeared in the aftermath of the April 18 flood. In the wake of the flood, signs for roof repair services, debris removal and other cleaning services appeared in the areas that were already littered with bandit signs advertising other services, such as home remodeling services, massage and nail services, maid services or home sales. While many of the advertised businesses are considered legitimate, some could simply be looking to gain access to your possessions. "Some of these are using this to get inside your home," Dwyer said of bandit sign violations in the Harris County Attorney's Office. "Some of these are dangerous people and you don't want them in your homes, or knowing where you live. These are not people you want walking around in your neighborhood." To learn more about the bandit sign program, or to become a bandit sign ranger, contact Dwyer at 713-274-5388, or email her at bethany.dwyer@cao.hctx.net. To learn more about Scenic Houston, log onto http://www.scenichouston.org/ The Spring Independent School District has started working on the second phase of a concentrated improvement plan to improve performance standards at Bammel Elementary School. Bammel Elementary is one of two schools in Spring ISD that received an accountability rating of "improvement required" from the TEA from 2012-15. As a result of that rating over two consecutive academic years of 2012-14, the campus was required under the Texas Education Code to implement a $558,000 reconstitution plan, which zeroes in on problem academic areas for the campus. The cost of the plan includes salaries for new personnel, capital outlay for technology, professional development, supplies and operating costs. "A year ago, we presented a reconstitution plan that we discussed. We have made some improvements, and have been working through the reconstitution plan," said Lupita Hinojosa, Spring ISD's chief academic officer. Hinojosa said some of the preliminary data coming from the TEA looks good, but it may not be good enough. Because Bammel Elementary is expected to receive an "improvement required" rating for the fourth consecutive year a new plan will go into effect. The turnaround plan is used to help chronically low-performing schools that fail to meet state accountability standards, or campuses that have not produced a sustainable gain in academic performance, to meet those standards. Schools that are placed on this plan have two years to make significant progress before the state considers other sanctions. For Bammel, the campus will begin the turnaround plan when classes begin in August, and continue through the 2017-18 school year. "The TEA will look at our progress, and if we have not met standards there is a possibility that the school and the school district will be taken over by a board of managers, or that we will begin the closure process for Bammel Elementary," Hinojosa said. There are a number of contributing factors, including an excessive rate of turnover at the campus, Hinojosa said. As a result of the turnover, there is a lack of continuity among teachers and those in leadership, and a poor use of data, all of which results in poor student performance and a diminished school culture. Another contributing factor is the mobility rate among students. Many of those students live in one of the 17 multi-family apartment complexes that feed into Bammel Elementary, and many of those students typically leave and go attend school elsewhere when the apartment leases expire and the parents move. By the same token, some students move into the area in mid-year and may miss much of the material that is being taught in the classroom. Bammel Elementary School Principal Berky Hernandez-Owolabi, who took over leadership of the troubled campus in January, is working to create a dialog with parents on the needs of their individual students and implement a responsive system that will include face-to-face meetings with parents, incorporate active teaching methods, be culturally sensitive to students, have a student-controlled discourse that allows them to be better engaged in the learning process and provide small group instruction. "We are also looking into making sure that our parents come to orientation for each grade level, so they know exactly what is expected in each of those grade levels; academically, socially, and also how we are going to bring in engineering strategies," Hernandez-Owolabi said. "This will be happening when we come back in late July and early August." Meanwhile, other steps that will be implemented to improve the school's rating include a hands-on involvement by Hinojosa and Spring ISD Superintendent Rodney Watson, as well as the principal and assistant principals; hiring a director of school improvement and a campus coordinator, and incorporating higher leadership standards among new and existing staff members. "This is our plan that we believe is very strong. It gives us room to engage in the work that we need to engage in, but at the same time it is focused and that within two years we will be able to meet standards," Hinojosa said. "(But) our goal is one year. Our children don't have the time, (so) our goal is one year. We are very committed to seeing this through and making sure our children are successful." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate As the population continues to boom in south Montgomery County, apartment complexes have sprung up to take in new residents. Broadstone Woodmill Creek is a four-story, 380-unit apartment community off Sawdust Road that expects to welcome new tenants in July. While construction will continue into the fall, business manager Monica Moore has been busy fielding calls and emails from potential clients. "It seems like we have had a lot of interest seeing that we're not even finished completion of construction yet," said Monica Moore, business manager at Broadstone Woodmill Creek, The community offers a dog park, a bocce ball court, updated kitchen appliances and more, with prices ranging from $1,150 to $2,200. But even with all the amenities, the multifamily market has been slow. "There has been a steady trickle of people," Moore said. "I feel the area, due to issues in oil and gas, there has been a slowdown along with all the new construction." Just under 2,200 apartment units, or seven complexes, have opened in the past year alone, and three more communities are expected to open in July, bringing 924 more units to The Woodlands and south Montgomery County. And while new units are being dumped onto the market, from 16,633 total units in June of 2015 to 18,815 by the end of May, occupancy rates have plummeted as a result, according to data from Houston-based Apartment Data Services. "Up until 2014, we were just building just enough apartments to keep up with demand, so with that, developers got engaged and got their commitments," said Bruce McClenny, president of Apartment Data Services. "They get so committed to a deal that they had to move forward, and they got caught unexpectedly as the oil price dropped." Total occupancy for south Montgomery County was 80.9 percent at the start of June, compared to 88.1 percent in June of 2015. The high-end of the market, which commands the highest rates, is dragging down occupancy rates. Class A apartment occupancy overall is 66.6 percent considering the seven newly opened communities at just 1 percent occupancy. But even Class A apartments that are considered "stable", or operating for at least 13 months, are pushing just below 88 percent occupancy, according to Apartment Data Services. A healthy market is at or above 94 percent occupancy. "They need to bring people into their properties, and unfortunately, they know they got caught in a bad time. Over time it'll be OK, and they'll recover, but the timing of the delivery of their product was unfortunate," McClenny said. And while apartment complexes are trying to keep and attract tenants, new communities have the flexibility of offering concessions and tailoring rental rates to poach and lock in clients. The Heights at Harper's Preserve is a 328-unit apartment community under construction off Texas 242 that is offering concessions to residents, including first full month of free rent and an additional month of prorated rent. Price ranges between $1,000 and $1,900 with tenants expected to move in starting July 15. Construction is slated to be completed by end of October to early December. "I know oil and gas is having a hard time now, but there are still employees there," said community director at The Heights at Harper's Preserve Kimberly Davis. Aside from the energy industry, Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital and Texas Children's Hospital The Woodlands are expected to open in early 2017 off Texas 242, drawing in potentially more than 1,000 jobs, and Davis expects strong demand for units at The Heights at Harper's Preserve despite a sluggish market. "The location of the community is going to be a huge plus for us," Davis said. "We've gotten quite a bit of traffic from the health care system. We're getting a lot from the schools, teachers, administrators, that sort of thing." Broadstone Woodmill Creek is also offering one month rent free and may up the ante if leasing continues to drag. "We will make adjustments to our move-in specials that fall in line with the market and leasing velocity," Moore said. "It's also based on what our competitors are doing." Other new communities near The Woodlands include Harper's Retreat off Texas 242, Grand Estates in The Forest off FM 1488, The Mansions Woodlands off FM 1488, and Townhomes at Woodmill Creek near Sawdust Road. Want to know more? Four apartment complexes have opened in The Woodlands this year with three more expected to welcome tenants in July, bringing in just under 2,200 new units to the market. Those communities include Broadstone Woodmill Creek off Sawdust Road, The Heights at Harper's Preserve and Harper's Retreat off Texas 242, and Grand Estates in The Forest off FM 1488. While Montgomery County is tucked far enough inland to keep it safe from the greatest damage a hurricane can do, emergency management officials warn residents to be prepared for a disaster during hurricane season, which started June 1 and goes through Nov. 30. The last time a hurricane swept through the region was when Hurricane Ike killed nearly 200 people and caused $30 billion in damages in 2008. The biggest impact it had on Montgomery County was damage from wind and downed trees, which left some residents without power for at least a week, said Cynthia Jamieson, a homeland security planner for the county's Office of Emergency Management. More Information Tips to be prepared for a hurricane Hurricane season in Texas stretches through Nov. 30. To prepare for a possible hurricane, residents should: Make a plan: and keep all family members informed Keep a week's worth of supplies: including food, water and candles, in case of power outages Monitor advisories: from officials and local media to stay informed of conditions For a full list of recommended supplies and procedures: visit mctxoem.org See More Collapse It's been eight years since Ike, and some meteorologists say that the next big hurricane is due to strike at any time. According to the annual hurricane forecast report released by the Colorado State University Department of Atmospheric Sciences on June 1, there is a 32 percent chance that Texas will be hit by a hurricane this year, and an 11 percent chance it will be a major one, which is about average for the past century. Philip Klotzbach, the author of the forecast paper, warned that residents near the coast should prepare for a major storm, no matter what the predictions. After being pummeled by heavy rains and two disaster flooding events this spring, Montgomery County Judge Craig Doyal is concerned that, if a hurricane were to hit the area, the saturated ground would make trees more vulnerable to severe winds. Furthermore, the county's work crews are still recovering from working the spring floods. "We've had our share of challenges with weather (this year)," Doyal said. "Our crews are stretched to their limit. They're exhausted." When Ike hit, Doyal said the county's work crews' main responsibility was cleaning up downed trees and making sure roads and powerlines were clear. In the event of a hurricane, Montgomery County is considered a "pass-through" county, Jamieson explained, which means that county residents will not be evacuated, but evacuees will pass through the county on their way to shelter in Huntsville and Dallas. Aside from power outages, Jamieson said one of the county's biggest challenges during such events is managing resources, such as gasoline and grocery supplies. "(The evacuees) take a lot of our resources along the freeways," she said. "Gas stations are short, grocery stores get bombarded It's hard for us to sustain our resources in that time." With most of the focus on evacuations and managing the disaster closer to the coast, Jamieson said Montgomery County's main role in the event of a hurricane is to advise residents to prepare in advance for the disaster. The Office of Emergency Management recommends that residents maintain at least a week's worth of resources to sustain them in their home without electricity. Preparation guidelines advise residents to make a plan and coordinate with family to determine where they will meet up, who their point of contact will be and how they will shelter in the case of an emergency. They also recommend filling up on gas in advance and staying off the roads as much as possible. The county Office of Emergency Management offers Community Emergency Response Team training classes for residents who want to volunteer to learn more about how to respond to a disaster and lead their neighborhoods' safety efforts should one occur. The eight-week course teaches fire suppression, basic disaster medical operations, light search and rescue, disaster psychology, team organization and terrorism awareness. For information on disaster preparedness, or to sign up for CERT training, visit mctxoem.org. Students at Lone Star College-Montgomery will have access to a master's and two new bachelor's degree programs at the start of the 2016-17 school year through a partnership with Stephen F. Austin University. Lone Star College's University Center, located at the Montgomery campus, will host undergraduate and graduate degree programs by Stephen F. Austin University. The degrees are a bachelor's of applied arts and science, a bachelor's of social work and a master's of social work. More information can be found online at LoneStar.edu The first three degree programs from Nacogdoches-based SFA University at the commuter college are undergraduate degrees of applied arts and science, undergraduate social work and a graduate degree in social work. A degree program in applied arts and science would seem a natural fit for Lone Star College, which has several workforce training programs. The degree would allow courses in vocational or workforce training to count toward a bachelor's, and 16 percent of LSC students system-wide are enrolled in workforce programs, according to the college's spring of 2016 statistics. "From a market and enrollment perspective, it's a good opportunity to reach a population that isn't being reached," said Stephen Cooper, associate dean of the College of Liberal and Applied Arts at SFA. "I think one of the barriers is ... they're looking at the traditional bachelor's, and they're being told that none of (their workforce credits) will be transferred." The social work program was selected to debut at Lone Star College due to two factors: increased demand and shortage of social work degree programs in north Houston. Though Nacogdoches is two hours from The Woodlands and all of its medical development, the partnership allows the university to tap into a steady stream of students. "We want to prepare more social work practitioners across Texas. ... The location in Houston gives us an opportunity to impact the community because Houston is one of the fast-growing cities in the U.S. The growth creates a unique need for professionals," said Freddie Avant, director and associate dean of the School of Social Work at SFA. Since the partnership between SFA and the college was announced in May, the reception has exceeded expectations. Five students have registered for the undergraduate social work program to be taught at Lone Star College, and a dozen potential students have met with Avant. "We were anticipating and thought it might be, but not in our wildest dreams did we expect it to materialize so quickly," Avant said about the reception of the social work degree programs. "We're just getting started. Once we get through the first year, the pipeline will be established." Traditional in-person courses will be held in the University Center at the LSC-Montgomery campus, and students from across the Lone Star College System will have access to the program. "I think because we're one of the fastest growing community colleges in the nation, I think it was a good opportunity for them to bring their programs to the Houston area," said Becky Duncan-Ramirez, the executive director of the University Center, regarding the SFA partnership. Currently, the center hosts partnerships with four other universities the University of Houston, Lamar University, Our Lady of the Lake University and National American University. The partnership with SFA allows students to ease into a four-year program without having to move away from work or family obligations. "We have quite a few students who have financial difficulty, and going off to college somewhere is too much of a burden on them. It benefits them because they can take courses at Lone Star College that will integrate seamlessly into their BA program without losing hours. If they're a working individual, they continue their obligation, their family, their life," Duncan-Ramirez said. RALEIGH Although the debate about education policy is robust, complicated, and sometimes vitriolic, there is actually broad agreement about the bottom line: if our students were better prepared for college, careers, and the responsibilities of citizenship, North Carolina would reap tremendous benefits.Liberals and conservatives disagree about means, not about the ultimate ends - and often, even our disagreements on the means of school improvement are more about priorities and details, not about basic concepts. I know these spirited policy debates will continue for years to come. That's fine with me. I welcome them.In the meantime, however, it's worth devoting more attention to those ultimate ends. What would it mean for North Carolinians as a whole if our education system vastly improved? Indeed, what does "vast improvement" look like?In the latest edition of the journal EducationNext , three scholars reported the findings of a fascinating study they recently conducted of student performance and economic growth across all 50 states. Eric Hanushek of Stanford University, Jens Ruhose of Leibnitz University Hannover, and Ludger Woessmann of the University of Munich constructed a model to estimate the long-term effects of raising performance to specified benchmarks.Their model found that differences in student performance - measured both by test scores and by years of schooling completed - can account for between a fifth and a third of the differences in state economic performance. Most other empirical studies show comparable results. To be more specific, of the 221 studies published in academic journals on this issue over the past 25 years, about 60 percent have found a statistically significant correlation between average educational attainment or student achievement and state economic growth.Some politicians, activists, and interest groups draw the wrong conclusions about this body of work, however. They assert that because the level of education and skill in the labor force is associated with economic growth, more government spending on education and training will lead to more economic growth. That doesn't logically follow, and isn't confirmed by empirical research. Over the past 25 years, there have been some 119 academic studies probing potential relationships between state education spending and subsequent economic growth. Only 32 percent found a positive correlation.In other words, the successful formation of human capital, through education and training, is critical to the success of any modern economy. It's at least as important as other forms of capital formation, such as building new plants, upgrading software, or repairing roads and bridges. But its value isn't determined by how much is spent, at least not within the variations that are typical across the states.What Hanushek, Ruhose, and Woessmann have done is to quantify what kind of return each state can expect to receive from education reform. This is not an argument about short-term effects, by the way. There is no practical way for better education for a first-grader today to translate into significantly higher economic growth within a few years, or even a decade. In the long run, however, the effects could be quite substantial.Here's what it looks like for North Carolina. If we improved the performance of our students to that of the highest-achieving state in our region, that would translate into an increase in gross domestic product of nearly $600 billion by 2095 - a 9 percent gain in real terms. If we improved the performance of our students to that of the highest-achieving state in the country, our GDP would rise by $2.1 trillion above the baseline, or 34 percent.And what if we focused on low-performing students rather than average scores? If North Carolina raised all of our students to at least a "basic" level of competence in reading and math, the study found, our economy would be nearly $800 billion larger by 2095 than the baseline, an increase of 12 percent.Achieving the required gains in student performance to yield such results would require hard, innovative work on all fronts - from state and local policymakers to the students themselves, their parents, educators, and other service providers. But the work would pay off handsomely. Let's proceed. Employees at Houston-area Department of Veterans Affairs facilities manipulated scheduling data for hundreds of medical appointments, understating patient wait times by days or even months, according to an agency watchdog. Investigators with the VA's Office of Inspector General concluded that two former scheduling supervisors and the current director of two Community Based Outpatient Clinics in Houston had instructed staff to record appointment changes as if the patient had canceled, even when the VA initiated the changes, according to a report released Monday. "As a result, VHA's [Veterans Health Administration] recorded wait times understated the actual wait experienced by the veterans," the report found. "Furthermore, we considered the errors identified significant, resulting in unreliable patient wait times." The report's revelations incensed legislators and veterans advocates, including local veterans who have complained about difficulties getting treatment in the Houston facilities. "They're manipulating the system to make it seem these wait lists are not as bad as they are," said Cody McGregor, national outreach director at Concerned Veterans for America and an outspoken critic of the VA. "You're impacting the lives of heroes, that's the thing that's just sickening." Local VA officials acknowledged the shortcomings found in the report but said no veterans here were harmed. "There was no intentional manipulation at any time," said Anna Teague, associate chief of staff of ambulatory care at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center and outlying clinics. "It was just errors, and we just want to make sure those errors don't happen." Teague said staff closely reviewed the medical records of patients affected by the errors. "No patient harm was caused - no deaths, no nothing at all," she said. "The majority were seen within 30 to 40 days ... Very few had a longer wait time." The investigation prompted by an anonymous complaint comes as part of a system-wide review following revelations in 2014 that dozens of veterans died in Arizona waiting for treatment and that VA medical staff there had manipulated wait times. The scandal triggered FBI and White House investigations and led one of President Barack Obama's deputy chiefs of staff to decry "significant and chronic system failures" and a "corrosive culture" within the VA. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Texas officials have added a Houston man to the list of the states most wanted sex offenders in hopes of capturing him, according to a release this morning. On Tuesday the Texas Department of Public Safety added Roy Lee Bosier, 55, to Texas 10 Most Wanted Sex Offenders. A cash reward of up to $3,000 has been offered for any information leading to the capture of Bosier, a high-risk sex offender. Hes wanted for parole violation and has not complied with mandatory sex offender registration. RELATED: Guy who performs viral antics in Houston traffic posts video of his arrest According to a release, Bosiers last known address was in the Houston area in the 10900 block of Beaumont Highway. Back in 1979 Bosier, along with two accomplices, was convicted in Robertson County of the rape of a 17-year-old girl. He received a ten-year sentence for that crime. Eight years later in Harris County, he was convicted of aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon, which carries a 99-year prison sentence. He struck his victim in the head with a pipe. Bosier was granted parole nearly 25 years later in December 2012. RELATED: Texas AG's office searching for 13 worst child support evaders, collected most of any state in 2015 In June 2015, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles issued a warrant for his arrest for parole violation. In December, the 174th State District Court of Harris County issued an additional arrest warrant for Fail to Comply as a Sex Offender. Bosier is said to be six feet tall, weighing 225 pounds. He has numerous tattoos on his chest and arms, along with some scarring on his back and arms. He has been known to do landscaping work and goes by the name Dee Dee at times. Anyone with information regarding Bosiers whereabouts is asked to call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477). Parties can also text the letters DPS followed by the tip to 274637 (CRIMES) from a cellphone. Web tips can be sent through the DPS website by selecting a fugitive you have information about, and then clicking on the link under their picture. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate If you're politically inclined, you'll likely read plenty of posts today on Donald Trump's newly released campaign finance report for the month of May. There's plenty to examine. The Donald spent more on hats ($450,000) than on strategy consulting ($281,000), for instance. The candidate also paid "Draper Sterling" $30,000 for advertising in May. That company is registered to a house in Connecticut, but it also, much to the Internet's delight, carries the same name as a fictional ad firm portrayed in the TV series "Mad Men." RELATED: Donald Trump touts gun rights at rally in The Woodlands There's also the fact that, of the $6.7 million Trump spent in May, $1 million went to Trump companies or to reimburse his family's travel costs. Trump's activity in Houston is less interesting (the largest recipient of campaign funds were local branches of Holiday Inn Express), but it's always interesting to see where a candidate's support comes from. The three friendliest Houston zip codes for Trump, all of which hovered around the $4,000 mark in total contributions for the month, were 77056 and 77027 -- which cover the Galleria area on the west and east sides of the Loop 610, respectively -- and 77007, which covers the Washington Avenue corridor and a bit of the Heights area. RELATED: UK man arrested at rally planned to kill Trump, authorities say A third of Trump's Houston contributions came from retirees. No other single category of "occupation" comprised more than 6 percent of his cash, though the top runners-up were engineers, investors, attorneys and real estate professionals. Seventy people gave less than $1,000, 10 people gave between $1,000 and $2,000,and nine people gave between $2,000 to $3,000. SEE THIS: Tony Buzbee hosted Donald Trump's Houston fundraiser. Who is he? The smallest contribution was $25 and the highest was $2,813. Update: These totals omit about $16,000 raised across Texas, $570 of it from Houston, by the pro-Trump Great America PAC. >>>See the celebrities who support Donald Trump in the gallery above This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A routine traffic stop ended in the arrest of a northeast Texas man allegedly driving a mobile methamphetamine lab. According to NewsWest9.com, 53-year-old Doug Brock was stopped by Nacogdoches County Sheriff's deputies at 10:30 p.m. Sunday. Brock was reportedly acting nervous, prompting suspicion from the deputies. The sheriff's office did not return requests for comment on Tuesday afternoon. The type of vehicle Brock was driving and where he was arrested in Nacogdoches was not reported by media outlets. The news station reports Brock ran to the woods after giving deputies permission to search his vehicle. He escaped and police discovered a meth lab inside the vehicle. KHOU.com reports deputies found 358 grams of a liquid that tested positive for methamphetamine. Chemicals and drug paraphernalia were confiscated. Deputies obtained a warrant to arrest Brock on Monday, finding him in a motel room that day and arresting him. Brock faces a first degree felony charge of manufacturing a controlled substance. He also faces a second degree felony charge for transporting dangerous chemicals, according to NewsWest9.com. Brock was booked into the Nacogdoches County Jail. A few weeks ago I went camping with some fellow members of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Young Americans for Liberty chapter. Whenever we get together, there is sure to be an impassioned discussion-not just about the Carolina Panthers or the best brands of bourbon, but also American foreign policy and free market economics. I usually jump at the chance to talk anything related to economics-my area of study-but I was lost around this campfire discussion.As my friends eagerly engaged each other in the philosophies of Friedrich Hayek and Ludwig von Mises and even Ron Paul's book End the Fed, the only thing that came to my mind was the equation for the equilibrium level of capital per worker in Solow's growth model. So I sat there in silence, thinking I thought I was the econ major!It turns out that my frustration that weekend is rooted in a larger problem. Economics programs across the country- gearing their curricula to prepare students for the rigors of grad school-have been replacing the teaching of the history of economic thought with the memorization of mathematical models. But what should be required of, and in the end is more beneficial for, every undergraduate is not just a mastery of those models, but understanding of their historical context and the journey of thought it took to build them.The decline of economic history can be illustrated by the fact that, since 1975, the number of faculty members specializing in economic history has fallen from 5 percent to just over 2 percent. And 70 percent of such faculty are entering latter stages of their careers, having earned their PhDs before 1994. This trend is manifested at my school, UNC-Chapel Hill, in the declining importance of economic history courses.In 1997, the economics department offered seven such courses, five of which a student could count toward his or her major. Today, however, only two of the five economic history courses count toward a major. Moreover, the fraction of students who take either class is small given that they can choose their four electives-the number required to earn the major-from among more than 25 courses. The result: a typical undergraduate student finishes his or her economics degree without studying, for example, John Stuart Mill.Additionally, some of the required courses have made memorizing models their focus. Many students regard Econ 101 and Econ 420 (an intermediate macroeconomics course) to be as math-intensive as any calculus class. Unfortunately, little mention is made in those courses of the great economists who created such models, or of the context in which they were first formulated. For example, I learned more about the life and work of Friedrich Hayek this summer as a research intern at the Pope Center than I did during three years of college coursework.Without any historical context, theory is often left in the shadows of its models. Dr. Kelly Markson, an economics professor at Wake Technical Community College, finds that heavy emphasis on equations often leaves the meaning of their concepts hidden to the students who either are new to economic thinking, or are less mathematically inclined. I can attest to that from my experience in Econ 420. Grasping the intuition behind the various models was a secondary concern for most students as they struggled to learn the array of equations introduced with each. In the end, rote memorization generally trumped real learning.Examining historical context opens a much needed perspective for students. For instance, one readily sees the motivations for socialism when considering that Karl Marx wrote The Communist Manifesto and Das Kapital during an era in which England was still industrializing. Around him he saw what he considered to be the suffering of the working classes whom the bourgeoisie exploited in London's factories. Similarly, John Maynard Keynes wrote his book The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money in response to what many considered the failure of capitalism during the Great Depression, and the need for government intervention into the economy. Without this context in mind, one can hardly appreciate the great lengths he goes to mathematize aggregate variables. This same lesson holds true across history, from Adam Smith to Thomas Piketty.But the teaching of economic history has other important justifications. Executives in the financial industry increasingly find that young economists have little knowledge of the causes of the Great Depression and other financial crises. And Robert Solow argues that teaching economic history sheds light on the "interaction between economic behavior and social institutions." Interpreting this interaction requires the kind of "logical rigor" that is just as important as any mathematical model.These historical lessons should be the cornerstone of the undergraduate economics education-not occasional asides that invoke little engagement from students. To remedy this problem, the department should adjust two of its introductory courses and make economic history a requirement for earning the major.Students in Econ 101, the majority of whom in a given semester are likely to be non-economics majors, are poorly served during the time it takes to memorize the equation for price elasticity. Instead, a better economics foundation could be built by interpreting excerpts from, say, Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations. Similarly, Econ 420 can produce better economic thinkers by focusing less on fitting into the course as many models as possible, and more on actually reading the groundbreaking books and analyses of Keynes, Friedman, and others.The department should also expand its current selection of economic history courses that count toward the major-perhaps reintroducing previously offered courses such as "Revisionist Economic History." Undergraduates in the program should be required to complete one such course.In the end, what should be sought is balance. There is, of course, value in having a thorough knowledge of economic models. But they alone contribute little to any meaningful conversation-whether in the classroom or around the campfire-when presented without historical perspective. Dallas Mavericks owner and billionaire Mark Cuban isn't backing down from his earlier remarks about Donald Trump's wealth, or lack thereof. On Twitter, Cuban said if the GOP presidential hopeful was as rich as he claims, he should be able to financially support his own campaign. In light of continued developments, primarily since 2008, there exists in these United States a Legal System which operates on a proved Two Tiered approach to justice rendered, which primarily benefits Democratic Elites and Woke Ideological Virtue Signalers, representing their co-dependent wards, to the expressed exclusion of normal hardworking American citizens: What is your suggestion in remedying this widespread injustice and, if not corrected, its existential outcome for our Constitutional Republic? Complete overhaul the Department of Justice and their enforcers - the FBI - to reflect a far more honest justice system to keep patriots remaining calm. Disband the FBI, and request that congress investigate all unethical and non patriotic practices to partially right the wrongs of a distrusted and politically weaponized "Department of Justice." The summers final Live on the Waterfront concert was held Wednesday evening at Prince Arthurs Landing. The popular series in Thunder Bay has completed nine weekly shows that began on July 13. Wednesdays concert was unique as it was held one hour later in the evening to mesh with the 10 p. In an ISIS video posted online on May 21, ISIS chief Abu Mohammad al-Adnani is seen telling jihadists to "get prepared, be ready ... to make it a month of calamity everywhere for nonbelievers ... especially for the fighters and supporters of the caliphate in Europe and America." claims police adviser and gun policy expert, John M. Snyder.he added.What Americans witnessed on Sunday, June 12, was an example of a Muslim being persuaded by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) to launch a one-man mass murder operation against one of the group's favorite targets: gays and lesbians.In an ISIS video posted online on May 21, ISIS chief Abu Mohammad al-Adnani is seen telling jihadists to "get prepared, be ready ... to make it a month of calamity everywhere for nonbelievers ... especially for the fighters and supporters of the caliphate in Europe and America."Adnani reportedly said regarding jihadists "the smallest action in their heartland is better and more." He said jihadists should initiate lone wolf attacks and doing that would lead to "the great reward of martyrdom." Sadly, it appears that Omar Mateen decided to obey the ISIS leader and launched an attack on a nightspot frequented by gays, lesbians, transgenders and bi-sexual men and women.There have other Islamist murderous attacks on innocents perpetrated by American citizens in the United States, including the one last December in San Bernardino, California.said Snyder,Snyder noted "scholarly research and analysis of Islam indicates that violent, even brutal murderous throat cutting attacks by Muslims on non-Muslims actually are considered acts of piety rather than acts of terrorism by Islamists. This comports with seminal Islamist texts and practice." Among these studies is an article on Realism and Islam by Rev. James V. Schall, S.J., he pointed out.Snyder said,A practicing Catholic, Snyder has been named "the dean of Washington gun lobbyists" by the Washington Post and New York Times, "a champion of the right of self-defense" by the Washington Times, the "gun dean" by Human Events, and "the senior rights activist in Washington" by Shotgun News. He's a former publications editor for the National Rifle Association (NRA), and he's a member of the advisory boards for the National Association of Chiefs of Police (NACOP) and the American Federation of Police and Concerned Citizens (AFPCC). Primeste notificari pe email Nota bene: Adresele email cu extensia .ru nu sunt acceptate. Contractare si Achizitie Bunuri Anunturi de Angajare Granturi - Finantari Burse de studiu Stagii Profesionale Oportunitati de voluntariat Toate Articolele The Reuters Institute Digital News Report is co-sponsored by the Tow Center for Digital Journalism, and is available online at digitalnewsreport.org . Click here to see a discussion of the report, and here to read Emily Bells analysis of Tow research on the close relationship between platforms and publishers. As readers worldwide increasingly rely on distributed newsfound through social media and other aggregators, rather than on a publications homepagetheir awareness of newspaper brands and individual journalists may be deteriorating. The decline of print, the growing use of smartphones and social media, and the rise of ad blockers are changing the way we get our news. But a new report this week by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism suggests that the rise of social media as a journalistic platform is also changing the way readers understand what news is and how it is produced. Shift from traditional news The 2016 Reuters Institute Digital News Report is based on a YouGov survey about several different platforms for news access, including traditional media like TV, radio, and print, as well as digital outlets. Not surprisingly, social media is the big winner. Across the 26 countries and 50,000 online news consumers surveyed, half of respondents say they use social media for news, and 12 percent say it is their main source for news. In the United States, the number of people who use social media for news has almost doubled since 2013, and this number is expected to rise. Social media is not just a new way to access and read news, it is also changing the patterns and culture around news consumption. With alerts about breaking news, we no longer have to go to The New York Times homepagethe stories come to us. Social media and smartphones have also changed how we interact with news throughout the day: 17 percent of those in the US report their first daily point of contact with the news is through their smartphone. Only 6 percent are reading print first thing in the morning. Social media is not just a new way to access and read news, it is also changing the patterns and culture around news consumption. Sign up for CJR 's daily email These numbers vary with geography, along with the cultural habits of each country. France and Germany, for instance, have the largest percentage of traditional news consumption of the countries surveyed, despite the rise in social platforms, because of a strong tradition of sitting down and watching the evening TV bulletins, Reuters notes. Likewise, in Finland and Japan, where digital literacy is high, a significant minority still sit down with a printed newspaper in the morning. And while Facebook is the largest social network for news worldwide, people in other countries also rely on a variety of other news aggregators and messaging apps to share news with friends. One of the most surprising findings of the Reuters report is that news consumers on social media dont necessarily watch video. Platforms and publishers alike have been pouring money into video sharing, such as Facebook Live. One Facebook executive even predicted last week that in the next five years video will replace the written word. But the report suggests that many news consumers are resistant to watching video because it is faster to read an article, and because of the ads that often precede videos. While video consumption is highest in the United States at 33 percent, heavy social media users are about 50 percent more likely to access online news videos, making it likely that as social media use continues to increase, so will video consumption. Is social media the new public sphere? The Reuters study supports the notion that social media is encouraging discourse and debate around the news. A quarter of news readers on social media share links during the week, and these same people, the report notes, are people who tend to be passionate about subjects like politics, business, technology, or the environment. But by consuming the news through the medium of a social network, there is a risk that readers only see a selection of news stories personalized to their own past consumption patterns and unique social circle. Social media platforms use algorithms, based on reading habits, to target readers with news the platform thinks will be of interest. The director of research at Reuters, Rasmus Klein Nielsen, writes in the report that readers do like getting news that is personalized for them by algorithmsand that they often prefer this to news that is selected by the editorial process. Platforms and publishers alike have been pouring money into video sharing, such as Facebook Live. But the report suggests that many news consumers are resistant to watching video. The upside is that readers also tend to be worried that they will miss out on important information and challenging viewpoints. Nic Newman, the author of the Reuters report, said in a Facebook Live-BBC broadcast that 70 percent of people are concerned with missing out on viewpoints as a result of personalization of news, suggesting that social media users are more informed about changes in their news ecosystem than expected. This is something to keep an eye on. As personalized news, tailored to our particular identities and interests, becomes more popular, it is important to remain aware that our social circle has an impact on the stories we read and watchto the exclusion of other stories and viewpoints. Awareness of news brands As Facebook has become a major source of online news consumption, replacing news organizations homepages as a destination, citizens relationships to newspaper brands is shifting. When a New York Times article appears on a Facebook feed, are readers paying attention to the source, or focusing mainly on the headline, image, or content with little concern about the news brand and whether they trust it? In the US, only 52 percent reported that they notice news brands on social media, and only 49 percent on aggregators. In Japan and South Korea, brands are only noticed about a quarter of the time when accessed through aggregators. While these numbers vary in different countries, the Reuters report indicates that in a distributed news environment, consumers care less about news brand. The report also suggests that while people have an idea about which brands they trust for hard news, soft news is growing in reach, especially on social media. And for soft news, people seem less concerned about brand. Because Facebook and other social media platforms have the ability to shape how new stories are presented on their site, they also have the power to change the meaning and resonance of the way citizens relate to the brand at large. Even if readers are tangentially aware of branding when they see a news article on social media, its possible that over time the strength of this branding will be diluted by how it is presented in newsfeeds. Because Facebook and other social media platforms have the ability to shape how new stories are presented on their site, they also have the power to change the meaning and resonance of the way citizens relate to the brand at large. And the erosion of brand loyalty poses a threat to the integrity of journalism. As brands become less visible, there is a danger that the lines between news and information, reporting, and narrative will become blurred. Of course, the relationships between brands, trust, and social media are complex, and the political and cultural context of those relationships is hugely important. We see this in the example of Greece, where media availability and consumption has been influenced by the economic climate. There, social media is the main source of news, more than TV and print combinedin large part because people dont trust traditional news organizations. The survival of publishers The awareness of news organization brands also has implications for the business models of newspapers. Facebook has both provided a new venue for newspapers to reach readers and enabled people to see diverse publications in their newsfeeds. But if people arent aware of which outlets their news is coming from, they may be less likely to pay for particular brands. The danger of this is that publishers themselves will become irrelevant. Journalism is in desperate need of a business model that can support reporting and publishing in the face of decreased revenues from both declining digital ads and subscriptions. (The exception to this rule is the Scandinavian countries. In Sweden, despite a 6 percent decrease in print circulation, there is a 20 percent rate of payment of online news. The report suggests this may be due to language barriersSwedish language news is not globally available for free in the way that English language news is, for instance.) There is a real air of defeatism in the industry about even the possibility of getting readers to pay, writes Mark Thompson, CEO of The New York Times, in an essay for the report on The Challenging New Economics of Journalism. But prospects for advertising are equally grim, he writes. Thompsons advice? Make every story worth paying for. And charge readers for it. So far, the Times has been seeing success in a strategy of digital subscriptions. But Facebooks ability to erase the brand visually from the newsfeed puts even this strategy at risk. As CEO of Edelman UK and Ireland Ed Williams adds, if they cant trust a source, their view is, why should I pay for this? The digital news environment is changing so quickly, it can be hard to keep up. But behind all news is a relationship with readers. The Reuters Institute Digital News Report reminds us that, for a full picture of global digital news, publishers need to pay attention not just to numbers, but to the way news weaves into our lives. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Smitha Khorana and Nausicaa Renner are the authors of this article. Smitha Khorana is a Tow Center post-doctoral fellow at Columbia Journalism School. Nausicaa Renner is an associate editor at the Columbia Journalism Review and the Tow Center for Digital Journalism. She tweets at @nausjcaa. Editors note: The full discussion of this research can be found here The relationship between news organizations and platform companies has become far closer far more quickly than anyone predicted. The increasing influence of a handful of West Coast companies is shaping every aspect of news production, distribution, and monetization. In the past 18 months, companies including Facebook, Apple, Twitter, Snapchat, and Google have moved from having an arms length relationship with journalism to being dominant forces in the news ecosystem. By encouraging news publishers to post directly onto new channels, such as Facebook Instant Articles and Snapchat Discover, tech companies are now actively involved in every aspect of journalism. At the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia Journalism School, we have conducted the first research aimed at evaluating how newsrooms are adapting to the rising influence of technology companies. We found that some platforms are becoming publishers, either by design or by default. Publishers, meanwhile, are experiencing a more rapid than expected shift in distribution towards platforms. In the research, newsroom personnel at every level expressed anxiety about loss of control over the destination of stories, the power of their brand, and their outlets relationship with the viewer or reader. Many acknowledged that technology companies are, for some newsrooms, a potential lifeline. Individuals within news organizations felt they lacked the resources or expertise to create the level of innovation and access to new audiences that social media and platform companies offer. But there are critical issues of democratic and civic concern that have little visibility or priority, either within news organizations or platforms. Sign up for CJR 's daily email We found that: Publishers are posting an ever-increasing volume of stories directly to many different platforms, but with little insight as yet into what the long term effects might be. Some platforms and publishers have a very close relationship, with some platforms providing equipment or financial incentives to publishers that use their tools. At least one platform even requires publishers to pay it a percentage of ad revenue in exchange for using the platform. Scale matters. Some smaller and local newsrooms feel left out, whilst the larger or more digital publishers that have the closest relationships with platforms dominate attention. Publishers anxieties include a lack of data, loss of control, the uncertainty of financial return, and the potential obscurity of their brand in a distributed environment. The question of who owns the user highlights the biggest tension at the heart of the relationship between publishers and platforms. Is a reader of The New York Times on Facebook a New York Times reader, or a Facebook user reading the New York Times? Civic and democratic issues not prioritised by either publishers or platforms include archiving distributed journalism, transparency in algorithmic distribution, concentration of power, and availability of data. We spoke to more than 60 people who work in news organizations and platform companies, the majority through interviews, and a group of 15 social media managers through a round table held at Columbia Journalism School. Interviewees and roundtable participants were all directly involved in social distribution of news. We also conducted a week-long quantitative analysis of how publishers posted links or full articles across different platforms. Some of the sentiments we heard from newsrooms and the patterns of adoption are very reminiscent of arguments first aired over the shift from print to the Web, but this time with far greater existential urgency. Social media and distributed content strategies are now seen as central to editorial decision making for the most digital newsrooms. A social strategy is now often a proxy for a mobile strategy. At one end of the spectrum, the demands of the new ecosystem feel like a forced march. To be honest, what we are experiencing right now is close to chaos, a newsroom social media manager told us. We have thrown so many new things at the organization in the last few years. This is just another new set of instructions. In other places, though, newsrooms both enjoyed new creative opportunities and the results they saw from the spread of their journalism. Platforms have given us way more creative freedom than we have had in the past to tell a story, one journalist told us. Even at the local level, where the economics of Web scale have hit hardest, the possibility of using new infrastructure owned by Facebook or Google was alluring for some. Our very small local sites will close, but they will retain their social presence, said one local news publisher. So we completely drank the Facebook Kool-Aid. Others were far more cynical about the drivers of competition in the mobile news world. We are collateral damage in the war between platforms, a manager at a local publication told us. Theyre fighting with each otherThey will promise certain things to some, theyll give [a publisher] a chance to play, but not to others. We gathered a range of experiences from isolated local newsrooms, where one interviewee admitted to still struggling with print deadlines and the decline of traditional publishing, to large legacy newsrooms that are aggressively embracing platforms. The latter group included CNN, which posts well over 2,000 pieces to third party platforms each week, and digital natives like BuzzFeed and Vox.com. The sense that the future of news is now in the hands of the technology industry was much more prevalent among those who were least able to access the resources of platform companies. The head of digital at one local news publisher was adamant that the bias within platforms was effectively picking winners among the publishers. Others were less sure. What you have to remember about even Facebook is that it is really still run like a startup, and whilst their actions might unintentionally favour certain players, the reality is that it is much too chaotic in there for that to be the case, the publisher of a digitally native publication told us. This grid shows nine diverse journalism companies posting across 21 different platforms. In our quantitative analysis, we looked at nine publishers, chosen for their diversity, across 12 different platforms. While it is clear that most publishers feel the need to be on most platforms, this is not at all reflected in the patterns of posting. Although publishers are experimenting with new platforms and even messaging apps such as Line and WhatsApp, these still comprise a small minority of posts. Apple News was by far the most posted-to service in our sample, which is partly attributable to the very high volume of stories posted by CNN and The Washington Post and the automated nature of the feed into Apple News. A closer look at publisher-by-publisher figures for each platform shows the nuances in how different publishers are utilising different outlets. News organizations consistently post a high number of links on Twitter, despite the fact that nearly all publishers we spoke to saw lower referrals back to their own sites from Twitter when compared to Facebook or Google. Another interesting finding is the surge in individual snap stories posted on Snapchat by newsrooms that are not present on the Discover channel. Publishers that did not manage to gain a coveted slot on the Discover news page are nevertheless producing ephemeral stories for Snapchats avid audience of mostly under-25-year-olds. The New York Times was the only publisher in our week-long analysis that did not produce anything for Snapchat; all eight other outlets published content via Snapchat Discover or Stories. The most pressing strategic question in newsrooms is how to allocate resources between building a destination and creating journalism that is distributed. Business models dictate how organizations approach the dilemma. Publishers with an advertising-based model view social platforms as perhaps the only way to become sustainable. This Hail Mary strategy of publishing as much as possible onto third party platforms reflects the difficult state of the mobile advertising market for most publishers. Those with subscription strategies are very different. They see social platforms as a way to recruit new readers and turn them into paying subscribers, and are therefore more strategic in their posting patterns. One of the biggest challenges was really figuring out how this fits in for [us] as a subscription business, one newspaper social media manager told us. A lot of platforms just dont support subscription models. In our conversations with platform representatives, we heard either anecdotally or directly that most of the major platforms were considering adding features that will drive readers toward subscribing to news organizations. As one product developer from a technology company put it: We do see that the ad market is not that great right now for publishers, so subscription might be something we have to look at. We have accepted that everything will be distributed on platforms, and that our control over that is gone, said an executive in charge of innovation at a large metro news organization. And what we are left with is thinking how we [can] monetize that relationship with our readers elsewhere. This approach contrasts markedly with that of New York Times President and Chief Executive Officer Mark Thompson. Speaking at the Tow Centers Journalism and Silicon Valley conference in November, Thompson said: We have to do both [destination and distribution], adding: I think were moving back to a world of destinations. Facebook wants to be a destination. The issue, and its a very interesting point for journalism, is whether youve got the guts and the confidence to say were going to be a destination ourselves. Our data on Facebook Instant Articles, which opened up to all publishers last April, offer a fascinating insight into how publishers think about evaluating the balance between destination and distribution. The Jeff Bezos-owned Washington Post, with its digital advertising model, went all in on Instant Articles, a completely different approach from that of the subscription-based Wall Street Journal. The New York Times, as Thompson promised, is perched on the cyber fence, posting almost equal numbers of links back to its own site and Instant Articles, with links back to the Times own properties slightly ahead. Technology companies are in fierce competition with each other, and the publishers that provide material for them are either, as the local news manager quoted earlier put it, collateral damage, or beneficiaries of this competition. The clash between Google, Facebook, and Apple, for instance, centers on control of mobile advertising and commerce. Both Apple and Facebook created news products to encourage journalism posted natively to their platforms, while Google has championed the idea of open links and searchable content. This graph shows articles posted natively to platforms where you have to be logged in to the platform to view content, versus links to articles that can be viewed on any site (what we call a networked destination). Of the total number of articles we tracked over the course of a week, most were posted natively to platforms such as Apple News, Facebook Instant Articles, Instagram, or Snapchat. Given that at the beginning of 2015, Instant Articles, Apple News, and Snapchat Discover did not exist, this gives an indication of how rapid adoption has been. The bad news is that so far there are no clear returns in terms of increased advertising revenue as a result of placing more articles on social platforms. Some publishers reported small increases, while others saw no change at all; we will have to wait for more data before a clearer picture emerges. Whatever the underlying business models, our interviewees expressed almost universal concern in two areas: data and brand. Despite efforts by platforms to return more data to publishers, there is still a great deal of frustration that the platforms cannot give publishers enough insight into how their journalism is being read. The real problem that we have [with readers and viewers on social platforms] is that we just cannot extract enough information about user behavior at every point to make good interventions and ultimately build better news products, a data scientist at an international news organization told us while discussing distributed articles. Owning the relationship with the reader or viewer is another way of thinking about distribution versus destination. Googles Accelerated Mobile Pages, for instance, was created expressly with the intention of giving publishers faster loading pages and allowing them to retain data and traffic from user visits. However, when AMPs are viewed as part of the carousel of search results, Google has greater control over the overall user experience, with an algorithm deciding which pages appear next to each other. The question of whether a consumer of journalism belongs to the platform that hosts content or to the organization that produces it goes to the very heart of how platforms are becoming more than neutral vectors for links and traffic. If, for instance, Facebook is deciding via its newsfeed algorithm that a reader will see more video through her newsfeed and, also via algorithm, which stories or videos to recommend next, this is an active relationship with the users habits and behavior. Facebook and Snapchat both create a publishing environment for display advertising and are directly involved with ad transactions. At the Journalism and Silicon Valley Tow Center conference, we asked Facebook Product Manager for Instant Articles Michael Reckhow about his perspective on the dynamics of this relationship. We think of our readers as the customers that we want to serve with great news, great experience, he said. And then with publishers, we also treat them as customers, and thatsthe language that we use because I think that explains the role that we play. Mark Zuckerberg is adamant that Facebook is just a technology company and not a publisher, yet this is at odds with the idea that the company seeks to attract, retain and own a readership. It was also recently disclosed that a number of publishers were paid to produce more live video specifically to promote Facebook Live. This deal led to the famous exploding watermelon on BuzzFeed, which was watched by 800,000 people one rather slow Friday afternoon, and even to The New York Times putting an editorial meeting on Facebook Live. We came across other examples of incentivized partnerships. Some were transparent in nature, such as Googles partnership with the Times to distribute a million Google Cardboard 3D viewers as part of a Virtual Reality experiment. Others were less significant, such as 360-degree cameras handed to publishers to help them test Facebooks new panoramic video offering. Publishers do not always disclose that Facebook Live broadcasts, for instance, are being paid for in part by Facebook, which raises interesting ethical issues about transparency and more broadly about whether our news ecosystem is being shaped by more than user behaviour. It is clear from looking at what types of material news organizations create on Facebook that not all news outlets are as variedor as incentivizedas others. This graph shows the types of content published by news organizations on Facebook Some interviewees from news organizations were skeptical that social media platforms are just technology companies. They are publishers, they control the audience in many ways. Theyre the gateway to the audience and they determine what they will allow and what they wont, one senior executive at a successful publisher told us. Its their world. I see them as a partner. We call them a frenemy, and I dont even know if thats totally accurate. In the past year, we have seen platforms move beyond hosting material into shaping more aspects of news production and distribution. This includes some functions such as format choice, design parameters, ad sales, and audience data collection which were once at the center of a publishers business model. In the new closeness between news organizations and technology companies, the questions who is the publisher? and who owns the audience? are central. At the moment, this debate is viewed mostly in terms of how it affects business models and financial outcomes for commercial news organizations. However, there is a set of concerns and questions relating to the broader public sphere that have gained little visibility and had few resources directed to them by either news organizations or technology and platform companies. Platforms now must consider significant issues ranging from broad questions of free speech to how to preserve and maintain the integrity of archived material. We have heard growing concern over the opacity of algorithmic and editorial systems that distribute a much more personalized version of news and information, but we do not yet have the right framework to regulate such systems. The rights of users and citizens who post news material themselves and the ethical use of new tools that expose the public to potential risk, such as live video streams, are still to be worked out. Ultimately, even providing a clear view of the relationship between platform companies and publishers is a matter of public interest. The relationships between platforms and publishers are complex, fast-changing, and vital to the future of journalism. Our research so far has mapped the territory of this emerging field. Next, we plan to dig deeper to explore the implications for democracy and the public sphere. The Tow Center research team was lead by research director Claire Wardle, and research was conducted by Tow Fellows Pete Brown, Nushin Rashidian, Priyanjana Bengani, and Alex Goncalves. The Platforms and Publishers project at the Tow Center for Digital Journalism is supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; John S. and James L. Knight Foundation; The Foundation to Promote Open Society; The Abrams Foundation, Inc. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Emily Bell is a frequent CJR contributor and the director of Columbias Tow Center for Digital Journalism. Previously, she oversaw digital publishing at The Guardian. A succession of high-profile scandals in Michigan over the last year have cast a spotlight on the high cost of secrecy in state government. Now, theres an opportunity for open records reform with a bipartisan 10-bill package that passed unanimously through a House committee this springand its championed by a young lawmaker who once trained as a reporter. Journalists have long grumbled about the weak open-records law in Michigan, one of only two states where both the legislature and the governors office are exempt from the state Freedom of Information Act. Michigan ranked dead last in the most recent State Integrity Report Card from the Center for Public Integrity and Global Integrity, with failing grades for legislative accountability, executive accountability, and public access to information. Proposals to strengthen records access crop up regularly, with little to show for it, and its far from certain that the latest proposalwhich doesnt address every concern of transparency advocateswill become law either. But in the wake of the Flint water crisis and a bizarre scandal involving an attempted cover-up of an affair between lawmakers, the current proposal represents the strongest effort in years to bring more sunshine to state government. One of the leaders of the legislative effort is Rep. Jeremy Moss, a Democratic lawmaker from the Detroit suburb of Southfield, who earned his journalism degree from Michigan State University in 2008. Moss didnt go on to work as a reporter, but as he tells it, that journalism background played a critical role in making transparency a priority for him as a legislator. He recalled one major FOIA project in particular: Every student at the journalism school was tasked with sending a records request to one of Michigans 83 counties, asking the county road commission for how much street salt was used the previous winter. The request for a simple line item led to an array of responses. Everything from Why are you asking this? to telling you that theyd only make a copy of the documents for a fee that was unreasonable at best, to Were not responding to this, to no response whatsoever, Moss remembered. Sign up for weekly emails from the United States Project It goes to show you how we had FOIA laws differently applied across the state, he said. If government can hide how much salt is spent in winter, what else can government hide? The class project was a trademark of Jane Briggs-Bunting, the former dean of Michigan States School of Journalism and now the head of the Michigan Coalition for Open Government. In an interview, she noted that while FOIA compliance can be spotty at the local level, the records law doesnt even apply to large sections of Michigans state government. The state has passed open records law for cities, villages, school districts, universities, they all have to have public records and open meetings, but they themselves are exempted as if they are above the law, Briggs-Bunting said. That exemption came into play in the wake of the scandal involving an affair between two legislators, which led to a fantastical cover-up involving the misuse of public resources and inappropriate management of young staffers that seems cribbed from a Hollywood B-movie. The Detroit News broke the story last summerthough, Moss believes, with stronger records access, it might have been exposed sooner. (This MLive explainer highlights some of the roadblocks.) When the House of Representatives business office completed an investigation into the controversy, the release of that report was initially blocked, too, though it was ultimately posted online. The House scandal played out over the second half of 2015. Moss signed on as a co-sponsor to a FOIA reform bill in March of that year, but it didnt go anywhere. Last fall, he reinvigorated it, in partnership with Rep. Ed McBroom, a Republican from the Upper Peninsula. The two spent hours and hours and hours hammering out a proposal, Moss said. Meanwhile, growing awareness of the Flint water crisis brought new urgency to the issue of records access. After an outcry from editorial boards across the state, Gov. Rick Snyder moved to release emails from his office related to the crisisvoluntarily, and initially not including 2013, the year the decision was made to switch Flints water source. Its appreciated, said Jonathan Oosting, a statehouse reporter for The Detroit News. But you have to know, theyre still in control of the material. They make the choices. By coincidence, Oosting actually once sat in a computer assisted reporting classroom with Moss at Michigan States. I think its cool that he has a journalism background, and understands the importance of the institution, Oosting said. Especially as some politicians on the national level are critical of the role that we play. The latest reform package debuted on Sunshine Week in March. A range of groups supported it, including the ACLU of Michiganwhich played a prominent role in exposing the Flint water crisisthe Michigan Press Association, and the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, a conservative think tank that runs its own media outlet. Highlights of the package: The exemption over the governors office would be lifted. To address any concern that Snyder might balk at removing the exemption for his own office, the Mackinac Center dug up a 2010 campaign interview where he backed an earlier proposal to do so. Were going to try to hold him to the campaign promise he made six years ago, Moss said. The legislator also denies any partisan motives: No one can claim Im using this to prove a political point, or that Im using the Flint water crisis as a political issue, or to go after the governor. (Ive been) working on FOIA issues since I was in college. Under the proposal, there would be more access to legislative records, tooto a pointthrough a new Legislative Open Records Act (LORA). Its designed so that open records disputes would not go before the judiciary. Instead, the House and Senate would each appoint a LORA coordinator to handle all open records requests made by citizens and journalists, and if a denial or partial disclosure was appealed, it would go before the legislative council administrator, appointed by the legislature itself. This came about, Moss said, because of some lawmakers concerns about how courts dont have the authority to adjudicate the [constitutionally] protected speech and debate of legislatures. But it strikes Briggs-Bunting as highly unusual. The fact that theres no judicial oversight is one of the significant flaws, she said. You should never let a public body be judge and jury. That is nonsensical. Its the fox guarding the chicken house. Personal correspondence from a constituent to a legislator is also exempt, to address privacy concerns. Moss said lawmakers were careful to define what a constituent is, rather than using a blanket citizen exemption, so that lobbyist-to-lawmaker communications would be publicly available, though Oosting said you could envision it being abused by lobbyists having local friends send correspondence on their behalf. Despite those misgivings, Briggs-Bunting is rooting for the reform package, and is cautiously optimistic about its prospects. Its an open question, though, whether the reform bid will move forward. It was left on the House floor when the legislature began its summer break, and would need to be picked up in the fall, under the shadow of election season. Im worried, Moss admitted. This session is winding down pretty quickly for us to get anything meaningful out there. What the bills do have going for them is bipartisan support, including from party leaders in the House, and nearly 40 co-sponsors. The effort also has an advantage, Briggs-Bunting pointed out, as a 10-bill package: If one bill gets hung up, the others could still make it through. Oosting said he wouldnt be surprised to see it get a vote in the House, though it has an uphill battle in the Senate. If the effort fails this fall, Moss said he doesnt want to start over in a new session, but I would if I had too. While he is up for re-election, hes running unopposed for the primary in a heavily Democratic district. McBroom, his Republican colleague, wont be returning because of term limits. In her heart of hearts, Briggs-Bunting would like to see freedom of information, open meetings, and transparent campaign finance as a constitutional mandate. Michigan is a long way from that, but greater sensitivity to access concerns in the legislature is a start. If people had been more aware of FOIA, and the government was more upfront and transparent, maybe Flint never wouldve happened, Briggs-Bunting said. There are hundreds of children paying a very high price for that kind of arrogance. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Anna Clark is a journalist in Detroit. Her writing has appeared in ELLE Magazine, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Next City, and other publications. Anna edited A Detroit Anthology, a Michigan Notable Book, and she was a 2017 Knight-Wallace journalism fellow at the University of Michigan. She is the author of The Poisoned City: Flints Water and the American Urban Tragedy, published by Metropolitan Books, an imprint of Henry Holt. She is online at www.annaclark.net and on Twitter @annaleighclark. Earth sizzled to its 13th straight month of record heat in May, but it wasnt quite as much of an over-the-top scorcher as previous months, federal scientists say. Record May heat, from Alaska to India and especially in the oceans, put the global average temperature at 60.17 degrees Fahrenheit (15.65 degrees Celsius), according to NOAA. Thats 1.57 degrees (.87 degrees Celsius) above the 20th-century average, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Theres still a good chance that June will break records even as El Nino, one of two main reasons for record heat, dissipates, scientists say. And in the U.S. Southwest temperatures are forecast to dance near 120 degrees later this week into next week. NOAAs July through September forecast is for hotter-than-average temperatures in the entire United States except a tiny circle of southeastern Texas. Were in a new neighborhood now as far as global temperature, said Deke Arndt, NOAAs climate monitoring chief. Weve kind of left the previous decade behind. But its not quite as broiling as it has been. May only broke the record set in 2015 by .04 degrees. Its the first time since November that a month wasnt a full degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) hotter than the 20th-century average. March and February this year were 2.2 degrees Fahrenheit above normal. It is slightly off from the kind of unprecedented large global temperatures weve seen in the last five to seven months, Arndt says. Arndt, like nearly every major climate scientist, says the record warm temperatures are due to a strong El Nino placed on top of man-made global warming from heat-trapping gases that come from the burning of fossil fuels. The El Nino has just dissipated and forecasters expect its cooler flip side, La Nina, to kick in soon, which should keep global temperatures a bit lower than theyve been, but still warmer than 20th-century average, Arndt said But that may not be quite enough to keep 2016 from being the third straight record hot year, Arndt says. Thats because so far, 2016 is averaging 55.5 degrees (13.06 degrees Celsius), which beats the previous January to May record set last year by 0.43 degrees. Jonathan Overpeck, a climate scientist at the University of Arizona, just came back from India and its record-breaking heat wave in time for potential record breaking heat in parts of Arizona. Thirteen months of consecutive record breaking heat is really unprecedented, and its yet another visceral glimpse of what is yet to come as the planet warms up even a lot more, Overpeck said in an email. No doubt about it, the planet is warming fast and were feeling the impacts. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. A case in Connecticut state court could help victims from mass shootings including the recent massacre in Orlando sue manufacturers of military style assault rifles used in the attacks, despite state and federal laws granting them immunity. Today, families of victims of the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, where 20 children and six adults were killed, face off against Bushmaster Firearms International LLC, the maker of an AR-15 assault rifle used in the attack. The case is seen by lawyers and gun-control advocates as the best chance to challenge the legal immunity Congress granted gun manufacturers a decade ago. Connecticut State Judge Barbara Bellis, in Bridgeport, will hear arguments by Bushmaster that the case should be dismissed because a 2005 federal law protects gunmakers from liability. The case has already proceeded further than other suits like it, giving hope to plaintiffs who want Bushmaster to pay for selling military grade weapons to untrained civilians. If Bellis allows the suit to proceed, it could open the door for shooting victims elsewhere to file similar cases, Katie Mesner-Hage, a lawyer for the Sandy Hook plaintiffs, said in an interview. Bushmaster didnt respond to calls or e-mails about the suit. The company has said it did nothing illegal by selling the gun used in the attack. Liability Shield A lawsuit in Florida over the Orlando shooting would face steep odds. Florida is one of 34 states that gives immunity to gunmakers, offering protection that a judge may deem more comprehensive than federal law. For instance, Florida, unlike Connecticut, requires plaintiffs to cover defense attorney fees if the court sides with the gunmaker. Cultural differences could make a difference too, said Franklin Zimring, a law professor at the University of California, Berkeley. The community attitudes that affect the general orientations of judges are much more skeptical about firearms in Connecticut than in a Florida setting, he said. If Im a gun manufacturer, Id much rather defend a case in Florida. Gunmakers say theyre protected in all states by the federal law, the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which shields them from liability when crimes are committed with their products. The statute has helped the industry win dismissal of other cases, and U.S. lawmakers have rejected attempts to impose tighter restrictions on gun sales. The Sandy Hook case hinges on whether the plaintiffs claims fall within an exception to the federal law, that Bushmaster negligently entrusted a military-grade weapon to civilians. The exemption normally is used to target a retailer who sells a weapon to someone who shouldnt have one, or a parent who gives a gun to a child, rather than a manufacturer, said John Culhane, a professor at Widener University School of Law in Wilmington, Delaware. Seemingly Paralyzed With Congress seemingly paralyzed on this issue, certain state court judges depending on what state youre in might approach the case with some kind of urge to do something about it, Culhane said. A creative interpretation of the law like this might be a way to do that. Regardless how the case turns out, the partisan gridlock over gun control means creative lawyering is the only way to bypass the federal legislation, said Timothy Lytton, a professor at Georgia State Universitys College of Law and the author of the book Suing the Gun Industry. Judge Bellis may take as long as three months to rule on Bushmasters dismissal request. The June 12 massacre at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando left 49 people dead, becoming the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history. Omar Mateen, the gunman, acquired his assault rifle manufactured by Sig Sauer Inc. legally under Florida law about a week before his attack, according to newspaper reports. The case is Soto v. Bushmaster Firearms International LLC, 15-cv-6048103, Connecticut Superior Court (Bridgeport). Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. In the midst of Islamic terrorist attacks in Europe and the United States, and despite Americans' apprehension over large numbers of Muslim refugees being resettled in American cities and towns, the Obama administration is doling out taxpayer money to refugees to help them start their own businesses, according to a well-respected watchdog that specializes in government fraud and corruption at the top levels.According to officials at Judicial Watch, under President Barack Obama, the administration provides refugees who collect public assistance special loans for as much as $15,000 each. The loan is meant for the newly arrived migrants to start their own businesses.However, one problem that is never addressed by either the Obama White House, the news media or immigration and refugee advocates is that the tracking of loan defaults is almost nonexistent which translates into big financial losses for American taxpayers, records obtained by Judicial Watch reveal.The cash is distributed through a program called Microenterprise Development run by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Refugee Resettlement. Some of what the refugees receive is shown on their government web site The majority of the recipients are already receiving financial, housing and healthcare assistance or subsidies from the federal or a state's government, according to the Microenterprise Development Program. "It's a risky operation that blindly gives public funds to poor foreign nationals with no roots in the U.S. and there's no follow up to assure the cash is paid back. The idea behind it is to equip refugees with the skills they need to become successful entrepreneurs by helping them expand or maintain their own business and become financially independent," Judicial Watch officials claim."This program should outrage the nation, but the news media are keeping it quiet as part of its disinformation and deceit operation on behalf of Obama and Hillary Clinton, who wants to do even more for Muslim refugees. U.S. military veterans are sleeping in alleyways on dirty, rat infested neighborhoods while unknown Muslims are being given millions of dollars," said former U.S. Marine and retired Police Detective Leonard Clarence Brown. "I'll bet the Muslim refugees don't die waiting for healthcare appointments like our vets," he added.In early 2016, Judicial Watch attorneys submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to HHS for records related to the refugee business loan program. JW asked for information that included the number of loans that are written off per year and the amount of the write-off per defaulted loan. While commercial banks or other lending institutions keep track of default rates on loans, HHS doesn't seem to bother.state JW officials.HHS officially told Judicial Watch that the agency doesn't have a tracking system in place to provide figures involving loan defaults. However, the agency is "preparing to collect this information in the future," according to the records obtained by JW from the agency. After the death of a Nebraska toddler killed by an alligator at Floridas Walt Disney World Resort last week, there are questions of who is at fault in the incident. The parents of Lane Graves said they are overwhelmed by the support they received since his death. Matt and Melissa Graves of Omaha, Neb., issued a statement this weekend in connection with their sons death. Melissa and I continue to deal with the loss of our beloved boy, Lane, and are overwhelmed with the support and love we have received from family and friends in our community as well as from around the country, the family said. We understand the publics interest, but as we move forward this weekend, we ask for and appreciate the privacy we need to lay our son to rest. Neither Melissa, myself or anyone from our family will be speaking publicly; we simply cannot at this time. Sara Brady, who serves as a spokeswoman for the family, declined to comment on when the funeral has been scheduled. An alligator described as being as long as 7 feet snatched the 2-year-old as he waded in shallow water in a lake at a Disney hotel on June 14. The boys remains were found the following day. An autopsy showed that he died from drowning and traumatic injuries, according to the Orlando medical examiner. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission estimates there are about 1.3 million alligators in Florida. They live in all 67 counties of the state and are a protected species. In the U.S., they can be found in Oklahoma, Texas and from North Carolina to Florida. The Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP), administered by the FWCs Division of Hunting and Game Management, addresses alligator-related complaints. In 2015, SNAP received 13,962 nuisance alligator complaints which resulted in the removal of 7,513 nuisance alligators. According to a Fox News report last week, five alligators were killed during the search for the missing boy. SNAPs website states that it is difficult to relocate alligators since they often try to return to their capture site. Laurie Sherwood, a San Francisco-based partner with Walsworth, said there are a few theories of liability to hash out if this becomes a litigated matter, including negligence and premises liability. She explained that Disneys duty to warn resort guests about the alligators would be an issue and would turn on the specific facts of the case, including Disneys knowledge and the steps it took, the likelihood or foreseeability of such an occurrence and whether there was any other information provided to guests warning that alligators are present on the property and in the lakes. The beach, located at Disneys Grand Floridian Resort and Spa across a lake from the Magic Kingdom, had no swimming signs posted but no warning about alligators. Last week, Disney announced it would add alligator warning signs to all of its beach resorts. The resorts beaches remain closed. According to both Sherwood and Steve Jaffe, a managing partner with the Fort Lauderdale-based firm of Farmer Jaffe, the additional warning signs would not impact a case against Disney if it were go to trial. Thats because in several states, including California and Florida, adding the signs after an incident would be considered a subsequent remedial action or measure that cannot be used to establish liability at trial. Jaffe, whose firm handles plaintiff personal injury and class action lawsuits, said that resort guests have an expectation that the hotel and its surroundings are reasonably safe. While a Florida resident likely knows not to go into a lake at night, the same isnt true for out of state visitors like the Graves, he said. Because Disney created the lakes and has knowledge of the alligators being present, he said that is sufficient to prove liability. They dont have an obligation to make the place 100 percent safe, just reasonably safe, Jaffe explained. The child, just two years old, cannot be assessed negligence and any claim of negligent supervision against the parents would be shaky at best, given they were just 5-10 feet away from where the child was taken, Jaffe explained. Disney does have defenses, said Sherwood. First, this is a rare occurrence which impacts any claim of foreseeability, she said, noting the last incident happened 30 years ago. Second, she cited the fact that alligators are indigenous to Florida. Jaffe said the fact there was a prior attack, even though it occurred a few decades ago, could be enough to establish liability. Given its high profile, both attorneys suggested that it was unlikely the case would go to trial. The Associated Press contributed to this article. Guy Carpenter appoints CEO of GC Stockholm Guy Carpenter & Company, LLC, a global risk and reinsurance specialist and a wholly owned subsidiary of Marsh & McLennan Companies, appointed Tobias Andersson as CEO of GC Stockholm, effective April 1, 2017. He will succeed Tomas Ljungqvist, who will become chairman of the division. Andersson will be responsible for overseeing Guy Carpenters activities in the Nordic region with a focus on strengthening the firms market-leading position in the territory. He will report to Massimo Reina, CEO of Continental Europe & MENA. Most recently, Andersson was general manager, Business Area Reinsurance and Specialty, at Lansforsakringar Non-Life. Previously, he was reinsurance manager and head of Lansforsakringar Group Reinsurance, and during his tenure held other positions including reinsurance underwriter, manager Market Analysis and head of Sales. W. R. Berkley Corporation Names Dunn President and CEO of Carolina Casualty W. R. Berkley Corporation announced the appointment of David A. Dunn as president and chief executive officer of Florida-based Carolina Casualty, effective immediately. Dunn has 40 years of experience in all aspects of the property/casualty insurance industry, principally in the specialty transportation segment. Most recently, he served as president of the transportation division of a leading specialty insurer in the U.S. MEMIC Hires Campaneria and Willard Webb as Safety Management Consultants To support continued growth across the Eastern Seaboard, workers compensation specialist The MEMIC Group has announced the appointments of Natalie Campaneria and Debra Willard Webb as safety management consultants. Campaneria joins safety management consultant Luis Pieretti in MEMICs Florida territory while Willard Webb joins MEMICs Maine Loss Control team. Campaneria brings more than 25 years of medical and ergonomics experience as a physical therapist to MEMIC. In her prior role, she founded the ergonomics department for a regional healthcare system with the goal of reducing repetitive strain injuries in the workforce. Campaneria has taught occupational rehabilitation and ergonomics for the Physical Therapy program at Florida International University. Additionally, she has presented at the National Safe Patient Handling and Mobility Conference, as well as the NIOSH Total Worker Health Conference. Willard Webb has more than 20 years of healthcare experience with 10 years as a certified occupational health nurse-specialist with a focus on safety (COHN-S). She is certified by the Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation (CAOHC) and by NIOSH in spirometry. Brentwood Services Administrators Promotes Knick and Girard Tenn.-based Brentwood Services Administrators Inc. (BSA) recently promoted Daniel Knick to the position of senior claim representative on its Occupational Injury Unit, according to Jeff Pettus, president and chief executive officer of BSA. After this promotion, Knick has increased his responsibilities of reviewing, processing and handling occupational accident claims, and determining claims coverage and extent of liability. Knick joined BSA in June 2014 as a claim representative III. Previously, Knick had been a claim service adjuster for Allstate Insurance in Nashville. In a separate announcement, BSA announced the promotion of Shirley Girard to the position of claim supervisor in the Raleigh, N.C., remote office. According to Mark Weaver, AIC, regional claims manager for North Carolina, Girards responsibilities include providing guidance and supervision for claims adjusters and support personnel; assisting in maintaining client satisfaction and resolving issues related to claims. Girard joined the team at BSA in October 2015 as a senior claim representative. Previously, Girard was a workers comp claim adjuster with North Carolina Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance in Raleigh. She holds a North Carolina claim adjuster license. Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty Appoints Hastings as Head of Property, Canada John Hastings has been named head of property for Canada, effective immediately, according to an announcment by Allianz Groups specialist corporate insurer Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS). Based in Toronto, he will report directly to Ulrich Kadow, chief agent for Canada with a matrix reporting line to Jill Knecht, regional head of property, North America. As head of property, Hastings will be responsible for managing and growing Canadas Corporate Property portfolio, developing the underwriting strategy and growing relationships with distribution partners. Managing a team of three, he will work closely with this group to execute on these priorities within the local market. Hastings, who joined AGCS in 2014, has more than a decade of experience in broker and client facing roles. Most recently, he was director of key client management for AGCS in Canada responsible for leading sales, business development and account management for risk managed accounts across several business lines. Previously, he was with Willis Canada as a commercial account executive focused on sales and business development. Prior to this, Hastings was with CNA Canada as a field sales representative; he began his career at Gore Mutual Insurance Company as a commercial lines underwriter. He holds the Chartered Insurance Professional designation The worst oil bust since the 1980s is putting Texas and other oil producing states on the hook for thousands of newly abandoned drilling sites at a time when they have little money to plug wells and seal off environmental hazards. As U.S. rig counts plunge to historic lows, and with at least 60 oil producers declaring bankruptcy since 2014, energy-producing states are confronting both holes in their budgets and potentially leaking ones in the ground. In Texas alone, the roughly $165 million price tag of plugging nearly 10,000 abandoned wells is double the entire budget of the agency that regulates the industry. The problem is forcing states to get creative: Texas regulators now want taxpayers to cover more of the clean-up, supplementing industry payments. Wyoming and Louisiana are riling drillers with steeper fees. Oklahoma is reshuffling money among agencies in the face of a $1.1 billion state budget shortfall, while regulators also grapple with earthquakes linked to oil and gas activities. As downtown turns go, this one happened faster and accelerated. It moved downward faster than the big downturn we had in the `80s, said John Graves, a Houston oil consultant. For some people in our industry, its been more intense. Crude prices that peaked above $100 a barrel in 2014 plunged by 60 percent in just six months. But these responses if they even wind up working are still years from meeting the growing backlog of untended wells. Texas officials predict the number of orphaned wells could soar to 12,000, which would be nearly 25 percent more than what regulators cant keep up with now. Landowners, meanwhile, are growing restless with abandoned pump jacks and damage while drillers warn that crackdowns would only put them out of business faster at a time when oil has finally crept from below $30 a barrel to about $50. Its the magnitude because this bust is so deep. In Wyoming they had a single operator walk away, and instead of it being 5, 10, 20 wells, it was 150, said Bruce Baizel, who monitors oil and gas regulators for the environmental group Earthworks. Its not the small, marginal operators. Youre starting to get into some medium-sized independents walking away from things. Orphaned wells are potential environmental hazards below ground as well as rusted-out eyesores above. A 2011 report by the multistate Ground Water Protection Council found at least 30 cases of groundwater contamination in Texas caused by orphan wells between 1993 and 2008. In the Bigfoot Field south of San Antonio, tall stalks of weedy thistle surround dormant wellheads, some stained with crude or leaking fluids. State regulators place a higher priority on bigger hazards. The problem is not new. Energy-rich state had thousands of orphaned wells on the books for decades, particularly in Texas, where the backlog exceeded 25,000 in the early 2000s before landowners pressured lawmakers to light a fire under state regulators. Landowners are getting antsy again, as the states Republican comptroller, Glenn Hegar, has predicted that a third of oil producers in Texas will go bankrupt this summer. These landowners are chained to a corpse, said Trey Scott, a managing partner of Trinity Mineral Management, which represents landowners who own thousands of acres in the Texas oil patch. With the state facing an average cost of $17,000 per well, Scott said, If you have those wells, your chances of getting them plugged are slim to none. Such expenses are normally covered by fees paid by producers, a reliance that Texas regulators say is no longer sufficient as they appeal for more taxpayer funding. Texas hasnt raised the price of required bonds on drillers since 1991, which are as low as $25,000 for smaller operators. Last year, Texas collected $4 million from drillers who abandoned more than 1,500 wells about a fifth of the cost of plugging all of them. Texas lawmakers wont decide whether to give regulators more money until 2017, while a critical report by the states Sunset Commission in April urged finally hiking bonding rates to protect both the environment and public safety. Last winter, Louisiana started requiring producers to put up a new bond of $7 for every foot drilled in an attempt to deal with the states roughly 3,000 abandoned wells. After drillers revolted, however, Louisianas Office of Conservation in April suspended the new bonding until August. The states broke and theyre trying to raise funds however they can, said Dempsey Oil Company owner Jimmy Dempsey, an operator in northwest Louisiana. It doesnt take a genius to fill a well with concrete. In Oklahoma, budget cuts to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission have led to fewer well-plugging contracts. Nearly $400,000 in emergency funding that Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin sought for the agency this year was used instead for technology upgrades and earthquake monitoring. Were not going to have that same luxury next year, Oklahoma Corporation Commissions Director of Finance Cleve Pierce said of the states well-plugging dollars. (Associated Press writer Sean Murphy in Oklahoma City contributed to this report.) Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. High-tech hackers brought in by the Pentagon to breach Defense Department websites were able to burrow in and find 138 different security gaps, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Friday. The so-called white-hat hackers were turned loose on five public Pentagon internet pages and were offered various bounties if they could find unique vulnerabilities. The Pentagon says 1,410 hackers participated in the challenge and the first gap was identified just 13 minutes after the hunt began. Overall, they found 1,189 vulnerabilities, but a review by the Pentagon determined that only 138 were valid and unique. The experiment cost $150,000. Of that, about half was paid out to the hackers as bounties, including one who received the maximum prize of $15,000 for submitting a number of security gaps. Others received varying amounts, to as low as $100. These are ones we werent aware of, and now we have the opportunity to fix them. And again, its a lot better than either hiring somebody to do that for you, or finding out the hard way, said Carter. The Pentagon said this was the first time the federal government has undertaken a program with outsiders attempting to breach the networks. Large companies have done similar things. Called Hack the Pentagon, the program will be followed by a series of initiatives, including a process that will allow anyone who finds a security gap in Defense Department systems to report it without fear of prosecution. The department will also expand the bounty program to the military services and encourage contractors to allow similar scrutiny. One of the hackers was David Dworken, who just graduated from high school. He said he worked on the program during his free time, logging in between homework assignments. He ended up submitting six vulnerabilities, but they all were reported by other hackers also. He said he started getting interested in hacking when he was in the 10th grade. I took a computer science course at my school and then other students and I were actually just messing around and we found a couple vulnerabilities on my schools website. Thats the first thing I did with that, the future Northwestern University student told reporters. Even though he didnt qualify for a payout, Dworken said it was worthwhile. It also works well in terms of, like networking and getting a reputation kind of thing, he said. You know, Im just in high school. Ive had recruiters contact me about internships over the summer. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. A Nebraska woman whose 10-year-old son died in a boating accident on Storm Lake in 2010 cannot sue the state of Iowa for damages, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled on Friday. The Supreme Court, in a 4-3 decision, ruled that Iowas public-duty doctrine protects government agencies and officers from damage lawsuits when acting in a capacity that benefits the general public. Developed in the 1850s, the doctrine remains widely accepted as law. But courts in some states have rejected it in recent years, arguing against providing a higher level of protection against lawsuits for government agencies than is afforded individuals. Courts in Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, New Mexico and North Dakota have tossed out or limited government protection under the doctrine. Courts in Connecticut, Tennessee and Utah have issued rulings maintaining it. The Iowa case centers on a May 2010 accident in which Harry Foote was piloting a boat carrying his girlfriend, Jamie Laass, and four children on Storm Lake. He drove the boat between two hazard buoys at about 30 miles per hour and struck a dredge pipe submerged in the lake. The boats motor flipped into the boat striking Laass son, 10-year-old David McFarlin, who died later that day. Laass of South Sioux City, Nebraska, sued the state of Iowa for negligence for failure to adequately warn boaters of a water hazard. A district court judge dismissed the case in July 2014 and Laass appealed. The Iowa Court of Appeals last year upheld the dismissal, and Laass asked the Supreme Court to review the case. The Supreme Court opinion written by Justice Thomas Waterman explained that the Iowa Department of Natural Resources had regulatory oversight duties for dredging for the benefit of the public at large. Dredging a lake removes silt that accumulates at the bottom in order to improve water quality. To the extent its duties included ensuring boaters safety, the DNRs role was similar to that of a police officer or park ranger, Waterman said. Iowa courts have consistently held that law enforcement personnel do not owe a particularized duty to protect individuals; rather, they owe a general duty to the public, he said. Three justices disagreed. In a dissenting opinion written by Justice Daryl Hecht, they said the Iowa Tort Claims Act passed by the Legislature in 1965 largely repealed former rules of governmental immunity. That change put the state and private individuals on equal footing with respect to tort liability, Hecht said, adding that the public-duty doctrine should be abandoned. Hecht said the case should have gone to trial. Justices David Wiggins and Brent Appel agreed with him. Attorneys for Laass did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment. Its certainly a tragic case, but given the legal facts we think the ruling is appropriate, said Geoff Greenwood, a spokesman for the Iowa Attorney Generals office, which represented the state. Laass filed two other lawsuits in connection with the accident. In September 2012 she received a $1.2 million settlement in a federal court case naming Foote, the dredge operator, the city of Storm Lake, Buena Vista County and Brunswick Corp., the boat manufacturer. A separate federal lawsuit against a marina at the lake was dismissed on grounds that the marina had no control over the lake. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Press Release: Contact: Crystal Feldman Crystal Feldman govpress@nc.gov Greensboro, N.C. Governor Pat McCrory joined law enforcement officers, first responders, legislators and health care officials today at the Guilford County Sheriff's Office to sign legislation making naloxone, a life-saving opioid reversal drug that has already saved 3,300 North Carolinians, more accessible.said Governor McCrory, who prioritized these issues in his first State of the State address.The legislation represents an early accomplishment of the Governor's Task Force on Mental Health and Substance Use, which delivered a report to Governor McCrory in May recommending expanding capacity for opioid treatment services, medications and overdose prevention, such as naloxone.Beginning at 2 p.m. today, pharmacies in North Carolina will begin making naloxone available without a prescription. North Carolina is the third state in the country to issue a standing prescription order statewide for naloxone.said DHHS Secretary Rick Brajer, who co-chaired the Governor's Task Force.In North Carolina, more than 1,000 people die each year from prescription opioid and heroin overdoses. One out of four autopsies performed by state medical examiners are on those whose deaths are from drug overdose.North Carolina's Good Samaritan Law, signed by Governor McCrory in 2013, cleared the way for law enforcement to carry and use naloxone. It is now carried by officers at more than 70 law enforcement agencies across the state, including the Guilford County Sheriff's Department which has administered more than 600 doses since 2014. In 2015, North Carolina reached a major milestone when the number of opioid overdose reversals from the use of naloxone exceeded the number of overdose deaths.Authorizing the standing order for naloxone is the latest in a series of commitments by Governor McCrory to support those living with substance use disorders. In addition to the Mental Health and Substance Use Task Force co-chaired by Health and Human Services Secretary Rick Brajer and N.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Martin, the governor also established the Crisis Solutions Initiative and the Governor's Substance Abuse and Underage Drinking Prevention and Treatment Task Force which resulted in the statewide Talk It Out initiative.If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, dial 911. For more information about available services and treatment options, go to www.crisissolutionsnc.org Elevate Ensemble Aim to Bring Classical Music to a New Audience Chad Goodman is a classically trained trumpet player from San Francisco. He's also an entrepreneur. As both a professional musician and a business-minded impresario, Goodman founded Elevate Ensemble with the goal of introducing classical music to a fresh audience. With classical music's main audience growing older, Goodman wanted to revitalize the genre with a new, exploratory perspective. Functioning as a pop-up chamber group, Elevate Ensemble is willing to forge new ground with traditional instruments. The group also interfaces will all manners of artists, photographers and biz moguls in the Bay Area to bring their dream to fruition. As described on the funding website for their 2014-2015 concert season, Goodman wants to flip the tradition classical experience on its head: "Elevate Ensemble reimagines the classical music experience: who it's for, where it happens, what it means, and how it's done. Drawing on the vibrancy of San Francisco's cultural scene, our cross-disciplinary productions feature the Bay Area's most inspired young creators." Elevate Ensemble just recently completed their second overall concert season which included a residency at San Francisco State University for one semester. Goodman says the group's intention is to blur the line between a party or a concert at their many disparate performances. Recently featured in Forbes magazine, Goodman described the ensemble's founding and its forward-thinking approach within a conventional atmosphere. Elevate Ensemble is quite literally a portable orchestra, intending to go where the music takes it: "I founded Elevate Ensemble in 2014 with the desire to reimagine the classical music experience: who it's for, where it happens, what it means, and how it's done. Elevate is a flexible music ensemble, a kind of pop-up orchestra, that can easily pick up and go where it pleases, giving more people the opportunity to experience live performances of the music we love so much." Below, watch a brief video introduction on Elevate Ensemble. We want to hear from you. What do you think of the Elevate Ensemble? Let us know in our comments section at the bottom of this page. 2016 The Classical Art, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. TagsElevate Ensemble, Chad Goodman Akron police Akron police are searching for a man who shot a man and pistol-whipped a woman Saturday. (File photo) AKRON, Ohio -- Police are searching for a man who shot a man and pistol-whipped a woman Saturday. A 21-year-old man told police he was walking into a Parklane Manor apartment in the 700 block of Collette Drive around noon when a man ran up behind him and shot him in the shoulder, according to an Akron police report released Monday. The gunman then ran inside the apartment and hit a 21-year-old woman in the head with the butt of the gun, police said. The unknown man ran back out the door. The shooting victim told police he went to the apartment to visit a friend. He was taken to Cleveland Clinic Akron General Hospital with non life-threatening injuries. The woman suffered minor injuries. The shooter was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt. Anyone with information is asked to contact Akron police at 330-375-2490. If you wish to discuss or comment on this story, please visit our crime and courts comments section. Like Chanda Neely on Facebook. Follow me on Twitter: Omnova Beachwood.JPG Discussions have begun for the possible construction of a new Beachwood hospital on property off Harvard Road, next to Omnova Solutions' world headquarters. (Jeff Piorkowski/special to cleveland.com) BEACHWOOD, Ohio -- The principal of a Connecticut asset management firm spoke to City Council members Monday night about a plan to build a new, $50-million hospital and office medical building in Beachwood. John Lin, of Horse Island Asset Management, was introduced to council by Economic Development Director Jim Doutt and told of a desire to build the facility on 4.5 acres of city-owned land off Harvard Road. The vacant property is just east of Omnava Solutions Inc., 25435 Harvard Road, and across Richmond Road from University Hospitals Ahuja Medical Center. Lin outlined a plan he projects will bring 150 jobs to Beachwood, which Doutt said would create a payroll of $25 million annually. The result, Doutt said, would be an additional $500,00 in annual income tax money for Beachwood. "We are an investment company and we manage money for a wealthy family," said Lin, speaking of the family of oil refining billionaire Thomas O'Malley. Lin spoke of Horse Island's lone previous project in the healthcare/hospital field, in Oklahoma. In the Tulsa suburb of Jenks, Okla., which Lin said is similar to Beachwood, Horse Island built a new hospital last year, in addition to a technologically state-of-the-art factory and a luxury hotel on either side of the 25-bed hospital, Bristow Medical Center. "We increased income taxes there by $1 million," Lin told of the project that he said stimulated business in the suburb and surrounding area. "We want a similar type strategy in Beachwood," he said, noting that there would be no factory or hotel in Beachwood. Lin said the strategy calls for building an "ultra hospital" with the best services and accommodations possible. "Of course, it all starts with the doctors, and we will get the top doctors in the area," he said. Lin said he has spoken with doctors in the Cleveland area, doctors who are not limited to practicing within one hospital system. About half the doctors at the new hospital would work exclusively at the facility. The identity of the doctors that could be working at the hospital is being kept confidential until the project moves further along. "We want to do what we do better than anyone else," he said. Lin's strategy calls for the hospital, now known as the TOSH Project, not do perform all services that a "big box" hospital does. Instead, it will specialize in specific areas with a goal to be the best in those areas. He mentioned that the Beachwood hospital could specialize in medical areas such as gastrointestinal care, orthopedics and general surgery. The four-story, 25-bed hospital would have an emergency room that would care for all types of medical emergencies. Lin said the hospital would work with other hospitals in the area for the best patient care. When asked why he wanted to start a hospital in Beachwood, right next to Ahuja Medical Center, and in the vicinity of the Cleveland Clinic, Lin said, "We want to be in this market because of the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals. "Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals are great hospitals," he said. "We are going to push them to be even better." "This is probably one of the most exciting projects, next to putting up Ahuja, we've ever worked on," said Council President Martin Horwitz. "Our city is being marketed as a health center." The site upon which the hospital would be built, several years ago, was home to an Army Reserve building. The city acquired it for future development in 2005 at a cost of $1.25 million. Lin has offered the city $2.25 million for the property, plus payment of $250,000 in real estate fees. "We acquired this knowing we were going to find the best use for this valuable property," Doutt said, "and I think we may have found it." Bill Saltzman, executive vice president of Cushman & Wakefield/Cresco Real Estate, is working with Lin. He called the idea a "win-win situation" for the city and developer. Saltzman said that Beachwood would be filling the property with an operation that will have a lengthy commitment to the city. "This is a long-term commitment with the city of Beachwood," Saltzman said. "This is not a five- or 10-year lease whereby a tenant might consider relocation at the end of the initial term." Lin said the Oklahoma hospital was built in 14 months. He said that the Beachwood hospital, which would be constructed near, but not in the Chagrin Highlands property, could be completed in 18 months. "This is an interesting opportunity and if it can be made to work, it can be great for the city," said Councilman Alec Isaacson. Doutt is gathering additional information about the project which he will deliver to council at a future meeting that will be scheduled to further discuss the hospital. BEREA, Ohio -- Clamco, a manufacturer of bagging and shrink wrap systems for the packaging industry, will consolidate its Texas and Wisconsin operations and bring them to its current Berea facility. Mayor Cyril Kleem announced the good news Monday evening during city council's last regular meeting before summer recess. A 25,000-square-foot addition to the current Berea Industrial Parkway building will be constructed to accommodate the increase in equipment and personnel. "It was between Berea and a location in Wisconsin, and they decided to relocate to Berea," Kleem told council members, adding that tax incentives played a part in Clamco's decision. "I thank all of you for being proactive by working to approve those incentives ahead of time." Matt Madzy, Berea's economic development director, emphasized in an interview Tuesday the 10-year, 49-percent tax abatement only will apply to the new expansion, not the current building. "We've been talking to them for a while," Madzy said. "They applied earlier in the year for a Community Reinvestment Area tax abatement on the scope of the addition. They are proposing new jobs to come in to go with it and some new production in that area." A PAC Machinery company, Clamco plans to implement 21 new jobs over the course of the next five years, Madzy added. He said the company already has hired some former Eaton employees who lost their Berea jobs earlier this year. "It's great because it brings more jobs to the city, and it establishes that a healthy business in Berea is expanding and choosing to expand here," he explained. "This is a good project for Berea. I think it proves Berea is a good, sound economic place to do business and an attractive place for our businesses to expand. We've been working hard on things for the last couple of years, and we're definitely seeing things start to pay off." CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A man who pleaded guilty in 1994 in $3.2 million federal food-stamp fraud case, only to flee to the Middle East, is back in the United States after being located by authorities overseas. Najeh Ottallah, 54, was arrested in Jerusalem May 25, U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott said. He said his office worked with law enforcement there and that two deputy marshals flew there last week and picked him up. He arrived in Cleveland on Thursday night and remains in custody. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karrie Howard, who is assigned to Ottallah's case, did not give specifics on how authorities found Ottallah but said that he "popped up on a radar" of Israeli authorities. U.S. District Judge Donald Nugent has set a hearing for Wednesday. Ottallah has been wanted on an arrest warrant since Oct. 26, 1995, when he did not show up for his sentencing in front of then-U.S. District Judge John Manos. He pleaded guilty to three food stamp fraud-related charges, the first case brought in federal court in Cleveland that targeted the abuse of the anti-poverty program. Najeh Ottallah co-owned the Quincy Eagle Super Market on Quincy Avenue. He, his brother Mahmoud Ottallah and the company that they owned were charged with illegally redeeming food stamps for cash and other violations. Najeh Ottallah faced between 21 and 27 months in prison, according to a plea agreement. A motion from Aug. 25, 1994 said that he wanted to travel to Israel for two weeks to visit his wife's family in Beit Hanina, a Palestinian neighborhood in East Jerusalem. "Because the defendant will soon be incarcerated, his wife will not be able to visit her family again until the defendant is released from prison" Najeh Ottallah's attorney Roger Synenberg wrote in the motion. Manos granted the request, and Najeh Ottallah, a U.S. citizen whose home was in Lakewood, never returned. "He thought he could evade authorities by running as far as he can," Elliott said. "At the end of the day, he found how long our reach is." Howard, who joined the U.S. Attorney Office in 2014, said he was a teenager when Najeh Ottallah left the country. "It's been over 20 years and it should have been resolved a long time ago," Howard said. "It's not worth fleeing. I was graduating from high school the year that he fled that was 1994. Sometime in 1996, 1997, he would have been out." Synenberg said he did not have any recollection of the case. Kent Minshall, Najeh Ottallah's attorney, said of his client that "nobody ran him down." He said his client, like many in the Middle East, want to come back to the United States when they get older because they can receive better health care. "They would rather do a little bit of time or a couple of years instead of spend their whole lives over there," Minshall said. The investigation into Najeh Ottallah and his family's business interests began in the early 1990s. When the case was charged in 1994, it was "the first joint effort by the federal government to combat the massive food stamp fraud in the Cleveland area," according to a statement from Kathy Enstrom, the head of the criminal division of the Internal Revenue Service's Cincinnati office. The case was also investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The probe also led to uncovering other similar cases in the Cleveland area, as many of those later charged either knew or had connections to people in the same East Jerusalem neighborhood from where Ottallah and his family hailed, the IRS said. Court records from that time show that both Ottallahs had agreed to cooperate with federal investigators. Mahmoud Otallah, who owned a supermarket on Lee Road, was sentenced in November 1994 to 21 months in federal prison. He was released from federal prison in 1995. If you would like to comment on this story, please visit Tuesday's crime and courts comments page. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A man arrested and charged in a series of Cleveland office burglaries made a critical mistake earlier this year when he was caught and subdued by a one-armed defense attorney. Edward R. Jackson, 59, was already well known in the Cleveland-area law enforcement community. He has been arrested and convicted in at least seven incidents since 1979, when he was first charged with breaking and entering. But after Cleveland defense attorney Ian Friedman had finished moving into new offices in January, things mysteriously started disappearing from the front desk. Receptionist Danielle Lucas' purse, along with an Android phone and $180 in cash, went missing, and there was no camera footage to offer clues about the disappearances.. Two weeks later, Lucas was in the office kitchen when she heard a rummaging noise coming from the lobby. She stepped out to see Jackson seated at her desk with her purse in his lap. She called to the back of the office where Friedman, in a three-piece suit and bow tie, was on a conference call with a client. Friedman, who lost use of his left arm in a 2011 motorcycle accident, hustled to the front of the office. "As I got down the hall I saw some guy with his back to me, and it appeared to me he was attacking Danielle," Friedman said. Friedman chased the man out into the lobby. Grabbing him by the cuff of his jacket, Friedman managed to keep hold of the trespasser as he tried to escape through an elevator. Friedman slammed his back up against the door to keep him from leaving, and managed to wrestle the man to the ground. The struggle continued as two onlooker, who Lucas described as "muscle men," watched passively from the side entrance to the lobby. "It's probably a good thing I don't know who they were," Friedman joked in his office, months later. Eventually the intruder dragged Friedman into the stairwell, pulled free of his coat and fell down half a flight of stairs. But he left the attorney with a very valuable memento. "I realize I had his coat in my hands and said, 'Get the hell out of here,'" Friedman said. Inside the coat Friedman found wallet, driver's license, and a stack of parole documents and court paperwork belonging to Edward R. Jackson. They proved to be the key police needed to prosecute him on burglary chargs. "I got a call from a friend of mine, a Cleveland police detective, he says, 'You didn't get into it with this guy, did you. What were you thinking?'" Friedman said. "He said, 'Let me send you a picture real quick." The officer told Friedman that the man in the picture was wanted in several burglaries in downtown Cleveland. Amid the items in the jacket the man left behind was a business card from a defense attorney whose office is located across the hall from Friedman & Nemeck law firm. Friedman thinks he was likely visiting his lawyer and couldn't resist the prospect of another heist. Jackson has since been indicted in the theft of Lucas' belongings, as well as a December theft from a doctor's office at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center. He pleaded not guilty in both cases. Friedman and Lucas are now among witnesses scheduled to testify at Jackson's burglary trial, which began Monday in David T. Matia's courtroom. "This is usually the safe place. This is where you go when you're already in trouble," Friedman said. "Not for this guy." wine bottles.jpg Wine tastings are in full swing throughout Northeast Ohio, from Swirl in Solon to Huth & Harris in Medina and many others. (Associated Press) CLEVELAND, Ohio - Dinners and tastings are set throughout Northeast Ohio. Swirl in Solon, 750ml Wines in Akron, Huth & Harris in Medina and many others have events planned. Here's our weekly wine calendar: JUNE Tuesday, June 21: Swirl will hold a dinner featuring wines from Vini Montauto, from Maremma (Tuscany) Italy. Riccardo Lepri, owner of Montauto, will present his wines. Cost is $75. Swirl is at 33325 Bainbridge Road, Solon. Go to swirlsolon.com or call 440-349-6900. Wednesday, June 22: 750ml Wines will hold a Chandon showcase of Moet & Chandon sparkling wines 6-8 p.m. at the Akron location, 2287 W. Market St. Cost is $15. This might sell out, so call for availability, 330-794-5754. Thursday, June 23: Chez Francois will hold a California wine dinner at 6:30 p.m. featuring Freemark Abbey Winery with Master Sommelier Larry O'Brien, the national wine educator for the Jackson Family Wines Collection, of which Freemark Abbey is a part. Cost is $75 plus tax and tip. Chez Francois is at 555 Main St., Vermilion. Menu: Course: Cream of Ohio corn cappuccino, roasted red pepper espuma. Wine: Chardonnay, Freemark Abbey, 2014. Course: Char-Grilled Alaskan King Salmon filet and miso lemon olive oil. Wine: Viognier, Freemark Abbey, 2013. Course: Duck raviolis and confit, Truffle butter sauce. Wines: Cabernet Sauvignon Napa, 2012; Cabernet Sauvignon Knights Valley, 2012. Course: Char-Grilled Angus Beef flank steak, mountain huckleberry reduction. Wines: Cabernet Sauvignon Bosche Vineyard, 2004; Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford, 2012. Course: Ohio strawberry crepe, strawberry coulis. Thursday, June 23: Acme No. 1 is holding a wine dinner featuring five wines from Markham Vineyards at 6 p.m. Cost is $50. It's at 1835 W. Market St., Akron. Wines: 2015 Sauvignon Blanc, 2014 Chardonnay, 2013 1879 Cellar Red Blend, 2013 Merlot and 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon. Friday June 24: Heinen's will hold a Mayacamas Tasting 6:30-8 p.m. It's a chance to taste six wines from California's Mayacamas Winery along with cheeses. The event is limited to 25 people; registration is required. Cost is $50. Call 216-302-3020. It's at 900 Euclid Ave., downtown Cleveland. Friday, June 24: Provenance at the Cleveland Museum of Art's weekly Tastings on the Terrace will feature Sauvignon Blancs on the open-air rooftop terrace 5-8 p.m. No reservations are necessary; flights will range from $8 to $10. In case of bad weather, the tastings will move inside. Provenance is at 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland. Friday-Saturday, June 24-25: The Olde Wine Cellar's tasting will feature "patio pounders" - good for sipping on the patio, porch or while you're sharing time with friends on the deck. Tastings are 6-9 p.m. each night. Cost is $10 and includes six samples, cheese and crackers. The Olde Wine Cellar is at 7990 Columbia Road, Olmsted Falls. Call 440-427-1222. Saturday, June 25: The Olde Wine Cellar will feature summer Roses 1:30-4 p.m. The folks at the shop say "whether you prefer slightly sweet, more accessible wines; bold, fruity roses with more color, or the sophisticated pale, dry style of Provence, we've found a wine to suit you." Cost is $10. The Olde Wine Cellar is at 7990 Columbia Road, Olmsted Falls. Call 440-427-1222. Saturday, June 25: The Wine Spot will feature Ohio wines 4-7 p.m. as part of Ohio Wine Month. The Wine Spot is at 2271 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights. Go to thewinespotonline.com or call 216-342-3623. Saturday, June 25: Royal Park Fine Wines will host a Taste of Summer 2016 with 30 wines (and six beers). It's 5-7:30 p.m. Cost is $40. (Reserve before Wednesday, June 8, and pay $30). The store is at 12770 Royalton Road, North Royalton. For reservations, call 440-582-8766. Saturday, June 25: Waterfront Wine Festival is 4-10 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park, 32756 Lake Road, Avon Lake. Includes wines from nine local wineries, food and music. Tasting tickets are $20 and include 10 pours and commemorative glass. The rain-or-shine event will benefit Smiles for Sophie Forever, a foundation fighting brain cancer. Go to avonlakewaterfront.com or call 216-849-8149. Saturday, June 25: To get ready for July 4, Western Reserve Wines will feature All American Red, White and Rose wines. Rachel Bilczo will guide the tasting. Saturday tastings at Western Reserve Wines are 2-5 p.m., cost $10, and includes cheese and crackers. The store is at 28300 Miles Road, Solon. Wednesday June 29: Western Reserve Wines will hold a Robert Mondavi Winery 50th anniversary celebration 7:30-9:30 p.m. Cost is $40. Mike Hillman, a sales manager for Constellation Brands, will be guest speaker for the evening accompanied by Steve Tyree of Heidelberg Distributors. They will be introducing "Maestro," a new Bordeaux blend in honor of the anniversary. Cheeses, breads and other foods will be served. Reservations are required for the sit-down tasting. Call 440-498-9463 or email info@westernreservewines.com. Western Reserve Wines is at 28300 Miles Road, Solon. Here's the lineup: 2014 Napa Fume Blanc, $15. 2013 Napa Chardonnay, $15. 2013 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, $28. 2012 Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon, $55. 2012 Maestro Bordeaux Blend, $50. 2012 Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, $145 (limited). 2014 Napa Moscato D'Oro, $18 (375ml). JULY Friday, July 1: Provenance at the Cleveland Museum of Art's weekly Tastings on the Terrace will feature a celebration of bubbles on the open-air rooftop terrace 5-8 p.m. No reservations are necessary; flights will range from $8 to $10. In case of bad weather, the tastings will move inside. Provenance is at 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland. Saturday, July 2: Kick off the holiday weekend with a New Belgium Brewing Co. tasting at Heinen's noon to 3 p.m. Cost is 25 cents per sample. It's at 35980 Detroit Road. Tuesday, July 5: Valerio's Ristorante, Vinifera Imports and Icardi Vini are holding a wine tasting and dinner at 7 p.m. Cost is $85. Seating is limited; for reservations and details, email valeriosristorante@gmail.com or ioriom.16@gmail.com, or call 216-421-8049. Valerio's is at 12405 Mayfield Road in Cleveland's Little Italy. Thursday, July 7: Roxu Fusion will hold a four-course dinner with Pacific Northwest wines from Private Reserve Wine Distributors. It's at 7 p.m. and features live music - acoustic hits of the Seattle grunge-rock era. Cost is $50. Go to roxufusion.com or call 216-920-5060. Wines are Duck Pond Pinot Gris, Duck Pond Chardonnay, Duck Pond Pinot Noir and Pendulum red blend. Roxu Fusion's last dinner featuring tango dancing: Friday, July 8: It's Patz & Hall Wine Day at the downtown Heinen's. (We've tasted exceptional wines from Patz & Hall for our annual high-end reviews near the holidays.) You'll taste Pinot Noirs and single-vineyard Chardonnays from California. Cost is $15. It's 5-8 p.m. at 900 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. Saturday, July 9: Little Italy Wines is having an Italian wine tasting. Cost is $35, prepaid reservations only ($40 at the door if available). Wines are five Amarones (plus a Ripasso and a Soave): 2011 Bertani, 2010 Il Roverone, 2012 Acinatico, 2007 Le Bessole and 2010 Tinazzi. Note: The shop will take off the cost of valet parking ($7) from any wine purchase over $60 (tastings not included). You can use any valet spot on Mayfield Road and pick up your car at any of the valet spots on Mayfield. Little Italy Wines is at 12414 Mayfield Road, Cleveland. Call 216-231-9463 or 440-292-6985. Sunday, July 10: Chez Francois will hold a Bastille Day celebration with a six-course French wine dinner with 10 wines from Burgundy, Bordeaux, Costieres de Nimes, Loire Valley, Languedoc and Rhone Valley. It's at 6 p.m. Cost is $110 plus tax and tip. Chez Francois is at 555 Main St., Vermilion. Tuesday, July 12: Huth & Harris Wine Merchants will hold a tasting of six wines from European Wine Imports with appetizers 7-9 p.m. It's $40. H2 is at 221 Court St., Medina. Registration required; go to h2winemerchants.com/#!blank/c1zlc. Friday, July 15: Provenance at the Cleveland Museum of Art's weekly Tastings on the Terrace will feature sweet European whites on the open-air rooftop terrace 5-8 p.m. No reservations are necessary; flights will range from $8 to $10. In case of bad weather, the tastings will move inside. Provenance is at 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland. Friday, July 15: Agostino's Catering & Event Center will hold a Bovin wine tasting featuring wines of the Balkans. Bovin Winery is the first privately built winery in Macedonia. Music will be from Sarena Tamburitza Orchestra. Happy hour starts at 6 p.m. Appetizers and first pour are at 7. Cost is $40. Agostino's - formerly Ridge Manor Banquet Center - is at 4630 Ridge Road, Brooklyn. Cost is $40. Call 216-749-5509 or go to agostinos.events for reservations. Menu: * Assorted flat breads, dried Hungarian sausage, hummus, pita breads and spreads; Lutenica (grinded red pepper eggplant garlic seasoning with side of chili pepper). Wine: Bovin Chardonnay. * Burek (Puff pastry Feta-cheese spinach and potatoes). Wine: Bovin Vranec. * Mixed Greek Salad with fresh cucumbers, onion, tomatoes, Feta cheese. Wine: Bovin Cabernet Sauvignon. * Chevapi served with Kacamak (polenta topped with Feta cheese and yogurt). Wine: Bovin Alexander. * Ekleri (flaky Eclair topped with drizzled chocolate and whipped cream). Wine: Bovin Dissan Barrique. Saturday, July 16: The Wine Spot is holding Guns and Roses - a feast of Rose wines - 4-7 p.m. The folks at the wine store will be playing Guns 'n' Roses. The Wine Spot is at 2271 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights. Go to thewinespotonline.com or call 216-342-3623. Saturday, July 16: The Culinary Vegetable Institute will hold Uncorked: An Evening with Dan Farley at 6 p.m. The institute is at 12304 Mudbrook Road, Milan. Farley, import director at Kindred Vines Import Co., will present eight wines from his French portfolio to pair with a five-course menu. Farley travels the French countryside seeking out quality winemakers. The dinner will offer a side-by-side tasting of wines from two wine houses of the Loire Valley (Couly-Dutheil) and the Rhone (Pegau). Cost is $120 plus tax and tip. Go to culinaryvegetableinstitute.com or call 419-499-7500. Wednesday, July 20: Chez Francois will hold a Winemaker's Dinner at 6:30 p.m. featuring a rare visit from Sarah Quider, executive winemaker from Ferrari Carano Winery in California. Cost is $75 plus tax and tip. Chez Francois is at 555 Main St., Vermilion. Menu: Course: Peppadew pepper, Montrachet goat cheese. Wine: Fume Blanc, Sonoma County, California, 2015. Course: Cream of Ohio corn cappuccino, Parmigiano Reggiano. Wine: Tre Terre Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, 2014. Course: Char-Grilled Alaskan King Salmon, smoked baby shiitake Pinot glace de viande. Wine: Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley, 2014. Course: Roasted Australian lamb chop, Provencale. Wines: Tresor, Sonoma County, 2012; Grenache/Syrah/Mourvadere UNA, Alexander Valley, 2014. Course: Roast tenderloin of beef Francois, Madeira wine sauce. Wines: Cabernet Sauvignon Pre Vail Back Forty, Alexander Valley, 2012. Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Alexander Valley, 2010. Course: Poached Bartlett pear and chocolate tuile, Semillon coulis. Wines: Eldorado Gold, Dry Creek Valley, 2010. Eldorado Noir, Russian River Valley, 2014. Friday, July 22: Provenance at the Cleveland Museum of Art's weekly Tastings on the Terrace will feature West Coast Merlots on the open-air rooftop terrace 5-8 p.m. No reservations are necessary; flights will range from $8 to $10. In case of bad weather, the tastings will move inside. Provenance is at 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland. Friday, July 22: Summer Uncorked is the wine-tasting component of the annual Akron Arts Expo Weekend. It's 6-8:30 p.m. at Hardesty Park, 1615 West Market St., Akron. Cost is $45 and includes food, wine and beer samples, silent auction, raffle, music. Go to akronartsexpo.org. Friday, July 29: Heinen's will feature The World of Sauvignon Blanc 5-8 p.m. Try 10 samples and learn about the various representations of Sauvignon Blanc, from its roots in Bordeaux to its newer home in New Zealand's Marlborough region. Cost is $10. It's at the downtown downtown Heinen's, 900 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. Saturday, July 30: Heinen's will feature The World of Sauvignon Blanc 1-4 p.m. Try 10 samples and learn about the various representations of Sauvignon Blanc, from its roots in Bordeaux to its newer home in New Zealand's Marlborough region. Cost is $10. It's at the downtown downtown Heinen's, 900 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. AUGUST Friday, Aug. 5: Provenance at the Cleveland Museum of Art's weekly Tastings on the Terrace will feature Pinot Grigio vs. Pinot Gris on the open-air rooftop terrace 5-8 p.m. No reservations are necessary; flights will range from $8 to $10. In case of bad weather, the tastings will move inside. Provenance is at 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland. Tuesday, Aug. 9: Huth & Harris Wine Merchants will hold a tasting of six wines from Heidelberg Distributors with appetizers 7-9 p.m. It's $40. H2 is at 221 Court St., Medina. Registration required; go to h2winemerchants.com/#!blank/c1zlc. Friday, Aug. 12: Provenance at the Cleveland Museum of Art's weekly Tastings on the Terrace will feature international whites on the open-air rooftop terrace 5-8 p.m. No reservations are necessary; flights will range from $8 to $10. In case of bad weather, the tastings will move inside. Provenance is at 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland. Friday, Aug. 19: Provenance at the Cleveland Museum of Art's weekly Tastings on the Terrace will feature Old World reds on the open-air rooftop terrace 5-8 p.m. No reservations are necessary; flights will range from $8 to $10. In case of bad weather, the tastings will move inside. Provenance is at 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland. Friday, Aug. 26: Provenance at the Cleveland Museum of Art's weekly Tastings on the Terrace will feature California Cabernets on the open-air rooftop terrace 5-8 p.m. No reservations are necessary; flights will range from $8 to $10. In case of bad weather, the tastings will move inside. Provenance is at 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland. Friday, Aug. 26: The fourth annual pARTy with PHriends beer/wine tasting will be 7-10 p.m. Hosted by PHriends Young Professionals Group, the event benefits Providence House and will feature local breweries, wine from Market Avenue Wine Bar, children's art exhibit, food sampling, live music and raffles. It's at 78th Street Studios (smARTspace RAMP Level Gallery), 1305 W. 80th St., Cleveland. Tickets are $30 until Friday, Aug. 5, $35 through Thursday, Aug. 25, and $40 at the door. Go to provhouse.org or call 216-651-5982. SEPTEMBER Friday, Sept. 2: Provenance at the Cleveland Museum of Art's weekly Tastings on the Terrace will feature West Coast whites on the open-air rooftop terrace 5-8 p.m. No reservations are necessary; flights will range from $8 to $10. In case of bad weather, the tastings will move inside. Provenance is at 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland. Friday, Sept. 9: Provenance at the Cleveland Museum of Art's weekly Tastings on the Terrace will feature Italian whites on the open-air rooftop terrace 5-8 p.m. No reservations are necessary; flights will range from $8 to $10. In case of bad weather, the tastings will move inside. Provenance is at 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland. Saturday, Sept. 10: Ferrante Winery and Ristorante will hold a Grand River Valley Cask Tasting, a progressive tasting event at several wineries. It's noon to 5 p.m. Cost is $6 at each winery. The cask project began in 2010 to have a continual red blend from the Grand River Valley. Each year a percentage of the wine will be bottled and sold to make room for the next year's harvest. Each winery used a different 500-gallon oak barrel with grapes from their farm. Participating wineries include Debonne Vineyards, Ferrante Winery, Grand River Cellars, Laurello Vineyards and St. Joseph Vineyards. Ferrante is at 5585 Ohio 307, Harpersfield Township. Call 440-466-8466. Tuesday, Sept. 13: Huth & Harris Wine Merchants will hold a tasting of six wines with appetizers 7-9 p.m. It's $40. H2 is at 221 Court St., Medina. Registration required; go to h2winemerchants.com/#!blank/c1zlc. Friday, Sept. 23: Provenance at the Cleveland Museum of Art's weekly Tastings on the Terrace will feature interesting reds on the open-air rooftop terrace 5-8 p.m. No reservations are necessary; flights will range from $8 to $10. In case of bad weather, the tastings will move inside. Provenance is at 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland. Wednesday, Sept. 28: Delmonico's Steakhouse will hold a casual Leap for Happy Hour with Jonah Beer of Frog's Leap Winery of Napa Valley, California. It's 5-7 p.m. at 6001 Quarry Road, Independence. Cost is $35. Call 216-573-1991. Thursday, Sept. 29: Rosewood Grill Westlake will hold its fourth annual Frog's Leap Wine Dinner with Jonah Beer of Frog's Leap Winery 7-9 p.m. It's four courses paired with six wines. Cost is $95. It's at 2033 Crocker Road, Westlake. Call 440-835-9500. OCTOBER Saturday, Oct. 1: The Island Wine Festival will be 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Put-in-Bay. Cost is $6 and includes a souvenir glass. The annual festival will include samples of more than 200 imported and domestic wines. Sample tickets are $1 and sold at the door and in the tent. Most samples are $1 to $4. Retail bottle sales will be offered. A silent auction will benefit Lake Erie Islands Historical Society. Call 419-285-2832. Friday, Oct. 7: The 13th annual Uncork a Cure to benefit Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is 7-10 p.m. at Ariel International Center, 1163 East 40th St., Cleveland. Cost: $75 ($125, VIP). VIP reception is 6-8 p.m. General-admission tickets include wine and food tastings, tasting glass and event program. VIP tickets also include a gift and pre-event tasting of high-end wines not available at the main event. Uncork a Cure is part of a national wine-tasting series held across the country. Go to clevelandwine.eventscff.org. Tuesday, Oct. 11: Huth & Harris Wine Merchants will hold a tasting of six wines from Vintner Select Wines with appetizers 7-9 p.m. It's $40. H2 is at 221 Court St., Medina. Registration required; go to h2winemerchants.com/#!blank/c1zlc. NOVEMBER Saturday, Nov. 5: The Grand River Valley Turkey Trot will be held noon to 5 p.m. at assorted wineries in Northeast Ohio. The progressive tasting event costs $5 at each winery. Folks from the wineries will help to pair wines with a Thanksgiving feast. Call Ferrante Winery, 440-466-8466, for details. Tuesday, Nov. 8: Huth & Harris Wine Merchants will hold a tasting of six wines from Purple Feet Distributors with appetizers 7-9 p.m. It's $40. H2 is at 221 Court St., Medina. Registration required; go to h2winemerchants.com/#!blank/c1zlc. Friday-Saturday, Nov. 11-12: The 20th annual WVIZ/PBS Grand Tastings & Seminars will be held at Progressive Field's Terrace Club. Tickets will go on sale Friday, July 1. For story, click here. DECEMBER Tuesday, Dec. 13: Huth & Harris Wine Merchants will hold a tasting of six wines from Traderman Distributors with appetizers 7-9 p.m. It's $40. H2 is at 221 Court St., Medina. Registration required; go to h2winemerchants.com/#!blank/c1zlc. Lakewood City Council Audience.jpg Spectators at the Lakewood City Council meeting June 20 stand and applaud as council passes a human rights ordinance protecting the LGBT community. (Bruce Geiselman, special to cleveland.com) State Rep. Nickie Antonio, of Lakewood, urges City Council to adopt an ordinance offering nondiscrimination protections for LGBT citizens. LAKEWOOD, Ohio -- City Council Monday unanimously passed an ordinance expanding the city's nondiscrimination protections to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender citizens. The ordinance aims to ensure that everyone has equal access to employment, housing, public accommodations, and education, according to its supporters. Alana Jochum, executive director of Equality Ohio, which urged its adoption, told council that federal and state discrimination protections don't apply to the LGBT community. "Ohio is one of 28 states that does not have statewide nondiscrimination protection," Jochum said. "There is no statewide law. The only way we are able to provide these protections for our citizens is through the leadership of municipalities such as Lakewood." With the law's passage, Lakewood becomes the 15th city in Ohio to extend nondiscrimination protection to the LGBT community. "Lakewood, by passing this ordinance, will serve as a beacon and an example to other communities," said state Rep. Nickie Antonio, a Democrat from Lakewood. City Council heard from about a dozen residents in support of the measure, including members of the LGBT community and their parents. Many said they chose to live in Lakewood because of its reputation for acceptance, but they said the city could do more. "The ordinance you are considering today would be one step further in protecting many, including our child," said one mother. "It would protect her from the type of intimidation she has already experienced. It would support the school in protecting her from bullies, even full-grown ones ... We chose Lakewood and have become part of the community based on our belief that it is a place that is safe for our children to grow up in. We are relying on you now, asking you please help us protect our daughter." Another speaker said the ordinance could relieve concerns of job discrimination. "We believe that nobody should have to live in fear of being legally fired for reasons that have nothing to do with job performance," she said. The Lakewood Chamber of Commerce endorsed the ordinance, saying it could help attract and retain qualified employees. The employment provisions of the ordinance apply to businesses with four or more employees. The ordinance would create a three-member human rights commission to hear complaints of discrimination. A number of remedies would be available, including hiring, reinstating or awarding back pay to persons found to be victims of discrimination. In addition, damages could be awarded as well as fines of as much as $500 for each violation. Matters that could be addressed by the commission would include discrimination based on age, race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation or physical characteristics. "This ordinance sends a clear message once and for all that Lakewood is a welcoming place where everyone is a part of the community," said Councilman Dan O'Malley, who introduced the legislation. Council discussed the ordinance in committee June 13. A copy of the ordinance appears below this story. Save Lakewood Hospital rally Supporters of Save Lakewood Hospital gather outside City Hall June 20, 2016. (Bruce Geiselman, special to cleveland.com) Dr. Judith Welsh, head of the Cleveland Clinic Lakewood emergency department, addresses City Council. LAKEWOOD, Ohio -- About 50 Save Lakewood Hospital supporters, carrying signs and wearing red shirts, gathered outside City Hall Monday prior to an appearance before City Council by the director of the emergency department at Cleveland Clinic Lakewood. Council invited emergency room physician Judith Welsh to address council about the services offered at the now free-standing emergency department at the former Lakewood Hospital. Inpatient services at Lakewood Hospital ended in February. The city, Lakewood Hospital Association and Cleveland Clinic agreed in December 2015 to close the hospital and allow the Cleveland Clinic to open a family health center and emergency department nearby. Welsh told council Monday that the free-standing emergency department continues to offer the same services it did when it was attached to a full-service hospital. "I understand there are a lot of anxieties and concerns from the community about what we are capable of treating," Welsh said. She said the emergency department is staffed by board-certified emergency medicine physicians and physicians assistants around the clock, and they can treat critical emergency conditions including abdominal pain, behavioral health and chemical dependency, chest pain, minor trauma, and stroke symptoms. One difference, the doctor said, is that admission beds are now miles away by ambulance. Several supporters of Save Lakewood Hospital raised concerns about having to transport patients from the Lakewood emergency department to another hospital because of the time and cost involved. "We are capable of evaluating and stabilizing patients with heart attacks, with strokes, major trauma, bleeding in the brain, overdoses and severe mental health problems," Welsh said. Welsh did not remain after her presentation to answer questions from the audience, although she addressed council's questions. About 50 Save Lakewood Hospital protesters outside carried signs calling for the reopening of the hospital. Dr. Terence Kilroy, a Lakewood pulmonologist who is not a Clinic employee, raised questions about how paramedics determine whether a patient should be taken to the Lakewood emergency department or an emergency department with an attached hospital. He also said the Cleveland Clinic in the past has not communicated with him about his patients when they were brought in through the Lakewood emergency department. Some members of the audience expressed concerns about the time it could take to transfer a patient to another hospital from the Lakewood emergency department and whether it could put patients' lives in jeopardy. City and clinic officials have said patients are stabilized before transfer. Some members of the audience, including Kilroy, said the Lakewood emergency department was sending patients from Lakewood primarily to other Cleveland Clinic network hospitals, but Welsh during her presentation said patients could chose where to be transferred if they needed admission to a hospital. Kevin Young, of Save Lakewood Hospital, said there are "alarming short comings" with a free-standing emergency department. "The free-standing ED is not right for our city of over 51,000," Young said. "We are not second-class citizens. We are not going to tolerate the dictates of a greedy Cleveland Clinic. We deserve a full-service hospital." The Cleveland Clinic plans to open a new full-service emergency department and family health center at the southwest corner of Belle and Detroit avenues in 2018. hopkins 2.JPG Cleveland Hopkins International Airport was ranked as the 19th worst airport to fly out of this summer. (Marvin Fong, Plain Dealer file photo) CLEVELAND, Ohio -- When it comes to booking a flight this summer, the local airport may leave something to be desired, according to a new study by NerdWallet. The study ranked Cleveland Hopkins International Airport as the 19th worst airport to fly out of this summer, based largely on the likelihood of travelers experiencing delays upwards of one hour. "Cleveland is a little difficult because there aren't alternative airports," said Courtney Miller, a data analyst at NerdWallet, who noted that a number of cities operate two airports. Miller suggested travelers use the study when choosing summer departure locations. In the study, which ranked the 50 busiest commercial airports in the country based on a number of customer satisfaction factors, Hopkins beat out nearby Indianapolis International Airport (No. 18) and Port Columbus International Airport (No. 17). NerdWallet, a personal finance website, ranked airports based on weighted scores on: delayed flights (30 percent), security lines (25 percent), canceled flights (20 percent), restaurant quality (15 percent) and customs lines (10 percent). Cleveland had above-average numbers for both flights delayed more than an hour and flights delayed more than two hours. Flights are delayed more than an hour 7.6 percent of the time, compared to the 7 percent average, and more than two hours 3 percent of the time, compared to the 2.6 percent average. However, the time span examined for the study took place during a period of great change for Cleveland Hopkins, according to the airport's interim director, Fred Szabo. In 2014, United dehubbed the local airport, drastically cutting service from Cleveland, and, in its stead, a number of ultra-low cost carriers moved into the market. That also was the time when Hopkins began its massive construction program. "It is important to note that air travel involves a number of separate systems that must harmonize in order to achieve on time performance. Factors involving weather, aircraft mechanical issues, crew management and availability have an impact in addition to the length of security lines and the availability of dining options, which were part of the study," said Szabo, who noted that CLE ranked better than most other major airports. NerdWallet analyzed data for more than 4.7 million flights in June, July and August of 2013 to 2015 to rank the airports. The Honolulu International Airport was deemed the best airport to fly out of during the summer months, while Newark Liberty International Airport was named the worst. lakemichigan.jpeg Eight Great Lakes governors voted today to allow Waukesha, Wisc., to pump more than 8 million gallons of water a day from Lake Michigan, pictured here on the shores of Chicago. (AP file photo) CHICAGO, Ill. - Eight governors of the Great Lakes states today approved an unprecedented challenge to the Water Resources Compact, agreeing to allow the city of Waukesha, Wis., to pump millions of gallons per day from Lake Michigan. The vote was unanimous. Any one of the governors had the power to veto the exception. The historic agreement was approved in 2008 to erect a legal wall to protect the largest source of fresh water in the world, preventing water diversions by communities outside the Great Lakes basin. Waukesha, a suburb of Milwaukee, is located about 17 miles from Lake Michigan just outside the Great Lakes basin in the Mississippi River basin. Waukesha sought access to more than 8 million gallons per day of Lake Michigan water after its current water supply became contaminated by naturally occurring radium. City officials vowed to recycle the water and return it to a river that flows into Lake Michigan. Kristy Meyer, managing director of natural resources for the Ohio Environmental Council, was present at the meeting and emerged with mixed feelings about the outcome. "We're pleased that the council agreed with us that the city's original proposal was flawed, and encouraged that additional provisions were put on the proposal," Meyer said. The added provisions include requirements that Waukesha restrict its water service area to the city's borders, excluding surrounding communities; reduce the amount of water the city can withdraw, from an original request of 10 million gallons a day, to an average of 8 million gallons; and submit to performance audits whenever a request is made. "This puts the city and Wisconsin on notice," Meyer said. "It's not a done deal. Waukesha has a lot of work to do to meet all of these conditions, to comply with enforcement and submit to auditing." Jennifer Caddick or the Alliance for the Great Lakes agreed with Meyer that "the vote is not the end of the story." "We will be strong watchdogs to ensure that the Great Lakes are protected," Caddick said. "We expect that the Compact Council and its members will act promptly if Waukesha and Wisconsin do not meet every requirement imposed by the council. And, if necessary, we will take action to compel compliance with the Compact Council's requirements." To qualify for an exception to the Compact, Waukesha was required to prove it had no feasible alternative to Great Lakes water to meet its needs. A coalition of environmental groups argued that the city failed to meet that standard, contending that Waukesha could update its water treatment plant to remove radium from its deep groundwater wells as some of its neighboring communities are doing. The environmental groups feared approval would set a dangerous precedent for future diversions, and have a long-standing impact on the effectiveness of the compact, leaving it vulnerable to water-thirsty regions in the Southwest. But last month, the Great Lakes Regional Body, made up of representatives from the eight U.S. Great Lakes states and Canada's two Great Lakes provinces, recommended to the governors that an exception be made to the Compact, which led to today's vote. In the months leading up to the historic vote, 38,000 citizens from around the Great Lakes basin offered their opinions on the request -- 99 percent of which opposed Waukesha's request. In addition, 11 of Michigan's members of Congress urged Gov. Rick Snyder to veto the diversion request. In an op-ed piece published over the weekend, Waukesha Mayor Shawn Reilly maintained that approval of the city's request would not threaten the Great Lakes. Reilly said the Regional Body's review and recommendation of approval was "based on science and the law - not politics, emotions or social media campaigns," showing that the critical protections provided by the Compact were working as intended. "Approval of Waukesha's application would in no way provide a precedent for water to go to faraway places like California or Arizona," the mayor wrote. "They cannot legally apply. Unlike in Waukesha's case, the Compact contains no provisions to consider such a proposal." Waukesha Water Utility estimates the proposed diversion of Lake Michigan water will cost $334 million - causing an increase in residential water bills from around $260 per year to almost $900 per year by 2024. ambulance.jpg A suburban Columbus girl was killed early Tuesday after a tree toppled onto her Indiana summer camp cabin. (File photo) COLUMBUS, Ohio - An 11-year-old suburban Columbus girl was killed early Tuesday after a tree fell on her Indiana summer camp cabin. The girl's identity has not yet been released, as her extended family has not been notified, the Columbus Dispatch reports. The girl was from Bexley, a suburb just miles east of downtown Columbus. The fatal incident occurred about 2:30 a.m. at Camp Livingston in Bennington, Indiana - about 55 miles southwest of Cincinnati, 10TV reports. A storm caused a tree to crash into the cabin. No other campers or staffers were injured in the accident, according to the Dispatch. Camp Livingston is a Jewish overnight summer camp for children 7 to 17 years old. On its website, the camp describes itself as a place that encourages "the development of Jewish identity within a safe and inclusive environment." On behalf of Camp Livingston, we share with the heaviest of hearts that an 11 year-old female camper was seriously... Posted by Camp Livingston on Tuesday, June 21, 2016 If you'd like to comment on this post, please visit the cleveland.com crime and courts comments section. uaengineering.jpg The University of Akron's National Center for Education and Research on Corrosion and Materials Performance has completed an expansion. (University of Akron) AKRON, Ohio - A new research center at the University of Akron aims to address the $400 billion that corrosion costs the U.S. economy each year. And now that it's finished, the school is showing it off to business and government leaders. Congress and the U.S. Department of Defense established the National Center for Center for Education and Research on Corrosion and Materials Performance at UA in 2010. The university received about $15.2 million in two grants from the Department of Defense for personnel and equipment in 2011 and 2012. The project has had some issues. The grants expired this summer. Critics raised concerns in March 2015 about $10 million unspent in the project. The head of the center, Susan Louscher, sued the university and the engineering dean, claiming they damaged her reputation and jeopardized the center's federal funding. The lawsuit filed in the Ohio Court of Claims is pending. A judge in May dismissed her claims of negligent hiring and retention of George Haritos, at that time the dean of the college of engineering, and any claim of defamation prior to March 17, 2014. Haritos stepped down as dean in May 2015. But it's a big deal. The university was the first in the country to offer a bachelor's degree in corrosion engineering. The Fight Against Corrosion is the theme of the event on Tuesday. Some of the new labs and expanded capabilities include: An X-ray Diffraction Lab that is unique in the U.S., offering a variety of capabilities with easy switching from one type of experiment to another. The lab focuses on thin films, surface structure and materials at high humidity and high temperature. A Fatigue Lab featuring two different-sized load frames that allows researchers to determine how fatigue and corrosion impact a wide variety of materials A doubling of the number of Q-Fog salt spray test chambers so that larger numbers of material samples can be tested for corrosion under "natural" conditions. "What businesses and government agencies will find at NCERCAMP is a focus on corrosion--and a corresponding level of expertise--available nowhere else," said Rex Ramsier, principal investigator at the center and interim senior vice president and provost. "And while it's possible to find pieces of what we offer elsewhere, only at NCERCAMP is everything--from the leading experts in corrosion to research to diagnostics to training capabilities--all in one place." Some of the companies and agencies participating in the event include Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems, Parker Hannifin, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the university said. LEHIGH ACRES, Florida -- A man trying to intercede in a domestic dispute in the driveway of his neighbor's home was shot and killed by the neighbor, according to news reports. The suspect, Placido Moreno-Torres, 47, also is accused of killing his wife, Amparo Moreno, 44, before running away, news-press.com reports. Moreno-Torres was later found and arrested. He is being held in the Lee County Jail on two counts of homicide and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. NBC-2.com reports Moreno-Torres has a $500,000 bond on each murder count and a $20,000 bond on the assault charge. The incident occurred about 9 p.m. Saturday, reports say. Ricardo Vaca, 20, who was married at the end of May was a father-to-be, saw Moreno-Torres and his wife arguing in the driveway and walked over to try to mediate. Moreno-Torres is accused of shooting Vaca, then turning his gun on his wife. Both victims were pronounced dead at the scene. Nestor Martinez Vaca, a cousin of the victim, tells news-press.com that Ricardo Vaca's wife is expecting a girl. "She's going to be a girl, they were happily married and he was an amazing person, always happy and trying to make people smile, funny, a good student and an amazing son," he said. "We as a family are devastated." If you wish to discuss or comment on this story, please visit our crime and courts comments section. Lee Bentley U.S. Attorney, Middle District Lee Bentley, center, talks to the media during a news briefing Monday near the Pulse Nightclub shooting scene in Orlando, Fla. (Red Huber, Orlando Sentinel via AP) ORLANDO, Florida -- The gunman who killed 49 people and wounded 53 at a nightclub on June 12 took credit for the shooting in a call to 911 and later told negotiators he was an "Islamic soldier," according to a transcript released by the FBI on Monday. "I want to let you know, I'm in Orlando and I did the shootings," Omar Mateen tells a 911 dispatcher during the 50-second call, the Associated Press reports. When asked his name, Mateen tells the dispatcher, "My name is I pledge of allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi of the Islamic State." The initial release of the transcripts created controversy after the Justice Department redacted mentions of the Islamic State and its leader, USA Today reports. The decision was reversed after backlash from Republican lawmakers. "We know the shooter was a radical Islamist extremist inspired by ISIS,'' said House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin. "We also know he intentionally targeted the LGBT community. The administration should release the full, un-redacted transcript so the public is clear-eyed about who did this, and why.'' A statement released by officials with the FBI and Justice Department said they didn't want to provide more publicity to ISIS, USA Today reports. According to the AP, Mateen had three more conversations with police negotiators over the next hour. He reportedly identified himself as the gunman and said the U.S. should stop bombing Syria and Iraq. Meanwhile, the New York Times reports police in Orlando are defending their response to the shooting, which took place over three hours. The media, survivors and the public are questioning if police could have confronted the gunman sooner, the Times reports. There also are questions whether some of the victims were hit by gunfire from police, something Orlando Police Chief John Mina denied. Mina said during the standoff, police had to rescue people from the club, figure out the building's layout, talk with the gunman, put rescuers into place and figure out where people were hiding. Mateen claimed to have a vehicle outside with explosives. "I think there was this misconception that we didn't do anything for three hours, and that's absolutely not true," Mina said. If you wish to discuss or comment on this story, please visit our crime and courts comments section. Marijuana Decriminalization Illinois The Ohio Supreme Court's Board of Professional Conduct will review questions about whether Ohio attorneys can use medical marijuana or represent marijuana patients and businesses without facing disciplinary action. (Teresa Crawford, Associated Press) COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio's new medical marijuana law prohibits disciplining professionals for working with marijuana businesses or patients, but it's not clear whether that applies to attorneys. Only the Ohio Supreme Court can discipline licensed attorneys. Lawyers have submitted at least two requests for formal opinions on the matter to the Ohio Supreme Court's Board of Professional Conduct. They want to know: whether lawyers may represent marijuana cultivators, processors, dispensaries, patients and caregivers. whether lawyers may own or operate medical marijuana businesses. whether lawyers may use medical marijuana. Board staff members plan to issue recommendations to the board in August. The board is asking for attorneys with other questions to submit them before July 11. What's the issue? The new medical marijuana law allows people with about two dozen qualifying medical conditions to buy and use marijuana if recommended by a licensed Ohio physician. The law sets up a tightly regulated industry where the state awards licenses to grow, process, test and sell marijuana. The law stipulates professional license holders -- which would include attorneys -- cannot be disciplined "solely for engaging in professional or occupational activities related to medical marijuana." But the court's professional board operates under Supreme Court rules, which allow it to issue nonbinding advisory opinions in response to prospective or hypothetical questions about the Ohio Rules of Professional Conduct. Ohio rules prohibit attorneys from knowingly counseling or assisting a client to break the law and from committing an illegal act that "reflects adversely on the lawyer's honesty or trustworthiness." Although state lawmakers have made medical marijuana legal, the drug remains federally illegal. What's happened in other states? Ohio was the 25th state to legalize medical marijuana, and ethics panels in most of those states have allowed attorney involvement in the marijuana industry. The Connecticut Bar Association said attorneys who use medical marijuana within the state's medical marijuana law do not violate the rule against engaging in illegal activity. In Washington state, which legalized recreational marijuana use in 2012, attorneys can advise marijuana business clients, own marijuana businesses and legally purchase marijuana, according to an advisory opinion issued last year. Neither opinion applies to federally illegal crimes nor prevents an attorney from being fired for marijuana use under an employer's drug-free workplace policy. Ohio's medical marijuana law also allows employers to fire workers who are medical marijuana patients if they violate employer drug-free policies. Hawaii's disciplinary board went a different direction. An opinion issued last year said attorneys could give legal advice about the state's medical marijuana law. But it said attorneys could not provide legal services to help establish a marijuana business because that would be considered assisting a federal crime. Teamsters protest on Capitol Hill U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, a Toledo Democrat, tells union members at a rally earlier this year that their pension funds disappeared under Wall Street mismanagement. (Sabrina Eaton, cleveland.com) WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Fifty-one Democrats asked the investigative arm of Congress to look into claims that the deeply troubled Teamsters Central States pension fund placed risky and improper bets on investments that lost millions of dollars, contributing to what is likely to be the fund's inability to pay retirees. The Teamsters fund, covering truck drivers, warehouse workers and others across Ohio and a number of other states, projects it will be broke in a decade, potentially leaving more than 400,000 Teamsters without a pension. Already, 277,000 retirees - 49,000 of them in Ohio -- are worried about losses before then. While other pension funds still can count on help from the federal Pension Benefit Guarantee Corp. to cover at least some of their obligations to retirees, Central States has a hole so deep that it would seriously damage, if not wipe out, the federal guarantee program. It recently reported $16.8 billion in assets but $35 billion in retiree obligations. This has led to a number of controversial efforts to save the Teamsters fund without putting the federal guarantee program at risk, including a request by the fund's trustees to start cutting current retirees' benefits now. It would normally be unorthodox to cut current retiree's pensions when a plan is still in operation, but Congress allowed it when passing a law in 2014 aimed at protecting the federal guarantee fund while preserving at least a share of pension benefits for union retirees. Federal officials in May, however, rejected the request to make those current cuts, saying they were not convinced that the reduced pensions and other restructuring measures would prevent Central States' insolvency. Now there are calls in Congress for a federal bailout of this and similarly troubled, though smaller, multi-employer union funds, including the pension fund of Iron Workers Local 17 in Cleveland. What Democrats want investigated: The request to investigate possible financial shenanigans is just the latest episode in the saga. "It's astonishing to now read about how Wall Street firms hired by Central States invested retirees' pension funds in Iraqi banks in 2008, right in the middle of a full-scale war in Iraq," said Rep. Marcy Kaptur of Toledo, who is leading the Democrats' drive in the House of Representatives to save the union pensions of current and future retirees. She is the lead signatory on the June 20 letter to the Government Accountability Office, or GAO, asking for an investigation. Kaptur said in a statement that she and others want to know how financial advisers to the fund "invested in unstable Russian banks, when the economy there is in shambles, or how they sunk $1.4 billion into risky Single-A-rated mortgage-backed bonds in the middle of the housing meltdown. Something is simply wrong, and the GAO will get to the bottom of this." Others requesting the investigation include Ohio U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown and Reps. Marcia Fudge of Warrensville Heights, Tim Ryan of Niles and Joyce Beatty of Columbus. They also want to know, among other things: What was the Central States Pension Fund's investment strategy, how was it it set and by whom, and how did the average annual return on investment under this strategy compare to similarly situated pension funds by asset class? How much of the overall portfolio was invested in credit default swaps, collateralized debt obligations, mortgage-backed securities, insured variable rate bonds or other instruments or asset classes in 2005-2010, by year, by instrument or asset class? What Central States says: Thomas Nyhan, executive director and general counsel to the fund, told Bloomberg BNA that he welcomed an investigation but expected it to find nothing untoward. Central States is already "likely one of the most thoroughly scrutinized and transparent private entities in the country," Nyhan said told Bloomberg. Central States covers workers who were employed by a variety of companies and chose, through their union contracts, to use the centralized Teamsters fund to handle their pensions. Some employers eventually pulled out and put workers in their companies' own pension plans. The subsequent loss of worker revenue, along with industry changes and stock market drops, are among factors Central States cites for its troubles. The fund's bad old days: Central States suffered from union corruption in the 1950s, '60s and '70s, with its leaders making improper loans to Las Vegas casinos and figures associated with organized crime. A federal consent decree in 1982 declared that federal agencies would play a role in watching the fund going forward. Sen. Charles Grassley, an Iowa Republican, has asked the GAO to look into the Labor Department's oversight of the pension fund's financial practices. Rob Portman In this April 1, 2016, file photo, U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, speaks in Cincinnati. (John Minchillo, AP Photo) CLEVELAND, Ohio -- U.S. Sen. Rob Portman plans to spend time restoring inner city homes in the Buckeye neighborhood during the Republican National Convention. Portman and fellow RNC participants will help Habitat for Humanity use $250,000 in donations to repair Grandview Avenue residences from July 18-20. The senator faces a tough re-election race in the fall against former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, and has distanced himself from the hoopla of a Donald Trump convention. Portman supports Trump, but hasn't taken an active role in the billionaire's presidential bid. The senator in April told USA Today that he expects to spend "very little" time inside the convention hall. A cheerleader for Cleveland's 2016 RNC bid, Portman said he plans to participate in the convention, and that he looks forward to showing Cleveland off to the world. Habitat for several election cycles has helped build homes in both Republican and Democratic convention host cities. Portman and Habitat for Humanity expect to fully rehabilitate two homes on Grandview Avenue. The senator and volunteers also plan to help 15 residents fix up the exteriors of their homes. The group will also install new roofs and attic insulation in five homes. "We've made real progress in helping Ohio secure funds to address blighted properties that serve as a magnet for crime and reduce home values," Portman said in a news release. "I've helped Ohio secure $191 million to assist state and local officials in these efforts, and I will continue to help lead this effort to restore the integrity of our local communities." Owens Corning donated $200,000 to aid in the project. Ernst & Young, Westfield Insurance and AMGen, Inc. also sponsored the effort. The work is part of Habitat for Humanity's Buckeye Project, which over the next few months promises to fully rehabilitate 10 homes, and help 40 homeowners repair their homes' exteriors. 2016 RNC Parade Route City officials earlier this month unveiled a parade route Wednesday that they say allows demonstrators to be seen and heard near Quicken Loans Arena, the site of the Republican National Convention. This photo was taken from the parade route at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario avenues, which is about one-third of a mile from the arena and represents the route's closest point to the arena. (Mark Naymik, cleveland.com) CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland officials said in legal filings on Monday that making changes to security rules for next month's Republican National Convention would harm the intricate planning that has gone into making sure the event goes off safely and smoothly. The city, responding to a lawsuit filed last week, also argued that changing its designated parade route from its current path eastward over the Lorain Carnegie Bridge and then southward at Ontario Street, would create traffic congestion and interfere with delegate and media shuttles, emergency vehicles and everyday traffic. Assistant Cleveland Law Director L. Stewart Hastings asked Judge James S. Gwin to dismiss the federal lawsuit filed by groups seeking to have the convention rules changed. The rules, city officials said, were designed to balance security and smooth functioning of the city with the First Amendment rights of protesters expected to come to Cleveland for the convention, scheduled for July 18-21. "The City's resources in terms of geography, logistics and police coverage, are finite and will be severely burdened during the RNC," Hastings wrote. "Plaintiffs' desires to conduct hours-long parades on the routes of their choosing and to monopolize parks, if granted a permit to do so, would shift the City's resources in such a way to limit the channels of communication available to the rest of the public." (Scroll down to read the filing, or click here for a PDF.) Citizens for Trump, Organize Ohio and the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, three groups planning to march at the Republican National Convention, sued the city last week over the convention regulations. The groups, represented by the ACLU of Ohio, asked a judge to alter the official "parade route" so protesters can be seen and heard by GOP delegates, and to increase the hours during which parades may take place. The groups have criticized the city's official route as isolated, unsafe and remote from their intended audience at the convention complex. They also sought to make the judge immediately act upon requests for permits to demonstrate during the GOP convention, saying the city's lack of action had illegally harmed their ability to organize their events, and challenged the size of and restrictions within a higher-security "event zone" that will encompass much of Downtown during the event. City officials defended their parade route, saying it will bring protesters closer to Quicken Loans Arena, which will serve as the primary convention hall, than routes designed by past host cities of political conventions. The city had considered other parade routes -- such as along Superior Avenue or Carnegie Avenue -- but said the routes were needed for emergency vehicles or convention-specific traffic. They also said protesters will have plenty of chances to communicate their message to the media, delegates or others. Among the areas they highlighted includes a "large triangular area" of green space along the south side of Ontario Street, next to the Lorain-Carnegie Bridge, "that is within sight and sound of the Event Complex and is large enough to accommodate several thousand people." Hastings also wrote that restrictions on carrying common items into the designated "event zone" will not be enforced on homeless residents. The assurance addresses concerns from the ACLU and homeless advocates, including the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, that the rules would "criminalize" the existence of homeless people who keep many of the banned items -- such as large backpacks or tents -- with them at all times. "The homeless population within the Event Zone is small and known to [Cleveland police]," Hastings wrote. "For the purposes of enforcement of the regulations, the city considered those particular homeless people to be residents of the city." In Monday's filing, city officials say they granted 51 permits last week to individuals and groups either to use a "speakers platform," set up installations in a pair of downtown city parks or march along the city's designated "parade route" during the GOP convention. This includes granting a permit to Citizens for Trump, an unofficial group supporting presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump that is one of the plaintiffs in the suit. But the city said Monday that it denied a permit to Organize Ohio, a left-leaning group that had asked to march along a route leading toward downtown from the city's East Side. The group says the route will highlight the 50th anniversary of the race-related riots in Cleveland's Hough neighborhood. Larry Bresler, a longtime Cleveland activist who is Organize Ohio's executive director, said in an interview that his group plans to appeal the city's decision, and will wait and see how the legal process plays out. However, Bresler said his group will march with or without a permit. "The [city's official designated parade route] is a non-starter in terms of going across the bridge, and remains a non-starter," Bresler said. "In some fashion or another, we will be doing our march on July 18 going from the East Side." Officials with the Republican Party's convention organizing arm also asked a judge on Monday to include them in the lawsuit, saying their interests were intertwined with those of the city. Dan Makee, a Cleveland attorney representing the convention-planning committee, made arguments similar to those made by the city, and said any changes at this point would disrupt complex convention plans. "The plaintiff's effort to change the site plan now -- by, for example, closing streets in the dense downtown area for additional demonstrations -- would significantly impact logistical and organizational plans that the [Republican convention-planning committee) has made in reliance on the regulations," Makee wrote in a legal filing. The city's Monday filings meet a deadline set by Judge Gwin last week. A 1 p.m. hearing is scheduled for the case on June 23. Some million-dollar businesses are born from intense market research and focus groups, while others spring from a joke among friends after too many beers at a Chinese restaurant. This was the case for former automotive journalist Jay Lamm who became disillusioned by the money, egos and prestige of the racing world. "I feel like 20 years ago the car hobby started to really lose its sense of fun and its sense of humor," the former "Vintage Motorsport" editor told CNBC. "People started doing it because there was a lot of money tied up in it and a lot of status tied up in it, and fewer and fewer people seemed to be doing it because it was fun." 24 Hours of LeMons founder Jay Lamm inspects a car in the paddock at High Plains Raceway in Deer Trail, Colorado. Zack Guzman | CNBC Lamm's remedy for such elitism was simple: First, take the world's most prestigious endurance race, France's 24 Hours of Le Mans, and strip out its cut-throat competitiveness and seemingly infinite budgets for super cars. Next, replace the Porsches and Ferraris with cars that cost no more than $500. And finally, dub it "24 Hours of LeMons." The pun on "lemons," a term for a defective car, was enough to convince his friends it would at least be a fun weekend, which is all the idea was meant to be when Lamm collected money, wrote a check and organized a race in 2006 at the now-defunct Altamont Raceway near San Francisco. "We didn't know what we were doing," Lamm said. "The green flag drops and all of a sudden it was just brakes squealing and sliding tires and I say to myself, 'If I get out of this alive, I am never doing this again.'" The weekend drew 33 cars, about half of which were brought by his friends in the automotive-publishing space. This meant it didn't take long before car enthusiasts were reading stories of clunkers being raced in the desert, prompting more car enthusiasts to urge Lamm to continue hosting events. A Ford Anglia is inspected before a 24 Hours of LeMons race at High Plains Raceway in Deer Trail, Colorado. Mary Stevens | CNBC In the second year, Lamm organized three races. The following year, LeMons put on six races, before growing the number to 10 in 2009. "It became pretty obvious that a lot of people wanted to do this, and I had to make the decision: 'Is this what I'm going to spend all my time and energy working on?'" Lamm said, recalling the decision to shut down his automotive publishing business. "There was a lot of risk in that, but if you're going to start something new there's always a lot of risk." Now, the series consists of 20 races spanning 12 states and Australia, with plans to expand to other countries in the coming years. Lamm confirmed the racing series had surpassed the million-dollar mark in annual sales, but declined to discuss specific figures. A decorated BMW awaits inspection before a 24 Hours of LeMons race at High Plains Raceway in Deer Trail, Colorado. Zack Guzman | CNBC "It's hard to believe that there is a market for something like this, but apparently there is," Lamm said. What "this" exactly is consists of a lot more than just track time and the opportunity to race a $500 car against a handful of other lemons. To be fair, it also costs a bit more than $500, including travel costs, the thousands of dollars spent on required safety equipment like racing seats, suits, roll cages, and the $1,200 in registration fees for a car and team of four drivers. It's no surprise, then, that the common thread connecting LeMons customers is an intense passion for cars and a willingness to put in the time to prepare a clunker for racing. Still, Lamm didn't expect his customer base to be as diverse as it has become. "I thought it was going to be all mechanics," Lamm said. "But we have everything from super successful entrepreneurs, I.P.O. guys, hedge fund guys, to guys who save every penny from their paper route to come and do this once a year." Even legendary Formula One driver and five-time 24 Hours of Le Mans Champion Emanuele Pirro, among other professional racers, have battled in LeMons races. Women account for nearly one quarter of all LeMons racers, a proportion Lamm points out is higher than the average around the motorsports world. A decorated car awaits inspection before a 24 Hours of LeMons race at High Plains Raceway in Deer Trail, Colorado. Zack Guzman | CNBC The roughly 8,000 racers LeMons attracts every year don't solely show up for racing. Part of the allure is the lack of seriousness that is expected with an event carrying the name "24 Hours of LeMons." Drivers are encouraged to dress in themes and are invited to bribe judges with gifts if they spent more than $500 on their cars. Penalties for drivers found to be misbehaving have included hula hooping in the pit stop or having to parade through the paddock apologizing to other drivers. "Some of the attraction for coming back to race after race is just the community," explained three-time LeMons Champion Anton Lovett, who notched his 67th LeMons raceand first weddingat the High Plains Raceway LeMons race in Deer Trail, Colorado, this June. "People come up with all kinds of wacky themes," he said, moments before his then-fiancee Sophie Aissen strutted to her bridezilla-themed Dodge Neon. Sophie Aissen stands in costume with her crew beside the bridezilla-themed Dodge Neon. Qin Chen | CNBC "The pretentiousness that I've always associated with racing...I don't really feel here, like being really serious and arrogant dudes flanked by hot women," she said. That made it easier to eventually get behind the wheel herself three years ago after watching her husband as a spectator in the years since they met online. During the past decade, Lovett estimates he's spent just shy of $100,000 in total to pay for races at LeMons events. "But it's totally worth it," he said. "I am marrying Sophie Aissen, my best friend. It's going to be great, and it has been." Sophie Aissen and Anton Lovett are wed by 24 Hours of LeMons founder Jay Lamm at High Plains Raceway in Deer Trail, Colorado. Mary Stevens | CNBC More top-level roles go to women working at Asian family firms - even if they aren't relatives - than in non-family ones. But the numbers are still pretty dismal. Within Singapore, for example, there are twice as many women on the boards of family firms, compared with non-family firms, according to data from researchers at National University of Singapore's (NUS) business school. "The talent pool in the families is limited, and of course there are sons and daughters in equal measure. This gives the female family members the opportunity to become leaders in the family firm," Marleen Dieleman, an associate professor at NUS, told CNBC. She noted that only around 44 percent of the women in executive roles in family firms are, in fact, members of the owning family. "We often note that once you have one woman there, it's like a bridge to having more," she said. "If they're already used to working with gender-diverse teams, it's not such a big step to hire another female director." Achieving gender diversity has benefits beyond simply providing equal opportunities: Multiple studies have found that companies that have more women in the top spots are more profitable than those that don't. But before handing out any awards to family firms, the data also show that the overall number of women in executive roles is low. In Singapore's family firms, which make up more than 60 percent of companies listed on the city-state's stock exchange, around 10 percent of directorships were held by women in 2015. Low, but still well above the non-family firms' around 7.9 percent. Uncertainty surrounding a looming Brexit vote hasn't spooked mainland buyers, one of the biggest drivers of U.K. home prices, according to one of China's largest international property websites. Charles Pittar, CEO of Juwai.com, told CNBC on Tuesday that Chinese demand for U.K. real-estate was based on lifestyle factors that were unlikely to change even if the 'leave' vote prevailed this week. "When we look at Chinese demand into the U.K, one of the key motivation is education." Around 50 percent of enquiries received for London and 70 percent for Birmhangham were centered around schooling, Pittar said. Indeed, both cities boasted the highest number of universities among Britain's largest metropolitan regions, said a June study from regional think tank Centre of Cities. "For a lot of our Chinese consumers, this is a long-term game. They are looking to buy an apartment for their kids to go to university so potentially, they are less worried about it [Brexit]." Pittar was elaborating on the results of a Juwai.com survey conducted from June 2-5 that revealed 56 percent of Chinese participants believed U.K. property demand was increasingan attitude in sharp contrast to other foreign buyers. The survey, released last week, showed 50 percent of international respondents outside China believed demand was sliding amid Brexit uncertainty. At a time when global growth is anemic and monetary policy is already at the extremes of accommodation, there are fears that the European economy could be pushed into recession by a British exit, and perhaps the global economy, too. It's not just the effect on U.K. growth that has spooked international markets. It's the possible spillover effects for the rest of Europe, and with it the global economy. A leave victory would mark a symbolic change of direction to the post-World War II status quo of ever-increasing collaboration in Europe. Similar movements exist across Europe, including within major economies like Germany, France and Italy. It's feared that if the EU's second biggest economy voted to leave next week, that others may follow, and the European Union could collapse. Speaking over the weekend, U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron said that a vote to leave the EU would create "debilitating uncertainty" for up to a decade and that there would be "no turning back" for the U.K., which would be left "permanently poorer." Stock markets have reacted strongly in the past few weeks depending on which way British polls happen to be pointing. Shares fell and bond yields hit record lows last week when polls showed the leave vote gaining strength. On Monday, U.S. stocks leaped , and European shares surged even more , as three more polls showed the stay vote regaining a slim lead. Prospects for world stock markets and the global economy have perhaps never rested so heavily on a single vote in a single country as they do this week ahead of the historic referendum taking place in the U.K. on Thursday to decide whether Britain remains in the European Union . It should be noted that if Britain does vote to leave, nothing legally binding happens. It would just show that the wish of the British people is to leave the EU, and negotiations would begin to set the terms of divorce. Thus, immediate financial contagion for the rest of the world would be limited. The possible political fallout for other European countries is the major fear, and that would take months to materialize. The focus would be elections in Spain this summer, and then in France and Germany next year. Either way, economists are (for once!) largely united that a Brexit vote would lower global growth. The IMF said last week that Britain's economy could be 5.6 percent smaller than a baseline forecast by 2019, and said that the effects would be "negative and substantial." The OECD said recently that it would cost the U.K. 0.5 percent of its GDP this year. U.S. companies with exposure to the U.K. and Europe will certainly be affected. The leave camp disagrees with the gloomy forecasts, saying that in the long term, the U.K. economy would benefit. And more relevant to that side are the arguments on sovereignty and immigration. The sovereignty argument is summed up by leading leave campaigner Michael Gove, who recently said "that the decisions which govern all our lives, the laws we must all obey and the taxes we must all pay should be decided by people we choose and who we can throw out if we want change. But our membership of the European Union prevents us being able to change huge swathes of law and stops us being able to choose who makes critical decisions which affect all our lives." Gove will appear on CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Tuesday. The remain camp by contrast argues that the size of the body of laws from Europe imposed on Britain is vastly exaggerated by the leave camp, and that Britain does get to appoint its own member of the European Commission that shapes EU law. The immigration issue, in particular, is hugely divisive. In the U.K. it is more a debate about jobs and the cost of welfare benefits than security, but all are relevant considerations. All members of the EU are equal European citizens, and can travel freely to work or holiday across its 28 nations. Given the relatively high living standard in the U.K., it receives positive net migration of people from the EU each year. Imagine watching your parents do back-breaking work, for long hours, in extreme heat, then signing up to join the family business. Crazy, right? Yet that's what many young Singaporeans have done, because they believe so strongly in keeping their families' hawker stalls - the small, independently run food outlets that famously dot the city-state, churning out delicious traditional dishes around the clock at rock-bottom prices - open, even in an increasingly rich and cosmopolitan country. But these new generation hawkers are also continually reinventing the way their stalls operate, taking their cues from a range of influences, from cutting-edge Japanese food technology to the whims of social media. The cornerstone of gastronomic culture Street-food peddlers selling authentic, affordable local dishes thrived in Singapore after the World War II, so much so that by the 1960s the number of peddlers, known as "hawkers," had grown to the point that they were obstructing traffic and threatening public health through the refuse they created, according to a report by the National Library Board (NLB). As a result, the Singaporean government began moving street hawkers into purpose-build food centers where they could be more easily monitored. Hawker stalls continue to operate in those same centers, and some new ones, today, selling local favorites from before dawn until late at night. According to the National Environment Agency, there are 107 markets and hawker centers across Singapore, housing 6,258 "cooked food" stalls, about half of which pay a subsidized rent for their space of between $160 and $320 a month. "It is one of the places that is highly representative of the Singapore culture and lifestyle," the NLB's report explains. "It is also an important place for social interaction and family bonding. With a reputation for eating as a national past-time, it is a common sight to see Singaporeans queuing at their favorite hawker stalls across the island." But long hours over hot dishes in un-airconditioned centers means that stall operators struggle to find workers among Singapore's highly educated and wealthy young populace. Couple this with a modern turn against "unhealthy" food - hawker meals often involve white rice or fried meats or vegetables - and the future has sometimes looked cloudy for the hawker tradition. As high profile local chef Ignatius Chan told the Guardian as early as 2014, "Hawker food is a national treasure, but an endangered one, as the well-educated kids of the uncles and aunties who cook these dishes rarely wish to carry on the tradition there's just so much hard work involved." Rainbow noodles the future? Siblings Jonathan Cho and Ai Min Cho, 28 and 30 respectively, are the third-generation owners of Cho Kee Noodles, a hawker business that specializes in noodles served with wonton (Chinese-style dumplings). They remember watching their parents labor long hours at their stall at Old Airport Road, so the hard work was no surprise. "Going to the stall was one of the ways we spent time as a family," Ai Min recalls, adding that the children would help their parents at the stall on school holidays. Fresh from university with a major in marketing, Jonathan dove straight into the family business, while his elder sister Ai Min gave up her job in banking operations to be a full-time hawker. The brother and sister have a vision for the business, which involves rebranding the image of Cho Kee and expanding into business-to-business operations, while manning their own individual hawker stalls in two locations: Singapore Polytechnic and at the ITE Central. watch now Cho Kee runs a central kitchen where they manufacture their own raw egg noodles and a vegetable-based noodle line. Jonathan has invested a lot of time in crafting the Cho Kee brand, from designing a logo to maintaining an active social media presence with a growing following on Facebook. Inspired by the rainbow foods trend, the Chos also recently introduced rainbow wanton noodles (made from a variety of vegetable-based noodles), knowing it would appeal to a younger, trendier crowd. The Cho siblings want to turn Cho Kee into a global brand that people associate with Singapore and its food traditions. "As the children of hawker parents, we find it tremendously meaningful to be the third-generation of Cho Kee," Ai Min says. Gordon Ramsey's seal of approval Chicken rice - a simple but fragrant dish of steamed rice topped with slices of chicken - is usually called Singapore's national dish, and counts celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey as a fan. At Hai Kee Soy Sauce Chicken at Eunos Crescent, owner Jack Wang follows a traditional recipe of braised chicken marinated in soy sauce. He learned the hawker ropes from his father, who sold chicken rice from a bullock cart in Singapore's Chinatown in the late 1950s. Wang's father had travelled by sea from Hainan, China, to Southeast Asia and eventually settled in Singapore, but did not forget his journey: Hai Kee is Hokkien Chinese for "remember the sea." Wang took over from his father in his twenties and continues to work a tough schedule, with a strict policy on waste that means he often keeps his stall open until the last chicken is gone, selling 300 to 400 plates of chicken rice every day. After years of being a hawker, Wang has plenty of stories about ruthless competitors - including a "soy sauce chicken rice war" in which his hawker rivals tried to lure his loyal customers away by hiring more female workers - as well as the blow of having to shutter his business during Singapore's bird flu epidemic in 2008. Now, Wang has help from two strapping sons, Joseph and James, who have their own ideas about reinventing the business. Joseph joined his father when he was just 21 and fresh out of Singapore's compulsory military service. While he did consider working elsewhere, he says he always knew he would take on the hawker life, as his father did. watch now "I see the business as a way to keep the family together, instead of everyone moving in their own separate directions," Joseph says. His younger brother James, 25, serves in the Singaporean navy, which he says he chose as a more stable means of income, but helps out at the stall on weekends. One of the challenges of being a hawker, say the Wang brothers, is finding suitable assistants because the job is just too demanding. Joseph, 26, typically starts the day at dawn, and only has one day off every two weeks. Despite that hurdle, James and Joseph want to hire younger employees who could give Hai Kee a new lease of life, as well as hiring a branding specialist to modernize the company's image. Once he's a full-time hawker, meanwhile, James wants to put in place the efficient kitchen processes and technology-driven systems he learned while working at a Japanese fast food restaurant in his teens. "While I think it's important to run the business efficiently, it has to be done in a way that does not impersonal and the quality of food must never be compromised," he says. What's in a name? Everything Many Singaporeans remember their favorite food stalls by location rather than by name, which led Lee Chee Wee to name his business after the street name where his father operated as a hawker as early as 1928. Lee has been running Beach Road Prawn Noodle Eating House, which has actually been on East Coast Road for the past 30 years, as its third-generation owner. And as Singapore has grown more affluent, he has changed his offerings to match. Lee, 52, tells CNBC that he offers more premium ingredients such as large ocean prawns and pork ribs, now that Singaporeans can afford to pay for them, whereas in the past, he would use shrimp and offal such as intestines or liver. The business, famous for its concentrated prawn broth with an unami flavor, is open only until mid-afternoon but sells between 700 and 900 bowls of noodles every day - a level of popularity that made its vicinity a favorite for the traffic police to issue parking fines, Lee says. watch now Since he took the reins from his father in 1991, Lee has taken a very different approach to the business - an approach he admits his parents did not approve of - that involves six people putting together one bowl of noodles much like a "conveyor belt." Lee says this helps him churn out one bowl of prawn noodles in under 30 seconds. When Lee first proposed the conveyor belt-style system, his parents could not accept it, he says. "My father and his own father, they did not believe in team work or want any outsiders working in the family business," he says, explaining that his father had seven siblings so there was plenty of help available. "Traditional hawkers usually work individually but I don't believe in a one-man show and this is our advantage," he added. Lee has more than 20 employees, which he says helps the business run more efficiently. Despite having workers to assist him, though, Lee makes sure he's at the stall almost every day from 6 a.m. to ensure the food preparation goes smoothly and quality remains consistent. "I think it goes without saying, the hawker life requires a lot of sacrifice," he says. watch now All eyes are on Twilio this week to see how the market reacts to the first U.S. venture-backed tech IPO of 2016. Not since Square 's debut in November has a domestic technology company fueled by venture capitalists tested the public markets. Cloud software developer Twilio is scheduled to sell shares on Wednesday night and start trading the following day on the New York Stock Exchange. The drought is being felt across the start-up landscape because emerging software and internet companies count on IPOs to produce returns that investors can plunge back into the ecosystem. From 2001 to 2015, an average of 37 tech companies went public each year, according to data from Jay Ritter, a finance professor at the University of Florida and an IPO expert. "Everybody in the VC world will be paying attention," said Mamoon Hamid, a partner at venture firm Social Capital in Palo Alto, California. "It's a billion-dollar software company, and it has implications on the broader tech IPO landscape." Twilio said in its updated IPO prospectus last week that it plans to sell 11.5 million shares at a preliminary range of $12 to $14, placing its market capitalization as high as $1.15 billion. The company's last private investors paid $11.31 a share in 2015. San Francisco-based Twilio has grown rapidly 88 percent last year by selling software that helps companies communicate with their customers using voice, video and messaging in anonymized fashion. For example, OpenTable uses Twilio to send reservation notifications, while the technology lets Nordstrom salespeople chat with customers who are waiting for a specific product to arrive. Uber is also a big client. The ride-hailing company facilitates one-on-one conversations between drivers and riders without divulging personal phone numbers. Airbnb does the same for hosts and guests. An UBER application is shown as cars drive by in Washington, DC. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds | AFP | Getty Images There's a big backlog of companies paying close attention to how Twilio performs. According to The Wall Street Journal's list of billion-dollar start-ups, 37 software companies are valued in at least the 10 figures, including Dropbox, Nutanix, Cloudera and Okta. InsideSales.com is also in the club, with a valuation of $1.5 billion. CEO Dave Elkington said everyone is waiting on the sidelines amid a flood of uncertainty in the market. In addition to general bearishness when it comes to unprofitable software companies, investors are following an unpredictable presidential election and the looming threat of a Brexit. "It's been a freakin' winter all spring," said Elkington, whose company develops software for sales teams. "Most CEOs are waiting to see how the Twilio IPO turns out. Is it going to pop? Will it come down 30 to 60 days later?" Longer-term performance is important for insiders because executives and early investors can't begin to cash out for at least six months following the IPO. Companies including Box , Hortonworks and LendingClub are trading well below their offer prices, leaving late-stage investors under water. The first big VC-backed tech IPO of 2016 should be an "exciting thing" for investors and for other tech companies similar to InsideSales, Elkington said, but he doesn't expect anyone to react immediately. "One IPO isn't enough," he said. It's a much rosier story for those that are going to generate cash. Todd McKinnon Okta CEO Okta CEO Todd McKinnon said he'll also be watching closely, mostly to see the kind of revenue multiples Wall Street is willing to give a newly public cloud software company. At $1.15 billion, Twilio would be valued at just under five times sales, assuming its first quarter revenue of $59.3 million was annualized. Though McKinnon wouldn't say how close Okta, a provider of identity management software, is to an IPO, investors are telling him that software companies need to be able to produce cash within two quarters of their debut. "It's a much rosier story for those that are going to generate cash," he said. Twilio is taking a big risk in trying to be the first software company to go public after an extended lull. "There's a fleet of companies now thinking it's time to go public, but nobody wants to go first," said Lise Buyer, a partner at IPO advisory firm Class V Group. "Investment bankers will take you out, but only after someone else tests the markets, so hats off to Twilio." Buyer, who worked on Google's IPO in 2004, said she's talked to a number of institutional investors recently who are interested in adding new businesses to their portfolios, and there seems to be a "hunger in the marketplace" for emerging companies that are priced appropriately. Still, with the July 4 holidays quickly approaching and the Republican National Convention just around the corner, she doesn't expect there to be a rush. Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen told an audience at the Bloomberg Technology Conference last week that he sees plenty more IPOs n 2017 and 2018 than in the past few years. To gear up, his firm Andreessen Horowitz has created an internal group to help portfolio companies prepare for an IPO. "There are a bunch of companies that are legitimately getting ready to go [public] and will go," he said. Cloud storage and computing vendor Nutanix filed to go public in December but has been holding off due to increased market volatility. A Nutanix spokesman declined to comment on the significance of Twilio's IPO or on the company's progress in moving forward with an offering. Airbnb app Getty Images Some investors are concerned about the future of Facebook after shareholders approved a new class of nonvoting Class C shares on Monday. "You're basically placing all of your trust into the genius of one person, and even a great genius sometimes makes mistakes," Charles Elson, director of the University of Delaware's John L. Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance, told CNBC's "Closing Bell." In April, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that the new stock structure would enable him to help Facebook "continue to build for the long term," while allowing him and his wife to pursue their philanthropic efforts. The structure allows the Facebook founder to sell his nonvoting shares, while retaining Class A and B shares, allowing Zuckerberg to retain control of the company. Elson said that voting rights give shareholders means to "protect their capital by replacing management, replacing the board." Facebook's new structure, he argued, puts investors at risk by lowering accountability for Zuckerberg, who Elson sees as a "talented CEO." Boston Retirement System, the public pension fund for Boston municipal employees, filed the first bondholders proposed class action against Volkswagen related to the company's diesel emissions scandal, law firm Labaton Sucharow said. The lawsuit, which also names as defendants Volkswagen Group of America and Volkswagen Group of America Finance, claims that "false and misleading statements and omissions" by Volkswagen caused its bonds to trade at "artificially inflated prices..., only to decline after the emissions scandal went public," the law firm said in a statement. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, seeks to recover damages for bondholders who purchased bonds between May 23, 2014, and Sept. 22, 2015, in sales that raised more than $8 billion for Volkswagen, the law firm said. dc1975 | iStock/Getty Images Plus | Getty Images The U.K. has spoken: It has decided to end its relationship with the European Union. What the country decided in its June 23 referendum is crucial for the country and the EU especially, as experts have suggested, a Brexit may encourage other EU members to hold their own referendums. CNBC takes a look at the U.K.'s roller-coaster relationship with Europe. By CNBC's Alexandra Gibbs. 1957: European countries unite, Britain eyes entry The signing of the Treaty of Rome in 1957. Eric Vandeville | Gamma-Rapho | Getty Images When the European Economic Community (EEC) was established in 1957 there were only six members: France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. The EEC was set up to create stronger economic ties, following the death and destruction seen during World War II; with Winston Churchill calling for a "kind of United States of Europe" in 1946. The community's aim was to create a common market, where goods, services and people could move around with greater ease. 1961-1967: France vetoes UK entry French President Charles de Gaulle speaking in Paris about Britain's entry into the Common Market, 28th November 1967. Reg Lancaster/Daily Express | Hulton Archive | Getty Images During 1961, the U.K., Ireland, and Denmark all applied to join the EEC. However, in January 1963, French president Charles de Gaulle expressed his country's concerns over the implications of a U.K. membership especially as it had close ties to the U.S. Within a matter of days, countries who'd submitted applications had their EEC negotiations suspended. De Gaulle said he would veto Britain's entry again when it re-applied in 1967; however, the country's application gained momentum after de Gaulle resigned as President in 1969. 1973: Britain makes its EU debut On January 1, 1973, the English read of t U.K.'s entry into the European Economic Community. Keystone-France | Gamma-Keystone | Getty Images The European Economic Community welcomed three new members to it group: Ireland, Denmark and the United Kingdom; bringing its total up to nine. 1975: Brits hold referendum on EEC membership Conservative Party Leader, Margaret Thatcher lends support to 'Keep Britain in Europe' campaigners in London, on 4th June 1975. P. Floyd/Daily Express | Hulton Archive | Getty Images Labour leader Harold Wilson followed up on his election pledge and renegotiated the U.K.'s terms of membership in the EEC, putting the outcome to a referendum. On June 5, 1975, the U.K. voted to remain in the EEC, with around 67 percent in favour of staying. 1984: UK wins a rebate European Summit in Fontainebleau (June 25-26, 1984) during an agriculture-budget crisis. Keystone-France | Gamma-Keystone | Getty Images In 1984, Britain successfully negotiated a budget rebate with the EEC, after Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher threatened to halt payments. At the time, the U.K was set to become the budget's biggest net contributorlargely due to available access of farming subsidiesdespite being one of the poorest members, according to the U.K. parliament's website. In 2005, the country agreed to let go of some of its rebate, to help finance the EU's enlargement plans. 1979-2002: The UK keeps the pound Anti-Euro protester holds placard aloft outside the British Houses of Parliament - June 9, 2003 in London, England. Scott Barbour | Getty Images News | Getty Images In 1979, the European Monetary System and its exchange rate mechanism (ERM) were introduced in the hope of achieving currency and exchange rate stability in Europe. Britain opted out of the ERM, but briefly joined in the early 1990s, only to unceremoniously leave it during the Black Wednesday currency crisis in 1992. In 1992, the Maastricht Treaty was signed, highlighting how the bloc had grown from focusing solely on economic policy, to one that covered many topics. The treaty marked the name change and replacement of the EEC to the "European Union", while setting out rules for the EU's future currency: the euro. The euro officially launched in 1999, and by 2002, 12 members had adopted the currency when coins and notes entered circulation. The U.K. opted out. 2007 onwards: Financial Crisis strikes Europe People queue to withdraw their savings at a Cypus Popular Bank ATM, while newspapers bear titles about the Cypriot crisis. Louisa Gouliamaki | AFP | Getty Images When the global financial crisis surfaced, many European countries who'd borrowed heavily for years were hit badly. The countries hurt most by the crisis received financial support from the IMF, European Central Bank and other EU countries. 2013: The Brits must have their say UK Prime Minister David Cameron delivers long-awaited speech on the UK's relationship with the EU on January 23, 2013 Oli Scarff | Getty Images News | Getty Images In January 2013, Prime Minister David Cameron said if the Conservatives won the 2015 election, the government would work hard to renegotiate the country's membership with the EU, giving citizens a referendum to decide whether they wanted to remain in the bloc. 2015: A referendum bill is unveiled Queen Elizabeth II delivers her speech to the House of Lords on May 27, 2015 Alastair Grant/WPA Pool | Getty Images News | Getty Images On May 27, 2015, Queen Elizabeth II set in motion the policies and proposed legislation set out by the new Conservative government, including the European Union Referendum Bill. 2016: A date is announced. Referendum campaigns ensue Getty Images: Ben Stansall/Jeff J Mitchell | AFP/Getty Images News In mid-February, David Cameron managed to negotiate a reform deal with EU leaders on areas including competitiveness, financial protection, migration and the referendum, which had its date officially set that week as June 23, 2016. From then on, the political rhetoric from both campaigns intensified and on April 15, Britain's official 10-week EU Referendum campaign kicked off. June 23, 2016: Judgement day for the UK Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron his wife Samantha walk back into 10 Downing Street after he spoke about Britain voting to leave the European Union, in London, Britain June 24, 2016. Stefan Wermuth | Reuters Supporter holding banners cross the road during a Vote Leave event outside the Chelsea Flower Show in London. Neil Hall | Reuters Investors are no doubt on edge today as Britoners take to the polls to decide whether or not to leave or to stay in the European Union. We likely won't know the final result until around 4 a.m. London time, or 11 p.m. Eastern, but global markets will surely start reacting as results begin trickling in. While markets have been doing a bit of a dance over the last week up one day, down the next if the vote does come back in favor of exiting the EU, then there is a good chance markets could see a more pronounced drop. Morgan Stanley said last week that European equities could fall by 15 percent within six months, while many others think that global stocks regardless of country will fall, too. Americans will also be impacted. According to Lipper, 14.34 percent of U.S. mutual fund assets are in European stocks, while any investor with a well-diversified global portfolio is likely holding several U.K. and European-based companies. If all of this volatility has you feeling anxious, and if you're specifically worried about a vote to leave the EU, there are still some portfolio-protecting moves you can make now. The first steps? Reduce your exposure to European equities and increase your allocation to gold, said Bob Sewell, president and CEO of Bellwether Investment Management in Oakville, Ontario, Canada. He thinks that a yes vote will hurt markets and that stocks could fall by 10 percent. As a result, he has lowered his exposure to Europe. In April he reduced those holdings by 5 percent and put that money into cash. He now has just a 15 percent allocation to the region. Others are reducing their exposure, too. ETF.com reported today that investors pulled $11 billion out of the 10 largest European equity ETFs year to date through June 15. "You have to look at your portfolio and see how much exposure you really have to Europe," he said. "A simple means of hedging would be to just reduce your overall exposure to the region to some degree." Sewell also increased his exposure to gold, which historically tends to rise in volatile markets. The precious metal has indeed climbed significantly over the last six months: It's up 22 percent since December, likely because of worries over Brexit, he said. A flight to safety Generally, experts recommend a 5 percent allocation to gold, but Sewell said that investors might want to up that to 10 percent today. Savvier investors could also use put options against individual stock positions, he said. This strategy would allow you to sell a stock at a certain price rather than see it fall indefinitely. It's insurance, and "it could make real sense in this environment," said Sewell. But it can also be expensive, so weigh the cost of that insurance against the potential downside risk. Buy short-term, out-of-the-money options, which means buying an option with a strike price below the current price of the stock. Say Company A is trading $80 and you buy an option to sell it at $70 that means it's $10 out-of-the-money. If the price falls to $70, the person you bought that option from will have to buy the stock at that lower price. The more out-of-the-money the option is, the cheaper it is to buy. While these aren't dangerous for the option buyer it's just insurance, said Sewell the cost will depend on the strike price versus the target price, volatility in the market and how long you plan on holding the option for. watch now Investors should think about protecting themselves against a fall in the euro, too, which is likely to happen if a vote to leave the EU comes back. It's already dropped nearly 2 percent since early May. You can do that by buying currency-hedged exchange-traded funds these funds are held in U.S. dollars such as the WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity Fund (HEDJ ) or the Deutsche X-trackers MSCI Europe Hedged Equity ETF (DBEU ), said Sewell. Sam Stovall, managing director and U.S. equity strategist at S&P Global Market Intelligence, thinks that while investors can make some adjustments to "lighten" their exposure to Europe, people's focus should be on buying rather than selling. European stocks are already an attractive buy, he said, with the S&P Euro 350 trading at 15.1 times earnings, compared to 17.7 for the S&P 500. It also has a 4.1 percent dividend yield, and the companies on the index are expected to see earnings increase, on average, by more than 50 percent in 2016. "Europe, especially, looks very attractive from an international perspective," said Stovall. Investors should start buying if markets fall by around 5 percent, he said, since it's "a meaningful decline that you can begin to take advantage of." What investors shouldn't do, though, is panic. "The best thing you can do is don't be your portfolio's worst enemy," said Stovall. You have to look at your portfolio and see how much exposure you really have to Europe. Bob Sewell, president and CEO Bellwether Investment Management watch now watch now watch now A Brexit from the European Union would deliver a blow to the U.K.'s already struggling construction sector, cause building costs to spike, exacerbate the industry's skills shortage and slow down the delivery of affordable housing, Niccolo Barattieri di San Pietro, chief executive of London-listed luxury property developer Northacre, told CNBC. The recent share price performance of the UK's biggest publicly traded building companies reflects investor concern that the sector could be among the worst-hit by a potential Brexit. Shares in Carillion , Balfour Beatty and Kier Group have all lost ground, and underperformed the FTSE, year-to-date. Construction skills Andrew Harrer | Bloomberg | Getty Images "We are already in a construction crisis with a severe shortage of skilled labour," Barattieri di San Pietro told CNBC Friday, adding that a vote to leave the EU would limit the number of workers joining the industry further. His comments echo those of Chris Blythe, chief executive of industry trade body the Chartered Institute of Building, who wrote in a 2015 report: "Construction has always relied on migration to fill in gaps in the labour market suddenly cutting off the supply of migrant workers risks seriously damaging the U.K.'s economic prospects." Migrant workers currently fill around 12 percent of the approximately 2.9 million U.K. construction sector jobs, according to government figures and research by the London School of Economics. Barattieri di San Pietro predicts a post-Brexit skills shortage that would drive up industry overheads, adding: "Affordable housing margins would be hit worst as labor scarcity causes construction costs to spike, making it much less compelling to build affordable homes - not to mention feasible." On the other side of the argument, there are many who believe a vote to leave the EU could benefit U.K. builders. Speaking to CNBC on May 11th Kevin Byrne, founder of Checkatrade.com, said: "We did a survey of our members and asked 'has being a part of the European Union hindered the growth of your business? 20 percent said it's hindered business that's quite a serious percentage." Property prices watch now As part of the Remain campaign, U.K. Chancellor George Osborne has warned that house prices could fall as much as 18 percent below their expected trend by 2018, if Britain votes to leave the EU. However, Barattieri di San Pietro isn't convinced the value of London properties stands to fall that drastically. He told CNBC: "Brexit would definitely have an effect on the demand side. Having said that, we're probably going to forecast a weaker pound and that will bring the demand back in quite quickly." Referendum uncertainty Another worry for Barattieri di San Pietro is that a "Leave" vote could make it harder for companies to plan ahead. Speaking on CNBC he argued: "If you're starting to look at Brexit, you're looking at a slightly less stable environment for the near to medium-term." The Northacre CEO's comments reflect concerns shared by a number of his peers in the construction industry. Asked how Brexit would impact his business back on March 17th, Haydn Mursell, CEO of FTSE-listed construction firm Kier Group, told CNBC: "Anything that affects stability, or anything that delays decisions, is negative for the company." Global markets surged on Monday after several opinion polls over the weekend showed that the remain camp was regaining momentum ahead of the vote. "If you're making an economic judgment, one of the things to do is to look at facts and fundamentals and the facts are that Britain has a trade deficit with the EU so it wouldn't be in the EU's interest to erect any trade barriers," he said. Gove said he was wary of making economic forecasts about the future "as they have so often proved to be wrong, whether it's from our own Treasury or from organizations like the IMF (International Monetary Fund)" but said that the EU would not, as feared if a Brexit occurs, impose trade tariffs that could harm British businesses. The leave campaign has urged voters in the referendum to "take back control" and it has argued that Britain would be able to control its trade, borders, immigration and economy more effectively outside the EU. The opposition remain camp say that Britain is "stronger in Europe" and that a Brexit risks jobs, the economy, trade and security, among other elements of British life. "By voting to leave we can not only take back control of hundreds of millions of pounds that we send to the European Union, we will also be detaching ourselves from the sinking ship that is the European Union economy," Gove, who is hoping for a Brexit vote on Thursday's referendum, said. The European Union's economy is a "sinking ship" and Britain would be better off "detaching itself" from the bloc, Michael Gove, the U.K.'s Justice Secretary and prominent leave campaigner told CNBC on Tuesday. People hold Union Flags and the EU flag at a kiss chain event organised by pro-Europe 'remain' campaigners seeking to avoid a Brexit in the EU referendum in Parliament Square in front of the Houses of Parliament in central London on June 19, 2016. Polls released Monday evening for The Telegraph newspaper and The Times showed conflicting voter intentions, however. The pound was trading higher at $1.4736 on Tuesday morning, up from levels of around $1.40 last week. Influential investor George Soros, who famously made a fortune betting against the currency in 1992, said in a newspaper op-ed on Tuesday, that a Brexit would likely trigger a big sell-off in the pound. Gove dismissed that concern, however, saying that Soros had made calls in the past that had proved wrong and said the investor wasn't "thinking about what was primarily in Britain's interest" and criticized what he called negative campaigning tactics. "On Thursday I think people will be voting on the basis of arguments and one of the arguments I've tried to make throughout (the campaign) is that if people vote to leave they're voting to have confidence in this country, in its institutions and in its people." "It is a significant decision and will change this country's path for a generation. Both sides have made their arguments with passion and with force and with fluency. But, our side I believe has been optimistic about Britain's potential, whereas I fear that too often those arguing that we should remain have been too fearful and surprisingly pessimistic about Britain's potential outside (the EU)." Part of the shift in momentum back towards the remain camp was seen as a reaction against a Brexit campaign poster deployed by Nigel Farage, the leader of the U.K. Independence Party who has long campaigned for Britain to leave the EU. The poster depicted a long line of refugees with the words "breaking point," although Farage has since moved to defend the content of the poster in a TV interview on Monday. Farage is well-known for his outspoken views and the poster has proved equally as controversial with even fellow Brexit campaigner Gove saying during a BBC interview this weekend that the poster had made him "shudder." Pro-EU campaigner and U.K. Finance Minister George Osborne compared the poster to Nazi propaganda. Farage made for an awkward bedfellow in the Brexit camp, Gove conceded. "There have been occasions when Nigel Farage has said and done things with which I disagree but I've tried very hard not to single out any individual in this campaign for criticism and it's important to bring it back to the arguments. There are legitimate public concerns over migration that I think are best-addressed if we vote to leave the EU." He insisted he was not opposed to migration and it had benefitted the U.K.'s culture and economy "but people need to feel that the numbers are being controlled and we can't do that in the EU." Meanwhile, the U.K.'s Secretary of State for Health Jeremy Hunt dismissed Gove's claims that the U.K. could be as successful economically on leaving the EU, telling CNBC that Britain "will survive, it is one of the great countries in the world, but will it thrive?" "At the moment we have tariff-free access to the largest single market in the world with 500 million consumers, it's bigger even that the U.S. market, it's hugely important for the U.K. market and in the period we've been a member of the EU, our GDP (gross domestic product) per capita has increased by a faster rate than even that of the U.S. So this ability to trade, which has been at the heart of our success, would we want to throw that away?" He also countered Gove's notion that there would be no barrier to trade with the EU if the U.K. left the bloc. "If we were to leave the EU, the deal that we would get in terms of trade would be more barriers and higher tariffs that we have at the moment," he added. One of the claims made by Brexit campaigners is that the U.K. will be forced to be a part of "ever-closer integration" in Europe, even though Prime Minister David Cameron extracted assurances from other EU leaders that they recognized that the U.K. did not intend to integrate further. William Hague, former British foreign secretary and another member of the remain camp, told CNBC that Britain had a "uniquely advantageous" position in Europe and would not have to get closer to the EU if voters chose to remain in the bloc. "Britain succeeded in staying out of the euro and nobody in Europe or in Britain now expects us ever to join the euro, that is settled, and we've won similar battles not to be a part of the Schengen zone (the border-free area in Europe), to reduce the EU budget," he said. "So Britain is in a good position, we have this uniquely advantageous position in the EU." Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook. Sen. Bob Corker, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, said Tuesday he sees "tremendous potential" in Donald Trump to change the way Washington works. But the Tennessee Republican added he can't support some of the controversial things Trump has said. "Obviously, I haven't condoned some of the slurs and innuendo that have been laid out by the [Trump] campaign," Corker told CNBC's "Squawk Box," though he did not provide specific examples. "At the same time, I understand the tremendous potential a candidate like Trump has ... to change the trajectory of our nation," Corker said. "Both parties enable each other to continue bad habits. And our nation is not changing" because of the partisan gridlock, Corker said. Pundits have speculated that Corker could be a vice presidential choice for Trump. When he was on "Squawk Box" last month, Corker said he had "no reason to believe" he was being considered as Trump's running-mate. During Tuesday's interview, the senator said he has no idea where the VP process stands. He repeatedly said he was not saying he's being vetted. "I don't want to have any conversations about that," he stressed. Last week, Corker was critical of Trump's remarks following the June 12 gay nightclub massacre in Orlando, Florida. "It wasn't the kind of response that I would expect when 50 people have perished." "I've offered words of public encouragement [to Trump] in important times, and continue to be discouraged by the results," Corker added at the time. Corker said Tuesday he was encouraged by the firing of Trump's campaign manager Corey Lewandowski amid infighting with chief Trump strategist Paul Manafort and the Republican National Committee. "It's really tough to make a decision about changing someone who's been so loyal to you. Publicly, everybody is writing and talking about it today. It takes a lot of courage to do that," Corker said. "What I hope this is going to mean is that now we're going to really focus on the fiscal issues facing our country, the economic issues, ... and how America is going to relate to the world," the senator concluded. watch now Summer got off to a sizzling start Monday as a deadly heat wave sent temperatures soaring across the Southwest again and forecasters warned the mercury could hit anywhere from 120 to 125 degrees this week. Excessive heat warnings and heat advisories were in effect across Southern California, Nevada and Arizona, affecting 25 million Americans, the National Weather Service reported. Another heat-related death in Arizona was confirmed Monday, when authorities said a woman walking on a multi-use path called The Loop collapsed and died Sunday night in Tucson. The deaths of four people in Arizona over the weekend were confirmed Sunday. Meanwhile, the searing temperatures were complicating the battle against explosive wildfires that have already scorched tens of thousands of acres in the region, forcing evacuations throughout the Southwest. Air National Guard C-130 Hercules dropping water last week during a fire-fighting training mission in Southern California. Source: US Air National Guard/Staff Sgt. Nicholas Carzis It was hot enough in Arizona to fry eggs on the sidewalk, the Arizona Republic reported. "Numerous locations in Arizona reaches 120 degrees yesterday, including city of Yuma," said Michael Palmer, The Weather Channel's lead meteorologist. "Excessive heat warnings continue for at least two more days." About 150 miles northeast of Phoenix, firefighters battled the Cedar fire, which had consumed 26,739 acres by Monday afternoon, incident commanders said. It was only 40 percent contained, they said. NWS Tuscon tweet A 25-year-old man died Saturday while hiking with two friends along the Peralta Trail in Pinal County, 70 miles southeast of Phoenix, Sheriff Paul Babeu said. A second hiker was still missing, he said. Sunday, a 28-year-old woman who worked as a personal trainer died during a morning hike along the Desert Vista Trail in Maricopa County, Phoenix fire officials told NBC News. Later Sunday, two hikers a man and a woman in their early 20s hiking in Pima County left the trail without taking along water and had to be rescued by helicopter, authorities said. The woman died before deputies arrived, and the man was being treated at a hospital, the Pima County Sheriff's Department said Sunday night. More from NBC News: The United States of Trump Trump's Road to Recovery Appears Steep After Shake-Up Clinton Holds Big Fund-Raising Edge Over Trump Two other hikers had to be rescued Monday morning after they suffered heat-related-illnesses in Palm Desert, California, authorities told NBC News. Rescue crews hiked a mile up a hilly trail to reach the hikers after two attempts to get there by helicopter failed. Their conditions weren't immediately reported. The deadly heat was also hastening separate blazes across the region. The Dog Head Fire covering close to 18,000 acres near southeast of Albuquerque, New Mexico, meanwhile, was 46 percent contained Monday night. A second New Mexico fire, dubbed North, continued growing near the town of Magdalena and was at 36,110 acres, with 30 percent containment. Cal Fire tweet In California, the 7,890-acre Sherpa fire, which had threatened communities and a campground near Santa Barbara, was 62 percent contained Monday night. Emergent BioSolutions Vice President Dino Muzzin holds a product sample of BioThrax, the only FDA-licensed vaccine available for pre-exposure protection against anthrax infection. Emergent BioSolutions said Tuesday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has completed its pre-approval inspection of Emergent's large-scale facility for making BioThrax, a vaccine for pre-exposure protection against anthrax. "Emergent is pleased to have reached this critical milestone in our BioThrax comparability program," Adam Havey, executive vice president and president of biodefense division at Emergent, said in the press release. The company said it looks forward to "timely completing" the process of securing its FDA license for the facility, which is in Lansing, Michigan. A decision is expected by August, the company said. BioThrax is the only approved anthrax vaccine in the U.S. The company has been supplying it to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as part of an effort to develop a U.S. stockpile in the event of a terrorist attack. Anthrax is an infection caused by a spore-forming bacterium. It mainly effects animals, but humans can contract the infection through contact with infected animals or inhaling spores. Inhaled anthrax can be hard to treat and can be fatal. Emergent's stock has dropped slightly this year, falling more than 1 percent. The company's shares were mostly unchanged, but were moving back and forth between positive and negative territory. From freeing up trade between countries to ensuring an open labor market across its 28 members, the European Union has played many important roles in Europe over the last few decades. And on top of ensuring social and economic freedom, it has also found time to protect Scotch Whisky, Stilton cheese and the humble Cornish pasty. But could this protection of Britain's famous foodstuffs come an end on June 24? One function of the EU is to protect goods and foodstuffs which can be identified with a specific region from imitations. For instance, only sparkling wine made in the Champagne region of France can be called Champagne. Currently, the U.K. has 73 products - ranging from the Melton Mowbray pork pie, Cheddar cheese and Cornish clotted cream - registered with the EU's protected food name scheme, which prevents foreign producers from selling versions of these product that have no link to their place of origin. Jeff J Mitchell | Getty Images If the U.K. votes to leave the European Union on June 23, it would either have to renegotiate a vast range of treaties - including protected food - or let some agreements fall by the wayside and go it alone. In the event of a Brexit, the U.K. would most likely sign a trade deal with other EU members to continue recognising the protected status of each other's foods. However. it may struggle to get other countries outside the EU to agree to these protections, according to Lewis Crofts, chief correspondent at market analysts MLex. "The concept of geographical indications isn't popular with countries such as the U.S. and Japan, and the EU despite its huge negotiating weight is struggling to persuade trade partners to include them in trade deals," Crofts wrote in a report in May. "This begs the question: if the EU is having a tough time doing it, what hope does the U.K. have?" Simon Dawson | Bloomberg | Getty Images Several producers of protected goods are concerned about Brexit. For instance, the Cornish pasty currently has protected geographical indication (PGI) status with the EU. According to trade body the Cornish Pasty Association (CPA), the PGI status helps protect the quality and reputation of their product, which generates 300 million ($425million) of trade each year. "As an organisation that has benefited from the EU protected food names system, and no clear evidence available to demonstrate that Brexit would enable that protection to continue, the CPA supports Britain remaining in the EU and being able to participate in that system," said the association's chairman Jason Jobling in a public statement. Scotch Whisky may also be under threat. Exports of the spirit reached 3.86 billion ($5.47billion) in 2015, but this could be disrupted by Brexit and the Scotch Whisky Association is in favor of remaining. "The EU's weight and expertise in international trade helps give us fair access to overseas markets through the agreements it is able to negotiate with third countries," said David Williamson, public affairs director of the Scotch Whisky Association. " And of course the protection of the Scotch Whisky geographical indication is rooted in European law." A Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Luke MacGregor | Bloomberg | Getty Images Larry King, the longtime television and radio talk show host, said Tuesday he would have to vote for Hillary Clinton, despite his close friendship with Donald Trump. King told CNBC's "Squawk Box" he's known Trump for 45 or 50 years. "I had him on [TV] countless times. I've dined with him. I've socialized with him," said King, who spent a quarter century hosting "Larry King Live" on CNN and now hosts two programs on Hulu. "It's a very tough pick because I've known Hillary a long time, too. And I'm friends with both. I socialize with both, and like them both," King said. "Some of [Trump's] stands, I just can't go with." "When I'm down to the two, I would tell Donald, 'Donald, I love you. You're a great friend. But I can't buy some of the things [you've said],'" King said, making a reference to Trump's accusations of bias against the Mexican-American judge in the Trump University case. Before pulling back on comments under pressure from Republicans, including House Speaker Paul Ryan, Trump had been saying the judge could not be impartial because of his heritage, given the candidate's call to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. King said he tends to vote Democratic. "But I'm very independent." He recalled he voted for Richard Nixon in the 1968 presidential race, which saw the California Republican win his first term in office. "I could always be swayed." "[But] The Donald I know was pro-choice ... [and] anti-guns," King said. Trump has been campaigning on the traditional Republican platform of supporting anti-abortion views and the sanctity of the right-bear-arms Second Amendment. Disclosure: Comcast, which owns CNBC parent NBCUniversal, is a co-owner of Hulu. One would not expect Coca-Cola to divulge their secret recipe for the world-renowned soft drinknor is it required by government. The same is true for other proprietary trade secrets and intellectual property. That, however, could all change by the end of the year if some at a little-known federal agency get their way. The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)where I previously served as a commissioner for seven yearsis seeking to obtain such secret formulas known as "source code" from traders and trading venue operators (exchanges). Comments on the proposal for new automated trading rules, known as "Reg AT," are being accepted through the end of this week. The argument as to why the commission seeks this is that they believe there are certain risks to markets associated with unsuitable source code (namely the algorithmic formulas) and they want to better understand what is taking place. While that may seem like a noble cause, source code is the secret sauce, the protected property, created in the private sector. It often takes years and millions of dollars to develop. It is the life-blood of innovation and invention. The proposal to make such highly-sensitive data obtainable to any member of the Commission as part of the available collection of books and records would be precedent-setting. If the proposal were to be approved, no subpoena or formal order would be required, as is currently the case. A mere CFTC shout-out seeking source code would compel complete acquiescence. Establishing such a slapdash standard at one federal agency could impact tens of thousands of businesses should other agencies (federal, state or local) choose to emulate such a problematic precedent. Moreover, given the government's history of shoddy supervision and mangled management of private information, individuals and business owners have every reason for apprehension related to data security. Simply said: submission to the government in this regard would place highly sensitive and very valuable data in great jeopardy. Not many years ago, while I was there, the CFTC itself was hacked. We were informed all our personal data was at risk. Separately, researchers working with the CFTC's economist inappropriately released sensitive information, thus instigating a US Inspector General investigation. Even the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) computer system was hacked, compromising over 21 million personnel records. Moreover, in just the six months since the CFTC released this ill-omened proposal, hackers penetrated the Federal Reserve, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Government officials suggesting that sensitive intellectual property and trade secrets will be secure would be lavishly ludicrous if it weren't such a serious and significant issue. There is no way, no how, that government should be trusted in this regard. Finally, this current proposal, according to the CFTC to "reduce potential risks" is extreme overkill. There has been no articulation of any specific risk that would have been avoided if this proposal had been in place. As to why officials continue to believe it is needed: that's a perplexing puzzle. During my time at the Commissionand for over four decadessubpoenas have worked exceptionally well in obtaining information needed for investigations. To issue a subpoena, all that's required is an affirmative vote of the Commission. I cast dozens of such votes. It is not an onerous endeavor. At the same time, the subpoena standard sustains needed due process protections for people and for firms. There are no real-world reasons why these safeguards should be compromised via haphazardand truly extraordinaryregulatory fiat. Throughout my 30-year career in government, I've been a supporter of thoughtful regulation, particularly in the financial sector. However, this proposal goes far beyond any reasonable request. If it were to be adopted, it would abuse the CFTC authority under the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA), but as important, it would set a dreadful and dangerous precedent for those concerned about intellectual property and trade secretsand all for no respectable reason. In a significant departure from an established pattern, Apple will not be making substantial changes to the next iteration of the iPhone, which will come out this fall, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal. The one exception: New iPhones will no longer have headphone jacks, a move that is likely to dismay some users. The company will retain the current 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch sizes, according to WSJ, citing people familiar with the matter. Apple is planning much bigger changes for a planned release in 2017, the 10th anniversary of the iPhone, according to WSJ. (An Apple spokesperson declined to comment on the story.) Number26, a German start-up app-only bank, has raised $40 million, led by the venture fund founded by one of Asia's richest men, Li Ka-shing. The billionaire's Horizon Ventures led the funding round, which included other high-profile investors such as Battery Ventures and the founding team of publicly listed German fashion site Zalando. Existing investors Valar (Peter Thiel's VC fund), Earlybird Ventures and Redalpine Ventures, all put in about "a couple million" dollars each as well, Number26 chief executive Valentin Stalf, told CNBC in an interview on Tuesday from the MoneyConf conference in Madrid. Number26 joins the number of mobile-only challenger banks that have popped up in recent times but appears to be quite ahead of the competition, given that it has a product on the market and a customer base now of 200,000 since launching in January 2015. Number26 offers a current account that gives you real-time notifications of what you're spending and what areas you're spending in. But it's looking to expand its product offering to create new revenue streams. Earlier this year, the German start-up bank partnered with TransferWise, a British start-up that offers cheap international money transfers. Users of the Number26 app could use TransferWise to carry out transfers within the banking app. Number26 This platform approach is something that Stalf said would continue. The next upcoming features will be an exchange-traded fund investment product and a savings product that is "on the interest arbitrage side." Both will be coming in a "couple of months" after Number26 completes partnerships with providers of these services, according to Stalf. He could not reveal the names of the companies as the deals are not finalized yet. "You never leave our interface, it's always in one experience. That's very important because people don't want to sign up to three different apps. They want one hub," Stalf said, explaining the partnership approach Number26 is taking. Another focus for the start-up is creating "automated intelligence" products, which could be similar to robo-advisors giving money advice. Brexit putting off UK expansion? While the funding round will be used on expanding product, another focus will be launching in other European countries "in the second half of the year." When asked if Number26 would be coming to the U.K., Stalf said that it would depend on the outcome of the country's vote on Thursday regarding its membership in the European Union. "I think it's very unclear about how financial regulation will change if Britain decides to exit. The Brexit will bring a lot of uncertainty to us and the U.K. market and doing and activities there," Stalf said. And given that Number26 now has one of Asia's richest men on board, it could open the door for expansion in that region, something Stalf said was "too early" to set a schedule for. Odicka | Ullstein bild | Getty Images Planning for inheritance appears to be picking up in Asia, according to lawyers who report an increase in the demand for wills. "There has been explosive growth in wealth and investments in Asia, and perhaps from there, people might have a greater awareness or concern about planning for succession, legacy and business continuity," says Chee Fang Theng, honorary secretary at the Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners (Singapore). Clients who want wills written come from "all walks of life, from normal working class employees to the ultra-rich with assets spread out all over the world," says Chee, who is also a director at Pan Asia Law. Dying without a will - a situation known as being intestate - means the deceased person's assets, including cash, real estate and personal property is distributed to heirs in line the country's intestate succession laws, and this can require several applications to the court before the deceased's assets can be dealt with, Chee explains. Potential complications There are also potential pitfalls if a person dies intestate, which differ across various jurisdictions. For instance, in Singapore, a step-child or an illegitimate child of the deceased is not entitled to a share of the estate, according to the Singapore Intestate Succession Act. But having a will does not always guarantee a complication-free process. The will could be deemed invalid if it does not comply with legal requirements, and beneficiaries unhappy with their share or third parties cut out the will can challenge the validity of the document, Chee warns. Raghunath Peter Doraisamy, director at Singaporean law firm Selvam, has also observed an uptick in demand for wills over the past three years, ranging from "simple to complex arrangements." He adds that a notable trend has been "the increase of clients who have requested to create wills in respect of assets owned in more than one jurisdiction." And while there is such a thing as an international will, it's advisable to ensure that the relevant laws of each jurisdiction are complied with, to ensure that the will is valid, Doraisamy says. Trusts an option Photo credit: Syracuse University SYRACUSE, N.Y. The man who led the search committee to find a new dean of Syracuse Universitys Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs has been selected for the position. Syracuse recently announced that David Van Slyke will take over as Maxwell School dean on July 1. His appointment was approved unanimously by the university board of trustees executive committee. Van Slyke is replacing James Steinberg, who announced last September that he would step down as dean of the Maxwell School at the end of the 2015-16 academic year. Steinberg, who has served as dean since 2011, will remain at Syracuse University and will continue to teach in the Maxwell School in his role as university professor of social science, international affairs, and law, according to a university news release. The Maxwell School formed a search committee last fall, headed by Van Slyke, who currently serves as Maxwells associate dean and chair of the Department of Public Administration and International Affairs. But the committee was not able to find a candidate that members could agree on. The search was suspended and the search committee was discharged on Friday, June 3. The dean search committee interviewed several finalists and, after much discussion with faculty, staff and students, it was apparent that no single finalist had earned the appropriate level of support, a Syracuse University spokesman said in response to a BJNN inquiry. Van Slyke, who earned dual tenure in the Maxwell School and the College of Arts and Sciences in 2007, holds the Louis A. Bantle chair in business-government policy. His academic focus has been on public and nonprofit management, government contracting, public-private partnerships, policy implementation, and strategic management, according to the release. Davids contributions to his department, the Maxwell School, and Syracuse University are extensive and impressive, Chancellor Kent Syverud said in the release. I appreciate Davids willingness to step up and lead the Maxwell School. Van Slyke has helped lead Maxwell Schools executive-education program and worked extensively with senior leaders in government, nonprofit, and business organizations in China, India, Peru, Singapore, Thailand, and many other countries, the school said. Van Slyke is a leading international expert on public-private partnerships, public sector contracting and contract management, and policy implementation and has provided expert guidance to the Office of Management and Budget, the Government Accountability Office, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the World Bank, the release stated. He previously worked in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. Van Slyke earned a Ph.D. in public administration and policy from the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at the University at Albany. Contact Rombel at arombel@cnybj.com Hello, I am using 'FileSystemWatcher.enableraiseevents' to get the events when a directory, or file in a directory changes. I have used FileSystemWatcher.Error to catch the errors. These are the errors logged in my system. Exception : System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception (0x80004005): The wait operation timed out, Hash code: 28048521, Type: System.IO.ErrorEventArgs, To string: System.IO.ErrorEventArgs Exception : System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception (0x80004005): The operation completed successfully, Hash code: 1658455, Type: System.IO.ErrorEventArgs, To string: System.IO.ErrorEventArgs Exception : System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception (0x80004005): Unknown error (0x490062), Hash code: 27762102, Type: System.IO.ErrorEventArgs, To string: System.IO.ErrorEventArgs My question is what is the meaning of these errors ? Why I am getting these errors ? Please help me. srikrishnathanthri wrote: Please help me. I'll copy/paste every answer from the same question on SO here, would that help? --edit To explain why I'm not so very happy with this question; imagine taking 10 minutes to write a long answer with lots o' detail - just to hear you say "I already know". You could have included a link to your question on SO so that I am not just repeating other answers. If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^] Bastard Programmer from Hell modified 22-Jun-16 8:08am. In this case I cant get errors in debug. It's logged in run time randomly. I am searching at least 30 minutes before posting any questions in the forum. srikrishnathanthri wrote: In this case I cant get errors in debug. It's logged in run time randomly. It may be caused by lots of messages from the OS, which aren't there as soon as you halt execution and go to debug. FileSystemWatcher.Error Event (System.IO)[^] The operation timed out, would mean that the OS started an operation but did not get informed of its completion; which in turn could cause the next errors. You might also want to read this[^] thread from SO. If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^] Bastard Programmer from Hell Hello, I planning to use Microsoft Enterprise library 5, for connecting Microsoft Access and perform asynchronous operations. I found that ODBC can be achieved by using GenericDatabase of Microsoft.Practices.EnterpriseLibrary.Data But in that method I am getting a error as "The database type "GenericDatabase" does not support asynchronous operations" Is it possible to perform asynchronous operations using Microsoft.Practices.EnterpriseLibrary.Data.GenericDatabase ? If not what are the possible alternatives for me ? Please help me. srikrishnathanthri wrote: If not what are the possible alternatives for me ? According to the documentation, you could use SQL Server. MSDN[ ^ ] states: If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^] Bastard Programmer from Hell hi any one can please help me to send multiple sms from click button with excel file attachement in c#. Hello, I have a requirement of getting updated/inserted values in SQL server 2008 using CLR method. I read on net that trigger is meant for validation also, But I am not getting how to get the incoming values ( before or after update/insert) to the SQL server using .net assembly System.Data.SqlClient , SqlDataReader method. Is it posible to get the updated/inserted values using dll ? Please help me. Hello, I am looking for a password protection method in .net for connecting SQL server. I have a requirement is to secure passwords from developers. I know most of people will suggest me to use config file store password and some people say use windows authentication. But my requirement is quite different, I dont want to reveal password to developers. If I use it in config file the password will be known to developers. How to deny access to config file for developers and give to access to visual studio to that config file? If I use Windows authentication there is risk of connecting directly to the database server by installing management studio or some other third party tools. Is there any way that will make windows authentication will work only if access from code? Because the connection string is just that - a string - the code that developers write needs to be able to access the "raw string" that is sent to SQL as part of the Connection event. Because their code can access it, so can the developers. All you can do is give them username / password combinations which are just sufficient to do their job (i.e. can insert, select, maybe update - but not add, edit, or create tables) and if you are still feeling paranoid log everything that user account does. But even trying to prevent them having access when they clearly are going to need it says "I don't trust them" and that's not good for morale or the culture within the company. You may find it counterproductive in terms of retaining good staff - the ones you can trust... Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay... 1. Use windows domain authentication 2. Run your application (or application pool, if IIS) under a service account. Give that service account the appropriate permissions on the database (which would have to be on a domain machine in this scenario). Don't give the password to your devs, set this up yourself (or whatever Security person you have assigned to account actions). 3. Make sure that dev accounts don't have access to the SQL server if you're worried about them using SSMS. "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics." - Benjamin Disraeli Nathan Minier wrote: There's a very easy method. ..still would rather see a DB created by a developer If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^] Bastard Programmer from Hell "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics." - Benjamin Disraeli This is only a "problem" if you want to hide your database-structure, either from dev or the user/owner. In that case it becomes a discussion of who owns the data If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^] Bastard Programmer from Hell If the developers cannot access the content of the config file, neither can Visual Studio nor the application the developers launch in the debugger. You seem to have only a single environment, production, where you need at least three. You need a developer environment that the developers have enough access to so they can develop the application and the database. You need a test environment that mirrors production so you can test the application and database changes before you put it in production and also test the deployment of the application and database changes. Finally, and obviously, you need a production environment. In your case, all three of these need to have their own separate database servers with their own connection strings. They don't need to be the same. But, it comes down to the point where you absolutely need to trust at least two people with the passwords to the production database. They don't have to be developers but they do have to know what they're doing with connection strings. You cannot avoid this. But, on top of all of this, you and your SQL DBAs, system admins and networking people need to understand security, in SQL, in Windows Server, NTFS, ... to correctly setup every environment and all of the servers and shares to make sure nobody has more permissions than they need to do their jobs. A guide to posting questions on CodeProject Click this: Seriously, do it. Dave Kreskowiak Click this: Asking questions is a skill Seriously, do it. Given are Main-Folder; I want to get out of each folder the subfolder-name and paht with the latest date. Thanks Regards Nicole The loyal dog Hachiko is the subject of a Proof silver dollar from Niue. A 2016 silver dollar from Niue celebrates a legendary Japanese dog. Hachiko, born Nov. 10, 1923, was an Akita from Japan who is famously known for his remarkable loyalty to his owner, which continued for many years after his owners death. Hidesaburo Ueno, a professor, took Hachiko as a pet in 1924. Soon after, Hachiko made a habit of greeting him at the end of each workday at Shibuya Station in Tokyo. Dog and owner continued this daily routine until May of 1925, when Professor Ueno did not return, due to his untimely passing. Connect with Coin World: Although the professor never returned to the train station, Hachiko stayed faithfully waiting each day for the next nine years for his owner to return. Hachiko became a national sensation for this devotion, and today Hachikos legendary faithfulness is a symbol of loyalty in Japan that people strive to replicate. He is internationally known and has been the subject of many articles and a full-length major motion picture. Hachiko died March 8, 1935, near Shibuya Station. A bronze statue in his likeness is permanently in place at the Shibuya Station, and is a popular meeting spot. Each year on the anniversary of his death, Hachikos loyalty is honored with a ceremony, where hundreds of dog lovers come to pay tribute and celebrate his life. The Proof .999 fine silver dollar measures 45 millimeters in diameter. It has a mintage of 2,500 pieces and retails for $79.95 from distributor Panda America. To order, visit the firms website. Paul Armentano spoke to over 30 people Thursday on MU's campus, discussing scientific research on marijuana and initiatives to legalize the drug. Armentano's presentation comes after Democratic presidential candidate and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders filed a bill in the U.S. Senate that would allow states to decide whether to legalize recreational marijuana. What you need to know ahead of mandatory CWD sampling in Missouri Best of Business 2022: Learn Who Won Our 15th Annual Reader Poll Local professionals chose their favorite business and professional services, products, healthcare, dining and more. Find out who their top picks are. Donna James Leads a Bold Plan to Revive Victorias Secret James has a proven record as a C-suite executive and adviser. Now, shes guiding the lingerie giant toward a more inclusive, financially sound future. Dr. Santosh Kumar displays a wrist sensor used to gather data from volunteers in health related studies. The Mobile Sensor Data-to-Knowledge (MD2K) team, headquartered at the University of Memphis, develops tools and methods to gather, analyze and interpret health-related data collected from wearable and mobile sensors. (Stan Carroll/The Commercial Appeal file) SHARE By Kevin McKenzie of The Commercial Appeal A national initiative headquartered at the University of Memphis to improve health through mobile sensors and big data is producing results, officials said Tuesday. Researchers have developed a method to mine mountains of data provided from wearable sensors to monitor stress in real time and determine the best time to intervene with a text message or prompt. The Center of Excellence for Mobile Sensor Data-to-Knowledge, or MD2K, headquartered at the U of M, with researchers at the National Institute of Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program officially initially reported their research in a paper last month at the 2016 CHI conference for human-computer interaction in San Jose. The National Institute of Health in 2014 made MD2K, with U o fM computer science professor Santosh Kumar as center director, one of 11 Big Data Centers of Excellence designed to harness exploding amounts of data to improve the nations health and medical care. MD2K involves top scientists from a dozen universities to develop tools, software and training materials for researchers, health care providers and others. The new research, Finding Significant Stress Episodes in a Discontinuous Time Series of Rapidly Varying Mobile Sensor Data, tracked body responses, GPS and activity data in a study of 38 opioid-dependent drug users to identify major but usually rare stress episodes. A standard for continuous assessment of stress researchers developed earlier, known as cStress also played a role. The research also pinpointed the environments, such as areas with graffiti, trash, broken windows and bars, where stress spiked and found that one episode increased the likelihood of another. Through early detection, intervention and prevention, the research could help reduce health care costs and combat diseases and behaviors ranging from obesity and smoking to substance abuse, asthma and congestive heart failure. SHARE Officials from S2G Biochemicals visit the Pennakem LLC chemical plant in Memphis during a five-week production trial of plant-based glycol. By Wayne Risher of The Commercial Appeal A 75-year-old Memphis chemical plant may advance the environmentally friendly cause of non-food plant waste replacing a petroleum-based key ingredient in plastics, antifreeze and de-icer. Pennakem LLC, which originated as a Quaker Oats-run chemical plant in 1942, was the site of a five-week campaign this spring to produce plant-based glycol at commercial scale for Canada-based S2G Biochemicals. Pennakem could land a permanent role producing glycol and a second, secret food additive for S2G because of the campaign's success. Mark Kirby, president and chief executive, said his Vancouver, British Columbia-based S2G Biochemicals is working to put together projects, owners and financing for permanent commercial production. "Our hope is we will be able to get into that in Memphis, adding to the facilities at Pennakem," Kirby said. "There is no guarantee on that. I'm very optimistic we will be able to get the financing together." The Pennakem plant, located at 3324 Chelsea in the Douglass Park area of North Memphis, has a history of producing chemicals out of discarded plant wastes, starting with production of furfural from oat husks. Furfural is a colorless, oily liquid. Quaker Oats spun off the plant as Q.O. Chemicals in the early 1980s. Since then the plant has manufactured furfural-based products for other chemical companies, including solvents used in agriculture and pharmaceuticals, Pennakem chief executive Dale Fannin said. S2G's process, developed over two decades and tested in a laboratory in Vancouver since 2012, makes industry-grade glycol from discarded vegetation from food and paper production. Historically, fossil fuels have been the primary raw material for plastic production. S2G says more than $30 billion in petroleum-based glycol is sold globally each year. For Pennakem's test, glycerin left over from biodiesel production was used to produce glycol. The glycol was sold to an industrial resin plant in Arkansas, Kirby said. Industrial resins can be found in fiberglass, bowling balls and countertops. Pennakem also produceda a proprietary, unnamed "co-product" and sample quantities of propylene glycol intended for pharmaceutical use. Tom Waldman, president of Pennakem, said, "The combination of S2G's innovative process and Pennakem's 75 years of manufacturing expertise using biorenewable feedstocks will lower costs and could catalyze the demand for sustainably and economically produced bio-based glycols." SHARE By Jody Callahan of The Commercial Appeal Authorities are investigating after a man robbed a credit union Tuesday afternoon, then escaped with a female accomplice on a red scooter. The incident happened around 2 p.m. at the First South Financial Credit Union at 633 S. Highland, Memphis police said. According to police, the suspect entered the bank and demanded money, implying he had a weapon. Bank employees handed over an undisclosed amount of cash and the suspect fled. Witnesses told police that a woman on a red scooter was waiting outside, and that the man jumped on and they sped off. Shortly afterward, police said, the suspects were motoring through the nearby Campus Heights apartment complex when they ran into, or were hit by, another car. They fell off the scooter, but got back on and took off. No arrests had been made Tuesday. SHARE Rhynette Hurd By Ryan Poe of The Commercial Appeal The city of Memphis will move forward with an unpopular change to an employee retirement plan on July 1 after a judge decided Monday to allow the switch. Shelby County Circuit Court Judge Rhynette Hurd denied a motion by the plaintiffs including police and firefighters unions that would have temporarily blocked the city from moving employees with fewer than 7.5 years of experience from a defined benefit plan to a riskier plan whose final value will depend partly on an employee's investments and market conditions. The case will probably go to trial next year, said plaintiffs' attorney Timothy Taylor, who also represents several city employee bargaining units. Unions and employees sued the city in November to challenge the change, claiming it violated the understanding employees had when they signed on and unfairly targeted newer employees. The city expects to save about $7 million a year from the change, in addition to reducing its pension fund liability by $20 million, said the city's attorney Allan Wade, who is also the City Council's attorney. Having less liability will likely increase the city's bond and credit ratings. Hurd said an injunction could only be granted if the cost would be immediate and irreparable, which didn't apply to plaintiffs years away from retirement who could potentially be reimbursed. "The benefit to the plaintiffs of a temporary injunction is at best speculative, and the harm inflicted on the city of such an injunction is significant and could negatively impact all city employees and citizens," she said. But unions argue the change is another blow to employee morale as the city tries to recover from the loss in recent years of roughly 500 officers and 200 firefighters. Memphis Police Association President Mike Williams said a defined benefit plan lets officers know exactly what they can expect and provides a "safety net," which is important for municipal employees, who don't get Social Security. He said hybrid plans have been unpopular in other cities, which are now reverting to defined benefit plans, and he expects the same in Memphis. ."We are pleased with the court's decision with respect to the temporary injunction," city Chief Legal Officer Bruce McMullen said in a statement released Monday afternoon. "However, this case is not over and we have no further comments at this time about the specifics of the litigation. ... We understand change can be difficult, but the city is doing everything possible to make the transition smooth for our affected employees." Tennessee Senators - (Left to Right) Lamar Alexander (R) and Bob Corker (R) SHARE By Michael Collins of The Commercial Appeal WASHINGTON U.S. Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker backed two Republican proposals Monday designed to keep guns out of the hands of terrorists but voted against two Democratic gun measures that would have been more restrictive. All four measures fell short of the 60 votes needed to advance. Alexander and Corker voted in favor of a proposal by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, that would have let federal law enforcement officials delay gun sales to suspected terrorists including those on watch and no-fly lists for three days and then halt the sales, but only after proving probable cause before a judge. "I strongly believe that terrorists, criminals, and those adjudicated mentally ill should not be able to obtain firearms and that we must protect the constitutional rights of law-abiding Americans," said Corker, a Chattanooga Republican. The Tennessee senators also supported a separate proposal by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, that called for research on the causes of mass shootings and would have increased funding for the background check system, but would not have expanded the types of gun sales that require them. Monday's votes came eight days after a gunman who identified himself as an "Islamic soldier" killed 49 people and wounded 53 others at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla. Alexander, a Maryville Republican, said he supported the Cornyn proposal "so that the attorney general can stop anyone suspected of being a terrorist in the past five years from buying a gun." He also noted the proposal would have changed federal law so that federal, state and local law-enforcement officers would be notified immediately if a suspected terrorist attempted to buy or transfer a gun. Senate Democrats argued the Republican proposals were inadequate. They offered their own gun-control proposals. One would have allowed the attorney general to deny a gun sale to anyone if she has a "reasonable belief" a lesser standard than "probable cause" that the buyer was likely to engage in terrorism. The other would have closed the "gun show loophole" by requiring every gun purchaser to undergo a background check, and would have expanded the background check database. Alexander and Corker voted against both measures. June 21, 2016 - Michael Rallings, the interim director for the Memphis Police Department, stands behind the casket of K-9 officer, Gunner, during a funeral service at the Dixie Pet Cemetery in Millington on Tuesday. Gunner, who was born on September 29, 2003, graduated from the MPD Canine Unit on June 12, 2006. He was inducted into the Tennessee Animal Hall of Fame in recognition of his dedication, loyalty, and service to MPD. He was also credited for saving Sgt. Roosevelt Twilley's life, who served as his partner and handler. Gunner, who passed away on June 14, retired from the department in 2010 after five years of service. (Yalonda M. James/The Commercial Appeal) By Kayleigh Skinner of The Commercial Appeal Members of the Memphis Police Department gathered at Dixie Pet Cemetery in Millington Tuesday to say goodbye to Gunner, the MPD K-9 officer who nearly lost his life in the line of duty seven years ago. Gunner died of a sudden illness June 14, said his partner and handler, Sgt. Roosevelt Twilley. (Photo gallery of Gunner's funeral) "He was a worker, a protector, a playmate for my son," Twilley said. "They grew up together, they were a year apart." Gunner worked alongside Twilley for five years before he retired in 2010 and lived with the officer's family for nearly all of his 12 years. Although he participated in multiple felony arrests, Gunner is best-known for his actions in January 2009, when he apprehended a burglary suspect on the run. Early in the morning on Jan. 21, 2009, Kenneth Hayes and Thaddeus Bush stole a television from Broadway Pizza at 2581 Broad. Police and the restaurant owners were alerted to the scene by the building's alarm. Bush was arrested soon after while Hayes tried to flee in a minivan and hit a police car in the process before taking off on foot. Twilley and Gunner tracked Hayes down as he ran into Overton Park. The canine and suspect struggled; Hayes stabbed the German Shepherd 10 times before he was apprehended and handcuffed by Twilley. Gunner was critically injured and underwent emergency surgery and a blood transfusion, but returned to duty about two months later. "Gunner never gave up the fight, continued to engage the suspect, protected the handler and was credited with saving Sgt. Twilley's life," said Major Dana Sampietro, commander of the K-9 unit. Gunner was inducted into the Tennessee Animal Hall of Fame in 2010 for his heroism. He also received a Police Department Service Medal for being injured in the line of duty. He is the only animal to ever receive the award, Sampietro said. The Memphis City Council also recognized the K-9 officer with a resolution honoring his "courage, loyalty, perseverance and heroic acts." "He wasn't just a K-9, that was his partner," MPD Interim Director Michael Rallings said. "They are partners, they are protectors, his (Twilley's) partner protected him while being brutally assaulted by another individual. We appreciate the sacrifice that he made." During the funeral service, some officers wiped away tears as Twilley shared lighthearted anecdotes about his beloved partner and patted his side for the last time. "He's going to be missed," Twilley said. Thomas Busler/The Commercial Appeal files Noel Gilbert (left) conducts as Bobby Bryan sings "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" at the Overton Park Shell on June 24, 1969. SHARE June 21 25 years ago: 1991 A sharp exchange of letters has developed between attorneys for Sidney Shlenker and local governments since Shlenker was ordered removed as manager of the taxpayers' riverfront arena project. County Atty. Brian Kuhn Thursday requested that Shlenker "cease and desist" activities as manager of the $62 million pyramid arena and surrender his records. In separate letters, Kuhn told the pyramid's contractor and project manager not to take instructions from Shlenker's employees or allow their activity on the job site. Kuhn's letters were in response to a letter sent Tuesday by Shlenker's attorney. That letter said the city and county had no authority to remove Shlenker from control of the project on Monday. 50 years ago: 1966 WASHINGTON The House gave final congressional approval Monday to landmark freedom-of-information legislation making it easier for Americans to examine the records of the Federal Government. A unanimous 307-0 vote sent to President Johnson the measure establishing a basic policy that records of Federal executive agencies shall be available to the public unless secrecy is specified. Sponsors predicted the President will sign the measure, despite efforts of some Federal agencies to block it. The law would take effect in one year. 75 years ago: 1941 Memphis lumber plants may play a big role in the defense program by providing the huge volume of wooden boxes and crates essential for the safe transportation of munitions and other defense products. 100 years ago: 1916 WASHINGTON The issue of war or peace with Mexico hung in the balance tonight, awaiting General Carranza's decisions as to the course he will pursue. Officials here believe that 48 hours might bring a clear understanding of what the immediate future has in store. 125 years ago: 1891 Numerous attachments were run on the livery establishment of J.W. Duncan yesterday and the proprietor was not on hand to explain the situation or satisfy his creditors. He has not been seen for two days. June 6, 2016- MPD interim director Michael Rallings looks towards Mayor Jim Strickland during a press conference regarding public safety held in the Hall of Mayors. (Nikki Boertman/The Commercial Appeal) By Kayleigh Skinner of The Commercial Appeal Memphis Police Department Interim Director Michael Rallings says he has applied for the permanent police director's position. Rallings made the comment to a reporter during a Tuesday funeral service for Gunner, a retired K-9 officer with the police department. The deadline to apply was Friday. On Friday afternoon, City of Memphis spokeswoman Arlenia Cole said she did not know how many people applied or whether Rallings was among them. Mayor Jim Strickland said early in May that he had requested Rallings apply for the permanent director's job, but Rallings had not done so as of June 13. The city is paying the International Association of Chiefs of Police $30,000 to $40,000 to conduct a national search for a police director. Virginia-based IACP had received 21 applications as of early this month. City Chief Human Resources Officer Alexandria Smith said the city is on track to hire a director at the end of August or beginning of September. The Germantown IDB recommended a seven-year extension on ThyssenKrupp's 10-year PILOT. The company plans to invest $19 million in its headquarters on Crestwyn Drive. (Jane Roberts/The Commercial Appeal) SHARE By Jane Roberts of The Commercial Appeal ThyssenKrupp, which has its North American headquarters in Germantown, hopes the city's aldermen give final approval next week to extending the company's PILOT by seven years. The company, based in Germantown since 2006 when it received a 10-year PILOT, wants to invest $19 million to expand and reconfigure its footprint in Forest Hill Heights for the next cycle of growth. The Germantown Industrial Development Board voted 6-0 Monday to recommend the extension, pending final approval by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen next Monday. The company is at a "crossroads," said Jeremy Prather, vice president of finance, as it assesses how to most efficiently manage growth caused by an uptick in the economy and its decision to close a manufacturing plant in Toronto and consolidate those operations at its plant in Middleton, Tennessee. It is also moving a Dallas-based customer service center to Germantown. "The Crossroads we're at is really real simple: We have to redevelop or rearrange our corporate office," he said. The PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) allows a company to make investments in land and facilities for about a 75 percent a reduction in taxes. The 10-year PILOT ThyssenKrupp received in 2005 saved it $77,613 in personal property taxes and $312,734.70 on real property. If the extension is approved, ThyssenKrupp plans to invest $1.5 million in a renovation "that would start pretty quick, in 30 to 45 days," Prather said, adding that the PILOT was "very, very critical for us." The company, which designed and installed the elevators in Bass Pro's store in the Pyramid (the nation's tallest, freestanding elevator), would spend $674,000 in land improvements at the headquarters at 9280 Crestwyn Hills Drive. It also would invest $18.4 million in tangible personal property, including $17.4 million in technology and software. Under the deal, ThyssenKrupp would pay 25 percent of city taxes on its investment in real and tangible property in exchange for creating 12 jobs and retaining 286 others. The company would have a four years to meet the goals. If it failed, the seven-year PILOT extension would be for six years. The average wage of the new jobs would be $59,167. Germantown wants to maintain the jobs ThyssenKrupp already has here and keep its headquarters in Forest Hill Heights, an area the city is marketing. City Administrator Patrick Lawton says the city is "stingy" with its PILOTs, noting the only other is West Fraser in the central business district. "The IDB looks very carefully at the capital investment and the jobs to be created," he said, noting that the value of having a company headquarters in Class A office space was immeasurable to the city and key to attracting other businesses to Forest Hill Heights. "It's worth the PILOT to keep them," Lawton said. City staff did not immediately respond to questions about what the tax abatement would be on the new investment. When ThyssenKrupp was awarded its first PILOT, it promised to create 21 jobs. It actually created 81, noted its attorney Harry Skefos. "The median wages of $78,000 turned out to be almost $86,000. The total jobs of 226 ended up being 286. ... Besides the wages and payroll being brought into this community, they bring in a lot of people from out of town every year." SHARE Government is not supposed to work this way, especially when a citizen has been wrongly robbed of 31 of the prime years of his life. When that happens, government should be expected to try to make things right. Yet, in Lawrence McKinney's case, making things right has been stalled for some seven years in inadvertent or intentional red tape. And, untangling that red taped is caught up in a mess of excuses about why he has not been compensated for wrongly being sent to prison. McKinney, 60, was released from prison in 2009 after DNA evidence showed that he did not rape a woman in Memphis in 1977. Under Tennessee law, some people who are wrongfully imprisoned for crimes they did not commit are entitled to compensation of up to $1 million. But to get the money, they have to be officially exonerated by the governor, even if a court has already found them not guilty and let them out of prison. And, that is the catch in McKinney's case. Gov. Bill Haslam has yet to officially exonerate McKinney. State Rep. Mark Pody, a Republican who represents the former prisoner's district in Lebanon, Tennessee, has gone to bat for McKinney, saying the state is morally and legally bound to compensate him. "Our state had him in prison incorrectly. We've got to make this right," the lawmaker said last week. Pody said he has been told by the governor's office that Haslam wants to wait on for the Board of Parole to consider the case. Also, Pody said the parole board continues to give him conflicting information about when it might hear the case. A spokeswoman for the board said members are busy with thousands of other cases. A Haslam spokesman said it is the administration's policy to consider executive clemency requests after receiving a recommendation from the Board of Probation and Parole. We understand that, but in exceptional cases like McKinney's, doesn't a governor have an obligation to tell the parole board to expedite a hearing? McKinney, whose 75-year-old wife, Dorothy, has health porblems, could use the money to help pay bills, including his wife's medical expenses. Finding God while incarcerated knocked the anger out of him and, in some ways, that places him a step ahead of those delaying making it possible for him to be compensated for being wrongly incarcerated. In fact, even after evidence clearly showed he did not commit the rape, the board denied McKinney's request for exoneration in 2010. On the surface, it appears that the state is unwilling to admit it made a mistake or that someone in state government is deliberately stalling the process, maybe hoping that a delay will prevent any kind of payment being made to McKinney. We hope that is not case. McKinney was robbed of the best years of his life by a wrongful conviction. The governor and Board of Parole need to stop making excuses and do right by this man. SHARE By Michael Gerson WASHINGTON When it comes to the chaotic, flailing, floundering Trump campaign, many senior Republicans are in a state of panic. Will this become a state of revolt? "If the next few weeks are anything like the last two," a senior GOP official told me, "anything could happen at the convention." Donald Trump's response to the Orlando attack encouraging religious bigotry and implying that President Obama might be a secret jihadi confirmed the worst Republican fear: that Trump will remain Trump. With this recognition has come the realization that Trump has wasted the seven weeks since he became the presumptive nominee a period in which Democrats were divided and vulnerable. How did he fill the vacant air? He raised the possibility that Ted Cruz's father might be implicated in the assassination of JFK; that Hillary Clinton might have been involved in the death of Vince Foster; that a federal judge, presiding over a case against Trump University, should be disqualified by his ethnicity; and that U.S. soldiers in Iraq were living large off larceny. By the end of this string of statements, one of Trump's strongest congressional proxies, Rep. Duncan Hunter, was reduced to arguing: "I think what he says and what he'll do are two different things." Republicans, in essence, should be reassured by their nominee's duplicity. House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have been willing to criticize Trump, but not to un-endorse him. Practically, this means that nothing nothing Trump says could forfeit their support. The presumptive nominee has already raised the prospect that his opponent is a murderer and that the president is a traitor. Not, evidently, sufficient provocations. Ryan and McConnell have decided that in order to remain leaders they must avoid providing leadership. But what might change things in the GOP is the political disaster that now appears in the offing. Beneath Trump's historically low approval ratings 29 percent in a recent Washington Post/ABC News survey is an even more disturbing development. After he secured the nomination, Trump's support among Republicans rose, in many polls, to the mid-80s not spectacularly good, but an indication the GOP was rallying. In recent polls, Trump's Republican support has dropped to between 70 percent and 80 percent. Along this trend, a decisive Democratic victory might sweep away the House and Senate. If Republican politicians begin to see this dynamic in their own polling, many will suddenly rediscover their consciences and abandon Trump. Trump's whole campaign now consists of a pathetic irony. He ran attacking the GOP "establishment" at every turn. Now, since he has neglected to construct his own national campaign, he is totally dependent on the "establishment" to provide his political ground game. First he vilifies the GOP, then complains that it lacks enthusiasm for his cause. Republican convention delegates are sophisticated enough to see what is happening. The Trump campaign claims to be lean; in most of the country, including the battleground states, it is nonexistent. Trump offers his leadership as the solution to every problem, yet presides over a campaign organization that is a squabbling, paralyzed amateur hour. Delegates know that, even if Trump can boost his poll numbers, he cannot magically create a viable, national campaign structure. If a revolt emerges, it will happen first in the GOP convention rules committee which meets a week before the convention and is stacked with officials more loyal to the party than to Trump. The simplest move would be to require a supermajority to select a nominee an approach taken by some Republican state conventions in order to avoid the choice of badly wounded candidates. The goal should be a truly open convention, which does not choose anyone Trump has already beaten. A delegate revolt would be a messy spectacle, with little hope of succeeding unless Paul Ryan and Reince Priebus eventually break with Trump. But it is now the only option consistent with Republican interests and honor. Contact Michael Gerson at michaelgerson@washpost.com. The U.S. plans to have a supercomputer by early 2018 with roughly double the performance of China's newest and most powerful system. The Chinese system, Sunway TaihuLight, was announced Monday in the latest release of the Top500, the biannual ranking of publicly known supercomputers. Sunway TaihuLight can reach a theoretical peak speed of 124.5 petaflops, and has achieved 93 petaflops on the Linpack benchmark, used by the Top500 to assess the performance of supercomputers. The latest ranking of the world's publicly disclosed supercomputers was released Monday at a supercomputing conference in Germany. The U.S. Dept. of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory is expecting an IBM system -- named Summit, capable of 200 petaflops -- in early 2018. (A petaflop equals one quadrillion floating point operations per second.) This system will use IBM Power9 and Nvidia Volta GPUs. The DOE, in a statement responding to the news Monday about China's supercomputer, said U.S. supercomputing capabilities "have grown exponentially by a factor of 300,000" since 1993. "High-performance computing remains an integral priority for the DOE," the statement said. The DOE, which buys many of the supercomputers used by the U.S. government for scientific research, has two other major supercomputers planned for 2018. One system, named Sierra, is a planned 150-petaflop IBM system that will be located at the Lawrence Livermore National Lab, and is scheduled to be available for use by mid-2018. A third supercomputer, a Cray and Intel system called Aurora, is due by late 2018, at the Argonne National Laboratory. China's latest supercomputer arrives after the U.S. banned the sale last year of Intel's high-end microprocessors to China's four main supercomputing centers. The government alleged that China was using supercomputers for nuclear testing. China has been building its own microprocessor industry, but whether the U.S. ban played a role in accelerating its processor development is a question mark. The notable aspect of China's top ranking computer is the use of its own chips, ShenWei CPUs, developed by Jiangnan Computing Research Lab in Wuxi. These chips use a RISC-based architecture, and each processor has 260 cores capable of just over 3 teraflops. The system, in total, has 10.65 million cores. The DOE said the government is "pursuing the goals of the National Strategic Computing Initiative: Accelerating the delivery of exascale computing; increasing the coherence between the technology base used for modeling and simulation and that for data analytic computing; charting a path forward to a post-Moore's Law era; and building the overall capacity and capability of an enduring national HPC ecosystem." While China may be leading the U.S. in performance for now, the American government and some analysts believe the true test of a supercomputer lies in its ability to run many different types of applications. That point was reiterated today by the DOE, which, in its statement, said the "strength of the U.S. program lies not just in hardware capability, but also in the ability to develop software that harnesses high-performance computing for real-world scientific and industrial applications." Apple announced watchOS 3 at WWDC 2016. Its a significant software upgrade that improves performance and usability while introducing new features any Apple Watch user will enjoy. Major performance improvements Apple has done lots of work to improve performance on the device, including development of an impressively lean new memory architecture. Not only does watchOS 3 keep your favorite apps in memory (up to around 16 of them, I think), but it also supports background updates and refreshed information in order to deliver instant launch of apps. Users and developers had complained at lengthy app loading times, so this is a welcome improvement apps should load up to seven times faster than before. Killer app: Emergency calls Apple continues to dream up killer apps for Apple Watch. Apple Pay is one and the new Emergency Button is another. If you are in trouble you press and hold the side button on the watch to make an emergency call. The Watch is smart enough to figure out what country it is in and will dial the relevant authorities, over Wi-Fi if your cellular connection isnt working. You can speak to emergency services and the watch will share you medical and emergency ID information with them, as well as sending an SOS (including your location) to friends and family. The best way to find apps Apple Watch now has the performance it needs to offer its own Dock through which you can access your apps, rather than Glances mode. Like the iOS app switcher you can swipe quickly between available apps. You can choose up to 10 apps to keep there in addition to your most recently used app. The apps then remain active in the background and ready to use the moment you flick to them. You access this using the side button that until now has pretty much only summoned Apple Pay and your most called contacts. You also use the side button to contact emergency services (see above). Youll find an Add to Dock button you can use to add your most important apps to your collection. Now you'll want to use the companion iPhone app The UI of the Apple Watch app on iPhone has seen a lot of improvement and now feels like an app you dont mind being inside. One great example of this is when you want to choose watch faces, as you can see all available faces and customize them for your needs all from within the app on your iPhone. Youll also like the new Find My Apple Watch feature on iCloud and the iPhone. Control more Control Center has been spruced up and now offers access to battery life, Airplane Mode, Silent, Do Not Disturb, Find My iPhone and Lock option. You can also scroll down to find headphone and output options, or sideways to access your media. Stay in (digital) touch There are big improvements to Messages on Apple Watch, including the inclusion of potential responses (canned, spoken emoji and digital touch) on the same screen as your message. My favorite improvement is the new capacity to quickly scribble a reply on your Watch which it turns into text. The redesign should make the app more intuitive in use, and youll find similar usability and interface-focused design tweaks in all the Apple-supplied Watch apps. You can also sent stickers and invisible ink items you may have received from an iPhone from your watch. Apple has improved Messages on the Watch, but my favorite is the capacity to scribble a reply the watch turns into text letter by letter. On the face of it Watch faces are much easier to change. You only need to swipe left or right on your watch screen from edge to edge to switch between faces. While Apple still doesnt support third party watch faces for some reason, it has introduced three more: Minnie Mouse, Activity and Numerals. The Photo, Motion and Timelapse now support complications. Chillax Apple continues in its quest to figure out how to make Apple Watch an essential tool for personal health. The new Breathe app is a gift to the stressed out 24/7 person who needs help calming him- or herself down. This kind of meditative, mindfulness-promoting activity can fight depression and anxiety and improve attentiveness. Apple did a ton of research to develop Breathe, and in use the app has lots of ways to help you chill, including effective use of haptic feedback. Activity for everyone One key improvement to Activity is the introduction of Messages support through activity sharing so you can share your activity with friends and family, who can encourage or compete with you. That kind of gamification can really help people maintain fitness. Apple has also developed a version of Activity for wheelchair users. This has been scientifically developed to help people in a wheelchair maintain fitness levels. It does this by tracking the different hand movements they use to get around in different situations, and also offers two workouts that can be used to maintain fitness. I hope to discuss this feature in more depth next week. New apps too The new Home app will let you control HomeKit devices from your Watch. Watch-optimized versions of Find My Friends and Reminders are also on the way. Back to the Mac Unlock your Mac when you are nearby with an Apple Watch. TestFlight WWDC is a developer event, so Apple has updated TestFlight to supports apps built for the new beta OSs. 'A brand new Watch' From what little I saw at WWDC I think every Apple Watch user will find a lot to like in the new OS. The near zero latency when using apps on the device will go a long way toward convincing many of us to use apps more often, and this should also encourage developers to introduce new apps and add new features to what's available. Developers and users wanted to enjoy seamless user experiences and this was hard to accomplish with the slight delay when launching apps -- now that delay is gone Apple has obliterated some of the biggest criticisms of its Watch. I think this impressive upgrade will be like a brand new watch for some users. I also think it sets the scene for much improved new models in future. Sadly the new OS wont ship until autumn/fall. Google+? If you use social media and happen to be a Google+ user, why not join AppleHolic's Kool Aid Corner community and join the conversation as we pursue the spirit of the New Model Apple? Want Apple TV tips? If you want to learn how to get the very best out of your Apple TV, please visit my Apple TV website. Got a story? Drop me a line via Twitter or in comments below and let me know. I'd like it if you chose to follow me on Twitter so I can let you know when fresh items are published here first on Computerworld. One lone hacker has tried to take credit for the recent breach of the Democratic National Committee, calling it easy. But some security researchers arent convinced. On Monday, security company Fidelis Cybersecurity came forward, and agreed that expert hacking groups from Russia were indeed behind the attack. The malware involved was advanced, and at times identical to malware the Russian hacking groups have used in the past, Fidelis said in a blog post on Monday. This wasnt Script Kiddie stuff, the company added. It backs the conclusion that security firm CrowdStrike made last week, when the company said two Russia-based hacking groups were behind the breach. The attacks against the DNC, which initially started last summer, managed to hack into the computer networks used and steal sensitive files, including opposition research on presidential candidate Donald Trump. CrowdStrike was hired to mitigate the attack and blamed the breach on two expert hacking teams, codenamed Cozy Bear and Fancy Bear, which are believed to have ties with the Russian government. CrowdStrike called them among the best hacking groups in the world. However, a day later, a lone hacker named Guccifer 2.0 emerged online and took credit for the attack. Guccifer 2.0 mocked CrowdStrike and then posted some of the files purportedly stolen from the DNC. This included a 231-page dossier on Trump. On Monday, Fidelis said the company was brought onboard to analyze the malware used in the DNC breach. It performed its own independent review and found that the malware was similar to those Cozy Bear and Fancy Bear are known to use in the past. CrowdStrike also maintains that Cozy Bear and Fancy Bear are the true culprits, despite the claims from Guccifer 2.0. Emojis have become an important and essential communication tool for hundreds of millions of people, so naturally, now there's a movie coming. Sony Pictures Animation said Monday that it will produce an animated movie about "the secret world of our phones and the beloved characters that have become daily necessities in global interpersonal communication." "Emojimovie: Express Yourself" is due in August 2017. It will be written by Eric Siegel and Anthony Leondis and directed by Leondis. He previously wrote and directed "Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch" and "Igor." Sony Pictures Animation Sony Pictures Animation "Emoji Movie: Express Yourself" Sounds like a hit to you? Studios seem to think so. Deadline had earlier reported that Sony beat out two other movie studios bidding for the movie, paying "near seven figures" for the title. So what emojis might make the cut and appear in the movie? The smiley seems the likely star and is the most-used emoji in every country except France, according to a SwiftKey study published in 2015. In France, the heart emoji is the favorite. Emojis first appeared on cell phones in 1999 when NTT DoCoMo launched its i-Mode wireless Internet service in Japan. Since then, they have spread worldwide and are available on all modern smartphones, messaging systems and computers. Emojis' Japanese roots explain some of the stranger characters, which might mean little to people in the West but related to some important cultural festivals, food or other aspects of Japanese life. Congress should block proposed changes to rules governing U.S. law enforcement investigations that could give law enforcement agencies new authority to hack thousands of computers, several tech and advocacy groups said. Congress should stop the proposed changes, approved by the Supreme Court in April, that would allow judges to issue warrants for hacking and surveillance in cases where investigators don't know the target computer's location, a coalition of 50 tech trade groups, digital rights groups, and tech companies said in a letter sent Tuesday to congressional leaders. The proposed rule, which would allow judges to issue warrants outside their jurisdictions, "would threaten the civil liberties of everyday Internet users," the coalition said in its letter. The new rule "would invite law enforcement to seek warrants authorizing them to hack thousands of computers at once." In addition, the rule change could hurt network security efforts, the groups said. "Increased government hacking will likely have unintended consequences that cause serious damage to computer security and negatively impact innocent users," their letter said. The Supreme Court approved changes to Rule 41 of the Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure, which, in most cases, now prohibits federal judges from issuing a search warrant outside their jurisdictions. The changes go into effect on Dec. 1 unless Congress moves to reverse them. The coalition called on Congress to pass the Stop Mass Hacking Act, a pair of bills introduced last month to roll back the proposed changes to Rule 41. Representatives of the FBI and the Department of Justice didn't immediately comment on the coalition letter. Among the organizations signing the letter were trade groups the Computer and Communications Industry Association and the Internet Association; digital rights groups the American Civil Liberties Union, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and Fight for the Future; and tech companies Google, PayPal, SpiderOak, and Evernote. The Federal Aviation Administration has published long-awaited rules that loosen restrictions on commercial use of drones but don't go as far as allowing drone delivery services like those proposed by Amazon. The rules, scheduled to take effect in late August, replace temporary restrictions that have required thousands of companies to apply for special permission to use drones as part of their job. Many of the rules are similar to the temporary restrictions including the requirement that drones be kept within line of sight of the operator at all times. That means automated delivery services like Amazon's Prime Air will be unable to operate. Amazon did not immediately reply to a request for comment, but the company has been outspoken in the past about moving its drone research and development overseas if the FAA didn't allow operations. The line of sight requirement will also affect other promising potential applications of drones, such as inspection flights along power lines, gas pipelines and railway lines to check for problems or obstacles. Something else new: Currently, drones are restricted to daytime use but the new rules extend to twilight if the drone has anticollision lights. Other provisions remain the same: drones cannot operate over people not associated with the flight; must yield to other aircraft; and cannot fly above 400 feet. They also spell out where the drone can fly. Operations are allowed within most airspace with air traffic control clearance, but never around major airports. To operate a drone for commercial use, the FAA will require some knowledge of the rules of the sky, either through a remote pilot certificate, which is a new certification the agency is preparing, or a student private pilot's license. In contrast, hobbyists can fly drones without either of the two licenses. The rules help commercial operators in one important way: for most commercial use, operators no longer have to go through a legal procedure to obtain FAA permission for operations. "While it's exciting that commercial drones are finally legal, the FAA missed an opportunity to remove many unnecessary restrictions on the use of this promising technology," said Eli Dourado, director of the Technology Policy Program at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Dourado noted that the rules no longer prohibit drones carrying external loads, so limited delivery service could be attempted. But the line-of-sight requirement severely limits this. "To truly tap the full potential of this technology, more restrictions will need to be lifted," he said. The rules were applauded by Mike Winn, CEO of DroneDeploy, who said the removal of the requirement to have a private pilot license to commercially fly a drone would significantly help businesses looking to use drones. Marc Scribner, a fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, said he believes the FAA should have gone further in its rules, allowing freer access to the skies and leveling the playing field between hobby and commercial operators. "The FAA really seems intent on putting up a firewall between model aircraft operations and anything that could be used in a higher capacity," he said. "If a kid wants to help out a realtor and make some extra money, theyre going to find they need a remote pilot airmans certificate to do so." In the future, everything will be connected -- even your grandparents. That's what Samsung Electronics is counting on as it draws up a four-year plan to invest US$1.2 billion in U.S. IoT startups and research. The company sees the Internet of things as a way to provide dementia care and to help millions of elderly people live independently, using a range of devices including some akin to fitness trackers. "We can keep people out of hospitals and nursing homes," Samsung CEO Oh-Hyun Kwon said at a company event in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. "As our populations live longer, these benefits and cost savings for society cannot be ignored." While a lot of the talk about the Internet of things is focused on machine-to-machine communication, getting devices to talk to one another, Kwon wants to bring people back into the equation. "Technology must be designed with people at its core. If it does not improve a persons life, they will not adopt it," Kwon said. Another application for IoT is in reducing greenhouse gas emissions he said. By making home heating controls more efficient, among other things, IoT technologies could reduce global carbon emissions by 9 gigatons annually, he said. Slowing climate change may not excite his U.S. audience much, but another of his suggestions could, particularly in Silicon Valley: Building a network of sensors to provide early warning of earthquakes, and use the information to protect critical infrastructure, for instance by shutting off gas lines. Samsung plans to advance its IoT agenda in the U.S. through a combination of research and acquisition -- but it already has a history of snapping up U.S. IoT firms. Two years ago it bought SmartThings, developer of an app and a home hub enabling the remote control of household appliances, for a rumored $200 million. Samsung's stewardship of the company has not pleased everyone, with product delays and poor platform performance among the criticisms. Its most recent acquisition was just last week, when it bought Joyent, developer of cloud services for controlling and gathering data from connected devices.The interesting thing about Joyent is that it's as much about enabling other vendors products as it is about Samsung's own. That's something it has in common with another Samsung product line, Artik, a series of modules for building diverse connected devices based on common infrastructure and standards. That's a theme Kwon pursued in Washington on Tuesday. "A collaborative approach will be vital to realizing IoTs vast opportunities -- and addressing the challenges of bringing it to scale. That means bringing together all sectors to be open through voluntary standards," he said. He also called on the industry to share their approaches to privacy and security -- and called out Artik's built-in security features. "Our commitment to privacy-by-design and security-by-design is in all of our technology," he said. "Security and privacy cannot be added after the fact." High-tech entrepreneur Elon Musk has his sights set on building robots that can do housework, have conversations and play games. In working on these different robotic abilities, Musk, the CEO of both SpaceX and Tesla Motors, said he hopes to advance the artificial intelligence algorithms that will be needed to create them. "A significant fraction of our research bandwidth is being spent on fundamental research," wrote Musk, along with Ilya Sutskever, Greg Brockman and Sam Altman, who also are working with OpenAI, an open-source A.I. research company, in a blog post Monday. "A significant fraction of our research bandwidth is being spent on fundamental research. We'll always be developing and testing new ideas... This is important -- our current ideas will not be enough to achieve our long-term goal." In the blog post, they noted that one of their goals is to build an off-the-shelf robot that can do household chores. "There are existing techniques for specific tasks, but we believe that learning algorithms can eventually be made reliable enough to create a general-purpose robot," the post reads. "More generally, robotics is a good test bed for many challenges in A.I." Another of the OpenAI team's projects is building the algorithms needed to create a robot that can have complex conversations, take verbal instructions and ask questions about tasks it is given. "Today, there are promising algorithms for supervised language tasks such as question answering, syntactic parsing and machine translation but there aren't any for more advanced linguistic goals, such as the ability to carry a conversation, the ability to fully understand a document, and the ability to follow complex instructions in natural language," they wrote. "We expect to develop new learning algorithms and paradigms to tackle these problems." The OpenAI team also is working on creating one artificial intelligence system that can play multiple games. Being able to quickly and deftly learn to play multiple games will advance the technology of reinforcement learning, a segment of machine learning. "Our projects and fundamental research all have shared cores, so progress on any is likely to benefit the others," the researchers wrote. "We're just getting started on these projects, and the details may change as we gain additional data. We also expect to add new projects over time." Zeus Kerravala, an analyst with ZK Research, said these statements may not seem like critical steps, but its important research. These can be thought of as one small step for man, one giant step for robot-kind, he told Computerworld. Having a robot do our housework or play Monopoly doesnt change our lives significantly, but it is a step on the journey for robots being able to do more tasks, Kerravala said. Once they can do housework, maybe they can learn to cook, fix things, work on your car or build a house. We can't go from robots being what they are today to being C-3P0 overnight. Its part of the evolutionary process. OpenAI was launched less than two months ago as a project aimed at helping developers use A.I. and machine learning to create smart robots and devices. While the research could benefit both Tesla and SpaceX, Musk also has stated that A.I. could be a danger to humans. "I think we should be very careful about artificial intelligence," Musk said during an MIT symposium late in 2014. "If I were to guess at what our biggest existential threat is, it's probably that... With artificial intelligence, we are summoning the demon." Preserving New England: Mary Buchanan 14 inspired by Goodwin-Niering legacy Mary Buchanan '14 New England is the most forested region of the United States, yet also one of the most densely populated. That juxtaposition creates unique challenges for land conservation. Attitudes about public land are complicated in the Northeast, says Mary Buchanan 14, a conservation associate with the Highstead Foundation, a nonprofit conservation organization based in Redding, Connecticut. In the American west, there are large swaths of public land. In the Northeast, the vast majority of forests are privately owned. Conserving the regions natural infrastructure is essential for the long-term health of ecosystems, economies, and food and water systems, Buchanan says. It also requires significant investment, both from private individuals and foundations, and from public sources. While national data on public funding for conservation is available, information sources are spread widely across different agencies, data archives are often out-of-date and a comprehensive picture is hard to find. In order to build reference material for New England specifically, Buchanan was charged with completing in-depth research on public funding in a joint project between Highstead and the Harvard Forest as part of the Wildlands & Woodlands initiative. The result of that work is a 72-page comprehensive report that paints a detailed picture of federal, state and local funding for conservation in the Northeast. The comparative analysis, complete with easy-to-use charts and graphs, is already helping conservationists from throughout the region lobby legislators and other policy makers to increase funding for land protection. (A six-page summary is also available.) We are hoping to increase collaboration across political lines and within different sectors, Buchanan says. These resources help people have those conversations. The state-by-state comparisons are particularly enlightening. Between 2004 and 2014, for example, Massachusetts spent $328 million in state funds on land conservation, far more than any other New England state. But when spending is considered on a per-capita basis, Massachusetts ends up in the middle of the pack, spending only about $4.50 a year per resident. Thats about equivalent to a single cup of fancy coffee, Buchanan says. Fellow Connecticut College alum David Foster 77, director of the Harvard Forest and president of Highsteads board of trustees, said he is highly impressed with Buchanans work on the project. Its the first of its kind, and yet it derives from a great Connecticut College tradition, for it follows the efforts that [late Katharine Blunt Professor Emeritus of Botany] Dick Goodwin brought to Conn, the state of Connecticut and the nation in his role of professor, landowner, early president of the Nature Conservancy and major benefactor to Connecticut College. Continuing the legacies of Goodwin and William Niering, the late Lucretia L. Allyn Professor Emeritus of Botany, is an honor for Buchanan. Initially a student at Haverford College, Buchanan transferred to Conn halfway through her sophomore year because of the Colleges strong environmental science program and the reputation of the Goodwin-Niering Center for the Environment. One of the Colleges five centers for interdisciplinary scholarship, Goodwin-Niering is named for the pioneering professors who made enormous contributions to the field of ecology and conservation of natural areas. Buchanan, who majored in biological sciences, credits the Goodwin-Niering Center with preparing her for meaningful work in the field of conservation. In addition to the research work she does for Highstead, Buchanan creates GIS (Geographic Information Systems) computer maps for regional conservation partnerships that allow them to identify areas with the most natural resources. She first learned those mapping skills from professor Beverly Chomiak in her courses at Conn. Ive learned a lot on the job, too, but those core skills came directly from Conn, Buchanan says. Through conservation mapping, Buchanan was introduced to the field of geographyand now she is hooked. She will begin a masters program in geography at the University of Connecticut this fall. Long-term, Buchanan is considering a Ph.D. in geography and a career in the nonprofit sector. Regardless of where her career eventually takes her, she is passionate about preserving the natural beauty and charm of New England. Small towns in New Englandmany of them feel the way they do because of the natural infrastructure that is here. Most of that land is unprotected now, and most of it is privately owned, she says. If we want to keep our towns feeling like New England, we need to be serious about conservation. June 21, 2016 Quite rightly there has been a lot of attention, in the debate over our EU membership, to Parliamentary sovereignty and the democratic argument that we should be self-governing rather than have laws imposed on us. Yet local democracy is also constantly undermined by our EU membership. In recent weeks we have seen councillors from different parts of the country offer examples on this site. Cllr James Binns of the New Forest wrote about how EU money (our money) was spent in his area in a highly wasteful manner without regard to the wishes of the elected councillors on which projects should have priority. Cllr Matthew Sephton of Trafford reflected on how EU meddling has penalised councils that maintain weekly bin collections. Cllr Anthony Boutall of Bedford argued that double standards had been applied with austerity being applied to council budgets while extravagance by the EU is indulged and our budget payments increased. Finally there was a contribution from Cllr Daniel Moylan of Kensington and Chelsea, on how EU bureaucratic procurement rules push up costs for councils and cause delay by squeezing out competition from small firms. There is an irony that during the past six years localism has made great progress. Transparency has been the chosen method of local government accountability rather than top down targets. The Audit Commission along with the tyranny of sameness it enforces is no more. Incentives such as the New Homes Bonus have replaced targets. Yet the EU has imposed constraints on how far the localist revolution can go. Let us consider the planning system as an example. When Sir Eric Pickles was the Communities and Local Government Secretary he issued a statement on the scale of EU interference. He said: There are an increasing number of directives which have implications for land use planning. In addition to the environmental impact assessment directive other EU legislation which impacts (or may shortly impact) on the planning system includes the strategic environmental assessment directive, flooding directive, habitats directive, wild birds directive, waste framework directive, revised waste framework directive, Seveso II directive, public participation directive, renewable energy directive, energy performance of buildings directive, environmental noise directive, draft airport noise regulation, energy efficiency directive, draft regulation on trans-European energy infrastructure, water framework directive, air quality directive and the draft soil framework directive. The European Union does not have competence on land use planning, although it does have competence in relation to the environment but as is evident from that list, increasingly, its regulatory creep is imposing additional and expensive requirements on the planning system. Indeed, as outlined in the written ministerial statement of 25 July 2012, Official Report, House of Lords, column WS66-68, rulings from the European Court of Justice on the strategic environmental assessment directive have added significant delay and complexity for the UK Parliament to move ahead with the proposed abolition of the last Governments regional spatial strategies. For all the talk of reform it just gets worse each year. I am surprised and disappointed that Sir Eric is backing Remain. To be fair, in the Coalition Government the Lib Dems also backed a radical switch to localism. It is also a pity that they (generally) favour our continued EU membership with the inevitable further shift to centralism and erosion of local democracy that would go with it. A proper liberal and democratic policy is to favour local decision making. To achieve that we need to end our membership of the EU. It is claimed repeatedly that the Russian President supports a Brexit vote. William Hague is at it again this morning. So it is worth publising the only words that Putin is reported to have said on the subject: There is a great problem with Brexit, why did he initiate this vote in the first place? Why did he do that? So he wanted to blackmail Europe or to scare someone, what was the goal if he was against? Who can predict it? No one can predict it. I have my own opinion on this matter whether it is good or bad but I will refrain from giving the forecast. I think it would be improper on my part to do that. Whatever I say will be interpreted to the benefit of either side, thats the business of the EU and the people of the UK. Different experts have different estimates about whether Brexit will benefit Great Britain or not, some say it will be to the detriment and some say the EU will be more stable and stronger. In the UK itself for example they are going down in boats saying how hard it is to live with restrictions in fishing. Yes they have a problem, well there are some benefits in other sectors. If you have to weigh all these things it is very complicated. SUBSCRIBE Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates straight in your inbox. India is one of the 16 countries which a British non-profit organization, Global Witness, has identified where environmental activists were killed in the year 2015. In its latest report, titled On Dangerous Ground, the top advocacy group has said, of the 117 non-indigenous people who died fighting for environmental rights worldwide, six were Indian. Giving the five examples of deaths globally it has revealed, the report singles out that of Sandeep Kothari, an Indian journalist, who, it says, was found burned and beaten to death in Maharashtra state on June 20, 2015, because he had written critically on sand mining by local mafia groups in Balaghat district, which the state has allowed to grow unchecked.The report says, Prior to his murder, he had faced considerable threats, including intimidation by the police and spurious legal charges in alleged retribution for his journalism. Other countries from where examples of similar nature have been chosen are Guatemala, Myanmar, Peru, and Brazil.The environment is emerging as a new battleground for human rights, the report says, adding, As demand for products like timber, minerals and palm oil continues, governments, companies and criminal gangs are exploiting land with little regard for the people who live on it.Increasingly, it points out, Communities that take a stand are finding themselves in the firing line of companies private security, state forces and a thriving market for contract killers. The numbers are shocking. We documented 185 killings across 16 countries, a 59% increase on 2014 and the highest annual toll on record.The worst hit countries were Brazil (50 killings), the Philippines (33) and Colombia (26). Mining was the industry most linked to killings of land and environmental defenders with 42 deaths in 2015. Agribusiness, hydroelectric dams and logging were also key drivers of violence, the report says.Singling out India as one of the countries where illegal loggers were responsible for 15 killings along with the Philippines, India, Guatemala and Cambodia, the report says, across the globe, logging trade operates in remote areas with weak law enforcement and often works hand in hand with corrupt local officials, adding, Loggers are encroaching into previously untouched areas in the search for high-value timber and coming into conflict with local communities.Regretting that the data it has collected, especially from Asia, may be inadequate, the report says, In 2015, almost 40% of victims were indigenous. None of those who have been reported killed in 2015 from India belong to the indigenous category tribals.There was little evidence that the authorities either fully investigated the crimes, or took actions to bring the perpetrators to account, the report regrets, adding, Our findings highlight another alarming trend: while impunity for perpetrators prevails, the criminalization of activists is becoming more commonplace.It says, Governments and powerful business interests use their influence to marginalise defenders and turn public opinion against them, branding their actions as anti-development... There is growing international awareness of this growing crisis, with many NGOs and human rights experts calling for urgent action. SHARE Chad Bidwell Chad Bidwell has joined Northwestern Mutual as a financial representative. Bidwell, an Iraq War veteran, was previously a financial representative with AIG Financial Network in Owensboro. In 2001, Bidwell chose to join the United States Armed Forces. Bidwell was in the Army for eight years of service and one tour in Iraq. He studied business at Owensboro Community College. In this undated photo, Glenn "Glenzig" Davidson, owner and operator of Killer Skate Park & Shop, does a front side air on one of Killer's many ramps. (Photo by Alex Morgan) Park a 'passion project' for local couple By Max Roll, Courier & Press Digital Content Producer Skater owned, skater operated. Those four words were what Princeton, Indiana native Glenn Glenzig Davidson had in mind when he opened Killer Skate Park & Shop nearly seven years ago, a one of a kind place in Evansville. Get Wet, the citys original skateboard shop that opened in 1986, went out of business in 2015, leaving Killer as the only locally owned skate shop, as well as the only locally owned skate park, in Evansville. Killer faces skateboard merchandise competition from chain retailers Zumiez and Tillys, each located in nearby Eastland Mall. The publicly owned Lamasco skate park is located off West Columbia Street and Seventh Avenue, but the dilapidated park has seen better days. Killer is run by Davidson, 36, and his wife of 11 years, Sheena, 33, who now live in Evansville. The two met while working at Movie Gallery in Princeton. Glenn worked there for ten years including as a manager for several years. And thats where the money came from for the 5,000 square foot skate utopia at 1315 North Cullen Avenue. The Davidsons, who are Killers only employees outside of a few volunteers, werent the type to spend money on frivolous things, opting to save most of what they earned. And they dont expect to make a lot of money with Killer. This is a pure passion project, said Glenn, a skateboarding fanatic for nearly 30 years. I can maybe make a living but Ill never become a millionaire. This is not a get rich scheme. The Davidsons work up to 60 hours a week, every week, keeping Killer in business. Sheena does bookkeeping for a local truck company on the side. Killer took six weeks to build. The Davidsons had help from friends and family working 10 to 13 hour days in what Glenn described as a brutal process. Glenn, who grew up building ramps and other obstacles with his father and two older brothers, designed the park. Its seen several face lifts in the last seven years. The course is constructed of Skatelite, a durable high quality material designed for skateboarding. Killer offers skate camps, contests, pro skater demos and sponsorship for local skaters. Killer currently sponsors a team of eight riders ranging from age 15 to 41. Camp goers learn the basics of skating and also the history, physics, origins and philosophies behind skateboarding. They also learn how to take a bump, design skateboard graphics and play games centered on skateboarding. Weve become surrogate parents to a lot of the kids that come in here, Glenn said. The Davidsons say they take care of those kids, offering advice and a positive influence. Theyve watched some youngsters, who they werent sure would even graduate high school or stay of jail, go on to do great things. Killer also acts as sort of a tavern for some of the older guys, a place where they can talk about their problems and receive knowledge. Skateboarding, its a big club, Glenn said. Glenn said he is in talks with the city regarding a new public skate park for the Roberts Park project, but no official plans have been released. Glenn estimates the skate park to cost about $750,000 and it wont be done anytime soon. National Go Skateboarding Day is Tuesday and starting at 5 p.m. Killer is holding a contest, giving away prizes and premiering their new video, Psycho Killer. Cost for park entrance, which is normally $6 for three hours or all day for $10, will be waived. Killer is open Monday through Saturday noon to 9 p.m. and Sunday 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. For more information on Killer, visit their website at www.killerskatepark.com . --- Check out more footage from Killer on their YouTube channel SHARE By Doyle Mcmanus, Los Angeles Times Tribune News Service Help wanted: Seasoned Republican politician with Washington experience. Must have high energy, conservative credentials and a strong stomach. Job requires working for mercurial boss who provokes needless crises without warning. On paper, you'll be his deputy, but this chief executive prides himself on ignoring others' advice. The successful candidate will roll with the punches and subordinate his/her public image to the boss's whims. Four-year, no-exit contract; once you're in, you're in. Would anybody want this job? As Donald Trump's scorched-earth style has driven his poll numbers downward, the question isn't only whom he'll pick as his running mate; it's also whether leading Republicans are willing to shackle their futures to his. "If you take the job, you're betting your reputation and your career on Donald Trump," said Vin Weber, a former Republican congressman from Minnesota who, it must be noted, is not a fan. The presumptive nominee has "an albatross around his neck," agreed David Winston, a longtime GOP pollster. "The share of voters who have an unfavorable opinion of Trump is higher than we've ever seen for a presidential candidate. That means he isn't just vetting potential running mates; he's going to have to recruit them." If Trump loses the general election, his No. 2 risks collecting a share of the blame. If Trump wins, the new vice president gets to spend four years contending with a boss whose reality TV catchphrase was: "You're fired." Small wonder that the list of prominent Republicans who don't want to be considered is as long as those who are signaling interest. Nominees often find their running mates among the rivals they defeated in the primaries, but Sen. Ted Cruz, Sen. Marco Rubio and Gov. John Kasich are all in the "not me" camp. Trump has said he would like a vice president with experience in Congress, "somebody that can help me with legislation." But some of his party's top figures on Capitol Hill don't appear interested, either. House Speaker Paul Ryan would be a logical candidate; he was Mitt Romney's running mate in 2012, and he's beloved by many conservatives. But while Ryan has formally endorsed Trump, he has repeatedly criticized the real estate mogul, slamming his criticism of a Mexican-American federal judge as "the textbook definition of a racist comment." Besides, Ryan is passionate about cutting future spending on Social Security and Medicare; Trump disagrees. That marriage isn't going to happen. Contrary to popular belief, it's not unprecedented for politicians to decline an offer to run for vice president. It's not even unusual. The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Bob Corker, has traveled to Trump Tower in New York to offer foreign policy advice. But if Corker was initially interested, he's sounding less enthusiastic now. Last week, the senator said he was disappointed by Trump's statements after the mass shooting in Orlando, Fla., in which the presumptive nominee accused U.S. Muslims of harboring terrorists and suggested that President Obama might secretly sympathize with extremists. "In an effort to be constructive, I have offered public encouragement (to Trump), but I must admit that I am personally discouraged by the results," Corker told me. Who would take the job? Newt Gingrich, the former Speaker of the House, has been virtually campaigning for the role. "Trump was right" about Orlando, he told conservative columnist Byron York. "Trump has been warning again and again that this has been getting more dangerous." Trump and Gingrich are also in broad agreement on domestic policy; like Trump, Gingrich criticized Romney and Ryan for proposing cuts to Medicare spending in 2012. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, one of the first primary candidates to endorse Trump, seems eager too all too eager. He's become a fixture on Trump's campaign, to the extent that The New Yorker reported that he "has transformed himself into a sort of manservant," delivering the candidate's lunch from McDonald's. (The governor's office issued an indignant denial, at least about the lunch.) Christie's term as governor ends in January 2018, and he can't run again. But it's not clear what he'd bring to the ticket; his job approval in New Jersey has plummeted and he has no Washington experience. Trump has said he would consider Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama, the first member of the Senate to endorse him. But Sessions has pointed out that he'd be a bad strategic choice, since the GOP shouldn't need extra help in the Deep South. The presumptive nominee has also said he likes Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin, a governor with solid conservative credentials; she has said she's honored to be considered. Contrary to popular belief, it's not unprecedented for politicians to decline an offer to run for vice president. It's not even unusual. According to Joel K. Goldstein of St. Louis University, no fewer than seven Democrats turned down then-Sen. George S. McGovern in 1972, including Sens. Edward M. Kennedy and Walter F. Mondale. Kennedy went on to serve as one of the most powerful senators of modern times. Mondale served as vice president under Jimmy Carter and became the 1984 Democratic presidential nominee. So it doesn't hurt a politician's career to turn down the second spot on the presidential ticket. But it's definitely not a good sign for the candidate at the top. Doyle McManus is a columnist for the Los Angeles Times. Readers may send him email at doyle.mcmanus@latimes.com. SHARE Lamont Cabell By Richard Gootee of the Courier and Press An Evansville man with an apparent history of exposing himself was arrested on Monday morning after another alleged incident. Lamont C. Cabell, 36, faces preliminary charges of sexual battery and public nudity after being accused of grabbing a woman and exposing himself outside a business in the 1000 block of Walnut Street. An employee at the business a 28-year-old woman told police that she walked Cabell out of the office just before 10 a.m., and then he grabbed her and then exposed himself to her, according to the Evansville Police Department affidavit against Cabell. Witnesses also reportedly told investigators that Cabell exposed himself a second time while in a nearby parking lot. Police wrote that there have been several complaints against Cabell in the past and noted that he has been banned from the METS bus system for similar incidents. As of Tuesday morning, Cabell remains in the Vanderburgh County jail and is being held on a $100 bond, according to online jail records. The Supreme Court gets another chance Thursday to consider bans on assault weapons. SHARE By Michael Burke, USA TODAY Dylan West says the Pink Pistols gun club in Atlanta has been a stagnant group since he joined a year ago. But that's all changed now. The gun club for LGBT people has roughly doubled in size to 230 members following this month's nightmarish shooting at an Orlando gay nightclub that left 49 dead and 53 injured. "Theres always been a necessity for self-defense in the LGBT community, says West, who grew up in Alabama surrounded by guns. Pink Pistols has 35 active chapters across the U.S., and nationally, its Facebook membership has increased from 1,500 before the shooting to about 6,500 as of Monday afternoon, spokeswoman Gwendolyn Patton said. That hike has encouraged some and worried others. Patton said several of the chapters have become active since last week. The organization helps its members select a firearm, acquire a permit, and receive proper training in its safe and legal use for self-defense," according to its website. Omar Mateen, the killer in the Orlando attacks, did not belong to the Pink Pistols. West, who is gay, said that while the Orlando nightclub shooting has thrown the issue into the national spotlight, attacks against the LGBT community are nothing new. The FBI reported 999 hate crimes committed against LGBT people in the United States in 2014, the most recent available data. Because the LGBT community is often the target of violent attacks, its important for LGBT people to carry guns to protect themselves, said Dave Kopel, an attorney and gun rights advocate. People have to be their own first responders, he said. Law enforcement tries to get there as fast as possible to intervene, but they cant be there all the time and its good when people have the tools and abilities to stay alive until law enforcement shows up. But others arent as sure that the uptick in gun interest among LGBT people is a good thing. Timothy McCarthy director of the Sexuality, Gender, and Human Rights Program at Harvard Universitys Carr Center for Human Rights Policy called it both understandable and lamentable that some LGBT people are turning to guns. It makes sense that LGBT people might feel scared after the shooting and want to arm themselves, McCarthy said, but he also said an urge to buy more guns might be misplaced and problematic. Because I dont believe that more guns is going to lead to less violence, he said. The more guns we have in circulation, the more guns we have in use, that sets us up for more violence. But McCarthy also pointed out that 6,500 people the approximate Facebook membership total of the Pink Pistols is only a tiny, tiny fraction of the LGBT community. So I also dont think we should make so much of this, he said. Rendering of the Downtown medical campus. SHARE By Zach Evans of the Courier and Press The Downtown medical campus construction is underway, project officials say. The former D-Patrick building was demolished last week, crews put up a fence around the construction site and project trailers are on the lot, according to Dennis Norvet, senior vice president of Skanska operations. The next step is a public bidding round for the excavation and foundation work, Norvet told the Evansville Redevelopment Commission on Tuesday. The campus is located between Locust, Cherry, Fourth and Sixth streets in Downtown Evansville, directly adjacent to the convention hotel construction area. The $61 million project is expected to wrap up by June 2018. Indiana University, University of Southern Indiana and University of Evansville have all signed leases to occupy the building, he said. The streetscape project around the medical campus site faced a hurdle after bids for the improvements came in over budget. The three bids from local companies all come in over $13 million, which is more than 20 percent of the city's contribution to the overall project. Department of Metropolitan Director Kelley Coures said the design firm will modify the streetscape proposal in hopes of lowering the project's overall cost. SHARE Garold Morgan By Shannon Hall of the Courier and Press A former Warrick County man has been charged with two counts of child molesting stemming from an event that reportedly occurred five years ago. A St. Louis, Missouri, woman called the Warrick County Sheriff's Office to report that a man allegedly raped her daughter when she was 7 or 8 years old while they lived in Newburgh. Garold Morgan, 49, was charged with two counts of child molesting a level A felony as well as a level C felony. The girl told investigators that Morgan raped her and made her perform oral sex on him. Morgan reportedly made videos of the girl on a cellphone or tablet, the girl told investigators. She said Morgan molested her several times, court documents state. He was arrested Sunday, and had an initial court appearance in Warrick County Superior Court with Judge Robert Aylsworth Monday. Morgan's current address, according to court documents, shows that he lives in Miami, Florida. The court reduced his bond from $25,000 cash to $10,000 cash. He paid his bond Tuesday. The court ordered Morgan to not leave Indiana without the court's permission, according to court records. He will live with his father in Washington, Indiana, according to records, and will not have contact with the girl. Shannon Hall / Courier & Press A sign displayed at the Nativity Catholic Church urged disabled voters to cast their ballots at Washington Square Mall during the May primary. Voting machines at Nativity were in the basement, and a broken elevator kept wheelchair-bound people from voting. SHARE By Shannon Hall of the Courier and Press The Election Board urged the Vanderburgh County Clerk's office to connect with local disability groups after several people complained about disability access at polling places during the primary elections. During the May primary, a voting center wasn't accessible to people with disabilities, and voters questioned if some other sites were compliant with the American with Disabilities Act. The Nativity Catholic Church voting center's inspector Ellen Sprepski said she was told three days before the primary election that the elevator wasn't working at the site. The voting machines were set up in the basement and the elevator was needed if anyone came visited the center with wheelchair. Sprepski made signs saying "Hi Handicapped Voters! ... Go to Washington Square." "I was trying to think of ways to make their lives as easy as possible," she told the board during a meeting on Monday. "First thing that I didn't want to happen was them to show up at our site, get out of the car and find out they couldn't vote. Then get back into the car and have to go elsewhere." Cheryl Musgrave, who won the Republican nomination in the County Commissioners district three race, was working at the Washington Square Mall voting center on Election Day. No one told the candidates that the Nativity Catholic Church wasn't handicap accessible. Musgrave said she told people who were waiting in lines that the Nativity was the next closest center. The Indiana Disability Rights, a group aimed at protecting the rights of the disabled, also attended to the election board meeting to voice "legal concerns." Executive Director Dawn Adams said the organization received two or three calls regarding the Nativity voting center location. "That's a lot for a primary election," said Jessica Trimble, the group's director of communication and outreach. In the days following the primary, more complaints came in not only for Nativity Catholic Church, but for other voting centers as well. "Voting for us one of our top priorities," Adams said. "The right to vote is a fundamental constitutional right. It is a great equalizer. Every person has one vote, which is why it's so important that every person has the right to exercise their rights." Vanderburgh County Clerk Debbie Stucki said she visited the site following the primary. She said the voting machines will be placed on the first floor during the general election. Another concern was if the poll workers knew how to assist people with disabilities. Rob Kerney, a Vanderburgh County resident who voted at the 4-H center, said no one knew how to get him a voice ballot this spring. Kerney, who's visually impaired, had two judges help him and he said neither seemed to know what to do. Other voting centers may have problems as well. He said the Vancerburgh County 4-H Center's parking lot isn't paved and can be hard to traverse for people in wheelchairs. Also, in the past, voting machines have been placed on tables because the "legs are wobbly," Stucki said. But Kerney said people in wheelchairs can't reach them. Kerney asked the board if any changes would be implemented. "All this warm-fuzzy talk is nice, but we want action," he said. Election Board President Tom Massey said they had the meeting Monday to figure out how to fix some of the problems. He said all the machines Vanderburgh County uses during the elections are ADA compliant. Adams asked the board to allow the Indiana Disability Rights officials to look at the voting centers days before the general election to make sure they are ADA compliant. The board never addressed Adams' request during the meeting. Massey said the board wants to fix the problems uncovered in the primary election. "We want this to go as smooth as possible," he said. "Everybody has the same interest. Everyone's vote counts. It should be as easy to vote as possible. We want to make the voting center as accessible as we can." But Gary May, a Warrick County resident, disagreed. May was injured in 1968 after he encountered a land mine during the Vietnam War. "The shortcomings, the deficiencies, the errors, the insensitivity always gets dismissed as we heard (Monday) by this claim of ... 'We don't mean any harm. We're just trying to help,'" May said. "That is bull. That doesn't do anything to connect people with their rights." The Vanderburgh County Election Board will meet in July. The board agreed that it needs to work on fixing the concerns the public expressed. SHARE By Maureen Groppe, USA TODAY NETWORK Indiana remains at odds with the federal government over how to evaluate the state's unique Medicaid program, a standoff that affects not only Indiana, but also other states looking to adopt Indiana's model. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services gave Indiana a deadline of June 17 to finalize a data-sharing agreement on the jointly funded health care program for the poor. Instead, Indiana responded in a letter Friday that the federal government hasn't satisfied the state's concerns about data safety. "While we understand your time line and the priority of the (data-use agreement), we cannot shortchange the state's review process as this could put our citizens' personal health information at risk and potentially create liabilities for the state," wrote Tyler Ann McGuffee, insurance and health care policy director for Gov. Mike Pence. A spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services said the agency has received the letter and will respond directly to the state. Pence has accused the Obama administration of hiring a biased contractor to review the Healthy Indiana Plan. He also questioned the need for a federal review because Indiana has contracted with the Lewin Group to evaluate the program. Indiana is one of a few states that received permission to ignore some federal rules when expanding Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act. HIP 2.0, as the program is called, began in February 2015 and enrolled about 370,000 Hoosiers in its first year. Indiana's permission runs through Jan. 31, 2018. One of the conditions of demonstration programs is they be evaluated to see whether they're meeting the expected result. Indiana must submit an interim evaluation by midyear, and the state is required to "cooperate fully" in any federal review, including submitting data in a timely manner. Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell has said it's necessary for the federal government to do its own assessment, which will help determine whether to allow other states to use Indiana's model. "What we want to do is make sure when there are things that are new and untested that before we expand to other states that we know and understand (them)," Burwell told a House panel in February. For example, Indiana is testing whether unnecessary care can be reduced by requiring participants to make monthly contributions to a health account that can be rolled over if not used for health care. That feature is based on high-deductible insurance plans with health savings accounts, which are becoming increasingly common in private insurance coverage. Kentucky, Ohio and Arizona are looking to adopt aspects of Indiana's approach. Indiana was the first state to get permission to bar some adults from re-enrolling for a period of time if they don't pay the monthly fees. Indiana also got approval to charge higher cost-sharing for nonemergency use of an emergency room and to make coverage effective when the first payment is made, instead of when a person applies. A coalition of health care and other advocacy groups agreed on the importance of a federal evaluation of Indiana's program before other states get similar permission. The coalition, which includes Families USA, the March of Dimes and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, said aspects of Indiana's program are potentially harmful to beneficiaries and need to be examined before they're expanded. In a June 10 letter to the state, a CMS official called it "urgent and time-sensitive" that Indiana finalize the data-sharing agreement and provide a point of contact to explain the state's enrollment data. McGuffee responded that the federal government hasn't given the state enough information to be able to evaluate the federal evaluators' security measures. "This is especially important to limit the state's liability should there be a data breach," McGuffee wrote. Ex-voice of Colts not silenced: Mike Jansen talks after being fired After 24 seasons, Mike Jansen was fired by the Colts as the team's stadium announcer. He tells his story. It felt almost like an "execution." Sussex News Story Saved You can find this story in My Bookmarks. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Cruise capacity in the Chinese market is set to grow by more than 220 percent over the next five years, from 1.3 million passengers in 2015 to 4.1 million passengers by 2020, according to the 2016-2017 Cruise Industry News Annual Report. The growth pace is based on known newbuildings going to China and known ship transfers from the North American and European markets. On an annualized basis, the growth pace will be 75 percent this year, 26 percent in 2017, 20 percent in 2018, 9.7 percent in 2019 and 10.0 percent in 2020. About the Annual Report: The Cruise Industry News Annual Report is the only book of its kind, presenting the worldwide cruise industry through 2025 in 350+ pages. Statistics are independently researched. Learn more by clicking here. The report covers everything from new ships on order to supply-and-demand scenarios from 1987 through 2021+. Plus there is a future outlook, complete growth projections for each cruise line, regional market reports, and detailed ship deployment by region and market, covering all the cruise lines. Order the 2016-2017 edition today. The Port of San Diego is installing solar panels on the roof of its primary cruise ship terminal, which is expected to offset approximately 70 percent of the buildings energy consumption, according to a press release. The project to install a 167-kilowatt photovoltaic system at the B Street Cruise Ship Terminal is part of the Ports commitment to reducing its carbon footprint. This Port Environmental Fund project is expected to generate enough energy to power 20 homes, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 187 metric tons annually. The Board of Port Commissioners passed a resolution on January 12, 2016 awarding the $341,000 contract to Sullivan Solar Power of California. Installation began in May 2016 and the system is expected to be operational by the end of June 2016. The Port of San Diego demonstrates its commitment to smart technology and clean power with this installation of a photovoltaic system at our main cruise ship terminal in addition to three other Port facilities, said Chairman Marshall Merrifield of the Board of Port Commissioners. This Port Environmental Fund improvement project is being completed just as we celebrate growth in our cruise business with an increase in calls of about 50 percent projected from this season to next. Consisting of 630 solar panels, the project will also include an interconnection agreement for net metering with San Diego Gas & Electric. Net metering is a billing mechanism that credits solar energy system owners for the electricity that is added to the grid from systems that produce more than what is used by the facility. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises ultra-luxury Europa called in Oslo on Wednesday, June 21. The six-star ship berthed in the heart of the Norwegian city, with a lineup of buses waiting for mostly German-speaking passengers pier side. The ship was built in 1999 at 28,890 tons with capacity for 408 guests. Hapag-Lloyds fleet includes the ultra luxury Europa and Europa 2, along with the expedition vessels Bremen and Hanseatic. Employee engagement is a hot management topic these days. One reason it's top of mind is that recent studies show many employees are simply not very engaged at work. Gallup, the research and polling company, tracks employee engagement globally. In January, Gallup reported that in 2015 only 32 percent of U.S. employees, and 13% of employees worldwide, were engaged in their jobs, meaning they were "enthusiastic about and committed to their work and workplace." The fact that two thirds of employees lack commitment and passion on the job has serious implications for business strategy and execution. Now consider, given this lack of employee engagement, how hard security training, awareness, and culture (STAC) professionals have it. STAC teams are constantly challenged to improve the priorities, behaviors, and decisions people make regarding information security. That's a tough job. Even when STAC programs are well-funded and enjoy executive support (many have little of either), getting people to care about security, to be engaged in protecting corporate IT assets, is a tall order. If most employees don't care that much about their own jobs, it shouldn't be a shock that they have a hard time caring about the security team's job as well. [ ALSO ON CSO: Ever been in these social engineering situations? ] This lack of security engagement may even drive insider threat narratives that are so popular today within the industry. In my experience, security professionals are more engaged in their jobs, more passionate about what they do. So I can see how apathy in non-security employees might be interpreted as negligence or even maliciousness. But that's a dangerous mistake to make. "You can't patch stupid" may strike security professionals as funny, or even accurate, but the attitude is self-defeating in the end, and a poor strategy for winning hearts and minds. If most employees don't care that much about their own jobs, it shouldn't be a shock that they have a hard time caring about the security team's job as well. Lessons from employee engagement research Research into employee engagement has a lot to offer security programs and security awareness teams. By looking at what drives employee engagement in general, we can uncover clues and insights to help us better engage people specifically in cyber security. A 2015 study in the MIT Sloan Management Review found five dimensions of employee engagement: Employee satisfaction - employees react positively to their job circumstances and colleagues Employee identification - employees' emotional satisfaction is tied to the company's success or failure Employee commitment - employees are willing to do more than the minimum required in their job description Employee loyalty - employees' attitude about the organization makes them want to exceed expectations Employee performance - employees strive for higher quality in the goods and services the company produces There are obvious overlaps between these dimensions of employee engagement and security awareness best practices. Most important are the need for security programs, through their STAC efforts, to foster a sense of identification, commitment, and loyalty in regards to security. Employees should feel a sense of ownership and personal satisfaction around having good information security, not just see security as policies they must obey. Security programs must also foster more employee satisfaction and better performance. If employees don't feel like the security team cares about them, or gives them the tools they need to perform their jobs securely and effectively, then how are they supposed to feel the sense of ownership for security that is necessary for a strong security culture? Towers Watson, a consulting firm, conducted a global workforce study, which identified five top drivers of sustainable employee engagement: Leadership that is effective, consistent, and earns employee trust and confidence Goals and objectives that are well understood, widely communicated, and appropriately supported to ensure success A work/life balance that is suitable for managing stress and supporting employee well-being A positive organizational image and a public reputation for honesty and integrity Management communication that is respectful, clear, and encouraging Unsurprisingly, I tend to see these drivers in more innovative STAC programs today. In these organizations, awareness has top-down support and adequate resources. Clear goals are set, knowledge and skills are communicated effectively, and security training helps employees with their home and family lives, not just work. The result is usually a workforce that is much more engaged in the practice of good security. Finally, an in-depth UK Government study reported four enablers of employee engagement: Strategic narrative - strong executives with a compelling, empowering story about the organization and its future Engaging managers - managers that act like coaches, focusing on their people as individuals, giving them direction and objectives, and encouraging them to stretch themselves Employee voice - employees who are respected as the solution, not the problem, and invited to give thoughts and opinions which are listened to and acted upon Integrity - an organization where values are reflected in how people actually behave, with no gap between what people say and what they do The UK study offers some particularly good insights for security engagement. When I see STAC programs fail, they have usually violated several of these principles. Some are "check the box" programs driven by compliance requirements, with no strategic story. Others use generic content and techniques to deliver homogenous training to every employee, with little individual focus or creativity. Some programs can be quite condescending towards the people they are supposed to be engaging, insensitive to the challenges everyday users face, or the tradeoffs people must make between security and other priorities. And in some security programs, unfortunately, security awareness requirements change for different people, often based on their position in the org chart. Double standards rarely foster commitment and engagement. As you consider your overall cyber security strategy, think about the value of security engagement and culture. Is the goal to just make people aware of security risks and requirements? Or is the goal to engage people as security partners, as committed and enthusiastic as you are? Because there are so many different kinds of third parties, identifying whether they do or dont have the right infrastructure or security protocols can be a challenge. Moreover, doing the proper due diligence needed to vet third-party vendors can be costly and time consuming. As so many organizations rely on a variety of different providers, third parties can become the gateways to the network. In order to mitigate the risk of a breach from a third party, enterprises need to design a vetting process and understand the language of the service-level agreement in order to best evaluate their contracts. [ ALSO ON CSO: How to achieve better third-party security: Let us count the ways ] Yong-Gon Chon, CEO of Cyber Risk Management said, "There isnt a single cloud service provider that offers SLA for security. Uptime, visibility, yes, but there is no equivalent for security. Most say we have this amount of response time for this kind of data breach, or we will notify you in this amount of time if we find this kind of vulnerability." The issue, said Chon, is that security is invisible. "It only becomes tangible when things go wrong." If enterprises know what they stand to lose when things go wrong, they can make security more tangible before it becomes an issue. "They need to have a handle around what their most valued data assets are within their business," said Chon. Asking questions like, 'What would happen if that information were breached, stolen, or ransomed out of the organization? What do users have access to? and What can they copy or delete?' will give enterprises a clear understanding of how that information flows inside and outside of the organization. "They need a road map to say this is what we should and should not trust with our third parties," said Chon. When many organizations are looking to move out to the cloud, there isnt a full appreciation for what the provider will give them up to and including what security they are providing. Chon said, "They need to understand to whom they are providing access, and they need to be aware of the rules and regulations that govern that." There is a dividing line between those third parties that pose greater risk and those that provide a greater level of assurance. That line is the safeguards and policies that the third parties have achieved. "There are what I would call minimum level of safeguards. Following a risk management framework provides some level of assurance that they have achieved a bar, that they have the right policies, and that they are training their people. There is awareness and an ability to protect their data and they have some certification or validation of those controls," Chon said. The organizations that are really leading the way are the ones in heavily regulated environments, said Chon, but the other industries dont have that same regulatory environment that requires strong oversight of third parties. As a result, these organizations in other sectors are looking to emphasize how to trust their third-party providers. Vendors, then, want to be able to highlight their position as trusted industry leaders. If security isn't embedded at the outset, are vendors really focused on designing trustworthy systems? Edna Conway, chief security officer for Ciscos Global Value Chain, said there are a number of things to think about in designing architecture from an end-to-end perspective. "What is in my value chain? is a question that will drive design and development, planning, sourcing mode, quality, delivery, sustainability, and end of life," Conway said. Before you hire a vendor David Kennedy, CEO of TrustedSec, recommends you get answers to these five questions before you hire a third-party vendor. What is the overall security program? What are they doing from an information security perspective? What specific standards or frameworks do they adhere to? What in the SLA states what their security needs to have in regard to protections, breach response, and communication? What is their source code review process? Service providers need to think in a layered approach because security is a journey and a commitment because, Conway said, "Most offerings are an ecosystem of cloud providers likely using two, three, five, or 12 other companies to bring these capabilities into being." The shift to third-party vendors doesn't change the threat landscapes that make all enterprises vulnerable to being manipulated by an outsider who gains unauthorized control over their network. Understanding the risks posed by malicious actors from industrial and nation states that can cause physical or digital disruption and far greater damage, it is incumbent upon the service providers to optimize and deploy a sufficient business model, said Conway. "A clear architecture converges all on the same domain areas which include security domains, governance security, security in operations and asset management, security in incident management, security in service management, security in logistics and storage, security in the physical environment, and personnel security," Conway said. Even for those providers that are thinking in this layered and values-based approach, the personnel security will continue to be a weak link to security. For many employees, the road to breached hell is paved with good intentions. Alastair Paterson, CEO and co-founder at Digital Shadows, pointed out that many breaches are the result of human error. When it comes to some services, there are so many different aspects of corporate data that are not tracked by the corporation that they dont even know what is out there. "You can have contractors in working on any service you are contracting out for, and that causes a bit of a risk," said Paterson. "A lot of what we see is inadvertent and accidental," Paterson said. He recounted an incident involving a big label bank, which many assume would have good security, that was using a third party to install a new ATM network. "It turned out that a contractor working at the supplier with the winning bid had backed up his whole laptop without realizing it, which made public all of the private information he had about the bank," Paterson said. Larger enterprises that rely upon upwards of 20,000 service suppliers are challenged with keeping track of what is ending up where. "Its not just about supply chain, though," said Paterson. "Its more and more cloud services. There is more being held outside the boundaries, and the enterprise is losing control of where their information is being stored." For those who appreciate these concerns about losing control of where their information is stored, Paterson said, "Its right to embrace all these new technologies and continue to outsource, but you need to look at the vendors and assess their security and check the data that is getting out. Thats a new piece in a security program." Designing a vetting process for third party vendors Conway said that most large providers will not take responsibility for a breach in their contract, but there are important questions enterprises should ask when doing their due diligence and choosing their outside providers. "Ask 'who else are you using? Where else will my data go? Will that other service provide the security I expect?'," Conway said, but the enterprise always has to be aware of what they put in the cloud. "Contracts shift risk but they do not employ security," Conway said. James Christiansen, vice president of information risk management at Optiv, said, "There is no one size fits all when it comes to third parties, but enterprises have the ability to define the amount of risk they have and match it to the amount of due diligence to that risk." What enterprises should be looking for is the maturity of the vendor's security practices, but they also need to communicate their expectations to the vendor. Christiansen said, "Security language is needed in the contract to hold them accountable, and we do see instances where the appropriate controls are not communicated and the right level of expectation is not given to that provider." STRATFORD - Police said they have arrested a major dealer of heroin in the town. Victor Arce, 50, of William Street in Bridgeport, was taken into custody Monday following a three-month investigation. He was charged with three counts of sale of heroin and one count of operating a drug factory, and was released after posting $50,000 bond. In March, Stratford police said, they began receiving information that Arce was selling heroin at a number of locations around town, and arranged to make three undercover purchases. In each case, police said, Arce would arrive at the prearranged location in a black Hyundai sedan and remove packages of heroin from the trunk of his car. Local police and members of Bridgeport Police Departments Tactical Narcotics Team arrested Arce at his home Monday. Police said Arce admitted having more than 10 customers. While they were interviewing him, police said, the defendants cell phone was ringing continuously with customer calls. Police said they later searched Arces home and found quantities of heroin along with drug packaging materials and .22-caliber ammunition. STRATFORD The Stratford Library has announced that Geri Diorio is its new assistant director. Diorio, a resident of Stratford, fills the previous position held by Sheri Szymanski who was appointed the Librarys new director in February. Since 2003 Geri Diorio was the teen services librarian and head of childrens services for the Ridgefield Library. She also reviews books, audiobooks and films for various professional journals; is a judge for the Audies, which recognizes distinction in audiobooks, and serves on the Nutmeg Book Award Steering Committee. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The latest Quinnipiac University poll shows Hillary Clinton pulling ahead of Donald Trump in Florida, but in a tight race in Ohio and Pennsylvania. It also showed that U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, a long shot for the Democratic presidential nomination, runs better than Clinton in head-to-head match ups with Trump in Ohio and Pennsylvania. The Swing State Poll focuses on Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania because since 1960 no candidate has won the presidential race without taking at least two of these three states. Clinton opened an 8-point lead over Trump in Florida the largest hiof the presidential swing states and erased a small Trump lead to create a dead heat in Ohio, while Pennsylvania remains too close to call, according to the Quinnipiac poll. The presidential matchups show: Florida Clinton over Trump 47-39 percent, compared to 43-42 percent on May 10. Sanders tops Trump 45-39 percent. Ohio Clinton and Trump tied 40-40 percent, compared to a 43-39 percent Trump lead on May 10. Sanders leads Trump 48-38 percent. Pennsylvania Clinton at 42 percent to Trumps 41 percent, virtually unchanged from the 43-42 percent lean Clinton had on May 10. Sanders tops Trump 47-40 percent. With third-party candidates in the race, results are: Florida Clinton tops Trump 42-36 percent, with 7 percent for Libertarian Gary Johnson and 3 percent for Green Party candidate Jill Stein. Ohio Clinton at 38 percent, Trump at 36 percent, Johnson at 8 percent and Stein at 3 percent. Pennsylvania Clinton at 39 percent to Trump's 36 percent, with 9 percent for Johnson and 4 percent for Stein. Secretary Hillary Clinton is pulling ahead in Florida, but the pictures in Ohio and Pennsylvania are much less clear, Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac Poll, said in a release Tuesday announcing the results. The at-times bitter verbal battles between Trump and some Republicans leaders is showing in these numbers, Brown said. In these three key states, Clinton is doing better, and in the case of Florida much better, among Democrats than Trump is among Republicans. Traditionally GOP presidential candidates score better on this party loyalty test. WEST HAVEN A worker was reportedly killed when he fell into a construction vehicle at a work site on the Boston Post Road near the New Haven border. The accident happened shortly after noon. Scanner reports said that the man had died on the scene, but Sgt. David Tammaro, the West Haven police spokesman, would only say that the worker suffered serious injuries. WASHINGTON A bipartisan measure to prevent gun purchases by those on the terrorism watch list drew a positive but guarded reaction Tuesday from Connecticuts two Democratic senators, who have played a key but so far unsuccessful role in pushing new post-Newtown gun legislation. Im encouraged by the compromise negotiations, Sen. Chris Murphy told reporters. The devil is in the details I want to make sure that anything we pass would not allow suspected terrorists to get weapons. But it is good news, and it never would have happened had we not protested last week the planned silence on this issue. Murphy was referring to the filibuster effort he led last week in the wake of the terrorism-linked mass shooting at Orlandos Pulse nightclub that left 49 dead. Murphy, with assists from U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal and other Democratic senators, held the Senate floor for nearly 15 hours until securing a pledge to hold votes on what has been termed the terrorist loophole and expanded background checks. The votes on those amendments plus two competing amendments from Republicans resulted in defeat for all four Monday night. Democrats including Murphy blamed the National Rifle Association for its continuing hold over the Senates Republican majority. Possible path forward Blumenthal, former Connecticut attorney general and U.S. attorney, joined Murphy in expressing concern over the details. But clearly it seems like a new day, where initiatives are arising because of the pressure we brought to bear, he said. There are clearly cracks in the NRAs grip on the Republican side. Otherwise this effort would not be ongoing. The proposal unveiled Tuesday by Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and seven other senators was characterized as a way to move beyond partisan gridlock. The cast of characters backing Collins represented all shades of opinion on the gun issue. Among them were Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., who voted with Democrats Monday night; and Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., who voted against her own party. It also included Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a maverick and former presidential contender who boasted that he owns an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, similar to weapons used in Orlando and in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting. The Collins proposal would bar gun purchases by individuals on two distinct lists that are part of the governments overall Terrorist Screening Database. Our goal is simple and straightforward: We want to make America safer, said Collins, a moderate who has often played the role of bridging gaps in the Senate. Surely the terrorist attacks in San Bernardino and Orlando that took the lives of so many are a call for compromise, a plea for bipartisan action. Collins said she had secured a pledge from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, to hold a vote. Also Tuesday, Connecticuts five-member House delegation all Democrats called on House Speaker Paul Ryan to hold votes on the background-check and terrorist-loophole measures before adjourning. Congress inaction on protecting Americans and preventing gun violence is shameful, heartless, and irresponsible, the five, Reps. John Larson, Joe Courtney, Rosa DeLauro, Jim Himes and Elizabeth Esty, said in a statement. dan@hearstdc.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate FAIRFIELD With General Electrics corporate headquarters on Easton Turnpike expected to officially go on the market, locally based Kleban Properties is poised to make an aggressive push to buy the 68-acre site. CBRE is the broker for the property. However, when asked to confirm that the GE offering would become official, Johanna Clark-Wendt, a marketing and communications manager for CBRE said, We do not comment on active marketing assignments. But Kleban said it was ready to move ahead. We think that its an absolute necessity, as far as were concerned, for our company, and for the town of Fairfield, said Albert Kleban, chairman of Kleban Properties. Were going to be very aggressive. Kleban Properties, a Fairfield-based real estate investment/development company, owns the Brick Walk, a downtown retail/office complex, as well as other properties on the Post Road and Black Rock Turnpike. It recently knocked GE out as the towns top taxpayer. Albert Kleban came up with the idea to try and acquire the site within days of GEs announcement earlier this year that it would move its corporate headquarters to Boston. He said he wants to make it a technology hub, with an educational component. To that end, the company has already reached an agreement with Fairfield University, which would lease space at the site. Kleban said Monday that the company was aware the property was set to be marketed. Were well aware of it, he said. We expect to be in the forefront. Since it is a public company, Kleban said, GE would need to solicit competing bids, and all involved would be required to sign a confidentiality agreement. The two office buildings and the hotel on the property are assessed at about $59 million. Large foreign participation in Cuban Industry Fair Submitted by: Juana Havana International Business and Economy 06 / 21 / 2016 Nearly 300 local and foreign companies, from 28 countries, are participating at the Second International Convention and Fair of the Cuban Industry, which opened Monday in Havana. The fair is displaying a large exhibit of technology, equipment and components used in the industrial sector. The largest represented countries are China, Spain and Russia, according to organizing committee member Carlos Alberto Gomez. Some of the sectors at the fair include electronics, renewable energy, cooling systems, home-building systems, agriculture among others. The United States will also be represented at the fair, running till June 24 at Havanas Pabexpo exhibit ground. Adriana Barcelo, managing director of Technology Management of the Ministry of Industry and vice-president of the meetings organizing committee told reporters along with the fair the convention will include meetings with visiting entrepreneurs aimed at reaching possible cooperation accords. Representatives of the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will also be visiting to explore the Cuban market. US Small Business Administration Chief to visit Cuba The head of the US Small Business Administration (SBA) Maria Contreras-Sweet will pay a working visit to Cuba June 20-21. According to the Cuban Foreign Ministry, Contreras-Sweet will visit the Special Development Zone in western Mariel harbor and meet with Foreign Trade and Investment minister Rodrigo Malmierca, as well as with directives with the Domestic Trade and Social Security ministries. The US official came to Cuba last March during the visit by US President Barack Obama. Contreras-Sweet heads the SBA since April as member of Obama's cabinet. The entity offers support to some 28 million small businesses in the United States, which employ half the labor in the private sector. Teams and players to watch in the District 5 boys soccer playoffs Check out the teams and players to watch and the District 5 Class 1A and 2A boys soccer playoffs open. Lake County's latest restaurant inspections: 1 hit with 19 violations Eight restaurants in Lake County failed to meet health and safety standards last week. One restaurant received 19 violations. Opinion Wordle The next day I woke to find myself in a WhatsApp group titled Quordle is Awesome!! A small group of three. There was no getting out of it now. Jonathan Aitken: 'Support for Brexit remains strong, but the highest concentration of Leave voters will be recorded in the coastal towns of Kent' Support for Brexit remains strong, but the highest concentration of Leave voters will be recorded in the coastal towns of Kent. I make this forecast with confidence because I know and love what historians call the Bulwark Shore of England. For nearly 25 years I lived there in a home overlooking the Channel as MP for Thanet South. My constituency included the harbour towns of Ramsgate and Broadstairs, running along the coastline via the ancient Cinque port of Sandwich deep into the white cliffs country of Dover. Revisiting my old haunts last week, I found it easy to identify a defiant streak of anti-establishment, anti-EU rebellion surging among the electorate. It is likely to lead to the biggest regional majority for the No camp in the country. Why? The answers go deeper than many commentators have discerned. There are profound reasons to do with historical ancestry, parliamentary democracy and geographical proximity, plus more pressing worries about immigration and over-regulation. The long-suppressed discontent on these and other EU-related issues is welling up into a referendum uprising fuelled by the instincts of ordinary people. They have much more to do with human hearts than economic forecasts. As I found in the pubs, cafes and council estates of my former constituency, the lofty doom-mongers of Goldman Sachs, the Confederation of British Industry, the International Monetary Fund and the Treasury cut precious little ice in a low-income area of minimum wage rates and small pensions. The left-behind do not take kindly to having the frighteners put on them by the well-to-do. Bulwark Shore residents are not easily scared by Project Fear. If your ancestors saw off the Romans, Normans, Napoleon and the Luftwaffe, alarmist threats from 10 and 11 Downing Street seem small beer. Far from being cowed, the rank and file pensioners and workers are seizing their democratic opportunity to defy the ruling classes of Brussels and Westminster. The most repetitive phrases I heard from the grass roots were it isnt fair, it isnt right, why dont they listen?. Its ridiculous that our fishermen have to tip their catches back into the sea while Spanish trawlers can enter British territorial waters. Its unjust that our Parliament has no say on immigration. These are the voices of the unheard. The anger behind these rumbles of discontent may have its roots in the ancestry of Kents earliest inhabitants. They were the Angles and Saxons, whose ideals of common justice shaped our national character. The 21st-century version of these ideals bring to mind some lines from Rudyard Kiplings poem Norman And Saxon. The Saxon is not like us Normans. His manners are not so polite. But he never means anything serious till he talks about justice and right. When he stands like an ox in the furrow with his sullen set eyes on your own, And grumbles, This isnt fair dealing, my son, leave the Saxon alone. Kipling put his finger on an underestimated factor that will sway votes in this referendum. From an Anglo-Saxon perspective, the EU is an unfair, arrogant system of government that now controls up to 60 per cent of our laws. Take immigration. Those living on Britains border are knowledgeably critical about our loss of border control. The Tory MP for Thanet South, Craig Mackinlay, reflects his constituents views when he says that the Border Control Agency with its three patrol boats to police the entire UK coastline is not fit for purpose. Anecdotes about illegal migrants arriving by night in inflatable dinghies on the old smugglers beaches of Kent abound in local pubs, although sometimes with a good luck to em flavour. For Kentish man is not prejudiced about refugees. The area has a track record of welcoming Huguenots, Jews, Greek Cypriots, Iranians, East African Asians and many other communities who settled here. It is recognised that there are some jobs in Kent (for example the 500 fruit and vegetable pickers at the giant greenhouse Thanet Earth near Margate) which British workers are disinclined to take. But what sticks in the gullets here is that the British Government and Parliament have lost all control of the number of incoming migrants and has no power of selection over who comes into the country. EU arrogance has form in these parts. For reasons of geographical proximity, zealous enforcement inspectors from Brussels first picked on East Kent businessmen in the Eighties. The farcical furore over banning curved bananas started with a Ramsgate greengrocer, David Pettit. Another local hero was dubbed a Metric Martyr, a market trader who defied Brussels edicts by insisting on his right to sell his wares by the pint and by the inch. In the end the Eurocrats were laughed out of court. But the combination of the dark side of arrogant EU administration and unlimited EU immigration has created a fervour to this regions referendum campaign, unprecedented in its intensity. The Electoral Commission has recognised the likelihood of a higher than expected poll. To accommodate Thanets 98,000 voters, there are 12 extra polling stations 68 will be open on June 23, compared to 56 at last years General Election. Ukip, which controls the district council, claims that 68 to 72 per cent of the electorate is certain to vote for Brexit. Many are traditional Labour supporters. When I went round the largest council estate in the area last week, it seemed to be as enthusiastic for Leave as it was unenthusiastic about Jeremy Corbyn. Airy-fairy Hampstead and Islington socialists dont float our boat around here, I was told. Theyre as bad for the working class as Cameron. The big parties dont treat us right on immigration. They couldnt care less that our kids are growing up with foreign accents because they have to go to a local school where 21 languages are spoken. As such comments suggest, the voters who live at the end of the line on the Kent coast are at the end of their tether with the Remain argument. It makes matters worse that the Remainers have become so panicky and petulant. In these parts, the referendum debate is fierce but friendly. For nearly 25 years I lived there in a home overlooking the Channel as MP for Thanet South. My constituency included the harbour towns of Ramsgate and Broadstairs, running along the coastline via the ancient Cinque port of Sandwich deep into the white cliffs country of Dover The real divisions are between plutocrats and autocrats up there (i.e. Brussels and London) and democrats down here. It will be no contest on polling day. Although there is a rising tide of optimism in the Leave camp that the big swing in Kent will be a harbinger of the national result, the political professionals remain cautious. I had a conversation with Nigel Farage as his battle bus came through Ramsgate. He was given a heros welcome, exuding the panache of a winner yet more mellow than I had ever seen him. Were doing well but we have to watch out for a late surge to the status quo as happened in Scotland, he said. His bondsmen from Ukip were more euphoric. A local character, the mayor of Ramsgate Trevor Shonk, sang his praises. We would not be having a referendum at all if it wasnt for Nigel, said Trevor. If we get our country back, he deserves a lot of the credit. The political establishment will never admit it, but thats true. Nigel Farage may be a rough diamond, but hes been cutting across traditional dividing lines of classes and parties for years. Throughout this interminable referendum campaign, David Cameron has insisted time and again that he can, and will, reduce net migration to the tens of thousands, even if Britain remains a member of the EU. He has been forced to confront this crucial issue on which he made a solemn manifesto promise only last year by voters concerned about the impact of migration on public services. If it had been up to the Prime Minister, we would have endured nothing but a relentless stream of scaremongering while his no-ifs, no-buts pledge remained largely unmentioned. Throughout this interminable referendum campaign, David Cameron has insisted time and again that he can, and will, reduce net migration to the tens of thousands, even if Britain remains a member of the EU Today, we have a clear indication why. As long ago as May 2012, we learn from Steve Hilton, the Prime Ministers former senior adviser and close personal friend, Mr Cameron was told directly and explicitly by senior officials that it was impossible to reach the target, first announced in 2010, while Great Britain remains subject to free movement. Taken at face value, it blows a gigantic hole in the repeated assurances that the problem was fixable. Remember, net migration currently stands at 333,000. No wonder Mr Cameron refuses to put a number on how much net migration will fall by as a result of his pathetic renegotiation with Brussels. Mr Hiltons account raises the distinct suspicion that the Prime Minister, quite cynically, has been less than honest on this hugely important issue. Isnt it ironic that at the same time he has called for more honesty from the Leave side? Hounding of Sir Cliff Hounding of Sir Cliff In todays Mail, Sir Cliff Richard sets out in harrowing detail how he lived for nearly two years under the dark storm of police investigation for child abuse In todays Mail, Sir Cliff Richard sets out in harrowing detail how he lived for nearly two years under the dark storm of police investigation for child abuse. His health suffered immeasurable damage, from sleepless nights to, eventually, near total physical collapse. He feared he would suffer a heart attack or stroke, or even die. Of course, as criminal complaints were made, an investigation was inevitable (although there is more than a strong suspicion that, as he put it, he was hung out like live bait to attract more accusers to come forward). But what was completely inexcusable was the abhorrent trial by TV, actively encouraged by both South Yorkshire Police and the BBC, which sent a helicopter to film the raid on Sir Cliffs home. The police have at least apologised, unlike the Corporation, which refuses to say sorry for what Sir Cliff describes as its shameful conduct. Meanwhile, his intense relief at finally clearing his name is tainted because the Crown Prosecution Service says only that there is insufficient evidence. Surely he is now entitled to a full, unqualified proclamation of innocence? Salute to a big beast Salute to a big beast Ken Clarkes unapologetic and inexplicable Euro-fanaticism has put him at odds with both this paper, and much of his party, for decades. But for that obsession, he would surely have secured the Conservative leadership on one of the three occasions he put himself forward. Nevertheless, the Mail commends Mr Clarke as he announces the end to a hugely distinguished near 50-year career. Unlike so many here today, gone tomorrow politicians Mr Clarke performed with distinction as education, health and home secretaries, and formidably as chancellor under John Major. In an age of shallow careerists in Westminster, he has a full life outside politics and earned the respect of the public as a proper, grown-up politician. Seizing the moral high-ground: David Cameron The sun will come up on Friday morning whatever the result of the referendum. But Leave or Remain, Britain will never be the same country again. We face a stark choice. Do we vote to become once more the ultimate masters of our own destiny, with the power to make our laws and control our own borders? Or do we conclude that we are incapable of running our own affairs and are better off as a meek dependency of an ever-expanding European superstate? That's the nub of the argument, not the wildly alarmist horror stories which have characterised the risible propaganda pumped out by Remain. This has always been about democracy and self-determination, not money. You can't put a price on independence and national sovereignty. Only a fool would predict the result with any certainty, even at this late stage. But if Remain prevails, we will have missed an historic opportunity to escape from the disaster movie unfolding across Europe. The EU has brought economic ruin to some member states and condemned a generation of young people to a lifetime of unemployment. Angela Merkel's suicidal, unilateral decision to invite millions of Middle Eastern and North African migrants to take advantage of Europe's open borders and advanced welfare systems will have cultural and demographic repercussions for decades to come. It's no good arguing that because Britain is not part of the Schengen free-movement treaty, we will be unaffected by this huge population upheaval. Once the newcomers have been granted EU citizenship we shall be powerless to prevent them moving here if we decide to stay. Already our so-called 'partners' are giving migrants assisted passage to Northern France, from where they try daily to enter Britain illegally. A vote to remain will also shackle us to the pernicious Human Rights Act, which prevents us deporting foreign rapists, murderers and terrorists. But rather than address these serious matters, the pro-EU brigade have decided simply to scream 'racist' at those worried about the scale of immigration. They have no convincing arguments or solutions so they resort to knee-jerk smears instead. Remainers always seek to seize the moral high-ground and portray their opponents as xenophobic extremists. Just look at the reprehensible manner in which some of them have tried to blame the Brexit campaign for the ghastly murder of the young Labour MP Jo Cox and have exploited her death for their own political ends. There is an intellectual snobbery about Remain, which was on graphic display last week when Bob Geldof and a boatload of sneering sycophants tried to disrupt a protest by fishermen complaining about the destruction of their industry by the EU bureaucracy. Geldof was seen flicking V signs and obscene gestures on his boat Whatever the result of the referendum, George Osborne can forget about succeeding Cameron as Prime Minister after his disgraceful conduct during this referendum campaign There is an intellectual snobbery about Remain, which was on graphic display last week when Bob Geldof and a boatload of sneering sycophants tried to disrupt a protest by fishermen complaining about the destruction of their industry by the EU bureaucracy. This ship of fools endorsed by Call Me Dave and financed by PR mogul Matthew Freud summed up the disdainful attitude of the Europhiles towards those who want to Leave. On one side, the vested interests of Luvvie Land, big business, merchant banks and almost the entire political class. On the other, ordinary working people excluded from the system and the corridors of power and condemned to suffer from the worst excesses of the EU juggernaut. A woman in a leopard-print outfit waved her matching stiletto-heeled shoe in the direction of the Brexiteers, tongue poking out for good effect like a precocious four-year-old brandishing her new dolly in the face of a less-fortunate classmate. Her fancy footwear probably cost more than most of these fishermen bring home in a month, hampered as they are by strict quotas and outright bans imposed by unelected bureaucrats in Brussels. At the centre of it all, multi-millionaire Geldof himself, an ocean-going hypocrite in a Sybil Fawlty hat and an expensive designer shirt, flicking V-signs at the proles. Geldof, of course, came to prominence as a global charity campaigner through Live Aid, a worthy attempt to alleviate poverty in Africa. Already our so-called 'partners' are giving migrants assisted passage to Northern France, from where they try daily to enter Britain illegally. Migrants walk at a site dubbed the 'New Jungle' in Calais Surely if he really was on the side of the underdog and the dispossessed, Geldof would be lining up alongside Britain's hard-hit fishermen not traducing them from the deck of a luxury cruiser in the company of a motley crew of metropolitan muppets. But this wasn't about fishing rights, it was about Geldof and the Remain campaign flaunting their imagined intellectual superiority in the face of the peasants who want to leave the EU. Put aside the fact that Geldof, as an Irish citizen, shouldn't even be allowed to vote in this referendum. Why should he give a monkey's about 1,000 years of British history and liberty? He's also a non-dom, which means that, unlike the rest of us, he can avoid paying UK tax on his international earnings. If he wants a say in Britain's future, surely the least he can do is pay all his taxes here. The same goes for Richard Branson, currently residing in the Virgin Islands. So many of those instructing us to vote Remain represent their own selfish interests whether parasitic merchant banks such as Goldman Sachs or Christine Lagarde, the former French finance minister who now heads the International Monetary Fund. They all claim to be able to see the future, but none of them foresaw the global financial crash in 2008 and most warned of the dire consequences for Britain if we didn't join the euro. They were wrong then and they're wrong now. As I have conceded previously, there was an honourable case to be made for remaining in a reformed EU. But there is no reform on offer. David Cameron was humiliated when he tried to squeeze a few modest concessions from our 'partners'. Boris Johnson, pictured, along with Michael Gove, has conducted an uplifting, optimistic campaign He returned with the worst deal since the Red Indians sold Manhattan for a string of beads giving the lie once and for all to the claims about Britain's 'influence' in Europe. Shortly before those negotiations he said he was prepared to lead the Leave campaign if he didn't get what he wanted. So why the change of heart? My guess is that he's already looking to his post-No 10 future, which is likely to revolve around a few well-remunerated consultancies from global companies such as, er, Goldman Sachs. As for Boy George, author of the most ridiculous, blood-curdling warnings, maybe he fancies a lucrative sinecure at the IMF or the World Bank. Whatever the result of the referendum, he can forget about succeeding Cameron as Prime Minister after his disgraceful conduct during this referendum campaign. But what's in it for William Hague, the worst of the EU turncoats, who built a career on his hostility to the entire European project but now urges us to Remain? Nato secretary-general, perhaps? Something at the UN, so he can carry on hobnobbing with Angelina Jolie? Note also the stark contrast between vast, multi-national corporations lobbying for Remain so they can use their heft in Brussels to stifle competition and those home-grown entrepreneurs who have risked their own money and built their own businesses from the ground up, most of whom now favour leaving the EU. Then there are those other self-regarding Establishment grandees siding with Remain simply because they can't stand the prospect of Boris Johnson becoming Prime Minister. They're pathetic. Actually, while some sections of the Leave campaign have also been guilty of strident scaremongering, Boris, along with Michael Gove, has conducted an uplifting, optimistic campaign unlike the hysterical prophets of doom on the Remain side, who think we are all too stupid to be trusted to make the right decision. Trying to frighten the elderly into thinking they were going to lose their pensions if they dared to vote Leave was especially despicable. Of course, getting out of the EU contains an element of risk. But no more so than voting to stay In. One thing which is certain is that if we vote Remain, Brussels will take it as a signal to power ahead with ever closer union, locking us tighter still into an anti-democratic, corrupt federal straitjacket from which there is no escape. How you vote on Thursday depends on whether you have confidence that Britain one of the most successful trading nations the world has ever seen can be trusted to run her own economy, cut her own deals, pass her own laws and control her own borders, free from foreign interference. I think we can, indeed must, even if those currently in power don't. Watching those hardy fishermen on the Thames last week, I was reminded of Churchill's statement: 'If Britain must choose between Europe and the open sea, she must always choose the open sea.' If the killing of Jo Cox had occurred in France there would have been a rush to award her a Legion dHonneur. The British honours system has no mechanism for honouring an MP who gave her life in the active service of her constituents. In 2009, the Elizabeth Cross was instituted to honour the memory of Armed Forces personnel. There is no civilian equivalent but it would be quite simple to amend the Royal Warrant to create one. At least then, in years to come, Jo Coxs children would have something tangible to know the nation honoured their mother. The British honours system has no mechanism for honouring an MP who gave her life in the active service of her constituents Currently all over the BBC anchoring its referendum coverage, David Dimbleby, 77, claims hell make way for Huw Edwards, 54, when it comes to the general election. Theyve already announced Huws doing the general election, says Dimbleby, adding: I wouldnt say no to a fresh offer. Should Huw be wary? He was assured hed be top dog for the 2015 election, only for director-general Tony Hall to overturn the decision and reinstate Dimbleby. The resignation of Baroness Warsi, 45, pictured, from the Leave campaign meets with mockery, with critics noting few realised she was involved in the first place. Fruity Talk Radio broadcaster Julia Hartley-Brewer mockingly declares: Baroness Warsi announces she will no longer be competing for Team GB in the 100 metre sprint at the Rio Olympics. Another wag adds: Baroness Warsi decides to quit the Spice Girls. Critics of Baroness Warsi say many didn't even know she was originally in support of the Leave side Can the Remain campaign survive the endorsement of Jeffrey Archer? The former Tory deputy chairman has announced he is reluctantly voting to stay in the EU. The old rogue adds: I only wish Margaret Thatcher was still alive and kicking, because I would have undoubtedly been influenced by her views. Archer, 76, has been persona non grata in the Conservative ranks since being jailed for perjury in 2001. David Cameron vowed to block him from rejoining the House of Lords Tory benches in 2005. Sir Clement Freuds knighthood caused resentment from his Just A Minute radio co-star Kenneth Williams. Writing in his diaries in 1988, Williams noted: Producer said, I think we should mention Clement Freud has been made a knight, and I said, I dont see why a game show should plug his honour. Adding: But it was done. The Carry On star had turned down a more modest OBE, remarking: When offered something which obviously isnt worth the price... we still have the right to say, No thanks. Throughout this long and often acrimonious referendum campaign, the most striking fact about the Remainers is that they have failed to articulate a single positive reason for staying in the EU. Instead, they have subjected voters to a barrage of scaremongering, with the aid of a once proudly independent Civil Service, pinning all their hopes on persuading the British people that the dangers of withdrawing from Brussels outweigh the many drawbacks of belonging to it. In doing so, they have had to seek the support of the likes of Jeremy Corbyn, Ed Miliband, Gordon Brown and Tony Blair from the very party voters rightly rejected at the last election on the grounds that they couldnt be trusted. Throughout the campaign Remainers have failed to articulate a single positive reason for staying in the EU The European Commission, which proposes European Law, is undemocratic - neither its lawmakers nor its 85,000 bureaucrats (only 3.6 per cent of whom are British) are accountable through the ballot box The EU has provided the conditions for far-left and far-right parties to thrive. Supporters of the Greek extreme-right ultra nationalist party Golden Dawn in 2012 But then the EU is an edifice built on lies starting with the blatant untruth, peddled when we signed up to the Common Market in 1973, that we were joining nothing more threatening than a tariff-free trading zone, which would involve no sacrifice of sovereignty. More than 40 years on, some 50 or 60 per cent of our laws and 70 per cent of regulations are dictated to us by Brussels, whose power is only matched by its incompetence, corruption and hunger to impose ever more statist regulations on 28 utterly diverse member nations. And though we do less than 10 per cent of our total business with the EU with 80 per cent of our trade being within the UK every firm in the country must submit to its throttling red tape. Then theres the great lie that the EU is a guarantor of prosperity for its members. In truth, while the economies of other countries have forged ahead, the Continents share of global commerce has been shrinking for decades. Meanwhile, the proportion of the UKs overseas trade that we conduct with our partner nations has actually declined since we joined, from about 55 to 45 per cent. The irrefutable fact is that the EU is ruled by a secretive, unelected commission, whose diktats are backed by a court able to override elected democracies As for the 19 countries locked into the catastrophic, one-size-fits-all single currency the very apotheosis of the European dream of ever closer political and economic union just ask the jobless young people of Greece, Spain or France if the euro has underpinned their prosperity. Indeed, in Greece, crushed in bankruptcy by arrogant German intransigence, daily living is a nightmare. In other parts of southern Europe, youth unemployment is a terrifying 50 per cent and more, with half a generations prospects of a decent life sacrificed on the altar of EU empire-building. Or take Italy, a country with an economy roughly comparable in size to our own. Its growth rate over the past eight years has been just 3 per cent. In the same period, free from the shackles of the euro, Britain has grown 35 per cent. Yet far from realising their mistake and helping those whose lives have been laid waste by the single currency, Europes political elites are pressing ahead with the project, determined in the face of bitter opposition from the people to achieve ever closer political and economic union. Next, theres the lie that the EU is popular with those it governs, spreading peace and harmony between nations. Certainly, this was among its founding fathers dreams, when Europe lay ravaged by World War II. The reality has turned out very differently. A survey earlier this year by Pew, the highly respected U.S. think tank, found that 61 per cent in France had unfavourable feelings about Brussels, as did 71 per cent of Greeks and 48 per cent of Spaniards. Even in Germany, whose exports have benefited from the weak euro, 44 per cent were against the EU. Jean-Claude Juncker at a Brussels working lunch before he became European Commission president in 2014. At least 10,000 EU employees are staggeringly paid more than David Cameron Brussels has long set its sights on establishing a European army. Thousands of soldiers in vehicles with EU stickers gathered on Salisbury Plain (pictured) for a two-week military exercise just weeks ahead of the referendum Unsurprisingly, then, with deep racial and national fissures opening up and barbed wire fences dividing countries, tensions within Europe are perhaps greater than at any time since the War. Witness the alarming rise of far-Right and far-Left parties Golden Dawn in Greece, the Freedom Party in Austria, AFD in Germany, the National Front in France and Communism resurgent. We neednt look far for the explanation. For not only is the euro destroying livelihoods, but the madness that is the free movement of peoples has brought waves of migrants sweeping across Europe, depressing wages, putting immense strain on housing and public services, undermining our security against criminals and terrorists and making communities fear for their traditional ways of life. Which brings us to David Camerons deceptions over migration. The first was his no ifs, no buts pledge to bring numbers down to manageable levels by 2020, promising in his manifesto to aim for a net figure of less than 100,000 a year. Even as he made that pledge, as his former guru Steve Hilton exposed devastatingly in yesterdays Mail, he had been directly and explicitly warned by civil servants that it would be impossible to keep while we remained members of the EU. Yet he went ahead and made it anyway. But then who cares, when votes are at stake, if our population is spiralling towards an estimated 80 million by 2039? As for the effects of demographic upheaval, a dramatic 8 per cent increase in just a year in the number of primary school pupils in class sizes over the legal limit of 30 has recently been revealed. Then there is the PMs second deception on migration so obviously untrue that he even seems increasingly embarrassed to repeat it. This is his claim that the frankly pathetic reforms he secured during his humiliating tour of European capitals will have any impact on numbers. Indeed, his failed renegotiation demonstrates another unpalatable truth about the EU that it is institutionally incapable of meaningful reform. After all, if the Brussels bureaucracy refuses to listen to the British publics concerns with a referendum gun held at its head by its second biggest contributor, what hope can there be that it will mend its ways if we vote to remain? And reform it desperately needs. Not even the most passionate of Remain campaigners have dared to suggest the 28-member bloc is democratically run. Neither its lawmakers nor its 85,000 bureaucrats (only 3.6 per cent of whom are British) are accountable through the ballot box to the 500 million people they rule. And how many of us can name our MEP? For years economies in southern and eastern Europe have struggled with unemployment rates spiralling out of control. A demonstrator clashes with Greek security forces during a protest against the economic policies of the European Union in 2015 Far-right groups across the EU have grown in number and strength in recent years in response to mass migration across the continent No, the irrefutable fact is that the EU is ruled by a secretive, unelected commission, whose diktats are backed by a court able to override elected democracies. True, we cannot predict exactly what will happen if we pull out (though we can surely be confident that the EU wont want to inflict damage on itself by erecting trade barriers against the worlds fifth biggest economy and a huge net buyer of its exports). But then nor can we know what the EU will do next if we vote to remain. But we can make educated guesses. For one, Brussels has long set its sights on establishing a European army (and how significant that so many of our top generals and admirals support Brexit). And it is only for the duration of our referendum campaign that it has shelved policies that threaten serious damage to the City, British ports and our dominance of the global art market. Indeed, our service industries (which are not subject to the single market) have long been the envy of Germany and France, which crave more of the action for themselves. There can be little doubt that they would take a Remain vote as their cue to seize it. Our ancestors shed oceans of blood to uphold and defend this countrys right to govern itself Meanwhile, with Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia set to join, the EU continues its relentless expansion. Mr Cameron has desperately tried to silence talk of Turkeys application for membership, which would give its 80 million largely Muslim population the right to free movement. But how can we trust a Prime Minister who told Turkish journalists six years ago: I will remain your strongest possible advocate for EU membership. This is something I feel very passionately about? True, the EU is loved by its greatest beneficiaries Europes political elites, the mighty corporations that spend millions lobbying Brussels, determined to get the bureaucrats to enforce their monopolies. Then there are the unscrupulous banks such as Goldman Sachs and fat cats such as Richard Branson and the egregious euro-supporting George Soros, who made a fortune from almost destroying the Bank of England. Indeed, it is the EU fervour of these globalised elites, telling democracies how to vote, that has enraged working class communities in Britain who, more than anyone, have had to cope with mass migration and have every right to feel abandoned. No, if the Remainers have been unable to make a positive popular case for our membership, this is because the task is virtually impossible. But the irony is that there is a wonderfully positive case to be made for withdrawal. Steve Hilton, former spin doctor for David Cameron, has backed the Leave campaign. He told the Mail on Tuesday how Cameron had been warned by civil servants that it would be impossible to keep the promise to reduce migration to the 'tens of thousands' David Cameron has deceived the nation over migration. There was a no ifs, no buts pledge to bring numbers down to manageable levels by 2020. Migrants and refugees escorted by Slovenian soldiers and police officers in 2015 (pictured) A vote to leave would enable us to fulfil our destiny as one of the worlds greatest trading nations, free to strike deals with any country we like. It would also give us back our seats on international bodies, instead of being one voice in 28, represented by a bureaucrat without our interests at heart. Remainers are fond of branding Leavers as little Englanders. But there is nothing petty-minded about being proud of our traditions and history as a great seafaring country, with enterprise in our DNA, unafraid to reach out to Europe and beyond especially as that is now where the wealth increasingly lies. Indeed, it is a sclerotic EU, with its terror of competing with the great economies of the world (to this day, it has no trade deals with America, China, Japan, Brazil or India) which is backward-looking and locked into the past. Our ancestors shed oceans of blood to uphold and defend this countrys right to govern itself, pass its own laws, raise its own taxes and most pertinently get rid of politicians when they abuse our trust. Why on earth should we now want to belong to a dysfunctional club that denies us these rights a club with an imploding economy, pursuing a frankly mad policy of open borders which, if not checked, will lead to violence between the ugly left and ugly Right across Europe? This is our one chance. We must seize it The truth is that no one apart, it seems, from a plutocratic elite knows what will happen if we choose Brexit. We do know, however, that as the worlds fifth largest economy we should be able to forge deals with countries keen to sell to our affluent consumers. We do know that the Germans will still hunger to sell us their cars, the Spaniards to welcome our currency-rich holidaymakers, and the world will want the unique skills of the City of London. And if the pound falls, that will be good for exports, as it was when the Exchange Rate Mechanism collapsed. It was Tony Benn who said in the last referendum in 1975 that Britain was signing up for something that was undemocratic and run in the interest of elites. I can think of no body outside the Kremlin that has such power without a shred of accountability, he declared. If you believe in the sovereignty of this country, its monarchy, its unwritten constitution and its judicial system; if you believe in the will of the people and dont want to be ruled by faceless bureaucrats; if you are concerned about uncontrolled immigration; if you wish to control the destiny of the UK; if you want a government you can vote for and in turn vote out of office if it breaks its promises; and if you believe in Britain, its culture, history and freedoms, there is only one way to vote. Brexit. The man behind the world-famous male stripping troupe the Dreamboys has lifted the list on his 25 years in the business in a new book taking a no-holds-barred look at the off-stage antics of his troupe. Bari Bacco, 64, from London, was at the helm of the male stripping scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and watched with amusement as his badly-behaved boys notched up conquests all over the world stopping only occasionally to perform their shows. He founded the Dreamboys (a separate company to the show in its current form) after watching the now-infamous 1985 Levis advert that saw Nick Kamen stripping off in a launderette. Scroll down for video The Dreamboys achieved global fame, even meeting famous faces including Princess Diana (pictured) in 1991 who remarked: 'You aren't wearing very much today'. One of Bari's 'boys' was even her personal trainer Bari, now 64, worked as a hair stylist and in magazines before setting up his striptease show in the 1980s. He said a lot of people thought he was crazy when he initially decided to set up a male modelling agency Bari's light bulb moment made him realise that scantily-clad men could be seen as 'sex symbols' and used to sell a product a revelation that inspired him to set up a male modelling agency, he reveals in The Power Behind The Pouch. A lot of people thought I was crazy, he says. But after throwing his launch party in Londons Hippodrome in front of 2,000 women, he realised he'd spotted a gap in the market. The boys came onto the stage wearing nothing but thongs, Bari recalls. The girls started screaming "Get them off!" and then it spread like wildfire suddenly the penny dropped. I thought, what if we did keep the women coming back by just teasing them? I didnt have a modelling agency; I had a show on my hands. The 'boys' started off by putting on a small show at a club on London's Wardour Street in 1987. He says: Before that, youd just have girls lying across cars in exhibitions, and now it was the other way round' Bari Bacco (bottom right) founded the Dreamboys in 1987 after being inspired by a Levi's advert. He recalls: 'The girls started screaming "Get them off!" and then it spread like wildfire suddenly the penny dropped' Following the Dreamboys' success, it wasn't long before they were travelling all around Europe. Bari says it was their mission to sleep with as many women as possible - before discarding them like 'Kleenex tissues' Bari's 'boys' were a massive hit with the ladies, and would often compete to see who could bed the most women. After one such competition, one of the dancers came back brandishing three pairs of knickers One of Bari's 'boys', Jason Steele, also worked as Princess Diana's personal trainer - although the royal had no idea about his double life. News of his most famous client didn't come out until after she had died in 1997 Bari soon moved his new show a striptease starring 14 men to a club on Londons Wardour street, and on their first night, excitable women were queuing round the block. It was wall-to-wall guys because it was a small club, says Bari, who previously worked as a hairstylist and a magazine publisher. Soon we started having camera crews from all over Europe in this little club in Soho, to see this phenomenon that wed created girls queuing up to see these gorgeous, delicious hunks. Before that, youd just have girls lying across cars in exhibitions, and now it was the other way round; girls looking at guys like eye candy. Making friends: The boys pose backstage with Joe Longthorne. Bari says: Soon we started having camera crews from all over Europe in this little club in Soho, to see this phenomenon that wed created' 'Girls were queuing up to see these gorgeous, delicious hunks': Even Bari was surprised by the level of success the boys achieved as they moved from a small club in Soho to touring all over Europe One of Bari's most outrageous memories from his time as manager was the car hopping game the dancers formulated to keep themselves entertained during a traffic jam on the Autobahn in Germany Bari said: 'The Dreamboys bonked and bonked and then bonked some more, the length and breadth of the UK, and then they bonked their way across Europe - only occasionally stopping to perform the shows' During their three-year residence on Wardour Street, the 'boys' had everyone from Barbara Windsor to Bananarama come to see them in action, and were invited onto Ruby Waxs chat show and Kilroy. It just got bigger and bigger, says Bari, who soon found himself touring Russia, Germany, Greece and Malta with the troupe. One of his most outrageous memories from that time was the car hopping game the dancers formulated to keep themselves entertained during a traffic jam on the Autobahn in Germany. The traffic was completely stationary, Bari says. The boys were completely bored, so they got out the bus and said they were going for a walk. Bari's dancers wearing loin cloths and chains as they get ready for a show. He says: 'Girls threw themselves at the boys, who discarded them like used Kleenex tissues, knowing there was always the next town' Friends in high places: The Dreamboys meet the Marquess of Bath and his wife Anna Thynn, Marchioness of Bath, during one of their now-infamous shows Instead, they decided to see how many women they could bed in their cars. In the distance I could see that these cars were bobbing up and down, Bari says. Theyd hung their t-shirts up in the windows for privacy. When they came back to the bus, the winner was the one who had collected the most panties. One guy had three pairs. 'The Dreamboys bonked and bonked and then bonked some more, the length and breadth of the UK, and then they bonked their way across Europe - only occasionally stopping to perform the shows. Bari's 'boys' enjoy a bottles of Bollinger champagne with Cilla Black, one of many famous faces they met Bari meets Cliff Richard (left) and with one of his Dreamboys dressed as a soldier (right) 'Girls threw themselves at the boys, who discarded them like used Kleenex tissues, knowing there was always the next town, where they could invite the eager girls to their private after-show party in the hotel rooms, and allow the girls to try out the goods they had been tempting them with on stage. One of the most famous Dreamboys was Jason Steele who, when he wasnt stripping off on stage, worked as personal trainer to the Princess of Wales. He was a great guy and very nice, Bari says. He was a personal trainer as well and he worked at a gym in Earls Court but it was only revealed after Princess Dianas death that we learned he was her trainer. I dont think she had only idea. Bari even had the pleasure of meeting Diana with the Dreamboys, at a 1991 gala in honour of her birthday although Jason made himself scarce on that occasion. One of the Dreamboys in Jacqueline's, the club where they first found fame (left) and in costume (right) Humble beginnings: Bari got the idea of a male stripping troupe after hosting a launch party for his male modelling agency in London's Hippodrome (pictured) in 1987 - which went down a treat with London women A promotional poster for the Dreamboys' tour (left); a Russian paper reports on a St Petersburg show (right) We met her at Whitehall Palace, Bari recalls. The guys were dressed up as gods and were presented to Princess Diana. She said, Youre not wearing very much today! One of the guys replied, You should see us in our show she just giggled. Subsequent years saw the performers rub shoulders with everyone from Cliff Richard to the Spice Girls even appearing in the 1998 film Spice World the Movie. Geri wanted us to be in the film even though I was just the manager, Bari says. It was very exciting for me it was my moment. I always thought the Dreamboys were a great magnet; women loved them, and they certainly spiced up a lot of shows. 'They bonked across Europe': Four of Bari's Dreamboys take on St Petersburg, Russia, in 1995 Making their mark: The show started with a launch party at London's Hippodrome (pictured) in 1987 The boys were invited on to put the sparkle into that show, but it was a very safe show; we never had full-frontal nudity. It was all about what you dont see, not what you do. Bari parted ways with the Dreamboys in 2011, going on to set up a show of his own called the Dream Idols. I did it for 25 years, he says. It was great fun, but very tiring. We were constantly meeting wonderful people. Looking back at our early days in [the Wardour Street club] even though it was a seedy little club the dressing room had a broken mirror and you could smell the drains it was a bit of a hole, but the atmosphere was amazing. The issue will be explored on SBS's Dateline on Tuesday night Disability advocates disagree with the treatment and why it is done Daryl-Ann Fehsenfeld is a nine-year-old girl with disabilities so severe that she has a developmental age of just three months and requires round-the-clock care. Two years ago her parents, Rob and Janine, started a controversial treatment that stunts Daryl-Ann's growth with hormones, meaning she won't get any bigger and grow to her full size. The treatment involves giving Daryl-Ann high doses of estrogen, which will put her through an early puberty and close off the plates at the end of her limbs, meaning she won't grow any bigger. Mr and Mrs Fehsenfeld, who are from New Zealand, have spoken about their decision in an episode of Dateline exploring the issue, which will air Tuesday night on SBS. Complicated issue: An episode of SBS's Dateline explores the issue of parents who choose to stunt their children's growth with a controversial treatment Difficult decision: The Fehsenfeld family (above) have chosen to stunt the growth of their nine-year-old daughter Daryl-Ann, who is severely disabled and has the developmental age of a four month old HOW DOES THE TREATMENT WORK? Known as grow attenuation, the treatment uses high doses of estrogen to accelerate puberty in children. This causes the Epiphyseal plates at the end of children's legs and arms to close, meaning they never reach their full height. Advertisement Worldwide there has been around 70 cases of severely disabled children who have had their growth stunted, mostly in the United States. Mrs Fehsenfeld said that when they heard it was possible to stop their daughter growing they thought 'how natural and logical'. She said that without the treatment, Daryl-Ann would not be able to enjoy the things she does now, as she would be too big for her parents to handle. During the program, the nine-year-old is seen with the rest of her family at a trampoline centre, laying on the bouncy floor as Mrs Fehsenfeld holds her and her younger sister jumps up and down. 'She loves it,' the mother said. 'A kid like Daryl needs huge sensory input to get that excitement going, if she was bigger than this there is no way shed be able to do this.' Speaking up: Ms Fehsenfeld said the couple thought 'how natural and logical' when they found out about the treatment Suzi Paisley, a mother of two who also lives in New Zealand, also spoke to Dateline about her decision to start the treatment for her 12-year-old son Kahn. She explained that Kahn is severely disabled, and as a single mum she has to care for him on his own. 'He cant swallow, cant eat, cant do anything on his own,' Ms Paisley said. She also passionately believes that the treatment means her son's life is improved due to the treatment, as it means she can care for him better. 'If he was any bigger he would be unmanageable,' she said. 'I wouldnt be able to sit on the couch and cuddle him and thats a huge part of his day, and a huge contributor to his quality of life and happiness. He loves a cuddle.' 'If he was any bigger he would be unmanageable': Single mother Suzi Paisley has also chosen to stunt her don Kahn's growth. She said that not having the treatment would impact Kahn's quality of life 'Extreme': Politician Kelly Vincent (above) said she's very concerned about the treatment and has introduced legislation in South Australia to protect people with disabilities from forced medical treatment The treatment has been hotly debated because of the permanent impact it has, and the Fehsenfelds had to get ethics approval before a doctor would start Daryl-Ann on the hormones. Despite both Ms Paisley and the Fehsenfelds saying the treatment makes their children's quality of life better, there is vocal opposition to stunting disabled children's growth. Dignity for Disability upper house MP for South Australia Kelly Vincent is concerned about the treatment, which she calls 'extreme'. 'We are very concerned about this so weve called on the South Australian government to ensure that children and adults with disability are protected from forced medical treatment,' the MP said. A man who earns up to 1,000 a day hand modelling has revealed that he leaves his spouse to do the housework to avoid damaging his assets. Stuart Reed, 44, from Notting Hill, London, has built up a successful career by showcasing nothing more than his forearm, landing campaigns with beer brands and watch retailers. However, despite his gift, Stuart admits that when it comes to getting his hands dirty he stays well clear. Stuart Reed, 44, from Notting Hill, London, has created a career spanning 20 years thanks to his successful hand modelling He said: 'I joke I am the UK's most super handy boyfriend but when it comes to changing a light bulb, doing DIY, changing a car tyre, washing up, cooking, cleaning or anything which could possible mark my fingers or palms, I won't do it. 'Many people laugh when I tell them I have never mowed the lawn, taken out rubbish or hammered in a nail and most blokes give me grief when they find out Im a hand model and hear the jobs I do. They all want to know how to get started.' Stuart explained it was not a case of wanting to avoid chores but rather protecting his pride and joy. He added: 'If I could help with the cleaning and washing I would but I cant risk marking my hands. 'I use almond oil on the morning and night and on the way to castings and jobs I always wear gloves even in summer because a mark or bump on the tube could rule me out of a job.' Stuart says that he now avoids doing household chores or DIY as he needs to protect his assets. Pictured: Some of Stuart's shots Stuart initially began modelling when he was 24 because his girlfriend at the time recommended he try it Stuart started modelling when he took a gap year and travelled to Australia at the age of 24, and he had no idea that it would expand more than 20 years. He said: 'When I started modelling I never imagined my career would continue so long as it has and when I fell into hand modelling I never imagined mine would end up paying the bills.' It is no surprise that Stuart's hands have become some of the most desirable in the country, with his partner Suzanne Woririca revealing he spends hours tending to them. Suzanne, 43, a charity worker said: 'His hands are the best kept in the country and he spends hours caring for them. 'I'll be watching TV or flicking through a magazine or newspaper and regularly spot Stuart's handy work. His current partner Suzanne Worrica (pictured with Stuart at the Taj Mahal, India) has to take over the washing up and other household chores to preserve her boyfriend's hands Stuart and partner Suzanne on holiday in Manang, Nepal - with his famous hands wrapped up in woolly gloves 'Having a partner who is not just a model but a hand model definitely makes for interesting dinner conversation and I can always guarantee his hands are soft to the touch.' Stuart fell into the career after finishing his unrelated course at university. He said: 'I'd completed my degree in humanities and my girlfriend at the time was a model. She was working in Sydney and suggested I try modelling as well. So I joined at agency and started,' he explained. Stuart's first job was modelling for a Korean Clothing Catalogue. After that the 6ft 1in Bristol-born man hasn't looked back. Returning to the UK Stuart carved out a career as a male model taking to the catwalk and posing for editorial and catalogues wearing everything from Timberland to high-end fashion. 'I was lucky with my catwalk and clothing modelling it took me all over the world. I have been to the Maldives at least three times for clothing and lifestyle shoots,' he said. Stuart now earns between 200 and 1,000 for every day he works as a hand model - and he's been told his hands and fingers are the perfect size and symmetry Stuart's hands have also been featured holding Coca Cola cans, pints of Guinness (pictured), champagne glasses and bottles of wine Then seven years ago Stuarts modelling agent sent on a casting which required the models hands to be featured. 'It's a models job to go to castings but this was the first time people were not interested in my face or body instead the obsession was my hands!' he says. Stuart's hands so impressed the casting director he was hired for the job and his 'hand modelling career' was launched. 'The first job as for Nivea men's hand cream. I got to show up and there was an entire team there to focus on my hands only. No one cared what I was wearing, what I looked like instead the hand team was interested only in my fingers and thumbs,' he recalled. After being treated to a manicure, hand scrub and moisturiser Stuart's hands were ready for their close up. 'The job really launched my second modelling career and since them the majority of jobs I have been cast for have been hand modelling,' he said. Ahead of a shoot Stuart has manicurists prep his nails and scrub and moisturise his hands Ready for his close-up: Stuart has featured in commercials and print advertisements for Iceland, Sainsbury's and Waitrose Stuart's hands have now been featured in commercials and print advertisements for Iceland, Sainsbury's and Waitrose. Morrison's used his hands to put on oven gloves and place a chicken in the oven earning him around 1,000. 'All you could see was my hands in mits and some skin on my arm. It sounds like an easy job but it is a serious business and it took all day to shoot,' he said. Stuart's hands have also been featured holding Coca Cola cans, pints of Guinness, champagne glasses and bottles of wine. 'I have lost track of the number of jobs I have done holding mobile phones or having my fingers used to model a new tablet or computer keyboard and as well my fingers have been used to show off new pills and other pharmaceuticals,' he explained. Among the more unique jobs Stuart's done including modelling fruit or spending one entire day patting dogs. 'One of the more unusual advertisements I recently shot was a cancer awareness commercial and I was asked to show my hands reacting sympathetically so I had to figure out a hand gesture that would show that emotion,' he says. He once acted as a hand double for Hollywood star Jared Leto in a Hugo Boss aftershave commercial Stuart was also chosen to appear in a Hugo Boss aftershave commercial starring Oscar winner Jared Leto with the model acting as the Oscar winner's hand double. 'All the jobs I get to do are amazing and nothing ever surprises me. Every day you get to do something new and different,' he said. For each shoot a team is especially provided to ensure Stuart's hands are camera-ready. While he gets regular manicures at each job, often his nails are polished and his hands massaged and scrubbed. In some cases they're given a tan and special hand makeup is used to ensure they look perfect. 'I have been told my hands are in almost perfect symmetry and that the length of fingers compared to the palm is a close to perfect as you can have and that my hands are relatable! Stuart admits his modelling has allowed him and Suzanne to enjoy amazing trips overseas Stuart says he has 'lost track' of the amount of mobile phone adverts he has done, such as this pictured 'Most male models are lucky if their careers go five to ten years but thanks to my hands my career is continuing to expand rather than diminish. I consider myself very lucky,' he said. Stuart can earn between 200 per hour or up to 1,000 a day just to have his hands shot or filmed or more if it's part of a bigger campaign. He said: 'I am really lucky my hands have allowed me to pay not only the bills but have helped by a flat in London and pay for trips Suzanne and I take to amazing places overseas.' According to Suzanne, Stuart's hands are the best kept man's hands in the country. 'He has more beauty products than me and when it comes to his hands he is obsessive about making them look good. I'd be the same if they were my source of income. A mother-of-one thought she had met the man of her dreams - but he quickly turned violent leaving her to fear for her life. Kelsie Williams, 27, from Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, who worked full-time for the prison service, fell for Nathan Edwards, 24, after meeting him on a website. However, after two months of bliss together, Edwards turned abusive, regularly punching, threatening and kicking her whenever she 'disappointed' him. Kelsie Williams, 27, who worked full-time for the prison service, fell for Nathan Edwards, 24, after meeting him on a website 'Nathan was good-looking, muscly and charming - a real catch,' said Kelsie, mother to a seven-year-old son. 'So I thought Id be nothing more to him than a bit of fun. 'He told me I was different to other women he'd dated and liked that I had my career, my own house and my independence. 'He depended on me so much that he didnt like me being away from him or talking on the phone for too long. He checked my text messages too. 'But I figured if he loved all my imperfections, as he said he did, then I had to love his as well.' However, one day, everything changed. Kelsie headed to the supermarket to buy the pair some drinks, but they didnt have the ready-made cocktails Edwards liked and she didnt have her phone on her. Instead, she bought herself a bottle of wine and went home. But when Kelsie told Edwards that the shop hadn't stocked his drink, he punched her in the head and told her to get out of his sight. However, after two months of bliss together, Edwards - pictured together - turned violent, leaving her and her seven-year-old son to fear for their lives Instead of feeling angry, Kelsie felt worried that she had upset him. 'I told him I was really sorry and he grunted "okay"', she said. 'Next day it was all forgotten. I was so happy. Id been so scared hed gone off me.' Edwards' violence became a regular theme of the relationship. Whenever Kelsie disappointed him, he flew at her in a fit of rage. One day she brushed his shoulder by accident when sitting down on the sofa. Edwards told her not to move and added: 'Im going to hit you back but you wont know when it is coming. 'I did sit there, shaking, waiting for the blow,' said Kelsie. 'It was a full 45 minutes before he punched me.' But despite Edwards' actions, the pair continued on with the relationship as normal. 'He made life so exciting that when he beat me, Id get scared that he would leave,' said Kelsie, whose mother repeatedly tried to convince her to break up with Nathan. Pictured, Kelsie in hospital after Edwards slashed her across the face with a knife In November 2014, at Leeds Crown Court, Edwards admitted assault by beating, having a bladed article in a public place and causing GBH with intent On a holiday with friends in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, in September 2014, Edwards flew at Kelsie and attempted to choke her. One of their friends intervened and Nathan turned on him too. Seeing Kelsie attempt to help her friend made Edwards even more angry and he slashed her face with a knife lying nearby. The friends called the police, who soon arrived with paramedics. Kelsie was taken to hospital and had her wounds stitched up. She was told she would have scarring. He made life so exciting that when he beat me, Id get scared that he would leave Even though the police wanted to arrest Edwards, Kelsie refused to give a statement and press charges. However, as one of the friends had filmed the incident, the police had enough evidence to charge him without Kelsie's statement. She then resigned from working for the prison service in order to visit him. In November 2014, at Leeds Crown Court, Edwards admitted assault by beating, having a bladed article in a public place and causing GBH with intent. He was sentenced to four years and three months. A few months later he proposed to Kelsie in a letter and she said yes. 'No one else would be happy for us, but I didnt care,' she said. 'My life still revolved around making him happy. Id send him money, visit every week, write letters and wait in for calls. 'He found prison tough. He became paranoid about what Id been doing and who with. Hed call me a slag if I couldnt afford to send him money and threaten to kill me when he came out.' In December 2015, Edwards wrote to Kelsie suggesting a prison wedding. She filled in the forms and the pair hoped to marry in June 2015. But when she announced the plans on Facebook, her family and friends tried to persuade her not to. 'Anyone who didnt like my decision, I cut out of my circle,' Kelsie said. In December 2015, Edwards wrote to Kelsie suggesting a prison wedding. She filled in the forms and the pair hoped to marry in June 2015. But when she announced the plans on Facebook, her family and friends tried to persuade her not to But one friend managed to get through to her. Kelsie said: 'She told me "Whatever you do, Im here for you. But look at what hes doing to you. Hes destroying you and you cant see it". 'Dont ask me why those words landed when all the others hadnt. Whatever it was, I suddenly thought about everything Edwards had done. 'He had even confessed he was scared he'd hurt me again and end up killing me.' Kelsie ended it with him over email. He called the next day, begging her to visit to talk it over. The scar on my face is a constant reminder of what Nathan was capable of - and that I must never ever go back Reluctantly, she agreed then got so deliberately drunk the night before, she wasnt capable of it. Edwards rang her and screamed at her down the phone. She decided to put together a mini-movie on Facebook about the abuse she had suffered. 'If I told everyone why Id left him, I couldnt go back,' Kelsie said. 'I hope the post makes at least one person realise they wont ever change, but that you can get away'. So many people shared it that it received 425,000 views. 'Women whod survived sent messages of support and others still in the grip of abuse asked for advice. 'I told them "No one can tell you when to leave. Youll find the strength only when youre ready". 'Since the video went up, I havent heard from Nathan and in his silence Im getting stronger. Hes due to be released in November, which frightens me. Their slogan is 'Vision taken seriously' but a certain opticians didn't quite live up to that promise in a letter sent to one of their customers. The employee who sent a letter to Mr Alan King of Dover got things very wrong when they misspelled his name so the envelope was addressed to 'Mr Anal King'. Alan's daughter Katie posted an image of the hilarious mistake to Facebook, explaining that her father had announced that 'Vision Express are cheeky b*******', when she returned home from work. Scroll down for video A Vision Express employee who sent a letter to Mr Alan King of Dover got things very wrong when they misspelled his name so the envelope was addressed to 'Mr Anal King' The letter was posted to Facebook by Katie King who said she'd been left crying with laughter over the mistake He then showed her the envelope and said: 'Look at the address on this letter. I think they need their eyes tested.' Katie said she'd been left crying with laughter over the mistake. Of course, it's by no means the first time a letter has ended up an internet sensation after a very ironic spelling error. Last month, a teacher's open letter to the Department for Education went viral after it sent her a note littered with punctuation errors. Alan King said that the Vision Express employee who had sent him the letter clearly needed their own eyes testing Last month, a teacher's open letter to the Department for Education went viral after it sent her a note littered with punctuation errors Kim Harvey's young daughter's note that she'd written for a friend inadvertently contained some fruity language because of the way she spelled 'thank you' A party host was left red-faced by the spelling mistake on their Super Bowl cake Mary Davies, 38, from Yarm, North Yorkshire, had originally written to the Education Secretary, Nicky Morgan, to express her concerns about recent changes to the testing of writing and spelling at Key Stage 2. However the letter she received in response contained five mistakes - with Mrs Davies taking to Facebook to point out the irony. More entertaining was Kim Harvey's young daughter's thank-you note that she'd written for a friend. The child arrived home from school with the card, which included some very fruity language. Kim posted the noteon Facebook, which read: 'fack you Connie', a slightly off-kilter attempt at writing thank you Connie. A mother has revealed her heartache after realising that what seemed to be a funny of her three-year-old daughter revealed a more disturbing truth. Stacey Wehrman Feeley from Traverse City, Michigan took a photo of her little girl standing on top of the toilet to send to her husband, thinking she was being mischievous. But she 'broke down' when her daughter explained she was in fact practicing the lockdown drill she'd been taught at preschool in the event of a gun attack. The powerful image and Stacey's accompanying message begging for changes to gun laws has been liked more than 5,000 times and shared more than 8,700 times since she posted it on Facebook. Scroll down for video Stacey Wehrman Feeley from Michigan took a photo of her little girl standing on top of the toilet, thinking she was being mischievous. It turned out she was practicing the lockdown drill she'd been taught at preschool Stacey admitted that the moment her daughter revealed she was practicing what she'd been taught to do if she got stuck in a bathroom during an attack made her realise all her daughter's innocence was gone. 'Politicians - take a look. This is your child, your children, your grandchildren, your great grand children and future generations to come,' Stacey wrote. 'They will live their lives and grow up in this world based on your decisions. They are barely three and they will hide in bathroom stalls standing on top of toilet seats. 'I do not know what will be harder for them? Trying to remain quiet for an extended amount of time or trying to keep their balance without letting a foot slip below the stall door?' Stacey's emotional plea for tighter gun control has been liked more than 5,000 times and shared more than 8,700 times Stacey went on to call for tighter gun control, asking why there are no universal background checks or a universal registration database. 'Banding together, signing petitions, rallying to get your voice heard is good, but is it actually doing anything or just making us feel better about the current situation? We need action,' she added. 'I am not pretending to have all the answers or even a shred of them, but unless you want your children standing on top of a toilet, we need to do something.' Stacey warned politicians that their children and grandchildren are living in a world where they have to grow up learning how to hide from gun attackers Stacey received an outpouring of support for her words on Facebook, with Maria-Luisa Franks saying she was brokenhearted by the post. 'Your poor baby girl having to be taught this as the norm,' she wrote. 'Gun laws need to be changed. 'I'm in the UK and we do not have the right to bear arms. And I am so glad for that. 'The Australian government had a mass shooting then banned guns and the Australians didn't go nuts. It makes sense. 'Get those guns off the streets and keep them on the ranges and in the military.' Teacher Laura Susan Bird said she had practiced similar techniques with her young students. 'I sat in bathrooms running these drills with my three to six-year-old students, trying to alleviate their confusion and fear by telling them that it was just like we were playing a game. 'We were pretending to hide from our administrator, "just like hide and seek," and had to be super quiet. 'What a surreal nightmare to practice with young children. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. Sheila Breen asked: 'What are we doing to our kids? This is awful.' Tala Clark added: 'This breaks my heart. Our babies' sad reality.' STACEY'S PLEA FOR TIGHTER GUN CONTROL I took this picture because initially I thought it was funny. I was going to send it to my husband to show what our mischievous little three-year-old was up to. However, The moment she told me what she was doing I broke down. She was practicing for a lockdown drill at her preschool and what you should do if you are stuck in a bathroom. At that moment all innocence of what I thought my three-year-old possessed was gone. Politicians - take a look. This is your child, your children, your grandchildren, your great grand children and future generations to come. They will live their lives and grow up in this world based on your decisions. They are barely 3 and they will hide in bathroom stalls standing on top of toilet seats. I do not know what will be harder for them? Trying to remain quiet for an extended amount of time or trying to keep their balance without letting a foot slip below the stall door? No one thinks gun control will be 100% crime control. But maybe, just maybe, it helps 1% or 2% or 50%? Who knows unless we try? Why on earth are there not universal background checks? Where is a universal registration database? Why are high capacity magazines ever permitted to be sold to anyone other than direct to the military? Is that really necessary to protect yourself or hunt for that matter? What about smart guns, where are they? Cmon techies! The 2nd Amendment is a beast to battle and wiping out the right to bear arms is not on the table. Does anyone really think that will be accomplished? Because it wont. Amended to some extent? Maybe. But how many decades will that take? Wheres the evolution of our so called living document for this subject matter? A document that originally allowed slavery and prevented women from voting? NRA, are you even trying? Lets talk mental health. Where is the $500 million that the Obama administration put into the budget for approvaldid it go through? Is it being implemented or just sitting there? Where is the access to care for those struggling with mental illness? Politicians, I ask you...how can I help? Banning together, signing petitions, rallying to get your voice heard is good, but is it actually doing anything or just making us feel better about the current situation? We need action. I applaud politicians like Senator Chris Murphy but so many of our elected politicians cant manage to work together (maybe they shouldnt be paid for a job they can't dojust saying) or since they are in bed with all the wrong people, it is up to us if we want change. I want to know what new smart technology is being built for safer guns, advanced security in public places, databases, traveling care for the mentally illanything! Entrepreneurs, innovators, are you there? Can I help? Can I help you make a difference? I want to offer support. I cannot give you techie advice, expertise in healthcare, or financial backing, BUT maybe I can point you in the right direction? Maybe I know someone who knows someone who can help? Incubators, investorsif this issue concerns you, do what you do best and help make change. Can I help? Hold funding competitions, provide think tanks for these very things. Hollywood, the PSAs are good, but not good enough. Eventually they disappear and are forgotten. I am not pretending to have all the answers or even a shred of them, but unless you want your children standing on top of a toilet, we need to do something! Please share. #dosomething #prayfororlando #wecandobetterMoms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America Advertisement Sharone Elgood admitted the photo had made her cry. 'Poor little thing,' she wrote. 'I'd like to say it would never happen, but this world is full of madness Please give her a hug from me.' Ashleigh Louise echoed her setinments, saying: 'This is absolutely heartbreaking. It is disgusting that this is the world we live in today, that a three year old is practicing hiding from a gun man if he should come into her school.' However, not everyone thought that it was problematic for youngsters to learn such things. Terilynn Years wrote: 'Preparing for the worst? Isn't such a bad thing.' Ashley Joyce was also a dissenting voice, saying that teachers should be taught how to protect their charges. 'Maybe, just maybe, if they teach the people that are "leading" our children how to properly protect the children by using guns safely then there would be less chance of something happening, like another mass shooting,' she said. 'The way some people think, makes my blood boil. Guns aren't bad, criminals are bad and criminals aren't going to be the ones turning in their guns anytime soon. From that Zara cornflower blue dress to those vibrant pink jeans and her exquisite Sarah Burton wedding gown, her sartorial selections have sent high-street and designer sales soaring as women try desperately to emulate her impeccable style. Whether striking in Alexander McQueen, or dressed down in Le Chameau wellies and a campfire-chic gilet, the Duchess of Cambridge's wardrobe choices are consistently classic, carefully considered, polished and chic. But whilst she always pulls off the polished style with aplomb, is looking as glamorous as the mother-of-two really that effortless? One woman writing for Cosmopolitan decided to put it to the test by challenging herself to emulate the 34-year-old's style for a week. Here's how she got on... Scroll down for video Josie Copson, from Birmingham, right, challenged herself to dressing like the Duchess of Cambridge, left, for a week - and found it a rather difficult five days Speaking ahead of her challenge, twenty-something Josie Copson, from Birmingham, said she's not ashamed to admit she's the proud owner of a velour Juicy Couture tracksuit and pink Ugg boots - a far cry from the Duchess' sloaney style. 'I can admit that the words "classy" and "regal" are unlikely to crop up when describing me, and I've often wondered how I might change these conceptions,' she said upon accepting the challenge. Josie kicked off the week in true Princess style: by having her tresses tended to by Richard Ward, who worked his magic on Kate's hair for the royal wedding. Her first outfit was an exact replica of Kate's - a 365 grey dress by little-known brand, The Fold. The flattering asymmetric frill detailing around the waist, as well as the demure long sleeves and tweed texture, worked wonders on Kate - and Josie felt chic, too. Speaking ahead of her challenge, twenty-something Josie Copson, pictured in her usual clothes, said she's not ashamed to admit she's the proud owner of a velour Juicy Couture tracksuit and pink Ugg boots Her first outfit, right, was an exact replica of Kate's, left, a 365 grey dress by little-known brand, The Fold Kate wore her chic apparel to visit a prison, whilst Josie took a stroll to her local public toilet in hers Whilst Kate accessorised with Jimmy Choo heels and a clutch bag by Hobbs in similar grey hues, Josie opted for shoes by New Look, a ring from Argos and a sunglasses case fashioned as a tote. Kate wore her demure look to visit a prison, whilst Josie took a stroll to her local public toilets in hers and says crowds gathered around her. For Tuesday's outing, Josie borrowed one of Kate's more casual looks, which consisted of jeans, a Breton T-shirt and even a plastic Prince George doll. On Wednesday, Josie was suffering with a hangover and whilst she just wanted to throw on her comfiest jeans and ditch the make-up, she knew Kate wouldn't allow such a fashion faux pas so she chanelled the royal's pared back Sloaney style. On Tuesday, Josie, right, borrowed one of Kate's more casual looks, left, which consisted of jeans, a Breton T-shirt and her trusty cork wedges Josie even carried a plastic doll around as though she was mothering Prince George On Wednesday, Josie chanelled the royal's pared back Sloaney style in Penelope Chilvers boots and a Really Wild waistcoat For this look, her uniform consisted of Ray Ban sunglasses, a Really Wild waistcoat, a Ralph Lauren shirt, jeans by New Look, and Kate's beloved Penelope Chilvers boots. She also took a trip to the Shavata brow studio to copy Kate's perfectly groomed brows. Speaking on Thursday, Josie said: 'Another day - another pair of kitten heels to break in and my feet were really suffering. All I wanted to do was indulge in a pair of flip flops, but I know Kate wouldn't do that so I hobbled on.' She donned a pair of New Look heels and Kate's favourite Goat coat and even enlisted the services of a colleague to act as her body guard and hold doors open for her. On her fifth and final day, Josie attempted to emulate the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's engagement photo. Whilst she couldn't get her hands on the pricey blue Issa dress that Kate wore, she managed to snap up a similar style from Asos and superimposed herself into the iconic photo. Next, Josie donned a pair of New Look heels and Kate's favourite Goat coat and even enlisted the services of a colleague to act as her body guard and hold doors open for her, right On her fifth and final day, Josie, left, attempted to emulate the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's engagement photo, right, and superimposed herself onto the snap Josie, left, caring for a plastic doll whilst writing a feature, and, right, showing off her new Kate-esque brows, found the whole week rather hard So what was her conclusion? 'Despite all the compliments, my Royal week was hard,' she admitted. 'I even had a minor breakdown on day four because the waistcoat was weighing me down - I won't lie to you there were tears. So maybe being a princess isn't all it's cracked up to be. Although if Harry fancies ripping up the royal book and marrying a journalist from Birmingham then I will happily take one for the team and step forward. 'I just hope they're okay with me bringing fake tan and acrylic nails into Buckingham Palace.' She may have recently celebrated her 90th birthday but the Queen today proved that she's no stranger to modern technology. The monarch took to Twitter to send a message of thanks to everyone who had wished her well on her birthday via social media. Her tweet read: 'I am most grateful for the many digital messages of goodwill I have received and would like to thank you all for your kindness. Elizabeth R.' Scroll down for video The Queen has tweeted a message of thanks to all those who wished her a happy 90th birthday on social media, typing the message herself on a tablet An accompanying image shows the monarch sitting at an ornate writing desk in a summery pink and orange floral dress, sending the tweet on a tablet. The tweet was sent via The Royal Family twitter account, and received 1,800 likes within 45 minutes. Another message from the account added: 'This tweet was personally sent by Her Majesty The Queen.' Royal fans celebrated the monarch's milestone birthday with hashtags such as the #Queenat90 and #happybirthdayyourmajesty with a special crown emoji. The Queen said she felt 'most grateful' for the many kind messages she received on the social networking site 'The Queen's milestone birthday was a huge occasion on Twitter, with users expressing their love and admiration for Her Majesty's lifelong commitment on her 90th birthday' said Lewis Wiltshire, Senior Director of Media Partnerships with Twitter UK. 'It's really exciting to see The Queen directly respond to the Great British public for their birthday wishes on the platform with her second ever Tweet.' The Queen's first ever tweet was sent during a visit to the Science Museum in October 2014 to officially launch their Information Age exhibition. The Queen sending her first ever tweet on a visit to the Science Museum in October 2014 On that occasion she posted: 'It is a pleasure to open the Information Age exhibition today at the @ScienceMuseum and I hope people will enjoy visiting. Elizabeth R.' The royal family have also used the social networking sites for a series of firsts, including announcing the birth of Prince George. When the future king was born in 2013, the news was announced on Twitter as well as in the traditional way with a board outside Buckingham Palace. Prince Andrew became the first royal to tweet a selfie, sharing a snap of himself inside St James's Palace in April 2014. A woman who has been living with rippled, sagging breasts after a doctor placed her 700cc implants over the muscle is begging doctors to fix her chest, which is painfully weighing her down. On Tuesday night's episode of the E! reality series Botched, Los Angeles-based surgeons Dr. Paul Nassif and Dr. Terry Dubrow meet with Melissa, whose breasts are hanging by such stretched skin they are unsure if they will be able to help her. 'Look how thin that skin is. Look how stretched out it is, and look at the nipple position,' Dr. Dubrow tells Dr. Nassif in a preview clip from the episode. Scroll down for video Big task: Melissa asks Los Angeles-based surgeons Dr. Paul Nassif and Dr. Terry Dubrow to fix her sagging, rippled breasts on Tuesday night's episode of the E! reality series Botched Terrible outcome: Melissa says her previous doctor promised to place her implants under her chest muscles, but after complications he put the 700cc implants over the muscle instead The two doctors are looking at pictures of Melissa's botched breasts on an iPad before her consultation, and Dr. Nassif isn't even sure what he is seeing at first. 'Where is the nipple? It's over there?' he asks. 'You can't fix that.' When Melissa meets with them, she explains that she 'originally went for a lift and for maybe a little volume'. 'I want them bigger,' she says, recalling how she told her previous surgeon to 'make sure they are big'. Before her surgery, Melissa says her doctor agreed and told her that he would place the implants 'under the muscle', however, when she woke up, he told her: 'Well, there was problems'. Hard to handle: The patient recalls that her breasts 'dropped' and 'rippled' just a few weeks after she had surgery Enormous problem: Melissa also notes that her botched breasts 'hurt' and 'itch' 'He's like, "I couldn't get them under the muscle, I decided just to fill them up as big as I can and I just put them over the muscle" And that was it,' she says. Dr, Dubrow can't help but groan after hearing her story, but he is even more shocked when Melissa reveals that he put in large, 700cc implants. 'On top of the muscle with saline,' he says with disbelief. 'That's never really a good idea because it puts the skin under great tension and it could really lead to rapid tissue thinning, stretch marks, and ultimately an enormous problem,' Dr. Dubrow explains to the camera. Melissa goes on to say that within the first couple of weeks of her surgery her breasts 'dropped' and 'rippled immediately'. Regret: 'They are wanting to get off my body just as much as I want them off,' Melissa says of her implants Appalled: Dr. Nassif (left) and Dr. Dubrow (right) are shocked that Melissa's doctor would put large saline implants over the muscle because it puts the 'skin under great tension' Mirror image: The doctors also meet with Lucy (left) and Anna (right) DeCinque, the 'world's most identical twins' 'They hurt, they itch, they are wanting to get off my body just as much as I want them off,' she says at the end of the clip. On tonight's episode, the doctors also meet with Anna and Lucy DeCinque, the 'world's most identical twins'. The 30-year-old sisters from Perth, Australia, have spent nearly $250,000 on cosmetic enhancements to look more alike including lip fillers, breast implants, and fake eyebrows and eyelashes. According to Anna and Lucy, they want their breasts 'identical in every way'. 'We eat the same, sleep the same, talk the same, but unfortunately these aren't the same,' the girls explain as they point to their breasts. End goal: The 30-year-old sisters from Perth, Australia, want their breasts to be 'identical in every way' just like they are Past mistakes: The sisters say they were flat-chested when they were young, and they were so desperate for larger breasts that they didn't research their surgeon like they should have Throwback: Anna and Lucy, who are pictured with their parents as children, say their mom always dressed them the same The twins' mother dressed them the same from an early age, and they insist that they didn't want to dress differently. 'We had the same friends, were in the same classes,' they recall. 'We share everything literally from a job, a car, a Facebook account, a mobile phone and even a boyfriend.' In addition to sharing a man, Anna and Lucy won't consume and food or beverages with the other doing the same. 'We have been eating the exact same thing, the same size quantity of our food for about 10 years now,' Anna says. Embracing it: The twins, who are pictured as teens, insist that they never had the urge to look different No boundaries? Anna and Lucy share everything including a boyfriend (pictured) Never different: Anna and Lucy have also been consuming the same beverages and quantities of food for the past 10 years 'Because I want my body to look like hers, she wants her body to look like mine. We don't want to weigh differently,' Lucy adds. And while the sisters relish in being exactly the same thing, they admit they should have taken greater care when they were choosing a surgeon for the breast augmentations. 'Growing up we were flat chested, A [cup], completely nothing,' the explains. 'So we found our plastic surgeon through the yellow pages, we didn't really research which we should've. 'We just wanted breasts. Waking up from surgery we looked at our breasts and were like, "I just don't think they're identical."' Shania, from Scioto County, Ohio, has questioned the move, while her instructor claimed they are 'trying to hide something' A teenage girl was left devastated after being told she had won Ohio's state masonry competition - only to be informed a month later that she would not be allowed to compete in the next stage nationally and that a boy would be taking her place. Shania Clifford, 17, won a gold medal at the SkillsUSA Ohio contest in April but the following month was told she would not be progressing further in the competition because she had been relegated from first to third place. Skills USA Ohio told The Columbus Dispatch that Shania, from Scioto County, Ohio, was replaced because there was 'an error was made during the entry of scores into the final score spreadsheet'. Pioneer: Teenager Shania Clifford, 17, won gold at the SkillsUSA Ohio masonry competition, which landed her a place in the national contest Devestated: Shania, pictured, was awarded 72 points and a gold medal but was later told she has been relegated to third place and could not progress to the national final Relegated: She was later told that she actually came third and claims her place in the national competition had been taken by a male competitor But Shania said she did not understand how they could simply 'override' the judges' scoring and questioned why they allowed her to keep her gold medal. 'My question was, "How can you override a judges decision? Why even have them?"' She told the newspaper. Shania, who was originally awarded 72 points, said she saw a Facebook posting by the boy who originally came third claiming he would be competing at the national leadership and skills conference in Louisville, Kentucky, this week. She added: 'If they allow me to keep my award, they should allow me to keep my place.' Her instructor Larry Moore said normally scores vary very little among top performers and that they are still waiting to hear from SkillsUSA Ohio. He said: 'That's been the whole conflict. It's just like they shut us down. It's like they're trying to hide something.' Shania has been inundated with support - and even a job offer - from the public which she said has made her feel 'so excited and appreciative'. Ex auto-mechanic Sarah Meira Rosenberg wrote on Facebook: 'I know how much resistance there is to breaking into a male dominated field and how much garbage we have to put up with. Best wishes for you and your masonry skills!' Fellow mason Rob Cap wrote: 'Don't let this discourage you, the work looked awesome and you deserved the gold. Stick with it, start you own business... 'Your work looked better then some of the "pros" that I get to work with sometimes...True masons are a dying breed and you have the gift. Hope to see some of your work in the future!' Mistake: SkillsUSA Ohio claim the discrepancy about Shania, pictured left and right, was due to 'an error was made during the entry of scores into the final spreadsheet' Fans: Since the news was made public, Shania has been inundated with support and posted her thanks on Facebook, pictured James Janota told her: 'If you don't have any job prospects, I may get someone here to hire you in Florida.' Brittany Halpin, a spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Education, said there was a problem with the scoring process that meant 'some scores were inadvertently duplicated, causing some students to receive double the score they actually received.' She told Daily Mail Online: 'This error affected results for several students and resulted in the rankings showing an incorrect winner of the competition. 'No errors were made in the judges score sheets themselves, and the final corrected scores reflect the scores on the individual score sheets for each student.' She said after they realized the error the duplicate scores were removed which changed the overall scores - including the winner of the competition. 'SkillsUSA confirmed that Ohio has followed all policies pertaining to the resolution of errors. 'The student who should have been awarded the gold medal at the competition will be the one to represent Ohio as the national competitor. 'The student who was incorrectly named the winner at the state competition was invited to attend and observe the national competition. Corrective actions are being taken to improve the scoring process,' she added. She said the department of education's policy means they communicate with school districts rather than individual students. When asked whether Shania had been replaced with a male student who had come third, she said: 'The student who received the highest score from the judges is the one competing in the national contest.' They may have separated over six years ago but it seems that Prince Harry's former flame Chelsy Davy is still a big part of his inner circle. The Zimbabwean demonstrated that there were no hard feelings with the royals as she greeted her ex's cousin Princess Eugenie with a warm embrace. Eugenie joined her long-term friend for the launch of her jewellery range AYA at Baar and Bass in London on Tuesday night. Chelsy Davy demonstrated that she has no hard feelings against ex boyfriend Prince Harry's family as she embraced his cousin Princess Eugenie this evening The pair were clearly delighted to be united, ignoring the cameras completely as they shared a long hug at the fashion boutique in Chelsea. Eventually the pair broke apart to pose for the cameras at tonight's A-list event. The 26-year-old princess looked elegant in a black polo neck and cigarette pants paired with relaxed wedges, as favoured by the Duchess of Cambridge. Chelsy Davy, 30, showcased a beachy vibe in a dazzling white playsuit complete with lace detailing showcasing her enviable tan. Prince Andrew's daughter was thrilled to see her old friend Chelsy at the launch of her jewellery line in Chelsea Chelsy Davy, 30, showcased a beachy vibe in a dazzling white playsuit complete with lace detailing showcasing her enviable tan Prince Harry and Chelsy ended their on-off romance in 2010 but earlier this week the entrepreneur revealed that they would always remain close. She told the Sunday Times Style magazine: 'I think we will always be good friends,' Following their split, Chelsy remained so much a part of the royal circle that she was invited to William and Kate's wedding in 2011. But behind the party-loving image is an ambitious career girl who fulfilled her ambition of becoming a lawyer - sparked by watching A Few Good Men as a child - to clinch a highly-competitive place at Allen & Overy in London when she was 27. The pair showcased contrasting black and white outfits but both opted for similar wedged sandles for the launch of the Africa-based jewellery brand AYA Chelsy fulfilled her ambition of becoming a lawyer to clinch a highly competitive place at Allen & Overy in London when she was 27 Chelsy's Africa-based jewellery company Aya, makes pieces with gems mined in Zambia. Pictured: Some of the jewellery featured at this evening's launch An Aya pendant: Chelsy now divides her time between Zimbabwe, where her family is based, her jewellery mine in Zambia and west London Now, she's becoming a businesswoman in her own right after founding an African-based jewellery company Aya, making pieces with gems mined in Zambia. Chelsy, whose mother Beverley Donald is former Miss Rhodesia 1973, now divides her time between Zimbabwe, where her family is based, her jewellery mine in Zambia and west London - where she has a home in Chelsea. While she has a reputation as a social butterfly, she told the paper: 'I'm not sure partying is a passion. Having fun, maybe.' On Sunday Chelsy said that she and Harry will always be friends. Pictured together at a South Africa Vs England rugby match at Twickenham in 2008 The way they were: Prince harry kisses Chelsy in the royal box at the Concert for Diana in 2007 And while things are smooth with her royal former flame, Chelsy can't say the same for her connection with the country at large and describes her relationship with the UK as 'really turbulent' and having 'changed over the years'. It may be set to shift again as she focuses on selling her Aya pieces to British customers - starting with Chelsea lifestyle boutique Baar and Bass - but her romantic future hasn't been put entirely on hold. Also claimed there was no cheese or concept of dessert She may be a national treasure in Britain but Nadiya Hussain is not too popular with people of Bangladeshi descent right now. The winner of the Great British Bake Off has been accused of generalising about the country's culture while discussing her heritage in an interview. She told The Guardian: 'There were no chairs back in Bangladesh and Dad wanted to keep the tradition, so we never owned a dining table.' Nadiya Hussain has been criticised by the Bangladeshi community for making 'generalisations' about the country in an interview She continued: 'The concept of dessert doesnt exist in Bangladeshi cuisine and so the only time we had it was at school.' The mother-of-three later revealed that her love of cheese came from the fact there was 'none in Bangladeshi cuisine.' The article was shared on Facebook and it wasn't long before the chef was challenged by Bangladeshi people, who claimed that her statements were completely false. Namira Hossain wrote: 'There's definitely chairs in Bangladesh, as well as desserts and our local cheese which we call poneer. The Bake Off winner discussed that desserts and cheese weren't prominent in Bangladeshi cooking, but readers begged to differ 'This woman is definitely no Bangladeshi role model and doesn't know what the hell she's talking about.' Farasha Khan Sayeed agreed also providing plenty of examples of cheese and desserts. She said: 'Her statements are very generalised - Bangladeshis do have desserts such as doi, firni, various mishti and we do have our own deshi cheese too, which looks quite similar to swiss cheese. 'She is obviously talking about her own particular past which is very dissimilar to even the present rural scenario of Bangladesh. Respected this woman but her whole "ohh, boo hoo feel sorry for my poor, broke third world ass" act is getting tiresome.' Farhana Rahman accused the Luton-born chef of deliberately trying to embarrass the country with her statements. Readers also took to Twitter to complain that she had suggested people in Bangladesh don't use chairs She commented: 'Shame on you #Nadiya. Before talking about Bangladesh you should do a little research about its cuisine . 'Bangladesh do have varieties of dessert and yes of course people do have dining chairs to sit on. Also there are some Deshi Cheeses that you might never get a chance to taste. Don't try to humiliate Bangladesh in front of the world with your tiny little unrealistic knowledge about it.' This is not the first time that Nadiya has faced criticism from her fans, when Twitter users questioned her ethical approach to baking when she was enlisted to produce the Queen's birthday cake. Nadiya was tasked with the challenge of creating a gateau worthy of the monarch's 90th but Twitter users were concerned that the BBC star didn't choose ingredients of sufficient regal quality. This is not the first time the baker has come under fire, after she tweeted this photo while baking the Queen's 90th birthday cake. Twitter users questioned whether the eggs were from caged hens Fans speculated that the 31-year-old baker used eggs from caged hens in her orange drizzle cake for the Queen. The mother-of-three shared a photo of her ingredients on her Twitter page commenting: 'I found the eggs under the reminiscence of what is her HRH cake. I see crepe suzette #HappyBirthdayYourMajesty.' Mistakes in medical prescriptions are usually rare, but the stakes are high The first customer of the day has just arrived and I cant quite believe what Im hearing the words every pharmacist dreads: Hes been taking the wrong medication, says the middle-aged man, referring to the 85-year-old next to him, for whom he is the carer. He hands me a creased paper bag with four open boxes inside and says the patient doesnt usually take four different-coloured pills and that the names are different from the last prescription. With sinking dread, I check our system. Sure enough, it says this patient has high blood pressure and takes three pills a day but as the carer has spotted, this time hes been given four pills to take four times a day. And theyre completely wrong: two different diabetes drugs, aspirin and a cholesterol-lowering statin, with not a blood pressure pill in sight. Always check the pills you receive from your pharmacy - especially if they carry an unusual shape or colour This is a disaster. Had the patient taken the pills for longer, his blood sugar levels could have plummeted, he could have fallen into a coma or died. I ask the patient how hes feeling and if hes had new symptoms, then immediately call his GP to arrange an appointment that same day. I also dispense the correct medicines. Luckily, the patient seems fine, but when he and his carer leave, I notice the medicines were handed out the previous Friday while I was on a lunch break. None of the staff will own up, so I check the CCTV and find the dispenser responsible. Dispensers help prepare prescriptions they are specially trained but a pharmacist must always check every prescription before it can be handed out. Its clear that the dispenser hasnt done the standard checks himself, either. I tell him what Ive seen. At first he denies it but then he apologises. Its a terrible mistake and I have to log it so its investigated. As the pharmacist on duty, I will be cautioned; the dispenser is likely to lose his job. This kind of mistake is fortunately rare last year there were 10,000 medication errors across the UK, out of a billion prescriptions issued. But the stakes can be high. Recently, a colleague at another pharmacy received a prescription for a patient for a fentanyl patch a very strong opioid treatment for chronic pain. The pharmacy staff failed to properly check the label and note it had come by mistake from a care home 200 miles away. Mistakes in drug prescriptions are usually rare last year there were 10,000 medication errors across the UK The problem was the patients name, which apart from the middle initial was the same as a patient this pharmacy had on file an elderly man at a local care home. So their patient got the fentanyl patch he didnt need and used it for a day before a nurse noticed. This drug can affect breathing and could have killed him. As it was, he had to be monitored for a week. Mistakes happen about once a month in my pharmacy, so theyre exceptional, but I do sometimes wish I was the only member of staff because I fear others make more mistakes. A few weeks ago, I had a call from a local hospital: one of our breast cancer patients had been admitted because she was ill. I do sometimes wish I was the only member of staff because I fear others make more mistakes While this could have been because of her cancer which is terminal theyd also discovered that instead of tamoxifen, our pharmacy had mistakenly given her the antidepressant paroxetine, which shed taken for five days. Another potentially serious dispensing error in my absence. Can I ever leave others in charge? There is an important lesson in this for patients to be vigilant of any changes in their pills. If theyre unsure of anything the colour, shape, size they should question it. Sometimes this is normal if the drug is from a different manufacturer, but it could just as easily be a mistake. The incident with the wrong medication has distracted me for too long and there are now 15 prescriptions by the till for me to check. There are also five customers waiting to be served, the phone has not stopped ringing, and I have an appointment to give a family of four their travel vaccinations later. Before I know it, its 5pm and I havent had lunch, and it doesnt look like I will. In fact, Im often here until at least three hours after my shift is meant to end. Two smaller nearby pharmacies recently closed, which means there are even more patients to see. ERRORS IN ONE IN 20 PERSCRIPTIONS The day starts with a thirty-something woman who has a prescription dated for seven months ago. She was prescribed painkillers for back pain but apparently felt better after her appointment so didnt pick them up, but now feels she needs them. Unfortunately, theres not much I can do: standard prescriptions are only valid for six months from the date on the prescription (prescriptions for controlled drugs, including strong painkillers, are only valid for 28 days). It may be as simple as checking the prescription as soon as youre handed it: looking for the essentials your name, the date and a signature can save a lot of time So I have to tell her to go back to the doctor. Shes annoyed her doctor hadnt told her that the prescription would expire, but GPs often forget to mention this. The prescriptions themselves arrive in all sorts of states, sometimes completely incomprehensible. Last week I had one so illegible I couldnt even hazard a guess as to what it said. I called the GP surgery and was told the GP would call me back. I had to take the patients number and promised to call her once the prescription had been sorted. She wasnt best pleased. As many as one in 20 prescriptions written by doctors contains mistakes, according to a review by the General Medical Council Two hours later, the doctor finally called back. Apparently the words said eye drops, one drop twice a day. The problem is that I cant just rectify a prescription myself, so I have to turn patients away until its sorted. For example, theres a prescription in my basket with the directions take two daily for three days but only one daily tablet has been prescribed. It can also be tricky figuring out what doctors actually meant to write. The next prescription in my basket is for an asthma inhaler with the directions one puff PR that means one puff per rectum, clearly nonsense. I call the surgery and laugh about it with the receptionist, but again must wait for the doctor to call me back. I cant guess how often the patient should be using it; it could be one puff or up to ten a day. When the GP calls back an hour later, he explains he meant one puff PRN the abbreviation for the Latin pro re nata, ie, use as required. As many as one in 20 prescriptions written by doctors contains mistakes, according to a review by the General Medical Council published in 2013. There are some steps patients can take to head off some of these errors and delays. It may be as simple as checking the prescription as soon as youre handed it: looking for the essentials your name, the date and a signature can save a lot of time. Its also important to keep prescriptions in a presentable condition. The number of crumpled coffee-stained sheets I see is ridiculous. Sometimes the hand-written ones are caught in the rain and are not legible, so again I have to turn patients away. PEAK DAY FOR THE MORNING AFTER PILL I serve a young woman whos asking for co-codamol for her migraines. A healthcare assistant comes over and tells me she thinks she served her just yesterday for the same medicine. The staff are trained to be vigilant when selling anything over the counter, particularly medicines prone to abuse or that cause addiction, such as co-codamol (which contains codeine and shouldnt be taken for more than three days). So I take the patient to one side and ask how often she takes the drug and if she was here earlier this week, but she says no. The staff are trained to be vigilant when selling anything over the counter, particularly medicines prone to abuse or that cause addiction, such as co-codamol I have to believe her, though I dont. Only if I have definitive proof can I refuse the sale. Medicines such as high doses of co-codamol that dont need a prescription but are only offered under pharmacist supervision are called over-the-counter pharmacy-only pills. These include nasal sprays for allergies and emergency contraception. The morning after pill is incredibly popular, Ive had ten requests today. But my record is 22 that was New Years Day. HOW THE NHS IS BEING RIPPED OFF Today starts with a quick catch-up with management, though I know this will turn into the usual two-hour meeting. They ask: Going forward what do we need to do? Translation: how and when I will meet their targets. There are several, but the main target weve got to hit is for medicines use reviews (MURs). These are an NHS service for patients on regular medication, where they can get an annual review with a pharmacist to check how theyre getting on with the drug and get health advice. The pharmacy is paid 28 per MUR, with a maximum of 400 MURs per year per pharmacy. WHEN CAN I REQUEST A MEDICINE USE REVIEW? You are regularly taking more than one prescription medicine. You are taking medicines for a long term illness, for example, asthma, arthritis, diabetes or epilepsy. You have recently been discharged from hospital. Even if youre not in either of these groups, you can ask your pharmacist for advice about your medication at any time. Source: The Royal Pharmaceutical Society Advertisement I am asked daily by managers about how many MURs Ive done, and if by the end of the week I havent met targets, Im told Im underperforming. Its almost a form of bullying. Thats not to say MURs are a bad idea anything but: last week I saw a 77-year-old who takes blood pressure medication but admits only doing so when he feels like his blood pressure is going up, i.e., when hes stressed or dizzy. This is dangerous and I told him to take it first thing in the morning. But the problem with MURs is that while under pressure to meet targets, pharmacists end up picking the easy patients to review such as someone whos been on the same pills for two years which are unlikely to change. This MUR will be straightforward and wont take long, but realistically the patient isnt going to benefit much. But it means 28 for the company and a brownie point for me. MURs cost the NHS a mind-boggling 92 million a year, and more people get them than actually benefit from them. This is shameful. At todays meeting Im also reminded to push travel vaccines and get people signed up to our repeat prescriptions programme. All they care about is meeting targets: they forget we are here to serve patients interests. A woman comes in with a photo of her 13-year-old sons back. He has clearly been severely sunburned, the skin across the top of his back has dissolved and its red, swollen and looks like it has yellow, infected edges. She asks whether I have a cream for it, seemingly unaware of how severe it is. I tell her that he needs to go to hospital and no over-the-counter cream will help. Later, I brave another call to the GP whose patient wed given the wrong pills to. Ive been worried sick, just waiting for a call about him being taken to hospital. Luckily, he is doing fine. A large, middle-aged man asks for saline drops for a blocked nose. For a baby? I ask, because this is the most common group needing them. No, for a big human, he replies, making me laugh. YOU CANT TAKE YOUR HUSBANDS PILLS After an early morning consultation about travel vaccines, Im told theres a man waiting for a private consultation about a rash. I invite him in and discuss his symptoms and any medication hes taking. I learn he also has swollen ankles and recently started taking the blood pressure drug amlodipine. His local pharmacy was one of those that recently closed and he wasnt able to see his regular pharmacist; nor had he had an NMS (new medicines service), when patients prescribed a new medicine are given two fortnightly phone calls to check their progress. Had he kept the same pharmacist, these problems would have been picked up earlier. I tell him to see his GP as soon as possible. Patients taking other people's medication is more normal than one might think, but there can be consequences I worry about the loss of continuity of care. Small pharmacies, and even larger pharmacies that arent overrun with work, can form relationships with patients. Recently, a regular patient asked for a fungal cream for a foot infection. I knew he had type 2 diabetes and refused to give it to him, explaining the infection might have been caused by his diabetes worsening and resulting in nerve problems. I worry about the loss of continuity of care. Small pharmacies, and even larger pharmacies that arent overrun with work, can form relationships with patients He agreed to see his GP. But if hed seen a pharmacist who didnt know him, when might the problem have been spotted? A 67-year-old woman approaches the counter to collect her and her husbands prescriptions. They are both on statins and a few other pills. I see that her GP has not given her the repeat prescription for her usual statin, so I mention it. To my horror, she responds with Dont worry, I have plenty at home and just take my husbands if I run out. Alarm bells ring. Why do they have extra stock, and why are they sharing prescription drugs? I make a note to contact her GP, knowing that people do this all the time. In this case it wasnt dangerous, but it can be, so never take someone elses prescription drugs. LYING TO GET FREE DRUGS RISKS A FINE Im always surprised by how many people say they are eligible for free prescriptions. While some are, I cant help but raise an eyebrow at those with the Prada handbags and Chanel sunglasses who get their paracetamol and hay fever medication for free. I estimate 70 per cent of my patients get free prescriptions, but perhaps at least a third arent entitled. We dont have the power to check if people are telling the truth, but the Prescription Services NHS Business Services Authority which we send the prescriptions to does. The phone rings and theres an angry voice on the other end. A man says hes been fined for wrongly claiming hes eligible for free prescriptions. I am not sure how much he had to pay, but fines can be up to 1,000. OVER-THE-COUNTER PILLS COST LESS Many people dont realise that you can sometimes get prescription medicines more cheaply if you buy them over-the-counter. A man turns up with a prescription for a steroid nasal spray for hay fever. It costs 8.40 on prescription or 6.50 over-the-counter. I tell him its exactly the same medicine and sell him it this way instead. Many people dont realise that you can sometimes get prescription medicines more cheaply if you buy them over-the-counter He could throw away the prescription (this wont cost the NHS anything) but I tell him to keep it as the doctor has given him specific instructions on when to use it. Other cheaper over-the-counter medicines include Canesten Combi for thrush, a saving of 4.41 on the prescription version, while a pack of 32 co-codamol tablets saves you 6.90. The day ends with one of my favourite customers, a man in his 80s. Hes a very loud character and always happy to see me. He calls me the General and often just comes in for a chat. He asks about the latest treatments for Parkinsons, the disease he has, and I tell him about a recent study Id seen about using electrical pulses to banish the shakes. He says hes going to ask his GP about a referral, then thanks me for the great care. A toddler was almost blinded when a washing detergent capsule exploded in her face - leaving her with 95 per cent burns to her left eye. Rainbow Jones was left with the horrific injuries when the Ariel Liquitab burst in her hand spaying her with the chemicals inside. Her mother Simone Jones, 27, heard her daughter scream in agony and desperately tried to wash the liquid off her skin before rushing her to hospital. Doctors saved her sight by rinsing her eyes with a diluting solution. Rainbow Jones suffered severe burns to her left eye after a washing detergent capsule burst in her face The 18-month-old', pictured before the accident (left), managed to reach through a gap in a child-proofed cupboard. Her mother rinsed the chemicals off in a bath before rushing her to A&E 'I had just turned my back just to turn their food over in the oven and in a few seconds I heard this huge pop and then screaming,' she said. 'When I turned round I just felt sick to my stomach and felt the desperate need to wash it off her and out her eye. 'So I grabbed her immediately and ran upstairs to put her in the bath I'd already ran for my husband. 'She was just screaming in pain and fighting everything I did, but I had to just keep rinsing her with fresh water. 'I tried my best to rinse her eyes but she was still fighting me quite badly.' Rainbow was playing at her home in Irthlingborough, Northamptonshire, last Wednesday when she managed to grab the washing capsule out of a child-proof cupboard. Mother-of-two Miss Jones, a beauty therapist who lives with partner Dale Fraser, 49, said they were always careful to keep potentially dangerous items out of reach of the children. But the 18-month-old managed to reach through a gap and the capsule burst as she tried to pull it out of the cupboard. 'There was a small gap in the cupboard and as she tried to pull it out it obviously popper and just went all over her face and in her eyes. 'It was terrifying and I just want to warn other parents to keep washing tablets away from children.' The washing detergent capsule exploded in Rainbow's hand, squirting chemicals in her face and eyes Mother-of-two Simone Jones has shared pictures of daughter Rainbow's injuries to warn parents to keep them out of reach of children After washing Rainbow in the bath, Miss Jones said her daughter started to become lethargic and floppy. She rushed her to A&E at Kettering General Hospital where she says the doctors were fantastic. Miss Jones was told Rainbow had 95 per cent burns to the cornea in her left eye - after the protective layer was stripped off - and five per cent to the right. THE DANGEROUS CHEMICALS IN YOUR DETERGENT Butylphenyl methylpropional: A synthetic fragrance that is also used in a number of beauty products. It is considered safe only within recommended use of concentration. However, it is a skin irritant and there have been tests that found that skin applications at high concentrations in animals caused sperm damage. Alpha-isomethyl Ionone: H as been found to irritate the skin and trigger allergic reactions in some people. However, it is still found in detergents and other cosmetics that are not classed as a 'fragrance'. Linalool, Hexyl cinnamal, Citronellol : Severe allergens that be listed on the label because they are severe allergens. Higher concentrations can even cause central nervous system disruption (thus their use in certain pesticides) and skin, eye and respiratory tract irritation. These chemicalc can also trigger asthma attacks. Advertisement They were unsure whether she would suffer long term damage as she was unable to keep her eyelids open for long. She was discharged the next day and further checks have revealed her eyes are recovering. Parents have been warned about young children regularly mistaking the washing detergents for sweets with one child a day needing treatment after coming into contact with the chemicals. Figures from the National Poisons Information Service show that 1,486 patients were treated for detergent poisoning between May 2009 and July 2012. Nearly all were under five. Most of the children injured had eaten or swallowed the capsules, which can cause severe internal burns and swelling. Others, like Rainbow, are hurt after the chemicals are rubbed or squirted into their eyes. Last year, Jenny Maher, 17 months was left fighting for her life after putting one in her mouth. It was in her mouth for less than one second but she was still forced to spend one week in an induced coma after swallowing half the liquid inside. Her quick thinking mother rushed her to hospital in Co Louth, Ireland, and the toddler went onto make a full recovery. In the most recent case, Rainbow's parents posted graphic pictures of her injuries on Facebook to warn others. Rainbow's left cornea was badly damaged but the toddler is expected to make a full recovery, doctors said 'What I've learned - the hard way - is that child locks are not 100 per cent effective,' she said. 'I would urge parents to move all their dangerous products completely out of reach, no matter how old their children. I thought mine were safe, but clearly they weren't. 'Also, I would advise parents in a situation like this to basically act as quickly as possible when contact with the substance occurs. 'The key things to do are not panic and stay as calm as possible. Ring 999 if you have no idea what to do. Dr Clare Gerada is one of a growing number of highly influential doctors who are calling for a change in the law of assisted suicide One of the NHS's most influential GPs has called for doctors to be allowed to help their patients die. Dr Clare Gerada said she would want to be able to have an assisted death herself 'surrounded by those I love', should the need ever arise. Representatives of the British Medical Association voted against dropping their opposition to assisted suicide, and adopting a neutral stance in what would have been the first time in a decade. But a third of the 320 doctors present at the annual conference in Belfast today backed the move in a sign of increasing support for the controversial policy. Dr Gerada was formerly president of the Royal College of GPs and now sits on the BMA's Council, a committee of its most senior members. She is one of a growing number of highly influential doctors to call for a change in the law and last week the Queen's former physician Sir Richard Thompson said it should be a part of their job. But campaigners fear that a law-change would lead to elderly and other patients feeling pressurised to end their lives so as not to be a burden. Addressing the BMA conference, Dr Gerada spoke candidly about how she had watched her 'own dear father' battle terminal illness and wouldn't want to endure the same ordeal. 'By not discussing this issue we are turning our backs on our patients now and into the future.' She said. 'Thanks to modern medicine this issue will not go away. It is our duty as doctors to be in the position to contribute to this debate and continue to discuss this issue year in year out. 'I don't know how I'll feel when I'm a patient in the future but [after] watching my dear father struggle through his terminal illness, when it is my turn I would want a choice to have an assisted death in a safe, local and legal system surrounded by those I love.' Dr Gerada, a GP in South London, urged the BMA to adopt a neutral stance 'I hope the BMA will face their responsibilities and the best way we can do this is through adopting a neutral position and not by rejecting the chance to debate.' Assisted dying is legal in Canada, Netherlands and certain states in the USA including Oregon, California, Washington and Vermont. There doctors prescribe a highly powerful injective painkiller and patients inject it themselves, under their supervision. Assisted suicide is legal in Canada, Netherlands and certain US states. Doctors prescribe a painkiller which the patients then inject themselves under supervision They are meant to die within half an hour but there have been reports of the process taking three days. Last week, Sir Richard Thompson, former president of the Royal College of Physicians and the Queen's private doctor for 21 years, said helping patients to die should be part of the job. 'We as a profession, as doctors are there to help people - if necessary - die.' He said. 'Everyone gets obsessed with the idea of not doing any harm and you mustn't do anything to shorten patients' lives but I think as a doctor it is your job to see people comfortably into the next life. He pointed out that opinion polls had consistently shown that more than 80 per cent of the public were in favour of a change in the law. Patients should be allowed to sign themselves off sick for two weeks without needing a GPs note, leading doctors have demanded. They believe employees can be trusted to declare themselves as unfit for work and said writing out the letters takes too much time. Today up to 500 doctors who are representatives of the British Medical Association will vote on implementing a self-certification system of sicknotes for up to 14 days at their annual conference in Belfast. If they rule in favour, the union will then lobby the Department of Work and Pensions for a change in the law. Doctors believe employees can be trusted to declare themselves as unfit for work and said writing out the letters takes too much time But campaigners warned that the system would become a skivers charter with patients signing themselves off to have a two week holiday or if they felt mildly unwell. Currently, patients can be off work for a maximum of one week before needing a sick note for a doctor to send to their employer. Their GP undertakes a physical examination and discusses the illness or complaint before writing out a form stating they are not fit to work, to ensure they are still paid. But sickness absence already costs the economy 15 billion a year which includes paying staff who are at home and the loss of productivity. The average public sector employee has 9.1 working days off sick a year, which is nearly a fortnight once weekends are taken into account. Private sector workers take half this amount an average of just 5.7 days. Todays vote is being put forward by the agenda committee, a panel representing some of the most senior members of the BMA, It states that certification of sick notes now known as fitness to work notes need not be done by medical professional and should be extended to 14 days. The motion also states that if patients want to be off for longer than two weeks, they should be signed off by midwives, nurses or paramedics not GPs. But Joyce Robins, of Patient Concern said: Two weeks off work without a sicknote is far too much - that sounds to me like a skivers charter. The real problem is getting to see a GP, its hard to do that in a week or a fortnight. I certainly dont think nurses should be able to stand in and sign notes. Neil Carberry, director of employment and skills at the Confederation of British Industry, said: When someone is sick enough to be off work for a week, they should try to see a doctor. Self-certification is only appropriate for short-term absences, when a doctors visit may not be required. Patients can be off work for one week before needing a sick note from a doctor to send to their employer Dr Richard Vautrey, deputy chair of the BMAs GP committee said: We just have to trust people to do the right thing. Its about empowering patients and trusting patients and reducing unnecessary appointments with GPs. If youve got a patient who very clearly has an illness that is going to last ten days to two weeks, why do they need to make an appointment with a GP just to get that note to tell their employer what their employer probably knows already and what the patient should be trusted to be able to pass on? This is just a motion that is trying to do something to reduce the unnecessary appointments that GPs have and thereby increase the number of appointments that are available for people who genuinely do need to see a GP. The vast majority of people want to work, they dont want to be off work for significant amounts of time. If people are just needing those extra few days why waste a GP appointment when its not necessarily needed? Surgeries are struggling to cope with the combined pressures of migration, the aging population and a recruitment crisis of family doctors. Many patients have to wait three weeks for an appointment or queue up outside at dawn for a same-day slot. The DWP said: The system was set up following consultation and we believe it supports individuals and employers without overburdening GPs. Piers Morgan, DailyMail.com's Editor-at-Large hosted an event on the brand's yacht at Cannes Lions, discussing how content can engage and inspire with the industry's most creative thinkers. Panellist Nathan Ansell, Global Director of Loyalty, Insight and Customer Analytics at iconic British store, Marks and Spencer, had some choice words about the objectives of native advertising. 'The objective shouldn't be to make everyone like you, otherwise it can become a vanity project. But to make those who like you, love you. Piers Morgan, DailyMail.com's Editor-at-Large (left) hosted an event on the brand's yacht at Cannes Lions on Tuesday, discussing how content can engage and inspire with the industry's most creative thinkers 'Brands have to be confident enough to lose a few customers in order to focus on their core audience. 'Advertising and native are two very different things. It works well for a product if you haven't got the option to put 2million on a TV ad for it, like maternity bras. 'The publisher has got to be in control of the how the piece reads, with the newspaper's voice and not that of the brand. You have to put that trust in their hands.' Explaining her take on native advertising, Isabel Massey , Head of Media and Futures at Diageo Europe said the key is to improve a customer's experience. Leading figures: (L-R) Isabel Massey, Diageo Europe. Nathan Ansell, Marks and Spencer, Piers Morgan, Michael Frohlich, Ogilvy PR, Rosette Pambakian, Tinder and Ben Darr, Brandtale Nathan (second from left) said: 'The objective shouldn't be to make everyone like you, otherwise it can become a vanity project. But to make those who like you, love you' Piers chaired the discussion on native advertising in front of an influential audience on the MailOnline yacht 'When a brand can work with a publisher and create content which is natural and no jarring, the reader can get an improved and enhanced experience through advertising. She added: 'You have to work harder as a marketer to get buyers to like you. It's harder to attract and keep them, than the ones you already have on board.' Rosette Pambakian, Vice President of Global Communications and Branding for Tinder, concurred that native advertising has to be relevant in order to gain context. 'We are very choosy with the brands we work with. The content has to speak to the reader. 'Native content has to sit in a place which is relevant, it has to be at the right place at the right time, alongside the right editorial content. 'We recently had Zac Efron and Anna Kendrick shoot a 30 second video for Tinder for their movie Mike And Dave. They gave dating tips and it was really creative and it was the perfect fit.' He added: 'But the publisher has got to be in control of the how the piece reads, with the newspaper's voice and not the brands. You have to put that trust in their hands.' Making friends: Piers posed for a snap with Rosette, the VP of Global Communications and Branding at Tinder Anne Shooter, Commercial Editor for Mail Brands UK, who oversees native advertising Michael Frohlich, CEO Europe, Middle East, Africa at Ogilvy Public Relations, said that people want honesty. 'Advertorials used to be a dirty word for us - but now we write when things are paid for or sponsored, it's no longer a dirty word. Alongside Anne Shooter, Commercial Editor for Mail Brands UK, who oversees native advertising, Piers asked the panel if the challenge was to get bolder with native content to appeal to a competitive market. Nathan added: 'We have a 'dine in' offer where customers can buy meals for two and we did a big campaign for Valentine's day in which the native was centred around food being an aphrodisiac. 'That really worked for us as it performed as well as any other story which might have appeared on the site.' Isabella also talked about a brand's need to be super clear on their objectives. 'A strapline is important when it comes to supporting a brand but you need more depth now. People are smart to it. 'Smirnoff for example, is all about how good times can be even better when you seek out new experiences and meet new people and that's where you can connect.' And Michael talked about the ways in which metrics can be analysed. 'You have to look at reputational effect. Shares and likes... there are loads of different metrics to consider these days.' Adding: 'Transparency is key, as well as honesty, so writing that something is sponsored and letting them know that is important as they are not stupid, they can see right through it. ' The stars of Star Trek have withdrawn from a cast appearance due to take place on Wednesday, as a mark of respect for Anton Yelchin. Chris Pine, John Cho, Simon Pegg and Zachary Quinto were due to join the StarTrek Beyond talk at Cannes Lions, though a statement was released by Paramount Pictures on Tuesday confirming the cancellation. Actor Anton, 27, died at his Studio City, California home on Sunday when he was found pinned against the driveway gate by his Jeep Grand Cherokee, in a freak accident. Scroll down for video A mark of respect: Our of respect for the passing of Pavel Chekov actor Anton Yelchin (left), the Stars of Star Trek Beyond (pictured here (L-R) Chris Pine and Simon Pegg with Karl Urban and Zoe Saldana) have pulled out of a Cannes Lions talk due to take place on Wednesday The statement was read at the Lumiere Theatre where the Retelling An Iconic Story For A New Generation discussion was due to take place. It said: 'All of us are deeply saddened by the loss of our friend Anton Yelchin. Out of respect, we are withdrawing our participation in the previously announced Star Trek Beyond event at Cannes Lions this week.' In the 2016 film, Chris plays Kirk, John plays Sulu, Simon is better known as Scotty and Zachary takes on the role of Spock. From the Official Twitter page, the producers announced the sad news earlier this week, saying 'Today we mourn the passing of Anton Yelchin. He was beloved by so many and he will [be] missed by all' Saddened: Chris (right) was due to join co-stars John Cho, Simon Pegg and Zachary Quinto in a talk called Retelling An Iconic Story For A New Generation but Paramount Pictures confirmed the cancellation on Tuesday And the tributes have flooded in across the internet from the people that Anton worked closely with. Zachary also posted a message that read: 'Our dear friend. our comrade. our anton. one of the most open and intellectually curious people...' Bones actor Karl Urban added to the condolences: 'I can't believe it , I m fckn hurting bad !' via Twitter, too. Walter Koenig, who previously held the role of Pavel Chekov, was the latest star to paid tribute, on Tuesday. 'His reputation as an artist preceded him,' Chekov told The Hollywood Reporter. 'I knew I was in the presence of a gifted performer.' He continued: 'What I learned [the day I met him] was how bright and sensitive he was. I walked away thinking "This is a good person," 'My heart goes out to his mother and father. I know what you're going through.' Flush with opportunities in both big and small films, the rising actor clearly showed promise and left behind a number of upcoming films. Investigators said the car involved in the incident had been left in neutral and rolled down the steep driveway at him - and now some believe that might have happened because of a flawed design in certain models of Jeep. Thousands of Jeep Grand Cherokees were subject to a voluntary recall in the US and worldwide because a confusing gear stick design, however the company has been quick to deflect the blame away from a possible default. She's still recovering from major brain surgery - but it's the drastic haircut that's left Katie Hopkins feeling vulnerable. For a woman known for being fearless, Katie made the surprise revelation that she lost her 'first line of defense' when her husband took the kitchen scissors to her hair in the heat of the moment. Columnist Katie, looking glamorous with her new pixie crop, was speaking ahead of a VIP dinner hosted on the MailOnline yacht at Cannes Lions festival on Tuesday. Scroll down for video Vulnerable: Katie Hopkins has revealed that her new short haircut left her feeling 'exposed', as she spoke to MailOnline at Cannes Lions festival on Tuesday Katie explained: 'The funny thing was that when I started off this whole brain surgery lark I said, "I won't care about my hair, it doesn't matter, I don't need hair because I'm obnoxious and bullish. I am more than my hair, I don't even care about my face." 'But I've learned that I do care and maybe it's vanity and I accept that but maybe it's just a first line of defense so I get that now and maybe I understand a lot more about women who have lost their hair for whatever reason, chemo or whatever.' 'That's a really big moment, to come out with no hair. I didn't feel emotional but I did feel really exposed and I wore a bobble hat for the whole winter.' Before and after: Katie wore her hair styled in a pixie crop (left on Tuesday), quite a contrast from her familiar long locks (right, in September 2015 Practical: Katie was forced to cut off all of her hair when she had brain surgery in February Katie ruthlessly asked her husband to 'just cut it all off' because she could not wash her hair following brain surgery in February. The former Apprentice contestant was left with a 'monster' ear-to-ear scar on her skull after efforts to treat her lifelong epilepsy. Katie's tresses have now had a first cut and she wore them styled in a pixie crop to complement her elfin figure in an orange skirt and navy blouse. Ready for a glamorous dinner on the French Riviera, the blonde revealed there's one place she wouldn't be caught dead this weekend, and that's Glastonbury. Major surgery: The columnist was trying to treat her life-long epilepsy Scarred; She revealed her monster scar from the surgery on Twitter All gone: Katie asked her husband to cut off all of her hair with the kitchen scissors 'That last time I went to Glastonbury,' she said. 'I caught some really nasty disease I had blisters running down my face, I think it was some horrible sexual disease.' 'I was working as a barmaid and it was still in the days when you can jump the fence with her rucksack on - that's not skills - and broke her leg. 'I think everyone should do the festival thing, but would I ever do it again, no. Do I understand the festival thing? No.' Jaden Smith attended the DailyMail.com's yacht party at Cannes Lions on Tuesday night alongside internet sensation The Fat Jew, real name Josh Ostrovsky. The pair came to see Craig David, 35, perform an exclusive DJ set and sing at the same time, with Amber Rose, 32, showing up just before midnight. Jaden, 17, was dressed to impress in a smart black blazer worn over a trendy T-shirt and appeared to be in high spirits. Scroll down for video Fun times: Jaden Smith (right) attended the DailyMail.com yacht party at Cannes Lions on Tuesday night, where he caught up with the Fat Jew (left) while listening to a Craig David DJ set A musical legend: Craig David sent the crowds wild with as he sang and DJ'd at the same time The Fat Jew who became a household name for his hilarious social media memes was wearing a slogan T-shirt, with his hair in his signature high pony. Ironically, his shorts had Kim Kardashian's face emblazoned all over them. Beautiful Amber wore her trademark 'Muva' sweatshirt and looked absolutely stunning as she boarded the boat. The stars enjoyed classic tunes such as Fill Me In and Seven Days as Craig DJ'd with one hand and sang into the microphone with the other. When slogan tee meets slogan tee: Amber Rose (left) looked overjoyed to meet The Fat Jew How does she do it? The blonde beauty looked absolutely stunning on the night in her casual attire Oh to be a fly on the wall: The pair were riveted by one another's conversation Getting the party started: The Fat Jew, real name Josh Ostrovsky, turned heads as he arrived on board Like the look? The Fat Jew dressed to impress for the MailOnline party, sporting a pair of shorts covered in photos of US reality star Kim Kardashian Check out the do: The internet star finished his look off with his trademark towering hair do The bash was also attended by Katie Hopkins, Michelle Mone and Jess Woodley and Georgia Toffolo from Made In Chelsea. Meanwhile, Jaden attended a seminar on Innovation along with his 47-year-old father at the Palais des Festivals et des Congres earlier in the day. Arriving at the star-studded event, held on the Cote d'Azur, France, the actor and his son cut an impressive duo as arrived, with Will throwing an arm around his son. Going wild: He showed off his skills as he negotiated the decks and the microphone Nineties vibe: He performed hits such as Fill Me In and Seven Days as he took the party back in time All stars: (L-R) Michelle Mone, Katie Hopkins, Raymond Blanc, Jonathan and Anat arrived on the yacht earlier on in the day Checking out the view! Anat and Jonathan both rocked jazzy footwear for the bash Date night: The couple have been enjoying the sights of Cannes for the past couple of days Troublemakers: Made In Chelsea's Jess Woodley (right) and Georgia 'Toff' Toffolo (left) prepared to cause some trouble on the yacht Party girls: The duo arrived on the red carpet for a second night aboard the MailOnline yacht The family likeness was clear to see as they stood close to one another. Rocking his now signature dreadlocks, style into rag-tag but carefully positioned bunched, the After Earth star stood out - even alongside a such a renowned figure as his father. Keeping his look dressed down, yet hip, the rising A-List talent teamed a provactive printed tee-shirt with a blue and black flannel shirt. Father/son bonding? A proud Will Smith chose to bring along his son Jaden to his speech at the 2016 Cannes Lions Festival for Creativity earlier in the day Head-turning fashion: Arriving at the star-studded event, held on the Cote d'Azur, France, the 47-year-old actor and his son, 17, cut an impressive duo as arrive during the Lions Innovation section Stand-out style: Rocking his now signature dreadlocks, style into rag-tag but carefully positioned bunched, the After Earth star stood out - even alongside a such a renowned figure as his father. Teaming his tops with a pair of fitted black chinos, turned-up at the bottom, the model and actor flashed a look at his floral pink socks. Rounding his look off in a casual manner, the teenage trendsetter wore a pair of black skater shoes. Will meanwhile cut a smart and dapper figure with his natty take on smart-casual, teaming a fitted black long-sleeved polo shirt with charcoal trouser and black Oxford lace-ups. Rocking it retro: While Will cut a dapper figure in a smart-casual ensemble, Jaden - the face of Louis Vuitton womenswear - opted for a retro grunge ensemble - teaming a flannel shirt with a provocative tee-shirt Dapper dad: Will meanwhile cut a smart and dapper figure with his natty take on smart-casual, teaming a fitted black long-sleeved polo shirt with charcoal trouser and black Oxford lace-ups Fresh Prince of Grooming: The I-Robot star rocked a freshly clipped head of hair, while he'd also made an effort to groom his facial hair and sported a hint of a goatee Hitting the stage: Arriving with his son in tow, Will looked delighted to be invited to speak on-stage at the festival of creativity, which forms part of the Lions Festival's triple event bill The I-Robot star - who first shot to worldwide fame in The Fresh Prince of Bel Air - rocked a freshly clipped head of hair, while he'd also made an effort to groom his facial hair and sported a hint of a goatee. Arriving with his son in tow, Will looked delighted to be invited to speak on-stage at the festival of creativity, which forms part of the Lions Festival's triple event bill. While Jaden appeared to wait in the wings for his father to finish his talk, presumably listening with rapt attention, as his father was interviewed by Jackie Cooper. Sitting down opposite the Edelmans Global Chair for Creative Strategy, the Hitch star discussed his global minded approach to his ever-evolving career. Speaking at length in front of the audience, Will gave a look at into his professional and creative point of view, explaining how he combines creative fulfilment with a focus on impactful and purpose driven endeavours. Mixing business with passion: Sitting down opposite the Edelmans Global Chair for Creative Strategy, the Hitch star discussed his global minded approach to his ever-evolving career Juggling ideas: Will gave a look at into his professional and creative point of view, explaining how he combines creative fulfilment with a focus on impactful and purpose driven endeavours High spirits: Ever the entertainer, Will looked to be having a blast on-stage as he riffed about what drives him to pursue his creative endeavours A fortnight before the grand Eid release of his latest biggie Sultan, Bollywoods problem superstar Salman Khan has once again landed himself in the spotlight for a wrong reason. Talking to journalists in Mumbai while promoting the film over the weekend, Salman said the demands of shooting for his role as a wrestler in Sultan were so gruelling that it left him feeling like a raped woman. The actor immediately retracted his statement, but the National Commission for Women (NCW) has demanded a publicly apology within a week, failing which he will be issued a summons. Insensitive: Salman Khan said the demands of shooting for his role as a wrestler in Sultan were so gruelling that it left him feeling like 'a raped woman'. When I used to walk out of that ring, it used to be actually like a raped woman walking out, were Salmans exact words. Shockingly, the comment drew titters and laughs from many of the gathered journalists. That was when Salman made a hasty bid to retract his words. I dont think I should have (said that), he said, before completing his statement: It feels like the most difficult I couldnt take steps. Salman appeared to regret his words, as he quickly added, "I dont think I should have (said that)". The actor later explained he used to be totally exhausted, considering he had to do multiple retakes of shots that had him lift co-actors who weighed 120 kilos or more over nearly seven-hour schedules. Although the superstar is yet to say sorry, Salmans father Salim Khan tweeted an apology on Tuesday. Undoubtedly what Salman said is wrong, the simile, example and the context. The intention was not wrong... Nevertheless I apologise on behalf of his family his fans & his friends, tweeted @luvsalimkhan. Meanwhile, as news of the comment spread by Monday, full-scale Twitter hysteria took over and #InsensitiveSalman started trending. A reverse campaign, #SalmanMisquoted, was also launched by the actors fans. Considering Salmans clout in the industry, most in Bollywood have been tight-lipped. However, regular tweeters have not kept quiet. Dont understand how this is #SalmanMisquoted.. this is clearly #SalmanKhan being insensitive! He must say sorry (sic), tweeted @rashi_kakkar. Many saw a marketing angle in Salmans quote. Salman Khans statement is totally in sync with the mentality of his crass target audience (sic), posted @notatalldumb. Designer and BJP leader Shaina NC felt Salman should apologise. Rape is an exercise of power to destruct a womans self esteem, from what I know of @BeingSalmanKhan he respects #women so he must apologise (sic), she tweeted. Among celebs supporting Salman was Pooja Bedi, who sent out a series of tweets in the actors favour on Tuesday. If I say I feel fat as an elephant will @PetaIndia file a case? is India getting oversensitive? (sic) wrote @poojabeditweets. She also tweeted: Agreed its not the best simili, but if 2 @BeingSalmanKhan rape is the most brutal physical experience anyone could experience, is he wrong? Salman Khan's comments were branded 'pathetic' by Twitter commentators A major bust involving drugs worth Rs 2 crore in the global market has blown the lid off an international syndicate active in the party circles of Delhi. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), along with the CISF, arrested a South African woman identified as Belinda Faurie, 42, from the Indira Gandhi International Airport while she was about to board a flight to Addis Ababa on Monday night with 14.250 kg of extremely fine-quality Methaqualone. While there is a huge demand for party drugs in Delhi's high-profile circles, the Capital is also emerging as the supply centre for popular party drugs such as Methaqualone, commonly known as Mandrax, which is routed to the US and the UK through Dubai and Ethiopia. A South African woman was arrested at Indira Gandhi International Airport while she was about to board a flight to Addis Ababa with 14.250 kg of high-quality Methaqualone Fine quality Mandrax is easily available in Delhi and is trendy in party circles, said a senior narcotics official. The arrested woman visited India from South Africa eight times since October, 2015. She came onto the NCBs radar during her last trip about one-and-a-half months back. Based on concrete information, we issued a silent lookout notice against her name at all ports. As soon as she entered India on June 18, we were informed of her arrival and we started tracking her, said Rohit Sharma, zonal director, NCB Delhi Zone. Teams of NCB and CISF stopped Faurie from checking in at the airport. After screening and a physical check of her trolley bag at gate number 5, around 15 packets wrapped in carbon paper weighing about 18 kg were recovered. During investigation, NCB officials found out that in order to deceive immigration officials, the woman used to give details of a star hotel in Delhi to get clearance - but instead of going there she was picked up by her alleged accomplice, a 32-year-old Nigerian national named as Obiefoka Friday Okeke. Intelligence officials are keeping a close watch on the movements of visitors from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan as growing radicalisation in these areas has emerged as a major threat, sources said on Tuesday. The Ministry of Home Affairs has asked spy agencies and states to sketch out a plan to stop radical elements and ISIS sympathisers spilling over from neighbouring countries and influencing Indian youths. The counter-radicalisation strategy adopted by the Narendra Modi government in the wake of Islamic States growing popularity needs to keep pace with the changing dynamics of the threat from the Sunni jihadi group, say experts. The MHA has asked spy agencies and states to sketch out a plan to stop radical elements spilling over from neighbouring countries and influencing impressionable Indians. (Picture for representation) The plan should take into account spread of radicalisation in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, a home ministry note said. Sources said Bangladesh is emerging as the next ISIS hotbed, and the growing extremism there is a major concern as India gets the highest number of its international tourists from that nation. New Delhi has also rejected more than half of the visa applications from Pakistan this year. A three-pronged approach has been planned to fight the extremism menace. Targeting the leadership of the organisation, forming specialised groups to tackle them in their area, and ensuring speedy development to provide support to the population may be considered, an official said. Over the past year, more than two dozen young people from India joined ISIS and 49 have been arrested from across the country. Agencies have not gone in for knee-jerk arrests in cases of radicalisation. Telangana was the first state to take this approach, and has been successful with its counter-radicalisation programme. Home Ministry sources said an assessment of measures taken by states shows that among those affected by growing radicalisation, Telangana has performed the best, followed by Maharshtra which has taken some important steps. Uttar Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and West Bengal need to do more. However, since most of the radicalisation is taking place in cyberspace, geographical boundaries are of limited relevance. With a shared culture and people-to-people connect with the neighbours, there is a fear that growing extremism in those places can impact in India, said an official. The different approaches being considered by intelligence agencies to tackle the threat include disengagement of the target from pursuing radical ideology, deradicalisation aimed at changing the beliefs and thoughts of affected individuals, and security measures involving legal and penal action. The government is also working towards creating a database of international tourists visiting India to maintain closer scrutiny and identify suspicious elements. It has initiated the Unique Case File (UCF) scheme, in which any foreign nationals who wish to come to India on tourist visas must provide their fingerprints and other details on their E-Visa request forms. BJP MP Subramanian Swamy, who vehemently sought Raghuram Rajan's removal, has now set his sights on Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung. The Rajya Sabha member, who joined the protest by his party MP Maheish Girri outside Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's residence, said that Jung has failed to protect MPs from attack by the Kejriwal government. His comments came after Kejriwal linked Girri to the murder of NDMC legal officer MM Khan - a charge he denies. Swamy also accused the Delhi L-G of seeking guidance from Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's political secretary, Ahmed Patel. BJP MP Subramanian Swamy (right) has set his sights on Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung (left) Asked why it has taken him so long to seek the removal of Jung, Swamy said he was busy with the issue of RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, but he is now free to "talk to the government" on the issue. "Delhi government will survive if Kejriwal apologises...government should be dismissed in national interest," he said. Subramanian boasted that in 1991 when he was the Union Law Minister, he "dismissed" four state governments, and the decision of the central government was then upheld by the Supreme Court and supported in Parliament. Swamy has charged Kejriwal with using the "shoot and scoot" tactic to attack his political rivals. Departing RBI Governor was accused of acting as a 'Congress agent' by BJP MP Subramanian Swamy "He should either show documents (to corroborate his charges against Girri) or apologise," he said. "All his life he (Kejriwal) has done fraud (sic). He says he was a meritorious student in IIT but I have records of how he got his admission...which I will reveal in a press conference. Till now I was Rajan ke peechhe (was going after Raghuram Rajan) and he is now gone," Swamy said. Meanwhile, East Delhi MP Maheish Girri has been sitting on a hunger strike outside Kejriwal's house since yesterday. As well as linking Girri to the murder of NDMC official MM Khan, Kejriwal has accused L-G Jung of trying to protect the MP. Khan, an estate officer, was shot dead on May 16 in Jamia Nagar in south Delhi, a day before he was scheduled to clear an order on the lease terms of a hotel functioning on a property leased out by the civic body. China on Monday said the Nuclear Suppliers Group was still divided on the issue of Indias entry and that the matter was still not matured enough to be addressed at the upcoming plenary in Seoul. Indias External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had said on Sunday that India was hopeful it would be granted access to the elite global body that governs nuclear trade. But days ahead of the June 24 plenary, China, which along with at least four other NSG members has voiced concern on Indias entry, said it was too early to discuss the specific issue of Indias entry and that as far as it was concerned, it was not on the agenda of the upcoming meeting. India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said that India was hopeful it would be granted access to the elite global body that governs nuclear trade Beijing said it was of the view that the NSG first needed to arrive at a common position on allowing the entry of countries that had not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), before discussing Indias specific case. We maintain the need to have thorough discussions, so the NSG should first discuss the entry issue of non-NPT countries as a whole instead of specific non-NPT countries joining, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said. China agreeing to come on board after taking such a public position days before the plenary would reflect a remarkable turnaround in Beijings stand. The likelihood of it doing so may well rest on the outcome of a meeting on June 23 between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping at Tashkent, where they both will attend a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit. In 2008, Beijing agreed at the last minute to support the NSGs waiver for the India-US nuclear deal, so such an outcome would not be unprecedented. But in that instance, analysts and officials say, Beijing had not repeatedly taken a public stand on the matter. Analysts in Beijing say that a likelier outcome is an agreement at Seoul that may give both India and China some face," such as agreeing to consider Indias membership and to have further talks on the issue, leaving open the case of Indias entry for a future plenary session. Hua on Monday said Beijing had stressed to India's foreign secretary S Jaishankar during his hushed visit to Beijing last week that the NSG was still divided about non-NPT countries entry into the NSG. Prakash Singh was asked by the Haryana government to conduct an inquiry into the role of officers during the Jat agitation The events in Haryana during February 2016, when the state was rocked by riots over reservation status for the Jat community, have become a lesson for both the state and the Republic. Unfortunately, there has not been enough serious discussion on the subject, and it seems we are not prepared to learn from past events. Reservation To start with, it was - simply put - an agitation to demand reservation for a particular community. However, it must be asked in what direction the reservation issue is leading the country? The Patidars in Gujarat, the Kapus in Andhra Pradesh, the Gujjars in Rajasthan, and the Jats in Haryana are all demanding reservation status. The demand is likely to become greater in the years to come. But what were the reservations originally meant for? What was to be the period for such reservations? Has the demand for reservations been distorted into a short-cut for meritocratic employment? Is India being blackmailed by particular groups for reservations? Has not the country already buckled under pressure in certain cases? Is the judiciary now the only bulwark against the unreasonable demands of particular communities? These are basic questions which need to be discussed and debated. Unfortunately, vested interests constitute a sizeable vote-bank and are so well entrenched that no political party seems to have the courage to take up the debate. And so, the charade goes on. The Jat Reservation Agitation began in February 2016 in Haryana. The protesters sought inclusion of their caste in the Other Backward Class category, which would make them eligible for affirmative action benefits like University places and Government jobs. If Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not show courage, it is unlikely that any other leader in the near future will have the backbone to deal with this issue. The agitation caused a sharp societal divide. For more than a year before violence broke out in February 2016, leaders from different communities were making vitriolic speeches for and against reservations. As a consequence, the society was gradually polarised between Jats on one side, and non-Jats on the other. The latter started calling themselves 35 biradaris against the 36 biradaris comprising the Haryana society. The Jats felt isolated and ostracised. This fuelled their anger. When the reservationists unleashed violence, the homes, shops, schools and business establishment of particular communities were targeted. Public and private property worth about Rs 20,000 crores was destroyed after the rioters were allowed to loot, ransack, burn and vandalise at will The animosity and even hatred between the Jats and non-Jats was reminiscent of what was seen between Hindus and Muslims during the pre-Partition days. Could the founding fathers of the Constitution have visualised reservations fracturing Hindu society in such a sinister manner? Vandalism During the agitation, particularly on February 19 and 20, the civil and the police administration in the state virtually collapsed. The rioters had a free run. They could loot, ransack, burn and vandalise at will. And the police were hardly to be seen. Barring a few honourable exceptions, the officers by-and-large abdicated from their responsibilities. They betrayed either the lack of will to deal with the situation, or sneaking sympathy for the rioters - or, at worst, connivance with the hooligans. Public and private property worth about Rs 20,000 crores was destroyed. Perhaps there has been no other instance of such a large-scale self-inflicted wound since Independence. On January 11, 2013, the High Court of Punjab and Haryana had - in Anti-Corruption Federation of India (Regd.) Vs State of Haryana and others - directed the state to abide by the Supreme Courts directions in the destruction of public and private property case. It also ordered the state to take preventive measures as recommended by the Thomas Committee, and make an assessment of loss/damages caused to public/ private property, as per the guidelines laid down by the Nariman committee. The follow-up action by the state remains to be seen. Hesitation The state police, under a new leader, are steadily trying to regain lost ground. However, they are still very hesitant in taking measures against those who indulged in the orgy of violence. More than 2,000 cases of rioting were registered. By simple arithmetic, there would be at least 10,000 accused. However, the police have arrested just 600 men so far. Thirty people were killed in the quota violence, and many more were injured - yet only 600 people have been arrested in Haryana so far The state government must understand that if it is to avoid a recurrence of similar tragedy, the officers who were derelict or complicit must be suitably punished and the rioters must be brought to book. Half-hearted steps will not be enough. The unfortunate events also underscore the urgent need to reorganise, restructure and rejuvenate the state police. The internal security schemes should be updated. Training of police personnel should become a high priority. Police reforms mandated by the Supreme Court should be implemented in letter and spirit. The Army was deployed in a big way, and yet for inexplicable reasons its impact was limited. A total of 74 columns were deployed in the state. It would appear that the Army was not properly utilised, and there was hesitation in using force. What happened in Haryana was terrible. This could happen in any other state of the Union, if the appropriate lessons are not learnt and remedial measures taken. Rahul Gandhi flew abroad on a short visit even as the partys Karnataka unit suffered a rebellion, forcing the AICC to name Dinesh Gundu Rao as the working president of the state. Travelling out of the country for a few days on a short visit. Thanks again to all who met & wished me yday, truly grateful for your affection!, Rahul, who turned 46 on Sunday, posted on Twitter. The visit invited comparisons from his earlier 56-day sabbatical, following which an aggressive Rahul had surprised both his friends and foes by attacking the Modi government in Parliament. Rahul Gandhi is on a short visit abroad. Party members are speculating that he might be promoted to be the next Congress chief when he returns. It was also speculated earlier that he will announce the long-awaited reshuffle in the party since the Congress suffered a defeat in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Many in the party wondered if Rahuls possible promotion to Congress chief would happen once he is back, refreshed and recharged, from his latest visit. Party leaders tried to downplay his vacations, saying such breaks were normal for politicians as they have the right to privacy. These leaders also said that Rahul was actively involved with the issues in the party, and has not chosen to avoid problems in the Karnataka unit. Meanwhile, dissent hit the Congress in Karnataka a day after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah reshuffled 14 cabinet members. The 14 ministers were sacked on the grounds of either non-performance or for being involved in controversies. The axed ministers, along with their supporters, voiced their discontent and took to the streets. While actor-turned-lawmaker Ambareesh quit in protest against the cabinet reshuffle, supporters of Qamrul Islam ransacked the party office in Kalburgi. Concerned over the lawmakers rebellion, days after similar activities in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana jolted the AICC, the party appointed Dinesh Gundu Rao as the working president of the Karnataka unit headed by G Parmeshwara. My friend and I are two elderly ladies who use mobility scooters. We booked a holiday to Fuerteventura using the online travel firm On The Beach. Our scooters were booked into the hold for the Ryanair flight. All seemed fine until I checked the paperwork and found that only my scooter was booked in. We phoned Ryanair to be told that the flight allowed only four scooters and mine was the fourth and last on that flight. They tried, but could not find another suitable flight. One full refund was paid by On The Beach to my friend, but I have received nothing. We each paid 329.97. Mrs E. J., Stirling. Stranded: Ryanair forced two ladies to miss their holiday because their wasn't room for both mobility scooters You made your booking online and it seems to me that this was partly the root of the problem. When you have specialist requirements, it can sometimes be better to make a telephone or face-to-face booking so that the travel agent or tour operator can check availability at the time. Clearly you would not have wanted to go on holiday without your friend, so it seems straightforward that you would both want and should be given a refund. In fact, On The Beach says there was some misunderstanding. Ryanair refunded the whole amount for both flights. The money you had not received is for your hotel booking. The confusion arose because both were for similar amounts. The good news is that On The Beach has persuaded the hotel to refund the money. A spokesperson says On The Beach did add two mobility scooters to the flight booking. She adds: The hotel supplier would not offer a refund because the cancellation was made on the day of arrival. However, On The Beach understands that the customers were not at fault and should not be penalised so have contacted the hotel supplier again and, after further discussions, it has agreed to offer a full refund. YOU HAVE YOUR SAY - COMPANIES POPPING UP AT YOUR LOCAL BANK Every week, Money Mail receives hundreds of your letters and emails about our stories. Here are some of the best about our investigation into the controversial companies popping up in your local bank branch . . . Ive seen such sales people in branches on a regular basis trying to recruit distributors and promoting get-rich-quick schemes. Its disgusting vulnerable folk will believe that the bank endorses it as a legitimate way to earn money. Barclays bosses really should be ashamed of themselves. T.J., London. Instead of all these daft schemes, why doesnt Barclays just focus on giving its customers good service, cut all the ridiculous charges and give a decent rate of interest on their savings? R.J.,Cheshire. If that happened at my bank, its the last the bank would see of me. Hassling people like this is one reason why more and more people are shopping online. E.P., Birmingham. Ive seen the Forever Living products before what a big con. All youre paying for is the fancy packaging. Forever Ripping People Off, more like. S.P., Peterborough. A new low for Barclays. If I see one of these in my branch, I will move my account. J.Y., Cheshire. Ive seen pushy Herbalife saleswomen in Barclays trying to sign up people who are queuing at the ATM. Im sure a lot of people believe its legit and that Barclays endorses it because theyve been allowed inside the branch with their huge display stands. I.T., London. As banks are meant to be reputable institutions, they should not be endorsing anything that cannot stand up to scrutiny. This is disgraceful. S.F., Falmouth. As far as Im concerned, any scheme that requires you to recruit people is a scam if the product was good enough, why wouldnt the company simply set up a website and sell it themselves that way and not have to pay commission? R.Y., Oxford. In October last year, HMRC sent me a tax bill for 3,900. I told them I was unaware of any debt because I have always been employed and paid my tax through PAYE. I have no other income and have never been self-employed. They asked for a tax assessment form which I filled in and sent. They have now fined me 100 making the bill a total of 4,000. I dont think they even read my letter. Im in a minimum-wage job, have no savings and so I simply cannot pay. T. E., Torquay. Ive got excellent news. HMRC has cancelled the tax bill entirely, including all of the late penalties. It has even refunded you 7.05. So what went wrong? HMRC says the mistake stems from faulty information provided by the Department For Work & Pensions which suggested you had been receiving Jobseekers Allowance. HMRC was not aware this was incorrect until the end of the tax year, when it sent a tax calculation showing you had underpaid 73. Due to the low level of your income it could not collect this through the tax code and so asked you to complete self-assessment returns. It is not clear at all how the bill rose to 3,900. However, penalties were charged, correctly it seems, because you did not file on time. Now HMRC has processed the returns which it received in February so your record is correct and as a gesture of goodwill the penalties have been cancelled. But all this seems to have stemmed from the right hand of government not knowing what the left hand was doing. An HMRC spokesman says: We apologise to your reader for any inconvenience and distress caused on receiving the tax demands. Incidentally you tell me you have not received Jobseekers Allowance - so why that information went through is a mystery. Your letter strikes me as a prime example of what can happen when people who have dealt only with PAYE suddenly get enmeshed in the self-assessment tax system. Its also a reminder that we shouldnt just file and ignore letters from the taxman. If you get a letter and dont understand it then phone straightaway and ask for help. STRAIGHT TO THE POINT I was due to repay the capital on my interest-only mortgage with Newcastle BS this year. Late last year, the building society wrote offering a new five-year deal. I signed up, but now Newcastle says I must pay off the loan on the original date, which is just a few months away. F. W., Co. Durham. Newcastle BS says it did not mean to extend the term of the original mortgage, but merely give you a better rate. It accepts that the letter offering the new deal was confusing and says it will allow you to see out the five years of your new deal, should you wish to do so. A man telephoned me saying he was from Microsoft and told me my computer has a virus. My brother had a similar call, and it ended up being a scam. How can I tell if calls like this are genuine? J. R., Northampton. It Is a scam. No one from Microsoft will call you to say youve got a virus on your PC. Always hang up when you get this type of call. I had a Vodafone Pay As You Go phone, but was unable to use it for several months as I was unwell. My number was cancelled even though I had 10 credit on the line. Can I get it back? A. B., Dorset. Most mobile providers cancel your number if you havent used it for six months. Try to make a call or send a text every couple of months to avoid this. As a gesture of goodwill, Vodafone has agreed to credit the 10 to your new phone number. I want to pay into a Help to Buy Isa, but Im worried I might not be able to put in the full 200 every month. Is that OK? A. K., Stevenage. Yes, youll get a 25 per cent top-up on anything you put in. But you dont have to pay in the full 200. The minimum that you can contribute for the bonus is 1,600 a year or around 133 a month, which will net you an extra 33. My husband passed away recently and left me some money. I want to move from our home and buy a bungalow. Will I have to pay the new higher rate of stamp duty charged to owners of more than one property? B. S., Hayes, Middlesex. Youll have to pay the extra 3 per cent (on top of the usual stamp duty charges) if you fail to sell your previous home before you buy the new one. However, youll then have three years to sell your old house and claim a refund for the tax. I have a phone contract with Virgin Mobile. I have had no problems at all for three years, but in March, I received a bill for 164.38 - which would more than cover my normal contract for the next 30 months. Customer services told my daughter that I had been charged for a seven-hour-plus call on March 21. This is supposed to be under investigation, but no one has got back to me. T. G., Sunderland. Virgin Mobile checked your account and the call was made to a normal geographic number rather than one of the 08 numbers exploited by fraudsters. It seems the charge came because you left a call running overnight. Virgin Mobile agreed to clear 80 off your bill and one of its store staff has now shown you how to terminate calls properly. However, your letter brings me back to one of my continual gripes. Why do most phone companies not offer contracts with monthly charge caps which would prevent this sort of thing happening? One of the few that does is ID Mobile, which is a subsidiary of the Carphone Warehouse, with its Shock Proof deals. There's something reassuringly old-fashioned about the photo booth in an age of digital cameras and high-tech gadgets. Tucked away in a corner at a supermarket or railway station, they might seem outdated and even slightly twee. But British firm Photo-Me International has nevertheless managed to turn them into a 601million business. The company was founded by four British and American entrepreneurs in 1954, when its booths could only be used for fun. Snap happy: British firm Photo-Me International has turned old-fashioned photo booths them into a 601m business But things really took off 12 years later when the UK government approved their use for passport photographs. Photo-Me has nearly 26,000 booths across the world part of a vast empire which also encompasses washing machines in launderettes, coin-operated childrens rides and even printers families can use to run off pictures. In annual results yesterday, it announced a 4.1 per cent jump in profits to 40.1million. Turnover was up 3.8 per cent to 184million. Shareholders were awarded a final dividend of 3.285p per share, up 29.3 per cent. And an extra 10.6million was also returned to investors through a special dividend of 2.815p. Shares nonetheless fell heavily, closing down 17.3 per cent, or 27.75p at 132.25p. It followed an unexpectedly high level of investment in technology which meant there was less profit to pass on than analysts had initially expected. Finance firm Canaccord Genuity cut its target price for the stock from 180p to 150p. However, other analysts pointed out that there was a solid business behind the results. Reinvesting profits can be more sustainable than giving them out through sky-high dividends. Photo-Mes core product may sound like a throwback to a less digital age but the company is blending old-style convenience with new-style technology to make its mark, said Laith Khalaf of Hargreaves Lansdown. The business floated on the stock market more than 50 years ago and today employs hundreds of people across the globe. Its core focus remains photo booths but in a market which has long been close to saturation point, there is little room to grow. The firm did create an extra 100 booths on continental Europe, with most added in France, Germany and Switzerland. But it sees technology as the key to further expansion. In France, a scheme has been pioneered which allows users to take a photograph, add a signature and send it using a secure server. Applications for driving licences can now be sent to French authorities direct from a booth. And bosses have also signed a five-year deal with US business Moneygram, allowing users to transfer their cash using machines across the world. Asian markets are also seeing growth particularly Japan, where there has been a 4.6 per cent surge in the number of photo booths. It put in an outstanding performance last year, the company said. The Japanese authorities are rolling out a controversial ID card programme which will eventually force 87m people to carry personal identification featuring their photograph. Predictably, this scheme has been plagued by technical problems but when it finally comes to fruition, Photo-Me is confident that there will be a surge in demand at its booths. The firm is now exploring advanced technology such as 3D photographs and facial recognition software as the next phase of passport security approaches. And it has more than 5,000 digital printing kiosks where families can take pictures from their cameras and print them out. These are now being upgraded to handle the latest memory cards. Design is also increasingly important. Photo-Me is working with designer Philippe Starck, a Frenchman who has said he wants to invent a new world. Starck has designed everything from toothbrushes and light fittings to art for Sir Richard Bransons spacecraft Virgin Galactic. But it isnt just the photography world that matters to Photo-Me. The company has also been running coin-operated launderette machines for several years. Although these never really caught on in Britain, they are popular elsewhere in Europe. The huge hyper-markets in France and Germany offer busy parents an automatic washing service while theyre on the family shop. Photo-Me now operates 1,411 of the Revolution machines across the Continent, each of which nets an average 11,800 a year. Numbers have more than doubled in the year to May. It is looking to produce 6,000 launderette devices by 2020 and has signed an agreement with Tesco in Ireland to put the 108 square foot machines in its shops. The companys team is also developing more compact versions about half the size to be installed in Asia, where space is at a premium. Bosses are mulling a move into the launderette business with their own stores on foreign high streets. These have already been trialled in France and Belgium with a view to a wider roll-out and the aim is to grow rapidly. Photo-Me expects that each outlet will cost 24,600 to set up. The expansion of our Revolution laundry product remains on track and returns stay encouraging, non-executive chairman John Lewis said. The addition of both smaller Revolutions and the introduction of launderettes will add to the momentum in this business. Overall, bosses feel their firm is a picture of health in what is often seen as an old-fashioned industry. Pressure: Stock Spirits is to pay a special dividend rather than making acquisitions Troubled Stock Spirits has caved in to pressure to use its cash reserves to pay a special dividend rather than making acquisitions. The vodka maker has been under attack from activist investor Luis Amaral, who forced two directors he had recommended onto the board. Yesterday it said it will pay shareholders 10p a share. There has been months of wrangling between Chairman David Maloney and Amaral and they went head to head at the shareholder meeting. Millionaire Amaral accused Maloney and the board of running out of ideas. Afterwards Maloney compared Amaral to the Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump. ON THE BRINK My Local is on the verge of going into administration, less than a year after the convenience store chain was sold by Morrisons. My Local was bought for 25million by investment firm Greybull, and run by retail entrepreneur Mike Greene. The team had hoped to turn the loss-making chain around but poor trading has forced it to appoint KPMG as advisors and it has announced its intention to appoint administrators. The group employs 1,700 across 125 shops and is trying to sell off a batch of the stores to save some jobs. SAGA GAINS Insurance and holiday firm Saga has reported solid trading between February and June. The firm said it was on track to hit targets for 2016 as shareholders waved through chief executive Lance Batchelors 1.6million pay packet. Shares rose 1.7 per cent, or 3.5p to 212.5p. RIO SHAKE-UP Jean-Sebastien Jacques, the deputy chief executive at Rio Tinto who takes over the top job on July 2, has announced a shake-up of the miners top ranks as it battles against lower commodity prices. Chris Salisbury, who runs Rios copper and coal division, will take over key iron ore operations. He replaces Andrew Harding who leaves the company after 25 years. Shares fell 0.4 per cent, or 9p to 2031.5p. NEW BOSS Takeaway deliverer Just Eat has hired a finance boss from software firm WANDisco. Paul Harrison will become chief financial officer and executive director from September 26. Shares fell 1.2 per cent, or 5.3p to 445.2p. COAL BOOST BHP Billiton is looking to boost earnings from its coal arm by 409million by the end of the year. The division is cutting costs by 16 per cent over the next year and aims to boost output by 8 per cent in the three years to June 2018. Shares in the miner fell 0.5 per cent, or 4.6p to 847.7p. JOULES JOY Sales at Joules for the year to May 29 rose 12.7 per cent to 131.3million, said the fashion chains maiden trading update after floating last month. UK sales rose 11.6 per cent to 118.1million. International trade is more than 10 per cent of revenue. Shares rose 0.3 per cent, or 0.5p to 190p. BANK CASH British banks have largely ignored an offer for emergency cash ahead of tomorrows EU vote. They only took up 370million from a special Bank of England loan fund designed to help stave off turmoil around the vote. Market commentators said it showed the banks were confident of a vote to Remain. Britons dreaming of a new life working abroad have the US, France and the UAE in their sights, new findings suggest. With gloomy weather and baffling referendum debates taking their toll, one in 10 Britons using Indeed's job site are hunting for a new role overseas. Canada and Ireland also make it into the top five most desirable destinations for Britons, with Australia, Germany and South Africa following closely behind. Popular: The USA is the most popular choice for Britons looking for a job overseas, Indeed said. Pictured is San Francisco At present, the majority of Britain's population still aims to get a job within the UK. But, 'this situation may not last forever', the report suggests. Nearly 37 per cent of job hunters using Indeed's site looking for a job overseas put the USA at the top of their list. TOP 10 GLOBAL DESTINATIONS FOR UK JOB-HUNTERS 1. USA 36.5% 2. France 11.2% 3. UAE 9.4% 4. Canada 8.5% 5. Ireland 7.5% 6. Australia 6.5% 7. Germany 6% 8. South Africa 5.9% 9. Italy 4.4% 10. Netherlands 4% In second place, 11.2 per cent of Britons are on the lookout for a job in France. Around 9.4 per cent are looking for a job in the UAE, perhaps lured by promises of sunshine and tax breaks. In Dubai, only about 8 per cent of the population are Emirati the other 92 per cent are expats. Canada remains popular with Britons looking for a job overseas, coming in at fourth place. Attracting 7.5 per cent of all interest on Indeed's site, Ireland is another appealing prospect for Britons. Germany, South Africa, Italy and the Netherlands also feature in the top 10 most desirable destinations for UK job-hunters, Indeed said. While the USA is the most popular destination for Britons looking for work overseas, the statistics for London are slightly different. Legendary: Nearly 37 per cent of job-hunters on Indeed's site look for a job in the USA Formidable: France is the second most popular destination for Britons looking to work abroad For people in the capital, Canada is the most desirable destination for a job overseas, followed in second place by the USA. Nationally, Australia finds itself as the sixth most popular destination for job hunters looking for work abroad. But, for Londoners, Australia is the third most popular choice for overseas work, Indeed said. Last year, data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development revealed that there were around 3.97million Britons living abroad in 2010-11, with the number likely to have increased since. According to the ONS, 323,000 Britons emigrated overseas in 2014, with people jetting off for a variety of reasons, including retirement, work or family. Last week, official data from the Office for National Statistics revealed that there are currently around 5.24million people born overseas working in the UK. This marks an increase of 330,000 compared to the same point a year earlier, the ONS said. The number of non-UK nationals working in the UK over the period increased by 229,000 to 3.34million. Sunshine: The UAE is the third most popular destination for Britons looking to work abroad, Indeed said Since 1997, the proportion of all people working in the UK accounted for by non-UK nationals increased from 3.5 per cent to 10.6 per cent. According to the ONS: 'This increase in non-UK nationals working in the UK reflects the admission of several new member states to the European Union.' Tens of thousands of holidaymakers who suffer long delays on Thomson flights this year stand barely any chance of winning compensation. A Money Mail investigation found Britain's biggest tour operator is routinely weaselling out of paying legitimate claims for delays lasting three hours or more. Thomson appears to have resorted to dragging its feet, then issuing blanket rejections as it struggles with a backlog of claims. We have submitted a dossier of damning cases to the firm and the aviation watchdog. Let down: Thomson, Britain's biggest tour operator, is routinely weaselling out of paying legitimate claims for delays lasting three hours or more Many customers have fought for compensation for months and are close to giving up after being blocked at every turn. The findings will raise concern that vast numbers of families who travel with Thomson this summer could be left in the lurch if they're held up at the airport. Our investigation found that Thomson is: REFUSING to pay out for delays caused by broken toilets, staff shortages and other faults within its control; TAKING up to six months to reply to customers; LOSING paperwork and then forcing customers to resubmit their claims; DENYING passengers compensation even when the aviation regulator has told it to cough up. Under EU rules you are entitled to up to 600 (460) if your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late. You can claim for delays up to six years ago. The only exception to this rule is if the delay is caused by circumstances out of the airline's control, such as bad weather or strike action. Industry figures show that around 0.8 per cent of people who fly in and out of the UK every year are entitled to compensation for delays. That means around 44,000 of the 5.5 million passengers who travel with Thomson and First Choice annually may be able to claim this year. However, Thomson's time-keeping is particularly poor, separate figures show. Three in ten Thomson flights arrive late double the industry norm, according to claims firm Flight-Delayed.co.uk. Jane Harding, 61, and her husband Stephen, 66, should each be entitled to 400 (615 in total) after they were left waiting at Tenerife airport for nine hours last November So the true number of people who can claim could be much higher. Though many of these delays will be for less than three hours and so will not qualify for compensation. Thomson's record of handing out compensation appears to be even worse than its time-keeping. Money Mail has been inundated with letters from families who have been given the runaround when they claimed. The warning signs of a major problem are on Thomson's website, which states that if you have a complaint about a holiday it will get back to you within 28 days, but it'll take a minimum of 56 days or six weeks if the gripe concerns a delayed flight. Jane Harding, 61, and her husband Stephen, 66, should each be entitled to 400 (615 in total) after they were left waiting at Tenerife airport for nine hours last November. Yet after spending three months ignoring the retired couples' letters, Thomson has thrown their claim out. It says the reason for the delay damage to the aircraft on an earlier flight counts as an extraordinary circumstance, so it doesn't have to pay. Kenneth Melville and wife Annabelle were returning from Tenerife when they suffered a 21-hour delay Even after the Spanish aviation authority said Thomson should pay the Hardings, the firm has dug its heels in. Jane, a retired council worker, says: 'The staff at Thomson just fob you off. The 56 days they tell you to wait is just a delaying tactic while they come up with an excuse.' Kenneth Melville, 66, and his wife Annabelle, 67, were returning from two weeks in Tenerife in January when they suffered a 21-hour delay. They were told at the airport that the flight couldn't go ahead because the crew had worked for longer than they were allowed under aviation rules. Kenneth complained to Thomson within a week of getting home, but was told the delay was due to snow at Glasgow airport, meaning he couldn't claim compensation. But Kenneth says an easyJet flight bound for Glasgow had left the same airport that night and not been delayed. He says: 'They could have properly planned staff working hours, but they blamed it on snow. They just don't want to pay out.' Stories like the Hardings' and the Melvilles' were once much more common. For years airlines routinely wriggled out of paying by claiming technical faults counted as extraordinary circumstances, as well as rebuffing claims that were more than two years old. But a six-year legal battle culminating in the Supreme Court in October 2014 sided with passengers. The Civil Aviation Authority says it is still overwhelmed with complaints, and has launched an independent ombudsman service for passengers following pressure from Money Mail. Airlines can sign up to one of two services: the Airline Dispute Resolution scheme (part of the Retail Ombudsman) or the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) although they are not obligated to join either. Thomson signed up to the CEDR on February 1. But the service will only take claims where the customer's final rejection letter arrived after that date. Passengers who've been fobbed off by Thomson have been bombarding claims firms. Of the 35,000 who filed a claim with Flight-Delayed.co.uk last year, a third had flown with Thomson the highest proportion of any airline. And of the claims the company pursued against Thomson, a huge nine out of ten went to court because the airline refused to answer its calls and letters. Adeline Noorderhaven, UK manager of law firm EUclaim, says: 'Thomson are notoriously bad when it comes to compensating for delays. Their claims department does not respond adequately and all of the cases we've won against them have only been honoured due to the pressure of court proceedings.' Carol and Dennis Brace are so fed up with chasing the airline for compensation following a 30-hour delay in June 2011, they have given up. The couple were on their way home to Cardiff after a fortnight in Corfu with four friends when a technical fault meant the plane had to divert to Brindisi, Italy. The six friends should be entitled to 1,845, but Thomson won't pay. It says technical issues are not within its control. Grounded: The findings will raise concern that vast numbers of families who travel with Thomson this summer could be left in the lurch if they're held up at the airport The couple's only options are to escalate their complaint to the Spanish aviation regulator, which can't force Thomson to pay, or go to court. Carol, 73, says: 'As a group of pensioners, we're not in a position to pursue it through court. They've made it so difficult we just can't do any more.' Thomson says: 'We are sorry for any customers experiencing delays with their claims. We remain committed to maintaining an excellent on-time performance. Ben Butler launched a brazen media campaign to win back his little girl Ellie as he trumpeted claims he was the victim of a 'miscarriage of justice'. Ben Butler was previously jailed for violently shaking his then-six-week-old daughter, but was later cleared on appeal. The stay-at-home father then went on prime time television and protested his innocence, bemoaning his treatment by the justice system and claiming Ellie should be returned to him and his partner Jennie Gray. In a blaze of publicity - which included a series of newspaper interviews - he insisted Ellie had been cruelly prised from their family home by social services and that prosecutors had 'wasted' public money pursuing him. Butler also threatened to sue the Metropolitan police for wrongful arrest, claiming: 'If it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone.' Ben Butler and Jennie Gray appeared on ITV's This Morning after his conviction for assaulting his then-baby daughter Ellie was overturned by the Court of Appeal His campaign led to a judge allowing Ellie to be returned to the couple's care. The judge even called it a 'joy' to see them reunited and praised the pair's 'tenacity and courage'. But just eleven months later, Butler had battered the six-year-old to death, leaving her 'cold' on the floor of her bedroom as he concocted a false story with Gray to save their own skins. It would later emerge that he had subjected the little girl to a miserable childhood, reacting with violence and abuse whenever Ellie triggered his 'frustration and anger'. The 36-year-old has now been convicted of murdering the little girl in one of the worst cases of domestic violence experts say they have ever seen. The murder will raise questions about the handling of Butler's appeal and whether the ruling that Ellie's injuries were 'purely accidental' paved the way for the subsequent tragedy. During the initial trial in 2009, the court was told how Butler had taken Ellie to St Helier Hospital in south London with serious head injuries when she was just six weeks old. In a blaze of publicity - which included a series of newspaper interviews - Butler and Gray described how Ellie had been cruelly prised from their family home by social services Butler continued to trumpet his 'miscarriage of justice'. He is pictured with his partner in one of the interviews he gave following his conviction being quashed According to Butler, he had taken her to be treated as soon as he found her 'limp and gasping for air' at their home in Sutton, south London. TIMELINE OF THE TRAGEDY Dec 2006 - Ellie Butler born Feb 2007 - Rushed to hospital with brain injuries indicating her having been shaken July 2007 - Interim care order made for Ellie to be taken away from Butler and Gray January 2008 - Initial family judge finds Butler had caused non-accidental injuries March 2009 - Butler convicted of causing grevious bodily harm at Croydon Crown Court to Ellie and jailed for 18 months October 2009 - Butler released from prison on bail after he launches an appeal June 2010 - His conviction is quashed October 2012 - Mrs Justice Hogg makes court order exhonerating Butler and Gray and returning Ellie to their care November 2012 - Ellie returns to her parents with independent social workers monitoring the situation March 2013 - Independent social workers cease contact with the family October 2013 - Ellie found dead. Butler is later charged with murder and Gray is charged with cruelty and perverting the course of justice Advertisement Doctors quickly diagnosed bleeding on the brain, bleeding in the eye and swelling of brain tissue - all indicators of a deliberately shaken baby. The little girl was also found with burn injuries on her forehead and hand, which Butler claimed were the result of her rolling off a pillow and hitting a radiator while he was looking after her. But the case against Butler was dented when Ellie was transferred to St Thomas's Hospital in central London, where a different team of doctors said her head injuries might have been caused at birth. Police investigated and the couple were arrested. But although Gray was later told she faced no further action, Butler was convicted in March 2009 at Croydon Crown Court of grievous bodily harm and cruelty. Almost immediately after being sentenced to 18 months behind bars, Butler launched an appeal. Three months later, he was released so he could fight his case, which was based largely on the findings of the second team of medics. The conviction was quashed in 2010, with Lord Justice Moses criticising the original trial judge for failing to properly explain to the jury that Ellie had made a full recovery. 'The recovery cast doubt on a severe shaking injury; indeed it told against a major shaking incident,' the appeal court judge said. After Butler's victory, his confidence grew. By this point, Ellie had been taken into the care of the London Borough of Sutton before being placed with her maternal grandparents. Less than a year before her death, a judge allowed Ellie to be returned to the couple's care, calling it a 'joy' to see them reunited and praising the duo's 'tenacity and courage' Butler was only allowed supervised access to Ellie for two hours, twice a year, at a social services contact centre, while Gray was only allowed access six times a year, because of her continual support of her abusive husband. The pair then fought an audacious and very public battle as they went on a PR offensive to win back their little girl. Butler was only allowed supervised access to Ellie for two hours, twice a year, at a social services contact centre, while Gray was only allowed access six times a year. They are pictured together In a series of interviews about their alleged ordeal, they lambasted officials for 'stealing' their child without any justification. He even made an appearance on the sofa with Eamonn Holmes on ITV's This Morning to talk about his ordeal. Butler also played the victim as he spoke of having to share a cell at Littlehey Prison, Cambridgeshire, with a convicted sex offender. Talking to his local paper, he said: 'It was horrendous. It's still difficult to talk about it. I never spoke to the guy I shared a cell with it's like being put in a mental hospital when you're not mental. 'It was just a horrible, dirty feeling where everyone is on a different wavelength.' Butler then told The Daily Telegraph: 'These three-and-a-half years have been horrendous. I can't believe that it's taken so long to clear my name.' Gray also slammed the whole situation as 'outrageous', claiming she had been ostracized for standing by her partner. 'Because I didn't come out and attack Ben and say I thought he'd harm her, they ridiculed me,' she said. 'My child means everything to me and now I'm only able to see her six times a year. Because I took Ben's side they decided that I was a risk to my child. It's been horrendous.' Butler also claimed that he had never been in trouble with the law, despite having served time in prison for attempted robbery and being convicted of assaulting his ex-girlfriend on two occasions. Finally, on 13 October 2012, Mrs Justice Hogg sanctioned the return of Ellie to their parents' care, praising the couple's 'tenacity and courage' in their fight. She added: 'It is seldom that I see a "happy end" in public law proceedings. It is a joy for me to oversee the return of a child to her parents.' Finally, on 13 October 2012, Mrs Justice Hogg sanctioned the return of Ellie to their parents' care, praising the couple's 'tenacity and courage' in their fight. He is pictured playing in the park with Ellie Butler's charade was far from over. Those investigating Ellie's death alleged that he continued to abuse the little girl, who suffering a shocking shoulder injury shortly before her death Mrs Justice Hogg also said it was 'more likely than not' that throat abnormalities related to Ellie's voicebox had caused her collapse and eye bleeding. She surmised the bleeding on the brain was caused by the 'inexperienced' father's panicked actions in seeking to resuscitate his daughter. She also ruled Butler was not culpable for the burns Ellie suffered earlier from the radiator and there was no evidence he had acted 'maliciously, deliberately or intentionally'. 'The parents have weathered the storm,' the judge said. 'They have each been resilient and determined, and shown tenacity and courage.' But Butler's charade was far from over. Those investigating Ellie's death alleged that he continued to abuse the little girl, who suffering a shocking shoulder injury shortly before her death. Butler is pictured with Ellie when she is aged eight weeks at St George's Hospital in Tooting, south London The previous trial provided Butler with ammunition to throw at his accusers after Ellie's death. He is pictured with his daughter A video shown of her not long before her death showed she had bruising to to her eyes and forehead. The previous trial provided Butler with ammunition to throw at his accusers after Ellie's death. During the murder trial, he has continually referred to his previous case when branding the court 'biased' and experts who give evidence 'corrupt'. He began ranting about the case when first interviewed at the hospital where Ellie was pronounced dead. He told a police officer: 'I went to court, jail, came out. They found out it was a medical problem and a miscarriage of justice. 'I have nothing to hide but that's why I'm nervous. I'm currently suing the police. Everything last time was twisted and turned.' But his conspiracy theories and paranoid claims were less convincing this time around and he now faces life in jail. Less than a year after Ellie was sent back to him, she was killed Ellie's grandfather warned judge would have 'blood on her hands' Family judge said he was 'exonerated', making him difficult to monitor But, after conviction overturned, she was sent back to live with him again A family court judge who returned Ellie Butler to her murderous father was told she'd 'have blood on her hands', it emerged today. The little girl was taken away from violent father Ben Butler when she still a baby after he was convicted of shaking her less than two months after she was born. But - following a dispute over how his trial was handled - Butler's conviction was overturned and he and his partner Jennie Gray launched a campaign to win Ellie back from the loving grandparents she had been placed with. Little Ellie Butler was sent back to live with her parents by family judge Mrs Justice Hogg less than a year before he killed her. In an extraordinary move in 2012, the judge 'exonerated' him of previous violence In an extraordinary judgement in 2012, family judge Mrs Justice Hogg then accepted the couple's version of events and went even further than appeal judges by declaring Butler 'exonerated'. As the judge's decision came in for strong criticism today, it emerged that Ellie's grandfather, who had looked after Ellie she was first removed from her parents, told the court it 'may have blood on its hands'. In a court order which can be reported for the first time today, the family judge also took the astonishing step of demanding that independent social workers be brought in and Sutton council, which had been involved with Ellie, be removed from the case. Dame Mary Hogg, near her home in central London today. She was criticised in a serious case review TIMELINE OF THE TRAGEDY Dec 2006 - Ellie Butler born Feb 2007 - Rushed to hospital with brain injuries indicating her having been shaken July 2007 - Interim care order made for Ellie to be taken away from Butler and Gray January 2008 - Initial family judge finds Butler had caused non-accidental injuries March 2009 - Butler convicted of causing grevious bodily harm at Croydon Crown Court to Ellie and jailed for 18 months October 2009 - Butler released from prison on bail after he launches an appeal June 2010 - His conviction is quashed October 2012 - Mrs Justice Hogg makes court order exhonerating Butler and Gray and returning Ellie to their care November 2012 - Ellie returns to her parents with independent social workers monitoring the situation March 2013 - Independent social workers cease contact with the family October 2013 - Ellie found dead. Butler is later charged with murder and Gray is charged with cruelty and perverting the course of justice June 2016 - Butler is found guilty of murder and Gray of child cruelty. Both are jailed Advertisement Her decision came despite Butler's previous convictions for attempted robbery, witness intimidation and assault and the fact that the couple had repeatedly lied to authorities during care proceedings. Less than a year later, Ellie was found dead and a jury today found that Butler killed her. Prosecutors said the stay-at-home father murdered her in a fit of rage. In light of Ellie's subsequent death, Mrs Justice Hogg's finding that the injuries which Ellie first suffered were 'purely accidental' appears all the more concerning. The history of the tragic case can now be reported after Butler was jailed for life for murder, while Ellie's mother Jennie Gray was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison for child cruelty and helping cover up his terrible crime. It can also be revealed that Gray's father Neal even warned the judge she would have 'blood on your hands' as she sanctioned the return of little Ellie to Butler's care. Ellie had been happy with her loving grandparents, Neal and Linda, who spent thousands of pounds battling to keep her in their care and did not want to give her up. A serious case review into Ellie's death stated: 'When invited to make a statement near the end of the case, [the grandfather had spoken to the court in the strongest of terms about the risks to [Ellie], warning the court 'that they may have blood on their hands'. Police forensics officers at the scene of Ellie's death. The court has heard it was a 'toxic' environment Tragic Ellie was then sent into a 'house of horrors' where Butler used violence to vent his anger at becoming a house husband and stay-at-home father. In the judgement which returned Ellie to Butler's care, the judge dismissed evidence of domestic abuse, glossed over convictions for violence and overlooked Butler and Gray's admitted lies. She said: 'I do not blame him for causing injury to Ellie, while I accept that he may have done so with all good intention to help her. 'I hope everyone will accept that I do not attach any culpability to him, and that in my judgment he is exonerated from causing her any inflicted injury.' A VERY CONVENIENT RETIREMENT Mary Hogg retired early one week before Ben Butlers two-month criminal trial began at the Old Bailey. The scion of a famous legal and political dynasty, she is the daughter of Quintin Hogg, the former Tory MP and Lord Chancellor a position also held by her grandfather. She was awarded a Damehood in 1995. She is also the younger sister of Douglas Hogg QC, the former Tory MP exposed during the 2009 expenses scandal for claiming taxpayers money to clean out his moat. During her leaving speeches at the Royal Court of Justice, Dame Mary, 69, announced her intention to take a gap year as her Norfolk terrier Mr Chough took centre stage. She did not refer to the looming prosecution, but spoke instead of the humbling responsibility of her role. The jury in Butlers trial heard that Ellie was returned to him and his partner Jennie Gray after a High Court battle and their claims to be the victims of a miscarriage of justice. But they were not told details of how Dame Mary declared the couple had been wronged by the system in a judgment unusually made public in October 2012. Despite knowing he had multiple convictions for violence and witnessing his furious temper first hand, the judge highlighted that all his crimes were against adults. She said she believed Butler when he said I am not that bad, adding: I note the convictions include assault on adults, not on children. Almost exactly a year after the pairs public exoneration, Ellie was found dead on the floor of her bedroom as Peppa Pig played on her television. Yesterday, Dame Mary said, Ive got nothing to say, as she packed boxes into her car outside her multi-million-pound Pimlico home in central London and drove off. In a statement, a spokesman for the judiciary said: Judges do not comment on cases outside court either their own or those of other judges. Former senior family court judge Sir Mark Hedley, who heard Butlers 2010 criminal appeal, said Dame Marys decision was unusual but not unique. He said the family courts face huge difficulties and decisions cannot be made with an eye on what might happen five years down the line. He added: I think the important thing is to take into account the whole range of the evidence that is available and to recognise that we dont always know the answer to every individual case the stakes are very high. Advertisement She added that the convictions had been 'assault on adults, not on children'. She said: 'I accept that he can act out of frustration but that does not necessarily mean he will lose control of his temper however fleetingly towards his baby daughter.' She added: 'All professionals are to proceed on the basis that neither parent poses any physical risk [to Ellie].' In a surprise move, Mrs Justice Hogg also ordered Sutton council to write a letter to tell police, schools and doctors to 'wipe the slate clean' for the family. She found that any continued contact with Sutton council would be 'doomed to failure' and handed the case over to independent social workers from an organisation called Services For Children (S4C). The ruling had the affect that social workers who had experience of the case were no longer involved with Ellie and authorities would have needed new reports of violence against her to begin fresh care proceedings. It is understood Services For Children only had contact with Ellie for six months until March 2013. A source close to the case said the 'extremely unusual' order was 'a recipe for disaster'. 'What this had the effect of was putting all of the power in Ben Butler's hands,' said the source. 'He's got everything. He's got the judgement when he's been formally exonerated. 'Now he's got a letter to use against agencies - all the agencies which are now told to wipe the record clear.' The local authority even took legal advice over the judgement but were told it was so emphatic there were no grounds for appeal. It also emerged Butler and Gray had lied to the authorities about their continuing relationship and tried to pretend he was not the father of Ellie's younger sibling. In a bizarre episode, a dodgy DNA test found the children were half-siblings and Butler and Gray continued the deception in Hogg's court. Hogg also raised concerns over Gray missing appointments to see her daughter. But she said: 'They have carried an intolerable burden for the last five-and-a-half years. They have lost one child. 'To them the father was unjustly accused, findings made, tried, convicted, and his conviction quashed; and their child wrongly removed from them following the findings. 'He has been treated and looked upon as a child abuser: they have felt persecuted and pried upon by social workers. 'They have not felt free from outside pressure, and they have feared they would lose [the younger sibling]. 'Now they have been unburdened from the shadow of findings against them. They have unburdened much of themselves to me, admitted concealment and secrecy, and their determination to recover [the younger sibling].' A Serious Case Review of Ellie's case is due to be published today after independent experts looked at the impact of the controversial court order and the work of the independent social workers. Services for Children is a company run by two experts in dealing with children in the care system. Ellie was returned to Butler and Gray on the judge's orders but was found dead less than a year later The firm's website states that it charges up to 75-an-hour and has worked for councils in Reading, West Berkshire, Wokingham, Windsor and Maidenhead, Bracknell Forest, Slough and Oxford. A spokesman for S4C said: 'Our work was governed by letters of instruction approved by all parties and sanctioned by the court. We were not acting in any other capacity. 'Since Ellie's death and throughout the recent trial we have often thought of the impact of Ellie's death on members of her family. We recognise the sorrow they must have experienced in the time that has elapsed.' Dame Mary Hogg, formerly Mrs Justice Hogg, is the daughter of former Lord Chancellor Lord Hailsham and she is the sister of former agriculture minister Douglas Hogg. A mother herself, she built a career ruling on care cases and in 2000 decided two foster parents who ran away with two children over fears they were going to be moved should still be allowed to adopt them. She hung up her robes after spending more than 20 years in the Family Court Division weeks before the start of Butler's Old Bailey trial and a year before the statutory retirement age. FIVE FACTORS WHICH STOPPED AUTHORITIES PREVENTING ELLIE'S DEATH: SERIOUS CASE REVIEW FINDS RULING HINDERED SOCIAL WORKERS The conclusions of a serious case review into the case published today stated: 'This was an exceptionally unusual case and an overwhelming one for many involved. The factors that cause it to be so include: The number of agencies involved. The extreme level of avoidance, deception and resistance from the parents, who were often evasive, contradictory and aggressive and who regularly resorted to complaints and threats. This pattern of behaviours was sustained even after the parents' exoneration and the children were returned to live with them. The use of an independent social work agency in the assessment and the management of the reunification of the children to their parents, and the exclusion of the Local Authority Children's Services from this role. The effect of the court judgement and exoneration, combined with the parents refusal of any voluntary engagement with support services, meant that no intervention that might have made a difference was possible. The Judge in the High Court case pronounced with perhaps undue certainty that the parents' previous patterns of behaviour would change. She said 'Now they have been unburdened from the shadow of findings against them' 'They are going to change'. Sadly this did not turn out to be the case.' Advertisement 'We did not realise people could be so wicked': Ellie's grandparents were forced to hand her back to Gray and Butler 11 months before she died Ellie's grandparents - who looked after her before she was returned to Butler - said she was a 'shining light' in their lives Ellie Butler's maternal grandparents described their utter devastation at her death, saying: 'She was our shining light.' Grandmother Linda Gray died on the first day of the murder trial and her husband Neal was understood to be too ill to give evidence. Jennie Gray was not told of her mother's death until today, because her father could not face her after what she had done. The couple had cared for Ellie after her father Ben Butler was accused of shaking her as a baby, but they were forced to hand her back 11 months before her death. They had spent their life savings fighting the case, according to a serious case review of Ellie's death. In a joint statement written ahead of the trial, the couple described how they struggled to come to terms with the 'shock and horror' of her death. The couple did not directly refer to their daughter Jennie Gray or Butler. However, they said: 'We did not realise that some people could be so wicked in life.' They said: 'Our lives have changed so dramatically due to the impact and shock and horror of this event that we struggle every day to deal with the reality of the death of our dear granddaughter Ellie. She was our shining light. 'Ellie was a very beautiful, bubbly and intelligent little girl who always had a smile on her face and even at such a young age she was nobody's fool. She was our life and she gave so much pleasure to us and our family too, how we all miss her.' The couple went on: 'Local people, some of whom we did not even know, came to express their sadness upon hearing of her death and we received over a hundred messages of sympathy. 'This gave us great comfort in our time of mourning. Ellie had many friends in school and the community all of whom were totally grief-stricken. Mr Gray added: 'Ellie enjoyed doing many after school activities and her death means that we will miss out on her growing up, completing her education, maybe going to university, getting married and having her own children. 'All of this joy has been taken away from us; her grandparents. 'Our family was so close to Ellie and played a great part in much of her life. We have all been left with a great void in our lives as a result of what has happened.' Ellie, pictured at a local play park, was returned to her father's care despite concerns about his behaviour He continued: 'This has caused untold stress, sleepless nights and has been detrimental to my wife's current ill health. 'We have difficulty facing people and people have difficulty facing us and visiting our home. It affects our everyday lives. It was such a great privilege and pleasure to have been Ellie's grandparents and to be able to have loved her in her short life. 'Our beautiful granddaughter Ellie, we all miss her very, very, much, more than any words can express. Life will never be the same for us again.' The children no one protected: The Ellie Butler trial is the latest in a spate of recent cases in which parents have not been stopped from killing their own children The Ellie Butler case is the latest in a series of troubling trials and incidents this year which have led to criticism of authorities for failing to protect children. In April, the mother of Ayeeshia Jane Smith was jailed for life for the murder of the 21-month-old, who was heard shouting 'stop mummy, stop daddy' before she was killed at her home in Staffordshire. It emerged during Kathryn Smith's trial that Ayeeshia suffered a number of 'concerning' injuries in the run up to her death, including a life-threatening brain injury, which apparently went unnoticed by doctors. Social services had been supervising Ayeeshia and she was taken away from Smith for five months and placed with foster carers - but she was given back to her mother seven months before her death. Kathryn Smith (left) murdered Ayeeshia Jane Smith (right) after she was returned to her by social services Kandyce Downer murdered Keegan Downer, who she became guardian of for extra maintenance money Social workers also discussed taking Ayeeshia into care again three weeks before she died, then held another meeting just 24 hours before she was killed but did not remove the child. Last month, Kandyce Downer was jailed for life today for the murder of 18-month-old Keegan Downer, who died at the family home in Birmingham. Keegan had been repeatedly beaten and suffered more than 200 injuries. She had 153 scars on her body, including her face and neck. Downer had been appointed Keegan's guardian with the blessing of social services and six months after Keegan was put in Downer's care, the systematic abuse began. It was claimed Downer only wanted Keegan to rake in 125-a-week maintenance payments. She also secured a four-figure lump sum towards the cost of a new car for taking on the child, on top of her housing benefit and child support. Also last month was the disturbing case of Samira Lupidi, who stabbed to death her two daughters, 17-month-old Jasmine Weaver and three-year-old Evelyn Lupidi, at a women's refuge in Bradford. Samira Lupidi was jailed last month for killing daughters Jasmine Weaver and Evelyn Lupidi Rachel and Nyomi Fee were convicted of murdering Liam Fee, who 'fell off the radar' of social services The murders came in the middle of a row between Italian-born Lupidi and the girls' father over the custody of the children. The judge who jailed Lupidi said the two victims were 'both as vulnerable as anyone can be'. Also last month, Rachel Fee and her lesbian partner Nyomi were convicted of murdering Rachel's son Liam in Fife, Scotland, after a court heard they also carried out sustained attacks on the toddler and two other boys. Repeated concerns had been raised by a childminder and nursery staff but a senior social worker admitted Liam 'fell off the radar'. Yet war has also created freedoms for gay people to have relationships The men who are left are too poor to marry or are deemed unsuitable 'Since Cain killed Abel, war has all been about young men killing each other', a 32 year-old translator is telling me, over Arabic music and the delicate light cast by stained glass windows. 'All of us have been affected in this war, but the main purpose has been to get rid of young men.' The absence of young men in Syria is glaringly obvious to any visitor to its major cities. In the cafes, in the markets and in the streets there are simply less of them around and those that are are wearing badly fitting khakis, on their way or from a military billet. 'Ask the barbers', says Shukran, 'and they will tell you they have lost three quarters of their business.' But at the same time, the chaos of war has allowed some women the freedom to pursue a lesbian relationship, in a country that - at least technically - bans gay relationships. Disappeared: Syria's war has left the country without eligible men, according to Shukran, 32, who says the conflict has damaged womens' ability to find good husbands No prospects: Ghoufran, 35, says even the young men who are still around aren't much of a prospect. Many are only teenagers, and much too young to be serious romantic prospects. 'They are schoolchildren,' she says. Deserted: A bar in central Damascus, one of many that has seen a reduction in male customers because of the fighting and migration While the vast majority of the dead in the Syrian conflict so far have been young men killed fighting each other, countless others have departed as migrants before they meet the same fate. Some are avoiding compulsory military service, others airstrikes or rebel militias; many thousands are already in Syrian government prisons. The result is a permanent demographic hole in the Syrian population. It's women, especially those who might have wanted to get married or to have children, who've been left behind. Shukhran is one of them. Thirty-two years old and unexpectedly single, most of her male friends and peers are either dead, in exile, or in prison or they've fled all of the above. While men disappear daily, the ranks of single women and widows are growing all the time. One recent poll put the numbers of unmarried Syrian women at 70%. 'It is difficult to find a how do you say, a Mr Right?' says Shukran. As if finding a boyfriend wasn't hard enough, a festering sectarianism has made Syria's different religions and ethnicities more loathe to marry outside their own kind. Flames of war: Flire rises after war crafts belonging to the Russian army allegedly carried out a phosphorus bomb attack on the Haritan town of Aleppo, Syria on June 21 Fearsome: Smoke rises in the dark after war crafts belonging to the Russian army allegedly carried out a deadly attack in Aleppo, Syria on June 21 Left behind: Children hold up letters spelling the word 'Peace' during a day of activities and prayers at the Zaitoune historic church in old Damascus. James Harkin found the number of men in Damascus was reduced because of the war Women alone: A Syrian woman and her child awaits to receive relief aid as a convoy of relief aid enters the besieged rebel-held city of Muadamiyeh near Damascus Shukran's last relationship collapsed, at least in part, because her boyfriend was a Christian and she a Druze Muslim. 'The first two years we were in paradise,' she remembers. Then came the conflict and the pair ended up spending all of their time watching the grainy horrors of the war on YouTube or the evening news. 'We stopped talking to each other, or doing things together, and just turned the TV on.' It made her Christian partner see her Islam faith in a whole new light. 'Look what Muslims are doing', he'd complain. 'How can you be a Muslim?' They drifted apart. Money, or the lack of it, is also a factor. The humiliating absence of gainful employment for young men kicking their heels around Syria's big cities was one of the key reasons the revolt broke out five years ago. Now things are infinitely worse. The Syrian pound has crashed to a tenth of its value, and the average monthly wage is around fifty dollars. In Syria's traditional culture young men need gold to get married; a single gram costs 17, 000 Syrian pounds (34 dollars) and the average ring weighs 18g, so hardly anyone can afford to buy one. Then there's the dowry money to be given directly to the family; at its very lowest it now amounts to between four and six months of a young man's annual salary. 'People, usually the families, really want this', one young woman told me. 'And they might cancel a whole marriage for this, so it's really difficult for men.' Break-up: Shukran told James Harkin how hard it is to find a husband now in Damascus because war has left so many dead but also because of migration Single: Ghoufran, left, and Shukran, right, are among the many women in Damascus left without a boyfriend partly as a result of war Countless young Syrian men, as a consequence, have been disappointed in love. A taxi driver in Damascus moonlighting from his university studies explained that his own chance at marriage fell apart because of a dispute over the quality of the gold he bought his fiance. 'There was a problem about money. Now his chief concern was the military service he'd have to do on the completion of his studies; like many he was studying, at least in part, to postpone the call up. Almost all his friends had already disappeared. 'One young man I know from Homs, who's also studying hard, was talking to a lovely woman on the Syrian coast on Facebook and Viber for many months with a view to marriage, but her father refused even to entertain the idea because he had no job. Even before they'd got around to meeting, meet, the relationship fizzled,' he said. Yara, a 23 year-old teacher, estimates that there are now four women for every one man in her circle of friends. It's the fate of her and her unlucky peers, she bemoaned, to have been entirely airbrushed from the population. 'People like who were born in the late 1980's or early 1990's', she's concluded, 'are a lost generation. Maybe they finished studying, wanted to do something with their lives and then along came the crisis. 'Now the only dream is to travel.' She misses her male friends, and just having men around the place. She said: 'Working with the same gender is difficult. You have to deal with females all around, even at work. It's monotonous.' Money, or the lack of it, is also a factor affecting marriage for women such as Ghoufran. A dowry is to be given directly to the family and at it's very lowest it now amounts to between four and six months of a young man's annual salary Marriage market: Shukran told how in Syria's traditional culture young men need gold to get married, and it's now it's so much more expensive; a single gram costs 17, 000 Syrian pounds (34 dollars) Only three out of ten of her teaching colleagues are men, much less than there would have been before the conflict. 'There are no men anymore. It's really difficult for a woman to find a husband, a good husband. And if you do find a man, he's wearing military clothes. And even if you meet a man, you're thinking what happens next? Will he travel, or will he do military service? 'If he joins the army, everything is going to be difficult. Sometimes they spend a year or two without seeing their families. And if he's lucky enough to be the only child, [only male children get an exemption from compulsory military service in Syria, which sometimes make them sought after] there are no jobs.' Even the young men who are still around aren't much of a prospect. Many, reflects 35-year-old documentary-maker Ghoufran, are only teenagers, and much too young to be serious romantic prospects. 'They are schoolchildren.' Lacking money and a way of getting out of the country has made many of them desperate. Others have given up on finding a relationship, she thinks, and spend too much time just talking to women on the internet. Several young Syrian men have offered to marry her, she's convinced, with half an eye on her salary. One glamorous 30 year-old journalist I met for a quiet drink had had enough. Young Syrian men, she complained, 'are stressed, they don't have any money to bring up childrenthey complain all the time about work, and the military, I don't feel any stability with them.' In any case she didn't want a partner who was going to join the army; many soldiers now get only three or four days leave a month and she wasn't sure when, or whether, she'd ever see him again. Polygamy returns: 'Sometimes a man has up to four wives. The women will suffer', says Yara, who has friends in rebel areas of Northern Syria Another consequence of the conflict is that younger women have become prey to older men in their fifties and older who proposition them for affairs, sex, or a second marriage. It happened to almost all the women I met in Damascus Another consequence of the conflict is that younger women have become prey to older men in their fifties and older who proposition them for affairs, sex, or a second marriage. It happened to almost all the women I met in Damascus. 'Because so many men are away in the army or dead or left the country, they think they have a chance', bemoaned Ghoufran, rolling her eyes. Sometimes it works. 'Some women say yes; women have desires, they want to be taken out. Others think they're getting older, they're still single and don't want to be alone or childless, so they accept. But the men just want to have fun, to play sex.' Many of them are married. Most want 'just an affair, a sexual thing', complained Shukran. 'I've been tempted.' In the deeply impoverished, war-ravaged conservative Sunni Muslim areas of the country, many of which lie outside government control, the choices facing unmarried women are much more grievous than illicit relationships. Many find themselves widows and dependent on handouts from NGOs or the UN or on a man to remarry them. In parts of rural Syria polygamy was already common, and entirely lawful; but what was formerly a matter of cultural and religious tradition has now become an abject necessity. 'They have to, to save their families. Sometimes a man has up to four wives. The women will suffer', says Yara, who has friends in rebel areas of Northern Syria. Many such women end up entirely dependent on NGO's or UN aid, or forced into remarrying with a much older or entirely unsuitable man. A soldier friend of Yara's, while serving in the countryside, was offered someone's daughter in marriage for 5000 Syrian pounds (about ten dollars). 'Just marry her and take care of her', said her father. 'I don't have enough money to feed her.' For some middle-class women, however, the conflict has even proven a minor liberation. Yara reckons that about 10-20 per cent of her female friends have come out as gay a statistic which she attributes, at least in part, to the absence of men. We talk about a popular bar I'd gone to the previous evening to find lesbians dancing openly on the tables; even though homosexuality is technically illegal in Syria, it's hardly ever prosecuted. 'I was shocked', she confesses. 'It's not that I don't accept it. It's normal.' But now girls are hitting on her more openly, and she finds the culture all too aggressive. Preyed upon: 'Because so many men are away in the army or dead or left the country, they think they have a chance', bemoaned Ghoufran, above. Sometimes it works. The conflict, concludes the Syrian women James Harkin spoke to, has swept already existing dissatisfaction within Syrian society out from under the carpet Even before the war, however, Ghoufran struggled to find a man who was her equal, and who wanted to treat her the same way. Now, in addition to holding down a job and helping support her extended family, she's winning international acclaim for her short films. 'Even before the crisis here many women stay at home, or just went to an office or just wait for an opportunity to get married. I wear a veil, but I also act in plays. I have an open mind. I want to study more, to get more out of life. I'm working all the time, and tired. I want a man who loves me, who's not asking me to feed him all the time, and who understands me.' The conflict, concludes Shukran, has swept already existing dissatisfaction within Syrian society out from under the carpet. 'There is a chance to reveal what you have inside. People are not satisfied. Maybe you are not supporting me like you should be. Or satisfying me in bed.' The only thing she really misses is the prospect of motherhood it would be impossible for a single woman to raise a child alone, even in relatively cosmopolitan Damascus. 'I want children more than I want a husband, but you have to get married to have children here.' Crime boss, 23, met MailOnline at gunpoint and revealed how he carefully plots each snatch using 'network of 300' ho don't pay doom their loved ones to being shot in the face and dumped in unmarked grave The gangs, which have members as young as 10, demand ransoms of 12,000 when average salary is 14 a month in Caracas, which has the highest murder rate in the world Advertisement The sadistic boss of one of Venezuelas most feared kidnap gangs has revealed in harrowing detail how he stalks and seizes his victims, murders those who dont pay the ransom and has a network of corrupt officers embedded in the police. In a chilling interview in the lawless slums of western Caracas, conducted at gunpoint, the kidnap boss told how he has 'no remorse' about his reign of terror in the crisis-stricken city. 'If they dont pay up after a week,' he said. 'We dig a two-metre hole and shoot them in the face with a shotgun so nobody will be able to identify the body. They stay on the missing persons list forever. In this city, I am in charge.' Kidnapping rates in the Socialist country, which was economically ruined by Hugo Chavez, have soared since falling oil prices caused widespread food shortages and unrest. The over-stretched police force is struggling to deal with the crime wave, which has brought the country to its knees. Caracas, named the most dangerous city on earth, has the worlds highest homicide rate, with 3,946 murders alone last year in a city of almost 3.3 million people. According to police figures, 85 per cent of deaths in the city are violent. Police openly admit they cannot cope. On a motorbike patrol through one of the countrys most dangerous 'kidnap alleys', Santiago Rosas, director of El Hatillo municipal police, told MailOnline that police are now 'only able to protect nine per cent of the population'. Scroll down for video Demands: In a chilling interview, conducted at gunpoint in the lawless slums of west Caracas, the kidnap boss told how he has 'no remorse' at terrorising the crisis-stricken city. He demands ransoms of 12,000 in a country where the average monthly wage is 14 Holding the city to ransom: These are remorseless members of one of Caracas' largest gangs, carving out a fortune kidnapping the city's wealthier residents and demanding thousands of dollars for their release Motorbike patrol: Desperate police officers told how they can no longer cope with the massive crime wave sweeping through Venezuela Notorious: On a patrol of one of the countrys most dangerous kidnap alleys, Santiago Rosas, director of El Hatillo municipal police, told MailOnline: 'The situation is so dire that police are now only able to protect nine per cent of the population' Seized: As kidnap gangs take ever greater control of Caracas, El Hatillo municipal police are fighting a losing battle against crime lords Underworld: Crime is intertwined with ordinary life in Caracas, where danger lurks just beneath the surface. As MailOnline interviewed the gang boss while being held at gunpoint, people were going about their business in the brightly-painted slum DANGER ZONE: ON PATROL IN CARACAS WITH MOTORBIKE COPS When we joined a team of motorcycle police in the Oripoto slum in Central Madeirense, Caracas, the shortages were in evidence everywhere. A row of badly damaged police cars showing grenade scars and bullet holes was outside the station. Just five out of 11 police vehicles were functioning as there was 'no money to repair the damage'. There was no running water in the toilets, and much of the furniture had been improvised from planks and crates. Officers on the patrol were armed with handguns, and one wielded a shotgun. But there was no sign of the high velocity weapons or grenades that are used by the criminals. Once on patrol, the danger was also in evidence. Although the streets seemed quiet, the officers proceeded through the Oripoto slum driving one-handed with guns drawn. Three murders had taken place there in the last two weeks. We sped through the narrow alleyways of the slum, regularly apprehending young men at gunpoint. At the entrance to Avenida Tamanaco, nicknamed the corridor of death, police set up a checkpoint, forcing all male members of a bus to disembark to be frisked. The road is a prime target for kidnappers because its winding roads and proximity to the countrys main motorway make it easy to hide and escape. Four kidnaps had been reported there in the last three months, and many more go unreported. It is rare that we catch a kidnapper, said Sergeant Luis Oliveros, 35, who was leading the patrol. They know our radio frequency and have enough power to bribe our officers.' Advertisement The 23-year-old kidnap boss made sickening boasts about his ability to run rings around the police, taking advantage of a nation that is now so poor that people scavenge in rubbish dumps for food. Sitting in the shadows, his face covered by a mask, he said: I have no remorse because the people we kidnap have plenty of money. Usually we get a tip-off from somebody with a grudge, telling us that someone they know has money and what their movements are. We know a lot of private bodyguards, and when they feel they are not being paid enough they give us the information we need to kidnap their rich employer, and we give them a cut.' It is possible that the 'boss' was exaggerating his activities. But Santiago Rosas, director of El Hatillo municipal police, said that the gangs emphasis on intelligence and ability to hold victims for long periods indicates it is one of the biggest crime rings in Caracas. The vast majority of kidnaps are carried out by smalltime operators, he said. These opportunistic snatches do not last longer than 24 hours, so are known as 'express' kidnaps. The boss claims of having 300 gang members are probably inflated, the officer said but even if he only has 150, thats the size of a municipal police force. The situation is so dire that police are now only able to protect nine per cent of the population, Rosas said. According to police figures, 85 per cent of all deaths in the city are due to violence, and there were 5,000 homicides in the capital last year. Ransom prices have soared since the start of the economic collapse, in a country where the average wage is 14 a month. The gangs first kidnap, carried out five years ago, netted a ransom of 117. These days, they charge at least 11,700. The gang, which has been described as the kings of the city, apparently has stooges and informants from all walks of life, including in the military and police. According to Transparency International, Venezuela is the ninth-most corrupt country in the world. There is a lot of competition in the kidnap business. A lot of cops do it too,' said the gang boss. 'There are two types of cops. There are clever ones who know that having us as enemies is not smart, and there are stupid ones who get grenades through their windows. The clever ones give us high-velocity weapons, bullets, body armour. We have people working for us in the municipal police, national police and the army, and they make sure we are well-equipped. Our weaponry is far better than the police. We have four houses in this area which are arsenals for our guns and explosives. As your car was approaching, I had people training sniper rifles on you. This was grimly familiar to the El Hatillo police, where 41 officers have been suspended over two years in a crackdown on corruption, found guilty of kidnapping, robbery and homicide. 'The situation is exactly as he said, definitely,' said Rosas. 'They have the best weapons. We hope we don't have too many "clever" cops in our municipality, but it's dangerous to be an honest cop.' Two years ago, an audit of the El Hatillo arsenal found that 20 guns and 1,000 bullets were unaccounted for, and it was assumed that they had been passed to criminals. In a sign of how bad things have become, last year, when a woman called the police after seeing her front door open, the six officers who attended the scene robbed her home themselves. Bad job: The police officers frisking these bus passengers earn an average wage of just 11 per month, and the crumbling state of the national economy means the force is massively under funded Desperate: Police officers board a bus in one of Caracas' worst kidnap hotspots, where four people were snatched in the last two months One step ahead: It is rare that we catch a kidnapper because they are so sophisticated, said Sergeant Luis Oliveros, 35, who was leading the patrol. 'They have our radio frequencies and are powerful enough to bribe our officers' Under pressure: Just after MailOnline returned from this patrol, a firefight broke out in the area between police and local gangs Crackdown: At the entrance to Avenida Tamanaco, nicknamed the corridor of death, police set up a checkpoint, forcing all male pedestrians, motorists and motorcyclists to stop and be frisked Target: Officers on the patrol were armed with handguns, and one wielded a shotgun. But there was no sign of the high velocity weapons or grenades that are used by the criminal gangs Police have the most dangerous jobs in Venezuela, making recruitment difficult. Officers are paid just 11 a month, meaning that they are forced to live side-by-side with their enemies in the very slums that are infested with criminal gangs. In the criminal underworld, killing a policeman is said to be a pre-requisite for promotion to a more senior position in underworld gangs. In 2015, 173 police officers were murdered in the capital. This year, 64 have been killed so far, marking a relative increase of 14 per cent since the economic crisis took hold. Once I killed someone because he begged too much for his life. He didnt have any courage, so I shot him Caracas 'gang boss' Last year, one of the El Hatillo officers was ambushed at home. He was shot 14 times in the face and 12 times in the body, in front of his wife and two young children. Crime is intertwined with ordinary life in Caracas, where danger lurks just beneath the surface. As MailOnline interviewed the gang boss while being held at gunpoint, people were going about their business in the street outside and children were playing by brightly-painted slum houses. On average, the kidnappers boss claimed, his gang murders several people a month, and carries out kidnap operations weekly. They make no distinction between men, women or elderly people when it comes to kidnapping, he claimed, and will even snatch children if there is enough money to be made. They were researching a snatch which could net them 23,500, he added. Last Thursday we kidnapped a headmistress because one of her students told us that she had a lot of money,' he said. 'We demanded 12,000 in ransom and her family paid within seven hours. It went very smoothly, and was good business. The kidnap, he said, had been carried out near MailOnlines hotel in the business district of Caracas. The gang also claims to run a thriving drug trafficking business. Sometimes we kill the victims if they make us angry, he boasted, in yet another sickening rant. Once I killed someone because he begged too much for his life. He didnt have any courage, so I shot him. He even claimed to have killed up to 20 people with his own hands, but boasted that he had ordered the execution of 'hundreds' more. Killers: After telephone negotiations with the gang, MailOnline agreed to be temporarily held at gunpoint in order to carry out the interview Poverty: This is the slum where the gang operates from, in the west of Caracas. Police rarely enter as they are outnumbered and outgunned The so-called boss went on to describe in disturbing detail how the kidnaps are apparently carried out. The gang's team of spotters loiter anonymously in the street and spend weeks gathering intelligence about a wealthy person who follows a fixed daily routine, he said. Then a four-man team tracks the victims car, driving in front of them rather than behind. We already know exactly what their route is going to be, he explained. It's dangerous to be an honest cop in Caracas Santiago Rosas, director of El Hatillo municipal police Santiago Rosas, director of El Hatillo municipal police When the streets are relatively empty, they stop in front of the victims car and bundle them into their own vehicle. The empty car is then usually abandoned. When we get them here to our place in the slums, we treat them just as we treated you today, he said. We force them to keep their head down, frisk them and make them sit on metal chairs. 'Our faces are always covered. If they resist, we shoot them in the legs. We dont bother with torturing them or cutting off an ear and sending it to the family, like you see in the movies. If they dont pay or dont cooperate, we just kill them. Many of the gang members are in their teens, and some are as young as 10. Innocence: Crime is so rife in Venezuela that many children get sucked in at an early age. The boss himself started selling drugs in the street and shoplifting at the age of 13, after being mistreated at home Crackdown: Although the streets seemed quiet, the officers proceeded through the Oripoto slum driving one-handed with guns drawn. Three murders had taken place there in the last two weeks Hotspot: The road is a prime target for kidnappers because its winding roads and proximity to the countrys main motorway make it easy to hide and escape. Four kidnaps had been reported there in the last three months, and many more go unreported Everyone's vulnerable: Just last week, they kidnapped a headmistress because one of her students had a grudge against her Risky: Caracas is in the grip of a devastating crime wave that has seen gangsters take control of the city and leaving residents such as those above living in fear Weaponised: Hugo Chavez, the iconic Venezuelan ruler who died in 2013, set up hundreds of armed civilian militia ordered to take to the streets and defend his Socialist ideology in times of crisis. This made gun ownership widespread in the country As they gradually become more influential, the criminals are emboldened by what frustrated police refer to as impunity. Between 92 and 97 per cent of suspects arrested with 'smoking gun' evidence are released by a justice system riddled with corruption and cronyism, Rosas said. There is a lot of competition in the kidnap business. A lot of cops do it too Caracas gang boss 'This is Venezuelan justice,' he said. 'It is one of the biggest and deepest problems we have.' These frustrations are felt personally by the policemen on the front line. In April, his men arrested a motorcycle gangster who had shot someone to death in the district. Less than two months later, after paying a bribe, the suspect was released from prison. To make matters worse, Venezuelas prisons are run by the inmates themselves, with the authorities simply containing them inside. They are rife with guns and drugs, and act as incubators for violence. With one gun for every two people, Venezuela is the most weaponised country on Earth. And the vast majority of firearms have been handed to civilians either officially or unofficially by the authorities. Hugo Chavez, the iconic Venezuelan ruler who died in 2013, set up hundreds of armed civilian militia ordered to take to the streets and defend his Socialist ideology in times of crisis. This made gun ownership widespread in the country, and contributed towards the soaring murder rate. Rosas' police department lies in a part of Caracas run by opposition politicians, which enables him to speak freely. However, he said that the government is increasingly trying to bring independent police forces under its control. He believes that the government is largely to blame for Venezuela's security crisis. No contest: Police officers admit that the kidnap gangs have access to better weapons than they do, making law enforcement impossible Soaring crime: According to police figures, 85 per cent of all deaths in the city are violent. There were 5,000 murders in the capital last year No control: Ransom prices have soared since the start of the economic collapse, in a country where the average wage is 14 a month. The gangs first kidnap, carried out five years ago, netted a ransom of 117. These days, they charge at least 11,700 Food shortages: Police try to keep order as hundreds queue for basic foodstuffs in Caracas, where so many are in poverty that some middle class families are reduced to picking through piles of rubbish Fear: 'There are two types of cop,' the gang boss told MailOnline. 'There are clever ones who know that having us as enemies is not smart, and there are stupid ones who get grenades through their windows' Surveillance: When the streets are relatively empty, kidnappers stop in front of the victims car and bundle them into their own vehicle Hideout: The victims, who are taken from affluent parts of the city, are brought into the slum, to the same place where MailOnline was taken In 2014, Rosas pointed out, the authorities sought to ease friction between the police and criminals by declaring peace zones throughout the country where police were not allowed to enter. After that, local gangs allied themselves into 'mega-gangs' and seized complete control of areas ranging from a few blocks to the size of a small city. In this city, I am in charge Caracas gang boss In Caracas alone, there are four 'peace zones' spanning six square miles. Officers are allowed in only to collect bodies. 'It was obvious that would happen,' he told MailOnline. 'It was a crazy decision in a country of crazy decisions.' Crime is so rife in Venezuela that many children get sucked in at an early age. The boss himself said he started selling drugs in the street and shoplifting at the age of 13, after being mistreated at home. He graduated to car theft, armed robbery and murder before using the money he had made to recruit other thugs and start his own gang. His first kill, he claimed, was a man who tried to stop him robbing a shop. I shot him in the stomach with a .38 revolver and later I found out that he died, he said. I felt angry with him and scared of the police, but I knew he deserved it. He was bigger than me, he shouldnt have tried to stop me. These days, he said, he makes little effort to clean up a crime scene because he knows the police wont investigate him anyway. It makes me feel great. I am powerful, I am better than the other people who work for 14 a month, he said. I have earned respect by being smart and being brutal. If anyone crosses me I kill them in front of everyone so they know that in this city, I am in charge.' Desperate: Pedro Perres, 29, an officer in the national polices anti-kidnapping unit, admitted what the gang says was true - but police are unable to stop their violent rampage through the streets because they don't have the resources Polygamous sect leader Lyle Jeffs has fled home confinement in Salt Lake City less than two weeks after he was let out of jail pending trial on charges in a multimillion-dollar food stamp fraud scheme. A warrant for Lyle's arrest was issued on Sunday afternoon after he took off sometime over the weekend, authorities said. U.S. Attorney's Office spokeswoman Melodie Rydalch said authorities aren't releasing details about how Lyle, the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints sect, got loose. He is the brother of the sect's highest leader Warren Jeffs, who followers believe is God's prophet. The 60-year-old is serving a life sentence in Texas after being convicted of sexually assaulting girls he considered his brides. U.S. District Judge Ted Stewart released Lyle from jail on June 9 after several previous requests were denied, but ordered him to stay in Salt Lake City, more than 300 miles from his community on the Utah-Arizona border. Scroll down for video Polygamous sect leader Lyle Jeffs (above) has fled home confinement in Salt Lake City less than two weeks after he was let out of jail pending trial on charges in a multimillion-dollar food stamp fraud scheme Lyle, 56, was ordered to wear a GPS monitor and stay in a Salt Lake County house, except for going to work, doctor's appointments and court hearings. He was also required to give up his passport. In granting his release, Stewart said the other 10 defendants in the fraud case who have been let out of jail have complied with the court's conditions. Stewart also acknowledged that his jail time would be longer than expected with the trial being pushed back to October. Prosecutors objected to his release, calling Lyle a flight risk. They also warned that witnesses would clam up out of fear of reprisal from Lyle, who runs day-to-day operations in the community who live in the towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Arizona. In April, Stewart sided with prosecutors in denying Lyle's release. The judge wrote in that ruling that he couldn't be trusted to adhere to conditions of release because of his loyalty to his brother, plus a history of evading law enforcement by using aliases and concealing his whereabouts. U.S. District Judge Ted Stewart released Lyle Jeffs (pictured leaving a Salt Lake City courthouse in January last year) from jail on June 9 after several previous requests were denied Lyle Jeffs (above) was ordered to wear a GPS monitor and stay in a Salt Lake County house, except for going to work, doctor's appointments and court hearings. He was also required to give up his passport Stewart wrote that Lyle travels with armed guards who are 'willing to take extreme efforts to protect him'. Stewart didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. His attorney, Kathryn Nester, was not immediately available for comment. She argued at the June 9 hearing that her client's constitutional rights would have been violated if he was jailed until trial. The FBI, which is leading the effort to find the fugitive, asked the public to report any leads or information about where the 56-year-old man could be. Sam Brower, a private investigator who has researched the church for years, received a phone call from authorities on Monday morning asking to get the word out and report any leads about Lyle's whereabouts. Brower said he thinks he may still be in the region and catchable. Brower said this proves that prosecutors were right when they called him was a flight risk. 'Why the court would ever think the guy in charge of this criminal organization would not run is beyond me,' Brower said. 'The world needs to stop thinking about them as a religious group.' News of his flight sparked outrage among many former FLDS members, the Salt Lake Tribune reports. The sect's highest leader Warren Jeffs (above, in court in 2006) is serving a life sentence in Texas after being convicted of sexually assaulting girls he considered his brides The sect, known as the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is a radical offshoot of mainstream Mormonism, which disavowed polygamy more than 100 years ago Wallace Jeffs, one of Lyle's half brothers, told the Tribune: 'Blame the judge for this. Everybody knew that he was going to do this. Everybody.' He added that he fears Lyle would never be captured and has probably already fled to Mexico or South America, where he reportedly owns a ranch. But Lyle's 23-year-old son Matthew thinks his father will be captured. 'It's a matter of time,' he said. 'He's not going to be able to run forever.' Lyle was arrested and indicted in February on charges of diverting at least $12 million worth of federal benefits. FBI investigators fitted secret cameras on poles outside of a dairy store in Colorado City, Arizona, for a year, placed another inside the store for 40 days and also flew planes over the store. Authorities watched as people made bulk purchases at the Meadowdayne Dairy Store and took the items to a community storehouse instead of their homes. Prosecutors say sect leaders had instructed followers to buy items with their food stamp cards and give them to a church warehouse where leaders decided how to distribute products to followers. They say food stamps were also cashed at sect-owned stores without the users getting anything in return. The money was then diverted to front companies and used to pay thousands for a tractor, truck and other items, prosecutors say. All the defendants have pleaded not guilty to fraud and money laundering charges. Members of the sect, known as the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, believe polygamy brings exaltation in heaven. An 87-year-old woman can check one thing off her bucket list - skydiving. Janis Lefebre's children bought her the skydiving package from Jumptown, a skydiving center based in Orange, Massachusetts after learning that jumping out of a plane was something she always wanted to do. A crowd of family and friends gathered on Sunday to cheer on Lefebre's descent from 13,500 feet. 'Its just fun watching everyone be nervous for me,' she told The Recorder. Scroll down for video Skydiving instructor Dan Aukstikalnis gets adventuresome grandma Janice Lefebre ready for her big jump Lefebre and her instructor give the thumbs up sign as they get ready to head up into the air A crowd of friends and family came to cheer on the brave grandma on her first jump Me, nervous? Lefebre and her instructor smile for the camera before the big plunge Ready? Instructor Aukstikalnis gets the grandmother ready for her big jump by edging her to the door Her family, including three children and her 19-year-old grandson, who called her 'the coolest grandmother ever' stood nervously watching the sky as it began to rain with jumpers. 'Shes saying Hail Marys up there, you know it,' daughter Robbin Terault of Montague told the outlet. 'She will not go this far and not jump.' Soon, they spotted Lefebre in her jump outfit and her red and white striped parachute. The spirited grandmother was strapped to her instructor, Dan Aukstikalnis from Jumptown Skydiving. The pair tumble from the door and are airborne Smile! It was the perfect day for jumping with few clouds and clear blue skies Smooth sailing: The jump went perfectly and soon adventurous Lefebre and her guide were coming back to earth Landing! The daredevil grandma and her instructor land softly on the ground to her family's relief Thumbs up! The dynamic duo had a 'perfect' jump and Lefebre says she wouldn't hesitate to do it again 'Way to go, ma,' said her son Mark Lefebre as she floated to a safe landing with a big smile on her face. Lefebre said her first try was 'perfect' and she wouldn't hesitate to go up again for a second. 'Its almost like you want to go up again and see the sights,' she said. Lefebre's family members think Lefebre might go running with the bulls in Spain or ride in a race car for her next birthday. A divided Senate blocked rival election-year plans to curb guns on Monday, eight days after the horror of Orlando's mass shooting intensified pressure on lawmakers to act but knotted them in gridlock anyway even over restricting firearms for terrorists. In largely party-line votes, rejected were one proposal from each side to keep extremists from acquiring guns and another shoring up the government's existing system of required background checks for many firearms purchases. With the chamber's visitors' galleries unusually crowded for a Monday evening including people wearing orange T-shirts saying #ENOUGH gun violence each measure fell short of the 60 votes needed to progress. Democrats called the GOP proposals unacceptably weak while Republicans said the Democratic plans were overly restrictive. Scroll down for video Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., left, and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, arrive for a vote on Capitol Hill, Monday, June 20, 2016, in Washington California Senator Dianne Feinstein offered a proposal to block gun sales to those on the federal terror watch list The gun control effort was prompted by suspect Omar Mateen's rampage inside an Orlando nightclub The stalemate underscored the pressure on each party to give little ground on the emotional gun issue going into November's presidential and congressional elections. It also highlighted the potency of the National Rifle Association, which urged its huge and fiercely loyal membership to lobby senators to oppose the Democratic bills. 'Republicans say, 'Hey look, we tried,'' said Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. 'And all the time, their cheerleaders, the bosses at the NRA, are cheering them.' Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the Orlando shootings in which the FBI says the American-born gunman swore allegiance to a leader of the Islamic State group show the best way to prevent attacks by extremists is to defeat such groups overseas. Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins is trying to work out a last-minute compromise 'Look, no one wants terrorists to be able to buy guns or explosives,' McConnell said. He suggested that Democrats were using the day's votes 'as an opportunity to push a partisan agenda or craft the next 30-second campaign ad,' while Republicans wanted 'real solutions.' That Monday's four roll-call votes occurred at all was testament to the political currents buffeting lawmakers after gunman Omar Mateen's June 12 attack on a gay nightclub. The 49 victims who died made it the largest mass shooting in recent U.S. history, topping the string of such incidents that have punctuated recent years. The FBI said Matteen a focus of two terror investigations that were dropped described himself as an Islamic soldier in a 911 call during the shootings. That let gun control advocates add national security and the specter of terrorism to their arguments for firearms curbs, while relatives of victims of past mass shootings and others visiting lawmakers and watching debate from the visitors' galleries. GOP senators facing re-election this fall from swing states were under extraordinary pressure. Republican senator Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire voted with Democrats on a bill to deny gun purchases for people on a terror watch list Former representative Gabby Giffords, who was gravely wounded in a 2011 mass shooting, called for Congress to act in advance of the votes Monday Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut led a filibuster last week to force consideration of gun control One, Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., voted Monday for the Democratic measure to block gun sales to terrorists, a switch from when she joined most Republicans in killing a similar plan last December. She said that vote plus her support for a rival GOP measure would help move lawmakers toward approving a narrower bipartisan plan, like one being crafted by Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. Monday's votes came after Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., led a near 15-hour filibuster last week demanding a Senate response to the Orlando killings. Murphy entered the Senate shortly after the December 2012 massacre of 20 first-graders and six educators in Newtown, Connecticut, but that slaughter and others have failed to spur Congress to tighten gun curbs. The last were enacted in 2007, when the background check system was strengthened after that year's mass shooting at Virginia Tech. With Mateen's self-professed loyalty to extremist groups and his 10-month inclusion on a federal terrorism watch list, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., proposed letting the government block many gun sales to known or suspected terrorists. People buying firearms from federally licensed gun dealers can currently be denied for several reasons, chiefly for serious crimes or mental problems, but there is no specific prohibition for those on the terrorist watch list. Senator John Cornyn of Texas has a proposal to let the feds deny a gun sale to a known or suspected terrorist but only if prosecutors could convince a judge within three days that the buyer was involved in terrorism AR-15 semiautomatic guns on display for sale in Springville, Utah That list currently contains around 1 million people including fewer than 5,000 Americans or legal permanent residents, according to the latest government figures. No background checks are required for anyone buying guns privately online or at gun shows. The GOP response to Feinstein was an NRA-backed plan by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. It would let the government deny a sale to a known or suspected terrorist but only if prosecutors could convince a judge within three days that the would-be buyer was involved in terrorism. The Feinstein and Cornyn amendments would require notification of law enforcement officials if people, like Mateen, who'd been under a terrorism investigation within the past five years were seeking to buy firearms. Republicans said Feinstein's proposal gave the government too much unfettered power to deny people's constitutional right to own a gun. They also noted that the terrorist watch list has historically mistakenly included people. Democrats said the three-day window that Cornyn's measure gave prosecutors to prove their case made his plan ineffective. The Senate rejected similar plans Feinstein and Cornyn proposed last December, a day after an attack in San Bernardino, California, killed 14 people. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa., right, walks towards the Senate on Capitol Hill, Monday, June 20, 2016 in Washington Murphy's rejected proposal would widely expand the requirement for background checks, even to many private gun transactions, leaving few loopholes. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, defeated plan increased money for the background check system. Like Murphy's measure, it prodded states to send more records to the FBI, which operates the background check system, of felons and others barred from buying guns. Grassley's proposal also revamped language prohibiting some people with mental health issues from buying a gun. Democrats claimed that language would roll back current protections. Monday's votes were 53-47 for Grassley's plan, 44-56 for Murphy's, 53-47 for Cornyn's and 47-53 for Feinstein's all short of the 60 needed. An abandoned and paint splattered horse adopted by Jon Stewart and his wife has died at their New Jersey farm. The white mare named Lily was euthanized Sunday after falling and breaking a bone in its neck at their Middletown farm, Tracey Stewart said. Stewart, who bought the horse at auction in Pennsylvania, added: 'When we knew there was nothing more we could do for her we covered her in kisses and kind words and said our goodbyes. 'Our hearts are aching we had so many more fun plans for her. She was beyond special and beyond loved.' Scroll down for video The white mare named Lily, who was adopted by the Stewarts after she was found seemingly abandoned, was euthanized Sunday after falling and breaking a bone in its neck at their Middletown farm. Pictured: Tracey Stewart with Lily Showered with hugs: The Stewarts tried to give Lily the best quality of life they good and gave her 'massages, baths and lots and lots of hugs'. Pictured: Tracey Stewart kneels beside Lil The Stewarts adopted the Appaloosa/Arabian mix last month after it was found in March at an auction stable in New Holland, Pennsylvania. She was covered in bruises and splotches of paint, was emaciated and had a badly damaged eye The abused-horse tale soon became a cause celebre, but the animal's previous owner said the story relayed by the Lancaster County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals that it was shot by paintballs was wrong. Doreen Weston, who owns Smoke Hollow Farm in Pittstown, New Jersey, said the horse was about 35 years old and was acquired in the late 1990s. She said the animal was actually used as a canvas at children's finger-painting parties. Weston said she wanted the horse euthanized because its quality of life was so poor. She said she contacted a horse dealer to take it in February and assumed the dealer would euthanize the horse but didn't tell him to. Emaciated: Lily (pictured) was found in New Holland, Pennsylvania, in March, bruised and emaciated and covered in paintball paint Rescuers: Jon Stewart and wife Tracey (pictured), who own an animal sanctuary in New Jersey, adopted Lily She was rehabilitated through the care of veterinarians at New Bolton Center in Pennsylvania and her damaged eye was removed. She was then adopted by the Stewarts. The dealer, Phillip Price, of East Providence, Rhode Island, was convicted last month in New Holland of animal cruelty and other charges related to transporting a horse in poor condition. Following an hour-long trial in New Holland, Price was ordered to pay $3,056 in fines and $10,178 in restitution for Lily's recovery-care costs, according to Penn Live. He is also banned doing from doing business at the New Holland auction. The 65-year-old is now on probation in Rhode Island after pleading no contest to animal cruelty in July, court records show. Weston said that she was sad to hear that the horse died and thanked the Stewarts for trying to help her. 'She had a lot of issues. Her physical condition was deteriorating rapidly. I did everything I could to try to get her better,' Weston said. 'She wasn't well, she hadn't been well for a while. ... They tried to make her have more quality of life and I'm sure she did, for a month or so.' Tracey Stewart said that Lily enjoyed her time at the farm munching on grass and got 'massages, baths and lots and lots of hugs.' Stewart said the animal slept in her barn listening to soft music and that the horse's favorite Pandora channel was Ray Lamontagne. The dealer, Phillip Price, (left) was convicted last month in New Holland of animal cruelty. Damaged: Lily's eye was so damaged she had to have it surgically removed A judge set bail at $1.5million Monday for a religious sect leader who's charged with sexually abusing girls at a secluded compound in rural Minnesota. Victor Barnard, 54, who it's said claimed he was 'Christ in the flesh', made his first state court appearance since his extradition from Brazil. U.S. marshals delivered him to the Pine County Jail on Saturday. Pine County prosecutors charged Barnard in April 2014 with 59 counts of criminal sexual conduct for allegedly having sexual relationships with two girls in his 'Maidens Group' at his River Road Fellowship compound near Finlayson, about 90 miles north of Minneapolis. Scroll down for video This June 18, 2016, booking photo provided by the Pine County Jail in Minnesota shows Victor Barnard. On Monday, June 20, 2016, a judge set bail for Barnard, a religious sect leader who is charged with sexually abusing girls at a secluded compound in rural Minnesota The U.S. Marshals Service put him on its most wanted fugitives list and authorities finally caught up with him in a Brazilian resort town in February 2015. Brazilian authorities said he had arrived in Brazil in March 2012. Barnard looked haggard, thin and pale during the brief hearing as attorneys argued over the conditions of his bail. Pine County Attorney Reese Frederickson argued for bail as high as $7million, saying he'd received reports that Barnard's remaining followers were liquidating assets to try to free him. He said Barnard remains a flight risk. But defense attorney Dave Risk said his client had already spent more than a year in prison in Brazil and had agreed to extradition. He said the prison stay 'took quite a toll on him. . His health has diminished significantly as a result'. Pine County prosecutors charged Barnard (pictured) in April 2014 with 59 counts of criminal sexual conduct for allegedly having sexual relationships with two girls in his 'Maidens Group' at his compound near Finlayson Judge James Router set bail at $1.5 million with conditions including Barnard's having no contact with the two women he allegedly abused starting when they were girls, surrendering his passport and being monitored by GPS. Barnard could also go free with no conditions if he posts $3million. According to the criminal complaint, the two women told investigators they were among about 10 girls and young women who were chosen to live apart from their families in what was called the Shepherd's Camp. One, Lindsay Tornambe, alleged Barnard started abusing her when she was 13, continuing until she was 22. The other, Jess Schweiss, said she was abused between ages 12 and 20. The pair said that Barnard claimed he was 'Christ in the flesh'. The Maidens were first-born daughters handed over to Bernard and allegedly forced to have sex with him anywhere between once and five times a month over a decade. He said that Jesus and King Solomon had many women followers, so 'God's word' meant that it was normal for him to have sex with them, the girls claimed. 'I still had a conscience, I knew it was wrong,' Schweiss, who marked every sexual encounter with Barnard with an 'x' on a calendar, told Fox in a 2014 interview. Her father told authorities that he 'felt pressured to not say anything' about the sexual activity, according to the criminal complaint. The Maidens were first-born daughters handed over to Bernard and allegedly forced to have sex with him anywhere between once and five times a month over a decade Schweiss has now cut her parents out of her life. 'I don't look at them as my parents anymore,' she said. 'They weren't the parents I wanted or needed. My parents, the people I grew up with as a child, don't exist anymore.' Speaking with the Star Tribune in 2014, Tornambe said she still remembers sitting in the congregation with her parents in 2000 when she was called by Bernard to a 'position of honor'. After her parents dutifully left her at his ranch, she said Bernard began talking to her about sex and grew angry when she said she did not understand the terms he was using. He had sex with her anyway and urged her not to tell anyone, she said. She added that her parents rarely came to visit, even though they lived just five miles away. She left his cabin when she was 15 but after her parents berated her with their disappointment and Bernard spoke to her about damnation, she reluctantly returned. 'I was really scared, and I didnt know what receiving damnation from God would be like,' she said. 'I ended up just staying.' But a few years later, she left permanently and went to live with her parents, who had moved to Pennsylvania. They still placed Bernard's photographs around their home. When she told her parents about the abuse, her mother 'did not want to hear it', the criminal complaint notes. Shunned: Weiss said that her parents, pictured, dismissed her claims that she had been sexually assaulted Tornambe eventually became a nanny, but when she heard cousins happily talking about their lives at a New Year's party in 2012, she realized Bernard had robbed her of hers and she called police. Likewise, Schweiss split from the group and moved to Wisconsin in September 2009, but she said she attempted suicide in 2011. When her brother confronted her, she told him about the abuse. 'I feel bad in one sense that I am taking Victor's life away from him by putting him behind bars, but then again, he took my life away from me, which I should have had,' she said. 'So, I feel that - for lack of better words - I think I'm even.' Tornambe adeed: 'I definitely don't want Victor hurting anyone else.' Investigators have said Barnard used religious coercion and intimidation to maintain his control over them. They've also said they believe Barnard abused other girls but were unable to get others to come forward. He was mocked on social media for his performance in a Liberal Party campaign commercial, with users picking over every detail - from his gold armband to his silver watch. But Daily Mail Australia can exclusively reveal the 'Fake Tradie' is the real deal: a ute-driving metalworker and former electrical supervisor who lives in a modest red-brick house on a main road in Sydney's Lane Cove. Speaking outside his home on his way to work on Tuesday morning, Andrew MacRae, 50, insisted he was a tradesperson - even showing his NSW government contractor's licence to prove the point. Scroll down for video The man who featured in the Liberal party ad wearing high-vis is Andrew MacRae (right) a ute-driving metalworker and former electrical supervisor, who spoke to Daily Mail Australia's Daniel Piotrowski Speaking outside his home on his way to work on Tuesday morning, Andrew MacRae insisted he was a tradesperson - even showing his NSW government contractor's licence to prove the point Mr MacRae said his friends thought the whole thing was 'hilarious'. 'They're all laughing,' he said out the window of his utility vehicle, chuckling good-naturedly. Friend Domenico Coviello said Mr MacRae was a Liberal supporter as expected: 'He's definitely betting for the Blues on the Liberal side. 'He's a real tradie - he'd be a fitter-turner [metalworker] but he's an all rounder. He's a good bloke.' Mr Coviello agreed the advertisement did look fake. 'He does something in the voice and they've dressed him up - he doesn't normally dress like that. 'It looks very fake - it's a TV shoot you know, it's not a real site situation'. Mr MacRae said his friends thought the whole thing was 'hilarious'. 'They're all laughing,' he said out the window of his utility vehicle, chuckling good-naturedly Mr MacRae's friend Domenico Coviello said he had 'no idea' if the 50-year-old owned an investment property (pictured: the home he lives on Sydney's north shore) He said he had 'no idea' whether Mr MacRae owned an investment property - as was mentioned in the advertisement - but said 'I doubt it'. Mr MacRae has been the owner of a sole-trading company called 'Teamwork Maintenance' for 20 years and is a licensed metal fabricator. He finished a welding course in 2012 and in the 1990s worked as a mechanical supervisor for the condiments company, Masterfoods. In addition to working in metal by trade, Mr MacRae also has connections to the real estate industry. Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Coalition campaign for further comment. Mr MacRae's advertisement kicked off a social media frenzy on Monday, with #FakeTradie trending around the country and top union officials even falsely accusing a Sydney voiceover artist of the same name as being the man on TV. The commercial - which is widely run during prime time - features Mr MacRae dressed in a high-vis vest and clutching a mug of tea as he says Labor leader Bill Shorten wants to go to war with various groups, including miners, the bank and even Mr MacRae himself. 'Bill Shorten even wants to go to war with me. Someone who just wants to get ahead through an investment property. 'I reckon we should just stick it through, and stick with the current mob for a while.' Mr MacRae has owned a sole-trading company called 'Teamwork Maintenance' for about 20 years and is a licensed metal fabricator Friend Domenico Coviello (left) said Mr MacRae (right) was a Liberal supporter as expected: 'He's definitely betting for the Blues on the Liberal side' The Liberal party advertisement was aired on Sunday night and began trending for assumptions it featured a 'fake tradie' Mr MacRae declined to answer further questions, saying he had signed an agreement with the New South Wales Liberal Party. 'I've signed a contract not to talk to the media', he said, before driving off from the home where he lives with a housemate. A neighbour said they believed the property is a rental. A Liberal Party spokesman had insisted Mr MacRae was a 'real tradie' after '#FakeTradie' went viral earlier this week. The Sydney voiceover artist with the same name told Daily Mail Australia on Monday he'd had a 'very sleepless night' over the confusion. 'It's a case of mistaken identity,' Mr MacRae said. 'Did I do something when I was in a coma?' Many viewers pulled apart the advertisement, accusing the 'fake tradie' of wearing a $7,250 TAG Heuer watch and claiming he breached safety regulations by wearing a silver bracelet onsite. The advertisement was widely mocked on Monday, with satirical Twitter accounts and memes flooding the internet. When he arrived home from work on Tuesday evening, the tradesman thanked media members outside his house 'for coming to meet the real 'fake tradie''. He also explained how he ended up in the Liberal Party commercial, explaining he had done some work at the advertising agency behind the commercial The advertisement was widely mocked on social media, with #FakeTradie trending on Twitter on Monday The advertisement was widely mocked on Twitter. 'He just wants a fair go dinki di VB shannon noll BBQ crack at negatively gearing his 5th home,' a union wrote A satirical 'Fake Tradie' Twitter account was created on Sunday night to mock the advertisement 'Time for smoko. Popping over to the shopes to pick up a meat pie, a chocolate milk, and a couple of investment properties,' @FakeTradie wrote Viewers had accused the man of being a 'fake tradie' and claimed he was wearing a $7,250 TAG Heuer watch Sydney voiceover artist Andrew MacRae (pictured) had been wrongly accused of being the 'fake tradie' A union for Australian manufacturing workers said they 'think we have found #faketradie' Mr MacRae wrote on Twitter on Monday: 'Dear all, It's not me. I'm not in the ad. I didn't voice the ad. I had nothing to do with the ad' Couple never married but were together for 'years' and have two sons A $100million 'divorce' has taken another dramatic turn after a lawyer who was representing the wife switched jobs to join the husband's firm. The couple, who have never been married but had a lengthy relationship, are fighting over $100million in property and the custody of their seven-year-old son. The lawyer, known as Ms K, began working with the wife last January but handed in her resignation to the Western Australia firm in February this year, joining the husband's firm six days later. Fearing she may share 'deeply personal' information about her case, the wife unsuccessfully petitioned the court to force her former partner to find new legal representation A lawyer in a $100million 'divorce' switched jobs to work for the husband's legal team a year after her firm took on his former partner's case While the couple have never been married, they share two sons and were in a relationship for 'many years'. They are fighting over the division of a $100million property portfolio and the care of their younger child. When Ms K left the wife's law firm to join that which represents her former partner, the wife appealed to the court to force her former partner to find new representation. She told Judge John Walters Ms K knew her 'emotional state and personality' and could help her former partner in his case against her after reviewing mountains of paperwork. '[Ms K] has had access to my files and been privy to discussions which contain confidential information provided by me to my solicitors and advice given by my solicitors to me,' she said. 'As child related issues are now in dispute, I am concerned that having met and interacted with me, [Ms K] may also have knowledge of my emotional state.' While Ms K was not her primary point of contact at the firm, she worked alongside the lawyer (Mr T) who was in charge of her case and reviewed documents relating to proceedings including 47 lever arch files. Between April 2015 and February 2016 she was present for conversations about the man's $100million property portfolio, court documents revealed. 'Ms K was present when discussions about the property aspect of the family law dispute took place "between all the lawyers in", and that they "included confidential information". 'Similarly, Mr D says that he and other employees of Law Firm B (including Ms K) have discussed matters relating to "the emotional state and personality" of the wife,' Judge Walters's decision read. The lawyer denied knowing the wife or her personality in great detail, insisting any interaction they had did not go beyond 'a polite greeting'. Judge Walters dismissed her application to force her husband to find new representation on the grounds that he does not deal with the lawyer in future proceedings. In another case, the couple separated in 2014 and divorced the following year but are still fighting over child support and property 'The evidence falls short of demonstrating that this work involved more than strictly clerical duties on Ms K's part. 'Ms K was a member of the "team" at Law Firm B tasked with representing the wife. I am not satisfied, however, that the information that came into her possession in the performance of that role was confidential information.' He dismissed the wife's application on June 10. Their financial dispute continues. It is the second case in the same week involving disputes over the movement of lawyers between parties in divorce or de facto relationship proceedings. On the same day as he dismissed the wife in the $100million case, Judge Walters enforced an application made by a man who argued his confidential information was at risk because a lawyer at his lawyers' firm had moved to that of his estranged wife. The lawyer, identified in court documents only as Mr W, had been working for firm the husband was using for 15 years before taking up his new job in March. He had worked on the man's case for weeks and was briefed 'at length' about the estranged couple's relationship before switching jobs, the court heard. Lawyers involved refused to confirm the amount on Tuesday, telling Daily Mail Australia it was 'not relevant' however documents showed the woman had already spent $300,000 on proceedings. The couple were married for 14 years before separating in 2014. They divorced the following year but are still in disagreement over 'financial contributions' and child support. In March the lawyer, who had been working at the firm the husband hired for 15 years, switched to a job at the company the wife was using. A judge at Western Australia Family Court (above) ruled that the woman in the second case could not use the same law firm The move came within weeks of meetings he was involved in that discussed the husband's side of the case. At one meeting, the husband said he told the lawyer 'at length' about his 'financial and emotional relationship' with his former wife. He considered the lawyer's move to the opposing firm in March as him 'changing sides', court documents revealed. 'The husband perceives that Mr W has effectively "changed sides"...he says that he told Mr W "at length" about his financial and emotional relationship with the wife.' While the lawyer admitted meeting with the man twice, he said he couldn't remember ever discussing their emotional life. Instead he said he provided 'general' advice to the man and that despite having a paralegal draw up chronologies of their assets and liabilities, he did not know detailed information of their dispute. '[The husband] asked me about what I thought should be the parameters for his proposal,' the lawyer said. 'I explained to him that I had only become involved in the matter recently and that I had not read the file (meaning I had not read the advice to him) and so I was not in a position to be able to express a view about what the appropriate outcome would be. Despite his claims, the wife was told to find other representation by Judge John Walters in his decision. 'Legal practitioners can often learn a great deal about a client's personality, weaknesses or strengths, honesty (or perhaps dishonesty), fears and reactions (including reactions to pressure or tension). 'I am satisfied that there is a real risk of confidential information being disclosed,' he said. You may be surprised to read that I believe the Prime Minister has done everything in his power to control immigration. The problem is that as the leader of an EU member state, he doesnt have enough power to control immigration. That goes to the heart not just of the migration debate, but of this entire referendum campaign and the decision we need to make as a nation in two days time. In all the years I worked as an adviser to David Cameron, he expressed a very clear point of view about immigration, one that I share. We believe that immigration has enriched this countrys economy and society. As the son of immigrant parents, I feel this particularly strongly; I will forever be grateful to this country for the incredible opportunities it has given me. Steve Hilton working with the Prime Minister in the Cabinet room of Number 10 Downing Street, when he was employed as an aide to David Cameron And now, as an immigrant myself to another country that prides itself on its open, inclusive character, the United States I am doubly grateful for the fact that we live in a world where people can move freely and put down roots in places far from where they were born. On many occasions, in public and private, I heard David Cameron set out his belief that precisely to protect this proud British heritage of welcoming people to our shores, immigration had to be controlled. He spoke approvingly of the fact that in the Eighties, Margaret Thatchers governments got the balance right on immigration, and that this contributed to the important and unequivocally positive fact that no party of the extreme Right ever managed to win significant support for a xenophobic anti-immigrant agenda. He deplored the fact that subsequent Labour governments lost control of immigration, and was determined to get a grip. In office, I saw at first hand how seriously he took this responsibility. He had announced a clear commitment to reduce the overall level of immigration to the tens of thousands annually and understood very well that the public would rightly hold him to account for such a clear promise. Immigration, alongside the threat of Islamic terrorism, was one of the policy areas that, in my observation, most occupied his time and focus. If anything, there were times when I wished he would focus more on other priorities; things that were perhaps closer to my heart. David Cameron, who was told four years ago his immigration target was 'impossible' while Britain was in the EU But as the elected Prime Minister, he rightly got to call the shots. At the time, one of the main ways we assessed the success of our most important policies was through stock take meetings. These involved ministers and civil servants responsible for a particular policy coming to No 10 for a long session, chaired by the Prime Minister, during which we could really get stuck into the details of how a particular reform was going. I remember the meetings on immigration towards the end of my time in Downing Street. Everyone around the table, in some way or another, was working hard to try to deliver the governments commitment. We were presented with analysis of the numbers of people coming to Britain through various routes, the impact of policy changes we had already made, and projections stretching into the future. The news was not good. We were way off target; indeed, the numbers were going in the wrong direction. We explored various policy options and Im sure that process continued after I left the government in May 2012. But I recall very clearly one of the points that was made to us by the expert officials in the room. We were told, directly and explicitly, that it was impossible for the government to meet its immigration target as long as we remained members of the EU, which, of course, insists on the free movement of people within it. Now let me make one thing clear. The Remain campaign and its supporters say that leaving the EU will not on its own solve our immigration problems, and they are right about that. Leaving the EU is not a silver bullet. But, as we were advised in government, it is impossible for the tens of thousands target to be met unless we leave or negotiate an end to, or exception from, the free movement rules, which is an option Brussels has always refused to countenance. In my view, the target itself is set at the wrong level. I would actually like to see more entrepreneurs, engineers, computer scientists as well as those in genuine need of refuge welcomed to Britain. I think that would help boost our economy and strengthen, not weaken, our society. Others might take a different view: you could judge the Prime Ministers target to be about right. Or too high. Thats what elections are for, to debate things like that. But the point is, whatever the policy, whatever people vote for, its not unreasonable to expect that the Prime Minister of the day is able to deliver it. That is simply not possible in the current, unreformed and in my view unreformable EU. Mr Hilton says the problem is that as the leader of an EU member state, Mr Cameron doesnt have enough power to control immigration You dont need to sit in a stock take meeting at No 10 Downing Street to see the obvious truth: our immigration system is completely broken, and as long as were in the EU, our elected governments are powerless to fix it. Here are the ways in which this is a disaster. Its an economic disaster because it means we have to clamp down on immigration that could benefit our economy (skilled labour) in favour of immigration from the EU that often doesnt (unskilled labour). I remember fighting endless battles with the Home Secretary Theresa May simply to get her agreement to the introduction of an Entrepreneur Visa that would allow people from overseas with real potential to start their businesses here. It happened in the end, but only after massive internal opposition and watering down. More broadly, almost every day in government we heard complaints about incredible individuals, whom we ought to have welcomed with a red carpet, being harassed and treated like second-class citizens by our immigration authorities. Such people included Nobel Prize-winning scientists from Russia, some of our biggest investors from India, or even high-spending shoppers from China. The Prime Ministers ex-closest aide Steve Hilton, pictured, who attended the meetings with senior Whitehall officials in 2012, said Cameron was warned against the target by civil servants Our broken immigration system is a social disaster because the decency and tolerance of the British people, virtues that our politicians so love to talk about when it suits them, are mocked when they see their local communities and public services overwhelmed by sudden and unplanned-for arrivals of people in large numbers the kind of dramatic changes which, needless to say, dont affect the neighbourhoods inhabited by our insular ruling elite. And, of course, all this is a political disaster because, as Michael Gove and Boris Johnson have said, when politicians make promises they cant keep, it undermines not just faith in individual politicians but everybodys faith in the democratic process itself. In the 2015 Conservative manifesto, the Prime Minister re-affirmed his commitment to the immigration target he had been told was undeliverable. When I saw that, I assumed this was either because he was certain he could negotiate a solution within the EU, or was assuming we would leave. For the Government to continue to make the promise today, after no negotiated solution was achieved and while campaigning to stay, is, I think, what Gove and Johnson meant when they described this as corrosive of trust in politics. Mr Hilton says that as Michael Gove and Boris Johnson have said, when politicians make promises they cant keep, it undermines not just faith in individual politicians but everybodys faith in the democratic process itself Theres a broader argument here, too, because the EU debate isnt just about immigration, which is why it is so offensive for the Remain campaign to argue, as George Osborne put it, that those like me who want to leave the EU want a meaner, narrower Britain. The fact is that with areas such as the economy, the environment, our legal system which affect peoples everyday lives in Britain membership of the EU makes it impossible for the elected government to govern our country in the true sense of the word. It seems to me that here in Britain, and especially in this referendum campaign, our insular ruling elite is playing with fire. By dismissing or worse, demonising peoples desire for control over the things that matter to them, and their perfectly reasonable expectation that the government they elect should have the power to deliver its promises, the rulers are the ones stoking the anger they decry. A shocking video has shown the moment an Iraqi soldier carrying his friend to safety was gunned down by ISIS militants. Footage shows the soldier running out of a shelter with the civilian on his back after he was injured. Gunshots can be heard ringing out as the soldier runs across the road. A shocking video has shown the moment an Iraqi soldier was shot in the leg while carrying his friend The soldier is seen lifting his comrade in an effort to carry him to safety But he does not make it to safety, and is shot in the leg, sending him and his comrade tumbling to the ground. The footage then shows a tank picking the two men up. The video is believed to have been shot on Sunday. But he is shot in the leg by ISIS militants, sending him tumbling to the ground A tank later came to pick up the two injured soliders It comes after it was warned that a humanitarian disaster is feared in Fallujah as 80,000 people flee the ISIS-held Iraqi city. More than 10,000 families have fled since the operation to retake the city from ISIS was announced last month, according to the U.N. A man who was found driving with his blood alcohol content over twice the legal limit flashed a big smile in his mugshot on Saturday. Jonathan H. Premo, 32, of Rochester, New York, was pulled over on Interstate 90 for speeding and taken into custody where he had a blood alcohol content of 0.18 per cent. Premo faces a misdemeanor of aggravated driving while intoxicated. Jonathan Premo (pictured), of Rochester, New York, was pulled over on Interstate 90 for speeding and taken into custody where he had a blood alcohol content of 0.18 per cent, more than double the limit of 0.08 per cent Premo was found speeding at 11.08 on Saturday night by New York State Police. Authorities determined the 32-year-old was intoxicated, and his blood alcohol content was more than twice the legal limit of 0.08 per cent. Premo appeared to be more than a little excited when he was taken to police barracks in Henrietta for his mugshot. He was eventually released without bail to a sober acquaintance and is due in Stafford Town Court on June 28. Union baron Len McCluskey last night declared that the enlargement of the EU into Eastern Europe had been a gigantic experiment conducted at the expense of British workers. The leader of the countrys biggest union supposed to be campaigning to stay inside the EU said it had led to sustained pressure on living standards, a systematic attempt to hold down wages and to cut the costs of social provision for working people. His intervention came amid the publication of a report claiming that unskilled EU migrants cost each British family more than 200 a year. Union baron Len McCluskey, pictured, who last night declared that the enlargement of the EU into Eastern Europe had been a gigantic experiment conducted at the expense of British workers Benefit handouts, the cost of education and healthcare bills bump up the amount paid by taxpayers to almost 6.6billion a year, the report said. Mr McCluskey known as Red Len delivered a devastating verdict on the decision to allow workers from Eastern Europe into the EU from 2004. If Britain votes to stay inside the EU, the free movement of workers will continue unchecked. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, an ally of Mr McCluskey, has said this makes it impossible to put an upper limit on immigration. Writing in the Guardian, Mr McCluskey said: In the last ten years, there has been a gigantic experiment at the expense of ordinary workers. Countries with vast historical differences in wage rates and living standards have been brought together in a common labour market. CORBYN: I'M NO BRUSSELS LOVER Jeremy Corbyn admitting he is not a lover of the EU during a Sky News debate Jeremy Corbyn last night admitted he was not a lover of the EU as he struggled to explain why Britain should vote Remain. In a question-and-answer session on Sky News, the Labour leader, left, also praised Germanys open-door policy for migrants and refugees, which Angela Merkel has had to abandon. Lifelong Eurosceptic Mr Corbyn, who is backing Remain following Shadow Cabinet pressure, said he fully supported the EUs principle of free movement, which is blamed for driving many Labour voters to back Brexit. But he hit out at EU policies on trade, competition and austerity, saying he was not unconditional about Europe by any means. Mr Corbyn also criticised catastrophist warnings from the In campaign, and said he was backing Remain in the hope that the European Union would change and strengthen workers rights. He said: Im not a lover of the European Union, I think its a rational decision, we should stay in order to try and improve. And Mr Corbyn, whose lack of enthusiasm for the EU has angered party colleagues, said he would not be held responsible for a Brexit vote. Im not going to take blame for peoples decisions, he said. Advertisement The result has been sustained pressure on living standards, a systematic attempt to hold down wages and to cut costs of social provision for working people. His comments will heighten fears that working-class Labour supporters will fail to turn out on Thursday or vote for Leave. However, Mr McCluskey said he did not agree that leaving the EU would halt the supply of cheap labour coming to Britain. The group of eight independent leading economists published the paper as the EU referendum campaign entered its final days. It says the influx from Eastern Europe and elsewhere into low-skilled jobs has led to a heavier burden on communities. The organisation also cites a paper published by the Bank of England which found mass migration had driven down wages of millions of Britons. But it said that skilled migrants offered a huge economic boost. Economists For Brexit analysed the total taxation contribution of the 1.2million EU migrants in the UK considered unskilled and compared it with the cost in welfare payments and use of the NHS and education. It calculated that a family of four EU migrants, with two children at primary school and a stay-at-home mother, would pay 1,271 in tax and national insurance a year, but cost 30,496 in handouts, schools and healthcare a net cost of 29,225. Meanwhile, a single EU foreigner would rake in 2,120 a year in benefits but pay out 1,271 a net cost of 849 per annum. The think-tank, assisted by former University of Liverpool tax and benefits expert Paul Ashton, calculated single people would make up 28 per cent of the 1.2million unskilled migrants. This gave the cost of single migrants as 288.6million, while for families it was 6.28billion a total of almost 6.6billion. The cost to the taxpayer was 17.75 a month for each worker, or 213 a year. Patrick Minford, co-chairman of the think-tank and a professor of economics at Cardiff University, said: Skilled migrants offer a huge economic boost to the UK... 'However, it is clear that the UK is suffering in economic terms significantly from vast numbers of unskilled EU migrants. Leaving the EU and the single market is the only way for the UK to take back control. But Labour former shadow chancellor Chris Leslie said experts all now agree that leaving would damage the UK economy. Meanwhile, former Tory Treasury minister Peter Lilley has attacked George Osbornes analysis that the cost of leaving the EU would devastate British trade calling it indefensible statistical manipulation. Schools bulging at seams squeeze in extra classes to cop with influx By Sarah Harris Leave campaigner Priti Patel says the pressure on schools shows how uncontrolled immigration is affecting public services Tens of thousands of pupils are being squeezed into extra primary school classes amid high migration and a baby boom. Schools are being forced to provide bulge classes or permanently increase intakes due to the unprecedented pressure on places. Data issued under freedom of information laws shows that in 47 English council areas, more than 732 primary schools have added an extra or bulge class in the past five years. These one-off classes equate to an extra 21,960 pupils on school rolls. They usually start in reception and continue through the years until the pupils reach secondary age. Another 418 primary schools have permanently increased their admission total to add one or more additional forms. If the pattern is repeated across England, it would mean a total of 2,432 bulge classes, cramming more than 72,960 extra pupils into schools. It would also equate to 1,368 primaries being forced to permanently add forms. The problem has become a battleground in the EU referendum debate. Leave campaigners argue that the increased demand is fuelled by immigration and will only get worse if the UK votes to remain. The FOI figures show most bulge classes and expansions are focused in areas with high migration, including London, the South East and East of England, and the Midlands. In Essex, 86 primaries have bulge classes while Kent has 57. In Hounslow, West London, 30 schools have taken at least one new class and 24 have permanently expanded. Barnet, North London, has 51 bulge classes and Bromley, South London, has 22. In Derbyshire, 43 primaries have new classes and Lincolnshire schools have squeezed in 30. Some have doubled in size. Maney Hill in Birmingham, Mellers Primary in Nottingham, and Hogarth Primary in Brentford, West London, will go from 210-pupil primaries to 420. Leave campaigner and Tory MP Priti Patel said: The shortage of places is another example of how uncontrolled migration is putting unsustainable pressures on public services. Miss Wyatt 49, added how she feels her body is betraying her in interview Former war reporter said she's more afraid of MS than of visiting war zones Senior BBC journalist Caroline Wyatt says she is terrified by the prospect of a long, slow decline after discovering she has multiple sclerosis. The former war reporter revealed she is more afraid of a gradual worsening of her health than she was of being blown up in Iraq or Afghanistan. In a moving interview, she spoke for the first time about being scared of the future and her really sad decision to quit as religious affairs correspondent. Senior BBC journalist Caroline Wyatt says she is terrified by the prospect of a long, slow decline after discovering she has multiple sclerosis Miss Wyatt 49, said she feels her body is betraying her. She told Radio Times: I fell over in the street the other day, which was a really big shock. Neither my vision nor my balance are particularly good. She added that a bout of double vision made her realise that if I lose my sight I wont be able to do all the other things I want to do in life whether thats painting, writing dreadful poetry. 'I sat down and looked it in the face and thought, Bugger.Reporting news is often about reporting death, particularly in the places I have been. 'But its less terrifying to me to think of being blown up and dying than to think, Gosh, I might decline slowly. Miss Wyatt had symptoms of MS for years but was misdiagnosed until last July. She said: I feel really sad now because Im not going to be a correspondent full time any more I physically cant. She is to present shows on Radio 4 and the World Service. The former war reporter revealed she is more afraid of a gradual worsening of her health than she was of being blown up in Iraq or Afghanistan Hospitals are facing high demand equivalent to an endless winter and are under such strain that patients are routinely being dumped in corridors and storerooms, senior nurses have warned. Some A&E units are so unsafe that staff say they would not take their own family there as it is sheer luck whether they receive proper care. The elderly are routinely woken at 3am and made to move wards to find room for increasing numbers of sick patients, it has been claimed. Hospitals are facing high demand equivalent to an endless winter and are under such strain that patients are routinely being dumped in corridors and storerooms, senior nurses have warned The stark warnings by nurses at the Royal College of Nursings annual conference in Glasgow are further evidence that hospitals are struggling to cope with the pressures of the ageing population and migration. At the same time managers are slashing the numbers of experienced frontline staff to save money, and patients are being left in the hands of agency nurses. Janet Youd, who chairs the RCNs Emergency Care Association and is a senior nurse at Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust, West Yorkshire, said: There are some emergency departments in the UK I wouldnt feel safe sending my children or family to. If you had an emergency today, or your child, or your grandmother, you could go to an emergency department and it would be sheer luck that you had an emergency nurse there who had the right skills and right training to be able to treat you. Other nurses said the pressures that were once only experienced by hospitals in winter, during a flu outbreak, were now present all year. Tom Sandford, director of the RCNs England branch, said he was very, very concerned about the escalating crisis. Its been a feature of winter pressures in the NHS for many years but weve seen evidence during the course of 2016 that this has been something which prevails into the spring and now into the summer. Hospitals are becoming increasingly overcrowded as rising numbers of patients are arriving in A&E. Yet they are unable to discharge many elderly patients when they have recovered because social care is not set up for them at home. Some A&E units are so unsafe that staff say they would not take their own family there as it is sheer luck whether they receive proper care Karen Webb, a senior nurse and director of the RCNs Eastern regional branch, said A&E units were crammed to the rafters, with ambulances stacking up in the driveways of hospitals. Nurses said it was now routine for there to be queues of up to 20 ambulances waiting outside casualty needing to offload patients. Roisin Devlin, of the RCNs Emergency Care Network, said: Weve now got to the point where we normalise the abnormal. Its abnormal for patients to lie for huge amounts of time in trolleys, its abnormal for patients not to get out of ambulances in a timely fashion and its abnormal for nurses to leave their shifts in tears because they are so exhausted and frustrated with the care they feel they have to give. Janet Davies, chief executive and general secretary of the RCN, said: Overwhelming pressure and major incidents have sadly become the new normal in our hospitals. Units are having to be closed and operations cancelled due to the level of demand when there is no extreme weather and no major outbreaks of infectious diseases. The Leave campaign last night hit back at warnings from foreign car companies about Brexit claiming those same firms will be desperate to strike a trade deal with Britain if it quits the EU. American motor giant Ford claimed in a memo to its 14,000 UK staff that remaining in the EU would help create an even stronger business and create a more secure future for employees. Bosses of Jaguar Land Rover, Toyota, BMW and Vauxhall also said Brexit would put jobs and investment at risk. Scroll down for video David Cameron speaks to workers about the benefits of Britain staying in the EU, during a visit to Vauxhall's Ellesmere Port plant Ford warned Britain could lose access to free trade deals, and that hefty tariffs of up to 10 per cent could be imposed on imported vehicles and 2.7 per cent on exports. Ford said: This would significantly impact our business. The time taken to renegotiate trade agreements with the EU and other countries also risks leading to a prolonged period of uncertainty. The car industry has been one of Britains brightest success stories since the financial crisis, supporting 800,000 jobs in the UK and contributing 15.5billion to the economy. Trade body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders added that the strong British car industry could be jeopardised if the public votes to leave the EU. The Remain campaign is hoping that the dire warnings from some of the biggest car manufacturers will unnerve voters ahead of the referendum. But last night Eurosceptics rejected the gloomy prognosis put forward by the industry. Professor Patrick Minford, co-chairman of Economists For Brexit, and a former adviser to Margaret Thatcher, said: The British car industry is hugely successful and has competed with all comers in the world. I dont see why it cant thrive outside the EU. The Germans and the French will be desperate to do a trade deal with us because the UK is such a key market. The boss of Aston Martin told employees that leaving the EU would make British exports more competitive because of the likely devaluation of the pound Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Eurosceptic Tory MP, said car manufacturers are 'doing much better outside of the single market' And deviating from the car industrys script the boss of Aston Martin told employees that leaving the EU would make British exports more competitive because of the likely devaluation of the pound. In a memo to its 1,800 UK staff, the firm which is jointly owned by Italian and Kuwaiti investment firms weighed up the pros and cons of Brexit. TUSK'S PLEA FOR EU TO REFORM The EU must take a long, hard look at itself whatever the result of the referendum, European Council president Donald Tusk said yesterday. The ex-Polish prime minister, who chairs meetings of EU leaders, said they should not ignore dissatisfaction with Brussels across the continent. Speaking during a visit to Portugal, he said: Whatever the result is going to be, we must take a long, hard look on the future of the Union. We would be foolish if we ignored such a warning signal as the UK referendum. Mr Tusk also pleaded with British voters not to leave, saying: Without you, not only Europe, but the whole Western community will become weaker. Advertisement Chief executive Andy Palmer said it would probably have a negative effect on UK GDP growth in the near term. But he added the impact is likely to be offset in part by the depreciation in the pound making our exports more competitive. Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Eurosceptic Tory MP, said: Car manufacturers are doing much better outside of the single market. 'They are refusing to see this and are just drinking their own bathwater. Its good to see that Aston Martin is being more phlegmatic much like James Bond would be. The Leave camp argues firms such as Germanys BMW and Volkswagen and French car maker Peugeot are so reliant on the UK market that they will rush to strike a free trade agreement with Britain. They also point out that sales outside the EU are growing faster to rapidly growing countries such as China and India than within the struggling single market. A record number of cars 77.3 per cent of total production were exported, with 1,227,881 vehicles leaving the UK. Demand from the EU grew 11.3 per cent, with 57.5 per cent of cars sold to the continent. George Osborne last night suggested that workers could start losing their jobs as soon as Friday morning if Britain votes for Brexit on Thursday. In an extraordinary escalation of the scaremongering, the Chancellor warned that people could begin losing their jobs very quickly as a result of the economic shock. Ramping up Project Fear over the economy, he also refused to rule out suspending trading on the London stock market if Britons voted to leave the EU. Scroll down for video Fear factor: George Osborne at McLaren. He suggested that workers could start losing their jobs as soon as Friday morning if Britain votes for Brexit on Thursday Asked in an LBC radio interview about whether redundancies warned of by banks such as JP Morgan could come as early as Friday, Mr Osborne said: That will start to happen very quickly, sadly. He then warned of a flight of money out of the UK if Britons vote to leave. He said: On Friday morning you will see the first reaction in the financial markets because theyve placed all these bets that they will move money out of Britain if Britain votes to Leave. 100 SMALL FIRMS BACKING BREXIT TO 'CUT RED TAPE FROM BRUSSELS Bosses of 100 small and medium-sized firms have signed a letter urging voters to back Brexit. They say they are held back by EU red tape. Traders who signed the letter, published by The Sun, range from shopkeepers to butchers and interior designers. They argue the ideals of the EU are no longer in the best interests of British business or the British people. The letter states: We run some of the five million small businesses that form the backbone of this country. We believe Boris Johnson, Michael Gove and the Brexit camp are right that we must vote to leave the EU on June 23. When we voted to join Europe in 1975 it was on the basis that the EEC was a trading agreement. Todays EU is no longer just a trading agreement. It is a project aimed at creating a massive political and economic union. We believe many of the ideals of the EU are not in the best interests of British business or the British people. The traders add: Small and medium-sized businesses are constantly held back by unnecessary EU regulations and red tape. We need the freedom to be able to thrive in the 21st century, to trade with other emerging nations and to create jobs for people in our local areas. One of the signatories, Catherine Stanley, 41, of Pinnacle Arts and Crafts in Plymouth, Devon, said: I believe it would be easier for people to flourish without all the EU red tape. Advertisement Asked by presenter Iain Dale whether, if the financial markets plummeted on Friday, he would he consider suspending trading on the stock market, Mr Osborne did not rule it out. The Chancellor responded: Well look, the Bank of England and the Treasury Governor Carney and myself we have of course discussed contingency plans. But the sensible thing is to keep those secret and make sure you are well prepared for whatever happens but if you set them all out in advance then you rather undermine the power of those plans. Pushed again on the contingency plans, Mr Osborne said: I have a responsibility to the people listening to this programme to do all I can to protect them. But I have to tell you that you cannot in the end protect people from the economic shock that leaving the EU would bring about. He refused to reveal how many Treasury civil servants were working on the issue but said they were focusing on plans for the immediate aftermath of a Brexit vote. Mr Osborne stressed that in the longer term there was no plan for what would happen after Britain left the EU. He added: We have not got plans for what you then do. The Chancellor predicted there would be no answer for years and years to come, adding: Its not for me to come up with [Leaves] plan. He also pointed to warnings from the London Stock Exchange that there would be 100,000 job losses in the City after a Brexit. And during a visit yesterday to the headquarters of supercar maker McLaren in Woking, Surrey, Mr Osborne told staff that businesses such as theirs could be hit if Britain leaves the EU. His comments came as ten Nobel Prize winners were compared to the economists who opposed Margaret Thatchers economic reforms after they made a plea to British voters to stay in the EU. The senior economists, hailing from the US, Greece and France as well as Britain, said yesterday that they believe the UK will be better off economically inside the EU. In an extraordinary escalation of the scaremongering, the Chancellor warned that people could begin losing their jobs very quickly as a result of the economic shock In an open letter, they say Brexit would create major uncertainty, with effects which would persist for many years. Signed by Cambridge professor Sir James Mirrlees and nine other winners of the Nobel Prize for economics, the letter claims economic issues are central to the referendum debate. But Leave campaigners pointed out that economists have often been wrong before, most notably the example of the letter written to the Times in 1981 by 364 economists about the Thatcher reforms. Yesterdays letter came as former bosses of Tesco, Sainsburys, M&S, Asda, Waitrose, Morrisons and B&Q warned that families would face higher prices if Britain leaves the EU. A 15-year-old girl who allegedly assaulted two teachers before telling them she had planted a bomb inside a school bustling with students could face up to five years behind bars. Police were called to Cairns State High School, in far north Queensland, at midday on Monday following reports of a girl assaulting two staff members, including deputy principal Wayne Hay. The school went into lock down and students were evacuated after the girl, who said she had a gun and knife, falsely claimed there was a bomb on school grounds. Police were called to Cairns State High School, in far north Queensland, (pictured) just after midday on Monday following reports of a teenage girl assaulting two staff members Parents claimed the girl punched and spat on teachers before fleeing on foot. Students sat huddled on the school oval for over an hour while the police bomb squad searched the grounds for explosives. The school was declared safe and students were sent back to class a short time later as officers tracked down the girl involved. She was arrested in Cairns North on Monday afternoon but was not found to be in possession of any weapons. Students sat huddled on the school oval for over an hour while the police bomb squad searched the school grounds for explosives (Pictured: Cairns State High School students during fire drill evacuation) The school was declared safe and students were sent back to class a short time later (stock image) The 15-year-old was charged with computer hacking and misuse, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and three counts of assault. She was also charged over the bomb hoax, which police said was an extremely serious offence. 'Police would like to remind the public that making a bomb threat is a very serious offence and those convicted could face up to five years imprisonment,' a police spokesperson said. The teen, who is not a student at the school, will be dealt with under the provisions of the Youth Justice Act. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Cairns State High School for comment. Eleven Korean workers have been allegedly underpaid more than $108,000 by a Sydney sandwich who are also being accused of fabricating their employment records. The owner of six Little Vienna outlets in the Sydney CBD, Jae Kwang Kim, is now facing the Federal Circuit Court over the allegations, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. Mr Kim and the company he owns is facing legal action from the Fair Work Ombudsman after 10 South Korean employees on 417 working holiday visas and one on a student visa were allegedly underpaid a total of $108,931 over a nearly three-year period. Eleven Korean workers have been allegedly underpaid more than $108,000 by Sydney sandwich company Little Vienna Another worker was allegedly underpaid more than $29,000, where most of the workers spoke little English and were paid $10 an hour for their first two weeks of work and flat rates of $11 to $13 an hour after that. According to the Fast Food Industry Award they actually were entitled to adult rates of $21.21 to $23.15. It is also alleged that Mr Kim and his company fabricated records showing staff had been paid much higher rates than they received when Fair Work Ombudsman inspectors looked into the operation. Pay-slips and minimum engagement hours were allegedly doctored it was claimed. The owner of six Little Vienna outlets in the Sydney CBD, Jae Kwang Kim, is now facing the Federal Circuit Court over the allegations Mr Kim's company now faces penalties of up to $10,200 per contravention, while Little Vienna Pty Ltd faces penalties of up to $51,000 per each case. The Fair Work Ombudsman confirmed that legal action was being taken because of the seriousness of the allegations and that it involved overseas workers who were being exploited. The case follows one investigation last week concerning a manufacturing business that illegally exploited dozens of Chinese and Filipino workers for as little as $4 an hour, which the Fair Work Ombudsman also took legal action against. The virus is linked to immune system disorders and Visitors are being warned against travelling to Indonesia including Bali after the mosquito-borne Zika virus has been found there. Indonesia is experiencing sporadic transmission of the virus, according to Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. 'Given the possibility that Zika virus can cause severe malformations in unborn babies, and taking a very cautious approach, pregnant women should discuss any travel plans with their travel doctor and consider postponing travel to Indonesia,' the advice reads. Scroll down for video The Zika virus is in Indonesia so Australians are being warned not to travel there The advice does note that most people who become infected with the virus do not show any symptoms. 'Only one in five people who get it will feel sick, usually for a few days. 'In some cases, Zika infection can cause fever, rash, severe headache, joint pain, and muscle or bone pain. 'Illness from Zika is usually not severe and does not require hospitalisation.' The virus might cause severe malformations in unborn babies and immune system disorders. 'There are also concerns that in rare instances Zika infection can lead to Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a serious immune system disorder. 'There is new evidence that links Zika infection in pregnant women to causing birth defects, including microcephaly in babies. The country is experiencing sporadic transmission of the virus not a full blown outbreak 'In addition, latest evidence suggests that in rare circumstances, the virus can be spread through sexual transmission,' the advice read. There is no specific treatment to the virus and tests for it in developing countries are not easily available. The virus is currently active in 49 countries according to the Australian Government's Department of Health. Of these countries 15 have a sporadic or limited outbreak including Indonesia. Travel Doctors' Medical Director Perth and Canberra, Jennifer Sisson told the Northern Territory News sporadic transmission means there are cases from time to time. But woman travelling to those countries should protect themselves from mosquito bites. The virus has been linked to deformities in children as well as Guillain-Barre Syndrome which is a serious immune system disorder 'We certainly know that exposure in the first trimester can be very severe (in terms of birth defects like microcephaly,' Dr Sisson said. 'We are just trying to work out if it applies to the whole of pregnancy but at this stage we don't differentiate and provide the same advice for women at any stage of pregnancy.' The virus can stay in the body for a long time according to Tropical health expert, Peter Leggat from James Cook University in Townsville. of child porn will be heard by a court in November Acquitted: Brian M. Lederer, 30, was accused by four girls of snapping bras, cupping breasts, and touching their buttocks and groin areas A jury on Monday acquitted a Minnesota priest accused of molesting four girls. After closing arguments, jurors deliberated for about two hours before finding Brian Lederer, 30, not guilty on all counts. Lederer was facing four counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct and two counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct, all felonies. He was arrested and charged in May 2015, and then placed on administrative leave by the Diocese of Duluth. The alleged incidents happened during the 2014-15 school year after hours at Assumption Catholic School in Hibbing, Minnesota. Prosecutors said another incident happened at a home and others occurred on a school bus. The four girls ranged in age from 10 to 13 at the time of the alleged incidents. Lederer was accused by four girls of snapping bras, cupping breasts, and touching their buttocks and groin areas. Lederer, who was the lone witness for the defense, took the stand Friday to deny the allegations. He had no comment after his acquittal, the Hibbing Daily Tribune reported. The girls and their parents were not present when the verdict was read. Lederer, the former priest at Blessed Sacrament Parish and Assumption Catholic School, was arrested and charged on May 7, 2015. He was then placed on administrative leave by the Diocese of Duluth Lederer was bright-eyed and all smiles upon learning of the not guilty verdict, however he still faces a felony charge of possession of pornographic work Three of the accusers were under the age of 13 at the time, and the fourth was between the ages 13 and 16. Three of the females were classmates, and two were sisters. Defense attorney Peter Wold said the jury reached the right verdict given the evidence, which he said 'did not hang well' in this case. Prosecutor Jeff Vlatkovich called the verdict disappointing, but added, 'we respect the work of the jury.' Vlatkovich praised the girls for testifying. 'Four brave girls took oaths and testified about what happened to them,' he said. 'We hope that the girls and their parents can find some comfort in having come forward and testified in that their efforts may prevent other children from being victimized by trusted persons in positions of authority,' Vlatkovich added. Lederer's family members, friends and supportive parishioners had been there for the duration of the trial. As they left the courtroom, there were hugs, handshakes and more tears. Child pornography was allegedly discovered on Lederer's personal computer and Lederer still faces a felony charge of possession of pornographic work. Family are staying at the town and Ms Knight has been treated for injury The couple and family members on the vessel managed to sail to Broome Ian and Carol Knight's catamaran crashed into a reef in the Kimberley, WA A couple's retirement dream of sailing Australia's coast has been shattered after their catamaran crashed into rocks shortly after setting sail. Ian Knight and his wife Carol's dream of sailing Australia's northwest with two other family members turned to nightmare after their boat ran into a Montgomery Reef in the Kimberley region of Western Australia,The West Australian reported. Images taken from a boat that sailed past the stranded catamaran shows it entirely out of the water lodged on rocks protruding from the sea. Ian Knight and his wife Carol's dream of sailing Australia with family members turned to nightmare after the couple's vessel ran across rocks on a reef near the Kimberley region in Western Australia's north last week Images taken from a crew member of a boat that sailed past the stranded catamaran shows the boat lodged on rocks entirely out of the water Ms Knight described the shocking moment the catamaran hit the concealed rocks during high tide, before the boat became lodged when the tide lowered. 'It hit on the left hull and it just spun us and that's when the back corner hooked on a rock,' Ms Knight told the newspaper. 'You could see the rocks emerging. The tide, I've never seen anything like it.' A ship travelling from Darwin sighted the troubled catamaran from several kilometres away and stopped to assist the stranded family. A worker on the ship told the newspaper the occupants of the vessel came aboard the ship while crewmen looked at the catamaran and repaired the surprisingly minimal damage to the boat The worker said they waited with the family for nine hours for the tide to rise again to dislodge the boat before recommending a place the boat could be beached for further repairs. Mr Knight, a former farmer, meticulously built the catamaran himself ahead of the planned journey of a life time sailing around Australia's northwest for three months Miraculously the boat was still able to sail to Broome, in Western Australia's north. Mrs Knight was treated for injuries sustained during the ordeal, including her left hip and right kidney. The family are currently staying in the town after a generous business owner offered them accommodation as they work out the future of their journey, according to the report. Mr Knight, a former farmer, meticulously built the catamaran himself ahead of the planned journey of a life time sailing around Australia's northwest for three months. The couple, who have been married for almost 40 years, had planned the trip for a sense of adventure. Advertisement Almost 700 hardy nude swimmers have taken to chilly waters on a dark, rainy morning to celebrate the winter solstice. The skinny dippers plunged into the cold water of the Derwent River in Hobart about 7.40am on Tuesday to mark the end of the Dark Mofo winter festival. Swimmers let out a collective scream as they hit the water, reported to be about 12 degrees Celsius, according to the ABC. Participants in the nude swim dash into the water after shedding their clothing and towels Clad in only red bathing caps, the 670 nude swimmers ditched white towels covering them up before they took the plunge Conditions on Tuesday morning were cloudy and rainy, with both air and water temperature about 12 degrees The hardy swimmers braved cold temperatures and rain as they prepared for the swim Two swimmers celebrate taking part in the Dark Mofo nude swim in the frigid waters of the Derwent River on Tuesday About 1100 people had signed up to participate in the nude swim, but 670 took part on the day Flares were set off and swimmers, clad only in red swimming caps, flung their towels to the ground before they dashed into the water. Swimmer Alyssa Hawley told the ABC: 'It was pretty freezing but you don't really feel it because everyone else is running in and you're kind of caught up in the moment ... it's cold but it's not, like, nuts'. Dark Mofo executive producer Kate Gould said given the weather, organisers were 'staggered' by the turnout. 'This event has become a phenomenon each year in Tasmania, 670 people have turned out this morning to brave this incredible weather,' she told the ABC. Swimmers let out a collective scream as they hit the water at sunrise to mark the winter solstice Flares were set off and swimmers, clad only in red swimming caps, flung their towels to the ground before they dashed into the water Swimmer Alyssa Hawley told the ABC: 'It was pretty freezing but you don't really feel it because everyone else is running in and you're kind of caught up in the moment ... it's cold but it's not, like, nuts' About 1100 people had signed up and despite the number of participants usually 'dropping off', this year it hadn't been so marked due to staunch supporters of the swim. The cold plunge was held on winter solstice - the shortest day of the year. It's the final event of Dark Mofo, which is based in Hobart. A group of the hardy souls who took to the cold waters of the Derwent River in Hobart on Tuesday Dark Mofo executive producer Kate Gould said given the weather, organisers were 'staggered' by the turnout A bright red flare illuminates the swimmers as they dash towards the cold waters of the Derwent River A man saved the life of a baby fawn by performing an emergency C-section on her dying mother. Sean Steele and his wife, both from Alberta, were driving along a highway in British Columbia on June 10 when they noticed a deer to the side of the road which had been hit by a car, reported the National Post. The kind-hearted couple stopped to see if there was something they could do for the deer, but it was too badly injured and was dying. Fawn over her: Friday Steele, above, was kicking out of her mother when Sean Steele came along Little Steele now lives at the Northern Lights Wildlife Society in Smithers, Alberta until she can be released back into the wild Shortly after the fawn was saved by C-section, Sean Steele wiped her down and cleared our her airways The newborn was a bit bewildered to see Sean instead of her mother, but seemed to handle it okay That's when Steele noticed a little hoof protruding from her bloated belly. The deer was pregnant and her fawn looked to be ready to make her appearance. Steele said he instinctively grabbed a knife and cut open the mom, performing an emergency C-section, and removing the fawn from her mother's belly. It was a girl. The man, who had experience delivering calves, knew to wipe down the fawn with his shirt and then clear her mouth airway with his fingers - he even shoved a little grass up the critter's nose to get her to sneeze and clear out her airways. He and his wife then set about to find colostrum, a high protein milk needed by newborn animals in the first 24 hours of their lives. Friday lives in an outdoor enclosure with her male pal, who as yet doesn't have a name, the group is polling people on their Facebook page to name him They found Northern Lights Wildlife Society in Smithers, which then agreed to take in the four-legged cutie pie. The couple named the fawn Friday Steele, after the day she was found. 'We are happy to report that the fawn seems to be unharmed and is drinking her bottle like a champion,' the group said on its Facebook page, adding that the female fawn would try to nurse off her young male fawn companion, much to his chagrin. If you prefer communicating through social media, then you're in good company. New research from IKEA has pried open a window into the household habits of Sydneysiders, revealing 68% prefer speaking with others online even in their own home. The Life at Home report also found 26% of 18-29 year-olds believe having Wi-Fi is more important than lounge rooms in the home. New research from IKEA has revealed 68% of Australians prefer speaking with others online than in person Nearly half of those surveyed - four in ten - check social media when waking in the middle of the night, a testament to our reliance on staying connected at all times. And 17% of those surveyed found online contact is more important than being able to invite guests into their home. The study compared Sydney residents with those from 12 other major international cities to compare how different arrangements in the home impact connections online. The study had a total of 12,000 respondents from Sydney, Berlin, London, Madrid, Moscow, Mumbai, New York, Paris, Shanghai, Stockholm, Sydney, Toronto and Zurich. The study found 26% of 18-29 year-olds believe having Wi-Fi is more important than lounge rooms in the home The study compared Sydney residents with those from 12 other major international cities to compare how different arrangements in the home impact connections online About half of all respondents say considered homes as the place where they had their most important relationships, whether in person or through technology. IKEA Australia Country Interior Design Manager Tiffany Buckins said the study offered an insight into the changing dynamics of homes in Australia and abroad. 'While we share many similar feelings related to home, more importantly we can also see that home is beginning to be redefined,' she said. Advertisement Hillary Clinton ditched her duties as a grandmother tonight as she rubbed shoulders with Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lopez, and Sarah Jessica Parker at a fundraising event in New York. Hosted by Hollywood behemoth Harvey Weinstein and his fashion designer wife Georgina Chapman at their Manhattan home, the event is expected to raise a heavy dose of cash for the Hillary Victory Fund. Hillary was pictured in the same patterned coat just hours after she left the Lenox Hill Hospital with Chelsea, who emerged with her husband Marc Mezvinsky in their first public appearance since Aidan, their newborn son, was born on Saturday morning. Hillary's presidential campaign should expect a large influx of cash after she attended a fundraiser held at Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein's home in Manhattan on Monday evening Leonardo DiCaprio (right), perhaps one of the most vocal champions in the fight against climate change, previously called Bernie Sanders 'pretty inspiring' Deep pockets, Leo? DiCaprio, whose Oscars speech in February was thought to have been an unofficial endorsement of Bernie Sanders, appeared at Weinstein's home on Monday evening Actors Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker were among the star-studded co-hosts. Parker, who looked stunning in a emerald dress and ochre heels, was vocal about her support for Hillary before the former Secretary of State announced she would run for president Jennifer Lopez was a vision in tones of orange. The pop star included a clip of Clinton's 1995 United Nations speech in her music video for the song Aint Your Mama The presidential candidate responded to her music video on Twitter, writing: '@JLo thanks for this. Women are so much more than the roles they've been assigned' Hillary, who is now turning the focus on her fight against Donald Trump, has secured $42million for her campaign as of May 31, a report filed with the Federal Election Commission revealed. Her super PAC Priorities USA includes an additional stash of $52million. Trump's campaign had a paltry $1.3 million, although the business tycoon has launched a series of fundraisers this month that racked up more than $8million in 10 days, according to a source cited by CNN. The real estate tycoon can close the gap by funneling his own money into the campaign, but he has emphasized his status as a political outsider and relied on the accumulation of small donations rather than the hefty support of super PACs. If Weinstein's October fundraiser for Hillary was any indication, Monday's event should only buttress the financial backing for Hillary's campaign, which will include costly television ads attacking Trump. The Hollywood producer previously held an event co-hosted by Vogue editor Anna Wintour, where a $2,700 donation guaranteed a photograph with the former Secretary of State. Big names such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lopez, Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick co-hosted this time around, and the event drew an intimate crowd of about 50, the New York Post reported. DiCaprio, perhaps one of the most vocal champions in the fight against climate change, previously called Bernie Sanders 'pretty inspiring'. When he won an Oscar for his role in The Revenant this February, he took the opportunity to speak about man's relationship to nature, which many took as an unofficial endorsement of the Vermont Senator. Martha Stewart was pictured leaving Weinstein's home in a black jacket, cropped trousers and minimal black stilletos. The business mogul previously expressed her support for Hillary by tweeting '#imwithher' TV personality Bethenny Frankel (pictured) was also in attendance. Hillary, who is now turning the focus on her fight against Donald Trump, has secured $42million for her campaign as of May 31, compared to Trump's $1.3million A ritzy fundraising event in October, co-hosted by Harvey Weinstein and Anna Wintour, was held in fashion designer Vera Wang's Upper East Side apartment (pictured, Wang) Taking fashion advice from Hillary? Five-time Emmy award winning actress Candice Bergen appeared at the event in a bright blue pantsuit combination with patterned kitten heels Jewelery designer Lorraine Schwartz (left) and designer Tory Burch (right) are pictured leaving the fundraiser Clinton's glamorous and longtime aide Huma Abedin is pictured leaving the event and getting into an awaiting vehicle While DiCaprio's attendance may have been surprising to some, the other co-hosts have overtly championed Hillary's presidential campaign. New York power couple Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker looked chummy with the Clintons at a gallery opening back in 2006, where paintings by the Ferris Bueller star's late mother were on display in New York. Parker backed Hillary in 2013, before she even announced her presidential run. The Sex and the City star said: 'I think she has so much to offer and is equipped to do it well, to be thoughtful, reasonable, strong, authoritative, empathetic.' Jennifer Lopez, on the other hand, included an audio clip from Hillary's famous 1995 United Nations speech 'Women's Rights are Human Rights' in her music video for 'Ain't Your Mama.' The presidential candidate responded to the reference on Twitter, writing: '@JLo thanks for this. Women are so much more than the roles they've been assigned.' Martha Stewart also declared in 2015 that she 'liked the lady that's running', and merely laughed when asked if she was referring to Republican candidate Carly Fiorina. Chelsea Clinton and husband Marc Mezvinsky posed with their newborn son Aidan and her parents Bill and Hillary on Monday outside Lenox Hill Hospital Hillary and her husband stayed with their daughter on Monday and visited her at home not long after stepping out of the hospital with Chelsea, her husband Mark and newborn Aidan First photo: Chelsea Clinton posted this photo of her and husband Marc Mezvinsky with their son Aidan on Sunday, writing: 'At 7:41 AM Saturday, our family and hearts expanded with Aidans arrival. We are blessed.' Hillary Clinton posted this photo with the caption: 'What a joy being with our new grandson, Aidan. So grateful' Hillary has spent the last few days visiting Chelsea at the $1,700-a-night maternity ward on the Upper East Side. The former First Daughter gave birth to a boy on Saturday morning and emerged from the hospital on Monday with her husband Marc Mezvinksy. The two had their first child, Charlotte, in September 2014. Both Hillary and Bill stood on either side of the couple earlier today, looking like proud grandparents as they waved to photographers stationed outside the exclusive hospital. Hillary has frequently referenced her role as a grandmother. In 2015, she said: 'While I was at the hospital here in Manhattan waiting for little Charlotte to make her grand entrance, one of the nurses said: "Thank you for fighting for paid leave."' The stepfather of an 11-year-old girl found dead in a river in 2011 was arrested Monday on a second-degree murder charge in her killing. Wendell Noyes, 52, of Stewartstown, was taken into custody in the slaying of Celina Cass, the attorney general said. The girl was reported missing from her home July 26, 2011, and her body was recovered from the Connecticut River six days later. Wendell Noyes (left), the stepfather of 11-year-old Celina Cass (right), whose body was found in a river in 2011 was arrested Monday on a second-degree murder charge in her killing Noyes, who is accused of killing Celina by submerging her body in the river, is set to be arraigned Tuesday. New Hampshire State Police troopers entered the family home of Celina, in Stewartstown, NH Noyes, who is accused of killing Celina by submerging her body in the river, is set to be arraigned Tuesday. Associate Attorney General Jane Young declined to comment on what led to the arrest, and a phone number listed for Noyes was disconnected. In the days after Celina disappeared, Noyes described her as a quiet girl who would not have left the home on her own. 'We left the door unlocked, and somebody else was in the apartment after we went upstairs,' he said. At the time of her disappearance, Celina lived with Noyes, her mother, her 13-year-old sister and the 22-year-old son of one of her mother's former boyfriends. Both men were later subpoenaed to testify at grand jury proceedings related to the case. In February, a major crimes squad truck was seen parked outside Noyes' trailer. Court documents showed Noyes has a history of psychiatric issues. He was found unfit to stand trial in a 2003 case in which he was charged with breaking into an ex-girlfriend's home and threatening her. Celina (left and right) was reported missing from her home July 26, 2011, and her body was recovered from the Connecticut River six days later At the time of her disappearance, Celina lived in the above home with Noyes, her mother, her 13-year-old sister and the 22-year-old son of one of her mother's former boyfriends His twin brother Bentley is allowed to remain at the Queensland school A mother of a young boy with Down syndrome has revealed her shock after his principal told her he could not be taught at the school, but his twin brother could. Nixon Christodoulou, five, started kindergarten at Peak Crossing State School in Ipswich, Queensland, last month with his twin brother Bentley. His mother Ruth said the little boy, who was born premature at six months, had made friends and she had noticed his motor skills and speech improve since he started classes. But Ms Christodoulou said the principal and staff 'bullied' her into removing Nixon from the school and enrolling him in a special school. Nixon Christodoulou's (pictured) mother was asked to remove him from his state school just one month after he started kindergarten and transfer him to a special school as he has Down syndrome Nixon's twin brother, who was not born with Down syndrome, is allowed to remain at the school. She said school officials told her it did not have the funding to properly look after Nixon. 'I have always wanted Nixon to be included and live a full life,' Ms Christodoulou wrote in a heated Facebook post on Saturday. 'Nixon has attended a state school, been embraced by classmates, parents and staff. His speech has improved, he now plays happily with others and his motor skills improve each day. 'However, a school that had given the indication that they will do what it takes to support him, now have advised they can no longer and special school is the only option.' Ms Christodoulou said after informing staff she would take her complaint further, the school's principal announced he would be taking leave and may not return until September. 'I think he's running from a lot of issues,' she told The Sunshine Coast Daily. The mother-of-two says shes now seeking information on why the school management failed to apply for funding. Nixon's twin brother Buckley (left), who was not born with Down syndrome, is allowed to remain at the school Ruth (pictured with Nixon) said the little boy made friends and already had his motor skills and speech improve in classes 'I would love Nixon to stay at Peak Crossing State School ideally with his twin brother and all the kids love him to death.' Ms Christodoulou said she found another state school with appropriate funding just nine minutes down the road. While she believes in special schools for certain children, she does not think it would be best for Nixon. Over the weekend, Ms Christodoulou launched a Facebook page urging for the public to 'support Nixon in his rights'. The page has 133 members. A spokesperson from The Department of Education and Training told Daily Mail Australia it is up to the parents to choose what type of school their child enrolls. 'The Department promotes inclusive education practices to ensure all students with a disability are able to access, participate and succeed in education on the same basis as their peers,' the spokesperson said. 'The student has been enrolled in the Prep program at Peak Crossing State School since May, and is still enrolled. The school has put a range of support measures in place. 'Principals work closely with the families of students with disability and, with advice from specialised support staff as relevant, ensure the delivery of a high quality education program.' Daily Mail Australia have contacted Peak Crossing State School for comment. Ms Christodoulou said after informing staff she would take her complaint further, the Peak Crossing State School's principal announced he would be taking leave and may not return until September Larry Emdur has impersonated the 'fake tradie' on social media to jokingly call himself a 'fake tv host'. The Morning Show co-host on Tuesday morning shared an image to Instagram of himself posing like 'fake tradie' with a blue mug. 'Dear Fake Tradie dude, don't worry mate I've been faking a tv host for 30 years, this too shall pass,' Seven Network's Emdur wrote on Instagram. Shortly after, Daily Mail Australia exclusively revealed the face of the Liberal Party advertisement is in fact tradesman Andrew MacRae, 50, a welder. Scroll down for video The Morning Show co-host Larry Emdur on Tuesday morning shared an image to Instagram of himself posing like 'fake tradie' with a blue mug 'Dear Fake Tradie dude, don't worry mate I've been faking a tv host for 30 years, this too shall pass,' Emdur wrote His viewers revelled in the joke. Some laughingly told Emdur he 'never fooled us' while others thanked him for not wearing the silver watch and bracelet the Mr MacRae wore in the 30-second Liberal advertisement. Nova FM's Fitzy and Wippa joined in on the joke, too. 'Fake radio hosts over here,' the Sydney radio team wrote in the comment section. Other critics of the Liberal advertisement had superimposed mining magnate Gina Rinehart's head to an image of 'fake tradie'. An image of Malcolm Turnbull wearing a high-vis vest among tradesman was also turned into a meme with the words: 'How do you do, fellow tradies?' The meme references Steve Buscemi's character in television series 30 Rock. Sydney comedian Jonas Holt also parodied 'fake tradie' in an uncanny impersonation of Tony Abbott. A comedian from Sydney also parodied 'fake tradie' in an uncanny impersonation of Tony Abbott A picture of 'fake tradie' had been edited to have mining magnate Gina Rinehart's head superimposed on The Liberal advertisement which first aired on Sunday night caused a whirlwind on social media, with many accusing the man of being a 'fake tradie'. However, Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday revealed the tradesman is Mr MacRae, a ute-driving welder and former electrical supervisor who lives in a modest red-brick house on a main road in Lane Cove. Mr MacRae proved his line of work with his NSW government contractor's licence. The 50-year-old said his friends thought the whole thing was 'hilarious'. 'They're all laughing,' he said out the window of his utility vehicle, chuckling good-naturedly. Friend Domenico Coviello said Mr MacRae was a Liberal supporter as expected: 'He's definitely betting for the Blues on the Liberal side. Daily Mail Australia exclusively revealed the 'fake tradie' was in fact 50-year-old welder Andrew MacRae (pictured) The Liberal advertisement was widely mocked on social media, with #FakeTradie trending on Twitter on Monday 'He's a real tradie - he'd be a fitter-turner [metalworker] but he's an all rounder. He's a good bloke.' Mr Coviello said the advertisement did look fake. 'He does something in the voice and they've dressed him up - he doesn't normally dress like that. 'It looks very fake - it's a TV shoot you know, it's not a real site situation'. He said he had 'no idea' whether Mr MacRae owned an investment property - as was mentioned in the advertisement - but said 'I doubt it'. Mr MacRae has been the owner of a sole-trading company called 'Teamwork Maintenance' for 20 years and is a licensed metal fabricator. He finished a welding course in 2012 and in the 1990s worked as a mechanical supervisor for the condiments company, Masterfoods. Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Coalition campaign for further comment. The Liberal party advertisement was aired on Sunday night and began trending for assumptions it featured a 'fake tradie' Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has revealed his go-to karaoke song is Icehouse's Great Southern Land and he has never been to Kirribilli House. But Mr Shorten said he was open to having dinner with his political rival, Malcolm Turnbull, at the Prime Minister's Sydney residence. 'I haven't even been to Kirribilli House,' the Labor leader told Nova 96.9's Ryan 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald and Michael 'Wippa' Wipfli who burst into laughter. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has revealed his go-to karaoke song is Icehouse's Great Southern Land and he has never been to Kirribilli House 'Listen I don't blame Malcolm. I want his job, why would he have me over for dinner?' When asked what he thought would be on the menu if it was Mr Turnbull's choice, Mr Shorten replied: 'Degustation, a nice cheeky pinot.' On the other hand, Australia's next possible prime minister preferred a more traditional meal. 'I would be more comfortable having steak and vegetables because I'm going through a protein phase in my life,' Mr Shorten said. He gave a radio interview with Nova 96.9's Ryan 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald (left) and Michael 'Wippa' Wipfli (right) Mr Shorten (left with his wife, Chloe) said he was open to having dinner with his political rival, Malcolm Turnbull (right), at the Prime Minister's Sydney residence He also said he was enjoying running 'immensely' and had run almost 300 kilometres since campaigning started. The Opposition Leader also revealed he was backing Queensland, much to the disappointment of Fitzy and Wippa, with game two of the State of Origin just around the corner. But he defended his choice, saying: 'I've got a boss bigger than that. My wife's a Queenslander.' Like past leaders who had been on the show, Fitzy and Wippa asked Mr Shorten what his favourite karaoke song was. 'Great Southern Land by Icehouse,' Mr Shorten said. But unlike other guests, he was not asked to belt out a rendition much to his relief before adding: 'I promise you this... you'll be voting for me my economic and social ideas, not my singing.' Jolie may have taken a dig at Donald Trump when she said 'We are seeing rising intolerance and xenophobia' Angelina Jolie made a star turn at the State Department when the actress shared the podium with Secretary of State John Kerry and urged finding a solution to the refugee crisis. Jolie, who is the Special Envoy for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, joined Kerry for an interfaith Iftar reception to mark World Refugee Day on Monday in Sterling, Virginia. Kerry introduced the mom of six and wife of Brad Pitt by remarking how dedicated she has been to the cause of refugees, who now number 65 million, the highest at any time in history. Scroll down for video Angelina Jolie, who has worked with the United Nations for years on the refugee crisis, spoke at the State Department on World Refugee Day Kerry noted that the refugee crisis is worse than at any time in history, with 65 million people displaced from their countries and homes 'Im very, very grateful to Angelina for her personal leadership, for her commitment to this issue. Shes been working at this for years. This is not a passing fancy for her at all; it is a lifetime commitment,' he said. Jolie said that today's enormous refugee problem is a threat to worldwide peace and stability. 'I ask people to understand that with 65 million people displaced by conflict, we are facing a world of wars we cannot ignore or turn our backs on. To do that would be naive, irresponsible, and dangerous,' she said. 'We face a very clear choice: to continue as we are and see displacement and insecurity grow, or to come together with other nations and find a new approach, one that does not focus solely on aid and resettlement but on solution, stability, and returns.' Jolie was possibly commenting on Trump's anti-immigration rhetoric when she said 'We are seeing rising intolerance and xenophobia Jolie, left. who has six children with husband Brad Pitt, gives a fist bump to a tyke in the audience; '. I am very grateful for all that you do' she told John Kerry Possibly commenting on the rise of Donald Trump, who has said he would stop immigrants who are Muslim from coming into the country as well as build a wall separating the U.S. from Mexico, she said, 'Partly in response to this crisis, we are seeing rising intolerance and xenophobia. But strength lies in mastering and channeling our emotions so that we pursue policies that reduce - not inflame - threats to our security.' Kerry agreed, saying, 'Were living in a contentious time when some try to make a negative out of being a refugee or somehow turn people who are refugees into threats.' Malcolm Turnbull was told to 'shove his white paper' by an Aboriginal dancer as he handed the rights of historic Northern Territory land back to its traditional owners, it has been reported. The Prime Minister was near Darwin on Tuesday to attend a land claim ceremony at the historical Kenbi land site on the Cox Peninsula. According to a Channel Nine reporter, one of the men taking part in a traditional Aboriginal dance, Eric Fejo from the wider Larrakia group, told Mr Turnbull to 'shove his white paper and northern development' at the ceremony. 'This was one person speaking for himself,' Dr Donna Odegaard, CEO of of Aboriginal Broadcasting Australia and member of the Larrakia group as well. Scroll down for video Malcolm Turnbull was told to 'shove his white paper' by an Aboriginal man taking part in a land reclaiming ceremony at the Kenbi Land site near Darwin on Tuesday 'It was such a fantastic days do we are so happy with the Kenbi land Handback to Larrakia,' Dr Odegaard told Daily Mail Australia. Mr Fejo's comment came after Mr Turnbull formally returned the deeds to the land to its original owners after a 37-year dispute. A man taking part in a performance to celebrate the milestone made the comments before beginning the dance. 'Shove your white paper and northern development - at what cost' he said. The Prime Minister's office declined to comment when approached by Daily Mail Australia. It is not clear whether the man made the comment towards him or to the general audience. In a speech at the event Mr Turnbull told of his hope that more Aboriginal or Torres Straight Islander candidates would be elected at next month's federal election. He said if 'six or seven' of the 12 people running were elected, the parliament will have 'parity' with the population. 'If six or seven of those candidates are successful, we will have parity in our parliament - that is, our First Australians will be represented in the parliament as they are in the population. He described the occasion as a 'a historic day' and congratulated the land's traditional owners for their 'persistence' in reclaiming it. The Prime Minister was at the historic site to celebrate its return to its traditional owners Mr Turnbull described the occasion as an 'historic day' and said he was happy to see the claim resolved As part of the celebration a group of Aboriginal men performed a dance for the politician after his speech A Channel 9 reported said one of the dancers issued this statement to the Prime Minister before the dance Mr Turnbull told of his hope to see more Aboriginal members of parliament after next month's election Mr Turnbull congratulated the owners for their persistence in reclaiming the land which has taken 37 years 'Today marks a historic day in the settlement of one of the most complex and protracted land claims in the history of the Land Rights Act. 'On behalf of the Commonwealth Government and all Australians, I congratulate the traditional owners on their persistence, their resilience, their determination over 37 years to see the Kenbi land claim resolved,' he said, according to the ABC. The Kenbi Land Claim was lodged in 1979 and has been the subject of numerous court hearings since. Its ownership was settled earlier this year when the Northern Territory Government agreed to hand it back to the Larrakia people. The claim was first lodged under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act in 1979 and bounced between Aboriginal Land Commissioners, the High Court and the Federal Court for almost 40 years, making it Australia's longest running land claim. In 2009 Commissioner Peter Gray recommended the site be declared Aboriginal land and the Government set about cleaning it up. In April of this year a settlement package was agreed upon by the council, traditional owners and Federal Government. A missing backpacker with aspirations of joining the French Foreign Legion has been found in the French Army more than a month after he vanished. Dean Ranieri did not return home to Victoria from a trip around Europe on June 10 and was last heard from when he posted a photo smiling in front of the Eiffel Tower, in Paris, on May 17. But his mother Louisa Fantauzzo, who launched a desperate search to find the 21-year-old, said the French police called her on Tuesday to advise her son had been found 'healthy and happy in the army'. Scroll down for video Dean Ranieri did not return home to Victoria from a trip around Europe on June 10 and was last heard from when he posted a photo smiling in front of the Eiffel Tower, in Paris, on May 17 But his mother Louisa Fantauzzo said the French police called her on Tuesday to advise her son had been found 'safe and healthy and happy in the army' 'Dean has followed his dream to become a soldier we are as parents are very proud,' she wrote on Facebook. Ms Fantauzzo said she was 'very pleased' to hear her son was safe and wanted to express her gratitude to everyone who helped find him. A spokesperson from the Department of Foreign Affairs said confirmed Mr Ranieri is safe. 'Authorities have informed the Department that the man has been located and is safe. DFAT has informed the mans family,' the spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia. Daily Mail has contacted Ms Fantauzzo for comment. Last week she said the construction worker had told 'a lot of people that he wanted to join the French Foreign Legion. Ms Fantauzzo (left) said she was 'very pleased' to hear her son (bottom right) was safe and wanted to express her gratitude to everyone who helped find him Last week Ms Fantauzzo said the construction worker had told 'a lot of people that he wanted to join the French Foreign Legion The Legion is an elite branch of the French Army established in 1831 which still accepts foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces The Legion is an elite branch of the French Army established in 1831 which still accepts foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces. The only requirements is that you are a man aged between 18-39, have valid identification, are not wanted by Interpol, are physically fit and have body mass index between 20 and 30. According to the French Foreign Legion, recruits are allowed to contact their family members by mail or payphone once they have started basic training at Castelnaudary, in the south of France. The website says an applicant's citizenship, race, religion, education, social status or ability to speak French does not matter. Ms Fantauzzo said she had no idea he was planning on joining the world-renown military branch. 'I'm finding out about it now - he even mentioned it to my parents five years ago when he was younger,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'But we didn't think he was doing that. He never said anything about it.' Ms Fantauzzo said she had no idea her son was planning on joining the world-renown military branch Ms Fantauzzo was sick with worry after the 21-year-old disappeared from his European adventure in May He sent a message to his 18-year-old sister Linda (pictured) saying 'tell mum I'm ok' and he would be in touch She said if Mr Ranieri had joined the French Foreign Legion she'd be happy for him, but she wanted to know he was okay. He sent a message to his 18-year-old sister Linda saying 'tell mum I'm ok' and that he would be in touch. Mr Ranieri would have had to undergo physical and medical testing before he signed up for five years of service. According to the Legion's website, free accommodation, food and clothing will be provided during the selection process which can take up to five weeks. Roles available range from sniper, paratrooper or machine gunner to accountant, radio operator, photographer, paramedic or electrician. The father of a university student murdered outside a McDonald's restaurant says the fast food chain is a constant reminder of his son's death. Joshua Hardy, 21, was killed in an unprovoked attack outside St Kilda McDonald's in south-eastern Melbourne in 2014 which his father says had 'tragic and devastating consequences for all involved.' After former bank employee Kyle Sirous Zandipour, 29, was found guilty of his murder in May, Mr Hardy's grief-stricken father David told the Supreme Court on Tuesday the restaurant is a tragic reminder of his loss. Joshua Hardy (pictured) was killed in an unprovoked attack outside St Kilda McDonald's in 2014 'That big yellow M stands for something different it's the place where my son was murdered,' David Hardy told Zandipour's plea. Joshua Hardy had been put into a cab by friends after a 21st birthday in St Kilda. But for unknown reasons he got out of the taxi and walked to the McDonald's on St Kilda Rd around 12.30am. He had asked to borrow a phone belonging to one of Mr Zandipour's friends but was pushed away. Mr Zandipour then kicked and stomped on Mr Hardy a complete stranger in what the court was told was a 'truly frightening display of violence'. Mr Hardy was rushed to the nearby Alfred Hospital, but was pronounced dead from head injuries less than an hour later. After the verdict last month, David Hardy warned of the tragic consequences of just a few moments of madness. 'Two young lives are shattered. Friends and family of all involved are broken,' he said. Mr Hardy's grief-stricken father, David, has told the Supreme Court on Tuesday that the fast food chain is a tragic reminder of his loss Bank worker Kyle Zandipour, 29, is pictured last month after he was found guilty of murdering Joshua Hardy in an unprovoked attack outside a McDonald's in October 2014 'Everyone loses when it comes to social violence, so please step back and think because actions have consequences. 'Tragic and devastating consequences for all involved. Thank you and God bless.' During the case defence barrister, Remy van de Wiel, had told the jury that Mr Zandipour was entitled to defend himself because he believed he was about to be robbed. Mr Zandipour pleaded not guilty to murder but was found guilty by a Supreme Court jury. Police in Western Australia have removed a bizarre tweet warning the public not to 'wear your GF's undies and hide drugs in your gooch'. The post was shared on the Wembley Police Twitter account alongside a photograph of two black and pink polka-dot g-strings. It was removed within hours of being posted, according to WA Today. Western Australia Police said on Tuesday it could not comment on why the post was taken down despite claims senior officers did so because it was 'inappropriate'. Wembley Police removed a bizarre tweet about hiding drugs in underwear on Monday after sharing the message alongside a photograph of polka-dot g-strings A spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia social media posts were frequently removed 'after an hour or two for a number of reasons'. 'Each police station moderates their own social media account. On this occasion an officer decided that the post would be removed,' a WA Police spokesperson said. 'This occurs from time to time and we encourage our officers to follow the 'if in doubt, remove it' approach.' The tweet in question read: 'Don't wear your GF's undies & hide drugs in your gooch. Embarrassed male charged.' Further details of the case are not yet known. The police station has taken an upbeat approach to its tweets in the past, posting a number of cartoons and comical images to accompany messages about crime. One, about a thief who operated at 7am, was accompanied by an illustration of an 'early bird' catching the worm'. Another shared a photograph of Fort Knox, the notoriously secure military facility in the US. 'We don't expect #fortknox but locking your doors, windows and keeping valuables from sight will help to reduce crime,' its caption read. A message about reporting fights in the street was accompanied by an illustration of Homer Simpson peering out from his bedroom window. The police station has form for lighthearted poss accompanied with comedic illustrations such as the above tweet about a thief who operated early in the morning A 45-year-old man has been charged with killing a 25-year-old school teacher after his truck crossed to the wrong side of the road and smashed into her car. Melissa Bond was driving home from school when the refrigeration truck collided head-on with her car at Appin, south west of Sydney just after 5.30pm on Monday March 21. The truck driver from Sanctuary Point on the state's south coast has been charged with dangerous driving occasioning death, negligent driving accessioning death and not keeping left of the dividing line, police said. Melissa Bond, 25, suffered fatal injuries and died at the scene of the horrific crash at Appin, south-west of Sydney, when she was on her way home from school on Monday shortly after 5.30pm He was taken to Liverpool hospital with back and neck injuries after the crash which claimed the life of Ms Bond. The teacher was fondly remembered by students for he r smile, kindness and humour. The driver of the truck was charged after a thorough investigation by officers from the Metropolitan Crash Investigation Unit. He will Face court on Monday, July 25. His licence has been suspended. Tributes flowed in for the John Therry Catholic School teacher as news of her death left shocked students, colleagues and family devastated. The school sent a text message to parents on Tuesday morning to inform them of the Year 9 and PE teacher's death. 'Miss Bond you had such a strong relationship with everyone from (John Therry) and no one can grasp the fact that such a beautiful woman like you had to be taken so early,' one student wrote on Facebook. 'You built such a strong relationship with everyone; someone who wasn't a teacher but a friend, it just doesn't feel real. Rip you beautiful woman, you will forever hold such a strong part of our hearts.' Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong director of schools, Peter Turner, said the school community was mourning the loss of 'an outstanding young woman' and they were 'deeply shocked' and 'heartbroken'. Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the fatal crash on Monday where Melissa Bond's car and a refrigeration truck collided head-on Melissa died at the scene and the truck driver was taken to Liverpool Hospital suffering back and neck pain 'Melissa, a much loved and popular teacher at the school was travelling home at the end of the school day yesterday when she was involved in a motor vehicle accident on Appin Road at approximately 5:30pm,' Mr Turner said. 'As a member of the PDHPE team and the Year Coordinator for Year 9 students, Melissa was a dedicated and outstanding young teacher and role model, highly respected by her principal, colleagues and students. The stretch of Appin Road where she was killed has been a point of controversy within the community given more than 40 people have died on it in the past 20 years 'The wider Catholic community deeply mourns the loss of a fine young woman, a wonderful and passionate teacher who cared most about her students, their learning and their wellbeing.' Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the fatal crash on Monday. Ms Bond died at the scene and the truck driver was taken to Liverpool Hospital suffering back and neck pain. The stretch of Appin Road where she was killed has been a point of controversy within the community given more than 40 people have died on it in the past 20 years. Tributes have started to flow for the John Therry Catholic School (pictured) teacher as news of her death left shocked students, colleagues and family devastated A Liberal candidate has 'stolen' Woolworths trolleys to rest his campaign material on at a pre-polling booth. Luke Simpkins, who is the member for the Coalition in the electorate of Cowan in north Perth, has been named and shamed on Twitter by Labor for using the supermarket trolleys to tie his corflutes to. 'Hey @woolworths looking for your missing trolleys? Liberal Luke Simpkins stole them for his campaign, WA Labor State Secretary Patrick Gorman wrote on Twitter on Tuesday. Luke Simpkins, who is the member for the Coalition in the electorate of Cowan in north Perth, has been named and shamed on Twitter for using Woolworths trolleys (pictured) to tie his corflutes to Others said the Liberal candidate, or his supporters, had more likely 'borrowed' the trolleys Corflutes are the campaign signs which often picture a politician's face and are tied to power poles. Woolworths replied shortly afterwards: 'Thanks for letting us know about this, we'll let our Store Manager know!' 'They've even flogged one of the newer ones with the fancy plastic handles,' a Twitter user wrote. Others said the Liberal candidate, or his supporters, had more likely 'borrowed' the trolleys. 'Hey @woolworths looking for your missing trolleys? Liberal Luke Simpkins stole them for his campaign, WA Labor State Secretary Patrick Gorman wrote on Twitter on Tuesday Woolworths replied shortly afterwards: 'Thanks for letting us know about this, we'll let our Store Manager know!' The pictures were taken at Crossways Uniting Church in Wanneroo, Mr Gorman told Daily Mail Australia The pictures were taken at Crossways Uniting Church in Wanneroo, Mr Gorman told Daily Mail Australia. Mr Gorman was a principal advisor to former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Luke Simpkins and the Coalition media team for comment. Mr Simpkins was the Liberal backbencher who last February attempted to organise a coup against then-Prime Minister Tony Abbott. He submitted a motion to spill the Liberal leadership, but Malcolm Turnbull did not challenge for the top job. Mr Turnbull later won a leadership spill against Mr Abbott in September. Mr Simpkins, the Federal Liberal member for Cowan, is pictured with Malcolm Turnbull in December last year Mr Gorman (right), who shared the images on Twitter, was a principal advisor to former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd (pictured together in August, 2013) Mr Simpkins, a 52-year-old former Army officer, had earlier publicly confused a nightclub logo on stickers for Islamic State flags. It was actually the logo for local nightclub Speakeasy, Daily Mail Australia exclusively reported at the time. 'It's definitely nothing to do with Islamic anything,' event manager Pierce Ericson told Daily Mail Australia at the time. The black Shahada flag is a common expression of Islamic faith but has been co-opted by jihadists. The Speakeasy flag featured white, cursive handwriting on a black background. Mr Simpkins did not comment after the matter was revealed, but he removed the post from his Facebook page after online mockery. Mr Simpkins was the Liberal backbencher who last February attempted to organise a coup against then-Prime Minister Tony Abbott Mr Simpkins, a 52-year-old former Army officer, had earlier publicly confused a nightclub logo on stickers for Islamic State flags. It was actually the logo for local nightclub Speakeasy (pictured) Rhamar Perkins, 16, escaped police custody in Brooklyn on Monday evening A manhunt is underway for a teenage suspect who escaped police custody in Brooklyn on Monday evening. Rhamar Perkins, 16, was arrested for fare-dodging and taken into custody at the NYPDs Transit District 32 headquarters in Crown Heights. But Perkins managed to escape the building on Carroll Street at around 9.45pm, a police spokesman told Daily Mail Online. Police are appealing for help in finding the teenager, who lives in Brownsville, just over two miles from the police station. He is described as black, with brown eyes and short curly black hair. Perkins was last seen wearing a white tank top, green army fatigue shorts and blue and white sneakers without laces. He may have entered the subway station on Franklin Avenue and Easten Parkway, the New York Daily News reports. Perkins' getaway is the latest in a string of embarrassing escapes for the department. Seven prisoners escaped between June and December last year, according to the Daily News. All of them were eventually recaptured. Barry Tune escaped from a police cruiser in Tribeca after being arrested for stealing clothing from a Gap Store on December 17. Tune, 20, told the officers in the cruiser that he was ill and needed medical attention. When they opened the door to check on him, he bolted for the subway station. The officers involved were suspended for 30 days after the department found it was their fault Tune had managed to escape. Anyone with information about Perkins can call Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). They can also submit tips in the Crime Stoppers website or by texting 274637 (CRIMES) and entering TIP577. Oliver Curtis' father has pleaded for his son not to go to prison, saying years of pressure has had a 'marked psychological effect' and also led the younger Curtis to become 'more private and withdrawn'. Resources businessman Nick Curtis AM has watched his son's NSW Supreme Court insider trading trial play out sitting alongside Oliver's wife, public relations queen Roxy Jacenko. Nick Curtis has written to Justice Lucy McCallum to describe the toll recent years have taken on his son as she considers his sentence. The senior Mr Curtis's sentencing submission comes as Oliver's defence lawyers detailed the 'inaccurate, harassing, vile and scandalous' social media commentary he has faced. In the defence submission, lawyers said he had been described as a 'grub' and a 'd***' and subjected to 'vile jokes' about his time in prison. Scroll down for video A downcast Oliver Curtis and wife PR executive Roxy Jacenko at the Supreme Court last week Curtis faces a maximum penalty of five years jail time after being found guilty of conspiracy to commit insider trading earlier this month Oliver's father Nicholas said his son was 'not a socialite' - despite 'media classification' - although he sometimes attracts attention as Roxy Jacenko's husband. She is pictured at her seminar last week Nicholas Curtis AM, the father of Oliver Curtis, was a constant observer of his son's trial and has now written in his defence In his submission, Nick Curtis he was 'very close to his son' who had changed dramatically since he was a 'brash 22-year-old' at the time of the offence. He argued he was "not a socialite" and was actually a 'strong family man' who cared deeply for his wife and two children. 'The (investigation and trial) have had a profound impact on his life, and have clearly marked him dearly,' he wrote. 'They do not, however, describe the man I know today. They do not define who he is.' He reflected on how his son became vice-president of the company they worked at, Riverstone, despite the pressure. 'At the same time the ongoing stress associated with the investigation and the uncertainty regarding his future bore a toll. 'Over time Oliver has became more withdrawn and private than the man he had been prior to the investigation... 'I believe that the long term pressure of his public exposure as a possible insider trader has had a marked psychological effect on Oliver and fundamentally changed his way of engaging with the world.' He continued: 'Since being married he has sought to maintain a low profile, albiet his wife's success in public relations has necessarily put him in the media spotlight from time to time. 'Despite the media classification he is not a "socialite" seeking out recognition at social events. Most importantly he is a strong family man..' In the defence submission, lawyers argued the Judge should take mainstream and social media coverage of Mr Curtis into consideration. Nicholas Curtis, page one: 'I am very close my son...(The events) have had a profound impact' Nicholas Curtis, page two: 'He is a very strong family man with a very close relationship with his wife' Nicholas Curtis, page three: 'I respectfully request that your Honour consider a non-custodial sentence' The defence said: 'He has been described as a 'grub' and 'd***', and the object of vile jokes such as 'maybe we could put a camera inside Curtis' colon to see what happens in jail'. The lawyers continued: 'Mr Curtis has not encouraged or approved of any media at all, let alone media concerning the case itself. 'This intensive and humiliating coverage has caused great shame, embarrassment and concern to Mr Curtis. 'It has had, and will continue to have, a significant impact on him and his family.' While prosecutors seek a jail sentence, Mr Curtis's wife Ms Jacenko has also written a sentencing submission, describing Oliver as the primary carer of their two children. A jury found Curtis guilty of conspiracy to commit insider trading earlier this month. Curtis will be sentenced on Friday. A window cleaner sexually molested a seven-year-old girl as he worked at her family's house after she returned from church, a jury has been told. Gregory John Vagg, 58, has pleaded not guilty to two charges involving digital penetration of the girl back in 2010 at her Hunter's Hill home on Sydney's north shore. Prosecutor Gina O'Rourke SC told Vagg's trial in the NSW District Court on Tuesday that the girl and her mother had returned home after church where the workman had already started cleaning the front outside windows. A window cleaner sexually molested a seven-year-old girl as he worked at her family's house after she returned from church, a jury has been told (stock image) The girl's mother only employed Vagg on the one occasion, for some hours, using another cleaner in February 2015 when the girl was at school, the prosecutor said in her opening address. In the following month, when the mother was talking about window cleaning her daughter said: 'I don't want that window cleaner to come back, mum. 'I don't like him, I don't want him to come back here.' She told her mother that he had asked her if she wanted to help him and when she agreed, he lifted her up to the window, lifted her skirt and molested her. Gregory John Vagg, 58, has pleaded not guilty in the NSW District Court (stock image) to two charges involving digital penetration of the girl back in 2010 at her Hunter's Hill home on Sydney's north shore He did the same when he moved to the side windows, the girl said. Ms O'Rourke said she didn't say anything because she was too scared. The girl also told police she was little at the time and had thought it really wasn't 'a big deal'. Vagg's lawyer Alan Conwell told the jury there was a question mark over whether the girl was sexually assaulted by anybody. 'If she was sexually assaulted by a workman, it was not the accused, Mr Vagg.' Pink slugs emerge to feed at night and live under leaf litter in the day They live at Mount Kaputar, 500 kms from Sydney, and have no predators The rosy-coloured creatures can grow up to 20 centimetres long Giant hot pink slug species lives on an extinct volcano in New South Wales A giant fluorescent pink slug that only lives on an extinct volcano in New South Wales is under severe threat of global warming. The bizarre rosy-coloured slug can grow up to 20 centimetres long and lives at Mount Kaputar, 500 kilometres northwest of Sydney, where it has no predators. But the creatures, which are native to Australia, are under threat as the the temperature on the mountain is boosted, eradicating the damp conditions that allow the creature to thrive. A giant neon pink slug that lives on an extinct New South Wales volcano has been revealed in amazing pictures In 2013, The New South Wales Scientific Committee lodged to have the creatures listed under the Threatened Species Conservation Act, The ABC reported. WHERE IS MOUNT KAPUTAR? Mount Kaputar is a mountain near Narrabri in northern New South Wales. It is situated around 500 kilometres north-west of Sydney. It stands at 1,508 metres, is part of the Nandewar Range and has been preserved within the Mount Kaputar National Park. It is the remnants of an extinct volcano that was active about 18 million years ago. Most of the vegetation on the mountain is dry forest yet there are small pockets of damp rainforest-style environments where unique creatures such as the pink slug and cannibal snail live. During winter months the region can get long periods of heavy rainfall as well as dusting of snow near the mountain's summit. Advertisement But, the committee is still campaigning to have the slug listed as the country's first endangered land snail. It also hopes to have the ecosystem at the extinct volcano listed under the Endangered Ecological Community. The neon slugs are thought to date back to Gondwana, the name given to two continents that formed part of the Pangaea supercontinent which existed between 180 million years ago. These two landmasses formed to create Australia. The hot pink slugs spend the day buried under wet leaves and emerge at night to feed on tree moss. Locals have long reported sightings of the bizarre pink slug, especially after heavy rainfall, yet taxonomists have only recently confirmed it is the same species as the red triangle slug, officially known as Triboniophorus graeffi. Scientists have also been fascinated by the carnivore snail. It also lives atop Mount Kaputar and preys on its vegetarian relatives. The hot pink slugs spend the day buried under wet leaves and emerge at night to feed on tree moss The bizarre rosy-coloured slug can grow up to 20 centimetres long and lives at Mount Kaputar, 500 kilometres northwest of Sydney Both are thought to have originated in eastern Australia when it was made up of damp rainforests. Following a volcano eruption around 17 million years ago the area began to dry out and only small pockets of rainforest-style environments remained. This restricted the areas where these invertebrates could live. There is a campaign to have the slug listed as the country's first endangered land snail Following a volcano eruption around 17 million years ago the area began to dry out and only small pockets of rainforest-style environments remained He was a sworn member for 10 years, before resigning 40 years ago He pleaded guilty to 18 charges including rape and indecent assault A predatory former Victoria Police officer who abused nine children, including a girl who was assaulted in the back of a divisional van, has been jailed for 15 years. The man, now aged in his 60s, sexually assaulted boys and girls in Victoria in the 1970s and 80s and was later jailed for similar crimes interstate in the mid-2000s. He was handed a minimum 15 years behind bars on Tuesday after he pleaded guilty to 18 charges including rape, buggery, indecent assault and carnal knowledge offences. The man, now aged in his 60s, sexually assaulted boys and girls in Victoria in the 1970s and 80s and was later jailed for similar crimes interstate in the mid-2000s A predatory former Victoria Police officer who abused nine children, including a girl who was assaulted in the back of a divisional van, has been jailed for 15 years He won't be eligible for release until he is aged in his 80s. The former police officer sexually abused nine children aged five to 13, including stepchildren and their friends, over more than 10 years. One woman recalled him coming to school and taking her out of class before molesting her and driving her back. She was also abused in the back of a divisional van. 'I don't think even hell will take you,' she told her attacker during a previous hearing. 'So just rot where you fall.' The former police officer sexually abused nine children aged five to 13, including stepchildren and their friends, over more than 10 years (stock image) Another boy was abused by the man at a police station that had a bed, the Victorian court heard. The man told many of his victims it was a 'secret'. On one occasion he threatened to kill a stepchild's mother and siblings if the abuse was revealed. He abused some victims under the guise of performing legitimate duties as a police officer, the judge said on Tuesday. He was sentenced to 19 years in jail with a non-parole period of 15 years after pleading guilty to 18 charges Another boy was abused by the man at a police station that had a bed, the Victorian court heard The man, who was a sworn member of the force for about 10 years, resigned almost 40 years ago when police began investigating him. The court heard he was still considered to be a high-risk of reoffending. A terror suspect sparked a false bomb alert in Brussels after strapping a device full of 'salt and biscuits' around his waist. Police descended on the City2 Shopping Mall in the heart of the Belgian capital and taped off surrounding roads while five underground stations were also been closed. A suspect was detained at the scene and armed police called in amid reports he told officers he was wearing a bomb vest. But Belgian authorities now say the man was not carrying explosives. The incident comes a week after anti-terrorism investigators were alerted to the possibility that small groups of ISIS extremists had left Syria for France and Belgium with plans to stage attacks - including at a shopping mall. Scroll down for video A suspect was detained at the scene and armed police called in amid reports he told officers he was wearing a bomb vest A shopping mall in central Brussels has been evacuated and a terror suspect arrested over fears he was carrying an explosive belt Belgian security personnel were called to the City2 Shopping Mall at dawn this morning after being called by a man claiming that he was carrying explosives Police descended on the City2 retail centre in the heart of the Belgian capital and taped off surrounding roads A Brussels police spokesman said: 'The man was arrested, but it turned out that his suicide belt was fake. It contained salt and biscuits.' The incident began after a report of a man acting suspiciously near the shopping centre triggered a bomb alert. Belgium's crisis centre, which coordinates security measures, said it was holding a meeting while while Prime Minister Charles Michel has called the incident 'very suspicious'. Ine Van Wymersch, spokeswoman for the Brussels prosecutors' office later said the suspect 'is being questioned at the moment', adding: 'There were no explosives.' The incident comes only days after Belgian authorities charged three men with 'attempted terrorist murder' after raiding dozens of homes linked to a reported threat to fans during a Euro 2016 football game. The incident began after a report of a man acting suspiciously near the shopping centre triggered a bomb alert Officers are said to have arrested a man at the scene while Prime Minister Charles Michel has called for a crisis meeting Belgium has been on high alert since November in the wake of the massacres in Paris that killed 130 people, with extra police and military mobilised. And the country is still reeling from attacks on March 22, when ISIS bombers targeted Brussels airport and subway, killing 32 people. Today's operation comes a week after police and anti-terrorism investigators were alerted to the possibility that small groups of ISIS extremists have left Syria for France and Belgium with plans to stage attacks. Belgian intelligence services sent a note to French counterparts about the warning was then sent to police across France, a French security official said. Belgium's Derniere Heure tabloid reported that Belgium's anti-terror office warned police that fighters with access to weapons may have left Syria about 10 days ago for Belgium and France. Terror alert: Sources close to the investigation now say the man was found not to be carrying explosives Belgium's crisis centre, which coordinates security measures, said it was holding a meeting this morning The paper, which said it had obtained an alert message, said fighters travelling without passports were believed to be trying to reach Europe by boat via Turkey and Greece. A Brussels shopping mall, an American fast-food chain and police could be among their targets, it emerged. On Saturday, authorities charged three men with terror-related crimes after raids and the detention of 40 people in a major investigation. Authorities said the probe required 'immediate intervention' because they feared a new attack was close. A woman got the fright of her life when she woke in the dead of night to find a five-metre python lurking in her hallway. Trina Hibberd had no option but to call a snake catcher when the 30kg serpent slithered into the guestroom of her Mission Beach home in Queensland at 4.30am on Monday. David Goodwin said she was 'understandably panicky' when she called him about the uninvited guest, which can be seen stretching from her hallway picture frames all the way onto the bed. Trina Hibberd woke in the dead of night to find a five-metre python inside her home The 30kg serpent can be seen stretching from her hallway picture frames all the way onto the bed 'She was understandably panicky when she called. He wasn't a little fella, and he was strutting his stuff in the bedroom,' Mr Goodwin told Daily Mail Australia. 'We told her to shut the bedroom door and keep it closed until we get there.' Images show Mr Goodwin releasing the monster snake one of the largest he has ever encountered at a waste transfer station which requested they set it lose to tackle their rat problem. This wasn't Hibberd's first brush with the slithering intruder. She revealed in a Facebook post she suspected the scrub python had been hanging in the roof since 2012. 'He used to slither down into the pool area for a feed and a drink then slither back up just before sunrise unless he had a tummy full of food and got stuck,' she wrote. David Goodwin captured the snake and released it in a waste station which requested they set it lose to tackle their rat problem Advertisement Thousands of people flocked to Stonehenge today to watch the sun rise over the famous prehistoric monument on the longest day of the year. Around 12,000 people travelled to the huge stones in Wiltshire - almost half the number compared to last year - to celebrate the Summer Solstice. It was the first time that those attending the special occasion were not permitted to toast the day with a celebratory drink as alcohol was banned by English heritage. The charity justified their decision because it had seen more 'drunken and disrespectful behaviour' as crowds increased each year. A woman with flowers in her hair looked in delight after gathering at the famous site to celebrate the Summer Solstice this morning A bearded man was one of the 12,000 people who made their way to the ancient monument near Amesbury, Wiltshire, today This is the moment the sun was seen rising above the stones at 4.52am this morning - beginning the longest day of the year Thousands of people gathered to watch the sun rise above the Heel Stone in Wiltshire this morning as the longest day began at 4.52am A woman sang to the crowd and played her guitar after people travelled to the world famous landmark to watch the sun rise Two women wore flowers in their hair and had glitter on their faces and enjoyed the sunrise after they gathered at the site The number of those that went to the site was down on the 25,000 expected to turn up and the 23,000 that made their way to the neolithic landmark in 2015. English Heritage's announcement to ban booze earlier this year was met with protests and many were also frustrated by the parking fees which were also introduced. But their decision did not deter the 12,000 people who made their way to the spectacle - thought to have been constructed from 3000 BC to 2000 BC. Thousands dressed up and many wore flowers in their hair when the sun rose behind the Heel Stone - the ancient entrance to the Stone Circle. A woman was seen playing her guitar and singing to the crowd of people that had gathered around the famous stones this morning. Wiltshire Police described events at Stonehenge and at the stone circle in nearby Avebury as 'positive and peaceful'. There was a no-fly zone over the monument for drones and unmanned aerial vehicles during the solstice - a day where we can enjoy 17 hours of daylight. One bearded gentleman wore a red cape and had arrived at the site when it was still dark so he could watch the sun rise over the stones A woman with multi-coloured feathers was photographed smiling after the sun had risen above the famous prehistoric monument Thousands of revellers put their hands in the hair and celebrated the Summer Solstice at Stonehenge this morning A young girl holding a teddy bear in her right hand was photographed as the sun sets on the longest day of the year on Salisbury Plain People of all ages attended the celebration and a mother and child celebrated the longest day of the year at Stonehenge today Revellers sat down on the ground as thousands of people walked around the famous landmark on the longest day of the year One gentleman holds up a plant as hundreds of people gather around him - just yards from the famous monument in Wiltshire Revellers with alcohol, drugs, sleeping bags or pets were not allowed access to the site. Police said a 24-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault, while a 33-year-old woman, from Burford, was held on suspicion of drink-driving. They were taken into custody at Melksham. Another man was given a fixed penalty notice for a drug offence. Kate Davies, general manager of Stonehenge at English Heritage, said: 'Stonehenge is a special place and this is a wonderful occasion for people to come together, as they probably have done for thousands of years, to celebrate the longest day of the year. A woman was photographed blowing into a horn as people gathered at the ancient monument near Salisbury, Wiltshire, today The people that had gathered near the stones took photographs using cameras and their smartphones One man that attended the celebration could barely hold back his excitement as the sun shone on his face this morning Members of the public touch the Heel Stone at Stonehenge in Wiltshire as they see in the new dawn during this year's Summer Solstice People gathered around the prehistoric monument in Wiltshire to see in the new dawn and many used their phones to capture the moment the sun rose above the stones Around 12,000 gathered to the site to watch the sun rise above the famous stones in Wiltshire at 4.52am this morning Many people dressed up as they made their way to the event near Amesbury, Wiltshire, to watch the sun rise at 4.52am this morning This is the spectacular moment the sun was first seen by the people that had gathered around the ancient Stonehenge monument People stood next to the stones as they talked and waited for the sun to rise in the early hours of Tuesday morning A man was photographed wearing a big red item of clothing as he waited for the sun to rise in Wiltshire Revellers danced and celebrated together the night before the longest day of the year on Tuesday A full moon rises behind Glastonbury Tor as people gather to celebrate the summer solstice on June 20, 2016 in Somerset 'As guardians of Stonehenge, it is our job to look after the monument. We ask all attending the summer solstice to respect the stones and the people around you.' Superintendent Mark Sellers said: 'The policing operation this year focused on protecting the monument and environment by maintaining the integrity of the road network, minimising any impact on local communities and ultimately supporting English Heritage to ensure a safe and peaceful event for all. 'With an event of this size and nature, a large amount of traffic is inevitable but our forward planning with Wiltshire Council, security staff and stewards, the Highways Agency and English Heritage meant that any issues were dealt with effectively. 'These changes for Solstice 2016 have proved a great success, with people celebrating at Stonehenge in a positive, friendly atmosphere as they waited for the sunrise.' Up to 400 people also marked the solstice at Avebury, where there were no arrests. Stonehenge is believed to have been used as an important religious site by early Britons 4,000 years ago. Recent pagan celebrations at the site began in the 20th century. More than a million people flock to Stonehenge every year, with thousands attending ceremonies to mark the solstices in summer and winter. Meanwhile, a rare strawberry moon lit up the summer solstice sky for the first time in 49 years Monday night - and the two events won't coincide again until 2062. A strawberry moon, nicknamed as such because Algonquin tribes believed it signaled that strawberries and other fruit were ready to be harvested, is a full moon that happens in June. Monday was the first time since 1967 that this event happened on the same day as the summer solstice, Accuweather reported. Most people in the United States were expected to have a good view to witness the rare event Monday night - with the possibility of clouds getting in the way between western New York and Missouri. The coincidence of the strawberry moon and of the summer solstice changed the aspect of the moon as it rose in the sky, the Old Farmer's Almanac explained. The sun was exceptionally high while the moon remained unusually low. Monday was the first time since 1967 that a strawberry moon (pictured from New York) happened on the same day as the summer solstice - and the two won't coincide again until June 21, 2062 New Zealand police are on the hunt for a man that sexually assaulted an elderly woman in her own home for several hours after knocking on her front door claiming to be looking for his daughter. The 65-year-old woman was alone at her Waitagirua home, north of Wellington, early on Friday morning when she answered the door to a man claiming to be looking for his daughter. Police say the man entered her house and then subjected her to a 'prolonged sexual assault.' New Zealand police are on the hunt for a man that sexually assaulted an elderly woman in her own home for several hours after knocking on her front door claiming to be looking for his daughter (stock image) The victim was subjected to a 'prolonged sexual attack' by the man, who is described as being of Maori or Pacific Island ethnicity (stock image) 'We're determined to catch this guy because it's a nasty assault,' Kapiti Mana area commander Inspector Paul Basham said, according to Stuff.co.nz. The offender visited another house in the neighbourhood with a similar story, prompting police to believe that he may be a local. He is described as being over six foot tall, aged between 35 and 45, and of Maori or Pacific Island ethnicity. At the time of the attack he was wearing blue jeans with a white t-shirt, grey hooded sweatshirt, brown jacket and brown footwear. A neighbour of the victim said he was surprised to hear of the attack, despite the region's shady reputation as being crime-plagued and dangerous. 'There is always stuff which happens around here, there are always cops and gangs around,' he said. 'I wouldn't let my kids out after dark. We need to protect them.' Police want to reassure the public that they are committed to finding the man responsible for the assault, with multiple investigators on the case. Anyone who may have seen someone fitting the offender's description in Waitangirua on Friday morning can contact Porirua police on 04 238 1400. A burglary victim who is trying to track down the culprit claims he was threatened with arrest for making a banner which says: 'Wanted: dead or alive.' Sebastian Stephenson, 34, hung up the 120 appeal poster after two of his vans were targeted four times in just five months, costing him around 4,500 in stolen tools. Mr Stephenson, who owns a building firm, said he showed police CCTV of the break-ins - and also handed over statements from other workmen who have been targeted - but was forced to start his own investigation when officers refused to look into the matter. A burglary victim who is trying to track down the culprit claims he has been threatened with arrest for making a banner which says: 'Wanted: dead or alive' But after putting up a sign outside his home, he said he was contacted by another officer who allegedly warned him to take the appeal down - or face possible arrest for a public order offence. Mr Stephenson dismissed the banner as 'banter' and said he had no intention of taking it down. Before the father-of-three erected the banner he had already spent 300 on an online video of the suspect using CCTV footage of the theft backed with music from the Pink Panther films. He told MailOnline: 'I couldn't believe it when the police contacted me about the sign. Everyone knows it is cowboys and Indians stuff. It's just a bit of banter; a silly phrase. Not actually a invitation for someone to go and kill the crook. 'It's just a way of raising awareness, in the hope we can catch this burglar and stop him hurting other people, like he has to me. I said to the police "do you really think I want a dead body on my driveway"?' He has refused to take down the banner but has crossed out the word 'dead' on the sign. Mr Stephenson, who runs Diligent Developments in Thornton Heath, south London, said the first break in took place in February when around 2,500 worth of goods were taken from his Ford Transit van. After he replaced the goods, thieves struck again in May. The workman - who believes the thief has a pick-lock key - installed CCTV after that first break-in and said the camera caught the thief in the act. Mr Stephenson (pictured), 34, hung a poster on his house after two of his vans were targeted four times in just five months, costing him around 4,500 in stolen tools He handed that footage over to police, along with a description of the suspected thief, the times he struck and details about his vehicle. But he was apparently told by police that nothing could be done unless there was more information. Officers even suggested Mr Stephenson try and find the culprit's name and address. Frustrated Mr Stephenson then posted the footage online and erected the banner, in a bid to try and track down the thief. He said that, since putting the appeal online - along with a 1,000 reward - he has been contacted by 'six or seven' other victims. The footage has now been viewed more than 4,000 times. He added: 'They said if they get a name and address they will look into it but I said if I get that I'll make a citizen's arrest and bring him to the police station myself. 'I am just trying to protect other people from becoming victims. This man is going to go out and create more victims. He's so brazen, he keeps coming back. 'I can't sleep at night and my family are all terrified. This is a prolific high-profile burglar who must be stopped. 'I'm not trying to be a vigilante or encourage violence. I'm just trying to stop people having their livelihood stolen, like mine was.' A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: Police were called at 4.39am on Monday, May 23, to reports of a theft from vehicle in South Croydon. Taking part in political debates can be particularly taxing - as demonstrated in this video that shows one female MP falling asleep during a discussion on corruption. Ukrainian minister Nadiya Savchenko was filmed nodding off during a meeting of the parliamentary committee on national security in Kiev, with some speculating it was the result of the previous night's fun. Some have accused her of being hungover after the video of her falling asleep went viral on video-sharing websites. Ukrainian minister Nadiya Savchenko was filmed nodding off during a meeting of the parliamentary committee The discussion on corruption was seemingly not stimulating enough for MP Nadiya Savchenko It shows her struggling to keep her eyes open and then falling asleep with her head propped in her hands. Only when a colleague notices her predicament and pours her a glass of water, does she rouse herself and manage to focus. Ms Savchenko has not commented on the video which is unlikely to damage her popularity in Ukraine. She is regarded as a Joan of Arc figure in the country and has been elected to serve as both an MP and a Euro MP. Ms Savchenko tries her best to keep her eyes open and focus on the documents in front of her But it's all too much for the 35 year old and she decides to rest her head in her hands during the debate It's unlikely the sleeping actions of the Ukrainian MP will cause much outcry as she is a hugely popular minister in the country Ms Savchenko was one of Ukraine's first women to train as a military pilot, and is the only female aviator to pilot the Sukhoi Su-24 bomber and the Mil Mi-24 helicopter. The 35 year old was captured by pro-Russian forces in eastern Ukraine and handed over to Russia in 2014. She was accused by Russia of directing artillery fire that killed two Russian state-television journalists in Ukraine. A court in Donetsk, Russia found Savchenko guilty of illegally crossing the Russian border and the murder of the two Russian journalists. She was handed a 22-year prison sentence despite her continued denial of the charges. Ms Savchenko, who was elected to parliament later that year while she was still in a Russian jail, was released only last month in a prisoner exchange. It had the caption: 'Britain 2050 "Why didn't you stop them Grandad?"' A Vote Leave board member has quit the campaign after she retweeted a number of anti-Muslim pictures and posts on social media. Businesswoman Arabella Arkwright, who runs health clinics and sat on the board and finance committee of the pro-Brexit campaign, stepped down when her online activity came to light. Vote Leave accepted her resignation after they saw the retweets and the group said the posts did not reflect the campaign's view. Businesswoman Arabella Arkwright, (pictured) who runs health clinics and sat on the board and finance committee of the Brexit campaign group, quit when her online activity came to light One of her retweets included an image of a white girl surrounded by people wearing burqas with the caption: 'Britain 2050 "Why didn't you stop them Grandad?'", reports The Guardian. Mrs Arkwright has now been removed from the campaign's website and she has deleted her Twitter account following the race row. It comes after Ukip leader Nigel Farage defended a poster with the slogan 'breaking point' next to a line of refugees making their way across Europe. Other retweets on Mrs Arkwright's Twitter account included a link from the founder of the English Defence League, Tommy Robinson, which suggested UK Muslims were attempting to build an Islamic state in Britain. Meanwhile, another retweeted picture had a 'Stop Islam' badge in the corner and asked people to 'spot the difference' between photographs of Syrian men and Yazidi women fleeing Isis. One of her retweets included an image of a white girl surrounded by people wearing burqas with the caption: 'Britain 2050 "Why didn't you stop them Grandad?'" She has now apologised for her actions but added that she is 'not a political animal' and that she might be 'guilty of being naive'. Some of the material on her Twitter page was branded racist by Labour MP Emma Reynolds who added that Vote Leave is running a 'nasty' campaign focusing on immigration. Mrs Arkwright, who is also a partner in a Warwickshire pub and visitor attraction, apologised and told the Guardian that the retweets did not represent her view and that she 'abhorred racism'. In a statement, she said: 'I would like to make it absolutely clear that my RTs and forwarding do not mean that I endorse in any way the content of them. 'I RT a wide variety of different views on issues related to the referendum with which I do not agree in order that others can see the breadth of opinion on these matters. Is there anything wrong in that? Another retweered picture had a 'Stop Islam' badge in the corner and asked people to compare photographs of Syrian men and Yazidi women fleeing Isis 'I am not a political animal and maybe am guilty of being naive, but I reject all prejudice and am deeply sorry for any offence that may have been caused. Moreover, perhaps I can be clear, I ABHOR ANY FORM OF RACISM.' A Vote Leave spokesman said: 'As soon as we were made aware of these tweets we asked Arabella to hand in her resignation, which she has done with immediate effect. 'These tweets do not reflect the views of the Vote Leave campaign.' A US Navy SEAL who died in a battle against ISIS in Iraq had fought off 100 of the jihadis just weeks earlier and showed such bravery he was posthumously awarded the Silver Star, it has been revealed. Charles Keating IV was shot dead on May 3 after he went to the aid of military advisers who had been ambushed by around 100 jihadi fighters in Irbil. But details have emerged of a fierce fire fight the military hero took part in with a similar number of militants on March 4, highlighting the acute dangers US Special Forces face in the region, despite being there in a supposedly advisory role. Scroll down for video Charles Keating IV (pictured) was shot dead on May 3 after he went to the aid of military advisers who had been ambushed by around 100 jihadi fighters in Irbil. He was awarded the Silver Star for his bravery in a battle that took place just weeks earlier, it has been revealed Keating was shot dead after jihadi fighters broke through Peshmerga front lines in armored Humvees and bulldozers at 7.30am. The US militarys main spokesman in Baghdad, Col. Steve Warren, said at the time that Keating and other advisers were less than two miles behind the front line and called for help just before 8am. When the attack began, the US military advisers called Keatings quick reaction force to help get them away from the chaos. 'When the fire erupted, the quick reaction force... came to the battle and provided the additional firepower' needed to 'extract the remainder of our personnel,' Warren said in a video call to Pentagon reporters. Keating was struck during the ensuing battle. Although a Black Hawk helicopter evacuated him to a hospital within an hour, he did not survive. Keating was killed shortly after he married his fiancee Brooke Clark (pictured with him) in secret before his deployment 'This was a gun fight, you know, a dynamic gun fight, so he got hit just in the course of this gun battle. Whether it was a sniper or some fighter with his (AK-47) is unclear,' Warren said. 'There were bullets everywhere.' Warren said that even as the U.S. advisers were being rescued from the fight, a barrage of coalition aircraft including F-15 and F-16 fighter jets, B-52 bombers, A-10 close air support aircraft and drones responded and launched airstrikes. More than 30 locations were hit, killing 60 enemy fighters. Peshmerga regained control of the town. However, it has now emerged that Keating was also involved in an extremely intense battle with insurgents just weeks earlier for which he received Americas third-highest military honor. The details of this encounter were revealed in the Silver Star citation presented to Keatings family after his death, according to CNN. It explained that he continuously exposed himself to enemy automatic weapon, mortar, and rocket grenade fire and moved around the battlefield, encouraging the Peshmerga to keep going. Coronado Police and California Highway Patrol officers lead the funeral for Navy SEAL Charles Humphrey Keating IV in May Keating led a team that repelled a car bomb attack during the fight with sniper and rocket fire, the citation said, and his personal bravery inspired his comrades to vigorously defend their position and repel the enemy assault. Barack Obama used his final Memorial Day as Commander-in-Chief to pay tribute to the brave men and women who have died fighting for their country and he thanked 31-year-old Keating for his sacrifice. Obama said Keating joined the Navy SEALs because it was the hardest thing to do. Dog owners have been warned that they must wash their pets after taking them for a walk to avoid a disease that has killed almost 80 dogs in the UK over four years. Alabama Rot was mainly confined to southern England but has now spread to the Midlands, Wales, Lancashire, Scotland and Ireland and at least 78 dogs are known to have died from it, including 14 in the first four months of 2016. The disease, which causes skin lesions and kidney failure, has been seen in 16 counties including Lancashire, Kent and Dorset. Beware: Dog owners have been warned that they must wash their pets after taking them for a walk to avoid Alabama Rot. Mabel the labrador (pictured) died after contracting the disease in Wiltshire last year The mysterious illness, which first appeared in the late 1980s affecting greyhounds in America, has been found in at least 27 counties in England and Wales since 2012. Scotland and Northern Ireland are thought 'highly likely' to have had cases recently, and vets think it's only the tip of the iceberg, with many dogs getting Alabama Rot but owners dismissing it as something else. The cause is still unknown, and only one in three dogs is likely to survive even if it gets rapid treatment. Now, in a bid to halt the rapid spread, vets are pleading with owners to take extra precautions when out walking their dogs this summer. One of Britain's top experts on Alabama Rot is David Walker, from Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists in Winchester, Hampshire, an area where many of the dogs have died. What to look out for: The disease, which causes skin lesions (pictured) and kidney failure, has been seen in 16 counties including Lancashire, Kent and Dorset He warned: 'We have a strong suspicion Alabama Rot has an environment trigger but we cannot confirm that with 100 per cent confidence. 'The suspicion is that whatever causes this disease is ingested orally. 'While there is currently no known way to prevent a dog from contracting the disease, there is a very useful guide available online to help people understand where in the UK confirmed cases have been found and advice on how to spot signs.' WARNING SIGNS OF ALABAMA ROT Pet owners should check their dogs for lesions and ulcers The lesions may appear on the dogs' skin and paws which can be a sign of the killer disease The dogs may also develop sore, open wounds Over the next two to ten days dogs will develop clinical signs of kidney failure Dogs may begin to vomit, have a reduced appetite and tiredness Pet owners who see these symptoms in their pets should contact a vet immediately There is currently no known way of preventing a dog from catching the disease Advertisement He added: 'There is a suggestion that there is an environmental factor, we don't have clear evidence to back that up, but it can't not help to wash down your dog after a walk.' Though the cause is unknown, there is suspicion that walking dogs in soggy woodland is linked to the disease, so vets are advising owners to remove all traces of mud from their pets' paws. Graeme Pack, clinical director at Purton Veterinary Group in Swindon, Wiltshire, who has treated victims of the disease, said: 'From the cases we have seen in the New Forest it could be linked to woodland, but we cannot say. 'My advice, which I am undertaking with my own dogs, is not to walk in woodland and to always wash the mud off your dog after a walk. 'There may be a link with muddy walks in wooded areas. 'It makes sense to avoid these areas if possible and wash mud off your dogs after walks. 'But I don't want dog owners to panic and think they can never let their dogs out.' Nearly 20 dogs died in the New Forest in a flare-up in 2013, with more cases reported in Surrey, Nottinghamshire, Worcestershire, County Durham and Norfolk. A young boy has been rushed to hospital after being 'mauled' by a dog in western Sydney. The 11-year-old was attacked by the dog about 5:30pm at Wilkie Crescent Doonside - about 40 kilometres west of the city centre, NSW Police said. The boy suffered 'significant facial injuries', with the worst of which reportedly to his left cheek, a police spokesman said. A young boy has been rushed to hospital after being 'mauled' by a dog (pictured) in western Sydney The 11-year-old was attacked by the dog (pictured) about 5:30pm at Wilkie Crescent Doonside - about 40 kilometres west of the city centre, NSW Police said Officers remain at the scene where the boy was attacked in western Sydney, with a spokesman saying the dog (pictured) is at a nearby house and a decision on what to do with the animal has not been made Paramedics have taken the 11-year-old to Westmead Children's Hospital for treatment. Officers remain at the scene where the boy was attacked in western Sydney, with a spokesman saying the dog is at a nearby house and a decision on what to do with the animal has not been made. Private firm which monitors area for shops says it is investigating Drivers have complained about over-zealous wardens in the area Local resident previously saw warden hiding in a doorway at the site A parking warden has been filmed apparently hiding behind a wheelie bin so he can watch drivers without being seen. A controversial private firm patrols outside shops on an industrial estate in Canterbury, Kent to ensure only customers use the car park. But one of the company's wardens was seen appearing to crouch down opposite the car park so that motorists were unaware he was patrolling. CCTV footage appears to show a parking warden crouching down behind wheelie bins so he can catch drivers A businessman in Canterbury saw the stunt on CCTV and says he confronted the man about his behaviour. Residents in the area have previously complained about wardens descending and handing out tickets The CCTV images were captured by the owner of another firm whose premises are on the other side of the road from the car park. Darren Clark, who runs Canterbury Plumbing Supplies, said he was astonished when he realised the man hiding behind the bin was a parking warden for UKPC Ltd. He told KentOnline: 'I thought at first it might be someone lining up for a break-in. I went up to him shouting "Oi, what do you think you're doing?"' Mr Clark posted the pictures on a residents' forum after another local, Adam Sampson, took photos of a parking warden apparently pulling a similar stunt. Mr Sampson wrote: 'The chap enforcing the parking restrictions in the car park at [shops] Bamboo Tiger and Carpet Right has taken to hiding in the hope more people park there and wander off site. 'The car park is only for people using the buildings within it, step off site and your eligible for a parking ticket.' The pictures were put online after another resident, Adam Sampson, posted this photo on a Facebook forum The pictures prompted anger from local residents, many of whom say they have been wrongly given tickets at the site. Val Stevens wrote: 'I have always tried to support local businesses... but I will not be parking in that car park again or visiting the shops there.' Chantal Ross added: 'I too have been stung with a 100 fine for looking in beds4us. Never went off the complex yet still been fined. 'I am beyond fuming. It's daylight robbery. Never parking there again and never using those shops again. No wonder hardly anyone shops on that industrial estate.' Parking at the site previously caused controversy when parents dropping their children off at a nearby music school complained they had been pounced upon and handed tickets by over-zealous wardens. UKPC last year admitted altering photos of parked cars in Lincoln so they could unfairly impose fines. The company, which operates more than 1,000 sites around Britain, said it is investigating. Gifted students have been told to avoid WiFi in schools and vaccinations as their intelligence makes them vulnerable to allergies and poor health. Education Minister James Merlino slammed claims by the founder of WiseOnes, a Victorian based program teaching gifted students in state schools, who warned parents of clever children that radiation from WiFi is dangerous. 'If you have a very clever child beware- thinner skulls and more moisture for the microwaving,' says Pat Slattery on the WiseOnes website. Mr Merlino told The Age that Ms Slattery's claims were 'absolutely ridiculous'. 'If you have a very clever child beware- thinner skulls and more moisture for the microwaving,' WiseOnes founder Pat Slattery wrote on her website Gifted students with 'extra neurological connections' offered vaccination exemptions and are urged to avoid WiFi in schools due to negative health reactions In another post by Ms Slattery, that has now been deleted, she points out information linking vaccines to autism, and tells parents to email her to request a vaccination exemption form. 'I am willing to help educate online any children of vaccine refusers,' she wrote. 'I am concerned because we know how much more sensitive gifted children are due to their extra neurological connections. Giving them neurotoxins seems illogical.' Ms Slattery said her views on vaccinations were not in the curriculum of WiseOnes but she does refuse to show principals the course content as she says this would breach her intellectual property. A statement by the Victorian Education Department confirmed the content, telling The Age: 'WiseOnes is used by a small number of schools as a resource to help gifted students succeed and does not contain any reference to either vaccinations or Wi-Fi.' There are 30 schools listed on Ms Slattery's website and the founder tells The Age she plans to expand to NSW and Queensland. Professor Simon Chapman from the University of Sydney said there 'is no evidence of any rise in brain cancer in any of the under-age groups, let alone children' (stock image) The WiseOnes founder also believes radiation from Wi-Fi and microwaves is the cause of brain tumours and leukaemia. 'I'm very concerned because now leukaemia and brain tumours are killing more children that all other childhood diseases put together,' she writes on the WiseOnes Website. 'We live in a microwave sea that humans have never experienced before.' Professor Simon Chapman from the University of Sydney researched brain cancer diagnoses in Australia and found a spike in diagnoses in the older age group was likely a result of improved diagnostic procedures rather than the use of mobile phones. 'There is no evidence of any rise in brain cancer in any of the under-age groups, let alone children,' he told The Age. Pat Slattery (pictured) is the founder of WiseOnes, a Victorian based program where gifted students in state schools participate in small group sessions Ms Slattery has written to Education Minister James Merlino about the need to remove microwave radiation from schools (stock image) Ms Slattery believes that she almost died from 'radiation poisoning, adding that she is still alive because she moved into a caravan with no power but writes on her website that she still finds it 'very difficult staying alive with the radiation.' Ms Slattery has written to Education Minister James Merlino about the need to remove microwave radiation from schools. The Education Minister calls her claims 'absolutely ridiculous'. 'We don't teach this sort of rubbish in Victorian schools ... it is my expectation that such nonsense is not and never will be reflected in resources distributed to Victorian schools,' he told The Age. Nudists in Germany have been told to cover up when a refugee shelter overlooking their beloved colony opens next month. The 400 members of the Familiensport-und FKK-Bund Waldteichfreunde Moritzburg nudist group have been told they will not be able to skinny dip in the lake that will separate them from the prying eyes of residents in the new 1.2million facility. They claim their nudist way of life is being threatened by officials not wanting to offend the migrants. The 400 members of the Familiensport-und FKK-Bund Waldteichfreunde Moritzburg nudist group fear their lifestyle will come under threat (stock image) They have also cited the number of shocking migrant related incidents in recent months. 'I don't know whether it is wise to set up the asylum home here,' said Petra Hoffman, 70-year-old club treasurer. 'Many members are worried about camping out on our land in summer with the home across the water. Now they say we can no longer swim nude and have sent the instructions to us in many languages on a laminated board.' The all-male facility will house 112 asylum seekers on the pond at Radebury. Around 400 members of the naturist club are determined to continue swimming naked. Mrs Hoffman added: 'We refuse to disengage from it. On our site we alone determine what we do and do not do.' A local authority spokesman said: 'We need the home. There is no other alternative.' He said the bathing rules were actually in place before the asylum home was planned but are now being enforced to prevent any potential incidents. But the nudists will still be allowed to walk around their club area naked. They insist the accommodation will not be used in summer months, when most nudists attend the retreat. He also said a large privacy screen would be erected to help further put the nudists at ease. Germany has accepted more refugees than any other country in Europe, taking in 1.1 million in 2015, mostly due to Chancellor Angela Merkel's much criticised open-door policy Germany has encountered a number of shocking migrant related incidents in recent months. At New Year, hundreds of women were sexually assaulted in and around Cologne's central train station. That same month, two elderly passengers on the Munich Metro were attacked by a group of young men of Middle Eastern appearance as they tried to protect a woman from being sexually harassed. And just today, a refugee camp in Dusseldorf was burned down by migrants amid claims they were angry they had not received a wake-up for Ramadan breakfast. A 17-year-old girl penned a poem to her sexually abusive father describing her fight to repair the damage and pain he had caused just two months before she killed herself. The girl, Abbey, took her own life in November 2013 after a West Australian court ruled that he father could spend time with her. Her story is now included in a report titled Abbey's Project analysing the Australian family law system by Braveheart, a child protection advocate. Abbey, a 17-year-old Western Australian girl, wrote a poem to her sexually abusive father just two months before she committed suicide three years ago (stock image) ABBEY'S POEM TO HER FATHER 'I am broken. I was only a girl. Hiding under my sheets. You took away all my innocence. Left me dead inside, 'You left me alone. To work it all out by myself, confused and lost I walked, through the tunnels of pain. 'You left me alone after those night. My silent tears never heard. My roar inside left to burn out, 'You stole me from my cave, abused my soul and took my trust, ditched it in a hole and left me in the cold, 'I'm broken now, torn and ripped in pieces. I fight to repair the damage but your breath remains on my chest.' - Abbey Advertisement The study looks at 15 cases where the court system is accused of placing children directly at risk of being sexually harmed. 'I am broken. I was only a girl. Hiding under my sheets. You took away all my innocence. Left me dead inside,' the poem begins. 'You left me alone. To work it all out by myself, confused and lost I walked, through the tunnels of pain. 'You left me alone after those night. My silent tears never heard. My roar inside left to burn out. 'You stole me from my cave, abused my soul and took my trust, ditched it in a hole and left me in the cold. 'I'm broken now, torn and ripped in pieces. I fight to repair the damage but your breath remains on my chest.' Around the same time, a family court ruled Abbey's father could spend time with her again despite being a convicted sex offender (stock image) Abbey's poem is included in a report analysing the Australian family law system by Braveheart, a child protection agency (pictured) Bravehearts founder Hetty Johnson delivered the report to the Federal Government this week and called for a reform of Australia's family law system, according to The Sunshine Coast Daily. 'The family law system as it stands now is the most dangerous institution for children in this country,' Ms Johnston said. 'Abbey's Project aims to give a voice to children, parents and others who have been through the family law system in Australia and feel they have not been heard, protected or supported by this system,' she said. The 15 selected cases are just a handful of many and are not unique, Ms Johnson said. Family Court of Australia Chief Justice Diana Bryant told the Sunshine Coast daily that an overhaul of the family court system would require more federal funding. A man whose life was saved when his mother acted as a human shield during the Orlando massacre has broken down at her funeral as he paid his respects. Brenda Lee Marquez McCool, 49, was shot dead by Omar Mateen at Pulse nightclub as she tried to protect her 21-year-old son Isaiah Henderson. At her funeral yesterday Isaiah broke down in tears and needed the support of his uncle and brother as he delivered the eulogy for his mother at First United Methodist Church of Orlando. The Orlando Sentinel reported that he told those in attendance: 'I never thought her life would be ended right in front of my eyes.' Isaiah Henderson had to be supported by his uncle Michael Marquez (left) and brother Robert Presley when he broke down while giving the eulogy at his mother's funeral Isaiah Henderson was dancing with his mother Brenda Lee Marquez McCool in Orlando gay nightclub Pulse when Omar Mateen burst in and started wildly shooting people in the early hours of June 12th The coffin of Ms McCool stands at the front of the Orlando church He said: 'Everybody who knew my mom knew she was the mom everybody wanted. She always took everybody in with open arms. She loved everybody equally, no matter what.' After breaking down, he composed himself and said: 'I didn't want to speak, because I knew this was going to happen. But I knew I would have regretted it if I never spoke.' He said: 'Everybody who knew her should have loved her too because she was crazy.' Friends grieve at the funeral of Brenda Lee Marquez McCool. She was one of 49 people shot dead by homophobic gunman Omar Mateen From left, Isaiah Henderson, Tatiana Harris and Khiana Marshall watch 49 white balloons after they were released during the funeral for their mother Brenda Lee Marquez McCool at First United Methodist Church in downtown Orlando on Monday Family members release 49 white balloons outside the Orlando church Isaiah gave several funny anecdotes about his mother, including one about how she bloodied his nose during a playfight and he joked: 'She's a linebacker.' Mrs McCool had 11 children and they all lined up to pay tribute to her. 'She was a warrior,' said Farrell Marshall Jr. He told the funeral how he remembered seeing his mother smiling and laughing as she braided her son's hair and sent photographs of him to his stepfather as they prepared to go out on the fatal night of June 11. Party girl: Brenda (pictured) was a regular at salsa nights and a staunch supporter of the LGBT community Farrell said it was important to cherish such moments: 'You have to pay attention to certain moments in your life. You go from seeing your own mother smiling to seeing her in a coffin.' Mrs McCool's brother Michael Marquez Jr said his sister left a huge hole in his heart but he said there would be more dancing in heaven with her in it and he quipped: 'Tell Jesus to step up his salsa game'. Brenda was born in Brooklyn, New York, where she spent most of her life. She later moved to California for about 15 years before relocating to Orlando to be near her younger children. Brenda Lee Marquez McCool, 49, had survived two types of cancer. Mother to 11 children, she had a boyfriend and was out with friends at the Latin night on Saturday when she became a victim of the massacre In Orlando, she regularly went dancing, and loved salsa. The Mayor of Orlando, Buddy Dyer, told the funeral that after she was mortally wounded she had told her son to flee and save himself. He said her heroism made him proud to live in Orlando and he declared today a day of mourning in Mrs McCool's honor. White balloons were released after the service in her memory. At the time of the shooting Brenda's sister-in-law Ada Presley told the 'New York Daily News Brenda saw Mateen point the gun: 'She said "Get down" to Isaiah and she got in front of him. 'She was shot dead. That's how much she loved her kids. If it weren't for her, he'd of been shot.' According to his sister Khalisha Pressley, Isaiah has been crippled with a feeling of guilt. 'He had to watch his mother die. He saw everybody getting killed,' Khalisa told NBC News. 'He feels it was his fault.' Brenda pictured with her ex Robert Pressley and their newborn son in 1986. Brenda was born in Brooklyn. She later moved to California for about 15 years before relocating to Orlando to be near her younger children Brenda pictured with her son Robert and an unidentified man. Robert said 'everyone called my mom 'mom'' Filipino skateboarders spend the day performing tricks in the street and maneuvering Advertisement Millions of skaters around the globe have gathered across major cities to promote the sport of skateboarding on Go Skateboarding day. In Manila, The Philippines, thousands of skateboarders gathered in the capital city on Tuesday to raise their decks marking the official holiday and to perform a series of tricks, maneuvering around obstacles including down a flight of stairs. The official day for skateboarding was launched in 2004 by the International Association of Skateboard Companies in hopes of making the sport more accessible across the world as major cities hold a series of events promoting the sport. Skateboarders around the world celebrate Go Skateboarding Day to promote the sport of skateboarding A Filipino skateboarder performs a 'benihana,' an aerial trick, down a flight of stairs as skaters stand on the side with their boards Skateboarders tested their skills and while some failed others impressed their onlookers as they maneuvered around obstacles A Filipino skateboarder jumps over a parking cone as other skateboarders watch on with their skateboards in hand An image taken with a slow shutter speed shows a Filipino skateboarder preparing to do a trick down a flight of stairs Skateboarders in Manila initially helped kick of the global event by skating through a three-kilometer stretch of traffic while doing board flips and tricks. Young, old, female and male skaters demonstrated skateboarding was for one and all as local skateboarders celebrated their passion in the sport. Many skaters have requested the Philippine government provide locals with skate parks in order to practice safely and help keep them of the streets. Due to the few skate parks available for thousands of skaters many have resorted to building their own ramps and grills from inadequate material in empty spaces around the city. Filipino skateboarders raise their decks on Tuesday to mark Go Skateboarding Day in Manila, Philippines A number of Filipinos skateboarders cleqared their schedules for the day and hit the streets with their skateboards to show their love for the sport Young skateboarders gather around stairs as they watch a fellow skater attempt an aerial trick Go Skateboarding Day gives passionate skateboarders as well as those who are simply inspired by skateboarding, the opportunity to drop everything and get on a skateboard Teachers are referring five pupils per day to the government's anti-radicalisation programme in a bid to steer them away from terror, figures show. More than 1,000 school-aged children in the UK were referred to the Channel programme scheme amid fears of suspected extremist behaviour in the past year. That equates to more than five children being referred per day. In 2012 - the year that the scheme was rolled one - just nine children were referred. More than 1,000 children have been referred to a deradicalisation programme in the past year by teachers who want to steer them away from terrorism, figures show (posed by models) Critics have said the figures, revealed today in The Times, demonstrate a tendency by teachers to over-refer. In January, it was revealed a 10-year-old Muslim boy was quizzed by police after he mistakenly wrote that he lived in a 'terrorist house' rather than a 'terraced house'. The following month, a 15-year-old boy was referred to police after clicking on the Ukip website in the classroom to research immigration. Malia Bouattia, president of the NUS, said the programme thrives off 'confusion and paranoia'. Since last July, under the government's counter-terror strategy, teachers have been legally obliged to report any suspected extremist behaviour to police as part of the anti-radicalisation strategy. This can include support for extremist ideas that are 'part of terrorist ideology'. The obligation, introduced under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act, requires 'specific authorities to have due regard to the need to prevent individuals from being drawn into terrorism.' The law governs local authorities, police, prisons, health centres and education. Critics have said the figures, revealed today , demonstrate a tendency by teachers to over-refer The figures were released by the National Police Chiefs Council and cover England and Wales. About half of those referred were assessed as not needing any intervention. Last year the Department for Education (DfE) issued advice for schools and childcare providers on how to meet the new Prevent duty requirement. It said: 'Schools and childcare providers can also build pupils' resilience to radicalisation by promoting fundamental British values and enabling them to challenge extremist views. 'It is important to emphasise that the Prevent duty is not intended to stop pupils debating controversial issues. 'On the contrary, schools should provide a safe space in which children, young people and staff can understand the risks associated with terrorism and develop the knowledge and skills to be able to challenge extremist arguments.' Friends and family gathered on Monday at a vigil for a two-year-old Nebraska boy killed by an alligator at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. The ceremony in Omaha, Nebraska, comes a week after Lane Graves's was attacked by the alligator as he paddled with his parents at the lagoon near Disney World's Grand Floridian hotel. His father Matt tried to fight the reptile off but was left bloodied as the alligator dragged his son underwater after the attack which took place beyond 'no swimming' signs. Disney has since installed a fence and changed its signs to explicitly warn guests of alligators. The funeral for the boy, whose tragic death made headlines around the world and touched millions, is scheduled to begin at 10am Tuesday, also at St. Patrick's. A vigil was held for a two-year-old Nebraska boy killed by an alligator at Disney World in Orlando, Florida The service for Lane Graves took place at 3pm on Monday at St. Patrick's Catholic Church (pictured) in Omaha, Nebraska Lane's funeral is scheduled to begin at 10am Tuesday, also at St. Patrick's Authorities say an alligator pulled Lane (pictured) into the water last Tuesday at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, despite the frantic efforts of his father Authorities say an alligator pulled Lane into the water last Tuesday at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, despite the frantic efforts of his father. Lane's body was recovered Wednesday. An autopsy showed the boy died from drowning and traumatic injuries. The beach at the resort is across a lake from the Magic Kingdom. It had 'no swimming' signs but no warning about alligators. The boy's parents, who were on vacation from Nebraska when their son was dragged from the water's edge by the alligator, said they have been 'overwhelmed with the support and love' that have poured in since the tragedy captured national attention. 'Melissa and I continue to deal with the loss of our beloved boy, Lane, and are overwhelmed with the support and love we have received from family and friends in our community as well as from around the country,' father Matt Graves said in the statement issued by their church in Elkhorn, Nebraska, on Saturday. Over the weekend, Disney unveiled a new sign warning against alligators and snakes where Lane was dragged to his death. An autopsy showed Graves died from drowning and traumatic injuries in the lake (pictured) near the Magic Kingdom Over the weekend, Disney unveiled a new sign warning against alligators and snakes where Lane was dragged to his death A harrowing 911 call recvealed how a woman begged for help after the toddler was dragged off by the alligator (pictured, marine units looking for Graves' body on June 15) Authorities, meanwhile, have released harrowing audio from a 911 call that a woman made when Lane was snatched. She is heard pleading for help. 'Please come to the Grand Floridian, please. Someone drowned in the... in the... Seven Seas Lagoon Lake,' a female voice is heard telling an emergency dispatcher. It is believed that the caller worked at a resort bar. In the 911 audio, the dispatcher tells the woman to get closer to the shore and call back to give more information. But the woman never called back, because emergency responders arrived within minutes. An earlier 911 call had been made automatically when a lifeguard rushed to assist the toddler at 9.15pm, ABC News reported. Jacquee Wahler, Vice President of Walt Disney World Resort, told Daily Mail Online in a statement: 'We are installing signage and temporary barriers at our resort beach locations and are working on permanent, long-term solutions at our beaches. The boy's parents, who were on vacation from Nebraska when their son died, said they have been 'overwhelmed with the support and love' that have poured in since the tragedy 'We continue to evaluate processes and procedures for our entire property, and, as part of this, we are reinforcing training with our cast for reporting sightings and interactions with wildlife and are expanding our communication to guests on this topic.' Matt Morgan, an Orlando lawyer, predicted a multi-million-dollar settlement for wrongful death. Boris Johnson today said he would apologise if he proved to be wrong about Brexit causing a recession but insisted he did not think it would happen Boris Johnson today said he would apologise publicly if Brexit caused a recession but insisted Britain had nothing to fear from quitting the EU. The ex-London Mayor has rejected an economic consensus which has strongly warned against voting for Brexit on Thursday. David Cameron and George Osborne made the extraordinary claim in the middle of the campaign that Britain would be voting for a 'DIY recession' if it backed Brexit. Treasury forecasts suggest anything from a mild to a severe recession is possible after a Brexit vote - but found now evidence for the possibility Brexit would provoke growth because of the uncertainty it would cause. Mr Johnson was challenged today during a live radio interview on whether he would be 'humble' enough to apologise if he won the referendum but proved to be wrong about the economy. Answering questions on LBC, the Vote Leave champion said: 'Of course I will.' He added: 'This is far more important any individual political career or politician. I don't think that London has anything to fear from coming out of the EU, this is the most extraordinary economy, and nor does Britain. 'Britain is the fifth biggest economy in the world, we have the opportunity to do new trade deals. 'When has our country ever gone wrong in believing in ourselves or our democratic institutions?' Pressed again on an apology, Mr Johnson said: 'I've always been pretty humble about everything. 'I think the current gloom is actually being induced by Project Fear and the nonsense coming from the Remain campaign - I think they are talking the country down.' Mr Johnson suggested Downing Street had been threatening businesses to ensure support for the Remain campaign. He said: 'I do not wish in any way to be disparaging or critical of my friends in government, but it is well known that there is an operation in Downing Street. 'You will get a call from certain gentlemen and they will say 'We want to continue to have contracts with you', or 'It's very important we want to continue friendly relations', there's the honours system, all this kind of thing ... There's a bit of leaning on. 'And the heroism of people therefore like [Anthony] Bamford and [James] Dyson [who have come out for Leave] is very remarkable.' Billionaire George Soros today forecast a 'black Friday' in the markets if Britain votes for Brexit in Thursday's referendum on EU membership With just two days until polls open, Mr Johnson acknowledged there were 'arguments for staying in', including a desire not to upset other European countries. But he said: 'We can counter that argument by saying we are passionately committed to Europe, we are passionately committed to the security and defence of Europe. 'But I think the supranational system of the European Court of Justice, the Commission and the Parliament, is now out of control.' A new economic warning was issued today by the billionaire who famously bet against the pound and won in the 1992 crash, who said a Brexit vote on Thursday could produce a 'Black Friday' as markets react in horror to instability caused by the result. George Soros forced then prime minister John Major to pull Britain out of the 'European Exchange Rate Mechanism' in 1992, sparking chaos in the markets on a day that went down in history as 'Black Wednesday'. David Cameron and George Osborne were mocked after suggesting Brexit would trigger a 'DIY recession' for the first time in British history Mr Soros today claimed the collapse in the value of the pound on Friday could be even bigger if Britain votes for Brexit and he warned it would leave people poorer. Currency and stock markets have been on a roller-coaster ride during the referendum campaigning, plunging over the past fortnight as a succession of polls showed a Brexit lead. But as market hopes of a Remain vote were raised yesterday, the FTSE100 index soared and the pound had one of its strongest days since the 2008 financial crisis. Chancellor George Osborne doubled down on his succession of grim economic warnings over Brexit last night as he refused to rule out that the stock market could even need to be suspended on Friday. And Mr Osborne - who last week said an 'emergency budget' featuring punishing tax rises and spending cuts would be needed after Brexit - even claimed redundancies could be made by the end of the week. George Osborne again missed his debt target last month as borrowing reached a worse-than-expected 9.7billion, figures revealed today. It deals a blow to the Chancellor's efforts to shore up the nation's finances, but his plans could be blown apart if Britain votes for Brexit on Thursday, according to his own forecasts. The Office for National Statistics said public sector net borrowing excluding public sector banks dropped by 0.4 billion in May, compared with the same month last year, but failed to meet economists' expectations of 9.5billion. George Osborne (pictured campaigning for the EU referendum yesterday) again missed his debt target last month as borrowing reached a worse-than-expected 9.7billion, figures revealed today It is the second month in a row that the Treasury has missed its borrowing target. The ONS said public sector net debt excluding banks climbed 49.6billion to 1,606.9 billion over the period, the equivalent to 83.7 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP). It added that the Chancellor is now judged to have borrowed 74.9 billion for the complete financial year ending in March 2016, meaning he overshot his annual target by less than previously thought. The ONS said in May that public sector net borrowing for the financial year had hit 76 billion - a 2billion rise on its initial estimate. The Office for Budget Responsibility had forecast borrowing to hit 72.2billion for 2015/16. It means Mr Osborne has now missed this target by 2.7billion. Mr Osborne has pledged to return the UK to a surplus by 2020, with the OBR forecast stating that the UK would have a budget surplus of 10.4billion in 2019/20 and 11billion the year after. However, the Chancellor has already been blown off course, with borrowing in the current financial year to date hitting 17.9 billion, a 0.2billion jump compared with 2015. It comes despite Government tax receipts rising over the period by 3.4 per cent to 103.8 billion. The latest borrowing figures deals a blow to George Osborne's (pictured on ITV on Sunday) efforts to shore up the nation's finances, but his plans could be blown apart if Britain votes for Brexit on Thursday, according to his own forecasts. The Government coffers were boosted in the main by stamp duty on land and property, which surged by just over a fifth to 2.1 billion in the period. But this was swallowed up by a 2.1 per cent rise in Government expenditure to 119.7billion between April and May this year, as net social benefits, net investment and debt interest costs all increased. However if voters decide to quit the EU in Thursday's historic referendum, it could blow a further 30billion black hole in the public finances, Mr Osborne warned last week. Mr Osborne warned he would have to fill the deficit by raising income tax, alcohol and petrol duties while also breaking Tory manifesto pledges by making massive cuts to the NHS, schools and defence. Samuel Tombs, chief UK economist of Pantheon Macroeconomics, said the public finance figures for May 'cast more doubt' over whether Mr Osborne can achieve a budget surplus by the end of this parliament. He added: 'Undeniably, hefty public borrowing reflects the impact of uncertainty created by the EU referendum on the economy. 'The latest figures therefore provide just a taste of what Brexit would do to the health of the Government's finances. 'But even if the UK votes to remain in the EU this week, we think that the Chancellor only has a slim chance of meeting his budget surplus goal. In particular, the fiscal projections rest on very optimistic assumptions for revenues from tax avoidance measures and savings from the welfare budget. 'Meanwhile, the Conservatives' slim majority in the House of Commons likely means it will be impossible for the Chancellor to get political support for a further intensification of austerity in order to obtain a budget surplus.' British Chambers of Commerce chief economist David Kern said: 'Although borrowing fell marginally in May, the first two months of the current financial year point to disappointing progress in reducing the deficit, and our assessment remains that reaching a budget surplus by the end of the decade will be difficult to achieve. Big Brother housemate: Marco Pierre White Jr (left) appeared at Hammersmith Magistrates Court today Big Brother housemate Marco Pierre White Jr was fined 400 today after being caught high on cocaine with 'eyes like pinpricks' when an unmarked police car drove into his vehicle. The 21-year-old model was more than four times over the legal limit as his ex-fiancee Kim Melville-Smith drove him home from a dentist's appointment in Hammersmith, West London. When his 36-year-old partner parked her grey BMW X5 due to a problem with the engine in April, White Jr is said to have got into the driver's seat to pop the bonnet. Moments later an unmarked Volvo police car bumped into the BMW at the side of the road, leading officers to question the pair and become suspicious over White Jrs eyes. Carly Loftus, prosecuting, said: 'Officers spoke to the driver and Miss Melville-Smith. She confirmed that she was the driver but the other driver of the Volvo believed [White Jr] was.' Both were breathalysed - although White Jr, who does not have a driver's licence, insisted he was 'only sitting in the car for a bit'. Miss Loftus continued: 'An officer noticed that Mr Pierre White's... pupils looked like pin pricks. He was rather erratic and couldn't keep still.' The officers called a traffic unit who carried out a drugs test on the celeb which revealed he had in excess of 200mcg of cocaine per litre of blood. 'When he was interviewed he stated that he was with his girlfriend and they had both been in West Kensington as he had been to the dentist,' said Miss Loftus. 'He stated he had been offered some cocaine four to five days prior to the incident at a party.' She added: 'He said he had had four to five lattes that day and that's why his pupils may have looked the way they did. He didn't believe that just being sat in the driver's seat was wrong.' Carl Newman, defending, said: 'He got into the driver's seat and was trying to find the lever to open the bonnet. The engine was still running and at this point their car was hit by another car.' At court: White Jr (left) pleaded guilty to being in charge of a motor vehicle with a proportion of cocaine above the specified limit. He is pictured going for a sandwich today while waiting for his case to be heard White Jr gazed at the ceiling as he admitted being in charge of a motor vehicle with a proportion of cocaine above the specified limit at Hammersmith Magistrates' Court. Mr Newman said White Jr should be paid for his TV work within 28 days, adding: 'He has no income whatsoever and is supported by his family. He is supported by his father, he is able to pay a fine.' District Judge Karim Ezzat fined White Jr, of Chiswick, 400 and endorsed his notional licence with ten points. He must also pay a 40 victim surcharge and 85 prosecution costs. The judge said: 'You have pleaded guilty in relation to the offence, you receive credit for your guilty plea. I take the view that the appropriate way to deal with your case is a financial penalty.' The case comes less than a fortnight after White Jr bragged about splashing 250,000 on 'prostitutes, cocaine, and alcohol' to his celebrity housemates on Big Brother. He told them on June 10 that he had a run in with his father, celebrity chef Marco Pierre White, after blowing hundreds of thousands during a three-month summer holiday. Court: White Jr (left) was caught with 'eyes like pinpricks' when an unmarked police car drove into his vehicle When shocked actress Evelyn Ellis asked how much, he replied: 'Quarter of a million. In three months. On prostitutes, cocaine and alcohol.' Meanwhile White Jr revealed this week that he has called off his engagement after a sexual encounter in the Big Brother house with Laura Carter. The son of celebrity chef Marco Pierre White had been given a hall pass by fiancee Miss Melville-Smith which allowed him to cheat on her during his time on the Channel 5 show. But she later said that it did not mean an open relationship. White Jr became the first evictee on Friday night and said they had since decided to end their engagement and remain friends. Speaking of his sexual encounter with Carter, he told ITVs This Morning yesterday: Maybe I did push it too far and I take the full blame. I think Kim's a great person, I don't regret what I did. I shouldn't have done what I did, to be fair. I don't regret anything to do with Laura, I think she's a great person as well, but I do feel guilty, I feel bad. Former couple: White Jr (left) has called off his engagement to fashion designer Kim Melville-Smith (right) White Jr, who was also engaged to commodity broker Jessyca Hydleman until March 2016, also admitted that he had become engaged too young, adding: 'I don't know why I keep doing it.' Footage of White Jr in a tawdry clinch with Carter has now prompted more than 600 complaints to Ofcom, which is investigating if it 'exceeded generally accepted standards for its time of broadcast'. The scene between White Jr and 30-year-old Miss Carter, who has appeared in soap operas Emmerdale and Holby City, was first broadcast last week. Just three days after entering the house, White Jr was given a formal warning by the shows bosses about his risque behaviour after appearing to engage in sexual acts. 'I can't believe it, to be fair. I was a bit surprised but I was ready to go. I had packed my bags,' he told Big Brother host Emma Willis following his exit. He told Willis of his time in the house that it was 'just a great time in there, you've just got to lose yourself in there and get a bit crazy', but added that he had no regrets about his actions. A furious commuter who was stranded miles from home after cancellations left her homeward journey in tatters has posted a shocking video of rail staff arguing - with each other. Australian Michelle Fettroll, 50, usually gets aboard the 18.33 from Brighton to Emsworth - an hour-long journey often plagued by severe delays and cancellations. On June 10, after a string of cancellations, Michelle took a gamble after various train staff told her to go in different directions, and took a train up to Three Bridges in an attempt to get home. But she didn't get home to her disabled husband until 11pm - nearly five hours after starting her one- hour journey home. Southern Rail staff argue with each other as to what the best solutions are to get the passengers home When she passed through Horsham, Michelle's train was 'dumped' and the passengers were told to get off. While the on-duty Southern Rail drivers disembarked because they had used up all their hours, commuters wandered around aimlessly searching for answers. Michelle took out her phone and videoed commuters joking about hitting the bottle to deal with the stress and, later, two guards shouting at each other. One is heard saying: 'We can't cancel another train.' Another replies: 'Alright then, we won't cancel them, we'll just block everything up.' The first man says: 'It's up to them - it's their [the passengers'] problem.' The second man says: 'It's not their problem. It's our problem. We're the ones that have to listen to these people.' The other says: 'I'll tell you what - if you want to f****** be in control, you pull it back.' The discussion continues outside of the train station office, as two male staff members address the chaos Meanwhile passengers were left waiting around for announcements as to how they would get home Michelle said she later bypassed GTR's customer service and phoned the firm's commercial director David Innis demanding answers. She said: 'I was very polite and and I was just asking for some answers. I wanted to know what was going on, and why this happened all the time. 'But he sounded like he didn't care. 'He told me to wait while he moved and the line just went dead. I was shocked.' Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) - which runs Southern Rail - has been heavily criticised for cancellations and an all-round poor service - and with a 24-hour strike due to begin today (Tuesday), commuters are braced for more misery. Solution? The train worker has a heated argument with another staff member at Southern on the phone This graphic compares Michelle Fettroll's usual one-hour journey from Brighton to Emsworth, and then the route she took via Horsham, that took almost five hours Retail manager Michelle said: 'It's disgusting. I live in Emsworth and commute, every day, to Brighton and back. 'I normally get the 18.33pm home. 'There are usually delays and cancellations, but on June 10, there were loads of cancellations. 'I was told by two different train staff to go in two different directions to get home. 'But I ended up heading to Three Bridges, to change and try and get home that way - but when I got to Horsham, my train was just cancelled again. 'It's just so frustrating because my husband is on dialysis. Nobody knew what to do. They looked chaotic. 'They didn't know what to tell me. One person was saying one thing, someone else was saying something else.' The man gesticulates to trains parked up as a way around getting people home is discussed, and right, red lights were the order of the day SOUTHERN RAIL STAFF GO ON STRIKE Rail passengers in England and Scotland faced fresh travel misery today as workers strike in a long running dispute over the role of conductors. Southern's services, including trains into London Victoria, have been disrupted for weeks thanks to industrial action and unprecedented staff sickness. Rail, Maritime and Transport union members on Southern Railway are walking out amid claims that the Government is authorising train cancellations. They also fear a driver-only-operation, where the driver has to close the doors at stations instead of the on-board conductor, will cause safety problems. And rail passengers in Scotland were warned to expect disruption as the first in a series of planned strikes in a dispute over driver-only trains began. Advertisement Michelle said hundreds of angry commuters were wandering around the platforms 'like sheep' when she decided to try and do something and began filming the chaos. She said: 'The conductor on my train literally told me to go in the office and complain - that's all he knew. 'It's not the conductor's fault. By the time I got to Horsham, it was half past eight. 'All the trains had just been dumped at Horsham - you can hear them on the video using that word, 'dumped'. 'We were all just standing around. We were like sheep. The English take a long time to complain, so I just said, 'we've go to do something'. A Southern spokesman said: 'We apologise to our passengers for the levels of disruption they are currently experiencing. 'This has been due in the main to very high levels of sickness, and a reluctance to work overtime among our train crews. 'This has meant that regrettably, we have been forced to cancel some of our trains which is compromising our ability to operate a robust train service on a day-to-day basis. This shocking footage shows the moment a group of teens believed to be as young as 15 battered two police officers carrying out a drugs raid - and then uploaded the video online in order to boast. At one point during the raid at a flat in Alloa, Clackmannanshire, a female Police Scotland officer is seen on her knees apparently having her head bashed against a wall. Her male colleague is then hit in the face, which throws his head back, as he attempts to reach for a cannister of CS spray from his belt. At one point during the raid at a flat in Alloa, Clackmannanshire, a female Police Scotland officer is seen on her knees having her head bashed against a wall (pictured right) while her colleague grapples with another teen The incident, which involved 15- and 16-year-olds, is understood to have erupted into violence after officers went into the property to seize cannabis. Police Scotland said neither officer was seriously injured and that the matter had been dealt with by the courts. But Graeme Pearson, former head of the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency (SCDEA), said the clip revealed the violence dished out to officers by young people with no respect for the law. The 10-second clip opens with the male officer on his knees and struggling with a youth. In the background the female officer can be glimpsed, also on her knees, and apparently being grabbed by the collar by a teenage girl who is trying to hit her head off the wall. The male officer was hit in the face, rocking his head back, as he attempted to reach for his cannister As a male repeatedly shouts 'Get out of my f****** house', the male officer can be seen trying to reach for his CS spray. A youth then lands a blow straight into the face of the officer. As the clip ends, it appears that the officers are being forced out of the property. The footage briefly surfaced on social media last Wednesday although it is not clear when it was filmed. The uploader wrote: 'Looking for weed. Get out my house I look like a king kong pollen bong.' Another Facebook user commented: 'Av still got that c**** polis badge hing'. And one wrote: 'The police getting slapped about - belter.' A Police Scotland spokesman said: 'We are aware of this video and two 15-year-old males and a 16-year-old female were subsequently charged in connection with the incident and processed through the court system. 'Fortunately, no officers were seriously injured during this attack. However, assaults on police officers will not be tolerated and we will always look to bring those responsible to justice.' Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Douglas Ross said: 'Police officers do a hard job under difficult circumstances and they should never be treated with this level of violent disrespect. 'It is hoped that this was a one-off incident but this kind of video highlights the problem officers face on our streets. 'Perhaps it is time to educate young people on why the police should be respected and why officers should be able to carry out their duties, without fear of violence.' Graeme Pearson, who served as an MSP after leaving the SCDEA, said the video showed 'a horrible scene faced by front line police officers responding to calls from the public who seek their assistance'. He added: 'Suspects too often feel free to assault and abuse officers who are trained to behave professionally and to show restraint. 'I have no doubt these officers faced an impossible situation created by youngsters who are described as children but who behaved abominably.' On average, 15 assaults each day are committed against Scottish police officers. Two brothers have been jailed for a combined total of 24 years for a 'horrific' revenge acid attack which left a mother-of-six permanently blind in one eye after a 2,000 drug deal went wrong. Thugs Billy and Geoffrey Midmore were convicted at Southampton Crown Court of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to 37-year-old mother-of-six Carla Whitlock. Older brother, Geoffrey, 27, pleaded guilty to spraying drain cleaner in her face outside the Turtle Bay restaurant in Southampton on September 18 last year and was today jailed for nine years. Billy, 22, was found guilty at trial of being part of the attack which caused severe burns to Ms Whitlock's face and eye lids. He laughed in the dock as he was jailed for 15 years. Billy (left) and Geoffery Midmore (right) have been jailed for 24 years for spraying acid in the face of a woman CCTV footage shows Geoffrey Midmore (right) and his friend fist-bumping less than an hour after the acid attack last November The attack was jointly carried out by the two brothers who blamed Miss Whitlock for a drug deal which went wrong and left them 2,000 out of pocket. The day before the attack Billy - also known as 'Kid' - contacted Ms Whitlock to threaten her and sent her a text message saying: 'You b****, you dead over chump change'. Billy also offered a reward of '35 rolls of heroin, crack cocaine, or a mixture of the both' if they located the person who did not pay for the drugs, the jury was told during the trial. Following his conviction Billy, who was described as 'the leader' in the attack had said: 'Oh my God. You lot are joking.' Today Judge Ralls QC told the brothers that the 'cruel and calculated attack' and Ms Whitlock will have to live with the affect of the attack for the rest of her life. He said the behaviour displayed by the brothers was 'on a level of medieval barbarism beyond most people's comprehension.' Ms Whitlock - pictured on the right before the attack - said the acid made her face feel 'like fire' as she was ambushed outside a club in Southampton Since being locked up while he awaited sentencing Midmore converted to Islam, referring to himself as Billal Kidd Mujahideen on Facebook before changing his online name to Billal Midmore. He recently uploaded a photograph of himself laughing at a photo of a woman lying on a pavement holding her face which is believed to be Ms Whitlock. In the photo, taken inside prison where Midmore was awaiting sentencing, he is seen grinning and holding his phone up to the camera. The trial was told that the brothers had visited several DIY stores to buy a particular brand of 9.99 drain cleaner called One Shot which had the highest concentration of sulphuric acid. Ms Whitlock was left with virtually no eyesight when the drain cleaner was sprayed in her face. Billy Midmore, 23, was found guilty of taking part in an horrendous acid attack. He is pictured here with a photo thought to be Ms Whitlock following the attack She was on a night out with her partner Matthew Wedgner, 39, and suffered the life-changing injuries. Kerry Maylin, prosecuting, told the court that Geoffrey had sent a photograph of the bottle on WhatsApp to an acquaintance with the words: 'This is one face melter'. Ms Maylin said: 'One Shot is all it takes to clear your drain and One Shot is all it takes to cause a serious injury to Carla Whitlock.' She said: 'They were brothers in name and they were brothers in actions as well in the days before and the days after.' Ms Maylin said the attack had been out of revenge after Ms Whitlock had introduced a man called Levi to the Midmore brothers and a deal with him worth 2,000 had gone wrong. She explained that Ms Whitlock and her partner were drug users and had recently purchased drugs from the Midmore brothers, who are of no fixed address but are originally from London and have connections to Kent. Ms Maylin said: 'Because that drug deal went wrong, these two brothers decided to enact their revenge by permanently scarring Ms Whitlock.' Ms Maylin said that the brothers were seen on CCTV later that evening as they took a train to stay at a friend's house in Basingstoke. She said: 'They weren't sorry, they were jubilant, they were high five-ing, they were fist-bumping, they were laughing.' She added that following the incident: 'Geoffrey posted on Facebook: 'I have done something really f***** bad. It is a mad ting, sad ting.' Describing the attack carried out by Geoffrey, Ms Whitlock told the trial: 'He just kind of smiled at me, pulled a bottle out, I thought he was going to throw a drink at me but it wasn't a joke. 'I felt my face was on fire. I tried to get help from two ladies. 'I couldn't see, I reached my way to the bouncer and said 'Help me' and he realised something was wrong.' Judge Peter Ralls QC described the attack as 'medieval barbarism'. He said: 'Both of you threw concentrated sulphuric acid into the face of Carla Whitlock. It is yet another offence borne out of illegal drug trafficking in this city. 'You were dealing with about 3,000 perhaps slightly less of drugs a day - sometimes seven days a week. The brothers are caught on CCTV footage during a visit to Homebase in Millbrrok, Southampton 'It was a cruel and calculated attack which caused serious injury and permanent disfigurement. 'It was a punishment attack because you thought she set you up. That wicked plan succeeded. 'Carla Whitlock is blind in one eye, she has scarring to her face, neck and arms and damage to her eye lids which were burnt away with the acid and cannot now close properly. 'Fortunately at the time there was a number of people who came to her aid, in particular the young lady doctor who was at Turtle Bay. 'In a very quick time she poured water on Carla Whitlock's face and stopped others from dabbing at it which would have made things worse. 'Carla Whitlock will have to live with the consequences and effects of those injuries for the rest of her life.' He added: 'It was medieval barbarism that is beyond most people's comprehension.' A spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice said that prisoners are not allowed access to social media sites like Facebook and Twitter while in custody, which Midmore has been since his arrest in October last year. Anchor and reporter Wendy Bell is suing Pittsburgh's WTAE after she was fired for making racist comments about a suburban shooting that left five people dead A former anchorwoman is suing a Pittsburgh TV station after they fired her for making racist comments on Facebook about a deadly mass shooting. WTAE severed ties with Wendy Bell on March 30 following her controversial post about an ambush that left five people - including a pregnant woman and her unborn child - dead. But the award-winning journalist insists she was only let go because she is white, and would still have her job if she made the same comments about white suspects. Parent company Hearst Television said Bell's comments were 'inconsistent with the company's ethics and journalistic standards.' However she has fought back with a complaint that reads: 'Had Ms. Bell written the same comments about white criminal suspects or had her race not have been white, Defendant would not have fired her, much less disciplined her. 'Ms. Bell's posting of concern for the African-American community stung by mass shooting was clearly and obviously not intended to be racially offensive.' Bell is now seeking back pay, punitive damages, and her old job back. In the virulent rant on March 21, she wrote: 'You needn't be a criminal profiler to draw a mental sketch of the killers who broke so many hearts two weeks ago Wednesday. 'They are young black men, likely teens or in their early 20s. 'They have multiple siblings from multiple fathers and their mothers work multiple jobs. These boys have been in the system before. 'They've grown up there. They know the police. They've been arrested.' She also goes on to contrast the 'young black men' with a black teen she witnessed bussing tables at a restaurant, saying that teen would 'make it'. Bell also mentions how she praised the black teen's work ethic to the restaurant manager, then wondered 'how long it had been since someone told him he was special'. Siblings Jerry Michael Shelton, 35, Brittany Powell, 27, and Chanetta Powell, 25, along with two cousins, Tina Shelton, 37, and Shada Mahone, 26, were killed in the ambush shooting, police said. Chanetta Powell was nearly eight months pregnant. After she posted the comment, Bell defended herself, saying she didn't get a 'fair shake' from the station, and that the story was not about her, but about 'African-Americans being killed by other African-Americans.' Bell's Facebook comments have been removed, but she claimed the unidentified suspects of the shooting were 'young black men' and that one didn't have to be a 'criminal profiler' to draw that conclusion 'It makes me sick,' she told The Associated Press after she was fired. 'What matters is what's going on in America, and it is the death of black people in this country. ... I live next to three war-torn communities in the city of Pittsburgh, that I love dearly. 'My stories, they struck a nerve. They touched people, but it's not enough. More needs to be done. The problem needs to be addressed.' Bell joined WTAE in 1998 and has won 21 Emmy Awards. Her post drew mixed reactions from viewers. Some saw her comments as offensive and called for her firing, while others said the comments were not racist and applauded her honesty. Facebook pages in support and opposition of Bell were created in the wake of the incident. Bell says in her lawsuit that she wouldn't have been fired if she had made the same comments about white suspects. The journalist is now seeking back pay, punitive damages and her old job back Bell (pictured left and right with her husband) is now seeking punitive damages, back pay and her old job back Her initial post drew mixed reactions from viewers. Some saw her comments as offensive and called for her firing, while others said the comments were not racist and applauded her honesty Sisters Chanetta Powell (left) and Brittany Powell (right) are two of the five people who were killed in a shooting at the Pittsburgh cookout on March 9 Victims Jerry Shelton (left), Chanetta Powell and Brittany Powell were siblings. Jerry Shelton and Tina Shelton (right) were cousins The teacher from China dressed in a white wedding A student in China is definitely the teachers pet after his university counsellor proposed to him while wearing a wedding dress. The teacher, reported by her surname Hu, dressed in a traditional white wedding dress, and disguised her face with a white mask. Hu fell in love with the male student, referred to as Sun, after the two met in class at Hunan University of Arts and Science in Changde, a city in Central China's Hunan Province, and the pair then began a relationship. Sun accepted Hu's proposal, to the delight of the hundreds of students watching. A teacher in China has proposed to her student boyfriend, Sun. The couple met in class at Hunan University of Arts and Science in Changde, a city in Central China's Hunan Province The teacher, known as Hu, was dressed in a white mask and wedding dress and joined by similarly dressed 'bridesmaids' As part of her romantic proposal, Hu recruited male and female students to be her 'bridesmaids', also dressed in white gowns and masks. The bridal party drew a large crowd as the stood outside the boy's dormitory at the university where Sun was called out. Dressed much more casually in a yellow t-shirt, Sun was greeted with a bunch of red roses and an acoustic guitar playing in the background. Sun was overjoyed by the was proposal and said yes, as the couple shared a kiss. Hu is reported to be divorced and 10 years older than her now fiance, who graduates in a few weeks. The age gap is not a problem for Sun, who says the most important thing is to graduate, find a stable job, and explain his decision to his parents back in his home town of Shandong Province, in East China. Dressed much more casually in a yellow t-shirt, Sun was greeted with a bunch of red roses and an acoustic guitar playing in the background Sun accepted Hu's proposal, to the delight of the hundreds of students watching As part of her romantic proposal, Hu recruited male and female students to be her 'bridesmaids', also dressed in white gowns and masks A 68-year legal stalemate between India and Pakistan over 35million locked away in a Nat West bank account could be edging towards a conclusion. The seventh Nizam of Hyderabad, a maharajah of fabled wealth, deposited a million pounds in London as he dithered over which of the two new nations to join after Partition. As the Muslim ruler of an Indian territory the size of England and Scotland, he was attracted by the idea of joining the new state of Pakistan. Row: A 68-year legal battle between Pakistan and India over 1million placed in London by the Nizams of Hyderabad, left and right, is now heading to trial But, with landlocked Hyderabad in India hundreds of miles away from the Islamic state, that posed problems. While he procrastinated, his finance minister signed over 1million in 1948 to a NatWest bank account of the Pakistan high commissioner to London. Speech: The Nizam addresses crowds in Hyderabad at his palace in 1948 - at the time his 1million was wired to London Appalled, and under pressure from India, the Nizam cabled the bank to freeze the transaction. Soon afterwards, in September 1948, Indian troops annexed Hyderabad. The story would be just a footnote in the tragic and traumatic history of the partition of British India were it not for the fact that the money remains locked in the London bank. With interest, the sum held by NatWest now stands at 35 million, and the governments of India and Pakistan have been battling over the spoils ever since. The impasse developed when the Nizams attempt to remain independent failed, his army surrendered and his principality was annexed by India two days before the cash transfer. The Nizam tried to reverse the transfer shortly afterwards, claiming it had been made without his authority, but the bank refused to comply, taking the view that legal ownership of the contents of the account was in doubt. The row rumbled on for decades as Pakistan and India fought over the ever-growing pot. In 1957, after several rounds of litigation between the Nizam and the Pakistani government, the case reached Britain's House of Lords, which ruled that the account could only be unfrozen with the agreement of all the parties. The legal imbroglio has been complicated by the late Nizam's past promiscuity - he is reported to have impregnated 86 of his mistresses, siring more than 100 illegitimate children and a sea of rival claimants. A frail, devout Muslim, the Nizam was such a miser that he reportedly wore a tattered fez for 35 years, wore crumpled pyjamas and ate all his meals off a tin plate. During his lifetime, trucks loaded with gold ingots lay rusting while his jewellery collection was said to be so large the pearls alone could fill many rooms. The plot thickened further when the eighth Nizam, His Exalted Highness Prince Mukkaram Jah, who succeeded to the title in 1967, and his younger brother, laid claim to the money. Resolution? Today, Mr Justice Henderson paved the way for a full trial of the dispute to take place at London's High Court (pictured) Claims were also lodged by members of the extended family of the seventh Nizam - who was believed to have had as many as 49 concubines and 150 illegitimate children. In more recent times, Pakistan launched a case through its High Commission in London, seeking a High Court ruling as to the rightful destination of the money. National Westminster Bank Plc has, throughout the long history of the row, has stated that it is 'impartially willing' to pay the money 'to whomsoever it might be justly due'. Today, Mr Justice Henderson paved the way for a full trial of the dispute to take place at London's High Court. YouTube's most subscribed video blogger has been evicted from his flat following a noise complaint because the gaming videos he makes are 'too loud'. The landlord who asked him to leave the flat in Brighton, East Sussex, may not have realised he was dealing with the video site's biggest star Felix Kjellberg, who is known online as PewDiePie. The 26-year-old Swedish 'vlogger' has over 45 million subscribers and scores millions of views on each of his YouTube blogs about playing video games. YouTube sensations: Felix Kjellberg (left), who goes by the Alias 'PewDiePie', has over 45 million YouTube subscribers while his girlfriend, Marzia Bisognin (right), has nearly five million Talking to fans in a recent post which has been viewed more than six million times, he said 'I've been kicked out' while jokingly sipping from a bottle of vodka. He explained how he had specially soundproofed his office to avoid upsetting neighbours, but sometimes needed to film videos in the rented flat's lounge. The star, who reportedly earned over 8 million last year, added: 'It's no news to anyone that my videos are loud.' In the post he shows footage of a man knocking on the door of his rented flat where he films his videos to ask him to keep it down. Mr Kjellberg grew up in Gothenburg, Sweden, and moved to the UK in July 2013 with his beauty-blogger and fellow YouTube personality girlfriend Miss Bisognin YouTube star: Felix's (top right) channel has received seven billion hits since he launched it four years ago He said that the next day they received a letter from the landlord of the flat telling them to vacate the property by June 29. In an expletive laden rant he said: 'We get one complaint and we get kicked out. 'I could buy this house. I don't need you. It's hard to find houses in Brighton, it's a pain. 'So today we're moving. The day after we get an actual noise complaint warning.' The internet sensation's post sparked a furious outpouring of hatred from fans - including death threats against the landlord. Of the 75,000 people who commented on the video there were suggestions the vlogger should sue his landlord. The price of fame: Felix (pictured) says he is constantly recognised on the streets of Brighton, where he lives One said: 'So does your landlord even know who you are? He must be some moron who doesn't realize that you make 4 mill a year and could buy that house.' Another replied: 'Give him some tranquilliser and tie him in your basement.. That's should do it.' Felix Kjellberg grew up in Gothenburg, Sweden, and moved to the UK in July 2013 with his beauty-blogger and fellow YouTube personality girlfriend Marzia Bisognin. His video blogs consist of him playing games with over-the-top and comedic reactions - scoring him millions of viewers. The PewDiePie YouTube channel has roughly the same number of subscribers as the population of Canada and more subscribers than Rihanna and One Direction combined. The 'fake tradie' in the middle of a social media storm after appearing in a Liberal Party campaign ad says he was cast for the role after doing some hands-on work for the agency behind it. Andrew MacRae - who was exclusively revealed as a real tradesman and not an actor by Daily Mail Australia - let slip the behind the scenes information on Tuesday. Speaking to reporters waiting outside his house, the 50-year-old said his star turn came about because of some work he has done for the agency behind the advertisement. Scroll down for video Speaking to reporters waiting outside his house, the 50-year-old revealed to be 'fake tradie' said he was picked for the role after doing some work for the agency behind the advertisement (Andrew MacRae pictured) The man who featured in the Liberal party ad wearing high-vis is Andrew MacRae (right) a ute-driving metalworker and former electrical supervisor, who spoke to Daily Mail Australia's Daniel Piotrowski 'Because I do property maintenance, the advertising agency is one of my clients. They said "hey, would you like to do an ad" and I said "why not",' Mr Macrae said. In addition to working in metal by trade, Mr MacRae also has connections to the real estate industry. The details of his path to political advertisement infamy came after Mr Macrae was mocked on social media for his performance in campaign commercial, with users picking over every detail - from his gold armband to his silver watch. However, Daily Mail Australia revealed the 'fake tradie' was very much the real deal - a ute-driving metalworker and former electrical supervisor who lives in a modest red-brick house on a main road in Sydney's Lane Cove. Speaking outside his home on his way to work on Tuesday morning, Andrew MacRae insisted he was a tradesperson - even showing his NSW government contractor's licence to prove the point Speaking outside his home on his way to work on Tuesday morning, he insisted he was a tradesperson - even showing his NSW government contractor's licence to prove the point. Mr MacRae said his friends thought the whole thing was 'hilarious'. 'They're all laughing,' he said out the window of his utility vehicle, chuckling good-naturedly. Friend Domenico Coviello said Mr MacRae was a Liberal supporter as expected: 'He's definitely betting for the Blues on the Liberal side. 'He's a real tradie - he'd be a fitter-turner [metalworker] but he's an all rounder. He's a good bloke.' Mr Coviello said the advertisement did look fake. 'He does something in the voice and they've dressed him up - he doesn't normally dress like that. 'It looks very fake - it's a TV shoot you know, it's not a real site situation'. Mr MacRae said his friends thought the whole thing was 'hilarious'. 'They're all laughing,' he said out the window of his utility vehicle, chuckling good-naturedly Mr MacRae's friend Domenico Coviello said he had 'no idea' if the 50-year-old owned an investment property (pictured: the home he lives on Sydney's north shore) He said he had 'no idea' whether Mr MacRae owned an investment property - as was mentioned in the advertisement - but said 'I doubt it'. When he arrived home from work on Tuesday, the tradesman thanked media members outside his house 'for coming to meet the real 'fake tradie''. Mr MacRae has been the owner of a sole-trading company called 'Teamwork Maintenance' for 20 years and is a licensed metal fabricator. He finished a welding course in 2012 and in the 1990s worked as a mechanical supervisor for the condiments company, Masterfoods. Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Coalition campaign for further comment. Mr MacRae's advertisement kicked off a social media frenzy on Monday, with #FakeTradie trending around the country and top union officials even falsely accusing a Sydney voiceover artist of the same name as being the man on TV. The commercial - which is being widely run during prime time - features Mr MacRae dressed in a high-vis vest and clutching a mug of tea as he says Labor leader Bill Shorten wants to go to war with various groups, including miners, the bank and even Mr MacRae himself. 'Bill Shorten even wants to go to war with me. Someone who just wants to get ahead through an investment property. I reckon we should just stick it through, and stick with the current mob for a while.' Mr MacRae has owned a sole-trading company called 'Teamwork Maintenance' for about 20 years and is a licensed metal fabricator Friend Domenico Coviello (left) said Mr MacRae (right) was a Liberal supporter as expected: 'He's definitely betting for the Blues on the Liberal side' The Liberal party advertisement was aired on Sunday night and began trending for assumptions it featured a 'fake tradie' Mr MacRae declined to answer further questions, saying he had signed an agreement with the New South Wales Liberal Party. 'I've signed a contract not to talk to the media', he said, before driving off from the home where he lives with a housemate. A neighbour said they believed the property is a rental. A Liberal Party spokesman had insisted earlier this week that Mr MacRae was a 'real tradie' after '#FakeTradie' went viral. The Sydney voiceover artist with the same name on Monday told Daily Mail Australia he'd had a 'very sleepless night' over the confusion. 'It's a case of mistaken identity,' Mr MacRae said. 'Did I do something when I was in a coma?' Many viewers pulled apart the advertisement, accusing the 'fake tradie' of wearing a $7,250 TAG Heuer watch and claiming he breached safety regulations by wearing it and a silver bracelet onsite. The advertisement was widely mocked on Monday, with satirical Twitter accounts and memes flooding the internet. The advertisement was widely mocked on social media, with #FakeTradie trending on Twitter on Monday The advertisement was widely mocked on Twitter. 'He just wants a fair go dinki di VB shannon noll BBQ crack at negatively gearing his 5th home,' a union wrote A satirical 'Fake Tradie' Twitter account was created on Sunday night to mock the advertisement 'Time for smoko. Popping over to the shopes to pick up a meat pie, a chocolate milk, and a couple of investment properties,' @FakeTradie wrote Viewers had accused the man of being a 'fake tradie' and claimed he was wearing a $7,250 TAG Heuer watch Sydney voiceover artist Andrew MacRae (pictured) had been wrongly accused of being the 'fake tradie' A union for Australian manufacturing workers said they 'think we have found #faketradie' Mr MacRae wrote on Twitter on Monday: 'Dear all, It's not me. I'm not in the ad. I didn't voice the ad. I had nothing to do with the ad' The father of a British man accused of trying to assassinate Donald Trump today revealed his 'insular' son had travelled to America to be with his girlfriend but had gone off the rails. Michael Steven Sandford, who appeared in court on Monday, tried to grab a police officer's gun and wanted to shoot the billionaire Republican presidential candidate on Saturday. His father Paul Davey told MailOnline he has no idea why his son would attempt to shoot the billionaire presidential candidate and claimed someone must have put the vulnerable boy 'up to it.' He also claims that he and Steven's mother Lynne told American authorities they were worried about Sandford but officials failed to act upon it. He said: 'He's been refusing to come back and we were worried about him, we were in contact with the American Embassy telling them we were worried about him. The American authorities said "he's over 18 we can't do anything". Sandford loved Robot Wars as a teenager and even bought a machine that was successful in the show, but gave up the hobby because the noise and crowds made him anxious. Arrest: Michael Steven Sandford was taken out of the Trump campaign rally at the Treasure Island Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on Saturday, pictured, after allegedly trying to disarm a police officer with the intention of killing Trump Obsession: Sandford pictured as a teenager with X-Terminator - a Robot Wars machine he bought with his father Evidence: The suspect's mother Lynne told federal officers that her son had been treated for obsessive compulsive disorder and anorexia - she was escorted from her home by police today Mr Davey said: 'He's never shown any violent tendencies before, he's never been a bad person, he's a nice kid and literally wouldn't hurt a fly - he used to tell us not to use fly spray because he didn't want any flies to die.' Sandford was arrested at the Treasure Island Hotel and Casino on Saturday after going for a metro police officer's gun. The 20-year-old, who is originally from Surrey and was carrying a UK driver's licence, had been living illegally for 18 months in New Jersey after his visa expired and had been sleeping in his car. A secret service report said Sandford told officers he had been planning the Vegas assassination for around 12 months and believed he would die in the process. He also had tickets for a rally in Phoenix later that day in case the gun grab failed and told officers if Trump 'were on the street tomorrow, he would try this again'. Mr Davey is now planning to fly to America to be closer to his son and says the family is 'devastated' about about his arrest. His son is so disinterested in politics he wouldn't be able to name any UK politicians 'apart from the Prime Minister' - and 'wouldn't even be able to name the President of the USA', he said. He said Sandford moved to New Jersey around 15 months ago after meeting an American girl back home. Sandford, who suffered from Aspergers and OCD, moved out from Dorking, Surrey, to a flat nearby and met the girl. She moved back to USA and Sandford became depressed, so his family gave him money so he could rent a flat in New Jersey and continue seeing her. Mr Davey and Sandford's mother, who are separated, spoke to him often but he showed no indication that he would attempt to shoot Trump. Mr Davey said his family are 'absolutely devastated' and have not spoken to him since the incident and have had little communication with the authorities. Speaking from his home in Havant, Hants, Mr Davey today said: 'His mum and I split up when he was about four. 'We were living in Dorking but I moved down this way. Over a year-and-half ago he moved into his own place because he was living with his mum in a two-bedroom flat but she had a daughter. 'Whilst he was there, he met an American girl. Later on she moved back to the US with her parents and he got quite down and depressed about it all so we [Sandford's family] all paid for him to move out to America for a year. 'This was to get his life sorted out and so he could be with this girl. So he got a flat in New Jersey and for all we know he's been with her. 'He's never been very good at communicating, he's never been interested in politics and never really been interested in much. 'Since he moved out there it became slowly harder and harder to get in touch with him. He does Skype, but it's always with a white background behind him so you don't know where he is. 'Because of his condition, he never talks about his private life and it's always had quite an impact on how he behaves. He left school when he was 15 because he couldn't cope with it all so he's got no qualifications or job experience. 'Since he's been out there it's difficult to get any information out of him. About three months ago the money ran out so we sent him some more and asked him to come back. In daTrump spoke to a crowd at the Treasure Island hotel and casino, seemingly oblivious to the drama that was unfolding in the audience Plot: Michael Steven Sandford, 20, even went to a gun range on Friday so he could learn how to shoot. He is pictured being removed from the rally Held: Sandford was arrested after allegedly grabbing the handle of an officer's gun in an attempt to remove it Bereft: Police escort Michael Sandford's mother from her flat in Dorking today after her son's arrest Mr Davey said over the last three months his son seemed upset but wouldn't say why - he added that in no way did it seem like he would attempt to carry out an assassination. He added: 'Over the last three months it was hard to get any information out of him and he seemed upset, but he wouldn't tell us why. 'We thought he was still in New Jersey so obviously when the embassy phoned us up and told us what happened 2,500 kilometres away we didn't know anything about it. 'We haven't been able to speak to him and we've had little communication with the authorities. 'Looking back, I don't want to use the term radicalised but we don't know who he has been speaking with - this just isn't him. 'It's an absolute shock, he's never been violent in the slightest, he's always been a polite and peaceful boy. 'It's totally out of character and we're worried about what has happened to him since he's been in America because obviously it's a dramatic change. 'Whether he's been blackmailed or put up to it, that's the only thing me and his mum can think of. It's so against his nature and obviously with his Aspergers, we think somebody has got hold of him and done something. 'We don't know if he was still with his girlfriend because he doesn't share any personal information like that. 'He has no interest in politics, the world, geography or anything. He's not a typical teenager because he doesn't drink or smoke or do drugs, he's never had any interest in that. 'He liked Robot Wars as a teenager, but even that got a bit too much for him because he didn't like the large crowds. 'He's not a loner, he had plenty of friends at school but he is quiet and if he meets someone for the first time, it takes him a little while to get comfortable with them.' Mr Davey also said he did not know his son was not living abroad illegally because he had told him he renewed his visa. He said: 'He had his passport and his visa, I think the visa ran out but he said he renewed it. He should have come home and few months ago but he didn't want to. 'He was not working out there, he went out there as an extended holiday and to be with his girl. The idea was that he goes out there, gets experience and sees the world, then comes home and builds a proper life.' Mr Davey said his son had no interest in politics and believes he would not have pulled the trigger of the gun. He said the incident could have been a 'cry for help.' He said: 'He has never mentioned Donald Trump, the reason it is such a shock is because he shows no interest in anything like that. 'If I asked him to name the Prime Minister he'd be able to tell me but he wouldn't know any other politicians. I doubt he would even know who the President of the United States is. 'It will be an outside influence as to why he's done it, he's never been like that and it's not something he'd do off his own back. Maybe it was a cry for help. 'He would never pull the trigger of the gun if it came to it. In the time leading up to it he was not hostile when we spoke to him, just a little sad.' Home: Sandford lived in a flat here in Dorking, Surrey, a mile from his mother's house until he left for America around two years ago The court heard from a public defender that Sandford is autistic, while his mother Lynne told federal magistrate judge George Foley in a statement that he had been treated for obsessive compulsive disorder and anorexia when younger. Despite living in Hoboken for 18 months, he did not have permission to be in the US and was unemployed and living out of his car. Sandford was charged with an act of violence on restricted grounds, according to a complaint filed on Monday in US District Court in Nevada. It cites a report by Special Agent Swierkowski, whose first name was not included, saying Sandford told officers he drove from California to kill Trump and went to a Las Vegas gun range the day before to learn to shoot. Sandford later went to a Trump rally at Treasure Island and approached a Las Vegas police officer to say he wanted an autograph from Trump. The report says Sandford was arrested after grabbing the handle of an officer's gun in an attempt to remove it. He was filmed by local station KLAS being led away. According to the complaint, Sandford had targeted officer Ameel Jacob's weapon because it was in an unlocked position and would be the easiest way to acquire a gun to shoot Trump. Court papers read: 'Sandford further stated that if he were on the street tomorrow, he would try this again. 'Sandford claimed he had been planning to attempt to kill Trump for about a year but decided to act on this occasion because he finally felt confident to do it.' The British national had lived in Hoboken, New Jersey, for around 18 months and had driven to San Bernardino in California before heading to Las Vegas on Thursday. Speech: Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in a packed 1,600-seat theater at the Treasure Island Hotel and Casino where he declared the Orlando massacre demonstrated the need to fight terrorism His mother, Lynne Sandford, 41, was today taken away from her home in Dorking, Surrey, by police. A neighbour, who asked not to be named, saw the events unfold. He told MailOnline: 'I am not sure what was going on but the police came here this morning and they took away Lynne and a slightly older lady, but I don't know who she was.' Michael Sandford had been living out in the States for nearly two years before he was arrested. He used to live less than a mile from his mother's flat in Dorking, but moved across the Atlantic to New Jersey. A woman who lives in his former flat said: 'I never met him but he used to live in our flat. We still get his mail from time to time.' The three-storey cream coloured building used to be allocated to people who suffered from mental health issues but did not need permanent care. However, a neighbour said that the flats had since been sold on to a private landlord who rents them out to new tenants. Another neighbour added: 'I recognised his face from the pictures but I don't know him. I have definitely seen him around here before. He must have had really strong political views to try to do that.' He told police he visited the Battlefield Vegas shooting range on Friday where he fired off 20 rounds from a 9mm Glock pistol to learn how to use it. Sandford also told investigators he had a ticket for a Trump rally in Phoenix, Arizona, for later on Saturday as a back-up. Authorities said on Saturday that law enforcement officers were able to take Sanford into custody with little disruption. The judge declined to grant bail to Sandford, pending a further hearing, saying the accused was a risk to the community and a flight risk. The Trump campaign directed questions to U.S. Secret Service, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Advertisement A worker for the far right Sweden Democrats party has created outrage after posting photographs of hunting trip to South Africa where he and his friends killed and ate several wild animals. The shocking photographs show Angelo Vukasovic, 41, and his friends posing beside the carcasses of lions, giraffes, zebras, warthogs and a host of other animals. Vukasovic is the treasurer of the Sweden Democrats in Nybro in the south east of the country, where he runs a hunting shop. This is the shocking picture of Sweden Democrat Angelo Vukasovic who posted photographs of his hunting trip to South Africa Vukasovic posted a photograph of lumps of cooked meat on his Facebook page claiming it was from the dead lion and it was tasty Vukasovic, pictured here with a dead giraffe, said its meat was the most tasty animal he had ever eaten Vukasovic claimed he ate about 80 per cent of the animals he killed during his South African hunt, which he said was 100 per cent legal Speaking to Aftonbladet, he said: 'Ive eaten 80 percent of the animals Ive killed, including the lion in the picture. The tastiest meat Ive ever eaten, and will ever eat, is giraffe.' He said all the animals killed during the South African hunt were 100 per cent legal. He added: 'Hunting certain animals benefits people and benefits the animal. Previously hunting rhino hunting was banned, and now suddenly theyve permitted it and theres a reason for that.' Critics attacked Vukasovic on his Facebook page describing him as 'puny' and suggesting karma could see him eaten by wolves. Gabriella Svensson said on Facebook: Youre a disgrace to the Swedish people. Joakim Gabay added: Youre a joke. A puny parasite. Fatima Pettersson described him as a bloody caveman. Agnes Adeen said: I hope he gets bitten by a snake or eaten by wolves. Ingalill Ekroth added: You're not a hunter, you're in an enclosure and slaughter defenceless animals, backed up by other idiots who think that they are out hunting. Sincerely hope karma catches up with you. Vukasovic is the treasurer for the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats in the south eastern town of Nybro and runs a hunting shop Vukasovic and his friends killed a large number of animals including this hippo during their hunting trip to South Africa Dr Pieter Kat of LionAid, a conservation charity, said: 'Mr Vukasovic runs a hunting shop in Sweden and seems to be seduced by the opportunity of African trophy hunting. 'He hunted in South Africa, meaning that the lion he shot was a captive raised lion organized by canned lion breeders. 'Whether or not Mr Vukasovic ate the animals is neither here nor there, the fact is that he participated in trophy hunts that did not in any way support the conservation of the animals involved. 'Sweden will hopefully soon join the ranks of other progressive European nations to ban the imports of lion trophies, and recognize that Mr Vukasovics African trophy hunting activities are contrary to the opinions of the vast majority of Swedish citizens.' Support for the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats party has fallen from 19.9 per cent in November to 17.3 per cent at the end of May. Henrik Oscarsson, political scientist at Gothenburg University said: 'The discussion on migration has changed now and the Sweden Democrats have got some competition.' The recent dip follows a sharp shift to the right by the minority government, which has introduced of tougher immigration rules aimed at dramatically cutting asylum numbers. The four-party opposition Alliance bloc backed the measures. Sweden took in more than 160,000 asylum seekers in 2015. By November, it was forced to admit it could no longer find housing for new arrivals. Border controls and restrictions on family reunion have slashed the number of asylum seekers from around 10,000 a week at its peak to just a few hundred. However, numbers could rise again. With Sweden facing huge long-term problems in finding schools, jobs and homes for new arrivals, the Sweden Democrats are unlikely to be a spent force. Vukasovic and his friends killed several lions during their trip to South Africa to a fenced-in game reserve where shooting animals is legal This image shows a giraffe completely unaware he is in the cross hairs of a bow and arrow aimed at his heart This buffalo appears to have been shot dead by a double-barrel shotgun which has been left leaning against its carcass This lion appears to have been shot dead by a double-barrel shotgun being held by the Swedish political activist Vukasovic is pleased to have killed this spiral horned antelope during his South African hunt This warthog also fell victim to Vukasovic and his large calibre rifle with telescopic sights This is a second buffalo which has been shot dead by Swedish political activist Vukasovic who described lion as tasty Nick Aylot, political science professor at Sodertorn University added: 'I would be surprised if the kind of issues they thrive on disappear. The question is what level they settle at.' He said core support for the Sweden Democrats could be around 12-15 percent. The trend is echoed elsewhere in the Nordic states. Support for Norway's anti-immigration Progress Party, the junior partner in the minority coalition there, and for the nationalist Finns party both have dropped over the last year The Statistics Office poll of 4,838 people over the period April 28 to May 28 showed support for the Social Democrat-Green government at 34.2 percent from 33.5 percent in November. Concern: Tess Blandamer (pictured), 16, from Sale, has now been missing for more than 24 hours Fears are growing for a 16-year-old schoolgirl who has now been missing for more than 24 hours just days after finishing her GCSEs. Tess Blandamer, from Sale, was last seen shortly after 10am on Monday in the Barkers Lane area of the Greater Manchester town. Her parents said it was 'out of character' for her to go missing and Tess did not even take her mobile phone. Tess, who finished her GCSE exams last week, was reported to have been seen at 11am getting on a tram at Brooklands station heading towards Manchester city centre. She is described as white, around 5ft 7in tall, of slim build with shoulder length brown hair. Tess was last seen wearing black jeans, a green parker, brown Timberland boots and is carrying a black East Pack rucksack. Her friends and family have been asking for help on social media, an appeal which has now been shared by hundreds of people. There has been some speculation on Twitter that she might be in London. Her father Will Blandamer said today: 'We are very upset and distressed, we want to make sure she is safe. 'It is out of character for her, she has never gone missing before.' Greater Manchester Police said anybody with information about Tess' whereabouts should contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111. Donald Trump threatened Tuesday to sink even more of his own money into his unconventional presidential campaign and cut the Republican Party out entirely if high-profile GOP figures don't publicly warm to him more. 'If need be, there could be unlimited "cash on hand" for his campaign, Trump said in a statement, 'as I would put up my own money, as I have already done through the primaries, spending over $50 million dollars.' Trump found himself under fire after monthly campaign finance numbers came out, painting his campaign as cash-poor and under-emphasizing the kind of fundraising muscle that Hillary Clinton's team has had in place for a year. Clinton's camp had $42 million in cash-on-hand at the end of May, compared with just $1.3 million for Trump. But Trump pointed out that his first formal fundraiser didn't come until May 25, insisting that his June numbers will be far better. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO READY TO SPEND? Donald Trump warned the Republican Party establishment on Tuesday that he could cut them out of the fundraising picture and bankroll his own campaign if they don't support him more vocally 'Fundraising has been incredible' since then, his campaign said in a statement, 'and we continue to see a tremendous outpouring of support for Mr. Trump and money to the Republican Party.' 'The positive response to our fundraising efforts so far is a further indication that the country does not want yet another corrupt politician like Crooked Hillary.' The real estate billionaire fired a shot across the GOP's bow earlier in the day, saying on NBC's 'Today' show that he wants 'to see great support' from party bigwigs. 'And if I don't have great support I'll go a different route.' Self-funding his general election campaign would remove a host of practice hurdles and headaches from Trump's path, but it would also hamstring the Republican Party which is counting on Trump's star power to help it raise money for House, Senate, gubernatorial and other 'down-ticket' races in all 50 states. Citing 'more difficulty frankly with some of the people in the party than I have with the Democrats,' Trump said on 'Today' that he's flush with money and prepared to go it alone as he did in the Republican primaries. 'I spent $55 million of my own money to win the primaries. Fifty-five. You know, that's a lot of money by even any standard,' he recalled, before warning that 'I have a lot of cash and I may do it again in the general election. But it would be nice to have some help from the party.' SHY: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (left) and House Speaker Paul Ryan (right) have been less than full-throated in their endorsements of Trump while he raises millions for the GOP MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING: Trump insisted that Corey Lewandowski's firing was a strategic campaign decision, not a King Lear-like drama driven by his daughter Ivanka Trump claimed he raised $12 million on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, most of it for the Republican National Committee, but said he expected more loyalty in return noting the reluctance of top GOP figures like House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to fully embrace his candidacy. 'They will probably eventually come on. Honestly, if they don't it's just fine. I can win it either way,' he said. 'I mean, I may be better off winning it the opposite way than the more traditional way.' Tuesday is the first full day the Trump campaign will spend without Lewandowski at the helm following a record-setting primary season. 'He was excellent. He did a very good job. I spent much less money than everybody else ... and I beat everybody else,' Trump said. He disputed widely circulating rumors that his daughter Ivanka had conspired to shove Lewandowski out because the hard-charging campaign chief sought to marginalize the role her husband Jared Kushner was playing in Trump's political world. 'Ivanka has great respect for him. And so does my family. We like him,' he said. 'And I read all these reports about the children, and about all of this it's all nonsense. It's absolute nonsense.' Trump framed Lewandowski's dismissal as an inevitable outgrowth of a shift in campaign strategy. 'We're going in a different direction. Because this is now different,' he said. 'The primaries I ran them very lean. I spent very little money. I won in landslides. Biggest vote in history, and won in landslides. And Corey was absolutely perfect for that.' 'To this day you saw his interviews yesterday, we have a great relationship but we're going in a different direction.' Trump predicted, however, that even with tested political hand Paul Manafort running the campaign, Donald will still be Donald. 'ABSOLUTE NONSENSE': Trump pooh-poohed reports that Ivanka (right) and her husband Jared Kushner conspired to have Lewandowski fired ENTHUSIASM: Trump has marshaled millions of Republicans, including many first-time voters, in a bid to deny Hillary Clinton the White House 'I think I have to be who I am. I don't want to be a phony like Hillary Clinton, where she reads stuff that's written up by high-priced "talent," he said. 'I don't want to be that. I want to be what I am.' The real estate tycoon pointed to polls that he said put him within striking distance of Clinton even though 'the press is treating me unbelievably unfairly.' 'And with all of that bad press that I've had over the last couple of weeks, that is believe me, that is manufactured press, 100 per cent ... with all of the press, I'm right there in the polls.' A new CNN/ORC poll has Clinton's national lead hovering at 5 per cent. State-level polls from Quinnipiac University show Clinton leading by a wide margin in Florida but statistically tied with him in Ohio and Pennsylvania. A businessman had NYPD cops 'on call' and paid them more than $100,000 in bribes, prosecutors have said. Jeremy Reichberg is even said to have got officers to shut down a lane of the Lincoln Tunnel, so a VIP could be escorted to a fundraiser for Mayor Bill De Blasio. The shocking allegations were made after two high-ranking New York Police Department officers were arrested Monday. They have been charged with taking free flights, prostitutes, expensive meals and other bribes in exchange for providing a 'private police force' for local businessmen. Deputy Chief Michael Harrington, Deputy Inspector James Grant and Reichberg, were charged with conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud in Manhattan on Monday, Scroll down for video Prosecutors have said businessman Jeremy Reichberg (pictured leaving court in Manhattan on Monday) effectively had 'cops on call' and paid them $100,000 in bribes over three years In exchange for the bribes - that included free flights, prostitutes, and expensive meals - Reichberg (center) got a 'private police force', prosecutors have said The businessman is even said to have got officers to shut down a lane of the Lincoln Tunnel, so a VIP could be escorted to a fundraiser for Mayor Bill De Blasio The shocking allegations were made after Deputy Inspector James Grant (left) and Deputy Chief Michael Harrington (right) are two of the New York City police officers arrested It is the latest development in a series of overlapping public corruption investigations coordinated by U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara. David Villanueva, an NYPD sergeant assigned to the gun license bureau, was also charged for accepting bribes to expedite gun license applications for Alex Lichtenstein, a member of a volunteer safety patrol in an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood in Brooklyn who was charged in April. Officer Richard Ochetal, secretly pleaded guilty on June 14 to his role in that fraud and has assisted prosecutors in the cases against Grant, Harrington and Villanueva, 42, according to prosecutors and court records. All three were stripped of their badges and their guns. The four arrests follow months of revelations that have embarrassed the nation's largest police department and put Mayor Bill de Blasio on the spot about his campaign financing. New York Police Department Deputy Chief Michael Harrington (pictured holding a piece of paper behind the door) leaves a federal court in Manhattan following his first hearing on corruption charges He is accused of being one of the high-ranking cops who took substantial bribes, including free flights, prostitutes and expensive meals Both Reichberg and another businessman, who has already pleaded guilty, in the case contributed heavily to de Blasio's campaign. The mayor, a Democrat, hasn't been implicated in any wrongdoing. A criminal complaint accompanying the latest charges described how Reichberg exploited his connections within the police department to speed up gun license processing, make tickets disappear, get police escorts for him and his friends, get assistance from uniformed personnel to resolve personal disputes and boost security at religious sites and events. In return, Reichberg and another businessman showered his favored police officials with well over $100,000 in benefits from 2012 to 2015, including prostitutes, home improvements and prime seats to sporting events, prosecutors said. New York Police Department Sergeant David Villanueva (center in a grey shirt) is pictured leaving the court NYPD sergeant David Villanueva, (pictured leaving on Monday) was also charged for accepting bribes to expedite gun license applications for Alex Lichtenstein, a member of a volunteer safety patrol in an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood in Brooklyn who was charged in April Harrington and an unidentified police official let a businessman buy dinner once or twice a week for 18 months at expensive Manhattan restaurants, where bills ran $400 to $500, they said. Among the other favors was $59,000 spent on a private jet in February 2013 that took Reichberg, an unidentified detective and Grant, commander of an Upper East Side precinct, to Las Vegas, the court papers said. The complaint said Reichberg and another businessman arranged for a prostitute to join the flight and spend the weekend with the group, staying in Grant's luxury hotel room. According to the complaint, the prostitute told law enforcement agents that Grant and others 'took advantage of her services' during the trip. The court papers also alleged Reichberg and an unidentified real estate businessman who has pleaded guilty and is cooperating with authorities wore elf hats as they drove to Grant's Staten Island home on Christmas 2013 to give Grant a video game system for his children and a $1,000 piece of jewelry for his wife. New York Police Department Deputy Inspector James Grant (center) departs Federal Court in Manhattan A criminal complaint alleges that a prostitute, arranged by one of the businessmen, stayed in a luxury suite booked by Grant Alex Lichtenstein (center) departs Federal Court in Manhattan after a corruption hearing Lichtenstein, a member of a volunteer safety patrol in an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood in Brooklyn, was charged in April for his involvement in the alleged corruption ring Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara announces the charges against the senior officers on Monday Authorities said they captured Grant on a recorded telephone call a year later grumbling that his two 'elves' did not come for Christmas that year. Andrew Weinstein, Harrington's lawyer, said the charges against his client were politically motivated. 'Chief Harrington is a loyal and devoted family man who has an unblemished record and has spent the last three decades working tirelessly to keep New York City safe,' Weinstein said. 'One would be hard-pressed to find a straighter arrow in their quiver.' Susan Necheles, Reichberg's lawyer, said in an email: 'Mr. Reichberg did not commit a crime.' Reichberg's 'only mistake', Necheles said, was befriending a government cooperator 'who is desperately trying to get others in trouble in order to curry favor with prosecutors and save his own skin'. The head of Grant's union declined to comment. His lawyer, John Meringolo, said his office had not yet evaluated all the evidence. 'We believe Mr. Grant did not commit a federal crime,' he said. Bill Bratton, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department, listens during a press conference announcing corruption charges against members of his force on Monday HOW ONE SENIOR OFFICER 'SLEPT WITH PROSTITUTE ON VEGAS TRIP FUNDED BY A DE BLASIO DONOR' The New York Post reports Deputy Inspector James Grant - who was arrested on Monday - was one of two officers who accepted a lavish trip to Las Vegas in 2014. The trip was allegedly funded by Mayor de Blasio donors Jona Rechnitz and Jeremy Reichberg. Rechnitz has already been arrested and pleaded guilty. Reichberg was arrested on Monday. According to the Post, Grant - who is married - was flying on a private jet from New Jersey to Las Vegas when a woman dressed as a flight attendant asked: 'Coffee, tea or me?' Grant allegedly had sex with the woman on the way and on the way back. He is also accused of accepting diamonds from Reichberg. Grant was relieved of his duties in April. He was arrested on Monday. Advertisement Villanueva's lawyer, Andrew Quinn, declined to comment. Harrington and Grant were each released on $250,000 bail while Reichberg was freed on $500,000 bail. Villanueva, who pleaded not guilty to an indictment, was freed on $200,000 bail. Monday's arrests came two weeks after federal prosecutors charged Norman Seabrook, president of the city's correction officers union, and Murray Huberfeld, a hedge fund financier, as part of the same investigation. At least nine police officers had already been transferred to different departments and stripped of their badges in connection with the probe. It began as an investigation into bribes officers received in exchange for offering security and police escorts. In April, the case expanded to look at campaign funding, honing in on De Blasio's campaign. Four senior police officers named in the gifts-for-favors investigation - including Grant - have all filed for retirement. The others are: Deputy Chief Eric Rodriguez, the former executive officer at Patrol Borough Brooklyn South, and Deputy Chief Andrew Capul, the former second in command at Patrol Borough Manhattan North and Deputy Chief David Colon. FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Diego Rodriquez said: 'The abuses of power alleged in this case are not victimless crimes. The victims are the citizens of New York, who rely on officers to fulfill their sworn duty. The victims are the upstanding police officers who do everything in their power to uphold the law and protect the public. The victims are public trust and confidence in law enforcement, both critical to ensuring public safety. 'The FBI, along with our partners, will continue to root out this kind of decay at every level in order to protect our citizens from the devastating consequences of corruption that undermines safety, and erodes the trust between law enforcement and the public.' The disappearance of an 18-year-old man with Asperger's syndrome is now being investigated by the Major Crime Squad. It has been eight days since Aaron Pajich was last seen going to the Rockingham City Shopping Centre, south-east of Perth, around 9.30am, according to Western Australian police. Mr Pajich told his roommate on June 13 that he was going to Kmart to meet a man known only as 'Daniel' and a woman who he met on an online gaming site, according to Channel 10. Scroll down for video The disappearance of Aaron Pajich (pictured), 18, who was last seen eight days ago at a south-east Perth shopping centre, is now being investigated by the Major Crime Squad Mr Pajich (pictured on CCTV footage) told his roommate that he was going to Kmart at the Rockingham City Shopping Centre to meet a man known only as 'Daniel' and a woman who he met on an online gaming site The Major Crime Squad is now leading the investigation into the circumstances surrounding his disappearance. Mr Pajich's stepmother Veronica Desmond told Channel 10 that Mr Pajich is easily led and that she is worried he has been harmed. 'I'm trying to be positive ... and that he's just for some reason decided to go off for a while but it is very unlike him.' His bank account and public transport card have not been used and his phone has been turned off, she said. His stepmother Veronica Desmond (pictured) said Mr Pajich is easily led but it is unlikely for him to have 'decided to go off for a while' Mr Pajich's (pictured) bank account and public transport card have not been used and his phone has been turned off His mother, Sharon Pajich, said she is very concerned for his safety, according to WA Today. 'What goes through your mind is the worst, that something has happened, and I don't want to lose a child,' Ms Pajich said. She believes that he met the woman and man through an online gaming site. Mr Pajich was last seen wearing dark grey cargo pants, a light blue t-shirt with long sleeves and a beige/grey jacket, police said. He was also carrying a shoulder bag. He has shoulder length dark hair, thick eyebrows and is about 167cms tall, police said. Police are asking for anyone with information to contact police. Krista Perdue (pictured), 42, of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, went missing from her home on Monday after falling ill the night before An Indiana second grade teacher who fell ill on Sunday night went missing Monday morning, according to authorities. Woodland Elementary School teacher Krista Perdue, 42, of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, was suffering from indigestion when she decided to sleep off the illness. When Krista's husband of 16 years, Sam Perdue, who works at Dayton Elementary School, went to check on her in the morning, she was no longer in the house. 'She was sick all day yesterday, and she stayed in bed all day yesterday. 'I slept in the other room, and I got up this morning, and I kind of piddled around, and I thought I'd go check on her. 'Her purse is here. Her wallet is here. Her driver's license is here. This is her car sitting where I parked it last night,' Sam told IndyStar. The couple and their daughter had just returned home from vacation on Saturday and everything seemed to be normal, Sam said. He said the locks on the door made it appear as though she was still inside the house, however, the deadbolt was left unlocked. 'The deadbolt was undone, but it looked like she had locked the door handle back when she pulled it. 'That is the only sign. ... Her keys are here. That's why she couldn't lock the deadbolt back,' Sam said. Scroll down for video Krista (pictured), a second-grade teacher at Woodland Elementary School, said she was suffering from indigestion on Sunday night Sam and Krista's neighbors Jeff Horn and Doug Nale, who leave their home for work at 5am, said they didn't notice anything unusual when they began their commute on Monday. 'I just didn't notice anything. Everything seemed OK,' Jeff said. When they came home they saw deputies at the home. Deputies from Tippecanoe County sheriff's office arrived at the house on Monday to take photos and speak with Sam. Officers said there is no reason to suspect foul play. When her husband Sam Perdue (pictured) awoke the next morning, Krista was no longer in the house and he could not locate her He is demanding an apology and is supported by First Liberty Institute Sgt. Rodriguez says his First Amendment rights were trampled on Official said he had failed to 'respect the Air Force prescribed ceremony' A retired Air Force officer is threatening to sue after he was forcibly ejected from a retirement ceremony for one of his former colleagues after he tried to use an older, more religious version of a speech used at the traditional flag-folding ceremony. Retired Senior Master Sgt. Oscar Rodriguez was forcibly ejected from the stage at Travis Air Force Base in California in April as he began to read out a statement honoring the American Flag. The ceremony was honoring Master Sergeant Chuck Roberson of the 749th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. Sgt. Rodriguez told Fox News: 'This was one of the most humiliating experiences of my life. 'All I wanted to do was honor Master Sgt. Roberson, his guests, and the flag, with my speech.' Texas-based First Liberty Institute, which represents victims of religious persecution, said Sgt. Rodriguez was seeking a formal apology for what he believed was the trampling of his First Amendment rights. First Liberty's director of military affairs, Mike Berry, told Fox News: 'We took this case because the government has no right to throw a citizen, much less a 33-year military veteran, off a military base because they don't want him to mention 'God.' He claimed: 'The military broke the law and abused its power.' A video that captured the incident showed two men in camouflage uniform approaching Rodriguez and say something quietly, but he does not to respond and continues to read out an older, unapproved version of the dedication statement. But the two men pushed him off stage where he continued to shout out the words before eventually being pushed out of the room, but his shouts could still be heard in the distance. But as he does the two men push him off stage while he continues to shout out the words The retirement service for Master Sergeant Chuck Roberson of the 749th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron was disturbed as Retired Senior Master Sgt. Oscar Rodriguez was forcibly ejected. As the American flag (pictured) is unfurled next to Rodriguez on stage he begins his statement: 'Our flag is known as the stars and stripes' The air force changed the wording of the speech in 2006 to remove religious references. But air force spokesman Ann Stefanek told Fox News: 'I can't speak to the specific incident (but) air force personnel may use a flag folding ceremony script that is religious for retirement ceremonies.' 'Since retirement ceremonies are personal in nature, the script preference for a flag folding ceremony is at the discretion of the individual being honored and represents the member's views, not those of the Air Force.' John Huffington, who said he was a friend of Sgt. Roberson, posted the video on his Facebook page at the time with the comment: 'This is disturbing at my friend's retirement today and the gentlemen that you are going to see in the video gets assaulted as a guest of my friend. He speaks the words of the color and strips [sic] as they fold the flag. The ceremony was held for Chuck Roberson (pictured left). John Huffington (pictured right) said he is a friend of the man whose retirement ceremony and that the incident was disturbing And Stephen Sila, who identified himself as the officiating officer at the ceremony posted a long explainer on the Facebook page of John Q Public, an army blog where the story first appeared. Sila said that Rodriguez had been invited to speak at the ceremony and had planned to read a statement honoring the flag and that his appearance had been cleared through the proper avenues. But non squadron CC apparently had an issue with Rodriguez attending, apparently stemming from a personal issue at a previous squadron between the squadron CC and Mr Rodriguez, claimed Sila. He added: 'Why do you think people are leaving (the Air Force) in droves? 'Because the guys in the trenches are subjected to nonstop stupidity from commanders who don't deserve the rank, respect, or support of the people they're in charge of.' But the Air Force Reserve said in the statement it 'respects and defends the right to free speech and religious expression.' Lawsuit: The plaintiffs claim Starbucks has been systematically underfilling lattes since 2009 A federal judge said two Starbucks customers may pursue a lawsuit accusing the coffee chain of cheating patrons by underfilling lattes. In a decision on Friday, U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson in San Francisco said the California plaintiffs may seek damages from Starbucks Corp in their proposed nationwide class action, including for fraud and false advertising. Starbucks was accused of overcharging customers by systematically serving lattes that are 25 percent too small, based on a recipe it adopted in 2009 to save money on milk. The plaintiffs, Siera Strumlauf of San Francisco and Benjamin Robles of Carlsbad, said Starbucks requires baristas to use pitchers for heating milk with etched "fill to" lines that are too low, and to leave 1/4 inch of free space in drink cups. They said this shorts customers because Starbucks' cups for tall, grande and venti lattes hold exactly 12, 16 and 20 ounces. "This is not a case where the alleged deception is simply implausible as a matter of law," Henderson wrote. "The court finds it probable that a significant portion of the latte-consuming public could believe that a 'Grande' contains 16 ounces of fluid." Henderson did not rule on the case's merits. He dismissed three of the plaintiffs' eight claims against Seattle-based Starbucks, as well as their request for injunctive relief. Denial: Starbucks says the lawsuit is 'without merit' and adds its staff will happily remake drinks if customers are not satisfied Starbucks spokesman Reggie Borges on Monday said the company believes the lawsuit is without merit and is prepared to defend itself against the remaining claims. He also said that if a customer is not satisfied with how a beverage is prepared, "we will gladly remake it." Lawyers for the plaintiffs did not immediately respond on Monday to requests for comment. A Los Angeles man says that he was attacked by an Uber driver at the weekend following a dispute about a phone - and he has video proof. CJ Yu, of Leimert Park, says that he left his iPhone in an Uber car on Saturday during a routine lift home. He contacted the driver of the car and asked if he would return the cellphone. Yu said the driver agreed to give the phone back for a cash reward. The two met at a Mexican restaurant in Marine Del Rey to make the exchange, and then the driver agreed to take Yu back home. Scary incident: CJ Yu (right), of Leimert Park, California, says that he left his iPhone in an Uber car on Saturday during a routine lift home, however when the driver returned it to him things became dangerous This is the moment the Uber driver (left) allegedly came at the passenger with a 40 lb rock and threatened him CJ Yu (left) identified the driver of the Uber as Medhanie Meshesha (right). Uber says they have blocked Meshesha from being able to take future jobs However it when they got back to Yu's home that things turned dangerous. When Yu offered the driver a $40 reward, the man became enraged. 'He instantly blew up. He became very aggravated. He said ''I need more money than this, this phone is worth hundreds of dollars'',' Yu told KTLA 5 News. Yu said he told the driver that he only had $40 on him, and got out of the car. 'I turn around to find him carrying this hige 40lb rock and he was about to throw it at me,' Yu said. Yu said he reasoned with the man and told him they could walk to find a police officer to help figure out what to do, and the driver agreed. 'Before I knew it he grabbed the phone out of my hand - the phone he had just returned to me - and runs in the opposite direction to his car,' Yu said. This is the door handle of the Uber car that ripped as Yu tried to get his phone back. The police are now investigating the incident Yu said he chased the driver but, by the time he got back to the car, the man was inside and had locked the doors. Yu tried to open a door but the driver drove off, leaving a door handle in Yu's hand. Yu said he notified police over the incident and claims to man's name is Medhanie Meshesha. He also contacted Uber over what happened, with the company telling Yu they had blocked the driver from taking any further jobs. This is the hilarious moment an irate father paid a 60 fine for taking his son out of school for a holiday in Majorca in one and two pence pieces. Brent Catterson, 36, of Telford, Shropshire, was told to pay the amount after taking his eight-year-old son Michael on a four-day trip to Spain without permission last month. But the father-of-two decided to dump thousands of coins on a desk at the offices of Telford and Wrekin Borough Council as bemused staff watched in amazement. Coughing up the money: Brent Catterson, 36, of Telford, Shropshire, was told to pay a 60 after taking his eight-year-old son Michael on a four-day trip to Spain without permission last month Mr Catterson, the co-owner of a property maintenance firm who admits he is a bit of a joker, was videoed walking in carrying two bags full of coins before leaving empty-handed seconds later. He said: I phoned up the local authority after they handed me the fine and the woman was a bit arrogant. I thought I can play that game too and I wanted to have the last laugh. So I went to the bank and changed 60 in ones and twos. I told my best mate I was thinking of doing it and he dared me to do it so there was no going back from there. When I walked in and emptied the coins the staff couldn't believe it. A man behind the counter was laughing and a woman working there was looking at me with her mouth open in amazement. I read the fine sheet and it didn't say anything about not paying in cash. The council have called me since and confirmed that I've paid and have given me a receipt. Payment: The father-of-two decided to dump thousands of coins on a desk at the offices of Telford and Wrekin Borough Council as bemused staff watched in amazement Leaving the money: Mr Catterson, the co-owner of a property maintenance firm who admits he is a bit of a joker, was videoed walking in carrying two bags full of coins before leaving empty-handed seconds later Mr Catterson took the radical action after being slapped with a fine - despite Michael having an attendance rate of 91 per cent and rather than appeal the decision he decided to pay in coppers. I told my best mate I was thinking of doing it and he dared me to do it so there was no going back Brent Catterson He said: I don't think what I did it that bad. My son's got regular attendance and he's only eight so it's not like he got exams on or anything. Kids are like sponges at that age and he's already caught up. I didn't do it so much for the money. He is only eight and he's not going to miss that much. It wasn't too detrimental to his schooling. He hasn't got any exams. I didn't think it would do him a great deal of harm. The Coinage Act 1971 allows workers to refuse any payment above 20p in bronze coins - ie 1p or 2p pieces but it appears the council were happy to accept Mr Cattersons payment. The stunt was filmed by his best friend Timmy Newman, 31, with whom he runs the maintenance company. Since the footage was posted on Facebook, it has been viewed by 2.5million people. 'Joker': Mr Catterson took the radical action after being slapped with a fine - despite Michael having an attendance rate of 91 per cent and rather than appeal the decision he decided to pay in coppers Family: Mr Catterson (left), 36, lives in Telford with his children Michael (centre), eight, and Henry (right), two Mr Catterson, who is currently enjoying a holiday with friends in Benidorm, said news of his hilarious actions have even spread abroad. He added: I never knew it was going to go this big. I'm getting around 700 friend requests a day on Facebook and people out in Benidorm keep coming up to me and asking for pictures. The videos had thousands of comments. Obviously some of them have been negative but loads of people have called me a legend. Mr Catterson lives with long term partner Kayleigh Thompson, 28, and their other son Henry, two. A council spokesman said: 'The decision to not authorise an absence request from parents during term is taken by a school or an academy and not the council. The school or academy will then instruct the council to issue the fine notice and legally this has to be done by the Council. David Cameron has pleaded with older voters not to punish him for mistakes in government by sending Britain crashing out of the EU. In a sign of nerves in the Remain campaign, the Prime Minister took to the steps of Downing Street to deliver the appeal. Trying to draw a line under another torrid spell of pressure over his failure to curb immigration, Mr Cameron argued that the economic case for membership was 'paramount'. David Cameron made the desperate appeal for voters to support Britain's EU membership outside Downing Street today The premier said a vote to leave on Thursday would be 'irreversible'. 'I know I haven't got everything right... but of this I am convinced... Britain is better off inside the EU than out on our own.' Mr Cameron said he wanted to speak directly to 'my generation and older' to think about their children and grandchildren. 'I know Europe isn't perfect, believe me I understand and I see those frustrations. I feel them myself,' he said. 'That's why we negotiated and enhanced our special status - out of the euro, keeping our borders, not involved in ever closer union. We have the best of both worlds. 'So as you take this decision, whether to remain or leave, do think about the hopes and dreams of your children and grandchildren. They know their chances to work, to travel, to build the sort of open and successful society they want to live in rests on this outcome. 'And remember, they can't undo the decision we take. If we vote out, that's it. It is irreversible. We will leave Europe for good. 'The next generation will have to live with the consequences far longer than the rest of us.' On Thursday 'it will just be you in that polling booth', he said, 'taking a decision that will affect your future, your children's future, your grandchildren's future'. He added: 'Our economic security is paramount. It will be stronger if we stay; if we leave we will put it at risk. 'That is a risk to jobs, a risk to families, a risk to our children's future and there is no going back.' The intervention, with just two days left to go until the polls open, came as a former aide claimed that Mr Cameron was told four years ago his immigration target was 'impossible' while Britain is in the EU. Steve Hilton, the PM's ex-policy guru, said Whitehall officials had given the warning during meetings in 2012. The civil servants said 'directly and explicitly' that the net migration goal was not deliverable given EU freedom of movement rules. Despite this, the Prime Minister has repeatedly restated his ambition to hit the target even including it in his 2015 general election manifesto. At no stage has he succeeded in cutting net migration to below 100,000. Mr Cameron denied the claims today and insisted that when Mr Hilton left government in 2012 immigration was falling and was close to the target. Writing in today's Daily Mail, Mr Hilton recalls the warning to Mr Cameron, saying: 'We were told, directly and explicitly, that it was impossible for the Government to meet its immigration target as long as we remained members of the EU, which of course insists on the free movement of people within it.' But Mr Cameron told ITV this morning: 'It's simply not right. Actually when Steve Hilton left Downing Street in 2012, net immigration had actually fallen quite substantially and it got down to 154,000, so not far away from the ambition that I set. 'But look there are good ways of controlling immigration and my welfare break, saying that people who come and work here, have to work here for four years before they get full access to our welfare system, that's a good way, but pulling out of the single market, wrecking our economy, that is a bad way.' Mr Hilton told BBC News the PM's statement in Downing Street was 'weird' and designed to move the focus away from immigration. 'It was very interesting actually and rather an amazing thing to hear because what you just saw from the Prime Minister was an admission that they have lost the economic argument, they have lost the argument on immigration and so he has been wheeled out by rather panicky spin doctors, it seems to me, to try and change the subject,' he said, Toni Ann Ness, 44, once used a 12-year-old boy as a drug mule. She continued her methamphetamine trafficking business after attracting police attention A woman who once used a 12-year-old boy as a drug mule brazenly continued her trafficking business after attracting police attention. Toni Ann Ness, 44, pleaded guilty in Brisbane's Supreme Court on Tuesday to selling methamphetamine to dozens of customers in the Ipswich suburb of Goodna during 2013 and 2014. The court heard Ness was the main target of police operation 'Lima Quantity' and continued to sell drugs on a daily basis months after her home 'The Shop' was raided in November 2013. Prosecutor Russell Hood said, on at least one occasion, Ness instructed a 12-year-old boy to sell methamphetamine to a customer and that she repeatedly dealt drugs in front of children. Defence lawyer Ruth O'Gorman said Ness had been free of drugs since she was taken into custody, the first time since her early teens. The court heard Ness had a 'sad, appalling and distressing background' as well as a lengthy Queensland criminal record for drug possession. Justice Glenn Martin criticised Ness for continuing to traffic drugs after police raided her home. 'It is quite extraordinary that you should be so brazen,' Justice Martin said. Ness pleaded guilty to selling methamphetamine to dozens of customers in the Ipswich suburb of Goodna during 2013 and 2014 Ness, who has already spent 22 months in custody, was sentenced to five years' jail and will be released on parole in November 2016. The court heard Ness had a 'moderate to high risk' of reoffending if she did not continue treatment for her mental health and drug problems. According to 7 News, Ness was given up for adoption at the age of 12, after giving birth to twins a year before. Her addiction to drugs began at the same age, meaning she didn't get to meet her twin children until they were 16. One of them committed suicide two years later. The court heard Ness was a 'substantial retail drug dealer' who specialised in trafficking speed, which would fund her own addiction to marijuana. The court heard that the mother would repeatedly sell drugs in front of children Rebecca Landis Hayes said she found the note on Monday under her windshield wiper on her car A woman who served in the Navy for eight years and parked in a spot marked for veterans, only to find a handwritten note criticizing her actions, has now received an apology from the original attacker. Rebecca Landis Hayes said the incident happened at the Harris Teeter grocery store within the Coddle Creek Shopping Center in North Carolina earlier this month. The woman, who served for eight years in the Navy, explained that she typically doesn't use the reserved spots for veterans at the store, but on this occasion she did. The note accused her of abusing the privilege to park in the veteran spot at the store. 'This parking is for Veterans, lady. Learn to read and have some respect,' it read. The note ended up going viral, but Hayes says she has now received an apology from the same person. This time, the note was addressed to her office. There was no signature, but on the back it said 're Harris Teeter.' Unexpected apology: Just weeks after receiving a scalding note on her car, Rebecca Landis Hayes said a follow-up note was sent to her office apologizing for the out-of-line tone of the first Rebecca Landis Hayes said the very fact that the man had decided to apologize meant a lot The apology read: 'To the lady whose car I left a note on 'I happened to come across your post on facebook through a friend who shared your photo and status. I would like to apologize to you. 'I know its no excuse, but I've seen so many young people park in retired vets' spaces, along with handicap lately, and I lost my cool. I'm sorry you were the one who got the result of that angry moment. I know it was a mistake and I'm glad I saw your post. 'I immediately felt horrible about a situation where I assumed I was standing up for someone. Clearly, this was not the case. 'You didn't deserve that, and I hope you can accept this apology. I appreciate your service to this country and I highly respect military men and women. It was an error in judgement, and again, I'm sorry for that. 'Thank you for all that you've done. God bless.' In a new Facebook post, Hayes said the apology was sincere and much appreciated. 'To me, this means a lot, that somebody did admit their mistake,' she said. 'In today's world people make assumptions a lot. Just to say, 'I'm sorry,' especially if sincere, always goes a long way.' Original note: She shared the note that was left for her on Facebook and wrote: 'I'm sorry you can't see my eight years of service in the United States Navy' At the time, the original note deeply upset her. 'At first, I thought someone had left a note because they hit my car or something like that,' Hayes told WBTV. She said that she pulled over thinking that she needed to call someone to swap insurance information, but started to cry while reading the note. She believes the note was left on her car because she is a woman and at the time didn't fit the 'stereotype' of a veteran in her business-casual attire. 'Veterans come in all shapes, sizes, genders and colors,' Hayes said. 'More veterans don't fit that stereotype than do.' In sharing the photo of the note on Facebook, Hayes wrote: 'I know I parked in one of the Veteran Parking spaces today, it was hot. 'I had been in and out of my car several times already this afternoon, and I was only going to be a minute. Besides, the parking lot was full, so I just did it. 'It was the first time, and I won't do it again. I'm sorry 'I'm sorry that you can't see my eight years of service in the United Sates Navy,' she wrote in the post. 'I'm sorry that your narrow misogynistic world view can't conceive of the fact that there are female Veterans. 'I'm sorry that I have to explain myself to people like you. 'Mostly, I'm sorry that we didn't get a chance to have this conversation face to face, and that you didn't have the integrity and intestinal fortitude to identify yourself, qualities the military emphasizes. 'Which leads to one question, I served, did you?' A lizard known as the 'f*** you' gecko has lived up to its reputation - after it bit a boy on his top lip and would not let go. Pictures of the child show him crying and in pain as he holds the grey lizard - known as a Tokay gecko - in his hand. Their mating call - which sounds like f*** you' - is responsible for the slang name given to it by US soldiers during the Vietnam War. The boy looked in agony as he tried to pull the lizard - known as the f*** you gecko' - from his top lip The teary boy tries to pull the lizard from his lip - he was taken to hospital and the lizard finally pulled free The distressed child is pictured looking teary as the lizard grips hold of his lip in Lampang, in northern Thailand. The boy was taken to the Koo Phai Wang Neua health centre, where medics eventually managed to release the gecko from his lip. It was not known what injuries the child suffered as a result of the incident. Peta Credlin has told Malcolm Turnbull he needs to lift his game over the final days of the Federal Election campaign. Ms Credlin, who was former prime minister Tony Abbott's chief of staff, told Sky News it looks like Mr Turnbull is lacking effort. 'Punters want to see you fight to the wire,' Ms Credlin said on Tuesday. Scroll down for video Peta Credlin has told Malcolm Turnbull he needs to lift his game over the final days of the Federal Election campaign 'I think you'd want to see, out the Prime Minister's team, more effort. Because, to date, what 12, 13 interviews for the entire campaign - I don't think that's credible. 'He looks a bit patrician, that he's standing back - everybody else can campaign and I just expect you to vote for me. 'The arguments are great, but I think the effort from the individual has to lift.' Ms Credlin then hearkened back to her experience with Mr Abbott, suggesting Mr Turnbull could take a leaf out of his campaign book. Ms Credlin made her comment about Malcolm Turnbull during an appearance on Sky News on Tuesday night 'Punters want to see you fight to the wire,' Ms Credlin said about the current election campaign on Sky News '[Malcolm Turnbull] looks a bit patrician, that he's standing back - everybody else can campaign and I just expect you to vote for me,' Ms Credlin said 'If you remember, there was a real push from Abbott in that last fortnight,' she said, referring to the 2010 election. 'We were getting the feedback that "you're doing really well, Tony, but you don't look like you really want it". Let him look into our eyes, feel our pain,' Tate told the LA Times Now Van Houten is recommended for parole due to 'good behavior' Sharon Tate's sister Debra has handed in a petition with 139,000 signatures on it to California governor Jerry Brown, appealing to him to intervene in the parole release of a Charles Manson follower. The actress was murdered by Manson's gang at the age of 26 in August 1969. Tate, who was eight months pregnant by film director husband Roman Polanski, was one of seven people killed in two separate massacres. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Debra Tate (pictured, centre, with a walking stick) and Tony La Montagne (left) deliver a petition of 139,000 names to Governor Jerry Brown's office in Sacramento. The petition took up three boxes in total Leslie Van Houten was 19 at the time and a member of the so-called 'Family', a hippy commune led by the enigmatic sociopath Manson, who claimed he was trying to trigger a race war. She was sentenced to death for first degree murder but her sentence was commuted to life in prison. Van Houten, now 66, has been recommended for parole. Manson's youngest disciple, she was not there the night that Sharon was killed. But she admitted holding a pillow over Rosemary La Bianca's face as the Manson murderers stabbed her and her supermarket heir husband, Leno, to death before carving the word 'WAR' in his stomach. She admitted stabbing Mrs La Bianca after she died Appeal: Sharon Tate's sister Debra (right) has appealed to California governor Jerry Brown to intervene in the parole release of a Charles Manson follower. The actress (left) was murdered at the age of 26 in 1969 Debra Tate is leading efforts to block parole for Van Houten but is supported by several members of the La Bianca family, including the couple's grandson, Tony La Montagne. She handed over the petition on Monday in the state Capitol in Sacramento and was clearly disappointed the governor was not there to accept it in person. Debra told the Los Angeles Times: 'Let him look into our eyes, feel our pain.' Instead she met with two Brown aides and left them with copies of an online petition signed by 139,000 people that urges the governor to deny parole to Van Houten. 'This is not a person we want out,' she said. Van Houten admitted during her parole hearing she would have killed babies if Charles Manson had given her that order. Slide me Leslie Van Houten has admitted that at the time of her arrest (left) she would have killed babies if Manson had told her to but she says she is a changed person now but knows what she did is 'unforgiveable' Debra Tate started her petition on Change. org hoping to obtain enough signatures for California Governor Jerry Brown to deny Van Houten's parole. Three years ago Van Houten told a parole hearing: 'I know I did something that is unforgiveable, but I can create a world where I make amends. 'I'm trying to be someone who lives a life for healing rather than destruction.' Last summer another Manson follower, Bruce Davis, was recommended for release but Governor Brown rejected parole for the 73-year-old on the basis that 'his own actions demonstrate that he had fully bought into the depraved Manson family beliefs'. Cult leader: Charles Manson (above) appears in Los Angeles, California court on March 29, 1971 Debra appeared on Good Morning America in April and told host Robin Roberts it was 'mind boggling' to think that a member of the group who murdered her sister would be allowed to walk free. Van Houten was deemed 'suitable for parole' in April with a two-person review board at the California Institution for Women in Chino noting that she had taken and completed self-help programs, classes and counselling. 'I do believe in rehabilitation programs. It's good that she got those, but this woman is a monster,' Debra told GMA. Mr La Montagne was equally incensed by the decision to release Van Houten. He told CBS recently: 'What type of decision has the parole board actually made? Theyre making a decision to allow a murderer to come back into your neighborhood, my neighborhood. Last time they were in my neighborhood, they killed my family.' Charles Manson is serving a life sentence for his role in the killing of seven people in Los Angeles in 1969 Tragedy: Sharon Tate (left at her 1968 wedding to Roman Polanski, right just days before she was killed) was 26 years old and eight-months pregnant when she was killed on August 9, 1969 Sharon was just 26 years old and eight-months pregnant on the night of August 9, 1969, when she was stabbed sixteen times and murdered along with her ex, hairdresser Jay Sebring, coffee heiress Abigail Folger and her writer boyfriend Voyteck Frytowski, and the 18-year-old caretaker at the property where they were all staying, Steven Parent. The five were killed by Manson followers Linda Kasabian, Patricia Krenwinkel, Susan Atkins and Charles 'Tex' Watson. Sharon had been staying with the group at a home originally rented by Terry Melcher, a musician and record producer who was the son of famed actress Doris Day. At the time of the murders Melcher and his girlfriend, actress Candace Bergen, had been staying at his mother's home in Malibu and Sharon and her husband, director Roman Polanski, had taken over the lease. Polanski was supposed to be there that night but was unable to get the proper travel documents to travel out of London and had to delay his trip. Senseless: Van Houten admitted holding a pillow over the head of Rosemary La Bianca (left) while other cult members stabbed her and husband Leno (right) to death The next night, that same group was chosen to join Manson as they set out to kill the LaBiancas. Van Houten was not picked to join the group, but asked if she could come along and join in the massacre. Debra writes in her petition, aimed to keep Van Houten behind bars: 'Charles Manson's deranged 'family,' including Ms. Van Houten, broke into the home of Leno & Rosemary LaBianca on August 10, 1969. 'Manson had gone into their home and tied the couple up. Van Houten placed a pillowcase over Mrs. LaBianca's head, tied it with a lamp cord, and held Mrs. LaBianca down so Patricia Krenwinkel could stab the innocent woman to death. 'When the knife bent on Mrs. LaBianca's collar bone, Van Houten held Mrs. LaBianca down so Tex Watson could come in and stab her. Homecoming: Van Houten in her freshman year of high school in 1964 (above) 'Then Van Houten stabbed Mrs. LaBianca in the lower back several times. Mrs. LaBianca was stabbed a total of 41 times. 'Words were written in blood on two walls and a refrigerator door. Van Houten then took a shower, stole one of LaBianca's dresses to wear and ate food from the refrigerator like it was her own home. 'For years Van Houten showed no remorse at all. 'When asked during her trial if she ever cried about the murder of Rosemary LaBianca, she replied: 'Cry for her death? Why? She's not the only person who has died.'' Van Houten's defense lawyers portrayed her as a young woman from a good family who had been a homecoming princess and showed promise until she got involved with drugs and was recruited into Manson's cult. She was convicted of murder but that conviction was overturned on appeal after her lawyer was found dead during the trial. Members of the Manson family took credit for the killing, but it is believed he died in a flash flood. Van Houten was retried twice and ultimately convicted in 1978 of two counts of murder and conspiracy. Her first retrial ended in a hung jury, and prior to her conviction in 1978 she was out on $200,000 bond - and even attended the Oscars with a friend. In an interview with filmmaker John Waters, Van Houten was asked what she said to people that night when they asked her if she had seen any of the films. 'If someone brought up one of the nominees, I'd just say, 'No, I missed that one' or 'I was away when that was playing,'' said Van Houten. Van Houten, who launched her first parole attempt in 1979 and has applied for parole 20 times in total, recounted her part in the killing of the LaBiancas during her most recent hearing. The former homecoming princess, who described herself as a hippy at the time of the murders, told of how she looked off into the distance until another Manson follower told her to do something before she joined in the stabbing. During her five-hour testimony, Van Houten described Manson as a 'Christ-like man that had all the answers'. She then went into graphic detail how she held down Rosemary LaBianca and secured a pillow with a lamp cord while another member of the Manson family stabbed her repeatedly. Van Houten said: 'I don't let myself off the hook. I don't find parts in any of this that makes me feel the slightest bit good about myself.' Followers: Van Houten (pictured right along with fellow Charles Manson cult members Susan Atkins, left, and Patricia Krenwinkel, center) arrive in court in the summer of 1970 This is the heart-warming moment a police dog is reunited with his owner after not seeing him for just two weeks. North Yorkshire Police dog Dutch rushes over to PC Marc Richardson after he returns from leave. The canine jumps joyfully into his arms and lets out a bark of doggie delight, nearly bowling the officer over. Dutch the police dog jumps into PC Marc Richardson's arms as the two are reunited after two weeks apart The officer had only been off on leave for a short time but his police dog Dutch could not contain his joy The duo have been working together for five years and have developed a remarkably strong bond. The force posted the video on Facebook where it has been viewed over 86,000 times, and over 4,000 people have reacted to the footage. They wrote under the video: 'That moment when dog and handler see each other for the first time in two weeks.' PD Bailey also wants in on the action and leaps up into the arms of the officer, in heart-warming footage uploaded to Facebook by North Yorkshire police In response Sarah Hartley commented: 'This is so lovely to watch. That dog really does love his handler thank-you to all the wonderful dog handlers out there you do an incredible job.' And Pat Falardeau added: 'There is nothing like doggie luv :). thank you for sharing, this is lovely to behold. Trust and love.' A baby boy suffered horrific head wounds after he rolled off his parents bed onto a piece of metal that pierced his skull and went into his brain. The seven-month-old from Yunfu City, in the South China Province of Guangdong, was unsupervised when he rolled of the bed and onto a metal stand holding mosquito-repelling incense. His parents were alerted to the accident after they heard a loud cry and found their baby on the floor with blood gushing from the side of his head. The baby boy survived the injury after several hours of surgery. A seven-month-old boy gained horrific head wounds after rolling off his parents bed onto a piece of metal that pierced his skull and went into his brain Scans of the babys head showed a sharp point on the metal stand was 3 centimetres deep in his soft skull The parents rushed the baby to hospital in provincial capital Guangzhou. Scans of the baby's head revealed that a sharp point on the metal stand was 3 centimetres deep in his soft skull. It was too risky to simply pull the metal out according to doctors. Firefighters were called in the shear part of the metal stand off, leaving a small piece that was surgically removed. The child is reportedly in stable condition and is now recovering after surgery in The Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University. The child is reportedly in stable condition and is now recovering after surgery in The Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University Octavia Rogers (pictured), 29, who is accused of stabbing her three young sons to death before slitting her own throat has pleaded not guilty to the murder charges An Arizona woman who is accused of murdering her three young boys while high on synthetic marijuana has pleaded not guilty to three charges of pre-meditated first-degree murder. Octavia Rogers, 29, could be seen visibly shaking and sobbing in court on Monday as the judge read the dates for her upcoming pretrial conferences. 'Help me. Help me,' Rogers could be heard saying as she gasped between sobs. Rogers's attorney, Gary Bevilacqua, wrapped an arm around the crying woman as she continued to ask God for help. Bevilacqua told reporters he had just been assigned the case but was still in the process of mounting a defense for his client. A horrifying mugshot of Rogers with a massive scar from where she attempted to slit her own throat after allegedly stabbing her three sons to death was made public earlier this month. Rogers allegedly murdered sons Jaikare Rahaman, eight, Jeremiah Adams, five, and her two-month-old baby Avery Robinson. Jaikare and Jeremiah were found dead in a closet at their home. Avery was stuffed inside a suitcase. Scroll down for video Rogers (pictured) pleaded not guilty in Maricopa County Superior Court to commissioner Erin O'Brien Otis Rogers appeared in court hyperventilating and could be be seen shaking as she rocked back and forth saying over and over 'help me', as attorney Gary Bevilacqua steady her with his arm Bevilacqua told reporters he had just been assigned the case but was still in the process of mounting a defense for his client A source has since claimed that the 29-year-old Rogers was on Spice, synthetic marijuana known to have psychotic effects on some users, at the time of the June 2 murders, according to ABC 15. Rogers was booked into a Phoenix jail this weekend after being released from the hospital. She is being held on a $1million cash-only bond. She was not allowed in a jailhouse courtroom on Sunday night after a judge ruled she posed a 'danger to herself or others'. Arizona child welfare officials revealed they had previous contact with the family. The State Child Safety Department said investigators could not locate the family back in 2010 to check reports of a boy with a small abrasion on his forehead. Roger has been charged in the murders of Jaikare Rahaman, eight, Jeremiah Adams, five, and two-month-old Avery Robinson (pictured) Rogers (pictured left and right), who was identified by her mother, killed the children before stuffing them inside a closet and a suitcase, police said They said they investigated cases in 2011 and 2016 involving marijuana allegations in which they found no legal grounds to take the children into emergency care. One allegation was substantiated, and the other was not, the state's child welfare agency said. The allegation that was substantiated accused the mother of giving birth to a baby exposed to marijuana, but investigators found the children to be safe, according to CBS. The department takes seriously its responsibility to protect children - but its powers are limited, agency Director Greg McKay said. 'We cannot predict the future, and people can at times do awful things,' he said in a statement. In 2006, Rogers had an order of protection filed against her for allegedly pushing her mother after Rogers was told to move out, court documents said. A source has since claimed that the 29-year-old Rogers was on Spice, synthetic marijuana known to have psychotic effects on some users, at the time of the June 2 murders Court records from that protection order said her mother wanted her to take part in domestic violence counseling. Rogers twice went to court to make the fathers of her two oldest sons pay child support. In 2010, the father of one of her children was convicted of disorderly conduct after police said he pulled out a gun while the married couple was having an argument. During that disorderly conduct case, Rogers told investigators at the scene that her husband had a gun, though his lawyer would later add he did not point it at anyone. WHAT IS SYNTHETIC MARIJUANA? Synthetic marijuana contains man-made chemicals that act on the same cell receptors in the brain as THC does in natural marijuana. Researchers have found instances in which chemicals in synthetic marijuana can bind much more strongly to cell receptors than THC does in marijuana that is grown This can produce stronger effects, such as an elevated mood or feeling of relaxation. But synthetic marijuana is also known to have psychotic effects on some users. These can include extreme anxiety, confusion, paranoia and even hallucinations. Source: National Institute of Drug Abuse Advertisement She later wrote a letter to the judge in the case seeking leniency for her husband. Rogers, who married her husband in 2009 in Mobile, Alabama, sought a divorce in 2011, but her case was dismissed after she quit pushing the case in court. Her sister, Voniticia Nickerson, said Rogers occasionally smoked marijuana but was not a big drinker, did not do hard drugs and stayed out of trouble with the law. Synthetic marijuana contains man-made chemicals that act on the same cell receptors in the brain as THC does in natural marijuana. Researchers have found instances in which chemicals in synthetic marijuana can bind much more strongly to cell receptors than THC does in marijuana that is grown - producing stronger effects. These effects could be anything from an elevated mood and feeling of relaxation to psychotic effects such as extreme anxiety, confusion, paranoia and even hallucinations, according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse. Nickerson said Rogers was happy to have recently moved back to Phoenix, her hometown, to live with her brother after spending about a year and a half in Virginia. She noted she saw no signs her sister was trouble, and described Rogers as a devoted mother whose life revolved around her boys. Nickerson said she is at a loss for a reason her sister might have taken the boys' lives. Law enforcement officials stand outside a home on Thursday in Phoenix where the three boys were killed Rogers sister, Voniticia Nickerson, said she is at a loss for a reason her sister might have killed the boys' 'She always made sure that they never wanted and they were happy, that they had the best,' Nickerson said. The boys' bodies were discovered after Rogers' brother came home from work on Wednesday night to find her talking about God and saying she found the answer to life. Then she went inside their home and locked the door behind her. The brother forced his way in and found Rogers had barricaded herself in another room. She eventually emerged with multiple stab wounds across her abdomen and neck. 'The Clintons always trash the messenger,' author Gary Byrne's publicist said, noting his accolades The Association of Former Agents of the United States Secret Service is pushing back saying the author didn't have this kind of access She once told a Secret Service officer who wished her good morning to 'go f*** yourself' Former Secret Service officer Gary Byrne's forthcoming tell-all 'Crisis of Character' casts Hillary Clinton as a nightmare to protect when she was living in the White House as first lady. Clinton swore and raged at her Secret Service detail and even threw the occasional tantrum, according to excerpts obtained by Breitbart News. 'She once threw a Bible at an agent on her detail, hitting him in the back of the head,' Byrne wrote in the book. 'He bluntly let her know it wasn't acceptable. He told me the story himself.' Scroll down for video A former Secret Service officer has written a tell-all which casts Hillary Clinton as a unhinged first lady who would swear and throw things at her detail Byrne, who was a uniformed office in the Secret Service in the 1990s, during President Bill Clinton's Administration explained that being assigned to protect Hillary Clinton 'was a form of punishment handed down by passive-aggressive middle management.' He described what he witnessed as a certain 'liveliness' in dealing with the woman who would eventually become a U.S. Senator, the country's secretary of state and now the Democrats' presumptive nominee for the White House. The tome was penned by Gary Byrne, who worked for the Secret Service in the Clinton White House 'Most of us knew to brace for her inevitable eruptions,' Byrne wrote. 'They didn't happen every day, but behind closed doors we learned about them fast. In public, she was everyone's best friend. Privately, she was her normal self.' Byrne recounted hearing from a new office, who had just heard the first lady utter a four-letter word. Hey youll never believe it, but I passed the first lady and she told me to go to hell! he said. Another young officer told Byrne and the group that he also had profanity directed his way. 'You think that's bad? I passed her on the West Colonnade and all I said was, "Good morning, first lady." She told me, "Go f*** yourself." Are you serious? Go f*** yourself!' the officer said. At one point the Secret Service 'circulated a memo reminding everyone to report any unusual First Family interaction to their supervisors,' Byrne wrote. 'The new guy (who had earned a Purple Heart fighting the Clintons war in Somalia) got an apology for the First Ladys actions but not directly from her of course,' Byrne wrote. The claims in Byrne's book have rankled the members of the Association of Former Agents of the United States Secret Service, including the non-partisan group's president, so much that it is set to release a statement about the tome today. Several more high level former agents said that Byrne could never have seen the things he says he saw because he was too low-ranking. They believe the book is damaging to the Secret Service because it creates a chasm of trust between the agents and those they protect, according to Politico. The AFAUSSS, which rarely makes public statements, is ready to 'strongly denounce' the book. The book is being denounced by the professional association for former Secret Service members who suggest Gary Byrne didn't have the access to the Clintons that he claims 'There is no place for any self-moralizing narratives, particularly those with an underlying motive,' reads the statement, which suggests that Byrne was motivated by his politics and the profits he'll receive from writing a much-talked-about tome. Beyond the Bible incident, the book claims that Clinton was fooling around with Eleanor Mondale 'making out on the Map Room table' when a jealous Monica Lewinsky, who thought she was the president's only mistress, caught wind. 'What's he want with her when he has this?' an irate Lewinsky reportedly said. A former supervisor said Byrne, as a uniformed officer, would have never gotten close enough to these key players to have participated in these scenes, and could just be passing along office gossip, but casting himself in a crucial role. 'Did Gary Byrne hear an anecdotal story being told by a couple of agents? Maybe,' the former supervisor told Politico. 'But did Gary Byrne see it the way he's purporting to have seen it? No way. That's a lifetime worth of events this individual saw in a very short amount of time.' 'If any of the things he says happened did happen,' the supervisor continued. 'It was told to him by a third party.' Byrne's publicist came to his defense, saying Byrne, of course, witnessed these events with his own eyes and it was a 'nonsense charge' to think otherwise. 'He was posted directly outside the Oval Office for three years,' she told Politico. She added that Byrne had had positive evaluations and earned performance awards, even receiving a letter from the Secret Service in 1996 for his 'commitment, dedication and professional performance.' The widower of an Indonesian woman who was killed after she drank an iced coffee allegedly poisoned with cyanide by her Australian friend says he and his wife were planning to start a family. Arief Soemarko married Wayan Mirna Salihin in Bali last November and the couple had plans to go on their honeymoon in Kora in April before having children this year, reported The Age. Mirna collapsed and began frothing at the mouth at a popular Jakarta restaurant after drinking the Vietnamese coffee allegedly laced by Australian permanent resident Jessica Kumala Wongso in January. Arief Soemarko (left) widower of Wayan Mirna Salihin (right) revealed the couple wanted to start a family by the end of the year Mirna's father, Edi Dermawan Salihin, has also hit out at an agreement between Australia and Indonesia that his daughter's accused killer would not face the death penalty. Canberra had sought the assurance on the death penalty after Indonesian prosecutors asked for the assistance of the Australian Federal Police to gather evidence from the time the two women had spent in Australia. But Mr Salihin said the agreement should be void if she were convicted on evidence that Jakarta police had gathered. Speaking before the second week of Jessica's murder trial at Central Jakarta District Court on Tuesday, Mr Salihin alleged she 'killed my daughter like (she was) a rat'. He said he had been 'shocked' when Jessica became the prime suspect in the murder as she and his daughter had been very close, studying together at the design college Billy Blue in Sydney for several years. The women (Mirna pictured right and Jessica pictured left) studied in Sydney together before graduating in 2008 Mirna (seen above during another outing) began foaming at the mouth and convulsing after drinking the coffee But upon seeing the CCTV of the events that allegedly led up to the murder, Mr Salihin said he became convinced of her guilt. Prosecutors allege the two women had a falling out around the middle of last year when Mirna discovered Jessica was in a relationship with a man in Australia. No details have yet been revealed about the boyfriend but prosecutors allege Mirna objected to him. After Jessica broke it off, prosecutors claim she decided to 'to avenge her pain ... and take away Mirna's life'. Wayan Mirna Salihin sipped from the coffee and began foaming at the mouth and convulsing. She died en route to hospital Mirna's father, Edi Dermawan Salihin has hit out on the arrangement which will see Jessica (pictured) avoid the death penalty if convicted CCTV on the day of Mirna's death allegedly shows Jessica arriving at the Jakarta restaurant well before her friend. After ordering an iced coffee for Mirna, she arranges a number of shopping bags around the drink, blocking any view of it. After a few minutes she then allegedly returned to her original seat, cleared away the shopping bags and pushed the coffee into the middle of the table. 'Jessica, she came alone (to the restaurant), only with the devil,' Mr Salihin said on Tuesday. Jessica maintains she is innocent. Jessica Kumala Wongso (above being escorted by police) is accused of slipping the poison in to her friend's iced coffee in January She participated in a police reenactment of the alleged killing at the cafe earlier this year (above) Mr Salihin said he had been heavily involved with the police and prosecutors' efforts in bringing the case against the 27-year-old and had handed over 'key evidence' to police. He said the agreement with Canberra should only stand if she is convicted based on evidence gathered by the AFP. 'If we find the evidence here in Jakarta, myself and police, how come we have to accept their agreement?' On Tuesday, Jessica's legal team applied to have the case thrown out on a number of grounds, including that the indictment presented to the court failed to properly outline the evidence on which the charge of premeditated murder had been brought. Prosecutors, they argued, had not shown where the cyanide had been purchased and had thus failed to illustrate any 'pre-planning' by Jessica. But prosecutors rejected their application, saying poison by its very nature illustrates pre-planning. The judge will hand down his decision on the application next week. Jessica maintains she is innocent and her legal team has applied to have the case thrown out on a number of grounds A member of Muhammad Ali's own family has allegedly been touring America with a video of the boxer's funeral, searching for a news outlet willing to pay $1million for it. The footage was filmed secretly during a private service at Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville, it's been reported by The Mirror. It apparently shows the heavyweight champion, who died aged 74, being 'lowered into the ground' at the low-key event and his 'family in tears'. Scroll down for videos A member of Muhammad Ali's own family has allegedly been touring America with a video of the boxer's funeral, searching for a news outlet willing to pay $1million for it. He's pictured here in 1970 The footage was filmed secretly during a private service at Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville, it's been reported. Ali is pictured here during a visit to Ricky Hatton's gym in Hyde, Manchester, in 2009 Neither Ali's wife nor any of his daughters were aware that the burial was being filmed, according to The Mirror. The paper said that it knew of two US media outlets 'one magazine and one broadcaster' that had been offered the clip, said to be seven minutes long. A source from one of the outlets told the paper: 'It is disgusting that some claiming to be member of Ali's own family could deceive their own flesh and blood. 'It is not something we would entertain no matter what the price. The seller initially tried to conceal their identity but when asked how the footage was obtained we were told how they were a member of the family. 'It shows Ali being lowered into the ground and his family in tears. It's disgusting. Clearly they have no respect.' The secret footage apparently shows the heavyweight champion, who died aged 74, being 'lowered into the ground' at the low-key event and his 'family in tears'. This image shows a hearse carrying the body of the boxer into Cave Hill Cemetery Farewell: Muhammad Ali's 10 pallbearers are pictured above top left to right: Gene Dibble Jr., John Ramsey, Jerry Ellis, Kamawi Ali and Jan Waddell. Pictured bottom left to right: Ibn Ali, Lennox Lewis, Will Smith, John Grady, and Mike Tyson The intimate service for Ali known as The Greatest - was held before thousands gathered at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville for a final send-off. Wife Lonnie, daughters Maryum and Rasheda, and friends Bryant Gumbel, Billy Crystal, and Bill Clinton were all among those reading eulogies to the man who spent the first half of his life fighting for sport, and the second fighting for justice, equality, and peace. Bill Clinton, the last to speak, praised Ali - who died after a long battle with Parkinson's disease - not just for his 'strength and speed' as a boxer, but for his life after hanging up his gloves, when he refused to bow out and fade away, despite the crippling effect that Parkison's had on his body. He said: 'I spend a lot of my time now as I get older, and older, and older, trying to figure out what makes people tick. How do they turn out the way they do? How do some people avoid being victims and rise from defeat? Bill Clinton praised Ali - who died after a long battle with Parkinson's disease - not just for his 'strength and speed' as a boxer, but for his life after hanging up his gloves 'I think he decided very young to write his own life story. I think he decided before he could have possibly worked it all out and before fate and time could work their will on him, he decided that he would not be unempowered 'He decided that not his race, nor his place, nor the expectations of others would strip from him the power to write his own story.' He continued: 'I will always think of Muhammad as a truly free man of faith. Being a man of faith he realized he would never be in full control of his life. But being free he realized that life was still open to choices. It is the choices that Muhammad Ali made that bring us all here today in prayer and love. 'The first part of his life was determined by his truly unique gifts. We should never forget them. But the second part of his life was more important because he refused to be imprisoned by a disease that kept him hamstrung longer than Nelson Mandela was in prison. Donald Trump will reboot his campaign's scorched-earth approach to battling Hillary Clinton with a speech in New York City, according to a source in the Republican's inner circle. The campaign announced Tuesday morning that Trump 'will be making a speech regarding the election' at 11:00 on Wednesday, sparking online guessing-games about the speech's focus. A Trump aide told DailyMail.com that it will be 'the Hillary speech.' Trump confirmed that account on Twitter, writing: 'I will be making a big speech tomorrow to discuss the failed policies and bad judgment of Crooked Hillary Clinton.' The real estate tycoon-turned-politician was scheduled to deliver a speech torching Bill and Hillary Clinton last week in New Hampshire, but postponed it after a jihadi's mass-shooting in Orlando that focused his attention on national security and terrorism instead. CLINTON REBOOT: Donald Trump will deliver a speech on Wednesday that will be dramatically critical of Hillary Clinton HERE IT COMES: Trump is looking to replace unfavorable news cycles with a narrative that puts Clinton on defense as Americans await the publication of a scathing book from a Bill Clinton-era Secret Service officer 'This was going to be a speech on Hillary Clinton and all of the bad things, and we all know whats going on, and especially how poor shed do as president in these very, very troubled times of radical Islamic terrorism,' Trump said as he opened his June 13 remarks. 'Even her former Secret Service agent, whos seen her under pressure and in times of stress, has stated that she lacks the temperament and integrity to be our president. There will be plenty of opportunity to discuss these important issues at a later time, and I will deliver that speech very, very soon.' Trump's campaign has the outward appearances of disarray and struggle, with poll numbers that trail Clinton's and May fundraising totals that look anemic by comparison. In addition, he fired longtime campaign manager Corey Lewandowski on Monday, signaling a shake-up that political reporters seized on as evidence of chaos inside Trump tower. Tarring and feathering Clinton, Trump insiders hope, will shake the political Etch-a-Sketch and put Clinton on defense in the days leading up to the release of a scathing book penned by a Secret Service officer who served in the White House during Bill Clinton's presidency. Trump may return to his emphasis on what he sees as Hillary Clinton's hypocritical proposal to increase the numbers of Syrian refugees accepted for resettlement in the United States, given her outspoken support for LGBT voters. TAKE TWO: Trump's anti-Hillary speech was originally slated for June 13 but he postponed it after the Orlando nightclub terror attack The Orlando murderer's targets were at a gay nightclub. Trump maintains that the ISIS terror army can be counted on to infiltrate refugee populations like a 'Trojan horse,' posing an increased threat to gays and lesbians. 'The burden is on Hillary Clinton to tell us why we should admit anyone into our country who supports violence of any kind against gay and lesbian Americans,' he said on June 13. 'She cant have it both ways,' he added. 'She cant claim to be supportive of these communities while trying to increase the number of people coming in who want to oppress these same communities.' Trump will likely expand on early reporting about the book 'Crisis of Character,' written by former Secret Service officer Gary Byrne. Leaked excerpts portray Hillary as a shrewish schemer who mistreated her protective detail at every turn, and depict Bill Clinton as an even randier sexual miscreant than previously known. Commuters have described the bizarre moment a man wearing a suit jumped between the train carriages after a guard had refused to reopen the doors. The man who was standing on the platform with a coffee and a suitcase had attempted to board his train at Thornleigh railway station, north-west of Sydney, when he missed it within seconds on Tuesday evening. But instead of waiting for the next train, the man decided to take matters into his own hands by jumping in between the carriages in an effort to stop the train from moving. It's not known whether the man boarded the same train he tried to stop but the incident led to more than 20 minutes delay for commuters on board. Commuters have described the bizarre moment a man wearing a suit jumped between the train carriages after he missed the doors within seconds (stock image) The man had attempted to board his train at Thornleigh railway station (pictured) on Tuesday evening The post was uploaded on photo sharing website Imgur, which has since been viewed more than 10,000 times 'Dude in a suit with a coffee and suitcase at Thornleigh station misses the train to Hornsby by a few seconds and train guards refuses to open the door,' a Sydney commuter posted on Facebook. 'Dude stares him down for a couple seconds before jumping in between the carriages to stop the train from moving. This was 20 minutes ago and apparently the train is still there... lel [sic].' The post was screen grabbed and uploaded onto photo sharing website Imgur with the caption: 'An odd reason for tonight's train delays', which has since been viewed more than 10,000 times. Following the incident, Sydney Trains took to Twitter to warn commuters about the delays of up to 25 minutes 'due to a trespasser on the tracks at Thornleigh'. 'Allow extra travel time from the City due to a trespasser on the tracks at Thornleigh,' one of the tweets read. The train guard had refused to reopen the carriage doors after the man missed it with seconds (stock image) A baby died from a lung condition just days after his parents were told by doctors he 'had a cold', an inquest heard today. Benjamin Condon was born at just 29 weeks and spent just under two months in hospital before he was discharged. But his parents, Olympic athlete Allyn Condon and wife Jenny, became worried when he got a cough two days later. They rushed him to hospital and he was transferred to specialists at Bristol Children's Hospital and diagnosed human metapneumovirus (HMPV). Tragedy: Benjamin Condon was born at just 29 weeks and spent just under two months in hospital before he was discharged - but died two days later. His parents Alleyn and Jenny, pictured today, say they begged doctors to give him antibiotics Mr Condon, who competed at both the summer and winter Olympics, claims he was told it was 'a common cold' and that if his condition got worse, he would be given antibiotics. But Benjamin deteriorated while his parents spent two days asking for him to be given antibiotics, the inquest heard. The antibiotics were only administered just over an hour before he died of severe inflammatory lung disease, caused by the HMPV, with sepsis syndrome, an inquest was told. Allyn and Jenny Condon with a picture of their deceased baby Ben. Doctors today admitted the baby probably shouldn't have been sent home in the first place Sprinter Allyn, who became a bobsleigh expert, told the inquest he believed the doctor's explanations at the time 'didn't sit right'. Speaking at Avon Coroners' Court, near Bristol, he said: 'We had to watch our baby going through a horrifying series of procedures to try to save his life. 'He died just after 9pm. We were told that his blood was poisoned and he wasn't strong enough to fight the HMPV virus. 'We had been told it was just a common cold. That didn't sit right with us..' Ben, from Weston-super-Mare, Somerset was born in Bristol's Southmead Hospital on February 17 last year after the family's struggle for another child. He spent weeks in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) before he was strong enough to go home on April 7. After three days, Ben developed a cough and his parents claim nurses told them it was just a reaction to having been in a 'sterile environment', the inquest heard. But his condition deteriorated, and after a call to NHS 111, the family went to Weston General Hospital after they did not get a promised call back from a GP, it was heard. His father said: 'We waited anxiously for a call and never received it. By 7.45pm Ben had started to get much worse and we left to go to the hospital. 'Unfortunately minutes after leaving Ben started to deteriorate fast so we headed to Weston Genereal Hospital where we arrived just after 8pm. 'Ben was immediately rushed in and as this happened he was lifeless and having problems with his breathing.' He was transferred to Bristol Children's Hospital and arrived in the early hours of April 11, where he continued to take preventative antibiotics, it was heard. But after doctors diagnosed HMPV, the family were told it was 'like the common cold to most people', and his antibiotics stopped because it was a virus. Allyn added: 'The consultant nurses reassured us that he just had a cold and he would start to pull through. 'We felt that everyone was dismissive of us. They always said that it was OK but his temperature was never really above 35.5 degrees. 'By the 14th of April we were told that there might be a secondary infection. 'It was upsetting to think that this was happening to Ben but we trusted that the hospital staff would step in before anything serious happened to him. 'We were repeatedly told by several staff that Ben was presenting worse than someone with simple HMPV virus.' Treatment: Ben's parents rushed him to hospital and he was transferred to specialists at Bristol Children's Hospital (pictured) and diagnosed with human metapneumovirus (HMPV) - he failed to recover Ben's father claims his son's condition got worse, and he was a 'sitting duck for a super-infection' and would be 'probably' be given antibiotics, on April 15. But Allyn said his condition got worse, and despite being told he would get antibiotics none were given on April 16 either. Little Ben turned a 'bluish-grey' colour and suffered two cardiac arrests on April 17. 'By 3pm that day antibiotics still hadn't been given and Ben looked like he was in a terrible state,' said Allyn. 'I sat by Ben's bedside and asked and asked the nurse for something to be done for him but no senior consultant attended for the entire morning until 3pm. 'By the afternoon he was visibly distressed. Ben rapidly deteriorated. The drugs were still not given until 8pm.' Ben died just after 9pm on April 17, of acute respiratory distress syndrome, HMPV and prematurity, the inquest heard. A consultant in neo-natal pediatrics said it 'was possible' Ben should not have been discharged from hospital in the first place. Dr Paul Maddix, who works at Bristol's Southmead Hospital said he met with the family in July. He added: 'They really wanted to speak to me about what had occurred when Ben was in PICU at the children's hospital. 'They did however ask whether I felt it had been appropriate that he had been discharged when he was. 'In retrospect, given that Ben became so unwell afterwards, it was possible that this was not the right decision.' A death certificate for Ben gives his cause of death as acute respiratory distress syndrome, with HMPV virus, and prematurity. His parents believe sepsis was a contributory factor and dad Allyn told the inquest: 'Sepsis should be added to the death certificate'. But while a doctor agreed he had 'sepsis syndrome' when he died, he didn't think it was a cause of his death. Dr James Fraser, who treated Ben at Bristol Children's Hospital, said his death was caused by a 'lung disease' as a result of HMPV. He added: 'Undoubtedly he died with sepsis syndrome, but I don't think he died from sepsis syndrome.' The inquest also heard that Ben was indeed suffering from a 'cold-like virus' - but that it was just made worse by his young age. Dr Suzy Dean was asked if Ben had suffered with the 'common cold' and said: 'If an adult is to get it that's what it is. 'It's a cold like virus. It's the very young and the very old that are most susceptible.' She added that antibiotics were stopped on April 13 because tests revealed he had a virus (HMPV) and that this is not treated by antibiotics. In a statement, another doctor at the hospital said there were no 'clear signs' that Ben had a bacterial infection. Dr John Grant, consultant in paediatric intensive care added that even if he had been given antibiotics earlier in the day on April 17, they would not have prevented his death. Allyn is an English former sprinter and bobsleigher. At the Vancouver Olympic Games in 2010 he became the seventh person to have competed for Great Britain in both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games having already competed in the Sydney Olympics in 2000. Winston Churchill's grandson has dismissed the idea that the wartime leader would vote for Brexit in the EU referendum. Sir Nicholas Soames insisted it was not a 'sensible idea' to diminish our influence and undermine security by cutting ties with Brussels. But the Tory MP said he feared the country was on the 'verge of making a terrible mistake'. The warning came with just two days to go before the crucial referendum on whether we should stay in the EU or not. Polls have shown that the vote is finely balanced as campaigning enters its final phase. Tory MP Sir Nicholas Soames hit out at those who claim his grandfather would have supported Brexit during an interview Appealing for the public to consider the 'future of your children', Sir Nicholas said: 'You are going to take the most important decision that you have taken for a generation, of your lifetime. 'A decision that is going to affect your future, the future of your children and your grandchildren, the communities where you live. 'And above all else, the future of your country. I simply don't believeit is a sensible idea in a very difficult, still hostile world, for Britiain to cut herself off from that which has given her partly a great deal of stability, of coherence. 'It has magnified our influence and our power in the world. 'Being in the EU has a magnifying effect, it is not a diminishing effect. 'For us to say we do not want any more of this we are so successful, we are so powerful, we are so great at what we do that we don't need to be a member of that 500 million person organisation of 28 countries, we can go it alone. 'I think that is such a mistake and I beg you as you stand in that polling booth to cast that vote of historic proportion, that you will vote for Britain to remain a member of the EU.' Sir Nicholas said leaving the EU now would be a 'terrible mistake' Sir Nicholas said he feared that the nation 'could be on the verge of making a terrible mistake'. And he invoked the memory of his grandfather Winston Churchill, who led Britain to victory in the Second World War. He said the founders of the EU had understood that there could 'never again be this terrible conflict between France and Germany involving Britain riding to the rescue'. 'I believe we would be betraying everything they set out to do'. 'People say to me well, Churchill would have wanted, he definitely would have wanted out. 'Everyone claims him for their own. 'It is 51 years since his death and do we really, any of us, think seriously that Churchill would look out over the world today with all the instability still and its difficulties and its challenges,and say this is the right moment for Britain to cut itself free against all the advice of all our allies? 'I feel that he would think it wasn't, that the founders of Europe would think it was not. A baby born with an extremely rare condition that causes the brain to grow outside the skull is thriving - despite doctors giving him little chance of survival. Doctors had warned a young couple from Ohio that their new baby's condition, known as encephalocele, would mean that if he didn't die, he would live without cognitive function. There was so little hope at the baby surviving past birth, that the parents were advised to have an abortion. Scroll down for video A baby born with an extremely rare condition that causes the brain to grow outside the skull is thriving - despite doctors giving him little chance of survival (left and right) But Bentley was born on October 31 2015 and following complicated surgery, he is thriving seven months on (pictured post-surgery) The proud parents have shared his progress on Facebook, with friends and family have commenting on how well he is doing Courtesy Boston Children's Hospital But while Sierra and Dustin Yoder, from Sugarcreek, initially decided that this was the best option, on the day of the scheduled visit, they changed their minds and decided to go ahead with the birth. Mrs Yoder told The Washington Post: 'We were excited to meet him, even if it was only for an hour. 'We were just relieved he made it that far and we would get to meet him, living and breathing.' The young couple, both 25, grew up together in Sugarcreek and have known each other since their mothers introduced them aged two. By 21, they were married. They were desperate for another child after their first son Beau and were excited to meet their new son, even if it wasn't to be for very long. On October 31 last year, Mrs Yoder gave birth to Bentley and while doctors didn't expect him to live long, 36 hours later he was still going strong. Nonetheless, doctors advised the parents to arrange for hospice care and he was hospitalized several times with a respiratory virus as well as infections in his lungs and his chances didn't seem hopeful. Four months later, surgeons informed them that he appeared to be using his brain - which they initially believed to be beyond function - but they didn't know if they could safely put it back inside his cranium. The Yoders then had an appointment at Boston Children's Hospital where doctors determined that Bentley held a significant portion of his brain outside his skull - but unlike most babies with this condition, he was actually using it. Rather than removing the pouch of the brain, the surgical team used 3-D printed models to plan out and practice how they would instead expand his cranium to fit it. They constructed a plan where they would make several vertical slices in his cranium, then insert special dissolving plates that would hold the area open, allowing Bentley's brain to slip back into his skull. The surgery took place on May 24 and five hours later, Bentley was in recovery. Bandaged up and clad in a tiny hospital gown, Bentley looked up at his parents, grandparents and big brother Beau. Proud parents: Sierra and Dustin Yoder look over their son Bentley just after his surgery, which involved surgeons inserting several vertical slices in his cranium, then insert special dissolving plates that would hold the area open, allowing Bentley's brain to slip back into his skull Full of life: Now seven months old, his future looks hopeful and doctors have told the parents that he will have a 'rewarding life' and plan to continue his progress one step at a time WHAT IS ENCEPHALOCELE? Encephalocele is a rare type of neural tube defect (NTD) present at birth that affects the brain. The neural tube is a narrow channel that folds and closes during the third and fouth weeks of pregnancy to form the brain and spinal cord. Encephalocele is described as a sac-like protrusion or projection of the brain and the membranes that cover it through an opening in the skull. Encephalocele happens when the neural tube does not close completely during pregnancy. The result is an opening in the midline of the upper part of the skull, the area between the forehead and nose, or the back of the skull. Usually encephaloceles are found right after birth, but sometimes a small encephalocele in the nose and forehead region can go undetected. How rare is it? Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that each year about 375 babies in the United States are born with encephalocele. In other words, about 1 out of every 10,000 babies born in the United States each year will have encephalocele. What causes it? There is a genetic component to the condition, meaning it often occurs among families with a history of spina bifida and anencephaly. Some researchers also believe that certain environmental exposures before or during pregnancy might be causes, but more research is needed. Can it be prevented? Currently, there is no known way to prevent encephalocele, although steps can be taken to lower the risk. Source: Center for Disease Control and Prevention Advertisement His mother was overwhelmed, telling The Post: 'He was awake; he was looking at us. 'He wasn't cranky. He was just lying there, taking it all in.' She says that a month on from surgery he is now able to hold up his head and is 'eating, smiling and jabbering'. Now seven months old, his future looks hopeful and doctors have told the parents that he will have a 'rewarding life' and plan to continue his progress one step at a time. The proud parents have shared a series of photos on Facebook of their son post operation, which have been met with a stream of congratulations. Amba Haga said: 'I'm so happy he's doing well. Every time I read an update, I think about when you walked up to me in the hotel lobby and told me you and Sierra were expecting your 2nd child. 'I could tell you already loved him. It's because of you and Sierra loving him and your faith, that he has had this chance to live. Continuing to pray for you all!' Halal caterers brought in crockery for Malcolm Turnbull's Ramadan feast, with some Muslims in attendance presumably also choosing not to eat from plates previously used by those not of their faith. Mr Turnbull became the first Australian prime minister to host an iftar - an evening feast to mark the end of a day of fasting - breaking bread with faith leaders at Kirribilli House on Thursday night. But of the 75 carefully selected guests, which included a anti-gay Islamist preacher, some likely chose to use particular crockery in a bid to abide by strict religious regulations in the 'holiest of months. 'The meal was prepared and served using equipment, including crockery, supplied by both Kirribilli House and the contracted caterer,' a spokeswoman for the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet told the Herald Sun. Scroll down for video Halal caterers brought in some crockery for Muslim guests at Malcolm Turnbull's Ramadan feast at Kirribili House on Thursday night 'By breaking bread across religions and by bringing diverse people together, we are embodying Islam's emphasis on human diversity,' Mr Turnbull said at the iftar feast, reciting a Koranic verse Malcolm Turnbull condemned the views of an anti-gay preacher Sheik Shady Al-Suleiman (pictured) who dined at the Kirribilli Housefor an end of Ramadan feast and said gays should be be punished by Allah with AIDS 'Cultural and religious sensitivities were known and respected,' the department spokeswoman said. However, the spokeswoman for the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet insists 'additional equipment from the contracted caterer was only supplied due to the size of the function'. The multi-faith feast featured representatives from Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist faiths, including recent Gold Logie winner Waleed Aly and his wife, Susan Carland. Sheikh Shady Al-Suleiman, who previously said gays should be punished by Allah with AIDS and HIV, was also present at the dinner, although Mr Turnbull later condemned his 'radical' views. The sheikh denied he held radical anti-gay views in a statement issued on Friday after a video posted in April 2013 recorded him saying if homosexuality was out in the open 'amongst a tribe... Allah will send on them diseases'. 'I have previously noted passages in the holy Quran which do not support homosexuality,' he said on Friday morning, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. 'However I always follow such statements with a personal commitment to tolerance and encouragement that all Muslims and all people approach all individuals, no matter their faith, race or sexuality, in a considerate and respectful way.' Malcolm Turnbull (right with Waleed Aly and his wife, Susan Carland) emphasised the importance of tolerance telling the dinner acts of terror like Sunday's massacre in Orlando are perpetrated to divide people The Prime Minister (right) hosted the Ramadan feast at Kirribilli House on Thursday night, with a guest list that included recent Gold Logie winner Waleed Aly (left) and his wife Susan Carland Mr Turnbull emphasised the importance of tolerance telling the dinner acts of terror like Sunday's massacre in Orlando are perpetrated to divide along lines of race, religion, sect and sexuality - but that kind of hatred and division must not prevail. The prime minister was photographed sharing a joke over dinner with Aly and Carland, while at other times they appeared deep in conversation. Others invited to dinner were AFL player Bachar Houli, and author and mechanical engineer Yassmin Abdel-Magied. Mr Turnbull described Ramadan - the period in which Muslims fast from food and water between dawn and sunset - as a special time of forgiveness, reflection and spiritual renewal. He also recognised the other faith leaders present to share in the spirit of Ramadan. 'By breaking bread across religions and by bringing diverse people together, we are embodying Islam's emphasis on human diversity,' he said reciting a Koranic verse. Singling out young Muslims, Mr Turnbull acknowledged the important contribution Muslims had made to Australian society. The multi-faith feast featured representatives from Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist faiths He sought to assure them extremists would not win in their aim to divide Australia. 'Acts of terror like Sunday's massacre in Orlando are perpetrated to divide us along lines of race, religion, sect and sexuality - but that kind of hatred and division must not prevail,' Mr Turnbull said. 'We must stand together like we do tonight as one Australian family united against terrorism, racism, discrimination and violence.' Aly also quizzed the Prime Minister on whether highs-speed internet via the NBN was available Kirribilli House, before Mr Turnbull replied saying he knew The Project host was 'keen' on the internet upgrade. 'It is very well connected to broadband,' Mr Turnbull said during the light-hearted interview. 'Can I say, I know you are very keen on the NBN, but let me tell you something. Australian Rules player Bachar Houli also attended the dinner in Sydney, speaking to the audience Singling out young Muslims, Mr Turnbull acknowledged the important contribution Muslims have made to Australian society 'Within a week or so, a quarter of all Australian premises, that's households and business premises will have the NBN available.' The Prime Minister later declared his favourite dishes of the Iftar at Kirribilli House was tabouli and fattoush - which is a Lebanese fried bread salad. He confirmed he did notfast in preparation for the dinner. 'I just showed up here for the meal,' Mr Turnbull told Aly on Network Ten's The Project from the dinner. Earlier, Mr Turnbull began the day with a tour of Qantas' Innovation Day with Treasurer Scott Morrison, seeing first hand the airline's connections to Australian business. Family butter company Pepe Saya tried to get him to sample some of their creamy spread. He declined but was impressed by their product and story. Owner Pierre Issa said it was an honour to meet him. 'We didn't get to butter him up, but we tried,' he joked. With an annual turnover of more than $2 million, his company would be in line for the government's planned business tax cut. 'I just showed up here for the meal,' Mr Turnbull told Aly on Network Ten's The Project from the dinner A property mogul dubbed a 'slum landlord' has been ordered to pay a local council more than $800,000 on back rates after trying to claim his bills were 'not valid'. Edward Amos, 75, has been ordered by the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal to pay $807,148 to the Brisbane City Council is rates he owes on eight properties he owns across the city. The 75-year-old, who got his nickname because many of his houses are dilapidated, attempted to argue notices sent to him by the council demanding he pay his rates were invalid. A property mogul dubbed a 'slum landlord' has been ordered to pay a local council more than $800,000 on back rates after trying to claim his bills were 'not valid' However, Brisbane Supreme Court Justice John Bond ruled there was no basis to support the landlord's claim, saying the council had provided him with 'valid written notices'. 'There should be judgment in favour of the Council, together with costs,' Justice Bond's ruling read. 'The council alleged that it validly levied rates and charges which it had formulated in accordance with valid council resolutions, by valid written rates notices which it had given to the defendant. 'For his part, the defendant admitted that the council purported to levy rates and charges by written rates notices given to him, but contended that they were invalid and/or ineffective.' Edward Amos, 75, has been ordered by the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal to pay $807,148 to the Brisbane City Council is rates he owes on eight properties he owns across the city Mr Amos owns a number of properties in Brisbane, however he has been dubbed a 'slum landlord' because many or in a poor condition The 75-year-old argued rate notices sent to him by the council demanding he pay his rates were invalid during a hearing Images of Mr Amos' properties show many of them in a bad state, with many appearing to be built from worn weatherboards and to be in need of either repair or replacing. One of them, located next to a petrol station in Newmarket - Brisbane's inner north-west, was pictured online with smashed windows, graffiti and other damage. The addresses of the properties in question are: 116 Oriel Road, Clayfield, 118 Oriel Road, Clayfield, 11 Edmondstone Street, Newmarket, 38 Lever Street, Albion, 36 Parker Avenue, Northgate, 29 Wellington Street, Virginia, 85 Dickson Street, Wooloowin, and 830 Sandgate Road, Clayfield. However, Brisbane Supreme Court Justice John Bond ruled there was no basis to support the 'slum' landlord's claim, saying the council had provided him with 'valid written notices' Images of Mr Amos' properties show many of them in a bad state, with many appearing to be built from worn weatherboards and to be in need of either repair or replacing Mr Amos rents the houses or flats out 'as in', while adding there are 'no promises to carry out any repairs' 'There should be judgment in favour of the Council, together with costs,' Justice Bond's ruling regarding Mr Amos' properties read Mr Amos rents the houses or flats out 'as in', while adding there are 'no promises to carry out any repairs', according to the Courier Mail. A resident who has lived in a property owned by the 75-year-old defended him, saying the cheap rent locations are better than nothing. Hillary Clinton laid out her economic case against Donald Trump today in Columbus, warning that billionaire would drive the country into a recession if he's allowed to take the wheel. Trump has made a 'fortune filing bankruptcies and stiffing his creditors,' she said, referring to the four times his Atlantic City casinos went belly up. The acclaimed author and businessman has written a lot of books, Clinton told her audience. 'They all seem to end at Chapter 11.' 'We can't let him bankrupt America like we are one of his failed casinos.' SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Hillary Clinton laid out her economic case against Donald Trump today in Columbus, warning that billionaire would drive the country into a recession if he's allowed to take the wheel Trump, who is not campaigning today, spent Clinton's speech live-tweeting one-liners as his campaign sent out research documents responding to her various claims Trump, who is not campaigning today, spent Clinton's speech live-tweeting one-liners as his campaign sent out research documents responding to her various claims. 'Hillary says this election is about judgment. She's right. Her judgement has killed thousands, unleashed ISIS and wrecked the economy,' he said. In another tweet he said, 'How can Hillary run the economy when she can't even send emails without putting entire nation at risk?' In a particularly brutal tweet that referenced the four Americans who died in Benghazi, including U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens, Trump said: 'If you want to know about Hillary Clinton's honesty & judgment, ask the family of Ambassador Stevens. Clinton said she'd lay out her own economic vision in a speech Wednesday in Raleigh, North Carolina. Today her focus was on Trump, who she said would be just as 'dangerous' when it comes to the nation's economy as he would be in the foreign policy arena. 'You might think because he has spent his life as a businessman he'd be better prepared to handle the economy,' she said. 'As it turns out he's dangerous there, too.' Continuing she said, 'Just like he shouldn't have his finger on the button, he shouldn't have his hands on our economy.' Clinton today characterized Trump as money-hungry and unscrupulous, a man willing to defraud investors and small business owners alike in his dirty dealings. He 'intentionally' ran up large amounts of debt at his casinos and then defaulted, she claimed. 'This is his one move. He makes over-the-top promises that if people stick with him, trust him, listen to him, put their faith in him hell deliver for them. Hell make them wildly successful. And then everything falls apart, and people get hurt.' The Democrat asserted that the promises he's making at campaign rallies are the same ones he made to Trump University clients. 'Now they're suing him for fraud,' she said. And they're not the only ordinary Americans he's taken advantage of, she said. Citing a statistic from a USA Today review of Trump's legal history, she noted that Trump has had suits brought against him at least 3,500 times over the past three decades. In some of the cases Trump was accused of failing to pay people not because couldn't but because he 'could stiff them,' she proclaimed. 'In America we don't begrudge people for being successful, but we know they shouldn't do it by destroying other peoples' dreams,' Clinton said. ''We cannot put a person like this with all his empty promises in a position of power over our lives.' Trump hit back at Clinton with tweets about judgement as secretary of state when it came to Iraq and Benghazi Clinton today characterized Trump as money-hungry and unscrupulous, a man willing to defraud investors and small business owners in his dirty dealings. In a particularly brutal tweet that referenced the four Americans who died in Benghazi, including U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens Ticking off a list of people and organizations who agree with her, such as Mitt Romney, Elizabeth Warren and economists on the left and right, Clinton said Trump would lead the country right back to where it was in 2008. The Economist Intelligence Unit listed a Trump presidency this month as it the No. 3 threat to the economy. 'Just think about that,' she said. 'Every day, we see how reckless and careless Trump is. Hes proud of it. Well thats his choice. Except when hes asking to be our President. Then its our choice.' Trump's popularity is in no small part tied to his enormous Twitter presence. Clinton acknowledged today that the culture of the country 'rewards brevity and clever phrases on social media' and so 'it is tempting to give simple answers to complex problems.' 'Believe me, I have been tempted. But Im not going to do that because it really matters that you know what I believe we can and should do so you can hold me accountable, in the election and then in the White House.' Clinton today said that Trump 'calls himself the King of Debt. And his tax plan sure lives up to that name' Ahead of Clinton's speech her campaign launched a new website 'ArtOfTheSteal.biz, ' a play on Trump's best-selling book 'Art of the Deal' trashing the billionaire's business record Clinton said she'd lay out her own economic vision in a speech Wednesday in Raleigh, North Carolina. Today, in Columbus, she just went after Trump Ahead of the speech her campaign launched a new website 'ArtOfTheSteal.biz, ' a play on Trump's best-selling book 'Art of the Deal' trashing the billionaire's business record. 'Last week, Donald Trump told CNN: "I'm going to do for the country what I did for my business." Voters should beware,' the Clinton campaign said in a statement announcing the site. On the site, the campaign mocks Trump for his now-defunct steaks brand and the multiple bankruptsies of his Atlantic City casinos. 'Yes, that guy hawking steaks wants to run the economy. Hows he making the sale? By trying to convince you of his business acumen--his mastery of The Art of the Deal. 'Heres the problem: he was bad at it. Sometimes he was bad at it in that he made a lot of money while hurting a lot of people. But most of the time, he was just bad at it.; Clinton's campaign manager Robby Mook said Monday on Sirus XM that Trump 'would send us into an economic ice age,' according to the New York Times. 'Drive us off a cliff,' was the turn of phrase offered by Clinton's top policy adviser, Jake Sullivan. He told Politico that today's speech applies to all 50 states.'But if you look at a place like Ohio, which has come through a really difficult recession, which has worked really hard to get on its feet but still has uncertainty, the last thing it needs is a pair of unsteady hands at the helm.' Clinton's allies also piled onto the speech today and a report that Clinton would call Trump 'shady.' 'One thing weve known for a while is that when it comes to policies that actually help working women, Donald Trump is as shady as it gets,' pro-choice group NARAL said in a statement. NARAL spokeswoman Kaylie Hanson Long said, 'Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, has made it no secret that shes going to be a champion for women and families when she gets to the White House. Thank goodness someone has the right priorities.' Trump turned the tables on Clinton and needled her over the Clinton Foundation's donations from countries with poor human rights records The Republican National Committee argued in a document this morning that pre-empted Clinton's speech that the Democrat's economic policies would 'amount to nothing more than four more years of Obama's failed tax and spend agenda.' Her proposed proposals, which include a debt-free college tuition and an early childhood education plan. would cost $1.3 trillion, the RNC said, and $1 trillion of that is not off-set by taxes and would be added to the national debt. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget told McClatchy it expects Clinton's tax increases will come close to covering the cost of the programs, however. Clinton said today she has a plan to pay for all her proposals because she takes 'Americas long-term financial health seriously. 'Donald Trump has a different approach. He calls himself the King of Debt. And his tax plan sure lives up to that name,' she said. Speaking of taxes, Clinton reminded her audience that Trump is yet to release his returns because he's being audited by the federal government/ Clinton brought that up in Columbus and asked, 'whats he afraid of?' 'Maybe we will learn he hasnt paid taxes on his huge income? We know that happened for at least a few years he paid nothing, or close to it. Or maybe he isnt as rich as he claims. Or that he hasnt given away as much to charity as he brags about. Lined with toy guns, camouflage, film posters and cuddly toys, this is the bedroom of the British protester accused of trying to kill Donald Trump. The photographs provide a fascinating insight into the life of Michael Steven Sandford who allegedly tried to grab a police officer's gun and wanted to shoot the Republican politician in Las Vegas. One of the pictures, taken about six years ago, show his walls plastered with green and brown print and netting hanging from the ceiling, with more than ten toy guns visible. Interests: Toy guns and camouflage adorned the walls of the bedroom of Michael Steven Sandford, who is accused of trying to assassinate Donald Trump Posters for including The Day After Tomorrow and PlayStation 2 video games can also be seen on his wall Another photo apparently taken inside his second bedroom shows Sandfords walls packed with PlayStation 2 and movie posters, including one of The Day After Tomorrow. Also seen inside the 20-year-old's bedroom in the images are two clownfish toys from the childrens film Finding Nemo, penguin toys and a huge orange and black toy spider. The photos were revealed as the father of Sandford, who appeared in court on Monday, said his 'insular' son had travelled to America to be with his girlfriend but had gone off the rails. His father Paul Davey told MailOnline he has no idea why his son would attempt to shoot the billionaire presidential candidate and claimed someone must have put the vulnerable boy 'up to it'. He also claims that he and Sandford's mother Lynne told American authorities they were worried about Sandford but officials failed to act upon it. He said: 'He's been refusing to come back and we were worried about him, we were in contact with the American Embassy telling them we were worried about him. The American authorities said "he's over 18 we can't do anything". Sandford loved Robot Wars as a teenager and even bought a machine that was successful in the show, but gave up the hobby because the noise and crowds made him anxious. Mr Davey said: 'He's never shown any violent tendencies before, he's never been a bad person, he's a nice kid and literally wouldn't hurt a fly - he used to tell us not to use fly spray because he didn't want any flies to die.' Sandford, who appeared in court on Monday, was also a fan of the films Van Helsing and Transporter 3 Arrest: Michael Steven Sandford was taken out of the Trump campaign rally at the Treasure Island Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on Saturday, pictured, after allegedly trying to disarm a police officer with the intention of killing Trump Sandford was arrested at the Treasure Island Hotel and Casino on Saturday after going for a metro police officer's gun. The 20-year-old, who is originally from Surrey and was carrying a UK driver's licence, had been living illegally for 18 months in New Jersey after his visa expired and had been sleeping in his car. A secret service report said Sandford told officers he had been planning the Vegas assassination for around 12 months and believed he would die in the process. He also had tickets for a rally in Phoenix later that day in case the gun grab failed and told officers if Trump 'were on the street tomorrow, he would try this again'. Mr Davey is now planning to fly to America to be closer to his son and says the family is 'devastated' about about his arrest. His son is so disinterested in politics he wouldn't be able to name any UK politicians 'apart from the Prime Minister' - and 'wouldn't even be able to name the President of the USA', he said. He said Sandford moved to New Jersey around 15 months ago after meeting an American girl back home. Sandford, who suffered from Aspergers and OCD, moved out from Dorking, Surrey, to a flat nearby and met the girl. Obsession: Sandford pictured as a teenager with X-Terminator - a Robot Wars machine he bought with his father Evidence: The suspect's mother Lynne told federal officers that her son had been treated for obsessive compulsive disorder and anorexia - she was escorted from her home by police today She moved back to USA and Sandford became depressed, so his family gave him money so he could rent a flat in New Jersey and continue seeing her. Mr Davey and Sandford's mother, who are separated, spoke to him often but he showed no indication that he would attempt to shoot Trump. Mr Davey said his family are 'absolutely devastated' and have not spoken to him since the incident and have had little communication with the authorities. Speaking from his home in Havant, Hants, Mr Davey today said: 'His mum and I split up when he was about four. 'We were living in Dorking but I moved down this way. Over a year-and-half ago he moved into his own place because he was living with his mum in a two-bedroom flat but she had a daughter. 'Whilst he was there, he met an American girl. Later on she moved back to the US with her parents and he got quite down and depressed about it all so we [Sandford's family] all paid for him to move out to America for a year. 'This was to get his life sorted out and so he could be with this girl. So he got a flat in New Jersey and for all we know he's been with her. 'He's never been very good at communicating, he's never been interested in politics and never really been interested in much. 'Since he moved out there it became slowly harder and harder to get in touch with him. He does Skype, but it's always with a white background behind him so you don't know where he is. 'Because of his condition, he never talks about his private life and it's always had quite an impact on how he behaves. He left school when he was 15 because he couldn't cope with it all so he's got no qualifications or job experience. 'Since he's been out there it's difficult to get any information out of him. About three months ago the money ran out so we sent him some more and asked him to come back. Trump spoke to a crowd at the Treasure Island hotel and casino, seemingly oblivious to the drama that was unfolding in the audience Plot: Michael Steven Sandford, 20, even went to a gun range on Friday so he could learn how to shoot. He is pictured being removed from the rally Held: Sandford was arrested after allegedly grabbing the handle of an officer's gun in an attempt to remove it Bereft: Police escort Michael Sandford's mother from her flat in Dorking today after her son's arrest Mr Davey said over the last three months his son seemed upset but wouldn't say why - he added that in no way did it seem like he would attempt to carry out an assassination. He added: 'Over the last three months it was hard to get any information out of him and he seemed upset, but he wouldn't tell us why. 'We thought he was still in New Jersey so obviously when the embassy phoned us up and told us what happened 2,500 kilometres away we didn't know anything about it. 'We haven't been able to speak to him and we've had little communication with the authorities. 'Looking back, I don't want to use the term radicalised but we don't know who he has been speaking with - this just isn't him. 'It's an absolute shock, he's never been violent in the slightest, he's always been a polite and peaceful boy. 'It's totally out of character and we're worried about what has happened to him since he's been in America because obviously it's a dramatic change. 'Whether he's been blackmailed or put up to it, that's the only thing me and his mum can think of. It's so against his nature and obviously with his Aspergers, we think somebody has got hold of him and done something. 'We don't know if he was still with his girlfriend because he doesn't share any personal information like that. 'He has no interest in politics, the world, geography or anything. He's not a typical teenager because he doesn't drink or smoke or do drugs, he's never had any interest in that. 'He liked Robot Wars as a teenager, but even that got a bit too much for him because he didn't like the large crowds. 'He's not a loner, he had plenty of friends at school but he is quiet and if he meets someone for the first time, it takes him a little while to get comfortable with them.' Mr Davey also said he did not know his son was not living abroad illegally because he had told him he renewed his visa. He said: 'He had his passport and his visa, I think the visa ran out but he said he renewed it. He should have come home and few months ago but he didn't want to. 'He was not working out there, he went out there as an extended holiday and to be with his girl. The idea was that he goes out there, gets experience and sees the world, then comes home and builds a proper life.' Mr Davey said his son had no interest in politics and believes he would not have pulled the trigger of the gun. He said the incident could have been a 'cry for help.' He said: 'He has never mentioned Donald Trump, the reason it is such a shock is because he shows no interest in anything like that. 'If I asked him to name the Prime Minister he'd be able to tell me but he wouldn't know any other politicians. I doubt he would even know who the President of the United States is. 'It will be an outside influence as to why he's done it, he's never been like that and it's not something he'd do off his own back. Maybe it was a cry for help. 'He would never pull the trigger of the gun if it came to it. In the time leading up to it he was not hostile when we spoke to him, just a little sad.' Home: Sandford lived in a flat here in Dorking, Surrey, a mile from his mother's house until he left for America around two years ago The court heard from a public defender that Sandford is autistic, while his mother Lynne told federal magistrate judge George Foley in a statement that he had been treated for obsessive compulsive disorder and anorexia when younger. Despite living in Hoboken for 18 months, he did not have permission to be in the US and was unemployed and living out of his car. Sandford was charged with an act of violence on restricted grounds, according to a complaint filed on Monday in US District Court in Nevada. It cites a report by Special Agent Swierkowski, whose first name was not included, saying Sandford told officers he drove from California to kill Trump and went to a Las Vegas gun range the day before to learn to shoot. Sandford later went to a Trump rally at Treasure Island and approached a Las Vegas police officer to say he wanted an autograph from Trump. The report says Sandford was arrested after grabbing the handle of an officer's gun in an attempt to remove it. He was filmed by local station KLAS being led away. According to the complaint, Sandford had targeted officer Ameel Jacob's weapon because it was in an unlocked position and would be the easiest way to acquire a gun to shoot Trump. Court papers read: 'Sandford further stated that if he were on the street tomorrow, he would try this again. 'Sandford claimed he had been planning to attempt to kill Trump for about a year but decided to act on this occasion because he finally felt confident to do it.' The British national had lived in Hoboken, New Jersey, for around 18 months and had driven to San Bernardino in California before heading to Las Vegas on Thursday. Speech: Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in a packed 1,600-seat theater at the Treasure Island Hotel and Casino where he declared the Orlando massacre demonstrated the need to fight terrorism His mother, Lynne Sandford, 41, was today taken away from her home in Dorking, Surrey, by police. A neighbour, who asked not to be named, saw the events unfold. He told MailOnline: 'I am not sure what was going on but the police came here this morning and they took away Lynne and a slightly older lady, but I don't know who she was.' Michael Sandford had been living out in the States for nearly two years before he was arrested. He used to live less than a mile from his mother's flat in Dorking, but moved across the Atlantic to New Jersey. A woman who lives in his former flat said: 'I never met him but he used to live in our flat. We still get his mail from time to time.' The three-storey cream coloured building used to be allocated to people who suffered from mental health issues but did not need permanent care. However, a neighbour said that the flats had since been sold on to a private landlord who rents them out to new tenants. Another neighbour added: 'I recognised his face from the pictures but I don't know him. I have definitely seen him around here before. He must have had really strong political views to try to do that.' He told police he visited the Battlefield Vegas shooting range on Friday where he fired off 20 rounds from a 9mm Glock pistol to learn how to use it. Sandford also told investigators he had a ticket for a Trump rally in Phoenix, Arizona, for later on Saturday as a back-up. Authorities said on Saturday that law enforcement officers were able to take Sanford into custody with little disruption. The judge declined to grant bail to Sandford, pending a further hearing, saying the accused was a risk to the community and a flight risk. The Trump campaign directed questions to U.S. Secret Service, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Michael Gove has hinted that he will quit government if voters do not back Brexit in the EU referendum this week. The Justice Secretary, one of the leading Leave campaigners, said he would 'reflect' on the result before deciding his future. The prospect of the Cabinet minister voluntarily departing was raised as he again attacked David Cameron over his failure to curb immigration. Mr Gove, a close friend of the Prime Minister, argued that cutting ties with Brussels was the only way of regaining control over our borders. Michael Gove gave a broad hint during an interview today that a Remain vote on Thursday would mean he leaves government But he also rejected criticism that the Tories manifesto for the general election had been a 'lie' amid claims David Cameron was told by civil servants four years ago that a key immigration pledge could not be met within the bloc. Asked about his future during an interview on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Gove said: 'I will do exactly as the Prime Minister asks me. 'I want people to concentrate not on my job but on their jobs. Of course, depending on what the result is on Friday, I will reflect and I will decide what is the best course for me.' Mr Gove also suggested the Conservative manifesto pledge to cut net migration to the tens of thousands was undermining trust in politics. He said he had stood by the plan because he hoped the Prime Minister would have been able to secure a deal with the EU on free movement that made it achievable. He said: 'Making promises and then saddling yourself with a political system and a political union that means that you cannot deliver those promises, I fear, doesn't contribute to an atmosphere of trust and confidence in politics.' Former Downing Street policy guru Steve Hilton has claimed officials told Mr Cameron four years ago that his immigration target was 'impossible' while Britain is in the EU. The civil servants said 'directly and explicitly' that the net migration goal was not deliverable given EU freedom of movement rules. Despite this, the Prime Minister has repeatedly restated his ambition to hit the target even including it in his 2015 general election manifesto. At no stage has he succeeded in cutting net migration to below 100,000. Mr Cameron denied the claims today and insisted that when Mr Hilton left government in 2012 immigration was falling and was close to the target. Writing in today's Daily Mail, Mr Hilton recalls the warning to Mr Cameron, saying: 'We were told, directly and explicitly, that it was impossible for the Government to meet its immigration target as long as we remained members of the EU, which of course insists on the free movement of people within it.' But Mr Cameron told ITV this morning: 'It's simply not right. Actually when Steve Hilton left Downing Street in 2012, net immigration had actually fallen quite substantially and it got down to 154,000, so not far away from the ambition that I set. Mr Gove denied the claims meant the Tory manifesto had been a 'lie'. 'I believed and hoped that we would be able to secure a deal with Europe which would enable us to amend free movement,' he said. He said he had 'consistently argued' that the UK needed to change its relationship with the European Union. He said: 'I have specifically argued that we need to change our relationship with the European Union by fundamentally reforming not just our relationship but the European Union itself. 'During the renegotiation I hoped and prayed that the Prime Minister would be able to bring about that change. 'He wasn't and I don't blame him - I do blame the other countries of Europe.' Mr Cameron tried to move on from the row over immigration levels today by delivering a plea to older voters in Downing Street. The PM admitted he had made mistakes in government - but urged people not to punish him by sending Britain out of the EU. He said the economic case for staying in was 'paramount'. Boris Johnson today said he would apologise publicly if Brexit caused a recession but insisted Britain had nothing to fear from quitting the EU. David Cameron pleaded with voters not to punish him for mistakes in government by sending Britain crashing out of the EU The ex-London Mayor has rejected an economic consensus which has strongly warned against voting for Brexit on Thursday. Mr Cameron and George Osborne made the extraordinary claim in the middle of the campaign that Britain would be voting for a 'DIY recession' if it backed Brexit. Treasury forecasts suggest anything from a mild to a severe recession is possible after a Brexit vote - but found now evidence for the possibility Brexit would provoke growth because of the uncertainty it would cause. Mr Johnson was challenged today during a live radio interview on whether he would be 'humble' enough to apologise if he won the referendum but proved to be wrong about the economy. Answering questions on LBC, the Vote Leave champion said: 'Of course I will.' He added: 'This is far more important any individual political career or politician. I don't think that London has anything to fear from coming out of the EU, this is the most extraordinary economy, and nor does Britain. 'Britain is the fifth biggest economy in the world, we have the opportunity to do new trade deals. 'When has our country ever gone wrong in believing in ourselves or our democratic institutions?' Pressed again on an apology, Mr Johnson said: 'I've always been pretty humble about everything. A family from New Mexico have been trying to teach their 'troubled' teenage son a lesson by making him live in a tent in their back yard. But parents Jacob and Angela Boggus appear to be learning some lessons of their own after concerned neighbors reported the reprimand to the police. 'That's a terrible thing,' one of their neighbors told KRQE. A New Mexico couple has been at the center of a parenting debate after they sent their 16-year-old son to live in a tent outdoors as punishment for bad behavior Jacob and Angela Boggus, from Belen, a small town about 30 miles from Albuquerque, said their son had been stealing from them and, when other forms of discipline failed, they banished him to the back yard The Bogguses sentenced their son to one month in the tent. 'We're not doing anything wrong here. We're simply trying to teach our child a lesson,' said Angela Boggus. 'If he doesn't learn that now, it's gonna be the whole world's problem, not just ours, in a couple of years,' said husband Jacob. The couple say the problems began with their son stealing from them, so they decided to take a new approach. A couple say that the punishment is not quite as extreme as it would appear. For although he spends most of the day under canvas, during which time he is fed and the teen is allowed back into the home to sleep after 9 p.m. At night, the parents said, he is allowed back inside to sleep. The teen has been living there for more than two weeks, During the daytime, the boy must stay in the tent. The couple said he is given food and water and permitted to use the bathroom in the house. During the daytime, he must stay in the tent. The couple said he is given food and water and permitted to use the bathroom in the house He is also allowed to use the bathroom in the house. The parents say they are trying to instill some form of discipline as best they can. Neighbours have reported the family to the Valencia County Sheriff's Department. Deputies have been to the house three times in the past few weeks but don't see anything illegal going on. 'I don't see anything that is abuse or negligent,' said Valencia County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Gary Hall. 'It's not like he's been banished out to the mesa a hundred miles away from civilization,' he continued. Despite the police's tacit approval, neighbors are not happy at what is going on in the backyard, to which Jacob and Angela offered people the opportunity to come and visit to 'try and talk some sense' in to the boy. The teen has been living in the tent for the past two weeks and his parents intend for him to spend an entire month out back unless he completes his homework which includes five book reports, meant to teach him about being a respectable man. Temperatures in Belen are expected to reach a high of 99 degrees on Tuesday and then 100 degrees nearly every other day this week. A British tourist has claimed he had his jaw broken in two places by the same bouncer who was filmed allegedly attacking a UK couple at a Magaluf hotel. Derek Morrell, 31, of Grangemouth, Falkirk, was left with a broken jaw that required surgery and four titanium plates after he claims he was punched at the BH Mallorca Hotel during a stag do. He claimed he accidentally kicked over and broke a sign warning of a wet surface while on the way to the toilets on his first night there while drunk last month, before the bouncer allegedly hit him. Allegedly attacked: Derek Morrell, 31, of Grangemouth, Falkirk, was left with a broken jaw that required surgery and four titanium plates after he claims he was punched at the BH Mallorca Hotel during a stag do Injuries: Mr Morrell said that he was left with cuts on his legs after being dragged onto a sun lounger Bruising: Mr Morrell claimed he accidentally kicked over and broke a sign warning of a wet surface while on the way to the toilets on his first night there while drunk last month, before the bouncer allegedly hit him Mr Morrell fears other people could get hurt, after recognising the bouncer in the video released on Sunday of model Robbie Hofmann and her DJ boyfriend Alex Henderson being beaten at the hotel. He told MailOnline: I saw that video and I didnt want anyone else to get hurt. I came in from being out on my first evening. Security must have been nearby and I heard a commotion I've gone up one flight of stairs, theyve come towards me, and I can only go on what my friend told me. There was quite a lot of blood. No matter what anybody does, you don't deserve that. Mr Morrell added that once he woke up he found his covers and pillows covered in blood, and went straight to hospital for treatment when he returned to Britain following the five-day holiday. He said that he was left with cuts on his legs after being dragged onto a sun lounger and claimed that his friend, who witnessed the alleged attack, suffered scuffing to his face. Mr Morrell has contacted the hotel, who have been in touch to ask for more details, which he has given, but the matter is not yet resolved - and he is considering legal action, reported The Sun. It comes after British couple Miss Hofmann and Mr Henderson were 'beaten senseless' by bouncers at the party hotel after the woman allegedly threw a plastic cup at them. Previous video: Mr Morrell fears other people could get hurt, after recognising the bouncer (left) in the video on Sunday of model Robbie Hofmann and her DJ boyfriend Alex Henderson (right) being beaten at the hotel Worrying: At one point the other video shows three bouncers punching, hitting and kicking the man on the floor In the short clip the woman wearing a black bikini is pinned to the floor by a bouncer after she was allegedly slapped in the face while two security guards appear to punch and kick her boyfriend. Injuries: Following the incident a shocking picture of Mr Henderson sporting a bloodied and swollen face was posted on the BH Mallorca Facebook page According to an witness one of the bouncers slapped the woman after she threw a cup at one of them, prompting Mr Henderson to jump in. At one point the shocking video shows three bouncers punching, hitting and kicking the man while he is prone on the floor. Following the incident a harrowing picture of Mr Henderson sporting a bloodied and swollen face was posted on the BH Mallorca Facebook page, along with dozens of complaints about his treatment at the hands of the bouncers. Jakub Matejko, from Manchester, shared the original shocking video on Facebook. He wrote: 'Guards picked up on a girl because she threw a plastic cup at one of them, the guy went up to her and slaps her so her boyfriend trying to protect her jump in and end up with broken head and bleeding from eyes. 'They even kicked and punched the girl afterwards as you can see on the video, this is not what should be happening at four star hotel. The guy was not moving, and the guards were still kicking his head in. His post prompted dozens of complaints on the hotel's Facebook page, with many demanding the chain apologise to Mr Henderson. A BH Mallorca Hotel spokesman said of this incident: 'The management of BH are as troubled as everyone else by what is shown on the video. Brawl: According to an eyewitness one of the bouncers in the previous incident slapped the woman after she threw a plastic cup at one of them, prompting Mr Henderson to jump in Involved: The couple in the previous incident were named on social media as model Robbie Hofmann and her boyfriend hardcore dance DJ Alex Henderson, who works under the name 'Alex Prospect' (both pictured) The guests were not staying at BH Mallorca, they were visiting for the day and refused to leave at closing time. We do not condone the use of violence. 'We have been working with local authorities since (Friday) night to establish exactly what happened before and after what is shown on the film that lead up to this incident. We have asked the external company who provide our security to stop these guards from working here. The police have reports and we are providing all information they require. The widower of MP Jo Cox has said he believes the mother of his two children was killed because of her 'very strong' political views. Brendan Cox said his 41-year-old wife 'would want to stand up for those views as in death as much as she did in life'. Speaking publicly for the first time since his wife's death last Thursday, he added that she had concerns about the culture of politics around the world. Scroll down for video Widower Brendan Cox, pictured, believes his wife Jo was killed because of her 'very strong' political views The father-of-two said his wife, pictured, had been 'worried about the tone' of the EU referendum debate Mrs Cox, MP for Bately and Spen, was stabbed and shot as she arrived for a surgery in her constituency of Birstall, near Leeds. Had she lived, she would have been out on the streets campaigning for a Remain vote in the EU referendum, Mr Cox said. But she was 'worried about the tone of the debate' amid concerns it was 'whipping up fears and whipping up hatred potentially'. Asked whether he was concerned about people using her death in public debate, Mr Cox told the BBC: 'She was a politician and she had very strong political views and I believe she was killed because of those views. 'I think she died because of them, and she would want to stand up for those in death as much as she did in life.' He added: 'I think she was very worried that the language was coarsening, that people were being driven to take more extreme positions, that people didn't work with each other as individuals and on issues, it was all much too tribal and unthinking. Mr Cox said his wife Jo (pictured together) had concerns about the culture of politics around the world 'And she was particularly worried about the direction of, not just in the UK but globally, the direction of politics at the moment, particularly around creating division and playing on people's worst fears rather than their best instincts. So we talked about that a lot and it was something that worried her.' Mrs Cox would have celebrated her 42nd birthday tomorrow. A number of events including a rally in Trafalgar Square have been planned to mark the occasion. Yesterday Mr Cox and his children watched from the public gallery as MPs paid tribute to their colleague in an emotional session in the Commons. Mr Cox said the public outpouring of emotion would help in their children, three-year-old daughter Lejla and son Cuillin, five. Brendan Cox tweeted this poignant picture of his wife and two children camping, saying he had taken their son and daughter on a camping trip because it was one of their favourite activities as a family He said: 'The two things that I've been very focused on is how do we support and protect the children, and how do we make sure that something good comes out of this. 'And what the public support and outpouring of love around this does, is it also helps the children see that what they're feeling and other people are feeling, that the grief that they feel, isn't abnormal, that they feel it more acutely and more painfully and more personally, but that actually their mother was someone who was loved by lots of people and that therefore, it's OK to be upset and it's OK for them to cry and to be sad about it.' Mr Cox also said he would not stand for his wife's former seat, indicating he would like a woman to take his wife's place in Parliament. Three people have been arrested outside a New York City tunnel after police found a huge cache of weapons in their vehicle. The heavily-armed trio were on their way into the city in the Holland Tunnel when they were stopped. Officers then found multiple loaded guns, rifles, knives, ballistic vests and a camouflage helmet. When questioned, they described themselves as self-styled vigilantes, according to reports. A picture of the fluorescent Dodge truck believed to be involved shows it covered with logos related to Higher Ground Tactical - a gun range based in Emmaus, Pennsylvania. A sign in the back window reads: 'We The People'. Scroll down for video Three people have been arrested outside a New York City tunnel after police found this huge cache of weapons in their vehicle. The collection included rifles, ballistic vests and a camouflage helmet One of the gun clips had America written on and another had 'United We Stand' A picture of the vehicle believed to be involved shows it covered with logos related to Higher Ground Tactical - a gun range based in Pennsylvania WHAT WAS INSIDE THE TRUCK A pump action shotgun with a pistol grip and collapsible stock An SAR-98 Salamander Arms assault rifle 7 clips of ammunition for the rifle 4 9mm pistols 1 .45 caliber pistol, with several magazines A Kevlar bullet resistant helmet with camouflage cover Tactical goggles Night-vision goggles Body armor Advertisement It is not known how they are associated to the suspects. When Daily Mail Online reached them by phone, they said they had heard something about the arrest but couldn't comment any further. Around 2,000 rounds of ammunition were also discovered inside, according to reports. One of the gun clips had 'America' written on and another had 'United We Stand'. The three individuals, two men in their 50s and a woman in her 20s who may be from Pennsylvania, were stopped on the New Jersey side of the tunnel around 8am, officials told NBC4. Reports suggest they were initially pulled over for a cracked windshield. The Joint Terrorism Task Force is assisting in the investigation. They said there was 'no nexus to terrorism'. Law enforcement sources said they were 'gun authorities'. Authorities believe the suspects were in possession of the firearms as part of criminal activity, likely heroin related. Drugs were in the vehicle along with the guns, according to one law enforcement official. One of the suspects allegedly told officers they were on their way to Queens. The three individuals - two men in their 50s and a woman in her 20s who may be from Pennsylvania - were stopped on the New Jersey side of the tunnel around 8am (pictured on Tuesday morning) The Joint Terrorism Task Force said they were monitoring the situation on Twitter this morning A source initially told CBS New York they were going to shoot a rival dealer. The suspects reportedly said they wanted to save a friend who is on heroin and being held against her will. Police are looking for the possible woman in Queens, NBC4 reported. The Holland Tunnel carries Interstate 78 under the Hudson River and connects Jersey City with Manhattan. It is one of the busiest commuter routes into New York City. More than 34million vehicles use it every year. A Port Authority spokesman told Daily Mail Online: 'Astute Port Authority Police work led to the stoppage of a vehicle on the New Jersey side of the Holland Tunnel this morning, leading to the arrest of three individuals from the state of Pennsylvania on a variety of charges related to illegal possession of guns and ammunition. 'At this time, the investigation is continuing, but the agency does not believe the incident is terrorism-related 'At about 0740 hours a motor vehicle was stopped by Port Authority Police at the Holland Tunnel, NJ Toll Plaza for an equipment violation (cracked windshield). 'Multiple weapons (Rifles and handguns) some loaded. Under arrest are 2 males in their 50's and a female in her 20's. Charges are pending.' Authorities believe the suspects were in possession of the firearms as part of criminal activity, likely heroin related. The New Jersey entrance to the Holland Tunnel is pictured The New York woman accused of murdering her fiance by sabotaging his kayak told police that she wanted to be 'free from his sex demands and threesome desires'. Investigator Donald DeQuart, gave the chilling detail in a pre-trial hearing at Orange County Court Monday. Angelika Graswald, 36, of Poughkeepsie, has been charged with second-degree murder after her fiance Vincent Viafore disappeared on a trip to scenic Bannerman Island in Upstate New York on April 19 last year. Scroll down for videos New York woman, Angelika Graswald (left and right) accused of murdering her fiance by sabotaging his kayak told police that she wanted to be free from his sex demands and threesome desires Graswald was charged with second-degree murder after her fiance Vincent Viafore (pictured together) disappeared on a trip to scenic Bannerman Island on April 19 last year. Investigator told the court how Graswald had talked of Viafore making 'sexual demands to her, how he wanted to have threesomes with other women, how he made her have sex when he wanted sex' Graswald said she was unable to save Viafore, 46, when he capsized without a life jacket. She was rescued from the water by another boater and treated for hypothermia. But prosecutors say she killed her husband-to-be by removing the drain plug from the kayak and pushing a floating paddle away from him as he struggled in the cold and choppy Hudson River. DeQuart told the court how she had talked of him making 'sexual demands to her, how he wanted to have threesomes with other women, how he made her have sex when he wanted sex.' He also pushed for threesomes and had suggested a girl named Tina who he said would be interested. Graswald made a series of confessions to DeQuart ten days after Viafore drowned in the Hudson, after she ran into investigators searching for clues for what was at that time believed to be an accident, according to The New York Times. DeQuart recalled her saying: 'I wanted to go on and I wanted to be myself' and said that she later admitted: 'He trapped me.' Meanwhile, during a hearing on Monday June 6, a senior investigator with the New York State Police revealed that Graswald had appeared 'happy go lucky' when he and two other officers arrived at Bannerman Island to retrace her steps on the day her fiance disappeared. Aniello Moscato said Graswald spoke to investigator Don DeQuarto alone, ABC News reports, on April 29 and told him that she had taken out a plug on the kayak. Angelika Graswald (pictured on Monday June 6 arriving at Orange County Court) is accused of murdering her fiance by sabotaging his kayak and told an investigator that she took the plug out of the boat Angelika Graswald stands in court with her attorneys Jeffrey Chartier and Richard Portale at her arraignment in Goshen, New York, in May last year Later, as the investigators took Graswald back to state police barracks on a boat, they had engine trouble, he said. Moscato said Graswald had joked about jumping overboard. The hearing also heard from Officer Stephen Pedetti, who said that Graswald was 'emotionless' as she was rescued. He said that she did not appear concerned and was calm, ABC reports. Viafore's body was found three weeks after he disappeared by a fisherman near the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. But before that, Graswald was charged with murder, with prosecutors saying that she wanted out of her relationship with Viafore and to get her hands on $250,000 in life insurance. Graswald has pleaded not guilty to murder and manslaughter charges. Graswald did not call 911 for 20 minutes after Viafore's kayak overturned and witnesses said she intentionally capsized her own craft, authorities say In September last year, footage emerged of an interrogation of Graswald which showed her admitting to a detective that she wanted him dead. 'I wanted him dead,' Graswald told a state police investigator during an interview in footage that was obtained by CBS' 48 Hours. 'And now he's gone.' Her attorney Richard Portale has said that his client's statements were coerced. Portale has disputed the prosecution's theories, saying that Viafore died accidentally after having a few beers and falling into the water. His death by drowning was ruled a homicide by a medical examiner, who wrote in an autopsy report that it was the result of 'kayak drain plug intentionally removed by other.' At Graswald's arraignment in May last year, Orange County Assistant District Attorney Julie Mohl said: 'She felt trapped, and it was her only way out.' Mohl added that Graswald had admitted tampering with Viafore's kayak and later confessed that 'it felt good knowing he would die.' She also did not call 911 for 20 minutes after Viafore's kayak overturned and witnesses said she intentionally capsized her own craft, Mohl added. Graswald has worked at a string of restaurants and other businesses and has been married twice. A federal civil rights lawsuit filed in Colorado is being called the 'most heinous case of excessive force' after two prison guards were caught on camera flipping over an inmate in leg shackles and leaving him to lie in a pool of blood. Both officers - one of whom was fired after the incident - are now also facing criminal charges over the attack on 30-year-old Shawn Lovett in September 2014 at the Centennial Correctional Facility in Canon City. Footage released this week appears to show former prison guard Anthony Martinez grabbing Lovett by his shackled legs and throwing him upside down. Lovett falls to the floor and knocks his head, before bleeding from the wound. Excessive force lawsuit: Two officers are now facing criminal charges over the attack on 30-year-old Shawn Lovett in September 2014 at the Centennial Correctional Facility in Canon City, Colorado The video shows one of the officers flipping over the inmate and then sitting on his back to restrain him The video shows Martinez and another officer, Shannon Proud, leaving Lovett lying injured in his own blood. Proud, who remains employed by the department, is facing charges of being an accessory to a crime, failure to report use of force, official misconduct, false reporting and attempting to influence a public official. Martinez is charged with second-degree assault, third-degree assault and attempting to influence a public official. The internal investigator who looked into the case, Alex Wold, told The Denver Post that it was the worst case of excessive force he had ever seen in his 31 year career. 'It needs to have its day in court,' Wold told the newspaper. According to the lawsuit - which names seven defendants - a prison doctor did not follow concussion protocol when dealing with Lovett, and he has suffered severe headaches and vision problems as a result. 'I'm a mother. I was devastated,' Penny McFadden, Lovett's mother, told The Post. 'It made me sick to my stomach to know my son was treated in that manner.' Shawn Lovett is serving a 30-year sentence for numerous charges, including sexual assault and robbery with a deadly weapon. He claims he was assaulted by two officers and is now suing the department Secondary footage taken by an officer with a handheld camera shows the officers holding Lovett down after he was flipped over. He is seen to have a head injury and is bleeding Eventually Lovett was moved to receive treatment. His lawsuit claims that proper concussion protocol was not followed and he still suffers from the injury A prison spokesperson confirmed that Proud was still working at the facility but refused to elaborate. The spokesperson said the department had a 'zero tolerance policy on excessive use of force', but refused to say anything else. Lovett is serving a 30-year sentence for sexual assault and robbery with a deadly weapon. He also has felony convictions for menacing, and he has an assault charge from throwing bodily fluids while incarcerated. The incident at the center of the lawsuit occurred on September 10, 2014. Lovett was being transferred from a mental health intake unit to a housing area by Martinez and Proud. Proud worked in the area where Lovett was housed and the two did not along, according to Lovett's mother. Mrs McFadden said that, right before the incident, she had called the prison to report Proud for saying racial slurs to her son. 'The most heinous case of excessive force': The internal investigator who looked into what happened said it is the worst he has seen in 31 years Lovett had told his mother that Proud used racial slurs, often calling him 'monkey' and 'boy' among other names, the lawsuit says. The lawsuit claims the guards were roughing Lovett up for complaining. Video taken in a hallway shows Martinez handcuffing Lovett and securing his leg irons, however he grabs the shackles and throws Lovett upside down. Lovett flips over and lands on his head. Secondary footage taken by another officer with a handheld camera shows Lovett lying on the ground in his blood. The officer's eventually stand him up and take him for treatment. After the incident, Martinez was accused of filing a false worker's comp claim and a false police report. Proud also was accused of filling a false report. The inspector general's report also quotes the prison warden as saying, 'it was the worst case of excessive force he had seen in his career'. 'It never should have happened,' Wold told the Post. The Queen is said to have been asking dinner guests to give her 'three good reasons' why Britain should be in the EU. Royal author Robert Lacey claimed the monarch has been posing the question to those she entertains privately. In an article for The Daily Beast website, Mr Lacey wrote: '"Give me three good reasons," she has apparently been asking her dinner companions recently, "why Britain should be part of Europe?"' A Buckingham Palace spokesman said it would not comment on private conversations. 'The Queen is above politics and acts on the advice of her Government in political matters,' the spokesman said. Buckingham Palace said it did not comment on private conversations and the Queen was 'above politics' 'The referendum is a matter for the British people to decide.' Sources pointed out that Mr Lacey did not seem to have heard the question himself, and stressed that there was no claim that the monarch had offered her own views. The Sun was rebuked by the press regulator in March for suggesting that the Queen favoured leaving the EU. Asked about the article today, Mr Lacey said: 'The Queen likes a healthy debate around the dinner table. It was just a question. 'She's aware of the complexities for different parts of the UK. 'As we know, she's very careful not to betray whatever her personal opinions may be on this. You can say the same of her husband.' The claim has emerged at a crucial time in the EU referendum battle, with just two days to go until the nation votes. Polls have been showing that the decision is on a knife edge, with all to play for in the final frantic stages of campaigning. David Cameron has pleaded with older voters not to punish him for mistakes in government by sending Britain crashing out of the EU. In a sign of nerves in the Remain campaign, the Prime Minister took to the steps of Downing Street to deliver the appeal. Trying to draw a line under another torrid spell of pressure over his failure to curb immigration, Mr Cameron argued that the economic case for membership was 'paramount'. The premier said a vote to leave on Thursday would be 'irreversible'. 'I know I haven't got everything right... but of this I am convinced... Britain is better off inside the EU than out on our own.' Mr Cameron said he wanted to speak directly to 'my generation and older' to think about their children and grandchildren. 'I know Europe isn't perfect, believe me I understand and I see those frustrations. I feel them myself,' he said. 'That's why we negotiated and enhanced our special status - out of the euro, keeping our borders, not involved in ever closer union. We have the best of both worlds. 'So as you take this decision, whether to remain or leave, do think about the hopes and dreams of your children and grandchildren. They know their chances to work, to travel, to build the sort of open and successful society they want to live in rests on this outcome. David Cameron pleaded with voters today not to punish him for mistakes in government by sending Britain out of the EU on Thirsday 'And remember, they can't undo the decision we take. If we vote out, that's it. It is irreversible. We will leave Europe for good. 'The next generation will have to live with the consequences far longer than the rest of us.' On Thursday 'it will just be you in that polling booth', he said, 'taking a decision that will affect your future, your children's future, your grandchildren's future'. He added: 'Our economic security is paramount. It will be stronger if we stay; if we leave we will put it at risk. But said only thing they wish is that they could hold their daughters more The couple go through 30 diapers a day and care for the babies in shifts so Kimberly can pump and breastfeed Said the entire community has rallied to help her and husband Gavin Kimberly Fradel gave birth to Grace, Stella and Emily on May 6 The triplets were conceived naturally - making them even more rare They're a one-in-a-million phenomenon and almost identical from head to toe. But look down at the feet of triplets Grace, Stella and Emily and you'll find the purple, blue and yellow nail polish that helps their parents tell the newborns apart. Gavin and Kimberly Fradel, of Wake Forest, North Carolina, were in shock when a doctor revealed in November that their son wouldn't be getting one new sibling - but three. The triplets were conceived naturally, making them even more rare. Identical triplets Grace, Stella and Emily are a one-in-a-million phenomenon. Their parents Kimberly and Gavin Fradel tell the girls apart by painting their toenails different colors The three girls, born on May 6, were conceived naturally - making them even more rare 'I almost fell off the table,' Kimberly told ABC 13. 'My first feeling was sheer panic.' But the couple's fear of a high-risk pregnancy and juggling three new additions to family quickly subsided as friends, family and their employers banded together to help the parents. 'Once we got over the initial shock and we received so much love from people...we just felt, "Okay, we can do this,'" Kimberly said. 'We're not doing it by ourselves. We're doing it with the community, and a community of people who love us, love our children, and the support has just make it okay.' Kimberly said Gavin, a teacher, stepped up during her pregnancy, playing 'mom and dad and cook' all while studying on the side to get his master's degree in science education. 'He pretty much did everything because I could do very little,' she said. Gavin was in the middle of teaching a class on May 6 when he received the call that Kimberly was in labor. His students cheered as he left for the hospital. The very next day, three hospital father bands on his arm, Gavin received his master's degree. Kimberly was in shock when she first found out she was expecting not one new bundle of joy - but three But the couple's fear of a high-risk pregnancy and juggling three new additions to family quickly subsided as friends, family and their employers banded together to help the parents (pictured with 2-year-old son Gavin Jr) 'My wife encouraged me,' he told the station. 'She said, "You need to go march Saturday, this is what you've worked for.'" The parents were thrilled with their three new daughters, but two-year-old Gavin Jr wasn't as excited the first time he saw his sisters in the hospital. 'He turns around and said "Daddy, take them back,'" Fradel told ABC News. 'I hugged him and said, "Son, I can't take them back. They're your sisters.'" But now Gavin, who has down syndrome, only has love for little Emily, Stella and Grace, often kissing them on the head. 'He's a really good protective big brother,' Kimberly said. 'I believe all four of them are going to have unique gifts and love for each that and will take care of each other for the rest of their lives.' Although they get through 30 diapers a day and have to care for the newborns in shifts so Kimberly can pump and breastfeed, the couple's only complaint is they don't get to hold their girls more. 'With our son we were able to hold him because he was the only child, hold him a lot,' Gavin said. 'You need to share the amount of time that you can hold each girl.' But the parents said it has been amazing watching the girls' already form a bond with each other. 'They seem not to mind because there's three of them and they hang out together, Gavin said. 'They're each other's friend already. This early we can tell that they're going to have each other throughout this life.' The leader of a far right political party has been arrested after he unfurled a giant Spanish flag across the Rock of Gibraltar. Nacho Minguez, president of the notorious VOX party, was detained after displaying the flag after he and fellow party members swam into the British territory and climbed up the hill overlooking the city. They then spread out the 18 metre by 11 metre Spanish flag, which remained there for around 20 minutes before the Royal Gibraltar Police came and removed it. The right wing members of the Vox party begin unfurling the giant Spanish flag over the Rock of Gibraltar Nacho Minguez, president of the notorious VOX party, was detained after displaying the flag after he and fellow party members swam into the British territory and climbed up the hill overlooking the city The VOX party are known for their vehement opposition for Gibraltar remaining a British territory. And after Minguez was arrested, the leader of the party Santiago Abascal said: 'With this act Vox wanted to claim that they will never give up until the full Spanish sovereignty of Penon. 'The usurping that comes with the existence of an unacceptable fiscal paradise, a detriment to our fishermen, the economic depression of Gibraltar and the conversion of the workers from the zone into hostages of the pirate Picardo.' The VOX party, who displayed the flag, are known for their vehement opposition for Gibraltar remaining a British territory Abascal also then criticised the planned visit of David Cameron to Gibraltar, which was cancelled due to the murder of MP Jo Cox. In 2014, Gibraltar's First Minister Fabian Picardo, asked Interpol to arrest Abascal when he removed one of the concrete blocks from the sea that the authorities put there to stop Spanish fishermen from entering into the bay of Algeciras. Gibraltar, a stretch of land on the southern Spanish coast was always a strategic piece of land and has been a British Overseas Territory since 1713. Gibraltar, pictured, a stretch of land on the southern Spanish coast was always a strategic piece of land and has been a British Overseas Territory since 1713 The sovereignty of Gibraltar is a major point of contention in Anglo-Spanish relations as Spain asserts a claim to the territory. Gibraltarians overwhelmingly rejected proposals for Spanish sovereignty in a 1967 referendum and again in 2002. Almost two-thirds of ships do not provide internet for onboard colleagues The UK's reputation as a seafaring nation is under threat because a new generation of Britons who are reluctant to go to sea. Maritime industries face a huge shortfall in sailors partly due to technology-obsessed youngsters being unwilling to leave wifi behind. Almost two-thirds of ships do not provide internet for staff. Shipping firms are now calling on the government to raise awareness of opportunities in the industry and invest in giving people the skills to work at sea. Maritime industries face a huge shortfall in sailors partly due to technology-obsessed youngsters being unwilling to leave wifi behind. A British Merchant Navy freighter pictured at Pembroke Dock Figures show there is currently a global shortfall of 16,500 deck and engineer officers, which is set to rise sharply in coming years. The UK Chamber of Shipping says firms are beginning to recognise that new recruits want the internet on ships so they can stay in touch with social media. Industry figures also fear that school and university career advisers are poorly-informed about jobs in shipping and in ports. A report, released as part of Seafarers Awareness Week, says the majority of young people have little or no knowledge of careers in the maritime industry. Only two per cent say they have been given careers advice about the maritime industry, compared to professional services (18%), science and engineering (21%) and retail (14%) When asked which of those they thought offered good prospects, only one in 20 picked the maritime industry, the report states. Seafarers UK's Director General, Commodore Barry Bryant, said: 'There is an urgent need for serious investment in our young people who want to work at sea, both from the Government by allocating more funds for training, and from the shipping industry by ensuring that all British cadets are guaranteed time at sea to become qualified. Nuclear transport ships in the docks at Barrow in Furness, Cumbria. Around 115,000 people work in the UK's maritime industry but school leavers are said to be poorly-informed about jobs in shipping and in ports The UK has a proud seafaring history through its Royal Navy (a Type 45-destroyer pictured) and its Merchant Navy shipping fleet 'Without increased investment in the UK's maritime skills base, we will face a serious shortage of men and women who in due course will move from seafaring to shore-based roles, such as port operations, crew manning services, ship broking, chartering and insurance.' A spokesman for the UK Chamber of Shipping, said: "Millennials coming through definitely have a certain expectation that they need to be connected to the internet, and employers are starting to recognise this.' Around 115,000 people work in the UK maritime industry which is worth 11billion to the UK economy. Before blasting Donald Trump's business record in Columbus, Ohio today, Hillary Clinton took a minute to acknowledge the birth of her second grandchild. 'It was an exciting weekend,' she gushed to the crowd. 'Chelsea and Marc had a little boy and we are truly over the moon.' On Saturday at 7:41 a.m., Chelsea Clinton gave birth to her first son, Aidan Clinton Mezvinsky, and second child after daughter Charlotte. Scroll down for video Hillary Clinton's main reason to be in Columbus, Ohio today was to attack Donald Trump's economic policies, but she gushed about new grandbaby Aidan as well Hillary Clinton said she was 'thrilled' to be talking to the group as a grandmother of now two grandchildren, the spawn of her only child Chelsea Clinton The whole Clinton clan was photographed leaving the $1,700-a-night maternity ward Monday at New York's Lenox Hill Hospital, as the former secretary of state had spent a long weekend off the campaign trial to meet her new grandkid. But it was back to work Tuesday morning in Ohio, with Clinton taking her rival Trump to task for some of his business decisions through the years and some of his statements he made on how he would handle the American economy. 'I am pretty thrilled to be here for the first time speaking to a group like this as a grandmother of two now,' Clinton first exclaimed. She hinted that she would be bringing up her grandmother status on the campaign trail more than ever before. 'I have to confess, I talk so much about being a grandmother, now I'm sure I'm going to be talking doubly about being a grandmother,' she said to applause. 'New stories to tell,' the former secretary of state added. Clinton became a grandmother for the first time six months before she entered the presidential campaign and has used the title to soften her image. Both she and Chelsea Clinton, who has been a surrogate for her mother throughout the campaign, have talked about Hillary Clinton's interactions with baby Charlotte. Baby Aidan was introduced to the world as the Clinton clan stood outside the Lennon Hill Hospital on Monday with likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton giving a wave During her first solo campaign swing through New Hampshire in January, Chelsea Clinton talked about being in awe of her parents interest in her daughter. 'One of the great gifts,' Chelsea Clinton said of being a mom, was getting to watch her parents interact with their granddaughter. 'In part because I don't remember them with me as an infant or a toddler,' Chelsea Clinton noted. 'And so watching how much they love my daughter and how interested and engaged they are in every aspect of her life, whether they're feeding ... her or singing to her, she loves "Wheels on the Bus," that's a big family activity,' Chelsea Clinton said. The former first daughter also made an appearance on Ellen where she was memorably gifted a Elmo-emblazoned wagon, which included a Hillary Clinton for president sign on top. Elmo, Chelsea Clinton has said, is baby Charlotte's favorite. Of course politics were involved in many of these discussions as well. Chelsea Clinton has talked about the importance of this election in the context of being a first-time mommy voter, while also suggesting that Hillary Clinton becoming a grandmother is making her fight even harder for everyone else's kids. Hillary Clinton's campaign has made advertisements pushing this point as well. 'When I look at my new granddaughter I think to myself we're going to do everything we can to make sure she has opportunities in life, but what about all the kids?' Clinton says in an ad entitled 'Every Child,' which the campaign launched last September. 'You should not have to be the grandchild of a former president to know that you can make it in America,' Clinton continued. Apple has removed app and firm behind software says it is being ' Award-winning software was advertised as helping locate refugees in need 'I Sea' App was meant to provide live satellite images of the An app which claimed to help refugees who were stranded at sea has been removed by Apple after it was revealed as a fake. The award-winning 'I Sea' App was advertised as providing real-time satellite images to locate refugees on ships who could then be rescued. But the app only showed static images of sea and didn't give any live updates on the whereabouts of those in difficulty. The app is meant to track refugees and report their location to the Migrant Offshore Air Station (Moas) based in Malta. The award-winning 'I Sea' App was advertised as providing real-time satellite images to locate refugees on ships who could then be rescued. Critics praised the software which was released at a time when thousands of migrants are trying to cross the Mediterranean to reach Europe Only on Monday the firm behind the app, Grey Group, won a Bronze award for the software at this year's Cannes Lions advertising festival. Critics praised the software which was released at a time when thousands of migrants are trying to cross the Mediterranean to reach Europe. Apple has now removed the app from its App Store - with the Grey Group saying on Sunday that the software is currently in 'testing mode'. Its website also says the 'satellite images are not in real-time' but the the app was not reportedly advertised as such. Part of the app, which was meant to give weather information for the southern Mediterranean, actually showed what it was like in Western Libya. The app is meant to track refugees and report their location to the Migrant Offshore Air Station (Moas) Thousands of migrants are trying to cross the Mediterranean to reach mainland Europe Apple has taken down the app because it goes against its pledge not to offer software with 'false information and features'. Although many app makers reveal design concepts or release software for testing, few are advertised as the final product. Grey Group is part of the global advertising firm WPP. MailOnline has contacted Grey Group for comment. Police have not yet released any details on the motive Bigham was today charged with murder over death of the twin sisters, 49 Police found bodies of the twins while responding to domestic A Texas man has been charged with murder after allegedly shooting dead his estranged wife and her twin sister, police say. Kelley Bigham, 50, was arrested on Monday after his wife Karen Bigham and her sister Kathy Boobar, both 49, were found dead inside a North Texas home. Police had been responding a call about domestic violence in the 2800 block of High Pointe Boulevard, McKinney at around 5.40pm on Monday afternoon. Kathy Boobar (left) and her twin sister Karen Bigham (right) were shot to death by Kelley Bigham on Monday Kelley Bigham, was arrested on Monday after the bodies of the two women were found dead inside a North Texas home The married couple's college age daughter, who was in the house at the time, had witnessed her father shoot her mother and aunt, witnesses say. She had fled the home and ran to a neighbor's house to call for help, NBC reports. When officers arrived they discovered the bodies of Karen Bigham, a grandmother and popular hairdresser in the area, and Kathy Boobar, a police spokesman said. Bigham was arrested after a brief manhunt and today was charged with murder. He was booked into the Collin County jail early Tuesday where he is being held on $1 million bail. Police have not yet released any further details on the shooting or the motive. Bigham was arrested after a brief manhunt and today was charged with murdering his wife (pictured with him on an earlier Facebook picture) and her sister Police officers responding to a domestic violence call discovered the bodies of Karen Bigham and Kathy Boobar, at a property in the 2800 block of High Pointe Boulevard, McKinney Friends and family have paid tribute to the two sisters on Facebook. Fellow Mount Pleasant High School, Texas, graduate Stefanie Roy wrote: 'Both of these ladies were great people and close friends from high school. I can't sleep for crying. It's all so surreal.' Lynne Thyfault Hubbard, a friend of Bigham, asked for prayers for the Karen and Kathy Boobar, a former volunteer with the Junior League of Collin County, from Plano, Texas. 'Karen & her sister were taken from us tonight in a senseless shooting,' she said. 'God comfort those kids, their mom, the sweet babies and Karen's many friends and clients. She was so loved and she was someone who listened, laughed and truly cared about each person in her life.' Regina Davis described Karen as 'a sweet daughter, sister, mother, grandmother and friend that didn't deserve this.' 'I find myself in a state of shock. I feel such pain in my heart for her grandkids. The two young children discovered unresponsive inside a pickup truck outside their home over the weekend died of heat-related causes according to autopsy reports. Twins Oliver and Aria Orr, 3, were discovered by a neighbor and their mother Alisha inside the vehicle, which was parked outside their home in Bossier City, Louisiana. Alisha had been calling people who lived in the area to ask if they had seen the little boy and his sister before finding them after taking a nap and waking up to find them gone. Police are continuing to investigate the incident, and Bossier City Public Information Officer Mark Natale said: 'We're limited in some of the information that can be released at this time due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, but detectives are working hard to confirm some things they've learned in the investigation and determine final conclusions with this.' Their tragic deaths come just three weeks after young Oliver was released from the hospital after suffering a near-fatal injury when he was mauled by the family dog. The father of the children, Travis Orr, is a deputy at the Bossier Sheriff's Office. He and Alisha have another child as well, 10-year-old son Maddox. Scroll down for video Tragedy: Twins Oliver and Aria Orr, 3, died on Saturday after being found unresponsive inside a truck parked outside their home (twins above earlier this year) Unaware: The twins mother Alisha was inside taking a nap according to a neighbor Recent: Oliver had just been released from the hospital three weeks prior (above) after suffering a sudden and near-fatal injury when he was attacked by the family dog The Bossier City Police Department said in a statement that the neighbors found the children around 3pm on Saturday after 'the childrens mother, who was home at the time, had contacted them saying she was looking for the children.' Emergency personnel arrived on the scene soon after and the two were rushed to a local hospital, where they were both pronounced dead. 'They were wonderful, happy kids,' neighbor Rhonda Matthews, whose was with the mother when she found the children told The Shreveport Times. 'I pray every moment of the day for the family. They are good people, and they were good parents. I can't imagine what they are going through.' Matthews said Alisha called her after waking up from the nap unable to find the twins, and that she did her best to save Aria by giving her CPR at the scene. 'Her jaws had locked. It was obvious she was gone,' said Matthews. She then tried to give Oliver CPR when they found him shortly after in the back of the truck, again with no real luck. 'It may have been wishful thinking, but when I tried to do CPR on him, I thought I felt a thready pulse,' said Matthews. Man in blue: The children's father, Travis Orr (above in NBC 14 video), is a deputy with the Bossier Sheriff's Office Horrible scene: The two were discovered by a neighbor (truck above) and their mother, who was inside calling people in the area looking for the two moments before Answers: Police are still investigating the incident (twins above during their first year) The father of the children posted photos on Facebook last month when son Oliver ended up hospitalized after he suffered a sudden injury. The young boy was attacked by the family dog. In one of the photos he is seen 'waking up' according to his father and there is a neck brace on him and breathing tubes coming out of his nose. There is also a video of Travis telling his son to 'wake up' that he posted on social media. The boy was in the hospital for over a week, and after his release his father posted a note on Facebook. 'Well we're home. Oliver was discharged today. I want to thank BCFD/EMS & BCPD for their quick response last Sunday night,' wrote Travis. 'The doctors and nurses at University Health for the outstanding treatment and care that Oliver received the last week.' He closed out the post by writing: 'Oh and by the way other than the scratches and bandages, Oliver is back to full speed chaos.' Pair are flying to Glasgow via Amsterdam and London - and it is believed Melissa will land in the UK a free woman She was met at Lima international airport by her father Billy and was escorted to the gate by a team of officials Advertisement British drug mule Melissa Reid is on her way back to the UK after three years in a Peruvian prison. Reid, from Lenzie, East Dunbartonshire, was escorted by police through Lima international airport on Tuesday evening, hours after being released from jail. Walking just a few feet away was her devoted father Billy, who has spent the last three years doggedly campaigning for his daughter's return. Reid remained silent as she was taken to the gate but smiled when asked how it felt to finally be heading home. The Reids are flying back to Glasgow via Amsterdam and London. It is understood Melissa, 22, will land in the UK as a free woman. Reid was jailed alongside Michaella McCollum, 23, after they were caught trying to smuggle 1.5 million of cocaine from Peru to Spain in 2013. McCollum, from Dungannon, Co Tyrone, was released from prison in March but was required to remain in Peru on parole. Scroll down for videos Heading home: Drug mule Melissa Reid, from Lenzie, East Dunbartonshire, was escorted by police through Lima airport on Tuesday Support: The 22-year-old was met at the airport by her devoted father Billy, pictured right, who has campaigned for his daughter's return Journey back: Billy and Melissa Reid are pictured making their way to the gate, where they boarded a long-haul flight to Amsterdam The 'Peru Two': Melissa Reid, right, was jailed alongside Michaella McCollum, left, after they were caught trying to smuggle 1.5 million of cocaine from Peru to Spain. McCollum, from Dungannon, Co Tyrone, was freed in March but was required to remain in Peru on parole Billy Reid looked solemn as he met his daughter at the check-in counter at Jorge Chavez International airport on Tuesday evening. Melissa arrived at the crowded airport in a prison van from Ancon II jail, north of Lima, where she served the majority of her sentence. On Tuesday night a Peruvian Prison Service spokesman said: 'I can confirm Melissa has been released from prison and will leave Peru today. She should be at Lima Airport Now. I don't have details of her flight arrangements.' Reid and McCollum - dubbed the 'Peru Two' - were caught in August 2013 as they tried to board an Air Europe flight to Majorca via Madrid with 24lb (11kg) of cocaine hidden in food packets packed in their luggage. The women, who travelled to Peru after spending the summer working in Ibiza, initially protested their innocence, claiming they had been forced to become drug runners by a gang of armed kidnappers. Reid's parents spoke out publicly in support of the pair but later said a guilty plea was the best course of action. Reid and McCollum faced up to 15 years in jail if convicted of drug smuggling after a trial. Both women later pleaded guilty to the charges and were sentenced to six years and eight months in prison. Peruvian police and prosecutors said from the start they never believed the women's stories about being forced to smuggle drugs. Reid was surrounded by a handful of Peruvian officials as she was pulled by the hand through the airport ahead of her flight home Reid, pictured, remained silent as she was escorted through the busy international airport by a team of Peruvian officials Reid was joined by her father Billy, pictured right, who has spent the last three years doggedly campaigning for his daughter's release Father Billy walked just a few feet behind his daughter as she was rushed towards the gate. The Reids boarded a flight for Amsterdam Taking off: William and Melissa Reid were escorted to the gate by officials. It is understood they will fly to Europe and connect to Glasgow Reid and McCollum were initially held at Virgen de Fatima prison in Lima but were later moved to Ancon II prison, a modern facility where conditions were moderately better than the overcrowded and unsanitary conditions of the previous jail. Reid was allowed to apply for a return to Britain under a 2014 law designed to reduce Peru's prison population. The law applies to most first-time foreign offenders sentenced to less than seven years in jail. It allows foreign convicts to apply to be expelled back to their home country once they have served a third of their jail term. It is officially called a 'special country departure benefit'. In most cases successful applicants also have to prove payment of the compensation they were ordered to pay as part of their sentence - 10,000 Peruvian soles or around 2,100 in Reid's case. It is thought Reid will be banned from returning to Peru for 10 years. Previously Reids legal team had applied for a transfer back to the UK under the Prisoner Transfer Agreement which has existed between the UK and Peru since 2003. In April, Peruvian magistrate Ana Zapata granted the expulsion order for Reid. She said Reid had shown remorse and her 'intention to be re-inserted back in society'. Ms Zapata also said it had been Reid's first offence and that she had worked while in prison and paid the 2,000 fine. While there was speculation over whether Reid would be required to serve the remainder of her prison sentence in a Scottish prison, it appears she might land in Britain as a free woman. In an indication that Reid will be at liberty when she arrives home, the Scottish Prison Service says it has had no contact from the Peruvian authorities since a request for a transfer back to Scotland was made under the Prisoner Transfer Agreement two years ago. A spokesman said ti was not involved in her case. Melissa Reid smiled as she made her way through the crowded airport towards the gate, followed by her father Billy Reid, who was jailed for drug smuggling in 2013, was escorted by two immigration officers as she prepared to fly home to Scotland Reid was pulled through the airport on Tuesday evening. She has been waiting for her release since an announcement last month Melissa Reid, pictured, met her father at the check-in counter after being dropped off at the airport by a prison van A judge in Lima last month granted an order to expel Reid as she met the legal requirements for release While Reid will likely touch down on home soil within the next 24 hours, McCollum is expected to remain in Peru for a considerable period as part of her parole conditions. She was released in March after serving two years and three months of her sentence. Earlier this year it was reported that McCollum will be living with 73-year-old Irish-American Bishop Sean Walsh in a three-bedroom apartment in the bustling neighbourhood of Miraflores in the capital. She will be helping Father Walsh with his church's magazine, with administration work and photography, it was said. Speaking in April about the possibility his daughter could be out within weeks, Billy Reid said from the family home: 'We have been waiting some time for a hearing and are hopefully we could finally get Melissa home. 'She has been left on her own now that Michaella is out. They were together from the start and this week has been hard for her. We are worried about her and are just praying her case will be heard as soon as possible and have a positive result.' He said: 'It's horrendous to see your daughter in handcuffs and the living conditions that she has to put up with. Melissa has spent her own 20th and 21st birthdays in prison in Peru. 'She missed the significant event of her only brother's wedding. Events such as Christmas are non-existent for us. There'll be no celebrations in our house, there'll be no Christmas tree until we get her back home.' Final months: Reid, 22, was last pictured in April, above, when a Peruvian official announced that her release was in the final stages Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stood side by side with the indigenous peoples of Canada to celebrate the 20th annual National Aboriginal Day As the sun rose over the shores of the Ottawa River, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stood side by side with the indigenous peoples of Canada to celebrate the 20th annual National Aboriginal Day. This year the tributes, held on on June 21, the Summer Solstice, were led outside Canadas Museum of History and Trudeau was joined by several federal cabinet ministers as well as local MPs. Trudeau took part in a sunrise ritual, was bathed with smoke as part of a smudging ceremony, before paddling beneath the Parliament buildings in a 10-metre cargo canoe. He donned moccasins and a buckskin jacket that was owned by his late father Pierre Elliott Trudeau. His father was known for wearing buckskin as he took part in canoeing expeditions in the far north of the country, according to The Star. The day allows Canadians to recognize and celebrate the unique heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding contributions of First Nations, Inuits and Metis peoples. While Trudeau didn't speak publicly at the event he did release a statement that asked his country to learn more about their land's heritage. It began: 'Today, on National Aboriginal Day, let us take the time to celebrate and honour the unique heritage and outstanding achievements of the Indigenous peoples in Canada. 'National Aboriginal Day is first and foremost an occasion to celebrate the fundamental role First Nations, Metis, and Inuit have played and continue to play in shaping the identity of all Canadians. Trudeau took part in a sunrise ritual, was bathed with a ceremonial smoke as part of a smudging ceremony He then paddled in a voyageur canoe on the Ottawa River beneath the Parliament buildings Trudeau donned moccasins and a buckskin jacket that was owned by his later father Pierre Elliott Trudeau 'Coast to coast to coast, their remarkable art and cultures, significant contributions and history, are essential to our sense of nationhood.' He also paid special attention to the rash of recent suicides in some aboriginal communities and also towards the feelings of despair felt by some indigenous Canadians. This, said Trudeau, 'remind us that we must work in genuine partnership with Indigenous peoples, the provinces, and the territories to better support the well-being of children and families, improve the quality of education for Indigenous students, and ensure health services meet the needs of Indigenous communities.' Several other prominent politicians released statements, including Governor General of Canada David Johnston who said: 'As we mark the 20th anniversary of National Aboriginal Day, I believe that we still have much to learn about the first peoples of this vast land.' While Trudeau didn't speak publicly at the event he did release a statement that asked his country to learn more about their land's heritage Across the country many Aboriginal Canadians mark the day by inviting members of the public to share in their culture at pow wows, parades and festivals held across the country. JUSTIN TRUDEAU'S STATEMENT IN FULL, NATIONAL ABORIGINAL DAY 'Today, on National Aboriginal Day, let us take the time to celebrate and honour the unique heritage and outstanding achievements of the Indigenous peoples in Canada. 'National Aboriginal Day is first and foremost an occasion to celebrate the fundamental role First Nations, Metis, and Inuit have played and continue to play in shaping the identity of all Canadians. 'Coast to coast to coast, their remarkable art and cultures, significant contributions and history, are essential to our sense of nationhood. 'Events over the past few months including the loss of life to suicide and the feelings of despair felt in some communities remind us that we must work in genuine partnership with Indigenous peoples, the provinces, and the territories to better support the well-being of children and families, improve the quality of education for Indigenous students, and ensure health services meet the needs of Indigenous communities. 'No relationship is more important to our government and to Canada than the one with Indigenous peoples. 'Today, we reaffirm our governments commitment to a renewed nation-to-nation relationship between Canada and Indigenous peoples, one based on the recognition of rights, respect, trust, co-operation, and partnership. 'We understand the importance of reconciliation and the process of truth-telling and healing in this renewal. 'With this is mind, we will continue the vital work of reconciliation as outlined in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action, in partnership with First Nations, the Metis Nation, the Inuit, the provinces, and the territories. 'This work will build on our commitment last month to fully adopt and implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. 'Together, we will think seven generations out as the Iroquois have taught as we listen to Indigenous voices on environmental matters, build necessary roads, bridges, and water and wastewater infrastructure, and ensure a better and brighter future for Indigenous peoples in Canada. 'I invite you to join the #IndigenousReads campaign to help raise awareness and understanding through shared culture and stories and encourage steps toward reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.' Statement from Justin Trudeau on National Aboriginal Day, June 21, 2016 Advertisement To mark the occasion, Johnston and his wife went to Brantford, Ontario, to visit the Woodland Cultural Centre, formerly a residential school, to 'better measure the impact that such institutions have had on Aboriginal peoples'. Meanwhile, across the country many Aboriginal Canadians mark the day by inviting members of the public to share in their culture at pow wows, parades and festivals held across the country. In cooperation with Indigenous organizations, the Canadian government chose June 21, the summer solstice, for National Aboriginal Day, according to Canada.ca. For generations, many Indigenous peoples and communities have celebrated their culture and heritage on or near this day due to the significance of the summer solstice as the longest day of the year. Celebrate Canada is a four-day celebration that begins on June 21 with National Aboriginal Day, continues with Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day on June 24, followed by Canadian Multiculturalism Day on June 27 and then Canada Day (July 1). Advertisement Summer is here and so all thoughts turn to the beach - but be careful what you wish for, or at least take a look at the map before you set off, for all beaches are not created equal. Sure, a beach in Florida, California or Hawaii may sound idyllic, but even these carefree vacation destinations have strips of sand that are best avoided. Yelp has compiled a list of the ten worst beaches in the nation, the locations of which may surprise you. 1. Hobie Beach, Miami, Florida ** Just off of the Rickenbacker Causeway, en route to the serene natural paradise of Key Biscayne, is the preeminent place for windsurfing in Miami. Yet, scathing reviews give Hobie Beach just two stars. 'Small, dirty, full of rocks. Not really a welcoming dog beach considering how small, unkempt, full of trash, and rocky the area is... then again, thats probably why they made it the only authorized dog beach. The only silver lining is that being on the Bay, the water is shallow going out and there isn't really waves. So its easier on little dogs than the Ocean is,' wrote one beachgoer. Scroll down for video Hobie Beach, Miami, Florida: 'Not good. Not good at all... Literally two feet of sand connect the parking lot to the shoreline, and the sand is infested with inch-long chips of broken beer bottles and other glass parts. You can't take your shoes off unless you want to get sliced up.' 2. Bryan Beach, Near Houston, Texas ** Bryan Beach is regularly maintained by the city of Freeport for all families to enjoy. Perfect for sunbathing, camping, birding, fishing and relaxing. The beach is still in its natural state so if you need anything stop in Freeport before you go over the intracoastal 'Avoid at all costs if you do not like brown water and walls of decaying algae,' says one person who won't be visiting the Texas beach any time soon. 'We went in to take a look, and you can clearly tell that no one takes care of this beach. There was seaweed everywhere there is not even that much space to put up a tent,' states another review. Bryan Beach, Texas: 'Avoid at all costs if you do not like brown water and walls of decaying algae,' implored one Yelp reviewer 3. Dempster Beach, in Evanston, Illinois ** At this beach near Chicago, it's not so much the quality of the beach but the price of admission that reviewers found offsensive. 'Beaches should be free, like in Chicago and most other places in the world. I'm sure we pay enough taxes in Evanston to cover the expenses of beach maintenance. Or at the very least, the fee should not be $7 or $8 or whatever it is now.' Dempster Beach, Illinois: 'This could be a very lovely beach if it weren't for two things: obnoxious, nanny-state lifeguards and a high entrance fee. Daily passes are $8. I guess this is why there is no diversity on this beach,' said a reviewer on Yelp 4. Long Beach Beaches, in Long Beach, California ** One Yelp reviewer had a number of reasons as to why Long Beach just south of Los Angeles was completely unsuitable. 1) surfing. Impossible. There are no waves, due to the breakwater. See surfrider.org/lb-breakwa for more info. 2) swimming - the water is friggin disgusting. The Heal the Bay annual report for 2006-07 just found Long Beach the most polluted beach in California. What with the LA River and San Gabriel River both dumping out here, historic DDT dumping up the coast, and the breakwater to keep everything trapped in a cesspool, it's no wonder. 3) fishing - OK, lots of people fish here, so maybe they're not all wrong, but it still seems awfully risky to me due to the sketchy water quality. 4) playing in the sand, unless you want your kids to find a used condom in their sand castle. There aren't really a lot of seashells or anything like that, compared to other beaches that have actual tidepools and marine life. Long Beach, South of LA: 'Long Beach Residents are practicing safe sex seeing as we found a lot of condoms a long the shore' states one online review 5. Pass Christian Beach, Mississippi, Between Gulfport and Louisiana ** The Mississippi tourist board writes: 'There's nothing better than a day at the beach. And the Mississippi Gulf Coast is just the place to kick off your shoes, put your feet in the sand and relax.' One Yelp reviewer had other ideas when voicing their options about this stretch of sand. 'Absolutely nothing special about this compared to the 50 miles of medium sand and murky water in either direction up and down the gulf coast. its not walking distance to anything like a restaurant or bar either. I suspect local boosters are pimping the place to make a buck.' Pass Christian Beach, Mississippi: 'Did not like this beach at all... This beach is pretty dirty,' said one succinct reviewer 6. Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn, New York *** This beach on Brooklyn's southern tip is a popular summertime destination for people from all over New York City. As the weather heats up, families pack picnic baskets and come out to barbecue, loll on the sand, and swim in the waves. However, one review claimed the beach 'is a sewage runoff, plus the bbq's going down it looks like the backroads in Puerto Rico.' Another wrote: 'Trashy beach meaning lots of trash on the beach -- broken glass, plastic bags, chicken bones and wrappers of all sorts -- and it makes its way into the water everyone! Do you want to swim in trash? Some people don't mind, but I do.' Manhattan Beach: 'Trashy beach meaning lots of trash on the beachbroken glass, plastic bags, chicken bones and wrappers of all sorts and it makes its way into the water everyone! Do you want to swim in trash? Some people don't mind, but I do,' writes one reviewer 7. Doheny State Beach, South of Los Angeles, California *** Doheny State Beach is a protected beach in California, located on the Pacific Ocean in the city of Dana Point. The beach is a popular surf spot located at the mouth of San Juan Creek, which flows from the Santa Ana Mountains where it forms a fresh-water lagoon. However, it is also one of the most polluted beaches in Southern California. One reviewer states: 'Doheny is consistently and by far THE MOST POLLUTED BEACH IN AMERICA as measured by fecal bacteria counts. This is due to a combination of untreated sewage runoff, tons of seagulls, and lack of ocean circulation due to the jetty. Google 'doheny pollution' if you think I am exaggerating. People do get sick here.' Doheny State Beach, California: 'Toxic beach. I'm new to the area and started coming down there and trying to swim a little bit and get back into the ocean. I noticed every day after I swam it took 2 or 3 days to quit feeling like I had the flu,' wrote one beachgoer online 8. Carson Beach, Boston, Massachusetts *** The description of Carson beach sounds idyllic. 'Escape the city humidity to the beaches right in Boston's back yard. Carson Beach and M-Street Beach make up a 3-mile secret stretch of sand along South Boston waterfront and Dorchester Bay.' Reviewers seem to have a different take on the 'secret stretch of sand': 'I think this might be the worst beach I have ever been to,' notes one. 'It's a nasty sandbox next to some murky water.' 'In college, I used to come here thinking it was the best thing ever. Then I stepped on a bloody band-aid and a piece of glass in the same afternoon. No, thanks.' Carson Beach, Boston: 'Do go, just remember to bring your low expectations and enough hand sanitizer for the entire family,' said one snarky reviewr 9. Bastendorff Beach, in Southern Oregon *** Bastendorff Beach offers a wide variety of ocean shore recreation activities including walking, picnicking, and kite flying, according to a tourism guide promoting the state of Oregon's beaches. A reviewer on Yelp found the area disgusting. 'This place was FILTHY! Rusty nails, broken glass, beer cans, bottle caps, cardboard carriers for 6-packs of beer, the remains of fireworks, baby binkies, condom wrappers, and cigarette butts everywhere! 'My family is home for a visit from California and with 5 children ages 5 and under in-tow, we were all nervous wrecks to let the kids walk barefoot.... And to have just been visiting a Florence beach a couple of weeks ago and seen none of that, PLUS they had visible tsunami/hazard sirens lining the beach, makes Bastendorrf and 'Oregon's Adventure Coast' look like an adventure alright! Go ahead, but bring your steel-toed boots, hand sanitizer, and I hope you're current on your tetanus vaccination. Somehow, we managed to leave with only 1 injury.' Bastendorf Beach, Oregon: 'This place was FILTHY! Rusty nails, broken glass, beer cans, bottle caps, cardboard carriers for 6-packs of beer, the remains of fireworks, baby binkies, condemn wrappers, and cigarette butts everywhere!' Several reasons NOT to go! 10. Stonesteps Beach, Encinitas, Near San Diego, California *** Stone Steps Beach is a locals beach in Encinitas that is a little off-the-beaten-track. The city has signed it as 'Stonesteps Beach Access' (spelled as one word), but most people refer to it as Stone Steps. The reason for this name is a large concrete and stone stairway that descends the steep crumbly bluff to the narrow beach below. Surfers catch waves that roll over a reef here. The reviews are horrendous, however. 'The bluffs are unstable and the beach smells like old seaweed,' writes one. 'Awful beach. Bugs everywhere, seaweed EVERYWHERE on the beach. And 100000 steps of pure hell,' says another. Avoid at all costs if you do not like brown water and walls of decaying algae. Advertisement Boris Johnson last night urged voters to make the EU referendum Britain's 'Independence Day as he was involved in brutal clashes with Sadiq Khan and fellow Tory Ruth Davidson in a crunch TV debate. Mr Johnson laid into the Remain side for 'talking the country down' by issuing a slew of dire Project Fear warnings about the consequences of cutting ties with Brussels. But newly-installed London Mayor Mr Khan hit back by accusing him of telling 'lie after lie' and running 'Project Hate', while Scottish Conservative leader Ms Davidson lashed out at him for trying to turn the programme into 'the Boris show'. The exchanges came as the sides clashed in a BBC special at Wembley Arena likely to have been watched by millions. Mr Johnson was joined by Tory Treasury minister Andrea Leadsom and Labour's Gisela Stuart for the programme in front of a 6,000 strong live audience. Alongside Mr Khan were Scottish Conservative leader Ms Davidson and TUC Secretary General Frances O'Grady. Boris Johnson (pictured) said Dyson founder James Dyson was one of many businessmen in favour of Brexit. Sadiq Khan (right) accused the Leave campaign of telling 'lie after lie' The Wembley Arena debate - the last major TV showdown of the campaign - was staged less than 36 hours before voters finally get their say on Britain's membership of the EU During the bruising slugfest: Mr Khan lambasted Mr Johnson and the Leave camp for 'scaremongering' about the prospects of Turkey joining the EU, saying he should be 'ashamed' of the 'big fat lies' he had told. Ms Davidson accused the former mayor of trying to turn the programme into the 'Boris show', and challenged him to name 'one country in the world' that had promised to give Britain a trade deal. But Mr Johnson insisted it would be 'insane' for other EU states to punish us for Brexit, pointing out that a fifth of Germany's car output is sold in the UK. He mocked rising Tory star Ms Davidson by arguing that EU rules made it impossible for us to export Haggis to the US. Mr Johnson urged voters to make Thursday's EU referendum about 'hope'and turn it into the country's 'Independence Day'. Taking to the stage in London last night, Mr Khan said the country would face the 'most important decision for a generation' on Thursday. A Remain vote would mean people are 'both better off and safer'. Audience member Maxine Fothergill said she was a small business owner employing 10 staff and told the panellists that her firm was one of many in the UK that were 'stifled' by EU regulation. Ms Davidson said she knew the EU was 'a bit frustrating but what it means is you cannot be undercut'. She insisted that tariffs and taxes would be increased if we were outside the EU. But Mr Johnson laughed off the idea of tariffs, arguing that Germany sold a fifth of its car output in the UK. I must say that I think that it was extraordinary to hear that we would have tariffs imposed on us because everybody knows that this country receives about a fifth of Germanys entire car manufacturing output - 820,000 vehicles a year,' he said. The teams are debating Britain's EU membership in front of a massive 6,000 crowd Labour's London Mayor Sadiq Khan is one of the three Remain campaigners taking part last night Do you seriously suppose that they are going to be so insane as to allow tariffs to be imposed between Britain and Germany? In some of the most heated scenes of the evening, Ms Davidson accused Mr Johnson of not caring about workers, saying he would not 'guarantee jobs'. But Mr Johnson said: 'They are back to Project Fear within moments. They have nothing positive to say.' Gisela Stuart said it was no surprise that big businesses supported Britain staying in the EU and pointed out that former M&S chief Lord Rose, who admitted wages would go up after a vote to leave the EU. Miranda Grell, who is supporting Remain, said that as a black British woman she was grateful to the EU for worker rights introduced by Brussels. She asked the panel: If we leave the EU will this be a slippery slope towards weaker employment and social rights in the UK? She told viewers: Big companies like Brussels because they're all lobbying to have their rules imposed and you have to comply with them...the chair of the In campaign, Sir Stuart Rose, from M&S said 'it's not going to be a step change or somebody's going to turn the lights out...wages will go up. Audience member Miranda Grell, a Remain backer, said that as a black British woman she was grateful to the EU for worker rights introduced by Brussels. She asked the panel: If we leave the EU will this be a slippery slope towards weaker employment and social rights in the UK? After Mr Johnson claimed that EU membership had stopped the UK Government stepping in to offer assistance to help save the steel plant in Port Talbot earlier this year, Mr Khan shot him down, shouting: One lie after another, after another. Boris Johnson lamenting the EU ban on exporting haggis to the US sent Twitter into overdrive Seconds after the debate finished David Cameron tweeted that the Boris Johnson-led Brexit team had shown they had 'no plan' for a post-Brexit Britain Ms Stuart denied Ms OGradys charge that only staying in the EU can workers rights be protected, but she was pounced on by her Labour colleague Mr Khan. In a bout of red-on-red action, Mr Khan told her: Gisela, you are so wrong. Every time you and I have been in a lobby voting for bills to give workers rights they've been in the other lobby voting against those rights. And let me tell you why youre wrong, because Priti Patel let the mask slip, Priti Patel has said if we could just halve the burdens of the EU social and employment legislation. And let me tell you what that means, it means rights for mums and dads, that means [giving] rights for part-time workers the same as full-time workers; that means rights for workers whose employers; let me tell you what else. He added: The worst thing for workers is their bosses, business goes out of business, them losing trade and losing jobs. And thats why we need a healthy economy and Gisa, you should know better. Ms Stuart shot back: The most important right is the right to a job and as long as we are shackled to a failing Eurozone, liable to bailout after bailout, we will not succeed. Mr Johnson lamented the fact that Britain could not negotiate its own free trade deals while it remained in the EU and pointed out that the EU had yet to secure free trade arrangements with the US, China and India. Using a Scottish example of why this harmed the British economy, he drew laughter from the 6,000-strong crowd as he told his Ms Davidson: Because the EU is in charge of our trade negotiations we cannot export haggis to America. In another sign of blue-on-blue infighting during this bitter EU campaign, the Scottish Tory leader shot back: Its not the Boris show. The two sides engaged in angry clashes over immigration and whether Turkey was on an accelerated path to join the EU . Mr Khan told the Leave camp: Your campaign hasnt been Project Fear. Its been Project Hate as far as immigration is concerned. You are telling lies. Turkey is not joining the EU. That is scaremongering Boris. You should be ashamed. Mr Johnson shot back: The last time I looked it was government policy to accelerate Turkish membership. Is it something they wish to happen in the Year 3,000 or is it something they wish to accelerate? 'I think it is perfectly reasonable to ask people if they would rather proceed on the basis of government promises on immigration or whether they would rather take back control and instigate a points based system so that the electorate can actually hold the government to account. Mr Johnson pointed out the current London mayor had previously said that those concerned about immigration should not be accused of prejudice. TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady says remaining in the EU is crucial in the protection of workers' rights He added: I am a passionate believer in immigration but it has got to be controlled. When we have numbers running at 184,000 net from the EU, 333,000 net in total and 77,000 coming here without a job it is absolutely time to take back control. Mr Johnson insisted people should celebrate the contribution made by immigrants, but said it was vital to bring their numbers under control. Look at the pressure large scale immigration is causing to public services and the downward pressure on wages. And look at the way we are forced to push away many people who might contribute mightily to the NHS,' he added. We want an Australian-style points system so we get the people we need. SADIQ KHAN TOOK PART IN 2-HOUR DEBATE AFTER NOT EATING OR DRINKING DUE TO RAMADAN Sadiq Khan during the debate London's Muslim Mayor Sadiq Khan took part in last night's debate despite not eating or drinking anything for more than 19 hours as he observed Ramadan. His spokesman confirmed he did not take exceptions even though he was one of the six candidates in the high-stakes referendum campaign - the last major TV debate before Thursday's historic vote. The debate came on the worst possible day for Mr Khan due to the Summer Solstice making it the longest day of the year. Muslims in London are required to fast from 2.40am until 9.24pm. However it didn't stop Mr Khan going after his predecessor as Mayor of London with gusto, accusing Boris Johnson of telling 'lie after lie, after lie' and running 'Project Hate'. Mr Khan became Western Europe's first Muslim Mayor when he beat Tory candidate Zac Goldsmith last month. At the start of Ramadan earlier in June the Labour Mayor said he would use the Muslim holy month to 'get out there and build bridges' between the capital's different communities. Mr Khan said he hoped that having a London Mayor observing Ramadan would help 'break down the mystique and suspicion' that surrounded his faith. Advertisement At several points during the debate host David Dimbleby had to intervene to try to calm tempers, at one stage telling Mr Khan to 'cool it'. Mrs Leadsom said some of the Remain sides remarks on immigration were not worthy of the debate. She added: Free movement does not even allow us to ask people if they have a criminal record. Free movement is creating enormous problems. Ms Davidson took her Tory colleague Ms Leadsom to task over Vote Leaves blatant untruths. I think I need to pick up on something Andrea said because I cant let it stand that you tell a blatant untruth in the middle of a debate two days before we vote. She said 60 per cent of our laws are made in European and its simply not true. 13 per cent of our laws, according to the independent House of Commons library that number is 13 per cent. In the last five year parliament it was four there were four bills out of 121 that came out of Europe. I think theres a real question here, that youre being asked to make a decision thats irreversibly, that we cant change if we wake up on Friday and dont like it, and were being sold it on a lie because they lied about the costs of Europe, they lied about Turkeys entrance to Europe, they lied about the European army because we have a veto over that. They put this on their leaflets and theyve lied about this tonight too and its not good enough because you deserve the truth, you deserve the truth, she finished to loud applause and banging from the audience. Mr Johnson, lashing out at the growing influence of the European Court of Justice, said: Since January 1993 there have been 27 other countries not in the European union that have done better than the United Kingdom in exporting goods into the single market; there have been 21 countries that have done better at exporting services they include most of the developing economies in the world including India, China and America. The best place for us is to be out of the morass, this supreme legal system and Im afraid Sadiq Khan is completely wrong the European Court of Justice is the supreme legal authority in our country and he knows that because hes a lawyer. Challenging Mr Khan directly, Mr Johnson told him: You would not deny that, do you deny it? As Mr Khan stood silently by, Mr Johnson added: The European Court of Justice is acquiring steadily more powers and under the Lisbon Treaty the EU expanded competences by about 45 new areas of competence and the European Court of Justice adjudicating in home affairs matters, in deporting foreign suspects, divorce laws for heavens sake things that have nothing to do with the single market. Putting the case for Brexit in a rousing final speech, Mr Johnson said: There is a very clear choice between those who speak of nothing but fear about the consequences of leaving the EU, and those on our side who speak of hope. They say we cannot do it. We say we can. They say we have no choice but to bend down to Brussels. We say they are woefully underestimating this country and what we can achieve. If we vote to leave and take back control, I believe this Thursday could be our countrys independence day. Tory MP Sarah Wollaston, who defected from Leave to Remain last week complaining about claims over what would happen to the NHS outside of the EU, took part in a separate panel discussion on the programme. The point is Ive listened to the evidence and its absolutely clear that our NHS, our health research will be hit if we leave this and theyll be hit because therell be less money for our services and because it will hit the workforce and it will hit our leadership role in research and development and cooperation with our European partners,' she said. There will be a very serious Brexit penalty for the NHS, make no mistake and if people are caring about the NHS and research when they make their vote I would say vote to remain with our European partners. Mr Khan took part in last night's debate despite not eating or drinking anything for more than 19 hours as he observed the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. His spokesman confirmed he did not take exceptions even though he was one of the six candidates in last night's high-stakes referendum campaign - the last major TV debate before Thursday's historic vote. The debate came on the worst possible day for Mr Khan due to the Summer Solstice making it the longest day of the year. Muslims in London required to fast from 2.40am until 9.24pm. Mr Johnson and Ms Davidson did not appear to have taken their on-screen dust up too seriously, and were all smiles after the cameras stopped rolling However it didn't stop Mr Khan going after his predecessor as Mayor of London with gusto, accusing Boris Johnson of telling 'lie after lie, after lie' and running 'Project Hate'. THE BEST OF THE SLUGS: WHO LANDED THE HARDEST BLOWS Boris vs Ruth on tariffs: 'Do you seriously suppose that they are going to be so insane as to allow tariffs to be imposed between Britain and Germany?' Ruth vs Andrea on Leave: 'Were being sold it on a lie because they lied about the costs of Europe, they lied about Turkeys entrance to Europe, they lied about the European army because we have a veto over that. They put this on their leaflets and theyve lied about this tonight too and its not good enough because you deserve the truth, you deserve the truth, she finished to loud applause and banging from the audience. Sadiq vs Gisela on workers' rights: 'Gisela, you are so wrong. Every time you and I have been in a lobby voting for bills to give workers rights they've been in the other lobby voting against those rights.' Ruth vs Boris on jobs: 'Asked if people were going to lose jobs, Johnson said they might or they might not. That's not good enough. Sadiq vs Boris on immigration: 'Your campaign hasnt been Project Fear. Its been Project Hate as far as immigration is concerned. You are telling lies. Turkey is not joining the EU. That is scaremongering Boris. You should be ashamed.' Advertisement Mr Khan became Western Europe's first Muslim Mayor when he beat Tory candidate Zac Goldsmith last month. At the start of Ramadan earlier in June the Labour Mayor said he would use the Muslim holy month to 'get out there and build bridges' between the capital's different communities. Mr Khan said he hoped that having a London Mayor observing Ramadan would help 'break down the mystique and suspicion' that surrounded his faith. Earlier, in an apparent sign of nerves in the Remain camp amid polls showing the outcome is still too close to call, David Cameron issued a desperate plea to older voters not to punish him for mistakes in government by sending Britain crashing out of the EU. Standing outside the famous 10 Downing Street door earlier, the Prime Minister tried to draw a line under another torrid spell of pressure over his failure to curb immigration, insisting that the economic case for membership was 'paramount'. The premier said a vote to leave on Thursday would be 'irreversible'. 'I know I haven't got everything right... but of this I am convinced... Britain is better off inside the EU than out on our own.' Mr Cameron said he wanted to speak directly to 'my generation and older' to think about their children and grandchildren. 'I know Europe isn't perfect, believe me I understand and I see those frustrations. I feel them myself,' he said. 'That's why we negotiated and enhanced our special status - out of the euro, keeping our borders, not involved in ever closer union. We have the best of both worlds. 'So as you take this decision, whether to remain or leave, do think about the hopes and dreams of your children and grandchildren. They know their chances to work, to travel, to build the sort of open and successful society they want to live in rests on this outcome. 'And remember, they can't undo the decision we take. If we vote out, that's it. It is irreversible. We will leave Europe for good. 'The next generation will have to live with the consequences far longer than the rest of us.' On Thursday 'it will just be you in that polling booth', he said, 'taking a decision that will affect your future, your children's future, your grandchildren's future'. He added: 'Our economic security is paramount. It will be stronger if we stay; if we leave we will put it at risk. 'That is a risk to jobs, a risk to families, a risk to our children's future and there is no going back.' Mr Johnson claimed EU membership had stopped the UK Government stepping in to offer assistance to help save the steel plant in Port Talbot earlier this year. But Mr Khan shot back: One lie after another, after another. Ruth Davidson, Tory Scottish leader, is a passionate pro-EU campaigner The three Brexiteers taking part in the Wembley Arena debate were, from left to right, Tory MP and former Mayor of London Boris Johnson, Labour MP Gisela Stuart and Tory energy minister Andrea Leadsom A DIVIDED NATION WITH TWO DAYS TO GO: POLLING DATA REVEALS THE DEEP SPLITS BETWEEN YOUNG AND OLD, THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH Data gathered by YouGov for The Times revealed deep splits within Britain on the EU referendum question as different sectors of the population appear set to vote in different ways on Thursday Britain is split down the middle with just two days of the referendum battle to go. As voters prepare to go to the polls on Thursday to decide the future of the nation, YouGov data revealed deep splits across the nation. While London and Scotland break strongly for Remain, Wales, the Midland and the North look set on a Leave vote. Voters aged over 50 are leading the charge for Brexit but those aged 18 to 24 are set to heavily back the campaign to keep Britain inside the EU. The YouGov survey, for The Times, found Leave was slightly ahead at this late stage of the race scoring 44 per cent to Remain's 42 per cent. And a Survation poll also showed support for staying in the EU shrinking, with the Remain campaign ahead of Leave by a margin of just one per cent. But an ORB poll for the Telegraph - focused only on those who say they will definitely turn out on Thursday - found Remain ahead by 6 per cent, scoring 53 per cent to 46 per cent. Advertisement Lord Sugar slammed for 'utterly unacceptable' claim that Brexit campaigner 'shouldn't tell us British what we should do' because she's from Germany Infighting has broken out in the Remain campaign after pro-EU Apprentice boss Lord Sugar said a Brexit campaigner should not 'tell us British what we should do' because she is from Germany. He was attacking Labour MP Gisela Stuart, who is from Bavaria and moved to Britain in 1974 and was representing the Brexit camp in the last major TV debate before Thursday's referendum. James McGrory, the spokesman for the official Britain Stronger In Europe campaign, said his remarks were 'utterly unacceptable'. It was an extraordinary outbreak of infighting within the Remain campaign just hours before polls open in Britain's first referendum on EU membership in 41 years. Ms Stuart, now a British citizen, was representing the Leave campaign alongside Boris Johnson and Tory minister Andrea Leadsom in front of 6,000 people at a high-stakes debate Wembley Arena. Businessman and Remain backer Lord Sugar took exception at her appearance in the debate, tweeting: 'I find it strange that Gisela Gschaider a 1974 immigrant from Germany is on the Brexit panel telling us British what we should do.' Tory MP and Leave backer Nadhim Zahawi took exception to the remarks, saying: 'You must withdraw and apologise to Gisela. That is disgraceful. She is as British as you are' James McGrory, the spokesman for the official Britain Stronger In Europe campaign, said Lord Sugar's remarks were 'utterly unacceptable' Businessman and Remain backer Lord Sugar took exception at her appearance in the debate, tweeting: 'I find it strange that Gisela Gschaider a 1974 immigrant from Germany is on the Brexit panel telling us British what we should do.' He added: 'She immigrated to UK from Germany in 1974. 30 mins ago was advocating that we stop immigration from the EU.' And after one of his Twitter followers branded him a 'racist', Lord Sugar replied: 'You ignorant fool. How can my comment be classified as racist. Crawl back under your rock'. Lord Sugar again insisted he was not being racist, pointing out that Ms Stuart is an immigrant who is now arguing against immigration. In a series of tweets, he said: 'Yes she is (British) now, and has been arguing that we need to curb immigrants from the EU. She immigrated to UK from Germany in 1974. Tory MP and Leave backer Nadhim Zahawi took exception to the remarks, saying: 'You must withdraw and apologise to Gisela. That is disgraceful. She is as British as you are.' And former Tory MP Louise Mensch tweeted: '@Lord-Sugar PIG'. But it was the condemnation of the official Remain campaign that will do the most damage to Lord Sugar. Mr McGrory tweeted: 'This is utterly unacceptable. I couldn't disagree with Gisela Stuart more but she has every right to say her piece.' It's all fun and games! Boris Johnson and Ruth Davidson embrace minutes after mauling each other over Haggis in bruising EU referendum debate Boris Johnson and Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson embraced just minutes after mauling each other in a bruising final EU debate last night. The Tory pair repeatedly clashed in the two-hour debate at Wembley Arena, with pro-EU Ms Davidson interrupting Mr Johnson mid-sentence to tell viewers: 'It isn't the Boris show. She accused his Brexit campaign of lying and echoed Tom Cruise as she told voters: 'You deserve the truth'. But getting his own back, Mr Johnson used a Scottish example to attack Ms Davidson's argument for staying in the EU. He drew laughter from the 6,000-strong crowd as he told her: Because the EU is in charge of our trade negotiations we cannot export haggis to America. Boris Johnson (right) hugs Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson (left) despite the pair repeatedly clashing during in the two-hour debate at Wembley Arena last night But as soon as the cameras had stopped rolling, the two rivals - who have both been tipped as future Tory leaders - were seen smiling as they hugged each other on stage. Ms Davidson, a keen kick-boxer who announced her engagement to partner Jennifer Wilson last month, also laid into her Tory colleague Andrea Leadsom, another Brexit panelist. She took Ms Leadsom to task over Vote Leave's claim that 60 per cent of our laws originate from Brussels. I think I need to pick up on something Andrea said because I cant let it stand that you tell a blatant untruth in the middle of a debate two days before we vote,' she said in yet another example of a blue-on-blue attack. She said 60 per cent of our laws are made in European and its simply not true. 13 per cent of our laws, according to the independent House of Commons library that number is 13 per cent. In the last five year parliament it was four there were four bills out of 121 that came out of Europe. Ms Davidson added: I think theres a real question here, that youre being asked to make a decision thats irreversibly, that we cant change if we wake up on Friday and dont like it, and were being sold it on a lie because they lied about the costs of Europe, they lied about Turkeys entrance to Europe, they lied about the European army because we have a veto over that. They put this on their leaflets and theyve lied about this tonight too and its not good enough because you deserve the truth, you deserve the truth, she finished to loud applause and banging from the audience. Queen said to have been asking dinner guests for 'three good reasons' why Britain should be in EU The Queen is said to have been asking dinner guests to give her 'three good reasons' why Britain should be in the EU. Royal author Robert Lacey claimed the monarch has been posing the question to those she entertains privately. In an article for The Daily Beast website, Mr Lacey wrote: '"Give me three good reasons," she has apparently been asking her dinner companions recently, "why Britain should be part of Europe?"' A Buckingham Palace spokesman said it would not comment on private conversations. Buckingham Palace said it did not comment on private conversations and the Queen was 'above politics' 'The Queen is above politics and acts on the advice of her Government in political matters,' the spokesman said. 'The referendum is a matter for the British people to decide.' Sources pointed out that Mr Lacey did not seem to have heard the question himself, and stressed that there was no claim that the monarch had offered her own views. The Sun was rebuked by the press regulator in March for suggesting that the Queen favoured leaving the EU. Asked about the article today, Mr Lacey said: 'The Queen likes a healthy debate around the dinner table. It was just a question. 'She's aware of the complexities for different parts of the UK. 'As we know, she's very careful not to betray whatever her personal opinions may be on this. You can say the same of her husband.' Police have arrested a terror suspect as he tried to board a flight at Heathrow airport to leave the UK. The Metropolitan Police confirmed that the 29-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possessing information of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism. They added that the suspect was held as he tried to board a flight bound for Saudi Arabia on Monday afternoon. Police have arrested a terror suspect as he tried to board a flight at Heathrow Airport, pictured, to leave the UK A house in West London is also being searched by anti-terror police in connection with the inquiry. A spokesman for Scotland Yard said: 'The man was detained under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act and subsequently arrested. 'He has been taken to a London police station where he remains in custody. 'An address in West London is being searched by officers from the Met's Counter Terrorism Command, SO15. ''A number of electronic devices have been seized for further examination in connection with his investigation. Inquiries are ongoing.' A cyclist narrowly avoided serious injury when a car careered into a clothes shop in China. Dramatic footage shows the large people carrier smashing into the shop. The driver knocks down rails of stock in the horror crash. Smash: Footage shows the moment a car smashed into a clothes shop in China Carnage: The car knocked down railings of clothes as it went on the rampage The camera then pans out to show the driver careering onto the pavement in the smash, narrowly avoiding a male cyclist. The footage was filmed in Foshan, Guangdong Province last Wednesday. Near miss: The car very narrowly missed a cyclist Ouch! The cyclist only just got away with risking a serious injury as the car careered into the shop According to local reports, an elderly woman also narrowly avoided injury in the smash. The driver was forced to pay the shop owner 1,500 worth of damages. Lampkin claims his account was hacked and insists he was at the gay club He was also unable to recall his friend's name or more details of attack of tragedy says 'Glad I wasn't at that one' A man who claimed he survived the Orlando terrorist attack is facing questions after a post on his own Facebook page suggests he was never even at the gay club during the shooting. Clint Lampkin gave a speech at an Alabama memorial service for victims of the June 12 atrocity which killed 49 and injured more than 50 at Pulse nightclub, WHNT reports. 'I was in the bar when it all happened,' he told a crowd of hundreds of mourners on Saturday, who gave him a standing ovation for sharing his story. Scroll down for video Clint Lampkin, who said he was in the Orlando gay club during the terror attack is facing questions over the validity of his claims However, a Facebook post has thrown doubt on Lampkin's claims after he appeared to say that he was never at the nightclub 'It was hard on me to see people getting shot. I did lose a friend that got shot.' 'Its really sad. I mean not just for my friend but all the others that lost their lives.' But when pressed for more details about his experience inside the club during the attack, he claimed the trauma had wiped his memory. 'I have really bad anxiety attacks,' he said. 'So I just kinda, I don't know, my mind is just gone,' he told reporters afterwards. Lampkin could not even recall the name of the friend who was shot in the mass shooting. Clint Lampkin gave a speech at an Alabama memorial service for victims of the June 12 atrocity which killed 49 and injured more than 50 at Pulse nightclub 'I was in the bar when it all happened,' he told a crowd of hundreds of mourners on Saturday, who gave him a standing ovation for sharing his story He explained that he had only known his friend for a short time and couldn't remember his name. However, a Facebook post has thrown more doubt on Lampkin's claims after he appeared to say that he was never at the nightclub. The Arby's cashier appears to have posted a link to a news story about the tragedy on the social media site with the caption: 'Glad I wasn't at that one.' The post was made at just after 7am on June 12 - the morning of the terrorist attack. It has since been deleted. It came to light after one of Lampkin's friends sent a screenshot of the post to local station WHNT. reports. Lampkin has denied writing the Facebook post and claims his account was hacked. He still insists he was at Pulse nightclub in Florida when Omar Mateen burst in and opened fire on revelers. Lampkin insists he was there when Omar Mateen's (left) opened fire inside an Orlando nightclub (right) Thousands gathered at memorial events across the United States after the tragedy on June 12 James Robinson, CEO of Free2Be and Organizer of the Rocket City Pride Memorial Service in Huntsville, Alabama, where Lamkpin spoke said he's since received numerous calls from people who say the story is not true. 'You don't want to think that anyone would take advantage of the situation, and quite honestly, I don't know whether he did or not,' he said. Donald Trump tried to sew seeds of doubt into Hillary Clinton's Christian faith as he urged a group of Evangelical leaders to pray to get out the vote, in a new line of attack against his Democratic rival. The questioning of Clinton's internal religious core represents a new line of attack for the candidate, who usually brands his Democratic rival as 'crooked' and has faulted her for enabling her husband's past infidelity. Trump told a group of Evangelical leaders he met with in New York that the nation doesn't know 'anything about Hillary in terms of religion.' He continued: 'She's been in the public eye for years and years. And yet there's no there's nothing out there. There's like nothing out there.' Trump told Evangelical leaders the country doesn't know 'anything about Hillary in terms of religion' Then he compared Clinton to President Obama. 'It's going to be an extension of Obama,' Trump said Tuesday. 'It's gonna be worse. Because with Obama you had your guard up. With Hillary, you don't and it's gonna be worse. Trump spearheaded the effort to call on Obama to release his long-form birth certificate, and has questioned over the years whether Obama was really born in the U.S. or was in fact a Christian. 'He doesn't have a birth certificate. He may have one, but there's something on that, maybe religion, maybe it says he is a Muslim,' Trump said on Fox News in 2011. 'I don't know. Maybe he doesn't want that.' Obama is a Christian who worshiped at Trinity United Church of Christ when he lived in Chicago. Clinton attended Great St. Paul Missionary Church in Oakland before the California primary Lots to pray about: Clinton prays with former New York City mayor David Dinkins in South Carolina in 2008 Clinton has made regular appearances at black churches around the country during the campaign. Here she visits the Greater Imani Cathedral of Faith in Memphis in 2016 Trump also told the faith leaders he wanted them to pray for voter turnout. 'So I think people were saying some of the people were saying lets pray for our leaders. Well, you can pray for your leaders and I agree with that. Pray for everyone. But what you really have to do is you have to pray to get everybody out to vote. For one specific person,' he said. 'We can't be again politically correct and say we pray for all of our leaders, because all of your leaders are selling Christianity down the tubes. Selling evangelicals down the tubes. And it's a very very bad thing what's happening. Trump made the remarks at a meeting with evangelical leaders. E.W. Webb, a radio host who ran for lieutenant governor of Virginia, posted video of the remarks. Dios Mio: Clinton prays with the rector of Basillica de Guadalupe, Diego Monroy, in Mexico City Clinton spoke at the Mount Carmel baptist church in St. Louis in 2008 Candle in the wind: Clinton lights at candle a the Cathedral at the Patriarchy in Istanbul, Turkey in 2011 The Clintons worshipped at the Foundry United Methodist Church in D.C. when they were in the White House Can you hear me now? Clinton addresses the Global Summit on Aids and the Church in 2007 at the Saddleback Church in California Righteous path: Clinton helps her husband walk down the steps of their Methodist church in D.C. when she was first lady No justice, no peace: Some religious analysts put Clinton within the social justice movement in the Methodist church Clinton told CNN in 2007 that she was 'grounded' in faith but that 'advertising' it doesn't come naturally. 'A lot of the talk about and advertising about faith doesn't come naturally to me. It is something that you know, I keep thinking of the Pharisees and all of Sunday school lessons and readings that I had as a child,' she said. 'But I think your -- your faith guides you every day. Certainly, mine does. But, at those moments in time when you're tested, it -- it is absolutely essential that you be grounded in your faith,' she added. She grew up in the Methodist church, and attended a Methodist church in DC when her husband served as president. Clinton once joked at a faith forum in 2008 that she prayed for 'discernment, for wisdom, for strength, for courage,' an article in ReligionNews.com noted. He also joked, ''Oh, Lord, why can't you help me lose weight?' Clinton said in Iowa during her campaign this year, 'I am a person of faith. I am a Christian. I am a Methodist. I have been raised Methodist. I feel very grateful for the instructions and support I received starting in my family but through my church, and I think that any of us who are Christian have a constantly, constant, conversation in our own heads about what we are called to do and how we are asked to do it.' Donald Trump led the movement calling for the release of President Obama's long-form birth certificate after questioning his origins Trump's proposed temporary Muslim ban has drawn controversy during the campaign 'My study of the Bible, my many conversations with people of faith, has led me to believe the most important commandment is to love the Lord with all your might and to love your neighbor as yourself,' Clinton continued, the New York Times reported at the time. 'And that is what I think we are commanded by Christ to do, and there is so much more in the Bible about taking care of the poor, visiting the prisoners, taking in the stranger, creating opportunities for others to be lifted up, to find faith themselves that I think there are many different ways of exercising your faith. Trump also announced Tuesday the creation of an Evangelical advisory board to 'provide advisory support to Mr. Trump on those issues important to Evangelicals and other people of faith in America.' Who will be next in the passenger seat for an upcoming edition of 'Carpool Karaoke' with late-night comic James Corden? None other than Michelle Obama. Corden was at the White House on Tuesday for the taping with the First Lady. The first lady announced the appearance with Corden as she launched an account on Snapchat. Follow her at 'MichelleObama.' Songbirds: Late-night talk show host James Corden was at the White House on Tuesday to tape the carpool karaoke segment, which First Lady Michelle Obama announced on her new Snapchat account New to Snap: Despite having Instagram and Twitter, Michelle Obama only launched her new Snapchat account on Tuesday with James Corden Michelle Obama put up a selfie of herself on the Snapchat account. The White House said the First Lady joined so that she could better promote her upcoming trip to Africa The White House says she joined the social media app to promote her trip next week to Africa. She will visit, Liberia, Morocco and Spain to encourage education for the estimated 62 million adolescent girls around the world who aren't attending school. Mrs. Obama is quite active on social media. She already had accounts on Twitter, Instagram and Medium. It's suspected that the FLOTUS will sing with Corden a rap song she released at the end of last year with comedian Jay Pharoah, called Go To College. First Lady Michelle Obama made a rap video with comedian Jay Pharoah (left) to promote attending college. The video was released in December 2015 Pharoah is known for his Saturday Night Live impression of her husband President Barack Obama. The video was part of Mrs. Obama's new 'Better Make Room' campaign to provide teens with the resources they need to pursue higher education. The video is a funny, if slightly cringeworthy, send-up of thecelebrity culture that Obama has said she wants to turn on itshead to try to get more American kids thinking about highereducation. The premise of the song is that Obama and Pharoah are explaining to two undecided young people why they should attend college after graduating from high school. In addition to rapping in front of the White House, the video features cuts of the First Lady laying down her vocals into a microphone while holding a headset up to her ear. Mrs Obama often speaks about how she worked hard to get good grades and degrees from Princeton and Harvard Obama and Pharoah had help on the video from viral video makers The Gregory Brothers and CollegeHumor On Tuesday however she was preoccupied with shooting her appearance on The Late Late Show. Host Corden suddenly appeared on Mrs Obama's newly-launched Snapchat to announce what was happening. 'Hi, I'm at the White House today," Corden said. "I'm going to take a spin in a car and sing some songs with" 'Me!' Mrs Obama cut in. Corden's Carpool Karaoke series has been a viral hit since it first launched. Typically the British comedian pretends to stumble across a celebrity on his way to work in LA and the two sing together and talk as he drives. Latest guest: Selena Gomez was the most recent star to appear on Carpool Karaoke and managed to convince Corden to get on a roller coaster Mrs Obama posted a photo to her Snapchat of the elaborate camera set-up inside the car on Tuesday, suggesting the two will be taking to the streets in Washington D.C. The Late Late Show has not announced when the episode will be going to air. Among the most popular Carpool Karaoke guests are Justin Bieber, Mariah Carey, Adele, Jennifer Hudson and One Direction. Friends and family gathered for the funeral of a two-year-old Nebraska boy who was killed by an alligator at Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. The Mass for Lane Thomas Graves was held Tuesday at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in west Omaha and was limited to family and friends. The ceremony in Omaha, Nebraska, comes a week after Lane Graves was attacked by an alligator as he paddled with his parents at the lagoon near Disney World's Grand Floridian hotel. Friends and family gathered for the funeral of a two-year-old Nebraska boy who was killed by an alligator at Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida Lane's funeral was held Tuesday at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in west Omaha and was limited to family and friends The Graves have established the Lane Thomas Foundation, saying all donations will go to charity, to help 'create a lasting legacy for their son' The boy's parents, who were on vacation from Nebraska when their son (pictured here as a baby) died, said they have been 'overwhelmed with the support and love' that have poured in since the tragedy His father Matt tried to fight the reptile off but was left bloodied as it dragged his son underwater following the attack, which took place beyond 'no swimming' signs. Disney has since installed a fence and changed its signs to explicitly warn guests of alligators. In a statement, Matt and Melissa Graves thanked the 'friends and strangers who share in our loss and who have shown us profound compassion.' The Graves have established the Lane Thomas Foundation, saying all donations will go to charity, to help 'create a lasting legacy for their son'. On the foundation's website they say 'Losing Lane has broken our hearts in the worst possible way. 'While there is no way to mend our hearts, we can do good work in his honor.' The donations are being accepted on behalf of the Lane Thomas Foundation at the Omaha Community Foundation, which go direct to 'various charitable organizations', according to the site. Loved ones also gathered on Monday at a vigil for young Graves, also at St Patricks. A vigil was held Monday for Lane Thomas Graves at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in west Omaha The service for Lane Graves took place at 3pm on Monday at St. Patrick's Catholic Church (pictured) in Omaha, Nebraska Authorities say an alligator pulled Lane into the water last Tuesday at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, despite the frantic efforts of his father. Lane's body was recovered Wednesday. An autopsy showed the boy died from drowning and traumatic injuries. The beach at the resort is across a lake from the Magic Kingdom. It had 'no swimming' signs but no warning about alligators. The boy's parents, who were on vacation from Nebraska when their son was dragged from the water's edge by the alligator, said they have been 'overwhelmed with the support and love' that have poured in since the tragedy captured national attention. 'Melissa and I continue to deal with the loss of our beloved boy, Lane, and are overwhelmed with the support and love we have received from family and friends in our community as well as from around the country,' father Matt Graves said in the statement issued by their church in Elkhorn, Nebraska, on Saturday. Over the weekend, Disney unveiled a new sign warning against alligators and snakes where Lane was dragged to his death. An autopsy showed Graves died from drowning and traumatic injuries in the lake (pictured) near the Magic Kingdom Over the weekend, Disney unveiled a new sign warning against alligators and snakes where Lane was dragged to his death A harrowing 911 call recvealed how a woman begged for help after the toddler was dragged off by the alligator (pictured, marine units looking for Graves' body on June 15) Authorities, meanwhile, have released harrowing audio from a 911 call that a woman made when Lane was snatched. She is heard pleading for help. 'Please come to the Grand Floridian, please. Someone drowned in the... in the... Seven Seas Lagoon Lake,' a female voice is heard telling an emergency dispatcher. It is believed that the caller worked at a resort bar. In the 911 audio, the dispatcher tells the woman to get closer to the shore and call back to give more information. But the woman never called back, because emergency responders arrived within minutes. An earlier 911 call had been made automatically when a lifeguard rushed to assist the toddler at 9.15pm, ABC News reported. Jacquee Wahler, Vice President of Walt Disney World Resort, told Daily Mail Online in a statement: 'We are installing signage and temporary barriers at our resort beach locations and are working on permanent, long-term solutions at our beaches. 'We continue to evaluate processes and procedures for our entire property, and, as part of this, we are reinforcing training with our cast for reporting sightings and interactions with wildlife and are expanding our communication to guests on this topic.' Matt Morgan, an Orlando lawyer, predicted a multi-million-dollar settlement for wrongful death. A four-year-old girl has miraculously escaped unscathed after a car smashed into her bedroom wall in the early hours of Wednesday. About 4am a Holden Commodore ran off the road and ploughed into the wall of a home in Rockdale in Sydney's south. The male driver - who according to the girl's mother lit up a cigarette before fleeing the scene - is still on the run from police. Scroll down for video A four-year-old girl has miraculously escaped unscathed after a car smashed into her bedroom in Rockdale The child's mother, Francesca Decelis, said her daughter escaped completely unharmed. 'She was in the bedroom. Thank God her bed is on the opposite - so it's just come straight through the wardrobe, into the bedroom and thank god she's okay,' she told 9News. 'Shocked, I think I'm still in shock. Maybe when the sunrises I might feel differently... (it's) pretty dreadful'. Ms Decelis said her daughter - who celebrated her fourth birthday on Tuesday - was completely fine following the accident and a neighbour was looking after her. About 4am a Holden Commodore ran off the road and ploughed into the wall of the home in Sydney's south The child's mother, Francesca Decelis, said her daughter escaped completely unharmed After the crash a police dog squad searched the area but were unable to locate the driver of the car. 'The vehicle has been towed from the premises and officers from Fire & Rescue NSW have conducted an initial check of the damage,' NSW police said in a statement. British Airways has suspended flights to Sharm el-Sheikh 'indefinitely' amid continued security concerns after a Russian jet was bombed out of the sky over Egypt. No flights have operated between the UK and the Red Sea resort since November last year after the terrorist bombing of a passenger plane which killed all 224 on board. BA had previously only cancelled flights up until specific dates pending a change in Government advice. British Airways has suspended flights to Sharm el-Sheikh 'indefinitely' amid continued security concerns after a Russian jet was bombed out of the sky over Egypt. File image But the airline has issued a statement which read: 'The safety and security of our customers will always be our top priorities and we have suspended our flights from Gatwick to Sharm el-Sheikh indefinitely. 'Customers who hold bookings on any cancelled services for the coming winter season can claim a full refund or can use the money to cover a new booking with us for an alternative destination.' A spokesman for easyJet said the low-cost carrier 'remains committed to resuming services to Sharm', but added that it will not happen until the Government's advice changes. Monarch has cancelled all flights to Sharm up to and including October 30. The Luton-based airline issued a statement which insisted that it hopes to resume services from the beginning of the winter season. But it admitted that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has given 'no update or indications' as to when its travel advice may change. No flights have operated between the UK and the Red Sea resort since November last year after the terrorist bombing of a passenger plane which killed all 224 on board. File image Thomson Airways has suspended its flights to Sharm until at least September 28. A spokesman for the airline said: 'We would like to thank our customers for their continued patience and apologise for the inconvenience caused whilst the current FCO advice is in place.' The Association of British Travel Agents has previously said the decision on whether or not to use Sharm airport is not made by airlines but by the UK authorities, and flights will only start again when they are satisfied security is strong enough. The Government suspended flights to Sharm on November 4 last year after an Airbus 321 operated by Russian airline Metrojet crashed, killing 224 people. Islamic State jihadis have claimed responsibility for the bombing of the passenger jet. Britons at the resort were brought home in a series of flights amid heightened security measures which ended on November 17. He started fighting against heroin after his daughter died four months ago from an overdose with her boyfriend The gun range owner who was arrested alongside two others outside of a New York City tunnel with a cache of weapons turned into a self-styled vigilante after tragically losing his 20-year-old daughter to a heroin overdose this year. John Cramsey, 50, who runs Higher Ground Tactical in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, was with Dean Smith, 52, and 29-year-old Kimberly Arendt when they were pulled over outside the Holland Tunnel on Tuesday. Authorities first stopped the group for a cracked windshield, before multiple loaded guns, rifles, knives, ballistic vests and a camouflage helmet were discovered. When questioned, they described themselves as self-styled vigilantes, according to reports, and were on their way to a Brooklyn hotel where they wanted to 'extract' a teenager from a bad situation that possibly involved heroin. The trio was detained on the four-month anniversary of the day Cramsey's daughter, Alexandria 'Lexii' Cramsey, died of a heroin and fentanyl overdose. The 20-year-old girl, who passed away on February 21, was found with her boyfriend, Marquillis Calhoun, who was also dead inside of a Pennsylvania house. Scroll down for video John Cramsey, 50, (left) who runs Higher Ground Tactical in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, was with Dean Smith, 52, (right) and 29-year-old Kimberly Arendt when they were pulled over outside the Holland Tunnel in New York Cramsey, whose daughter recently died of a heroin overdose, is seen smiling as they made their way towards the city Three people have been arrested outside a New York City tunnel after police found this huge cache of weapons in their vehicle. The collection included rifles, ballistic vests and a camouflage helmet They were detained on the four-month anniversary of the day Cramsey's daughter, Alexandria 'Lexii' Cramsey (pictured), died of a heroin overdose The 22-year-old man died from a 'mixed drug toxicity' overdose, the Lehigh County coroner's office detailed in a report, according to The Morning Call. As both deaths were ruled accidental, Cramsey, who is from Zionsville, Pennsylvania, near Allentown, started a mission to fight against heroin. Following her death, the father consistently shared posts about it on Facebook and the battle against the drug. In a post from February, he described himself as 'an addict' for his late-daughter, who worked as a professional model with three agencies in Atlanta, Philadelphia and Mexico. 'Now, I want to personally address the confusion of why we proudly display the 'SHOOT YOUR LOCAL HEROIN DEALER' decals,' Cramsey wrote. 'Who are you to judge me for my opinion.' 'Grow up and either get involved...or get out of here!' he added. Cramsey also spoke in an interview not long after her death about visiting the place where she died in Allentown. The 20-year-old girl (above), who died on February 21, was found with her boyfriend, Marquillis Calhoun, who was also dead. Cramsey consistently shared posts about her death and the battle against the drug on Facebook Alexandria 'Lexii' Cramsey (above) worked as a professional model with three agencies in Atlanta, Philadelphia and Mexico One of the gun clips had America written on and another had 'United We Stand' A picture of the vehicle believed to be involved shows it covered with logos related to Higher Ground Tactical - a gun range based in Pennsylvania According to The Morning Call, he said that he even laid down on the bed where she passed away inside a home. 'I wanted to see where she took her last breath,' Cramsey said. 'It was like Daddy tucking her in one last time.' Just before he was arrested on Tuesday, Cramsey wrote on Facebook: 'I'm currently 11 miles outside of Brooklyn New York and going to a hotel to extract a 16 year old girl who went up there to Party with a few friends. 'One of those friends she went up there with will not be returning. 'This young lady from Wilkes Barre is scared and wants to come home. Last night she woke to find her friends body next to her in the same bed were her friend died of another heroin overdose. 'The Child named [censored] and she is from the Wilkes Barre area. 'A Facebook message to the Mother and the Brother with no response yet. I'm bringing her out of NY today and anybody else in that hotel that wants to go home too.' Cramsey is believed to have made similar 'rescues' in recent months. A picture of the fluorescent Dodge truck believed to be involved shows it covered with logos for the gun range. A sign in the back window reads: 'We The People'. When Daily Mail Online reached Higher Ground Tactical by phone, they said they had heard something about the arrest but couldn't comment any further. They posted this image of the Manhattan skyline shortly before they were arrested Cramsey was seen posing next to the vehicle that was pulled over as it was heading to New York Cramsey is believed to have tried to make similar rescues in the past few months Smith and Cramsey talked on Facebook just hours before they reportedly left Pennsylvania for New York Around 2,000 rounds of ammunition were also discovered inside, according to reports. One of the gun clips had 'Merica' written on and another had 'United We Stand'. WHAT WAS INSIDE THE TRUCK A pump action shotgun with a pistol grip and collapsible stock An SAR-98 Salamander Arms assault rifle 7 clips of ammunition for the rifle 4 9mm pistols 1 .45 caliber pistol, with several magazines A Kevlar bullet resistant helmet with camouflage cover Tactical goggles Night-vision goggles Body armor Advertisement The Joint Terrorism Task Force is assisting in the investigation. They said there was 'no nexus to terrorism,' according to NBC New York. Law enforcement sources said they were 'gun authorities.' Authorities believe the suspects were in possession of the firearms as part of criminal activity, likely heroin related. Drugs were also found in the vehicle along with the guns, according to one law enforcement official. One of the suspects allegedly told officers they were on their way to Queens. A source initially told CBS New York they were going to shoot a rival dealer. The suspects reportedly said they wanted to save a friend who is on heroin and being held against her will in Brooklyn. The trio was stopped on the New Jersey side of the tunnel around 8am (pictured on Tuesday morning) The Joint Terrorism Task Force said on Tuesday they were monitoring the situation on Twitter (above) Police are still working to verify their story and the investigation is ongoing. The Holland Tunnel carries Interstate 78 under the Hudson River and connects Jersey City with Manhattan. It is one of the busiest commuter routes into New York City. More than 34million vehicles use it every year. A Port Authority spokesman told Daily Mail Online: 'Astute Port Authority Police work led to the stoppage of a vehicle on the New Jersey side of the Holland Tunnel this morning, leading to the arrest of three individuals from the state of Pennsylvania on a variety of charges related to illegal possession of guns and ammunition. 'At this time, the investigation is continuing, but the agency does not believe the incident is terrorism-related 'At about 07.40 hours a motor vehicle was stopped by Port Authority Police at the Holland Tunnel, NJ Toll Plaza for an equipment violation (cracked windshield). 'Multiple weapons (Rifles and handguns) some loaded. Under arrest are 2 males in their 50's and a female in her 20's. Charges are pending.' Authorities believe the suspects were in possession of the firearms as part of criminal activity, likely heroin related. The New Jersey entrance to the Holland Tunnel is pictured 'He burns my private parts. He won't let me eat or drink. He beats me. He's going to kill me,' shouted Blair Blair, 43, began to cry and scream about being physically abused by a man The actress was allegedly mixing wine and pills on the plane, according to eyewitnesses Blair was rushed to a Los Angeles hospital on Monday after being met by paramedics on a flight home from Cancun Selma Blair has apologized for her bizarre in-flight outburst saying: 'I am a flawed human being who makes mistakes and am filled with shame' Selma Blair is apologizing following a bizarre incident that happened aboard a Delta flight on Monday as a new photograph has emerged showing two nurses trying to assist the actress on the plane. In the photo, the 43-year-old is seated next to the window with a pillow to rest her head on, as one nurse stands over her and another is seated next to her. Blair allegedly mixed alcohol and medication before she started crying and shouting about being abused on the flight home from Cancun. 'I made a big mistake yesterday. After a lovely trip with my son and his Dad, I mixed alcohol with medication, and that caused me to black out and led me to say and do things that I deeply regret,' said Blair in a statement to Vanity Fair. 'My son was with his Dad asleep with his headphones on, so there is that saving grace. I take this very seriously, and I apologize to all of the passengers and crew that I disturbed and am thankful to all of the people who helped me in the aftermath. Scroll down for video Comfort: Selma Blair was comforted by two nurses (above) aboard a Delta flight after she lost control on board when she allegedly mixed medication and alcohol. The actress was crying and screaming about being abused Pill scare: Selma Blair was rushed to a Los Angeles hospital on Monday after being met by paramedics on a flight home from Cancun (Blair above over the weekend with son Arthur and ex Jason Bleick) Delivery: A mystery man (above) was seen dropping off flowers at her home on Tuesday afternoon Recovering: Blair is back at home after being rushed to the hospital on Monday 'I am a flawed human being who makes mistakes and am filled with shame over this incident. I am truly very sorry.' The actress received a visit there from the mystery man she has been spotted with over the past year, who carried an orchid with him into the house. Meanwhile, her son Arthur spent the day with her ex Jason Bleick, who posted a photo of the couple's child, writing: 'A new day & an early morning stick hunt with dad. #arthursaintbleick #everydayisbeautiful.' Blair was rushed to a Los Angeles hospital after she reportedly mixed alcohol and pills on a flight home from Cancun and began to scream about a man physically abusing her. 'He burns my private parts. He won't let me eat or drink. He beats me. He's going to kill me,' shouted Blair, who broke down in tears, fellow passengers told TMZ. Blair was travelling home from Cancun with 4-year-old son Arthur and Bleick, who Blair had surprised with a trip to the Mexican resort city as a Father's Day gift. She and Bleick were seen getting close at one point over the weekend as they sat with their son at the beach. The actress received a visit there from the mystery man she has been spotted with over the past year Happy kid: Arthur spent the day with Blair's ex Jason Bleick, who posted a photo of the couple's child (above), writing: 'A new day & an early morning stick hunt with dad. #arthursaintbleick #everydayisbeautiful' Feeling the pace: Selma Blair looked exhausted when snapped on the beach in Mexico on Sunday Bleick posted a photo of himself and Arthur on their flight home shortly before Blair's episode, writing: 'On our way back from Fathers Day in Mexico. #arthursaintbleick A source familiar with the situation told People: 'She was met by paramedics at LAX as soon as her plane arrived. It looks like she had taken a combination of prescription medication with alcohol. We don't know what sort of prescription medications.' Prior to landing the pilot got in touch with air control and told them she had been mixing alcohol and an unknown medication. Two nurses were also on the flight and went through the actress' belongings to try and determine what sort of pills the actress might have taken during the trip. The 43-year-old People V. OJ Simpson star seemed to be enjoying her time in Cancun over the weekend, according to fellow guests at the Hard Rock Hotel in Riviera Maya. 'She was happy and healthy the entire trip,' one onlooker told People. 'Arthur was so happy to spend the weekend with his family, giving his mom lots of hugs and kisses on their beach getaway.' Traveling partners: She was flying home from a Father's Day weekend trip with her ex Jason Bleick and son Arthur (above), who were both with her on the plane Tired: It appeared Selma was somewhat exhausted during her getaway Getting close: The exes were seen getting close over the weekend as they posed for photos at the resort Baby boy: Blair and Bleick have remained close despite their split as they co-parent four-year-old Arthur Blair did however look tired on Sunday when she was photographed on the beach in a white bikini while her son and Bleick played in the water. In one photo the actress is hunched over and appears to almost be in pain with here eyes closed. She and Bleick seem to have gotten closer in recent months, with the actress posting a a photo of the two of them taken while she was pregnant with Arthur in honor of Bleick's birthday in April. 'Happy birthday @jasonbleick. This picture, taken just a few months into my pregnancy, and we were so much in love,' wrote Blair. 'Thank you for the sweetest memories of that time and for our son, that unconditional love. Happy birthday dad.' Great time: 'She was happy and healthy the entire trip,' one onlooker at the resort said of the actress Drained: 'Somehow, I was just hanging on. But then it caught up with me - totally - and, since then, I've just fallen apart,' she told TV Week in 2012. I need to get myself back together so I can go back to work so I can pay for a house for this baby.' Take that daddy: Meanwhile Arthur was having a ball in the water splashing his father Jason Bleick Close: Blair and Bleick seem to have gotten closer in recent months, with the actress posting a a photo of the two of them taken while she was pregnant with Arthur in honor of Bleick's birthday in April. Blair posted a photo as she and Arthur made their way down to Cancun last week on Instagram for the trip. She captioned the image: 'We're leaving on a jet plane. Dad is already asleep. Not for long. Bwahahahha . #fathersdayweekend.' Representatives for Blair have not responded to multiple requests for comment from DailyMail.com. Selma and Bleick dated between 2010 and 2012, but they have appeared to maintain an amicable relationship since their split. Omar Mateen (above) was stood among his victims in Pulse nightclub just hours before shooting dead 49 of them in the worst gun attack in US history Orlando shooter Omar Mateen visited Pulse nightclub two hours before returning to gun down 49 people, a report claims. It was previously reported that Mateen had visited the club days before his attack to 'scout out' the location. But now FBI sources have told CBS he made one final visit to the gay nightclub on Saturday June 11 at around midnight to receive an entry wristband. According to the report, Mateen was stood among his victims inside the gay nightclub for a few minutes then left - and returned at 2am with a semiautomatic pistol and an AR-15. The news emerged on Tuesday, a day after the county medical examiner released Mateen's body. County officials said on Monday that the medical examiner was no longer in possession of Mateen's body. But they refused to give further details, including the identity of the person who claimed the body or when it was released. Officials also refused to make public his autopsy report. The medical examiner previously had said his office had kept Mateen's body separate from the 49 people he killed on June 12 when he opened fire in Pulse nightclub using a Sig Sauer MCX rifle and a pistol. He was shot dead by a SWAT team that burst into the club three hours after he started shooting. In a statement on Thursday, Orange County Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Joshua Stephany said Mateen was held in a building separate from the victims and that his autopsy was also conducted in a separate building. Dr. Stephany said he decided to do that not because of any requirement, but because he thought it was the right thing to do. 'This is not a law or requirement, but was rather done out of respect for the victims and their families, so that the shooter may never be near the 49 beautiful souls again,' he said. Scroll down for video County officials said on Monday that the medical examiner was no longer in possession of 29-year-old Omar Mateen's body. Pictured above, the medical examiner's office in Orlando Orange County Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Joshua Stephany (above) previously said Mateen was held in a building separate from the victims and that his autopsy was also conducted in a separate building Meanwhile, the news came as the FBI released the full transcript of his 50-second 911 call during the massacre, in which he pledged allegiance to the Islamic State. The FBI and U.S. State Department had released partial transcripts of the four calls with the emergency operator and crisis negotiators earlier on Monday. Much of what Mateen said was redacted, with all references to Islam, 9/11 and the leader of Islamic State removed, with authorities saying they did not want to provide a platform for propaganda. But they later reversed their decision and released the unredacted version after a wave of criticism from U.S. House of Representative Speaker Paul Ryan, Florida Governor Rick Scott and other political leaders. In a joint statement from the DoJ and the FBI, it said the change of heart was down to the redacted transcript 'causing unnecessary distraction' from the work of law enforcement authorities. It said the reason why only a redacted transcript of the conversations was released earlier on Monday was sensitivity to the interests of survivors and victims' families, and the integrity of the investigation. Mateen was shot dead by a SWAT team that burst into the Pulse nightclub (pictured above) 'We also did not want to provide the killer or terrorist organizations with a publicity platform for hateful propaganda,' the statement added. In a first call Mateen made to a 911 emergency operator at 2.35am, he said: 'I pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, may God protect him, on behalf of the Islamic State.' Mateen claimed responsibility for those killed early on in his call with the dispatcher, saying: 'Praise be to God, and prayers as well as peace be upon the prophet of God [in Arabic]. I let you know, I'm in Orlando and I did the shootings.' The dispatcher then asked Mateen where his exact location was in Orlando, which he responded to by hanging up the phone. Special Agent Ronald Hopper of the FBI said at a press conference on Monday morning that Mateen also 'made murderous statements in a chilling, calm and deliberate manner'. A little over ten minutes after his call with 911, Mateen received his first of many crisis negotiation calls. In those, he told the negotiator that America had to stop bombing Syria and Iraq while referring to himself as an 'Islamic solider.' Special Agent Ronald Hopper (above) of the FBI said at a press conference on Monday morning that Mateen also 'made murderous statements in a chilling, calm and deliberate manner' OMAR MATEEN 911 CALL TO ORLANDO POLICE DISPATCH ON JUNE 12 Advertisement But authorities believe Mateen, a U.S. citizen of Afghan descent, acted alone in the June 12 rampage, with no help from Islamist militant networks. Mateen said that the United States attacks on those two countries was why he was 'out here right now'. Mateen also told the negotiator he had a car outside that contained a bomb, and threatened to detonate it during their calls. 'There is some vehicle outside that has some bombs, just to let you know,' said Mateen. 'You people are gonna get it, and I'm gonna ignite it if they try to do anything stupid.' He also claimed to have vests like the ones 'used in France', a reference to last year's terror attacks in Paris. 'In the next few days, you're going to see more of this type of action going on,' he said, referencing his own attack. Those claims of Mateen's proved to be untrue, with no car found to be loaded up with bombs and a store owner coming forward last week to reveal that he refused to sell the mass murderer military-grade body armor. Mateen's conversations were made public as police sought to fend off criticism that they may have acted too slowly to end a three-hour standoff at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando. Orlando's police chief wouldn't answer questions about whether fire from any officers hit club-goers in the massacre, but said that if that happened, Mateen is still responsible for those deaths. Chief John Mina wouldn't give specifics when asked about the issue during a Monday news conference. But he said: 'Here's what I will tell you. Those killings are on the suspect, on the suspect alone in my mind.' He says the matter is part of the ongoing investigation. Infighting has broken out in the Remain campaign after pro-EU Apprentice boss Lord Sugar (pictured) said a Brexit campaigner should not 'tell us British what we should do' because she is from Germany Infighting has broken out in the Remain campaign after pro-EU Apprentice boss Lord Sugar said a Brexit campaigner should not 'tell us British what we should do' because she is from Germany. He was attacking Labour MP Gisela Stuart, who is from Bavaria and moved to Britain in 1974 and was representing the Brexit camp in the last major TV debate before Thursday's referendum. James McGrory, the spokesman for the official Britain Stronger In Europe campaign, said his remarks were 'utterly unacceptable'. It was an extraordinary outbreak of infighting within the Remain campaign just hours before polls open in Britain's first referendum on EU membership in 41 years. Ms Stuart, now a British citizen, was representing the Leave campaign alongside Boris Johnson and Tory minister Andrea Leadsom in front of 6,000 people at a high-stakes debate Wembley Arena. Businessman and Remain backer Lord Sugar took exception at her appearance in the debate, tweeting: 'I find it strange that Gisela Gschaider a 1974 immigrant from Germany is on the Brexit panel telling us British what we should do.' He added: 'She immigrated to UK from Germany in 1974. 30 mins ago was advocating that we stop immigration from the EU.' And after one of his Twitter followers branded him a 'racist', Lord Sugar replied: 'You ignorant fool. How can my comment be classified as racist. Crawl back under your rock'. Lord Sugar again insisted he was not being racist, pointing out that Ms Stuart is an immigrant who is now arguing against immigration. Businessman and Remain backer Lord Sugar took exception at her appearance in the debate, tweeting: 'I find it strange that Gisela Gschaider a 1974 immigrant from Germany is on the Brexit panel telling us British what we should do.' He added: 'She immigrated to UK from Germany in 1974. 30 mins ago was advocating that we stop immigration from the EU.' And after one of his Twitter followers branded him a 'racist', Lord Sugar replied: 'You ignorant fool. How can my comment be classified as racist. Crawl back under your rock' In a series of tweets, he said: 'Yes she is (British) now, and has been arguing that we need to curb immigrants from the EU. She immigrated to UK from Germany in 1974. Tory MP and Leave backer Nadhim Zahawi took exception to the remarks, saying: 'You must withdraw and apologise to Gisela. That is disgraceful. She is as British as you are.' And former Tory MP Louise Mensch tweeted: '@Lord-Sugar PIG'. But it was the condemnation of the official Remain campaign that will do the most damage to Lord Sugar. Mr McGrory tweeted: 'This is utterly unacceptable. I couldn't disagree with Gisela Stuart more but she has every right to say her piece.' Tory MP and Leave backer Nadhim Zahawi took exception to the remarks, saying: 'You must withdraw and apologise to Gisela. That is disgraceful. She is as British as you are' James McGrory, the spokesman for the official Britain Stronger In Europe campaign, said Lord Sugar's remarks were 'utterly unacceptable' The extraordinary row came as six leading figures from the Remain and Vote Leave campaigns went head-to-head in a bruising, two-hour debate at Wembley Arena. In the final major showdown of the bitter campaign - coming less than 36 hours before polls open in the historic referendum, leading Brexit campaigner Boris Johnson urged voters to make the EU referendum Britain's 'Independence Day'. He was involved in brutal clashes with Sadiq Khan and fellow Tory Ruth Davidson in the crunch TV debate. With less than 36 hours left until the polls open, Mr Johnson laid into the Remain side for 'talking the country down' by issuing a slew of dire Project Fear warnings about the consequences of cutting ties with Brussels. But newly-installed London Mayor Mr Khan hit back by accusing him of telling 'lie after lie' and running 'Project Hate', while Scottish Conservative leader Ms Davidson lashed out at him for trying to turn the programme into 'the Boris show'. The exchanges came as the sides clashed in a BBC special at Wembley Arena likely to have been watched by millions. Mr Johnson was joined by Tory Treasury minister Andrea Leadsom and Labour's Gisela Stuart for the programme in front of a 6,000 strong live audience. Alongside Mr Khan were Scottish Conservative leader Ms Davidson and TUC Secretary General Frances O'Grady. Boris Johnson hugs Ruth Davidson minutes after they mauled each other in bruising EU debate Boris Johnson and Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson embraced just minutes after mauling each other in a bruising final EU debate last night. The Tory pair repeatedly clashed in the two-hour debate at Wembley Arena, with pro-EU Ms Davidson interrupting Mr Johnson mid-sentence to tell viewers: 'It isn't the Boris show. She accused his Brexit campaign of lying and echoed Tom Cruise as she told voters: 'You deserve the truth'. But getting his own back, Mr Johnson used a Scottish example to attack Ms Davidson's argument for staying in the EU. He drew laughter from the 6,000-strong crowd as he told her: Because the EU is in charge of our trade negotiations we cannot export haggis to America. Boris Johnson (right) hugs Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson (left) despite the pair repeatedly clashing during in the two-hour debate at Wembley Arena last night But as soon as the cameras had stopped rolling, the two rivals - who have both been tipped as future Tory leaders - were seen smiling as they hugged each other on stage. Ms Davidson, a keen kick-boxer who announced her engagement to partner Jennifer Wilson last month, also laid into her Tory colleague Andrea Leadsom, another Brexit panelist. She took Ms Leadsom to task over Vote Leave's claim that 60 per cent of our laws originate from Brussels. I think I need to pick up on something Andrea said because I cant let it stand that you tell a blatant untruth in the middle of a debate two days before we vote,' she said in yet another example of a blue-on-blue attack. She said 60 per cent of our laws are made in European and its simply not true. 13 per cent of our laws, according to the independent House of Commons library that number is 13 per cent. In the last five year parliament it was four there were four bills out of 121 that came out of Europe. Ms Davidson added: I think theres a real question here, that youre being asked to make a decision thats irreversibly, that we cant change if we wake up on Friday and dont like it, and were being sold it on a lie because they lied about the costs of Europe, they lied about Turkeys entrance to Europe, they lied about the European army because we have a veto over that. They put this on their leaflets and theyve lied about this tonight too and its not good enough because you deserve the truth, you deserve the truth, she finished to loud applause and banging from the audience. The parents of a five-year-old girl who chose heaven over the hospital hosted a tea party to celebrate her life instead of a regular funeral. Julianna Snow, who had an incurable neuro-degenerative disease, died in her home in Washougal, Washington, last week. The little girl suffered from a severe form of the rare condition Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease, meaning she couldnt walk, eat or even breathe on her own. She had told her parents, Michelle Moon and Steve Snow, that she would rather go to heaven than back to the hospital and died on her own terms after choosing to forego medical interventions at the end of her life, KTLA reports. But despite not being able to do much on her own, Julianna donned a princess dress and a tiara every day and loved tea parties. So thats what her parents decided to do for her funeral. Scroll down for video The parents of a five-year-old girl who died last week held a tea party to celebrate her life instead of a regular funeral. Left, Julianna Snow and right, the little girl hosting a tea party in 2014 Friends and family who arrived at the City Bible Church for Julianna's tea party dressed in bright colors Friends and family who arrived at the City Bible Church in Vancouver, Washington, on Saturday, dressed in floral dresses and bright pink polo shirts and added colorful boas and sparkly ties in her honor. The church was decorated with pink balloons and a table full of Juliannas favorite toys: dolls, Hello Kitty figurines, ponies and much more. Children were invited to take home and love the toys as much as Julianna had. There was also a large poster made by her grandfather. It said: Text from Julianna: Arrived in heaven! I am healed! Thank you for your love! Hope to see you in Gods time. Instead of a solemn service, everyone in attendance decorated cupcakes and painted their nails and ate scones and her grandmothers cookies. Moon, a neurologist, wrote on a blog for Julianna that she wanted to give her daughter a send-off that reflected her personality and would make her proud. It will be big, elegant, colorful, fun, whimsical, loving, bright, joyful, magnificent, she wrote. Thats what she loved to do, and what she was so good at facilitating, Julianna's mother said Julianna loved glitter and donned a princess dress and a tiara every day . Above, her bedroom Snow, who had an incurable neuro-degenerative disease, is pictured having a tea party with her brother 'The dress code: fabulous (but accepting. J had strong sartorial opinions, but she wanted everyone to feel comfortable.) We want to make her proud.' Im hoping its an over the top, joyful explosion that brings people together to have fun and enjoy, she told CNN. Thats what she loved to do, and what she was so good at facilitating. Julianna's mother wrote another heartfelt post saying that her daughter 'is free now' after dying in the at-home hospice the family had built for her. Moon wrote: 'Our sweet Julianna went to heaven today. I am stunned and heartbroken, but also thankful. I feel like the luckiest mom in the world, for God somehow entrusted me with this glorious child, and we got almost six years together. Julianna Snow, five, told her parents the next time she were to get seriously ill, she would rather go to heaven than to the hospital. She died at her family home in Washougal, Washington, last week Parents Michelle Moon and Steve Snow (pictured with Julianna, left, and her brother Alex, right) agreed to honor their daughter's wishes not to hospitalize her next time she was to fall ill In memoriam: Michelle Moon posted a message to her blog on Wednesday confirming her daughter's death Moon continued in her post: 'I wanted more time, of course, and thats where the sadness comes in. But she is free now. I will have more to say later. For now, this is what is in my heart.' Last fall, Moon asked her daughter whether she would want to go back to hospital for treatment if she were to get sick again, after years of extended stays and visits. Moon said her daughter's answers were 'fast and clear' as she chose heaven over the hospital, the mother recounted in a blog post of her first conversation about heaven with Julianna. She asked her daughter: 'Julianna, if you get sick again, do you want to go to the hospital again or stay home?' 'Not the hospital,' Julianna replied. WHAT IS CHARCOT-MARIE-TOOTH DISEASE? Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease, or CMT, is a group of inherited disorders that affect the peripheral nerves, which are the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord. There are 90 kinds of CMT. Each kind is caused by a different kind of mutation, and more causes are being discovered every year. CMT is just one kind of neuropathy (also called peripheral neuropathy), meaning simply that the peripheral nerves are damaged. CMT affects about 2.8 million people worldwide, of all races and ethnic groups. Charcot-Marie-Tooth is named after the three physicians who were the first to describe it in 1886: Jean-Martin Charcot, Pierre Marie and Howard Henry Tooth. Some types of CMT cause damage to the covering (myelin sheaths) that surrounds nerve fibers. Other kinds of CMT directly damage the nerves fibers themselves. In both cases, the damaged nerve fibers result in neuropathy. The nerves in the legs and arms, which are the longest, are affected first. Nerve fibers that create movement (called motor fibers) and nerve fibers that transmit sensations (called sensory fibers) are both affected. CMT causes weakness and numbness, usually starting in the feet. There are no known treatments that will stop or slow down the progression of CMT, but the CMTA is funding research to find these treatments. Source: CMTA Advertisement Julianna Snow suffered from a severe form of the rare condition Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease and could not walk, eat or even breathe on her own Julianna has never been healthy enough to go to Sunday school at her family's City Bible Church so the majority of what she knew about heaven was from her parents Moon and her husband told their daughter that heaven is where she will get to do the everyday activities she never could, like play, jump, run and eat real food. They told her she would get to meet her great-grandmother who, like Julianna, had a love for sparkly clothes. They also told her that God will be in heaven too, and that he will love her even more than they do. However, they told Julianna, who started showing signs of the neuromuscular disease when she was one, that they will not be in heaven when she arrives, nor will her big brother, Alex. Julianna had replied: 'Don't worry. God will take care of me.' Doctors had warned that the next time Julianna gets ill from something as minor as a common cold, she risked dying of pneumonia. In May last year, Moon shared her family's story on The Mighty, along with one of the 'remarkable, uncomfortable, humbling conversations about heaven' she had with Julianna. In that conversation, Julianna again said that she did not want to go back to hospital if she were to get sick again, expressing she hated the most dreaded part about the hospital, naso-tracheal suction (NT). Julianna (pictured left and right in 2012) started showing signs of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease aged one At around 18 months in spring 2012 (pictured), Julianna could walk short distances in a walker The muscles that controlled Julianna's breathing became so weak that any germ that came her way, even just the common cold virus, could have killed her. She's pictured here on her fourth birthday in August 2014 During NT, which was usually done every four hours, a nurse would place a tube down Julianna's nose and throat, pushing it past her gag reflex and into her lungs, in order to suck the mucus out of the tiny pockets in her airways, CNN reported. Prior to these conversations, Julianna's parents had planned to take their daughter back to the hospital if she were to get another infection, however after hearing Julianna's wishes they said they changed their minds. 'She made it clear that she doesn't want to go through the hospital again,' Moon told CNN. 'So we had to let go of that plan because it was selfish.' After her post in May, Moon was hit with both support and criticism, as critics said it was 'unbelievable' that a parent could think a four-year-old was capable of making a decision on her life. Others believed her questions were 'leading'. In a second post on The Mighty last June, Moon said the comments hurt, but said wrote that Julianna 'hasnt changed her mind about going back to the hospital, and she knows that this means shell go to heaven by herself. If she gets sick, well ask her again, and well honor her wishes.' Bioethicist Art Caplan said he thought Moon made the wrong decision, and said that children usually do not understand the concept of death until around age nine or ten. 'This doesn't sit well with me. It makes me nervous,' he told CNN. Julianna's parents wrote about her request not to be hospitalized online. It drew a wave of both support and criticism from readers. Julianna is pictured undergoing respiratory treatment with her grandmother Some doctors warned the family would be making the wrong decision by keeping Julianna from treatment, and said that children usually do not understand the concept of death until around age nine or ten Julianna's mother said on Wednesday: 'This last fight was not to be won by her body. It was tired, and it needed to rest. And when it did, she was comfortable' However, Dr. Chris Feudtner, a pediatrician and ethicist at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia said that to say Julianna's experience is irrelevant 'doesn't make any sense.' 'She knows more than anyone what it's like to be not a theoretical girl with a progressive neuromuscular disorder, but to be Julianna,' he told CNN. He added, 'Palliative care isn't about giving up. It's about choosing how you want to live before you die. This little girl has chosen how she wants to live.' Moon also recounted a conversation with Julianna about when they will see each other in heaven. 'Do you want me to stand in front of the house, and in front of all the people so you can see me first,' Julianna asked her mom. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg appears to be concerned about being spied on. A photo that he shared to help celebrate Instagram's 500 million monthly active users shows the camera and audio jack on the billionaire's Macbook covered with pieces of tape. In the photo posted on Tuesday, Zuckerberg is sporting a wide smile and his signature gray T-shirt and dark denim jeans. He's holding a life-sized Instagram frame that reads: 'Thanks to everyone in our community for helping us reach this milestone!' Scroll down for video Zuckerberg is sporting a wide smile and his signature gray T-shirt and dark denim jeans A photo (above) that he shared to help celebrate Instagram's 500 million monthly active users shows the camera and audio jack (both circled) on the billionaire's Macbook covered with pieces of tape After posting the photo online, Chris Olson was the first to point out on Twitter that tape is covering his camera and audio jack on his Macbook at his desk. It's rumored that skilled hackers are able to take over the front facing cameras on laptops when they're not covered up. It appears as though Zuckerberg, who is worth $35.7billion, is trying to prevent that from happening by placing a piece of tape over his camera, making the webcam useless. Zuckerberg has been previously photographed at the same desk. Roughly nine months ago while on a tour, he showed off the same desk that's complete with the same items on it then as it is now, according to Gizmodo. This isn't the first time businessman was concerned about his security and privacy. Back in February he was photographed out on a casual jog while on a trip in Berlin with at least five security guards running alongside him. This isn't the first time businessman was concerned about his security and privacy. Back in February he was photographed out on a jog (above) while in Berlin with at least five security guards running alongside him The new-father was not taking any risks on the trip after he was threatened by supporters of ISIS online The new-father was not taking any risks on the trip after he was threatened by supporters of ISIS online. Furthermore, Zuckerberg has no less than 16 people who protect him, his wife Priscilla and their daughter Maxima at their $7million Palo Alto, California home. In five years, the 31-year-old's company has spent more than $16million protecting him and his family. The firm disclosed the staggering amount spent on security for Zuckerberg - the fourth richest person in the world - in a regulatory filing back in April. It reveals that in 2015, $5 million was invested in bodyguards and other protective services to ensure the safety of its founder and CEO. The substantial sum is in fact a mark down from the $6.2 million spent on his security in 2014. The year before, he had $3.3 million-worth of security. Millions have also been spent on private travel, as well installing alarms in his $10 million home in San Francisco's well-heeled Mission District. In contrast, Apple spent just $209,000 on CEO Tim Cook's security last year. Oracle CEO Larry Ellison was portioned $1.5 million to secure his home in 2015. Amazon spent $1.6 million on Jeff Bezos's security in 2015. Boris Johnson and Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson embraced just minutes after mauling each other in a bruising final EU debate last night. The Tory pair repeatedly clashed in the two-hour debate at Wembley Arena, with pro-EU Ms Davidson interrupting Mr Johnson mid-sentence to tell viewers: 'It isn't the Boris show. She accused his Brexit campaign of lying and echoed Tom Cruise as she told voters: 'You deserve the truth'. But getting his own back, Mr Johnson used a Scottish example to attack Ms Davidson's argument for staying in the EU. Scroll down for video Boris Johnson (right) hugs Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson (left) despite the pair repeatedly clashing during in the two-hour debate at Wembley Arena last night He drew laughter from the 6,000-strong crowd as he told her: Because the EU is in charge of our trade negotiations we cannot export haggis to America. But as soon as the cameras had stopped rolling, the two rivals - who have both been tipped as future Tory leaders - were seen smiling as they hugged each other on stage. Ms Davidson, a keen kick-boxer who announced her engagement to partner Jennifer Wilson last month, also laid into her Tory colleague Andrea Leadsom, another Brexit panelist. She took Ms Leadsom to task over Vote Leave's claim that 60 per cent of our laws originate from Brussels. I think I need to pick up on something Andrea said because I cant let it stand that you tell a blatant untruth in the middle of a debate two days before we vote,' she said in yet another example of a blue-on-blue attack. She said 60 per cent of our laws are made in European and its simply not true. 13 per cent of our laws, according to the independent House of Commons library that number is 13 per cent. In the last five year parliament it was four there were four bills out of 121 that came out of Europe. There were many bitter exchanges during the two-hour debate at Wembley Arena tonight but the six panelists and presenter David Dimbleby (second left) all embraced and chatted jovially afterwards Ms Davidson added: I think theres a real question here, that youre being asked to make a decision thats irreversibly, that we cant change if we wake up on Friday and dont like it, and were being sold it on a lie because they lied about the costs of Europe, they lied about Turkeys entrance to Europe, they lied about the European army because we have a veto over that. They put this on their leaflets and theyve lied about this tonight too and its not good enough because you deserve the truth, you deserve the truth, she finished to loud applause and banging from the audience. In the final major showdown of the bitter campaign - coming less than 36 hours before polls open in the historic referendum, Mr Johnson urged voters to make the EU referendum Britain's 'Independence Day'. With less than 36 hours left until the polls open, Mr Johnson laid into the Remain side for 'talking the country down' by issuing a slew of dire Project Fear warnings about the consequences of cutting ties with Brussels. But newly-installed London Mayor Mr Khan hit back by accusing him of telling 'lie after lie' and running 'Project Hate', while Scottish Conservative leader Ms Davidson lashed out at him for trying to turn the programme into 'the Boris show'. The exchanges came as the sides clashed in a BBC special at Wembley Arena likely to have been watched by millions. Mr Johnson was joined by Tory Treasury minister Andrea Leadsom and Labour's Gisela Stuart for the programme in front of a 6,000 strong live audience. Alongside Mr Khan were Scottish Conservative leader Ms Davidson and TUC Secretary General Frances O'Grady. SADIQ KHAN TOOK PART IN 2-HOUR DEBATE AFTER NOT EATING OR DRINKING DUE TO RAMADAN London's Muslim Mayor Sadiq Khan (pictured) took part in last night's debate despite not eating or drinking anything for more than 19 hours as he observed Ramadan London's Muslim Mayor Sadiq Khan took part in tonight's debate despite not eating or drinking anything for more than 19 hours as he observed Ramadan. His spokesman confirmed he did not take exceptions even though he was one of the six candidates in tonight's high-stakes referendum campaign - the last major TV debate before Thursday's historic vote. The debate came on the worst possible day for Mr Khan due to the Summer Solstice making it the longest day of the year. Muslims in London are required to fast from 2.40am until 9.24pm. However it didn't stop Mr Khan going after his predecessor as Mayor of London with gusto, accusing Boris Johnson of telling 'lie after lie, after lie' and running 'Project Hate'. Mr Khan became Western Europe's first Muslim Mayor when he beat Tory candidate Zac Goldsmith last month. At the start of Ramadan earlier in June the Labour Mayor said he would use the Muslim holy month to 'get out there and build bridges' between the capital's different communities. Mr Khan said he hoped that having a London Mayor observing Ramadan would help 'break down the mystique and suspicion' that surrounded his faith. Advertisement Lord Sugar slammed for 'utterly unacceptable' claim that Brexit campaigner 'shouldn't tell us British what we should do' because she's from Germany Infighting has broken out in the Remain campaign after pro-EU Apprentice boss Lord Sugar said a Brexit campaigner should not 'tell us British what we should do' because she is from Germany. He was attacking Labour MP Gisela Stuart, who is from Bavaria and moved to Britain in 1974 and was representing the Brexit camp in the last major TV debate before Thursday's referendum. James McGrory, the spokesman for the official Britain Stronger In Europe campaign, said his remarks were 'utterly unacceptable'. It was an extraordinary outbreak of infighting within the Remain campaign just hours before polls open in Britain's first referendum on EU membership in 41 years. Businessman and Remain backer Lord Sugar took exception at her appearance in the debate, tweeting: 'I find it strange that Gisela Gschaider a 1974 immigrant from Germany is on the Brexit panel telling us British what we should do.' Tory MP and Leave backer Nadhim Zahawi took exception to the remarks, saying: 'You must withdraw and apologise to Gisela. That is disgraceful. She is as British as you are' James McGrory, the spokesman for the official Britain Stronger In Europe campaign, said Lord Sugar's remarks were 'utterly unacceptable' Ms Stuart, now a British citizen, was representing the Leave campaign alongside Boris Johnson and Tory minister Andrea Leadsom in front of 6,000 people at a high-stakes debate Wembley Arena. Businessman and Remain backer Lord Sugar took exception at her appearance in the debate, tweeting: 'I find it strange that Gisela Gschaider a 1974 immigrant from Germany is on the Brexit panel telling us British what we should do.' He added: 'She immigrated to UK from Germany in 1974. 30 mins ago was advocating that we stop immigration from the EU.' And after one of his Twitter followers branded him a 'racist', Lord Sugar replied: 'You ignorant fool. How can my comment be classified as racist. Crawl back under your rock'. Lord Sugar again insisted he was not being racist, pointing out that Ms Stuart is an immigrant who is now arguing against immigration. In a series of tweets, he said: 'Yes she is (British) now, and has been arguing that we need to curb immigrants from the EU. She immigrated to UK from Germany in 1974. Tory MP and Leave backer Nadhim Zahawi took exception to the remarks, saying: 'You must withdraw and apologise to Gisela. That is disgraceful. She is as British as you are.' And former Tory MP Louise Mensch tweeted: '@Lord-Sugar PIG'. But it was the condemnation of the official Remain campaign that will do the most damage to Lord Sugar. Mr McGrory tweeted: 'This is utterly unacceptable. I couldn't disagree with Gisela Stuart more but she has every right to say her piece.' A baby boy has been born with his heart outside of his chest in Chongqing, China. The boy was abandoned by his mother when he was 110 days old and found by a passerby who took him to hospital, reports Huanqiu, affiliated with the People's Daily Online. It was revealed that he had the life-threatening condition Pentalogy of Cantrell and has since undergone surgery thanks to the donations of kindhearted locals. Boy in China who was found abandoned by a passerby has been diagnosed with a life threatening condition Tragic story: The child was just 110 days old when he was found abandoned by a passer-by The child's X-ray: He suffers from Pentalogy of Cantrell and his heart grows outside of his chest The boy, named An An by Chinese media, was found when he was just 110 days old by a passerby after he was abandoned. Since then he has been cared for by medical staff at Chongqing's Children's Hospital. Xue Yan, a nurse at the centre said: 'He is very cute and naive. He's no trouble.' She says that he is like their own doll. Every day the nurses and doctors take it in turns to feed the boy and help change his nappies. According to the nurse, there have only ever been 10 cases of Pentalogy of Cantrel reported in China. This is the third case that Chongqing's Children Hospital has come across. An An's condition requires multiple surgeries. Xue Yan said that the surgical team conducted open-heart surgery on the child. She told reporters: 'The operation is about three to five hours.' She says that if the operation is successful and he is in a good condition post recovery, then he will be able to lead a fairly normal life. Pentalogy of Cantrell often requires surgery, depending on the severity of the patients defects, and could be fatal if left untreated. Local people have donated 200,000 yuan (20,000) for the child's treatment which after the cost of surgery and rehabilitation is not enough. Chongqing Children's Hospital say if people still want to donate, they are able to. In October 2015, it was reported that a six year old girl was set to undergo surgery in the US after she was born with Pentalogy of Cantrell. The girl's heart which is about the size of a fist can be seen beating against her abdominal area protected by only a thin layer of skin. According to reports, it is a rare condition that occurs in an estimated 5.5 in one million live births. WHAT IS PENTALOGY OF CANTRELL? RARE BIRTH CONDITION REVEALED The baby was born with his heart outside of his chest and is being treated by doctors Pentalogy of Cantrell is a rare disorder that is present at birth. It is characterized by a combination of birth defects that can involve the breastbone, the sternum, the diaphragm, the thin membrane that lines the heart, the abdominal wall, and the heart. Pentalogy of Cantrell occurs with varying degrees of severity. Some infants may have mild defects, while others may have serious, life-threatening complications. The most severe expression of Pentalogy of Cantrell occurs when the heart is completely or partially displaced outside the chest, which is known as ectopia cordis. Infants with Pentalogy of Cantrell can have a wide variety of congenital heart defects including a 'hole in the heart' and abnormal location of the heart on the right side of chest instead of the left, among others. The exact cause of Pentalogy of Cantrell is unknown. Most cases occur randomly for no apparent reason. One theory suggests that the symptoms of Pentalogy of Cantrell occur due to an abnormality in the development of embryonic tissue early in the pregnancy. The condition affects boys and girls in equal numbers. The exact prevalence is unknown, but estimated to be 5.5 in 1 million live births. Source: National Organization For Rare Diseases Advertisement Kind donations: Local people have donated 200,000 yuan (20,000) to help pay for the boy's treatment According to reports, it is a rare condition that occurs in an estimated 5.5 in one million live births No reports of big discoveries since with only small stones dug up Residents of Houzhang say the digging has affected their daily life Large numbers of hopeful treasure hunters have flocked to the Thousands of people have rushed to a village to hunt for treasure after it was reported that a ruby dug out from the site had sold for 50,000 yuan (5,151). After the ruby was discovered on June 17, the village of Houzhang has been swamped with people digging through the day and night to find a real ruby, reports the People's Daily Online. Villagers say that the sheer number of people coming to Houzhang in east China's Zhejiang province has affected their daily life. Looking for treasure! Over 1,000 people have flocked to Houzhang village in China hunting for ruby stones Cash! The rush began when one person found a stone in the village and sold it for 50,000 yuan (5,151) Enough already! The village has since become inundated with people hoping to cash in on the stones According to reports, people have been travelling from far and wide to find their own buried treasure. It was reported several days ago that one of the rubies found at the village had sold for 50,000 yuan (5,151). People have been digging through the day and night to get their own valuable stone. Pan Xihao is one of the treasure hunters. He said: 'There are indeed red stones in the mountainside but they are really quite small.' According to villagers, there have always been stones near the mountains. They say that around 40 years ago, a team came to do a geological exploration and dig stones for fun. Locals say that the current mass of visitors to the site has affected their way of living. Pan Yuwen is a local tea farmer and said that the crowds are posing a great threat to the local tea plantation especially with the use of cars and digging tools. According to reports, vehicles have been banned from going into the mountainous areas. Journalists at the site say that diggers found a lot of red stones in Houzhang but they are all very small and therefore it is hard to determine if they are real or pure. While reporters were at the scene, some stones the size of a finger nail were purchased by a woman for 400 yuan (41.20). China's famous panda breeding centre has two new additions to add to its collection. The female twins were born on June 20 at Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu, south-west China's Sichuan province, reports the People's Daily Online. The centre claims that they are the first twins of 2016 anywhere in the world. Welcome to the world! Two female twin panda cubs were born in Chengdu, China, on June 20 Amazing feat: According to the breeding centre, the cubs are the first twins of 2016 in the world According to reports, their mother Ya Li delivered the first cub at 5.52am and the second arrived ten minutes later. The new additions weigh 144 grams (five ounces) and 113 grams (four ounces). Yang Kuixing at the base says Ya Li started showing reduced appetite on May 22 and showed prenatal behaviour on June 19. Snugly: One of the panda twins is seen in her incubator hours after she was born in the Chengdu centre All good: The new additions weigh 144 grams (five ounces) and 113 grams (four ounces) respectively When panda cub is first born, it is blind and toothless and looks strikingly different from an adult bear Shy: One of the twins hid under the blanket as the pair were introduced to the public after their birth yesterday When a panda cub is first born it is pink, blind and toothless, weighing only 90 to 130 grams (3.1-4.5 ounces) - a mere one eight-hundredth of its mother's weight. A month after birth, the colour pattern of the cub's fur is fully developed. At around 70 to 80 days it will begin to crawl and play with its mother or, in these conditions, with other pandas. Giant panda cubs are extremely rare as female pandas are only in estrus - that is, ready to accept a male and mate - for around two to three days a year. More problems occur when pandas are in captivity, as male pandas have been known to lose their sex drive, forcing scientists to try extreme methods including artificial insemination, giving male pandas Viagra and showing them videos of other pandas mating. Once a female is pregnant, the gestation period for a baby panda lasts around 95 to 160 days. CHINA'S FAMOUS MASCOT: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT PANDAS A newborn panda cub is 1/900th the size of its mother A panda's paw has six digits - five fingers and an opposable pseudo-thumb (actually an enlarged wrist bone) which it uses to hold bamboo while eating Only sloth bears have longer tails than pandas Female pandas ovulate once a year and are fertile for only two or three days Historically speaking, pandas are one of the few animals whose parts have not been used in traditional Chinese medicine Approximately 99 percent of a pandas dietbamboo leaves and shootsis void of much nutritional value Source: World Wildlife Fund Advertisement Adorable! These giant panda twins were born at Adventure World on October 8, 2010 These adorable panda cubs were born at Chengdu's Giant Panda Protection and Research Centre in 2008 A disabled father whose son went missing 15 months ago is desperately searching for him by crawling through the streets of China. The dedicated man, named Chen Shengkuan, suffers from disability in his legs and has travelled from city to city on hands and feet in his native Guangdong Province, southern China. Shengkuan suspected his child, who went missing while playing with his cousins in the village, had been abducted and sold onto another family. Desperate: Chen Shengkuan (pictured) from Guangdong, China, crawls the streets to look for his missing son Much missed: His child, Chen Zhaoyuan, went missing about 15 months ago while playing in his village Shengkuan, whose age is not specified, said his son was 20 months old when he went missing from the village of Wenzhang Xi in Chengyue Town. Since the toddler's disappearance, Shengkuan has left the village and started crawling around the 69,000-square-mile province. He has so far managed to trek through Zhanjiang, a sprawling city with seven million residents. According to a post on People's Daily Online, Shengkuan is now searching on the streets of Guangzhou, one of China's mega cities occupying 2,800 square miles - five times the size of London. Shengkuan wrote his story on a piece of paper, which he carries wherever he goes, with pictures of his young son. According to Shengkuan's account, his son is called Chen Zhaoyuan. Have you seen my son? Shengkuan wrote his story on a piece of paper, which he brings wherever he goes to Treasured memories: Shengkuan also has a picture of his son with him (left). He believes the toddler (right) has been taken by human traffickers and sold onto another family On the morning of January 2, 2015, Zhaoyuan's grandmother was going to town and Zhaoyuan had wanted to go along. His grandmother didn't take him along, worrying the streets might be too busy. Zhaoyuan was left to play with his three cousins in the village, supervised by his grandfather, Chen Tongshen. His grandfather was playing cards with his neighbours while minding the children. He soon realised Zhaoyuan could not be seen anywhere. After searching through the village and the surrounding areas in vain, the family called the police. Shengkuan said his son, who would be more than three years old by now, has two birth marks: on the left palm and another around the eye. The father also claimed that the local police station had collected his DNA samples, but his son is yet to be tracked down. Total devotion: The man has crawled from street to street in the city of Zhanjiang and now he is in Guangzhou Child abduction is a serious issue in China and happens throughout the country. Many of the young victims, especially boys, are sold onto families in rural areas who are desperate for a son or who could not have their own children. A primary school pupil in China has been brutally punished by his teacher for giving the wrong answer to a maths question. Pictures have emerged on social media showing the 11-year-old, named Xiao Yong, left with dozens of bloody marks on his back and legs. The maths teacher, surnamed Yue, has been suspended by the Xianglu Village Central Primary School in the city of Shiyan, central China's Hubei Province, according to a Weibo post by People's Daily Online. Shocking: Xiao Yong, a pupil from central China, has been brutally punished by his teacher with a power cable. He was whipped on the back (left), legs and arms (right) because he answered one question wrong According to reports, Xiao Yong, a grade-five student, was whipped by Yue, his maths teacher, with a power cable in the afternoon of June 17. Yue had asked Xiao Yong to go up to the classroom and answer a question written on the blackboard. Xiao Yong was chosen because he had received the worst score in his class - 81 out of 100 points - in a previous examination. However, Xiao Yong failed to answer the question, which enraged Yue, who is in his 50s. Yue found a power cable in the classroom and savagely beated Xiao Yong. It's reported that the metal core of the cable had been previously removed when Yue used it to smack Xiao Yong, but the pupil still screamed as he was punished in front of the whole class, the report said. After Xiao Yong returned home after school, he did not dare to speak about the beating to his grandparents, with whom he lives. However, one of his cousins discovered the scars after hearing the child complaining about aches on his body. Outrageous: The school claimed that his teacher, Yue, was had been in a 'bad mood' due to family matters. The teacher has been suspended from his position by the authority His family were shocked to see red whipping scars spread across Xiao Yong back, legs and arms and demanded him to tell the truth. Xiao Yong was taken to a local hospital later and remained hospitalised for three days. Officials from the local educational bureau confirmed the incident after an investigation, the report said. Yue has apologised to Xiao Yong and his family. A spokesman from the Xianglu Village Central Primary School said Yue had lived under much pressure recently due to family matters; and he was likely to have beaten the pupil because he was 'in a bad mood'. The maths teacher has been suspended from his position by the authority. Xiao Yong is recovering from his injuries. For many a trip to the doctor to ask about the niggling headache bothering them for the past week or the throbbing pain in their joints has been replaced by a quick internet search. But to the frustration of many general practitioners, many of these searches lead to dubious sources of information that leave patients fearing they are suffering from rare or serious medical conditions. Now Google is aiming to help people who turn to its search engine for medical advice with a new service that lets them search for their symptoms. Google has announced that it is introducing symptom search to provide information on health conditions related to symptoms. It will tell users how common the condition is and offer advice on self treatment or urge them to consult a doctor (examples of symptom search in use pictured) HOW SYMPTOM SEARCH WORKS Users can type in either a single symptom or a a description of their symptoms. For example, 'swollen joints' would bring up a range of possible causes of the symptom, such as arthritis in boxes above the search results. It will also tell users how common the condition is and offer risk factors that may lead to it. In some cases it will also offer advice on self-treatment or urge users to see a doctor. Google created its list of symptoms by looking for health conditions mentioned in web results. It then checked these against high-quality medical information collected from doctors for its Knowledge Graph project. It has also worked with medics and experts at Harvard Medical School and the Mayo Clniic to review each symptom to produce lists of related conditions. Advertisement Google claims that around one per cent of the one trillion searches carried out using its algorithms each year are symptom related. The technology firm has announced that when users type in symptoms from now on it will show a list of related conditions. It will also provide information on self-treatment and whether you might need to visit a doctor. 'By doing this, our goal is to help you to navigate and explore health conditions related to your symptoms and quickly get the point where you can do more in-depth research,' Google said in a blog post. When it launches in the next few days, users will be able to type in search terms like 'headache on one side'. This will then reveal a list of related conditions like 'migraine', 'tension headache', 'cluster headache' and 'sinusitis'. For each it will give a more detailed description of the causes and risk. For individual symptoms it will also offer some basic advice for treatment or how to seek further medical advice. Google said it has worked with experts at Harvard Medical School and the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, to help ensure the related conditions it suggests are as accurate as possible. It has also checked their list of symptoms for health conditions against high-quality medical information collected from doctors. Google said it wanted to combat the often misleading and inaccurate information that can exist on the internet. Among health professionals the practice of searching for symptoms online by patients has become known as 'asking Dr Google'. Many tell stories of patients arriving on consultation rooms armed with computer print outs and convinced they are suffering from a rare inherited condition. Google said: 'Health content on the web can be difficult to navigate, and tends to lead people from mild symptoms to scary and unlikely conditions, which can cause unnecessary anxiety and stress. Google says around one per cent of all internet searches (stock picture of internet search) are symptom-related but health content online 'can be difficult to navigate'. It hopes symptom search can help to combat the anxiety that often can result from looking at inaccurate health information on the internet 'We worked with a team of medical doctors to carefully review the individual symptom information, and experts at Harvard Medical School and Mayo Clinic evaluated related conditions for a representative sample of searches to help improve the lists we show.' The service is to begin to roll out on mobile in the US in English and before it will extend to other languages and countries in the future. It could prove to be invaluable for those hoping to find out information about embarrassing symptoms or highly personal medical conditions. However, Google insisted it was not intending to replace qualified doctors as a source of medical advice, only supplement it. Google said: 'Symptom search, like all medical information on Google, is intended for informational purposes only and you should always consult a doctor for medical advice. 'Over time we hope to cover more symptoms and we also want to extend this to other languages and internationally. 'So the next time you're worried about your "child with knee pain" - even though it's probably just growing pains - or have some symptoms you're too embarrassed to run by your roommate, a Google search will be a helpful place to start.' Not satisfied with launching reusable rockets and designing electric supercars, Elon Musk is looking to create domestic robots to help people around the house. The billionaire entrepreneur won't be working through SpaceX or Tesla, but through another branch of his growing tech empire, collaborative artificial intelligence company Open AI. The firm, chaired by Musk and president of start-up incubator Y Combinator, Sam Altman, plans to use 'off the shelf' robots rather than building them from scratch. Scroll down for video Open AI, a non-profit founded by Elon Musk and president of start-up incubator Y Combinator, Sam Altman, plans to use 'off the shelf' robots rather than building them from scratch, tweaking the robots to become mechanical maids (stock image) WHAT IS OPEN AI? Open AI is a collaborative non-profit artificial intelligence company set up at the send of last year by Elon Musk and president of start-up incubator Y Combinator, Sam Altman. It received more than $1 billion in funding when it launched and sees robotics, chatbots and games as practical fields where it develop and can flex its AI muscle. The firm set out its goals this week, which extend to using 'off the shelf' robots rather than building them from scratch, tweaking the robots to become mechanical maids. Advertisement According to Business Insider, Open AI received more than $1 billion in funding when it launched at the end of 2015, and robotics would be a practical field where it could flex its AI muscle. In a blog post on the firm's website this week, Open AI said: 'We're working to enable a physical robot to perform basic housework. 'There are existing techniques for specific tasks, but we believe that learning algorithms can eventually be made reliable enough to create a general-purpose robot. 'More generally, robotics is a good testbed for many challenges in AI.' However, the non-profit organisation looks to have bigger aspirations than just simple mindless robots for household chores. The firm, co-chaired by Elon Musk (pictured), looks to have bigger aspirations than just simple mindless robots for household chores. It also plans to develop advanced chatbots which ask questions and deep-learning algorithms like those produced by Google's DeepMind BRITS WANT ROBOTS FOR CHORES One in five adults in the UK wants a robot to do their ironing. A survey carried out by a UK research council ahead of UK Robotics Week, found that more than 17 per cent were keen to hand over their ironing to a robot as well. The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council found that more than half of adults in the UK believe advances in robotics and autonomous systems will make driverless cars and cleaning robots a reality in the next 25 years. Advertisement The firm is also exploring sophisticated chatbots which could move far beyond finding out the weather forecast or directions, to complex real world tasks like holding a conversation with the user, reports Business Insider. Using powerful AI algorithms, these advanced chatbots would even ask questions around points they didn't understand. The firm adds: 'We've also formed teams around specific projects. The intention isn't just to solve these problems, but to develop general learning algorithms in the process. 'These algorithms will, in turn, help us build agents that are more capable.' But Open AI is eyeing games as another tool for improving AI, enabling its algorithms to learn through play and an approach which will require 'significant advances' in modelling and reinforcement learning. The fields of AI and robotics are advancing fast, with firms such as Toyota already showing R2-D2-like robots designed to help the elderly, the sick and people in wheelchairs by picking up and carrying objects. Toyota's home helper robot developer community and working prototype pictured ETHICS AND THE RISE OF AI Last year Google set up an ethics board to oversee its work in artificial intelligence. The search giant has acquired several robotics companies, along with Deep Mind, the British firm creating software that tries to help computers think like humans - and which created the now famous AlphaGo. One of its founders warned artificial intelligence is 'number one risk for this century,' and believes it could play a part in human extinction 'Eventually, I think human extinction will probably occur, and technology will likely play a part in this,' DeepMind's Shane Legg said in a recent interview. Among all forms of technology that could wipe out the human species, he singled out artificial intelligence, or AI, as the 'number 1 risk for this century.' The ethics board, revealed by web site The Information, is to ensure the projects are not abused. Advertisement In a nod to Google's AI successes to date which most publicly includes the defeat of a human competitor at ancient board game Go the team wrote: 'We are inspired by the pioneering work of DeepMind, who have produced impressive results in this area in the past few years.' Open AI admits it is 'just getting started' on the projects, but if Musk's other projects are anything to go by, the fields of robotics and AI could be in for some exciting advances, with Open AI throwing its hat into a ring filled with an increasing number of competitors. Earlier this week, Japanese car manufacturer Toyota provided insight its plans for mechanical aids for the elderly. The Toyota Research Institute - the car maker's advanced research division - has said the car maker is looking to boost safety by enabling vehicles to anticipate and avoid potential accident situations using artificial intelligence. AI will help us understand the cause and effect of these challenges We are all familiar with the doomsday scenario depicted by many modern films, when artificial intelligence goes bad and takes over the world. But this is not going to happen, according to Google chairman, Eric Schmidt, who claims that super-intelligent robots will someday help use solve problems such as population growth and climate change. During a talk in Cannes, he said AI will be developed for the benefit of humanity and there will be systems in place in case anything goes awry. Artificial intelligence will let scientists solve some of the world's 'hard problems.' This is according to Google chairman, Eric Schmidt, who claims that super-intelligent robots will someday help use solve problems such as population growth and climate change ROBOTS WILL NOT TAKE OVER During a talk in Cannes, Eric Schmidt said AI will be developed for the benefit of humanity and there will be systems in place in case anything goes awry. 'We've all seen those movies,' he said. But he said in reality, people would always know how to turn the AI systems off, should it ever get to a dangerous point. He said the company will soon be launching an AI that can automatically respond to IM messages. Advertisement 'To be clear, we're not talking about consciousness, we're not talking about souls, we're not talking about independent creativity,' said Mr Schmidt, according to Hollywood Reporter. Eric Schmidt, executive chairman of Google parent company Alphabet Inc, reassured an audience at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity about the future of media. He said the company will soon be launching an AI that can automatically respond to IM messages. 'We've all seen those movies,' he said. But he said in reality, people would always know how to turn the AI systems off, should it ever get to a dangerous point. He also said several companies will quickly follow with similar tech based on Alphago from Google's DeepMind project. Google's DeepMind start-up, which was bought for 255 million ($400 million) last year, is currently attempting to mimic the properties of the human brain's short-term working memory. As artificial intelligence advances, the possibility that machines could independently select and fire on targets is fast approaching. Fully autonomous weapons, also known as 'killer robots,' are quickly moving from the realm of science fiction (like the plot of Terminator, pictured) toward reality By combining the way ordinary computers work with the way the human brain works, the artificial intelligence researchers hope the machine will learn to program itself. Described as a 'Neural Turing Machine', it learns as it stores memories, and later retrieve them to perform logical tasks beyond those it has been trained to do. The acquisition of DeepMind followed Google's recent purchase of seven robotics firms, including Meka, which makes humanoid robots, and Industrial Perception, which specialises in machines that can package goods, for example. STEPHEN HAWKING WARNS OF A ROBOTIC UPRISING Our desire to create helpful digital assistants and self-driving vehicles could bring about our demise. Professor Stephen Hawking warned that humanity faces an uncertain future as technology learns to think for itself and adapt to its environment. Speaking at event in London, the physicist told the BBC: 'The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race.' This echoes claims he made earlier in the year when he said success in creating AI 'would be the biggest event in human history, [but] unfortunately, it might also be the last.' He argues that developments in digital personal assistants Siri, Google Now and Cortana are merely symptoms of an IT arms race which 'pale against what the coming decades will bring.' But Professor Hawking noted other potential benefits of this technology could also be significant, with the potential to eradicate, war, disease and poverty. 'Looking further ahead, there are no fundamental limits to what can be achieved,' continued Professor Hawking. 'There is no physical law precluding particles from being organised in ways that perform even more advanced computations than the arrangements of particles in human brains.' Advertisement In August last year, Google also revealed it had teamed up with two of Oxford University's artificial intelligence teams to help machines better understand users. 'It is a really exciting time for AI research these days, and progress is being made on many fronts including image recognition and natural language understanding,' wrote Demis Hassabis, co-founder of DeepMind and vice president of engineering at Google in a blog post. But despite these projects, and Mr Schmidt's comments, Google is also aware of the dangers involved with AI and machine learning. So much so that in January 2014 it set up an ethics board to oversee its work in these fields. In fact, one of the original founders of Google's DeepMind warned artificial intelligence is the 'number one risk for this century,' and believes it could play a part in human extinction. 'Eventually, I think human extinction will probably occur, and technology will likely play a part in this,' DeepMind's Shane Legg said in an interview earlier this year. Google's DeepMind start-up, which was bought for 255 million ($400 million) earlier this year, is currently attempting to mimic the properties of the human brain's short-term working memory The ethics board, revealed by web site The Information, is to ensure the projects are not abused. Earlier this year, Elon Musk likened artificial intelligence to 'summoning the demon'. The Tesla and Space X founder previously warned that the technology could someday be more harmful than nuclear weapons. But Mr Schmidt said the fears we would be overtaken by artificial intelligence were unfounded. 'We'll make make sure that people know how to turn this stuff off should we get to that point.' In a talk in January, he said the field of AI was becoming so important that companies need to collaborate to develop standardised approaches, according to Bloomberg. The Google boss, who is involved in the development of AI in applications such as self-driving cars (pictured), also says that the fear of robots stealing human jobs is unwarranted 'Every single advance has occurred because smart people got in a room and eventually they standardised approaches' said Mr Schmidt. 'The promise of this is so profound that we Alphabet, Google, whatever our name is at the moment are working incredibly hard to advance these platforms.' Mr Schmidt also claims we will all see a day when AI will be used as a personal assistant at home. He says he hopes to one day have an 'Eric' and 'Not-Eric', with Eric being himself and 'Not-Eric' being 'this digital thing that helps me.' But he added the right approach will be necessary to ensure its integrity. The principles outlined by Mr Schmidt aim to keep AI in check as the technology progresses, and avoid 'undesirable outcomes.' TOYOTA'S AI PLANS The Japanese car firm Toyota might one start to mass-produce robots to help the elderly. According to Gill Pratt, head of the Toyota Research Institute (TRI), the firm is looking ahead into the distant future when there will robots that help out in homes. The firm could use the same methods it uses now to produce cars on a large scale, making the production of robots cheaper Mr Pratt said. The Japanese car manufacturer announced last year it would invest $1 billion (682 million) over the next five years. Toyota Research Institute - the car maker's advanced research division - has said the car maker is looking to boost safety by enabling vehicles to anticipate and avoid potential accident situations using artificial intelligence. Advertisement According to The Verge, Mr Schmidt has been involved in Google's own AI ventures, including the self-driving car, and predictive search engines. As this technology continues to progress, Mr Schmidt says that it will reflect the values of the people developing it. It's this that necessitates his three guidelines. 'AI should benefit the many, not the few,' Mr Schmidt writes, and guarantee that it 'aims for the common good.' He also says that AI progress should be 'open, responsible, and socially engaged.' As fears about the power of AI continue to rise, Mr Schmidt says that a verification system needs to be implemented to ensure that this advanced technology 'is doing what it was built to do.' Many people have expressed concerns that AI is replacing human jobs, and could even be taking over the world, The Verge writes. In the op-ed, Mr Schmidt writes that this is not the case, as long as developers continue to act responsibly. If AI is designed as it is meant to, it should make life easier for humans while remaining under their control. Toyota has already shown an R2-D2-like robot designed to help the elderly, the sick and people in wheelchairs by picking up and carrying objects. Toyotal's home helper robot developer community and working prototype pictured Eric Schmidt's comments (right) follow a warning by Professor Stephen Hawking (left) that humanity faces an uncertain future as technology learns to think for itself and adapt to its environment REPORT CALLS FOR BAN ON KILLER ROBOTS The report by Human Rights Watch and the Harvard Law School International Human Rights Clinic was released as the United Nations kicked off a week-long meeting on such weapons in Geneva. The report calls for humans to remain in control over all weapons systems at a time of rapid technological advances. It says that requiring humans to remain in control of critical functions during combat, including the selection of targets, saves lives and ensures that fighters comply with international law. 'Machines have long served as instruments of war, but historically humans have directed how they are used,' said Bonnie Docherty, senior arms division researcher at Human Rights Watch, in a statement. 'Now there is a real threat that humans would relinquish their control and delegate life-and-death decisions to machines.' Some have argued in favor of robots on the battlefield, saying their use could save lives. But last year, more than 1,000 technology and robotics experts including scientist Stephen Hawking, Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak warned that such weapons could be developed within years, not decades. n an open letter, they argued that if any major military power pushes ahead with development of autonomous weapons, 'a global arms race is virtually inevitable, and the endpoint of this technological trajectory is obvious: autonomous weapons will become the Kalashnikovs of tomorrow.' According to the London-based organization Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, the United States, China, Israel, South Korea, Russia, and Britain are moving toward systems that would give machines greater combat autonomy. Advertisement British astronaut Tim Peake is already dreaming of joining a mission to the moon days after returning from orbit as the European Space Agency unveiled ambitious plans to explore the lunar surface. The 44-year-old, who returned to Earth after six months on the International Space Station on Saturday, said he would go back into space 'in a heartbeat'. While he described feeling like he was suffering from the 'world's worst hangover' after touching down in Kazakhstan, he said he being part of a mission to explore the moon would be a 'dream'. Scroll down for video British astronaut Tim Peake (pictured) has said he is dreaming of a mission to the Moon just days after returning to Earth after six months on board the International Space Station. He said he struggled to adjust to gravity at first but was now relishing the chance to spend time with his family after six months apart Major Peake was speaking at a press conference in Cologne just days after the end of his 186 day long stint in orbit where he lived without gravity. THE WORLD'S WORST HANGOVER While Tim Peake's return to Earth was a bumpy one, filled with danger, it was after he got out of the Soyuz space capsule that it got nasty for him. He said the sudden return to gravity after six months in orbit in a low gravity environment had left him feeling nauseous, dizzy and with severe vertigo. He described the experience as the 'world's worst hangover' that took him nearly 24 hours to get over. He is now undergoing a strict rehabilitation regime to help him adapt to life back on Earth, including cycling, running and swimming. He said tackling the nausea and vertigo of retuning to gravity was a serious challenge that needed to be overcome before humans could embark on longhaul missions to Mars where they may spend up to a year travelling to the planet. He said: 'From my own experience, I think the first 24 horus on Mars would be very very hard from the vertigo, nausea and dizziness that comes from being back in a one G environment. 'We need to look a way of reactivating the vestibular system so that when we land on marks will be able to work right from day one.' Advertisement He said perhaps the best thing about being back was being able to use a proper toilet and he was relishing the prospect of spending time with his wife Rebecca and their children Oliver and Thomas. But he said he had already spoken to his wife about returning to space. He said: 'I would do it again in a heartbeat. I've spoken to my wife already and she is extremely supportive. 'Any mission is a good mission as you take anything you can get, but a dream would be a lunar exploration mission. 'We are ready for those next steps and those missions beyond the space station.' He also emphasised the importance of the United Kingdom being involved in human spaceflight. Historically the country has shied away from manned missions beyond our atmosphere, preferring to concentrate on robotic space probes. He said: 'I think human spaceflight is extremely important. If we are not on board now we will miss out on things happening in the 20s and 30s.' David Parker, director of human spaceflight and robotic exploration at ESA, used Major Peake's return to outline ambitious plans for a future mission to the Moon. He said ESA with other international partners were planning to build a deep space habitat 1,000 times further away from Earth than the current space station. From here astronauts would be able to direct rovers on the surface of the Moon to search for water in the dark, shadowy craters that could be used by future manned missions there. His comments come ahead of a crucial meeting of European ministers later this year to decide the funding and direction of the European Space Agency for the future. The European Space Agency is working with other international space agencies to develop a new deep space habitat that would orbit between the Earth and the Moon, where astronauts would be able to drive a rover on the lunar surface to help search for water in dark caves and craters (illustrated) Major Peake, pictured, greets his mother Angela and father Nigel after arriving in Cologne airport, Germany The 44-year-old has struggled with dizziness and vertigo, and called it the 'world's worst hangover' He said Major Peake had already begun testing the technology needed for this when he drove a rover around a test site on Earth from his base in orbit. He said: 'We are well on the way to building the technology to go to the surface of the Moon with the Lunar Resource Mission in 2021. 'We want to go back there as we have barely scratched the surface of the discoveries to be made. 'This is exactly the scenario that Tim demonstrated 10 weeks ago. 'It is a vision we would like to make a reality and it would be a great legacy from Tim's mission.' Major Peake was the first British astronaut to go into orbit since Helen Sharman blasted off to the Russian Mir Space Station in 1991. Since arriving on the ISS, the former Army helicopter test pilot has taken part in 250 experiments, including a range examining the biological changes taking place in his own body while in space. He took control of a robotic rover which is due to be sent on a mission to Mars, driving it around a warehouse in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, that had been made to look like the surface of the red planet. While in orbit Major Peake also became the first person to be named in the Queen's Birthday Honours while in space and has been testing a new way of making tea while in orbit. His time on the space station has been a busy schedule of conducting science, maintenance work, cleaning and a strict fitness regime during the long 14 hour days. British astronaut Tim Peake retured to Earth from the International Space Station in a Soyuz space capsule on 18 June (Major Peake is pictured testing out his seat in the Soyuz) Tim Peake being carried to a medical tent after he landed in Kazakhstan following his six months in space In the early hours of Saturday he climbed on board a Soyuz space capsule with Nasa astronaut Tim Kopra and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko to return back to Earth. HAS TIM PEAKE CHANGED IN SPACE While staring back at their beautiful and fragile home planet can certainly alter an astronaut's perspective, the rigors of space travel can also alter them physically too. One peculiar effect of weightlessness is that the spine becomes stretched out, so that an astronaut returns to Earth taller than he or she was when launched into space. An effect still being investigated by scientists is the potential for long periods of time in space to damage an astronauts eyesight. Increased fluid pressure within the neck and head can cause compression on the eyes that may result in slightly impaired vision. It is still not certain that eyesight eventually returns to normal. On average, astronauts lose up to 1.5% of their bone mass for each month spent in space. The loss is greatest in the upper thighs and pelvis, and can increase the risk of injuries such as hip fractures. Over time, the influence of gravity helps the bone to regrow, but full recovery can take as long as three years, depending on the individual. Major Peake said he had lost two kilograms during his time in orbit. He said: 'I was very surprised to come back to Earth to look in the mirror and I was like wow. 'The distribution of weight and the small stabilising of muscles is different.' Advertisement 'The Major Peake said the described the journey back to Earth aboard the Russian built spacecraft as a 'really exciting ride'. He said the three hour journey gets exciting around the time when the Soyuz uses its rockets to come out of orbit as that is the the point where 'if things are going to go wrong with a landing they will start to go wrong during a deorbit burn'. He described the noise of the pyrotechnic bolts, which fire to cause the three stages of the spacecraft to separate, as being like a machine gun going off just a few millimeters from your head. He said: 'The spacecraft really does blow itself apart. 'Sitting next to the window I saw a lot of sparks and flames as the multilayer insulation burns away. it is very exciting.' But he said the most nerve wracking part of the landing was when the main parachute, designed to slow the Soyuz spacecraft down as it nears the Earth's surface, was deployed. He said: 'The most dynamic part is when the drogue chute opens and you are being violently flung around. All you can do is hang on. 'I had been told that would stop with a big jolt, but for our descent I wasn't even away of the main chute opening. 'The clock was running and I was aware of what should have happened and we had gone well past the time when the main chute should have opened. 'For a second I was concerned but I glanced over to Yuri but he was looking so relaxed and cool. If the main chute had not opened he would not be looking so cool, so it reassured me.' Tim Peake (pictured testing his Sokol spacesuit that he will wear on the journey home for leaks) said breathing fresh air and experiencing the weather was one of his highlights since returning from the space station Tim Peake joined Nasa astronaut Tim Kopra and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko as they travelled at speeds of up to 17,000mph during their journey back to to Earth (illustrated) During his time in orbit, Major Peake took control of a prototype rover that will eventually explore the surface of Mars. He drove the rover around a mocked up 'Martian cave' in a warehouse in Stevenage (pictured) The father-of-two, who is from Chichester, West Sussex, said he was relishing the chance to breath fresh air and experience weather after six months enclosed within the space station. He said: 'You do think about Earth a lot when you are in space. You do think about the fresh air and the smells. I meant what I said about the rain - you don't get any weather up there so any weather down here feels unique and very special.' However, he said perhaps the thing he was relishing most about being back on Earth was the ability to go to the toilet with the help of gravity. In orbit astronauts need to use a special toilet that sucks their waste away to prevent it from floating back into the living compartments of the space station. Tim Peake said he was surprised when he looked in the mirror after returning to Earth and realising how much his muscles had changed. He said he lost two kilograms since he launched Major Peake (pictured in a helicopter after landing in Kazakhstan) said it took him nearly 24 hours to adjust to being back in Earth's gravity but he also insisted it was important that the UK continued to invest in human spaceflight to avoid being left behind It is then vacuum packed and stored to be fired back towards Earth in capsules that burn up in the atmosphere. Major Peake said: 'One of the things we do look forward to. Gravity is horrible when you come back to Earth apart from a few cases and when using the toilet, gravity is your friend.' He said that his mission into space was also proof that the younger generations who have been watching him during his time in orbit 'can do anything'. He admitted that he left school with some 'poor A-levels' yet had now returned from six months on the space statoin. He said: 'My message is don't let anyone tell you can't do anything.' He also said that he had to work hard not to become overawed during his time in space. One of Major Peake's highlights during his time on the space station was being able to perform a spacewalk to carry out repairs. He is the first British astronaut to conduct a spacewalk and took a selfie to commemorate the moment (pictured). He said looking back at the vastness of space was a special moment for him He said: 'If you realise where you are and what you are doing you simply would not function due to the wow factor. 'We work hard to normalise everything. You get up in the morning, have a cup of tea, eat a bacon sandwich and go to work.' He said he had lost around two kilograms during his time in orbit. For Major Peake, a lot of his spare time in orbit been spent taking pictures of the extraordinary views he has been able to enjoy during his time in orbit. Tim Peake has made a name for himself as a photographer while in orbit, capturing many stunning images of the Earth, the colourful aurora (pictured) and the Milky Way. He said capturing rare, unplanned images like this were among his favourite But perhaps his strangest time in orbit was while he was sleeping and started to dream towards the end of his mission. 'In terms of real dreams at night, I didn't dream much,' he said. 'Towards the end of my time in orbit I was getting mixed weird dreams where I was ni a building back on Earth but floating around.' He also said that despite being only the second British citizen to go into orbit and the first to perform a spacewalk, his own children were rather underwhelmed by his achievements. He said: 'We are all down to Earth as a family, if you excuse the pun. 'They are aware that going to space was fairly special and a big event, but then go and show them a fire truck and they will be far more excited.' Researchers believe the high levels pollutants show that ultimately, garbage in the ocean can accumulate in the depths They found high levels of toxic chemicals in the marine craetures' shells It is the deepest recess of the Earths oceans, sinking to depths of nearly 7 miles below the surface of the Pacific Ocean, with bone crushing pressures 1,000 times those of the surface. But even the Mariana Trench isnt safe from the spread of pollution. Scientists sampling the small animals from the worlds deepest oceanic trench found higher traces of toxic chemicals in their shells, compared to coastal creatures. Scroll down for video Researchers studied amphipods tiny shrimp-like crustaceans (pictured) brought up from two deep ocean trenches in 2014 and found they contained high concentrations of toxic chemicals used to make plastics and flame retardants THE WORLD'S DEEPEST TRENCH The Mariana Trench is the deepest part of the world's oceans located in the western Pacific Ocean, to the east of the Mariana Islands. The trench is 1,580 miles (2,550 km) long but has an average width of only 43 miles (69 km). The distance between the surface of the ocean and the trench's deepest point, the Challenger Deep is nearly 7 miles (11 km). Director James Cameron became the first solo diver to reach the bottom of Challenger Deep in 2012. Advertisement The findings reveal that man-made pollutants are reaching even the most remote regions of the planet. Researchers studied amphipods tiny shrimp-like crustaceans brought up from two deep ocean trenches in 2014 and found they contained high concentrations of toxic chemicals used to make plastics and flame retardants. The full results are yet to be published, but the findings were presented at a conference in Shanghai this month, reports Nature. But the findings indicate a worrying trend. Previous studies looking for pollutants only visited depths of up to 2,000 metres, but the 2014 expedition sampled depths between 7,000 to 10,000 metres. The Mariana Trench is the deepest part of the world's oceans. It is located in the western Pacific Ocean, to the east of the Mariana Islands. The trench is about 1,580 miles (2,550 km) long but has an average width of just 43 miles (69 km), but despite its depths Marine biologists found traces of PCBs and PBDEs, groups of chemicals which take years to break down and some of which are known to be carcinogenic. Dr Jeffrey Drazen, a marine ecologist at the University of Hawaii, told Nature: Its really surprising to find pollutants so deep in the ocean at such high concentrations. Most worrying was the fact that levels of toxic PCBs were higher in the deep sea creatures than they were in the most polluted rivers in China. Both the Mariana Trench and the Kermadec Trench located off the northern coast of New Zealand are close to swirling currents of water called gyres, which can catch passing plastic and other waste, creating swirling oceanic garbage dumps. According to the researchers, the high levels of pollution in the trenches show that ultimately, this garbage sinks, until it reaches a point where it cant sink any further and so builds up. A species of rare, eyeless catfish thought only to exist in Mexico has now been discovered deep in a limestone cave in Texas. The endangered Mexican blindcat lives exclusively in groundwater, and the sighting adds evidence to a theory that underwater caves may connect the Texas and Mexico portions of a major aquifer. Researchers have collected the pair of pale pink blindcats spotted near Del Rio and relocated them to a special facility at the San Antonio Zoo's Department of Conservation and Research. A species of rare, eyeless catfish thought only to exist in Mexico has now been discovered deep in a limestone cave in Texas. The endangered Mexican blindcat lives exclusively in groundwater, and the sighting adds evidence to a theory that underwater caves may connect the Texas and Mexico portions of a major aquifer THE MEXICAN 'BLINDCAT' The Mexican blindcat (Prietella phreatophila) grows only up to 3 inches in length. They have no eyes and owe their pinkish colour to translucent white skin, which reveals the blood coursing underneath. These endangered fish are only found in groundwater, specifically in areas supported by the Edwards-Trinity Aquifer that sits below the Rio Grande basin in Texas and Coahuila, Mexico. The discovery of these fish means there are now three species of blind catfish known to live in the United States. These are all found exclusively in Texas, and include the toothless blindcat (Trogloglanis pattersoni) and the widemouth blindcat (Satan eurystomus). Advertisement The small blindcats (Prietella phreatophila) grow only up to 3 inches in length, and have long eluded scientists in Texas until the discovery this past May, in a deep limestone cave at Amistad National Recreation Area. A group of the slow-moving pink fish was first spotted in the area in April 2015 by caver and National Park Service resource manager at Amistad, Jack Johnson. But, it took an entire year to relocate them. After several attempts, a team led by led by Johnson and biologist Peter Sprouse of Zara Environmental LLC found them again. 'Since the 1960s there have been rumours of sightings of blind, white catfishes in that area, but this is the first confirmation,' said Dean Hendrickson, curator of ichthyology at The University of Texas at Austin, who identified the fish. 'I've seen more of these things than anybody, and these specimens look just like the ones from Mexico.' The small pink fish have no eyes and owe their colour to translucent white skin, which reveals the blood coursing underneath. They are only found in groundwater, specifically in areas supported by the Edwards-Trinity Aquifer that sits below the Rio Grande basin in Texas and Coahuila, Mexico. 'Cave-dwelling animals are fascinating in that they have lost many of the characteristics we are familiar with in surface animals, such as eyes, pigmentation for camouflage, and speed,' Sprouse said. 'They have found an ecological niche where none of those things are needed, and in there they have evolved extra-sensory abilities to succeed in total darkness.' These fish were first described in 1954, after their discovery in wells and springs near Melchor Muzquiz, in Coahuila, and is listed as an endangered species by the Mexican government and a foreign endangered species by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. With the addition of the Mexican blindcats just discovered, there are now three species of blind catfish in the United States, all found exclusively in Texas, including the toothless blindcat, pictured left, and the widemouth blindcat, shown right 'Aquifer systems like the one that supports this rare fish are also the lifeblood of human populations and face threats from contamination and over-pumping of groundwater,' Johnson said. 'The health of rare and endangered species like this fish at Amistad can help indicate the overall health of the aquifer and water resources upon which many people depend.' The fish will be housed at a facility designed to meet the needs of cave and aquifer species at the San Antonio Zoo's Department of Conservation and Research. 'The San Antonio Zoo has a series of labs specially designed to keep subterranean wildlife safe and healthy,' said Dante Fenolio, vice president of conservation and research at the San Antonio Zoo. 'The fact that the zoo can participate now and house these very special catfish demonstrates the zoo's commitment to the conservation of creatures that live in groundwater.' Advertisement For the first time, astronomers have glimpsed a 'wind nebula' surrounding one of the strongest magnets in the universe. The cloud of high-energy particles encircles a magnetar, a rare ultra-magnetic neuron star. Researchers at Nasa say this discovery provides a unique look at the properties and behaviour of these massive entities, which still largely remain a mystery. For the first time, astronomers have glimpsed a 'wind nebula' surrounding one of the strongest magnets in the universe. The cloud of high-energy particles encircles a magnetar, a rare ultra-magnetic neuron star WHAT IS A MAGNETAR? Magnetars a rare ultra-magnetic neuron stars, and are the strongest magnets in the universe. Only 29 have been classified to date, of the 2,600 known neutron stars. But, astronomers don't know exactly how they are created. Unlike in a pulsar, a magnetar outburst is driven by energy from the strong magnetic field. When the field suddenly returns to a lower-energy state, the excess is released in an outburst of X-rays and gamma rays. This means they are capable of creating brief winds, rather than the steady flow of a pulsar wind. Advertisement A neutron star is the end product of a massive star that has collapsed under its own weight and exploded in supernova, according to Nasa. These 'crushed cores' squeeze the mass of roughly half a million Earths into a ball just 12 miles across about the length of Manhattan. Typically, neutron stars are found as pulsars, producing radio, visible light, X-rays, and gamma rays at different points in their magnetic fields. These can be 100 billion to 10 trillion times the strength of Earth's magnetic field, but a magnetar's field goes beyond even this, at up to a thousand times stronger. But, researchers don't know how magnetars are created, and only 29 have been classified to date, of the 2,600 known neutron stars. The nebula just spotted by Nasa researchers surrounds a magnetar called Swift J1834.9-0846 (shortened as J1834.9). This was discovered by the Swift satellite during an X-ray outburst on August 7, 2011. It's thought that this magnetar is tied to the W41 supernova remnant, roughly 13,000 light-years away in the constellation Scutum. 'Right now, we don't know how J1834.9 developed and continues to maintain a wind nebula, which until now was a structure only seen around young pulsars,' said lead researcher George Younes, a postdoctoral researcher at George Washington University in Washington. 'If the process here is similar, then about 10 percent of the magnetar's rotational energy loss is powering the nebula's glow, which would be the highest efficiency ever measured in such a system.' Upon another look at the Swift discovery, using the ESA's XMM-Newton X-ray observatory, researchers spotted a lopsided glow roughly 15 light-years across surrounding the magnetar. A neutron star is the end product of a massive star that has collapsed under its own weight and exploded in supernova, according to Nasa. These 'crushed cores' squeeze the mass of roughly half a million Earths into a ball just 12 miles across about the length of Manhattan. This concept is illustrated above Researchers have now confirmed that this is the first wind nebula ever seen around a magnetar. 'For me the most interesting question is, why is this the only magnetar with a nebula? Once we know the answer, we might be able to understand what makes a magnetar and what makes an ordinary pulsar,' said co-author Chryssa Kouveliotou, a professor in the Department of Physics at George Washington University's Columbian College of Arts and Sciences. Wind nebulas have been seen around young pulsars, the most famous being at center of the Crab Nebula in the constellation Taurus. These pulsars rotate rapidly, combining with a strong magnetic field to accelerate electrons and other particles to high energies. The resulting outflow is known as a pulsar wind, providing the particles for a wind nebula. 'Making a wind nebula requires large particle fluxes, as well as some way to bottle up the outflow so it doesn't just stream into space,' said co-author Alice Harding, an astrophysicist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Wind nebulas have been seen around young pulsars, the most famous being at center of the Crab Nebula in the constellation Taurus, pictured. These pulsars rotate rapidly, combining with a strong magnetic field to accelerate electrons and other particles to high energies 'We think the expanding shell of the supernova remnant serves as the bottle, confining the outflow for a few thousand years. 'When the shell has expanded enough, it becomes too weak to hold back the particles, which then leak out and the nebula fades away.' Unlike in a pulsar, a magnetar outburst is driven by energy from the strong magnetic field. When the field suddenly returns to a lower-energy state, the excess is released in an outburst of X-rays and gamma rays. This means they are capable of creating brief winds, rather than the steady flow of a pulsar wind. 'The nebula around J1834.9 stores the magnetar's energetic outflows over its whole active history, starting many thousands of years ago,' said team member Jonathan Granot, an associate professor in the Department of Natural Sciences at the Open University in Ra'anana, Israel. 'It represents a unique opportunity to study the magnetar's historical activity, opening a whole new playground for theorists like me.' on 19 August, but it's stiff competition this year Shore enough, competition is stiff for the title of Britain's Beach Hut of the Year. These 10 charming coastline hideaways have been named finalists in an annual competition held by Towergate Insurance. The winning hut will be awarded 1,000 from Location, Location, Location star Phil Spencer, a commemorative plaque, free insurance and 500 for their beach association. No. 303, Brightlingsea, Essex There's stiff competition for this year's annual Beach Hut of the Year tournament, including this finalist With the winner receiving 1,000 from Location, Location, Location's Phil Spencer, a commemorative plaque, free insurance and 500 for their beach association, hut owners are keen to get a shoe in Hut No 303, in Brightlingsea, Essex, has passed through six generations of Janette White's family. She proudly recalls how her uncle Jack, who served in the Royal Navy during World War II, built his dream coastal cottage out of timber. Remembering uncle Jack, she recalled, 'at that time, having a Beach Hut at the coast was like today having a villa on the Costa Del Sol'. It was almost swept away three years ago but the family restored it. She said: 'The storm and tidal surge of 2013 caused considerable damage to the Brightlingsea Huts, some being swept out to sea. 'But Hut 303, although flooded, stood fast. It is now restored to its former glory. Six generations of Uncle Jacks Family have used hut 303 since 1950, and is still much loved by both young and old.' No. 31, West Bay, Thanet, Kent Owner Lili Sanchez thinks of her beach hut as an Aladdin's cave as it is filled with trinkets and kitsch treasures Lili Sanchez thinks of her beach hut as a shed, using it year round to house an Aladdin's cave of trinkets and kitsch treasures. She even hosts a Christmas brunch in the shed. Regardless of the weather, she is happy to curl up in an armchair in her shed and listen to The Archers. Hut 279, Hove, East Sussex Hut 279 has become a special spot for The Grace Eyre Foundation, which supports people with learning disabilities. It regularly hosts friendship groups, drawing classes, barbeques and parties for the charity Hut 279 is owned by the Grace Eyre Foundation, which supports people with learning disabilities. Representative Scott Roedersheimer said: 'Our beach hut is a force for good. 'It also hosts friendship groups, drawing classes, barbeques, and parties and features outsider art on the walls.' Roedersheimer added. All rentals of the hut are reinvested into the charity. The Boho Hut, Hove Esplanade, East Sussex After a family holiday in Sri Lanka owner Jessica Christie-Miller passionately decorated her hut to reflect her love of the country's craft Christie-Miller said she 'wanted to bring a sense of this wonderful, colourful and vibrant country home with us' Owner Jessica Christie-Miller passionately decorated The Boho to reflect her love of Sri Lankan craft. She regularly lends the hut to her sisters residential home for grown-ups with learning difficulties. 'The true moment of inspiration for the interiors then came to me on a recent family holiday to Sri Lanka, and so the newly re-named Boho Beach Hut was born,' she said. 'I wanted to bring a sense of this wonderful, colourful and vibrant country home with us, and so spent a day with a friendly local Tuk Tuk driver, on a mission to find some genuinely local little shops in one of the towns we spent time in, Matara, in the very far south.' She added: 'I'm also offering the Boho Beach Hut to my sister Charlotte's residential home for grown-ups with learning difficulties, Bridge House, which is funded by a charity called The Finvola Trust, set up by my mother. 'The plan is for my sister and her friends and their carers to have free use of the beach hut for days out in Brighton.' No. 14, Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex No. 14 is a tribute to owner Lisa Hammond's dear mum Sally who desperately wanted a beach hut of her own The coastal getaway was designed by Lisa's husband is an architectural interior designer, working on commercial projects like the Bill's Restaurant chain Lisa Hammond inherited her seaside-themed hut from her mother Sally who had put her own name down on a nine year waiting list for the coastal hideaway. Sadly, Lisa's mum has passed before she got a chance to enjoy the hut, but in her honour, it's being put to good use. No. 14 hosts Macmillan coffee mornings and has raised over 800 for the charity tribute to the charitys fantastic support for Sally. Hammond said: 'My husband is an architectural interior designer with his own practice, mainly working on commercial projects. He is the chief designer for the Bill's Restaurant chain, known for its shabby chic, rustic themes. 'He has been very creative with the space in the beach hut as well as the choice of colours. For two years running Hammond has held a coffee morning in her mother's honour, raising around 800 for Macmillan. No. 65, Calshot Beach, Hampshire 'A special place with an intriguing past, a cherished present, and a warmly anticipated future,' said owner Cathy Knapman Owner Cathy Knapman describes her Cath Kidston inspired escape as 'a special place with an intriguing past, a cherished present, and a warmly anticipated future'. When looking through old photos of Calshot Beach Cathy noticed its unusual role in World War II and the D-Day landing as a lookout point. With three grown-up daughters and five grandchildren, No 65 gets a lot of use from her family, with impromptu after-school barbecues, tea with friends or quiet moments. My Happy Hut, Dovercourt, Essex Named The Happy Hut, owner Anna Baria bought the property after a run of bad luck, it now brings her constant joy The widowed single mother said it was love at first sight even though at the time it was plain and functional The red and white polka dot Happy Hut belongs to Anna Baria who purchased the property on a total whim three years ago. The widowed single mother said it was love at first sight with this hut even though at the time it was plain and functional. It features carefully selected objects that add to its happy seaside vibe. Serenity-on-Sea, Bournemouth, Dorset Liz Baum describes her husband Martin as a beach hut bard as he wrote his best-selling book about Shakespeare in their Serenity-on-Sea hut Liz Baum describes her husband Martin as a beach hut bard, as he wrote his best-selling book about Shakespeare in the hut. After suffering from health problems, the hut became a solace of tranquillity for him. Baum said: 'We began renting a beach hut from Bournemouth Council when we moved here 18 years ago and as nice as it was, our dream was to own a hut of our own. 'We believe very sincerely in the power of positive thought and put a wish out there to the cosmos - this is how cosmic ordering works, it can be taken with a pinch of salt or not - but despite a very lengthy waiting list, the cosmos delivered and we achieved our idyll and began living the dream.' For her husband, Martin, who has Multiple Sclerosis, Serenity-on-Sea has been life-enhancing, she said. She said: 'The calmness and inspiration S-o-S provides enabled him, as a writer, to regain his confidence and dignity, which made his creativity go into overdrive and write a best-selling book about Shakespeare from the hut.' Millie, Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex This isn't the first time Millie Hut has been entered into the competition. This Essex spot has had a make-over and been re-entered for the second time Victoria Gunn's hut Millie was a finalist in the 2015 Beach Hut of the Year competition. It's is a local attraction after swapping out her original Cath Kidston decor for a unique ice cream parlour theme, complete with a massive cone. 'Millie is based on an ice-cream parlour and I love the reaction weve had to her', said Gunn. 'I love that people love my beach huts and they have become an "attraction" point in Walton. 'My motto is: life is always better at the beach and I hope we are helping breathe some life back into a declining seaside town.' Buggleskelly, Glyne Gap, East Sussex Full Steam Ahead: Train driver and owner Chris Dewey entered the competition with his train-themed hut even though he only purchased the coastal cottage in April After the classic Will Hay film Oh, Mr Porter, owner and train driver Chris Dewey themed his Buggleskelly hut in the style of a Southern Region train station or signal box. It houses lots of train memorabilia, and a railway runs close behind it. Advertisement These days a trip to the airport is a golden media opportunity for celebrities, with stars like Victoria Beckham ensuring they are picture perfect before stepping off the plane into the throngs of paparazzi. But back in the day, the rich and famous could travel through the terminal relatively unnoticed - apart from at Heathrow. Thanks to his Access All Areas pass, Heathrow's 84-year-old photographer Dennis Stone has been on-hand for the last 70 years to capture all of the best moments at London's busiest airport. Dennis first started working at the airport at 14 years old and his catalogue of photos is a who's who of 20th century stars, including Diana Ross, Brad Pitt, Sean Connery and Elton John. The octogenarian has now shared some of his favourite moments on the airport's website in celebration of its 70th anniversary, and has opened his vault of images to MailOnline Travel. Elton John shows off his individual style as he makes his way through London's Heathrow Airport in the 1980s Elizabeth Taylor poses for the camera in her in-flight outfit after landing at Heathrow Hugh Grant and Elizabeth Hurley arrive at Heathrow from LAX in the 1990s The Queen's corgis leave the royal flight and make their way across the tarmac Mick Jagger grins for the cameras as he clutches a British Concorde plane ticket Bianca Jagger looks incredibly glamorous in furs and silk as she carries her flight reading material through the airport Sylvester Stallone waits for his ride outside the airport following a flight from LAX Sean Connery is dressed down for his flight out of London's Heathrow airport Clint Eastwood shows off his travel style as he boards a plane to the US from Heathrow Danny DeVito attempts to travel through Heathrow incognito and fails A dapper Muhammad Ali is taken through the airport by a member of staff Diana Ross makes her way to Concorde after being released by police following her arrest for an alleged assault on a member of security staff Michael Jackson signs autographs for fans in the 1990s as he leaves a flight Brad Pitt shows little sign of jet lag as he makes his way into London Joan Collins proudly displays her monogrammed Louis Vuitton luggage Jack Nicholson shows of his famous grin... and fancy footwear as he prepares to board a flight Paul McCartney poses with his first wife Linda and their three children as they leave a flight Sir Richard Attenborough waves to the camera as he makes his way into the airport Advertisement As if freediving wasn't thrilling enough, this fearless woman decided to perform the extreme sport while surrounded by sharks at this stunning shipwreck. In some of the snaps taken by underwater photographer Lia Barrett, the professional freediver, Liz Parkinson, strikes a model-like pose on the edge of the wreck off the coast of the Bahamas. Freediving is a dangerous sport where athletes dive to extreme depths on a single breath without any snorkel or scuba diving gear. Barrett, 32, from North Carolina, said the sharks were a bit curious, but for the most part didn't care about the divers. She said: 'You're more likely to get killed by a vending machine than a shark. The point of my shots is to make people question human abilities and scary animals. 'I enjoy creating images that people have to question - how is that made? Is that real? Aren't they going to get eaten?' Liz Parkinson, a professional freediver sits on the stern of a shipwreck in the Bahamas as sharks swim around her Parkinson strikes a pose as a shark swims just above her head at the site of the wreck at Stuart Cove, in the Bahamas Freediving is a dangerous sport where athletes dive to extreme depths on a single breath without any snorkel or scuba diving gear Parkinson explores the shipwreck during a photo shoot with underwater photographer Lia Barrett, from North Carolina Barrett, 32, from North Carolina, said the sharks were a bit curious, but for the most part didn't care about the divers For those who are fearful of sharks, Barrett said 'you're more likely to get killed by a vending machine than a shark' Barrett said she aims to get people to question human abilities and 'scary animals' through her photography Countries always try and present their best side to the outside world and even the most curious tourists are unlikely to see the worst aspects of a place they visit. But in a potential PR disaster for several governments around the world, locals have been sharing details of major problems in their home country that foreigners don't known about. The eye-opening revelations from locals include Thailand's problem with terrorist bombs, Ireland's drug problem and Australia's growing kangaroo population. Rubbish piles up on the streets in Naples, Italy, a problem that was largely blamed on the Mafia's control of the waste disposal business In the Reddit post, users opened up about some of the frustrating aspects of their nation, with often shocked reactions from other nationalities. For many countries, the issues centred around crime problems, including Mexico, Italy and Thailand. For example, a user called MackFarland complained that many visitors to Italy had a semi-romantic notion of the mafia, when it is in fact a huge issue for residents. They said: 'Mafia is not just a pseudo-romantic fictional thing, it's real and got a lot of power. 'No, it isn't just in the south, they subtly control a huge piece of finance all over the country. 'The fight [against the] mafia is always active and people who risk their life for this cause have all of my respect and admiration, but the problem will persist [as long as] mafia clans [are] able to control any local power and can count on the silence of the people.' In September, 2015, thousands of people marched to mark the one-year anniversary of the disappearance of the 43 students from Ayotzinapa College Raul Isidro Burgos, in Mexico City Over in Mexico, the locals claim to face similar problems with the gangs and corruption while also being subjected to shocking levels of violence. A user called Weab said: 'The violence and corruption we face daily is really sad. How can 43 students "disappear" and to never be found? How do reporters who make remarks about corruption casually disappear or being found dead in their homes? '[This is a] country where you have to fear the police the same way you fear criminals.' Meanwhile a fellow Mexico resident called Cmkinusn complained about the safety issues women face in the country, saying: 'My wife constantly gets harassed when she isn't with me and married guys will stalk her and try to push her to have sex with them.' In Thailand, residents complained of a different kind of violence that was more of a political protest. A user called LetMe said: 'The south of Thailand (Yala) has periods of massive terrorist bombings. 'Due to the fact the country has a massive financial income trough tourism and there are no tourists in that region, they wipe it under the carpet and try to keep it covered up for the international press.' An army soldier stands guard front of the Erawan Shrine, where an explosion happened in central Bangkok Whereas the Spanish, one of their biggest gripes isn't corruption, but rather the ineffectual voting system that they have in the country that has left them without a political leader for over a year. A user called MaxReegans said: 'No official president since 2015. We have amazing politicians.' While many countries appeared to have political issues, others had a gripes about mother nature herself, including an Australian who highlighted a problem with one of the country's most iconic animals. Br0z0 said: 'The kangaroos keep reproducing, and there's too many of them - they are allegedly destroying the environment of birds and lizards too.' In El Salvador, residents are dealing with a much more serious problem though - a lack of available water. A user called yeahphysics said: 'Everyone notices the violence and the hunger and poverty, but we are also running out of water. 'Even the wealthiest zones don't have running water 24/7, it is scheduled because we simply don't have enough. 'They have special tanks that they fill with water when it doesn't run, but sometimes we go weeks without any water.' Two kangaroos for the camera in Adelaide, Australia And finally, the biggest little-known gripes about other countries centred around the locals themselves. For instance, an user from Ireland, called Runawaythrowawayrun, said: 'Ireland has a very serious drug problem, like most of Europe, but it combines with the homeless problem to put a hundred thousand junkies on the streets of the tourist cities. Bad situation.' Meanwhile, a resident of China complained about the problem the country has with children defecating openly in the streets. The user called Jordansw said: 'Babies pee and poop on the street because diapers are too expensive.' While another user called XPlatform added of the problem: '[It's] partially influenced by the influx of countryside folks moving into the cities and bringing their ways in. Passengers on board a budget flight say they screamed in terror and feared the worst after the cabin suddenly lost pressure and oxygen masks dropped from the plane's ceiling. Travellers said there was panic on board the Blue Air flight from Milan to Bucharest and the oxygen masks were not working properly. Some of the passengers claimed they were left 'gasping for air' when the plane ran into difficulty on its descent to the Romanian capital. Passengers posted photos on social media showing themselves wearing oxygen masks on the Blue Air flight The plane was carrying 130 passengers when it experienced a pressurisation problem. As panicked travellers tried to use the oxygen masks, they were shocked to discover that they were not working properly, local media claimed. Some travellers claimed they were short of breath, while others said they saw some kind of liquid seeping into the aircraft. However, Bucharest-based Blue Air said all protocols had been followed and no one was injured in the incident. The Blue Air flight was carrying 130 passengers when it experienced a pressurisation problem Bucharest-based Blue Air said all protocols had been followed and no one was injured in the incident A spokesperson for the low-cost airline told reporters everything went according to protocol and the plane was close to its destination when the problem surfaced. The spokesperson said the plane landed safely at Henri Coanda International Airport, the busiest airport in Romania. Journalist Vitalie Cojocaru shared the story and pictures on social media and said that despite the conflicting reports, all of the passengers praised the captain. Blue Air said in a statement: 'During the situation no passenger or flying staff was endangered. The aircraft is being investigated to find out what caused the malfunction.' Blue Air director Gheorghe Racaru told local media: 'Blue Air aircraft YR-BAC was travelling the flight route from Milan Linate to Otopeni Bucharest and landed in normal conditions, with all passengers arriving safely at the destination. 'A few minutes before landing the cabin was depressurised, so, according to the procedures, oxygen masks were lowered to ensure the safety of the passenger until landing. He emerged as an unlikely sex symbol for his role as DCI Gene Hunt in the BBC series Life On Mars. And on Monday morning actor Philip Glenister made it clear that he and his former co-star John Simm would be keen to resume their roles if the hit series were revived for a big screen adaptation. Speaking on ITV's This Morning the 53-year-old actor said: 'I had lunch a few weeks ago with my erstwhile colleague John Simm and we talked about the fact that we should have done a third series, and possibly if a movie version of Life of Mars came up that would be the route to go down.' Scroll down for video Let's do this! On Monday morning actor Philip Glenister appeared on ITV's This Morning and made it clear that he and his former Life On Mars co-star John Simm would be keen to resume their roles if the hit series were revived for a big screen adaptation The answer came after hosts Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby mentioned that the show's creator had suggested the show may return. 'I've always said I remain agnostic on the subject,' he said. 'It's sort of that never say never.' His rough but loyal manner, un-PC ways and propensity for a good old hiding made his character Gene the stand-out in the series alongside the man out of time, Sam Tyler, who was portrayed by Simm. Dynamic duo: Philip, left, portrayed DCI Gene Hunt in the police drama and was known for his loyal manner, un-PC ways and propensity for good. He starred opposite John Simm, who played Sam Tyler 'We should have done a third series': The 53-year-old actor said that he and Simm were enthusiastic about the idea of resuming their roles On the spot: Philip's answer came after hosts Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby mentioned that the show's creator had suggested the show may return Experienced: Appearing in all 16 episodes of Matthew Graham and Ashley Pharoah's '70s themed cop drama, Philip's character also went on to appear in the sequel, Ashes To Ashes Appearing in all 16 episodes of Matthew Graham and Ashley Pharoah's '70s themed cop drama, the character also went on to appear in the sequel, Ashes To Ashes. Glenister's call for a revival comes just weeks after he made similar comments in May. Speaking about the possibility of resurrecting the comical yet endearing partnership between himself and John's character, he revealed that both of the actors had been talking about making a movie. When quizzed about the prospect of a return of Life On Mars by The Radio Times, he exclaimed: 'Oh, yeah. I'd do it. Yeah, you bet.' And the London-born star revealed that it's something he and John have already been talking about, explaining: 'John and I were talking about it a while ago, and I think he'd be up for it. 'Maybe to do a Life On Mars movie in some form, if we could find an angle - I think we'd be up for that, for sure.' Consistent: His comments on This Morning come just weeks after he made similar remarks to Radio Times A new member of the Transformers family has just joined the action-packed franchise. Laura Haddock has announced that she has landed a role in the fifth installment of the movie, Transformers: The Last Knight. Taking to social media, the British actress excitedly shared her news in a playful Twitter video. Scroll down for video New role: Laura Haddock announced via Twitter on Monday that she is the recent addition to the latest Transformers film. She is pictured in January The 30-year-old said: 'Im very proud to announce that I am going to be in the new Transformers movie and acting opposite one of my all-time heroes, massive in the 80s, living legend, some people describe him as having balls of steel. I cant believe I get to be in his entourage Optimus Prime!' In typical English sarcasm, the brunette beauty added, 'Oh and theres this other guy, hes a pretty big deal, Mark Wahlberg.' The 45-year-old Boston actor responded to Laura's humorous tweet by saying, 'Optimus gets more love than Cade? Come on! Welcome to the #transformers family.' Slated to release summer 2017, the concept of the film is not yet determined, however reports suggest it will feature British history as a plot revolving around King Arthur and knights of Camelot. Thrilled: The star said that she is 'very proud' of her new role, and joked that Optimus Prime is 'one of my all-time heroes' 'Oh and there's this other guy': Laura is also excited to be working with Mark Wahlberg, pictured in a scene from the fourth movie Haddock's role has not yet been officially announced. Haddock, best known for her work in the series Da Vinci's Demons, has also appeared in two Marvel Studios movies including Captain America: The First Avenger and in the opening scene of 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy as Peter Quill's mother, Meredith. Her husband of three years, Sam Claflin, lovingly congratulated his wife on twitter posting, '@laurajhaddock super proud of you sunshine! You never cease to amaze me. Constantly transforming. Forever growing #Transformers.' British beauty: The 30-year-old actress (seen here in Da Vinci's Demons) joins the cast including Mark Wahlberg, Anthony Hopkins, and Josh Duhamel The Captain America star has a lot on her plate as she is now taking care of her six-month-old son who she and Sam are raising together. The adorable couple became public with the announcement in May of this year that they gave birth to their baby boy in December, but they are yet to reveal his name. Transformers: The Last Knight will be directed by Michael Bay and written by Art Marcum, Matt Holloway, and Ken Nolan. So in love! The Me Before You actor took to Twitter to congratulate his wife tweeting, 'super proud of you sunshine! You never cease to amaze me. Constantly transforming. Forever growing #Transformers' The confirmed cast includes star Mark Wahlberg as Cade Yeager, Josh Duhamel as Lieutenant Colonel Lennox, as well as a new role for Isabela Moner as the films female lead, Izabella. Jerrod Carmichael of The Carmichael Show is also set to play an unspecified leading role with Sir Anthony Hopkins in an unspecified role. The film is slated to release on June 23, 2017. It's been a challenging few weeks for PR maven Roxy Jacenko, whose husband Oliver Curtis is facing potential prison time after he was found guilty of conspiracy to commit insider trading. But the mother-of-two is committed to keeping family life as normal as possible for her children, four-year-old Pixie and two-year-old Hunter. The 36-year-old took to Instagram on Monday while at her daughter's gymnastics competition, at which Pixie won a medal. Scroll down for video 'My little Pix growing up!' Roxy Jacenko continues with family activities at her daughter's gymnastics competition 'My little Pix growing up! Gymnastics medals and all!' she wrote proudly in the caption. As always, Roxy looked impeccably stylish in a black ensemble that featured leather lace-up detailing over both shoulders. She smiled widely as she held her daughter tightly, who was clutching her certificate while a medal hung around her neck. Challenging: It's been a challenging few weeks for the PR maven, whose husband Oliver Curtis is facing potential prison time after he was found guilty of conspiracy to commit insider trading Family: On Monday, the Sweaty Betty founder wrote a three-page character reference for her husband, describing him as a 'kind, considerate and honourable man' The pair put on a brave face while Roxy's husband and Pixie's father awaits his sentencing, facing up to five years behind bars. On Monday, the Sweaty Betty founder wrote a three-page character reference for her husband, pleading with a judge to not send him to prison. Describing Oliver as a 'kind, considerate and honourable man...and loving father', Roxy wrote: 'We have a close family relationship. 'Pixie and Hunter adore their dad': Oliver, she wrote, generally takes care of all the children's meals, bathes them and puts them to bed while Roxy is at work 'Pixie and Hunter adore their dad. Hes fun, tolerant, uncomplaining and loving. They screech with excitement as soon as they see him and no one else matters to them not even me.' Oliver, she wrote, generally takes care of all the children's meals, bathes them and puts them to bed while Roxy is at work. With a 'team of over 25 staff' to assist her, she said she often has to work long hours and attend to clients' needs late at night and on weekends. Oliver will be sentenced on Friday. His private life may be in limbo but that hasn't slowed him down on the work front. Ben Affleck was spotted scouting possible filming locations around Los Angeles on Monday. The 43-year-old actor turned director looked deep in thought as he dragged on a cigarette while he checked out a cemetery. Good set hunting: Ben Affleck was spotted scouting possible filming locations around Los Angeles on Monday The Dazed and Confused star braved the record-breaking heat in California - although did appear to be feeling its effects as he was a little red-faced and supped on liquids. He looked to be in great shape, having shaved off his recent scruffy beard and looking toned in a tight-fitting T-shirt. The Good Will Hunting actor added grey jeans and sneakers - as he puffed on a menthol-flavour cigarette. Puffing away: The 43-year-old actor turned director looked deep in thought as he dragged on a cigarette while he checked out a cemetery Hot stuff: The Dazed and Confused star braved the record-breaking in California - although did appear to be feeling its effects as he was a little red-faced New project? The Good Will Hunting actor added grey jeans and sneakers - as he puffed on a Menthol-flavour cigarette Ben and estranged wife Jennifer Garner announced nearly a year ago on June 30, 2015 that they were divorcing after 10 years of marriage. He spent Father's Day with their children and have been pictured looking relaxed and happy in each other's company recently, fueling rumours of a reconciliation. Despite a recent family trip to Europe, however, sources told People they were not getting back together. Thirsty work: He supped on liquids and looked quite fit Chat: He looked to be in great shape, having shaved off his recent scruffy beard and looking toned in a tight-fitting T-shirt Directing the action: He looked to be talking through the pros and cons of the visuals he needs at the location Their divorce is expected to be finalized this summer according to the publication. 'She seems adamant about going through with it. She denies that she is back with Ben. She actually almost laughs when asked,' an insider told them. Ben and 44-year-old Jen have a 10-year-old daughter Violet, seven-year-old daughter Seraphina and four-year-old son Sam together. Grave issues: Ben chatted to other members of the crew in a cemetery Busy: His career is anything but dead on its feet as he lines up almost back to back projects Jennifer has recently starred in Miracles From Heaven and Mother's Day and has three films slated for release later this year. Ben meanwhile made his debut as Bruce Wayne and his alter ego Batman in March in Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice and will reprise the role in Suicide Squad due out on August 5. He also can be seen in the action thriller The Accountant co-starring Anna Kendrick, JK Simmons and Jon Bernthal upon its release on October 14. She has been proudly showing off her 60 pounds weight-loss in recent weeks. But Kim Kardashian hid her figure from onlookers on Monday wearing a beautiful kimono style robe as she got to work filming Keeping Up With The Kardashians in Los Angeles. The 35-year-old reality star was spotted hopping out of her luxury Range Rover with cameras rolling as she made her way into The Villa restaurant in Woodland Hills. Scroll down for video Turning Japanese: Kim Kardashian wore a beautiful kimono style robe on Monday as she filmed Keeping Up with the Kardashians in Los Angeles Kim wore some of her favourite perspex heels and appeared to be wearing a pastel pencil dress under her kimono. She sported heavy makeup looking glam and ready to face the cameras. Meanwhile Kim celebrated Father's Day on Sunday by sharing a cute snap of her and husband Kanye West enjoying some beach time with their two children, North, three and Saint, six months. Camera ready: The mother-of-two hid her slimmed down figure as she hopped out of her luxury Range Rover looking all glammed up Kim wore a pair of perspex heels along with what appeared to be a pastel pencil dress Alongside the idyllic image the TV star wrote: 'Happy Fathers Day babe! Thank you for always putting our family first and being the best dad to our babies! I couldn't ask for a better husband and more perfect family. I love you so much!' The family enjoyed lunch at Nobu in Malibu during the day, with Kim showing off her svelte figure in a denim mini skirt and nude bodysuit. Later on she practiced her culinary skills as she whipped up a homemade dinner for her husband of two years. And the 39-year-old Heartless hitmaker certainly appreciated the effort as he took to Twitter to tell fans: 'Wifey made the best Father's Day meal ever. So thankful so happy so blessed. Thank you for making my family' While she's proud of shedding her post-baby pounds, Kim revealed recently that she still feels insecure when she sees other new mums, like pal Chrissy Teigen, slim down super quick. Under wraps: Kim has recently been showing off her 60 pounds weight loss but chose to cover up on Monday Star of the show: When Kim turned around she revealed the colourful design of her kimono as she was followed by crew members Booty-licious: Kim's sister Khloe arrived looking fantastic in a white button-up dress with trainers 'I see my friends like Chrissy, who I love to death, and Im like, "Chrissy, I want to kill you. How do you do it?"' she told People. 'She's a model!' Kim added, 'I think tall, skinny models have it easy,' she added about the 30-year-old star who welcomed daughter Luna in April. Kim's eldest child North turned three last week and the Kardashian clan celebrated by throwing the tot a mermaid-themed party over the weekend. The occasion was shared with her cousin Penelope (Kourtney Kardashian's daughter), who turns four on July 8. Someone's in a good mood! Kim's hubby Kanye West jetted to New York and was spotted at JFK airport So blessed: After Kim cooked up a homemade meal for the rapper he took to Twitter to express his gratitude Making plans: The rapper chatted on his phone as he left his apartment wearing all white Sam Frost officially handed over the Bachelorette Australia title to Georgia Love on Tuesday. And she was very quick to give the 27-year-old a tick of approval. While hosting her 2DayFM breakfast show, Sam said the brunette was a 'fantastic' pick for the show and that her TV reporter past will work in her favour. Scroll down for video Handing over the title: Sam Frost (L) has given her tick of approval to Australia's newest Bachelorette Georgia Love (R), while adding her television reporter background will be an advantage on the show 'She [Georgia] looks so lovely and has a really lovely approachable nature about her,' the 27-year-old said on her radio show. 'It is a tough gig but I think it [media training] will come in handy. 'She will be comfortable in front of the camera and that is the hardest thing to get use to when you are going in because there are all these cameras around.' Approved: The 27-year-old said: 'She [Georgia] looks so lovely and she has a really lovely approachable nature about her. I think it [media training] will come in handy...She will be comfortable in front of the camera' Sam went on to add: 'She will be so savvy and is an incredible pick.' The former Bachelorette later advised Georgia to make sure she looks after her well-being while on the show. 'The biggest thing I can say to anyone doing this is make sure you look after your mental well-being because youre manipulated,' Sam bluntly stated. Good pick: Sam went on to add: 'She will be so savvy and is an incredible pick' 'So many people have these opinions and everyone is saying x, y and z and you dont know what to believe. 'The only thing you can do is believe your intuition and believe in yourself because in this world and in filming and the media, the only person who has your best interest at heart is yourself. 'People always say they have your best interest and I am going to look after you but they dont. You need to trust how you feel and believe in yourself.' Positive: The former Bachelorette went on to hand out some advice to Georgia insisting she makes sure to look after her well-being while on the show When asked by her co-host Rove McManus is he believes Georgia can find love on the show, she claim it is possible. 'Before doing it myself I would have thought what a load of rubbish but now, obviously madly in love, it works,' the former reality television star said. 'It can work you just have to make sure you dont cast a whole lot of douche bags which I am sure they have.' Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson were spotted kissing on the Vancouver set of the Fifty Shades films on Monday. The 34-year-old actor and the actress, 26, are in the midst of filming both the second and third movie in the hit franchise - Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed. During the kissing scene, Jamie, who plays Christian Grey, placed his hands on Dakota's waist and leaned in for a smooch. Scroll down for video Pucker up: Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson were spotted kissing on the set of the Fifty Shades films in Vancouver on Monday Dakota plays his love interest - Anastasia Steele- in the trilogy; the first installment of the franchise, Fifty Shades Of Grey, became a worldwide success after it hit theaters in February 2015. The movie stars filmed scenes holding hands and looking lovingly into each other's eyes in addition to the kiss. Dakota looked lovely in a white blouse with a black ribbon detailing around the neckline; the beauty tucked the stylish top into a black pencil skirt. The fitted bottoms featured ruching over her left hip as well as a small slit near her knee. In character: The 34-year-old actor and the actress, 26, are in the midst of filming both the second and third movie in the hit franchise - Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed Focused: Dakota plays his love interest - Anastasia Steele- in the trilogy; the first installment of the franchise, Fifty Shades Of Grey, became a worldwide success after it hit theaters in February 2015 On screen chemistry: During the kissing scene, Jamie, who plays Christian Grey, placed his hands on Dakota's waist and leaned in for a smooch The Texas-born star paired the blouse and skirt with a black blazer, sheer nylon and dark hued pointed heels. She carried a black and gold accented Hermes purse, adding a bangle, a watch and a diamond wedding ring to finish off her chic ensemble. Dakota wore her dark brunette tresses loose with waves and a fringe. The dark haired beauty kept her makeup minimal, opting for pink lipstick and a touch of rose blush on her cheeks. Giddy: Dakota looked lovely in a white blouse with a black ribbon detail around the neckline; the beauty tucked the stylish top into a black pencil skirt Jamie looked handsome in a blue hued button up collared shirt, opting to cuff the sleeves. The good-looking actor paired the look with grey denim bottoms, adding black dress shoes and a silver watch. Their co-star Brant Daugherty - who plays Sawyer - was also on hand during filming, dressed in a suit and tie. Good looking duo: Dakota wore her dark brunette tresses loose with waves and a fringe Leading the way: The movie stars filmed scenes of the two holding hands as they looked lovingly into each other's eyes in addition to the kiss Staying close: Jamie looked handsome in a blue hued button up collared shirt, opting to cuff the sleeves Fifty Shades Darker, which is the second movie in the hit franchise, is set to be released in 2017. The third and final film of the trilogy, Fifty Shades Freed, will be released in 2018. The films are based on the best selling novels of the same name by author E.L. James. Ready, set, action: The good looking actor paired the look with grey denim bottoms, adding black dress shoes and a silver watch Star power: Fifty Shades Darker, which is the second movie in the hit franchise, is set to be released in 2017 Time to rest: Jamie enjoyed a warm beverage during a break in filming Smiling ear to ear: The dark haired beauty kept her makeup minimal, opting for pink lipstick and a touch of rose blush on her cheeks Handsome and a sharp dresser: Their co-star, Brant Daugherty, who plays Sawyer - was also on hand during filming, dressed in a suit and tie Fancy: She carried a black and gold accented Hermes purse, adding a bangle, a watch and diamond ring to finish off her chic ensemble Looking good: Dakota added sunglasses to her ensemble as well; pictured with co-star Brant Sharing a laugh: Brant looked dapper in his dark hued blazer and matching trousers Rest time: Dakota was seen swapping out her stilettos for Adidas sneakers during a break in filming Break time: In between takes, Jamie stayed warm in a black jacket while he casually rested against the hood of a car Smiling ear to ear: Jamie pictured taking a break on the Fifty Shades set In the moment: Jamie and Dakota were seen smooching while cameras rolled on the film set for Fifty Shades Pretty lady: Dakota looked incredible in the black and white ensemble, adding a large Hermes purse and vintage inspired sunglasses to finish off her look Wow: The luxury vehicle featured in the scenes filmed for Fifty Shades on Monday in Vancouver She regularly steps out in quirky ensembles that convey her unique personality. And on Monday evening model Alexa Chung did it again when she attended a summer solstice dinner at the London Edition hotel. The 32-year-old stunner slipped into a grape-coloured A-line dress with long sleeves and a lace collar, harking back to 17th century England - albeit with a contemporary twist. Scroll down for video Vintage: On Monday evening model Alexa Chung showed off her quirky style at a summer solstice dinner at the London Edition hotel The flattering frock also boasted lace frills on the cuffs and across Alexa's stunning decolletage, which was well and truly covered by the garment. The decidedly vintage dress featured a playful motif of black birds with lavender and beige wings, and stopped just north of Alexa's knees, which she covered in black stockings to maintain the demure quality of her look. Make-up wise she kept it pure and simple, adding the lightest dusting of blush and the faintest touch of pink lippie, allowing her natural beauty to shine. Demure: The 32-year-old stunner slipped into a grape-coloured A-line dress by L'Orla with long sleeves and a lace collar, harking back to 17th century England - albeit with a contemporary twist Original: The flattering frock also boasted lace frills on the cuffs and across Alexa's stunning decolletage, which was well and truly covered by the garment Glamour: Ahead of the dinner, Alexa mingled with host Leith Clark, editor-in-chief of The Violet Book, on the roof of the five-star hotel, which occupies a row of Georgian townhouses in London's tony Fitzrovia Three's company: Leith, Alexa and Tanya Hagan mingled over drinks, which were topped with gorgeous purple flowers, perhaps a nod to the first day of summer Unique addition: Alexa's jacket made for a bizarre addition to her ensemble Chic: As temperatures dropped, Alexa demonstrated even more style cred by donning a finely-tailored black leather trench coat Hosted by Leith Clark, editor-in-chief of The Violet Book, the dinner started with drinks on the roof of the five-star hotel, which occupies a row of Georgian townhouses in London's tony Fitzrovia neighbourhood. As temperatures dropped, Alexa added even more style cred to her look by donning a finely-tailored black leather trench coat. Once inside the luxurious hotel, Alexa removed her stockings to better enjoy the sumptuous dinner with luminaries including the fashion designers Luella Bartley and Erdem Moralioglu, and model and Vogue contributing editor Laura Bailey. It's getting hot in here! Once inside the hotel, Alexa removed her black stockings to reveal her perfect pins Close contact: English fashion designer Luella Barley held Alexa tightly during the event Flower power: Celebrating the first day of summer, Alexa wore a crown of flowers, which gave her the appearance of a glamorous wood nymph A fit of the giggles: Alexa's beauty was undeniable as she sat at the dinner table Good spirits: Alexa laughed throughout the dinner and clearly enjoyed her company, including Canadian fashion designer Erdem Moralioglu who sat to her left Laura marked the arrival of summer in an ankle-length dress covered in red flowers. The 43-year-old beauty wore a black coat while enjoying drinks, but removed it ahead of dinner to reveal her gym-honed arms. Her turtle-neck gave her a regal quality by elongating her neck and drawing attention to her perfect posture. Ageless: Laura Bailey, 43, marked the arrival of summer in an ankle-length dress covered in red flowers Queen of fashion: Laura's turtle-neck gave her a regal quality by elongating her neck and drawing attention to her perfect posture Khloe Kardashian sizzled in a white maxi dress on Monday while filming with family in Los Angeles. The 31-year-old reality star rocked a knee-length button down dress with the lower snaps undone. The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star showed her toned legs with the revealing front slit. Scroll down for video Family filming: Khloe Kardashian rocked a white maxi dress on Monday while meeting with family to film their E! reality show in Los Angeles Khloe completed her outfit with a pair of simple white flats. The former chat show host had her short blonde hair down and accessorised with a few bracelets. Khloe was glammed up with smokey eye makeup, pink lipstick and blush contouring while meeting her sister Kim Kardashian and mother Kris Jenner at The Villa Restaurant in the Woodland Hills area. Cameras rolling: The former chat show host was glammed up as the cameras were rolling Italian food: Khloe met up with sister Kim and mother Kris Jenner at an Italian restaurant Kim, 35, donned a kimono-style robe as she arrived to film the long-running family reality show. The mother of two also arrived in heavy show makeup and was looking glam for the cameras. Keeping Up With The Kardashians had its season 12 premiere on May 1 on the E! Network. Revenge body: The reality star recently filed for divorce again from estranged husband Lamar Odom Kimono style: Kim arrived wearing a kimono-style robe Curves ahead: Khloe showed her famous curves in the clinging white dress Casual footwear: Khloe kept it simple with her footwear and wore plain white sneakers Khloe last month filed for divorce for a second time to end her marriage with estranged husband Lamar Odom. She put the divorce on hold last October after Lamar, 36, collapsed during a binge at a Nevada brothel. Khloe also has kicked Lamar out of the $3 million Calabasas home she was renting for him while he recovered, according to a report by Us Weekly. She has just been named the new Bachelorette, taking helm from Sam Frost. But Georgia Love already has a connection to the reality TV series, with the former Channel Nine reporter snapped with former contestant, Michael Turnbull, at the Melbourne Cup Carnival, last year. The images see the pair charm their way through a deep conversation while exchanging phone numbers, which suggests the two - at one point - could have been more than just friends. Scroll down for video 'You deserve someone special': Michael Turnbull wasted no time in congratulating friend Georgia Love on new Bachelorette title, just months after putting on a flirty display at a Melbourne Cup breakfast Moments after the Tasmanian news reporter was announced as the new Bachelorette on Monday, reality TV hunk Michael wasted no time in congratulating her on social media. The 35-year-old gushed: Congratulations to my friend and Australia's new Bachelorette Georgia Love. You an amazing woman and deserve to find someone special. Good Luck x. He also added the hashtags, #whoeverwinsherheartisaluckyman, #teamgeorgia, #bacheloretteau and #thebachelorau. Did they hook up? The images, from the Spring Racing Carnival in Melbourne, sees the pair charm their way through a deep conversation while exchanging phone numbers, suggesting the two at one point could have been more than just friends Brisbane-based Michael has been making the most of his celebrity status since appearing on The Bachelorette, where he made it to the final two to compete for the love of Sam Frost, who picked Sasha Mielczarek. But his congratulatory post comes one day after he duped his 'fans' into thinking an ex-girlfriend had leaked a sex tape - before revealing it was simply a prank. 'I made a sex tape with an ex and its (sic) going to be sent to the media by her,' he wrote online. 'I thought I could trust her no matter what, guess I was wrong.' The reality TV star claimed he wanted to save himself 'further embarrassment' by posting the video himself in the Facebook comments section. Ready for love: Television presenter and reporter Georgia Love has confirmed she is the new Bachelorette However, Michael did not share any X-rated video but instead made a visual gag by posting a photo of a roll of sticky tape with 'sex' written on it. Meanwhile, 29-year-old Georgia was chosen to star in Network Ten's popular dating show after a 'rigorous casting process', according to New Idea magazine. The broadcaster told The Daily Telegraph that she had quit her job as a broadcaster for WIN News to focus on finding The One. She explained: 'I've gotten to a point in my life where I've realised I want to prioritise myself more than my career and the thing that is missing is love and this is my number one focus right now.' TV star: Brisbane-based Michael has been making the most of his celebrity status since appearing on The Bachelorette, where he made it to the final two to compete for the love of Sam Frost Georgia Love was recently announced as Australia's newest Bachelorette, with a surname almost too perfect to be true for the hit dating series. And there's another member of her family whose last name seems apt for his chosen profession, as revealed on the Kyle and Jackie O show on Tuesday. Richie, who used to work with Georgia on breakfast radio, called in to reveal her father Dr. Christopher Love is a Melbourne surgeon who specialises in erectile dysfunction. Scroll down for video Calling Dr Love! Newest Bachelorette Georgia Love's father Christopher revealed as Melbourne surgeon who specialises in erectile dysfunction 'She's from good stock. Her dad's a doctor out of Melbourne,' Richie said, 'and he's a doctor for erectile dysfunction, which is really fitting as his name is Dr. Love'. According to his website, urological surgeon Dr. Love became involved in male health in 1987 and has been a major penile implant surgeon in Australia since that time. 'He is the largest volume, and most experienced, penile implant surgeon in Australia,' it reads, having graduated from Monash University in 1978. 'She's from good stock': A man named Richie, who used to work with Georgia on breakfast radio said 'she's all class' 'Very supportive': Speaking with Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday, Dr. Love said the family are 'very supportive' of their daughter in this 'exciting opportunity' He also has a YouTube channel where he answers common questions associated with his area of expertise, including: 'How is a penile prosthesis implanted?' Speaking with Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday, Dr. Love said the family are 'very supportive' of their daughter in this 'exciting opportunity'. While breakfast show host Kyle Sandilands attempted to get dirt on Georgia from her former colleague, Richie insisted she's 'all class'. 'She's really fun': Her former colleague also said she often quotes the film Anchorman and has endless amounts of energy 'She ticks every single box,' he gushed. 'She's not that type of girl [to sleep around]... She's really fun.' Richie also explained the 29-year-old had been in a long-term, long distance relationship with a man in Melbourne while she lived in Hobart as a news anchor. They had broken up about a year before it was announced she had been chosen as the new Bachelorette. 'He burns my private parts. He won't let me eat or drink. He beats me. He's going to kill me,' shouted Blair Blair, 43, then began to cry and scream about being physically abused by a man The actress was allegedly mixing wine and pills on the plane according to eyewitnesses Selma Blair was rushed to a Los Angeles hospital on Monday after being met by paramedics on a flight home from Cancun Selma Blair was rushed to a Los Angeles hospital on Monday after she reportedly mixed alcohol and pills on a flight home from Cancun and began to scream about a man physically abusing her. 'He burns my private parts. He won't let me eat or drink. He beats me. He's going to kill me,' shouted Blair, who broke down in tears fellow passengers told TMZ. She was travelling home from Cancun with her 4-year-old son Arthur and his father, her ex Jason Bleick. Blair had surprised Bleick with a trip to the Mexican resort city as a Father's Day gift. The two exes were seen getting close at one point over the weekend as they sat with their son at the beach. Bleick posted a photo of himself and Arthur on their flight home shortly before Blair's episode, writing: 'On our way back from Fathers Day in Mexico. #arthursaintbleick Scroll down for video Pill scare: Selma Blair was rushed to a Los Angeles hospital on Monday after being met by paramedics on a flight home from Cancun (Blair above over the weekend with son Arthur and ex Jason Bleick) Traveling partners: She was flying home from a Father's Day weekend trip with her ex Jason Bleick and son Arthur (above), who were both with her on the plane Feeling the pace: Selma Blair looked exhausted when snapped on the beach in Mexico on Sunday Tired: It appeared Selma was somewhat exhausted during her getaway A source familiar with the situation told People: 'She was met by paramedics at LAX as soon as her plane arrived. It looks like she had taken a combination of prescription medication with alcohol. We don't know what sort of prescription medications.' Prior to landing the pilot got in touch with air control and told them she had been mixing alcohol and an unknown medication. Two nurses were also on the flight and went through the actress' belongings to try and determine what sort of pills the actress might have taken during the trip. The 43-year-old People V. OJ Simpson star seemed to be enjoying her time in Cancun over the weekend according to fellow guests at the Hard Rock Hotel in Riviera Maya. 'She was happy and healthy the entire trip,' one onlooker told People. 'Arthur was so happy to spend the weekend with his family, giving his mom lots of hugs and kisses on their beach getaway.' Blair did however look tired on Sunday when she was photographed on the beach in a white bikini while her son and Bleick played in the water. In one photo the actress is hunched over and appears to almost be in pain with here eyes closed. She and Bleick seem to have gotten closer in recent months, with the actress posting a a photo of the two of them taken while she was pregnant with Arthur in honor of Bleick's birthday in April. 'Happy birthday @jasonbleick . This picture, taken just a few months into my pregnancy, and we were so much in love,' wrote Blair. 'Thank you for the sweetest memories of that time and for our son, that unconditional love. Happy birthday dad.' Getting close: The exes were seen getting close over the weekend as they posed for photos at the resort Baby boy: Blair and Bleick have remained close despite their split as they co-parent 4-year-old Arthur Great time: 'She was happy and healthy the entire trip,' one onlooker at the resort said of the actress Drained: 'Somehow, I was just hanging on. But then it caught up with me - totally - and, since then, I've just fallen apart,' she told TV Week in 2012. I need to get myself back together so I can go back to work so I can pay for a house for this baby.' Blair posted a photo as she and Arthur made their way down to Cancun last week on Instagram for the trip. She captioned the image: 'We're leaving on a jet plane. Dad is already asleep. Not for long. Bwahahahha . #fathersdayweekend.' Representatives for Blair have not responded to multiple requests for comment from DailyMail.com. Selma and Bleick dated between 2010 and 2012, but they have appeared to maintain an amicable relationship since their split. On numerous occasions, they have been spotting stepping out together with their son to enjoy a variety of family days out. Take that daddy: Meanwhile Arthur was having a ball in the water splashing his father Jason Bleick Close: Blair and Bleick seem to have gotten closer in recent months, with the actress posting a a photo of the two of them taken while she was pregnant with Arthur in honor of Bleick's birthday in April. While the Cruel Intentions star and her heavily tattooed ex seem to make co-parenting look easy, Selma admitted that she barely held it together when their two-year relationship first broke down and she had a young child to take care of. 'Somehow, I was just hanging on. But then it caught up with me - totally - and, since then, I've just fallen apart,' she told TV Week in 2012. I need to get myself back together so I can go back to work so I can pay for a house for this baby.' The actress also admitted she was exhausted because adorable Arthur was not sleeping well at the time, explaining: 'I'm seriously sleep-deprived; I can barely put a word together. I have not functioned. 'I'd go to these "Mommy & Me" classes and they'd be like, "Oh, my God, my kid still wakes up twice a night or once a night," and I'd just burst into tears, thinking, "Oh, I wish! I wish my child woke up twice a night!" She was promoted to Miss Great Britain after the previous title holder Zara Holland was dethroned for having sex on ITV 2's Love Island. And Deone Robertson, 28, has had her say on the event bosses' controversial decision to strip Zara, 20, of her title in an interview with the Mirror Online. The beauty said: 'We are supposed to be role models for young girls and represent our chosen charities - [Zara] knew this. Everyone is briefed before entering a pageant. It's drummed into your head. There are contracts in place. You can't be be seen naked or topless and you definitely cannot have sex on TV. Scroll down for video Out with the old... New Miss GB Deone Robertson, 28, has had her say on the event bosses' controversial decision to strip Zara Holland of her title for having sex on ITV 2's Love Island Many have criticised the event for 'slut-shaming' Zara, but Deone has backed the decision to appoint a new Miss GB. She continued: 'But I think the pageant community saw this coming. Nobody is saying she did anything wrong. She is a young girl enjoying life but under these circumstances, she can't be a title holder.' However, she added that she believes Zara will bounce back and have a successful career despite the negative attention around her on-screen antics. 'I think Zara had the best time on Love Island,' said Deone. 'It came at a cost but I know she is going to go on to do bigger and better things.' Upset: On Sunday, as news broke that the fallen beauty queen had quit ITV2's Love Island to be by her ill mother's side, she took to her Instagram and Twitter accounts to share her feelings On Sunday, as news broke that the fallen beauty queen had quit ITV2's Love Island to be by her ill mother Cheryl Hakeney's side, she took to her Instagram and Twitter accounts to share her feelings. Uploading a shot of herself wearing a yellow bikini while sobbing into her hands, she wrote: 'This sums up how I'm feeling, but knowing I've got incredible support makes me feel very humble. Thank u so much.' Hours earlier, it had been announced that the 20-year-old, who was stripped of her Miss Great Britain 2016 title on Thursday, left the Majorca-set dating show to jet back to the UK. Home is where the heart is: Zara learned of her mother's illness on Saturday and made the decision to quit the show and fly home to England Zara lamented: 'I'm so sad to leave the villa but it's important for me to get home and spend time with my mum while she gets better.' 'I've had the time of my life on Love Island and would like to thank all of my fellow Islanders and the production team for all their support.' Zara learned of her mother's illness on Saturday and made the decision to quit the show and fly home to England. However, producers said they would keep the door open should Zara decide to return to the programme. The shamed beauty queen had been on the show since the first episode of the current series kicked off on 30 May. After appearing to be unlucky in love on the series so far, Zara ended up having sex with newcomer Alex Bowen. Hes used to being upstaged by his curvy This Morning co-host Holly Willoughby. And Phillip Schofield once again found himself overshadowed at the weekend by three fair-headed lovelies: his mother, Pat, and his two daughters, 22-year-old Molly and Ruby, 19. Pat looked stylish in a white dress and cardigan while Ruby opted for a black mini-dress and Molly for an off-the-shoulder red number. Schofield, 54, was no doubt thrilled to play second fiddle to the glamorous trio, as his entire family including his wife Stephanie were gathered in Cornwall to celebrate Pats 80th birthday. Hes used to being upstaged by his curvy This Morning co-host Holly Willoughby. And Phillip Schofield once again found himself overshadowed at the weekend by three fair-headed lovelies: his mother, Pat, and his two daughters, 22-year-old Molly and Ruby, 19 Marks &Spencer pin-up Alexa Chung has revealed that she is concerned about the effect shes having on her more impressionable fans. Theres one girl who does an impression of me on Instagram and its spot on, says the 32-year-old clotheshorse. Im worried about her bank account because I dont actually own a lot of the things that I wear in a photo shoot, for example, and then shes wearing it. How thoughtful. Palace officials trying to find millions for the upkeep of the Queens vast art collection should seek Prince Harrys advice on fundraising. Latest accounts for his charity for African orphans, Sentebale, disclose that it enjoyed an income of 3.43 million last year. Corporate donors made up 1.1 million of the total, compared with 413,000 the previous year. Donors are not named in the charitys annual report, but acknowledgements are made to Jaguar Land Rover, Rolex and Vodafone Foundation, among others. The model daughter of Sir Mick and Jerry Hall claims the 72-year-old Rolling Stones luxuriant dark hair is completely natural Mick Jagger's hair is all natural, says daughter Is Lizzy Jagger taking filial loyalty too far? The model daughter of Sir Mick and Jerry Hall claims the 72-year-old Rolling Stones luxuriant dark hair is completely natural. He doesnt do much with his hair, says Lizzy. Hes lucky because its not falling out or going grey. Hes got miracle hair. Even though I take really good care of my hair, Im really lucky that both of my parents have great hair, which Ive inherited. I do get a lot of inspiration from his make-up looks from the Seventies, which he doesnt really go for any more. Hes a bit more reserved with his looks on stage these days. For a guy, he takes pretty good care of his skin. He is known to have a close relationship with his stepmother, Gamble Breaux. And this week, Luke Wolfe cemented that fact by joining The Real Housewives of Melbourne star and his father Rick on holiday in Hobart, Tasmania, for the Dark Mofo festival. However, the threesome were not alone for long as they were later seen out with MasterChef contestant Harry Foster during a leisurely stroll on Monday. Good friends: Gamble Breaux and husband Rick Wolfe were joined by his son Luke and MasterChef contestant Harry Foster in Hobart, Tasmania, on Monday Although it is not yet known how Luke and Harry know each other, the 19-year-old has uploaded various Instagram snaps of the two - with the pair only recently following each other on social media. Dressed in matching brown coats with black collars, the friends appeared to be in great and relaxed spirits as they kicked back together. One snap sees Luke and Harry both enjoy refreshing beverages by the harbour, whilst taking in the atmospheric views. Keeping their cool: Dressed in matching brown coats with black collars, the friends appeared to be in great and relaxed spirits as they kicked back together Winter break: Over the past few days, Gamble and her family have been in Tasmania for the Dark Mofo festival I'd like to thank the waiter who took this photo while we tried to flirt with him, the reality TV star captioned the shot, later adding another with the words, Riding lamb on the MR1. During the outing, Gamble cut a stylish figure in leather pants and a grey knitted jumper, which was styled further with over-the-knee suede boots and a padded winter chic coat. With her tresses left loose in luscious waves, the 45-year-old added reflective shades and a blue designer handbag to the relatively low-key ensemble. Rick looked casual yet distinguished in jeans, a navy jacket and Chelsea boots, and wore his trademark white hair cropped. Twitter pals: Although it is not yet known how Luke and Harry know each other, the pair recently followed each other on social media Feeling merry: The group appeared to be having a swell time, enjoying various beverages 'I'd like to thank the waiter who took this photo': One snap sees Luke and Harry both enjoy refreshing beverages by the harbour, whilst taking in the atmospheric views 'Riding lamb on the MR1': The two friends were seen drinking glasses of wine on a cruise Earlier this year, Gamble and Rick tied the knot in a lavish outdoor ceremony on the New South Wales northern coast. She dazzled in a custom-made Alin Le' Kal wedding dress which clung to her figure and featured a long and billowing train. Gamble was given away by her best friend and artist Charles Billich, and her co-star Gina Liano also helped host the televised event. Classy; During the outing, Gamble cut a stylish figure in leather pants and a grey knitted jumper, which was styled further with over-the-knee suede boots and a padded winter chic coat Specs appeal: With her tresses left loose in luscious waves, the 45-year-old added reflective shades and a blue designer handbag to the relatively low-key ensemble David Crosby has agreed to pay $3 million to settle a lawsuit after striking a jogger last year with his car in California's wine country. The 74-year-old rock legend agreed to pay Jose Luquin $2,950,000 and his son $50,000 after being sued, according to an article on Monday by TMZ. Crosby called 911 himself following the accident and told California Highway Patrol officers that he had not been drinking and was blinded by the sun. Lawsuit settled: David Crosby, shown in February in Los Angeles, has agreed to pay $3 million to settle a lawsuit after striking a jogger last year with his vehicle in Santa Ynez, California According to a CHP report, Luquin and his 14-year-old son were jogging on Baseline Avenue in Santa Ynez on March 22, 2015 when they heard Crosby's 2015 black Tesla approaching. Luquin started trailing his son to give the car room to pass when he was struck and tossed in front of his son. Officers at the scene determined alcohol was not a factor in the accident. Rock legend: Stephen Stills, left, Graham Nash, centre, and Crosby are shown performing in September 2015 in London The lawsuit however claimed that plaintiffs were 'informed and believed' that Crosby was intoxicated at the time of the accident. Crosby had ingested 'alcohol and/or prescription drugs and/or non-prescription drugs and/or other intoxicants and hallucinogens,' according to the lawsuit filed by Luquin's attorney James McKiernan. The Tesla was traveling at about 55mph and Luquin suffered a broken leg, arm, shoulder and ribs and also kidney damage. Going strong: Crosby and wife Jan Dance, who married in 1987, are shown in February in Los Angeles It was unclear if the $3 million settlement was being paid by Crosby or his insurance company. Crosby is a founding member of The Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash and he is a two-time inductee into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Crosby spent nine months in a Texas state prison in 1982 after being convicted of several drugs and weapons charges. Celebrities are known to go to great lengths for method acting. And Nicole Kidman was seen adopting a wide range of unusual facial expressions on Tuesday. The Oscar-winning actress appeared highly animated as she donned a curly grey wig again on the set of new crime drama, Top Of The Lake. Scroll down for video Funny face: Nicole Kidman, 49, was seen pulling a range of animated facial expressions on the set of new crime drama, Top Of The Lake, on Tuesday In one image Nicole appeared incredulous when in conversation with a co-star, even raising her left arm for emphasis. Another saw the actress pull a rather pained expression, scrunching her eyes and tilting her head. Sporting a simple V-neck black T-shirt, Nicole was once again made to look significantly older than her 49 years, donning the same curly grey wig she wore last Friday. Pained: At one point the Oscar-winning actress pulled a rather distressed face, scrunching her eyes and tilting her head Animated: Nicole also appeared surprised while in conversation with a co-star The wife of country music star Keith Urban has been sporting very different looks since filming got underway last week. After first taking to the set in a curly grey wig, the Grace Of Monaco star then returned to her old self, with her signature red curly locks slicked back into a tight chignon. The Hollywood star plays an undisclosed supporting character in the second season of the hit UK-Australian show, which is directed by her close pal Jane Campion and centres around the disappearance of 12-year-old Tui, who is five months pregnant. Back to her old self: The partner of Keith Urban had her signature red locks slicked back into a chignon as she headed to the set of Top Of The Lake: China Doll on Monday after previously rocking a grey wig The last time Nicole was in Australia to film a local TV production was back in 1989, when she starred in the three-part miniseries Bangkok Hilton. For this project, the redhead has returned Down Under for five weeks and has brought daughters Faith and Sunday Rose along with her. She will join Mad Man actress Elisabeth Moss who has returned for the second series and Game Of Thrones star Gwendoline Christie. Down Under: The Grace of Monaco star, who is married to Keith Urban, (pictured) has returned to Australia for five weeks and has brought daughters Faith and Sunday Rose along with her The narrative will pick up four years after the first season, which saw Elisabeth net a Golden Globe for her performance. The acclaimed director Jane revealed to Confidential that she never expected the popular series to return for another run. 'It was like a novel, each one being a novel. They are not episodics so they have to have a whole shape and form and end to them,' she said. According to The Daily Telegraph, Foxtel boss Brian Walsh said it had taken a year to secure Nicole, having signed the contract finally last Thursday. 'Having Nicole on board is such a great endorsement of the high-concept television we are producing here now,' Brian said. 'I dont think theres been a better time for Australian television.' The mini-series is slated for a 2017 release. Flashback! The last time Nicole was in Australia for a local TV production was in 1989, when she starred in the three-part miniseries Bangkok Hilton She's expecting identical twin boys yet she can't stop wearing pink. Rebecca Judd was seen wearing a second pastel pink coat in as many days as she filmed her Postcards show in Melbourne on Tuesday. The 33-year-old old television presenter, who is excited at the prospect of expanding her brood with identical twin boys with retired AFL star husband Chris, looked radiant as she dressed to impress. Scroll down for video Pretty in pink: Rebecca Judd was seen wearing a second pastel pink coat in as many days as she filmed her Postcards show in Melbourne on Tuesday Bumping along nicely: The 33-year-old old television presenter is excited at the prospect of expanding her brood with with retired AFL star husband Chris The WIN television star looked chic in the long coat and leather trousers and heels and at one stage was seen hugging her burgeoning bump. The tight white polo neck hugged her growing bump showing her true form and she wore her hair in a stylish ponytail. Despite the choice of colour of her attire, Rebecca shared the news in April that she and Chris are expecting identical twin boys. And...action! The former weather presenter has been hard at work since she returned from a long weekend break with her family in Queensland She took to Instagram to share the happy news, along with an ultrasound image and captioned it: 'Jeepers- IDENTICAL twin boys. Shell shocked all over again. 'Wish we called Billie a proper girl's name now,' she wrote, in reference to her two-year-old daughter. Rebecca has been hard at work since returning from holiday in Queensland with her husband and children Oscar and Billie. Glamorous: The mother-of-two cut a decidedly sophisticated figure in tight leather trousers and stilettos Elegant: The WIN television star looked chic in the long coat and leather trousers and heels Working it: Rebecca was seen working her magic for the cameraman We are giddy with excitement but at the same time we are really shocked, Rebecca recently told the Herald Sun. We cant quite believe it. We were weighing up whether to go for a third. We thought we would give it a try, and the first go we ended up having twins, which was so unexpected. At the time the model revealed an initial eight week scan failed to detect the second baby. It was only when she went for a routine follow-up scan after four weeks later that she discovered she was expecting twins. Feeling flat: She swapped her vertiginous heels for trainers Off we go: She previously said how shocked she was that she is expecting twins You waiting for me? Carting her Louis Vuitton bag, she headed home after filming wrapped 'I could see one baby, and then I could see a blob. And my words to my obstetrician were, "Whats that blob?" There was a little bit of silence, and then he said, "Thats another kid." The shock news has since forced the Melbourne based couple to consider moving to a larger property as they prepare for the next chapter in their lives. Rebecca followed her initial baby news by posting a snap on her popular Instagram account in which her baby bump is revealed for the first time. Home time: She clambers into an awaiting car after a morning's filming Captioning the shot, she wrote: 'OMGEEEEEE- freakin TWINS are on the way. I get heart palpitations and sweats telling people as I'm still in shock but also giddy with excitement.' Rebecca previously fielded criticism from fans after posting a selfie of her slender body - just weeks after giving birth to daughter Billie. 'How is this nice? Way too skinny, wrote one social media follower wrote underneath the image. Meanwhile, another critic wrote: I like following you Bec but please reconsider the message you are sending to young impressionable women.' Over the past few days, they have been soaking in the gorgeous sights and surroundings of Tasmania. And on Monday, Gamble Breaux couldnt resist the urge to pack on the PDA as she stepped out in Hobart with her beloved husband Rick Wolfe aka Wolfie. The 45-year-old - who is famed for her role on The Real Housewives of Melbourne - was beaming from ear to ear as she held hands with her beau during a leisurely stroll. Scroll down for video Time to pucker up! Gamble Breaux couldnt resist the urge to pack on the PDA as she stepped out in Hobart with her beloved husband Rick Wolfe aka 'Wolfie' on Monday The smitten couple - who tied the knot earlier this year - were also joined by Ricks son Luke and with MasterChef contestant Harry Foster. Meanwhile, the TV star cut a stylish figure in leather pants and a grey knitted jumper, which was styled further with over-the-knee suede boots and a leather jacket. With her blonde tresses left loose in luscious waves, Gamble added reflective shades and a blue designer handbag to the relatively low-key ensemble. On fine form: The 45-year-old cut a stylish figure in leather pants and a grey knitted jumper, which was styled further with over-the-knee suede boots and a leather jacket Not alone: The smitten couple - who tied the knot earlier this year - were also joined by Ricks son Luke and with MasterChef contestant Harry Foster Her partner looked casual yet distinguished in denim jeans, a navy jacket and Chelsea boots, while he wore his trademark white hair cropped. Earlier on in the week, Gamble took to her social media sites to heap praise on her husband, writing My Woofa! @rickwolfe1 trying to look interested whilst I interpret last nights dreams[sic]. It's my favourite hobby! Having an amazing time in Tasmania with the kids! Feeling merry: The group appeared to be having a swell time, enjoying various beverages Attention to detail: With her blonde tresses left loose in luscious waves, Gamble highlighted her facial features with flawlessly applied makeup Strong bond: Gamble and Rick tied the knot in a lavish outdoor ceremony on the New South Wales northern coast a few months ago The lovebirds tied the knot in a lavish outdoor ceremony on the New South Wales northern coast a few months ago. She dazzled in a custom-made Alin Le' Kal wedding dress which clung to her figure and featured a long and billowing train. The blonde beauty was given away by her best friend and artist Charles Billich, and her co-star Gina Liano also helped host the televised event. They had a very public and very bitter falling out last summer. But on Monday, Rosie O'Donnell and her estranged daughter Chelsea, 18, were all smiles as they attended an event in New York. It's the first time in months that the two have been pictured together after the adopted teen ran away from home in August and the TV host told her to find 'another stranger' to take care of her. Scroll down for video Reunited: Rosie O'Donnell and her daughter Chelsea, 18, were all smiles as they posed together for pictures at a charity fundraiser on Monday. It's the first time in months they've been seen together following a bitter feud Chelsea joined her mom and her younger sister Vivienne, 13, for Fran Drescher's annual Sunset Cabaret Cruise that raises money for The Nanny star's nonprofit organization Cancer Schmancer. The pair happily posed for a picture together fuelling speculation that they've found a way to work through their differences. And Rosie, who at one point threatened to cut her Chelsea off from her siblings, clearly seems to have relented. Good cause: Chelsea sat with her younger sister Vivienne, 13, and Rosie at Fran Drescher's Sunset Cabaret Cruise that serves as a fundraiser for The Nanny star's cancer awareness and support nonprofit Rosie, who shares four adopted children, including Chelsea and Vivienne, with ex-wife Kelli Carpenter and a three-year-old adopted daughter Dakota with ex-wife Michelle Rounds, posted a picture of the three of them together on her Instagram on Tuesday. The gesture seems to make the reconciliation official, and her social media followers reacted with joy at the news. The feud between Rosie and Chelsea made headlines after the actress and comedienne tweeted last August that she needed help finding her daughter whose whereabouts were unknown to her. It turned out that the teen had been living with her boyfriend Steven Sheerer, 26, at his parents home in New Jersey since Rosie allegedly kicked her out two weeks before her 18th birthday. But she split from Sheerer and ended up staying with the parents of another friend in New York. Emotional issues: Chelsea, one of five children adopted by Rosie, left home last August and claimed the TV host had 'kicked her out' of the house because she wouldn't enter an independent living facility in Texas where she would get help for ongoing anxiety and depression. She's pictured last December This all took place after she had reconnected with her birth mother in Wisconsin, and followed repeated efforts by Rosie to get her to enter an independent living program in Texas. Chelsea had previously been sent away for three years to a therapeutic boarding school in Utah to get help for issues with anxiety and depression. The battle between the two reached a head shortly before Christmas in early December 2015. Rosie texted her daughter: go to texas this is the last offer of any kind of help. ever. Chelsea replied: Then I dont want ur help. Rosie then wrote: u never have go find another stranger to take care of u till they kick u out or u run away.enjoy the rest of ur life. Goodbye. Back on track: Chelsea looked healthy and happy with dyed red hair and wearing an off-the-shoulder black top with white jeans as she joined her mom and sister to pose with show host Fran Back in February, Rosie had made fun of her life raising teens during a stand-up routine at a fundraising event in NYC. 'I had four teenagers when I decided to adopt a newborn baby. You might ask why. Because I had four teenagers and I needed to remind myself that I actually do love children,' she joked, according toPeople. 'I did the best I could,' she added. 'They blame you for everything.' Relaxed: A happy-looking Rosie stepped out in her usual all-black ensemble, opting to pair a long jacket with a blouse, akinny pants and leather boots On their night out together, Chelsea appeared happy and healthy with dyed red hair worn in a bun and wearing an off-the-shoulder black top and white jeans Rosie opted for her usual all-black ensemble wearing a long jacket, with a blouse, trousers and leather boots. Vivienne, meanwhile, wore a stylish black crop top with a black mini skirt and chunky ankle boots. Stylish teen: Vivienne wore a short-sleeved black top and mini skirt with chunky ankle boots and left her long blonde hair loose Big friends: Rosie gave pal and cancer survivor Fran a helping hand by supporting her show that took place on a boat at New York's Pier 40 She's soaking up the sun in the South of France as she films this year's Made In Chelsea summer spin-off. And Georgia 'Toff' Toffolo looked every inch the bikini babe as she made the most of her glamorous surroundings in an envy-inducing Instagram post on Monday. Posing against a backdrop of a private swimming pool, rolling hills and the sea, the reality star, 21, showcased her slim figure in a bright fuchsia bikini. Scroll down for video Made In Cannes: Made In Chelsea's Georgia 'Toff' Toffolo looked every inch the bikini babe as she made the most of her glamorous surroundings in an envy-inducing Instagram post on Monday Wearing her blonde locks scraped back from her face, the politics graduate accentuated her pretty features with low-key make-up as she enjoyed her pool day on a break from filming. On Monday night, Toff joined co-star Francis Boulle - who will return to the E4 reality show this summer after a stint in South Africa - at the MailOnline party at Cannes Lions Festival. The glamorous duo attended the star-studded party, where they talked about filming the show's mini-series in the South Of France - and those dreaded kissing scenes. Georgia, looked incredible in a semi-sheer cream lace top and perfectly matching mini skirt, shunning heels for a sensible pair of espadrilles. There are certainly worse places to work! The reality star is currently soaking up the sun in the South of France as she films this year's Made In Chelsea summer spin-off Lucky lady! The politics graduate has been enjoying a summer of fun on the French Riviera From Chelsea to Cannes: MIC stars Toff and Francis Boulle later hit the MailOnline yacht on Monday for a special dinner as the Cannes Lions Festival got underway on Monday Meanwhile, Francis was wearing his usual smart/casual look with a navy blazer and jeans worn with a crisp white shirt. Toff said: 'Francis is back from South Africa and we've missed him. We're filming six episodes so we're here for two months.' The dapper chap, an original cast member, left the show in 2013 but is back to shake things up. 'We're not giving anything away about what's coming up but it's going to be good,' Toff teased. Party time: Francis revealed that he is heading back to the show after a three year hiatus as the cast shoot a spin-off in the French Riviera Awkward: Francis reveals he just 'laid back and thought of England' when he was required to kiss on camera Big fans: Toff, a huge hit with fans, revealed that MailOnline is her 'favourite publication' More drama: The blonde socialite has had more of a main role in the current season of the E4 hit 'I hope we'll all get on but it's just not going to happen, is it? I would love us all to get through the series without any arguments. That's what I really want but it never really happens.' But one thing that's not sitting too pretty with the pair are the kissing scenes which have become something of a trademark feature on the show. 'They can be quite awkward,' Francis, 27, said. 'Sometimes you just have to lie back and think of England. 'A lot of romance and drama is always promised though - that's pretty standard.' Joining the likes of Gary Barlow, Raymond Blanc, Oliver Cheshire, Piers Morgan and Jack Butland, the pair were in high spirits on the night. 'This is my favourite publication and the party is awesome,' said Toff. She's got one of the best bodies in the business and works hard to maintain her toned figure. And even though Jessica Alba opted for a relatively low-key ensemble as she hit the shops in Beverly Hills on Sunday for a spot of retail therapy, she still managed to look positively envy-inducing. Showcasing her toned legs as she strutted her stuff, the actress and entrepreneur, 35, looked incredible in a pair of high-waisted DL1961 skinny jeans. Scroll down for video Strutting her stuff: Even though Jessica Alba opted for a relatively low-key ensemble as she hit the shops in Beverly Hills on Sunday for a spot of retail therapy, she still managed to look positively envy-inducing The doting mother-of-two teamed her cropped denim with a chic caramel silk Etienne Aigner shirt, which she wore tucked into her jeans. Jessica toted her new purchases in a large navy leather Cuyana handbag and added height to her frame with a pair of chestnut brown wedge sandals. A gorgeous pair of oversized caramel framed sunglasses protected her eyes from the Californian sun, matching her honey-hued hair to perfection. With no need for too much jewellery, she kept her accessories to the minimum, just wearing a simple pair of silver hoop earrings. Retail therapy: Showcasing her toned legs as she strutted her stuff, the actress and entrepreneur, 35, looked incredible in a pair of high-waisted skinny jeans Shop 'til you drop: The doting mother-of-two teamed her cropped denim with a chic caramel silk shirt, which she wore tucked into her jeans Summer style: Jessica toted her new purchases in a large navy leather Cuyana handbag and added height to her frame with a pair of chestnut brown wedge sandals Popping into different clothes shops for inspiration, the Sin City star finally found a bright red cutaway maxi-dress that fitted the bill. Following her retail therapy, Jessica enjoyed lunch with a friend. The mother-of-two recently celebrated the birthday of her oldest daughter, Honor, with a science themed party for her eighth birthday in Beverly Hills. Great colour: Popping into different clothes shops for inspiration, the Sin City star finally found a bright red cutaway maxi-dress that fitted the bill Less is more: With no need for too much jewellery, she kept her accessories to the minimum, just wearing a simple pair of silver hoop earrings Little touches: A French manicure provided the final attention to detail, pulling her pretty look together and giving a finishing touch to her laid-back style The Dark Angel actress shares two daughters with husband Cash Warren, 37, who she married in May 2008, four years after they staring dating. Her husband is also her business partner, and co-founder of The Honest Company, an ethical company selling non-toxic household products and hair care. The couple welcomed second daughter Haven on August 13, 2011. Heading home: Following her retail therapy, Jessica enjoyed lunch with a friend She claimed to have applied to be Australia's next Bachelorette after being unlucky in love. But Georgia Love's ex-boyfriend Wade Seaford revealed exclusively to Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday she is hardly 'unlucky', and the only reason it didn't work between them is because she cheated on him - twice. The scorned ex warned the 18 hopefuls vying for the 27-year-old's heart to 'be careful', claiming she can be 'manipulative' and has already proven a liar after claiming she's never lived with a boyfriend. Scroll down for video His side: Georgia Love's ex-boyfriend Wade Seaford revealed exclusively to Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday the new Bachelorette is not unlucky in love and it only didn't work between them because she cheated on him It was claimed in an interview with The Daily Telegraph, published on Monday, that Georgia 'has had a couple of serious relationships in her life but has never lived with a boyfriend.' Wade dismissed these claims and said: 'We lived together for the first year-and-a-half'. He explained that they met while working together in the Whitsundays and said: 'On the island we lived together, we had the same room so we were living together. 'Then when we moved to Malaysia it was the same deal we got put in the same room as a couple,' he added. Warning: The scorned ex-boyfriend warned the 18 hopefuls vying for the 27-year-old's heart to 'be careful', claiming she can be 'manipulative' and has already proven a liar after claiming she never lived with a boyfriend Speaking of their relationship, Wade claims he asked her at the beginning of their relationship if she had ever cheated on a partner previously and she said 'no'. However, later on a drunken night out he says the story changed, explaining: 'Six months in she was drunk and we were with some friends and one of the questions was "never have I ever cheated" or something like that and she answered that she had. 'First thing I thought was like "wait a minute, you told me to my face that you never cheated in the past" and that blew up and then she told me that she had cheated on her ex-boyfriend.' 'We almost broke up over it because I felt betrayed in that regards but I gave her the benefit of the doubt and she proved me wrong,' he concluded. Shacking up: In an interview published on Monday it claimed Georgia had never lived with a boyfriend but Wade dismissed these claims and said 'We lived together for the first year-and-a- half' He explains that he found out about both instances of being cheated on at the same time and that ultimately ended their two-and-a-half-year relationship. Earlier on Tuesday, Wade also spoke to radio station Sea 101.3 FM after he contacted them through their Facebook page to let them know he had previously dated the brunette. He claimed the entire reason he got in touch was because he is still hurt by what had happened almost two-and-a-half years ago now and didn't appreciate his ex playing the doe-eyed victim. As the breakfast hosts Bree and Gawdy asked him 'Why did you break up?' he dropped the bombshell about being cheated on. Scorned: He explains that despite being cheated on twice he found out about both incidents at the same time and that ultimately ended their two-and-a-half-year relationship Gawdy asked: 'Why twice? Why did you let it happen twice?' Wade replied: 'Well the first one I didn't know about, it wasn't until the second one came out that I found out about the first time'. He went on to claim: 'The first time was about 8 months prior to me finding out about the second one and the second one was actually with someone who was on The Voice'. Dropping yet another bombshell he then claimed that her sister Katie had said to him: 'Don't take her nice as pie attitude as genuine, she is known for using people to get what she wants.' Bree then said: 'You know what they say, once a cheater always a cheater'. Telling his story: Earlier on Tuesday Wade also spoke to local radio station Sea 101.3 FM and told the hosts Bree and Gawdy for a tell all Not so sweet? Dropping yet another bombshell he then claimed that her sister Katie had said to him 'Don't take her nice as pie attitude as genuine, she is known for using people to get what she wants' Sensing that things weren't sitting well with Wade, they asked him how he felt about her Bachelorette announcement. Admitting he was jealous, he said: 'I am [jealous] because I'm looking for love as well and the fact that she gets to go out there and be put on TV to find someone who is genuinely looking for love it does bug me a little bit after what she's done.' The hosts then joked that he should apply to go on the show as one of the 18 men that steps out of the limousine to meet her. Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Georgia's representatives for comment. She's no stranger to flaunting her figure on camera, or her social media channels. So it was no surprise to see Kylie Jenner was up for showcasing her famous derriere and lithe legs in a series of sultry snap, which she uploaded to her Instagram snaps on Monday. Posing up a storm in the sunset snaps, the 18-year-old's social media up-date came as it was revealed one of her admirers had been charged by police after ramming the gates of her home. Scroll down for video Kylie Jenner was up for showing some skin in a series of sultry snap, which she uploaded to her Instagram snaps on Monday. According to TMZ the man was charged by police after he attempted to gain access to the star at her Calabalas home on multiple occasions. However, Kylie appeared to be unphased by the matter as she shared a series of images with her 64.4million followers - which appear to have been taken at her new home in the Hidden Hills community. Stood on a paved porch, the raven-haired beauty can be seen cutting a striking figure as she poses up a storm in a series of snaps and selfies. The Keeping Up With The Kardashian's star ensured that her famous rear and gym-honed legs were clearly in focus, thanks to a thigh-grazing mini dress. Sultry siren: Showcasing her famous derriere as well as some sking, thanks to a form-fitting mini dress, the 18-year-old reality star posed up a storm in a series of sultry sunset snaps With a dipping, low-cut neckline, the dress allowed the teenage entrepreneur to flash more than a hint of her cleavage, while the form-fitting nature of the garment allowed Kylie to draw attention to her bottom. Further accentuating and defining her legs and figure, the star rounded her look off with a pair camel suede boots. However, Kylie added a classic casual edge to her look by adding a ripped denim jacket to the mix, which also added a more modest edge to her flesh-flashing ensemble. In a series of other selfies, the younger sister of Kendall can be seen pouting and preening for the camera. Posing and pouting; Kylie - the youngest member of the Kardashian/Jenner clan - shared the images, which appeared to be taken at her new home in the Hidden Hills community, with her 64.4million followers With her dark lock styled into an arrow-straight centre-parting, Caitlyn and Kris Jenner's youngest child showed off her full lips and striking features with a matte, low-key palette of make-up. And it seems that Kylie is right at home in her new place, which is located in the same community as her mother's house, judging by the comfortable nature of the photos. Kylie recently listed her Calabasas 'starter home' for sale for $3.9 million according to TMZ, but it seems it may not just be real estate agent's that Kylie has to worry about at The Oaks. As the website reported the young star has an admirer so desperate to meet her, that he tried to ram his car through the security gate at the exclusive community multiple times. Smouldering: With her dark lock styled into an arrow-straight centre-parting, Caitlyn and Kris Jenner's youngest child showed off her full lips and striking features with a matte, low-key palette of make-up A-List abode: Kylie recently listed her Calabasas 'starter home' for sale for $3.9 million, and moved into a pad in Hidden Hills (pcitured), but it seems it may not just be real estate agent's that Kylie has to worry about TMZ alleges law enforcement sources revealed an uninvited man showed up at The Oaks - where Kylie's first home is located - and told security guards he was there for a meeting with Kylie. However when guards turned him away, 'the man rammed into the gate, cracked it,' and then sped away. He is said to have return a matter of weeks later and 'pulled the same routine', though on this occasion his license plate was caught and camera. Police then tracked the man down and interviewed him before he was charged with two misdemeanor charges of vandalism; after admitting to ramming the gate out of frustration with the 'rude' security guards. A source told TMZ that the situation has made Kylie increase the vetting process for potential buyers of her pad in the community, explaining that it's now like 'getting into Fort Knox'. She's been sharing a series of seriously sizzling snaps from her holiday in Ibiza. And Tuesday saw Ashley James back on the beach and in a bikini, with the former Made In Chelsea star showing off her toned and honed body in a skimpy teal two-piece. Heading to one of the island's many golden beaches, the 29-year-old blogger and model looked to have slipped into the holiday spirit, as she showed off her slender curves in the tiny bikini. Scroll down for video Another day, another bikini! Tuesday morning saw Ashley James back on the beach and in a bikini, with the former Made In Chelsea star showing off her toned and honed body in a skimpy teal two-piece Ashley - who shot to fame on E4's MIC by dating the likes of Francis Boulles and Ollie Lock - has been sharing a series of snaps in which she models a selection of racy pool and beachwear. And the radio DJ wasn't going to making an exception on Tuesday, as she headed to the beach in the flesh-flashing number, cheekily proclaiming 'another day, another bikini'. Thanks to the bikini's plunging halter neck top, the former reality star flashed more than a hint of her ample assets, while a bolo tie embelishment also helped to catch the eye. Teamed with a pair of tiny, low-cut bottoms, Ashley ensured bother her taut tummy was placed firmly in the spotlight, as she posed up a storm by the sea, and again by her lounger. Sending temperatures soaring: Heading to one of the island's many golden beaches, the 29-year-old blogger looked to have slipped into the holiday spirit, as she showed off her slender curves in the tiny bikini Clearly making the most of her time in the sun, the star didn't seem keen on returning home to the UK, as she captioned one snap: 'Never leaving! (sadly I am actually leaving).' Ashley's latest sharing spree came after she uploaded a series of sunny photos to account, showing off her fantastic figure in a variety of sexy swimwear. Sharing a number of photos of her time in sunny Ibiza with her 64,400 followers, the model clearly wasn't feeling shy. Sun-seeking siren: Ashley James certainly wasn't shy about showing off her ample assets and washboard abs in a series of sizzling swimsuit snaps, which she uploaded to social media on Monday In one snap from her sunny break in the Balearic Islands, she can be seen posing on the beach in a tiny, plunging black bikini, which left little to the imagination. Featuring pink accents, the tiny two-piece allowed the blonde beauty to show off both washboard abs as well as her ample assets - thanks to her low-cut bottoms and teeny black halterneck top. Wearing her blonde locks in french plaits, Ashley added a further quirky edge to her beach attire with a pair of hipster oval shades and a slim black choker. Sizzling swimwear: The former Made In Chelsea star, 29, shared a series of sunny photos with her 64,400 followers, which saw the blonde beauty flaunting her fantastic figure in a variety of sexy swimwear She captioned the beach-bound snap: 'Not bad for a Monday.' In an earlier post, Ashley was picture in a form-fitting pink one-piece with corseted detailing accenting an extremely plunging neckline. Featuring a high-cut leg, the Hoxton Radio DJ ensured plenty of flesh was on display, as she headed out into the sun. Kicking back: Ashley - who shot to fame on E4's MIC by dating the likes of Francis Boulles and Ollie Lock - shared a series of snaps where she modelled a series of racy pool and beachwear Out on the town? It seems Ashley's been enjoying the island's famously raucous night-life as much as she has its sunny days Poking fun at her own choice of pose, the bubbly star wrote: 'That classic teapot pose! I'm in love with Gecko beach resort and my @lipsylondon swimsuit #formentera #ibiza #shortandstout.' And in another snapshot from her time on the famous Spanish isle, Ashley could be seen enjoying a relaxing cool drink pool-side in yet another eye-popping swimsuit. Summing up her feelings about her getaway to Ibiza, she simply cpationed the idyllic poolside snap: 'Happy place #Ibiza.' And it seems Ashley's been enjoying the island's famously raucous night-life as much as she has its sunny days. Sharing another snap, this time clad in a saucy sheer lace nightie and a black halterneck top, she posed for a snapchat picture which she promptly shared on Instagram. While Ashley is the picture of body confidence, the model and author has previously admitted to battling with body dysmorphia. In March, the reality star revealed her former struggle with the disorder in in a heartfelt Twitter post. Ashley shared a selfie as she explained: Just found this pic I took it to send to @Josiestweet cause I thought I looked too fat. Body dysmorphia is real. She caused shockwaves after having sex during her stint on Love Island before leaving the show to join her ill mother's side. Prior to her illness, Zara Holland's mum Cheryl Hakeney spoke out about her daughter's steamy romp, which led to her being dethroned as Miss Great Britain in a devastating turn of events. The 20-year-old beauty queen was left bereft after losing her title following a move which Cheryl insisted to Heat magazine was 'not her proudest moment'. Scroll down for video Mummy dearest: Zara Holland's mum Cheryl Hakeney has spoken out about her daughter's steamy romp, which led to her being dethroned as Miss Great Britain in a devastating turn of events Zara has been generating headlines since she had sex with Love Island new boy Alex Bowen on the show last week - leading to shockwaves in the villa over the intimate scenes. Not only did her co-stars seemingly judge her for the move, the organisers of Miss GB opted to revoke her crown as she is said to have made a vow not to have sex during the show. Former beauty queen Cheryl told Heat: 'I'm really surprised by Zara's behaviour - it's definitely out of character. But although it's not her proudest moment, she hasn't committed any crime.' The blonde beauty, who acts as an antiques expert on Dickinson's Real Deal, added: 'I'm disappointed they took her title away - I hoped they would understand that all young women make mistakes.' Troubled: The 20-year-old beauty queen was left bereft after losing her title following a move which Cheryl insisted to Heat magazine was 'not her proudest moment' Zara's repeated proud discussion of her Miss GB title made her a stand out cast member on the show, causing Twitter mocking and widespread outrage, yet Cheryl was quick to defend her. She said: 'The show's been edited quite a lot - she's only said it a few times. But I think it does put guys off when it comes to dating.' Cheryl's comments come shortly after Zara's Miss Great Britain successor spoke out against the star. Close bond: It is clear Zara and Cheryl are incredibly close - as illustrated in a host of social media snaps Deone Robertson, 28, had her say on the event bosses' controversial decision to strip Zara, 20, of her title in an interview with the Mirror Online. The beauty said: 'We are supposed to be role models for young girls and represent our chosen charities - [Zara] knew this. 'Everyone is briefed before entering a pageant. It's drummed into your head. There are contracts in place. You can't be be seen naked or topless and you definitely cannot have sex on TV.' Out with the old... New Miss GB Deone Robertson, 28, has had her say on the event bosses' controversial decision to strip Zara of her title Many have criticised the event for 'slut-shaming' Zara, but Deone has backed the decision to appoint a new Miss GB. She continued: 'But I think the pageant community saw this coming. Nobody is saying she did anything wrong. She is a young girl enjoying life but under these circumstances, she can't be a title holder.' However, she added that she believes Zara will bounce back and have a successful career despite the negative attention around her on-screen antics. 'I think Zara had the best time on Love Island,' said Deone. 'It came at a cost but I know she is going to go on to do bigger and better things.' Upset: On Sunday, as news broke that the fallen beauty queen had quit Love Island to be by her ill mother's side, she took to her Instagram and Twitter accounts to share her feelings On Sunday, as news broke that the fallen beauty queen had quit ITV2's Love Island to be by ill Cheryl's side, she took to her Instagram and Twitter accounts to share her feelings. Uploading a shot of herself wearing a yellow bikini while sobbing into her hands, she wrote: 'This sums up how I'm feeling, but knowing I've got incredible support makes me feel very humble. Thank u so much.' Hours earlier, it had been announced that the 20-year-old, who was stripped of her Miss Great Britain 2016 title on Thursday, left the Majorca-set dating show to jet back to the UK. Home is where the heart is: Zara learned of her mother's illness on Saturday and made the decision to quit the show and fly home to England Zara lamented: 'I'm so sad to leave the villa but it's important for me to get home and spend time with my mum while she gets better.' 'I've had the time of my life on Love Island and would like to thank all of my fellow Islanders and the production team for all their support.' Zara learned of her mother's illness on Saturday and made the decision to quit the show and fly home to England. However, producers said they would keep the door open should Zara decide to return to the programme. The shamed beauty queen had been on the show since the first episode of the current series kicked off on 30 May. American actress Elisabeth Moss has had a number of high-profile romances, having been married to Saturday Night Live's Fred Armisen and dating Australian cinematographer Adam Arkapaw. But on Monday, the recently single 33-year-old was spotted getting cosy with a mystery man as they enjoyed lunching in Sydney with friends in the trendy beach-side suburb of Bondi. Elisabeth - who is currently filming season two of crime drama Top Of The Lake in Australia - appeared in high spirits as her pal gave her a kiss on the cheek and touched her leg. Scroll down for video New love? American actress Elisabeth Moss was spotted getting cosy with a mystery man as they enjoyed lunching at Sydney's Bondi with friends on Monday Elisabeth sported a casual look, wearing a white lace dress that showed off her legs, teamed with a bright pink jumper. She also had on red closed in shoes and carried a red purse that she put on the ground while at the cafe. The Mad Men star wore minimal make-up including lipstick and light foundation and had her short brown locks out. Sitting pretty: Elisabeth sported a casual look, wearing a white lace dress that showed off her legs, teamed with a bright pink jumper Going swell? Elisabeth - who is currently filming season two of crime drama Top Of The Lake in Australia - appeared in high spirits as her pal gave her a kiss on the cheek and touched her leg The pair engaged in lively conversation and giggled as they tucked into some food. They enjoyed the day by themselves for a while until two other male friends came and joined them at their table. It seems her mystery man kept her quite entertained, as she couldn't take her eyes off him as he got up from his seat at one point. Her pal also dressed casually, wearing jeans and a blue and grey striped jumper and black runners, and sported a rugged beard. Something's funny: The pair engaged in lively conversation and giggled as they tucked into some food Relaxed: Her pal also dressed casually, wearing jeans and a blue and grey striped jumper and black runners, and sported a rugged beard Four's a crowd? The pair enjoyed the day by themselves for a while until two other male friendss came and joined them at their table Elisabeth is in Australia filming the upcoming series of Top Of The Lake, that follows the story of detectives investigating a body of an Asian girl washing up on a beach. The Golden Globe winning actress plays the character of detective Robin Griffin and joins the likes of Game Of Thrones star Gwendoline Christie and Australian actress Nicole Kidman in the upcoming series, that will be released next year. Elisabeth was last reported to be dating Australian Adam Arkapaw, who has worked on films including Animal Kingdom and Snowtown, whom she is understood to have separated from recently. Girl in town: Elisabeth is in Australia filming the upcoming series of Top Of The Lake, that follows the story of detectives investigating a body of an Asian girl washing up on a beach Latest gig: The Golden Globe winning actress plays the character of detective Robin Griffin Old flame: Elisabeth was last reported to be dating Australian Adam Arkapaw, who has worked on films including Animal Kingdom and Snowtown Case of the ex: She was also married to American actor and director Fred Armisen, 49, from 2009 to 2011, before divorcing Opening up: In 2012, she told the UK's The Telegraph about her marriage split, saying how she was 'happy now' They started dating in 2012. She was also married to American actor and director Fred Armisen, 49, from 2009 to 2011, before divorcing. In 2012, she told the UK's The Telegraph about her marriage split, saying how she was 'happy now.' 'Ive learnt a lot, thats for sure. I learnt a lot about...trusting people. At the time she said she bought a vintage necklace with one side reading 'this is my life', saying it 'sums up where I am right now, which is owning my life.' Meaningful: At the time she said she bought a vintage necklace with one side reading 'this is my life', saying it 'sums up where I am right now, which is owning my life' Well known friends: Elisabeth is joining the likes of Nicole Kidman and Gwendoline Christie in Top Of The Lake Natalie Pinkham gave birth to a baby girl Willow Mirela Walbyoff, weighing in at 7lb 14oz, with her businessman husband Owain Walbyoff on Monday. The 37-year-old TV star announced the joyous news on Instagram in a sweet post showing the couple's 17-month-old son Wilfred alongside his little sister. The Formula One presenter was expecting twins before she tragically miscarried the girl's sister in the early stages of pregnancy. Scroll down for video Over the moon: Natalie Pinkham gave birth to a baby girl Willow Mirela Walbyoff, weighing in at 7lb 14oz, with her businessman husband Owain Walbyoff on Monday A spokesperson for Natalie confirmed she had the baby by C-section; saying: 'Mum and baby are doing exceedingly well and everything went as planned. Natalie, Owain and Wilf are over the moon at the new addition to the family.' The couple chose Mirela as their little girls middle name after the beautiful orphan Mirela - who eventually died - who Natalie made a documentary on. Continuing her work for Hope and Homes - the charity for which she is patron. Natalie took to Instagram on Tuesday to share her fantastic news in a touching post which showed little Wilf's foot alongside the new baby girl's - who was wearing a hospital band. She added the gushing caption: 'Wilf's little sister has arrived! #siblinglove 'My love has no beginning, my love has no end... No front or back, and my love won't bend...I'm in the middle lost in a spin loving you' Happy news: A spokesperson for Natalie confirmed she had the baby by C-section before saying: 'Mum and baby are doing exceedingly well and everything went as planned. Natalie, Owain and Wilf are over the moon at the new addition to the family' Bumpy time: The Formula One presenter was expecting twins before she tragically miscarried the girl's twin in the early stages of pregnancy Hinting at a long labour, two days previously she shared an image in which she was asleep in bed while Owain slept on the floor beside her. She added a caption on the image reading: 'Happy Father's Day @owainwalbyoff earning his stripes whilst we wait for no2....#fathersday'. In January, Natalie candidly spoke to Hello magazine about the moment doctors told the couple, who already share 17-month-old son Wilfred, that only one of their children would survive. Baby news: Hinting at a long labour, two days previously she shared an image in which she was asleep in bed while Owain slept on the floor beside her The new mum revealed: 'It was a really emotional time. The first two months were a real rollercoaster. We had this strange phase of not knowing if there would be two babies or one or none. Natalie revealed that both her mother and great-grandmother were also twins whose siblings did not survive. She said: 'It's nature's way and it is sad. My dad put it in a lovely way and said: "One has made way for the other." I can't believe that so soon after having Wilf I am pregnant again. I feel so lucky and blessed.' On her way: In January, Natalie candidly spoke to Hello magazine about the moment doctors told the couple, who already share 17-month-old son Wilfred, that only one of their children would survive 'I always wanted a little brother or sister for Wilf, but didn't expect to get pregnant so quickly. I only did the pregnancy test to rule it out because I honestly thought ... this can't be why I'm feeling a bit funny. When I saw it was positive, I nearly fell off my chair!' Despite the bittersweet news, she added: 'I am just loving being a mum. This last year has been the best of my life, Now we've got another exciting year to come. I couldn't be happier.' Natalie opened up in the past about her tough pregnancy with Wilfred, after she was forced to have an emergency cesarean section, as well as receive special medical treatment to stop her bladder from bursting. Tough time: Natalie opened up in the past about her tough pregnancy with Wilfred, after she was forced to have an emergency cesarean section, as well as receive special medical treatment to stop her bladder from bursting Bump in the road! Natalie showed off her burgeoning baby bump on a number of occasions during her pregnancy Natalie told The Sun newspaper at the time: 'They did the epidural and asked if I could feel anything. I said yes and they said there was no time anyway, so I felt the knife across my stomach. It was traumatic. Had my waters broke naturally we both probably wouldn't have made it.' After the birth, Natalie almost suffered a burst bladder due to a condition called diabetes insipidus, which meant she was put onto a high dependency unit. He was considered the bad boy of Bachelorette season 10 when he toyed with Andi Dorfman's heart. He then did the same with Kaitlyn Bristowe on season 11 of the same show. And now Nick Viall will shake things up on the ABC summer spinoff Bachelor In Paradise, People reported on Tuesday. The reality competition series debuts on August 2 with Chris Harrison as host. Will he break more hearts? Nick Viall, seen here in August, will join Bachelor In Paradise, according to a Tuesday report from People Third time: He was on Andi Dorfman's season as well as Kaitlyn Bristowe's season of the Bachelorette This means the 35-year-old salesman is doing a third show for the network. Bachelor In Paradise has become a favorite of the franchise, which is produced by Mike Fleiss, the brother of former Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss. Viall told People in 2015 that there was 'zero percent' chance hed return to The Bachelorette. Tension: Nick and Andi during the After The Final Rose ceremony in July 2014 Bad vibes: Nick was rejected by Kaitlyn during the finale of The Bachelorette in April 2015 Also on this season of BIP will be Chad Johnson, Jubilee Sharpe and Jared Haibon. They will join cast offs from JoJo Fletchers current Bachelorette season. Those men are Grant Kemp, Evan Bass and Vinny Ventiera. They were all given their walking papers on Monday's episode. Bachelor in Paradise premieres August 2 on ABC. She's supposedly taken Kylie Jenner's place by Tyga's side after the celebrity pairing went their separate ways in May. And Demi Rose certainly isn't adverse to snapping some sizzling shots for her social media accounts - much like the youngest member of the Kardashian clan. So comes as little surprise the 21-year-old model once again took to Instagram on Monday, posting a shot of herself in a figure-hugging LBD, which only served to highlight her firm rump. Scroll down for video Highlighting her assets: Demi Rose certainly isn't adverse to snapping some sizzling shots for her social media accounts - much like the youngest member of the Kardashian clan The Birmingham-born beauty - who is supposedly enjoying a romance with the Rack City rapper - was the picture of confidence in the cheeky shot, which she shared with her 2.5million followers. Demi, who was first spotted with Tyga living it up in Cannes and LA following his break-up with Kylie, flaunted her curves in the thigh-grazing mini dress. Turning her body away from the camera, the model was clearly keen draw the eye to her rear - made all the more prominent thanks to the form-fitting number's cut. Throwing her curling chestnut tresses over one shoulder, Demi can be seen smiling sweetly into the camera - showcasing her striking and angelic features. Saucy shots: The Birmingham-born beauty was the picture of confidence in the cheeky shot, which she shared with her 2.5million followers alongside a series of other shots And keen to show that she's not a one-dimensional poser, Demi posted a series of buxom selfies earlier on in the day. One of the saucy snaps saw Demi pose with a knowing smile while stripped down to just a dainty white lace bra which made the most of her ample assets. She paired the look with high-waisted jeans, which emphasised her minuscule waist and shapely hips - proving herself to have an hourglass frame to match her love rival's. Busty babe: And keen to show that she's not a one-dimensional poser, Demi posted a series of buxom selfies earlier on in the day. In another snap, Demi enlisted the help of a pal as she headed to the beach in a barely there swimsuit with a near-thong rear. Showing off the full extent of derriere, the Brummie beauty smouldered into the camera while allowing her brunette tresses to cascade over her shoulder. Demi's social media presence comprises strongly of flaunting her assets, as another of her latest snaps showed her braless chest in a perilously plunging white top. Shapely: Demi certainly hasn't been shy about flaunting her figure, or flashing the flesh, when it comes to her racy posts Last month, MailOnline revealed the British model grew up in a middle class home in Sutton Coldfield, near Birmingham. Parents Barrie, 78, a former bank manager, and Christine, 61, said she is a very different person at home and insisted they were proud of her. Her mother said: 'We're right behind her. She's such a beautiful girl, why shouldn't she? If you've got it, flaunt it. She's very kind and a really down-to-earth girl nothing like what we are seeing in the press.' Loved up? Demi has hit headlines of late after growing close to Tyga with the pair seen living it up in Cannes and LA since his break-up with Kylie earlier this year Risque: Demi's social media presence comprises strongly of flaunting her assets, as another of her latest snaps showed her braless chest in a perilously plunging white top The Instagram favourite attracted a flurry of headlines after being pictured with 26-year-old Tyga in recent weeks, including a trip to the Cannes Film Festival. Despite seeming inseparable from Demi, Tyga took to Twitter earlier this month to insist that he is not dating anyone new, telling his followers: 'Single. Focused. Blessed. Living Life (sic).' Tyga split from ex Kylie, 18, before this year's Met Gala and the reality TV star is said to have moved on too - she's been linked to musician PartyNextDoor - real name Jahron Brathwaite. Tyga recently said he 'still loves' Kylie - although that was before he started seeing Demi Rose. When asked if the difference in age played a factor in their break up, he said: 'Um, uh, I think, you know, we're both just focusing on our lives, our individual lives right now, you know? Sometimes things don't work out. But, you know, I love her.' She plays Zac Efron's uncontrollable date in the upcoming Mike And Dave Need Wedding Dates. And on Monday Anna Kendrick sat down for a Meet The Actor speaking engagement at New York City's Soho Apple store to discuss the zany role. The 30-year old actress looked effortlessly chic in a black leather motorcycle jacket and brown mini dress that nicely showed off her toned legs. Check those legs! Anna Kendrick looked effortlessly chic for the speaking engagement of Mike And Dave Need Wedding Dates in New York on Monday. She showed off her toned legs in a brown minidress paired with a black leather jacket The Up In The Air star kept her accessories simple, choosing a simple gold ring on her left hand while lifting her petite figure with a pair of shiny black strap sandals. Anna wore her silky brunette tresses loose and parted to one side. Her make-up was kept natural and stunning with a dab of light foundation, delicate eye make-up highlighting her dazzling peepers and a slick of pink lipstick. Effortlessly chic: The Up in the Air star kept her accessories simple, choosing a simple gold ring on her left hand while lifting her petite figure with a pair of shiny black strap sandals Dazzling smile: The Oscar nominated actress was all smiles at the speaking engagement for Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates in New York City on Monday Mike And Dave Need Wedding Dates will be released on July 8 by 20th Century Fox. The romantic adventure comedy film directed by Jake Szymanski tells the story of hard-partying brothers Mike (Adam Devine) and Dave (Efron) who place an online ad to find the perfect dates (Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza) for their sisters Hawaiian wedding. Hoping for a wild getaway, the boys instead find themselves out-hustled by the uncontrollable duo. Natural look: Anna wore her silky brunette tresses loose and parted to one side. Her make-up was kept natural and stunning with a dab of light foundation, delicate eye make-up and a slick of pink lipstick Online dating can come with surprises: Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates is a romantic adventure comedy directed by Jake Szymanski I've got to go! Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates will be released on July 8 by 20th Century Fox The Tony Award nominee has a busy schedule ahead. She is starring in new Dreamworks animation Trolls, which tells the story of troll Princess Poppy (Anna) and Branch (Justin Timberlake) who journey far beyond the only world they have ever known. The Pitch Perfect star will also be starring alongside Ben Affleck in The Accountant, set to release in September 2016. First it was Channel Nine's Rebecca Judd, then it was Channel Seven's Sally Bowrey. And now, Channel Ten weather reporter Amanda Jason is the latest weather presenter to announce her pregnancy. Amanda, who is four months pregnant, tied the knot with her business broker beau Mark last August during lavish Gold Coast nuptials. There's something in the water! Channel Ten weather reporter Amanda Jason is the latest weather presenter to announce her pregnancy Speaking to Confidential about the exciting news, Amanda vowed to continue working for as long as possible, saying: 'I will wait and see how the end part of the pregnancy is and how I am feeling and everything but if all is going well, I will keep working until as late as I can'. 'We will see how big and uncomfortable I get': she said. When quizzed about her morning sickness she was refreshingly honest, admitting that: 'It has been horrendous. I had that constant morning sickness where you are not quite throwing up but you are really sick 24/7'. Expanding their brood: Amanda, who is four months pregnant, tied the knot with her business broker beau Mark last August during lavish Gold Coast nuptials The brunette beauty also revealed that she and her husband already know the sex of the baby but won't make the information public until the birth. It comes two months after Channel Nine News and Postcards presenter Rebecca Judd announced her pregnancy with twin boys. Rebecca and her retired Carlton captain Chris Judd, already parents to son Oscar, four, and two-year old daughter Billie, confirmed their happy news in a statement. Big news! It comes two months after Postcards presenter Rebecca Judd announced her pregnancy with twin boys in a statement 'We are giddy with excitement but at the same time we are really shocked,' Rebecca told the Herald Sun. Sally Bowrey announced that she was pregnant with her second child in May. Making the admission on Weekend Sunrise, Sally's co-hosts were giddy with excitement as they celebrated the news with a cup of coffee. Sally and her businessman husband are already parents to son Archie, who they welcomed in July 2014. She has a number of impressive talents, from songwriting to acting. But Demi Moore turned into an art critic for the evening as she visited the Gray Malin photography exhibition in London, on Monday. The 53-year-old rocked a quirky style for the occasion in a vibrant yellow jacket and dungarees. Scroll down for video Picture perfect: Demi Moore turned into an art critic for the evening as she visited the Gray Malin photography in London, on Monday Demi's canary coat inspired a vintage vibe with large pearl buttons and frills around the collar and lapels. And although the jacket's colour was eye-catching in itself, the actress couldn't resist adding even more bohemian accessories to her ensemble, as she draped a thin black scarf around her shoulders and tied a patterned cravat around her slender neck. Continuing with her 60s theme, the mother-of-three also embraced summer with a pair of oversized white shades. Retro: The 53-year-old rocked a quirky style for the occasion in a vibrant yellow jacket and dungarees Demi sported luxuriously long tresses for the outing, which she styled in a loose ponytail and threw effortlessly over one shoulder. And she maintained her colourful appearance right down to her makeup as she accentuated her impossibly high cheekbones with a dusting of peach blusher. She also highlighted her perfect smile and pearly whites with a slick of neon pink lipstick. Demi looked thoroughly engaged with the artwork at the Night At The Beach display, as she was seen pointing at the photos and chatting to friends. While she is not the cinematic force she once was, the Disclosure favourite has two projects hitting theaters later this year The actress will star alongside acting titan Alec Baldwin and Dylan McDermott in Blind, a film about a vison-impaired writer who re-discovers his desire for life and eventually falls for a married woman. In Wild Oats, Demi joins Jessica Lange and Shirley MacLaine in the comedy that tells of Eva, a woman who spends her social security check of an accidental $900,000 with her best friend. She is a proud mother of six children. And despite her busy schedule, Angelina Jolie always seems to make sure her children feel the love. The 41-year-old actress was spotted sharing a tender moment with her son Knox while waiting in a queue at JFK Airport in New York City on Tuesday. Scroll down for video Aww: Angelina Jolie was spotted sharing a tender moment with her son Knox while waiting in a queue at JFK Airport in New York City on Tuesday Angelina was not alone while arriving for a departing flight with her seven-year-old son as they were joined by her 14-year-old son Maddox. Angelina also showed off her motherly instincts while walking through the busy terminal as she held hands with her youngest son as her eldest child followed behind them. The Tomb Raider actress also looked very stylish as she sported a black midi dress with a sheer detailing around the shoulders. Proud: The 41-year-old star was also joined by her eldest son Maddox Pleased: Angelina looked happy to be on the bonding trip with her boys as she flashed a big smile Taking flight: The trio patiently waited in a queue at the busy airport She teamed the look with a pair of black leather heels as she accessorised with large, aviator shades. Her brunette tresses were worn down flowing over her shoulder as she sported natural, complimentary make-up on her face topped off with a swipe of shiny pink lip. Knox wore a hoodie with First Order Stormtrooper helmets from Star Wars printed all over it over a grey shirt, blue jeans and black slip-on shoes. On-the-go: Angelina looked chic in a black dress as she arrived for a departing flight out of JFK Airport in New York City on Tuesday Three's a crowd: The actress was not alone at the international airport and travel hub as she was joined by two of her sons including Maddox, 14, and seven-year-old Knox Chic: The Tomb Raider actress looked fantastic as she sported a black midi dress with a sheer detailing around the shoulders Maddox wore a grey snapback cap along with a dark grey jacket, black graphic-print T-shirt, patterned sweat pants and Nike Stefan Janoski skateboard shoes. This comes just a day after Angelina shared the podium with Secretary of State John Kerry to urge finding a solution to the refugee crisis. Jolie, who is the Special Envoy for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, joined Kerry for an interfaith Iftar reception to mark World Refugee Day on Monday in Sterling, Virginia. Jetset: Angelina showed off her motherly instincts while walking through the busy terminal as she held hands with her youngest son as her eldest child followed behind them Friendly to fans: She did not hesitate to sign items when approached by fans for an autograph As the number of refugees has reached 65 million, the highest at any time in history, the actress said that today's enormous refugee problem is a threat to worldwide peace and stability. Jolie said: 'I ask people to understand that with 65 million people displaced by conflict, we are facing a world of wars we cannot ignore or turn our backs on. To do that would be naive, irresponsible, and dangerous. 'We face a very clear choice: to continue as we are and see displacement and insecurity grow, or to come together with other nations and find a new approach, one that does not focus solely on aid and resettlement but on solution, stability, and returns.' She was last seen sprinting through Manchester while filming action-packed scenes for her BBC drama Our Girl. And Michelle Keegan, 29, was hard at work once again, on Tuesday, as she filmed by one of the city's canals. The former Coronation Street star wore a concerned look on her face as she sauntered alone by the waterside. Scroll down for video A look of concern: Michelle Keegan, 29, was hard at work once again, on Tuesday, as she filmed Our Girl by one of Manchester's canals The beauty swapped the military gear and protective body armour she has been seen wearing in previous shoots for a more casual ensemble. She wore a black leather jacket with a red and blue checked shirt and a pair of skinny navy jeans. Michelle finished her outfit with a pair of white trainers and a khaki over-the-shoulder bag. She pulled her brunette tresses back and styled them in a messy updo. She casually made her way to the roadside where she held out her arm in an attempt to flag down a car while talking on her phone. Keeping it casual: The former Coronation Street star wore a concerned look on her face as she sauntered alone by the waterside The actress signed on for the leading role of Corporal Georgie Lane in the BBC war drama in June 2015, replacing Lacey Turner's Molly Dawes as the show's focal point. The other big change sees the action switching from Afghanistan to Kenya, where Michelle plays an army medic in a refugee camp. Speaking to The Mirror, she said: 'First time I put on the uniform it felt quite surreal but then I immediately felt the sense of duty - as if I was in the military.' The BBC has said: 'It won't be an easy posting as Georgie has to earn the love and trust of her fellow soldiers, and the greater respect of her commanding officer, while working alongside aid workers in the world's biggest refugee camp.' Off duty: The beauty swapped the military gear and protective body armour she has been seen wearing in previous shoots for a more casual ensemble Meanwhile, speculation over Michelle's marriage to former TOWIE star Mark Wright has been rife in recent weeks. And the Essex native's sister Jessica, 30, has dubbed rumours of a rift between the lovebirds - who celebrated their one-year wedding anniversary on May 24 - 'extremely annoying', insisting they're 'so in love'. 'Its extremely annoying. I feel so bad for them because you dont want to have negative vibes around your relationship,' she told OK! magazine in a newly-released interview. Hitching a ride: She made her way to the roadside where she held out her arm in an attempt to flag down a car while talking on her phone Natural beauty: Michelle pulled her brunette tresses back and styled them in a messy updo Theyre perfect together, theyre so in love and theyre so happy, added the TOWIE beauty, who is set to appear on Celebrity First Dates later this year. As for how the photogenic couple have been dealing with the incessant chatter, Jessica explained: 'Its awful for them but they have to rise above it and they do. 'I feel like constantly having to defend their relationship, even though they dont because they dont give a s**t! But they feel like they might have to reassure everyone. Swirling rumours: Speculation over Michelle's marriage to former TOWIE star Mark Wright has been rife in recent weeks She's one of the top Victoria's Secret Angels. So it's no surprise Elsa Hosk still looks stunning when off the runway. The 27-year-old looked casual chic in a pair of navy blue overalls and an off the shoulder white lace crop top on Tuesday when outside Locanda Verde in New York City. Model figure: Elsa Hosk looked casual chic in a pair of navy blue overalls and an off the shoulder white lace crop top on Tuesday in NYC Flawless complexion: The blonde beauty tied her locks into a top knot as she accessorized with a pair of designer sunglasses The low slung overalls showed off Elsa's taut tum and model figure. The blonde beauty tied her locks into a top knot as she accessorized with a pair of designer sunglasses. Elsa added a pair of red flip flops and a red tote bag to her outfit. The model was clearly loving her outfit too as she took to Instagram to share a photo of her with the caption: 'One happy' as she included an emoji of a cherry. Jazzing it up: Elsa added a pair of red flip flops and a red tote bag to her outfit Her 2.5 million followers were very receptive as they commented on the stunning shot. One fan wrote: 'Street style on point,' while another user said: 'This Outfit is gorgeous.' A very excited follower commented: 'Love you Elsa' and added a kiss emoji. It wasn't until 2015 that Elsa was named an Angel for Victoria Secret, having worked extensively as part of it's younger-targeted brand, PINK. Newbie: It wasn't until 2015 that Elsa was named an Angel for Victoria Secret, having worked extensively as part of it's younger-targeted brand, PINK The Swedish clotheshorse has modeled for other famous companies, including Dolce & Gabbana and Lilly Pulitzer. Recently, Elsa has become part of a new campaign for shoe brand, ZCD Montreal. She has joined forces with model Devon Windsor to be spokeswomen for the Canada-based company, and no doubt she has plenty of thrilling insight into the world of footwear. The sneakers featured a thick, white bottom, and sell for nearly $400. In demand: The Swedish clotheshorse has modeled for other famous companies, including Dolce & Gabbana and Lilly Pulitzer After three years of romance rumours, it appears Jamie Foxx's alleged relationship with Katie Holmes was finally confirmed by a close friend of the actor. However, now Real Housewives Of Atlanta star Claudia Jordan says she 'misspoke', and now insists she has no knowledge of their so-called coupling. On the Allegedly podcast this week, Claudia was quoted as saying the Oscar-winning actor was 'very happy' with the former Dawson's Creek star. Scroll down for video The mystery continues: Jamie Foxx's 'good friend' Claudia Jordan has denied she confirmed the actor is dating Katie Holmes However, the 43-year-old reality star has since denied confirming the romance, insisting she 'didn't have the knowledge of this being fact, I don't'. She told Entertainment Tonight: 'I have no knowledge of Jamie with Katie at all. I've never seen them together, he's never told me he's dating her. 'A lot of times, I get asked questions about celebrities - some I know, some I don't - a lot times we just give a safe kind of generic answer. 'Sorry to not have this bombshell story, but I cannot confirm them. I don't have the knowledge of this being fact, I don't. I misspoke.' 'Just good friends! Real Housewives Of Atlanta star Claudia Jordan with Foxx last year The latest comments from Claudia seem to backtrack on those made during her appearance on the Allegedly podcast with Theo Von & Matthew Cole Weiss, where she spoke of the actor as 'a good friend of mine'. As recent as May of last year, the 37-year-old actress vehemently denied romancing the 48-year-old Oscar winner to Gossip Cop. 'These stories are untrue and this gossip needs stop,' her rep told the site at the time. 'Katie is not dating anyone. Shes not gushing about anyone...She was on phone with her daughter [Suri] when she supposedly was overheard saying "I love you."' Sparking rumours: The pair were spotted dancing together at a charity event in 2013; despite avoiding being seen together since that night, romance rumours have persisted Jamie - who worked closely with Katie's ex-husband Tom Cruise on the 2004 film Collateral - has also previously publicly denied that he is dating the actress. But this did little to quash rumours, with some publications even suggesting that the pair may be planning to wed. Katie and Jamie were first seen together back in 2013, when their flirty dancing onstage the 4th Annual Apollo In The Hamptons Benefit set tongues wagging. Holmes and her 10-year-old daughter have since started spending more and more time in California, although they live a bi-coastal lifestyle - with Suri attending school in New York. Moved to the west coast: Katie and her nine-year-old daughter Suri, whose father is Tom Cruise On the West coast, Foxx - born Eric Bishop - lives in Rancho Conejo with his daughters - Corinne, 21, and Annalise, 6 - while Katie is in Thousand Oaks, only a 30-minute drive away. Back in December, the Touched with Fire actress was a guest at Jamie's surprise birthday party in New York at La Bilboquet restaurant - along with Jennifer Hudson and Alicia Keys. And soon after, Katie was spotted at The Honor Bar in Beverly Hills with The Annie actor's youngest daughter Annalise. Then In January, observers spotted a gold ring on Katie's engagement finger - sending the rumour mill into overdrive. Single father: Foxx - born Eric Bishop - lives in Rancho Conejo with his daughters - Corinne, 21, and Annalise, 6 - and Holmes was spotted with his youngest child at The Honor Bar in Beverly Hills around January At the time, InTouch claimed the actors have had marriage on their mind for a while. 'They've discussed eloping or having a small, quiet wedding in an out-of-the-way place,' a friend told the publication.'They're happy.' But the Batman Begins beauty was said to be worried how about how Cruise would react. Hailey Baldwin teased the project with an Instagram snapshot of herself wearing a black wig back in April. And now full Paper magazine shoot has been unveiled. The 19-year-old model was almost unrecognizable in a raven bob as she flaunted her sculpted abs and ample cleavage in a racy spread for the publication. She was clearly not camera shy as she flashed a skimpy bra and looked stunning as she slipped into five separate ensembles. Scroll down for video Racy: Hailey Baldwin flashed her toned torso and hint of cleavage in a skimpy bra for a Paper magazine spread The daughter of actor Stephen Baldwin donned a royal blue and red striped two-piece suit which left little to the imagination beneath. A delicate turquoise bra was worn under the jacket as Hailey perched herself on top of a bar. She smouldered in a seductive pose for the camera while revealing her bare midriff in the high fashion photo - shot by photographer Cameron McCool. Dazzling! The 19-year-old model smouldered as she slipped into a plunging sequinned gown The statuesque stunner changed wardrobes and slipped into a red plunging sequinned gown. Hailey oozed old Hollywood glam in the dazzling crimson halter-style dress as she gave a provocative glance. Her makeup was dramatic to match the tone of her look in a dark eyeliner and smokey shadow finished with a touch of glossed lips. Wigged out! The daughter of actor Stephen Baldwin was nearly unrecognizable in a short raven hairpiece Wild about Baldwin! The supermodel showcased her endless stems in an animal print mini dress Next was a gorgeous corset-style number which was combined with a white blouse. The unique garb was intricately embroidered with luxurious patterns and majestic shades including gold, silver, black and red. Hailey - who is rumoured to be dating rapper Drake, 29 - changed into a chocolate brown and white animal print dress. She showcased her endless stems in the couture mini dress which included silver and black encrusted lining around the waistline following up to her neck. Check-er out! Baldwin's final look was a 1970s-inspired ensemble as she hid behind a curtain in a revealing frock with plaid bell bottoms Baldwin's final look was a 1970s-inspired ensemble in white floor-length frock and she hid behind a curtain as the revealing number left her with little modesty. Red, black and white checkered high-waisted bell bottoms were teamed with the number and adding height to her statuesque frame was blue and red platform heels. The summer issue of Hailey's smoking hot Paper magazine issue hits stands on Tuesday 'It's obviously a wig': Hailey teased the project with an Instagram snapshot of herself wearing a black wig back in April A quick look through Tammin Sursok's Instagram and it's clear to see she is crazy about her two-year-old daughter Phoenix. And mother and daughter looked pretty as a picture as they stepped out at children's fashion brand Janie and Jack 2016 summer collection launch in Beverly Hills on Saturday. Clutching her toddler tightly, the 32-year-old put her radiant, natural beauty on display, cutting a stylish figure in a bold printed silk dress. Scroll down for video The apple of her eye! Tammin Sursok glows as clutches her ringlet-haired daughter Phoenix as they attend children's clothing range collection launch The Pretty Little Liars star wore her chocolate locks in her trademark loose waves, letting them gently cascade over her shoulders. Her makeup was kept to a minimum, with just a hint of blush, a subtle nude lip and voluminous lashes. Meanwhile, her daughter looked adorable in a coordinated ensemble by label Janie and Jack made up of a light blue sundress and a matching bucket hat. Hot mama! The 32-year-old cut a stylish figure in a bold printed silk dress while her daughter rocked a Janie and Jack ensemble Natural beauty: Her makeup was kept to a minimum, with just a hint of blush and a subtle nude lip and voluminous lashes Easy breezy: The Pretty Little Liars star wore her chocolate locks in her trademark loose waves Tammin also posed with model and former Beverly Hills 90210 star Sara Foster, who looked elegant in an Aztec, canary-coloured print dress with a pair of statement Chloe studded booties. Tammin has previously spoken about the dramatic near-death experience of her daughter during childbirth two years ago. Last month, the former Home And Away revealed that she suffered postnatal depression after welcoming her first child. Starlets: Tammin also posed with model and former Beverly Hills 90210 star Sara Foster, who looked elegant in an Aztec, canary-coloured print dress Speaking to Cosmopolitan Magazine, the Australian beauty said: 'I think after I had my child, I went through a period where I felt quite isolated and I felt quite lost'. Tammin cited her new motherhood blog, Bottle And Heels, as helping her overcome her darker days. 'It took me a year and a half to find a tribe and a network of women where we could support and uplift each other rather than pit each other against one another.' I.Coast ex-first lady tells court only waged 'oral' battles Ivory Coast's former first lady Simone Gbagbo on Monday told the court trying her for crimes against humanity over deadly election violence in 2010-2011 the only battles she ever fought were "oral". At the resumption of her trial in Abidjan after a week's hiatus, Gbagbo denied any contact with the militia that hunted down supporters of her husband Laurent Gbagbo's rival, current President Alassane Ouattara. "I was not in contact with any death squads. I don't like weapons," said the woman nicknamed Ivory Coast's "Iron Lady," insisting "the fights I conducted were oral." Ivory Coast's former first lady Simone Gbagbo looks on during the second day of her trial on June 1, 2016, at the appeal court in Abidjan Issouf Sanogo (AFP/File) The decision by ex-president Gbagbo not to recognise Ouattara's victory in the November 2010 election triggered a crisis which cost the lives of more than 3,000 people within five months. The violence ended only after troops stormed the bunker where the Gbagbo couple had holed up. Simone Gbagbo, who turned 67 on Monday, was greeted at the courthouse by a dozen supporters chanting: "Happy birthday". Her husband is currently on trial for war crimes at the International Criminal Court in the Hague. The former first lady rejected allegations she was involved in a decision to shell a pro-Ouattara Abidjan neighbourhood and helping plan attacks by Gbagbo supporters on his detractors. She denied knowledge of an official document that a lawyer for civil plaintiffs said detailed a "strategy for exterminating a group of individuals". Row over North Korea defectors echoes in Seoul court A South Korean court hearing into a dozen North Korean defectors who Pyongyang insists were abducted, adjourned Tuesday with a motion to replace the judge after he declined to compel the 12 women to appear. The closed-door hearing pitted officials from South Korea's spy agency, the National Intelligence Service, (NIS) against a group of human rights lawyers who contend the defectors are being illegally detained. All 12 were waitresses at a North Korean-run restaurant in China who arrived in the South in April with their manager, making headlines as the largest group defection in years. Nearly 30,000 North Koreans have fled poverty and repression at home to settle in the capitalist South Ed Jones (AFP/File) While Seoul says they fled to the South voluntarily, Pyongyang claims they were kidnapped by NIS agents and has waged a campaign through its state media for their immediate return. A liberal South Korean legal association called Lawyers for a Democratic Society had instigated the court proceedings in an effort to have the sequestered defectors produced to answer questions. But the NIS claimed the women were unwilling to testify and refused to bring them to court, saying they were being held incommunicado for their own protection and that of their families still in North Korea. - Motion to replace judge - When the judge accepted the NIS argument, the lawyers' group filed a motion for him to be removed from the case and the court was adjourned. "If the judge says he will hear the case without the testimony of the restaurant workers, it means that he would make a ruling based on the words of the NIS," said attorney Chae Hee-Jun. "We can't call that a trial," Chae said. North Korea's campaign for the return of the defectors has included emotional video interviews with the women's relatives in the North, angrily denouncing South Korean authorities and demanding a meeting with the women. The Lawyers for a Democratic Society managed to force the court hearing after obtaining power-of-attorney from the defectors' families. The dispute has fanned inter-Korean tensions that have been running high since the North carried out its fourth nuclear test in January. As the court hearing opened, Japanese and South Korean media cited military and government officials as saying North Korea appeared to be preparing to test a powerful, new medium-range ballistic missile. - Resettlement process - For all North Korean defectors, life in the South begins with intensive NIS interrogation that can last for months and is aimed at weeding out possible spies. They are then given three months in a government centre where they learn basic survival skills, such as riding the subway, using a mobile phone and buying goods in a supermarket. But the Unification Ministry in Seoul said Tuesday that the waitresses would be kept under NIS "protection" rather than being sent to the resettlement centre. A ministry official said their case had become too high-profile and the escalating dispute with Pyongyang made them unusually vulnerable. "If we send them to the facility for resettlement training, there will be more media attention and the training will not be conducted smoothly," the official told AFP. Nearly 30,000 North Koreans have fled poverty and repression at home to settle in the capitalist South. But group defections are rare, especially by staff who work in the North Korea-themed restaurants overseas and who are handpicked from families considered "loyal" to the regime. The South Korean government estimates that Pyongyang rakes in around $10 million every year from about 130 restaurants it operates -- with mostly North Korean staff -- in 12 countries, including neighbouring China. There have been reports of staff not being paid, with restaurants pressured into increasing their regular remittances to Pyongyang. Earlier this month, South Korea announced that another three waitresses from a different restaurant in China had arrived in Seoul after defecting. Israel kills Palestinian teen 'mistaken for stone-thrower' Israeli troops killed a Palestinian teenager Tuesday after apparently mistaking his group for stone-throwers as they returned from a swim, sparking outrage and debate about the security forces' use of firearms. Palestinian officials harshly condemned the shooting, saying the 15-year-old was "murdered" while in a car in the occupied West Bank with four teenaged cousins, who were wounded by the gunfire. Circumstances surrounding the shooting were unclear and the army was still investigating, but in a stark admission it said it appeared those shot were "uninvolved bystanders". Palestinian flags are placed in the rubble of a demolished house belonging to a Palestinian man who carried out a knife attack in Tel Aviv on March 8, 2016 Jaafar Ashtiyeh (AFP/File) The military said the overnight shooting followed stone-throwing at Israelis travelling a road that cuts through the West Bank for several kilometres (miles) on its way from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv. Israeli media reported two foreigners and one Israeli lightly wounded by stone-throwing. The stone-throwers were also said to have hurled firebombs at passing cars and poured oil on the road. Soldiers opened fire on what they believed to be suspects, the army said, killing Mahmoud Rafat Badran and wounding the four others. Two people were arrested, it said. The army initially released a statement saying troops shot two people "after a number of Palestinians hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails at moving vehicles near the village of Beit Sira on route 443". "An initial review suggests that as the mob continued, nearby forces acted in order to protect the additional passing vehicles from immediate danger and fired towards the assailants. "Forces confirmed hits resulting in the death of one of the attackers." Later, the army revised its account, with a spokeswoman saying that "it appears uninvolved bystanders were mistakenly hit during the pursuit." - 'Cold-blooded assassination' - Asked by AFP whether that included the person killed, she said yes, as well as those wounded. During the current holy month of Ramadan, Muslims often go out and socialise late into the night following the end of the daytime fast. "One of my nephews who lives in Qatar was staying with us," Badran's father Rafat said as received condolence visits in the council building in his home town of Beit Ur. Mahmoud and the other cousins "decided to go together to the Aqua Park" in neighbouring Beit Sira, he said. After several hours bathing they were returning home by car though an underpass in the early hours of the morning. "A car appeared on the 443 road above them, armed men got out and fired at their moving car," said 51-year-old Rafat, his eyes red from grief and lack of sleep. When news reached the family and relatives tried to reach the scene, "soldiers prevented us approaching by firing at us. They refused to allow Palestinian ambulances to evacuate the wounded," he said. "Is this the same army that says it made a mistake? They are liars." Palestine Liberation Organisation secretary general Saeb Erekat condemned the shooting in a statement that said Badran had been "murdered" and called it a "cold-blooded assassination". Israel's response to Palestinian stone-throwers has been the subject of debate, with rightwing politicians calling for looser open-fire rules and human rights groups warning of the dangers of such policies. In September, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed "war" on stone-throwers with tougher penalties and new rules for security forces on when to open fire. Lawmakers later voted to impose a minimum three-year jail sentence on stone-throwers. - Home demolition - Netanyahu made the comments after a 64-year-old Israeli man died in an accident Israeli authorities said was caused by Palestinian stone-throwing. The death preceded a wave of Palestinian unrest since October. The violence has killed at least 209 Palestinians, 32 Israelis, two Americans, an Eritrean and a Sudanese. Israeli authorities say most of the Palestinians were killed as they carried out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks. Others were killed in clashes with security forces or by Israeli air strikes in the Gaza Strip. Also on Tuesday, Israeli forces demolished the home of a Palestinian who killed a US tourist and wounded several Israelis in a March stabbing rampage in Tel Aviv. An army spokeswoman said the Palestinian carried out the March 8 seafront knife attacks which killed 29-year-old Texan Taylor Allen Force and wounded at least 10 Israelis as US Vice President Joe Biden arrived for a visit. The Palestinian was shot dead during the attack. Netanyahu has expedited home demolitions of Palestinian attackers in a bid to deter violence. Human rights groups say the measure amounts to collective punishment, forcing families to suffer for the acts of others. Palestine Liberation Organisation secretary general Saeb Erekat condemned the shooting of a Palestinian teenager by Israeli troops Abbas Momani (AFP/File) Hong Kong raises concerns with Beijing on bookseller detention Hong Kong's leader said Tuesday he has raised concerns with China about the case of a bookseller who reported being detained for eight months on the mainland, amid fears Beijing is tightening its grip on the city. Lam Wing-kee was one of five employees of a Hong Kong firm -- which published gossipy books about leading Chinese politicians -- to go mysteriously missing last year. All later emerged on the mainland. Lam has said he was seized just across the border from Hong Kong, taken away blindfolded and then kept in a cell, under interrogation and without access to his family or a lawyer, for alleged involvement in bringing banned books into the mainland. Lam Wing-kee was one of five employees of a Hong Kong firm -- which published gossipy books about leading Chinese politicians -- to go mysteriously missing last year. All later emerged on the mainland Isaac Lawrence (AFP) Hong Kong's Beijing-backed Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, who has been accused of dragging his feet over the issue, said he had written to Beijing relaying local concerns. A leading pro-democracy activist called the government "pathetic", and said its actions failed to allay residents' fears that the semi-autonomous city's freedoms are being eroded. Lam, who was placed on suicide watch during his detention, made his explosive disclosures about his detention in Hong Kong last Thursday. He said Chinese authorities had allowed him to return home to collect a list of mainland customers for the banned books, but he is refusing to go back across the border. Leung told reporters his letter asked Beijing to clarify how relevant mainland departments handle cases in which Hong Kong people have broken mainland laws, and whether or not mainland personnel had carried out cross-border law enforcement in the city. Mainland law enforcers are barred from operating in the city under the "One country, two systems" agreement governing Hong Kong's return from Britain to China in 1997. Leung said his letter also asked "if the handling of the issue affected One country, two systems and the Basic Law, which guarantees the freedoms and rights of Hong Kong people". When asked about Leung's remarks, a Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman said China will stick to the handover arrangement. I would just like to reiterate the Chinese governments firm determination to uphold the One country, two systems (principles) is steadfast. The people of Hong Kong enjoy their full rights and freedoms in accordance with the law," Hua Chunying told reporters. - 'Expected' response - Civic Party lawmaker Claudia Mo described the Hong Kong government's response as "pathetic, as everyone's expected it to be". "Leung is quite terrified obviously, to take up the issue clearly and loudly with the Beijing authorities; he obviously wants to make sure that he doesn't embarrass his master in any way," Mo told AFP. "This is probably the most striking, the most unsettling case that actually hampers the One country, two systems promise." Lam, 61, likened his ordeal to Cultural Revolution-era repression during an interview with AFP Sunday. He told a local radio station he had no hopes Leung's follow-up actions would bring about change. "The Hong Kong and the Chinese governments are not on equal terms," he said. Lam and two other booksellers went missing in the city of Shenzhen just across the border from Hong Kong, while a fourth -- Gui Minhai -- disappeared in Thailand and a fifth -- Lee Bo -- went missing in Hong Kong itself. Three of the other booksellers have disputed parts of Lam's account. Lee Bo has denied he told Lam that he (Lee) was taken to the mainland against his wishes. Gui remains in custody in China while Lee has insisted he is a free man voluntarily helping the investigation into the smuggled books. Two other booksellers who were detained in China have briefly returned to Hong Kong on bail, but then travelled back to the mainland. Great Barrier Reef bleaching could cost a million tourists Severe coral bleaching on Australia's Great Barrier Reef could cost it more than a million visitors a year and huge sums in lost tourism revenue, a survey said Tuesday. The World Heritage-listed reef which teems with marine life experienced an unprecedented bleaching earlier this year that saw much of it whiten and almost a quarter of corals die. "The reef tourism areas are at risk of losing over one million visitors per year," a discussion paper from the independent think-tank the Australia Institute said. Australia could lose Aus$1 billion (US$747 million) in revenue if continued coral bleaching damages the Great Barrier Reef to the point that tourists are put off visiting William West (AFP/File) It added that Aus$1 billion (US$747 million) of potential revenue could be lost if those visitors do not travel to the tropical reef region. Some 10,000 jobs in Queensland state were also at risk from a drop in tourism, a major industry in the area, it added. "Continued bleaching could not only impact the reef's status as Australia's premier international tourist destination, but also impact Australia's identity as an international tourist destination," it said. The report said last year, about 3.5 million tourists, mostly Australians, visited areas along the reef. The institute surveyed thousands of Australians and others from of the major tourism markets of China, the United States and Britain. More than a third of Australians said they were more likely to travel to another part of the country if the bleaching continued. In terms of foreign tourists, more than half Chinese respondents, and about a third of American and British participants said they were more likely to visit somewhere other than Australia if the reef's deterioration persisted. The 2,300-kilometre (1,429-mile) long reef -- the world's biggest coral ecosystem -- is suffering from its worst bleaching in recorded history due to warming sea temperatures. Bleaching occurs when abnormal environmental conditions, such as warmer sea temperatures, cause corals to expel tiny photosynthetic algae, draining them of their colour. The reef is also under pressure from farming run-off, development and the coral-eating crown-of-thorns starfish. The report concluded that two of Queensland's industries -- tourism and coal mining -- were directly at odds with each other. "Without serious action on climate change and real resources allocated to the reef's health, the tourism industry seems certain to lose its most precious asset," it said. Coral bleaching John SAEKI, Adrian LEUNG (AFP) Death in childbirth: grim prospects for women in Pakistani Kashmir "We are afraid we could die," says Asmat Nisa, a mother-of-five set to give birth again. It is a dangerous prospect for women in the remote mountains of Pakistani-held Kashmir, where doctors are few and help is far. "There is no hospital here and I have never seen a female doctor," explains Nisa, who is from the village of Arang Kel in Kashmir's Neelum Valley. That her doctor be a woman is important: local customs dictate that male doctors are not permitted to examine women during pregnancy or labour. Fifty-four babies out of every 1,000 are stillbirths or first day deaths in Pakistani Kashmir. Sajjad Qayyum (AFP) This restriction, combined with the isolation and severe weather of the plunging, remote valleys makes giving birth one of the deadliest moments in the lives of its women and newborns. "The major reason for the deaths of mothers and newborn babies in the remote areas of Neelum Valley is unskilled and untrained midwives assisting the pregnant women during delivery," says Farhat Shaheen, director of maternal, newborn and child health for Pakistani Kashmir. Fifty-four babies out of every 1,000 are stillbirths or first day deaths in Kashmir, she said. In 2014, a report by the charity Save the Children stated Pakistan had the highest rate of first day deaths and stillbirths in the world, at 40.7 per 1,000 births. In Europe, according to the same report, 5.9 babies for every 1,000 do not survive the first 28 days. Even neighbouring Afghanistan, torn apart by decades of war, does better than Pakistan, with a rate of 29 first day deaths and stillbirths for every 1,000 births. "The numbers of the deaths are very high," Shaheen says. - Doctors' reluctance - In the village of Sharda, some 20 kilometres from Arang Kel, inhabitants scattered across two mountains face life and death with a single Basic Health Unit (BHU). The facility has one male doctor rendered useless for pregnancy and childbirth by his gender, and three "Lady Health Visitors", as they are known locally -- women whose job is to create awareness about health and hygiene, but who do not give treatment and are not medically trained. That leaves a lone midwife to help the women of Sharda and the surrounding areas -- a population of around 17,000 -- through childbirth. The isolation of the region, which is covered with four to five feet of snow in winter, is a significant factor in medical staff's reluctance to work there, says Dr Sardar Mahmood Ahmed Khan, director general of the health service in Pakistani Kashmir. There is no electricity save a handful of small turbines used to generate hydropower from the streams and rivers sparkling through the valleys -- enough to fuel lights, but not much more, even in the BHUs. Pregnant women fight to scrape a living on the plunging slopes of the unforgiving mountains: carrying wood, cutting grass, working in the fields, says Riffat Bibi, a Lady Health Visitor at the Sharda BHU, adding that poor nutrition is also a factor ruining maternal health. "We have to do our hard daily household routine work during our pregnancies," adds Rubina Bashir, a mother-to-be in Sharda. The figures Khan cites are stark: of an estimated 4.4 million people in Pakistani Kashmir, he says there are a mere 1,050 doctors. Some 758 health units -- ranging from first aid centres to hospitals -- serve the area, with around 3,000 Lady Health Visitors. - 'Could have been saved' - Last year, said local resident Habib Ullah, his wife's delivery ran into complications. His newborn child did not survive the eight-hour journey to a hospital in the main city of Muzaffarabad, with its better facilities and larger proportion of women doctors. "My wife was near to death, but she luckily survived," he says, adding that he had to borrow some 200,000 rupees ($2,000) to pay the medical bills -- roughly 20 times what he earns in a month. Another Sharda resident, Jahangir Lone, described how his sister-in-law died during the birth of her eighth child. Her husband, he says, could not afford to move her to Muzaffarabad. "If there were any hospital in Sharda where her delivery could have been performed, then her life could have been saved." Khan said a special Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (RMNCH) programme launched in 2007 has been offering special incentives to persuade doctors to the area. Doctors who do go, be they men or women, get higher wages than those who work in cities. The government has fixed the average wage at 80,000 rupees per month in the rural areas of Pakistani Kashmir, compared to 65,000 rupees in the towns, Khan said. For specialists the wage in far-flung areas is set at 150,000 rupees, compared to 100,000 rupees in the cities, he said. Pakistan's government had provided 500 million rupees ($5 million) to run the RMNCH programme, run by Shaheen and which sought to train medical staff. But the money, donated in different phases, dried up earlier this year. Tufail Ahmed, a postman in Kel Sehri village in the outskirts of Shardah town, says his wife had suffered complications during her pregnancy but he could not afford to move her. Their child was stillborn, he says. "I appealed to the government to provide us female doctors in our region so that no one else has to lose his child." A Pakistani doctor attends to a sick newborn baby in the children's nursery at a hospital in Muzaffarabad. Sajjad Qayyum (AFP) Black ballet: classical dance stirs up Soweto In a Soweto dance studio with yellowing mirrors, enthusiastic ballet students practise their first positions and plies in socks at the barre. Classical dance, for decades confined to South Africa's white minority, is finding its feet in the country's black townships. Twenty-two years after the end of apartheid, "We have beautiful contemporary dancers but not classical dancers," said Dirk Badenhorst, head of the South African International Ballet Competition, seeking out rising stars across the continent. South African ballet dancers attend a class thought by Cuban dance teacher Maria Torguet, at a studio in Soweto, Johannesburg Mujahid Safodien (AFP) The dearth of black talent is at least in part because historically "ballet was only for white people .. and the ballet was only taught in the traditional white areas," said Badenhorst, who is trying to shake things up with a new project to train township dance teachers in classical ballet. - 'Up, up, up. Stomach!' - Lessons take place in the heart of Soweto, a hop and a skip from the Hector Pieterson Museum dedicated to a key moment in the fight against apartheid, the uprising led by high school students in 1976. "Up, up, up. Stomach, more, back," says classical teacher Maria de Torguet, pointing at a less-than-perfectly-poised back or a lazily-held head among her eight students, all black adults. "When I grew up .. there was no ballet in townships. We had to go out in the town and pay for the lessons," says one of them, Mmule Mokgele, taking a break between exercises at the barre. "I am happy for my kids because ballet is coming to the township," she added. Aged 34, Mmule teaches contemporary dance and Afro-fusion in Soweto in a run-down school, whose yard has been turned into a car wash. But she decided to get trained to teach classical. "Once you get to learn ballet, it disciplines you mentally, physically, it is easier for you to learn other dances," added Mmule, short-cropped hair dyed red, with a baggy T-shirt and muscled legs beneath her black leggings. Every Tuesday morning, she endlessly repeats the first position, plies and works on holding her arms under Maria's attentive but relentless gaze. In the afternoon she teaches her 10-year-old students what she learned in the morning. - 'Without love nothing succeeds' - "The fact that they experience the pain themselves right now and tomorrow they teach it, they have a better empathy with the children they are working with. They have a better understanding as how to explain and encourage the kids in what to do and how to do it," said Badenhorst. "It is often said that if you are a brilliant scientist you are not necessarily a brilliant science teacher .. The same with ballet," he added. With his project, which aims to train a thousand teachers over the next three years, teachers and students are taking the same path together, he added. Maria -- brought in from Cuba, a country with close ties to South Africa in areas including politics and dance -- is a patient instructor. With a firm voice, she asks one student to take off a scarf, another to remove a hood. "It's very difficult to teach them classical. In Cuba, teachers have studied classical dance for at least eight years," added the petite 58-year-old brunette. "Not here. I teach them to hold their bodies well. Concentration is also important, as much as passion. Without love nothing succeeds." - Ballet for men? - Her task is not easy, all the less so since her English vocabulary is limited. Mmule says she and her fellow students have got used to understanding Maria's commands. Others have defied expectations even to be here. "My friends are, like, why are you doing ballet? Why don't you find something that would suit you as a man? But I love dancing," said fellow student Ncepa Sitokwe, whose body is already toned by years of African dancing. "Our traditional dancers did not expose us, with our African dances, we only do gigs to be seen when there is something celebrated. With this methodology, you are going to be seen outside South Africa," he added. Badenhorst has a dream. "When Benjamin Millepied was the director of the Paris Opera, he was talking about the lack of transformation in the Paris Opera," he said, referring to the dearth of non-white dancers. "So I would love in 8 years or 10 years the young kids from this project to land up in the Paris Opera." Ballet dance lessons take place in the heart of Soweto, a hop and a skip from the Hector Pieterson Museum dedicated to a key moment in the fight against apartheid Mujahid Safodien (AFP) Cuban dance teacher Maria Torguet (R) instructs students during a classical ballet lesson in the Johannesburg's township of Soweto Mujahid Safodien (AFP) China to 'send plane' as Taiwanese face deportation from Cambodia Eight more Taiwanese nationals have been arrested in Cambodia over an alleged telephone scam, police said Tuesday, with China apparently poised to send a plane to collect them despite fierce opposition from Taipei. Taipei accuses Beijing of "abducting" its citizens from countries that do not recognise the island's government -- such as China ally Cambodia. A total of 21 Taiwanese and 14 Chinese have now been arrested in Cambodia over recent days for allegedly running a telephone fraud targeting victims on the mainland. Cambodia, historically one of Beijing's closest allies in Southeast Asia, refuses to draw a distinction between China and Taiwan, simply referring to nationals from the latter as "island Chinese". Fred Dufour (AFP/File) "We will deport them to China this week. China will send a plane to pick up all of them," Major General Uk Heisela, director of inspection and procedure at the General Department of Immigration, told AFP. In April both Malaysia and Kenya returned Taiwanese nationals accused of crimes to mainland China sparking uproar in Taipei. Uk Heisela said the eight new arrests were made on Saturday in a raid in Phnom Penh. Cambodia, historically one of Beijing's closest allies in Southeast Asia, refuses to draw a distinction between China and Taiwan, simply referring to nationals from the latter as "island Chinese". Taiwan is self-ruling after splitting with China in 1949, following a civil war, but Beijing still sees it as a part of its territory waiting to be reunified. The island has never formally declared independence. Observers read the deportation cases as a Chinese bid to pressure Taiwan's new government -- which took office in May. Beijing does not trust the traditionally pro-independence ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Taiwan insists citizens deported from third countries should be returned to the island and not to mainland China. On Monday Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council, which handles affairs with Beijing, said the deportations are a setback for ties. Taiwan's new president Tsai Ing-wen has repeatedly pledged to maintain the "status quo" with Beijing. But she also has not bowed down to pressure to accept Beijing's definition of cross-strait relations. Millions stretch and bend as Indian PM leads world yoga day Prime Minister Narendra Modi described yoga as a "people's mass movement" as he took to the mat Tuesday along with millions of others in India and overseas to celebrate the ancient practice. Across India, schoolchildren, sailors, soldiers and bureaucrats bent and twisted their bodies from early morning at mass outdoor sessions to mark the second International Yoga Day. Sessions were also held around the world including at the Sydney Opera House where colourful mats were spread outside the Australian landmark, while Afghans and foreigners gathered at the Indian embassy in Kabul. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi led a yoga session of more than 30,000 people in the northern city of Chandigarh, on June 21, 2016 Yoga-loving Modi, dressed in a white tracksuit, led more than 30,000 people in the northern city of Chandigarh where they performed poses and conducted breathing exercises at the outdoor Capitol Complex. "Do not wait, make yoga a part of your life," Modi urged in a brief speech to mark the event, an idea he successfully asked the United Nations to adopt. "This is a day linked with good health and now it has become a people's mass movement," the 65-year-old premier said. Modi took a short break to inspect the poses of his fellow yogis, who included students and soldiers, before returning to his spot. His ministers were also dispatched to cities around India to stretch and bend alongside schoolchildren, while the navy tweeted photos of sailors on mats atop an aircraft carrier in Mumbai. Modi, who credits yoga for his ability to work long hours on little sleep, has been spearheading an initiative to reclaim the practice as a historic part of Indian culture after his Hindu nationalist government came to power in 2014. In his home state of Gujarat, more than 1,700 pregnant women performed the camel, cobra and other poses in hopes of setting a new world record, a local official said. "The previous record was 930 pregnant women performing yoga simultaneously in China in 2009... we have submitted all documents to the officials of Guinness World Records who were here to evaluate the record," district collector Vikrant Pandey told AFP. Modi last year led some 35,000 people in New Delhi to mark the first world yoga day, setting two world records -- one for the largest yoga class at a single site and another for the greatest number of nationalities attending. Indian scholars believe yoga dates back 5,000 years, based on archaeological evidence of poses found inscribed on stones and references to Yogic teachings in the ancient Hindu scriptures of the Vedas. Since taking office, the premier has set up a ministry dedicated to promoting yoga and traditional Indian treatments, and started free lessons for his government's three million bureaucrats and their families. Indian yoga practioneers take part in a yoga session in a swimming pool in Jodhpur, on June 21, 2016 Sunil Verma (AFP) Indian military personnel take part in a yoga session in Khasa, on the outskirts of Amritsar, on June 21, 2016 Narinder Nanu (AFP) Tambourine in hand, a Christian wakes up Acre's Muslims for Ramadan Michel Ayoub's holy racket begins each day at 2:00 am, when he steps into the cobbled streets of Acre's old city with tambourine in hand, awakening Muslims for Ramadan. His role as the city's "mesaharati" is a traditional one during the sacred fasting month, but Ayoub is by no means a traditional holder of the position: He is Christian. The 39-year-old Arab Israeli sees no contradiction in that, and neither do the Muslim residents of this ancient city in northwestern Israel, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Michel Ayoub (L), an Arab-Israeli Christian, carries out the role of a 'Musaharati', the traditional figure who awakens Muslims for the 'Suhur', their pre-dawn meal during the sacred fasting month of Ramadan Ahmad Gharabli (AFP) "We are the same family," says Ayoub, who wears traditional Levantine dress as he meanders the alleyways, a keffiyeh draped over his shoulders, baggy sirwal pants held around his waist with an embroidered belt, a black-and-white turban tied around his head. "There is only one God and there is no difference between Christians and Muslims." His voice rings out as he chants, piercing the silence of the empty streets decorated with traditional colourful lamps for Ramadan. "You, sleeping ones, there is one eternal God," he chants. Houses begin to light up one by one. Some stick their heads out of their windows to greet him and tell him they have heard the call, awakening them for the "suhur," the traditional Ramadan pre-dawn meal. During the holy month, which began on June 5, Muslims abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sundown, making the suhur an important meal before the long day ahead. - 'We would be lost' - Acre's population of more than 50,000 includes Jews, Muslims, Christians and Baha'is. It has been continuously inhabited since the Phoenician period, which began around 1500 BC. It was the main port of the medieval Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem and a major Ottoman walled city. Napoleon tried to conquer the heavily fortified town in 1799 but was repelled by the Ottomans and a small British Royal Navy force. The walled old city, complete with a well-preserved citadel, mosques and baths, is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage site. Today it is part of Israel, which captured it in the 1948 Arab-Israeli war surrounding the state's creation. About 28 percent of its population are Arab Israelis, who are Palestinians and their descendants who remained after the 1948 creation of Israel. Most of the city's Arabs are Muslims, but a minority, like Ayoub, are Christians. The mesaharati tradition had disappeared from Acre until Ayoub, who usually works in construction, revived it 13 years ago. He says it was his way to preserve his grandfather's heritage. He says his grandfather, a fervent Catholic, listened to readings of the Quran every Friday during the main weekly Muslim prayers. Partly for that reason, Ayoub says he grew up with the idea of coexistence, respect and knowledge of other religions. By carrying on the mesaharati tradition, he says he was "only doing my duty by helping our Muslim brothers who endure hunger and thirst" during the fasting month. Sabra Aker, 19, says she "grew up with Michel Ayoub's wake-up calls during Ramadan." "If he didn't come one day, we would be lost," she says through the window of her home. Safia Sawaid, 36, exits her home to ask if she can take a photo with Ayoub and her children. "It's great to see someone so attached to our culture and our traditions," she says. "I hope that he will continue every year." Ayoub may even be grooming a successor to ensure the tradition does not end with him. Ahmed al-Rihawi, 12, accompanies him on his nighttime mission, wearing sirwal pants, a black vest and a turban. "He is a promising mesaharati," Ayoub says. "He is very talented." Local Muslims gather for 'Suhur', their pre-dawn traditional meal during the sacred fasting month of Ramadan, in the northern Israeli port city of Acre Ahmad Gharabli (AFP) With huge London footprint, US banks gird for Brexit vote Two days before Britain's referendum on breaking with the European Union, the largest US banks are preparing for a catastrophic scenario that could cost them billions of dollars. Amid the volatile atmosphere in Britain, the banks are outwardly keeping a straight face. "We are locked down on this," said Michael Duvally, spokesman for Goldman Sachs, when asked how his bank is preparing for the possibility that Britain's anti-Europe camp will win in the referendum on Thursday. Morgan Stanley could transfer 1,000 of its 6,000 London jobs elsewhere in the EU if the UK leaves Stan Honda (AFP/File) Morgan Stanley and Bank of America gave identical responses. But in stark contrast, the Wall Street offices of the lawyers who work for the banks are almost under a state of alert, with every option under review, according to banking industry sources speaking anonymously. The vote could have a huge impact on the City of London, where US banks do most of their business for the 28 European Union member countries. If the Brexit measure goes through, it could lead to Britain's losing huge benefits of freely trading with Europe. No longer would US banks be able to easily handle all of their business, broking, lending or other, in EU countries from London. After public opinion polls were proven to be greatly unreliable in recent British elections, the banks are not putting their faith in any of the reported results, or even conducting their own private polls. Instead, they are warning their traders to expect a very long, busy day of handling buy and sell orders across the financial markets during the June 23 referendum. And the same for the next day. JPMorgan Chase has already reserved hotel rooms for traders close to its offices. Call centers dedicated to communications with clients have been put into place, several banks confirmed. "Thursday is going to be a hectic day. We are expecting large movements," one banker said. "Our clients are worried about what's going to happen with the pound. Forex is the biggest concern." - Downsizing in London - The five big US banks employ more than 40,000 people in London, more than in all of the rest of Europe. They benefit from the "passporting rights" regime that allows the bankers to market their services -- from advising mergers and acquisitions to money management to lending and trading -- throughout the European Union without having a physical presence in any other EU countries. A vote to leave the EU "would be a negative for the US universal banks since costs could increase and capital markets activity could weaken," analysts at investment bank KBW wrote in a recent report. Banks would face significant challenges in both revenues and costs over the next two years, they said. "We believe Brexit would be the worst-case scenario for stocks and companies with EU/UK exposure, since a Brexit could lead to contagion fears and slowing growth," the report said. Sources say that the US banks have already been mapping out the possibilities of opening offices in Amsterdam, Dublin, Frankfurt and Paris. However, some do have small outposts on the old continent from which they could build. Citigroup has a subsidiary in Dublin and JPMorgan has units in Frankfurt and Luxembourg. JPMorgan chief executive Jamie Dimon warned in early June that the bank could be forced to cut up to 25 percent of its 16,000-strong staff in Britain in the case of a pro-Brexit vote. Morgan Stanley could transfer 1,000 of its 6,000 London jobs elsewhere in the European Union, a source said. Goldman Sachs -- one of the banks expected to lose the most in case of Brexit -- could move a quarter of its 6,500-strong Europe-Middle East-Africa team out of Britain. Any such reorganization would necessarily have significant costs for staff relocation, acquisition of new licenses and officers, and financing of new operations, analysts note. KBW calculates that Morgan Stanley could see a nine percent fall in its earnings over two years. Bank of American won't comment on prospects for Brexit Spencer Platt (Getty/AFP) Goldman Sachs could move a quarter of its 6,500-strong Europe-Middle East-Africa team out of Britain Spencer Platt (Getty/AFP) 16 killed in fresh unrest in Central African Republic Sixteen people have been killed in two days of clashes between Fulani herdsmen and the mainly Muslim Seleka militia in the Central African Republic, police said on Tuesday. The chronically unstable nation is struggling to overcome the legacy of three years of deadly conflict between Christians and Muslims that has driven half a million people from their homes. "According to an initial toll, 16 people, most of them armed Fulani herdsmen, were killed and more than 20 others were wounded in the clashes," a police officer in the northern town of Kaga Bandoro told AFP on condition of anonymity. Sixteen people have been killed in two days of clashes in Central African Republic Eric Feferberg (AFP/File) The clashes, which erupted on Sunday, were not connected to a separate wave of violence in the capital Bangui on Monday in which three people were killed. The officer said the violence in the north began in the region of Batangafo and spread to the towns of Wandago and Gondava. The clashes are linked to the annual transhumance of Fulani cattle herdsmen, sometimes from neighbouring Cameroon and Chad, into the north of the Central African Republic. The herdsmen are often armed to protect themselves from attacks from cattle thieves, and they sometimes stage deadly reprisals against the towns where the rustlers are from. Kaga Bandoro resident Maurice Yanandji said the clashes on Sunday and Monday forced a number of bush residents to flee into the centre of the town. Batangafo resident Polycarpe Nzalaye said troops from MINUSCA, the UN peacekeeping force in the country, "intervened and the clashes stopped in the centre of Batangafo". At least 10 people were killed last week in northwest in violence blamed on Fulani herdsmen and the Seleka militia. - Continuing tensions - In a sign of the continuing tensions, three people were killed and hundreds forced to flee their homes after gunfire broke out Monday in Bangui's predominantly Muslim PK5 neighbourhood. The deaths followed the kidnapping of six policemen at the weekend, blamed on a rebel group based in PK5. It was unclear if the fighting was connected to the kidnapping. A police source in Bangui said the three people killed "were members of the (neighbourhood) self-defence force who tried to attack" a police station "and who were prevented by national and international forces." He said several people were wounded, some some of them seriously. CAR, one of the world's poorest countries, was plunged into chaos by the March 2013 ousting of long-serving president Francois Bozize, a Christian, by the mainly Muslim Seleka rebel alliance. The coup sparked revenge attacks involving Muslim forces and Christian vigilante groups known as "anti-balaka" (anti-machete) militias. Turkey, Israel to 'agree normalisation deal on June 26' Turkey and Israel will this weekend announce a deal on normalising ties, ending a six-year diplomatic crisis sparked by a deadly Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla in which 10 Turkish nationals died, a report said Tuesday. The Hurriyet daily said the two sides would make the announcement during final talks on June 26 after intensive diplomacy resulted in a compromise agreement on the partial lifting of Israel's blockade on the Gaza Strip. Previously tight relations between Israel and key NATO member Turkey were significantly downgraded after Israeli commandos staged a botched pre-dawn raid on the six-ship flotilla in May 2010 as it tried to run the blockade on Gaza. Ten Turkish activists were killed when Israeli commandos raided the Mavi Marmara ship which was part of the Free Gaza flotilla in May 2010 Nine activists on board the Turkish-owned Mavi Marmara ferry were killed, with a tenth person later dying of his wounds, sparking a bitter diplomatic crisis. Two of Turkey's key conditions for normalisation -- an apology and compensation -- were largely met, leaving its third demand, that Israel lift its blockade on the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, as the main obstacle. Under terms of the deal, Israel will allow the completion of a much-needed hospital in Gaza, as well as the construction of a new power station and a sea water distillation plant for drinking water. Israel imposed its blockade on Gaza in June 2006 after Palestinian militants there snatched an Israeli soldier. The restrictions were tightened a year later when Hamas took control of the enclave, but eased significantly following a wave of international outrage over the flotilla carnage. Meanwhile, Turkey will send aid to Gaza but channel it via the Israeli port of Ashdod rather than sending it directly to the Palestinian enclave, the paper said. - Ambassadors to return - The announcement would be made after talks between top Turkish foreign ministry official Feridun Sinirlioglu and Israel's pointman on Turkish relations, Joseph Ciechanover, it added. It did not say where the talks would be held. The two diplomats would then meet again in July to formally sign the agreement after which ambassadors would return to the respective embassies and full ties would be restored. Israel's Haaretz daily said Israeli and Turkish negotiating teams are to meet in a European capital on June 26 for a decisive round of talks on the reconciliation agreement. Analysts have said Turkey may pursue a more conciliatory foreign policy following the departure of former prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who spearheaded an aggressive and interventionist strategy. Jordanian soldiers killed in car bomb attack on Syria border A car bomb outside a Syrian refugee camp in Jordan killed six soldiers on Tuesday in a remote desert area where hundreds have been held for screening for suspected links to the Islamic State group. There was no immediate claim for the bombing but Jordan is a leading member of the US-led coalition fighting IS in neighbouring Syria and Iraq, and has been the target of jihadist attacks in the past. Fourteen soldiers were also wounded in the attack, a security official told AFP, adding that it was a "preliminary toll" and the number of dead might rise. Jordan is hosting nearly 1.4 million Syrian refugees, such as these arrivals at the Al-Hadalat crossing point in the eastern town of Ruwaished Khalil Mazraawi (AFP/File) The army said the bomb struck at 5:30 am (0230 GMT) in Rukban, on the Syrian border in the far northeast of the kingdom. It said it destroyed several "enemy" vehicles at the border, but would give no further details until later in the day. Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh condemned the "cowardly attack." "Terrorists strike again this time against our border guard," he tweeted on his official account. "This evil will be defeated." On June 6, a gunman killed five Jordanian intelligence officers in a Palestinian refugee camp north of the capital. A suspect was later arrested but details of the attack have been kept under a gag order while the investigation continues. Tens of thousands of Syrian refugees have sought shelter at two remote desert camps in the northeast -- one at Rukban and another at Handalat further west. A flare-up in the five-year civil war in Syria sparked a new influx of refugees in the area last month, with nearly 5,500 arriving at Rukban within days in early May. - IS fears - Jordanian authorities kept hundreds of refugees camped in no-man's land outside Rukban waiting for screening, out of fear that they are involved with IS which controls swathes of eastern Syria and neighbouring Iraq. The kingdom's refusal to allow the refugees to move further inside Jordanian territory has drawn criticism from the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Jordan says it is hosting nearly 1.4 million Syrian refugees, of whom 630,000 are registered with the United Nations. The huge refugee presence has placed a massive strain on Jordan's economy and resources, and raised security concerns in a country which has already experienced several jihadist attacks. In December 2005, suicide bombings in three Amman hotels claimed by IS's predecessor, Al-Qaeda in Iraq, killed 60 people and wounded dozens. Jordan has carried out air strikes against IS in neighbouring Syria since 2014. One of its pilots was captured by the jihadists when his plane went down in Syria in December 2014. In February 2015, IS released gruesome footage of Maaz al-Kassasbeh being burned alive in a cage. His murder prompted Jordan to extend its air strikes against IS to Iraq, where it is the only Arab coalition member participating in the bombing campaign. Jordan has also opened up the Prince Hassan airbase, northeast of the capital, to other members of the US-led coalition taking part in the air war. In March, Jordanian authorities announced they had foiled an IS plot to carry out attacks in the kingdom in an operation that led to the deaths of seven jihadists. According to sources close to Islamists, almost 4,000 Jordanians have joined jihadist groups in Iraq and Syria, where an estimated 420 have been killed since 2011. The Baqaa refugee camp outside Amman, where the intelligence officers were shot dead earlier this month, was the home of Mahmud Abdelal, a jihadist who blew himself up in Syria in October 2012. In 2010, three Jordanian Islamist extremists were sentenced to prison terms of between three years and life for plotting to kill intelligence officers in the camp. Clinton hits Trump at core: his business record Hillary Clinton on Tuesday targeted her White House rival Donald Trump's very rationale for being a competent president, painting the provocative billionaire as a "dangerous" and manipulative businessman who would sink the US economy. The Democratic flagbearer's comprehensive condemnation of Trump's business dealings came as the presumptive Republican nominee revealed unprecedented financial deficits heading into his general election push, the latest of several setbacks and self-inflicted wounds that have plunged his campaign into disarray. Clinton piled on in her speech in Ohio, an important swing state, where she argued that Trump's lack of a plan to bring back manufacturing and other jobs could yank the nation back into recession. Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton argued that Donald Trump's lack of a plan to bring back manufacturing and other jobs could yank the nation back into recession J.D. Pooley (Getty/AFP) We can't let him bankrupt America like we are one of his failed casinos," she thundered in Columbus. "We can't let him roll the dice with our children's futures." By laying into Trump's corporate empire, Clinton aimed to disarm her rival's potent claim that he can translate his business acumen into Oval Office success. "He's written a lot of books about business. They all seem to end at chapter 11," she quipped, referring to the US legal code that addresses bankruptcy and reorganization. She claimed Trump had refused to pay some workers their due and had his own products manufactured overseas -- moves she argued punished hard-working Americans. He also "made a fortune filing bankruptcies and stiffing his creditors" in the process, leaving hundreds out of people out of work, Clinton said. "In America, we don't begrudge people being successful, but we know they shouldn't do it by destroying other people's dreams." Despite his long track record as a businessman, "it turns out he's dangerous there, too," Clinton said. "Just like he shouldn't have his finger on the button," she added, referring to the US nuclear arsenal, "he shouldn't have his hands on our economy." "Donald Trump's ideas about the economy and the world will cause millions of Americans to lose their jobs," Clinton said. - Seeking a reboot - Trump returned fire as Clinton spoke, arguing that she "surged" the trade deficit with China by 40 percent while serving as America's top diplomat, a move he said cost Americans "millions of jobs." In a bid to go on offense, Trump announced he would deliver a speech Wednesday addressing "the failed policies and bad judgment of crooked Hillary Clinton." But the latest news cycle unquestionably has been unkind to the real estate tycoon. He fired campaign manager Corey Lewandowski on Monday, seeking a reboot as he prepares to battle with Clinton whose campaign is well ahead of Trump's in terms of finances and organization. Trump has been hammered for making controversial statements after the Orlando massacre, including about Muslims, and for saying it would have been a "beautiful sight" if more people at the Florida club -- where drinks flowed -- were armed in order to shoot back at the attacker. His numbers have slid in several polls, and Republican leaders have continued to express ambivalence about their presumptive nominee. - A 'different' campaign - The latest clash comes amid revelations that Trump's campaign war chest lags woefully behind Clinton's. Trump has just $1.3 million in cash on hand, according to reports filed Monday with the Federal Election Commission. Clinton's campaign by contrast had $42 million as of May 31, its report showed. Trump insisted he could ply his own campaign with "unlimited" funds. "If need be, there could be unlimited 'cash on hand' as I would put up my own money, as I have already done through the primaries, spending over $50 million," he said in a statement. He also said his campaign was prepared to embrace a new tone as it geared for battle with Clinton. "I think it's time now for a different kind of a campaign" than the lean operation that helped win the primary race, Trump told Fox News late Monday as he justified Lewandowski's departure. Trump also brushed off his difficulty in earning Republican leadership support, telling NBC he might not even need their blessing. "I may be better winning it the opposite way than the more traditional way," he said. But a revolt of sorts appeared to be brewing at next month's Republican National Convention. As many as 400 of the party's 2,472 delegates who formally elect the Republican nominee have expressed support for a movement to stop Trump, according to The Washington Post. Trump meanwhile met Tuesday with about 1,000 evangelical Christians in an effort to win over the crucial voting bloc. "He came across as reasonable, not reckless," Catholic Vote president Brian Burch was quoted by Time magazine as saying. Trump's campaign also announced an evangelical executive advisory board, featuring prominent conservative religious figures including psychologist and author James Dobson, who has courted controversy over his strong position against gays. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump (C) greets supporters following a campaign rally on June 18, 2016 in Phoenix, Arizona Ralph Freso (Getty/AFP/File) Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton speaks to supporters on June 21, 2016 in Columbus, Ohio J.D. Pooley (Getty/AFP) Riots rock South Africa's capital ahead of vote Buses were torched and roads were barricaded with rocks and burning tyres in South Africa's capital Pretoria Tuesday in riots sparked by upcoming nationwide municipal elections. The unrest erupted late on Monday after factional disputes over the ruling African National Congress (ANC) choice for Pretoria mayor in the hotly-contested vote due on August 3. Part of the country's main north-south highway, the N1, was closed off after protesters hurled stones at cars and buses, while the defence minister pledged to crack down on the violence. A truck is set alight in Atteridgeville, west of Pretoria, on June 21, 2016 Mujahid Safodien (AFP) Party secretary-general Gwede Mantashe blamed the unrest on "thuggery" driven by factionalism and patronage, but protesters accused the party of riding roughshod over their own choice for candidate. Similar protests, on a smaller scale, broke out earlier this month in Durban in the home province of embattled President Jacob Zuma, signalling increasing factionalism within the party ahead of a vote which analysts believe could see the ANC lose power in some major cities. The party is reeling under "factionalism, corruption and leadership without credibility", said political analyst and author Prince Mashele. The ANC of former president and liberation icon Nelson Mandela is facing a tough test in the August elections after sweeping to power in elections that ended apartheid in 1994. Zuma has faced months of criticism and growing calls for him to step down after a series of corruption scandals as the country battles falling economic growth and record unemployment. The party has split into factions, with some Mandela-era leaders joining the chorus of opposition to Zuma, saying he has stripped the party of the moral credibility it had during the struggle against apartheid. The local elections touch a raw nerve, dealing with issues such as housing and water and sewage services in a country where many feel they have not benefited as they should have from the end of white minority domination. - 'Anarchists, hooligans and gangsters' - Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula stepped in Tuesday to issue a warning to the protesters. "Here is a capital city and we are not going to allow anarchists, hooligans and gangsters to take over maybe what is a legitimate concern of the communities and... turn it into a state of anarchy," she told a news conference. Transport Minister Dipuo Peters said that 19 buses belonging to a state-owned transport firm were burnt on Monday. "The buses were set alight yesterday afternoon on their way to the depot and drivers had to flee for their safety," she said in a statement. An AFP photographer saw a truck and a bus on fire in Pretoria's Atteridgeville township Tuesday as protesters continued to vent their anger over a mayoral candidate they say was imposed on them by the national party leadership. Police said they were investigating a case of murder, along with malicious damage to property and intimidation. Security Minister David Mahlobo confirmed the death of an ANC supporter who was reportedly shot during an ANC party gathering in Pretoria on Sunday. The activist later died in hospital. Several deaths attributed to factionalism within the ANC have been reported from around the country in the run-up to the elections. In a bid to overcome deep local divisions arising from the three proposed candidates for Pretoria mayor, the ANC national leadership named its own candidate, Thoko Didiza. But some protesters complained that although she lives in Pretoria she is an outsider as she hails from Durban, a port city in the east of the country. Pretoria resident Philemon Pholoma said the protesters were ANC members "fighting about the mayor". "They are saying they don't want that woman," Pholoma told AFP. A man throws water to extinguish a fire burning a storage room in Pretoria's Atteridgeville township on June 21, 2016 in an incident that happened during the ongoing unrest over a disputed mayoral candidate for the upcoming municipal elections Mujahid Safodien (AFP) Gurkhas to guards: Nepalis doing dangerous jobs abroad The deaths of 14 Nepali guards in Afghanistan have highlighted the Himalayan nation's role as supplier of security forces to the world, an industry fuelled by poverty and built on the centuries-old reputation of its Gurkha troops for courage and loyalty. While the number of Gurkha soldiers Britain recruits annually in the impoverished nation has fallen in recent years, global demand for Nepalis as private security guards remains high. "Everyone wants a Gurkha to protect their assets -- from a billionaire in Hong Kong to private firms in Kabul," said Mahesh Shrestha, Nepal country manager for British security giant G4S. Afghan policemen inspect the site of a suicide attack to have hit a minibus carrying foreign security guards in Kabul, on June 20, 2016 Shah Marai (AFP) "Gurkhas have always been a big craze as far as the market for security (personnel) is concerned," Shrestha told AFP. The industry provides lucrative jobs for retired Gurkhas as well as former Nepal army and police staff willing to risk their lives in conflict zones around the world. Nepalis were first recruited overseas by the British East India Company after the Anglo-Nepali war that ended in 1816. Impressed by their bravery, the British struck a deal to hire their former foes as soldiers, using Gurkha troops to crush riots in 19th-century India and fight for Britain in World Wars I and II. The Gurkhas' World War I exploits also secured the Himalayan kingdom's sovereignty via a 1923 treaty between Nepal and Britain. Famed for their ferocity and skilful use of razor-sharp curved kukri knives, the Gurkhas have fought in every British conflict for the last two centuries. More than 45,000 have died in action. - Fuelled by desperation - They have also enlisted in the Singapore police force and the Indian army, whose former chief of staff Sam Manekshaw is reported to have said: "If a man says he is not afraid of dying, he is either lying or is a Gurkha". Today, private security firms seek to trade on that reputation when they advertise their recruitment of Nepalis -- including non-Gurkhas -- to prospective clients. As a result, Nepalis enjoy a virtual monopoly in the private security sector in countries like Malaysia, where companies are only allowed to hire them or locals as guards. "Thanks to the Gurkhas' fame... people think Nepalis are loyal, honest, hardworking men who can survive anywhere and cope with tough conditions," G4S's Shrestha said. The hillside towns the Gurkhas come from are islands of relative prosperity in Nepal thanks to salaries and pensions which are substantially higher than local wages. Thousands of young men apply to join the British Gurkhas each year, but only around 230 make the final cut. Their tests include a 4.6-kilometre (2.9-mile) race up a steep hill while carrying a basket packed with rocks. The British army now employs around 2,500 Gurkhas, down from an all-time high of 112,000 during World War II, and many have taken jobs as security guards in conflict zones like Afghanistan, where 14 Nepalis working for the Canadian embassy were killed in a bomb attack this week. They are more expensive than Afghan security, but are seen as more reliable and their physical similarity allows them to blend in better than other foreigners. "Young Nepali males don't really have many options at home and so they seek dangerous jobs overseas... because of their desperation," journalist Kunda Dixit told AFP. Nepali migrant workers play a critical role in propping up the country's economy: their remittances make up about 30 percent of gross domestic product. Authorities say some 3,300 Nepalis currently work in Afghanistan as security guards but accurate figures for the total number employed across the world are hard to come by. Despite the dangers, commentators say the deaths this week will do little to stop other Nepalis from venturing into war zones in desperate pursuit of work, as the country struggles to recover from last year's massive earthquake. "It won't change anything... the economic benefits are too important to give up," said journalist Dixit. More than 45,000 Gurkhas have died in action fighting in every British conflict for the last two centuries Bay Ismoyo (AFP) The British army employs around 2,500 Gurkhas, such as these soldiers "on parade" at The Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst, southern England Adrian Dennis (AFP/File) Families from Iraq's Fallujah flee one hell to find another They fled starvation and jihadist tyranny in Fallujah for the safety of displacement camps but thousands of Iraqi families still have nothing to eat and nowhere to sleep. "The government told us to leave our homes, so we did. The way they described it, we were going to find heaven," said Ayyub Yusef, a 32-year-old from Fallujah. "I don't regret leaving because we would have died there. Here, we are alive, just about, but it's really just another kind of hell," he said. Displaced Iraqis who fled Fallujah, in a camp in Habbaniyah on June 20, 2016 Haidar Mohammed Ali (AFP) Yusef, his wife and two children are among the tens of thousands of Fallujah residents who have fled the government's operation against the Islamic State (IS) group in the city. More than 60,000 people have been forced from their homes in the area over the past month and a sudden influx of civilians pouring out of the city centre last week has left the aid community unable to cope. Yusef's family was rejected from several camps that were already full and washed up on the shores of Lake Habbaniyah, where yet another camp was being erected. He had not been given a tent yet and had been left to sleep outside with his family for four nights. "My parents finally got a tent in another camp, so we will try to reach them to sleep with them tonight," he said. As the blistering sun set on the lake, once a coveted holiday spot in Iraq, men swarmed round a truck to collect tent poles and tarpaulins. "We were expecting some kind of accommodation at least but we were given nothing. Now we have to erect our own tents," said 49-year-old Taresh Farhan, banging on the canvas and poles with his fist to straighten them out. - No latrines - One young woman was furious. "We had to live through the tyranny of Daesh (IS) and now it's just another injustice," she said, declining to give her name. "Five days here and nothing to eat, not even a bottle of water... This camp is just like the rest of Iraq, if you don't have connections, you will get nothing," she said. "Shame on them, there is no bathroom for the women... We have to go in the desert," said the woman, her eyes blazing with rage through the slit of her niqab face veil. At another, rapidly expanding camp in Khaldiyeh further along the shores of Lake Habbaniyah, an NGO called Preemptive Love Coalition delivered basic foods. For many of the recently displaced Fallujah residents there, it was the first distribution they had seen. They queued patiently as gusts of warm wind cloaked the camp in orange dust. "The last days in Fallujah, we were cutting grass in the street to eat it," said Hamde Bedi, a 41-year-old woman pregnant with her eighth child. Her family had been displaced several times over since the launch of the government's offensive to retake the IS bastion a month ago. The UN's refugee agency said Tuesday that 20 more camps would be needed for the Fallujah displaced in the coming weeks and added it was "urgently seeking $17.5 million" to meet their most immediate needs. - 'Catastrophe' - Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory last week after the national flag was raised above the main government compound. Security forces continue to battle jihadists in northern neighbourhoods of the city but the biggest crisis the government faces now is humanitarian. "What we're seeing is the consequence of a delayed and heavily underfunded response with an extreme toll on the civilians fleeing from one nightmare and living through another one," the Iraq chief of the Norwegian Refugee Council, Nasr Muflahi, said on Tuesday. "Fallujah may have been retaken but its citizens are facing a catastrophe," he said. Many of the most recently displaced families are without their men, who are often kept for days by the security forces for screening because IS members have been trying to sneak out by blending in with fleeing civilians. Hamde's husband Yasser was released on Sunday after four days. "We had managed to flee the Jolan neighbourhood because my wife is in the final stages of pregnancy. We asked Daesh (IS) permission to go to hospital and they agreed," he said. "When we got out of hospital, we didn't return and we fled. We walked for seven hours. I had to carry my wife across canals. We were also carrying my disabled son," Yasser Abed said. "We saw families getting blown up by Daesh's roadside bombs ahead of us as we fled. Now we are here, with nothing to eat and no money and we are expecting a baby," he said. "I hope it's a girl." More than 60,000 people have been forced from their homes in Fallujah Displaced Iraqis in a camp in Habbaniyah Haidar Mohammed Ali (AFP) Displaced Iraqis put up tents in a camp in Habbaniyah Haidar Mohammed Ali (AFP) More than 700 doctors killed in Syria war: UN Attacks on hospitals since Syria's war broke out five years ago have left more than 700 doctors and medical workers dead, many of them in air strikes, UN investigators said Tuesday. The UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria also condemned horrific violations by jihadists and voiced concern that Al-Qaeda-affiliated militants may have recruited hundreds of children into their ranks. Commission chief Paulo Pinheiro told the UN Human Rights Council that widespread, targeted aerial attacks on hospitals and clinics across Syria "have resulted in scores of civilian deaths, including much-needed medical workers." Rubble of a hospital supported by Doctors Without Borders (MSF) near Maaret al-Numan, in Syria's Idlib provinve on February 15, 2016 Ghaith Omran (Al-Marra Today/AFP/File) "More than 700 doctors and medical personnel have been killed in attacks on hospitals since the beginning of the conflict," he said. Pinheiro, who was presenting the commission's latest report to the council, said attacks on medical facilities and the deaths of so many medical professionals had made access to health care in the violence-wracked country extremely difficult -- and in some areas completely impossible. - 'Terrorised survivors' - "As civilian casualties mount, the number of medical facilities and staff decreases, limiting even further access to medical care," he said. Pinheiro also denounced frequent attacks on other infrastructure essential to civilian life, such as markets, schools and bakeries. "With each attack, terrorised survivors are left more vulnerable," he said, adding that "schools, hospitals, mosques, water stations ... are all being turned into rubble." Since March 2011, Syria's brutal conflict has left more than 280,000 people dead and forced half the population to flee their homes. War broke out after President Bashar al-Assad's regime unleashed a brutal crackdown against protesters demanding political change in Arab Spring-inspired protests. It has since become a multi-front war between regime forces, jihadists and other groups with the civilian population caught in the crossfire. Pinheiro said the commission was investigating allegations that the Al-Nusra Front "and other Al-Qaeda-affiliated groups have recruited hundreds of children under 15 in Idlib" in northwestern Syria. The brutality of Syria's conflict is preventing millions of children from attending school, and activists have warned this is helping fuel jihadist recruitment drives. Pinheiro also condemned violations committed by the Islamic State group. In a report published last week, the commission warned that IS jihadists were continuing to commit genocide against the Yazidi minority in Iraq and Syria. In 2014, IS jihadists massacred members of the Kurdish-speaking minority mainly based around Sinjar mountain in northern Iraq, forcing tens of thousands to flee, and captured thousands of girls and women. - 'Stop the genocide' - "As we speak, Yazidi women and girls are still sexually enslaved, subjected to brutal rapes and beatings. They are bought and sold in markets, passed from fighter to fighter like chattel, their dignity being ripped from them with each passing day," Pinheiro said Tuesday. "Boys are taken from their mother's care and forced into ISIS training camps once they reach the age of seven," he said, using another acronym for IS as he called on the international community to act "to stop the genocide." Vian Dakhil, a Yazidi member of the Iraqi parliament, also appealed for action. "We need the (UN) Security Council to bring this ... to the International Criminal Court" in the Hague, she told reporters on the sidelines of the Human Rights Council. Dakhil said 3,200 Yazidi women and girls are still being held by IS, while around 1,000 boys under the age of 10 are being brainwashed and prepared for battle by the jihadists. "This is still happening," she said. "We need help." Around 400,000 Yazidis are still living in camps in northern Iraq, Dakhil said, adding that they still feared returning to Sinjar to rebuild their communities, since some of their Sunni Muslim neighbours had helped IS in its attacks. "We need to rebuild peace ... and trust," she said. People evacuate an injured man amid rubble following a reported air strike on rebel-held Al-Qatarji in Aleppo Ameer Alhalbi (AFP) Attacks on hospitals since Syria's war broke out five years ago have left more than 700 doctors and medical workers dead, the UN says Franck Fife (AFP/File) Jordan declares Syria border 'military zone' after bombing Jordan declared the desert border regions with Syria and Iraq "military zones" barred to civilians after a suicide bomber killed six Jordanian soldiers near the Syrian frontier on Tuesday. King Abdullah II vowed to hit back with an "iron fist" after meeting top civilian and military officials to discuss the attack in an area where thousands of Syrian refugees are stranded. There was no immediate claim of responsibility but Jordan is part of the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq, and has been targeted by IS jihadists before. Jordan's King Abdullah II (C) listens to his Military Advisor and Chairman of the Joint Chief-of-Staff General Mishal Al Zaben (C-R) talking during an emergency meeting in the capital Amman after a car bomb on June 21, 2016 Yousef Allan (Jordanian Royal Palace/AFP) The army said the dawn bombing killed four border guards, one member of the security services and one member of the civil defence. Fourteen soldiers were also wounded. It said the suicide bomber set off from a makeshift Syrian refugee camp in no man's land near the Rukban border crossing in Jordan's remote north. The driver entered Jordanian territory through an opening used for humanitarian aid deliveries and blew himself up as he reached a military post. King Abdullah condemned the attack and said Jordan's armed forces would strike back. "Jordan will respond with an iron fist against anyone who tries to tamper with its security and borders," he said. "Such criminal acts will only increase our determination to confront terrorism and terror gangs that target army personnel who protect the security of the country and its borders." Soon after, the army issued a statement declaring Jordan's desert regions that stretch northeast to Syria and east to Iraq "closed military zones". "We will deal firmly with any vehicle of individual that moves in the area without (prior authorisation) because they will be considered enemy targets," it warned. The army did not explicitly say if the border with Syria would be closed. But government spokesman Mohamed Momani told AFP the measure would not affect "humanitarian cases" -- a reference to refugees fleeing Syria's five-year war. Jordan hosts hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees and thousands more have been stranded at the frontier since January. - IS fears - Tuesday's bombing comes two weeks after a gunman, who was later arrested, killed five Jordanian intelligence officers in a Palestinian refugee camp north of the capital. Details of that attack have been kept under a gag order while the investigation continues. Jordan is a member of the US-led coalition against IS. It has carried out air strikes targeting the jihadists and hosts coalition troops on its territory. Maaz al-Kassasbeh, a Jordanian fighter pilot, was captured by the jihadists when his plane went down in Syria in December 2014 and he was later burned alive in a cage. In March, Jordan announced it had foiled an IS plot to carry out attacks in the kingdom in an operation that led to the deaths of seven jihadists. The US embassy in Amman denounced Tuesday's bombing and pledged "unwavering support" for the armed forces of its key ally. "We join the Jordanian people in their resilience and determination in the face of this cowardly terrorist act. The United States stands together with Jordan," it said. - Refugee influx - A flare-up in Syria's war last month sparked a new influx of refugees in the no man's land. Nearly 5,500 arrived at Rukban within days in early May, bringing the total since January to more than 60,000. Amman insists newcomers must be screened before entering the country to ensure they are genuine refugees and not jihadists from IS or Al-Qaeda trying to infiltrate the country. The kingdom's position has drawn criticism from the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). UNHCR representative Andrew Harper said he was not aware of any Syrian asylum-seekers being hurt in Tuesday's attack. Jordan says it hosts nearly 1.4 million Syrian refugees, of whom 630,000 are registered with the United Nations. Their presence has placed a massive strain on Jordan's economy and resources, and raised security concerns. On Tuesday the Jordanian government spokesman said his country does not expect to build more refugee camps on its soil or extend those already there. According to sources close to Islamists, almost 4,000 Jordanians have joined jihadist groups in Iraq and Syria, where an estimated 420 have been killed since 2011. Jordanian soldiers carry the coffin of their comrade Belal Al-Zuhbi during his funeral in Nahleh village, near Jerash north of Amman, on June 21, 2016, after he was killed alongside five comrades in a suicide bomb attack on the border with Syria Stringer (AFP) The Jordanian army said in a statement that the suicide bomber set off from a makeshift Syrian refugee camp in no man's land near the Rukban border crossing in Jordan's remote northeast before entering Jordanian territory Stringer (AFP) A map of Jordan locating a suicide bomb attack in Rukban Laurence Saubadu, Vincent Lefai (AFP) ICC sentences DR Congo's Bemba to 18 years in jail The International Criminal Court Tuesday sentenced former Congolese vice president Jean-Pierre Bemba to 18 years in jail, handing down its toughest penalty ever for "sadistic, cruel" rapes and murders by his troops in Central African Republic. "The chamber sentences Mr Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo to a total of 18 years of imprisonment," said judge Sylvia Steiner as the once feared rebel leader, who has denied all culpability, sat in the courtroom, showing no emotion. Steiner said the former militia leader had failed to exercise control over his private army sent into CAR in late October 2002 where they carried out a series of rapes, murders and pillaging of "particular cruelty." Former Congolese vice president Jean-Pierre Bemba sits in a courtroom at the International Criminal Court in The Hague on June 21, 2016 Michael Kooren (Pool/AFP) Bemba, dressed in a dark suit and blue tie, is the highest-level official to be sentenced by the ICC after being convicted in March on five charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. And he is only the third person to be sentenced at the tribunal based in The Hague since it began work in 2002. The other two got sentences of 14 and 12 years. ICC chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, whose office had asked for 25 years in jail, told AFP Bemba's sentence was "very significant". "It is sending a very strong signal to commanders that they will be held accountable for the crimes that their troops commit in the field, especially when they had the ability and control to stop it and did not," she said. The atrocities were carried out by Bemba's private army, the Congolese Liberation Movement (MLC), when some 1,500 troops unleashed a five-month campaign of terror in CAR to quash a coup against then president Ange-Felix Patasse. "Entire families were victimised" and the number of victims was "substantial" as poorly paid MLC troops "self-compensated through acts of rape," the judge said. Some men and women were raped repeatedly by as many as 20 soldiers. Others were shot point blank for refusing to hand over a motorbike or a sheep. - Bemba 'disappointed' - Bemba's defence team has already filed notice that it intends to appeal, and argued he should be released immediately as he has been behind bars since his arrest in 2008. Bemba was "extremely disappointed" with Tuesday's sentence, his lawyer Kate Gibson told AFP. "Today's sentence is by no means the end of the road for Mr Bemba," she added, saying they would now move to the appeal phase. Bemba's case was the first at the ICC to focus on rape as a weapon of war and the first to highlight a military commander's responsibility for the conduct of the troops under his control. While the judges handed down sentences of 16 years for the crimes of murder, they ordered Bemba to serve 18 years for the counts of rape. The terms will be served concurrently -- and Bemba is entitled to have his total time behind bars reduced for time already served. Judge Steiner said Bemba had done "more than tolerate the crimes as a commander". "Mr Bemba's failure to take action was deliberately aimed at encouraging the attacks directed against the civilian population," she said, adding he had had all the necessary means to stop his troops. ICC chief prosecutor Bensouda said she and her team would study the sentence before deciding whether to appeal. She highlighted that "rape as a war crime and crime against humanity has received a higher sentencing than the crimes of murder or pillaging." "So the judges are also showing by this sentence that they are aware of the seriousness of the problem," Bensouda told AFP. - 'Justice for victims' - Bemba, a rich businessman who became one of the vice presidents of the Democratic Republic of Congo, was arrested in Brussels in 2008 after losing a bid for his country's presidency. In a swift reaction, Human Rights Watch said on Twitter that it welcomed the sentence saying it "offers a measure of justice for victims of sexual violence." And an alliance of rights groups, FIDH, said: "The ICC has finally spoken, loud and clear: Sexual violence in armed conflict cannot go unpunished." But Bemba's MLC, which has now morphed into a major Congolese opposition party, lashed out at what it called "selective justice". Congolese President Joseph Kabila (L) appointed Jean-Pierre Bemba as one of his vice-presidents in his transitional administration from 2003 to 2006 Lionel Healing (AFP/File) African leaders pursued by the ICC Kun Tian, Alain Bommenel (AFP) France's Peugeot-Citroen in 400 mn euro Iran comeback France's Peugeot-Citroen (PSA) announced its return to Iran on Tuesday, signing a 400-million-euro joint venture with its old partner Iran Khodro in Tehran. The first cars produced under the new venture are set to hit Iranian roads in February, with the aim of producing 200,000 vehicles a year by 2018. PSA is the first Western carmaker to announce a return to Iran since many economic sanctions were lifted in January when a landmark nuclear deal with world powers took effect. PSA is the first Western carmaker to announce a return to Iran since many economic sanctions were lifted Samuel Kubani (AFP/File) It had signed an initial deal during a visit by President Hassan Rouhani to Paris in January. "Today is the comeback of PSA to Iran. We are very proud," said Jean Christophe Quemard, who oversees PSA's Middle East and Africa operations. "This company is committed to Iran and through this Iranian company we show that we are really committed for the future and ready to invest in this country." The 50-50 joint venture will manufacture three models -- the Peugeot 208, the 2008 sport utility vehicle and 301 compact -- using parts mostly made in Iran. Some 400 million euros ($450 million) will be invested over the next five years, Quemard said at the ceremony, flanked by Iran Khodro chief executive Hashem Yekeh-Zareh. The money will go into building manufacturing capacity in Tehran, as well as research and development, PSA said in a separate statement. Yekeh-Zareh said 30 percent of the cars produced will be exported to the Middle East and beyond. - 'More joint ventures coming' - PSA had to pull out of Iran, its second-largest market, in 2012 when the toughest sanctions were imposed. Iranian conservatives have been critical of Rouhani's government for restoring trade with PSA and other foreign firms whose departure under sanctions dealt a blow to the economy. But Industry and Commerce Minister Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh oversaw Tuesday's signing and said more joint ventures were on the way. "We are optimistic. We hope to hold a similar ceremony for one of Iran Khodro's subsidiaries, Iran Khodro Diesel, with a German company," he said. Nematzadeh did not name the German company, but Iran Khodro has been negotiating with Mercedes since the lifting of sanctions. PSA also said it was working on new contracts with Iran Khodro regarding the building of older models such as the Peugeot 405 and 206. They are already being made in Iran and accounted for a third of new sales in the country last year at around 350,000 units, the company said. But those units are not currently counted among PSA's 2.97 million global sales because they have been made entirely with Iranian and Chinese parts. PSA paid a heavy cost for pulling out of Iran, with Yekeh-Zareh stating in February that Iran Khodro would receive 427 million euros in compensation and debt write-offs for its French partner's sudden departure -- a figure that was never confirmed by PSA. Iran is considered one of most promising growth markets for cars in the world, with only one car for every 100 people -- six times less than in the European Union -- and a large and discerning middle class hungry for new models after years of sanctions. Iranian car production fell from 1.65 million units in 2011 to 740,000 in 2013, but PSA estimates the country will break the two-million mark by 2022. Myanmar bars officials from saying 'Rohingya' as UN envoy visits Myanmar officials must refer to the oppressed Rohingya Muslim minority as "people who believe in Islam" rather than by their name, according to a letter seen by AFP Tuesday, as a UN rights envoy prepares to visit the benighted group. Buddhist nationalists bitterly oppose the use of the term Rohingya to describe the roughly million-strong minority -- most of whom live in strife-torn western Rakhine State. Hardliners instead label the stateless group 'Bengalis', shorthand for illegal migrants from neighbouring Bangladesh, endorsing the government's refusal to grant the majority of them citizenship. A woman with her baby at the Rohingya housing complex in Blang Ado in North Aceh Chaideer Mahyuddin (AFP/File) Scores of Rohingya have died in sectarian violence since 2012 and tens of thousands more have since languished in squalid displacement camps in western Rakhine State. The order by the Information Ministry attempts to sidestep the controversy that surrounds the identity of the Rohingya and head off disquiet during an ongoing visit by United Nations Special Rapporteur on Myanmar Yanghee Lee. "Rohingya or Bengali shall not be used," during Lee's visit, the letter said. "Instead, 'people who believe in Islam in Rakhine State' shall be used," it added. The letter, dated June 16 and labelled 'secret', added ethnic Rakhine should be referred to "as 'people who believe in Buddhism' in Rakhine State". UN envoy Lee is expected to visit Rakhine later this week. Last year her trip was marred by a hardline Buddhist monk -- Wirathu -- who called her a "whore" for criticising the treatment of the Rohingya. On Monday the UN warned that ongoing violations against the Rohingya could amount to crimes against humanity. In a report the UN human rights office said it had found "a pattern of gross violations against the Rohingya... (which) suggest a widespread or systematic attack... in turn giving rise to the possible commission of crimes against humanity if established in a court of law." The report was published amid hope that Myanmar's new government, steered by Aung San Suu Kyi and her pro-democracy party, would address deep hatreds in Rakhine State. But Suu Kyi has disappointed rights groups by avoiding direct discussion of the incendiary issue and asking for "space" while she seeks to build trust in the troubled state. Tens of thousands of Rohingya are confined to camps in Rakhine state and barred from travel, many struggling to access basic healthcare or education. The UN report said they are subject to a web of abuse by state security officials including summary executions, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and detention, torture and ill-treatment, and forced labour. Rohingya Muslim men and children arrive for a Friday prayer at a camp in Sittwe in Rakhine on June 10, 2016 Win Moe (AFP) White House decries Senate 'cowardice' for rejecting gun control The White House on Tuesday denounced the "cowardice" of US senators who failed to pass gun control legislation taken up following the Orlando nightclub massacre. Four bills -- two proposed by Republicans and two by Democrats -- went down to defeat in the US Senate late Monday. "What we saw last night on the floor of the United States Senate was a shameful display of cowardice," White House spokesman Josh Earnest told MSNBC television. A gun attack at the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, on June 12, 2016 left 49 people dead and 53 wounded Gregg Newton (AFP/File) "They were common sense bills that were put forward that should have drawn strong bipartisan support that would prevent individuals who are currently suspected of having ties to terrorism from being able to buy a gun," he said. A measure put forward by Democrats sought to bar people on FBI watchlists or no-fly lists from buying firearms. Another Democrat-backed bill aimed to strengthen criminal and mental health background checks for those seeking to purchase firearms at gun shows and on the Internet. A Republican measure proposed a 72-hour waiting period for those on FBI watchlists seeking to buy weapons, so that the government has time to seek a court order to block the sale if need be. The second Republican proposal aimed to improve the background check system. Democrats rejected both GOP measures. Guns are responsible for some 90 deaths each day in the United States, but serious legislative efforts to enact gun control are only raised after particularly horrific shootings. Americans are still reeling from a lone gunman's June 12 attack at the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida that left 49 dead and 53 wounded, making it the deadliest mass shooting ever in the United States. Police stormed the club and killed the gunman, 29-year old Omar Mateen, a Muslim American of Afghan descent pledged allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State group during the attack. President Barack Obama has spoken out after each tragic shooting, exhorting Congress to enact stronger gun control laws to no avail. Obama made a similar plea last week while meeting with the families of the Orlando shooting victims. So far, however, the Republican-led US legislature has failed to pass any new gun control laws, with opponents saying that to do so would infringe on the constitutional rights of gun owners. Earnest said their reticence has more to do with deference to the US gun lobby group, especially the powerful National Rifle Association. "Republicans have run around and spent the last week saying radical Islamic extremism to anybody who will listen, but when it actually comes to preventing those extremists from being able to walk into a gun store and buy a gun, they're AWOL," Earnest said. "They won't do anything about it because they're scared of the NRA." Samsung to invest $1.2 billion in IoT research in US Samsung announced plans Tuesday to invest $1.2 billion for US-based research over the next four years on "human-centered" applications for the Internet of Things. The South Korean electronics giant said the research aimed to improve applications for connected everyday objects for health, public safety and energy efficiency, for example. Some of the projects may include applications to help monitor elderly people with dementia, find deficiences in roads and bridges or detect earthquakes in real time, Samsung Electronics vice chairman and chief executive Oh-Hyun Kwon told a Washington conference. Oh-Hyun Kwon, Vice Chairman and CEO of Samsung Electronics, speaks during the "Internet of Things: Transforming the Future" conference at the Washington Post Live Conference Center in Washington, DC Saul Loeb (AFP) "At Samsung, we believe in thinking differently abut solving problems with IoT," Kwon told the "Internet of Things: Transforming the Future" conference at the Washington Post. "Everyday objects can be transformed into solutions. Trucks can become mobile data collectors, making our bridges, and people, safer. We just need the creativity to see these things from a new angle." Kwon offered some examples of how the Internet of Things, or connected objects, can improve lives. For example, someone with dementia can be equipped with a device to allow family members to know their location. And smart homes can be more precisely programmed and tuned to save energy costs. Smartphones, he said, could detect seismic vibrations in earthquakes in time to shut down gas lines, potentially saving lives. "Today, IoT is changing individual lives -- helping people to age in their own homes," Kwon said. "But tomorrow, using IoT, we can give the same independence to millions of Americans. We can keep people out of hospitals and nursing homes." Israel to open mission at NATO HQ, boost cooperation Israel will open a mission at NATO headquarters in Brussels as part of efforts to boost cooperation with the US-led alliance to counter extremist violence, top officials said Tuesday. The move had been discussed for several years but was held up by opposition from Turkey, a key NATO member which is reportedly on the verge of normalising ties with Israel, once its close regional ally. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said Israel had been an active alliance partner for 20 years and now it was "essential" to step up cooperation and go a step further. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (R) shakes hands with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin at the NATO headquarters in Brussels on June 21, 2016 John Thys (AFP) "Violence in North Africa and in the Middle East is a clear threat to all our nations.... It is vital that countries which share the same values ... stand together against hate and terrorism," Stoltenberg told reporters alongside Israeli President Reuven Rivlin at NATO headquarters. Rivlin said opening the mission "will help Israel and NATO in strengthening our cooperation and our good relations. It will help us share best practices and information." "In the Middle East, the winds of hatred blow stronger than ever (and) events in one region affect the rest of world," he said. Opening of the mission had been stymied by Turkey, a key regional ally of Israel until 2010 when Israeli commandos stormed a Turkish aid ship bound for Gaza, leaving 10 activists dead. The raid led to years of recriminations but in December, Turkey and Israel held talks on a rapprochement. Reports in Turkey on Tuesday said the two would announce the normalisation of ties on Sunday, with two key Ankara conditions -- an apology and compensation for the raid -- largely met. The third condition, that Israel lift its blockade on the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, remains to be resolved. Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said "definitive progress" had been made but "the agreement has not reached a final point." UN sounds alarm over Yemen food 'emergency' Virtually all of Yemen is facing severe food shortages with seven million people in an "emergency" situation, UN agencies warned Tuesday. The hunger crisis gripping the conflict-wracked state has intensified significantly in the last year and the situation is set to deteriorate further, the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Food Programme said in a new report. Three million children were at risk of malnutrition, it said. A Yemeni woman walks past food rations provided by a local charity in the capital Sanaa on June 2, 2016 Mohammed Huwais (AFP/File) "At least seven million people a quarter of the population are living under Emergency levels of food insecurity," the agencies said in a statement. "This reflects a 15-percent increase since June 2015. A further 7.1 million people are in a state of Crisis," they said, using a food security ranking system to describe the threat level. "This clearly show the huge magnitude of the humanitarian crisis in Yemen," said Jamie McGoldrick, UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen. "This is one of the worst crises in the world and is continuing to get worse," he added. The conflict, fuel shortages, restrictions on imports and a surge in domestic wheat prices have all contributed to the crisis. Shortages of seeds and fertilisers have crippled crop production across Yemen with struggling farmers having been hit hard by cyclones in November 2015 and flash floods and locust swarms in April this year. The UN says fighting has left more than 6,400 people dead in Yemen since March last year, the majority of them civilians. Bemba arriving at Kinshasa airport on Wednesday after more than a decade abroad -- mainly behind bars Jean-Pierre Bemba, greeted Wednesday by tens of thousands of people on his return to DR Congo, is a former businessman and warlord who intends to return to politics after being convicted then acquitted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes. Bemba, who became vice president of an interim government from 2003 to 2006, was born on November 4, 1962 in Bogada in the northwest Equateur province of what is now Democratic Republic of Congo. Bemba's father was a rich businessman close to dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, who ruled from 1965 until he was ousted in 1997, a period during which he named Zaire. Young Bemba was schooled in Belgium, the former colonial power, and went on to take over family businesses, using his popularity in the capital Kinshasa to build on his wealth and expand into sectors such as mobile phones, air freight and television. - Miniature Mobutu - Bemba has been nicknamed "Chairman" and "Miniature Mobutu" for his headstrong character . Long-time associate Delly Sesanga described him as an intelligent leader albeit with an impulsive trait which "can lead to mistakes." The heavy-set Bemba, an imposing 1.90 metres (6 foot 3 inches) tall, left Kinshasa in 1997 when the late rebel leader Laurent Desire Kabila, father of current President Joseph Kabila, overthrew Mobutu and gave the country its current name. A 1998-2003 war drew foreign armies on rival sides into the vast central African nation which has fabulous mineral wealth. Bemba became leader of the Congolese Liberation Movement (MLC) rebels, a 1,500-strong force backed by neighbouring Uganda and opposed to the Kabila regime. - Pride in bush years - Bemba has spoken with pride of his years in the bush, where his men controlled Equateur province and the border region with the Central African Republic. Bemba sent his fighters into CAR in October 2002 to help put down an attempted coup against then president Ange-Felix Patasse, sparking a months-long campaign of horrific abuses by MLC troops against the civilian population. After the Congolese war ended in 2003, Bemba laid down his arms and was awarded one of four vice-presidential posts shared out among wartime rivals in a transitional government. In 2006 he lost a presidential run-off against the young Kabila, who had been rushed to power by politicians after the 2001 assassination of his father. Bemba vowed to lead the opposition and was elected to the national Senate. However, he refused to let his militia be integrated into the ranks of the regular army, insisting he needed the MLC to ensure his own safety. In March 2007 an armed stand-off erupted into violence in Kinshasa, claiming at least 300 lives, according to the United Nations. As the government brought charges and the courts began to move against Bemba, he left the country, ostensibly to seek medical treatment in Portugal, driving out of Kinshasa escorted by UN armoured vehicles on April 11, 2007. - Facing the court - Until his arrest in Brussels in 2008 on an ICC warrant over the MLC's abuses, Bemba lived between Portugal and Belgium in what he called "forced exile", insisting he would yet return home to take up an opposition role. Bemba denied guilt throughout his ICC trial which began in 2010. He was sentenced in 2016 to 18 years in prison for crimes against humanity and war crimes. The tribunal said Bemba had failed to deter rapes, killings and looting by his private army in 2002 and 2003 in CAR. But on June 8 this year the ICC acquitted Bemba on appeal, reversing the conviction saying he could not be held criminally liable for crimes that had been committed by his troops and releasing him four days later. Now back in Kinshasa after 11 years in exile, Bemba has the presidential election on December 23 in his sights. 18 Libya pro-government fighters dead in clashes with IS At least 18 members of Libyan pro-government forces were killed Tuesday in clashes with Islamic State group fighters as they prepared for a final assault on a key jihadist stronghold. The forces loyal to the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) said in a statement that the fighting took place in several parts of Sirte, where jihadists are pinned down in pockets of the coastal city. They said 18 loyalist fighters were killed. A medical source said 70 others were wounded. A picture released on June 19, 2016 by the Libya's Government of National Accord (GNA) shows a warship carrying fighters allied to the UN-backed GNA off the coast of Sirte as they battle Islamic State group fighters for control of the coastal city Stringer (Media center of the GNA forces military operation against IS in Sirte/AFP/File) The GNA forces said "dozens" of IS fighters had also been killed in the past 24 hours. The anti-IS forces launched an operation in May to retake Sirte, hometown of the ousted and slain dictator Moamer Kadhafi which the jihadists have controlled since June last year. The pro-GNA forces said Tuesday that their "intelligence network is in full swing in preparation for the decisive battle" against IS fighters in the city, after repelling multiple counter-attacks. The statement said fighters were targeting IS-held areas of Sirte with heavy artillery while loyalist aircraft were carrying out sorties every day to strike IS or carry out reconnaissance missions. IS fighters "are besieged in a small area of Sirte and although they have sought to break out our forces have repelled all attempts," the statement said. It said that the jihadists had barricaded themselves in residential buildings and deployed snipers and explosive devices to fend off pro-GNA forces. IS has hit back with a string of suicide car bombings in a bid to defend their stronghold on the Mediterranean coast. At least 184 loyalist troops have been killed and hundreds wounded since the start of the offensive to capture Sirte, 450 kilometres (280 miles) east of Tripoli. An unknown number of jihadists have been killed. Wildfires rage in western US amid deadly heatwave Hundreds of firefighters battled raging wildfires in the western United States on Tuesday amid a record-setting heatwave that has claimed at least four lives and triggered evacuations. More than 600 firefighters and water-dropping helicopters worked to contain two major brush fires that erupted east of Los Angeles on Monday, scorching more than 5,400 acres (2,185 hectares) and forcing about 850 families to flee their homes. There were fears that the two fires in the Angeles National Forest and foothills above Duarte and Azusa -- about two miles (3.2 kilometers) apart -- could merge creating a huge inferno. Embers blow around firefighters, June 17, 2016 at the Sherpa Fire near Santa Barbara, California David McNew (AFP/File) One of the fires was sparked by a fatal car crash. "I came running over just to look and it was 15 to 20 feet in the air," Charlie Downing, a resident in Duarte, told reporters as he recounted rushing out of his home on Monday after he smelled smoke. "By the time I came back and told my grandma and my kids to get in the car, it was right by the car." - More evacuations, more heat - The fire eventually shifted away from residential areas late Monday but officials said they remain on alert as the flames could quickly change direction depending on the wind. They added that both fires, which are threatening wilderness in the area, had yet to be contained early Tuesday and more evacuations could be ordered. Elsewhere, officials reported that a fire that has raged for nearly a week in mountains west of Santa Barbara, California, was 62 percent contained after scorching some 8,000 acres. The heatwave, which has resulted in triple-digit temperatures of up to 122 degrees Farenheit (50 degrees Celsius), has resulted in 21 large fires in nine states, including Colorado, Montana and New Mexico. In Arizona, at least four people, including a German hiker and a 28-year-old biker, succumbed to the heat on Sunday. The National Interagency Fire Center said Tuesday that several new large fires had been reported in California and Colorado and the intense heat was set to continue across much of the Southwest. The National Weather Service said it expected temperatures to remain high in many regions on Tuesday, including in areas around Los Angeles where red flag warnings of extreme heat were issued. Authorities urged people in those regions to remain indoors, to drink a lot of water and avoid strenuous outdoor activity. The five-year drought in California and the scorching weather have created burning conditions more typical of August, the US Forest Service said, warning that the worst was maybe yet to come. Wildfires across the United States scorched a record 10 million acres in 2015, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. The largest fires were all in Alaska but two fires in California -- the Valley and Butte fires -- rank among the 10 most destructive in the state's history. A DC-10 air tanker drops fire retardant on June 20, 2016 in Duarte, California Robyn Beck (AFP/File) Kerry talks with US diplomats who urged Syria strikes Secretary of State John Kerry sat down Tuesday for an exchange of views with the US diplomats who challenged White House policy and called for air strikes on Syria. Last week, some 50 mid-level US officials signed a so-called "dissent channel" cable calling for military action to force Syria's Bashar al-Assad to agree to peace talks. Rather than express annoyance at the rebuke, Kerry dubbed the memo "very good," fueling speculation in Washington that he too is frustrated with President Barack Obama's cautious policy. US Secretary of State John Kerry, pictured on June 20, 2016, met with 10 of the diplomats who wrote a cable calling for military action to force Syria's Bashar al-Assad to agree to peace talks Yuri Gripas (AFP/File) While widely reported, the contents of the cable remain classified, so State Department spokesman John Kirby has refused to address the issues raised by the dissident diplomats. But on Tuesday, he confirmed that Kerry had met with 10 of the memo's authors. Kerry was mostly in "listening mode," Kirby said, but there was an exchange of views. "I believe the secretary came away feeling that it was a good discussion and that it was worth having," Kirby said. "He appreciated their views and -- just as critically -- their firm belief in the opportunity that they have to express those views. "And so, they had a good 30-minute or more conversation." The US military is engaged in Syria, but US air strike planners and US-backed militia fighters are concentrating their fire on the violent extremist Islamic State group. Assad, meanwhile, is hammering the moderate opposition, with support from Russia. Many US diplomats now feel more must be done to bring an end to the five-year-old civil war. There is no sign that Obama, with only seven months left in his presidency, wants to open up a new and dangerous front in America's troubled military interventions in the Middle East. But Kirby -- while repeating the administration's mantra that "there is no military solution to this conflict" -- said it would be "imprudent and irresponsible... not to consider other options." 34 Libya pro-govt fighters dead in clashes with IS At least 34 Libyan pro-government forces were killed Tuesday and 100 wounded in clashes with Islamic State group jihadists as they prepared for a final assault on the jihadist stronghold of Sirte. It was one of bloodiest days since forces loyal to the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) launched an offensive in May to retake Sirte from IS. The fighting came as 29 people were killed and dozens wounded further west in the town of Garabulli when a blast ripped through an arms depot after militiamen and armed residents clashed. Forces loyal to Libya's UN-backed unity government stand next to an Islamic State group flag in Sirte's centre on June 10, 2016 Mahmud Turkia (AFP/File) The fall of Sirte would be a major blow to IS which has faced a series of setbacks in Syria and Iraq where local forces and a US-led coalition are pressing an offensive against their positions. A statement by the GNA said Tuesday's fighting took place in several parts of Sirte, where jihadists are pinned down in pockets of the coastal city. Speaking from the western city of Misrata, the source said the death toll had risen from 18 to 34, with the number of wounded increasing from 70 to 100. It was one of the heaviest tolls since the pro-GNA forces launched an offensive in May to dislodge IS from Sirte -- hometown of ousted and slain dictator Moamer Kadhafi which IS seized in June last year. The GNA forces earlier said "dozens" of IS fighters had been killed within 24 hours. They also announced their "intelligence network is in full swing in preparation for the decisive battle" against IS fighters in the city, after repelling multiple counter-attacks. The statement said fighters were targeting IS-held areas of Sirte with heavy artillery while loyalist aircraft were carrying out sorties every day to strike IS or carry out reconnaissance missions. IS fighters "are besieged in a small area of Sirte and although they have sought to break out our forces have repelled all attempts," the statement said. It said that the jihadists had barricaded themselves in residential buildings and deployed snipers and explosive devices to fend off pro-GNA forces. - Arms store blast - IS has hit back with a string of suicide car bombings in a bid to defend their stronghold on the Mediterranean coast. Around 200 loyalist troops have been killed and hundreds wounded since the start of the offensive to capture Sirte, 450 kilometres (280 miles) east of Tripoli. An unknown number of jihadists have been killed. Libya has been awash with weapons since the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed Kadhafi, with rival militias fighting for control of its cities and oil wealth. In Garabulli near the Libyan capital, armed residents stormed an arms depot after clashing with a militia from the western city of Misrata which owned the weapons store. As they breached the store a "big explosion" occurred, said the security official who could not immediately explain what triggered the blast. "Maybe the militia had rigged the depot before they left," he said. A medical official said at least 29 people were killed and dozens wounded. "There are body parts" at the arms depot, he said, adding the toll could rise. According to the official the clashes pitting armed residents against militiamen from Misrata broke out after some of the militiamen robbed a grocery store. Angered, the armed residents attacked them at dawn. The attack sparked clashes that lasted all day, the security official said. The militias from Misrata honed their battle skills during the 2011 revolt and are now on the frontlines of the battle for Sirte. They are among the best equipped, with an arsenal that includes MiG fighters and attack helicopters. UN envoy proposes roadmap for Yemen peace The UN special envoy to Yemen said on Tuesday he has proposed a roadmap for a peaceful settlement to end 14 months of armed conflict in the impoverished Arab nation. The war pitting Iran-backed Shiite Huthi rebels and their allies against pro-government fighters backed by a Saudi-led coalition has cost more than 6,400 lives since March 2015. Another 2.8 million people have been displaced and more than 80 percent of the population are in urgent need humanitarian aid, according to UN figures. Armed tribesmen, loyal to the Shiite Huthi rebels, brandish their weapons at a gathering in the capital Sanaa on June 20, 2016 Mohammed Huwais (AFP) The envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed proposed the roadmap after two months of negotiations in Kuwait. "The roadmap provides for the implementation of the security arrangements specified in Security Council Resolution 2216 and the establishment of a national unity government," he said in a briefing to the UN Security Council from Kuwait City. Security arrangements under Resolution 2216 require the Huthi rebels and their allies to withdraw from areas they occupied in 2014, including the capital Sanaa, and the handover of weapons. Under the roadmap, the national unity government would ensure the delivery of basic services, address the recovery of the economy and prepare for dialogue paving the way for a comprehensive solution, said Ould Cheikh Ahmed. "The delegations have responded positively to the proposals, but have not yet reached agreement on the sequencing of the different steps provided in the roadmap," mainly when would the national unity government be formed, he said. Ould Cheikh Ahmed urged the two sides to speed up the process of reaching a final accord. No US 'grand strategy' in Libya: general A US general said Tuesday that he did not know if the United States had a particular "grand strategy" in war-torn Libya, where pro-government forces are battling Islamic State jihadists. Currently, the United States has only a limited footprint in Libya, even though an estimated 5,000 to 8,000 IS fighters operate there. Small teams of US special operations forces are working to gain intelligence and US aircraft have conducted at least two strikes, but the Obama administration has preferred to let forces loyal to the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) lead the fight against the IS group. Forces loyal to Libya's UN-backed unity government gather in Sirte's centre on June 10, 2016 Mahmud Turkia (AFP/File) Lieutenant General Thomas Waldhauser, who has been nominated to lead the US military's Africa Command, said he did not necessarily see the level of US engagement changing. "I am not aware of any overall grand strategy at this point," Waldhauser told lawmakers at a confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee. He also said the current, unspecified number of US troops in the North African country was sufficient for now. GNA forces are leading a fierce fight to oust the IS group from its stronghold in the coastal city of Sirte, which the jihadists have controlled since June last year. Despite the deaths of at least 34 pro-government troops in clashes with the IS group Tuesday, Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook told reporters the anti-IS fight had "made progress." "We're watching the situation in Libya very closely. We understand the potential threat that ISIL poses in Libya and elsewhere," Cook said, using an acronym for the IS group. Qatar fund acquires French fashion house Balmain A Qatari investment fund, already owner of the Italian Valentino label, will take over French luxury fashion house Balmain, which has become a favourite of film stars, the advisor for the acquisition announced Tuesday. "After completing this transaction, Mayhoola for Investments will hold 100 percent of Balmain's capital," Bucephale Finance, specialists in mergers and acquisitions, said in a statement without revealing how much the Qataris paid for Balmain. French financial daily Les Echos in reporting on the acquisition said the Qataris offered 485 million euros ($546 million) for Balmain, which is 70 percent held by the heirs of the former CEO Alain Hivelin who died in December 2014, with the remaining 30 percent held by management. French fashion designer Olivier Rousteing acknowledges the audience at the end of Balmain show on March 3, 2016 in Paris Martin Bureau (AFP/File) The reported Qatari offer was higher than the sale estimates of between 300 to 400 million euros. Mayhoola, an investment vehicle supported by the emir of Qatar, "will allow the (Balmain) brand to speed up its development, especially with the opening of new boutiques abroad," said Bucephale in its statement. The French fashion house was started in 1945 by designer Pierre Balmain and has passed through several hands and periods of financial difficulty over the years. Then in 2006 Pierre Decarnin, a former stylist at Paco Rabanne, came on board and relaunched the brand, attracting movie stars like Marion Cotillard and Gwyneth Paltrow. Since 2011, Balmain has gained added momentum under its young artistic director Olivier Rousteing, who has promoted the brand heavily on social media. North Korea conducted two back-to-back tests of a powerful new medium-range missile on Wednesday, with at least one launch ending in failure, South Korea's Defence Ministry said. The first test shortly before 6.00am was deemed to have failed, but the ministry said it was unable to confirm the status of a second launch detected two hours later from the same location on the east coast. Both test were believed to be of a much-hyped, intermediate-range Musudan missile capable of reaching US bases as far away as Guam. UN resolutions ban North Korea from any use of ballistic missile technology and, just hours before Wednesday's launch efforts, the Pentagon had warned Pyongyang against pressing ahead with any missile test. Scroll down for video North Korea conducted two back-to-back tests of a powerful new medium-range missile on Wednesday, with at least one launch ending in failure, South Korea's Defence Ministry said. North Korean missiles roll through Pyongyang's Kim Il-Sung Square in this 2015 file image In a statement, the South Korean defence ministry stressed that any such test was 'a clear violation of UN resolutions,' while Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said it 'cannot be tolerated.' North Korea had previously carried out four failed Musudan tests this year, in a setback for a weapons programme that ultimately aspires to develop a proven nuclear strike capability against the US mainland. The Musudan has an estimated range of anywhere between 2,500 and 4,000 kilometres (1,550 to 2,500 miles). The lower range covers the whole of South Korea and Japan, while the upper range would include US military bases on Guam. First unveiled as an indigenous missile at a military parade in Pyongyang in October 2010, the Musudan has never been successfully flight-tested. Three failures in April were seen as an embarrassment for North Korea's leadership, coming ahead of a rare ruling party congress that was meant to celebrate the country's achievements. Another attempt in May was also deemed to have failed. North Korea (whose leader Kim Jong-Un is pictured in May) had previously carried out four failed Musudan tests this year, in a setback for a weapons programme that ultimately aspires to develop a proven nuclear strike capability against the US mainland A man watches TV news showing file footage of a North Korean missile launch at a railway station in Seoul on April 28, 2016. Three failures in April were seen as an embarrassment for North Korea's leadership Wednesday's tests came with military tensions still running high following Pyongyang's fourth nuclear test in January and a long-range rocket launch a month later that saw the UN Security Council impose its toughest sanctions to date on the North. During the party congress in May, North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un had personally extended an offer of military dialogue with the South. The proposal was repeated several times by the North's military, but Seoul dismissed all the overtures as insincere 'posturing' given Kim's vow at the same congress to push ahead with the country's nuclear weapons programme. In recent months, North Korea has claimed a series of technical breakthroughs in developing an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to targets across the continental United States. The claimed achievements included miniaturising a nuclear warhead to fit on a missile, developing a warhead that can withstand atmospheric re-entry and building a solid-fuel missile engine. The North also hailed the successful test of an engine specifically designed for an ICBM that would 'guarantee' an eventual nuclear strike on the US mainland. Outside experts have treated a number of the claims with scepticism, while acknowledging that the North has made significant strides in upgrading its nuclear arsenal. Thousands of California college students homeless and go hungry Nearly 50,000 students attending the largest public university in the United States are homeless and many more go hungry, according to a new study made public this week. The study, commissioned by California State University (CSU), which has 23 campuses across the western state and some 460,000 students, shows that 8.7 to 12 percent of students at the school are homeless while 21 to 24 percent lack a consistent food source. "I reflected a bit on the number, and the number one in five students at Cal State are food insecure are a gasp," said Timothy White, chancellor of the Cal State system, as he presented the findings at a conference on Monday. A study, commissioned by California State University, which has 23 campuses across the western state and some 460,000 students, shows that 8.7 to 12 percent of students at the school are homeless Frederic J. Brown (AFP/File) He said the study was commissioned in February of last year in order to quantify anecdotal evidence on the issue. Staff, faculty and administrators were questioned along with students. The report said that many struggling students felt their level of need was not understood by campus personnel and some were unaware of the assistance available to them. One homeless student identified as Nikki said she had informed residential staff at one campus of her situation but was told it would not be "fair" to allow her to stay in the dorms. "Well, if we do that for you, then we have to do that for everybody," she recounted being told. Another student identified as Annie said she would welcome food assistance in order not to be stigmatized and made to "feel like you're walking with a scarlet letter on your chest." - 'Best kept secret' - Staff interviewed said they limited "outreach and promotion" of assistance programs -- such as food stamps or financial aid -- for fear they would be deluged with requests given their limited resources. "Often, programs and services were the 'best kept secret' of the campus because participants saved resources for the students experiencing the most acute crisis," the report said. It added that the scale of the problem was also often misunderstood or minimized. "In some cases, there was a normalizing of the 'starving student' as part of the college vernacular," the report said. "Some participants suggested, outside of rare circumstances, that students generally squander their resources with youthful behavior." The students who reported being homeless said they often "couch-surfed" or slept in their cars, in tents, in parking lots or railway stations. The study, the first such survey in the country, said a system-wide commitment was needed to remedy the situation. "CSU campuses are developing programs to support the needs of displaced and food insecure students," the report said. "However, a greater understanding of this student population, their experiences accessing and utilizing existing services, and their rates of retention is needed," Court demands new look at race of jurors in 3 convictions JACKSON, Miss. (AP) The U.S. Supreme Court says lower courts in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi must re-examine three convictions for evidence of racial prejudice in jury selection. The court ruled Monday in the cases of Christopher Floyd of Alabama, Jabari Williams of Louisiana and Curtis Giovanni Flowers of Mississippi. The brief decisions followed the court's May decision to overturn the conviction and death sentence of a Georgia man because prosecutors violated the Constitution by excluding African-Americans from the all-white jury that determined his fate. The 7-1 ruling in favor of death row inmate Timothy Tyrone Foster came in a case in which defense lawyers obtained strikingly frank notes from prosecutors detailing efforts to keep African-Americans off Foster's jury. The decision broke no new ground in efforts to fight racial discrimination in jury selection but underscored the importance of a 30-year-old high court ruling that took aim at the exclusion of minorities from juries. Flowers has been convicted of capital murder four times in the fatal shootings of a Winona, Mississippi, furniture store owner and three employees in 1996. The first three convictions were overturned, and two other trials ended in hung juries. The Mississippi Supreme Court upheld his death sentence in 2014 on an automatic appeal after the fourth conviction in 2010, rejecting arguments regarding racial prejudice in jury selection. That decision was appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, leading to Monday's ruling. While that appeal was pending, though, other lawyers raised the same issue in a separate appeal. In litigation relating to that separate appeal last month, the state Supreme Court ruled that a state judge didn't have to give Flowers' lawyers prosecutors' notes from jury selection. Defense lawyers hoped the notes would show racial bias by prosecutors in excluding potential jurors, saying they believe local prosecutors have a history of excluding jurors in racially biased ways. The state and prosecutors have denied wrongdoing, and Flowers remains on Mississippi's death row. Bryan Stevenson, an attorney with the Montgomery, Alabama-based Equal Justice Initiative who is representing Christopher Floyd, said they had challenged the exclusion of African-Americans from Floyd's trial in Dothan. Stevenson said the prosecutor marked potential African-American jurors with a "B'' to indicate their race on the jury list and could not give a reason for excluding at least one of the African-Americans he'd objected to from the jury. Floyd is white and was tried by an all-white jury, Stevenson said. Stevenson said the organization has found that even when the defendants are white some prosecutors still don't trust African-Americans to serve on juries. He said in Houston County, where Floyd was tried, several death penalty cases have been reversed after courts found intentional racial discrimination in jury selection. Williams, given a mandatory life sentence without parole in for the 2011 shooting of a man near a New Orleans gas station, was tried after prosecutors struck six African-Americans from the jury. Defense lawyers say the trial court wrongly aided prosecutors by substituting its own race-neutral reasons for striking the jurors in place of those offered by prosecutors. ___ Associated Press writer Rebecca Santana contributed to this report from New Orleans. ___ Follow Jeff Amy at: http://twitter.com/jeffamy. Read his work at http://bigstory.ap.org/author/jeff-amy ___ Airline passenger accused of groping teen to stay in jail PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) A judge Monday ordered the continued detainment of an Oregon man accused of groping a 13-year-old girl during an American Airlines flight last week. Chad Camp, 26, of Gresham said little at the hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge John Jelderks, and defense attorney Ralph Gzik did not contest a prosecutor's recommendation to keep him in a Portland jail for now. "I just don't want to say anything wrong," Camp said of his reticence. Camp will be granted a brief release for a drug-and-alcohol evaluation. A witness told investigators that Camp consumed four mixed drinks in one hour at an airport bar before the flight. Glancing at paperwork, the judge noticed that Camp has a history of substance abuse. "There is a big difference between being a drunk and a drunk who abuses youngsters," the judge warned. FBI agents arrested Camp after Wednesday's flight from Dallas landed at Portland International Airport. The following day, he pleaded not guilty to a charge of abusive sexual contact. Authorities say a flight attendant was delivering snacks early in the flight when she noticed Camp's hand in the victim's crotch area. She then noticed a single tear falling down the girl's cheek. The flight attendant quickly separated them, sending Camp to row 30 and the unaccompanied minor to row 8. "The victim had to go to the bathroom for the duration of the flight but was too frightened to get up due to possibly seeing Camp on the plane," according to an affidavit written by FBI agent Travis Gluesenkamp. The airline charges an extra $150 for unaccompanied minors to fly. "Our unaccompanied minor service is to ensure your child is boarded onto the aircraft, introduced to the flight attendant, chaperoned during connections and released to the appropriate person at their destination," according to American Airlines' website. Brent Goodfellow, an Oregon attorney representing the girl's family, did not return a phone message seeking comment Monday. Camp's next court date is scheduled for July 15. ___ Sumner Redstone seeks to dismiss lawsuit by Viacom CEO BOSTON (AP) Lawyers for media mogul Sumner Redstone on Monday filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit in Massachusetts court alleging Redstone wasn't mentally competent when he removed two trustees of entities that control Viacom Inc. and CBS Corp. Redstone's attorneys are asking the probate court in Canton to toss out the lawsuit, saying Redstone has not been deemed incompetent by a court or by medical doctors, the two conditions under which he could be deemed incompetent and his authority under the Sumner M. Redstone National Amusements Trust could be suspended. The lawsuit was filed in Massachusetts because that's where the trust is administered. The motion also seeks to require that Viacom chief executive Philippe Dauman and board member George Abrams pursue their claims in California, where Redstone lives. The 93-year-old Redstone has been advised against traveling across the country, according to the motion. A spokesman for Dauman and Abrams said in a statement the motion represents "continued efforts to avoid a fair inquiry into Redstone's well-being." Dauman and Abrams sued Redstone last month, seeking to be restored to their roles as trustees and as board members of National Amusements Inc., the movie theater chain. In the lawsuit, the men allege Redstone was not mentally competent when he stripped them of their roles. They also allege that Redstone is being manipulated by his once-estranged daughter, Shari Redstone. In court papers, lawyers for Dauman and Abrams have asked the judge to order an immediate medical evaluation of Redstone. They also ask for a quick trial, arguing that Redstone is suffering from "overwhelming physical ailments" and has a progressive neurological disease characterized by dementia. Redstone's attorneys have filed court papers saying he has been examined twice recently by a geriatric psychiatrist, who said Redstone is "clearly communicating" his business decisions. US Ambassador Roberta Jacobson presents Mexico credentials MEXICO CITY (AP) U.S. Ambassador Roberta Jacobson says "this is a great time" for Mexico-U.S. relations. There has been controversy in Mexico over remarks made by presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump suggesting some Mexican immigrants are rapists and criminals. But in presenting her credentials to Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto on Monday, Jacobson struck an optimistic tone. She said "opportunities for bilateral cooperation have never been better," citing areas like energy and climate issues, transnational criminal organizations, and competitiveness. The Latest: No bail for man accused of trying to kill Trump LAS VEGAS (AP) The Latest on a man accused of trying to take an officer's gun and kill Donald Trump at a Las Vegas rally (all times local): ___ 4:30 p.m. A British man accused of trying to take a police officer's gun and kill Donald Trump in Las Vegas has been denied bail by a federal judge. Federal Magistrate Judge George Foley on Monday declined to grant bail to 20-year-old Michael Steven Sandford, who's charged with an act of violence on restricted grounds. Foley said Sandford was a risk to the community and a flight risk. Sandford has not entered a plea. Court research shows he is unemployed, living out of his car and in the U.S. illegally. A federal public defender says he has autism and has attempted suicide. Sandford was arrested Saturday at the Treasure Island Casino where Trump was speaking. He's accused of grabbing at a Las Vegas police officer's holstered gun, and investigators say he wanted to kill Trump. ___ 1:01 p.m. A federal officer says a man arrested at a Donald Trump rally in Las Vegas told authorities he tried to grab an officer's gun so he could kill the candidate. A complaint filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Nevada charges Michael Steven Sandford with an act of violence on restricted grounds. It cites a report by Special Agent Swierkowski, whose first name was not included, saying Sandford told officers he drove from California to kill Trump and went to a Las Vegas gun range the day before to learn to shoot. Sandford later went to a Trump rally at the Treasure Island Casino and approached a Las Vegas police officer to say he wanted an autograph from Trump. The report says Sandford was arrested after grabbing the handle of an officer's gun in an attempt to remove it. Armed man shot dead at Venezuela central bank CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) A gunman who took a hostage and wounded two security guards at the headquarters of Venezuela's central bank has been killed. The violent episode on Monday reverberated around a country already shaken by a weeks-long spasm of riots and looting. Bank president Nelson Merentes says the man barged into the building around noon and set off metal detectors. He started shooting, wounded two guards and asked where the bank's directors were. Merentes said the man then ran up the stairs and took a woman hostage before being killed by other guards. Prosecutor: 'Mississippi Burning' civil rights case closed JACKSON, Miss. (AP) One day short of the 52nd anniversary of three civil rights workers' disappearance during Mississippi's "Freedom Summer," state and federal prosecutors said Monday that the investigation into the slayings is over. The decision "closes a chapter" in the state's divisive civil rights history, Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood said. "The evidence has been degraded by memory over time, and so there are no individuals that are living now that we can make a case on at this point," Hood said. FILE - On June 29, 1964, the FBI began distributing these pictures of civil rights workers, from left, Michael Schwerner, 24, of New York, James Cheney, 21, from Mississippi, and Andrew Goodman, 20, of New York, who disappeared near Philadelphia, Miss., June 21, 1964. The investigation into the infamous slayings of three civil rights workers in Mississippi is finally closed, the states attorney general said Monday, June 20, 2016, 53 years almost to the day after the young men disappeared during Freedom Summer.The three civil rights workers, part of the "Freedom Summer" program, were abducted, killed and buried in an earthen dam in rural Neshoba County. (AP Photo/FBI, File) He said, however, that if new information comes forward because of the announcement that the case is closed, prosecutors could reconsider and pursue a case. The 1964 killings of James Earl Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner in Neshoba County sparked national outrage and helped spur passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. They later became the subject of the movie "Mississippi Burning." Monday, their relatives said the focus should not be only on the three men, but on all the people killed or hurt while seeking justice. "The civil rights period was not about just those three young men," said the Rev. Julia Chaney Moss, Chaney's sister and a New Jersey resident. "It was about all of the lives." The famous case is one of more than 125 unsolved cases from the civil rights era that the FBI re-examined after launching its "Cold Case Initiative" in 2006. Congress set aside millions of dollars in 2007 through the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act for such investigations. But most of those cases haven't resulted in prosecution. The 1964 slaying of the black owner of a shoe shop in Ferriday, Louisiana, has resulted in no prosecutions despite news articles linking a man from Rayville, Louisiana, to the crime. The Justice Department in 2011 closed an inquiry into the 1965 killing of a Pelahatchie, Mississippi, man who was shot by a constable, despite witnesses who question the officer's version of events. "While legal and factual impediments sometimes prevent us from bringing cases we wish that we could, the Civil Rights Division remains dedicated to pursuing racially-motivated crimes wherever the facts allow," Vanita Gupta, head of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, said in a statement Monday. Rita Bender, Schwerner's widow, said she hopes the decision will spark further reflection in Mississippi about the state's legacy of prejudice. She said she believes state leaders haven't learned the lesson of the slayings, because Mississippi is still flying a state flag with the Confederate battle emblem, legislators recently passed a bill that Bender says enables discrimination against gay people, and she said the state does a poor job in providing services to African-American citizens. "As a nation, we have to come to terms without our racist past and our continuing inability to move past it," said Bender, a lawyer in Seattle. Chaney, Goodman and Schwerner had worked to register African-American voters. They disappeared June 21, 1964, while investigating the burning of a black church. Their bodies were found weeks later in an earthen dam. Hood says the U.S. Department of Justice recently released findings to his office that led to the decision to close the case. He presented to reporters a 48-page report by the FBI which outlines the federal investigation that ultimately led authorities to conclude the deaths were part of a Ku Klux Klan conspiracy authorized by Sam Bowers, a Mississippi Klan leader who lived in Laurel. In 1967, eight people were convicted of federal civil rights violations related to the killings of the three workers. In 2005, Hood and the Neshoba County prosecutor won three manslaughter convictions against white supremacist Edgar Ray Killen, who remains in prison. Hood said officials had considered possible cases against Jimmy Lee Townsend and James "Pete" Harris. Townsend, 69, declined comment Monday when reached by telephone. The Associated Press could not locate Harris. All surviving suspects were presented to a grand jury in 2005, Hood said, with grand jurors indicting only Killen. He said not enough new evidence has been developed since then for him to believe anything could change. "I think that everything has been done that could possibly be done," Hood said. Harris allegedly recruited members of the KKK in Meridian to kill the three men and Townsend allegedly remained with a disabled car on the night that other Klansman went carry out the slayings. Harris was acquitted in the original prosecution of the case, according to the FBI report. Townsend was charged in preliminary charging documents but was never indicted, the report says. "For these participants, the good Lord will have to deal with that," Hood said. In recent years, Hood said, authorities had tried to develop a case against one person for lying to an FBI agent. But he said a witness declined to sign a statement at the last moment. He did not identify the person or the witness. Federal agents, left, listen as Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood tells reporters that the investigation into the infamous slayings of three civil rights workers in Mississippi is finally closed, 53 years almost to the day after the young men disappeared during "Freedom Summer," at a news conference Monday, June 20, 2016 in Jackson, Miss. The 1964 killings in Neshoba County sparked national outrage and helped spur passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. They later became the subject of the movie "Mississippi Burning." (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) A divided Senate answers Orlando with gridlock on gun curbs WASHINGTON (AP) A divided Senate blocked rival election-year plans to curb guns Monday, eight days after the horror of Orlando's mass shooting intensified pressure on lawmakers to act but knotted them in gridlock anyway even over restricting firearms for terrorists. In largely party-line votes, senators rejected one proposal from each side to keep extremists from acquiring guns and a second shoring up the government's system of required background checks for many firearms purchases. With the chamber's visitors' galleries unusually crowded for a Monday evening including relatives of victims of past mass shootings and people wearing orange T-shirts saying #ENOUGH gun violence each measure fell short of the 60 votes needed to progress. Democrats called the GOP proposals unacceptably weak while Republicans said the Democratic plans were too restrictive. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., left, comforts Erica Smegielski, daughter of the slain principal from Sandy Hook Elementary School Dawn Hochsprung, Monday, June 20, 2016, on Capitol Hill in Washington. A divided Senate blocked rival election-year plans to curb guns, eight days after the horror of Orlando's mass shooting intensified pressure on lawmakers to act but knotted them in gridlock anyway - even over restricting firearms for terrorists. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) The stalemate underscored the pressure on each party to stand firm on the emotional gun issue going into November's presidential and congressional elections. It also highlighted the potency of the National Rifle Association, which urged its huge and fiercely loyal membership to lobby senators to oppose the Democratic bills. "Republicans say, 'Hey look, we tried,'" said Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. "And all the time, their cheerleaders, the bosses at the NRA, are cheering them." Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the Orlando shootings in which the FBI says the American-born gunman swore allegiance to a Islamic State group leader show the best way to prevent extremists' attacks here is to defeat them overseas. "No one wants terrorists to be able to buy guns," McConnell said. He suggested that Democrats used the day's votes "to push a partisan agenda or craft the next 30-second campaign ad." That Monday's four roll-call votes occurred at all was testament to the political currents buffeting lawmakers after gunman Omar Mateen's June 12 attack on a gay nightclub. The 49 victims who died made it the largest mass shooting in recent U.S. history, topping a string of such incidents that have punctuated recent years. The FBI said Mateen a focus of two terror investigations that were dropped described himself as an Islamic soldier in a 911 call during the shootings. That let gun control advocates add national security and the specter of terrorism to their arguments for firearms curbs. After the votes, presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton issued a one-word statement, "Enough," followed by the names and ages of Orlando's victims. On Fox News Channel's "The O'Reilly Factor," expected GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump said he "absolutely" agrees that people on the government's terror watch list should be barred from owning guns. He did not say if he supported the Republican or Democratic versions of bills rejected Monday. Only a handful of lawmakers changed positions from votes cast last December on similar proposals, highlighting each party's enduring stances on guns. And there's little sign that the House's GOP leaders will allow votes. Even so, GOP senators facing re-election this fall in swing states were under extraordinary pressure. One vulnerable Republican, New Hampshire's Sen. Kelly Ayotte, backed both bills blocking gun sales to terrorists, a switch from when she joined most Republicans in killing a similar Democratic plan last December. She expressed support for a narrower bipartisan plan, like one being crafted by Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. Collins was trying to fashion a bipartisan bill preventing people on the government's no-fly list from getting guns. She expressed optimism the Senate would vote on her plan, and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said that according to McConnell, if Collins wants a vote on her proposal, "She'll get one." Monday's votes came after Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., led a near 15-hour filibuster last week demanding a Senate response to the Orlando killings. Murphy entered the Senate shortly after the December 2012 massacre of 20 first-graders and six educators in Newtown, Connecticut, but that slaughter and others have failed to spur Congress to tighten gun curbs. The last were enacted in 2007, when the background check system was strengthened after that year's mass shooting at Virginia Tech. With Mateen's professed loyalty to extremist groups and his 10-month inclusion on a federal terrorism watch list, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., proposed letting the government block many gun sales to known or suspected terrorists. People buying firearms from federally licensed gun dealers can currently be denied for several reasons, chiefly for serious crimes or mental problems, but there is no specific prohibition for those on the terrorist watch list. That list currently contains around 1 million people including fewer than 5,000 Americans or legal permanent residents, according to the latest government figures. The narrower no-fly list has just 81,000 names. No background checks are required for anyone buying guns privately online or at gun shows. The GOP response to Feinstein was an NRA-backed plan by Cornyn. It would let the government deny a sale to a known or suspected terrorist but only if prosecutors could convince a judge within three days that the would-be buyer was involved in terrorism. The Feinstein and Cornyn amendments would require notification of law enforcement officials if people, like Mateen, who'd been under a terrorism investigation within the past five years were seeking to buy firearms. Republicans said Feinstein's proposal gave the government too much power to deny people's constitutional right to own a gun and noted that the terrorist watch list has mistakenly included some people. Democrats said the three-day window Cornyn's measure gave prosecutors to prove their case made his plan ineffective. Murphy's rejected proposal would widely expand the requirement for background checks, even to many private gun transactions, leaving few loopholes. The defeated plan by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, increased money for the background check system. It also revamped language prohibiting some people with mental health issues from buying a gun, which Democrats claimed would reduce current protections. Monday's votes were 53-47 for Grassley's plan, 44-56 for Murphy's, 53-47 for Cornyn's and 47-53 for Feinstein's all short of the 60 needed. ___ Associated Press writers Matthew Daly and Richard Lardner contributed to this report. Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., left, and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, arrive for a vote on Capitol Hill, Monday, June 20, 2016, in Washington. A divided Senate hurtled Monday toward an election-year stalemate over curbing guns (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa., right, walks towards the Senate on Capitol Hill, Monday, June 20, 2016 in Washington. A divided Senate hurtled Monday toward an election-year stalemate over curbing guns, eight days after Orlando's mass shooting horror intensified pressure on lawmakers to act but left them gridlocked anyway even over restricting firearms for terrorists. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., talks on a phone on Capitol Hill, Monday, June 20, 2016 in Washington. A divided Senate hurtled Monday toward an election-year stalemate over curbing guns AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Senators Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., left, and Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., walk towards the Senate on Capitol Hill, Monday, June 20, 2016 in Washington. A divided Senate hurtled Monday toward an election-year stalemate over curbing guns, eight days after Orlando's mass shooting horror intensified pressure on lawmakers to act but left them gridlocked anyway even over restricting firearms for terrorists. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., talks with reporters on Capitol Hill, Monday, June 20, 2016,in Washington. A divided Senate hurtled Monday toward an election-year stalemate over curbing guns, eight days after Orlando's mass shooting horror intensified pressure on lawmakers to act but left them gridlocked anyway even over restricting firearms for terrorists. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Actor died amid growing career, including 'Star Trek' role NEW YORK (AP) When Anton Yelchin was killed early Sunday, the 27-year-old actor was preparing to meet friends for rehearsal. That he was on his way to work was fitting: Yelchin was in the midst of a growing career and was increasingly attracting attention for his scrappy talent, seriousness of purpose and deep passion for film. Flush with opportunities in both big and small films, the rising actor left behind a number of upcoming films. One was "Porto," a romance set in the Portuguese city by Gabe Klinger. FILE - In this Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2014, file photo, Actor Anton Yelchin poses for portraits during the 71st edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy. Yelchin, a charismatic and rising actor best known for playing Chekov in the new "Star Trek" films, has died at the age of 27. He was killed in a fatal traffic collision early Sunday morning, June 19, 2016, his publicist confirmed. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis, File) "The role, I wish people could discover it already, but we talked about it for a year before we rolled cameras," Klinger said in an interview. "He was developing that character in his mind for a whole year. It was that level of seriousness." Klinger hopes to release the film this fall. "It will be very bittersweet now," he said. In just a month, Yelchin will co-star in Paramount's "Star Trek Beyond," again playing his most famous character, Enterprise officer Pavel Chekov. It's his third film in the J.J. Abrams-produced franchise. Justin Lin, who directed "Star Trek Beyond" after Abrams helmed the first two, said Yelchin's passion and enthusiasm will live on with everyone who knew him. The film is scheduled to have its world premiere in San Diego at the annual fan convention Comic-Con on July 20, before it hits theaters on July 22, with filmmakers and cast members. Premiering on Netflix in December is "Trollhunters," an animated series from Guillermo del Toro. The project, promoted as an ambitious family-friendly series, was previewed just last week in France. Yelchin voices the show's main character, Jim, who discovers warring trolls living beneath his hometown. Del Toro said he worked with Yelchin for about a year and called him a "great creative partner and artist." Netflix and DreamWorks Animation, which is producing the series, said in a statement that "our hearts are heavy with this tragic news." The SUV that rolled down a driveway and killed Yelchin was being recalled because the gear shifters have confused drivers, causing the vehicles to roll away unexpectedly. His 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee pinned him against a mailbox pillar and security fence at his home, Los Angeles police said. The SUV was part of a global recall of 1.1 million vehicles by automaker Fiat Chrysler in April. Yelchin, whose family emigrated from Russia when he was 6 months old, began acting as a child. Some of his most acclaimed performances included Nick Cassavetes' crime drama "Alpha Dog," Drake Doremus' romance "Like Crazy" and Jeremy Saulnier's punk band-siege film "Green Room," released in April. Judge dismisses defamation suit targeting Maine activist PORTLAND, Maine (AP) A federal judge on Monday dismissed a defamation suit against a Maine activist who publicized sexual abuse accusations against a Haiti orphanage founder. The latest twist in the complicated case comes nearly a year after a federal jury concluded that Paul Kendrick defamed Michael Geilenfeld, founder of St. Joseph's Home for Boys in Port-au-Prince, and awarded more than $14 million in damages. The jury had ruled against Kendrick even though seven accusers testified that they were sexually abused by Geilenfeld in Haiti. FILE - In this July 9, 2015 file photo, Michael Geilenfeld arrives to federal court in Portland, Maine. A federal judge has dismissed a defamation suit against Geilenfeld, a Maine activist who publicized sexual abuse accusations against a Haiti orphanage founder. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File) Geilenfeld said Kendrick made unsubstantiated accusations that were "vicious, vile lies." He also blamed Kendrick's campaign for him being imprisoned for 237 days and for costing the Hearts with Haiti charity several million dollars in donations. The Portland Press Herald reported Monday that even though Kendrick lost in U.S. District Court in Portland last summer, an appellate court ruling in Boston questioned whether the case ever belonged in federal court. U.S. District Judge John Woodcock Jr. ruled Monday that Geilenfeld wasn't living in the U.S. when he filed his claim against Kendrick and the case had no grounds to be heard in a U.S. court. Kendrick's attorney, F. David Walker IV, said that Woodcock's ruling "essentially nullifies the jury verdict," The Press Herald reported. Hillary Clinton's VP search moves into more intense phase WASHINGTON (AP) Hillary Clinton's search for a running mate is moving into a more intense phase, according to several Democrats, as aides contact a pared-down pool of candidates to ask for reams of personal information and set up interviews with the presumptive Democratic nominee's vetting team. Those on the shortlist include Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a favorite of progressives who has emerged as a blistering critic of presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump; Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, a well-liked lawmaker from an important general election battleground state; and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro of Texas, a rising star in the Democratic Party. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Clinton's toughest primary rival, is not on the shortlist of vice presidential candidates, according to one Democrat. FILE - In this June 17, 2016, photo, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro addresses the Texas Democratic convention in San Antonio. Hillary Clintons search for a running mate is moving into a more intense phase, according to several Democrats, as aides contact a pared down pool of candidates to ask for reams of personal information and set up interviews with the vetting team. Those on the shortlist include Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Castro.(AP Photo/Eric Gay) A small group of Clinton campaign confidants has been sifting through publicly available information about more than two dozen possible contenders for more than a month. But with Democratic primary voting wrapping up last week, the list has been culled significantly and the campaign has begun contacting those under consideration. Several Democrats described Clinton's vice presidential search process on the condition of anonymity, because they were not authorized by her campaign to publicly discuss it. Clinton campaign spokesman Brian Fallon would not comment. Clinton was pressing forward on her search for a running mate as her GOP rival struggled with dismal fundraising and major questions about his campaign organization. Trump fired his campaign manager Monday and new fundraising data showed donors gave the businessman's campaign just over $3 million last month. If Clinton were to tap Warren as her No. 2, she would be choosing one of the Senate's most outspoken liberals and a proponent of tough Wall Street regulation, has long been viewed as a running mate who could help Clinton appeal to Sanders' loyal supporters. She is also relishing taking on Trump, blasting the businessman in speeches and on Twitter as a "thin-skinned, racist bully" embracing a running mate's traditionally aggressive role. While Warren and Clinton do not have a close relationship, they recently met for about an hour in Washington. The senator also gave a pep talk to staff at the Clinton campaign's Brooklyn headquarters last week. Kaine, a former Virginia governor who previously headed the Democratic National Committee, is well-liked within the party and is more moderate than Warren. While he may not excite liberals, he's seen as a running mate who could appeal to independents and swing voters in his home state and elsewhere. President Barack Obama thoroughly vetted Kaine as he searched for a running mate in 2008, ultimately passing over the Virginian in favor of then-Delaware Sen. Joe Biden. Castro, a telegenic 41-year-old Texan, would bring youthful enthusiasm to Clinton's campaign and would be the first Hispanic on a major party ticket. Obama plucked him from his post as San Antonio mayor in 2014 to serve in the Cabinet, a move seen by some Democrats as a way to bolster Castro's national profile for a potential vice presidential run. Warren, Kaine and Castro represent the two schools of thinking about the running mate pick that have emerged among those closest to Clinton's campaign. Some advisers believe Clinton should pick a running-mate that would energize Democrats: a woman, a staunch liberal or a minority. Others argue that Trump's deep unpopularity gives Clinton an opportunity to win over a share of independents and Republican-leaning voters with a more centrist pick, such as Kaine. Clinton is also said to be cognizant about the risks of tapping a senator who would be replaced by a Republican governor if Democrats won in November. That's a particular liability for Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker. Clinton's campaign is said to have considered both, but it was unclear Monday whether either would be fully vetted for the vice presidential slot. While Warren's seat would be temporarily filled by an appointee named by Massachusetts' Republican governor, the state would hold a special election for a permanent replacement. A handful of other Democrats are also said to be under consideration, though the full list is being closely guarded by the Clinton campaign. Longtime Clinton allies John Podesta and Cheryl Mills are overseeing the search and few people beyond them are believed to know the full list of candidates being vetted. Clinton herself as been vague in describing her thinking about picking a running mate. "I'm looking broadly and widely and I'm gonna begin to really, you know, dive into thinking hard about this," she told CBS News earlier this month. "I'm gonna be looking, first and foremost, as to who I believe could fulfill the responsibilities of being president and commander in chief." ___ Associated Press writers Ken Thomas and Erica Werner contributed to this report. ___ Follow Julie Pace and Lisa Lerer on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jpaceDC and http://twitter.com/llerer Enbridge getting cleanup equipment just in case of oil spill TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) A Canadian company that owns twin oil pipelines in the area where Lakes Huron and Michigan converge said Monday it will spend $7 million over the next two years on additional equipment that could be deployed quickly in the event of a spill, while insisting prospects are remote that it ever will be needed there. Enbridge Energy, based in Calgary, Alberta, said its purchases would include skimming and containment devices that would help crews recover oil quickly in open water and even during icy conditions in the Straits of Mackinac, a nearly 5-mile-wide waterway that separates Michigan's two peninsulas. "In the very unlikely event that we have to respond to a pipeline incident, we're ready," said Stephen Lloyd, a senior manager of emergency response with the company. This undated photo provided by Enbridge Energy shows a bucket skimmer, which is used to remove spilled oil from icy patches in waterways. Enbridge says it will keep two similar devices in storage near the Straits of Mackinac, the waterway where Lakes Huron and Michigan meet. Twin pipelines owned by Enbridge carry millions of gallons of oil daily beneath the straits, and Enbridge says the equipment will be available in the event of a spill. (Enbridge Energy via AP) Enbridge announced the equipment buys as it kicked off a three-day public relations tour in northern Michigan, to include "open-house" barbecues in six towns featuring presentations and exhibits designed to convince residents the pipeline known as "Line 5" has never leaked, is in good shape and poses no risk to the scenic area and its tourism-based economy. Line 5, which carries nearly 23 million gallons of light crude oil and liquefied natural gas daily, runs underground across northern Wisconsin and the southern tier of Michigan's Upper Peninsula before dividing into two sections that extend across the bottom of the Straits of Mackinac, as deep as 270 feet. From there, it continues underground to refineries in Sarnia, Ontario. Numerous elected officials, including some members of Congress and Michigan's attorney general, have raised concerns about Line 5 since another Enbridge pipeline ruptured in southern Michigan in 2010, releasing more than 800,000 gallons of oil into the Kalamazoo River and a tributary creek. Environmental groups want Line 5 shut down or rerouted away from the straits area, contending the 63-year-old pipeline is too great a danger. A University of Michigan study identified 720 miles of U.S. and Canadian shoreline that could be fouled by a significant release, depending on factors such as weather and currents. "This really makes you wonder why Enbridge is not coming to the table and admitting that eventually this infrastructure has to be decommissioned," said Liz Kirkwood, executive director of For Love of Water, a group opposed to Line 5. Enbridge says the underwater section is inspected regularly from inside and outside and monitored continuously from its operations center, where staffers who detect a problem could remotely stop the flow within three minutes. The U.S. agency that regulates pipelines recently released a consultant's study that found no corrosion issues with the pipes, but critics noted it relied on Enbridge data. State officials are planning an independent evaluation. Lloyd said Enbridge has taken additional steps to prepare for the worst, including basing a permanent crew in the straits-area town of St. Ignace. In response to a consultant's recommendation, the company is stockpiling additional boom floating barriers that can contain and absorb oil. It's also ordering eight custom-made devices for the straits area that can be towed to where they are needed, suck up contaminated water and remove the oil for offloading to another vessel, Lloyd said. Others could be obtained from an industry cooperative during an emergency. "That would prevent it from landing on shorelines and sensitive areas to begin with," Lloyd said. Enbridge also is getting two "bucket skimmers," which resemble circular brushes attached to robot arms that can scrub oil from patches of ice. During winter, the straits often develop ice cover that's several feet thick. In such conditions, icebreaking vessels might be needed to create openings where the skimmers could operate. Kirkwood said even with the additional equipment, it's likely that much of the oil from a Line 5 spill would remain in the water. "We know from previous oil spill disasters that there are severe limitations with existing technology on recovering oil in extreme conditions like those that exist in the straits," she said. ___ Follow John Flesher on Twitter at http://twitter.com/JohnFlesher Time may run out in case of teen charged in friend's suicide BOSTON (AP) Time could be running out for Massachusetts prosecutors seeking to put a teenager on trial for encouraging her boyfriend to take his own life by sending him dozens of text messages and telling him to "get back in" a truck filled with carbon monoxide fumes. Michelle Carter, 19, is charged with involuntary manslaughter in the 2014 death of Conrad Roy III, 18, of Mattapoisett. Because she was charged as a youthful offender, she could face up to 20 years in prison, the same sentence an adult would if convicted. But Carter's lawyer has asked the state's highest court to either dismiss the manslaughter charge or require prosecutors to try her as a juvenile. FILE - In this Aug. 24, 2015 file photo, Michelle Carter listens to defense attorney Joseph P. Cataldo argue for an involuntary manslaughter charge against her to be dismissed at Juvenile Court in New Bedford, Mass. Carter, a teenager from Plainville, Mass., is charged with involuntary manslaughter in the 2014 death of 18-year-old Conrad Roy III. If the court agrees to send the case to juvenile court, prosecutors have until Aug. 11, 2016, to put her on trial. That's the day Carter turns 20, when she will age out of the juvenile system. (Peter Pereira/Standard Times via AP, File) MANDATORY CREDIT If the Supreme Judicial Court agrees to send the case to juvenile court, prosecutors will have only until Aug. 11 to put her on trial. That's the day Carter turns 20, when she will age out of the juvenile system. But if the court upholds the prosecution's decision to charge her as a youthful offender, there is no race against the clock for putting her on trial and she could face adult punishment. For Roy's family, the possibility that Carter could receive no punishment is difficult to fathom. "We're anxiously awaiting the decision," said Janice Roy, Conrad's grandmother. "We're hoping that she is put on trial." The charge against Carter, of Plainville, drew national attention after transcripts of text messages were released publicly, showing she urged Roy to follow through on his plan to take his own life. "You can't think about it. You just have to do it. You said you were gonna do it. Like I don't get why you aren't," Carter, then 17, wrote to Roy the day of his death. The teens had met in Florida two years earlier while visiting relatives. Their relationship consisted mostly of text messages and emails, and they hadn't seen each other in more than a year when Roy died, even though they lived only about 50 miles apart in Massachusetts. When Roy's body was discovered in his pickup truck in Fairhaven, police found a gasoline-operated water pump in the back seat. Carter's lawyer, Joseph Cataldo, argues that her text messages were free speech protected by the First Amendment and do not constitute a crime. Massachusetts does not have a law against encouraging or assisting suicide. Cataldo said Carter had repeatedly tried to talk Roy out of taking his own life, but gave up about two weeks before his death. He argued that Roy who had made a previous suicide attempt was determined to end his life. "She did not cause his death. He obviously caused his own death and took all the necessary steps 100 percent of the physical steps to bring about his own death," Cataldo said. But during arguments before the Supreme Judicial Court in April, Assistant District Attorney Shoshana Stern said Carter engaged in "emotional manipulation" of a vulnerable teen who had struggled with depression. Stern said that in addition to sending him text messages, Carter also spoke on the phone with Roy while he was in his truck inhaling carbon monoxide fumes. At one point, he got out of his truck, but Carter told him to "get back in," Stern said. Peter Elikann, a Boston defense attorney who is not involved in the case, said that if the court allows Carter to be tried as a youthful offender, prosecutors may still have a tough time winning a manslaughter conviction. "The issue will be whether she forced him to get back into the truck, which would mean she did, in fact, participate," Elikann said. "Or did she just encourage him, which would be perhaps a reprehensible act, but not illegal." Twist and Om: Millions exercise together for global Yoga Day CHANDIGARH, India (AP) Millions of people twisted their bodies in complex positions in celebration of International Yoga Day on Tuesday. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined a crowd of 30,000 schoolchildren and other residents of the northern city of Chandigarh for a mass yoga session. Before starting, Modi urged people to make yoga a part of their lives, saying the practice which began in ancient India doesn't differentiate between the rich and poor, and is accessible to all. Indians holds hands as they attempt to create a record for the longest human yoga chain with more than 8000 participants at an event to celebrate International Yoga Day in Ahmadabad, India, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Millions of yoga enthusiasts are bending their bodies in complex postures across India as they take part in a mass yoga program to mark the second International Yoga Day. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki) "With zero budget, yoga provides health assurance and it does not discriminate between rich and poor," Modi told participants at the event. Similar yoga events were held in villages, towns and cities all over India. Last year, the United Nations proclaimed June 21 as International Day of Yoga. At the United Nations in New York, various yoga poses were projected on a side wall of the U.N. headquarters building to highlight the role yoga can play in helping the U.N. achieve its sustainable development goals. The day will be celebrated outside the U.N. building with a demonstration by Jaggi Vasudev, also known as Sadhguru, and a musical incantation. Thousands of people had gathered in New York's Times Square on Monday to celebrate the summer solstice by doing downward dogs. Yoga classes were held all day amid the chaos of Midtown. Many believe that practicing yoga is the best way to calm the mind and the best form of exercise for the body. In New Delhi, hundreds of thousands gathered at several venues where mass yoga exercises were organized by the government in parks and in a central plaza. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi performs yoga along with thousands of Indians in Chandigarh, India, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Millions of yoga enthusiasts are bending their bodies in complex postures across India as they take part in a mass yoga program to mark the second International Yoga Day. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das) Kashmiri students perform yoga at an event to celebrate International Yoga Day in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Millions of yoga enthusiasts are bending their bodies in complex postures across India as they take part in a mass yoga program to mark the second International Yoga Day. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan) Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, center, performs yoga along with thousands of Indians in Chandigarh, India, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Millions of yoga enthusiasts are bending their bodies in complex postures across India as they take part in a mass yoga program to mark the second International Yoga Day. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das) Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, center, performs yoga along with thousands of Indians in Chandigarh, India, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Millions of yoga enthusiasts are bending their bodies in complex postures across India as they take part in a mass yoga program to mark the second International Yoga Day. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das) India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi performs yoga along with thousands of Indians in Chandigarh, India, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Millions of yoga enthusiasts are bending their bodies in complex postures across India as they take part in a mass yoga program to mark the second International Yoga Day. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das) India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi practices yoga along with thousands of Indians in Chandigarh, India, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Millions of yoga enthusiasts are bending their bodies in complex postures across India as they take part in a mass yoga program to mark the second International Yoga Day. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das) Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh, center in middle row, performs yoga with others at an event to celebrate International Yoga Day in Lucknow, India, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Millions of yoga enthusiasts are bending their bodies in complex postures across India as they take part in a mass yoga program to mark the second International Yoga Day. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh) Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, center, performs yoga along with thousands of Indians in Chandigarh, India, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Millions of yoga enthusiasts are bending their bodies in complex postures across India as they take part in a mass yoga program to mark the second International Yoga Day. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das) Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, center, performs yoga along with thousands of Indians in Chandigarh, India, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Millions of yoga enthusiasts are bending their bodies in complex postures across India as they take part in a mass yoga program to mark the second International Yoga Day. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das) Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi performs yoga along with others in Chandigarh, India, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Millions of yoga enthusiasts are bending their bodies in complex postures across India as they take part in a mass yoga program to mark the second International Yoga Day. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das) Indian army soldiers perform yoga ahead of International Yoga Day in Ahmadabad, India, Monday, June 20, 2016. The International Yoga Day will be marked on Tuesday, June 21. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki) Indians perform yoga to celebrate International Yoga Day in Ahmadabad, India, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Millions of yoga enthusiasts are bending their bodies in complex postures across India as they take part in a mass yoga program to mark the second International Yoga Day. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki) Bollywood actress Bipasha Basu, third left, laughs as yoga guru Sri Vachananand Swamiji, second right, performs yoga at an event to celebrate International Yoga Day in Bangalore, India, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Millions of yoga enthusiasts are bending their bodies in complex postures across India as they take part in a mass yoga program to mark the second International Yoga Day. On the right is India's southern state of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi) Kashmiri students and government employees perform yoga at an event to celebrate International Yoga Day in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Millions of yoga enthusiasts are bending their bodies in complex postures across India as they take part in a mass yoga program to mark the second International Yoga Day. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan) Indians perform yoga on the International Yoga Day at the Lodhi Garden, home to 15th and 16th century tombs of Mughal emperors, in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Millions of yoga enthusiasts are bending their bodies in complex postures across India as they take part in a mass yoga program to mark the second International Yoga Day. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri) Haslam, ECD Commissioner Boyd visit Ireland NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and state Economic and Community Development Commissioner Randy Boyd have been on a trip to Ireland for economic recruitment. Haslam spokeswoman Jennifer Donnals said in an email that Haslam and Boyd were in Dublin on Monday meeting with Irish government officials and business leaders. She was not more specific about what kind of economic recruitment they were doing. Hundreds of new evacuations across West as wildfires surge LOS ANGELES (AP) Surging wildfires on Tuesday forced new evacuations of hundreds of homes across the West, while firefighters began beating back a pair of big adjacent blazes looming over suburban Los Angeles. Near the U.S.-Mexico border southeast of San Diego, a two-day-old, 9-square-mile wildfire moved toward a new community and forced the evacuation of about 600 homes and more than 1,500 people in Lake Morena Village. Previously only about 75 people had evacuated from that fire. It was 10 percent contained. In the Los Angeles area, firefighters stopped the progress of two adjacent fires in the San Gabriel Mountains 20 miles northeast of downtown LA. A wildfire burns around homes built near a hilltop in Azusa, Calif., Monday, June 20, 2016. New wildfires erupted Monday in Southern California and chased people from their homes as an intensifying heat wave stretching from the West Coast to New Mexico blistered the region. (AP Photo/Nick Ut) The blazes were 10 percent contained and had burned about 7 square miles, U.S. Forest Service spokesman Nathan Judy said. Still, no one was being allowed back to the 770 homes in the foothill city of Duarte that were under evacuation orders. "We're looking at another night at least," Judy said. "We understand the stress it puts on families if you displace them from their homes, and we want to get them back as soon as we can." The two fires erupted separately Monday and scared homeowners before burning mostly away from the cities. Charlie Downing, out of breath and with his shirt off because of the heat, said that when he first smelled fire and felt heat he ran outside of his house and was astonished by the size and nearness of the flames. "I came running over just to look, and it was 15 to 20 feet in the air," Downing told reporters. "By the time I came back and told my grandma and my kids to get in the car, it was right by the car." He and two neighbors sprayed the flames with their yard hoses until firefighters arrived minutes later. Two towering columns of smoke rose from the mountain range, reminiscent of a 2009 fire that scorched 250 square miles of the Angeles National Forest as it burned for weeks. Elsewhere, crews made progress against a week-old blaze in rugged coastal mountains west of Santa Barbara, boosting containment to 84 percent. About 270 homes and other buildings were threatened by the blaze, which has charred more than 12 square miles since Wednesday. Authorities planned to begin lifting mandatory evacuations there on Wednesday. In Utah, officials have evacuated about 100 homes from a mountain near a town in the southwest section of the state as a wildfire less than a mile away is moving down a rocky slope toward the community of Pine Valley. The blaze is less than a square mile, but it is moving dangerously close to homes in difficult terrain, officials said. Other blazes burned wide swaths across Arizona and New Mexico, where firefighters also faced blistering heat. In New Mexico, a 28-square-mile fire that erupted last week and destroyed 24 homes in the mountains south of Albuquerque showed signs of slowing down. Higher humidity has allowed crews to strengthen lines, and some evacuees would be allowed to return home on Tuesday. In eastern Arizona, a fire doubled to nearly 42 square miles and led officials to warn a community of 300 residents to prepare to evacuate. The blaze on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation was not moving quickly toward the community of Cedar Creek because of sparse vegetation and shifting winds. Gov. Doug Ducey declared a state of emergency to free up state funds to help in the fire area. ___ This story has been corrected to show that plans to lift mandatory evacuations on Wednesday apply only to the Santa Barbara-area fire. A firefighter keeps watch a wildfire in Azusa, Calif., Monday, June 20, 2016. New wildfires erupted Monday near Los Angeles and chased people from their suburban homes as an intense heatwave stretching from the West Coast to New Mexico blistered the region. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu) Horses are seen before they are evacuated from a ranch as a wildfire is burning along a hillside in Azusa, Calif., Monday, June 20, 2016. New wildfires erupted Monday near Los Angeles and chased people from their suburban homes as an intense heatwave stretching from the West Coast to New Mexico blistered the region. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu) A firefighter keeps watch a wildfire in Azusa, Calif., Monday, June 20, 2016. New wildfires erupted Monday near Los Angeles and chased people from their suburban homes as an intense heatwave stretching from the West Coast to New Mexico blistered the region. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu) A large plume of smoke from a wildfire rises above a hillside just north of Azusa, Calif., Monday, June 20, 2016. New wildfires erupted in Southern California as an intensifying heat wave stretching from the West Coast to New Mexico blistered the region with triple-digit temperatures. (AP Photo/Nick Ut) Jesus Mendoza evacuates with his dog Sasha as flames approach his home on Highway 94 south of Potrero, Calif., on Monday, June 20, 2016. An intensifying heat wave stretching from the West Coast to New Mexico threatened to make the fight against Southern California wildfires more difficult Monday. (Hayne Palmour IV/San Diego Union-Tribune via AP) A helicopter drops water on a wildfire burning along the foothills above Brookridge Road in Duarte, Calif., Monday, June 20, 2016. Police in the city of Azusa and parts of Duarte ordered hundreds of homes evacuated. Others were under voluntary evacuations. (Walt Mancini/The Pasadena Star-News via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT A helicopter drops water on a wildfire burning along the foothills in Duarte, Calif., Monday, June 20, 2016. (Walt Mancini/Pasadena Star-News via AP) MAGS OUT, NO SALES An unidentified resident on Brookride Road loads his car with home possessions as he prepares to evacuate from his home, as a wildfire burns along the foothills above Brookridge Road in Duarte, Calif., Monday, June 20, 2016. (Walt Mancini/The Pasadena Star-News via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT A firefighting plane makes a retardant drop on a hill near a wildfire in Azusa, Calif., Monday, June 20, 2016. New wildfires erupted Monday in Southern California and chased people from their homes as an intensifying heat wave stretching from the West Coast to New Mexico blistered the region. (AP Photo/Nick Ut) Unreleased films to showcase Anton Yelchin's talent, passion LOS ANGELES (AP) Anton Yelchin's accidental death Sunday ended the actor's life and career far too soon, yet audiences will be able to see his talent and devotion to his craft in several unreleased projects. The 27-year-old actor reprises his role as Pavel Chekov in the third installment of the rebooted "Star Trek" film franchise due to be released in July, but at least five of the projects showcase his talents beyond a big-budget summer action film. Yelchin stars in "Porto," a romance set in the Portuguese city that director Gabe Klinger hopes will be released this fall. FILE - In this June 11, 2015, file photo, Anton Yelchin arrives at a special screening of "Burying the Ex" held at Grauman's Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles. Yelchin, a charismatic and rising actor best known for playing Chekov in the new "Star Trek" films, has died at the age of 27. He was killed in a fatal traffic collision early Sunday morning, June 19, 2016, his publicist confirmed. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File) "The role, I wish people could discover it already, but we talked about it for a year before we rolled cameras," Klinger said in an interview. "He was developing that character in his mind for a whole year. It was that level of seriousness. "It will be very bittersweet now." "Trollhunters," an animated series from Guillermo del Toro, is scheduled to debut on Netflix in December. The project, promoted as an ambitious family-friendly series, was previewed just last week in France. Yelchin voices the show's main character, Jim, who discovers warring trolls living beneath his hometown. Del Toro said he worked with Yelchin for about a year and called him "a great creative partner and artist." The actor had also completed filming on several independent movies with writer-directors: Mark Palansky's science-fiction drama "Rememory," with Peter Dinklage, Peer Pedersen's family drama "We Don't Belong Here" with Catherine Keener and Cory Finley's Connecticut thriller "Thoroughbred," with Olivia Cooke. Yelchin was killed early Sunday when his 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee pinned him between a mailbox pillar and a security fence. The actor had been scheduled to attend a rehearsal, and his body was found when his friends became concerned and went to his home to check on him. The actor's vehicle was subject to a recall because the gear shifters have confused drivers, causing the vehicles to roll away unexpectedly. The SUV was part of a global recall of 1.1 million vehicles by automaker Fiat Chrysler in April. The automaker expects to have a fix for the problem in July or August. As of April, the company had reports of 212 crashes, 41 injuries and 308 property damage claims potentially caused by the shifters, it said in documents filed with the government. Investigators were looking into the position of Yelchin's gear shift at the time of the accident, Los Angeles Police officer Jane Kim said. The actor had gotten out of the vehicle momentarily, but police didn't say why he was behind it when it started rolling. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said late Monday that it was in contact with Los Angeles authorities, and if the actor's death was related to the gear shift problem, it would be the first known fatality. The agency also urged owners of recalled vehicles to use their parking brakes and turn them off completely every time they exited until their vehicles were fixed. Fiat Chrysler said in a statement Monday that it was investigating and it was premature to speculate on the cause of the crash. The actor's death comes a month before Paramount is scheduled to debut "Star Trek Beyond" in San Diego at the annual fan convention Comic-Con. Director J.J. Abrams, who cast Yelchin in the franchise, wrote in a statement that he was "brilliant ... kind ... funny as hell, and supremely talented." Klinger agreed, saying Yelchin studied film and aspired to be more than just an actor. He said Yelchin was grateful he got to work with one of his acting heroes, Willem Dafoe, on the film "Odd Thomas." "He used to refer to Willem as an artist, not an actor," Klinger said. "That's the kind of actor he aspired to be, where people didn't regard him as an actor, they regarded him as an artist." ___ AP Auto Writer Tom Krisher and AP Film Writer Jake Coyle contributed to this report. FILE - In this Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2014, file photo, Actor Anton Yelchin poses for portraits during the 71st edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy. Yelchin, a charismatic and rising actor best known for playing Chekov in the new "Star Trek" films, has died at the age of 27. He was killed in a fatal traffic collision early Sunday morning, June 19, 2016, his publicist confirmed. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis, File) The driveway to the home of Anton Yelchin, a rising actor, best known for playing Chekov in the new "Star Trek" films, is seen in the Studio City area of Los Angeles, on Sunday, June 19, 2016. Yelchin was killed by his own car as it rolled down his driveway early Sunday, police and his publicist said. The car pinned Yelchin, 27, against a brick mailbox pillar and a security fence at his home in Los Angeles, Officer Jenny Hosier said. He had gotten out of the vehicle momentarily, but police did not say why he was behind it when it started rolling. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) Television reporters record the driveway to the home of Anton Yelchin, a rising actor, best known for playing Chekov in the new "Star Trek" films, is seen in the Studio City area of Los Angeles, on Sunday, June 19, 2016. Yelchin was killed by his own car as it rolled down his driveway early Sunday, police and his publicist said. The car pinned Yelchin, 27, against a brick mailbox pillar and a security fence at his home in Los Angeles, Officer Jenny Hosier said. He had gotten out of the vehicle momentarily, but police did not say why he was behind it when it started rolling. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) That compares with only 40 out of 1,500 men who flunk the same test Six out of seven female recruits failed to pass the Marines' rigorous physical fitness requirements - compared to only 40 out of 1,500 male recruits, according to new data. The figures, obtained by the Associated Press, show what progress has been made six months after the Pentagon opened all combat jobs open to women. Seven women are now serving in combat roles in the Marines or are waiting to serve, while 167 are performing non-combat duties in front-line units. But the fitness requirements are proving a tough nut to crack for female recruits. All recruits to the Marines are required to carry out pull-ups, ammunition-can lifts, a three-mile run and combat maneuvers before they can be considered for combat duty. Female recruits stand at the Marine Corps Training Depot on Parris Island, South Carolina. New physical standards established so women can compete for combat posts have been too much for most females The numbers underscore the difficulty of integrating women into the demanding jobs, and reflect the small number of women who want to be combat Marines and can pass the new tough physical standards required to qualify. So far this year those standards have weeded out most female hopefuls and have also disqualified some men. Failing the tests, taken about 45 days into basic training, forces recruits into less physically demanding Marine jobs. The high failure rate for women recruits, however, raises questions about how well integration can work, including in Marine infantry units where troops routinely slog for miles carrying packs weighed down with artillery shells and ammunition, and at any moment must be able to scale walls, dig in and fight in close combat. The new standards are a product of the Pentagon's decision to allow women to compete for front-line jobs, including infantry, artillery and other combat posts. But Marine leaders say they are also screening out less physically powerful Marines both men and women. 'I think that's made everybody better,' Marine Commandant Gen. Robert Neller told the AP in his first in-depth interview on the subject. 'We're trying to raise everybody's bar a little bit and we're trying to figure out how to get closer together, because at the end of the day we're all going to be on the battlefield and we all have to be able to do our job.' The seven women already serving in combat jobs or in the pipeline are almost all Marine officers who requested open combat posts. The one recruit among the seven has enlisted for an infantry job, but hasn't reported yet to boot camp. One of the officers was injured in the infantry officers' course and is waiting to retake it. Two women graduated from the artillery officers' course one ranked third in the class and the other graduated with honors. Three more participated in the infantry research program last year and asked to move into infantry jobs. They'll take advanced infantry training and then report to battalions this fall. The 167 other female Marines are working in intelligence, logistics or communications, but asked to be moved to front-line combat units. Neller said he wasn't surprised that few women are interested in the combat jobs. 'Some of them are not interested at all, some want just to make it gender neutral and we'll just figure it out,' Neller said. 'The majority of them, when you get them together, they say, 'Look, I'm not really interested in this. I love being a Marine, I like what I'm doing as a Marine. And I'm really not interested in this, but I don't want you to tell me I can't try.'' Marine Corps Commandant General Robert Neller testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, before the Senate Armed Services Committee. The Marine Corps is determined the caliber of recruits will not be diminished Marine Corps leaders initially balked at allowing women into certain infantry, reconnaissance and combat engineer jobs, pointing to studies that showed mixed gender units did not perform as well as male-only units. But Defense Secretary Ash Carter ordered all combat jobs open to women. The Marines developed a detailed progression of physical standards that recruits must meet to get into the combat jobs. And officials insist that standards will not be lowered to allow more women to pass. Nearly 86 percent of the women failed the tests, compared with less than 3 percent of the men. Before the standards test existed, the 40 men who failed would have moved on to combat jobs anyway, a Marine Corps analysis said. So Neller said that the overall quality of the force will eventually improve. The tiny success rate for women presents additional challenges if only one or two qualify for a combat job in a previously male-only unit. If two women qualify, they will be placed in a combat unit together. But, if only one qualifies, she'll be put in a unit with men she trained alongside in school. Those men, the Marine Corps said, will have seen her go through the training and know that she had done as well, or better, than they did. The Marines will also put a female officer and a female senior enlisted leader in the combat units. Early on, those will likely be women doing a noncombat job such as an intelligence or logistics officer. And they will be required to pass a physical fitness test to qualify to serve in that combat unit. Neller said it will be an adjustment for Marines with women in previously male-only units, adding, 'there are some things we're going to have to work through.' Would he want his daughter to serve in the infantry? Israeli lawyer uses inside knowledge against settler group JERUSALEM (AP) A few years ago, Mohammad Abu Ta'a discovered that some storage trailers had disappeared from a plot of land in Jerusalem belonging to his family. Then, the family received a letter informing them they were now trespassers. When the Palestinian landowner contacted Israeli land authorities, he was told the government had expropriated the land and handed it over to a leading organization that oversees Jewish settlement building in the West Bank. That group, Amana, is now building its new headquarters on the land. Abu Ta'a is fighting back to expose the shadowy land grab. This May 17, 2016 photo shows construction on land owned by Palestinian Mohammad Abu Taa, in east Jerusalem. Abu Taa discovered some years ago that the Israeli government had expropriated the piece of land in Jerusalem belonging to his family and handed it over to a leading organization that oversees Jewish settlement building in the West Bank. Now, the Palestinian landowner is fighting back in an unusual way -- enlisting Israeli lawyer Stephen Berman whose inside knowledge of the system is helping Abu Taa expose the settler organizations property grab. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean) But he is doing it in an unusual way enlisting the services of an Israeli lawyer who spent 16 years as a municipal civil servant approving expropriations of Palestinian land in Jerusalem. The lawyer, Stephen Berman, left his post as legal adviser to the Jerusalem municipality's real estate department and went into private practice in 2003. He is now using his inside knowledge of the system to expose what he says is the settler group's illegitimate property grab. "This was my job, doing this stuff," the U.S.-born Berman told The Associated Press, recounting from behind his paper-littered desk the expropriations he used to approve. "That was their lack of luck." Unlike some Israeli lawyers who fight for Palestinian rights in court, Berman is not an activist for the Palestinian cause. Shortly before he took on this case, he represented a Jewish settlement project in east Jerusalem. "I don't care who the law serves," he said. "I care what the law is." Following a paper trail of old maps and land registry documents, Berman said he uncovered how Israeli civil servants, stretching back decades, abused their power to seize control of the tiny but attractive triangle of real estate from the Abu Ta'a family in east Jerusalem and give it to Amana, a 40-year-old organization that spearheads the construction of Jewish settlements in east Jerusalem and the West Bank. The organization, which has been investigated multiple times for fraudulent real estate deals, has helped plan and build numerous government-sanctioned Jewish settlements and unauthorized outposts. An investigative program on Israel's Channel 10 TV in February reported that Israeli police investigated 15 West Bank land acquisitions where settlement outposts were built and found that Amana's subsidiary had forged documents for 14 of them. The subsidiary denied the claims. "The Amana organization is a settler organization that deals with construction of settlements ... many times on stolen Palestinian land," said Hagit Ofran of the anti-settlement watchdog group Peace Now. "We are not surprised to see them stealing land also in Jerusalem." "The trouble here is that the government is helping the settlers to take over this land," Ofran added. A lawyer for Amana did not return repeated requests for comment, and reporters on a recent visit to the Abu Ta'as' plot were ordered out by an Israeli supervisor of the construction site. Amana fenced off the plot in November and began building. There were no signs identifying the construction project or Amana, as required by law. The Jerusalem Municipality said in a statement that it would ask Amana to put up a sign. "Having this land is our right," said Abu Ta'a. "We owned it for a long time, before Israel existed in this land." The story began in 1967, when Israel captured and later annexed east Jerusalem, home to some of the city's holiest religious sites. The following year, to cement the annexation, Israel drew up a plan to expropriate large swaths of vacant Arab-owned territory along the line between east and west Jerusalem. Some of the expropriated land went into building the Israeli national police headquarters, government ministries and large Jewish neighborhoods, which the international community considers illegal settlements. But some of the land slated for expropriation was left untouched for decades. In 1989, planning officials approved a final planning scheme for the area. It was smaller than the original expropriation plan, and Abu Ta'a's plot was left out. In 1991, the Israel Lands Administration, the government body that manages state-owned lands, declared in a court case that whatever land was needed was part of the new scheme. Berman said that gave the impression that Israel did not intend to take the Abu Ta'a plot. As the attorney representing the city of Jerusalem, Berman was involved in that court case. When Abu Ta'a and approached him years later, in 2012, after learning his plot of land had been taken, Berman thought something didn't add up. "I started looking at the facts," Berman said. He found that a year after the land authority gave the impression it was no longer interested in taking land in the area, officials quietly began doing the opposite. Eventually, the Abu Ta'a plot was transferred to the settlement group Amana. Berman found documents showing that in 1992, just after the pro-settlement Likud party lost control of the government to a newly elected left-wing prime minister, the Lands Administration gave permission to Amana to start planning the construction of its headquarters on the Palestinian-owned land. The lawyer said he believes this was a last-minute effort by pro-settlement land officials to push the land transfer through before then-Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin could block it. Indeed, when the new government was formed, it froze the deal. Then in 1997, a year after the pro-settlement Benjamin Netanyahu first became Israeli prime minister, the deal was revived and approved retroactively, Berman said. At the time, Berman says, Amana secured the necessary approvals by tricking local and national land planning officials into thinking the land was owned by the government. The land authority did not respond to repeated phone calls and emails seeking comment. But in 2005, when Amana tried to re-parcel the plot, it ran into a snag: the land was still not registered in the government's name. To get final approval from Israel's finance minister, Israel Lands Administration officials "came up with a brilliant idea," said Berman. They rezoned the map to make the Palestinian land look like it was connected to nearby government buildings. It made the expropriation look like it was for public reasons, Berman said, and it was approved. Abu Ta'a said his family has refused to accept an offer received in 2012 to apply for compensation. After five months of court proceedings, a Jerusalem district court in March ruled that the planning scheme was done improperly. But the judge ruled it was the result of a series of mistakes and stopped short of calling it fraudulent deceit, and therefore ruled that Amana could continue to build its headquarters. Berman is now appealing to Israel's Supreme Court. "Expropriation is sometimes a necessary and legitimate measure. In this case, there was a situation that was irregular," said Berman. This May 17, 2016 photo shows construction on land owned by Palestinian Mohammad Abu Taa, in east Jerusalem. Abu Taa discovered some years ago that the Israeli government had expropriated the piece of land in Jerusalem belonging to his family and handed it over to a leading organization that oversees Jewish settlement building in the West Bank. Now, the Palestinian landowner is fighting back in an unusual way -- enlisting Israeli lawyer Stephen Berman whose inside knowledge of the system is helping Abu Taa expose the settler organizations property grab. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean) In this May 17, 2016 photo, Israeli lawyer Stephen Berman inspects a construction site on land owned by Palestinian Mohammad Abu Taa, in east Jerusalem. Abu Taa discovered some years ago that the Israeli government had expropriated the piece of land in Jerusalem belonging to his family and handed it over to a leading organization that oversees Jewish settlement building in the West Bank. Now, the Palestinian landowner is fighting back in an unusual way -- enlisting Berman whose inside knowledge of the system is helping Abu Taa expose the settler organizations property grab. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean) No 'magic bullet' against jihadist propaganda, Lynch says ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) The Orlando massacre at a popular gay nightclub shows no one yet has "found the magic bullet" to prevent Americans from being inspired to violence by jihadist propaganda on the internet, Attorney General Loretta Lynch said Tuesday as she visited a city still shaken by the shootings. Countering the narrative of radical extremism continues to be a challenge for the government, Lynch said in an interview with The Associated Press. "How do we break that chain? How do we counter this extremist ideology that's online, knowing that the internet has to remain free and open?" she said. "What can we get out there that's a counter-message to that?" Attorney General Loretta Lynch makes comments during a news conference about the Pulse nightclub mass shooting, Tuesday, June 21, 2016, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) At the scene of the carnage, workers removed a temporary fence that was erected around the Pulse nightclub. State officials wondered how they would pay for resources drained by the June 12 massacre, and investigators kept probing for gunman Omar Mateen's motives for the rampage, in which 49 people were killed and dozens more wounded. Mateen died in a gunbattle with police. Lynch said investigators may never pinpoint a single motive and have not ruled out witness reports suggesting Mateen might have been at Pulse before or had gay interests. "While we know a lot more about him in terms of who he was and what he did, I do not want to definitively rule out any particular motivation here," she said, later adding, "It's entirely possible that he had a singular motive. It's entirely possible that he had a dual motive." In a 911 call from the club, Mateen pledged solidarity with the Islamic State group, and Lynch said there's no doubt, based on evidence gathered during the investigation, that he had read and absorbed extremist propaganda on the internet. "We believe that is certainly one avenue of radicalization, but we want to know if there are others," she said in the interview. "We want to know everything he did in the days, weeks and months leading up to this attack." "We still do believe that this was an act of terror and an act of hate," she added. Speaking to reporters later, she called the rampage a "shattering attack on our nation, on our people and on our most fundamental ideals." She also directly addressed the LGBT community, saying, "We stand with you to say that the good in the world far outweighs the evil ... and that our most effective response to terror and hatred is compassion, unity and love." While in Orlando, Lynch visited a memorial, praised the actions of first responders and met with victims' relatives. Her remarks at a news conference followed meetings with U.S. Attorney Lee Bentley and other law enforcement officials, including prosecutors assigned to the investigation. Lynch's meeting with first responders came as Orlando police faced continued questions about their response. On Monday, police Chief John Mina said that if any fire from responding officers hit victims at the club, Mateen bears the responsibility. "Those killings are on the suspect, on the suspect alone in my mind," he said. Lynch said the Justice Department will provide Florida $1 million in emergency funds to help with response costs. Florida's Republican Gov. Rick Scott had complained that Washington had turned down his request for $5 million to help pay for the state's response. Federal Emergency Management Agency spokesman Rafael Lemaitre said its disaster fund was not an "appropriate source" to pay for law enforcement response, medical care and counseling for victims of a shooting. More clues emerged about the attack Monday when the FBI released a partial transcript of phone calls Mateen had with a 911 operator and police crisis negotiators once the shooting got underway. In them, he identified himself as an Islamic soldier, demanded that the U.S. "stop bombing" Syria and Iraq, warned of future violence and at one point pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State group, the FBI said. Mateen's calls to police, which one FBI official said were made in a "chilling, calm and deliberate manner" were similar to postings he apparently made on Facebook around the time of the shooting. "I'm in Orlando and I did the shootings," Mateen said in one call that came more than a half-hour after the first shots rang out, the FBI said. Despite his declarations, the FBI says it's found no evidence the attack was directed by a foreign terrorist organization. Mateen instead appears to have become radicalized through online jihadist propaganda, officials say, an influence that openly worries law enforcement. Federal officials have encouraged friends and families to report to authorities individuals they believe are coming under the sway of extremist ideology and have sought to discourage Americans from traveling to Syria to fight alongside the Islamic State by portraying it as a hellish danger zone. But "it's a real challenge" to redirect extremist propaganda that motivates people like Mateen to violence, particularly when the material is so easily accessible online, Lynch said. "A lot of people are looking at this, and I don't know that anyone has found that magic bullet or that way to break that chain," she said. __ Associated Press writers Alex Sanz in Orlando and Alicia A. Caldwell and Sadie Gurman in Washington contributed to this report. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, left, meets with U.S. Attorney Lee Bentley at the Orlando FBI office for a briefing on the Pulse nightclub mass shooting, Tuesday, June 21, 2016, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) Orlando mayor Buddy Dyer, left, greets Attorney General Loretta Lynch as she arrives at City Hall to view a memorial for the victims of the Pulse nightclub mass shooting, Tuesday, June 21, 2016, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) Orlando mayor Buddy Dyer, left, and Attorney General Loretta Lynch view a memorial at City Hall of 49 wreaths, one for each victim of the Pulse nightclub mass shooting, Tuesday, June 21, 2016, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) Benghazi panel misses self-imposed deadline to issue report WASHINGTON (AP) The House Benghazi Committee missed a self-imposed deadline to issue a report "before summer," the latest setback for a probe that has gone on for more than two years and drawn scorn from Democrats who say its primary goal is to undermine Hillary Clinton's presidential bid. The panel's chairman, Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., now says "the committee is working overtime to complete the investigation" and will "issue a report as soon as possible." Clinton, who was secretary of state at the time of the deadly 2012 attacks, is expected to be nominated for president at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia in five weeks. A congressional report on the Sept. 11, 2012 attacks in Libya that killed four Americans, including U.S. ambassador Chris Stevens, is certain to have ramifications for Clinton's White House bid. FILE - In this Jan. 27, 2015, file photo, House Benghazi Committee Chairman Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., left, confers with the committee's ranking member Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., during the committee's hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. The committee has missed a self-imposed deadline to issue a report before summer," the latest setback for a probe that has gone on for more than two years and drawn scorn from Democrats who say the primary goal of the Republican-led investigation is to undermine Hillary Clinton's presidential bid.(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) Gowdy, who has been dogged by charges of partisanship since the inquiry began in May 2014, disputed Democrats' contention that the Republican-led investigation is focused on Clinton, saying in a statement that the panel's work encompasses a host of federal agencies, including the Defense and State departments, the CIA, the White House and the intelligence community. The committee has interviewed 107 witnesses so far, including 81 who had never before been questioned by Congress, Gowdy said. Nine of the new witnesses interviewed were eyewitnesses to the September 2012 attacks. Gowdy has complained for months about the Obama administration's reluctance to cooperate with the investigation, but he said in a statement Friday that he is grateful to all the witnesses who have taken the time to answer the panel's questions. "The testimony they provided helped complete our understanding of what happened in response to the Benghazi terrorist attacks," he said. Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, the senior Democrat on the Benghazi panel, said the latest blown deadline for the GOP report "is no accident." Gowdy and other Republicans "are delaying their report until right before the presidential conventions for maximum political impact," Cummings said in a statement. "The American people see right through this partisan ploy," Cummings added. "Republicans try to blame everyone else for their own delays, but that's ludicrous. They waited more than a year to even request many of these interviews. Republicans have forfeited their credibility by delaying this report over and over again in order to push it into a presidential election year." Gowdy said in March that the committee had made progress after interviewing several top Obama administration officials, including national security adviser Susan Rice; her deputy, Ben Rhodes; and former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta. In a March 9 email to The Associated Press, Gowdy promised a report "as soon as possible, before summer." Gowdy and other Republicans blame the Obama administration for impeding the investigation by repeatedly failing to produce needed documents or make witnesses available for interviews. Most recently, Gowdy issued a subpoena to an assistant secretary of defense who claimed in a letter to the committee that officials could not find one of the requested witnesses a drone sensor operator who identified himself on talk radio as "John from Iowa" despite expending "significant resources" to do so. The committee interviewed the drone operator this month after determining that Defense officials had provided the operator's name weeks earlier. "As it turns out, John was exactly who he had claimed to be and still on active duty with the Air Force," the committee said in a statement. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., called the back-and-forth over the drone operator a distraction and said Gowdy and majority Republicans were "struggling to come up with anything they can find to justify their long, expensive fishing expedition." The Benghazi panel has "spent two years and more than $7 million and we really haven't come up with anything new," Schiff said in an interview. The panel's inquiry follows seven previous congressional investigations and an independent panel led by former U.N. Ambassador Thomas Pickering and retired Adm. Mike Mullen, a former Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman. The reports faulted security at the Benghazi facility and said requests for security improvements were not acted upon in Washington. The reports debunked various claims, including a "stand down" order to the military. For Gowdy and other Republicans, the only question remaining is "how far can they drag it out," Schiff said, predicting the report will be issued just before the Democratic convention in late July or the November election. Either way, "I think the report will land with a thud," Schiff said, "because there won't be anything in it except a lot of wasted paper." ___ For many Trump employees, keeping quiet is legally required WASHINGTON (AP) Just hours after his public firing, Donald Trump's longtime campaign manager Corey Lewandowski spoke only glowingly of his former boss, deflecting any question about the dysfunction inside the Republican campaign. That's not surprising. Trump demands control over what his staff can say even if they're fired and speaking out can mean getting sued. In his businesses and presidential campaign, Trump requires nearly everyone to sign legally binding nondisclosure agreements prohibiting them from releasing any confidential or disparaging information about the real estate mogul, his family or his companies. Those subject to confidentiality agreements include senior advisers like Lewandowski, campaign volunteers and even a maker of his famous "Make America Great Again" hats. In this June 18, 2016, photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at the Treasure Island hotel and casino in Las Vegas. In his businesses and presidential campaign, Trump requires nearly everyone to sign legally binding nondisclosure agreements prohibiting them from releasing any confidential or disparaging information about the real estate mogul, his family or his companies. (AP Photo/John Locher) The practice is also something the presumptive Republican nominee says he would consider requiring in the White House, raising concerns about government transparency and freedom of information laws. According to a Trump nondisclosure agreement obtained by The Associated Press, the celebrity billionaire has broad discretion over what could constitute a breach of confidentiality. Employees are restricted from publicly disclosing information "of a private, proprietary or confidential nature or that Mr. Trump insists remain private or confidential," according to the document. It also requires them to return or destroy copies of any confidential information upon Trump's request. The agreement is binding during employment and "and at all times thereafter." The document was provided to The AP by a former Trump employee, who did so on the condition that the AP would not identify this person by name or make public the multipage document. Campaign staff to Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee, also had to sign nondisclosure forms, according to a campaign aide. The Clinton campaign would not release a copy of the form when asked by the AP. It's not just Trump who is protected by his campaign's confidentiality agreement. Making disparaging comments about "any member of Mr. Trump's family, including but not limited to, Mr. Trump's spouse, each of Mr. Trump's children and grandchildren and their respective spouses" is grounds for legal action. All of Trump's children are listed by name in the document, including his 10-year-old son, Barron. Lewandowski was fired in part because Trump's children questioned his leadership of the campaign. But in multiple post-firing interviews, Lewandowski repeatedly refused to criticize Trump or his children. "I can say I've always had a great relationship with the family, and I think I continue to do so," Lewandowski said on CNN before praising daughter Ivanka Trump and denying having any rift with her husband, Jared Kushner. In an interview on MSNBC, Lewandowski also deflected a question about whether he had signed a nondisclosure agreement, but last month, Lewandowski responded to reports that he was writing a book by tweeting that he had a "strict confidentiality agreement with Mr. Trump." Trump has said he may try to similarly restrict what federal government employees can reveal about him if he were elected president. He told The Washington Post that one of his goals in doing so would be to keep advisers from writing tell-all books when they leave government, a frequent practice for senior officials. Trump's agreement specifically bans employees from citing insider material in books, memoirs, speeches or movies. "When people are chosen by a man to go into government at high levels and then they leave government and they write a book about a man and say a lot of things that were really guarded and personal, I don't like that," Trump said in March. It's unclear how Trump would balance confidentiality agreements with federal laws, such as the Freedom of Information Act, that require the preservation and public release of government information, including email communications, schedules and other information about high-level employees. The Presidential Records Act also makes private White House communications, including emails, publicly available within 12 years of a president leaving office. Trump's campaign would not make the candidate available for an interview to expand on his comments. The real estate mogul did acknowledge to the Post that "it's a different thing" to require federal government employees to sign nondisclosure forms. Still, he touted the success he has had using the tactic with his employees, saying the agreements are "so airtight" that "I've never had a problem" with unauthorized disclosures. The full extent of Trump's lawsuits involving non-disclosure breaches is unclear and that's also by Trump's design. Trump's confidentiality agreements stipulate that disputes may be handled by the American Arbitration Association with the result that it keeps legal matters out of court, and information would be out of public view. That decision is the sole discretion of Trump and others protected by the agreement. But public court documents show he's been aggressive in targeting some of those who divulged information about him or his businesses. In 2013, Trump's Miss Universe pageant sought and won a $5 million judgment against a former contestant, accusing her of disparaging the event by claiming it was rigged. The judgment hung on the fine print of the contestant contract, which barred participants from doing or saying anything that would bring "public disrepute, ridicule, contempt or scandal or might otherwise reflect unfavorably" on Trump or a list of businesses associated with the pageant. In 1996, Trump sued New York businesswoman Barbara Corcoran for comments she made to New York magazine that Trump said violated a confidentiality agreement. A New York appellate court later ruled against Trump in the case. In 1992, Trump famously sued ex-wife Ivana for $25 million, claiming she violated the nondisclosure portion of the couple's divorce decree. The lawsuit stemmed in part from a romance novel authored by Ivana Trump called "For Love Alone," which Donald Trump claimed was based on the couple's marriage. Ivana Trump countersued over other parts of the divorce agreement, and in 1993, the two settled their differences. ___ Associated Press writer Jeff Horwitz contributed to this report. ___ Taliban attack buses in south Afghanistan, abduct 60 people KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (AP) The Taliban on Tuesday ambushed a series of buses and cars in southern Afghanistan's Helmand province, forcing people out of the vehicles and abducting around 60 passengers, an Afghan official said. The insurgents later said they released all but 27 of those abducted. According to Mohammad Ismail, a district police chief in Helmand, the attack happened in Gareshk district. The Taliban forced the buses and cars to stop at gunpoint, he said, adding that it's not known where the Taliban took the abducted passengers. Afghan police soldiers inspect the site of a suicide attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, June 20, 2016. At least a dozen Nepalese security guards of a foreign logistic company were killed Monday when a Taliban suicide bomber targeted their minibus in the Afghan capital, interior ministry and an Afghan security official said. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) The abductions come amid stepped-up Taliban attacks as part of their summer offensive. The insurgents frequently target buses carrying civil servants, or those perceived to be working for the Kabul government. On Monday, a Taliban suicide bomber killed 14 Nepalese security guards in an attack on their minibus in the Afghan capital. And in late May, a suicide bomber struck a minibus carrying court employees during morning rush hour, also in Kabul, killing 11 people. The Taliban also claimed that attack. In Tuesday's attack, Abdull Ghafoor Tokhi, the Helmand transportation director, said the Taliban "stopped couple of buses and around 15 other vehicles on the main highway and searched them all" suggesting they were looking for someone or something specific and had enough time to go through all the vehicles. Later Tuesday, Helmand police chief Gen. Aqa Noor Kentoz said Afghan security forces launched an operation to find the abducted passengers. He said it was too early to say how many government employees were among those travelling in the attacked buses and cars. Taliban spokesman Qari Yusouf Ahmadi later in a message to the media confirmed the group was behind the assault and said the insurgents still hold 27 of the abducted but freed the others. "We freed all but 27 ... there will be an investigation and we will find out if they are government employees and if so, they will be hand over to the Taliban judicial officials to decide on their fate," said Ahmadi. Earlier this month, the Taliban killed 12 people they had captured, including policemen and soldiers, in eastern Ghazni province. Last month, Taliban-linked insurgents killed at least nine people after seizing passengers off buses in northern Kunduz province. ___ German investor confidence jumps despite looming Brexit vote BERLIN (AP) A closely-watched survey shows German investor sentiment surged in June, as confidence in the German economy helped offset concerns about a possible British exit from the European Union. The ZEW institute said Tuesday its index of economic sentiment for Germany rose to 19.2 points from 6.4 points in May. Economists had predicted a slight decline. ZEW president Achim Wambach says "financial market experts have confidence in the resilience of the German economy. However, general economic conditions remain challenging." He added that "apart from the weak global economic dynamics, it is mainly the EU referendum in Great Britain which causes uncertainty." Investor confidence in the current economic situation in Germany improved by 1.4 points, but dropped 0.8 points for the eurozone. NYPD: Man arrested for blasting Mets stadium with music NEW YORK (AP) Police in New York City say they've nabbed the culprit who outfitted a van with more than 50 speakers and blasted loud music late at night near the New York Mets' stadium. WNBC-TV reports (http://bit.ly/28IWrHC ) police received multiple noise complaints Saturday night in the Queens neighborhood of Willets Point, near Citi Field. Police found the van and confiscated it. Authorities say the van's owner, Nelson Hidalgo, has been arrested on charges of criminal nuisance, unreasonable noise, unlawful assembly and other offenses. It wasn't immediately known if Hidalgo has an attorney. Islamic State regains areas lost to Syrian government BEIRUT (AP) The Islamic State group has retaken large areas in the northern Syrian province of Raqqa that it recently lost to government troops, opposition activists said Tuesday. Syrian troops have been on the offensive for nearly three weeks and had approached to within seven kilometers (four miles) of the Tabqa air base near Raqqa city, the de facto capital of the IS group's self-declared caliphate. But the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Tuesday that government forces lost all the territory they gained in Raqqa province since launching their offensive on June 2, adding that troops have been pushed back now to about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Tabqa. IS has been under pressure in Iraq, Syria and Libya in recent weeks, but the gains in Raqqa show it is still able to take on Syrian troops backed by Russian warplanes. The extremist group has used massive suicide bombings to break through its opponents' ranks. The Syrian government has had no presence in Raqqa since August 2014, when IS captured the Tabqa air base and killed scores of captured government soldiers. The provincial capital, Raqqa, was the first city to fall to IS. The IS-linked Aamaq news agency posted a video showing the extremists in control of Thawra oil field as warplanes strike nearby. Government forces had seized the field on Sunday only to lose it hours later. Syrian journalist Eyad al-Hosain, who is embedded with the army, wrote on his Facebook page that even if special forces "retreat for hours they will come back." He added that after two days of fierce battles, the army had to withdraw from "some" of the positions it captured recently. Al-Hosain added that the march toward Tabqa is ongoing but will take on "new dimensions," without elaborating. The Observatory said 40 troops were killed over the past two days, raising to 93 the number of troops killed since the offensive began. It added that 126 IS militants have been killed in the area so far, including 21 since Sunday. The Observatory said IS has brought reinforcements of some 300 fighters from the city of Raqqa. Fighting between rebels and government forces meanwhile continued around the divided northern city of Aleppo and its outskirts, with opposition media outlets publishing videos purportedly showing the use of air-dropped incendiary cluster munitions on civilian areas in the northern Aleppo countryside. The munitions can cause excruciating and often fatal burns. Opposition activists said the munitions were dropped by Russian jets, though this was not clear in the videos. A separate video, published by the Russian broadcaster Russia Today on YouTube Saturday, showed Russian jets in the Hemeimeem air base in Syria loaded with bombs labelled RBK-500 ZAB 2.5SM, a model of incendiary cluster munitions, according to the Geneva-based Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitoring group. A 2013 report by Human Rights Watch said the Syrian air force was deploying the weapons in a "widespread" manner, often against civilians. Russia is a signatory to a 1980 convention prohibiting their use in civilian areas; the Syrian government is not. In Geneva, Russia called for the resumption of peace talks that collapsed in April amid sharp disagreements between the government and the opposition. "The only way to solve the Syria crisis and stop human rights violations in Syria is to resume the direct Syria talks as soon as possible with a wide participation of the opposition including the Syrian Kurds," said Aleksei Goltiaev, who heads the human rights team at the Russian mission in Geneva. Suspended prison term in 2010 death of Poland's president WARSAW, Poland (AP) A Polish court on Tuesday convicted and handed a suspended prison term to a former deputy head of government security over the 2010 plane crash that killed President Lech Kaczynski and 95 others. The verdict by the Warsaw Provincial Court was the first conviction in the April 10, 2010, crash of Poland's presidential plane in Smolensk, Russia. The first lady, army commanders, central bank head and other top state officials were also killed in the crash. Gen. Pawel Bielawny was found guilty of knowingly neglecting his duties and exposing Kaczynski and Prime Minister Donald Tusk to danger by failing to order a proper inspection of the rudimentary Smolensk airport and, in the president's case, failing to send experienced officers to await the plane's landing. Tusk had landed safely three days earlier at the same airport. FILE - This is a Sunday, April 11, 2010 file photo of the wreckage of the Polish presidential plane which crashed early Saturday in Smolensk, western Russia. A Polish court Tuesday June 21, 2016 has convicted and handed a suspended prison term to Pawel Bielawny a former deputy head of government security over the 2010 plane crash that killed President Lech Kaczynski and 95 others. (AP Photo/Sergey Ponomarev, File) The court said it was a mistake of the organizers to have chosen an almost unused airport as a landing place for top state officials. The former deputy head of the Government Protection Bureau, or BOR, was given an 18-month suspended sentence and a 10,000-zloty (2,270-euro) fine. The verdict is subject to appeal. Kaczynski's plane crashed in dense fog on approach to Smolensk airport. Separate commissions of aviation experts in Poland and in Russia blamed the crash on insufficient training of the crew and on human error in adverse circumstances. Tusk's landing was in good visibility, but the court also saw security shortcomings in the organization of his flight. Poland is currently governed by the conservative Law and Justice party led by Kaczynski's twin, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, who is intent on finding and punishing those guilty of his brother's death. "I hope there will be more court verdicts" in the case, Kaczynski said in reaction to the verdict. He blames his brother's death on Tusk and on his government, arguing they intentionally neglected the security of a president they were not getting along with well. In a separate trial over the crash, another member of Tusk's government is facing accusations of negligence brought by the families of some of the victims. President Kaczynski was traveling to attend ceremonies in memory of thousands of Polish army officers killed in 1940 by the Soviet secret security in the Katyn forest, near Smolensk, and elsewhere. Some Law and Justice members claim the crash was an assassination and that explosives had been placed onboard the plane, by forces in Poland and in Russia, but the court said Tuesday it found no grounds to say there was an assassination attack. FILE - In this Sunday, April 18, 2010 file photo, mourners react as the coffins carrying late Polish President Lech Kaczynski and his wife Maria arrive at the Mariacky church for a mass in Krakow, Poland. A Polish court Tuesday June 21, 2016 has convicted and handed a suspended prison term to Pawel Bielawny a former deputy head of government security over the 2010 plane crash that killed President Lech Kaczynski and 95 others. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek, file) Britain rues the rules from EU_ pass the olive oil, please! BRUSSELS (AP) The tipping point might have been three years ago, when the European Union wanted to ban open bottles of olive oil that staple of easygoing culinary fun from restaurant tables across Europe. British Euroskeptics, who have railed for years against what they see as the EU's excessive intrusion into daily life with a long list of petty rules, finally had an example of overreach that promised to irritate everyone who loves to dip crusty bread into oil. A referendum Thursday will decide whether Britain remains a part of the 28-nation EU. Though the debate has centered more on immigration and the economy, the sense of sovereignty and independence is also a key theme for those in favor of leaving, who often point to attempts to regulate things like olive oil, toasters, and lawn mowers as they make their case that EU regulations can be absurd and stifling. FILE - In this Feb. 13, 2007 file photo, a man walks by artificial painted cows outside the congress "Active Market Regulation: Balanced Markets - Fair Prices" organised by the European Milk Board in Brussels. Railing for years against overly intrusion into daily life with myriad, petty rules, the British have made red tape and regulation a theme in the referendum campaign. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert, File) Those who defend the EU's rulemaking argue that a union of so many nations representing half a billion people in a single trading zone the so-called single market needs extremely detailed regulations to create a level playing field for olive producers from Spain to Greece and for chemical companies from Finland to Italy. The 2013 olive oil plan, intended to ensure hygiene and curtail fraud, set off a barrage of complaints and never actually took effect. "It is clear that this olive oil measure intended for consumers does not have widespread support among consumers," a contrite Dacian Ciolos, then EU farm commissioner, said at the time. In fact, the backlash against it prompted the EU to begin rolling back some of the rules that have sparked contempt from British citizens. Steven Blockmans, an analyst with the Center for European Policy Studies, noted that the plan to ban open olive oil dispensers came after many in Britain were already used to mocking perceived EU diktats that would regulate things like the curvature of cucumbers. "It may well be," he said, that it "was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back." By that time, the British media had made excessive regulations its favorite cane with which to flog the EU. The European Union now has a special "Euromyths" blog set up to debunk all the wrong claims. Even in Britain, many no longer take them too seriously, especially after the popular "QI" television program did a "call my bluff" test on such media stories: that the EU would force trawlermen to wear hairnets while fishing (not true), force producers to call sausages "emulsified high-fat offal tubes" (not true) and force circus tightrope walkers to wear hard hats during their act (also not true). Prime Minister David Cameron, who is campaigning for Britain to remain in the EU, and governments from the right and left before him, has called on the EU to stop the "red tape." The leave campaigners, including former London Mayor Boris Johnson, have gone much further, seizing on it as a key issue in their calls to leave the bloc. "Why should they tell us how powerful our vacuum cleaners should be?" Johnson told voters in May. "Why should they tell us how powerful our hairdryers should be?" Well, to protect the environment, defenders of regulation say, rules on chemicals are vital while rules on energy consumption of consumer products also help. "You need indeed quite technical standardization up to the level of cogs and cents and grams, which is of course tedious and very technical in nature," Blockmans said. "This is the inconsistency of the Leave camp," said Professor Paul De Grauwe of the London School of Economics. "They say: One we want to keep access to the EU market. Two all rules have to go, no more rules from Brussels. We will do that ourselves." "Well, as the British say: You cannot have your cake and eat it," said De Grauwe. Yet in fact the EU Commission, which proposes rules, has started to roll back on regulation, pretty much ever since the olive oil debacle. Now, in the words of EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, the EU wants to be "big on big things and small on small things." Juncker now even has an official first vice president in charge of "Better Regulation" to boldly cut red tape. For some in Britain, though, any rule from Brussels will always be one too many, whatever the advantages of a seamless trade zone across 28 nations. FILE - In this Jan. 29, 2016 file photo, British Prime Minister David Cameron, left, speaks with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker at EU headquarters in Brussels. While Juncker has been a advocate of cutting red tape, for many in Britain any rule from Brussels will always be one too many. Railing for years against overly intrusion into daily life with myriad, petty rules, the British have made red tape and regulation a theme in the referendum campaign. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo, File) FILE - In this Monday, March 23, 2015 file photo, the then Mayor of London Boris Johnson talks to the media in London. While Britain is an advocate of cutting red tape, the EU's single market demands detailed rules to assure that it functions fairly. Railing for years against overly intrusion into daily life with myriad, petty rules, the British have made red tape and regulation a theme in the referendum campaign. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File) FILE - In this May 17, 2013 file photo, a waiter refills an empty bottle of olive oil at an Italian restaurant in Brussels. The European Union at one time planned to ban the glass jar which is filled, and refilled, with olive oil and served on restaurant tables across the EU, stating that only non-refillable bottles with proper labeling on the contents would be accepted. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert, File) In this May 17, 2013 file photo, a refillable bottle of olive oil stands next to a salt and pepper shaker on a table in an Italian restaurant in Brussels. The European Union at one time planned to ban the glass jar which is filled, and refilled, with olive oil and served on restaurant tables across the EU, stating that only non-refillable bottles with proper labeling on the contents would be accepted. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert, File) 5 die as bus swerves off road in Serbia BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) Police say a bus carrying Slovak tourists has swerved off the road in Serbia, killing five people and injuring 23. The bus was traveling back to Slovakia from Greece when it slid off near the central Serbian town of Aleksinac. It was carrying 29 passengers and two drivers. Serbia's Health Minister Zlatibor Loncar visited the injured in a hospital in the southern city of Nis. He said a 55-year-old woman remains in serious condition. A body is carried away from a bus that crashed near the Serbian town of Aleksinac in this image taken from video Tuesday June 21, 2016. Serbian police said people died when a bus carrying Slovak tourists swerved off the road in Serbia. The bus was travelling back to Slovakia from Greece when it slid off early on Tuesday near the central Serbian town of Aleksinac. (RTS via AP) SERBIA OUT TV OUT Serbian state television said a plane from Slovakia is due in Nis later Tuesday to pick up the survivors. It was not immediately clear what caused the bus to swerve. 5 indicted in $38 million New York health care fraud scheme NEW YORK (AP) Five people have been indicted in a $38 million health care fraud and money laundering scheme in New York City. An indictment filed Monday in Brooklyn charges the defendants of bilking Medicare and Medicaid by referring customers to medical clinics and taking illegal kickbacks in return. The alleged scheme had been operating in Brooklyn for nearly a decade. The Daily News (http://nydn.us/28JYV7Y ) reports that ambulette drivers and patients allegedly received cash kickbacks for seeking fraudulent services at medical clinics in Bensonhurst and Sheepshead Bay controlled by the group. ___ Rome 2024 organizers anxiously awaiting word from new mayor ROME (AP) Organizers of Rome's bid for the 2024 Olympics are anxiously awaiting word from the city's new mayor to see if she will move ahead with the candidacy or oppose it as hinted in her electoral campaign. Virginia Raggi of the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement won a runoff Sunday to become Rome's first female mayor and, at age 37, also its youngest. "Ask her what she intends to do," Italian Olympic Committee president Giovanni Malago told reporters Tuesday at an event in Turin for the Juventus soccer club. "I would just like to invite her to be fair and to collaborate." New Rome's Mayor Virginia Raggi arrives in a theater in downtown Rome, Monday, June 20, 2016. The 5-Star Movement candidate in Rome, Virginia Raggi, a lawyer with a three-year stint as a city councilwoman, took 67.2 percent of the vote in a two-person runoff Sunday, becoming the corruption-stained capital citys first female mayor and, at 37, also its youngest. (AP Photo/Fabio Frustaci) Malago met with Raggi during the election campaign. "To us it doesn't seem like there was an outright 'No,' and we don't believe there should be, because it's a procedure that began three years ago," Malago said. But Malago acknowledged that IOC rules for candidates require undivided support from the city, the Olympic committee and the government, and that if one of those elements pulls out, "we would be too weak." Raggi promised to bring "legality and transparency" to Rome's City Hall, where prosecutors probing widespread corruption have found many municipal contracts were awarded without taking bids to political cronies and even a Mafia-like clique. With regard to the Olympics, Raggi said during her campaign that she wants to focus on "everyday items before extraordinary ones." However, previous Rome Mayor Ignazio Marino formally submitted Rome's 2024 bid to the International Olympic Committee last year after a city council vote showed overwhelming support. The other bidders are Budapest, Hungary; Los Angeles; and Paris. The IOC will select the host city in September 2017. If Raggi continues to oppose the bid, the candidacy could be decided in a referendum. If the bid is rejected, it would mark Rome's second withdrawal in four years after then-premier Mario Monti in 2012 stopped Rome's plans to bid for the 2020 Games because of fiscal conditions. US Supreme Court declines to hear 'Angola 5' appeal NEW ORLEANS (AP) The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear the case of David Brown, the "Angola 5" member who was sentenced to death for the killing of a prison guard during a 1999 escape attempt. A state judge overturned the death sentence, but it was reinstated in February by the Louisiana Supreme Court. The U.S. Supreme Court issued its ruling Monday. The New Orleans Advocate (http://bit.ly/28OGq3S ) reports defense advocates had hoped the case would prompt the high court to scold Louisiana for not adhering to a ruling requiring prosecutors to turn over to the defense all evidence favorable to a defendant. Brown had joined a group of prisoners in the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola in the escape attempt, but claimed he wasn't there when Capt. David Knapps was killed inside a bathroom. ___ French president floats slow lifting of Russia sanctions PARIS (AP) French President Francois Hollande says European Union sanctions against Russia could be gradually lifted but only if further progress is made on a peace deal for Ukraine. He spoke amid pressure from some European companies and others to ease the sanctions, imposed over Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea. Moscow banned European food imports in retaliation, hurting European exporters. After meeting Tuesday with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in Paris, Hollande said if the Minsk peace agreement "is fully implemented then we could forecast the gradual lifting of sanctions." But he said for now sanctions would be maintained, saying more progress is needed on elections and releasing hostages. France's President Francois Hollande, right, shakes hand with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, prior to a meeting at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Poroshenko insisted on i-Tele television that "there are no alternatives" to sanctions against Russia. EU leaders may discuss changes to the sanctions next week. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko arrives for a meeting with France's President Francois Hollande, at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Obama denounces Senate failure to act on gun measures WASHINGTON (AP) President Barack Obama is denouncing the Senate's failure to pass gun control measures in the aftermath of the mass shooting in Orlando, Florida. Obama says on Twitter that the Senate failed the American people and that gun violence requires more than moment of silence. The White House has said previously that tweets from his account are from Obama himself. White House spokesman Josh Earnest says the vote is a "a shameful display of cowardice" He told CNN on Tuesday that the Republican-led chamber's blocking of four gun control proposals Monday does nothing to keep extremists from acquiring guns. ICC sentences former Congo VP Bemba to 18 years in prison THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) The International Criminal Court on Tuesday sentenced Congolese former vice-president Jean-Pierre Bemba to 18 years in prison for murders, rapes and acts of pillaging committed by his troops in the neighboring Central African Republic in 2002 and 2003. Presiding Judge Sylvia Steiner said that Bemba will get credit for the eight years he has already spent in ICC detention since his arrest in May 2008. Bemba, a former Congolese senator and vice president, was the commander of the Movement for the Liberation of Congo when he was asked in 2002 and 2003 to send troops by CAR president Ange-Felix Patasse. Jean-Pierre Bemba enters the court room of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. The ICC delivered its sentence against former Congolese vice president Bemba who was found guilty, on 21 March 2016, of two counts of crimes against humanity (murder and rape) and three counts of war crimes (murder, rape, and pillaging) in the Central African Republic more than a decade ago. (AP Photo/Michael Kooren, Pool) Human Rights Watch said the ruling offered "a measure of justice for victims of sexual violence and other grave crimes in the Central African Republic where armed groups have preyed on civilians with total impunity for more than a decade". "Other commanders should take notice that they, too, can be held accountable for rapes and other serious abuses committed by troops under their control," said Geraldine Mattioli Zeltner of HRW. The sentence is the highest yet passed by the ICC, the world's first permanent war crimes court which has previously handed down sentences of 12 and 14 years in prison for two other Congolese militia leaders. The maximum sentence the judges can hand down is life in prison. Bemba is also the highest-level official the court has ever sentenced, which could help pave the way for prosecutions of more government officials who oversee abuses by their troops, said Holly Dranginis, senior policy analyst at the Enough Project watchdog. At the time of his conviction in March, Steiner said women, girls and men were targeted by Bemba's forces, often with multiple soldiers raping women and girls in front of other family members. In one incident, a man's wife was gang raped and when he protested he, too, was raped at gunpoint. Bemba was convicted even though he spent much of the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The court said he was able to communicate with his troops using radios and satellite and mobile phones and also saw reports of their grave crimes in the media. What little action Bemba took to prevent or punish crimes by his forces was grossly inadequate, Steiner said. Bemba's political party, Movement for the Liberation of Congo, or MLC, said the sentence was yet another handed down by a court it said is disproportionately pursuing African leaders. "We will continue to denounce and will never stop denouncing the selective justice of the International Criminal Court," said Eve Bazaida, the party's secretary-general. ___ Associated Press writer Saleh Mwanamilongo in Kinshasa, Congo contributed to this report. Jean-Pierre Bemba takes his seat in the court room of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. The ICC delivered its sentence against former Congolese vice president Bemba who was found guilty, on 21 March 2016, of two counts of crimes against humanity (murder and rape) and three counts of war crimes (murder, rape, and pillaging) in the Central African Republic more than a decade ago. (AP Photo/Michael Kooren, Pool) Jean-Pierre Bemba takes his seat in the court room of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. The ICC delivered its sentence against former Congolese vice president Bemba who was found guilty, on 21 March 2016, of two counts of crimes against humanity (murder and rape) and three counts of war crimes (murder, rape, and pillaging) in the Central African Republic more than a decade ago. (AP Photo/Michael Kooren, Pool) Jean-Pierre Bemba takes his seat in the court room of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. The ICC delivered its sentence against former Congolese vice president Bemba who was found guilty, on 21 March 2016, of two counts of crimes against humanity (murder and rape) and three counts of war crimes (murder, rape, and pillaging) in the Central African Republic more than a decade ago. (AP Photo/Michael Kooren, Pool) Jean-Pierre Bemba takes his seat in the court room of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. The ICC delivered its sentence against former Congolese vice president Bemba who was found guilty, on 21 March 2016, of two counts of crimes against humanity (murder and rape) and three counts of war crimes (murder, rape, and pillaging) in the Central African Republic more than a decade ago. (AP Photo/Michael Kooren, Pool) Jean-Pierre Bemba takes his seat in the court room of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. The ICC delivered its sentence against former Congolese vice president Bemba who was found guilty, on 21 March 2016, of two counts of crimes against humanity (murder and rape) and three counts of war crimes (murder, rape, and pillaging) in the Central African Republic more than a decade ago. (AP Photo/Michael Kooren, Pool) Man pleads guilty to wire fraud in national Ponzi scheme NEW ORLEANS (AP) Federal prosecutors say a 64-year-old Louisiana man who ripped off investors in a national Ponzi scheme has pleaded guilty to wire fraud. Instead of investing the money, U.S. Attorney Kenneth Polite said in a news release John Sposato, of Slidell, used it to buy goods and services for himself and others, including a new Chevrolet Camaro for one girlfriend and breast augmentation surgery for another girlfriend. French court closes the case of 2004 trawler sinking PARIS (AP) France's top judicial court has definitively confirmed a decision to close the case of a French trawler that sunk over a decade ago off the British coast, killing five people. The Court of Cassation said there's no evidence to support the claim that a submarine was involved, nor that it was a fishing accident. The entire crew of the Bugaled Breizh drowned when it capsized and sank 14 miles (23 kilometers) off Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall on Jan. 15, 2004. Many suspected a nearby submarine pulled it under. Britain's Royal Navy has previously denied claims that one of its nuclear submarines caused the sinking. The Latest: US says only 1/3 of Fallujah cleared of IS BAGHDAD (AP) The Latest on Iraq's battle against the Islamic State group (all times local): 5:15 p.m. The U.S.-led coalition says Fallujah is approximately one-third "cleared" of the Islamic State group, days after the Iraqi government declared victory in the city west of Baghdad. U.S. Army Col. Christopher Garver, the Baghdad-based spokesman for the coalition, says other parts of the city are "contested," with clashes underway between Iraqi security forces and IS fighters. Garver says most of the cleared terrain is in the south of the city and "clearing operations continue outward from the city center." Iraqi commanders on the ground have said 80 percent of the city is under their control. Fallujah is the last bastion of the Islamic State group in the sprawling western Anbar province. IS still controls pockets of territory in Iraq's north and west, including Mosul, the country's second largest city. ___ 1 p.m. A senior Iraqi military commander says about 2,500 Islamic State militants have been killed during a monthlong offensive to recapture the city of Fallujah. The counterterrorism forces' chief in the operation, Lt. General Abdul-Wahab al-Saadi, told the local al-Sumaria TV late on Monday that the number of IS fighters inside Fallujah ranged between 3,500 to 4,000 when the offensive began in late May. Iraqi troops have not disclosed their losses in Fallujah though the Islamic State group claims to have killed dozens Al-Saadi offered no specifics to back up the figure of 2,500 killed IS fighters. He claimed about 15 percent of them were foreign fighters. A look at major deals signed in Iran after nuclear accord TEHRAN, Iran (AP) Iran Air has signed an agreement to buy aircraft from Chicago-based Boeing Co., the first major American company to make a deal in the Islamic Republic since the last year's landmark nuclear agreement, which lifted international sanctions. Here's a look at other major deals signed since the agreement was reached with world powers: AIRBUS In this photo taken on Feb. 7, 2016, A Iranian Mahan Air passenger plane takes off as a plane of Iran's national air carrier, Iran Air, is parked at left, at Mehrabad airport in Tehran, Iran. Boeing Co. said Tuesday it signed an agreement with Iran Air "expressing the airline's intent" to buy its aircraft, setting up the biggest business deal between the Islamic Republic and America since the 1979 U.S. Embassy takeover in Tehran. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi) The European aircraft manufacturer sold 118 planes to Iran, a deal estimated to be worth $25 billion. ___ ATR The French-Italian aircraft manufacturer sold 20 ATR 72-600 passenger planes to Iran Air, a deal Iran's private Donya-e Eghtesad daily newspaper described as being worth over $1 billion. ___ DANIELI GROUP The Italian metals industry concern signed $6.2 billion in deals to supply machinery and install steel and aluminum plants in Iran. ___ GAVIO The Italian construction and infrastructure group signed agreements worth up to $4.5 billion for projects including railways. ___ PEUGEOT-CITROEN The French carmaker on Tuesday finalized a joint venture agreement expected to invest up to $450 million over the next five years in manufacturing and research efforts in Iran. ___ SIEMENS AP Interview: Bosnians will pursue EU even if Britain goes SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) While Britain debates whether to leave the European Union, the president of one of the countries desperate to get into the bloc said Tuesday he is not discouraged. Bosnian President Bakir Izetbegovic told The Associated Press the European Union will remain an inspiration to countries like his, which is submitting to painful reforms in its bid to join the bloc, hoping this will be a guarantee of the nation's peace and prosperity. "Whether some of its members will stay or leave, the EU will survive because it is a powerful continent of 600 million well-organized people, and Bosnia needs it as a goal, as an idea that helps us implement sometimes-painful reforms in order to improve people's lives," Izetbegovic said. Member of Bosnian tripartite Presidency Bakir Izetbegovic, answers questions during an interview with the Associated Press in Sarajevo, Bosnia, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Izetbegovic told AP in an interview on Tuesday the European Union will remain an inspiration to countries like Bosnia which is undergoing painful reforms to join the block and this way ensure the nation's prosperity. Brits will make a mistake if they leave the "best governed territory in the world", so desirable that people fleeing conflicts first want to go there, he said. (AP Photo/Amel Emric) Of the British, he said: "I think it would be a mistake if they leave because they would find themselves in a vacuum outside of the family of countries with whom they would have then to negotiate all over again things they already had when they were part of it. "But it's up to them." He noted that the European Union is the first choice for people fleeing conflicts, calling it "the best governed territory in the world." The worst war fought on the continent since the Nazi era was the one in Bosnia after the breakup of Yugoslavia at the beginning of the 1990s. Part of the cause was nationalist separatism. After 100,000 people died and half of the country's population was displaced, the U.S. brokered a peace agreement and the EU dangled the carrot of membership to inspire Bosnians to overcome their past and start building a unified, stable country. Since then, Bosnia has been trying to get back on its feet, battle the 40-percent unemployment rate and convince its exhausted population that their dream of living in the prosperous European Union can come true, and that they should get there together as a country rather than trying their luck as migrants. Izetbegovic said he sees the reduction of inflammatory rhetoric as a recipe for Bosnia's progress. "Politicians must stop offering people nationalistic, one-dimensional messages that lead down the wrong path," he said. "Once they stop articulating themselves that way and realize the real interests of their people, things will be fixed rapidly," he said. Member of Bosnian tripartite Presidency Bakir Izetbegovic, answers questions during an interview with the Associated Press in Sarajevo, Bosnia, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Izetbegovic told AP in an interview on Tuesday the European Union will remain an inspiration to countries like Bosnia which is undergoing painful reforms to join the block and this way ensure the nation's prosperity. Brits will make a mistake if they leave the "best governed territory in the world", so desirable that people fleeing conflicts first want to go there, he said. (AP Photo/Amel Emric) Social media monarch: Queen Elizabeth tweets birthday thanks LONDON (AP) Queen Elizabeth II has sent a tweet for only the second time, to thank people who offered her 90th birthday wishes on social media. On the royal family's official Twitter account, the queen wrote: "I am most grateful for the many digital messages of goodwill I have received and would like to thank you all for your kindness. Elizabeth R." The "R'' stands for "regina," Latin for queen. Another tweet added: "This tweet was personally sent by Her Majesty The Queen." This is a handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace on Tuesday June 21, 2016 of Britain's of Queen Elizabeth II tweeting on a tablet thanking everyone for their birthday messages in the Drawing Room in Windsor Castle, Windsor, England. (Buckingham Palace via AP) NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder. Buckingham Palace issued a picture of the queen using a tablet computer atop an ornate desk at Windsor Castle. The queen sent her first ever tweet in 2014 when she opened the Information Age gallery at London's Science Museum. Turkey intensifies anti-PKK security operation in southeast ISTANBUL (AP) Turkey's armed forces have launched a large-scale military operation against Kurdish rebels in the southeastern province of Diyarbakir. The state-run Anadolou Agency cited the military as saying the operation is focused on the Diyarbakir districts of Lice, Silvan, Kulp and Hazro, where an outlawed armed Kurdish movement has a presence. It said roughly 1,000 security personnel -- including counter-terrorism police from the capital Ankara and Istanbul -- were deployed Tuesday as part of the operation. Earlier in the day, the governor of Diyarbakir imposed curfews on 25 villages in the area. Southeast Turkey has been the scene of clashes between security forces and fighters linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK. Leave campaigner Boris Johnson has a lot riding on EU vote LONDON (AP) Boris Johnson has made his move. He should find out Friday morning if it pays off. The safe course for the ambitious former London mayor would have been to back his longtime political ally David Cameron's bid to keep Britain inside the European Union in Thursday's referendum and let the prime minister sink or swim. Instead, Johnson decided in February to lead the "leave" campaign and use his considerable clout to try to pry Britain out of the EU and, at the same time, push Cameron underwater many observers believe Cameron's days at 10 Downing Street would be numbered if his "remain" position loses the referendum vote. FILE - This is a Tuesday, May 3, 2016 file photo of Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron, right, as he listens as the then Mayor of London Boris Johnson speaks at a mayoral election campaign rally for Conservative party candidate for Mayor of London Zac Goldsmith in London. Johnson has made his move. He should find out Friday morning June 24, 2016 if it pays off. The safe course for the ambitious former London mayor would have been to back his longtime political ally David Camerons bid to keep Britain inside the European Union in Thursdays referendum and let the prime minister sink or swim. Instead, Johnson decided in February to lead the leave campaign and use his considerable clout to try to pry Britain out of the EU . (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File) That result would like magic make Johnson a strong contender for the leadership role. Longtime Johnson watchers view his perch at the helm of the "leave" campaign through this Downing Street prism, said Tony Travers, a political scientist at the London School of Economics. "Undoubtedly he has a longer-term ambition, a desire to be leader of his party and therefore prime minister," said Travers, who has tracked Johnson for years. "Now many people at the top of politics have that kind of ambition, (but) few make it that obvious." Johnson denies he's eyeing No. 10. He says Cameron should stay on even if Britain votes to leave the EU, but few take this position seriously. Johnson said in February it gave him "heartache" to break with Cameron over Brexit, a British exit from the EU, then jumped into the campaign with customary gusto. The 52-year-old Johnson has managed to use his disarranged, slightly comical hair as a helmet, shielding him from more serious scrutiny. It lets him come across as an unconventional politician even as he carved a straightforward political path, moving from elite colleges into journalism, then Parliament, then City Hall, and finally back to Parliament and a minor Cabinet position. He is (almost) always willing to play the buffoon, not minding when he's photographed stranded on a zip line looking ridiculous and happy to speak extremely elementary Greek to Greek constituents. Johnson emphasizes his American connections with American visitors (he was born in New York City's posh Upper East Side) and talks comfortably about his Turkish great-grandfather with Muslims, sometimes pointing out that his ancestor studied the Quran. "His detractors and critics often say he is not a serious person, that his approach to politics is humorous and freewheeling and perhaps not as thought through as other people," said Travers. "I'm not sure that's true. I think deep down he is a serious person, with serious objectives." Johnson is not alone on the "leave" campaign stage. UK Independence Party chief Nigel Farage has played a prominent role, despite recently coming under criticism for a provocative poster, and Justice Secretary Michael Gove has been a focal point as well. They lack Johnson's flair for publicity, however. Johnson has become the face of the "leave" campaign and, perhaps inevitably, the referendum campaign is seen by some as a Cameron versus Johnson race, with Downing Street as the prize. Johnson's decision to break with Cameron over Brexit marks the first public split between the longtime friends and sometimes rivals. They have known each since university days the two were famously photographed in formal wear during their days as members of the exclusive Bullingdon Club at Oxford. Throughout his career, Johnson has managed to surmount the sort of gaffes that have brought other politicians down. Some believe this Teflon resilience would allow him to keep Downing Street in his long-term sights even if Britain votes to stick with Europe. In his newspaper days, Johnson called Africans "piccaninnies" and referred to people from Papua New Guinea as cannibals. As a Member of Parliament, he offended an entire British city when he complained that people from Liverpool were wallowing in "victim status" after a Liverpudlian was taken hostage and slain in Iraq. He apologized a lot and seemed to be forgiven, a lot. But not everyone is impressed. Joanna Wright, a driver on London's Underground train network known as the Tube, said she's lost respect for Johnson, in part because of his treatment of Tube workers when he sought to make it a 24-hour service. "He doesn't have much respect for us either," she said. "The most recent example would be announcing the night Tube when none of us, who are working at the Underground, had been consulted. I think he likes to put out policies without actually consulting with people who are going to be doing the things he is asking." She said she would be "very worried" if Johnson becomes Britain's leader. "People get off on the way he looks and his personality, but I think his policies are quite selfish," said Wright, 49. "I don't think he is a politician for normal working people. I don't believe in him as a serious politician." Others hope a result in favor of Brexit would give Johnson the push he needs to take over at No. 10 they plan to vote that way with that prospect in mind. Mike Jaselsky, who owned a courier service before retiring, said he wants Johnson to become prime minister but thinks he will be blocked unless the "leave" campaign wins. "He is a very clever man," said Jaselsky, 68. "He acts like a buffoon, but he is not ... For me he is the main man." ___ Jonathan Shenfield and Leonora Beck contributed. The Latest: Gov plans to appeal request for emergency funds ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) The Latest on the massacre at a gay nightclub in Orlando (all times local): 3:25 p.m. Florida Gov. Rick Scott plans to appeal a decision denying his request for a declaration of a state of emergency by federal officials following the Orlando nightclub massacre. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, center, meets with U.S. Attorney Lee Bentley, second from right, FBI agent Ronald Hopper, far left, and others at the Orlando FBI office for a briefing on the Pulse nightclub mass shooting, Tuesday, June 21, 2016, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) Spokeswoman Jackie Schutz said Tuesday that Scott doesn't understand why the request was denied, adding that an emergency was declared for the Boston Marathon bombing. Schutz says the governor has 30 days to appeal the decision. Federal Emergency Management Agency officials say the disaster fund is not an appropriate source for such money. They also say most other governors of states where mass shootings have taken place didn't request such aid. ___ 3:05 p.m. U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch has told the gay community "we stand with you" and insisted that investigators are continuing to follow leads on the gunman and mass shooting at a Florida nightclub. She made the comments at a news conference Tuesday in Orlando, where she traveled to meet with prosecutors, first responders and victims of the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history. She says investigators will "go back ... and see if there's anything we could have missed or anything we could have done better" in terms of spotting gunman Omar Mateen as a threat. She wouldn't give specifics about the investigation or a possible motive. She said "people often act out of more than one motivation" and called the June 12 massacre at the gay club "clearly an act of terror and an act of hate." She added that a motive may never be known. ___ 12:25 p.m. A temporary fence that was erected around the Pulse nightclub in Orlando after a massacre there has been removed. The fence was removed Tuesday after 49 victims were killed at the gay club June 12. Officers were seen removing the chain link fence near some barricades. A makeshift memorial that went up nearby shortly after the massacre was still standing Tuesday, with chalk messages in the sidewalk and utility poles. Among them are drawings of hearts, the message "God bless" and the hashtag "#orlandostrong." Most roadblocks around the club had been removed earlier in the day. ___ 12:05 p.m. A request for emergency disaster funding in the wake of the Orlando nightclub shooting has been denied, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency says the disaster fund is not an "appropriate source" for such money. In the aftermath of other mass shootings including San Bernardino, California, and Newtown, Connecticut state officials did not request such aid. Massachusetts officials made a request after the Boston Marathon bombing, which was considered an ongoing event as law enforcement pursued the bombers for several days. FEMA spokesman Rafael Lemaitre said Tuesday that the agency has approved a request from Florida to reallocate $253,000 in unspent money from the Homeland Security Grant Program to help pay for overtime costs in the wake of the shooting. Republican Gov. Rick Scott says he's disappointed with the decision to deny emergency disaster funding. He says it means the U.S. government won't provide $5 million. ___ 11 a.m. Much of life is starting to return to normal in the neighborhood of the Florida nightclub where 49 people were massacred more than a week ago in the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history. Most of the roadblocks around the gay nightclub Pulse had been lifted by Tuesday morning. Still, two blocks of southbound traffic that run directly in front of Pulse remain closed. Orlando police officials say that stretch of road is expected to reopen soon. It includes two businesses. More than a half-dozen blocks were closed to traffic around Pulse following the June 12 shooting. Restaurants, a car shop and other businesses were hurt by the street closures. ___ 10:40 a.m. Florida's governor says the federal government has denied his request to declare a state of emergency following the massacre of 49 patrons at a gay nightclub in Orlando. Gov. Rick Scott said late Monday in a statement that as a result, the U.S. government won't provide $5 million in federal funding to help pay for law enforcement response, medical care and counseling services for the victims of the Pulse shooting. Scott says he is disappointed by the decision. In addition to the 49 victims killed, 53 people were hospitalized in the June 12 massacre. ___ 3:50 a.m. Attorney General Loretta Lynch is visiting Orlando to meet with prosecutors, first responders and victims of the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history. Lynch's trip comes as the Justice Department investigates the June 12 massacre at the Pulse nightclub, in which 49 people died and dozens were wounded. Federal investigators who have conducted hundreds of interviews say they haven't ruled out charges against others in connection with the shooting and say they're still working to determine why Omar Mateen, who died in a gun battle with police, picked a popular gay nightclub as his target. More clues emerged Monday when the FBI released a partial transcript of phone calls Mateen had with a 911 operator and crisis negotiators once the shooting got underway. Attorney General Loretta Lynch addresses attorney's about the Pulse nightclub mass shooting at the U.S. Attorney's office, Tuesday, June 21, 2016, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) Family and friends of Miguel Honorato arrive for the funeral at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, in Apopka, Fla., north of Orlando on Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Honorato was one of the victims in the Pulse nightclub shooting. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP) MAGS OUT; NO SALES; MANDATORY CREDIT Demonstrators hold flags and signs in support of Miguel Honorato as family and friends arrive at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, in Apopka, Fla., north of Orlando, for his funeral, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Honorato was one of the victims in the Pulse nightclub shooting. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP) MAGS OUT; NO SALES; MANDATORY CREDIT Demonstrators hold signs and embrace in support of Miguel Honorato as family and friends arrive at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church for the funeral in Apopka, Fla., north of Orlandoon Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Honorato was one of the victims in the Pulse nightclub shooting. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP) MAGS OUT; NO SALES; MANDATORY CREDIT The funeral procession of Miguel Honorato heads up the street after departing St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, in Apopka, Fla., north of Orlando, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Honorato was one of the victims in the Pulse nightclub shooting. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP) MAGS OUT; NO SALES; MANDATORY CREDIT Family and friends of Miguel Honorato arrive for the funeral at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, in Apopka, Fla., north of Orlando, on Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Honorato was one of the victims in the Pulse nightclub shooting. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP) MAGS OUT; NO SALES; MANDATORY CREDIT Attorney General Loretta Lynch arrives for a meeting at the U.S. Attorney's office for discussions on the Pulse nightclub mass shooting, Tuesday, June 21, 2016, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) The funeral procession of Miguel Honorato heads the street after departing St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, in Apopka, Fla., north of Orlando, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Honorato was one of the victims in the Pulse nightclub shooting. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP) MAGS OUT; NO SALES; MANDATORY CREDIT U.S. Attorney Lee Bentley, left, greets Attorney General Loretta Lynch as she arrives at the Orlando FBI office for a briefing on the Pulse nightclub mass shooting, Tuesday, June 21, 2016, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) Protest in Turkey after arrest of journalists, academic ISTANBUL (AP) Dozens of Turkish demonstrators gathered in Istanbul on Tuesday to protest the arrests of two journalists and an academic on charges of disseminating "terrorist propaganda." A fourth journalist was released after a brief detention. Protesters chanted "a free press cannot be silenced" and "arrests, oppression cannot intimidate us." Others held up a banner that read: "Thinking cannot be jailed." The demonstration comes a day after a Turkish court ordered the pre-trial arrest of Reporters Without Borders' Turkey representative Erol Onderoglu, journalist Ahmet Nesin and academic Sebnem Korur Fincanci. A protester holding a photograph of from left to right, journalist Ahmet Nesin, academic Sebnem Korur Fincanci and Reporters Without Borders' local representative Erol Onderoglu, demonstrates against their jailing outside the offices of Ozgur Gundem, a pro-Kurdish publication, in Istanbul, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. The three, along with others had participated in a solidarity campaign in support of the paper, already subject to multiple investigations and lawsuits, were placed in pretrial arrest by a Turkish court Monday over charges of disseminating "terrorist propaganda". (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) The three had participated in a solidarity campaign in support of Ozgur Gundem, a pro-Kurdish publication subject to multiple investigations and lawsuits. Press freedom advocates warn that freedom of expression has dramatically declined in Turkey. More than a dozen journalists are in prison, although the government insists they have been jailed for criminal activity, not journalistic work. The state-run Anadolu Agency said Onderoglu, Nesin and Fincanci had acted as chief editors for a day for the pro-Kurdish publication and issues they edited in May and June included alleged terrorist propaganda. The news agency also said the court ordered the suspects' arrest on "strong criminal suspicion." Reporters Without Borders condemned their arrests as "an unbelievable low for press freedom in Turkey." Human Rights Watch slammed the "spurious allegations" that led to the detention of three out of 44 participants in the solidarity campaign and urged their immediate release. HRW Europe and Central Asia Director, Hugh Williamson, said the arrests showed that "Turkish authorities have no hesitation about targeting well-known rights defenders and journalists who have played a key role in documenting the sharp deterioration in human rights in the country." In a separate development, a New York-based journalist who covers the United Nations for the Turkish Hurriyet daily was released Tuesday morning. Razi Canikligil was detained for almost a full day after flying into Istanbul airport with his family. "They arrested me in front of my three boys," Canikligil told the AP. "They were very afraid." The journalist said an arrest warrant had been issued against him over a 2014 Twitter post on a troll account, which was mistakenly attributed to him and deemed to be offensive to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. No charges were pressed against Canikligil and his passport was returned to him after a night in detention at Istanbul Ataturk Airport. "Everyone was suggesting that this was government pressure to shut me down," added the journalist. "We didn't know what the issue was." The correspondent has recently covered the trial of Reza Zarrab, an Iranian-born Turkish businessman who was arrested in Miami for attempting to evade U.S. sanctions on Tehran. Zarrab was also a suspect in a 2013 corruption scandal involving the Turkish government. ___ Ayse Wieting in Istanbul and Edith Lederer in New York also contributed reporting. Protesters demonstrate against the jailing of two journalists and an academic, outside the offices of Ozgur Gundem, a pro-Kurdish publication, in Istanbul, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Reporters Without Borders' local representative Erol Onderoglu, along with journalist Ahmet Nesin and academic Sebnem Korur Fincanci, who had participated in a solidarity campaign in support of the paper, already subject to multiple investigations and lawsuits, were placed in pretrial arrest by a Turkish court Monday over charges of disseminating "terrorist propaganda". (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) Protesters demonstrate against the jailing of two journalists and an academic, outside the offices of Ozgur Gundem, a pro-Kurdish publication, in Istanbul, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Reporters Without Borders' local representative Erol Onderoglu, along with journalist Ahmet Nesin and academic Sebnem Korur Fincanci, who had participated in a solidarity campaign in support of the paper, already subject to multiple investigations and lawsuits, were placed in pretrial arrest by a Turkish court Monday over charges of disseminating "terrorist propaganda". (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) Protesters demonstrate against the jailing of two journalists and an academic, outside the offices of Ozgur Gundem, a pro-Kurdish publication, in Istanbul, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Reporters Without Borders' local representative Erol Onderoglu, along with journalist Ahmet Nesin and academic Sebnem Korur Fincanci, who had participated in a solidarity campaign in support of the paper, already subject to multiple investigations and lawsuits, were placed in pretrial arrest by a Turkish court Monday over charges of disseminating "terrorist propaganda". (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) A protester, holding a picture of academic Sebnem Korur Fincanci, an academic and one of three people arrested, demonstrates against the jailing of Fincanci and two journalists outside the offices of Ozgur Gundem, a pro-Kurdish publication, in Istanbul, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Reporters Without Borders' local representative Erol Onderoglu, along with journalist Ahmet Nesin and academic Sebnem Korur Fincanci, who had participated in a solidarity campaign in support of the paper, already subject to multiple investigations and lawsuits, were placed in pretrial arrest by a Turkish court Monday over charges of disseminating "terrorist propaganda". (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) Lawmaker: Indiana 'blew it' by not ensuring man had no guns INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Indiana "blew it" by not enforcing a gun ban against a man who was armed when he was arrested in California while traveling to a gay pride event, a state Democratic lawmaker said Tuesday while advocating for stricter gun controls. James Wesley Howell, 20, was ordered in April to forfeit all firearms under the terms of his yearlong probation on a misdemeanor intimidation conviction, for allegedly pulling a gun and making threats against a neighbor in southern Indiana. It's unclear whether Howell obtained the three assault rifles found on him in Los Angeles on June 12 after the judge's order or whether he had them before it was issued, state Rep. Ed DeLaney of Indianapolis said during a news conference outside of the Statehouse. "Every step of the way we blew it," said DeLaney, who is up for re-election in November and said he'll propose legislation for the GOP-dominated General Assembly to consider next session. "... I can't get down into saying what an individual judge or probation officer did wrong. But the system failed top to bottom." Clark County chief probation officer James Hayden declined to comment on DeLaney's comments, but previously told The Associated Press that probation officials had rated Howell a low-level offender regarding the recent misdemeanor. A probation officer met with Howell in May but that officer had yet to schedule an in-home visit by the time Howell made it to California, he said. Probation officers typically track more than 100 offenders and their challenges could increase as recent changes in state sentencing laws are directing more people to probation and community corrections programs rather than jail or prison, Hayden said. Republican House Speaker Brian Bosma could not be reached for comment, and several Republican members of the Indiana Senate were either out of town or also could not be reached for comment. Howell, who is from Jeffersonville, Indiana, faces weapons and ammunition charges stemming from his arrest in Santa Monica, California, hours after the deadly attack at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Police found in Howell's car a loaded assault rifle with magazines rigged to allow 60 shots to be fired in quick succession and 15 pounds of chemicals mixed and ready to explode. He also had two other loaded rifles, ammunition, a stun gun, a buck knife and a security badge. Howell faces a child molestation charge in Indiana, allegations a local prosecutor said apparently spurred his cross-country journey to Los Angeles. DeLaney criticized Indiana's "very, very limited" gun laws and said he wants to introduce bills that would ban large ammunition clips and "automatic military-type" weapons. He said he would also seek increased funding for county probation programs due to the new state sentencing laws. Guy Welford, the owner of Tactical Firearms Training in Indianapolis and a Second Amendment attorney, called DeLaney's gun-control proposals a knee-jerk reaction to the Orlando shootings, in which 49 people died. He said DeLaney "simply doesn't understand anything about firearms." Welford said the U.S. had a "so-called assault weapons" ban from 1994 to 2004 and a study by the National Institute of Justice the U.S. Department of Justice's research, development and evaluation agency found it had "no measureable effect on crime." "Every time we have a mass shooting what these politicians want to do is to turn around and take guns out of the hands of everybody who didn't do it," Welford said. __ Mother's lawyer: She was insane when she killed her children PICKENS, S.C. (AP) A woman who shot her young daughter and son as they slept suffered from bipolar disorder and paranoia so intense that she had been hospitalized for delusions and her doctor had warned her husband to lock up the guns, her lawyer said. Suzanna Brown Simpson belongs in a mental hospital, not prison, public defender John Mauldin told a jury in Pickens County, South Carolina as her murder trial began. Prosecutors are not pursuing the death penalty, and are aiming for a lengthy prison sentence instead. The Greenville News is covering her trial. The paper reports (http://grnol.co/28LBxfu) that a deputy was nearly in tears as he testified Monday about finding the children slain in their beds. Deputy Tommy Camp said he was called to the scene after Simpson intentionally crashed her truck into a tree, so hard that the roots came out of the ground. He became emotional as he described the Spider Man items 5-year-old Sawyer's room, where his bloody body was in his bed. He went down the hall and found 7-year-old Carly also dead, from several gunshots, in her "Hello Kitty" room. Then Camp heard "an awful sound" and found Simpson's husband, Michael, shot and struggling to breathe. He survived, and watched the first day of testimony from a wheelchair. Neighbors said Simpson was a kind woman who doted on her children. She volunteered at her children's school. But Mauldin said Simpson was so paranoid that she insisted their home in Dacusville was bugged with listening devices, and asked for cameras to be installed. Her doctor told her husband to please lock up his guns, Mauldin said. The gun safe was open when deputies arrived. The jury has four options guilty, guilty but mentally ill, not guilty or not guilty by reason of insanity, prosecutor Walt Wilkins said. Either guilty verdict on the murder charge will send Simpson, 38, to prison for at least 30 years. Not guilty by reason of insanity will likely send her to a mental hospital. The nurse who treated Simpson after the crash said she confessed to killing her children because, "I didn't want them to live in this awful world." She also said she tried to kill herself, but she loaded the wrong bullets in the gun and the wreck only managed to break her back, John Conway testified. Police: Armed robbery suspect draws gun on officers, is shot CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) Police in North Carolina say they have shot and wounded an armed robbery suspect who pulled a gun as a SWAT team tried to arrest him. A Charlotte police news release says the officers went to an apartment around 8 a.m. Tuesday to serve the warrant on the man, whose name was not immediately released. Authorities say other people in the apartment left, but the suspect pulled out a gun and an officer fired at him. Police say the man went back into the apartment, but surrendered after a short standoff and was taken to the hospital. His condition was not released. No officers were injured. A rescue plane landed Tuesday at the South Pole to evacuate a sick worker from a remote US science station after flying through dangerous dark and cold, federal officials said. The plane arrived at the South Pole after a daring 1,500-mile, nine-hour trip from Rothera, the British base on the Antarctic peninsula, according to the National Science Foundation, which runs the polar outpost. The plane's crew a pilot, co-pilot, flight engineer and medical worker will rest and wait for at least 10 hours. Then if weather conditions are favorable, the plane will refuel and return to Rothera, said agency spokesman Peter West. After that the sick worker will be taken out of Antarctica for treatment. Rothera, the British Antarctic Survey station, is seen from the air. A daring South Pole medical rescue is underway. An airplane left the British base in Antarctica Tuesday, for the 1,500-mile trip to evacuate a sick person from the US station 'It went all according to plan,' West said from Arlington, Virginia. A second worker is also ill, but officials have yet to decide whether that patient will also fly out, West said. The science foundation will not identify the workers, who are employees of Lockheed Martin which handles logistics at the station, nor their medical conditions. There have been three emergency evacuations from the Amundsen-Scott station since 1999. Workers at the South Pole station are isolated from February through October, the coldest and darkest months when it's too risky for routine flights. The latest mission is pushing the limits of what is acceptable, said Tim Stockings, operations director at the British Antarctic Survey in London. He said being prepared is key. 'The air and Antarctica are unforgiving environments and punishes any slackness very hard,' Stockings said. 'If you are complacent it will bite you.' 'Things can change very quickly down there' with ice from clouds, high winds and snow, he said. The first day of winter in the Southern Hemisphere was Monday the sun will not rise at the South Pole till the first day of spring in September. A South Pole webcam showed the station in the distance during the landing. There was some light because of the full moon and the ability of the camera to operate on low light, West said. Athena Dinar, spokeswoman for the British Antarctic Survey, said one of two Twin Otter planes began the trip Tuesday, while the other is still at the Rothera station on the Antarctic Peninsula just in case. A Twin Otter is seen in 2013 It is still pitch-dark, he said. The National Science Foundation decided last week to mount the rescue operation because one staffer needed medical care that can't be provided there. The station has a doctor, a physician's assistant and is connected to doctors in the US for consults, West said. There are 48 people 39 men and nine women at the station. The temperature Tuesday afternoon at the South Pole station was minus 75 degrees (minus 60 Celsius), with a wind chill that makes it feel like minus 108 degrees (minus 78 Celsius) according to the science foundation's weather station and webcam. The extreme cold affects a lot of things on planes, including fuel, which needs to be warmed before takeoff, batteries and hydraulics, West said. The Twin Otter can fly in temperatures as low as minus 103 degrees (minus 75 degrees Celsius), he said. The 1999 flight, which was done in Antarctic spring with slightly better conditions, rescued the station's doctor, Jerri Nielsen, who had breast cancer and had been treating herself. Rescues were done in 2001 and 2003, both for gallbladder problems. UN Syria envoy laments shelling as aid convoys reach towns GENEVA (AP) President Bashar Assad's government has allowed more humanitarian aid to reach besieged cities and towns around Syria, only to bombard those same areas before and after the convoys arrived, the United Nation's envoy to Syria said Tuesday. Speaking by videoconference to the U.N. General Assembly plenary in New York, Staffan de Mistura detailed his office's efforts to help shepherd aid to embattled Syrians, bring government and opposition envoys back to peace talks and buck up a fragile cease-fire all aimed at ending Syria's civil war, now in its sixth year, that has left at least 250,000 dead. De Mistura said that while access to hard-to-reach and besieged areas has improved, reaching an estimated 300,000 people compared with zero only a year ago, it is not nearly enough and has come with added complications. "There has been a trend in the last weeks that the very areas where there has been a breakthrough of delivering humanitarian aid to besieged areas have been then shelled, before and after the convoys have reached all the parties," de Mistura said from Geneva. He also detailed his hopes to revive indirect peace talks between the government and opposition groups. He has convened them three times already this year, but with no progress toward a political transition for Syria. De Mistura repeated that it was still premature to set a date for new talks, but noted the deadline of early August set by the co-chairs of the International Syria Support Group for an agreement. "The window of opportunity is coming quickly to a close unless we maintain alive the cessation of hostilities, we increase the humanitarian aid, we come to some common understanding about transition so we can have, hopefully in July, intra-Syrian talks not about principles but about concrete steps toward political transitions. This is what we are aiming at and that's what we will be able to reach," de Mistura said. Meanwhile, he added that a truce between Assad's forces and rebel fighters brokered by the U.S. and Russia is "heavily challenged" in places like Idlib, Latakia and Aleppo, but overall fighting remains less than before it was reached in February. U.N. humanitarian chief Stephen O'Brien said as a result of the fighting the life expectancy in Syria has dropped by 20 years since the beginning of the war. He said half the country's population has now been forcibly displaced and 13.5 million people remain in urgent need of humanitarian protection and assistance, with 80 percent of Syrians living in poverty. He said humanitarian efforts were further hampered by a lack of funding despite generous pledges made at a conference in London in February, with only a quarter of that money becoming available so far. "Pledges are one thing - but frankly it's your cash that matters. It's that which buys the programs and services that actually save and protect innocent lives," O'Brien said. ____ The Latest: Containment begins on LA-area wildfires LOS ANGELES (AP) The Latest on wildfires burning in the West (all times local): 8 p.m. Firefighters have stopped the progress of a pair of major wildfires burning in the foothills of Los Angeles suburbs. Smoke from wildfires burning in Angeles National Forest fills the sky behind the Los Angeles skyline on Monday, June 20, 2016. The wildfires several miles apart devoured hundreds of acres of brush on steep slopes above foothill suburbs erupted in Southern California as an intensifying heat wave stretching from the West Coast to New Mexico blistered the region with triple-digit temperatures. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu) U.S. Forest Service spokesman Nathan Judy says the blazes burning near the cities of Duarte and Azusa are 10 percent contained Tuesday night. Officials also have reduced the combined size of the fires from about 8 square miles to about 7 square miles. Judy says the change came because clearer skies allowed better aerial mapping of the blaze. Despite the progress, Judy says it will be at least one more night before anyone can return to any of the hundreds of homes evacuated because of the fires. ___ 5 p.m. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has declared a state of emergency for Navajo County to free up funds to help fight a wildfire that has charred about 56 square miles so far. Ducey made the announcement Tuesday afternoon, saying the declaration will release state dollars to assist with local response and recovery efforts and ensure appropriate state agencies are at the ready should they be called upon. The fire began June 15. Its cause remains under investigation. It's 20 percent contained and remains about 2 miles north of the sparsely-populated community of Cedar Creek. Show Low, Pinetop-Lakeside and the immediate surrounding areas also remain under pre-evacuation notices. ___ 4:05 p.m. Navopache Electric Cooperative has de-energized the power lines to three eastern Arizona towns on the White Mountain Apache Indian Reservation to help crews battling a wildfire. Authorities say the interruption of electricity Tuesday in Cedar Creek, Cibecue and Carrizo is necessary to protect firefighters while they conduct burnout operations near the power lines. The fire that began June 15 now is about 56 square miles and is expected to grow a few more square miles Tuesday. It's 20 percent contained and remains about 2 miles north of the sparsely-populated community of Cedar Creek. Show Low, Pinetop-Lakeside and the immediate surrounding areas also remain under pre-evacuation notices. ___ 3:15 p.m. California authorities have ordered 600 homes evacuated due to a wildfire near Potrero, a town southeast of San Diego near the border with Mexico. Cal Fire Capt. Kendal Bortisser estimates the evacuation ordered Tuesday involves more than 1,500 people. The San Diego County Sheriff's Department says the area is the community of Lake Morena Village northwest of the city of Campo. The department says alerts were sent to 476 telephone numbers, along with 120 text messages and 103 emails. An earlier evacuation involved 75 people. ___ 1:40 p.m. Officials have evacuated about 100 homes in a southwest Utah mountain town as a wildfire less than a mile away is moving down a rocky slope toward the community. U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Cigi (SEE-gee) Burton says the evacuated area is a subdivision that includes summer homes in the town of Pine Valley, about 35 miles north of the city of St. George. A nearby campground area was also evacuated and several roads and trails were closed. Burton says drone sightings in recent days forced firefighters to ground their aircraft, stopping their progress on the fire, which kicked up Tuesday morning. Burton says the lightning-sparked wildfire is less than a square mile. It's been burning since June 13 but firefighters have been relying heavily on aircraft to stop the flames because it is burning in a rugged, steep area. ___ 11:45 a.m. Southern California air pollution regulators have issued a smoke advisory due to two wildfires burning in the San Gabriel Mountains 20 miles northeast of Los Angeles. The South Coast Air Quality Management District said the smoke is moving eastward Tuesday toward the inland region. Areas of unhealthy air quality are likely to range from the San Gabriel Valley into San Bernardino and Riverside counties Mountains and deserts remain extremely hot but the National Weather Service says the heat wave that has fried Southern California with extraordinary temperatures is moderating, especially toward the coast. At midmorning Tuesday, the temperature in downtown Los Angeles was 16 degrees lower than at the same time 24 hours earlier, when it was nearing 100. ___ 11:20 a.m. Authorities say record-breaking weather caused a wildfire in eastern Arizona to grow by nearly 22 square miles in one day. Officials expect the fire to grow a few more square miles Tuesday. Extreme heat and low humidity Monday made the terrain more ignitable than usual, bringing the fire's size to about 56 square miles. The fire is 20 percent contained. Fire spokeswoman Katy Gray says residents are still under pre-evacuation notice. The fire is about 2 miles north of the sparsely-populated community of Cedar Creek. Increased humidity and cooler temperatures Tuesday could help firefighting efforts, but will also bring more erratic winds and evening thunderstorms. The blaze began June 15, and its cause is under investigation. ___ 10 a.m. Hundreds of firefighters have cleared the way for some evacuees to return to their homes in central New Mexico. Authorities in Bernalillo and Torrance counties lifted evacuation orders in some areas Tuesday after crews contained nearly half of a wildfire that has destroyed two dozen homes. National Guard and law enforcement officers are stationed along main roads to check IDs as people return. Gov. Susana Martinez planned to be among those working the checkpoints. The governor is urging federal authorities to assess damage so preparations can be made before monsoon season brings possible flooding problems. The human-caused fire was reported June 14. It raced across 28 square miles of tinder-dry forest in the Manzano Mountains south of Albuquerque until more favorable weather helped to slow its growth. In northern New Mexico, crews contained a fire that had threatened popular recreation spots in the Jemez Mountains. ___ 7:35 a.m. Firefighters hope to begin building containment lines around two wildfires in the San Gabriel Mountains northeast of Los Angeles. U.S. Forest Service spokesman Nathan Judy says the fires a few miles apart above foothill suburbs have together burned nearly 8 square miles as of Tuesday morning but no homes have been lost. The heat wave that has seared Southern California since last weekend will not be as extreme as it was on Monday, but firefighters will be facing near-triple-digit temperatures and single-digit humidity. West of Santa Barbara, firefighters have increased containment of a nearly 12-square-mile blaze to 70 percent a week after it started. Weather is expected to remain favorable for several days and mandatory evacuation orders will start to be reduced Wednesday. East of San Diego, a wildfire burning near the desert town of Potrero is holding at just under 12 square miles although it remains only 5 percent contained. A large plume of smoke from a wildfire rises above a hillside just north of Azusa, Calif., Monday, June 20, 2016. New wildfires erupted in Southern California as an intensifying heat wave stretching from the West Coast to New Mexico blistered the region with triple-digit temperatures. (AP Photo/Nick Ut) Smoke from a wildfire rises from a hillside near power lines outside of Azusa, Calif., Monday, June 20, 2016. Two fires have erupted in the San Gabriel Mountains northeast of Los Angeles amid withering heat. The first fire reported Monday was near Morris Reservoir north of suburban Azusa. AP Photo/Nick Ut) Towering columns of smoke rise from two wildfires on the San Gabriel Mountains are viewed from Pasadena, Calif., Monday, June 20, 2016. The wildfires several miles apart devoured hundreds of acres of brush on steep slopes above foothill suburbs erupted in Southern California as an intensifying heat wave stretching from the West Coast to New Mexico blistered the region with triple-digit temperatures. (AP Photo/Beth Harris) Lakeside firefighter Joe Vasquez watches as large flames burn next to a home on Highway 94 south of Potrero, Calif., on Monday, June 20, 2016. An intensifying heat wave stretching from the West Coast to New Mexico threatened to make the fight against Southern California wildfires more difficult Monday. (Hayne Palmour IV/San Diego Union-Tribune via AP) The California state flag flies next to a home on Highway 94 south Potrero, Calif., on Monday, June 20, 2016, as huge flames roar behind it. An intensifying heat wave stretching from the West Coast to New Mexico threatened to make the fight against Southern California wildfires more difficult Monday. (Hayne Palmour IV/San Diego Union-Tribune via AP) Jesus Mendoza evacuates with his dog Sasha as flames approach his home on Highway 94 south of Potrero, Calif., on Monday, June 20, 2016. An intensifying heat wave stretching from the West Coast to New Mexico threatened to make the fight against Southern California wildfires more difficult Monday. (Hayne Palmour IV/San Diego Union-Tribune via AP) Republican senator seeks bipartisan support for gun deal WASHINGTON (AP) A moderate Republican senator sought broad bipartisan support Tuesday for a compromise to block gun purchases by some suspected terrorists, a day after the chamber split along party lines to derail far more sweeping proposals. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said he would allow a vote on the proposal by Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, but stopped short of endorsing the measure itself. The package seemed to face an uphill climb for the 60 votes it would need, thanks to the hurdles of election-year politics and opposition from the National Rifle Association and Gun Owners of America. Flanked by eight senators three Republicans, four Democrats and a Democratic-leaning independent Collins told reporters that mass shootings in Orlando, Florida, and San Bernardino, California, were "a call for compromise, a plea for bipartisan action." Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, June 21, 2016, to unveil a new gun legislation proposal. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) "If we can't pass this, it truly is a broken system up here," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. On Monday, the Senate rejected rival Democratic and Republican proposals for keeping guns from known and suspected terrorists. President Barack Obama criticized the stalemate Tuesday, tweeting: "Gun violence requires more than moments of silence. It requires action. In failing that test, the Senate failed the American people." The government's overall terrorist watch list has 1 million people on it. Collins' measure would let federal authorities bar gun sales to two narrower groups: the no-fly list with 81,000 people and the selectee list with 28,000 people. Selectees can fly after unusually intensive screening. All but a combined total of around 2,800 people on those lists are foreigners, who are mostly unable to purchase firearms in the U.S. Under Collins' proposal, Americans denied guns could appeal their rejections to federal courts. The FBI would be notified if someone who's been on the broader terrorist watch list in the past five years buys a gun, but could not stop the purchase. Even after 49 victims died on a June 12 Orlando rampage by a sympathizer of Islamic State extremists, neither party has seemed overly eager to plunge forward into a compromise. Such a deal might anger their most loyal voters, NRA-backing conservatives and pro-gun-control liberals, and shield the other side from negative campaign ads. Underscoring that, senators backing Collins emphasized the political risks they were taking. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., said they were taking "a pretty terrifying, in some ways, first step into trying to achieve bipartisan consensus." Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., praised lawmakers involved with Collins for having "serious bipartisan talks," but didn't endorse her plan. Other top Democrats seemed to revel in the divisions Collins' proposal were causing between the NRA and the GOP, whose members usually cast strong gun-rights votes. "What potentially is happening here is Republicans are finally breaking" from the NRA, said Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., his chamber's No. 3 Democratic leader. "I'm glad it's happened, whether it's politically advantageous or not." Prospects for the GOP-run House considering a similar proposal seemed dim. One Republican leadership aide said it would be premature to comment because no bill had been introduced there or passed the Senate. The aide was not authorized to publicly discuss the issue. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said it was too early to say if the administration would back the measure, but said support seemed likely if it would "at least prevent some suspected terrorists from being able to buy a gun." Chief NRA lobbyist Chris W. Cox criticized Collins' plan, saying, "Keeping guns from terrorists while protecting the due process rights of law-abiding citizens are not mutually exclusive." That seemed aimed at Collins' provision allowing people to appeal to federal courts after they've been denied a gun, not before it happens. Michael Hammond, legislative director for Gun Owners of America, said Collins' plan "allows a highly politicized official to take away constitutional rights by fiat." ___ Associated Press writers Kevin Freking and Erica Werner contributed to this report. BA suspends all flights to Sharm el-Sheikh indefinitely LONDON (AP) British Airways have suspended all flights to Sharm el-Sheikh indefinitely after Britain advised its citizens to avoid travel to the Egyptian resort in the wake of the downing of a Russian passenger jet. BA had suspended flights in November after an Airbus 321 operated by Russian airline Metrojet crashed Oct. 31, killing 224 people. The Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility. The airline says customers who hold bookings for the coming winter season can claim a full refund or can use the money to cover a new booking at an alternative destination. Fuller picture emerges of man arrested at Trump rally LAS VEGAS (AP) A British man accused of telling authorities that he wanted to kill Donald Trump at a rally was unemployed, living out of his car and had been treated in the past for obsessive compulsive disorder and anorexia, authorities and others say. Court statements and accounts Tuesday from a family friend in England offered a complex picture of 20-year-old suspect Michael Steven Sandford, who was arrested Saturday in a Las Vegas casino where the Republican candidate was speaking. People who knew Sandford told The Associated Press he was intelligent and said signs of his Asperger's syndrome became more obvious as he got older. In this June 18, 2016, photo, police remove Michael Steven Sandford as Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at the Treasure Island hotel and casino in Las Vegas. Sandford, a British man accused of trying to take a police officer's gun and kill Donald Trump during a weekend rally in Las Vegas, will not be released on bail. Federal Magistrate Judge George Foley said at a hearing Monday that Sandford was a potential danger to the community and a flight risk. (AP Photo/John Locher) "I just didn't imagine that he would do what he was doing," said Julie Debnam, 59, whose son attended primary school with Sandford and often spent time with him. "I still think he has a lot of low esteem. He needs help rather than going to prison, basically." A woman who answered the door at an address listed for Sandford's father, in a working class section of Havant, England, declined to give her name and told journalists to go back to their own country. The British newspaper Portsmouth News said Sandford's father, Paul Davey, described his son as polite and peaceful and called the arrest an "absolute shock." "Whether he's been blackmailed or put up to it, that's the only thing me and his mum can think of," Davey said, according to the newspaper. "It's so against his nature and obviously with his Asperger's, we think somebody has got hold of him and done something." U.S. Secret Service agents say Sandford approached an officer at the Trump campaign stop last weekend to say he wanted Trump's autograph then tried to take the officer's gun. In an interview, Sandford told agents that he wanted to shoot Trump and was prepared to die at the hands of police in the assassination attempt, according to the criminal complaint. Sandford was charged with an act of violence on restricted grounds and was assigned a court-appointed attorney. He has not yet entered a plea and was denied bail after a judge said he was a flight risk and posed a threat to the community. "There may be some issues regarding the mental health of the defendant," U.S. Magistrate Judge George Foley Jr. said during a court hearing Monday, while the thin, shackled Sandford appeared to tremble in his seat nearby. Sandford has not recently been diagnosed with mental illness but had been treated for anorexia and obsessive compulsive disorder when he was younger, according to background information that court officials gathered and discussed in court. Public defender Heather Fraley said Sandford previously attempted suicide and once ran away from a hospital in England. Still, she believes he's competent to stand trial. Court research shows Sandford didn't have a job and received financial support from his mother after coming to the U.S. last year. Davey told the Portsmouth News that his son had moved to New Jersey a year and a half ago to be with a girlfriend. Officials with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement say he stayed about nine months longer than he was allowed through the Visa Waiver program, and they've lodged a detainer against him so they can take action on the immigration violation before he's released. Sandford told Secret Service agents that he drove his 2007 BMW from the San Bernardino, California, area to Las Vegas on June 16. The next day, he went to a shooting range and fired 20 rounds from a 9mm Glock pistol to learn how to use it, according to the complaint. Sandford said he had been planning to kill Trump for about a year but finally felt confident about trying it, the complaint states. ___ AP writers Frank Jordans and David Keyton contributed from Dorking, England. ___ This story has been corrected to show the suspect's last name is Sandford, not Sanford. In this June 18, 2016, photo, police remove Michael Steven Sandford as Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at the Treasure Island hotel and casino in Las Vegas. Sandford, a British man accused of trying to take a police officer's gun and kill Donald Trump during a weekend rally in Las Vegas, will not be released on bail. Federal Magistrate Judge George Foley said at a hearing Monday that Sandford was a potential danger to the community and a flight risk. (AP Photo/John Locher) In this June 18, 2016, photo, police remove Michael Steven Sandford as Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at the Treasure Island hotel and casino in Las Vegas. Sandford, a British man accused of trying to take a police officer's gun and kill Donald Trump during a weekend rally in Las Vegas, will not be released on bail. Federal Magistrate Judge George Foley said at a hearing Monday that Sandford was a potential danger to the community and a flight risk. (AP Photo/John Locher) Neighborhood watch: Online startups tackle local news NEW YORK (AP) A handful of new startups are tackling a thorny problem that AOL couldn't solve with zillions of dollars: How to cover local news in different cities without going broke. Some see a news hole left behind by the shrinking newsrooms of traditional city newspapers and alt-weeklies. Others want to woo smartphone-addicted millennial readers. They're using newsletters and social media like Instagram to build an audience for their sites. The latest entrant is the brainchild of three media executives who want to launch a string of sites in mid-size cities, starting with Denver. Their first site, Denverite , launched on June 14 with a staff of nine and an expected annual budget of $1 million large for a local-news site. In this Friday, June 17, 2016, photograph, members of the Denverite, a news startup based in Denver, pose for a picture in the venture's office. Editor Dave Burdick, front, is flanked by some of the site's co-workers, from left, Chloe Aiello, Ashley Dean, Adrian Garcia and Erica Meltzer. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) Posts are earnest, with zippy photos and video. Goals are lofty: The site aims to cover development and how Denver is changing as a city, says editor Dave Burdick. It runs both original stories and posts that basically rewrite pieces from other outlets (with links), a model inspired by the online business-news site Business Insider. All three Denverite investors were also Business Insider investors (one, Kevin Ryan, was a Business Insider founder). The business site, known for its snappy style, chart- and image-heavy articles and sheer volume of posts including many speedy rewrites of news from competitors sold last fall for nearly $400 million to a German publisher, Axel Springer. THE SHADOW OF PATCH Local news still seems like an unlikely area of growth. The sector labors under the failure of Patch, an AOL-funded string of "hyperlocal" news sites that reportedly lost at least $200 million before its owner mostly sold it off in 2014. It grew too fast and relied too much on national advertisers rather than local businesses, says Michele McLellan, a Chicago-based digital-news consultant. Patch still exists , although its workforce is far smaller and its ambitions have scaled back considerably. There are still hundreds of tiny online news outlets many with budgets well below $1 million a year that have built small but loyal audiences over the years, McLellan says. One wave arose after the Great Recession devastated newsrooms with layoffs; another formed when Patch editors struck out on their own following the site's sale. But Denverite and others like Billy Penn, a site that launched in 2014 in Philadelphia, and Charlotte Agenda , which started in North Carolina last year, have mini-Patch ambitions: To serve up local news in several cities at once. (DNAInfo , a billionaire-backed company founded in 2009, already does this. It's in Chicago and New York and apes traditional newspapers by covering crime, politics and local events at the neighborhood level.) These startups join deeper-pocketed operations such as Voice of San Diego and Texas Tribune , prominent nonprofits with substantial budgets that focus on local public policy and investigative reports. But outfits catering to millennials have a breezier approach. Ted Williams, Charlotte Agenda's publisher, says Instagram is the site's "most important channel." He plans to expand to Raleigh this summer. SUBTRACTED ADS Challenges, of course, are everywhere. Digital advertising is a $60 billion business in the U.S., but tech companies like Google and Facebook pull in a growing majority of that revenue. Research firm eMarketer predicts Facebook alone will account for 31 percent of all display-ad revenue, traditionally a mainstay of online publishers, in 2016. Ad-blockers are also increasingly popular among readers. Big advertisers tend to rely on national websites and ad networks. That's why Patch didn't work, says Rich Gordon, a professor of digital innovation at Northwestern's Medill journalism school. But the alternative selling ads to local businesses requires finding a good salesperson with that expertise, which also isn't easy. Many local-coverage niches are already crowded. Free weekly papers in many cities focus on arts and culture; passion-project blogs cover niche topics deeply. And many people turn to social media to learn about concerts, museum exhibits and plays from the venues themselves. GOING NATIVE Several new local-news sites are looking beyond traditional boxy web ads. One popular alternative: native ads that resemble news stories much the way old magazine "advertorials" did. McLellan says her most recent annual survey of local publishers showed a big increase of such ads this year. Charlotte Agenda, for instance, does ad deals that put corporate logos on its site along with native ads and promoted job postings. Billy Penn draws 86 percent of its revenue through sponsored events and by charging admission to gatherings such as happy hours. Its owner, Spirited Media, is launching another site in Pittsburgh in September and plans to expand in other cities after an investment from USA Today owner Gannett. Subscriptions aren't dead, either. The Frontier , launched last year in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by the former publisher of the Tulsa World, charges $30 a month for the investigative stories on its site. It has about 650 members and is aiming for 850 in its first 12 months, says publisher Bobby Lorton. He says he's sold sponsorships to support the site for the short term. Denverite, meanwhile, won't show ads at all for at least the first six months, says Gordon Crovitz, one of its backers and a former Wall Street Journal publisher. Down the road, the company is considering other possible revenue sources including subscriptions. "We don't think the problems of local journalism are going to get solved in a day," Crovitz says. "We're patient." ___ Follow Tali Arbel at twitter.com/tarbel and read more articles at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/tali-arbel PHILADELPHIA (AP) A veteran Pennsylvania congressman was convicted Tuesday in a racketeering case that largely centered on various efforts to repay an illegal $1 million campaign loan related to his unsuccessful 2007 mayoral bid. U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah was found guilty of all counts against him, including racketeering, fraud and money laundering. His lawyers had argued that the schemes were engineered without Fattah's knowledge by two political consultants who pleaded guilty in the case. The 59-year-old Democrat had been in Congress since 1995 and served on the powerful House Appropriations Committee. But he lost the April primary and his bid for his 12th term. His current term ends Jan. 2. Longtime Democratic representative Chaka Fattah was convicted Tuesday to charges stemming from his efforts to repay an illegal $1 million campaign loan Fattah had little reaction to the verdict, but he kept a smile on his face as he conferred with his lawyers afterward. He will remain free on bail. A judge set sentencing for Oct. 4. Fattah told reporters as he was leaving the courtroom: "Well, it's a tough day, but I do want to thank the jurors for their service." He said he will confer with his lawyers on the next step. Prosecutors said Fattah routed federal grant money and nonprofit funds through his consultants to pay back the illegal loan. His wife, Philadelphia TV news anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah, took a leave after her husband's indictment and then quit in February. She was cited in the case over the sham sale of her Porsche, which prosecutors said was a bribe. But she was never charged with any wronging, and she said the sale was legitimate. Better days: Fattah celebrated with President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama at a Congressional Black Caucus dinner in 2013 Fattah greets then-attorney general Eric Holder in 2010 at an Appropriations Committee hearing. The Justice Department prosecuted Fattah on public corruption charges Failure to communicate: Fattah campaigned in April in west Philadelphia but lost his primary Bad timing: Fatah's conviction comes as Democrats are hoping to ride Hillary's coattails and even stand a chance of retaking the House In a related case, his son, Chaka "Chip" Fattah Jr., was convicted on charges of bank and tax fraud and sentenced in February to five years in prison. A jury found he took part in a scheme as a subcontractor to defraud the Philadelphia school district. Justice Department lawyer Jonathan Kravis said in his closing argument that Chaka Fattah Sr. used federal grants and nonprofit funds to enrich his family and friends. Defense lawyers acknowledged Fattah might have gotten himself in financial trouble after a costly mayoral bid, but they said any help from friends amounted to gifts, not bribes. Many of them came from co-defendant Herbert Vederman, a wealthy friend who had dreams of scoring an ambassadorship. U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, a Democrat, testified that he never took the pitch from Fattah too seriously, even though Fattah once bent the president's ear about it. Democrat Ed Rendell, a former mayor and governor, was called to defend Vederman, his former deputy mayor. He said Vederman was qualified for the job and accused prosecutors of cynically misreading the help he lent Fattah. Vederman helped support Fattah's South African nanny and paid $18,000 for a Porsche owned by Fattah's TV anchor wife. "The nanny, the Porsche and the Poconos, they weren't part of a bribery scheme," Fattah lawyer Samuel Silver argued in closings. "Those were all overreaches by the prosecution." The campaign loan was just one of several schemes prosecutors outlined during the trial. They say Fattah was aided in his endeavors by current and former staffers who ran his district office or the nonprofits; by Vederman, who now lives in Palm Beach, Florida; and by political consultants Greg Naylor and Thomas Lindenfeld, who pleaded guilty. Court mulls law limiting docs' talk with patients about guns ATLANTA (AP) As a national debate rages on gun rights and gun control, a federal appeals court is mulling a Florida law that restricts doctors from talking about gun ownership with patients. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday heard arguments on a legal challenge to the 2011 law that requires doctors to have a legitimate safety concern before they start asking a patient about guns. Doctors who violate the law could face professional discipline, such as a fine, or even lose their medical licenses. Enforcement of the law is currently on hold pending the outcome of the legal challenge. Supporters of the law, including the National Rifle Association, say it's necessary because they believe doctors were overstepping their bounds by pushing an anti-gun, anti-Second Amendment political agenda to patients. The lawsuit, commonly known as "Docs vs. Glocks," was filed by doctors, medical organizations and other groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union. They say the law violates doctors' free speech rights and has a chilling effect on meaningful conversations about firearms between doctors and patients. Florida Deputy Solicitor General Rachel Nordby argued that the law doesn't prevent doctors from asking about guns as long as they are acting in good faith and believe the questions are relevant to the patient's medical care or safety. The doctor is the "gatekeeper" and gets to determine what is relevant, she said. Several judges expressed doubt about the effectiveness of the law during oral arguments Tuesday. "How is that even enforceable, just from a reality point of view?" Circuit Judge Robin Rosenbaum asked, adding that there is no objective standard by which it can be determined that a doctor is acting in good faith. The state has argued that the law protects patients from discrimination or harassment and reaffirms a patient's right to refuse to answer a doctor's questions. It also prohibits doctors from dropping patients because they own a gun. The law was prompted by complaints legislators received about doctors asking their patients inappropriate questions, Nordby said. The law represented a compromise that protected privacy and Second Amendment rights while also preserving free speech rights, she said. Circuit Chief Judge Ed Carnes asked Douglas Hallward-Driemeier, a lawyer for the doctors, whether the state has the right to prohibit a doctor from discriminating against a patient based on gun ownership. Hallward-Driemeier replied that there would be no problem if that was all the law said. The main problem is that the effectively stops many doctors from asking relevant questions about guns because they fear a patient will take offense and file a complaint with the Florida Board of Medicine, Hallward-Driemeier said. The law also violates doctors' First Amendment right to free speech by targeting speech on a specific topic, Hallward-Driemeier argued. Florida is the only state that has enacted such a law, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Howard Simon, executive director of the ACLU of Florida, said the court's ruling will have national implications. "If the law is upheld, the NRA will have laws like this introduced in every state," he said. "If the law is struck down, I think this will put a significant barrier to having this law enacted by other states." In 2012, U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke in Florida ruled that the law violated free speech rights and was unconstitutional. A three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit overruled Cooke by a 2-1 vote three times, with each opinion replacing the previous one. The most recent opinion, in December, said any free speech concerns were outweighed by the state's interest in keeping doctors from using their "power disparity" to discourage patients from exercising their constitutional right to bear arms. Husband of slain MP Jo Cox says she died for her views LONDON (AP) The husband of slain British lawmaker Jo Cox said Tuesday she worried about the angry direction of politics, and he believes she was killed because of her "strong political views." Brendan Cox said his wife had worried about politicians "creating division and playing on people's worst fears rather than their best instincts." Jo Cox, a 41-year-old Labour lawmaker who had championed the cause of Syrian refugees, was stabbed and shot to death outside a library in her northern England constituency on Thursday. The suspect gave his name in court as "death to traitors, freedom for Britain." A photograph of Jo Cox, the 41-year-old Member of Parliament fatally shot last week in northern England, stands amongst tributes laid in her memory in Parliament Square, London, after a service of prayer and remembrance to commemorate her, Monday, June 20, 2016. The mother of two was shot on Thursday afternoon in her constituency near Leeds. The man charged with her slaying made a brief appearance in court by video link from prison Monday. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) Her death brought a shocked three-day pause in campaigning for Britain's EU referendum. The EU debate has seen fierce and often vitriolic argument about immigration and Britain's place in the world. In a televised BBC interview, Brendan Cox said his wife "was very worried that the language was coarsening, that people were being driven to take more extreme positions, that people didn't work with each other as individuals and on issues, it was all much too tribal and unthinking." He said "she had very strong political views and I believe she was killed because of those views." Some have urged Brendan Cox to run in the special election that will fill his wife's seat in the House of Commons. But he said she would want her replacement to be a woman, and "my only overriding priority at the moment is how I make sure that I protect my family and my kids through this." He said he was grateful for the "public support and outpouring of love" he and the couple's two young children had received. A fund set up to support charities Cox had backed has raised more than 1 million pounds ($1.47 million). People look at tributes placed for Jo Cox, the 41-year-old Member of Parliament who was fatally shot last week, in Parliament Square, London, after a service of prayer, Monday, June 20, 2016. The mother of two was killed Thursday in her constituency near Leeds in northern England, and the man charged with her murder made a brief court appearance Monday. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) Cubans in Ecuador seek help reaching United States QUITO, Ecuador (AP) Scores of Cubans are camped out in front of Mexico's embassy in Ecuador, appealing for help in reaching the United States. Among the group is Peter Borges, who says many spent all they had to reach Ecuador and cannot find work. They apparently seek something like an international operation earlier this year that lifted thousands of Cubans from Costa Rica to Mexico, so that they could reach the U.S. Unlike any other nationality, Cubans are essentially granted residence if they reach U.S. territory. Mexican Embassy press spokesman Francisco Hernandez says the Central American operation was an exceptional case to resolve an international problem. Police: Man accused of driving under influence on lawnmower BRISTOL, Vt. (AP) Police say a man operating a lawnmower on a road in Vermont has been accused of driving under the influence of drugs. The Burlington Free Press reports (http://bfpne.ws/28MxTmb ) police say 67-year-old Claude Spaulding, of Bristol, was stopped Monday after they got a report that a man was driving the John Deere lawnmower down the town's main thoroughfare. Police say Spaulding showed signs of impairment and screened for driving under the influence of drugs. A court date is pending results from the state forensic lab. It wasn't immediately known if Spaulding had a lawyer. A phone number rang unanswered Tuesday. ___ A teenage girl died after being thrown from a truck that was fleeing the scene of a suspected robbery in East Tennessee. Lacey Briggs, 14, was suspected of tying and beating up a man along with two other juvenile suspects, before stealing his truck and leading Unicoi County sheriff's deputies on a chase Monday. The pursuit ended when the stolen Ford Ranger pickup crashed and rolled several times after the driver lost control. Lacey Briggs, 14, died in a car crash after fleeing from law enforcement in East Tennessee on Monday Police said she and two other juvenile suspects beat and tied up a man before stealing his truck The man broke free and alerted authorities, who gave chase. The pursuit ended when the truck crashed and rolled several times Officials found two handguns and a large hunting knife when investigating the wreck. The surviving suspects were were booked into a juvenile detention center after receiving medical treatment for their injuries The other suspects were only identified as male juveniles. They were booked into a juvenile detention center after receiving medical treatment for injuries sustained in the crash. None of the occupants in the car were wearing seat belts, according to a crash report. Officials found two handguns and a large hunting knife when investigating the wreck. The robbery victim told investigators he was ambushed inside his Flag Pond home by the suspects, who had broken in and were hiding while waiting for his return. The man was beaten, held at knife point, and tied up with rope and bungee cords, the sheriff's office wrote in a press release. He was then placed in a closet while the suspects stole his truck, officials said. The victim soon managed to free himself and contact a sheriff's deputy who lived nearby. Deputies and Erwin police officers then spotted the vehicle, and tried in vain to stop it. The robbery victim sustained blunt force injuries to the head and body and was transported to hospital in serious condition, officials said. Michelle Obama in passenger seat for 'Carpool Karaoke' WASHINGTON (AP) Who will be next in the passenger seat for an upcoming edition of "Carpool Karaoke" with late-night comic James Corden? None other than Michelle Obama. Corden was at the White House on Tuesday for the taping. FILE- In this June 1,2016 file photo, first lady Michelle Obama speaks in the East Room of the White House in Washington. Who will be next in the passenger seat for an upcoming edition of "Carpool Karaoke" with late-night comic James Corden? None other than Michelle Obama. Corden was at the White House on Tuesday for the taping. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) The first lady announced the appearance with Corden as she launched an account on Snapchat. Follow her at "MichelleObama." The White House says she joined the social media app to promote her trip next week to Liberia, Morocco and Spain to encourage education for the estimated 62 million adolescent girls around the world who aren't attending school. Mrs. Obama is quite active on social media. She already had accounts on Twitter, Instagram and Medium. Man accused of kidnapping prosecutor's father found guilty RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) A federal jury in North Carolina on Tuesday convicted a prisoner of directing a botched kidnapping attempt from his prison cell, in an incident where the kidnappers mistakenly grabbed the father of a prosecutor. Kelvin Melton, 51 was found guilty of multiple charges, including kidnapping and aiding and abetting and conspiracy to commit kidnapping, a release from the U.S. Department of Justice said. Prosecutors said Melton's underlings were sent to grab Wake County Assistant District Attorney Colleen Janssen, who put him in prison in a 2011 shooting case, but mistakenly kidnapped her father instead. Prosecutors said officials wiretapped a cellphone smuggled into Melton's prison cell and caught him giving instructions on how Frank Janssen should be killed and how to dispose of the body and clean up the crime scene. Melton, who was already serving a life sentence in the shooting case, faces up to life in prison and a fine of $250,000 when he is sentenced on the latest conviction. In opening statements, defense attorney Gerald Beaver urged jurors not to believe Melton's gang when they testified against him, including the four who kidnapped, pistol-whipped and tortured Frank Janssen with a stun gun during his four-day ordeal in April 2014. All nine of Melton's co-defendants struck plea deals to avoid the death penalty or life prison sentences for earlier shootings and aborted kidnapping plots, Beaver said. The statement from the Department of Justice said Frank Janssen was kidnapped from his home on April 5, 2014. Melton used the cell phone while he was serving his sentence in a prison in Butner. The co-conspirators in the plot also sent threats to Janssen's wife, prosecutors said. Clinton warns that Trump would plunge economy into recession COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Hillary Clinton said Tuesday that Donald Trump would send the U.S. economy back into recession, warning his "reckless" approach would hurt workers still trying to recover from the 2008 economic turbulence. Clinton's address in Ohio, one of the most important battleground states, sought to define Trump as little more than a con man, whose ignorance and ego would tank the global economy, bankrupt Americans and risk the country's future. "Every day we see how reckless and careless Trump is. He's proud of it," the Democratic presidential candidate said. "Well, that's his choice. Except when he's asking to be our president. Then it's our choice." Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks about the economy, Tuesday, June 21, 2016, at Fort Hayes Vocational School in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete) The speech was similar to one earlier this month in San Diego in which Clinton tried to undercut the Republican candidate's foreign policy credentials. This time, at an alternative high school in Columbus, she questioned whether Trump has the temperament to guide the economy and repeatedly pointed to his business record as evidence of how he would treat small businesses and working families. "Just like he shouldn't have his finger on the button, he shouldn't have his hands on our economy," Clinton said. Her speech included stinging one-liners, including a takedown of Trump's best-selling books. "He's written a lot of books about business. But they all seem to end at Chapter 11," she said, in an allusion to the U.S. bankruptcy code. Trump responded on Twitter as Clinton delivered her address, writing in one tweet: "How can Hillary run the economy when she can't even send emails without putting entire nation at risk?" He appeared to be referring to Clinton blending her personal and official emails on a homebrew server in her house, while she was secretary of state. The businessman later appeared to embrace one of Clinton's attack lines, writing: 'I am "the king of debt.' That has been great for me as a businessman, but is bad for the country. I made a fortune off of debt, will fix U.S." Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus said Clinton was "the last person qualified" to talk about improving the economy, pointing to "eight years of disastrous Obama policies." Clinton used Trump's own statements to undercut his economic credentials, citing remarks he made that that U.S. could sell off assets, default on its debt and that wages are too high. She also repeated a comment he made that pregnant employees are an "inconvenience." Clinton said financial markets often "rise and fall" on comments by presidential candidates. Suggesting the United States could default on its debt could cause a "global panic," she added. She also seized on a report Monday by Moody's Analytics which found Trump's plans would lead to a "lengthy recession," costing nearly 3.5 million American jobs. The analysis by Moody's Mark Zandi, a Clinton donor and former economic adviser to Republican Sen. John McCain's 2008 campaign, predicted Trump's approach would swell the federal debt as the U.S. economy becomes more isolated by less trade and cross-border immigration. Trump has pointed to trade as a major difference with Clinton, saying last week that her support of past trade deals, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement, has cost the country "millions of jobs." He also has assailed her promotion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal as Obama's secretary of state as a sell-out of U.S. workers. Clinton announced her opposition to the TPP last October, saying it failed to meet her test of providing good jobs, raising wages and protecting national security. Brushing it aside, Clinton said there was a difference between "getting tough on trade" and "recklessly starting trade wars." She noted that many of Trump's products are made in countries like China, Mexico, Turkey, India and Slovenia. Bolstered by more than $40 million in television advertising, Clinton and her Democratic allies are trying to use this period before next month's Democratic National Convention to disqualify Trump among moderate voters on the economy and prevent him from successfully wooing working-class voters in battleground states like Ohio, Wisconsin and Michigan. Fundraising reports filed Monday showed Clinton with a big advantage, starting the month with $42 million in the bank compared with Trump's $1.3 million. Clinton was expected to talk about "ambitious new goals" for the economy Wednesday in Raleigh, North Carolina. ___ Associated Press writer Lisa Lerer in Washington contributed to this story. ___ On Twitter follow Ken Thomas: https://twitter.com/KThomasDC Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks about the economy, Tuesday, June 21, 2016, at Fort Hayes Vocational School in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete) Oil canals in national preserve in Louisiana to be filled BARATARIA PRESERVE, La. (AP) In the heyday of oil exploration on Louisiana's coast after World War II, companies dug about 10,000 miles of canals as straight as Kansas highways through a natural world that's unraveling today due, in part, to those canals. Soon, about 16.5 miles of canals are to be filled in the Barataria Preserve making a small dent in a massive problem. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell on Monday toured water plant-choked canals in the alligator-and-bird preserve by airboat and called the work crucial; she said filling in open canals can help fend off the Gulf of Mexico and its hurricanes. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, left, tours Monday, June 20, 2016, canals in the preserve by airboat in Barataria Preserve, La. In the heyday of oil exploration on Louisiana's coast after World War II, companies dug about 10,000 miles of canals as straight as Kansas highways through a natural world that's unraveling today due, in part, to those canals. Soon, about 16.5 miles of canals are to be filled in the Barataria Preserve making a small dent in a massive problem. (AP Photo/Cain Burdeau) "It can have an impact, not just restoring the National Park site, but also on buffering these communities from the impacts of climate change, sea level rise, of increasing storms." The National Park Service is using $8.7 million from penalties drawn from the catastrophic BP Gulf of Mexico oil spill in 2010 to do the work. The Barataria Preserve, established in 1978, lies about 10 miles southwest of New Orleans. Long ago, oil companies abandoned the canals and spoil banks. Scientists say they have interfered with hydrology trapping water in places and keeping water from flowing properly in others and funneled salt water inland. Also, canals have widened and eroded the landscape. The canals have long been considered a major problem for Louisiana's coast, which experiences some of the fastest rates of land loss in the world. The state loses about 17 square miles of land each year an area not that much smaller than Manhattan and has lost about 1,900 square miles since the 1930s, an area the size of Delaware. Restoring hydrology is critical, said Dusty Pate, the National Park Service's natural resource program manager on the preserve. "It's the action of the river that created this entire landscape, and water movement out across the landscape is very important. The primary thing that you're trying to do is remove barriers to (water) exchange," he said as he surveyed the banks along the Gulf South Pipeline Canal. "It's super, super flat and normally the way the water would move is in a big sheet or in a small natural channel." He added: "By taking down the spoil banks and shallowing out the canal we can't necessarily restore all of that function, but we can do good things for sure." He said plans call for pushing the trees many of which are invasive Chinese tallow trees and brush along the spoil banks into the canal. Trees with value, such as cypress and oaks, would likely be kept, he said. The canals won't be filled in completely simply because there's not enough dirt in the spoil banks to do that, Pate said. But over time, they are expected to gradually become shallower and shallower. Julie Whitbeck, a National Park Service ecologist, said the work to fill in the canals would be a model for future projects to backfill canals. The preserve has become a leader in filling canals, said Eugene Turner, a Louisiana State University coastal scientist. He was not on the tour, but has studied the canals for a long time. The preserve previously filled in about 5 miles of canals. In all, about 30 miles of canals across the Louisiana coast have been filled in, Turner said. The question whether oil companies should be forced to pay for damage caused by the canals has long been contentious. The oil industry says it was not required to fill in canals, but others argue that they should be forced to pay for that work. Three coastal parishes the equivalent of counties in Louisiana are suing dozens of oil canals over damage by the oil industry to the coast. Recently, Gov. John Bel Edwards got involved in the litigation and has sought to broker a settlement. An oil canal dug in the 1950s in marsh and swampland southwest of New Orleans on June 20, 2016. The National Park Service plans to fill the canal by removing the spoil banks on each side of the canal and pushing that dirt into the canal. In the heyday of oil exploration on Louisiana's coast after World War II, companies dug about 10,000 miles of canals as straight as Kansas highways through a natural world that's unraveling today due, in part, to those canals. Soon, about 16.5 miles of canals are to be filled in the Barataria Preserve making a small dent in a massive problem. (AP Photo/Cain Burdeau) Mexico town buries dead after clash between teachers, police NOCHIXTLAN, Mexico (AP) A small town in southern Mexico buried three of its own Tuesday, two days after a clash between police and protesters left eight dead. Residents in the town of Nochixtlan in Oaxaca state accused police of opening fire during a confrontation involving protesters and striking radical teachers, killing several people including 19-year-old Jesus Cadena Sanchez. A middle child, Cadena Sanchez was the second of three burials, as hundreds marched with his casket to a rocky hilltop cemetery under a steady rain. The mother of Jesus Cadena, who died last Sunday during the clearing of the highway by police, is comforted by relatives, in Nochixtlan, in Oaxaca state, Mexico, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Violence erupted during the weekend in which at least six people died in confrontations between the police and striking teachers. The teachers are protesting against plans to overhaul the country's education system which include federally mandated teacher evaluations. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) After his burial, Cadena's mother, Patricia Sanchez Meza, recalled her last conversation with him in what must have been minutes before a bullet ripped through his lower abdomen on Sunday. Federal and state police had moved in to remove a highway roadblock on the outskirts of Nochixtlan on Sunday. By late morning shots rang out. Though who started shooting is disputed, journalists filmed police firing their weapons. Eight were killed and more than 100 injured. Sanchez had gone out on an errand Sunday morning and was surprised to find her son gone when she returned. She called for him thinking maybe he was asleep. They had the habit of always eating breakfast together. Then she thought maybe he had walked the couple blocks to the church, because the bells had rung calling people to help. She gathered some supplies to help the injured and walked toward the action. She turned back a block from the hospital because there was shooting. Eventually, around 11:20 a.m., Sanchez was able to speak briefly with Cadena by phone. She heard a lot of noise. He told her they had them pinned behind a bus. "He told me, "I'm all right mommy, relax, I'll be right back." Then the call cut off. Photos Cadena took with his cellphone before his death showed a chaotic scene under a blue sky. Dozens of protesters, some with handkerchiefs tied around their faces were spread across the roadway. One man held a softball-size rock. In the distance a line of what appear to be blue-uniformed federal police stretch across the road. A helicopter circled overhead. Other men who were with Cadena at the end told Sanchez that federal police fired on them. One of those who tried to help him was shot in the mouth and killed. Another was grazed. Cadena had not told his mother he was going to support the teachers' roadblock that morning, but it did not surprise her. "He was very supportive, he didn't like injustices," she said. Cadena had graduated high school one year before. Sanchez proudly flipped through photos of him in an album. He with a friend in their school uniforms. The soccer and music lover wanted to continue his studies and become a civil engineer, Sanchez said. The crowd at Cadena's funeral was defiant. They blamed authorities and chanted that his death be avenged. The first step forward could come Wednesday when the Mexican government and representatives of the dissident teachers' union will hold talks. The meeting was to be held in Mexico City and will be led by Interior Secretary Miguel Angel Osorio Chong. The Interior Department said in a statement that the talks will seek to find solutions that allow for a return to peace in regions that have seen turbulent protests recently. Radical teachers unions are vehemently opposed to education reforms that include subjecting teachers to evaluations, and have led demonstrations in several states and the Mexican capital. Officials said the reform itself will not be up for negotiation in Wednesday's talks. The most recent round of protests was set off by the arrest of some union leaders on charges including corruption. People carry the coffin of Jesus Cadena, who died last Sunday during the clearing of the highway by police, in Nochixtlan, in Oaxaca state, Mexico, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Violence erupted during the weekend in which at least six people died in confrontations between the police and striking teachers. The teachers are protesting against plans to overhaul the country's education system which include federally mandated teacher evaluations. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) A young woman walks with a photo of Jesus Cadena as others carry the coffin of Jesus Cadena, who died last Sunday during the clearing of the highway by police, in Nochixtlan, in Oaxaca state, Mexico, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Violence erupted during the weekend in which at least six people died in confrontations between the police and striking teachers. The teachers are protesting against plans to overhaul the country's education system which include federally mandated teacher evaluations. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) A woman pays her respects to Jesus Cadena, who died last Sunday during the clearing of the highway by police, in Nochixtlan, in Oaxaca state, Mexico, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Violence erupted during the weekend in which at least six people died in confrontations between the police and striking teachers. The teachers are protesting against plans to overhaul the country's education system which include federally mandated teacher evaluations. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) A young woman walks with a photo of Jesus Cadena, who died last Sunday during the clearing of the highway by police, as others carry his coffin in Nochixtlan, in Oaxaca state, Mexico, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Violence erupted during the weekend in which at least six people died in confrontations between the police and striking teachers. The teachers are protesting against plans to overhaul the country's education system which include federally mandated teacher evaluations. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) People come to pay their respects to Jesus Cadena, who died last Sunday during the clearing of the highway by police, in Nochixtlan, in Oaxaca state, Mexico, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Violence erupted during the weekend in which at least six people died in confrontations between the police and striking teachers. The teachers are protesting against plans to overhaul the country's education system which include federally mandated teacher evaluations. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Two young mourn during the funeral of Jesus Cadena, who died last Sunday during the clearing of the highway by police, in Nochixtlan, in Oaxaca state, Mexico, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Violence erupted during the weekend in which at least six people died in confrontations between the police and striking teachers. The teachers are protesting against plans to overhaul the country's education system which include federally mandated teacher evaluations. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Israel launches probe after soldiers pose as Google logo JERUSALEM (AP) Israel's military says it is investigating a recent incident at an air force base in which soldiers were ordered to stand in formation to spell out the Google logo for the company's visiting executives. It said Tuesday it was "an idea conceived during a visit by Google representatives to an Israel Air Force Base. The matter will be looked into." Footage of about a hundred soldiers standing in the scorching summer heat next to aircraft in a formation that spelled out the logo sparked outrage in Israel, where military service is mandatory. Judges skeptical about North Carolina voting law changes RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Members of a federal appeals court expressed skepticism Tuesday that North Carolina's 2013 major rewrite to voting laws, requiring photo identification to cast in-person ballots, doesn't discriminate against minorities. The three-judge panel met Tuesday to hear arguments over whether to overturn an April trial court ruling upholding the law. Judge Henry F. Floyd questioned the timing of the changes done after Republicans took control of state government for the first time in a century and after the U.S. Supreme Court undid key provisions of the Voting Rights Act and whether they weren't done to suppress minority votes for political gain. "It looks pretty bad to me," Floyd said. But the law's authors said they were aiming to prevent voter fraud and increase public confidence in elections. "It was not a nefarious thing," said Thomas A. Farr, an attorney representing the state. The U.S. Justice Department, state NAACP, League of Women Voters and others sued the state, saying the restrictions violated the remaining provisions of the federal Voting Rights Act and the Constitution. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals fast-tracked the review in an expected presidential battleground state, with competitive races for governor and U.S. Senate. Voters must now show one of six qualifying IDs, although those with "reasonable impediments" can fill out a form and cast a provisional ballot. The voter ID mandate began with this year's March primary. At Tuesday's hearing, Judge James A. Wynn Jr. asked pointed questions about why public assistance IDs, used disproportionally by minorities, were not acceptable in the final version of the law. "Why did they take it out?" asked Wynn, a former North Carolina state appeals judge. The laws approved by the General Assembly and signed by Republican Gov. Pat McCrory also reduced early voting from 17 to 10 days, eliminated same-day registration during early voting and barred the counting of Election Day ballots cast in the wrong precinct. The plaintiffs say the changes discourage voting by black and Hispanic residents, who use early voting or same-day registration more than white voters and are more likely to lack photo ID. Southern Coalition for Social Justice attorney Allison J. Riggs said North Carolina's GOP lawmakers enacted a specific and unprecedented attack on minority voting rights that continued the state's tradition of suppressing minority rights. "They knew the disproportionate impact of every one of these provisions," she said. U.S. District Judge Thomas Schroeder, who presided over the trial in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, determined the plaintiffs failed to prove that the laws made it harder for minority voters to cast ballots. He focused on higher voter registration and turnout rates among black residents in 2014, when many changes were implemented, compared with 2010. Attorneys for the state want to keep Schroeder's ruling intact, arguing in a brief that the laws "simply returned North Carolina's election system to the mainstream of election systems" used in the country. The appeals panel, which also included Judge Diana Gribbon Motz, did not say when they would issue a ruling. The same three judges considered the 2013 law in 2014. At that time, Wynn and Floyd ordered a preliminary injunction directing same-day registration and out-of-precinct voting continue while the case was pending. A majority on the U.S. Supreme Court soon disagreed and blocked that order for the November 2014 election. But subsequent court rulings allowed same-day registration and out-of-precinct voting to resume. ___ Refn explores the virtues of narcissism in 'The Neon Demon' LOS ANGELES (AP) Nicolas Winding Refn is pressed for time. He has two premieres to get to for his film "The Neon Demon ," a stylish and perverse thriller about an aspiring teenage model (Elle Fanning), which struts into U.S. theaters Friday. One is a public event on the sprawling lawn of the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, now one of the town's hippest screening spaces. The other is a late night extravaganza in Hollywood's gloriously retro Cinerama Dome theater followed by a model-filled after party. Simply, it's a big night. In this June 15, 2016, photo, director Nicolas Winding Refn, left, poses with actress Elle Fanning to promote their film, "The Neon Demon" in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP) "The 16-year-old girl in me wants to go home and dress up," Refn says with a Cheshire grin. He plans to wear Prada. Refn likes to elicit reactions, but he claims he doesn't have an agenda to provoke he considers that to be childish. This twisty logic won't be a surprise to anyone familiar with the Danish director's sleekly violent films, which needle audiences as much as they captivate them. He seems almost glad that some booed when "The Neon Demon" premiered at the Cannes Film Festival last month. It's a reaction, after all. "The more divisive, the better," he said. The way he talks about his work has a similar effect. He's used the "16-year-old girl" line a number of times, for example, including to Fanning before he cast the then 16-year-old as his lead, Jesse. Refn is 45. "She was cool with it, so I said let's make this movie," he said. A film about a teenage girl is a 180 for Refn, who has luxuriated in the terrain of hyper masculinity for most of his career, like in "Drive," ''Only God Forgives," the "Pusher" series, "Bronson" and "Valhalla Rising." In his personal life, though, he's surrounded by women his wife, filmmaker and actress Liv Corfixen, and two daughters. "The world of women is so much more interesting, because it's just more complex. Guys are pretty dumb usually," he said. "Women are, in a way, more science fiction-like. They are so much more about the future. Men to me very much represent the past." The future, for Refn, is narcissism, which he explores in "Neon Demon." As a slimy character says in the film, "beauty isn't everything. It's the only thing." The sentiment didn't just stay on the page either. When Fanning first met Refn, he asked her if she thought she was beautiful. "That's something that people just don't ask. I don't know if it's being a woman, but you're taught not to answer that. You're not supposed to. You can't," said Fanning, now 18. "But it's hypocritical. People say you should love yourself and say you're beautiful, but then it's crossing that line into narcissism." Fanning's character Jesse, fresh off the bus from Georgia, exemplifies that idea. She knows she is beautiful. She even says it, and no one can touch her because of that not even the ravenously jealous models (Abbey Lee, Bella Heathcote) who try to cut her down. "I kind of looked at her as this creature. She was definitely not a normal human being," said Fanning of Jesse. "There's this aura around her, but in reality, she's the poison. It's like if Dorothy from Oz was evil ... I like her, but she's dangerous, she's scary. And then she just gets more and more powerful as she starts to fall deeper in love with herself." There's also Keanu Reeves as a seedy motel manager, blood and glitter soaked fashion shoots, a sleazy photographer (Desmond Harrington) and an even sleazier designer (Alessandro Nivola), a suffer-no-fools makeup artist (Jena Malone), and even some necrophilia. But "The Neon Demon" is better experienced than explained. Before Refn heads off to his Prada and premieres, though, he pauses to offer some advice: "Narcissism is a virtue. Tell yourself that every day." Is he agitating? Is he sincere? It's probably some combination of the two. In the end, maybe it's better not to know. ___ Follow AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ldbahr In this June 15, 2016, photo, director Nicolas Winding Refn, right, poses with actress Elle Fanning to promote their film, "The Neon Demon" in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP) In this June 15, 2016, photo, director Nicolas Winding Refn, left, poses with actress Elle Fanning to promote their film, "The Neon Demon" in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP) Kerry meets diplomats who dissented on Syria policy WASHINGTON (AP) Secretary of State John Kerry has met with a number of U.S. diplomats who want the Obama administration to expand its military role in Syria. State Department spokesman John Kirby said Kerry met on Tuesday with about 10 of the 51 authors of a so-called "dissent channel" cable that takes issue with the administration's current Syria policy and urges more robust action. Citing the confidentiality of the dissent channel process, Kirby declined to discuss specifics of the meeting. However, he said Kerry thanked the authors for their views and said he took them seriously. Macedonia parliament votes against impeaching president SKOPJE, Macedonia (AP) Macedonia's parliament has rejected a call from the opposition to open impeachment procedures against President Gjorge Ivanov following weeks of street protests against him. Following a weeklong debate, lawmakers on Tuesday failed to reach the required number of votes to back the procedure at the country's constitutional court. The opposition Social Democrats had demanded impeachment following Ivanov's controversial decision to pardon dozens of top politicians facing corruption charges a move that triggered the street protests and international condemnation. The pardons were eventually canceled. Dallas takes action on loose dogs after pit bulls kill woman DALLAS (AP) Dallas city leaders expressed outrage in the month after a homeless Army veteran was killed by roaming dogs, bitten more than 100 times as the animals tore one of her arms to the bone and ripped away most of her thigh. They promised to respond to Antoinette Brown's death by cracking down on loose dogs found regularly in the city's poorer neighborhoods. They ramped up arrests of dog owners, hired a consultant and are reviewing several proposals, including requiring an insurance policy for "dangerous breeds." The issue of loose dogs has long plagued low-income neighborhoods in some of America's largest cities as leaders allocate more funding and attention on broader concerns such as crime, housing and sprawl. While Brown's death shows how one incident can prompt a city to take action, animal-welfare groups say fixing the problem in Dallas and elsewhere requires long-term investments that many cities have not made. In this Friday, June 17, 2016 photo, a stray dog wonders a neighborhood where a homeless woman was killed by a pack of dogs in Dallas. The city has stepped up enforcement on loose dogs after the group of canines killed the woman last month, but animal-welfare groups say long-term investments are needed in Dallas and elsewhere to fix an issue that has long plagued low-income neighborhoods in some of America's largest cities. (AP Photo/LM Otero) "Our field is starting to recognize that we cannot accomplish what we seek to accomplish, which is safe, humane communities, if all we do is respond to crises after they occur and approach the situation with a punitive mindset," said Cory Smith, a public policy analyst for The Humane Society of the United States. The 52-year-old Brown was attacked by three pit bulls in the early hours of May 2 in a neighborhood of single-story, aging homes, some left vacant. A City Council report on the attack noted that much of a thigh was missing. Brown died in a hospital days later. The loose dogs had run free before the mauling and in the days after. Their owners have had dogs seized in the past. Police have said they could face charges, but none had been filed by Tuesday as a criminal investigation continues. "It happened because this is south Dallas and this is the poorest part of the city and they don't care," neighbor Netra Reese told The Dallas Morning News. "Now they're talking about it. It takes someone to lose their life for them to come out and do something." Brown's death led the city to increase enforcement: Authorities since early May have arrested at least 40 people on some 160 animal-related warrants. The outcry in Dallas follows similar ones in Detroit, Houston, San Antonio and other cities where funding for animal services often has been lacking, primarily affecting low-income areas. Reforms in those cities included adding additional enforcement officers, collaborating with pet adoption agencies and in some cases small acts like handing out leashes to pet owners. Houston officials since 2009 have increased animal control funding to more than $12 million, from about $5.5 million, after reports about high rates of animal euthanasia at city shelters and stories of puppies being flushed down drains to quickly dispose of them. By November, more than 90 percent of animals were leaving city shelters alive. Greg Damianoff, director of Houston's Bureau of Animal Regulation and Control, said outreach programs must be done continuously in low-income areas because of the transient nature of the population. "The fallacy is that people in those neighborhoods don't care about their pets," he said. "But the reality is they simply don't have access to a vet nor do they think they can afford it." James Bias, president of the SPCA of Texas, added that municipalities have to craft a response specific to problem areas. For instance, rental properties often don't have the proper fencing to keep pets enclosed, so outreach efforts could include working with property owners to better secure their land, he said. Smith said cities also should be providing free or discounted spay and neuter programs. The problem of stray dogs, she said, is "the result of communities of people and animals that have gone underserved for a long time." ___ Family bewildered by 'vague' findings in son's gym mat death SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) The parents of a Georgia teenager found dead inside a rolled-up gym mat are "in a state of bewilderment" after the Justice Department decided to close a long investigation into the 2013 death while releasing only a vague account of its findings, a family spokesman said Tuesday. Classmates at Lowndes High School found the body of 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson of Valdosta in the center of an upright mat propped against a gym wall on Jan. 10, 2013. State and local authorities concluded Johnson died in a freak accident after getting stuck upside down while trying to retrieve a gym shoe. His parents insist their son was slain. The Justice Department announced Monday that it was closing a 2 year investigation into Johnson's strange death that ultimately "found insufficient evidence to support federal criminal charges." The department's statement steered clear of saying whether its findings pointed to an accident or homicide as the cause of Johnson's death. The teenager's parents, Kenneth and Jacquelyn Johnson, also came away with few answers after meeting Monday afternoon with federal prosecutors in Macon, said Marcus Coleman, a spokesman for the family. "They're in a state of bewilderment," Coleman said Tuesday. "The statement that came from the DOJ is very vague. Their findings were very vague I would even say incomplete. ... We haven't really learned anything new." The parents voiced their frustration Monday during a news conference in Macon. "It just pushed the dagger a little bit further," Jacquelyn Johnson told reporters, adding: "We've still got no truth." Prosecutors at the U.S. attorney's office insisted on meeting with Johnson's parents privately to discuss their findings, Coleman said, leaving himself and the family's attorney to wait in a lobby. Coleman said Johnson's father told him they discussed dueling autopsies at the heart of the case. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation's autopsy found Johnson died from being stuck upside down and unable to breathe. A private medical examiner hired later by Johnson's parents concluded he was killed by a blow to the neck. "They were adamant to Mr. Johnson that the second one was more accurate," Coleman said. "According to Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, verbatim: The first pathologist got it wrong." Mike Tobin, a spokesman for acting U.S. Attorney Carole Rendon, whose office in northern Ohio led the investigation, confirmed that Johnson's parents alone met with prosecutors. He declined to comment further on what was discussed in that meeting or about the investigation's overall findings. The Associated Press asked to speak with Johnson's parents Tuesday. Coleman said he would relay a message, but they did not immediately respond. The Latest: Judges skeptical about North Carolina ID law RICHMOND, Va. (AP) The Latest on an appeals court hearing on North Carolina's voter laws (all times local): 12:15 p.m. Members of a three-judge federal appeals court panel are expressing skepticism that North Carolina's Republican-led legislature's changes to voting laws do not discriminate against minorities. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held a hearing Tuesday about an April trial court ruling that upheld a 2013 voter ID law and exceptions approved later. The laws require photo identification to cast in-person ballots, reduce early voting from 17 to 10 days, eliminate same-day registration during early voting and bar the counting of Election Day ballots cast in the wrong precinct. One judge says the timing of the Republicans' actions "looks pretty bad." Another asked pointed questions about why the GOP excluded public assistance IDs from the list of acceptable forms of identification. ___ 4:30 a.m. A federal appeals court is listening to arguments about North Carolina laws that require photo identification to cast in-person ballots and make other voting changes that critics say discriminate against minorities. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals scheduled a hearing Tuesday about an April trial court ruling that upheld a 2013 law and exceptions approved later to the voter ID mandate. The laws approved by Republicans also reduced early voting from 17 to 10 days, eliminated same-day registration during early voting and barred the counting of Election Day ballots cast in the wrong precinct. Trump filing shows payout to firm with Mad Men-inspired name LONDONDERRY, New Hampshire (AP) A $35,000 payment for "web advertising" in Donald Trump's most recent campaign finance filings is turning heads because of the firm's name: Draper Sterling. "Draper" and "Sterling" are the last names of two characters in the television show Mad Men, a fictional drama set primarily in the 1960s about an advertising firm called Sterling Cooper. Records show Trump's campaign paid Draper Sterling $35,000 in late April. The business was registered in late March at an address in the town of Londonderry, New Hampshire, according to the secretary of state's office. Campaign finance records also show payments of $3,000 each for "field consulting" to Jon Adkins and Paul Holzer, both listed at the same address as the business. Holzer said in a telephone interview with the Associated Press that the company provided "data analysis" and "spreadsheet" work for the Trump campaign. "Things that are largely, until this very moment, uninteresting and unsexy," Holzer told the Associated Press. Holzer said he signed a non-disclosure agreement with the campaign and did not provide further details about his or the company's work for Trump. He directed questions about specifics of his work to the campaign. Signing a non-disclosure agreement is standard procedure for most employees and people who work with the Trump campaign. Trump has repeatedly signaled little interest in incorporating a data operation into his general election strategy, a sharp break from recent presidential campaigns. His spokeswoman, Hope Hicks, did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Draper Sterling's work. Holzer said Draper Sterling has done work for other campaigns but he refused to say which ones. Adkins, who is listed as the agent for Draper Sterling, did not respond to a phone call or email seeking comment Tuesday. A woman who answered the door at the Londonderry home listed on the business filing identified herself as Adkins' mother-in-law but said he was in Boston for the day. Trump resoundingly won New Hampshire's February presidential primary, his first victory on his way to capturing enough delegates to win the GOP nomination. Corey Lewandowski, the campaign manager Trump fired Monday, lives in Windham, New Hampshire. Holzer said he has never met or spoken with Lewandowski. Holzer said his political work is secondary to his work for a non-profit called Xeno Therapeutics, a company working on genetically modified skin treatments for burn victims. Both Holzer and Adkins work with the company. ___ Man charged with killing teen in 1980 pleads not guilty EAST MILLINOCKET, Maine (AP) A man charged with killing a Maine teenager 36 years ago in a cold case that vexed authorities for years has pleaded not guilty to murder. Police arrested 55-year-old Philip Scott Fournier in March in the slaying of 16-year-old Joyce McLain, of East Millinocket. She disappeared while out jogging. WABI-TV (http://bit.ly/28NlpZc ) reports a bail hearing followed Fournier's plea Tuesday. Before being arrested, he was interviewed 26 times since 1980. Fournier was identified as a person of interest in Joyce's death when he was sentenced in 2009 to 6 years in prison for possession of child pornography. In Utah speech, Dalai Lama says actions spread compassion SALT LAKE CITY (AP) The Dalai Lama delivered his message of peace and compassion Tuesday to thousands of people during a visit to Utah that included a luncheon with the governor and a planned meeting with senior Mormon leaders. The Tibetan spiritual leader encouraged the audience at the University of Utah to start with themselves and their families to spread a sense of wonder in humanity. "Who creates violence? Who destroys peace? Not God, but you. So you have the responsibility to solve this problem," he said. The Dalai Lama speaks at a joint session of the California Legislature, Monday, June 20, 2016, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) The self-effacing Nobel Peace Prize laureate wore an honorary medal on a thick chain and a white university visor during the talk punctuated by his hearty chuckles. "This is very, very practical," he said about the cap that contrasted with his crimson robes. His speech came after stops in Washington, D.C., and California. The Tibetan spiritual leader was greeted when he arrived at his Salt Lake City hotel by an admiring crowd of a few hundred people who waited in nearly 100-degree heat. Gov. Gary Herbert hosted the private lunch for the 80-year-old Dalai Lama that was attended by former presidential candidate Mitt Romney and the mayors of Salt Lake City and county. The spiritual leader is also expected to meet with two senior Mormon church leaders on Wednesday. The meetings with politicians came despite a warning letter from a Weber State University professor who helped broker Utah's relations with China. Professor Taowen Le said that officials could jeopardize that relationship if they met with the Tibetan spiritual leader, but Utah leaders said the China connection doesn't mean giving up core values such as freedom of speech. The sentiment echoes Beijing's position on President Barack Obama's meeting with the Dalai Lama last week. Beijing accuses the Tibetan spiritual leader of heading a campaign to split the region off from the rest of China, though the Dalai Lama says he simply wants a higher degree of autonomy under Chinese rule. The Dalai Lama said Tuesday that a relationship with China is good for Tibet's economy, but the country still wants to maintain its traditions. He said he's sensing ordinary Chinese tourists want to visit Tibet and change could come even though hard-line Chinese leaders remain opposed. Headmaster resigns amid racial tensions at renowned school BOSTON (AP) The headmaster of a prestigious Boston high school that's been plagued by allegations of civil rights violations has stepped down. The Boston Globe reports (http://bit.ly/28Qv938) the school district on Tuesday announced Lynne Mooney Teta's resignation from Boston Latin School. The local U.S. attorney's office announced in March it was launching an investigation into allegations of racial harassment and discrimination after community members and civil rights organizations submitted a written complaint. A school district investigation report says the school failed to adequately respond to a student's threat to lynch a 15-year-old black classmate. Superintendent Tommy Chang said in a statement that Teta guided students and faculty in creating a more welcoming environment after the allegations surfaced. Boston Latin is the nation's oldest public school. It was founded April 23, 1635. ___ The Latest: 2nd straight record hot day in Las Vegas PHOENIX (AP) The Latest on extreme heat in the Southwest (all times local): 3:55 p.m. For a second day, Las Vegas set a record daytime high temperature on Tuesday, reaching 113 degrees. Salvation Army volunteer Dyane Welt, left, pulls several bottles of water from an ice cooler to give to Michael Martinez, right, at a hydration station in an effort to beat the rising temperatures expected to hit 115-degrees, Monday, June 20, 2016, in Phoenix. The National Weather Service is expecting another day of triple-digit temperatures in Phoenix and across much of the Southwest, where several spots in Arizona are expected to reach 122-degrees. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) National Weather Service meteorologist Barry Pierce says that tops the old mark of 111 degrees for the date set in 1954. It follows Monday's 115, which broke the record of 113 set in 2015. Pierce says overnight low temperatures are also setting records. The overnight low of 91 degrees on Tuesday beat the record of 87 set in in 2015, and marked the earliest date that the nighttime temperature remained above 90 degrees. Foster says there might be slight relief Thursday and Friday, when high temperatures are forecast between 105 and 110 degrees. The hot spell isn't unusual for late June in Las Vegas. In 2013, Sin City sizzled for three days in a row of record high temperatures. ___ 2:30 p.m. Excessive-heat warnings in Southern California have largely retreated to the mountains and deserts, and areas closer to the coast are experiencing significantly cooler weather. The National Weather Service notes that at 1 p.m. Tuesday the temperature in Malibu Canyon west of Los Angeles was 32 degrees cooler than the same time Monday, when searing triple-digit highs baked the region. Temperatures farther inland, however, have been similar to or slightly warmer than Monday's. The cool-down will extend to all areas Wednesday and Thursday before another warm-up begins Friday. ___ 1:30 p.m. Extremely hot and dry conditions in Southern California deserts have forced Joshua Tree National Park to close the popular 49 Palms Oasis hiking area. The park says water sources are dwindling and desert bighorn sheep will not come down to the oasis to drink if visitors are in the area. Hikers will be allowed only a half-mile down the trail before reaching the closure point. The oasis is in a rocky canyon, where towering fan palms shade clear pools of water. An elephant catches a stick from elephant keeper, Cassie Rogge Dodds at the Reid Park Zoo in Tucson, Ariz., Monday, June 20, 2016. Dodds rounded up the zoo's six elephants into a small pool in an effort to keep them cool during an extreme heat wave in Arizona and other parts of the Southwest. Temperatures reached 100 degrees by mid-morning, and zoo workers say they work to keep the animals safe, even though elephants in this display are from South Africa and are used to extreme heat. (AP Photo/Astrid Galvan) A sign, in direct sunlight, indicates 120 degrees, Monday, June 20, 2016, in Phoenix. The National Weather Service is expecting another day of triple-digit temperatures in Phoenix and across much of the Southwest. On Sunday, the mercury climbed to 118, breaking a record of 115 set nearly 50 years ago. The heat played a role in the deaths of mountain biker in Phoenix and a hiker in Pinal County over the weekend. (AP Photo/Matt York) Jacob Olivera, 17, calls to a child in the water at University Pool in Phoenix, Ariz., Monday June 20, 2016. The temperature in Phoenix climbed past 111 degrees in the early afternoon Monday and many sought refuge by visiting public pools. (AP Photo/ Beatriz Costa-Lima) Michael Martinez drinks a bottle of water at a Salvation Army hydration station in an effort to beat rising temperatures, expected to reach 115-degrees Monday, June 20, 2016, in Phoenix. The mercury hit 118 in Phoenix on Sunday, breaking a record of 115 set for the date nearly 50 years ago, and forecasters expect more of the same Monday, the National Weather Service said. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) A home builder works at sunrise, Monday, June 20, 2016, in Gilbert, Ariz., in an effort to beat the rising temperatures. The National Weather Service is expecting another day of triple-digit temperatures in Phoenix and across much of the Southwest. (AP Photo/Matt York) With the Phoenix skyline in the background, a passenger plane comes in for a landing through the heat waves as rising temperatures climb to 115-degrees, Monday, June 20, 2016. The National Weather Service is expecting another day of triple-digit temperatures in Phoenix and across much of the Southwest, including temperatures up to 122-degrees in some parts of Arizona. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Heat waves rise up distorting the traffic as it moves along I-17 Interstate and a residential area as temperatures climb to 115-degrees Monday, June 20, 2016, in Phoenix. The National Weather Service is expecting another day of triple-digit temperatures in Phoenix and across much of the Southwest, including temperatures up to 122-degrees in some parts of Arizona. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Alfredo Chavez, 38, hand dries an SUV at his job near downtown Los Angeles, Monday, June 20, 2016. Chavez said the job is much harder when the temperatures reach passed 100 degrees as they did on Monday. (AP Photo/Amanda Lee Myers) Obama visits a dozen wounded and ill at military hospital WASHINGTON (AP) President Barack Obama has concluded a private visit with a dozen wounded or ill service members receiving treatment at a military hospital near the nation's capital. Obama spent about an hour making the rounds Tuesday at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. The White House says Obama met with eight Army members, two Marines and one member each from the Navy and Air Force. He also met with veterans and family members. President Barack Obama walks toward Marine One as he leaves Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. for the White House, Tuesday, June 21, 2016, after visiting wounded service members. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) Heavy afternoon rain forced Obama to abandon his customary helicopter trip and travel to the hospital by motorcade through early rush-hour traffic. With clear skies by the end of the visit, the Marine One helicopter was flown over to take him back to the White House. Analogic, BK Medical agree to pay $15M to settle charges PEABODY, Mass. (AP) Analogic Corp. and its Danish subsidiary have agreed to pay nearly $15 million to settle civil and criminal investigations into violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Justice Department announced the agreements Tuesday with the Massachusetts-based medical imaging equipment manufacturer. The SEC said the subsidiary BK Medical ApS engaged in sham transactions with distributors that funneled about $20 million to third parties, including people in Russia and shell companies in Belize, the British Virgin Islands, Cyprus and Seychelles. Analogic, based in Peabody, agreed to pay $11.5 million to settle SEC charges that it failed to maintain adequate accounting controls. A company representative did not immediately return a call seeking comment. Democrats could slow passage of Puerto Rico rescue bill WASHINGTON (AP) Treasury Secretary Jack Lew on Tuesday faced Senate Democrats skeptical about a rescue package for debt-stricken Puerto Rico, raising doubts about its fate just 10 days before the U.S. territory must make a $2 billion payment to creditors. "The question at the end of the day will be, does Congress act to give Puerto Rico the tools, a lifeline, so that the 3.5 million Americans who live in Puerto Rico don't get plunged into chaos?" Lew told reporters after the closed-door meeting. He made the trip to Capitol Hill to pressure Democrats to support the package, which would create a new control board and restructure some of the U.S. territory's $70 billion debt. Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid said his caucus has serious concerns about the bill despite President Barack Obama's support for the legislation. Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew talks with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Lew was talking about the Puerto Rican debt crisis. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Reid did not detail what concerns were expressed, but indicated Democrats may want to try to strike a provision allowing the Puerto Rican government to temporarily lower the minimum wage for some younger workers. "At the very minimum we need some amendments," Reid said. The House overwhelmingly passed the bill on June 9. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has said he hopes the Senate can act before the debt deadline July 1, but he will need support from Democrats to surmount a certain 60-vote threshold to advance legislation. Some Senate Democrats have spoken out strongly against the bill. Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., has said the control board would be too powerful and has colonialist overtones. "All this legislation will do is take away the democratic rights of millions of Americans," Menendez said in a Senate floor speech shortly after Reid's remarks. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., has introduced his own bill to help the territory. The House bill is "protecting the interests of vulture funds at the expense of the children and poor people in Puerto Rico," he said. Puerto Rico has already missed several payments to creditors while a lengthy recession has driven hundreds of thousands of people to the U.S. mainland. Like all U.S. states and territories, Puerto Rico cannot declare bankruptcy under federal law. The legislation would allow the seven-member control board to oversee negotiations with creditors and the courts over reducing some debt, but the bill does not provide any taxpayer funds to reduce that debt. Creditors have heavily lobbied to ensure that their interests are protected by the board. On Tuesday, a group of bondholders sued Puerto Rico's government as debt negotiations ahead of the deadline fell apart. The bill would impose a stay on such lawsuits. Some Republicans have expressed concerns that the package could serve as a precedent for financially stressed states. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, the chairman of the Finance Committee, said last week that he doesn't like the House legislation but that he thought he would have to support it. ___ Associated Press writer Matthew Daly contributed to this report. ___ Q&A: A look behind the deal to shutter California nuke plant LOS ANGELES (AP) California's last nuclear power plant, perched on a seaside bluff midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, is set to close by 2025 under an agreement announced Tuesday. The Diablo Canyon plant has been operating commercially since the mid-1980s, supplying power to about 3 million homes in Northern and central California. Here's a look at the terms of the deal: ___ FILE - This Sept. 20, 2005, file photo shows the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, south of Los Osos, Calif. Pacific Gas & Electric Co. and environmental groups said Tuesday, June 21, 2016, that they've reached an agreement that will close the Diablo Canyon plant, California's last nuclear power plant, by 2025. The accord would resolve disputes about the plant that helped fuel the anti-nuclear movement nationally. (AP Photo/Michael A. Mariant, File) WHO'S BEHIND IT? Pacific Gas & Electric Co. agreed to retire Diablo Canyon when the operating licenses for its twin reactors expire in 2024 and 2025. In 2009, the utility asked the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to consider extending operations for another two decades. Under the deal reached with labor unions and environmental groups, PG&E will no longer seek to renew its license. The agreement has to clear several regulatory hurdles, including approval by the California Public Utilities Commission. ___ WHY IS DIABLO CANYON CLOSING? California's emphasis on boosting renewable energy makes it expensive to operate Diablo Canyon in the long run. A climate change bill signed by Gov. Jerry Brown last year directed the state to use renewable sources such as solar and wind for half its electricity and to double the energy efficiency of homes, offices and existing buildings by 2030. "As we make this transition, Diablo Canyon's full output will no longer be required," PG&E said in a statement. ___ WHAT WILL DIABLO CANYON PRODUCE INSTEAD? Power produced by the twin reactors will be replaced with solar and other sources that don't spew carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. PG&E also pledged to get 55 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2031. ___ HOW MUCH WILL THE CLOSURE COST? PG&E has estimated that decommissioning Diablo Canyon would cost about $3.8 billion. The utility plans to submit an updated estimate. The San Onofre nuclear plant, between San Diego and Los Angeles, shut down permanently in 2013 after excessive wear was found in steam generator tubes. ___ WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE WORKERS? About 1,500 people work at Diablo Canyon, which is one of the largest employers in San Luis Obispo County. PG&E plans to retrain workers during the plant's decommissioning process and offer a severance package. ___ Prosecutors urge court to reject ex-Russian soldier's appeal RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Prosecutors are urging a federal court to deny an appeal by a former Russian military tank commander convicted of leading a Taliban attack on U.S. forces. In a brief filed Tuesday, prosecutors asked the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals to reject Irek Hamidullin's argument that he was a prisoner of war and shouldn't be tried in civilian court. Prosecutors say Hamidullin led insurgents in a 2009 attack on Afghan border police and U.S. soldiers. Hamidullin was sentenced to life in prison in December on charges including providing material support to terrorism and conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction. The Latest: Dalai Lama encourages Utah crowd to build peace SALT LAKE CITY (AP) The Latest on the Dalai Lama speaking at the University of Utah: (all times local): ___ 3:35 p.m. The Dalai Lama speaks at a joint session of the California Legislature, Monday, June 20, 2016, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) The Dalai Lama says actions, not prayer alone, will help create a more compassionate world free of violence. The Tibetan spiritual leader spoke Tuesday at the University of Utah, encouraging the audience of thousands to start with themselves and their own families to spread "a sense of wonder in humanity." The self-effacing Nobel Peace Prize laureate wore an honorary medal on a thick chain and a white visor cap from the university during the talk punctuated by his hearty chuckles. State officials like Gov. Gary Herbert and leaders from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are also meeting with the 80-year-old Dalai Lama in spite of a letter from a Weber State University professor who helped broker Utah's relations with China warning it could damage the state's relationship with Beijing. ___ 11 a.m. The Dalai Lama is set to speak about compassion and universal responsibility at the University of Utah on Tuesday. His speech comes after stops in Washington, D.C. and California. The Tibetan spiritual leader arrived in Utah on Monday, and was greeted by an admiring crowd of a few hundred people who waited in nearly 100-degree heat outside his Salt Lake City hotel. He's also expected to meet with Mormon church leaders and high-ranking politicians like Gov. Gary Herbert. That's in spite of a warning letter from a Weber State University professor who helped broker Utah's relations with China. SKorea military: NKorea fires 2 suspected midrange missiles SEOUL, South Korea (AP) In a remarkable show of persistence, North Korea on Wednesday fired two suspected powerful new Musudan midrange ballistic missiles, U.S. and South Korean military officials said, its fifth and sixth such attempts since April. Five of those launches failed, many exploding in midair or crashing, and the sixth flew only about 400 kilometers (250 miles), South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said, an improvement but still well short of the missile's potential 3,500-kilometer (2,180-mile) range and not long enough to be classified as intermediate. Despite the repeated failures, the North's determination in testing the Musudan worries Washington and its allies, Tokyo and Seoul, because the missile's range puts much of Asia and the Pacific, including U.S. military bases there, within reach. A man watches a TV news program reporting a missile launch of North Korea, at the Seoul Train Station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, June 22, 2016. In a remarkable show of persistence, North Korea on Wednesday fired two suspected powerful new Musudan midrange ballistic missiles, U.S. and South Korean military officials said, its fifth and sixth such attempts since April. The letters read on left top, " North Korea's Musudan flew 400 kilometers (250 miles). (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) Each new test apparently linked to a command from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un also likely provides valuable insights to the North's scientists and military officials as they push toward their goal of a nuclear and missile program that can threaten the U.S. mainland. Pyongyang earlier this year conducted a nuclear test, its fourth, and launched a long-range rocket that outsiders say was a cover for a test of banned missile technology. A statement from South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said a suspected first Musudan launch from the east coast city of Wonsan failed early Wednesday morning. It didn't elaborate. But Japan's Defense Ministry said the missile fragmented and pieces fell into waters off the Korean Peninsula's east coast. Later Wednesday, the JCS said the North fired another suspected Musudan, which flew about 400 kilometers. Seoul didn't immediately classify this launch as either a success or failure, but the reported distance is well short of past tests of other midrange missiles. A U.S. official also said the first launch appeared to be another failure, adding that the U.S. was assessing exactly what had happened. The official wasn't authorized to comment publicly and requested anonymity. Another American official said the first launch was a suspected Musudan but initial indications were that it failed in flight over the Sea of Japan, which the Koreas call the East Sea. The U.S. Strategic Command in Hawaii said its systems detected and tracked two suspected North Korean Musudan missiles that fell into the Sea of Japan. It said in a statement that they didn't pose a threat to North America. In April, North Korea attempted unsuccessfully to launch three suspected Musudan missiles, but all exploded in midair or crashed, according to South Korean defense officials. Earlier this month, North Korea had another suspected Musudan failure, South Korean officials said. Before April's launches, North Korea had never flight-tested a Musudan missile, although one was displayed during a military parade in 2010 in Pyongyang, its capital. The launches appear to stem from Kim Jong Un's order in March for more nuclear and ballistic missile tests. The order was an apparent response to springtime U.S.-South Korean military drills, which North Korea views as an invasion rehearsal. Since the end of those military drills, Pyongyang has repeatedly called for the resumption of talks with Seoul, even as it pursues new missile development, but the South has rejected the overtures. Seoul wants the North to first take steps toward nuclear disarmament. Pyongyang says its rivals must negotiate with it as an established nuclear power, something Washington and Seoul refuse to do. The string of recent launch attempts shows the North is pushing hard to upgrade its missile capability in defiance of U.S.-led international pressure. The North was slapped with the strongest U.N. sanctions in two decades after its nuclear test and long-range rocket launch earlier this year. "These provocations only serve to increase the international community's resolve to counter (North Korea's) prohibited activities, including through implementing existing U.N. Security Council sanctions," State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement. "W?e intend to raise our concerns at the U.N. to bolster international resolve in holding (North Korea) accountable for these provocative actions." South Korea's Unification Ministry called the launches a "clear provocation" that violated U.N. Security Council resolutions banning any ballistic activities by North Korea. In Tokyo, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was also critical, saying "We find it utterly unforgivable." North Korea has recently claimed a series of breakthroughs in its push to build a long-range nuclear missile that can strike the American mainland. But South Korean officials have said the North doesn't yet possess such a weapon. The North, however, has already deployed a variety of missiles that can reach most targets in South Korea and Japan, including American military bases in the countries. The Korean Peninsula remains in a technical state of war because the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty. About 28,500 U.S. soldiers are stationed in South Korea to deter possible aggression from North Korea; tens of thousands more are stationed in Japan. ___ Associated Press writers Josh Lederman and Lolita C. Baldor in Washington and Yuri Kageyama in Tokyo contributed to this report. FILE - In this May 31, 2016, file photo, a man watches a TV news program reporting about a missile launch of North Korea, at the Seoul Train Station in Seoul, South Korea. In a remarkable show of persistence, North Korea on Wednesday, June 22, 2016, fired two suspected powerful new Musudan mid-range missiles, U.S. and South Korean military officials said, but at least one of the launches apparently failed, Pyongyang's fifth such reported flop since April. The letters read on top left: "Fail, North Korea's Musudan missile." (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) South Korean army soldiers prepare to fire 105mm howitzers during an exercise in Paju, South Korea, near the border with North Korea Wednesday, June 22, 2016. In a remarkable show of persistence, North Korea on Wednesday fired two suspected powerful new Musudan mid-range missiles, U.S. and South Korean military officials said, but at least one of the launches apparently failed, Pyongyang's fifth such reported flop since April. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) South Korean army soldiers prepare to fire 105mm howitzers during an exercise in Paju, South Korea, near the border with North Korea Wednesday, June 22, 2016. In a remarkable show of persistence, North Korea on Wednesday fired two suspected powerful new Musudan mid-range missiles, U.S. and South Korean military officials said, but at least one of the launches apparently failed, Pyongyang's fifth such reported flop since April. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) IAPA: Threats to journalists, media raise concern in Bolivia LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) The Inter American Press Association on Tuesday condemned recent comments by Bolivian government officials seen as threats against journalists and attempts to publicly discredit the media in the South American nation. Claudio Paolillo, the chairman of the IAPA's Committee on Freedom of the Press and Information, said in a statement that the comments mirror old practices of trying to intimidate and dissuade journalists from reporting on issues of public interest. "We deeply condemn the fact that the government is always seeking to stigmatize the press, labeling it a 'cartel,' as if it were a gang of delinquents, thus justifying criminal charges which are completely out of line with what the Press Law currently in effect in the country stipulates and with the inter-American principles on press freedom," Paolillo said. Bolivian Vice President Alvaro Garcia has described members of the opposition and some journalists as belonging to a "media-political mafia." He also accused them of a "conspiracy" against President Evo Morales and threatened to apply "the laws to all these liars." Garcia made the comment in reference to journalists and media that had published information about an influence-peddling scandal involving Morales' former lover, Gabriela Zapata. She has been arrested and charged with illegal enrichment, laundering of unjust gains and influence trafficking as part of a probe by the government's anti-corruption agency into a Chinese company that has won more than $500 million worth of contracts with the state. The Miami-based IAPA said Garcia specifically mentioned the Fides News Agency and the newspapers El Deber, Pagina Siete and Erbol. __ Justice Department: Nevada discriminates against HIV inmates RENO, Nev. (AP) Nevada's prisons are discriminating against inmates with HIV under illegal segregation policies that deny them access to work programs where other prisoners earn credits to reduce the length of their sentences, the U.S. Justice Department has concluded. Justice Department lawyers warned Nevada's attorney general this week they may sue the state under the Americans with Disabilities Act if it doesn't change the policies based largely on unfounded fears about the transmission of HIV. They recommended the state pay compensatory damages to inmates who've been discriminated against and in some cases threatened and harassed as a result of the "medically unnecessary" segregation policy that stigmatizes those with HIV. HIV, the human immunodeficiency virus, causes AIDS but cannot be transmitted through ordinary activities such as shaking hands or sharing drinking glasses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Rebecca Bond, chief of the Justice Department's Disability Rights Section, notified the state in a letter Monday it's violating the ADA by routinely denying HIV-infected inmates and some others with mobility disabilities assignment to low-custody facilities, including conservation camps and transitional housing where inmates earn the most work credits. "No inmate should have to stay in segregated housing because of a HIV diagnosis or serve a longer sentence because of a disability," said Vanita Gupta, deputy assistant U.S. attorney general and head of the department's Civil Rights Division. "Real and lasting reform in Nevada will require not only systemic changes in its policies, practices and procedures, but also a commitment to address unfounded stereotypes, fears and assumptions about individuals with disabilities," Gupta said. The Nevada Department of Corrections is reviewing the findings, according to department spokeswoman Brooke Keast, who said they are "committed to ensuring a safe and humane environment for all inmates." A federal judge ordered the state of Alabama to end a similar segregation policy in 2012 and South Carolina entered a settlement agreement with the Justice Department to do the same in 2013. The Justice Department launched an ADA compliance review in Nevada after receiving complaints from two inmates at the High Desert State Prison in Indian Springs. After interviewing more than 30 inmates and more than 20 corrections workers, the department concluded Nevada's "house alike/house alone" policy "stigmatizes inmates with HIV and indiscriminately disclosed their confidential HIV status to NDOC employees and inmates." As a result, inmates with HIV have been exposed to "potential harm from inmates who may hold unfounded fears of, or prejudices against, those with HIV," the department said, adding that other "inmates have harassed or threatened those whom they believe have HIV." The ACLU got involved in January 2015 on behalf of an inmate who was denied work in a prison kitchen, Rose said. "Everyone understands you're being segregated and are aware of what's going on," said Amy Rose, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada. "It endangers their safety because people don't understand what it means to be HIV positive. And it seems some of the corrections employees were in fact perpetuating those myths." The department noted the CDC has concluded HIV "cannot be transmitted through ordinary daily activities such as sharing toilets, sharing dishes or drinking glasses, shaking hands, hugging, touching, sneezing, coughing or exposure to the saliva, tears or sweat of a person with HIV." Nevada's policy actually allows for inmates with HIV to work in the prison kitchen. "But some NDOC employees either are unaware of, or have knowingly disregarded, this policy," the report said. It said some inmates' jobs have been terminated upon discovery that they have HIV. The findings come at a time Nevada's prisons have a new administrator who's seeking funding and promising reforms and rehabilitation after years of complaints by advocates and attorneys about violence behind bars as well as food, medical and dental treatment. Among other things, since taking the job in April, James Dzurenda has ended a policy that let prison guards fire birdshot to stop inmate scuffles. "The new director has set a good tone," Rose said. "We're hopeful these recommendations will be implemented and they will be taken seriously." ___ President Obama to award Vietnam veteran Medal of Honor WASHINGTON (AP) Some five decades after he led a platoon credited with rescuing dozens of soldiers pinned down by enemy fire, a Vietnam War veteran will be awarded the nation's highest military honor for valor, the White House announced on Tuesday. In May 1967, Army Maj. Charles Kettles led several helicopter trips to help evacuate wounded soldiers near the district of Duc Pho. He returned to the landing zone without additional aerial support to rescue stranded soldiers pinned down by enemy fire. The White House says Kettles helped save the lives of 40 soldiers. Kettles retired from the Army in 1978 as a lieutenant colonel. He resides in Ypsilanti, Michigan, with his wife, Ann. The Army said next month's White House ceremony is the culmination of an effort that began in 2012. William Vollano of the Veterans History Project launched a formal campaign to upgrade Kettles' Distinguished Service Cross to the Medal of Honor. As part of that review, several men from his company and the 101st Airborne Division sent letters validating Kettles' actions. Lawmakers also got involved. Longtime Democratic Rep. John Dingell of Michigan sent a letter to the Pentagon asking for reconsideration so that Kettles could be awarded the Medal of Honor. Then, after Defense Secretary Ashton Carter determined that Kettles' actions merited the nation's highest military honor, Rep. Debbie Dingell and Sens. Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow, all of Michigan, introduced legislation waiving a time limitation for the award and paving the way for President Barack Obama to make the final decision. The Army also announced that Kettles will be inducted into the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes on July 19, one day after the White House ceremony. The Army said that despite a heavily damaged helicopter, Kettles was relentless in his efforts to ensure that every soldier was extracted. On one particular flight out of the landing zone, a machine gun sprayed the helicopter Kettles was flying, but "Maj. Kettles coaxed the helicopter and managed to fly us back to base camp," said Roland J. Scheck, an Army specialist who was serving as a door-gunner on Kettles' crew. "Kettles personifies the Army's 'Warrior Ethos' - never leave any soldier behind," said Secretary of the Army Eric K. Fanning. ___ Panama heightens security for inaugural canal expansion run PANAMA CITY (AP) Panama has set heightened security measures for Sunday's inaugural run of the expansion of the country's canal. The country's national air-naval services coordinator said Tuesday the government has prohibited most drone flights and low-flying aircraft in the area during the event. Authorities have plans to use about 11,000 security personnel for the inaugural run. But authorities say no terrorist threats related to the event have been identified. Review: In 'Wilderpeople,' a manhunt for Kiwi farce "Flight of the Conchords" went off the air in 2009 but the beat has gone on in the films of Taika Waititi. Waititi, who was a writer and director of that cult HBO series, has carried on the show's New Zealand deadpan and childlike whimsy with varying success. Often collaborating with "Conchords" star Jermaine Clement, Waititi has previously seesawed too far into quirk (2007's oddball romance "Eagle vs Shark") and risen to heights of comic understatement (2015's vampire mockumentary "What We Do in the Shadows"). In "Hunt for the Wilderpeople," a huge hit in Waititi's native New Zealand, also delights in teetering clumsily but charmingly between fantasy and reality. The film is a fable about a heavy-set foster kid, Ricky Baker (Julian Dennison), and a reluctant foster parent, "Uncle" Hector (Sam Neill), who, evading child services, go on the lam and spark a manhunt. This image released by The Orchard shows Julian Dennison, left, and Sam Neill in a scene from "Hunt For The Wilderpeople." (The Orchard via AP) As far as buddy comedy pairings go, few can match the unlikeliness of that in "Hunt for the Wilderpeople." Having run through foster families, Ricky, introduced as "a very bad egg," is dropped off at the remote home of Aunt Bella (an excellent Rima Te Wiata who leaves the film too soon) and Hector. At first glance, Ricky is terribly unsuited for country life. On his first night, he tries to run away but gets no further than halfway up the nearest hillside. Just as Ricky begins warming to life with Bella (the gruff Hector largely evades him), tragedy comes out of the blue, and Ricky is to be retrieved by child welfare. But Ricky and Hector, each fed up with society, resolve to "go bush." They totter into the mountains, and an increasingly absurd chase ensues, led by a militant child services worker (Rachel House). The tale, told in chapters, comes from Barry Crump's 1986 novel "Wild Pork and Watercress." In Waititi's hands, it's a jerky ride. There are passages that take after "Psycho" (a gratuitously bloody wild pig slaughter) and wintery poetic moments that reference "McCabe and Mrs. Miller." In their journey, the pair's encounters are both tender and cartoonish, ranging from an alluring young girl to a recluse named Psycho Sam (Rhys Darby, the fabulous bug-eyed MVP of "Conchords"). The grab bag of styles, awkward as they are, also supplies "Wilderpeople" its strange off-kilter energy. It's nimble enough to never be quite pinned down by its familiar concept before eventually going out in a blaze of farce. "Wilderpeople" is ultimately winning, like all buddy comedies, because of the chemistry of its leads. Neill (the Sundance of the two) and Dennison (our younger and portlier but no less cocksure Butch) make an endearing pair of runaways. On the heels of his recent successes, Waititi has been picked by Marvel to direct the considerably more massive "Thor: Ragnarok." As a test case of an indie director making a giant leap in scale, it should be interesting. If Waititi can handle the Norse god with the same low-key modesty that he's approached vampires and outlaws, Marvel may yet be brought down to size. "Hunt for the Wilderpeople," an Orchard release, is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America for "thematic elements including violent content and for some language." Running time: 101 minutes. Three stars out of four. ___ Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP This image released by The Orchard shows Julian Dennison, left, and Sam Neill in a scene from "Hunt For The Wilderpeople." (The Orchard via AP) 'Empty headed' Donald Trump good for politics, says Bryan Cranston Donald Trump is "empty headed" but his bid to become the next US president has been good for politics, actor Bryan Cranston has said. The Breaking Bad star branded Mr Trump a "supreme narcissist" and an "emperor without any clothes" following his controversial campaign to secure the Republican Party's nomination in the presidential election. Cranston said the billionaire tycoon's rise in politics had "slapped" Americans in the face and he would eventually be "swept to the side". Bryan Cranston said Donald Trump's rise in politics had "slapped" Americans in the face and he would eventually be "swept to the side" "I don't want to join the vitriol that Donald Trump represents," Cranston told the Press Association. "He's crude and crass and empty headed. "He is a supreme narcissist. I don't think that's up for any dispute. Even people who like him say he really loves himself. "I think his presence is good for our political system. What it has done to people like me, who are just astonished at this man, it's slapped us in the face. It's like, 'Oh my god, this is really happening'. "I believe that smart people will prevail and common sense will rule and he will soon be swept to the side. That's my hope because he is a truly a man who is the emperor without any clothes. He has no ideas. He floats with the wind." Cranston, who plays former US president Lyndon B Johnson in new television film All The Way, said Mr Johnson would be "shocked" at the state of modern politics. "He would be look at Donald Trump now and think, 'Oh my god, what the hell has happened since I've been gone?'. "If it weren't serious, it would be laughable. Here we have a reality show, game show guy who's now at the top of one of the two parties. "It's a remarkable creation that has happened here. The rest of the world is probably thinking, 'Have they gone mad?'. But so are we. We're going, 'Oh my god, what has happened?'. "That there are millions of people who are going to vote for him says something about, perhaps, disenfranchisement. People who are left out. People who don't feel they are being listened to. "I give him the benefit of the doubt that he loves this country. I believe he believes he loves this country. And I believe he does. It's just I completely disagree with how he wants to improve this country." Mr Trump is the Republican Party's presumptive nominee for the US presidential election, but has caused controversy with some of his proposed policies, including building a wall on the country's border with Mexico and temporarily banning Muslims from entering America. '28 million adults in UK' affected by chronic pain Up to 28 million Britons are living with chronic pain, new estimates suggest. Problems such as low back pain or osteoarthritis affect between 35% and 51% of British adults, according to a new study. Overall experts have estimated that 43% of adults have pain that has lasted for more than three months. Up to 28 million people in the UK suffer from chronic pain And they warned that the figure is only likely to rise with an ageing population. Their study, published in the journal BMJ Open, saw experts examine data from 19 studies including almost 140,000 UK adults. They found that chronic pain prevalence increased with age, with around one in seven adults under 25 reporting chronic pain compared to almost two-thirds of people over 75. The authors wrote: "Chronic pain affects between one-third and one-half of the population of the UK, corresponding to just under 28 million adults, based on data from the best available published studies. "Chronic pain prevalence rises steadily with increasing age, affecting up to 62% of the population over the age of 75, suggesting that the burden of chronic pain may increase further still, in line with an ageing population." They also found that around eight million people suffer moderate to severely disabling chronic pain. Women were more likely than men to be affected by chronic pain, they added. Olivia Belle, director of external affairs at Arthritis Research UK, said: "This is an important study, which starkly shows the devastating impact that chronic pain is having on people in the UK. "As our population continues to age and obesity rates rise, we are only going to see these numbers grow. "And although we may not be able to see it, living in pain, day in and day out, can have a devastating impact on people's lives, affecting their independence, mobility and ability to stay in work. Widower of MP Jo Cox claims she was killed because of her 'very strong' views The widower of tragic MP Jo Cox has claimed she was killed because of her "very strong" views, and was worried about the direction of British politics. Brendan Cox said the public reaction to her death had been "off the scale" and had made a "really important contribution" to the healing process for the couple's two children. He indicated that he would like to see a female MP take Mrs Cox's former Batley and Spen seat, suggesting that would be "lovely symbolism". Brendan Cox claimed his wife was killed because of her "very strong" views (BBC News) Mr Cox said his wife had concerns about the culture of politics around the world: " I think she was very worried that the language was coarsening, that people were being driven to take more extreme positions, that people didn't work with each other as individuals and on issues, it was all much too tribal and unthinking. "And she was particularly worried - we talked about this regularly - particularly worried about the direction of, not just in the UK but globally, the direction of politics at the moment, particularly around creating division and playing on people's worst fears rather than their best instincts. So we talked about that a lot and it was something that worried her." Asked whether he was concerned about people using her death in public debate, he said: "She was a politician and she had very strong political views and I believe she was killed because of those views. I think she died because of them, and she would want to stand up for those in death as much as she did in life." Expressing his thanks for the "incredible" public support following her death, he said: "The two things that I've been very focused on is how do we support and protect the children, and how do we make sure that something good comes out of this. "And what the public support and outpouring of love around this does, is it also helps the children see that what they're feeling and other people are feeling, that the grief that they feel, isn't abnormal, that they feel it more acutely and more painfully and more personally, but that actually their mother was someone who was loved by lots of people and that therefore, it's OK to be upset and it's OK for them to cry and to be sad about it." Labour MP Mrs Cox's death has left t hree-year-old daughter Lejla and son Cuillin, five, without their mother and Mr Cox said the outpouring of public emotion would help their healing process. Speaking to the BBC, Mr Cox said: "I've spent a lot of time in the last couple of days talking to child psychologists, and one of the things they say is that that understanding of it being okay to be sad, and to be distressed, and to talk about it, is really important. "So just on that very basic level it makes a really important contribution to their healing I think. And then also it gives us some hope that something positive can come out of something which is so horrendous; that there can be a reaction to this horrific action." The MP died after being shot and stabbed in an attack in her Batley and Spen seat in West Yorkshire. It would have been her 42nd birthday on Wednesday and events including a rally in Trafalgar Square have been planned to mark the occasion. Mr Cox said: "I hope that it will help with the grieving process of our family and our children in particular. But then I also hope that it will bring people together and send a message that counts, not just in the next few weeks but in the few months, and it changes the way that people think about how you do politics, how you engage with each other, how you treat people." Had she lived, the MP would have been out on the streets campaigning for a Remain vote in the EU referendum, he said. But she was "worried about the tone of the debate" amid concerns it was "whipping up fears and whipping up hatred potentially". Asked if he was considering standing for the Batley and Spen seat in the by-election, which rival parties have said they will not contest, Mr Cox said: "No, my only overriding priority at the moment is how I make sure that I protect my family and my kids through this and how they're okay." He added: "I hope that whoever replaces her will become another female Member of Parliament." That would mean there are 100 female Labour MPs " so I think that will be a lovely symbolism". Not so Nice for England fans as Group B upset means no Paris match England's frustrating 0-0 draw with Slovakia not only cost them the chance to top Group B at Euro 2016 - it will also cost fans following the Three Lions in the knockout stages. Manager Roy Hodgson fielded a much-changed side for the tie in Saint-Etienne - with Wales sealing the Group B top spot after a resounding 3-0 win over Russia in Toulouse. A number of England fans had already booked flights and hotels for Paris, thinking the side would top the group and play at the Parc des Princes on Saturday. Wales fans cheer on their side in the stands during the UEFA Euro 2016, Group B match at Stadium Municipal, Toulouse But Wales will now be travelling to the French capital, while England will be heading to Nice for their last-16 game next Monday. Andy Grimes, a 40-year-old Ipswich fan from Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, spent close to 500 on organising his trip to Paris before the tournament began. "A mate and I booked everything up for Paris before the Euros. Maybe it was a bit naive but we looked at the group and thought we would get two wins and win it," he said. "It was so frustrating last night as it's the last chance to see England in a major tournament for a while as we won't go to Russia or Qatar. "We are now weighing up whether we go and enjoy the trip and back Wales, but for the amount of money we may just try and sell the tickets online. "But we're so angry about it at the moment. We will sleep on it tonight and see how we feel tomorrow." Kevin Miles, chief executive of the Football Supporters' Federation, said: "It's a real pain for everyone that has hotels and flights booked in what wasn't an unreasonable expectation. "People were on their phones last night already trying to rearrange tickets as they waited for the trains. "The Uefa ticket exchange portal will come into its own. It was designed exactly for this situation so it's definitely worth having a look at." Meanwhile in Toulouse - where the city has been filled with Welsh red over previous days - fans were few in number on Tuesday morning. The side surpassed nearly all expectations in the group stage - with supporters saying they had not made plans to stay in France for the knockout stages of the tournament. Brothers Neil and Ian Jones will be travelling back home via a train to Perpignan and a flight to Birmingham. Ian, 48, who now lives in North Devon, said: "It's been literally living the dream. "There was no way we weren't going to be here with the next World Cups in Russia and Qatar." Neil, 43, of Cwmbran, said: "I never thought we would top the group. I thought we might come third and potentially get into the next round that way. "It's been a dream experience seeing Wales play tournament football and travelling with the side to a beautiful country." When asked if they were considering a trip to Paris for the next round, Neil said: "Sadly we've got jobs to go back to." 'Donald Trump death plot' Briton 'a bit of a strange one' A former classmate of a Briton accused of attempting to grab a police officer's gun in a bid to kill Donald Trump has described him as "strange". Michael Steven Sandford, from Dorking in Surrey, was arrested at a rally in a Las Vegas casino on Saturday after going for the weapon as he asked for the presidential hopeful's autograph. The 20-year-old, who was in America without permission, later told police he wanted to kill the presumptive Republican nominee, according to the Secret Service. Police remove protester Michael Steven Sandford (AP) The US court heard Sandford told investigators he expected to die in the attempt, which he had been planning for a year. He arrived in the city on Friday, when he went to a local shooting range where he reportedly learned how to use a gun for the first time. A federal public defender told the court on Monday that Sandford was autistic yet competent, although he did not enter a plea. His mother, who has not been named, told the judge he had a history of mental health problems. A former classmate of Sandford, who is now 20 and was in his Year Six class at Powell Corderoy Primary School in Dorking, said: "My boyfriend's mum showed me an article about it this morning and asked if I had gone to school with him and as soon as I saw the picture I recognised him. "All I remember about him from school - he was a bit of a strange one and I never really spoke to him. "We didn't keep in touch. I used to see his mum around town quite a lot." She said she was aware he had some mental health issues and autism. Paul Davey, from Havant, reportedly said his son did not have an interest in politics, had a form of autism called Asperger's and he feared his son may have been manipulated. He was also reportedly a fan of Robot Wars as a teenager and had bought several machines from the robotic fighting series. According to court research, Sandford did not have permission to be in the US after overstaying a visa and was unemployed. Papers filed at the court said he had been in the country for around 18 months and lived in Hoboken, New Jersey. He had driven across the US to San Bernardino, California, and had been living out of his car before travelling on to Las Vegas on Thursday. On Friday, he visited the Battlefield Vegas shooting range where he practised using a 9mm Glock pistol, firing off 20 rounds. The following day he went to the Treasure Island Casino where Mr Trump was addressing a rally of 1,500 supporters amid tight security. Attendees had to pass through metal detectors manned by Secret Service, police and casino security officials. One of those in the crowd, Gregg Donovan, said he had briefly spoken to Sandford while they queued and he seemed "strange". When he later asked to get an autograph from the billionaire, Sandford allegedly attempted to take a police officer's holstered gun before being tackled and frogmarched from the venue. A Secret Service report said Sandford told officers he had been planning the assassination for around 12 months and believed he would die in the process. He said he had also bought a ticket to a rally in Phoenix, Arizona, for later on Saturday as a back-up. Sandford was carrying a UK driving licence at the time he was arrested. A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are providing assistance following an arrest of a British national in Las Vegas." Surrey Police said they were providing support to the family, who are understood to be planning to travel to America. On Monday, Sandford was denied bail at the district court in Nevada, where he appeared charged with an act of violence on restricted grounds. Federal Magistrate Judge George Foley declined to release Sandford, who appeared before him in leg irons, over concerns that he was a potential danger to the community and a flight risk. He will appear in court again on July 5. Sandford went on to attend Ashcombe School, said headteacher David Blow, but he declined to comment further. Powell Corderoy headteacher Emma McLoughlin said she did not work at the school when Sandford attended but staff had mentioned him. She said: "I did not know the guy, it was a long time ago in the school's history. "It highlights the importance of how we teach children about expressing themselves in non-violent ways. Costa Coffee sales perk up Whitbread as hotel market remains weak Premier Inn owner Whitbread has seen sales at Costa Coffee bounce back, but said conditions remain difficult for its hotels and restaurants. The group cheered a "good start" to its financial year for the coffee chain as it posted a 2.6% rise in like-for-like sales for the 13 weeks to June 2, marking a recovery after sales were hit in the previous quarter. It said Premier Inn like-for-like sales lifted by 2.1% in a "weaker-than-expected hotel market", while comparable sales edged 0.2% higher across its restaurant brands Beefeater, Brewers Fayre, Table Table and Taybarns. Costa Coffeeposted a 2.6% rise in like-for-like sales for the 13 weeks to June 2 Like-for-like sales across the group rose 1.8%, while total sales were 8% higher. Alison Brittain, chief executive of Whitbread, said: "Costa has started the year well and Premier Inn continues to win share, albeit in a weaker-than-expected hotel market. "Although it is early in our new financial year, and despite current market conditions, with the benefit of our cost-efficiency programme we remain confident of making good progress for the full year." The Costa performance comes after sales growth slowed sharply to 0.5% at the end of its previous financial year and helped offset a tougher hotels market. Whitbread revealed a 1.2% drop in Premier Inn's revenue per available room - a key measure for its hotel arm - as it warned that guest occupancy was 1.5 percentage points lower at 79.1%. This comes despite a 1.2% rise in revenues per available room in the wider hotel market. It blamed the difficult market conditions and impact of a major expansion programme, which saw it add around 3,600 new rooms in the final quarter of the previous year. The group wants to open up to another 4,500 new hotel rooms in the current financial year. Simon Larkin, analyst at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, said: "These numbers are probably not enough to change the market's cautious mood music around the stock, but they are solid enough. "The strategic outlook remains clear and unchanged, the trading outlook remains less certain." Ms Brittain - a former head of retail banking at Lloyds Banking Group, who took the helm at the end of last year - had a tricky start to her tenure after sales slowed at the end of the company's financial year. But she posted a decent set of full-year figures in April and remains committed to an ambitious expansion plan. The group snapped up a 49% stake in London-based healthy eating chain Pure for 6.8 million in May It is also opening 230 to 250 Costa stores worldwide and has increased the target to install at least 1,250 new Costa Express machines this year. Thousands celebrate summer solstice at Stonehenge Thousands of people have celebrated the sun rising over Stonehenge for the summer solstice. Approximately 12,000 people attended the neolithic Wiltshire monument to witness the sunrise at 4.52am. The figure was down on the 25,000 expected and the 23,000 who descended on the site last year. People gather at Stonehenge in Wiltshire to see in the new dawn during this year's Summer Solstice Wiltshire Police described events at Stonehenge and at the stone circle in nearby Avebury as "positive and peaceful". There was a no-fly zone over the monument for drones and unmanned aerial vehicles during the solstice. Revellers with alcohol, drugs, sleeping bags or pets were not allowed access to the site. Police said a 24-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault, while a 33-year-old woman, from Burford, was held on suspicion of drink-driving. They were taken into custody at Melksham. Another man was given a fixed penalty notice for a drug offence. Superintendent Mark Sellers said: "The policing operation this year focused on protecting the monument and environment by maintaining the integrity of the road network, minimising any impact on local communities and ultimately supporting English Heritage to ensure a safe and peaceful event for all. "With an event of this size and nature, a large amount of traffic is inevitable but our forward planning with Wiltshire Council, security staff and stewards, the Highways Agency and English Heritage meant that any issues were dealt with effectively. "These changes for Solstice 2016 have proved a great success, with people celebrating at Stonehenge in a positive, friendly atmosphere as they waited for the sunrise." Up to 400 people marked the solstice at Avebury, where there were no arrests. Stonehenge is believed to have been used as an important religious site by early Britons 4,000 years ago. Recent pagan celebrations at the site began in the 20th century More than a million people flock to Stonehenge every year, with thousands attending ceremonies to mark the solstices in summer and winter. Members of the public take part in a yoga class as people gather at Stonehenge in Wiltshire to see in the new dawn People gather at Stonehenge in Wiltshire to see in the new dawn Memebers fo the public make their way back to the car park at Stonehenge in Wiltshire after seeing in the new dawn Members of the public rest against one of the stones at Stonehenge in Wiltshire People gather at Stonehenge in Wiltshire to see in the new dawn during this year's Summer Solstice Members of the public watch the sun rise at Stonehenge as they see in the new dawn during this year's Summer Solstice People gather at Stonehenge to see in the new dawn after this year's Summer Solstice Charles to visit HMS Prince of Wales in Rosyth The Prince of Wales is beginning a week of engagements in Scotland with a visit to a new aircraft carrier bearing his name. Charles will view progress on the Queen Elizabeth-class carrier currently being assembled at Rosyth on the Firth of Forth on the first of a busy four-day itinerary. The 65,000-tonne HMS Prince of Wales - the eighth ship named after the heir to the throne - is expected to be handed over to the Royal Navy in 2019 ready for sea trials. The Prince of Wales is returning to Dumfries House in Ayrshire during a week of engagements in Scotland Earlier on Tuesday, the Duke of Rothesay, as Charles is known in Scotland, will visit a sporran-maker in Perthshire and will be joined later in the day by wife Camilla at an exhibition celebrating Harris Tweed in Edinburgh. Scotland's textile heritage provides the theme of the week's engagements, which will also see the royals hear about opportunities for young people and successful community projects. Charles will open The Prince's Trust's youth employment and enterprise hub in Glasgow on Wednesday before he and the Duchess attend a sewing bee challenge hosted by Dumfries House in Ayrshire, the 18th-century stately home whose future was secured following intervention by the Prince in 2007. A partnership between Dumfries House and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland to promote the arts will be launched at the Cumnock attraction on Thursday, ahead of a trip by the royals to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute at the end of the week, where they will tour a textile mill and design studio and meet apprentice weavers. Ahead of the launch, Charles said: "When I acquired Dumfries House for the nation nine years ago, it was my sincere hope that not only would we restore the magnificent house and its unique contents for future generations to enjoy, but it would also act as a catalyst to regenerate this part of Scotland and provide education, skills and training for local people. "I now have the pleasure of seeing another of my patronages, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, join in partnership with Dumfries House to create an artistic hub for the young people of Ayrshire. "The arts are integral to the education of our young people, they broaden our horizons and our humanity, and allow people to transcend their boundaries and connect with one another. Queen tweets thanks for 90th birthday 'digital messages of goodwill' The Queen has tweeted her thanks to people who sent her 90th birthday messages on social media. She wrote: "I am most grateful for the many digital messages of goodwill I have received and would like to thank you all for your kindness." The monarch signed off the rare message "Elizabeth R." The Queen tweeting on a tablet thanking everyone for their birthday messages (Buckingham Palace/PA) Just in case royal fans missed the sovereign's input, the Royal Family's official Twitter account declared: "This tweet was personally sent by Her Majesty The Queen." The Queen sent her first ever tweet in 2014 when she opened a new Science Museum exhibition with the message: "It is a pleasure to open the Information Age exhibition today at the @ScienceMuseum and I hope people will enjoy visiting. Elizabeth R." @RoyalFamily also posted a picture of the Queen at Windsor Castle about to press "send" on her tweet. It showed the monarch in the ornate white drawing room, sitting at a desk on which was placed a raised tablet. The Queen, dressed in a pink dress decorated with orange and blue flowers and wearing pearls, had one finger poised, ready to tap the screen. Lewis Wiltshire, senior director of media partnerships at Twitter UK, said: "The Queen's milestone birthday was a huge occasion on Twitter, with users expressing their love and admiration for Her Majesty's lifelong commitment on her 90th birthday. Queen asks dinner guests about EU benefits, claims royal author The Queen is reported to have asked dinner guests to give her "three good reasons why Britain should be part of Europe", according to royal author Robert Lacey. Mr Lacey, writing for The Daily Beast website, said the monarch posed the challenge recently. "'Give me three good reasons', she has apparently been asking her dinner companions recently, 'why Britain should be part of Europe?'" Mr Lacey wrote. The Queen has reportedly asked dinner guests about the benefits of EU membership A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: "The Queen is above politics and acts on the advice of her Government in political matters. "The referendum is a matter for the British people to decide." Mr Lacey told the Press Association: "The Queen likes a healthy debate around the dinner table. It was just a question. "She's aware of the complexities for different parts of the UK. "As we know, she's very careful not to betray whatever her personal opinions may be on this. You can say the same of her husband." The Queen's grandson Prince Harry broached the subject of the EU referendum at the street party for the monarch's official 90th birthday. He brought up the debate over Brexit with dairy farmer Mike King, 46, and his wife Rachel, 48, from Iron Acton, near Bristol, as he chatted to them on The Mall. But the Prince kept his own views close to his chest. Mr King said afterwards: "I told Harry we were farmers and were hardy so we're just used to the wet (weather). "When he heard we were farmers, he said 'in or out?' and I said I was going to ask him the same. "I said 'I'm undecided', and he said: 'I'm not allowed to say'." Traditionally, the Queen and her family never vote or stand for election. Although the law does not ban royalty from voting, it is considered unconstitutional for them to do so. Last month, the press watchdog ruled that The Sun newspaper had breached press regulations with its front page headline suggesting the Queen was in favour of the UK leaving the EU. The headline, "Queen backs Brexit", published in March, was "significantly misleading", the Independent Press Standards Organisation (Ipso) said. Buckingham Palace complained, insisting the Queen was "politically neutral". Ahead of the Scottish independence referendum in September 2014, the Queen told a well-wisher in the crowd after morning church at Crathie Kirk, near Balmoral, a few days before the vote: " Well, I hope people will think very carefully about the future." Lord Sugar attacked as he questions Gisela Stuart's place on Brexit panel Apprentice boss Lord Sugar has drawn criticism for saying a Brexit campaigner should not "tell us British what we should do" because she is originally from Germany. Labour MP Gisela Stuart, who is from Bavaria and moved to Britain in 1974, was representing the Leave campaign alongside Boris Johnson and Tory minister Andrea Leadsom in a set-piece BBC debate in front of 6,000 people at Wembley Arena. But businessman and Remain backer Lord Sugar took exception at her appearance in the debate, tweeting: "I find it strange that Gisela Gschaider a 1974 immigrant from Germany is on the Brexit panel telling us British what we should do." Lord Sugar has drawn criticism Tory MP and Leave backer Nadhim Zahawi took exception to the remarks, saying: "You must withdraw and apologise to Gisela. That is disgraceful. She is as British as you are." And former Tory MP Louise Mensch tweeted: "@Lord_Sugar PIG". Lord Sugar later denied he was being racist, pointing out that Ms Stuart is an immigrant who is now arguing against immigration. In a series of tweets, he said: "Yes she is (British) now, and has been arguing that we need to curb immigrants from the EU. She immigrated to UK from Germany in 1974. "30 mins ago was advocating that we stop immigration from the EU like Germany in future and exit EU." Remain vote could spark 'mini hiring boom' by employers A vote to remain in the EU could spark a mini "hiring boom" among employers over the second half of the year, according to a new report. On the other hand, a vote to leave is likely to see companies abandoning projects, shelving new expenditure and freezing hiring during a "prolonged period of uncertainty", said the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC). A survey of 600 employers found that half anticipate skills shortages for permanent staff. The Recruitment & Employment Confederation said the UK jobs market is 'at a tipping point' Firms flagged up a shortage of candidates to fill permanent and temporary jobs in areas including engineering, technology, health and social care and hospitality. REC chief executive Kevin Green said: " The UK jobs market is at a tipping point, with the decision over our EU membership making a difficult situation worse. Whilst hiring has slowed down in recent months due in part to the Brexit question and global economic uncertainty, employers are telling us that finding candidates to fill vacancies is a difficult challenge. "A vote to remain in the EU could release pent-up demand, with a mini hiring boom over the second half of the year. "On the other hand, a vote to leave is likely to see employers abandoning projects, shelving new expenditure and implementing hiring freezes during a prolonged period of uncertainty. "We also have major concerns about the impact Brexit would have on lower-paid sectors which rely heavily on workers from the EU, such as hospitality, healthcare and farming. UAE banks NBAD and FGB confirm merger talks, shares soar By Stanley Carvalho and Tom Arnold June 19 (Reuters) - Shares in National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD) and First Gulf Bank (FGB) soared on Sunday after they confirmed discussing a possible merger to create what would be one of the largest banks in the Middle East and Africa. Both banks have close links to the Abu Dhabi government, which has been cutting costs and restructuring its assets to increase efficiency as low oil prices slash its revenues. Analysts said an NBAD-FGB tie-up could mark the start of a wave of consolidation in the United Arab Emirates banking sector, which is crowded with more than 50 banks and squeezed by lower government spending and tougher global capital rules. Reuters, quoting sources aware of the matter, had reported on Thursday that the two banks were in preliminary talks on a merger. In Sunday's statement, the banks, Abu Dhabi's largest and third largest lenders by assets, said each had formed a working group to "review the commercial potential along with any legal and structural aspects of a merger or combination". The groups would provide recommendations to their respective boards of directors. Many analysts said that in the absence of details of how and when the merger might take place, buying the stocks in response to the merger news was risky. "Shareholders have nothing to gain, in our view," wrote analysts at HSBC, adding that any share swap to pay for a merger could dilute the value of holdings in both banks. But local investors welcomed the idea of an Abu Dhabi mega bank, pushing NBAD shares up their 15 percent daily limit on Sunday while FGB rocketed 11.5 percent. Shares in other Abu Dhabi banks also climbed on speculation that they might eventually be involved in an M&A wave. NBAD is 70 percent owned by the Abu Dhabi Investment Council, and FGB is controlled by members of the emirate's royal family. That means that if there is political will to complete the merger, it will be easily accomplished, said an Abu Dhabi-based investment banker with a foreign institution. "Size does matter in banking, be it for lending or deposits, future expansion, limits on exposure to single borrowers...as well as to support the economy," he said. A larger bank would help Abu Dhabi's aspiration to become a major financial centre, said a government source. The emirate is launching a financial free zone, Abu Dhabi Global Market, to attract foreign investment. A merger between NBAD and FGB would create a bank with assets worth around 627 billion dirhams ($171 billion), according to figures they gave for the first quarter of 2016. That would exceed the first-quarter assets of the region's current largest bank by assets, Qatar National Bank (QNB) , which had 550 billion riyals ($150 billion) at the end of the first quarter. Still, last week QNB completed acquisition of Turkey's Finansbank, which could keep it ahead. Due diligence for a merger could take six months and full integration a further 12 to 18 months, EFG Hermes said in a research note. It said FGB would probably be absorbed into NBAD which had a larger asset base, or the two might become subsidiaries of a new holding company -- a model used in neighbouring Dubai in 2007 when Emirates Bank International and National Bank of Dubai combined to form Emirates NBD, Dubai's biggest bank. NBAD, known for its strong wholesale banking operations, reported a 10.7 percent year-on-year fall in net profit to 1.27 billion dirhams in the three months to March 31, while FGB, which is strong in consumer lending, reported a 6 percent fall to 1.33 billion dirhams. NBAD had a Tier 1 capital ratio of 15.1 percent on March 31 with FGB's ratio at 16.9 percent - both well above the UAE regulator's requirement of 8 percent. Serb tycoon jailed for 5 years for aiding tax evasion BELGRADE, June 20 (Reuters) - One of the Balkans' richest men was sentenced to five years in prison for aiding tax evasion in a landmark trial the Serbian government said would shed more light on links between businessmen and politicians dating from the 1990s. Miroslav Miskovic, who created an insurance, retail and real estate empire during the collapse of Yugoslavia and Serbia's subsequent emergence from international isolation, was arrested in 2012 on charges of fraud and tax evasion. The 70-year-old Serb was accused of siphoning off millions of euros from a privatised and now bankrupt road repair company between 2005 and 2010. Serbia's Higher Court, which deals with cases of organised crime, sentenced Miskovic to five years in prison for helping his son Marko to evade taxes. Marko has already been jailed for tax evasion. Due to lack of evidence, the court found Miskovic not guilty on the charges relating to the road repair company. Lawyer Zdenko Tomanovic said the verdict was the result of political interference and Miskovic would appeal against his sentence. In taking Miskovic to court, the Belgrade government hoped to show that it is serious about tackling the murky nexus of politics, business and organised crime that has flourished in Serbia over the past two decades. That fight is central to Serbia's campaign to join the European Union. In 2007, Miskovic was ranked among the richest 1,000 people in the world by Forbes magazine, with a fortune estimated at one billion dollars. Bosnian police arrest 8 for gang-related identity theft SARAJEVO, June 20 (Reuters) - Bosnian police arrested eight people on Monday on suspicion of identity theft as part of a regional crackdown on Balkan organised criminal gangs. The arrests were made on the orders of the state prosecutor in the Bosnian towns of Banja Luka, Gradiska and Sanski Most, the prosecutor's office said in a statement. Police were also carrying out raids at 10 other locations in Bosnia as well as in Croatia and Slovenia, where further arrests were expected, the statement said. Bosnia's security agencies have stepped up cooperation with their neighbours in their fight against organised crime as part of the country's drive to become a member of the European Union. Those arrested, who included a police official, are believed to have made illegal gains worth thousands of euros by selling people's data to criminal gangs. "The group were suspected of selling the personal data of Bosnian citizens since May 2013," the prosecutor's office said. The information was used to provide forged documents to organised crime gangs in Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia and Bulgaria. Texas lawsuit seeks to overturn Austin's Uber fingerprint rule By Jon Herskovitz AUSTIN, Texas, June 17 (Reuters) - An Austin City Council member who is a supporter of ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft has filed a lawsuit to overturn a requirement for their drivers to undergo fingerprint criminal background checks left standing in a May municipal vote. Donald Zimmerman filed the suit against the mayor on Thursday in a Texas district court seeking to overturn the May 7 ballot initiative, arguing its language was confusing, unlawful and did not provide enough information about fingerprint criminal background checks for drivers. Residents were asked to decide whether a transportation ordinance passed by the City Council in December requiring the fingerprint checks should be repealed and replaced with one backed by Uber and Lyft that did not require the checks. The two companies campaigned against the requirement, which they said was an unnecessary and costly barrier to entry for new drivers. They said their own background checks are comprehensive and ensure safety. Uber and Lyft spent more than $9 million in their failed attempt to defeat fingerprint requirements in Austin's May 7 vote, making it the most expensive political campaign in the city's history. The two companies halted service in Austin shortly after the vote, putting about 10,000 of their drivers out of work. The Texas Supreme Court in March denied a motion to halt the Austin election brought by a plaintiff who argued the ballot language was confusing and unlawful. The mayor's office has said it stands by the ballot language. Former Uber Technologies Inc and Lyft Inc drivers in Austin filed lawsuits this month in federal court in San Francisco, accusing the ride-hailing companies of breaking a federal law by abruptly halting operations in the city. Gunman shot dead after wounding two at Venezuela central bank By Brian Ellsworth CARACAS, June 20 (Reuters) - A gunman opened fire inside Venezuela's central bank on Monday, wounding two guards before he was shot dead by security officers, according to two sources, in the latest violent episode to shake the country. The unidentified assailant barged into the bank's headquarters in central Caracas shooting and shouting, "Where are the board members?," the institution's president, Nelson Merentes, said. "He wounded two guards, fortunately they are stable and are currently in a clinic," Merentes told journalists, adding that the shooter's motives were unclear and an investigation was underway. A security source and a central bank source who asked not to be identified said the attacker was killed. The assailant set off a metal detector in the main entrance of the bank, at which point he took out his weapon and began firing, said a bank employee. Merentes said the man briefly took a woman hostage in the reception area, ran up the stairs, and was confronted by security forces between the fourth and fifth floors. Bank employees said they were holed up in their offices, in downtown Caracas, while the episode was underway. One source inside the bank said the attacker was a young man who claimed to have a bomb in his briefcase, although the bag was ultimately found to be empty. Venezuela is one of the world's most violent countries and illegal gun possession is common. Islamic State launches counter-attacks on U.S.-backed forces, Syrian army By Suleiman Al-Khalidi AMMAN, June 20 (Reuters) - The Islamic State group launched a counter-attack against fighters trying to capture the Syrian city of Manbij on Monday, inflicting heavy casualties on the U.S.-backed forces, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the militants said. The monitor said the militants won back three villages south of the besieged city in a surprise assault against fighters from the U.S.-backed Syria Democratic Forces. At least 28 SDF fighters were killed. Two years after IS proclaimed its caliphate to rule over all Muslims from swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria, its many foes are advancing on a number of fronts in both countries. Their aim is to close in on its two capitals, Raqqa in Syria and Mosul in Iraq. The SDF were poised to enter Manbij nearly three weeks after the launch of a major assault to regain the city backed by U.S. air power and American Special Forces, to seal off the last stretch of the Syrian-Turkish frontier The alliance, formed last year by recruiting Arabs to join forces with a powerful Kurdish militia, fought to nearly 2 km (1.24 miles) from the city centre from the western side on Saturday before retreating. U.S-led coalition jets hit militants taking cover near a large wheat silo complex on the southern edge of the city that has been encircled by SDF forces. An SDF spokesman said forces succeeded in repulsing the militant attack and remained positioned on the outskirts of the city, most of whose residents remain trapped inside due to mines planted by the militants, who have dug in to defend it. "The situation is under control. They have many bodies on the ground," Sharfan Darwish, spokesman for the Syria Democratic Forces-allied Manbij Military Council, told Reuters. "We are at the four gates to the city. The whole city is booby-trapped. After 20 days of the campaign, we have yet to storm the city," he added, adding that some 2,000 people had succeeded in fleeing the city. Islamic State militants were also able to roll back the Syrian army, which had reached as close as 10 km (6.2 miles) south of the strategic town of Tabqa, an Islamic State-held city on the Euphrates River, in Raqqa province. The town, some 50 km (30 miles) west of Raqqa city, the militant's defacto capital, appears to be the first target of a major Syrian army assault in Raqqa province backed by Russian air power that began earlier this month.. Tabqa dam and a major air base have been in militant hands since 2014. The monitor said the army reverses on Sunday lost it territorial gains made in over two weeks of advances in Raqqa province which enabled it to cross its provincial boundary for the first time in over two years. Amaq news agency, which is affiliated with the militants, said suicide bombers had attacked Thawra oil field, south of Tabqa, which the Syrian army had captured earlier this week, and regained it. Eyad al Hosain, a Syrian journalist embedded with Syrian troops, told Reuters the militants had succeeded in regaining areas they lost near the oil field. He did not give figures on army casualties. "A very intense attack has targeted army and allied positions in Thwara field that led to the withdrawal of troops from areas they liberated... and their retreat," al Hosain said. Amaq also said militants seized a Syrian army checkpoint near a strategic junction which leads to Raqqa city that the Syrian government forces and their allies had seized in the early phase of its Raqqa campaign. The monitor, which tracks violence across the country, said the militants had sent reinforcements and cited at least 300 fighters heading to Tabqa from Raqqa. State media also reported clashes with the militants around the main Jazal field near the ancient city of Palmyra in the country's central desert. The army and its allies continue to fight a costly war of attrition against Islamic State militants several months after seizing the city from them. China's Yulin gears up for annual dog-meat festival amidst opposition YULIN, China, June 20 (Reuters) - China's southern city of Yulin geared up on Monday for its upcoming dog meat festival despite widespread opposition from activists calling for an end to the slaughter and eating of the animals. The annual event starting on Tuesday features consumption of the meat with thousands of dogs expected to be killed. Animal rights activists this month handed Beijing authorities a petition with 11 million signatures protesting the festival. While the event is a source of pride for many locals, it has received increased scrutiny and this year, residents said they had noted more police on the streets near well-known dog meat restaurants and markets. Several restaurants had also noticeably removed references to dog meat from their signs. Restaurant owners declined to comment on the reason. Oil prices fall for first time in three days TOKYO, June 21 (Reuters) - Oil prices fell in early Asian trade after a strong two-day rally that was fed by easing concerns Britain would leave the European Union after a referendum this week, allowing market participants to focus on supply issues. Saudi Arabia's crude oil exports also dropped despite high production levels, suggesting demand remains in a deficit to supply. U.S. crude's expiring July front-month contract was down 18 cents at $49.19 a barrel at 0046 GMT. The more actively traded August contract, the new front-month from Wednesday, was down 19 cents at $49.77. That contract settled up nearly 3 percent at $49.96 on Monday. Brent crude futures' August front-month contract was down 31 cents at $50.34 a barrel. On Monday it rose $1.48, or 3 percent, to $50.65 a barrel. The contract has risen about 7 percent since Thursday's settlement, after falling 10 percent in six previous sessions. Saudi Arabia's crude exports in April fell to 7.444 million barrels per day from 7.541 million bpd in March, official data showed on Monday. The world's largest oil exporter and OPEC heavyweight produced 10.262 million bpd in April, compared with 10.224 million bpd a month earlier, the data showed. Potentially adding to supply, Iran has increased its crude exports capacity at its main terminal on Kharg Island to allow eight tankers to load simultaneously, the oil ministry's news agency Shana reported on Monday. Colombia to complete talks with FARC rebels by July 20 -president BOGOTA, June 20 (Reuters) - Colombia will have completed negotiations with leftist FARC rebels by July 20, President Juan Manuel Santos said on Monday, in what would be a key step in efforts to end more than five decades of war in the Andean country. The government has been in talks in Cuba with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, since late 2012. The two sides have reached accords on more than half a dozen topics but have yet to come to agreement on a bilateral ceasefire or implementation of a deal. "I think that by July 20 we will have been able to close negotiations in Havana and from there a new era for the country will come," Santos said after a Cabinet meeting. Negotiators missed a self-imposed deadline for signing a deal in March, and Santos has come under fire over the past week for comments about the referendum he has promised will take place to approve a deal. The country's right-wing opposition, led by former President Alvaro Uribe, now a senator, has called for the public to vote against the peace deal, which he says will grant rebels impunity for human rights violations. Santos was criticized by opposition figures earlier on Monday for suggesting Colombia will have to raise taxes to fund the war if a peace deal falls through. "It's been said we'll raise taxes to pay for peace, but it's the opposite, if the war continues we'll have to raise taxes to finance it - war is more expensive," Santos said on public television. Uribe told journalists the tax comments were "an act of intimidation" aimed at scaring Colombians into voting for a peace deal in the eventual referendum. Santos said last week the FARC was prepared to return to the battlefield, especially in urban areas, if peace negotiations fall apart, which opposition figures criticized as fear-mongering. Santos has said a tax reform bill, considered vital as plunging oil revenues have battered national income, will be approved by congress before the end of the year. The president also has said a peace deal could fuel economic growth of 2 percent. He reiterated a call on Monday evening for the country's highest court to approve the public vote. MEDIA-Indonesia state port operator Pelindo II seeks funding for expansion-Jakarta Post -- State-owned port operator Pelabuhan Indonesia (Pelindo) II is seeking 30-40 trillion rupiah ($2.3-3 billion) to fund its planned expansion over the next five years, the Jakarta Post reported, citing President Director Elvyn G. Masassya. -- Pelindo II plans to set up an investment firm to raise the funds, but it will need the approval from shareholders, the newspaper said. -- Source link: (http://bit.ly/1QEJxdG) -- Note: Reuters has not verified this story and does not vouch for its accuracy China state shipping line to launch cruise route in disputed South China Sea SHANGHAI, June 21 (Reuters) - State-owned China COSCO Shipping Corp plans to launch cruise trips in the South China Sea next month, with the first route to travel from Sanya city in the country's southeast to the disputed Paracel Islands, state media reported on Tuesday. The Paracels, known as the Xisha Islands in Chinese, are also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan. "It is practical to stimulate the local economy through development of tourism, logistics and infrastructure facilities," the China Daily newspaper quoted the company's chairman Xu Lirong as saying at a conference over the weekend. In April, China's largest shipping company signed a contract with China National Travel Service Group Corp and China Communications Construction Co Ltd to establish a cruise company to offer tourism services in the South China Sea. In a statement sent to Reuters, China COSCO Shipping said developing tourism services in the South China Sea was part of China's "One Belt, One Road" strategy and the responsibility of its state enterprises. China claims 90 percent of the potentially energy-rich South China Sea. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan lay claim to parts of the sea, through which passes about $5 trillion of trade a year. A growing number of skirmishes have taken place amid rising regional tensions over China's assertiveness in the South China Sea, the latest last week when an Indonesian naval vessel fired on a Chinese fishing boat near the Natuna Islands. The inaugural COSCO route to the Xisha Islands will be followed by the development of other routes in the South China Sea and Taiwan Straits, with a gradual expansion to international routes, in a bid to build China's first national cruise brand, the company said. Countries competing to cement their rival claims have encouraged a growing civilian presence on disputed islands in the South China Sea. The first cruises from China to the Paracel islands were launched by Hainan Strait Shipping Co in 2013. China c.bank says has studied allowing commercial banks in offshore yuan market BEIJING, June 21 (Reuters) - China's central bank has studied allowing commercial banks to participate in the offshore yuan market, according to an official microblog post from the People's Bank of China (PBOC) on Tuesday. The PBOC said it was studying the issue in order to increase the two-way opening up of the foreign exchange market. Mitsubishi expects annual loss due to mileage cheating scandal - Kyodo TOKYO, June 21 (Reuters) - Mitsubishi Motors Corp expects to post a net loss this year after a scandal around manipulated fuel economy tests triggered hefty compensation costs and a drop in vehicle sales, Kyodo news agency reported on Tuesday. Japan's sixth-largest automaker admitted in April to overstating the mileage on four of its minivehicles, including two models it produced for Nissan Motor Co, problems it blamed on competitive pressures and poor oversight. Under a month later, Nissan agreed to take a one-third controlling stake in the group. Asked to comment on the unsourced report, Mitsubishi Motors chief executive Osamu Masuko said on Tuesday the company would seek to contain the cost of the scandal in this financial year, but he did not say whether that would drag it into the red. "(The scandal) will likely hurt us this year, and the extent to which we can recover from it, will depend up on how well we can leverage our synergies with Nissan," he said. The automaker said last week it planned to give owners of four minivehicles close to $1,000 in compensation for its overstating of mileage readings, part of reimbursement costs that will total at least $600 million. It said on Tuesday it was also setting aside up to 9 billion yen ($86.19 million) to reimburse customers for lost "eco car" tax breaks for models with overstated mileage readings, adding it planned to resume production of those vehicles early next month. Mitsubishi Motors had already announced it expects a charge of 50 billion yen ($480 million) this business year due to compensation costs. Separately, Japan's government said sales of Mitsubishi vehicles with overstated mileage levels could resume. Production will start in early July, Masuko said. China, Hong Kong shares rise as Brexit fears continues to ease SHANGHAI, June 21 (Reuters) - China and Hong Kong stocks edged up on Tuesday morning, as investor sentiment in global equity markets continued to improve on growing expectations that British voters will opt to remain in the European Union in this week's referendum. China's blue-chip CSI300 index rose 0.4 percent, to 3,126.45 points by the lunch break, while the Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.3 percent, to 2,896.29 points. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index added 0.5 percent, while the Hong Kong China Enterprises Index gained 0.4 percent. Global stock markets rallied after two opinion polls showed the "Remain" camp had recovered some ground, reversing a recent rise in support for pulling out. But a third poll found those wanting to leave were ahead by a whisker. Investors, who have been worried about the prospects of further yuan depreciation, got some relief after China's foreign exchange regulator said pressure on China's cross-border capital outflows has gradually eased, citing May data. Meanwhile, China's state planner stepped up approval of highway projects in an apparent bid to aid a struggling economy. Most shares rose in China and Hong Kong. In Zika-struck Puerto Rico, trouble delivering donated contraceptives By Jilian Mincer NEW YORK, June 20 (Reuters) - Only a small fraction of contraceptives donated in Puerto Rico to prevent Zika-related birth defects are expected to get to the women who need them this month, public health officials told Reuters. The donations - tens of thousands of intrauterine devices and birth control pill packs - came from major healthcare companies as the virus spreads rapidly through the island. The delivery delays illustrate the struggles of Puerto Rico's healthcare system, which is faltering amid the commonwealth's financial crisis. Hundreds of thousands of residents are expected to be infected in the coming months by the mosquito-borne Zika virus. Infections in pregnant women can cause microcephaly, a rare birth defect that can lead to severe developmental problems. Many local doctors do not have the expertise to insert IUDs, and have not stocked them because of their high cost to patients. The CDC Foundation, the U.S. public health agency's philanthropic arm that received the donations, said it needs $20 million for training and follow-up services to get the contraceptives to women. "We have people who would love to have them available," said Dr. Carmen D. Zorrilla, professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine. She is encouraging patients to wait at least a year to get pregnant. As many as 138,000 women on the island are at risk of unintended pregnancy, based on historical trends and a lack of access to contraceptives, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Bayer AG, Allergan, Medicines360 and Merck have together contributed about 60,000 IUDs and 80,000 packs of birth control pills in recent weeks. The CDC estimates that about a quarter of Puerto Rico's 3.5 million people could be infected with the virus. Dr. Judith Monroe, President and CEO of the CDC Foundation, said the organization has trained about two dozen doctors and raised about $1.7 million in cash, enough to provide 700 women free services starting in June. It needs to raise an additional $20 million to train and pay medical professionals who will provide the services. In the meantime, the companies are still holding the donated devices and pills while the CDC Foundation lines up a licensed distributor in Puerto Rico. At the behest of the CDC, the nonprofit in February began soliciting private sector donations for Puerto Rico, Monroe said in an interview. Raising extra money for contraceptive distribution was challenging as would-be donors may not yet grasp the urgency of the situation in Puerto Rico. "We have an opportunity to be innovative," she said, referring to increasing access to "family planning across Puerto Rico, services that have not been there before on this scale." DOCTORS UNDER FINANCIAL STRESS Money is essential to train and pay medical professionals, many of whom are barely surviving because of the island's financial crisis and historically low reimbursement rates from the U.S. government's Medicaid insurance program for the poor, which covers nearly half of residents. "It is hard, close to impossible to ask doctors to take anything else from their pockets," said Dr. Nabal Jose Bracero, who chairs the Puerto Rico section of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. "Things are very, very rough." The current Zika outbreak was first detected last year in Brazil and has been linked to more than 1,400 cases of microcephaly. It has since spread to at least 39 countries and territories in the Americas. In Puerto Rico, at least 1,726 cases of Zika infection have been confirmed, including in 191 pregnant women, according to the Puerto Rico health department. Zika is expected to arrive in the continental United States in the coming weeks as the weather warms. CDC officials expect that Puerto Rico will be hit harder given the prevalence of mosquitoes that carry the Zika virus on the island and a lack of infrastructure to protect against the insect bites. Health care donors say they are now urgently focused contraceptive distribution. "We are working with the CDC Foundation on the distribution arrangements to ensure that product gets to Puerto Rico as quickly as possible," said Gavin Corcoran, Chief Medical Officer at Allergan. Bayer, Allergan and Medicines360 also have begun training a few dozen medical professionals to use their IUD devices, which need to be inserted and removed by a person with expertise to avoid potentially serious complications. The nonprofit Upstream USA also is providing training to medical professionals for IUDs and other methods of birth control. Despite the difficulties of distribution, Bracero said health professional in Puerto Rico are grateful for the contraceptive donations. Brazil's credit crunch threatens commodity exports, farmers By Reese Ewing and Guillermo Parra-Bernal SAO PAULO, June 21 (Reuters) - Brazil's worst credit crunch in two decades is forcing the nation's debt-laden grain producers, sugar mills and coffee farmers to curb investment, making one of the world's top farm exporters miss out on a recovery in global commodity prices. Banks, hit by a wave of defaults and bankruptcies triggered by the country's harshest recession in eight decades, tightened credit bringing lending growth to a 17-year low in April. Agricultural producers, which borrowed heavily in the past years to fund rapid expansion, were among those hit the hardest. "We've not seen credit contract like this in recent history," said Alexandre Figliolino, who advises agricultural firms on structured credit and capital markets for consultancy firm MB Associados. "We may lose two years of farm expansion." Several bankers told Reuters they expected credit to remain tight for at least another year, extending a sharp slowdown in farm production. Area planted to grains, including soybeans and corn, grew only 0.3 percent this year, compared with growth of 3 percent in 2015 and 5 percent in 2014, a Reuters analysis of Agriculture Ministry data showed. Soybean and corn production fell this year for the first time since 2011 and 2013, respectively. Although exports for both crops were up strongly over the past year due to the strong dollar, analysts expect corn exports to retreat until June 2017 due to local shortages facing livestock producers. Coffee exports have also declined in recent months compared to record 2015 levels, as producers rebuild depleted stocks after two years of drought. (graphic: http://tmsnrt.rs/28JxTSJ) The squeeze coincides with a recovery in global commodity prices. Sugar prices are at the highest in nearly 3 years; soybeans are at a two-year high; and coffee and corn prices are near their highest in almost a year. Brazil is No. 2 corn exporter and the top exporter for the other three commodities. All four commodities have recently suffered major losses due to bad weather or market conditions, depleting producers' capital or loading them with more debts, exacerbating the contraction in credit. On Thursday, Marcos Lutz, chief executive of Brazil's largest sugar producer Cosan SA, said cane crushing would be smaller than expected in the current 2016 season. Despite the biggest global sugar deficit in decades, Lutz expected no investment in capacity in the short or medium term because of the funding constraints for many mills. Macquarie Bank Ltd, Itau Unibanco Holding SA and Rabobank NA are among banks reining in credit extended Brazil farm export sector, according to multinational sugar and grains traders. Banco Pine SA, ABN Amro Group NV, Credit Agricole SA and others have followed suit. Macquarie denied the report. Odebrecht Agroindustrial SA, privately-held grain producer Grupo Bom Jesus SA and farming company JPupin Ltda are among the large producers that are restructuring debt or entering creditor protection, after amassing more than 15 billion reais ($4.4 billion) in combined liabilities. With the benchmark borrowing rate at 14.25 percent, near a decade high, and tougher lending terms, producers are relying more on barter, said a recent report by Imea, a research institute based in Mato Grosso, Brazil's biggest grain state. Multinationals are also more active in short-term crop financing. With smaller lenders in retreat, state-controlled Banco do Brasil SA, the No. 1 farming lender, ramped up harvesting and crop lending at subsidized rates by 44 percent this year. Still, industry leaders say credit from private-sector banks, which account for about 40 percent of Brazil's outstanding agriculture loans, remains essential. That credit, though, has become much harder to get. An executive at one of the Brazilian banks dealing with large- to mid-sized agricultural borrowers said clients who in the past would get a 20 million-real loan, would only get approval for half of that sum now. "Some farmers will go broke in these conditions," said Marco Parzianello, who runs a large farm in Sorriso in Mato Grosso. "We held off on expansion to build up cash reserves and we are lucky we did." ($1 = 3.48 Brazilian reais) India's changing coal imports show quality over quantity: Russell By Clyde Russell LAUNCESTON, Australia, June 21 (Reuters) - India's coal imports are in a declining trend, but the energy value is dropping at a far slower pace than the physical volumes as the South Asian nation switches to higher quality fuel. This is likely as important a trend as the drop in imports as it indicates that major supplier Indonesia is in danger of surrendering more of the Indian market to rivals such as South Africa, Colombia and Russia. It also shows that India's thermal coal importers are taking the view that it's better to pay more for higher grade cargoes than to merely take the cheapest on offer, which shows a rising sophistication in how they are adapting their fuel mixes. And thirdly, given the Indian government's stated aim of cutting thermal coal imports to zero over the next few years, importing lower volumes of better quality coal may go some way to placate the authorities. Fabio Gabrieli, director of commodity strategy at Mercuria, told the recent Coaltrans Asia conference on the Indonesian island of Bali that the key development for India's coal market was how the calorific value of coal imports wasn't dropping nearly as fast as the actual tonnage. The argument is borne out by the data and by making certain assumptions about the energy, or calorific, value of coal from various countries. The exact energy value of India's coal imports isn't available, but Thomson Reuters Commodity Research and Forecasts provide a detailed breakdown of shipments by country of origin. For the first five months of 2016, India's coal imports were 82.57 million tonnes, a drop of 5.4 percent over the same period last year, according to vessel-tracking data compiled by Thomson Reuters. Breaking the data down shows that while Indonesia remained the top supplier, with 36.72 million tonnes, this was down almost 20 percent from the 46.9 million tonnes shipped in the first five months of 2015. South Africa was the relative winner, with India importing 16.58 million tonnes in the first five months, a gain of almost 26 percent over the same period last year. Other winners included Russia, which exported 1.8 million tonnes to India over the period versus 1.45 million a year ago, and Colombia with 981,000 tonnes compared with just 46,000 shipped in the same period in 2015. Imports from Australia in the first five months were 18.74 million tonnes, a smidgeon higher than the 18.53 million in the comparable period. However, cargoes from Australia are mainly coking coal used for steel-making, rather than the thermal coal for power-generation supplied by other countries, so I will exclude it from the calculations on energy values. CALORIFIC VALUE CHANGES Indonesian thermal coal is generally of lower quality and for the purposes of the calculations I have assumed a calorific value of 4,500 kilocalories per kilogram (kcal/kg), which is most likely on the generous side as traders say most cargoes sent from the Southeast Asian nation to India are of even lower quality than this. South African coal is assumed to have an energy value of 6,000 kcal/kg, as is that from Colombia, while Russian coal is put at 5,600 kcal/kg. On that basis, the energy value of India's imports from those four nations in the January-to-May period is 5.9 percent below what it was for the same period in 2015. However, the physical volume of coal from the four is 9 percent lower, meaning the decline in tonnes was far more pronounced than the drop in energy value. Once trends start, they often prove hard to stop, and it's easy to find reasons why India's coal imports will continue to decline in volumes but switch to higher quality fuels. It was reported on June 17 by industry website miningweekly.com that India's coal ministry has directed government owned and operated thermal power producers to stop all imports as there was now a surplus of fuel available from state miner Coal India. While directives like this may not be fully implemented and don't apply to private power producers, they are ongoing proof of official antagonism toward coal imports. Poland - Factors to Watch June 21 Following are news stories, press reports and events to watch that may affect Poland's financial markets on Tuesday. ALL TIMES GMT (Poland: GMT + 2 hours): CENTRAL BANK Poland's newly appointed central bank governor Adam Glapinski will be officially sworn in by parliament later on Tuesday. CHINA Chinese and Polish leaders welcomed a freight train arriving in Warsaw from China on Monday in a ceremony marking a trade co-operation deal that they said showed the European country's importance as a gateway for Chinese exports. Chinese President Xi Jinping will end his three-day visit to Poland on Tuesday. PENSION FUNDS Polish labour minister Elzbieta Rafalska told daily Dziennik Gazeta Prawna that the government has no "revolutionary changes" in store for the local pension funds, reiterating that Poland's jobless rate is seen falling to 8.1 percent at the end of 2016. Separately, daily Rzeczpospolita reported that Polish pension fund Aegon PTE will take over assets held by its Nordea-owned rival to create Poland's No.4 pension fund with 12.4 billion zlotys ($3.2 billion) in assets, marking an end to Swedish Nordea's presence on the market. ELECTRICITY Polish electricity grid operator PSE has asked Poland's neighbouring countries for readiness to provide backup electricity for Polish users in case of a blackout threat during the summer peak, daily Gazeta Wyborcza reported. NATO As NATO's borders have shifted east, it now worries about a new flashpoint of potential conflict with Russia: a 40-mile sliver of land dubbed the Suwalki Gap in Poland, whose seizure by Moscow's troops could leave the three Baltic states, former Soviet republics, isolated and helpless. ****Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.**** PRESS DIGEST - Bulgaria - June 21 SOFIA, June 21 (Reuters) - These are some of the main stories in Bulgarian newspapers on Tuesday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. -- Prime Minister Boiko Borisov said that the announced 10 percent increase of teachers' salaries as of next year has not been discussed with him and the finance ministry, indicating that it is not likely to take place. (Standart, Sega, Monitor, Capital Daily, 24 Chasa) CAPITAL DAILY - Norway's B2Holding acquired Bulgarian Debt Collection Agency for an unannounced sum. The deal also includes the operations of Debt Collection Agency in Romania, officials said. Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on June 21 PRAGUE, June 21 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Czech financial markets on Tuesday. ALL TIMES GMT (Czech Republic: GMT + 2 hours) =========================ECONOMIC DATA========================== Real-time economic data releases.................... Summary of economic data and forecasts........... Recently released economic data.................. Previous stories on Czech data............. **For a schedule of corporate and economic events: http://emea1.apps.cp.thomsonreuters.com/Apps/CountryWeb/#/2E/events-overview ==========================EVENTS================================ PRAGUE - Unipetrol to hold annual general meeting where shareholders will vote on the company's first dividend since 2007. Management have proposed a 5.52 crown per share payout, smaller than what many investors expected. The largest minority shareholder has counter-proposed a 15 crown per share dividend. Story: Related stories: ==========================NEWS================================== DUKOVANY: Czech electricity producer CEZ said on Monday it expects extended outages at its Dukovany nuclear power plant next year due to more checks on welding joints and requirements connected with application to extend the plant's operating licence. Story: Related stories: BONDS: The Czech Finance Ministry will not offer any domestic government bonds auction in July, the ministry said on Monday. Story: Related stories: NATO: NATO is not contemplating a troop build-up in East Europe and the Baltics beyond existing plans as there is no immiment threat from Russia, despite fears amongst Baltic states, the alliance's military chief said on Monday. Story: Related stories: CEE MARKETS: Easing fears of a British exit from the European Union boosted stocks and currencies across central and eastern Europe on Monday, with the zloty setting the tempo with a 0.6 percent gain. Story: Related stories: ---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------ Index/Crown Currency Latest Prev Pct change Pct change close on day in 2016 vs Euro 27.035 27.059 0.09 -0.14 vs Dollar 23.868 23.852 -0.07 3.99 Czech Equities 838.94 838.94 0.93 -12.28 U.S. Equities 17,804.87 17,675.16 0.73 2.18 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500 GMT =======================PRESS DIGEST============================ NATO: The head of NATO's Military Committee, Petr Pavel, criticised the Czech Republic for low defense spending. Hospodarske Noviny, page 4 MOBILE PAYENTS: Czechs spent 2 billion crowns through mobile payments last year, a 3 percent rise year-on-year. Hospodarske Noviny, page 12 Reuters has not verified the stories, nor does it vouch for their accuracy. For real-time stock market index quotes click in brackets: Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX For updates on CEE currencies TOP NEWS -- Emerging markets Prague Newsroom: +420 224 190 477 E-mail: prague.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com (Reporting by Prague Newsroom) Car bomb kills Jordanian troops at Syria border-Jordanian army AMMAN, June 21 (Reuters) - A car laden with explosives killed a number of Jordanian border guards outside a camp for Syrian refugees near the boundary between the two countries on Tuesday, the Jordanian army said. The car exploded a few hundred meters from Rakban camp in a desolate eastern area of the country where the borders of Iraq, Syria and Jordan meet, the army said. Germany's economy minister to visit Putin in Moscow - newspaper BERLIN, June 21 (Reuters) - German Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel plans to visit Russian President Vladimir Putin early next week to discuss ties between the two nations amid growing policy divisions within Germany's ruling right-left coalition, a newspaper reported on Tuesday. Gabriel's Social Democrats (SPD) generally back a more conciliatory stance towards Russia than Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative bloc. Her office was aware of Gabriel's planned visit, the Rheinische Post said. An economy ministry spokeswoman said she could not confirm the report. Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, also a Social Democrat, stirred strong reactions across Europe on Monday after he said the European Union should phase out sanctions against Russia to reward progress in the Ukraine peace process. Steinmeier also said NATO exercises in eastern Europe could worsen tensions with Russia, warning against what he called "sabre-rattling and shrill war cries". Gabriel on Monday had spoken in support of Steinmeier, while NATO and U.S. officials criticised his remarks. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told Reuters on Monday that the EU should keep sanctions in place, and defended NATO's plans to beef up its presence in eastern Europe as necessary to respond to Russia's aggressive actions. China stocks give up gains as investor sentiment remains weak SHANGHAI, June 21 (Reuters) - China stocks surrendered initial gains and closed lower on Tuesday, a reflection of weak investor sentiment amid worries about the economy. The CSI300 index of the largest listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen fell 0.2 percent, to 3,106.32, while the Shanghai Composite Index lost 0.4 percent, to 2,878.56 points. The indexes rose in the morning session, tracking global markets as expectations grew that British voters will opt to remain in the European Union in Thursday's referendum. But the market suffered a bout of selling in the afternoon session, with small-caps leading the declines. Philips buys Northern Irish medical imaging company AMSTERDAM, June 21 (Reuters) - Philips, the Dutch medical technology company, said on Tuesday it had purchased PathXL, a Belfast-based digital imaging analysis and software company. Terms were not disclosed. Philips CEO Frans van Houten said in a telephone interview that its digital pathology business was "doubling every year." A company spokesman said its digital pathology sales would pass "several tens of millions" of euros in sales this year, including the acquisition. In digital pathology, tissue samples are scanned and stored in computer files so they can be summoned by doctors for instant, computer-assisted analysis or repeatedly reviewed. "The computer can do a much better job than the human eye, as it is much more systematic in analysing tissues," Van Houten said. "We're acquiring a company that has deep clinical knowledge and technology to analyse cancerous cells." The PathXL acquisition comes as Philips seeks to complete its decade-long transition from an electronics company to a vendor of cloud-connected medical devices and systems used by both hospitals and consumers. Last month, it sold a 25 percent stake in Philips Lighting, its last remaining non-health operation, in part to raise money for investments such as the PathXL deal. Separately on Tuesday, Philips said it had struck a deal with Visiopharm to licence the Danish company's breast cancer software analysis for use on Philips' digital pathology platform. That partnership "will widen the capabilities of our pathology business and make it even more attractive for pathologists to adopt," Van Houten said. Attack on Jordanian troops was launched from Syria-official source AMMAN, June 21 (Reuters) - A deadly attack on Jordanian troops at the country's border with Syria on Tuesday was launched from Syrian territory, a Jordanian official source said. Bangladesh c.bank officials to meet New York Fed over stolen funds By Sanjeev Miglani and Ruma Paul DHAKA, June 21 (Reuters) - Bangladesh central bank officials will hold a meeting with the New York Federal Reserve next month to try and speed up efforts to recover $81 million stolen by hackers from its account at the Fed, officials in Dhaka said. More than four months after the hackers broke into the computer systems of Bangladesh Bank and transferred money into bank accounts in Philippines using the SWIFT payment network, there is no breakthrough yet in investigations. Most of the money has disappeared into casinos in the Philippines and remains missing. While the criminal investigation has made slow progress, Bangladesh Bank has focused on getting back the money, leaning on the New York Fed and the Philippines central bank for help. Bangladesh Bank deputy governor Mohammad Razee Hassan, who heads its financial intelligence unit, will meet Fed officials in New York on July 15, two officials at the bank in Dhaka said. Both said the talks follow a meeting in Basel in Switzerland in May where the heads of the Bangladesh central bank, the New York Fed and representatives from SWIFT agreed to help Bangladesh Bank get back its money. One official involved in the preparations for the meeting said on Tuesday they would also be discussing future arrangements on the central bank's deposits held in New York. "Its a follow-up meeting for recovery of funds. But there are other things as well. Fed is holding our account. We are their customers, there are things we need to discuss," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity, citing bank rules. The official said he was not sure if SWIFT would be part of the meeting. SWIFT had no immediate comment to make. Bangladesh police investigators have said that SWIFT technicians introduced security loopholes when connecting the messaging network to Bangladesh's first real-time gross settlement (RTGS) system late last year. PRESS DIGEST - RUSSIA - JUNE 21 The following are some stories in Russia's newspapers on Tuesday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. VEDOMOSTI www.vedomosti.ru Cyprus has officially published a list of 82 countries, including Russia, which would like to automatically exchange information. Russian tax authorities will receive first data from Cyprus in September 2018. The application for processing photos, Prisma, has become No. 1 for downloading in 10 countries of the post-Soviet CIS. Mail.ru group can be a co-investor of the project. KOMMERSANT www.kommersant.ru The security committee of Russia's State Duma lower house of parliament has recommended adoption in the second reading of a package of amendments which could severely restrict the rights of citizens in order to combat terrorism. IZVESTIA www.izvestia.ru A base on the Moon remains a strategic goal of Russia's space exploration for the period until the 2030s, even despite the current tough situation with financing from the budget. Suicide attacker kills six Jordanian troops at Syria border By Suleiman Al-Khalidi AMMAN, June 21 (Reuters) - Six Jordanian border guards were killed by a suicide bomber who drove a car at speed across the border from Syria and rammed it into a military post on Tuesday, security officials said. The explosives-laden vehicle blew up a few hundred metres from a camp for Syrian refugees in a remote, desolate area where the borders of Iraq, Syria and Jordan meet, a Jordanian army statement said. The southeastern desert area is close to where Islamic State militants are known to operate, according to a security source who requested anonymity. The source said the attack appeared to be a well-planned military operation. No group has claimed responsibility. The army said a number of other vehicles used in the attack at around 5:30 a.m. (0230 GMT) were destroyed and that 14 other people were wounded. The suicide bomber drove out from behind a berm and dodged gunfire to reach the military post, it added. It was the first such assault targeting Jordan from Syria since Syria's descent into conflict in 2011 and followed an attack on June 6 on a security office near the Jordanian capital Amman in which five people, including three Jordanian intelligence officers, were killed. The incidents have jolted the Arab kingdom, which has been relatively unscathed by the instability that has swept the Arab world since 2011, including the expansion of Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. In a rare move, the Jordanian army's chief of staff declared the northern and northeastern border strip with Syria a closed military zone, an order that went into effect immediately. "Any vehicle and personnel movement within these areas that move without prior coordination will be treated as enemy targets and dealt with firmly and without leniency," the army statement said. International relief workers said the Jordanian authorities had also suspended all humanitarian aid to the area and that this could put the lives of refugees at risk. U.N. agencies responsible for the well-being of thousands of refugees did not comment on the drastic move which Western aid workers said penalized thousands of refugees, almost half of them women and children who have been stranded on the border strip for months. Jordan's Foreign Minister Nasser Joudeh confirmed deliveries of aid to the border areas had been halted until a safer area was found. He told state media the incident vindicated Amman's previous security warnings about the presence of hardline extremists within the camp. "There is a large concentration of people along this border and a big infiltration of elements from Daesh terrorists who are present heavily," Joudeh said, using the Arabic derogatory term for Islamic State. Jordan's King Abdullah said the perpetrators would not go unpunished and that his security forces would deal with "an iron fist" with any group that sought to harm the country's security or borders, a palace statement said. Jordan is a staunch ally of the United States and is taking part in the U.S.-led campaign against Islamic State in Syria, where the jihadist group still controls large areas of territory including much of the east. Jordan has kept tight control of its frontier with Syria since the outbreak of the war in its neighbour. Washington condemned the deadly attack as a "cowardly terrorist act" and said it would continue "unwavering support" for the Jordanian army, a statement from the U.S. embassy said. Since the Syria conflict began, Washington has spent tens of millions of dollars to help Amman set up an elaborate surveillance system known as the Border Security Programme to stem infiltration by militants from Syria and Iraq. The Rakban crossing targeted on Tuesday is a military zone far from any inhabited area, and includes a three-km (two-mile) stretch of berms built a decade ago to combat smuggling. The border is heavily guarded by patrols and drones. U.S. Patriot missiles are stationed in the kingdom, however, and the U.S. army has hundreds of trainers in the country. It is the only area where Jordan still receives Syrian refugees, some 50,000 of whom are stranded in Rakban refugee camp in a de facto no-man's land some 330 km (200 miles) northeast of Amman. REFUGEES STRAIN KINGDOM The camp's population has grown from several thousand to over 50,000 people since last year as the fighting in Syria intensified, relief workers say. Jordan has been a big beneficiary of foreign aid because of its efforts to help refugees but has drawn criticism from Western allies and aid agencies over the humanitarian situation at Rakban where conditions have caused several deaths among refugeees lacking sufficient medical care, diplomats say. Earlier waves of Syrian refugees had an easier time, with some walking just a few hundred metres to cross into Jordan. Jordan sealed those border crossings in 2013. The United Nations refugee agency said late last year Jordan should accept the new wave of refugees -- their numbers have risen, aid officials say, since Russia started air strikes last September -- and move them to established camps closer to Amman. Five dead, 23 injured in Slovak bus crash in Serbia BELGRADE, June 21 (Reuters) - Five people died and 23 were injured early on Tuesday when a Slovak bus swerved off the road in southern Serbia, the Interior Ministry said. All the injured were being treated in hospitals in the towns of Aleksinac and Nis, about 200 km (120 miles) south of Belgrade, a statement said. Serbia's daily Blic said the bus was bringing Slovak tourists home from the Greek island of Corfu. The statement gave no further details about the crash, saying only it happened when a bus with Slovak registration plates swerved off the highway linking Serbia with Macedonia and Greece. Palestinians attack Israeli cars in W. Bank, assailant shot dead -army By Ori Lewis JERUSALEM, June 21 (Reuters) - Israeli troops on Tuesday shot dead an alleged Palestinian assailant after petrol bombs and rocks were thrown at Israeli vehicles in the occupied West Bank, injuring three people. The Palestinian was identified by the mayor of his village as a 15-year-old. The incident, in the early hours of the morning, occurred on a main highway between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem that traverses the West Bank, the military said. Over the past eight months, Palestinian attacks have killed 32 Israelis and two visiting U.S. citizens. Israeli forces have shot dead at least 197 Palestinians, 135 of whom Israel has said were assailants. Others were killed in clashes and protests. Describing the highway incident, the military said in a statement that several Palestinians threw petrol bombs and rocks at vehicles, injuring three civilians, two of whom were identified by Israeli media as foreign tourists. Troops nearby fired at the assailants, resulting in the death of one of them, the statement said. Abdul Karim Kassem, head of the local council of the Palestinian village of Beit Ore-Tahta, told Reuters that Mahmoud Badran, the teenager killed in the incident on Highway 443, was in a car with other passengers "returning from a pool in a village near us when they came under fire". Another Palestinian was wounded by Israeli gunfire and taken to hospital in the West Bank city of Ramallah. The military said two additional suspects were arrested. The last deadly violent incident occurred on June 8 when two Palestinian gunmen shot dead four Israelis at a cafe in Tel Aviv. Palestinian leaders say attackers have acted out of desperation over peace talks frozen since 2014 and Israeli settlement building in occupied territory they seek for a state. Tensions over Jewish access to a volatile and contested Jerusalem holy site, revered by Muslims as Haram al-Sharif (Noble Sanctuary) and Jews as Temple Mount, have also fuelled the violence. Kenya says al Shabaab bomb kills ambulance driver in border region NAIROBI, June 21 (Reuters) - A Kenyan government driver was killed on Monday evening near the border with Somalia when his vehicle hit a mine planted by the Islamist group al Shabaab, a government official said. The Somali militant group, exploiting a long border, has made several deadly incursions into Kenya and says it will keep up its attacks until Kenya withdraws its troops from Somalia. Kenya is part of the African Union-mandated AMISOM force fighting al Shaabab which, though it has been pushed out of its strongholds in Somalia where it opposes the western-backed government, it remains resilient. Earlier on Monday al Shaabab claimed responsibility for another attack in which five police officers were killed and four more were injured in the same region. Mohamed Sales, a regional government official, told Reuters a man driving an ambulance died after the vehicle hit a mine. His co-driver's leg was cut off by the blast. Three other people were injured. Also on Monday, Kenyan police shot and killed a suspected al Shabaab fighter and arrested nine others alleged to be linked to the murder of three community leaders in the Indian Ocean coastal region. Diplomats say Kenya's northeastern border with Somalia is a security weak spot, given the challenge of policing a long frontier. Poor coordination between security services and a culture of corruption that allows those prepared to pay a bribe to cross the border unchallenged are seen as further security risks. Leader of Croatia's conservative HDZ party resigns ZAGREB, June 21 (Reuters) - The Head of Croatia's conservative HDZ party, the biggest in a collapsed centre-right coalition, resigned on Tuesday after failing to form a new cabinet. "I promised the party that I will be able to form a new parliamentary majority, which I failed to achieve," Tomislav Karamarko said. Violence spreads into South African capital after ANC names mayoral candidate By Dinky Mkhize PRETORIA, June 21 (Reuters) - Protesters burnt buses and set tyres on fire to barricade roads in South Africa's capital on Tuesday after the ANC named a mayoral candidate not nominated by the ruling party's regional branches. The violence spread overnight from the townships and started after a member of the ANC was shot dead on Sunday as factions clashed at a meeting in Pretoria to decide on the candidates for mayor of Tshwane municipality where Pretoria is located. The ANC then named senior party member and former cabinet minister, Thoko Didiza, as its candidate for Tshwane, saying that it made the decision after wrangling between members at the party's headquarters over who should lead the municipality. Residents want the incumbent mayor, Kgosientso Ramokgopa, to be allowed to run on the ANC ticket, TV station eNCA reported, but in an interview with the 24-hour news channel, Ramokgopa backed Didiza's selection and called for calm. The ANC said its members were not to blame for the violence. "This is not a result of the nomination of the mayor in Tshwane, it's thuggery," ANC Secretary General Gwede Mantashe told eNCA. Local elections in August pose a major test for the ANC as it gears up for a 2019 presidential vote in the face of a slowing economy and a strong challenge from the opposition. Egyptian court annuls deal to hand over two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia By Haitham Ahmed CAIRO, June 21 (Reuters) - An Egyptian court on Tuesday annulled a maritime border accord with Saudi Arabia that would have seen Egypt lose control of two Red Sea islands, in a setback for President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. The maritime demarcation accord, announced in April, caused public uproar and prompted rare protests in Egypt where many people say they were taught at school that Tiran and Sanafir were Egyptian. The timing of the announcement, during a visit to Cairo by the Saudi king that coincided with the signing of aid deals, created the impression among many that the islands were sold. As anger rose, Sisi made an impromptu speech denying the islands were sold and urging Egyptians to end the debate. But a group of lawyers, including former presidential candidate Khaled Ali, challenged the agreement in court. On Tuesday, Judge Yehia al-Dakroury ruled that Egyptian sovereignty over the islands holds and could not be amended in favour of another state. Tiran and Sanafir lie between Saudi Arabia and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula at the narrow entrance to the Gulf of Aqaba leading to Jordan and Israel. Saudi and Egyptian officials say they belong to the kingdom and were only under Egyptian control because Saudi Arabia asked Egypt in 1950 to protect them. Ali argued that according to a 1906 maritime treaty between Egypt and the Ottoman Empire, the islands are Egyptian. The treaty precedes the founding of Saudi Arabia in 1932. The government said it would appeal the verdict. "The government is studying the reasons for the ruling and will ... challenge it at the higher administrative court of the State Council and request that ... it be cancelled," Magdy al-Agaty, minister of legal and parliamentary affairs, said. The demarcation agreement was also due to be discussed by parliament in the coming weeks. Two parliamentarians said the debate would go ahead and take into account the verdict. It was not clear whether the government could activate the accord if parliament approved it but the higher administrative court did not. Saudi Arabia and other wealthy Gulf Arab states have showered Egypt with billions of dollars in aid since Sisi toppled President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood in 2013 following mass protests against his rule. But a sharp drop in oil prices and differences over foreign policy issues such as the war in Yemen have raised questions over whether strong Gulf Arab support can be sustained. Egyptians are eager for economic revival after years of political upheaval. But the islands issue hurt national pride, prompting thousands of protesters to take to the streets in April chanting "people want the fall of the regime", a slogan from the Arab Spring uprisings of 2011. EU's Juncker says Greece is on right path to exit crisis ATHENS, June 21 (Reuters) - Greece is on the right path to exit the crisis and must take ownership of the reforms programme it has agreed with its official lenders, European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker said on Tuesday. "Today Greece is on the right path, results are encouraging," Juncker told Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in Athens. "The Greek government, parliament and the Greek people should have real ownership of the programmes that are being applied," Juncker said. Hong Kong presses Beijing on case of missing booksellers HONG KONG, June 21 (Reuters) - Hong Kong's leader said on Tuesday he had asked China whether its handling of the booksellers case violated the "one country, two systems" formula under which the city returned to Chinese rule, the strongest response yet from the former British colony. Chief Executive C.Y. Leung told the Executive Council he had written a letter to Beijing asking whether mainland authorities enforced their laws across the border in Hong Kong. Thousands marched in Hong Kong on Saturday to protest against China's detention of five booksellers whose Hong Kong shop published gossipy books about Chinese leaders, including President Xi Jinping, in what critics called "cross-border abductions". The arrests prompted fears Beijing may be eroding the "one country, two systems" system under which Hong Kong has been governed as a special administrative region since its return to China from British rule in 1997. One of the booksellers, Lam Wing-kee, said this week he had been held in captivity for eight months by Chinese agents. Leung said he sought assurance in the letter that if Hong Kong residents are detained on the mainland, their legal rights are protected and questioned whether an existing Hong Kong-mainland notification system was transparent enough. "Did the handling of the incident hinder the 'one country, two systems' principle and the Basic Law protecting Hong Kong residents' freedom and rights, especially the freedom of expression, publication and personal safety?" he said. Hong Kong's freedoms are protected by the Basic Law, a mini-constitution that includes the "inviolable" freedom of Hong Kong people from arbitrary arrest and search. Beijing's Liaison Office in Hong Kong did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Chinese authorities have repeatedly said they would never do anything illegal and that Hong Kong's autonomy is fully respected. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying, when asked about the case, said China abided by the "one country, two systems" policy and that Hong Kong residents enjoyed full rights and freedoms. A number of Western governments, including Britain, voiced concerns this year that Chinese-born British national Lee Bo, who went missing from Hong Kong in late December, had been abducted. Hong Kong protesters on Saturday chanted "protect freedom of the press, freedom of publishing and freedom of speech" as they marched from the Causeway Bay Books shop to the Liaison Office. Five dead, 23 injured in Slovak bus crash in Serbia BELGRADE, June 21 (Reuters) - Five people died and 23 were injured early on Tuesday when a Slovak bus bringing holidaymakers home from the Greek island of Corfu swerved off a highway in southern Serbia, officials said. Officials in Prague and Bratislava said three dead were Slovaks and the other two were Czechs, clarifying earlier reports that all five were Slovaks. The injured were being treated in hospitals in the towns of Aleksinac and Nis, about 200 km (120 miles) south of Belgrade, the Serbian interior ministry said. Slovak daily Dennik N said the bus was carrying 29 passengers and two drivers, including 12 Czechs and a number of Hungarians. The Slovak interior ministry said it was ready to send a government plane to Serbia to bring home some passengers and another on Wednesday to evacuate those with more serious injuries. UK banks show little demand for central bank funds before EU vote LONDON, June 21 (Reuters) - British financial institutions showed very little demand for Bank of England funds in a repo operation designed to meet extra liquidity needs ahead of Thursday's referendum on European Union membership. Lenders bid for and received just 370 million pounds ($546 million) of six-month central bank funds on Tuesday, the lowest amount allotted at one of the BoE's indexed long-term repo (ILTR) operations since January 2015 and down from 2.455 billion last week. The central bank said earlier this year it would hold two extra repos in the two weeks before June 23's referendum, and one in the following week to tackle any shortage of liquidity for banks. Philippines' Duterte says to review mining projects DAVAO, Philippines June 21 (Reuters) - Incoming Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Tuesday he would order a comprehensive review of mining projects in the country, warning he would cancel operations that are causing environmental harm. "There will be a comprehensive review of the mining claims of concessions given. And you must endeavour, if you are into it, be sure that you have enough resources" Duterte told a business conference. "For I will require you to go to Canada or Australia, learn how to mine the precious metals inside the bowels of the earth and do it. Because ... (if) you are spoiling the land, I will cancel it without hesitation." Russia calls for swift resumption of Syria peace talks By Stephanie Nebehay GENEVA, June 21 (Reuters) - Russia called on Tuesday for a swift resumption of stalled Syrian peace talks, saying it was the only way to halt "massive violations" of human rights perpetrated in the five-year-old conflict. Russia, a strong ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, launched air strikes in September to support the Syrian army and its militia allies battling rebels and Islamic State fighters, and is backing an offensive on rebel-held areas of the northern city of Aleppo. It supports proposals for a political settlement under which some Syrian opposition figures would be brought into a Syrian unity government - steps which rebels and their foreign backers say do not go far enough. "The only way to find a solution to the Syria crisis and stop the massive violations is to promptly convene talks with a broad spectrum of Syrian opposition which includes Syria Kurds," Aleksei Goltiaev, senior counselor at Russia's mission to UN in Geneva, told the U.N. Human Rights Council. "Only Syrians, without diktat, have the right to decide (their future)," Goltiaev said. The main Syrian Kurdish political group, the PYD, was left out of Geneva peace talks which ground to a halt in late April without results. Goltiaev's comments followed an appeal by United Nations war crimes investigators for world powers to pressure the warring sides to return to the negotiating table. Paulo Pinheiro, chair of the U.N. independent commission of inquiry on Syria, said that the Syrian government was conducting daily air strikes, while militant groups including Islamic State and the Nusra Front also carried out indiscriminate attacks. "We need all states to insist time and time again that influential states and the (U.N.) Security Council unconditionally support the political process," Pinheiro said. U.S. ambassador Keith Harper did not refer to resumption of talks, but called for Damascus to release some of the "tens of thousands" of imprisoned Syrians. Many are subjected to "torture, sexual violence and denial of fair trials", he said. Pinheiro said schools, hospitals, mosques and water stations "are all being turned into rubble" and tens of thousands of people were trapped between frontlines and international borders. Syria's ambassador Hussam Aala accused regional powers of "supporting terrorism" and "causing the failure of intra-Syrian talks in Geneva". He said schools and hospitals in Aleppo were being destroyed and civilians killed by missiles provided by Turkey and Qatar to the Nusra Front, al Qaeda's Syrian branch. In a report last week, the U.N. investigators said that Islamic State is committing genocide against the Yazidis in Syria and Iraq to destroy the religious community of 400,000 people through killings, sexual slavery and other crimes. "As we speak, Yazidi women and girls are still sexually enslaved in Syria, subjected to brutal rapes and beatings," Pinheiro said on Tuesday. Firefighters killed tackling huge Cyprus forest blaze By Michele Kambas NICOSIA, June 21 (Reuters) - Two firefighters were killed and a third was critically injured while tackling one of the largest forest fires in Cyprus in years. The blaze, possibly started by an attempt to burn dry stubble, broke out on Sunday in the foothills of the Troodos mountain region of the eastern Mediterranean island. It has been fanned by high winds and scorching temperatures, hampering efforts by firefighters backed by water bomber aircraft from Greece and Israel and helicopters from the British military bases in Cyprus. The two firefighters were killed when a water tanker overturned. A third was in a critical condition after a fire truck plunged down a ravine. They were the first fatalities among firefighters reported in at least a decade in Cyprus, which has frequent brush fires during its hot summer months but usually on a much smaller scale. "The situation is difficult, it has not been totally brought under control," said Leonidas Leonidou, a spokesman for Cyprus's fire brigade service. The Soleas area hardest hit by the blaze is covered by pine forest and fruit orchards. The blaze coincided with the first major heatwave of the year, creating tinderbox conditions. The broader area contains a cluster of 10 well-conserved painted churches dating from the Byzantine era which are on the UNECSO World Heritage list. "They are not in danger, we are protecting them," Leonidou told Reuters. Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades asked for a postponement of a meeting scheduled with Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci, part of a series of talks focused on reunification of the war-divided island. During a visit to the area on Monday, he described the devastation as "tragic". Thick plumes of smoke hung over the mountain range normally clearly visible from the capital Nicosia on Tuesday morning. Adding to the international relief efforts, France was expected to send three firefighting aircraft to Cyprus later on Tuesday, the state-run Cyprus News Agency reported. Akinci, head of the breakaway Turkish Cypriot state in northern Cyprus, also offered assistance, but Anastasiades declined. Nigerian militants say no plan for Delta ceasefire By Tife Owolabi and Felix Onuah YENAGOA, Nigeria, June 21 (Reuters) - The Niger Delta Avengers, a militant group that has claimed responsibility for attacks on oil and gas facilities in Nigeria's southern energy hub, said on Tuesday it never agreed a ceasefire with the government. Government officials told Reuters a one-month ceasefire had been agreed last week after talks between the oil minister, community groups and state governors in the Niger Delta, the source of most of Nigeria's crude oil. Militants say they want a greater share of Nigeria's oil wealth to go to the impoverished Delta region. Crude sales make up about 70 percent of national income and the vast majority of that oil comes from the southern swampland. A petroleum ministry official said the Avengers, who have claimed responsibility for most attacks in the last few weeks that have pushed Nigeria's crude output to 30-year lows, were among those who agreed to a truce. "It was very difficult getting the Niger Delta Avengers to the negotiating table, but we eventually did through a proxy channel and achieved the truce," said the official, who asked not to be identified. A second government official also said a ceasefire was agreed. But hours later the Avengers issued a statement on Twitter denying that it had an agreement with the government. "The NDA High Command never remember having any agreement on ceasefire with the Nigeria government," said the group. It would be difficult to achieve a ceasefire in the hard to access swamps where militants are divided into small groups that tap widespread anger over poverty and oil spills. Leaders have little sway over unemployed youths willing to work for anyone who pays them. RIGHT PEOPLE? A Nigeria-based security expert, who did not want to be named, said he did not believe the government had been holding talks with the right people. Earlier this month, the government said the military campaign in the Delta would be scaled down as part of an attempt to pursue talks with militants, who laid down arms in 2009 in exchange for cash benefits under a government amnesty scheme. Nigeria, an OPEC member, was Africa's top oil producer until the recent spate of attacks pushed it behind Angola. Oil production has fallen from 2.2 million barrels at the start of the year to around 1.6 million barrels. The impact has helped push up global oil prices. Speaking after meeting President Muhammadu Buhari and Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, the oil minister, incoming OPEC Secretary-General Mohammed Barkindo said on Tuesday he had been told Nigeria's oil production was "beginning to rise again". He did not provide details. Barkindo said the government was trying to resolve militancy in the Niger Delta through talks, but did not elaborate. "Government is negotiating and we are seeing positive results. I remain confident that through this resolution a stable and permanent solution will be found," he said. Neither the presidency nor the petroleum ministry have issued official statements on a truce. Buhari has said the government wanted to hold talks with Niger Delta leaders to address poverty and oil pollution. But his administration angered former militants when it cut by two-thirds the budget allocated for the amnesty programme set up in 2009. Ex-militants were paid stipends and given employment training from that programme. A number of new militant groups have sprung up in the last few weeks, each with their own set of demands, which has made the insurgency increasingly fractured. It is not yet clear how many groups took part in the talks. In a sign of apparent discord among groups in the Delta, former militants who were known as the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) have criticised the Avengers and urged them to negotiate with the government. In a statement on the Avengers' website, dated June 18, the group said of the ex-militants: "If you and your criminals want to resurrect the defunct MEND and negotiate with the government that is your business". "We, once again, restate that we are not going to be part of any dialogue." Philippines' crime-buster president-elect adds traffic jams to hit list By Neil Jerome Morales and Karen Lema MANILA/DAVAO, Philippines, June 21 (Reuters) - The Philippines' tough-talking president-elect has vowed to wipe out crime - and now he plans to tame the grinding traffic gridlock of Manila through the imposition of emergency powers. Nicknamed "the Punisher" for his crime-busting crusade as mayor of Davao City, Rodrigo Duterte may have his work cut out to defeat the traffic chaos of the Southeast Asian nation's capital. A survey by the GPS-based navigation app Waze last year found that Manila had the worst traffic on Earth, with Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Jakarta not far behind. "The image of the Philippines has been damaged because of the traffic," said Arthur Tugade, who will become transport minister when Duterte takes office next week. "If this is not a crisis, what is a crisis?" He told a gathering of business leaders in Davao that under the emergency decree authorities will be able to open gated residential neighbourhoods to siphon vehicles away from clogged main roads. They would also be able to bypass bureaucracy to spend directly on upgrading highways and on property for new roads. He gave few other details of the plan, which he said was being prepared by legal experts for presentation to Congress, but assured his audience it would not be applied "whimsically or capriciously". Duterte won last month's presidential election on a platform of crushing crime, corruption and drug abuse, impressing voters with his unapologetic vows to have offenders killed. Brash and openly scathing of the political establishment, he has been likened to U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump. OVERRUN AIRPORT There have been many attempts and proposals over the years to tackle Manila's traffic misery but most have come to nought. A daytime ban on trucks plying the roads of the capital in 2014 was called off after seven months because it led to a pile-up of containers at Manila's main port, which handles more than 80 percent of the country's foreign trade. The plan also includes unspecified measures to try to rectify chronic delays in flights in and out of Manila's overrun airport, which has only one runway and a terminal that was only partially completed because the firm carrying out its renovation quit having not been paid. The Japan International Cooperation Agency estimated in 2013/14 that Manila's street snarl-ups cost the country 2.4 billion pesos ($52 million) a day in lost productivity and income, and that this would more than double by 2030 if nothing is done. The Philippines' economy is one of Asia's most buoyant, notching up average annual growth of 6 percent so far this decade. Karl Kendrick Chua, senior economist of the World Bank for the Philippines, said that growth could be as high as 8 percent if 15-30 percent of people's productive time was not lost in traffic jams as it is today. Judith Sanano, an accountant who commutes 13 km (8 miles) to the centre of Manila, says she leaves her office at 6 p.m. and arrives home three hours later exhausted. "You do not get tired from work but you are tired from the commute," she said. "Even when you are seated in the bus, you can't feel the air conditioning because it's jam-packed and your back hurts from sitting for so long. "Duterte is not god who can miraculously fix this mess. It will take time before traffic is resolved." Erdogan loses appeal to obtain injunction against Springer CEO BERLIN, June 21 (Reuters) - A German court on Tuesday rejected an appeal by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan after he was denied an injunction to prevent the chief executive of Europe's largest newspaper publisher Axel Springer from repeating an insulting poem. In an open letter published in April, Mathias Doepfner expressed his support for German comedian Jan Boehmermann, who is being investigated by prosecutors for reading a crude satirical poem about Erdogan on television in March. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been widely criticised for allowing German prosecutors to pursue a case against Boehmermann at the behest of Erdogan, a key partner in her effort to stem the flow of refugees from Turkey into Europe. German-Turkish ties have also been strained by Turkey's outrage over resolution passed by Germany's parliament declaring the 1915 massacre of Armenians by Ottoman forces a genocide.. The appeals court in Cologne said it had upheld the ruling in May from the lower court which rejected a preliminary injunction against Doepfner, saying his comments constituted acceptable expressions of opinion and were protected under German freedom of speech laws. The court said no further appeals were possible, although Erdogan could still file a constitutional complaint. Such complaints are seldom upheld. It said the decision did not address the legality of the poem, which Boehmermann read on German television in March. Erdogan's lawyers in Germany said they still were evaluating whether to file a separate lawsuit against Doepfner. Boehmermann's poem suggested Erdogan hit girls, watched child pornography and engaged in bestiality. The Turkish leader promptly launched legal action. In May a court responded to a complaint by Erdogan and banned republication of 18 of 24 sections, saying they amounted to abuse and libel. In his open letter published in German newspaper Welt am Sonntag in April, Doepfner said he had laughed out loud over the poem and "wholeheartedly" supported what the comedian had said. A spokeswoman for Springer had said Doepfner "wanted to defend the freedom of art and satire in his open letter". She declined to comment further on Tuesday. Erdogan is known for his sensitivity to criticism and Turkish prosecutors have opened over 1,800 cases against people for insulting him since he became president in 2014. American Muslims see Trump rhetoric fueling prejudice, hate incidents By Yara Bayoumy WASHINGTON, June 20 (Reuters) - About three months ago, Sarah Ibrahim's son came home from his fourth-grade class at a Maryland school with a disturbing question. "Will I have time to say goodbye to you before you're deported?" he said, according to Ibrahim, a Muslim Arab American who works at a federal government agency in Maryland. "The kids in his classroom were saying: 'Who's going to leave when Trump becomes president?'" said the 35-year-old mother. The incident happened a few months after Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump -- now the presumptive nominee -- first called for a ban on Muslim immigrants and for more scrutiny at mosques after 14 people were killed in San Bernardino by a Muslim couple whom the FBI said had been radicalized. Trump intensified his anti-Muslim rhetoric after last week's mass shooting in Orlando, in which a U.S.-born Muslim man killed 49 people at a gay nightclub, calling for a suspension of immigration from countries with "a proven history of terrorism". He reiterated his call for more surveillance of mosques and warned that radical Muslims were "trying to take over our children." While Democratic and several Republican leaders have distanced themselves from Trump's comments, many American Muslims say his stance has fueled an atmosphere in which some may feel they can voice prejudices or attack Muslims without fear of retribution. "What Trump did was make these hidden thoughts public. He gave people permission to speak out loud, he removed the shame associated with being prejudiced. People know that they won't be punished," Ibrahim told Reuters at a community iftar, the sundown meal during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. Trump's campaign did not respond to Reuters' request for comment. Trump has rejected the criticism that his rhetoric is racist, and has said he is often misunderstood by the media and his opponents. A report by the Council on American-Islamic Relations and University of California, Berkeley released on Monday said the number of recorded incidents in which mosques were targeted jumped to 78 in 2015, the most since the body began tracking them in 2009. There were 20 and 22 such incidents in the previous two years, respectively. The incidents include verbal threats and physical attacks. Corey Saylor, CAIR's director of the department to monitor and combat Islamophobia, said there had been a spike in Islamophobic incidents in the wake of Orlando, including those targeting mosques. "Trump's rhetoric is a direct threat to American principles. He has mainstreamed anti-Constitutional ideas like banning or surveilling people based on faith," Saylor told Reuters. "Such divisive rhetoric contributes to a toxic environment in which some people take the law into their own hands and attack people of institutions they perceive as Muslim." "DIVIDING THE COUNTRY" CAIR says the last big spike in incidents targeting mosques was seen in 2010 following the controversy over locating an Islamic center near the site of the Sept. 11 attacks in New York. It said that lent "additional weight to the argument that levels of anti-Muslim sentiment follow trends in domestic U.S. politics, not international terrorism". American rabbis and preachers have also denounced Trump's rhetoric. Anti-Semitic incidents in the United States still outstrip those against Muslims. The Anti-Defamation League said last year there were 912 anti-Semitic incidents across the United States during the 2014 calendar year, up 21 percent from 2013. "If Muslims are not free and safe in America, then Christians and Jews are not free and safe in America," said Rabbi Eric Yoffie, president emeritus of the Union for Reform Judaism. Trump has also drawn criticism for his rhetoric against Latino immigrants, saying early in his campaign that Mexican "rapists" and other criminals were coming across the border and calling for all undocumented immigrants to be deported. Manal Omar, a Muslim-American author based in Washington, said she has stopped taking the metro and walking alone late at night. "I can't dismiss the tweets and angry messages I've received from right wing militants," said Omar, who says she has grown especially vigilant after last week's murder of British lawmaker Jo Cox, whom she knew. A few days after the San Bernardino attack, Ilhaam Hassan's family restaurant was burned down in an arson attack in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Matthew Gust pleaded guilty in May to federal hate-crime and arson charges. He admitted to setting the fire because of the national origin of the employees and customers at the restaurant -- a focal point of the local Somali-American community. Supporters gather for top Bahrain cleric, UN protests citizenship revocation GENEVA, June 21 (Reuters) - Dozens of supporters of Ayatollah Isa Qassim, spiritual leader of Bahrain's Shi'ite Muslim majority, gathered at his home on Tuesday to protest the revocation of his citizenship, with some men wearing white shrouds signalling their readiness to die. Protesters have been at the house since dawn and more are expected to join after breaking the Ramadan fast at sunset at around 6.30 pm (3:30 GMT). Protests and political gatherings are forbidden in the Western-allied Sunni monarchy. The move against Qassim strikes at the heart of Bahrain's Shi'ite opposition and is part of an escalating crackdown following a court decision last week to shut down the main Shi'ite political group al Wefaq. Bahrain's Shi'ites complain of discrimination by the government, which in 2011 put down a pro-reform uprising. Since then protesters have clashed almost daily with security forces, who have been targeted by several bomb attacks. Bahrain has accused the opposition of undermining security and blamed the bombings on Iran and the armed Shi'ite group Hezbollah in Lebanon, both of which have strongly condemned the moves against Ayatollah Qassim. Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards on Tuesday warned of an "Islamic revolution" in Bahrain in response to its stripping Qassim of his citizenship. The United Nations also protested the decision, calling it "clearly unjustified" under international law. "Given that due process was not followed, it cannot be justified," a spokeswoman for the U.N. human rights office, Ravina Shamdasani, told a U.N. briefing in Geneva. Shamdasani said deprivation of nationality was permitted under certain conditions but it had to serve a legitimate purpose, be proportionate to the interests protected and there had to be some recourse to appeal. "We're talking a minimum of 250 people who have been deprived of their nationality, but there are some estimates that go much higher than that, given that, it is clearly unjustified," she said. "We are very concerned at this intensified crackdown on the freedoms of expression and association and the right to a nationality." Top human rights campaigner Nabeel Rajab who has been repeatedly detained since 2011 and was arrested again last week on unspecified charges had his detention renewed on Tuesday for another eight days, his lawyer said on Twitter. German investor morale rises on belief in economy's resilience BERLIN, June 21 (Reuters) - The mood among German analysts and investors improved unexpectedly in June, reflecting their confidence in the resilience of Europe's largest economy despite an uncertain global backdrop, a survey by think tank ZEW showed on Tuesday. Mannheim-based ZEW said its monthly survey showed a rise in its economic sentiment index to 19.2 points in June from 6.4 the previous month. That compared with the Reuters consensus forecast for a fall to 4.7. "The improvement of economic sentiment indicates that the financial market experts have confidence in the resilience of the German economy," ZEW President Achim Wambach said in a statement. "However, general economic conditions remain challenging. Apart from the weak global economic dynamics, it is mainly the EU referendum in Great Britain which causes uncertainty," he added. A separate gauge of current conditions rose to 54.5 points from 53.1 in May. The Reuters consensus forecast was for a reading of 53.0. The ZEW index was based on a survey of 202 analysts and investors conducted June 6-20. Barclays analysts said in a research note they took the ZEW survey with caution but that it was consistent with their main scenario for domestic consumption to drive the economy, with growth of around 0.5 percent in the second and third quarters. The Finance Ministry and national central bank said on Monday German economic growth is likely to slow after a robust start to the year, expanding at a slower pace for the rest of 2016 as foreign trade cools. Europe's largest economy grew 0.7 percent between January and March, its strongest quarterly rate in two years, as soaring private consumption, higher construction investment and state spending on migrants more than offset weak foreign trade. UK-dependent U.S. companies downplay 'Brexit' worries By Noel Randewich and Nick Carey June 21 (Reuters) - U.S. companies which depend on the United Kingdom for sales are downplaying the risk that a vote by Britain to leave the European Union could seriously harm their businesses, even as economists and Wall Street have expressed concerns about the trans-Atlantic economic impact. Britain, the fifth-largest buyer of U.S. exports last year with an estimated $56 billion in purchases according to the U.S. Census Bureau, is scheduled to vote on Thursday to determine whether it should stay in the European Union or withdraw. Leaving the EU could hit the $2.9 trillion British economy with a sharp economic slowdown, some economic forecasters say, and bring a devaluation of the pound - a scenario that would inevitably hit U.S. exporters. But American companies relying on UK sales, including Molson Coors, Penske Automotive Group Inc and PPL Corp , a Pennsylvania-based power company, have downplayed the impact a so-called Brexit vote would have on their business. After polls a week ago indicated dramatic gains by the "Leave" camp, Brexit has become a central question posed on calls and at investor conferences. Campaigning for the June 23 referendum resumed on Sunday after a three-day suspension following the killing last week of British lawmaker Jo Cox, and three polls at the weekend showed the "Remain" camp gaining momentum. The killing of Cox has shocked Britain and could yet prove a defining moment in a vote that will shape the nation's role in world trade and also determine the future of the bloc. In the first two weeks of June, the British referendum was discussed at least 20 times on quarterly conference calls and events held by publicly-listed U.S. companies, double the amount the previous week, according to Thomson Reuters data. During those appearances, U.S. corporate executives have said the effect would be mainly one of temporary or hedgeable currency risk, and that they would have plenty of time - estimated at two years - to plan for an actual exit. The most recent polls and betting odds now indicate a greater likelihood that British citizens will vote to "Remain," or stay in the 28-country trade and political union, and Wall Street fears - made manifest in falling stock prices last week - eased as stock indexes ended higher on Monday. A vote to leave the EU could cut the 2017 growth rate of Britain's economy from 2.4 percent to 0.2 percent, said Howard Archer, chief UK and European economist at IHS Global Insight. "You would also see a sharp loss of momentum in consumer spending and you could also see a marked downturn in the housing market," he told Reuters. LAGGING IMPACT? But even such an impact would not be equally bad for all U.S. exporters, as many Britons would still drink beer and fix their cars. Molson Coors Brewing Co depends on Britain, where its sells Carling and other beers, for about a third of its sales, a larger percentage than any other S&P 500-listed company that reports revenue by country, according to S&P Global. "I don't think it will affect any real demand patterns in the UK, which is clearly what we're really interested in," Molson Coors' Chief Executive Mark Hunter said during a conference call in May, though he allowed that there could be a transitory currency impact. Penske Automotive, which relies on the United Kingdom for about a third of its sales, already calibrates many of its costs there in sterling, muting potential foreign exchange volatility, said Anthony Pordon, executive vice president of investor relations. Furthermore, Penske's service and parts business tends to perform well during economic downturns as people hold on to their cars longer. Lisa Pammer, investor relations manager at power utility PPL, said she has been fielding calls over the past week from concerned investors. Since selling electricity in Britain accounts for almost a third of PPL's revenue, it has hedged its foreign exchange risk through 2017. Leading package delivery company United Parcel Service Inc , which has been expanding its European operations, would expect few changes in the short term from a "Leave" vote since an existing treaty allows Britain two years to arrange its departure. "We're in unchartered territory," said UPS spokesman Richard Currie. "Negotiations would have to start fairly swiftly, but we would have two years for those negotiations to take place." Singapore delays $1 bln military helicopter buy after Super Puma crash-sources By Siva Govindasamy SINGAPORE, June 21 (Reuters) - Singapore has delayed a decision on a $1 billion helicopter purchase after the crash in April of a civilian Airbus Super Puma whose military version was the frontrunner to clinch the order, sources familiar with the matter said. The city-state, a highly sought-after customer for military contractors, had sought to replace 32 ageing Super Pumas but the move has now been put on ice until there is clarity over the fallout from the April 29 crash which killed 13 oil workers and crew off the coast of Norway, they added. The delay comes as the helicopters subsidiary of Airbus Group, called Airbus Helicopters, wrestles with the latest in a series of setbacks to the H225 Super Puma, a workhorse of the offshore oil industry and widely used across the world for search and rescue and heavy military airlift operations. Singapore's procurement, pitting Airbus Helicopters against Italian firm Leonardo Finmeccanica, marks the first major test of confidence in the military version of the aircraft since April's crash, which led to the worldwide grounding of the civilian version. A fresh tender is not on the cards, said the sources, who did not want to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter. They could not say when a decision will be made. Singapore has not so far announced any grounding of its military Super Pumas. Several other countries, including France and Brazil, continue to fly their Super Pumas. Singapore's defence ministry did not provide an immediate response to a request for comment on the tender and its Super Puma operations. "We cannot comment on discussions we may or may not be having with Singapore," an Airbus Helicopters spokesman said in an email Safety is the company's "chief priority" and it is working with investigators to identify the "root cause" of the Norwegian crash, he added. It is also "providing support to customers who are flying mission-critical operations" with the Super Puma family of helicopters, he added. Singapore has Southeast Asia's largest defence budget - even in the context of increased spending across the region as China becomes more assertive in the South China Sea. Modern military technology is key for Singapore, which needs to compensate for a small size and population. The island has long sought to replace its Super Pumas, which have an average age of 27 years, and a decision was expected in the first half of 2016 after an 18-month-long evaluation. While the Leonardo-Finmeccanica AW101 was also shortlisted, sources said that the Airbus H225M was the frontrunner. The Norwegian crash happened after the main rotor blades separated from the aircraft. Norwegian investigators said on June 2 that they had found metallurgical evidence that was "strongly consistent with fatigue" in a part of the gearbox. "Independence Day" director cements place in Hollywood LOS ANGELES, June 21 (Reuters) - German film director Roland Emmerich cemented his place in Hollywood history on Monday with a hand and footprint ceremony before rolling out the red carpet for the premiere of his latest action movie "Independence Day: Resurgence". Emmerich, known for films like "White House Down", "The Patriot" and "Independence Day", left imprints of his hands and feet in cement at the famed TLC Chinese Theatre. "Naturally, I'm very emotional about it," he said. "This is more like being part of Hollywood history and this is happening to someone...born in Stuttgart, Germany. It is truly something." Yemen missile launch, deadly air strike shake truce ADEN, Yemen, June 21 (Reuters) - A Saudi-led military coalition said it intercepted a missile fired in Yemen on Tuesday and residents said an air strike by the alliance killed and wounded eight civilians, straining a civil war ceasefire. The ballistic missile was fired toward the central city of Marib, which is controlled by Saudi-backed government forces, but was intercepted and destroyed along with the source of the launch, the coalition said in a statement without elaborating. Saudi Arabia and its Gulf Arab allies intervened in a civil war in March 2015 on behalf of the internationally backed government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi against the Iran-allied Houthi group, which controls the capital Sanaa. The alliance members fear the movement is a proxy for their arch-rivals in Tehran - something the Houthis deny - and have launched thousands of air strikes in a bid to defeat them. Peace talks in Kuwait between the government and Houthis have dragged on for two months with few concrete results, while a truce has dampened fighting that killed at least 6,400 people and plunged impoverished Yemen into a humanitarian crisis. But residents in a mountainous area of Lahj province said a Saudi-led air strike late on Monday targeted Houthi forces who advanced into the area the day before, causing eight civilian casualties. It was not clear how many of those were killed. A coalition spokesperson did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. The strategic Jalis mountain area is near al-Anad, a major military and air base that once hosted U.S. counterterrorism forces deployed to fight Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. In the town of Jaar, about 60 km (40 miles) east of Anad, residents said AQAP fighters mobilized at the local prison and freed several inmates. Jordan's king vows to hit back against attack near Syrian border AMMAN, June 21 (Reuters) - Jordan's King Abdullah vowed to hit back "with an iron fist" against attackers who killed six army border guards with a car bomb near the frontier with Syria on Tuesday, a palace statement said. Congolese gets 18 years for Central African Republic war crimes AMSTERDAM, June 21 (Reuters) - Congolese politician Jean-Pierre Bemba was sentenced to 18 years in prison by the International Criminal Court on Tuesday for heading a 2002-03 campaign of rape and murder in neighbouring Central African Republic. Iran's Revolutionary Guards warns of an Islamic revolution in Bahrain - statement DUBAI, June 21 (Reuters) - Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards on Tuesday condemned Bahrain's decision to revoke the citizenship of the spiritual leader of its Shi'ite Muslim majority, saying the move would encourage a rebellion in the country. "There is no doubt that the unwise decision of the Al Khalifa (rulers of Bahrain) against the top Shi'ite cleric (Ayatollah Isa Qassim) would add to the flame of an Islamic revolution movement in Bahrain and will form a devastating rebellion against the dependent rulers of this country," the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said in a statement published by Fars news agency. Congolese gets 18 years for Central African Republic war crimes By Thomas Escritt AMSTERDAM, June 21 (Reuters) - Congolese politician Jean-Pierre Bemba was sentenced to 18 years in prison by the International Criminal Court on Tuesday for heading a 2002-03 campaign of rape and murder in neighbouring Central African Republic. Bemba, a former Democratic Republic of Congo vice-president, is the first person that the global war crimes court has held directly responsible for his subordinates' crimes. Judge Sylvia Steiner said troops from the Movement for the Liberation of Congo (MLC), which Bemba directed, had acted with "particular cruelty" when they rampaged through the neighbouring country in support of then-president Ange-Felix Patasse. One victim had described how, still a virgin, she had been raped in front of her father while other soldiers held the father at gunpoint. "After the attacks, some parents found their daughters lying on the ground crying and bleeding from their vaginas," Steiner said, describing as an aggravating circumstance the fact that victims had been "particularly defenceless". Bemba had armed his troops and then paid them so little that they were spurred to pillage, Steiner said. He had made only token attempts at disciplining them, in order to deflect international attention the crimes were drawing. Bemba, who did not speak at the hearing, received three sentences of 18 years for rape and pillage and two of 16 years for murder, all of which will be served concurrently. The son of a businessman who became rich during years of close association with former Congolese leader Mobutu Sese Seko, Bemba entered government under current President Joseph Kabila in 2003 as part of a power-sharing deal that ended years of civil war. Originally a rebel force in Congo's northwest, the MLC is now Congo's second-largest opposition party, and Bemba retains a significant following in the West. He can appeal his conviction and sentence. Eve Bazaiba, secretary general of Bemba's MLC party, criticised the court's ruling. "We will continue and we will never cease denouncing the selective justice of the ICC," she told a few hundred supporters in Kinshasa. But Geraldine Mattioli-Zeltner, international justice advocacy director at Human Rights Watch, said the sentence offered a measure of justice for victims of sexual violence in Central African Republic. Egypt will decide on Tuesday if EgyptAir black boxes should be sent abroad for repairs CAIRO, June 21 (Reuters) - Egyptian investigators will decide later on Tuesday whether the memory units of crashed EgyptAir flight MS804's black box recorders will need to be sent abroad or could be repaired locally, Civil Aviation Minister Sherif Fathy said. If the memory units are sent abroad, it will be for a 24-hour period and under Egyptian supervision, Fathy told reporters at a contract signing with an airport security company. "The experts on the Egyptian Aircraft Accident Investigation Committee will determine today if the black box memory units need to be sent abroad, in which case it will be for 24 hours under Egyptian supervision," the minister said. Egypt would decide which country to send the memory units to, he added. Egyptian investigators are being assisted by counterparts from France's BEA air accident agency and the United State's National Transportation Safety Board. The Airbus A320 crashed on May 19 on its way to Cairo from Paris, killing all 66 people abroad. France is taking part in the investigation as the plane's point of origin and as the country of manufacture. The plane's engine was U.S.-made. "We will not treat the plane's case in a political manner and the results of the investigation will be announced with the utmost transparency," Fathy said. The crash was the third blow since October to Egypt's travel industry, which is still suffering from the 2011 uprising that ended Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule. White House denounces U.S. senators as cowards on gun control WASHINGTON, June 21 (Reuters) - The White House accused U.S. senators of sacrificing national security for their political ambitions on Tuesday, a day after four gun control measures failed to advance after the nation's largest mass shooting in Orlando, Florida, last week. "What we saw last night on the floor of the United States Senate was a shameful display of cowardice," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said on MSNBC. Earnest said the bills put forth for votes on Monday evening should have drawn strong bipartisan support aimed at shoring up the country's defenses by keeping firearms away from people on terrorism watch lists. He said U.S. law enforcement officials are concerned that there are individuals in the United States who could have ties to terrorism or are susceptible to online recruitment efforts of the militant group Islamic State. "And right now there is not a law on the books that prevents those individuals from walking into a gun store and buying a gun," Earnest said. The Senate votes against the measures restricting gun sales came after 49 people were killed on June 12 in an Orlando gay nightclub. The votes were a bitter setback to advocates who have failed to get even modest gun curbs through Congress despite repeated mass shootings. The Orlando gunman, Omar Mateen, pledged allegiance to Islamic State during his rampage. The gun control measures lost in largely party-line votes that showed the political power in Congress of gun rights defenders and the National Rifle Association (NRA). "Republicans have run around and spent the last week saying 'radical Islamic extremism' to anybody who will listen," Earnest said. "But when it actually comes to preventing those extremists from being able to walk into a gun store and buy a gun, they're AWOL. They won't do anything about it because they're scared of the NRA. That's shameful." Jordan's army chief declares border areas with Syria closed military areas AMMAN, June 21 (Reuters) - Jordan's army chief of staff announced on Tuesday that the country's northern and northeastern borders with Syria were closed military zones, according to an army statement. Boeing confirms signing jetliner deal with Iran Air By Alwyn Scott NEW YORK, June 21 (Reuters) - Boeing Co signed an agreement to sell jetliners to Iran Air, the company said on Tuesday, confirming Iranian statements about the historic deal to sell 100 jetliners to the airline. The tentative agreement, which marks Boeing's first sale to Iran since its Islamic Revolution in 1979, resulted from the nuclear accord reached with the country last year. The agreement brings more work to Boeing's factories in Washington state and South Carolina, and helps the aerospace and defense company catch up with a $27 billion, 118-plane order Iran placed with Airbus in January. Boeing said in a statement that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with state carrier Iran Air "expressing the airline's intent to purchase Boeing commercial passenger airplanes." The Chicago-based company declined to discuss the number or type of planes it would sell, or the timetable for delivery of the aircraft. But the head of Iran's Civil Aviation Organization, Ali Abedzadeh, told the state-run daily newspaper Iran on Friday that the signed deal was for 100 Boeing aircraft. Such an order would be worth about $11 billion at list prices if Iran Air bought only Boeing 737 single-aisle jetliners, and perhaps twice that much if it included a significant number of twin-aisle planes such as the 777 or 787 Dreamliner. A large order was expected, but the sale raised concerns among some Congress members, who feared it could threaten U.S. national security. Boeing's statement said the talks that led to the memorandum of understanding were conducted "under authorizations from the U.S. government following a determination that Iran had met its obligations under the nuclear accord reached last summer." Boeing said it would "continue to follow the lead of the U.S. government with regards to working with Iran's airlines." It added that "any and all contracts with Iran's airlines will be contingent upon U.S. government approval." U.S. Representative Rick Larsen, a Washington state Democrat who has Boeing's biggest factory in his district, pledged to keep an eye on the deal's ramifications. "In the coming days the U.S. government will be taking a hard look at the specifics of the deal to ensure it is consistent with both U.S. interests and those of our international allies, and I'll be tracking those developments closely," he said in a statement. U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby told reporters the agency welcomed Boeing's announcement and was in close communication with Boeing. It said the multi-country agreement on Iran's nuclear program reached last summer allows "civil aviation companies, including American companies, to pursue legitimate commerce with Iran." Progress on those deals "is good  for both the economy and for public safety," he said. Abedzadeh's statement in the newspaper on Friday confirmed a Reuters report on June 6 that Iran was close to a deal to buy more than 100 jetliners from the Chicago-based aircraft maker. Boeing shares closed down 0.93 percent at $131.52 on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. British Airways cancels Sharm al-Sheikh winter flights June 21 (Reuters) - British Airways has extended its suspension of flights to the Egyptian resort of Sharm al-Sheikh indefinitely, becoming the first major UK airline to cancel departures for the crucial winter season in Egypt. British and Russian governments banned their airlines from flying to Sharm al-Sheikh, a popular winter sun destination, because of concerns about security at the local airport after the suspected bombing of a Russian passenger jet in October 2015 killed all 224 people on board. Tourism is a key source of income for the Egyptian economy but the number of tourists fell 40 percent in the first quarter of 2016, partly hurt by the flight ban keeping British and Russian tourists away. "The safety and security of our customers will always be our top priorities and we have suspended our flights from Gatwick to Sharm al-Sheikh indefinitely," British Airways said in a statement on Tuesday. Customers with bookings on any cancelled services for the winter season will be offered a full refund or can put the money towards a new flight to an alternative destination, it added. Other British airlines, such as Monarch and easyJet, have previously said they hoped to restart flights to Sharm al-Sheikh for the winter season beginning in October, although that is dependent on advice from the UK government, which has so far not changed. Egyptian tourism minister Yehia Rashed last month called on the British and Russian governments to rethink their position on the flight ban. Egypt's efforts to revive its tourism industry suffered a fresh blow in May when an EgyptAir plane crashed into the Mediterranean, killing all 66 people on board. The cause of the crash is still unknown. Monarch has cancelled all flights up to October 30, easyJet for the rest of the summer season, while tour operators Thomson and First Choice, part of the TUI Group, have cancelled until Sept. 28. Turkey's arrest of prominent activists stirs protest By Ayla Jean Yackley ISTANBUL, June 21 (Reuters) - Supporters of a pro-Kurdish newspaper on Tuesday protested against the arrest of three prominent activists facing terrorism charges in Turkey and said the government was tightening its grip on independent media in a case being watched by the European Union. About 200 people chanted "The free press cannot be silenced" as riot police stood by outside daily Ozgur Gundem, a day after a court arrested Reporters Without Borders (RSF) representative Erol Onderoglu, author Ahmet Nesin and Sebnem Korur Fincanci, president of Turkey's Human Rights Foundation. The three had joined a "solidarity campaign" with nearly 50 other journalists to guest-edit the paper for a day each. Ozgur Gundem focuses on the Kurdish conflict and has faced dozens of investigations, fines and the arrest of a dozen correspondents since 2014. Other guest editors are also being investigated or prosecuted on terrorism-related charges. "The court, directed by the palace and acting on its orders, once again has signed its name to a shameful decision and arrested our three friends," editor Inan Kizilkaya said, referring to President Tayyip Erdogan's office. The presidency said it would not comment on court cases. The arrests are a headache for the European Union, trying to keep a deal with Turkey on track to stop the flow of migrants to Europe, despite criticism from rights groups and concern from some European leaders about Turkey's record on rights. The EU, which Turkey seeks to join, said the arrests violated Ankara's commitment to fundamental rights. Turkey ranks 151 out of 180 nations on RSF's World Press Freedom Index. It accuses Erdogan, Turkey's most popular leader in a half-century, of an "offensive against Turkey's media" that includes censorship and harassment. "The jailing of Onderoglu and (Fincanci), two of Turkey's most respected rights defenders, is a chilling sign human rights groups are the next target," said Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. Fincanci, 57, a professor of forensic medicine, is particularly well-known, having won the first International Medical Peace Award for helping establish U.N. principles for detecting and documenting torture. KURDISH INSURGENCY Erdogan has vowed to stamp out a three-decade insurgency by Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants that flared anew a year ago after peace talks he spearheaded collapsed. Left-wing Ozgur Gundem, which has a circulation of 7,500, has featured the writings of Abdullah Ocalan, the PKK's jailed leader, and has published columns by senior rebel commanders. Turkey, the U.S. and EU list the PKK as a terrorist group. The Index on Censorship says 20 journalists have been detained in Turkey this year. Most are Kurds working in the strife-hit southeast. "The West, with its entire focus on the refugee crisis, has paved the way for Erdogan's authoritarianism," said Garo Paylan, a lawmaker in the Democratic Peoples' Party (HDP), which has Kurdish roots and is the third biggest party in parliament. Can Dundar, editor-in-chief of the secularist Cumhuriyet newspaper which is often at odds with Ozgur Gundem's pro-Kurdish stance, on Tuesday took on the symbolic role of editor-in-chief. Dundar was jailed for five years last month over coverage of alleged Turkish arms shipments to Syrian rebels, but is free pending appeal. He is aware he could be prosecuted again after his stint at the helm of Ozgur Gundem. U.S. in new talks with Venezuela amid worsening crisis By Girish Gupta and Lesley Wroughton CARACAS/WASHINGTON, June 21 (Reuters) - The U.S. government sent veteran diplomat Tom Shannon to Venezuela on Tuesday to meet senior opposition and government figures amid a brutal economic crisis and political impasse in the South American OPEC nation. Socialist-run Venezuela has for years had tumultuous relations with Washington, and a similar rapprochement led by Shannon stalled last year over the jailing of opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez. Despite a harsh exchange of words at a summit in the Dominican Republic last week, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez agreed to re-start talks in an effort to reduce tensions. In a visit lasting less than 24 hours, Shannon, a veteran of U.S. diplomacy in the region who is an under secretary in the State Department, was to meet first with opposition leaders. These included congress head Henry Ramos and two-time presidential candidate Henrique Capriles, according to opposition sources. He was then hoping to meet President Nicolas Maduro, the former bus driver who is half-way through a six-year term after winning election in 2013 to succeed his mentor Hugo Chavez. "The main purpose is to have a series of discussions about the social, economic and political challenges in Venezuela and to try to help foster constructive, meaningful dialogue toward solutions with a variety of groups in the government and outside," said U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby. Washington may be hoping a rapprochement undermines Maduro's constant blaming of his "imperialist" foes for Venezuela's economic demise and alleged coup plans against him. TIME-WASTING? Shannon is likely, analysts and diplomats said, to press for the release of jailed opponents including Lopez, and he has also publicly backed the opposition's push for a referendum to try and recall Maduro this year. "The United States understands that for a recall referendum to take place, international engagement is necessary," said Venezuela expert David Smilde, of Tulane University. In a speech on Tuesday, Maduro welcomed Shannon and also repeated his calls for talks with his domestic foes. "I think it's very good the right steps are taken to rebuild relations with the United States," he said. "And I would equally want processes of dialogue ... with Venezuela's opposition." Both Ramos and Capriles have said dialogue is a time-wasting tactic employed by Maduro in the past, and the only solution for Venezuela now is a referendum. The government has said there is no time to organize a referendum this year, and the national election board has been dragging its feet over the process. The timing is crucial because if Maduro loses a referendum this year, there would be a new presidential election which polls indicate he would likely lose. Losing a referendum after January means he would be replaced by his vice president, effectively leaving the Socialist Party in power. Though he benefited from Chavez's popularity and generous welfare programs to win narrowly in 2013, Maduro's popularity has plummeted amid recession, the highest inflation in the world, shortages and now daily lootings and food riots. The opposition won control of the National Assembly in December due to public ire over the economy, but a conflict of powers has ensued and a government-leaning Supreme Court has overturned most of the legislature's measures. Since Chavez began office in 1999, Venezuela and the United States have gone through cycles of diplomatic fighting followed by generally short-lived eras of reconciliation. They have been without ambassadors since 2010. 'Glimmer of hope" seen for compromise U.S. gun control bill By Timothy Gardner and Richard Cowan WASHINGTON, June 21 (Reuters) - U.S. senators pushed for a compromise gun control bill on Tuesday, a day after the Senate failed to advance four gun measures following last week's mass shooting in Orlando, the deadliest in modern U.S. history. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he would schedule a vote on a bill by fellow Republican Senator Susan Collins that would prevent about 109,000 people on "no-fly" and other surveillance lists from purchasing guns. Collins said she expected a vote on the bill this week or next. On Monday, the Senate defeated a Democratic prohibition on gun sales to people on a broader range of government watch lists, while also blocking a narrower Republican measure. Some senior Republicans would not commit to supporting the Collins bill, citing worries about people being denied the ability to buy weapons without adequate safeguards. But the No. 3 Senate Democrat, Chuck Schumer, told reporters: "There may be a glimmer of hope now," adding that Collins' proposal seemed to be "a step in the right direction." The measure is being debated in the Senate before the Nov. 8 election when Democrats hope to win control of the Senate and gain seats in the House of Representatives. Democrats believe Republican congressional opposition to wider control bills gives them a powerful campaign issue. It was too soon to tell if President Barack Obama would support the Collins bill. Spokesman Josh Earnest said senior officials including lawyers at the Department of Justice were taking a look at it. "If the assessment is that this would enhance the ability of our law enforcement professionals to keep us safe and prevent suspected terrorists from purchasing a gun, then that's likely something that we'll be able to support," Earnest told reporters in a daily briefing. In the Senate on Monday, four measures to expand background checks on gun buyers and curb gun sales to those on terrorism watch lists - two put forth by Democrats and two by Republicans - fell short of the 60 votes needed for passage in the 100-member chamber. The votes were a bitter setback to advocates who have failed to get even modest gun curbs through Congress despite repeated mass shootings. The bills lost in largely party-line votes that showed the political power in Congress of gun rights defenders and the National Rifle Association. 'SHAMEFUL DISPLAY' The White House accused U.S. senators of a "shameful display of cowardice" and said they failed the American people by not advancing any gun control measures after the Florida shooting. The gunman, Omar Mateen, pledged allegiance to Islamic State during the June 12 rampage in which he killed 49 people and wounded 53 at an Orlando gay nightclub before being fatally shot by police. Senator John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 Senate Republican, said he had concerns about the Collins measure. "It's a slippery slope when an American citizen is denied a constitutional right, without forcing the government to come forward with some evidence on the front end" that a person should be prohibited from buying guns, he said. After Monday's votes, the Senate also debated a different tactic for battling domestic attacks that could be inspired by Islamic State and other foreign militant groups. Senators were aiming to vote by Wednesday on legislation by Republican John McCain of Arizona expanding the Federal Bureau of Investigation's ability to conduct secret surveillance in counterterrorism investigations. "This week we'll have the opportunity to strengthen our ability to combat lone wolf terrorists and connect the dots so we are better able to prevent terrorist attacks in the United States" such as the Orlando massacre, McConnell said. 'UNCONSTITUTIONAL' Collins, who held a news conference with eight other senators including Democrat Bill Nelson of Florida, said her bill would stop about 2,700 Americans and 106,300 foreign national on surveillance lists from buying guns. "We believe that if you are too dangerous to fly on an airplane you are too dangerous to buy a gun," the Maine lawmaker said. She said Americans and immigrants with work permits could appeal a denial and recover lawyers' fees if they prevailed. Nelson said he owed it to the families of the victims in the Orlando shooting as well as police and other first responders to the carnage. It was not clear whether Collins' plan would draw significant bipartisan support. The NRA said her proposal was "unconstitutional" and would not have prevented the Orlando attack. Gun control groups promised to intensify their push for legislative action, and not just in Washington. Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, said her group, besides supporting pro-gun control candidates for Congress, would work to strengthen gun-sale background check laws "state by state until Congress acts." "If the NRA and their lapdogs in the Senate thought moms would feel dispirited and back down, they are sorely mistaken," Watts told reporters in a teleconference. Eritrea accuses Ethiopia of contemplating full-scale war By Tom Miles GENEVA, June 21 (Reuters) - Ethiopia is contemplating full-scale war against Eritrea, an Eritrean official told the U.N. Human Rights Council on Tuesday, as he defended his country against allegations of crimes against humanity. Eritrean and Ethiopian troops clashed along their border on June 12. Each has accused the other of starting the hostilities . Last week, Eritrea's Foreign Ministry blamed the United States for playing a role, referring to "Washington's instigation" of the attack by Ethiopian forces. Eritrea also said at least 200 Ethiopian troops were killed. "As we speak, Ethiopia is making preparations for a bigger military offensive and contemplating a full-scale war," Yemane Ghebreab, an Eritrean presidential advisor, told the U.N. council on Tuesday. "Ethiopia reckons that the gross accusations against Eritrea afford it with the perfect pretext, and that it may be now or never. It reckons that those who are only too eager to blame Eritrea will as usual look the other way and fail to act as Ethiopia commits what are truly crimes against humanity against its people and unleashes another war." Asked what prompted Eritrea's warning about Ethiopia's military preparedness, he told Reuters: "They've been saying that for a long time, but we also see the reinforcements they are making on the ground. There are massive reinforcements coming to the border." He said it was a large build-up of troops and Eritrea was prepared to defend itself. Yemane said 18 Eritreans were killed in the recent fighting, and it had lodged a formal complaint with the U.N. Security Council. Ethiopia has said both sides suffered casualties but would not discuss specifics. It has also said does not expect the situation to escalate. "We are capable of waging a full-scale war against Eritrea, but simply we don't choose to. That is why we have withdrawn our forces once our objectives were achieved," Ethiopian government spokesman Getachew Reda told a news briefing on June 14. U.N. human rights investigators have accused Eritrea's leaders of crimes against humanity, including torture, rape and murder, over the past 25 years and called for the case to be referred to the International Criminal Court. They have also accused Eritrea of enslaving 300,000 to 400,000 of its own people and operating a shoot-to-kill policy on its borders to stop people from fleeing abroad. Eritrea has rejected all the allegations, and Yemane said 200,000 people had signed a petition supporting the government. Thousands more were protesting on a square outside the U.N. Representatives of Somalia, Djibouti and Kenya told the Council that they favoured setting up a new U.N. mechanism to protect and promote human rights in Eritrea. Macedonian president escapes impeachment over wiretap scandal SKOPJE, June 21 (Reuters) - The Macedonian parliament on Tuesday rejected a motion to impeach President Gjorge Ivanov over his decision to pardon 56 officials involved in a wiretap scandal that triggered a year-long political crisis. The biggest opposition party, the Social Democrats, filed the motion after Ivanov pardoned officials who had been investigated over wiretaps alleging ex-prime minister Nikola Gruevski and his close allies authorised eavesdropping on more than 20,000 people. Ivanov's decision drew nationwide protests that led to the cancellation of an election set for June 5. But two weeks ago Ivanov bowed to pressure from European Union and U.S. officials and revoked the pardons. On Tuesday, the Social Democrats failed to secure a two-third majority in favour of impeachment in the 123-seat parliament. With only 35 votes in favour and 47 against, parliament rejected the initiative. Stefan Bogojev of the Social Democrats said Ivanov "does not deserve to be called the president". In an EU-brokered deal last year, Macedonia's political parties agreed to hold an early election and that a special prosecutor should investigate allegations emerging from wiretaps released by the opposition parties. Iran says arrests ten 'terrorists' who planned to bomb 50 targets BEIRUT, June 21 (Reuters) - Iran has arrested 10 Sunni Muslim militants who were planning to bomb 50 targets across the country, Iranian intelligence minister Mahmoud Alavi said on Tuesday, according to the Fars News site. Officials in predominantly Shi'ite Iran have said in recent weeks that Sunni militants from Islamic State have been trying to target the country. Alavi said the arrests took place in the last week in Tehran and three other provinces in central Iran and along the border. He labeled the suspects "takfiri Wahhabi terrorists", a derogatory reference to Sunni Muslim militants. The minister told a news conference in Tehran that the group had planned to attack busy public locations with remotely detonated explosions, suicide attacks and car bombs, according to Fars News. One hundred kilograms of explosive material has been confiscated and an additional two tons of explosive material was intercepted before reaching the suspects, who are currently being interrogated. Details of the attack come one day after the Ministry of Intelligence issued a statement saying it had thwarted a major terrorist attack. Members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard have fought against Islamic State militants in Iraq in a bid to support the Shi'ite-led government in Baghdad. Guard members and volunteers are also fighting against Sunni militants in Syria to support President Bashar al-Assad. Egypt PM signals end to wheat fungus saga, decree expected Wednesday By Eric Knecht and Maha El Dahan CAIRO/ABU DHABI, June 21 (Reuters) - Egypt's prime minister said on Tuesday that authorities would allow wheat shipments with up to 0.05 percent levels of ergot fungus, potentially ending a months-long conflict over import requirements that has hamstrung the country's ability to buy from abroad. A disagreement over the amount of ergot, a common grain fungus, allowed in wheat imported by the world's largest buyer, disrupted state purchase tenders earlier this year. Egypt's quarantine authorities have insisted on a zero tolerance policy versus a more commonly accepted international standard of up to 0.05 percent. This higher level is endorsed by the ministry of supplies and state grain buyer, the General Authority for Supply Commodities (GASC). The zero policy has led to sharply lower turnout at GASC wheat tenders from suppliers, who say guaranteeing zero ergot is impossible and fear the high cost of having their shipments turned away at Egypt's ports. The prime minister's remarks -- the highest level of intervention on the ergot issue since it emerged late last year -- came during a meeting with ministers involved on agricultural import policy. They are expected to be followed on Wednesday with a decree from his office instructing the agricultural quarantine authority to accept wheat shipments with up to 0.05 percent of the fungus. "The decree has been promised to be sent tomorrow, it will trump the previous ministerial decree which had dictated a zero tolerance policy," said Eid Hawash, spokesman for the agriculture ministry. Egypt has not held a state tender for wheat since April when its local wheat procurement season started, but it is expected to re-enter the international market in July following the conclusion of its local purchasing last week. Traders said Egypt needed to resolve the lingering ergot conflict before tendering, or risk being unable to buy from abroad. "They must take a decision before GASC tenders again. They have no other option. If not they will only receive one or two offers maximum," one Cairo-based trader said. ERGOT STUDY RESULTS Egypt's agriculture ministry had said on Tuesday it would announce the results of an eagerly anticipated study done earlier this year on the amount of ergot that would be allowed in its imports. The ministry had commissioned the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to conduct a risk analysis on the fungus which would aid it in making a decision that would help standardize regulations and ease the conflict between rules governing the agricultural quarantine authority and the supply and agriculture ministries. Wednesday's decision is expected to put an end to the conflict. Yemen missile launch, Saudi-led air strike shake truce ADEN, Yemen, June 21 (Reuters) - A Saudi-led military coalition said it intercepted a missile fired in Yemen on Tuesday and residents said an air strike by the alliance caused eight civilian casualties, straining a civil war ceasefire. The ballistic missile was fired toward the central city of Marib, which is controlled by Saudi-backed government forces, but was intercepted and destroyed along with the source of the launch, the coalition said in a statement without elaborating. Saudi Arabia and its Gulf Arab allies intervened in a civil war in March 2015 on behalf of the internationally backed government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi against the Iran-allied Houthi group, which controls the capital Sanaa. The alliance members fear the movement is a proxy for their arch-rivals in Tehran - something the Houthis deny - and have launched thousands of air strikes in a bid to defeat them. Peace talks in Kuwait between the government and Houthis have dragged on for two months with few concrete results, while a truce has dampened fighting that killed at least 6,400 people and plunged impoverished Yemen into a humanitarian crisis. United Nations Yemen envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed appealed to the parties on Tuesday to "quicken the pace" of the talks. He told the U.N. Security Council he would present a written concept in the coming days for the next stage. "The Kuwait talks have progressed slowly, yet constructively," he said. "The parties to the negotiations now have the responsibility to find a political solution for the pending issues, which revolve mainly around the timeline and sequencing of the different steps." Residents in a mountainous area of Lahj province said a Saudi-led air strike late on Monday targeted Houthi forces who advanced into the area the day before, causing eight civilian casualties. It was not clear how many of those may have been killed. A coalition spokesperson did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. The strategic Jalis mountain area is near al-Anad, a major military and air base that once hosted U.S. counterterrorism forces deployed to fight Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. In the town of Jaar, about 60 km (40 miles) east of Anad, residents said AQAP fighters mobilized at the local prison and freed several inmates. Centuries-old African soil technique could combat climate change - scientists By Kieran Guilbert DAKAR, June 21 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - A farming technique practised for centuries in West Africa, which transforms nutrient-poor rainforest soil into fertile farmland, could combat climate change and revolutionise farming across the continent, researchers said on Tuesday. Adding kitchen waste and charcoal to tropical soil can turn it into fertile, black soil which traps carbon and reduces emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, according to a study carried out by the University of Sussex in England. The soils produced by the 700-year-old practice, known as "African dark earths", contain up to 300 percent more organic carbon than other soils, and are capable of supporting far more intensive farming, said the anthropologist behind the study. "Mimicking this ancient method has the potential to transform the lives of thousands of people living in some of the most poverty and hunger stricken regions in Africa," said James Fairhead, Professor of Anthropology at the University of Sussex. The research was carried out by anthropologists and soil scientists who lived with communities in Liberia and Ghana while analysing almost 200 sites across the countries, the study said. A previous top-down approach from the scientific community and lack of engagement with African farmers may explain why such a simple method had not been studied until now, Fairhead said. "Relations of power in West Africa had been hiding the skills and wisdom of local farmers," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "Scientists need to pay more attention and respect to existing practices, especially if these practices can boost food production and sequester carbon." Similar soils created by pre-Columbian era inhabitants of Brazil's Amazon forest have recently been discovered, said Dawit Solomon, author of the study published last week in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and Environment. "What is most surprising is that ... these two isolated indigenous communities living far apart in distance and time were able to achieve something that the modern-day agricultural management practices could not achieve until now," he said. An estimated 180 million people in sub-Saharan Africa are affected by soil degradation, which costs them $68 billion a year, according to a 2014 report by Agriculture for Impact. Qatar fund set to buy French fashion brand Balmain By Astrid Wendlandt PARIS, June 21 (Reuters) - Valentino owners, the Qatari Mayhoola investment fund, are set to acquire the French luxury fashion label Balmain this week for more than 460 million euros ($522 million), three sources with first-hand knowledge of the matter said. The deal, which could be announced on Wednesday, marks the end of months of negotiations between the Qataris and Balmain investors, who include Sanofi co-founder Jean-Francois Dehecq and the family of former chief executive and controlling shareholder Alain Hivelin, who died in 2014 at the age of 71. Hivelin revived Balmain, which was near bankruptcy in 2004, by hiring gifted designers and turning it into one of France's biggest success stories. Balmain, known for its pricey embroidered military-style jackets, is one of the country's last few remaining major independent fashion labels along with Lanvin and Hermes. Under the terms of the agreement, Mayhoola agreed to finance Balmain's international expansion as well as the development of an accessories line. Balmain declined to comment. Mayhoola also declined to comment. Balmain is mainly a wholesale business with fewer than 10 flagships stores around the world. The brand has been enjoying phenomenal success, first under the designer Christophe Decarnin from 2006 to 2011 and then under Olivier Rousteing who became one of the fashion industry's youngest creative directors at the age of 25. Balmain generated some 130 million euros in sales in 2015, the sources said and enjoyed sales growth of some 25 percent - a stellar performance in light of the luxury goods downturn. Rousteing's active role in social media has been instrumental in boosting the brand's profile. The designer boasts more than 3 million followers on Instagram and regularly posts photos of his jet-set lifestyle and Balmain events, attended by celebrities such as Kim Kardashian. When Rousteing designed a collection for the fast-fashion retailer H&M last year, his clothes sold out nearly instantly, triggering a frenzy unseen in previous H&M designer collaborations. In some cities such as Seoul, hopeful buyers slept on the pavement in front of the H&M store. After Hivelin died, Emmanuel Diemoz, who was Balmain's finance director, became chief executive and Dehecq chairman. Dehecq is expected to resign from his post while Diemoz should remain in the executive seat for some time after the deal, the sources said. The final price, which is unlikely to be disclosed, will depend on how much cash the existing shareholders will take out of the company. The figure of 460 million euros would value Balmain at around 14 times earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda), putting it at a premium to Gucci-owner Kering which is on 8-9 times and in line with expensive stocks such as Prada and Jimmy Choo , the sources said. Mayhoola, an investment vehicle with close ties to Sheikha Mozah, the second wife of the former emir, aims to float Valentino in 2017. It also owns controlling stakes in Italian tailor Pal Zileri and British fashion brand Anya Hindmarch. Pierre Balmain founded his eponymous fashion house in 1945, just before Christian Dior, with whom he worked for years at the Lucien Lelong fashion house. OPEC's Barkindo says been told that Nigeria's oil production is rising ABUJA, June 21 (Reuters) - Incoming OPEC Secretary-General Mohammed Barkindo said on Tuesday that he had been told Nigeria's oil production is beginning to rise. He made the comments after a meeting with Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari and Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, the oil minister, in the capital, Abuja. He also said that the Nigerian government was trying to resolve militancy in the southern Niger Delta through negotiations, but did not elaborate. Rioting hits S.African capital after ANC names mayoral candidate By Dinky Mkhize PRETORIA, June 21 (Reuters) - Protesters burned buses and barricaded roads in South Africa's capital on Tuesday in an escalating dispute over the ruling party's mayoral candidate for local elections in August. The vote is expected to be closely fought and will pose a major test for the African National Congress (ANC) as it looks ahead to a 2019 presidential election in the face of a strong challenge from the opposition and an economic slowdown. Disturbances erupted on Monday night as residents of Pretoria's impoverished townships set vehicles and tyres on fire to block roads after the ANC's national leadership named a mayoral candidate not nominated by its regional branches. Rioters looted shops, torched vehicles and placed rocks and other debris across roads on Wednesday, snarling traffic and business in the capital of Africa's most industrialised country. The dispute flared at the weekend after an ANC member was shot dead on Sunday as party factions met to decide on a candidate for mayor of Pretoria's Tshwane municipality. The ANC leadership then named senior party member and former cabinet minister Thoko Didiza as its candidate for Tshwane, overriding regional branch members. Tshwane residents want the incumbent mayor, Kgosientso Ramokgopa, to be allowed to run on the ANC ticket, TV station eNCA reported, but at a town hall meeting with some residents, Ramokgopa backed Didiza's selection and called for calm. ANC Secretary General Gwede Mantashe said its members were not behind the violence, which he condemned as "thuggery". Speaking to reporters, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa urged Tshwane residents to shun tribalism and accept Didiza even though she does not originally hail from the area. Didiza comes from KwaZulu Natal province. Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula told a media gathering that the military would not be deployed yet but warned a crackdown might be needed to restore peace in Pretoria's streets. "We are not going to allow anarchy to take over." The ANC has been in power since the end of white-minority rule in 1994 but critics say it is losing its touch in areas - including Pretoria - where it was once unassailable. Record unemployment and a looming recession have exacerbated discontent with President Jacob Zuma's leadership since the Constitutional Court ruled he had violated his oath of office by refusing to refund to the state some of the 240 million rand ($16.25 million) spent on refurbishing his private residence. Two killed as forest fire rages in Cyprus By Marinos Meletiou NICOSIA, June 21 (Reuters) - Two firefighters were killed tackling one of the largest forest fires to hit Cyprus in years, and several countries mobilised aid on Tuesday as the flames raged for a third day. The fire, which police said may have spread from a garden where stubble was being burned, broke out on Sunday in the foothills of the eastern Mediterranean island's Troodos mountains. It has been fanned by high winds and scorching temperatures, hampering efforts by firefighters backed by helicopters from British military bases on the island and water bomber aircraft from Greece and Israel. French and Italian air support arrived late Tuesday and were expected to be mobilised from Wednesday. The two firefighters were killed when a water tanker overturned. A third was in a critical condition after a fire truck plunged down a ravine. They were the first fatalities among firefighters reported in at least a decade in Cyprus, which has frequent brush fires during the hot summer months but usually on a much smaller scale. Turkey, which the Greek Cypriot government has been at loggerheads with for decades, also offered aid through Mustafa Akinci, leader of the Turkish Cypriot community on the divided island. In a statement, Cyprus said it accepted Turkey's offer provided it was integrated in the broader aid effort being coordinated by the state. Ankara does not recognise the Greek Cypriot government, which represents Cyprus in the EU, a bloc Turkey wants to join. A Reuters witness said lush pine forest was reduced to blackened stumps as aircraft dumped red dry extinguishing powder on to the flames, followed by helicopters equipped with 'rainmaker' buckets. The Soleas area hardest hit by the blaze is covered with pine forest and fruit orchards. The blaze coincided with a heatwave which pushed temperatures up to 42 degrees centigrade (108 Fahrenheit), creating tinderbox conditions. The broader area contains 10 well conserved painted churches dating from the Byzantine era which are on the UNECSO World Heritage list. "They are not in danger, we are protecting them," fire brigade spokesman Leonidas Leonidou told Reuters. Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades asked for a meeting scheduled with Turkish Cypriot leader Akinci, part of a series of talks focused on reunification of the island, to be postponed. PIX-Young Syrians get 100 pct praise at 'Refugees Got Talent' contest in Iraq camp By Sofia Barbarani SULAYMANIYAH, Iraq, June 21 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - B elting out an emotional song in honour of Kurdish military forces under a full moon, Syrian refugee Mizzgin Rumi's shyness transformed to confidence as he captivated his audience. Rumi, 19, was one of 10 acts on stage at the dusty Arbat refugee camp in the semi-autonomous northern region of Iraqi Kurdistan competing in the highly-anticipated final of the talent contest "Refugees Got Talent". Surrounded by a band of professional musicians, Rumi's singing dazzled hundreds of refugees, all of whom have fled the war in Syria, and he took the lead in the competition at Arbat where families live in rows of cinder brick homes. The show, run along the lines of British music impresario Simon Cowell's global franchise "Got Talent", was organised by the United Nation's refugee agency UNHCR to mark World Refugee Day on Monday and was a major highlight for many in the camp. Rumi was stunned to be the favourite of the four judges, prompting a rare display of cheers and celebration among the more than 7,500 Syrian refugees housed at the sprawling camp. From the war-torn city of Kobane in northern Syria, Rumi and his family have been living at Arbat for two years. Only his brother stayed behind, choosing to fight instead of fleeing. "When we left we thought we'd be coming back," an exuberant Rumi, dressed in a smart white shirt, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. NIGHT TO REMEMBER UNHCR representative to Iraq, Bruno Geddo, said the talent contest was an opportunity for refugees to unite for a night with the sounds of traditional Kurdish music, pop ballads, and Hindi rhythms echoing across the dark, warm evening. He said World Refugee Day wanted to highlight the plight but also the resilience of the 20 million people globally living as refugees, with many youngsters in those ranks. An estimated nine million Syrians have fled their homes since the outbreak of civil war in March 2011, with over three million fleeing to neighbouring countries and some 240,000 finding refuge in the neighbouring Kurdish region of Iraq. The UNHCR estimates there are nearly 8,000 Syrian children and youth living in Sulaymaniyah and most do not attend school. For while some primary education is provided for children up to ninth grade, it is hard for youngsters to get places in secondary schools and universities mainly because their families to not have enough money to pay for fees, supplies or transport. Being locked out of education leaves many young people bored in the camp and "Refugees Got Talent" was devised as a way to showcase their skills, ranging from singing to dancing to break dancing. "(This contest) keeps them focused on something positive. We witnessed the electricity and the joy in the eyes of the youth," said Geddo. "It was enormously empowering. We saw last night the tremendous talent and energy of young Syrian refugees. We want to help them unleash their potential." In second place came the quirky Hindi dance ensemble ABCD - Anybody Can Dance - with five teenage refugee girls led by 17-year-old Rojbin Baroodo, dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. "Dance is my life," said a jubilant Baroodo who relocated to Iraq's Kurdish region two years ago after fleeing the Syrian city of Hassakeh with her family. "Hindi music is not popular in Syria, but when I started doing this [dancing and teaching] it became popular," she said in flawless English with an accent that gave away her love of Bollywood films. "I want to be a dancer but my family says I cannot because I am a girl. It was difficult to tell them about my dancing - they said this is the last time [I can dance] then I will dance at home." ABCD member and friend Amal Mohammad nodded in agreement, recounting her parents' reaction to her passion for dance. "At first my parents said it was shameful - but if we keep dancing I believe people will imitate us and it will become more normal," said Mohammad. As committed as ABCD to their Hindi routine, so was 17-year-old Wasila Hassan to her Kurdish dance, coming in third place with her dance group Rojava. "We dance all day long, almost every day. When I dance I forget the world, I just want to keep dancing," said the teenager, adamant that through dance she could introduce Syrian culture to the world. Amal Sleman, a member of the Khalat dance troupe, said the talent show had been a real boost in the camp. Civilians killed in ammunition store blast in Libya TRIPOLI, June 21 (Reuters) - At least 20 civilians were killed on Tuesday in an explosion at an ammunition store in the western Libyan town of Garabulli, a municipal official said. Mohamed Assayed said the store was under control of an armed group from the city of Misrata, but the group had left their camp after clashing with local residents. The explosion happened as residents entered the camp, though it was not immediately clear what had triggered the blast. "The number of casualties is rising and we are working hard to transfer them to nearest hospitals," Assayed said. Some 30 people had been wounded, he said. A Garabulli resident, who also confirmed the deaths, said the clashes had erupted following a dispute in a shop between locals and a member of the armed group who was refusing to pay. Slovakia, Hungary and Croatia qualify for Euro 2016 knockout phase PARIS, June 21 (Reuters) - Slovakia, Hungary and Croatia were all assured of qualifying for the last 16 at Euro 2016 without kicking a ball on Tuesday after Germany beat Northern Ireland in Group C. The result from the Parc des Princes left Northern Ireland third in their group on three points and with Albania also on three points in third place in Group A it means that those three teams, who have four points, are guaranteed to be at least be among the best four third-placed finishers. Chile public prosecutor investigates former minister for bribery SANTIAGO, June 21 (Reuters) - Chile's public prosecutor said on Tuesday it was investigating a former high-ranking cabinet official in President Michelle Bachelet's government for bribery and tax offenses related to counsel provided to London-listed mining company Antofagasta Minerals. Jorge Insunza was appointed secretary general minister, a post which includes whipping congressional votes for the president, in May 2015. He stepped down a month later amid a wave of criticism by lawmakers about counsel he had provided mining companies while a congressman. Public prosecutor for Santiago's eastern district, Manuel Guerra, told CNN Chile that Insunza was being investigated for counsel he provided Antofagasta Minerals through his company Virtus Consultores between 2007 and 2014, when he was a member of the Lower Chamber of Congress. During a portion of that time, he presided over the lower house's mining commission. "This investigation has been opened by us based on records we have in our power and which we have analyzed that show that monies were paid for counsel on issues related to mining by the former congressman Jorge Insunza," Guerra said. An official in the prosecutor's office, who declined to be named, confirmed that it was opening an investigation. Antofagasta Minerals tweeted that it would "collaborate with all the information that is being requested of them, convinced that it did not commit a crime." The chairmen of Antofagasta Minerals between 2007 and 2014 have been asked to testify. Rosneft's Sechin says Saudi Arabia, U.S. and Russia call shots on oil markets MOSCOW, June 21 (Reuters) - Igor Sechin, the head of Russia's top oil producer Rosneft, said on Tuesday that Saudi Arabia, the United States and Russia were the three main players on global oil markets, dismissing again OPEC's role as a regulator. He told Rossiya-24 TV that Russia's role in hydrocarbon markets will strengthen. Russia is the world's top oil and natural gas producer, pumping oil at around 10.8 million barrels per day. It plans to at least keep production of crude oil, its chief export commodity, at the current level. Sechin has said the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has lost its power in term of its ability to regulate the global oil market. "We believe that the (function of) regulation has moved to three main players, which are the United States, Saudi Arabia and Russia," he said. "The main reasons which led to this are quite simple: the valuation of the resource base, the existence of technologies and financial tools... All the participants which I named have all the instruments," Sechin said, adding that the United States has the upper hand on the markets due to its prominent role as a big consumer. "Russia has all the Soviet infrastructure in place... and we are working on new markets." Last month, Sechin told Reuters that internal differences are killing OPEC and its ability to influence the markets has all but evaporated. Rosneft expects the oil price to be $50-$55 per barrel by the year end, rising further to $65 by the end of 2017, Sechin added on Tuesday. Speaking about government plans to sell 19.5 percent of Rosneft, Sechin said he favoured selling to a strategic investor rather than place it on the stock market. Multinational force conducting operations against Boko Haram - Niger general By Joe Bavier NIAMEY, June 21 (Reuters) - A multinational force has begun operations against Boko Haram along the border between Niger and Nigeria, a general from Niger said on Tuesday. Brigadier-General Abdou Sidikou Issa, tactical chief of staff for troops based in Niger's southern zone of Diffa, a region plagued by the Islamist militant group, said troops from Chad and Nigeria were involved in the operation. It began in secret almost a week ago. This is not the first time the nations in the Lake Chad basin -- Niger, Nigeria, Chad and Cameroon -- have joined forces against Boko Haram, a violent Islamist group which started in Nigeria seven years ago and has since launched deadly attacks in all four countries. "The operations have as their objective (to end) the occupation of all the zones currently occupied by Boko Haram," Issa said. "Our role is to firmly secure the border." The multinational force, headquartered in Chad's capital of N'Djamena, began trying to dislodge the militants from areas where they are active last year. Niger and Chad have performed joint army operations against Boko Haram, which wants to establish an Islamic state in West Africa, since early 2015. Hungary's FHB Bank faces possible Moody's downgrade By Marton Dunai BUDAPEST, June 21 (Reuters) - Ratings agency Moody's has placed Hungary's FHB Bank under review for a downgrade after continued losses were exacerbated by a police investigation and a large bond repurchase hit its capital position. FHB found itself in authorities' crosshairs this month with complaints from sector peers followed by a concerted government and central bank effort to tighten control over its business network in a move widely seen as being aimed at its billionaire chairman. The scrutiny came suddenly after years of government support that FHB Chairman Zoltan Speder used to build a wide network of partners that includes the Hungarian Post and the development bank MFB. Analysts have said the turnaround was a blow to FHB's basic business model, which would have to be reviewed. The statement from Moody's on Tuesday was the first ratings agency warning about FHB and cited increased risks to the bank's solvency and business prospects and concerns about the effects of negative publicity on the bank's franchise. FHB did not comment on the Moody's action in a statement on the Budapest bourse website and merely informed investors of the warning. A spokesman for the company said there would be no further comment. "Any possible charges against the bank of serious wrongdoings has the potential to result in material financial and reputational costs for FHB and to further weaken its solvency," Moody's said. It also cited an FHB decision to buy back 112 million euros ($126 million) of subordinated debt to address a regulatory fine for misleading markets about a 2012 bond issue -- a move that FHB said would cut its capital adequacy to 10.8 percent from 16 percent. That might be compounded with other risks, Moody's said. "FHB's capitalisation will likely remain under pressure stemming from high loan-loss provisions, declining revenues and other costs that could be imposed by the Hungarian authorities," the ratings agency said. FHB shares fell to their lowest level since the integration with the savings and loan sector began in 2013, erasing 40 percent of its value in 10 days. The National Bank of Hungary (NBH), which is the country's market regulator, could not be reached for comment about FHB's situation. Oi rivals seen gaining while bankruptcy puts Brazil M&A hopes on hold By Guillermo Parra-Bernal SAO PAULO, June 21 (Reuters) - Brazil's No. 4 wireless carrier Oi SA faces long odds in trying to reorganize under the country's complex bankruptcy code, offering rivals a chance to bolster their market dominance while leaving hopes for consolidation in the $45 billion industry on hold for now. Brazil's largest ever bankruptcy filing at 65.4 billion reais ($19.4 billion), Oi's petition is fraught with challenges due to a complex debt structure and wide creditor base, analysts said. Similar cases such as airline Viacao Aerea Riograndense SA's have taken at least four years to resolve in the past. The byproduct of a state-sponsored merger eight years ago aimed at building a national champion in a market dominated by foreign players, Oi had been in discussions with creditors on ways to cut its debt by half. A debt restructuring is essential to facilitate a takeover of Oi, which would help narrow the gap with larger rivals Spain's Telefonica SA and Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim's America Movil SAB. Yet talks collapsed after key shareholders balked at the prospect of a restructuring dramatically cutting their stakes. The rift led to the exit of Chief Executive Officer Bayard Gontijo this month, speeding up the request for bankruptcy protection, a source familiar with the situation said on Monday. Filing for court protection is Oi's last chance to avoid liquidation. Still, the law has failed to speed up recoveries as financial debt ranks below tax and labor obligations in repayment order, meaning wrangling over a bankruptcy can drag on for years. The time-consuming nature of bankruptcies in Brazil will extend "the status quo for another two to three years, during which competitors may be able to continue to gain market share," said Michael Morin, an analyst with Morgan Stanley in New York. Even if Russian billionaire Mikhail Fridman and Egyptian tycoon Naguib Sawiris resume their pursuit of Oi, other elements could make the process protracted. Brazil's harshest recession in decades and a political crisis that has delayed a long-sought overhaul in industry rules could work in favor of Telefonica and other rivals. Officials at Oi said they were unable to comment, beyond the documents released as part of the company's bankruptcy petition. While Oi has vowed to maintain service quality, operations could suffer as potential customers opt for rival carriers, or existing clients and suppliers severe ties with the company, analysts said. "Oi's competitors were already facing a more favorable competitive scenario, which may improve further with Oi in trouble," said Luiz Azevedo, an analyst with Bradesco BBI. In February, Fridman's investment firm LetterOne Holdings ditched an offer to pump $4 billion into Oi to finance the takeover of rival TIM Participacoes SA. Grupo BTG Pactual SA, which co-owns a sizable stake of Oi along with some clients, was brokering the deal. Sawiris told Bloomberg News on Tuesday that he would be ready to invest in Oi if the company agrees on a restructuring, obtains fresh capital and outlines a strong industrial plan. Sawiris did not respond to calls seeking comment. "There are bidders out there looking for assets with scale to buy," said Arturo Profili, who helps oversee 2 billion reais in fixed-income investments at Sao Paulo-based money manager Capitania. "In Oi's case, a buyer could negotiate to buy out the creditors at a significant discount." WINNERS Oi's common and preferred shares plunged around 20 percent on Tuesday, the day after the filing. The process would be Latin America's largest in-court reorganization ever, dwarfing the 46 billion-real bankruptcy process of former billionaire Eike Batista's mining, energy and logistics conglomerate Grupo EBX in 2013, data compiled by Thomson Reuters showed. The EBX proceedings have not been completed yet. After receiving the proposal, the judge in charge of the case usually rules on the petition within 10 days. Approval of the filing would give Oi 60 days to submit a recovery plan, granting the company a 180-day standstill period. Risks of companies sinking during bankruptcy proceedings is high. According to Brazilian Corporate Recovery Institute estimates, half of the 1,287 companies that requested court protection last year may go bankrupt during the turnaround. Given Oi's role in managing critical aspects of Brazil's telecommunications, including the largest fixed-line network, the government may seek to accelerate the process, Morgan Stanley's Morin said. On Monday, industry watchdog Anatel said Oi will not be stripped of any operating license unless serious customer disruptions take place. The watchdog also pledged to assist Oi and its clients during the process. The Communications Ministry vowed to discuss rules that could significantly reduce Oi's mandatory capital spending on its fixed-line network - which loses money on a regular basis. Competitive challenges will mount throughout the process, adding to the very problems that accelerated Oi's downfall, analysts said. Combined revenues at Telefonica, America Movil, Oi and TIM Participacoes SA fell 1.7 percent last quarter, with Oi suffering most. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) have slowed faster at Oi than rivals, especially in services, data compiled by Thomson Reruters showed. Oi's mobile customer base has the highest disconnection rate in Brazil. Average first-quarter revenue per user at Oi fell 6 percent on an annual basis, while growing or holding steady at its three larger rivals. ($1 = 3.3699 Brazilian reais) U.S. says Venezuela guilty of oil sector 'malpractice' By Hugh Bronstein and Juliana Castilla BUENOS AIRES, June 21 (Reuters) - Venezuela has badly mismanaged its vast oil resources, a senior U.S. diplomat told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday in which he said a change in government could quickly turn the OPEC member's fortunes around. Tensions have been high between Washington and Venezuela, where the president is facing a possible recall referendum amid rioting and looting prompted by food shortages. Output from Venezuela, which sits atop the world's biggest oil reserves, was 2.37 million barrels per day (bpd) in May, down 5 percent from April and 11 percent from last year's average, according to OPEC data. "Venezuela has committed malpractice when it comes to management of their resource," U.S. International Energy Envoy Amos Hochstein said. As a consequence, he added, the country is getting below-market prices for lower amounts of crude. "Venezuela has easy oil to produce," Hochstein said. "So the fact that output is declining shows you how bad the situation is. But it also shows you that if there is a change in government, a change in attitude, it could see an increase in production relatively quickly." A top U.S. diplomat will meet with Venezuelan government and opposition officials in Caracas on Tuesday, a week after Secretary of State John Kerry announced he wanted to ease tensions between the two countries. A slump in world oil prices has helped devastate President Nicolas Maduro's socialist economic model, leading to snaking grocery lines and empty supermarket shelves. Elected in 2013 after the death of his mentor Hugo Chavez, Maduro says he is the victim of an "economic war" led by big business and Washington. Much of the financing of Venezuela's debt is done in the form of crude for cash. While this allows the government to pay its debt, it takes away precious cash flow, Hochstein said. "The only place where they are selling their oil at reasonable prices is to the United States, to Citgo Petroleum, which Venezuela owns. So essentially the only place where they are selling oil at market price is to themselves," said Hochstein, who spoke with Reuters during a trip to Argentina to visit the country's Vaca Muerta shale formation in Patagonia. U.S. military says detects North Korea missile launch WASHINGTON, June 21 (Reuters) - The U.S. military has detected a missile launch from North Korea, Navy Commander Dave Benham, a spokesman from the U.S. military's Pacific Command, told Reuters on Tuesday without providing any details. A South Korean military official said the launch appeared to have failed. South Korea's Yonhap news agency said that the missile is believed to have been an intermediate-range Musudan missile. U.S. says Indiana man arrested for planning to provide support to Islamic State WASHINGTON, June 21 (Reuters) - An 18-year-old man who planned to fly to Morocco and travel to Islamic State-controlled territory was arrested in Indiana on Tuesday, the U.S. Justice Department said. FBI agents arrested Akram Musleh as he was attempting to board a bus from Indianapolis to New York, from where he planned to fly to Morocco, the department said in a statement. It's always said that the society in the subcontinent in conservative. It's a bitter truth that we must accept, especially considering the status of women in our society. Sufi poets, like Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai, had praised women's power in their poetry, and there have been women leaders in India and Pakistan, but the overall reality is that we have not been treating our women well. In Pakistan, former dictator Zia-ul-Haq's dark era was challenged by a brave lady named Benazir Bhutto. She became the country's first female prime minister in December, 1988. Benazir refused to surrender despite knowing that she might be killed - she came, fought and threw dictator out of his power, while male politicians tried to compromise with the dictator. Extremist groups were emboldened during the Zia-ul-Haq era. It messed up the thoughts of the society. So Benazir was welcomed by the common people, but the conservative class did not welcome her, which made it difficult for her to run the government. When she took her oath as the prime minister, it was an encouraging sign for the women of Pakistan. She took a number of remarkable steps like the following: 1. Establishment of women's bank. 2. Establishment of ministry for women affairs. 3. Enhancing women's employment avenues. 4. Appointment of female judges in the judiciary. 5. Setting up of women's development departments in the provinces. 6. Setting up of police stations for women (staffed exclusively by women). 7. A human rights ministry was formed to investigate into human rights abuses, against women. 6. Five per cent quota for women in employment was fixed in all government departments. 7. Establishment of crisis centre for women in distress. 8. Formation of Muslim Women's Parliamentary Union. 9. Establishment of Women's Sports Board. 10. In 1996, Pakistan ratified the United Nations' Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). 11. Restoration of women's seats in national and provincial assemblies. Her decision to establish the women's bank was a big achievement; women got jobs, and many were allowed to get education because now their educational degrees commanded monetary value. But she was not allowed to remove the draconian Hudood ordinances, as her efforts were discouraged in the name of Islam. WAYNESBORO--A hawk, opossum and box turtle watched people at Ridgeview Park. Children and adults gathered to see wild animals up close and learn how to help them. The Wildlife Center of Virginia captivated the audience and explained how littering is bad as part of Waynesboros Family Fiesta series. Children sat wide-eyed and excited as Raina Krasner, outreach coordinator at the WLC, presented "Critters Dont Need Litter. They taught how throwing items out of car windows and balloon releases can have a crucial negative impact on wildlife. We hope that people will learn what they can do or change to help wildlife in the environment, Amanda Nicholson, WLCs director of outreach, said. Some of these things are very simple actions that people can take to make the environment safer and a better place for our wild neighbors. The message of the apple core was shared with the crowd. This taught that no litter is safe litter. While many people know not to throw wrappers or bottles out of the car, some dont consider edible items such as apple cores or banana peels. Many people think it biodegrades and something will come along and eat it, Nicholson explained. Unfortunately, something will come along and eat it. Youre essentially setting up a food buffet outside of the road, which is dangerous. They also touched on balloon releases. Many people use these to celebrate or honor somebody. In the spring and summer, Nicholson said they see balloon releases become more popular. Many people dont realize that balloon releases are litter. It just happens to be a prettier way of littering, Nicholson said. Balloons go up to the sky and out of sight. Unfortunately, what goes up will come down. It comes down as very harmful litter in which [animals] can become tangled or ingest. Wildlife can die because they cant digest that, she added. The program was held at Ridgeview Park in Waynesboro as part of the Family Fiesta program. Susan Roberts, superintendent of recreation, said the events bring family bonding. Its just an opportunity to give families something to do together that doesnt cost them a thing and a good way to get them out to the park to do family bonding, Roberts said. I think [the WLC is] one of the shows that all ages seem to thoroughly enjoy, she added. Its always fun to see the little guys up close. Nicholson hoped families had a fun experience and learned to help wildlife. The great thing is its easy to help with these issues. We can all change our own actions and behavior, Nicholson said. Speaking up and telling other people thats the key thing to help; we encourage people to take the messages and pass them on. The last event with Family Fiesta this season is June 27 at 6 p.m. Chris Campbell, a ventriloquist, will put on an interactive show. All Family Fiesta shows are located at the Woodland Picnic Shelter in Ridgeview Park. Michelle Mitchell is a reporter and photographer for the News Virginian. She may be reached at mmitchell@newsvirginian.com or twitter at @MichelleTNV. LONDON - England - Today, the Home Secretary is asking the UK Supreme Court to overturn a ruling of the Court of Appeal which would keep a convicted killer in the UK because of EU law. Commenting, Dominic Raab MP said: This case shines a light on the skewed moral compass at the heart of EU rules on free movement. An EU national convicted of brutally killing someone in this country, by hammering and strangling them to death, cant be removed on the basis of the conviction by a UK court. Its dangerous and undemocratic. The Prime Minister is absolutely right to describe the legal position as complete madness. The only way to restore some sanity is to vote leave and take back control of our borders on 23 June. The UK Supreme Court is today hearing an appeal by the Home Secretary, Theresa May, to permit her to remove an Italian national, FV, from the UK. FV, who has a lengthy criminal record, was convicted of a brutal killing in 2002, but the Court of Appeal ruled that Theresa May could not remove him from the UK. EU law has meant the UK cannot remove convicted murderers and persons involved in terrorism. David Cameron once described this as complete madness. David Camerons renegotiation will do nothing to change this. The European Commission states that it will have no legal effect. If we Vote Leave, we will take back the power to remove dangerous persons whose presence in the UK is not conducive to the public good. The UK Supreme Court is today hearing an appeal by the Home Secretary, Theresa May, to permit her to remove an Italian national, FV, from the UK. The UK Supreme Court will today hear the case of the Secretary of State for the Home Department v FV (Italy) (UKSC 2012/0226). The case will be heard by Lady Hale, Lord Mance, Lord Wilson, Lord Reed and Lord Hughes. FV, who has a lengthy criminal record, was convicted of a brutal killing in 2002, but the Court of Appeal ruled that Theresa May could not remove him from the UK. FV, an Italian national, was convicted of the manslaughter of Edward Mitchell by reason of provocation in 2002. He inflicted at least 20 blows to the head with weapons, including a hammer, before strangling Mr Mitchell with a flex from an iron. He was sentenced to eight years imprisonment. FV had previous convictions for assaulting police, driving a motor vehicle while unfit through drink or drugs, and driving while disqualified. The Secretary of State ordered his deportation. Nonetheless, in September 2012, the Court of Appeal ruled his deportation was inconsistent with EU law because, in light of rulings of the European Court, imperative grounds did not exist to justify his deportation. EU law has meant the UK cannot remove convicted murderers and persons involved in terrorism. David Cameron once described this as complete madness. EU law stopped the UK removing convicted murderer Learco Chindamo. In 1995, Chindamo, who is an Italian citizen, murdered the headteacher Philip Lawrence who went to help a 13-year-old boy who was being attacked. In 2007, Mr Justice Collins, sitting in the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal, ruled that removing Chindamo would be disproportionate under EU law. David Cameron said that Tribunals decision flies in the face of common sense. It is a shining example of what is going wrong in our country. He is someone who has been found guilty of murder and should be deported back to his country What about the rights of Mrs Lawrence or the victim?. Cameron said: This does seem to be complete madness. EU law stops us removing persons who have been involved in terrorism. In 2015, the Special Immigration Appeals Commission ruled the UK could not exclude the French national ZZ from the UK because of EU law, despite the fact that he was a suspected terrorist. The Commission concluded that: We are confident that the Appellant was actively involved in the GIA [Algerian Armed Islamic Group], and was so involved well into 1996. He had broad contacts with GIA extremists in Europe. His accounts as to his trips to Europe are untrue. We conclude that his trips to the Continent were as a GIA activist. David Camerons renegotiation will do nothing to change this. The European Commission states that it will have no legal effect. There is no proposal to amend the Treaties or the 2004 Free Movement Directive. The proposals agreed at the European Council will be contained in a Communication to be issued by the European Commission. As the Commission accepts, a Communication is a policy document with no mandatory authority. The Commission takes the initiative of publishing a Communication when it wishes to set out its own thinking on a topical issue. A Communication has no legal effect. The Commissions declaration states that the UK may take into account past conduct of an individual in the determination of whether a Union citizens conduct poses a present threat to public policy or security. Yet the European Court has already ruled that a previous conviction can be taken into account in so far as the circumstances which gave rise to that conviction are evidence of personal conduct constituting a present threat. The Commissions declaration also states that member states may act on grounds of public policy or public security even in the absence of a previous criminal conviction on preventative grounds but specific to the individual concerned. Yet the European Court ruled this was the law in 1974 in the first case referred to that court after the UK joined the EU. If we Vote Leave, we will take back the power to remove dangerous persons whose presence in the UK is not conducive to the public good. On 8 May 2016, Vote Leave set out plans immediately to amend the European Communities Act 1972 to provide that the Home Secretary can remove all foreign nationals on the ground their presence would not be conducive to the public good and that all foreign nationals sentenced to more than a years imprisonment are subject to automatic deportation . Michael Gove MP said that: I agreed with the Prime Minister when he set out his vision for getting a permanent opt out from the Charter of Fundamental Rights. Sadly, the deal did not touch this area and the Charter is being used more and more by EU judges to interfere with how we keep people in the UK safe. EU judges are stopping us from deporting dangerous criminals and terrorist suspects. This makes us less safe thats why we should take back control. The European Union Law (Emergency Provisions) Bill could be introduced shortly after the referendum. Chris Grayling MP has said we should end the situation where an international court can tell us who we can and cannot deport. LONDON - England - The Queen has been confirmed as a Brexiteer by her royal biographer Robert Lacey. Further confirmation of the Queens stance against the Remain campaign have been confirmed by Her Majestys royal biographer Robert Lacey. His comments in the Telegraph via the Daily Beast confirm the Queen favours withdrawal from the European Union. The Queen has been canvassing opinion on the EU debate by asking dinner companions: Give me three good reasons why Britain should be part of Europe. Of course, if one was present at one of these dinners, there would be no valid answer to such a question. Anyone with any form of logic or reasoning would not think of any single reason to stay in the EU; especially when the whole globe is waiting for Britain to leap out and embrace it as opposed to being tied down to some restrictive meddlesome undemocratic EU ball and chain. This news comes in concert with the leaked story of a pro-EU Nick Clegg being firmly put in his place by Her Majesty at a post Privy Council meeting in the past. The 89-year-old monarch firmly told passionate pro-European Mr Clegg that she believed the EU was heading in the wrong direction. Her stinging reprimand went on for quite a while, leaving other guests around the table stunned. We have already written numerous articles about how the British monarchy will be put at severe risk if Britain remains in the EU, and we stand by those words. Britain must regain its freedom and democracy once again, and embrace global trade, an International standing that befits a Great Britain not to be relegated to a mere zone in a totalitarian EU that does not have our countrys interests at heart. Each year on June 21st, Canadians mark National Aboriginal Day, a celebration of the heritage, cultures and societal contributions of Canadas First Nations, Inuit and Metis peoples. Events are taking place across Nova Scotia for the 20th anniversary of National Aboriginal Day, including a gathering at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. that includes musical performances and a panel discussion for the launch of the book Living Treaties: Narrating Mikmaw Treaty Relations. Panelists at the event include Naiomi Metallic, a member of Dalhousies Board of Governors who joins Dalhousies Faculty of Law next month, and Dr. Daniel Paul, who has received an honorary doctorate from the university. Metallic, who is from the Listuguj Migmaq First Nation in Quebec, contributed a chapter on language rights to Living Treaties, a book compiled by Marie Battiste. Ive done work about how language rights are recognized, or not, within Canadian law and society, says Metallic. Im interested in language preservation and the role of law in that respect. Metallic, shown right, says National Aboriginal Day is an opportunity to recognize cultural contributions in a positive way. There is lots of education about dark passages in history and continuing issues, but today is more about the celebration of Indigenous cultures and their contributions to Canadian society. Norma Williams, executive director for diversity and inclusiveness at Dalhousie, echoes Metallics sentiment. National Aboriginal Day stands as an important opportunity to recognize the strong, vibrant cultures and traditions of Indigenous peoples, says Williams. The Dalhousie community joins everyone across the country in celebrating the 20th anniversary of this event. An opportunity to celebrate and learn While all Canadians are invited and encouraged to celebrate the day, Geri Musqua-Leblanc, co-ordinator of Dal's Elders-in-Residence and a member of Nakawe Nation (Keeseekoose First Nation) in Saskatchewan, notes that it is an especially valuable opportunity for Canadas Indigenous communities. "All Indigenous people today will be acknowledging the gifts that are bestowed on us by our creator, says Musqua-Leblanc. Sometimes people forget to do that. They just take if for granted. They get up and go along their daily routine." Various events across the province will ensure that National Aboriginal Day is anything but routine. In addition to the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, the Mikmaw Native Friendship Centre will host a launch event for This Is What I Wish I Knew, a project that features the work of 50 Indigenous artists in Halifaxs urban communities. Sara Swasson, Aboriginal student advisor at Dalhousie, says National Aboriginal Day celebrations unite communities and build pride. "It's a time for aboriginal people to come together and celebrate. Celebrate the culture, the dance, the drumming, but then also celebrate Indigenous people doing great things, says Swasson. "I feel proud. It feels good that we are growing the number of educated Aboriginal people that are able to make a difference." Elsewhere in Nova Scotia, National Aboriginal Day events are scheduled in Amherst, Yarmouth, Pubnico, Truro, Millbrook and more. Information about these events can be found at the Government of Canadas Indigenous and Northern Affairs website. With files from Matt Reeder New Delhi: Under fire from investors, Nikesh Arora, one of worlds highest paid executive, on Tuesday announced his resignation as the president and COO of Japanese conglomerate SoftBank. India-born Arora, 48, touted as heir-apparent at SoftBank, said that he cant be CEO-in-waiting past his sell-by date as current chief Masayoshi Son (58-years old) wanted to continue for five to 10 years more. However, he will remain as an adviser to SoftBank. He (Mr Arora) should be the CEO of a global business, and I had hoped to hand over the reins of SoftBank to him on my 60th birthday, but I feel my work is not done. I want to cement SoftBank 2.0, develop Sprint to its true potential and work on a few more crazy ideas. This will require me to be CEO for at least another five to ten years this is not a time frame for me to keep Nikesh waiting for the top job, said Mr Son. He clarified that Mr Aroras departure had nothing to do with shareholder criticism of his track record , which SoftBank this week said was unfounded. KOLKATA: Come February, 2017 and ITC chairman Y.C. Deveshwar (69) will step aside from his executive role in the company after a two-decade long stint, to put in place a youthful leadership at the helm. He will, however, continue as the non-executive chairman for the next three years. The name of the next CEO will be announced in due course, top company officials said. When Mr Deveshwar had taken up the reins in mid-1990s, ITC had been confronted with formidable challenges with diversification efforts either failing or were languishing. The company at that time was also fighting a tough legal and otherwise battle with its erstwhile shareholders BAT. Mr Deveshwar assumed office as executive chairman in January, 1996. He had joined the company in 1968. In a notice to the shareholders, ITC said that Deveshwar, who will complete his present term on February 4, 2017, has expressed his desire to shed the executive role and put in place a youthful leadership. It will seek shareholders nod at the upcoming AGM on July 22 to appo-int him as a non-executive director and chairman for three years. The burgeoning upper middle class in India and its aspiring lifestyle comes with its own set of side effects. And if studies are to be believed, lifestyle diseases in India are set to rise and have already claimed 5.2 million premature deaths. According to a report by World Health Organisation in 2015, one in four deaths happens because of lifestyle diseases. In fact, the study has also suggested that Indians will be more prone to diseases such as hypertension, heart, high cholesterol conditions among others in the future. Having said this, we know buying a health cover is imperative. What we dont know is the common mistakes that one usually makes while buying this cover, thus regretting later. To help you make a more informed decision, heres a lowdown on the common regrets you might want to avoid. Not buying early This is no news that one should buy a health cover early in their lives. This is so because the younger you are, the lower your premiums would be. We give you a simple example. For a 23-year-old, a cover of Rs 10 lakhs can be bought for a premium of as low as Rs 3,400 annually. On the other hand, for a 35-year-old, Rs 10 lakh cover plans begin at a premium of Rs 14,000 and more, which is 4-5 times of what you may pay if you start early. Basically, when you are young, you get better offers on health insurance. You get a better cover for diseases and also helps manage your finances better. Most people dont realise this and thus end up buying a health insurance policy at a later stage. Not buying adequate cover You have a life cover of Rs 1 cr and you recently bought a health cover of Rs 2 lakhs. You feel this is enough because you are 30-year-old healthy young man. You work out every day and you do eat well, at least most of the time. You think you are well prepared for the future. A few years down the line, god forbid, if you are diagnosed with a critical illness or you have any heart surgery, this cover wont be adequate at all. Today, heart surgeries or treatment for critical illnesses start at a cost of Rs 3 lakh and upwards in specialized hospitals. You can easily end up paying a big fat bill from your own pocket. This medical emergency would be a huge additional cost to the already growing needs of your family (education, dependents etc). In fact, a study recently stated that, 95% of Indians do not have adequate health cover, which later turns in to a huge financial trauma for the policyholder in the event of medical emergencies. Not reading the policy document We understand that insurance is a tricky affair and you may not be understanding half of what your agent has explained to you. But that should not be an excuse to sign a document such as insurance policy without reading the fine-print. For instance, certain insurance plans such as Max Bupa Health Companion have a waiting period of 4 long years before it covers any of the pre-existing ailments of the policyholder. Now, if you have asthama and end up in the hospital because of respiratory problems in the first four years of policy, your insurer wont be liable to pay anything to you. Now, if you havent read the policy document carefully, this will come as a shock to you as you expected your insurance company to foot whatever hospital bills are generated following the medical emergencies. Hiding your medical history Now, a lot of people often say that their insurance claim from their health insurer was denied for reasons not known to them. This cannot be true because an insurer cannot deny your claim unless some facts are hidden from the company. A lot of people hide their medical history in order to get a better cover at a lower premium. Thus, they do not declare any pre-existing illness or medical conditions to the company at the time of buying a health cover. However, in case of medical emergencies, when your documents are submitted for claim and your insurer gets to know of your pre-existing medical conditions, your claim can get denied. By Yashish Dahiya CEO & Co-founder, Policybazaar.com India-born Nikesh Arora announced his surprise resignation as President and COO at SoftBank on Tuesday. Tokyo: In line with trending terms like "Brexit" and "Rexit", now Twitteratis have coined a new expression "Nexit" after India-born Nikesh Arora announced his surprised resignation as President and COO at SoftBank. For the past several days, two words 'Brexit' and 'Rexit' have been trending. 'Brexit' in short stands for Britain's possible exit from the European Union, while 'Rexit' word came up after RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan decided against seeking a second term. On Twitter, Arora's surprise exit was being referred as '#Nexit', in line with the trending terms -- #Rexit (Rajan deciding not to take a second term) and #Brexit (Britain's possible exit from the EU). India-born Nikesh Arora, President and COO at Japanese conglomerate SoftBank, today said he is stepping down from his role as Masayoshi Son wanted to continue as the CEO for the next 5-10 years. The 48-year-old former Chief Business Officer at Google decided to call it a day as his 58-year-old boss Son said he was planning to quit at the age of 60 but felt he was "still a bit too young". The development interestingly came just a day after Arora getting a clean-chit from a special committee set up by SoftBank to look into the allegations against him from some shareholders about his conduct and qualifications. "Masa 2 continue 2 be CEO for 5-10 years, respect that. Learnt a lot. Clean chit from board after through review. Time for me to move on," Arora said in a tweet. He added: "I did as promised...Didn't want to be CEO-in-waiting past my sell-by-date." Arora had joined SoftBank as its Vice-Chairman and CEO of SB Group US in September 2014 from search giant Google. In May last year, he was elevated to President and COO, the first time in 35-year history of SoftBank that anyone was given the President title. At that time, Son had mentioned that Arora is the most likely candidate to succeed him in future. Arora, who is responsible for global operations, has led SoftBank's investments in India in eCommerce firm Snapdeal, ride-hailing service Ola, real-estate website Housing.com, hotel-booking app Oyo Rooms and Grofers. Asked about his exit affecting investment dynamics of SB portfolio companies in India, Arora said "plan to support them for an year, hence continuing as advisor". "Going to continue to support the Indian startup ecosystem ....can't change faith if you change jobs," he tweeted. Arora, who is among the highest paid global executives, received USD 135 million pay package including a joining bonus in 2014-15, and was paid USD 73 million last year. On the clean chit from the special committee, the Banaras Hindu University-graduate said he never had a doubt. "My father was a man with the highest integrity, if there was one thing he tought me, that was it," he added. DIPP has issued guidelines and if there are any issues, traders should approach the Directorate of Enforcement as the department only formulates policies. New Delhi: The Commerce Ministry on Tuesday asked traders body CAIT to prepare a list of issues, including taxation and banking, which are hindering ease of doing business in the country. Addressing members of the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), DIPP Secretary Ramesh Abhishek said the traders body should prepare a list of issues and give it to the department within two weeks. "We would take all those issues with the concerned departments and also with the state governments," he said, adding that the government is already taking steps to improve ease of doing business in the country. On the e-commerce sector, he said the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) has issued guidelines and if there are any issues, traders should approach the Directorate of Enforcement as the department only formulates policies. The remark assumes significance against the backdrop of CAIT alleging that e-commerce companies have violated foreign direct investment norms. When asked about the relaxation of FDI norms in the single-brand retail sector, he said the norms are applicable for all companies and foreign firms that want to avail those benefits would have to come through the process. Speaking at the occasion, NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said small traders play an important role in boosting the economy and the government would always support them as they contribute hugely in job creation. He further said the e-commerce sector is growing at faster pace in India and its market size is about USD 20 billion but "by 2023-24, it would touch USD 350 billion". Citing example of China-based Alibaba, Kant suggested adoption of new technologies to grow further. "India is the only country where we have billion mobiles... old companies got disrupted because they did not adopt new technologies. Adopt new technologies," Kant said. "Trading community should grow by adopting technology and e-commerce and beat Flipkart and Snapdeal. When you will give competition, you will grow," he said adding FDI would help in attracting new technologies. He further said India needs to grow at 10 per cent for years to eliminate poverty. Speaking at the event, MasterCard's Porush Singh said: "Since 2014, we have invested Rs 2,700 crore in India and in the next four years, we plan to double that." Last year, CAIT had launched a portal 'e-lala' for its members to compete with e-commerce players. MasterCard has partnered the portal to provide digital payment solutions. The outward FDI from India -- the dominant investor in the sub-region -- dropped by more than one-third to USD 7.5 billion, which resulted in an overall 36 per cent decline of outflows from South Asia. New Delhi: India's foreign direct investment is likely to cross USD 60 billion this year on favourable policy environment even as the FDI flows globally are set to witness a decline, says a UN economist. "India witnessed a rise of about 28 per cent in FDI to USD 44.20 billion in 2015. We expect FDI to cross USD 60 billion in 2016," said Nagesh Kumar, Economist & Head, UNESCAP's South and South-West Asia Office, at the release of an UNCTAD report. In India, the report said, the large increase of announced greenfield investments in manufacturing industries may provide further impetus to FDI this year. New liberalisation steps by the government contributed to attracting FDI in all quarters last year, which made India the fourth largest recipient in developing Asia and the 10th in the world, it said. Top sources of equity investment in India were Singapore, Mauritius, the US, the Netherlands, Japan, Germany, the UK, China, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates. Singapore and Mauritius alone accounted for nearly 60 per cent of total FDI last year, it said, adding that India is also maintaining FDI inflows from developed country sources, especially Europe and the US. The outward FDI from India -- the dominant investor in the sub-region -- dropped by more than one-third to USD 7.5 billion, which resulted in an overall 36 per cent decline of outflows from South Asia. "The decline in commodity prices and problems of over capacity in industries such as steel have negatively affected some of the largest Indian conglomerates' motivation and ability to invest abroad," the report said. For the Asian region, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) report forecast a decline in FDI flows by about 15 per cent in 2016. "Hindered by the current global and regional economic slowdown, FDI inflows to developing Asia are expected to decline in 2016 by about 15 per cent, reverting to their 2014 level," it said. "However, FDI flows to some Asian economies such as China, India, Myanmar and Vietnam are likely to see a moderate increase in 2016," said the report. The overall global FDI in 2016 is also expected to decline by 10-15 per cent due to weak economic prospects. The report said: "The expected decline of FDI flows in 2016 reflects the fragility of the global economy, persistent, weakness of aggregate demand, effective policy measures to curb tax inversion deals and slump in multi national enterprises." It sees world economy continuing to face major headwinds. However, FDI flows may resume in 2017. "Over the medium term, FDI flows are projected to resume growth at 5-10 per cent in 2017 and surpass USD 1.8 trillion in 2018, reflecting the projected increase in global growth." Global GDP is expected to expand by only 2.4 per cent, the same relatively low rate as in 2015, it added. The tide of adverse publicity over the exit of RBI governor Raghuram Rajan that threatened to derail the governments economic agenda was reversed with the awesome force that could be commanded by none other than prime minister Narendra Modi himself, putting to rest speculation that the world was waiting to condemn India as an economic pariah. Shrugging off the criticism unleashed on the government in the wake of Rexit, the Union cabinet flung the doors wide open to full foreign ownership of the defence-industrial complex within the country, alongside clearing the skies for 100 per cent foreign direct investment in civil aviation. It also cleared the way for the worlds most valuable company Apple Inc to open its exclusive retail outlets in India (see accompanying report) and allowed up to 100 per cent FDI in pharmaceuticals and a host of other sectors subject to approvals. In scope, the breadth of Modis sweeping reforms in foreign investment guidelines compares with the firman of Mughal emperor Shah Alam granting the diwani of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa to the English East India Company in 1765, alongside free trading rights, that ultimately cleared the way for the Companys complete takeover of the Indian market. Modi tweeted the changes would make India worlds open economy for FDI and provide a major impetus to employment and job creation. Modi had resorted to big time reforms opening of 21 industry sectors to foreign investment after losing the Bihar election last November. Officials in the prime ministers office (PMO) expect Mondays decision to double FDI investments to over $100 billion annually in the next three years. According to a PMO statement, FDI inflows stood at $55.46 billion in 2015-16 against $36.04 billion in 2013-14. While opening up most sectors to foreign investments, the government continues to prohibit FDI in lotteries, gambling, atomic energy, real estate and real estate investment trusts (Reits). The cabinet approved 74 per cent FDI in pharmaceuticals under the automatic route in brownfield investment, while stating that government nod would be required for 100 per cent investment. This is not only expected to open Indias lucrative market for medicines to multinational giants, but also create a big scope for mergers and acquisitions. The government has allowed 100 per cent FDI in civil aviation, of which investments up to 49 per cent would be under the automatic route. In addition, 100 per cent FDI would be allowed in brownfield or existing airport projects under the automatic route. This could benefit carriers such as Qatar Airways and Emirates that have been waiting to step up investments in Indian carriers. Share prices of domestic carriers Jet Airways, SpiceJet and Indigo Airlines parent InterGlobe rose on the Bombay stock exchange. The government has also relaxed local sourcing norms for investment in single-brand retail for up to three years. Companies selling products with state of the art and cutting edge technology would get a further five-year exemption from local sourcing requirement. Apple and IKEA are expected to be major beneficiaries of these decisions. In allowing up to 100 per cent FDI in defence, the government has done away with the requirement of state of the art technology, while considering investments above 49 per cent. The Modi government has already outlined its plans for building a robust defence-industrial complex at home instead of importing weapons systems from abroad. India ranks among the worlds biggest arms and armaments importers. The government has permitted 100 per cent FDI for trading and e-tailing in food products made in India, subject to approvals. It has also allowed 100 per cent FDI in cable networks, direct to home broadcasting and mobile TV under the automatic route. Besides, it will clear up to 49 per cent FDI in private security agencies under the automatic route, while investments up to74 percent will require government nod. It has allowed 100 per cent FDI in animal husbandry, pisciculture, aquaculture and apiculture under the automatic route, doing away with the requirement of controlled conditions. Earlier in the day the World Bank released its India Development update, that stated, FDI inflow is likely to be robustAs the government continues to open additional sectors of the economy, FDI is expected to be sufficient to finance the CAD (current account deficit) up to 2018-19. Commerce minister Nirmala Seetharaman rebutted charges that the decisions were meant to counter the adverse fallout of RBI governor Raghuram Rajans exit. Industry secretary Ramesh Abhishek added, We were working on this policy for quite sometime and it has nothing to do with RBI governors decision. Original equipment makers (OEMs) that had hitherto adopted a wait and watch approach may now be willing to set up manufacturing facilities and tap Indias multi-billion dollar defence equipment market. Nearly a thousand companies from 47 countries have been eyeing the Indian defence market that is slated to expand to $620 billion in the next six years. The government expects foreign companies like Airbus, Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Dassault Aviation to set up bases here to manufacture the entire spectrum of armaments from warships and missiles to fighter aircraft and small arms. Rahul Gangal, partner with the Muncih-based Roland Berger Strategy Consultants believes that the new policy is a significant step forward to ensure OEM subsidiary driven manufacturing plans take off. It will result in greater comfort for OEMs to establish high technology and larger work share driven significant product manufacturing subsidiaries in India. India will be better integrated in the global aerospace and defence supply chain. Indian industry is also likely to benefit from the enhanced offsets pie that would be available. Allowing 100 per cent FDI in scheduled airlines and transport services through the approval route is a big decision, though foreign investors have already been allowed 49 per cent stake in existing players through the automatic route. In September 2012, the UPA government had allowed foreign airlines to invest up to 49 per cent in Indian carriers. This helped Abu Dhabi-based Etihad pick up 24 per cent equity in Jet Airways. Later, Singapore Airlines and Air Asia Bhd entered the Indian market with the launch of two airlines in collaboration with the Tata Group. Amber Dubey, partner and India head of aerospace and defence practice at global consultancy KPMG said the policy will help bring in much needed cash, expand fleet and introduce best practices. We may see its positive impact over next six to12 months, he added. Peeyush Naidu, partner at Deloitte, however, sounded cautious on how soon foreign funds would start flowing into the sector. The move to allow 100 percent foreign ownership of scheduled airlines has come as a surprise to many who cited over 20 per cent growth in domestic air traffic, while airlines were busy consolidating their operations following years of losses. A senior airline executive, who did not wish to be named, said that the move was not warranted at the moment as the industry was currently reaping the dividends of low fuel price and were sufficiently capitalised. A company planning to enter into air transport business in India would like to start afresh rather than investing in an existing company which has many legacy issues, he said. InterGlobe Aviation that operates IndiGo raised Rs 3,010 crore last November through initial public offering (IPO). A few months ago, it was reported that another low-cost carrier SpiceJet was in talks with a set of investors. National carrier Air India is in dire need of cash infusion, but the government has repeatedly said it was not looking at divestment in the airline. Some of the regional airlines like Air Costa and Air Pegasus may benefit from the change in FDI norms, as they need cash to augment fleet and stay afloat in competition with the bigger airlines. The latest policy changes come close on heels the national aviation policy (NCAP-2016) last week that liberalised the rules (5/20) for start-up carriers to fly abroad and laid down easier norms for starting regional airlines to boost air-connectivity. Similarly, relaxation in 30 per cent domestic outsourcing norm for single brand foreign retailers first three years and another five years in cases where cutting-edge technology is involved, is expected to bring in big foreign investment. Last month, Apple CEO Tim Cook had demanded such a relaxation from prime minister Modi as precursor to manufacturing iPhones in India. Industry secretary Abhishek told newsmen that Apple would be asked, whether they would like to avail the new provisions on outsourcing. Abhishek said the biggest impact would be seen in the pharmaceuticals sector. Kanchana TK, director general of the Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI) that represents multinational drug manufactures said, (The decision) will augur well with our members who are constantly exploring ways of ensuring new drugs and medicines are made available to Indian patients. SV Veeramani, president of Indian drug manufacturers association (Idma) that largely represents domestic manufacturers said the latest changes will possibly lead to inflow of over $5 billion in the next five years, through earlier we expected FDI to the tune of $2-3 billion. Veeramani agreed with governments assessment that the latest policy will provide an impetus to employment and job creation in India. By Nirbhay Kumar & KA Badarinath (This story originally appeared on Financial Chronicle) Arora, who is the Representative Director, President and COO of SBG currently, will assume an advisory role, effective July 1. New Delhi: India-born Nikesh Arora, touted as heir-apparent at SoftBank, on Tuesday announced a surprise resignation from the Japanese conglomerate saying he can't be "CEO-in-waiting past his sell-by date" as the current chief Masayoshi Son wanted to continue for 5-10 years more. The 48-year-old former Chief Business Officer at Google decided to call it a day as his 58-year-old boss Son said he was planning to quit at the age of 60 but felt he was "still a bit too young". The development interestingly came just a day after Arora getting a clean-chit from a special committee set up by SoftBank to look into the allegations against him from some shareholders about his conduct and qualifications. He was also reportedly criticised by a SoftBank investor for pumping huge money in India and one of the investment went through rough weather in a reality business based web portal. Arora, who has been instrumental in SoftBank's investments in Indian entities like Snapdeal, Ola, Grofers, Housing.com and Oyo Rooms, said he intends to focus more on Indian start-up ecosystem going forward. The exit of 48-year-old Arora, who was hand-picked by Son two years ago to succeed him and is among top-paid executives globally, also coincided with one of the most profitable deals of SoftBank. Arora will remain in an advisory role at SoftBank for a year, the company said in a statement. Son said he would continue as CEO longer than earlier planned, but credited Arora with playing a pivotal role in deal to sell a majority stake in Supercell Oy that valued the 'Clash of Clans' developer at USD 10.2 billion. "I was thinking of handing over my job as CEO when I turn 60, but thought maybe I'm still a bit too young, and still have energy to continue," Son said adding Arora whom he recruited two years ago will step down to pursue a different path. Arora in a series of tweets said, "Masa 2 continue 2 be CEO for 5-10 years, respect that. Learnt a lot. Clean chit from board after through review. Time for me to move on." In another tweet, he said he didn't want to be CEO in waiting "past my sell by date". He did not comment on his next move. Masa 2 continue 2 be CEO for 5-10 years, respect that. Learnt a lot. Clean chit from board after through review. Time for me to move on. Nikesh Arora (@nikesharora) June 21, 2016 "This will allow me to think about my next move," he said. The Banaras Hindu University-graduate wouldn't be reappointed COO and President at tomorrow's shareholder general meeting. Son, who founded SoftBank in 1981 and built it from a computer software distributor into one of Japan's largest telecommunications and investment holding corporations, said Arora's exit had nothing to do with shareholder criticism of his track record and qualifications. Hired in 2014 after his over 10-year stint at Google, Arora was promoted to president in June last year. While at SoftBank, he spent nearly USD 4 billion investing in startups around the world in a hunt for a break-through technology company capable of driving future growth. Some of his deals were, however, criticised by shareholders while some others questioned his compensation and qualifications. He received USD 135 million pay package including a joining bonus in 2014-15, and was paid USD 73 million last year. SoftBank, burdened with USD 80 billion debt, has been on a selling spree in recent weeks. This month, it sold USD 10 billion worth of shares in Alibaba as well as most of its shares in Japanese gaming company GungHo Online Entertainment in a deal valued at about USD 685 million. It also announced sale of its stake in Finnish game maker Supercell. Mumbai: While some of us are barely surviving the summer heat, Bollywood star Nimrat Kaur is fighting (enjoying) Canadian cold weather. The actress, who is currently shooting for the second season of M Night Shyamalans Wayward Pines in Canada, is leaving no stone unturned to feed the adventurer in her. As soon as the actress finishes her shoot, she puts on her boots and sets out on a hike to grasp the beauty the city has to offer. Apart from going out on a road trip from Vancouver to California, the actress also took a dive in a freezing cold Cheakamus Lake. Taking on her fears and leaving no room for regrets, Nimrat also took the Superfly Zipline. Traveler by heart, the actress is having the time of her life. Looking at Nimrat's vacation pictures, it just makes us realize how real and raw she is. How she is just one of us. The storky point of no return.... #craziestdayofmylife A photo posted by Nimstagram (@nimratofficial) on Jun 20, 2016 at 1:56am PDT No words to describe this feeling... #craziestdayofmylife A photo posted by Nimstagram (@nimratofficial) on Jun 20, 2016 at 2:03am PDT Mumbai: Salman Khan landed himself in a controversy for his remark that he felt like a "raped woman" after one grueling shoot for his upcoming 'Sultan' film, sparking demands today for an apology from the Bollywood star. The National Commission for Women(NCW) took suo motu cognisance of the "insensitive" remark by the 50-year-old superstar and shot off a letter to him asking for his explanation in seven days failing which he will be summoned. Women activists also staged protests outside Salman's Bandra residence in Mumbai. As political parties, social media users and the NCW pressed for an apology from the actor, Salman's scriptwriter- father Salim Khan apologised on behalf of his son, admitting that his comments were "wrong". Khan, who underwent rigorous training for the wrestling film, was heard saying during his group interview with journalists that after shooting one particular scene he used to feel like a "raped woman". The film is due for release on July 6. "While shooting, during those six hours, there'd be so much of lifting and thrusting on the ground involved. That was tough for me because if I was lifting, I'd have to lift the same 120-kilo guy 10 times for 10 different angles. And likewise, get thrown that many times on the ground. "This act is not repeated that many times in the real fights in the ring. When I used to walk out of the ring, after the shoot, I used to feel like a raped woman walking out..." Salman hastened to add, "I don't think I should have...", suggesting he should not have made such a comparison. Reacting on his son's behalf, Salim said, "Undoubtedly what Salman said is wrong, the simili (sic), example and the context. The intention was not wrong. "Nevertheless I apologise on behalf of his family, his fans & friends. Forgiveness is to pardon the unpardonable or it is no virtue at all. To err is human, to forgive divine. Today on Intl Yoga Day, lets not run our shops on this mistake." Undoubtedly what Salman said is wrong, the simili, example and the context. The intention was not wrong. Salim Khan (@luvsalimkhan) June 21, 2016 Nevertheless I apologise on behalf of his family his fans & his friends. Forgiveness is to pardon the unpardonable or it is no virtue at all Salim Khan (@luvsalimkhan) June 21, 2016 To err is human to forgive divine. Today on Intl yoga day lets not run our shops on this mistake. Salim Khan (@luvsalimkhan) June 21, 2016 Another person to come out in Salman's defence was his 'Yuvraaj' director Subhash Ghai, who claimed the actor's comments were misrepresented. Though Salman made the comments in English, Ghai also claimed it was a "mistranslation". Ghai also blamed it on the actor's "poor English" and said he was "just a child". "It is very disgusting translation by someone. He just said one thing that it is a human agony he went through. The deepest human agony is when a woman is raped. He was talking about a metaphor. He is just a child and I know he respects women like anything." NCW Chief Lalitha Kumaramangalam said Salman should give a public apology. Kumaramangalam said if the actor did not give a satisfactory response, he would have to appear before the commission. BJP spokesperson Shaina NC asked Salman to apologise for his comments. "Salman Khan should apologise. It might be a slip of tongue. There is no rationale to it. Whatever the logic, Salman should apologise for the statement. The analogy was wrong," Shaina said. Shiv Sena called the actor's comments "callous" and demanded an apology from him. "He needs to apologise for making such a callous comments... We criticise it and feel he should apologise," said party leader Manisha Kayande. Salman has also faced criticism from Nirbhaya's mother, who said she was hurt by his remarks. "He should apologise... I was hurt by his comments. If someone like Salman Khan gives this statement, what will be its impact on our society. I don't know why he said so, but whatever he said was wrong," she said. "He must have said that in a joking mood but ask the parents of such victims?" Twitter users were also horrified by the actor's anology and called him out for being "ridiculous". "Wow..@BeingSalmanKhan compared his shooting schedule for #Sultan to him feeling like a raped woman...is he for real?? #ridiculous #epicfail," wrote a Twitter user. "I know Salman Khan has fans. But if his female fans are ok with his 'I felt like a raped woman' then I've just lost faith in the world," another wrote. A girl wrote, "How does Salman Khan have fans? I'm very curious to know. And if he continues to have female fans after this then I fear for this world!" "kindly remove humanitarian from your bio @BeingSalmanKhan. There cannot be anything more inhuman than using raped woman analogy. SHAME," said a user. "By his Raped Woman statement Salman Khan has shown his mindset. Will film fraternity come out to oppose him? Shame on you Salman," wrote another user. Mumbai: At a time where people are learning to embrace their bodies in different shapes and sizes, Maxim India is being slammed for retouching Priyanka Chopra's cover shoot picture. The stunning star donned a black Herve Leger cutout swimsuit for the shoot, but one can instantly note that her left armpit looks rather, well, perfect. My new cover! Thank you @maxim.india #pctopsmaximhot100 #maximhot100 @stephaniebbmakeup @tedgibson A photo posted by Priyanka Chopra (@priyankachopra) on Jun 17, 2016 at 1:18am PDT Here's another exclusive picture of @priyankachopra from the #MaximHot100 shoot. #PCTopsMaximHot100 #PriyankaChopra #MaximIndia #NYC A photo posted by Maxim India (@maxim.india) on Jun 18, 2016 at 12:18am PDT Fierce all the way to number 1! @priyankachopra for #PCTopsMaximHot100 #PriyankaChopra #MaximIndia #MaximHot100 #HotGirlAlert A photo posted by Maxim India (@maxim.india) on Jun 20, 2016 at 5:43am PDT Now, take a look at Priyankas real and unphotoshopped armpit for yourself. As soon as the picture was shared, fans quickly pointed out the Photoshop fail. While one outraged fan commented, "BeautifulBut barbie doll armpitstoo Photoshopped!" another one asked, "Armpit goals for Indian girls? #Priyanka #Photoshop". @MaximMag is ridiculous for "white-washing" @priyankachopra's armpits. Dark skin is beautiful and hiding it sends the wrong message. Sheena Sharma (@SheenaxSharma) June 20, 2016 @priyankachopra @MaximIndia respect to all the accomplishments still, #Photoshopfail? How desperate were you guys to pull that of? Muhammad Mansoor (@stylazation) June 20, 2016 Wish I was as stunning as #PriyankaChopra 's armpit without Photoshop. the mouk (@moukarin) June 19, 2016 Who would have thought that 1day the world would be talking about @priyankachopra's #armpit. Power to her! https://t.co/nCci4VPukK Suki Dusanj (@sukidusanj) June 20, 2016 I was really hoping it was that she was proudly sporting armpit stubble but then I was like "Nvm it's Maxim lol no" https://t.co/MoxJgUTw6n Emilia (@amelieanomaly) June 20, 2016 Armpit gate! Hottest woman in world also has hottest armpits; or photoshop? World wants to know. #PriyankaChopra pic.twitter.com/lsgOnXhFIl Mike Sington (@MikeSington) June 20, 2016 @BuzzFeedIndia @priyankachopra @MaximIndia Insert unrealistic expectations from women by the skills of photoshop. Sujit Nair (@Floydilicious) June 17, 2016 Madurai: The Madras High Court has issued notice to Tamil film actor R Madhavan on a PIL accusing him of encroaching upon a water channel adjacent to land purchased by him in Dindigul district. A division bench here comprising justices K K Sasidharan and B Gokuldas issued notice to the actor and also the Dindigul District Collector. Directing the petitioner's counsel to send a private notice to the actor's residential address in Mumbai and apprise him of the details of the case, the court posted the matter to July 11 for further hearing. Petitioner N Ganesan of Dindigul district submitted that the channel known as Rajavaikkal was the main source of irrigation in Ayyampauli and his village Balasamudram. He alleged that the actor, who had purchased 4.88 acres of land on March 16, 2015, erected an electrical fence, thus destroying the channel. The actor also encroached on government land and planted coconut and guava saplings, the petitioner charged. He further submitted that in his response to a query under Right to Information Act, the Deputy Tahsildar (Headquarters), Palani had confirmed the encroachment by the actor and assured necessary action against the encroacher. But no action had been taken so far, he added. Mahesh Babu is all set to start shooting his next film, which is being directed by A.R. Murugudoss, from July. The superstar is currently holidaying in the UK and will return to Hyderabad in the last week of June. Once he comes back, he will discuss the pre-production of the film and will begin the shooting from July 15, says a source. The budget of the bi-lingual film may cross Rs 100 crore. N.V. Prasad and Tagore Madhu are the producers of the film. It has been documented that 40 to 60 per cent of embryos created by IVF are chromosomally abnormal (anueploid). Bengaluru: A month after the United Kingdom welcomed its first baby conceived using a new technique, the Next-Generation Sequencing for Pre-implantation Genetic Screening or PGS-NGS in May, Bengaluru got its first baby using the same technology 18 days ago. Proud parents, businessman, Satyan Chawla, 34 and his wife Avani, 30, are ecstatic at having welcomed their son, Shreyas into the world after waiting years for a child. Avani, who had repeated IVF failures and could not conceive naturally either for some seven years, confessed to feeling depressed and helpless until this technique helped her avoid another failed pregnancy and ruled out the possibility of any deformity in her baby. "I felt helpless as I wanted a baby and could not have one," she says. Adds Satyan, "The long wait was depressing but now we can now enjoy the bliss of parenthood free of any worries." Pre-implantation Genetic Screening (PGS) is a procedure used to examine embryos for genetic/chromosomal defects before implantation. It is a boon for many couples as it helps identify embryo disorders at an early stage and prevents unwanted pregnancy losses or defects in the child besides implantation failure. While in routine IVF/ICSI pregnancy the loss is around 12 to 15 per cent , implantation failure is around 30 per cent. Both can be avoided by using PSG, say doctors. "The technique has been around in India for two or three years and offers high precision in embryo biopsy to help couples exposed to increased risk of genetic abnormalities in their children," says Dr Bina Vasan, head, reproductive medicine, Manipal Ankur Andrology Reproductive Services (MAARS), who helped Avani conceive and also delivered her baby . "Avani had multiple IVF failures and never conceived naturally either. But with the help of this technology we could get one genetically normal embryo," she adds, explaining that with PGS and NGS it is possible to get more detailed genetic information through the genome sequencing of embryos. The sensitivity and specificity of the test is said to be 99 per cent. Low-lying areas in poor countries like Bangladesh get severely hit because of frequent floods. Essential services in these rural areas become a tragic casualty because of the effects of global warming. This has resulted in making even something as basic as attending school extremely hazardous for the children living over there. Mohammed Rezwan, a Bangladeshi architect, has come up with an innovative solution to this problem: floating schools. Rezwan designed boats that would serve as floating schools, libraries, health clinics and training centres for the youth in the region. They are even equipped with wireless internet access. These floating schools have now become a boon for the children over there who had to miss school in past because of flooding. Mohammed Rezwan says that he decided to undertake this project as he wasnt happy about the high school drop-out rate in the region. I thought that if the children cannot come to the school for lack of proper transportation, then the school should come to them, by boat, he told the BBC. Click on the link below to know more: The Museum of Broken Relationships in Los Angeles, exhibits objects salvaged from the wreckage of failed relationships. (Photo: Instagram) London: The latest addition to Hollywood Boulevard's long parade of crazy is a museum devoted to heartbreaks. The Museum of Broken Relationships, which opened this month in Los Angeles, exhibits 104 objects salvaged from the wreckage of failed or expired relationships, reports the Independent. On show are everyday objects submitted by ordinary people. There's an empty tube of toothpaste, a torn pair of blue jeans, a collection of Brazilian Playboy back issues. There's even a tiny vial of pubic hair. Assistant director Amanda Vandenberg insists that Los Angeles is a perfect location for it as "There's so much history and so many broken relationships associated with the Walk of Fame. LA is a city of wild hopes and dreams - and all the defeats that come with that." The original Museum of Broken Relationships was founded 10 years ago in Zagreb, Croatia. But when the American lawyer and art collector John B Quinn came across it on a European vacation, he was so taken with the concept that he decided to import it to LA. The museum is "a very sophisticated piece of conceptual art," says Vandenberg. "When you go through a separation from another human being, whether it's romantic or familial or with a friend, you feel like no one has hurt that way before, no one has felt like that - but you read these stories and realise that other people have, and it makes you feel very connected." Aswathi was allegedly ragged by senior girl students at the womens hostel of the college on May 9 and made to drink toilet cleaner. Kozhikode: A Dalit nursing student from Malappuram district, studying at a Bengaluru college, has been admitted to Kozhikode Medical College Hospital (KMCH) with serious health problems, after she was ragged by senior students. According to a report, 19-year-old Aswathi, a first-semester nursing student at Al Qamar College of Nursing at Gulbarga, has been admitted to hospital with severe stomach problems after being forced to drink toilet cleaner. Read: Dalit girl gangraped for three nights in Karnataka Aswathi was allegedly ragged by senior girl students at the womens hostel of the college on May 9 and made to drink toilet cleaner. The offenders are also students from Kerala. Five days after the incident, the girls condition worsened and she was sent home by the authorities along with another student. She was taken to Thrissur Medical College Hospital by her relatives and after two day long treatment there she was shifted to Kozhikode Medical College Hospital (KMCH) on June 2. At KMCH, she was advised to undergo a major surgery as the toilet cleaner has damaged a major portion of her gullet. However, the surgery could not be carried out at KMCH and hence the girl was shifted to a private hospital in Kozhikode. But the hospital advised a six-month treatment before surgery, which was financially impossible for the poor family. Hence, Aswathi was moved back to KMCH. Aswathi, who belongs to a poor family, joined the college five months ago after taking an education loan from Kerala Gramin Bank (KGB). Her uncle has alleged that she was being ragged since Day 1. The relatives have also claimed that neither the college nor the police authorities in Bengaluru have taken any action against those responsible for the ragging. The girls maid has already approached Kerala CM Pinarayi Viajayan and Director General of Police, Bengaluru, demanding strong action against the culprits. One of the best known grizzlies in Grand Teton National Park lost her only cub born this year when it was struck by a car Sunday night. Park officials say theyre reasonably certain the cub belonged to a popular grizzly called 399 but cant be sure before DNA testing. Bear 399 has delighted tourists and wildlife photographers for years by spending time near roads with her cubs. She previously gave birth to triplets three years in a row. This year, the mother bear emerged from hibernation with just one cub with a light face that some dubbed Snowy. Grizzly bear number 399 is an older bear, about 20 to 21 years old, and has been highly visible in Grand Teton National Park for a number of years, said Andrew White, Grand Teton spokesman. Park officials arent sure of the circumstances of the cubs death because the motorist did not report the accident. Instead, rangers received a report of an adult grizzly bear removing a cub from the roadway before 10 p.m. Sunday. When they searched the area Monday morning, they found the dead cub about 40 yards off the road. The cub will be preserved and used for educational purposes, according to the park. Grizzly 399 ran off in the direction of Pilgrim Creek when rangers began searching the area Monday morning, leading the park to close Pilgrim Creek Road until Tuesday, White said. A bear thats lost a cub is unpredictable, White said. They will display those characteristics of protection and be disoriented for a few days. The unpredictability of knowing shes in the area is why weve closed the area. The cubs death comes as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plans to remove the regions grizzlies from federal protection as a threatened species. Speed limits on Highway 89 near where the cub was killed are 55 mph during the day and 45 mph at night to prevent wildlife collisions, White said. But during a busy summer like this one, when park officials expect record numbers of visitors, driving the speed limit is often not enough. This year were seeing a lot of vehicles in a row without a lot of following distance, White said. Even if the first one can see, you might not be able to see wildlife until its too late. A female black bear also died Sunday after being struck by a vehicle in the park. It was killed north of Deadmans Bar Road Junction. he Kerala High Court had last week rejected the plea for a CBI probe into the case, stating that the new SIT had been set up in the case. (Photo: PTI) Kochi: A court on Tuesday remanded the prime accused in the sensational rape and murder case of a Dalit woman at nearby Perumbavoor to ten days police custody. The move comes a day after the accused was subjected to an identification parade. Passing orders on an application moved by police, Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Perumbavoor sent accused Ameerul Islam to police custody till 4.30 PM on June 30. When the court asked 23-year old Islam, a migrant worker from Assasm arrested on June 16 in connection with the murder, whether he wanted to say anything, he said he wished to go to his village. The police moved the custody application a day after the test identification parade of the migrant labourer, held in the presence of a magistrate at Kakkanad sub-jail. A woman witness in the case, who had given statement to the police earlier claiming that she had seen a man walk out of the residence of the victim on April 28, was brought to the jail for identifying the accused. After the arrest, Islam was remanded to 14 days judicial custody and lodged in Kakkanad sub-jail. While announcing the arrest, a top police official had declined to produce him before the media as they wanted to build a strong case against him. "We will collect more evidence, including identification parade, to build a strong prosecution," Additional Director General of Police, B Sandhya, heading the Special Investigation Team in the case, had said. The accused was arrested on the charge of killing the law student, 50 days after the gruesome incident, that had become a major issue in the recent Kerala Assembly elections. The 30-year-woman who hailed from a poor family, was raped and brutally assaulted using sharp-edged weapons before being murdered at her house on April 28. Aswathi was allegedly ragged by senior girl students, also from Kerala, at the women's hostel of the college. (Photo: Twitter/ANI) Kalaburagi: A Dalit nursing student from Kerala, studying at a nursing college here, has been admitted to Kozhikode Medical College Hospital (KMCH) with serious health problems allegedly due to ragging by her senior students. Aswathi, the first-semester nursing student of Al-Qamar College of Nursing run by senior Congress leader and former Minister Qamrul Islam, hails from Pulluvanpadiyil near Edappal. She has reportedly been admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with severe stomach problems. Aswathi was allegedly ragged by senior girl students, also from Kerala, at the women's hostel of the college here on May 9 and was allegedly forced to drink toilet cleaner. Following the incident, she had been admitted to a private hospital in Kalaburagi with serious stomach issues. After five days, her health condition deteriorated and she was sent home by college authorities along with another Kerala student. She was taken to Thrissur Medical College Hospital by her relatives and after a two-day-long treatment, she was shifted to the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital on June 2. According to her relatives, the doctors have suggested a major surgery as the chemicals in the toilet cleaner consumed by the girl have severely damaged a major portion of her gullet. Aswathi, who belongs to a poor family, joined the college five months ago after taking an education loan from the Kerala Gramin Bank (KGB). According to her uncle, she was being ragged since she joined the college hostel. The girls mother has approached the DG&IGP Om Prakash in Bengaluru, demanding strong action against the culprits behind the incident. The nursing college principal, however, denied that Aswathi had been ragged by her seniors at the college hostel. While admitting that Aswathi had consumed the toilet cleaner, the principal said that she did it to take her life because of her family problems and not because of ragging. When the incident took place on May 5, we immediately rushed her to a private hospital here and got her treated. After she became alright, we sent her back to her hometown with a girl student, with the consent of her parents. I dont know what happened after she went to Kerala and why they have approached the police now, the principal said. Kalaburagi SP N. Shashikumar, who received a message from the Kerala police on Tuesday regarding the complaint, has ordered an inquiry by an officer of the rank of deputy superintendent of police. After visiting the college and hostel on Tuesday, Mr Shashikumar said that he was expecting the FIR copy from the Kerala police on Wednesday. We will complete the inquiry and file a report, he said. Medical Education Minister Dr Sharan Prakash Patil said, It is a very sad incident and I have made enquiries in the case. Once the FIR is transferred to our police in Kalaburagi, action will be taken. Also, according to the MCI protocol, every college should have an anti-ragging squad. Apart from the police investigation, the college should take action. We will look into the whole case once the FIR is transferred. BENGALURU: Virendra Tawde, the ENT surgeon from Panvel in Navi Mumbai, who was arrested last week by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the 2013 murder of Pune-based rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, has reportedly refused to tell the CBI on who was behind the email, which was allegedly sent to him to keep an eye on the rationalist (Dabholkar) a couple of months before he was murdered. He is talking, but is silent on core issues. He has refused to tell who was behind the email, said an official source. According to sources, the email had used code words like sahitya, devil and chocolate among other words to convey the assassination plot. Tawde didnt reply to the email, but reportedly worked on it. He is silent on the conspiracy and assassination plot, said the officer. Tawde is in judicial custody now and the Maharashtra Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) from Kolhapur has got his custody now. They are investigating the murder of Leftist leader Govind Pansare in February last year. The Karnataka Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which is investigating the sensational murder of noted writer Dr M.M. Kalburgi on August 30, 2015 in Dharwad, is hoping that they would get his custody next. Since there are striking similarities in all the three murders, Tawdes interrogation will throw up vital information in the cases, but the CID may have to wait, said an official source. Indian Navy and Coast Guard also organised programmes on ships like INS Airavat, Virat and ICGS Sagar. (Photo: Twitter) New Delhi: Armed forces on Tuesday marked the second International Yoga Day across the country by performing 'aasanas' at several events including on warships. Apart from holding yoga camps in units across the country, the Indian Navy and Coast Guard also organised programmes on ships like INS Airavat, Virat and ICGS Sagar. Personnel on Indian ships out in the Pacific Ocean also celebrated the day by performing different aasanas. "#IYD2016 Yoga by our brave sailors & officers at sea in NW Pacific ocean & in S Korea this morning," the Indian Navy tweeted. #IYD2016 Yoga by our brave sailors & officers at sea in NW Pacific ocean & in S Korea this morning @SpokespersonMoD pic.twitter.com/p814rhHuXu SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) June 21, 2016 Yoga camps were held at places ranging from Andaman and Nicobar Islands to high altitude areas where units of armed forces are posted. Army Chief Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag, IAF Chief Arup Raha and Coast Guard Director General Rajendra Singh took part in the events. The Army Chief participated in a programme organised at the Parade Day ground at Delhi Cantonment, while the Air Force Chief attended an event at Wellingdon Camp, Air Force Station here. The Coast Guard Director General was part of the Yoga day event at the CG headquarters here. New Delhi: Country's largest border guarding force BSF will soon send a 1,900 personnel-strong contingent to get "advanced" training in yoga exercises and skills by Ramdev at his facility in Haridwar. Border Security Force chief K K Sharma on Tuesday said the force has decided to "intensify" yoga training to its troops and the aim is to have at least one trainer in this discipline in each platoon-level formation of the paramilitary force. A platoon, comprising about 35 personnel, is the smallest strength of an operational team in the force. The BSF Director General said yoga acts as a stress buster and it is important for his men and women as they are deployed in some of the most arduous and difficult areas as part of their duties in the border guarding and internal security domain. "We have included yoga as a way of life and more than 2,000 people have been trained in this skill in the force till now. We got them trained at the Morarji Desai institute in Gujarat and Patanjali Yogpeeth in Haridwar. "We now want to intensify this and hence we are sending 1,900 basic-trained personnel to Patanjali in Haridwar next month for learning advanced yoga skills. Ramdev will himself impart them the training," Sharma said during an event to award the forces' Yoga team that got the first prize for participating at an International Yoga Day (IYD) event here. The DG said yoga enhances the willpower and productivity of a person and hence it is much required for the 2.5 lakh personnel-strong paramilitary force. "There are no two opinions about yoga and that it gives both physical and mental stability and improves will power. We work in difficult and hard areas and hence stress is obvious. We can reduce and regulate that stress by doing yoga and be healthy," he said. Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will lead a 13 member delegation to China from June 26 to seek investments into the state and also explore possible tie-ups for the development of capital city Amaravati. Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, Municipal Administration Minister P Narayana, seven bureaucrats and three personal staffers of the Chief Minister will be part of the delegation that will tour China for four days. The delegation will attend the World Economic Forum's 10th annual meeting of New Champions in Tianjin city to explore partnerships for industrial development in AP, a senior official said. It will also visit GICC for an expo, he added. Chandrababu and an official delegation visited China last year to invite Chinese business houses to invest in the state in general and in the new capital in particular. China's GIIC is already partnering with the state government on various infrastructure projects, including the development of a City Square in Vijayawada that is currently serving the functional capital. According to CBI, Tawde was one of the conspirators and "brain" behind both Dabholkar and Pansare murders. (Photo: Twitter) Pune: A court on Tuesday granted the special investigation team probing the murder of CPI leader Govind Pansare to take the custody of Virendra Tawde, arrested in the Narendra Dabholkar murder case by CBI. As Tawde's CBI custody expired, judicial magistrate V B Gulve Patil sent him to 14 days' judicial remand, and also permitted the state-appointed SIT to take his custody. "We have got the permission to take custody. We will decide when to take his custody now," said Harshad Nimbalkar, the special prosecutor in Pansare case. Tawde, an ENT doctor and a member of the conservative Hindu group Sanatan Sanstha, was likely to be arrested in the Pansare case, he said. "After taking his custody, SIT will first interrogate him and then decision will be taken on his arrest (in that case)," said advocate Nimbalkar. CBI produced Tawde in the court as his five-day custody got over. It sought another four days' custody saying he was not cooperating and was trying to be "deceptive". As Tawde's wife was returning from London today, CBI wanted to confront Tawde with her, its lawyer B P Raju said. Raju also informed that CBI had found out 119 bank accounts of Sanatan Sanstha. Rudra Patil and Vinay Pawar, two of its members who are absconding, were signatory of some of these accounts, it said. While Dabholkar, an anti-superstition crusader, was shot dead in Pune in August 2013, Pansare, known for his rationalist views, was murdered in Kolhapur in February 2015. A book on spirituality written by Sanatan's founder Jayant Athavale criticises Dabholkar, advocate Raju said, citing some passages. He also cited a passage from 'Kshatra Dharma Sadhana', another of Athavale's book, which says a 'sadhak' (Sanatan's disciple) can eliminate an enemy by only chanting a few lines from the book. Defence lawyer Sanjeev Punalekar opposed CBI's plea for further custody, saying Tawde had already spent 11 days in the agency's custody. Tawde was arrested on June 10 from his Panvel residence. According to CBI, he was one of the conspirators and "brain" behind both Dabholkar and Pansare murders. It was the first arrest in the case which the Maharashtra police failed to crack before it was transferred to CBI. The SIT has arrested Sameer Gaikwad, a former Sanatan follower, in the Pansare murder case. Reacting to today's development, Megha Pansare, the late CPI leader's daughter-in-law who had earlier requested the Maharashtra chief minister that the probe in this case too should be transferred to the CBI, said, "We are still firm on our request to hand over the case to CBI. So far investigation (by SIT) is not satisfactory," she said. The Pansare family today met Additional Superintendent of Police Suhel Sharma who has taken over as in-charge in the case, she said. Though Sharma assured them of speedy investigation, the family still wanted a CBI probe, Megha said. The family was expecting a reply from the CM soon, she added. Muzaffarnagar: The Election Commission has decided to increase the number of polling booths in Uttar Pradesh for the 2017 Assembly elections. The state election commission has decided to raise the number of polling centres in the state and has invited suggestions or objections in this regard from the public and political parties upto July 1, an official release said on Monday. It said that new polling centres are being planned in the constituencies where there are more than 1,500 registered voters. Meanwhile, District Magistrate D K Singh told reporters that 50 new booths would be established in the district. He said that polling booths in six constituencies, Muzaffarnagar, Budhana, Purkazi, Khatoli, Charthawal and Midanpur would be raised from 1,769 to 1,819 booths. New Delhi: China on Monday snubbed India and virtually dashed its hopes of securing entry to the coveted Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) at the NSG meet in Seoul on June 24, saying that the issue of Indias entry is not even on the agenda of the meeting even though Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to personally raise the matter with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where both the leaders are headed to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit on June 23 just a day ahead of the meet in South Korea. According to news agency reports from Beijing on Monday, Chinas foreign ministry said the NSG remains divided over non-NPT countries like India becoming its members and that Indias admission into the NSG was not on the agenda at the Seoul meet. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying was quoted as saying, We understand that non-NPT countries are concerned about their entry into the NSG. But since NSG is still divided about the issue, it is not mature to talk about the entry issue in the annual conference in Seoul. Beijings statement came a day after external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj announced at a press conference in New Delhi that while a consensus is evolving regarding Indias membership to NSG, Chinas opposition to Indias membership to NSG was only about criteria and procedure. I am hopeful that we would be able to convince China as well to support our entry to the NSG, she had said. Mr Hua, however, was further quoted as saying, China maintains that NSG should have through discussion on the joining of the non-NPT countries in a way agreed by all parties, so as to make a decision based on agreement. This position is not directed against any country and applies to all non-NPT states. Srinagar: Siachen at a height of 19, 600 feet above sea level is is known as the worlds highest battleground where India and Pakistan have fought intermittently since April 1984 and which has also been the scene of many natural disasters, leaving hundreds of soldiers dead or maimed. On Tuesday, it was, however, a dissimilar and unique sight along what is actually a huge slice of ice. Dozens of soldiers lined up on the frost to observe the World Yoga Day. The event was organized by Armys Fire & Fury Corps. Similar functions were held at different locations in Ladakhs twin districts of Leh and Kargil and other forward areas along the borders with Pakistan and China, defence spokesperson Colonel S.D. Goswami said. Apart from giving an impetus to physical fitness, the event aimed to popularise yoga and also to spread awareness on benefits of yoga amongst the soldiers, he said. The Indian Army has incorporated Yoga Asanas into the daily routine of the soldiers in high altitude areas including Siachen as they stay deployed in harsh climatic conditions and yoga is only helping them to cope with it. Practice of Yoga by soldiers in such an environment helps them to combat various diseases such as high altitude sickness, hypoxia, pulmonary oedema and the psychological stresses of isolation and fatigue, he said adding The respiratory adaptations of Pranayama help the soldiers to better adapt to the low oxygen environment in high altitude areas. Army said that a positive, well relaxed and de-stressed body and mind is the most significant benefit of yoga which in turn assists the soldiers to operate successfully, in such a challenging environment. The yoga sessions at all locations were organised by trained instructors who explained and demonstrated the correct postures for various asanas while explaining their benefits. Yellowstone County Judge Gregory Todd denied a move to dismiss charges against Jessy Lee Williams based on allegations the Yellowstone County Attorney's office withheld evidence prior to trial. In March, two defense attorneys moved to have charges dropped against Williams because the Yellowstone County Attorney's office had withheld evidence regarding evidence tampering at the Montana State Crime Lab. Williams was convicted on Nov. 6, 2015, of sexual intercourse without consent, aggravated burglary and aggravated assault. According to the defense attorneys, information regarding evidence tampering by former Montana State Crime Lab Evidence Technician Steve Brester was not turned over to them prior to Williams' trial. Evidence regarding Brester's handling of evidence in Williams' case might have led to a different outcome at trial, the attorneys asserted. However, Judge Todd did not agree. In his order denying the defense's move for dismissal, Todd wrote that Brester was fired from his position in June 2015, after evidence was submitted to the crime lab regarding Williams' case. He added only DNA evidence was submitted and Brester was being investigated for removing opiates from evidence as it was being returned from the lab to various state agencies. "Williams was never charged with any drug offense and no evidence regarding drugs was offered in this case," Todd wrote. He said while the County Attorney's office did fail to provide the defense with a letter from Assistant Attorney General Brant Lightly concerning the tampering, the evidence would not be considered relevant to Williams' case. Brester was hired to the Montana State Crime Lab in the fall of 2014. According to testimony provided by Montana State Crime Lab employees regarding Brester's evidence tampering, Evidence Section Supervisor and Quality Assurance Manager Emily Wemlinger said she noticed discrepancies in Brester's work on June 15, 2015. Wemlinger said Brester had on several occasions reported "accidentally" cutting into evidence before it was shipped back to an agency. She said when this would happen, he'd alert his supervisor and when it became a pattern, she became suspicious. Brester was terminated on June 18, 2015, following an initial investigation by crime lab staff. A Brady violation objection, which means withholding evidence that might exonerate an accused person, has overturned convictions in Montana as recently as November when Richard Raugust, accused of murdering his friend in 1997, was granted a new trial by Sanders County District Judge James Wheelis. The defense said testimony was withheld from the defense that could have cast some of the evidence in a different light. Raugust is represented by attorneys with Montana's Innocence Project. A 2013 dissenting opinion written by Alex Kozinski, the former Chief Justice for the Ninth Circuit of Appeals, said there was an "epidemic" of Brady violations taking place across the country. He cited more than 20 cases that had come before the Ninth Circuit between 2007 and 2013 regarding Brady violations. Kozinski's dissent revolved around the conviction of Kenneth Olsen, who was accused of manufacturing ricin, a highly toxic poison. Former Montana State Crime Lab employee, Arnold Melnikoff, who was working in Washington State at the time, determined the pills found in Olson's possession could be ricin. Before joining the WSP, Melnikoff started and ran the Montana State Crime Laboratory. While there, he conducted a hair sample analysis that resulted in the conviction of Jimmy Ray Bromgard of Billings for raping an 8-year-old girl. When a DNA analysis exonerated Bromgard after he had spent 15 years in prison, officials in Washington and Montana were made aware. According to Kozinski's dissent, Washington launched an investigation into Melnikoffs misconduct involving courtroom testimony and/or case analysis." A month before Olsens trial began, a third Montana inmate was exonerated due to Melnikoff's case involvement. Melnikoffs employment with the Washington State Police was eventually terminated, Kozinski said. The Washington Court of Appeals found "Melnikoff was incompetent and committed gross misconduct. The proposal was placed before the council on Tuesday and was approved unanimously to rename the central library as BR Ambedkar Library. (Photo: File) New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru University on Tuesday gave a go ahead to the renaming of the varsity's central library as BR Ambedkar Library following demands from BJP's student wing ABVP. The ABVP which is locked in an ideological battle with the Left-backed groups on campus had in April also demanded a statue of the architect of Indian Constitution be installed there. Read: CBI lab finds JNU Afzal Guru event's raw footage to be authentic The varsity's library committee approved the proposal which was on Tuesday placed before the Executive Council, the statutory decision making body of the university. "The proposal was placed before the council on Tuesday and was approved unanimously to rename the central library as BR Ambedkar Library," an EC member said. Read: 36 JNU students detained after protest outside HRD ministry The Left-groups active on campus had termed the ABVP's demands "ironic" alleging that "it's weird on one hand the government is terrorising students who pursue Ambedkarite politics, while its student wing on the other hand is hell bent upon appropriating Ambedkar". The ABVP had also written to President Pranab Mukherjee and HRD Ministry demanding the renaming of the library after Ambedkar, the convention centre after APJ Abdul Kalam and the stadium ground after the freedom fighter Birsa Munda. However, the EC members claimed no proposals about the convention centre and the stadium ground were placed before it on Tuesday. Chennai: Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa on Monday likened the opposition DMK to Rip Van Winkle in waking up all of a sudden and asking her what steps she had taken to retrieve Katchatheevu (an islet ceded to Sri Lanka by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi) in the interest of Tamil Nadu fishermen. The DMK, which shared power with any party that formed the government at the Centre, could have used its influence and retrieved the islet. Your leader and former chief minister Mr Karunanidhi then boasted that the Prime Minister acted as per his guidance. Why didnt he then exert pressure on the Centre to retrieve Katchatheevu? After having slept for so many years, now you wake up suddenly like Rip Van Winkle, and ask me in the Assembly why I have not taken steps to retrieve the islet. You dont have the locus standi to question me, Ms Jayalalithaa said amid the thumping of treasury benches. The decision was taken at a meeting of the state Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. (Photo: File) Mumbai: Maharashtra government on Tuesday approved a proposal to grant minority status to Jews in the state. The decision was taken at a meeting of the state Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. "Maharashtra Cabinet approves minority status to Jew community. This decision will benefit students from these communities to avail scholarships from the state government and setting up of educational institutions," Fadnavis said. Read: No timeline set to declare Jews as minority: Govt The move, which was announced by then Maharashtra Minority Affairs Minister Eknath Khadse, is expected to make life easier for members of the community in the state. After being officially recognised as a minority community, the Jews would enjoy several privileges like other minority communities. It would become easier for them to register their marriages. They would also be able to set up their own educational institutes and practice and promote their culture. Jews have been a part of the Indian society for over 2,300 years now. According to 2001 Census, the number of Jews living in India was 4,650 with 2,466 of them residing in Maharashtra. However, Principal Secretary of Minority department, Jayashree Mukherjee said the state government has no official record of the number of people from the community in Maharashtra. She also said that there will not be an additional burden on the state exchequer with their inclusion in minorities. "The Jews should have been given (minority status) long back, but somehow they weren't given. The government has no official records of the number of people in the community as their population is too less. But, according to them (community members), their population in the state is 2,466," she told PTI. When asked why the community was given the minority status now, she said, "They asked for it now so we gave it." "As far as financial aspects are concerned, their inclusion will not have any effect on the state exchequer and the burden will borne from the existing budget itself," Mukherjee said. The Jews of Manipur and Mizoram identify themselves as Beni Menashe. There are also some in Andhra Pradesh who call themselves Bene Ephraim Jews. India is one of the few countries in the world where Jews have never faced any harassment or persecution. The Cabinet also approved setting up of Counter insurgency and Anti-Terrorist School at Surabuldi, Nagpur. This will provide state-of-the-art training facilities to police department for jungle and field tactics, map reading, ambush and handling of different weapons. Centre and Maharashtra government will jointly contribute funds for this school. The Cabinet also sanctioned creation of various posts for this school. The Cabinet approved handing over of the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital from Ichalkaranji Municipal Council to the state government. It also decided to hand over 1440 sq mt of govt land to Gondia Municipal Council for construction of a 'Samaj Bhavan'. Chandigarh: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday joined over 30,000 people here for the second International Yoga Day celebrations as he pitched for treating diseases like diabetes through the ancient spiritual discipline. Modi, dressed in a white-coloured t-shirt and trouser along with a scarf, led over 30,000 participants, including defence forces personnel and school children, for the second International Day of Yoga celebrations here at the Capitol Complex amid tight security. The Prime Minister, who arrived here last night, participated in a mass demonstration of 'Common Yoga Protocol'. A yoga enthusiast himself, he performed yoga 'asanas' along with the people at the event. Read: International Yoga Day: Union ministers roll out yoga mat across country Over 30,000 people from all ages, 10,000 each from Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana performed yoga 'asanas' on pink and blue coloured mats during the event. Separately, about 10,000 people also performed yoga at over 100 other locations in Chandigarh itself. Earlier addressing the gathering, Modi pitched for treating diabetes through yoga. "I want to request trainers who are associated with yoga, from this public platform. From next year when we celebrate yoga day, in this one year, you continue to do what you do for yoga but focus on one subject and this is my subject -- diabetes -- Diabetes and yoga," he said. "All people belonging to the yoga field, whatever knowledge they have, they must continue with the rest of their yoga activities but this (diabetes) must be the main focus," Modi said. WATCH: PM Narendra Modi doing Yoga in Chandigarh #YogaDayhttps://t.co/efar5Dim3b ANI (@ANI_news) June 21, 2016 Expressing concern over rising number of patients suffering from diabetes, Modi asked yoga trainers to help in controlling the disease. "In India, patients suffering from diabetes are rising. We might be able to get rid of this disease or not but with the help of yoga, diabetes can be controlled. Can we start a public campaign to suggest measures in yoga to the common man suffering from diabetes. "It will be an achievement if we can help in treating diabetes. From next year, we can take another disease. But I want that for good health, we should address any one disease every year. We should run a public campaign with an aim to address one disease," he said. Yoga is not only a way to get rid of a disease but it also guarantees wellness. For holistic development of lives, yoga is a great way, he said. "India has given invaluable heritage to the world as we celebrate the second International Yoga Day. The world has accepted it in their way. Today from Indian government side, I am going to announce two awards. Next year, when yoga day will be celebrated on June 21, then from India, there will be a selection for two awards," Modi said. "One at the international level for those putting in excellent work in the field of yoga and the second one for those working in the field within the country. One International Yoga Award and the second National Yoga Award," he said. After performing Yoga, the Prime Minister mingled with the people at the event, some of whom even took selfies with him. He also met handicapped participants during the event. Defence forces personnel, ITBP personnel, Punjab Armed Police personnel, Punjab University students and school children were among the participants. Wearing blue and white coloured t-shirts and black trousers, the participants reached the venue early in the morning to perform yoga asanas at the mega event. For the main event, the emphasis this year was on the participation of 'Divyangs' (handicapped persons), a term coined by Prime Minister Modi for the differently-abled. About 150 Divyangs were assisted in performing yoga 'asanas' at the Capitol Complex. Elaborate arrangements had been put in place to ensure a smooth performance, officials said. The Capitol complex was divided into 8 blocks where 500 master trainers along with their team members performed asanas. Several LED screens were put up at the venue, where 300 bio-toilets and 30,000 mats had been put in place. Tight security arrangements were made with more than 5,000 police and paramilitary personnel keeping a vigil at the venue. Private vehicles were also barred from going near the venue. Punjab and Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki, who is also Union Territory Chandigarh'a Administrator, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar were among those present at the event. The Prime Minister stressed that yoga was not about taking or receiving but about a healthy body. "Sometimes, people cannot understand it (Yoga) fully because of their lesser ability to understand it. This science is not for taking and receiving. Yoga is not for what one gets, yoga is what I can give and how I can get relief from different things, it is way to get mukti (salvation). "All religions, communities etc. emphasise on what we will get after death in parlok (heaven). They say if you pray this way, then you will get this thing in parlok. Yoga is not for parlok," he said. The Prime Minister said yoga is a science for life and not a religious activity. "It is not a religious activity. How will you get peace in your mind, how will you get healthy body, how unity remains in society, it gives power in that direction. Yoga is not a science for parlok. It is a science for this life," he said. "Therefore, Yoga gives training to help body, mind, intelligence, spirit working in a synchronrised way. If we see ourselves, if we walk or not, we may be alert or lazy, our body can be anything. But our mann (mind) can never be stable," Modi said. The Prime Minister said countries like India can save on their healht budget by adopting preventive healthcare measures like yoga. "Therefore, it is necessary to connect Yoga with life. I request all people, to know yourself, to increase your capability, do not wait and make Yoga part of your life. The way mobile has become part of everyday life, you can make yoga part of your life easily. It is not a difficult job," he said. "There is no health insurance in world with zero budget. But yoga provides health assurance in zero budget. Yoga does not understand difference between rich and poor, intelligent and illiterate, even poorest of poor and richest of rich can perform yoga easily," he said. "Mind is unstable and body is stable. It is Yoga which shows how to keep your mind stable and make our body moving...If this is balanced, then our body can become committed to achieve our aims in our lives. Yoga is meant for both believer and non-believer," he said. Urging people not to put Yoga into any controversy, Modi stressed upon people to adopt Yoga for good life. "You must have seen, gynaecologists request pregnant women to do Yoga. They send them to Yoga trainers. As time goes by, we have become very busy...We have become cut off from ourselves. Yoga unites us with ourselves. "Without putting Yoga in any controversy I want, for benefit of the masses, we should connect with Yoga. To unite with yourself, yoga is the great way, I am confident that we will move ahead in this path," he said. Modi noted that all countries across the world were associated with Yoga Day celebrations. "Through United Nations, International Yoga day is being celebrated throughout the world. The whole world supported it whether it was developed or developing nations. Every section of the society supported it. "There are several days celebrated by UN including World Cancer Day, World Health Day, World Mental Health Day, and several others. In the field of sports, there are several days which are celebrated. But this (IDY) is the only, which has direct relation with health and also with physical, mental and social health," he said adding, "I think, this speaks about the power of this heritage, identity of this heritage which was given by our ancestors." The Prime Minister also noted that Yoga has turned into a "very big business" and has been offering job opportunities for youth. In his nearly 25 minute address, he said the Centre was working in the direction of fixing protocols and norms for promoting Yoga across the world. Before performing Yoga asanas himself, the Prime Minister first met "Divyangs" and then walked around surveying people performing asanas. Towards the end, Modi freely mingled with the participants, who surrounded him and took the opportunity to take selfies with the Prime Minister. Over 30,000 people from all ages -- 10,000 each from Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana -- performed yoga 'asanas' on pink, red and blue coloured mats during the function. Separately, about 10,000 people also performed yoga at over 100 other locations in Chandigarh itself. In the run up to the event, Modi released a commemorative postal stamp on Surya Namaskara in the national capital on Monday. The Ministry of Human Resource Development took up the initiative of 'Yoga Olympiad', which saw participation of school children from across 21 states. Over 173 Indian missions across the world organised Yoga Day celebrations to spread awareness about the ancient Indian exercise. Besides the main event, several Indian missions have organised a series of curtain raiser events in various parts of the world to spread Yoga awareness. Meanwhile, the United Nations headquarters in New York was lit up ahead of International Yoga Day. The United Nations General Assembly declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga on December 11 in 2014 after a call from Narendra Modi during his address to UN General Assembly on September 27. Modi has made 40 foreign trips in the last two years. The new aircraft will be fitted with the latest technology and security features. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to get a new state-of-the-art Boeing 777-300 aircraft for official purposes. According to a report, Modi will now travel abroad in a brand new Air India One aircraft, much like US President Barack Obama's Air Force One. For two decades, a VIP Boeing 747 jet has been used to ferry VVIPs, but will now be discarded. Read: Modi to meet Xi Jinping on June 23 to win support for India's NSG membership Modi has made 40 foreign trips in the last two years. The new aircraft will be fitted with the latest technology and security features. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar is likely to finalise the deal of two new Boeing 777-300s in the Defence Acquisition Council meeting to be held on June 25. With PM Modi high on the target list of various terror groups, the aircraft will be equipped with hi-tech security equipment. The aircraft is made of special radar-absorbing metal, according to a defence analyst quoted in the report. It is equipped with technology that can dodge enemy radar and also retaliate in case of an air attack. The aircraft is equipped with the latest communication facilities and capable of withstanding grenade and rocket attacks as well as dodging and jamming enemy radar. Its robust defence systems include radar warning receivers and missile-approach warning systems, as well as anti-missile systems. The plane can be refuelled in the air, can store food for up to 2000 people, has doctors available 24x7 as well as an emergency operating theatre. It also boasts of 19 TV sets, broadband, radio and telecom connections and an executive office and bedroom. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping on June 23 in Uzbekistan capital Tashkent in an attempt to win Beijing's support for India's membership to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). Prime Minister Modi will be meeting President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit meeting that is currently on in Tashkent. The SCO is a Eurasian political, economic, and military organization which was founded in 2001 in Shanghai by China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Highly placed sources said that the meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping will be an exclusive one-on-one discussion, where the top agenda would be to seek China's support for India's membership in the NSG. China, till now, has been playing the role of a dampener on the issue of clearing the way for India's admission to the NSG, by repeatedly stating that it is not on the agenda of the grouping which began its plenary session in Seoul, South Korea, yesterday. On the other hand, the United States has called on the participating governments of the NSG to support India's application for membership. State Department spokesperson John Kirby said in a press briefing that Washington has not changed its stand regarding India's application for membership to the elite group. "Well, as you know, during Prime Minister Modi's visit, the President (Barack Obama) welcomed India's application to join the NSG and reaffirmed that India is ready for membership. We continue to call - and nothing's changed about our position. We continue to call on the participating governments of the NSG to support India's application at the plenary session this week in Seoul," he said. When asked if the Obama government has taken up the matter with China, who has been firmly against India's inclusion in the NSG, Kerry asserted that the US has routinely spoken to other NSG participating members regarding the matter. "This is something that we have - India's application is something we have routinely talked to other NSG participating members. This is not a new topic of discussion that we've had privately with the members," he said. Ahead of the NSG meeting in Seoul to decide upon India and Pakistan's membership, China reportedly continued its resolute stand yesterday, saying that the matter of India's admission was not on the agenda. This statement came as a backhand to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's optimistic statement earlier, that China is not blocking India's entry to the NSG but is only talking about 'criteria and procedures'. "The NSG entry is crucial for India's energy policy. China is not blocking India's entry to the NSG. It is only talking about criteria and procedures. I am hopeful that we would be able to convince China to support our entry to the NSG," Swaraj said in a press briefing. Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar made a two-day trip to China on June 16 and 17 to discuss India's NSG membership with his Chinese counterpart. China has maintained that more talks were needed to build a consensus on which countries can join the 48-nation NSG following the United States' push to include India in the elite group. The countries, who oppose India's membership, argue that its inclusion in the group would further undermine efforts to prevent proliferation and also infuriate New Delhi's rival Pakistan. Islamabad, which enjoys the backing of its close ally China, has also responded to India's membership bid and asked for its admission as well. The decision on Indian membership will only be decided at the NSG plenary meeting in Seoul scheduled on June 23 and 24. India claims that 21 of 23 nations back its bid. The NSG works on unanimity and even one "no" vote can scuttle India's bid. The US has strongly backed India's bid and so have Britain, Russia and Switzerland. Under the new rules, office bearers of such NGOs will be treated as 'public servants' and charged under the anti-corruption law in case of irregularities. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: In order to keep a check on the funding of NGOs, organisations receiving more than Rs one crore as government grant and donations above Rs 10 lakh from abroad have been brought under the ambit of the Lokpal. Under the new rules, office bearers of such NGOs will be treated as "public servants" and charged under the anti-corruption law in case of irregularities, official sources said in Delhi on Tuesday. Read: NGOs want to defame me, says Narendra Modi The Home Ministry has been made the "competent authority" to take action against executives of foreign-funded NGOs in case they are found misutilising overseas grants, they said. Any person who is or has been a director, manager, secretary or any other officer of a society, association of persons or trust (whether registered under any law for the time being in force or not), wholly or partly financed by the government, and the annual income of which exceeds Rs one crore will be under the Lokpal ambit, as per the new rules issued by the Department of Personnel and Training. Read: NGOs tell Modi not to succumb to US pressure on intellectual property The move comes close on the heels of the government cancelling licences of two NGOs -- Lawyers Collective and Sabrang Trust--recently for allegedly misutilising funds received from overseas. The new rules will apply to the NGOs, Limited Liability Partnership firms or any such group partly or wholly financed by the central government. Any of the top executives of the NGOs are supposed to file annual returns relating to receipt of donations from a foreign source "till such time the entire amount of the donation aforesaid, received by such society or association of persons or trust stands fully utilised", it said. In case of NGOs receiving government grants here, the Minister-in-charge of a department of ministry giving the highest amount of aid to any such organisation will act as the competent authority to decide on action in the event of violations by them. Srinagar/Jammu: Separatist leaders from Jammu and Kashmir, including Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, have been invited by the Pakistan High Commission for the annual Iftar party in New Delhi on June 25. Most of the top and middle-rung separatist leaders from both factions of Hurriyat Conference as well as the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front have been invited to the event. "Yes, we have received an invitation from Pakistan High Commission for an Iftar party on June 25," Ayaz Akbar, spokesperson for the hardline Hurriyat faction led by Geelani told PTI. Akbar said around 30 members belonging to various constituents of the Geelani's faction have been invited by the Pakistan High Commission. They include Geelani, Ashraf Sehrai, Shabir Shah and Nayeem Khan, Akbar said. Though it was not yet decided whether Geelani would attend, the Hurriyat will be represented at the Iftar party, he said. The moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and its other executive members have also been invited, Mirwaiz's media advisor Shahid-ul-Islam said. Apart from Mirwaiz, former Hurriyat chairmen Moulana Abbas Ansari and Abdul Gani Bhat have also been invited, he said. Islam said no decision has been taken yet by the Mirwaiz-led Hurriyat faction on attending the party. "We have some days till Saturday to decide on it," he said. JKLF chief Mohammad Yasin Malik has also been invited, a party spokesperson said. However, as Malik is under police custody, a decision on attending the Iftar party has been not taken, the spokesperson said. Meanwhile, Union Minister of State in PMO, Jitendra Singh reacted with caution to the issue, saying the Ministry of External Affairs will take a call on it. "I think the Ministry of External Affairs will take a call on it," Singh told reporters. He was replying to a question on whether the invitation extended to the separatists for Iftar by the Pakistan High Commissioner was a provocation by the neighbouring country with regard to normalisation of Indo-Pak relations. On Sunday, addressing Shiv Sena workers at the party's golden jubilee year celebration, Uddhav Thackeray had said he would not have any twisted alliance with the ruling partner BJP for BMC polls. (Photo: PTI) Mumbai: Softening its stand against the BJP after censuring it over a host of issues, the Shiv Sena on Tuesday said criticism over policies should not be taken personally and that those who want to improve, take comments with an open heart and bring about necessary changes. "Criticism done on policies should not be taken personally. Doing so increases stress. Governments keep committing mistakes. But, in a democracy, it is necessary these mistakes are pointed out," an editorial in Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' said today. "Criticism is not only done to change or remove governments, but to improve its functioning. Those who want to improve take criticism sportingly and with an open heart. A good ruler needs to place his feet on the ground, keep his mind calm and respect criticism," the ruling ally said. On Sunday, addressing Shiv Sena workers at the party's golden jubilee year celebration, Uddhav Thackeray had said he would not have any "twisted" alliance with the ruling partner BJP for BMC polls, and asked the cadres to be ready to contest the polls without alliance. Notably, a senior BJP minister had on Monday said despite Uddhav Thackeray's assertion that he would not accept a "twisted" alliance deal with BJP for the next year's civic polls in Mumbai, he was keen to sew up an alliance. Meanwhile, reacting to the Sena's change in stand, the opposition Congress and NCP said these comments were expected. "We had expected the Sena to soften its stand against the BJP. The Sena knows the corruption that it has allowed in the BMC running into thousands of crores, will ensure that it does not retain power. Thus, they now want to use the BJP to fulfil its agenda," Congress spokesperson Al-Nasser Zakaria alleged. NCP legislator Kiran Pawaskar alleged, "BJP has a policy of teaching a lesson to anybody who revolts against it. It feared Eknath Khadse, so his PA was found involved in corruption and subsequently the minister had to resign." "Now, the Sena is a thorn in BJP's throat. We wonder if the BJP wanted to play a similar tactic with Deepak Sawant, through his PS Sunil Mali and this made the Sena go soft against the BJP," he further claimed. The government has alerted the CRPF, BSF and the army and handed over the security of the airbase to them. (Photo: PTI) Jammu: Terrorists are hiding in villages close to the "vulnerable" Pathankot airbase, which can come under fresh attack from them, the Parliamentary Standing Committee (PSC) on Home Affairs said on Tuesday. It said the government has been informed about it and security of the strategically important facility beefed up. The committee was in Jammu to review the security arrangements along the international border and had earlier gone to Pathankot. "After going back from Pathankot, we made our suggestions to the government and said that there can be further attack on Pathankot... We were told by the villagers that some terrorists were still hiding in the villages there," Chairman of the committee P Bhattacharya told reporters here on Tuesday. After the recommendation of the committee, the government has alerted the CRPF, BSF and the army and handed over the security of the airbase to them, he said. "Do you know that a few days ago, government asked the CRPF, BSF and the Army to guard the air force station because some terrorists are hiding there. How they are hiding there, it is not my business to find out but as we got the information from the villagers, it was very clear to us that they are hiding somewhere. We have informed the Government of India about it," Bhattacharya said. When asked to comment on the permission granted by the Indian government to the Pakistani investigation team to visit Pathankot airbase to probe the January 2 attack, he said he was not in favour of allowing Pakistani intelligence officers to visit the strategic facility. "The committee does not support the idea of the Government of India of bringing this intelligence branch of Pakistan here. What for? But for any foreign policy of the Government of India, we are not the proper fora, we cannot take the decision to do this and not to do this", he said. A five-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) from Pakistan had visited India between March 27 and 31 to collect evidence with regard to the attack. Bhattacharya said the policy guidelines have to be framed by the Indian government. "The committee conducted intensive tours of Indo-Bangla border and India-Pakistan border and now we are heading towards Srinagar. "We went to Pathankot which is the most vulnerable area", he said. The committee said it was satisfied with the measures being taken by the BSF to check infiltration, but advocated providing fully modern equipment to the force. "As of now, they have explained to us the way they are trying to prevent infiltration. You cannot say what is happening today or tomorrow but up till now, it is all right," Bhattacharya said. Replying to a question regarding Pakistan violating international norms on the IB by constructing concrete bunkers, Bhattacharya said India should take up the matter very seriously with Pakistan. "As I understand from the government of India's stand, they have taken a strong stand on this issue," he said. He added that the BSF jawans guarding the international border in Jammu and other parts of the country need the most modern amenities and equipment. Referring to the problems faced by troops at the border, Bhattacharya said the committee will submit its recommendations to the ministry of home affairs and the ministry of foreign affairs and would want them to solve those. "Right now, we cannot disclose our recommendations to you, but we have made some observations and those problems have to be sorted out by the Ministry of Home or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. After we submit these papers to the Government of India, the Home Ministry and the Foreign Ministry should sort out all the problems, maintain peace and ensure complete harmony in this part of the country," he said. He said that the committee had the opportunity to discuss the problems being faced by the farmers living along the International Border (IB) in Jammu region and would ask the Indian government to redress those at the earliest. A sex offender was sentenced to the Montana State Prison Monday, with the judge saying it was unusual to have such a strong recommendation for incarceration. Joseph Thomas Whitewolf, 43, was sentenced to 15 years with an additional 15 years of supervision after his psychosexual evaluation indicated he would offend again. Whitewolf was also designated a level two sexual offender. At the sentencing, Senior Deputy County Attorney Mary Barry read excerpts from a state evaluation of Whitewolf. Whitewolf said a sexual encounter can only be called rape if "the person or child fights back the entire time." Whitewolf also said that, "Children are only harmed when offenders use force to have sex." "Perhaps this is a matter of education," Barry said. However, she said it pointed to Whitewolf's continued denial of his actions and his increased risk to hurt another child in the future. Barry said she feared for the future of the children who cross his path if he does not take action against future sexual deviancy. Yellowstone County District Court Judge Gregory Todd said it was rare for him to get a report that says in such clear terms a defendant's risk is too high to warrant community-based treatment. In addition to incarceration, Whitewolf must complete two phases of sex offender treatment prior to his release. He received credit for 355 days served in the Yellowstone County Detention Facility. Charging documents state that between March and April 2014, Whitewolf sexually assaulted a child while her mother wasnt home. The girl only got away when her mother called the house and she was able to pretend she needed to use the bathroom, documents state. The girl told her grandmother, her aunt and her sister as well as her mother. The incidents were reported to police through a school counselor who the girl told in September 2014. A committee will during its four-day visit to Kashmir Valley review the situation on borders and in the hinterland and meet top officials of various security forces. (Photo: PTI) Srinagar: Terrorists have been hiding in villages close to the Pathankot airbase in Punjab and may carry out a second terror attack on the airbase. This startling claim was made by a Parliamentary Standing Committee (PSC) on Home Affairs on Tuesday, sending alarming bells ringing in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. On January 2 this year, a heavily armed group of terrorists attacked the Pathankot Air Force Station, part of the Western Air Command of the Indian Air Force. Four attackers and two security forces personnel were killed in the initial battle, with an additional security force member dying from injuries hours later. Read: Pak has not declined NIA team's visit to probe Pathankot attack: Sushma The PSC on Home Affairs said that the government has been informed about the new development and security of the strategically important yet vulnerable facility has been beefed up further. Before arriving in Srinagar from the winter capital on a four day visit, the members of the committee were in Jammu for three days. During this time they held a high level review of the situation prevailing along the International Border (IB) in Jammu sector with top officers of BSF, civil and police administration and also interacted with border dwellers. Read: JeM leader who directed Pathankot attack flees to Afghanistan After going back from Pathankot, we made our suggestions to the government and said that there can be further attacks on Pathankot. We were told by the villagers that some terrorists were still hiding in the villages there," Chairman of the committee P Bhattacharya told reporters in Jammu on Tuesday. He added that after the recommendation of the committee, the government has alerted the BSF, the CRPF and the Army and handed over the security of the airbase to them. Bhattacharya said, Do you know that a few days ago, government asked the CRPF, BSF and the Army to guard the air force station because some terrorists are hiding there? It is not my business to find out how, but as we got the information from the villagers and it was very clear to us that they are hiding somewhere. We have informed the Government of India about it." When asked to comment on the permission granted by the Central government to the Pakistani investigation team to visit Pathankot airbase to probe the January 2 attack, he said he was not in favour of allowing Pakistani intelligence officers to visit the strategic facility. The committee does not support the idea of bringing this intelligence branch of Pakistan here. What for? But for discussion of any foreign policy of the Government of India, we are not the proper forum, we cannot take the decision to do this and not to do this", he said adding the policy guidelines have to be framed by the Government in Delhi. He also said that the committee conducted intensive tours of the India-Bangladesh border and India-Pakistan border and was now heading for Srinagar. "We went to Pathankot which is the most vulnerable area", he said. Replying to questions, he said that the committee is satisfied with the measures being taken by the BSF to check infiltration but, at the same time, wanted fully modern equipment provided to the paramilitary force to cope with the challenges it faces on the borders. "As of now, they have explained to us the way they are trying to prevent infiltration. You cannot say what will happen today or tomorrow but up till now, it is all right," he said. There are ten other members, both from Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, on the PSC on Home Affairs. They are stationed in Jammu and Kashmir to review the entire situation prevailing on the borders. In Jammu, the committee visited Octroi forward post in RS Pura sector, Pittal in Arnia sector and Jakh in Samba sector during their day-long visit to IB. IG BSF, Jammu Frontiers, DK Upadhyaya, gave a detailed briefing to the PSC members at BSF Headquarters Paloura. Divisional Commissioner, Jammu Pawan Kotwal and IGP Jammu Danesh Rana also briefed the committee on the situation, official sources said. The committee will during its four-day visit to Kashmir Valley review the situation on borders and in the hinterland and meet top officials of various security forces apart from mainstream political leadership, After completing the J&K visit, the committee is scheduled to visit Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat before finalising their report and submitting it to the Parliament. Chennai: Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa on Monday announced in the Assembly an enhanced relief of Rs 1 crore to the family of police head constable Munusamy, who was killed by chain snatchers in Krishnagiri district. Ms Jayalalithaa said she had directed the Chief Secretary to issue a revised Government Order to sanction enhanced sums as relief to the police personnel who die or sustain grievous injuries in instances of bravery. Making a suo moto announcement, Ms Jayalalithaa enhanced the compensation from Rs 5 lakh, announced last week, to Rs 1 crore to the family of head constable Munusamy, who was killed in Hosur. Although I had sanctioned Rs. 5 lakh in line with government rules, it is my firm belief that this amount is not enough for the family of Munusamy, who was killed while trying to nab the chain-snatcher, she said. Stating that she was saddened to know that Head Constable Munusamy of Hosur police station, who was attacked by a gang of robbers, succumbed to injuries in hospital, the chief minister, taking into account his supreme sacrifice, had ordered to enhance the sum to Rs 1 crore for Munusamys family. Nagpur: Yoga should be adopted as a lifestyle by people in the country which will help them to live without stress, Union Minister for Transport and Shipping Nitin Gadkari said on Tuesday. Gadkari led the people of Nagpur in practising 'asanas' as part of the International Yoga Day celebrations at Yeshwant Stadium in Nagpur early this morning. He said yoga has many benefits as it keeps one healthy and disease free, provides inner peace and also helps develop the personality of an individual. "Yoga is the best exercise to stay healthy and stay away from diseases, and indeed it should be adopted by the people as a lifestyle," Gadkari said addressing the yoga enthusiasts. The Yoga Day was organised by Nagpur Municipal Corporation, Janardan Swamy Yogabhayasi Mandal and other organisations in which lakhs of people, including children and and senior citizens, took part. District Guardian and state Energy Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, city Mayor Pravin Datke, legislators Milind Mane, Vikas Kumbhare and N G Ganar, Municipal Commissioner Shrawan Hardikar were present on the occasion. In Nagpur Central Prison, about 350 inmates, including undertrials have been practising yoga everyday. Around 136 prisoners who cleared exams on yoga were given a remittance of three months, jail superintendent Yogesh Desai told PTI, adding that two exams are conducted in May and October. The Central Railway also organised a yoga session on the occasion at their community hall at Ajni here in which Divisional Railway Manager, CR Nagpur, Brajesh Kumar Gupta, Additional DRM Dr Jaideep Gupta, all branch officers, members of scouts and guide and personnel of RPF took part, Central Railway PRO Pravin Patil said. Consumers are being asked to submit declaration forms at gas agencies as the Centre, in December 2015, decided to withdraw LPG subsidy for consumers with income of more than Rs 10 lakh per annum. (Representational image) Hyderabad: LPG companies are sending messages to consumers with incomes of more than Rs 10 lakh per annum that their subsidies will be cancelled. Many consumers in Telangana state and Andhra Pradesh have been receiving SMS stating: Since your income is above Rs 10 lakh, LPG subsidy is not admissible as per governments directive. Please submit a declaration to the distributor if your income is below Rs 10 lakh. However, apart from business persons, even consumers who are below the poverty line are getting these messages, leading to widespread confusion. Regional manager of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited Madhukar Ingole told this newspaper that the Income-Tax department had not shared any information with them. Those whose income is more than Rs 10 lakh have already given up their subsidy. We have been insisting to all consumers to submit a declaration if their income is below Rs 10 lakh. Some consumers have responded and many are yet to submit declarations. We are considering those consumers who have not submitted declarations as having incomes above Rs 10 lakh and are sending the messages, he said. He advised all consumers to log-in to the website of their LPG company, like HPCL, BPCL and IOCL, for submitting declarations or to visit their LPG dealer and submit offline declarations. Hyderabad: According to reports, the money was transferred by an agent who appeared to be acting on behalf of the absolute ruler of one of the largest and richest of the Indian princely states, the seventh Nizam of Hyderabad. Following Partition in 1947, the numerous princely states within the subcontinent were permitted by the UK to elect to join either of the two new dominions, or to remain independent. The Nizam chose to remain independent. However, on September 18, 1948, Hyderabad was annexed to India. On September 20, 1948, the money was transferred to Rahimtoola by the agent. On September 27, 1948, the Nizam sought to reverse the transfer of money, claiming that it had been made without his authority. The bank was unwilling to comply with the Nizams request without the agreement of the account holder. Such consent was not forthcoming, and for a number of years matters remained unresolved. As the successor state to the Nizams State of Hyderabad, India has all along sought to claim the money, maintaining that it was the states money and not the Nizams private wealth. Earlier, Nawab Moin Nawaz Jung, the then Finance Minister of Hyderabad, had transferred 1 million pounds to the account of Habib Ibrahim Rahimtoola, Pakistan High Commissioner in London. The dispute surrounding that money remains unresolved to this day. The Royal Bank of Scotland (formerly the National Westminster Bank) insists that India, Pakistan and the Nizams heirs come to an agreement. The fund has now grown to Rs 323 crore. Moin Nawaz Jung, who was also Hyderabads Agent General in London, had said that the money was held in trust by the Pakistan High Commissioner. The Nizam had ordered an inquiry into the episode. Former media adviser to ex-PM Manmohan Singh, Sanjay Baru, interacts with ex-PM P.V. Narasimha Raos grandson N.V. Subhash and former CBI director K. Vijayarama Rao at a panel discussion in Hyderabad on Tuesday. DC Hyderabad: Congress president Sonia Gandhi didnt expect P.V. Narasimha Rao to last as PM for the full five-year term, but for about two years. She was worried about the Nehru-Gandhi legacy. She did everything to belittle him, said N.V. Subhash, the late PMs grandson. Mr Subhash said that though the Congress did not honour the great reformist, he was happy that Prime Minister Modi has done it. P.V.s memorial is almost ready and will be opened on June 28, on his 95th birth anniversary. If all goes well, P.V. may be honoured with Bharat Ratna next year, he said. Mr Subhash is now with the BJP. Sonia Gandhi did not want a cremation or a memorial in New Delhi since people would flock to it and he would be remembered forever in New Delhi for his reforms, casting a shadow on her legacy. She is equally scared of Narendra Modi now. Rahul Gandhi failed to continue the legacy, Congress is losing on all fronts; she is planning to induct Priyanka, he said. Mr Subhash, along with former minister and ex-CBI director K. Vijayarama Rao and former media advisor to former PM Manmohan Singh, Sanjaya Baru, participated in a panel discussion on the 25th anniversary of P.V. Narasimha Rao becoming the Prime Minister. All the panelists described Narasimha Rao as one of the greatest PMs of the country along with Pandit Nehru, Indira Gandhi and others, and an architect of economic reforms. Contrary to popular belief and joke during P.V.s rule that not taking a decision is also a decision, they asserted that P.V. was never indecisive, and cited his far-reaching reforms, the fruits of which are now being enjoyed by one and all. Mr Vijayarama Rao gave a clean chit to P.V. in the JMM cash scandal in the purchase of MPs and in the Ayodhya issue. Money was paid to JMM by two persons from AP and they innocently put it in the bank. I know who paid it, but I dont want to reveal it. I can emphatically say that P.V. was not involved, he said Dr Sanjay Baru, who is coming out with a new book on P.V. titled 1991, the year that changed India, gave full credit to the late PM for the economic reforms and asserted that even if Rajiv Gandhi was alive, P.V. would have become PM and not Rajiv. My new book will disprove earlier books written, he asserted. Hyderabad: The deadlock over sharing of assets and liabilities of institutions listed in the 10th Schedule between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana state continues. TS Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has written to the Union home ministry informing that his government has filed a review petition in the Supreme Court. Mr Chandrasekhar Rao said that Telangana state wont agree to share assets on the basis of population. At the same time TS Chief Secretary Rajeev Sharma has sent a letter to his AP counterpart, informing him of the same. In the meeting convened by the Union home ministry on Tuesday in New Delhi to discuss the sharing of assets and liabilities of the institutions listed in the 10th schedule, home ministry officials said that they will take a decision after going through the letter sent by Mr Chandrasekhar Rao. The meeting was attended by secretaries of AP and TS governments, L Premachandra Reddy and K. Rama Krishna Rao, respectively. In the meeting, Mr Premachandra Reddy reminded the home ministry that it has to take a decision two months time as directed by the Supreme Court since there was no stay order on the review petition filed by the Telangana state government. He said that a petition on the issue was not even admitted by the Supreme Court. The TS Principal Secretary said that the Supreme Court judgment applied only to the Board of Intermediate issue. To this, Mr Premachandra Reddy said that the Supreme Court ruling applies to all the 142 institutions listed in the 10th Schedule. Hyderabad: The state government, as a one-time measure, has allowed registration of agricultural land in rural areas recorded on sada bainama (plain paper). Legal experts say the decision is fraught with consequences, and could add to the pending litigation in courts. Surveys conducted with regard to litigation in subordinate and higher courts across the country show that the origin for 70 per cent of pending criminal and civil case is land. According to the report of the Koneru Ranga Rao Committee on Land, submitted in 2007, about 70 per cent of the petitions that come to the district collectors pertain to land. The TS government says, the scheme gives owners a chance to update and purify records under the Telangana Land Records Management System. According to revenue officials, regularisation of unregistered sale transactions will help persons who are recorded as occupants in the Adangal/ Pahani or in the Record of Rights. In most cases, the names of the occupants are not recorded in the appropriate columns of the Adangal/Pahani. The Adangal/Pahani are documents that provide comprehensive data on the survey number, owners name, liabilities, tenants, details of crop and yield among other details. High Court advocate N. Sreedhar Reddy said lack of entry in the revenue records always gives scope for litigation during or after regularisation. There is always the possibility of legal heirs disputing the sale of land in cases where there are no entries in the revenue records. In such cases, the occupant or person in possession of the land has to move the court for title declaration or prove that the land was in his possession for 12 years, he said. Mr Sreedhar Reddy said many of the sada bainamas are old, many of them may have seen multiple transactions. The possibility of those transactions landing before a court even after regularisation by the government by those claiming ownership is high, he said. He said that the cut-off date prescribed by the state government could lead to vested interests misusing the opportunity by creating documents in the name of dead persons. It would also give scope for corruption. Mr Sreedhar Reddy, who was special government pleader dealing with revenue cases as one of the key subjects from 2008 to 2014, said there are several cases with regard to claiming title over the land landed in the civil court. Cases of wrong entries in revenue records landed before the joint collector and district collector during and after sada bainama scheme introduced by the previous Congress government. He said a large number of cases were also pending in the High Court. High Court lawyer A. Santosh Kumar said the absence of penal provisions to punish those furnishing wrong or fake bainamas would give scope for miscreants to misuse the scheme. There is scope for invoking Section 420 of IPC (cheating) or other provisions of the IPC against fraudsters, but if the government had specified the punishment it would have deterred the practice, he said. They said the alternative is the civil court where the land owner can place all relevant evidence and get a decree for title. The sada bainama scheme is cost effective but it is for the revenue authorities to take care of all procedures to avoid future litigation, they said.. Hyderabad: The crucial Krishna River Management Board meeting in New Delhi chaired by Union irrigation secretary Amarjeet Singh saw nine-hour-long arguments by Telangana state and Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday. The meeting will resume on Wednesday. TS Irrigation department engineer-in-chief C. Murlidhar informed the media that allotment of Krishna waters between the two states and management of river waters were discussed on Tuesday. Telangana denied utilising water before the judgement of the tribunal. We have argued to make temporary allotments until the final judgement, he said. He added that Union Irrigation department officials would discuss the allotments with both states. Today no decision was taken by the board on the management of Krishna River waters. TS government wants to wait for the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal verdict on water allocations to both states, he said. Earlier, AP had argued to provide powers to the Krishna Board on allocating water to both states as per the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act. The TS government has opposed this and asked the board to maintain status-quo on the matter until the Tribunals verdict. The TS government has decided to seek 402 tmc ft of Krishna waters at the Krishna River Management Board meeting. Officials from TS have also asked for allocations as per the Bachawat Award, 2015 in case the verdict of the Brajesh Kumar Tribunal is delayed. TS objections forced meeting Officials from Telangana have also asked to allocate waters as per Bachawat Award of last year in case the verdict of Brajesh Kumar was delayed. The TS government has strongly opposed KRBM draft notification to take control of irrigation projects which led to convening of the meeting. It insisted that KRBM has only regulatory powers and no power to allocate waters or take control of projects. The families of both youths have requested the Indian government to help bring the bodies back quickly. (Photo: Namboori Sridatta - Videograb) Hyderabad: Two Indian-origin youths have died in separate drowning incidents in the United States. According to a report, Namboori Sridatta, 25, who was working with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in Arizona, drowned while picnicking with his friends at a waterfall. Sridatta slipped and fell into the water. His body was recovered by rescue workers. According to his family in Vanasthalipuram in Hyderabad, the incident took place on Sunday but they received the information late on Monday. Sridatta had gone to the US five years ago and after his education at Arizona University, got a job at TCS. "He was to come home next month but yesterday we got this shocking news," said Sridatta's father NVM Swamy. The family has appealed to the Indian government to ensure that the body is brought back to the country quickly. In another incident, P Naresh, 24, a student in California, drowned at the Livermore River Park while on a picnic on Sunday. Naresh was on a picnic with his friends on a boat when he slipped and fell into the water. The body was discovered after a search operation was launched by the local police. Naresh was studying MS and was in his second year. Nareshs father is a farmer and his family is very poor. He had decided to send money home the next month onwards after doing some part-time job. Naresh's family has also urged the Indian government to make arrangements to bring back the body. HELENA Montana Gov. Steve Bullock unveiled a blueprint Tuesday for what he calls a "balanced and responsible energy future" and called for new legislation and funding to promote wind and solar power. The move could help placate an environmental base wary of the governor's overtures to coal interests as he seeks re-election. Bullock presented his 26-page proposal during a Capitol news conference. The governor said his proposal was merely a broad outline of his priorities: developing the state's capacity to produce power from wind, solar and electricity-churning dams, and expanding the infrastructure that could boost the Montana's ability to transmit and sell surplus energy to utilities across the Northwest. "Done right, we can drive economic growth," Bullock said, "We can improve our traditional base of energy generation while sparking a new generation of clean technology business." He could not immediately say how much his program would cost. Energy has become one of several key issues in the governor's race, and a politically vexing one for Bullock. The Democratic governor is under pressure by environmentalists, who are concerned about soot-producing coal-fired plants, to more aggressively promote clean energy. At the same time, unions and communities dependent on the coal industry for jobs are pushing the governor for his continued support, as he seeks their votes. "Is there some political calculus in this? Perhaps," said Jeff Fox, the Montana policy manager for Renewable Northwest. "But I think Gov. Bullock realizes the changing energy landscape and he recognizes the economic opportunity in the state from wind energy development." Montana has the capacity to produce 665 megawatts of electricity from wind energy at any given moment. Windmill farms currently under development could generate another 2,000 megawatts. Bullock's Republican opponent, Greg Gianforte, questioned the timing of the announcement, saying it took Bullock four years to come up with a plan. At a pro-coal rally in Billings, Gianforte called on the federal government to lift a moratorium on new coal leases and do more to support communities that depend on the coal industry. "We're facing troubling economic time here in Montana," he said in a statement. While other environmental groups said they were still analyzing the governor's proposal, spokespeople for key organizations said they were generally pleased. "The governor is realizing that there are dramatic changes occurring in the energy economy. It's helpful to have this kind of discussion, recognizing that clean energy will be taking a predominant role," said Derf Johnson, a program director and attorney with the Montana Environmental Information Center, which has been critical of the governor's pro-coal policies. Assuming he wins a second term, Bullock plans to ask the Legislature in January to establish and fund a central entity charged with developing the state's energy policies and identifying potential economic markets for the energy Montana produces. The governor is also proposing to work with tribal communities to develop solar power across Indian Country, as well as partner with the private sector to finance energy projects. Bullock's plan did not put a price tag on most of his proposals, although he is proposing a $5 million revolving fund for energy conservation projects that would require approval by the 2017 Legislature. THRISSUR: Most of the migrant labourers in Perumbavur and Aluva do not have any ID proofs other than a paper signed by the local body members in villages in Assam and West Bengal with their seals to prove their identity. This has been revealed by those who were associated with a pilot project to issue photo identity cards to the migrant labourers on the basis of the valid official documents possessed by them. Mr R. Nandakumar, state general secretary of Akshaya Entrepreneurs Confederation, who was part of the pilot project by using the software developed to keep track of the floating migrant labour population in the state, told DC that during November and December, 2014, they had started collecting the data in Perumbavur and Aluva to be given to police stations in the region. There were more than one lakh migrants in Perumbavur and only 3,000 turned out at the camp ready to share their ID proofs like voters ID cards, Aadhar cards or letter from the collectorates in their states. While collecting the digital data, including the finger prints, there were a minority of workers from Assam and West Bengal who had valid ID proofs and spoke Assamese and Bengali language. Those without valid documents spoke a different language, indicating that they may have crossed the border from Bangladesh, he added. Smelling trouble, the agents of these labourers and the lodge owners in the locality were not co-operative with the project. The pilot project was conducted on the basis of a letter issued by then ADGP B. Sandhya citing that the police stations could make use of the software to collect the data of migrant labourers. She was then the nodal officer of Janamaithri Suraksha Project, he said. There are 25 lakh migrants in Kerala with an annual arrival rate of 2.35 lakhs. The State Home Ministry in 2012 had stated that only 63,200 such workers had done the mandatory registration with the police. Madurai: A woman who took up a job in Oman to support the family after her husband lost a leg in an accident was being allegedly tortured by her employer and her two school going children here on Monday sought government help to rescue her. Abinaya (13) and Rahul (11) made a representation to District Collector Veeraraghav Rao during the grievances day meeting at the Collectorate here and sought assistance to bring their mother Mekala back home. The children, who were accompanied by their grandmother, said their father lost one leg in an accident following which Mekala went to Oman for a job through an agent three months ago to support the family. Mekala had telephoned the children recently and told them that she was being tortured and not provided any food by her employer, they alleged. The officials assured to help their mother, the children later told mediapersons. New Delhi: A UK court on Tuesday ruled in favour of a full trial in the Hyderabad Fund case, with Pakistan claiming that the UK court had rejected Indias plea to dismiss Pakistans claim to the nearly Rs 350 crore involved, even as India maintained that the British court had dismissed Pakistans application invoking limitation against Indias claim to the monies and that the judgment readily acknowledges that there is much force in many of Indias arguments to strike out Pakistans claim of ownership. In a statement from Islamabad, the Pakistan foreign office said, The English High Court rejected Indian attempt to strike out Pakistans claim to the Hyderabad Fund, on 21 June 2016... India failed to persuade the court that Pakistans position was untenable and that it could show no legal entitlement to the 35 million GBP sitting in a bank account in the name of the High Commissioner of Pakistan, since 20th September 1948 ... The judge accepted that there was good evidence in support of Pakistans claim to the monies, which needed to be fully considered at a trial. However, the ministry of external affairs in New Delhi said, Pending trial or settlement of the matter, it is premature to reach any conclusion regarding ownership of the monies, especially as the present judgment readily acknowledges that there is much force in many of Indias arguments to strike out Pakistans claim of ownership. India also cited the previous judgment in the case when Pakistans subsequent application for discontinuance of the case was rejected by the same court in 2015 and India was also awarded substantial costs against Pakistan. Known as the Hyderabad Funds Case, the matter relates to the transfer of 1,007,940 pounds and 9 shillings to a London bank account in the name of the high commissioner in the UK for the then newly formed state of Pakistan, Habib Ibrahim Rahimtoola, at the Westminster Bank in 1948. According to reports, the money was transferred by an agent who appeared to be acting on behalf of the absolute ruler of one of the largest and richest of the Indian princely states, the 7th Nizam of Hyderabad. Following Partition in 1947, the numerous princely states within the subcontinent were permitted by the UK to elect to join either of the two new dominions, or to remain independent. The Nizam chose to remain independent. However, on September 18, 1948, Hyderabad was annexed to India. On September 20, 1948, the money was transferred to Rahimtoola by the agent. On September 27, 1948, the Nizam sought to reverse the transfer of money, claiming that it had been made without his authority. The bank was unwilling to comply with the Nizams request without the agreement of the account holder. Such consent was not forthcoming, and for a number of years matters remained unresolved. As the successor state to the Nizams State of Hyderabad, India has all along sought to claim the money, maintaining that it was the states money and not the Nizams private wealth. The prisons department is all set to initiate the process to free the convicts who are eligible for premature release as per the guidelines of the Supreme Court. BENGALURU: With the Independence Day approaching soon, hundreds of convicts are dreaming of walking out of the jail. The prisons department is all set to initiate the process to free the convicts who are eligible for premature release as per the guidelines of the Supreme Court. An official from the prisons department said that a meeting was held recently to discuss the process. An order will be passed soon. We are not sure how many convicts are eligible for premature release this time. It will be known only after the process begins. Considering that we have just over a month for the Independence Day, everything will be finalised within a few weeks, the official said. As per the procedure, once the order is issued, a list of all convicts eligible will be prepared and sent for scrutiny by Advisory Committees in each district. The committees, which include the deputy commissioner and superintendent of police of respective districts, will take a decision after going through the case details and conduct of convicts. Then, the list finalised by these committees will be forwarded to the home department, which will again scrutinise the list and send it to the government for approval. Once it is approved at a cabinet meeting, the convicts will be released. For premature release, the convicts, as per the Supreme Court guidelines, must have completed more than 14 years with remission in the prison and should have a record of good behaviour during the prison term. However, this does not apply for those convicted in terrorism-related cases. This is the third time in the last one year that eligible convicts are being released prematurely. On Republic Day, 375 lifers, including 13 women, from prisons across the state were released. Before that, the state had released 252 convicts on September 17 last year. New Delhi: Congress on Monday said the government is "not interested" in bringing back liquor baron Vijay Mallya and former IPL boss Lalit Modi from Britain as it latched on the remarks by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj yesterday that India has not yet approached the UK. Congress spokesman Jairam Ramesh said he saw something fishy in the ED not sending the required documents to the Ministry of External Affairs on the issue of extradition of Mallya, who is facing the charge of not paying back loans taken from banks to the tune of thousands of crores of rupees. Swaraj's statement that India has not yet approached the UK for extradition of Mallya and Modi is a clear indication that this government is "not interested" in bringing them back, Ramesh said. As regards Lalit Modi, Ramesh noted that the Enforcement Directorate had on Novermber 14, 2015 made a statement that it was seeking his extradition and had reiterated it in May this year. Such a statement cannot be made "without the knowledge" of the Finance Minister, the former minister said, adding yesterday, Swaraj had, however, tweeted "ED has not sent us an extradition request on Lalit Modi." Taking a dig at the government, he said this showed that the "distance between North Block (housing the Finance Ministry) and the South Block (housing the Ministry of External Affairs) is more than the distance to UK". Both Mallya and Modi are wanted by the ED in its money laundering probe and the agency has also sought a global arrest warrant against them from the Interpol. Ramesh also attacked Swaraj's statement that India will not oppose Pakistan's entry into the NSG. "It is a strange statement....because it is known the world over that Pakistan is notorious for black marketing and illegal activities in matters nuclear". Bengaluru: Karnataka Congress leader and actor MH Ambareesh on Tuesday put on a defiant face and refused to take back his resignation as an MLA, claiming that he was no slipper to be thrown away once not in use. Ambareesh, who served as the Housing Minister before the recent reshuffle of the Karnataka cabinet, resigned from his post as a state legislator in protest after being dropped. Hitting out at the Congress, an indignant Ambareesh said, "I am not anybody's ' chappal' that can be worn and thrown away when you want. I have my own popularity. I am not leaving because of politics. I lead my life because of the people's sweat. I know how to handle this," Ambareesh said. Adding that he was not informed about the cabinet reshuffle, he claimed that he would have made way for a younger politician had he been informed earlier. "I am a three-time MP. I was a central minister and I worked with him for three years. You must call us and say Ambareesh give the chance to somebody else. I would have happily given. I have no interest in power. I am satisfied because I work to my heart," he said. "Everybody will approach me and give me red carpet welcome. They know if I come I will be a strength," he added. The 63 year-old, who has a wide support base as an actor, was reportedly dropped for lack of performance, and was among the 14 members ousted from the state cabinet. Holding the Chief Minister responsible for his resignation, Ambareesh expressed confidence that many political parties would now approach him and give him a red carpet welcome. The reshuffle was seen as an attempt by the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to give a face-lift to his three-year-old government with Assembly polls just two years away. Factors such as caste, age and resource generation were reportedly in play as the Congress chose the new ministers. With the reshuffle, the ministry has a strength of 33, one less than the upper constitutional limit. Chennai: Ever since the DMDK-PWA-TMC combine suffered a humiliating defeat, speculation was intense that the alliance would crumble sooner than later. Tamil Maanila Congress chief G.K. Vasan has become the first person to publicly announce that his party just had an electoral understanding with the DMDK-PWA, dropping enough hints that the alliance is over after the polls have ended. We aligned with the DMDK-PWA after recognising the need for an alternative front in Tamil Nadu politics. Though we contested as one alliance, we had released separate election manifestos. So, the question of whether the alliance continues or not does not arise, Mr Vasan told reporters. He also said his only goal was to strengthen the TMC in the next two months ahead of the local body elections since the party is capable of winning some seats on its own. The DMDK, which headed the alliance with its leader Vijayakanth projected as CM candidate, is also exploring options since the results were announced of quitting the alliance and charting its own course. DMDK cadre have been quite vocal in their demand that the party should come out of the alliance and contest the local body elections on its own. Several political parties of the alliance had openly said that their cadre were not able to gel with those of the DMDK, thereby pinning the blame for the loss on the DMDK. Mr Vijayakanth has been interacting with his party cadre and district secretaries on ways to resurrect the party TMC chief Mr Vasans comments on Monday might set the ball rolling for the split of the alliance that scored a mere 6 per cent votes. Though Mr Vasan dropped enough hints about his partys stand on continuance in the DMDK-PWA combine, he was not straight in his answer, drawing criticism from his former colleague S.R. Balasubramanian. The opening of nine sectors, including defence, food trading and aviation, to larger foreign direct investment has been rightly hailed as a game-changer. But, more than that, the new FDI policy reflects a change in the mindset of the government. For instance, all the bogeys of security that haunted the defence and telecommunications sectors have been overcome. In fact India, in this matter, is ahead of the US which does not allow full ownership of broadcasting by non-US entities. Indias new foreign direct investment policy provides between 49 and 100 per cent foreign investment in various aspects of broadcasting. Whilst this opening up is welcome, there is a lot that needs to be done in the area of ease of doing business and erasing the interface between the public, business and industry and the bureaucracy. The bureaucracys stranglehold is still very obvious and they continue to hold sway over Prime Minister Narendra Modis visionary and liberal schemes and ideas. For instance, in the opening up of the defence sector, the new policy permits over 49 per cent FDI in defence through the government approval route in cases where modern technology is made available. Earlier it was modern and state-of-the-art technology, but the latter has been removed, and, inexplicably, the word modern has been left in. Will the bureaucracy be better at deciding what is modern than the investing company? This only reveals that the bureaucracy still has a large presence even as Mr Modi is trying to simplify things and make life easier for business. The objectives of the government getting foreign investment and generating jobs are achievable. The FDI permitted in existing airports will bring in investment and will boost the new civil aviation policy which envisages making flying affordable for the masses. For sentimental reasons the government seems to still want to protect domestic carriers and has capped FDI by foreign airlines in this area at 49 per cent. But even more interesting is the FDI in retail food processing. Companies like Walmart can bring in best practices in warehousing and supply chains. It seems more than a coincidence that the government decided to announce this FDI policy on Monday, a couple of days after RBI governor Raghuram Rajans announcement that he would quit after his term ends in September sent shock waves across the country. The FDI policy certainly changed the sentiment of the stock market, which did open in the red but soon recovered and saw a robust closing. The Rajan episode was almost forgotten by the afternoon. The government was quick to assure the world that big-ticket reforms were very much on the top of its agenda. Sriharikota: India successfully put into orbit its own earth observation satellite Cartosat-2 and 19 other satellites, including one belonging to the Google company Terra Bella, USA, on Wednesday morning. With this, India successfully completed yet another multiple satellite launch in a single rocket mission. Exactly at 9.26 am, the PSLV rocket standing 44.4 metres tall and weighing 320 tons tore into the morning skies with fierce orange flames at its tail. Gathering speed every second, the rocket raced towards the heavens amid loud cheers from ISRO officials and the media at the rocket port here. At the rocket mission control room, Indian space scientists at ISRO were glued to their computer screens watching the rocket escaping the Earths gravitational pull. Soon after the launch, a beaming ISRO Chairman A S Kiran Kumar said the mission was a success and that the new-generation Cartosat was in place. The rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicles (PSLV) main cargo was India's 725.5 kg Cartosat-2 series satellite for Earth observation with a design life of five years. #WATCH: ISRO successfully launches record 20 satellites from Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh)https://t.co/l3UlbcoIu5 ANI (@ANI_news) June 22, 2016 This satellite is similar to the earlier Cartosat-2, 2A and 2B. The other 19 satellites weighing around 560 kgs were from US, Canada, Germany and Indonesia as well as one satellite each from Chennai's Sathyabama University and College of Engineering, Pune. The images sent by Cartosat satellite will be useful for cartographic, urban, rural, coastal land use, water distribution and other applications. According to ISRO, the 110 kg SkySat Gen2-1 belonging to Terra Bella, a Google company, is a small earth imaging satellite capable of capturing sub-metre resolution imagery and high definition video. The Planet Labs Dove Satellites are also Earth imaging satellites. A total of 12 Dove satellites, each weighing 4.7 kg, were carried in this mission inside three QuadPack dispensers, ISRO said. The PSLV rocket also put into orbit the 85 kg M3MSat from Canada. The technology demonstration mission is jointly funded and managed by Defence Research and Development Canada and the Canadian Space Agency. Panoramic view of fully integrated PSLV-C34 with all the 20 Spacecrafts being moved to second launch pad (SLP). The other satellites launched are: 120 kg LAPSN-A3 of Indonesia, the 130 kg BIROS, from German Aerospace Centre, Germany and the 25.5 kg GHGSat-D, Canada. Just over 17 minutes into the flight the PSLV rocket ejected Cartosat at an altitude of around 515 km. It was followed by two other Indian satellites the 1.5 kg Sathyabamasat from Sathyabama University that would collect data on green house gases and the 1 kg Swayam satellite from College of Engineering, Pune, to provide point-to-point messaging services to the HAM radio community. The whole mission got over in around 26 minutes. It was the first time that ISRO launched 20 satellites with one single rocket mission. In 2008, the ISRO had launched 10 satellites with the PSLV rocket. With the success of Wednesdays rocket mission, India has successfully launched 74 satellites for international customers. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. New Delhi: Skullcandy has added Bluetooth functionality to some of the brand's best-selling wired products, well recognized for audio quality, comfort and style. According to the company, the original grind has received many accolades and editor's choice nods for its premium audio experience delivered through minimalist industrial design. Grind Wireless features the same simple and iconic design with an engineering focus on the elevating Bluetooth audio performance. An integrated amplifier component provides a higher power rating and less distortion and high-end drivers enable greater dynamic range. Additionally, premium materials such as plush on-ear cushions and a lightweight and durable metal headband maximize comfort. A 12-hour battery life enables all day wearability. The right ear cup cleverly integrates microphone, call, track and volume controls just like the wired Grind model. With this addition, Skullcandy continues to build one of the most diverse and best performing wireless lines in the marketplace. Skullcandy Grind Wireless is a 1 month exclusive availability with TATA Croma stores Pricing- Skullcandy Grind Wireless is available at Rs 6,499. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. The driver who sparked an 8-vehicle wreck on King Ave West on Monday was arrested for driving under the influence and felony criminal endangerment, police said Monday night. No one sustained major injuries in the wreck, which led to the closure of the eastbound lanes between 24th Street West and 20th Street West for about two hours, but the road reopened Monday evening. The crash occurred at about 4:10 p.m. Billings Police Department Sgt. Brandon Wooley said that a white Chrysler 300 rear-ended another sedan as the vehicles traveled east on King Avenue West near the intersection with Grant Road. That led to a "series of collisions." In total, the Chrysler struck five other vehicles, according to a press release issued by Wooley Monday night. The driver of the Chrysler, Dagoberto Garibay, was arrested. Garibay had a Texas identification card and the Chrysler had Texas license plate, Wooley said. Police believe he was under the influence of a drug other than alcohol, though Wooley declined to name a specific drug. Garibay is also accused of driving without a valid license. According to the Yellowstone County jail roster, he was still in jail at about 10 p.m. Monday. Mumbai: Multinational fast-food chain KFC has introduced a unique 5-in-one meal box in India, which not only contains lip-smacking food but also an integrated powerbank, allowing customers to charge their phones while eating. Since its inception in India, KFC has garnered a fair mix of both praise and criticism for its lip-smacking fried chicken items but the company is now upping the ante and introducing unique features to keep consumers engaged. The 5-in-1 mealbox, dubbed Watt a Box, has been designed in collaboration with Blink Digital. While the 5-in-1 meal was announced earlier in March, the company has now incorporated a built-in powerbank to make it even more desirable. The company also pointed out that the launch is exclusive to select outlets in Delhi and Mumbai and only a few lucky winners at those outlets will have a chance to savour their 5-in-1 meal inside the Watt a Box. Other than that, users can also participate in an online competition on KFC Indias Facebook page and be the lucky ones to win these limited edition boxes, according to reports. KFC India CMO Lluis Ruiz Ribot said that the launch of this meal-cum-charging box is will be really nifty as each person spends considerable amount of time using smartphones on a daily basis and dead batteries are a very hard to deal with. While a BGR hands-on with the meal-box indicated that the integrated powerbank has a 6,100mAh capacity, it fails miserably to charge devices fully or even fast. Nonetheless, its still a great way to attract customers and more companies should learn from KFC. In retrospect, this is not the first time a fast-food chain has tried a bit of gadgetry. Earlier, Pizza Hut had done the same with limited edition box in Hong Kong that converted into a projector for smartphones. Even Mcdonalds had launched Happy Meal Boxes that could turn into cardboard VR headsets. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Oscar Pistorius and other relatives have been threatened in an extortion attempt, ahead of the former track stars sentencing on July 6 for the murder of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, Pistorius family said on Monday. (Photo: AFP) Johannesburg: The family of Oscar Pistorius on Monday said they had been threatened with extortion relating to the case of the convicted former athlete who is facing prison for the murder of his girlfriend. An unknown person threatened to have Pistorius gang-raped in prison, unless the family paid for evidence that would undermine the prosecution case against him, said family spokeswoman Anneliese Burgess. Specifically, the person sent messages to a Pistorius family member seeking payment in exchange for evidence that the prosecutor had paid a witness who testified against the athlete at his sentencing hearing last week. The text message was sent to a cousin of the double-amputee, Arnoldus Pistorius, on June 16, the day after the end of the former athlete's pre-sentencing hearing. Burgess said the anonymous person began making threats when the cousin did not respond to his demands, including to have Pistorius raped when he goes back to prison. "These included threats that he would arrange for Oscar to be beaten up and gang-raped in prison," said Burgess in a statement. Police confirmed that they were looking at the threats made to the family but no arrests had been made. The former Paralympic champion was in 2014 sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of culpable homicide for shooting dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, saying he mistook her for an intruder. He was released from jail last October to live under house arrest at his uncle's mansion in Pretoria after serving one year of his five-year sentence. His culpable homicide sentence has since been converted into murder, which carries a minimum of 15 years. The High Court in the capital Pretoria is due to hand down his new sentence on July 6. Trump has threatened to impose steep tariffs on Chinese and Mexican imports and demanded a change in a US trade policy. (Photo: AP) Washington: President Barack Obama, his vice president and defence secretary took aim on Monday at policies of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump they said would alienate Muslims globally along with US allies and neighbours. In a speech focusing on national security at a think tank in Washington, Vice President Joe Biden said Trump's calls to bar the entry of Muslims and to profile Muslim Americans reflected the politics of fear and intolerance. "There are 1.4 billion Muslims in the world" Biden said. "Some of the rhetoric I'm hearing sounds designed to radicalise all 1.4 billion." Biden's attacks on Trump as an isolationist, and others by Obama and Defence Secretary Ash Carter represent an unusually early and vigorous assault on an opposing party's presidential nominee. The election is on November 8. Referring to Trump's vow to erect a wall on the US border with Mexico if elected, Biden said that the most complex threats do not respect borders and a wall would destroy much of the progress the Obama administration had made with US neighbours. "If we build walls and disrespect our neighbours, we will quickly see all this progress evaporating, replaced by a return of anti-Americanism, a corrosive rift throughout our hemisphere," Biden said. Obama, who last week assailed Trump for what he called a "dangerous" mindset and "loose talk and sloppiness" in defining the country's enemies, on Monday criticised Trump's anti-trade policies in a speech at a US Commerce Department conference. "This is not just about jobs and trade, it's not just about hard, cold cash. It's also about building relationships across borders," Obama told the 2,400 people from 70 countries at the conference to attract foreign investment. Trump has threatened to impose steep tariffs on Chinese and Mexican imports and demanded a change in a US trade policy he says allows other countries to shut out US imports, devalue their currencies and unfairly target US industries. Speaking at the same event as Biden, Carter said a critical part of U.S. leadership is its "longtime network of allies and partners in every corner of the world." "Our allies around the world have stood with us - and fought with us - time and again, most recently in Iraq, Afghanistan, and against ISIL," he said, using an acronym for Islamic State. Carter did not mention Trump, who has called NATO "obsolete" and said he would consider letting Japan and South Korea develop their own nuclear weapons rather than relying on the United States for protection against North Korea and China. While Obama, Carter and other top officials generally have refrained from attacking Trump by name, Obama administration spokesmen have not denied that such remarks are directed at the presumptive Republican candidate. Barack Obama had welcomed Indias application to the 48-member grouping during Modis visit to the US. (Photo: AP) Washington: Amid China's opposition, the US has given a fresh push to India's NSG membership bid by asking members of the elite club to support India's entry into the grouping during the ongoing plenary meeting in Seoul. "We believe, and this has been US policy for some time, that India is ready for membership and the United States calls on participating governments to support India's application at the plenary session of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters. "At the same time, participating governments will need to reach a consensus decision in order to admit any applicant into the group and the United States will certainly be advocating for India's membership," Earnest said as the 5-day annual plenary session of the 48-member club began in the South Korean capital yesterday. His remarks came after China said India's membership is not on the agenda of the NSG meeting in Seoul. The NSG remains divided over non-NPT countries like India becoming its members, China's Foreign Ministry had said yesterday less than 24 hours after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj exuded hope that "we would be able to convince China to support our entry to the NSG." US President Barack Obama, Earnest said, had an opportunity to discuss the issue of India's NSG membership bid with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their White House meeting earlier this month. "The United States, as you know, strongly supports India's application to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group," Earnest said. "We have made our views known both publicly and privately, and we'll continue to do so," Earnest said when asked if the US has reached out to members of the NSG in support of India's application. At a separate news conference, the State Department reiterated the same views. "As you know, during Prime Minister Modi's visit, the President welcomed India's application to join the NSG and reaffirmed that India is ready for membership. We continue to call on the participating governments, the NSG, to support India's application at the plenary session this week itself," State Department Spokesman John Kirby told reporters at his daily news conference. "India's application is something we have routinely talked to other NSG participating members. This is not a new topic of discussion that we've had privately with the members," Kirby said. Last week as well, the US had called on members of the nuclear trading club to support India's membership. While majority of the elite group members backed India's membership, it is understood that apart from China, countries like Turkey, South Africa, Ireland and New Zealand were not in favour of India's entry into the NSG. China maintains opposition to India's entry, arguing that it has not signed Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). However, it has been batting for its close ally Pakistan's entry if NSG extends any exemption for India. Pakistan applied for NSG membership, a week after India submitted its membership application. India has asserted that being a signatory to the NPT was not essential for joining the NSG as there has been a precedent in this regard, citing the case of France. India is seeking membership of NSG to enable it to trade in and export nuclear technology. The access to the NSG, which regulates the global trade of nuclear technology, is expected to open up the international market for energy-starved India, which has an ambitious energy generation programme. India is looking at 63,000 MW energy requirement through the nuclear programme by 2030. The NSG looks after critical issues relating to nuclear sector and its members are allowed to trade in and export nuclear technology. Membership of the grouping will help India significantly expand its atomic energy sector. India has been reaching out to NSG member countries seeking support for its entry. The NSG works under the principle of consensus and even one country's vote against India will scuttle its bid. Indonesian officials load food supplies onto a boat carrying Tamil migrants which have been stranded on the beach in Lhoknga, Aceh province. (Photo: PTI) Aceh: Indonesia has allowed international humanitarian organisations to assist Tamil migrants stranded in Aceh after bad weather foiled much-criticized plans to tow the group's boat back into international waters. The migrant boat came ashore more than a week ago after its engine broke down off the northernmost province of Sumatra. Indonesia provided food, water and repairs but refused to let the 44 migrants disembark until Saturday. They have been sheltered in tents, and Indonesian efforts to refloat the beached vessel have ended with it tilted on its side and its engine inundated by seawater. The International Organisation for Migration said today that Indonesia has invited it and the UN's refugee agency to assist the migrants. IOM said it is providing aid as needed and assessing what the migrants' needs are likely to be in the coming days and weeks. The migrants, who left from India a month ago, may have originally come from Sri Lanka where the Tamil minority has suffered persecution. Some of the migrants told The Associated Press last week they had been in India for several years and had paid a significant amount of money for the boat to take them to Australia. Indonesia has insisted it would be acceptable to tow the group back out to sea because Indonesia wasn't their destination, a stance that has been condemned by human rights groups. "Mother Nature has forced the issue as it impossible for this group to safely remain aboard the vessel ...," IOM said in a statement. But the head of the immigration office in Aceh continued to insist the shelter given to the Tamils was temporary. "The government's position is still the same. We will be towing them back to international waters," said the immigration official Achmad Samadan. Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 disappeared with 239 people on board during a flight from Kuala Lumpur. (Photo: file) Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian, Chinese and Australian officials on Tuesday wrapped up two days of talks on the deep-sea search for missing flight MH370 but made no announcements, amid expectations the operation will finish by August. Officials said the closed-door gathering in Malaysia's administrative capital Putrajaya paves the way for a tripartite meeting of transport ministers in the near future in which search plans could be spelt out. No date for that meeting has been set yet. The Australian-led search is scouring the seabed within a designated 120,000-square-kilometre (46,000-square-mile) zone in the remote Indian Ocean where authorities believe the Malaysia Airlines passenger jet may have gone down. That is expected to be completed by August, and the three countries have said the hugely expensive high-tech sonar search west of Australia will not be further expanded without "credible" new evidence pointing to a crash site. Malaysia's Department of Civil Aviation director-general Azharuddin Abdul Rahman declined to comment on what was discussed in the meeting. As the meeting began on Monday, an international network of MH370 next-of-kin released a statement repeating its call for the search to be extended and expanded, and for the full public disclosure and reassessment of data used to determine the suspected crash zone. "The search for the plane and the truth of what happened is vital to look ahead and move on," said the group, called Voice370. "A decision to end the search is a cruel response to a desperate human crisis." The Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 vanished on March 8, 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people aboard, mostly Chinese nationals. The cause of the disappearance is still unknown and it remains one of the greatest mysteries in aviation history. Many families continue to allege a cover-up and insist the plane may have gone down elsewhere. Several pieces of debris that apparently drifted thousands of kilometres toward the western Indian Ocean and African coast have been identified as definitely or probably from the Boeing 777. Voice370 reiterated its calls for an international effort to find and collect such debris to make sure no clues go unexamined. Recent bad weather has delayed the Indian Ocean search's expected completion to August, Australian authorities have said. Officials have said the cost of the search could be up to $130 million. He pleaded guilty to 11 charges of recruiting women for prostitution and one charge under the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act for exploiting a 16-year-old girl. (Representational Image) Singapore: Singapores national para-athlete Adam Kamis, who represented the country at the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games, on Monday pleaded guilty of recruiting women for prostitution through social networking web sites for his social escort agency and sexually exploiting a minor girl. Adam, 37, took to Facebook to recruit women, using the moniker Angel Tan to pass himself off as an escort girl working for SG Freelancers - the escort agency he started in early 2013 to get out of debt. He pleaded guilty to 11 charges of recruiting women for prostitution and one charge under the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act for exploiting a 16-year-old girl. For child trafficking, Adam could be jailed for up to 10 years, fined up to SGD100,000. He could also be given up to six strokes of the cane. Adam will be sentenced on June 27. Deputy public prosecutor Sharmila Sripathy-Shanaz told the court that Adam wanted to pique their interest and gain their trust. Adam, who lost his right arm in a motorcycle accident and had left arm paralysed, represented Singapore at the Delhi Commonwealth Games and the Asean Para Games. Between early 2013 and October 2015, when he was arrested, Adam had recruited 15 women, Channel News Asia reported. His victims were students, a dental assistant, childcare teacher and an accountant, and were aged between 16 and 38. The court heard that the 16-year-old girl had come across Adams advertisement for a freelance job paying SGD500 a day. She contacted Angel Tan, the moniker used by Adam. Adam, who introduced himself as a staff of the escort company, met the girl at his apartment in Yishun. He sexually exploited her by persuading her to let him inspect her body, assuring that all girls who attended the interview had to do the same. Despite telling Adam she was only 16, he persisted, telling her that no one would find out. He had sex with her. For other victims, Adam would get the victims to disclose their personal details in a sexually explicit questionnaire. Adam would try out the women by having sex with them, Sripathy-Shanaz told the court. Sripathy-Shanaz is seeking a sentence of 38 months against Adam. The DPP argued that this was not a spur of the moment decision but the culmination of detailed planning which spawned a well laid-out, sophisticated recruitment process. He was both the mastermind and operator of the entire enterprise, she said. For procuring or attempting to procure a woman for the purpose of prostitution, Adam faces up to five years jail and a fine of up to SGD10,000. Areas represented by the Remain-favouring Indian-origin councillors include wards in England, Wales and Scotland, and represent the Conservative, Labour, and Liberal Democrat parties (Representational photo: file) London: Over 70 British-Indian councillors from across the political spectrum today backed a campaign to drum up support from the 1.2 million Indian-origin voters against Britain's exit from the EU in Thursday's referendum. The 71 councillors said they believe that being a member of the 28-member European Union significantly benefits Britain, not just economically but in terms of security and trade and are actively campaigning in their local areas to secure the "Remain" vote in the in-out EU referendum. "There are around 1.2 million British Indians voters across the UK and our votes could be absolutely crucial in determining the outcome of the EU referendum on 23 June," said Alok Sharma, a Conservative MP and Prime Minister David Cameron's Infrastructure Envoy for India, who heads the "British Indians for IN" campaign. "It is clear that very many people and business leaders within the British-Indian community agree that voting to remain in the UK is the right choice for our country and our community. Please make sure your vote counts as we are better off and safer as member of the EU," he said. Areas represented by the Remain-favouring Indian-origin councillors include wards in England, Wales and Scotland, and represent the Conservative, Labour, and Liberal Democrat parties, the campaign group said. Councillor Geetha Morla, from Milton Keynes, said: "For me, there is no question about whether or not Britain should remain a member of the EU. The European single market is by far our biggest trading partner, providing jobs and ensuring lower prices in our shops. "Our membership also means we have a seat at the table to determine the rules of doing business and that we can collaborate on issues such as the environment. By contrast, a vote for Brexit is a leap in the dark and a huge gamble on an uncertain future." Balwant Chadha, councillor for Cumbernauld North in North Lanarkshire and the country's first Sikh Justice of the Peace, said: "I strongly believe that Britain is in a much stronger position remaining in EU and safer not only economically and culturally, but is able to lead people in European countries to improve their quality of life." Sandwell councillor Preet Gill said Britain had a history of engaging with the world. "With its rich diversity it cannot and should not be a country that becomes insular but continues to be outward facing and addressing matters like immigration, terrorism and the economy with the EU as together, we are stronger and better," she said. Islamabad/New Delhi: A UK court on Tuesday rejected India's plea to dismiss Pakistan's claim to the nearly Rs 350 crore under the Hyderabad Fund case, pushing the matter for a full trial. In a release Pakistan Foreign Office said, "The English High Court rejected Indian attempt to strike out Pakistan's claim to the Hyderabad Fund, on 21 June 2016...India failed to persuade the Court that Pakistans position was untenable and that it could show no legal entitlement to the 35 million GBP sitting in a bank account in the name of the High Commissioner of Pakistan, since 20th September 1948. "The Judge accepted that there was good evidence in support of Pakistan's claim to the monies, which needed to be fully considered at a trial." However, External Affairs Ministry in New Delhi said, "pending trial or settlement of the matter, it is premature to reach any conclusion regarding ownership of the monies, especially as the present judgement readily acknowledges that there is much force in many of India's arguments to strike out Pakistans claim of ownership." The Indian side also cited previous judgement in the case when Pakistan's subsequent application for discontinuance of the case was rejected by the same court in 2015 and India was also awarded substantial costs against Pakistan at that stage. Known as the 'Hyderabad Funds Case', the matter relates to transfer of 1,007,940 pounds and 9 Shillings to a London bank account in the name of the High Commissioner in the UK for the then newly formed state of Pakistan, Habib Ibrahim Rahimtoola, at the Westminster Bank (now Natwest) in 1948. The money was transferred by an agent who appeared to be acting on behalf of the absolute ruler of one of the largest and richest of the Indian princely states, the 7th Nizam of Hyderabad. Following the partition in 1947, and the formation of the independent sovereign states of India and Pakistan, the numerous princely states within the sub-continent were permitted by the UK to elect to join either of the two new states, or to remain independent. The Nizam chose to remain independent. However, on September 18, 1948, Hyderabad was annexed to India. On September 20, 1948 the money was transferred to Rahimtoola by the agent. On September 27, 1948 the Nizam sought to reverse the transfer of money claiming that it had been made without his authority. The Bank was unwilling to comply with the Nizam's request without the agreement of the account holder. Such consent was not forthcoming, and for a number of years matters remained unresolved. As the successor state to the Nizam's State of Hyderabad, India has all along sought its claim over the money maintaining that it was State monies and not Nizam's private monies. London: Swedish authorities have written to the Ecuadorean foreign office in UK seeking a meeting with Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, as he began his fifth year holed out in the Ecuadoran embassy in London. It could prove to be a major breakthrough in the protracted standoff between the 44-year-old Assange and Sweden, where he is wanted in relation to a 2010 rape allegation. "Interviewing Assange inside the embassy has been Ecuador's request for four years. Over 1,400 days we have been asking the Swedes to come and interrogate him in our embassy. So it is welcome there has been change of heart and some sign of political will," said Ecuador's foreign minister, Dr Guillaume Long. "But since November 2010 and March 2015, Sweden made 44 such requests to other countries to interview suspects in other cases. So it is very common and could be easily done, but we faced total refusal for years," he added. Long confirmed that the Swedish attorney general had made a formal request that was being considered, 'The Guardian' reported. The Australian national has been living inside Ecuador's UK mission for four years after the South American country offered him asylum. Assange denies the rape charges and has fought against being extradited to Sweden, saying he fears he would then be transferred to the US to face charges on Wikileaks' activities. A UN working group had ruled in February that Assange was being arbitrarily detained. However, the UK Foreign Office has called for the UN decision to be reviewed, saying Assange was staying in the embassy voluntarily and that the UK had a legal duty to extradite him to Sweden. Long said Ecuador's legal department will now examine Sweden's request and would also want assurances that the UK would not seek to prosecute Assange for avoiding arrest. Graduation Matters Billings, a coalition of community members, businesses and schools, received a statewide award for improving attendance rates last school year. Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau announced a total of six Graduation Matters Impact Awards on Tuesday. In Billings, Graduation Matters is led by United Way. The school district kicked off the year by knocking on doors in the neighborhoods around Newman Elementary, emphasizing the importance of school attendance. Other schools, like Riverside Middle School, designated specific staff members to work with parents and guardians to get students to school. Students missed fewer school days in Billings during the first semester of the past school year when compared to the same time period the previous year. Each school had an average attendance rate of more than 90 percent, and only two schools saw decreases in average attendance. Billings has committed to a goal of raising graduation rates in School District 2 high schools to 90 percent by 2020. The district rate for the 2014-15 school year was 82 percent. In just six years, Graduation Matters Montana communities and partner organizations have developed innovative and lasting ideas that prove when we work together, we can make significant progress, Juneau said in a press release. Graduation Matters Montana started in 2010. Since then, Montanas graduation rate has increased by nearly six percentage points, from 80.2 percent in 2009-10 to 86 percent in 2014-15. There are now 58 communities across Montana with their own Graduation Matters initiatives. Based on a 190-day school year in the UK, the latest figures equate to more than five children per day being reported (Photo: Twitter) London: British schools are referring as many as five children a day to the government's deradicalisation programme to prevent them from becoming terrorists, a report has claimed on Tuesday. Figures released by the UK's National Police Chiefs Council under the Freedom of Information Act showed schools referred 1,041 children last year to Channel, the Governments deradicalisation programme under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act. Local authorities, such as departments including housing and social care reported a further 284 vulnerable young people. Based on a 190-day school year in the UK, the latest figures equate to more than five children per day being reported, The Times reported. "Like safeguarding mechanisms for other risks such as child sexual exploitation, vulnerable children deserve to have the support they need. Protecting those who are vulnerable and at risk of radicalisation is a job for all of us," a UK Home Office spokesperson said. Channel is part of the UK government's Prevent strategy, which seeks to stop British youths becoming terrorists. A person's potentially extremist beliefs are challenged through sessions that seek to show them that their way of thinking is delusional. Often it involves former extremists sharing their experiences. Individuals are free to withdraw and parents have the right to refuse consent for Channel. In 2012, the year Prevent was extended nationally, only nine children were referred. According to the figures obtained by the newspaper, in further education colleges there were 180 referrals, compared with five in 2012. Higher education institutions such as universities reported 76 students and the health service had 228 referrals last year. Education unions have expressed concerns in the past against the statutory duty to report that was imposed on them. The National Union of Teachers said that a large number of referrals dismissed by Channel suggested a tendency to over-refer. Iraqi security forces celebrate as they pose with a flag of the Islamic State group they captured in central Fallujah, Iraq, after fight against the Islamic State militants. (Photo: AP) Baghdad: A senior Iraqi military commander says about 2,500 Islamic State militants have been killed during a month-long offensive to recapture the city of Fallujah. The counterterrorism forces' chief in the operation, Lt. General Abdul-Wahab al-Saadi, told the local al-Sumaria TV late on Monday that the number of ISIS terrorists inside Fallujah ranged between 3,500 to 4,000 when the offensive began in late May. Iraqi troops have not disclosed their losses in Fallujah though the Islamic State group claims to have killed dozens. Al-Saadi offered no specifics to back up the figure of 2,500 killed ISIS terrorists. He claimed about 15 percent of them were foreign militants. He cited Iraqi police reports as saying 1,086 IS-linked suspects have been arrested. He didn't say how many IS militants remain in Fallujah. Pakistan Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said that Pakistan has always tried to reject India's hegemony and protect its interests. (Photo: PTI) Islamabad: India always tried to maintain its "hegemony" in the South Asia region and Pakistan has rejected this while "effectively" protecting its interests, Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz has claimed. Answering a question about Indo-Pak ties in an interview to Samaa TV, Aziz said India has always tried to maintain its hegemony in the South Asia region. Read: Any exemption to India for NSG entry must also apply to Pakistan: Chinese media "Pakistan rejected this (Indian) hegemony and has effectively protected its interests and its stance over Kashmir, nuclear deterrence and conventional balance," Aziz was quoted as saying. He maintained that "protecting Pakistan's sovereignty and vital interests is a great achievement as a nation". Read: Pakistan, Afghanistan hold talks on deadly border clashes Talking about the Afghan refugees problem, Aziz said it became a security issue for Pakistan as refugee camps have become "safe havens for terrorists" due to unregulated movement. "We have reestablished our writ over FATA (tribal areas) but if Afghan border remains unregulated, our tribal areas can't stay safe," he said. Calling for repatriation of Afghan refugees, Aziz said the repatriation will be a gradual movement and Pakistan will need a plan of action for the process. He said Pakistan is paying for the policies it adopted during the Russian invasion of Afghanistan which resulted in five million refugees coming to Pakistan with "drugs, guns bringing instability". Aziz claimed that when the current government came to power, it decided to pursue the policy of non-interference which means Pakistan will not fight someone else's wars. Dubai: Iran has warned Bahrain that it is fanning armed rebellion and "will pay the price" after an escalating crackdown on the country's Shiite majority saw a top cleric stripped of citizenship. Washington and the United Nations have also raised concerns about moves by the Sunni-ruled kingdom against Shiites, who account for some 70 percent of the Gulf state's population. Bahrain has been shaken by unrest since security forces crushed Shiite-led protests demanding a constitutional monarchy and an elected prime minister in 2011. Tensions have reached fresh heights in recent days, with the suspension of the Al-Wefaq main Shiite opposition group and, on Monday, the stripping of top Shiite cleric Sheikh Isa Qassim's citizenship. Predominant Shiite power Iran has long championed the rights of the community in Bahrain and on Tuesday a prominent Iranian general said the move against Sheikh Qassim was a step too far. "Surely they know that the aggression against Ayatollah Sheikh Isa Qassim is a red line that will leave no option for the people but to resort to armed resistance," Qassem Suleimani, head of the elite Revolutionary Guards' overseas operations arm, the Quds Force, told state media late on Monday. "Bahrain's rulers will pay the price and it will have no result but the destruction of this bloodthirsty regime," he added. Iran's foreign ministry criticised the "extrajudicial" measures by Bahrain that "dash hopes of reform through dialogue." Blow to freedom Bahrain has repeatedly accused Iran of interfering in its affairs and inciting violence among Shiites, a claim Tehran denies. The Bahraini interior ministry alluded to the accusations in its statement announcing the decision against the Shiite spiritual leader on Monday. Qassim abused his position to "serve foreign interests and promote... sectarianism and violence," it said. There was no immediate indication of Qassim's fate but, in theory, he would be left stateless and could face deportation through a legal process. A leading Bahraini human rights group on Tuesday urged authorities to stop revoking citizenship "to punish political dissent." The move against Qassim "is yet another blow to freedom of speech and expression in Bahrain," the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights said, adding that it was "part of an escalating crackdown on freedoms and rights." It urged the government to "immediately and unconditionally reinstate" the citizenship of Qassim and others, saying that it had documented evidence of at least 261 people being stripped of their nationality since 2012. Monday's moved triggered street protests in the cleric's home village of Diraz, west of the capital Manama, witnesses said. They said police deployed in force and sealed off the village, where thousands of demonstrators waved portraits of their religious leader and chanted slogans against King Hamad. US deeply troubled As well as the suspension of Al-Wefaq, whose political chief Sheikh Ali Salman is serving a nine-year jail term on charges of inciting violence the crackdown has seen a series of arrests and jailings. Last week a Bahraini court sentenced eight Shiites to 15-year jail terms and stripped them of citizenship for forming a "terror" group linked to the Iran-backed Shiite Hezbollah movement. Earlier this month, the head of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, Nabeel Rajab, was rearrested after being released from prison last year for health reasons. A week earlier, prominent Shiite opposition activist Zainab al-Khawaja announced she was leaving the country shortly after being released from several months in jail for ripping up a picture of King Hamad. Bahrain, which is connected to Saudi Arabia by a causeway and lies across the Gulf from Shiite Iran, is a key ally of Washington and home to the US Fifth Fleet. The stripping of Qassim's citizenship nonetheless drew a rebuke from Washington, with State Department spokesman John Kirby saying the United States was "alarmed". "We remain deeply troubled by the government of Bahrain's practice of withdrawing the nationality of its citizens arbitrarily," Kirby said. "Our concern is further magnified by reports that Sheikh Qassim was unable to respond to the accusations against him or challenge the decision through a transparent legal process." UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also voiced concern last week over the crackdown, saying he was "dismayed" by reports human rights activists had been intimidated and stripped of their citizenship. IS is also mounting a fierce defence of Tabqa, which has been under attack by Russia-backed regime forces since early June. (Photo: AFP) Beirut: In a surprise assault launched on Monday, the Islamic State group killed residents of two villages near its besieged stronghold in northern Syria to recapture them from US-backed fighters, a monitor said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said IS had dispatched a small group of jihadists -- including one driving an explosives-laden car -- into villages southeast of their bastion of Manbij. The villages had been seized in recent weeks by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces in their push for Manbij. IS is trying to defend Manbij by sending fighters from outside the town to attack the SDF in these villages, said Rami Abdel Rahman, the director of the Britain-based observatory. Daesh executed residents, he added, using an Arabic acronym for IS. The head of the observatory, which relies on a vast network of sources on the ground for its information, did not have an immediate toll from the villages. The US-led coalition backing the SDF carried out a barrage of air strikes on Monday to defend the villages, said Abdel Rahman. At least four SDF fighters were killed in the clashes and many more were wounded. The SDF -- a Kurdish-Arab alliance with air support from the US-led coalition -- encircled Manbij nearly 10 days ago. But since then, they have been slowed by almost daily suicide bombings as IS puts up a fight for the town. Held by the jihadists since 2014, Manbij was a key stop along ISs supply route from the Turkish border southeast through the town of Tabqa and on to its de facto Syrian capital of Raqa. IS is also mounting a fierce defence of Tabqa, which has been under attack by Russia-backed regime forces since early June. On Monday, the Observatory said, a failed IS counterattack against regime fighters southwest of Tabqa killed at least 14 jihadists and six government loyalists. IS dispatched 300 fighters from Raqa to Tabqa to help defend the town, Abdel Rahman said. Syrias civil war began with the brutal repression of anti-government demonstrations in 2011 and has now killed more than 280,000 people and displaced millions. Beijing: In an unusual move, China's state media on Tuesday defended Pakistan's nuclear record, saying it was A Q Khan who was responsible for atomic proliferation which was not backed by the government and argued that any exemption to India for NSG entry should also be given to Pakistan. "While India strives for Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) inclusion, it prevents Pakistan from joining by insisting on the latter's bad record of nuclear proliferation. Actually, the proliferation carried out by Pakistan was done by Abdul Qadeer Khan, Pakistan's chief nuclear scientist, and was not an official policy of the Pakistani government," an article in the state-run Global Times said. "Khan was punished by the government afterwards with several years of house arrest. If the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the NSG can give India an exemption, it should apply to Pakistan as well," it said. This is probably the first time Chinese official media has directly made a case for Pakistan's inclusion in the NSG. China officially maintains that there should be consensus about admitting all members. "China and other countries are opposed to NSG including India while excluding Pakistan, because it means solving India's problem but creating another bigger problem. If India joins hands with Pakistan to seek NSG membership, it seems more pragmatic than joining alone," said the article titled 'China no barrier to India joining NSG'. India and Pakistan conducted nuclear tests in 1998, which were condemned by the international community, and the US, the EU and Japan all imposed harsh sanctions on the two countries. After the September 11 attacks, the sanctions were gradually lifted. The US even signed with India a Civil Nuclear Agreement and backs India's bid to join NSG. But the issue of the legitimacy of India's "nuclear status" has not been solved, it said. "If India and Pakistan are allowed to join the NPT and adopt the CTBT, it will tarnish the authority of both. How can nuclear weapons development in other countries such as North Korea, Iran and Israel be dealt with," the article said. The article put the blame of proliferation from Pakistan squarely on nuclear scientist Khan. Khan was disgraced in 2004 when he was forced to accept responsibility for nuclear technology proliferation and was made to live a life of official house arrest. In 2009, the Islamabad High Court declared Khan to be a free citizen of Pakistan, allowing him free movement inside the country. The article came as the NSG began its meeting in Seoul, even as the Chinese foreign ministry said India's admission is not on the agenda. The NSG remains divided over non-NPT countries like India becoming its members, China's Foreign Ministry had said yesterday less than 24 hours after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had exuded hope that "we would be able to convince China to support our entry to the NSG." "We understand that non-NPT countries are concerned about their entry into the NSG. But since NSG is still divided about the issue, so it is still not mature to talk about the entry issue in the annual conference in Seoul," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying had said. "The NSG plenary meeting started Monday and will end Friday in Seoul. In a bid to become a member of NSG, the Indian government has launched a diplomatic offensive and Indian President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have embarked on foreign visits to win support from NSG member states," the article said. "The NSG was set up by a group of countries that have civil nuclear technology, equipment and material export capabilities. It aims to achieve nuclear non-proliferation by preventing civil nuclear technology and material from being used to develop nuclear weapons," it noted. A country must meet four requirements to become a member of the NSG. It must have the capacity to export civil nuclear technologies; it must abide by the guidelines of the NSG; it must have signed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) or other regional non-proliferation treaties, the article said. It also needs to provide "overarching and integrated legislation prohibiting unlawful activities in relation to Weapons of Mass Destruction and their delivery systems, it said. "As a nuclear power, India has acquired the ability to export civil nuclear technologies. The NSG allows member countries to export civil nuclear technology, equipment and material to India. India's struggle to enter the NSG is also aimed at joining the global civil nuclear market"," it added. The article stated that despite not being an NSG member, India has been sticking to NSG guidelines and implementing rigorous export control policies to prevent nuclear proliferation. India also "meets the last requirement and was admitted to membership of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) early this month," it said. "The direct obstacle for India joining the NSG is that it has not signed the NPT or any other regional non-proliferation pact. The only exception for a non-NPT signatory is if it obtains consent from all NSG members. Countries such as Norway, New Zealand, South Africa and China all hold reservations about India's inclusion into the NSG," the article said. "But some Indian media and scholars simply put the blame on China, accusing China of being hostile toward India, which misses the point," the article said. "India joining NSG does not harm China's own interests. India advocates nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament and commits itself to no-first-use of nuclear weapons as China does. It could also help enhance bilateral cooperation in civil nuclear energies. Measures that can boost mutual trust could be established among China, India and Pakistan, the three nuclear powers in Asia," it said. "Is it that simple that as long as India signs the NPT, it can join NSG? The source of conflicts comes from the dilemma of such mechanisms in accepting both India and Pakistan," the article said. It is generally reckoned that countries that conducted nuclear tests before the UN General Assembly adopted the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) in 1996 are legitimate nuclear countries, while those that did so after the adoption of the CTBT are considered illegitimate, it argued. "If the US is sincere in supporting India's NSG membership, it should not just cast its eyes on India's nuclear market. It should solve India's 'nuclear status' first so as to eradicate the contradictions between India and the existing international nuclear non-proliferation mechanism," it said. Beijing: A Chinese man was on Tuesday sentenced to death by a court for setting a passenger bus on fire which killed three people. The defendant Xu Xiaofu sought revenge on society by causing the fire in 2014 which left three people dead and 16 others injured because his improper demands had not been met, Intermediate People's Court of Yantai City in Shandong Province said, without specifying Xu's demands. Xu torched the bus in the city of Longkou on August 20, 2014 with a bottle of petrol he carried in his bag. He poured petrol on clothes in the bag and set fire to the bus, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. A passenger died at the scene and two others died in hospital. Six people were seriously injured. Xu escaped after the fire but was arrested by police two days later. He was sentenced to death and deprived of political rights for life by the court. Xu said he would appeal against the sentence in a higher court. This restriction, combined with the isolation and severe weather of the plunging, remote valleys makes giving birth one of the deadliest moments in the lives of its women and newborns.(Photo: Pixabay) Sharda, Pakistan: "We are afraid we could die," says Asmat Nisa, a mother-of-five set to give birth again. It is a dangerous prospect for women in the remote mountains of Pakistan, where doctors are few and help is far. "There is no hospital here and I have never seen a female doctor," explains Nisa, who is from the village of Arang Kel in Kashmir's Neelum Valley. That her doctor be a woman is important: local customs dictate that male doctors are not permitted to examine women during pregnancy or labour. This restriction, combined with the isolation and severe weather of the plunging, remote valleys makes giving birth one of the deadliest moments in the lives of its women and newborns. "The major reason for the deaths of mothers and newborn babies in the remote areas of Neelum Valley is unskilled and untrained midwives assisting the pregnant women during delivery," says Farhat Shaheen, director of maternal, newborn and child health for Pakistan. Fifty-four babies out of every 1,000 are stillbirths or first day deaths in Kashmir, she said. In 2014, a report by the charity Save the Children stated Pakistan had the highest rate of first day deaths and stillbirths in the world, at 40.7 per 1,000 births. In Europe, according to the same report, 5.9 babies for every 1,000 do not survive the first 28 days. Even neighbouring Afghanistan, torn apart by decades of war, does better than Pakistan, with a rate of 29 first day deaths and stillbirths for every 1,000 births. "The numbers of the deaths are very high," Shaheen says. Doctors' reluctance In the village of Sharda, some 20 kilometres from Arang Kel, inhabitants scattered across two mountains face life and death with a single Basic Health Unit (BHU). The facility has one male doctor rendered useless for pregnancy and childbirth by his gender, and three "Lady Health Visitors", as they are known locally -- women whose job is to create awareness about health and hygiene, but who do not give treatment and are not medically trained. That leaves a lone midwife to help the women of Sharda and the surrounding areas -- a population of around 17,000 -- through childbirth. The isolation of the region, which is covered with four to five feet of snow in winter, is a significant factor in medical staff's reluctance to work there, says Dr Sardar Mahmood Ahmed Khan, director general of the health service in Pakistani Kashmir. There is no electricity save a handful of small turbines used to generate hydropower from the streams and rivers sparkling through the valleys -- enough to fuel lights, but not much more, even in the BHUs. Pregnant women fight to scrape a living on the plunging slopes of the unforgiving mountains: carrying wood, cutting grass, working in the fields, says Riffat Bibi, a Lady Health Visitor at the Sharda BHU, adding that poor nutrition is also a factor ruining maternal health. "We have to do our hard daily household routine work during our pregnancies," adds Rubina Bashir, a mother-to-be in Sharda. The figures Khan cites are stark: of an estimated 4.4 million people in Pakistani Kashmir, he says there are a mere 1,050 doctors. Some 758 health units -- ranging from first aid centres to hospitals -- serve the area, with around 3,000 Lady Health Visitors. 'Could have been saved' Last year, said local resident Habib Ullah, his wife's delivery ran into complications. His newborn child did not survive the eight-hour journey to a hospital in the main city of Muzaffarabad, with its better facilities and larger proportion of women doctors. "My wife was near to death, but she luckily survived," he says, adding that he had to borrow some 200,000 rupees ($2,000) to pay the medical bills -- roughly 20 times what he earns in a month. Another Sharda resident, Jahangir Lone, described how his sister-in-law died during the birth of her eighth child. Her husband, he says, could not afford to move her to Muzaffarabad. "If there were any hospital in Sharda where her delivery could have been performed, then her life could have been saved." Khan said a special Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (RMNCH) programme launched in 2007 has been offering special incentives to persuade doctors to the area. Doctors who do go, be they men or women, get higher wages than those who work in cities. The government has fixed the average wage at 80,000 rupees per month in the rural areas of Pakistani Kashmir, compared to 65,000 rupees in the towns, Khan said. For specialists the wage in far-flung areas is set at 150,000 rupees, compared to 100,000 rupees in the cities, he said. Pakistan's government had provided 500 million rupees ($5 million) to run the RMNCH programme, run by Shaheen and which sought to train medical staff. But the money, donated in different phases, dried up earlier this year. Tufail Ahmed, a postman in Kel Sehri village in the outskirts of Shardah town, says his wife had suffered complications during her pregnancy but he could not afford to move her. Their child was stillborn, he says. "I appealed to the government to provide us female doctors in our region so that no one else has to lose his child." Speaking on the USs support for Indias NSG bid, Chunying pointed out that US was one of those who made the rule that non-NPT signatories should not join the NSG. (Representational photo: file) Beijing: China, which has been opposing India's NSG membership bid, on Tuesday for the first time said the "door is open" for discussions on the issue but took a swipe at the US for backing India, saying it was one of those who made the rule against the entry of non-NPT countries into NSG. Chinese Foreign Ministry, however, asked the 48-member NSG to "stay focussed" on whether the criteria should be changed on entry of non-NPT countries into the elite group. "I have not seen the US statement supporting India. But US is one of those who made the rule that non-NPT countries should not join the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing. "The relevant rule was made on the principle that NPT was the cornerstone of the NSG," she said. Hua made the remarks in response to a question on US asking members of the nuclear trading club to support India's application. Later talking to Indian media, Hua said while discussions are going on among the NSG members, the admission of new members is not listed in the current plenary meeting in Seoul. "The door is open. The room is there. We never said we are against who (a country). We did not target any country, India or Pakistan," Hua said. China for its part cares about non-proliferation treaty (NPT) as criteria for admission of the new members into the NSG, she said. "This is the core of the international non-proliferation. If the non-proliferation regime is changed how we can explain the Iranian nuclear treaty," Hua argued. "We just had a treaty with Iran. We have North Korean issues there... So this concerns the core issue whether NPT and non proliferation system could be impacted by this," she said. Reiterating what she said yesterday, Hua stated that, "According to my understanding, it (entry of new members) is not on the agenda of the NSG meeting in Seoul." "The door is open for the admission of non-NPT members. It is never closed. It is open. But the members of the NSG should stay focussed on whether the criteria should be changed and whether non-NPT members should be admitted into the NSG," she said. On US' backing for India's NSG bid, Hua said, "We care about rules. US just sets the rules. This is not an issue between China and India but (about) the pillar for non-proliferation system," she said. Earlier in the day, the US gave fresh impetus to Indias NSG bid amid China's opposition, by asking members of the elite club to support India's entry into the grouping during the ongoing plenary meeting in Seoul. "We believe, and this has been US policy for some time, that India is ready for membership and the United States calls on participating governments to support India's application at the plenary session of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said. "At the same time, participating governments will need to reach a consensus decision in order to admit any applicant into the group and the United States will certainly be advocating for India's membership," Earnest said as the 5-day annual plenary session of the 48-member club began in the South Korean capital. His remarks came after China said India's membership was not on the agenda of the NSG meeting in Seoul. The NSG remains divided over non-NPT countries like India becoming its members, China's Foreign Ministry had said yesterday less than 24 hours after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj exuded hope that "we would be able to convince China to support our entry to the NSG." US President Barack Obama, Earnest said, had an opportunity to discuss the issue of India's NSG membership bid with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their White House meeting earlier this month. "The United States, as you know, strongly supports India's application to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group," Earnest said. "We have made our views known both publicly and privately, and we'll continue to do so," Earnest said when asked if the US has reached out to members of the NSG in support of India's application. At a separate news conference, the State Department reiterated the same views. "As you know, during Prime Minister Modi's visit, the President welcomed India's application to join the NSG and reaffirmed that India is ready for membership. We continue to call on the participating governments, the NSG, to support India's application at the plenary session this week itself," State Department Spokesman John Kirby told reporters at his daily news conference. "India's application is something we have routinely talked to other NSG participating members. This is not a new topic of discussion that we've had privately with the members," Kirby said. Last week as well, the US had called on members of the nuclear trading club to support India's membership. While majority of the elite group members backed India's membership, it is understood that apart from China, countries like Turkey, South Africa, Ireland and New Zealand were not in favour of India's entry into the NSG. China maintains opposition to India's entry, arguing that it has not signed Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). However, it has been batting for its close ally Pakistan's entry if NSG extends any exemption for India. Pakistan applied for NSG membership, a week after India submitted its membership application. India has asserted that being a signatory to the NPT was not essential for joining the NSG as there has been a precedent in this regard, citing the case of France. India is seeking membership of NSG to enable it to trade in and export nuclear technology. The access to the NSG, which regulates the global trade of nuclear technology, is expected to open up the international market for energy-starved India, which has an ambitious energy generation programme. India is looking at 63,000 MW energy requirement through the nuclear programme by 2030. The NSG looks after critical issues relating to nuclear sector and its members are allowed to trade in and export nuclear technology. Membership of the grouping will help India significantly expand its atomic energy sector. India has been reaching out to NSG member countries seeking support for its entry. The NSG works under the principle of consensus and even one country's vote against India will scuttle its bid. Kathmandu: The death of 14 Nepali guards in Afghanistan in a suicide attack on Monday has highlighted the Himalayan nations role as supplier of security forces to the world, an industry fuelled by poverty and built on the centuries-old reputation of its Gurkha troops for courage and loyalty. While the number of Gurkha soldiers Britain recruits annually in the impoverished nation has fallen in recent years, global demand for Nepalis as private security guards remains high. Everyone wants a Gurkha to protect their assets -- from a billionaire in Hong Kong to private firms in Kabul, said Mahesh Shrestha, Nepal country manager for British security giant G4S. Gurkhas have always been a big craze as far as the market for security (personnel) is concerned, Shrestha said. The industry provides lucrative jobs for retired Gurkhas as well as former Nepal army and police staff willing to risk their lives in conflict zones around the world. Nepalis were first recruited overseas by the British East India Company after the Anglo-Nepali war that ended in 1816. Impressed by their bravery, the British struck a deal to hire their former foes as soldiers, using Gurkha troops to crush riots in 19th-century India and fight for Britain in World Wars I and II. Nepalese security guards receive treatment at a hospital following a suicide attack in Kabul. (Photo: AP) The Gurkhas World War I exploits also secured the Himalayan kingdoms sovereignty via a 1923 treaty between Nepal and Britain. Famed for their ferocity and skilful use of razor-sharp curved kukri knives, the Gurkhas have fought in every British conflict for the last two centuries. More than 45,000 have died in action. They have also enlisted in the Singapore police force and the Indian army, whose former chief of staff Sam Manekshaw is reported to have said: If a man says he is not afraid of dying, he is either lying or is a Gurkha. Today, private security firms seek to trade on that reputation when they advertise their recruitment of Nepalis -- including non-Gurkhas -- to prospective clients. As a result, Nepalis enjoy a virtual monopoly in the private security sector in countries like Malaysia, where companies are only allowed to hire them or locals as guards. Thanks to the Gurkhas fame... people think Nepalis are loyal, honest, hardworking men who can survive anywhere and cope with tough conditions, G4Ss Shrestha said. Fuelled by desperation The hillside towns the Gurkhas come from are islands of relative prosperity in Nepal thanks to salaries and pensions which are substantially higher than local wages. Thousands of young men apply to join the British Gurkhas each year, but only around 230 make the final cut. Their tests include a 4.6-kilometre (2.9-mile) race up a steep hill while carrying a basket packed with rocks. The British army now employs around 2,500 Gurkhas, down from an all-time high of 112,000 during World War II, and many have taken jobs as security guards in conflict zones like Afghanistan, where 14 Nepalis working for the Canadian embassy were killed in a bomb attack this week. They are more expensive than Afghan security, but are seen as more reliable and their physical similarity allows them to blend in better than other foreigners. Young Nepali males dont really have many options at home and so they seek dangerous jobs overseas... because of their desperation, journalist Kunda Dixit told AFP. Nepali migrant workers play a critical role in propping up the countrys economy: their remittances make up about 30 percent of gross domestic product. Authorities say some 3,300 Nepalis currently work in Afghanistan as security guards but accurate figures for the total number employed across the world are hard to come by. Despite the dangers, commentators say the deaths this week will do little to stop other Nepalis from venturing into war zones in desperate pursuit of work, as the country struggles to recover from last years massive earthquake. It wont change anything... the economic benefits are too important to give up, said journalist Dixit. School District 2 Trustees had a light agenda Monday night for their first meeting this summer, but they did officially approve a new contract for Superintendent Terry Bouck. Trustees decided to extend Bouck's contract through 2019 in May, and Bouck negotiated the contract with district lawyers. The contract doesn't give Bouck a raise for the upcoming school year, holding his salary at $171,666 per year. The contract says that any future salary increases cannot outpace percentage raises in teachers' collective bargaining agreement. Bouck would also have to notify the district if he was resigning by Oct. 1 of that year, earlier than previously required. Trustees also adopted new "pillars" for school health, which were presented by members of the district's school health advisory committee. The plan includes recommendations to focus on better nutrition, increased physical activity and improved well-being for students. "There's a lot of research that shows increased physical activity leads to greater student achievement," said Nich Pertuit, a health and human performance instructor at Rocky Mountain College. The nutrition component emphasizes improving the availability of drinking water for students. "Water should be the first and primary beverage that kids receive," said Susan Maier, who has worked as a pediatrician. The recommendations are not binding for schools. Boys and Girls Clubs of Yellowstone County President and CEO Brian Dennis gave a presentation about current services offered by clubs in SD2 buildings and talked about expansion plans. The club currently has three clubhouses, but will be moving from Bench Elementary to the new Medicine Crow Middle School and will open a new clubhouse at McKinley Elementary for the upcoming school year. While current facilities are maxed out, he said, the group tries to get students involved multiple times a week. "It's frequency and participation; the more often kids do something, they're going to get more benefit," Dennis said. "The more often we can have them, the more they're going to get to eat, the more opportunities they're going to have to get their homework done." Islamabad: President Mamnoon Hussain will represent Pakistan at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tashkent on June 23-24, officials said on Tuesday. It is expected that Pakistan along with India will formally join the six-nation SCO as a full member. Foreign Office said that Pakistan was invited to start the process of becoming full SCO member at the Heads of State Council meeting held in Ufa, Russia in July 2015. "Pakistan is expected to sign the Memorandum of Obligations at Tashkent which will be major step towards becoming a full member of the SCO," it said. Prior to that, as an Observer State of the SCO, Pakistan has been making substantive contribution to regional peace, security and development. The SCO comprises six Member States, five Observers and three Dialogue Partners. Established in June 2001, Pakistan became an Observer in SCO in 2005 and was the first country to apply for full membership in 2010. The SCO is working to strengthen friendly relations amongst states, maintenance of peace, stability and security in the region, building a new, just and rational international political and economic order, joint efforts in combating terrorism, extremism, separatism and the menace of narcotic substances. Its member- states include China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The SCO Heads of States Council (HSC) is the highest decision-making body of the Organisation. The President will also hold important bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit, it said. The abduction came just weeks after the sons of two high-profile politicians returned home after spending years in captivity of militant outfits.(Representational image) Islamabad: The son of a High Court judge in Pakistan was abducted by unidentified armed men from outside a shopping mart, media reports said on Tuesday. Ovais Shah, the son of the Chief Justice Sindh High Court, was abducted by four armed men who drove in a white car with a green number plate. Green number plates are reserved for government vehicles in Pakistan. A senior police official said so far no case of kidnapping had been registered but Ovais was missing and untraceable until now. "His mobile phone is switched off. We have detained five persons from the parking area for questioning," he said. The abduction came just weeks after the sons of two high-profile politicians returned home after spending years in captivity of militant outfits. Shahbaz Taseer, the son of former slain Punjab governor Salman Taseer, returned home in March after spending five years in captivity. In May, Ali Haider, the son of former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, was rescued in Afghanistan after spending three years in captivity of militants. Members of a breakaway faction of the Taliban fighters walk during a gathering, in Shindand district of Herat province, Afghanistan. (Photo: AP) Kandahar, Afghanistan: An Afghan official says Taliban insurgents have attacked a convoy of buses and cars in southern Helmand province and abducted around 60 people. Mohammad Ismail, a district police chief in Helmand, says initial reports show the attack happened in Gareshk district. He says the Taliban forced the vehicles to stop at gunpoint. It's not known where the Taliban have taken the abducted passengers. Taliban spokesman Qari Yusouf Ahmadi says the insurgents still hold 27 of the abducted but freed the others. Earlier this month, the Taliban killed 12 people they had captured, including policemen and soldiers, in eastern Ghazni province. Last month, Taliban-linked insurgents killed at least nine people after seizing passengers off buses in northern Kunduz province. Amid China's opposition, the US has given a fresh push to India's NSG membership bid by asking members of the elite club to support India's entry into the grouping during the ongoing plenary meeting in Seoul. "We believe, and this has been US policy for some time, that India is ready for membership and the United States calls on participating governments to support India's application at the plenary session of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters. "At the same time, participating governments will need to reach a consensus decision in order to admit any applicant into the group and the United States will certainly be advocating for India's membership," Earnest said as the 5-day annual plenary session of the 48-member club began in the South Korean capital yesterday. His remarks came after China said India's membership is not on the agenda of the NSG meeting in Seoul. The NSG remains divided over non-NPT countries like India becoming its members, China's Foreign Ministry had said yesterday less than 24 hours after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj exuded hope that "we would be able to convince China to support our entry to the NSG." US President Barack Obama, Earnest said, had an opportunity to discuss the issue of India's NSG membership bid with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their White House meeting earlier this month. "The United States, as you know, strongly supports India's application to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group," Earnest said. "We have made our views known both publicly and privately, and we'll continue to do so," Earnest said when asked if the US has reached out to members of the NSG in support of India's application. At a separate news conference, the State Department reiterated the same views. "As you know, during Prime Minister Modi's visit, the President welcomed India's application to join the NSG and reaffirmed that India is ready for membership. We continue to call on the participating governments, the NSG, to support India's application at the plenary session this week itself," State Department Spokesman John Kirby told reporters at his daily news conference. "India's application is something we have routinely talked to other NSG participating members. This is not a new topic of discussion that we've had privately with the members," Kirby said. Last week as well, the US had called on members of the nuclear trading club to support India's membership. While majority of the elite group members backed India's membership, it is understood that apart from China, countries like Turkey, South Africa, Ireland and New Zealand were not in favour of India's entry into the NSG. China maintains opposition to India's entry, arguing that it has not signed Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). However, it has been batting for its close ally Pakistan's entry if NSG extends any exemption for India. Pakistan applied for NSG membership, a week after India submitted its membership application. India has asserted that being a signatory to the NPT was not essential for joining the NSG as there has been a precedent in this regard, citing the case of France. India is seeking membership of NSG to enable it to trade in and export nuclear technology. The access to the NSG, which regulates the global trade of nuclear technology, is expected to open up the international market for energy-starved India, which has an ambitious energy generation programme. India is looking at 63,000 MW energy requirement through the nuclear programme by 2030. The NSG looks after critical issues relating to nuclear sector and its members are allowed to trade in and export nuclear technology. Membership of the grouping will help India significantly expand its atomic energy sector. India has been reaching out to NSG member countries seeking support for its entry. The NSG works under the principle of consensus and even one country's vote against India will scuttle its bid. A 19-year-old Britsh man has been charged for trying to grab a police officer's gun at a Donald Trump rally in Las Vegas in a bid to kill the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. According to a complaint filed in federal court in Nevada, Michael Sandford tried to disarm the officer at Saturday's rally at the Mystere Theatre in the Treasure Island Casino before being overpowered. It said the young man told a Secret Service agent after his arrest that he had driven from California to Las Vegas "to kill Trump," and had been to a range a day earlier to learn to shoot as he had never fired a gun before. "Sandford acknowledged that he would likely only be able to fire one to two rounds and stated he was convinced he would be killed by law enforcement during his attempt on Trump's life," the complaint said. It added that Sandford told investigators he had purchased tickets for a rally in Phoenix, where he "would try again to kill Trump" in the event his plan in Las Vegas failed. Video of his arrest carried by US media show a skinny man with short brown hair and a grey T-shirt being escorted out of the rally by police officers with his hands behind his back. The prosecutor's office said Sandford was ordered held without bond, as he was considered dangerous and represented a flight risk. Britain's Foreign Office is "providing assistance" in the case, a spokesman said. The complaint said Sandford had told investigators he had been in the United States for about 18 months, and had lived in Hoboken, New Jersey, before traveling to California. It said Sandford told investigators that he had targeted officer Ameel Jacob's gun because it was in an unlocked position and would be the easiest way to gain access to a weapon at the rally where those attending had to go through metal detectors. "Sandford further stated that if he were on the street tomorrow, he would try this again," according to the complaint. It said Sandford told the Secret Service that he had been plotting to kill Trump for about a year and finally decided to act on Saturday, as "he finally felt confident to do it." His arrest comes amid one of the nastiest US presidential campaigns in recent history, dominated by violent rhetoric, with Trump lashing out at Mexicans, Muslims and other groups. The real estate billionaire enjoys Secret Service protection but also has his own private security detail that has been accused of using unnecessary force to remove people from events. A number of protesters have been arrested at his rallies where riot police are deployed in force and there have been mounting demonstrations during his campaign appearances in recent months. A former domestic help was arrested for stealing jewellery worth Rs 90 lakh from his employers house in south Delhis Vasant Vihar. Eleven gold and diamond necklaces, eight gold and diamond bangles, 24 gold and diamond tops, 20 gold and diamond rings and cash of Rs 8,500 were recovered from the arrested man, said police. The accused identified as Brijesh, 20, was employed by Namrata Kumari and her husband last year but due to his bad conduct he was sacked by the couple last month. The incident came to light when Kumari and her daughter returned from their 10-day-international-holiday on June 16. When she came back home from abroad, she found that her almirah and drawers in her room were opened. When she checked them, she found that her diamond and gold jewelry and cash of Rs 20,000 was missing, said a police officer. A case was registered and during investigation it was found out that Brijesh, despite being sacked several days back, had visited the house of his former employees and again worked there for few days. On the basis of details provided by Brijesh to his employees, the police team conducted raids at his possible hideouts in village Manakpur, district Badayun, UP. However, sensing police presence he fled from his village. In the next attempt police received inputs that Brijesh was hiding somewhere at the house of her maternal aunt in village Babral, district Sehswan, UP. Police raided the place and Brijesh was nabbed. During interrogation, Brijesh disclosed that in 2015 he came to Delhi and started working as domestic help at the house of Kumari, but in May this year he was sacked. After he was sacked he came to know about the illness of his mother. Then, he visited his native village to meet his mother. He was in dire need of money, said a police officer. Brijesh came back to Delhi and got to know that Kumari had left for abroad. He reached the house of complainant where children presumed that he was re-employed and he started working there. During this time he committed theft of gold and diamond jewelry and cash from the almirah of complainant and escaped to his village, said a police officer. Patients suffered as the strike by resident doctors and nursing staff at the Delhi government-run Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya were on strike for the third consecutive day on Monday. OPD, emergency services and surgeries came to a halt with only the faculty members working at the hospital. Resident doctors went on strike protesting the lack of security, after some of them were allegedly thrashed by the relatives of a patient. On June 15, a preterm infant was brought to the hospital. The infant needed a ventilator but none was free then at the hospital. The patient was put on an ambu bag, which also helps patients breathe. According to doctors, the infants family members were told of the situation and they were referred to another hospital. However, they refused to shift the baby, said doctors. When the baby died, relatives allegedly roughed up resident doctors. Resident doctors and nursing staff form the backbone of the hospital. Today, OPD services, emergencies and OTs were shut. The doctors are on strike from Saturday, said Dr Anup Mohta, director at Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya (CNBC). Senior doctors are taking care of the patients admitted at the hospital. We have also shifted some patients to other hospitals, he said. The doctors have demanded that the security measures be enhanced at the hospital and the accused be arrested. Our primary demand is that the absconding accused be arrested. We do not feel safe to work at the emergency during the night hours. Security at the hospital should be stepped up. There is a need to post marshals who will man the emergencies, said Prerna Choudhury, vice president of CNBC resident doctors association. We receive a lot of referral cases and a significant number of them come in poor health condition. There are times we cannot accommodate all the patients who need critical care support, she said. According to the hospital administration, police are now planning to come up with a police chowki in the premises. Dr Mohta said there are 60 private guards on the premises at present. We have communicated to the Health Department that we would need at least 17 more. Police have now assured deployment of two of their personnel round the clock at the hospital, he said. Doctors said there have been two more incidents of assault on them since June 15. The strike will be called off only after their demands are met, they added. One worker died and five others injured when a wall of a building undergoing repair work collapsed near Tewar Khan Masjid, in Old Delhis Lahori Gate collapsed. The deceased has been identified as Mukarram, 23, a resident of Asompur, Bataoli Village, Uttar Pradesh. He was working in the basement of the building when the wall collapsed. The incident took place around 4:45 pm. According to the residents of the building, it was under repairmen for the past 4-5 days and the builder had undertaken work of the basement of the building. The residents claimed that they had written various complaint letters against the work to the police, sub divisional magistrate and various other authorities but nobody paid any attention. The builders workers were working in the basement when the wall collapsed after which residents of the area rushed to their help. Around 4-5 people were also injured, the police was immediately informed about the incident after which one PCR van reached the spot. He was shifted to the nearest hospital, said Asif Ali, a resident. Mukarram was shifted to the nearest hospital and he was declared brought dead by the doctors. A case has been registered against the builder and the police are investigating the case. We have registered a case under the appropriate sections of IPC and are investigating into the matter, said a police officer. Underscoring yoga's message of promoting harmony, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon today asked citizens across nations to commit to unity regardless of ethnicity, faith, gender and sexual orientation. "On this International Day of Yoga, I urge everyone to embrace healthier choices and lifestyles and to commit to unity with our fellow human beings, regardless of ethnicity, faith, age, gender identity or sexual orientation. Let us celebrate this Day and every day as members of one human family sharing one common, precious home," Ban said in his message for 2nd International Day of Yoga which is being commemorated across the world today. Ban called for equality among humans irrespective of their nationalities and sexual orientation assumes significance in the wake of the tragic shooting last week in Orlando in which 49 people were killed and over 50 injured when 29-year old Omar Mateen opened fire in a popular gay nightclub. The UN Chief's message for yoga day was read out by veteran Indian diplomat and currently his Special Advisor on Myanmar Vijay Nambiar during a special panel discussion organised here by India's Permanent Mission to the UN on the eve of yoga day. Ban said that the ancient physical, mental and spiritual practice of Yoga originated in India and is now practised in various forms around the world. "Yoga balances body and soul, physical health and mental well-being. It promotes harmony among people, and between ourselves and the natural world," he said, adding that the United Nations General Assembly had proclaimed June 21 as the International Day of Yoga in recognition of its "universal appeal". He noted the second observance of the International Day of Yoga highlights the important role healthy living plays in the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals, adopted last year by all 193 United Nations member states. Ban highlighted that as an exercise, yoga has multiple benefits and can help cultivate healthier lifestyles in current times when physical inactivity is linked with a number of non-communicable diseases, such as cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. "Practising yoga can also help raise awareness of our role as consumers of the planet's resources and as individuals with a duty to respect and live in peace with our neighbours. All these elements are essential to building a sustainable future of dignity and opportunity for all," he said. Meanwhile, renowned spiritual leader and Isha Foundation founder Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev said that yoga is India's gift to the world. "We must understand that yoga is not an Indian (thing). If you want to call yoga Indian, then you must call gravity European," Sadhguru said at a panel discussion organised here yesterday by India's Permanent Mission to the UN. Sadhguru said even though the idea of commemorating an international yoga day was mooted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it was "almost like the world was waiting for it" when 177 nations supported the UN resolution proclaiming June 21 as International Day of Yoga. "Yes, yoga originated from India and as Indians we are proud of it but it does not belong to India," he said, during the panel discussion 'Conversation with Yoga Masters' that also featured Tao Porchon-Lynch, 97 year-old Yoga Master and activist. "The very fact that the UN has declared it as international yoga day means India has gifted it (Yoga) to the world. It does not belong to India anymore," Sadhguru said to an audience that included senior UN officials, ambassadors and other dignitaries from various countries. Underlining that yoga is becoming a world-wide phenomenon, he said the science of yoga is not just about health and fitness but it is the "ultimate solution for every aspect of human existence." He predicted that over the next 30-50 years, there will be a big movement towards scientific process for inner well- being. In a conversation with well-known author and activist Max Kennedy, son of American politician Robert F Kennedy, Sadhguru said his focus over the years has been to remove all the "frills of culture" that yoga has acquired through the millennia. Diplomats from Nepal, Bangladesh, Liechtenstein and World Health Organisation also spoke about the importance of yoga and shared personal experiences of how the ancient practice has enriched their lives. President of General Assembly Morgens Lykketoft is the Chief Guest at the event, which will also be attended by Under Secretary General for Communications and Public Information Cristina Gallach. The celebration will be led by Sadhguru and include simple Yoga pratice and a musical incantation on Yoga. Special Yogic meals will be served. Every year after the death of her husband in 1928, May Kelly had a wreath delivered from their home in California to his burial site in Billings. The wreaths were made of cedar greens and boughs from the trees on their 26-acre farm in Paradise, Calif., and delivered every year, until May Kelly's death in the late 1930s, to the final resting place of Luther Sage "Yellowstone" Kelly, the influential but oft-overlooked soldier and American West frontiersman. Tuesday morning on a small patch of rocky ground atop the eastern edge of the Rimrocks overlooking the still-lush Yellowstone Valley and greater Billings area below, that tradition continued at Kelly's grave as officials held a wreath-laying ceremony, honored him and other military veterans and detailed continuing efforts to transform the grave into an interpretive site. "Today we're doing more than just painting a picture of why we're fighting so hard to honor this site," said John Brewer, president and CEO of the Billings Chamber of Commerce. "Today, we're bringing it to life." In an hourlong ceremony that drew local officials, businesses and a group of Vietnam veterans from across the country to the site, which sits in Swords Rimrock Park, Kelly's life and legacy took center stage as the group in charge of the effort to restore the area announced it was nearing its $500,000 fundraising goal to build it out as an interpretive area. A chamber committee tasked with raising the money announced that with more than $220,000 in donations announced in the past two months it was only about $20,000 away from that goal. Included in those donations were a $80,000 from Singh Construction, making it a presenting investor along with Phillips 66; $15,000 from Kampgrounds of America and $5,000 from First Interstate Bank, all of which were announced Tuesday. "That is a monumental achievement in such a short period of time," said Chris Dimock, committee fundraising chair. Tuesday's ceremonies featured a heavy nod toward military veterans both past and present, starting with a quick detailing of Kelly's service in the Civil, Spanish-American and Philippine-American wars. Bill Cole, chairman of the steering committee, noted that Kelly's service is as notable as his status as an adventurer but that his burial site, with views of the valley below and the mountains in the distance, is little known to people even in Billings. "When this is done, this is going to be a respectful place," he said. "He stood at the cusp of a Wild West that was rapidly turning into the New West." A group of seven members of the Casper Aviation Platoon a helicopter platoon that was part of the U.S. Army's 173rd Airborne Brigade deployed to South Vietnam from 1965 to 1971 during Vietnam are holding an annual reunion in Billings and also attended the ceremonies. Mayor Tom Hanel thanked the group for their services and presented them with certificates of appreciation from the City of Billings and a small gift thanking them for their service. Chuck Merkel and his wife organized the reunion in Billings and drove from Florida to attend, joining platoon members from Texas, Pennsylvania and California. While the group has a full schedule for the week, the Yellowstone Kelly ceremony was a priority and the reception in Billings much appreciated. "We're proud to be here," Merkel said. "This certainly is in contrast to the welcome we received when we we got home the last time." Craig and Donna Wilson own a 10-acre piece of land on the site of the California farm where Kelly and his wife lived beginning in 1915 and made the trip to Billings to deliver the wreath, which was made from cedar boughs from the original property and clippings from olive trees at May Kelly's grave, laid on Kelly's grave. They are part of a similar committee in Paradise, Calif., a city of around 26,000 people that sits about 90 miles north of Sacramento, dedicated to preserving Kelly's memory which also donated $1,000 to the effort in Billings. We recognized an opportunity to include a few clippings from (May's) grave site as an opportunity to symbolically reunite two souls," Craig Wilson said. While Kelly is noted for his role as an adventurer, author, scholar, veteran of three wars, hunter, trader and friend to numerous influential Americans in the late 1800s and early 1900s, he could have been no more than a footnote in history books. Jerry Keenan, author of the biography "The Life of Yellowstone Kelly," described him as "a true son of the American frontier" and man of "quiet dignity" who didn't advertise or exploit his own contributions even though, more than 20 years after his death, was used in advertisements for government bonds. But efforts like those to build an interpretive site at his grave in Billings are playing a role in changing that and giving Kelly his rightful place among the region's real heroes, he said. "For all his accomplishments, history might have recorded him as a man in the shadows," Keenan said. "In the near future, Kelly's grave site will stand as a true tribute to one of Montana's and the West's great pioneers. A top Lashkar-e-Toiba commander has been arrested by security forces from Kupwara district of north Kashmir, police said today. Abu Ukasha, also known as Hanzullah, was apprehended by security forces during an operation in Sogam area of Kupwara last evening, a police official said. He said on Ukasha's disclosure, the security forces launched a search operation in the nearby forests to track down another LeT militant Abu Bakar. The search operation was still in progress when reports last came in. Ukasha, a resident of Pakistan, is being questioned for information about the militant network in north Kashmir region where he was active for several years now, the official said. No official programme was organised by the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar on the occasion of International Yoga Day today, even as Union Minister Ravishankar Prasad lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making yoga a "global event". Ravishankar Prasad, Giriraj Singh, Ramkripal Yadav were among the Union ministers who led thousands of people in observing the fitness regime in separate programmes in the state today. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the yoga session at Gandhi Maidan in the state capital, Prasad, the Union communications and IT minister said organising the ancient fitness regime on a mass scale fostered unity among the people. He also lauded the Prime Minister for making yoga a global event with hundreds of countries organising World Yoga Day celebrations. Union Minister of State for MSME Giriraj Singh joined the people in participating in a yoga session at a function in Kankerbagh locality in Patna, while his ministerial colleague Ramkripal Yadav did so at Muzaffarpur. Speaking to reporters, Giriraj Singh lashed out at Nitish Kumar government for opposing yoga on the ground that it was a publicity drive by the BJP and the NDA government at the Centre. "I can understand your (Nitish Kumar) annoyance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but not so with yoga," he said. Union minister of State for Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ramkripal Yadav, participated in a yoga session at Muzaffarpur. The Union health ministry has despatched close to 200 yoga teachers in six districts to find out if practising the ancient exercises regularly would reduce the disease burden. In addition to the yoga teachers, each district has also received 25-30 Ayush doctors who would tell people about the need to adopt healthy lifestyle, besides seeing the patients. For the next three years, the teachers and the doctors will travel to the villages in the districts to spread the message and help people learn yoga postures. The aim is to see if lifestyle interventions like reduction in the consumption of salt, curbing the use of tobacco and alcohol combined with yoga can reduce the disease burden, particularly the risk of non-communicable diseases, Jagdish Prasad, head of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) in the Union health ministry, told DH. The six districts identified for the pilot programme are Darjeeling (West Bengal), Gaya (Bihar), Lakhimpur-Kheri (Uttar Pradesh), Krishnanagar (Andhra Pradesh), Sundernagar (Gujarat) and Bhilwara (Rajasthan). Except Gaya, the programme has begun in other places. In Gaya, the training for the doctors was completed. We are now planning for large scale replication of this programme in other states, he said. The doctors practising Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy would be posted at the primary and community healthcare centres as the health ministry seeks to integrate the Indian systems of medicine with modern medicine from primary to the tertiary care. Some of the Ayush doctors would also be posted in the district hospitals. Meanwhile, the second International Day of Yoga was celebrated with much fanfare from Birmingham to Birgunj and from Hanoi to Havana as the world drew energy from the power of the ancient Indian physical exercise. The day was celebrated in more than 190 countries and the UN headquarters with lakhs twisting and turning their bodies in yoga postures. The fate of a conjoined Siamese twins in Telangana hangs in the balance as their parents refused to take them home citing financial difficulties. The Siamese twins Veena and Vani have been living in Hyderabads Niloufer Childrens hospital for the past nine years, but authorities there should turn them over to their parents once they turn 13. After Delhis All India Institute of Medical Sciences ruled that surgically separating the sisters would be riskier, hospital authorities asked their father M Murali, an auto driver from Warrangal district, to take custody of them. On Tuesday though, Murali presented a letter to the hospital saying it would be financially impossible for him and his wife to maintain the girls as they require assistance even to perform their regular daily chores. Niloufers management refused to accept the letter saying it did not bear the signature of the girls mother M Nagalakshmi. My wife is a daily wage earner and we cannot take care of the two children. We have two more daughters, Murali, who is on his way to his home in Beerusettigudem village to get his wifes signature, mentioned in the letter. I request the government a house and medical assistance to care for the conjoined twins, without which we will all be driven into severe financial distress, Murali further said. The parents had earlier given written consent for their surgical separation, despite doctors from AIIMS and Londons the Great Osmond Street hospital giving just 50 per cent chance of their survival. They were given ten days time to respond, Niloufers superintendent C Suresh said. Today (the girls) father has said he cannot afford their upkeep. If the parents refuse to take them back, we will have to hand the twins to Telangana Child Welfare Department. Unfazed by the predicament, Veena and Vani have said they would like to stay at Niloufer and consider the hospital their home. The Jammu and Kashmir government has set into motion the process of acquisition of 456 kanals (57 acres) of the total of 2005 kanals (251 acres) of land in the armys possession in South Kashmirs Anantnag district. The army is expected to hand over the land to civil authorities by June 28. The development comes in the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modis last weeks decision to clear the J&K governments proposal for vacating the land from the armys possession for expansion of Kashmir Universitys South campus in Anantnag. An official of state government confirmed that they have initiated the process of acquiring the land from the army. A team of revenue and defence estate officials accompanied by local army officials on Monday conducted preliminary demarcation of the land. The defence estates officials will depute its men and machinery on June 28 to carry final measurement and mapping of the land using Electronic Total Station machine, he said. The official said on the same day the district administration is expected to take over the possession of the land. Is there a ballooning gap between pledged intent and actual action on climate change? The heralded 2015 Paris Climate Agreement resulted in the adoption of goals to: keep global average temperature rise well below 2C; pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5C; enhance global adaptive capacity; strengthen resilience, and reduce vulnerability to climate change. Anticipation about the Paris Agreement resurfaced on April 22, 2016 (Earth Day), when history was made with 174 countries and the European Union (EU) symbolically signing the Agreement at the UN. Since then, three more countries have signed, but now the proverbial heat is on to ensure actual implementation. The Agreement goes into effect 30 days after at least 55 countries, which together produce at least 55% of the world's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, confirm their ratification or agreement. The two largest aggregate GHG emitters China and the US accounting for about 38% of GHG emissions, have said that they would ratify. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently announced Indias readiness to ratify by the end of 2016. China, US, India, along with other emitters such Russia, Germany, and Japan account for over 55% of GHG emissions. If these countries ratify, the Agreement could come into effect at the 22nd session of the Conference of the Parties scheduled to be held in Marrakesh November 7-18, 2016. Interestingly, COP-22 will have opened for negotiations around the same date November 8 when the next US president is elected, and COP-22s outcomes would be adopted two months before the next US president will be sworn in. But, there are imponderables: one of the US presidential candidates has vowed to repudiate the Agreement, and the June 23rd Brexit decision (UK decision to withdrawal from the EU) remains. Currently, 17 countries mostly small island developing states (SIDS) have ratified the Agreement including: Barbados, Belize, Fiji, Grenada, Guyana, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Nauru, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea Samoa, Seychelles, Somalia, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, State of Palestine, and Tuvalu. According to the UN, this small group accounts for 0.04 % of the total global GHG emissions. So what about the serious concern about the significant gap between the aggregate effect of Parties mitigation pledges by 2020 and aggregate emission pathways consistent with holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2C that was emphasised in the Agreement itself? As it turns out there is no globally agreed framework that immediately allows for tracking and monitoring of this significant gap. The future success of the Agreement hinges entirely on the level of ambition contained in voluntary national pledges Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) to curb climate change that all parties are required to submit. All parties are supposed to submit INDCs every five years with hopefully steady increases in their ambitions to curb climate change. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) website is required to publish all submitted INDCs. But can this diverse array of INDCs lend itself to a comprehensive global monitoring and review process in the absence of detailed guidance based on agreed criteria related to climate mitigation and adaptation concerns? Five months post-Paris, negotiators gathered for the first session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA1) in Bonn during May 17-26, 2016. The opening day election of two women as co-chairs of the APA was noteworthy, but the APA was suspended shortly thereafter for informal consultations. Pessimistic view The Bonn outcomes indicate a more constrained meeting where delegates basically spent the entire first week disagreeing about the agenda, and the organisation of work for the newly launched APA. The Earth Negotiations Bulletin reported that these informal consultations continued until May 23 when the APA agreed to meet as single contact group on all substantive agenda items and adopt its agenda, and summarised that parties noted different levels of maturity of the issues on the agenda. The optimistic view is that post-Paris climate disagreement is au naturel since working out the actual gritty details was bound to be challenging. But the pessimistic view is that the Bonn Conference portends a diminishing set of expectations for closing the gap between climate pledge and action. Theres no mistaking the crucial role of the APA in providing guidance on INDCs; transparency framework for action and support; global stock-take; and, mechanism to facilitate implementation and promote compliance. But there are demonstrable timeline gaps that pose monitoring and review challenges such as the fact that the first global stock take will occur in 2023 and is anticipated to be done once every five years after. It is hard to evaluate a diverse set of INDCs when global guidance on the INDC review process remains hotly debated. The fact that developing countries are advocating for parity between mitigation and adaptation concerns in INDCs necessitates substantive clarity, not confusion, and overlap in terms Articles 4, 13, 14 and 15. As per the Agreement, the UNFCCC Secretariat is required to compile an INDC synthesis report, but the absence of globally integrated guidance on the INDC process makes for ad hoc analyses. The voluntary nature of INDCs is attractive from the perspective of individual countries; but the idea that further guidance on the features of the INDCs has been kicked down the road raises concerns. The APA is responsible for preparations for the entry into force of the Agreement. The lack of clarity and global agr-eement about the APAs scope of work and guidance on INDCs is disconcerting. Demonstrable action not just well-intentioned verbiage- is needed to bridge the gap in the remaining months of 2016. (The writer is an expert on climate change) The toppers scam in Bihar appears to have its cascading effect in Nepal where over 3,000 MBBS students, who have completed their plus-two education from Bihar, are under scanner. Besides, those with Bihar roots, who have completed their MBBS and are into government as well private jobs in Nepal, are also under scrutiny. The Nepal police have so far arrested 66 such doctors who are believed to have procured intermediate results from the Bihar Intermediate Council, the earlier avatar of Bihar School Examination Board. Of those arrested doctors, 12 belong to Bihar while others have Madhesi (Terai region) roots, a source, quoting Nepalese media, said. Even as the Nepal cops are planning to visit Bihar to verify the authenticity of intermediate results of those arrested, there is a nationwide protest going on near Indo-Nepal border. The call for agitation has been given by Nepal Medical Association (NMA) which feels the medical fraternity in the Himalayan kingdom is being unnecessarily harassed at the hands of the Central Investigation Bureau. Fine-dine and food hospitality company Massive Restaurants has charted a longer gastronomical route, with plans to operate over 15 restaurants across India and Dubai, in the next 6-8 months. The company a brainchild of Zorawar Kalra, son of noted restaurateur Jiggs Kalra currently operates nine restaurants across five brands Farzi Cafe (Delhi, Gurgaon, Mumbai, and Dubai), PaPaYa (Mumbai), Masala Library by Jiggs Kalra (Mumbai), Made in Punjab (Mumbai and Delhi), and Masala Bar (Mumbai). We are planning two outlets of fine casual dining chain Farzi Cafe within a month. Two outlets of pan-Asian bistro PaPaYa are opening in Mumbai and Delhi each, in 3-4 months, while an outlet each of authentic Punjabi restaurant Made in Punjab is opening in Noida and Bengaluru. We are planning outlets of Masala Bar in Delhi, while a branch of Masala Library by Jiggs Kalra is opening in Delhi shortly, Zorawar, who is the MD of the company, told Deccan Herald. The company is also planning to introduce a new brand altogether, which Zorawar said is still at an infancy stage, and more of its details be announced only around six months later. We will have around 15 restaurants in the next six months, with us owning a majority of them. We have already invested upwards of Rs 65 crore in the last one-and-half years, and will be investing another Rs 30 crore in next 6-8 months towards growing these brands, and their expansion in new geographies, he said. Referring to the restaurant business in India, Zorawar said, The restaurant industry is burgeoing in India, since Indians love eating out. The industry is growing at a CAGR of 20%, with huge potential. A middle-class population of 350 million means a large market with spending capacity and a tendency to eat out, hence, the importance given to food quality and safety, especially in metros. We restaurateurs see this as a unique opportunity for growth. The Indian restaurant business is a $46-billion industry, slated to touch $75 billion by the end of the next one year, and is considered the largest employer of people in the country after agriculture. Massive Restaurants has a run rate of Rs 70 crore a year, and has almost reached the Rs 100-crore mark. Within 2-3 months, it expects to achieve a sales target of Rs 10 crore a month. The House Natural Resources Committee voted last week on a series of bills, two of which dealt with public lands. The first piece was an outright transfer of federal lands. The second piece dealt with establishing a land management pilot program. I have said this before, and will say this again: I do not support selling and transferring ownership of Montana's public lands. Anyone who says otherwise, whether they are knowingly lying to promote themselves, or unaware of the actual votes, is wrong. I was the only Republican to vote against my own party, against the former Committee Chairman Don Young of Alaska, on a bill that would transfer away ownership of two million acres of U.S. Forest Service land. To put that in perspective, 2 million acres is about the size of the Flathead National Forest or Lolo National Forest. This is not the first time I've bucked the Republican Party on public lands, often putting me at odds with my own chairman. During my address to the Montana Legislatures joint session last year, I promised that I would not tolerate the sale or transfer of public land, and promised that reforming our management practices remained a top priority. That promise has guided every vote Ive taken since coming to Congress. In May of last year, I voted against the GOP budget because it had a vaguely-written provision that could open the door to selling public lands. Then again in July, I voted in support of an amendment from my Democratic colleague in Colorado to bar public lands sales. I also crossed the aisle on multiple times to support the Land and Water Conservation Fund. This has often landed me in hot water, but my promise remains nonnegotiable. Now there is no doubt we can manage our land better. When we have hundreds of thousands of acres of timber burn every year, and more lawyers than scientists in the woods because of litigation, theres a problem. When we have entire areas of the Bitterroot blocked off from recreational access so families, persons with disabilities, and senior citizens can't enjoy our land, that's a problem. The solution to better management is not getting rid of our public lands; it's getting more state and local stakeholders involved. That's what lead me to introduce and pass the Resilient Federal Forests Act last year and thats exactly what the bill I voted for on Wednesday does. It would create a flexible pilot program that engages the public and can only be implemented if a states Governor chooses to do so. Similar measures like Good Neighbor Authority, which allows the Forest Service to enter into agreements with states to perform forest management services on Forest Service lands, already passed Congress with the full bipartisan Montana delegations support. It is now public law and being utilized right now. Considering the state of our public lands, we need more tools in the land management tool box to foster healthier forests and communities. Anyone who perpetuates the idea that Montanans are satisfied with the status quo, which produced some of the worst forest fires we have ever seen last year, is nothing short of delusional. I stood before the people of Montana and said I would never sell, give away, or transfer your public lands. That still stands true today, and in perpetuity. I never have voted to give away, sell, or transfer your lands and I never will. Am I footwear to be worn whenever wanted and leave it when not wanted? Is the chief minister a Hitler? He should have maintained some dignity. This is how former housing minister M H Ambareesh reacted on Tuesday to the manner in which he was shunted out of the state cabinet. Addressing a press conference at his residence here, Ambareesh did not hide his anger against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. While remaining firm on not withdrawing his resignation as MLA, Ambareesh said that if the chief minister had called him and sought his resignation, he would have happily paved way for others. But the chief minister did not show that kind of courtesy, he said. I am a popular personality. Each household in every village knows me. I am known to the entire world. I am not a slipper to be thrown out whenever not required. Siddaramaiah did not even have the dignity to call me, he said to a query. On why he has resigned as MLA and was letting down his constituents, he said when the chief minister has considered him not competent enough to be a minister, it is better not to continue as MLA too. Asked why he has not personally submitted his resignation as per the rules, he hit back saying he knows the rules and would do accordingly if required. Indirectly stating that Siddaramaiah had benefited because of his clout in Mysore and Mandya, Ambareesh said when he resigned as union minister, he had promised Congress president Sonia Gandhi that he would help Siddaramaiah get elected in the Assembly by-elections from Chamundeshwari in 2007. I kept my promise. I campaigned extensively in villages where the Congress had no presence. I used even my caste tag Gowda to lure voters to help Siddaramaiah win. Now he must have forgotten all these, he recalled. On the reports that Siddaramaiah has ordered probe into the decisions he had taken as the housing minister, Ambareesh said: Let them do so. I have nothing to hide. No case has been filed against me. Let anybody access records under the RTI. Meanwhile, Bangalore Development Minister met Ambareesh later in the day and tried to convince the latter. Meanwhile, the supporters of Ambareesh blocked Mysuru-Bengaluru National Highway for 30 minutes near Nidaghatta in Maddur taluk of Mandya district. They burnt an effigy of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and raised slogans against him. In a major blow to Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) militant outfit, the Jammu and Kashmir Police arrested its top commander from Kashmirs Kupwara district on Sunday evening. The police identified the apprehended militant commander as Abu Ukasha alias Hanzullah of Pakistan. Sources said Hanzullah, who had infiltrated into Kashmir in November or December last year, was arrested in Sogam town of Kupwara when he was purchasing eatables from a market. One grenade and Rs 38,000 cash were recovered from the possession of the militant commander, who was mostly operating form Handwara and Lolab forests. Big jolt to LeT A senior police officer termed the arrest of Hanzullah as a big jolt to LeT and major achievement for security forces. He (Ukasha) is being questioned for information about the militant network in north Kashmir. In 2013, after the disclosures made by arrested Pakistani commander Fahadullah in volatile Sopore town, the police were able to break the back of militancy in the town. We expect a similar breakthrough this time also, he claimed. Ukasha had come under the radar of security agencies in the last few months after one of his close associates came in the security net. Security agencies were keeping a watch on his activities and apprehended him only after they got all the details about the network he was operating in North Kashmir, the officer revealed. Sources said immediately after Ukashas arrest, security forces launched a search operation in the nearby forests to track down other militants of the group. The search operation was on when reports last came in. Disgruntled Congress legislators might be crying foul over the ministry reshuffle. But, there appears to be none to lead them to take up their cause with the party leadership. At least three veterans who were dropped from the Cabinet V Srinivas Prasad, M H Ambareesh and Qamar-ul-Islam and over half-a-dozen legislators have openly hit out at Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and senior leader Mallikharjun Kharge for meting out injustice to them. Supporters of these legislators have called for bandhs and are staging protests in many districts to mount pressure on the party leadership. But the disgruntled legislators have not been able to form a group even three days after the reshuffle wherein Siddaramaiah axed 14 ministers and inducted 13 new faces. Though a section of these miffed legislators is scouting for a leader, their effort has so far been in vain. Yeshwanthpur MLA S T Somashekar, a ministerial aspirant, had met Ambareesh on Monday after the rebel star offered to resign as MLA. Though Somashekar had announced that like-minded leaders will soon meet in Bengaluru and chalk out the future course of action, the like-minded leaders are yet to come together. Congress sources said a section of these legislators is now trying to persuade Srinivas Prasad, the Nanjungud MLA and a prominent dalit leader in the Mysuru region to lead them. Prasad, who was a long-time associate of Siddaramaiah, has now questioned the Chief Ministers leadership. The disgruntled legislators are planning to meet Prasad in Bengaluru on Wednesday. Unlike Ambareesh, Prasad has no intention to quit as MLA. The veteran politician wants to remain as MLA and serve his constituency for the next two years. Nor is he in a hurry to jump to any conclusion on joining another political party though both the BJP and the JD(S) are trying to woo him. Oscar may meet Prasad This apart, senior Congress leader Oscar Fernandes is likely to meet Srinivas Prasad on Wednesday in Bengaluru to pacify him. The party had not expected that Prasad would go to the extent of directly targetting Siddaramaiah, sources said. Speaking to reporters here, Siddaramaiah said he will personally speak to every disgruntled legislator and ensure that none of them leaves the party. Nobody will be allowed to leave the party, he added. Energy Minister D K Shivakumar said Prasad is a seasoned politician and efforts will be made to pacify him. Ambareeshs support Ambareesh said Prasad is a senior, intelligent and well-respected leader and the chief minister should not have treated him the way he did. Prasad had worked as union minister too. He is a chief ministerial material. If he is treated so badly, then there is no surprise about the manner in which I have been treated. Aked whether any rebel MLAs have approached him to discuss next course of action, Ambareesh replied in the negative. He did not give any hints as to whether he would accept the offers to join other parties. Former minister Qamar-ul-Islam came all the way from Kalaburagi to Bengaluru on Tuesday to hit out the Congress leadership, particularly the partys floor leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, for him losing the ministerial berth. Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, Islam slammed both Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Kharge for dropping him from the cabinet. He held Kharge directly responsible for his sacking. The senior MLA has threatened the party of a show of strength through Kalaburagi bandh on June 25. He has also said that the party itself will be responsible for a Congress muktha Karnataka. Islam (in pic) said Kharge had influenced the party high command to bring MLAs Tanveer Sait and Priyank Kharge into the ministry. Siddaramaiah had not even bothered to extend the courtesy of consulting me before taking the decision. If he had discussed this matter with me, I would have volunteered my resignation. I will not quiet down till I get justice, he declared. Islam said that before the ministry reshuffle, Siddaramaiah, Kharge and party leaders Oscar Fernandes and Digvijaya Singh had assured him that he will not be dropped. This is my 40th year in politics. Am I here to be used and discarded as per their whim? The party will however remember me when there are elections in Ballari and Bidar. My unceremonious exit has bothered all the communities in the Hyderabad Karnataka region, he said. Demanding that the party prove his inefficiency, Islam has also sought the party leaders to establish that the decision to drop him was taken by Congress president Sonia Gandhi alone. He has also said it was too soon for him to quit the party/tender his resignation as MLA. A 50-year-old history-sheeter was shot dead while two of his associates were injured when members of a rival gang attacked them on Broadway Road in Shivajinagar, central Bengaluru, on Tuesday night. The deceased Parvez, a resident of DJ Halli, attended an Iftar party near Hazrat Kambal Posh Dargah along with his associates. At the event, Parvez bumped into his rival Shabbir from Yeshwantpur and the two men had a heated argument. Other attendees pacified them and asked them to leave. Around 8.55 pm, when Parvez and his associates were walking, Shabbir and five of his men arrived on three motorbikes and fired at Parvez. They also attacked his associates, Wajid and Asif, with machetes. The attackers fled when a crowd gathered around the spot. Personnel from the Shivajinagar police station, located just a stones throwaway, also arrived. They took the three men to hospital but Parvez was declared brought dead. Wajid and Asif are undergoing treatment. Police said they were hunting for Shabbir and his five associates. Two of them have been identified as Zameer and Jamshed. A senior police officer, who visited the spot, said, An old rivalry is behind the murder. We have vital clues about the killers and will catch them soon. Parvez is an accused in eight cases while Shabbir has around four cases against him. DH News Service From a distance, the Sompura lake near Banashankari 6th Stage in southwestern Bengaluru brims with pristine water. The birds, however, stay away from it. This was not the case until six months ago. Many winged guests, especially cranes and migratory birds, would flock to this lake which was home to a variety of fish and frogs. Then the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) set up a scientific waste-processing plant nearby. Promising to adopt best practices in waste management, the BBMP set up 10 scientific waste-processing units in Bengaluru, including one at Lingadheeranahalli. But it failed to live up to the promise as untreated leachate from the waste-processing unit has spelt doom for the Sompura lake which was developed by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) at Rs four crore. N Lakshman, a farmer who lives next to the lake, said his two cows and four sheep died in April after drinking its poisonous water while the fish just disappeared. Shepherds and cowboys now keep their livestock away from the lake. The waste-processing unit is bang in the middle of a mega residential layout. The BBMP had said the unit would have the latest machinery to prevent foul odour and flow of leachate. In reality, Lingadheeranahalli and Sompura have become a breeding ground for mosquitoes and flies. The BBMPs incompetence had forced hundreds of residents to stage a big protest in front of the plant on May 10. Yet the Palike failed to address the problem. Leachate continues to flow, course through the storm water drain and converge into the Sompura lake as residents watch helplessly. Vinay Shadaksharappa, an IT engineer from BSK 6th Stage, said leachate started flowing two months ago. We made representations to the BBMP, the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board and the Karnataka Lake Development and Conservation Authority but to no avail. BBMP executive engineer Anjaneya Swamy, who inspected the plant and the lake on Tuesday along with experts on leachate management, conceded that ground water in the area was polluted, with some borewells giving stinking black water. Ashwin Reddy, in-charge manager at the plant, said the matter was brought to the notice of the BBMP and they were finding a solution to the problem. The BBMP has enlisted the services of Scalene Energy Water Corporation Limited to address the problem. The Alaska Native Science & Engineering Program was awarded $5 million to expand its full-time Acceleration Academy component to three more Alaska communities. Currently operating in Anchorage, Bethel and the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, Acceleration Academy will become available to students in Dillingham, Kotzebue and Juneau in fall 2022. A residential component will be added in Anchorage. The State of Alaska is funding the programs expansion as part of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act Education Stabilization Fund and the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief Fund, with $2.5 million designated from each. Acceleration Academy gives students the opportunity to earn their high school diploma and simultaneously earn free college credits toward a bachelors degree in any field of study. Students can go from eighth grade to having a bachelors degree in as few as five years. In fall 2021, across three campuses 94 students earned a total of 840 college credits. During its very first semester, 20 students at ANSEPs Acceleration Academy (Bethel) earned 216 credits at a 92% credit completion rate. The components success in Bethel showcases its scalability to other communities in both urban and rural Alaska. These grants are a $5 million statement from the State of Alaska. Working with our school district, community campus, and dozens of strategic partner organizations, we intend to make a quality education and a life of unlimited possibilities available for every student in Alaska, said ANSEP Founder and Vice Provost Dr. Herb Schroeder. In addition to getting students hyper-prepared academically and socially for college, Acceleration Academy saves students and their families up to $75,000 in college expenses since the students earn college credits for free while they are still in high school. This also saves the State of Alaska $13,000 in education funding per student per year. At scale, this means many millions of dollars in savings for the state and a dramatic improvement in student academic performance. ANSEP provides multiple scholarship opportunities and academic resources for students from kindergarten all the way through to the PhD level. Students and families interested in learning more about ANSEP and its components can visit https://www.ansep.net. Applications are also available on the website. Share this: Tweet Email Coastal Villages Region Fund (CVRF) will be putting Western Alaska youth to work this summer through its Youth-to-Work and internship programs. CVRFs internship program has been employing college students since CVRF was formed in 1998. In 2016, 19 young Alaskans from the CVRF region were hired through the internship program to work in Anchorage and in member communities. This year, 13 interns have been placed in local communities where they will work out of CVRFs community service centers (CSCs) under the supervision of full-time community service representatives (CSRs). Five interns will also work out of CVRFs offices in Anchorage, and one will work for CVRF in Seattle. CVRFs internship program prepares Western Alaska youth for management careers, as well as work experience in various fields of interest. I started at CVRF as an intern. Since that time, Ive seen the program evolve into an even more meaningful experience for participants. Many internship applicants have already participated in our other youth programs this trend highlights the continued and expanding opportunities that CVRF provides to young people who wish to work and gain experience that translates to future jobs, said Gwen Andrew, CVRFs Youth Program Coordinator. CVRF has been employing kids ages 14-19 through its Youth-to-Work program since 2007. This program is a formative first-work experience that teaches youth basic work-life skills as well as traditional skills. CVRF partners with local organizations for job-shadowing and with local subject-matter experts to teach cultural skills such as qaspeq and dance fan making and harpoon and sled building. 2016 was a record year with 698 youth employed, and CVRF expects that 2017 will beat that record. I stepped outside the other morning and witnessed our Youth to Work program starting, said Stephen Maxie Jr. of Napaskiak. Some youth were walking to our CSC building, some running, some biking, and some riding their ATV. All looked excited to begin their journey: their journey to whatever they dream to do and become in the future. These kids are our future, and CVRF is doing the right thing investing in our youth who are eager and hungry for whatever we offer to them to help them succeed. CVRF is giving them HOPE! We all should want the best out of them, they are our people! They matter! Our people deserve more! They need to be treated fairly! The 2017 summer Youth-to-Work and internship programs officially launched in May and will conclude in August. Participants will learn the basic foundations of a fundamental work ethic such as being on-time, providing good customer service, developing positive and professional relationships, and accepting the roles and responsibilities of a typical employee. CVRF is a 501(c)(4) Alaska non-profit corporation whose 20 member villages are along the west coast of Alaska from Scammon Bay to Platinum. Share this: Tweet Email We Montanans are a diverse bunch, but we stand united on a few key issues. We value our outdoor opportunities and the public lands and waters that make possible activities like hiking, hunting, fishing, floating and camping. We value honesty, authenticity and dependability. We elect and support leaders who we believe embody those qualities and share our values. Were disappointed, therefore, to learn that Rep. Ryan Zinke, our lone member of Congress, recently undertook actions that are completely inconsistent with Montanas ethos and that break promises he made to Montana voters. On June 15 in Washington, D.C., the House Natural Resources Committee convened a hearing to consider 19 bills. Two of them, the State National Forest Management Act (H.R. 3650), introduced by Rep. Don Young of Alaska, and the Self-Sufficient Community Lands Act (H.R. 2316), introduced by Rep. Raul Labrador of Idaho, would spell trouble for our national public lands and outdoor opportunities. The bills would legislate the transfer of millions of acres of public lands and jeopardize the health of Americas national forest system, fish and wildlife habitat, and public access to quality hunting and fishing. Both of these bills, unfortunately, advanced to the House floor following votes by members of the committee. Confusing vote Where did Zinke stand on these two important measures? The congressman, who has pledged his support of Montana values, our lands and waters, and our outdoor opportunities and who claims himself a sportsman who appreciates the importance of Americas national public lands voted to advance into law H.R. 2316. This bill is an affront to our public lands legacy. It not only goes against the will of the American people, including Montanans; it also attacks the very foundation of our national outdoor heritage. Given his past, public stances in support of measures like the Land and Water Conservation Fund, a crucial tool for conservation and expanding public access to the out of doors, and his stated opposition to the sale of public lands, Zinkes vote is all the more confusing. As framed, H.R. 2316 is nothing more than public lands exploitation that cuts out hunters, anglers and other outdoor recreationists from the management of these lands for the sole purpose of generating revenue for counties and local governments. While federal management isnt perfect, as things currently stand we at least have a seat at the table and can make our voices heard. If H.R. 2316 becomes law, well be left with nothing but an empty plate. Not what TR would do Worth noting is that Rep. Zinke also cast a vote against Rep. Youngs bad bill, H.R. 3650. While this vote is praiseworthy, it only serves to underscore the congressmans inconsistency. Zinke prides himself on being a straight shooter who calls it like he sees it. He calls himself a Theodore Roosevelt Republican. Thats why were so confused. His recent votes reveal a dramatically different politician: one who waffles on a key issue critical to the very people he claims to represent. Theodore Roosevelt set into motion our vast public lands estate for multiple use to avoid rampant exploitation of our nations forests. This bill does exactly what Roosevelt was trying to avoid: putting short-term economic benefit ahead of long-term wise use. Zinke wants to have it both ways on public lands. Montanans, however, are smart enough to see through that. The congressman would be wise to reconsider his recent actions and think long and hard about the legacy he wants to leave his constituents and our great state. On the 140th anniversary of the Battle of the Little Bighorn, an organizer of the annual reenactment said this year will be bigger and better. The re-enactment is one event scheduled for the 2016 Crow Native Days, a six-day celebration in Crow Agency. Festivities kicked off on Tuesday, and the event runs through Sunday. The hallmark of Crow Native Days is the re-enactment. There will be three showings on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Real Bird Ranch, near the site of the battle 140 years ago. Saturday's re-enactment falls on the first anniversary date of the two-day battle. Prior to the main showing, the participants will be at the cavalry encampment, putting on displays of preparation. Were going to do more cavalry drills, more history on the military at that time, said Jim Real Bird, an organizer of the re-enactment. Participants come from all around to suit up and take part in the re-enactment, Real Bird said. He got a call from one South African man, who has roots in Montana, to join the cavalry. Prior to the main reenactment, there will be a two-hour horse ride on Saturday, Real Bird said. They will visit the areas traveled by Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer, along with members of the 7th Cavalry and scouts from the Crow and Arikara tribes. The ride will take them on a trail to Weir Point, which was one point of attack during the battle. "From Weir Point, he dropped into what we call Cedar Coulee," Real Bird said. "And then we'll drop into Medicine Tail Coulee ford." The ride will take them back to the 11-acre battle re-enactment site, where more than 100 actors will represent the 7th Cavalry on one side and the Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho tribes on the other. The main battle ends with all the 50 soldiers and 60 warriors fighting across the river, Real Bird said. Crow Native Days will host an array of other events throughout the week, including powwows, skill competitions, rodeos and high-speed Indian relays. Call 406-638-3732 for more information on Crow Native Days. BOZEMAN In contrast to the whitewater raging down parts of the Gallatin River, Montana is also home to calmer waters with accompanying mountain views and wildlife, perfect for novice canoeists. Here is a short list of locations great for new paddlers looking to have the best summer ever. Lower Madison River Located near Three Forks, Missouri Headwaters State Park offers the newbie with lots of possibilities on the Madison River. As the Madison combines with the Gallatin and Jefferson rivers to form the Missouri, it begins to ox-bow, slowing and splitting in multiple channels. Park ranger Dave Andrus recommends putting in at the Milwaukee Fishing Access Site on Frontage Road. From there it's a five-mile float to the confluence with the Jefferson, a good place to take out inside the park. This line takes between one and two hours, with lots of birds as well as some Montana history. It was on this stretch of the Madison, Andrus said, where in 1809, famed mountain man John Colter made his run, hiding inside a beaver lodge while fearing capture by members of the Blackfeet Tribe who had just killed his partner. "We like it because it's easy to put in and easy to take out," said Eleanor Mest, former mayor of Manhattan. Mest, her 85-year-old husband and their West Highland terrier, Annie, have for the first time spotted a cinnamon-colored bear this year while paddling this stretch. To get there: Avoid Interstate 90 by taking Bozeman's North Seventh Avenue north until it becomes Frontage Road. Follow this historic highway for 33 miles through Belgrade, Manhattan and Logan. A mile after passing the park, the Milwaukee Fishing Access Site is on the south side of the road. Hyalite Reservoir All summer long Hyalite Reservoir supplies the city with water and recreation by offering a big, flat paddlers playground. The big advantage Hyalite has over other locales is its proximity to Bozeman. It's surrounded by the 10,000-foot peaks of the Gallatin Range and campsites, so it's busy all summer long. But even when it's busy, the 206-acre reservoir doesn't feel overcrowded, plus there's a no wake rule for motorboats. To get there: Follow South 19th Avenue out of Bozeman. After it curves west, turn south on Hyalite Canyon Road for roughly 10 miles to the reservoir. Cliff and Wade lakes The water is so clear at the twin Cliff and Wade lakes that in the shallows they glow aqua marine like the Florida Keys coastline. These spring-fed spectaculars are hidden at the southern end of the Madison Valley. They're a little further away from other spots but definitely worth it. While paddling Wade Lake last weekend, a river otter appeared 20 yards away, curling above the surface like a miniature Loch Ness monster. But it's Cliff Lake that has more water and better fishing. A mile from the boat ramp and campground, the water shallows, allowing sight casting with the fishing rod. Another half mile back and a tall island marks the lake splitting into three remote fingers with mountain peaks in the background. Several primitive camping sites are available. To get there: Follow Huffine Lane west out of Bozeman. Go through Four Corners and continue on Norris Road, past the hot springs until reaching U.S. Highway 287 in Norris. Turn south for 55 miles, through Ennis, and get off the highway at the Three Dollar Bridge on the right and follow the signs to the lakes. Ennis Lake Mike Garcia, owner of Northern Lights Trading Co., recommended that Ennis Lake be on the list. This wide-open reservoir splits the upper and lower Madison River near its namesake town. There's plenty of places to put in. The road on the east side offers endless access. And paddlers can get a little taste of backcountry river by going up the first two miles of Bear Trap Canyon before reaching the dam. "Really pay attention to the wind," Garcia said of Ennis Lake. "It can pin you against the shore." To get there: Follow Huffine Lane west out of Bozeman. Continue through Four Corners on Norris Road, past the hot springs until U.S. Highway 287 in Norris. Go south eight miles, turning east on North Ennis Lake Road in McAllister. CHEYENNE, Wyo. Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead is set to unveil budget cuts on Tuesday that he says likely will require a small number of state employee layoffs even as the state guards its massive "rainy day fund" against the possibility the current downturn in energy production will last for years. Driven by downturns in energy revenues, Mead is proposing 8 percent cuts to the nearly $3 billion budget state lawmakers approved earlier this year for the two-year funding cycle starting July 1. To reach the 8 percent mark, he needs to propose about $232 million in cuts. Mead said five largest state agencies will see bear the brunt of the cuts. Those are the departments of health, family services, corrections, the University of Wyoming and the state's community college system. He said a few small agencies, such as the state Public Defender's Office, won't be cut because they're already strapped for resources. Mead is set to brief members of the state's Joint Appropriations Committee on the cuts Tuesday morning in Cheyenne. He and his staff have been meeting with state agency directors to map out the budget cuts since a state revenue forecast in April warned energy prices were falling fast. "It's no secret that the Legislature and I have a lot of disagreements on the budget," Mead told The Associated Press in a recent interview. "And I do believe that if we had followed my budget recommendations, that while we would still have to be making cuts now, they may not be as many cuts. And of course that includes what would have been the option of Medicaid expansion as part of that." State lawmakers earlier this year rejected Mead's recommendation to accept federal funds to expand the Medicaid program in the state to offer health insurance coverage to roughly 20,000 low-income adults. Expansion of the program is a key element of the federal Affordable Care Act. State studies estimate that expanding the program would have saved the state about $30 million in the coming biennium by reducing pressure on other health programs. "So, when I present the budget on Tuesday, I think it's as good as we can do under the circumstances," Mead said. "But I'm not happy with it because we're cutting in places that I know are going to impact citizens of Wyoming, I know they're going to be felt not just in the public sector, but in the private sector." Kari Gray, Mead's chief of staff, said Monday that it appears about 10 state employees will lose their jobs due to program cuts. She said the final figure had not yet been determined. Dean Fausset, director of the Wyoming Department of Administration and Information, said Monday that Wyoming had 8,566 employees as of Dec. 31, not counting workers at UW or the state's community colleges. Despite the decline in revenues, Wyoming has more than $1.5 billion cash in the state's so-called "rainy day fund" money that state lawmakers have set aside over the most recent energy boom cycle. They plan to spend roughly 10 percent of the fund per year to help cover what many analysts have said could be a 10-year downturn. "The state's trying to be disciplined, knowing that we have to trim our sails," Mead said. "But at the same time, we have to continue to try to answer the question, what is the rainy day fund for? And I think it is for rainy days like we're experiencing now, and I think it is appropriate to be using it now." Sen. Drew Perkins, R-Casper, sits on the Senate Appropriations Committee. He said lawmakers recognize that they can't spend the state's reserves all at once. "We recognize that the state and the savings, and the permanent mineral trust funds, and all those things, they're not just ours, they belong to our kids and our grandkids," he said. Wyoming, the nation's leading coal-producing state, has seen hundreds of layoffs so far this year as many of the nation's largest coal companies have sought bankruptcy protection. Jonathan Downing, director of the Wyoming Mining Association, said that while coal companies have gotten leaner than they've ever been, some companies have seen some recent increases in shipments. "It has been a tough couple of years for the industry, but I think there's still optimism out there," Downing said. Googles Symptom Search feature will show users a list of information related to their medical symptoms Google is rolling out an update to its Google Search app that will let users find information related to medical symptoms more easily. Now, when a user searches for a specific symptom like headache on one side, Google will show them a list of related conditions. For individual conditions such as a headache, it would give an overview description along with information on self-treatment, or if the symptom warrants a doctor's visit. The list of symptoms are created by looking at the health conditions mentioned in the web results, and checking it against medical information that Google has collected for its Knowledge Graph. The company has also worked with a team of experts at the Harvard Medical School and the Mayo Clinic. The feature is currently being rolled out in the US in English, and the company hopes to release it in other countries and languages, soon. Veronica Pinchin, Product Manager at Google, said in a blog post, Roughly 1 percent of searches on Google (think: millions!) are symptom-related. But health content on the web can be difficult to navigate, and tends to lead people from mild symptoms to scary and unlikely conditions, which can cause unnecessary anxiety and stress. She has also warned that the symptom search feature is only intended for informational purposes and users are always advised to consult a doctor for medical advice. Reports also suggest that the Apple iPhone 7 will also have a 256GB storage variant Rumours surrounding the next generation Apple iPhone 7 planning to ditch the 3.5mm audio jack have been around for a while. On this note, according to a report by Macotakara, Apple is suggested to ship the phone with standard 3.5mm EarPods, along with a Lightning adapter. It was also noted that the space where the jack used to be would be replaced by another speaker, but the entire unit would still be a monoaural system, instead of a stereo system. Macotakaras report also says that the new phone will have a 256GB storage variant. The recent report falls in line with what other companies have been implementing on recent devices. Companies like LeEco, Motorola and Oppo have already launched devices without a 3.5mm analogue audio jack, and utilise the USB-C port instead to drive audio. The LeEco Le 2 and the Le Max2 feature the companys Continual Digital Lossless Audio (CDLA), technology and have also launched a pair of headphones that connects to the phone via the USB-C port. However, the company is not shipping the new headphones with the devices, instead giving users an adapter to connect the usual pair of headphones. Apple is also speculated to be developing wireless Beats EarPods that would be free of any connecting wires (similar to the Samsung Gear IconX earbuds). The device would connect to the phone via Bluetooth, alongside facilitating wireless, handsfree controls. Premium fashion and lifestyle brand Joules said it experienced a healthy rise in annual revenue thanks to a solid international performance, in its first trading update since floating on AIM in May. Unaudited group revenue in the 52 week period to the end of May was up 12.7% to 131.3m compared to the prior period. Against the comparable 52-week period, revenue was up 14.2%. Retail sales were up 11% from the same period a year ago to 93.7m. UK sales rose 11.6% to 118.1m, while international sales increased by 24.7% to 13.2m and now account for just over 10% of the companys revenue. Joules, which has 100 stores in the UK Ireland and a database of 2m online customers, said the full-year results due in September were anticipated to be in line with management expectations. Chief executive Colin Porter said: "This has been a year of great progress in further developing Joules as a fun, family, 'time-off' lifestyle brand across multiple sales channels both in the UK and internationally. We have a clear growth strategy of increasing customer value; rolling-out UK stores; accelerating international growth; and delivering product extensions. Joules, founded in 1989, floated on AIM, the London Stock Exchanges junior market, in May. Reportedly founder Tom Joules cut his stake from 80% to about 50% and netted 40m. Joules share price fell 0.32% to 188.9p at 1325 BST. Famous US investor believes that a Leave vote could result in a Black Friday United States investor George Soros has warned that a potential Brexit from the European Union would lead to a huge drop in the value of the pound, and possibly even a Black Friday. With two days remaining before the British vote on whether to remain in or leave the EU, the famous businessman wrote in The Guardian that the decision "would have an immediate and dramatic impact on financial markets, investment, prices and jobs". Soros gained notoriety in 1992 when he bet against the value of the British currency, picking up a cool $1 billion when it decreased by 15%. Soros gained notoriety in 1992 when he bet against the value of the British currency, picking up a cool $1 billion Mr Soros wrote: "I would expect this devaluation to be bigger and more disruptive than the 15% devaluation that occurred in September 1992, when I was fortunate enough to make a substantial profit for my hedge fund investors, at the expense of the Bank of England and the British government." Soros' predictions became even more dark as he said that it could lead to another crisis which would have serious after-effects for a lot of people. "A vote to leave could see the week end with a Black Friday, and serious consequences for ordinary people." Previously, the Hungarian refugee had bet that the UK will vote to stay within the EU, and said that the bloc of nations will be doomed without one of its most powerful members. If Britain leaves, it could unleash a general exodus, and the disintegration of the European Union will become practically unavoidable, he said. A 28-year-old Bismarck man allegedly threw a vehicle battery through a gas station window and stole four packages of blueberry muffins early Saturday. Jake Hatley, who was charged with burglary, criminal mischief and theft of property in South Central District Court on Monday, told police he threw the battery "for fun," according to an affidavit. A man in a nearby residence told police he saw the man carry a battery over to a gas station on East Broadway Avenue, according to the affidavit. He heard glass shatter and saw the man run away. Just before, the man had tried to break into his residence and damaged his screen door, according to the affidavit. Police found Hatley, who matched a description given by the resident, walking in the area, police said. Hatley caused $400 worth of damage to the gas station, police said. India liberalised its foreign direct investment rules in several sectors including allowing 100% foreign ownership of its airlines in a bid to make doing business in the country easier. The move came after Governor Raghuram Rajan of the Bank of India announced on Saturday he would not seek a second-term in September. India did not allow any foreign airlines to invest in Indian carriers until 2013 when it allowed up to 49%. The foreign investment limits in commercial airlines will be increased by 100% and anything above its initial 49% would need approval. The stake in local airline operations in India is still restricted to 49%. Days before the announcement prime minister Narendra Modi revealed a new aviation policy that made it easier for domestic Indian operators to fly abroad. The new rules, however will not allow Singapore Airlines, AirAsia or Etihad Airways to increase their domestic airline shares by more than 49%. They would be able to join foreign investors to join fully foreign owned airlines. The announcement sent shares rising in anticipation that they would be able to raise foreign capital. Shares in Interglobe Aviation were up nearly 4%, SpiceJet up 5.8% and Jet Airways up 5%. Shares in International Consolidated Airlines, which owns the British Airways rose 6%, Germany's Lufthansa was up 3% and Franco-Dutch Air France was up 2.2%. The announcement also said that foreign investors would be able to build new airports. For investments beyond 75% they had needed permission from the government. KPMG consultant Amber Dubey told Bloomberg: The government plans to go for a massive improvement in Indias global and domestic connectivity, affordability and ease of doing business. Indian carriers can look for enhanced valuations in case they wish to raise funds or go for partial or complete divestment. We may see its positive impact over the next six to 12 months. The government also announced a liberalisation of direct foreign investment in defence, pharmaceuticals, animal husbandry, private security companies and marketing and e-commerce goods produced in India. Heavily indebted North Sea oil producer EnQuest has denied media reports that it is in talks with the UK Oil and Gas Authority (OAG) about contingency plans. The government body fears insolvencies at Enquest and mid-cap peer Premier Oil, the Sunday Telegraph reported, and is mulling plans "to guard against a North Sea bankruptcy crisis" as the pair are "wracked with debt following the oil market rout and now stand at the mercy of their lenders". But on Monday EnQuest, which had $1.55bn of net debt at the end of last year, said it "routinely engages with the OGA and with the UK and Scottish Governments on industry matters, but is not involved in any company-specific discussions such as were implied by the article". Last year, EnQuest renegotiated the covenants on its debts until mid-2017 and said it was well within them last year. The OGA's hand-wringing is due to Enquest being the majority owner and lead developer of one of the North Seas largest new projects, the Kraken oil field, which is expected to provide around 20,000 jobs during the construction phase, as well as 1,000 jobs during its 25 year production lifetime. Enquest, which is partnered with FTSE 250-listed Cairn Energy, took on a larger stake in the project this year after the collapse of the projects former owner, and first revenue-generating oil is expected next year. A recent operational update from EnQuest revealed production from its other projects averaged 42,752 barrels of oil equivalent per day for the four months to the end of April 2016, while Kraken's development was said to remain "on schedule". Shares in EnQuest were 13% higher at at 32.5p by 1000 BST on Monday. Security company G4S said it had appointed Barbara Thoralfsson as a non-executive director of its board with effect from 1 July 2016. Thoralfsson will become a member of the board's nomination and remuneration committees, G4S said. She was chief executive of NetCom ASA, Norway's second largest mobile network operator, between 2001 and 2005; and a non-executive director of Tandberg ASA, a supplier of video conferencing systems, from 2006 until 2010, Telenor ASA, a mobile operator in Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and Asia, from 2009 until 2015 and Cable & Wireless Plc in 2015 and 2016. Rio Tinto has arranged a further $3bn reduction in its gross debts after agreeing further purchases of its bonds in New York. The mining group's has agreed to buy back $1.252 billion of debt under a 'maximum tender offer', which began on 7 June. This comes on top of the $1.748bn agreed for repurchase under its 'any and all' offer. Under the maximum tender offer, Rio has agreed to buy $488m of Rio Tinto Finance (USA) 3.500% notes due in 2020, $338m 4.125% notes due in 2021 and $401m of 3.750% notes due in 2021, plus a small amount of 3.5% notes due in 2022 and 2.875% notes due in 2022. The securities purchased will be retired and cancelled and no longer remain outstanding. Saga said it was on track to achieve its targets for the year ending 31 January 2017 and continues to make good progress against its strategic priorities. Ahead of the annual general meeting at its headquarters in Folkestone later, the group, which provides products and services for the over 50, said it had seen solid trading across the core insurance and travel businesses. Chief executive officer Lance Batchelor said: We have made a good start to the year across our core trading divisions. We continue to focus on our strategic objectives and remain on track to deliver on the targets we set out at our preliminary results on 19 April 2016. Saga said it was investing in future growth through the ongoing development of opportunities in emerging businesses and maintaining its simple and efficient operating model with the implementation of the Quota Share agreement and the motor panel. Saga is due release its interim results on 21 September. Korean electronics giant Samsung put its bets on 5G networking technology this week, as it strives to reach the lofty heights of Ericsson , Huawei and Nokia in the lucrative sector. Samsungs network business chief Kim Young-ki told Reuters that the firm plans to enter the 5G space fast, foreseeing KRW 10trn in annual sales by 2022 - more than three times its current networking revenue. The companys smartphone division generated KRW 100trn alone last year. We plan to move quickly and want to be at least among the top three with 5G, Kim said. Its understood Samsung has assembled a team of 100 from its other divisions to focus on the 5G networking business. The team is the quintessence of each teams combined capacity in order for Samsung electronics to prevail in the 5G network market, Kim told domestic media. Samsungs claims come at a time when 5G is at the forefront of regulator rhetoric, with the US Federal Communications Commission saying it wants 5G wireless to be available from 2020. Tim Wheeler, chairman of the FCC, has vowed to open up high-band spectrum for 5G applications across the United States. Last year Boris Johnson, as London mayor, said that the capital will also have access to 5G mobile connectivity by 2020, saying that it will allow people to download a film in less than a second. Samsung says 5G will be a boon for connected businesses, with speeds 10 times that of the current 4G networks. UK manufacturing showed signs of stability with output continuing to expand at a solid pace, although Brexit worries had offset any benefits to exporters of the recent fall in the pound, according to the Confederation of British Industry's latest monthly industrial trends survey. The survey of 482 manufacturers reported that total order books strengthened slightly in the three months to June led by the food and drink sector, and motor vehicles & transport. Total export order books likewise remained unchanged, suggesting that the depreciation of sterling has yet to have a material impact on overseas demand, the CBI said. Output growth continued to be brisk, with firms raising their expectations for the next three months further. Meanwhile, selling prices are expected to be broadly stable in the near-term. CBI chief economist Rain Newton-Smith said the growing uncertainty in the run-up to the EU referendum, combined with global risks elsewhere, has offset some of the benefits of a weaker currency at this time. The recent fall in the pound appears to have done little for our exporters. But while British manufacturers had a tricky start to the year, there are more positive signs as output and demand stabilise. Economists warned that a vote to leave the EU would hit the UK's manufacturing sector hard. Pantheon Data said it expected a vote to remain, which would lead to a stronger pound and export orders will falling at a faster rate. "Alternatively, Brexit would lead to a more competitive exchange rate, but it likely would restrict manufacturers ability to export to the single market and to other countries which have trade deals with the EU. Manufacturers also would find it harder to obtain bank loans, and they would face a slowing domestic market, if the U.K. chose Brexit," Pantheon said. The survey's key findings said 20% of businesses reported an increase in total orders and 23% a decrease, giving a rounded balance of -2%. Thirteen per cent of businesses reported an increase in export orders and 27% a decrease, resulting in a balance of -14%, while 30% reported a rise in output volumes, and 19% a decrease, giving a balance of +11%. Output is expected to increase over the next three months, with 35% companies expecting a rise and 13% expecting a decrease, leaving a rounded balance of +23%. Average prices are expected to be broadly unchanged over the next quarter, with 9% of companies expecting an increase and 9% expecting a decrease, giving a rounded balance of +1% and 15% of businesses reported stocks as more than adequate to meet demand, and 5% less than adequate, leaving a balance of +10%. IHS Global Insight chief UK economist said the manufacturing sector would "clearly be hoping that if there is a vote to stay in the EU in Thursdays referendum, reduced uncertainty will lift demand for capital goods by encouraging companies to invest and also buoy consumers willingness to buy durable goods". "Should Thursdays referendum result in a vote to leave the EU, it seems highly likely that the UK economy would suffer markedly for some time with negative repercussions for manufacturers," Archer said. "In particular, we think there would be a hit to to business confidence and investment from heightened uncertainty and concerns. Consumers would also likely be more reluctant and - probably less well placed - to buy big ticket items. This would not be good news for manufacturers." Save my User ID and Password Some subscribers prefer to save their log-in information so they do not have to enter their User ID and Password each time they visit the site. To activate this function, check the 'Save my User ID and Password' box in the log-in section. This will save the password on the computer you're using to access the site. Note: If you choose to use the log-out feature, you will lose your saved information. This means you will be required to log-in the next time you visit our site. Burleigh County Commissioners approved the new plat for 48 acres near 57th Avenue and Washington Street toward building a future high school for the Light of Christ Catholic school system. However, Gerald Vetter, president of Light of Christ Schools District, said Monday that the timeline for building the high school hinges on the success of fundraising campaigns that are at the foundation stage. He said the school district has met a number of benchmarks in fundraising, and progress updates will be announced. Cost of the new high school is estimated at $36 million, and other school improvements within the existing Bismarck Catholic school system are estimated at up to $6 million more. The school proposal is being driven by a 20 percent increase in enrollment for the school system's seventh- through 12th-grade students in the past four years, plus an estimated 5 percent increase for the 2016-17 school year. This is partially a result of shifting middle school students to the high school and partly because Christ the King School in Mandan discontinued its seventh- and eighth-grade level education programs. Eventually plans are to convert the existing St. Mary's High School on North Third Street in Bismarck to an academy for 500 sixth- through eighth-graders. The new high school planned near 57th Avenue and Washington would be able to house 550 ninth- through 12th-grade students and be designed with the capacity to expand, Vetter said. While he foresees no new high school by 2018, Vetter said the school system is working to fund some of the private school district's most immediate enrollment needs. Four portable classrooms have been added at St. Mary's High School and two have been added at St. Mary's Elementary School to ease overcrowding. Fireworks Commissioners voted 4-1 to approve funding of $5,000 for a public show of Independence Day fireworks at the State Capitol grounds on July 4. The fireworks show will be accompanied by a performance of patriotic music by the Bismarck Mandan Symphony Orchestra. In his written request to county commissioners, symphony President David Schollars noted that 25,000 people attended the 2015 event. Commissioner Doug Schonert said he favored funding the fireworks because the public display prevents people from starting fires in rural sections of the county by lighting private fireworks. There was little debate over the request for the public funds. Commissioner Jim Peluso was the lone vote against the funding. After the meeting, Peluso said he didn't debate the spending of tax money at the commission table because he felt he would be outnumbered. "It's a public function and there should be enough funding from businesses to support it," he said, alluding to tighter budget restraints the county is experiencing. "It's a little thing, but it adds up." GOP candidate for Franklin County auditor says porn 'likes' by hacker Jarrod Golden, GOP candidate for Franklin County auditor deleted his Twitter account linked to his campaign, saying it had been hacked. ST. CHARLES, Minn. -- The brother of Minnesota congressman Tim Walz was killed Sunday by a falling tree and five others were injured in three separate incidents Sunday night as severe storms rumbled through the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The Cook County Sheriffs Office reported Monday that Craig Anthony Walz, a Rochester, Minn., resident who taught school in St. Charles, was killed when a mature white pine snapped at the trunk and fell onto him on Duncan Lake, south of the Canadian border. Walz was camping with another 43-year-old man, his son Jacob and another youth. The boys are 14 and 11. They were in direct line of the severe weather when it hit, the sheriffs office reported in a news release. One of the boys suffered significant injuries, the sheriffs office reported, although they didnt specify which one. Walzs body was recovered in the early morning Monday and was transported to Cook County North Shore Hospital and Care Center in Grand Marais for coroner review. The seriously injured juvenile was transported by ambulance to the Grand Marais hospital, where he was met by a medical helicopter for further transfer. Craig Walz was an active parent volunteer with the Rochester Swim Club, which identified him as the victim. The 1990 graduate of West Boyd High School in Butte, Neb., and a 1996 graduate of the University of South Dakota in Vermillion had been a chemistry, calculus and geometry teacher at the St. Charles High School since 2003. Were all kind of in shock here, said Principal Ben Bernard. Hes a very good teacher fantastic with the kids who needed the most help. He worked really hard. Great staff member; great colleague. Hes going to be missed. Minnesotas Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party issued a release offering its condolences to the Walz family Monday afternoon. Tim Walz represents Minnesotas 1st Congressional District, which includes many of the states southern communities. Tim Walz was also a teacher before being elected to Congress. The thoughts and prayers of all of us at the Minnesota DFL are with Craigs wife Julie, his daughter Avery, and all of Rep. Walzs family as they go through this unthinkable tragedy, DFL Chairman Ken Martin said in a prepared statement. Another person was injured by a falling tree at Clove Lake, along Minnesota's Canadian border northwest of Gunflint Lake. And three people were injured by an indirect lightning strike while camped on Crooked Lake off Sunday Bay, along the international border north of Ely, the St. Louis County Sheriffs Office reported. The incidents happened as a very powerful storm brought high winds, the Cook County Sheriffs Office reported. A number of severe storms developed across northeastern Minnesota on Sunday night, spawning tornadoes and hail as large as softballs elsewhere in the region. FARGO -- The handful of bills the U.S. Senate voted down Monday, June 20, would have expanded gun background checks and moved to bar people on terrorism watch lists from being able to buy weapons. Democrats said the measures put forth by Republicans fell short, while Republicans say Democrats aims threaten the rights of gun owners. The four amendments all failed to reach the required two-thirds majority vote to pass. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, wanted better communication by government agencies to improve the background check system and a study by the attorney general on the sources and causes of mass shootings. Of North Dakota and Minnesotas senators, only John Hoeven, R-N.D., voted for Grassleys amendment. Sen. Chris Murphy D-Conn., sought to require a background check for every gun sale in the United States, broadening the federal requirements for checks by licensed dealers. Senators were split on Murphys amendment, with Al Franken, D-Minn., and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., both voting in favor, while Hoeven and Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., voted against, breaking ranks with her Democratic colleagues. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, wouldve put in place a 72-hour waiting period for those on terrorism watch lists wanting to buy a gun, which could give the feds time to investigate to find probable cause. Hoeven was the only one of the senators to vote for Cornyns amendment. Lastly, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., sponsored an amendment that would let the attorney general ban anyone on terror watch lists from buying guns. Franken and Klobuchar voted in favor of the amendment, while both Hoeven and Heitkamp voted against. Subscriber content preview DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Two workers were killed and three others injured while building the first nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates, officials said Sunday. The incident happened May 12 and was first reported this weekend by a state-owned newspaper in the UAE, a federation of seven sheikhdoms. It's unclear why it took a month for authorities to acknowledge the fatalities. . . . Will $2.9B subway open in time for Rio Olympics? Even if workers complete the light rail expansion in time, experts worry it may be too late to adequately test the system. By ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON Associated Press RIO DE JANEIRO Two construction workers chatted while applying white grout to the walls of a new subway tunnel one recent day, their voices and the smells of the building materials stark reminders of what was missing: passengers and trains. Seven weeks before the Summer Olympic Games commence, a subway expansion that was supposed to transport hundreds of thousands of athletes and fans is not done. While Brazilian officials insist it can still be finished in time, frequent delays, skyrocketing costs, a financing snag and potential legal wrangling have created doubts. Even if Rio de Janeiro completes the key part of the expansion in time, transportation experts worry it may be too late to adequately test the system before the Aug. 5 Olympics opening ceremony. The launch date has been repeatedly pushed back, with officials now saying they'll cut the ribbon four days before competition begins. They are leaving so little time to try this massive system, said Jose Manoel Ferreira Goncalves, president of FerroFrente, an organization of railway experts. What guarantee do we have that such a sensitive and complicated project is in order? Every hour counts, Rodrigo Vieira, Rio de Janeiro's transportation head, told The Associated Press, insisting the job would be finished. We are working around the clock, 24/7 with 1,000 workers in each station. Line 4 of the subway system was to be Rio's most important Olympic infrastructure project. It was designed to transport passengers from world-famous Ipanema beach to the modern suburb of Barra da Tijuca, home of the Olympic Park and Village, in less than 15 minutes, as well as to most venues where athletes will compete. In contrast, the drive along the highway through lush mountains and shantytowns takes more than an hour on a good day, raising the specter of a logistics nightmare if the line isn't built and hundreds of thousands of visitors have to take buses or cars on already-clogged roads. When Brazil won its bid back in 2009 to hold the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, its economic fortunes were far different. The discoveries of rich, offshore oil fields in 2007 made major infrastructure projects like Line 4 seem possible back then. But as global oil prices plunged in recent years, the state's accounts were hit hard. The oil sector in Latin America's largest nation has also been rocked by a major investigation into a colossal kickback scheme at state oil company Petrobras. Now, Rio state's finances are in such bad shape the acting governor on Friday declared a state of financial disaster, a move giving him more freedom to manage shrinking resources without breaking fiscal laws. Rio state has been skipping payments to teachers and retired workers. Some police stations are missing basic items like toilet paper, and residents have felt obligated to pitch in. As the wealth has been wiped out, the dreams we had of the big transformations have also faded, said Gilberto Braga, a finance professor at Ibmec university in Rio. The state recently failed to make an $8.3 million payment on a loan to the French Development Agency, which is helping pay for the subway project, forcing the federal government to intervene. Because of the missed payment, the federal government became wary of Rio state acquiring more debt. Brazil's finance ministry now says it is reviewing the state's ability to handle more loans and has held up $284 million that a national bank dedicated to infrastructure projects had earmarked to complete the line. Rio's financial worries are notorious. I acknowledge that it's not a small feat (for the federal government) to approve a loan to a state in financial problems, the state's financial secretary, Julio Bueno, told the AP. On the other hand, we have the Olympics. The subway is vital. Despite optimism it will come together, city officials have devised backup plans, such as special lanes and a rapid transit system for buses. Officials have dialed down expectations for the subway project for months. Last-minute construction on the line has created fears after an April bike lane collapse that plunged two joggers to their deaths. An ocean-front section of the lane, an Olympic beautification project inaugurated in January, collapsed into a heap of broken cement when struck by a large wave. Problems with other recently inaugurated Olympics-related projects have multiplied worries. A new light rail system connecting Rio's renovated port area to one of the airports recently suffered a major power outage on the second day of service, forcing passengers to get off. A highway near Barra da Tijuca that was inaugurated earlier this month is already damaged with potholes and large cracks. FerroFrente filed a civil complaint Sunday asking a judge to bar passengers from riding the new subway line until the project is inspected and certified by independent companies. The lack of certifications could have consequences in the great Olympic event, the complaint said, and it is certainly preferable for the project not to be opened rather than for it to be a threat to thousands of people. State auditors are examining why subway costs ballooned from the initial $1.6 billion estimate several years ago to $2.9 billion now expected. They also are seeking more information about plans to test the new line. We want to know whether shortening the time to test the subway puts the safety of the passengers at risk, said Jonas Lopes, president of Rio de Janeiro state's court of auditors. Delays, blown budgets and graft are constant problems in Brazil. Federal police are investigating whether Odebrecht, a builder in the subway consortium, paid bribes to officials connected to Line 4's creation. Another builder involved in the project, Queiroz Galvao, had its assets frozen in the Petrobras scandal. Meanwhile, full operation of Line 4 has been postponed to 2018. It's the way things work here, said 70-year-old Hivonete Reis, complaining about how long it has taken to expand the subway to the southern part of the city where she lives. They never give us anything on time. Hotel planned for Denny Triangle site SEATTLE Rajbir Sandhu of Bellevue filed plans with the city to build an 11-story hotel at 1121 Stewart St. in the Denny Triangle. Sandhu manages an entity called Nipo Downtown Hotel that acquired the property for $8.5 million in April. Plans call for ground-level commercial space and one level of underground parking. An existing parking lot would be demolished. Third Place Design Co-operative prepared the preliminary site plan. Sandhu owns hotels in Arlington and Everett. The previous site owner was an entity related to RBF Property Group of China, which planned a 440-foot tower with a hotel and 95 condos. The site shares the block with two towers under construction: Tilt49 and Kinects. British Prime Minister David Cameron has invoked increasing trade with India as part of his plea to the country to vote to remain in the European Union in Thursday's crucial referendum, saying the UK could do more with India but cutting off from the main market would be ''economic madness''. Cameron was taking questions from the audience on Saturday night as part of a special BBC 'Question Time' show when he said, ''The rise of countries like India and China ... [means we have] big economies that we need to trade with more. But European trade and European economies have grown a great amount since we joined in 1972.'' He said Britain could ''do more with India'' but not at the expense of cutting itself off from the EU. Responding to a question on why the share of EU in world trade had dropped from 20 to 15 per cent, he said, ''It has dropped as a share of the total but as an entity it has increased.'' Cameron also said that about 80 per cent of Britain's economy is services, things like insurance and banking and architecture and sales and advertising etc. ''We sell more in services today to Luxembourg than we do to the whole of India. Of course, we need to do better with India; we need a trade deal with India. But the idea that we should cut ourselves off from our main market, I think is economic madness. We need to work to succeed in our main market and then open up the other markets,'' he said. About 45 per cent of the UK's exports go to the EU with its exports to the bloc accounting for 227 billion and imports accounting for 288 billion in 2014. The debate for Britain's future with the 28-member economic bloc enters its final stages this week with just three days to go before the crucial referendum. With opinion polls reflecting a very close contest between those in favour of remaining in the EU and those in favour of a so-called Brexit, some of the UK's senior-most entrepreneurs and professionals today came out strongly for remain. Big business backs 'remain' Ken Gregor, chief financial officer of Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), said, ''Remaining in the EU - our largest market - will increase Jaguar Land Rover's chances to grow, create jobs and attract investment in future technologies. ''Our European supply chain has been fundamental in helping us to meet customer expectations worldwide and achieve sustainable, profitable growth.'' Gregor said. He joined Britain's car industry trade body, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders' (SMMT), to warn that leaving the EU would increase costs and threaten jobs. ''Remaining will allow the UK to retain the influence on which the unique and successful UK automotive sector depends,'' said SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes. Virgin Group boss Richard Branson, one of the country's most respected businessmen, also warned that a British exit from the EU would be ''devastating'' for the UK's long-term prosperity. ''Although I've been living in the British Virgin Islands for some time now, I have never stopped caring passionately about the UK and its great people. I am one of the few business people who can remember how difficult it was before the EU was formed,'' Branson wrote in an open letter. Drinks giant Diageo's chief executive Ivan Menezes also wrote to his company's 4,773 UK employees, telling them that it would be ''better for the UK, better for Diageo and better for the Scotch whisky industry that we remain in.'' Beyond just the business case, Britain's Premier League chief Richard Scudamore told BBC that leaving would be ''incongruous'' in the context of the league's commitment to ''openness''. ''There is an openness about the Premier League which I think it would be completely incongruous if we were to take the opposite position,'' he said. Big business and financial firms have generally been in favour of staying in the EU, although surveys suggest that small businesses are more evenly split. On the other side of the argument, John Longworth, chair of Vote Leave camp's business council, rebutted that the UK would be better off outside the EU. He said, ''The single market isn't a nirvana, it's a mirage. The single market's a protectionist area. [Under Brexit] we'd be able to remove the external barriers, reduce the cost of clothing and footwear. Reduce the cost of food products we can't produce in the UK because at the moment the EU puts tariffs up to the rest of the world which we have to pay for.'' The campaign fully resumed on Sunday after a two-day suspension following the brutal murder of Labour MP Jo Cox (See: British Labour MP shot dead ahead of Brexit referendum). Vote Leave campaigners have accused the Remain camp of using the pro-EU views of Cox to its favour. Andrew Murrison, a Conservative MP and former defence minister, said in a tweet that he later deleted: ''Remain side spinning Jo Cox murder for partisan advantage in #EUReferendum shameful.'' Meanwhile, pro-EU politicians believe the rhetoric from the Brexit campaign has gone too far in whipping up anti-immigrant feeling. A poster from the far-right UK Independence Party (UKIP) entitled ''Breaking Point: The EU has failed us all'' and depicting hoards of immigrants lining up to enter the UK has created a storm on both sides. Pakistani-origin former foreign office minister Baroness Warsi, who had been a Brexit supporter, switched sides saying she had been turned off by ''hate and xenophobia'' reflected in the poster. Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon described it as ''vile and racist'', while UK Chancellor George Osborne said it was ''disgusting''. UKIP chief Nigel Farage has defended the poster as ''the truth of what's going on''. Court records show a Slocomb woman had a blood alcohol level nearly twice the legal limit to drive shortly after a fatal weekend crash that led to the death of an 80-year-old man. According to a statement from Alabama State Trooper Kevin Cook, troopers arrested Monica Jean Smith-Behuniak, 26, of Slocomb, and charged her with felony reckless murder and driving under the influence for her actions that led to the death of an 80-year-old Cottonwood man on Sunday. The highway patrol statement said troopers charged Behuniak-Smith with reckless murder in connection with the death of Tommy Quattlebaum, who was the passenger in another vehicle involved in a two-vehicle crash early Sunday morning. Court records show troopers charged her with felony reckless murder by engaging conduct which created grave risk of death to another person by operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and failing to yield the right of way to another vehicle, thereby causing the death of Tommy Quattlebaum. The warrant for reckless murder filed against Behuniak-Smith showed she had a BAC of .15 shortly after the crash, which is nearly twice Alabamas limit of .08, at which a person is considered too intoxicated to drive. Records show state troopers originally just charged Behuniak-Smith with driving under the influence, but that charge was later upgraded to felony reckless murder. Records show the misdemeanor DUI has been nol prossed, meaning she will no longer be prosecuted for that charge. Behuniak-Smith remained held Monday at the Houston County Jail on $250,000 bail for the reckless murder charge. According to the troopers statement, the crash happened when the 2005 GMC Envoy driven by Behuniak-Smith struck a 1996 Chevrolet 1500 in which Quattlebaum was a passenger. Quattlebaum suffered critical injuries from the crash, and was taken to Southeast Alabama Medical Center for treatment. He died from his injuries around 2:25 p.m. The driver of the Chevrolet and a passenger in the GMC Envoy driven by Behuniak-Smith were both taken to local hospitals for treatment to injuries from the crash. Smith-Behuniak was not injured in the crash. The crash happened around 9:40 a.m. on Alabama Highway 53 near the intersection of Houston County Road 33, about two miles north of Cottonwood. Records show Behuniak-Smith was on probation for a DUI conviction last year in Geneva County. Records revealed the following about her prior criminal history, including the DUI. An Alabama state trooper arrested Behuniak-Smith in November 2014, and charged her with DUI. The ticket shows Behuniak-Smith pleaded guilty to the DUI in January 2015. Her blood alcohol content during that incident was .11. That offense happened on South Main Street in Malvern. Records show Behuniak-Smith received a 60-day jail sentence in Geneva District Court, which was suspended for two years unsupervised probation. The court also ordered Behuniak to pay $725 in fines and court costs and fees, along with any restitution. North Dakota's Democrats have selected 13 delegates for Bernie Sanders and five delegates for Hillary Clinton to attend the partys presidential nominating convention next month. The 18 pledged delegates were chosen during the partys state delegate selection meeting on Saturday in Bismarck. The delegates were split based proportionately on the results of the June 7 statewide presidential preference caucus, in which delegates handed Sanders a 253-101 victory, with 40 uncommitted. The state Democratic-NPL Party will send a total of 23 delegates to the national convention July 25-28 in Philadelphia. Five of those are unpledged superdelegates who are free to switch their allegiance at any time before the convention. Of those five, U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp has endorsed Clinton, national committeeman Chad Nodland is supporting Sanders, and the other three are uncommitted. In addition to the 18 people selected Saturday, each presidential candidate received one alternate delegate. Dem-NPL Executive Director Robert Haider said more than 400 delegates and alternates attended the meeting at Bismarck High School. Folks are still very engaged in the process and very active in their support for both, he said. After winning last Tuesdays District of Columbia primary, which marked the end of the primary season, Clinton holds a 2,806-1,880 lead in delegates over Sanders, with 2,383 needed to clinch the nomination, according to an Associated Press tally. Clinton has declared herself the nominee. Sanders has refused to end his presidential bid, though he said last week that he would work with Clinton to defeat Republican presumptive nominee Donald Trump. A Sanders supporter and district-level delegate who was left off Saturdays ballot of potential national delegates claimed state party officials seemed biased for Clinton. Marguerite Coffinet, a District 19 delegate from Minto, about 35 miles north of Grand Forks, said she made the four-hour trip to Bismarck but learned she wouldnt be considered as a national delegate because in her application, she hadnt filled out a pledge sheet indicating which candidate she would support. She said her acting district chairman never gave her the pledge sheet and she was never called or emailed about it, as a state party staffer claimed. It almost seemed like it was sour grapes on their part, she said. Had I been a Hillary supporter, I dont think this document issue would have happened. Coffinet, a special education teacher, said she has been a lifelong independent and only became a Democrat to help with the Sanders campaign. She said its clear party officials are biased for Clinton and, as a staunch Sanders supporter, I just felt that I was less than welcome at the meeting. Hillary does not have the votes yet. Until the superdelegates vote, its not over, she said, adding Clinton needs to make real concessions and adopt key pieces of Sanders platform to win over his supporters. Clinton holds a 587-48 lead in superdelegates. Haider confirmed that two or three district delegates were left off the ballot because they missed paperwork deadlines, but said, There was nothing that we could do. I spoke with the Sanders campaign. They said they were not in the position to approve them if they did not submit everything by the deadline, he said. Three other Sanders supporters had submitted their paperwork on time, but the party office lost it, so party staff worked with the campaign and they still got on the delegate ballot, he said. Dem-NPL chair Kylie Oversen, a superdelegate and state representative from Grand Forks, said in a statement that the partys message of bringing people together is in stark contrast with GOP presumptive nominee Donald Trumps brand of exclusion and division. In that light, we are proud that our delegates elected the most diverse Democratic National Convention delegation that weve ever seen, she said. dpa ElectionsData With dpa ElectionsData you get access to a unique collection of data. Via a programming interface (Rest-API), your developers can access detailed information, candidate profiles and live results for all national elections in the European Union and important international elections, like the US Midterm elections etc. The data pool also includes all heads of state and government as well as about 20,000 elected members of parliament throughout the EU. In addition to their data (name, party, constituency or list position), we collect social media profiles and official websites of individuals and parties. UPDATE: A court order dated January 2019 shows the case was dismissed and the file was sealed after the defendant satisfied the conditions of a pretrial diversion agreement. WILLISTON -- A Minot man was arrested last week in McKenzie County after allegedly making references to ISIS during a heated argument with an acquaintance. Mian Hussain, 25, was charged with terrorizing, a Class C felony, and harassment for making a number of alleged threats against another man and his family. Authorities say the two were working at a well site on Thursday afternoon when they began to argue. The confrontation escalated until Hussain allegedly threatened to kill the other mans family. The other man, who called police shortly afterward, told deputies that hed received threatening text messages from Hussain referencing ISIS. Im taking over the world one Jew at a time, one message read, according to an affidavit filed in district court last week. Hussain is due back in court on Aug. 4 for a preliminary hearing. Attempts to contact him were unsuccessful. An official at the McKenzie County jail said Hussain is not an inmate there, and that he believes he was released on bond. That amount was $5,000, according to court records. Williston Herald A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect for western North Dakota until 11 p.m. Thunderstorms could move into central North Dakota after 9 tonight, according to the National Weather Service in Bismarck. A few storms could be severe with large hail of about 1 inch in diameter and damaging winds up to 60 to 80 mph. Isolated tornadoes also are possible. Thunderstorms are anticipated from 5 to 11 p.m. in the western part of the state, including Williston, where tonight's outdoor family movie, "Kung Fu Panda 3" has been postponed to July 12. The photograph to the side of this article is of the Redeemer Brownie Pack taken in the early 1980s. Do any of my readers see themselves in it? The back row has Guide leaders who were in charge of the Pack at the time, with, in the centre, Fr. Patrick Larkin who was appointed Curate to the Redeemer Parish about this time and later Administrator until he was appointed Parish Priest of Ravensdale. Back Row (from left) --- Bernadette McCormick; Maureen Brannigan (Guide Leader in Dundalk and wife of Peter Brannigan, prominent G.A.A. administrator); Marie Flynn; Fr. Larkin; Pauline Thornton; Ann McArdle; Peggy McCormick, Pack Leader; and Margaret Kavanagh. The Guiding movement was very strong in Dundalk at the time and there must have been around 300 guides and brownies enlisted in the various groups around the town. Many of the 25 young ladies in the picture would have been married since then and probably have their own children involved scouting movement of the present day. Fifty years ago Scoil Eoin Baste was opened at Fatime fifty years ago at the start of the 1965/66 year. Presently the school has an enrolment of around 200 boys and girls. The figures for 1966 are not available on line but the highest enrolment in recent years was 236 in 2007. According to a report in the Democrat, Cardinal William Conway, Archbishop of Armagh, blessed and opened the new school at Castletown in the last week of June 1966. The trial of Sir Roger Casement The trial of Roger David Casement, the last of the leaders of the 1916 leaders to be executed, commenced at the Royal Courts of Justice in London 100 years ago next Sunday, June 26, 1916. He was convicted by a jury, something not afforded to the other executed leaders, and his appeal against his death sentence was dismissed on July 17. He was hanged at Pentonville Prison on the morning of August 3. His body was not returned to Ireland for another fifty years. Something that is not remembered much now is that a solider in the Royal Irish Rifles, Daniel Julian Bailey, was also brought before the same court as Casement. He had been captured by the Germans in September 1914 and was also charged with treason because he had agreed join the Irish Brigade to fight against the Allies, at a meeting in a prisoner of war camp with Casement. Bailey travelled to Ireland in the same German submarine with Casement in April 1916. After Casement had been sentenced to death, Bailey was brought before the same court and pleaded 'not guilty'. At this point, however, the Crown prosecution surprisingly entered a 'nolle prosequi' motion and he was immediately released. The reason given by the Attorney General was that it was believed that he took the course to get away from captivity in Germany and had no intention of 'helping the enemy'. Mark Mulhollands debut novel A Mad and Wonderful Thing was republished and re-released last week. The new edition is focused on selling the locally-based novel to a UK audience. Blackwells of London have already made it their independent Book of the Month. Author Mark Mulholland : The novel A Mad and Wonderful Thing was republished and re-released last week. I dont really know why, other than, perhaps, the publishers (Scribe) and the publicists/distributors (Faber & Faber) are keen to give it another push in the UK. They are, madly enough, very fond of the book. I was very happy with what we achieved last time around. The work got a lot of attention and a great response in many countries. Mark Mulholland was born and raised in Dundalk, Ireland. He used his school lunch breaks to visit a second-hand book store.The whole world was to be found in that book store and everything a boy needed to learn could be learned there, he said. The novel takes place in Dundalk during the 1990s and focuses on The Troubles. The novel is narrated by a young man named Johnny Donnelly, who falls in love with a girl called Cora - the mad and wonderful thing of the title. Johnny is a charming, funny and eloquent IRA sniper. The new presentation is great. I love it, and for some reason it seems to read better. But, well, maybe thats just me. And, as a writer, it is a great vote of confidence when new editions are released, he said. Its early days yet, the book was only released on Thursday, but I see already the much respected Blackwells of London have made it their Independent Book of the Month. This time around, too, some of the influential literary review journals are going to do some pieces on it, he added. Early last year it emerged that Parallel Films were interested in adapting the novel into a feature film.It is understood that this is progressing with initial work on A Mad and Wonderful Thing to commence soon. I have little new information on the film, above what is already out there. Parallel Films, and Alan Moloney in particular, with whom we have the contract, have been very busy this last while. These movie guys plan their schedule years in advance. Amongst other recent projects, Parallel Films were co-producers of Brooklyn. Alan was executive producer. So our work is in very good hands. Alan has contacted my agent to confirm that they are currently finishing other scheduled productions and starting the initial work on our book, he said. Liam Neeson is set to co-produce the thriller set during The Troubles. The Ballymena, Co. Antrim-born actor has signed on to support a film adaptation. When the novel was published last year, Neeson praised it enthusiastically: I thought it was excellent. Deeply satisfying and moving. I also think that sufficient time has passed since the Good Friday Agreement to, at last, have a novel that goes inside the head of one of the Troubles protagonists and hear the pros and cons of the conflict, he openly said last year. THE re-enactment of the Tain March has become a firm fixture on the tourism calendar for many on the Peninsula and for Helena Mullins the role of Queen Meabh has become one not to be missed, having recently completed her 5th March in the Iconic role earlier this month. I love playing the role of Queen Meabh and interacting with the children. Ive been involved from the beginning almost. For the past 5/6years. Ive a huge interest in the story of the Tain. I grew up reading the tain tales and my parents family-run Guesthouse is connected with the Tain. The Glen Gat Valley in Louth is where the Brown Bull of Cooley was hidden from Queen Meabh and the logo of our B&B is the iconic painting of the Brown bull of Cooley and the White Bull of Connaght in battle. I love the family element to the Tain March Festival. The Tain story is still on the primary school curriculum so we make it as interactive, informative and fun for everyone involved. I help to do face-painting and encourage people of all ages to dress up and get involved. My whole family is involved in the march. My dad, Tim, is on the Committee, my sister Kate is a primary school teacher in Lordship and teaches the children all about the Tain stories and comes out to support us and my mam, Catherine enjoys the walking and also enjoys Paul Goslings storytelling along the route of the walk. Paul plays the role of the Historian druid of that time, a storyteller in his own right. There are many other families involved, children and partners of people on the committee and those who just hear about it and join in on the day or over a few days of the Tain festival. Sinead Roche in the Dundalk BIDS office does fantastic work to highlight all events throughout the year and shes been very involved in the Tain March Festival since the start. Shes doing such a great job at putting Louth firmly on the map. Helena is also delighted with how event has grown and evolved since her first March, Its such a wonderful event full of fun and interaction for all to enjoy. It is a unique event to Louth and Im so glad to see that it has evolved and now runs from Roscommon to Louth. Louth Land of Legends leading the way in Irish tourism! You meet so many amazing, pro-active people in each community and the crowd gets bigger every year. I like to see communities progress and I love the fact that the March happens to march through small towns and areas which dont get much business or footfall throughout the year. It helps to give the area a lift. Thats what makes me do it each year, it helps to lift everyones spirits. The highlight of this years March for me was in Ardee where I handed the crown over to a lady called Rita from the old folks home to play the role as Queen Meabh in front of her peers. She was so excited. Thats what the Tain March festival is all about; including everyone and making it a special day for all. Ive no doubt that this will be as sought after as the camino walk is in just a few short years. Last year was the first year that we walked from Roscommon and just look how much it has grown. Its all about community and lifting the spirits of parts of the country that maybe dont get a lot of footfall. The Tain March Festival maps out a route for a walk that can be celbrated and enjoyed by anyone all year around but if you want to get the full experience with a guided walking tour in costume, join us next year! Though she may well reprise her role as Queen Meabh again next year Helena is also kept busy working for PR and communications consultancy, Stillwater Communications in Dublin aswell developing her considerable repertoire as a presenter. I love the creativity and seeing another side to media other than what Im used to, i.e. presenting. Ive worked on huge PR campaigns such as Darkness Into Light, the Pieta House annual fundraising and awareness event which took place in May, and was a huge success this year with more than 120,000 taking part across the world. I was also working on the Oireachtas Media Awards which Micheal D Higgins attended to celebrate 20 years of TG4 in May. I helped to get national and local press for these events and I also work on a broad range of social media sites for Stillwaters clients. On the weekends I work with LMFM as their roving reporter and Im always on the lookout for new and exciting presenting roles. An efficient employee referral program can save on recruitment fees and time spent hiring new staff. This can have a significant impact on a businesss bottom line. It can cost up to $20,000 in fees and take hours to hire one staff member through a recruitment firm versus hiring someone via employee referral programs.[1] Employee referrals are the cheapest and fastest way to attract and hire high-quality talent. Referrals offer a much higher chance of success because employees tend to refer people they know will do a great job and who will fit in with the companys culture. Employee referrals offer many benefits to businesses. Referrals uncover qualified talent leads, which lets businesses fill job vacancies faster, leading to lower costs and fewer hours spent on recruiting. When hiring referred candidates, talent managers can screen and interview fewer applicants since the candidate leads they have are already qualified by virtue of their connection to an existing employee. The more employees sourced through referrals, the lower the companys overall cost of hiring new staff will be. Loyalty to the business is a key trait of referred employees. 45% of referred employees are still in the role after two years, compared to just 20% of employees sourced from job boards.[2] Greater employee retention reduces the costs of rehire, retraining, and productivity ramping. Referred hires are also known to be more productive and higher-performing. New employees sourced via referral program produce, on average, 25% more profit for their companies than other hire sources.[3] To attract high-performing talent, the referral process needs to be simple, fast, and mobile. Mobile is now the preferred search method for job seekers and, for those without access to a PC, its a necessity. By making the referral process mobile, businesses can maximise their chances of attracting the best talent. Mobile platforms make it easy for employees to refer open vacancies to their first-degree network connections. Mobile apps can send push notifications to the employees device in the morning during peak work commute times when most people are using their device. The employee simply swipes to refer the job, providing a much more efficient and enjoyable employee experience, and increasing the likelihood that employees will refer roles to their contacts. Its also possible to gamify the process, and make it fun and engaging for employees. For example, when an employee refers a hire, they can go into the draw to win weekly prizes, as well as being eligible for the standard reward a company may offer for a successful referral. There are seven key steps to building an employee referral program that delivers bottom line results: 1. Define the problem. Understanding the problem makes it easier to design the right solution and measure success. For example, businesses may need higher quality candidates, a larger pool of candidates, or a better recruitment process. 2. Determine target roles. Identify the business areas with roles that are hard-to-fill and/or ripe for referrals. Decide whether to target certain groups or any referral. Having this knowledge will help when deciding how to reward referrals. 3. Reward. There are inherent rewards for employees who successfully refer candidates but it is also important to offer a tangible reward. To decide what those should be, consider what competitors are offering, what will appeal to your employees, and what will fit the culture of your organisation. Generally there is a tipping point that will make employees sit up and take notice, however they do not necessarily have to be linked to financial rewards. 4. Make it simple. A common stumbling block in many referral programs is too much red tape and poor referral mechanisms. By making it as easy as possible for people to understand and participate in the referral program, it is far more likely to generate positive results. 5. Launch it. Communications and change management are critical. Many companies spend a long time on design and invest significantly in the program itself, only to underestimate the communication strategy required. As a guide, it should take just as much time to plan the launch as it does to design the program. 6. Remind. An employee referral program that no one remembers will not generate many candidates. Its important to remind employees regularly about the program and ask them to think about people they may know in their network. Reminding employees regularly about jobs and potential referrals can be more effective than increasing the reward amount associated with a referral. 7. Measure. To understand whether the employee referral program is delivering results, its important to measure the number of candidates recruited through the referral program. Long-term, it is useful to measure those employees performance versus those recruited through traditional means. Employers that make it easy for their staff to refer jobs are more likely to achieve strong benefits from their employee referral program. About the author Rob van Es is the chief operating officer of REFFIND, an employee engagement technology company. References: [1] The undercover recruiter (2016) [2] Jobvite Index (2016) [3] The Alexander Group (2015) Finding your brand voice and direction is the most important part of establishing a successful business. Iconic branding that has the power to stay always has a few things in common; simplicity, relatability and personality. There are many brands, businesses and even countries we admire for doing this so well; see Nike, Converse, Coca Cola and Japan. But there are also many that have failed miserably, the one hit wonders of the brand world, if you will. Avoiding a branding disaster, and executing those three key factors isnt as difficult as it seems. It all comes down to eight key elements of building a brilliant brand: Be human Youre human, and your customers are human so your brand should show that. People want to be able to relate to you, to see that there is a human element behind your products. Talk to them, show them how you work, and engage them in your conversation. If customers feel they can contact you, make a complaint or ask a question, and they will be heard and responded to by a human, that will work wonders for your brand. Also, it never hurts to try thinking, if your brand was a person, who would they be? Be honest Transparency is a huge buzzword in business right now. Customers want to know where their products are being made, by who, and how. Australian fashion brand Gorman recently found itself in hot water after posting a photo of a worker in a Chinese factory with a sign reading I made your clothes. While the brand was trying to be transparent, they were slightly off-mark, since they used the hashtag #whomademyclothes. This hashtag is linked to the Fashion Transparency Index, which released a report on transparency of the supply chain in fashion companies. Gormans parent company Factory X, has supplied no information on its supply chains. So the lesson here? Be honest and transparent from the start, and you wont damage your brand later on. Get competitive The best way to figure out what works and what doesnt is to look at what your competition are doing. What are they doing really well and where are they lacking? Why? This isnt saying you should copy your competition, not at all. But you should learn from them. If a competitor has excellent marketing, but the customer experience in store is lacking in service, this is an area you should be able to do really well and win over customers with quite easily. Cover all of your bases Its pointless going all out with the branding of your website, when your business cards or packaging are still lacking. When building your brand identity, ensure youre addressing all the touchpoints of your company. If you have a packaged product, youll need that as well as the digital branding for a website and advertising. You might need flyers, business cards, discount cards, or booklets. Write a list of what you need before you start the project, so your design team can craft a visual language that will work across all platforms and marketing collateral you need. Build a brief Your designer needs to know who youre selling to, and what you want to communicate, its as simple as that. Designers are brilliant, but theyre not often mind readers, so if you want to get the best work out of your team, for the best price (read: less changes needed later), you need to give them as much information and details as possible. This includes (but is not limited to) who your target market is, where they live, how much they earn and what other brands or hobbies they might like. It also includes your vision for the brand, what emotions you want to evoke, or the style youre trying to achieve. If its a new project or rebrand, be clear on what you want to achieve first, so you can communicate this with your creative team. And finally, the brief your give the creative team should always include examples of other brands that you like, listing exactly what you do and dont like about them. Sending your designer a website saying, I like this but really, you mean you like the logo but not much else, wont help you when they come back with similar imagery, or layout to that site. Be clear and detailed. Dont forget the brand language How you communicate your brand is equally important as what it looks like. Your brand language should match your imagery in tone and style, so if you have a sincere legal practice, trying to lighten it up in your language may actually do more damage than good to your image. Always be clear and concise, with our attention spans having dropped to less than that of a goldfish, waffling rarely works these days. Be flexible As with anything, branding doesnt always go to plan. Legalities surrounding business names, trademarked imagery and copyright laws mean you need to be very careful of what you settle on when branding. You may also find that your target market doesnt actually respond to the brand the way you thought they would, requiring a change in direction. Flexibility allows you to reach the branding you need to be successful. Be unique This cannot be said enough, yet its all too uncommon. Were so inundated by stimulation from everywhere that its almost impossible to do something completely new. But that doesnt mean you should copy your competitors or other brands you admire. The best place to start is with your gut instinct, and go from there. Whatever it is that you, personally, really like, is often a good platform for your brand style to start off, then allow your designer to give it a unique and strategic twist. About the author Nick Sammut is the Founder and Managing Director of leading Australian design agency Toast Creative, and Founder of 20/20 People. Toast Creative specialises in creative branding and marketing, having worked with a host of iconic Australian companies, Government agencies and NFPs. 20/20 People, opening in 2016, is a collaborative workspace for creative entrepreneurs in Sydneys Surry Hills. GRAND FORKS -- The name of another defendant facing charges in a federal drug conspiracy case linked to a Grand Forks murder was released Monday. Lorie Ortiz, 31, was added as defendant 10 out of 12. Two peoples cases have not been made public yet. Ortiz pleaded not guilty Monday to all charges against her in Grand Forks federal court: accessory after the fact to murder, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and distribution of a controlled substance. She joins eight named people accused of conspiring to distribute more than 500 grams of meth in Minnesota and North Dakota: Vaughn Michael Scott, 35; Aaron Lee Morado, 26; Christopher Alan Anderson, 36; Darla Kay Jerome, 37; Modesto Alfredo Torrez, 34; Andrew Robert Wiley, 26; Ryan Scott Franklin, 27; and Andrew Neil Hills, 42. Ortiz and the other eight are accused of using actual violence or threats of violence to further the conspiracy, including the murder of Austin Brant Forsman on March 11 in Grand Forks, Judge Alice Senechal read from a superseding indictment in court Monday. This superseding indictment, which replaced the original indictment in the case, has not been made public yet. Police found 24-year-old Forsman, of Grand Forks, in a vehicle at the Flying J truck stop. That day, police arrested Krystal Lynn Feist, 31, of Grand Forks, and she was charged with murder in Grand Forks District Court. Feist has not been included in the federal case. Because the case is growing, the prosecution now estimates the trial will last more than two weeks. Currently, its scheduled to begin in August for Oritz, but Senechal said Monday she wouldnt be surprised if it is pushed back. Ortiz faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years in prison on the conspiracy charge, in addition to five years of supervised release and $10 million fine. She also faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and $250,000 fine on the accessory charge. Ortiz must remain in jail until a detention hearing is scheduled for her by Thursday. At the hearing, the judge will decide if she must remain in jail until trial. Darla Jerome also had a court appearance Monday in the case. In May, Jerome was allowed to be released on certain conditions leading up to her trial, but she admitted Monday that she had violated those conditions, including testing positive for amphetamines during a drug test. Senechal ordered Monday that Jerome must remain in custody until trial, but if a spot at a local treatment center opens up before then, she can serve her time there. Christopher Ryan Ringsrud-Knowles also was added to the case Friday as defendant 12. He pleaded not guilty the same day in Grand Forks federal court to three charges: accessory after the fact to murder, witness tampering and evidence tampering. The Ward County Commission will reconsider the status of Sheriff Steven Kukowski today after deciding on Friday not to follow the governors recommendation that he be suspended until a criminal case against him involving an inmates death and alleged jail mismanagement is resolved. Commissioners chose not to appoint a fill-in for Kukowski until the governors office answered questions about whether the suspension process followed state law, chairman John Fjeldahl said Monday. It seems they have addressed some of our questions," he said, adding that they would take up the matter again today at 9 a.m. In a letter to Gov. Jack Dalrymple on Friday, Ward County States Attorney Roza Larson stated her opinion that Kukowskis suspension does not conform with state law. Specifically, Larson pointed out that a special commissioner hadnt been appointed to handle the removal proceedings, and that the attorney generals office didnt conduct an investigation within 30 days after the removal petition was filed. Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem responded that he had recommended delaying a decision on appointing a special commissioner primarily because of an agreement with Kukowskis attorneys that the removal process could be delayed because the sheriff would be on medical leave until the anticipated completion of the court case. But Kukowskis jury trial on two misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment and one misdemeanor count of refusing to perform his public duty has been delayed twice, to Aug. 29. After he showed up for work last Wednesday, Stenehjem recommended the governor suspend him. Stenehjem recommended the governor appoint a special commissioner and appoint special prosecutor Seymour Jordan to serve the official complaint on Kukowski and prosecute his removal. Dalrymple appointed retired district judge Patrick Weir as special commissioner. Jordan filed the petition in March seeking to remove Kukowski for allegations of misconduct related to the death of Dustin Irwin, 25, Mandaree, who died after his health deteriorated while in Ward County custody. Stenehjem also disagreed that a new investigation is needed, stating the events alleged have already been thoroughly investigated. Fjeldahl said commissioners want to ensure the process is done properly for all concerned. I expect to follow the governors order if those things are in place, he said. Dalrymple spokesman Jeff Zent commended the commission for wanting to ensure the law was followed. It wasnt a difference of opinion about whats right for the state. It was about the details, he said. Retired sheriffs captain Michael Nason, who also faces a reckless endangerment charge in connection with Irwins death, is scheduled for trial Aug. 22. Apple reportedly has declined to sponsor the Republican National Convention in Cleveland next month amid increasing concerns over the rhetoric coming from presumptive nominee Donald Trump. The company notified RNC officials that it would withdraw its support from the July convention after Trump made a number of highly charged statements targeting minority and religious groups, Politico reported last week. Apple apparently had planned to provide funding and high-tech equipment to both the Republican and Democratic conventions but has pulled its support from the RNC. The company has butted heads with the Trump campaign in recent months, with the candidate blasting Apples overseas manufacturing practices. Trump also called for a boycott to protest Apples legal fight with the FBI, which had demanded that the company assist in accessing encrypted data to further the bureaus investigation of last Decembers terrorist attack in San Bernardino, California. Several other major U.S. companies reportedly have declined to help support the RNC this year, including HP, Wells Fargo and Motorola. [*Editors Note June 21, 2016] HP Inc. will not be providing financial or technical support to either convention in 2016, spokesperson Emily Horn told the E-Commerce Times. Fundraising on Pace The RNC is not without its supporters, though, according to Audrey Scagnelli, press secretary for the convention. We are working with a variety of major tech partners who are focused on being part of the American political process, she told the E-Commerce Times. While there have been many reports of who may not be supporting this years convention, whats been overlooked is the fact that we have more than 100 donors who are supporting the Host Committee, said spokesperson Emily Lauer. The Cleveland 2016 Host Committee already has raised US$57.5 million of the conventions $64 million budget, or 90 percent of the funding required, she told the E-Commerce Times. The fundraising pace exceeds that of the 2008 St. Paul convention and the 2012 Tampa convention, Lauer pointed out. While some companies have said they will not support the convention, that is different from saying they are pulling out of prior commitments, she argued. Apple has not been part of the more than 100 committed donors to the Host Committee, Lauer maintained. Apple had no comment, spokesperson Fred Sainz told the E-Commerce Times. Brand Protection Many companies were willing to give Trump the opportunity to pivot toward a broader general election strategy after clinching the nomination, suggested Darrell West, vice president for governance studies at the Brookings Institution. However, when he ramped up the rhetoric in recent weeks, they didnt want to risk tarnishing their corporate image, he told the E-Commerce Times. I think theyre worried about damage to their own brand, particularly in the tech sector, which is a very youth-oriented market, West told the E-Commerce Times. Making bigoted statements is sort of the kiss of death. Apple and other technology companies commonly invest money and resources in both major political parties, because they want to get their phone calls returned and have access to politicians when there are issues of concern on the table, he noted. The impact on the Republican general election campaign from a company like Apple withholding support goes well beyond the immediate financial blow, as the technical assistance required to run a modern political operation on a national scale is immense. Campaigns generally do not have that kind of expertise in house. Color of Change Campaign Apple is one of many corporations Color of Change has been targeting in a campaign launched several months ago. Armed with more than 100,000 signatures, the group aims to get corporations and other organizations to decline to support the Trump campaign. In addition to Apple, some of the high-profile companies on its list are Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Adobe, Cisco, AT&T, Amazon, Twitter, Verizon and HP. Color of Change believes that its lobbying and advertising efforts, along with media coverage of its campaign, helped nudge Apple toward its decision. The Apple news raises the bar for other corporations, said Rashad Robinson, spokesperson for the Color of Change PAC. Not only has Apple declined to support the Republican National Convention, but theyve explicitly told Republican leaders that Trumps bigoted rhetoric is the reason that theyre sitting out. Companies continuing to support the convention need to ask themselves what their consciences are telling them, he said. History will tell the story of those who had a chance to stand up to Donald Trump and all he represents, but chose instead to throw their brands and money behind his toxic vision for America. *ECT News Network editors note June 21, 2016: Our original published version of this story included UPS, Ford and JPMorgan Chase among the companies that reportedly declined to support the RNC this year. However, those reports have not completely represented the companies positions. UPS made the decision last year not to support either political convention when it established the companys 2016 budget, spokesperson Kara Ross told the E-Commerce Times. We will not have a presence at the Republican nor the Democratic convention. It is erroneous to assert or infer that UPS decided not to support the conventions due to the identity or position of a candidate. It was not a political decision, by any means. Also, Ford is not sponsoring the host committee for either the Republican or Democratic convention, spokesperson Christin Baker told the E-Commerce Times. We will have a presence at both conventions engaging mostly through events with states where we have a manufacturing presence, like Michigan, Missouri and Ohio. JPMorgan also is not planning to sponsor either convention this year but does plan to sponsor some public-service activities that are connected to each event. Apple on Monday kicked off its Worldwide Developers Conference with the biggest-ever release of its iOS mobile operating system. CEO Tim Cook called iOS 10, coming this fall, gigantic and the mother of all releases. Among the new offerings in the upcoming version of iOS are more features in Messaging, all new designs for News, Music and Photos, and increased opportunities for developers to integrate their apps with Siri, Maps and Messages. Long term, the most interesting thing is the fact that Apple opened up Siri and Messaging and Maps to developers to add to those services, said conference attendee Bob ODonnell, chief analyst at Technalysis Research. It reflects the way the world is moving. Its moving away from standalone apps and into integration with services, he told TechNewsWorld. Apple is acknowledging that by opening these things up for other developers to provide add-on functionality for these services. Smarter QuickType The new iOS enhances the user experience at the lock screen and home screen with rich notifications, as well as interaction with apps through the expanded use of 3D touch. QuickType received an upgrade in the new iOS. Were bringing Siri intelligence to the keyboard, Craig Federighi, Apples senior vice president for software engineering, told the audience at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco. QuickType has incorporated deep learning to produce more intelligent results and to react proactively to information on a screen, he explained. If someone sends you a message asking where you are, for instance, you may be prompted to send a map. The photo app in the new iOS is more robust with the addition of facial recognition, as well as scene and object identification. Advanced search techniques support a memories feature that automatically will scan your photos to create a montage and video of a past event. The Maps app in the new iOS, which Apple has opened to developers, will be more proactive. It not only will allow you to see traffic patterns ahead, but also will suggest alternative routes if it sees youre heading into a traffic jam. New Messaging Features Both the News and Music apps are redesigned in the new iOS, and a new Home app is included in the portfolio of native apps. Home acts as a hub for controlling all home accessories garage door, security camera, light dimmers and such. The new iOS adds voice mail transcription to its Phone app and numerous new features to Apples messaging app, including rich links, easier insertion of photos and video into messages, and larger emojis. Messages also will display highlighted text that can be clicked for quick insertion of emojis. Apple has added a ton of features for people who like to live in their messaging platforms, said conference attendee Patrick Moorhead. principal analyst at Moor Insights and Strategy. Thats particularly true in China, where they get into WeChat and they never want to leave, he told TechNewsWorld. Better Watch In addition to previewing the new iOS, Apple revealed changes in WatchOS, tvOS and its desktop operating system, renamed MacOS. The new WatchOS improves the Apple Watchs performance and makes navigation and access to apps easier. If the experience is as good as they showed on stage today, Apple could start selling a lot more watches, Moorhead said. Apple announced a number of channel additions to the new tvOS and a new single sign-on feature that eliminates the need to enter user credentials every time you access a service through Apple TV. It also announced an app that allows an iPhone to be used like an Apple TV remote, including access to Siri. The new MacOS Sierra provides access to both Siri and Apple Pay. It includes picture-in-picture video, a desktop everywhere feature for accessing a Macs desktop across devices, and a universal clipboard that allows items to be cut and pasted across devices. One of Apples main goals in this years WWDC keynote was to open developers eyes to opportunities beyond the iPhone, said conference attendee Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT. Thats a critical issue, since faltering sales for smartphones including Apples have got to be a prime concern among Apple developers, he told TechNewsWorld. So we saw the company announce the integration of key phone technologies, like Siri and Apple Pay, in Mac desktops and laptops. That could spark new opportunities for developers, King noted. Many of the other announcements the iOS updates, design fixes for Apple Music and Apple TV, and promises of software fixes that will make the Apple Watch more responsive were more in the line of necessary and often badly needed housekeeping, he said. The main takeaway from the keynote is that Apple recognizes the value developers bring to the companys business, and will do all it can to keep them happy and profitable. Digital rights and free speech advocates are up in arms over Tuesdays announcement of an agreement between the European Commission and four leading U.S. social media firms Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Microsoft on a Code of Conduct designed to crack down on hate speech. The companies have agreed to adopt a system that allows users to flag illegal hate speech and incitement to violence. They also agreed to review flagged posts within 24 hours and to take appropriate action, such as removing them or blocking access. The announcement comes six months after terrorist suicide attacks in Paris killed 130 people and injured hundreds of others, and just two months after terrorist bombings in Brussels took 32 lives and injured hundreds more. Governments in Europe and the U.S., which are engaged in an air and low-intensity ground war against ISIS in Syria and Iraq, have urged technology companies to help crack down on the use of social media for recruitment, propaganda, fundraising and other uses by terrorist groups. The recent terror attacks have reminded us of the urgent need to address illegal online hate speech, said Vera Jourova, EU commissioner for justice, consumers and gender equality. Social media is unfortunately one of the tools that terrorist groups use to radicalize young people, and racists use to spread violence and hatred. Facebook, Twitter and Google, which owns YouTube, last year agreed to a plan to remove hate speech from their social media sites in Germany within 24 hours of its being reported. That agreement came in the wake of a rise in xenophobic postings as refugees from Africa and the Middle East began streaming into Europe by the thousands. Censorship Fears Microsoft, Facebook and Twitter already had announced a crackdown on speech that encourages terrorism following last years San Bernardino shooting, which reportedly was inspired by ISIS but not directly organized by the group. Hateful conduct has no place on Twitter and we will continue to tackle this issue head-on, alongside our partners in industry and civil society, said Karen White, head of public policy for Europe. Facebook, Microsoft and Google officials offered similar expressions of support, promising that offending content would be reviewed swiftly, and deleted or blocked pending substantiation of complaints. Open technology and privacy groups have widely condemned the agreement, however, raising concerns over a lack of transparency in its development, and contending that it leaves the door open for censorship within Europe. No Transparency European Digital Rights and Access Now said they would withdraw from any further discussions with officials on the plan and expressed no confidence in the Code of Conduct based on its development process thus far. No outside civil society organizations were invited to participate in discussions on terrorism, the groups maintained, although several were allowed to participate in talks on online hate speech. The groups were excluded completely from participation in the ECs talks with technology companies, which led to the Code of Conduct released earlier this week. Although Access Now was not part of the discussions, it was asked to endorse the process, said policy analyst Estelle Masse. Access Now would consider sitting down at the table if the process were changed to include more transparent discussions with outside groups, she told the E-Commerce Times. EFF is deeply disappointed in the crafting of this code of practice, said Danny OBrien, international director of the Electronic Freedom Foundation. With it, the EU companies have rubber-stamped the widespread removal of allegedly illegal content, based only on the flagging by third parties, he told the E-Commerce Times. The policy does not take into account that whether speech is considered illegal depends on the jurisdiction where it is seen, OBrien pointed out. Further, voluntary agreements such as this one might be misused by parties outside of Europe, he added. This is a dangerous precedent, as any wider discussion between the EU and international human rights groups would have revealed. Civil society was systematically excluded from negotiations over this code of conduct, and it shows. Facebook this week said it would make several procedural changes to its Trending Topics feature to quell concerns that the results could be steered in a particular political direction, even though it has found no evidence of bias. The company will retrain workers in the Trending Topics department and institute additional oversight and control to make sure trending stories are selected fairly, said Facebook General Counsel Colin Stretch. Our investigation has revealed no evidence of systematic political bias in the selection or prominence of stories included in the Trending Topics feature, he noted. Our data analysis indicated that conservative and liberal topics are approved as trending topics at virtually identical rates. Facebook will update the terminology in its guidelines to make it clearer, provide refresher training to emphasize that Trending Topics should not be selected based on ideology, provide additional oversight of the review team, and add rapid escalation should a problem arise, Stretch said. The company no longer will rely on outside websites and news outlets to validate whether a story is worthy of inclusion, he added. It also will remove the ability to assign importance levels to certain stories and will expand the help desk to provide more information on that. Insider Claims Conservative topics often were suppressed in the Trending Topics section, according to a report published earlier this month by Gizmodo. Stories about Facebook also were discouraged. Sen. John Thune, chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, wrote to CEO Mark Zuckerberg, demanding a response to the allegations. That led to ahigh-profile confab between Zuckerberg and some of the leading figures in conservative media, including The Blaze founder Glenn Beck. As part of Facebooks public response, Stretch sent an extensive defense of its practices to Thune. Id call it fence mending, said Rick Edmonds, media business analyst at thePoynter Institute. Facebook wanted to show that it was open to dialogue with critics and will re-examine business practices, he told the E-Commerce Times. Thune was not seeking to provide any legislative solution to the problem, just more transparency into the process, he said, praising the companys response to his concerns. Private companies are fully entitled to espouse their own views, so I appreciate Facebooks efforts to address allegations of bias raised in the media and my concern about a lack of transparency in its methodology for determining trending topics, he said. Facebook has offered a more detailed description of the methodology it uses to come up with Trending Topics, Thune noted. We now know the system relied on human judgment, and not just an automated process, more than previously acknowledged. Transparency Needed Facebook is in a very difficult situation because members always will see it as tainted, and if it tries to correct the problem, members from the left will accuse it of overcorrecting, said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group. Honestly, I dont see an easy way out of this now, he told the E-Commerce Times. The only way you can possibly try to prove nonbias is have somebody create an algorithm that is truly independent. The companys prior arguments that it was unbiased based on the use of computerized algorithms are not bulletproof because, depending on how they are written, they can tilt in a more liberal or conservative direction, he added. The ACLU has questioned whether Facebook needed to be more transparent about how it decides what is trending. When I see a list on the side of a newspaper site that says most read or most shared, I assume thats a relatively dumb algorithm that is simply counting up clicks, said Jay Stanley, senior policy analyst, ACLU Speech, Privacy and Technology Project. Overstepping the First Amendment The Electronic Frontier Foundation has called Thunes inquiry into question on First Amendment grounds. Its commendable that Facebook is making internal changes and being more transparent about how it produces the Trending Topics section, but it remains improper under the First Amendment for a senator to inquire into what amounts to Facebooks editorial practices, said Sofia Cope, an EFF staff attorney. So while some good appears to have come from Sen. Thunes letter, that shouldnt give other government officials the green light to do the same thing in a similar situation, she told the E-Commerce Times. Facebooks editorial decisions are protected under First Amendment case law, Cope said in a blog post published earlier this month. In a 1974 case, Miami Herald Publishing Co. v. Tornillo, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the government cannot tell a private publisher what to print or not print, nor can the publisher be punished for making certain editorial decisions. However, it would behoove the company to be more transparent about its content policies, she said. The EFF has criticized Facebook in the past for how it enforces its terms of service, including which posts it chooses to delete, images it censors, or users who are tossed from the service because of some violation. The organization tracks the actions of various social media companies atonlinecensorship.org. Almost lost among the deluge of new features in the upcoming version of iOS Apple touted last week was the companys announcement about privacy. All this great work in iOS 10 would be meaningless to us if it came at the expense of your privacy, Craig Federighi, Apples senior vice president for software engineering, told attendees at the companys Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco. We believe you should have great features and great privacy, he said. You demand it, and we are dedicated to providing it. Apple offers end-to-end encryption by default in apps like FaceTime, Messages and HomeKit, and it performs data crunching at the device level, with the data remaining under a users control. While gathering data about its customers data usage, it uses a technology called differential privacy. Differential privacy is a research topic in the area of statistics and data analytics that uses hashing, subsampling and noise injection to enable this kind of crowdsourced learning while keeping the information of each individual user completely private, Federighi explained. Black Box Problem Despite its potential benefits, differential privacy is not free of controversy. What Apple is doing is really neat theyre trying to make things more private. But if theyre going to be collecting a lot of data, its good to know what theyre going to do with that data, and we dont, noted Matthew Green, a computer science professor at Johns Hopkins University. We dont know much about what Apple is doing. They seem to be doing something very much like what Google is doing, he told the E-Commerce Times. Hopefully, theyll publish more details as we get closer to the release of iOS 10, but right now there are ways to get it wrong and ways to get it right, and we just dont know how Apple is doing it. Googles Differential Privacy Google has been using differential privacy in its RAPPOR (Randomized Aggregatable Privacy-Preserving Ordinal Response) project since the fall of 2014. Building on the concept of randomized response, RAPPOR enables learning statistics about the behavior of users software while guaranteeing client privacy, noted lfar Erlingsson, Googles tech lead manager for security research. The guarantees of differential privacy, which are widely accepted as being the strongest form of privacy, have almost never been used in practice despite intense research in academia, he continued. RAPPOR introduces a practical method to achieve those guarantees. Differential privacy has its roots in survey methods developed in the 1960s to get honest answers to sensitive questions, according to Joseph Lorenzo Hall, chief technologist at the Center for Democracy & Technology. For example, if you wanted to find out how many people in a sample ever had a sexually transmitted disease, a respondent would be told to flip a coin. If heads appeared, the respondent would answer yes. If tails appeared, the respondent would answer truthfully. Effectively, this meant that any given Yes response was completely deniable by the respondent, preserving the privacy of those who answered Yes, Hall wrote. However, by taking into account that 50 percent of a sample were yes by mandate, surveyors could get significant data. So, if 100 people were asked the STD question, you could eliminate 50 yes answers as mandatory. The number of yes answers in the remainder of the sample would give you a good idea how many people actually had an STD. Privacy Part of Apples Brand Will differentiatial privacy deliver on Apples promises? To me, the question is how effectively does it enhance privacy? asked Ben Desjardins, director of security solutions at Radware. If it is unproven, using it as a primary means of protecting privacy could create some risk, he told the E-Commerce Times. Its too soon to tell whether differential privacy will succeed the way Apple envisions it working, said Bob Ertl, senior director of product management of Accellion. However, that also means harsh criticisms against Apple and this technology are premature, he told the E-Commerce Times. What we do know is that Apple has arguably overdemonstrated that it is a passionate and vociferous advocate for consumer privacy, Ertl continued. Therefore, I dont think its very likely that they are going to undermine the trust they have generated among the more than 1 billion people using their devices with this technology, he added. Privacy has become Apples brand, and Im sure the company will take every measure necessary not to compromise such a core principle. Microsoft has entered a partnership with Kind Financial to create an entity that will obtain government contracts to track seed-to-sale compliance in the legalized marijuana business, Kind announced last week. The new entity, Kind Government Solutions, will provide state, county and local municipalities with tracking information on marijuana sales to keep them in compliance with government regulations, said Kind Financial CEO David Dinenberg. Microsoft selected Kind to be a part of its newly created Microsoft Health and Human Services Pod for Managed Service Providers. We support government customers and partners to help them meet their missions, Microsoft said in a statement provided to the E-Commerce Times by spokesperson Brooke Randell. Kind Financial is building solutions on our government cloud to help these agencies regulate and monitor controlled substances and items, and manage compliance with jurisdictional laws and regulations. Cannabis Compliance Kinds main compliance product is Agrisoft Seed to Sale, a software program designed to help government agencies ensure compliance with cannabis sale regulations. No one can predict the future of cannabis legalization, Dinenberg said. However, it is clear that legalized cannabis will always be subject to strict oversight and regulations similar to alcohol and tobacco. Matt Cook, former senior leader of Colorados Medical Marijuana Enforcement Division and the author of the states medical marijuana regulations, will act as a special advisor to the partnership on government matters. Microsoft is taking advantage of a huge market opportunity, while perhaps taking a substantial risk. Due to the uncertain nature of state-by-state marijuana legalization, there are few companies willing to invest millions of dollars into a long-term commitment. Untapped Potential Regulation and compliance from one state to the next is still a huge challenge, noted Taylor West, deputy director of the National Cannabis Industry Association. There is very little in the way of consistency or reciprocity between states regulatory programs, so a company that wants to operate in more than one state really does have to approach each one almost from scratch, she told the E-Commerce Times. Twenty-five states have legalized marijuana either for full or medicinal use, West said. The legal marijuana industry is estimated at about US$5.4 billion, according to a report from ArcView Market Research and New Frontier. I think Microsoft sees a unique opportunity to grow this market, and realizes that by supporting at the ground floor, they will be in an incredibly powerful position once the market fully matures to be a dominant solution provider for it, observed Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group. A number of technology industry figures are finding a home in the legalized marijuana business because the industry has a large amount of available money to spend yet there is still a problem getting into traditional banking relationships, he told the E-Commerce Times. Cash Crop Indeed, the legalized marijuana industry still faces a large number of hurdles to operate like a traditional business, in part because federal law still prohibits the sale of marijuana. The Senate Appropriations Committee last week voted 16-14 to approve a measure that would allow banks to provide services to marijuana businesses. The federal government should not be forcing Oregons legal marijuana business to carry gym bags full of cash to pay their taxes, employees and bills, said Sen. Jeff Merkely, D-Ore., who coauthored the amendment. This is an invitation to robberies, money laundering and organized crime. Marijuana would bring in about half a billion dollars in the first 14 months of legal sales just in the state of Oregon he pointed out. Think about the marijuana business in now-legal states, suggested Paul Teich, principal analyst at Tirias Research. It has been an underground business where no one wanted any record of transactions, he told the E-Commerce Times. Entrepreneurs just starting up in the business are starting with a good knowledge of their domain growing weed but no real knowledge of modern business practices and legal supply chain economics. Oracle Vice President Des Cahill is the companys head CX evangelist. An expert in B2B software and marketing, Cahill has spent most of his career in Silicon Valley, helping companies develop, refine and tell their stories. In this exclusive interview, CRM Buyer discusses with Cahill the evolution of customer experience management. Oracle Head CX EvangelistDes Cahill CRM Buyer: What are some of the common CRM challenges businesses face today? Des Cahill: Were in an era of the empowered consumer, and the empowered consumer is a social amplifier. Now, if I have a problem with a business, I can tweet it out, and businesses are having to deal with this empowered consumer. The second thing that businesses are dealing with is digital disrupters, like Uber and Airbnb. These digital disruptors are not encumbered by existing brands, existing distribution channels or existing investments. Thats great for the empowered consumer but its not so good if youre an incumbent. The third challenge is that we have a hypercompetitive global environment, and were in a state of sustained, slow economic growth around the globe. In a slow-growing economic environment, companies can only grow by taking share away from competitors. So, how can you compete when youve got more demanding consumers, youve got these disruptors nipping at your heels, and youve got this hypercompetitive environment? These challenges are what are driving customer experience to be a CEO-level concern. CRM Buyer: How can businesses best deal with these challenges? Cahill: Were moving from an era of point solution to suites or platforms. If youre trying to appeal to these empowered consumers and deal with these digital disrupters, you have to provide an omnichannel customer experience. Suites or platforms for customer experience provide a single source of truth and the ability to share that information around an organization, to help break down silos. There are two pieces to that. First, they have one view of me and they treat me as one customer. Thats the consumer part of it. The flip side is that the company needs to break down its internal barriers between sales and service, for instance. Were seeing a lot of trends around the blending of roles within industries to better accommodate customer experience and to drive better customer loyalty. CRM Buyer: Why is it important to engage customers across multiple channels? Cahill: The number of devices has exploded, and our digital fluency has exploded. In the old days, we had to deal with fax and phone and email and Web and social. But now Im engaging with a company on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook. There are conversations going on about a companys brand everywhere. There are new social networks popping up all the time. There are more devices and more user-generated content, and buyers are doing much more research today. If youre in a traditional model and youre not able to deliver a consistent experience across channels, youre falling behind the curve. CRM Buyer: How can a company discover new capabilities in the CRM software it already owns? Cahill: The hardest piece is the cultural piece. You can have the best software in the world, but if your company culture isnt oriented to providing a good customer experience, then the software isnt going to work. Companies need to put in place subjective measuring tools, such as net promoter scores and customer satisfaction surveys. Companies need to establish the baseline of their key customer satisfaction metrics, and then measure those over time to see if their software and their culture incentives are driving the right business results. CRM Buyer: How has the cloud changed CRM practices? Cahill: The good thing about the cloud is that it has empowered a business to make its own decision about the right CRM solution. Thats a good thing. Its a bad thing if that is being done without thinking across the silos. CRM Buyer: How can a company change its culture so there is not as much siloing? Cahill: The hardest thing to do in a company is to change its culture. Maybe the answer isnt changing the culture, but taking advantage of the culture as you change the incentive structure. Dont try to change the culture; use the culture to develop a good incentive structure. Everyone always has the best intentions. People want to do their jobs. People want to deliver good customer experience. CRM Buyer: Whats in the future for CRM? How is it evolving and changing? Cahill: If we break down silos, I have all sorts of information available to me. Theres a lot more data that a CMO has access to. Then the question becomes, how do you break down that data? Data analytics is going to play a big piece going forward. CRM Buyer: How can companies best adapt to the changing CRM world? Cahill: It always starts with being in tune with your customer, who is your buyer. If youre in tune with your customers and what pressures and issues exist for them, you can anticipate their needs and deliver the right solution. 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In a lively debate in Brussels, delegates from the European Parliament Committee on Development and the Committee on International Trade expressed exasperation that the European Commission's EU Garment Initiative has yet to lead to any concrete actions, despite being launched with considerable fanfare in the wake of the Rana Plaza disaster in Bangladesh. (Photo: LWF / Felix Kalbe)Lutheran World Federation President Bishop Dr Munib Younan (L) LWF General Secretary, Rev. Martin Junge, German President, Joachim Gauck, and Reiner Haseloff, Minister-President of Saxony-Anhalt on June 15, 2016. Germany's President Joachim Gauck has noted the enduring impact that Martin Luther's ideas had on shaping his country's language and sense of identity. Gauck, a former opponent of the communist East German regime expressed gratitude to Lutheran World Federation delegates he addressed in Wittenberg who had gathered "in a free country and in ecumenical solidarity." A former Lutheran pastor, Gauck, became German president in 2012 and was speaking in the eastern German town where nearly 500 year ago Martin Luther nailed his history changing 95 theses to a door in one key events that triggered the Protestant Reformation. "Without the Reformation Germany would be a different country altogether," Gauck noted, referring to the "enduring and deep impact" of Luther's ideas when he addressed members of the LWF's key governing body, its council during its June 15-21 meeting. . While Luther had not been the first to translate the Bible into German his powerful and poetic use of language quickly helped to give Germans "a sense of identity." Furthermore, Gauck observed that the Mass was first celebrated in German in that very same church, the City Church, which was "an important step towards the priesthood of all believers." The German president thanked the LWF for its "practical and spiritual assistance" in its work for refugees who now account for some 60 million people worldwide. In the many activities for refugees the LWF is engaged in Gauck said the Lutheran world body, with more than 70 million members has remained committed to church unity. "It engages in dialogue with the Catholic and the Orthodox Church as well as with Anglicans, Reformed Churches and other Christians. And it regards both the ecumenical movement and interfaith dialogue as key responsibilities." The Lutheran World Federation held its annual governance meeting in historic Wittenberg and there it reelected its general secretary Chilean pastor, Rev. Martin Junge to a second seven-year term effective from Nov. 1, 2017. (Facebook/MadamSecretary)Elizabeth considers the vice president position in "Madam Secretary" season 3. The United States is about to decide whether a woman is strong enough to handle the vice president position in the upcoming season of "Madam Secretary." Fans are keen to know the outcome of last installment's cliffhanger when President Dalton (Keith Carradine) dropped a bombshell on Elizabeth's (Tea Leoni) lap. He wanted her to be his running mate in the upcoming presidential elections. Elizabeth was so shocked she did not get to answer quickly. Viewers will get to see her response next season. As per CarterMatt, the CBS series will start filming this July. Elizabeth will most likely tell Dalton she needs to talk about it with her husband, Henry (Tim Daly). After careful deliberation, the odds are on that she will accept the offer and leave her beloved State Department. Perhaps, one of the biggest drawbacks for Elizabeth in agreeing to run as VP is saying goodbye to her job. As Secretary of State, she accomplished a lot, even those emergencies that were almost too impossible to solve. Meanwhile, speculations that Elizabeth and Henry's marriage is on the rocks continue to persist. The tension between them escalated last season when Henry learned of Elizabeth and Dalton's betrayal regarding the Russian situation. CBS, however, is confident that the couple will remain strong amidst all the hurdles. In an article detailing why Henry is one the best husbands and fathers around, it states that Henry's love for his family transcends that of his personal priorities. Being the husband of one of the most powerful women in America must have been difficult, but Henry has mastered it quite well. He has never been intimidated with her position and it is expected that he will never be, even if she becomes the next VP. If Elizabeth decides to say "yes" to Dalton's offer, Henry will be her number one supporter, as he always has been. "Madam Secretary" season 3 is expected to air in Fall 2016 at 9 p.m. EST on CBS. Oct. 13, 2022 Prior to this summer, the memorial garden had lost its shine and perhaps had gone forgotten. That was when 18 year old Annabelle Smith, daughter of an Eielson Airman and a Girl Scout for 13 years, decided to take on a renovation project as a part of a Gold Award project, one of the highest awards in Times' Game of the Week Preview: Central Valley at Aliquippa Central Valley and Aliquippa are set to face off in arguably the biggest game of the year in the WPIAL. Check out the Times' Game of the Week preview. There are numerous forms of crony capitalism, but one of the most subtle and damaging to the economically vulnerable are occupational licensing laws. For millions of Americans, occupational licensing continues to serve as a barrier to work and self-sufficiency. Take, for example, Melony Armstrong. When Armstrong began her hair braiding business, she was required to have a cosmetology license, which required 1,500 hours of training and $10,000 in tuition. What makes this state occupational licensing requirement so unreasonable? None of the training had anything to do with braiding hair. In this AEI Vision Talk, Armstrong shares her story and tells how she filed a lawsuit in Mississippi to change the law and create more opportunity for herself and others. Ely, Cambridgeshire is best known for its majestic cathedral dubbed the 'Ship of the Fens' because it dominates the flat landscape. The city, which is the second smallest in England, is about 14 miles north-northeast of Cambridge and about 80 miles by road from London. 13:33, 25 OCT 2022 Over the past decade media coverage of the problems surrounding indigent defense has been increasing. For example, The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is currently suing the state of Utah for failing to uphold that 6th Amendment which now provides opportunities for government provided criminal defense. The ACLU is claiming that Utah fell short of its obligation to provide attorneys to criminal defendants who cannot afford to hire one. While the merits of the case have yet to be properly sorted out, what is true is that public defenders offices are under much needed scrutiny. With the 50th anniversary of the 1963 Gideon v. Wainwright decision back in 2013 a flurry of articles were published that highlighted some of the injustices in the public defense system that the Gideon verdict created. The Gideon verdict required states to provide defense attorneys, especially for the poor. In 2013, a New York Times article by Lincoln Caplan on the anniversary of the Gideon decision summarized several of current problems around the United States regarding public defense. The article highlighted the problems with meeting the requirements of Gideon at the state level where 95 percent of Americas criminal trials take place. The best programs in the United States still struggle to meet the high number of cases that require public defenders. Caplans article highlights the Miami public defenders office which handles far above the American Bar Associations recommendation of 150 cases per year for a attorney. The demand in Miami has reached 500 cases a year, and has far outpaced the funding for indigent defense. The important distinction the author makes in this article is that not only is financing of public defense an issue, but the general attitude towards the poor the system has created. It is an attitude that Caplan and others describe as contempt. A 2011 report published by the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) found that, Floridas county courts are consistently sacrificing due process for case-processing speed. The study found that 66 percent of defendants in Florida appeared at arraignment without counsel. Most of these defendants were pleading guilty (70 percent), while those who had hired counsel were less likely to be entering pleas of guilty. Only 21 percent had been appointed public counsel at their first appearance in court. The defendants were often handed documents that encouraged them to waive their right to counsel and enter guilty pleas or no contest. The study found that, Half of the individuals who appeared at arraignment without counsel wholly waived their right to counsel. Defendants that were in custody were 10 times more likely to waive their right to counsel. Those accused of less serious crimes were more likely to waive their right as well. In Florida, public defenders are not free, and defendants are often reminded of this before arraignment, which also may lead to the high rates of defendants refusing counsel. If the Florida system is actually encouraging defendants to plead guilty and forgo their right to counsel than it does not fully provide justice for those poor persons arrested. Ultimately, this is an issue of how we view the poor. If we believe that the poor, regardless of their allege crimes, are worthy of dignity, we should whatever is necessary to see that rule of law is applied in an impartial manner. Otherwise, the poor remain vulnerable to the abuses of the state. MCINTOSH, AL, -- BASF recently awarded $20,000 in college scholarships to two local students. The scholarships cover tuition and fees at Alabama Southern Community College (ASCC) for four semesters. In addition, BASF offered both students summer internship positions at the McIntosh site. Jaylon Busby, a rising freshman at ASCC and graduate of Fruitdale High School and Zane Warr, a sophomore at ASCC and graduate of Millry High School, were both awarded scholarships valued at approximately $10,000 each toward their studies in chemical process technology. "BASF is dedicated to providing local students with opportunities to pursue careers in the chemical industry," said George Vann, Vice President of the BASF site in McIntosh. "Through our scholarships and internship opportunities, we are pleased to play a role in fostering the future leadership of our industry." BASF's McIntosh site offers two-year scholarships annually for students participating in the chemical process technology program at ASCC in Thomasville. The two-year degree program prepares students for jobs in the chemical industry. Scholarships are awarded based on a student's academic accomplishment, testing, and an interview. During their internship, Busby and Warr will complete shift work and participate in supervised, on-the-job activities that include working with operators who focus on unit reliability. The students will prepare equipment for maintenance activities such as cleaning and isolation. For more information about careers at BASF, visit http://careers.basf.us. For press photos, please click on the following link: https://www.basf.com/press-photos/us/en/photos/2016/06/06-21-16_ASCC1.jpg Suggested caption: Jaylon Busby, a recent Fruitdale High School graduate who will major in Chemical Process Technology at Alabama Southern Community College,received a scholarship valued at approximately $10,000 from BASF's McIntosh,Alabama site. Not pictured: Zane Warr, a sophomore majoring in Chemical Process Technology at Alabama Southern Community College, received a scholarship valued at approximately $10,000 from BASF's McIntosh, Alabama site For more information, contact: LaShaunda Garrett Holly BASF Corporation Tel: (251) 436-2261 E-mail: LaShaunda.G.Holly@basf.com About BASF BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has nearly 17,500 employees in North America, and had sales of $17.4 billion in 2015. For more information about BASF's North American operations, visit www.basf.us. At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. The approximately 112,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into five segments: Chemicals, Performance Products, Functional Materials & Solutions, Agricultural Solutions and Oil & Gas. BASF generated sales of more than EU70 billion in 2015. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (AN). Further information at www.basf.com. Tribune Newspapers Contradicts Themselves in Refusing to Correct | Main | Bias by Editing: A Devilish Washington Post-Associated Press Detail June 21, 2016 Wheres the Coverage? Hezbollah Works with Drug Cartels Hezbollah, the Lebanese-based, Iranian-backed Shiite Muslim terror group, hasin partnership with drug cartelsdeveloped the most sophisticated money laundering scheme or schemes that we have ever witnessed,? a former top Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) official told members of the U.S. House of Representatives Financial Services Committee. Yet, the June 8, 2016 testimony by previous DEA operations chief, Michael Braun, received little coverage by U.S. news media. The Washington Times (Cartels aid Hezbollah with mass drug scheme,? June 9) reported Braun told lawmakers that Hezbollaha U.S. designated terrorist organizationis moving [multiple] tons of cocaine from South America to Europe.? A Lexis-Nexis search of major U.S. print news outlets, including The Washington Post, USA Today, The New York Times, among others, showed that only The Washington Times noted Brauns testimony about expanding Hezbollah-drug cartel ties. Hezbollah (Party of God?) is a virulently anti-Western, antisemitic terrorist group that was responsible for the Oct. 23, 1983 Marine barracks bombing in Lebanon killing 241 American personnel. Prior to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attack by al-Qaeda, Hezbollah had killed more U.S. citizens than any other terrorist organization. Washington Times correspondent Guy Taylor pointed out that prior to Brauns testimony, there has been a backdrop of rising fears in Washington about smuggling connections between Middle East terrorist groups and the Western Hemisphere.? Hezbollah, Braun warned lawmakers, has metastasized into a hydra with international connections that the likes of [the Islamic State] and groups like al-Qaeda could only hope to have.? As CAMERA has noted, the DEA announced in February 2016 that it had arrested Hezbollah members (DEA Uncovers Hezbollah Drug and Money Laundering,? Feb. 3, 2016). The arrests were made as part of DEAs Project Cassandra, an effort to clamp down on Hezbollahs External Security Organization Business Affairs Component (BAC), which traffics cocaine in the United States and Europe. Over the past year, U.S. Department of Justice investigations into Hezbollah financing have resulted in the indictments of individuals living in Columbia, Lithuania, France and the United States. Taylor said that after the February arrests, The DEA said several of the BACs Europe-based operatives had been arrested on charges of trafficking drugs and laundering money from South America to purchase weapons and finance the groups military activities in Syria. The agency described an intricate network of money couriers who collect and transport millions of euros in drug proceeds from Europe to the Middle East.? In addition to Braun, lawmakers also heard from Emanuele Ottolenghi, an Iran analyst with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington D.C.-based think tank. Ottolenghi told the House committee that Hezbollah has a vast network of support? in Latin America, particularly in Brazil, which is home to an estimate 7 million people of Lebanese descent. Ottolenghi cited a 2014 report by the Brazilian newspaper O Globo, which outlined a connection between Hezbollah and a Sao Paulo-based prison gang called Primeiro Comando da Capital. The Washington Times observed that the full scale of Hezbollahs operations has long been a subject of debate in Washington.? In 2013, the U.S. State Department conducted a probe into the extent of Hezbollahs activities in Latin America and later claimed that Iran was not supporting any active terrorist cells in the region. The congressional testimony offered by Braun and Ottolenghi seem to contradict the State Departments previous claim. Media largely failed to note an apparently newsworthy fact: a U.S.-designated terrorist group with a history of attacking Americans was named in congressional testimony as taking part in the most sophisticated money laundering scheme? in the Western hemisphere in order to finance terrorist operations. Where was the coverage? Posted by SD at June 21, 2016 04:07 PM Guidelines for posting This is a moderated blog. We will not post comments that include racism, bigotry, threats, or factually inaccurate material. Post a comment For years now, it's been rumored that Jennifer Aniston is either getting pregnant, is pregnant or was pregnant, yet she hasn't managed to actually get pregnant just yet. And that's why both fans and critics alike can't help but wonder if there's something going on behind the Hollywood star's PR game or that she might be the one behind all of those pregnancy rumors to simply garner attention for whatever movie or product she may be promoting. According to the popular gossip blog Celebitchy, there might be a method behind all of this baby bump madness and that Aniston and her team of handlers know exactly what they are doing. The actress was photographed sporting what looked like a baby bump while she was beachside during a quick trip she took to the Bahamas last week with her husband, Justin Theroux. Following yet another statement denying a pregnancy from Aniston's rep, the site speculates, "So did we get played? Was the controversy designed by Aniston's PR to get some attention for something? I have no idea. It would be easier to understand if Aniston was promoting a film, but all she's got to promote is her latest perfume, and it seems like a waste to use a pregnancy-gossip-trap on a perfume release." And it seems like other critics agree as they've commented with, "I will freely and shamefully admit that I got played by those pics. To me it looked like her torso was curved out from her lower abdomen all the way up to just below her bustline. I always thought food babies were more of a pooch in just the lower abdomen. I got suckered," while another wrote, "I'm not the biggest Aniston fan on the planet, but damn, I feel for her with this. She's clearly had self esteem and weight issues in the past (what female hasn't??) and to feel you need to suck in your stomach all the time....ugh. I don't know how celebrities leave the house." So far Aniston herself has not commented on any of the baby bump rumors. Older adults who engage in leisure activities more than 20 times a week are far less likely to experience delirium following certain types of surgery than those who engage in fewer weekly leisure activities, new research suggests Delirium, or the medical term for experiencing sudden confusion, is upsetting for both older adults and their families. In fact, it is one of the most common complications older adults face after surgery (a time often referred to as the "post-operative" period). Researchers believe that older adults who have higher levels of "cognitive reserve" may have a better chance for reducing their chances of developing dementia--which theoretically could reduce the risks for developing delirium. One way to understand cognitive reserve is to think of your brain as a muscle. When you exercise a muscle, you strengthen it. Activities such as reading, playing computer games, singing, emailing and even knitting may act as "exercise" for your brain, "strengthening" it in a way that could help prevent dementia and delirium. A group of researchers from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, NY, examined whether certain leisure activities known to reduce dementia risks could also reduce the risk of post-surgical delirium. They published their findings in the June issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. The researchers examined a group of 142 older adults who were scheduled for elective knee, hip, or spinal surgery. They determined whether or not the people participated in leisure activities such as reading books or newspapers, knitting, emailing, playing cards or other games, working on crossword puzzles, or joining in group meetings. Of those involved in the study, 32 percent developed post-operative delirium. Those who were diagnosed with delirium had participated in fewer leisure activities before surgery compared with people who didn't experience delirium. Out of all the activities, reading books, using email, and playing computer games reduced the risk of delirium. Playing computer games and singing were the only two activities that predicted lower severity of delirium. The researchers reported that each additional day of participation in a leisure activity reduced post-operative delirium by 8 percent. According to the researchers, maintaining leisure activities later in life could be an important way to lessen the chances of developing delirium following surgery. This is important, since delirium increases an older adult's risk for functional decline, dementia, and even mortality. What's more, people with severe post-operative delirium are at greater risk for being institutionalized and for dying. ### This summary is from "Cognitive Reserve and Postoperative Delirium in Older Adults." It appears online ahead of print in the June 2016 issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. The study authors are Amanda Tow; Roee Holtzer, PhD; Cuiling Wang, PhD; Alok Sharan, MD; Sun Jin Kim, MD; Aharon Gladstein, MD; Yossef Blum, MD; and Joe Verghese, MBBS. About the Health in Aging Foundation This research summary was developed as a public education tool by the Health in Aging Foundation. The Foundation is a national non-profit established in 1999 by the American Geriatrics Society to bring the knowledge and expertise of geriatrics healthcare professionals to the public. We are committed to ensuring that people are empowered to advocate for high-quality care by providing them with trustworthy information and reliable resources. Last year, we reached nearly 1 million people with our resources through HealthinAging.org. We also help nurture current and future geriatrics leaders by supporting opportunities to attend educational events and increase exposure to principles of excellence on caring for older adults. For more information or to support the Foundation's work, visit http://www.HealthinAgingFoundation.org. WASHINGTON, D.C., June 21, 2016 - Freezing water is a central issue for climate, geology and life. On earth, ice and snow cover 10 percent of the land and up to half of the northern hemisphere in winter. Polar ice caps reflect up to 90 percent of the sun's incoming radiation. But how water droplets freeze, whether from within or from the surface, has been a topic of much controversy over past decade among chemists and physicists. A team of researchers at Beijing Institute of Technology and Zhejiang University in China propose another question, "Where in the droplet does the crystallization of water or liquid silicon begin?" The team explains their findings this week in The Journal of Chemical Physics, from AIP Publishing. This is an interesting problem and one that is crucial to understanding the crystallization mechanism of nanoscale tetrahedral liquid drops like water and silicon. In their work, they used computer simulation, to find that the ripple-like density waves are markedly excited before crystallization of liquid silicon drops and films due to the volume expansion in a confined environment. The ripple-like density fluctuations create waves capable of promoting nucleation, eventually resulting in a ripple-like distribution of nucleation probability in drops and films. These results suggest that the freezing of nanoscale water or silicon liquid drops is initiated at a number of different distances from the center of the droplet, providing new insights on a long-standing dispute in the field of material and chemical physics. The research team employed a molecular dynamics simulation to investigate the freezing of nanoscale silicon drops and films, a method widely used for the investigations of microscopic thermodynamic and dynamic process. In computer simulations of crystallization events, the short simulation time makes it difficult to observe. To address this issue some special simulation methods, namely, the rare event sampling algorithms, were proposed. But these methods inevitably drop some high probability regions of nucleation in the trajectory sampling starting from a single configuration, so the team employed brute-force simulation and sampled massive and independent crystallization processes. "Although the method is 'brute,' it can faithfully represent the distribution of nuclei," explained Yongjun Lu, a physicist at Beijing Institute of Technology and Zhejiang University. "This is why we were able to observe the ripple-like distribution of nucleation probability while it is absent in other studies." A challenge for the team was the great calculation costs. To achieve the credible probability distributions of nucleation in drops and films requires massive statistical sampling, requiring more than 6 months of CPU time. The implications of this research are far-reaching. "We can extend the present results to all the tetrahedral liquids including water due to their similarity in molecular structure," Lu said. "It suggests that the surface environment does not play a decisive role in the formation of ice and snow as expected. The density fluctuations inside drops result in that the possible freezing regions cover the middle and the surface regions, depending on the drop size. The freezing from the surface or from within may be random." The next steps for the research team are to simulate the crystallization of water in geometric constrained space and under high-pressure conditions to study the freezing mechanism of water in microcracks and micropores of rock. By deepening the understanding of the freezing of water drops will significantly enhance the understanding of its effects on the planet and its climate. ### The article, "Density-wave-modulated crystallization in nanoscale silicon films and droplets," Yongjun Lu, Qingling Bi and Xinqing Yan. The article will appear in The Journal of Chemical Physics on June 21, 2016 [DOI: 10.1063/1.4953038].. After that date, it can be accessed at http://scitation.aip.org/content/aip/journal/jcp/144/23/10.1063/1.4953038 ABOUT THE JOURNAL The Journal of Chemical Physics publishes concise and definitive reports of significant research in the methods and applications of chemical physics. See http://jcp.aip.org. Authors: Yongjun Lu, Qingling Bi and Xinqing Yan Author Affiliations: Beijing Institute of Technology and Zhejiang University Contact: yongjunlv@bit.edu.cn New research on the burrows of scorpions in diverse environments finds that these predatory arachnids build strikingly similar architectural features in their homes. The study, published recently in the journal The Science of Nature, was conducted using molten aluminum casts and 3D scanning, and suggests that common features of scorpion burrows are part of their "extended physiology" and are vital to the arachnids' survival in some of the world's most inhospitable places. "This work is about how burrow architecture can extend an animal's physiology by performing functions its body would otherwise have to do on its own, like maintaining a comfortable temperature or improving ventilation," said Berry Pinshow of the Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research at Israel's Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, who led the new study. Many animals, ranging in size from ants to aardvarks, inhabit burrows, including hundreds of scorpion species of at least 10 different families. "It's amazing how ubiquitous scorpion burrows are in some parts of the world, yet very little has been done to study them until now," said Lorenzo Prendini, a curator in the American Museum of Natural History's Division of Invertebrate Zoology and co-author of the new study. Scorpion burrows can differ drastically, running the gamut in size and design from short runs to complex spiral tunnels up to 9 feet long to multi-entrance communal structures. Some burrows are used for less than 24 hours while others serve as a semi-permanent home in which a scorpion can spend most of its life and more than 90 percent of its time. "As ectothermic, or so-called 'cold-blooded,' animals, scorpions rely on energy from the environment to regulate their internal temperature," said Amanda Adams, lead author of the publication in The Science of Nature and a former postdoctoral researcher at the Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research who is currently at Texas A&M University. "Various features of the burrow assist the scorpion in meeting the biological challenges of its environment." To explore how scorpions use their burrows to their advantage, the researchers examined the burrow architecture of three scorpion species from the same family, Scorpionidae: Scorpio palmatus, found in the Negev desert in Israel; Opistophthalmus setifrons, from the central highlands of Namibia; and Opistophthalmus wahlbergii, from the Kalahari desert in Namibia. After removing the scorpions from their burrows and taking temperature and humidity measurements at various points along each burrow, the researchers poured molten aluminum--heated in the field with a gas-powered kiln to more than 660 degrees Celsius (1,220 degrees Fahrenheit)--down each burrow to create a cast of its intricate structure. Once exhumed, the casts were scanned to create 3D digital models of the burrow that were analyzed with a computer program. The scientists found three common burrow features: A horizontal platform near the ground surface that might provide a safe place for the scorpion to "doorkeep"--monitor the presence of potential prey, predators, and mates--and warm up before foraging; at least two spiral or switch-back bends that might deter predators from digging them up, or prevent air flow from the surface, thereby maintaining relatively high humidity and low temperature; and an enlarged terminal chamber at a depth at which temperatures are almost constant, providing a refuge during the heat of the day as well as a place to feed, mate, molt, and give birth. The research team also found that burrow architecture may change in response to soil composition, hardness, and moisture. For example, the burrows the scientists examined from sandy soil were deeper than those from hard soil. The researchers point out that although many questions remain unanswered concerning the burrow environment and natural history of burrowing scorpions in general, the shared features of these three species have been shaped through natural selection for millions of years and may be equally important to other burrowing scorpion species around the world. ### Other authors on this paper include Eugene Marais from the National Museum of Namibia and J. Scott Turner from the State University of New York. This work was funded by the Israel Science Foundation grant # 136/10, the Human Frontier Science Program grant # RGP0066/2012-TURNER, the Jacob Blaustein Center for Scientific Cooperation, and the Society of Experimental Biology. The Science of Nature paper: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00114-016-1374-z BOSTON - In an effort to address widespread concerns related to testosterone deficiency (TD) and its treatment with testosterone therapy, a group of international experts has developed a set of resolutions and conclusions to provide clarity for physicians and patients. At a consensus conference held in Prague, Czech Republic last fall, the experts debated nine resolutions, with unanimous approval. The details of the conference were published today in a Mayo Clinic Proceedings report. Much of the controversy surrounding testosterone therapy stems from intense media attention on recent reports suggesting increased heart-related risks associated with testosterone treatment. "The importance of this meeting was to set aside the various distortions and misinformation that have appeared regarding testosterone therapy and to establish what is scientifically true based on the best available evidence," said Abraham Morgentaler, MD, chairman of the consensus conference. Morgentaler is the Director of Men's Health Boston and an Associate Clinical Professor of Urology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School. After examining the best available scientific evidence, Morgentaler and colleagues -- who included experts with specialties in urology, endocrinology, diabetes, internal medicine, and basic science research -- agreed on the following: TD is a well-established, clinically significant medical condition that negatively affects male sexuality, reproduction, general health and quality of life. Symptoms and signs of TD occur as a result of low levels of testosterone and may benefit from treatment regardless of whether there is an identified underlying origin. TD is a global public health concern. Testosterone therapy for men with TD is effective, rational, and evidence-based. There is no testosterone concentration threshold that reliably distinguishes those who will respond to treatment from those who will not. There is no scientific basis for any age-specific recommendations against the use of testosterone therapy in adult males. The evidence does not support increased risks of cardiovascular events with testosterone therapy. The evidence does not support increased risk of prostate cancer with testosterone therapy. The evidence supports a major research initiative to explore possible benefits of testosterone therapy for cardiometabolic disease, including diabetes. "It will be surprising to those unfamiliar with the literature to learn how weak the evidence is supporting the alleged risks of cardiovascular disease and prostate cancer," said Michael Zitzmann, MD, vice-chair of the conference and a Professor in the Centre for Reproductive Medicine and Andrology at the University of Muenster in Germany. "Indeed, there is substantial data suggesting there may actually be cardio-protective benefits of testosterone therapy." "The medical and scientific communities are still largely unaware of the major negative impact of testosterone deficiency on general health," added co-author Abdulmaged Traish, PhD, a Professor of Urology at Boston University Medical Center. "The media-driven focus on unproven risks has obscured the known health risks of untreated testosterone deficiency: obesity, reduced bone mineral density, and increased mortality." ### Other conference participants included Anthony Fox, MSc, MD, T. Hugh Jones, MD, Mario Maggi, MD, Stefan Arver, MD, Antonio Aversa, MD, Juliana C.N. Chan, MD, Adrian S. Dobs, MD, Geoffrey I. Hackett, MD, Wayne J. Hellstrom, MD, Peter Lim, MD, Bruno Lunenfeld, MD, George Mskhalaya, MD, Claude C. Schulman, MD, and Luiz O. Torres, MD. About Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center is a patient care, teaching and research affiliate of Harvard Medical School and consistently ranks as a national leader among independent hospitals in National Institutes of Health funding. BIDMC is in the community with Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Milton, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Needham, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Plymouth, Anna Jaques Hospital, Cambridge Health Alliance, Lawrence General Hospital, Signature Healthcare, Beth Israel Deaconess HealthCare, Community Care Alliance and Atrius Health. BIDMC is also clinically affiliated with the Joslin Diabetes Center and Hebrew Rehabilitation Center and is a research partner of Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center and the Jackson Laboratory. BIDMC is the official hospital of the Boston Red Sox. For more information, visit http://www.bidmc.org. OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA - Offering medical assistance in dying to people in Canada on the basis of psychiatric illnesses could put vulnerable people at risk, argues a commentary in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). "There is a serious gap between the idealized basis upon which assisted dying for patients with psychiatric conditions is advocated and the reality of its practice, as reflected in evidence from Belgium and the Netherlands. A policy for access to assisted dying by nonterminally ill patients with psychiatric conditions will put many vulnerable and stigmatized people at risk," writes Dr. Scott Kim, a physician and bioethicist at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, United States, with Dr. Trudo Lemmens, a professor at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law & the Dalla Lana School of Public Health. Canada has been grappling recently with conflicting recommendations over legalizing assisted dying. The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that competent adults suffering from a "grievous and irremediable medical condition" should be able to access assisted dying. It invited Parliament to develop a strict regulatory regime to enable this. A Special Joint Parliamentary Committee recommended that people with psychiatric illness should be eligible. Bill C14, now adopted by both the House of Commons and the Senate, restricts assisted dying to persons near the end of their natural lives (whether or not they have psychiatric disorders). This would generally rule out assisted dying for psychiatric conditions. But the government will be studying this issue further in the coming years. The authors argue that there are substantial challenges to deciding who would be eligible for assisted dying for psychiatric patients. Evidence from Belgium and the Netherlands indicates that doctors disagree when applying criteria for who is eligible for assisted dying for psychiatric disorders. As well, although most of the discussion has focused on persons with difficult-to-treat depression, legalizing assisted dying for psychiatric disorders would mean that persons with schizophrenia, autism, eating disorders, PTSD, personality disorders, and even prolonged grief would be eligible to receive assisted dying. "Perhaps those who advocate for extending access to people with psychiatric disorders may be willing to tolerate a number of potentially avoidable premature deaths as acceptable because access to assisted dying is felt to be so important in principle. However, that argument must be made explicit and debated publicly," the authors conclude. ### Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy, which edits a cancer patient's T cells to recognize their tumors, has successfully helped patients with aggressive blood cancers but has yet to show the ability to treat solid tumors. To overcome this hurdle, researchers genetically engineered human T cells to produce a CAR protein that recognizes a glycopeptide found on various cancer cells but not normal cells, and then demonstrated its effectiveness in mice with leukemia and pancreatic cancer. Their proof-of-concept study appears June 21 in Immunity. "This is the first approach using a patient's own immune cells that can specifically target this class of cancer-specific glycoantigens, and this has the great advantage of applicability to a broad range of cancers," says first author Avery Posey, an instructor at the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania. "Future cancer immunotherapies combining the targeting of cancer-specific carbohydrates and cancer proteins may lead to the development of incredibly effective and safe new therapies for patients." CAR T cell therapy involves engineering patients' own immune cells to recognize and attack their tumors. T cells are collected from the patient's blood and genetically engineered to express cell-surface proteins called CARs, which recognize specific molecules found on the surface of cancer cells. The modified T cells are then infused into the patient's bloodstream, where they target and kill cancer cells. In recent clinical trials, CAR T cell therapy has dramatically improved the outcomes of blood cancer patients with advanced, otherwise untreatable forms of leukemia and lymphoma. But the full potential of CARs for treating solid tumors has not been reached because they have targeted molecules found on the surface of both normal cells and cancer cells, resulting in serious side effects. Posey, along with co-senior authors Laura Johnson--Director, Solid Tumor Immunotherapy Laboratory, Center for Cellular Immunotherapies--and Carl June--Richard W. Vague Professor in Immunotherapy--both at the Perelman School of Medicine at Penn., were motivated to find a solution quickly, for very personal reasons. One of their colleagues, who was well known for her scientific discoveries and lifelong contributions in the field of cancer genetics, had been diagnosed with end-stage cancer. "She knew of our work and asked if there were any promising treatments we had that might be able to help her," Johnson says. "This really polarized our team, in a worldwide collaboration, to find and fast-track a potential treatment for her cancer to the clinic." As far as targeted immunotherapy goes, the patient's tumor presented a significant challenge: It had none of the markers that are present on several of the other cancers Johnson and her team had worked on. "That was truly what drove the work that resulted in the CAR in this study," Johnson says. "It was the only marker we could find on her tumor; and it turns out, on just about every other tumor we tested, too." The cancer cell marker that Johnson and her team identified was a specific change in protein glycosylation, that is, a unique pattern of sugars decorating a protein found on the cell surface. In collaboration with investigators from the University of Copenhagen and University of Chicago, the researchers developed novel CAR T cells that express a monoclonal antibody called 5E5, which specifically recognizes a sugar modification--the Tn glycan on the mucin 1 (MUC1) protein--that is absent on normal cells but abundant specifically on cancer cells. The 5E5 antibody recognized multiple types of cancer cells, including leukemia, ovarian, breast, and pancreatic cancer cells, but not normal tissues. "This is really the first description of a CAR that can target multiple different solid or liquid tumors, without apparent toxicity to normal cells," Johnson says. "While it may not be a universal CAR, it is currently the closest thing we have." Moreover, injection of 5E5 CAR T cells into mice with leukemia or pancreatic cancer reduced tumor growth and increased survival. All six mice with pancreatic cancer were still alive at the end of the experiment, 113 days after treatment with 5E5 CAR T cells. Meanwhile, only one-third of those treated with CAR T cells that did not target Tn-MUC1 survived until the end of the experiment. The downside, Johnson cautions, is that this type of therapy is still very new, and there are numerous factors that are involved at the tumor level that may limit treatment. In particular, more work is needed to determine the safety of this therapy in advanced mouse models that can more accurately predict safety in humans, and its efficacy specifically against metastatic cancer, which is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. "So while we are hopeful, no one ever knows if a cancer treatment is truly going to work, and be safe, until it actually goes to treat patients in the clinic," Johnson says. If these preclinical studies are successful, the researchers plan to further develop their CAR T cell therapy and test its safety and efficacy for different types of metastatic cancer in upcoming clinical trials. "Unfortunately, our colleague passed away before this could reach a clinical treatment, but she was happy that even if it couldn't help her, this finding might be able to help other patients in the future," Johnson says. ### This work was supported by Novartis, the National Institutes of Health, the Danish Research Councils, and the Danish National Research Foundation. Posey and June are members of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, which supported the University of Pennsylvania Cancer Immunotherapy Program. Conflicts of interest: The University of Chicago has filed a patent on the 5E5 CAR and an invention disclosure has been filed on these studies. The University of Pennsylvania has entered into a strategic alliance with Novartis for the development of chimeric antigen receptors. Immunity, Posey, Jr. et al.: "Engineered CAR T Cells Targeting the Cancer-Associated Tn-Glycoform of the Membrane Mucin MUC1 Control Adenocarcinoma" http://www.cell.com/immunity/fulltext/S1074-7613(16)30202-3 Immunity (@ImmunityCP), published by Cell Press, is a monthly journal that reports the most important advances in immunology research. Topics include: immune cell development and senescence, signal transduction, gene regulation, innate and adaptive immunity, autoimmunity, infectious disease, allergy and asthma, transplantation, and tumor immunology. Visit http://www.cell.com/immunity. To receive Cell Press media alerts, contact press@cell.com. Erioderma pedicellatum, commonly known as the Boreal felt lichen, grows on trees in the damp boreal forests along the Atlantic coast. It is also one of the most endangered lichens in the world. A new study, published today in Botany, uses population models to determine the survival and future viability of the species. The findings show that without increased protection and conservation efforts the Boreal felt lichen population in Nova Scotia will decline by 49% within 25 years. "Like many lichens, the Boreal felt lichen is an ideal bioindicator, giving us insight into the health of the ecosystem," says Robert P. Cameron, an Ecologist at Nova Scotia Environment and lead author of the study. "The Boreal felt lichen is very sensitive to human impacts on the environment and our research shows that the Atlantic population is declining. This tells us that there are continuing human impacts to the environment despite conservation efforts," continues Mr. Cameron. The Atlantic population of the Boreal felt lichen is protected under the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA). The species is also critically endangered internationally and is listed as endangered by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) and critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The federal listing was over ten years ago and despite conservation efforts the population is still declining, partly as a result of air pollution in the form of acid rain and acid fog. A decline in available habitat is also affecting the species, with a loss of mature forests in the area as well as a decline in habitat quality because of nearby developments for roads and forestry. "One of the main reasons for the decline is that little is known about how this species interacts with their environment," says Mr. Cameron. "A better understanding of the population structure, reproductive rates, and chances of survival through its lifetime is essential in identifying the main causes of the decline and will assist in ongoing conversation efforts," continued Mr. Cameron. "Our research suggests that conservation efforts focus on adult survival which means more actively protecting the areas where adults commonly grow from forestry and other developments that would alter the moist micro-climate required by this lichen." This research also highlights the importance of long-term monitoring of lichens as there are very few studies that include data from a decade of detailed and careful monitoring. This approach can reveal trends in populations over longer periods that may not be detectible with shorter term studies. It is important for assessing threats that act on species over long periods of time such as climate change, landscape changes or air pollution. Long-term data also provides a more accurate assessment when predicting future trends in populations. Although current conservation efforts for this and other species are important, clearly more needs to be done and it needs to be done quickly before we lose this species and the many species associated with it. ### The paper, "Population Decline of Endangered Lichen Erioderma pedicellatum in Nova Scotia, Canada" by Robert Cameron and Brad Toms was published today in Botany. Friend requested by mom, dad and the math teacher? When teen and adult worlds collide on social media it can be weird and awkward at times, but research from Drexel University suggests these socially messy interactions can turn out to be valuable life experiences. Researchers from Drexel's College of Computing & Informatics and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's Graduate School of Library and Information Science, who study interaction on social media, recently published a study suggesting that it might be worth it for schools to take a closer look at their social media policies and allow for positive interactions between teachers, administrators and their students. "What we find is that in many cases interactions between adults and teens in this context, can be opportunities to model appropriate social media behavior or for teens to build beneficial connections with people who are different from themselves," said Andrea Forte, PhD, an assistant professor in the College and lead author of the study "The Strength of Awkward Ties: Online Interactions Between High School Students and Adults," which will be published in the proceedings of the Association for Computing Machinery's Conference on Supporting Group Work (GROUP). Safely allowing teens to step outside comfort zones is one of the biggest benefits of social media, according to the study. "When family, friends, teachers, romantic interests, and coworkers mix and mingle, the result is social awkwardness," Forte and co-authors Denise Agosto, Michael Dickard, and Rachel Magee write in the study. But this uncomfortable mix can give rise to a level of access to information that might not be achievable within the familiar confines of a tight circle of friends. "Weak ties are often connections to people who are less like you and who can provide access to diverse kinds of information and resources," they write. "In other words, being connected to others who are very similar to yourself can throttle information flow. Forte and colleagues' findings are based on surveys and interviews of students in two public high schools in the United States -- one with a policy that strictly limits social media interaction between teachers and students and one that with a policy that is more leniently enforced and social media interaction is publicly embraced. They found that most teen-adult interactions among the study participants fell into three categories: building community -- camaraderie and connection outside the classroom; finding information -- questions about assignments or how to solve problems; and supporting the development of online skills -- learning to curate and self-sensor social media posts by better understanding who will be seeing them. "What we realized from our conversations with the students and survey results was that these relationships aid in the students' maturation process not only by modeling appropriate behavior, but also getting the teens to think before they post," Forte said. "Adding adults, from teachers to parents, to a teen's social media environment fundamentally shifts their online behavior and how they perceive the norms of the medium." One study participant noted "all teachers and the students follow each other. I use that as a reason to censor my tweets. I think 'how would [the principal] feel if he saw that? So I should really think before I post." Learning this sort of self-censoring behavior at a young age could, the study suggests, be just as important as creating better privacy management tools. The study acknowledges tropes of predatory adult males on social media are still prevalent among high school students, but Forte suggests that establishing healthy relationships with adults on social media can help teens understand where the boundary for appropriate interaction lies. "It's much more common for young people to be bullied and harassed by their own peers and family than pursued by unknown predators. Yet the image of the 'creepy old guy' often dominates discussions of internet safety," Forte said. "I think developing expectations and norms of civil behavior and practicing boundary setting are critical skills that require attention both online and off. Schools can help establish those skills and expectations by training teachers to set an example online instead of prohibiting these interactions." While many of the students consider this to be an awkward melding of social circles, calling interactions with "big brother" "creepy" and "embarrassing" -- on the downbeat they still recognize the presence adult authorities in their social media as a sign of caring and compassion. The study is part of a multi-year project by that is seeking to understand how teens are using social media as a resource for meeting their information needs. The researchers' hope is that these findings will guide new social media policies for libraries and schools. ### Typically ignored, the millions of microorganisms that we tread upon daily play a major role in the decomposition of soil matter - one that is of far greater significance than that of the whales and pandas that tend to steal our attention. A group of researchers has just shown that there is an enormous diversity among a group of bacteria-eating microorganisms known as Cercozoa. In four small soil samples, each consisting of a half gram of soil, they discovered more than 1000 different species per sample. The research suggests that a drier climate in the years ahead due to climate change will contribute to a shift in the number of soil microorganisms, and thus, a shift in the decomposition of soil matter, with as of yet to be known consequences. A team led by researchers from the Section for Terrestrial Ecology (Flemming Ekelund, Christopher B. Harder and Regin Rnn, at the Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen) has just published an article in the prestigious ISME Journal (Nature Publishing Group). The group's studies show that there is enormous species diversity among an oft-overlooked group of organisms known as Cercozoa. In four small soil samples, each consisting of just a half gram of soil, the researchers discovered more than 1000 different species per sample. The research was conducted in collaboration with Section for Microbiology staff (Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen) and the eminent British scientist, David Bass (Natural History Museum, London), and is supported by national research councils and the Carlsberg Foundation. - Associate Professor Flemming Ekelund of the Department of Biology explains, "Cercozoa are small bacteria-eating microorganisms that play a prominent role in soil ecology. Serious interest in these organisms began about 25-30 years ago, as people began to wonder what caused bacteria to disappear from soil. As interest took root, the number of known species increased sharply." The name Cercozoa is derived from the Greek word, kerkos (tail), as some of the species within the group have a tail like end, and zoon (animal), as these organisms were previously thought to be a type of animal. A single teaspoon of soil (a couple of grams) contains millions of microorganisms, so it is hopeless to create a species list by studying organisms one by one. Furthermore, many of these organisms belong to species unknown to science. "We took small soil samples (-1 gram), from which we analysed DNA strands (genetic material) from hundreds of thousands of organisms" (deep sequencing), explains Christoffer Bugge Harder. "However, it's difficult to catalogue and systematise this huge amount of data. To do so, we used the Section of Microbiology's capacity to deploy specialized statistics tools. Our British colleague, David Bass, contributed precise DNA references for the species in the group that have already been thoroughly catalogued. For now, this remains at just under 1000." The studies were conducted in correlation with a climate experiment (Climate) that investigates the consequences of climate change in Denmark, as many climate researchers expect it to present itself, by 2075. Besides being able to report an enormous number of species in these samples, the research also demonstrated that a more arid climate, as expected in 2075, will probably lend to a shift in the occurrence of microorganism species; particularly within a group referred to as testate amoebae (picture). Researchers already know that climate change will result in significant shifts in plant and animal frequency. But it can also lead to changed frequencies among microorganisms, which means that climate change could have an impact on the ecological processes at work in soil. More studies are needed for researchers to specify the impact of an offset and the amount of microorganisms found in soil as a result of global warming. ### Contact information: Associate Professor Flemming Ekelund, Section for Terrestrial Ecology, fekelund@bio.ku.dk, tel. 2243 6301 Helle Blsild, Communications, Department of Biology, e-mail: helleb@bio.ku.dk, tel. 2875 2076 Link to the main article: http://www.nature.com/ismej/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/ismej201631a.html Photo Description: The photo of a testate amoeba's shell (Euglypha) was taken using a scanning electron microscope. If the amoeba was alive, it would protrude from the open end. The shell is approximately 0.04 mm long. Testate amoebae are large Cercozoa. Small amoeba-like Cercozoa (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRsEES1e3HQ) can be down to 0.003 mm long. testate amoebae appear to be sensitive to the type of drier climate that we expect in the future. Photographer: Clement Duckert, Neuchatel University, Switzerland Fact box 1: Organisms can be identified and compared by using small pieces of DNA (genetic material), a procedure referred to as DNA barcoding. Selection of the DNA piece to be used is crucial. On one hand, the piece must vary to such an extent that species can be distinguished from one another. At the same time, the piece should be able to be linked with an already known reference species. The only well described DNA piece already known from relatively many Cercozoa is the socalled 18S rDNA. However, this piece is not particularly sensitive to distinguish different species. In the article, we required DNA pieces to differ by at least 5% before associating them with a different species. Had we analysed our planet's mammals using the same method, it would respond to them all - hippos, bats, blue whales and hedgehogs - as if they had been merged into a single and same species. Appreciated in this context, Cercozoa diversity is enormous - it corresponds to the discovery of 1000 new groups of mammals - such as ungulates, whales, predators or rodents. Diamonds are not only beautiful and valuable gems, they also contain information of the geological history. By using ultra-thin slices of diamonds, Dorrit E. Jacob and her colleagues from the Macquarie University in Australia and the University of Sydney found the first direct evidence for the formation of diamonds by a process known as redox freezing. In this process, carbonate melts crystallize to form diamond. The slices were prepared by Anja Schreiber of the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences in Potsdam, Germany. The work is published in Nature Communications. The study shows that the reduction of carbonate to diamond is balanced by the oxidation of iron sulphide to iron oxides. The researchers used the new nano-scale technique of Transmission Kikuchi Diffraction to discover rims of the iron oxide mineral magnetite just a few ten thousandths of a millimetre thick around sulphide minerals inside the diamonds. The GFZ's Anja Schreiber prepared these slices using a focussed beam of charged atoms (ions) to ablate the surface. The already ultra-thin slices were re-thinned after being mounted on a carbon-coated copper grid. This process was carried out for the first time successfully on a grid and yielded the data set used for the study. The results also solve a puzzle that has occupied diamond researchers for decades, namely the over-abundance of sulphide occurring as inclusions in diamond. Iron sulphides are the most common inclusions in diamond even though there is only about 0.02% of sulphur in the mantle: it now appears that the oxidation of the iron sulphides directly causes the formation of the diamonds that include them. ### Title of the study: "Redox-freezing and nucleation of diamond via magnetite formation in the Earth's mantle" by D.E. Jacob, S. Piazolo, A. Schreiber & P. Trimby. Nature Communications 7, 11891 (doi: 1038/ncomms11891, 21. June 2016) Neuherberg, Germany, June 21, 2016. In the Journal of Clinical Investigation, scientists at the Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen describe a small peptide that very efficiently binds excess copper from liver cells. This molecule comes from a bacterium's bag of tricks and could be suitable for treating Wilson disease. In an experimental model it has already proven superior to conventional medicines. In Wilson disease, also called Wilson's disease or hepatolenticular degeneration, the body is no longer able to excrete excess copper ingested from food into the intestines via the bile. Instead, the copper is stored in the liver and other organs, where it can cause severe damage. Doctors accordingly employ medicines called chelators that bind the surplus copper. These life-long treatments are especially effective if commenced during the early stages of the disease. The drugs must be taken several times a day, are repeatedly associated with undesired effects, and, particularly in the event of a late diagnosis of the disease, are often ineffective, so that a liver transplant can be necessary as the last resort. Researchers headed by PD Dr. Hans Zischka, head of the Oxidative Cell Death research group at the Institute of Molecular Toxicology and Pharmacology at the Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen have now conducted a detailed examination of a bacterial agent that could improve the disease treatment. They looked to the bacterium Methylosinus trichosporium, which requires large quantities of copper due to its special methane metabolism. In order to acquire the necessary metal, it excretes the methanobactin molecule, which very efficiently binds copper. Methanobactin as an improved treatment option in Wilson disease? In order to check if methanobactin is also suitable for binding copper from the body, the researchers used an in vivo model for the disease that had the same genetic defect as that found in humans. "We were able to observe that even acute stages of Wilson disease reversed with methanobactin," reports Josef Lichtmannegger, who, together with Christin Leitzinger, is the study's first author. Further analyses showed that the improvement was due to a sharp decline in the copper quantities. Especially the mitochondria, known as the "powerhouse of the cell", greatly profited from the dropping copper levels and were able to resume their full function. Methanobactin hindered the death of liver cells and prevented liver failure. The researchers then compared methanobactin to chelators that are currently used in hospitals. Unlike the chelators, methanobactin was able to eliminate the copper overload in the liver cells within a few days, even in stages of severe damage, and prevent organ failure. The agent was also very well tolerated in the model. "We hope that our work will make it possible to improve the treatment of Wilson disease and reduce the number of liver transplants," states Zischka, the study leader. It is conceivable that in the long run it will be possible to replace the current use of less effective chelators several times a day with short treatment cycles using methanobactin. Clinical studies are now necessary to test this. ### Further information: Background: Wilson disease is triggered by a hereditary defect in the so-called Wilson gene, which is why the disease is named after its discoverer. The Wilson gene codes for an ATP-driven copper transporter that moves the metal out of the liver cells. A mutation in the gene causes the copper to remain in the cells. Indications of liver damage range from a slight increase in the liver function tests to fatty liver to acute and life-threatening hepatitis or cirrhosis of the liver. Original publication: Lichtmannegger, J. et al. (2016). Methanobactin reverses acute liver failure in a rat model of Wilson Disease, Journal of Clinical Investigation, DOI: 10.1172/JCI85226 The Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen, the German Research Center for Environmental Health, pursues the goal of developing personalized medical approaches for the prevention and therapy of major common diseases such as diabetes and lung diseases. To achieve this, it investigates the interaction of genetics, environmental factors and lifestyle. The Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen is headquartered in Neuherberg in the north of Munich and has about 2,300 staff members. It is a member of the Helmholtz Association, a community of 18 scientific-technical and medical-biological research centers with a total of about 37,000 staff members. http://www.helmholtz-muenchen.de/en Research at the Institute of Toxicology (TOXI) aims at understanding fundamental responses of the organism to chemicals. The goal is to better understand their mechanisms of action in the context of development or progression of chronic diseases. http://www.helmholtz-muenchen.de/en/toxi/index.html Contact for the media: Department of Communication, Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Ingolstadter Landstr. 1, 85764 Neuherberg - Tel. +49 89 3187 2238 - Fax: +49 89 3187 3324 - E-mail: presse@helmholtz-muenchen.de Scientific Contact at Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen: PD. Dr. Hans Zischka, Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Toxicology, Ingolstadter Landstr. 1, 85764 Neuherberg - Tel. +49 89 3187 2663, E-mail: zischka@helmholtz-muenchen.de To project how much food can be produced in the future, researchers use agricultural models that estimate crop yield, or how much of a crop can be produced in a certain amount of space. These models take into account factors like climate and weather variability, irrigation, fertilizer, and soil type. A new study published in the journal Nature Communications shows that the type of soil used in such a model can often outweigh the effects of weather variability--such as year to year changes in rainfall and temperature. The study is the first global assessment of the importance of soils in global crop models. In particular, it shows that for yield projections in regions that use little fertilizer or irrigation--often poorer regions with many small farms--crop yield variability related to soil type can be larger than yield variability due to weather. In places where farmers use a large amount of fertilizer, the impact of soil type was smaller. "In extreme cases, climate change impacts on yield can be either negative or positive depending on the soil type chosen for the simulation. This has big implications for any recommended changes in crop and soil management to better adapt to future climate impacts," says IIASA and LMU Munich researcher Christian Folberth, who led the study. "In crop models, as in reality, soils have the capacity to buffer or amplify climate impacts, for example through the provision of water during the early stages of a drought. Generally, when global crop modelers use soil data, only one soil type in each location (or grid cell) is used, even though there may be more than 30 different soil types occurring in that location according to the soil dataset. Since we do not know which soil is cultivated, and which crops are grown on which soils, there is a large uncertainty associated with the choice of the soil used in the simulation. So far, since only one soil would be simulated, this uncertainty has not been quantified at the global level," explains study co-author Marijn van der Velde, from the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC). In addition, the researchers say, global crop models often do not include soil management for climate resilience, nutrient management, or erosion control, all factors that can affect yield. "This study shows that soils contribute significant uncertainty to our models, besides the uncertainty arising from the models themselves and climate data. The difference is that reducing the uncertainty about climate is a very difficult task, but reducing the uncertainty from soil type is something we can do quickly with a relatively low cost," says IIASA Ecosystems Services and Management Program Director Michael Obersteiner. "This study gives decision makers a clear call to invest in improved soil observations." The findings also underscore that most uncertainty centers around regions that are potentially the most vulnerable to climate change impacts on food production. The researchers say that further research is needed to add detailed soil and cropland data to global climate and crop production models. ### Reference Folberth C, Skalsky R, Moltchanova E, Balkovic J, Azevedo L, Obersteiner M, van der Velde M (2016). Uncertainty in soil data can outweigh climate impact signals in crop yield simulations. Nature Communications doi: 10.1038/NCOMMS11872 Using unmanned drones to deliver vaccines in low- and middle-income countries may save money and improve vaccination rates, new research led by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center suggests. The cost savings would come from drones being able to deliver vaccines more quickly and cheaply than land-based methods limited by road conditions and the need for costly fuel and maintenance, the researchers note in their study, published June 20 in the journal Vaccine. "Many low- and middle-income countries are struggling to get lifesaving vaccines to people to keep them from getting sick or dying from preventable diseases," says senior author Bruce Y. Lee, MD, MBA, an associate professor at the Bloomberg School and director of operations research at its International Vaccine Access Center. "You make all these vaccines but they're of no value if we don't get them to the people who need them. So there is an urgent need to find new, cost-effective ways to do this." In low- and middle-income countries, there are many challenges faced by immunization programs, which provide childhood vaccines such as hepatitis B, tetanus, measles and rotavirus, and will be utilized in the future as vaccines for dengue, malaria and Zika are developed and brought to market. After entering a country, vaccine vials typically travel by road through two to four storage locations before arriving at clinics where health workers administer doses to patients. Most vaccines need to remain refrigerated until they are used or they will spoil. Non-vaccine costs of routine immunizations are expected to rise by 80 percent between 2010 and 2020, with more than one-third of costs attributable to supply chain logistics. Supply chain inefficiencies can mean that many vaccines don't even reach the people who need them. Meanwhile, unmanned drones have proliferated in recent years because they can traverse difficult terrain, reduce labor costs and replace fleets of vehicles. They have been used for surveillance and in humanitarian aid delivery and are now being developed to transport medical samples and supplies, though previously little has been known whether this is a cost-effective use of the new technology. For their study, Lee and his colleagues created a HERMES computer model to simulate a traditional land-based transportation system - a combination of trucks, motorbikes and public transit - and compared it with an unmanned drone system for delivering vaccines as part of an immunization program. Seattle-based non-governmental organization Village Reach helped provide data for the model. They varied characteristics such as geography, population, road conditions and vaccine schedule in order to assess which conditions would most contribute to drones offering the biggest cost savings. They found that using drones to get vaccines to the last stop on their journey - vaccination locations - could slightly improve vaccine availability - potentially immunizing 96 percent of the target population as compared to 94 percent using land-based transport - while producing significant savings: eight cents for every dose administered (roughly a 20 percent savings). To save money, the drones would need to carry at least .4 liters of vaccines and the researchers say that the drones could carry at least 1.5 liters. If there were no flight delays for scheduled drone deliveries and the drones carried 1.5 liters, the researchers noted, each flight could cost up to $8.93 and annual infrastructure and overhead costs could cost up to $60,000 and still produce savings. As a comparison, the researchers studied the traditional land-based immunization system in Mozambique, which has achieved 94 percent vaccine coverage, but they note that many countries currently cover fewer than 60 percent of the population using land-based approaches. "Currently, in many locations, vehicles that transport vaccines aren't always available or reliable," Lee says. "Assuming that drones are reliable, are capable of making the necessary trips and have properly trained operators, they could be a less expensive means of transporting vaccines, especially in remote areas. They could be particularly valuable when there is more demand for certain vaccines than anticipated and immunization locations must place urgent orders." While the computer models are good at theoretically analyzing the cost effectiveness of drone technology, the researchers say that real-world testing must be done to make certain that drones are a viable way to transport vaccines. And many obstacles may exist. Regulatory issues could limit the ability of drones to deliver goods and commodities. Maintaining and operating the equipment would require specialized tools and skills that may be difficult to access in these developing countries. Since no person would accompany a shipment, greater coordination would be needed between those shipping and those receiving the vaccines. Appropriate packing to maintain vaccine quality would need to be developed. Drones are currently being tested for medical supply deliveries in rural Virginia, Bhutan and Papua New Guinea. UNICEF is testing the feasibility of using them to transport lab samples in Malawi. And in Tanzania, there are efforts afoot to transport blood and essential medications. ### "The Economic and Operational Value of Using Drones to Transport Vaccines," was written by Leila A. Haidari, MPH; Shawn T. Brown, PhD; Marie Ferguson, MSPH; Emily Bancroft, MPH; Marie Spiker, MSPH; Allen Wilcox, JD; Ramya Ambikapathi, MHS; Vidya Sampath, MSPH; Diana L. Connor, MPH and Bruce Y. Lee, MD, MBA. The research was supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (RO1HS023317) and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (UO1HD086861 and U54HD070725). LONDON, ON - Dr. Jason Gilliland, a Scientist at Children's Health Research Institute, Lawson Health Research Institute and Director of the Human Environments Analysis Laboratory at Western University, is combining health research with geography to understand the connection between children's nutrition and their local neighbourhoods. In an innovative study, Dr. Gilliland and his team used GPS technology to provide evidence that adolescents' exposure to junk food outlets during trips to and from school affects their likelihood of making a junk food purchase. The study followed 654 students, aged 9 to 13, from across London and Middlesex County, Ontario. Each student was given a portable GPS logger to track their trips to and from school over the course of two weeks. The GPS logger identified each time a student entered within 50 metres of a junk food outlet, those stores or restaurants where students might make an unhealthy food purchase, and recorded their time exposed. Each student was also given an activity diary to record any junk food purchases during those trips. Results showed that exposure to junk food outlets had a significant effect on a child's likelihood of making a junk food purchase. Of all trips where a child was exposed to a junk food outlet, 1 in 20 included a junk food purchase. The length of time that a child was exposed significantly increased their chances of making a purchase, increasing from 1.7% at less than one minute of exposure to 16% at 16 to 17 minutes of exposure. In addition, trips home from school were much more likely to be associated with a junk food purchase than trips to school. "This study provides strong evidence that a child's surrounding food environment affects their food purchasing behaviour," says Dr. Gilliland, also Director of the Urban Development Program and Professor in the Department of Geography at Western University. "Unlike past studies, these results provide strong accuracy through the use of GPS technology to more precisely capture exposure." Dr. Gilliland's team also found that trips made by car were much more likely to result in a junk food purchase than those made by an active mode of travel. These odds increased significantly with length of exposure. Exposure while riding the bus did not result in a junk food purchase, due to limited mobility and school board restrictions. "These results show that trips by car, under adult supervision, are more likely to result in a junk food purchase," says Dr. Gilliland. "This suggests the powerful influence that parents can have on their children's eating habits and the need to be mindful of this. It also suggests that an active mode of travel may be healthier, not only for physical activity, but also for nutrition." The study found that trips made by females were more likely to result in a junk food purchase at all levels of exposure than those made by males. Females were 2.5 times more likely than males to make a junk food purchase after 5 minutes of exposure and 3 times more likely to make a purchase after 15 minutes of exposure. Dr. Gilliland suggests this may be due to female adolescents having more money in the Canadian culture of babysitting, but also cites the importance of health promotion campaigns that target males and females separately. "Overall, this study's findings have significant implications for municipal planners, school board officials, public health officials and other decision makers," says Dr. Gilliland. "This provides clear evidence that bylaws and policies should be enacted that restrict the concentration of junk food outlets around schools." In addition, the study highlights the need to educate adolescents in making healthy food choices. One way Dr. Gilliland and his colleagues are working to make healthy eating attractive is through the use of a smartphone app - SmartAPPetite. Dr. Gilliland created this app to remove barriers to finding local and healthy foods in southwestern Ontario. "We may not be able to change the landscape of our food environments overnight," says Dr. Gilliland. "But we can work to promote healthy eating in innovative ways." ### The study, "Using GPS and activity tracking to reveal the influence of adolescents' food environment exposure on junk food purchasing", is published in a special issue on "Retail Food Environments in Canada" for the Canadian Journal of Public Health. This special issue includes a foreward from the Honourable Jane Philpott, Canada's Minister for Health, stating the federal government's commitment to supporting Canadians in making healthy, informed food choices. The study was jointly funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, with seed funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Additional support was provided by Children's Health Foundation and Children's Health Research Institute, Lawson Health Research Institute. ABOUT LAWSON HEALTH RESEARCH INSTITUTE As the research institute of London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph's Health Care London, and working in partnership with Western University, Lawson Health Research Institute is committed to furthering scientific knowledge to advance health care around the world. http://www.lawsonresearch.ca ABOUT WESTERN Western delivers an academic experience second to none. Since 1878, The Western Experience has combined academic excellence with life-long opportunities for intellectual, social and cultural growth in order to better serve our communities. Our research excellence expands knowledge and drives discovery with real-world application. Western attracts individuals with a broad worldview, seeking to study, influence and lead in the international community. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Robert DeLaet Communications & External Relations Lawson Health Research Institute 519-685-8500 ext. 75664 robert.delaet@lawsonresearch.com Jeff Renaud Senior Media Relations Officer Western University 519-661-2111 ext. 85165 jrenaud9@uwo.ca World leaders in the mathematical sciences are visiting Melbourne for a series of research programs at Australia's first international research institute for mathematics and statistics. The new international Mathematics Research Institute, MATRIX, has been established by the University of Melbourne and Monash University, both pioneering universities in mathematical sciences research, to act as a catalyst for creative thinking during hands-on, face-to-face research programs lasting several weeks. The institute's ambition is to create an environment that generates transformative ideas. It is inspired by discoveries in basic research that eventually contribute to significant applications such as online banking, WiFi and GPS. The launch of MATRIX highlights the importance of mathematical sciences to Australia's prosperity, said Professor Jim McCluskey, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research at the University of Melbourne. "This new institute will ensure Australian researchers are internationally engaged and have strong international networks for research collaboration," Professor McCluskey said. Monash University Provost and Senior Vice-President Professor Edwina Cornish explained the significance of two world-leading universities in the field of mathematical sciences coming together in this unique way. "Monash University and the University of Melbourne both have a formidable reputation in the fields of pure and applied mathematical sciences research, attracting high-calibre national and international academics," Professor Cornish said. "Combining the research strengths of these two universities into an institute like MATRIX will create a mathematics powerhouse in Australia, which we hope will attract more exceptional mathematicians from all corners of the globe, leading to new ideas and discoveries." The model is based on similar, successful research institutes overseas like the Oberwolfach institute in Germany, the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute in Berkeley, The Simons Center for Geometry and Physics in Stony Brook, the Banff International Research Station in Canada, and the Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences in Cambridge. While in Australia, institute members will initially be based at a 'Maths house' at the University of Melbourne's Creswick campus, surrounded by the Wombat State Forest near Ballarat. The ambition is to create a new, custom-made building to house MATRIX and its members. MATRIX Director Professor Jan De Gier from the University of Melbourne emphasised that the aim of the programs is two-fold: to facilitate problem solving collaborations between academia and industry, and to provide a facility for basic research that can have applications anywhere. "350 years ago, Newton and Leibniz created the field of calculus, which is now pervasive in science and technology. Space travel, weather forecasting and profit optimisation are just a few examples. The value of basic research can be revolutionary. An idea arising from these research programs could be used in every computer in years to come," Professor De Gier added. MATRIX Deputy Director Professor David Wood from Monash University said he was looking forward to the scale and variety of the research programs on offer. "Our diverse program has started with a workshop on higher structures in geometry and physics, which has attracted participants from across the world," Professor Wood said. "Following that we will offer a wide range of dynamic and stimulating research programs across both pure and applied mathematical sciences research; from a workshop on the mathematics of risk, to a centenary retreat themed around the life and research of World War II codebreaker and mathematician Bill Tutte," Professor Wood said. ### For more information on MATRIX visit the website. Professor Jan De Geir and Professor David Wood are available for media interviews. Professor Jan De Geir: jdgier@unimelb.edu.au Professor David Wood: david.wood@monash.edu Astronomers have discovered a vast cloud of high-energy particles called a wind nebula around a rare ultra-magnetic neutron star, or magnetar, for the first time. The find offers a unique window into the properties, environment and outburst history of magnetars, which are the strongest magnets in the universe. A neutron star is the crushed core of a massive star that ran out of fuel, collapsed under its own weight, and exploded as a supernova. Each one compresses the equivalent mass of half a million Earths into a ball just 12 miles (20 kilometers) across, or about the length of New York's Manhattan Island. Neutron stars are most commonly found as pulsars, which produce radio, visible light, X-rays and gamma rays at various locations in their surrounding magnetic fields. When a pulsar spins these regions in our direction, astronomers detect pulses of emission, hence the name. Typical pulsar magnetic fields can be 100 billion to 10 trillion times stronger than Earth's. Magnetar fields reach strengths a thousand times stronger still, and scientists don't know the details of how they are created. Of about 2,600 neutron stars known, to date only 29 are classified as magnetars. The newfound nebula surrounds a magnetar known as Swift J1834.9-0846 -- J1834.9 for short -- which was discovered by NASA's Swift satellite on Aug. 7, 2011, during a brief X-ray outburst. Astronomers suspect the object is associated with the W41 supernova remnant, located about 13,000 light-years away in the constellation Scutum toward the central part of our galaxy. "Right now, we don't know how J1834.9 developed and continues to maintain a wind nebula, which until now was a structure only seen around young pulsars," said lead researcher George Younes, a postdoctoral researcher at George Washington University in Washington. "If the process here is similar, then about 10 percent of the magnetar's rotational energy loss is powering the nebula's glow, which would be the highest efficiency ever measured in such a system." A month after the Swift discovery, a team led by Younes took another look at J1834.9 using the European Space Agency's (ESA) XMM-Newton X-ray observatory, which revealed an unusual lopsided glow about 15 light-years across centered on the magnetar. New XMM-Newton observations in March and October 2014, coupled with archival data from XMM-Newton and Swift, confirm this extended glow as the first wind nebula ever identified around a magnetar. A paper describing the analysis will be published by The Astrophysical Journal. "For me the most interesting question is, why is this the only magnetar with a nebula? Once we know the answer, we might be able to understand what makes a magnetar and what makes an ordinary pulsar," said co-author Chryssa Kouveliotou, a professor in the Department of Physics at George Washington University's Columbian College of Arts and Sciences. The most famous wind nebula, powered by a pulsar less than a thousand years old, lies at the heart of the Crab Nebula supernova remnant in the constellation Taurus. Young pulsars like this one rotate rapidly, often dozens of times a second. The pulsar's fast rotation and strong magnetic field work together to accelerate electrons and other particles to very high energies. This creates an outflow astronomers call a pulsar wind that serves as the source of particles making up in a wind nebula. "Making a wind nebula requires large particle fluxes, as well as some way to bottle up the outflow so it doesn't just stream into space," said co-author Alice Harding, an astrophysicist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. "We think the expanding shell of the supernova remnant serves as the bottle, confining the outflow for a few thousand years. When the shell has expanded enough, it becomes too weak to hold back the particles, which then leak out and the nebula fades away." This naturally explains why wind nebulae are not found among older pulsars, even those driving strong outflows. A pulsar taps into its rotational energy to produce light and accelerate its pulsar wind. By contrast, a magnetar outburst is powered by energy stored in the super-strong magnetic field. When the field suddenly reconfigures to a lower-energy state, this energy is suddenly released in an outburst of X-rays and gamma rays. So while magnetars may not produce the steady breeze of a typical pulsar wind, during outbursts they are capable of generating brief gales of accelerated particles. "The nebula around J1834.9 stores the magnetar's energetic outflows over its whole active history, starting many thousands of years ago," said team member Jonathan Granot, an associate professor in the Department of Natural Sciences at the Open University in Ra'anana, Israel. "It represents a unique opportunity to study the magnetar's historical activity, opening a whole new playground for theorists like me." ESA's XMM-Newton satellite was launched on Dec. 10, 1999, from Kourou, French Guiana, and continues to make observations. NASA funded elements of the XMM-Newton instrument package and provides the NASA Guest Observer Facility at Goddard, which supports use of the observatory by U.S. astronomers. ### Northwestern University's Ken Forbus is closing the gap between humans and machines. Using cognitive science theories, Forbus and his collaborators have developed a model that could give computers the ability to reason more like humans and even make moral decisions. Called the structure-mapping engine (SME), the new model is capable of analogical problem solving, including capturing the way humans spontaneously use analogies between situations to solve moral dilemmas. "In terms of thinking like humans, analogies are where it's at," said Forbus, Walter P. Murphy Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in Northwestern's McCormick School of Engineering. "Humans use relational statements fluidly to describe things, solve problems, indicate causality, and weigh moral dilemmas." The theory underlying the model is psychologist Dedre Gentner's structure-mapping theory of analogy and similarity, which has been used to explain and predict many psychology phenomena. Structure-mapping argues that analogy and similarity involve comparisons between relational representations, which connect entities and ideas, for example, that a clock is above a door or that pressure differences cause water to flow. Analogies can be complex (electricity flows like water) or simple (his new cell phone is very similar to his old phone). Previous models of analogy, including prior versions of SME, have not been able to scale to the size of representations that people tend to use. Forbus's new version of SME can handle the size and complexity of relational representations that are needed for visual reasoning, cracking textbook problems, and solving moral dilemmas. "Relational ability is the key to higher-order cognition," said Gentner, Alice Gabrielle Twight Professor in Northwestern's Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. "Although we share this ability with a few other species, humans greatly exceed other species in ability to represent and reason with relations." Supported by the Office of Naval Research, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Forbus and Gentner's research is described in the June 20 issue of the journal Cognitive Science. Andrew Lovett, a postdoctoral fellow in Gentner's laboratory, and Ronald Ferguson, a PhD graduate from Forbus's laboratory, also authored the paper. Many artificial intelligence systems -- like Google's AlphaGo -- rely on deep learning, a process in which a computer learns examining massive amounts of data. By contrast, people -- and SME-based systems -- often learn successfully from far fewer examples. In moral decision-making, for example, a handful of stories suffices to enable an SME-based system to learn to make decisions as people do in psychological experiments. "Given a new situation, the machine will try to retrieve one of its prior stories, looking for analogous sacred values, and decide accordingly," Forbus said. SME has also been used to learn to solve physics problems from the Advanced Placement test, with a program being trained and tested by the Educational Testing Service. As further demonstration of the flexibility of SME, it also has been used to model multiple visual problem-solving tasks. To encourage research on analogy, Forbus's team is releasing the SME source code and a 5,000-example corpus, which includes comparisons drawn from visual problem solving, textbook problem solving, and moral decision making. The range of tasks successfully tackled by SME-based systems suggests that analogy might lead to a new technology for artificial intelligence systems as well as a deeper understanding of human cognition. For example, using analogy to build models by refining stories from multiple cultures that encode their moral beliefs could provide new tools for social science. Analogy-based artificial intelligence techniques could be valuable across a range of applications, including security, health care, and education. "SME is already being used in educational software, providing feedback to students by comparing their work with a teacher's solution," Forbus said. But there is a vast untapped potential for building software tutors that use analogy to help students learn." ### NEW YORK - June 21, 2016 - Three young scientists are being recognized for discovering novel ways to fight the most challenging human diseases and explore the depths of space with today's announcement of the winners of the 2016 Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists. The Awards, given annually by the Blavatnik Family Foundation and administered by the New York Academy of Sciences, honor the nation's most exceptional young scientists and engineers, celebrating their extraordinary achievements and recognizing their outstanding promise. Each of the three National Laureates receives $250,000--the largest unrestricted cash award given to early-career scientists. This year's Blavatnik National Laureates are: David Charbonneau, Professor of Astronomy, Harvard University: Dr. Charbonneau is honored for his numerous pioneering discoveries of exoplanets and for the development of novel observational methods that astronomers use to search for chemical fingerprints of life in space. Dr. Charbonneau's recent results include a landmark discovery of an Earth-like planet orbiting a very nearby star, dubbed "arguably the most important planet ever found outside the solar system," and the best-possible target for future exploration with the world's most powerful observatories. Dr. Charbonneau is honored for his numerous pioneering discoveries of exoplanets and for the development of novel observational methods that astronomers use to search for chemical fingerprints of life in space. Dr. Charbonneau's recent results include a landmark discovery of an Earth-like planet orbiting a very nearby star, dubbed "arguably the most important planet ever found outside the solar system," and the best-possible target for future exploration with the world's most powerful observatories. Phil Baran, Professor of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute: Dr. Baran is honored for his transformative research in the field of natural product synthesis and his development of new synthetic methodology that enables chemists to design scalable, efficient, economically-viable synthetic routes to potential new drugs. One of the recent successes in the Baran laboratory is the synthesis of the plant-derived ingenol, derivatives of which have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat skin cancer. Dr. Baran is honored for his transformative research in the field of natural product synthesis and his development of new synthetic methodology that enables chemists to design scalable, efficient, economically-viable synthetic routes to potential new drugs. One of the recent successes in the Baran laboratory is the synthesis of the plant-derived ingenol, derivatives of which have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat skin cancer. Michael Rape, Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Berkeley: Dr. Rape is honored for his fundamental discoveries related to ubiquitylation - a process of cellular signaling dependent on the protein ubiquitin - which has emerged as a complex cellular language essential for information transfer and communication in nearly all organisms. By deciphering the ubiquitin code, Dr, Rape's basic science work has opened the door to new and unique ways to manipulate ubiquitylation for next-generation therapies in oncology, immunology, and inflammation. "The Blavatnik Family Foundation is pleased to recognize and promote the extraordinary work of our Laureates and to provide resources that support and encourage further exploration," said Len Blavatnik, Founder and Chairman of Access Industries, head of the Blavatnik Family Foundation, and an Academy Board Governor. "I am encouraged about the future of scientific thought and look forward to how the Laureates and National Finalists will inspire the next generation of scientists." The three National Laureates were selected from a pool of nominations submitted by 148 of the nation's leading universities and research institutions. Each institution was invited to nominate one physical scientist or engineer, one chemist, and one life scientist. The names of highly qualified nominees were also submitted by members of the Blavatnik Awards Scientific Advisory Council. Starting with a pool of 308 nominations of exceptional faculty-rank researchers, the awards jury, composed of some of the world's most eminent scientists and engineers, conducted a rigorous review. The judges first narrowed down the selection to 31 National Finalists, and then to three National Laureates. "The science community is defined by innovators and pioneers, and this year's National Laureates are leading the way in their fields," said Dr. Brooke Grindlinger, Chief Scientific Officer, Scientific Programs & Blavatnik Awards, The New York Academy of Sciences. "The Academy is honored to collaborate with the Blavatnik Family Foundation to recognize these scientists. We congratulate the Laureates and National Finalists on their achievement." The three Laureates and 28 National Finalists will be honored at an annual awards ceremony on Monday, September 12, 2016, at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Meet the 2016 Blavatnik National Laureates David Charbonneau, PhD 2016 Blavatnik Laureate in Physical Sciences & Engineering Harvard University PhD, Harvard University BSc, University of Toronto Pioneering the study of planets beyond our solar system Growing up in a family of scientists, David Charbonneau's interest in science was encouraged from a young age. As a scout, he used to take a star chart with him on canoe trips in Ontario, Canada. At the end of high school, he read A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking, and many of the ideas--relativity, quantum mechanics--seemed magical at the time, and compelled him to study further. When he arrived at Harvard to begin graduate school in astronomy, Charbonneau was certain that he would work on theoretical astrophysics and cosmology. However, in 1995, the first exoplanet (a planet outside the solar system) orbiting a Sun-like star had just been discovered. This discovery posed so many simple, unanswered questions that Charbonneau was encouraged by his mentor, Dr. Robert Noyes, to try his first project in planets. He never looked back. "For generations, humans have looked up at the stars and wondered if there existed inhabited worlds other than our own. We are the first generation in human history with the technological ability to answer that question," says Dr. Charbonneau when asked about the inspiration behind his work. At 41, David Charbonneau is considered very senior in exoplanet research--a field that has gone through a remarkable transformation from its infancy only 20 years ago into one of the most active and competitive directions in astrophysics. Charbonneau is being recognized for his literal out-of-this-world discoveries, which have opened the floodgates for search and discovery outside of our cosmic neighborhood. In 1999, Charbonneau, then still a graduate student, was the first to observe a transiting exoplanet-a planet that eclipses its parent star. The transit method proved to be extremely fruitful in discovering new exoplanets and granted new access to characterizing their properties-their atmospheres, weather, and the degree to which they are similar to Earth. Throughout his career, Charbonneau's unifying purpose has been to develop new methods to answer key questions about exoplanets, and a number of his methods have become standards of the field. With more than 3,000 exoplanets discovered thus far, one major question remains unanswered: Is there life elsewhere in space? To answer this question, Earth-like planets and their atmospheres need to be studied for the presence of elements that indicate life. Ever the celestial detective, one of Charbonneau's latest projects is MEarth, a network of eight robotic telescopes in Arizona and Chile, which searches for candidate planets orbiting the closest and smallest stars to undertake more detailed studies. Just last year, MEarth discovered a rocky planet approximately the same size as the Earth, transiting a very nearby star. This small, rocky planet was dubbed "arguably the most important planet ever found outside the solar system," because astronomers will be able to scrutinize its atmosphere with the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope. The big question Dr. Charbonneau is working on now is the detection of atmospheric biomarkers, such as oxygen-the molecules that we can detect in the atmosphere of a distant world that might permit us to infer the presence of life. Phil Baran, PhD 2016 Blavatnik Laureate in Chemistry The Scripps Research Institute PhD, The Scripps Research Institute BS, New York University Transforming organic synthesis for medicinal and industry applications A New Jersey native, Phil Baran spent his early years in Florida, where he first became interested in science, particularly in his high school astronomy class. But it was not until he discovered chemistry, his life-long passion, that he found an outlet for his creative energies. As an undergraduate at New York University working on the design and synthesis of artificial photosynthetic systems, Baran would often work through the night and in the morning surprise his mentor, David Schuster, with new results. Today, Dr. Baran is transforming what was thought to be a mature field of natural product synthesis, solving some of the toughest problems that have defied chemists for over a decade. The earliest medicines known to man were natural products-compounds derived from natural sources such as plants or micro-organisms. Available in only the smallest of quantities, the modern chemists' conundrum has long been how to efficiently and economically synthesize these compounds in practical quantities for routine use. Dr. Baran has established a breakthrough new approach for efficient, commercially-scalable syntheses of biologically active natural products, in the process inventing new reagents and reactions that have swiftly found widespread use in pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries seeking easier, cheaper, and greener chemistry. His ultimate goal for each synthesis is to obtain larger quantities of these natural products than can be feasibly extracted from their natural sources. This better equips pharmaceutical companies to investigate the therapeutic properties as well as ensure that the compounds are both stable and safe enough for use in drug development. "If you think of medicines as planets, our lab is building rockets," says Dr. Baran when asked about the ultimate goal of his research. Over the last decade, the Baran Laboratory has recorded a remarkable number of accomplishments, completing the syntheses of dozens of molecules from over 15 classes of highly complex and biologically active natural products. Dr. Baran's approach to simplifying total synthesis and rendering it practical (gram-scale) represents a sea-change in the way such efforts are undertaken. One of the recent successes in the Baran Laboratory is the synthesis of the plant-derived ingenol, derivatives of which have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat skin cancer. In 2011, Dr. Baran co-founded Sirenas Marine Discovery, to generate marine-inspired pre-clinical drug leads for larger biotech and pharmaceutical companies targeting cancer, HIV, and infectious diseases. The company aims to bridge the gap between private enterprise and academia, combining its chemistry expertise and resources with collaborative and flexible business models with both institutions and industry partners. In 2013, Sirenas was voted a San Diego top 30 "Cool Company" by the San Diego Venture Group. What next? "Now is perhaps some of the most interesting times of our lab," says Dr. Baran. "On the methodology front, we have invented a method that allows chemists to dramatically expand the chemical space they can explore in a simple and cost-effective fashion. On the synthesis front, this year we have completed half a dozen natural product syntheses in a fraction of the number of steps that were previously required." Dr. Baran's creative approach has led to a number of useful methodologies that have been broadly utilized by both academic and industrial chemists. His accomplishments show great promise in the development of new drugs and therapies that can help cure and manage disease. Michael Rape, PhD 2016 Blavatnik Laureate in Life Sciences University of California, Berkeley PhD, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry Diploma, Bayreuth University Translating basic science into new approaches for drug discovery At the age of 12, Michael Rape created his first laboratory in the basement of his parents' house, interested in exploring the complex relationship between nature, environmental pollution, and human health. Moved by the stories of his friends who suffered from illnesses caused by air pollution in his native Bavaria, a highly industrialized state in south-east Germany, he pledged to make his own contribution to our understanding of how nature, human development, and diseases are linked together. Today, Dr. Rape's research is still following this path. At the core of his work is understanding signal transduction within cells and the "words" and "phrases" used by cells, to decode the "vocabulary" or "sentences" that influence the activity and behavior of the cell. "We are trying to dissect principles of information transfer in human cells that shed light on fundamental mechanisms of early human development and can be translated into novel therapies against developmental diseases and cancer," says Dr. Rape of his group's work. The Rape Lab studies a complex process critical to nearly all organisms: ubiquitylation. The term describes the attachment of a regulatory protein called ubiquitin onto other proteins. This vital system pre-emptively "tags" damaged or bad proteins for destruction in an effort to keep cells healthy. Dr. Rape, through use of elegant biochemical, biophysical, and cellular techniques, has made groundbreaking insights into ubiquitin and its role in regulating fundamental processes in human development and disease, including cell division and survival. Abnormal ubiquitylation contributes to a variety of diseases, including cancer and neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS and Parkinson's. By cracking the ubiquitin code, Dr. Rape's basic science work has opened the door to new and unique ways to manipulate ubiquitylation for next-generation therapies in oncology, immunology, and inflammation. In 2009, Dr. Rape co-founded a biotechnology company Nurix, to develop next-generation therapies that work by modulating the protein machinery of the cell. Dr. Rape and his team pioneered an innovative approach that attaches small molecules to oncogenic proteins. After the cancer cells are "tagged," they are redirected for ubiquitylation and degradation and then ultimately destroyed. In 2015, the company was recognized by Forbes as one of its top startups. Nurix's recent partnership with Celgene, a leading pharmaceutical company, will allow researchers to bring their first therapeutic compounds to the clinical stage. In doing so, Dr. Rape will have successfully translated results from basic scientific work into new approaches for drug discovery. To follow the progress of the Blavatnik Awards, please visit the Awards website (http://blavatnikawards.org), or follow us on Facebook and Twitter (@BlavatnikAwards). ### About The Blavatnik Family Foundation The Blavatnik Family Foundation is an active supporter of leading educational, scientific, cultural, and charitable institutions in the United States, Europe, and throughout the world. The Foundation is headed by Len Blavatnik, an American industrialist and philanthropist. Mr. Blavatnik is the founder and Chairman of Access Industries, a privately-held U.S. industrial group with global interests in natural resources and chemicals, media and telecommunications, technology and e-commerce, life sciences, and real estate. For more detailed information, please visit: http://www.accessindustries.com. About The New York Academy of Sciences The New York Academy of Sciences is an independent, not-for-profit organization that since 1817 has been driving innovative solutions to society's challenges by advancing scientific research, education, and policy. With more than 20,000 members in 100 countries, the Academy is creating a global community of science for the benefit of humanity. Please visit us online at http://www.nyas.org and follow us on Twitter at @NYASciences. Most clinical research is not useful to clinicians. This could change. Many billions of dollars are spent on clinical research every year, yet much of the knowledge produced is not useful for guiding clinical decision making. Because many of the features that make clinical research reliable as a basis for clinical practice can be identified, more useful clinical research could easily be produced at the same or even at massively reduced cost, according to John Ioannidis from Stanford University, US, in an Essay published in PLOS Medicine. Waste across medical research (clinical or other types) has been estimated as consuming 85% of the total cost. In his article Professor Ioannidis outlines the features that make clinical research useful, which include those relating to problem base, context placement, information gain, pragmatism, patient centeredness, value for money, feasibility, and transparency. He argues that reforming clinical research to take these features more directly into account would increase its usefulness to those providing care. He concludes, "[o]verall, not only are most research findings false, but, furthermore, most of the true findings are not useful. Medical interventions should and can result in huge human benefit. It makes no sense to perform clinical research without ensuring clinical utility. Reform and improvement are overdue." ### Essay Funding: The Meta-Research Innovation Center at Stanford (METRICS) is funded by a grant from the Laura and John Arnold Foundation (http://www.arnoldfoundation.org). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Competing Interests: The author is a member of the editorial board of PLOS Medicine. Citation: Ioannidis JPA (2016) Why Most Clinical Research Is Not Useful. PLoS Med 13(6): e1002049. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1002049 Author Affiliations: Stanford Prevention Research Center, Department of Medicine and Department of Health Research and Policy, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California, United States of America Meta-Research Innovation Center at Stanford (METRICS), Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, United States of America IN YOUR COVERAGE PLEASE USE THIS URL TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE FREELY AVAILABLE PAPER: http://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1002049 Contact: John PA Ioannidis Stanford University School of Medicine Medical School Office Building 1265 Welch Rd Stanford, CA 94305 UNITED STATES +1 650-7255465 jioannid@stanford.edu DALLAS (June 21, 2016) - The discovery nearly two decades ago of nine beautifully articulated vertebrae at Big Bend National Park is shedding new light on a 66 million-year-old sauropod native to Texas and the North American southwest called Alamosaurus sanjuanensis. Paleontologists from the Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas have co-authored a scientific paper entitled "An articulated cervical series of Alamosaurus sanjuanensis Gilmore, 1922 (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) from Texas: new perspective on the relationships of North America's last giant sauropod." Their findings are now available online as an open access article at the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology website and will appear in its forthcoming January/February 2017 print edition. The lead author is Ronald S. Tykoski, Ph.D., the Perot Museum's Director of Paleontology Lab, and the co-author is Anthony R. Fiorillo, Ph.D., the Perot Museum's Chief Curator and Vice President of Research and Collections. To view the article, go to http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14772019.2016.1183150. "Giant sauropods like Alamosaurus have amazed people since the 1800s. Their sheer size boggles the mind, and they have forced scientists to re-think the physical limits of land-living animals," said Tykoski. "The fossils described in our paper reveal new details about the last sauropods in North America, which helps us better understand who Alamosaurus was related to and how this species made it to southern North America by 67 to 66 million years ago - just in time to go extinct at the end of the Cretaceous!" The name Alamosaurus came from the Ojo Alamo trading post and geological formation in New Mexico from which the first bones of the species were found (not after the historic battle in San Antonio, Texas in 1836). The name of the trading post stemmed from the Spanish word for a huge cottonwood tree growing at the trading post. Alamosaurus was a titanosaur sauropod, one of the groups of long-necked and long-tailed dinosaurs that included the largest animals to walk the Earth. The discovery of the massive bones came in 1997 when a joint field crew from the University of Texas at Dallas (UT-D) and the Perot Museum (known at that time as the Dallas Museum of Natural History) was working in the northeast section of Big Bend National Park. The scientists and volunteers were excavating a site that produced parts of several immature sauropods when Dana Biasatti, then a student at UT-D, "stretched her legs" and came upon the remarkable remains of an adult titanosaur a few hundred yards away. The team was stunned. The nine cervical (neck) vertebrae were the first articulated series of adult Alamosaurus neck bones ever found. The fossils of Alamosaurus from Big Bend National Park currently represent the biggest dinosaurs discovered in Texas. "It was one of those days one doesn't ever forget. The part of the animal that was exposed at the surface was the hip region. Probing around the site resulted in the discovery of this incredible neck," said Fiorillo. "One of the intriguing aspects of this project is that for us to better understand this dinosaur in our home state, we had to also rely, in part, on the results of the scientific work the Perot Museum has been doing in Arctic Alaska over the same window of time." Four years later - after gaining the full cooperation and necessary permits from the National Park Service and lining up Bell Helicopter to help transport the fossils (at no cost) from the remote wilderness site - the Perot Museum and UT-D team returned to the West Texas site for their top-secret mission to recover the adult sauropod bones. For eight mostly hot and dusty days in early May 2001, they gingerly dug out the vertebrae, then hauled almost 3,000 lbs. of plaster, wood, burlap and water on their backs to create the jackets protecting the huge bones. On the final day, the field team, along with excited members of the National Park Service and other spectators, nervously watched as the helicopter gently lifted the plaster jackets - some weighing a half of a ton or more - from the excavation site. Dangling from the chopper about 50 feet above ground, the precious cargo was slowly transported to a flatbed truck about a mile away. Once packed and safely secured, the jackets began their 550-mile journey to the Perot Museum paleo lab at Fair Park in Dallas where they'd undergo years of fossil preparation work. "This remarkable discovery illustrates the importance of America's public lands as places where scientists have access to perform research that benefits everyone," said Cindy Ott-Jones, Superintendent of Big Bend National Park. "While Big Bend National Park is a place that many people enjoy for its scenery and recreational opportunities, visitors should know that a tremendous amount of scientific research is also performed in the park." Today, visitors can view the actual fossilized neck bones from Big Bend at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, which opened in December 2012 near downtown Dallas. The enormous bones served as the inspiration for the centerpiece for the Museum's T. Boone Pickens Life Then and Now Hall, a fully assembled skeleton of the Alamosaurus standing 25 feet tall and stretching more than the length of two school buses, dwarfing a Tyrannosaurus rex standing next to it. Laser digitization and 3D printing were used to create lightweight replicas of the Perot Museum's dinosaur's neck, along with portions of the body obtained from another skeleton at the University of Texas at Austin, and tail and leg bones in the collections of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. A crowd favorite, the breathtaking cast was fabricated and mounted by Research Casting International of Ontario, and it remains the only rendition of a complete Alamosaurus skeleton on exhibit anywhere in the world. Once the decision was made in 2009 to feature the Alamosaurus at the new facility, Tykoski recalls it was a three-year Herculean effort to get the vertebrae ready for the Museum's debut. Extra staff and more than two dozen volunteers worked thousands of hours meticulously whittling away 66 million years of sediment that entombed the dinosaur bones. Both of the Perot Museum's paleontologists credit the success of the 19-year initiative to the numerous partners who collaborated and cooperated from start to finish. "The paper is just the culmination of almost two decades of hard work and incredible collaboration and partnerships between so many agencies and institutions," said Tykoski. "From people at UT-D, Big Bend National Park, Bell Helicopter, the Smithsonian Institution, the Vertebrate Paleontology Lab at UT-Austin, the dedicated staff and volunteers at the Perot Museum, and other paleontologists who offered advice and insight about these animals, so many people contributed to getting the science done and the information out there for the world to see." "This was such an incredible find, and we were able to work with so many people to help us reach a successful conclusion. I guess, at some level, everyone reverted back to their childhood awe of giant dinosaurs," added Fiorillo. ### The Perot Museum is located at 2201 N. Field Street in Dallas, Texas. For tickets, parking information and other details, visit perotmuseum.org or call 214-428-5555. NOTE: To obtain the news release, Perot Museum fact sheet, photos and a time-lapse video depicting the installation of the Alamosaurus, please go to perotmuseum.org/press and use the access code press. About the Perot Museum of Nature and Science. The top cultural attraction in Dallas/Fort Worth, the Perot Museum of Nature and Science is a nonprofit educational organization located in the heart of Dallas, Texas, with campuses in Victory Park and Fair Park. With a mission to inspire minds through nature and science, the Perot Museum delivers exciting, engaging and innovative visitor and outreach experiences through its education, exhibition, and research and collections programming for children, students, teachers, families and life-long learners. The 180,000-square-foot facility in Victory Park opened in December 2012 and is now recognized as the symbolic gateway to the Dallas Arts District. Future scientists, mathematicians and engineers will find inspiration and enlightenment through 11 permanent exhibit halls on five floors of public space; a children's museum; a state-of-the art traveling exhibition hall; and The Hoglund Foundation Theater, a National Geographic Experience. Designed by 2005 Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate Thom Mayne and his firm Morphosis Architects, the Victory Park museum has been lauded for its artistry and sustainability. To learn more, please visit perotmuseum.org. MEDIA CONTACT: Becky Mayad 214-352-1881 or 214-697-7745 cell becky@mayadpr.com The protein complex that holds strands of DNA in compact spools partially disassembles itself to help genes reveal themselves to specialized proteins and enzymes for activation, according to Rice University researchers and their colleagues. The team's detailed computer models support the idea that DNA unwrapping and core protein unfolding are coupled, and that DNA unwrapping can happen asymmetrically to expose specific genes. The study of nucleosome disassembly by Rice theoretical biological physicist Peter Wolynes, former Rice postdoctoral researcher Bin Zhang, postdoctoral researcher Weihua Zheng and University of Maryland theoretical chemist Garegin Papoian appears in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. The research is part of a drive by Rice's Center for Theoretical Biological Physics (CTBP) to understand the details of DNA's structure, dynamics and function. The spools at the center of nucleosomes, the fundamental unit of DNA organization, are histone protein core complexes. Nucleosomes are buried deep within a cell's nucleus. About 147 DNA base pairs (from the more than 3 billion in the human genome) wrap around each histone core 1.7 times. The double helix moves on to spiral around the next core, and the next, with linker sections of 20 to 90 base pairs in between. The structure helps squeeze a 6-foot-long strand of DNA in each cell into as compact a form as possible while facilitating the controlled exposure of genes along the strand for protein expression. The spools consist of two pairs of heterodimers, macromolecules that join to form the core. The core is stable until genes along the DNA are called upon by transcription factors or RNA polymerases; the researchers' goal was to simulate what happens as the DNA unwinds from the core, making itself available to bind to outside proteins or make contact with other genes along the strand. The researchers used their energy landscape models to simulate the nucleosome disassembly mechanism based on the energetic properties of its constituent DNA and proteins. The landscape maps the energies of all the possible forms a protein can take as it folds and functions. Conceptual insights from energy landscape theory have been implemented in an open-source biomolecular modeling framework called AWSEM Molecular Dynamics, which was jointly developed by the Papoian and Wolynes groups. Wolynes said most studies elsewhere treated the histone core as if it were rigid and irreversibly disassociated when DNA unwrapped. But more recent experimental studies that involved gently pulling strands of DNA or used fluorescent resonance energy transfer, which measures energy moving between two molecules, showed the protein core is flexible and does not completely disassemble during unwrapping. In their simulations, the researchers found the core changed its shape as the DNA unwound. Without DNA, they found the histone core was completely unstable in physiological conditions. Their simulations showed that histone tails - the terminal regions of the core proteins - play a crucial role in nucleosome stability. The tails are highly charged and bind tightly with DNA, keeping its genomic content from being exposed until necessary. Their models predicted a faster unwrapping for tail-less nucleosomes, as seen in experiments. The nucleosome study is part of a larger effort both by Papoian at Maryland and by Wolynes with his colleagues at CTBP to understand the mechanics of DNA, from how it functions to how it reproduces during mitosis. Wolynes said the new study and another new one by his lab on DNA during mitosis represent the opposite ends of the size scale. "We can understand things at each end of the scale, but there's a no-man's land in between," he said. "We'll have to see whether the phenomena in the present-day no-man's land can be understood. I don't believe in magic; I believe they eventually will." Wolynes is the D.R. Bullard-Welch Foundation Professor of Science, a professor of chemistry, of biochemistry and cell biology, of physics and astronomy and of materials science and nanoengineering at Rice and a senior investigator of the National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded CTBP. Papoian is the Monroe Martin Professor and chemical physics director at the University of Maryland. Zhang will join the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as an assistant professor in July. ### The research was supported by the NSF, the CTBP and the National Institute of General Medical Sciences. The researchers used the NSF-supported DAVinCI supercomputer administered by Rice's Ken Kennedy Institute for Information Technology. Read the abstract at http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jacs.6b02893. This news release can be found online at http://news.rice.edu/2016/06/20/core-proteins-exert-control-over-dna-function/ Follow Rice News and Media Relations via Twitter @RiceUNews. Related materials: Wolynes Research Lab: http://wolynes.rice.edu/node/129 Papoian Lab: http://papoian.chem.umd.edu Associative memory, Water mediated, Structure and Energy Model (AWSEM) protein simulation: http://awsem-md.org Center for Theoretical Biological Physics: https://ctbp.rice.edu Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy. With 3,910 undergraduates and 2,809 graduate students, Rice's undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice is ranked No. 1 for best quality of life and for lots of race/class interaction by the Princeton Review. Rice is also rated as a best value among private universities by Kiplinger's Personal Finance. To read "What they're saying about Rice," go to http://tinyurl.com/RiceUniversityoverview. In a study appearing in the June 21 issue of JAMA, Peter Ganz, M.D., of the University of California-San Francisco, and colleagues conducted a study to develop and validate a score to predict risk of cardiovascular outcomes among patients with coronary heart disease using analysis of circulating proteins. Coronary heart disease (CHD) remains a leading cause of death and illness. Precise stratification of cardiovascular risk in patients with CHD is needed to inform treatment decisions. This study included participants with stable CHD. For the derivation cohort (Heart and Soul study), outpatients from San Francisco were enrolled from 2000 through 2002 and followed up through November 2011. For the validation cohort (HUNT3, a Norwegian population-based study), participants were enrolled from 2006 through 2008 and followed up through April 2012. A protein risk score was derived and validated for 4-year probability of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and all-cause death; 1,130 proteins were measured in plasma samples. The risk score was compared with variables (such as total cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, smoking status) from the Framingham secondary event risk model, refit to the cohorts in this study. From the derivation cohort, 938 samples were analyzed; from the validation cohort, 971 samples were analyzed. The researchers identified 9 proteins associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes and developed a risk score with these proteins that performed better than the refit Framingham secondary event risk score in predicting cardiovascular events, but still provided only modest discriminative accuracy. "Further research is needed to assess whether the score is more accurate in a lower-risk population," the authors write. ### (doi:10.1001/jama.2016.5951; the study is available pre-embargo to the media at the For the Media website) Editor's Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc. Note: Available pre-embargo at the For The Media website is an accompanying editorial, "Using Aptamer-Based Technology to Probe the Plasma Proteome for Cardiovascular Disease Prediction," by Marc S. Sabatine, M.D., M.P.H., of Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston. In a study appearing in the June 21 issue of JAMA, Matthew M. Davis, M.D., M.A.P.P., of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and colleagues examined changes in insurance coverage among hospitalized nonelderly adults after Michigan expanded Medicaid coverage in 2014 under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Using the Michigan Inpatient Database, the researchers compared insurance coverage for hospitalized patients during initial implementation of the Healthy Michigan Plan in April-December 2014 with corresponding months in 2012 and 2013 and examined patterns at the level of individual hospitals to ascertain whether the consequences of expanded coverage were uniform across institutions. The analysis included 130 hospitals in Michigan that provide acute care. In April-December, uninsured patients represented 5.8 percent in 2012 and 6 percent in 2013 of nonelderly adult discharges compared with 2 percent in 2014. The proportion of discharges for nonelderly adults with Medicaid increased from 23 percent in 2012 and 24 percent in 2013 to 30 percent in 2014. The changes in proportions of discharges with private coverage and Medicare over the same period were smaller. Most of the changes in the proportions of uninsured and Medicaid discharges occurred in the first quarter of Medicaid expansion and remained stable for the rest of 2014. In 94 percent of Michigan's acute care hospitals, the proportion of discharges for uninsured patients was lower in 2014 compared with the average proportion of uninsured discharges for 2012 and 2013. Conversely, in 88 percent of those hospitals, the proportion of discharges for Medicaid patients in 2014 exceeded the average proportion of discharges with Medicaid for 2012 and 2013. "The reductions in uninsured patients occurred without an increase in the number of hospitalized nonelderly adults, suggesting opportunities to reduce uncompensated care," the authors write. ### (doi:10.1001/jama.2016.6303; the study is available pre-embargo to the media at the For the Media website) Editor's Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc. Alpine forests will be at great risk should weather phenomena such as droughts and torrential rain become more frequent. As a study by the Technical University of Munich (TUM) shows, the mountain forests of the Bavarian Alps have seen a significant reduction in topsoil organic matter over the past three decades. The study authors' recommendation is therefore to preserve, or better still, increase soil humus regardless of climate change by implementing humus-promoting forest management to safeguard the mountain forest's protective function and to mitigate floods. Humus stocks are essential for soil fertility, water balance and nutrient supply of the soil. Previous studies established that especially in cooler mountain regions, carbon bound in soil organic matter reacts very sensitively to warmer weather caused by climate warming, and is increasingly released by microorganisms. As a consequence, the soil loses one of its essential features: its capacity to store carbon, which, after being released, also contributes to global warming. So far, no exact data existed as to the changes in humus stocks of Alpine soil over the years, and any calculations to this effect are rather imprecise. Scientists at the Technical University of Munich have now published a new study in Nature Geoscience that identifies the changes to Alpine humus stocks based on data from 35 mountain forests and mountain pastures. Their study is based on two independent analyses, which permitted conclusions on the changes in soil conditions over the past thirty years. Significant humus loss in mountain forest soil across short time span One of the two studies looked at all major forest and soil types across the entire 1,700 square mile area of the Bavarian Alps between 1986 and 2011. The second study observed typical mountain spruce forests in the Berchtesgaden region (total area: 230 square miles) from 1976 onward. "I was surprised to see that the humus stocks of forest soils have seen such a dramatic - and in statistical terms significant - degree of depletion", says Professor Joerg Prietzel of the Chair of Soil Science at TUM. During the period under investigation, the topsoil organic matter stock of forest soils in the Bavarian Alps declined by an average of approximately 14 percent. The heaviest depletion occurred in soils with limestone or dolomite parent material. They suffered a loss of just under one third of their humus mass. "Overall, the conclusions drawn from the two studies - despite employing different approaches and covering different regions - are almost identical," explains lead author Prietzel. No silvicultural usage of the areas under investigation took place during the study. Humus depletion must hence be a result of climate change. Climate warming in the Alps since the 1970s The soil organic matter decline is highly likely to be a consequence of climate warming, which has been recorded by weather stations in the Bavarian Alps over the past hundred years - in particular in more recent decades. "The Alps in the Berchtesgaden region have been affected quite dramatically," explains Prof. Prietzel, "as mean air temperature there has seen a particularly drastic rise during summer months." In connection with increased temperatures during the summer months, regions where air temperatures are on the up also experience a warming of the ground, which presumably is the primary cause for the progressive degradation of soil organic matter. Digression from the findings: no humus loss found in mountain pasture soil In contrast to forest soils, mountain pasture soils examined in the Berchtesgadener Alps suffered no humus loss in the past 30 years. However, they tend to be without exception less humus-rich than directly adjoining forested soils. The authors of the study suspect that the mountain pastures, which many hundreds of years ago also used to be wooded areas before the advent of alpine farming, must have lost a considerable portion of their original humus stock relatively soon after the forests had been cleared to make room for the pastures. The remaining soil organic matter is not - as is frequently the case with forest soil - mostly present as "forest floor" in the surface layer, but lies deeper underground where it is better protected from humus-degrading microorganisms. The study authors recommend: implement humus-promoting forest management Ultimately, the study authors expect average summer temperatures in the Alps to keep rising, coupled with an increase in extreme weather episodes. Hence, we will see more and more extended periods of no rain at all alternating with heavy rain. A thick humus layer with great water storage capability is able to mitigate the effects of such extreme weather on mountain forests and the mountain landscape. It stores water for trees and the Alpine flora, while at the same time reducing floodwaters after heavy downpours. In order to preserve such vital functions of the humus layer, the climate-change-based humus degradation must be proactively countered by promoting humus restoration. Of central importance in this scenario are "resilient" mountain forests that can withstand extreme incidents. Such forests are characterized by being made up of a diverse range of different tree species and trees of varying ages. Trees of such forests yield a continuous supply of stray litter such as leaves, needles, roots or brushwood, and maintain a constant cool "forest climate", even during hot summers, which in turn slows down humus degradation by soil microorganisms. What's more, they also prevent erosion-borne humus loss as a result of downpours, snow gliding or avalanches. ### Publication: Joerg Prietzel, Lothar Zimmermann, Alfred Schubert and Dominik Christophel: Organic matter losses in German Alps forest soils since the 1970s most likely caused by warming, June 13, 2016. DOI: 10.1038/NGEO2732 http://www.nature.com/ngeo/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/ngeo2732.html Contact: Prof. Dr. Joerg Prietzel Technische Universitat Munchen Chair of Soil Science Emil-Ramann-Str. 2 D-85354 Freising, Germany Tel: +49 (8161) 71 - 4734 E-Mail: joerg.prietzel@mytum.de The area had been closed off since the 1990s to archaeological research and the UAB is the only research team from Spain participating in the dig Researchers from the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona have revealed the latest archaeological discoveries on the origins and consolidation of the first farming societies in Upper Mesopotamia, in Iraqi Kurdistan. The research is the result of a project conducted by an interdisciplinary team under the leadership of professors Anna Gomez Bach and Miquel Molist, from the UAB Department of Prehistory. The area had been closed off since the 1990s to archaeological research and the UAB is the only research team from Spain participating in the dig. After many years working in Syria and Turkey, where all work was halted due to the military instability of the area, the research team coordinated by professor Miquel Molist continues to study the origins and consolidation of the first farming societies, in this case in the most eastern part of Upper Mesopotamia. Iraqi Kurdistan is one of the most interesting regions of the Middle East, given that since the 1990s and until three years ago no archaeological research could be conducted there, making it a new geographic and historical site in which to conduct archaeological studies. Currently there are several European and American teams focusing on research in the area, such as the UAB team, thanks to a collaboration agreement between the UAB and the Salahaddin University-Erbil. The first campaign was conducted in autumn 2015 and the second took place in May and in the first week of June 2016. The Gird Lashkir site is an archaeological tell with exceptional potential, with some 14 metres of sediments and a surface of approximately 4 hectares occupied by ancient populations. It is located close to the temporary river of Wadi Kasnazan and the cities of Kasnazan and Banaslawa, pertaining to the current capital of Kurdistan, Erbil (northern Iraq). The archaeological dig has revealed a series of occupancies which go from the Neolithic period to the first millennium BCE. Over 150 m2 have been uncovered, which distributed along the slopes of the tell, have allowed researchers to discover well conserved architectural remains of specialised buildings, personal houses and working areas located in exterior areas. Researchers were able to differentiate between the more recent occupancies, located in the higher part of the tell and dating from the historic Neo-Assyrian period (until the end of the second millennium BCE). Several objects discovered from this era stand out and could indicate that one of the buildings was used as a warehouse, and could be linked to the exchange of goods. Another very extensive and important occupancy, probably from the Early and Middle Bronze Age (more specifically from Ninevite V, 2600-2550 BC) was confirmed, with habitat vestiges in several areas of the tell and the discovery of very important objects. The most ancient period, discovered on site this latest campaign, is an occupancy from the Uruk period (ca. 4000 to 3100 BCE), in one of the deepest digs conducted at some 4 metres below current ground level. Remains were also recovered from the Neolithic's Ubaid and Halaf periods (6000 to 4500 BCE). The evaluation of the discoveries made at this site is very positive. First from a scientific viewpoint, given that there are no sites with an occupancy similar to the one in the area of Erbil and because it allows to discover the evolution of the settlement in the western plain of northern Kurdistan. The good conservation of the remains and the importance of the objects found confirm the potential of the settlement as a historical source of the first cities of Mesopotamia. The UAB research team is the only one from Spain participating in the new archaeological research activities in Iraqi Kurdistan, and has established cooperation and heritage development relationships with local institutions (specifically with the Erbil Museum and the Directorate General of Antiquities). After the dig campaign, researchers are beginning to work in the laboratory to conduct an in-depth study of all the material elements discovered and carry out archaeometric analyses with radiocarbon dating, as well as determine the raw materials of the objects. Work at the site will continue in 2017 with the final restoration of the most significant objects which will be exposed at the Archaeological Museum of Erbil. The Gird Lashkir project, initiated in 2015 by the team at the Prehistoric Middle Eastern Archaeology Seminar (Department of Prehistory of the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona) with the collaboration of the Directorate General of Antiquities of Kurdistan and the Salahaddin University-Erbil, was also financed by the Directorate General for Fine Arts and Cultural Goods, and for Archives and Libraries of the Spanish Ministry for Education, Culture and Sports. ### Oceanic manta rays-often thought to take epic migrations-might actually be homebodies, according to a new study. A Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego-led research team studied satellite-tracked manta rays to shed light on the lives of these mysterious ocean giants. Manta rays (Manta birostris) spend much of their lives swimming in remote open-ocean environments, such as on seamounts and offshore islands, in search of tiny free-floating plankton, their main source of food. They can live for over 40 years and reach a wingspan of up to seven meters (23 feet). The findings, published in the journal Biological Conservation, have important implications for the conservation of the threatened species. To better understand their travels, the researchers tagged and collected muscle tissue samples from the rays at four different sites in the Indo-Pacific separated by 600-13,000 kilometers (373-8,078 miles), to see if the local aggregations of mantas were in fact a network of highly connected subpopulations. Using the tagging information, which included up to six months of data on their movements, along with genetic and stable isotope analyses on the collected tissues, the researchers found that manta rays remained close to their tagged location, and are very likely distinct subpopulations with very limited connectivity between regions. "These animals are showing a remarkable degree of residency behavior compared to the migrations we were expecting," said Scripps Oceanography PhD candidate Joshua Stewart, a researcher in the Scripps Gulf of California Marine Program and the study's lead author. "While mantas do make the occasional long-distance movement, it appears that the norm is to stay put. This means that any one population of mantas is highly susceptible to fisheries and other human impacts, but that local populations are also more easily protected." Populations of manta and closely related mobula rays are in decline worldwide due to targeted fishing mainly for their gill plates, which are used in traditional Chinese medicine, and from accidental bycatch in other fisheries. Scientists had previously assumed manta rays to be long-distance travelers, similar to other large marine vertebrates such as sharks, tunas, and whales, largely based upon their size and pelagic habitat preference. "We found that these patterns of residency remain true on multi-year and generational time scales, with both genetic and isotopic separation between populations," said Stewart, also a researcher at the UK-based nonprofit The Manta Trust. According to the authors, this study demonstrates that oceanic manta rays can be effectively protected by local and regional management strategies, which are often not considered viable for highly migratory species. "The research we've conducted has shown that perhaps the most effective management strategies for oceanic manta rays will come from the local and national level," said study co-author Calvin Beale of the Misool Manta Project. The population of manta rays studied in Indonesia appears to reside exclusively in Indonesian waters, where there is a complete moratorium on the landing of manta rays, and local marine protected areas that cover a substantial portion of the population's range. "If more countries follow suit and protect their local manta populations, the outlook for the species may improve from the current downward trajectory," said Beale. In a separate study recently published in the journal Zoology, Stewart and his team analyzed the diving behaviors of six satellite-tagged oceanic manta rays at the Revillagigedo Archipelago in Mexico. They found seasonal shifts in diving behavior, likely the result of changes in the location and availability of their main prey source-zooplankton. "This additional study helps explain why the mantas may remain resident, unlike most other large marine animals," said Stewart. "Rather than move horizontally over long distances to track specific prey items, it seems that oceanic mantas are quite flexible in their foraging behavior, perhaps allowing them stay put rather than migrate." Stewart and colleagues at National Geographic Crittercam are conducting a follow-up study to affix cameras to the animals to directly observe their feeding behaviors. ### The New England Aquarium's Marine Conservation Action Fund, PADI Foundation, Save Our Seas Foundation, Misool Baseftin, Carl F. Bucherer, Conservation International, SEA Aquarium Singapore, The Punta Mita Foundation, National Geographic Society/Waitt Grants Program, and private donors provided funding for the research study. Stewart was supported by a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, a Switzer Environmental Fellowship, and a Nancy Foster Scholarship through the NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. Scripps Communications Office Scripps Institution of Oceanography Web: http://scrippsnews.ucsd.edu Phone: 858-534-3624 Email: scrippsnews@ucsd.edu Follow us on Twitter: @Scripps_Ocean & @Explorations Facebook: http://facebook.com/scrippsocean YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/scrippsoceanography Instagram: Scripps_Ocean Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/scrippsocean About Scripps Institution of Oceanography Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego is one of the oldest, largest, and most important centers for global science research and education in the world. Now in its second century of discovery, the scientific scope of the institution has grown to include biological, physical, chemical, geological, geophysical, and atmospheric studies of the earth as a system. Hundreds of research programs covering a wide range of scientific areas are under way today on every continent and in every ocean. The institution has a staff of more than 1,400 and annual expenditures of approximately $195 million from federal, state, and private sources. Scripps operates oceanographic research vessels recognized worldwide for their outstanding capabilities. Equipped with innovative instruments for ocean exploration, these ships constitute mobile laboratories and observatories that serve students and researchers from institutions throughout the world. Birch Aquarium at Scripps serves as the interpretive center of the institution and showcases Scripps research and a diverse array of marine life through exhibits and programming for more than 430,000 visitors each year. Learn more at scripps.ucsd.edu and follow us at: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram. About UC San Diego The University of California San Diego is a student-centered, research-focused, service-oriented public institution that provides opportunity for all. Recognized as one of the top 15 research universities worldwide and born of a culture of collaboration, UC San Diego sparks discoveries that advance society, drive economic growth and positively impact the world. Our students, who learn from Nobel laureates, MacArthur Fellows and National Academy members, are committed to public service. For the sixth consecutive year, UC San Diego has been ranked first in the nation based on research, civic engagement and social mobility. We are one campus with multiple pillars of excellence, a top ten public university that is transforming lives, shaping new disciplines and advancing the frontiers of knowledge. Learn more at http://www.ucsd.edu. - Scientists have known for a while that coral reefs around the world are dying, and in a worst-case scenario they were counting on large, healthy-looking corals to repopulate. But a new study presented at the 13th International Coral Reef Symposium in Honolulu today shows that these seemingly healthy colonies are "Coral Zombies" with no reproductive ability, which makes them useless in a recovery effort. "It's pretty discouraging," said University of Central Florida biologist John E. Fauth, one of the researchers who sampled 34 sites across the Caribbean for the study. "This is not good news." Cheryl M. Woodley, a marine biologist with NOAA's National Ocean Service led the study, which sampled 327 coral colonies off the coasts of Florida, Puerto Rico, and St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix in the US. Virgin Islands. The researchers analyzed the samples to determine the reproductive ability of elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata), which is a threatened species. In some places - including two sites in the Florida Keys - the coral had no eggs or sperm. The study suggests that with no ability to propogate, elkhorn corals in those spots will eventually die out - like zombies, they essentially are walking dead. Two samples from a more remote area in St. Croix found the coral had 100 percent reproduction ability. "Basically the places with the heaviest tourism had the most severe damage," Fauth said. He dove and took samples from all of the Puerto Rican sites in the study, along with marine biologists Michael Nemeth and Katie Flynn. This study adds to growing evidence that coral reefs frequented by divers are in peril. Last year a study found that oxybenzone, a common UV-filtering compound in sunscreen, is in high concentrations in the waters around the more popular coral reefs in Hawaii and the Caribbean. The chemical not only kills coral, it causes DNA damage in adult corral and deforms the larval stage, making it unlikely they can develop properly. The highest concentrations of oxybenzone were found in reefs most popular with tourists. Fauth was a co-investigator of that 2015 study, which was published in the journal Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology. Oxybenzone also causes coral bleaching, which is a prime cause of coral mortality worldwide. Corals bleach when they lose or expel the algae that normally live inside them, thus losing a valuable source of nutrition. In another study presented at the symposium on Monday, researchers found the same sunscreen chemical is common in Hawaii, Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and concentrations peak during high tide. "It's almost counterintuitive," said Fauth, who is a co-author of that study as well. "We think that aerosol sunscreen is to blame." When you spray sunscreen, much of it lands on the sand or water, Fauth said. So when the high tide comes in, it collects all the overspray and pulls it back out to sea. Together, the two new studies show that coral reefs are in more danger than already thought. Several species of coral are listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Reproductive failure in Caribbean coral already was identified as a critical factor preventing their recovery. The news that even corals that appear healthy may be incapable of reproducing and that a chemical linked to coral decline commonly occurs at high concentrations is a double blow, Fauth said. "We have to act now," Fauth said. "It is simple things like not using chemicals that harm our coral. Wear rash guards or go without sunscreen during dives. And it is making a serious commitment to conservation and management of our reefs. Coral reefs are the world's most productive marine ecosystems and support commercial and recreational fisheries and tourism. We want to do everything we can to ensure that the underwater beauty we see today is around for generations to come." ### Other members of the Coral Zombie study include: A.R. Burnett, S. Griffin, L.A. May and Z. Moffitt of the NOAA NOS, M. Brandt from the University of the Virgin Islands, C.A. Downs from the Haereticus Environmental Laboratory, Z. Hillis-Starr from the National Park Service, K.S. Lunz of Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute and Z. Miller, A. Moulding, M. Nemeth and D. Williams of NOAA Fisheries. Female beetles that are seasoned fighters put more effort into raising their offspring than mothers with no conflict experience, a study suggests. Beetles that are used to conflict spend twice as much time providing food for their offspring as those that have never fought, helping more of their young to survive, researchers say. Female burying beetles - which belong to the species Nicrophorus vespilloides - routinely fight over the carcasses of small birds and rodents, which they use to provide their young with food. The University of Edinburgh study found that female beetles with conflict experience are better mothers, regardless of whether they won or lost in past fights. They laid the same number and size of eggs, but more of their offspring survived into adulthood, the team says. Being involved in a fight indicates to female beetles that competition within the population is high, researchers say. Faced with a lot of competition from other beetles, each female may get to reproduce only once, so they put greater effort into each breeding attempt. In any species where fighting occurs, experience of physical contests may influence mothers' reproductive decisions and alter the number and health of their offspring, the team says. Contests for food, mates and other resources are very common in mammals, birds, reptiles and fishes. The study, published in the journal The American Naturalist, was funded by the University of Edinburgh and Campus Hungary. The research was carried out in collaboration with the University of Debrecen, Hungary. Natalie Pilakouta, of the University of Edinburgh's School of Biological Sciences, who led the study, said: "Our findings show that fighting contests have much wider consequences than previously thought. We now know that fighting experience can affect parents' decisions about how much care to provide to their offspring." ### SOLOMONS, MD (June 21, 2016)--We all know by now that methane is bad for the environment. It's one of those greenhouse gases that trap heat in the earth's atmosphere and contribute to our warming climate. It's regularly emitted during the production and transport of coal and oil, and sometimes even cows get the blame. However, a new study finds that estuaries like the Chesapeake Bay could be contributing significantly more methane to the atmosphere than once thought. Estuaries and coastal systems are thought to be a relatively small source of atmospheric methane, as little as 3%. However, a new study from the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) found that the methane building up in the Chesapeake Bay alone, if released, would be equal to the current estimates for all the estuaries in the world combined. "This is just one estuary and there are many others that go anoxic in the summertime," said study author Laura Lapham of UMCES' Chesapeake Biological Laboratory. "We need to look at these eutrophic estuaries as perhaps a larger source of methane than we thought. This is a side effect of eutrophication that hasn't been investigated in the Bay." Like many bodies of water, the Chesapeake Bay is overwhelmed with nutrients that cause a type of pollution called eutrophication. Every spring, an influx of nitrogen and phosphorus from lawns, farms, and sewage treatment plants runs into the water of the Bay. These nutrients feed algae as the water warms up in the summer, causing blooms that suck the oxygen out of the water, causing large areas of low oxygen (hypoxia), known as "dead zones," that make it difficult for fish, crabs and other underwater life to live. Some areas closer to the bottom and in the surface layers of the mud may suffer from no oxygen at all (anoxic) during these periods. Since dead zones in the coastal ocean and estuaries are expanding throughout the world, Lapham decided to look at the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States, to understand what happens to methane release in a body of water that undergoes dead zones on a regular basis. "We wanted to capture the dynamic nature of oxygen and methane concentrations in one of the most well-known eutrophic estuaries," said Lapham. "We found that places like the Chesapeake Bay could be a more significant input of methane to the atmosphere than we thought." Methane is colorless, odorless, naturally occurring gas that is normally under control in estuaries like the Chesapeake Bay. Microbes make methane in the mud, and other methane-loving microbes usually consume the gas. However, when there is no oxygen in the water--as regularly occurs at the bottom of the Chesapeake Bay during the summer time--the microbes can't do their job and dissolved methane is released into the water column and rests there at the bottom. If a storm rolls through and mixes up the water, the methane can make it to the surface and into the atmosphere. Lapham studied the water at the bottom of the Chesapeake Bay over the course of a summer, setting up instruments perched above the mud that would track any signs of methane being released into the water. She found that in anoxic conditions, when there is no oxygen in the bottom layers of the Chesapeake Bay's waters, dissolved methane built up, probably coming from the mud, and when storms mixed up the invisible layers of the Bay's waters, the methane made it to the surface and into the atmosphere. "Taken together, the time-series data shows that methane flux from the Bay is variable, potentially significant, and dependent upon storms," said Lapham. The study found that in April methane concentrations were low when bottom waters were fully oxygenated and increased as anoxic conditions set in. By mid-July, methane concentrations peaked, most likely coming from the sediments. By early August, concentrations decreased until they returned to background levels when normal oxygen conditions returned in late September. Her team found that concentrations of methane near the bottom of the Bay peaked in mid-July, when the Bay was gasping for oxygen the most, and in the fall when storms stirred up the water and brought the methane to the surface. They estimated that 85% of the methane in the bottom water is oxidized in the water column in September. While most of the built up methane was consumed by the end of the anoxic period, methane concentrations measured in surface water samples in June and September suggest that there was still a significant flux of methane to the atmosphere. ### The study, "Methane concentrations increase in bottom waters during summertime anoxia in the highly eutrophic estuary, Chesapeake Bay, U.S. A." by Laura Lapham, Lauren Gelesh, Kathleen Marshall and William Boicourt of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science was published in the xxxx issue of Limnology and Oceanography as part of a special issue on methane in the environment. UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE For 90 years, the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science has led the way toward better management of Maryland's natural resources and the protection and restoration of the Chesapeake Bay. From a network laboratories located across the state, UMCES scientists provide sound advice to help state and national leaders manage the environment, and prepare future scientists to meet the global challenges of the 21st century. CHAPEL HILL, NC - A University of North Carolina School of Medicine scientist has been awarded an inaugural global award from Science and Science Translational Medicine and Boyalife for her research in healing damaged heart muscle. Li Qian, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, and a member of the McAllister Heart Institute and Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, is being recognized for her groundbreaking research. The foundation of this research was established in 2009, when she first showed it was possible to reprogram cardiac fibroblasts - the cells of scar tissue - to become functional cardiomyocytes - healthy muscle tissue that helps the heart to beat. During the past three years at UNC, she has made additional breakthroughs in improving this approach. Qian is the first-ever recipient of the Boyalife, Science and Science Translational Medicine Award in Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, a global award for researchers younger than 45 years old. "My team and I will continue to develop and utilize new reprogramming approaches to advance personalized medicine," Qian said. "I believe that our efforts and those from others will one day lead to tailored therapies designed for individual patients." Joan Taylor, PhD, professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, and associate director of the McAllister Heart Institute, described Qian's research as "a vital first step to realizing future regenerative treatments as a new model of health care." "Dr. Qian is performing exceptionally innovative research using stem cell approaches to restore cardiac function following a heart attack, with a particular emphasis on a new phenomenon termed cellular reprogramming," Taylor said. "In her short time at UNC, Dr. Qian has made remarkable progress in establishing her independent research program." Qian started her own lab in 2012. Qian's accolades and honors include the prestigious Ellison New Scholarship from the Ellison Medical Foundation, Scientist Development Grant from the America Heart Association, and a research progress grant from the National Institutes of Health. She has published 13 peer-reviewed senior author manuscripts as principal investigator, seven of which were original research papers. In 2012, The American Heart Association ranked Qian's research No. 2 on the list of Top 10 advances in heart disease and stroke research. Charles Jennette, MD, Kenneth M. Brinkhous Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, said Qian's research was extremely important in researching and, ultimately, combatting heart disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is the number one cause of death for all Americans - men and women - with an estimated 610,000 deaths annually. Heart disease is responsible for one in four deaths in the United States. "Dr. Qian's research is dispelling the prior dogma that the heart cannot replace dead heart cells," Jennette said. "Dr. Qian is performing exceptionally innovative research using novel approaches to restore heart function following a heart attack or chronic heart failure. Her research shows that treatment approaches may be possible that will stimulate growth of new heart cells that can improve heart function impaired by a heart attack and other forms of heart disease." "I feel very excited and also very honored to win the Boyalife, Science and Science Translational Medicine Award in stem cell and regenerative medicine," Qian said. Qian will receive her award at the Boyalife and Science award ceremony in San Francisco, California, on June 23. ### PHILADELPHIA - Chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), engineered from a patient's own immune cells, have been successful for treating blood cancers, but using CARs for solid tumors has been limited by side effects to normal tissues containing the protein targeted by the engineered cells. Now, in this month's issue of Immunity, a research team from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania describes how an antibody that recognizes the combination of a known cancer-associated surface protein and a cancer-associated carbohydrate can be applied as a CAR-based therapy for a wide range of solid tumors. The team demonstrated the new CARs' effectiveness in mouse models of pancreatic cancer. "We engineered T cells to target a cancer-associated surface protein with shortened carbohydrate molecules," said first author Avery Posey, PhD, an instructor in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. "Future cancer immunotherapies combining the targeting of cancer-specific carbohydrates and cancer proteins may lead to the development of incredibly effective and safe new therapies for patients. These engineered cells will be able to increase cancer specificity of this immunotherapy and decrease the potential for toxicity in patients." In general, CAR T cell therapy involves collecting T cells from a patient's blood through a process similar to dialysis and engineering them to express cell-surface proteins that recognize specific molecules on the surface of cancer cells. The modified T cells are then given back to the patient to target and kill those cancer cells. Posey, along with co-senior authors Laura Johnson, PhD, director of the Solid Tumor Immunotherapy Laboratory in the Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, and Carl June, MD, the Richard W. Vague Professor in Immunotherapy and director of the Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, and colleagues from the University of Copenhagen and University of Chicago, developed CAR T cells that express an antibody that specifically recognizes truncated carbohydrate molecules on a mucin 1 (MUC1) protein, which is absent on normal cells but abundant on cancer cells of many types of solid tumors and leukemias. When these CAR T cells were injected into mice with leukemia or pancreatic cancer, the tumors shrank, and were even eliminated in most animals, resulting in increased survival. The mice with pancreatic cancer were still alive 113 days after treatment with the CAR T cells; however, only one-third of the animals treated with CAR T cells that did not target the MUCI proteins with the truncated carbohydrate survived until the end of the experiment. Importantly, the CAR T cells could not damage normal human cells or cells without the abnormal carbohydrate. In addition, demonstrating through high-powered microscopy that normal cells express the immature, cancer-related version of the MUC1 protein only inside the cell while cancer cells shuttle the abnormal protein to the cell surface, was helpful to show why these CAR T cells can only recognize the cancer-specific protein on tumors. These findings suggest that targeting abnormal, cancer-specific carbohydrates on proteins found in normal tissues and solid tumors could become a new immunotherapy for solid cancers. This combined tumor targeting may lead to future development of safe and effective therapies for patients. Posey is currently collaborating with University of Copenhagen colleague and co-author Catharina Steentoft, PhD to develop new therapies of this class. "Our study demonstrated safety and efficacy of this novel approach of cancer targeting," Johnson said. "We are continuing to evaluate the safety of this therapy in additional models. Once the new models are complete, we plan to move this therapy into a phase I clinical trial for patients with solid tumors." ### This research was supported in part by grants from the National Institutes of Health (5R01CA120409, 5R01CA037156, DP2CA174502), the Danish Research Councils (DFF - 4004-00397B), and the Danish National Research Foundation (DNRF107). Posey and June are also members of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, which supports cancer immunotherapy research at Penn. Penn Medicine is one of the world's leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and excellence in patient care. Penn Medicine consists of the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (founded in 1765 as the nation's first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System, which together form a $5.3 billion enterprise. The Perelman School of Medicine has been ranked among the top five medical schools in the United States for the past 18 years, according to U.S. News & World Report's survey of research-oriented medical schools. The School is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $373 million awarded in the 2015 fiscal year. The University of Pennsylvania Health System's patient care facilities include: The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center -- which are recognized as one of the nation's top "Honor Roll" hospitals by U.S. News & World Report -- Chester County Hospital; Lancaster General Health; Penn Wissahickon Hospice; and Pennsylvania Hospital -- the nation's first hospital, founded in 1751. Additional affiliated inpatient care facilities and services throughout the Philadelphia region include Chestnut Hill Hospital and Good Shepherd Penn Partners, a partnership between Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network and Penn Medicine. Penn Medicine is committed to improving lives and health through a variety of community-based programs and activities. In fiscal year 2015, Penn Medicine provided $253.3 million to benefit our community. Written by ACM *Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- A Strong Majority in CoE's PanEuropean Assembly Voted Today a Crucial Amendment calling to "Review" the Controversial EU - Turkey Deal on Refugees/Migrants, so that "Alternatives" may be Examined, as CoE's Rapporteur pointed out, shortly before a Real Alternative Solution, Helping Refugees to Stay Safe Near their Country of Origin and be Ready to Return asap, was presented at a CoE Side Esvent by the Co-President of Syrian Democratic Council, (a Syrian-Kurdish Organisation, which cooperates both with USA, Russia and EU against ISIS' Extremist Islamic Terrorists), who explained to "Eurofora" the main thrust of her suggestions in real practice. That Last-Minute Amendment, adopted with a wide Majority of 102 Votes, against only 20, and 13 Abstentions, asks to "Review (Re--Examine) the EU - Turkey Agreement, in Light of the Criticism by UNHCR, Doctors without Borders, and Amnesty International". Initialy, its Original Draft, Tabled by a Dozen of MEPs, (represented by Ms Lotta Johnson, from Sweden, and Signed also by German, Greek, Turkish, Cypriot, as well as Danish, Icelandish and Slovenian MEPs, etc), called even to "Cancel" that Controversial EU-Turkey Deal, that anOther CoE Assembly's Resolution, adopted Previously in Strasbourg, had notoriously found Faulted mainly Because "Turkey is Not a Safe Country" for Refugees at all, as the PanEuropean Organisation of Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law, had stressed then, (See f.ex. : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/coeturkeynosafecountryforrefugees.html). - Indeed, "Turkey is Not a Safe Country, since its State currently Takes Measures against Democracy, (f.ex. the Recent Lift of many Dissident MPs' Immunity, which has already Provoked a Wide OutCry), has an Appalling Situation on Human Rights, and just Killed 8 Syrian Refugees, 4 of them Childtren, last Sunday", MEP Johnsson strongly denounced in this regard. - However, Today, CoE's Rapporteur on Refugees in Greece, Ms Tineke Strik, a Dutch Socialist, added an Oral SubAmendment Changing the Word "Cancel" by that of "Review (Re-Examine), Argyuing that,even that Previous, Critical PACE Resolution, "Did Not ask to "Cancel"" that Deal, "But had Denounced the Fact that it Raised Serious Human Rights' Concerns". Because "it's Too Early for us to be ready to Cancel" that, "But there are Enough Reasons to Examine if it's in the Right Direction, or if we should Work for Alternatives". -------------------------------- - It's true that the current Greek Minister on Migration Policy, Ioannis Mouzalas, speaking later to "Eurofora", confirmed that he was obliged to be for the maintain of the Controversial EU -Turkey Deal, however only "in a way which will be in conformity with Human Rights". We (CoE/EU) should better Help Turkey to Respect its Obligations, without exerting undue Pressure, particularly in order to Ensure that the Syrian Migrants who will Return will have have ther elementary Rights respected, he earlier pointed out. - Because, "I searched, but couldn't find a real Alternative" yet, as Minister Mouzalas told "Eurofora". Nevertheless, a CoE Side Event, which took place shortly after the above mentioned PACE Plenary Vote, offered a Timely Alternative : - Sponsored by the President of CoE Assembly's EuroLeft Group, Dutch Senator Tiny Cox, in that Event, experienced German MEP Andrej Hunko introduced Ms Elham Ahmed, Co-President of the Syrian Democratic Council, whsich includes Kurds in Northern Syria region, who notoriously Cooperates Both with Americans and Russians, as well as several European Countries, particularly against Extremist Islamic Terrorists of ISIL's atrocious BeHeaders, even of innocent and defenseless Civilian People. It's only Turkey and ISIL, added to AlQaeda Rebels, who are Against it, and often launch Deadly Attacks on them, even inside Syria. Ms Ahmed described the Advantages which present, according to her, the Refugee Centers Hosted at that Syrian Kurdish Region, and "Eurofora", observing what had just happened during CoE Assembly's Votes on a Report on Refugees in Greece, (Comp. Supra), asked her to Resume, in Substance, the Main, specific Added Value that this Alternative Solution might have, (Compared to that existing in the Controversial EU-Turkey Deal), so that it would be Examined by EU/CoE nowadays, in the Light of recent developments, as one among the various possible Alternative Solutions. - She Replied to "Eurofora"s Question mainly by Stressing that "it's Better for Syrian Refugees to be Close to their Homes", Prepared and "Ready to Re-Build up, later-on, their Cities in Safety, and their Communities". + Moreover, "We prepare a Culture of Peace", while, on the Contrary, in most Other Areas, Refugees are affected by "a War Psychology", SDC's co-President went on to Add. - And, concerning particularly "the Young Generations", we Educate them also in their Mother Language of origin, and Grow them up in a way that they can Know their Country and its History, etc., so that we Give them enough Tools in order to be Prepared to Return and Buld up their Cities asap. Something which does not yet exist elsewhere, she concluded in substance. + But, Replying Afterwards also to anOther Question by a Collegue Journalist, she Regretted the Fact that, at least until now, "the UN don't seem to be Aware" of the real situation on the spot, and "they didn't Help us", but, on the Contrary, "Left us Alone", instead of "Supporting these Refugee Camps", as they do also with all the Others, (f.ex. inside Turkey, Lebanon, Jordany, etc). - Meanwhile, some obviously Seek to "Empty the whole Region from Christians and Other Groups", in order to Turn it "Totaly in an Islamic" area, by Perpetrating Terrorist Acts to Drive those Local People Out". So, "we are Afraid that the Region will be Emptied from this "Mosaic" of Peoples and Beliefs, which Risks to be Destroyed", she Warned. ++ In Fact, it all looks as "an Ideological Project", to Impose by Force a "100% Sunni" Mono-Culture, while, on the Contrary, "we Need to have also those Diffferend Religions, which should be Supported by the International Community", she added in Reply to a MEP's subsequent Question. F..ex. Christian Minorities had been Promissed Help, but practicaly Nothing happened yet. Also "Because UNHCR has to Ask the Central Government". F.ex., UNHCR Wanted to Visit a Refugee Camp, but the Turkish Government Claimed that "there was No Security", and they Prevented that", she Denounced, (among various other concrete examples). Last, but not least, the Syrian Kurdish Political Leader asked also to "Open Access from some Roads for Help", that currently Turkey Blocks, as far as they are concerned, as well as for a Better and Complete Representation of All People of Syria in the stalled Negotiations for Reconciliation and Peace, which are currently Dominated mainly by some Groups with "a Heavy Islamist Agenda" that "Worries us", and who "Don'y really want Peace at all", but, in fact, a perpetuation of Conflicts and "War". This is "a Big Mistake", as she Denounced, which "has to Change". (../..) -------------------------------- *** ("DraftNews", as already send to "Eurofora"s Subscribers/Donors, earlier. A more accurate, full Final Version might be Published asap). *** An "Eugenic" loophole Amendment, which might expose to Dangers reminiscent of "3rd Reich's" notorious Genetic Abuses, hidden at the last minute inside an otherwise Good, larger Health policy Package scheduled to be voted on Thursday, was strongly denounced by a coalition of MEPs from various Political Groups and Countries, in a Press Conference held this afternoon at EU Parliament in Strasbourg. Mainly calling to "Select Human Embryos", via "Genetic Counselling" and "pre-implantation" Techniques including "Genetic Tests", in order to "Eradicate Hereditary rare Diseases", it might open ways to Dangerous Practices in Future, they denounced in substance. But they also made it clear that a much larger Report inside which this Controversial Amendment "No 15" was added in dubious circumstances, officialy destinated to struggle against "Rare Diseases", and drafted by Professor Antonios Trakatellis, was otherwise "an Excellent Report", aiming at a "completely Uncontroversial target" of Health policy on which "all MEPs and Experts are united, believing that Europe should act" to protect People's Health (See "EuroFora"'s earlier News). The controversy came at a particularly delicate moment for the EU in relation to Citizens, at the eve of June 2009 EU Elections, and shortly before Ireland re-votes for "Lisbon Treaty".. - Denouncing risks of "an Eugenic demand, very similar to what we had during the 3rd Reich in Germany, but now coming from some Scientisists themselves", German ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP Dr. Peter Liese stressed that critical MEPs were against "Eugenic" engineering with "Selection of Human Embryos", and anything which might ultimately lead up to to a "Selection of Human Race". It doesn't help to "eradicate" Human Lives, he added. Several Experts and NGOs expressed "Deep Concern", as f;ex. DR M.C. Cornel of the "European Society of Human Genetics", which stressed, on this occasion, that "the importance of Non-Directiveness in Reproductive issues is a Central characteristic of Human Genetics, after the Atrocities committed in the name of Genetics in the first half or the 20th Century". - "This is completely Unacceptable", stressed Italian Liberal MEP Vittorio Prodi, on the Controversial Amendment, also because pushes to "eliminate early Human Life", as he noted. - "This opens a Dangerous Road, rather a Motorway", denounced Danish MEP Mrs Margrette Auken, from the "Greens", observing that various similar attempts were made in the Past "not only in Germany, but also in several other Countries, "even at the 1970ies", "f.ex. on forced Sterilisation of Roma" People, and other criticisable situations f.ex. in the UK, in Sweden, etc. as she said. + Other NGOs, as f.ex. "LebenHilfe" from Berlin, added that, among various other Risks, could also be that, by exploiting the pre-implantation Genetic Diagnostics and the Selection of "healthy" Embryos, some may "propagate" several "Eugenic" aims, starting f.ex. by pushing to eradicate Human Livies which might "Cost too much" to preserve, ultimately exposing to dangers reminiscent of the "3rd Reich"'s atrocious abuses. In consequence, ChristianDemocrats/EPP and "Green" MEPs "decided by Majority to vote against" this Controversial Amendment, anounced to Journalists the 5 MEPs who participated in the Press Conference, representing a wide spectrum, from Liberals to "Greens" and ChristianDemocrats, and from Hungary, Italy, Germany and Danemark up to Ireland (Gay Mitchell), etc. ---------------------------------- Hungarian ChristianDemocrat MEP Laszlo Surjan said "that it was "Suddenly, at the End of the Procedure" in Committee, that "appeared this (Controversial) Amendment, which has nothing to do" with the main purpose of the Report, on which all agreed. He denounced an "Unhonest" move, and called to "avoid this kind of unacceptable situations". Nobody should "Select People", Surjan stressed. - "We (MEPs) had No Chance to Discuss" this last-minute Amendment earlier added at a Committee's level, said German MEP Peter Liese Speaking to "EuroFora", Dr. Liese, the Spokesman of the ChristianDemocrat/EPP Group in EU Parliament, said that MEPs didn't oppose other references of the Report f.ex. on "Genetic Tests", because they were "no proposals" to impose them, while, on the contrary, there was "a Problem" if anyone attempted to "impose" f.ex. this or that Genetic Technique and "Genetic Counselling", etc. to the People on human reproduction. ------------- The precise Text : ----------------- Controversial parts of Amendment No 15 ask mainly "to lead finally to the Eradication" of "Hereditary" "rare diseases", "through Genetic Counselling .., and ..pre-Implantation Selection of healthy Embryos". But EU Rapporteur Professor Trakatellis, said to "EuroFora" that fears should be alleviated by Guarantees that all this should be done only "where appropriate", when it's "not contrary to existing National Law", and "always on a Voluntary basis", according to other Parts of the Amendment. He stressed that the main aim was to allow "a free and informed choice of persons involved", without imposing them anything : - "It's not an obligatory, but advisary" text, he said. To make that point clear, he was ready, in agreement with many MEPs, to eventually drop at least that part of the controversial Amendment which initially called for "efforts to ..lead finally to the Eradication of those rare diseases" "which are Hereditary". But, until late Wednesday evening, reportedly together with many other MEPs, he stood by all the rest of the controversial Amendment, (fex. on the "Genetic Counselling" and the "pre-implantation Selection of healthy Embryos"), so that critical MEPs, going from ChristianDemocrats as Dr. Liese, to "Greens" or "Ind/Dem", observed to "EuroFora" that "this was not enough" to close the dangerous loophole. Particularly since, as Professor Trakatellis noted himself, "this is already allowed to the U.K.", and "other National Legislations would probably follow, sooner or later" in a similar direction. As for a general call to "Eradicate Hereditary rare Diseases", this "should happen, at any case, in practice, de facto", to protect public Health. On the contrary, "our goal should be to help patients suffering from rare diseases, not to eradicate the patients. In case of genetic disease risk, the decision should not be guided by scenarios" made by politicians. "Perents who may decide to accept a child, even if handicapped or with genetic disease, must be respected and supported with solidarity", critical MEPs stated. - "Any Pressure" to "a patient or couple (who "should be able to make an informed choice consistent with their own values"),"from health Professionals, Public Health Policies or Governemental Institutions, or Society at large, should be avoided", stresses the "European Society for Human Genetics". ---------------------------------- Each MEP's vote will be registered ! ----------------------------------- The Socialist Group requested a "Split vote" on the Amendment 15, first without, and afterwards with the words "lead finally to the Eradication" etc. But the first "split vote" leaves intact all the other parts of the Controversial Amendment, (i.e. "Genetic Counselling", "Selection of healthy Embryos", etc). That's why, 3 Groups of MEPs : ChristianDemocrats/EPP, "Greens/EFA", and "Ind/Dem", have asked for "Roll Call Votes", on everything regarding the Controversial Amendment No 15, and on the final outcome of the resulting Report as amended, which will register all the individual positions to be taken by each MEP. Something which will obviously make each MEP think twice before voting for one or another choice, to be sure that he/she will make the right choice in front of EU Citizens, particularly at these pre-Election times... Crucial Votes were scheduled between 12 Noon and 1 p.m. local Strasbourg time, in the middle of a long series of various other Reports, and after a long Public Debate on the larger Health policy package, from 9 to 11.50 am. The specific Report inside which was hidden the controversial Amendment is due to be debated between 11 and 12 am. So that more last-minute Surprises may not be excluded a priori... Particularly at the present Historic moment, when even the Institutional Future of the EU depends on the result of a second Referendum on "Lisbon Treaty", later this year, in ...Ireland, a mainly Catholic country, where People are particularly sensitive in such kind of socio-cultural and values issues... *** (Draft due to be updated). *** It is quite rare for the world to be as united as it is on the question of Brexit. It is almost universally agreed in capitals around the world that the UK and the EU are better off together. President Obama used a visit to the UK to throw his weight behind the Remain camp. Chinas President Xi Jinping used his UK state visit last October to endorse a prosperous Europe and a united EU. Even business leaders in India, a Commonwealth country with which the Leave campaign claims the UK will have closer ties post-Brexit, arent that keen. As the polls tighten, the world is bracing itself for the negative impacts of a Brexit, with one notable exception in the Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russia, according to Europes comment pages, perhaps stands to gain most should the United Kingdom declare itself out of the European project. In March, the UKs Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond used a speech to argue that the only country, if the truth is told, that would like us to leave the EU is Russia. Mr Hammond was echoing his Labour Shadow Hilary Benn as well as a chorus of others who said in February that [President Putin] would see Brexit as a sign of our weakness and of the weakness of European solidarity Across the EU and the Atlantic politicians, military leaders and commentators have all employed President Putin in their arguments against Brexit. Most notably perhaps was veteran Russian political activist Gary Kasparov, who made an impassioned plea to Britain not to give the perfect gift to President Putin. Russian support for Euroscepticism, on which there is increasing evidence, does have some clear short-term benefits for the Kremlin. Eurosceptic Dutch voters earlier this month for example undermined EU efforts to support Ukraine in its drive for autonomy from Russian interference. If the UK were to leave the EU, there would also be short term benefits for Moscow. First, it would weaken and distract the UK, a country with which Russia has had poor relations since the mid-2000s and which is a significant player in NATO, an organisation due to hold a summit not long after the UKs referendum. Second, the withdrawal of a strong voice on EU efforts to counter Russia, both in terms of sanctions and in terms of energy policy, would play into Moscows hands. Whats missing however from this debate is that while President Putin may well rub his hands at the short term geopolitical benefits of a Brexit, he is wrong if he thinks that a Brexit wouldnt harm Russias long-term interests. The most glaring reason why the Kremlin should not hope for a Brexit is the potential negative financial repercussions for Russia, both in the short and long-term. The EU despite ongoing tensions is Russias largest trading partner, with just under half of all its exports going to the bloc. The EU accounts for up to 75% of foreign direct investment into Russia. Despite sanctions and falling oil prices, in 2015 the EU imported 135.7 billion in goods from Russia while exporting 73.9 billion. As outlined by Russian analyst Andrey Sushentsov, 41.5% of Russias foreign currency reserves are denominated in Euros. This paints just a small part of the bigger picture. Russias economy is whether President Putin likes it or not intertwined with that of the EU. In the increasingly possible event of a vote for Brexit on June 23rd, the Euro will likely suffer, which will see the value of Russias foreign currency reserves fall. Trade with the EU, Russias largest partner, will be impacted in two negative ways. First, the impact of a Brexit shock will likely see the EUs combined economy shrink, reducing the demand for Russian exports. Secondly, and more importantly, an EU without the UK will be less liberal, less committed to free trade, and more protectionist. This will not help Russias economy, nor the rest of the worlds for that matter. Russia has no easy alternatives to reliance on the EU. As argued in a commentary in January, Russias hopes that Asia can alleviate its reliance on the EU are hitherto far from being fulfilled. Trade with China, despite lofty rhetoric on both sides, actually fell by 34.4% in 2015. Economic concerns in China, as well as slower growth in other emerging markets make any moves away from the EU even more difficult. What this underlines is that Russias reliance on the EU will continue for the foreseeable future, making the pain of a Brexit longer lasting. Russia benefits from prosperity in Europe. Growth across the EUs 28 Member States increases the demand for Russias resources. The EUs wealth has and can continue to be invested in Russia. A strong EU can play host to Russias international businesses. Most critically for the Kremlin, a strong EU and the economic stability and prosperity it can provide to the rest of Greater Europe is the best way to provide the necessary conditions for Russia to make the economic reforms it has long needed. In this respect, while President Putin may want to divide and destroy the EU, this course of action is an act of serious self-sabotage. Ultimately, while the Kremlins geopolitical aims are indeed served by a divided Europe, a Brexit remains a significant risk for the Russian populations economic interests. It is perhaps not surprising that President Putin does not have Russias economic interests at heart, but that does not change the fact that Russia in the long-term, like the rest of the world, is far better served by a strong and united Europe with Britain at its heart. The opinions articulated above represent the views of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the position of the European Leadership Network or any of its members. The ELNs aim is to encourage debates that will help develop Europes capacity to address the pressing foreign, defence, and security policy challenges of our time. Considering that we spend a lot of time here criticizing the legacy of a 19th-century English gentleman scientist and the ideas of his latter-day followers, linking intelligent design with Anglophile sentiments might not seem an obvious connection to make. On the other hand, Alfred Russel Wallace, Darwins compatriot and erstwhile colleague in articulating the theory of evolution, is the major forerunner of modern ID thinking. Historical associations aside, ID is very much a cross-Atlantic phenomenon, so preserving the U.K. as an independent nation in a special relationship with the U.S. resonates with many of us. With such considerations in mind, and recalling his own formative intellectual experiences at Cambridge University, Stephen Meyer has issued a series of well-informed warnings about the stakes in Thursdays Brexit vote. Meyer, director of Discovery Institutes Center for Science & Culture, did so first at National Review Online and The Stream, now again at The Stream. This latest is a kind of summing up (The EU Threatens America and Britains Alliance. Brexit Could Save It): The rise of the European Union as an increasingly socialist, utopian and anti-American political force represents a portentous geopolitical realignment at a time when the U.S. is facing military challenges from China and Russia and overt hostility from a worldwide network of Jihadists. The European Union, like the United Nations, tends to indulge a lowest common denominator anti-American (and anti-Israeli) foreign policy. To cite just one example, the EU long refused to join the U.S. in identifying Hezbollah as a terrorist organization and still now only recognizes the military wing of Hezbollah on its list of terrorist organizations. The reflexive hostility to U.S. interests was also clearly evident in the EU reaction to the U.S. war effort in Iraq, in its arms sales to China, in its anemic response to the Russian annexation of Crimea, in its litigation against U.S. businesses and in the consistent rhetoric of its spokesmen. In a still-dangerous world wracked by instability, the United States needs more allies, not fewer. Americans should welcome the prospect of their British cousins freeing themselves from the EUs suffocating embrace. Needless to say, ID has no stance on the European Union and its embrace, and we generally try hard to avoid expressing opinions on political issues of almost any kind. But independence of mind and resistance to intimidation and bullying are deeply engrained in the ID community. They would have to be. Want to show your solidarity? Heres an idea. Check out and support the important work of our U.K. friends over at the Centre for Intelligent Design. Photo: Roosevelt and Churchill aboard the HMS Prince of Wales, by US Navy [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. (MEANT TO PUT ESTA VISA IN THE TITLE) So, I really want to go and visit my boyfriend for 3 months (well...90 days) in Salt Lake City in the hopes of spending an extended period of time living together. Taking loads of photos and stuff of us together, and just making 100% certain (what I'm already pretty sure of) that we're ready and happy to live together. Here's my concerns. I have good reason to believe that I might get turned away at the border. I don't have a job currently, as my main work is as a musician in hotels and on cruise ships, and work has been incredibly dry for a long period now. This means that I've pretty much exhausted my funds and we'll be near enough using money loaned/given to me by my parents, along with a combination of financial support from my boyfriend and his roommate to pay for flights, and I'll be staying at my boyfriend's place rent free for the duration of my stay. I don't really have many ties back to the UK, I currently live with my parents in their house, like I said, am unemployed (although desperately searching for something, I might add.) and won't have much money in the bank. So I was thinking of ways to push the odds in my favour a little. Firstly, I'm not going to do what I initially planned and bring my guitar (I take it everywhere with me for writing songs/practicing pooooosibly busking on the street) so that I don't come with the equipment of my trade. I'm looking to hopefully visit by the end of August, so that I'll still have active ESTA visa from my last visit. Maybe try and drop in the fact that I was in the US for 4 months on a crewman's visa working on a cruise ship and had no visa issues (even when leaving the ship on an ESTA without giving an expected date of departure or address that wasn't just a hotel in San Francisco that I would stay at for a few days), so I'm like, maybe trusted in their eyes? I don't know. Any help would be greatly appreciated, as I'd love to get this 3 month visit out of the way, in hopes that I can begin the process to get the fiance visa, then go through the whole getting married in the US then applying for adjustment of status blah blah blah... So, if you guys have any advice to make sure that I'm not denied entry on my 80-90 ESTA period, that would be really helpful. I really honestly and truly don't intend on trying anything dodgy, I just want to visit my boyfriend, spend some time with him, and think about getting paperwork started. Thank you! One of the requirements for obtaining a long-stay visa for France is that you have evidence of a place to stay. Generally speaking, people usually get a temporary rental (often a "holiday rental") for the first one to three months and then do their househunting from that base once they get to France. (You do need a stable address for the first couple months you will be in France, due to various administrative formalities you'll need to accomplish.) Some consulates, however, can be very sticky about the visa requirements and we've had reports of consulates insisting that applicants must show a one-year lease or other form of proof that you have already secured lodgings for your entire stay. This seems counter-intuitive (given the huge risks of renting from a distance) and I wonder if this might be a plot to head off someone whose visa application risks being turned down for other reasons. In any event, you should check the consulate website to see what their posted requirement is for proof of accommodation. (The consulate in Australia is well known for being a bit "difficult" and for not responding to personal questions. Make very sure you have searched the website thoroughly before approaching them with personal concerns.) Cheers, Bev a5696c54004d4b438c061a83276ed7aa.jpg Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood uses a copy of his department's budget as he explains his concerns about the "Mississippi Budget Transparency and Simplification act of 2016" and its effect various state programs trust funds, at a news conference Monday, June 20, 2016 in Jackson. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) JACKSON, Mississippi -- Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood says legislative efforts to use one-time cash to plug a budget hole will be at least $128 million short of the amount lawmakers originally thought they would get. Hood said calculations by his office and the Department of Finance and Administration show lawmakers can't legally take from various trust funds $72 million that they had counted on. Legislators already acknowledged overestimating revenue by $56 million for the year that starts July 1. Lawmakers didn't budget for debt payments and property insurance in the coming year, and they gave Medicaid less than it's projected to spend this year. Those additional expenses mean the state could face a roughly $250 million deficit, if nothing else changes. That's about 4 percent of the overall $6.4 billion spending plan. Legislative leaders have touted Senate Bill 2362, which Republican Gov. Phil Bryant signed into law, as a way to increase legislative scrutiny on agency spending by requiring more money to flow to the state's main budget, where lawmakers could divert some cash to other priorities. The move is also supposed to wipe out what some Republican lawmakers characterize as an "underground economy" by prohibiting agencies from charging each other for services. But agency heads have complained that lawmakers were actually imposing back-door budget cuts and say barring transfers creates problems for money that agencies are only holding for some other beneficiary. Four recent Hood opinions say lawmakers can't take much of that pass-through money as long as it's legally a trust fund. That advice doesn't carry weight of law, but it provides legal cover for agencies that follow it. Hood said lawmakers could return to the Capitol and write a bill that legally takes the money from the trust funds. Mississippi's only statewide elected Democrat, Hood accused lawmakers of trying to paper over a budget shortfall created by more than $350 million in business tax relief from 2012 through 2014. Lawmakers passed another $415 million in business and personal tax cuts this year, which mostly won't take effect until 2018. "If it was a company, I'd be trying to charge them with securities fraud," Hood said, saying Republican lawmakers are misrepresenting Mississippi's finances to cover up the effects of tax cuts. He also expressed concern about what would happen to the beneficiaries of the fund after 2017 because lawmakers have diverted future revenue to the main pot of the general fund. Bryant has said he's working through the implications of the law and didn't rule out a special session. There's a looming shortfall of $60 million or more that must be addressed for 2016 if June tax revenues don't climb sharply. Bryant could have to call a session to tap into rainy day fund revenues for the third time in 2016. "I'll take Attorney General Hood's opinion into consideration and work with the legislative leadership to determine if any adjustments are needed," Bryant, a Republican, said in a statement. "This should be a collaborative effort in bringing more transparency and accountability to the budget process." Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, though, continued to accuse Hood of trying to protect control over funds administered by his office. "The attorney general wants to double-dip his spending, ignores the need for taxpayers' accountability and transparency and has instructed bureaucrats to ignore the law," Reeves spokeswoman Laura Hipp said. NEW ORLEANS -- A woman was sentenced to 40 years in prison Monday in the stabbing death of a Bourbon Street dancer whose dismembered body washed up along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Margaret Sanchez, 32, of Metairie, pleaded guilty to manslaughter, obstruction of justice and conspiracy to obstruct justice, a year and a day after her ex-boyfriend, Terry Speaks, 43, was convicted in same killing. He is serving two life sentences. Sanchez acknowledged that she and Speaks met Jaren Lockhart, a 22-year-old mother of three, at her exotic dancing job in the French Quarter and offered her several hundred dollars to come to their home in Kenner. That's where they killed her on June 6, 2012, and cut up her body, prosecutors said. Lockhart's torso floated ashore a day later in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Other parts drifted onto beaches over the next few days. Sanchez was charged with second-degree murder. Her guilty plea to the lesser charge of manslaughter avoids a trial that was to begin on July 11. "After consulting with Ms. Lockhart's family, it was decided that the negotiated plea agreement was in the best interests of all parties involved," Jefferson Parish District Attorney Paul Connick Jr. announced. "Out of respect for Ms. Lockhart and her family, I will not comment further on the case or the evidence." Members of Lockhart's family, along with numerous law enforcement officers from Kenner and Hancock County, Mississippi, who were involved in the investigation, were present in the courtroom Monday when Sanchez entered her plea. "Words cannot express the pain her family and friends have endured since the murder," Donna Kulick, the guardian of Ms. Lockhart's daughter, said in the impact testimony provided by the district attorney office. She said the girl still cries over the loss of her mother, and that their family is "forever broken." "This will have a huge impact on her for the rest of her life," Kulick testified. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate San Antonio-based Bill Hall Jr. Trucking GP LLC, which owns a fleet of trucks and trailers used by an affiliated business to haul gravel and other materials for road construction, has hit a rough road. The business filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection late Saturday night after creditors threatened to repossess various assets, according to Jesse Blanco, the companys bankruptcy lawyer. The filing apparently is unrelated to a pending murder case against company manager Frances A. Hall, who is accused of intentionally driving her Cadillac Escalade into her husband, Bill Hall Jr., while he was riding his Harley Davidson on Loop 1604 on the Southwest Side in 2013. He later died. He was 50. So far as I know, I dont have any information that any of her legal problems spilled over into my being retained to file Chapter 11, Blanco said. She signed the bankruptcy petition. A related business, Bill Hall Jr. Trucking Ltd., which picks up and delivers road-building materials for customers, has not filed for bankruptcy. Blanco attributed the LLCs bankruptcy filing to an issue over the quality of the road-building materials that Ltd. picks up from suppliers and delivers to road-construction companies. Deliveries dried up and left the LLCs trucks and tractors sitting idle, he added. Their expectation is that in due course, could be a month, could be two, that (Ltd.s) customers will be able to able to resolve the issues that they had with the quality of gravel that they were having delivered by Ltd. using the trucks of LLC, Blanco said. The LLC reported $7.5 million in assets and nearly $5.8 million in liabilities in bankruptcy documents. The assets include more than 80 Kenworth and Freightliner trucks and nearly 50 trailers. A 2016 Cadillac Escalade, valued at $57,000, also was among the assets listed. Blanco was not certain which of LLCs creditors were threatening to repossess assets. Among the secured creditors listed in the case and the amount of their claims are: Paccar Financial Corp., which provided financing on some Kenworth trucks, about $3.7 million; Daimler Truck Financial, a provider of financing for five Freightliner trucks, about $580,000; and First Midwest Equipment Financing, which provided financing for seven trailers, almost $321,000. The bankruptcy filing comes about two months before Frances Hall is scheduled to stand trial in connection with Bill Hall Jr.s death. Police ruled his death a homicide. Authorities say it was the consequence of an alleged love triangle that also involved Frances Hall and his girlfriend, Bonnie Contreras, who was nearly 20 years his junior. Authorities say Frances Hall also used her SUV to ram Contreras, who was driving Bill Hall Jr.s Land Rover on the evening of the incident. Voter Guide: What to know for the midterm election Your guide to the Texas and San Antonio races and candidates on the Nov. 8 ballot. Frances Halls lawyers have maintained that Bill Hall Jr.s death was an accident. I think shes factually innocent of the charge, Alan Brown, her attorney, said in a phone interview Monday. I think she loved her husband tremendously. She was sobbing when it happened. It was, in all respects, an accident. Brown said he doesnt believe Frances Hall should have even been indicted. He noted that since her indictment, a new district attorney Nicholas Nico LaHood has been elected. Wed certainly hope that they might even relook at the case, Brown said. pdanner@express-news.net Twitter: @AlamoPD This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The Obama administration is opening U.S. skies to more commercial drones with long-awaited regulations that the government hopes will spawn new businesses inspecting bridges, monitoring crops and taking aerial photography. In the most comprehensive set of rules yet for the burgeoning unmanned aircraft industry, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration on Tuesday went far beyond its original restrictive proposal issued last year. Drone operators will be able to petition the agency to fly beyond the horizon, at night and over people if they can show such flights are safe. We are in the early days of an aviation revolution that will change the way we do business, keep people safe and gather information about our world, President Barack Obama said in an interview with Bloomberg News. This is just a first step, but this is the kind of innovative thinking that helps make change work for us not only to grow the economy, but to improve the lives of the American people. The rules could be a boost for drone manufacturers such as SZ DJI Technology Co. of China, the worlds largest. U.S. companies that have been working with the FAA on expanding drone operations, such as PrecisionHawk in Raleigh, North Carolina, and AirMap Inc. of Santa Monica, California, also stand to benefit. San Antonio-based insurer and financial services company USAA, which recently employed drones to inspect property damage following hailstorms in the Alamo City and Dallas, welcomed the new regulations. The announcement by the FAA is a step in the right direction to make it easier to deploy this technology when and where we need it, USAA said in a statement. USAA previously disclosed it is investing in PrecisionHawk. The new regulations, which will become effective two months from publication in the Federal Register, took years to craft and are seen as a critical step toward realizing the potential of drones to perform such tasks as monitoring crops, inspecting power lines and pipelines as well as assisting government agencies in disasters. The basic rules permit only low-level flights that remain within sight of an operator or nearby assistant and dont go over people. Drone operators-for-hire will have to pass a written test and be vetted by the Transportation Security Administration but no longer need to be airplane pilots as current law requires. Drones under the regulation must weight less than 55 pounds and keep speeds below 100 mph. Allowing a device to be within eyesight of an assistant a change from the proposed rules industry advocates won in the final version means an operator can guide a drone by its video signal. Drone package deliveries by companies such as Amazon.com Inc. and Alphabet Inc.s Google Project Wing arent allowed under the regulations until the FAA writes separate rules governing their use. Similarly, the limitations in the regulations wont initially permit longer flights for agricultural flyovers, pipeline and utility inspections and news media photography over crowds. However, the agency heeded industry comments to its earlier proposal and added flexibility so that many such activities would be permitted under a waiver program, FAA Administrator Michael Huerta said in a telephone briefing. Our focus is to make this as streamlined as possible, Huerta said. The agency will open an online portal through which applicants can learn how to file for waivers, he said. Solving the more complex problems inherent in drone deliveries, which envision autonomous vehicles buzzing over highly populated areas, is a very active research program, Huerta said. He declined to set a timetable on when such flights would be permitted. While the rules dont apply directly to hobbyists, who dont need a license to fly if theyve registered their drones with the FAA, it lays out the governments authority to enforce aviation regulations on all unmanned aircraft. Drone-advocacy groups called the regulations a symbolic victory that paves the way for those future uses. The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International trade group forecasts drones will produce $82 billion in economic value and create more than 100,000 new jobs in the first 10 years after widespread flights are approved. This is a watershed moment in how advanced technology can improve lives, Brendan Schulman, drone maker DJIs vice president of policy and legal affairs, said in an emailed statement. After years of work, DJI and other advocates for reasonable regulation are pleased that the FAA now has a basic set of rules for integrating commercial drone operations into the national airspace. The FAAs decision to drop a requirement for a pilots license is a significant win for the industry that opens it to many more operators, Diana Cooper, PrecisionHawks senior director of policy, said in a web posting. I regard it as a significant milestone, said AUVSI President Brian Wynne, who had been pushing FAA to issue the regulations for years. Well accelerate the process of understanding what the risks are that will allow us to move on to more complex operations. For some companies, the rules didnt move fast enough. We still have a long way to go, specifically when it comes to long-distance, or beyond visual line-of-sight, drones, Tero Heinonen, chief executive officer of Sharper Shape Ltd., a Finnish-based company that has begun power-line inspections in Europe, said in a statement. The company expects to apply to the FAA for a waiver within months, Heinonen said. Voter Guide: What to know for the midterm election Your guide to the Texas and San Antonio races and candidates on the Nov. 8 ballot. The release of the rules puts the U.S. ahead of Europe in setting standards for the drone industry. The European Union has yet to adopt comprehensive rules for civilian drones, according to the European Aviation Safety Agency website. Individual nations have imposed restrictions, but they differ across borders. EASA is trying to develop rules by 2017. The FAA already has convened groups to study how to eventually allow such flights without waivers. Test programs are examining how to: approve long-range drone flights in which an operator steers with video images; make unmanned craft safe to fly over people; and expand agricultural uses. The Obama administration also announced new federal initiatives with NASA, the FAA and other government agencies to study how to broaden drone uses for tasks such as disaster response and environmental monitoring. NASA already is developing an air-traffic control system for low-altitude drones. Privacy concerns will be addressed by a new government campaign to educate operators and businesses. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration last month issued nonbinding privacy policy suggestions. Commercial drone operators will be tested on privacy issues as part of their license, according to the Obama administration. The FAA has permitted commercial drone operations those conducted for hire, as opposed to recreational flights by hobbyists who dont need a license since September 2014 under a case-by-case exemption process ordered by Congress. Drone operators under this program had to have a traditional pilots license. As of June 2, the agency had granted 6,004 such permits to fly drones commercially. The new rules codify what until now have been set out as FAA policy statements and interpretations. Express-News Staff Writer Patrick Danner contributed to this report. After years of uncertainty, Northeast Lakeview College announced Monday that it has moved one step closer to becoming an officially accredited institution. The college, established in 2007, is one of San Antonios five Alamo Colleges, but has not been accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. This means that the schools 6,000 students have to enroll in San Antonio College to get financial aid and that coursework may be difficult to transfer. The commission is the regional body of degree-granting higher education institutions. Representatives visited Lakeview in February and the board approved the schools candidacy at a recent meeting. It was a very clean visit (and) exceptionally clean report, there can be follow up questions and queries there was none of that, said Thomas Cleary, the schools interim president. The major hurdle is candidacy. The association will visit again next February, which is when Cleary said the school will most likely be eligible to offer its students federal financial aid through its candidate status. Additionally, the school will be able to add new courses and programs, which it cant do right now as it goes through the accreditation process. In June of next year, Northeast Lakeview will either be approved or denied official accreditation. The school will have to meet federal and state standards for higher ed, including maintaining certain resources, programs and educational objectives in line with the colleges mission, according to the SACSCOC principles of accreditation manual. Northeast Lakeview College submitted an application for accreditation in 2014, the month that the colleges former president, Craig Follins was hired, but the application was sent back because it needed more information. A year later, Follins left the position as president and was replaced by Thomas Cleary as an interim. The school resubmitted the application in February. llepro@express-news.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate AUSTIN A federal judge, frustrated by the lack of progress overhauling Texas broken foster care system, now has investigators cramming a years worth of work into four months. Judge Janis Graham Jack of the Southern District of Texas approved a work plan that orders nine experts to collectively spend up to 2,034 hours through September devising answers to problems that long have handicapped the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and moved children from one dangerous home to another. The court feels that not enough time has been dedicated and parties are not properly prepared, the judge wrote last week in response to a proposal that a six-person team dedicate up to 1,137 hours compiling recommendations on how to fix the system. The plan approved Monday adds three investigators and nearly doubles the amount of time the team is expected to devote to the job, but keeps the original deadline at the end of September. I think its definitely a step in the right direction, said Rick Cooke, CEO of Child Advocates of San Antonio (CASA). Whether its enough or not, I dont know. Annette Rodriguez, president and CEO of the Children's Center, had some reservations about the plan. I dont see the recent ruling to add nine experts to their work plan having an immediate effect on the local foster care system. I am concerned that once recommendations are provided to the court in September that there will be an unrealistic timetable and significant investment of financial resources needed to comply with the new requirements, Rodriguez said. Jack declared the states foster care system broken and unconstitutional last December, issuing a scathing 255-page order that required an overhaul of the entire system and concluded foster children almost uniformly leave state custody more damaged than when they entered. She found that rape, abuse, psychotropic medication, and instability are the norm. Case loads range from unsustainable to unbearable, she found, with workers often juggling some 30 cases at a time and burning out at a rate of nearly one in five per year. State officials have said the ideal case load is between 18-22. Earlier this year, Jack appointed two special masters to supervise the overhaul and produce recommendations that can be used to propose changes in the 2017 legislative session. Texas spent $403 million on foster care in fiscal 2015, the latest TDFPS annual report says. Overall, some 16,127 kids were in foster care across the state, including 1,559 in Bexar County in May, according to the departments monthly foster care report. In 2015, there were more than 5,00 children in DFPS care in Bexar County. Jack was very satisfied with the new, beefed-up work plan, said Marcia Lowry, co-counsel for the plaintiffs in the suit that led to the order. She represents A Better Childhood, a New York-based advocacy group that targets dysfunctional child welfare systems across the country. The experts on the special masters team are expected to make up to $345 an hour reviewing records and crafting recommendations, court documents show. Under the work plans estimate, the four-month query could cost Texas an estimated $600,000. Neither Jack nor spokespeople for the TDFPS and the Texas attorney generals office fighting the suit responded to requests for comment. Special master Kevin Ryan declined comment, saying the court has forbidden him from communicating to the media. The revised plan calls for the new team to spend up to 678 hours, the equivalent of 28 uninterrupted days, examining the record, trial transcript and exhibits of the lawsuit, M.D. vs Abbott. It doubles to almost 250 hours the time for researching and making recommendations on tracking caseloads, the time it takes caseworkers to complete tasks and how to keep workloads manageable enough to keep children free from unreasonable harm. While supportive of the expanded hours, state Sen. Carlos Uresti wondered if it would be sufficient. Is it enough time? That depends on the nine individuals, their backgrounds and experience, their ability to identify best practices, and their ability to work with Texas stakeholders. I have been working on this challenge for years and I can assure you there is no easy solution. But the hard steps we must take are the very least we can do for these children, Uresti said. Recommendations are expected to be rooted in findings from the trial, which also found the state has an unusual way of counting caseloads, Lowry said. Its very hard to measure where the caseload gaps are and, in fact, what the standards should be. One of the things that came out of the case is that Texas doesnt have standards, and measures caseloads in a way other states do not, she said. Caseworker turnover and inadequate placement of children are the two most daunting challenges facing how the state cares for at-risk children, and are the hardest problems to solve, said Scott McCown, University of Texas law professor and director of the Childrens Rights Clinic, which represents children in Child Protective Services cases. Theyre the most expensive to solve, McCown said. Any solutions going to be very expensive, so you have to figure out whether a proposal is really a solution, because its going to cost a lot of money, and you have to build a strong case for why you need to spend the money. Express-News Staff Writer Rye Druzin contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate It bought Spring Island only two months ago, but officials with the Comal County Water Recreational District No. 1 say their past practice of prohibiting the public from the idyllic site on the Comal River headwaters was perfectly defensible. I believe we had the legislative authority to control what happened at the island, Cecil Eager, chairman of the districts board, said Monday. The Legislature in 1937 created the taxing district, which includes much of the spring-fed lake at the rivers source, to pay for mosquito control and protect the waters purity by removing weeds, trash and flood debris. Residents of the district, who Eager said enjoyed exclusive rights to the site, installed walkways, pavilions and barbecue pits on the 1-acre island through the years as well as No Trespassing signs. But New Braunfels police stopped enforcing complaints against alleged trespassers on the island in 2013 after a local newspaper challenged district claims that it owns it. Theyre basically squatting on public property and claiming it for themselves, said Mike Reynolds, publisher of TxCitizen, at the time. Eager had backed off claims the district owned the island as the protracted title search began, saying instead that it might belong to district residents in the nearby Landa Park Highlands and Landa Park Estates. Despite tax appraisal records listing the district as the owner of the island and valuing it at nearly $500,000 the investigation revealed the property actually belonged to the Lower Colorado River Authority. LCRA spokesman Bill Lauderback said the agency acquired the island in 1972, but had not actively managed it. We do not know why the recreation district would have believed that it owned the island, he said, adding hes unaware of any LCRA authorization to the district to exclude people from the island. Lauderback said his agency learned of the title search around the time it transferred title of the island in 2015 to the Colorado River Land Trust, a nonprofit the LCRA created in 2013 to preserve the natural beauty and cultural history of the Colorado River basin. The trust then began negotiations with the district. The Comal River, the largest tributary of the Guadalupe River, isnt part of the Colorado River watershed, though Eager noted the two groups have similar conservation mandates. In April the trust sold to the district 9.46 acres of river property between Houston and Landa streets, including Spring Island and other small islands, for $300,000, he said. The districts 311 residential property owners each were billed a one-time special assessment of $1,000 to fund the purchase, he said, on top of their normal annual assessment. The last time police responded to a trespass complaint at the island was in August 2015, said City Attorney Val Acevedo, who welcomed the resolution of the island ownership quandary. The title issue has been resolved, she said Monday, and past differences over it are now moot. Leonard Dougal, the districts lawyer on the sale, said a 1925 deed on the land had reserved for nearby residents who later were included in the district the right the build structures, swim, fish and enjoy the place. Weve always believed those were exclusive rights, otherwise there would be no need to include them in the deed, he said Monday. Because they were exclusive rights, the district that manages the property had grounds to exclude people from the property. Eager also defended the district restricting public access to the island as proper even when it didnt own it. Weve had legislative authority since 1937 to carry out conservation and to provide recreational opportunities for the taxpayers of the water district, he said. Obviously, now that we have a title that we can show authorities, that gives us even more standing than we had with our legislative mandate. zeke@express-news.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Last month, National Park Service resource manager Jack Johnson and biologist Peter Sprouse descended into a cave and pulled out a 3-inch pale catfish with no eyes. The scientists had found a Mexican blindcat at Amistad National Recreation Area in Val Verde County about 10 miles from Del Rio. The nearest spot where scientists found them before then was about 30 miles away in Mexico, said Dean Hendrickson, a curator of ichthyology at the University of Texas at Austin who has studied the fish for decades and learned to keep them in captivity. Theres this big aquifer in Coahuila where these things live, Hendrickson said, referring to the nearby Mexican border state. These things have been around for a long time. They live in the cave in this geology, so we also expected theyd be on the Texas side because of the geology. The aquifer Hendrickson mentioned is part of the Edwards-Trinity Aquifer system, a belt of water-bearing rock layers that stretches from Oklahoma across Central Texas and into Mexico. Scientists with the Edwards Aquifer Authority are studying exactly how water flows between the Trinity and Edwards aquifers in Central Texas. The EAA itself was a product of legal battles in the 1990s to save cave- and spring-dwelling species on the federal endangered list. The blindcat is listed as endangered in Mexico and as a foreign endangered species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. That agencys officials were not available for comment Monday. Johnson had thought that he saw the fish in an Amistad cave in April 2015, but it took five visits to get it in a net, said Sprouse, a cave specialist and partner in biological consulting company Zara Environmental. Using climbing equipment, he and Johnson descended about 65 feet down a vertical column of rock until they hit a still pool of clear water. Thats when they saw the fish. They move pretty slowly, Sprouse said. They were quite easy to catch. They dont have any predators in their habitat. They hustled to get them across the lake to the Parks Service office. Soon, they were driving the fish hundreds of miles to Austin to be placed in Hendricksons care, Sprouse said. The two a male and a female, Hendrickson thinks are now being housed at the San Antonio Zoo, where vice president of conservation and research Dante Fenolio works to preserve assurance colonies of cave species from across the United States and from abroad in case of ecological disaster. The reason for that is that I could envision a day when something tragic happens to that part of the aquifer, (such as) a contamination event, Fenolio said. We might have to take some of these animals into protective custody for their own good. If confirmed, the Mexican blindcat would join two other species of blind catfish found in Texas: the toothless blindcat and the widemouth blindcat, which live hundreds of feet below San Antonio in the Edwards Aquifer. The only way to find them is when they come out of wells, so theyre very difficult to detect, Sprouse said. Whereas the species in Del Rio is really close to the top of the aquifer. While the scientists are focused on studying and preserving the fish, the discovery raises some big questions about endangered species, a thirsty population expanding at a high rate, and the laws and regulations meant to balance those interests. In Bexar, Medina and Uvalde counties and in parts of Guadalupe, Hays, Comal and Caldwell counties, the Edwards Aquifer Authority strictly regulates how much water people can remove from the underground aquifer that supports 2 million people in San Antonio and Central Texas. In dry times, users can have their pumping cut by up to 40 percent. Without endangered species, the EAA would not exist. A Sierra Club lawsuit over how pumping would affect the Texas blind salamander and other cave dwellers led the Legislature to create the EAA. But in sparsely populated Val Verde County on the border, no groundwater district controls how much people can remove from the Edwards-Trinity Aquifer. We call them the white areas, said Kilgore water attorney Russ Johnson, who represented the San Antonio Water System during litigation over the Edwards and the creation of the EAA. Theres no regulation whatsoever. This lack of regulation was a selling point when a group called the Val Verde Water Co. attempted to sell Edwards-Trinity water to SAWS. Instead, SAWS is opting for the Vista Ridge pipeline to tap water from the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer below Burleson County. Johnson pointed out that one endangered species already lives in rivers in Val Verde County fed by underground springs on the aquifer: the Devils River minnow. If pumpers were to take too much water from the rivers, they could face a challenge under the Endangered Species Act, he said. The situation could be similar if the Mexican blindcat eventually makes it on the endangered species list, he said. This would add a potential obstacle, if you will, to the development of the groundwater, he said. The question is obviously what impact groundwater production might have on the habitat of this blind catfish. For now, Hendricksons focus is on confirming the specimens identity through genetic testing, while Fenolio is working to create the perfect blindcat sanctuary at the zoo. The animals that live in the groundwater are incredibly valuable to us in that they cant leave the groundwater environment, Fenolio said. If the aquifer gets contaminated or dried out from overpumping, theres nowhere else for them to go, just like people who rely on the same source, he said. If you keep tabs on the general health of the population of the organisms that live there, you have a really good chance of being informed of something bad thats happening with the water, he said. Video by Zara Environmental LLC bgibbons@express-news.net, Twitter: @bgibbs Even if Anthony had a year to analyze and dissect each piece...(he couldn't tell if it would)... stand the harsh light of public exposure. WUWT insider Willis Eschenbach tells you all you need to know about Anthony Watts and his blog, WattsUpWithThat (WUWT). As part of his scathing commentary , Wondering Willis accuses Anthony Watts of being clueless about the blog articles he posts. To paraphrase: Click here to read more. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Since the 1950s, gay culture has helped shape and transform Fiesta, a positive reflection of inclusion in San Antonios largest citywide event, according to a scholar who will speak at a Pride Month event today. Amy Stone, associate professor of sociology and anthropology at Trinity University, has studied LGBTI involvement at festivals in four cities in the South and found that San Antonio compares well in participation, in running events, marching in and watching parades and being seen out in public. Its good news in the wake of the June 12 mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, she said. Theres a lot of LGBTI involvement at Fiesta events in ways that people really like, Stone said. We talk a lot about rights, but a lot of inequality is about culture. If we say that Fiesta is a time for the whole city to come together, but we dont include space for LGBTI, that says something about us as a city. Stone will discuss ways that the visibility of the citys lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex community is part of a transformation of the festival, a news release stated. The forum at 6:30 p.m. in the Central Library Auditorium, 600 Soledad St., is one of six such events the San Antonio Public Library has set for June. In an article last year for Out in SA, Stone wrote that Fiestas satirical Cornyation was an important part of the democratization of Fiesta into an event that is more inclusive of everyone who lives in San Antonio. One of the most important ways that Cornyation has made Fiesta more inclusive is as a place where audience members could see gay art and culture, along with some of the best festival satire in the city, she wrote. According to the Fiesta San Antonio website, Cornyation dates to 1951, when it was staged at the Arneson River Theatre as part of A Night in Old San Antonio. The show stopped running as part of NIOSA in 1964 but was permanently revived in 1982, and now is one of Fiestas most popular events, held at the Empire Theatre. Other Fiesta events, including the Chili Queens Chili Cook-Off, as well as parade parties and unofficial events have become popular in the LGBTI community. Tuesdays presentation follows other OUT events held by the library system this month, including forums on coming out, doing business as an LGBTI entrepreneur and HIV prevention. The series ends with a program on the transgender coming out process, at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Forest Hills Branch Library, 5245 Ingram Road. We spent a lot of time putting these programs together, said Sandra Griffin, adult services librarian at Forest Hills. Nobody knew what was going to happen in Orlando. The library system, with a mission to change lives through the transformative power of information, imagination and ideas, holds similar monthlong observances of Hispanic, African American and womens heritage. More information on local LGBTI issues and resources are on the librarys website, at guides.mysapl.org/pride. shuddleston@express-news.net Twitter: @shuddlestonSA It is a very chaotic time for the San Antonio Police Officers Association, as union President Mike Helle put it last week in an email to rank-and-file officers. Helle is trying to persuade a majority of the unions 2,150 members that a mediated settlement with the city on a new labor contract is a good deal. At the same time, Mayor Ivy Taylor must convince a majority of council that the agreement is beneficial for the city. This is going to be a very chaotic next few days as you hear from multiple sources how we agreed to a deal with the City, Helle wrote. Only a handful of people know the truth and I would encourage you to ask questions and focus on who really has all the facts. There will be supporters and there will be naysayers hell bent on spreading misinformation. At this point, simply more information would help. That arrived late Monday, when the city released to me the settlement agreement. Before that, the city had only released some details. For instance, the agreement includes a 3 percent lump sum bonus for officers this year, then 14 percent salary increases over the next four years. The contracts contentious evergreen clause, which keeps most of the terms intact after the agreement expires, would decrease from 10 years to eight years. Officers still would pay no health insurance premiums. They would pay monthly premiums for their spouses and children only if they opt for a so-called value plan, but they would continue to pay no premiums for spouses or children if they opt for a high-deductible plan. In a newsletter sent last week to constituents about the settlement, the mayor announced a victory for unity. Since we started down this path, I consistently stated that we wanted a contract that is fair to our employees and affordable for taxpayers, Taylor wrote. Im proud to say that this mediated agreement does both. For those who are interested, you can review the complete terms, here. Click, however, and you are whisked to a press release: a skimpy page and a half of bullet points. Clearly, these are not the complete terms, but rather a partial summary of the deal. Even the mayors staunch ally, Councilman Joe Krier, was left wanting more. Krier told me early Monday that the press release was all that hes seen of the agreement. I come from the Ronald Reagan era of trust but verify, Krier said. Im going to trust that whats in the press release is accurate, but Im going to have it verified. We need to have a public hearing on this thing as soon as possible, he added. It is a very generous agreement (for the union). Kriers wariness belied the unity that officials presented last week at a press conference on the steps of City Hall, where Helle embraced the mayor and made a show of shaking each council members hand. A day earlier, in his message to union members, Helle described the process as more cutthroat: During the Mediation, we realized the City leadership, led by Mayor Ivy Taylor, sincerely wanted to end all the acrimony and finalize a deal. We took advantage of the opening The mediation process produced a strong package of pay and benefits, with multiple options to protect you and your family. Yet, many among the rank and file remain wary of the terms, according to an officer who requested anonymity. The raise is going to be offset by these premiums, the officer said, adding that the deductibles and the benefits to (the no-premium plan) are high and are not beneficial to the officers. The officer also groused about terms that he said would require police to keep driving certain vehicles until they reach 100,000 miles, an increase in mileage. Thats a biggie for these guys, the officer said. This is their office. Helle was right on one point: all of us police officers, council members, taxpayers should focus on who really has all the facts. Now that the city has released the full agreement, those facts are available. WASHINGTON The U.S. Senate on Monday failed to advance four measures aimed at curbing gun sales, the latest display of congressional inaction after a mass shooting. Eight days after a gunman claiming allegiance to the Islamic State killed 49 people in a nightclub in Orlando, Florida, the Senate deadlocked, largely along party lines, on amendments to block people on the federal terrorism watch list from buying guns and to close loopholes in background check laws. Families of victims of gun violence looked on from the Senate chamber as the votes were held. Further action on gun safety measures or mental health provisions seemed unlikely before the fall election, given the rush to finish a series of spending bills and the relatively limited time that Congress will be in session before November. In addition, the four gun measures were attached to legislation that contains several other thorny issues, such as whether to take passports away from terrorism suspects, which suggests that there will be little chance for further debate. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, has been working on a compromise, disliked by both party leaders, that would bar the sale of guns to terrorism suspects who appear on either the governments no-fly list or the so-called selectee list of people who receive additional scrutiny at airports. That bill, which is not as broad as a Democratic watch-list measure that failed Monday, could surface later in the week. Partisanship and the power of the gun lobby played a large role in the amendments failures. Democrats structured their bills in a way that was almost certain to repel Republicans, while Republicans responded with bills equally distasteful to Democrats. Democrats vowed to hammer Republicans during the campaign this fall. Our constituents see a disturbing pattern of inaction, Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada, the Democratic leader, said Monday on the Senate floor. Sadly, our efforts are blocked by the Republican Congress, who take their marching orders from the National Rifle Association. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, the highest-ranking Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, introduced one of the failed measures, which could have prevented anyone on the federal terrorism watch list and other terrorist databases from buying firearms or explosives. Democrats tried unsuccessfully to pass the measure after the shooting in San Bernardino, California, in December. Its time for us to stand up, Feinstein said. Republicans, arguing that the list of people affected would be too broad and that the measure would not offer proper due process, put forward a competing measure by Sen John Cornyn of Texas that the NRA backed. That amendment would have required the government to delay, during a 72-hour review period, the purchase of a gun by anyone who is a terrorism suspect or has been the subject of a terrorism investigation within the past five years. No one wants terrorists to be able to buy guns or explosives, Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, said Monday on the Senate floor. The NRA said in a statement before the vote that if an investigation uncovers evidence of terrorist activity or involvement, the government should be allowed to immediately go to court, block the sale and arrest the terrorist. At the same time, due process protections should be put in place that allow law-abiding Americans who are wrongly put on a watch list to be removed. The two other measures that failed included one offered by Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., who led a filibuster last week to make a point on guns. His measure sought to tighten background checks for gun buyers at gun shows and on the internet. Republicans offered a measure that was more focused on the mental health system. That plan by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, increased money for the background check system. It also revamped language prohibiting some people with mental health issues from buying a gun. Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has largely supported the positions of most Republicans who want to preserve gun rights. Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee, has made her support for gun control a central part of her campaign. The votes were taken the same day the Supreme Court declined to hear a Second Amendment challenge to a Connecticut law, enacted in 2013 after the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, that bans many semi-automatic rifles. Mondays votes were 53-47 for Grassleys plan, 44-56 for Murphys, 53-47 for Cornyns and 47-53 for Feinsteins all short of the 60 needed. The Associated Press contributed to this report. SALEM, Ohio The soil in a farmers fields isnt going to get better by itself. Thats the lesson from Soil Health Day held June 16 in Carroll County. The Eastern Ohio Grazing Council and the Crop Production Partnership joined forces to offer the event. Frank Gibbs, a soil scientist and Natural Resources Conservation Service retiree, spoke at the event. He recently formed Wetland and Soil Consulting Services after retiring from 36 years with NRCS in Ohio. He is a fifth generation farmer on his family farm near Rawson, Ohio, in western Ohio. He made it clear that the soil found in farm fields is not going to improve unless farmers take steps to stop the loss of topsoil and bring earthworms back to the ground. Gibbs has first-hand knowledge of what a steady corn and soybean rotation is doing to fields, adding that fewer farmers are growing wheat in their crop rotations. Yet, he feels there is clear evidence that farmers need to incorporate wheat and cover crops such as rye cereal grain or oilseed radishes into their rotation in order to develop good soil. Tillage tools Gibbs said farmers may have turned to no-till farming, but some are still using accelerators or other tillage tools. He has found that accelerators often seal off the ground, which means that when fields get heavy rains, the water runs right off of them. He said that the soil is getting tighter and less porous than ever before due to compaction issues and the overuse of tillage tools. And, in his opinion, parts of western Ohio are set to blow more phosphorus out into Lake Erie than ever before. Earthworm population Gibbs also testified to the benefits of developing the soils earthworm population in the ground. He said that the earthworms mean that the soil is healthy. But to get to that point will mean a cover crop has to be planted so that the earthworms have something to eat. Five principles Gibbs said there are five principles of soil health that all farmers need to pay attention to in their fields. They include limiting the soil disturbance, which means limited tillage tools. Gibbs urges farmers to include soil microbial diversity. This means that farmers need to find cover crops that will encourage earthworm populations in the soil. He added that cover crops are also necessary to grow living roots year-round, which helps the soil to stay in the place and reduce water runoff. Gibbs said farmers need to keep their soil covered, meaning farmers need to keep a crop rotation moving with wheat or a cover crop. And, last but not least, farmers need to be stringent on reducing compaction in fields. Compaction Gibbs said grain carts are one of the biggest culprits when it comes to compaction. He said they haul a lot of weight and its not spaced out, which causes compaction. Gibbs said that the first time a farmer drives over piece of ground, it means 70 percent of the top soil is compacted. Compaction isnt a problem that takes a long time to create all it takes is one tire over a piece of ground and compaction has occurred, he said. Traffic plan Gibbs urges farmers to come up with a traffic plan and control all unnecessary traffic in fields. He added that if a farm can work to get their wheel bases the same width, then it will mean less compaction. Gibbs knows farmers make excuses about the weather stopping them from managing their soil, but he said that just cant happen the only way to keep soil healthy or to bring health back is by constant management. The weather keeps throwing things at us. Weve got to learn to make it work, said Gibbs. Regulations Gibbs was blunt with the audience that farmers have got to show that they are stepping up to prevent phosphorus runoff in order to avoid future regulations. And instead of talking to other farmers about what they are doing on their farm, Gibbs suggested farmers start conversations with non-farm people and show them what is being done a farm so they understand about crop production and how phosphorus runoff is being handled. SALEM, Ohio The Slow Moving Vehicle sign has been a legal requirement in Ohio for 50 years, and the creation of the sign goes back even further. Engineers from Ohio State Universitys Department of Agricultural Engineering played a key role in developing and promoting the sign. In the June 16 edition of Farm and Dairy, we printed an infographic to help show the historical markers in the signs history. While a simple sign, this one design has helped save many lives and keep motorists and farmers safe. Blue and White Scholastic Foundation Inc (002).jpg From left: Anna Rittle and Connie Silvius, of Merchants Bank, present a check to Louise Comunale and David Ceraul, the Blue & White Scholastic Foundation. Connie Greenamoyer, of Merchants Bank is at right. (Special to Lehighvalleylive.com) In support of The Blue & White Scholastic Foundation Inc.'s mission of supporting Slate Belt catholic schools Merchants Bank has donated $5,000 to their organization. The Blue & White foundation provides scholarships, student financial aid services, and academic awards to students. The centenary of the birth of JCBs Founder was today marked with the unveiling of a specially commissioned bronze bust. Joseph Cyril Bamford CBE was born on June 21st, 1916 at the family home, The Parks, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, the son of Cyril and Dolores Bamford. As a youngster playtime was spent building cars and boats early signs of an inventive flair which would see him become one of Britains most celebrated engineers. When Mr Bamford retired in 1975 and handed over to his son Anthony, the company he founded in a lock-up garage in Uttoxeter in October 1945 was turning over more than 43 million a year and employing hundreds of people. He had also become universally known as Mr JCB as well as Jamais Content Bamford, thanks to his unwavering drive to do things better. The bust will now be on permanent display at JCBs World HQ Today his sons Lord Bamford and Mark Bamford and his grandson Jo Bamford marked the centenary of his birth and his many achievements by unveiling the one and a quarter scale bronze bust at JCBs World HQ in Rocester. It is the work of another innovative son of Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent-born sculptor Andrew Edwards, 52, who has spent five months creating the image of Mr Bamford in his 1960s heyday when JCB was establishing itself on the world stage. Lord Bamford said: "My father was without doubt an engineering genius and we wanted to mark the centenary of his birth and the huge contribution he made to Staffordshire and to Great Britain. "We are delighted with the bust and its very fitting that it has been created in the county of his birth and by a sculptor whose talent was developed right here in Staffordshire." The bust will now be on permanent display at JCBs World HQ and will be seen by the thousands of visitors who pass through the companys doors every year. Andrew Edwards said: "I am always extremely nervous when I undertake projects of this nature because they are so very personal to the family members involved. "By working closely with the Bamford family I believe weve created a wonderful likeness of someone who is undoubtedly one of Staffordshires most famous sons. It has been an honour to have undertaken this work." The bust weighs around 50kgs and stands around 700mm high. Its not the first bust of Mr JCB to be commissioned; a smaller one was cast in 1964 and presented to him by employees in gratitude of a 250,000 bonus he shared with the workforce after a record year. That work of art sits on Mr JCBs original desk in the Story of JCB permanent exhibition at the World HQ. There are positive moves in the dairy sector, but farmers need to see returns improving. NFU dairy board chairman Michael Oakes says with the outlook in the dairy sector looking a little brighter, it is critical that dairy farmers see money going back to the farm gate quickly and not stuck in the supply chain. Following a global supply and demand imbalance that has sent dairy commodity prices and the price farmers are paid for their milk plummeting - there is renewed hope that the bottom of the trough has been reached. Mr Oakes said: "Its been the longest and deepest crisis anyone in the dairy sector can remember and clearly current farmgate prices are not sustainable. "Its still early days but from what were seeing on the futures markets, its looking like things could be on the cusp of improving. "Supply is pulling back across the world and there are reports that dairy consumption will be bigger than the growth in production this year. "On farm weve seen price increases, a few price holds and although no overall change on the last Global Dairy Trade auction, this follows two positive auctions. "Some traders are concerned where they will source products for the end of the year so the right signs are there. "However, we must remain cautious. Its important to stress that many farmers are receiving a low price for their milk, so despite any small increases, they will still be extremely low. "And how quickly we get back to a sustainable level no-one knows maybe six months or even longer. So there is still a long way to go." East Anglian pig producers and farmers in the region are being encouraged to attend an AHDB Pork meeting, titled Maintaining water quality in East Anglia; with the view of helping secure the future of outdoor pig production. The meeting will be held from 2.45pm-5.30pm on Monday 27 June at The George Hotel, Swaffham, Norfolk and Andrew Palmer, AHDB Porks knowledge exchange manager for the east, explains why producers should attend. "The meeting will bring farmers and industry stakeholders together to discuss the issue of maintaining drinking water quality in East Anglia. "Its a great opportunity for producers and water companies to start working collaboratively and we believe that together we can help safeguard the future of outdoor production," says Andrew. "When not managed correctly, farming practices can cause issues for water companies in terms of contaminating drinking water supplies. "The meeting will help farmers to understand the issues water companies are facing and will also help them review and learn about farming techniques that will help protect watercourses," he adds. Explaining the format of the meeting, Andrew says that various industry stakeholders will be presenting but open discussion will be key to the events success. "A representative from Anglian Water will talk about the importance of maintaining water quality and the key issues that theyre facing. "Following this, an environment officer from the Environment Agency (EA) will highlight the key regulations pig farmers face," explains Andrew. "Attendees will then be given the opportunity to have an open discussion about their experiences before receiving practical management tips from the Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG). "A review of the current resources and support that is available from AHDB Pork will also take place towards the end of the meeting," he adds. "I really would urge producers in the region to come along to what promises to be an informative afternoon. The aim of this meeting isnt to point the finger its about moving forwards and working together to safeguard the future of outdoor pig production." The meeting will start promptly at 2.45pm on Monday 27 June 2016 at The George Hotel, Swaffham, Norfolk PE37 7LJ. The European Milk Board (EMB) has today blamed the EU for still implementing a 'scorched earth policy,' in regards to dairy overproduction. The EMB said: "Without a tool that allows for capping of milk production volume in times of crises, this policy will continue to harm not only milk producers, but up and downstream sectors as well." Yesterday, European milk producers engaged in intensive discussions with MEPs and representatives about ways to put the brakes on such developments and the role of the European Parliament in this regard. All those present agreed that an EU-wide solution must be found to reduce overproduction. Adam Siekierski, the President of the European Parliaments Committee for Agriculture, declared that: "The EU should provide the necessary financial means for cutting milk volumes." President of the European Milk Board (EMB) Romuald Schaber highlights the responsibility of the European Commission in this context: "The Commission must show the will and provide the funds to make it possible to implement voluntary production cuts across the EU. "Those who produce less should receive a bonus payment, these voluntary production cuts should not be something that can theoretically be implemented at national level; they should apply to all producers in all 28 Member States. "This is the only way for the measures to be enforced and truly effective." 'Pure export promotion and overproduction' The EMB's Market Responsibility Programme - a plan for the dairy sector during times of crisis - expressly includes voluntary production cuts at EU level. Many MEPs have acknowledged the severity of the situation in the dairy sector and are calling for instruments to cap volumes. "The Parliament can gather support and it must also play its part with respect to the milk crisis. "It cannot allow itself to be pushed into the background by the European Commission and the Member States," says Schaber, stressing the need for a stronger role for this EU institution in issues related to the dairy sector. "Farmers, rural areas as a whole, and consumers are depending on the will and assertiveness of their European representatives. "After all, the scorched earth policy - which is causing major damage within and outside the EU through pure export promotion and overproduction - must be replaced by a policy that promotes the healthy and sustainable development of rural areas." Yesterdays meeting in the EU Parliament had been organised jointly by the European Milk Board and MEPs of different political groups. Lidl has today announced its commitment to the National Farmers Union Fruit and Vegetable Pledge. Championing best practice in the fresh produce sector, the code is designed to cultivate strong and long-standing relationships between retailers, intermediaries and growers. The commitment shows a working goal towards a sustainable approach for all of its growers. Lidl says it has gained an 'in-depth understanding of the importance of developing long-term relationships with growers'. The supermarket says this enables them to invest and grow, contributing to a profitable British fresh produce sector. Backing the Fruit and Veg pledge highlights commitment to putting security for suppliers, fair terms, price certainty and elimination of waste top of the agenda. Supermarkets who accept the pledge continue to endeavour steps beyond these responsibilities, ensuring customers have faith in every step of sourcing policy. Generating integrity and honesty in horticultural sector Ali Capper, NFU horticulture and potatoes board chair said: "We are delighted that Lidl has publicly committed to our pledge, highlighting its commitment to long-term supply relationships, equitable distribution of reward along the supply chain, and fair and respectful trading relationships. "Our goal is to generate integrity, honesty and openness across the market and that can only come from the key asks within our pledge which includes price certainty, transparent working and strong, long term relationships that are fair for everyone involved." Ryan McDonnell, Commercial Director for Lidl UK, said: "We are very proud to have developed and maintained strong, long-standing relationships with all our suppliers, and our commitment to the NFU pledge cements this further. "Were also very keen to ensure that our sourcing process supports the growth and development of UK growers, which is vital in encouraging more and more people, particularly our shoppers, to regularly eat more fruit and veg." Commitments to the NFU Fruit and Veg Pledge include: 1. Treat all suppliers fairly, at all times and in accordance with the Groceries Supply Code of Practice. 2. Build long-term relationships with growers that offer certainty and stability. 3. Offer production programmes as far in advance as possible of the crop being required. 4. Offer greater price certainty to growers. 5. Pay all suppliers on time, in full and always consult with suppliers in advance of any changes to payment terms and conditions. 6. Seek to plan promotional activity in advance with growers and seek to adopt a flexible, production led approach to the timing of promotions. 7. Reduce wastage, eliminate costs and add more value to the supply chain by seeking out opportunities to utilise the whole crop and adopting realistic product specifications. 8. Communicate directly with grower suppliers so that they can better understand consumers needs and the production challenges that growers face and be flexible to changes in supply. 9. Seek to adopt a joined up business plan across all aspects of your business and throughout your supply chain. 10. When in season, commit to increasing the proportion of British fruit and vegetables that are available for consumers to buy. 11. Contribute to investment in horticultural research, development and product innovation that benefits consumers. This is a sad time for our gay community. We feel the pain over the loss of 49 of our brothers and sisters in Orlando. A senseless slaughter by a man fighting himself, plagued by his own "internalized homophobia". "He is killing the homosexual side of himself in a jihadist situation. He believes he is going to heaven to be a hero," said Dr. Michael Stone, a professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University. When I first heard the news that this massacre happened in a gay night club, and his father's comment that his son was upset when he saw two men kissing in Miami, I knew he was a real "closet case." Living in a closet hiding his real self. The pressure on him was great. "He had the mindset coming from an Afghani family because many of the people out there aren't even allowed to read. They represent the most backward and radicalized aspects of Muslim faith", Dr. Stone added. In many parts of the Muslim world, including Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, homosexuality is considered a grave sin punishable by death -- with suspected gay men often shoved to their deaths from rooftops, based on a radical interpretation of Islamic Law. That is worse than a young Catholic man growing up gay on Conservative Staten island prior to the Stonewall Revolution of 1969. Dr. Sam Juni, a professor of applied psychology at NYU, added, "The shooter's homosexual feelings in the face of his father's fervent anti-gay stance could have made him snap." "If the father is anti-homosexual, he may want to identify with him, thinking, 'I see it your way, father. It's a way to prove his disavowal, a way of combating a demon he had inside". The assumption would be that the person has had some temptations toward homosexuality, which part of them really condemns, so they would react with extreme hate." His self-loathing caused the worst attack in American history. It is with heavy hearts we will march down Fifth Avenue this Sunday, June 26, from noon to 6 p.m. We have to march, we need to show our pride and not let one man's "internalized homophobia" rule our lives. To our straight allies, if you ever wanted to do something to right a wrong, to show your support for our LGBT community, come to cheer us on. Your support will energize us. If you have never been to a Gay Pride parade you are missing the best show in town. The parade is who we really are, loud and proud. The sun will shine and 49 special angels will smile down on us. Hybu Cig Cymru Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) is launching an exclusive competition for members of its Butchers Club with a meat cutting contest during the Royal Welsh Show. Two successful applicants will be selected to compete for the top spot, by showcasing their brilliant butchery skills and product innovation to create a Royal Welsh Show-stopping retail display using Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef. The winner will be awarded the HCC Butchers Club Butcher of the Year title trophy, a three course meal for two at one of HCCs Welsh Lamb Club restaurants as well as access to exclusive promotional activity. "The competition is open to owners, managers and butchers of any business that is a member of HCCs Butchers Club," explained Melanie Cargill, HCCs UK Market Development Officer. "For the application process, butchers are required to explain why they should be crowned HCCs Butcher of the Year and outline how they maximise sales. "HCCs Butchers Club consists of extremely talented butchers with superior skills and innovative ideas, and we are keen to recognise their capabilities and award them for their abilities. "We look forward to receiving the applications before the closing date 1 July 2016 - and to hosting a heated contest on the HCC stand at the Royal Welsh Show." A young member of HCCs Butchers Club recently tasted success in the Welsh heat of the WorldSkills butchery competition. Peter Rushforth from Swans Farm Shop in Mold was the highest scoring Welsh butcher after completing two challenges which saw the butchers tasked with seaming a full topside of beef in 45 minutes and produce a barbecue display in an hour-and-a-half. Industry consultant Viv Harvey, who was also a judge, praised the contestants for their high level of ability and said that the standard of the competition gets better and better every year. "It was a very good judging session," he said. "They were very, very close. A good range of quality skills was demonstrated and, as far as the judges go, we had a challenge on our hands. "Normally you will get a competition where you will get a weaker one who stands out right from the beginning, but this time it was very, very close and, at the end of the competition, it actually came down to weighing the product to see about uniformity and portion control." The six highest-scoring competitors across three Worldskills heats (Wales, Northern Ireland and England) will go head to head in the WorldSkills final, which is sponsored by HCC. It will take place at the NEC in Birmingham from 17-19 November 2016. Over half of Scottish farmers are pessimistic about the outlook for 2016 and beyond. The survey, by Johnston Carmichael, shows a contrast to the accountancy firms 2015 survey which revealed a broadly upbeat mood. Of the farm businesses who responded to the questionnaire, 69% highlight output prices and 61% input costs as the main areas of concern, an increase on the 2015 figures of 54% and 44% respectively. Both of these issues have a significant bearing on the profitability of farm businesses, but because they are shaped by global market forces farmers have limited control. The survey also reveals concerns over tax ranked at number three, followed by land reform and the viability of finance/funding, ranked equally at number four. Retirement and recruitment/staffing take sixth and seventh place respectively. The Scottish agricultural sector is an important contributor to the Scottish economy, not just in its own right but by producing output for additional process in downstream sectors for instance the beer and whisky industries, dairy products, abattoirs and meat processing. Neil Steven, agricultural partner at Johnston Carmichael, says that given that the profitability of the Scottish agricultural sector is heavily dependent on subsidies, this is an important issue for farmers. "The drop in prices across the board for farming produce, coupled with the reduction and delay in subsidy payments, has affected not only the working capital of farming businesses but also had a knock-on impact for suppliers to the agricultural industry. "Whilst lenders have generally been supportive during this period, their assistance will not be open-ended. "Therefore, all farms need to prepare and review their business plans and make operational changes where appropriate regarding existing systems or diversify into other land-based activities." Land Reform At the end of April this year, the Scottish Governments Land Reform Act was given Royal Assent. The legislated changes include the right-to-buy to further sustainable development for communities, removal of exemption from non-domestic rates for shootings and deer forest along with agricultural holdings legislation regarding new forms of tenancies, changing procedure for rent reviews and expanding assignation and successful provision. 46% of respondents to the survey felt that these changes would decrease land values, nearly double the 22% who expressed this opinion last year, with only 40% confident that land values would be retained, a significant drop from the 65% last year. Those farmers surveyed who felt land values would increase has remained at 14%. For applicable respondents who rent land, there has also been a move towards a decrease in rental values. Investment Investment within the farming industry is normally ongoing and is typically debt-financed, but in recent years the level of debt within agriculture has increased because it is often used as the primary means to finance investment. In the forthcoming year 28% of respondents to the survey plan to undertake major capital investment, only a slight reduction on the 31% last year. This is a similar figure to the 25% of farm businesses last year 31% - seeking additional debt finance from their lenders. Neil Steven says that although investment on qualifying expenditure does bring favourable tax reliefs through capital allowances (in particular the annual investment allowance), this would not be repeated unless similar levels of investment are made each year. "Its interesting to see there is only a slight drop in major investment plans despite the negative outlook. "This could be interpreted in a few ways: for example an investment could be planned to the existing farming system to promote growth and improve profitability, or an investment could be made into a new venture to spread the business risk." Business and succession and retirement Succession planning is a vital component for any business strategy and this includes the agricultural businesses who responded to the survey. The percentage of respondents who have a plan in place remains at 45%, leaving a majority who still need to implement one which, given the ageing demographic of business owners, is a high percentage. On the flip side, it is reassuring to note that 75% of respondents have a Will in place and 73% have made financial provision for retirement, especially as 75% of respondents are over the age of 50. However 43% of respondents, compared with 57% last year, will need to draw on funding from the farming business, although 82% of these respondents do have a private pension. Neil Steven believes this suggests that in many instances life-time pension saving has not kept pace with expected funding requirements for retirement either via levels of contribution, performance of policies, starting to save too late or a combination of these factors. Renewables A new question for this year on renewables found that 37% of farm businesses surveyed have renewable energy enterprises on their property. The income from this has been as expected for 42% of those who responded, more than expected for 16% and 21% less than expected, with the remainder too soon to tell. Imperative the younger generation get a foot in the door Neil Steven believes that, in the short-term, the direction of travel around output and input prices may mean some farmers will need to confront big and difficult choices surrounding the future of their business and how these are inter-linked with other cash flow requirements. "There are clearly challenges in the medium to longer term outlook which include structural and demographic issues such as labour supply, the ageing profile of those who work in the industry and finding effective structures to accommodate the divergence of farm ownership from operational management. "Its also imperative that the younger generation get a foot in the door of the industry as they have the ideas, energy and aspirations to make a career in farming although they might not necessarily have the financial capability to make an upfront capital investment. "Even with this challenging outlook for the primary growers of Scotlands produce, the profile and quality of Scotlands food and drink sector remains strong and a positive differentiator in the market place. "This means market opportunities will be there so it is vital for farmers to align their home grown produce to market requirements in a cost-efficient manner, by making appropriate and timely decisions to enhance profit and cash flow." The UKs agricultural industry has been at the heart of the EU referendum debate because of the EUs farming subsidies and the sectors sensitivity to price changes and tariffs. However, many people are still unclear on how the referendums outcome will affect this key part of our economy. With the EU referendum on June 23 drawing closer, the UK200Group the UKs leading membership association of quality-assured independent chartered accountancy and law firms has asked the official Remain and Leave campaigns a number of key questions, as posed by its members and their clients. Three of the 30 questions in the report address how the agricultural industry would be affected by the outcome of the vote. What would happen with farming subsidies? The Remain campaign said: "The European Agriculture Fund for Rural Development, where Britain gets 1.4bn from 2014 to 2020, and CAP funding, where the EU has earmarked 20bn for UK farmers until 2020, are vital sources of income for our farmers. "Many of them rely on it for income and may not be able to sustain themselves without this money. Outside of the EU, our access to this crucial funding would be lost. "The leave campaigns make all sorts of promises about spending fictional savings on the NHS, on agriculture, on schools, but the reality is that leaving the EU would wreck our economy. "Vote Leave have already been called out on having a 14bn black hole in their spending plans, so farmers cannot trust them on their fantasy plan for Britain outside the EU." The Leave campaign said: "It is not necessary to be a member of the scheme to guarantee funding or subsidies - the UK supported those who produce its food for years before joining the EU, and would continue to do so after we Vote Leave. "British farmers would continue to be supported after we Vote Leave. Switzerland, Norway, and Iceland all support their farming sectors outside the EU and the CAP. "In fact, the payments made by these countries are actually more generous than those paid by the EU to member states. "David Cameron has guaranteed that British farmers would continue to be supported, writing to the Country Land and Business Association (CLA: 'As long as I am Prime Minister, I would make sure that an agricultural support system would be properly maintained' and appears to commit that he would expect any future Conservative government to do likewise." What changes would there be, if any, to import and export tariffs on agricultural or other commodity prices? The Remain campaign said: "If the UK left the EU and did not secure a free trade agreement with it, future UK-EU trade would take place on WTOterms. "Some leave campaigners back this option. Under WTO terms, the EU could apply Most Favoured Nation MFN) tariffs on imports from the UK including agricultural imports." "This would make UK exports to the EU more expensive, hitting our trade. "The EU applies an average tariff of 14% on agricultural imports from non-EU countries (including countries with special arrangements with the EU like Norway and Switzerland). "Tariffs could be higher on some products for example, up to 42% for some dairy products." The Leave campaign said: "The independent House of Commons Library concluded that EU membership actually increases the costs of consumer goods. "It stated that the EUs Common Agricultural Policy artificially inflates food prices and that consumer prices across a range of other goods imported from outside the EU are raised as a result of the common external tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade imposed by the EU. "These include footwear (a 17% tariff), bicycles (15% tariff) and a range of clothing (12% tariff). "If we Vote Leave, the UK is certain to strike a free trade agreement with the EU which will allow British farmers to sell their produce to the EU without tariffs or quotas. "The Foreign Secretary, Philip Hammond has admitted that a free trade agreement in agricultural goods 'would be relatively simple to negotiate' What would happen to agricultural commodity prices if there were any trade restrictions of any type? The Remain campaign said: "It would become more expensive to trade in goods if we leave the EU, through new trade barriers and potential tariffs. "This would increase the cost of trade to businesses, which could be reflected in higher prices." The Leave campaign said: "On 5 May 1998, the European Court refused to strike down a worldwide ban on the export of British beef imposed by the European Commission in March 1996 during the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) epidemic. "The ban was eventually lifted by the Commission on 1 August 1999 after a crisis which cost the farming industry an estimated 1.5 billion. "The Commission could do the same thing again if the UK votes to remain." The UK200Group compiled the questions in order to address a lack of clarity about how remaining or leaving the EU would affect the small business community. The Ulster Farmers Union says it is 'frustrated and concerned' by the delay to the final decision on the proposed closure of the Northern Ireland Renewable Obligation (NIRO) for small scale wind turbines. NIRO is the main support mechanism for encouraging increased renewable electricity generation in Northern Ireland. It operates in tandem with the Renewables Obligations in Great Britain - the 'ROS' in Scotland and the 'RO' in England & Wales - in a UK-wide market for Renewables Obligation Certificates (ROCs) issued to generators under the Obligations. UFU rural enterprise chairman, Gary Hawkes, said: "The consultation period on this ended six weeks ago. "Despite consensus from the industry on a way forward, and letters to both the DfE minister and the chair of the committee at Stormont, the Department is yet to publish a decision. Mr Hawkes said this had taken on a new urgency because the Assembly's summer recess is now just days away. "If the legislation is not taken forward before then, the delay until the Assembly sits again in September will put further pressure on the small scale renewable sector in Northern Ireland," he said. Mr Hawkes concluded: "The UFU is urging the Department for Energy to progress the NIRO closure legislation for small scale wind before the summer recess. "This will protect investments already in place and give much needed certainty to farmers and landowners," he said. The small scale renewable industry has faced huge challenges which have delayed projects, such as grid connection and planning, and an early NIRO closure compounds these issues. If enacted into legislation, the early NIRO closure could cost the local farming industry alone at least 20 million through committed planning, consultancy, wildlife survey charges etc. Cost of living crisis could trigger 'winter crime epidemic' on farms If elected on July 2, Mr Ford would look "for projects that are novel, using existing and new industries and assets, so our region can grow and our children have diverse job opportunities near their homes if they want to stay in the region." "Any male voter who's going to make the candidate's gender a conscious or subconscious deciding factor in his choice is already won or lost in this election." In normal election years, the ticket is 99.9999 percent about the presidential candidate, and the "rest" is about the VP candidate. But with both Clinton and Donald Trump facing such high unfavorable ratings (56 percent for Clinton and 59 percent for Trump, according to Real Clear Politics), their running mates really matter this year. The many pundits who have been predicting and weighing Clinton's running mate options have it all wrong. Because most of them continue to name Housing and Urban Development Secretary and former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro is the "obvious" best choice. They even believe that Trump's repeated comments about Latinos add to the potency of Castro's name and face on the ticket. But that thinking completely ignores the Clinton campaign's real problems (that I mentioned above). Castro does nothing to aid Clinton's need to gain acceptance from the now dominant progressive wing of the party. And while Castro's youth and good looks will positively distract many voters from Clinton's negatives, that distraction won't last long. To really keep the focus off of Clinton's negatives for a long time, the public needs a running mate it can really sink its teeth into. (Besides, if the Clinton camp doesn't already have the Latino vote as sewn up and energized as it could possibly be, then there's no hope for her in November anyway. ) Forget about a list of other names. There's really only one person that Clinton should choose in order to overcome those hurdles: Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren . Warren is arguably a more popular standard bearer for the progressives than Sanders. And because she's been such a recognizable figure in the ideological debate for several years now, she provides plenty of material for the news media, voters, and everyone else to discuss for weeks. Even Trump routinely acknowledges her, if only to demean her in a ferocity he usually reserves for those running against him, even though she's not running against him for anything yet. Warren has also been busy for weeks honing her own attacks on Trump that have become the toast of left wing social media. Warren is the ultimate surrogate for Clinton, giving her a chance to take a breather and allow someone more tenacious and savvy to join the back-and-forth online war that Trump has been winning for some time. What about the inevitable question of whether it's wise for Hillary to choose another woman as her running mate? Won't that hurt her among undecided male voters? Not really. Any male voter who's going to make the candidate's gender a conscious or subconscious deciding factor in his choice is already won or lost in this election. Besides, in choosing Warren, the Clinton campaign can trot out a new twist on a catchy and snarky slogan and say: "Hillary needs a man for her vice president like a fish needs a bicycle!" (I know the Clinton campaign and social media team will like that one; they can send payment to me for that idea, care of CNBC). But seriously, this running mate choice is about much more than a catchphrase. The wrong choice here could really doom Clinton's chances and essentially end her political career. If the Clinton team truly sees its situation for what it really is, Warren isn't just the best choice, she's the only choice. Commentary by Jake Novak, supervising producer of " Power Lunch ." Follow him on Twitter @jakejakeny . "What we have seen is two lifelong political enemies come together to do a deal in an attempt to keep The Nationals WA, as true champions of the bush, out of the federal parliament." What was it like to be an Oath Keeper? John Zimmerman can tell you In our information age, somebody needs to produce that information, and it cant all be pictures or videos (try as YouTube might). Luckily, there are a variety of free online courses(MOOCs) available for all types of writers and aspiring writers. https://www.class-central.com/report/writing-free-online-courses/ Note: Not all of these courses are available. Add a course to MOOC Tracker and we will notify you when the course becomes available. To signup for a course, click on the green Go to Class button on the course page. Basic Writing & Composition Creative Writing for All: A 10-Day Journaling Challenge (Almost free $0.99) via Skillshare Internationally acclaimed author Emily Gould walks you through a 10-day creative writing challenge! Filled with inspiring examples, observation prompts, and clever revision tricks, its perfect for writers and enthusiasts eager to rekindle creativity in a personal and artful way. Self Paced A beginners guide to writing in English for university study via University of Reading Learn how to use English for study at university or college and develop your writing skills, vocabulary and grammar. Next Session: 9th May, 2016 Write101x: English Grammar and Style via University of Queensland Write101x will enable you to learn how words work so that you can write the concise, lucid, nuanced, and compelling prose that is so valued by readers. Next Session: 25th Jul, 2016 English Composition I: Achieving Expertise via Duke University You will gain a foundation for college-level writing valuable for nearly any field. Students will learn how to read carefully, write effective arguments, understand the writing process, engage with others ideas, cite accurately, and craft powerful prose. Next Session: 20th Jun, 2016 Adventures in Writing Stanford University via Stanford OpenEdx Welcome to Adventures in Writing, a series of graphic-novel style learning modules designed to help you learn more about and practice a range of effective written communication skills. Youll immerse yourself in the adventures of Maya and Chris, using each modules interactive exercises to apply what youve learned ( 1 rating ) | Next Session : Self Paced Scribble: Writing for New Writers via OpenLearning This course will take students through the process of writing from simple paragraphs to more complex writing structures and eventually research writing. ( 4 ratings ) | Next Session : Self Paced First-Year Composition 2.0 via Georgia Tech First-Year Composition 2.0 will help you to develop a better process and gain confidence in written, visual, and oral communication and to create and critique documents and presentations in college, in the workplace, and in your community. You will draft and revise the following assignments: a personal essay, an image, and an oral presentation. Next Session: 27th May, 2013 Writing II: Rhetorical Composing via Ohio State University Rhetorical Composing is a course where writers exchange words, ideas, talents, and support. You will be introduced to a variety of rhetorical conceptsthat is, ideas and techniques to inform and persuade audiencesthat will help you become a more effective consumer and producer of written, visual, and multimodal texts Next Session: 15th Sep, 2014 Crafting an Effective Writer: Tools of the Trade (Fundamental English Writing) via Mt. San Jacinto College Learn to become an effective builder of sentences using the basic tools of English grammar, punctuation, and writing. This is a fundamental English writing course. Next Session: 4th Sep, 2015 Thinking Like a Writer via Michigan State University This course revolves around the work of revising writing, learning, and engaging with language and community. You will explore who you are as a learner as you write about yourself and your language use, as well as consider who you are as a communicator as you critique texts, persuade audiences, and collaborate with others. Next Session: 23rd Jun, 2014 Essay Writing ColWri2.1x: How to Write an Essay via University of California, Berkeley College Writing 2.1x is an introduction to academic writing for English Language Learners, focusing on essay development, grammatical correctness, and self-editing. Next Session: 12th Oct, 2016 ColWri2.2: English Grammar and Essay Writing via University of California, Berkeley College Writing 2.2x is the second part of the academic writing course. In this part, you will focus on proofreading and self-editing; revision vs. editing; common errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling; understanding tone and diction; vocabulary development. Next Session: 18th Feb, 2017 Journalistic Writing Content Marketing: Blogging for Growth (Almost free $0.99) via Skillshare Explore how entrepreneur Eric Siu creates content not just for the sake of writing, but for hitting your own goals. In this 80-minute deep dive class, youll learn Erics step-by-step structure for creating compelling blog content the same process that has helped him build a seven-figure business, Single Grain and the five-star-rated podcast, Growth Everywhere. Self Paced Introduction to Journalism via University of Strathclyde Learn about the key principles and debates in journalism and enact the role of a journalist in the context of an escalating story. Next Session:28th Mar, 2016 Journalism Skills for Engaged Citizens University of Melbourne via Coursera This is a course in basic journalism skills, designed for the many people who are now taking advantage of new media to publish news, views and information Next Session : 17th Aug, 2015 Community Journalism: Digital and Social Media Cardiff University via FutureLearn This is a course in basic journalism skills designed for citizens who are using new media to publish news, views and information. We cover writing skills, interviews, ethics, law and accessing public forums and documents. We also introduce basic investigative skills. ( 3 ratings ) | Next Session : 8th Feb, 2016 J4SC101x: Journalism for Social Change University of California, Berkeley via edX J4SC101 has been designed for students who are interested in the intersection of public policy, journalism and social sciences and who are looking to use their expertise and careers to drive positive social change. ( 1 rating ) | Next Session : Self paced Writing Fiction How Writers Write Fiction via University of Iowa An interactive study of the practice of creative writing, How Writers Write presents a curated collection of short, intimate talks created by fifty authors of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and literary translation. Next Session: 24th Sep, 2015 Start writing fiction via The Open University This hands-on course helps you to get started with your own fiction writing, focusing on the central skill of creating characters. Next Session: 3rd Oct, 2016 Writing for Young Readers: Opening the Treasure Chest Commonwealth Education Trust via Coursera This course is for curious students and aspiring authors with a passion for writing for young readers ( 1 rating ) | Next Session : Self Paced The Future Of Storytelling via University of Applied Sciences Potsdam Learn how to analyze, contextualize and create stories and narratives in current media: from understanding storytelling basics to discussing new online tools and formats, this course brings together a network of media researchers, creators, and students. Next Session: 25th Oct, 2013 How Writers Write Poetry via University of Iowa The course presents a curated collection of short, intimate talks on craft by two dozen acclaimed poets writing in English. Craft topics include sketching techniques, appropriation, meter, constraints, sound, mindfulness, and pleasure. The talks are designed for beginning poets just starting to put words on a page as well as for advanced poets looking for new entry points, thoughts about process, or teaching tips. Next Session: Mar, 2015 Applied Writing Skills How to Succeed at: Writing Applications via University of Sheffield This free three week course will help you produce a perfect CV, application and online profile when applying for a job or course. Next Session: 13th Jun, 2016 Writing for the Web Understanding the difference between writing for print versus writing for the web starts with learning about how readers behave differently online. This course brings to light how to accommodate the needs of online readers through web design, writing style, structure and search engine optimisation. Next Session: 11th Jan, 2016 ColWri2.3x: Academic and Business Writing via University of California, Berkeley An introduction to academic writing for English Language Learners, focusing on essay development, grammatical correctness, and self-editing. Next Session: 18th Apr, 2016 Stunt Writing for Personal Growth The Stunt Writing For Personal Growth class includes prompts, lectures, readings and discussions for writers of any age, at any level. Inspired by Eleanor Roosevelts famous quote, Do one thing every day that scares you, Stunt Writing For Personal Growth is a process that uses writing as a tool for you to learn about yourself, and gain skills in communicating your own unique story. Next Session: 20th Jul, 2015 Brazils interim president Michele Temer (Image courtesy of TVNBR/Youtube)Brazils interim president Michele Temer has denied allegations that he received campaign donations tied to the Petrobras corruption scandal. In a plea deal seen by Reuters, former Petrobras transportation chief Sergio Machado alleges that Temer requested and received a legal campaign contribution from Queiroz Galvao, a Brazil-based engineering group. However, Machado said that the donation funds came from kickbacks tied to Petrobras contracts. Petrobras is the state-owned oil and gas giant that controls most of Brazils energy segment. Temer has denied the allegations. His office told Reuters he has always complied with campaign finance laws. Temer became interim president last month after president Dilma Rousseff was suspended for allegedly violating budget laws. In testimony seen by Reuters, Machado alleges that he and Temer met in 2012 to discuss a potential solicitation of illegal funds from companies that had contracts with Petrobras. Machado also alleged that those funds were to be paid in the form of official donations. Former Petrobras executive Paulo Roberto Costa alleged in September 2015 that some Petrobras executives skimmed as much as 3 percent off company contracts. Costa also alleged the skimmed funds were used for illegal political campaign financing, including funding campaigns run by Machado. Costa admitted in 2014 that he took a $636,000 bribe in connection with Petrobras 2006 purchase of a Texas refinery. Petrobrass third quarter 2014 results were delayed three times after PricewaterhouseCooper refused to sign off on accounts tied to Machado. Brazil officials first launched their probe into alleged corruption related to Petrobras contracts in 2014. The investigation, known as Operation Car Wash, has implicated several high-profile politicians, including former Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva who is being investigated for alleged influence peddling. From the Petro Global News Wire Service 2016 All Rights Reserved Rob Burnett is set to return to the director's chair with his new film The Fundamentals of Caring, which is set to be launched on Netflix on 24th June. Rob Burnett The Fundamentals of Caring is a big screen adaptation of the novel by Jonathan Evison and sees Barnett pen the screenplay as well as being in the director's chair. We caught up with the filmmaker to chat about the film, what drew him to Evison's novel and how he brought his talented cast together. - The Fundamentals of Caring is your latest film, can you tell me a bit about it? The Fundamentals of Caring is a lovely story that is based on a book by Jonathan Evison that follows the journey of two broken people; one paralysed physical and one paralysed emotionally. Paul Rudd plays Ben, a guy in his forties who has suffered the worst of tragedies after losing his child. Out of desperation, he takes a job as a caregiver and starts to care for eighteen-year-old Trevor, played by Craig Roberts, who suffers from Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. It sounds sad and depressing and it certainly is a story that is bathed in tragedy, but it is told in a comedic way. These two are very funny and bond through humour. I think that one of the things that drew me to this story, was that the usual version of this that I have seen - to great effect - is that the caregiver is the energetic guy who breathes life into the ill/injured and gets him back to living; French film The Intouchables did that beautifully. What interested me about this movie, was the fact that the caregiver is every bit as damaged as the injured and the two of them have to breathe life into each other. It was a great challenge because this story really takes place in the aftermath of all of the drama; they are two guys who are just living with very difficult cards to play. At first, neither of them have any particular interest in helping the other, which is great, and they manage to bond through humour. By the end of the film, they are both a little bit alive and there is something so inspirational and heroic about the smallness of that, for me. In some ways, it resonates with everybody's life and not just those who have been dealt bad cards because all we really have are these small victories. - The movie sees you back in the director's chair and you have penned the screenplay, so where did this project start for you? And what was the appeal of Jonathan Evison's novel? It is funny, my agency CAA started sending me novels to potentially adapt; this is the first one that they sent me and I just fell in love with it. However, you cannot just take the first one because you will look dumb. I read twenty more. When I was done, I called them back and told them that I wanted the first one and there was a little bit of silence at the other end of the phone. They were like 'Really? We sent you twenty books and you want to buy the one about the guy whose kid has died and takes care of another kid with muscular dystrophy? That is your commercial movie?' And I said 'I know that this will probably never be a movie, but I just love this and it resonates so strongly with me.' One of my best childhood friends passed away about seven or eight years ago from A.L.S. It was the closest that I have come to seeing this kind of thing up close in my life; I watched a man deteriorate physically while his mental acuity was complete. Most of the time, you see disease portrayed in film in a very dramatic way - of course there is something very dramatic about it but there is also something very interesting about the fact that you have got this disease, you are dying, but here's today. What are you going to do on this day? Some days you watch television, some days you hug your kids. Not every day is precious and I think that there is something very interesting about that. From that moment, is that any different from the rest of us? Not wishing to be corny but we are all dying day by day and there is a lot of mundanity in all of our lives. All of these ideas together I found very compelling and I thought that if would could get the right cast, we could maybe do something that would be interesting. Additionally, most of the dramedies that I have seen - and I love them - the comedy is delightful, amusing and it makes you smile, but it doesn't make you laugh out loud. This film - and I don't want to jinx anything ahead of the Edinburgh International Film Festival - so far in our screenings, it has been provoking big laughs from our audience. That is really satisfying for a film of this type because there's nothing wacky about it, it's not The Hangover, and no one is getting hit in the groin or slipping on banana skin. It is a very small character piece but it is provoking really big laughs from the audience and that is really really nice. - This film does tackle the very serious subjects and yet, there's wonderful comedy weaved throughout. How did you find striking that balance? It is very tricky and you are largely relying on your actors. Both Paul Rudd... and you know that Paul Rudd is going to be amazing. Craig Roberts was part of a giant search as we went through 250 actors before we settled on him. What you need from them, is the ability to play things completely real at all time. This material is so delicate that if you lean into it in any way - the comedy or the drama - it just turns into powder and disintegrates in your hands. It is a real testament to these two that they were able to pull this off the way that they did. - Paul Rudd takes on the role of Ben and I read that he is the actor that you really wanted for this role. What did you see in Rudd that you thought would be perfect for this character? How tricky was it getting him on board? The amazing thing about Paul Rudd that people may not realise is that he's a classically trained actor; he just happens to be one of the funniest humans on earth (laughs). He is trained as an actor and he is very very good. There are many guys who are funny and there are many guys who are good actors, but to get someone who can do both is really difficult. It really is a very short list. When I was writing the script, I couldn't help but think of Paul. I reached out to him directly when I finished the script. I use to work for the David Letterman Show and while Paul and I didn't know each other, we had probably met a couple of times and we know a lot of the same people as we are from New York and in the comedy world. I really just reached out directly to him and was like 'hey, I have written this thing and I can't help but think of you for this.' We met for coffee, I described it to him, gave him the script and he responded to it and said he would do it. Once Paul Rudd says he is going to be in your movie, everything starts to happen. You hang on tight because then you have a movie (laughs). It was really thrilling for me. - Craig Roberts, Selena Gomez, and Jennifer Ehle are just some of the other names on board, so can you talk a bit about bringing the cast together? Selena was a funny story. Paul's manager is a woman called Aleen Keshishian, who also manages Selena. She had been a great champion of the script and called me up and said 'I have got someone great for the character of Dot'. And I was like 'fantastic, who is it?' And she said: 'I am not going to tell you.' And I was like 'I love you and I trust you but I can't put someone in the movie without knowing who it is.' She said 'I am going to set up a meeting for you but I won't tell you who it is because I don't want you to have an preconceived ideas. All I will tell you is that she is extremely famous, she has twelve movie offers and yours is the only one she wants to do.' There was a knock on my door a couple of weeks later and there was Selena Gomez. I hit it off with her instantly. She is a great kid, hardworking, no ego. She showed up with no entourage and we met for about two hours to talk about the part. Someone of her stature could have refused to audition; she auditioned three times. There were no airs or graces about her. To see a twenty three year old kid - she was younger then - navigate her situation, her fame, and her fans with such elegance and grace is really unusual. I have been around a lot of famous people and she is what famous people should inspire to be. - The Fundamentals of Caring is another original film project from Netflix, so how have you found making a film this way? Are we going to see more and more films made in this way going forward? In our case, we were an independent film and Netflix did not come into the frame until they were buying the film. As a distribution partner they have been amazing. They really know what they are doing. This is a tiny little film and, on June 24th, this little film is going to be in 190 countries, in front of 81 million people, in twelve languages. That is a sentence that I am going to try and say as much as I can because it is so thrilling to me. As a filmmaker, you want your film to be seen by as many people as possible and in today's world, I don't know anyone that can do that better than Netflix. - The Fundamentals of Caring received its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, so how did you find your whole Sundance experience? I can tell you that Sundance for a filmmaker is an experience like no other because it is the one time that you - the dweeby guy behind the camera - is the star. It is very strange. They treat the filmmakers with such respect and love at Sundance. I really had one of the most pleasant show business experiences I have ever had in my life there; I really enjoyed it. We were the closing night film and we played at the Echo Theatre, which is this giant auditorium that seats around 1,250 people. It had beautiful sound and beautiful picture and it was really thrilling to see the film in that venue with 1,200 people who love movies. I would highly recommend going to festivals in general. I have never been to Edinburgh International Film Festival before, but I am very excited about it. We were at Sundance, We were the opening night film at the Atlanta Film Festival, which was also lovely. Last night in the States, we had a film festival in Greenwich, Connecticut, which is a small festival but it is my hometown. We were in an auditorium of 1,200 and I knew 700 people; including my third grade teacher. There is pressure everywhere, but no pressure like that. Frankly, as much as I want to succeed here in your lovely country, if I bomb, I can get on a plane and go home. If I bomb there, I have to go into a witness protection programme (laughs). - How have you been finding the response to the film so far - it does seem overwhelmingly positive? It has been overwhelming. It has been so satisfying. There are different kinds of movies; there are some movies that are challenging to audiences in some way, that are polarising to audiences and they can be great films. I saw a film at Sundance called Swiss Army Man and this is a film that, by design, that is not made for everyone to like - it is just not. I was at the opening night of this film in Sundance and a bunch of people walked out of the theatre but that doesn't make it a bad film. When you test a movie, you have to fill out these huge questionnaires. the first question is the big one 'how do you rate the film?' and you have the options of excellent, very good, good, fair, and poor. Over the years they have learnt that if the film is 'good' you have nothing. The film has to be 'excellent' or 'very good' - that is what they are looking for. They give you a score based on what percentage of the audience rates the film in these top two boxes. I was told that the average was 55%, if you can get in the 70% range that's fine and if you get in the 80% range you can pop champagne corks. This film got 91% and people were just looking at me. I had no idea and was like 'what happened to the other nine per cent who didn't like it?. What was going on with that?' From that moment on, what this movie has had is enormous playability. Again, I put all the credit to the cast because they are just so good. You either want to spend time with Paul, Craig, Selena and Jennifer, or you don't. If you do, you will have a fun time. So far, people really do. - Finally, what's next for you? I am deciding what to do next. Coming off of this experience, I have been getting a lot of scripts to possibly direct. I may start this process again and try to find something that resonates with me, write again and do another indie film; I really would love to do that because this was such a positive experience. On the other hand, if I could find a movie that was close and I could re-write and then jump in and direct, I would do that. I had a meeting about a big film out in Los Angeles last week actually - but I can't tell you what that is. What I can tell you is that it's amazing... I don't think that I will end up getting to direct this movie, but it is amazing to be in the conversation. It really is a new world for me and hopefully the momentum will continue as we come out on Netflix and the film will do well. The Fundamentals of Caring is launched on Netflix on 24th June. by Helen Earnshaw for www.femalefirst.co.uk find me on and follow me on Britain's Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are set to attend a special gala dinner in Norfolk on Wednesday (22.06.16). The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge The royal couple - who have children Prince George, two, and Princess Charlotte, 13 months - will attend the charity dinner put on by their friends David Cholmondeley and his wife Sarah at their country home, Houghton Hall in Norfolk. The gala, which has been titled A Taste of Norfolk, honours the East Anglia's Children's Hospices (EACH) and is being held in celebration of the charity's recent appeal to raise cash for its new hospice, The Nook. The pair will tuck in to a delicious meal whipped up by a group of Michelin-star chefs along with 90 invited guests. But, as well as the five-course dinner, guests will also enjoy a champagne reception beforehand in which there will be musical performances by the Jefford Brothers and Sam Aldersey-Williams as well as magician Archie Manners. And after the dinner, the royal couple along with their friends will be treated to a performance from the Treehouse Choir. Emma Deterding, event organiser and EACH patron, told PEOPLE: "I have seen at first-hand how incredible and important the development of the children's hospice movement is since its beginnings in the 1980s. I continue to be amazed by how hard EACH works to ensure that hundreds of children with life-threatening conditions and their families in East Anglia get the best care possible." Britain's Prince Charles is set to visit Wales next month. Duchess Camilla and Prince Charles The 67-year-old royal - the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth - will pay a visit to the country with his wife Duchess Camilla, whom he married in 2005, from July 4 until July 10. A spokesperson for Clarence House told Wales Online: "The Prince and The Duchess are looking forward to meeting local people in cities, towns and villages across Wales, and to celebrate the best of the country's past and present, as they undertake a busy week of engagements." The couple will kick off their trip of engagements by paying a visit to Swansea University in order to open the new Bay Campus - a project supported by the Prince's Foundation for Building Community - before making their way to Bangor University to meet with students and officially declare the new School of Ocean Sciences open for business. However, their trip isn't just limited to schools and universities as the pair will also celebrate entrepreneurs in the country's food sector by visiting South Caernarfon Creamery and Abergavenny Fine Foods, which was built following a devastating fire at the firm's old factory in 2015. The prince will also meet with those taking part in the Llandovery Motorbike Festival before starting the event. Their trip may only be a week-long but the royals are certainly busy as they will also stop by Pontypridd Lido to celebrate famed author Roald Dahl and visit the Central Beacons Mountain Rescue team's Merthyr Tydfil base. The couple will also spend a large proportion of their time working with charities and praising their hard work. Britain's Prince Harry and his ex-girlfriend Chelsy Davy will "always be friends." Prince Harry The 31-year-old royal romanced the Zimbabwe-born beauty on and off for five years until 2009 but, despite parting ways and going on to date other people, she's convinced they will remain close pals for life because they share a special bond. Speaking to The Times newspaper, she said of the flame-haired hunk: "I think we will always be good friends." Meanwhile, it's believed Harry - the grandson of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip - recently struck up a relationship with Ellie Goulding after they met when she performed at his brother William's wedding reception in 2011. An insider said recently: "Harry got Ellie's number a while ago and got in touch. He has told friends how much he likes Ellie and she is clearly taken by him." The prince has been romantically linked to a string of women since he split from model Cressida Bonas in 2014 following two years of dating. However, he recently claimed his public status shatters his chances of finding the perfect woman because they usually get freaked out by the publicity that comes with dating a member of the royal family. He said recently: "If or when I do find a girlfriend, I will do my utmost ... to ensure that me and her can get to the point where we're actually comfortable with each other before the massive invasion that is inevitably going to happen into her privacy. The other concern is that even if I talk to a girl, that person is then suddenly my wife, and people go knocking on her door." Britain's Queen Elizabeth is set to present an award to a young man from Bangladesh on Thursday (23.06.16). Queen Elizabeth The 90-year-old royal will dish out the gong to Osama Bin Noor, 25, during a ceremony at Buckingham Palace, London after being recognised for taking the lead in transforming the lives of others and making a difference in his community. Osama - who co-founded Youth Opportunities, an online platform advertising scholarships, internships and conferences - said: "I'm so happy to be a recipient of The Queen's Young Leaders Award." However, Osama will be just one of many to receive the Queen's Young Leader award as he joins the winners from 45 Commonwealth countries in London for five days of high-level engagements, which will help their life-changing work. Before picking up the prize, the winners will visit 10 Downing Street - the headquarters of Her Majesty's Government - as well as pay a visit to the UK headquarters of Twitter. But that's not all as the winners will also get to meet the Commonwealth Secretary General, take part in workshops at the University of Cambridge and have meetings with UK business leaders, according to Prothom Alo Online. Osama explained: "To be recognised for my work and be presented with an Award by Her Majesty The Queen at Buckingham Palace is such a huge honour. "I can't wait to meet all the other winners in London and get involved in all the exciting activities that are taking place." Jeffrey Dean Morgan has already played The Comedian in Watchmen and Negan on The Walking Dead, also taking on the role of Thomas Wayne in the recent Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice movie, so it's fair to say he's rather experienced when it comes to comic book adaptations. Jeffrey Dean Morgan / Credit: Ian Smith Now he's thrown his hat into the ring to play the Flashpoint version of Thomas Wayne when the third season of The Flash confirmed they'll be adapting that storyline. Speaking at Denver Comic Con, Morgan was asked by a fan if he'd be interested in taking the role of Thomas Wayne once more in this different new light, and he replied: "Man, I would love to play that Batman... It would be very cool. Flashpoint would be very cool." He went on to say how he had asked Zack Snyder to be a bigger part of the DC movies universe, but seeing as how fans have now already seen his character die in the Batman v Superman flashback, it's unlikely that will be able to work. With the film and television world being so separate, everything seems to be against Morgan in gaining the role. Supergirl however is adding its own version of Superman to its second season, so anything is possible. The Flash returns for its third season on Tuesday, October 4 on The CW in the US. by Daniel Falconer for www.femalefirst.co.uk find me on and follow me on With so many types of yoga , it can be tough to find the one that works best for you. But the good news is, whether you are muscular, stiff, overweight or flexible, there is a type of yoga just for you. Here's a breakdown of the types of yoga to help you identify the style you might like best. Hatha yoga Hatha refers to any practice that combines poses, or asanas, with breathing techniques, or pranayam. So its all about the basics the poses or asanas in hatha yoga require you to hold each pose for a few breaths. The Sanskrit term hatha actually refers to any yoga that teaches physical postures. The goal of a basic hatha class is to develop flexibility and balance and to integrate breath into every movement, so it is relaxing. You begin by chanting the syllable Om, then move into a series of poses and finish on the floor with shavasana for 5 to 15 minutes. Ideal for: beginners Vinyasa Also called the power yoga, Vinyasa requires you to move continuously throughout the session. The most well-known vinyasa sequence is the Surya namaskar or the sun salutation. You will be performing standing and seated asanas that develop strength, flexibility, and balance. Fun fact: Kareena Kapoor got her size zero look after doing 50 surya namaskaras in one session. Ideal for: Weight loss. Iyengar Iyengar Yoga, named after and developed by the late BKS Iyengar, is a form of Hatha yoga that emphasises on detail, precision and alignment in the performance of the asana and breath control (pranayama). The development of strength, mobility and stability is gained through These asanas help you develop strength, mobility and stablity. BKS Iyengar has systematised over 200 classical yoga poses and 14 different types of pranayama (with variations of many of them) ranging from the basic to advanced. This helps ensure that students progress gradually by moving from simple poses to more complex ones and develop their mind, body and spirit through a step-by-step approach. Ideal for: beginners to mid-level yoga practitioners Ashtanga If youre looking for a challenging yet organised approach to yoga, try Ashtanga. Consisting of six series of specifically sequenced yoga poses, youll flow and breathe through each pose to build internal heat. The catch is that youll perform the same poses in the exact same order in each class. Ideal for: Seasoned yoga practitioners. Kundalini This form of yoga was developed to calm the mind and energise the body through movement, the chanting of mantras, and breathing. The goal is to release the energy that kundalini practitioners believe is stored at the base of the spine. Ideal for: Spritual people who enjoy chanting Bff. @chopramm2001 #londondiaries #birthdayweek A photo posted by Priyanka Chopra (@priyankachopra) on Jun 18, 2016 at 3:26pm PDT As most of you celebrated Fathers Day yesterday, for Priyanka Chopra her mum Dr Madhu Chopras birthday celebrations were not over yet! The mum and daughter duo went on a shopping spree at their favourite store on Oxford Street before settling down for a seafood lunch that included caviar and oyster. Birthday night in London Town . Love u @chopramm2001 A photo posted by Priyanka Chopra (@priyankachopra) on Jun 16, 2016 at 5:11pm PDT On Friday night, the Quantico actor brought in her mothers birthday with gourmet dessert at a London diner. If sources are to be believed, Priyanka also surprised her mum with diamond jewellery. London at night. Breathtaking #londondiaries A photo posted by Priyanka Chopra (@priyankachopra) on Jun 18, 2016 at 3:27pm PDT Happy birthday @chopramm2001 #birthdayweek #fooddiaries A photo posted by Priyanka Chopra (@priyankachopra) on Jun 18, 2016 at 9:21am PDT The celebrations went on through the weekend with trips to night spots where the ladies relished champagne and caviar. Her plus-one was Madhu aunty, adds a friend of the actor who arrived in New York this morning. On the occasion of International Yoga Day today, various parts of the country will celebrate this meditative practice by hosting a number of cultural events. While PM Narendra Modi is set to participate in a mass yoga event in Chandigarh, citizens from all walks of life will also partake in yoga asanas. The world too is celebrating this holistic form of exercise in a big way. Here's how... Biggest yoga gathering in China Nine cities in Eastern China Shanghai, Wenzhou, Wuxi, Zhenjiang, Taizhou, Yiwu, Shaoxing, Yangzhou and Ningbo are hosting what is said to be the largest Yoga Day celebrations in the region this year. An initiative by the Indian embassy and local government, the celebrations, which kick-started on June 18 and will continue till June 26, is seeing thousands of people in attendance. 21 cities in Poland join in the celebrations Thousands of people celebrated the day on June 19 in Poland, a country where yoga has become a way of life for many Poles. People from 21 cities in Poland including Warsaw, Krakow, Gdansk, Poznan, Lodz and Wroclaw participated. Reportedly, there are more than 900 yoga schools in Poland. UN headquarters lit up, Times Square takes a breather Besides a host of yoga activities lined up in schools, temples, international airports and universities, one of the busiest pedestrian intersections in the world Times Square will see people take some time off to perform asanas all day long. While the Indian consulate organised a number of activities around the city starting from the weekend to mark the occasion, the United Nations has lit up their headquarters with an image of a woman performing parvatasana. People across 100 nationalities participate in Dubai Almost 20,000 people from over 100 different nationalities gathered at the World Trade Centre in Dubai to celebrate yoga on June 18. The camp, which was headed by Baba Ramdev and other celebrity instructors, saw people across different religions and age groups participate. The experts taught the participants various yoga techniques that they can incorporate in their daily fitness routine. Next Story : Not Your Average Gift: Our Handpicked Thoughtful Diwali Gifts Yoga won't give you immortality but this ancient discipline of bringing union between the body, mind and spirit can definitely help you fight age - both physical and mental, say health and wellness experts. "In my practice in India and abroad I have seen several cases where my clients have gotten better by regular yoga, pranayam and meditation," Preeti Rao, Health, Lifestyle and Wellness Consultant at Max Healthcare here, told IANS. Regular yoga practice can help fight chronic lifestyle diseases like hypertension, hormonal imbalances, diabetes, reproductory disorders, and respiratory and cardiovascular related health concerns. Besides people with obesity, anxiety, constipation and digestive disorders can benefit significantly from practising yoga, according to the experts. "From diabetes to high blood pressure, high cholesterol to heart problems, yoga can help you combat many such health issues that usually develop over the years. Also, arthritis is one of the most common problems among elderly people and yoga is a great way to tone it down and help the body become more active and flexible," said Nidhi Arora, physiotherapist at AktivOrtho, an orthopaedic, neurological and gynaecological rehabilitation centre here. Founded by German orthopaedic specialist Gerd Mueller, AktivOrtho now has several centres in New Delhi and Gurgaon. "Individuals prone to osteoporosis or are already suffering from the problem can gain a lot from yoga as a daily life discipline which increases bone density and growth. To keep a watch over increase in weight as well, yoga proves to be very helpful," Arora noted. Yoga can improve blood flow in the body and increase oxygen supply to body cells. It helps improve balance which tends to become weak as one ages, acclaimed fitness expert and nutritionist Sonia Bajaj said. What's more, the benefits of yoga transcends physical fitness alone. "Yoga is not limited to yog or physical exercise," Rao said. Scholarly studies and research in this area have strongly documented how yoga helps in improving cognitive abilities. "Pranayama helps one to attain a better balance between the right and left-brain bringing more balance between emotional and rational thinking. Meditation facilitates a process of introspection, and brings more clarity and focus in one's life. Regular yoga also improves memory," Rao noted. "A regular yoga practice even for just 20-30 minutes daily that is simple and involves varied breathing exercises and mediation is what I would recommend to remain sharp, alert and for a balanced life," she added. A recent study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease found that a three-month course of Kundalini yoga and Kirtan Kriya meditation practice helped minimise the cognitive and emotional problems that often precede Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, brain disorders that impair the memory. Kirtan Kriya, which involves chanting, hand movements and visualisation of light, has been practised for hundreds of years in India as a way to prevent cognitive decline in older adults. Yoga and meditation was even more effective than the memory enhancement exercises that have been considered the gold standard for managing mild cognitive impairment, the findings showed. "Historically and anecdotally, yoga has been thought to be beneficial in ageing well, but this is the scientific demonstration of that benefit," lead author of the study Harris Eyre, doctoral candidate at the University of Adelaide in Australia, said. "If you or your relatives are trying to improve your memory or offset the risk for developing memory loss or dementia, a regular practice of yoga and meditation could be a simple, safe and low-cost solution to improving your brain fitness," Helen Lavretsky, the study's senior author and professor in residence in the department of psychiatry, University of California-Los Angeles, suggested. "Yoga forms like asana, pranayama and a regular devotion towards meditation are such strong tools that they are bound to invigorate the brain, help enhance the power of the mind and stimulate the nervous system as well. Yoga should be taken seriously as results from it are long-lasting and life-changing for sure," Arora of AktivOrtho noted. However, with many different types of yoga being practised today, it is important for you to find out with the help of experts which type of yoga meets your needs, she said. Next Story : Not Your Average Gift: Our Handpicked Thoughtful Diwali Gifts After Flipkart, its rival Amazon has challenged the Gujarat governments notification levying 6 to 21 per cent entry tax on goods that are being purchased through the e-commerce portal in the state.The Gujarat High Court has issued notice to the state government on a petition filed by Amazon India. After Flipkart, its rival Amazon has challenged the Gujarat government's notification levying 6 to 21 per cent entry tax on goods that are being purchased through the e-commerce portal in the state. The Gujarat High Court has issued notice to the state government on a petition filed by Amazon India. The entry tax on goods purchased through # The entry tax on goods purchased through e-commerce portals is said to have been brought in to provide a level-playing field to traders and retailers in the state.Like Flipkart, Amazon has claimed that the tax is discriminatory, because no such tax is imposed on goods brought into Gujarat through other modes of sale.It claims that it only provides an online platform to manufacturers, traders and buyers and itself is not involved in selling any product and hence the tax is unjustified.The state Assembly passed the Gujarat Tax on Entry of Specified Goods into Local Areas (Amendment) Bill on March 31.From April 1, any goods being purchased online are being subject to 6 to 21 per cent entry tax. While normal goods are being levied 6 per cent tax, specified goods are subject to up to 21.6 per cent tax, with majority of goods being levied around 12 per cent tax.The government amended an Act of 2001, with the aim to cover e-commerce transactions in its ambit, as the government felt this was adversely affecting local traders.The new law amends the word "importer" to cover those who "bring or facilitate to bring any specified goods for consumption, use or sale in Gujarat from any part of the country using online platforms". (SH) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India THE Indian Government yesterday contributed an additional FJD$2, million towards the Prime Ministers National Disaster Relief Fund. Indias High Commissioner to Fiji His Excellency Vishvas Sapkal presented a cheque to Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama during a meeting at the Prime Minister's office. H.E Sapkal said this additional donation will assist those Fijians that have been affected by Tropical Cyclone Winston. While receiving the cheque donation, Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama thanked the Indian Government for supporting governments effort in rehabilitation works after Cyclone Winston. Previous Friday witnessed something which is not that common in the Malayalam film industry. The industry saw the release of two small films in the form of Ozhivudivasathe Kali and Lens, with good amount of hype. Both the films, which had already made a mark of their own as quality films, have managed to impress the normal audiences also. Ozhivudivasathe Kali, directed by Sanal Kumar Sasidharan, won the Kerala State Film Awards for the Best Film for the year 2015. The film was finding it hard to make it to the theatres and with the timely intervention of Aashiq Abu, the film finally made it to the the theatres. The film has been getting good responses from the audiences post its theatrical release, with viewers turning up in good numbers in theatres. In fact, in certain centres, the number of shows were increased after the first day of release. On the other hand, Lens directed Jayaprakash Radhakrishnan has been getting amazing reviews from all the quarters. The film has been tagged as one of the best revenge thrillers in the recent times and according to various reviews, it is one of the best movies released this year, so far. Lens, was spotted by Lal Jose, who after watching the initial preview of the film, decided to take up the distribution of the film. Well, the success of small films like Lens and Ozhivudivasathe Kali is definitely a good sign for Malayalam cinema ahead. Mammootty is a true gentleman who makes it a point to appreciate talents. One incident that occurred in the recently concluded 63rd Filmfare Awards South underlines this fact. Mammootty took out time to congratulate National Award winning Kannada actor Sanchari Vijay who was also present at the occassion. This happened when Mammootty was leaving the venue after the culmination of the function. Mammootty spotted actor Sanchari Vijay and broke the security barriers to go and meet the young actor. Reports suggest that, Mammootty congratulated Sanchari Vijay on winning the National award and also mentioned that he had seen the actor's Kannada movie Naanu Avanalla.. Avalu. Both of the actors did share a selfie moment. Sanchari Vijay won the National Award for the Best Actor at the 62nd National Film Awards for his performance in the Kannada film Naanu Avanu Alla..Avalu. The actor was also the recipient of the Best Actor award in Kannada category at the 63rd Brittania Filmfare Awards South. Meanwhile, Mammootty who has won the National Award for the Best Actor, 3 times so far, won the Best Actor Award in Malayalam category at the 63rd Brittania Filmfare Awards South held in Hyderabad. The actor went on to win the award for his performance as Pallickal Narayanan in the movie Pathemari directed by Salim Ahmed. Filmmaker-actor SJ Suryah has never shied away from accepting the truth that he ventured into Tamil cinema with an aim of becoming an actor, but was forced to embrace direction as he couldn't taste success as an actor. In fact, he has said that he became a director and later went on to bankroll a couple of movies, just to cast himself as an actor, such was his desperation to face the camera and succeed as an actor. Though he failed to establish himself as a hero or a character artist at the beginning of his career, the Vaali director couldn't kill the actor in him. After numerous attempts to prove his worth as an on-screen performer, Suryah managed to impress one and all with his noteworthy performance in Isai, which was his comeback movie as a film-maker. That performance in Isai earned him a ticket to act in Karthik Subbaraj's Iraivi. Through Iraivi, SJ Suryah proved that, if handled well, he could deliver some astonishing performances. Perhaps, that is the reason why a director like Selvaraghavan has chosen him to act in his upcoming movie Nenjam Marappathillai. When Selvaraghavan goes for a particular actor or actress, everybody knows that we are talking about some serious talent. Wanting to prove his calibre as an actor from a long time now, SJ Suryah will finally feel like he has achieved what he initially set out for, in this vast industry. This has been quite a journey for the Newtonin Moondram Vidhi actor. Going by the first look poster of Nenjam Marappathillai, it looks like he will be playing a rockstar in the movie. "Suryah's performance in recently released 'Iraivi' has been the talk of the town for the last few weeks. Wait till audiences see his work in this film," a source close to Selva's project had said. Also Read: 'Kabali' - 'Neruppu Da' Song Teaser: Step Aside Fans, This One Is For The Haters! Popular producer GK Reddy, father of actor Vishal, will be making his Tamil acting debut in a Nivin Pauly-starrer yet-untitled project, which is being directed by debutant Gautham Ramachandran. "I'm pro new talent. I don't like to repeat same actors in similar roles. I saw him (GK Reddy) in a publicity still and immediately felt he fits the bill for the character. But I wasn't sure if he'd be able to pull off the role," Gautham told IANS. However, Gautham's pre-conceived notion about the veteran changed the minute he met him. "When I met and rehearsed with him, I realised there's some oddity in his performance which makes him unique. I found a spark in him. We did about 50-60 rehearsals with him. We started off with few shots, took a break, and then rehearsed after he grew his beard," he said. Asked if he plays a negative character, Gautham said his shades won't come out on screen. "It's tough to explain. You can't judge a bar from the outside, can you? You need to get inside to know what's happening," he said. Also starring Kannada actress Shraddha Srinath of U Turn fame, the film is currently being shot in Manapad, South of Tamil Nadu. Meanwhile, Vishal, who is currently shooting for Suraj's Kaththi Sandai and Mysskin's Thupparivaalan, is also awaiting the release of his long delayed film Madha Gaja Raja, which has been directed by Sundar C. He also has a couple of upcoming projects under his belt, including the official remake of Telugu hit Temper and an yet to be titled multi-starrer, which will be directed by film-maker Bala. Also Read: Director Radha Mohan's Next Featuring Vivekh & Arulnithi To Be On The Lines Of SRK's 'Fan'? TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 06/20/16 -- Dividend Select 15 Corp. (the "Company") declares its monthly distribution of $0.06725 per Equity share. The distribution is payable July 8, 2016 to shareholders on record as of June 30, 2016. Under the distribution policy announced in September 2014, the monthly dividend payable on the Equity shares is determined by applying a 10% annualized rate on the volume weighted average market price (VWAP) of the Equity shares over the last 3 trading days of the preceding month. As a result, Equity shareholders of record on June 30, 2016 will receive a dividend of $0.06725 per share based on the VWAP of $8.07 over the last 3 trading days in May, payable on July 8, 2016. Effectively, the actual amount of monthly distributions paid will vary with the market price, but the current yield will remain stable at 10% (based on the VWAP) under this distribution policy. Since inception (November 18, 2010) Equity shareholders have received a total of $4.32 per share inclusive of this distribution. The Company invests in a portfolio of 15 Canadian companies selected from the following 20 company universe which are among the highest Canadian dividend yielding stocks. Bank of Montreal Great-West Lifeco Inc. TELUS Corporation BCE Inc. Husky Energy Inc. The Bank of Nova Scotia CIBC National Bank of Canada The Toronto-Dominion Bank CI Financial Corp. Power Corporation of Canada Thomson Reuters Corporation Enbridge Inc. Royal Bank of Canada TMX Group Inc. EnCana Corporation Loblaw Companies Limited TransAlta Corporation Sun Life Financial Inc. TransCanada Corporation -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Distribution Details: Equity Share (DS): $0.06725 Ex-Dividend Date: June 28, 2016 Record Date: June 30, 2016 Payable Date: July 8, 2016 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Contacts: Investor Relations: 1-877-478-2372 Local: 416-304-4443 www.dividendselect15.com info@quadravest.com SAN FRANCISCO, CA and LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM -- (Marketwired) -- 09/07/16 -- WHO: Brynne Herbert, founder and CEO of MOVE Guides, helping HR teams move their employees around the world -- for any reason, any policy and any location WHAT: Will join a discussion titled, "Founders and CEOs," during the first-ever Women in HR Technology panel at the 19th Annual HR Technology Conference and Exhibition. WHEN: The conference will take place Tuesday, October 4 to Friday, October 7, 2016. The Women in HR Technology panel is scheduled for Tuesday, October 4 from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. CDT. WHERE: McCormick Place 2301 South King Drive Chicago, Ill. MOVE Guides will exhibit in Booth No. 2648. DETAILS: Much like the people it serves, HR technology is constantly evolving, and as business needs ebb and flow, these technologies change to meet demands. Take talent mobility; what was once a highly manual, disjointed process is now powered by transformative technology. The driving forces behind this constant change are the individuals who recognize the issues and seek to find the right solutions. During the annual HR Technology Conference, Brynne Herbert, founder and CEO of MOVE Guides, will participate in the conference's inaugural Women in HR Technology event, which will cover four distinct topics. Herbert will participate in the "Founders and CEOs" discussion, along with four other likeminded female executives, to explore the challenges of starting and leading technology companies in a traditionally male-dominated industry. Throughout this discussion, Herbert and the panel will share ways they have created and continued to lead successful technology organizations as well as the lessons learned along the way. Session attendees will hear insights and ideas on how more women can become technology founders and leaders. In addition, MOVE Guides will demonstrate its industry-leading Talent Mobility Cloud platform featuring a Single Mobility View of all activities associated with employee relocations. Conference attendees interested in learning how a unified approach to global mobility management can help their company streamline the relocation process are encouraged to visit representatives from MOVE Guides in Booth No. 2648. For additional information about the HR Technology Conference and Expo, visit: http://www.hrtechnologyconference.com. About MOVE Guides MOVE Guides helps HR teams move their employees around the world for any reason, any policy and any location. MOVE Guides partners with leading multinational companies to deliver a full global mobility program across 200 countries with their Talent Mobility Cloud platform, concierge-level support for employees and a global supply chain of partners. MOVE Guides has offices in the Americas, EMEA and APAC, and is backed by New Enterprise Associates and Notion Capital. For more information, go to: http://www.moveguides.com and follow MOVE Guides on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. mHealth, video telemedicine and healthcare IT help vendors overcome resource issues, finds Frost & Sullivan's Transformational Health Team CAPE TOWN, South Africa, Sept. 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --eHealth is disrupting healthcare delivery in Africa by offering governments and vendors a way to curb low resource issues and expand the reach and affordability of healthcare. Governments are bolstering the capacity of the healthcare workforce by using mHealth, video telemedicine and healthcare IT. Kenya, South Africa and Ghana are ahead of other African nations, with Kenya leapfrogging ahead as local start-ups dominate the digital health market. Establishing partnerships, either through public-private partnerships (PPPs), between two local vendors, or between a local vendor and a key international vendor with a strong global foothold, will prove to be a game-changer in tapping into upcoming opportunities. Enabling eHealth Technology in South Africa, Kenya, and Ghana is the new analysis from Frost & Sullivan's Connected Health Growth Partnership Service program, which also covers the following topics: population health management, health information exchange, hospital cyber security, mobile computing applications in integrated care, business analytics in life sciences, tele-health. To request exclusive information about this research and to schedule your one-on-one strategy dialogue with our analysts, please send an email to Samantha James, samantha.james@frost.com. mHealth solutions and video telemedicine are being deployed to create awareness, improve lifestyle, and offer guidance towards better healthcare outcomes. Gradually, eHealth will minimise investment towards hospital bed-strength as more patients receive care within, or close to, their homes without hospital admission. "The total eHealth market for South Africa, Kenya and Ghana is in a nascent stage with expectations of high long-term growth," confirmed Transformational Health Research Analyst Aditi Bhalla. "Vendors offering quick and effective healthcare outcomes will gain a tremendous advantage. To enable this, public-private partnerships and integrated businesses will be apt business models." Novartis, Sanofi, Vodacom and Safaricom are already exploring opportunities in eHealth. Tools, such as mPesa introduced by Safaricom in Kenya, are extremely useful as digital wallets for quick and easy payments for healthcare related emergencies. Similarly, companies like Merck, Tech4Life Enterprise, Telemedicine Africa, VSee, CenHealth, Connected Care and Dimagi are offering more than one eHealth technology to provide patients with integrated services and singular platforms to store their data. "Technology interoperability, strategic functioning as well as nurturing start-ups will drive the greatest opportunities in the eHealth business of South Africa, Kenya and Ghana," noted Bhalla. "Stakeholders, however, must have a clear roadmap to ensure that their business keeps pace with evolving technologies." Enabling eHealth Technology in South Africa, Kenya, and Ghana MC06-48 About Frost & Sullivan Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Is your organization prepared for the next profound wave of industry convergence, disruptive technologies, increasing competitive intensity, Mega Trends, breakthrough best practices, changing customer dynamics and emerging economies? Contact: Samantha James Corporate Communications - Africa P: +27 21 680 3574 F: +27 21 680 3296 E: samantha.james@frost.com http://ww2.frost.com TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 11/10/16 -- -- Meetings of Shareholders and Debentureholders to be held November 22, 2016 -- Voting support agreements representing 24% of outstanding Debentures and 33% of outstanding Common Shares -- Transaction expected to close late November Aston Hill Financial Inc. ("Aston Hill" or the "Company") (TSX: AHF) today announced the postponement of its special meeting of holders of common shares ("Shareholders") of the Company ("Common Shares") and special meeting of holders of 6.50% extendible convertible unsecured subordinated debentures ("Debentureholders") due January 31, 2019 ("Debentures"), which were both originally scheduled to be held on November 15, 2016, until November 22, 2016 in order for Shareholders and Debentureholders to consider certain amendments to the terms of the Company's previously announced transaction with Front Street Capital 2004 ("Front Street") to combine their respective companies (the "Amended Transaction"). A supplement (the "Supplement") dated November 9, 2016 to the Joint Management Information Circular of the Company dated October 14, 2016 providing additional information with respect to the terms and conditions of the Amended Transaction is being mailed to Shareholders and Debentureholders. A copy of the Supplement has been filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and is also available on the Company's website at www.astonhill.ca. Terms of the Amended Transaction The Amended Transaction follows consultations with Debentureholders in respect of the previously announced proposed amendments to the Debentures. As more particularly described below and in the Supplement, there are four significant changes to the proposed amendments to the Debentures under the Amended Transaction: (i) the Company is proposing to keep the conversion feature of the Debentures, while reducing the conversion price from the existing $0.65 per Common Share to $0.30 per Common Share; (ii) the number of Common Shares that each Debentureholder will receive for each $1,000 principal amount of Debentures held by such Debentureholder will increase from 1,000 Common Shares to 1,445 Common Shares; (iii) the maturity date of the Debentures is now proposed to be June 30, 2021; and (iv) related to the change of maturity date, the applicable redemption dates for the Debentures will be adjusted accordingly. Accordingly, as a result of the Amended Transaction, an aggregate of 48,710,950 Common Shares will be issued to the Debentureholders. Certain Debentureholders who own, control or direct an aggregate principal amount of $6,782,000 Debentures (representing 20.1% of the outstanding Debentures) have entered into voting support agreements with the Company as of the date hereof to, among other things, vote in favour of the Amended Transaction at the special meeting of Debentureholders. As a result of such proposed amendments, the Debentureholders are now being asked to consider and, if deemed appropriate, to adopt, with or without amendment, an extraordinary resolution approving, among other things: (a) the extension of the maturity date of the Debentures from January 31, 2019 to June 30, 2021; (b) the reduction (in part by virtue of a partial repayment through the issuance of Common Shares) of the aggregate principal amount of the Debentures from $33,710,000 to $20,226,000 (being a reduction of from $1000 par value to $600 par value per Debenture); (c) the increase to the interest rate on the Debenture from 6.50% to 7.00% and a change in the corresponding interest payment dates from January 31 and July 31 to June 30 and December 31 of each year; (d) the reduction to the conversion price for each Common Share to be issued upon the conversion of the Debentures from the existing $0.65 per Common Share to $0.30 per Common Share; (e) the removal of the ability of the Company to pay the redemption price, interest or principal in-kind; and (f) the introduction of certain negative covenants in respect of the Company. In addition, to compensate the Front Street partners for the additional dilution resulting from the amendments to the terms of the Debentures described above, under the terms of the Amended Transaction current Front Street partners will receive an additional 10 million Common Shares (for aggregate total consideration of 134.5 million Common Shares). As a result, the current Front Street partners will own approximately 45.9% and the current Aston Hill shareholders will own approximately 36.4% in the combined company (34.6% and 27.5%, respectively, on a fully diluted basis) after giving effect to the foregoing. The Postponed Meetings In connection with the Amended Transaction, the special meetings of the Shareholders and Debentureholders (collectively, the "Meetings") previously scheduled to be held on November 15, 2016 will be postponed until November 22, 2016 and the proxy cut off will be November 18, 2016. The postponed special meeting of Debentureholders will now be held at the offices of Stikeman Elliott LLP, 5300 Commerce Court West, 199 Bay Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada at 10:00 a.m. (Toronto time). The postponed special meeting of Shareholders will now be held concurrently on Tuesday, November 22, 2016 at the offices of Stikeman Elliott LLP, 4300 Bankers Hall West, 888 - 3rd Street S.W., Calgary, Alberta, Canada at 9:00 a.m. (Calgary time) and at the offices of Stikeman Elliott LLP, 5300 Commerce Court West, 199 Bay Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada at 11:00 a.m. (Toronto time). The record date of October 3, 2016 in respect of each of the Meetings will remain the same. Shareholders or Debentureholders who have already voted their Common Shares or Debentures, as applicable, and who do not wish to change their vote need not take any further action to maintain their previously cast vote in respect of the Amended Transaction. This applies regardless of the capacity in which a Shareholder or Debentureholder owns their Common Shares or Debentures, as applicable. Shareholders or Debentureholders who have already voted their Common Shares or Debentures, as applicable, and who wish to change their vote will need to revoke their previously cast vote and submit a new proxy or voting instruction form. Shareholders and Debentureholders are encouraged to vote regardless of how many Common Shares or Debentures they own, as applicable. Shareholders and Debentureholders should follow the instructions on the form or proxy or voting instruction form previously mailed to Shareholders and Debentureholders with the Joint Management Information Circular of the Company dated October 14, 2016 in order to ensure their vote is counted at the Meetings. If you have any questions or require more information with regard to voting your Common Shares or your Debentures please contact the Company at 416-583-2300, toll free in North America at 1-800-513-3868 or by email to info@astonhill.ca. Board Recommendation The board of directors of Aston Hill, after consultation with its financial and legal advisors, and based on the unanimous recommendation of a Special Committee of the Aston Hill board of directors (the "Special Committee") established to review the transaction with Front Street, has unanimously recommended that holders of Common Shares and Debentures vote in favour of the Amended Transaction. The Special Committee has received a fairness opinion from Scotiabank that, as of the date of such opinion, and subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications set forth therein, the consideration payable in respect of the Amended Transaction is fair from a financial point of view to Shareholders. The Special Committee has also received a fairness opinion from MPA Morrison Park Advisors Inc. to the effect that, as of the date of such opinion, and subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications set forth therein, the consideration being offered to the Debentureholders pursuant to the Amended Transaction is fair from a financial point of view to holders of Aston Hill's Debentures. The closing of the Transaction is still expected to occur by late November 2016 and remains subject to a number of conditions precedent including the approval of Shareholders and Debentureholders at the Meetings, securities regulatory approval, and satisfaction of other customary closing conditions. The directors and senior officers of Aston Hill and other key shareholders, representing an aggregate of 33% of the Common Shares, have entered into amended and restated voting support agreements as of the date hereof to, among other things, reaffirm their commitment to vote in favour of the Amended Transaction. About Aston Hill Aston Hill Financial Inc. is a diversified asset management company with a suite of retail mutual funds, closed end funds, hedge funds and segregated institutional funds. For further information concerning this press release, please contact: About Front Street Front Street has been providing Canadians with innovative mutual funds for over 10 years, including growth, income and tax-minded portfolios offered as mutual funds, hedge funds, and flow-through limited partnerships. Front Street is focused on providing Canadian investors and advisors with access to a broad range of investments which can fill core and strategic roles in an investor's portfolio. The TSX has neither approved nor disapproved the information contained herein. Cautionary Statement This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of such statements under applicable securities law. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Various assumptions were used in drawing the conclusions or making the projections contained in the forward-looking statements throughout this news release. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements including: future operating results and funding requirements; the ability to achieve synergies; future general economic and market conditions; and changes in laws and regulations. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Aston Hill does not undertake to update any forward-looking information contained herein, except as required by applicable securities laws. There are a number of conditions precedent to the completion of the Transaction and there can be no assurance that such conditions precedent will be satisfied and that the Transaction will be completed. Contacts: James Werry President & Chief Executive Officer Aston Hill Financial Inc. (416) 583-2300 james@astonhill.ca Derek Slemko Chief Financial Officer & Chief Operating Officer Aston Hill Financial Inc. (416) 583-2300 derek@astonhill.ca Nevin Markwart President & Chief Executive Officer Front Street Capital (416) 915-2424 nmarkwart@frontstreetcapital.com NORTH YORK, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 12/16/16 -- ZTEST Electronics Inc. (the "Company") (CSE: ZTE)(CSE: ZTE.CN) is pleased to announce that it has closed its non-brokered private placement (the "Offering") with the sale of 4,500,000 working capital units ("WC Units") at $0.05 per WC Unit for proceeds of $225,000. Each WC Unit consists of one (1) common share and one (1) common share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to acquire an additional common share of the Company at $0.06 until five (5) years from closing. Insiders of the Company subscribed for 1,050,000 WC Units under the Offering. The insider private placements are exempt from the valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 ("MI 61-101") by virtue of the exemptions contain in section 5.5(a) and 5.7(1) (a) of MI 61-101 in that the fair market value of the consideration for the securities of the Company issued to the insiders does not exceed 25% of its market capitalization. ZTEST is also pleased to announce that it has acquired (the "Acquisition") a 15.05% equity interest in Conversance Inc., a private Waterloo based technology company, for $210,000 in cash consideration, and the issuance of 1,325,000 common shares of ZTEST at a deemed price of $0.0525 per share. For further particulars, see the Press Release issued December 13, 2016. All securities issued pursuant to the Offering and the Acquisition are subject to a statutory four month hold period expiring on April 16, 2017. J. T. Risty Limited ("Risty"), an insider of the Company, acquired 500,000 WC Units pursuant to the private placement and now holds 2,245,790 common shares representing 13.39% of the issued and outstanding capital of the Company and 500,000 Warrants after giving effect to the private placement. If Risty were to exercise all of its Warrants, it would hold 2,745,790 common shares representing 15.90% of outstanding capital on a partially diluted basis. Risty has advised that the WC Units were acquired for investment purposes and that it has no present intention to either increase or decrease its holdings in the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, it has advised that it may increase or decrease its beneficial ownership, control or direction over common shares of the Company through market transactions, private agreements, exercise of warrants, other treasury issuances or otherwise. Wojciech ("Ted") Drzazga, CEO and a director of the Company, acquired 350,000 WC Units pursuant to the private placement and now holds 1,222,512 common shares representing 7.29% of the issued and outstanding capital of the Company and 350,000 Warrants after giving effect to the private placement. His wife, Joanna ("Joanna") Drzazga, acquired 650,000 WC Units pursuant to the private placement and now holds directly and indirectly 664,545 common shares representing 3.96% of the issued and outstanding capital of the Company and 650,000 Warrants plus an additional 300,000 warrants to acquire common shares of ZTEST after giving effect to the private placement. Collectively they hold 1,887,057 common shares representing 11.25% of the issued and outstanding capital of the Company. If Ted and Joanne were to exercise all of their Warrants and existing convertible securities, they would hold 3,187,057 common shares representing 18.29% of outstanding capital on a partially diluted basis. Ted and Joanna have advised that the WC Units were acquired for investment purposes and that they have no present intention to either increase or decrease their holdings in the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, they have advised that they may increase or decrease their beneficial ownership, control or direction over common shares of the Company through market transactions, private agreements, exercise of warrants, other treasury issuances or otherwise. Ed ("Ed") Blasiak acquired 1,180,000 WC Units pursuant to the private placement and now holds 1,360,000 common shares representing 8.11% of the issued and outstanding capital of the Company and 1,180,000 Warrants after giving effect to the private placement. If Ed were to exercise all of his Warrants, he would hold 2,540,000 common shares representing 14.15% of outstanding capital on a partially diluted basis. Ed has advised that the WC Units were acquired for investment purposes and that he has no present intention to either increase or decrease his holdings in the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, he has advised that he may increase or decrease his beneficial ownership, control or direction over common shares of the Company through market transactions, private agreements, exercise of warrants, other treasury issuances or otherwise. Franklin ("Frank") Zolnai acquired 680,000 WC Units pursuant to the private placement and now holds 1,208,540 common shares representing 7.20% of the issued and outstanding capital of the Company and 680,000 Warrants after giving effect to the private placement. If Frank were to exercise all of his Warrants, he would hold 1,888,540 common shares representing 10.82% of outstanding capital on a partially diluted basis. Frank has advised that the WC Units were acquired for investment purposes and that he has no present intention to either increase or decrease his holdings in the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, he has advised that he may increase or decrease his beneficial ownership, control or direction over common shares of the Company through market transactions, private agreements, exercise of warrants, other treasury issuances or otherwise. This news release is issued pursuant to National Instrument 62-103 - The Early Warning System and related Take-Over Bid and Insider Reporting Issues of the Canadian Securities Administrators, which also requires early warning reports to be filed with the applicable securities regulators containing additional information with respect to the foregoing matters. Copies of the early warning reports in respect of these transactions will be available on ZTEST's issuer profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. About ZTEST Electronics Inc. ZTEST Electronics Inc., through its wholly owned subsidiary Permatech Electronics Corp. ("Permatech"), offers Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS) to a wide range of customers. Permatech's offering includes Materials Management, Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Assembly, Testing and Design services. Permatech operates from a 20,000 square foot, ISO 9001:2008 certified facility in North York, Ontario, Canada. The company serves customers in the Medical, Power, Computer, Telecommunication, Wireless, Industrial and Consumer Electronics markets requiring high quality, quick-turn, small and medium size production runs. The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. The CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Contacts: ZTEST Electronics Inc. Ted Drzazga CEO (416) 297-5155 info@ztest.com Toyota Motor Corporation Public Affairs Division Global Communications Department Tel: +81-3-3817-9926 Toyota City, Japan, June 20, 2016 - (JCN Newswire) - The Toyota Automobile Museum, Toyota Motor Corporation's cultural facility located in Nagakute City, Aichi Prefecture, will hold a featured exhibition of certain special-purpose vehicles used in emergency and industrial roles, which are highly popular with children. This 10th edition of the event, held from July 16 to November 27, will also be the first exhibition in the newly established feature exhibition zone on the second floor of the annex, following the museum's partial redesign in early 2016.Using special "Investigator Notebooks" written in both Japanese and English, and focusing on the six vehicles featured, this exhibition offers a fun lesson for children about the roles and functions of vehicles used for special jobs, as well as teaching them about the work of the highly trained personnel who operate them. The exhibition has relocated from the second floor of the main building used previously to the new feature exhibition zone on the second floor of the annex, allowing the vehicles to be positioned in a more accessible manner. In previous years, children were able to experience the interiors of only some of the exhibition vehicles but this year they will be able to climb inside all six vehicles. The Investigator Notebooks contain material related to the exhibition, and also include quiz-type stamp rallies related to the museum's permanent exhibitions. Consequently, this notebook promotes the opportunity to learn through both exhibitions.There will be a variety of other events to coincide with the exhibition, including outdoor vehicle demonstration events with specialist personnel from various fields, which will be held a total of five times. Furthermore, the Vehicle Picture Book Library Room, which houses vehicle-related picture books with a focus on cars, has been newly established in the library on the third floor of the annex. Curators will host regular guided tours of permanent exhibitions.As an extra incentive, admission to the museum will be free for elementary school students from July 16 to August 31.About ToyotaSupported by people around the world, Toyota Motor Corporation (TSE: 7203; NYSE: TM), has endeavored since its establishment in 1937 to serve society by creating better products. As of the end of December 2013, Toyota conducts its business worldwide with 52 overseas manufacturing companies in 27 countries and regions. Toyota's vehicles are sold in more than 170 countries and regions. For more information, please visit www.toyota-global.com.Source: ToyotaContact:Copyright 2016 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved. BENTONVILLE (dpa-AFX) - Walmart (WMT) and JD.com (JD) said that they have formed a strategic alliance to better serve consumers across China through a combination of e-commerce and retail. The agreement between the companies includes a wide range of business initiatives, covering both online and offline retail. As part of the agreement, Walmart will receive 144.95 million newly issued JD.com Class A ordinary shares, amounting to approximately 5 percent of total shares outstanding. JD.com will take ownership of the Yihaodian marketplace platform assets, including the Yihaodian brand, website and app. Walmart will continue to operate the Yihaodian direct sales business and will be a seller on the Yihaodian marketplace, leveraging its global supply chain to provide customers a wide range of products. JD.com and Walmart will work together on growing the Yihaodian brand and business under its current name and market position. Sam's Club China will open a flagship store on JD.com, vastly expanding the availability of Sam's Club's imported products across China. It will offer same- and next-day delivery through JD.com's nationwide warehousing and delivery network, which covers a population of 600 million consumers. Walmart and JD.com will work together to leverage their supply chains to increase the product selection for customers across China, including broadening the range of imported products. Walmart's China stores will be listed as a preferred retailer on JD.com's O2O JV Dada, China's largest crowd-sourced delivery platform, driving online traffic to Walmart stores and allowing customers to order fresh food and other items from Walmart stores for 2-hour home delivery, while significantly broadening the product selection available to Dada's customers. Walmart will continue to operate its own physical stores. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwired) -- 06/21/16 -- EMC Corporation (NYSE: EMC), G4S (LSE: GFS), GTX Corp (OTC PINK: GTXO), ImageWare Systems (OTCQB: IWSY); Route1 (TSX VENTURE: ROI) THANK YOU FOR JOINING US "IN THE BOARDROOM" TO DISCUSS SECURITY THREATS AND SOLUTIONS Kurt Takahashi, Senior VP of Sales, AMAG Technology Dave Schmitt, Cisco, Solutions Architect, IoT Vertical Solutions Group: Utilities Ken Mills, EMC, Global Marketing and CTO, Surveillance and Security Robert Dodge, G4S Corporate Risk Services, CPP, Senior VP Patrick Bertagna, GTX CEO, Founder, Chairman Jim Miller ImageWare Systems, Chairman and CEO Scott B. Suhy, CEO, NetWatcher Tony Busseri, Route1, CEO and Brian Brunetti, President ***** DON'T MISS - DC Cyber Security Summit - For Sr. Level Executives Only Thursday, June 30th, 8am - 6pm - The Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner, VA Register at http://CyberSummitUSA.com/ with Promo Code: SSW2016 and Save ***** AMAG Technology / www.AMAG.com Dominion Resources Selects Symmetry Symmetry helps Dominion meet critical government regulations http://www.amag.com/en-US/Company/News/2016/06/15/Dominion%20Resources%20Selects%20Symmetry/ For insights from Mr. Kurt Takahashi, Senior VP of Sales, AMAG Technology, please click here or here: http://www.amag.com/en-US/Resources/Videos/Symmetry%20Videos/Senior%20Vice%20President%20Kurt%20Takahashi%20with%20AMAG%20at%20ISC%20West%202016/ ***** Cisco / http://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/products/collateral/se/internet-of-things/C11-735871.pdf Dave Schmitt, Cisco, Solutions Architect, IoT Vertical Solutions Group: Utilities, told us, "Utilities are especially popular, high-profile targets for attacks. According to the Cisco Security Capabilities Benchmark Study, 73% of utility IT security professionals say they've suffered a public security breach, compared with an average of 55% in other industries. Most U.S. utilities have already undertaken substantial security measures throughout many parts of their systems. However, the nature of cyber threats and vulnerabilities keeps changing. U.S. utilities have, for several years, been deploying IoT technology (aka Smart Grid) because it enables significant business and operational benefits: increased grid reliability, enhanced integration of renewables and other distributed energy resources, reduced operating costs, and more. However, all of this opportunity comes with the tradeoffs of increased complexity and new risks." For our complete interview with Dave Schmitt at Cisco please click here, or here: www.securitysolutionswatch.com/Interviews/in_Boardroom_Cisco_Schmitt.html ***** EMC / www.EMC.com Ken Mills, EMC, Global Marketing and CTO, Surveillance and Security, told us, "We have launched five new solutions for surveillance. We've partnered with Avnet to build a compute plus storage bundle that greatly simplifies the deployment of an enterprise surveillance solution. With ATOS, a global partner of EMC, we are working to develop and bring to market surveillance storage as a service. As customers begin to consider cloud for their surveillance storage needs, we want to make sure they have a best in class enterprise option. We have also launched a surveillance solution with VCE, the Converged Platforms Division of EMC. VCE brings together VMware, Cisco and EMC together in a single package for large-scale surveillance deployments. The VCE solutions for surveillance can handle thousands of cameras in a single rack with one number to call for support. It has never been easier to take advantage of this kind of pedigree in surveillance. And, finally we are launching a partner solution with Axis, Genetec and Avaya at ISC West. This partnership delivers "LINK", the security industry's first validated surveillance solution that helps secure video from the device all the way to the storage. It offers a cyber-hardened solution that provides scalability and reliability for enhanced security management while helping to reduce the possibility of a cyber-security breach. The partnership ensures that customers have the best solution to deliver surveillance at scale with the confidence they expect from market leaders in surveillance. Lastly, we are releasing our second generation of the Video Surveillance Storage platform. We strongly believe that the surveillance market needs unique solutions and to that end we have brought our 6-9s enterprise class storage platforms to the surveillance market. Due to the success we had with our first generation Video Surveillance Storage (VSS), it was a no-brainer to take our most current generation storage platform and customize it for the surveillance market." For the complete interview with Ken Mills at EMC, and Terry Gainer please click here, or here: www.securitysolutionswatch.com/Interviews/in_Boardroom_EMC_Gainer.html. For more information about evidence management solutions at EMC, please click here: "Evidence Storage: In the cloud or not?" or here: www.emc.com/collateral/handout/emc-on-prem-vs-cloud.pdf. KEN MILLS DISCUSSES "COPS AND BIG DATA" ON SECURITY GUY RADIO...watch the broadcast here, or here: https://soundcloud.com/security-guy-radio/187-cops-and-big-data-with-emccom-ken-mills?in=security-guy-radio/sets/2014-security-guy-radio And, for general information on EMC Surveillance solutions, please click here, or here: www.emc.com/surveillance. ***** G4S / www.G4S.us Mr. Robert Dodge, CPP, Senior VP, G4S Corporate Risk Services, said, "On a Friday in October 2015, a disgruntled customer arrived at a leading, international publisher's New York City headquarters and insisted on seeing the company's CEO. When the receptionist asked the man to leave, he became aggressive and made threats against staff and the CEO before leaving the building. Concerned about the potential for violence, the company reached out to G4S to respond to the threat. Within hours, workplace violence expert Robert Dodge, CPP, Senior VP of G4S Corporate Risk Services, deployed armed protection agents at the CEOs Manhattan residence to protect him and his family over the weekend." For the complete content with Robert Dodge, CPP, Senior VP, G4S Corporate Risk Services, please click here or here: www.g4s.us/~/media/Files/USA/PDF-Case-Studies/Executive%20Threat%20Case%20Study%20FINAL.pdf. G4S PLC - STATEMENT ON ATTACK IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA (http://www.g4s.com/en/Media%20Centre/News/2016/06/12/Statement%20on%20Omar%20Mateen/) ***** GTX Corp / www.GTXcorp.com Patrick Bertagna, CEO, Founder, Chairman, GTX Corp, told us, "We are seeing a noticeable uptick in activity and sales over the past few months. We have recently added several new distributors both domestic and international and in negotiations with several more which we expect to close in the next 15-45 days, we signed a significant IP licensing agreement with Inventergy (INVT) which we will start seeing revenues from licensing fees come in beginning this month. George Mason University has begun a clinical trial on studying wandering patterns with Alzheimer's and dementia patience and they will be utilizing our tracking and monitoring technology, we were just listed in the 2016 technology edition in Enterprise Magazine -- 25 Most Empowering IoT companies, we are currently testing and developing new technology with the military in both the U.S. and UK. And as a one off but very telling about our space, Lenovo announced this week they are launching a connected sneaker. As you know we have been a pioneer in the wearable tech industry, we launched the world's first Smart Shoe 5 years ago and last year we launched the world's first Smart Insole, so we have a lot of heritage, experience and intellectual property wrapped around footwear and electronics. It's very exciting to see larger companies enter this space and validate what we have been doing at GTX for many years." The Smart Shoe market seems to be growing.....Lenovo shows off a pair of Intel-powered smart shoes In other news regarding GTX... GTX Corp Featured in the 1IT Enterprise Magazine 2016 Special edition of the 25 most Empowering IoT Companies GTX Corp Signs Agreement With Possum Ltd Expanding Distribution of the SmartSole Across UK and Ireland GTX Corp Featured at Google I/O GTX Corp Expands Distribution in the U.K. The global wearable devices market continues to gain momentum and is projected to reach US$4.5 billion by 2020 GTX Corp Signs Patent Licensing Agreement With Inventergy and Adds New IP Expert Advisor SmartSoles address the "needs" market, which comprises of persons with Alzheimer's, autism, dementia, and traumatic brain injury, all of which have high tendencies to wander For our complete interview with Patrick Bertagna, CEO, Founder, Chairman, GTX Corp, please click here or here: www.securitysolutionswatch.com/Interviews/in_Boardroom_GTX_Bertanga.html. ***** ImageWare Systems / www.IWSINC.com Exciting developments at ImageWare Systems...please see the following recent news regarding Telos, Amazon and more: ImageWare Systems Partners With Telos Corporation to Provide Biometric Authentication SaaS Solution ImageWare Launches Enterprise-Ready, Turn-Key Biometric Authentication SaaS for Mass Adoption on Amazon Web Service Cloud ImageWare Systems Publishes Latest Market Insights on Biometric User Authentication Featuring Gartner Research ImageWare Systems Awarded Three Patents in the United States for Its Multi-Modal Biometric Platform FEMSA Selects ImageWare's Cloud-Based Biometric Authentication to Validate Future Service ImageWare Systems Joins Amazon Web Services Partner Network to Offer Multi-Modal Biometric Authentication For our complete interview with Jim Miller, ImageWare Systems, Chairman and CEO, please click here or here: www.securitystockwatch.com/Interviews/in_Boardroom_ImageWare.html. For more information: www.iwsinc.com ***** NetWatcher / www.NetWatcher.com Scott Suhy, CEO, NetWatcher, told us, regarding how NetWatcher is making security easy for anyone to use, "One example is our iPhone application. The app provides businesses with a real time snapshot of their overall network security, allowing them to access their user portal on-the-go. The app also features an overview of the user's NetWatcher Score, which shows real-time vulnerability levels and how susceptible their company is to an attack. Based on the score the app recommends if action needs to be taken to secure the network and enables companies to resolve issues before a breach even occurs." For our complete interview with Scott Suhy, CEO, NetWatcher, please click here or here: www.securitysolutionswatch.com/Interviews/in_Boardroom_Netwatcher_Suhy.html ***** Route1 / www.Route1.com Route1 Posts its Ninth Consecutive Quarter of Growth in Services Revenue and MobiKEY Subscribers Route1 enables the mobile workspace without compromising on security. Its flagship technology MobiKEY uniquely combines secure mobile access, with high assurance identity validation and plug-and-play usability. Remote and mobile workers are able to securely and cost-effectively access their workspace from any device without exposing the organization to the risk of data spillage or malware propagation. MobiKEY customers include Fortune 500 enterprises as well as the U.S. Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Energy and the Government of Canada. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Route1 is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange. For our complete interview with Mr. Brian Brunetti, President, Route1, please click here, or here www.securitysolutionswatch.com/Interviews/in_Boardroom_Route1_Brunetti.html ***** Would your company like to be featured in our "In The Boardroom" thought leadership series? Please contact us for a quick tour to see exactly how YOUR SOLUTIONS will be featured? Contact Mark Elliott: MBE@SecuritySolutionsWatch.com, or call 1+914.690.9351 ***** Visit Us On Twitter: https://twitter.com/SecStockWatch ***** We are proud to be media sponsors of these important upcoming SECURITY EVENTS AND TRADE SHOWS... www.securitysolutionswatch.com/Main/Events_Shows.html **** ASIS INTERNATIONAL 62ND ANNUAL SEMINAR AND EXHIBITS SEPTEMBER 12-15 ORLANDO, FLORIDA ASIS International (ASIS) is the largest membership organization for security management professionals that crosses industry sectors, embracing every discipline along the security spectrum, from physical security and crisis management to loss prevention and cybersecurity. Founded in 1955, ASIS is dedicated to increasing the effectiveness of security professionals at all levels. Through hundreds of chapters across the globe, ASIS develops and delivers board certifications and industry standards, hosts networking opportunities, publishes the award-winning Security Management magazine, and offers educational programs, including the Annual Seminar and Exhibits -- the security industry's most influential event. Whether providing thought leadership through the CSO Center for the industry's most senior executives or advocating before business, government, or the media, ASIS is focused on advancing the profession and ensuring that the security community has access to intelligence, resources, and technology needed within the business enterprise. www.asisonline.org. ***** Cyber Intelligence Europe event on the 28th - 30th September 2016 Cyber-attacks are continuing to rise across Europe with many government and private sector firms being attacked through Malware, DDoS and Trojan Horse attacks and losing sensitive information. Cyber Intelligence Europe 2016 will once again take place in Romania who is the leading cyber security nation in Eastern Europe with a high level of investment being used to create a strong cyber defence strategy for the region. Our 4th annual Cyber Intelligence Europe conference and exhibition will bring together leading public sector officials who will discuss the latest challenges and threats they are facing to their computer networks. There is now a greater need to track the criminals and a high level of intelligence is needed to monitor computer systems and tracing the threat before it is too late. Cybercrimes have also been on the increase in recent years and many companies and critical infrastructure organisations have been attacked. This has created a greater need for the public and private sectors to share information to combat against the criminals. Don't miss out on taking part at our international Cyber Intelligence Europe event on the 28th - 30th September 2016. For more information regarding this international event please contact us at events@intelligence-sec.com or +44 (0)1582 346 706. ***** Defense Strategies Institute Mobile Security for Defense and Government Summit July 26 - 27, 2016 Mary M Gates Learning Center, Alexandria, VA DSI's Mobile Security for Defense and Government Summit is designed as an educational and training "Town Hall" forum that is off the record / non attribution, The Summit brings together thought leaders and key policy-makers across military and civilian organizations, private ndustry and academia for two days of actionable discussions and debate. Open to US citizens only. Seating is limited. This year's Summit will focus on "Improving Enterprise Mobility through Security & Innovation." Specifically, this event will highlight the initiatives, interests and current challenges facing the DoD and Federal Agencies as they move towards a more mobile enterprise in an environment of increased cyber security and quickly evolving commercial innovation in mobility for the network. ***** DC Cyber Security Summit - For Sr. Level Executives Only Thursday, June 30th, 8am - 6pm, The Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner, VA Register at http://CyberSummitUSA.com/ with Promo Code: SSW2016 Just $125 with code (Standard ticket price is $250). All registrations are pre-screened. C-Suite and Senior Level Executives are invited to register for the DC / Metro Cyber Security Summit! This is an executive level summit where you will get to connect with key experts from the NSA and FBI. Network & share experiences with fellow business leaders from the region during a catered breakfast, lunch & cocktail reception sponsored by Cohiba Cigars! Details: http://CyberSummitUSA.com/ Learn about the latest security threats from experts such as Curtis Dukes - Director Information Assurance, NSA & Ralph Kahn - Vice President of Federal, Tanium. Engage in panel & roundtable discussions on the hottest cyber security topics: -- Protecting the Enterprise from the Growing Risk of Security Breaches as it Relates to the Internet of Things -- The Growing Cyber Threats to Big Data Analytics & Cloud Security -- Emerging Risks & Cutting Edge Technologies -- White House Level Briefing on Cyber Governance & Enterprise Risk Management Evaluate world class Cyber Solution providers including Tanium, Alert Logic, Anomali, BalaBit, Centrify Corporation, Centripetal Networks, CenturyLink, Darktrace, eSentire, iboss Cybersecurity, InfoBlox, Intel Security, NSS Labs, Re-Sec Technologies, Red Canary, Sepio Systems, Threat Quotient, Uplevel Security, Vectra Networks & more. If you are interested in being an exhibitor, sponsor or speaker at an upcoming Cyber Security Summit, contact Bradford Rand at 212.655.4505 ext 223 or BRand@TechExpoUSA.com ***** US/Canada Border Conference Welcomes New Advisory Board Members The US/Canada Border Conference, taking place September 20-21, 2016 at the Cobo Center in Detroit, MI, is preparing the 2016 conference program with the addition of four new influential and highly respected Advisory Board Members, led by Chairman Robert C. Bonner, Senior Principal, Sentinel Strategy & Policy Consulting; Former Commissioner, U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Former Administrator, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The new members are: Stephen J. Comber, Senior Vice President and General Manager, ManTech, Health and Federal Civilian Business Unit; Luc Portelance, ICD.D, President and CEO at CrossPoint Integrated Strategies, Inc., Former President of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA); John P. Woods, Senior Director, Immigration & National Security Solutions, Health & Civilian Solutions Division, General Dynamics Information Technology; Thomas Winkowski, President, Global Border Solutions, LLC, Former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Former Acting Commissioner, U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The 4th Annual edition theme, 'Border of the Future', will emphasize the importance of taking a holistic approach when addressing border functions and security, an understanding of the border as more than a line dividing two nations' boundaries and approaching border control with technology, strategies and communication that takes place not just at ports of entry but throughout the respective countries' interiors. For more information, visit http://www.beyond-border.com/ ***** Border Management & Technologies Summit to Asia Asian nations have been developing their borders significantly in the past few years. Many Asian airports now have the latest biometric and passenger naming systems available, however, many nations are still catching up, and with more passengers flying through Asian nation's development on their borders is critical. We are pleased to bring our successful Border Management & Technologies Summit to Asia. Our event will focus on the current border management systems in place across Asia-Pacific. Many countries in Asia have separate borders from the mainland, such as islands, which makes it harder to manage the borders. The maritime environment in Asia is critical and many countries rely on fisheries to generate their country's GDP. With this in mind surveillance of the maritime domain is an important aspect of border security in Asia. Our event will focus on the challenges of managing coastal borders and tracking migration through the maritime domain. Border Management & Technologies Summit Asia will also discuss the development of Integrated Border Management (IBM) systems in Asia and review the capabilities of a number of nations in Asia. To take part in our international event either as a speaker, sponsor, exhibitor or as a delegate please contact us at events@intelligence-sec.com or call us on +44 (0)1582 346 706 ***** The Smart Card Alliance Security of Things 2016 Bringing Security, Privacy and Authentication to the Forefront of the Internet of Things Security and privacy are top priorities as the Internet of Things (IoT) creates an increasingly connected world -- connected devices are expected to reach 21 billion by the year 2020. The Security of Things, the Smart Card Alliance's newest event, takes a deep dive into the advantages and challenges IoT presents across every market, including payments, transportation, industrial, consumer and healthcare, and highlights the need for secure IoT architectures using embedded security and privacy technology. Don't miss this event, the best venue to learn, communicate and network with fellow IoT security industry colleagues! ***** THIS PRESS RELEASE, AND ALL ADVERTISING, CONTENT AND ALL OTHER MATERIAL AND INFORMATION WHICH APPEARS ON SECURITYSOLUTIONSWATCH.COM AND/OR SECURITYSTOCKWATCH.COM, ONLINE AND/OR IN PRINT, IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS OF USE, CONDITIONS, AND DISCLAIMER HERE: www.securitysolutionswatch.com/Main/Terms_of_Use.html. ***** OTTAWA (dpa-AFX) - The euro strengthened against the other major currencies in the Asian session on Tuesday. The euro rose to 0.7744 against the pound and 1.0904 against the Swiss franc, from yesterday's closing quotes of 0.7686 and 1.0880, respectively. The euro advanced to 118.08 against the yen, from an early 4-day low of 117.31. Against the U.S., the New Zealand and the Canadian dollars, the euro edged up to 1.1343, 1.5942 and 1.4516 from yesterday's closing quotes of 1.1313, 1.5882 and 1.4483, respectively. If the euro extends its uptrend, it is likely to find resistance around 0.80 against the pound, 1.10 against the franc, 122.00 against the yen, 1.15 against the greenback, 1.64 against the kiwi and 1.48 against the loonie. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. LAUSANNE, Switzerland, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Brain Forum 2016, held recently in EPFL Lausanne, Switzerland, welcomed 1400 visitors; raising attendance by 40% compared to the previous year. Dr. Jamil El-Imad, CEO of The Brain Forum, is extremely pleased with the outcome and that again the Forum has succeeded in uniting diverse stakeholders in face of one of the biggest challenges of this era. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/381251LOGO ) (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/381252 ) During the opening keynote session "Practical lessons in machine learning", research scientist, Greg Corrado, gave an overview of Google's current research in machine intelligence. "Deep learning" is a huge step forward and has allowed Google unprecedented achievements. Dr. Corrado stated "This is as much art as it is science," convincing the audience that machine learning would be a major technological cornerstone. The Brain Forum Innovation Award offered opportunities for startups to connect with leading experts in brain research and business. The French start-up "Rhythm" won the Audience Award with its first product "Dreem", a wearable headband monitoring brain activity; "PolyNeuron" won the Jury Award with its new class of immunomodulatory drug. MassChallenge awarded "Pragma Therapeutics" for its new concept linked to mGlu7 receptor allosteric inhibition to prevent or treat glutamate-induced brain and ear dysfunctions. The Brain Forum welcomed back the most important global brain initiatives. Prof. Mu-ming Poo from the China Brain Science Project explained to the audience that China will count on its large populations and numerous breeding centers for non-human experimentation to tackle neurological diseases, while Prof. Hideyuko Okano representing Japan's Brain /MINDS initiative showed how Japan's advanced marmoset program is supporting brain mapping research. The Swiss-funded Blue Brain project, presented by Prof. Henry Markram, works on digital reconstruction and simulation of the brain. The Blue Brain project has developed virtual brain matter in which various behaviors can be observed without altering the model. From the European Commission, Dr. Catherine Berens showed how funding and collaborative research is handled on a continental scale and Prof. David Menon spoke about how CENTER-TBI strives for better characterization of initial disease severity and effectiveness of care. Lastly, Prof. Terry Sejnowski from the US BRAIN 2025 focused on genetics, physiology, anatomy, behavior, theoretical modeling, computational statistics and data sharing. In the final keynote session, Prof. David Anderson showed how he had isolated mating and aggression mechanisms in the brain of mice and fruit flies, and that the genetic identification of hypothalamic attack neurons and their manipulations open new translational approaches to treat aggression. Summing up, Dr. El-Imad stated that the future of brain science lies in collaborative research and he is looking forward to seeing new collaborations develop as a result of The Brain Forum. The Brain Forum was launched in 2013 to advance our understanding of how the brain works and to accelerate the application and value of this knowledge in society and the economy. Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, in Switzerland, is one of the most international higher education institutions in Europe and it is also home to the Brain Mind Institute, which aims to understand the fundamental principles of brain function in health and disease. For more information, please contact: The Brain Forum Christophe Tournier, press office, +41-21-517-67-17 thebrainforum@farner.ch Virgin Red Offers Customers Personalised Rewards and Discounts Through Gamification and Social Sharing BETHESDA, Marylandand LONDON, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --Today DMI announced its work with Virgin on Virgin Red, an app created to reward members for "living a life more Virgin", through recognising their relationships with Virgin brands and their interaction with app features. DMI worked closely with Virgin to deliver a rewards programme that brings the brand to life through a mobile-first experience by incorporating this throughout the design, development and testing process. Virgin Red is available in the U.K. for Android and Apple devices. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130731/MM56613LOGO Click to Tweet The DMI team worked with Virgin to implement a customer-centric approach to the app development process, using a combination of user research, rapid prototyping and user testing to ensure the finished product met Virgin customer expectations. Virgin and DMI developed a service that reshapes the user experience based on individual preferences identified using data collected through the app. To achieve this, DMI seamlessly integrated the app with Virgin's backend systems and back office functions as well as its CRM and payment systems. As a result, the app delivers personalised and targeted products and discounts, as well as enabling Virgin to gather consumer insights and trends. A life more Virgin: Virgin Red awards users points for their relationships with Virgin brands and for completing daily quizzes and weekly challenges that capture the fun and cheeky spirit that made Virgin a worldwide brand whilst encouraging brand loyalty. Virgin Red awards users points for their relationships with Virgin brands and for completing daily quizzes and weekly challenges that capture the fun and cheeky spirit that made Virgin a worldwide brand whilst encouraging brand loyalty. Exclusive opportunities: Users can redeem their points to unlock exclusive experiences, offers and events hidden in Vaults, such as a discounted afternoon tea, tandem skydiving or a free bottle of wine. The app also provides smaller, weekly opportunities from Virgin and friends such as offers and discounts at popular restaurants and retailers. James Tipple, managing director of Virgin Red, said: "Loyalty shouldn't just be measured by how much money you spend with a brand. Virgin Red is disrupting traditional loyalty programs by rewarding our members for their relationship with Virgin. We've developed fun ways to interact with and learn about our members, and we're using that insight to give them value back through access to relevant offers and exclusive opportunities from across the group. Basically, the more Virgin a member is, the better their offers and rewards get." Magnus Jern, president of DMI International, said: "Virgin's core principles are about listening to customers, making a positive difference and turning dreams into reality. With this in mind, we worked with Virgin to build an app that delivers engaging content and appropriate incentives to engender real customer loyalty, and it's proven to work. We're proud to have played a part in creating Virgin Red and look forward to our continued collaboration with them as well as helping other organizations connect with their fans in new, meaningful ways." About DMI: DMI, the world's first end-to-end mobility company, combines all the skills and services necessary to deliver mobile enterprise solutions. Built to reinvent business through mobility, DMI has expertise in mobile strategy, UX, web, and app development, omni-channel commerce, brand and marketing, big data management and analytics, and secure device and app management. The company's unique, integrated approach to mobility has resulted in dramatic growth as well as an expanding client base, which includes hundreds of Fortune 1000 commercial clients and all fifteen U.S. Federal Departments. Additional information is available at www.dminc.com. PR Contacts: Corporate International Alika Nagpaul Laura Cahill DMI AxiCom 240-200-5852 + 2083924071 anagpaul@dminc.com laura.cahill@axicom.com BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - Switzerland's foreign trade data is due for May in the pre-European session on Tuesday at 2:00 am ET. The trade surplus totaled CHF 2.5 billion in April. Ahead of the data, the Swiss franc showed mixed trading against its major rivals. While the Swiss franc rose against the yen, it fell against the pound. Against the U.S. dollar and the euro, the Swiss franc held steady. As of 1:55 am ET, the Swiss franc was trading at 1.0889 against the euro, 1.4127 against the pound, 0.9611 against the U.S. dollar and 108.53 against the yen. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM--(Marketwired - June 21, 2016) - As the UK prepares to vote on whether to remain in the European Union, Britons debate the strength of their ties to Europe. When it comes to their financial behaviour, however, they are clearly more similar to their American, rather than their Continental, cousins. While usage of credit cards in European markets such as France and Germany remain stubbornly low, both the US and the UK are reporting rapidly mounting levels of credit card debt, approaching levels not seen since the heady days preceding the financial crisis. (1) And while the US is usually seen as the poster child for "buy now, pay later," UK cardholders aren't so different, nearly equally likely to revolve balances on at least one card, according to newly released research from Auriemma Consulting Group (ACG), which conducted parallel studies in both markets. Although on opposite sides of the northern Atlantic, payment behaviour in the US and the UK is eerily similar, save a few key differences. It's true, on average, US consumers hold more credit cards than their UK counterparts (2.3 vs. 1.9), but an equal proportion (26%) of each market frequently carries a balance on them. American and British consumers are also nearly identical when looking at balance transfers (10% vs. 13%), missed payments (11% vs. 13%), and credit card inactivity (24% vs. 27%) within the past year. "We generally find the same things important, but perhaps to varying degrees," says Jaclyn Holmes, the ACG senior manager who directed the study. "This also translates when examining payment behaviour. US cardholders, for example, are more likely to be incentivised by rewards or cashback offers, but both populations select this as the top offer that would make them use less frequently used cards more." A majority of consumers in both markets (65% in the US, 59% in the UK) cite the most obvious reason, "high spending," for revolving balances. These revolvers try to pay off the credit card with the highest APR first, but UK cardholders more frequently cite allocating extra funds to paying off the card they use most frequently (22% vs. 16%). "Britons don't want to lose access to that credit line," says Holmes. "Twice as many UK cardholders say they rely on borrowing to afford day-to-day purchases so paying down that card first makes sense." 16%). "Britons don't want to lose access to that credit line," says Holmes. "Twice as many UK cardholders say they rely on borrowing to afford day-to-day purchases so paying down that card first makes sense." Borrowing, of course, isn't just limited to credit cards. Consumers in the US and the UK both cite taking out a mortgage (69% vs. 62%), emergencies (59% vs. 56%), and making large purchases (33% vs. 32%) as justifiable reasons to borrow. Car financing, however, is much more likely in the US (61% vs. 40%), while UK cardholders more often cite funding a creative project (23% vs. 15%) or managing cash flow (17% vs. 13%). "About one-third of each market has taken out a personal loan, but UK cardholders are nearly twice as likely to borrow for debt consolidation," says Holmes. "Britons believe the repayment schedule would be easier with a personal loan, while those in the US more often cite wanting to build their credit history." For financial institutions wishing to better understand consumers across the pond, the good news is that payment behaviour is generally similar regardless of locale. "Sure, US and UK consumers are not carbon copies of one another," says Holmes, "but, based on our research, it looks like we are more alike than some may initially think." Survey Methodology Cardbeat US was conducted online within the United States by an independent field service provider on behalf of Auriemma Consulting Group (ACG) in April 2016, among 800 U.S. credit card users. Cardbeat UK was conducted online among 500 credit cardholders in the U.K. during March 2016. The number of interviews completed is sufficient to allow for statistical significance testing between sub-groups at the 95% confidence level 5%, unless otherwise noted. The purpose of the research was not disclosed nor did the respondents know the criteria for qualifying. About Auriemma Consulting Group ACG is a boutique management consulting firm with specialised focus on the Payments and Lending space. We deliver actionable solutions and insights that add value to our clients' business activities across a broad set of industry topics and disciplines. Founded in 1984, ACG has grown from a one-man shop to a nearly 50-person firm with offices in New York and London. For more information, visit ACG's website at www.acg.net or contact Marianne Berry at 44 (0) 207 629 0075 or marianne.berry@acg.net. (1) http://www.wsj.com/articles/balance-due-credit-card-debt-nears-1-trillion-as-banks-push-plastic-1463736600 http://www.reuters.com/article/britain-banks-lending-idUSL3N18D3SX Contact: Marianne Berry 44 (0) 207 629 0075 marianne.berry@acg.net Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. SANTA CLARITA, CA--(Marketwired - June 21, 2016) - BioSolar, Inc. (OTCQB: BSRC), a developer of breakthrough energy storage technology and materials, today announced that it has jointly filed an additional international patent application with the University of California, Santa Barbara ("UCSB") for "High Capacity Cathode for Use in Supercapacitors and Batteries and Methods for Manufacturing such Cathodes." The inventors of the patent application include Dr. Alan Heeger, the recipient of a Nobel Prize in 2000 for the discovery and development of conductive polymers, of UCSB; Dr. David Vonlanthen of UCSB; Dr. David Lee, the Company's chief executive officer; and Dr. Stanley Levy, the Company's chief technology officer. BioSolar filed an international patent application under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) that further expands the basis for the proprietary technology the Company believes will improve storage capacity and increase the lifetime of supercapacitors and batteries. The PCT application, which establishes a filing date in all 149 contracting states, requires the next step of entering into national or regional phases before proceeding towards a grant of one or more patents. "Filing this joint international patent application helps protect the technological milestones achieved thus far, providing value not only to our Company, but to its shareholders," said David Lee, CEO of BioSolar. "We believe our technology represents remarkable potential across a number of high growth markets including solar, electric vehicles, and traditional charging applications for personal technology use. As such, it is of the highest importance that we protect our intellectual property and maintain control of licensing efforts that we believe could generate a significant stream of revenue." The Company's proprietary cathode material under development consists of commercially available polymers and other raw materials to make up the redox-supporting cathode structure. The cathode can be manufactured using a low cost proprietary coating process rather than expensive and energy-intensive slurrying and calendaring processes currently used to manufacture existing cathodes in lithium-ion batteries. About BioSolar, Inc. BioSolar is developing a breakthrough technology to double the storage capacity, lower the cost and extend the life of lithium-ion batteries. A battery contains two major parts, a cathode and an anode, that function together as the positive and negative sides. Today's state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery is limited by the storage capacity of its cathode, while the anode can store much more. Inspired by nature, we are developing a novel cathode based on inexpensive conductive polymers and organic materials that can fully utilize the storage capacity of conventional anodes. By integrating our high capacity, high power and low-cost cathode with conventional anodes, battery manufacturers can create a super lithium-ion battery that can double the range of a Tesla, power an iPhone for 2 days straight, or store daytime solar energy for nighttime use. Founded with the vision of developing breakthrough energy technologies, BioSolar's previous successes include the world's first UL approved bio-based back sheet for use in solar panels. To learn more about BioSolar, please visit our website at http://www.biosolar.com. Safe Harbor Statement Matters discussed in this press release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "may," "intend," "expect" and similar expressions identify such forward-looking statements. Actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those contemplated, expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained herein. These forward-looking statements are based largely on the expectations of the Company and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. These include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties associated with: the impact of economic, competitive and other factors affecting the Company and its operations, markets, product, and distributor performance, the impact on the national and local economies resulting from terrorist actions, and U.S. actions subsequently; and other factors detailed in reports filed by the Company. Investor Relations Contact: Tom Becker BioSolar, Inc. ir@biosolar.com (877) 904-3733 For Media Inquiries: Eric Fischgrund FischTank Marketing and PR eric@fischtankpr.com VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/21/16 -- Medgold Resources Corp. (TSX VENTURE: MED) is pleased to advise that it has closed its previously announced non-brokered private placement financing with the issuance to Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. of 10.0 million units at $0.15 per unit, for proceeds of $1.5 million. Each unit consists of one common share of Medgold and one warrant entitling Fortuna to purchase one additional common share of Medgold at $0.15 for one year from closing. The common shares and warrants issued are subject to a resale restriction until October 18, 2016. No finder's fees or commissions were paid in connection with this financing. The proceeds of the placement will be used to fund project-generating exploration in Serbia, and for general working capital purposes. Dan James, President of Medgold, said: "We are pleased to close our financing with Fortuna Silver Mines, and speaking on behalf of the Medgold team, we're all looking forward to starting work with them in Serbia under our strategic alliance. Our early stage work has identified a number of key district-scale targets which are the focus of our first licence applications there. We hope to have the first licences issued in the late summer or early fall of this year. Our experienced team of geologists is planning a busy summer field season of reconnaissance and target generation work, and we'll be starting more detailed work on the targets we've already identified." About Medgold Medgold is a European-focused, TSX-V listed exploration and development company targeting gold properties in northwest Iberia and the under-explored gold provinces of southern Europe. Run by a highly experienced management team with a successful track record of building value in resource companies, Medgold is aiming to become a leading European gold company. Additional information on Medgold can be found on the Company's website at www.medgoldresources.com and by reviewing the Company's page on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Simon Ridgway, Chief Executive Officer Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-looking statements Certain statements contained in this news release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and include, without limitation, statements about the intended use of the financing proceeds. Often, but not always, these forward looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "estimate", "estimates", "estimated", "potential", "open", "future", "assumed", "projected", "used", "detailed", "has been", "gain", "upgraded", "offset", "limited", "contained", "reflecting", "containing", "remaining", "to be", "periodically", or statements that events, "could" or "should" occur or be achieved and similar expressions, including negative variations. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Such uncertainties and factors include, among others, whether the Company will spend the financing proceeds as intended; changes in general economic conditions and financial markets; the Company or any joint venture partner not having the financial ability to meet its exploration and development goals; risks associated with the results of exploration and development activities, estimation of mineral resources and the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; unanticipated costs and expenses; and such other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's quarterly and annual filings with securities regulators and available under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Forward-looking statements contained herein are based on the assumptions, beliefs, expectations and opinions of management, including but not limited to: that the Company will spend the financing proceeds as intended; that the Company's stated goals and planned exploration and development activities will be achieved; that there will be no material adverse change affecting the Company or its properties; and such other assumptions as set out herein. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by law. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Contacts: Medgold Resources Corp. Dan James (UK) President +44 7972 579188 dj@medgoldresources.com Medgold Resources Corp. Ralph Rushton (Vancouver) Investor Relations +1 604-630-5544 ralphr@goldgroup.com www.medgoldresources.com VIENNA (dpa-AFX) - Telia Company (0H6X.L, TLSNY.PK) announced it has agreed to sell its 76.6 percent holding in the Spanish operator Yoigo to MASMOVIL, a Spanish telecommunications operator. The transaction price is based on an enterprise value of 625 million euros for Yoigo, of which Telia Company's 76.6 percent share corresponds to 479 million euros. The divestment is estimated to generate a capital gain of more than 4 billion Swedish kronor. Telia Company said, following debt adjustments, the transaction is expected to reduce net debt for Telia by approximately 6 billion kronor. 'The divestment of Yoigo is an important milestone in our ambition to increase focus on our operations in the Nordics and Baltics,' said Johan Dennelind, Telia Company's President and CEO. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. To: Thomson Reuters From: CQS New City High Yield Fund Limited Date: 21 June 2016 Director Declaration In accordance with Listing Rule 9.6.14, CQS New City High Yield Fund Limited ('the Company') advises that Wendy Dorman, a non-executive Director of the Company, has been appointed as a non-executive director of The Board of Jersey Electricity Plc with such appointment to become effective on 1 July 2016. For further information please contact: Martin Cassels R&H Fund Services Limited 0131 550 3760 This announcement is distributed by GlobeNewswire on behalf of GlobeNewswire clients. The owner of this announcement warrants that: (i) the releases contained herein are protected by copyright and other applicable laws; and (ii) they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: CQS New City High Yield Fund Limited via GlobeNewswire [HUG#2022061] B1LZS51R6 Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. MegaFon, one of Russia's biggest telecommunications firms, has signed a roaming agreement with Transaction Network Services' (TNS) LTE Roaming Hub (Hub). This strategic relationship, which also includes access to Competitive Carriers Association (CCA) members who are participating in CCA's Data Services Hub, will help MegaFon improve its subscriber roaming experience in the US and gain new inbound roaming revenues. The LTE Roaming Hub will provide MegaFon with extensive US coverage via access to the networks of dozens of other participating carriers, the majority of which are now LTE. As an international Hub partner, MegaFon will also offer inbound roaming support to the Hub's subscriber base travelling to Russia. As an effective and streamlined alternative to direct roaming relationships, the TNS powered solution will allow MegaFon to improve its subscribers roaming experience by offering a larger seamless footprint with greater LTE coverage. At the same time it will help simplify MegaFon's contractual and accounting routines, deliver operational cost savings and bring new revenue opportunities through reciprocal inbound roaming into Russia. Joe Lueckenhoff, Executive Vice President and General Manager of TNS' Telecommunication Services Division, said: "We have created a dedicated Hub which aims to help international carriers access the US in a simple, comprehensive and effective way. We are delighted to be welcoming MegaFon to the Hub and helping improve its roaming capability. "The Hub operates as a mutually-beneficial community with all parties having the ability not only to improve their subscriber experience but also to grow their business with additional revenues gained through increased inbound roaming activities. Momentum is really building and we are excited to be in discussions with a number of other international carriers as the benefits of the Hub become more widely recognized." The TNS technology supports VoLTE and enables roaming to and from LTE networks without circuit-switched fall back to 3G and the associated quality of service impacts this brings. Hub BreakOut (HBO), which is one of the features of the TNS LTE Roaming Hub, allows subscribers to obtain internet data at Regional Internet Hubs. As a result these requests do not have to be routed back to MegaFon's home network ensuring quicker delivery of data and a better customer experience while they are away from the home network. Additionally, as a Hub member/partner HBO allows an accelerated VoLTE roaming solution that is in compliance with regional and local regulatory requirements. Steven K. Berry, President and CEO of CCA, said: "I am very pleased that international carriers like MegaFon recognize the unique capabilities of an LTE Roaming Hub. The TNS technology, which powers the Hub, ensures interoperability and delivers a seamless advanced roaming experience which can help carriers gain competitive advantage both at home and abroad. MegaFon joins over a dozen carriers participating in CCA's Data Services Hub to expand data and voice roaming capabilities across each other's regions, and I am delighted the Hub is reaching international partners." MegaFon is currently the leading provider of mobile internet services and has the second largest number of active subscribers in Russia. In 2012 it completed an initial public offering and is now listed on the Moscow and London Stock Exchanges. From small rural operators in the US to the largest multi-national carriers, TNS has over 500 operator partners in the US and addresses the full needs of wireless and wireline operators in the US and globally. TNS' networks have been specifically designed and configured for the transmission of transaction-related time sensitive data and support a variety of widely accepted communications protocols. Since it was founded in 1990, TNS has grown to provide services in more than 60 countries across the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific region, and offers 24x7x365 support via its Network Operating Centers in the US, UK and Australia. For more information about TNS please visit www.tnsi.com. ENDS About CCA CCA is the nation's leading association for competitive wireless providers and stakeholders across the United States. The licensed service area of CCA's nearly 100 carriers covers 95 percent of the nation. Visit www.ccamobile.org. About Transaction Network Services Transaction Network Services (TNS) is a leading global provider of data communications and interoperability solutions. TNS offers a broad range of networks and innovative value-added services which enable transactions and the exchange of information in diverse industries such as retail, banking, payment processing, telecommunications and the financial markets. Founded in 1990 in the United States, TNS has grown steadily and now provides services in over 60 countries across the Americas, Europe and the Asia Pacific region, with our reach extending to many more. TNS has designed and implemented multiple data networks which support a variety of widely accepted communications protocols and are designed to be scalable and accessible by multiple methods. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160621005692/en/ Contacts: TNS Clare Cockroft PR Director T: +44 (0)114 292 0163 E: pr@tnsi.com or Joanne Moorwood Senior Director, Marketing Communications +1 703 814 8065 21 June 2016 G4S PLC APPOINTMENT OF A NEW NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR G4S plc, the leading global, integrated security company, today announces the appointment of Barbara Thoralfsson as a non-executive director of its board with effect from 1 July 2016. Upon appointment, Ms Thoralfsson will become a member of the board's Nomination and Remuneration Committees. Commenting on the new appointment, John Connolly, G4S chairman said: 'I am delighted to welcome Barbara Thoralfsson to the board. Her experience in a range of businesses in the telecoms and technology markets will be extremely valuable to our board and will broaden the capabilities and experience of our board of directors.' Biography: Barbara Thoralfsson Barbara Thoralfsson has an MBA in Marketing and Finance from Columbia University in New York; and a BA in Psychology from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. She has extensive international and board and technology experience, having been CEO of NetCom ASA, Norway's second largest mobile network operator, between 2001 and 2005; and a non-executive director of Tandberg ASA, a leading global supplier of video conferencing systems, from 2006 until 2010, Telenor ASA, a leading mobile operator in Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and Asia, from 2009 until 2015 and Cable & Wireless Plc in 2015 and 2016. Previously, Barbara held senior positions in sales and marketing in the FMCG industry in the US and Scandinavia She has been an Industrial Advisor to EQT Private Equity Partners since 2007 and currently serves as a non-executive director on the boards of SCA AB, Hilti AG, ColArt Holdings Ltd and Norfolier GreenTec; and has been an owner of Fleming Industrier AS, investing in Scandinavian small cap companies, since 2006. Barbara has also served as a non-executive director on the boards of Electrolux AB and Orkla ASA. No further information is required to be disclosed under paragraph 9.6.13R of the Listing Rules. For further enquiries, please contact: Helen Parris - Director of Investor Relations +44 (0) 208 722 2125 Media enquiries: Mathew Magee Media Relations Manager +44 (0) 7841982838 Notes to Editors: G4S is the leading global, integrated security company, specialising in the provision of security services and solutions to customers. Our mission is to create material, sustainable value for our customers and shareholders by being the supply partner of choice in all our markets. G4S is quoted on the London Stock Exchange and has a secondary stock exchange listing in Copenhagen. G4S is active in around 100 countries and has 610,000 employees. For more information on G4S, visit www.g4s.com. This announcement is distributed by GlobeNewswire on behalf of GlobeNewswire clients. The owner of this announcement warrants that: (i) the releases contained herein are protected by copyright and other applicable laws; and (ii) they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: G4S plc UK DK via GlobeNewswire [HUG#2022070] A0B7CYB01FLG6R43 Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de Sir David Tang HKTDC Communication and Public Affairs Department Joe Kainz Tel: +852 2584 4216 Email: joe.kainz@hktdc.org HONG KONG, June 21, 2016 - (ACN Newswire) - An engaging group of international authors including novelists, historians and journalists will participate in the 27th edition of the HKTDC Hong Kong Book Fair to be held from 20 to 26 July at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC).Historical depthA regular highlight of the fair is the Open Public Forum moderated by renowned entrepreneur and arts enthusiast Sir David Tang, who this year welcomes historical fiction writer Wilbur Smith, author and journalist Simon Winchester, and writer and filmmaker Hannah Rothschild.The authors will answer audience questions about their works during the 22 July Open Public Forum exploring the writing process. Mr Smith, known for bestselling novels about South Africa's international entanglements spanning three centuries, has seen several of his more than 35 books developed into films and television shows. As he once said, "I write my books in my head, and not in a specific study with a view. The view is from my inner eyes." His books on Africa are brought to life by his wisdom and understanding of his homeland.Ms Rothschild, who was born into one of the world's richest families, has pursued arts instead of her family business, traditionally banking. In 2015, she became the first chairlady of the National Gallery in London. In the same year, she published her first novel "The Improbability of Love", inspired by her childhood memories in the National Gallery. The mysterious and romantic story was nominated for the Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction. In addition, she has published a biography, written for major magazines and newspapers and produced documentaries for the BBC and HBO.Mr Winchester was inspired to become a journalist after reading Jan Morris' Coronation Everest. He has covered major world events, such as the Watergate scandal, Bloody Sunday in Northern Ireland and the Falklands war following the invasion of the Falkland Islands by Argentina in 1982. He ended up in an Argentine prison and the experience inspired his best-seller "Prison Diary". He has contributed to more than a dozen non-fiction books including "Professor and the Madman", which documented the production of the Oxford Dictionary.Global viewpointsThe Book Fair will also feature seminars with authors including Hong Kong-born award-winning poet Sarah Howe, a fellow at Harvard University's Radcliffe Institute. Invited to the fair under a collaboration between the British Council and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), Ms Howe explored her dual British and Chinese heritage in "Loop of Jade", which last year earned a TS Eliot award, the first given to a debut poetry collection since the British prize was launched in 1993.With great support from the Consulate General of France in Hong Kong & Macau, the 2016 fair will also welcome an impressive lineup of international writers, including award-winning French psychologist Elisabeth Brami, who has published more than 100 books and novels often presenting complex issues in a way that appeals to all ages. Also hailing from France is journalist Florence de Changy who will speak about her new book investigating the mysterious disappearance of a Malaysian airliner in 2014. Christine Cappio, who has lived in Hong Kong since 1986 when she moved to the city from France with her husband Professor Stephen Cheung, President of The Education University of Hong Kong, will showcase a book about her experiences.Other Hong Kong-connected authors include Jane Houng who has published a young adult novel and biography as well as a 2016 collection "Cat Soup and Other Short Stories". Mishi Saran will share her books including a novel "The Other Side of Light", which was shortlisted for the 2013 Commonwealth Book Prize, and speak about her current work on a novel set in 1930s Shanghai. Award-winning journalist, writer and Ayurveda clinician Reenita Malhotra Hora, will also share the spirit and wisdom of South Asia. Author Mark O'Neill returns to the fair with a new book exploring the little-known tale of how priceless art from China's palace museums was saved from wartime invaders in the 1940s. Contemporary Chinese history will be on the agenda for a session with Arthur R Kroeber, head of research at a Hong Kong financial-services firm, on his new book "China's Economy: What Everyone Needs to Know".Reading the worldMore than 550 cultural events will be organised during the week-long Book Fair, including more than 250 under the related citywide Cultural July festival, which comprises seminars and author sessions, cultural tours and activities at book stores, shopping malls, educational institutions, coffee shops and various venues throughout Hong Kong.The fair itself will host more than 600 exhibitors from over 30 countries and regions including newcomers from Chile, Germany, Indonesia, Iran, Portugal and Russia. English Avenue returns to the fair with more than 30 exhibitors, including the Commercial Press, Metrobooks and PageOne.Hong Kong Book Fair 2016 Videos: www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBrAaPzPW6Up_Nt0TsnoToP-iI1Daev7OWebsites:HKTDC Hong Kong Book Fair website: http://www.hkbookfair.comHKTDC 50th anniversary website: http://50.hktdc.comPhoto Download: http://bit.ly/28P8uoUMedia Registration: Media representatives wishing to cover the event may register on-site with their business cards and/or media identification.To view press releases in Chinese, please visit http://mediaroom.hktdc.com/tcAbout HKTDCThe Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. The HKTDC is the international marketing arm for Hong Kong-based traders, manufacturers and services providers. With more than 40 offices globally, including 13 on the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China and throughout Asia. The HKTDC also organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to provide companies, particularly SMEs, with business opportunities on the mainland and in overseas markets, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and digital channels including the media room. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Google+, Twitter @hktdc, LinkedIn.Google+: https://plus.google.com/+hktdcTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/hktdcLinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/hong-kong-trade-development-councilSource: HKTDCContact:Copyright 2016 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. HAWTHORNE, NJ -- (Marketwired) -- 06/21/16 -- STEALTHbits Technologies Inc., a leading data security software company that helps ensure the right people have the right access to the right information, today announced enhanced involvement in EMC's Technology Partner Program, moving from Compatibility to Advantage status. The integration of STEALTHbits' StealthAUDIT, StealthINTERCEPT, and STEALTHbits File Activity Monitor products with EMC NAS platforms enable customers to cost-effectively govern, monitor, and control access to data residing on their Isilon, Celerra, Unity, VNX, VNXe, VVNX, and VMAX devices in order to protect them from internal or external attacks. The integrated solution means EMC NAS customers can now easily identify who has access to sensitive data like financial statements, employee health and other personal records, proprietary product designs and information, company strategy documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and a host of other data types. STEALTHbits' products also help enable customers to clean up and provision access appropriately and efficiently, detailing exactly what users are doing with that access, and alert, in real time, on anomalous access behavior indicative of an attack or malicious activity. "Whether it be ransomware, external attackers compromising and exploiting legitimate credentials, or malicious insiders, the foundation of securing unstructured data is understanding, controlling, and monitoring access to it," noted Adam Laub, Senior Vice President Product Marketing for STEALTHbits. "Our EMC relationship helps enable customers to greatly reduce the risk of compromise for the vast amounts of data residing on their EMC NAS devices." "EMC is pleased that STEALTHbits has joined the EMC Technology Partner Program at the Advantage level to demonstrate its commitment to excellence in technology innovation," said Don Lamburn, Program Director, Tech Connect, EMC Corporation. "STEALTHbits validates our platform strategy by embedding EMC's open, extensible information infrastructure platform for managing information and expanding our combined solutions into new markets. We look forward to working with STEALTHbits to ensure that our mutual customers have the highest level of activity monitoring and reporting possible for their information infrastructure initiatives." To learn more about STEALTHbits' participation in EMC's Technology Partner Program, and how STEALTHbits can enhance the security of the data residing on EMC NAS devices, visit https://www.stealthbits.com/partners/technology-partners/emc ABOUT STEALTHbits Technologies Identify threats. Secure data. Reduce risk. STEALTHbits is a data security software company. We protect organizations from malicious access to their information. By defending against credential theft and abuse, and giving customers insight into the access and ownership of their unstructured data, we reduce security risk, fulfill compliance requirements and decrease operations expense. For more information, visit http://www.stealthbits.com, email sales@stealthbits.com, or call +1-201-447-9300. EMC, Isilon, Celerra, Unity, VNX, VNXe, VVNX and VMAX are trademarks or registered trademarks of EMC Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word "partner" or "partnership" does not imply a legal partnership relationship between EMC and any other organization. Media Contact: Dan Chmielewski Madison Alexander PR Office: +1 714-832-8716 Mobile: +1 949-231-2965 dchm@madisonalexanderpr.com With GE's APM Online Condition Monitoring Software, Irish Utility Bord Gais Energy Identified Potential 1.2 Million Cost Avoidance at County Cork Combined-Cycle Power Plant APM Solution Allows Operators to Predict Equipment Problems, Avoid Costly Unplanned Outages Milestone Utility Project Helps to Usher in Global Digital Transformation of Energy Bord Gais Energy, one of the Republic of Ireland's leading utilities and a European pioneer in the digital transformation of the energy industry, has, in the first year of deployment, identified a potential cost avoidance of 1.2 million after its Whitegate Power Plant in County Cork became the world's first power plant to deploy GE's (NYSE:GE) Asset Performance Management (APM) software. Powered by the cloud-based enterprise Predix* platform, this Digital Power Plant software application showcases an agile digital infrastructure built for the Industrial Internet. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160621005346/en/ Irish utility Bord Gais Energy has identified a potential cost avoidance of 1.2 million after its Whitegate Power Plant became the world's first station to deploy GE's Asset Performance Management software. (Photo: Business Wire) GE announced the impressive APM results during POWER-GEN Europe 2016, the European power generation industry's annual conference that is being held in Milan. "We needed an online condition-based monitoring solution that would help ensure Whitegate's continuous operation with no unplanned downtime," said Rory Griffin, operations engineer-Whitegate, Asset Operations for Bord Gais Energy. "We selected GE's Asset Performance Management solution because it helps us predict potential problems with our equipment and avoid costly unplanned outages. GE's new software technology is an ideal solution to help increase our plant's reliability and availability while making the most of our scheduled maintenance outages." Implementation of GE's APM solution can significantly reduce plant downtime, with the early warning capabilities allowing for more efficient outage management. The result of this digital transformation has enabled Whitegate to identify a potential cost avoidance of 1.2 million in its first year of operation and possible future cost avoidance of an additional 1.2 million. "We are proud to collaborate with Bord Gais Energy to showcase the power of GE's Asset Performance Management software to create a smarter, more resilient Whitegate Power Plant," said Paul McElhinney, president and CEO of GE's Power Services business. "This project is a great example of how utilities can tap into the power of industrial-scale data analytics to optimize the availability of their generating facilities. With greater availability, Whitegate is better prepared to compete against other power plants for a higher dispatch position." Bord Gais Energy also installed APM as part of preparing Whitegate to respond to future grid challenges-including greater renewables integration. The Irish government's 2020 targets are aiming for 40 percent of gross electricity consumption to come from renewable energy, thus creating a greater requirement for reliable, on-demand generation capacity. GE's APM system provides Whitegate with enhanced, 24/7 digital diagnostics capabilities that automatically anticipate operational anomalies while still providing a single, consolidated view of plant performance. Whitegate did not have access to this type of data before the APM installation. Previously, plant operators relied on offline condition-based monitoring that required significant manual efforts to effectively detect failures. Using a network of both existing and supplementary sensors placed throughout the 445-megawatt, combined-cycle power plant, the APM predictive maintenance system has the ability to increase the station's reliability and availability while reducing unnecessary maintenance costs. With APM, early warnings of failure mechanisms-drawing from more than 300 analytics-detect when plant components are about to fail, allowing for more efficient outage management. As a result of the APM installation, Whitegate has the opportunity for improved operational reliability and possible financial savings, with a potential 1.2 million cost avoidance associated with a turning gear alert alone. In one situation, the APM solution helped Whitegate engineers to identify and correct an improperly installed component, correcting an overconsumption on supplementary firing gas usage. In all, the integrated APM solution has resulted in maintaining the availability of the covered equipment and 21 additional "catches" to be monetized. GE, which provided Whitegate's original generation equipment, operates and maintains the station for Bord Gais Energy under a 12-year service agreement. Whitegate began operating in November 2010, generating enough electricity to meet the needs of 300,000 homes in Ireland. The station can produce up to 10 percent of the country's peak demand electricity needs. Bord Gais Energy is a subsidiary of the Centrica Group. For more information about the Whitegate Power Station project, please click here. GE's APM software is a critical component of GE's new Digital Power Plant, which offers a virtual "digital twin" of a power plant's systems to enhance an operator's capability to add value throughout the business. About GE GE (NYSE: GE) is the world's Digital Industrial Company, transforming industry with software-defined machines and solutions that are connected, responsive and predictive. GE is organized around a global exchange of knowledge, the "GE Store," through which each business shares and accesses the same technology, markets, structure and intellect. Each invention further fuels innovation and application across our industrial sectors. With people, services, technology and scale, GE delivers better outcomes for customers by speaking the language of industry. www.ge.com About GE Power GE Power is a world leader in power generation with deep domain expertise to help customers deliver electricity from a wide spectrum of fuel sources. We are transforming the electricity industry with the digital power plant, the world's largest and most efficient gas turbine, full balance of plant, upgrade and service solutions as well as our data-leveraging software. Our innovative technologies and digital offerings help make power more affordable, reliable, accessible and sustainable. For more information, visit the company's website at www.gepower.com. Follow GE Power on Twitter @GE_Power and on LinkedIn at GE Power. About GE's Power Services Business GE's Power Services business, headquartered in Baden, Switzerland, delivers world-class solutions for our customers across total plant assets and their operational lifetimes. This organization supports 2,800+ customers worldwide with an installed base of 28,000+ power generation assets, which includes other OEMs, and taps into the Industrial Internet to improve the performance of our solutions over the entire life cycle through the power of software and big data analytics. For more information, please visit powergen.gepower.com. Trademark of General Electric Company; may be registered in one or more countries. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160621005346/en/ Contacts: GE Power Power Services Laura Aresi T +39 02 67335622 M +39 335 6978871 laura.aresi@ge.com or Masto Public Relations Beth Coffman or Tom Murnane, +1-518-786-6488 beth.coffman@mastopr.com tom.murnane@mastopr.com SHANGHAI, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The 16th China International Exhibition on Die & Mold Technology and Equipment (DMC2016), a major annual event in the Chinese mold industry co-organized by China Die & Mold Industry Association and Shanghai International Exhibition Co., Ltd., will be held from June 28 to July 1, 2016 at the Shanghai New International Expo Center (E1-E6 Halls). Coincident with the 30th anniversary of the DMC in 2016, the 70,000+ square-meter exhibition and concurrent events are designed to lead the industry in terms of the new economic situation in China, new developments within and general adjustments across the sector as well as in terms of promoting necessary technological change and transformation. These industry-leading moves will help to transition mold manufacturing into and through a new phase of growth during the country's 13th five-year period, spanning 2016-2020. Besides high-end precision processing equipment and technologies as well as advanced mold manufacturing, this year's expo will highlight new technologies meant to strengthen the traditional mold manufacturing sector, by bringing in 3D additive manufacturing, laser equipment, robot automation and integration, and to feature new formats, including leading the molding industry into the modern age by adopting the latest technologies including intelligent mold manufacturing, a cloud-based manufacturing ecosystem and Internet Plus, the Chinese government's program to promote the application of the internet and other information technologies across conventional industries. With a focus on the continuous optimization and upgrading of the mold industry, DMC2016 plans to showcase a wide range of products and technologies defined by the new characteristics of refinement, automation, digitalization, integration, networking and intelligence. Showcasing a wide array of Internet Plus technologies DMC2016 will also highlight several new formats, including the Internet Plus model for the mold sector and the cloud-based manufacturing ecosystem. To cite a few examples, Haier's cloud-based service platform and smart factory in the E6 Hall will exhibit personalized, custom-made products. Internet technologies on display, including the mold manufacturing and purchasing platform developed by www.imc100.com, are positioned to integrate the Internet Plus component into intelligent mold manufacturing. In addition, mold manufacturing and automated processing, mold management EAct analysis, CAD/CAM/CAE integration and information management technologies from several Chinese exhibitors, including CAXA Technology, EMan Software Technology and Suzhou Fangtian Industries, are expected to grab the attention of mold manufacturers, as these technologies will enable the vendors to significantly improve production quality and efficiency based on their existing hardware and to complete the industrial upgrading without the need to purchase additional equipment. New Automation and Integration Technologies The new automation and integration technologies being showcased will include GF's intelligent, simple and flexible processing solution, the WPT1+ flexible manufacturing system deploying the WSM software to control all the equipment involved and the entire processing flow. The exhibition also features live demonstrations of several new mold technologies, including the FANUC robot which allows for automated control of copper electrode feeding and blanking systems as well as cellphone shell polishing systems, Beijing Jingdiao Technology's automated aluminum alloy processing unit, Hexagon's I-Cell blue light automation solution, Pro-Technic Machinery's integrated system combining automated feeding and blanking with detection of machine tools, Yangzhou Metalforming Machine Tool's YDH-220 two-point high-speed precision CNC punch line and Road Ahead Technologies' automated detection and scanning system. 3D additive manufacturing remains one of the most popular manufacturing technologies at DMC2016 The combination of GF's world-famous processing solution and EOS's solution utilizes additive manufacturing technology to produce innovative mold inserts by integrating the AgieCharmilles AM S290 tooling solution with EOS's technology. SODICK's 3D metal printer leverages the critical technologies for all the processes to provide one-stop solutions. Other exhibits include technologies from industry-grade 3D additive manufacturers, including 3D printing technology from world-renowned Stratasys, 3D color printing technology from 3D Systems and other high-end, industry-leading 3D additive manufacturing technologies, among them metal laser sintering. Shaanxi Hengtong Intelligent Machine has expanded the space within its booth allocated to showcasing its products at this year's expo. Xi'an Bright Laser Technologies will participate in the exhibition for the first time as an industry representative. DMC2016 is set to become an event where the traditional mold manufacturing industry meets future technologies. Industry professionals from both China and abroad are welcome to attend the event where they will have extensive opportunities to network and engage in an exchange of viewpoints with industry peers. We will make every effort to create a great industry event that can keep up with what is going on in the industry. We look forward to meeting and exchanging opinions with you during the exhibition! For more information, please contact: Shanghai International Exhibition Co., Ltd. Tel: +86-21-6279-2828 Fax: +86-21-6545-5124 Email: dmc@siec-ccpit.com PROS (NYSE:PRO), the revenue and profit realization company, will showcase its enterprise cloud solutions PricingPRO and SellingPRO at the Salesforce World Tour in Paris. The one-day event will be held on June 23 at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles. The PricingPRO and SellingPRO solutions including PROS Smart CPQ guide business leaders to accelerate sales and formulate winning pricing strategies. PROS Smart CPQ is a leading enterprise-level CPQ solution integrated with data science-driven price guidance, and cross-sell and upsell recommendations. Smart CPQ turbocharges sales teams so they can quickly create personalized offers for each customer, and turns their Salesforce CRM investments into revenue and profit engines. "For Salesforce.com customers, PROS has extended the reach of its data science through new contract renewal capabilities in Salesforce and achieved Lightning Ready designation for our Smart CPQ solution," said PROS Chief Marketing Officer Patrick Schneidau. "By driving our intelligent selling and pricing capabilities through CRM solutions, we can help even more companies outperform. "The Paris World Tour provides a tremendous opportunity for our European team," Schneidau continued. "They plan to discuss how the Salesforce customer success platform, together with PROS, provides companies with a strategic business advantage that extends the value of their Salesforce investments and delivers a consistent experience to their customers across direct sales, partner and eCommerce channels. World Tour attendees can see the latest innovations from our spring editions solutions for pricing and selling that are helping companies accelerate sales to realize their revenue and profit potential." The World Tour provides participants with the opportunity to learn firsthand how to sell, service, market, build apps and connect with customers in new ways. PROS participated in the Amsterdam event in April. To learn more about PROS, visit the website or follow PROS on Twitter at @PROS_Inc. To learn more about the event, visit the Salesforce World Tour website. About PROS PROS Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:PRO) is a revenue and profit realization company that helps B2B and B2C customers realize their potential through the blend of simplicity and data science. PROS offers cloud solutions to help accelerate sales, formulate winning pricing strategies and align product, demand and availability. PROS revenue and profit realization solutions are designed to allow customers to experience meaningful revenue growth, sustained profitability and modernized business processes. To learn more, visit pros.com. Forward-looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements about the functionality and benefits of revenue and profit realization software to organizations generally as well as the functionality and benefits of PROS software products. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon PROS historical experience with revenue and profit realization software and its current expectations of the benefits of revenue and profit realization software for organizations that implement and utilize such software. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described herein include the addressability of an organization's revenue and profit realization software needs, the risks associated with PROS developing and enhancing products with the functionality necessary to deliver the stated results and the risks associated with the complex implementation and maintenance of revenue and profit realization software such as PROS software products. Additional information relating to the uncertainty affecting the PROS business is contained in PROS filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements represent PROS expectations as of the date of this press release. Subsequent events may cause these expectations to change, and PROS disclaims any obligations to update or alter these forward-looking statements in the future whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160621005438/en/ Contacts: PROS Holdings, Inc. Yvonne Donaldson, 713-335-5310 ydonaldson@pros.com or Sheila Watson, 713-335-5287 swatson@pros.com Rates of Colorado youth marijuana use have remained relatively stable in recent years, even after the state voted to legalize its use for recreational purposes, according to survey results released by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. About 21 percent of high school students who responded to a 2015 survey said they had used marijuana in the past 30 days, and about 38 percent reported having tried it at least once in their lifetimes. The survey is randomly administered to about 17,000 middle and high school students throughout the state, but only high school students answer questions about drug use. A graphic released by the agency shows rates over the last six years. Colorado voters approved legalizing marijuana for recreational purposes in 2012, stoking fears among opponents about increased use by teens. But supporters of the legalization push say that hasnt been the case. From my 2014 blog post about teen marijuana use in states where it is legal for medical or recreational purposes: After analyzing data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Youth Risk Behavior Survey, collected between 1993 and 2011 when 16 states legalized medical use of marijuana, researchers concluded that there was no statistical indication that high school students in those states were significantly more likely to use marijuana than their peers in states where pot remained completely illegal. 'Our results are not consistent with the hypothesis that the legalization of medical marijuana caused an increase in the use of marijuana among high school students,' said the study, a National Bureau of Economic Research working paper. 'In fact, estimates from our preferred specification are small, consistently negative, and are never statistically distinguishable from zero.' " Colorado teen marijuana use rates are comparable to the nation as a whole. In 2015, about 38.6 percent of U.S. high school students had ever tried marijuana , and about 21.7 reported using it in the last 30 days, according to the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a nationally representative survey administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some have also suggested that the legalization push may contribute to increased use nationwide as advocacy efforts lead to relaxed views about the dangers of marijuana , which can be harmful to brain development in adolescents. You can learn more about Colorado teens attitudes toward and use of marijuana by viewing the health departments infographic. Related reading on teen marijuana use: Follow @evieblad on Twitter or subscribe to Rules for Engagement to get blog posts delivered directly to your inbox. LONDON, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The cost of car servicing and repairs could rise by 30%, and up to 40,000 independent businesses could go bust if Britain votes to leave the EU, a leading academic has advised the IMI. Professor Jim Saker of Loughborough University has told the IMI that 500,000 jobs and businesses in the sector it represents will potentially be at risk after Brexit. The risk of losing access to vital information from manufacturers that EU regulations currently provide, could mean a nail in the coffin for many smaller independent garages in Britain. The main issue comes from the possible loss of the EU Block Exemption Regulations which allow all independent businesses to get the information they need from manufacturers to work on all makes of cars. It also gives them the right to service and maintain new cars without jeopardising their warranty. Professor Saker believes that manufacturers would not share information on new cars if they didn't have to, making them impossible to maintain by independent garages. Professor Jim Saker said, "In the absence of the EU BER, they could shut the independents out and many of those businesses would fold. Warranty servicing would be kept within the franchised dealers, competition would be forced out of the market and prices would rise. Without Government intervention the UK could simply revert to the situation prior to BER with franchised dealer market areas and diminished competition. The situation is worse now as the majority of new cars are accessed via PCPs which tie the customer into the manufacturer networks. "It is easy to see that with loss of the EU BER, up to half of the independent garages in Britain could go under over the next ten years as new technology is introduced. This would result in the loss of 50,000 skilled jobs and with the resulting reduction in competition I would expect to see a 30% increase in prices." IMI CEO Steve Nash said, "The advice we have received from Professor Saker gives us and our member's grounds for concern. We have a duty to pass this analysis on to the 500,000 people who work in the retail motor industry ahead of the referendum. "This warrants a response from the Leave campaign to explain how they would mitigate against what looks like a Doomsday scenario for businesses and a raw deal for millions of drivers." Notes to Editors Report: http://www.theimi.org.uk/news/brexit VIENNA (dpa-AFX) - U.K. shares fell slightly in lackluster trade on Tuesday as falling oil and metal prices weighed on commodity-related stocks. Meanwhile, with the latest U.K. polls showing mixed results, investors await Fed Chair Janet Yellen's testimony before the Senate Banking Committee later today and the all-important Brexit vote scheduled for Thursday for directional cues. The benchmark FTSE 100 was down 18 points or 0.29 percent at 6,186 in midday trading after climbing 3 percent in the previous session. Mining giant BHP Billiton fell nearly 2 percent after saying it aims to slash its coal costs by $US600 million by the middle of 2017. Anglo American, Antofagasta, Glencore and Rio Tinto dropped 1-3 percent while energy giants BP Plc and Royal Dutch Shell lost about 1 percent each. Military equipment maker Chemring Group slumped 18 percent after its first-half loss before tax from continuing operations widened from last year. Hi-tech components manufacturer Senior plunged 13 percent after warning of lower revenue in the second half of this year at its Flexonics unit. Housebuilder Berkeley Group dropped 1.5 percent while rivals Taylor Wimpey and Barratt Developments fell about 1 percent each. Whitbread Group, owner of the Premier Inn and Costa Coffee brands, rallied 3 percent as it reported a 1.8 percent rise in sales for the 13 weeks to June 2 on the back of a 2.6 percent rise in sales. Biotech firm Circassia Pharmaceuticals soared 10 percent after tumbling on Monday in the wake of disappointing phase III trial results. On a relatively light day on the economic front, Britain's government borrowing decreased by GBP 0.4 billion from last year to GBP 9.7 billion last month, data published by the Office for National Statistics showed. Nonetheless, it was above the expected level of GBP 9.4 billion. Separately, the ZEW Centre for Economic Research said that its index of economic sentiment for Germany rose unexpectedly to 19.2 from 6.4 in the prior month. It was forecast to fall to 4.8 points in June. The index of euro zone economic sentiment also climbed 3.4 points to a reading of 20.2, surprising economists who had forecast the indicator to drop to 15.3. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de YOKOHAMA (dpa-AFX) - Japan's Nissan Motor Co Ltd. (NSANF.PK, NSANY.PK) said it would take legal action against Britain's 'Vote Leave campaign' over the use of its logo on EU referendum literature. The official campaign for Britain to leave the European Union used the Japanese carmaker's logo in leaflets calling for voters to back Brexit on June 23. The logo appeared on one leaflet with a message that major employers have all said they'll stay in the UK whatever the result of the referendum. In a statement, Nissan said, 'We were extremely disappointed to discover that the Vote Leave campaign had been using the Nissan name and logo in their literature and on their website without our permission. We immediately requested that they stop doing so. It has since come to light that the Vote Leave campaign continue to use our logo and trademark despite our repeated requests for them to stop.' The company, which is said to prefer Britain remaining in the EU, added that the use of the Nissan name and logo by the Vote Leave campaign grossly misrepresents the firm's widely circulated and publicly stated position announced on February 23, 2016. It added that the company is not supporting any political campaign regarding this most serious of issues. This is a matter for the people of the UK to decide. The company said it will be issuing legal proceedings in the High Court asking for an injunction to stop Vote Leave's use of Nissan's name and logo. The company would also ask to prevent the group from making any further false statements and misrepresentations concerning Nissan. Earlier, chairman of Nissan Europe, Paul Willcox, in a letter to all employees ahead of Thursday's vote, stated that as a global company with a strong presence in Europe, Nissan's preference is that the UK stays as part of the European Union. Rival Toyota, and consumer goods maker Unilever are also opposing the use of their name and logo by the 'Vote Leave' campaign. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de LONDON (dpa-AFX) - British manufacturers' total order book strengthened slightly in June, the Industrial Trends survey from the Confederation of British Industry showed Tuesday. The total order balance rose unexpectedly to -2 in June from -8 in May. It was forecast to fall to -10. At the same time, total export order books remained unchanged at -14 percent, suggesting that the weakness in sterling has yet to have a material impact on overseas demand. 'It may be that the growing uncertainty in the run-up to the EU referendum, combined with global risks elsewhere, has offset some of the benefits of a weaker currency at this time,' Rain Newton-Smith, CBI chief economist, said. The recent depreciation of trade-weighted sterling and a pick-up in global growth should improve the sector's external prospects later in the year, Scott Bowman at Capital Economics, said. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. MUMBAI, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- - New State-of-the-Art Website Optimized Across Latest Browsers, Tablets and Mobile Phones - Provides Superior Customer Experience With Enhanced Tools and Functionalities - Accessible at yes.bank Domain - First Bank in India to Migrate to .bank Domain Platform YES BANK, India's5thlargest private sector bank has launched its new revamped websitehttp://www.yesbank.into offer a consistent, superior customer experience optimized across latest browsers, tablets and mobile phones. This launch is yet another step in establishing YES BANK as a truly digitized bank, and towards fulfilling its commitment to offer consistent and superior customer experience. This website will also be accessible athttp://www.yes.bank, which makes YES BANK the first bank in India to leverage the .bank domain providing an additional layer of security for our website. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151012/769006 ) Commenting on the launch,Mr. Rana Kapoor, MD & CEO, YES BANKsaid, "With increasing proliferation of digitized banking, YES BANK's website will play a critical role in providing a world-class cutting-edge experience for all our customers which is customized based on the user's product interests and geography. By leveraging the pillars of new age technology and innovation, our new website will offer segmented user interactions, which are as fulfilling as visiting one of YES BANK's state-of-art branches." Besides a vibrant new look, this website has even more advanced features to improve your experience and simplify your banking decisions. Some of the unique features are: Interactive features like Product Finder Tool, Product Comparator tool,Fixed Deposit calculatorsand more, thereby resulting in intuitive product discovery Personalized user experience based on your last visit, searched product, geography and time of visit Upgraded Search functionality for fasterand accurate results Extensive information about our productsand services Interactive tools allowing the website to serve as a platform for product applicationand service request Clutter-free design providing easy customer navigation YES BANKhad also recently launched the Star Star service, which enables customers to customers to reach the bank by dialling Star Star BANK (**2265) from the smartphone keypad. This service, which is popular in global markets like USA and Australia is expected to significantly aid customer call to action, especially for a generic call number as **BANK. For further information, please contact: Jitesh Patel YES BANK Ph.: +91 22 3347 9753, +91 9820813570 Email:jitesh.patel@yesbank.in Delna Irani Adfactors Ph.: +91-98206 60467 Email:delna@adfactorspr.com LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto Plc (RTNTF, RIO, RIO.L, RTPPF) Tuesday announced that it will reduce its gross debt by a further $3 billion. This is after accepting for purchase a total of $1.252 billion of debt under its Maximum Tender Offer and $1.748 billion under its Any and All Offer. Both offers commenced on June 7 and are part of Rio Tinto's ongoing capital management. The final aggregate principal amount of Securities purchased under the Any and All Offer that expired on June 13 was $1.748 billion. The Maximum Tender Offer, which will expire on July 5, was oversubscribed on June 20 and therefore $1.252 billion of Maximum Tender Securities will be purchased. Earlier in the day, the company announced new organisational structure and executive team to drive its performance under its new chief executive Jean-Sebastien Jacques. Rio Tinto's organisational structure will include four product groups - Aluminium, Copper & Diamonds, Energy & Minerals and Iron Ore. These will be complemented by a newly shaped Growth & Innovation group, which will focus on future assets and technical support. Under the new structure, Aluminium will focus on high-quality bauxite, alumina and aluminium businesses with Alfredo Barrios remaining its chief executive. Iron Ore will be exclusively focused on iron ore operations in Western Australia, and Chris Salisbury, currently acting Copper & Coal chief executive, will become Iron Ore chief executive. Copper & Diamonds will combine two marketing-led businesses into a single product group, and Arnaud Soirat will join the Executive Committee as its chief executive. Energy & Minerals brings together Rio Tinto's coal, uranium, salt, borates and titanium dioxide businesses, as well as the Iron Ore Company of Canada. Alan Davies, currently Diamonds & Minerals chief executive, will lead the division. Growth & Innovation will provide strategic leadership and technical expertise and Stephen McIntosh, currently acting Technology & Innovation Group executive, will take up the role of its chief. Andrew Harding, currently Iron Ore chief executive, will leave the business with effect from July 1. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de SHREWSBURY, NJ -- (Marketwired) -- 06/21/16 -- People Science, a talent acquisition business whose offerings include recruitment process outsourcing (RPO), recruiting advice, direction and solutions, and contract staffing services, today announced that company founder and CEO, Christine Nichlos, has been named by New Jersey SmartCEO as a winner of the 2016 Brava Award. The annual award celebrates the achievements of 40 of the top women business leaders in New Jersey. "When I started People Science nearly 20 years ago, it was with the intention that we could help businesses be more successful by closing the gap between the positions they offer and the talent they can find and hire. Our success as a company is due to our ability to do just that, bringing disruptive, proactive approaches to address critical staffing needs," said Nichlos. "I am thrilled to accept this award from SmartCEO for my work achievements, and I am especially honored to be recognized alongside such esteemed company as my fellow award recipients." Nichlos founded People Science in 1997 because she recognized that many companies were ill-prepared for the complexities of acquiring talent efficiently and cost effectively. Despite enduring three economic recessions, success came quickly for Nichlos and her team, which is a testament to her strong leadership capabilities and quick understanding of clients' individual business issues. A well-regarded thought leader and speaker in the RPO space, Nichlos has built her career on driving dramatic business results. With Nichlos as the driving force at People Science, the company has flourished over the past two decades and is now recognized industrywide for its ability to solve companies' toughest hiring challenges. Drawing on the vast experience of its team of thinkers and doers, People Science applies proven information systems, processes and methodologies as it provides exceptional services and outcomes to its clients in the U.S. and abroad. The company has continued its innovative ways with the recent introduction of HireGate, which is a mobile-native, cloud-based solution that extends the life of existing enterprise applicant tracking systems (ATS). In addition to her professional accomplishments, Nichlos lends her support to a number of charitable organizations, including the USO and the American Red Cross. As a proponent of a positive candidate experience, she not only promotes a quality candidate experience among People Science's clients, but also supports the annual Candidate Experience Awards, which aim to enhance and elevate the candidate experience. "Brava winners possess the hallmark qualities of successful leaders -- vision, passion, compassion, dedication, perseverance. Each winner in this year's class exhibits these qualities in all facets of her life, from running her business to tending to her family and donating time and resources to philanthropic initiatives," said Jaime Nespor-Zawmon, president of SmartCEO. "We are honored to recognize a group of women who are truly making a difference in the world." This year's class of New Jersey Brava Award winners collectively generates more than $2.83 billion in annual revenue and employs 14,457 individuals. The winners will be profiled in the July/August issue of SmartCEO magazine and celebrated at an awards ceremony on June 23, 2016. More than 350 local executives and guests are expected to gather and celebrate the noteworthy achievements of the award recipients at this year's ceremony. Past Brava winners will also be in attendance to welcome the new class of winners into the Brava community. The event will kick off with a cocktail reception, followed by a video-packed awards ceremony and a final, inspirational toast to the female leaders of New Jersey. About the Brava Awards The Brava Awards program celebrates high-impact female business leaders in three categories: CEOs, Executive Directors of Nonprofits, and C-suite executives. Brava award winners combine their irrepressible entrepreneurial spirit with a passion for giving back to the community, and are exemplary leaders of both their companies and their communities. They encourage local philanthropy, mentor up-and-coming leaders and set their companies on the path to tremendous growth. Each year, an independent committee of local business leaders selects winners based on company growth, community impact and mentoring. SmartCEO shares their inspiring stories in SmartCEO magazine and celebrates their success at a high-energy awards gala. About SmartCEO SmartCEO's mission is to educate and inspire the business community through its award-winning magazine, connections at C-level events and access to valuable online resources. SmartCEO's integrated media platforms reach decision makers in the Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Long Island, New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, DC, metropolitan areas. For more information about the 2017 Brava Awards nomination process or sponsorship opportunities, email Lauren Cittadino at lauren@smartceo.com. About People Science A leader in recruitment process outsourcing and talent acquisition consulting for nearly 20 years, People Science helps businesses solve their most complicated recruiting challenges and win the war for talent. People Science delivers the cutting-edge solutions and innovative methodologies that enable employers to acquire the talent they need today and tomorrow. Through this approach, People Science serves as its clients' full-cycle recruiting department, whether for a segment of the employee population or a company's entire effort. To learn more, visit www.people-science.com. Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=3024352 COVINGTON, OH -- (Marketwired) -- 06/21/16 -- Marias Technology, a provider of software testing, project management, integrations, implementation services, hosting services, and more to insurance and other industries has had its Service Organization Controls Report (SOC) 2 compliance upgraded from a Type I to a Type II. The results of a comprehensive, independent audit validate that Marias has the appropriate level of processes and controls in place to consistently deliver secure and reliable services from its datacenter and demonstrated their use and effectiveness throughout the declared audit period. "While our Type I SOC 2 allowed our customers to know we had the appropriate controls in place, upgrading to a Type II shows we continue to improve and operate under those controls at all times," said R. Christopher Haines, Marias Technology Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. "Our customers depend on us to keep their systems secure and available, and upgrading our SOC 2 reinforces our commitment to them." SOC 2 is the auditing framework of record developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) for cloud computing, Software-as-a-Service, and other service-oriented technology companies to demonstrate the capabilities of their processes and controls. Independent auditors performed the SOC 2 Type II audit for Marias Technology which was completed on March 31st, 2016. To confirm Marias Technology meets the stringent standards set by AICPA, the auditors evaluated the company across AICPA's trust principles. The company's successful results demonstrate Marias Technology meets the security and availability needs of any organization seeking the types of services Marias Technology provides. About Marias Technology Marias Technology, headquartered in Covington, Ohio, offers insurance technology services to small to mid-sized insurance companies. Services range from system testing and implementation, to system hosting and management services, as well as IT management on-demand. For more information, please visit www.mariastechnology.com, email info@mariastechnology.com, or call 866-611-2212. Media contact: JoAnna Bennett 860-333-5009 Email Contact The Louis Fitzgerald Group is Enhancing Employee and Guest Experiences through PAR's PixelPoint and CBE ParTech, Inc. (PAR), a wholly-owned subsidiary of PAR Technology Corporation (NYSE: PAR), announced today that The Louis Fitzgerald Group has selected PAR PixelPoint POS software platform to streamline efficiency and optimize the guest experience at their various outlets. The Louis Fitzgerald Group, the largest pub group in Ireland, operates some of the best-known bars, restaurants, and hotels across Ireland. CBE, a reseller of PAR POS software and partner of The Louis Fitzgerald Group facilitated the process to find a POS solution that would create better employee and guest experiences. The goal was to develop a streamlined POS system that included inventory management to ultimately better serve employees and customers, with focus on speed of service. The Louis Fitzgerald Group had decided to do a complete overhaul of its IT infrastructure to better support sustainability, scalability and enhance their operations. As a result, an electronic Point of Sale (EPoS) company was sought that held capabilities in installing comprehensive systems, training staff on functionality, while providing quality service and timely support. "We carried out a thorough work-study on the requirements of The Louis Fitzgerald Group and concluded that the PAR PixelPointPOS software was the best fit for their needs," said Michael Gaughan, CBE Area Sales Manager in Dublin. The flexible and customizable PixelPoint software from PARallows for easy adaptability to a variety of restaurant business models. This solution now enables The Louis Fitzgerald Group to consolidate data from multiple sites and provides access to near real-time metrics. Through help from CBE and PAR, this solution will allow The Louis Fitzgerald Group to make informed, proactive business decisions to drive revenues across their organization. Eddie Fitzgerald stated, "We're incredibly happy to have partnered with PAR and CBE. Tills have been networked to the Head Office for seven or eight years now, but the level of expertise these partners have brought has enabled us to streamline that function." "Helping our customers better serve their customers and optimizing those experiences reside at the foundation of PAR software solutions. PAR PixelPoint is designed to be intuitive, seamlessly deployed, easy to use, allowing fast-growing groups like The Fitzgerald Group to streamline business operations to support their growth," said Karen Sammon, President and CEO of PAR Technology Corporation. CBE has deployed PAR PixelPoint POS software at three Fitzgerald Group locations, with the remaining sites to be implemented in the coming months. The Louis Fitzgerald Group looks to continue its success with focus on employees and customers as they develop other aspects of the business with the help of PAR and CBE. About The Louis Fitzgerald Group Established in 1968, The Louis Fitzgerald Group operates several of Ireland's best known pubs and bars including the Quays pubs in Temple Bar, Stag's Head, Kehoes, and the Big Tree in Dublin. The Group is Ireland's largest hospitality group, employing over 800 team members in locations across Dublin, Kildare, and Galway. The Louis Fitzgerald Group's portfolio includes 15 pubs, three hotels, and seven off-licences. About CBE CBE is one of the leading innovators in retail technology in Europe. For over thirty years, CBE has been delivering excellent service to retailers across the country and a leading supplier of EPoS solutions to the supermarket, convenience, forecourt, hospitality, fashion, pharmacy and general merchandise sectors. About PAR Technology Corporation PAR Technology Corporation's stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol PAR. PAR's Hospitality segment has been a leading provider of restaurant and retail technology for more than 35 years. PAR offers technology solutions for the full spectrum of restaurant operations, from large chain and independent table service restaurants to international quick service chains. Products from PAR also can be found in retailers, cinemas, cruise lines, stadiums and food service companies. PAR's Government Business is a leader in providing computer-based system design, engineering and technical services to the Department of Defense and various federal agencies. For more information visit http://www.partech.com or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160621005330/en/ Contacts: PAR Technology Corporation Christopher R. Byrnes, (315) 738-0600 ext. 6226 cbyrnes@partech.com Labor Regulation and San Diego's New Minimum Wage San Diego is the latest city to raise the local minimum wage and outline obligatory accrual of sick leave for employees. The change will take effect as soon as July of this year, JD Supra reports, but won't apply retroactively. The measure will gradually increase the minimum wage for workers in San Diego, and provide much-needed sick leave. As soon as it takes effect, employees will see a 50 cent bump in hourly wages to $10.50. In January, there will be a one dollar bump and from 2019, wages will increase with the cost of living annually, based on the Consumer Price Index for the previous year. Let's consider labor regulation in the Californian city and beyond. Changing Regulations The raise in minimum wages will be welcome to workers in San Diego, and sick leave is most necessary for those who make the least and have no paid time off. But application of the rules hinges on the definition of employee, among other things, and certain workers are deemed independent and exempt. This means that inevitably some laborers won't benefit from the change. For example, last month new national labor standards were announced, raising the wages that qualify for overtime pay, and some business groups responded by saying this would cut projects and hiring. The change is meant to help middle class workers who have not been getting pay for extra hours, but labor experts predicted businesses would shift work and worker classifications in response, rather than paying employees by the raised standards. Similarly, workers around the country have been battling corporate employers who classify them as independent contractors when they say they're full-time employees. Uber has drawn the most attention for these cases given its widespread presence, but it's far from the only corporation using shady classification as a way to avoid responsibility for workers. The Right Approach The employee-employer relationship is interdependent, and in an ideal world we wouldn't need the government to regulate it. But business is competitive and this is not an ideal world, so you as a business owner need to find an approach that will work for you financially without squeezing employees. Their loyalty and quality production has a value that can't be quantified easily but can make the difference between getting by and being the best. Talk to a Lawyer If you need advice on wages, labor, or any other aspect of business operations, consult with counsel. Good guidance can help take your business to the next level. Follow FindLaw for Consumers on Google+. Related Resources: VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - June 21, 2016) - Balmoral Resources Ltd. ("Balmoral" or the "Company") (TSX: BAR) (OTCQX: BALMF) has been advised by partner GTA Resources and Mining Inc. (TSX VENTURE: GTA) that drilling has commenced on the Northshore Gold Property near Schreiber, Ontario. The Northshore Property is being advanced in a joint venture between GTA and Balmoral. GTA, the current operator of the joint venture, plans to complete between 20 and 30 diamond drill holes over the next several weeks targeting the Afric Gold Zone on the Property, as well as the high-grade Gino and Audney vein systems. The principal focus of this drill campaign will be the further delineation of near surface gold mineralization contained within the core of the Afric Zone. Previous drilling by GTA has returned broad intervals of gold mineralization, ranging from 30 to over 240 metres, from the Afric Zone, often containing numerous high-grade vein intercepts. All mineralized zones discovered to date come to surface. The high-grade Audney vein, which returned surface chip samples ranging from 3,709 g/t gold over 0.20 m to 580 g/t gold over 0.50 m (see NR11-27; Nov. 8, 2011), cuts through the core of the Afric Zone and will also be targeted during this phase of the program. As well GTA plans additional testing of the Gino vein system, located 300 metres north of the Afric Zone, where previous drilling returned numerous gold bearing intercepts, including 46.40 g/t gold and 41.60 g/t gold over 1.0 metre core lengths (see NR13-31; Dec. 10, 2013). "We are pleased to see the resumption of drilling at Northshore as GTA looks to continue to expand on the size of, and increase the confidence in, the Afric Gold Zone and follow-up on the high-grade gold intercepts within the Audney and Gino vein systems," said Darin Wagner, President and CEO of Balmoral. "Between Northshore and our aggressive plans for the Detour Trend Project there will be a lot of news flow from the drills this summer as we look to grow our gold assets on multiple fronts." The Northshore Property is a joint venture between Balmoral and GTA. GTA is the current operator of the Northshore joint venture and holds a 51.4% interest in the Property. Partial funding for the current program will come through the Ontario governments Junior Exploration Assistance Plan ("JEAP") with GTA providing the balance of the funding. Drilling is expected to take approximately one month to complete. Quality Control Mr. Darin Wagner (P.Geo.), President and CEO of the Company, is the non-independent qualified person for the technical disclosure contained in this news release. Mr. Wagner has, on behalf of Balmoral, supervised the previous work programs on the Northshore, visited the properties on multiple occasions, examined the drill core from the holes noted in this release, discussed, reviewed the results with senior on-site geological staff and reviewed the available analytical and quality control results. All reported intercepts are reported as core lengths and not true widths. At this time there is insufficient drill data to accurately calculate true dimensions. About Balmoral Resources Ltd. - www.balmoralresources.com Balmoral is a well-funded, Canadian-based company actively delineating and expanding the high-grade Bug Lake Gold Trend on its wholly owned, 700 square kilometre Detour Trend Project in Quebec, Canada. Employing an award winning exploration team, Balmoral has a philosophy of creating value through the drill bit. By focusing our efforts in proven productive precious/base metal belts in one of the world's preeminent mining jurisdictions, Balmoral is following an established formula with a goal of maximizing shareholder value through discovery and definition of high-grade, Canadian gold and base metal assets. On behalf of the board of directors of BALMORAL RESOURCES LTD. "Darin Wagner" President and CEO This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, including statements regarding the anticipated content, commencement, duration and cost of exploration programs, anticipated exploration program results, the discovery and delineation of mineral deposits/resources/reserves, the timing of the receipt of assay results, and business and financing plans and trends, the potentially open nature of the mineralized zones on the property and the potential for future discoveries of additional mineralization on the property are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate and similar expressions or are those which, by their nature, refer to future events. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include those related to weather, equipment and staff availability; performance of third parties; risks related to the exploration stage of the Company's projects; market fluctuations in prices for securities of exploration stage companies and in commodity prices; and uncertainties about the availability of additional financing; risks related to the Company's ability to identify one or more economic deposits on the properties, and variations in the nature, quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that may be located on the properties; risks related to the Company's ability to obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required for its activities on the properties; and risks related to the Company's ability to produce minerals from the properties successfully or profitably. Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative.All of the Company's public disclosure filings may be accessed via www.sedar.com and readers are urged to review these materials, including the latest technical reports filed with respect to the Company's mineral properties. This press release is not, and is not to be construed in any way as, an offer to buy or sell securities in the United States. For further information contact: John Foulkes Vice-President, Corporate Development Tel: (604) 638-5815 Toll Free: (877) 838-3664 E-mail: jfoulkes@balmoralresources.com PETAH TIKVA (dpa-AFX) - Impax Laboratories Inc.(IPXL), a specialty pharmaceutical company, announced that it has signed definitive agreements with Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (TEVA) and affiliates of Allergan plc (AGN) for the acquisition of a broad portfolio of generic products across solid oral, inhalable, injectable and topical dosage forms and the return to Impax of its rights to its pending abbreviated new drug application for the generic equivalent to Concerta or methylphenidate hydrochloride for an aggregate purchase price of $586 million. Upon closing of the Transaction, Impax is expected to add a portfolio of 15 currently marketed generic products; One approved generic product and two approved strengths of a currently marketed product, which have not yet launched; One pipeline generic product and one pipeline strength of a currently marketed product, which are pending U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval; The full commercial rights to Impax's pending ANDA for the generic equivalent to Concerta (methylphenidate hydrochloride), a product previously partnered with Teva; and One generic product under development. Upon closing, the immediately accretive transaction will provide Impax with a profitable and growing commercialized portfolio of products. The acquired marketed generic products generated approximately $150 million in net sales and approximately $100 million in gross profit in 2015. According to IMS Health (NSP), the pending and development pipeline programs are estimated to have U.S. brand and generic sales of approximately $3.1 billion for the 12 months ending in March 2016. The aggregate purchase price of $586 million for the portfolio of products will be funded with existing cash and $400 million in new fully committed term loans. The Transaction is in connection with the divestiture process mandated by the Federal Trade Commission in connection with the acquisition by Teva of the U.S. generics business of Allergan. The Transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including approval by the FTC of Impax as buyer of the assets and the closing of Teva's acquisition of Allergan's global generics business. Impax has updated its full year 2016 financial guidance from its original issuance on February 22, 2016. Adjusted earnings per share is now expected to increase at least 20% over full year 2015 adjusted EPS. Previously it was expected to increase at least 10% over full year 2015 adjusted diluted EPS. Total Company revenues are anticipated to increase at least 15% over full year 2015. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de MONTREAL, QUEBEC and SARASOTA, FLORIDA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/21/16 -- Intertape Polymer Group Inc. (TSX: ITP) (the "Company") today announces some key long-term financial objectives during its Investor Day being held at the new Blythewood, South Carolina facility. Based on a combination of anticipated acquisitions, internal growth initiatives and a more comprehensive capital expenditures program to upgrade existing manufacturing capabilities and capacity, the Company's objective is to reach approximately $1.5 billion in revenue with at least a 15% Adjusted EBITDA margin(i) in the next five to seven years. "Today, we are proud to showcase our new state-of-the-art Blythewood facility to the financial community, a project that started almost three years ago and that required investments of approximately $60 million. There have been significant execution hurdles in that this project involved the implementation of new, more efficient and more environmentally friendly technology. Despite on-going challenges in optimizing the efficiency of the new production processes, we still believe that we are on track to realize expected cost savings of approximately $13 million by the beginning of fiscal 2017," said Greg Yull, President and CEO. "We are also providing some clear long-term financial objectives and our vision of the future. In order to achieve these objectives, we believe we will need to execute successfully on accretive mergers and acquisitions as well as capital projects intended to expand our capacity, add new products to our portfolio and achieve our goal of being a low cost manufacturer with world class assets. Furthermore, we are actively looking to expand our footprint beyond North America to become a global player who can leverage foreign growth opportunities as well as low cost production in new jurisdictions. We are very excited by the opportunities we see in growing the Company's top and bottom line, and we believe we have the people and motivation to successfully achieve our long term objectives," concluded Mr. Yull. (i) Non-GAAP financial measure. For definitions and a reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures, see "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" below. Conference Call An Investor Day conference call will be held Tuesday, June 21, 2016, at 8:30 A.M. Eastern Time. Participants may dial 877-223-4471 (USA & Canada) and 647-788-4922 (International). AN ACCOMPANYING PRESENTATION WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE. PLEASE CLICK THE LINK OR TYPE INTO YOUR BROWSER TO ACCESS: http://www.itape.com/investor-relations/events%20and%20presentations/investor%20presentations You may access a replay of the call by dialing 800-585-8367 (USA & Canada) or 416-621-4642 (International) and entering Access Code 29317505. The recording will be available from June 21, 2016 at 12:00 P.M. until July 21, 2016 at 11:59 P.M. Eastern Time. About Intertape Polymer Group Inc. Intertape Polymer Group Inc. is a recognized leader in the development, manufacture and sale of a variety of paper and film based pressure sensitive and water activated tapes, polyethylene and specialized polyolefin films, woven coated fabrics and complementary packaging systems for industrial and retail use. Headquartered in Montreal, Quebec and Sarasota, Florida, the Company employs approximately 2,000 employees with operations in 17 locations, including 12 manufacturing facilities in North America and one in Europe. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (collectively, "forward-looking statements"), which are made in reliance upon the protections provided by such legislation for forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release, including statements regarding the Company's financial objectives, including the Company's actions to achieve such objectives and the timing for achieving such objectives, the expected amount of costs savings, as well as the expected timing for the realization of such cost savings, from the new Blythewood, South Carolina facility, and the achievement of the long term objectives, may constitute forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on current beliefs, assumptions, expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections made by the Company's management. Words such as "may," "will," "should," "expect," "continue," "intend," "estimate," "anticipate," "plan," "foresee," "believe" or "seek" or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, these statements, by their nature, involve risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance. Such statements are also subject to assumptions concerning, among other things: business conditions and growth or declines in the Company's industry, the Company's customers' industries and the general economy; the anticipated benefits from the Company's capital expenditure initiatives and acquisitions; the quality, and market reception, of the Company's products; the Company's anticipated business strategies; risks and costs inherent in litigation; the Company's ability to maintain and improve quality and customer service; anticipated trends in the Company's business; anticipated cash flows from the Company's operations; availability of funds under the Company's Revolving Credit Facility; and the Company's ability to continue to control costs. The Company can give no assurance that these estimates and expectations will prove to have been correct. Actual outcomes and results may, and often do, differ from what is expressed, implied or projected in such forward-looking statements, and such differences may be material. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statement. For additional information regarding important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements and other risks and uncertainties, and the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements, you are encouraged to read "Item 3 Key Information - Risk Factors", "Item 5 Operating and Financial Review and Prospects (Management's Discussion & Analysis)" and statements located elsewhere in the Company's annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2015 and the other statements and factors contained in the Company's filings with the Canadian securities regulators and the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Each of these forward-looking statements speaks only as of the date of this press release. The Company will not update these statements unless applicable securities laws require it to do so. Non-GAAP Financial Measures This press release contains adjusted EBITDA margin, a non-GAAP financial measures as defined under applicable securities legislation. The Company believes such non-GAAP financial measures improve the period-to-period comparability of the Company's results by excluding certain non-operating expenses, as well as certain non-cash expenses and non-recurring expenses, providing more insight into the performance of ongoing core business operations. In addition, for these reasons, non-GAAP financial measures are used by management and the Company's lenders in evaluating the Company's performance. As required by applicable securities legislation, the Company has provided a definition of this measure. Investors and other readers are encouraged to review the related GAAP financial measures and should consider non-GAAP financial measures only as a supplement to, and not as a substitute for or as a superior measure to, measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with GAAP. EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin EBITDA should not be construed as earnings (loss) before income taxes, net earnings (loss) or cash flows from operating activities as determined by GAAP. The Company defines EBITDA as net earnings (loss) before (i) interest and other finance costs; (ii) income tax expense (benefit); (iii) amortization of intangible assets; and (iv) depreciation of property, plant and equipment. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as EBITDA before (i) manufacturing facility closures, restructuring and other related charges; (ii) stock-based compensation expense (benefit); (iii) impairment of goodwill; (iv) impairment of long-lived assets and other assets; (v) write-down on assets classified as held-for-sale; (vi) (gain) loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment; and (vii) other discrete items. The Company defines adjusted EBITDA margin as adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenue. The terms "EBITDA", "adjusted EBITDA" and "adjusted EBITDA margin" do not have any standardized meanings prescribed by GAAP and are therefore unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin are not measurements of financial performance under GAAP and should not be considered as alternatives to cash flows from operating activities or as alternatives to net earnings (loss) as indicators of the Company's operating performance or any other measures of performance derived in accordance with GAAP. Contacts: MaisonBrison Communications Pierre Boucher 514-731-0000 VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/21/16 -- Coral Gold Resources Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: CLH)(OTCBB: CLHRF)(BERLIN: GV8)(FRANKFURT: GV8) ("Company" or "Coral"): The Company announces that it has entered into a purchase and sale agreement (the "Agreement") with Barrick Cortez Inc. ("Barrick"), a subsidiary of Barrick Gold Corp., for the sale of the Robertson Property in Lander County, Nevada, to Barrick in consideration of: 1. The payment to Coral of US$15.75 million (Cdn $20.17 million based on the current exchange rate) in cash (the "Cash Consideration") on closing; 2. The return of 4,150,000 common shares of Coral held by Barrick (which represent approximately 8.7% of the Company's basic common shares outstanding as of June 20, 2016) for cancellation by the Company (the "Share Reduction"); and 3. A sliding scale 1% to 2.25% net smelter returns royalty (the "NSR") on the Robertson Property, payable quarterly, subject to potential advance royalty payments as outlined below, as well as a right of first refusal enabling Barrick to acquire the NSR in the event that the Company wishes to sell the NSR to any third party (the "Transaction"). The sliding scale NSR rate will be determined based on the observed gold price during each quarterly period based on the average LBMA Gold Price PM during the quarterly period, as follows: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Average Gold Price/Oz Applicable NSR Royalty Rate During the Quarter (USD) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Up to and including $1,200.00 1.00% $1,200.01 to $1,400.00 1.25% $1,400.01 to $1,600.00 1.50% $1,600.01 to $1,800.00 1.75% $1,800.01 to $2,000.00 2.00% Over $2,000.00 2.25% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pursuant to the Agreement, in the event that the Robertson Property is not placed into production by December 31, 2023, then beginning on January 1, 2024, and continuing on an annual basis thereafter until the earlier of (i) the date commercial production commences and (ii) January 2, 2033, Barrick will make advance royalty payments to Coral Gold of US$0.5M, which will be non-refundable and fully credited against any future obligations under the NSR. Barrick will also assume all liabilities relating to the Robertson Property, and will provide replacement security for the reclamation bond. The Cash Consideration alone, excluding the value of the NSR, exceeds Coral's basic market capitalization based on the closing share price as of June 20, 2016 on the TSX Venture Exchange by approximately 116%. Based on the Company's current number of basic common shares outstanding, adjusted for the Share Reduction, the Cash Consideration alone, excluding the value of the NSR, on a per share basis is equal to approximately Cdn $0.46, as compared to the closing price of Coral's common shares on June 20, 2016 on the TSX Venture Exchange of Cdn $0.195. Completion of the Transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including TSX Venture Exchange acceptance and the approval of the shareholders of the Company by special resolution. The board of directors of Coral (the "Board") has considered all relevant factors and unanimously determined that the Transaction is in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders. The Board unanimously recommends that its shareholders vote in favour of the Transaction. Each of the directors and officers of Coral, holding in aggregate 12.6% of the issued and outstanding common shares of Coral, has entered into an agreement supporting the Transaction, pursuant to which they will vote any common shares of Coral held by them in favour of the Transaction. In addition, Barrick intends to vote its 4,150,000 common shares of Coral representing approximately 8.7% of Coral's issued and outstanding shares, in favour of the Transaction. The Company has scheduled a general meeting of shareholders to be held on July 22, 2016 to consider the approval of the Transaction. The Robertson Property The Robertson Property to be purchased by Barrick includes the properties also known as the Core, Gold Ridge, Excluded and the RUF mining claims, but does not include the properties known as the Norma, Sass, Eagle and JDN mining claims, which will remain the property of Coral. The Robertson Property is located in eastern Lander County, Nevada, sixty miles southwest of Elko. The property spans approximately 8,480 acres, comprised of 415 claims and 9 patented claims. Consolidation of the ownership of the Robertson Property will allow the project to benefit from Barrick's Cortez operation. Coral's Chief Executive Officer Mr. David Wolfin commented, "On behalf of Coral's Board of Directors and management team, I am very pleased to announce this exciting transaction which creates immediate substantial value for Coral shareholders through the Cash Consideration and Share Reduction, in addition to the potential for long term value for shareholders through the NSR. Barrick, with its existing mines and infrastructure in the area and proven operational expertise, was always the ideal party to put Robertson into production. With this continued commercial relationship with Barrick through the NSR, Coral shareholders will have the opportunity to participate and benefit from expected future gold production at Robertson, additional resource growth potential at Robertson and will also have economic returns that will substantially improve if gold prices increase over Robertson's mine life. Upon closing of this Transaction, Coral will have a very strong balance sheet as compared to its very limited financial resources currently, which exposed its shareholders to significant dilution if Robertson was to be advanced in any meaningful way. In fact, as opposed to future potential dilution, and as a result of this Transaction, Coral's basic shares outstanding will be reduced by 8.7%, preserving the value created for the benefit of the remaining Coral shareholders." About Coral Coral Gold Resources has a portfolio of strategically-located claim blocks along the Cortez gold trend in north-central Nevada, including the flagship Robertson Property. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD David Wolfin, President & Chief Executive Officer, Coral Gold Resources Ltd. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This release contains statements that are forward-looking statements and are subject to various risks and uncertainties concerning the specific factors disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in the Company's periodic filings with Canadian securities regulators. Such information contained herein represents management's best judgment as of the date hereof based on information currently available. The Company does not assume the obligation to update any forward-looking statement. All references to LBMA Gold Price are used with the permission of ICE Benchmark Administration Limited and have been provided for informational purposes only. ICE Benchmark Administration Limited accepts no liability or responsibility for the accuracy of the prices or the underlying product to which the prices may be referenced. Contacts: Coral Gold Resources Ltd. David Wolfin President & Chief Executive Officer 604.682.3701 604.682.3600 (FAX) ir@coralgold.com www.coralgold.com VANCOUVER, British Columbia, 2016-06-21 14:00 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cypress Development Corp.(TSX-V:CYP) (OTCBB:CYDVF) (Frankfurt:C1Z1) ("Cypress" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company has received a Land Use Permit from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Nevada, that will enable Cypress to proceed with its planned Phase 3 drilling program at the Company's Clayton Valley Lithium Project located in Esmeralda County, State of Nevada, USA.Cypress Clayton Valley Lithium Project, Nevada location map: http://www.cypressdevelopmentcorp.com/i/maps/CYP-Clayton-topo-satalite-small.jpgThe Company's 1520 acre Clayton Valley Project is located within 0.5 mile south of lithium brine wells belonging to the Albemarle Silver Peak Mine and the property shares its western boundary with the known Northern Resource Area of Pure Energy's Clayton Valley South project.Cypress Clayton Valley Lithium Project, Nevada claims map: http://www.cypressdevelopmentcorp.com/i/maps/Clayton-Test-Wells-Plan-Map.jpgPreviously reported assays by Cypress show a continuously mineralized volume of lithium rich claystones at surface on extensive portions of Cypress' Clayton Valley property. The compiled results show 2 kilometers of north-south strike of outcropping claystones that assay approximately 1,100 ppm Li on average and include a 1.0 kilometer strike length zone that averages 1350 ppm Li (see News ReleasesMay 10th and February 22, 2016).Drill targets have been selected to test both the claystone hosted lithium mineralization discovered over wide areas at surface as well as deeper drilling to intersect the lithium brine within the Main Ash Aquifer in a position adjacent to the known Northern Resource Area of Pure Energy Minerals (see Pure Energy's news release July 28, 2015). The Company expects to begin its Phase 3 drilling program at its Clayton Valley Project by July 15, 2016.Cypress Clayton Valley, Nevada proposed drill hole location map: http://www.cypressdevelopmentcorp.com/i/maps/CYP-Clayton-Drill-Plan-Map-small-ap r16.jpgCypress Clayton Valley, Nevada seismic cross section map: http://www.cypressdevelopmentcorp.com/i/maps/CYP-Clayton-seismic-section-apr.jpgCypress will initially target the surface claystones with a program that will feature shallow holes targeting the 2 kilometer strike length zone of surface lithium mineralization recently discovered during the Company's 2016 Phase 1 and Phase 2 sampling programs. This shallow drilling should allow Cypress to begin to estimate size, lithium grade and tonnage at its Clayton Valley Project.Cypress Clayton Valley, Nevada 2016 sampling sites map: http://www.cypressdevelopmentcorp.com/i/maps/CYP-Clayton-Phase-2.jpgThe surface lithium mineralization is contained within calcareous evaporite rocks, dominantly carbonate rich lake-bed claystones with interbedded volcanic ash units. This exposed rock section is part of the basin filling Esmeralda Formation and is believed to represent uplifted portions of the stratigraphy within which the lithium brines of the basin are found and produced, including the immediately adjacent North Resource Area currently being explored by Pure Energy Minerals.Picture of Cypress Clayton Valley, Nevada claystone stratigraphy: http://www.cypressdevelopmentcorp.com/i/maps/CYP_Clayton_Evaporite_Stratigraphy. jpgOne of the keys to Cypress' success and growth is the potential to extract lithium directly from the large zone of soft claystones using a very dilute acid leach method which could be vastly more cost effective and less energy intensive than hard rock extraction. This potential extraction method, which Cypress has successfully lab tested, is not only much more cost effective but much more environmentally friendly as well, while still producing exceptional lithium recovery rates averaging 95% (see news release May 25th).Cypress is also in the process of completing a financing of a private placement of shares at this time. The terms of the private placement are a 12 cent share with a one year 15 cent warrant attached (see News Release June 3rd). Cypress will use the funds raised to auger drill and RC drill the identified lithium rich claystones discovered in 2016 at surface and to explore for the underlying lithium brines at its Clayton Valley Project in Nevada.Robert Marvin, P.Geo, Exploration Manager for Cypress Development Corp. is the Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has approved of the technical information in this release.About Cypress Development Corp.:Cypress Development Corp. is a publicly traded lithium and zinc-silver exploration company developing projects in Nevada, U.S.A.Cypress Development Corp. has approx. 24.7 million shares issued and outstanding.To find out more about Cypress Development Corp. (TSX-V:CYP), visit our website atwww.cypressdevelopmentcorp.com.CYPRESS DEVELOPMENT CORP."Don Huston"DONALD C. HUSTON PresidentFor further information contact myself or: Don Myers Director Cypress Development Corp. Telephone: 604-687-3376 Toll Free: 800-567-8181 Facsimile: 604-687-3119 Email: info@cypressdevelopmentcorp.comNEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THE CONTENT OF THIS NEWS RELEASE.This release includes certain statements that may be deemed to be "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that management of the Company expects, are forward-looking statements. Although management believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements, include market prices, exploration and development successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Please see the public filings of the Company at www.sedar.com for further information. Breast cancer patients in Europe are set to benefit from more objective diagnosis Philips' digital pathology offering to be complemented with Visiopharm breast cancer panel algorithms Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) today announced that it has signed a licensing agreement with Visiopharm to offer their breast cancer panel software algorithms [1] with Philips IntelliSite [2] digital pathology solutionto help pathologists with an objective diagnosis of breast cancer. Applying smart computer processing to the digital tumor tissue image, the companies believe that the pathologist will be able to achieve a more consistent reading and diagnosis to help inform the patient's treatment regime. Visiopharm's breast cancer panel software (Ki-67 APP for Breast Cancer, Her2 APP for Breast Cancer, ER APP for Breast Cancer and PR APP for Breast Cancer) are CE marked for diagnostic use in Europe [1]. Through strategic investments in R&D, an acquisition, partnerships and technology licenses, Philips is building a leading portfolio for the digitization of pathology, a fast-growing area in healthcare as pathology labs are looking to improve productivity and enhance quality. The pathologist plays a critical role in disease detection such as cancer by examining suspected tissue under a microscope. The American Society of Clinical Oncology reported [3] that current HER2 (breast cancer) testing may be inaccurate. Specifically, the assessment biomarker status of cancerous cells in tissue proved to be subjective with variability in readings amongst pathologists. Studies have shown that digital image analysis in support of the pathologist assessment actually outperform manual biomarker assessment in this task [4]. "Over the past 150 years, the pathologist has used a traditional microscope to diagnose cancer and other diseases," said Visiopharm CEO Dr. Michael Grunkin. "Rapid advances in digital imaging coupled with the use of powerful new analytic methods promise to radically change the future of pathology. Combining the high image quality from Philips' IntelliSite pathology solution with Visiopharm's reagent agnostic diagnostic image analysis is the first step towards improving data quality in histopathology." Digitization of pathology will open up new ways to get more information from tissue samples. High quality digital images and world class image analysis will facilitate the objective analysis of images. With advanced algorithms and data management systems, Philips aims to help to translate the big data into actionable knowledge and equip pathologists with needed tools to enable a more accurate and precise diagnosis which could help providing more personalized treatment. "We are committed to empower pathologists with the best tools to fight cancer," said Russ Granzow, General Manager of Philips Digital Pathology Solutions. "With computational pathology we continue to innovate with the goal to improve the effectiveness and quality of cancer diagnosis." Philips lntelliSite pathology solution is an automated digital pathology image creation, management and viewing system comprised of an ultra-fast pathology slide scanner, an image management system and dedicated software tools. Across the globe, several high-volume and networked pathology institutions are relying on the Philips IntelliSite pathology platform for improved workflows, enhanced collaboration capabilities and provide new insights that ultimately could lead to better patient outcomes. [1] Visiopharm breast cancer panel software (Ki-67 APP for Breast Cancer, Her2 APP for Breast Cancer, ER APP for Breast Cancer and PR APP for Breast Cancer) are CE marked for diagnostic use in Europe. These algorithms are for research use only and not approved for use in diagnostic procedures in the United States and Canada. [2] In the European Union, the Philips IntelliSite Pathology Solution is CE Marked under the European Union's 'In Vitro Diagnostics Directive' for in vitro diagnostic use. In Canada, the Philips IntelliSite Pathology Solution is licensed by Health Canada for in vitro diagnostic use. In the United States, the Philips IntelliSite Pathology Solution is indicated for in vitro diagnostic use for Manual Read of the Digital HER2 Application. The Philips IntelliSite Pathology Solution is registered for in vitro diagnostic use in Australia, Singapore and Middle East. [3] Guideline for HER2 Testing in Breast Cancer-Wolff et al, Arch Pathol Lab Med-Vol 131, January 2007 [4] Digital image analysis in breast cancer G Stalhammar et al Modern Pathology (2016) 29, 318-329 About Royal Philips Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people's health and enabling better outcomes across the health continuum from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis, treatment and home care. Philips leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver integrated solutions. The company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and health informatics, as well as in consumerhealth and home care. Headquartered in the Netherlands, Philips' health technology portfolio generated 2015 sales of EUR 16.8 billion and employs approximately 69,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter. About Visiopharm Visiopharm image analysis software has become the preferred Quantitative Digital Pathology solution for leading biopharmaceutical companies, contract research organizations (CRO), research institutions, and for hospital diagnostic pathology labs around the world. Our software is featured in over 1000 scientific publications, and is compatible with leading slide scanner manufacturers, data management software, and a wide variety of microscopes and cameras. Visiopharm is an international business with over 600 licenses placed, with countless users, in more than 35 countries. The company was founded in 2001 by the Managing Director, and Chief Executive Officer, Michael Grunkin and the Chief Technical officer, Johan Dore Hansen, who both have a strong scientific and practical background in image analysis. See more on www.visiopharm.com/appcenter. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160621005195/en/ Contacts: Philips Digital Pathology Solutions Hans Driessen, +31 6 10610417 hans.driessen@philips.com or Philips Group Communications Steve Klink, +31 6 10888824 steve.klink@philips.com or Visiopharm A/S Helle Fisker, +45 29178777 CMO hfi@visiopharm.com CHICAGO, IL -- (Marketwired) -- 06/21/16 -- Blockchain training, confirmed 2016 Mobile Payments Conference (MPC) conference organizers, will be held on the first day of the event and open to all attendees. The 2016 Mobile Payments Conference is happening August 29 - 31, 2016 at the Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel in Chicago, IL. "Blockchain stands at the precipice of transforming a wide range of industries," said Nitin Gaur, director of IBM Blockchain Labs and MPC speaker. "Work must be done to bridge the gap between what current blockchain fabrics can do and how it can evolve to meet business demands." The training session will empower executives with the knowledge to leverage this powerful technology today, and insight to the banking, regulatory and financial factors influencing its evolution. Attendees will learn blockchain's foundational elements and leave with an understanding of how the technology works and its various platforms. "Blockchain technology is disrupting the business of commerce, with governments, technology bellwethers and the world's largest financial institutions investing significant resources to nurture and capitalize on the phenomenon," said Marla Ellerman, Mobile Payments Conference Chairman. Earlier this week, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) awarded grants to six companies working on blockchain applications for the government, and the Central Bank of Canada revealed it is developing a digital version of the Canadian dollar based on blockchain technology. "The subject matter while new, is having a wide-scale impact," added Marla Ellerman. "By making this education available to our attendees, we are providing the opportunity to learn about blockchain from the very people driving its adoption." The Mobile Payments Conference provides unfettered access to the World's foremost leaders from banking; financial services; retail; technology; mobile computing; cybersecurity and data privacy; customer experience and loyalty; engagement and marketing; payments and commerce. Among the speakers at this year's conference are executives from Google, Santander Bank, Capital One, McKinsey & Company, Accenture, Hewlett Packard, Discover, IBM, PayPal, Verizon, FIS Global, GfK Financial, AP Technology, Heartland Payments, Worldpay, Manifold Technology, as well as the United States Federal Reserve, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Analyst and media inquiries, or to register as a member of the press for the event, please contact Mostafa Razzak, JMRConnect at 202-904-2048 or m.razzak@jmrconnect.net Please contact Marla Ellerman at 602-315-8808: marla@mmtmagonline.com, for information regarding exhibit and sponsorship opportunities. For the latest Mobile Payments Conference news, updates and information, please visit www.mobilepaymentconference.com, or follow the event on Twitter at @mpcevent. About Mobile Payments Conference The Mobile Payments Conference (@MPCEVENT) is the industry's leading mobile commerce event, which convenes executives across the globe from all parts of the mobile commerce ecosystem. 2014 marks the seventh Mobile Payments Conference that Mobile Marketing & Technology will produce. For additional information, please visit http://www.mobilepaymentconference.com. About Mobile Marketing & Technology Mobile Marketing and Technology is an online publication and community dedicated to educating Marketing, Sales, IT Professionals, and Executives about the latest mobile phone technologies for marketing and communication. http://mobilemarketingandtechnology.com/ CONTACT Mostafa Razzak JMRConnect 202-904-2048 m.razzak@jmrconnect.net Mindbreeze and NRX will enter into a strategic partnership and jointly distribute an enterprise search appliance for clients with high demands. NRX is the leading company in France specializing in the implementation of enterprise search and big data solutions. "Our long-standing partnership with Google shows us that there is still a broad market for enterprise search appliances in France. The Mindbreeze appliance, which has been on the market for more than seven years now, is the perfect alternative for the Google Search Appliance which will be discontinued in the near future. With its unmatched ease of use and because of its truly high-end options, the Mindbreeze appliance offers the best migration avenue for existing GSA customers. By working together, we can provide our customers with a powerful and affordable on-premise enterprise search solution", explains Nicolas Roux, managing director of NRX. Mindbreeze founder and CEO Daniel Fallmann adds, "I am very delighted that NRX is part of our selective and fast-growing international network of partners. Partnering with NRX opens the door for us to supply the French market and to introduce Mindbreeze InSpire to a whole new group of customers. We have the knowledge management products which customers want, and we look forward to working with the NRX team." Mindbreeze InSpire is delivered as an enterprise search appliance box. The configuration is simple and data source crawling can begin almost immediately. Mindbreeze InSpire unites business facts from company-internal data sources and from the Internet in a semantic knowledge base. Mindbreeze InSpire also ensures that each user will find only the corporate data which he or she is allowed to access by verifying access rights directly from indexed data sources. About NRX A subsidiary of the IT Link Group, NRX has been increasing the business value of data since 2004. The IT Link Group has been an industrial digital expert for 30 years. They provide vital and systematic information solutions to a wide range of industries. To learn more about NRX and its enterprise search services, visit the NRX website. About Mindbreeze Mindbreeze, with headquarters in Linz/Austria, is a leading European provider of software products and search appliances for enterprise search, big data and knowledge management. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160621005855/en/ Contacts: Mindbreeze Ulrike Kogler pr@mindbreeze.com or NRX Nicolas Roux Tel: +33 1 55 43 17 12 nicolas.roux@nrx.eu SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/21/16 -- Databricks, the company behind Apache Spark, today announced a strategic partnership agreement with and investment from In-Q-Tel, Inc. (IQT). IQT is the investment organization that identifies innovative technologies to support the mission of the U.S. Intelligence Community. Through this strategic partnership, Databricks will extend Apache Spark's position as the leading processing engine built for speed, ease of use, and sophisticated analytics by delivering a cloud-based Spark platform that supports the operational requirements of the U.S. Intelligence Community. Databricks is focused on the singular mission of making big data simple. The Databricks platform is a fully managed development and production system for advanced analytics powered by Spark. It empowers individuals and organizations to seamlessly transition from data ingest through exploration to production. Enterprises utilize Databricks to achieve a wide variety of objectives, including integrating disparate data silos, synthesizing actionable insights in real-time, and deploying advanced analytics solutions. "Enterprises today know there is untapped value in their data, especially within the intelligence community, but selecting the tools to unlock that value is often a complex process. Databricks, powered by Apache Spark, is built for developers, data scientists, data engineers and other IT professionals to get up and running very quickly via one end-to-end platform," said Ion Stoica, Executive Chairman at Databricks. "This investment by IQT further validates Databricks' mission and reflects the need for big data simplicity and accessibility that we're seeing among several industries, including federal." "A partnership with Databricks continues IQT's tradition of working with world-class analytics companies," said Dan Gwak, Partner, IQT Investments. "We are proud to partner with Databricks to advance the intelligence mission." About In-Q-Tel In-Q-Tel is the not-for-profit, strategic investor that works to identify, adapt, and deliver innovative technology solutions to support the missions of the U.S. Intelligence Community. Launched in 1999 as a private, independent organization, IQT's mission is to identify and partner with companies developing cutting-edge technologies that serve the national security interests of the United States. For more information, visit http://www.iqt.org. About Databricks Databricks' vision is to empower anyone to easily build and deploy advanced analytics solutions. The company was founded by the team who created Apache Spark, a powerful open source data processing engine built for sophisticated analytics, ease of use, and speed. Databricks is the largest contributor to the open source Apache Spark project providing 10x more code than any other company. The company has also trained over 20,000 users on Apache Spark, and has the largest number of customers deploying Spark to date. Databricks provides a just-in-time data platform, to simplify data integration, real-time experimentation, and robust deployment of production applications. Databricks is venture-backed by Andreessen Horowitz and NEA. For more information, contact info@databricks.com. Databricks 2016. All rights reserved. Apache, Apache Spark and Spark are trademarks of the Apache Software Foundation. Media Contact: Suzanne Block Merritt Group for Databricks E: DatabricksMG@merrittgrp.com P: 617-824-0981 SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/21/16 -- Vivino, the world's largest wine community, with more than 17 million users, today announced the launch of its first U.S. retail pilot program at Marsh Supermarkets, a leading regional grocery retailer in Indiana and Ohio. As part of the pilot program, 66 Marsh grocery stores now feature shelf-talkers displaying the Vivino Rating alongside Marsh's best-rated wines. The Vivino Rating is the first and only wine rating system that is based on the opinions of wine lovers at every level of expertise. Using a five-star rating system, Vivino users have contributed ratings and tasting notes for more than eight million wines from around the globe, forming the largest wine library in the world. These crowdsourced reviews help wine lovers to navigate the complex wine buying process with confidence and ease. A recent Vivino survey found that 93% of consumers reported needing help in a store with their wine-buying decisions. And while mobile and e-commerce sales continue to grow, brick-and-mortar still accounts for 68% of wine sales in the U.S., proving there's a major need to expand access to information at the shelf. This pilot program is the first-of-its-kind to launch in the U.S. and is part of Vivino's vision to redefine how consumers choose the wines they buy. "We believe Vivino can help retailers like Marsh increase their foot traffic, improve customer satisfaction and sell more wine using the Vivino rating," said Heini Zachariassen, Vivino Founder and CEO. "We know from consumers that ratings are just as important as price in their purchasing decisions, but that information isn't readily available in store. Vivino can fulfill this void by partnering with retailers to help arm their customers with trusted, actionable information that will convert to more sales." With more than 70 stores across Indiana and Ohio and a history of providing shopper satisfaction through innovation and choice, Marsh represents an ideal partner for the pilot program. In fact, the retailer is constantly pushing the boundaries of in-store shopper experiences, known as the first grocery store in the world to use electronic scanners to ring up purchases. "At Marsh, we're passionate about customer experience and recognize the significant opportunity with Vivino to revolutionize the wine selection and buying experience," said David Kuncl, Chief Marketing and Merchandising Officer, Marsh Supermarkets. "By bringing the Vivino rating to our customers in stores, we're going to be able to better serve and speak to them about wine right at the shelf, streamlining their purchasing decision process like never before." Heini Zachariassen co-founded Vivino in 2010 with Theis Sndergaard with the premise of providing a way for wine drinkers of all levels and expertise to navigate the ever-changing world of wine and to choose a bottle or glass with ease and confidence. Users simply scan any wine label or wine list with their mobile device, and Vivino's proprietary image recognition technology instantly delivers ratings, reviews and average pricing for every bottle. Today, Vivino boasts the world's largest and most comprehensive wine library with its users contributing ratings and tasting notes for more than 8 million wines and scanning 300,000 bottles every day. Vivino is free and available to download on Android, Apple and Windows devices. For more information, visit Vivino.com. ABOUT VIVINO Vivino takes the guesswork out of wine so that wine drinkers everywhere never have to drink a bad wine again. With more than 17 million users, Vivino is the world's largest wine community and most downloaded wine app, making wine discovery fun, accessible, and easy to understand for wine drinkers of every level. Users simply scan any wine label or wine list with their mobile device, and Vivino's proprietary image recognition technology instantly delivers ratings, reviews and average pricing for every bottle. Vivino users contribute tasting notes and ratings for millions of wines, scanning 300,000 bottles every day, collectively helping to form the largest wine library in the world. Founded by Heini Zachariassen and Theis Sndergaard in 2010, Vivino is available for download on Android, Apple and Windows devices. For more information, visit www.vivino.com. ABOUT MARSH SUPERMARKETS Headquartered in Indiana, Marsh operates 72 Marsh Supermarkets and O'Malia Food Markets in Indiana and Ohio, with 38 Indiana pharmacy locations. Marsh was the first grocery store in the world to use electronic scanners to ring up purchases, and today it's the first retailer in the U.S. to use beacon technology -- which uses geolocation to send coupons to shoppers' smartphones while they're in the store -- in all of its stores. PRESS CONTACT: Courtney Quattrini courtney@vivino.com +1 415.710.7527 When Are Nursing Homes Liable for Injuries? It is a sad reality that those who most need assistance are also most likely to be neglected or abused. For example, recently, two New York nursing home workers were indicted for endangering a patient. They ignored his cries for help while he writhed on the floor. But even less extreme cases end in injury, if not in criminal cases. Caring caregivers can sometimes be overwhelmed by the difficulty of their jobs and that leads to accidents. Nursing homes are liable to patients who are injured as a result of negligence and there are many contexts for liability in a nursing home. Institutions can be held responsible for a negligent worker, and any individual who is negligent can also be named in a suit. Negligence in Nursing Homes A nursing home can unfortunately be negligent in many ways. A small mistake like forgetting to warn that a floor is wet can have very serious consequences for an elderly person. Nursing homes are responsible for keeping their premises safe for patients and can be sued for a standard slip and fall, just like any other business. But these facilities do more than most businesses. They feed and care for patients all day and night and can sometimes access certain financial accounts, as well as administer medication and give medical care. Any nursing home staff member, administrative, medical, janitorial, or otherwise, who fails to provide the standard of care that is reasonable under the circumstances can be held liable for injuries they caused. Lots of Contexts for Liability Any injury that arises from a failure to provide the care due patients who rely on full-time assistance is a home's responsibility if you prove negligence. But because these places do so much for patients, an exhaustive list of possible injuries is impossible to compile. Homes can commit economic frauds that cause injury as well as causing physical harm to patients through medical negligence or lack of care. These harms can all be addressed in lawsuits, and which claim to make will depend on injury specifics. Think of it like this: a nursing home has all the liability of a cafeteria, hotel, and hospital rolled into one, plus some. That is to say, these facilities operate to accommodate multiple needs, unlike many other businesses. As such, there is much more that can go wrong, and when things go wrong, lawsuits often follow. Consult With Counsel If someone you love has been injured in a nursing home, consult with an attorney and tell the story. Find out your options. Many attorneys consult for free or a minimal fee and will be happy to assess your case. Related Resources: SAN DIEGO, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/21/16 -- Mitchell International, a leading provider of technology, connectivity and information solutions to the Property & Casualty (P&C) insurance industry and their supply chain partners, today announced the recipients of the 2015 AutocheX Premier Achiever Awards, honoring top performing collision repair shops throughout the U.S. for impeccable customer service. "The AutocheX Premier Achiever Awards' winners exemplify the level of excellence all shops should aspire to," said Paul Rosenstein, Vice President, Product Management at Mitchell International. "Specifically, these repair shops have gone above and beyond to honor their commitment to their customers to deliver the industry's best service on a daily basis." Winners of the 14th annual 2015 AutocheX Premier Achiever Awards come from the U.S. and include collision repair shops of all sizes, small to large. The recipients are being honored for consistently receiving high customer satisfaction scores as measured, either independently or as part of an insurance-sponsored repair program, by Mitchell's AutocheX customer satisfaction solution. "We love being able to know how our customers feel about the repair process," said Mike Cebollero of Sierra Auto Body in Grass Valley, CA. "A collision is a big disruption to their lives. We try very hard to minimize the disruption to their daily routine while we repair their vehicles. It's nice to know through the AutocheX surveys that our process is working for our customers." The Mitchell AutocheX program surveys customers from the 7,500 shops actively participating in the program. Customers are asked to rate their overall experience in terms of customer service and satisfaction among other detailed experience-related questions. "With AutocheX our customers are able to honestly and openly share their thoughts about their repair experience," said Rosenstein. "The program serves as a neutral platform for our customers to voice any concerns and enables the body shop to identify customer service and experience shortcomings in a timely manner." Since the award program was launched in 2002, Mitchell has presented over 4,000 AutocheX Premier Achiever Awards to industry-leading collision repair facilities. For more information about Mitchell's Customer Engagement tools or Mitchell's other collision repair software solutions for auto body shops, please visit www.mitchell.com. About Mitchell International Headquartered in San Diego, California, Mitchell International, Inc. is celebrating its 70th year of enabling better business outcomes for its Property & Casualty customers and supply chain partners. Mitchell delivers smart technology solutions that simplify and accelerate claims handling processes, driving more accurate, consistent, and cost-effective resolutions. Mitchell integrates deep industry expertise into workflow solutions, which provide unparalleled access to data, advanced analytics and decision support tools. Mitchell's comprehensive solution portfolio and robust SaaS infrastructure connect its customers in ways that enable tens of millions of electronic transactions to be processed each month for more than 300 insurance companies and over 30,000 collision repair facilities across the Americas and Europe. For more information, please visit www.mitchell.com/. Contact: Amanda Windsor LEWIS for Mitchell 619-677-2700 Mitchell@teamlewis.com NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwired) -- 06/21/16 -- Nearly a year ago, on June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges, delivering a historic decision in favor of State recognition for same-sex marriage. Exactly two years prior to this decision, in United States v. Windsor, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the constitutionality of Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defined marriage for federal purposes as existing only between one man and one woman. McManus & Associates, a top-rated estate planning law firm with offices in New York and New Jersey, today revealed "Top 10 Tax and Estate Planning Considerations for Same-Sex Couples" as part of its Educational Focus Series. During a conference call with clients, the firm's Founding Principal and AV-rated Attorney John O. McManus shed light on the far-reaching effects of these Supreme Court decisions. To hear how the cases have impacted tax and estate planning for same-sex couples, visit the firm's website at http://bit.ly/28Jzbse. "In its most basic terms, recognition of same-sex marriage equates to the simple fact that a spouse is now a spouse, irrespective of gender, in the eyes of the law," commented McManus. "Today, there are opportunities and protections within reach for same-sex couples that were unavailable during most of American history." 1. Gender-blind: First and foremost, when discussing the changes born of the recognition of same-sex marriage, the overarching theme is that there is no need to draft estate planning documents any differently for same-sex couples. In the eyes of the federal and state governments, same-sex and opposite-sex married couples are afforded the same tax benefits. Whether a Will was executed before the date of Obergefell (6/26/15) makes no difference. The law that applies is the law at the date of the Testator's death. Pursuant to Obergefell, states MUST recognize same-sex marriage. 2. Unlimited Marital Deduction: Same-sex couples that marry are eligible to take advantage of the unlimited marital deduction for federal estate and gift tax. Prior to Obergefell, same-sex couples had to rely on their applicable exclusion amount with regard to providing for the surviving spouse. It is important for same-sex couples to review with their wealth planning and tax advisors any existing estate planning in order to best utilize the tax-saving vehicles available to them. 3. Portability: In addition to the unlimited marital deduction, the surviving spouse is entitled to the portability provision under federal estate and gift tax law. Pursuant to the portability provision, a surviving spouse may preserve, and thereafter utilize, any portion of the deceased spouse's unused applicable exclusion amount. One benefit of portability is to allow the surviving spouse to make tax-free gifts in order to reduce the estate tax owed upon the survivor's death. For more information on portability, please see an in-depth discussion of the top 10 possibilities of portability: http://bit.ly/1R4fagD. 4. Gift Splitting: Each individual is given the right to make gifts on a tax-free basis for federal gift and generation skipping transfer tax. The annual exclusion amount is currently $14,000. Now same-sex couples can enjoy the benefits of gift splitting, whereby one spouse can gift from their own assets, with the consent of the other spouse, in order to utilize both of their annual exclusion amounts (currently $28,000 maximum to any individual) resulting in the gifting spouse's applicable lifetime gift tax exemption amount remaining intact. Generally, gift splitting requires the filing of a Form 709 Gift Tax Return; however, if the split gifts total $28,000 or less to each donee, only the donor spouse is required to file a gift tax return. 5. Beneficiary Designation of Retirement Benefits: a. Retirement account assets of a deceased same-sex spouse can now be "rolled over" into the surviving spouse's account without the requirement of a mandatory minimum distribution or lump sum distribution. This is a positive development because, prior to the recognition of same-sex marriage, this roll-over was not possible. b. With regard to an ERISA covered plan, the Windsor decision made it possible for the same-sex spouse of a participant in the plan to automatically be the beneficiary. The participant is now required to obtain consent from his or her spouse if that spouse is not the desired beneficiary of the plan. c. All state-level employment benefits should be reviewed and updated with the same-sex spouse information in order to take advantage of the rights and benefits available to the same-sex spouse. Review employer's benefits policies -- spousal benefits granted to same sex couples. d. Also review prenuptials and other marital agreements. 6. Insurance: Insurance planning may have been part of same-sex planning prior to the Obergefell decision. All policies, along with beneficiary designations, should be reviewed in conjunction with the new planning concepts for a streamlined flow of assets upon both the first death and the death of the surviving spouse. 7. Previously Filed Federal Tax Returns: Same-sex spouses may amend previously filed federal estate, gift, and income tax returns from single to married status, subject to the statutory limitations period of three years from when the tax return was originally due or filed (if on extension) or two years from the date the tax was paid, whichever is later. Married couples living in states that did not recognize same-sex marriages prior to Obergefell may be able to amend filed state income tax returns for the years 2012, 2013, or 2014, depending on the law of the state. 8. Natural Born and Adopted Children: A child, whether born or adopted into the same-sex union, needs to be specifically identified throughout the estate planning documents. The relationship of the child to the adoptive parent or parents or birth parent in a same-sex married couple can be cause for contest at the death of the legal parent if not planned for ahead of time. a. If a child is born to one spouse, the other spouse should strongly consider adoption of the child to legalize the relationship. If there is no legal relationship between the child and the spouse of the natural parent, a relative of the natural parent could fight for custody if the natural parent dies or fails to care for the child. b. The same issue applies to a child who is only adopted by one spouse. Same-sex couples may consider co-parent adoption to ensure that both parents have rights regarding child custody and guardianship. c. If a partner has a child and the other partner plans to adopt that child, he or she is eligible to receive an adoption tax credit. This credit is not available for a spouse adopting his or her spouse's child. If a couple is planning to marry and an adoption is part of the big picture, it may be more advantageous for the adoption to take place before the couple marries. 9. Non-Citizen Spouse May Consider Becoming a Citizen: Non-citizen same-sex spouses are afforded the opportunity to become U.S. citizens on the basis of their marriage to a spouse of the same sex who is a U.S. citizen. This eligibility should be considered carefully, taking all ramifications into account. For example, as a U.S. citizen the individual would be taxed by the U.S. on their worldwide income. Also, expatriating from the U.S., renouncing your U.S. citizenship, and returning to your native country can be an expensive proposition. To expatriate, you generally must prove five years of U.S. tax compliance. If you have a net worth greater than $2 million or average annual net income tax for the five previous years of $160,000 or more, you must pay an exit tax. It is a capital gain tax as if you sold your property when you left. In addition, the U.S. State Department has raised the fee for renouncing U.S. citizenship from $450 to $2,350. 10. Current Estate Plan: a. Due to the tax-saving venues opened to same-sex couples, it is beneficial for the couple to review all existing plans in order to maximize federal and state estate, gift, and income tax planning. b. Beneficiary designations for insurance and retirement benefits should be reviewed in order to align the designations accordingly. c. Re-title any property with joint ownership to ownership by the couple as tenancy by the entirety. In community property states, the couple may want to convert separately-owned property to community property in order to receive a step up in basis upon the death of the survivor of the spouses. d. Confirm that definitions in the estate planning documents correctly reflect relationships, for example "spouse," "husband," "wife," and/or "children," whether naturally born or adopted. e. Determine if there is a necessity for a "no contest" clause to be incorporated in the event family members disapprove of the same-sex couple's lifestyle or decisions regarding the estate plan. For trusted advice on wealth planning for same-sex couples, call McManus & Associates at 908-898-0100. For more information on award-winning McManus & Associates, go to www.mcmanuslegal.com. About McManus & Associates Twenty-five years ago, McManus & Associates was founded to deliver the highest quality estate planning services that the largest firms promise with the more intimate, personalized relationships that a boutique firm can offer. Since that time, some of the most prominent families in finance, media, academia and medicine -- both domestic and international -- have relied on the firm to serve as their advisor in wealth and family mission planning. For more information, contact: Lauren DuBois (917) 573-2485 communications@mcmanuslegal.com AGOURA HILLS, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/21/16 -- VAPE Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB: VAPE) (the "Company" or "VAPE"), a holding company focused on providing healthy, efficient, and sustainable vaporization products, announces the resignation of CEO Justin Braune, who has resigned for personal reasons and wishes the team great success. Benjamin Beaulieu has been promoted internally to assume the CEO position from his current COO position. VAPE Holdings is also announcing that they are 90% complete with a their debt refinancing program. Mr. Beaulieu states, "VAPE Holdings is well positioned to grow in this dynamic market. We intend to provide regular communication regarding business development as well as our continued financial reorganization. I am looking forward to utilizing my years of experience at VAPE Holdings to develop and execute strategies from the control position. We are optimistic about future product lines and attacking new markets as regulatory changes increase our opportunities." About VAPE Holdings, Inc. VAPE Holdings, Inc. focuses on designing, marketing, and distributing various vaporization products. The company offers medical and food grade ceramic products primarily under the HIVE Ceramics brand throughout North America, Europe and South America. HIVE offers a nonporous, non-corrosive, chemically inert ceramic vaporization element, which can be used for a range of applications, including stand-alone vaporization products and electronic cigarettes. The company is based in Agoura Hills, California. For more information on HIVE Ceramics and to visit our e-commerce site, please visit: http://www.hiveceramics.com. For more information on Revival and to visit our e-commerce site, please visit: http://www.revivalvapes.com. From time to time, VAPE Holdings will provide market updates and news via its websitehttp://www.vapeholdings.com/ or the Company's Facebook page at http://on.fb.me/1d5c7iO. Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking Statements This release contains "forward-looking statements" that include information relating to future events and future financial and operating performance. The words "may," "would," "will," "expect," "estimate," "can," "believe," "potential" and similar expressions and variations thereof are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which that performance or those results will be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time they are made and/or management's good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause these differences include, but are not limited to: fluctuations in demand for VAPE Holdings' products, the introduction of new products, the Company's ability to maintain customer and strategic business relationships, the impact of competitive products and pricing, growth in targeted markets, the adequacy of the Company's liquidity and financial strength to support its growth, and other information that may be detailed from time-to-time in VAPE Holdings' filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Examples of such forward-looking statements in this release include statements regarding future sales, costs and market acceptance of products as well as regulatory actions at the State or Federal level. For a more detailed description of the risk factors and uncertainties affecting VAPE Holdings please refer to the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, which are available at www.sec.gov. VAPE Holdings undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Investor Relations: Marcus Laun info@growthcircle.com (888) 518-3274 WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's campaign manager Corey Lewandowski has been fired. A campaign spokeswoman said Lewandowski, who helped Trump earn the GOP ticket, would no longer be working on it and said the team was grateful to him 'for his hard work and dedication'. The exact reason for Lewandowski's departure, with the Republican party's nominating convention in Cleveland less than a month away, is not yet clear. The businessman, who clashed with Trump's other advisers on how to appeal to the broader general electorate, had reportedly been facing strong resistance from senior GOP members over his strident tone, hardline immigration policy and falling poll numbers. Lewandowski's motto as Trump's campaign manager was 'Let Trump be Trump'; those words appeared on his office white board. Trump said of Lewandowski, 'He leaves me alone, but he knows when to make his presence felt.' After a win in New Hampshire primary in February, Trump acknowledged Lewandowski's role in the win by praising his ground game. A month later, at a campaign event in Florida, former Breitbart reporter Michelle Fields accused Lewandowski of grabbing her by the arm hard enough to leave bruising. He was charged for intentionally assaulting a female reporter, but was spared from prosecution. Trump stood firmly behind his campaign manager, and insisted that the accusation against him was false. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. VISTA, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/21/16 -- According to Dr. John Coleman and Dr. John Coleman III, full mouth rehabilitation is the term for a combination of procedures that are mixed and matched to suit a patient's individual needs. Due to the degree of customization possible, the Vista dentists say this dental technique can be one of the most versatile and comprehensive available. Full mouth rehabilitation, which Drs. Coleman and Coleman explain can also be referred to as full mouth restoration or full mouth reconstruction, typically includes two or more restorative dental procedures. The process begins with an in-office evaluation of the oral structures and a discussion as to which concerns the patient wishes to address in particular. Additionally, the dentists say individuals can supplement their treatment with cosmetic enhancements to improve the beauty of their smile. Drs. Coleman and Coleman indicate ideal candidates for full mouth restoration will have multiple dental concerns such as missing teeth, staining, bite misalignment, and/or another issue. Common procedures used to correct these concerns include: Dental implants Invisalign Periodontal treatment Dental crowns or bridges Porcelain veneers Teeth whitening Full mouth reconstruction can address simple, complex, and moderate cases, and Drs. Coleman and Coleman wish to emphasize that there is typically no concern (or number of concerns) too big or too small, as each procedure is fully individualized. Since the treatment plan will vary from person to person, the dentists suggest patients might wish to speak with a dental professional experienced in full mouth rehabilitation to develop a better idea of what to expect from the process. About Dr. John Coleman, DDS The founder of Coleman & Coleman Advanced Dentistry, Dr. John Coleman works alongside his son to serve patients in the Vista, Oceanside, and North San Diego County area. A graduate of the University of California, Irvine and Georgetown University, Dr. Coleman is extensively trained in dental implantology, reconstructive dentistry, and orthodontics. He has been recognized as one of the Top 1 percent of dentists practicing in the country by the Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, and he has served as a past President of the Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry's Southwest Chapter. Dr. Coleman is available for interview upon request. About Dr. John Coleman III, DDS Dr. John Coleman III, the son of Dr. John Coleman, earned his undergraduate degree from the University of California, San Diego and his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from New York University. He has completed extensive training in temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) and he is state certified to perform oral conscious sedation. In the process of becoming a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry, Dr. Coleman III is also an active member of the American Dental Association, the California Dental Association, and the San Diego County Dental Association. Dr. Coleman III is available for interview upon request. For more information about Drs. Coleman and Coleman and their practice, please visit sandiegocosmeticdental.com and facebook.com/colemandentistry. To view the original source of this press release, click here: https://www.sandiegocosmeticdental.com/news/versatility-of-full-mouth-restoration-offers-many-benefits-say-vista-dentists Coleman & Coleman Advanced Dentistry 110 Civic Center Dr., Ste. 102 Vista, CA 92084 (760) 726-0770 Rosemont Media (858) 200-0044 www.rosemontmedia.com LabTech 11 release delivers best-in-class functionality and improved user experience for easier, more efficient endpoint managementTAMPA, Fla., 2016-06-21 16:00 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ConnectWise announced today significant enhancements to LabTech, its remote monitoring and management (RMM) solution for technology solution providers. Key upgrades in the LabTech 11 release include a redesigned user interface for the computer screen, a reinvented patch manager and a number of behind-the-scenes processing improvements that will greatly improve technician efficiency."LabTech 11 is much more than a few system tweaks," said Brett Cheloff, General Manager of LabTech, when he shared the new capabilities during his Automation Nation 2016 keynote address. "This set of innovations gives our partners the industry's most powerful and complete monitoring and management experience in the marketplace, as well as the means to significantly increase operational efficiency and grow their businesses."The most substantial innovations in this latest release of LabTech, which is used by more than 5,000 technology solution providers worldwide, include:-- Redesigned user interface (UI). The new UI for LabTech 11's computer management screen, patch manager and Ignite Manager includes wizard-driven setup and updated screens, at-a-glance metrics, and configurable tile navigation. The result is a system that is considerably faster and easier to use. -- Patch manager upgrade. Staged patch deployment - an industry first - is introduced with LabTech 11, giving users the ability to thoroughly test patches prior to deployment to critical production environments. Additional upgrades include automated patch rollout and improved optional third-party patching options. -- Capacity improvements. Substantial server and script upgrades, along with the ability to automate even more redundant processes, gives LabTech partners the power to easily and efficiently manage more endpoints and expand their business operations.Cheloff said more than 300 LabTech users across the globe were involved in the testing of LabTech 11. "Their real-life feedback combined with the skills of our in-house development team has resulted in a simplified user interface and a more stream-lined setup that will free our partners from mundane tasks so they can focus on delivering value to their customers," he said.One of the LabTech users who has been testing LabTech 11 is Eric M. Hall, Vice President and CTO of Amaxx. Hall said he appreciates how ConnectWise proactively requests, embraces and incorporates feedback from its partners."We've been piloting LabTech 11 since the beginning of the year and are extremely pleased with how the new functionality has eased the pressure on our technicians," Hall said from Amaxx's headquarters in Dublin, Ohio. "The configurable workspace of the new UI means they can quickly and easily find information to troubleshoot issues without any interruption to our customers. When you add in the server and script changes, our team is able to get a lot more done in much less time."Ryan Green, Network Operations Manager for SNC Squared Technology Group, a Joplin, Missouri-based company that also has been testing LabTech 11, said the new patch manager is key to him. "I don't know of any other RMM system in the marketplace that incorporates a dedicated testing environment for software patches. This ability to test patches first and then schedule their rollout in manageable waves not only saves us many hours every month, but also ensures a better experience for all our customers. Because we can now confidently automate and stage patch approval, we've reduced the time from patch release to install to make our clients' systems more secure," he said.Serving as the remote monitoring and management piece of the ConnectWise Business Suite, the new LabTech 11 functionality will be rolled out to partners over the next several months, beginning with those who were in attendance at Automation Nation.To learn more about LabTech 11, go to www.LabTechSoftware.com/WhatsNewFollow ConnectWise LinkedIn ConnectWise Blog Twitter Facebook YouTubeAbout ConnectWise ConnectWise transforms how technology solution providers successfully build, manage and grow their businesses. Through the ConnectWise Business Suite - a comprehensive set of award-winning solutions that deliver a seamless user experience - ConnectWise gives its partners the ability to increase productivity, efficiency and profitability. Just as importantly, ConnectWise's relentless commitment to innovation and unparalleled passion for partner success assures its partners have comprehensive business support through every step of their journey. Today, more than 100,000 users in over 50 countries take advantage of the competitive edge that comes from ConnectWise solutions and its powerful network of ideas and experts. For more information, visit www.ConnectWise.com or call 800-671-6898.Contact Info Diane Rose for ConnectWise +1 727.238.7567 diane@dkrcomms.com NEW YORK, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Rising automobile sales, expansion of automobile fleet and favorable government policies to increase demand for tires in Denmark over next five years According to TechSci Research report, "Denmark Tire Market Forecast and Opportunities, 2021", tire market in Denmark is projected to cross 380 Million ($ 435 Mn) by 2021 on the back of the country's reviving automobile sector, increasing automobile sales, expanding automobile fleet and implementation of favorable government policies. Moreover, rapidly growing construction industry in Denmark is expected to fuel demand for M&HCV & OTR vehicles over next five years, which is expected to positively influence the country's tire market over the next five years. In addition, anticipated increasing in demand for passenger cars on account of rising per capita income is also expected to augment demand for passenger car tires during 2016 - 2021. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140117/663730 ) Browse 12 market data Tables and 26 Figures spread through102 Pages and an in-depth TOC on "Denmark Tire Market" http://www.techsciresearch.com/report/denmark-tire-market-forecast-opportunities-2021/702.html During 2011-2015, automobile sales in Denmark grew at a CAGR of around 15%, with unit sales in the country increasing from 0.21 million units in 2011 to 0.24 million units in 2015, resulting in expansion of the country's automotive fleet (including passenger cars & commercial vehicles) from 2.68 million units in 2011 to 2.83 million units in 2015. Among several global tire companies such as Continental, Michelin, Bridgestone, Yokohama, etc., selling their tires in the country, Continental accounted for the largest volume share in Denmark tire market in 2015, followed by Michelin. Download Sample Report @ http://www.techsciresearch.com/sample-report.aspx?cid=702 Customers can also request for 10% free customization on this report. "Expanding vehicle fleet size in Denmark positively influenced demand for tires from replacement segment during 2011-2015. The passenger car tire segment is expected to be the fastest growing segment in the coming years and is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of more than 4% during the forecast period.", said Mr. Karan Chechi, Research Director with TechSci Research, a research based global management consulting firm. "Denmark Tire Market Forecast and Opportunities, 2021" has evaluated the future growth potential of Denmark tire market and provides statistics and information on market size, structure and future market growth. The report intends to provide cutting-edge market intelligence and help decision makers take sound investment evaluation. Besides, the report also identifies and analyzes the emerging trends along with essential drivers, challenges and opportunities in Denmark tire market. Browse Related Reports Poland Tyre Market Forecast and Opportunities, 2020 http://www.techsciresearch.com/report/poland-tyre-market-forecast-and-opportunities-2020/216.html Finland Tyre Market Forecast and Opportunities, 2020 http://www.techsciresearch.com/report/finland-tyre-market-forecast-and-opportunities-2020/138.html France Tyre Market Forecast and Opportunities, 2020 http://www.techsciresearch.com/report/france-tyre-market-forecast-and-opportunities-2020/206.html About TechSci Research: TechSci Research is a leading global market research firm publishing premium market research reports. Serving 700 global clients with more than 600 premium market research studies, TechSci Research is serving clients across 11 different industrial verticals. TechSci Research specializes in research based consulting assignments in high growth and emerging markets, leading technologies and niche applications. Our workforce of more than 100 fulltime Analysts and Consultants employing innovative research solutions and tracking global and country specific high growth markets helps TechSci clients to lead rather than follow market trends. Contact: Mr. Ken Mathews 708 Third Avenue, Manhattan, NY, New York - 10017 Tel: +1-646-360-1656 Email: sales@techsciresearch.com Connect with us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/TechSciResearch Connect with us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/techsci-research NEW YORK, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Growing Energy Concerns, Growth in Adoption of Smart Devices and Rising Demand for Real-time Security to Drive Global Smart Homes Market Through 2021 According to recently released TechSci Research report, "Global Smart Homes Market By Application, By Technology, By Region, Competition Forecast and Opportunities, 2011 - 2021", the global market of smart homes is projected to cross $ 60 billion by 2021, on account of increasing energy concerns, surging demand for real time home security and growing technological advancements. Moreover, increasing demand for energy efficient systems and solutions, coupled with growing adoption of smart devices are anticipated to boost the global smart homes market during 2016 - 2021. In 2015, global consumer electronics market generated revenues of around $ 438 billion, which are further expected to cross $503 billion by the end of 2016. Backed by expanding consumer electronics market, the global market of smart homes is anticipated to register healthy growth rate during forecast period. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140117/663730 ) Browse 68 market data Tables and 94 Figures spread through210 Pages and an in-depth TOC on "Global Smart Homes Market" http://www.techsciresearch.com/report/global-smart-homes-market-by-application-energy-management-systems-security-access-control-systems-etc-by-technology-wireless-communication-technology-etc-by-region-competition-forecast-and-opportunities-2011-2021/648.html In 2015, North America dominated the global smart homes market, and the region is expected to maintain its dominance over the next five years as well. In North America, the United States was the largest smart homes market in 2015 on account of booming M2M communication market and increasing smartphone users, which is expected to increase from 187.05 million in 2015 to 203.75 million by the end of 2016. According to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation report, around 8,277,829 property crime offenses were registered in the United States in 2014. With increasing rate of property crime offenses, demand for smart homes in the country is anticipated to increase at a robust pace over the next five years. Download Sample Report @ http://www.techsciresearch.com/sample-report.aspx?cid=648 Customers can also request for 10% free customization on this report. "In 2015, there were more than 7 million cases of stolen motor vehicles across the world. In addition to vehicle thefts, with increasing burglary cases, consumers are increasingly inclining towards smart homes, which include advanced security systems with cameras, motion sensors and a link to the local police station or a private security company. Smart homes also use key cards or fingerprint identification in place of conventional locks, making it harder for someone to break in. However, high initial installation cost, IT security issues and lack of standardization are some of the major factors restraining demand for smart home solutions across the world.", said Mr. Karan Chechi, Research Director with TechSci Research, a research based global management consulting firm. "Global Smart Homes Market By Application, By Technology, By Region, Competition Forecast and Opportunities, 2011 - 2021" has evaluated the future growth potential of smart homes market and provides statistics and information on market structure, consumer behaviour and trends in the global smart homes market. The report is intended to provide cutting-edge market intelligence and help decision makers take sound investment evaluation. Besides, the report also identifies and analyzes emerging trends along with essential drivers, challenges and opportunities available in global smart homes market. Browse Related Reports Global Building Energy Management Solutions Market By Type (Hardware, Software & Services), By End User (Residential, Commercial & Others), Competition Forecast and Opportunities, 2011 - 2021 http://www.techsciresearch.com/report/global-building-energy-management-solutions-market-by-type-hardware-software-services-by-end-user-residential-commercial-others-competition-forecast-and-opportunities-2011-2021/619.html United States Building Automation and Control Systems Market Forecast and Opportunities, 2020 http://www.techsciresearch.com/report/united-states-building-automation-and-control-systems-market-forecast-and-opportunities-2020/407.html India Factory Automation Market Forecast and Opportunities, 2020 http://www.techsciresearch.com/report/india-factory-automation-market-forecast-and-opportunities-2020/448.html About TechSci Research TechSci Research is a leading global market research firm publishing premium market research reports. Serving 700 global clients with more than 600 premium market research studies, TechSci Research is serving clients across 11 different industrial verticals. TechSci Research specializes in research based consulting assignments in high growth and emerging markets, leading technologies and niche applications. Our workforce of more than 100 fulltime Analysts and Consultants employing innovative research solutions and tracking global and country specific high growth markets helps TechSci clients to lead rather than follow market trends. Contact Mr. Ken Mathews 708 Third Avenue, Manhattan, NY, New York - 10017 Tel: +1-646-360-1656 Email: sales@techsciresearch.com Connect with us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/TechSciResearch Connect with us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/techsci-research CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The euro slipped against its major rivals in early New York trading on Tuesday, after the European Central Bank President Mario Draghi hinted that risks emanating from a potential Brexit is challenging and the bank has taken necessary measures to overcome the impact of a possible 'Brexit' on EU referendum. Speaking to the European Parliamentary committee in Brussels, Draghi noted that the bloc's uncertainty remained high and downside risks were challenging due to the continued fragile state of the global economy and geopolitical developments. 'We will closely monitor the evolution of the outlook for price stability,' he said. 'We stand ready to act by using all the instruments available within our mandate, if necessary, to achieve our objective. In particular, the ECB is ready for all contingencies following the UK's EU referendum,' he added. In economic news, survey results from the Centre for European Economic Research or ZEW showed that Germany's economic confidence strengthened sharply in June. The economic sentiment index rose unexpectedly to 19.2 from 6.4 in the prior month. It was forecast to fall to 4.8 points in June. The currency has been trading in a negative territory in European deals. Extending early slide, the euro declined to 1.5059 against the aussie, its weakest since May 3, from an early high of 1.5189. On the downside, 1.49 is likely seen as the next support level for the euro-aussie pair. Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed that Australia's house prices fell 0.2 percent on quarter in the first quarter of 2016. That missed forecasts for an increase of 0.8 percent following the 0.2 percent gain in the previous three months. The euro declined to 1.5765 against NZ dollar, a level not seen since June 2015, following an advance to 1.5956 at 1:30 am ET. Continuation of the euro's downtrend may lead it to a support around the 1.55 area. Reversing from an early high of 1.4516 against the loonie, the euro slipped to a 6-day low of 1.4415. The euro is seen finding support around the 1.42 region. The single currency slipped to a 3-week low of 0.7656 against pound, off its early high of 0.7744. The next possible downside target for the euro-pound pair may be located around the 0.75 zone. Data from the Office for National Statistics showed that the U.K. budget deficit narrowed in May. Public sector net borrowing decreased by GBP 0.4 billion from last year to GBP 9.7 billion in May. Nonetheless, it was above the expected level of GBP 9.4 billion. The common currency fell to 4-day lows of 1.0824 versus the franc and 117.31 against the yen, reversing from its previous highs of 1.0904 and 118.68, respectively. If the euro continues slide, it may find support around 1.06 against the franc and 116.00 against the yen. Looking ahead, at 2:30 pm ET, Federal Reserve Governor Jerome Powell will deliver opening remarks at the Round table of Alternative Reference Rates Committee in New York. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/21/16 -- Bellhaven Copper & Gold Inc. (TSX VENTURE: BHV) ("Bellhaven" or the "Company") announces that Mr. Mark Antonvich has agreed to act as a member of the Board of Directors of the Company, effective June 6th. Mr. Antonvich currently is Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer for Vinmar International Ltd. (Houston, Texas), where he provides legal support to various businesses including chemical manufacturing, project development, marketing and distribution for chemicals and polymers, and fuels trading. Prior to his current eight-year stint with Vinmar International, Mr. Antonich worked as the Executive Vice President and General Counsel for Hexion Specialty Chemicals, Senior Counsel for Enron Global Exploration and Production, and Senior Corporate Counsel for BHP Minerals. At BHP Minerals in the late 1990's and early 2000's Mr. Antonvich worked with follow BHP employee Paul Zweng (currently a Bellhaven director) in securing the rights of Tenke Fungurume, at the time one of the world's largest and highest-grade undeveloped copper projects located in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Mr. Antonvich's career as a corporate lawyer spans over 30 years of extensive and wide-ranging experiences resolving significant legal, business and compliance issues on a global basis. He has participated in international transactions for many years, including mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Antonvich's industry experience includes commodity and specialty chemical manufacturing; oil and gas exploration and production; hard-rock mining and exploration, production and refining; polymers, chemicals and fuels project development, marketing, distribution and trading; family office investments, venture capital and private equity. Mr. Antonvich was the recipient of the Houston Business Journal's Best Corporate Counsel Award in 2010. He was a finalist for The General Counsel Forum's 2012 Magna Stella Awards for in-house excellence in leadership and management in the Solo General Counsel category. He has served on the statewide board of the Texas General Counsel Forum and currently serves on the board of the Houston chapter. In 1988 Mr. Antonvich earned a Juris Doctor law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center. About Bellhaven Bellhaven Copper & Gold Inc. is a Canadian-listed (TSX VENTURE: BHV) exploration company exploring for gold and copper in Colombia. The Company's goal is to be a leader in gold and copper development in Colombia. Bellhaven focuses on discovery, acquisition and development of high-quality resources in a safe and responsible manner for the benefit of all of its stakeholders. For more information regarding Bellhaven, please visit our website at www.bellhavencg.com. On behalf of the board of directors, Millie Paredes, President/Director BELLHAVEN COPPER & GOLD INC. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Statements in this press release, other than purely historical information, including statements relating to the Company's future plans and objectives or expected results, may include forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions and are subject to all of the risks and uncertainties inherent in resource exploration and development. As a result, actual results may vary materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Gold equivalent grades have been calculated using the following formula: AuEq = Au(g/t) + (Cu(%)) x (%Recoverable Cu / %Recoverable Au) x (Net Cu Price/Net Au Price) x (%Payable Cu / %Payable Au x 22.0462 x 31.1035). Metal recoveries are estimates based on metallurgical results announced in Bellhaven's news release dated Nov. 15, 2011. Net metal prices for gold and copper are the long-term forward curve metal price minus refining charge. Metal prices based on the long-term forward curve are as of May 8, 2013 (US$1482 for gold and $3.40/lb for copper). Metal refinery charges and % payable metal by the smelter are estimates based on third-party consultants. Metal prices, refinery charges and % payable metal are not constant and are subject to change. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. There is no certainty that all or any part of the mineral resources will be converted into mineral reserves. Contacts: Corporate Contact in North America: Mrs. Milagros "Millie" Paredes President/Director (971) 344-1500 mparedes@bellhavencg.com Women May Soon Be Required to Register for the Draft Last week, the US Senate approved a military policy bill that would require young women to register for the draft at age 18, just like young men. Americans have not been drafted into the military since 1973, but passage of the bill reignited a national debate about women, fighting, and equality, most notably among the many men in government. That debate has been going on for decades. In 1981, the US Supreme Court ruled that women did not need to sign up for Selective Service because at that point they were not active in all aspects of military service. As of this year, The New York Times reports, the ban on women in combat roles has been completely lifted and female soldiers are on the front lines, in the trenches, and everywhere else. In light of this, soon it could be that everyone who turns 18 will have to register. Equal Draft For many, particularly people who serve or served in the military, it was only natural that the Senate approved the measure. "It's my personal view [that] every American who's physically qualified should register for the draft," Gen. Robert B. Neller, the commandant of the Marine Corps, told the Senate Armed Services Committee in February. Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona and the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said during the debate ahead of the Senate vote last week that there is widespread approval for an equal draft. "The fact is every single leader in this country, both men and women, members of the military leadership, believe that it's fair since we opened up all aspects of the military to women that they would also be registering for Selective Services." But those who are or were not members of the military are much more circumspect about the prospects of ladies being obligated to sign up for Selective Service. For example Ted Cruz, who has two daughters, said he could not "in good conscience" support a draft of young women, "sending them off to war and forcing them into combat." More Than Military Senator McCain, who did serve in the military and whose daughter-in-law is a captain in the Air Force Reserve, rejected Cruz's position, saying, "Too bad that view is not shared by our military leadership, the ones who have had the experience in combat with women." McCain is not the only military man who wants to see a gender equal draft. A former Army helicopter pilot with two young daughters, Chris Marvin, criticized Cruz in an article in the Huffington Post. Marvin pointed out that fewer than one in five members of Congress -- so, less than 20 percent -- have served in the military and that if their sons and daughters were actually at risk of being drafted they might take military matters more seriously. Marvin, who has two daughters, believes in a draft that includes young women and says it can improve not only gender-equality issues but make a more engaged electorate. Talk to a Lawyer If you served in the military and are having issues obtaining a benefit or service, speak to a lawyer. Many attorneys consult for free or a minimal fee and will be happy to assess your case. Related Resources: Regulatory News: Bent Skisaker has been appointed Chief Financial Officer of Nel ASA (Nel) (OSE:NEL) with effect from 1 September 2016. "We are happy to announce Bent as the new Chief Financial Officer of Nel. Bent has extensive experience as a financial executive from performance-driven listed- and private equity owned companies, and his background is a perfect fit for the industrial growth phase Nel has entered. I look forward to working with Bent as a part of the management team where he will play an important role," says Jon Andre Lkke, Chief Executive Officer of Nel. Skisaker comes from a position as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Eureka Pumps and has more than ten years experience as CFO in various companies in the Aker Group. Bent has also served eight years as an auditor and financial advisor at Ernst Young/Arthur Andersen. Skisaker holds a Master in Accounting and Auditing from the Norwegian School of Economics (NHH), a B.A. of Business Organisation from Heriot-Watt University, and is qualified as a State Authorised Public Accountant in Norway. 1 June 2016, Nel established the new Nel Hydrogen Solutions division focusing on new markets like California and Japan. In addition, the markets in Germany and Scandinavia represents significant opportunities. The key business propositions are: Hydrogen fueling station networks, including hydrogen production Renewable hydrogen production from small- to large scale projects Energy storage solutions and constant renewable supply Operation, maintenance, ownership, and financing solutions "Nel Hydrogen Solutions aims to be the preferred business partner for the hydrogen industry in California, Japan and Germany for the development of hydrogen solutions across the value chain, from hydrogen fueling stations networks to large-scale renewable hydrogen production plants. Nel Hydrogen Solutions leverages on the experience from delivering and operating the entire Danish hydrogen network, in collaboration with leading oil-, energy- and gas companies. Nel Hydrogen Solutions will also be responsible for the deployment of equipment to Uno-X Hydrogen and the building of a network of hydrogen fueling stations that will enable fuel cell electric vehicles to operate between all the major cities in Norway within 2020," says Lkke. Following the appointment, Nel's management group will consist of the following five executives and three division managers: Chief Executive Officer: Jon Andre Lkke Chief Financial Officer: Bent Skisaker Chief Technology Officer: Anders Sreng Market Development/PR: Bjrn Simonsen Business Development: Mikael Sloth Division managers: Nel Hydrogen Electrolyser: Lars Markus Solheim (operations in Notodden, Norway) Nel Hydrogen Fueling: Jrn Rosenlund (operations in Herning, Denmark) Nel Hydrogen Solutions: Jacob Krogsgaard (system integration) "With this last appointment, Nel has establisted a management team ready to leverage on the growth opportunities going forward, says Lkke. Skisaker assumes the CFO position September 1 2016, succeeding CFO Lars Christian Stugaard. "Lars Christian has served as both interim CEO and CFO during a very important and successful period for Nel. He has played an important role in the development of the company, following the road from inception as a listed company to where Nel stands today. Lars Christian will continue to support Nel during the transision phase and I would like to thank him for his dedication and great efforts to Nel," Jon Andre Lkke concludes. About Nel Nel is a global, dedicated hydrogen company, delivering optimal solutions to produce, store and distribute hydrogen from renewable energy. We serve industries, energy and gas companies with leading hydrogen technology. Since its foundation in 1927, Nel has a proud history of development and continual improvement of hydrogen plants. Our hydrogen solutions cover the entire value chain from hydrogen production technologies to manufacturing of hydrogen fueling stations, providing all fuel cell electric vehicles with the same fast fueling and long range as conventional vehicles today. www.nel-hydrogen.com. This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160621006085/en/ Contacts: NEL ASA Jon Andre Lkke, CEO +47 90 74 49 49 IRVINE, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/21/16 -- ConcertoHealth and Meridian Health Plan of Michigan announced today a strategic partnership to serve Medicare and Medicaid-eligible patients in the Greater Detroit area. The healthcare companies have entered into an outcomes-based contract to improve healthcare quality and access for patients beginning July 1, 2016. ConcertoHealth has extensive experience caring for Medicare, Medicaid and complex medical needs patients. The company integrates clinical care with social services to ensure patients receive individualized primary and preventive care, across and between settings -- from the physician's office, to the nursing facility or hospital, to the patient's home. ConcertoHealth will serve members in Meridian's Medicare Advantage HMO plan, Dual Special Needs Plan, Medicare-Medicaid Plan, and standalone Medicaid plan (for aged, blind, and disabled recipients 55 and older). A family-owned, family-operated company since 1997, Meridian has long held a reputation as a leader in developing high-quality provider networks and attractive benefit plans for Michiganders. "Meridian has long been known for its innovative approach to improving the quality and cost of healthcare for our members," said Jon Cotton, president and chief operating officer of Meridian Health Plan, Michigan. "This partnership with ConcertoHealth is another opportunity for us to provide the communities we serve with a differentiated level of care and compassion." "ConcertoHealth and Meridian Health Plan share a common mission to provide medically underserved communities with improved access to high-quality care," said David Tigue, president, ConcertoHealth of Michigan. "We believe Medicare and Medicaid patients will be very excited about the combination of Meridian's market leading benefits, and ConcertoHealth's innovative healthcare experience. We're eager to expand this strategic partnership to Meridian's other markets in the future." ConcertoHealth Care Centers are staffed by physicians, nurses, social workers and medical assistants, in addition to social and community services, patient outreach and health education. "The ConcertoHealth team is excited to welcome Meridian patients into our care centers this summer," said Tigue. About ConcertoHealth ConcertoHealth Inc. has extensive experience caring for the Medicare, Medicaid, frail and complex medical needs patient populations. The company addresses critical vulnerabilities for patients and health plans alike, including expanded access to personalized primary care, chronic condition management and coordination of transitions between care settings. ConcertoHealth provides healthcare services where and when they're needed, delivering primary care and care coordination regardless of the location -- be it in a ConcertoHealth Care Center, at home, or in the hospital or post-acute setting. The company is headquartered in Irvine, Calif. For more information, please visit www.concertohealthcare.com. About Meridian Meridian Health Plan is a family-owned, family-operated health plan with offices in Michigan and Illinois. Meridian Health Plan's affiliates include Medicaid and Medicare health plans and prescription drug plans, a commercial plan available through the Health Insurance Marketplace and MeridianRx, a Pharmacy Benefit Management company. Meridian Health Plan currently serves more than 800,000 members in five states. For more information, visit www.mhplan.com. Media Contact Nerissa Silao nerissa@capwellcomm.com O: (714) 484-1128 C: (310) 874-9230 LAS VEGAS, NV -- (Marketwired) -- 06/21/16 -- Hemp, Inc. (OTC PINK: HEMP) executives update its shareholders and potential shareholders on the industrial hemp industry's "material news" as states continue to pass legislation in favor of industrial hemp. New York Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo and Senator Tom O'Mara announced last week the passage of Bill (A9310/S6960) that would allow for the "transportation, processing, sale, and distribution of industrial hemp" as part of the State's research pilot program. Bruce Perlowin, CEO of Hemp, Inc. (OTC PINK: HEMP), said, "This is a hemp revolution and nothing can stop it. Hemp, Inc. is positioned at the forefront of the industrial hemp industry with the largest commercial decorticating plant in the United States. Not only are states recognizing the benefits of industrial hemp, they are acting on it by passing favorable legislation. The demand for this environmentally friendly natural fiber is increasing by leaps and bounds." Passed unanimously by the Assembly on June 2, 2016, the bill then passed the Senate last week. According to NYAssembly.gov, Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo said, "I am very encouraged by the interest being expressed by farmers and research institutions across New York State. Industrial hemp will benefit not only local agriculture, but has the potential for numerous manufacturing opportunities in the Southern Tier and throughout the state." The National Hemp Association (NHA) with the support of Micah Nelson, Willie Nelson's son, has also launched a Petition to Congress on Change.org to collect signatures in support of the Industrial Hemp Farming Act (S.134 and H.R. 525). The Petition is gaining signatures at a rate of 10,000 per day. NHA will be delivering signatures to key members of Congress once a critical mass of names is reached this summer. (To add your voice to this Petition, click here.) Back in May, a diverse group of hemp organizations and hemp businesses gathered in Washington D.C. to coordinate their efforts to support pro-hemp federal legislation and find ways to collaborate. This historic stakeholder gathering agreed that the bill with the best chance of passing is the Industrial Hemp Farming Act (IHFA). This bill would make hemp fully legal at the federal level, and bring significant jobs and economic development to rural farming families. For centuries, industrial hemp has been used to produce rope, textiles, paper and many other consumer products but has been illegal in America for years. "Hemp, Inc.'s decision to purchase the decorticator, when it did, and build the largest commercial industrial hemp processing facility in America was a sound strategic decision," said Craig Perlowin, Secretary of Hemp, Inc. "Bruce Perlowin is a visionary. Back then, many wondered why someone would build a hemp processing facility, in a state where hemp was not even legal. There is only one thing that remains constant, and that is 'change'. And that is exactly what happened... change. Now Bruce Perlowin's decision is revered as genius." "Laws regarding industrial hemp are rapidly changing. Our focus now is to finish the final phase of our industrial hemp processing plant, after which, we will turn our attention toward marketing," said Bruce Perlowin. "Marketing products, of this size and scope, to Fortune 500 companies and other large companies requires a ton of inventory in stock along with reassurance that we can maintain that supply as demand is increased. The moment we are producing, on a regular basis, our sales will begin in earnest." Bruce Perlowin also noted, "It's a big difference between spending hundreds of thousands of dollars a month on infrastructure versus spending half that amount marketing the products that infrastructure is creating. With the size of the orders we've been negotiating, it will certainly be worth the wait. I'm extremely confident there'll be no problem generating revenues from sales." Business opportunities are expected to continue to unfold for Hemp, Inc. as more awareness is brought to the industrial hemp industry. With organizations such as the National Hemp Association (NHA) dedicated to the re-birth of industrial hemp in America, farmers, processors, manufacturers, researchers, investors and policy makers will continue to connect and inevitably accelerate the growth of the industrial hemp industry in America. ABOUT THE NATIONAL HEMP ASSOCIATION The National Hemp Association is a Colorado-based 501(c)6 trade association that supports the growth and development of all aspects of the emerging industrial hemp industry. NHA members include hemp farmers, processors, manufacturers, researchers, policy makers, elected and appointed officials, investors, and citizens who are in favor of the re-birth of industrial hemp as a major U.S. cash crop and sustainable agricultural commodity. Industrial hemp can provide significant jobs for farmers and small businesses and stimulate economic development for every state in the U.S. More information at: (303) 413-8066 and www.NationalHempAssociation.org or to become a member of the NHA, click here. SUBSCRIBE TO HEMP, INC.'S VIDEO UPDATES "Hemp, Inc. Presents" is capturing the historic, monumental re-creation of the hemp decorticator today as America begins to evolve into a cleaner, green, eco-friendly sustainable environment. What many see as the next American Industrial Revolution is actually the Industrial Hemp Revolution. Join "Hemp, Inc. Presents" and join the hemp revolution. Watch as Hemp, Inc., the #1 leader in the industrial hemp industry, engages its shareholders and the public through each step in bringing back the hemp decorticator as described in the "Freedom Leaf Magazine" article "The Return of the Hemp Decorticator" by Steve Bloom. Freedom Leaf Magazine, a leading cannabis industry magazine is published by the public company, Freedom Leaf Magazine, Inc. "Hemp, Inc. Presents" is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by visiting www.hempinc.com. To subscribe to the "Hemp, Inc. Presents" YouTube channel, be sure to click the subscribe button. Subscribers will automatically get an email from YouTube every time a new Hemp, Inc. video update is posted along with suggestions of other similar videos. Stay up-to-date with the progress of Hemp, Inc.'s multipurpose industrial hemp processing plant while being educated on the industrial hemp industry. Our video update views are collectively reaching over a thousand views per week. Stay informed by subscribing to Hemp, Inc.'s video updates. Hemp, Inc. is positioning itself to be the avant-garde of the industrial hemp industry and processing industrial hemp. HEMP NATION MAGAZINE HempNationMagazine.com (HNM) is published by Hemp, Inc. and focuses on informing, educating, raising awareness and connecting the public to the powerful world of HEMP. HNM reports on Politics, Industrial Growth, Banking, Distribution, Medical, Lifestyles and Legalization. HNM is your source for all things HEMP and news about this emerging multi-billion-dollar industry. For more information on HNM, visit www.HempNationMagazine.com. ABOUT INDUSTRIAL HEMP Hemp is a durable natural fiber that is grown as a renewable source for raw materials that can be incorporated into thousands of products. It's one of the oldest domesticated crops known to man. Hemp is used as a nutritional food product for humans and pets, building materials, paper, textiles, cordage, organic body care and other nutraceuticals, just to name a few. It has thousands of other known uses. A hemp crop requires half the water alfalfa uses and can be grown without the heavy use of pesticides. Farmers worldwide grow hemp commercially for fiber, seed, and oil for use in a variety of industrial and consumer products. The United States is the only developed nation that fails to cultivate industrial hemp as an economic crop on a large scale, according to the Congressional Resource Service. However, with rapidly changing laws and more states gravitating towards industrial hemp and passing an industrial hemp bill, that could change. Currently, the majority of hemp sold in the United States is imported from China and Canada, the world's largest exporters of the industrial hemp crop. HEMP, INC.'S TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE Hemp, Inc. (OTC PINK: HEMP) seeks to benefit many constituencies from a "Cultural Creative" perspective, thereby not exploiting or endangering any group. CEO of Hemp, Inc., Bruce Perlowin, is positioning the company as a leader in the industrial hemp industry, with a social and environmental mission at its core. Thus, the publicly traded company believes in "up streaming" a portion of its profits back to its originator, in which some cases will one day be the American small farmer -- cultivating natural, sustainable products as an interwoven piece of nature. By Hemp, Inc. focusing on comprehensive investment results -- that is, with respect to performance along the interrelated dimensions of people, planet, and profits -- the triple bottom line approach can be an important tool to support its sustainability goal. SOCIAL NETWORKS: http://www.twitter.com/hempinc (Twitter) http://www.facebook.com/hempinc (Facebook) SAFE HARBOR ACT Forward-Looking Statements are included within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements regarding our expected future financial position, results of operations, cash flows, financing plans, business strategy, products and services, competitive positions, growth opportunities, plans and objectives of management for future operations, including words such as "anticipate," "if," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "could," "should," "will," and other similar expressions are forward-looking statements and involve risks, uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control, which may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from anticipated results, performance, or achievements. We are under no obligation to (and expressly disclaim any such obligation to) update or alter our forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Hemp, Inc. (855) HEMP-OUT info@hempinc.com http://www.hempinc.com For Investor Relations, please send correspondence to: ir@hempinc.com MANCHESTER, England, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- EDM, a leading global provider of training simulators to the civil aviation and defence sectors, announced today that it is investing 1.3m to expand its manufacturing facility. The new 18,000 square feet structure is being built at EDM's headquarters in Manchester to meet the demands of the company's rapidly increasing order book. The purpose-built facility will house up to 40 employees across a range of disciplines and provide all the resources needed to enable the company to manufacture its full range of market-leading training simulators. Being built on land adjacent to EDM's existing 100,000 square feet facility, work on the new building is expected to begin in September this year with an anticipated completion date of March 2017. "Expanding our manufacturing capability with such a significant investment highlights our unwavering commitment to meeting our customers' needs," said Tony Bermingham, Managing Director of EDM. "The additional capacity will enable us to ramp up our operation as we look to manage our expected 40% growth in 2016. This is a very exciting time for EDM as we continue to expand rapidly in our core markets." In the past 12 months, EDM has announced major orders from Cathay Pacific, China Southern Airlines, All Nippon Airways and Singapore Airlines and counts Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems, Rolls Royce and Thales amongst its customer base. In 2015, the company won the Manchester Evening News Business of the Year and the Insider North West Excellence in International Trade Awards. For more information about EDM visit: http://www.edm.ltd.uk About EDM EDM is a leading global provider of training simulators to the civil aviation, defence, rail and other industries. Combining the highest engineering standards with leading-edge technologies, EDM provides airlines with Door Trainers, Cabin Service Trainers, Cabin Emergency Evacuation Trainers and Full Size Mockups and defence organsiations with Procedure Trainers, Maintenance Trainers, Ejection Seats, Simulators and Full Size Replicas. Serving organisations worldwide from its UK headquarters, EDM is committed to delivering exceptional quality and value to its clients to help them enhance safety and operational efficiency. WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has seen increases in support in three key swing states, according to the results of a Quinnipiac University poll. Clinton has pulled out to a sizable lead over presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump in Florida and is now virtually tied with the real estate tycoon in Ohio and Pennsylvania. The poll found that 47 percent of Florida voters support Clinton, while 39 percent prefer Trump. Clinton's eight-point lead in the latest poll compares to the one-point advantage she held in the Sunshine State last month. Adding third-party candidates to the mix in Florida, Clinton has a slightly narrower 42 percent to 36 percent lead over Trump, with Libertarian Gary Johnson at 7 percent and Green Party candidate Jill Stein at 3 percent. Clinton has also seen an uptick in support in Ohio and is now tied with Trump at 40 percent. The billionaire had a 43 percent to 39 percent lead over Clinton in a poll released last month. The survey showed Clinton with a 38 percent to 36 percent lead over Trump in Ohio when the third-party candidates are included. Johnson comes in a distant third at 8 percent and Stein is at 3 percent. Looking at Pennsylvania, Clinton has a slim 42 percent to 41 percent advantage, virtually unchanged from her 43 percent to 42 percent lead in the previous poll. The inclusion of the third-party candidates gives the former Secretary of State a slightly wider 39 percent to 36 percent lead over Trump, with 9 percent for Johnson and 4 percent for Stein. 'Secretary Hillary Clinton is pulling ahead in Florida, but the pictures in Ohio and Pennsylvania are much less clear,' said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac Poll. 'The at-times bitter verbal battles between Trump and some Republicans leaders is showing in these numbers,' he added. 'In these three key states, Clinton is doing better, and in the case of Florida much better, among Democrats than Trump is among Republicans.' The Quinnipiac surveys of 975 Florida voters, 971 Ohio voters, and 950 Pennsylvania voters were all conducted June 8th through 19th. The margin of error for the polls is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points for both Florida and Ohio and plus or minus 3.2 percentage points for Pennsylvania. (Photo: Gage Skidmore) Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de Group of leading former diplomats, lawmakers issues warning as Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif travels to Paris United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), a global advocacy organisation focused on raising awareness about the dangers posed by the Iranian regime, issued a strong warning today to French companies considering doing business in that country. The warning coincides with the visit of Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif to Paris today. UANI has directly contacted corporations around the world-including French companies Airbus, Air France, Renault, Total, Engie, Vinci, and CMA CGM-regarding the risks of business in Iran. Airbus, for example, is attempting to finalize a deal to sell more than 100 aircraft to Iran for an estimated $27 billion, but is having difficulty doing so with leading international banks, including France's own BNP Paribas and Societe Generale, refusing to facilitate transactions with Iran due to the severe risks involved. "The Iranian regime is making every effort to convince French companies that Iran is a safe place to do business," said UANI CEO Ambassador Mark D. Wallace. "However, Iran's history of money laundering, support for terrorism, and brutality against its own citizens suggests otherwise. French companies-given past terrorist attacks against France, its citizens, and its interests-would be wise to carefully consider the profound legal, financial, and reputational risks of doing business in Iran." "It is next to impossible for foreign companies to ensure that when doing business in Iran, they are not unwittingly doing business with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps ('IRGC'), a terrorist organization sanctioned by the international community whose tentacles reach into every key Iranian industry," said UANI Chairman Senator Joseph I. Lieberman. "When the benefits and risks are weighed objectively, it simply isn't worth it." Media interested in speaking with Ambassador Wallace and Senator Lieberman, please contact: press@uani.com. About UANI UANI is an independent, not-for-profit, non-partisan, advocacy group founded in 2008 by Ambassador Mark D. Wallace, Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, former CIA Director Jim Woolsey and Middle East Expert Ambassador Dennis Ross, that seeks to heighten awareness of the danger the Iranian regime poses to the world. UANI's Advisory Board consists of leading former diplomats and lawmakers from around the globe, including: Dr. August Hanning, Former Director of Germany's Federal Intelligence Service (BND); Sir Richard Dearlove, Former Head of the UK's MI6; Irwin Cotler, Former Minister of Justice and Former Attorney General of Canada; Radoslaw Sikorski, Former Foreign Minister of Poland; Wolfgang Schussel, Former Chancellor of Austria; Ana Palacio, Former Foreign Affairs Minister of Spain; and Giulio Terzi di Sant'Agata, Former Foreign Minister of Italy. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160621006160/en/ Contacts: United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) Steven Cohen, 212-922-0063 press@uani.com SEATTLE (dpa-AFX) - A federal judge has said that two Starbucks Corp. (SBUX) customers may proceed with a lawsuit against the specialty coffee retailer for serving customers under-filled lattes. A latte is a coffee drink made with espresso and steamed milk. U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson in San Francisco said the California plaintiffs, Siera Strumlauf of San Francisco and Benjamin Robles of Carlsbad, may seek damages for fraud and false advertising from Starbucks in their proposed nationwide class action. According to the lawsuit filed in March, Starbucks is skimping on milk, one of a latte's main and most expensive ingredients. The lawsuit also claims that there is excessive amount of foam in Starbucks coffee and that the size of the cups does not match up with advertised ones. Traditionally, a latte is created by mixing steamed milk and espresso, which is then topped with a thin layer of milk. The plaintiffs said that Starbucks requires baristas to use standardized pitchers for heating milk with etched 'fill to' lines that are set too low, and to fill the serving cup up to '1/4 inch below cup rim'. The class-action suit, filed in the U.S. District Court of Northern California, alleges that Starbucks 'knowingly and systematically' serves customers lattes that are 25 percent smaller than its menu promises, based on a standardized recipe that it adopted in 2009 to save on the cost of milk. 'By underfilling its lattes, thereby shortchanging its customers, Starbucks has saved countless millions of dollars in the cost of goods sold and was unjustly enriched by taking payment for more product than it delivers,' the lawsuit reads. According to the lawsuit, Starbucks is in breach of implied and express warranties, and should be held liable for fraud. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de Strengthened IP position further enhances TxCell's first mover advantage in the promising CAR-Treg space Regulatory News: TxCell SA (Paris:TXCL) (FR0010127662 TXCL), a biotechnology company developing innovative, personalized cellular immunotherapies using regulatory T cells (Treg) to treat severe chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, today announces the grant by the European Patent Office of the patent covering all redirected, genetically engineered T regulatory cells (CAR-Tregs) and their use in the suppression of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases (patent identification number: EP 2126054). As a result, TxCell has exercised its option and signed an exclusive worldwide licensing agreement with Yeda Research and Development Co. Ltd., the technology transfer arm of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel and owner of the patent. TxCell originally signed the option agreement with Yeda Research and Development Co. Ltd in June 2015. As per the terms of the current license agreement, TxCell has now been granted exclusive worldwide rights to, notably, develop and commercialize CAR-Treg products for the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, as covered by the patent family. "The CAR-Treg field holds significant promise for the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. Obtaining the exclusive license for the first global patent family covering the use of CAR-Tregs for the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases will be key in maintaining TxCell's lead position in this field," said Stephane Boissel, Chief Executive Officer of TxCell. "TxCell has continued to make rapid progress with its work in the CAR-Treg area through its second technology platform, ENTrIA. This enabled us to recently establish two collaborations with leading European research institutions to target Lupus Nephritis and Bullous Pemphigoid, a rare dermatological disease. TxCell intends to establish further strategic partnerships as well as pursuing research and patenting activities in additional indications." The CAR-Treg patent family covered under TxCell's licensing agreement with Yeda originated in the Weizmann Institute of Science laboratory of Professor Zelig Eshhar, who pioneered the CAR (Chimeric Antigen Receptor) approach. Professor Eshhar was the first scientist to demonstrate the therapeutic potential of CAR-Treg cells in preclinical models of intestinal inflammation. TxCell recently appointed Professor Eshhar as the Chairman of its newly established Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). "We are delighted that Prof. Eshhar groundbreaking work on the use of CAR-Treg for the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory disorders will be developed by TxCell. We hope that this agreement will bring novel products to the market," said Amir Naiberg, Chief Executive Officer of Yeda. Financial terms of the option and of the license agreement have not been disclosed. TxCell and the Weizmann Institute of Science intend to later discuss a possible R&D collaboration in the field of CAR-Treg biology and regulatory T cells engineering. About Yeda Research and Development Co. Ltd and the Weizmann Institute The Weizmann Institute of Science is one of the world's leading multidisciplinary basic research institutions in the natural and exact sciences. It is located in Rehovot, Israel, just south of Tel Aviv. It is comprised of 250 experimental and theoretical research groups across five faculties-Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Mathematics and Computer Science, and Physics. Insights that emerge from its labs help provide a fundamental understanding of the human body and the universe, and lead to advances in medicine, technology, and the environment. Weizmann Institute scientists are credited with a number of inventions, including amniocentesis and blockbuster drugs for multiple sclerosis. Yeda Research and Development Company Ltd. is the commercial arm of the Weizmann Institute of Science. Yeda holds an exclusive agreement with the Weizmann Institute to commercialize the unique intellectual property developed by the scientists. The income generated serves to support further basic research and science education. About ENTrIA ENTrIA (Engineered Treg for Inflammation and Autoimmunity) is the second TxCell proprietary cellular immunotherapy product platform and is composed of Chimeric Antigen Receptor engineered FoxP3+ regulatory T cells (CAR-Treg). After their isolation from the blood of patients, FoxP3+ Treg cells are genetically modified by transduction with Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CAR). The CAR introduced into FoxP3+ Treg cells is designed to allow FoxP3+ Treg cell activation and immuno-modulation through in vivo recognition of a protein present in inflamed areas in patients suffering from autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases. In the second quarter of 2016, TxCell launched two CAR-Treg development programs, a first one targeting Lupus Nephritis in collaboration with Ospedale San Raffaele (OSR) in Milan, Italy, and a second one targeting Bullous Pemphigoid in collaboration with the Lubeck Institute of Experimental Dermatology (LIED) in Lubeck, Germany. About TxCell - www.txcell.com TxCell is a publicly listed biotechnology company that develops platforms for innovative, personalized T cell immunotherapies for the treatment of severe chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases with high unmet medical need. TxCell is the only clinical stage cellular therapy company dedicated to the science of regulatory T lymphocytes (Tregs). Tregs are a recently discovered T cell population for which anti-inflammatory properties have been demonstrated. Ovasave, TxCell's lead product candidate, is currently in a phase IIb clinical trial in refractory Crohn's disease patients. Col-Treg, its second product candidate, is in preclinical development for the treatment of autoimmune uveitis. Based in Sophia-Antipolis, France, TxCell is listed on Euronext Paris and currently has 50 employees. Forward-Looking Statements TxCell This press release contains certain forward-looking statements relating to the business of TxCell, which shall not be considered per se as historical facts, including TxCell's ability to develop, market, commercialize and achieve market acceptance for specific products, estimates for future performance and estimates regarding anticipated operating losses, future revenues, capital requirements, needs for additional financing. In addition, even if the actual results or development of TxCell are consistent with the forward-looking statements contained in this press release, those results or developments of TxCell may not be indicative of their in the future. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by words such as "could," "should," "may," "expects," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "aims," "targets," or similar words. Although the management of TxCell believes that these forward-looking statements are reasonably made, they are based largely on the current expectations of TxCell as of the date of this press release and are subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievement expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. In particular, the expectations of TxCell could be affected by, among other things, uncertainties involved in the development of the Company's products, which may not succeed, or in the delivery of TxCell's products marketing authorizations by the relevant regulatory authorities and, in general, any factor that could affects TxCell capacity to commercialize the products it develops, as well as, any other risk and uncertainties developed or identified in any public documents filed by TxCell with the AMF, included those listed in chapter 4 "Risk factors" of the 2015 document de reference approved by the AMF on May 24, 2016 under number R.16-048. In light of these risks and uncertainties, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements made in this press release will in fact be realized. Notwithstanding the compliance with article 223-1 of the General Regulation of the AMF (the information disclosed must be "accurate, precise and fairly presented"), TxCell is providing the information in these materials as of this press release, and disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160621006142/en/ Contacts: TxCell Caroline Courme, Tel: +33(0) 4 97 21 83 00 IR Communication Director caroline.courme@txcell.com or Image Box Press relations Neil Hunter Michelle Boxall Tel: +44(0) 20 8943 4685 neil.hunter@imageboxpr.co.uk michelle.boxall@imageboxpr.co.uk or NewCap - Investor relations Julien Perez Pierre Laurent Tel: +33 (0)1 44 71 98 52 txcell@newcap.eu LONDON, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Bentham Europe announces that Quinn Emanuel yesterday filed the first of two suits in Germany against Volkswagen AG. Together, these two suits will seek damages on behalf of hundreds of institutional funds. The total value of the claims filed yesterday is very significant indeed with shareholders having collectively lost many hundreds of millions of euros. The shareholders' claims relate directly to the material share price fall experienced by Volkswagen AG in the week commencing Monday 21 September 2015, upon its disclosure of a long-running practice of installing "defeat device" software in its diesel-powered vehicles exposing the company to substantial fines in the United States and elsewhere. The shareholders represent a true cross section of the investor base of Volkswagen AG, from sovereign wealth funds and international asset managers on the one hand to significant public pension funds,multinational company pension plans and foundations on the other.In addition to the funds that are currently participating, Bentham Europe is in discussions with a very large number of additional funds and international asset managers. In total, the expectation is that the claims to be advanced by the whole group will ultimately run into the billions of euros. Jeremy Marshall, Chief Investment Officer of Bentham Europe, said on the filing of the suit: "The filing represents the culmination of the work of many months but is merely the first step in the campaign. We have been struck throughout by the depth of feeling that exists against Volkswagen's admitted practices and its recent reaction to its self-inflicted crisis. The breadth of the shareholder base that is represented by Quinn Emanuel should be a wake-up call to Volkswagen AG that it needs to engage with shareholders now, resolve matters and concentrate on regaining its market share." Dr. Nadine Herrmann, the managing partner of Quinn Emanuel's Hamburg office who is leading the suit in Germany, said "Our clients in this litigation are serious investors who care deeply about good corporate governance and functioning capital markets. We are pleased that they placed their trust in us and indeed the German courts hearing this important case. If there ever was a corporate scandal where courts must vindicate the information rights of capital market investors it is this one and we are confident that we will convince the courts to award the damages our clients are justly owed." The views of the shareholders are best summed up by Brian Bartow, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of the California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS), who said, on filing,"Companies must be held accountable when they engage in such widespread deliberate deceit which destroys shareholder value, damages their reputation and harms the public. As a long-term shareholder, CalSTRS has serious concerns about Volkswagen's internal controls, governance and oversight by the Board. This action seeks to recover not only CalSTRS's economic losses to the pension fund, but, ultimately, to implement much needed corporate governance reforms going forward at Volkswagen." Bentham will issue a further press release when the second suit is filed in Germany. Notes to Editors: Bentham Ventures is funding the shareholder action in Germany. Bentham Ventures is a joint venture between IMF Bentham Limited (IMF), established in 2001 in Australia and now the world's most experienced and successful litigation funder, and subsidiary entities of funds managed by Elliott Management Corporation (Elliott), a US-based investment advisory firm, and its affiliates. These funds have billions of U.S. dollars in funds under management globally. IMF and Elliott jointly guarantee Bentham Ventures' funding obligations to litigants (including adverse cost exposure). Bentham Europe is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bentham Ventures which identifies, evaluates and recommends funding opportunities to the joint venture. Bentham Ventures is currently funding shareholder litigation in England against Tesco PLC and investigating a number of further group actions at this time. The litigation in Germany funded by Bentham Ventures will proceed in two waves. The second wave will be filed over the next three months and will be filed on behalf of a significantly larger group of well-known asset managers and investors. Quinn Emanuel will shortly be filing a model case application on behalf of the investor group. Other steps in the litigation will be taken over the next few days. Bentham Europe is still coordinating the second wave of the litigation, and invites investors who wish to participate to indicate their interest by 30 July 2016 otherwise there is no guarantee that their claims can be advanced. The recent publications by the Braunschweig Court in the German Bundesanzeiger (re model case questions posed in some of the already pending cases) are silent on limitation issues. The degree of urgency that has to some extent been injected into the proceedings relates to the Court's statements in its press release accompanying those publications. The Court announced in its press release of 25 May 2016 that it would make a decision referring the model case questions to the Braunschweig appellate Court by August 2016 (at the earliest). Those claims and model case applications that are not on file by August 2016 will, of course, not have an impact on the Court's potential decision. Claimants who file a claim only after a referral decision will still participate in the model case proceedings, but they essentially have to accept the proceedings as they are at the point they join. This includes a decision on the selection of the model claimant that may be made as early as shortly after the referral decision. It is therefore advisable to file the claim before or around the time that the Court makes its referral decision. The situation is relevant for our investor group because we will want to pose questions in the model case application that have particular relevance to our group and we want our investors to be in control of the model case application in so far as we can be. We certainly want our investors to influence the way that the Court approaches its task. The California State Teachers' Retirement System was established by law in 1913 to provide retirement benefits to California's public school educators from prekindergarten through community college. Today, CalSTRS is the largest educator-only pension fund in the world, and the second largest pension fund in the U.S. The market value of the CalSTRS Investment Portfolio was approximately$188.8billion as of May 31, 2016. Technavio has announced the top 12 leading vendors in their recentpre-engineered building (PEB) market in Indiareport. The report identifies the vendors based on their revenue and market dominance in terms of experience, geographical presence, product portfolio, financials, and R&D. Competitive vendor landscape Pre-engineered building market in India marks the presence of many international and regional vendors that are active in providing PEB in India. Thus the present market scenario is highly competitive. Technavio beliefs that in order to sustain in the highly competitive market, the below mentioned factors are necessary: High technical competence Standardization and modularization Close alignment between manufacturing arm and other supply chain partners Price competitiveness End-user needs Suitable marketing strategy According to Abhay Sinha, a lead analyst at Technavio, "Technical competence is one of the necessities for sustaining in the highly competitive market. Many companies have in-house R&D facilities. However, companies that cannot invest in in-house R&D facilities form alliances with other reputed companies to develop quality products. Through this strategy, these companies can invest in other technologies to improve the quality of the product." Request for sample report: http://goo.gl/OnrszY Technavio research analysts categorize the pre-engineered building market vendors in India into two segments: key vendors and other prominent vendors. Key vendors: Tata BlueScope Steel BlueScope is a flat steel producer with headquarters in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It was founded in 1915. The company has more than 100 facilities in 17 countries and employs over 16,000 people. Many clients of the company are Fortune 500 companies. In India, the company has a joint venture with TATA Steel under the name Tata BlueScope Steel. The company manufactures and sells wall-cladding profiles and roll-formed roof and lightweight PEB structures under its three brands for different sectors. Kirby Building Systems Kirby Building Systems is one of the largest PEB companies in the world. It is a 100% subsidiary of the Kuwait-based multinational Alghanim Industries. It is one of the largest privately owned companies in the Middle East. Kirby was the first company to introduce PEB construction technology in the Middle East in 1976, and later in India in 1999. Interarch Building Products Interarch Building Products was established in 1984 in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India. It is one if the leading players in the PEB market in India with integrated facilities for the design, supply, manufacturing, logistics, and project execution of PEBs. Interarch Infrastructure is the parent company of Interarch Building Products. Interarch is also a certified green building partner and all their products comply with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and Indian Green Building Council standards. Jindal Buildsys Limited Jindal Group is based in Gurgaon, Haryana, India, and has been operational since 2002. Its core competency is providing large-scale turnkey solutions in the field of steel construction. The company has a good track record of providing a world-class experience to the customers. Other prominent vendors: Era Infra Era Infra was established in 1990 in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India. A part of Era Group, the company provides services for power plants, industrial and institutional segments, railways and metros, roads, highways, aviation, healthcare, and urban infrastructure segments. Everest Industries Everest Industries is a building solutions provider based in India. In FY2013-FY2014, the company's steel building segment had revenue of USD 2.76 billion. Lloyd Insulations The company is a 54-year-old PEB provider based in India. The company specializes in insulation, pre-insulated sandwich panels, refractory, PEBs, metallic profiled sheets, fireproofing, and mechanical erection works. Multicolor Steels Multicolor Steels is a leading provider of metal roofing and wall cladding systems. The company has installed more than 7 million square meters of metal roofing systems in more than 500 projects across India. The company's head office is located in New Delhi and manufacturing units at Bawal and IMT Manesar, Haryana. PEBS Pennar PEBS Pennar is an Indian PEB manufacturing company. The company has its manufacturing unit at Hyderabad, Telangana. The revenue of the company for FY2015 was USD 72.9 million. SML Group SML Group, an ISO 9001 certified company, was established in 1973. The company designs, develops, and manufactures various ferrous and non-ferrous equipment for Indian naval warships, defense vehicles, defense engineering equipment, and defense armaments under the department of defense production of India. Smith Structures Smith Structures designs and manufactures PEBs for power plants, heavy fabrications work, and coal-handling systems. The company has a manufacturing facility at Gandhidham, Gujarat, India. Tiger Steel Engineering Tiger Steel Industries is a UAE-based steel industry. Tiger Steel Engineering (India) is a part of Tiger Steel Industries that provides PEBs in India. Browse Related Reports: Global Green Building Materials Market 2015-2019 Industry Analysis Global Building Information Modelling (BIM) Market 2015-2019 Global Next-generation Building Energy Management Systems Market 2016-2020 Do you need a report on a market in a specific geographical cluster or country but can't find what you're looking for? Don't worry, Technavio also takes client requests. Please contact enquiry@technavio.com with your requirements and our analysts will be happy to create a customized report just for you. About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies. Technavio analysts employ primary as well as secondary research techniques to ascertain the size and vendor landscape in a range of markets. Analysts obtain information using a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, besides using in-house market modeling tools and proprietary databases. They corroborate this data with the data obtained from various market participants and stakeholders across the value chain, including vendors, service providers, distributors, re-sellers, and end-users. If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160621005105/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 630 333 9501 UK: +44 208 123 1770 www.technavio.com The DKBA troops led by Lieutenant Colonel Saw Naw Ku, commander of 908 Battalion, the deputy company commander Captain Saw Koo Nu, Platoon commanders Captain Saw Maw Ploe and Captain Saw Hla Khaing, a total of 21 troops with their arms and ammunition joined the KNLA troop led by Lieutenant Colonel Saw Bu Paw, commander of the KNLAs 201 battalion. Lt. Col. Saw Naw Ku, spoke to Karen News about the reunification. Our leaders are working for peace in the country. We have seen enough division among Karen armed groups we reunite, as we think it is the right time to do so. The DKBA troops came with a RPG launcher, one SKS, one M 79, nine M-16 rifles, two carbines, one HR and two 9.mm pistols. Lt. Col. Saw Bu Paw, commander of KNLA 201 battalion said, We made a decision to reintegrate our armed forces at our 15th Congress. This reunification is a strength for all Karen ethnic nationals and its politics. The reunified DKBA troops will be regarded as KNLA soldiers and given equal standards including their ranks and will be graded according to their skills and performance. The DKBA troops used to be under command of the late DKBA leader General Saw Lah Pwe, also known as Nakham Mway, who died early this year. In 1994, the DKBA broke away from the Karen National Union following disputes over religious discrimination and allied themselves with the Burma Army. This division had weakened the Karen and resulted in the fall of the KNUs fortified headquarters, Manner Plaw. The DKBA allied itself with the Burma Army until 2010, when Gen. Saw Lah Pwe rejected to merge his troops into the Border Guard Force and fought against the governments military in a series of armed skirmishes. The DKBA signed a bilateral ceasefire agreement with the government and were also a signatory to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement signed on 15 October, 2015 with other seven ethnic armed groups. LONDON, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- London's booming financial technology sector drives increase in adoption of fintech products The UK could become a cashless society within 20 years according to research published by London & Partners, the Mayor of London's promotional company, to coincide with London Technology Week 2016.[1] (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130723/629764-a ) A survey of more than 2,000 consumers shows that 68 per cent believe that cashless technologies will completely replace physical money by 2036. The figure is higher in London where three quarters of people said they thought cash would disappear within 20 years. The data is supported by figures showing the rise in contactless payment technologies. New data from MasterCard shows that contactless spending has increased by 326% year-on-year in the UK. Last week the Bank of England announced that it will be launching a fintech accelerator programme that will work with technology companies to harness fintech innovations. Mark Carney, The Governor of the Bank of England also remarked that "Financial technology companies will change the nature of money, shake the foundations of central banking and deliver nothing less than a democratic revolution for all who use financial services" London's status as a leading financial centre and technology hub has helped the UK to become a global leader for financial technologies. Recent research from EY shows that the UK's fintech sector generated 6.6 billion in revenue last year and attracted approximately 524m in investment. The fintech sector is also a major employer supporting 61,000 jobs more than in New York, or in Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia combined[2]. Speaking at an event during London Technology Week on the growth of the capital's fintech sector, Gordon Innes CEO of London & Partners said: "London is the global leader for fintech. With the world's leading financial services centre and Europe's fastest growing technology hub, London's fintech companies are disrupting the current financial industry and changing the way we interact with money. As a result, they are attracting record levels of investment and world class talent. From peer-to-peer lending companies, such as Funding Circle and Zopa, to remittance companies, such as WorldRemit and TransferWise, London's fintech companies are pioneering the latest disruptive fintech innovations." Also speaking at the event was Elliott Goldenberg, head of digital payments for MasterCard UK & Ireland: "We're in what we might call a perfect storm for payments right now. There is this virtuous circle of creation and adoption in fintech where tech-savvy consumers and entrepreneurs are feeding from each other. No other market combines the expertise, the captive audience and regulatory infrastructure in this way." London is widely recognised as a leading global city for the development and adoption of fintech technologies. Figures from EY's Fintech Adoption Index show that 25 per cent of digitally active Londoners identify themselves as fintech users compared with 14 per cent across the UK[2]. The rapid adoption of new payment technologies has been cited by experts as a critical factor in in the flood of investment coming into the UK's fintech industry. At Tuesday's event, MasterCard will unveil the latest intake of fintech start-ups into its global Start Path programme. The UK fintech industry is now so dominant that 25 per cent of all Start Path businesses are British. These include Everledger, a Whitechapel-based firm that uses blockchain technology to authenticate and certify diamonds and other luxury goods. Another east London business teaming up with MasterCard is Revolut, an app that allows users to seamlessly exchange, send and spend money around the world or online. Eileen Burbidge, Investor and HM Treasury Fintech Envoy said:"The UK is emerging as the fintech centre of the world and London is the jewel in the crown of the UK's fintech success story. With record levels of investment, access to talent, a growing culture of entrepreneurship and progressive policy makers and regulators, we have all of the right ingredients for success. I am confident that London leads the likes of Silicon Valley and Wall Street. Unlike the US, the growth of London and the UK's fintech sector is being boosted by collaboration between key decision makers from the financial services and technology communities, as well as the policy makers in government." Kevin Pearce, London Technology Week Event Director, UBM EMEA London added: "We are delighted to see so many fintech events at this year's London Technology Week. There is a particular trend towards blockchain this year which is great to see as it's an area that we know our attendee audience is keen to learn more about. Payment technologies and associated innovations are certainly transforming the way that we all operate and so it's only fitting that the London Technology Week programme addresses this thriving sector. The consumer research by London & Partners has been released to coincide with an event at London Technology Week, hosted by London & Partners and MasterCard. The event will convene leading figures from financial services and tech, high growth startups, investors, accelerators and other influencers to explore how fintech innovations are transforming our lives and the world economy. Notes to editors [1] London & Partners commissioned YouGov to survey 2,077 British adults. The research took place in June 2016 [2] EY UK FinTech: On the cutting edge report 2016 About London & Partners London & Partners is the official promotional company for London. We promote London and attract businesses, events, congresses, students and visitors to the capital. Our aims are to build London's international reputation and to attract investment and visitor spend, which create jobs and growth. London & Partners is a not-for-profit public private partnership, funded by the Mayor of London and our network of commercial partners. For more information visithttp://www.londonandpartners.com/ About MasterCard MasterCard(NYSE: MA),http://www.mastercard.com, is a technology company in the global payments industry.We operate the world's fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories.MasterCard products and solutions make everyday commerce activities - such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances - easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter@MasterCardUKbiz, join the discussion on the Beyond the Transaction Blogandsubscribefor the latest news on theEngagement Bureau. About London Technology Week London Technology Week is a festival of events, taking place across the city and representing the entire technology ecosystem. No other festival of live events brings together as many domestic and international tech specialists and enthusiasts to London for such a variety of networking, social, learning and business opportunities. London Technology Week is organised by UBM EMEA, in association with founding partners London & Partners, ExCeL London and Tech London Advocates, with support from strategic partners Tech City UK, UKTI and techUK. Since its launch in 2014 London Technology Week has included more than 400 eventsand has welcomed delegations from around the world. For more information about London Technology Week, visit: http://londontechnologyweek.co.uk/ About UBM EMEA UBM EMEA (http://ubmemea.com/) connects people and creates opportunities for companies across five continents to develop new business, meet customers, launch new products, promote brands and expand markets. Operating in more than 23 countries, UBM EMEA organises many of the world's largest, most important live events, awards and community sites in a wide variety of industries. Its technology events include Technology for Marketing, eCommerce Expo, Black Hat Europe and London Technology Week. BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - The Swiss stock market climbed further Tuesday, adding to the sharp gains of the previous session. The market got off to a weak start, but turned positive and extended its gains going into the close. Investors continue to monitor the most recent polls ahead of Thursday's U.K. referendum, which were more mixed then those released over the weekend. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen spoke before the Senate Banking Committee in Washington in the afternoon. Yellen said Thursday's Brexit vote could have 'significant economic repercussions' if the British decide to leave the European Union. Yellen also stated that she still expects 'gradual' rate hikes as global headwinds die down. The Swiss Market Index increased 0.45 percent Tuesday and finished at 7,935.75. The SMI hit an intraday high of 7,952 points late in the afternoon. The Swiss Leader Index climbed 0.28 percent and the Swiss Performance Index added 0.40 percent. UBS was the best performing stock of the session, with an increase of 1.4 percent. The stock was driven higher by speculation that the bank is planning to sell its American wealth management business. Julius Baer advanced 1.1 percent and Credit Suisse rose 0.4 percent. Sonova gained 1.1 percent after Morgan Stanley upgraded its rating on the stock to 'Equal weight' from 'Underweight.' Galenica was another notable gainer, with an increase of 1.1 percent. Index heavyweight Nestle also shined, rising 1.0 percent. Novartis climbed 0.5 percent, while Roche added 0.1 percent. However, fellow pharmaceutical company Actelion finished lower by 0.2 percent. The two luxury goods companies were under pressure following the release of the latest Swiss watch export data. Swatch declined 1.3 percent and Richemont fell 0.8 percent. Swiss watch exports declined significantly in May 2016, the third consecutive drop. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de DALLAS, TX -- (Marketwired) -- 06/21/16 -- T5 Data Centers (www.t5datacenters.com), innovators in providing state-of-the-art, customizable and highly reliable computing support environments, today announced plans to break ground on its new T5@Dallas-III data center this summer. The announcement was made following the acquisition of the additional 9.0 acres adjacent to its T5@Dallas data center campus in Plano to accommodate the expansion. The new building to be constructed on the T5@Dallas data center campus is going to be a 156,600-square-foot, Tier 3, concurrently maintainable facility. When added to the existing 315,000 square feet in the T5@Dallas-I facility, the T5 Dallas campus will have 472,000 square feet of wholesale data center space under roof. A further expansion of 225,000 square feet is planned on the west side of the phase I building. T5@Dallas-III will be designed to the same exacting specifications as the existing T5@Dallas data center with customizable N+1 electrical topology and 94,000 square feet of white space, 10.75 MW of power capacity, and state-of-the-art electrical and mechanical designs. It also will be built to withstand 221 mile-per-hour winds (EF-5 equivalent tornado) and take advantage of the two dedicated substations that currently serve the existing T5@Dallas data center campus. The new T5@Dallas-III facility will have the advantage of substantial service from major telecommunications carriers already servicing T5@Dallas-I with the latest fiber-optic infrastructure. "We see Dallas, and especially Plano, as a robust and growing area and a great place to do business," said Aaron Wangenheim, Chief Operating Officer for T5 Data Centers. "We continue to see increasing demand in the Dallas market for premier data center services from discerning companies with unique requirements. Extending our existing T5@Dallas operation allows us to service these companies and take advantage of the operational excellence of our existing campus to deliver superior capabilities at a reduced cost." T5 executives see Dallas as a growth market that already is the site for headquarters for a number of Fortune 500 companies, all of which is driving demand for totally customizable, state-of-the-art, wholesale data center suites. In addition to having land available for expansion, the region has reliable, affordable power, a great data infrastructure with high-speed connectivity offered by multiple service providers, as well as attractive tax incentives and a large pool of qualified technical talent. The T5@Dallas-III facility is expected to be ready for tenant occupancy in the spring of 2017. For more information about T5's data center services, visit www.t5datacenters.com. About T5 Data Centers T5 Data Centers (T5) is a leading national data center owner and operator, committed to delivering customizable, scalable data centers that provide an "always on" computing environment to power mission critical business applications. T5 Data Centers provides enterprise colocation data center services to organizations across North America using proven, best-in-class technology and techniques to design and develop facilities that deliver the lowest possible total cost of operations for its clients. T5 currently has business-critical data center facilities in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Dallas, Portland and Charlotte with new projects announced in New York, and Colorado. All of T5's data center projects are purpose-built facilities featuring robust design, redundant and reliable power and telecommunications, and have 24-hour staff to support mission-critical computing applications. For more information, visit www.t5datacenters.com. Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=3024857 Contact: Aaron Wangenheim T5 Data Centers (415) 292-7700 aaron@t5datacenters.com Regulatory News: Gecina (Paris:GFC) is announcing that it has today filed with the French financial markets authority (AMF) its offer for all the securities of Fonciere de Paris, as supplemented and described in its press release dated June 14, 2016 (the "Offer"). This Offer, approved by Gecina's Board of Directors on June 13, 2016, gives Fonciere de Paris' shareholders, in addition to the pre-existing conditions, the additional option to tender their securities for a public exchange offer based on Gecina subordinate bonds redeemable in shares "OSRA" (mandatory convertibles). The other terms and conditions of the Gecina Offer filed on May 19, 2016 are unchanged. For reference, this new OSRA component is structured based on the following terms: 23 new Gecina OSRA for 20 Fonciere de Paris shares. The Gecina OSRA will be issued at a unit price of 117.66 euros. They will be redeemed into new Gecina shares and will offer a return of 5.5% for seven years. Considering this new OSRA bond component, the Extraordinary General Meeting initially scheduled for June 29, 2016 will take place on July 27, 2016. The Offer filed on this day also includes the updated indicative offer schedule, which should open on July 22, 2016. Gecina, a leading real estate group Gecina owns, manages and develops property holdings worth 12.9 billion euros at December 31, 2015, with 90% located in the Paris Region. The Group is building its business around France's leading office portfolio and a diversification division with residential assets, student residences and healthcare facilities. Gecina has put sustainable innovation at the heart of its strategy to create value, anticipate its customers' expectations and invest while respecting the environment, thanks to the dedication and expertise of its staff. Gecina is a French real estate investment trust (SIIC) listed on Euronext Paris, and is part of the SBF 120, Euronext 100, FTSE4Good, DJSI Europe and World, Stoxx Global ESG Leaders and Vigeo indices. In line with its commitments to the community, Gecina has created a company foundation, which is focused on protecting the environment and supporting all forms of disability. www.gecina.fr Disclaimer This press release has been prepared for information purposes only. It does not constitute an offer to purchase or exchange or the solicitation of an offer to sell or exchange any securities of Fonciere de Paris, or an offer to purchase or exchange or the solicitation of an offer to sell or exchange any securities of Gecina. The release, publication or distribution of this press release in certain countries may be restricted by applicable laws and regulations in those countries and, therefore, any person in such countries who obtains this press release must enquire about applicable legal restrictions and comply with them. Pursuant to French laws and regulations, the public tender offer and the draft offer document of Gecina, which sets out the terms and conditions of the public tender offer, remain subject to review by the Autorite des Marches Financiers. Investors and shareholders in France are strongly advised to read the draft offer document referenced in this press release and any amendments and supplements to such document as it contains important information regarding the contemplated transaction and related matters. The draft offer document is available on the websites of Gecina (www.gecina.fr) and the Autorite des Marches Financiers (www.amf-france.org) and a copy can be obtained free of charge from Gecina (14-16, rue des Capucines 75002 Paris) and Goldman Sachs (5, avenue Kleber 75116 Paris). Neither Gecina, its shareholders or their respective advisers or representatives accept any liability for the use of this press release by any person or its content, or more generally in relation to this press release. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160621006340/en/ Contacts: GECINA CONTACTS Financial communications Samuel Henry-Diesbach, +33 (0)1 40 40 52 22 samuelhenry-diesbach@gecina.fr or Virginie Sterling, +33 (0)1 40 40 62 48 virginiesterling@gecina.fr or Press relations Brigitte Cachon, +33 (0)1 40 40 62 45 brigittecachon@gecina.fr or Armelle Miclo, +33 (0)1 40 40 51 98 armellemiclo@gecina.fr RESTON, VA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/21/16 -- ScienceLogic, the leader in hybrid IT monitoring software, today announced that the company's CEO, Dave Link, received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2016 Mid-Atlantic Award in the Technology company category. According to Ernst & Young LLP, the award recognizes outstanding entrepreneurs who demonstrate excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. "We're happy to be recognized with this prestigious award," said Dave Link, CEO of ScienceLogic. "We've created software that is helping companies around the world easily manage and monitor their IT infrastructures across public and private clouds. Our amazing team continues to innovate and our customers continue to be an enormous source of support." Past award winners have included Howard Schultz of Starbucks Coffee Company, Arthur M. Blank of AMB Group, LLC (Home Depot, Atlanta Falcons), Pierre Omidyar of eBay, Inc., Ruth Fertel of Ruth's Chris Steak House, Inc., Maxine Clark of Build-a-Bear Workshop, Tom Adams of Rosetta Stone Inc., Matt Szulik of Red Hat, Inc., and last year's national winner, Howard Lutnick, Chairman and CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald and BGC Capital Partners, Inc. As the Mid-Atlantic award winner, Dave Link is now eligible for consideration for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2016 National Award. Award winners in several national categories, as well as the overall Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year National Award winner, will be announced at the annual awards gala in Palm Springs, California, on November 19, 2016. About ScienceLogic ScienceLogic is the global leader in hybrid IT monitoring for the network of everything. Over 25,000 global service providers, enterprises, and government organizations rely on ScienceLogic to significantly enhance IT efficiency, optimize operations, and ensure business continuity. ScienceLogic is the first monitoring solution to provide a comprehensive view of all IT components through a single pane of glass, whether they reside in a public cloud environment or on premises. With over 1,500 dynamic management apps and custom dashboarding capabilities, we deliver the scale, resiliency, and automation needed to simplify the constantly evolving task of managing IT resources, services, and applications. Tony Keller Walker Group tkeller@walkerlimited.com ATLANTA, GA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/21/16 -- GeoVax Labs, Inc. (OTCQB: GOVX), a biotechnology company specializing in the development of human vaccines, announced today that its Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Harriet Robinson, gave an oral presentation at the American Society for Virology's 35th Annual Meeting, held at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia on June 18-22, 2016. Dr. Robinson's presentation, entitled "Development of a Zika Vaccine", was delivered today during the late-breaking Zika workshop at the conference, and is summarized below. To rapidly develop a Zika vaccine, GeoVax is leveraging its Modified Vaccinia Virus Ankara (MVA) Virus-Like Particle (VLP) technology for the construction of a Zika vaccine. GeoVax MVA-VLP vaccines express viral antigens that assemble into VLPs within the vaccinated person using the highly potent, yet safe (replication deficient for mammalian cells) MVA vector. The MVA-VLP vaccines elicit both antibodies and T cells and hold promise as both single dose, and as prime-boost vaccines. Zika is a member of the flavivirus family that also includes yellow fever virus, dengue virus, Japanese encephalitis virus, West Nile virus, and others. As many consider MVA to be a vector that is primarily valuable for boosting vaccine responses, Dr. Robinson introduced her talk with a brief update on the ability of an MVA-VLP vaccine to elicit protective immunity after a single inoculation. These data featured the GeoVax MVA-VLP Ebola vaccine which has recently shown complete protection against Ebola virus after single as well as two dose vaccinations in rhesus macaques. Dr. Robinson then went on to report that GeoVax is developing two MVA-VLP vaccine candidates for Zika virus using sequences from the Asian strain that recently spread to the Americas. This strain is associated with microcephaly in newborns and Guillian-Barre syndrome in adults. The Company's first vaccine is designed to express Zika pre-Membrane and Envelope (prME) proteins to produce Zika VLPs intended to elicit neutralizing antibodies that can block the Zika virus at its entry point into the host. In natural infections, flaviviruses produce non-infectious prME VLPs as well as infectious virus. The second vaccine expresses Zika VLPs plus an additional Zika non-structural protein that is shown with other flaviviruses to induce protective antibodies as well as cellular responses against flavivirus infections in humans. Zika virus forms by budding inside cells through the membranes of the endoplasmic reticulum and is then secreted from cells. Dr. Robinson showed the prME constructs expressing intracellular VLPs in multi-lamellar structures as well as provided evidence that VLPs were not only present in the cells in which they were formed, but also were secreted into the cell culture supernatant. Dr. Robinson ended the presentation with plans for animal testing and acknowledgement of the important role of collaborators at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the University of Georgia, and Emory University in the GeoVax vaccine development program. "We are very pleased with the rapid progress of our Zika vaccine effort," said Dr. Robert McNally, GeoVax's President and CEO. "Our outside collaborators have provided valuable scientific insight and have helped speed us toward the testing of our vaccine for immunogenicity and efficacy in multiple animal models." About GeoVax GeoVax Labs, Inc., is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing human vaccines against infectious diseases using its MVA-VLP vaccine platform. The Company's development programs are focused on vaccines against Zika Virus, HIV, and hemorrhagic fever viruses (Ebola, Sudan, Marburg, Lassa). GeoVax also recently began programs to evaluate the use of its MVA-VLP platform in cancer immunotherapy and for therapeutic use in chronic Hepatitis B infections. GeoVax's vaccine platform supports in vivo production of non-infectious VLPs from the cells of the very person receiving the vaccine. The production of VLPs in the person being vaccinated mimics a natural infection. This stimulates the humoral and cellular arms of the immune system to recognize, prevent, and control the target infection. For more information, visit www.geovax.com. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this document are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. These statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Actual results may differ materially from those included in these statements due to a variety of factors, including whether: GeoVax can develop and manufacture its vaccines with the desired characteristics in a timely manner, GeoVax's vaccines will be safe for human use, GeoVax's vaccines will effectively prevent targeted infections in humans, GeoVax's vaccines will receive regulatory approvals necessary to be licensed and marketed, GeoVax raises required capital to complete vaccine development, there is development of competitive products that may be more effective or easier to use than GeoVax's products, GeoVax will be able to enter into favorable manufacturing and distribution agreements, and other factors, over which GeoVax has no control. GeoVax assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, and does not intend to do so. More information about these factors is contained in GeoVax's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including those set forth at "Risk Factors" in GeoVax's Form 10-K. Contact: Robert T. McNally, Ph.D. 678-384-7220 investor@geovax.com MONTREAL, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Visible Gold in Grab Samples Further Increases Expectations for Property's Potential ALGOLD RESOURCES LTD. (ALG: TSX-V - the "Corporation") is pleased to announce the first mineral resource estimate in accordance with the Canadian Securities Administrators' National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") for its recently acquired Tijirit Property ("Tijirit" or "the Property") in Mauritania. The 100%-owned Tijirit project, which encompasses an area of more than 1,000 km2, is situated approximately 25 kilometers southeast of Kinross' Tasiast gold mine. The resource estimation was prepared by SGS Canada Inc. - geological group Geostat ("SGS Geostat") with an effective date of June 15, 2016, using results from 294 reverse circulation holes ("RC") totalling 37,533 meters, 23 diamond drill holes ("DDH") totalling 3,813.08 meters and 16,239 meters of trenching carried out on the Property by past operators Shield Mining and Gryphon Minerals from 2009 to 2012. The supporting NI 43-101 Technical Report will be posted on SEDAR at http://www.sedar.com no later than 45 days after the date of this release. None of Algold's recent exploration work, the 10,000-meter RC program included, has been taken into account in the technical report. Algold expects to publish an updated NI 43-101 resource estimate in the latter part of 2016 that will include results from the current program. Highlights This report summarizes results obtained by previous operators and present the current mineral resources. M easured and i ndicated r esources of 28 , 9 30 ounces at a grade of 1.75 g/t Au and i nferred resources of 241 , 5 60 ounces at a grade of 1 . 71 g/t Au at a cut-off grade of 1.0 g/t Au M easured and i ndicated r esources of 27 , 63 0 ounces at a grade of 1 . 82 g/t Au and i nferred r esources of 226 , 650 ounces at a grade of 1 . 79 g/t Au at a cut-off grade of 1 . 05 g/t Au Resources by zone are shown in the following tables, at cut-off grades of 1.00 g/t Au and 1.05 g/t Au. Figure 1 show the Wire Frame over the mineralised zones on a Landsat Imagery of Tijirit. Note: Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. This disclosure does not include economic analysis of the mineral resources. Table 1: Tijirit maiden resources, 1.0 g/t Au cut-off Au Gold Zone Category (g/t) Tonnage Ounces Eleonore Indicated 3.62 51,000 5,980 Sophie I - II Measured 1.79 28,000 1,600 Sophie I - II Indicated 1.57 216,000 10,900 Sophie III Indicated 1.13 29,000 1,040 Lily Indicated 1.54 189,000 9,410 Total Measured & Indicated* 1.75 513,000 28,930 Eleonore Inferred 3.26 188,000 19,650 Sophie I - II Inferred 1.96 1,635,000 103,180 Sophie III Inferred 1.10 320,000 11,270 Lily Inferred 1.48 2,258,000 107,470 Total Inferred* 1.71 4,401,000 241,560 * Totals may not add up due to rounding. Table 2: Tijirit maiden resources, 1.05 g/t Au cut-off Au Tonnage Au Zone Category (g/t) (t) Ounces Eleonore Indicated 3.67 51,000 5,960 Sophie I - II Measured 1.86 26,000 1,530 Sophie I - II Indicated 1.61 200,000 10,380 Sophie III Indicated 1.16 23,000 870 Lily Indicated 1.59 174,000 8,900 Total Measured & Indicated* 1.82 474,000 27,630 Eleonore Inferred 3.28 186,000 19,590 Sophie I - II Inferred 2.03 1,522,000 99,460 Sophie III Inferred 1.14 192,000 7,020 Lily Inferred 1.53 2,050,000 100,580 Total Inferred* 1.79 3,949,000 226,650 * Totals may not add up due to rounding. The actual resources model does not capture the high-grade potential of the Eleonore zone, but rather illustrates, at this point in time, the considerable tonnage and relatively low-grade Lily zone. The high-grade nature of the gold bearing quartz vein of the Eleonore zone is expected to significantly increase the overall grade of the deposit by adding quality ounces. Increasing Potential of the Tijirit Project "For quite some time Algold has believed in Tijirit's potential, and we are pleased to report that recent geological work has significantly enhanced our comprehension of its gold mineralisation and further increased our confidence that a significant gold deposit may be uncovered on the property," stated Francois Auclair, Algold's President and Chief Executive Officer. Historical drilling over the Eleonore zone resulted in a number of high-grade intersections, including 6m @ 17.63 g/t Au (ERC4) and 4 m @ 4.22 g/t Au (12TRC138). These historical results have been heightened by a rock chip sampling program over a large area, following recent work done by Algold geologists and field workers who discovered the presence of very high grade gold quartz veining over a strike length of more than three kilometers (reference Algold's press release dated May 19, 2016). (Figure 2) Rock Chip Sampling Sixty-eight (68) rock chip samples from the Tijirit property, including 33 from Eleonore, 11 from Sophie I and II and 24 from other potential targets have been sent for analysis. Assays are currently pending and expected shortly. The visible gold quartz vein samples shown previously (Algold's press release dated May 19, 2016) have not been included in this batch of samples. Resources Modeling and Estimation The database contains 317 drillholes and 197 trenches with 43,615 assay results. (Details are provided in the table below.) Hole Types Number of Sum of Number of Sum of Assayed Drillholes Length (m) Assays Length (m) DDH 23 3,813.08 3,764 3,763.93 RC 294 37,533.00 33,145 37,514.00 Trenches 197 16,239.00 6,706 10,656.00 Total 514 57,585.08 43,615 51,933.93 A modeling cut-off grade of 0.3 g/t Au and minimum thickness of two meters were used to delineate mineralised volumes. The 1,144 two-meter composites were capped at grades varying between 2.5 g/t Au and 16 g/t Au based on local extreme grades. Only nine composites were capped. The gold loss is approximately 15% for the 1 g/t Au cut-off resource. Densities are based on 413 readings from DDH holes. A density of 2.00 t/m3 was used for saprolite, 2.7 t/m3 was used for fresh rock in the Lily zone and 2.8 t/m3 was used for fresh rock in the other zones. The block model has a block size of 2 x 2 x 2 meters. Estimation was done by inverse distance squared with ellipsoid influenced distances. A total of 40 separate volumes were estimated with 40 composite sets. Two estimation passes were used with ellipsoids of 75 x 75 x 25 meters and 150 x 150 x 50 meters. The first pass uses a minimum of four and a maximum of seven composites, with a limit of two per drillhole. The second pass uses a minimum two and a maximum of seven composites, with a limit of two per drillhole except for Eleonore (E) and Sophie III (C) with a minimum of one. The smoothing of the estimation is adequate. The measured and indicated categories have been outlined by hand on longitudinals based on drilling density. Drilling every 40 meters was classified as indicated and drilling every 30 meters was classified as measured. The remainder is inferred with interpolation up to 200 meters and limited extrapolation. The SGS Genesis software was used for the modeling and estimation. Table 1 shows the base case resource with a cut-off grade of 1.00 g/t Au. Table 2 shows the effect of raising the cut-off grade to 1.05 g/t Au. Some whittle optimized open pits have been prepared, but are not considered for this maiden resource estimate. The base case resource extends from surface to a depth of 320 meters with 90% of it extending from surface to a depth of 210 meters. Acquisition of Properties from Gryphon In connection with the Corporation's exercise of its option on the Tijirit and Akjout properties granted by Gryphon Minerals Limited, announced on March 11, 2016, Algold incurred advisory fees of C$250,000. As announced on May 31, 2016, 1,250,000 common shares of the Corporation were issued in lieu of said advisory fee. Algold Retains the Services of Renmark Financial Communications Inc. Algold has retained the services of Renmark Financial Communications Inc. ("Renmark") to support its investor relations activities for an initial term of three months commencing June 1, 2016 subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. The initial term may be extended by mutual consent and the Corporation has agreed to pay C$5,000 per month in consideration for their services. Renmark Financial Communications Inc. does not have any interest, directly or indirectly, in Algold Resources Inc. or its securities, or any right or intent to acquire such an interest. About Algold Algold Resources Ltd. is focused on the exploration and development of gold deposits in West Africa. The board of directors and management team are seasoned industry professionals with extensive experience in the exploration and development of world-class gold projects in Africa. Algold is the operator of all of its exploration licenses in Mauritania. Algold owns 100% of the Tijirit and Akjout properties, which were acquired from Gryphon Minerals (Australia) through a transaction completed earlier in 2016. Algold owns 90% of the Kneivissat property, while the Legouessi property is being managed through a 51% earn-in interest agreement with Caracal (Electrum Group Companies). Algold can earn up to a 90% interest in the Legouessi exploration permit (reference Algold's press release dated October 10, 2013 for more details), however, Caracal has the right to participate in the joint venture at either 51% or 75%, by funding its share of expenditures. Quality Assurance / Quality Control (QA/QC) Analytical work for soil geochemical samples and rock chips samples is being carried out at the independent ALS Laboratories Ltd. in Loughrea, Co. Galway, Ireland, an ISO 17025 (2005) certified laboratory. Samples are stored at Algold's field camps and put into sealed bags until delivered by a geologist to the ALS preparation laboratory in Nouakchott, Mauritania, where samples are sieved and prepared for shipping. Until the end of 2015, samples were analysed at the ALS facility in Bamako, Mali. Since early 2016, samples have been analysed at ALS in Ireland. Samples are logged in the tracking system, weighed, dried and finely crushed to better than 70% passing a 2 mm (Tyler 9 mesh, US Std. No.10) screen. A split of up to 1,000 g is taken and pulverized to better than 85% passing a 75 micron (Tyler 200 mesh) screen, and a 50-gram split is analysed by fire assay with an AA finish. Blanks, duplicate and certified reference material (standards)are being used to monitor laboratory performance during the analysis. All of the results and press releases related thereto have been reviewed for accuracy and to ensure that they are in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 by Andre Ciesielski, DSc. PGeo, Lead Consulting Geologist and Qualified Person, Algold Resources Ltd. Yann Camus, P.Eng., of the independent firm SGS Canada Inc. - geological group Geostat is the qualified person under NI 43-101 standards who supervised the preparation of the resource estimate and approved all resource-related material in this press release. Yann Camus has visited the property from April 16 to 20, 2016, for current personal inspection requirements. All information supporting the resource estimation was verified for any inconsistencies. There was no limitation on the verification process. CAUTIONARY LANGUAGE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This news release contains and refers to forward-looking information based on current expectations. All other statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release are forward looking statements (or forward-looking information). The Corporation's plans involve various estimates and assumptions and its business is subject to various risks and uncertainties. For more details on these estimates, assumptions, risks and uncertainties, see the Corporation's most recent Annual Information Form and most recent Management Discussion and Analysis on file with the Canadian provincial securities regulatory authorities on SEDAR at http://www.sedar.com . These forward looking statements are made as of the date hereof and there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, such statements are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements that are included herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. For further information, please contact: Algold Resources Ltd. 1320, boul. Graham, bureau 132, Mont-Royal, Quebec, H3P 3C8, http://www.algold.com Francois Auclair M.Sc., PGeo President & CEO f.auclair@algold.com +1-(514)-889-5089 Yves Grou, CPA CA Executive Vice Chairman y.grou@algold.com +1-(514)-237-7757 WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Longtime Democratic Congressman Chaka Fattah, D-Penn., was found guilty of numerous federal corruption charges on Tuesday. Fattah was convicted of all of the counts against him, including charges of bribery, money laundering, fraud and racketeering. With the conviction, Fattah could be facing a long time in prison when he is sentenced at a hearing scheduled for October 4th. The Pennsylvania Congressman and four associates faced twenty-nine counts in connection with a scheme to repay an illegal $1 million loan to Fattah's failed campaign for Mayor of Philadelphia in 2007. U.S. Attorney Zane David Memeger, whose office prosecuted the case, said Fattah and his co-defendants betrayed the public trust and undermined faith in government. 'Today's verdict makes clear that the citizens of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania expect their public officials to act with honesty and integrity, and to not sell their office for personal gain,' Memeger said. He added, 'Hopefully, our elected officials in Philadelphia and elsewhere hear today's message loud and clear.' Fattah, who has served in Congress for over twenty years, lost the Democratic primary to state Representative Dwight Evans in late April. White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest argued that Fattah's conviction is evidence that the Justice Department can carry out unbiased investigations irrespective of political affiliations. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Montreal, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - June 21, 2016) - Aurvista Gold Corporation (TSXV: AVA) (OTC: ARVSF) (FSE: AV2) ("Aurvista" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the start of the Summer 2016 exploration program at the Company's wholly-owned Douay Gold Project following the closing of the C$1.1 million financing. The Company plans a two-staged exploration campaign on the Project for the period June to September 2016 (refer to the Company news release dated June 14, 2016) with the prime objective of determining the best of the 25 defined targets with a view of significantly increasing the current Mineral Resource estimates*. The First Stage campaign will complete the Priority Targeting Program (the "Program") in two areas where management is confident additional gold mineralization will be uncovered, the first being in the 10 km by 3 km wide (at its longest and widest points) SE-tilted parallelogram-shaped polygon enclosing the Douay-Style Mineralization ("DSM") containing all the known gold zones ("Douay West", "10", "20", "531", "Central", "Main", "NW", "Porphyry" and the "South Porphyry") and current Mineral Resource estimates*; and second, the 6 km by 1 km wide cluster of EM INPUTTM anomalies conductors running along the southwest boundary of the DSM that have affinities to Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide or VMS mineralization associated with gold. The Second Stage campaign will consist of a 4,000 meters of drilling to delineate additional gold and/or copper-gold mineralization on the best targets. The Summer Program will include completing an airborne geophysical Magnetic, Electromagnetic and Radiometric survey of the central portion of the Douay Project to define key contacts, faults and porphyry linked to gold and any potential base metal bearing massive sulphide lenses within the 6 km by 1 km Copper-Gold corridor to a depth of -150 metres; re-logging selective previous and historical drill core for litho-geochemical and thin section work along key gold mineralized and non-mineralized sections across the Douay Project, all to define the chemical signatures and alteration mineralogy of the known gold and/or base metal mineralization, helping with the airborne geophysical survey in the vectoring towards additional mineralization; and the drilling of the best priority targets that could potentially lead to the expansion of, and better quality, mineral resources. The main gold target at this time is the Porphyry Target that extends some 8 km in length, of which 3 km to the NW of the Adam Porphyry Zone, bordered by the Douay West Zone and the NW Zone, is largely untested. The Porphyry Target, encompassing the Adams Porphyry - at a 3 g/t gold cut-off, the Adams Porphyry contains 383,000 tonnes grading 22.29 g/t gold in the Inferred category within lower grade Mineral Resources estimates* of 55.1 million tonnes at 1 g/t (at a 0.5 g/t cut-off) also in the Inferred category. The NW Zone contains 1 million tonnes grading 2.71 g/t (at a 0.5 g/t cut-off) in the Inferred category. The overall gold potential of the Porphyry Target is significant and Aurvista is committed to drilling this sector potentially adding to the current Mineral Resource estimates*. Drilling success could potentially increase the size and quality of the Mineral Resources. The technical contents in this news release have approved by Mr. Jean Lafleur, M. Sc., P. Geo., President and CEO for Aurvista Gold Corporation, a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101. * Mineral Resource estimates reported in this news release were previously estimated in accordance with the definitions contained in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves Definitions and Guidelines that were prepared by the CIM Standing Committee on Reserve Definitions and adopted by the CIM Council on November 27, 2010. Of note, tonnes and ounces have been rounded as per NI 43-101 standards. About Aurvista Gold Corp. Aurvista Gold Corporation is a junior gold exploration and development Company with 85,689,121 shares outstanding trading on the TSX Venture Exchange in Canada, the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and OTC Pink Sheets in the U.S. Aurvista's only asset is the Douay Gold Project totaling 287 claims for 145.3 km2. The project is located along the gold-bearing Casa Berardi Deformation Zone in northern Quebec. Details can be viewed on the Company's website at www.aurvistagold.com. For further information please contact: Mr. Jean Lafleur, P. Geo. President and CEO, Director Cell +1 514 927 3633 Mr. Bryan Keeler Chief Financial Officer +1 416 504 4126 NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS PRESS RELEASE. Forward-Looking Statements This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on assumptions, uncertainties and management's best estimate of future events. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations and projections. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. When used herein, words such as "anticipate", "will", "intend" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. For a more detailed discussion of such risks and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, refer to Aurvista Gold Corporation's filings with Canadian securities regulators available on www.sedar.com or the Company's website at www.aurvistagold.com. CHICAGO, IL -- (Marketwired) -- 06/21/16 -- The 433+ million members of LinkedIn have voted with their actions and selected JLL (NYSE: JLL) as one of the top companies in the world at attracting and keeping top talent. The Top Attractors list is the first ranking of its kind based entirely on user activity such as job applications, career website engagement and employee retention. JLL is the only real estate company on the list. "We are committed to a culture of excellence, ethics and teamwork where our employees can thrive and contribute to their clients' success," said Trish Maxson, Chief Human Resources Officer, JLL. "Recognition by LinkedIn's members as one of the top companies in the world where people want to work and grow their careers validates our belief that JLL is a great place to work." Clients and third-party organizations continue to recognize JLL for its ethics, corporate citizenship and commitment to being an employer of choice across the world. Some of the recent awards JLL has received include: A "World's Most Ethical Company" by Ethisphere (ninth consecutive year) Forbes - America's Best Employers list CR Magazine - 100 Best Corporate Citizens Maxson continued: "This recognition serves as another milestone marking JLL's continued progress toward making our company a more diverse and inclusive employer of choice." About JLL JLL (NYSE: JLL) is a professional services and investment management firm offering specialized real estate services to clients seeking increased value by owning, occupying and investing in real estate. A Fortune 500 company with annual fee revenue of $5.2 billion and gross revenue of $6.0 billion, JLL has more than 280 corporate offices, operates in more than 80 countries and has a global workforce of more than 60,000. On behalf of its clients, the firm provides management and real estate outsourcing services for a property portfolio of 4.0 billion square feet, or 372 million square meters, and completed $138 billion in sales, acquisitions and finance transactions in 2015. Its investment management business, LaSalle Investment Management, has $58.3 billion of real estate assets under management. JLL is the brand name, and a registered trademark, of Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated. For further information, visit www.jll.com. Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=3024941 Contact: Gayle Kantro Phone: +1 312 228 2795 Email: Gayle.Kantro@am.jll.com Myanmar's tryst with democracy and inclusive development at the turn of 2015 has created all round enthusiasm and expectations run high vis-a-vis the anchorage or the trajectory of development policy. Would it be a decisive departure towards a welfare and people-centric development policy or would it be continuity with an enhanced democratic quotient? This question bothered not only the international development community but also academia and intellectuals within the country. Which way to go? Would it be the South Korea model of developmental State or neo-liberal, market, and export-led development? Would it be a model of Singapore, a very directive policy thrust? Are there too many questions to answer? A beginning has been made to address some of these. Espousing all round development of Myanmar society, chief Patron of NLD U Tin Oo appealed to all stakeholders to deliberate and hold a dialogue for strengthening the democratic process. This policy dialogue provided a platform for scholars, academia, civil society, political leaders and development practitioners to discuss, and interact on issues of socio-economic challenges in Myanmar. U Tin Oo highlighted critical sectors that form the priority of the government including poverty alleviation and rural development, infrastructural development, decentralization, and youth and womens development. Expressing a sense of optimism and solidarity, sitting Member of Parliament Daw Shwe Shwe Sein Lett highlighted the importance of civil society organisations in supporting the government initiatives. The policy dialogue discussed three critical areas for socio-economic development, viz., Macroeconomic framework, Poverty reduction and Rural Development and Decentralisation. Key speakers and discussants brought out the need for a comprehensive policy framework that works over long and medium terms in Myanmars path to development and stability. A comprehensive policy framework on the devolution of powers to local government structures (below the union level) and reforms in administrative apparatus were also identified as key to reaching out to people and establishing the rule of law and accountable governance. Noted economist and development planner, U ZawPe Win opened the discussion on a Macroeconomic framework and stressed the need for a self-reliant economic growth path and development that strengthens the domestic sectors (agriculture and manufacturing) and do not rely solely on export-oriented sectors. Stressing the need for caring for the environment he called for a comprehensive economic and development policy framework which articulates priorities that line ministries can follow. Currently, that is absent which has created an impression that it is business as usual. He pointed out infrastructure development and rural development as key drivers for growth and development. Similarly, the need for an increase in productivity, skill development (and harnessing the benefit of high literacy and youth population) are critical for meeting the challenges that emanate from the process of regional integration (AEC), which is going to be a reality in the coming years. Panellists pointed out the need for pro-active intervention to promote small and medium enterprises that generate large employment and enhance local demand. Identifying the need for facilitation of credit, skills, technology and markets, it was pointed out that Myanmars strength in agro-based and rural oriented production should be given thrust in order to address employment challenges. Protecting employment and enhancing the productivity of workers was also emphasised. A balance between market-oriented economic policy and welfare and poverty-focused measures is another point stressed by the speakers. For the private sector, peace, stability, and security are critical and a level playing field is needed in order to ensure private capital (domestic and foreign) to feel secure and expand its investments. The emphasis from the private sector has been to create investor confidence through policy measures that are clear, simple and easily implementable. Given the diverse resource base across states/regions, an approach towards an inclusive and equitable growth model is necessary for Myanmar in order to ensure all regions benefit from development interventions. Sharing of resources equitably and rational allocation of revenues across different states/regions for development have to be seen from the perspective of inclusive and equitable development. Some of the resource-rich regions/states have a high incidence of poverty which need to be addressed. This would require a perspective on federalism and decentralisation which was also discussed at the Policy dialogue. Pointing out the trade-off between environment and development, an appeal was made to protect the fragile eco system of coastal regions which are subjected to unregulated fishing and marine activities as well as depletion of mangroves and other natural resources. While identifying public sector reform as a priority, the role of the government as regulator of economic activities has also been reiterated by some speakers. Daw Khin Ma MaMyo pointed out the urgent need for prioritizing poverty alleviation and giving it the same level of importance as that given to national security or national defence. She argued that currently Myanmar continued to use external poverty lines as it didnt have its own and encouraged progress in that direction. Growing inequality and urban-rural disparity is also of growing concern according to her. Discussants argued that while poverty was a plague on society, it too had an unequal impact on communities including people with disabilities. The panel came to the conclusion that a national vision for poverty reduction is the need of the hour. Discussing the issues of decentralisation and promotion of local governance, scholars pointed out the need for a comprehensive policy, a national vision and political consensus as it is closely linked to inclusive, accountable and equitable governance. Identifying present constitutional provisions as one of the limiting factors, U Aung Thu Nyein, a noted scholar on decentralisation pointed out that peoples expectations are to have a government which is closer to them and meet their aspirations. Given the NLDs priority of federalism and accountability, several steps can be taken within the current system through presidential decrees or through executive orders. Strengthening peoples participation at village tract and township levels can be undertaken through reforming the current arrangements. Acknowledging political devolution to the state/regions in terms of creation of local parliaments and government system a lot more is expected in the form of devolution of funds and building capacities for undertaking development work by state/regional governments. It was identified that the monitoring of development projects at the local level is very weak as there are no mechanisms of accountability. Greater devolution of funds to state/regional governments would be one step in this direction. At present 24 departments are being transferred to state/regional governments (and below), however, several modalities need to be addressed in order to ensure their effective functioning. Identifying that decentralisation is a political decision, discussants of the panel pointed out that decentralisation requires political consensus. Hence, decision making by the local peoples representatives is far more important than merely transferring administrative arrangements. CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/21/16 -- Veresen Inc. ("Veresen") (TSX: VSN) announces that its Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend for June 2016 of $0.0833 per common share. The dividend will be paid on July 22, 2016 to shareholders of record at the close of business on June 30, 2016. This dividend is designated an "eligible dividend" for Canadian income tax purposes. The dividend is eligible to be reinvested by shareholders, at a 5% discount, in common shares of Veresen ("Common Shares") under the dividend reinvestment component of the Premium Dividend and Dividend Reinvestment Plan of Veresen ("Plan") to be held for their account under the Plan. Shareholders may have these additional Common Shares delivered to a designated plan broker in exchange for a premium cash payment equal to 102% of the reinvested amount under the Premium Dividend component of the Plan. Registered shareholders of Veresen who have not previously enrolled in the Plan and wish to enroll in the Plan with respect to the June 2016 cash dividend and future cash dividends declared by Veresen, must deliver to Computershare Trust Company of Canada, as Plan Agent, a completed enrollment form which is available at www.computershare.com/investorcentrecanada, at or before 5:00 pm (ET) on June 23, 2016. A copy of the enrollment form may also be obtained by calling Computershare Trust Company of Canada at 1-800-564-6253, or from Veresen's website at www.vereseninc.com. Beneficial shareholders of Veresen who have not previously enrolled in the Plan and wish to participate in the Plan with respect to the June 2016 cash dividend and future cash dividends declared by Veresen, should contact their broker, investment dealer, financial institution or other nominee to provide appropriate enrollment instructions and to ensure any deadlines or other requirements that such nominee may impose or be subject to are met. About Veresen Inc. Veresen is a publicly-traded dividend paying corporation based in Calgary, Alberta that owns and operates energy infrastructure assets across North America. Veresen is engaged in three principal businesses: a pipeline transportation business comprised of interests in the Alliance Pipeline, the Ruby Pipeline and the Alberta Ethane Gathering System; a midstream business which includes a partnership interest in Veresen Midstream Limited Partnership which owns assets in western Canada, and an ownership interest in Aux Sable which owns a world-class natural gas liquids (NGL) extraction facility near Chicago and other natural gas and NGL processing infrastructure; and a power business comprised of a portfolio of assets in Canada. Veresen is also working to advance Jordan Cove LNG, a six million tonne per annum natural gas liquefaction facility proposed to be constructed in Coos Bay, Oregon, and the associated Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline. In the normal course of business, Veresen regularly evaluates and pursues acquisition and development opportunities. Veresen's Common Shares, Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares, Series A, Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares, Series C, and Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares, Series E trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols "VSN", "VSN.PR.A", "VSN.PR.C" and "VSN.PR.E", respectively. For further information, please visit www.vereseninc.com. denotes trademark of Canaccord Genuity Corp. Contacts: Mark Chyc-Cies Investor Relations Director (403) 213-3633 investor-relations@vereseninc.com VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/21/16 -- Lara Exploration Ltd., ("Lara" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: LRA) is pleased to report that it has extended to December 2017 the existing option agreement for the sale of the Company's Grace Gold Project in southern Peru to Minera Apumayo S.A.C. ("Apumayo"). The Grace Project covers Tertiary-age volcanics, cut by brecciated silica bodies and veins with wide quartz-alunite and granular silica halos, indicative of a well-preserved high-sulphidation epithermal system. Surface work has outlined a hydrothermal alteration zone extending over an area approximately 6 kilometres in length by 1 to 1.5 kilometres in width, with two priority target areas denominated Fox and Gran Leon, where rock chip samples have returned anomalous gold values. Apumayo has developed and mined two similar deposits on the properties immediately to the south of the Grace, reportedly producing in excess of 150,000 troy ounces ("oz") of gold. The mill is currently sitting idle and Apumayo is highly motivated to advance work on the targets within the Grace properties in order to restart production. Apumayo has agreements with the local community that have allowed the completion of additional surface work and expects to secure drill permits by year-end. Grace Option Under the terms of the option agreement, Apumayo can acquire 100% of the Grace properties from Lara by making payments totalling US$2 million (of which US$75,000 has already been paid), staged over 36 months from the date of securing approvals from the Direccion General de Mineria to start work (see Company news release of November 6, 2013 for details). Lara will also be entitled to 0.75% Net Smelter Return ("NSR") royalty payments on gold and gold equivalent production of between 200,000oz and 500,000oz, and then 1% from any production in excess of 500,000 oz. Apumayo is further committed under the option agreement to minimum exploration expenditures on the property of US$500,000 and the completion of a minimum of 3,000 metres of drilling. Quality Control and Qualified Person Michael Bennell, Lara's Vice President Exploration and a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM), is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and has approved the technical disclosure and verified the technical information in this news release. About Lara Lara is an exploration company following the Prospect Generator business model, which aims to minimize shareholder dilution and financial risk by generating prospects and then exploring them in joint ventures funded by partners. The Company currently holds a diverse portfolio of prospects and deposits in Brazil, Peru, Colombia and Chile. Lara's common shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "LRA". Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Contacts: Lara Exploration Ltd. Chris MacIntyre VP Corporate Development +1 416 703 0010 www.laraexploration.com CALGARY, AB--(Marketwired - June 21, 2016) - (TSX: ECA)(NYSE: ECA) Encana Corporation announced today that it has reached an agreement to sell its Gordondale assets in northwestern Alberta to Birchcliff Energy Ltd. (TSX: BIR) for a total cash consideration of C$625 million. The sale includes approximately 54,200 net acres of land and associated infrastructure. In addition, through the transfer of current and future obligations, Encana is reducing midstream and downstream commitments by more than C$100 million on an undiscounted basis. No drilling or completions capital has been spent or was planned for the area in 2016. As highlighted at Encana's recent Montney Investor Day in May 2016, the company has a large inventory of high-quality potential drilling locations in the play. Following this sale, Encana's Montney play will comprise of over 9,000 potential drilling locations with two-thirds of those wells located in the condensate-rich part of the play. "We are tightening our portfolio and sharpening our focus in the Montney where we expect to grow liquids production to 50,000 barrels per day by the end of 2018," said Doug Suttles, Encana President & CEO. "This transaction further strengthens our balance sheet and gives us greater financial flexibility as we look to the future." Encana's Gordondale assets produced an average of 25,200 barrels of oil equivalent (BOE) per day on a net after-royalty basis during the first quarter of 2016, comprising 65 percent natural gas and 35 percent liquids. Based on Encana's development plan at year-end 2015, estimated proved reserves were approximately 50 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMBOE) on a net after-royalty basis. The sale of Encana's Gordondale assets is subject to the satisfaction of normal closing conditions, as well as regulatory approvals and post-closing adjustments. The transaction is expected to close in the summer of 2016 with an effective date of January 1, 2016. RBC Capital Markets advised Encana on the transaction. Encana Corporation Encana is a leading North American energy producer that is focused on developing its strong portfolio of resource plays, held directly and indirectly through its subsidiaries, producing natural gas, oil and natural gas liquids (NGLs). By partnering with employees, community organizations and other businesses, Encana contributes to the strength and sustainability of the communities where it operates. Encana common shares trade on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges under the symbol ECA. ADVISORY REGARDING OIL AND GAS INFORMATION - Reserves are the estimated remaining quantities of oil and natural gas and related substances anticipated to be recoverable from known accumulations, from a given date forward, based on: analysis of drilling, geological, geophysical and engineering data, the use of established technology, and specified economic conditions, which are generally accepted as being reasonable. Proved reserves are those reserves which can be estimated with a high degree of certainty to be recoverable. It is likely that the actual remaining quantities recovered will exceed the estimated proved reserves. The conversion of natural gas volumes to BOE is on the basis of six thousand cubic feet to one barrel. BOE is based on a generic energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent economic value equivalency at the wellhead. Readers are cautioned that BOE may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. This news release discloses potential drilling locations, which include proved, probable, contingent and unbooked locations. These estimates are prepared internally based on Encana's prospective acreage and an assumption as to the number of wells that can be drilled per section based on industry practice and internal review. Approximately 20 percent of these locations were booked as either reserves or resources, as prepared by independent qualified reserves evaluators using forecast prices and costs as of December 31, 2015. Unbooked locations do not have attributed reserves or resources and have been identified by management as an estimation of Encana's multi-year drilling activities based on evaluation of applicable geologic, seismic, engineering, production and reserves information. There is no certainty that Encana will drill all unbooked locations and if drilled there is no certainty that such locations will result in additional oil and gas reserves, resources or production. The locations on which Encana will actually drill wells, including the number and timing thereof is ultimately dependent upon the availability of capital, regulatory and partner approvals, seasonal restrictions, equipment and personnel, oil and natural gas prices, costs, actual drilling results, additional reservoir information that is obtained, production rate recovery, transportation constraints and other factors. While certain of the unbooked locations have been de-risked by drilling existing wells in relative close proximity to such locations, many of other unbooked locations are farther away from existing wells where management has less information about the characteristics of the reservoir and therefore there is more uncertainty whether wells will be drilled in such locations and if drilled there is more uncertainty that such wells will result in additional proved or probable reserves, resources or production. ADVISORY REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS - This news release contains certain forward-looking statements or information (collectively, "forward-looking statements" or "FLS") within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. FLS include, but are not limited to: expected proceeds from the sale of the Gordondale assets, the use of proceeds therefrom, the expectation that the closing conditions and regulatory approvals will be satisfied and the timing of closing thereof; expected reduction in midstream and downstream commitments; potential drilling locations, including quantity, quality and commodity composition; growth of liquids production in the Montney and timeframe thereof; and impact of the transaction to strengthen the balance sheet and provide greater financial flexibility. Readers are cautioned against unduly relying on FLS which, by their nature, involve numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties that may cause such statements not to occur, or for results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. These assumptions include: enforceability of the agreement; the ability of the parties to satisfy closing conditions and regulatory approvals; the value of adjustments to the expected proceeds from the transaction; assumptions contained in Encana's 2016 corporate guidance and in this news release; data contained in key modeling statistics; effectiveness of Encana's resource play hub model to drive productivity and efficiencies; and expectations and projections made in light of, and generally consistent with, Encana's historical experience and its perception of historical trends, including with respect to the pace of technological development, the benefits achieved and general industry expectations. Risks and uncertainties that may affect these business outcomes include: risks inherent to closing the transaction including whether it will close on a timely basis or at all; adjustments that may reduce the expected proceeds to Encana; commodity price volatility; counterparty and credit risk; imprecision of reserves estimates and estimates of recoverable quantities of natural gas and liquids from resource plays and other sources not currently classified as proved, probable or possible reserves or economic contingent resources, including future net revenue estimates; risks associated with past and future divestitures of certain assets or other transactions or receive amounts contemplated under the transaction agreements (such transactions may include third-party capital investments, farm-outs or partnerships, which Encana may refer to from time to time as "partnerships" or "joint ventures" and the funds received in respect thereof which Encana may refer to from time to time as "proceeds", "deferred purchase price" and/or "carry capital", regardless of the legal form) as a result of various conditions not being met; and other risks and uncertainties impacting Encana's business, as described in its most recent MD&A, financial statements, Annual Information Form and Form 40-F, as filed on SEDAR and EDGAR. Although Encana believes the expectations represented by such FLS are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions, risks and uncertainties referenced above are not exhaustive. FLS are made as of the date of this news release and, except as required by law, Encana undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any FLS. The FLS contained in this news release are expressly qualified by these cautionary statements. SOURCE: Encana Corporation Further information on Encana Corporation is available on the company's website, www.encana.com, or by contacting: Investor Contact: Brendan McCracken Vice-President, Investor Relations (403) 645-2978 Patti Posadowski Sr. Advisor, Investor Relations (403) 645-2252 Media Contact: Simon Scott Vice-President, Communications (403) 645-2526 Jay Averill Director, Media Relations (403) 645-4747 VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - June 21, 2016) - NexOptic Technology Corp. ("NexOptic") (TSX VENTURE: NXO) (FRANKFURT: E3O1.F) and Spectrum Optix Inc. of Calgary, Canada ("Spectrum" and together with NexOptic, the "Companies") report that, further to their joint news release dated June 3, 2016, NexOptic has subsequently closed its non-brokered Private Placement for total proceeds of CDN $1,050,500 through the issuance of 4,202,000 Units (the "Units") at a price of CDN $0.25 per Unit. In addition to being used for general working capital purposes for both Companies, the net proceeds from the Private Placement will be applied to funding all of Spectrum's operations including, but not limited, to completion of its proof of concept prototype that utilizes their patent pending Blade Optics' lens technology, the pursuit of complimentary patent applications to Blade Optics' and for negotiating and securing international license agreements. Each Unit of the Private Placement is comprised of one common share of NexOptic and one common share purchase warrant of NexOptic (each a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one additional NexOptic Share at an exercise price of CDN $0.35 for a period of two years ending at midnight Pacific Standard Time on June 21, 2018. If, during this two year period and after the expiry of the 4 month hold period ending at midnight Pacific Standard Time on October 22, 2016 on the NexOptic Shares and the Warrants, the closing price of the NexOptic Shares is at least CDN $0.60 for a period of 10 consecutive trading days, NexOptic may, at its option, accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants by issuing a news release or giving written notice thereof all holders of Warrants, and, in such case, the Warrants will expire on the earlier of: (i) the 30th day after the date on which the news release or written Warrant holder notice is disseminated by NexOptic; and (ii) the original expiry date. NexOptic Chairman and director G. Arnold Armstrong subscribed for 200,000 units, at a subscription cost of $50,000, in the Private Placement. Finder's fees of 8% cash and 8% broker warrants were paid on some portions of the Private Placement to Canaccord Genuity Group Inc., Haywood Securities Inc. and Mackie Research Capital Corp. The aggregate finder's fees paid in association with the Private Placement were CDN $27,440 cash plus 109,760 broker warrants having the same terms as those issued in the Private Placement as noted above. About NexOptic Technology Corp. NexOptic is a publicly traded company, which has an option to acquire, in the aggregate, 100% of Spectrum Optix Inc., a private corporation. The Companies are, in essence, working as a single corporation at this time, with their respective CEOs sitting on each other's boards of directors. Please see NexOptic's news release dated November 18, 2014 for additional details regarding this relationship. About Spectrum Optix Inc. Spectrum is developing technologies relating to imagery and light concentration applications. Utilizing its patent pending Blade Optics' technology, which contains flat lenses, the company aims to disrupt conventional lens and image capture based systems. Benefits of Blade Optics' Technology Blade Optics' could breakdown many of the limitations associated with conventional, curved lens stacks: Aperture size: Blade Optics' has the potential to help significantly reduce the lens stack depth to aperture ratio for several imaging verticals. This could allow for greatly increased aperture sizes without increasing the depth of the lens stack in many applications. Image quality: Fewer limitations on aperture size means that image quality could be much improved. Compactness: Decreasing the depth of the lens stack would create the possibility of more compact and practical imaging devices. Spectrum is currently developing a proof of concept telescope prototype that will utilize its Blade Optics' technology, other optical elements and electronic components. The prototype is intended to demonstrate the marketable features of Spectrum's Blade Optics' technology and its potential to serve as a platform to be used in various optical applications. Please see the Companies' joint press release dated May 25, 2016 for the latest progress report on this first of its kind prototype. On behalf of the Boards of Directors NexOptic Technology Corp. Paul McKenzie President & CEO Spectrum Optix Inc. John Daugela President & CEO Forward Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including, but not limited to, statements with respect to expectations concerning the development of its technology, the development of the prototype and the potential applications of Spectrum's technologies. The reader is cautioned that forward looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors which are difficult to predict and that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are based on the then current expectations, beliefs, assumptions, estimates and forecasts about the business and the industry and markets in which the Companies operate and are qualified in their entirety by the inherent risks and uncertainties surrounding future expectations, including, among others, that: the ability of the Companies to complete the prototype as currently expected; the risk that the prototype may not achieve results expected by the Companies; they may not have access to financing on acceptable terms or at all in order to exercise the options under NexOptic's formal agreement with Spectrum and its shareholders; it may not receive all necessary regulatory and shareholder approvals; or the conditions to NexOptic's options to acquire Spectrum shares may not be otherwise satisfied; and other risks inherent with the patent process, transactions of this type and development of new technologies or the business of Spectrum and/or NexOptic. Such forward looking statements should therefore be construed in light of such factors. Other than in accordance with its legal or regulatory obligations, NexOptic is not under any obligation and it expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. NexOptic Technology Corp. Email: Look@NexOptic.com Tel: +1 604 669 7330 TSX VENTURE: NXO www.NexOptic.com BAAR, Switzerland, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Weatherford International plc (NYSE: WFT) announces the departure of Bernard J. Duroc-Danner, Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer effective immediately. Mr. Robert Rayne, current Vice Chairman of the Board, will serve as Chairman of the Board. Mr. Krishna Shivram will lead the Company as interim Chief Executive Officer, and will continue as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) until a new CFO is named in the coming days. Management Statement The Board is extremely grateful to Dr. Duroc-Danner for his leadership, vision, loyalty and the guidance provided to Weatherford and its predecessors for the past 30 years. He has grown and steered the Company from humble beginnings into one of the leading oilfield service providers that it is today, providing numerous contributions to both the Company and the industry. Mr. Rayne commented further, "We look forward to moving ahead to build upon the successes of the Company that Dr. Duroc-Danner has built and grown and are infinitely thankful for his service. We will continue to rely on our very experienced and talented management team to steer the Company forward and to continue making progress on enhancing shareholder value. We have full confidence that Mr. Shivram is the right person to lead the Company in this very challenging market and he has our full support." Mr. Shivram commented, "I am grateful to the Board for this opportunity to further serve Weatherford. We have the people, technology and global reach to thrive in an improving market backdrop. I look forward to the challenges and opportunities ahead, and want to personally thank Bernard for his mentorship and guidance." Krishna Shivramwas appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company in November 2013. Mr. Shivram has over 25 years of financial and operational management experience in the oilfield service industry and previously worked for Schlumberger Ltd. in a variety of roles across the globe. About Weatherford Weatherford is one of the largest multinational oilfield service companies providing innovative solutions, technology and services to the oil and gas industry. The Company operates in over 100 countries and has a network of approximately 1,000 locations, including manufacturing, service, research and development, and training facilities and employs approximately 31,000 people. For more information, visit www.weatherford.com and connect with Weatherford on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, among other things, the Company's forecasts and expectations regarding business outlook and performance and are also generally identified by the words "believe," "project," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "outlook," "budget," "intend," "strategy," "plan," "guidance," "may," "should," "could," "will," "would," "will be," "will continue," "will likely result," and similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs of Weatherford's management, and are subject to significant risks, assumptions and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those indicated in our forward-looking statements. Readers are also cautioned that forward-looking statements are only predictions and may differ materially from actual future events or results. Forward-looking statements are also affected by the risk factors described in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and those set forth from time-to-time in the Company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). We undertake no obligation to correct or update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except to the extent required under federal securities laws. Weatherford Contacts Krishna Shivram Chief Executive Officer +1.713.836.4610 Karen David-Green Vice President - Investor Relations, Corporate Marketing and Communications +1.713.836.7430 Logo- http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/19990308/WEATHERFORDLOGO Quoine, a Singapore and Japan-based bitcoin trading platform, raised US$20m in Series A funding. The round was led by Japaned venture capital firm Jafco Ventures. The Japanese government recently passed a bill that officially recognizes and regulates digital currency exchanges. This new law provides clear regulatory guidelines and a framework toward full legitimacy of digital currencie and the company intends to use the funds to advance the platform in order to be among the first regulated exchanges in Japan when the new rules come into effect in 2017. Founded in 2014 by CEO Mike Kayamori and CTO Mario Gomez Lozada, Quoine operates a Bitcoin trading platform offering a range of charting tools, as well as margin trading, algo and futures as well as payment processor facilities for businesses looking to accept bitcoin, as well as internal lending facilities to customrs who have deposited their bitcoin. The company recently appointed Ken Mazzio as Head of Compliance and Information Security to assist the company in navigating the regulatory landscape in Japan. FinSMEs 21/06/2016 SNLD leaders at the Hluttaw (Photo: Internet) SNLD leaders at the Hluttaw (Photo: Internet) We wont object on the grounds of temporary identification (ID). However, now they are including migrants in the census. This is not alright because they [migrants] will become residents in the area. Our party has decided we will submit a case at the Hluttaw and oppose the project, said U Sai Nyunt Lwin, General Secretary of SNLD, recently. SNLD Hluttaw representatives will submit their arguments about it at the upcoming Hluttaw session. Similarly, on June 10, leaders from sixteen Mon associations, monks and other individuals submitted a 7-point letter to Mon State Chief Minister, urging a review of the new migrant documentation project in Mon State. This matter can put the national cause in danger, said U Htun Myint, Chairman of Mudon Townships Mon Youth Association, This type of racism can negatively influence ethnic groups. Therefore, we urge the government to stop this activity immediately. The submitted 7-point letter included; 1) Since migrant workers moved into the state, peaceful stability in our area has eroded. Subsequently, crimes occur including stealing, looting, killing, drug dealing, rape and other threatening causes. 2) The migrant citizens are intruding into land and roads belonging to locals as well as trading land. These issues can cause major suffering to the locals. According to the Mon State Governments 100-day project, the government would provide temporary household documents to migrant workers who have resided in the state for 6 to 8 months and official household documents to the migrants who have lived in the state for 5 years or more. At present, the population in Shan States major cities including Taunggyi, Muse, Tachileik, and Lashio, is comprised of more migrants from central and other parts of Burma than locals. SNLDs general secretary raised the question of whether this proposal was made with political intentions. Namely, because migrants are issued with household documents and are then able vote in the state. In 2015 elections, in Shan State, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) won the most votes, followed by the SNLD and thirdly, the NLD. Bonfyre, a Saint_Louis, Missouri-based private social communication platform for companies to engage employees and align culture, closed a $4m funding round. The round was led by Arsenal Capital Management. Along with the round of funding, Dan Geraty, CEO of Clearent, joined Bonfyres Board of Directors. The company intends to use the funds to grow the sales team, improve technical expertise and customer support for its clients. Led by Mark Sawyier, CEO, and Chris Dornfeld, president, Bonfyre provides a private social communication platform that allows companies to engage employees and align culture via features that support internal communications, recognition, engagement campaigns, collaboration, and workplace satisfaction across teams and locations. Every employee can post and share photos with each other, as well as interact with their employer through surveys, quizzes, trivia and over two dozen other advanced features. Customers include Marriott, Commerce Bank and Express Scripts among nine Fortune 500 companies and others. FinSMEs 21/06/2016 Francisco Partners and Elliott Management Corporation signed a definitive agreement to acquire Dell Software Group, a provider of security, systems and information management, and data analytics solutions. The amount of the deal was not disclosed while debt financing for the transaction which is still subject to customary regulatory review was provided by Credit Suisse and RBC Capital Markets. Led by John Swainson, president, Dell Software, Dell Inc.s software group, provides business and IT management solutions including advanced analytics, database management, data protection, endpoint systems management, identity and access management, Microsoft platform management, network security, and performance monitoring, which allow organizations of all sizes to secure, manage, monitor, protect, and analyze information and infrastructure. FinSMEs 21/06/2016 Investcorp, a alternative investment firm, is to acquire a majority stake in Corneliani, a Mantova, Italy-based luxury menswear brand, for an enterprise value of approximately $100m. As part of the transaction, certain members of the Corneliani family will remain as shareholder alongside Investcorp. Founded in 1958 by Carlalberto Corneliani, Corneliani is a luxury clothing brand known for its mens suits and chic casualwear. Carlalberto along with his brother Claudio Corneliani built the business, which then expanded into the casual wear market and grew its international presence with stores established across Europe, the US, Asia and more recently into emerging markets. The company currently employs approximately 1,100 people with sales in 68 countries through 10 directly operated stores, approximately 850 multi-brand stores, more than 75 franchise stores and 50 store-in-stores, including Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bloomingdales. In 2015, the company reported revenues in excess of 110 million. FinSMEs 21/06/2016 Otrium, an Amsterdam, The Netherlands-based online fashion platform, raised 600k in seed funding. The round was led by Keadyn. The company, which had already raised 200k earlier this year, will use the funds to expand their reach in the country and abroad. Co-founded by Milan Daniels and Max Klijnstra, Otrium provides a platform that gives fashion lovers the opportunity to access to deals from designer brands which need to sell their excess stock. According to a written note, the marketplace is growing with a month-over-month growth of over 10.000 members and new brands are signing up to the platform every week. It is currently only operating in The Netherlands. FinSMEs 21/06/2016 Blueprint Bio, Inc., a Newport Beach, CA-based personalized medicine company, raised $7.5m in funding. Forentis Partnerss Forentis Fund, a $50m venture capital fund focused on biotechnology, has committed to provide the funding. Founded in 2015, Blueprint Bio is creating a validated marketplace for biomarker signatures in personalized medicine. The company, which identifies, protects and offers new biological discoveries to existing clinical, pharmaceutical and diagnostic companies, has already filed patent applications in a variety of drug response solutions and oncology focused diagnostics. In order to de-risk and accelerate their biomarker discovery, it is collaborating with researchers and companies who are generating biologic patient data from mass spectrometers and gene sequencing machines, among other assay methods. The company which has additional offices at the University of Pennsylvania and the Mayo Clinic is a co-founder of BluePen Biomarkers, an initiative that is creating a biomarker measurement and discovery pipeline for the acceleration of personalized medicine. Matthew Nunez is the CEO of both Blueprint Bio and BluePen Biomarkers. FinSMEs 20/06/2016 Armut.com, an Istanbul, Turkey-based provier of a services marketplace, raised $3.2m in Series A funding. The round was led by new European marketplaces-focused venture capital fund Addventure, with participation also from existing seed investor Hummingbird Ventures. The company, which has raised $4.2m in total, intends to use the funds to grow its marketing and product teams and expand regionally. Co-founded by Basak Taspinar Degim and Erol Degim, Armut.com operates a local services marketplace which leverages a proprietary matching and pricing algorithmt to deliver services via 90,000 professionals. The site has 7 million monthly pageviews with 1.5m service requests sent in 2015. FinSMEs 21/06/2016 Dr. Tin Myo Win, the chairman of the 21st Century Panglong Conference Preparation Committee (21-CPCPC), and his government-backed team on Friday sat for talks with representatives of the UWSA, led by Zhao Guo-ang, and a delegation from the NDAA, headed by Sai Leun, at the NDAA headquarters in Mongla, close to the Burma-China border. An official from the NDAA who attended the meeting said: After we both held separate talks with the 21-CPCPC delegation, we [the NDAA] and the UWSA representatives held a further meeting with the government delegates, and we agreed to attend the conference. The decision will mark the first time that the UWSA, widely regarded as the strongest ethnic armed force, and its ally the NDAA have agreed to sit down at the same table for peace talks with the central government. Neither group signed the so-called Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) with the then Thein Sein government in October last year, declining on the basis that they had already signed bilateral accords with Naypyidaw. Both the Wa and NDAA representatives did, however, agree to continue talks with the government. Earlier this month, a government-backed peace negotiation team met with delegations from the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), an ethnic alliance comprising of non-NCA signatory groups, including the Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and the Kokang-based Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA). The 21st Century Panglong Conference is scheduled to be held some time in July 2016 in the Burmese capital, Naypyidaw. In 1947, the leaders of the Shan, Kachin and Chin peoples met with Burmas independence hero, Gen. Aung San, the father of Aung San Suu Kyi, in the Shan town of Panglong, where they drafted a constitution as part of the process of gaining independence from Britain. The 1947 constitution guaranteed the signatory ethnic groups the right to secede 10 years after the formation of the Union. However, Aung San was assassinated just months after the agreement was made, and the ethnic peoples hopes of autonomy were further shattered in 1962 when his successor, General Ne Win, staged a military coup. New Delhi: BJP's Member of Parliament from East Delhi Maheish Girri, who is on a hunger strike outside Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's house, performed Yoga at the agitation venue to mark the second International Yoga Day on Tuesday. Girri has been on hunger strike outside Kejriwal's residence from Sunday after the Delhi Chief MInister declined to join in an open debate over his accusation that the BJP leader was involved in murder of a New Delhi Municipal Council officer. "On IDY2016 today, participated in a Yoga Session with all karyakartas, here at the venue of my Anshan," Girri tweeted. On #IDY2016 today, participated in a Yoga Session with all karyakartas, here at the venue of my Anshan. #YogaDay Maheish Girri (@MaheishGirri) June 21, 2016 Union Minister Harsh Vardhan, BJP's Delhi unit President Satish Upadhyay and several other leaders joined the hunger strike led by Girri. New Delhi Municipal Council's estate officer MM Khan was shot dead in Jamia Nagar here on 16 May a day before he was expected to pass an order on the terms of the lease of The Connaught, a four-star hotel. Kejriwal had reiterated his demand for the arrest of Girri and urged Delhi Police to probe the relationship between Girri and hotelier Ramesh Kakkar, who ran The Connaught and is the main accused in the murder of Khan. Amid recent surge in the militant attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, the state government on Tuesday said that around 150 militants, including 54 foreigners, were active, while over 4,500 Kashmiri youths have crossed over to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir for arms training during the last three decades. This was stated by the State Home Department, headed by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, in the Legislative Assembly in reply to a question raised by former chief minister and Leader of Opposition, National Conference (NC), Omar Abdullah. The home department, in its reply, said: As many as 145 militants, including 54 foreigners (mostly from Pakistan) are active in Jammu and Kashmir, while around 4,587 youths have crossed over to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The Inspector General of Police, Syed Javaid Mujtaba Gillani, had said that around 150-170 militants, both local and foreign, were active in Kashmir. The recruitment of local boys had increased last year and our focus is to contain and prevent them from joining militancy, Gillani said. Meanwhile, Gillani said the poster boy of militancy in Kashmir, Burhan Wani of Hizbul Mujahideen, who was recently seen in video urging cops to train their guns towards India, was on his own as most of his group members have been neutralised. Since 2010, a total of seven Jammu and Kashmir police have joined militant ranks with their service weapons. The home department said the state has sanctioned a policy to rehabilitate the militants, who are willing to return to Jammu and Kashmir. The state government has sanctioned a policy and procedure for the rehabilitation of misguided youth who have crossed to PoK, Pakistan but have given up insurgent activities due to change of heart and are willing to return the state, the chief minister said. The chief minister also said the Nepal was not an approved route for the return of former militants. The policy recognises four routes for the return of misguided youth. Nepal is not an approved route under the policy. The Union government has sought comments of the state government on the inclusion of Nepal route for the return of the militants, the reply said. But the state government said around 490 youth along with their families have returned through Nepal in last 13 years. A total of 489 youth along with their wives and children have returned from PoK and Pakistan to Jammu and Kashmir via Nepal from 2003 to 22 May, 2016. And 15 youth have returned via Nepal since January 2015, the home department said in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday. In 2013, the former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, told the State Legislative Assembly that no person returned from PoK or Pak from the routes identified for the return of former militants to Jammu and Kashmir. However, Omar said that as many as 277 person and their 578 family members returned via Nepal route which is not approved under the policy. Till 2013, the state government had received 1,171 applications on behalf of the people willing to return home. The chief minister in a written reply to senior National Conference leader, Ali Sagar, said a total of 146 militancy-related incidents took place last year in which over 100 militants were killed. A total of 146 militancy-related incidents took place between 15 January, 2015 to 15 January, 2016, leaving around 169 people including 108 militants, 39 security personnel and 22 civilians dead, the reply said. The state government, in its reply, said south Kashmir witnessed highest number of militancy-related incidents in the last year, leaving over 30 militants dead. The south Kashmir districts of Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian saw 61 militant attacks resulting in the death of 54 persons including 12 securitymen and 34 militants, the reply said. But the south Kashmir districts saw more killing in the militancy-related incidents. The north Kashmir districts witnessed 57 militant attacks which resulted in the death of 92 persons including 60 militants and 21 security personnel, the reply said. The government, however, said that the Ladakh saw no militant attacks last year while the summer capital Kashmir witnessed 15 militant actions and two other attacks took place in Kathua district of Jammu. The Poonch district saw around 5 militancy-related incidents which resulted in the killing of six militants and a security man. Jammu and Kashmir has a presence of over seven lakh army personnel to combat militants and protect the borders with Pakistan and China. On Tuesday, a 19-year-old Dalit nursing student from Kerala was in a critical condition after being admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital (KMCH) with serious stomach problems, reported Deccan Chronicle. She was reportedly forced to drink toilet cleaner by her seniors in another shocking case of college ragging. The student, identified as Aswathy, who hails from Pulluvanpadiyil near Edappal, is in the first semester of her nursing course at Al Qamar College of Nursing at Gulbarga, the Deccan Chronicle report adds. Aswathy was reportedly ragged by a group of eight senior girls at the womens hostel of the college on 9 May. After five days, her condition exacerbated and she was sent home by college authorities, reported The Times Of India. According to her relatives, the doctors suggested a major surgery because the chemicals from the toilet cleaner had severely damaged a part of her oesophagus. Aswathy had told a local TV channel, reported International Business Times, that they weren't allowed to eat or close the windows at night or to go home during vacations. She further said that the senior girls forced the juniors to drink toilet cleaner, and insert their fingers inside their mouth to purge all of it. Later, she had to be admitted to the hospital where she had to remain in the ICU for five days in Bengaluru. The girl, who belongs to a poor family, had taken an education loan to join college. Her uncle claims that she has been ragged since she joined college five months ago, The Times of India added. Awasthys mother has approached Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the DGP in Bengaluru demanding action against the seniors. Serious question: Isn't one of the primary purposes of our government to protect American lives? Because today, our government chose not to. Again. One week after 49 Americans were shot to death in an Orlando nightclub, the Senate today voted no on four different measures to limit gun sales. At least they're consistent. Each time there's a mass shooting, and they occur with alarming frequency and regularity, our politicians do nothing. They tweet thoughts, talk on TV about prayers, and take absolutely zero action. Today's deadlock was split predictably between Democrats and Republicans, on amendments that would block people who are the federal terrorism watch list from being able to buy guns. The proposed changes would have also closed loopholes in background check laws. "As the votes were held, families of gun violence victims looked on from the Senate chamber," writes Jennifer Steinhauer in the New York Times. "Our constituents see a disturbing pattern of inaction," Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the Democratic leader, said on the Senate floor on Monday. "Sadly, our efforts are blocked by the Republican Congress, who take their marching orders from the National Rifle Association." .@SenJohnMcCain top recipient of @NRA $ votes against allowing AG to stop transfer of gun to suspected terrorist pic.twitter.com/ri3PsapTKz igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) June 20, 2016 Senators who voted for/against allowing AG to stop transfer of firearm to suspected terrorist Amendment failed 47-53 pic.twitter.com/ij9JR4bpzu igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) June 20, 2016 Senators who voted for/against expanding background checks to all gun sales. Amendment failed 44-56 pic.twitter.com/NgmA78AS7L igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) June 20, 2016 Every senator who voted AGAINST background checks & how much they got form @NRA (Heitkamp not pictured, got $0) pic.twitter.com/ahT7RWwiQC igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) June 20, 2016 1week after terrorist kills 49, 53 senators vote against barring suspected terrorists from buying guns These senators got millions from@NRA igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) June 20, 2016 From the Times: Further action on gun safety measures or mental health provisions seemed unlikely before the fall election, given the rush to finish a series of spending bills and the relatively limited time that Congress will be in session before November. In addition, the four gun measures were attached to legislation that contains several other thorny issues, such as the question of whether to take passports away from terrorism suspects, which suggests there will be little chance for further debate. Related: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump today "walked back" his earlier inflammatory remarks that armed clubgoers could have prevented the Orlando massacre. HRC releases one word statement following tonight's votes on gun control: "Enough" and then lists Orlando victims pic.twitter.com/8rHc6BuiaW Monica Alba (@albamonica) June 20, 2016 .@RoyBlunt votes against allowing Attorney General to stop transfer of gun to suspected terrorist pic.twitter.com/H46NPoqecK igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) June 20, 2016 .@SenatorBurr just voted against barring suspected terrorists from buying guns: pic.twitter.com/ikfnq87snK igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) June 20, 2016 Baba Ramdev, who despite his popularity, lost out to Bengaluru-based yoga therapist HR Nagendra in becoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi's very own yoga consultant. Modi, who noticed Arvind Kejriwal suffering from a cough, at an event in New Delhi, had advised Kejriwal to then consult HR Nagendra, reported IndiaTv. Modi and Nagendra's relationship goes back 10 years, when Modi had gone to visit Nagendra's uncle HV Sheshadri, an RSS leader in Karnataka. Nagendra, the president of the charitable trust Vyasa (Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana) in Tamil Nadu, has been guiding the yoga center in Nimhans for more than 15 years now. After receiving his doctorate in mechanical engineering from IISc, Bangalore, he served as faculty in the mechanical engineering department of the institution. He also served as a consultant at Havard University and was a part of the visiting staff at Imperial College, London. Apart from strong academic qualifications, Nagendra has published 30 books on yoga, co-authored 50 research papers, guided close to 150 dissertations and has presented 60 papers on yoga therapy in major conferences all around the world. He was awarded the 'Yoga Shree' from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in 1997. Recently, based on the recommendations of a panel headed by Nagendra, HRD Minister Smriti Irani declared the setting up of new and improved yoga departments for the upcoming academic year at six central universities, as reported by The Indian Express. Dehradun: Describing Uttarakhand as the land of yoga, Chief Minister Harish Rawat on Tuesday said a proposal to develop Rishikesh as a wellness township will be considered while Jageshwar, Tungnath and Lohaghat will be developed as wellness centres. Making the announcement at a state-level workshop on the International Yoga Day, he said yoga "belongs to Uttarakhand whose saints and seers taught the rest of the world about the miraculous effects of yogic postures" on the physical and spiritual well being of mankind. "People in Uttarakhand are promoting yoga on both personal and institutional levels," he said. Last year, yoga programmes held in Rishikesh, Jageshwar and Haridwar had matched international standards and thousands of people from 100 countries participated in the yoga events held on Saturdays and Sundays as part of the Ardhakumbh fair this year, the CM said. "A proposal to develop Rishikesh as a wellness township will be considered whereas a decision has been taken to develop Jageshwar, Tungnath and Lohaghat wellness centres," he said. Yoga education will also be provided in schools, he said, adding the Chief Secretary has been asked to link yoga trainers with schools on a part time basis. Rawat also honoured people working in the field of yoga education on the occasion and laid the foundation stone of a yoga park at Shaheed Durgamal Park on Garhi cant road here. Meanwhile, a slew of programmes were also held all over the city to mark the yoga day with Union Minister for Social Justice Thawar Chand Gehlot performing yogasanas at a camp o Rangers College ground and Governor K K Paul performing yogic postures along with Raj Bhawan staff on its lawns early in the morning. Speaking on the occasion, Paul described yoga as India's "unique gift to the world" and asked people to incorporate it into their daily routine for their own physical and spiritual well being. India and indeed, the world the reasonably flexible part of it anyway marked the fourth International Yoga Day on Thursday. From Average Joes Jatins sprawling across soggy promenades in Mumbai to Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading what looked like at least 17,412 people in Yoga to television news anchors teaching viewers to stretch, flex and breathe, it seemed everyone was getting in on the act. But what about those who wanted a piece of the action, but for whom the whole idea seemed like too much hard work? Or those who try as they might, just can't work out how to go about it? via GIPHY Not to worry, we've got just the thing for you, yes you. But first, let's deal with the excuses: I've got no mat on which to do my exercise. Doesn't matter, you don't need one. I've got no snazzy Yoga pants to wear. Doesn't matter, you don't need them. Besides, those things are hideous. I've got meetings all day. Doesn't matter, you can do this in your meeting. I don't really want to get sweaty. You won't, no one gets sweaty doing Yoga. I'm tired and hungry. Fine, grab a bite, take a nap and return. I just don't want to. Fair enough, it's a free country. Our crack team of ascetics (yes, we have a lot of teams) who spend decades in the jungle to attain some sort of deeper peace, emerges once in a while to keep a track of the goings-on in the world. And also to seek answers to pertinent questions like 'Who is the President of India?', 'Has global warming made it impossible to leave your home?', 'Does Ram Gopal Varma still make films?', 'Does the RSS still wear khaki shorts?' and the like. This time, however, the team emerged, in a manner of speaking, with a discovery to share: Compact Yoga. Designed with the busy, on-the-go percentage of the population in mind, Compact Yoga allows you to get all the good vibes of conventional Yoga without any of the hassle not to mention those excuses above. And don't be put off by the fact that this form of Yoga is completely untested or that any health benefits you may enjoy are completely coincidental. The peace of mind and happy thoughts that you are certain to enjoy will more than make up for it. And isn't that what Yoga is really about anyway? (What do you mean it's not?) Without further ado, here are some of the asanas with which you'll want to familiarise yourself at once. The Compact Yoga equivalent of Spinal Tap's Gimme Some Money, this particular asana is designed to take away the stress from the end of the month when you're rubbing together pennies. And when you need a bit of relaxation: When everything's A-OK: When everything's better than plain OK: Break into hives when you're AFK for more than five minutes? This energetic asana should help ease that tension: For fans of CID and ACP Pradyuman, this one ensures that whatever the gadbad, your mind and soul are able to steer clear: Disclaimer: Any health benefits you may enjoy are completely coincidental. Should the 21 AAP MLAs serving as parliamentary secretaries be disqualified? The answer is, yes. Should then 5 BJP MLAs in Gujarat, five BJP MLAs in Rajasthan and 25 MLAs in Punjab (20 Akali MLAs and 5 BJP MLAs) who are serving as parliamentary secretaries be also disqualified? The answer is again: an unqualified yes. Why is it then that only the parliamentary secretaries in Delhi are in the line of fire whereas the same office-holders in the three other states are not? It is because of a legal-technical issue: Gujarat, Rajasthan and Punjab being full-fledged states, the enactment made by their legislature in exempting the post of parliamentary secretary from disqualification under the Office of Profit law is legally valid, but Delhi being a union territory a similar enactment by the Delhi legislature needs the approval of the president of India to acquire legal sanctity. As we know, the president of India has refused to give his approval, supposedly on the advice of the central government. It is not surprising that Arvind Kejriwal, the Delhi chief minister, has made it a political issue: AAP vs BJP. Incidentally, all the three states where parliamentary secretaries are legally in office are the states where the BJP is in power (Gujarat and Rajasthan) and where the BJP is part of the ruling alliance (Punjab). Kejriwal has made the argument that the AAP government in Delhi is being meted out a step-motherly treatment by the Centre: it has allowed parliamentary secretaries to function in the BJP-ruled states, but it has disallowed them in AAP-ruled Delhi. But this argument is disingenuous as the Central government has no role to play whether states will have parliament secretaries or not. That is an independent decision of the governments and, by implication, of the legislatures of the respective states. But Delhi, being the capital city of both the state and the centre, the city government has legally limited jurisdiction. It is, of course, Kejriwals argument that the union government should have given the sanction to the posts of parliamentary secretaries in Delhi as the centre could not have any in-principle objection to such appointments: after all, such posts exist in several states, some of them ruled by the BJP. But then administrative principles were not the issue in rejecting the Delhi governments claim; it was pure partisan politics. Given the frosty relationship the AAP government shares with the Centre, it was only expected that the union government would go out of the way to show Kejriwal his place. That brings us to the more substantive issue: should these posts of parliamentary secretaries, be it in Delhi or Punjab or Gujarat or Rajasthan, exist? The answer is an emphatic no. These posts are clearly a fraud on the Constitutional provisions it is a fraud being perpetuated by the leaders of national as well as regional parties for pure partisan considerations. And this menace is just not confined to the four states discussed above. Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal had appointed 24 parliamentary secretaries. The Calcutta High Court severely indicted the Mamata government and quashed the appointments in June 2015. Similarly, Bombay High Court declared the appointment of two parliamentary secretaries in Goa void in 2009. HP High Court too had struck down the notification appointing 8 chief parliamentary secretaries and 4 parliamentary secretaries in Himachal Pradesh in 2005. Hyderabad High Court has stayed the appointment of parliamentary secretaries by the Chandra Shekhar Rao government in Telangana. Unfortunately, the high courts in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Punjab have not taken a final call on these mala fide practices as yet; as a result, the fraudulent appointments continue to mock the constitutional provisions in these states. What does the constitution say? Article 164(1A) says that no government, whether at the centre or the states, will have the number of ministers exceeding 15 per cent of the total membership of the respective legislatures (in case of Delhi, as per the NCT Act, it is 10 per cent). This was not a provision in the original constitution; it was incorporated in the year 2003 as 91st Amendment to the Constitution. That was hailed then as a positive step as the chief ministers in several states had appointed gargantuan council of ministers just to appease their loyalists and placate their adversaries alike (in Lalu Yadavs government in Bihar there was a sugarcane minister!). But when the long arms of the chief ministers were constitutionally clipped, they started resorting to the unconstitutional means of appointing ministers by subterfuges by designating them as parliamentary secretaries. But then these chief ministers faced another obstacle in putting into effect their fraudulent practice: the Article 191 (1)(a) says that no MLA can hold an office under the government unless that office is exempted by a law passed by the concerned legislature. The original Constitutional provision provided for the exemption of only the members of the council of ministers. The chief ministers then used their majority support in the legislature to enact laws to exempt parliamentary secretaries from the purview of the office of profit clause. In this fraudulent exercise, the chief ministers of both the Congress and the BJP as well as a host of regional parties including the TMC and AAP have been accomplice. Such a menace can only be curbed by a firm and speedy judicial intervention. But while some high court judges have acted swiftly to uphold the constitution, others have been slothful, thereby allowing the perpetuation of the unconstitutional practice. It is time the Supreme Court takes the matter in its fold and pronounces a judgement to quash the festering menace of parliamentary secretaries once and for all. In its campaign during the 2014 Assembly elections, the Peoples Democratic Partys (PDP) leadership kept assuring people that only their party had capability to stop the juggernaut of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from accomplishing its Mission 44+ in Jammu and Kashmir. PDP, often referred to as a soft-separatist party in Kashmir, had then talked about self rule and autonomy- its mantra since its establishment in 1999. However, post-elections, the party did a u-turn to form an alliance with the BJP to form the government led by the Chief Minister late Mufti Mohammed Syed. Described as the North Pole joining hands with the South Pole for the betterment of Kashmir, the alliance nonetheless came as a rude shock to not only ordinary Kashmiris but even the hardcore PDP members. Most of them perceived the alliance as unholy and termed it as a political hara-kiri for the party. The accusations against the PDP were multiple some accused the party of betraying the people in the Kashmir Valley, some argued that its alliance with the BJP had opened Kashmirs doors for the Hindutva ideology, and some even accused the PDP of being the agent of the Rashtriya Swaymsevak Sangh (RSS). The death of Mufti Mohammed Syed on 7 January this year, led many in the party to believe that his daughter and the anointed successor, Mehbooba Mufti will not join hands again with the BJP. The initial reluctance on Mehboobas part to form the government, gave them the necessary confidence. However, more than two and half months later, Mehbooba proceeded to renegotiate her partys alliance with the BJP, after a brief meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Now, in what will be the first electoral test of the alliance, Mehbooba, a two-time MP, is preparing to re-enter the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly as an MLA, by contesting from the Anantnag constituency- the seat which fell vacant after her fathers death. The by-polls are scheduled for 22 June. However, it is by no means an easy fight. Realising the vulnerability of the PDP and the criticality of these by-polls for Mehbooba, opposition parties have focused on putting up a tough fight. Apart from Mehbooba, there are seven other candidates in the fray, including Hilal Ahmad Shah of Congress, who had lost to Mufti by just 6000 votes in the last assembly elections and Iftikhar Hussain Misgar, from the National Conference. In a bid to queer the pitch, another soft-separatist leader, the infamous MLA from Kupwara, Engineer Abdul Rasheed too has stepped in. Rasheed had earlier filed his papers from Anantnag, but he soon withdrew his candidacy. Now another of Rasheeds associate, Mujeeb-Ur-Rehman is contesting against Mehbooba. He (Rasheed) was just a covering candidate and withdrew his nomination papers only after mine were found correct, Mujeeb told Firstpost. The alliance with the BJP is the major issue that the opposition is using to corner Mehbooba. But there are other political issues too. Earlier this year, when Mehbooba had renegotiated the alliance with the BJP, one of the major promises that the she had reportedly extracted from the BJP was the revocation of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), the draconian law which gives the security forces power to detain any person or search any house without any prior warrant and without any impunity. But the protests in Handwara when Mehbooba took over and the series of militant attacks on the policemen in Srinagar and south Kashmir seem to have put a spanner in the PDPs plans. Opposition parties are capitalizing on this. Congress leader, Hilal Ahmad Shah says, PDP in its campaign for the last assembly elections had promised to revoke the AFSPA in Kashmir, but that still remains a distant dream. People trusted and voted for the PDP, but they were betrayed and now people want revenge from the PDP. They will certainly vote against them. While Rasheed has withdrawn from the contest, he has not stopped from attempting to generate the anti-Mehbooba sentiments in Anantnag. Ahead of the by-polls, Rasheed hoisted the state flag in Anantnags Wazir Bagh area on 7 June to celebrate the state Flag Day. On the occasion, he lashed out at the Chief Minister accusing the PDP of being the B-Team of the RSS. Mein Mehbooba ko Nagpur ki Nagin nahi banney doonga (I wont allow Mehbooba to be the agent of Nagpur). This was also Rasheeds attempt to hark attention to the two flag controversy which had erupted earlier in the year when the Srinagar High Court had stayed their colleagues earlier order which had stated that the state flag be given the same respect as the national flag. The separatists led by the Hurriyat too have called for the poll boycott in Anantnag. Even the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front is campaigning actively for the boycott. But the PDP seems to be unfazed and is confident of a victory. While filing her nomination papers last week Mehbooba said, I am hopeful that people will repose faith in me and give me an opportunity to complete the work left by Mufti sahib. The same day the opposition took up another controversy against her when they filed a complaint with the Election Commission after she drove inside the election office with the state and national flag on her official car, which is a violation of the Code of Conduct. It is going to be a one-sided election. We will surely win it, said the PDP Chief Spokesperson, Mehboob Beg, while talking to Firstpost. He justifies the PDP-BJP alliance by drawing attention to the fact that while the Valley had voted for the PDP in the 2014 assembly elections, the Jammu had chosen BJP. People in Anantnag are politically educated and they understand the nature of the mandate that was given to us. When we respect the mandate of Kashmir, we have to respect the mandate of other region (Jammu) as well, thats how we respect the mandate in totality, he said. But beyond this political game of one-upmanship, people in Anantnag say that while every political party is focusing on the PDP-BJP alliance, they are yet to see any real progress on the alliance agenda of economic development. People have lost faith in politics. Everyone uses the PDP- BJP alliance to campaign for the by-polls but at the same time they should at least talk about the unemployment problem, introduce new schemes for the overall development of the town, said Zubair Shah, a local who works in private sector. Another local from Anantnag, Jan Waseem told Firstpost, PDP could have won the peoples trust again by talking about the revocation of the AFSPA and bringing back power projects to the state which was the agenda of the alliance as well. They talk about development, but are forgetting the real issues. Echoing their views, Sameer Ahmad, another local says, I have seen the tactics of political leaders. They come to you and promise, but after winning the elections they disappear. The PDP is considered as a kind of pro-south Kashmir party, but if we see they have just macadamised the roads and issues like enhancing education sector and health are still a distant dream. The main and important thing that also remains is unemployment that needs to be given attention. Whatever the ballots reveal on June 25, when the votes will be counted, it will surely herald a new direction for Kashmir, as the region looks towards an uncertain future with the rise in local militancy and the growing alienation of the locals from the mainstream political parties. The author is a freelance journalist based in Srinagar. He focuses on the socio-political issues of the Kashmir Valley. Bengaluru: Actor-turned-politician Ambareesh, who resigned as MLA after being dropped as minister, on Tuesday hit out at Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over the move, saying "are we like slippers to use and throw away." "We should have been sent in a dignified way. That is only my objection nothing else. Are we like slippers to use and then throw?" said Ambareesh, as the ruling Congress grappled with the flare up of discontent in the aftermath of Sunday's major ministry reshuffle. The sulking actor-turned-politician said he was "ill-treated" by Siddaramaiah. Maintaining that he was not informed by the chief minister about dropping him, Ambareesh also asked: "Is it dictatorship or Hitler's rule to just throw away (ministers)?" The rejig that saw 14 ministers being axed and 13 others inducted to give a facelift to the three-year-old Siddaramaiah government before 2018 Assembly polls has created problems for the chief minister who took up the exercise after getting Congress High Command's nod. Ambareesh on Monday sent a one-line resignation letter addressed to the Assembly Speaker through his personal assistant, but it is yet to be accepted as he himself did not submit it. "When I'm incapable why should I continue? When chief minister has called me incapable what can I do as an MLA? So I have resigned," Ambareesh told reporters here. He said: "I will go and give it (resignation) personally." Asked about the one-line resignation letter, he said, "Only one line should be there (in the resignation letter), reasons should not be given." Ambareesh, who was the Housing Minister before being dropped, also said the chief minister has not called up to convince him not to resign as MLA. Responding to a question whether Siddaramaiah had contacted him, he said: "No... as chief minister, there should have been at least some dignity. I was also a central minister, have been a three-time MP; have worked along with him in his cabinet. "If he had called me and asked me to make way for others, I would have resigned happily. Don't I command at least that amount of respect?" he questioned. When reminded that the chief minister during the meeting of council of ministers had indicated that a few Ministers will be dropped and sought cooperation, he said: "not in wholesale, we are not wholesale, I'm not saleable... I have led a respectable life, I command certain amount of dignity in public life." He said he had never lobbied for power, adding "now they have felt that I'm incapable and dropped me." The chief minister calling up and informing him about dropping him from the ministry would have added value to the post Siddaramaiah holds, he added. BJP MP Maheish Girri, who was on an indefinite hunger strike, ended his strike after Home Minister Rajnath Singh joined him on Tuesday. The East Delhi MP Mahiesh Girri went on a strike in front of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence after Kejriwal demanded Girri's arrest in the alleged murder of NDMC official MM Khan. Delhi: BJP MP Maheish Girri who was on hunger strike for 3 days now, ends his strike in presence of HM Rajnath Singh pic.twitter.com/o8E8JJO8tb ANI (@ANI_news) June 21, 2016 HM Rajnath Singh helps BJP MP Maheish Girri ji end his hunger strike outside CM Arvind Kejriwal's residence pic.twitter.com/luCXMKHobJ ANI (@ANI_news) June 21, 2016 Rajnath Singh said that he urged Girri to end his fast. BJP leader RP Singh, who was also present, told Times Now, that the party will confront Kejriwal on this issue and demand answers. "He can't get away with his lies and has to come out with answers," he said. The Home Minister offered Girri a glass of juice, which he drank to break his fast. I have come here to request Maheish Girri ji to end his fast: Home Minister Rajnath Singh pic.twitter.com/178KXvQ81v ANI (@ANI_news) June 21, 2016 According to ANI, Girri while ending his hunger strike on Tuesday said, "I challenged Kejriwal for a public debate. It's been three days and he didn't turn up." I challenged AKejriwal for debate,its been 3 days.He didn't turn up so its their loss. I'm going to end my hunger strike today-Maheish Girri ANI (@ANI_news) June 21, 2016 Kejriwal, in a letter to Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, had accused him of trying to "save" Girri and New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) vice-chairman Karan Singh Tanwar in Khan's murder. Girri had asked Kejriwal for a public debate over his allegations. In a letter to Kejriwal on 16 June, Girri had invited him to Constitution Club to produce "evidence" he had against him in the MM Khan murder case on Sunday 4 pm. Kejriwal did not accept the challenge following which Girri, accompanied by his party supporters, reached the Chief Minister's residence and sat on hunger strike. Khan, an estate officer of NDMC, was shot dead in Jamia Nagar on 16 May, a day before he was scheduled to pass the final order on the lease terms of a hotel which was functioning on a property leased out by the civic body. With inputs from agencies He's been called "one of the most loathsome characters in American history." Roy Cohn made his bones working as a prosecutor in the Rosenberg espionage case, and served as Senator Joseph McCarthy's right-hand man for years. He helped send the Rosenbergs to the electric chair for spying, and helped Richard Nixon become president. Roy Cohn was also Donald Trump's lawyer and mentor for 13 years. A great piece in the New York Times today on what Trump learned from Senator McCarthy's "Red-baiting consigliere" Decades later, Mr. Cohn's influence on Mr. Trump is unmistakable. Mr. Trump's wrecking ball of a presidential bid the gleeful smearing of his opponents, the embracing of bluster as brand has been a Roy Cohn number on a grand scale. Mr. Trump's response to the Orlando massacre, with his ominous warnings of a terrorist attack that could wipe out the country and his conspiratorial suggestions of a Muslim fifth column in the United States, seemed to have been ripped straight out of the Cohn playbook. "I hear Roy in the things he says quite clearly," said Peter Fraser, who as Mr. Cohn's lover for the last two years of his life spent a great deal of time with Mr. Trump. "That bravado, and if you say it aggressively and loudly enough, it's the truth that's the way Roy used to operate to a degree, and Donald was certainly his apprentice." The Washington Post also ran a piece over the weekend about the creepy McCarthy-Cohn-Trump connection: They came together by chance one night at Le Club, a hangout for Manhattan's rich and famous. Trump introduced himself to Cohn, who was sitting at a nearby table, and sought advice: How should he and his father respond to Justice Department allegations that their company had systematically discriminated against black people seeking housing? "My view is tell them to go to hell," Cohn said, "and fight the thing in court." It was October 1973 and the start of one of the most influential relationships of Trump's career. Cohn soon represented Trump in legal battles, counseled him about his marriage and introduced Trump to New York power brokers, money men and socialites. Cohn also showed Trump how to exploit power and instill fear through a simple formula: attack, counterattack and never apologize. An April feature by Michael Kruse at Politico covered this same territory, and is well worth reading. A snip: Roy Cohn, the lurking legal hit man for red-baiting Sen. Joe McCarthy, whose reign of televised intimidation in the 1950s has become synonymous with demagoguery, fear-mongering and character assassination. In the formative years of Donald Trump's career, when he went from a rich kid working for his real estate-developing father to a top-line dealmaker in his own right, Cohn was one of the most powerful influences and helpful contacts in Trump's life. Over a 13-year-period, ending shortly before Cohn's death in 1986, Cohn brought his say-anything, win-at-all-costs style to all of Trump's most notable legal and business deals. Interviews with people who knew both men at the time say the relationship ran deeper than thatthat Cohn's philosophy shaped the real estate mogul's worldview and the belligerent public persona visible in Trump's presidential campaign. "Something Cohn had, Donald liked," Susan Bell, Cohn's longtime secretary, said this week when I asked her about the relationship between her old boss and Trump. From a 2009 piece on Roy Cohn by Robert Sherril at The Nation: As the world stretches out to mark the second International Yoga day, Nitish Kumar has decided to stay away from the much talked about event. According to a Hindustan times report, the Bihar Chief Minister is apparently miffed at the BJP turning a deaf ear to his appeal to PM Modi to impose a nationwide ban on liquor. Fulfilling an electoral promise, the Bihar chief minister had earlier imposed a ban on liquor sale in Bihar a move Nitish considers a feather in his cap. So, Nitish Kumar has instead decided to blow the air out of PM Modi's pet project glorification of Yoga. Bihar will instead celebrate World Music Day, which coincides with the Yoga day. However, The Hindustan Times has reported that no special events will be held in the state and the government will stick to the traditional celebrations on the World Music Day. The duo are known political rivals from the time Modi took the reigns of his party as the CM candidate and JD(U) decided to break free of the NDA alliance, ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Apparently, the BJP is not going to organise any formal Yoga day events in the state but party veterans like Ravi Shankar Prasad, Giriraj Singh and Ram Kripal Yadav will attend different functions being held in the state. Taking a dig at the grandeur of the preparations, JD(U) spokesperson Sanjay Singh said, "The Centre is spending huge money on promotion of yoga. It has converted yoga into a political akhara (wrestling ground), whereas the fact is that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is using it for self-brandind." Moreover, Nitish Kumar had also snubbed the event, terming yoga as "irrevelant" and stating that BJP has turned it into a "party affair". "Yoga is a natural treatment process but liquor addicts cannot perform it. Yoga would be irrelevant unless a ban is imposed on sale of liquor across the country," he said. Reacting to the state's decision to refrain from celebrating Yoga Day, BJP leader Nand Kishore Yadav has called it "petty politics" on Nitish's part. The BJP veteran said that Modi has worked to garner international recognition for Yoga while Nitish was indulging in politics. Nitish Kumar however reasoned, "Yoga's fist principle is abstinence from consumption of liquor, so if you are serious about promoting Yoga then ban the liquor first." "In a democratic system like ours, welfare of the society should be the priority over trade and business," he added. Nitish Kumar had earlier actively pitched a nation-wide ban on sale of liquor sales, expecting support from Modi. Kumar had said that as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has worked as the Chief Minister of Gujarat where liquor is banned for a long time it shows he is in favour of it. "I request him to get the liquor ban implemented in at least the BJP-ruled states." However, the change in the rhetoric was evident as ahead of the Yoga day on Sunday, the Bihar CM said, "Ban on sale of liquor in Gujarat prevailed since Independence and Modi had no role in it. Hence, he should not try to take credit for it." The BJP has grand plans on promotion and proliferation of Yoga, of which nation-wide public yoga camps on the event are only a part. The Prime Minister has also launched a dedicated website on International Yoga Day that features interactive quizzes and puzzles. The government has also launched postal stamps sporting the 12 postures in Surya Namaskar. The United Nations has, in December 2014, has adopted a resolution to commemorate 21 June as the World Yoga day. (With inputs from agencies) The author is an Indian political commentator and policy analyst, currently serving as honorary senior fellow, Centre for Policy Research. He has been editor for numerous financial publications and served as Manmohan Singh's media advisor and chief spokesperson from 2004 to 2008. I have a completely different take on Laffaire Rajan or #Rexit as the media has dubbed it the decision of the Government of India not to offer a second term to the incumbent governor of the Reserve Bank of India, Raghuram Rajan. To appreciate my theory one has to understand the significance of the electoral verdict of May 2014, the political importance of the ruling partys 282 members in Parliament and the political economy of policy in India. From 1989 till 2014, New Delhi has lived in the era of coalitions. The so-called ruling party in New Delhi often felt it was not ruling at all. The authority of the executive was increasingly challenged by the judiciary, the legislature, the media, civil society, a range of regulatory institutions and the executives own arms like the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG). From the days of VP Singh to those of Manmohan Singh, especially in his second term, the prime minister and his office became increasingly besieged. Every occupant of that high office longed for the authority that an Indira Gandhi and even a Rajiv Gandhi enjoyed. In May 2014, the leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Narendra Modi, recovered that authority for that office by the magnitude and manner of his victory. The problem for Modi has been that an entire generation has grown up in between that has no memory of a powerful PMO and has little appreciation for Delhis desire to recover that authority for itself. Getting a clear majority in Parliament was not the only achievement for Modi and his party. Vanquishing their prime opponent, the Indian National Congress, which had diminished itself to become nothing more than the Sonia Congress, was also an important political achievement. Modis slogan of Congress-mukt Bharat was a message to the country and to all its institutions that the 2014 verdict was not just another election result, but constituted a regime change. Modi took the long view. The decline of the Congress and the rise of the BJP began simultaneously in the mid-1980s. It went through its ups and downs and had reached a turning point. The quantitative change over those years came to a boil in the summer of 2014 contributing to a qualitative change. The message since then of the Modi government to everyone, at home and abroad, has been get used to it. The problem with Raghuram Rajan is that he came to believe his intellectual and global credentials were so impressive that he would survive the regime change without getting used to it. Indeed, and on the contrary, it was for Modi, the Sangh Parivar and the Ministry of Finance to get used to him. Undoubtedly Rajan is a talented professional. He should be a professor at an Indian university (why only in Chicago?), and should write, speak and educate. His lectures will be heard, his books will be read and he will continue to be widely-respected and well-regarded. But the Reserve Bank of India is not a university. For far too long has Indias steel frame the Central government taken this get used to me from other institutions of the State. After May 2014, the Indian State has been systematically reminding everyone that the word State comes with a capital S and at its apex lies the prime minister and his office, manned by the IAS. While other institutions started falling in line, the RBI under Rajan continued to imagine it would remain an exception. Rajan seemed to imagine that he could combine the role of central bank governor with becoming a global public intellectual and media icon without let. The Empire Struck Back, so to speak. What is the City of Londons big criticism of Prime Minister David Cameron on the Brexit issue? That he did not act like a prime minister with an absolute majority. That he chose to be a populist calling for a referendum in a parliamentary democracy. And the same people want the Indian prime minister to make his policy based on what fund managers and the pink press wants? At least one reason for the communication gap between Mint Road (home to the RBI in Mumbai) and Raisina Hill (home to the PMO and finance ministry in New Delhi) was the growing view among bankers, economists and the financial media that the Indian central bank had acquired a certain institutional autonomy from the central government, like some other central banks in the western world. This view has been fed by the western media, egged on by western financial institutions and investors, who have assiduously sought greater autonomy for Indias market regulators from domestic politics. A popular story among central bankers used to be about the relationship between the Bundesbank and the federal government in Germany. It was said that even the windows in the office of the president of the Bundesbank, located in Frankfurt, opened to the south, while Bonn home to Germanys chancellor (before Berlin) - was to the north. Over the past decade or so the media spread the mythology that the Indian central bank chief was also now like the Bundesbank chief. He spent more time looking at the Arabian Sea, and beyond, than the vast plains and high mountains to the north. This myth gained currency during the tenure of Yaga Venugopal Reddy. However, what many have not appreciated is the fact that not only did YV Reddy belong to the hallowed IAS, but his policy credentials were burnished over the years by excellent crisis management both at North Block and on Mint Road. And, those who understand Indias political economy will appreciate, YVR was a Rayalaseema Reddy with personal friends across all political parties. During his tenure at RBI the most powerful Congress leader in India was also a Rayalaseema Reddy! Finally, and most importantly, while Reddy crossed swords with the finance minister of the day, he was always deferential towards the prime minister. On one occasion when some worthies in New Delhi were particularly incensed with Reddy, they sought the prime ministers intervention to upbraid the RBI governor. At one such meeting with the prime minister, a senior policymaker in Delhi raised his voice in exasperation, Does the governor know who the sovereign is? The reference was to the fact that the last word on policy would have to be that of the Government of India, not the governor. My guess is that question may well have been echoed in more recent months. In response to that question even the tough-talking and independent-minded Reddy made sure he had an open line of communication with the prime minister, that he knew the prime ministers mind and there was no misunderstanding between the two. Maybe even Rajan was mindful of the prime ministers views on policy in its narrow economic terms, monetary and exchange rate policy, but he seemed to be unmindful of Mr Modis larger policy thinking and goals. From Jawaharlal Nehru to Manmohan Singh, every single prime minister has appointed his trusted man (and till now, it has only been a man!) to the job. Morarji Desai appointed the highly-talented IG Patel in 1979 and when his three year term ended, Indira Gandhi did not give him an extension. She replaced him in 1982 with Manmohan Singh. Rajiv replaced Manmohan Singh at the end of the latters three year term. With the exception of S Venkitaramanan (1990-91), all governors appointed by one prime minister were replaced at the end of their term by the next one. Subba Rao secured a second term from the same prime minister who gave him his first. Modi has merely kept in step with precedent. Rajan has very impressive academic credentials and international experience, he spotted a black swan on one occasion and he is very articulate. However, it seems from the outside that he was not willing to come to terms with Indias political economy. To imagine that the central bank is independent of a nations political economy is at best, naive and at worst, arrogant. The Prime Minister of India does not decide who his central bank governor should be on the basis of an editorial view of the Economist or a Wall Street fund manager. Nor would the head of government in China or any other large sovereign republic. Those who think he should, and there are many in the globalised financial sector, in academia and in the media who seem to, live in a different world. "By all means, marry. If you get a good wife, you'll become happy; if you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher" The timeless tip about marriage is commonly attributed to Socrates, the Greek philosopher who had a profound influence on ancient and modern philosophy. It is a pity that Communism was unheard of in 470 BCE, so we have no way of knowing what the ancient Athenian would have made of it. But the quote mentioned above about conjugal relationship and the frequent fights that according to Socrates spice up marriages can just as well be applied to comrades in India who are each on the verge of turning into profound philosophers, going by the way they are found bickering at every given opportunity. And on the subject of marriages, in this domestic potboiler, the Congress has emerged as the proverbial other woman (or man, if you like) who has been sulking and throwing jealous fits at the way the triangular love affair is taking shape. Well may the Left in India battle for political relevance; scratch a comrade even lightly and highfalutin theories about 'democratic centralism' will ooze out. The chaotic scenes that dominated the CPM's three-day Central Committee meeting in New Delhi, however, saw neither democracy nor centralism, rather a Bollywood style fight sequence between the Sitaram Yechury and Prakash Karat camps. It is reliably learnt that comrades these days are having a hard time raising party funds. Telecasting live on prime time, the T20 match between CPM's squabbling factions would have ensured a steady stream of revenue. As the dust settled in the meeting of CPM's highest decision-making body that was held to assess the Assembly poll results, what emerged was that Jagmati Sangwan, women's rights activist and a senior Central Committee member, has been expelled on grounds of "gross indiscipline". Sangwan, a member of the All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA), had been severely critical of the Bengal unit's decision to tie up with the Congress ahead of West Bengal Assembly elections which resulted in a humiliating loss for the Left Front with the party finishing with just 26 of 294 seats, its worst performance in 40 years in a state in which it had ruled uninterrupted for 34 years till 2011. The Congress, with 44 seats, in effect became the senior partner. She wanted the Central Committee to take action against Bengal leaders and sought the resignation of Surjya Kanta Mishra, the secretary of CPM's Bengal unit, on the ground that by aligning with a 'neoliberal' party, the leaders have violated the party's sacrosanct political-tactical line (PTL) which was adopted during the Vishakhapatnam party conclave. Sangwan found support from the Left's leaders from Kerala, Tripura and Assam units with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan advocating that for the CPM, both the BJP and the Congress were equal enemies. "I told the meeting it was a wrong decision to have the tie-up, which was a violation of the party's political-tactical line," Sangwan was quoted, as saying by news agency PTI. "The political-tactical line and democratic centralism are the lifeline of a communist party, which have to be maintained at all cost," she said. But the CPM, which professes to go by the book and prides itself on its inner-party discipline, failed to take action against the Bengal leaders who transgressed the fabled PTL and went ahead to clasp the Congress in a desperate embrace. And when voices were raised against the violation, the CPM could do little beyond drawing up a resolution which mirrored the statement it had released in May after a Politburo meeting, that "the electoral tactics adopted in West Bengal was not in consonance with the decision not to have an alliance or understanding with the Congress." It just added three more words, that this violation of the party line "should be rectified". It was, in all purposes, a thoroughly lame attempt at ensuring party discipline, ostensibly because the Bengal leadership led by Mishra and Biman Bose defiantly argued that the alliance was a matter of survival with some leaders from the state threatening to even resign. That this blackmailing tactic worked became clear when instead of the leaders who had crossed the line, it was Sangwan who resigned in protest and was later expelled. Consider the predicament of a party which holds 'democratic centralism' as its guiding principle. Adopted in 1921 by the 10th Congress of the All-Russian Communist Party in the form of a resolution written by Vladimir Lenin, the code holds that free discussion within the party should be tolerated and even encouraged up to a point, but, once a vote was taken, all discussion had to end. The decision of the majority should constitute the current party line and be binding upon all members. In a way, the Bengal leaders can't be faulted. The party faces a bleak future in the state. Mamata Banerjee has usurped the leftist-socialist platform and has rendered the CPM politically and ideologically irrelevant. For a party that is fighting against total erosion of base, clutching at any straws is inevitable. The tie-up with Congress did not result in electoral benefits, but at least it saved the CPM from becoming just a letterhead. The Bengal leaders are believed to have made the point in the meeting that political-tactical party line carries little sense for a party that is going through an existential crisis. Any "rectification" of this desperate measure may result in either factionalisation the glimpse of what was witnessed in Delhi on Monday or obliteration of the signboard. The Congress, meanwhile, has been keeping an eye on proceedings and feeling understandably nervous. If the alliance breaks in Bengal, then the Mamata juggernaut will flatten India's Grand Old Party as well. Hence, senior Congress leader and party MP Pradip Bhattacharya, one of the architects of the alliance, said: We can very well understand that this decision of rectifying the alliance with Congress has been driven by blind anti-Congress stance of a section of CPM leaders. I will say, if they back out of the peoples alliance and betray the hopes of masses, then it will be a historic blunder on the part of the CPM." The weird courtship of two fading forces make for a gripping, if sorry spectacle. Following the 1998 Lok Sabha elections, when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was busy preparing the list of his council of ministers, an unscheduled visit by RSS Sar Karyavah (general secretary) KS Sudarshan upended his meticulous planning. Sudarshan carried a specific and unambiguous message, that those who lost Lok Sabha polls must not be inducted in the council of ministers. Without making it obvious, Sudarshans conditionality eliminated the possibility of induction of two close associates of Vajpayee in the cabinet Jaswant Singh and Pramod Mahajan as both had lost their respective elections. Though Vajpayee initially acquiesced to Sudarshans demand, he ultimately succeeded in throwing off his handcuffs and inducted Singh and Mahajan in his council of ministers, with important assignments. In spite of Vajpayees excellent personal rapport with the then RSS chief, Rajendra Singh alias Rajju Bhaiya, his relationship with the RSS remained strained all through his tenure as prime minister. The story of Vajpayees run-in with a strong, powerful lobby within the Sangh Parivar which claims to espouse economic nationalism and is known as the Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) bears significance in the context of Raghuram Rajans decision to quit as the governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) with just one difference: the story of Rajans exit, prima facie, is much more complex than the simple narrative of 1998. Unlike 1998 when Sudarshan by virtue of his position in the RSS could throw his weight around the SJM now plays a relatively marginal role, even within the Sangh Parivars scheme of things. S Gurumurthy, a chartered-accountant-turned-RSS ideologue, occasionally associates himself with the SJM but carries himself under the banner of economic nationalism by raising various political and economic issues. Of late he is increasingly aligned with the cause of reviewing the Indian constitution and rooting it in the Indian value system a cause bound to cause serious headache for the BJP in general, and for Prime Minister Narendra Modi in particular, in view of the upcoming 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. Gurumurthy has additionally taken up the cause of running down the RBI governor on the issue of his handling of the PSU (Public Sector Undertaking) banks. In his detailed article, Gurumurthy was particularly critical of Rajans obsession with regulating the Indian PSU banks with international Basel norms and creating a situation for divestment. In Gurumurthys view, Rajans overemphasis on the NPAs (non-performing assets) of the PSU banks is intended to pave way for foreign banks in India. Gurumurthy was never coy about his serious reservations on the appointment of Rajan as RBI governor during the UPA 2 regime. And when the reins of government changed hands, he only stepped up his attack on Rajan, often using him as a punching bag to target his bete noire in the government Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. But, even his close associates doubt whether Gurumurthy carried enough weight to influence the prime ministers decision. There is little doubt over the fact that Modi and Gurumurthy shared a good equation for a long time. Would that have been enough for Gurumurthy to influence the PM's decision on Rajan? The answer to this query lies in the complex structure of the Sangh Parivar, and the relationship within its various constituents. By no stretch of imagination is Gurumurthy like Sudarshan, or Modi like Vajpayee. Far from it. Modis stature far outweighs his contemporaries within the parivar and is unparalleled. The fact that he is totally immersed in the Sangh Parivars value system effectively insulates him from the criticism of being an outsider. Since he retains his popularity, the RSS and its adjuncts would not like to be seen as obstructionists, even if Modi's decisions are not fully palatable. In Rajans context, it seems to be a strange coincidence that the interests of three conflicting personalities Jaitley, Gurumurthy and Subramanian Swamy converged to ensure the ouster of the RBI governor. It is no secret in the government that Rajan was not at ease with the union finance minister. Though Swamy had no axe to grind against Rajan, his penchant for hogging the limelight seems to have guided his recent tirade against the RBI governor. If whispers in the corridors of power in New Delhi are to be believed, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had once casually inquired about Rajan's willingness to take charge of the finance ministry. That might be an exaggeration but it is well-known that the prime minister called Rajan his "best economics teacher". Thus, insiders in the government say, the prime minister was never in doubt about Rajan's competence and intellect. Rajan couldn't just fill the trust deficit between him and the government on the contrary his constant public posturing on matters non-monetary only widened that deficit. And that cost Rajan his second term and the man denying it was none other than the prime minister. By all indications, the prime minister had made up his mind much before the interests of Jaitley, Swamy and Gurumurthy converged. But the astute politician that he is, Modi left everyone guessing about the real reason behind Rajans exit. And if it seems like the hawks in the parivar won the day, it only suits him to allow that perception to gain ground and use the credits elsewhere. Such as in pushing through the biggest FDI reforms in one stroke on Monday. The U.S. Supreme Court today delivered a damaging blow to the Fourth Amendment "by making it even easier for law enforcement to evade its requirement that stops be based on reasonable suspicion," as a New York Times editorial puts it. Justices ruled 5 to 3 [PDF] that a police officer's illegal stop of a man on the street should not prevent using against him any evidence obtained from a search connected to that stop. In other words, "courts need not suppress evidence of a crime, even if it was obtained through an illegal stop," reports Nina Totenberg at NPR: The Supreme Court long has held that when police illegally stop or search someone without, at minimum, reasonable suspicion, any incriminating evidence that is found cannot be used in court. There are, however, exceptions to this rule and on Monday the court carved out a new and big one, giving police far broader authority to search people who are stopped for no reason. The decision came in the case of Edward Strieff, who was stopped after leaving a house that that was under police observation; police had received an anonymous tip that the house was being used for drug dealing. Though narcotics detective Douglas Fackrell later admitted he had no reason to believe Strieff had done anything wrong, he stopped him, demanded that he identify himself, and detained him while radioing in to see if there were any outstanding warrants against Strieff. As it turned out there was one for a minor traffic offense so the detective searched Streiff, and found a small amount of methamphetamines. The Utah Supreme Court later threw out the drug conviction because it stemmed from an illegal stop. But the Supreme Court reinstated the conviction Monday. Justice Sonia Sotomayor's fiery dissent is worth reading in entirety, and explains beautifully how these purportedly "random" stops overwhelmingly target low-income Americans who are not white. From the Washington Post: Sotomayor "writing only for myself, and drawing on my professional experiences" produced the kind of personal essay that has made the court's only Hispanic member a hero to liberals and caused conservatives to label her an activist. "The white defendant in this case shows that anyone's dignity can be violated in this manner," Sotomayor wrote. "But it is no secret that people of color are disproportionate victims of this scrutiny." She referenced writers Michelle Alexander, W.E.B Du Bois and Ta-Nehisi Coates, and wrote of the conversations that minority parents "for generations" have had with their children, "out of fear of how an officer with a gun will react to them." "By legitimizing the conduct that produces this double consciousness, this case tells everyone, white and black, guilty and innocent, that an officer can verify your legal status at any time," Sotomayor wrote. "It says that your body is subject to invasion while courts excuse the violation of your rights. It implies that you are not a citizen of a democracy but the subject of a carceral state, just waiting to be cataloged." UTAH v. STRIEFF: CERTIORARI TO THE SUPREME COURT OF UTAH [supremecourt.gov] London: Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's longest-serving monarch, today tweeted her thanks to people who sent her 90th birthday messages on social media. I am most grateful for the many digital messages of goodwill I have received and would like to thank you all for your kindness. Elizabeth R. The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) June 21, 2016 "I am most grateful for the many digital messages of goodwill I have received and would like to thank you all for your kindness," she wrote. The monarch, whose milestone birthday was marked with numerous events, signed off the rare message "Elizabeth R". The Queen sent her first ever tweet in 2014 when she opened a new exhibition at the Science Museum in London. Britain's longest-serving monarch celebrated her 90th birthday on 21 April, and a host of events were held over three months, from April to June. The Queen has two birthdays her real birthday on 21 April, and her official birthday held on a Saturday in June a tradition going back 250 years. It was introduced to try to ensure better weather for the monarch's official celebrations, the BBC reported. Her official birthday this year was 11 June and the annual Trooping the Colour was held on Horse Guards Parade, followed by a flypast by the Royal Air Force which the Royal Family watched from the balcony of Buckingham Palace. The following day the Queen hosted the Patron's Lunch, a street party for some 10,000 people along The Mall which recognised her patronage of more than 600 organisations in the UK and around the Commonwealth. The Royal Family's Twitter account has more than 2.35 million followers and has sent out more than 23,000 Tweets. London: Swedish authorities have written to the Ecuadorean foreign office in UK seeking a meeting with Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, as he began his fifth year holed out in the Ecuadoran embassy in London. It could prove to be a major breakthrough in the protracted standoff between the 44-year-old Assange and Sweden, where he is wanted in relation to a 2010 rape allegation. "Interviewing Assange inside the embassy has been Ecuador's request for four years. Over 1,400 days we have been asking the Swedes to come and interrogate him in our embassy. So it is welcome there has been change of heart and some sign of political will," said Ecuador's foreign minister, Dr Guillaume Long. "But since November 2010 and March 2015, Sweden made 44 such requests to other countries to interview suspects in other cases. So it is very common and could be easily done, but we faced total refusal for years," he added. Long confirmed that the Swedish attorney general had made a formal request that was being considered, The Guardian reported. The Australian national has been living inside Ecuador's UK mission for four years after the South American country offered him asylum. Assange denies the rape charges and has fought against being extradited to Sweden, saying he fears he would then be transferred to the US to face charges on Wikileaks' activities. A UN working group had ruled in February that Assange was being arbitrarily detained. However, the UK Foreign Office has called for the UN decision to be reviewed, saying Assange was staying in the embassy voluntarily and that the UK had a legal duty to extradite him to Sweden. Long said Ecuador's legal department will now examine Sweden's request and would also want assurances that the UK would not seek to prosecute Assange for avoiding arrest. digital and print publisher. digital and print publisher. We are Americas largest We are Americas largest The brands you love. The experiences you want. The city of Cleveland has revealed its crowd control plan for next month's Republican National Convention, a heavily policed, fenced off 3.3 square-mile "event zone" the size of Baghdad's Green Zone with fenced-off protest areas far from the convention itself. Though this sort of measure is par for the course in contemporary political events I remember them being especially controversial and aggressive during the GW Bush years, after the Battle of Seattle the normalization of banning protests at the site of political party conventions has led to a steady increase in the separation, with the RNC forming a new peak of control for political segregation. ACLU Ohio has filed a lawsuit to reduce the extent of the event zone. To the groups likely to protest the Republicans, that's not enough. "What the city has done here is draw a gigantic blanket area that covers most of downtown Cleveland," says Elizabeth Bonham, staff attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio, which has filed a lawsuit hoping to reduce the Event Zone's size and restrictions. "When the government takes the extreme step of limiting speech and assembly in any way, the burden is on them to justify that those restrictions are reasonable," Bonham says. "Here there are no alternatives." Cleveland Will Create a City Within a City to Keep the RNC Civil [Sam Lubell/Wired] In 1605 an English Catholic man named Guy ("Guido") Fawkes joined 12 other Catholics in an attempt to to blow up the Houses of Parliament with 36 barrels of gunpowder. Fawkes was caught red handed in the cellar of the Parliament. He was tortured an executed. Here's how his signature appeared, before and after torture. In those days, England didn't take kindly to Catholics, especially ones who tried to kill Queens and members of Parliament. I recently read Simon Singh's excellent The Code Book: The Science of Secrecy from Ancient Egypt to Quantum Cryptography which has a chapter about Mary Queen of Scotts who, while under house arrest in the late 1500s, sent encrypted messages to a group of Catholic men conspiring to assassinate Queen Elizabeth and put Mary on the throne. The men were captured and gruesomely executed in front of a crowd of gawkers. As Elizabethan historian William Camden wrote, the conspirators were "cut down, their privities were cut off, bowelled alive and seeing, and quartered." Mary, being a Queen, was merely beheaded. After launching the Gboard keyboard in the U.S. last month, Google launched the keyboard app in UK, Australia, Canada and Ireland last Friday. Today it has finally launched the app for Indian users, after a slight delay. Gboard lets you search and send information, GIFs, emojis and more. You can also use Glide Typing by sliding your finger from key to key instead of tapping. Highlights of Google Gboard for iPhone Search and send anything from Google: Nearby stores and restaurants, Videos and images, Weather forecasts, News and articles, Sports scores and anything else youd search on Google GIFs Search GIFs for the best reaction Emoji Search Find the perfect emoji, faster Glide Typing Type faster by sliding your finger from letter to letter You can also search and share contacts without opening the contacts app. Switch on contacts search in Gboard search settings to enable. You can also move the cursor easily by sliding your finger on the space bar. It also sends anonymous statistics to Google to help diagnose problems when the app crashes and to let them know which features are used most often, but it doesnt send the words you type since they are stored in the phone. Download Gboard (Free) iPhone and iPad Commenting on the new keyboard, Rajan Patel, Principal Engineer, Google said: Searching and sending stuff from iPhone shouldnt be that difficult with Gboard. Users can now search and send all kinds of thingsrestaurant info, flight times, news articlesright from keyboard. Anything users search on Google, you can search with Gboard. Results appear as cards with the key information front and center, such as the phone number, ratings and hours. With one tap, users can send it to their friends and keep the conversation going. It's not everyday that a company gives up an important piece of its business after it has led the market for nearly a decade. But in this segment from Industry Focus: Consumer Goods, Motley Fool analysts Vincent Shen and Asit Sharma explain why alcoholic beverage company Constellation Brands (STZ -0.33%) is doing exactly that as management prepares to spin off its Canadian wine portfolio in an IPO on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Also, they take a look at a few reasons why the segment saw declining sales last year that may have accelerated the decision-making process. A transcript follows the video. This podcast was recorded on Jun. 14, 2016. Vincent Shen: You mentioned the growth rates -- do you feel like that is potentially one of the reasons why the company is really thinking about spinning off what they have in Canada, which is one of the leading wine producers? I think one of the top premium wine names worldwide, actually. Could you just walk us through maybe a little bit what management is thinking with this spin-off, if this really makes sense? Asit Sharma: Sure. In the company's most-recent conference call, management said, "Hey, Canadian wine business isn't getting the visibility we think it deserves." These conference calls are great. You have to almost have a Google Translate for management speak. I want to translate that for you. What that really means is, "Hey, we don't think this Canadian wine business is returning as much to our bottom line as it should, because obviously if this was making good money out in the Canadian market, then there would be no need to spin it off." If you look at this business, it was acquired several years ago, and has never really been a huge part of the business. Maybe it was destined to grow at a good clip, but that growth never really materialized. Last year, the Canadian wine business booked about less than $600 million in sales; that's in U.S. dollars. The previous year, it booked just under $700 million in sales. You actually see a little bit of decline in that business. Now, we have to look at the reason for this. Number one is that the U.S. dollar has really ramped up against world currencies. Anyone who invests in consumer goods knows this because you've seen the reports come back, and the companies you hold, and they always cite dollar strength and foreign-currency translation. Those are sort of buzz words; our earnings aren't as great as we expected that they would be. But over the border, the Loonie, the Canadian dollar, has really depreciated versus the green buck. It's trading just under $0.80 to one U.S. dollar. What that means is, when Constellation Brands translates its earning back into dollars, it takes a big slice off the top. The other thing which we've seen -- this goes back to, Vince, your comment about acquisitions -- Constellation Brands' management has taken on quite a lot of debt to finance acquisitions, and also to build up capacity. The debt keeps growing, but so do the earnings, because these are typically smart acquisitions. When you start doing this cyclically, like almost every year, you start to look at the other parts of your business, and those that aren't growing as quickly don't look as great to you because they have a limited capacity to pay that debt down. What management really wanted to do here is to trade one thing for another. They'd like to give wings to the Canadian wine business, let it fly on its own; take those proceeds, pay down some debt. Once that debt is paid down, they're going to re-up, they're going to borrow more money, and maybe buy some more of these craft-beer companies that we've talked about. A funeral home in Ottawa, Canada, is using a new body eco-friendly disposal technique called Alkaline Hydrolysis, which leaves only a coffee-like slurry that can be simply poured down the drain. Aquagreen Dispositions began operating in a rental unit within the former Rideau Regional Centre in Smiths Falls in May 2015 after receiving a licence from the Ontario government. Hilton's Unforgettable Tails, a parallel business handling the remains of pets, had been using the same process for a couple of years prior to Aquagreen Dispositions, but it took longer to get a licence to handle human remains. The owner, Dale Hilton, who is from a family of funeral home operators in Smiths Falls, said he watched as the "green wave" swept through the funeral industry, bringing biodegradable caskets and urns. We've covered the technique before here and here, where John Brownlee pointed out that a straightforward chemical disposal process is, if nothing else, more dignified than the disgusting bilking-of-the-bereaved that oftentimes goes on at funeral parlors. Nevertheless, "we keep an eye on these things," a local water quality official, Ted Joynt, told CBC News. Cremations take hours to complete and release carbon dioxide; the alkaline disposal system uses potash, salt and water to "break down a human body in a heated, pressurized vessel" that allows implants and artificial joints to be recovered and reused. In wide use for animal disposal, similar equipment can be seen at Pri-Bio's Thermal Tissue Digester product page. Here is a deleted scene from Dune where a body is broken down to water and the remains given to the dead man's killer, who must safeguard it for the tribe. This is probably just like the funerals going on in Ottawa nowadays. Perez makes amends with lightning lap one Had he not spun his Force India into the wall in final practice, necessitating a new gearbox, Sergio Perez would have started alongside Nico Rosberg on the front row of the grid - and may even have been a victory contender. As it was, his five-place penalty meant he started seventh - but the Mexicans fightback began on the very first lap. When the lights go out he makes a clean, if unspectacular getaway, and maintains a watching brief as the Williams of Felipe Massa immediately ahead locks up and runs wide into Turn 1. The recovering Massa moves to inside line coming into Turn 2 as the Brazilian looks to fend off the attacking Toro Rosso of Daniil Kvyat. Seeing his opportunity, Perez doesnt need asking twice and he is cleanly around the outside of both cars - and up to fifth place - as he exits the corner. Kimi crosses the line Kimi Raikkonen effectively dropped out of podium contention when this move led to a five-second time penalty. Heading onto Bakus gargantuan main straight at the end of lap 6, the Ferrari driver is pursuing the third-placed Red Bull of Daniel Ricciardo - and understandably he looks to pick up a tow. What Raikkonen doesnt realise is that Ricciardo is heading for the pits for an early tyre change - and by the time he jinks right to pass the slowing Australian, its too late. All four wheels are inside the pit-entry line, which he then crosses, infringing the regulations in the process. Gutierrez goes for the gap - and regrets it Starting 14th on the grid, its not the best of getaways for Haass Esteban Gutierrez, who immediately sees the blue and yellow Sauber of Felipe Nasr moving ahead to his right. In his bid to recover Gutierrez carries too much speed into Turn 1 and locks up. The Mexican goes for only space available down the inside into Turn 1, but that space rapidly disappears as Force Indias Nico Hulkenberg justifiably keeps his line. There is contact and we can see front wing elements departing Gutierrezs car - as well as a superb save from Hulkenberg. The damage would ultimately force the Haas driver to pit for repairs on lap 8. Note also on the right the fast-starting McLaren of Fernando Alonso, who in typical style finds his way around the outside of several cars in the opening corner. Ricciardo in reverse He may have started from the front row, but it quickly became clear that Daniel Ricciardo would not be a contender in Baku. Red Bull had dialled out downforce from the RB12 in a bid to keep up on the straights, but the consequence was a struggle to switch on the tyres, forcing the team to move from a one- to a two-stop strategy. By lap 21 - seen here - Ricciardo was rapidly approaching the end of his second stint. His tired rubber, combined with the superior grunt of Mercedes-powered machinery, sees the Australian passed by not one but two cars in a matter of yards. First Force Indias Sergio Perez slipstreams down the outside for P4. And seconds later the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton dives to the inside into Turn 1 to relieve Ricciardo of fifth. Round the outside Few drivers made passes stick around the outside of Turn 1 in Baku, but this was one them. In what was - by recent standards - a pretty good race for Sauber, here we see Felipe Nasr staying to the right of Kevin Magnussen as he passes the Renault down the main straight. Magnussen has the inside line, but such is Nasrs momentum that the Brazilian is able to brake later and pull smoothly ahead of the Dane for P12, despite missing the apex by some margin. Alonso versus Grosjean Battling over 14th place as he heads into lap 42, there is nothing Fernando Alonso can do to prevent the Haas of Romain Grosjean overtaking on the inside into Turn 1. However, Grosjean gets momentarily out of shape as he exits the corner - a small mistake but one costly enough to allow the McLaren pull alongside and to retake the position into Turn 2. Good, clean racing from both men. Three into one will go As the Brexit vote that will decide whether the United Kingdom will leave the European Union nears, millions of people around the world anxiously wait to see how the outcome could impact the global economy. Phelim McAleer, an Irish documentary filmmaker, joined the FOX Business Networks Risk & Reward to explain the sentiment of many in the U.K., comparing the current situation to one in the United States. Theres an anti-establishment movement, where the establishment politicians and people like John Oliverthe working class are turning against them, McAleer said. Working class whites are turning against themtheyve been let down. McAleer believes the two biggest reasons why people in the U.K. want to leave the European Union are immigration and regulation. When I was young, Britain was the sick man of Europe, he said. Now the rest of Europe is sick. Its got inflexible labor policies, its got economies that arent growingFrance, Spain, Italy. The fear of immigration is one thing, but also then the fear that theyre trying to drag Britain down. After the Orlando nightclub shooting earlier this month, presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump claimed the U.S. should start thinking about using racial profiling more often because other countries like Israel have used successfully. Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the political spectrum, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton called for an end to racial profiling. Sheriff David Clarke told the Fox Business Networks Deirdre Bolton that Donald Trump is right on this, not only is he right but hes talking responsibly. Now Mrs. Clinton is saying she would prohibit federal law enforcement agencies from using these tools. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani said on Fox and Friends that profiling should be used if there are hard facts that can lead to the protection of the population. Major Giuliani gets it, Donald Trump gets it, I get it, the only people that dont seem to get it are Barack Obama, Loretta Lynch and their policies which tie the hands of federal law enforcement and thats why theyre not in a real good position to preempt these attacks, Clarke said. He added that large-scale terror attacks should never be able to happen in the U.S. When a guy takes weeks and hes out and he has to do a lot of things that set off red flags and you cant stop that, then I say we have a real problem with our ability to develop warnings intelligence, he said. Clarke also said that the U.S. should surveil mosques and should not be so concerned with political correctness. Terror is an unconventional enemy and you have to use unconventional means legally, to preempt, prevent and reasonably predict terror attacks, he said. In early March, British tabloid The Sun (NASDAQ:NWSA) reported that Queen Elizabeth II was in favor of the United Kingdom separating from the European Union. The headline screamed QUEEN BACKS BREXIT. The story quoted a source who attended a lunch with both the Queen and former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg in 2011, where the queen allegedly said that the EU is going in the wrong direction. Buckingham Palace immediately went on the defensive, lodging a formal complaint against the tabloid with the U.K.s press watchdog (the Independent Press Standards Organization) saying that the Queen does not engage in politics, signaling that the Palace was adamant on staying out of the Brexit political fray. The front page story started a cascade of others questioning what the Queens true thoughts on Brexit were. Even Boris Johnson, the former mayor of London and highest ranking vote leave British official, told Sky News that the Queen should not comment on the issue. As the English monarchy does not have political power, the Queen has largely stayed quiet on political issues and her true thoughts on topics remains unknown. On the other hand, the Duke of Cambridge, Prince William, who is next in line to inherit the throne after his father, Prince Charles, gave a speech in February just a few days before the EU Summit in Brussels saying that in an increasingly turbulent world, our ability to unite in common action with other nations is essential. Many took this to believe that the Duke is in favor of staying in the EU. Prince Williams office vehemently denied that his comments were about Europe. But if Brexit does happen, is the Royal Familys power threatened at all? The short answer is no. The Queen will remain the leader of the U.K., the Commonwealth, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and 12 other countries regardless. What Queen Elizabeth might have to be worried about, though, are future referendums. Her territories have been threatened before, with Australia holding its failed referendum in 1999 to separate from the Queens rule. In Scotlands 2014 referendum to separate from the U.K., it was widely believed that the Queen was not in favor of the country voting to leave. She said just a few days before the referendum vote that the Scottish people should think very carefully about the future to well wishers outside of the church she attends near her Balmoral Castle estate in Scotland. Once the referendum did not pass, U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron was picked up on a Sky News microphone when chatting with former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg that the Queen purred down the line after hearing the news, essentially confirming the Queens belief that Scotland should stay in the U.K. A March report from British daily newspaper The Guardian claimed that the Royal Family was considering intervening in Brexit, citing that the Royals dont believe in David Cameron as PM anymore after the Scottish referendum was a close vote. A report from Business Insider also claims that when the Queen dies (shes currently 90 years old), countries ruled by the monarchy who support the institution simply based on personal attachment to the Queen, might decide to separate. Image source: Getty Images. Most of us are working hard to make money -- to keep a roof over our heads, to put food on the table, to save for retirement, and, among other purposes, to enjoy. Thus, it can hurt when we have to fork over a chunk of our earnings to Uncle Sam, for taxes. With the 2016 presidential election campaign in full swing, it's worth taking some time to see where the presidential candidates stand on taxes -- because depending on who wins, there's a good chance your taxes will go up or down. Image source: Flickr user Phil Roeder Bernie Sanders on taxes Senator Sanders is unlikely to become the Democratic nominee, but as of this writing, he's still in the race. So let's look at what he says about taxes on his campaign website. He's known, of course, for decrying income and wealth inequality in America, and his plan addresses that with various proposals. Here are some: To have the wealthy and large companies "pay their fair share in taxes," Sanders "will stop corporations from shifting their profits and jobs overseas to avoid paying U.S. income taxes." His website continues: "He will create a progressive estate tax on the top 0.3% of Americans who inherit more than $3.5 million. He will also enact a tax on Wall Street speculators who caused millions of Americans to lose their jobs, homes, and life savings." Social Security will be strengthened "by lifting the cap on taxable income above $250,000." You may not realize it, but everyone's income faces the same tax rate for Social Security -- only up to a certain amount. (As of 2016, the cap on taxation of earnings was $118,500.) Thus, in 2016, someone earning $118,500 and someone earning $5 million will pay the same Social Security tax, with the latter person's earnings above $118,500 going untaxed -- a fact that many see as unfair. Sanders wants to raise the cap "above $250,000." (That's not as specific as it could be, as it doesn't preclude eliminating the cap entirely, something that many taxpayers would see as rather fair.) Sanders has also proposed various changes in taxation to pay for many new benefits for the middle class and other Americans. For example: He wants to spend $1 trillion on improving our infrastructure, creating jobs along the way. He would offset that cost by closing the loophole that lets many corporations avoid paying billions in taxes by keeping billions in offshore tax havens. He would make public colleges free for all, paid for by taxing Wall Street speculators. A small tax on every trade, for example, would be felt by those who trade frequently and not so much by individual long-term investors. He wants America to offer at least 12 weeks of paid family leave and medical leave and would offset that by raising payroll taxes -- of about $1.61 per week for the average worker. He wants every American to have healthcare coverage and would pay for that with "a 6.2% income-based healthcare premium paid by employers, a 2.2% income-based premium paid by households, progressive income tax rates, taxing capital gains and dividends the same as income from work, limiting tax deductions for the rich, adjusting the estate tax, and savings from health tax expenditures." He would prevent cuts to pensions by "closing two tax loopholesthat allow the wealthy to avoid taxes on money they inherit andexpensive artworkthey collect." Image source: HillaryClinton.com Hillary Clinton on taxes Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, does seem likely to be the Democratic nominee. Here's some of what her website and other reports tell us about her tax plans: She would enact the "Buffett Rule," so that "no millionaire pays a lower effective tax rate than their secretary." (Buffett has repeatedly criticized our tax system by pointing out that he pays a lower tax rate than his secretary does and by calling for higher taxes on the wealthy.) It would involve a minimum 30% tax on incomes over $1 million. Taxable incomes over $5 million will face a 4% surcharge. She'll cap the tax value of certain tax deductions and exclusions at 28%, preventing many from shrinking their tax bills to a great degree via deductions. She will offer a tax break for caregivers -- those (often women) who are often out of the workforce a little or a lot and often spend some of their own money caring for others: "Hillary will offer a 20 percent tax credit to help family members offset up to $6,000 in caregiving costs for their elderly family members, allowing caregivers to claim up to $1,200 in tax relief each year," her website states. The American Opportunity Tax Credit, which offers tax breaks worth up to $2,500 per student to offset college costs, is set to expire after 2017. Clinton wants to extend it indefinitely. She's offering a 15% tax credit "for companies that share profits with workers on top of wages and pay increases." To foster more long-term investing and also to levy more taxes on the wealthy, she's aiming to increase the capital gains tax rate on the highest earners -- those in the top tax bracket. (In 2016, they're individuals earning more than $415,050 and those married and filing jointly who earn more than $466,950.) These folks currently pay a long-term capital gains tax rate of 20% on assets held for more than a year (vs. the 15% that most of us face.) She's going to retain that 20% but will require these top earners to hold on to the assets in question for more than six years in order to qualify for the 20% rate. Those holding between one and two years will face a 39.6% rate, the same as that for their ordinary income. If they hold between two and three years, the rate falls to 36%; between three and four years, to 32%; between four and five years, to 28%; between five and six years, to 24%, and more than six is at 20%. She plans to generate additional revenue by taxing high-frequency traders who place millions of trades annually with the help of algorithms and automation. She would tax more estates, but only those valued at more than $3.5 million, and only on the value above $3.5 million. (That limit has recently been $5.45 million.) (Note that for married couples, the limit is $7 million.) Overall, the vast majority of tax changes will result in the top 1% of earners paying more in taxes, with the rest of us not seeing much change in our taxes -- though some will see measurable relief, via the extended education credit, the caregiver credit, and more. Image source: Flickr user Evan Guest Donald Trump on taxes The Tax Foundation has summarized Donald Trump's tax proposals, and here are key provisions that affect individual taxpayers: He will reduce the number of tax brackets to just four: 0%, 10%, 20%, and 25%, with that top rate applying to income over $150,000 for single filers and $300,000 for joint filers. The upside of this is simplification, but it greatly reduces the taxes the wealthy pay. He is looking to phase out most deductions except those for mortgage interest and donations to charity. He will eliminate the estate tax entirely. This will help wealthy people pass a lot of money on to their heirs tax-free. The Alternative Minimum Tax has grown into a major thorn in the side of many taxpayers due to not having been indexed for inflation since its creation in 1978, and it now hits many taxpayers of modest means instead of the wealthy it was designed to tax. Trump is looking to eliminate the AMT. Trump will also give significant tax relief to corporations, lowering their top tax rate to 15%. (Note that corporations will be taxed at lower rates than the top two rates for individuals.) He is also looking to end the practice of many global companies of deferring taxation by keeping a lot of earnings abroad. He will repatriate all that money, levying a 10% tax against it. The Tax Policy Center, in assessing Mr. Trump's tax plans, has warned: These candidates still have about five months until the general election, so further clarification and even new proposals about tax reforms may surface. If you're interested in knowing whether you're likely to pay a lot more or less in taxes, keep up with the candidates and where they stand on taxes. The article Where Do the Presidential Candidates Stand on Taxes? originally appeared on Fool.com. Longtime Fool specialistSelena Maranjian, whom you can follow on Twitter, owns no shares of any company mentioned in this article.Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Theodor Herzl's seminal 1896 essay Der Judenstaat called for the creation of Jewish state as an answer to the ancient evil of antisemitism; its legacy, Zionism, underpinned the creation of Israel; in Judenstaat, Simone Zelitch's beautifully told, thoughtful and disturbing alternate history, the Jewish state is created in Saxony, not Palestine, and takes the place of East Germany. The Judenstaat, whose flag, the Star and Stripes, is a set of concentration camp uniform strips overlaid with a six-pointed yellow star, becomes a non-aligned power, sitting uneasily (but usefully) between the Soviets and the Americans, but dominated by Moscow, with a kind of austerity that's informed by a sense of noble mission and a siege mentality that's heightened by the memory of the Saxon terrorist snipers who targeted Jews on the street. Zelitch's story opens on the eve of Glasnost, with the Kremlin liberalizing its policies and markets and the Cold War starting to thaw. Judit Klemmer, a historian and film director, labors over a retrospective movie telling the story of the formation of Judenstaat, working in a national museum that is preparing an exhibit for a national celebration of the country's fiftieth anniversary. As she works at her table, she is haunted by the ghost of her husband, an orphaned Saxon musical conductor who was assassinated by a terrorist sniper in the street as retribution for his collaboration with Judenstaat and his marriage to her, a Jew. Klemmer is a broken person, her only meaningful interaction with the handsome young Stasi officer who visits her monthly to ask her to accept more state assistance and protection. She refuses him, and goes back to the dorm-room in the old brutalist Soviet block she insists on living in, dutifully visiting her mother, wearing her dead husband's huge duffel coat every day, hiding in it. But there is a secret haunting Klemmer: a mysterious visitor has left her with a can of archival film that hints that the origin story of Judenstaat isn't all that it appears to be, hints that the old sectarian rifts that sent one of the country's founders into exile were not all they seemed, hints that the story of her husband's assassination didn't happen the way she was led to believe. Klemmer is an unwavering straight-arrow historian, refusing to accept any relativism or nuance in her history: things are true or they are not. Her job, as an historian, is to find the truth, even if it threatens to shatter her and her nation. As Klemmer ventures into the neighborhoods given over to ultra-orthodox Jews "black hats" to unravel the mystery, her confusion only deepens, as she finds that no one is quite whom she believed them to be. Judenstaat uses the technique of alternate history to offer biting commentary on modern Israel, on the post-Cold War era in which we live, on religion and nationhood. Like Chabon's Yiddish Policemen's Union (in which the Jewish state is created in Alaska) and Jo Walton's Farthing (in which the British make uneasy peace with a Europe dominated by an ascendant Third Reich), Zelitch's story asks more questions than it answers, but asks them from a safe fictional remove that throws a light onto issues that are otherwise obscured by the heat of the day's politics. Judenstaat [Simone Zelitch/Tor] Image credit: Simon Cunningham on Flickr. Many income-focused investors naturally gravitate toward stocks that offer up the highest dividend yield. For healthcare investors, that typically means choosing from a list of big pharmaceutical stocks, since large-cap drug companies tend to offer some of the highest yields in the sector. However, investors who base their investing decision solely on a company's dividend yield might wind up making a poor decision. After all, a high yield is one way that the market signals that a company is in danger of reducing or eliminating its quarterly payout. To see this principle in action, let's take a look at sevenpharmaceutical stocks with market caps of at least $2 billion and rank them by their current dividend yield. Doing so produces a list that looks like this: Company Ticker Dividend Yield AstraZeneca AZN 6.88% GlaxoSmithKline PLC GSK 5.47% Sanofi SNY 4.32% AbbVie ABBV 3.74% Novartis NVS 3.54% Pfizer PFE 3.45% Merck & Co. MRK 3.20% Data source: Finviz. If the only metric that you used to make investment decisions was the dividend yield, then you would probably conclude that AstraZeneca andGlaxoSmithKline PLC are the best buys from this group. After all, both of those companies offer dividend yields of more than 5%, which is more than double that of the S&P 500 index. However, investing wisely is rarely about trying to maximize a single metric, and that's especially true with the dividend yield. There are plenty of other factors you need to consider before you buy shares in any company, such as valuation, growth prospects, and risk. To drive that last point home, let's have another look at that same list of companies, but with a small twist. This time around, I'll add in two simple valuation metrics and what kind of profit growth analysts are expecting from the company over the next five years. Here's what that updated table looks like: Company Ticker Dividend Yield Trailing P/E Ratio Forward P/E Ratio Estimated 5-YearEPS Growth Rate AstraZeneca AZN 6.88% 24 12 (1%) GlaxoSmithKline PLC GSK 5.47% 207 15 0.6% Sanofi SNY 4.32% 20 12 7.1% AbbVie ABBV 3.74% 18 11 16.4% Novartis NVS 3.54% 28 15 4.7% Pfizer PFE 3.45% 28 13 7.8% Merck & Co. MRK 3.20% 35 15 3.3% Data source: Finviz. As you can see, adding in just a few other metrics starts to give potential investors a more complete picture. Yes, AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline offer up the highest dividend yields from the group, but they also have the worst estimated growth prospects. That's a big reason why the markets are shunning those stocks, which has pushed up their dividend yields. Pharmaceutical stocks I'd suggest avoiding GlaxoSmithKline has been struggling recently because one of its best-selling drugs, Advair, has seen all of its key patents expire. GlaxoSmithKline has been working on breathing new life into its respiratory franchise with the release of Breo Ellipta and Anoro Ellipta, but sales of each struggled out of the gate. Things have picked up recently, but the company is fighting an uphill battle as it tries to replace the lost revenue from Advair. That's why the markets are not exactly predicting a rosy future for this company's bottom line over the next few years, which I think makes this one astock to avoid. The story with AstraZeneca is quite similar. Patent expirations have taken a major toll on the company's top line as sales have been in decline since peaking in 2010. The future doesn't look any better, because it lostpatent protection on Nexium last year, and it's slated to lose patent protection on another key drug, Crestor, later this year. That's a big reason why investors have pushed this company's yield up so high -- because profits are expected to head in the wrong direction for several more years. And it's reason enough for me to want to avoid this stock. In fact, I'd suggest that investors should avoid any drugmaker from this list that is not going to grow its bottom line by at least 5% over the coming years. Why bother investing in slow-growth stocks if there are better opportunities out there with similar valuation multiples? That immediately removes AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, and Merck & Co. from our list of stocks to consider. Image source: Getty Images. That leaves us with three potential investable companies: Sanofi , AbbVie , and Pfizer . Let's take a closer look at each to see if we can figure out if any of them are worth buying. Sanofi is a questionable company to invest in right now. The company has been plagued with leadership issues and has made a few high-profile bad bets. That's a big reason why its stock has been stuck in the mud for years and why it remains in turnaround mode. However, its near-term future looks questionable to me since its cash-cow diabetes drug Lantus is facing some serious challenges.To help combat the potential sales decline of Lantus, Sanofi expects to launch six new major drugs between now and 2020. That's exciting, but it also represents a real risk that the launches may not go according to plan, which could put itslong-term growth targetsin jeopardy.In addition, the company is planning on using layoffs to help it reach its profit targets, which I find uninspiring. That makes me want to stay away from this company's stock for the time being. These two drug companies are worth buying The metrics on the table above suggest that AbbVie's stock could be a smart choice. Not only does it offer up a yield of 3.74%, but analysts are also projecting profit growth of more than 16% over the next five years. That's a compelling combination, so what does AbbVie have going for it that's allowing it to grow so fast? The answer there is Humira, its best-selling anti-inflammation drug that is approved to treat a wide range of indications. AbbVie sold more than $14 billion worth of Humira last year, which was up a huge 19% over the prior year when you adjust for currency fluctuations. AbbVie's management team believes that Humira will continue to grow quickly over the coming years, and when you add in the contributions of its other fast-growing drugs -- like itscancer drug, Imbruvica, and its hepatitis C cure, Viekira Pak -- this company's growth prospects look bright. That's why management has stuck its neck out and projected double-digit rates between now and 2020. If true, that makes AbbVie's stock a buy in my book, especially with shares trading around 11 times next year's earnings. Finally, let's look at Pfizer. A few years ago Pfizer was the poster child for patent risk. Sales plunged in the wake of it losing patent protection on Lipitor, its blockbuster cholesterol-busting drug. However, that loss forced the company to undergo a massiverestructuring, which is now starting to pay off. Pfizer is now positioned for strong growth over the coming years, thanks in large part to three big trends. First, it's going to be a major player in the shift towardbiologic drugsthanks to its$17 billion acquisition of Hospira last year. Second, its pneumococcal vaccine, Prevnar 13, has become a cash cow, and Europe offers strong growth prospects.Third, its recently launched best cancer drug, Ibrance, is already on pace for megablockbuster status. Add in a solid pipeline and I think that the company's forward price-to-earnings ratio of only 13 makes this stock a buy. There's more to healthcare investing than just a big dividend yield As you can see, it's well worth the time to do a bit more research on a stock before you hit the "Buy" button. I'm a big fan of high dividend yields, but only when the companies behind the stocks also offers up solid long-term growth prospects. If they don't, then you are probably better off staying far away. The article 7 Pharmaceutical Stocks With Dividends Yielding More Than 3% originally appeared on Fool.com. Brian Feroldihas no position in any stocks mentioned.Like this article? Follow him onTwitter where he goes by the handle@Longtermmind-setor connect with him onLinkedInto see more articles like this.The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter servicesfree for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe thatconsidering a diverse range of insightsmakes us better investors. The Motley Fool has adisclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. In January, the U.S. and its allies began lifting economic sanctions on Iran, after the International Atomic Energy Agency verified that Iran was complying with its nuclear obligations. Since then, one of Iran's main goals has been to replace its commercial aircraft fleet, which is thoroughly obsolete. Iran quickly struck a deal with Airbus in late January to buy 118 jets spanning all of Airbus' aircraft families. The deal for 45 narrow-bodies and 73 widebodies is worth $27 billion at list prices. (That said, discounts of 50% or more are quite common for large orders.) Iran plans to buy more than 100 planes from Airbus. Image source: Airbus. Boeing was slower to engage with Iran, perhaps due to political concerns. However, the two parties have been discussing an aircraft deal for several months. On Tuesday, the two sides finally announced a tentative agreement for about 100 Boeing airplanes. Important opportunities in this market Iran's commercial aircraft fleet currently consists of about 250 planes. That makes it a relatively small market for Boeing and Airbus, which each plan to churn out about 900 planes annually by the end of the decade. By comparison, there are thousands of commercial airplanes operating in large markets like the U.S. and China. However, because of Iran's economic isolation since the 1979 revolution, it hasn't been able to buy new planes for many years. Iranian officials estimate that 230 of the 250 commercial airplanes in Iran need to be replaced as soon as possible. Iran is interested in buying 400-500 new airplanes, including growth opportunities,in the coming years. This makes Iran a very enticing market in the near term. Order volumes have been slowing at both Boeing and Airbus recently, largely because airlines collectively have more than 10,000 new planes scheduled for delivery over the next 10 years. Iran is one of the few markets where there is ample demand for new airplanes right now. Widebody orders are particularly important During a recent sales trip to Iran, Boeing offered its 737 single-aisle jet as well as the 777 and 787 widebodies. The tentative agreement covers planes from the upcoming 737 MAX family as well as the 777-300ER and the next-generation 777-9X. To Boeing, 777 orders are far more important than 737 orders, as the latter model has a massive backlog. By contrast, Boeing has fewer than 200 firm orders remaining for the current-generation 777. Boeing needs to bring in 40 to 50 orders per year over the next several years to fill the remaining delivery slots until production switches over to the 777X around 2020. Year to date, Boeing has won only 12 firm orders for the 777 family. Orders for Boeing's 777 family have slowed in recent years. Image source: Boeing. Boeing and Iran Air haven't revealed the exact mix of models covered by their tentative agreement. The good news is that Iran seems particularly interested in buying widebodies and is looking to get new planes as soon as possible. That could help Boeing fill some of its remaining 777 delivery slots for 2017 and 2018, which is the company's most critical priority. Political and economic challenges ahead Even though Boeing and Iran have a tentative agreement, there's no guarantee that it will stick. Airbus and Iran still haven't finalized their sales agreement; they are waiting for export licenses from the U.S., which are needed due to the high proportion of U.S.-made parts. (Airbus expects to get those licenses later this month.) If anything, Boeing faces even bigger hurdles due to the deep enmity between the U.S. and Iran. Many U.S. lawmakers and special-interest groups are vehemently opposed to American companies doing business with Iran. Hard-line factions in Iran are equally suspicious of the U.S. This means that even a small shift in the political winds could cause an aircraft deal with Iran to unravel. Additionally, anti-money-laundering controls related to Iran remain extremely strict. Most banks are very wary of providing financing to Iran, which could make it impossible for airlines there to pay for new planes. Thus, there are more stumbling blocks here than would be the case in a typical aircraft deal. However, Boeing needs to reel in as many 777 orders as possible. That makes it worth jumping through a lot of hoops and taking on some extra risk in this case. The article The Boeing 777 Gets a Big Boost From Iran originally appeared on Fool.com. Adam Levine-Weinberg owns shares of Boeing. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Image source: Getty Images. Worried about the Zika virus? You're not alone. Puerto Rico is struggling to get contraceptives to women who are at risk of becoming infected by the mosquito-borne virus.Both the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization are raising awareness of potential risks for people attending the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, this summer. In the midst of all these concerns, there's some good news: On Monday, Inovio Pharmaceuticals announced a decision by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that marks an important step in potentially preventing Zika infection -- and positions Inovio as the leader in the race to develop a Zika vaccine. Latest buzz Inovio and its South Korean partner, GeneOne Life Science, received approval from the FDA to start a phase 1 study of Inovio's experimental Zika vaccine, GLS-5700, in humans. The study will be the first human testing for a potential Zika vaccine. This clinical trial will involve 40 patients. Different doses of GLS-5700 will be administered to patients in an effort to evaluate safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity. Inovio's proprietary DNA delivery device, Cellectra, will be used to inject the vaccine into the patients intradermally. Inovio's president, Dr. J. Joseph Kim, said the plans is to begin administering the vaccine to the first subjects within the next few weeks. Kim added that interim phase 1 results should be announced later in 2016. Pre-clinical testing of GLS-5700 on mice and monkeys was promising. Inovio reported that animals receiving the vaccine showed robust antibody and T cell responses.FDA approval for advancing to a phase 1 study was no surprise, based on the previous success. Potential competition While Inovio (and GeneOne, which is manufacturing the GLS-5700 vaccine at its Texas DNA plasmid facility) appears to be the fastest out of the starting gate, others are also working on Zika vaccines. The National Institute of Health (NIH) could be the next to test a DNA-based vaccine. NIH researchers expect to initiate a clinical study in the fall of this year. India-based Bharat Biotech began its efforts to develop a Zika vaccine in 2015. The privately held biotech has two candidates in pre-clinical testing. Bharat Biotech started down the path to develop a Zika vaccine based on its research in developing vaccines forchikungunya and dengue, both of which are viruses that are also transmitted to humans via mosquitoes. At least a couple of big drugmakers are also in the race. In February, Sanofi announced plans to develop a Zika vaccine. Sanofi already sells vaccines for yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, and dengue. The French pharmaceutical company hopes to leverage its technology used for the dengue vaccine in creating a Zika vaccine.Sanofi expects to begin human testing for its Zika vaccine in 2017. GlaxoSmithKline stated in January that it planned to evaluate the potential for use of its existing vaccine technology in battling the Zika virus. However, the drugmaker doesn't seem to be as far along as Inovio or Sanofi. One concern of Glaxo's is that people could develop natural immunity to the Zika virus over time, limiting the market potential for a vaccine. What the news means for investors The market reacted positively to Inovio's news, with shares rising over 3%. The distinction of being the first to test on humans is a significant accomplishment for the small biotech. Inovio can rightfully claim to be the leader in the Zika vaccine race for now. That lead might be precarious, however. Even though Inovio has a bit of a head start over its rivals, some of the other players aren't far behind. It's possible that another vaccine approach could prove more effective. And those concerns about people developing immunity, thereby making a Zika vaccine less lucrative, shouldn't be summarily dismissed. On the other hand, Inovio CEO Joseph Kim made a good point in his company's announcement on Monday. Kim said that "as ofMay 2016, 58 countries and territories reported continuing mosquito-borne transmission of the Zika virus," adding that "the incidences of viral infection and medical conditions caused by the virus are expanding, not contracting." He's right, which underscores the importance of Inovio's human testing of GLS-5700. For Inovio investors, there's an even bigger picture to consider. While the potential for a Zika vaccine is exciting, it's only one piece in the biotech's pipeline. Inovio's lead candidate, cervical dysplasia vaccine VGX-3100, is on track to begin phase 3 testing this year. The company also has several other drugs and vaccines in early-stage studies.Even if Inovio should somehow stumble in the race to develop a Zika vaccine, other opportunities beckon. The article How Inovio Pharmaceuticals Is Leading the Zika Vaccine Race originally appeared on Fool.com. Keith Speights has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Microsoft has been gradually retreating from the mobile market, but recent rumors suggest that its elusive "Surface Phone" could still arrive next spring. The device will reportedly be powered by Qualcomm 's upcoming Snapdragon 830 processor, which is also expected to arrive in early 2017. The launch should coincide with the "Redstone" update for Windows 10. Microsoft's Lumia 950 and 950 XL. Image source: Microsoft. These rumors also suggest that Microsoft will launch three versions of the Surface Phone for the consumer, prosumer, and enterprise markets. The consumer version could be loaded with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, the prosumer version could sport 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, and the high-end enterprise version -- dubbed the Surface Phone Pro -- could have 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. Those specs could make Surface Phones the beefiest smartphones on the market, but it's doubtful that they can boost Microsoft's share of the global smartphone market, which recently slipped below 1%, according to Gartner. Launching new higher-end devices also ignores the fact that the cheapest Windows Phones have consistently been more popular than higher-end flagship devices. So is there really any reason at all for Microsoft to launch new Surface Phones next year? Why Microsoft needs Surface Phones Microsoft's recent layoffs of nearly 10,000 employees, mostly from Nokia'sformer handset unit in Finland, was a clear sign that Apple and Alphabet's Google had won the mobile war. But CEO Satya Nadella refused to admit defeat, claiming that Microsoft just needed to release fewer devices for the three aforementioned markets. Nadella likely knew that if Microsoft stopped launching Windows 10 Mobile devices, its dream of creating a "One Windows" ecosystem across mobile devices, PCs, and Xbox consoles would be shattered. Continuum, the feature which turns select phones into dockable PCs, would also be forgotten. Unfortunately, sales of its first two Continuum phones -- theLumia 950 and 950 XL -- were disappointing. The company actually started giving away free Lumia 950s to customers who bought the larger XL from the Microsoft Store in late April. The PC-docking Continuum feature. Image source: Microsoft. Last quarter, Microsoft's phone hardware revenue plunged 46% annually in constant currency terms due to the downsizing of the business and market share losses. Meanwhile, Surface device sales rose 61%, thanks to strong demand for the Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book. That's probably why Surface VP Panos Panay's team reportedly inherited the Surface Phone project last year -- launching future mobile devices under the Surface banner instead of the Lumia onemight generate stronger interest among mainstream and enterprise consumers. Why Surface Phones could be DOA Microsoft likely hopes that if enough people buy Surface Phones, it can use Continuum to leverage its dominance of PC operating systems to push back against Apple and Google. Since the Surface Pro has proven popular among enterprises which want to replace aging desktops with 2-in-1 devices, companies might consider buying single phones which can do the same thing. However, Surface Phones powered by Qualcomm's ARM-based processors can't run older apps designed for x86 processors, which limits their appeal among older companies running legacy software. Instead, ARM-powered Surface Phones will likely only run Windows apps developed for its "universal apps" platform. Image source: Microsoft. That's why ARM-powered Surface devices like the Surface RT never caught on and were eventually replaced byIntel -powered ones. Earlier reports indicated that Intel would supply the processors for the Surface Phones, presumably to add support for x86 programs. But Intel recently killed off most of its smartphone and mobile chips, which caused the rumor mill to churn back toward Qualcomm. Waiting until next year to launch the Surface Phone would also give Apple and Google more time to expand their enterprise efforts. Many iOS and Android apps are already tethered to Windows-based applications through the cloud, which reduces demand for a "unified" OS like Windows 10. Relaxed BYOD (bring your own device) restrictions and improved enterprise mobility management solutions also make it easier for companies to allow employees to use their preferred mobile devices -- which likely don't include Windows Phones. Microsoft's Hail Mary pass In my opinion, there's no reason to believe that Microsoft's Hail Mary pass with Surface Phones can be completed. The Surface 2-in-1 devices succeeded because they filled a niche productivity market between laptops and tablets. Trying to fill that niche between smartphones and PCs will be much tougher, since mobile apps are now tightly tethered to their desktop counterparts. Microsoft's tiny share of the mobile market means that Surface Phones, even with their new branding, could be easily overshadowed by the latest iPhone or Android devices. Therefore, I believe that Microsoft should probably abandon this effort and focus on other ecosystem battles that it can win. The article Is Microsoft Corporation's Surface Phone Still Alive? originally appeared on Fool.com. Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Leo Sun owns shares of Qualcomm. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Alphabet (A shares), Alphabet (C shares), Apple, Gartner, and Qualcomm. The Motley Fool owns shares of Microsoft and has the following options: long January 2018 $90 calls on Apple and short January 2018 $95 calls on Apple. The Motley Fool recommends Intel. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Starbucks faces claims that it is underfilling its drinks. Image source: author. Starbucks may be shortchanging its customers. A federal judge has allowed a lawsuit to move forward alleging that the coffee chain has been underfilling its lattes. In the suit, plaintiffs Siera Strumlauf and Benjamin Robles charge that Starbucks advertises 12-ounce, 16-ounce, and 20-ounce serving sizes, but trains its staff to make the drinks in a way that leaves them 25% short of the advertised amount. U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson in San Francisco dismissed Starbucks' efforts to have the case thrown out. That's a blow to the coffee chain, which noted in its motion to dismiss(link opens PDF) that "Plaintiffs lack standing to assert any of their claims for relief because they have not alleged actual injury." In the motion, Starbucks said that its drinks meet the standards of "reasonable consumers," though it did not directly address how it makes its lattes or exactly how much liquid they contain. What is being charged? The proposed class action lawsuit, which was first reported by Consumerist, claims that Starbucks baristas use pitchers for heating milk with "fill to" lines that are not high enough. It also claims that they are taught to leave 1/4 inch of free space in each cup for foamed milk. The plaintiffs charge that foamed milk should not count toward the total amount of liquid in the drink. "Plaintiffs allege that Starbucks lattes are uniformly underfilled using three different theories," the judge wrote. "First, Plaintiffs assert that the milk foam, which makes up the top layer of the latte, should not be counted toward the total volume of the latte, because according to the 'food science community' and the 'weights and measures community,' the industry standard is to let the foam dissipate, or to measure the drink without the foam." The judge did deny the plaintiffs request for injunctive relief, which could have forced Starbucks to immediately change how it makes or advertises its lattes. In denying that request, he noted that in order to grant an injunction, the lawsuit would have to show that the people involved were likely to be wronged again in a similar way or that they are "threatened with a concrete and particularized legal harm." What does this mean for Starbucks? While the idea of this case may seem silly, the reality is that it could be quite expensive for Starbucks. If the chain loses, in theory it could not only owe damages for customers served underfilled lattes in the past, it could also have to change how it makes the drinks going forward. In addition to having to change its equipment and train its staff to make lattes in a new way (or modify the advertising of its sizes) Starbucks would also have to actually use more liquid. If the drinks are truly underfilled by 25%, that's a significant amount of added milk, water, and coffee, which would add to its costs. Starbucks has continually denied that its drinks are underfilled and made a statement to Consumeristafter the judge's ruling was released. "We were pleased with the court's decision to limit the scope of the claims and believe that this lawsuit and the recently filed similar actions are without merit," a Starbucks spokesperson told the website. "All of our handcrafted beverages are made in accordance with our customers' preferences. If a customer is not satisfied with their beverage preparation, we will gladly remake it. We will be prepared to defend our case in court." The chain is also facing a similar lawsuit which alleges that its cold drinks contain too much ice. The article Is Starbucks Underfilling Its Lattes? originally appeared on Fool.com. Daniel Kline has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Starbucks. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. NXP Semiconductors CEO Rick Clemmer. Image source: NXP. NXP Semiconductors is selling its standard products division to Chinese investors for a cool $2.75 billion. When that deal was announced last Tuesday, NXP's management held a conference call with financial analysts to explain things in deeper detail. Here are three of the most important things NXP shared in that call. Where the cash is going Credit rating experts recently set a positive watch on NXP's credit profile, based on the idea that the company will use most of the cash from this deal to pay down debt. Analysts built that assumption on a statement from NXP CFO Dan Durn: In other words, most of the divestiture cash will go toward retiring debt papers in order to fulfill the covenants on NXP's debt papers. The current ratio of debt to EBITDA profits is a little high, but this deal should drop that ratio to a sustainable level. Meanwhile, any other cash needs will be funded by NXP's solid operating cash flows. For the record, Durn expects a tax bill of roughly $450 million on the total proceeds, leaving $2.3 billion for NXP's own use. Regulatory roadblocks? American investors are used to seeing company mergers and spinoffs go through a very familiar set of regulatory clearance steps. But NXP is a Dutch company, and most of the standard products division has nothing to do with America. Therefore, the regulatory hurdles will look a bit different this time: "The regulatory approval process is something that we will have to work through," said CEO Rick Clemmer. "We don't consider there to be any material risk associated with it. The fact is this business is focused primarily in Europe with very nominal resources, actually, in the U.S. And we think that China will be supportive of it, given that the ownership associated with it will be a Chinese buyer." So Chinese regulators should appreciate this business falling under local management, U.S. bodies shouldn't have much input into this process, and nothing really changes from a European point of view. Clemmer sees smooth sailing ahead, as the deal moves toward closing in the first quarter of 2017. Image source: Getty Images. How clean is this split? Finally, NXP is bending over backward to create a clean split between the departing standard products division and the rest of the company. All 11,000 of the segment's employees are moving into the new Nexperia operation, led by the same executives and management structure. That being said, NXP will continue to do a lot of work with its former division: "There will definitely be significant shared services," Clemmer said. "We have some manufacturing, for example. The wafer production for the general-purpose logic business will continue to be done for the foreseeable future in existing NXP facilities. There are also shared services in the back-end manufacturing. So there's a significant amount of shared services." Over time, Nexperia may move out of NXP's manufacturing facilities to depend more heavily on third-party chipmakers. But that will be a slow process, and some of the Nexperia assets will also continue to perform services for NXP. Clemmer estimates that "several tens of millions of dollars a year" will flow between the two businesses. So it's a bit early for Nexperia's management to burn their internal NXP Rolodexes -- and vice versa. The article The Nexperia Deal: 3 Things That NXP Semiconductors NV Management Wants You to Know originally appeared on Fool.com. Anders Bylund has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends NXP Semiconductors. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Image source: Shake Shack. It's never too late -- or early -- to be hungry for restaurant stocks. Buckingham Research initiated coverage of Zoe's Kitchen , Shake Shack , and Chipotle Mexican Grill with bullish Buy ratings last week. It's an interesting collection of eateries. Shake Shack and Chipotle have fallen sharply since peaking last summer, but Zoe's Kitchen remains near its highs. Shake Shack and Zoe's Kitchen are still early in their geographical expansion -- with 88 and 177 units, respectively -- but Chipotle is already at 2,066 locations. However, what all three chains have in common is that they were market darlings at one point. If Buckingham Research is right, they will be the toast of the restaurants space again. Zoe's Kitchen There are plenty of great Mediterranean restaurants around the country, but most of them are indie operators. Zoe's Kitchen has taken Mediterranean cuisine, given it a fast-casual spin, and it's resonating with the masses. The fast-growing restaurant operator has been able to grow its comparable-restaurant sales by 6% or better for six consecutive years. It's off to another good start in 2016 with comps up a sharp 8.1% during the first quarter. Zoe's owns all but three of its 177 locations, and it expect to open as many as 36 new eateries this year. It bumped its revenue, comps, and restaurant contribution margin guidance higher when it reported quarterly results three weeks ago. Buckingham Research likes what it sees. It's slapping a $45 price target on the stock. Shake Shack Buckingham Research is also placing a price target of $45 on Shake Shack. It's the one posting the healthiest growth of the three stocks. Revenue soared 43% in its latest quarter, as rapid expansion and a 9.9% surge in comps combined to deliver heady growth. The strong showing comes after an even more robust 2015 with comps skyrocketing 13.3%. Shake Shack owns most of its domestic units, a trait that it shares with Zoe's and Chipotle. This has also proven to be a scalable model with operating profit, adjusted EBITDA, and earnings all growing even faster than Shake Shack's revenue. The stock hasn't been as hot as its financial performance. Shake Shack may be doing great. Its entry into the fried chicken sandwich market with theChick'n Shackmenu addition has won over a new cult audience. Itopened a restaurant in West Hollywood in March, and the chain is calling its first West Coast burger joint one of the most successful debuts in its 12-year history. However, the stock is trading slightly lower year-to-date, and that's where Buckingham Research sees the opportunity to buy in at an attractive entry point. Chipotle Mexican Grill Finally we have Chipotle, which unlike Shake Shack and Zoe's is in a pretty major funk. It's coming off of back-to-back quarters of disastrous double-digit declines in comps. Several isolated incidents of gastrointestinal-related maladies tied to its food has raised safety concerns, and nothing scares away a crowd like paying up for the chance to get ill. Buckingham Research is initiating coverage of the burrito roller with a price target of $547. That's a 38% premium to where the stock is now, making it the one with the greatest upside if the analyst is right on all three price targets. Analysts generally see the chain turning things around, but they can't seem to agree as to when it will happen. Some think it will take as long as 2018 before it regains its 2015 store-level results. With the stock having shed nearly half of its value since peaking last summer, Buckingham Research feels that now is the time to buy Chipotle -- as well as Zoe's Kitchen and Shake Shack. The article One Analyst Warms Up to Shake Shack, Chipotle, and Zoe's Kitchen originally appeared on Fool.com. Rick Munarriz owns shares of Shake Shack and Zoe's Kitchen. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Chipotle Mexican Grill and Zoe's Kitchen. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 2022 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. FAQ - New Privacy Policy Image source: Getty Images. Five years ago, we were supposed to be entering a nuclear renaissance. A string of new nuclear plants were being planned and there were loan guarantee programs in place from the federal government to make their construction possible. Alas, today, the nuclear industry in the U.S. is dying. Old plants are shutting down, new plants are vastly over budget, and there doesn't seem to be any appetite to take a risk on starting construction on next-generation plants. Where did things go wrong? America's nuclear champion abandons its post Exelon is the country's largest nuclear plant operator and has a huge incentive to see nuclear succeed. But it's losing the battle to keep its older nuclear plants alive. Image source: Getty Images. The Quad Cities Generating Station and Three Mile Island nuclear plants it owns failed to clear the PJM capacity auctions for 2019/2020 -- meaning plants with lower energy costs won the auction -- and it's unclear how the plants can survive beyond 2019. But that's not the latest problem Exelon faces. After the Illinois legislature declined to provide financial incentives to the Clinton Power Station and Quad Cities Generating Station it appears the plants are going to be the next to shut down. The company said it will close the Clinton plant next June and the Quad Cities plant a year later. This could be a bad sign for Duke Energy , FirstEnergy , and Entergy , all of whom own multiple nuclear plants across the country. If Exelon can't justify keeping plants open based on economics, how long will other plants last? New nuclear plants have been a disaster Older plants are being shut down, but new plants aren't faring much better. Southern Company's Vogtle nuclear plant addition has seen costs surge more than 50% over the original budget to over $21 billion. And at that price, there's no chance nuclear would be competitive on a cost basis with natural gas or renewable energy. NRG Energy found that its nuclear plant in Texas wasn't worth the cost in 2011, taking a $481 million writedown in the process. In NRG's case, cost overruns doomed the project before it really got started. How nuclear energy could survive What's strange about the fall of nuclear energy, especially older plants, is that it's losing primarily to natural gas in capacity bids and in new construction. If the goal of the Clean Power Plan, environmentalists, and the energy industry in general is to lower emissions, it seems strange to shut down nuclear plants and replace them with natural gas. But the nuclear industry hasn't won the kind of support wind and solar have. That's also a lost opportunity for the nuclear industry, which could be providing a bridge to the renewable energy future. If companies like Exelon, FirstEnergy, and Entergy can work with renewables to be part of the clean energy plan, it could save more plants from being shut down -- and shutting down two plants in Illinois might be the wake-up call the industry needs. The article The U.S. Nuclear Boom Has Turned Into a Dud originally appeared on Fool.com. Travis Hoium has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of NRG Energy, Inc. The Motley Fool recommends Southern Company. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Image source: Getty Images. What: After announcing that its buying a shopping cart full of generic drugs from Teva Pharmaceutical and Allergan plc , shares in Impax Laboratories are falling by 11.7% Tuesday afternoon. So What:Teva Pharmaceutical is attempting to buy Allergan's generic drug business in a deal worth $40.5 billion, and to satisfy regulators who are concerned that the combination could be anti-competitive the two are unloading a slate of generic drugs. Earlier today, Impax Laboratories announced it will pay $586 million to acquire a stable of 15 generic drugs that generated $150 million in sales last year. The acquisition also nets Impax Laboratories the rights to four other generic drugs that have yet to be launched. Impax Laboratories expects this acquisition to be immediately accretive to its earnings this year, but investors appear less-than-happy that the acquisition will be financed largely with $400 million in loans. Now What:After Allergan's merger with Pfizer, Inc. fell apart earlier this year, pressure has increased to close on its transaction with Teva Pharmaceutical and firm up its balance sheet. Allergan is expected to walk away with about $36 billion in cash and Teva Pharmaceutical stock once its deal with Teva Pharmaceutical closes. Exiting Q1, Allerganhad more than $41 billion in debt and just $1.2 billion in cash on its balance sheet. Allergan and Teva Pharmaceutical's eagerness to finalize their deal may mean thatImpax Laboratories got a bargain. The drugs its acquiring will add about $80 million to Impax Laboratories sales in the second half of this year. It will also increase EBITDA by $50 million, boost gross margin, and increase EPS by at least 20% this year versus a year ago. The company'sacquisition, however, does increase Impax Laboratories' interest expense and its leverage, and that's something that makes investors a bit nervous given how debt and leverage is causing significant struggles forValeant Pharmaceuticals. Nevertheless, investors might not want to be too worried about Impax Laboratories. After all, the company's $340 million in cash and $425 million in debt exiting Q1 isn't nearly as bad as Valeant's debt to cash ratio, and given that this deal will boost earnings right away, there should be plenty of cash coming in to cover the increase in interest payments. Industry watchers were modeling for Impax Laboratories to deliver $2.24 in EPS in 2017, up from $1.74 in 2016, but once this deal closes, I imagine that upward revisions will provide some tailwinds to the company's share price. The article Why Is Impax Labs Tumbling 11.7% Today originally appeared on Fool.com. Todd Campbell has no position in any stocks mentioned.Todd owns E.B. Capital Markets, LLC. E.B. Capital's clients may have positions in the companies mentioned. Like this article? Follow him onTwitter where he goes by the handle@ebcapital to see more articles like this.The Motley Fool recommends Teva Pharmaceutical Industries. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. A pending "anti-terrorism" bill in the Duma would require all apps to contain backdoors to allow the secret police to spy on the country's messaging, in order to prevent teenagers from being "brainwashed" to "murder police officers." Senator Yelena Mizulina, who supports the bill, has also mooted requiring all message traffic to be approved by national censors before it is passed on. If the bill passes, it will be an important moment in the new crypto wars. On the one hand, it will show that even an autocratic state can't prevent encrypted communications. Users will just download apps, ROMs and tools from non-Russian sites in order to avail themselves of unbreakable crypto), proving CIA director John Brennan wrong. On the other hand, it will set the bar for the kind of government actually passes this kind of law, giving Americans and Britons who oppose backdoors a powerful rhetorical tool to use in the date. Finally, it will test the resolve of tech giants like Facebooks, Apple and Google, who want to avail themselves of Russia's markets, but in order to do so would have to put themselves under Russian jurisdiction. Ever since Yahoo's entry to China, more than a decade ago, Silicon Valley has been trading putting sales offices in totalitarian states for access to emerging markets. As returns from those markets decline, and the security demands on companies increase, the tradeoff is getting more precarious. Russian Senator Yelena Mizulina argued that the new bill ought to become law because, she said, teens are brainwashed in closed groups on the internet to murder police officers, a practice protected by encryption. Mizulina then went further. "Maybe we should revisit the idea of pre-filtering [messages]," she said. "We cannot look silently on this." Russian bill requires encryption backdoors in all messenger apps [Patrick Howell O'Neill/Daily Dot] (via /.) (Image: Moscow 05-2012 Kremlin 23, A.Savin, Wikimedia Commons) Image source: Getty Images. What: Shares of Medgenics , a clinical-stage biotech focused primarily on gene therapy, are down by more than 13% as of 11:30 a.m. EDT on the news that the company is raising capital through a common stock offering. So what: Medgenics is expected to raise about $20 million by selling 3,640,000 shares of its common stock to the public for a price of $5.50 per share. Underwriters of the deal also retain the option to purchase an additional 546,000 shares, which could push the total proceeds from the deal up to $23 million. If that happens, this offering could dilute current shareholders by nearly 13%. The $5.50 share price represents a sharp discount to yesterday's closing price of $6.24, which is probably the main reason why shares are getting slammed today. The deal is expected to close later this week. Now what: Last quarter Medgenics produced a net loss of more than $11 million, and its cash balance fell to only $43.8 million. If this elevated level of spending persists, this company could find itself out of capital in less than a year, so investors shouldn't be all that surprised to see a capital raise. That's especially true when you consider that Medgenics recently kicked off enrollment in its phase 2/3 clinical trial testing the ability of its compound NFC-1 to treat mGluR-mutation-positive attention deficit hyperactivitydisorder (ADHD), which will likely cause spending levels to continue to climb throughout the remainder of the year. Medgenics could also be responsible for making a multimillion-dollar payment to its Japanese partner Kyowa Hakko Kirin in 2017, if the company exercises its option to license Kyowa's anti-LIGHT monoclonal antibody. A phase 2 study is currently underway testing the anti-LIGHT antibody's ability to treat severe pediatric-onset inflammatory bowel disease. If all goes well, Medgenics believes this could be a $300-million-plus opportunity, so exercising the option down the road could make a great deal of financial sense. Medgenics' technology and opportunity look quite promising, but there are still a huge number of hurdles to overcome before this company starts to generate meaningful revenue from its pipeline. I'd advise potential investors to approach this company's stock with a great deal of caution. The article Why Medgenics Inc.'s Shares Are Down Big Today originally appeared on Fool.com. Brian Feroldi has no position in any stocks mentioned.Like this article? Follow him onTwitter where he goes by the handle@Longtermmindsetor connect with him on LinkedIn to see more articles like this.The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Image source: Opko Health. Tuesday was a fairly quiet day on Wall Street, and the stock market reflected anxiety from investors about the potential fallout from the coming vote in the U.K. on whether or not stay as a member of the European Union. Comments from U.S. Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen showed that Britain's departure from the EU could have economic impacts on this side of the Atlantic Ocean as well, and other questions about the sustainability of what has been a fragile economic recovery domestically are also partially to blame for the lack of movement in the markets. Major market benchmarks were up a fraction of a percentage point, with the Dow gaining 25 points. But several stocks managed to post more impressive gains. Among them were Sprint , Energy Transfer Equity , and Opko Health . Sprint ran up 8% as investors tried to puzzle through the potential impact of a shakeup at its majority shareholder. Japanese company SoftBank is selling its majority stake in mobile video game developer Supercell for $8.6 billion, and SoftBank also said that CEO Masayoshi Son would stay on rather than retiring in favor of company president Nikesh Arora. Many saw Arora as the likely successor to Son at SoftBank, but Arora will instead leave the company. With SoftBank having generated more cash from its asset sales, it's possible that the company will invest more toward Sprint's growth. That could be positive for shareholders, especially given the challenges of the ultracompetitive U.S. wireless market. Energy Transfer Equity soared 20%, reversing yesterday's losses as the trial over its proposed merger with Williams Companies continued. Right now, whether the deal will go forward depends largely on whether Energy Transfer made a good-faith attempt to get a favorable tax opinion from its advisors. The tax treatment of the deal is an integral part of the agreement between Energy Transfer and Williams, but Williams investors would argue that Energy Transfer is using the tax opinion as an excuse to get out of a deal that looks less favorable with oil prices having fallen sharply. Investors appear to believe that Energy Transfer's version of the tax story is more credible, and that could lead to a ruling in Energy Transfer's favor at the end of the trial. Finally, Opko Health climbed 6%. The drugmaker confirmed that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved its Rayaldee extended release capsules for use in treating hyperparathyroidism in patients with stage 3 or 4 chronic kidney disease. As Opko CEO Phillip Frost said, the drug is "the first product to receive FDA approval for this important indication and is one of Opko's many pharmaceutical products being developed for significant medical problems." Other company leaders believe that Rayaldee will fill a vital niche in treating the disease, in part because it also addresses insufficient levels of vitamin D. The stock remains well below its best levels of the year, but if the drug is successful, then Opko could have further gains ahead of it. The article Why Sprint, Energy Transfer Equity, and Opko Health Jumped Today originally appeared on Fool.com. Dan Caplinger has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Image source: Getty Images. To say the PC market is struggling is an understatement. Under the threat of mobile computing substitutes -- smartphones and tablets -- the PC market has posted four consecutive quarters of double-digit declines. International Data Corporationnow forecasts total portable and desktop shipments to total 255.6 million this year, down 7.3% from last year's total. This forecast is most notable because it represents a decrease from IDC's earlier estimates. In March, the analyst firm estimated worldwide PC sales of 260.9 million this year. The 2% decrease in the forecast does make sense in light of the market's contracting at a 12.5% clip in the first quarter, higher than the 11.3% drop forecast by IDC. However, for investors looking for value in this beaten-down sector, IDC's newest forecast brings faint glimmers of hope. Stabilization on the horizon For years, investors have wondered where the floor is in this shrinking market. According to IDC, the market appears to be very close to stabilization. IDC forecasts total PC shipments to total 249.5 million in 2020, down only 0.5% from 2016's forecast total. In emerging markets, IDC estimates portables (notebooks) and desktop shipments combined will increase during this time frame. This is good news for companies tethered to the PC market. Last year, Hewlett-Packard Company decided to split off the company's higher-growth assets to Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Co. while the company's PC and printing businesses would remain under the current company. By doing so, then-CEO Meg Whitman hoped to unlock value from enterprise sales by removing PC-related headwinds. If there was any confusion which business had a better outlook, Whitman answered it by taking over at HPE while Dion Weisler took the reins at the current company, renamed HP Inc. . However, value investors may be overlooking a mispriced stock by focusing on Hewlett-Packard Enterprise. HP Inc. is priced for disaster Hewlett-Packard Inc. is currently priced for Armageddon. The stock currently trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 8 with analyst consensus earnings of $1.60 at the midpoint. For comparison, the S&P 500 is trading at a forward PE ratio of 18. Also in the plus column, Hewlett-Packard's above-average dividend yield of 3.7% is nearly double the S&P 500's yield. It stands to reason the company should trade at a discount to the overall market: In the six months since the split, Hewlett-Packard's revenue has decreased 11% with notebooks and desktop sales nearly 55% of HP's top line both falling during that period. A stop in the PC slide would be good news. HP's other divisions, most notably printing and supplies, are positively related to the PC market so stabilization should positively affect the company's full operations. But more than just seeking stability, Hewlett-Packard Inc. is dedicated to growing its bottom line: In the six months after the split, the company repurchased more than $1.1 billion in stock, nearly 5% of its current market capitalization. In the last year the company has lowered its outstanding share count by 105 million shares. Additionally, the company expects to cut nearly $1 billion of operational costs this fiscal year. Both moves should increase HP's earnings per share metric. Look for the dividend and share buybacks to continue. Hewlett-Packard is dedicated to returning cash to shareholders with a target range of 50%-75% of free cash flow to be returned to investors. Make no mistake, IDC's forecast doesn't paint a picture of a growth industry, and it's a folly to classify the results as such. However, IDC's forecast points to a stabilizing PC market and that's better news than the PC market has been experiencing. For a stock that trades at less than half the market's price-to-earnings ratio, returning cash back to investors in the form of both dividends and share buybacks, and focused on cost savings to grow its bottom line, it's possible investors are more bearish on Hewlett-Packard than conditions warrant if IDC's forecast is correct. The article Will a Stabilized PC Market Make This High-Dividend Yielder More Attractive? originally appeared on Fool.com. Jamal Carnette has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. In just a few days, we will know if the United Kingdom will remain a member of the 23 year institutional experiment called the European Union. With polls tightening, the outcome may literally come down to the wire on June 23rd. Much of the focus on this vote has been on Europehow will separatists in Scotland, Spain, and Germany react? Will this precipitate the eventual unraveling of the EU, as so many British politicians have direly predicted? While the British people will certainly decide on the future of their nation and, more broadly, Europe, they are also setting the tone for America and the West writ large. Whether or not the United Kingdom remains part of the EU after next weeks vote, the larger question of the future of 21st century geopolitical power structures has now surfaced. Policy experts must begin to contemplate and strategize what the world order will look like post-2016. To be successful, they should include policies that assuage the anxieties of British and American citizens who feel left behind by globalization and the ensuing waves of immigration. The large leave votes in the UK and the votes for non-traditional candidates like Trump and Sanders in the US indicate a clear rejection of the status quo. Scaring voters with apocalyptic predictions into voting for stay in the UK or for Hillary Clinton in the U.S. may narrowly work in the coming elections. However, the overwhelming rejection of these ideas and candidates will continue to haunt politicians and decision-makers long after votes are cast. While we ultimately believe it is in the UKs best interest to stay in the EU, British politicians should not ignore the cries of the voters for real policy change. The parallels between these two elections are glaring. The approval ratings of the EU parliament and the United States Congress are at all-time lows. They are perceived to be out of touch with their nations citizens. Voters in both countries are concerned about their economies, and more fundamentally about their own futures. Justified or unjustified, immigrants in both countries are blamed for taking jobs, while national security concerns related to terrorism remain a persistent fear. Americans were promised hope and change eight years ago. Brits were promised that they would be a part of a European society that would allow them to prosper. Disillusioned with both failed promises, British and American voters are close to not only rejecting the status quo, but actually fundamentally rejecting the world order as it currently exists. This anger is justifiable. Voters are expressing their dissatisfaction as a result of their own vulnerability. The voters are neither petulant nor stupid, and politicians should give them more credit: they understand that voting to leave the EU or voting for Trump or Sanders would up-end the system and potentially lead to a disastrous outcome-- but they are doing so anyway, because we, the governing class, failed to listen. So what will UK and US voters do? Is the UK about to enter an era of independence from the EU that could possibly work? Is the US about to shake up an entire system so they might have real change? In the wake of these unprecedented shifts, policy makers must take action now. Scaring voters into upholding the status quo would be a short-lived success; instead the political class in both countries must accept the reality that no matter the outcomes of the votes, 2016 has forever changed how our systems works and what the world will look like in the coming decade. In March, we wrote a FOXBusiness.com Op-Ed calling for the Republican Party leadership to listen to why the electorate was voting for Trump, to wake us from our cushy, sleepy slumber. We will admit 2016 took us by surprise, even though it shouldnt have. The Tea Party and the protests of the 99% for the past eight years should have stirred us. They didnt, and we approached 2016 with the same playbook for winning elections as was used in 1992. One doesnt need to endorse Sanders or Trump, nor the Brits leaving the EU, to implore the countrys leaders to not simply breathe a sigh of relief if the status quo wins, but instead to lead us to a reengineering of our thinking, our policies, and our communication strategy to always respect and put the voter first. Charlie Sheen's HIV positive status is front-and-center once again as the actor appeared on the "Today" show Tuesday, ahead of the release of an expose-style documentary that will focus on the actor's sexual history. Sheen admitted on Tuesday that he didnt always disclose his HIV positive status to his sexual partners, but he insisted he used condoms in those cases. His ex-fiancee, however, claims the opposite. The Anger Management star told Matt Lauer there were two times when he did not tell partners he was HIV positive. There [were] two examples, but protection was always in place, and it was for the right reasons, because everyone that I had told up to that moment had shaken me down. Sheen's ex-fiancee Brett Rossi, however, claimed to us Sheen had unprotected sex with her and did not disclose his HIV positive status, contradicting the actor's claims to Lauer. A rep for Rossi told FOX411, "Charlie's story is just that, a story, told by a talented actor to convince people that he is a victim. Unfortunately, it's just not true and he created a lot of potential victims. Regardless of Sheens reasoning for not disclosing his diagnosis, California law says that once a person knows they are HIV positive they must alert a sexual partner before engaging in sexual activity, otherwise they could be charged with a misdemeanor. California Health and Safety Code 120290 states, Any person afflicted with any contagious, infectious, or communicable disease who willfully exposes him/herself to another person (and any person who willfully exposes another person afflicted with the disease to someone else) is guilty of a misdemeanor. Sheen admitted to Lauer he did not use a condom several times after his diagnosis, but maintained the women who he had unprotected sex with knew about his diagnosis. I regret not using a condom one or two times when this whole thing happened, he told Lauer. Meanwhile, the National Enquirer has teamed up with Reelz Channel for a documentary series called National Enquirer Investigates, which will focus on Sheen. Sheen may have sat down with Lauer to get ahead of the accusations the documentary could spark. Dylan Howard, executive producer of National Enquirer Investigates, told FOX411 via email the special will include an audio recording of Sheen admitting that he did not tell an unidentified woman he was HIV positive. Howard claims, When questioned by this individual [about why he did not tell her he was HIV positive], Mr. Sheen is heard screaming, Because its none of your f--king business, OK? Sheen listed his life regrets to Lauer. I regret ruining Two and a Half Men. I regret not being more involved in my childrens lives growing up, which I am now. But thats about it. We can only move forward from today. Sheen has recently been doing press, promoting a brand of condoms. Selma Blair was reportedly removed from a Delta Airlines flight Monday following a strange outburst. TMZ reports the actress was flying from Cancun, Mexico to LAX with her son Arthur, 3, when she taken off of the plane on a stretcher. According to the gossip site, witnesses on the flight said she allegedly put something in a glass of wine and mixed it in. She then started crying and screamed, "He burns my private parts. He won't let me eat or drink." She reportedly continued, "He beats me. He's going to kill me." Two nurses were reportedly called to assist and checked her bag for pills. Sources told TMZ the pilot told passengers that there was a person on board who mixed alcohol and medication. The 43-year-old was reportedly taken to a nearby hospital following the outburst. Blair was vacationing with her son and ex-boyfriend in Mexico over the weekend. They spent the weekend acting "lovey dovey" according to media reports. PHOTOS: Selma Blair on vacation in Mexico On Thursday, she shared a picture of herself and son before taking off for Mexico saying, "We're leaving on a jet plane. Dad is already asleep. Not for long. Bwahahahha . #fathersdayweekend." Her ex shared a picture on their return flight. Reps for Blair and Delta Airlines did not return FOX411's request for comment. The health and body myths you believed when you were a kid probably seem silly to you now, like that swallowed gum stays in your stomach for seven years, or that if you make a weird face too often, it could stick that way. Weirdly, though, myths about bras are somehow differentplenty of grown women still believe them. Whether you heard them from your mom, your best friend, or an ill-informed bra salesperson, these nine common bra myths just aren't true. Myth: Sleeping in a bra will keep your boobs perky A couple years ago, Halle Berry revealed in an interview that she'd been sleeping in a bra since age 16. And although Berry boasts an enviable decolletage, it has nothing to do with her bra habits. Theres no scientific evidence that wearing a bra or not wearing a bra will make a difference with what happens to your breasts over time, said Dr. Amber A. Guth, breast surgeon and an associate professor of surgery at NYU Langone Medical Center. A lot of drooping and dropping happens mainly because of pregnancy, childbirth, and breast feeding. Then there's this little thing you may have heard of called gravity. Guth explained that over time, perkiness fades as gravity pulls the ligaments in your breasts downward. It's just a natural process, she said. Myth: Wearing a bra will make your boobs sag You may have also heard that wearing a bra makes your boobs loose their oomph. In fact, French researchers published a study in 2013 that claimed brassieres might cause womens breasts to sag more over time because they prevent supportive muscle tissue from forming. But Guth points out your breasts don't actually contain muscle, just skin, fat, and ligaments. Its not like your abs or upper arms that you can improve with working out, she said. Wearing a bra or not wearing a bra doesnt change the fact that these are all physiological changes that happen to your breasts over time. That said, while you may not be able to boost muscles in your boobs, you can try these four exercises that strengthen your back to give your girls a flattering lift. RELATED: 5 Myths and Facts About Sagging Breasts Myth: Bras can cause breast cancer This myth goes back to 1995, when a husband and wife team of medical anthropologists claimed wearing tight bras restricts lymph nodes around the breasts, thereby trapping toxins that cause cancer in the body. According to the American Cancer Society, that study failed to follow standard practices of epidemiological research, nor did it take into consideration known risk factors for breast cancer and other variables. But the myth persists on the internet, and Gwyneth Paltrow's goop newsletter even resurrected the long-debunked claim in October 2015. Guth explains why this oft-repeated theory is bogus: The way the lymphatics work is they go from the edge of the breasts to the nipple area, then out into the underarm. So its not being compressed or stopped by a bra because its happening away from where the underwire is. Other studies have found theres no significant evidence that wearing a bra is connected to breast cancer risk. RELATED: Keep Your Breasts Healthy: How to Buy a Better (More Supportive!) Bra Myth: You shouldnt wash your bra too frequently Think about it: would you sport the same pair of undies multiple times without washing them? Yeah, we didnt think so. The same rules apply for bras, according to Jene Luciana, author of The Bra Book. The fabric breaks down when its constantly rubbing against the dirt an oils from our skin, she said. So to prolong your bras life, you really want to make sure you wash it after every wear. We know what youre thinking: Who the heck has time to wash bras that often?! To save you some time (and sanity), Luciana recommends having a few in rotation. Even if it means buying three of the same bra you love, she said. Theyll last you longer and you wont be wearing the same bra every day. Myth: Do NOT put your bra in the washing machine This myth does hold a bit of truth. Luciana explains that bras wear out faster when tossed in the washer; straps and hooks can get caught on other items in the drum, or on the center agitator. Its recommended to hand wash your bra in cold water with a gentle detergent or baby shampoo, she said. But as long as you accept that you'll have to replace your lingerie more frequently, there's nothing wrong with washing your bras in the machine. Im a realist, and a busy mom, so who the heck has time for that? Luciana admitted. Instead, she advises using a cool water cycle, a gentle detergent (look for "free and clear" on the label), and placing your bras in a mesh garment bag. RELATED: The Best Laundry Detergents for Sensitive Skin Myth: You can keep your bra forever If the bra still fits, wear it, right? Not so much. Even if your boobs stay the same size, you shouldn't hang on to your favorite bra for all eternity. A general rule of thumb is a year, Luciana said. But if its a bra you dont wear very often, you could have it for three years. It all depends on how often you wear it and how well you take care of it. Toss bras when they're fraying around the edges, the cups are stretched out, the underwire is bent, the tops are falling down, or you've started using the tightest row of hooks. Myth: Your bra size is the same brand-by-brand Just because the bra fitters at Victorias Secret determined youre a 34C doesnt mean thats your size for every brand, or even every style. All of these brands use a fit model, Luciana explained. There isnt a machine that determines the size of a bra. They actually look at a real woman, determine her size, and then base the rest of their line on that person. Since theres absolutely no consistency, you might have five different bras in five different sizes from five different companies, Luciana said. That means you really need to try them on at every store to find the right fit. Myth: A new bra should fit at the last hook Luciana said buying a bra to fit perfectly at the largest band size isnt necessarily the best method. Instead, she recommends fitting a bra to the middle hook. That way you can move to the outside hook if youre on your period, since women tend to get a little bigger during that time. And if it gets a little stretched out, then you move it to the tightest setting. RELATED: What the Perfect Breast Looks Like, According to Men and Women Myth: Theres one way to put on your bra Step 1: Place bra upside down and inside out. Step 2: Hook bra in front of torso. Step 3: Twist bra around and pull straps onto shoulders. Those three steps describe the most common way to put on a bra, but Luciana has a totally different method to help your breasts sit comfortably in their cups. The idea is that youre leaning forward, hooking it in the back, and fixing the straps over your shoulders. Then you stick your hands into the cups, and scoop your breasts into the center, she explains. This article originally appeared on Health.com. An intense heat wave that sent temperatures in Phoenix to 118 degrees Fahrenheit (47.7 degrees Celsius) this weekend has killed four people and the heat could be worse today. Those killed so far were all hiking or biking outdoors, but heat waves can kill close to home, too. In 2003, during a major European heat wave, 14,802 people died of hyperthermia in France alone. Most were elderly people living alone in apartment buildings without air conditioning, according to Richard Keller, a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor of medical history and bioethics and author of "Fatal Isolation: The Devastating Paris Heat Wave of 2003" (University of Chicago Press, 2015). So how does heat kill? When core body temperature rises too high, everything breaks down: The gut leaks toxins into the body, cells begin to die, and a devastating inflammatory response can occur. [7 Common Summer Health Concerns] Part of the insidiousness of heat-related deaths is how quickly they can happen. According to ABC15 News, a mountain biker who died near Phoenix was a fit 28-year-old who had consumed plenty of water and was biking with two doctors. Her pulse stopped at around 9 a.m. on Sunday (June 19). Despite immediate resuscitation efforts, she could not be saved. Sudden death The deaths so far in Arizona aren't typical heat deaths, Keller told Live Science. Rather, they're "like shots across the bow telling you that something is coming," he said. Outdoorsy types and outdoor workers like roofers might suffer first, but it's the elderly and the mentally ill who make up the majority of deaths. The medical term for excessive body heat is hyperthermia. The first phase is heat exhaustion, a condition marked by heavy sweat, nausea, vomiting and even fainting. The pulse races, and the skin goes clammy. Muscle cramping can be an early sign of heat exhaustion, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Heat exhaustion can be reversed by moving to a cool location, loosening clothing and applying cool, wet washcloths to the body. But when people with heat exhaustion can't find relief, they can quickly advance to heat stroke. This condition happens when a person's core body temperature rises above 104 degrees F (40 degrees C). (This number is something of an estimate; there are a few degrees' variability among people as to how much internal heat they can tolerate.) In heat stroke, sweating stops and the skin becomes dry and flushed. The pulse is rapid. The person becomes delirious and may pass out. When trying to compensate for extreme heat, the body dilates the blood vessels in the skin in an attempt to cool the blood. To do this, the body has to constrict the blood vessels in the gut. The reduced blood flow to the gut increases the permeability between the cells that normally keep gut contents in, and toxins can leak into the blood, according to a book chapter in the textbook Wilderness Medicine (Mosby, 2011). These leaky toxins trigger a massive inflammatory response in the body, so massive that the attempt to fight off the toxins damages the body's own tissues and organs. It can be hard to tell what damage is caused directly by heat and what is caused by the secondary effects of toxins, according to Wilderness Medicine. Muscle cells break down, spilling their contents into the bloodstream and overloading the kidneys, which in turn start to fail, a condition called rhabdomyolysis. [Roasting? 7 Scientific Ways to Beat the Heat] Proteins in the spleen start to clump as a direct result of heat; they're essentially cooked. The blood-brain barrier that normally keeps pathogens out of the brain becomes more permeable, allowing dangerous substances into the brain. Autopsies of people killed by heat stroke often reveal microhemorrhages (tiny strokes) and swelling, and 30 percent of heat stroke survivors experience permanent damage in brain function, according to Wilderness Medicine. Far from help As many as 10 percent of people who experience heat stroke die, according to the American Association of Family Physicians (AAFP). Heat exhaustion requires immediate medical treatment and rapid cooling. In the case of a hiker on a trail, there may not be time to get to a spot that's cool enough to reverse the damage. Similarly, people who live in urban areas and lack air conditioning may end up disabled in their own homes, unable to get help before they die from heat stroke. The elderly and those with chronic medical conditions have more difficulty regulating their body temperatures than those in midlife, Keller said, and medications for some chronic diseases can make the problem worse. Likewise, the signals between body and brain that make people feel thirsty may not function as well in old age. (Babies and young children also have more difficulty regulating their temperature than people in the prime of life.) The elderly, neurologically disabled and mentally ill also tend to be more socially isolated than their younger, healthier counterparts. "They tend to find themselves socially isolated," Keller said. "And that's really, far and away, the biggest risk factor for dying during a heat wave." In France in 2003, the heat hit in August, when many Europeans go on vacation. Elderly people found themselves in mostly empty apartment buildings when the heat crisis reached them. Some were found dead with their doors ajar, Keller said, suggesting that they were trying to get out and get help when they collapsed. Others were functionally trapped, he said. An 80-year-old in a seventh-floor walkup who recently had hip surgery can't get down the stairs by themselves. "They had no way to seek help," Keller said. Finally, some may not have realized the severity of the situation. A 2013 analysis by the New York Department of Health and Mental Hygiene found that people who died of heat stroke in that city were not necessarily more likely to live alone than people who survived, in contrast to the 2003 European heat wave. However, the people who died in New York might not have been aware of the warning signs of heat stroke, the researchers wrote. Some people during the European heat wave probably thought they were going through an uncomfortable time and didn't recognize how precarious their survival was, Keller said. Phoenix, Tucson and other cities hit by the current heat wave are built for extreme temperatures, Keller said, so they're unlikely to see high levels of mortality. Most at-risk are low-income people or those living in marginal housing, such as mobile homes, he said. Arizona's Department of Health Services has shared the following tips for preventing heat illness: Drink at least 2 liters (about a half-gallon) of water per day if you are mostly indoors and 1 to 2 additional liters for every hour of outdoor time. Drink before you feel thirsty, and avoid alcohol and caffeine. Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing and use a sun hat or an umbrella to deflect the sun's rays. Eat smaller, more frequent meals instead of large ones. Avoid strenuous activity. Stay indoors as much as possible. Take regular breaks if you must exert yourself on warm days. Original article on Live Science. Editor's Recommendations Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Google has a health problem. Its search results for medical symptoms arent very useful at best, and in many cases are alarmingly off base, frustrating patients and doctors alike. The Alphabet Inc.-owned search giant says it has developed a cure. On Monday, it rolled out a new feature called symptom search. The next time you use the Google search app for iPhone and Android to look up something like my tummy hurts, skin rash, or headache on one side, youll see about a half-dozen digital cards you can swipe through right below the search box. Each of these cards briefly describes a common health problem related to your search term. Google worked with Harvard Medical School and the Mayo Clinic to build the symptom search cards. Where possible, the cards will mention whether self-treatment options are available, or whether a related health problem is serious enough to warrant professional medical care. Beneath the cards, youll see the same old list of website linkshelpful or unhelpful as they may be. Before symptom search, you really had to know the exact name of what you were looking for to find the best health information, said Veronica Pinchin, a product manager on Googles search team. It was difficult to stumble on the right condition. The internet is filled with inaccurate medical advice, and busy doctors often encounter needlessly worried patients, says Seth Martin, an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and a practicing cardiologist. Weve all had the experience where people come in with information they found online and its been way off, says Dr. Martin, who isnt affiliated with Googles new initiative. When that happens, its an uphill climb to get patients back to an accurate understanding of whats going on. Click for more from the Wall Street Journal. next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 A 50-year-old man in Texas is fighting for his life after contracting an unidentified flesh-eating bacteria during a family trip to a local beach. KHOU.com reported that doctors had to amputate Brian Parrotts right leg after it became infected at a beach in Galveston, Texas, which is on the Gulf Coast of the state. Although local authorities havent yet identified the bacteria, they speculated it may be vibrio, a common flesh-eating bacteria that lurks in coastal waters and can infect people through open wounds. Galveston has seen two human cases of vibrio in 2016 one contracted through an open wound and another by eating undercooked shellfish, KHOU.com reported. In 2015, the island city saw eight such infections. Parrott, of Jacinto City, Texas, is in intensive care at LBJ Hospital and recently said in a statement, I dont know how much more of this I can take, Donna Dailey, Parrotts mom, told the news station. The problem I have is (Parrott) didnt know about it, Dailey said. If (his family) had known about it, they surely wouldnt have put (my) great-grandkids or his grandkids (in the water). Parrott reportedly went to the beach Sunday, June 12, and a day later he began vomiting. Next, he noticed sores on his leg. Dailey told Fox 26 Houston that the turn of events were abrupt. "You go swimming with your family on Sunday, you go to work on Monday, you have a red leg on Tuesday, Wednesday you have boils on your leg, Thursday you lose the leg, " Dailey told the news station. The mans family said the infection has derailed his career in security. They arent sure whats next for the father. Im wanting to know if hes going to live, Dailey told KHOU.com. Dailey told Fox 26 Houston that she was talking to media to caution other families of potential danger, as the beach didnt have any warning signs that the bacteria was present. "We want to we want to get the word out, and that's the main thing, Dailey said. There's nothing more that we can do for my son, but maybe we can save somebody else. An honest essay has numerous characteristics: original thinking, a good structure, balanced arguments, and plenty more. But one aspect often overlooked is that an honest essay should be interesting. It should spark the readers curiosity, keep them absorbed, make them want to stay reading and learn more. An uneventful article risks losing the readers attention; whether or not the points you create are excellent, a flat style, or poor handling of a dry subject material can undermine the positive aspects of the essay. The matter is that a lot of students think that essays should be like this: they believe that a flat, dry style is suited to the needs of educational writing and dont even consider that the teacher reading their essay wants to search out the essay interesting. You might want to have online essay editor service to boost your confidence in writing with an error-free output. Academic writing doesnt need to be and shouldnt be bland. The excellent news is that there is much stuff you can do to create your essay more attractive, while youll be able only to do such a lot while remaining within the formal confines of educational writing. Lets study what theyre. Have an interest in what youre writing about Dont go overboard, but youll be able to let your passion for your subject show. If theres one thing bound to inject interest into your writing, its being fascinated by what youre writing about. Passion for a subject matter comes across naturally in your essay, typically making it more lively and fascinating and infusing an infectious enthusiasm into your words within the same way that its easy to talk knowledgeably to someone about something you discover fascinating. Include fascinating details Another factor that may make an essay boring maybe a dry material. Some topic areas are naturally dry, and it falls to you to form the article more interesting through your written style and by trying to seek out fascinating snippets of knowledge to incorporate, which will liven it up a small amount and make the data easier to relate to. A way of doing this with a dry subject is to create what youre talking about that seems relevant to the critical world, as this is often easier for the reader to relate to. Emulate the fashion of writers you discover interesting When you read lots, you subconsciously start emulating the fashion of the writers you have read. Reading benefits you a lot, as this exposes you to a spread of designs, and youll start to require the characteristics of these you discover interesting to read. Borrow some creative writing techniques Theres a limit to the quantity of actual story-telling youll do when youre writing an essay; in the end, essays should be objective, factual and balanced, which doesnt, initially glance, feel considerably like story-telling. However, youll apply a number of the principles of story-telling to create your writing more interesting. consider your own opinion Take the time to figure out what its that you think instead of regurgitating the opinions of others. Cut the waffle Rambling on and on is dull and almost bound to lose the interest of your reader. Youre in danger of waffling if youre not completely clear about what you wish to mention or havent thought carefully about how youre visiting structure your argument. Doing all your research correctly and writing an essay plan before you begin will help prevent this problem. Editing is a vital part of the essay-writing process, so edit the waffle once youve done a primary draft. Read through your essay objectively and eliminate the bits that arent relevant to the argument or labor the purpose. employing a thesaurus isnt always a decent thing Avoid using unfamiliar words in an essay; theres too great a likelihood that youre misusing them. You may think that employing a thesaurus to seek out more complicated words will make your writing more exciting or sound more academic, but using overly high-brow language can have the incorrect effect. Avoid repetitive phrasing Please avoid using the identical phrase structure again and again: its a recipe for dullness! Instead, use a variety of syntax that demonstrates your writing capabilities and makes your writing more interesting. Mix simple, compound, and complicated sentences to avoid your paper becoming predictable. Use some figurative language Using analogies with nature can often make concepts more accessible for readers to know. As weve already seen, its easy to finish up rambling when youre explaining complex concepts mainly after you dont know it yourself. One way of forcing yourself to think about a couple of pictures, present it more simply and engagingly is to form figurative language. This implies explaining something by comparing it with something else, as in an analogy. Employ rhetorical questions Anticipate the questions your reader might ask. One of the ways ancient orators held the eye of their audiences and increased the dramatic effect of their speeches was by using the statement. A decent place to use a statement is at the top of a paragraph, to steer into the following one, or at the start of a replacement section to introduce a brand new area for exploration. Proofread Finally, you may write the top interesting essay an instructor has ever read. Still, youll undermine your good work if its plagued by errors, which distract the reader from the particular content and can probably annoy them. When too many surgery patients come back to a hospital after being sent home, the hospital can be fined by the federal government. But a new study suggests many of those so-called readmissions are not the hospital's fault. Many readmissions were due to issues like drug abuse or homelessness, the researchers found. Less than one in five patients returned to the hospital due to something doctors could have managed better during the first - or index - hospital stay. "Very few were due to reasons we could control with better medical care at the index admission," said lead author Dr. Lisa McIntyre, of Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. McIntyre and her colleagues write in JAMA Surgery that the U.S. government began fining hospitals in 2015 for surgery readmission rates that are higher than expected. Fines were already being imposed since 2012 for readmissions following treatments for various medical conditions. The researchers studied the medical records of patients who were discharged from their hospital's general surgery department in 2014 or 2015 and readmitted within 30 days. General surgery includes operations to fix hernias, for example, or to remove a gallbladder or appendix. Out of the 2,100 discharges during that time, there were 173 unplanned readmissions. About 17 percent of readmissions were due to injection drug use and about 15 percent were due to issues like homelessness or difficulty getting to follow-up appointments. Only about 18 percent of readmissions - about 2 percent of all discharges - were due to potentially avoidable problems following surgery. While the results are only from a single hospital, that hospital is also a safety-net facility for the local area - and McIntyre pointed out that all hospitals have some amount of disadvantaged patients. "To be able to affect this rate, there are going to need to be new interventions that require money and a more global care package of each individual patient that doesn't stop at discharge," said McIntyre, who is also affiliated with the University of Washington. Being female, having diabetes, having sepsis upon admission, being in the ICU and being discharged to respite care were all tied to an increased risk of readmission, the researchers found. The results raise the question of whether readmission rates are valuable measures of surgical quality, write Drs. Alexander Schwed and Christian de Virgilio of the University of California, Los Angeles in an editorial. Some would argue that readmitting patients is a sound medical decision that is tied to lower risks of death, they write. "Should such an inexact marker of quality be used to financially penalize hospitals?" they ask. "Health services researchers (need to find) a better marker for surgical quality that is reliably calculable and clinically useful." Children born without the ability to hear dont know the joys of listening to music or hearing their parents voices, but 2-year-old Kaiden Orantes, of Lawrenceville, New Jersey, cherished those treasures and knew them well. Thats probably why, after suddenly developing progressive hearing loss, he broke out in dance at the familiar sound of his mothers voice after being fitted for a hearing aid. "I don't even think he realized what he was doing he was so excited and started jumping around, Caitlin Orantes, Kaidens mom, told Inside Edition. A video of Kaidens reaction, posted Tuesday, June 14, has since gone viral, racking up more than 11,000 views as of Tuesday morning. Orantes, 21, said Kaidens hearing was fine until his second birthday, when he stopped responding to his familys speech. Doctors eventually diagnosed him with progressive hearing loss but remain unsure of the cause. Kaiden currently has no hearing in his right ear and limited hearing in his left ear, and doctors predicted his hearing will worsen over time, Inside Edition reported. Doctors cautioned Orantes against getting her hopes up about Kaidens new hearing aid and explained his hearing loss may have progressed to the point of helplessness. But a viral video showing Kaidens response to his mothers voice after using the hearing aid suggests otherwise. The next step, Orantes said, is getting Kaiden fitted with a cochlear implant by the end of the year. Recently, she got a tattoo on her leg to show her support for Kaidens journey. The ink depicts a hand communicating I love you in sign language. next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 An already-approved muscle relaxant may offer relief for U.S. military veterans and first responders suffering from combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The Phase 2 trials of the drug, TNX-102 SL, which contains the same chemical property as Flexeril, identified a dose and administration method that statistically improved participants PTSD symptoms among several mental health indices. The findings were announced this month at the American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology Annual Meeting (ASCP), and could eventually lead doctors to unroll the first PTSD drug in more than a decade, said Dr. Harry Croft, Chief of CNS Studies at Clinical Trials of Texas. Croft, who has also headed the investigation of 60 similar clinical trials over the last 25 years, said current PTSD treatments either dont address every individuals range of PTSD symptoms, pose unwanted side effects, or have poor adherence rates. Thus, scientists have continued searching for new PTSD treatments. The suffering caused by this condition is significant, not just for the veteran but for their family members, Croft, medical director of the San Antonio Psychiatric Research Center, one of 24 U.S. research sites for the drug, told FoxNews.com. Were hopeful that were on the right track with this medication. New PTSD treatments: Whats the holdup? U.S. combat servicemen and women serving in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are the first in American history to be discharged multiple times, and soldiers today are more likely to suffer from PTSD than they are to get injured or die in combat. It was only after American soldiers returned from the Vietnam War that scientists coined the term PTSD, formerly referred to as shell shock an effect the military simply associated with a lack of masculinity or patriotism. In World War I, soldiers who presented trauma-related were executed by firing squad for perceived cowardice, said Stephen Stahl, a psychiatry professor at the University of California, San Diego. Today, although PTSDs pathology continues to mystify scientists, studies link the disorder with an increased risk of depression, anxiety and suicide. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), PTSD affects about 7.7 million American adults, including about 20 percent of Iraqi war veterans and about 11 percent of Afghanistan war veterans. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense (DoD) have poured hundreds of millions of dollars into PTSD research, and are conducting brain imaging and biomarker studies, Ndidi Mojay, a VA spokeswoman, told FoxNews.com in an email. Researchers with the agencies have also established a database to monitor, identify risks for, and prevent suicide among the population, she added. However, no new PTSD drug has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) since Paxil in 2001, and before that, Zoloft in 1999. Those drugs cause sexual dysfunction in up to 60 percent of patients, Croft said, and other drugs like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) address just individual PTSD symptoms, like depression. Meanwhile, cognitive behavioral therapy, a common treatment for PTSD, has only a 50 percent adherence rate, possibly because its mechanism is counterintuitive. One of the symptoms of PTSD is avoidance, which means a conscious effort to not want to talk about it or be around anything that exposes you to it, whereas cognitive behavioral therapy forces you to do that, Croft said. Demonstrating a drugs efficacy in a military setting has proven difficult for scientists because veterans experiences at war arent limited to single instances of trauma, Croft said. Stahl, also the director of psychopharmacology of California Department of State Hospitals who has consulted with the U.S. Army on PTSD, said persistent attitudes about PTSD in the military as well as poor study design may also be to blame. The sweet spot of treatment may very well be as close to experiencing the trauma, Stahl said. The drug Crofts team studied, TNX-102 SL, was administered to participants six to seven years after their PTSD-producing traumatic incident. U.S. Navy Capt. Dr. Mike Colston, director of the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury at the DoD, said, besides research, the DoD and the VA have made strides toward better addressing PTSD through campaigns such as the American Psychological Association Presidential Task Force on Military Deployment Services for Youth, Families and Service Members, which was formed in 2007. But he added that, in addition to the FDAs lengthy but necessary approval process, a challenge that continues to trouble scientists who want to study PTSD while solders are in combat is, like Croft said, the heterogeneous symptom set of PTSDs victims. Hope for relief in a muscle relaxant? TNX-102 SL, which is the chemical cyclobenzaprine, blocks certain neurotransmitters in the brain and receptors that scientists believe causes arousal responses and recurrent thinking, two signs of PTSD. The drug blocks the histamine receptor, too, which causes the side effects dry mouth and day sedation. For the study, Crofts team randomized about 230 patients to take either 2.8 milligrams or 5.6 milligrams, or a placebo once a day for 12 weeks, sublingually, before bedtime. Flexeril is typically taken at a 30 milligram dose and orally. Neither researchers nor the patients knew which dose they received, making it double-blinded. Participants had to either serve in the military or be a first responder, and have a trauma-producing incident that led them to reach a CAPS score of at least 29, indicating moderate PTSD on a scale of 0 to 80. At the onset, doctors used the CAPS-5 (Clinical-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5, an index of mental health diagnoses) score to evaluate an individuals mental health and functioning. Researchers completed evaluation training to ensure consistency across study sites, and found participants average CAPS score was about 40, indicating severe PTSD. They used other standard assessment tools, like the Clinical Global ImpressionImprovement (CGI-I) scale, to evaluate participants depression and suicide risk at the beginning of the study. More than 80 percent of patients had gone to college, and two-thirds were employed. The average number of their deployments was 2.3 times. Periodically, researchers assessed patients CAPS scores. At the outset they found those patients who received the higher dose resulted in statistically significant PTSD symptom improvement. Those patients CGI-I scores, which evaluate how an individuals health changes over time, showed similar results to that of effective antidepressants. Not only did TNX-102 SL help patients sleep better, but it also reduced arousal and reactivity, anxiety, hypervigilance, and trouble concentrating all symptoms of PTSD Croft said. The good news is because it goes directly into the bloodstream at a much smaller dose than the oral medication used for muscle relaxation, it seems to be well tolerated, and it was well tolerated in this study, Croft said. When applied under the tongue instead of orally, the drug bypasses the liver and avoids getting metabolized. As a result TNX-102 SL has a shorter half-life and produces norepinephrine at lower levels. That neurotransmitter is thought to worsen PTSD, Croft said. The future of TNX-102 SL Study participant Mark Bratton was deployed five times overseas, two that were combat related, during his service in the U.S. Marine Corps from 2004 to 2013. His personal relationships suffered and he began coping with depression in 2007, when he returned home to Harlingen, Texas, from Iraq. But he pushed his discomfort aside because he didnt want to be perceived negatively in the military or risk not being deployed again, he said. He was diagnosed four months before he was discharged from the Marines, and since then hes tried several approaches from Zoloft to cognitive behavioral therapy, to Wellbutrin, a mood stabilizer to ease his symptoms. Therapy helped for a while, as did the Wellbutrin, but Zoloft made him feel cloudy and zombie like, he said. TNX-102 SL, along with his service dog, a yellow Labrador retriever named Benny, has helped Bratton feel safer in crowds by reducing hypervigilance, and has helped him sleep better at night with fewer nightmares. My depression started to ease up, and all these feelings of worthlessness, and just not feeling good about myself, started to subside, Bratton, 30, told FoxNews.com of his experience with the drug. Bratton, whos now studying history at Texas A&M University, said he was worried about stopping the drug after the study ended. But, to his surprise, the relief continued. I think it flipped a switch on in my head, and I knew how I could be, and knew I could feel great and knew I could feel normal, he said. Stahl said it makes complete sense that TNX-102 SL helps relieve PTSD symptoms based on its mechanisms. He is part of an effort in California thats working to reclassify drugs from their market names to their chemical properties. The idea is to help scientists more easily repurpose drugs for different conditions, like cyclobenzaprine. Despite its potential promise, Stahl said he was skeptical over whether there would be enough resources to get TNX-102 SL to market. According to a 2014 report by the Tufts Center for Study of Drug Development, the cost of developing a prescription drug and making it commercially available has surpassed $2.5 billion. Colston called cyclobenzaprine an innovative approach that could make for a good adjunct to current treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy. Phase 3 studies of TNX-102 SL, which would be conducted in a larger population of veterans with both combat- and non-combat-related PTSD, may begin as early as the first quarter of 2017. Because of this study, theyll probably use the higher dose, Croft said. Were very excited about finally, hopefully, having something that will make a real difference for these folks because, as you know, theyre suffering and their families are suffering. Three years after President Obama said wrongdoers involved in the IRS political persecution scandal should be held "fully accountable," no one has been held accountable. Aside from Lois Lerner -- whom Obama's Department of Justice refuses to prosecute -- no one exemplifies the wrongdoing at the IRS more than its current commissioner, John Koskinen. The House Judiciary Committee will vote this week on whether or not to impeach Koskinen; they should do so and the full House should follow and then the Senate should convict him, if there's any rule of law left in America. Three years after the IRS admitted to targeting conservative organizations, the targeting continues unabated. But now, the targeting operation is even more sinister. From 2009 to 2013, the IRS singled out conservative non-profit groups seeking tax-exempt status and subjected them to excessive delays lasting years, and intrusive questionnaires. In many cases, those questionnaires helped fuel IRS audits of individuals and small businesses. As the president of the nations largest grassroots tea party organization, I can attest to the devastating impact of the targeting scandal. Once it became clear in 2013 that our worst fears had been correct and that the IRS had been violating our First Amendment rights, hundreds of organizations attempted to join a class-action lawsuit. But until this week, the IRS refused to disclose the list of organizations it had targeted. Only after a federal judge turned up the heat on the IRS to release the list did the agency provide the information. Dont miss this: The IRS stubbornly refused for three years! to provide that basic information, which left groups in the dark about whether or not they could even seek damages. The IRS was thus able to further victimize the victims of its targeting scandal, making it impossible for the legal case to advance. The issue at hand is by no means trivial. The right to seek redress from the government for grievances is such a fundamental right that undergirds all other rights and thats precisely why it is included in the First Amendment. The IRSs 2013 admission of guilt marked the beginning of a new chapter in the IRSs targeting playbook. This new phase is even more shocking because it has been conducted in plain sight with the public, the courts, and Congress all scrutinizing the agency. Far from being chastened after getting caught red-handed in the first targeting scandal, the IRS seems almost emboldened to continue the targeting after getting away with flouting the law. During the initial phase of targeting, the IRS went to great lengths to cover its tracks. Records were purged, files were deleted, emails were mysteriously lost, and, incredibly, computer servers allegedly vanished into thin air. In the first phase, the IRS was so conscious of the severity of its wrongdoing that IRS employees across a broad spectrum of seniority engaged in a massive attempt to cover up the agencys wrongdoing. Todays IRS targeting scandal is entirely different because the agency no longer bothers with the cover-up. The IRSs in-broad-daylight targeting is reminiscent of a childhood dare: Yeah, we target conservatives. And just what are you going to do about it? To see the IRSs cavalier attitude on display, one need only look at how the IRS has refused to cooperate with the Congressional investigations. Rather than comply with the investigations, the IRS has consistently slow-walked requests, lost pertinent information, and outright lied to members of Congress and the investigators. IRS Commissioner John Koskinen is the worst offender and has lied shamelessly to Congress about nearly every aspect of the targeting scandal. Confidence in the federal government is at an all-time low. And is it any wonder? It is deflating to our nations morale that the IRS arguably the most feared federal agency can trample on our First Amendment protections, defy Congress, and make a mockery of our system of justice with impunity. In an effort to restore accountability to an agency gone wild, House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz recently introduced an impeachment resolution to remove John Koskinen from his position for his role in perpetuating the scandal and hampering the investigations. Impeachment is, of course, an extraordinary measure and should be reserved only for the most egregious misconduct. In Federalist No. 65, Alexander Hamilton explained that impeachment is appropriate to address those offenses which proceed from the misconduct of public men, or, in other words, from the abuse or violation of some public trust. Mr. Koskinens disregard for the rule of law meets Hamiltons exacting requirements for impeachment. In fact, Koskinens misconduct demands impeachment if we are to restore the public trust and move past the IRSs wholesale disregard for the Constitution. No less an authority than CIA Director John Brennan last Thursday called the ISIS group in Libya its most developed and most dangerous affiliate and noted that this group seeks to expand in Africa and attack in Europe. So, why should we care? For one thing, Brennans warning contrasts sharply with the optimism of the State Department. Only a day earlier, Secretary of State John Kerry said that Libyas United Nations-backed government is [coming] together, and praised efforts to minimize the implantation of [ISIS] in Libya. Special Presidential Envoy Brett McGurk also praised forces loyal to the U.N.-backed government for making real progress against ISIS. Which is it? Unfortunately, Brennan is right, and Kerry is wrong. The progress being touted by the Obama Administration against ISIS in Libya is ephemeral, while the real danger from that group is growing. Secretary Kerry has warned against playing counter-terrorism whack-a-mole for lack of a comprehensive strategy, but that is exactly what the U.S. is doing. Local militias aided by the U.S. in Libya are about to drive ISIS out of Sirte, an unimportant minor city on the central coast, and let it re-establish itself in a desert hinterland from which there are no plans or forces to dislodge it. The U.S. is presenting the militas urban success as the silver bullet that will end the ISIS threat in North Africa. But Sirte is intrinsically unimportant to ISIS. It is just a minor city that ISIS was able to seize and hold, and can abandon without excessive pain. In fact, ISIS has been preparing to withdraw from Sirte since April, and is already carving out a new safe haven in southwestern Libya. The militias fighting ISIS in Sirte will not pursue it into the desert. Indeed, they arent really interested in the terrorist group. They are leveraging their counter-ISIS efforts to obtain much-needed support from the U.S. and Europe to position themselves against one another. They hope to capitalize on their success in Sirte to gain recognition from the West, but also to gain territory and resources, particularly key oil infrastructure in central Libya. Once ISIS is out of Sirte, they will likely begin maneuvering to control that key terrain. For its part, the U.N.-backed Libyan government has no forces of its own and is subject to the will of local militias. Still, who cares if ISIS retains a base in the remote desert? We should. The North African desert is crisscrossed by extensive trade, smuggling, and trafficking routes that connect across the African continent and matter far more than state borders. Southwest Libya actually contains more strategically significant terrain than Sirte because of these routes. ISIS will tap in to these lucrative channels. It may also tap into militant networks that stretch throughout West Africa. From the desert positions it is already planning to occupy, ISIS could deepen its current relationship with Boko Haram in Nigeria, or develop new relationships with the plethora of militant groups active in northern Mali. At the same time, it would remain capable of destabilizing Libya, or double down on ongoing terror campaigns in Tunisia and Algeria. U.S. and European leaders imagine that they are addressing ISIS strategic challenge by forming a unity government in Libya and negotiating with the state sponsors of the various constituent groups. Secretary of State Kerry said that he is working with the Egyptians and the Emiratis to bring General Khalifa Haftar, our preferred counterterrorism partner, and his supporters into the U.N.-backed government. But even if Haftar himself joined the government, it would not end the war. Libyan militias represent popular forces mobilized to fight one another. They will not be controlled by an elite bargain negotiated by foreign countries. The Libyan civil war, like the Syrian civil war, needs a real resolution, not a back-room deal worked out in European hotels. In some ways, Secretary Kerry is also rightthe U.S. needs a comprehensive strategy to defeat ISIS, and Al Qaeda, throughout the region. However, a comprehensive strategy is exactly what we dont have. We are whacking various moles and negotiating settlements that settle nothing while ISIS adapts and Al Qaeda grows. Editor's note: The following column originally appeared in The Hill newspaper and on The Hill.com. For more, click here. Im not one to gossip but There is a flood of early talk in political circles about who will get the vice presidential nods from Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. The strategy for picking a running mate this year is wildly different from anything seen before. The textbook on picking a VP calls for a heavy focus on adding swing-state support for the top of the ticket. The book also advises finding a running mate seen by voters as plausibly able to take over as president. Well, throw out the textbook. No one believes that any running mate is going to tip this years electoral map. And no strong, silent type fits the bill at a moment when voters want to shake up the system. When Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) paid a visit to Clinton just days after she claimed the nomination, speculation kicked into overdrive. And phone lines got hot when former Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) and Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) were overheard in a TV green room telling each other that the other one is the best choice to run with Trump. The dynamics that frame the selection of a VP this year were evident in a Washington Post/ABC poll released last week. It found that nearly 70 percent of Americans have an unfavorable of view of Trump, a 10-point increase since he entered the race last summer. According to the same poll, Clinton also reached a new personal high in her unfavorable rating at 55 percent. Clintons trouble is dwarfed by Trumps trouble. He is viewed negatively by 94 percent of blacks, 89 percent of Latinos and 77 percent of women. Picking a dazzling candidate as his running mate is one move that has the potential to change the way the world sees him. The last attempt to dazzle and distract with a vice-presidential pick was in 2008. GOP nominee Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) got off to a good start with his surprise pick of little-known Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. She is beautiful, high energy and, that year, she had the potential to attract women disappointed that the Democrats had selected a black man over a woman as their nominee. But the sparkle wore off quickly when Palin began to look uninformed and inept. Questions were raised about McCains judgment. Palins family life also became a staple of the gossip columns. Palins selection looked especially bad in contrast with Democrat Barack Obamas pick of Sen.Joe Biden (D-Del.). Biden was experienced and known to be a good guy, while his selection took the edge off the risk of putting a first-term senator in the Oval Office. This time, Trump and Clinton need running mates combining the qualities of Palin and Biden. The Trump campaign went nuts last month when Ben Carson said that Trumps shortlist included Palin. Sens. Marco Rubio (Fla) and Ted Cruz (Texas), and two governors, Chris Christie of New Jersey and John Kasich of Ohio, were purportedly also on the list. Palins downside is obvious; a desperate-looking Christie wont do either. And Trump cant afford to extend an offer to Rubio, Cruz or Kasich because he cant risk being turned down. That problem is getting worse by the minute as Trump lags farther and farther behind Clinton in the polls. Any dazzling vice-presidential pick has to think about his or her own political future. What will happen to them if Trump suffers a Barry Goldwater-style blowout loss in November? Gingrich remains a serious contender to be Trumps number two. He is a well-known personality and an ace with a TV soundbite who is also accustomed to dealing with controversy over his personal life. But Gingrich sharply criticized Trump for his attacks on New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez and Federal Judge Gonzalo Curiel. Trump then did an impromptu poll on possible running mates. He asked the audience at a rally in Tampa to pick from Gingrich, Sessions or former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Rice got the biggest applause from the crowd. Rice is a dazzler but the odds that she is willing to sign on are low to non-existent. Meanwhile, on the Democratic side, Clinton needs a star to bring young, energetic supporters of her primary rival, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, back into the fold. That means Clinton cant bring on a centrist pick. Moderate Democrats with close ties to corporate America like Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia or Mark Warner of Virginia, or former Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana, would anger the liberal base of the party. She is left to choose among Warren and other left-of-center Democrats such as Sens. Sherrod Brown (Ohio) and Tim Kaine (Va.). Warren, however, has powerful detractors. Critics say she lacks foreign policy experience and note that she has never run a city, state, cabinet agency or business. I think she will not pick somebody that she feels in her heart isnt ready to be President or Commander-in-Chief, former Pennsylvania Governor and DNC Chairman Ed Rendell recently told a Philadelphia radio station. I think Elizabeth Warren is a wonderful, bright, passionate person, but with no experience in foreign affairs and not in any way, shape or form ready to be commander-in-chief. Clinton could find dazzle by naming the first Latino vice-presidential candidate. But no one doubts she will win Latino voters energized by Trump's insults regardless. If she still wants that option, then Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro is the leading candidate. Labor Secretary Tom Perez and California Congressman Xavier Becerra have come on strong in the last few weeks. When all the talk ends, Trump has few options. His best bet to dazzle is Gingrich. Clinton has a wider range, led by Kaine, Castro and Warren. Its a busy week in politics on both sides of the Atlantic. Voters in Great Britain will finally go to the polls and determine whether to stay in the European Union. And in the United States, the aftermath of the Orlando massacre continues to reverberate in both the Senate and on the campaign trail. Below are five numbers that will have an impact on politics in the week ahead. 45 PERCENT: Voters in Great Britain who favor remaining in the European Union Jo Cox, a member of the British Parliament who opposed leaving the EU, was gunned down last Thursday by an attacker who was said to have shouted Britain first. Coxs murder temporarily brought the fiery debate over whether Britain should leave the EU to a halt. But with the contentious referendum scheduled for Thursday, both sides have resumed campaigning. Two polls taken in the aftermath of Coxs killing show that those who favor remaining in the EU have a very slight advantage. A Survation poll for the Mail on Sunday found 45 percent favor remaining In, while 42 percent want "Out," up from the last Survation poll taken before the murder. A YouGov poll for the Sunday Times showed a 44-43 percent lead for those who favor remaining In, a 7-point turnaround from a YouGov poll prior to the murder. The polls suggest that Coxs murder has shifted momentum slightly toward those who oppose leaving the EU. But they remain very tight, and where Brits stand on the issue and the future of the EU as we know it wont be known until the polls close on Thursday. 1 PERCENT: Chance that Sen. Diane Feinsteins bill to deny firearms to terrorists will pass, according to Govtrack.us On Monday evening the Senate is expected to take up the California Democrats bill to ban anyone on terrorist watch lists from buying a gun. This is just one of four measures, two Democratic and two Republican, that the Senate is expected to vote on. Despite increasing public support for action in the wake of the Orlando massacre, none of the measures is expected to get the 60 votes needed to pass. 10,000: Number of times Marco Rubio said he is not running for re-election One month ago, Sen. Marco Rubio tweeted: I have only said like 10,000 times I will be a private citizen in January. Yet just a month later, reports are circulating that the Florida Republican may be set to announce his intention to run for re-election as early as this week. Rubio is said to have spent the weekend with his family, mulling over his political, private, familial and financial prospects, as well as how he will explain his reversal to his constituents. There are plenty in the GOP who hope Rubio changes his mind and jumps into the race, particularly since polls show that Republican senators face tough challenges in states like Arizona, Illinois, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. A Rubio run would all but ensure the GOP keeps that seat, and potentially the Senate as a whole. $30 MILLION: Approximate amount the Clinton campaign has heading into the general election According to most accounts, Hillary Clinton already has approximately $30 million available in general election campaign coffers. The question now is whether Donald Trumps campaign has raised enough or given himself enough out of his own pocket to challenge Clinton into the fall. Trump spent the weekend saying he will donate whatever it takes to win and trying to assure reporters and supporters that his fundraising efforts are going very well. This as the Clinton campaign bought close to eight figures worth of ads in eight key states a buy that Trump hasnt come close to matching. Mondays FEC filing is critical because it will provide insight into whether Trump can match or exceed Clinton's funding, how generous his supporters have been and whether he is indeed willing to self-fund his campaign to the extent necessary to compete with the Democrats. 3.5 million: Number of Jobs Moodys says would be lost under a Trump presidency During a foreign policy speech more than two weeks ago, Clinton lambasted Trump, calling him unfit to hold the office of the president, among other things. On Tuesday, in Columbus, Ohio, she is prepared to do much of the same when she takes on Trumps fitness to lead the worlds biggest economy. As part of her remarks, she may reference a Moodys report released this week which, among other things, suggests that a Trump presidency would result in the loss of 3.5 million jobs and an increase in the unemployment rate to 7 percent. Trumps business acumen has long been his calling card, but Clinton nevertheless will say again that he is unfit, inexperienced and temperamentally unsuited to make important economic policy decisions. As Jake Sullivan, the Clinton campaigns policy chief noted, It really comes down to being able to show that every time Trump had an opportunity to get something for himself at the expense of someone else, he took it, in spades. A series of dueling gun control measures in the Senate were defeated Monday evening in the first proposed legislation in the wake of the Orlando terror attack. The four amendments all failed on procedural votes. The first vote was on the amendment by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, to enhance funding for an existing gun background check system which needed 60 votes to pass. The final vote tally was 53 to 47. The second vote was on a measure by Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., to expand gun background checks and close the so-called gun show loophole where firearm purchases are not tracked. The final vote tally was 44 to 56. Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas pushed a measure that would allow the government to delay a gun sale to a suspected terrorrist for 72 hours, but require prosecutors to go to court to show probable cause to block the sale permanently. The National Rifle Associated backed the legislation, but it failed in a final vote of 53 to 47. The fourth and final vote involved a measure by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., to keep people on a government terrorism watch list or other suspected terrorists from buying guns. The Justice Department endorsed her legislation, but it also failed with a final vote count of 47 to 53. The votes came after Murphy filibustered for almost 15 hours last week seeking action in response to the killing of 49 people in the gay nightclub Pulse by Omar Mateen, a Florida man who pledged his loyalty to ISIS in the midst of the rampage. Its hard to believe, but still true, that our Republican colleagues voted to allow suspected terrorists to buy guns," said Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY, in a statement after the votes. "We will keep pushing until they see the light. Since lawmakers were unable to come together on a piece of compromise legislation, the individual bills faced long odds. Democrats helped block two Republican amendments, arguing that they fall short in controlling the sales of firearms. In turn, Republicans were able to block two Democratic amendments, contending they threaten the constitutional rights of gun owners. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the Orlando attack shows the best way to prevent attacks by extremists is to defeat such groups overseas. "Look, no one wants terrorists to be able to buy guns or explosives," McConnell said. He suggested that Democrats were using the day's votes "as an opportunity to push a partisan agenda or craft the next 30-second campaign ad," while Republicans wanted "real solutions." Cornyn said after the votes that he thinks there may be other votes on terrorism or guns later this week. Murphy said Sunday on ABCs The Week that the passage of the measures was unlikely and focused on the response to the filibuster. "It wasn't just that 40 senators came to the floor and supported my effort to get these votes but there were millions of people all across the country who rose up and who joined our effort," he said. Attorney General Loretta Lynch told Fox News Sunday that she also supported Cornyns proposal. Lynch said such an amendment would give the federal government the ability to stop a sale to somebody on the terror watch list. However, she argued the federal government needs flexibility and the authority to protect the classified information used in denying a sale, if potential buyers exercise the constitutional rights to file an appeal. The American people deserve for us to take the greatest amount of time, Lynch said. The Pulse Orlando nightclub shooter was added to a government watch list of individuals known or suspected of being involved in terrorist activities in 2013, when he was investigated for inflammatory statements to co-workers. But he was pulled from that database when that investigation was closed 10 months later. Both the Feinstein and Cornyn amendments would have tried to ensure that individuals like Mateen who had been a subject of a terrorism investigation within the last five years are flagged. Grassley's would have required that law enforcement be notified if a person had been investigated in the last five years and attempted to purchase a gun. Last week, presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump tweeted that he would meet with the NRA about "not allowing people on the terrorist watch list, or the no fly list, to buy guns." Exactly what he would support was unclear. Separately, moderate Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine is working with other Republicans, as well as talking to Democrats, on a bill that would prevent people on the no-fly list a smaller universe than targeted by Democrats from getting guns. But her bill had not been blessed by GOP leaders and it was unclear if it would get a vote. In the GOP-controlled House, Republicans had no plans to act on guns and Democrats were unable to force any action, given House rules less favorable to the minority party than in the Senate. Fox News' Chad Pergram, Mike Emanuel and The Associated Press contributed to this report. A man arrested at a Donald Trump rally in Las Vegas over the weekend told authorities he tried to grab an officer's gun so he could kill the candidate, according to court documents released Monday. The documents also showed that the suspect was in the United States illegally. He had overstayed his visa from the United Kingdom, KLAS reported. A complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Nevada charges Michael Steven Sandford, 19, with an act of violence on restricted grounds. A judge denied him bail at a court hearing Monday. Authorities said Sandford went to a Trump rally on Saturday at the Treasure Island Casino and approached a Las Vegas police officer to say he wanted an autograph from Trump. The court document says that Sandford was arrested after grabbing the handle of an officer's gun in an attempt to remove it. When Sandford was asked by a Special Agent why he attempted to grab the officer's gun, he replied "to shoot and kill Trump." If he failed, Sandford stated he booked tickets for a Trump rally in Phoenix and would try to kill Trump there. He added that he had been planning to attempt to kill Trump for about a year, but decided he would act on this occasion because he finally felt confident about trying it. The 19-year-old said in the court documents released Monday that if he were on the street tomorrow, he would try this[killing Trump] again. Sandford had a United Kingdom driver's license with him at the time, according to the criminal complaint signed by Secret Service Special Agent Joseph Hall. Secret Service agents said that Sandford told them he had been in the U.S. for about a year and a half, lived in Hoboken, N.J., and drove to the San Bernardino, Calif., area before coming to Las Vegas on June 16. Sandford also authorities that he went to the Battlefield Vegas shooting range the day before the rally and fired 20 rounds from a 9mm Glock pistol to learn how to use it. Police detectives who visited the range spoke with an employee who confirmed that he provided Sandford shooting lessons, according to the complaint. About 1,500 people attended the Las Vegas rally, which was held in the Mystere Theater inside the casino. Attendees had to pass through metal detectors manned by Secret Service, police and casino security officials. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Donald Trump said Monday night he's ready to run "a different kind of campaign" while explaining his decision to fire campaign manager Corey Lewandowski earlier in the day. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee told Fox News' Bill O'Reilly in an interview on "The O'Reilly Factor" that Lewandowski was "a good man" who helped him run a "small, beautiful, well-unified campaign" during the primary season. "We're going to go a different route," Trump said. He added that he plans to ramp up campaign operations heading into the general election phase of the campaign, and that he may even have some cabinet picks in place before the Republican National Convention in July. "We have tremendous people, we have tremendous talent," he said. Trump told O'Reilly that he would not announce his vice presidential pick before the convention in Cleveland, but was looking for someone with "great judgment" and "in the world of politics" to balance out his experience in the business world. When asked by O'Reilly if he would support restricting guns based on size and the amount of rounds they fire in the wake of the Orlando terror attack, Trump said the "big guns" are the kind used by "the enemy." "I wouldn't because it's a question of protection," Trump said. "Once you start, where do you end?" His appearance on "The O'Reilly Factor" came after a day when his campaign manager was fired amid an internal campaign power struggle with Paul Manafort, the veteran operative who since March has been amassing influence inside Trump HQ, a campaign source told Fox News. Manafort recently telegraphed through third parties he would be gone in 48 hours if Trump didnt oust Lewandowski, who'd run his campaign from the outset. Manafort was fed up with battling Lewandowski and let the campaign know the two of them "just couldn't get along." From there, it became a family affair. Trumps daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner didnt want to lose Manafort, believing him to be the more experienced hand to guide the campaign into the general election. They convinced Trump to keep him and the only way to do that, given Manaforts terms, was to dump Lewandowski, the source said. Despite the shock of Trump parting ways with Lewandowski, one of his closest and most loyal advisers, just weeks before the convention, in some corners the decision was not so surprising. The former conservative activist played a central role in daily operations, fundraising, and Trump's search for a running mate, but Lewandowski's aggressive approach also fueled near-constant campaign infighting that complicated Trump's shift toward the general election. Another Trump campaign official, Michael Caputo, resigned Monday afternoon over a tweet he sent out earlier in the day about Lewandowski's firing, a campaign source told Fox News. Caputo tweeted "Ding, dong, the witch is dead" shortly after news about Lewandowski broke. Accompanying the tweet was a photo from the "Wizard of Oz," showing the feet of the Wicked Witch of the East protruding from under a house. Campaign spokeswoman Hope Hicks confirmed Caputo is no longer with the campaign. Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Preibus told Fox News' Greta Van Susteren in an "On The Record" interview Monday night he thought the firing of Lewandowski was a "new direction" for the Trump campaign. "I see a pivot and seriousness to the general election," he said. Fox News John Roberts and The Associated Press contributed to this report. The general tapped to lead U.S. Africa Command told Capitol Hill lawmakers Tuesday he did not know of any overall grand strategy to defeat ISIS in Libya. Marine Lt. Gen. Thomas D. Waldhauser made the comments under questioning from Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain, R-Ariz. I am not aware of any overall grand strategy at this point, Waldhauser said. The statement comes a week after CIA Director John Brennan delivered a stark warning to Congress about the growth of ISIS fighters around the world. He estimated the group has 5,000-8,000 fighters inside Libya. During Tuesdays Senate committee hearing, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., asked Waldhauser if those ISIS fighters could one day conduct attacks against Europe. Eventually they could, yes, he replied. Waldhauser is the nominee to be U.S. commander of Africa Command, but has not been confirmed yet. He also said Tuesday he would not have the authority, as the top U.S. commander in Africa, to go after ISIS targets on his own inside Africa, while suggesting it would be wise to hit those targets. The U.S. military has carried out two airstrikes inside Libya since late last year. Two U.S. F-15E jet fighters flying out of Lakenheath, England, likely killed the ISIS leader in Libya, Abu Nabil, in mid-November. The Iraqi national was a longtime Al Qaeda operative and the senior ISIS leader in Libya, according to Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook. In February, U.S. jets also bombed an ISIS training camp in Libya, killing a senior ISIS leader and an estimated 30 ISIS recruits fighters on the ground. A senior U.S. official told Fox News at the time that the target of the airstrike was Noureddine Chouchane, a senior ISIS figure in Libya who was likely killed. The airstrike on the ISIS base in Sabratha, Libya, was also carried out by F-15s flying from England. Local reports initially suggested more than 30 people had been killed. However, it was not immediately clear how many ISIS terrorists were among the dead. Adding to the concern in the West is evidence that the number of ISIS fighters in Libya is increasing, according to Americas top spy. CIA Director Brennan said last week the estimated 5,000-8,000 ISIS fighters on the ground are up from an estimated 2,000-5,000 in February. The U.S. military has deployed a small number of U.S. special operations forces there in the past few months, according to Cook. Waldhauser said no more troops are needed at this moment. Asked afterward by Fox News if Defense Secretary Ash Carter agreed with Waldhausers assessment that there is no overall grand strategy in Libya, Cook also declined to answer, saying Libya remains a very complicated situation. The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear a Justice Department appeal of a 2015 lower-court decision requiring bail hearings for immigrants who have been in detention for at least six months awaiting deportation proceedings. However, the American Civil Liberties Unionwhich won a lower-court ruling requiring bail hearings after six monthssaid recently disclosed hearing records show a2003 high-court precedent the Justice Department cited to bolster its case was partly based on government-supplied information that understated the length of immigration detentions. It isnt clear whether a difference in the time frame would have affected the outcome of the 2003 case. But critics of the governments immigration policies say that prehearing detention with no chance for bail becomes less reasonable the longer it lasts. The 2003 case, Demore v. Kim, upheld by a 5-4 vote the governments practice of holding without bail immigrantseven those who are permanent U.S. residents with green cardswho became eligible for deportation because they committed a crime. The majority opinion in that case stressed the very limited length of no-bail detentions at issue, relying on figures showing the average detention in 2001 was 47 days, while the 15% of immigrants who appeal a deportation order were in detention for about 4 months. The figures were provided by the Executive Office for Immigration Review, which conducts the hearings. The ACLU, which worked on the 2003 case, said the actual average detention time in 2001 was 2 half weeks longer. The real number is 65 days, said Michael Tan, an ACLU attorney. The group learned of issues with statistics in the earlier case through a Freedom of Information Act request filed during the current litigation. Mr. Tan said the government reached the lower number by factoring in categories of aliens that an immigration judge was required to deportcases that are resolved quickly because there are no issues for the hearing to resolve. Mr. Tan also said the government counted as completed cases that werent over but only transferredwith the immigrant still in detentionto another immigration court. Justice Department spokesman Patrick Rodenbush said officials were re-examining the numbers provided in the Kim case, but after an initial review, we feel our information to the court was appropriate. The court will hear the case on bail hearings in its next term, which begins in October. The Kim case marks the second time in recent years that a records disclosure suggested the Justice Department provided incorrect information to the Supreme Court regarding immigration practices. Click for more from The Wall Street Journal. Hillary Clinton is moving up in the polls in two key battlegrounds as the race shifts to the general election, pulling ahead of Donald Trump in the pivotal swing state of Florida and bringing the race for Ohio to a dead heat. The latest Quinnipiac University Poll shows Clinton leading her presumptive Republican rival 47-39 percent in the Sunshine State. Thats up from a near-draw in similar polling a month ago. The former secretary of state also has closed Trumps modest lead in Ohio, with the latest poll showing the candidates at a 40-40 percent tie. The polling follows a rough patch for the Trump campaign. The billionaire businessman has been sparring with fellow Republicans over his controversial comments and proposals including remarks about a U.S. federal judges Mexican heritage and his call to temporarily halt Muslim immigration. On Monday, Trump ousted his campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski. Nevertheless, Trump and his top advisers are voicing confidence about the road ahead. Asked about the Quinnipiac polling, Trump told Fox News that it comes after hes been hammered by the dishonest media. He said other polling shows him in better standing and noted, Ohio and Pennsylvania are essentially even. The same Quinnipiac poll showed Clinton edging Trump just 42-41 percent, a virtual dead heat, in Pennsylvania. Trump suggested Clintons numbers would fall soon enough. In many respects, she may be worse than Obama we dont need another four years of Clinton or Obama, Trump said. I think the public has had it. The Quinnipiac swing-state survey found Clinton polling better when voters were asked who is better prepared for the office. Voters were divided on who is more honest and trustworthy. In a statement, Quinnipiac Poll Assistant Director Peter Brown speculated that the at-times bitter verbal battles between Trump and some Republicans leaders are hurting him. Quinnipiac reported that in all three states, Clinton fared better among Democrats than Trump among Republicans. But after parting ways with Lewandowski, Trump said Tuesday, Were going in a different direction. The poll was conducted from June 8-19. The poll of 975 Florida voters had a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points; the poll of 971 Ohio voters had a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points; and the poll of 950 Pennsylvania voters had a margin of error of 3.2 percentage points. Donald Trumps fundraising is slipping far behind Hillary Clintons as the candidates tilt toward a general election battle though the latest financial reports also show both presumptive presidential nominees raising well below what their 2012 counterparts had at this stage in the race four years ago. The latest filings underscore a potential enthusiasm gap on both sides. David Avella, chairman of Republican recruiter GOPAC, said the candidates are facing fundraising headwinds on two fronts. First, the economy continues to muddle along and that has had impact on some donors in getting engaged, he told FoxNews.com. And, given the high unfavorable ratings of both candidates, its not surprising that donors are slower investing than in the past. Still, Clinton is vastly outraising Trump right now. The reports show donors gave just over $3 million to Trump's campaign in May, while the billionaire businessman lent his effort another $2.2 million. Clinton's campaign raised more than $26 million in May, her report shows. The biggest difference is in cash on hand. Trumps campaign started June with $1.3 million in the bank. Clintons started with $42 million. The figures revived questions Tuesday about how Trump is funding his campaign and about his self-proclaimed wealth. Billionaire investor Mark Cuban zinged him on Twitter: If @realDonaldTrump were fractionally as rich as he says he is,he would write a$200mm check to propel his campaign. He doesn't have the cash Mark Cuban (@mcuban) June 21, 2016 Trump downplayed the fundraising gap in an interview with Fox News, on the heels of his decision to fire campaign manager Corey Lewandowski. "We want to keep it lean. I'm not looking to spend all this money. She's going to spend more than $1 billion, he said. At the same time, he suggested his tensions with Republican leaders were holding his operation back. He said the Republican National Committee and its chairman, Reince Priebus, "have been terrific," but "it would be nice to have full verbal support from people in office." The presumptive Republican presidential nominee continues to face criticism from Republican leaders, including House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Although both have endorsed him, last week they condemned Trump's renewed call to impose a temporary ban on foreign Muslims entering the country. On both sides, past Federal Election Commission reports show Trump and Clinton are still off pace when compared with their 2012 counterparts. In May of 2012, Mitt Romneys campaign reported raising $23 million and ending the month with $17 million in the bank. President Obamas juggernaut raised $39 million and started June with nearly $110 million. In 2008, Arizona Sen. John McCain raised $21 million in May, and ended the month with over $31 million on hand. Obama raised $23 million in that period, and had more than $43 million on hand. Avella acknowledged, though, that Trumps primary success this year on a shoestring budget shows hes embarked on a new model. The X-factor for Trump is to what extent he dips into his own private wealth. Throughout the primaries, Trump boasted that his campaign was largely self-funded. As he pivoted to the general election, he reassessed and opened the door to raising money from donors for his campaign as well as for the Republican Party. On NBC's "Today," Trump said he may have to tap more into his own funds. "If it gets to a point, I'll do what I did in the primaries. I spent $55 million in the primaries. I may do it again in the general election, but it would be nice to have some help from the party," he said. Whether he raises from outside sources or pays out of pocket, those expenses must be reported to the FEC. As both Trump and Clinton charge into their respective nominating conventions next month, Trumps decision to fire Lewandowski could signal a renewed fundraising commitment. Fox News has learned that Trump is hosting a 48-hour online fundraising drive in which hell be personally matching donations up to $2 million. The campaign says they want to encourage small-dollar donations, of anywhere between $1 and $1,000. With Lewandowski gone, campaign chairman Paul Manafort is in charge of the whole operation. Manafort previously defended the campaigns decision to raise money. Back in May, he told Fox News Sunday: The Democrats have said they're going to be spending hundreds of millions of dollars to try and spread lies about Donald Trump and the Republican Party. Trump has said to compete against them he will support the party and the party's efforts. FoxNews.coms Liz Torrey and Judson Berger and Fox News John Roberts and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Donald Trump sat down with hundreds of evangelical and social conservative leaders Tuesday, in what was billed as an effort to address "long-standing concerns" about his candidacy, including on issues such as abortion and transgender rights. The effort to heal any lingering rifts in the party comes at a pivotal time, just after he ousted campaign manager Corey Lewandowski and as a number of polls show him slipping against presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Fox News was told the all-day event, called A Conversation About Americas Future with Donald Trump and Dr. Ben Carson at the Marriott Marquis in New York City, was to be attended by the presumptive Republican nominee for about two hours. During his time on the stage, Trump answered pre-selected questions from attendees and talked directly with former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Rev. Franklin Graham. Other pastors and evangelical leaders in attendance included James Robison, Ralph Reed, President of the Southern Baptist Convention Steve Gaines and Family Research Councils Tony Perkins. Notably, Hillsong Church Pastor Carl Lentz will be in attendance representing a millennial voice among the evangelicals present. Former Rep. Michele Bachmann also attended the gathering. Fox News was told the unprecedented gathering was coordinated as evangelical leaders have concerns and questions about Trumps candidacy, especially to do with his stances on the pro-life movement, transgender issues and the question of religious liberty in the military and armed forces. Some leaders have expressed concern that the meeting was being seen as an endorsement of coronation of Trump, and said this was not the case. Iowa-based evangelical leader Bob Vander Plaats, who supported Ted Cruz during the Iowa GOP caucuses, sent out a statement to his followers on Tuesday's meeting with Trump. To be clear, the meeting is not a fundraiser nor a political rally. It is NOT an endorsement of Donald Trump, nor do I plan to leave the meeting with an endorsement announcement, Vander Plaats said in the email Monday. We'll talk with Mr. Trump about the people he intends to surround himself with, his criteria for Supreme Court nominations, his convictions on life, marriage, religious liberty, and more, Vander Plaats said. Bill Dallas, head of the faith-based political non-profit United in Purpose, who co-organized the event along with Carson, told Fox News before the meeting that issues to be discussed included jobs, the economy, a strong military and Supreme Court picks. Despite Trump's moderate stance on a number of social issues -- and his past divorces and marital infidelity -- Trump performed well in the primaries with the socially conservative evangelicals. Even against rival Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who explicitly targeted evangelicals with a socially conservative campaign, Trump was carried to victory in states like South Carolina with a significant share of the evangelical vote. Fox News Todd Starnes, John Roberts and Serafin Gomez contributed to this report. next Image 1 of 3 prev next Image 2 of 3 prev Image 3 of 3 Billionaire Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin launched and landed a reusable rocket for the fourth time on Sunday, with the typically secretive private spaceflight company making its first-ever live webcast of a test flight during the successful mission. Blue Origin's unmanned New Shepard rocket and space capsule launched into the clear West Texas sky at 10:36 a.m. EDT (1436 GMT), carrying its crew capsule into suborbital space before both craft returned to Earth in separate landings. New Shepard's booster made a pinpoint landing near its launch site 8 minutes after liftoff, with the capsule touching down a minute lander after descending to Earth under two parachutes. Blue Origin's main goal for the flight was to test how the capsule would perform with just two of its three main parachutes deployed. "Careful engineering plus of course ... the lucky boots. Successful mission," Bezos wrote on Twitter after the launch that included a photo of its "lucky" cowboy boots, which carry Blue Origin's motto "Gradatim Ferociter," Latin for "Step by step, ferociously." Related: Blue Origin's New Shepard Launch System Explained (Infographic) During Sunday's launch, New Shepard reached a peak altitude of 331,501 feet (101,041 meters). That's 62.7 miles (101 kilometers), just above the 62-mile boundary between Earth and space. While the capsule only needs one parachute to land safely, it carries three to be safe and Sunday's test monitored how the craft would handle a two-chute landing, according to Blue Origin representatives. "That was magic," said Ariane Cornell, of Blue Origin's Strategy and Business Development team, who was a co-host during the live webcast. "It was an impeccable test mission for us." New Shepard is not designed to launch all the way into orbit. Instead, the launch system is built to fly up to six people into suborbital space, with the capsule returning to Earth under parachutes while its booster lands vertically using the same BE-3 rocket engine it uses for launch. The Kent, Washington-based Blue Origin plans to sell tickets for space tourism flights on the capsule, but has not yet released a price for those joy rides. During such flights, passengers will experience several minutes of weightlessness and be able to see the Earth from space through New Shepard's huge windows, Blue Origin representatives said. "You have no idea how badly I want to fly on this right now," Blue Origin engineer Geoff Huntington, a webcast co-host, said just before the launch. The New Shepard capsule can also carry research payloads and has done so on past test flights. During Sunday's launch, the capsule carried three different microgravity science payloads, including a dust collision experiment for Braunschweig University in Germany; a fluid flow experiment for Louisiana State University and William Jewell College; and fluid shape experiment for Purdue University. Sunday's Father's Day flight marked the fourth launch and landing for New Shepard since its debut in November 2015, and follows similar tests in January and April. This latest flight was initially scheduled for Friday, June 17, but Blue Origin delayed it to allow time to replace a leaky O-ring on the booster. "Watching a rocket launch (and rocket landing!) might add a little extra fun w/kids on Father's Day. #GradatimFerociter" Bezos wrote on Twitter on Friday. And that was the case for at least Huntington. "This definitely made my Father's Day," he said. Huntington said the public should expect more New Shepard test flights to come this year, including a demonstration of the crew capsule's in-flight abort system to pull astronauts to safety during a launch emergency. Original article on Space.com. A team working off the coast of Athens has uncovered the remains of an ancient naval base, estimated to be about 2,500 years old. Alongside a team of Greek colleagues, Danish Marine archaeologist Bjorn Loven from the University of Copenhagen located the remains of six ship sheds, used to protect vessels from shipworm and from drying when they werent out at sea. On the University of Copenhagens website, Loven said the team used pottery and carbon-14 dating on a piece of wood and dated the sheds to around 520-480 B.C. Moreover, the sheds are thought to have housed ships that were used to fight Persian invaders during the Battle of Salamis, which took place in 480 B.C. between an alliance of Greek city-states under Themistocles, and King Xerxes' Persian Empire. Although the Greeks were outnumbered, they won the battle, which took place in the straits between the Greek mainland and the island of Salamis. "This naval battle was a pivotal event in Greek history; it is difficult to predict what would have happened if the Greek fleet had lost at Salamis, but it is clear that a Persian victory would have had immense consequences for subsequent cultural and social developments in Europe, said Loven. The victory at Salamis rightly echoes through history and awakens awe and inspiration around the world today." The sheds were discovered as part of the Zea Harbour Project, which took place from 2001 to 2012. A hacker who goes by the name Guccifer 2.0 claims to have published a dossier of Hillary Clinton-related documents accessed during the recent attack on the Democratic National Committees computers. In a blog post Tuesday, Guccifer 2.0 described the haul as a big folder of docs devoted to Hillary Clinton that I found on the DNC server. The files include a HRC Defense Master Doc outlining criticism and defense points on issues such as U.S. military intervention in Libya, the deadly 2012 Benghazi attack and the Clinton email server controversy. The DNC collected all info about the attacks on Hillary Clinton and prepared the ways of her defense, memos, etc., including the most sensitive issues like email hacks, explained Guccifer 2.0. The authenticity of the documents is unclear. The DNC has not yet responded to a request for comment on this story from FoxNews.com. Last week Guccifer 2.0 claimed responsibility for the DNC hack. In a June 15 blog post Guccifer 2.0 touted documents purportedly accessed in the attack, which included opposition research on presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump. Guccifer 2.0 also posted files purportedly showing Democratic Party donors and claimed to have extracted thousands of documents from the DNC networks. Experts have been looking for clues about the mysterious self-described hacker, and suspicions still linger that the Russian government played a role in the hack. Cyber firm CrowdStrike, which is working on the DNCs investigation into the hack, says the attack was conducted by groups affiliated with the Russian government. CrowdStrike identified the Fancy Bear and Cozy Bear groups as likely perpetrators. The company stood by its analysis after Guccifer 2.0 claimed responsibility for the hack. In a blog post June 15 CrowdStrike CTO Dmitri Alperovitch identified two separate Russian intelligence-affiliated adversaries present in the DNC network in May 2016. After studying the DNC malware, Fidelis Cybersecurity backed up CrowdStrikes analysis. Based on our comparative analysis we agree with CrowdStrike and believe that the COZY BEAR and FANCY BEAR APT groups were involved in successful intrusions at the DNC, explained Fidelis Cybersecurity senior vice president Michael Buratowski, in a blog post Monday. The malware samples contain data and programing elements that are similar to malware that we have encountered in past incident response investigations and are linked to similar threat actors. The DNC has also pointed its finger at Russia, but says financial and personal information does not appear to have been accessed by the hackers. Last week Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied Russian government involvement in the DNC hacking incident. Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers A new Chinese supercomputer has nabbed the top spot among the world's most powerful machines. According to TOP500, the National Supercomputing Center's Sunway TaihuLight outperformed the former champ, China's Tianhe-2, by a factor of three. With a Linpack mark of 93 petaflops (compared to Tianhe-2's once-impressive 33.86 petaflops), TaihuLight is powered by a new ShenWei processor and custom interconnectboth developed locally. According to TOP500, curator of the bi-annual supercomputer rankings, it was the US embargo of high-end processors like Intel's "Knights Landing" Xeon Phi, imposed on a number of Chinese supercomputing centers last year, that pushed the country to manufacture similar chips domestically. "As the first No. 1 system of China that is completely based on homegrown processors, the Sunway TaihuLight system demonstrates the significant progress that China has made in the domain of designing and manufacturing large-scale computation systems," Center Director Guangwen Yang told TOP500, curator of the bi-annual supercomputer rankings. Currently operating in Wuxi (two hours west of Shanghai), the machine was developed by the National Research Center of Parallel Computer Engineering & Technology (NRCPC). It runs the Sunway Raise OS (with a standard Linux base) and boasts more than 1.3 PB of memory. NRCPC's powerful processor, the SW26010, is a 260-core chip that can crank out just over 3 teraflops. TaihuLight has a single SW26010 in each of its 40,960 nodes, totalling 125 peak petaflops across the entire machine (more than 10 million cores). The computer will be put to use for engineering work in climate, weather, and Earth systems modeling, life science research, advanced manufacturing, and data analytics. Rounding out the top 10 are IBM's Sequoia (USA), Fujitsu's K (Japan), Mira (USA), Trinity (USA), Piz Daint (Switzerland), Hazel Hen (Germany), and Shaheen II (Saudi Arabia). This marks the first time since the inception of the TOP500 that the US is not home to the largest number of systems. That honor now belongs to China, with 167 systems; the US currently has 165. This article originally appeared on PCMag.com. Reddit users are seeing red over this one. After the June 12 Orlando massacre by an avowed Islamic radical terrorist, Reddit users started commenting on the news and stating their opinions. Some comments included obvious hate speech that violated the news networking sites published standards, but many were simply calling out Orlando shooter Omar Mateen as an Islamic extremist. Others were merely suggesting where to donate blood in the aftermath. Many just linked to news reports. A Reddit moderator deemed entire threads offensive and deleted them in what was seen as an obvious attempt to remove comments that took a certain political viewpoint, especially those that suggested Islamic terrorist attacks are on the rise in the United States. Users complained about the censorship. The vast and overwhelming majority of removed comments were not hate speech, said one forum user. All they had in common is that they mentioned radical Islam. There is proof of this fact all over Reddit, and it has been documented by multiple unaffiliated third party websites. Last week, Reddit moderators finally admitted the error and explained their actions, blaming the controversy on comment filters and bots that incorrectly flagged hate speech. A Reddit user managed to capture the deleted posts, which are mostly comments about Islamic terrorism. Whether there was a bot involved, a politically-correct moderator problem, or some other agenda, its clear that most of the comments were removed on a site known for its open and free speech. Critics say the site broke its unwritten contract with users who expect the forum to facilitate the free and open exchange of ideas. Analyst Rob Enderle of the Enderle Group told FoxNews.com the vast majority of the Reddit posts should not have been deleted and is a form of censorship. After reading this I would personally never use Reddit again, Enderle said. It is a showcase of how not to do moderation and maybe how kill an online service. We will see. Danny Paskin, an associate professor of journalism at California State University, told FoxNews.com the problem is with Reddit itself. It has become a mainstream site with 230 million active users per month. Yet, it started as a forum for users to express their views openly. There are codes of conduct and laws about hate speech, but Reddit users still have rights. What's being said doesn't fall under any unlawful category, Reddit should not be censoring it, Paskin said. Reddit has to make a choice: Does it want to truly be a forum for public exchange of information, or does it want to be a private company running under its own rules? A Reddit spokesperson refused to answer questions about policies and only pointed to published code of conduct rules and moderator discussions about the controversy. Theres a larger issue at work here, however. Social media sites and online forums like Reddit have to decide how to police user comments for hate speech, yet not be seen as being guided by their own political agenda. Facebook in particular has handled this topic poorly so far. In May, the social network came under fire following a Gizmodo report that stories about conservative topics were prevented from appearing in Facebooks trending module. Facebook said it found no evidence of systematic political bias related to its Trending Topics section, but acknowledged the possibility that rogue employees could have impacted the controversial feature. In June, a Facebook page by political activist Pamela Geller called Stop Islamization of America was removed after it was deemed a violation of user policies. Facebook later admitted the page was removed in error and restored it, blaming the problem on incorrectly flagging the page as hate speech. But the damage was done. Mark Zuckerberg, under pressure from [German chancellor] Angela Merkel and others, has adopted a policy of censoring news that portrays Muslim migrants in an unfavorable light and reveals the jihadi motivations of the Orlando killer, Geller told FoxNews.com. A primary avenue for disseminating politically incorrect information is being closed. Facebook released this statement to FoxNews.com: We aim to find the right balance between giving people a place to express themselves and promoting a welcoming and safe environment. Not all disagreeable or disturbing content violates our Community Standards. Enderle says the act of policing comments is largely arbitrary. A robot might have scoured for hate speech and labelled the words blood or Islamic incorrectly. He says there are three approaches to user comments. Either sites have to allow all comments freely, use a method that is surgical and not one-sided or politically motivated, or not allow comments at all. Erna Alfred Liousas, a Forrester analyst, told FoxNews.com that Reddit in particular has to adhere to a code of conduct and let users know what is and what isnt allowed. She says if a user base isnt happy with the policies, they can always find a different forum. Maybe thats exactly what will happen with millions of Reddit users. A proposal to outlaw online advertisements for short-term New York City apartment rentals on sites like Airbnb has cleared the state Legislature. It's already illegal to rent out apartments for less than 30 days in the city. The measure heading to Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo's desk would establish graduated fines of up to $7,500 for advertising online or elsewhere for short-term rentals, which have expanded with online platforms. "Airbnb has created a black market for illegal hotel operators," said Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, a Manhattan Democrat and bill sponsor. The practice reduces affordable housing for city residents, she said. Josh Meltzer, Airbnb head of public policy, said lawmakers "cut a last-minute deal with the hotel industry" to pass the bill. He called it "a bad proposal that will make it harder for thousands of New Yorkers to pay the bills." The civil penalties range from up to $1,000 for a first offense, $5,000 for the second and $7,500 for the third. Existing law prohibits owners or renters of apartments in multiunit buildings from renting them for less than 30 days unless they remain present. It permits having boarders or renting rooms. Airbnb's analysis shows some 24,400 city hosts have made rentals. That helps them pay rising rents and keep their homes, and many would be unable to pay the fines, Meltzer said. "This is a bad bill driven by the hotel industry that will actually exacerbate the affordable-housing crisis, achieving the complete opposite of what its drivers claim it's intended to do," said Airbnb spokesman Peter Schottenfels. State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who investigated Airbnb rentals from 2010 to 2014, called the bill's passage "a positive step" needed if Airbnb can't police itself. His office found 72 percent of the units in the city were illegal, with commercial operators constituting 6 percent of the hosts and supplying 36 percent of the rentals, he said. Airbnb said in late 2014 that it had removed more than 2,000 of the New York listings that violated state or city laws. Sen. Andrew Lanza, a Staten Island Republican and bill sponsor, said it's aimed at those who run illegal hotels in residential areas and doesn't target homeowners or interfere with property rights. It's under review by the governor's counsel, one of 554 bills passed this year, spokesman Richard Azzopardi said Monday. It passed both houses Friday, shortly before state lawmakers ended their 2016 session. next Image 1 of 3 prev next Image 2 of 3 prev Image 3 of 3 Orlando gunman Omar Mateen identified himself as an Islamic soldier in calls with authorities during his rampage and demanded to a crisis negotiator that the U.S. "stop bombing Syria and Iraq," according to transcripts released by the FBI on Monday. The partial transcripts were of a 911 call made by Mateen and three conversations he had with the police crisis negotiators during the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history, in which 49 people died and dozens were wounded. Those communications, along with Facebook posts and searches Mateen made around the time of the shootings, add to the public understanding of the final hours of Mateen's life and to the possible motivations behind the rampage. The first call came more than a half-hour after shots rang out, when Mateen told a 911 operator, "Praise be to God, and prayers as well as peace be upon the prophet of God," he told the dispatcher, referring to God in Arabic. "I let you know, I'm in Orlando and I did the shootings." During the 50-second call with a dispatcher, Mateen "made murderous statements in a "chilling, calm and deliberate manner," Ronald Hopper, FBI assistant special agent in charge in Orlando, said during a news conference. However, there is no evidence Mateen was directed by a foreign terrorist group, and he was radicalized domestically and on his own, Hopper said. Mateen's name and the groups and people to whom he pledged allegiance were initially omitted from the excerpt. But the Justice Department reversed course later Monday, providing a more complete transcript confirming Mateen pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State. The extremist group encourages its followers who seek to commit violence in its name to make public pledges of support. The Justice Department said in a statement it initially withheld the names so as not to give extremists "a publicity platform for hateful propaganda," but the omissions became an unnecessary distraction. Shortly after the call with a 911 operator, Mateen had three conversations with crisis negotiators in which he identified himself as an Islamic soldier and told a negotiator to tell America to stop bombing Syria and Iraq. He said that was why he was "out here right now," according to the excerpt. City officials have refused to provide hundreds of 911 calls to The Associated Press and a coalition of news organizations, citing confidentiality under Florida law, and arguing that an ongoing investigation kept the tapes secret. Hopper also said Monday that the tapes would not be released out of respect for the victims. "Yes, the audio was compelling, but to expose that now would be excruciatingly painful to exploit them in this way," Hopper said. Hopper also said: "Part of redacting is to not give credence to individuals who have done terrorist acts in the past. They are not going to propagate their violent rhetoric." The AP and others requested the 911 tapes and related data, a common practice after such major events. The recordings could offer insight into how law enforcement responded. Also at Monday's news conference, Orlando police Chief John Mina said that if any fire from responding officers hit victims at the club, gunman Mateen bears the responsibility. He wouldn't give further details but said: "Here's what I will tell you. Those killings are on the suspect, on the suspect alone in my mind." He stressed that the officers "acted heroically." Mina acknowledged that questions have been raised by media outlets and the public about whether Orlando police waited too long after the start of the rampage at 2 a.m. to send in a SWAT team about 5 a.m. He said an exchange of fire between police and Mateen shortly after 2 a.m. prompted the attacker to retreat into a bathroom and take hostages, shifting the incident from a shooting to a hostage-taking. Mina said there was no additional gunfire for about three hours until the SWAT team entered the building, although survivors have describing at least some firing taking place inside one of the bathrooms. Surviving hostage Patience Carter, in a live televised interview two days after the attacks, described the attacker firing when he entered the bathroom and more firing when the SWAT team burst into the building. "I think there's this misconception that we didn't do anything for three hours," Mina said. "I'm trying to clarify: That's absolutely not true. Our officers were within the club within minutes, exchanging gunfire with the suspect, forced him to stop shooting and retreat into the bathroom." "From there, we let our negotiator take over and try to negotiate this to a peaceful resolution in an effort to save lives while our SWAT team set up," Mina said. Meanwhile, hospital officials said four people remained in critical condition Monday morning, more than a week after they were wounded in the attack. Orlando Regional Medical Center said 18 victims from the shooting were still at the hospital and three more surgeries were scheduled for Monday. The other 14 patients are listed in stable condition. Armed with a semi-automatic weapon, Mateen went on a bloody rampage at the Pulse nightclub June 12. He died in a hail of gunfire after police stormed the venue. U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch will travel to Orlando on Tuesday to meet with investigators. She said that a key goal of the investigation was to determine why Mateen targeted the gay community. The victims were predominantly gay and Hispanic since it was "Latin night" at Pulse. Around Orlando, people left balloons, flowers, pictures and posters at a makeshift memorial in front of the city's new performing arts center and at Orlando Regional Medical Center where 49 white crosses were emblazoned with red hearts and the names of the victims. The crosses were built by a Chicago carpenter with a history of constructing crosses for victims of mass shootings. Greg Zanis drove from Illinois to Orlando last week and installed the crosses at the medical center, where many of the 53 shooting victims who survived were taken for treatment. Dr. Khurshid Ahmed was part of a group of Muslim-Americans at a Sunday vigil attended by tens of thousands who held signs reading, "Muslims Condemn Extremism." A letter from the chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, Republican Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, said Mateen wrote on Facebook that "real Muslims will never accept the filthy ways of the West." ___ Tucker reported from Washington. Alex Sanz in Orlando and Jack Gillum and Sadie Gurman in Washington contributed to this report. Two North Carolina parents violated a court order by fleeing 2,000 miles to Montana with an infant who was supposed to be under state supervision, authorities said Monday. The infant, John Eastlack, was found unharmed with his parents in a Montana hotel Sunday. An Amber Alert had been issued accusing Penny Dianne Worthy and Chad Douglas Eastlack of abducting the 8-month-old boy. Randolph County, North Carolina, Sheriff Robert Graves said Monday at a news conference that the county social services department had taken custody of the boy in May, but he was later returned to Worthy's care. Last Tuesday, authorities were notified that the agency was unable to find the 20-year-old mother and child during a welfare check. The director of the agency, Beth Duncan, said Chad Eastlack was supposed to see the child only during supervised visits. She said the parents had violated conditions set by the court when the boy was returned to Worthy's care but declined to discuss other specifics of the case. Andy Gregson, the chief assistant district attorney for Randolph County, said that a judge could hold the couple in contempt for violating the order, which could result in jail time. He said that taking the child appeared to be a civil and not criminal matter but no final decisions had been made on charges. Early Sunday in Montana, a Missoula police officer found the boy and his parents after spotting the minivan driven by the parents in the hotel parking lot, authorities said. Chad Eastlack had lived in Montana before, which helped investigators narrow their cross-country search. Eastlack, 35, was arrested on a warrant accusing him of stealing the minivan and a firearm in North Carolina. He was being held in a Missoula jail and was scheduled for a Monday court appearance. No phone listing could be found for an address that North Carolina authorities gave for Eastlack and Worthy. Worthy was still in the Missoula area Monday but wasn't in custody, said Randolph County Sheriff's Capt. Derrick Hill. A Missoula social services agency has the boy, who will be returned to authorities in North Carolina. Being an entrepreneur isnt easy: Your path is filled with ups and downs, existential crises, self-doubt and more than a few evenings crying into a pillow. But, we do it. And we love it. Related: Is Dating Becoming Just Another Networking Opportunity for Entrepreneurs? Still, it can't be denied that entrepreneurship is a lonely road. And, it's made even more lonely when you are single and an entrepreneur. As podcaster Gwen Elliot has shared, I would love to have someone to confide in, lean on and share all the great things and the challenges of building a business at the end of the night with. Right now, I'm just hanging out with myself, a journal and some great music. Building a business is a full-time job. Sometimes its two or three full-time jobs. And as a single entrepreneur, you're also trying meet the love of your life. That's another full-time gig! Yet, both are worthy pursuits, even if both are roller-coasters of hope and heartbreak. So, how do single entrepreneurs maintain their sanity -- or at least some sense of balance? Well, your business know-how can help you with your personal pursuits. So, to illustrate, lets start with target market. The target market When youre an entrepreneur, your dating pool shrinks. Its not like a regular job at a company where you can date your co-workers. As an entrepreneur, youre employing them -- no dating allowed. In other cases, you dont even go to an office to run your business. You work from home. So, your water cooler chit-chat is just between you and the dog. This means that you have to force yourself to have more of a life than just work. Geez. Often, single entrepreneurs discover that they need to get a bit more strategic with their social lives. You probably have a number of daily or weekly activities that you do alone: going to the gym, hiking, writing, etc. If youre wanting to meet more people and not get stuck swiping left or right on your phone all day, consider stretching out of your comfort zone. Related: 6 Reasons Why Dating Can Be a Nightmare for Some Entrepreneurs How can you turn those solitary activities into social situations that might trigger a spark? Well, let's see: If you like to work out at the gym, take a class once or twice a week. But, make it a point to smile and say hi to a person each time. Or, join a hiking meet-up group and enjoy conversations during the trek. Do you write for your business? Branch out and join a creative writing group. There are even social groups designed specifically for professionals. One example is Ivy.com. Billed as the social university, Ivy.com has locations around the country. Events are geared toward socializing with like-minded professionals at fun and elite events. Keep in mind, however, that you dont have to view these activities and groups as your dating pool. Nor do you have to be on the hunt every time you go out. Simply focus on building friendships and expanding your social network so that with all those new connections, you'll increase your chances of finally meeting that special someone who makes you not want to work until 2 a.m. Time Of course, the other frustration with mixing dating and entrepreneurship is time. Dating takes time. There are two ways you can approach this challenge. First, you could hire a matchmaker. Outsourcing your love life is possible -- up to a point. Second, you could look at this process the same way you would your sales cycle: Lets say that in your business, you need 10 warm leads to land a deal. So, why would you approach a date thinking, This had better be the one? Youll probably need 10 dates, minimum, before you meet someone worthy of date #2. So, ease up on the pressure and enjoy the process. You can also save yourself a lot of time if you know whom youre looking for. In your business, you set clear goals to achieve. That level of clarity should apply to your romantic pursuits, as well. A dating 'business plan' A mentor of mine had me write out a very extensive description -- in strenous detail -- of who my ideal man would be. Next, I had to write another description of who I believed I needed to be, in order to attract that kind of man. This exercise was nothing more than a business analysis, but it pointed toward myself. If you do one, too, you will achieve a clear picture of what your goal is (your ideal partner). The next step is to review the resources available (your fine points, your social circles, the meetups in your city, etc.) and find the gaps that need to be filled in order to achieve the desired goal. Single entrepreneurship requires higher levels of emotional fortitude. But, in a way, it's a great training ground for dating. After all, your business is already the fickle lover you can learn from: Every day you have to face your demons, put in the hustle, pick yourself up when you fall and push through. Right? Not that being a single entrepreneur is all down side. Entrepreneurs do more introspection than most others; and that's a good thing. And, as you grow your business, you're likely building a level of self-awareness that others may never achieve. Andrea Shillington, founder of Brands for the Heart, put it perfectly. In the past three years of being single," she said, "I've found that what I'm looking for in a partner has shifted significantly as a result of the growth I've done, personally and professionally. In other words, being single as an entrepreneur can be a richly rewarding experience. Related: Dating an Entrepreneur Can Be Extremely Exciting or Completely Insane Well, yes and no. Because, in my mind, if youre a single entrepreneur, you deserve a medal. Or at the very least, some Ben and Jerrys. Two portraits drawn during the Revolutionary War by a British officer-turned-spy linked to Benedict Arnold are being auctioned in New York City. Swann Auction Galleries in Manhattan on Tuesday is selling John Andre's circa-1776 portraits of Albany Mayor Abraham Cuyler and his wife. The pencil-on-paper sketches are mounted together and being sold as one unit. The estimated sale price is $50,000 to $75,000. Andre was captured by Americans in Canada in 1775 and was headed to captivity in Pennsylvania when he spent several weeks with the Cuylers and drew their portraits in Albany. After being released, Andre was put in charge of the British spy network in America. He arranged for Arnold to hand over information on West Point in exchange for money. Andre eventually was captured and hanged. Three people who were arrested when police discovered a weapons cache in a vehicle outside New York City at the Holland Tunnel Tuesday, claim they were on they way to "rescue" a teenage girl involved in drugs, according to officials. Port Authority Police Department Superintendent Michael A. Fedorko said that Dean Smith, 53, John Cramsey, 50, and Kimberly Arendt, 29, were taken into custody after they were stopped around 7:40 a.m. in Jersey City, N.J. Cramsey wrote on Smith's Facebook page early Tuesday morning that he was driving to New York to "do an extraction" of a 16-year-old girl from a hotel room in Brooklyn after an issue involving drugs. Smith replied, "I'm there." It was unclear what, if anything, the weapons had to do with their plans. Cramsey's 20-year-old daughter died from a heroin overdose four months ago Tuesday and he has since attended town hall meetings around the Allentown area to voice his concerns over the drug epidemic, The Morning Call newspaper in Allentown, Pennsylvania, reported. "This is a plague and we are losing our brightest and most brilliant minds," Cramsey told the newspaper shortly after his daughter was found dead of an overdose with another man inside an Allentown home. The trio, from Pennsylvania, initially was stopped by Port Authority Police at a toll plaza for a cracked windshield, authorities said. An officer saw the weapons in plain view on the passenger side of the vehicle. Officials found multiple weapons -- some loaded -- including rifles and handguns in their vehicle, described by a law enforcement source as a "jacked up SUV." Law enforcement sources told the New York Post that ballistic vests were also found in the SUV. Fedorko said the weapons found in the vehicle included an AR-15 assault rifle, a 12-gauge shotgun and five semi-automatic handguns. The vehicle, a Dodge truck, also bore the name Higher Ground Tactical, an indoor shooting range and gun dealership in Upper Milford Township, Pa., WNBC-TV reported. A spokeswoman for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Kelly Langmesser, told Reuters that counter-terrorism agents weren't involved and the case didn't have a "terrorism nexus." "If it's not terrorism, it's criminal," a source told Fox News. Drugs were also recovered from the vehicle, which has been cleared from the scene but is still being processed for evidence. The suspects' final destination was unclear. The Holland Tunnel's New York side is located in Lower Manhattan. Fox News' Rick Leventhal, Matt Dean and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Click for more from The New York Post. As if the pressure to develop and deliver a presentation that excites your audience werent enough, trying to impress your boss with that presentation is a whole other set of concerns. In most cases, if you plan with your organizations goals in mind, you shouldnt have a problem delivering a presentation that your boss will respond positively to. However, if you really want to impress your boss and your team, and keep them from yawning, give these eight tactics a try. 1. Use metaphors. Including metaphors in your presentation can be useful since metaphors paint a picture in the minds of audience members. The idea can tap into previous experience to introduce new ideas. For example, an Internet entrepreneur used a pair of scissors, knife, bottle opener, and nail filer as examples of various tools that companies use when selling products online. He then pulled out a Swiss Army Knife to illustrate that his idea would consolidate all of these tools. When finding the right metaphor for your presentation, Nancy Duarte suggests in the Harvard Business Review that you dig into your own prior knowledge for connections that make the idea brighter in your mind. The brighter that idea shines for you, the more likely it is to resonate with your audience. 2. Be humorous. Just because this might be a serious presentation with consequences for your career and the business doesnt mean that you have to be stiff. By adding a little bit of humor to your presentation youre not only breaking-up the monotony, youre demonstrating your own charisma and helping make your point more persuasive. More importantly, adding a little humor to your presentation can make it more impactful. According to Michelle Gielan, cofounder of the Institute for Applied Positive Research, laughter stimulates the release of the feel-good chemical dopamine which activates the learning centers in the brain. Related: Use Humor to Get Your Marketing Message Noticed 3. Play music. This may appear to be a little counterproductive. After all, wont music be a distraction? Not according to Ronald A. Berks study Research on PowerPoint: From Basic Features to Multimedia. Berk found that playing music during a presentation can increase attention levels, improve retention and memory, extend focused learning time, and expand thinking skills. Keep in mind, however, that in most cases playing music throughout the presentation is probably too much. Consider using music during your introduction or during key parts of your presentation. 4. Use activities. Sometimes a simple activity is enough to drive your point home. It could be something as simple as having your boss or team write down their goals and then having brainstorming session on how to accomplish those goals. You could also hand out quizzes and ask your audience to guess what your next slide is going to be. You can even split the group up by having 20 percent of them move to one side of the room to demonstrate what your goal of 20 percent growth will look like, instead of using a slide with a graph. Related: The Do's and Don'ts of Giving a Killer Presentation 5. Prove your point. Stats are a powerful way to prove your point. But, presenting too much data can be overwhelming - no matter how well it is presented. Instead, use other ways to prove your point. One way to do this is by showing your boss how your competitors are succeeding, which could be why your new ideas might be so important to implement. Or, if you have a physical product, provide a demonstration of how superior a product it is - like pouring water over your new waterproof phone case during the presentation. 6. Pose questions. Skip the monologue and get your boss and entire team involved by asking them relevant questions such as their insights and experiences. This not only gets your boss involved, it gives them the opportunity to talk about themselves and discover for themselves the real value in your presentation. If you anticipate more complex questions, consider bringing in an expert to assist you in answering these questions. If you were pushing for a new corporate website you could bring in a web designer to answer any of the technical questions that your boss may ask. The web designer might even bring in a few ideas or visuals. 7. Go beyond PowerPoint. PowerPoint presentations and slides can be spiced up through simple steps like being consistent and limiting font sizes and colors that also reflect the theme or design of your organization. But, there are also a number of helpful tools that can make your presentation stand out more than just the standard slideshow or Powerpoint. Powtoon could be used to create an animated video to accompany your presentation, Ease.ly generates infographics, and Prezi gives you the opportunity to adapt your presentation in real-time depending on your audiences response. By using tools like videos, you can increase everything from comprehension, understanding, memory, and even deep learning of your audience. Related: Avoid the PowerPoint Trap by Having Less Wordy Slides 8. Make your presentation public. Chances are that your boss isnt going to make an executive decision immediately after youve given your presentation. Thats why you should provide them with materials they can review following the presentation like brochures or marketing kits. But, wouldnt it be more effective to place your presentation on a site like Slideshare.net so that your slides are available to your boss and team whenever they want to review them? This practice will not only save you time from printing out materials, it also prevents the possibility of your boss misplacing the handouts. Even more importantly, having your presentation public (when appropriate) shows your clients and customers that youre an industry thought leader and it also allows them to share their insights. Companies like Apple have done this and its become an important part of their brand and marketing message. With a little thought and effort you can make your presentation more creative and what you've always hoped it would be. As a bonus, you will have more fun getting your presentation ready. What's a bear to do when it wants to beat the blistering heat? Hop in a neighborhood swimming pool, of course. A bear plopped into a Bradbury, Calif. woman's pool on Sunday, the big beast cooling off as temperatures soared to record highs throughout the Golden State. "He continued to play around for about 20 minutes. We watched him play with the different rafts and my baby's pool toys," Shannon Lievense told ABC7. People in the neighborhood reportedly spot bears often. Father's Day temperatures reached 120 degrees in the Palm Springs area, ABC7 reported. Jimmy Cheek, the chancellor of the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, is resigning to rejoin the faculty. In a Tuesday announcement, the university praised Cheek for increased diversity at the school, record fundraising and $1 billion in new construction and renovation. Cheek has also faced numerous challenges during his tenure. They include a lawsuit over the university's handling of sexual assault complaints and lawmaker anger that led to the defunding of the UT Office of Diversity last month. Lawmakers had opposed the Office of Diversity's recommendations to use gender-neutral pronouns for transgender students and to avoid religious-themed holiday parties. They also opposed an annual student-run "Sex Week" event on campus. Cheek said at a news conference his resignation was a personal decision that had nothing to do with those issues. "We've had challenges ever since I've been here, and it had absolutely nothing to do with this decision. This decision had to do with how much time and effort I spend on this job," he said. "These are 24-hour, every-day-of-the-week jobs. You can do that for a certain length of time, but you can't do it indefinitely." Cheek has been chancellor since 2009 and will remain in that position until a successor is appointed. UT President Joe DiPietro said at the news conference that officials will start the search for a new chancellor immediately. He hopes to have a candidate to recommend to the Board of Trustees by the fall and have someone on the job by early in the spring semester, he said. Cheek, who will join the Department of Leadership and Policy in Higher Education, called being chancellor "the greatest job I've ever had." No one was inside an inflatable bounce house when a strong wind gust sent it flying into a western New York electric power transmission tower during a child's birthday party. A family in the city of Niagara Falls had gathered Saturday for a backyard party when a big gust of wind blew the bounce house high into the air, WIVB-TV in Buffalo reported. Video taken on a cellphone shows the bounce house briefly hovering above the trees before it veers toward nearby power lines, where it crashed into the top of a tower and deflated. A National Grid crew later removed the object from the tower. Two years earlier to the day, three children were injured when strong winds lifted a bounce house off the ground in South Glens Falls in eastern New York. Rebranding is one of the most high-stakes initiatives a company can undertake. But businesses often launch rebrands according to what they think is cool or catchy rather than what their customers want. They stake their brands on their own pet ideas -- a risky bet when your entire company rides on the outcome. Related: What Prince Can Teach All Companies About Rebranding PepsiCo learned this the hard way with its ongoing rebrandings of Sierra Mist. In 2010, the company released a new can design and recipe that used cane sugar and stevia to sweeten the drink instead of high fructose corn syrup. During the next several years, PepsiCo released more redesigns and launched a product called Mist Twst, which eventually replaced the original soda. Fans were irate earlier this year when they realized that not only had Mist Twst replaced Sierra Mist, but that it was made with the drink's original sweetner, high fructose corn syrup, instead of the more health-conscious stevia blend. Had Pepsi dug into customers attitudes toward the new drink, the company might have held off on promoting Mist Twst at the expense of the tried-and-true Sierra Mist. When theres a disconnect, then, between how the market perceives a company and how the company perceives itself, the revised image rarely lands as intended. The rebrand should reflect the businesss aspirations and either align with customers' expectations or redefine them. The customers perception is brand reality Before devising our own rebrand at our railroad components company, Miller Ingenuity, my team discovered that our market perceived us as the Felpax guys. That was our old trade name, a holdover from when we made felt lubricators for the railroad industry. But the business had grown to offer much more than that. We were missing out on countless opportunities because customers wouldnt come to us for anything outside of what they believed was our core competency. We had built the company we wanted. Now, we had to reintroduce ourselves to the market. Many companies take the opposite approach and decide to launch aspirational rebrands, which is never a good idea. They present idealized versions of themselves and believe that if they tell customers of their new identities, theyll live up to their own high standards. But brand identity is more than a catchy slogan or banner on the wall; its a promise to the market and shouldnt be made lightly. Values form the fabric of a brand. A business that guarantees warp-speed delivery must hire employees who prioritize speed over anything else. A company such as Geico, which promises that 15 minutes or less can save you 15 percent or more, should have a sales team that lives up to the hype. Rebrands are about emphasizing a companys current selling points -- not the values it hopes to embody someday. Related: 4 Ways to Survive Your Companys Rebrand If launched and maintained correctly, a brand becomes as valuable an asset as patents, trademarks and other intellectual property. Rebrands deserve as much consideration and effort as major capital equipment purchases or product development expenditures. After all, nearly half of a brands image is tied to what its company claims and how it makes those claims. An ill-conceived rebrand can embarrass a company and cause it to lose credibility instantly. Kraft suffered such an egg-on-the-face moment when it discovered that the name of its new international snack company sounded similar to a lewd Russian word. When George Mason University's law school tried to rename itself Antonin Scalia School of Law, in honor of the late Supreme Court justice, it realized too late that its new acronym was ASSoL. Brands can use the following guidelines to avoid similar missteps and ensure that their rebrands resonate: 1. Conduct in-depth customer interviews. Gather feedback from a broad cross-section of your customer base. Those surveyed should respond to questions about how they perceive the brand, which values they associate with the company and which values they hold dear in their personal lives. Then, ask what they would change or improve about the current brand experience. Analyze the results, and incorporate the aspirational elements of the company. Thats the foundation for building a brand. 2. Dont change what is well-loved. Assemble small focus groups of customers and employees, and gauge their responses to the colors, tone and overall message of the rebrand. Are people excited by the new look? Inspired by the revised slogan? Or, do these elements confuse people and turn them off? In 2011, Overstock.com changed its brand to O.co. Customers knew Overstock, but they were thrown by the name change. The company threw away years of brand equity in a poorly conceived effort to sound hip. 3. Establish strict rules for brand usage. Once the brand is established, all associated materials must be controlled. From PR messaging to the font in which ads and brochures are printed, each element should be crafted according to the brand guidelines. Every customer encounter should be cohesive and reflect the broader strategy. Thats how Walt Disney World maintains an aura of magic throughout its park. The actors who dress as beloved Disney figures emerge from the under-park in character and stay that way until theyre behind the scenes again. They dont make personal small talk while signing autograph books or sit around drinking a soda in public during their breaks. They remain on brand at all times. Related: The 3 Fundamentals of a Successful Rebrand Rebrands require a deep dive into customer perception and expectations. Without an extensive brand discovery process, companies end up launching bizarre, out-of-touch rebrands. Failed initiatives damage companies reputations and make it difficult to regain traction in the market. Companies that want to change their public perception for the better need to know what their audiences want (to change and to keep) and where they want to take their brands. An alleged sexual assault on a five-year-old special needs girl has put a small Idaho city at the center of the debate over the Obama administrations move to take in hundreds of thousands of refugees. Much of what occurred in the June 2 incident is unclear, clouded by emotion and rumor and sealed from public record due to the suspects ages. At a raucous public meeting Monday, dozens of residents of the city of 44,000 voiced their concerns after word had spread that young Syrian refugees had gang-raped a little girl at knifepoint, defiling her in unspeakable ways. Some of what they had heard was true, some was not and still more remains unconfirmed speculation. But authorities believe something terrible occurred. Two young boys were arrested Friday and remain in custody. This is a serious crime and we are handling it the way we handle all such crimes, Twin Falls County Prosecutor Grant Loebs told FoxNews.com. Were still in the fairly early stages of investigating this. Despite the hot-button issue of refugee resettlement, the story has gained little traction with the national media, and Internet fact-check site Snopes.com has labeled the information circulating on the web as mostly false. According to Loebs, the three assailants, ages 7, 10 and 14, are not Syrian, but may be refugees. The girl was not raped, but is believed to have been sexually assaulted, he said. The day after the arrests, local residents formed the Facebook community Justice for Our Children in support of the young victim and her family that has more than 9,000 members. A petition was circulated, attracting more than 2,500 signatures in less than three days. Many people in this community are in awe, and outraged that no consequences are being served to these boys nor their parents for this vile incident, reads the petition letter dated Jun 18. We feel there is an incredible lack of justice being served. We are not targeting due to racism. We are targeting these individuals because of their horrific acts. No one should go without consequences for actions like these no matter the age or language barrier. Davis Odell, a community resident who has been in close contact with the victims family said the boys dragged the unnamed girl into a utility room in the Fawnbrook Apartments, a low-income, subsidized housing complex in Twin Falls, and assaulted her in an attack that ended when a neighbor happened upon the scene and called police. They stripped her naked, and urinated in her mouth, Odell told FoxNews.com, citing his conversations with the girl's family. Neither the Twin Falls Police Department nor Loebs confirmed the details given by Odell. Loebs did confirm that the incident was reported on June 2, and that two juvenile suspects were finally charged Thursday and arrested a day later. The prosecutor did not say why just two arrests had been made, and said the case is sealed due to its sensitive nature and the minors involved. Twin Falls Police Chief Craig Kingsbury told reporters the suspects are Iraqi and Sudanese. Loebs said he does not know how long they have been living in the United States. Twin Falls activists say the case and the lack of information from authorities demonstrates the problem with state and federal programs to resettle refugees in cities and towns. Were worried that these are the kids who will be going to school with our kids, said Odell. We want to know what is happening. Refugee advocates say the disturbing case is being used to drive anti-refugee sentiments. There have been periodic website postings about hundreds of Syrians coming to Idaho that have all proven to be false in the past, and this is probably just one of those attempts to try and stir up hatred and bigotry, Jan Reeves, director of the Idaho Office for Refugees, told the Idaho Statesman. Reeves' office has worked with the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement to find homes in the state for more than 300 refugees amid the current international crisis. Twin Falls is one of several communities in the state that has received refugees. While the Syrian civil war touched off an international effort to absorb millions of displaced people, the refugee wave that has swept over Europe and into the U.S. includes people from more than a dozen Middle Eastern and African countries. In Twin Falls last year, anti-refugee activists sought to close a local resettlement office, but did not gather enough signatures to put the measure before voters. Davis and others are thus planning a fundraiser and Walk of Support this weekend in an effort to assist the family with relocation and legal costs. He said the girl is deeply traumatized and very confused about what happened. At a City Council meeting Monday night, residents demanded answers from law enforcement regarding the crime and the resettlement program, with some calling for the removal of all immigrants in the city. Lauren Day contributed to this report Google is getting ready for a day in court, after a precedent-setting move by a Florida judge who denied the search engine giants motion to dismiss a case that could redefine how businesses engage in search engine optimization. The case is especially noteworthy, as most previous challenges based on Googles search results have resulted in immediate dismissal. Google claims the plaintiff, e-ventures Worldwide LLC, engaged in search engine manipulation in order to cause its websites to be ranked higher in Googles search results, stating that doing so was bad behavior that had to be deterred. Consequently, Google summarily de-indexed hundreds of the plaintiffs websites without review or redress. The de-indexing was not based on algorithmic rules or webmaster guidelines, but rather, subjectively applied based on an anonymous tip from an unnamed third party. Related: These 9 SEO Tips Are All You'll Ever Need to Rank in Google The larger question here is chilling to virtually any small business which seeks a higher ranking, since Googles own definition of search engine manipulation is vague and unpredictable. According to a brief filed by e-ventures attorney Alexis Arena at Flaster Greenberg PC, Under Googles definition, any website owner that attempts to cause its website to rank higher, in any manner, could be guilty of pure spam and blocked from Googles search results, without explanation or redress. It seemed as though I was personally targeted by Google, said Jeev Trika, CEO of e-ventures Worldwide. I would purchase a brand new domain and post nothing more than bye bye world and within minutes, Google would de-index that domain too. So, Googles argument that it was removing websites because they were violating Google webmaster guidelines falls flat. It was not about the website content, it was about targeting the website owner. The fact that Google targets people like this is not something that is consistent with their published policies, or what they tell the public. The brief notes that search engine manipulation includes anything done to a website to make it more visible on Google -- and therefore virtually any business using generally accepted SEO tactics (or any marketing tactics, for that matter) could be accused of manipulation, giving Google an excuse to de-list a website arbitrarily and outside of its algorithmic process, or as in the case of e-ventures Worldwide, de-index all of a website owners properties summarily. Should Google prevail, commonly used tactics such as title tags, incorporating keywords in headlines, incorporating legitimate backlinks, or even writing a daily blog would all be suspect. The outcome of this case could dramatically affect how virtually every business in the world does its online marketing. A First Amendment question. Google is claiming First Amendment rights, stating that it is a publisher and free to publish or not publish anything it sees fit. How Google defines publishing is a bit of a stretch -- they do publish a constantly evolving list of algorithmically-ranked links to websites, but that is by no means the same as operating as a media outlet which exercises editorial discretion. By journalistic definition, a SERP isnt the same thing as an article -- its just a mechanically ranked database. Googles entire case however, rests on a First Amendment argument. Related: Companies Will Spend $65 Billion on SEO in 2016, Much of it Will Be Wasted There is an important distinction being brought out in this case that goes far beyond the rights of e-ventures Worldwide, and calls into question the very nature of SEO and digital marketing. In previous cases, the courts have found that Google does indeed have First Amendment protection, but in those cases, the questions related to the rankings of a website, rather than deletion of websites simply because they were affiliated with a person or a company. Previous cases have held that, for example, if someone claims they should be ranked higher in the SERP than Google shows, Google prevails on First Amendment principles. But, if Google bans 366 websites from all search results because they are affiliated with a particular person or company, then that is a very different thing than anything the courts have addressed previously, said Alexis Arena, e-ventures Worldwides attorney. Google did not offer a response to our request for a comment, but they did provide a copy of their most recent June 1 legal filing, which attempted to reinforce their First Amendment claims and argue again for dismissal, again reinforcing its opinion that search engine results are editorial opinions and therefore qualify for First Amendment protection. What is SEO and is it a legitimate strategy? Before Google refined their algorithm, getting on the first page of search results often could be achieved with tactics like keyword stuffing and artificial linking schemes, but those days are gone, said Jeev Trika, CEO of e-ventures Worldwide. Because of changes to Googles algorithms, Internet entrepreneurs and Web publishers like myself now go the extra mile to provide websites and articles that are relevant, useful, and written to journalistic standards, and that has made the virtual world a better place. Related: The Top 4 Reasons SEO Is Dead But, says Trika, Google has overstepped its bounds in invoking First Amendment rights to arbitrarily quash websites without review, on the basis of an unsubstantiated third party anonymous tip, and outside the realm of the Google algorithm. Googles actions deny businesses the basic right to market themselves in the digital economy, said Trika. Google in reality controls the market for Internet advertising, and must be held to a higher standard. Trika suggests Google is not drawing a distinction between generally accepted search engine optimization techniques -- such as simply creating and publishing outstanding articles and useful information -- and what they refer to as search engine manipulation. SEO is simply engaging in an ever-changing array of tactics to gain recognition -- something businesses have done long before the Internet existed. By Googles own definition of manipulation, any company using header tags or incorporating keywords into headlines could be subject to arbitrary de-indexing. Googles business model isnt, at the end of the day, providing a free search engine or publishing data, its selling advertisements, said Trika. The free search engine is merely a vehicle for doing so. Google has an economic reason to deny legitimate Web publishers who are promoting SEO placement in the SERPs so that they can sell more advertisements, but that type of anti-competitive action should not be protected by the First Amendment. Ever since the first advertisement appeared in the very first newspaper, companies have attempted to use marketing, advertising and public relations tactics to bring more attention to themselves. SEO is merely one more tool in this time-honored commercial tradition. The outcome of this case may well have a lasting effect on how companies move their marketing initiatives into the digital world. The Marines are looking for a few good planes, and their search has taken them to an Arizona boneyard where the Corps old F/A Hornets have been gathering dust for years. The jets are being reclaimed and refurbished by Boeing after the service branch was caught short on planes because of long delays in the rollout of the much-awaited F-35. "We are very focused on our current readiness, and at the moment, we don't have enough Hornets for combat, flight instruction and day-to-day training," Marine Corps spokeswoman Capt. Sarah Burns told FoxNews.com in an email. The Marines could have done as the Navy did and adopted second generation F/A- 18E/F Super Hornets until the new planes were ready, but opted not to. Burns said it was the plan all along to keep the Hornets where they could be recalled, but critics questioned the original move. In hindsight, it was a misstep for the USMC to not have purchased the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, but only because the F-35 has seen such extensive delays and complications in production, Omar Lamrani, senior military analyst for global intelligence firm Stratfor told FoxNews.com . If the F-35 had entered production as originally scheduled and at the expected price, then the USMC would have been able to successfully transition straight from the F/A-18 Hornets to the F-35. Boeing has refurbished two of a planned 23 F/A Hornets stored at the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base near Tucson known as the boneyard and will soon finish more, according to WarIsBoring.com. The planes will be modified to a current C+ standard under a contract with Boeing and the USMC signed in 2014. Its not the first time the military has brought back decommissioned planes from the graveyard. The Marines pulled and restored several retired heavy-lift helicopters during the height of the Iraq War to help with a shortfall in the fleet as a result of heavy usage and crashes. The F-35 was supposed to be ready for front-line service in 2006. The Marine Corps reasoned that the Super Hornets were too pricey to serve as a bridge to the new planes, and chose to continue to operate their current fleets. As the F/A Hornets dwindled through attrition, and quality-control issues delayed the F-35 from coming off the assembly, the Corps was caught short. Lt. Gen. Jon Davis, the USMC deputy commandant for aviation, told Senate lawmakers that just 32 percent of the Corps Hornet fighters were operational. The branch needs at least 58 percent of the F/A-18s to be flight ready so that there are enough planes for combat, flight instruction and day-to-day training. Officials for the USMC did not immediately return requests for comment but in their most recent annual report on aviation capabilities, Davis said, I am concerned with our current readiness rates, both in equipment and personnel. Some experts say bringing back the F/A-18 jets may not be much of an issue. I consider it a pretty smart move on the U.S. Marine Corps side, David Cenciotti, of the influential blog The Aviationist, told FoxNews.com . The F/A-18C and D are very reliable airframes that are quite easy to maintain and operate. Once upgraded to the C+ standard, these gap fillers are more than enough to conduct combat operations in low-lethality scenarios like those that see the USMC at work these days. Once the upgraded legacy Hornets are delivered, Cenciotti added, older planes can rotate to daily training activities required by the Marine Corps pilots to maintain preparedness. Lamrani says the only real danger is if maintenance is not kept up on the refurbished planes, but that their usage leads to other issues. Refurbishing mothballed aircraft is not inexpensive, and hardly cost effective, he told FoxNews.com. All this is again linked to the F-35 failing to arrive on time. A 14-year-old girl who was wounded when authorities say an Uber driver opened fire in the Kalamazoo, Michigan, area has suffered a minor setback, her father said Monday. Gene Kopf spoke about his daughter, Abigail, during a Gun Safety Week event in Ann Arbor. Abigail was shot in the head during the Feb. 20 shooting rampage that also killed six people and injured a woman. "She's had a small setback because of an infection," her father said. "She's doing as well as she can, but there are a lot of complications and it's a long road to recovery." He said Abigail's prognosis is uncertain. She came home last week from a hospital stay. "She's on antibiotics," Kopf said. "The infection caused them to remove the plate that replaced the missing portion of her skull, so she's without a portion of her skull right now. And it will be that way for several months. It's very painful for her. She has intense headaches and, of course, she has an infection, which is high risk." Kopf said he's uncomfortable discussing gun control issues, but he feels the need to do so in the aftermath of his daughter's shooting. He said he's also discussed it with his daughter. "We don't have it too often, but she is worried that there are just too many guns out there," Kopf said. "It's too easy for people to cause a shooting." Kopf said he sees both sides of the issue. "I'm not one of those who says, 'Let's ban all guns,'" he said. "I do hunt, but that doesn't mean that we can't address the problem and that it's a de-regulated free-for-all, either." Uber driver Jason Dalton is charged with murder and attempted murder in the apparently random attacks. The mother of an escaped Indiana jail inmate was arrested Monday, not for helping her son escape, but for helping the man he fled with, officials said. The Fayette County Sheriff's Office said 60-year-old Paula Potters of Connersville faces a preliminary charge of assisting a criminal by providing food and clothing to Michael Roberts, after Roberts and her son, Chadwick Heath, escaped Friday night. Under Indiana law, Potters cannot be charged with helping her son evade arrest. Authorities focused their search for the two on the Dayton, Ohio, area after a truck the two might have used was discovered there Sunday night. Heath and Roberts escaped through a tiny two-foot hole in their cell at about 11:30 p.m., conjuring images of the famous "Shawshank Redemption" escape. The two had a two-hour head start when authorities finally noticed they were gone. The sheriff's office is offering $1,000 rewards for information leading to the capture of Roberts and Heath. Heath is charged with four counts of dealing a narcotic drug, maintaining a common nuisance and visiting a common nuisance. Roberts is charged with burglary and two counts of theft. The pair may be using a 2015 white Ford F350 that belonged to a person Roberts used to work for. The owner reported the vehicle missing on Sunday morning. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A southwest Florida man fatally shot his wife and his newlywed neighbor who tried to mediate an argument between the couple, police said. Lee County Sheriff's deputies arrested 47-year-old Placido Moreno-Torres late Saturday following a shooting at his home near Fort Myers. Neighbors told investigators they heard Moreno-Torres arguing with his wife around 9:25 p.m. The News-Press reports 20-year-old Ricardo Vaca heard his neighbors arguing and went to their driveway to "intercede." The sheriff's report said Vaca's concern appeared to be his only involvement. Investigators said Moreno-Torres fatally shot Vaca and 44-year-old Amparo Moreno before running from the scene. Deputies caught up to him and he is charged with two counts of homicide. Vaca was married May 29 and his wife is expecting a baby, The News-Press reported. After Oakland lost three police chiefs in just eight days amid a string of bombshell accusations involving racist text messages and prostitution, city officials decided that for now, the department can operate without any chief at all. State officials initially balked at Mayor Libby Schaafs proposal to have police commanders report directly to the city administrator, claiming such a plan would be illegal -- but they dropped their opposition late Monday, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Chief Sean Whent suddenly resigned June 9 after investigators revealed that several officers had sex with a teenage prostitute, in some cases when she was underage. The mayor appointed Bay Area Rapid Transit Assistant Police Chief Ben Fairow as a temporary replacement, but fired him last Wednesday after learning unspecified information that led her to lose confidence in his ability to lead the beleaguered department. Then Schaaf apponted Paul Figueroa as an acting chief. She said he stepped down on Friday but claimed his decision was not connected to any scandal. She revealed officials were investigating racist text messages that she said were "wholly inappropriate and not acceptable from anyone who wears the badge of the Oakland Police Department." The mayor denounced the department's "toxic, macho culture" and vowed to root out "the bad apples." She added, "As the mayor of Oakland, I'm here to run a police department, not a frat house." At least 14 officers are mired in the sex scandal, and Schaaf said the number of officers involved with the racist texts is smaller. Still, she cautioned that the investigation was ongoing. One of the officers under investigation in the text scandal has been placed on leave, she said. Some of the officers being investigated were "engaging in hate speech," and others were "tolerating it" by receiving offensive messages and not reporting them, Schaaf said. She said Figueroa has taken a leave of absence and asked to return to the force as a captain, not as an assistant chief. Two officers with the troubled Oakland department have resigned amid the sex scandal, and three others remain on paid leave. The mayor said City Administrator Sabrina Landreth would be responsible for the department's administrative decisions moving forward. "I want to assure the citizens of Oakland that we are hell bent on rooting out this disgusting culture." The department already was under federal oversight over past failures to adequately hold officers accountable for misdeeds that included planting evidence and robbing residents in predominantly black west Oakland. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The Orlando nightclub terrorist Omar Mateen reportedly brought nearly $9,000 worth of expensive jewelry less than a week before committing the worst mass shooting in U.S. history. According to ABC News, Mateen made the purchase at a Kay Jewelers on June 6 in Jenson Beach. The store is located near the Lotus Gun Shop where Mateen was turned away after seeking to buy bulk ammunition and heavy-duty body armor. Signet, which owns the jewelry store, didnt confirm Mateens purchase but did say they were "working closely" with authorities in their investigation into the shooter. Employees at the gun shop declined to sell Mateen anything after seeing him engage in suspicious behavior, The Wall Street Journal reported last week. Robbie Abell, the Lotus Gun Shops co-owner, told The Journal that Mateen spoke on the phone in a Middle Eastern-sounding language and was repeatedly texting on his phone. "[He] just seemed very odd, Abell said. The questions he was asking were not the normal questions a normal person would be asking." "If something is suspicious, its our discretion, Abell said. We are the gatekeeper." Federal investigators say that in the week before he murdered dozens people and wounded more than 50 others at the Pulse nighclub in Orlando, Mateen visited another gun shop, where he purchased a pistol and a .223 SIG Sauer semiautomatic rifle. The Justice Department released the full transcript of Mateens 911 call on the night of the massacre Monday. In his 50-second call to police he claimed responsibility for the terror attack and pledged allegiance to Islamic States leader. The summary shows that Mateen told negotiators he had a "vehicle outside that has some bombs. Just to let you know. You people are gonna get it, and I'm gonna ignite it if they try to do anything stupid." Mateen claimed he had an explosive vest similar to the kind used by terrorists "in France," referencing the November terror attack in Paris. "In the next few days, you're going to see more of this type of action going on," Mateen said. He also reportedly told hostages that he would put suicide vests on them. No explosives were ever found on Mateen inside the club or in any vehicles outside. Mateen was armed with two guns during the rampage. Despite claims by the administration and law enforcement officials that ISIS did not direct Mateen to carry out the attack, Defense Secretary Ash Carter on Monday used the massacre as an example of why the terror group must be defeated. Orlando further steels our resolve to carry out all aspects of our coalition military campaign plan," Carter said at a conference organized by the Center for a New American Security, a Washington think tank. "First, destroying ISIL's parent tumor in Iraq and Syria, which is necessary, but not sufficient; second, combating ISIL's metastases worldwide wherever it appears; and third helping protect the homeland." Fox News Lucas Tomlinson contributed to this report. A Pittsburgh anchorwoman, who was fired after comments in a Facebook post about a shooting were deemed racially insensitive, filed a lawsuit against her former employer Monday saying the television station let her go because she is white. Wendy Bell said in her federal lawsuit against WTAE-TV that the station fired her on March 30 because of her race, violating her civil rights. "Had Ms. Bell written the same comments about white criminal suspects or had her race not have been white, Defendant would not have fired her, much less disciplined her," the lawsuit reads. "Ms. Bell's posting of concern for the African-American community stung by mass shooting was clearly and obviously not intended to be racially offensive." Bell is seeking back pay, punitive damages and her old job. She commented on the March 9 shooting of five black people in the poor Pittsburgh suburb of Wilkinsburg. "You needn't be a criminal profiler to draw a mental sketch of the killers who broke so many hearts," Bell wrote March 21. "They are young black men, likely in their teens or in their early 20s. They have multiple siblings from multiple fathers and their mothers work multiple jobs. These boys have been in the system before. They've grown up there. They know the police. They've been arrested." In the same post, she also praised a black restaurant worker in a way some readers felt was condescending. No arrests have been made in the case. Bell's comments sparked a backlash from some who saw her words as racist, but also drew defenders who found her post honest. After a social media backlash, Bell apologized, saying her words "were insensitive and could be viewed as racist." The station also apologized, saying Bell's remarks showed "an egregious lack of judgment." Bell was fired nine days later after WTAE determined her remarks violated the company's journalism and ethics standards. In an interview with The Associated Press on the day she was fired, Bell said she did not get a "fair shake" from the station, and that the focus on her comments was a distraction from the issue of "African-Americans being killed by other African-Americans." Sam Cordes, Bells lawyer, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that Bell is still searching for a job, but the situation is complicated because WTAE-TV management told her that she had a noncompete clause in her original contract that ran through March 30, 2017. This was not easy for her and has not been, Mr. Cordes said. Bell joined WTAE in 1998 and has won 21 Emmy Awards. The Associated Press contributed to this report. More than 100 brave souls are preparing for an intense 750-mile Pacific boat race from Washington to Alaska -- an event described as "car camping in an enormous washing machine." Sailors, paddlers to test endurance on 750 miles of cold waters in the Race to Alaska: https://t.co/BRbrNZEwoV pic.twitter.com/SlQpOptWqg The Seattle Times (@seattletimes) June 21, 2016 It's only the second time organizers are attempting the race known as Washington's Iditarod, a reference to the famous sled dog race in Alaska. The event is set to start Thursday. Motors are banned from all the boats. The winner of last year's race traveled from Puget Sound to Ketchikan in just over five days. The sailors and rowers admit it's not an easy trip. They're expecting gale-force winds and massive waves. What draws me is the element of human endurance, competitor Piper Dunlap told The Seattle Times. He works as an acupuncturist when he's not on the water. Sailboats, rowboats and even kayaks take part in the race. But a massive new competitor may blow them out of the water, so to speak. It's a 73-foot trimaran believed to be the fastest boat that ever sailed around Puget Sound. Some other sailors cried foul, but organizer Jake Beattie told the newspaper his Race to Alaska won't turn into yet another fancy yacht race. The winner pockets $10,000. Second place: a set of steak knives. "Were all tied to our cellphones and our cars. I love being freed of all that stuff now and then. It puts you back in touch with yourself and with the elements, sailor Dan Blanchard told the Times. Click for more from The Seattle Times. When public school opens in South Carolina next fall, students could begin getting an earful on the Constitution and Bill of Rights under a new state law, but some critics wonder why it took an act of the legislature to ensure kids learn about Americas founding documents. Republican Gov. Nikki Haley last month signed the South Carolina Founding Principles Act, which requires that schools teach students about the two key documents as well as the Federalist Papers and the system of checks and balances laid out by the founding fathers. "When our students are informed, they are empowered - and there is nothing more powerful than the wisdom of our nation's founding documents, Haley spokeswoman Chaney Adams told FoxNews.com in an email. They should always be part of what our children learn in school." Even as supporters applaud the measure, many lament that it was deemed necessary. Education activists have long complained that key components of U.S. history, including the nations founding documents and principles, are given short shrift while others receive an outsize focus. We have seen for a while now that there is a real hostility toward the ideas of free market principles, toward American exceptionalism, toward our founding fathers and founding documents, said Kyle Olson, founder of the Michigan-based nonprofit Education Action Group and a leader in education reform. We have fallen so far [from core American principles] that this sort of law is unfortunately necessary. The law requires the State Department of Education to submit a report to lawmakers every two years that details the incorporation of the curriculum, which is required to be fully implemented by 2020. The documents and ideas underpinning the nations founding were not completely ignored prior to the law, acknowledged the bills main sponsor, Rep. Chip Huggins, R-Lexington. He believed the instruction needed to be enhanced and standardized to ensure all public school students in the state understood Americas most basic ideals. Weve had a lot of concern about the erosion [of] our founding principlesthe Constitution, Bill of Rights, federation papers and separation of powers, Huggins told FoxNews.com. No one stands up for them. [This bill] stands up for those rights. In addition to the new law, South Carolina also joined seven other states in implementing a national campaign called the Civics Education Initiative, sponsored by the Joe Foss Institute. Those beginning the ninth grade in the upcoming school year will have to take a 100-question, online civics test administered by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services by the time they are seniors. Tanya Robinson, president of the South Carolina Parent Teacher Association, said that while she believes its important for students to learn about the government, she is skeptical whether high schoolers will take the test seriously, considering it does not appear to count for anything. Still the dual effort to put a renewed emphasis on civics and the Costitution is overdue, said Olson. Theres a major problem when it comes to civics education in American public schools that people need to get serious about, Olson said. A 25-year-old Juneau driver who impaled a black bear with his pickup and drove home two miles was cited last week for not immediately informing authorities that he had struck a big game animal. Alaska State Troopers said Thomas Willis struck a large back bear on the Glacier Highway on April 29. The bear was impaled on the truck's front tow hook. Willis kept driving. The next day, he spotted the bear sticking out from the front of his truck. Willis told troopers he couldn't move it and they helped dislodge the bear. Investigators said the meat and hide could not be salvaged because of the distance the bear had been dragged and the time that had elapsed. Online court documents did not list an attorney for Willis. A jury found two Southern California men guilty Tuesday of attempting to join the Islamic State (ISIS) terror group. Nader Elhuzayel and Muhanad Badawi, both 25, were convicted of conspiring to provide material support to ISIS. Elhuzayel also was found guilty of attempting to provide material support to ISIS, while Badawi was found guilty of aiding and abetting that attempt. Prosecutors alleged that Elhuzayel was attempting to join ISIS at the time of his arrest in May 2015. The Anaheim man was stopped at Los Angeles International Airport bearing a plane ticket to Israel with a stopover in Turkey. Investigators also claimed that Badawi bought Elhuzayel's ticket with a debit card tied to federal Pell Grant funds. Among other evidence, prosecutors said investigators recorded a phone conversation between the two men in which they discussed how "it would be a blessing to fight for the cause of Allah, and to die on the battlefield." Authorities also say the men discussed ISIS and terror attacks on social media and referred to the jihadist group as "we." Kate Corrigan, an attorney for Badawi, told the Orange County Register that both men's plans amounted to "a lot of talk." "I dont think these guys went to a gym, let alone a shooting range or a gun store," Corrigan told the paper. "And they talk about getting martyrdom? Give me a break. These two? They are no holy warriors." In addition to the terrorism-related counts, Elhuzayel was found guilty of 26 counts of bank fraud, and Badawi was found guilty of one count of federal financial aid fraud. Prosecutors said Elhuzayel deposited stolen checks into his account before withdrawing cash at various banks to fund his travel plans. Both men are scheduled to be sentenced in September. Elhuzayel faces a maximum sentence of 30 years on each bank fraud count, while Badawi faces up to five years imprisonment on the financial aid fraud count. Both men face up to 15 years on each count of providing material support to ISIS. Click for more from the Orange County Register. Looking for the latest headlines in small business, innovation and tech? Our Start Up Your Day recaps are posted every morning to keep you current. Diagnosed. Feeling under the weather? Google will soon provide improved symptom search results. Show me the money. New research shows that the upper middle class expanded from 12.9 perent of the population in 1979 to 29.4 percent in 2014. Friendly skies. United has plans to increase its operating income by $3.1 billion per year with no-frills fares and fewer delays. Game on. China's largest gaming group, Tencent, has purchased a majority stake in Finnish game developer Supercell for $8.6 billion. Picture perfect. Twitter reportedly bought a company that uses neural network technology to improve images for $150 million. In their shoes. More companies are adopting empathy training. Ooh la la. A new AI can predict when people are about to hug, kiss, high-five or shake hands. Yo te quiero. Taco Bell is fulfilling its promise to give away free Doritos Locos tacos today after an away team, the Golden State Warriors, won Game 4 against the Cavaliers in Cleveland. It seems like, on the first day of your new job, every employee handbook circulated covers the general rule that telling someone they have a nice butt isn't a good idea professionally. That's why a recent controversy at an Indiana restaurant chain is such a head-scratcher. At least one manager at Scotty's Brewhouse in Indianapolis was fired as a result of a team-building event gone wrong. Several employees received trophies akin to "best bartender" or "best server," presumably as some kind of reward for good service. But one employee got a trophy that was entirely unwelcome: "Best butt." Not only that, but, after receiving the trophy, she was then told to turn around in front of everyone so people could take pictures of the asset that won her the award. The server, whom the local media didn't identify, was, unsurprisingly, not amused. In fact, she felt humilated. I feel like Im more than just a butt," the woman told a local television station. "I feel like Im smart. Im going to school. In fact, she deserved a trophy for nothing short of work ethic, it seems. I have two jobs so I can make money and continue to go to school," she said, "and then get my degree and not work two jobs anymore. The corporate bosses at Scotty's meted out an ass-whooping for the offense. In a statement, company owner Scott Wise said he was "completely unaware" of the awards, nor did he or anyone else in senior management "condone or sponsor this event." Related: How Does the EEOC Fare in the Discrimination Wars? "As a result," Wise said, "we took immediate action that included terminating management, and I have instructed our teams to immediately do additional sexual harassment training companywide, beyond the initial training process new managers go through already when they are hired." From a communications standpoint, that touches on the Holy Trinity of messaging that companies like Scotty's want to make in a crisis: It was an isolated incident, we handled it swiftly and we're working to make sure it never happens again. But there's also something hollow about the response. Sexual-harassment policies, like all corporate efforts to root out bad behavior and discrimination, can be filled with grey areas. All hiring, for instance, involves some kind of discrimination. Many a manager has spent a good amount of time wondering whether a colleague's compliment over a dress runs afoul of unwelcome-communications policies and needs a disciplinary response. This doesn't seem to be a grey area. Talking about someone's "nice butt" to them is an event worthy of termination at most places, for obvious reasons: It objectifies someone in a sexually aggressive away, which runs a high risk of being unwelcome by the receiver. That's first-day training material: No touching, no whistling, etc. Having a trophy engraved seems to take this to a whole other level of asininery. Related: 5 Ways to Manage 'Mad Men'-Era Sexual Harassment And that's where an isolated firing and retraining might not do the trick Scotty's management needs. Many employees test company policies, but only enterprises with permissive cultures allow some to blow past boundaries in the way that happened with the "nice butt" trophy. It's probably not surprising that this happened in a bar environment, which is more laid back than a cubicle-farm office. A neon Bud sign is a modern sub rosa, a signal that much of what happens in the confine of the bar is meant to stay there, or at least to never be mentioned (or remembered) again. Many employees at bars and restaurants know and accept this. The banter that goes on in kitchens or behind bar with staff would make a Teamster blush and cause blood-pressure spikes in the average HR representative. But that's no license to humiliate or take away human dignity from someone, and that's what happened at Scotty's. Beyond simply a rogue employee or two, Scotty's corporate culture bears some responsibility and needs an assessment. After all, it was Scotty's overall culture that, presumably, allowed people to be hired and promoted to the point where a nice-butt trophy didn't command a second thought. At the very least, it's a cultural indictment that a single management team at one restaurant could have an event like this without anyone in the corporate suites knowing about it or approving of it beforehand. Yes, all companies have bad employees and subpar managers, but bad culture often allows these people to go unchecked. That's the blame of leadership, not the bad actors in question. Related: Tinder Suspends Co-Founder Over Sexual Harassment Claims Here's the good news. Scotty's seems like a great business. It's been around 20 years, has about a dozen restaurants and looks to be welcoming and inventive with its food. (I'm particularly intrigued by something called a Chupacabra burger.) This isn't some roadside trucker tavern that can't get out of its own way. It seems to have bright marketing minds, committed leadership and it knows a crisis when it sees one. A cultural audit is at least easy to begin, even if the findings are troubling. And there's better news: Scotty's can use this to try to hire more people who work their tails off, support themselves, pay for their education and contribute to a positive workplace culture. That would be a very nice end. The International Criminal Court on Tuesday sentenced Congolese former vice-president Jean-Pierre Bemba to 18 years in prison for murders, rapes and acts of pillaging committed by his troops in the neighboring Central African Republic in 2002 and 2003. Presiding Judge Sylvia Steiner said that Bemba will get credit for the eight years he has already spent in ICC detention since his arrest in May 2008. Bemba, a former Congolese senator and vice president, was the commander of the Movement for the Liberation of Congo when he was asked in 2002 and 2003 to send troops by CAR president Ange-Felix Patasse. Human Rights Watch said the ruling offered "a measure of justice for victims of sexual violence and other grave crimes in the Central African Republic where armed groups have preyed on civilians with total impunity for more than a decade". "Other commanders should take notice that they, too, can be held accountable for rapes and other serious abuses committed by troops under their control," said Graldine Mattioli Zeltner of HRW. The sentence is the highest yet passed by the ICC, the world's first permanent war crimes court which has previously handed down sentences of 12 and 14 years in prison for two other Congolese militia leaders. The maximum sentence the judges can hand down is life in prison. At the time of his conviction in March, Steiner said women, girls and men were targeted by Bemba's forces, often with multiple soldiers raping women and girls in front of other family members. In one incident, a man's wife was gang raped and when he protested he, too, was raped at gunpoint. Bemba was convicted even though he spent much of the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The court said he was able to communicate with his troops using radios and satellite and mobile phones and also saw reports of their grave crimes in the media. What little action Bemba took to prevent or punish crimes by his forces was grossly inadequate, Steiner said. Only a third of Fallujah has been "cleared" of Islamic State militants, the U.S.-led coalition said Tuesday, days after the Iraqi government declared victory in the city west of Baghdad, which was held by the extremists for more than two years. Other parts of the city are "contested," said U.S. Army Col. Christopher Garver, the Baghdad-based spokesman for the coalition, with clashes underway between Iraqi security forces and IS fighters. Most of the cleared terrain is in the south of the city and "clearing operations continue outward from the city center," Garver added. Iraqi forces pushed into the center of Fallujah on Friday, retaking a government complex and the central hospital. That evening Brig. Gen. Haider al-Obedi, with Iraq's special forces, told The Associated Press his troops controlled 80 percent of the city. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said Friday that Fallujah had "returned to the embrace of the nation," and that remaining IS pockets would be "cleaned out within hours." But in recent days there have been persistent clashes between Iraqi forces and IS fighters holed up in dense residential neighborhoods along the city's northern edge. "What it looks like is (an IS) defensive belt around the city with not as stiff defenses inside," Garver said, explaining that as Iraqi forces move out from the city center they may encounter additional pockets of stiff resistance. "That could be their toughest fighting," Garver added. Iraqi commanders on the ground say their forces continue to make progress and have killed hundreds of militants. Iraqi special forces backed by U.S.-led airstrikes have taken control of the neighborhoods of al-Shurta and al-Jughaifi, al-Obeidi told the AP on Tuesday. He said Iraqi military engineers were clearing the streets and buildings of left-over bombs. The top special forces commander for the Fallujah operation told local al-Sumaria TV late Monday that the offensive killed 2,500 IS fighters. Lt. Gen. Abdul-Wahab al-Saadi offered no evidence to back up his claim. Iraqi troops have not disclosed their losses in Fallujah, though the Islamic State group claims to have killed dozens. The operation has fueled an exodus of thousands of families, overwhelming camps for the displaced run by the government and aid groups. The U.N. refugee agency said Tuesday that more than 85,000 people have fled Fallujah and the surrounding area since the offensive began. UNHCR spokeswoman Ariane Rummery said she expected that thousands more "could still be planning to leave the city." Fallujah is the last IS bastion in the sprawling Anbar province. IS still controls pockets of territory in Iraq's north and west, including Mosul, the country's second largest city. More than 3.4 million Iraqis have fled their homes since IS swept across northern and western Iraq in the summer of 2014, according to U.N. figures. More than 40 percent of the displaced are from Anbar province. A series of attacks in and around Baghdad, including one targeting anti-IS Sunni fighters, killed at least 12 people and wounded 42 others on Tuesday, police and health officials said on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to release information. No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but they bore the hallmarks of IS. The near-daily attacks are seen by Iraqi officials as an attempt to divert security forces' attention from the front lines. A plane carrying two ailing passengers from the South Pole arrives safely in Chile late Wednesday, according to a statement from the National Science Foundation. The American workers arrived in the southern Chilean city of Punta Arenas. They made a stop earlier at a British station on the edge of Antarctica. The National Science Foundation, which runs the Amundsen-Scott station, would not identify the workers, who are employees of Lockheed Martin, nor their medical conditions. The foundation said initially that one worker needed medical attention, but NSF spokesman Peter West confirmed two people were airlifted. Normally planes don't use the polar outpost from February to October because of the dangers of flying in the pitch dark and cold. The Twin Otter's crew -- a pilot, co-pilot, flight engineer and medical worker -- arrived at the frigid research station Tuesday before resting for several hours as temperatures dropped below minus 70 degrees. Before they left, there were 48 people 39 men and nine women at the station for the winter. Steve Barnet, who works with a University of Wisconsin astronomy team at the polar station but is in the U.S., now, lauded the rescue crew. "The courage of the pilots to make the flight in extremely harsh conditions is incredible and inspiring," Barnet wrote in an email. The extreme cold affects a lot of things on planes, including fuel, which needs to be warmed before takeoff, batteries and hydraulics, according to West. The Twin Otter can fly in temperatures as low as minus 103 degrees (minus 75 degrees Celsius), he said. "The air and Antarctica are unforgiving environments and punishes any slackness very hard," said Tim Stockings, operations director for the British Antarctic Survey. "If you are complacent it will bite you." "Things can change very quickly down there" with ice from clouds, high winds and snow, he said. There have been three emergency evacuations from the Amundsen-Scott station since 1999. That first flight, which was done in Antarctic spring with slightly better conditions, rescued the station's doctor, Jerri Nielsen, who had breast cancer and had been treating herself. Rescues were done in 2001 and 2003, both for gallbladder problems. Scientists have had a station at the South Pole since 1956. It does astronomy, physics and environmental science with telescopes, seismographs and instruments that monitor the atmosphere. The foundation runs two other science stations in Antarctica. Fox News Greg Palkot and the Associated Press contributed to this report. A suicide attacker driving a truck packed with explosives barreled through Syria's border with Jordan on Tuesday, setting off a blast that killed six members of the Jordanian security forces and wounded 14. King Abdullah II said Jordan will "respond with any iron fist" against anyone harming its borders or security, but did not lay out specifics. Government spokesman Mohammed Momani said Jordan is sealing the border area for the time being, leaving it unclear how international aid will reach some 64,000 Syrian refugees stranded on the other side. It was the deadliest attack along the tense border in recent memory and raised new concerns about the pro-Western kingdom's vulnerability to spillover from long-running conflicts in neighboring Syria and Iraq. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the assault, the third against Jordanian security installations in seven months. The previous two attacks had targeted security compounds inside Jordan. Jordan does not yet know who is behind the attack, Momani said. The military said Tuesday's explosion went off at 5:30 a.m. (0230 GMT) near an encampment for tens of thousands of Syrian refugees who are stranded in a remote area on the border and await entry into Jordan. The attack targeted a military post serving Syrian refugees in an area known as Ruqban, the army said. "It was a suicide attack," Momani told reporters. "It was a truck driven in a very fast speed, and it reached our side of the border and it ended up exploding with the driver inside." He said Jordan decided to "close that crossing area and consider this area a closed military zone." A Ruqban resident said that sometime after 5 a.m., he saw a pickup truck speeding toward a Jordanian border gate and crashing through it. Seconds later, a blast went off, followed by the sound of shooting, said the resident, who spoke to The Associated Press over the phone from the area. He spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of repercussions from the authorities. Cellphone photos from the camp show a cloud of gray smoke rising in the distance, with tents in the foreground. Ruqban is the larger of two tent encampments that expanded rapidly in recent months as more Syrians fleeing fighting at home try to reach Jordan. The camps have also attracted smugglers, war profiteers and members of various armed groups fighting in Syria's civil war. The Jordanian military said those killed in Tuesday's attack included four border troops, a member of the civil defense and a public security officer. The statement said 14 were wounded, including nine public security officers. It described the bombing as a "cowardly terrorist attack." Ruqban and the smaller Hadalat camp house about 64,000 Syrians, according to estimates by international aid agencies. Both camps are located near an earthen mound, or berm, that runs along the border. Ruqban is just a few miles from the point where Syria, Jordan and Iraq meet. Ariane Rummery, a spokeswoman for the U.N. refugee agency in Geneva, said the attack "underlines how challenging the relief operation is at the berm." She said the U.N. agency is "concerned about the level of security issues at the berm and for humanitarian agencies working there." Several aid groups, including the World Food Program, said they were not able to reach distribution points near the berm Tuesday. With crowds at the berm swelling rapidly in recent weeks, the situation for refugees in the two encampments has become increasingly dire. Jordan only admits several dozen refugees every day, citing the need for stringent security vetting. Jordanian officials have said they have evidence that Islamic State militants have infiltrated the two camps and are attempting to slip into Jordan, pretending to be refugees. For months, Jordan has "been warning the international community and everybody of the increased number of people on the other side of the border," Momani said Tuesday. "We have strong evidence of the presence of terrorist elements and Daesh elements ... and today is clear proof of that." Daesh is an Arabic acronym for the Islamic State group. Jordan is a member of the U.S.-led military coalition fighting to drive IS out of the areas it controls in Syria and Iraq. Jordan has fortified border defenses, including with U.S.-funded surveillance systems, to try to stop attackers and infiltrators. Jordan has also widened a crackdown on IS sympathizers at home, jailing hundreds in the past two years for promoting the group's ideas on social media. Jordanian security installations were targeted twice before in the past seven months. In November, a Jordanian police captain opened fire on instructors at an international police training center in the capital, Amman, killing five people, including two Americans, before being shot dead by security forces. Two weeks ago, a gunman armed with an assault rifle killed five people in an office of Jordan's intelligence agency. The assailant, said to have previous ties to Islamic militant groups, was arrested several hours later. The government said he was a lone wolf and imposed a gag order, preventing further reporting. Jordanian officials have played down concerns that militant groups, including IS, pose an external and internal threat to the kingdom, seen as a crucial ally by the West in combating extremism. Sicilian mobsters are setting fire to cats and sending the scurrying, burning felines into dry forests to spread the inferno in a sick scheme to make money from reforestation programs, The Times of London reported. One of the mobs arson techniques is to tie a petrol-soaked rag to the tail of a cat and set fire to it, Giuseppe Antoci, director of the Nebrodi regional park, told the newspaper. As its tail burns, the cat flees in terror into the undergrowth in the woods, setting fire to everything in touches. That makes it harder for investigators to figure out where the fire was started and, since the cat is eventually incinerated, they never find what caused the fire. To add to the chaos, the fires were set just as a seasonal African windstorm called a sirocco blew through southern Italy, feeding the flames and spreading the destruction even further. About 14,000 acres were burned in 800 fires set during a 48-hour span earlier this month, The Daily Beast reported. Anti-Mafia investigators have speculated the blazes may be part of a racket to make money from investments in reforestation programs or could be used to prove the worth of the Italian forestry job sector, which the Mafia has reportedly infiltrated en masse. Earlier in June, 180 forestry workers convicted of Mafia-related crimes or who were being probed for Mafia collusion were fired by Sicily regional governor Rosario Crocetta. This is a political mafia attack, Crocetta told reporters. The goal is not only the forests and land speculationThis is also an attack on a government that fights the Mafia; it is a frightening mob attack. The concept of cats as incendiary devices appeared in the 2002 film "Sweet Home Alabama." In it, Reese Witherspoon's character was described as having strapped dynamite to a terminally ill cat that ran into a bank, blowing up the building. In the movie, the cat survives. North Korea fired two suspected powerful new midrange ballistic missiles on Tuesday that both failed over the Sea of Japan, U.S. officials said. U.S. Strategic Command spokesman Ltc. Martin L. O'Donnell said in a statement the two launches from the east coast city of Wonsan, which took place at 4:56 p.m. ET and 7:03 p.m. ET, did not pose a threat to North America. The missiles were tracked over the Sea of Japan, where indications are they fell, according to O'Donnell. The Musudan missile has a potential 2,180-mile range that could target much of Asia and the Pacific, including U.S military bases in the region. The launch on Tuesday was the fifth Musadan launch by the North Koreans to fail. State Department spokesman John Kirby condemned the launches, and said the U.S. continues to assess the situation. "We strongly condemn these and North Korea's other recent missile tests, which violate UN Security Council Resolutions explicitly prohibiting North Korea's launches using ballistic missile technology," Kirby said in a statement. "These provocations only serve to increase the international communitys resolve to counter the DPRKs prohibited activities, including through implementing existing UN Security Council sanctions," he added. Each new test apparently linked to a command from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un also likely provides valuable insights to the North's scientists and military officials as they push toward their goal of a nuclear and missile program that can threaten the U.S. mainland. Pyongyang earlier this year conducted a nuclear test and launched a long-range rocket that outsiders say was a cover for a test of banned missile technology. In April, North Korea attempted unsuccessfully to launch three suspected Musudan missiles, but all exploded in midair or crashed, according to South Korean defense officials. Earlier this month, North Korea had another suspected Musudan failure, South Korean officials said. Before April's launches, North Korea had never flight-tested a Musudan missile, although one was displayed during a military parade in 2010 in Pyongyang, its capital. The launches appear to stem from Kim Jong Un's order in March for more nuclear and ballistic missile tests. The order was an apparent response to springtime U.S.-South Korean military drills, which North Korea views as an invasion rehearsal. Since the end of those military drills, Pyongyang has repeatedly called for the resumption of talks with rival Seoul, even as it pursues new missile development, but the South has rejected the overtures. It wants the North to first take steps toward nuclear disarmament. Pyongyang says its rivals must negotiate with it as an established nuclear power, something Washington and Seoul refuse to do. The string of recent launch attempts show the North is pushing hard to upgrade its missile capability in defiance of U.S.-led international pressure. The North was slapped with the strongest U.N. sanctions in two decades after it conducted a fourth nuclear test and a long-range rocket launch earlier this year. Earlier Tuesday, at a Washington briefing, Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said that if North Korea were to conduct another missile test, it would violate U.N. resolutions and "be another provocative action. So we certainly would urge North Korea to refrain from doing that sort of thing." North Korea has recently claimed a series of breakthroughs in its push to build a long-range nuclear missile that can strike the American mainland. But South Korean officials have said the North doesn't yet possess such a weapon. The North, however, has already deployed a variety of missiles that can reach most targets in South Korea and Japan, including American military bases in the countries. The Korean Peninsula remains in a technical state of war because the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty. About 28,500 U.S. soldiers are stationed in South Korea to deter possible aggression from North Korea; tens of thousands more are stationed in Japan. Fox News' Jennifer Griffin, Lucas Tomlinson, and the Associated Press contributed to this report. AlphaGraphics Again Dominates Quick Printing Top 100 June 21, 2016 // Franchising.com // SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - AlphaGraphics Business Centers once again dominated the 2016 Printing News Magazine Top 100 listing of small commercial printers, with 26 stores represented. More AlphaGraphics Centers were on the list than all their competitors combined. This validates the tremendous power of the AlphaGraphics brand, said Aaron Grohs, President of AlphaGraphics. This is more evidence that AlphaGraphics franchises have the right combination of products and services that businesses need to compete in todays marketplace. AlphaGraphics Inc., is a global network of more than 250 independently owned and operated Business Centers, providing print and marketing communications services in the business-to-business model. About AlphaGraphics AlphaGraphics, Inc. is a franchisor of Business Centers offering a complete range of print, visual communications, and marketing products and solutions, including full-service digital, offset and large format printing; design services; mailing and one-to-one marketing services; promotional products and digital archiving. The franchise office of AlphaGraphics in Salt Lake City provides support for their Business Centers. Learn more at www.alphagraphics.com. SOURCE AlphaGraphics Contact: Steve Dawson sdawson@alphagraphics.com P: 801-595-7269 ### Add to Request List Added Request Information Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus Cheeseburger In Paradise Gives Flavor A Flip Flop With New Island Essentials Summer Menu, Available Through September 6 HOUSTON - June 20, 2016 // PRNewswire // - Summer has never tasted better thanks to Cheeseburger in Paradise. The tropical bar and grill chain has just launched its Island Essentials menu, offering a delicious array of seasonal dishes, desserts and drinks through September 6. Highlights of the menu, which is available at all locations with the exception of Miramar Beach, FL and Myrtle Beach, SC, include: El Cubano slow cooked pulled pork, sliced ham, Swiss cheese and Claussen pickles piled onto a hoagie roll with a house-made mustard-mayonnaise spread; pressed until golden brown and served with french fried potatoes slow cooked pulled pork, sliced ham, Swiss cheese and Claussen pickles piled onto a hoagie roll with a house-made mustard-mayonnaise spread; pressed until golden brown and served with french fried potatoes Jumbo Mango Wings perfectly cooked fresh jumbo wings (bone-in and boneless options) tossed in a sweet mango sauce; served with celery sticks and choice of dressing perfectly cooked fresh jumbo wings (bone-in and boneless options) tossed in a sweet mango sauce; served with celery sticks and choice of dressing St. Bart's Citrus Chicken two grilled citrus-marinated chicken breasts served over island rice with teriyaki broccoli two grilled citrus-marinated chicken breasts served over island rice with teriyaki broccoli Costa Rican Steak Wrap tender slices of flame grilled steak tossed with fresh salsa, roasted corn, sauteed mushrooms, fajita veggies and Swiss cheese, then wrapped in a flour burrito tortilla and pressed golden brown; served with Asian mayo for dipping and french fried potatoes tender slices of flame grilled steak tossed with fresh salsa, roasted corn, sauteed mushrooms, fajita veggies and Swiss cheese, then wrapped in a flour burrito tortilla and pressed golden brown; served with Asian mayo for dipping and french fried potatoes Calypso Shrimp Wrap grilled shrimp basted in a signature St. Bart's Citrus Glaze and tossed with mixed greens, fresh fruit, honey roasted almonds and Citrus Vinaigrette dressing, then wrapped in a flour tortilla; served with french fried potatoes grilled shrimp basted in a signature St. Bart's Citrus Glaze and tossed with mixed greens, fresh fruit, honey roasted almonds and Citrus Vinaigrette dressing, then wrapped in a flour tortilla; served with french fried potatoes Steakhouse Burger half-pound burger topped with Swiss cheese, rich demi-glace, steakhouse mushrooms and onions, A.1. Sauce and fresh spring mix; served with french fried potatoes half-pound burger topped with Swiss cheese, rich demi-glace, steakhouse mushrooms and onions, A.1. Sauce and fresh spring mix; served with french fried potatoes Steakhouse Sirloin tender, marinated sirloin flame grilled to perfection, then topped with Steakhouse mushrooms and onions and a rich demi-glace; served with Island Rice and signature Teriyaki Broccoli tender, marinated sirloin flame grilled to perfection, then topped with Steakhouse mushrooms and onions and a rich demi-glace; served with Island Rice and signature Teriyaki Broccoli Peppercorn Bleu Cheese Sirloin mixed peppercorn rubbed sirloin, flame-grilled to perfection and topped with melted bleu cheese crumbles; served with Island Rice and signature Teriyaki Broccoli mixed peppercorn rubbed sirloin, flame-grilled to perfection and topped with melted bleu cheese crumbles; served with Island Rice and signature Teriyaki Broccoli Calypso Shrimp Salad two grilled shrimp skewers basted in signature St. Bart's Citrus Glaze, served atop a bed of mixed greens with fresh fruit and honey roasted almonds; served with your choice of dressing two grilled shrimp skewers basted in signature St. Bart's Citrus Glaze, served atop a bed of mixed greens with fresh fruit and honey roasted almonds; served with your choice of dressing Tropical Steak Salad mixed greens tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette with honey roasted almonds, diced tomatoes, Craisins, strawberries, cheddar jack cheese blend and bleu cheese crumbles, then topped with a flame-grilled sirloin mixed greens tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette with honey roasted almonds, diced tomatoes, Craisins, strawberries, cheddar jack cheese blend and bleu cheese crumbles, then topped with a flame-grilled sirloin Surfboard Brownie Sundae three, freshly baked brownie triangles served warm, dusted with powdered sugar and drizzled with chocolate sauce, then covered with fresh strawberries, honey roasted almonds and toasted coconut; topped with whipped cream and served with vanilla and strawberry ice cream three, freshly baked brownie triangles served warm, dusted with powdered sugar and drizzled with chocolate sauce, then covered with fresh strawberries, honey roasted almonds and toasted coconut; topped with whipped cream and served with vanilla and strawberry ice cream Laid Back Libations make every meal a party with cocktail options that include the Electric Lizard, Torched Cherry Pina Colada, Coronita Rita and Strawberry Daiquiri; Cheeseburger in Paradise also features award-winning Flip Flop white wine varieties No matter what the selection, diners will enjoy a colorful and festive setting that feels miles away from the everyday. For more information about Cheeseburger in Paradise, visit www.cheeseburgerinparadise.com or follow us on Facebook: cheeseburgerinparadise and Twitter: @cometoparadise. About Luby's, Inc. Luby's, Inc. (NYSE: LUB) operates restaurants under the brands Luby's Cafeteria, Fuddruckers and Cheeseburger in Paradise and provides food service management through its Luby's Culinary Services division. The company-operated restaurants include 92 Luby's Cafeterias, 77 Fuddruckers restaurants, eight Cheeseburger in Paradise full service restaurants and bars and one Bob Luby's Seafood Grill. Its Luby's Cafeterias are located primarily in Texas. In addition to the company-operated Fuddruckers locations, Luby's is the franchisor for 115 Fuddruckers franchise locations across the United States(including Puerto Rico), Canada, Mexico, Panama, Italy, Poland, Chile, Colombiaand the Dominican Republic. Luby's Culinary Services provides food service management to 28 sites consisting of healthcare, higher education and corporate dining locations. SOURCE Cheeseburger in Paradise ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus China Automotive Coatings Market Growth And Forecast Report : Radiant Insights,Inc RadiantInsights.com includes new market research report on "China Automotive Coatings Market Size, Share And Trends Report : Radiant Insights" to its huge collection of research reports. -- Automotive coatings are paints used for automobiles for both decoration & protection purposes. Earlier, in the automotive industry, these paints were applied manually and were dried up for weeks at normal temperature. However, these paints are now applied mechanically with the help of robotic arms and are dried up in just a few hours. Browse Full Research Report With TOC on http://www.radiantinsights.com/research/automotive-coatings-markets-in-china The automotive coatings markets in China dominated the global industry. The demands for automotive coatings in China have grown rapidly over the past few years and both production and demand is expected to continue to grow over the next few years. The region is said to drive the demands for automotive coatings on account of the rising demands for automobiles coupled with the ageing of automobiles, rising numbers of domestic automotive manufacturers, and growing sector of transportation infrastructure. The Chinese economy keeps up a high-speed growth that has been fueled by the successive increases of customer consumption, industrial output, capital investment, and import & export for almost two decades. Rising demands for nature-friendly coatings / paints including powder coatings, UV (Ultraviolet)-cured coatings, and waterborne coatings in the region are also anticipated to augment the market growth. Additionally, persistently increasing insurance market coupled with supportive governmental plans & policies is further projected to augment the Chinese market. Browse All Reports of This Category at: www.radiantinsights.com/catalog/parts-and-suppliers This market research report analyzes the recent market developments, market growth drivers & challenges, future growth prospects etc. It also analyzes the marketing channels, economic trends, market development plans, investment environment, market capacity, supply and demand, market structure, and key market participants of the automotive coatings markets in China. Table Of Contents I. INTRODUCTION o Report Scope and Methodology o Executive Summary Request A Sample Copy Of This Report at: www.radiantinsights.com/research/automotive-coatings-markets-in-china/request-sample II. BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT o Economic Outlook o Key Economic Indicators o Industrial Output o Population and Labor o Foreign Investment o Foreign Trade o Financial and Tax Regulations o Banking System and Regulations o Foreign Exchange o Taxes, Tariff and Custom Duties About Radiant Insights,Inc Radiant Insights is a platform for companies looking to meet their market research and business intelligence requirements. We assist and facilitate organizations and individuals procure market research reports, helping them in the decision making process. We have a comprehensive collection of reports, covering over 40 key industries and a host of micro markets. In addition to over extensive database of reports, our experienced research coordinators also offer a host of ancillary services such as, research partnerships/ tie-ups and customized research solutions. For more information, please visit http://www.radiantinsights.com/research/automotive-coatings-markets-in-china Contact Info: Name: Michelle Thoras Email: sales@radiantinsights.com Organization: Radiant Insights, Inc. Address: 28 2nd Street, Suite 3036 San Francisco Phone: 4153490054 Source: http://marketersmedia.com/china-automotive-coatings-market-growth-and-forecast-report-radiant-insightsinc/120232 Release ID: 120232 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Ciracom Cloud Now Offers Cloud Computing Services Through Office 365 The IT company is introducing new customers to the advantages of cloud-based storage and computing offered by Microsoft's Office 365, according to www.ciracloud.com -- As businesses' needs for storage and networking capability increase, many are turning to "the cloud." The buzzword refers to the practice of storing data and running software programs on the internet rather than on a local hard drive. Having served the IT needs of small and medium-sized businesses for many years, Ciracom Cloud is introducing a new way for its clients to utilize cloud computing and storage by offering Office 365 business plans along with full migration support. Said Ciracom Cloud spokesperson Amy Rudd, "There are different ways to do cloud computing, but Microsoft has put together what we feel is an ideal package with Office 365. It's an easy transition for our clients, who are already familiar with Microsoft products, especially the Office suite software. The business packages we're offering include not only word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation online software, but also one terabyte of storage along with meetings and messaging via Lync. And that's just with the basic package." Other basic features include email hosted by Exchange Online, a Sharepoint intranet site, and a corporate social network. Premium packages include Skype for Business, Enterprise apps management, and advanced tools for analyzing Excel data, among others. While Office 365 is not exclusive to Ciracom Cloud clients, the IT company provides the added services of training clients in the software and migrating all of their data. "Migration is a time- and labor-intensive process," explained Rudd, "and it's one of the main factors that hold small companies back from making the shift to full cloud computing. What we provide is a hassle-free migration. Our professionals take care of the details while our clients just keep running their business." Rudd went on to recount how they were able to perform a complete migration for a law firm in just 24 hours with no loss of data. Prior to migration, Ciracom Cloud technicians perform a cloud-ready assessment to determine what steps need to be taken before migrating to a cloud. For example, one company needed to install a newer, more robust internet circuit in order to optimize the performance of Office 365 and facilitate file sharing for off-site employees. Rudd concluded, "We make sure our clients have everything they need in order to get the full benefits of cloud computing, especially increased productivity and security for their data. Our job is to provide IT solutions, and we feel like Office 365 is the best solution we can offer for many of our clients. We're proud to support it." About Ciracom Cloud Ciracom Cloud is an IT company located in Alexandria, VA that offers managed IT support and cloud-based computing services for small businesses. By providing a no-cost IT assessment, Ciracom Cloud gives companies the data they need to make important budget decisions. Clients who choose to work with Ciracom Cloud have complete control over the type of support they receive, and they can count on the expertise of a seasoned and industry-licensed support team. Specializing in small and medium-sized businesses, Ciracom Cloud IT professionals tailor their services to their clients' needs. Clients can request an assessment at www.ciracomcloud.com. For more information, please visit http://ciracomcloud.com/ Contact Info: Name: Amy Rudd Organization: Ciracom Cloud Phone: (703) 621-3900 Source: http://marketersmedia.com/ciracom-cloud-now-offers-cloud-computing-services-through-office-365/120216 Release ID: 120216 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sadie Mitchell Miracles On Demand Power Of Faith New Book Launched Sadie Mitchell has released a new book called Miracles on Demand: Transform Your Ordinary Struggles Into Extraordinary Blessings. It uses examples from the bible and real life studies to show the power of faith in everyday life. -- A new book has been released called Miracles on Demand: Transform Your Ordinary Struggles Into Extraordinary Blessings, by Sadie Mitchell. It is described as a book that illustrates that the Christian believer has a unique relationship with God, and covers the privilege of expecting or even demanding miracles. More information can be found on the book's Amazon listing at: http://amazon.com/dp/B01DURR75U. The page listing explains how the book features a selection of real life stories of individuals who have attained decisive victories in their every day lives through the power of their faith. It goes on to say that the principles of their success are laid out simply and in a non-religious way to emphasise the benefit of faith. The content in Miracles on Demand is broken down into six chapters, with the first focusing on Jehovah rapha, chapter two delving into family matters, while chapter three is called Perfecting Whatever Concerns Us. Chapter four goes into healing of the heart, with the fifth chapter focusing on believing then receiving miracles. On the page listing, interested parties can discover how Sadie Mitchell originally didn't approach God as a kind, loving being, but rather a fierce and powerful one, who punished those who dared to cross him. But her life changed when she realized that God is on her side far more than he is against her. It is this discovery that inspired her to write the book, because she realized that she could claim promises that are written in God's word. Sadie said: My timidity disappeared as I saw that asking for His input is not begging, and that I am worthy. For example in Matthew 7:7 Jesus' proclamation, "Ask and it shall be given unto you..." really means continuing to ask, in essence, demand my desired results." She added: "Demand is a command to my mind - not a disrespectful order or command to God. God wants us to expect, yes, even demand that circumstances align in order for our miracles to appear. A large portion of our day to day accomplishments is already an uncanny result of miracles and divine blessings on our efforts." For more information, please visit http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DURR75U Contact Info: Name: Sadie Mitchell Email: revdrsadie@gmail.com Organization: Heart of Service Ministries Address: Malvern, PA 19355 Phone: 1-484-320-7449 Release ID: 120299 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Joe Frazzette Of Wisdom Cafe Releases New Fiction Novel On How To Master The Mind Joe Frazzette, author and entrepreneur of Wisdom Cafe, has released a new fiction novel titled, "Master or Servant". The book is a companion to Frazzette's non-fiction book, "Secrets of the Hypnotic Formula." Both books cover the subject of self-hypnosis, and meditation. -- Author and entrepreneur of Wisdom Cafe, Joe Frazette, has launched a new fiction book. The latest novel, Master or Servant works as a companion book to a previous non-fiction book, Secrets of the Hypnotic Formula. Each manuscript is based on twelve rules of the mind and a practical method which can be used to create transformative results. It tackles various subjects, such as self-hypnosis and meditation as tools used in everyday life to manifest emotional and mental affirmations into physical realities. The new book describes one man's potential to master the subconscious mind and utilize thoughts which have been embedded mentally where they may never be realized by the conscious mind. Although it is fiction, its predecessor acted as a self-help guide of sorts, and the same possible transformation can be seen in the new text as well. The "hypnotic formula" that was mentioned by Frazzette is meant to allow individuals to find happiness, which may otherwise remain hidden. It involves using repetition and continuous action to realize what the subconscious wants and is capable of bringing it to fruition. Those who follow the texts are encouraged to meditate as a means of inducing self-awareness and making self-hypnosis possible. Joe invites the reader to follow along with David Christian as he realizes the key to a life of achievement and becomes the master of his own thoughts, rather than a servant to them. Described as an entertaining read, which will take the reader on a journey of self-discovery, the book sheds light on the potential of everyone who is willing to reach beyond the norm and dive deep inside to achieve greatness. Master or Servant is currently available through www.joefrazzette.com in paperback edition or as an ebook for the Kindle reader via Amazon. It comes in two parts, Lessons Learned at the Wisdom Cafe and Recapture the Power Within. Both stories follow David Christian, with the second part taking place three and a half years after the end of the first part. For those who enjoy the David Christian series, Joe has also released a thriller titled, Deadly Slumber, which introduces the thrilling and dangerous mind of a serial killer to his readers. For more information on Joe Frazzette, Master or Servant, or Joe's company, Wisdom Cafe, contact Joe by using the following information: Name: Joe Frazzette Phone: (702) 875-5713 E-mail: jfrazzette@yahoo.com Social Media: Facebook/Joe.Frazzette & Twitter.com/JoeFrazzette Mailing Address: 8128 Villa Finestra Dr., Las Vegas, NV, 89128 Contact Info: Name: Joe Frazzette Email: jfrazzette@yahoo.com Phone: 702 875-5713 Organization: Joe Frazzette Source: http://www.prreach.com/pr/24135 Release ID: 120344 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Orlando Gastroenterology Announces The Addition Of Dr. Sridhar Goli Dr. Goli specializes in pediatric gastroenterology issues and has a special interest in nutritional disorders, reports OrlandoGastroenterology.com -- Orlando Gastroenterology, P.A. proudly announces Dr. Sridhar Goli, a pediatric gastroenterologist, has relocated to Central Florida and is now accepting patients. Dr. Goli specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal, pancreatic and liver disorders and has a special interest in nutritional disorders. In addition, he has been recognized by patients for his compassion and has received Vital's patient choice award and was ranked as a top doctor in the New Jersey monthly. "We are thrilled with the addition of Dr. Goli to the team at Orlando Gastroenterology, P.A., as he allows us to serve a wider range of patients. Parents who already visit our practice can now bring their children to us also, knowing they will get the same great care that we provide to them. Visit our site today or give our practice a call to learn more about Dr. Goli," Paul Clukey, spokesperson for Orlando Gastroenterololgy, P.A., explains. According to GIKids.org, millions of children suffer from a nutritional or digestive disorder. According to the CDC, 12.7 million children between the age of 2 and 19 were obese in 2012, which equals 17 percent of children in that age range. Obesity decreases a person's life expectancy by as much as 22 percent, thus any nutritional disorder needs to be addressed immediately. Any parent with an obese child should visit a pediatric gastroenterology practice to determine if there are any underlying issues that need to be managed or where the problem lies. "Poor nutrition often contributes to weight gain and obesity and can lead to numerous medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes. Parents need to schedule an appointment in a timely manner to help a child bring their weight under control and learn proper eating habits. As children are still growing, they have specific nutritional needs that must be met and pediatric gastroenterologists orlando work with individuals every day to ensure these needs are met," Clukey continues. Children suffering from obesity find that every movement they make takes more effort, thus they may become less physically active. This then becomes a vicious cycle, one where they eat more and move around less. Their self esteem suffers, they may not be accepted by their peers and loneliness can be an issue. Parents need to take this matter in hand quickly and get their child the help they need. "Contact us today to make an appointment with Dr. Goli. He'll work to determine if the child simply needs to change their eating habits and exercise more or if an underlying problem has failed to be diagnosed. Regardless of where the issue lies, he works with the child and parent to develop a treatment plan that truly works," Clukey states. About Orlando Gastroenterology, P.A.: Consisting of a team of physicians and nurse practitioners specializing in G.I. medicine, Orlando Gastroenterology, P.A. assists patients with a variety of gastrointestinal, liver and pancreatic disorders. The practice remains committed to outstanding patient care and treating each person as an individual, rather than a name and number. For more information, please visit http://onlinemarketinggorilla.com Contact Info: Name: Paul Clukey Organization: Orlando Gastroenterology, P.A. Phone: (407) 499-8636 Source: http://marketersmedia.com/orlando-gastroenterology-announces-the-addition-of-dr-sridhar-goli/120387 Release ID: 120387 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Young's Pest Control Reports Tree Bumble Bee Sightings Have Reached Record High The impact of this invasive bee species on the environment has yet to be determined, announces YoungsPestControl.co.uk -- Approximately 13 years ago, the Tree Bumble Bee arrived in the UK from continental Europe, and today these insects may be found in England, southern Scotland and Wales. It is believed they arrived in the country by blowing across the English Channel, although some feel they may have come with imported plants. What makes this species different from others of its type is the tree bumble bees feature a fuzzy, black body, a white tail and ginger head. In addition, the insects nest in either a bird box or tree hollow. Individuals concerned about this species find Youngs Pest Control may be of help with Bumble Bee Removal. "The insects quickly spread throughout the country upon their arrival, and experts state they have now made their way 20 miles north of Glasgow, Scotland. These bees appear to be very hardy, as they are resistant to certain nematode worm parasites. This type of parasite tends to kill off native bumble bees," Rick Young, spokesperson for Youngs Pest Control, announces. Experts remain unsure of whether these insects benefit the ecosystem or harm it. Some experts, think they may provide additional pollination services or fill a niche in the ecosystem. In contrast, they may compete with native species for resources. Others, however, feel they only have a positive impact and that new species will continue to arrive in the country without doing great harm. "Certain species of bumble bees continue to decline in numbers, thus many feel the tree bumble bee is a blessing to the country. They are known as great pollinators, ensuring many plants and flowers will continue to thrive. However, some humans are concerned about having the bee in their area, and we can be of help in these cases," Young continues. Tree bumble bees may evict nesting birds in order to make a home for themselves. In addition, they might choose to nest in a tumble dryer vent, as they prefer the fluff found in this vent. These bees will sting when provoked or feel their nest is at risk, which helps to explain why certain individuals wish to have the insects removed. Bumble bees are known to swarm when they feel their nest is endangered, and female bumble bees don't die when they sting a human. They have the ability to sting a person repeatedly. As these insects can withstand colder weather than other types of bees, they are observed for longer periods of time also. Any time a nest is spotted, individuals must determine if it needs to be removed. "If this is the case, contact us. We'll handle the problem while ensuring the safety of our workers and the owner and residents of the property. Due to the ability of these bees to sting repeatedly and their tendency to swarm, this is one task the average person shouldn't take on without professional help," Young states. About Young's Pest Control: Young's Pest Control provides 24 hour localised pest control services for residential, commercial and agricultural clients. The fully insured and licensed practitioners possess the skills and knowledge needed to deal with a variety of pests using a number of methods. From rodents and Insects to birds and bees, they can remove any pest in a timely manner. For more information, please visit http://www.youngspestcontrol.co.uk/services/bumble-bee-removal/ Contact Info: Name: Rick Young Organization: Youngs Pest Control Address: 2 Grasmere Road, Manchester, M31 4PF Phone: 0161 7769832 Source: http://marketersmedia.com/youngs-pest-control-reports-tree-bumble-bee-sightings-have-reached-record-high/120394 Release ID: 120394 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Destroy Those Bugs Launches New Website To Promote Pest Extermination Services In Dayton, Ohio Destroy Those Bugs has created a new website to help them promote their industry-leading extermination services to new audiences in Dayton Ohio. -- Summer is here, and with it, the burgeoning of a billion different bugs that provide an essential part of the environmental food chain. In urban centers however, these bugs are little more than pests, especially when they infest homes and offices. Destroy Those Bugs is a company dedicated to helping residential and commercial clients in Dayton Ohio to effectively and economically destroy infestations and discourage them from ever returning. They have just launched a new website to help them promote their services to new potential customers, using the power of localized SEO. The website (http://www.destroythosebugs.com/pest-control/dayton/) is fully responsive, loading seamlessly on any device and displaying beautifully on any screen size. It offers a strong sense of brand identity, together with dynamic content including high quality images and videos, including customer testimonials. There is a comprehensive breakdown of their services and approach, and a quick quote form for a free estimate. Under the surface are the latest local SEO techniques (http://www.destroythosebugs.com/pest-control/dayton/) that enable individuals using major search engines like Google and Bing to search for pest extermination in Dayton Ohio to find the site organically, greatly increasing the visibility of the company and introducing them to new potential clients. A spokesperson for Destroy Those Bugs explained, "Destroy Those Bugs is passionate about providing the best possible service to individuals, in order to help them effectively get their pest problems under control. We offer rodent pet control as well as bugs and insects, and we offer the very best tailored approaches for dealing with every challenging, using technologically advanced and environmentally friendly means to ensure the best results without having to cause major disruption to family life or business hours. As such, we are the perfect company for people in Dayton Ohio who have a pest infestation, and we hope this new website will reflect that, and help us connect with more customers." About Destroy Those Bugs: Destroy Those Bugs operate in Dayton Ohio and offer a quick and painless solution to any and all pest control problems. Their experienced and expert team of exterminators are on hand at all times to help deal with infestations. They provide various solutions for rodents, mice, rats, cockroaches, bed bugs, ants, carpet beetles, mosquitoes, flies and more. For more information, please visit http://www.destroythosebugs.com/ Contact Info: Name: John Zach Email: support@destroythosebugs.com Organization: Pest Control Kings Phone: (937) 247-6559 Source: http://marketersmedia.com/destroy-those-bugs-launches-new-website-to-promote-pest-extermination-services-in-dayton-ohio/120385 Release ID: 120385 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Netwall.io Launch To Offer Innovative Way Of Protecting Businesses From DDoS Attacks Netwall.io is a startup offering a revolutionary approach to protecting Businesses from potentially catastrophic DDoS attacks. -- Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks use multiple systems infected with a Trojan to target a single business or server cluster, causing a Denial of Service (DoS) attack. These attacks flood victims with incoming traffic from hundreds of thousands of sources, making it impossible to tell who is. This effectively makes it impossible to stop the attack, or to tell real traffic from malicious traffic. As such, businesses need state of the art protection to survive these attacks. Netwall.io is a Belgian startup that promises a proven and effective way to deal with attacks on behalf of businesses. Netwall.io offers an contemporary method of DDoS Mitigation, protecting businesses against DDoS attacks. Companies can protect their website with a few clicks, without waiting for manual setup. They are capable defending companies of all scales against even the largest attacks, and all at a very competitive price point. They provide tailor made solutions for larger enterprise clients requiring custom solution, all managed through a web platform that makes it easy to order, manage and configure services. They offer remote protection, which means businesses needn't even migrate their servers to avoid attacks, covering up to 850gb per second with instant set up. What's more, they offer DDoS Protected VPS (virtual private servers) for cloud-based hosting, and dedicated servers for largescale clients. A spokesperson for Netwall.io explained, "Our proprietary method of mediating DDoS attacks can ensure that businesses have the capability to weather the storm and exhaust the resources of even the most determined attackers, without feeling the catastrophic consequences of an unprotected attack. These services have been launched in order to provide a new and novel solution for businesses that requires minimum disruption to existing infrastructure, so businesses can carry on as normal with new confidence in their ability to overcome any malicious threats." About Netwall.io: Netwall.io are a Belgian startup founded in November 2015. They provide services to companies that are under attack and are losing money because of DDoS attacks. Their unique product range ensures they can provide a wide range of services including Remote Protection (client does not have to move their infrastructure), as well as hosting services in the cloud, dedicated servers and more. For more information please visit: https://netwall.io/ For more information, please visit https://netwall.io/ Contact Info: Name: Keanu Van Hees, CEO of Netwall.io Email: keanu@netwall.io Organization: Netwall.io Phone: +1 646-687-6729 Source: http://marketersmedia.com/netwall-io-launch-to-offer-innovative-way-of-protecting-businesses-from-ddos-attacks/120377 Release ID: 120377 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Newmarket Gas Installation Customer Gas Services Celebrates 25th Anniversary A Newmarket, Ontario Gas Installation company has celebrated its 25th anniversary by announcing the launch of a new site. It provides a full list of services, tips and advice for ensuring the best home gas piping services. -- A Newmarket, ON based Gas Installation provider is celebrating its 25th anniversary by launching a brand new mobile friendly site to advertise its services and give easier access to existing and new customers. The new Customer Gas Services site explains how for over twenty five years, the Newmarket Gas Installation company has assembled a caring team of technicians and gas experts who provide a wide range of services including Heating & Air Conditioning, Radon Testing and Ventilation & Filtration. In addition, they handle services for patio fireplaces, BBQ gas installation and just about any gas piping needs in and around the home. The site underscores how the Customer Gas Services team prides itself on providing thorough, caring service. Home Owners in York Region can receive a free onsite estimation. Gas Piping services are available in the evening and on Saturday, because the team recognizes it can sometimes be difficult to arrange appointments during working hours. A full list of services is available on the new 25th anniversary site, along with the cities that they serve including; Markham, Richmond Hill, Vaughan and the rest of York Region. The BBQ Gas Line tips on the homepage, show the key benefits of using a Natural Gas BBQ Grill compared to those connected to propane and charcoal. People visiting the new site can also discover ways to save on energy throughout the house and the various appliances gas can cover. Customer Gas Services Founder, Andrew Seyfried said: "We're delighted to be celebrating our 25th anniversary. I believe the secret to getting this far in business today is building trust and providing exceptional service, which leads to a high number of extremely satisfied customers and business referrals. Our customers choose us for their gas piping needs because we show that we truly care and they can't help but refer us to their friends and families so they too can receive the same top notch service that they've just received - all at a reasonable price. He added: "My team and I make sure home owners feel like a true customer and supported so they can get on with their life without any hassle." Interested parties wanting to find out more information about the services provided by Customer Gas Services can get in touch by emailing info@gaspiping.ca. Alternatively, Andrew can be reached directly at (905) 841-9663. For more information about us, please visit http://www.gaspiping.ca/gasinstallation/ For more information, please visit http://www.gaspiping.ca/gasinstallation/ Contact Info: Name: Andrew Seyfried Email: info@gaspiping.ca Organization: Customer Gas Services Address: PO Box 72 Queensville, ON L0G 1R0 Phone: (905) 841-9663 Release ID: 120324 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global Launch of The ToonVidio Software Creates Excitement, as Exclusive Bonus Released by HQuentino Global Launch of ToonVidio Creates Excitement Among IM Review Professionals, as Exclusive Bonus Package Released by IM Expert HQuentino. Google Won A Patent Infringement Appeal Against Vringo. -- The global launch of ToonVidio Review creates excitement among IM review professionals by promising to allow users to create premium quality 3D animation videos. IM Consultant HanifQ has prepared a comprehensive guide and bonus offer for the ToonVidio software which can be accessed on his review site: [+]http://emarketingchamps.com/toon-vidio/ Due to HanifQ's vast experience with video marketing and other internet marketing disciplines, he is considered a credible Toon Vidio review critic. Mr. Quentino suggests that ToonVidio members expand their reach by syndicating their videos across Google's suite of platforms. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington decided that Google would not have to pay $30.5 million to Vringo Inc in a patent infringement appeal. Vringo sued Google in 2011 for using methods covered in patents the company had acquired. Vringo purchased two patents from Lycos in 2011. The patents covered filtering methods similar to the ones used by Google AdWords and AdSense. Vringo sued Google as well as some of Google's clients, including AOL, IAC, Target and Gannett. Google agreed to pay for any cost charged to its clients. In 2012, Google was asked to pay $30.5 million to Vringo for using filtering methods covered by the patents. However, Google asked for an appeal and the decision not to fine Google was taken. The court assessed that the filtering methods used by Google were well-known and obvious and that there was no infringement on the patents. The patents purchased by Vringo cover things such as filtering and analyzing each piece of information to assess its relevance regarding the query issued by a user. These methods have been used by search engines and are so common that it is difficult to see them as an infringement on any patent. Vringo used these same patents to sue Microsoft in 2013. Microsoft settled for $1 million. The Appeals Court decided Google would not have to pay anything. As a result, the Vringo shares dropped by 73%. Google has established itself as a major player in the field of search engines. The methods used to analyze and retrieve information on the Internet have evolved so much that a revolutionary idea Lycos felt the need to protect years ago is now considered as obvious and can no longer be considered as an infringement on any patents filed in the past. The entire ToonVidio review published by Hanif Quentino can be see on this website: http://emarketingchamps.com/toon-vidio/ For more information, please visit https://www.facebook.com/ToonVidio-Review-And-Bonus-1065891963446748/ Contact Info: Name: Hanif Quentino Organization: eMarketingChamps Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1epUCcxttMs Source: http://marketersmedia.com/global-launch-of-the-toonvidio-software-creates-excitement-as-exclusive-bonus-released-by-hquentino/120442 Release ID: 120442 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Maidious Launches Their Website to Offer the Best Maid Services in Dallas TX Maidious releases information about their new maid service in Dallas Texas. Further information can be found at http://maidious.com. -- Maidious is the new maid services in Dallas, and they launched their official website recently, to provide the easiest way to get in touch with them and use their services. As a new business in the city, they promise that they will be providing the best maid services to all residents and businesses in Dallas. People today are mostly busy that they cannot spend some time to look around their homes and do some household chores. Working professionals and business owners typically fail to spend quite some time even to use the broom and sweep the floor. For this reason, Maidious was established and promises to provide high-quality maid services to everyone at a price that they can surely afford. They are here to help homeowners in keeping their homes clean and a healthy and safe place to live for their whole family. Maidious specializes in different maid services which include house cleaning services, high-quality office cleaning services, cleaning services move in and out, cleaning up the space after construction and event cleaning services which can be availed anytime of the day through this company. They have a team of dedicated professional maids who underwent the needed training and seminars to ensure that they will be capable of providing the kind of service that their clients simply deserve. Maidious will be dedicated to providing top notch cleaning service, and they guarantee to take care of the homes of their customers and make sure that it will look at its best. This maid service company is committed to providing top-notch cleaning services, and they always want to make their clients feel that their homes will be in good hands if they choose to entrust their houses in the hands and care of Maidious. Their website is now available to accommodate customers who want to try and experience the best maid services that Maidious promises to provide. Maidious is always ready to assist people just when it comes to keeping their homes looking great and organized inside and out. Maidious is the new maid services provider located in Dallas, TX. This company was established in 2016 by J. Douglas and the company comes with a team of experienced and well-trained maids who are tasked to take care of the houses of their clients and provide the needed cleaning services at a reasonable cost. To know more about Maidious, please do not hesitate to visit their official website at http://maidious.com/. For inquiries, please feel free to contact them through Facebook.com or Twitter.com. For more information, please visit http://maidious.com/ Contact Info: Name: Joe Douglas Organization: Maidious Address: 5004 Columbia Ave Ste 105 Dallas, TX 75214, United States Phone: +1 214 308 2552 Release ID: 120413 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Free Freightnet Membership List your company in the Freightnet directory. It's Free, it's Easy and your company can be displayed in front of potential freight buyers within 24 hours. In a look back at 2015s global asset inflows, index-tracker heavyweight Vanguard held on to its leading position in the passive fund industry sustained and further propelled by the rising popularity of index strategies. But as with any business, the growth of one sector hinders another. The popularity of index funds has forced the active investment industry to justify its active fees. With this, we have seen the increasing use of active share on factsheets intended as this justification. But alone, active share justifies little. It is only through the combined use of tracking error and R-squared that investors can arm themselves with the reliable tools to identify genuine active managers. Tracking error measures the standard deviation of a funds excess returns over an index or benchmark portfolio below two suggests a passive approach. At three and above, the correlation indicates true activeness. The R-squared measure indicates how closely correlated a fund is to an index or a benchmark. As a percentage, it shows the proportion of a funds movements that can be attributed to those of the benchmark. Close to 0 per cent indicates no correlation and 100 per cent shows a perfect match. Both R-squared and tracking error measure activeness and, therefore, should provide identical information. If you use these to assess the IA UK All Companies sector, there is a strong (negative) correlation between the two. The influx of active share being included in factsheets alone should mean little to investors Although there is a strong relationship between these two ratios, investors ought to combine both to decipher true activeness. Lets compare two imaginary managers both have an annualised tracking error of five against a similar benchmark, but their R-squared differs. Manager A has an R-squared of 75 per cent while Manager B has an R-squared of 85 per cent. Which should investors pick? A simple solution would be to go for Manager A. But it could mean Manager A takes more stock-specific risk than Manager B. But what if Manager A inflates tracking error by allocating to off-benchmark positions? This is not a desirable feature as it could indicate a deviation from its investment mandate. Looking at the historic development of these ratios for funds in the IA UK All Companies sector over the last five years, typically there is always a strong relationship between tracking error, R-squared and active share. However, in 2015 it appears UK equity managers took more active risk with an increased tracking error. But, the R-squared increased too. This suggests the typical UK equity manager also took on more market risk. The fall in materials stocks that drove the market in the second half of 2015 goes some way to explaining this a sector typically avoided by UK equity managers. The influx of active share being included in factsheets alone should mean little to investors. Those wanting to assess true activeness are better off using tracking error and R-squared to break down the active risk between market/systematic risk and stock-specific/unsystematic risk. The European Investment Bank has agreed to inject 100m into UK small businesses through loans provided by peer-to-peer lending platform Funding Circle. This is the first time EIB has provided funding through a direct lending company to support small businesses, as it looks to stimulate the real economy. The 100m investment, alongside 25m from the Funding Circle SME Income fund, aims to give SMEs greater access to finance to help grow their business. Jonathan Taylor, vice president of the European Investment Bank, said the 100m investment backing will unlock 200m of new investment over seven years, as loans which are repaid and reused a number of times. This investment will ensure more businesses access the finance they need to grow and will help support economic growth and job creation across the UK, he added. Over the past 10 years, the EIB, which offers long-term loans to businesses, has given 3bn to small businesses across the UK. Since Funding Circle launched in 2010, it has provided more than 1.25bn of loans from peer-to-peer lenders to 16,000 businesses in the UK. Chief executive Samir Desai said the new partnership will help creditworthy businesses borrow from a diverse range of investors. Tony Catt, compliance officer and IFA at Anthony Catt Limited, said the agreement provides a good source of funds for small businesses. The Funding Circle needs the funding and the EIB is willing and able to make it available, he said, adding the money should be quicker to arrange and more readily available than traditional borrowing from banks. Since small businesses rely on funding, this should have a positive effect on the economy. katherine.denham@ft.com Axa Investment Managers has hired David Shaw as a replacement to Dan Harlow on the Axa Framlington American Growth fund. Dan Harlow left the US equity fund to takeover the Axa Framlington UK Small Companies fund. He replaced Henry Lowson, who has since been hired by Royal London Asset Management (RLAM). Mr Shaw will now become deputy manager on the 559m American Growth fund alongside Stephen Kelly. Mr Shaw joins Axa IM from Aerion Fund Management, the in-house asset manager for the National Grid Pension Scheme, that is currently being sold to Legal & General Investment Management. He has over 20 years experience in both North American and UK equity investing. Mr Shaw spent the last 13 years co-managing a 900m North American equity portfolio for Aerion. Global head of Axa Framlington equities, Mark Beveridge, said: David brings with him extensive experience of the US equity market and we are confident his background will complement the existing management of the fund. Mr Shaws hiring brings to a close a merry-go-round of appointments between Axa IM and RLAM. Henry Lowson left Axa IM in early June, and has since been named as a replacement to UK smaller companies manager, Victoria Stewart. She will leave RLAM to pursue new opportunities in September. Dan Harlow moved from the American Growth fund to replace Mr Lowson on the 286m Axa Framlington UK Small Companies fund. He was initially hired by Axa IM to work on the UK small-cap fund, but left in 2011 to join Mr Kelly on the US equity vehicle. This all comes after Richard Marwood moved across from Axa IM to RLAM earlier this year. He worked at Axa IM for two decades and ran products including the 897m Distribution fund. He is now a listed manager on the 524m Royal London UK Growth fund. Aviva Investors head of pan-European equities Mark Denham is to join Carmignac in a similar role after 13 years with the firm. Mr Denham joined Aviva Investors in 2003 and looked after three European equity funds in his time. He will join Carmignac in October as head of European equities and assume management of the Carmignac Grande Europe and Carmignac Euro-Patrimoine funds, which have around 418m (321m) in assets. A spokesman from Aviva Investors said: We would like to thank Mark for his contribution since joining the company in 2003 and he leaves with our best wishes for the future. Edward Kevis will now takeover the 156m Aviva Investors European Equity fund, which Mr Denham managed since 2012. Mr Kevis recently took over the 374m European Equity Income fund, which Mr Denham ran since 2013. Head of European equities Frederic Tassin will now oversee the European teams in Paris and London. Mr Denhams departure comes amid other changes in Aviva Investors UK equity team. Simon Young, who previously co-managed the 253m UK Equity fund has departed the company, and is replaced by UK head of equities, Trevor Green, alongside Chris Murphy. James Balfour, who joined Aviva in 2012, has also been promoted to portfolio manager and has been appointed co-manager on 892m UK Equity Income fund, also alongside Mr Murphy. The deal would see the investment team at Coram, which was co-founded by James Sullivan and the late Martin Gray, reunited with former associates. Coram has been the manager of MitonOptimals 47m Offshore Special Situations offering since December 2014, with Mr Sullivan and Mr Gray co-managing it at Miton Group prior to the launch of Coram. Coram currently offers three investment funds, with around 51m in assets under management. All were co-managed by Mr Sullivan and Mr Gray. Mr Sullivan said since the passing of his colleague and co-founder Mr Gray, Coram had reached an inflection point. The duo left Miton to start Coram in 2014, and launched the funds early last year. Mr Sullivan said: Martin Grays influence at Coram Asset Management as a co-founder, fund manager and shareholder was significant and his passing marked an inflection point in our business model which led us to explore a number of options available to us. He said the deal to move the team over to MitonOptimal would meet the long-term interests of investors. MitonOptimal managing director and chief investment officer Scott Campbell said he was excited about the prospect of Mr Sullivan and team joining the firm. Eight global fund houses - including Fidelity, BlackRock and Schroders - have called on the European Commission to dump draft rules which aim to boost consumer protection. According to FTAdvisers parent publication the Financial Times, the asset management firms have written to the European commissioner Jonathan Hill to complain about the proposed Priips rules. In the letter, executives argued the rules are not evidenced based, will not help consumers, and will not command respect, adding they are in danger of leaving retail investors without the high-quality information they deserve. Senior figures from Allianz Global Investors, Axa Investment Managers, Nordea Asset Management, Fidelity International, Robeco, JPMorgan Asset Management, BlackRock and Schroders have all signed the letter. However, one member of the European Parliament, Sven Giegold, warned the proposed changes would mislead ordinary investors, describing the demands as questionable. The rules form part of the regulation that looks to encourage efficiency across Europe by helping investors compare the key features, risks, rewards and costs of packaged retail and insurance-based investment products (Priips). Under the new legislation, asset managers will no longer issue key documents which include information on a funds past performance, and must instead provide information on how products are likely to perform in the future. But the executives have urged the European Commission to allow both past performance and the future forecast of the fund to be included alongside each other, because the past provides historic proof of a fund managers ability to outperform the benchmark. They also asked for the methodology for calculating and disclosing transaction costs to be amended. The Priips rules, which are due to be introduced at the end of this year, would be delayed if the legislation is altered. In January, the Financial Conduct Authority warned providers and advisers to prepare for Priips, stating: It is important that all firms who manufacture, sell or advise on Priips understand what the changes mean for them before the implementation date of 31 December 2016. Manufacturers must prepare a Key Information Document and publish it on their website. Dan Farrow, director of SBN Wealth Management, said he agreed with the fund houses. To just make predictions of future performance based on what, without substantiating that these views have made or lost money in the past is ludicrous. It shows a blatant ignorance and goes against the consumer protection principle. katherine.denham@ft.com Google Has A New Research Lab In Zurich; To Focus On Machine Learning, Will It Let Artifical Intelligence To Have Common Sense? Google is about to open a new research lab in Europe called Google Research to focus more on the study of machine learning. The hub will be based at the tech giant's company in Zurich, Switzerland to know further things about artificial intelligence. Machine Learning Google analysts will examine artificial intelligence's system observation, dealing with natural-language and perception, according to Zee News. Machine learning is a kind of artificial intelligence that lets the computer have the ability to learn without the need of being programmed. Google Research will be one of the largest engineering offices of Google outside the United States. It functions as a part of the extensive research operation of the tech company's venture on artificial intelligence. A Worldwide Study Google's study of artificial intelligence is consists of a lot of people worldwide, BBC News reported. So, Emmanuel Mogenet, the head of Google Research, described that the project has no limit in terms of a number of people. "We are very ambitious in terms of growth," Emmanuel Mogenet told the reporters. "The only limiting factor will be talent." He also explained that everyone is about to enter the "new era of computing" and so, they are about to teach artificial intelligence with common sense. Artificial Intelligence's Communication And Language Google's other creations, like Translate, Photo Search and Smart Reply are all powered by artificial intelligence and the new study in Zurich will find ways to improve these, PC Mag noted. They are about to enhance the machine learning's communications and language to be understood all over the world. These things are all made possible by the large teamwork of Google to its other research lab globally. "[They are] all contributing their unique knowledge and disseminating ideas in state-of-the-art ML technologies and techniques in order to develop useful tools and products," Emmanuel Mogenet wrote in a statement on Google Blog. Error. Page cannot be displayed. Please contact your service provider for more details. (17) CSULB alum wins gold at the 38th Long Beach Marathon which was his first Developers who own property on Timberhill have received a partial victory in their bid to establish a road alignment for the extension of Northwest Kings Boulevard in the area. The state Land Use Board of Appeals has remanded, or sent back, a decision of the Planning Commission and City Council that denied an application by GPA1 LLC. that sought approval for the extension plan for Kings through the 202-acre property. LUBA rejected two appeals of land owner GPA1, which targeted permit issues relating to the developers right of way dedication of nine acres of land to the city for the extension and whether the application was one in which needed housing statutes applied. But on the third appeals issue, whether the city fulfilled its role to advise the developers what they needed to do to get the road approved, the three members of the LUBA board ruled that the city had not done enough. The city is obligated to give petitioner a better idea of how the City Council would go about approving a road in the location , either by choosing the road location from one of the alernatives proposed by to the city engineer , by advising petitioner which protected natural features the city believes are most important and should be avoided, or by some other method, said the June 15 LUBA opinion and order from Tod Bassham, Melissa Ryan and Michael Holstun. (See this story online for the complete opinion). The City Council may not simply conclude that petitioners proposed alignment does not satisfy the applicable approval criteria without providing better guidance to petitioner about an alignment that is both consistent with the (conceptual development plan) and that would satisfy the applicable detailed development plan approval criteria. GPA1s representatives said they were very pleased with the LUBA decision. This LUBA remand will require the city to give GPA1 guidance about the alignment of Kings Boulevard, said Dale Kern, a broker with Commercial Associates, which is working with GPA1 on the proposal. In other words, the city must stop frustrating the process and work with the applicant toward objective application of the land development code. Deputy City Attorney David Coulombe noted the efficiency LUBA achieved in favorably resolving the multitude of issues raised by GPA1, consistent with the City Councils decision. The City Council will follow its Land Development Code procedures and address the narrow remand issue in due course. Community activists who have played a key role in the Timberhill development debate, also were pleased at the LUBA decision. LUBA squarely rejected GPA1s claim that no permit application was required for this development and also rejected the developers attempt to argue that their proposed road development was (needed) housing), said a statement from the Northwest Alliance Corvallis, which formed to address Timberhill development issues. NWAC has no objection to the land use boards appeal decision requiring a remand of the local decision to allow the City Council to add further findings, indicating what is needed for a road system in this area , while at the same time protecting the valuable natural resources of this area and protecting the public safety by addressing the local code requirements by avoiding natural hazards at this location, said the NWAC statement. Even with both sides declaring victory the battle seems far from over, with GPA1 and its representatives roundly criticizing the citys approach and the NWAC blasting GPA1 for its tactics. Here again, said Kern of Commercial Associates, the city has spent tens of thousands of dollars on city staff time and outside legal fees to oppose yet another development project on land within the city, zoned appropriately and fully served by roadways and utilities. This money could be utilized for so many other items important to the community. Frankly, Im not sure the majority of this community is comfortable with the city (delaying and frustrating) outright permitted projects that will eventually get developed. The Corvallis housing shortage and extreme housing prices and rent rates will continue as long as this needlessly burdensome process is accepted by the citizens of Corvallis. The developer has a choice, said the NWAC statement, work with the city and the community neighbors to get approval of their development or continue their adversarial approach by refusing to cooperate with the city planning office and their requirements that this development must comply with the land use development procedures and approval criteria that apply to everyone else in the city. Lets get one thing straight from the start: Chris Chapman is not the director of the Oregon State University marching band. But its an easy mistake to make: Chapman directs so many bands that it could be difficult for outsiders to keep track. But for the record: The OSU professor and director of bands is the director of the OSU Wind Ensemble, the Springfield-based British brass band the Oregon Brass Society and the Portland Wind Symphony, a semi-professional wind band. When the groups are not on break (the OSU ensemble is on break over the summer, and the Portland symphony rehearses for the six weeks before a concert and then takes a break), Chapman has brass band rehearsals every other Sunday, Portland Wind Symphony rehearsals every Monday, and rehearsals with the OSU wind ensemble Tuesdays and Thursdays. Combine those three pieces, and I feel fulfilled, he said. Chapman said he likes working with the brass band and wind symphony because it gives him a chance to work with different repertoires and musicians are his colleagues instead of his students. I love my job and I wouldnt trade it for the world, but the chance to work with people my own age is really rewarding, he said. Chapman said the groups performance schedule occasionally has him hurrying down Interstate 5 from Portland to Eugene for concerts on the same day. Of course, Chapman also teaches advanced conducting classes and does private lessons with music graduate students. However, he said, his work with the musicians is rewarding enough that hed want to keep doing it if it werent his job. The administrative part is the job, he said. Thats why they pay me. He said people outside of music may not understand just how much the conductors are communicating as they direct: It turns out that conducting involves more than just waving around your arms. Its all psychology. The way we stand, the way we move, the way we look and gesture, he said. He said teaching how the music is meant to be played is also a major part of conducting. And his goal in conducting is to play the music in a way that communicates what the composers wanted to convey. Sometimes composers want to tell a story, he said, and sometimes they want to convey an emotion or something less tangible than that. The answer always begins with what the composer wanted, he said. Although the OSU Wind Ensemble is on break over the summer, Chapmans not really getting much of a break: hes working in the office every day, conducting at the Northwest Band Camp this week, running the Music Departments booths at START sessions for incoming OSU freshmen over the summer and still working with the two adult bands. And of course, I was called for jury duty in July, he said. Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Brexit vote : Bonn British find Brexit foolish Bonn England will vote tomorrow on whether or not to remain in the EU. British citizens living in Bonn are in favor of remaining. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken The Queen is everywhere, posing on plates, tea cups and in life size form as a cardboard cut-out. James Beavan at the English Shop in Bonn city center celebrated the Queens 90th Birthday with his customers, sharing scones and clotted cream. But now there is only one topic people are talking about at his shop on Friedensplatz. Its all about the possible Brexit, says the managing director of the store selling British foods and accessories. Customers have a clear opinion about the referendum. All are united in thinking that it would be really foolish if they would leave the EU, says Beavan. Ursula Roth of the German-British Society of Bonn believes a slim majority will favor remaining in the EU. She says, The outcome will be very close. She sees the biggest danger being a possible domino effect; other countries might decide to hold such referendums as well. This is the wrong signal for all of Europe. The times where everybody made their own way are gone. We have to represent our interests together, she explains. The Bonn Oxford Club has been busy in the last weeks with intensive discussions about the financial and political implications of the decision. Of course we will be anxiously following the reports on Thursday, remarks Doris Daufeldt, Honorary Chair of the club. She said, We hope very much that a majority votes to stay in the EU. However, financial and political aspects are not the main focus of the group. Much more important is that we have been able to travel back and forth without problems in the past years. Since our club was founded in 1971, there have been numerous trips to bring people from each country closer to each other, allowing contacts to be formed and relationships to deepen. In the first years, passport and baggage controls were bothersome and time consuming. After these hurdles were removed, travel was quick and easy, says the chairwoman. For Peter Joffrey, an English born IT specialist who works for a large German firm, the debate is no longer at a factual and objective level. Arguments have long been replaced with nationalistic slogans. This is also shown in the horrible attack on Labour representative Jo Cox, he believes. Anyone who votes to leave should know what this means for himself, his family and his financial future, comments Joffrey. Clothing item found at suspects apartment : Case of Niklas P.: Who wore the bloody jacket? Bonn New information has come to light in the fatal attack on Niklas P. A jacket with his blood was found at the apartment of suspect Walid S. The suspect claims he is innocent. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken One of the main pieces of evidence in the fatal attack on Niklas P. is thought to be a jacket which has his blood on it. The 17-year-old youth was brutally beaten on May 7 in Bad Godesberg. According to information from WDR, the jacket was found in mid-May in the home of Walid S., the chief suspect who remains jailed on charges of homicide. Walid S. says he is innocent and that a friend had loaned him the jacket. The friend is also a suspect and General Anzeiger has information that he has been arrested and detained but because of crimes which were committed later. What kind of crime he is charged with is not known. Reports from WDR say the second suspect confirms having loaned out his jacket but not to Walid S., apparently rather to a third person. Niklas P. was attacked by three persons on that night. Chief prosecutor Robin Fabender did not want to comment on the reports, I am not confirming anything, denying anything or commenting on anything. He went on to explain that he did not want to jeopardize the investigations. Defense attorney Martin Kretschmer reacted similarly. He had asked for a review of the detention of his client, Walid S. on grounds of insufficient evidence. The appointment was supposed to be on Monday but it was postponed. GA has information that a new date for the review will be assigned on Monday next week. Investigations are still running in full swing and according to Fabender, We have several suspects. Investigators are working under enormous pressure after the violent death of Niklas became headlines not only in Bonn but nationwide, causing alarm also at the political level. Whether a quick resolution will come to the case is questionable. An opportunity for foodies and beer lovers to get lost in a world of food and drink from a hand-selected range of food trucks and breweries from around New Zealand. Article Protecting the worlds oceans an important goal of Germanys climate diplomacy The worlds oceans are vital to our survival. They regulate the global climate and are a source of food and income for billions of people. Only a very small part of the seas enjoys legal protection, however. Our diplomats are working in New York right now to change this state of affairs. China's Sunway-TaihuLight named world's fastest supercomputer News oi -GizBot Bureau China's new supercomputing system Sunway-TaihuLight was on Monday named the world's fastest computer at the International Supercomputing Conference in Germany. The National Supercomputing Centre was also unveiled simultaneously in China's Jiangsu province, where the new-generation supercomputer is installed, Xinhua news agency reported. Le Max 2: 10 Reasons Why You Should or Shouldn't Buy the Flagship With processing capacity of 125.436 petaflops (PFlops) per second, which means it can perform quadrillions of calculations per second at peak performance, Sunway-TaihuLight is the first supercomputer to achieve speeds in excess of 100 PFlops. The computing power of the supercomputer is provided by a China-developed many-core CPU chip, which is just 25 square cm. "It would take 7.2 billion people using electronic calculators 32 years, or two million desktop computers working together for one minute, to do the same calculation the computer can solve in just 60 seconds," said Yang Guangwen, head of the centre. Installed inside the centre's 1,000-square-metre computer room, Sunway-TaihuLight is composed of 40,960 processors. In addition to its speed, it is much more energy-efficient than its predecessor Tianhe-2, which was the world's best supercomputer for six years. One watt of electricity can support six billion calculations by Sunway-TaihuLight, which is just a third of the energy consumption by the China-developed Tianhe-2, which registered 33.86 PFlops per second, for the same calculations. 5 amazing features, shortcuts of computer mouse to make your life easy However, other countries are advancing their own supercomputing prowess, said Fu Haohuan, deputy head of the centre. The US aims to produce a supercomputer with 1,000 PFlops per second by 2025. At its current speed, by 2017, it is expected to have designed a supercomputer with speed three to five times that of Tianhe-2. "Although speed is a primary target, controlling the energy level is just as vital. Otherwise, future supercomputers will consume power equivalent to the amount used by a middle-size city," said Fu. China has channelled 1.8 billion yuan ($273 million) to support the development of Sunway-TaihuLight, about one third of which was from the central government and the other two thirds was shared by the Jiangsu provincial and Wuxi municipal governments. 9 Affordable Smartphones With Great Selfie Camera to Buy Below Rs 12,000 China's supercomputing technology on Monday was also included on the shortlist of the German Innovation Award's Gottfried Wagnner Prize. This was the first time that China has been included on the shortlist. The winner will be announced later this year. Source IANS Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications OnePlus 3 vs Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge: 7 Reasons to buy the mid-range Flagship smartphone! Features oi -Harshita OnePlus recently launched the specs-heavy 3 smartphone at a price of Rs 27,999 to take on its high priced as well as mid range rivals. For its price, the OnePlus 3 smartphone is a beast, with specifications that will put many of the high-end flagship smartphones to shame. We compare the specifications of the OnePlus 3 with another powerful flagship smartphone - the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. This comparison between specs is to find out what all does the OnePlus 3 bring on table for those consumers who want to buy a specs-heavy smartphone like Galaxy S7 Edge, however, within their budget limit! Metal beauties at par! There is no denying that Samsung's Galaxy S7 Edge is the most beautiful Galaxy S series smartphone till date. And the same goes for the OnePlus 3, which is the best looking OnePlus smartphone ever. Samsung's curved edged smartphone flaunts a beautiful metal body with curved back glass panel. Besides the curvier design, the Samsung Galaxy S7 is slimmer and sleeker. The OnePlus 3 doesn't have the Edged display, but it does flaunt beautiful curves and a metal body design. The OnePlus 3 is ergonomically fit, sits well on hand, and looks premium, and so does the Galaxy S7 Edge. SEE ALSO: Le Max 2: 10 Reasons Why You Should or Shouldn't Buy the Flagship If you don't mind a 1080p screen against 2K display! OnePlus 3 flaunts a 5.5-inch AMOLED display of FHD quality with 1,920 x 1,080 pixel resolution giving way to 401PPI. It has a 2.5D curve screen which gives it an edge over other similarly priced phones. In terms of quality, the display is immersive, crisp, offers good color saturation and great viewing angles. The Samsung's baby, on the other hand, has a 5.5-inch SUPER AMOLED screen of QHD quality, which can simply be described as perfect. The Galaxy S7 Edge does have a better display, but knowing that a user can not really make out the difference in the QHD and FHD resolution on a phone screen, the FHD display on OnePlus 3 is also good for its resolution and the phone's price. SEE ALSO: 4 Easy Tips to Export Wikipedia for Offline Use Higher processing power and RAM: OnePlus 3 is a powerhouse with Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chipset with Adreno 530GPU running under the hood. The same chipset also powers the Galaxy S7 Edge, however, it is for western markets and not for India. In India, Samsung uses Exynos processor, which has been widely acclaimed for great multitasking capabilities. In comparison, OnePlus 3 surely makes for a powerful phone, for it also boasts a massive 6GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage. However, the phone lacks a microSD card slot, meaning that you won't be able to expand its memory via a microSD card, unlike the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. SEE ALSO: A new Moto Z smartphone spotted online: 7 Features and Specs [Rumored] More megapixel count for camera lovers: You get a 16MP camera on the Oneplus 3, with optical image stabilization (OIS), which was missing in the last gen OnePlus smartphones. Moreover, it has LED flash, aperture f/2.0, PDAF, 4K video recording and more. Up front, there is an 8MP camera to take care of your selfies. Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge does have a better camera, in terms of performance. We agree that a higher megapixel count doesn't necessarily mean a better performer, but OnePlus has improved the camera specs on its smartphone. Big battery with quick charging: OnePlus 3 has a 3,000mAh battery with fast charging feature, which should give you a day of use in one time full charge. In comparison, the Galaxy S7 Edge has a huge 3,600mAh battery, but then its QHD display resolution eats up more battery than a FHD resolution. We feel, for its price, the OnePlus 3 has a good battery capacity. Also, its retail box includes Dash phone charger that can be used while you are in car. The Dash charger can charge the battery of OnePlus 3 to 63 percent in 30 minutes, company claims. USB Type C connectivity port is an advantage: OnePlus 3 packs in a USB Type-C reversible port that is ensures faster data transfer than microUSB, which is a good point for the smartphone. As far as wireless connectivity options are concerned, both phones offer dual SIM card slots, 4G VoLTE support, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth and GPS. An option to beef up security: Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge has a fingerprint scanner, which ensures you that your smartphone and data in it remains safe and secure. You get a fingerprint scanner on the OnePlus 3 as well, which can be used for enhanced security of the phone. Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications 433rd AW becomes first Reserve wing to get new C-5M By Tech. Sgt. Lindsey Maurice, 433rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs / Published June 20, 2016 JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas (AFNS) -- The saying "history repeats itself" has become all too familiar to the 433rd Airlift Wing, as hundreds of Airmen and distinguished guests gathered along the flightline here June 17 to welcome the wing's first C-5M Super Galaxy, named "The City of San Antonio." The move makes the 433rd AW the first and only Air Force Reserve wing to receive Lockheed Martin's modernized strategic airlifter. Almost 32 years ago, a similar crowd gathered at Kelly Air Force Base, Texas, as the wing, then the 433rd Tactical Airlift Wing, welcomed its predecessor, the first C-5A Galaxy, also named The City of San Antonio, into the Air Force Reserve Command's inventory. "This is a remarkable day for the 433rd Airlift Wing," said Maj. Gen. John C. Flournoy Jr., the Fourth Air Force commander, who piloted the aircraft to Lackland. "The opportunity to take an older aircraft and bring it up to today's standards for aviation is absolutely phenomenal. This was my first time landing in a C-5M and let me tell you it flies like a dream. It's absolutely a wonderful piece of modern technology in that cockpit, and it felt great." This particular C-5M is the first of nine aircraft that will make up the wing's fleet by late 2018. Tony Frese, Lockheed's Air Mobility and Maritime Missions vice president, noted that the aircraft is superior to its predecessor, the C-5A, in every way. "The biggest step up the C-5M brings are the upgraded engines, which provide not only about 22 percent improved thrust but up to 20 percent more fuel efficiency," he said. "That converts into over 20 percent more range for this aircraft, much shorter takeoff distances, much faster time, but also more reliability. Also, the engines are 10 times more reliable than the previous version's engines. However, what most people don't realize is the other 70 improvements that have been made to other systems of the aircraft, and they really bring together the significant reliability of this aircraft." Tech. Sgt. David Ponce, a 433rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron C-5M crew chief, accepted the ceremonial key to the aircraft and said he's ready to get to work. "We're really excited to get our hands on our own C-5Ms," said the 16-year airlift aircraft maintenance technician. "We've been working on what we call 'loaners' from Dover and Travis (Air Force Bases), and now we have our first one. I love my job as a dedicated crew chief and knowing that the maintenance we provide on the aircraft makes a difference." Performance abilities aside, one thing both the 1984 C-5A, tail number 69-0016, and today's modernized C-5M, tail number 70027, have in common is their unique "City of San Antonio" distinction. They are the only two C-5s to be bestowed "The City of San Antonio," a testament to the solid relationship between the military and San Antonio community. The name, along with a depiction of the famous Alamo, is showcased on the aircraft to the left of the door. During the ceremony, San Antonio City Council member Rey Saldana read a proclamation on behalf of the city to the 433rd AW welcoming its first Super Galaxy. "I'm a member of the San Antonio community, and more than anything; we like to pride ourselves on being called 'Military City USA,'" he said. "It's not just a slogan for us. "I've lived outside the Lackland Air Force Base community my entire life, so to be invited in as an elected official, and more importantly, as a San Antonio community member it means the world to me, especially on a great day like this, where you get to get close up to the mission and to see the arrival of the great C-5M Super Galaxy. It's amazing." As the ceremony came to a close, guests were invited to explore the largest plane in the U.S. military fleet. This was especially exciting for retired Gen. Thomas M. Ryan Jr., the former Military Airlift Command commander, who piloted that first C-5A to Kelly AFB. "It feels good to be here around a great bunch of people in the 433rd," said the 88-year-old command pilot who has flown more than 8,000 flying hours. "This brings back a lot of good memories. "The M is a great addition to the fleet," he added. "They finally have a modern, reliable plane to accomplish their mission. I'm happy for them." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Carter Describes Security Networks' Role in Confronting Threats By Jim Garamone DoD News, Defense Media Activity WASHINGTON, June 20, 2016 Defense Secretary Ash Carter discussed the importance of establishing and maintaining security networks with partner nations to confront global threats during a speech to the Center for a New American Security here today. Carter focused on the security networks the United States has forged in the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East and in Europe. Overall, such networks enable nations to act together to deter conflict, provide protection and meet transnational threats such as terrorism, the secretary said. "Now, security networking does differ across regions," he added, "and that makes sense, because each has its own unique history, geography, politics and security needs." Networking for Security The Asia-Pacific networks are based on weaving together bilateral, trilateral and multilateral relationships into a larger, regionwide network, Carter said, noting that there has never been a regionwide security arrangement there in the past. "In the Middle East and North Africa, we're leading coalitions and networks to address key security challenges like [the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant] and other terror groups, and to counter Iran's malign influence," the secretary said. In Europe, the United States is working within the NATO alliance to bolster deterrence, handle unregulated migration and confront threats in new domains. "In each region, the basic principle is the same," Carter said. "We're bringing together like-minded partners to enhance cooperation and build and strengthen connections," he said. "And in each region, the network needs a networker -- a nation and a military to enable it." Connections Connections take many forms, the secretary said. "For one, we're sharing information, including intelligence, in new ways, to allow our militaries to communicate better and in real time so that we can work together seamlessly and quickly," he told the audience. "More and more, we're leveraging persistent rotational forces that allow us to project presence without the requirements of permanent footprints." The United States and its networked allies also are improving interoperability to ensure that militaries can work with and off of the same platforms, the secretary said. The Asia-Pacific region has never had a grand alliance on par with NATO, Carter noted. "It has been the United States' and the [Asia-Pacific] region's strong, but largely separate bilateral, relationships that have helped ensure security and stability for more than 70 years," he said. "That's enabled countries throughout the region to make incredible economic and human progress." Years of peace, stability and economic opportunity have enabled Asia-Pacific nations to raise their standards of living -- including China and India, Carter said. "The U.S. role is in service of a principled and inclusive network: a network in tune not only with the times, but also the region's history," he said. "The network is principled because it stands for, and in defense of, the principles our countries have collectively promoted and upheld for decades, such as the freedom of navigation and overflight. And it's inclusive because the network is aimed at no nation and excludes no one." Relationships The United States has leveraged bilateral relationships into trilateral and multilateral relations, Carter said. The United States and Japan, the U.S. and South Korea, the U.S. and the Philippines, the U.S. and Australia, he said, all have set examples of ways to work together for collective security. The growing ties between the United States and India and the United States and Vietnam also indicate realization in the region for the need for a more collective approach, Carter said. "These growing relationships demonstrate that nations across the Asia-Pacific are committed to doing more to promote continued regional security and prosperity," the secretary said. "And they show that the United States is using its unique capabilities, experience and influence to stand with them and network [with] them to meet common challenges and ensure continued regional security and stability." Carter emphasized that America's relationships across the Asia-Pacific region are not aimed at China. "Although we have disagreements with China, especially over its destabilizing behavior in the South China Sea, we're committed to working with them and to persuading them to avoid self-isolation," he said. "That is one reason why we'll continue to pursue a stronger bilateral military-to-military relationship with our colleagues in China, including later this month at [the Rim of the Pacific exercise], which China will participate in again this summer." Middle East The security network in the Middle East and North Africa has a totally different threat to confront, Carter said, noting the United States is focused Iran and ISIL in the region. He said the nuclear deal with Iran is working, but that Iran continues its disturbing course in other ways. "Because of its reckless and destabilizing behavior in that part of the world, the Defense Department remains full speed ahead -- in our investments, our planning, and our posture -- to ensure we deter Iranian aggression, counter Iran's malign influence and uphold our ironclad commitments to our regional friends and allies, especially Israel," Carter said. ISIL threatens U.S. interests and allies in the Middle East and North Africa, and has inspired attacks in the homeland, the secretary said. Carter described the strategy to defeat the terror group and discussed the security network that's centered on defeating terrorists. "The U.S. military has also been taking action abroad with a 30-member military coalition to destroy ISIL's parent tumor in Iraq and Syria," he said. "Beyond those two countries, we're also building a transregional network of anti-terror nodes to counter ISIL and other terror groups wherever they metastasize -- in the Middle East, in North Africa, in South Asia, or elsewhere." The counter-ISIL network, the secretary said, has trained some 23,000 Iraqi security forces and provided local partners with more than eight full brigade sets of equipment -- including ammunition; small, medium, and heavy weapons; and equipment to counter improvised explosive devices. "For our part, the Defense Department is bringing to bear in the fight against ISIL every element of our military power: special operators, conventional forces, air assets, intelligence and surveillance, cyber and space capabilities, logistics and sustainment," Carter said. Partnering With Others to Fight, Defeat ISIL President Barack Obama ordered the military to accelerate operations against ISIL, and part of that effort is predicated on encouraging network allies to do more, the secretary said. "We'll keep adapting with our growing network and our strengthening network of coalition partners," he said. "Because the enemy frequently takes the form of a network itself, it must be fought in that way." One important step involves Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Carter said, noting the general has highlighted transnational threats since he took office in October. "We have to change how the Defense Department works, and is structured, to ensure better transregional and transfunctional integration and advice," the secretary said, adding that the responsibility for integration among the combatant commands is inadequately supported by the formal authority of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "That's why, in some of our proposed improvements to the 30-year-old Goldwater-Nichols Act, we want to clarify the role and authority of the chairman to, among other things, help the secretary of defense synchronize resources globally for daily operations around the world, enhancing the department's flexibility and ability to move forces rapidly across the seams between our combatant commands," he said. "I want to commend Chairman Dunford -- who has been leading these critically important efforts." Europe has the strongest collective security apparatus of any region anchored by NATO, the secretary said. "NATO has for over 67 years been the quintessential example of nations working together, and networking together, to respond to security challenges," Carter said. But the alliance faces new threats, such as from Russia and on Europe's southern flank, he said. The alliance, he added, also is working in Afghanistan and against ISIL. Helping NATO Adapt to New Challenges "In the face of these challenges, the Defense Department is helping NATO adapt and network so it can meet and overcome this era's challenges to the interests and values of this family of nations," Carter said. Russia is disturbing the peace in Eastern Europe, the secretary told the audience. "The United States is taking a strong and balanced approach to address Russia's aggression," Carter said. "We're strengthening our capabilities, our posture, our investments, our plans and our allies and partners, all while still keeping the door open to working with Russia where our interests align." NATO cannot continue using a 20-thcentury playbook, the secretary said. "That's why NATO's adapting and writing a new playbook," he said. "That playbook takes the lessons of history and leverages our alliance's strengths in new, networked ways to counter new challenges, like cyber and hybrid warfare, to integrate conventional and nuclear deterrence, and to adjust our posture and presence so we can be more agile and responsive." Networked security will be key to defense moving forward, Carter said. He noted that America has many friends around the globe with which to network, while potential adversaries have few. "These inclusive, principled security networks will continue to contribute to national, regional, and global security and help uphold the principled international order," the secretary said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Carter: Fanning Works to Strengthen Army Amid Global Challenges By Lisa Ferdinando DoD News, Defense Media Activity WASHINGTON, June 20, 2016 It is an honor to welcome Army Secretary Eric Fanning to the job, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said today, saying he is an experienced leader who is working to strengthen the force as it confronts evolving security challenges. Carter congratulated Fanning during the new secretary's official welcome ceremony today at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Virginia. Fanning was sworn in May 18 as the 22nd secretary of the Army. "From his service in positions of responsibility on nonproliferation issues and weapons of mass destruction, to his proven leadership in resource management, Secretary Fanning understands the full spectrum of responsibilities and opportunities that we face as a 21st century military," Carter said. Fanning and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley recognize what must be done to ensure the Army remains strong and ready, Carter said. He complimented them with moving forward on key initiatives on the Defense Department's efforts to build the force of the future. Fanning and Milley are working to strengthen the Army's unparalleled ability forged over the last 15 years and longer to carry out its core mission "to seize, to hold, and to dominate physical and human terrain," Carter explained. "They aren't resting on the current excellence of our Army; they're doubling down on it, ensuring that our ground forces are agile, unrivaled in posture, ready for full spectrum operations, and always prepared to defend America's interests and values," Carter said. The nation, Carter said, is facing no fewer than five immediate and evolving challenges: Russian aggression and coercion in Europe, China behaving aggressively in the Asia-Pacific region, North Korean nuclear provocations, Iranian aggression and malign influence in the Gulf, and terrorism and the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant. 'Best Job in the World' Fanning, who said he is incredibly honored at his selection for the position, said being Army secretary is the "best job in the world." He paid tribute to those serving around the globe and honored those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. He listed numerous projects soldiers and civilians have worked on to improve global and national security. "When the problem is so big and they can't think of who else can tackle it, they turn to the U.S. Army," he said. Milley described Fanning as an extraordinarily talented leader who joins the team at a critical time. The Army is engaged around the globe, and is balancing current and future requirements in an unpredictable world of challenging threats, the general said. "Eric Fanning is an incredible professional. He's completely committed to our Army, both the soldiers and the families," Milley said. 'Privilege' to Work With Fanning Fanning served as Carter's chief of staff when Carter first became defense chief. "It's been a privilege for me to work alongside Eric Fanning for many years, and watch him develop into one of our country's most knowledgeable, dedicated and experienced public servants," Carter said. Fanning has a "unique perspective on the pivotal connections that bind our joint force," Carter said. He pointed out Fanning served in senior leadership roles in each of the military departments, including as undersecretary of the Air Force, acting secretary of the Air Force, and deputy undersecretary of the Navy. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address USS Michael Murphy Sorties to Conduct MEDEVAC Navy News Service Story Number: NNS160620-32 Release Date: 6/20/2016 6:51:00 PM From Commander, U.S. Third Fleet Public Affairs JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii (NNS) -- The guided-missile destroyer USS Michel Murphy (DDG 112) conducted an emergency medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) June 19 to assist a Sailor in need of medical attention aboard guided-missile destroyer USS Shoup (DDG 86). At approximately 2:14 p.m., June 17, Shoup notified Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet that a Sailor on board required MEDEVAC. Shoup, over one thousand miles from shore, was not within helicopter range to conduct the transfer, and U.S. Coast Guard District 14 did not have an asset in the area that could affect a rapid transfer of the Sailor ashore. Michael Murphy, the 3rd Fleet duty ship, was directed to provide support. Within hours of the initial report, Michael Murphy, sortied from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam with a Navy medical doctor from Hawaii embarked. While Michael Murphy made best speed to close within helicopter range of Shoup, the medical team aboard Shoup worked to keep the Sailor stable. Embarked Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 35 launched an MH-60R helicopter from Shoup early in the morning June 18, to transfer the Sailor to Michael Murphy. Once safely on board, Michael Murphy headed back to Hawaii and transferred the Sailor and embarked doctor to Tripler Army Medical Center (TAMC) as soon as the ship was within helicopter range. The Sailor is currently being treated by medical personnel at Tripler Army Medical Center "While our thoughts and prayers remain with the young Sailor who is fighting through this medical emergency, we could not be more proud of the extraordinary team effort from USS Shoup, USS Michael Murphy and the medical teams ashore," said Vice Adm. Nora Tyson, commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet. "There is nothing more important to us than the health and safety of our Sailors and that was on display during every facet of this emergency response." Michael Murphy is named for Lt. (SEAL) Michael P. Murphy, a New York native who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions during Operation Red Wing in Afghanistan in 2005. Murphy was the first person to be awarded the medal for actions in Afghanistan and the first member of the U.S. Navy to receive the award since the Vietnam War. Homeported at JBPHH, Hawaii, Michael Murphy is a multi-mission ship with anti-air warfare, anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare surface combatants capabilities; designed to operate independently or with an associated strike group. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US 'Alarmed' by Bahrain's Revocation of Top Shi'ite Cleric's Citizenship by VOA News June 20, 2016 The U.S. Department of State has expressed "alarm" over Bahrain's decision Monday to strip the citizenship of a leading Shi'ite cleric, a move that sparked new protests and fears of unrest. "We are alarmed by the Government of Bahrain's decision to revoke the citizenship of prominent Shia cleric, Sheikh Isa Qassim," said State Department spokesman John Kirby in a statement. He said U.S. concerns were "further magnified" by reports that Qassim was not allowed to respond to accusations or challenge the decision through an open legal process. Bahrain's interior ministry said Qassim, considered the spiritual leader of the country's Shi'ite community, played a key role in creating an extremist sectarian atmosphere. The ministry accused the cleric of abusing his position in order to "serve foreign interests and promote ... sectarianism and violence," the BNA state news agency reported. Human Rights Watch said Bahrain's decision to revoke Qassim's citizenship "takes Bahrain into the darkest days" since a government crackdown in 2011, when security forces suppressed protesters who demanded a constitutional monarchy and an elected prime minister. The move against the cleric was favored by Bahrain's Sunni-led allies but condemned by Shi'ites. Qassim is the latest among scores of Shi'ites who have had their citizenship stripped by Bahraini authorities after being convicted of violence. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said at least 250 people have been stripped of their Bahraini citizenship in recent years for alleged disloyalty. Some material for this report came from AP and AFP. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address National Guard Chief Nominee Says New World Requires Agile Forces By Jim Garamone DoD News, Defense Media Activity WASHINGTON, June 21, 2016 Today's National Guard is in the best shape it's been in for its almost 380 years of history, President Barack Obama's nominee to lead the National Guard Bureau told the Senate Armed Services Committee here today. Air Force Lt. Gen. Joseph L. Lengyel has been nominated to succeed Army Gen. Frank Grass. He currently is the Guard Bureau's vice chief, and if confirmed by the Senate, he will receive his fourth star and serve as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The National Guard Bureau is a joint Defense Department activity embracing both the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard. The two components have roughly 453,000 service members. In normal times, the guardsmen come under the authority of state governors. Once federalized, they come under the Defense Department. Extraordinary Times "We are living in extraordinary times, with incredible advances in technology, globalization and commerce that give great cause for optimism and hope for the future," Lengyel told the senators. "Yet this optimism is tempered by unprecedented challenges in the global security environment." The general cited transregional, multidomain and multifunctional threats ranging from near-peer competitors to violent extremist organizations as reasons for the military to become more agile and for the government as a whole to use all elements of national power. The National Guard has changed considerably since 9/11. Air guardsmen regularly fly missions around the world. Army guardsmen have fought on all battlefields in the war on terror alongside regular component soldiers, the general noted. "Since 9/11, the operational National Guard has mobilized roughly 780,000 times in support of the war," Lengyel said. "As the combat reserve of the Army and the Air Force, if confirmed, I will ensure we continue to work seamlessly as part of the joint force to help bring security around the globe." Applying Combat Experiences to the Homeland Those experiences in combat zones around the world have application in the homeland, he said. "Our experience overseas enables us to protect the homeland and work with our governors and adjutant generals to answer the call when disaster strikes here at home," he said. "On any given day, we have between 3,000 and 4,000 guardsmen conducting domestic operations, and the National Guard remains at the forefront of building enduring partnerships with local, state, federal and global partners." The National Guard traces its lineage to 1636, and Lengyel told the senators that although he is proud of the history, he is more excited about the future. "The Guard's evolution as an operational force is a chapter in our nation's security at home and abroad that is written through the incredible skill and devotion of America's citizen soldiers and airmen," he said. He vowed that the development of these volunteers will be his most important task. "If confirmed, I will strive to grow and train leaders who innovate and motivate the force," he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Sheikh Qassim, redline for Bahrain's regime: IRGC commander ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency 21 June 2016 / 10:24 TEHRAN (ISNA)- A senior commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said the sanctuary of the most senior Bahraini Shia cleric, Sheikh Isa Qassim, is a redline whose violation will set fire to Bahrain and the entire region. Major General Qasem Soleimani, commander of IRGC's Quds Force, said on Monday that overstepping this redline would "leave the people (of Bahrain) with no other choice but armed resistance." Bahrain on Monday revoked the citizenship of Sheikh Isa Ahmed Qassim, claiming that he has been involved in spreading extremism. "Definitely, Al Khalifah will pay the price for this and it will result in nothing other than the collapse of this bloodthirsty regime," the IRGC commander said. Soleimani warned that supporters of Bahrain's Al Khalifah regime must know that disrespect to Sheikh Qassim and the continuation of excessive crackdown on Bahraini people will "trigger a bloody intifada," whose consequences would be on those who legitimize the outrageous behavior of Bahrain's rulers. The IRGC commander further noted that the Al Khalifah regime is committing more crimes on a daily basis and represses the people of Bahrain while the United Nations, the US and Western countries maintain their "meaningful silence." Bahrain's Interior Ministry claimed in a statement that Sheikh Qassim actively sought the "creation of a sectarian environment" through his connections with foreign powers. The ministry claimed that the cleric had misused his religious position to advance a political agenda and serve foreign interests. The Interior Ministry's statement added that the senior cleric "caused harm to the interests of the Bahraini kingdom or had acted contrary to the duty of loyalty to the government," presstv reported. Describing as illegal donations to Sheikh Qassim by his followers in Bahrain, the statement further accused the cleric of receiving money and using it without obtaining the required legal licenses. End Item NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Bahraini forces break into senior Shia cleric's office Iran Press TV Tue Jun 21, 2016 5:15PM Bahraini regime forces have stormed into the office of leading Shia cleric, Sheikh Isa Qassim, who was recently stripped of his citizenship. Bahraini media reported that the regime troops raided the headquarters in the northern village of Karranah on Tuesday and broke the doors of the building. They also searched the office, even its top floors that belong to citizens and students of religious science. On Monday, Manama revoked the nationality of Sheikh Qassim, with Bahrain's Interior Ministry accusing the clergyman of seeking the "creation of a sectarian environment" through his connections with foreign powers. The move has raised fears of further unrest in the tiny Persian Gulf island which is already the scene of regular anti-regime demonstrations. In another development on Tuesday, dozens of supporters of the prominent cleric gathered at his home in the village of Diraz to protest Bahrain's removal of Sheikh Qassim's citizenship. Some of the protesters were wearing white shrouds signaling their readiness to die. The Lebanese resistance movement, Hezbollah, has denounced Manama's move as "silly" and "dangerous," warning that it will trigger a harsh response from the Bahraini people. Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has also condemned the decision as "a Saudi plot," saying it will fuel the flames of "Bahrain's Islamic Revolution" against the ruling family. The latest move by the Al Khalifah regime against Sheikh Qassim came less than a week after the Bahraini Justice Ministry suspended all activities of al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, the main opposition group in the country. The kingdom also dissolved two other opposition groups, namely al-Tawiya and al-Risala Islamic associations. Bahrain, a close ally of the US in the Persian Gulf region, has seen a wave of anti-government protests since mid-February 2011. The Al Khalifah regime is engaged in a harsh crackdown on dissent and widespread discrimination against the country's Shia majority. Scores of people have been killed and hundreds of others injured or arrested in the island state. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taliban stop buses in south, abduct 27 Afghan passengers Iran Press TV Tue Jun 21, 2016 9:33AM The Taliban have kidnapped over two dozen bus passengers in Afghanistan's southern Helmand Province in the latest wave of highway abductions by the militant group in recent weeks. The militants blocked the main highway connecting the capital Kabul with the south, forcing a number of cars and buses to stop near the town of Gereshk, said a local government spokesman said. They took at least 27 men hostage from three buses that were heading to the southern province of Kandahar and transferred them to an unknown location. Afghan police said a search operation is underway to locate the captives. A district police chief in Helmand said the militant group had initially taken 60 people into captivity, but released some of them. Taliban said in a statement that the abductees were under investigation. "Those who are innocent will be released but those who are working for the slave administration of Kabul's security organs will be submitted to courts," said Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, a Taliban spokesman, in the statement. The militant group has so far kidnapped over 200 people across the country since the end of May. It has also killed at least 21 people in northern and southern parts of the country. On May 31, Taliban militants seized several buses in the Aliabad district in the volatile northern province of Kunduz. They pulled out the passengers, gunned down 16 of them and kidnapped 30 others. The killing occurred a day after a police chief announced that nearly 60 Afghan policemen had been killed by Taliban militants near Lashkar Gah, the provincial capital of Helmand. Tuesday's abductions come almost three weeks after Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour was reportedly killed in a US drone strike in western Pakistan. The militants have intensified their attacks following the appointment of Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada as the group's new leader. According to a report by Amnesty International, at least 1.2 million Afghans have been internally displaced due to violence in the past three years. Estimates show that about 200,000 people have been killed in less than three decades of Taliban militancy in Afghanistan. Afghanistan has been gripped by insecurity since the US and its allies invaded the country as part of Washington's so-called war on terror. Many parts of the country remain plagued by militancy despite the presence foreign troops from many US allies. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. Senators Push Resolution Condemning 'Dangerous' Russian Military Actions June 21, 2016 by RFE/RL WASHINGTON -- A bipartisan group of U.S. senators have introduced a resolution condemning Russia for what they call "dangerous and unprofessional" military actions in recent months. The measure, sponsored by Senator David Purdue (Republican-Georgia), reflects the toughening rhetoric among U.S. policymakers and lawmakers toward Russia. It also comes as large-scale NATO exercises wrap up in Eastern Europe, and on the eve of a major NATO summit in Warsaw. The Senate resolution takes aim specifically at a series of recent close-calls between Russian jets and U.S. naval ships and air force planes in the Baltic Sea and Sea of Okhotsk. In one incident in April, Russian jets and two helicopters came exceptionally close to a U.S. guided missile destroyer operating in the Baltic. The draft resolution also calls out Russia for violations, alleged by the U.S. State Department, of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, a landmark Cold War agreement that has come under growing stress. The proposed measure "condemns the recent dangerous and unprofessional Russian intercepts of United States-flagged aircraft and vessels." It also calls on Moscow "to cease provocative military maneuvers that endanger United States forces and those of its allies." For its part, Russia has accused NATO leaders of breaking promises not to expand into former Warsaw Pact countries in the 1990s. Moscow also says U.S. and NATO forces are conducting threatening maneuvers in Europe, and it has recently shifted several divisions to Russia's western borders. NATO rejects these accusations, saying no such promises were given and that it is up to individual nations to decide whether to pursue membership in the alliance. NATO also says it does not represent a threat to Russia and is not trying to encircle it. The Senate resolution was introduced on June 20 and must be voted on in committee before being taken up by the full chamber. Known as simple resolutions, such measures do not have the full power of laws passed by the two chambers of Congress and signed by the president. Instead, they are intended to express the sentiment of a chamber. Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/russia-us-senators- dangerous-military-actions/27811936.html Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Jordan Army Declares Northern, Northeastern Border Closed Military Zone Sputnik News 17:36 21.06.2016 Mashal Mohammad Zaben, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Jordanian Armed Forces, declared the country's northern and northeastern borders closed military zones after several servicemen were killed in a blast near the frontier with Syria, the armed forces said Tuesday. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Earlier in the day, several Jordanian soldiers were killed and injured after an explosion occurred near a refugee camp hosting Syrians close to the border between the two countries. "King's Advisor for Military Affairs, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mashal Mohammad Zaben issued an order [declaring] northern, northeastern border areas closed military zones as of this date," the statement read. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Oslo's New Defense Plan Leaves Norwegian Coast Defenseless Sputnik News 17:02 21.06.2016 Last week, Oslo proudly presented its new defense plan. The idea behind Norway's biggest military upgrade effort since the end of the Cold War is to bolster its defenses against an "increasingly unpredictable" Russia, yet the defense plan came under fire from, among others, Norway's own experts. Remarkably, Oslo's bombastic defense plans, largely touted as a radical solution aimed at both slashing costs and boosting combat readiness, were slammed by home experts as extravagant and ineffective. In short, boosting the defense budget with a staggering 17.5 billion dollars is not enough, they claim. "They give up absolutely everything along the coast. It creates a strategic hole and leaves an empty space," researcher Stale Ulriksen of the Naval Academy in Bergen told Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten. Ulriksen pointed out that plans to close down the Coastal Ranger Command, Naval Home Guard and eventually even coastal corvettes of the Skjold class was a particularly bad idea. According to him, this leaves the Norwegian coast virtually defenseless. "Russian ships can hit Oslo and Bergen with rockets from Murmansk. But from Norwegian waters, can reach targets in Europe. From a fjord in western Norway, you can hit the UK, half of France and almost the entire country of Germany," Ulriksen said, epitomizing Scandinavia's unfounded fear of a "Russian threat." According to Ulriksen, disbanding crucial military structures and weakening coastal defense undermines Norway's defense capacity. "It also makes it problematic to accept the allied reinforcements from the sea in the event of a war," Ulriksen said. On the other hand, former defense chief Sverre Diesen hailed the long-term plan as a "decisive breakthrough for a more rational financing of the Armed Forces." He argued that the military budget hike was absolutely necessary to keep pace with the rapid technological developments. According to Diesen, this is also a premise for stopping the disintegration of Norway's defense capacity, which supposedly has been going on for the past 25 years. However, even Diesen was highly critical of the decision to close down the Coastal Ranger Command, which he described as one of the military's "best and most valuable departments." According to Diesen, the future belongs to small and mobile forces, able both to deliver fire from their own weapons and point out targets for missiles and other long-distance precision weapons. NATO member Norway plans to purchase 52 F-35 fighter jets and four submarines, as well as new naval surveillance planes to replace its ageing fleet. The fighter jets are expected to become the backbone of Norway's future defense. In addition, the border guard against Russia strengthened with one ranger company. The extra expenditure is expected to bring Norway's military budget up towards the 2.0 percent of GDP goal fixed by NATO, without reaching it quite yet. Norwegian Chief of Defense Haakon Bruun-Hanssen was very pleased with the plan. By his own admission, Bruun-Hansson got almost everything he asked for and his professional military advice had been listened to. Despite the cheerful rhetoric by Norway's high-ranking military officials, the future is far from rosy. To make budgetary ends meet, the Norwegian Armed Forces must save 40 billion kroner (almost 5 billion dollars). "This is a significant challenge. We must accept it, roll up our sleeves and find good solutions," Bruun-Hanssen said. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Red Sea Islands 'Belonged to Egypt Centuries Before Saudi Arabia's Birth' Sputnik News 20:30 21.06.2016(updated 22:13 21.06.2016) Egypt's Administrative Court on Tuesday rejected the government's decision to hand over control of two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia. Sputnik spoke to the Secretary General of the Socialist Party of Egypt, Ahmed Shaaban, regarding this decision. "The decision to transfer the islands to the Saudi Kingdom was not correct, as the transfer method itself was incorrect due to a lack of national dialogue on this issue. In this decision public organization representing people's will did not take any part." He further said that the government had to deal with a difficult situation, because this decision had to be transferred to the Parliament after popular public's indignation. "The only way out could have been to cancel this decision. However, the Administrative Court of Egypt was ahead of the parliament and decided to annul the agreement regarding the transfer of the islands," Shaaban said. "Nevertheless, the situation has become more complicated, as the recognition of this decision to null and void would create problems in the bilateral relations between Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The discontent of the people on this issue would create more threats," the politician said. The two islands Tiran and Sanafir are uninhabited and located at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba, a strategic part of the Red Sea bordered by Israel, Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. In turn, Khamdi Haikal, leader of the "Egyptian People's Movement" and one of the commissioners of the case on "invalidity of decision of transferring Tiran and Sanafir" spoke to Sputnik saying that today's verdict was expected, since historically this land belongs to Egypt and it is under Egyptian sovereignty. "Saudi Arabia declares that it owns the islands. But Tiran and Sanafir have been under the sovereignty and control of Egypt for hundreds of years before the birth of the founder of Saudi Arabia, King Abdul Aziz in 1932," Haikal concluded. Earlier, it was reported that the court judged that the agreement on maritime borders between Egypt and Saudi Arabia signed in April this year was invalid. In April, the agreement between Cairo and Riyadh on the islands of Tiran and Sanafir at the southern entrance to the Gulf of Aqaba triggered a week of mass rallies on the streets in central Cairo. Some 400 people were arrested, dozens were sentenced to prison. However, later an appeals court in Cairo overturned this ruling and the protesters were released. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address ICC sentences former Congolese vice-president Bemba to 18 years in prison for war crimes 21 June 2016 The International Criminal Court (ICC) today sentenced the former Congolese vice-president, Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, to 18 years of imprisonment for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the Central African Republic between October 2002 and March 2003. In a ruling issued in March, the ICC had found Mr. Bemba guilty beyond reasonable doubt as a military commander responsible for two counts of crimes against humanity (murder and rape) and three counts of war crimes (murder, rape and pillaging) committed in the Central African Republic in 2002-2003. Mr. Bemba had been the commander-in-chief of the former Congolese rebel group, the Movement for the Liberation of Congo, as well as a vice-president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the 2003-2006 transition. ICC Trial Chamber III delivered the sentence today in an open hearing, where Presiding Judge Sylvia Steiner read a summary of the decision. Ms. Steiner indicated that the Chamber found the crimes of murder, rape, and pillaging to be of "serious gravity," the ICC said in a press release. The Chamber also found that two aggravating circumstances applied to the crime of rape: it was committed against particularly defenceless victims, and with particular cruelty. In addition, the Chamber found that one aggravating circumstance applied to the crime of pillaging, which the majority of the Chamber considered to be the particular cruelty with which the crime was committed. The Chamber further found that Mr. Bemba's culpable conduct was of serious gravity. Lastly, the Chamber was satisfied that no mitigating circumstances existed in the case, the ICC said. In light of his conviction, Mr. Bemba was sentenced to the following terms of imprisonment: 16 years of imprisonment for murder as a war crime; 16 years of imprisonment for murder as a crime against humanity; 18 years of imprisonment for rape as a war crime; 18 years of imprisonment for rape as a crime against humanity; and 16 years of imprisonment for pillaging as a war crime. The Chamber considered that the highest sentence imposed, namely, 18 years for rape, reflected the totality of Mr. Bemba's culpability, and decided that the sentences imposed shall run concurrently. The entire time Mr. Bemba has spent in detention in accordance with an order of the ICC, since 24 May 2008, will be deducted from his sentence. The ICC also noted that the prosecution and the defence may appeal the sentence on the grounds of disproportion between the crime and the sentence. Further, the ICC said that the issue of reparations to victims under article 75 of the Rome Statute will be addressed in due course. The ICC Trial Chamber III is composed of Ms. Steiner (Brazil), Judge Joyce Aluoch (Kenya) and Judge Kuniko Ozaki (Japan). NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address One Year After Mali Peace Agreement, Challenges Remain by Esha Sarai, Jacques Aristide June 21, 2016 The U.N. will send more troops and continued support against terrorists in Mali it announced this week, on the one-year anniversary of the U.N.'s intervention in the West African country. "On the occasion of the first anniversary of the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali, the Secretary-General welcomes the renewed commitment to peace expressed by the President of Mali, Ibrahim Boubakar Keita, and his Government," Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said in a statement released Monday. "The Secretary-General trusts that the signatory parties will ensure the swift and full implementation of the agreement, bearing in mind the many challenges that lie ahead. He encourages them to remain steadfast in their efforts." Last week Mali Prime Minister Modibo Keita addressed the U.N. Security Council in New York, particularly noting that the U.N. would send 2,500 troops in addition to the 12,000 already on the ground. But he warned that the solution to violence in Mali is not entirely in numbers. "The solution... is not in quantity but in quality," Keita told VOA Afrique. He recounted recommendations made to the Security Council, including "to strengthen the operational capacity of MINUSMA (United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali) by giving it adequate resources, appropriate means to deal with the advance of terrorism." The prime minister stated that this does not mean that Mali is incapable of fighting jihadists, but, on the contrary, shows their commitment to fighting terrorist forces in Africa. His second recommendation to the U.N. was to train Malian forces themselves. MINUSMA was established by the U.N. in 2013 to stabilize the country after the Tuareg rebellion in 2012. The base has seen 66 deaths since it's establishment, making it the most dangerous U.N. deployment in the world. Violence, particularly in the North of the country where some rebel groups are based, has fluctuated since the rebellion. Nineteen people were killed in the Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako last November, an attack claimed by a branch of terror group al-Qaida. But the prime minister says the threat of terrorism in Mali is a universal threat. "If terrorism has a future in Mali, that means it has a future in the world," Keita said. "Which country isn't concerned about an attack today? Thousands of kilometers from Mali attacks are carried out every day - whether they are in Africa, in Europe, or in the U.S." Mali has been battling multiple militant groups in recent years, including al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), with roots in Algeria, and the homegrown Ansar Dine - a group lead by prominent Tuareg leader Iyad Ag Ghaly. Both groups aim to spread Islamic law in Mali. Keita says that Mali will not engage in any dialogue with Ghaly. "We can't associate with anyone supporting terrorism," he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address With its Caliphate Faltering, Islamic State Rushes to Indoctrinate Children by Sirwan Kajjo, Noor Zahid, Rikkar Hissein June 20, 2016 Despite stinging military defeats and enormous financial strains, Islamic State (IS) is working to imprint a lasting legacy on children through increasing in-classroom training in areas it controls and an aggressive social media campaign. In its self-proclaimed caliphate, IS is schooling thousands of children in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and other places in radical, anti-Western thought and ways of terror, VOA has found in interviews with activists, local officials and analysts. IS bombards the internet and social media with propaganda aimed at children and uses dozens of languages and a vast array of social media tools to spread its message. This goes to the heart of the IS mission, analysts say: to ensure IS's radical message endures beyond the group itself. In the long run, the IS indoctrination of children will likely have a chilling reverberation for years to come, experts say, way after IS has been removed from the cities it now controls. "The next generation will be more radicalized regardless of continued (IS) presence in Syria and Iraq," said Wajiha, a female teacher who used to teach elementary school students in the city of Deir Ezzor, Syria, which is currently controlled by IS. IS ideology The Syrian teacher who works at a school in a refugee camp in southern Turkey told VOA that IS aims to "invest in children for a long-lasting influence, because this is about its ideology and not just about recruiting them." She asked that her last name not be published. Day after day and with little break, IS oversees crowded classrooms in its de facto capitals of Raqqa, Syria; Mosul, Iraq, and Nangarhar province in Afghanistan as well as IS pockets that stretch as far as Indonesia. It operates camps for children known as "Caliphate Cubs." "The Islamic State is mobilizing children and youth at an increasing and unprecedented rate," researchers at Georgia State University wrote in a report earlier this year on how IS negatively influences children. IS runs at least eight schools and religious seminaries where children and teenagers are taught extreme ideology in Nangarhar. According to local residents and officials who spoke to VOA on the condition of anonymity, IS operates two high schools and a religious seminary in the Kot district of Nangarhar. Local sources told VOA that IS teaches a self-styled curriculum based on radical Islam. Girls are allowed to attend school but at different times from boys. Most of the teachers at the IS-run schools are on the payroll of both the Afghan Ministry of Education and IS, sources said. Afghan education officials told VOA that they are aware of the IS schools but would not comment on reports that the teachers continue to be paid by the Afghan government while teaching at IS schools. In Achin district of Afghanistan, where IS runs five religious seminaries, children are forced to attend IS-run classes. IS has imposed fines on parents who decide against sending their children to its schools, locals told VOA. IS education model The IS education model is followed wherever IS has control. In Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city that has been held by IS for more than two years, IS abolished the education system on the first day fighters entered the city and changed it to emphasize their radical ideology. "They put children into classes where they learn how to use weapons," said Ismat Rajab, who heads the Kurdistan Democratic Party's headquarters in Mosul. "Teachers who protest the IS education system will be arrested or even killed if they insist on refusing the system." The IS educational system has taught young men how to become suicide bombers," Rajab said. "In the past, most of IS suicide bombers were foreign fighters. Now, the majority are teenagers of Mosul," he said. Rajab worries about how young people will be rehabilitated once IS leaves Mosul. "I think we haven't witnessed the real danger yet," he said. "We will see it after IS is gone in Mosul and we are left in a big city where children are completely brainwashed." IS has moved some children from Iraq to Syria for stricter education. Hundreds of young children from Yazidi religious minority in Iraq were taken by IS as slaves into Syria. Trained suicide bombers In Raqqa, the IS de facto Syrian capital, Yazidi children were forced to convert to Islam and were given lessons on how to use weapons and suicide belts. "We had to wake up at 4 in the morning to pray and go back to sleep until 8," a 12-year-old Yazidi boy told VOA last year. "From 8 to 9 we had breakfast and then we were given lessons on the Koran until 12 when we were given lunch," he said. "After lunch we were trained on weapons until 5. We were wearing a black piece of cloth which had a white piece underneath that could be pulled to detonate the bombs." The boy eventually escaped to an area near the Turkish border where he was rescued by Kurdish forces. He was resettled as a refugee in Germany this year and is in a recovery program funded by the German government, aid workers told VOA. In Raqqa, IS opened at least 12 schools for males and 12 other schools for females in 2015, according to activists monitoring IS operations. Since its takeover of the city in 2014, the group has imposed a new curriculum based on its extremist ideology. Targeting youth of all ages, IS is particularly focused on children ages 6 through 10, according to Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently, an activist group that reports on IS abuses in Syria. "They have created an army of kids who know nothing but IS doctrines," a member of the activist group who requested anonymity told VOA. IS imposes a fine that ranges from $50 to $500 on parents who refuse to send their children to IS schools. Those who cannot afford to pay the fine are forced to let their children join IS camps for military training, he said. Social media force Meanwhile, IS has been relentless in teaching children in the medium they know best social media. IS recently launched a mobile application for children to teach them the Arabic language and strict Islamic teachings. The application has games for memorizing enticing Islamic songs. Their lyrics infuse Jihad against infidels. An IS digital team, known as Library of Zeal, released the application that is now available on Android devices. Mobile users can access the application only if they have a direct link from the owners of the product. IS supporters have posted the link on the social media platform Telegram, but it could also be downloaded directly from many mirroring websites. Major social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter have continuously carried crackdown campaigns against IS supporters, shuttering their accounts and banning them from using the platforms to spread their hate messages. But analysts say IS messaging online continues to grow. "They have a team of very sophisticated experts that run an entire campaign online," said Dlshad Othman, a cybersecurity expert with the ISC Project, a group that provides information security assistance to civil society activists. The aim is to ultimately ensure IS's radical message lives on beyond the group itself and stays long into the future. IS social media this week distributed photos in several languages of children holding placards in IS territories offering "congratulations" on the deaths of Americans, apparently in reference to the Orlando massacre. "As they train and indoctrinate (kids) at a young age, they are preparing the children to form their opinions and thoughts in a particular way so that they will become the fighters of tomorrow," Othman said. VOA's Mehdi Jedinia contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkey's Priorities in Fighting Terrorism Questioned by Dorian Jones June 21, 2016 The Turkish government's priorities in fighting terrorism are coming under question, as it increasingly cracks down on proponents of Kurdish rights while, critics say, it fails to show the same zeal against the Islamic State. On Tuesday, supporters of three jailed press freedom advocates gathered in Istanbul to protest the detentions. The three activists were detained Monday on terrorism charges for participating in a solidarity campaign in support of Ozgur Gundem, a pro-Kurdish newspaper. The government defends the arrests, claiming those detained were producing propaganda on behalf of the PKK the Kurdish rebel group which Turkish security forces are fighting. The jailing of the activists not only puts a spotlight on Turkey's sweeping anti-terror laws, but also raises questions on how those laws are being applied, says Atilla Yesilada, an Istanbul-based consultant with Global Source Partners. "Anyone who says we should pursue peace with PKK or end this war are labeled as a [PKK] sympathizer," Yesilada said. "And they are almost certain to go through some kind of court process. But most of the time, when the police brings the ISIS people to justice, either the prosecutor refuses to write an indictment or the courts let these people go on account that not enough evidence being found, which tells you where the priorities of Turkish state lie." ISIS is an acronym for Islamic State. Legal experts point out that the broad nature of the anti-terror laws means little evidence is needed to sustain a prosecution. Release, escape Doubts over the seriousness of Turkey's crackdown on Islamic State were heightened last month when five suspected Turkish members of Islamic State accused of large-scale arms smuggling escaped from an open prison in the country's Kocaeli province. Why high-profile jihadist suspects were held in a low-security facility has not been explained. In March, an Istanbul court released the last seven of 94 suspects who had been held in pre-trial detention as part of the largest court case against Islamic State members in Turkey. Human rights groups say their release from pre-trial detention even though they face serious charges of violence contrasts with the thousands of pro-Kurdish activists who are being held in pre-trial detention on charges not linked to violence. Kadri Gursel, a political columnist for Turkey's Cumhuriyet newspaper and Al-Monitor website, says the difference in the treatment of accused Islamic State members and pro-Kurdish activists can be explained by the fact that Ankara views Islamic State as a useful tool in fighting the PKK in neighboring Syria. "Turkey prefers Daesh, ISIS, on the south of their Syria border instead of seeing Kurds. Simply, they prefer ISIS to [the] Kurds," Gursel said. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said last year that the PKK and its affiliate in Syria were more of a threat to Turkey than Islamic State. Last week, however, a senior Turkish official briefing foreign journalists on condition of anonymity angrily rejected charges of turning a blind eye to Islamic State activities, saying this was impossible given the group was responsible for so many deadly bombings in Turkey. Also last week, a Turkish court sentenced three foreign members of Islamic State to life imprisonment for killing two members of Turkey's security forces. Worrying trend Despite such convictions, analyst Yesilada warns that Turkey could end up a paying a very high price for its Islamic State policy. "You see, the ISIS network in Turkey is alive and very healthy, and you look at the Pakistani experience and how they harbored and nurtured the Taliban and what Taliban did to them. You do see that leads to disaster," Yesilada said. Western intelligence officials have also drawn a comparison between Turkey and Pakistan. They point to a worrying new trend of Turkish security forces expelling suspected Islamic State militants to countries like Iraq and Sudan, rather than prosecuting them and getting information from them. Turkey's government, however, says it has prevented tens of thousands of would-be jihadists from entering the country and insists it remains a key ally in the war against Islamic State. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address South China Sea Deployment: Indian Navy's Warships Visit South Korea Sputnik News 21:03 21.06.2016 In a demonstration of India's 'Act East' policy and the Indian Navy's increasing footprint and operational reach, the Indian Naval Ships Sahyadri, Shakti and Kirch have arrived at Busan, Republic of Korea as part of the deployment of the Eastern Fleet to the South China Sea. The Indian Navy's expedition to Busan, Republic of Korea, is being led by Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet, Rear Admiral S V Bhokare. According to a statement issued by India's Ministry of Defense, the Indian Navy (IN) ships will have professional interaction with the Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy towards further enhancing co-operation between the two forces. In addition, calls on senior government and military authorities, sporting and cultural interactions and sharing of best practices, aimed at strengthening ties and mutual understanding between the two Navies, are also planned. The visiting IN ships are also likely to conduct exercises with the ROK Navy, aimed at enhancing interoperability in communication as well as Search and Rescue procedures, post departure from Busan. Defense and Security relations between India and the Republic of Korea have evolved steadily over the years and have received a renewed impetus with the visit of the Indian defense delegation led by the defense minister in April 16. Subscription to training courses, participation in multi-lateral seminars/forums, reciprocal port visits, high-level delegations and training exchanges have bolstered naval cooperation between the two countries. In addition, both countries have forged ties in the field of military R&D, with MoU signed between the Indian Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) of RoK. The last visit by an IN ship to Republic of Korea was in October 2015, when Sahyadri berthed at Incheon. The current visit seeks to enhance maritime cooperation between the Indian Navy and the ROK Navy with the aim to further bolster the strong bonds of friendship and contribute to security and stability in the area. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iraqi Troops Free Yazidi, Christian Women Taken as Daesh Prisoners Sputnik News 20:48 21.06.2016 Government troops in Iraq have almost completely recaptured Fallujah from Daesh. They also took control of the administration building in the city center. But the terrorists are still keeping the resistance, holding individual streets and houses. Al-Zulfiqar Baldavi, the head of the volunteer center "Al-Shaab Al Hashd," spoke to Sputnik in an interview regarding the situation. "The city of Fallujah has returned under the control of the Iraqi armed forces, which include the federal police forces and soldiers of the "People's Militia" (Al-Sha'ab Hashd). In military terms, the city is completely released as Iraqi forces are present in all major districts," Baldavi told Sputnik. He added that everyone knows that the city of Fallujah has lots of large tunnels, alleys and other places where there can be resistance. "Right now there is an ongoing operation to clean up the last strongholds of the extremist group. There is a continuous search for Daesh terrorists in tunnels, buildings and other secret locations." Baldavi further said that they have released a lot of hostages, "among them dozens of Yazidis, Christians from Mosul and possibly Syrian women." The head of the center also explained that the operation north of the province of Salah al-Din (on the border with Nineveh province, near Mosul) has some distinct quality about it, since the operation there is not occurring at the initiative of the Iraqi government and the Ministry of Defense of the country, which seemingly wants to liberate the military airfield Qayyarah Airfield West. "We have received information that this action is taking place at the initiative of the United States, as US forces want to assign this base to themselves in the future and make it a place of basing their aircraft," Baldavi concluded. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address EU Diplomats Agree To Extend Sanctions Against Russia June 21, 2016 by RFE/RL BRUSSELS -- EU ambassadors have agreed to extend sanctions against Russia for another six months over Moscow's actions in Ukraine, despite some calls for a more conciliatory approach from within the bloc. Ambassadors from the 28 member states of the European Union approved the decision in principle. The measure will now go to EU ministers for formal approval, possibly on June 24, and EU leaders will have to okay it at a summit in Brussels next week, but diplomats said there was no doubt they would. The sanctions, which target the energy, financial, and defense sectors of Russia's economy, were due to expire at the end of July and will now run to January 2017. They were first imposed in June and July 2014 after Russia's annexation of Crimea and its support for pro-Moscow separatists in eastern Ukraine. The EU last week rolled over for another year separate measures regarding an investment ban and other economic sanctions applicable to Crimea. The EU has also imposed a separate set of visa-ban and asset-freeze measures against individual Russians and Ukrainians for backing the separatist cause in early 2014. These measures run until September. German Chancellor Angela Merkel had pushed for prolonging the sanctions, with reports suggesting she convinced countries such as Slovakia, Hungary, and Italy to set aside their objections and keep sanctions in place for another six months. RFE/RL's correspondent in Brussels says the June 21 decision appears to be a victory for EU states that have taken a harder line on Russia, such as Poland and Lithuania, as well as European Council President Donald Tusk, who sought a decision on the sanctions well ahead of the official July 31 deadline for renewal. Merkel has guided the bloc toward maintaining sanctions over Russia's occupation and seizure of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and its support for Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on June 21 that there was no alternative to the EU sanctions to pressure Russia to implement the cease-fire agreement it signed up to in Minsk in February 2015. "Sanctions are the only instrument left," Poroshenko said ahead of a meeting with French President Francois Hollande. "There is no alternative to that." However, there are signs of divisions emerging even within Merkel's own cabinet. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier recently suggested that the EU should gradually phase out sanctions against Russia if there were substantial progress in the peace process. "Sanctions are not an end in [and of] themselves. They should rather give incentives for a change in behavior," he told the RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland, a network of local newspapers. French lawmakers, meanwhile, signaled that they are becoming impatient with sanctions when the approved a resolution earlier in June urging that the sanctions be gradually lifted. But French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault on June 20 repeated his government's assurances that the sanctions will stay in place for now, saying that Russia and Ukraine are still not complying with their obligations under the Minsk accords. Ayrault said the EU needed to see "real, concrete, significant progress" toward implementing the Minsk agreements, which are aimed at resolving the conflict in eastern Ukraine between Russia-backed separatists and Ukrainian government forces. "Whatever sympathy we can have for the Russian people and for Russia, we must be clear," Ayrault said, "the Minsk agreements must be implemented and respected." European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, speaking at an economic forum in St. Petersburg last week, said he attended the event to keep the lines of communication open with Moscow, but added that he supported ongoing sanctions. The visit by Juncker, who was accompanied by Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, would have been unthinkable a year ago. Slovakia, one of the biggest skeptics on Russia sanctions, is due to take over the EU presidency in July and will be in that role in January when the issue of another six-month extension of sanctions is revisited. With reporting by Rikard Jozwiak in Brussels, Reuters, AP, AFP, dpa, and TASS Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/eu- prepares-extend-russian-sanctions-amid- signs-unity-fraying-merkel-/27810715.html Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address EU Envoys Vote to Extend Russia Sanctions by VOA News June 21, 2016 European Union ambassadors meeting in Brussels agreed to extend current economic sanctions against Russia for another six months because the conflict in Ukraine remains unresolved. Envoys from the bloc's 28 member states approved the decision in principle Tuesday. It still needs a unanimous formal approval by EU ministers which may come during their meeting in Luxembourg Friday or it may come at an EU leaders' summit next week, or even later, diplomatic sources in the Belgian capital said. Sanctions currently in effect have targeted the oil, financial and defense sectors of the Russian economy. They were first imposed after Moscow's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in March 2014 and backing of pro-Russian separatists in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. The EU is planning a broader review of its policy on Russia in the second half of this year. Current sanctions are due to expire at the end of July and, and if approved, will now run through January 2017, those at the meeting said. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi are among Europe's top politicians backing sanctions relief. In April, the French parliament approved a non-binding resolution calling for the lifting of EU sanctions against Russia. The EU, in early 2014, also imposed separate visa bans and asset freeze measures against individual Russian and Ukrainian high-profile individuals for backing the separatist movement in eastern Ukraine. These measures are set to expire in September. More than 9,000 people have died in the fighting in eastern Ukraine since early 2014 and rival sides in the conflict have yet to withdraw heavy arms from the region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia says losing patience with US over Syria situation Iran Press TV Tue Jun 21, 2016 12:4AM Russia has warned the United States that Moscow's patience is running thin over Washington's refusal to target Takfiri militants fighting against the Syrian government. Last week, US Secretary of State John Kerry warned Russia that America's patience on the issue of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's future was running out. Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook also said US military officials had "expressed strong concerns" about Russia's airstrikes against US-backed militants, "which included forces that are participants in the cessation of hostilities in Syria." Russia has denied the US claim. Syria is currently observing a ceasefire brokered by Russia and the US, which entered into force on February 27. The truce, which was reached between the Syrian government and dozens of militant groups operating in the country, does not apply to the Daesh and al-Nusra Front terrorist groups. However, renewed violence in some parts of Syria, particularly around Aleppo, has left the ceasefire in tatters in recent weeks and torpedoed peace talks on the conflict. On Monday, Valery Gerasimov, the head of Russia's General Staff, said although the Russian Defense Ministry has been giving the coordinates of Daesh and al-Nusra militants to the US for three months, the US-led coalition is still "undecided" about whether to target those positions. "It is us, not Americans who are losing patience concerning the situation in Syria. We are fully meeting our commitments and agreements on securing the ceasefire and national reconciliation in Syria," Gerasimov said. He added that "the American side always has problems with the 'opposition under its control," the Tass news agency reported. Moscow has long insisted that the so-called moderate opposition groups in Syria should leave the areas held by Daesh and al-Nusra terrorists targeted in the Russian air campaign. Claiming it is unable to remove the opposition groups, Washington, however, has called on Moscow not to carry out airstrikes against the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front terrorist group. "As a result, terrorists are actively restoring their strength and the situation is escalating again," Gerasimov said. "In their opinion missile bombardments of Syrian government troops and communities by militants should be considered by all as 'insignificant violations' of the ceasefire. But the Syrian military's proportionate responses to the militants are at once declared as disproportionate strikes on the opposition," he added. Referring to a deconfliction contact center set up between the two countries, the Russian official said, "Whenever we hear claims from the Pentagon we use communication lines not professionally, it gets clear that they are either ignorant of the existing channels of interaction or get wrong information." The US and some of its Arab allies have been conducting airstrikes against alleged Daesh position in Syria since September 2014. Russia launched its air campaign against Daesh and other terrorist groups upon a request by Damascus the next year. Russian military planes and helicopters are providing support to the Syrian army's ground operations against extremists. Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. UN special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura estimates that over 400,000 people have been killed in the conflict, which has also displaced over half of the Arab country's pre-war population of about 23 million. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Two Leaders of Ahrar Ash-Sham Militant Group Die in Clashes Near Damascus Sputnik News 17:26 21.06.2016(updated 17:27 21.06.2016) Two leaders of the Ahrar ash-Sham militant group have been killed in clashes in a town near Syria's capital of Damascus, Arab media reported Tuesday. BEIRUT (Sputnik) According to the Lebanese Al Mayadeen television channel, two militant commanders died during clashes with the Syrian army near the city of Darayya, a suburb of Damascus. Active combat operations have been taking place between the Syrian army and terrorist groups that have controlled Darayya since November 2012. Up to 8,000 people out of the town's pre-war population of 78,000 inhabitants are estimated by the United Nations to have remained in Darayya, which is located 5 miles southwest of Damascus. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Jordan Border Bomb Stokes Fears Syrian War Is Spreading by Heather Murdock June 21, 2016 The explosion of a car bomb on Syria's border with Jordan that killed six Jordanian troops and wounded 14 other people is raising fears that violence in Syria is spreading to its neighbors. "The frequency of attacks against or in Jordan are increasing," said Yan St-Pierre of the Berlin-based security firm MOSECON. "That's a sign that what everybody feared that the conflict would start to spill over into adjacent areas is becoming real." No group has claimed responsibility for Tuesday's border attack, but hours later, Jordan's King Abdullah vowed to strike anyone who threatens Jordan or its borders "with an iron fist." In early June, five Jordanian intelligence officers were killed in an attack on a security office near a Palestinian refugee camp near the capital, Amman. Military outpost The car bomb struck around 5:30 a.m. at a remote military outpost by the Syrian border. The Rakban crossing is the only Jordan border that has recently allowed even a few Syrian refugees to cross, and tens of thousands of people are stuck on the Syrian side, hoping to escape war and extremist militant groups, including Islamic State. Jordan's government, which already hosts 600,000 registered refugees in a country of less than 6.5 million people, said it will further restrict refugees' ability to enter and settle. "The car moved at a very high speed," a statement released by Jordan's army said on Tuesday. "It avoided fire from troops, who reacted fast. When it reached the military outpost, the driver blew up the car in a vicious operation." Western coalition The United States-led coalition fighting Islamic State militants in Syria has been largely ineffective at containing the war because it lacks ground presence, said Andreas Krieg, an assistant professor at King's College London who also works with the Qatar Armed Forces. By relying on local ground forces to support its aerial bombardment campaign against Islamic State militants, the U.S. is conducting "surrogate warfare," Krieg said. The emergence of Islamic State, he adds, is partially a result of the underfunded and undertrained "surrogates" fighting the army of President Bashar al-Assad without success. "The influx of Jihadist forces into Syria is something that was facilitated because we had people on the ground with the feeling they wouldn't get anywhere with moderate forces," he explains. "Because moderate forces weren't adequately supported." And, like the 51 U.S. diplomats that last week called for greater military intervention Syria through a leaked internal memo, Krieg said he believes the U.S. needs to take a strong stance against Syrian government forces before it can expect compromise from the Assad regime at the negotiating table. The White House and the U.S. military have given no indication they plan to follow the diplomats' advice, having long warned of the dangers of getting mired too deep in Syria's chaotic and complex war. The conflict roughly pits the Syrian Army allied with Iran and Russia against a host of rebel forces allied with the West and the Gulf States. All sides, at least officially, have a mutual foe in Islamic State and the U.S.-lead coalition said it is fighting IS, not Assad. However, critics say further U.S. involvement would escalate the conflict, dumping more weapons into the war zone. "This is a valid criticism," Krieg said in response. "But then you have to be constructive in this criticism and say, 'What is the plan B?' I don't think we have a plan B at the moment. It's the best of the bad options we have at the moment." The U.S. is not likely to change courses under President Barack Obama, adds St-Pierre from MOSECON, and some politicians in Europe also insist that they are not planning a ground invasion in Syria. "It's a vipers' nest and they know it," he said. "They don't want to get involved." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN Envoy Hopes to Resume Intra-Syrian Talks in July by Margaret Besheer June 21, 2016 U.N. Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura said Tuesday that he hopes intra-Syrian talks can resume sometime next month. "The window of opportunity is coming quickly to close unless we maintain alive the cessation of hostilities, we increase the humanitarian aid, we come to some common understanding about political transition, so that we can have, hopefully in July, intra-Syrian talks," de Mistura said in a progress report to U.N. member states via a video link from Geneva. De Mistura said he hopes the talks can focus on concrete steps toward a political transition. "This is what we are aiming at; that's what we hope we will be able to reach." The veteran U.N. envoy has held two rounds of proximity talks in Geneva with delegations from the Syrian government and moderate opposition. The last session broke down at the end of April, as the then-2-month-old cessation of hostilities began to unravel. De Mistura does not think the truce has entirely collapsed, saying it continues to hold in some parts of Syria, but he warned that there could be a total breakdown if it is strained further. "Political talks cannot proceed effectively while hostilities are escalating and civilians are starving," he added. Humanitarian access sought The United Nations has repeatedly called for full, unimpeded humanitarian access to the millions of Syrians in need of life-saving aid. Their desperation to escape violence and hunger has pushed more than 5 million to leave the country, with a million having crossed into Europe last year and over 200,000 so far this year. The journey is dangerous and many put their lives in the hands of criminal smugglers, especially those crossing the Mediterranean to Europe. U.N. humanitarian chief Stephen O'Brien said the fatalities are the equivalent of the "average of two full passenger jets per month of people drowning" in the Mediterranean. Diplomats also expressed alarm about a recent trend in Syria when aid is delivered to besieged areas, government forces or their allies then bombard the town with barrel bombs or shells, such as happened recently in Douma and Daraya. "These attacks must stop," U.S. envoy Michele Sison said. For his part, Syrian Ambassador Bashar Jaafari said the humanitarian situation has been "pre-fabricated" into a "theatrical show" by some governments to bring political pressure on Damascus. He said the government is committed to providing aid to all Syrians. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkey Arrests 3 Advocates for Press Freedom by Uzay Bulut, Hilmi Hacaloglu June 20, 2016 In what journalists rights groups call a further deterioration of press freedoms in Turkey, three prominent pro-media activists were arrested Monday on "terrorists' propaganda" charges, according to Turkish media reports. The detained journalists are identified as Erol Onderoglu, the Turkey representative for the press freedom group Reporters Without Borders; Sebnem Korur Fincani, president of the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey; and Ahmet Nesin, a writer and journalist. The three were arrested for participating in the solidarity campaign launched by the Diyarbakir-based Association of Free Journalists for the pro-Kurdish newspaper Ozgur Gundem (which, in English, means "Free Agenda"). The newspaper is known for its coverage of Kurdish issues and the decades-long conflict between the Turkish army and the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party). The PKK seeks Kurdish autonomy, and the Turkish government considers it a terrorist organization. Ozcan Kilic, the newspaper's lawyer, told VOA the three were participating in a program where each acted as a co-editor of Ozgur Gundem to "show solidarity with the newspaper in the face of relentless judicial harassment and to defend freedom of the press." "Our reporters have been exposed to heavy pressures by the government and judiciary," Kilic said. "Our editors-in-chief have been investigated and banned from traveling abroad. There are criminal cases against them." According to Kilic, 49 people among them journalists, writers, actors, professors and former lawmakers offered to help the newspaper editorially. Of them, 40 are under investigation, he said. "And today, three of them have been arrested after working as our volunteer editors for Ozgur Gundem for only one day," he said. The three testified before the public prosecutor in the state judiciary's Terrorism and Organized Crimes Bureau before they were arrested. The ongoing investigations and arrests were roundly condemned by rights and press freedom groups on Monday. Reporters Without Borders called the arrests "an unbelievable low for press freedom in Turkey." According to the 2015 annual prison report by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Turkey ranked as the world's "leading jailer" of journalists for the second consecutive year, with 40 journalists behind bars. Faruk Eren, chairman of the Press Union of the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey, told VOA that he acted as editor-in-chief of Ozgur Gundem on May 3 and has been under investigation since then. "This is a very dark day for us," he said. "Press freedom and freedom of speech are now considered a crime. We were hoping that our colleagues would be questioned and released. But they were arrested." Ugur Guc, Turkish Journalists Association chairman, said, "We are witnessing the violation of laws. This is a political decision, not a legal one. We need to stop this." The board of directors of the Turkish Journalists Association issued a statement criticizing the arrests. "It has become impossible to report freely," the group said in a statement. "It is unacceptable to link journalism with terrorist propaganda." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address New U.K. Treasury chief Jeremy Hunt has reversed most of an economic package announced by the government just weeks ago, including a planned cut in income taxes. Hunt said Monday he was scrapping almost all the tax cuts announced last month by the Conservative government of Prime Minister Liz Truss, and also signaled that public spending cuts are on the way. It was a bid to soothe turbulent financial markets spooked by fears of excessive government borrowing. The move raises questions about how long the beleaguered prime minister can stay in office, though Truss insisted she has no plans to quit. She vowed to lead the Conservatives into the next general election, but many in the party want her gone. TMI AutoTech, producers of the Ariel Atom supercar, unveiled its new production facility in South Boston on Thursday. The ribbon cutting ceremony was held at the facility attended by local and state officials including Secretary of Commerce and Trade for the Commonwealth Maurice A. Jones, State Senator Frank Ruff and representatives of the Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission. The new facility is twice as large as the first and will allow TMI to add production of a second vehicle. This will result in 20 new jobs and $525,000 in capital investment over the next two years. TMI also plans to expand into producing precision designed parts for other manufacturers including carbon-fiber composite parts. Mark Swain, vice president of TMI AutoTech, said, Thoughtful and deliberate growth of our product offerings and skilled labor force have always been our goal within the tobacco footprint. With the support of the tobacco commission and Halifax County, we are able to use this new facility to improve our efficiency on vehicle builds, in addition to providing the space needed for upcoming in-house composites manufacturing. In-house manufacturing of composite panels will eliminate the need to import these from the UK, while at the same time providing a valuable new capability to the region. TMI AutoTech is the recipient of an $838,786 research and development grant from the tobacco commission. Tobacco commission member Delegate James Edmunds added, TMIs expansion offers the promise of the kind of manufacturing jobs that once had Halifax County booming. The Ariel Atom and Ariel Nomad are certainly different from your ordinary street car or ATV and offers excitement in the area of performance racing both on a track or through the fields, said Delegate James Edmunds. Im thrilled they have found a home here and are expanding and proud that the tobacco commission could help with this project. The commission worked with the Halifax County Industrial Development Authority to bring TMI to Virginia. MONTREAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwired - Jun 20, 2016) - In addition to continued drilling at Macho and Rouleau Blocks, Beaufield Resources Inc. ("Beaufield") (TSX VENTURE:BFD) reports it has started linecutting on its Kent Block, 100% owned, Urban property, Quebec. The objective is to establish new drill targets on the Kent Block. A 28.6 kilometre grid is being established on the Kent Block, located adjacent to the Souart property which was recently acquired by Osisko Mining (Previously Oban Mining). The Osisko Souart property contains a gold deposit located less than 500 metres, and along strike from the planned Beaufield linecutting. The Souart deposit contains a historical resource as described in Osisko's February 3rd, 2016 news release. A high sensitivity airborne magnetic survey over the entire Urban area including, Souart, indicates that same geology straddles both properties. The main magnetic feature associated with the Souart zone has not been drill tested on Beaufield's property. A ground geophysical program consisting of a deep penetrating induce polarization (IP) survey and a magnetometer survey will be undertaken upon completion of the linecutting program. Beaufield's drill program is currently underway on the Macho Block and about to start on the Rouleau Block as indicated on the adjoined map. Beaufield's 12,915 hectares, flagship Urban property is centrally located within the Urban-Barry gold camp, near infrastructure and is easily accessible by road. The Urban area one of the most active gold exploration camps in Quebec with many companies operating in the area including Osisko Mining, Bonterra Resources, Urbana Corporation and Metanor Resources. Please refer to Beaufield's website for a map indicating the principal stakeholders for the Urban region and their relation to Beaufield holdings. Qualified Person This news release has been prepared by Mathieu Stephens, P.Geo., Vice President of Exploration and Corporate Development for Beaufield, the Qualified Person, as defined by National Instrument 43-101. About Beaufield: Beaufield is a well financed mineral exploration company with its exploration activity focused in Quebec. Beaufield is positioned to advance its portfolio of exploration properties and identify other potential opportunities in the mineral exploration or development stage. The Corporation is actively exploring, well financed with approximately $3 million in cash, has no debt and has excess work credits on its properties. The information set forth in this press release includes certain forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on assumptions exposed to major risks and uncertainties. Although Beaufield deems the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements to be reasonable, the Corporation cannot provide any guarantee as to the materialization of the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements. The Corporation expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) has reviewed or accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this Release. VANCOUVER, June 21, 2016 - Cypress Development Corp. (TSX-V:CYP) (OTCBB:CYDVF) (Frankfurt:C1Z1) ("Cypress" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company has received a Land Use Permit from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Nevada, that will enable Cypress to proceed with its planned Phase 3 drilling program at the Company's Clayton Valley Lithium Project located in Esmeralda County, State of Nevada, USA.Cypress Clayton Valley Lithium Project, Nevada location map:http://www.cypressdevelopmentcorp.com/i/maps/CYP-Clayton-topo-satalite-small.jpgThe Company's 1520 acre Clayton Valley Project is located within 0.5 mile south of lithium brine wells belonging to the Albemarle Silver Peak Mine and the property shares its western boundary with the known Northern Resource Area of Pure Energy's Clayton Valley South project.Cypress Clayton Valley Lithium Project, Nevada claims map: Cypress will initially target the surface claystones with a program that will feature shallow holes targeting the 2 kilometer strike length zone of surface lithium mineralization recently discovered during the Company's 2016 Phase 1 and Phase 2 sampling programs. This shallow drilling should allow Cypress to begin to estimate size, lithium grade and tonnage at its Clayton Valley Project. Cypress Clayton Valley, Nevada 2016 sampling sites map: http://www.cypressdevelopmentcorp.com/i/maps/CYP-Clayton-Phase-2.jpg The surface lithium mineralization is contained within calcareous evaporite rocks, dominantly carbonate rich lake-bed claystones with interbedded volcanic ash units. This exposed rock section is part of the basin filling Esmeralda Formation and is believed to represent uplifted portions of the stratigraphy within which the lithium brines of the basin are found and produced, including the immediately adjacent North Resource Area currently being explored by Pure Energy Minerals. Picture of Cypress Clayton Valley, Nevada claystone stratigraphy: http://www.cypressdevelopmentcorp.com/i/maps/CYP_Clayton_Evaporite_Stratigraphy.jpg One of the keys to Cypress' success and growth is the potential to extract lithium directly from the large zone of soft claystones using a very dilute acid leach method which could be vastly more cost effective and less energy intensive than hard rock extraction. This potential extraction method, which Cypress has successfully lab tested, is not only much more cost effective but much more environmentally friendly as well, while still producing exceptional lithium recovery rates averaging 95% (see news release May 25th). Cypress is also in the process of completing a financing of a private placement of shares at this time. The terms of the private placement are a 12 cent share with a one year 15 cent warrant attached (see News Release June 3rd). Cypress will use the funds raised to auger drill and RC drill the identified lithium rich claystones discovered in 2016 at surface and to explore for the underlying lithium brines at its Clayton Valley Project in Nevada. Robert Marvin, P.Geo, Exploration Manager for Cypress Development Corp. is the Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has approved of the technical information in this release. About Cypress Development Corp.: Cypress Development Corp. is a publicly traded lithium and zinc-silver exploration company developing projects in Nevada, U.S.A. Cypress Development Corp. has approx. 24.7 million shares issued and outstanding. To find out more about Cypress Development Corp. (TSX-V:CYP), visit our website at www.cypressdevelopmentcorp.com. Cypress Development Corp. "Don Huston" DONALD C. HUSTON President For further information contact myself or: Don Myers Director Cypress Development Corp. Telephone: 604-687-3376 Toll Free: 800-567-8181 Facsimile: 604-687-3119 Email: info@cypressdevelopmentcorp.com NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THE CONTENT OF THIS NEWS RELEASE. This release includes certain statements that may be deemed to be "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that management of the Company expects, are forward-looking statements. Although management believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements, include market prices, exploration and development successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Please see the public filings of the Company at www.sedar.com for further information. This announcement is distributed by NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions on behalf of NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions clients. The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: Cypress Development Corp. via Globenewswire, HUG#2021925 (TSX-V: GXS) (OTCBB: GXSFF) (FWB: G5M) VANCOUVER, June 21, 2016 /CNW/ - Goldsource Mines Inc. ("Goldsource" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has reached commercial production on Phase I at its Eagle Mountain Gold Project ("Eagle Mountain") located in Guyana, South America. The Company had defined commercial production as achieving an average minimum of 80% of the 1,000 tonnes per day nameplate capacity and 45% recovery in Falcon gold concentrate over a continuous period of 30 days. The operation achieved this milestone as of June 20, 2016. Yannis Tsitos, President, stated, "Achieving commercial production is a significant milestone for the Company and one for which all of us at Goldsource can proudly take credit. I want to personally thank all of our employees and contractors for their dedication and hard work, ensuring the successful transition from commissioning to commercial production with a stellar safety record. This achievement is also a testament to the co-operation obtained from all our stakeholders, inclusive of Guyanese authorities, suppliers and shareholders." During the last 30 days, operations reached a maximum daily throughput of approximately 1,400 tonnes with an estimated average of 900 tonnes. Falcon gravity recovery to concentrate was approximately 50%. For the remainder of 2016, Management will continue to optimize the operation and anticipates a total production of approximately 3,600 ounces of gold for 2016. Starting in Q3, 2016, Eagle Mountain operations plan to implement a second shift as well as begin use of a newly purchased 40 tonne articulating truck to increase throughput from higher grade areas. With the planned expansion of operations, Eagle Mountain is targeting an average throughput of approximately 1,800 tonnes per day. The processing plant and equipment are currently performing to Management's expectations and the camp site is fully equipped and functional. The Company currently employs 37 staff and contractors at Eagle Mountain. During the commissioning phase, which commenced on January 28, 2016, the Company performed approximately 55,000 man-hours, with one minor lost time accident. Goldsource plans to release its Q2, 2016 and year to date production results on Monday, July 11, 2016. The Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects for this news release is N. Eric Fier, CPG, P.Eng, and Chief Operating Officer for Goldsource, who has reviewed and approved its contents. ABOUT EAGLE MOUNTAIN GOLD PROJECT Phase I of Eagle Mountain Gold Project is based on a Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") dated June 15, 2014, which calls for a 1,000 tonnes per day open pit ? gravity plant with post-commissioning and ramp up cash operating costs of US$500 to US$600 per ounce of gold. Please refer to the Company's website at www.goldsourcemines.com and the Company's filing on SEDAR for further information on the PEA. Management's production decision for the Eagle Mountain Gold Project is not based on a feasibility study of mineral reserves demonstrating economic and technical viability. This project has a much higher risk of economic or technical failure and may adversely impact the Company's projected profits, if any. The risks associated with this decision are set forth in the Company's latest annual management's discussion and analysis available on the Company's website and the under Goldsource's SEDAR profile on www.sedar.com. ABOUT GOLDSOURCE MINES INC. Goldsource Mines Inc. is a Canadian resource company that has recently achieved commercial production for Phase I at it 100%-owned Eagle Mountain Gold Project, located in Guyana. Goldsource is led by an experienced management team, proven in making exploration discoveries and achieving project construction on time and on-budget. Ioannis (Yannis) Tsitos President Goldsource Mines Inc. Neither TSX-V nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX-V) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. Such forward?looking statements concern Goldsource's strategic plans and expectations in the PEA for the development of the Eagle Mountain Gold Project; the amount of future production of gold over any period; cash operating costs per ounce of gold; life of mine; estimated pre-production cost; the amount of expected grades and ounces of metals, gold recoveries mine life and gold production rates of the Eagle Mountain Gold Project; and expectations regarding the Company's ability to manage capital resources and meet working capital requirements. Such forward?looking statements or information are based on a number of assumptions, which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things: conditions in general economic and financial markets; ability to realize the PEA and develop and finance the project; accuracy of the interpretations and assumptions used in calculating inferred mineral resource estimates; availability of mining equipment; availability of skilled labour; timing and amount of capital expenditures; performance of available laboratory and other related services; and future operating costs. The actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward?looking statements as a result of the risk factors including: the timing and content of work programs; results of exploration activities and development of mineral properties; the interpretation of drilling results and other geological data; the uncertainties of resource estimations; uncertainty as to actual capital costs, operating costs, production and economic returns at the Eagle Mountain Gold Project; reliance on the PEA; and general market and industry conditions. Forward-looking statements are based on the expectations and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. The assumptions used in the preparation of such statements, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date the statements were made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements included in this news release if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as otherwise required by applicable law. SOURCE Goldsource Mines Inc. Toronto, Ontario (FSCwire) - California Gold Mining Inc. (CGM or the Company) is pleased to announce that Mr. Louis Nagy has been appointed as the Companys new Chief Financial Officer & Corporate Secretary. Mr. Nagy is a Chartered Professional Accountant with over 28 years of industry and public practice experience having held the positions of Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary for several private and public companies. CGMs President & CEO, Mr. Vishal Gupta, stated, With the maiden NI 43-101 resource estimate around the corner, and the imminent release of assays from newly discovered mineralized zones at Fremont, the Company sits at a very critical inflection point in its life cycle. I welcome Lous addition to the management team at this crucial stage, and look forward to us creating incremental shareholder value together. The Company also announces that Mr. Behn Conroy will no longer be part of CGMs management team. The Companys Board of Directors and management team would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank Mr. Conroy for his hard work and dedication as its Chief Financial Officer & Corporate Secretary over the last several years, and wishes him well in his future endeavours. Additionally, the Company announces the resignation of Mr. Alan Stephens from the position of Director on the Companys Board of Directors. The Board wishes to thank Mr. Stephens for his valuable contribution to the progress of the Fremont Project since 2014, and wishes him well in his future endeavours. About California Gold Mining Inc. California Gold Mining Inc. is focused on developing its flagship Fremont gold project in Mariposa County, California. The project consists of a land package totaling 3,351 acres of historically producing gold mines. The Fremont Property lies within Californias prolific Mother Lode Gold Belt that has produced over 50 million oz of gold historically. The Company purchased the property in March 2013. CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This news release contains statements that constitute forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in the industry to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words expects, plans, anticipates, believes, intends, estimates, projects, potential and similar expressions, or that events or conditions will, would, may, could or should occur. Forward-looking statements in this document include statements regarding the planned 43-101 resource estimate and the timing thereof. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward looking statements. Any factor could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change, unless otherwise required by law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. For further information contact: Vishal Gupta President and Chief Executive Officer 647-977-9267 x333 Website: www.caligold.ca To view this press release as a PDF file, click onto the following link:public://news_release_pdf/CaliforniaGold06212016.pdfSource: California Gold Mining Inc. (TSX Venture:CGM, OTCQX:CFGMF) http://www.caligold.ca Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2016 Filing Services Canada Inc. HENDERSON, Nev., June 21, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AIM Exploration Inc. (OTCQB:AEXE) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Bill Mullins to its already strong advisory board. Bill has been involved with the Peruvian mining project for over 10 years. He and AIM President, Bob Todhunter, have both been involved with Percana Mining Corp., the former owners of the mining concessions in Peru. Bill Mullins is a well-seasoned successful professional who is the President of a large commercial construction firm in Canada. Mr. Mullins has been involved with the Peru project for over ten years and it is intended that Mr. Mullins will oversee the mining operations in Peru. Mr. Mullins and his team of carefully selected individuals know and understand Peruvian culture and business and are well-connected professionals. The team will be responsible for carrying out all the logistics in Peru, working closely with Todhunter. AIM understands the importance of handling all the logistics in Peru and that marketing the anthracite coal is key to the success of the company. Since AIM received the LOI from Prina Energy in India, Mr. Todhunter has maintained very close contact with the principals of Prina. It has become apparent that a strong marketing arm would be very beneficial to the company as India is well positioned to be the second largest steel producing country in the world. AIM will continue to work very closely with the principals of Prina and will be jointly working in India and worldwide in their joint efforts to ensure AIM is well-positioned to meet the ever increasing demands of high quality anthracite. Anthracite is the highest-ranking coal. This is because it is harder, older and contains more carbon. It has lower moisture content, burns very hot and is the cleanest, most economical fossil fuel on the planet. Anthracite coal is a highly desired resource with a variety of applications. It is used primarily in the manufacturing of steel, cement production and electricity generation. 70% of steel production relies on coal (ref. World Coal Association, 2013), 200 kilos of coal are required to produce 1 ton of cement and 41% of global electricity relies on coal. Anthracite coal is in such high demand internationally that China stopped exporting its output since 2003. While prices are yet to be specified in the LOI, the anticipated purchase price is expected to be in the neighborhood of USD $100 MT FOB Port of Salaverry with the projected cost of approx. USD $65 MT. If this pricing and cost holds true, AIM is well positioned to generate a healthy profit margin based on an LOI of 500,000 MT per year for a 5 year period. Bob Todhunter is very excited to market this valuable and highly sought after mineral on a worldwide scale. Bob Todhunter stated, "Aim Exploration strongly believes that adding a marketing component for Anthracite Coal will add tremendous upside potential to the company because Anthracite is a valuable and highly sought after mineral on a worldwide scale, and coupled with a strong logistics and operational arm in Peru AIM is well-positioned to move forward." Forward-Looking Statements: Certain information set forth in this press release contains "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" under applicable securities laws. Except for statements of historical fact, certain information contained herein constitutes forward-looking statements, which include management's assessment of future plans and operations and are based on current internal expectations, estimates, projections, assumptions and beliefs, which may prove to be incorrect. Some of the forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as "estimates," "expects," "anticipates," "believes," "projects," "plans," "targets," and similar expressions. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and undue reliance should not be placed on them. Such forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause AIM's actual performance and financial results in future periods to differ materially from any projections of future performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. TORONTO, ON--(Marketwired - June 21, 2016) - Minfocus Exploration Corp. (TSX VENTURE: MFX) ("Minfocus" or the "Company") - Further to the May 6, 2016 news release regarding a proposed private placement offering, the Company received Conditional Acceptance from the TSXV to undertake a non-brokered private placement of up to 5,000,000 units. This has now been increased to an issuance of up to 10,000,000 units for the same gross proceeds of up to $250,000 at a TSXV approved new price of $0.025 per unit, which is equivalent to the most recent Minfocus closing share price. Minfocus has extended the closing date to June 30, 2016, but may close earlier in tranches. The private placement will comprise both flow-through units and non-flow-through units. Directors, officers and insiders intend to subscribe for up to a maximum of 4,000,000 units. The private placement offering is also open to all existing Minfocus shareholders, subject to applicable exemptions for private placement for existing shareholders (Multilateral CSA Notice 45-313 - Prospectus Exemption for Distributions to Existing Security Holders). Each non-flow-through unit ("NFT Unit") will be offered at a price of $0.025 per NFT Unit, which shall consist of one common share ("Share") and one non-transferable share purchase warrant ("Warrant"). Each whole Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one additional Share at a price of $0.10 per Share for a period of 24 months from the closing date. The Warrant in each Unit will have an Accelerated Exercise Provision which would accelerate the expiry date of the term of the warrants if the weighted average price of Minfocus shares exceeds $0.15 (600% of unit issuance price) for a period of ten consecutive trading days. Each flow-through unit ("FT Unit") will be offered at a price of $0.025 per FT Unit, which will consist of one Share issued on a flow-through basis pursuant to the Income Tax Act (Canada) and one Warrant. Each whole Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one additional non flow-through Share at $0.10 per Share for a period of 24 months from the closing date. A maximum of 4,000,000 FT Units will be made available for issuance. The Warrant in each FT Unit will also have an Accelerated Exercise Provision the same as the NFT Unit. President and Director, Gerald Harper, who is also a Control Person of Minfocus under TSXV policy, has announced his intention to subscribe for up to 3,600,000 units of the placement, subject to TSXV approval, which would bring Dr. Harper's total share holdings to 15,193,923 shares (25.9 % of issued and outstanding), and on a fully diluted basis, 20,099,923 (29.4%), assuming the private placement is fully subscribed. The proceeds from the private placement will be used by Minfocus primarily to undertake a drilling program on its Coral zinc project in British Columbia and to pay for other exploration expenses. This private placement is subject to acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange. Finders' Fees may be paid in accordance with TSXV policy. A portion of proceeds will be used for consulting fees payable to Related Parties which could total up to $15,000 directly related to assessment-eligible costs for the initial drilling program at the Coral Zinc project. Coral Zinc Project Initial Drilling Program The company intends to undertake a drilling program this summer on its CORAL Project in east central British Columbia targeting zinc, lead and silver. The property has historic core drilling and trenching intersecting mineralized breccias containing zinc and lead values of up to 7.8% zinc in carbonate rocks analogous to the Pine Point deposits, a low-iron Mississippi-Valley-Type geological environment. Minfocus has been granted a two-year Mines Act Permit authorizing drilling at up to 10 drilling sites. Minfocus' geological consultant and one of the original discoverers of the Coral deposit, Dr. F. T. Manns, stated that, "I'm very excited that CORAL project is finally going to be drill tested again after decades of waiting". The primary drilling target is the large (600m x 300m) zinc geochemical anomaly (15-50 times background zinc levels) with outcropping zinc mineralized brecciated dolostone at its edge. The initial target for drilling is 100-150 m up slope from the historic drilling and trenching. For more details see the Minfocus news release October 19, 2015 and www.minfocus.com. About Minfocus Exploration Corp. Minfocus Exploration Corp. is a Canadian company currently advancing a portfolio of base and precious metal projects including zinc and nickel projects in British Columbia and a Platinum Group Element ("PGE") rich nickel project in N.W. Ontario. Minfocus has a successful management group with a record of multiple discoveries of deposits worldwide, including gold and uranium deposits in Mongolia and PGE-rich resources in Ontario, including the discovery of the first Platinum-rich Pt-Pd-Cu-Ni deposit, the Current Lake deposit (+700,000 oz. Pt-Equivalent) which is hosted within the mid-Continental Rift. The Qualified Person who has reviewed and approved the technical content contained in this release is Dr. Gerald Harper, P.Geo.(Ont). Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulatory Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. This press release includes certain forward-looking statements concerning the future performance of the Company's business and operations as well as management's objectives, strategies, beliefs and intentions. Forward-looking statements are often identifiable by the use of words such as "may", "will", "might", "would", "plan", "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "intend", "estimate", "scheduled", "forecasts" and similar expressions or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases. Forward- looking statements are based on the current opinions and expectations of management, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those currently anticipated by such statements. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, the possibility that future exploration results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations, fluctuating commodity prices, delays in commencing the Company's proposed drilling program, exploration costs varying significantly from estimates, the availability of financing, and other risks identified in the Company's documents filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities at www.sedar.com. Any forward-looking statement speaks only of the date on which it is made, and except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement. Visible Gold in Grab Samples Further Increases Expectations for Property's Potential MONTREAL, June 21, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - Algold Resources Ltd. (ALG: TSX-V the "Corporation") is pleased to announce the first mineral resource estimate in accordance with the Canadian Securities Administrators' National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") for its recently acquired Tijirit Property ("Tijirit" or "the Property") in Mauritania. The 100%-owned Tijirit project, which encompasses an area of more than 1,000 km2, is situated approximately 25 kilometers southeast of Kinross' Tasiast gold mine. The resource estimation was prepared by SGS Canada Inc. geological group Geostat ("SGS Geostat") with an effective date of June 15, 2016, using results from 294 reverse circulation holes ("RC") totalling 37,533 meters, 23 diamond drill holes ("DDH") totalling 3,813.08 meters and 16,239 meters of trenching carried out on the Property by past operators Shield Mining and Gryphon Minerals from 2009 to 2012. The supporting NI 43-101 Technical Report will be posted on SEDAR at www.sedar.com no later than 45 days after the date of this release. None of Algold's recent exploration work, the 10,000-meter RC program included, has been taken into account in the technical report. Algold expects to publish an updated NI 43-101 resource estimate in the latter part of 2016 that will include results from the current program. Highlights This report summarizes results obtained by previous operators and present the current mineral resources. Measured and indicated resources of 28,930 ounces at a grade of 1.75 g/t Au and inferred resources of 241,560 ounces at a grade of 1.71 g/t Au at a cut-off grade of 1.0 g/t Au Measured and indicated resources of 27,630 ounces at a grade of 1.82 g/t Au and inferred resources of 226,650 ounces at a grade of 1.79 g/t Au at a cut-off grade of 1.05 g/t Au Resources by zone are shown in the following tables, at cut-off grades of 1.00 g/t Au and 1.05 g/t Au. Figure 1 show the Wire Frame over the mineralised zones on a Landsat Imagery of Tijirit. Note: Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. This disclosure does not include economic analysis of the mineral resources. Table 1: Tijirit maiden resources, 1.0 g/t Au cut-off Zone Category Au (g/t) Tonnage Gold Ounces Eleonore Indicated 3.62 51,000 5,980 Sophie I - II Measured 1.79 28,000 1,600 Sophie I - II Indicated 1.57 216,000 10,900 Sophie III Indicated 1.13 29,000 1,040 Lily Indicated 1.54 189,000 9,410 Total Measured & Indicated* 1.75 513,000 28,930 Eleonore Inferred 3.26 188,000 19,650 Sophie I - II Inferred 1.96 1,635,000 103,180 Sophie III Inferred 1.10 320,000 11,270 Lily Inferred 1.48 2,258,000 107,470 Total Inferred* 1.71 4,401,000 241,560 * Totals may not add up due to rounding. Table 2: Tijirit maiden resources, 1.05 g/t Au cut-off Zone Category Au (g/t) Tonnage (t) Au Ounces Eleonore Indicated 3.67 51,000 5,960 Sophie I - II Measured 1.86 26,000 1,530 Sophie I - II Indicated 1.61 200,000 10,380 Sophie III Indicated 1.16 23,000 870 Lily Indicated 1.59 174,000 8,900 Total Measured & Indicated* 1.82 474,000 27,630 Eleonore Inferred 3.28 186,000 19,590 Sophie I - II Inferred 2.03 1,522,000 99,460 Sophie III Inferred 1.14 192,000 7,020 Lily Inferred 1.53 2,050,000 100,580 Total Inferred* 1.79 3,949,000 226,650 * Totals may not add up due to rounding. The actual resources model does not capture the high-grade potential of the Eleonore zone, but rather illustrates, at this point in time, the considerable tonnage and relatively low-grade Lily zone. The high-grade nature of the gold bearing quartz vein of the Eleonore zone is expected to significantly increase the overall grade of the deposit by adding quality ounces. Increasing Potential of the Tijirit Project "For quite some time Algold has believed in Tijirit's potential, and we are pleased to report that recent geological work has significantly enhanced our comprehension of its gold mineralisation and further increased our confidence that a significant gold deposit may be uncovered on the property," stated Francois Auclair, Algold's President and Chief Executive Officer. Historical drilling over the Eleonore zone resulted in a number of high-grade intersections, including 6 m @ 17.63 g/t Au (ERC4) and 4 m @ 4.22 g/t Au (12TRC138). These historical results have been heightened by a rock chip sampling program over a large area, following recent work done by Algold geologists and field workers who discovered the presence of very high grade gold quartz veining over a strike length of more than three kilometers (reference Algold's press release dated May 19, 2016). (Figure 2) Rock Chip Sampling Sixty-eight (68) rock chip samples from the Tijirit property, including 33 from Eleonore, 11 from Sophie I and II and 24 from other potential targets have been sent for analysis. Assays are currently pending and expected shortly. The visible gold quartz vein samples shown previously (Algold's press release dated May 19, 2016) have not been included in this batch of samples. Resources Modeling and Estimation The database contains 317 drillholes and 197 trenches with 43,615 assay results. (Details are provided in the table below.) Hole Types Number of Drillholes Sum of Length (m) Number of Assays Sum of Assayed Length (m) DDH 23 3,813.08 3,764 3,763.93 RC 294 37,533.00 33,145 37,514.00 Trenches 197 16,239.00 6,706 10,656.00 Total 514 57,585.08 43,615 51,933.93 A modeling cut-off grade of 0.3 g/t Au and minimum thickness of two meters were used to delineate mineralised volumes. The 1,144 two-meter composites were capped at grades varying between 2.5 g/t Au and 16 g/t Au based on local extreme grades. Only nine composites were capped. The gold loss is approximately 15% for the 1 g/t Au cut-off resource. Densities are based on 413 readings from DDH holes. A density of 2.00 t/m3 was used for saprolite, 2.7 t/m3 was used for fresh rock in the Lily zone and 2.8 t/m3 was used for fresh rock in the other zones. The block model has a block size of 2 x 2 x 2 meters. Estimation was done by inverse distance squared with ellipsoid influenced distances. A total of 40 separate volumes were estimated with 40 composite sets. Two estimation passes were used with ellipsoids of 75 x 75 x 25 meters and 150 x 150 x 50 meters. The first pass uses a minimum of four and a maximum of seven composites, with a limit of two per drillhole. The second pass uses a minimum two and a maximum of seven composites, with a limit of two per drillhole except for Eleonore (E) and Sophie III (C) with a minimum of one. The smoothing of the estimation is adequate. The measured and indicated categories have been outlined by hand on longitudinals based on drilling density. Drilling every 40 meters was classified as indicated and drilling every 30 meters was classified as measured. The remainder is inferred with interpolation up to 200 meters and limited extrapolation. The SGS Genesis software was used for the modeling and estimation. Table 1 shows the base case resource with a cut-off grade of 1.00 g/t Au. Table 2 shows the effect of raising the cut-off grade to 1.05 g/t Au. Some whittle optimized open pits have been prepared, but are not considered for this maiden resource estimate. The base case resource extends from surface to a depth of 320 meters with 90% of it extending from surface to a depth of 210 meters. Acquisition of Properties from Gryphon In connection with the Corporation's exercise of its option on the Tijirit and Akjout properties granted by Gryphon Minerals Ltd., announced on March 11, 2016, Algold incurred advisory fees of C$250,000. As announced on May 31, 2016, 1,250,000 common shares of the Corporation were issued in lieu of said advisory fee. Algold Retains the Services of Renmark Financial Communications Inc. Algold has retained the services of Renmark Financial Communications Inc. ("Renmark") to support its investor relations activities for an initial term of three months commencing June 1, 2016 subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. The initial term may be extended by mutual consent and the Corporation has agreed to pay C$5,000 per month in consideration for their services. Renmark Financial Communications Inc. does not have any interest, directly or indirectly, in Algold Resources Inc. or its securities, or any right or intent to acquire such an interest. About Algold Algold Resources Ltd. is focused on the exploration and development of gold deposits in West Africa. The board of directors and management team are seasoned industry professionals with extensive experience in the exploration and development of world-class gold projects in Africa. Algold is the operator of all of its exploration licenses in Mauritania. Algold owns 100% of the Tijirit and Akjout properties, which were acquired from Gryphon Minerals (Australia) through a transaction completed earlier in 2016. Algold owns 90% of the Kneivissat property, while the Legouessi property is being managed through a 51% earn-in interest agreement with Caracal (Electrum Group Companies). Algold can earn up to a 90% interest in the Legouessi exploration permit (reference Algold's press release dated October 10, 2013 for more details), however, Caracal has the right to participate in the joint venture at either 51% or 75%, by funding its share of expenditures. Quality Assurance / Quality Control (QA/QC) Analytical work for soil geochemical samples and rock chips samples is being carried out at the independent ALS Laboratories Ltd. in Loughrea, Co. Galway, Ireland, an ISO 17025 (2005) certified laboratory. Samples are stored at Algold's field camps and put into sealed bags until delivered by a geologist to the ALS preparation laboratory in Nouakchott, Mauritania, where samples are sieved and prepared for shipping. Until the end of 2015, samples were analysed at the ALS facility in Bamako, Mali. Since early 2016, samples have been analysed at ALS in Ireland. Samples are logged in the tracking system, weighed, dried and finely crushed to better than 70% passing a 2 mm (Tyler 9 mesh, US Std. No.10) screen. A split of up to 1,000 g is taken and pulverized to better than 85% passing a 75 micron (Tyler 200 mesh) screen, and a 50-gram split is analysed by fire assay with an AA finish. Blanks, duplicate and certified reference material (standards) are being used to monitor laboratory performance during the analysis. All of the results and press releases related thereto have been reviewed for accuracy and to ensure that they are in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 by Andre Ciesielski, DSc. PGeo, Lead Consulting Geologist and Qualified Person, Algold Resources Ltd. Yann Camus, P.Eng., of the independent firm SGS Canada Inc. geological group Geostat is the qualified person under NI 43-101 standards who supervised the preparation of the resource estimate and approved all resource-related material in this press release. Yann Camus has visited the property from April 16 to 20, 2016, for current personal inspection requirements. All information supporting the resource estimation was verified for any inconsistencies. There was no limitation on the verification process. CAUTIONARY LANGUAGE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This news release contains and refers to forward-looking information based on current expectations. All other statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release are forward looking statements (or forward-looking information). The Corporation's plans involve various estimates and assumptions and its business is subject to various risks and uncertainties. For more details on these estimates, assumptions, risks and uncertainties, see the Corporation's most recent Annual Information Form and most recent Management Discussion and Analysis on file with the Canadian provincial securities regulatory authorities on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. These forward looking statements are made as of the date hereof and there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, such statements are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements that are included herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. SOURCE Algold Resources Ltd. Vancouver, British Columbia (FSCwire) - Commerce Resources Corp. (TSXv: CCE; FSE: D7H) (the Company or Commerce) is pleased to announce that it has filed an amended and restated final short form prospectus, amending and restating the short form prospectus dated February 25, 2016, with the securities regulatory authorities in the Provinces of British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario in connection with a best efforts offering of units (the Units) of the Company at a reduced price of $0.075 per Unit for gross proceeds of a minimum of $1 million and up to a maximum of $3 million (the Offering). The Offering is being conducted by Secutor Capital Management Corporation (the Agent). The over-allotment option granted to the Agent remains, whereby the Agent may sell up to an additional 15% of the Offering on the same terms and conditions, exercisable at any time following the closing of the Offering for a period of 30 days. Each Unit will still consist of one common share of the Company and one common share purchase warrant (each, a Warrant) with each Warrant entitling the holder to acquire an additional common share of Commerce (a Warrant Share) at a reduced price of $0.10 per Warrant Share at any time before 4:30 p.m. (Vancouver time) on the date that is 24 months after the closing of the Offering. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering to advance the Companys Ashram Rare Earth Element Deposit in Quebec and for general working capital purposes. To reflect the reduced pricing of the Offering, the Company and the Agent entered into an Amended and Restated Agency Agreement. With the exception of the amended pricing and certain dates, the terms of original agency agreement remain, whereby the Company has agreed to: (i) pay the Agent a cash commission (the Agents Fee) equal to 7% of the gross proceeds of the Offering and a reduced cash commission of 2% on purchasers, if any, whose name appear on the list of purchasers to the Offering to the Agent by insiders of the Company (the Presidents List); and (ii) issue to the Agent share purchase warrants (each, an Agents Warrant) with each Agents Warrant entitling the Agent to acquire that number of common shares in the capital of Commerce equal to 7% of the number of Units sold under the Offering and a reduced number Agents Warrants equal to 2% on purchasers, if any, whose name appear on the Presidents List. The closing of the Offering is expected to occur on or about June 30, 2016, or on such other date as the Company and the Agent may agree, but in any event no later than the 180th day after February 26, 2016. The Offering is subject to customary conditions and regulatory approval, including that of the TSX Venture Exchange. The securities offered under the Offering have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the 1933 Act), or any state securities laws of the United States. Accordingly, these securities will not be offered or sold to persons within the United States unless an exemption from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws is available. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein. About Commerce Resources Corp. Commerce is an exploration and development company with a particular focus on deposits of rare metals and rare earth elements. The Company is focused on the development of its Ashram Rare Earth Element Deposit in Quebec and the Blue River Tantalum-Niobium Deposit in British Columbia. For more information on Commerce Resources Corp., visit the corporate website at http://www.commerceresources.com or email info@commerceresources.com. On Behalf of the Board of Directors COMMERCE RESOURCES CORP. Chris Grove Chris Grove President and Director Tel: 604 484 2700 TF: 866.484.2700 Email: info@commerceresources.com Web: http://www.commerceresources.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Legal Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements, as that term is defined in Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Statements in this news release which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among others, the expectations and/or claims, as applicable. Forward-looking statements in this news release include current expectations on completion of the Offering, the use of proceeds from the Offering and the expected closing date of the Offering. These forward-looking statements entail various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in these forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on current expectations, are subject to a number of uncertainties and risks, and actual results may differ materially from those contained in such statements. These uncertainties and risks include, but are not limited to, the strength of the Canadian economy; the price of tantalum and niobium and rare earth elements; operational, funding, and liquidity risks; the degree to which mineral resource estimates are reflective of actual mineral resources; the degree to which factors which would make a mineral deposit commercially viable are present; and the risks and hazards associated with exploration or development programs. Risks and uncertainties about the Companys business are more fully discussed in the Companys disclosure materials, including its annual information form and MD&A, filed with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada and available at www.sedar.com and readers are urged to read these materials. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from such statements unless required by law. To view this press release as a PDF file, click onto the following link:public://news_release_pdf/Commerce06212016.pdfSource: Commerce Resources Corp. (TSX Venture:CCE, OTCQX:CMRZF, FWB:D7H) http://www.commerceresources.com/en Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2016 Filing Services Canada Inc. Boise, Idaho (FSCwire) - Thunder Mountain Gold Inc. (the Company or Thunder Mountain) (TSX-V: THM; OTCQB: THMG) is pleased to announce that the Board of Directors has re-appointed Mr. Ralph Noyes as a director of Thunder Mountain Gold after stepping down from the Company`s Board in February 2016 due to a business conflict with a former employer that has been resolved. Ralph strengthens our Board with his public company experience and mining industry knowledge, explained Eric Jones, Thunder Mountain Gold President and CEO. As a member of our Board, He provides independence that greatly benefits the shareholder base, and proven abilities that move us through challenges as we advance our South Mountain Project. Mr. Noyes has a broad mining experience, ranging from underground mine geologist to Vice President of Metal Mining for Hecla Mining Co. (NYSE-HL), involved in operations, exploration, new mine development and mergers and acquisitions. As Chairman and CEO of Consolidated Silver Corp. in 1995 he acquired the purchase rights to several underground silver mines in Mexico, which continue to operate today as part of other public companies. In 1998 and 1999, he was Project Manager for Behre Dolbear and was the independent engineer for the expansion of the Stillwater platinum-palladium Mine. In 1999 he joined Soloman Smith Barney as a financial advisor, tailoring his practice to serving executives in the mining industry as well as small business owners. He retired from the financial services industry in 2014 as Associate Vice President Investments with Wells Fargo Advisors. Mr. Noyes graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology, with a focus on economic geology and exploration during undergraduate and graduate school at Michigan Technological University. He completed post graduate courses in management and strategy from the University of Michigan, Wharton School of Business and completed the Stanford Executive Program at Stanford University in 1992. Mr. Noyes has previously served on the boards of the Northwest Mining Association, the Idaho Mining Association, the Board of Advisors to University of Idaho College of Mines and Earth Resources, and the Western States Public Lands Coalition, as well as numerous junior mining companies. He currently resides near Coeur d`Alene, Idaho. Thunder Mountain Gold, Inc, is a U.S. based exploration company founded in 1935, with direct ownership interest in two U.S. precious and base metal projects. The Companys principal asset is The South Mountain Project a zinc-silver-gold project with copper and lead, formerly producing in the 1940`s, and located in southern Idaho`s Owyhee County. The Company`s Trout Creek Project is a grass roots gold target, drill ready, and located in the Eureka-Battle Mountain trend of central Nevada, currently under Joint Exploration Agreement with Newmont Gold. For more information on Thunder Mountain Gold, and Mr. Noyes, please visit the Companys website at www.Thundermountaingold.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements that are based on the beliefs of management and reflect the Company's current expectations. The forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions, which could change materially in the future. By their nature, forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is provided as of the date of this press release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required in accordance with applicable laws. Cautionary Note to Investors Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) permits mining companies, in their filings with the SEC, to disclose only those mineral deposits that a company can economically and legally extract or produce. For further information, please contact: Thunder Mountain Gold, Inc. Eric Jones Jim Collord President and Chief Executive Officer Chief Operating Officer eric@thundermountaingold.com jim@thundermountaingold.com Tel: (208) 658-1037 Tel: (208) 658-1037 To view this press release as a PDF file, click onto the following link:public://news_release_pdf/ThunderMountain06212016.pdfSource: Thunder Mountain Gold Inc. (TSX Venture:THM, OTCQB:THMG) http://www.thundermountaingold.com/s/Home.asp Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2016 Filing Services Canada Inc. We're eating POKE A bowl of snapper poke from Melbourne's Tokyo Tina. Photo: Kate Shanasy Come winter, we turn to red wine and comfort food, but poke a Hawaiian staple of chopped raw fish and condiments similar to a Japanese sashimi bowl is taking over summer in LA and trickling down to us. Before you eat it, you have to know how to pronounce it: poh-kay, oh-kay? Try it at Melbourne's Tokyo Tina or in Sydney at Poke in Coogee and soon-to-open Fishbowl in Bondi. We're drinking FOUR PILLARS BLOODY SHIRAZ GIN Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz gin makes one of the prettiest G&Ts we've seen. Photo: Rick Liston What do you get when you cross Yarra Valley Shiraz grapes with dry gin? Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz Gin, that's what. The second vintage of the vibrant purple beverage was released on World Gin Day the weekend before last. It's best sipped on the rocks with a slice of orange or as a dazzling pink G&T. Order a bottle online at fourpillarsgin.com.au for $85. We're cooking with THE PERFECT EGG TIMER APP Eggcellent news: you're never going to overcook a boiled goog again or undercook one, if you're that way inclined. The Perfect Egg Timer app stays true to its name and is a worthwhile investment at $1.49 from the App Store. Measure your egg using your iPhone screen, specify whether it's room temperature or refrigerated and then determine your altitude via GPS for foolproof cooking instructions. We're buying GOLDEN GRIND Move over Matcha, it's all about that Golden Grind. Photo: Supplied Matcha is so May 2016. This month it's all about golden lattes, which can be made at home with a packet of Golden Grind. The natural blend of turmeric, cinnamon, ginger and black pepper boasts a range of health properties, from antioxidant to anti-inflammatory. Add a teaspoon of the powder to hot water to form a paste before topping with milk from a nut, grain, soybean or even a cow. We're craving EGG WAFFLES Crispy, addictive little egg waffles. Photo: Supplied Halfway between German waffles and Dutch pancakes is the egg waffle, a street snack popular in Hong Kong. Made from a thin, eggy batter pressed between two hot plates of egg-shaped cells, the finished product resembles oversized bubble wrap. Each segment has a crispy exterior and soft, chewy middle. Keep an eye peeled for them at dessert cafes in Chinatown, or try one for brunch at Haven in Sydney (with kimchi, parmesan and vanilla ice-cream) or Baba Sus in Melbourne (custard, berry compote and green tea ice-cream) Advertisement We're obsessed with PRODUCE POSIES Good enough to eat: produce posies from Little Matters. Photo: Supplied Props to online gift delivery service Little Matters for finding the happy medium between a bunch of flowers and a practical present their signature posy bouquet is an arrangement of fresh blooms, apples, ornamental kale and seasonal vegies. Delivery exclusive to Melbourne, but not for long. Say it with produce from $29. We're watching COOKED Michael Pollan, known for non-fiction bestsellers such as The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals, released a Netflix documentary mini-series earlier this year called Cooked, an adaptation of his namesake book. It explores the anthropological and ecological significance of cooking for others through the elements of fire, water, air and earth. The beautiful cinematography is as hunger-inducing as it is informative. Binge watch all four episodes before your next dinner party. We can't believe that DENVER IS GETTING A CAT BAR Is this the perfect drinking buddy? Photo: Danielle Lirette Melbourne may be welcoming its first dog cafe early next month, but the Denver Cat Company in the United States has just launched a Kickstarter campaign to open the world's first cat bar. Because the only thing better than a kitty with your cappuccino is a feline with your wine. In the face of a burgeoning dating app culture, are punters swiping left on traditional bar hookups? The commentators on New York Magazine's popular Sex Lifes podcast think so, likening an rendezvous with a fellow barfly to "hiring someone without seeing their resume". Apps like Tinder have destroyed nightlife in New York, they recently said, labelling the good old bar embrace as "weird and rare". Time to face up: Does Tinder really work for women? Photo: Simon Schluter "If you flirt with someone, it's like complete insanity, you're not supposed to do that," writer and comedian Phoebe Robinson said. "If they don't have someone to talk to, they call someone in [via an app]." In July last year, it was estimated that 15 per cent of Aussies use Tinder, verifying that the once-sleazy platform has turned mainstream. Now we have Happn (based on proximity), Bumble (the girl has to talk first) and Hinge (based on your social networks), among others. Before the digital dating revolution, hitting a bar was the pathway to passion for most singles, fuelled by the social lubricants of alcohol and supportive mates. Ramblin' Rascal Tavern bartender Charlie Lehmann believes old-fashioned two-drinks-in romance is alive and well. Photo: Daniel Munoz Can we still fall in lust, without knowing if the potential philanderer is inclined to the odd gym selfie, or prefers cats to dogs? And, more importantly, are bars still the same good-time venues without the promise of swipe-free affection? Orlan Erin Raleigh, co-owner of Jangling Jacks in Sydney's Potts Point, thinks that it all comes down to the actual venue, but overall, dating apps have been a positive thing for small bars in particular. "Tinder forces people to go out and try new things, try new bars, and maybe suggest to the other person that they just give somewhere new a go," Raleigh said. Advertisement "You can 100 per cent tell when people are on a first date; there is usually one person waiting and other walks in, looks around nervously and goes 'hi, are you so-and-so?'. There's a booth at the front we call the 'kissing booth' because there's often a good make-out session there." In the pick-up stakes, there's one kind of bar that has a major advantage: those with limited reception. "We get no reception. It means that no phones ring in the bar, and people are usually looking around, interacting and listening to the music." That means at Jangling Jacks, and Sydney's slew of underground bars, such as the city's The Baxter Inn and Darlinghurst's Shady Pines, patrons who haven't scored a match before going out are forced to pick up at the old-fashioned way. Back above ground, not all hope is lost. At Ramblin' Rascal, in Sydney's CBD, old-fashioned two-drinks-in romance is alive and well, according to bartender Charlie Lehmann. "It's a small space so you have to interact with the people around you. There's nowhere to run and hide. I was talking to two girls in here the other night, and group of guys came over and approached them," Lehmann said. "Australians tend to be more outgoing and welcoming that people in the states; what we do in hospitality is very different to London, New York or Tokyo. It's a very Australian thing to sit and talk to someone that you've never met before." Myffy Rigby, national Good Food Guides editor and creative director of Good Food Month, reckons that digital dating platforms can also create a fresh spate of IRL awkwardness far worse than the usual by-the-bar rejection. "I was at the bar with some pals and a guy came up to me and said, 'I swiped right on you on Tinder', to which I said, 'Oh, that's nice, I'm flattered. I'm going over here with my friends now'." The wannabe Tinderella then quietly followed her to another bar, surprising her with a tap on the shoulder and a propensity to hover. "I wasn't sure what he expected to get out of it it's a little bit creepy, like a double attack. But then I recognised a guy from a dating app in real life, but I got too shy to approach him, which I never normally would. "There's a double whammy of creepiness, and then a double whammy of real rejection as well." As far as bar atmosphere goes, Rigby said that our reliance on phones is more damaging than the actual apps. "It's the addiction to being distracted that's ruining bars. I think dating apps like Tinder, Bumble or Happn are just distractions how often do you actually people up with the people? It's just a game; it even says, 'Do you want to keep playing?'," she said. "Rather than talking to the person next to you, you're trying to order the McDonalds of people, looking for that elusive Big Mac, when it could be sitting right next to you. People aren't talking as much and that ruins the atmosphere of the bar." SHARE The following editorial appeared in Thursday's Seattle Times: Donald Trump should write the correction on The Washington Post headline that so offended him he revoked the news organization's campaign credentials. The headline read: "Donald Trump suggests President Obama was involved in Orlando shooting." It was later changed to "Donald Trump seems to connect President Obama to Orlando shooting." It's common practice for media organizations to write corrections or clarifications on information that may be incorrect or unclear. And Trump's statement that tripped up the Post headline writer was obscure. Following the shooting, Trump told Fox News that Obama "doesn't get it, or he gets it better than anybody understands." On Monday, he added, "There's something going on." What does Trump mean by this innuendo? It's the job of the journalists to ask that question and to give the candidate a chance to explain. That's what journalists do: examine potential officeholders, question them in order to inform voters about what kind of people want to lead them. But Trump wants none of it. No public scrutiny, no probing questions, no disagreements with what he says. And journalists will do their jobs anyway. Tiffs over access are nothing new between candidates and the press. In 2011, the Obama administration wrongly banned The Boston Herald from participating in the press pool during a presidential visit. The Herald said the petty action came after an Obama press staffer emailed the paper that the administration did not like an opinion piece criticizing the president's policies. Hillary Clinton's press staff blocked credentials for a foreign newspaper in 2015, opting to give U.S. media preference for travel with the campaign and access to media-only events. But Trump has taken this tactic to a new level, revoking credentials for at least eight media organizations. While his supporters may share his attitude toward the press, they should take note of a report this week by Harvard University's Shorenstein Center that eight top news outlets gave Trump what amounts to $55 million of free advertising, and about two-thirds of the coverage was positive. If "there's something going on," if Trump has information that links Obama to the Orlando shootings, surely his supporters would want the press to pursue it. So far, the only clarification from Trump has been a statement that Obama "continues to prioritize our enemy over our allies," which does little to explain his sinister insinuation. Journalists will keep asking for clarification and The Washington Post has promised to continue covering Trump "energetically and unflinchingly" despite the loss of credentials. SHARE Kelly D. Clover, San Angelo If ever we needed to a third-party independent running for president, 2016 is the year. Never before in all of American history have we been given such horrible choices as the ones we have this year. We can elect an extremely obnoxious big-time tax cheat who uses scams such as Trump University to enrich himself at someone else's expense. He frequently cheats subcontractors and uses heavy-handed tactics to prevent just settlements. The other choice is a woman who knowingly violated the procedures for safeguarding vital national security information. Hillary Clinton's foundation also has excepted huge amounts of cash from Middle East billionaires whose interests are very different from ours and she has taken money from greedy Wall Street interests. She will be corrupted by these influences if she reaches the White House. If huge numbers of superdelegates in the Democratic Party defect, you then have Bernie Sanders running against Donald Trump. Sanders has strong appeal to the have-nots based on his promises to solve everyone's problem no matter how high the cost. But the political left, including Sanders, is far more concerned with not offending the Muslim community than with protecting our security against dangerous Islamic militants. We must not allow the Muslim lobby to influence our national security policies, which already has happened to a substantial degree under President Obama. What is desperately needed is another Ross Perot, a person who is not blatantly right-wing or left-wing and who does not have the thorny ethical issues of Trump or Clinton. We need practical solutions to the nation's problems that are not based on extreme partisanship, the influence of powerful special interests or the desires of knee-jerk ideologues. And we don't need people in the White House who have rock-bottom ethics. There's a looming government workforce crisis, and it's not even on the radar screen for too many state and local elected officials. Human-resources managers, however, are well aware of the challenges of recruiting and retaining the qualified workers governments urgently need.That concern is documented in the latest annual survey from the Center for State and Local Government Excellence (SLGE). For the second year in a row, members of the International Public Management Association for Human Resources and the National Association of State Personnel Executives ranked recruiting and retaining qualified personnel as their most important workforce issue.It's true that governments are hiring again, mostly to fill the ranks of those who are retiring. But states and localities are having a hard time finding qualified candidates, particularly for specialized, highly skilled jobs such as positions in finance, management, IT, skilled trades, health care and public safety.Why are governments struggling? For one thing, state and local governments have been slow to emerge from the Great Recession. They have 500,000 fewer employees than they did in 2008 due to layoffs, hiring freezes and a growing number of eligible employees choosing to retire. With fewer younger workers in the pipeline, there simply are not as many people available inside government for promotions.Another issue is that most state and local government jobs require a college education, specialized training or both. The competition for highly educated personnel, from engineers to epidemiologists, is intense, but even jobs open to high-school graduates, such as positions in water treatment, require training and certifications.Demographic changes also pose special challenges for government workforces. Not only are state and local government workers, on average, older than their private-sector counterparts, but the younger population is increasingly diverse. Attracting candidates from families or cultures that do not have a tradition of public-service work may prove difficult.The hurdle of building a workforce that reflects changes in the population shouldn't be underestimated. According to SLGE's analysis of census data, from 2014 to 2060 the nation's Hispanic-origin population is projected to increase from 17 percent to 29 percent; those of Asian origin are projected to increase from 5 percent of the population to 9 percent; and the proportion of African-Americans is expected to rise by one percentage point, to 14 percent. African-Americans now make up 14 percent of the local government workforce, but only 12 percent of that workforce is of Hispanic origin and 3 percent is of Asian origin.So what are the solutions? Government leaders know their organizations will go through rapid change in the years ahead, and many are committed to making the needed transformation. Perhaps the most important commitment is for governments to become learning organizations. To fill many positions, governments not only must seek qualified applicants from the outside and market themselves, but they also need to be prepared to bring back retirees to work on projects and to mentor young talent.Millennials are ambitious and eager to build their skills and expertise quickly. As one young local-government employee explained, when he is job hunting he looks at the reputation of the organization. Although compensation is important, the deciding factor for him is the opportunity to learn from a progressive manager.The bottom line? Give young people a chance to learn and grow so they will be ready to step up to leadership positions. While they may move around more than previous generations, they will bring their technology expertise and energy to the organization. This is a generation that wants to make a difference, and that's good news for government. An independent political PAC that has riled the race for Missouri's Republican nomination for governor is denying a report suggesting it's tied to one of the four candidates.Richard Monsees, treasurer of LG PAC, issued an unusual statement to reporters today denying a report by a Kansas City television station that his PAC may be affiliated with gubernatorial candidate Eric Greitens.LG PAC is set up as federal "527" PAC, which makes it more difficult to determine who is funding the PAC. But such entities are under a different kind of restriction: They're not allowed to coordinate with any candidate.A recent report by KMBC, the ABC affiliate in Kansas City, raised the question of whether the PAC was doing just that, based on video footage that shows Greitens and Monsees chatting during a political event.Monsees, in an email to reporters, strongly denied the report, writing, "The same footage could have been shot of me at an event talking to Catherine Hanaway, Peter Kinder or John Brunner," the other three candidates in the GOP primary race."LG PAC is not supporting any candidate for Governor," Monsees wrote. "As conservative Republicans, LG PAC's singular focus is helping to ensure that we elect a conservative that can win in November."Brunner has been targeted by a television advertising blitz from the group, which has alleged he engaged in shady business and tax practices as a former CEO. Brunner has denied it, and complained about the anonymous nature of the attacks during a recent gubernatorial debate. He also made it the focus of his first statewide television commercial last week."Nameless, faceless special-interest insiders are attacking John Brunner with flat-out lies, because he's the only candidate who can't be bought," says the narrator in the ad, as the screen shows a dark sinister series of images.When LG PAC's attack ads first appeared, several Missouri news outlets, including the Post-Dispatch, were unable to reach any of the group's officials through the contact information on their campaign records. The funding sources for its roughly $1 million ad blitz remain a mystery because of the federal campaign rules under which it operates.The winner of the Aug. 2 Republican primary will mostly likely face Democratic Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster in the Nov. 8 general election. Alaska Gov. Bill Walker on Sunday made good on his threat to call lawmakers back to Juneau for another special session on his deficit-reduction package, demanding they return in July to consider tax and Permanent Fund legislation.The second special session of 2016 will come after five months of work in a regular and first special session, which failed to yield legislative consensus on the big pieces of Walker's package.The July 11 start date is smack in the middle of election season, giving lawmakers little incentive to work for the the full 30 days allotted -- which would end just a week before the Aug. 16 primary.But at a Sunday afternoon news conference in his Juneau office, Walker suggested he'd create that incentive by vetoing key pieces of the state budget, like Alaskans' Permanent Fund dividend checks, which would force lawmakers to either pass new legislation to restore them or vote to override him.Walker's Permanent Fund legislation is the biggest piece of his deficit-reduction package; it would close more than half of next year's $3.2 billion deficit by converting the fund into an endowment. It would also produce smaller dividends than last year's.The Senate passed a rewritten version of Walker's legislation in a 14-5 vote earlier this month, but the House adjourned Saturday night without bringing the bill to the floor, after it was rejected by the finance committee.At the time, one House Finance Committee member, Anchorage Republican Rep. Lance Pruitt, said he knew that changes to the Permanent Fund will be needed in the next few years, but added that his constituents weren't yet on board."When the budget comes to me and I've addressed the financial situation of Alaska through the budget, in some ways it'll get some Alaskans' attention," Walker said Sunday. "I am in a situation that things that I anticipated would be done legislatively have not been, and therefore I have the opportunity -- I have the obligation -- to do some things as governor with the budget. So I think that will bring a focus to it."Asked directly if he planned to veto a portion of the dividend, Walker responded that Alaskans will find out by the start of the state's next financial year, saying: "We'll look at every item individually and decide between now and July 1 what items get vetoed and what does not."Lawmakers reacted to Sunday's news with emotions ranging from resignation to dismay."I support the governor. I think he's right to force us to make tough votes. It's our job," Rep. Andy Josephson, D-Anchorage, said in a statement Sunday. He added: "What's happened this session, thus far, is professionally embarrassing."Palmer Republican Rep. Shelley Hughes, who's facing a three-way GOP primary for a Mat-Su Senate seat, said Walker's special session call was a "mistake.""I think the people have spoken," Hughes said in a phone interview. "I think the legislators acted accordingly, and I'm disappointed the governor doesn't understand that people don't agree with this."House Speaker Mike Chenault, R-Nikiski, said he will take Walker's call seriously and plans to start making phone calls to his colleagues next week, to "see if we can come up with some kind of plan to move forward."But, Chenault added, he'll still need Walker's help to advance the governor's legislation. Chenault can't force House members to take votes, he said in a phone interview."You've got to bring them along, and they've got to be able to understand it and push the button because they're the ones who make the decisions for their constituents," Chenault said.Senate President Kevin Meyer, R-Anchorage, didn't respond to a request for comment Sunday. Neither did North Pole Republican Sen. John Coghill, the majority leader.Walker issued his new special session call shortly after the Senate adjourned Sunday, which officially concluded the first special session convened by the governor last month. The Legislature passed a budget this year that would reduce the deficit to $3.2 billion from $4 billion, but it failed to approve any of Walker's proposals to raise new revenue, including the Permanent Fund legislation and measures to institute a personal income tax and increases on existing taxes on mining, commercial fishing, gas, alcohol and tobacco.Walker is asking lawmakers to return to Juneau in July to work on three deficit-reduction bills, saying that otherwise the deficit will exhaust Alaska's primary savings account in two years without a rebound in oil prices. That, he argues, will force lawmakers to cover the budget gap with the Permanent Fund's earnings reserve account -- a move that could reduce residents' dividends."We absolutely cannot delay a year," Walker said Sunday, speaking next to a poster depicting a near-empty "state of Alaska savings tank." He added: "The cost of delay is unacceptable to Alaskans."Of Walker's three special session bills, one is his latest attempt to restructure the Permanent Fund -- similar to his bill that failed in the House this week.Another is omnibus tax legislation that adds a new proposal for a statewide sales tax to Walker's previous proposals to establish a personal income tax and increase some existing taxes. A spokeswoman for Walker said the omnibus package could also be separated, as lawmakers asked at the start of the first special session.Walker's third bill will address oil taxes. That could presage a veto and redo of House Bill 247, the bill geared toward reducing oil companies' cash subsidies that narrowly passed two weeks ago after months of debate.HB 247's approval came over objections from Walker, as well as minority Democrats and some moderate Republicans who said it preserved a costly tax loophole for the state's biggest oil companies. But Walker said Sunday that he hadn't decided whether to veto HB 247 or not.With lawmakers set to return to Juneau in three weeks, their re-election campaigns will begin in earnest in the interim.One incumbent, Anchorage Democratic Rep. Ivy Spohnholz, on Sunday announced a fundraiser headlined by former U.S. Sen. Mark Begich; one of her Democratic colleagues, Anchorage Rep. Les Gara, chimed in with a Facebook post encouraging supporters to donate even if they can't attend."Bluntly, with special sessions Ivy will need donations even from folks who cannot attend fundraisers because of date conflicts," Gara wrote. "Our fundraisers will be fewer than we'd like this summer."Hughes, the Palmer Republican House member running for a Senate seat, said she wouldn't object if House leaders held a few technical meetings during the special session, in which only a few members must be present. She's not on the House Finance Committee, and could monitor from home, she said.She added: "We will weather it fine."Walker, at his Sunday news conference, acknowledged he wasn't exactly excited to bring lawmakers back for more work, after two months of extra work beyond what was supposed to be the end of the regular session in late April."We're all weary of this," he said. "But I think Alaska's future's worth it." Changes to state voting laws -- some geared toward expanding access to the polls, some intended to prevent fraud and thus making it harder to vote -- have been proliferating in recent years. But how much of an impact will they have on the 2016 elections, from the presidential contest on down?While it's still early, a review of states that have changed their election laws since the last presidential cycle suggests that the impact will be felt widely by voters but won't necessarily affect the outcome of contests in more than a few states.All told, 17 states -- most of which are solidly conservative -- have tighter voting laws in place this year, according to the Brennan Center for Justice . The new laws range from strict photo ID requirements to early voting cutbacks to registration restrictions. Such laws are often decried by opponents as harmful to minorities and young voters -- groups that are more likely to vote Democratic.But many of the states that have implemented such measures aren't considered competitive in the presidential election. Nor do many of them have competitive gubernatorial elections this year.Some states have done the opposite and expanded voter access . Most of these states are solidly Democratic in presidential contests, but a couple (Oklahoma and Utah) are Republican strongholds, and one (Colorado) is a swing state.It's in the states that have both changed their voting laws and have competitive contests this fall that we'll see the biggest impact on who wins.One of those states is. In 2013, the Republican-dominated legislature passed a far-reaching voting law that, among other things, eliminated same-day voter registration, reduced the period for early voting and instituted voter ID requirements. The controversial law has since been upheld in federal court but that ruling is being appealed In the meantime, North Carolina is a presidential battleground state and has an ideologically tinged, competitive gubernatorial election this year . Either of these races, or other statewide contests, could easily be decided by narrow margins, with the new voting laws possibly spelling the difference between victory and defeat."They clearly have the potential to suppress turnout among Democratic-oriented segments of voters," said Ferrel Guillory, a longtime observer of state politics at the University of North Carolina. "Will that happen? Perhaps. And perhaps Democratic allies will respond with an extra measure of energy in voter turnout activity. A lot depends on how much the Clinton campaign invests in North Carolina."Meanwhile,-- the mother of all electoral battlegrounds, as well as home to a key U.S. Senate contest this year -- has also seen its election laws fluctuate in recent years.In 2014, the GOP legislature approved several provisions, including cutting six days of early voting -- a move that effectively eliminated the "golden week" in which residents could both register and cast their ballot. But after a legal back-and-forth, a federal judge struck down the law If the ruling stands, experts believe that "it will help Democrats, especially at the top of the ticket," said Bill Binning, a former Republican official and an emeritus political scientist at Youngstown State University. However, an appeal could be heard and ruled on before the election, leaving a lot at stake.is another state where litigation could have an impact on Election Day. The state is always hotly contested in the presidential race, and it should be especially crucial this year as Republican nominee Donald Trump seeks to boost working-class white turnout in the Midwest.Republican Gov. Scott Walker and the Republican legislature enacted photo ID requirements and a shorter early-voting period. But Democrats are challenging the changes. They argue that under the federal Voting Rights Act, the legal system has to look at all of the election rules in a state, rather than just the specific provision being challenged, when determining whether the law treats all voters fairly."In Wisconsin, you have a big voter ID component, but the plaintiffs refer to four or five other rules changes in the state, arguing that these -- plus voter ID -- in their totality lead to a denial of opportunity," said Edward B. Foley, director of the election law program at Ohio State University.In this and similar cases, "you're starting to get lower-court rulings, but ultimately, the Supreme Court will have to weigh in," said Foley.In, another key presidential battleground state, several new voting laws are going into effect.Due to bills signed under the previous Republican governor, Virginia implemented a photo ID law and limits on group registration drives. But the state's current Democratic governor, Terry McAuliffe, has moved to restore ex-felons' voting rights. The Virginia Supreme Court is expected to weigh in on the legality of the executive order.These efforts could cancel each other out, said University of Virginia political scientist Larry Sabato. "Obviously, there is some impact," he said. "But from what I've seen so far, I doubt the new voter ID law will affect the presidential results unless it's a squeaker, and increasingly, I do not believe this one will be a squeaker."It's also worth noting a somewhat counterintuitive possibility that could pop up in any of the states above: Efforts to restrain access to the polls might produce a backlash, actually driving more minority voters to the polls. But any such impact at this point would be speculative.Among the states that have expanded voting access, the one that could potentially have the biggest impact on 2016 results is, a state that has been fiercely contested by presidential candidates for several cycles running.In 2013 and 2014, the Democratic legislature and a Democratic governor approved Election Day registration and encouraged widespread voting-by-mail, among other provisions. The new system is "definitely more convenient," said Daniel R. Diorio, an elections policy specialist at the Denver-based National Conference of State Legislatures. That could give the Democrats a leg up -- unless it also helps make it easier for less-frequent voters who support Trump to cast their ballots.There's a caveat, however, for states like Colorado that have moved to mail-in ballots. Political scientists have seen mixed evidence about whether such a move increases turnout overall or whether it just changes the timing or method of turnout -- say, more early voting as opposed to voting on Election Day or more mail instead of in-person voting.Finally, there are some states that have potential ballot-counting concerns beyond changes in the law.hasn't implemented a far-reaching change in its election laws since the last presidential race. But during this year's primary, voters were incensed by long lines, especially in populous Maricopa County, where there was one polling place for every 108,000 voters. The long lines followed the GOP-held legislature's cuts to county election offices.While Arizona has historically been reliably Republican in presidential elections, the state's expanding Latino population could be energized to vote against Trump, making this a potential opportunity for Democrats.is another state that has voted Republican in recent elections but could become competitive in 2016 if Trump's candidacy energizes minority voters. A reduction of the state's early voting period is already in place and a proof-of-citizenship law for voting registration, on hold since 2009, is poised to be in effect for the 2016 general election."In terms of real impact, I think the shorter early voting period has a bigger impact than the new voter ID law," said veteran Georgia political journalist Tom Baxter. "In a very close presidential race in Georgia -- which I don't foresee but is possible -- the shorter period could reduce turnout enough to matter."Two other states that are either a big presidential battleground state this year () or have several competitive statewide races on this fall's ballot () will also be testing out new election rules for the first time in a presidential election. But experts say the new rules are not expected to be sufficiently disruptive in either state.All this said, of course, it's worth remembering that none of this may matter if the margins of the presidential race and other key contests aren't razor-thin. Lost faith Strong backing Placing blame The unraveling of the Oakland Police Department was sudden and swift, and came on the heels of what should have been a shining moment in the agency's history.Less than a year ago, the police force was boosting its ranks, embracing new technology and getting accolades from a White House expert on policing. But now, it has all but fallen apart, roiled by scandals involving a teen sex-trafficking victim and racist texts, and the abrupt departure of three bosses in one week."I am stunned and profoundly disappointed," Mayor Libby Schaaf said in an interview Saturday, a day after she held a tense news conference to announce the departure of acting Chief Paul Figueroa, who has taken a leave and will return to the police force as a captain, rather than his old job as assistant chief. At the news conference, Schaaf also revealed that Oakland is investigating several officers for sharing racist text messages and emails.That was just one among many bombshells that have dropped since the beginning of the year, all coming from an agency that seemed to be making improvements and chipping away at Oakland's historically high homicide rate. When the recent misconduct allegations surfaced, Oakland was subject to more scrutiny than perhaps any police department in the nation.Since 2012, the police force has been under the direct control of a federal judge and court monitor, an arrangement that stems from a 2003 settlement over alleged beatings and corruption by a group of West Oakland police who called themselves the Riders. The city has paid millions for the monitor while hiring numerous consultants to help, including New York City Police Commissioner William Bratton.Schaaf, who established herself early on as a no-nonsense crime fighter, signaled Friday that she has lost so much faith in Oakland's police force that she no longer trusts it to police itself. She said at the news conference that City Administrator Sabrina Landreth will take the reins while Oakland conducts a national search for a new chief."Most people who live in Oakland know that there are real cultural and leadership problems with the Police Department, and Mayor Schaaf tried to change them," said Jim Ross, an Oakland political consultant. "And what's frustrating is it's much harder for her to do that than we will ever know."Schaaf ran on a platform that emphasized public safety and became a stalwart for the department almost as soon as she took office. She added 40 police jobs in her 2015 budget and promised to increase the force to 800 officers by the end of her term. In July, Schaaf and then-Police Chief Sean Whent traveled to the White House to share Oakland's law enforcement strategies with other agencies. Ron Davis, a former East Palo Alto police chief who in 2014 was named to lead President Obama's Task Force on 21st Century Policing, hailed Oakland's department as one to emulate in the post-Ferguson era."I believe the department fundamentally changed during that time period," Schaaf said. In recent news conferences, the mayor has painstakingly highlighted Oakland's accomplishments -- among them, wide adoption of body cameras, a reduction in use-of-force complaints, and training for officers to overcome implicit bias -- even as she condemned the department's "frat house" culture.For a while, it seemed that a police department that had suffered through years of dysfunction -- with ever-changing leadership and crippling layoffs between 2009 and 2013 -- finally had strong backing from the city's leaders.But the mayor has grown increasingly rattled as police disciplinary cases have again started to pile up. The most prominent among them is a growing scandal involving several officers and their dealings with a sexually exploited teenage prostitute. That case has now implicated law enforcement personnel throughout the Bay Area, including a Defense Department employee."The exploitation of a victim of human sex trafficking is just profoundly disturbing," Schaaf said. "It undermines everything we've been working so hard on this past year."The sexual misconduct case and others overshadowed what should have been a period of optimism for Oakland's Police Department and led to the sudden ouster of Whent, its well-liked and highly regarded leader."The political leadership in Oakland -- and even the police force leadership -- had a legitimately sincere approach to change," said Peter Keane, a former San Francisco police commissioner and current law professor at Golden Gate University. "But that state of mind did not drift down to the mid-level commanders, captains and lieutenants. There, you still had business as usual, the same negative approach that Oakland police officers have historically been viewed as having."Keane said the current upheaval shows the difficulty of trying to control a law enforcement culture with an entrenched "cowboy" mentality, where officers have each other's backs and "good cops never blow the whistle on bad cops." He said that mind-set has lingered for generations in Oakland, and only a hard-driving administrator can stamp it out.Nobody has quite nailed down exactly what caused Oakland's Police Department to fray. Some, like Ross, blame layoffs in past years, which cut out officers who could have formed the department's core leadership today. Others blame a recruitment and hiring spree that started under former Mayor Jean Quan -- many of the officers currently under investigation were hired between 2012 and 2014, before Schaaf took office. Still others blame the command staff, saying it was too permissive and unwilling to crack down on bad behavior by the rank and file.Some say that macho culture may be an endemic feature of police forces, and that it's up to city leaders to snuff it out."This is a national issue, this need to build trust in law enforcement," Schaaf said.Barry Donelan, who heads the Oakland Police Officers Association, issued a statement Saturday, saying the majority of sworn personnel in Oakland are hardworking, ethical people who are "as disappointed as everyone else" in the allegations made against their colleagues.But at this point, city officials and experts think change needs to come from outside. Some council members are pushing for a civilian police commission, which they say should have the power to discipline officers and terminate the chief. Jim Chanin and John Burris, plaintiffs' attorneys in the Riders case, want a federal judge to intervene in the hiring and recruitment of officers. Schaaf still hopes to find an "inspired leader" from another city.Chanin is cautiously optimistic. "Look, nobody said this was going to be pretty," he said. "Part of the reform process is digging through things you wouldn't normally see." The Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Monday killed a provision in state law permitting gun rights groups to sue municipalities such as Pittsburgh over local firearms ordinances and recoup court costs.Judges in a unanimous decision agreed with a 2015 Commonwealth Court ruling that the law was unconstitutional because it violates a constitutional provision requiring state legislation to be about a single subject. The firearms law was tacked onto another bill stiffening penalties for theft of scrap metal passed in the last days of the 2014 legislative session.Mayor Bill Peduto lauded the court for its decision.A South Fayette man said the gun owners group he represents is prepared to submit legislation for consideration."This was expected," Kim Stolfer, president of the group Firearms Owners Against Crime. "We're all ready to go with another effort to fix this. It's going to be a stand-alone bill. It's not going to be added onto something that would set the stage for this type of a challenge."In 2008, then-Councilman Peduto sponsored a city ordinance requiring owners to report lost or stolen handguns to police. He has since argued that many guns used in violent city crimes were lost or stolen.Pittsburgh police have never enforced the ordinance because of superseding state law that prohibits municipalities from enacting gun regulations.Stolfer said the National Rifle Association and Firearms Owners Against Crime sued because district attorneys across the state, including Allegheny County's, were not enforcing the state ban on local ordinances. The NRA could not be reached for comment.In an opinion written by Chief Justice Thomas G. Saylor, the Supreme Court ruled that it agreed "in all material respects with the Commonwealth Court" that a gun law provision could not be combined with a law covering theft of scrap metal."As the Commonwealth Court suggested, creating a civil cause of action for persons affected by local gun regulations is simply too far afield from the definition of new offenses relating to the theft of secondary metal to be considered part of one subject..." Saylor wrote.Peduto said the law was an attempt "to use a back door to try and pass a law that's unconstitutional."He predicted Gov. Tom Wolf would veto new legislation."It's good to know we have a governor who stands with the people of Pennsylvania and not with the gun manufacturers lobby," the mayor said. "That will be vetoed, just like this, and thrown into the trash heap of unconstitutional laws." Description GIS 21 June 2016: The Ministry of Civil Service and Administrative Reforms, and the Peoples Republic of China signed a Bilateral Agreement on Training yesterday at the New Conference Room, Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, New Government Centre, Port-Louis. The signatories of the Agreement were the Minister of Civil Service and Administrative Reforms and Minister of Environment, Sustainable Development and Disaster and Beach Management, Mr Alain Wong and the Deputy China International Trade Representative, Ministry of Commerce, Mr. Zhang Xiangchen. In his address, Minister Wong recalled that the Chinese authorities have been regularly offering capacity building programmes through some 400 training courses on a yearly basis. As at date nearly two thousand Public Officers have undergone training in China under the Technical and Bilateral Agreements. Mauritius is one of the largest beneficiaries of technical assistance from China, he said, adding that these officers have been trained in areas ranging from Health Care, Agriculture and Fisheries, Infrastructural Planning, to Climatic Change, Renewable Energy and Public Management. According to Mr Wong, it is crucial to ensure that people, which constitute our only resource, are efficient and productive and this goal can only be achieved through continuous capacity building. Its only then that they can contribute positively towards socio-economic development, he stated. For his part Mr Xiangchen pointed out that human resources and capacity building are of vital importance for the economical development of Mauritius. The agreement, he said, covers broad sectors and includes customs and ocean economy. I am confident that with the cooperation of both countries, the programme will be implemented successfully, he added. Description GIS - 21 June, 2016: Mauritius signed yesterday the 3rd Addendum to the Grant Agreement under the COMESA Adjustment Facility (CAF) to the tune of Rs 27 million that is 697,160.58 euros following the approval of the Mauritius Progress Monitoring Report by the 11th COMESA Fund Committee in December 2015. Mauritius signed yesterday the The signatories were the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, and the Secretary General of the COMESA, Mr Sindiso Ngwenya. Moreover, Mauritius has also received additional funds amounting 1.75 million Euros for 2016 and 2017 in view of its progress in fulfilling regional commitments. In his address Finance Minister Pravind Jugnauth reiterated his full support towards fostering economic development through regional integration. He pointed out that Mauritius is privileged to be part of the regional economic bloc of the Eastern and Southern African countries and the COMESA which is one of the key trading partners with a population of more than 460 million and a Gross Domestic Product of USD 650 million. The COMESA Free Trade Area has contributed to further promote cross border trade and investment between Mauritius and the COMESA, he said. According to the Minister, as Member State of the COMESA Fund, Mauritius has, since 2012, successfully participated in the 3rd, 4th and 5th Calls for Submission launched by the COMESA Secretariat and has received a total of 3.6 million (approximately Rs 143 million). This has supported Mauritius to meet country-specified performance commitments and other trade related programmes on regional integration. The CAF has also been instrumental in enabling Mauritius to establish the necessary framework for the implementation of its national as well as regional integration commitments, he said. For his part the Secretary General of the COMESA lauded the efforts of Mauritius in development through the Africa Strategy which he said goes beyond the boundaries of traditional Regional Economic Communities. According to him, Mauritius has made tremendous progress with regard to Regional Integration which has served as leverage for market diversification to new emerging markets. He commended Mauritius for the economic reform programme initiated in 2006 and which has helped the country consolidate its trade competitiveness along with the elimination of customs duties on all raw materials and capital goods where presently 89% tariff lines are duty free in Mauritius. This, he said, is a great blueprint to other COMESA Member States. Mr Ngwenya also reiterated COMESAs support to Mauritius in the development of the blue economy initiatives in addition to other such developments that will further contribute to promote regional integration. Between 2000 and 2015 Mauritius exports to COMESA countries increased by 224 % and total imports went up by some 305%. To further assist Member States the COMESA Adjustment Facility has been set up with a view to making grants to compensate revenue losses to Member States implementing trade liberalisation programmes. CAF was operationalis ed with the funding from the European Union under the 9 th EDF Regional Integration Support Mechanism programme. In addition to Mauritius, CAF has supported 15 other COMESA countries with a total funding of 83 million Euros. Description GIS - 21 June 2016: A side meeting and networking platform in the margins of the Womens Forum global meeting 2016 and addressing the theme Climate change: Resilience in business through innovative and adaptive strategies was held yesterday at the Sugar Beach Resort and Spa, Wolmar, Flic en Flac. Organised by the Ministry of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare, the side event brought together Mauritian women entrepreneurs attending the Womens Forum. Speakers comprised the Deputy Chief Commissioner of the Rodrigues Regional Assembly, the chairperson of the National Women Entrepreneur Council, and the director of Environment, Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development. The objective was to enhance the insight of participants on the topic of climate change and its relation with business resilience, as well as the need to adopt innovative practices to ensure sustainable development. The aim was also to enhance women entrepreneurs perception in making the most out of their participation in the Womens Forum being hosted on 20 and 21 June 2016 by Mauritius. In her introductory remarks, the Minister of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare, Mrs Marie-Aurore Marie-Joyce Perraud, emphasised the need for women to understand the impact of climate change and environmental-related challenges on entrepreneurship. The Minister also spoke about the importance for women to show that they are conscious of the changing environment and hence come up with innovative and adaptive strategies to face those challenges efficiently. For her part, the Deputy Chief Commissioner, Rodrigues Regional Assembly, Mrs Franchette Gaspard-Pierre Louis, spoke about Rodrigues commitment in protecting the environment, the vision of making it an ecological island, and the measures and actions taken to protect the environment with women at the centre of all these actions. She elaborated on Rodrigues initiatives in promoting food security, innovation in food production, and the islands aim to depend exclusively, by year 2030, on renewable energy and harvesting organic productions. Women most affected Research shows that women are those who are most affected by the impacts of climate change as they are more dependent for their livelihood on natural resources that are now under threat. Furthermore, womens responsibilities in households and communities as stewards of natural and household resources, position them well to contribute to livelihood strategies adapted to changing environmental realities. Wider implementation? (TNS) -- Many cities now give bicyclists their own lane, but the technology that grants them a green light at intersections has lagged.A Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) pilot project in Northfield is testing a new traffic signal sensor that uses radar to detect when a bike is approaching the intersection, triggering a green light and 10 seconds to get across.Were getting a lot more requests for bicycle detection at signals from cities, counties and individuals, said Jerry Kotzenmacher, MnDOTs traffic system specialist. It seems to be something big across the whole country.The sensor was installed at Hwy. 3 and 2nd Street three weeks ago and has worked well so far, said Kotzenmacher, though he wants to try it in different weather conditions and over a longer time period.The project meets a Northfield need, providing a way to safely get across Hwy. 3, a busy road that separates the east and west sides of town as well as Carleton and St. Olaf, Northfields two colleges, said Erica Zweifel, a City Council member and biking enthusiast.Without a detection system -- or one that works consistently -- bicyclists are sometimes forced to run red lights or bike onto the curb to push the pedestrian button to cross the street, Zweifel said.Its dangerous, she said, and when the pedestrian button is pushed, cars sit for a lengthy 35 seconds, frustrating drivers.At a local bike clubs request, MnDOT tried to detect bikes at the same Northfield traffic signal two years ago by making traditional vehicle sensors -- the ones that determine a car is approaching -- more sensitive. But that didnt always work, partly because many bikes didnt have enough metal mass to trip the detector.In other cities, efforts to detect bicycles using various methods have had mixed outcomes, Kotzenmacher said.But Minneapolis is using traditional vehicle sensors and video detectors with good results, said Steve Mosing, traffic operations engineer for the city of Minneapolis.Minneapolis also offers buttons bikers can push -- similar to pedestrian buttons but close to the curb so bikers dont have to get off their bikes -- to get a green light at some intersections.This is MnDOTs first attempt at putting in a detector like this, specific to a traffic signal, Kotzenmacher said. I would like to say MnDOT is leading the effort, to a certain degree.Radar, video and thermal energy have all been used to identify bikes at intersections, said Nick Mason, deputy director of the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota, and methods are becoming more sophisticated and effective.Theres a lot of different technologies coming out that sense all modes of transportation better, Mason said. Its really exciting to see it getting implemented.MS Sedco, an Indianapolis company, makes the equipment MnDOT is piloting. Kotzenmacher was skeptical it would work, so the company donated it, putting their money where their mouth is, he said.The system uses radar to pick up a moving image within a 30-foot zone and can distinguish a bicycle from people and cars. Once detected, the light turns green -- or a green arrow appears for a left turn -- and the bike gets 9.5 seconds to cross, Kotzenmacher said.The cost is about $5,000 per approach, or $10,000 total for most intersections, Kotzenmacher said.If the project is successful, MnDOT may implement it more widely, he said.Zweifel has tried the new sensor at least twice a day while biking to work at Carleton. Once, it didnt work, but its been effective every other time, she said.One of the reasons Im so excited about [this system] is that it enhances everyones experience, all modes of transportation, she said. I certainly hope this is the wave of the future. (TNS) -- The senior citizens who took advantage of a pilot program and used Uber to get rides to the multipurpose Benson Center this year gave the service glowing reviews, a center official said.So Fulton County decided Wednesday to expand the program.The county commission will spend $10,000 to continue testing the service, which takes seniors to and from four senior citizen centers in the county. Transportation is a major issue for seniors a recent survey showed that 15 percent of respondents older than 54 needed help getting to the centers.MV Transportation, which provides rides for the county, requires booking two weeks in advance and is often overwhelmed, said Russell Sellars, vice president of the Friends of Benson. The county will continue to use that service, along with Uber, Sellars said.Between February and May, 772 rides were given using the service.It worked extremely well, Sellars said. Everyone who participated thought it was the greatest thing.The program allows others to book multiple rides on seniors behalf, so they did not need to use smart phones. Sellars said volunteers called seniors to confirm they needed rides, booked the Uber ride. They then called the seniors back the name of their driver and the estimated time of arrival.Kathryn Lawler, manager of aging and health resources at the Atlanta Regional Commission, said transportation is one of the greatest unmet needs in the senior population. As metro Atlantas population continues to age, the region needs more solutions.Uber uses an extensive screening process for drivers, she said, and its rides are cheaper than traditional methods.Sellars said he has encouraged the county to also explore relationships with other ride-sharing services, but that the pilot program used Uber only because the company was testing new technology and required a non-disclosure agreement. Sellars has a friendship with an Uber executive.Fulton Commissioner Bob Ellis said the convenience and cost make the partnership intriguing.It is the future. Its here now, and I think its a great opportunity for us, Commissioner Joan Garner said in voting to fund the pilot.The program will continue until September, or until the money runs out. The original program was funded with $5,000 from the Friends of Benson, and lasted from February through May.Sellars said if the expanded pilot is successful, he will encourage the county to move $500,000 or 10 percent of its senior transportation budget to alternative ride sharing. In the future, he said, seniors also could be asked for a co-payment for rides, and could travel to places other than the multipurpose facilities. For optimal browsing, we recommend Chrome, Firefox or Safari browsers. (TNS) -- House lawmakers are expected to pass legislation this week to encourage the Obama administration to engage more with small, startup cybersecurity firms, an effort supporters say could benefit Maryland's burgeoning cyber industry.The legislation, which is set for House passage Tuesday, would require the Department of Homeland Security to develop a plan to collaborate with emerging tech firms as the government and private companies wrestle with cyberattacks.Thanks largely to the National Security Agency based at Fort Meade in Anne Arundel County, Maryland is home to an estimated 1,224 private cyber firms employing more than 10,000 people. The state Commerce Department estimated in 2014 that almost half of those firms employ fewer than 10 people.House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy , who is pushing the legislation in Congress as part of a broader effort to encourage innovation, visited the Federal Hill headquarters of ZeroFOX on Monday. The company has designed a system to patrol social media sites for people working to hack the military, the government and other organizations."This is a place that actually unites both parties," McCarthy, a California Republican and longtime ally of Silicon Valley, said of the policy effort. "If we in government are in analog while the rest of the world is in digital, we're in trouble."The Republican proposals would give the Department of Homeland Security six months to develop a strategic plan to better engage "innovative and emerging technology" firms.The bills would encourage the department to create satellite offices in areas where cyber firms are growing. And it would reauthorize through 2020 a research and development program at the department that is set to expire this year.The Senate has not passed such legislation, and so its prospects are uncertain.Several observers described the effort as well intentioned, but noted deeper economic and policy challenges to improving cybersecurity.Larry Clinton, president and CEO of the Internet Security Alliance, has called for a more robust public-private partnership that encourages investment, better information sharing and wider use of cyber insurance."We are naturally pleased that Congress wants to make sure that DHS has access to a pipeline of innovative cybersecurity projects," Clinton said in a statement. "But by itself, technology won't cure the cybersecurity problem. The main gap is an economic one."Congress has wrestled for years with how to confront cyberattacks on private businesses, government agencies and other groups, such as the recent breach at the Democratic National Committee in which hackers gained access to emails of political aides and opposition research on presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.Lawmakers included language last year in a massive spending bill that provided some liability protections intended to make it easier for companies to share information. That legislation was signed by President Barack Obama in December.The legislation to be considered by the House this week appear to have broad bipartisan support. Democratic Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, who is among his party's most outspoken voices on cybersecurity, called the legislation a first step to help tech startups."When it comes to government procurement, we're still living in a floppy-disk world," said the Baltimore County lawmaker, formerly the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee. "If we want the federal government to start tapping into the cutting-edge innovations developed by cyber startups including many right here in Baltimore we have got to start cutting more red tape."Evan Blair, the co-founder of ZeroFOX, said sharing incident data has already proved valuable in the private sector. He said that any government efforts to expand that progress would be helpful.Blair said the targeting of U.S. citizens on social networks, as an entryway into their corporate or government networks, has become the "new normal."Government agencies have spent billions building up their defenses against cyberattacks. But social networks often fall outside those layers of protection, which can leave the agencies helpless.The company told The Baltimore Sun last year that it works with the State Department and the Department of Defense."A continued focus on cyber as a national security priority is key," Blair said. (TNS) -- Gov. Mary Fallin on Friday ordered the Oklahoma Highway Patrol to delay use of devices that read magnetic strips on credit, debit and gift cards."The Department of Public Safety needs to formulate a clear policy for using this new technology, said Fallin. It can be a viable tool for law enforcement only if authorities are able to ensure Oklahoma motorists and others driving through our state that it will be used appropriately.Commissioner of Public Safety Michael Thompson said the card readers can help fight crime when troopers have reasonable suspicion of offenses like identity theft, credit card fraud or drug trafficking.The Oklahoma Highway Patrol has had the Electronic Recovery and Access to Data readers for about a month. The agency purchased 20 card readers, with 16 assigned to troopers. None of the devices have been used to seize any funds.More than 25 states use the card-reading devices. Their use has been upheld by courts.Some groups and lawmakers have raised concerns that the devices could be misused.The Oklahoma Highway Patrol has enjoyed the trust of Oklahoma motorists for decades,'' Fallin said. Taking time to develop policy for the use of these devices and to educate the public will help calm the fears of the motoring public." Imola and Monza may be able to peacefully co-exist in F1. That is the claim of Daniele Manca, mayor of the town of Imola, whose local circuit hosted many San Marino grands prix until 2006. Bernie Ecclestone has been in troubled negotiations with Monza over a new contract beyond 2016, with Imola near Bologna emerging as a potential replacement. "It's better to be at Monza, I suppose," F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone said at Baku, "or maybe nowhere. Let's wait and see." Imola's circuit chief said last week that Imola is ready to simply take over from Monza from 2017, but mayor Manca has indicated that co-existence may be possible. "I had proposed a system of alliances that takes into account the two motor racing circuits," he is quoted by La Gazzetta dello Sport. "That of Monza, whose history I want to respect, and that of Imola, with its 26 F1 GPs," said Manca. But he said he cannot accept that the Automobile club of Italy, the Aci, "wants to only give" millions in funding to Monza, "not to us". "Our proposal was not of opening a competition with Monza, as we can also do an alternation," Manca added. (GMM) Mark Webber thinks world champion Lewis Hamilton can bounce back and secure his third consecutive title this year. Another another troubled weekend in Baku, Hamilton's deficit to Nico Rosberg blew back out to 24 points as he declared "It's looking like a good year for Nico". But former F1 driver Mark Webber said on Tuesday: "I think Lewis can still win the title. "He's dangerous and fast when he's in the right mood. "If he can show every weekend what he can do, he can still make it difficult for Nico," the Australian told Austrian broadcaster Servus TV. By the same token, Webber said it is possible that Rosberg will also keep his nose ahead in 2016 and lift his first F1 title. "As long as Nico does not have to deal with the 'real' Lewis too often, he has a chance," he said. Another former F1 driver, Jean Alesi, thinks Baku will have been a lesson for Hamilton. "Lewis Hamilton learned a lesson in humility," he told the French broadcaster Canal Plus. Alesi said it is noteworthy that Hamilton went into the Baku weekend declaring that it was not a street circuit in the same class as Monaco. "I think when you have a car as good as the Mercedes is today, it's easy to fall into a trap. "I think Lewis will go home with some humility, because you have to treat a difficult track like that more seriously. "After the third practice, his pace disappeared. I believe that from time to time, a driver needs a cold shower such as this," Alesi added. (GMM) Why Singapore Offered 4 Cr Per Acre In Amaravati? The offer made by the Singapore government consortium comprising two firms to purchase land in the new capital region of Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh came as a pleasant surprise to many, while it created suspicion among the sceptics. The consortium has offered to buy the land at a cost of Rs 4 crore per acre while the prevailing market rate in the Amaravati area is anywhere between Rs 1.5 crore to Rs 2 crore. This is really surprising as to why they are investing so much. Apparently, the Singapore government has seen a lot of potential for growth in the area since it is closer to Guntur and Vijayawada and in future, it would fetch a very high value. But, what has created suspicion is that the TDP leadership itself might be behind the huge offer made by Singapore consortium. The TDP leaders have already purchased huge chunks of lands in Amaravati at a very cheaper rate, thanks to the alleged leak given by Chandrababu Naidu that he was going to select the area as the capital. Already, their land prices have gone up and now, with the Singapore consortium offering Rs 4 crore per acre, their land value would shoot up further making them multi-millionaires. And Naidu has mastered the art of this kind of insider trading to benefit his own people, say critics. Underpinning the agreement is the recognition that Californias new energy policies will significantly reduce the need for Diablo Canyons inflexible baseload electricity output. There are several contributing factors, including the increase of the Renewable Portfolio Standard to 50% by 2030; doubling of energy efficiency goals under SB 350; the challenge of managing overgeneration and intermittency conditions under a resource portfolio increasingly influenced by solar and wind production; the growth rate of distributed energy resources; and the potential increases in the departure of PG&Es retail load customers to Community Choice Aggregation (CCA). PG&E announced a Joint Proposal with labor and leading environmental organizations that would increase investment in energy efficiency, renewables and storage beyond current state mandates while phasing out PG&Es production of nuclear power in California by 2025 with the retirement of the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plantCalifornias last operating nuclear power generation station. Diablo Canyon Power Plant (DCPP) has operated since 1985 with two Westinghouse Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) units that produce a total of 18,000 gigawatt-hours of GHG-free baseload electricity annually. The Joint Proposal would replace the power produced by the two nuclear reactors at Diablo Canyon with a portfolio comprising energy efficiency, renewables and energy storage. It includes a PG&E commitment to a 55% renewable energy target in 2031the highest such voluntary commitment by a major US energy company. The parties to the Joint Proposal are PG&E; International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1245; Coalition of California Utility Employees; Friends of the Earth; Natural Resources Defense Council; Environment California; and Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility. Californias energy landscape is changing dramatically with energy efficiency, renewables and storage being central to the states energy policy. As we make this transition, Diablo Canyons full output will no longer be required. As a result, we will not seek to relicense the facility beyond 2025 pending approval of the joint energy proposal. Importantly, this proposal recognizes the value of GHG-free nuclear power as an important bridge strategy to help ensure that power remains affordable and reliable and that we do not increase the use of fossil fuels while supporting Californias vision for the future. Supporting this is a coalition of labor and environmental partners with some diverse points of view. We came to this agreement with some different perspectivesand we continue to have some different perspectivesbut the important thing is that we ultimately got to a shared point of view about the most appropriate and responsible path forward with respect to Diablo Canyon and how best to support the strategy vision. Tony Earley, PG&E Corporation Chairman, CEO and President PG&E is forecasting a 33% reduction in energy sales post-2030 in a high CCA scenario. CCA allows cities and counties to purchase and/or generate electricity for their residents and businesses. Click to enlarge. Key elements of the joint proposal. Under the terms of this Joint Proposal, PG&E will retire Diablo Canyon at the expiration of its current Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) operating licenses. The parties will jointly propose and support the orderly replacement of Diablo Canyon with GHG-free resources. Recognizing that the procurement, construction and implementation of a greenhouse gas free portfolio of energy efficiency, renewables and storage will take years, the parties recognize that PG&E intends to operate Diablo Canyon to the end of its current NRC operating licenses, which expire on 2 November 2024 (Unit 1), and 26 August 2025 (Unit 2). This eight- to nine-year transition period will provide the time to begin the process to plan and replace Diablo Canyons energy with new GHG-free replacement resources. PG&E will immediately cease any efforts on its part to renew the Diablo Canyon operating licenses and will ask the NRC to suspend consideration of the pending Diablo Canyon license renewal application pending withdrawal with prejudice of the NRC application upon California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approval of the Joint Proposal Application. PG&E said it does not believe customer rates will increase as a result of the Joint Proposal because it believes it is likely that implementing the proposal will have a lower overall cost than relicensing DCPP and operating it through 2044. Factors affecting this includein addition to lower demanddeclining costs for renewable power and the potential for higher renewable integration costs if DCPP is relicensed. The parties to the agreement are jointly committed to supporting a successful transition for DCPP employees and the community. PG&Es DCPP Retention Program will provide, among other things, incentives to retain employees during the remaining operating years of the plant, a retraining and development program to facilitate redeployment of a portion of plant personnel to the decommissioning project or other positions within the company, and severance payments upon the completion of employment. PG&E has reached agreement on these benefits with IBEW Local 1245 and will immediately engage in bargaining with its other labor unions to ensure appropriate benefits for represented employees. In addition, the Joint Proposal includes payments by PG&E to San Luis Obispo County totaling nearly $50 million. The proposed payments are designed to offset declining property taxes through 2025 in support of a transition plan for the county. Agreement contingencies. The Joint Proposal is contingent on a number of important regulatory actions, including: At EVS29 in Montreal this week, Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard announced that a fast-charge corridor will be completed along Highway 20, one of Quebecs busiest corridors. The Premier was joined by Hydro-Quebecs President and CEO, Eric Martel, the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and Minister responsible for the Plan Nord, Pierre Arcand, and Jacques Daoust, Minister of Transport, Sustainable Mobility and Transport Electrification. The Electric Circuitthe largest public charging network in Quebechas signed agreements with the Belle Quebecoise restaurant in Daveluyville as well as the Tim Hortons in Laurier Station, which will each install a fast-charge station for electric vehicles. These charging stations are in addition to those already in service in Sainte-Julie, Drummondville and Levis. A sixth charging station will be available this fall at the St-Hubert restaurant in St-Hyacinthe. Later this year, a second phase of Highway 20 electrification will be completed between Quebec and Mont-Joli, with the addition of fast-charge stations in Montmagny, Riviere-du-Loup, Trois-Pistoles and Rimouski. Charging stations are already in service in La Pocatiere and Mont-Joli. The charging stations will be manufactured by the Electric Circuits supplier, Quebec-based AddEnergie. Quebec has set a target of having 100,000 electric and hybrid vehicles registered in Quebec by 2020. The Electric Circuit is a major initiative providing the charging infrastructure required to support the adoption of plug-in electric vehicles in Quebec. The network comprises more than 670 public charging stations, including 32 fast-charge stations, in operation across 16 Quebec regions. Since its launch in March 2012, 145 private and institutional partners have joined the Electric Circuit, and the network now has more than 8,300 members. Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman & CEO Dr. Oh-Hyun Kwon unveiled Samsungs vision for Human-Centered IoT, including a strategy to spend $1.2 billion over 4 years for US-based Internet of Things (IoT) R&D and investments. This will be led by the Samsung Strategy and Innovation Center, Samsung Global Innovation Center and Samsung Research America. Vice Chairman Kwon delivered this news in a speech at a Samsung-hosted forum in Washington, D.C entitled Internet of Things: Transforming the Future. In his keynote, Vice Chairman Kwon offered industry and policymakers two principles in addition to a human-centered approach: to be open and collaborative. He also warned that sector-specific regulations would inherently fragment the development of IoT, impeding devices and platforms from connecting to each other. As the IoT ecosystem is by nature connected and interwoven, collaboration is vital to promoting this level of openness and interconnection. In this vein, Vice Chairman Kwon urged attendees to pursue cross-sector dialogue and partnerships, and announced Samsungs role as a co-founder of the newly launched National IoT Strategy Dialogue. The Dialogue, to be hosted by the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), will design a National IoT Strategy as a tool to inform policy makers on enabling the technology to deliver benefits for individuals, communities, innovators and the US economy. The event was part of Vision for Tomorrow, Samsungs recently launched public affairs platform for cross-sector collaboration around issues affecting the policy dialogue in the US and around the world. The Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute is the ninth manufacturing hub awarded by the Obama Administration. The President also announced the launch of five new manufacturing hub competitions, which will invest nearly $800 million in combined federal and non-federal resources to support transformative manufacturing technologies from collaborative robotics to biofabrication of cells and tissues, to revolutionizing the ways materials can be reused and recycled. At an event in Washington, President Obama announced that the Smart Manufacturing Leadership Coalition (SMLC) will lead the new Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute, in partnership with the Department of Energy. The winning coalition, headquartered in Los Angeles, California brings together a consortium of nearly 200 partners from across academia, industry, and non-profits to spur advances in smart sensors and digital process controls that can significantly improve the efficiency of US advanced manufacturing. With the new competitions underway, the Administration is on track to meet the Presidents goal of a National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI) of 15 institutes underway across the country before the end of his Administration. The Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute will focus on accelerating the development and adoption of advanced sensors, data analytics, and controls in manufacturing, while reducing the cost of these technologies by half and improving the efficiency of US advanced manufacturing. In addition, the newly announced manufacturing innovation institute topics now under competition include: Robotics in Manufacturing Environments Manufacturing Innovation Institute. In collaboration with the Department of Defense, the newest manufacturing institute will focus on building US leadership in smart collaborative robotics, where advanced robots work alongside humans seamlessly, safely, and intuitively to do the heavy lifting on an assembly line or handle with precision, intricate or dangerous tasks. People collaborating with robots has the potential to change a broad swath of manufacturing sectors, from defense and space to automotive and health, enabling the reliable and efficient production of high-quality, customized products. Advanced Tissue Biofabrication Manufacturing Innovation Institute. In collaboration with the Department of Defense, the Institute will pioneer next-generation manufacturing techniques for repairing and replacing cells and tissues, which may one day lead to the ability to manufacture new skin for soldiers scarred from combat or to produce life-saving organs for the too many Americans stuck on transplant waiting lists today. The Institute will focus on solving the cross-cutting manufacturing challenges that stand in the way of producing new synthetic tissues and organssuch as improving the availability, reproducibility, accessibility, and standardization of manufacturing materials, technologies, and processes to create tissue and organ products. We expect collaborations across multiple disciplines; from 3D bio-printing, cell science, and process design, automated pharmaceutical screening methods to the supply chain expertise needed to rapidly produce and transport these live-saving materials. Modular Chemical Process Intensification (MCPI) Institute. In collaboration with the Department of Energy, the Institute will fundamentally redesign the process used for manufacturing chemicals, refining fuels, and producing other high-value products by combining many complex processing stages into one simple and streamlined step. Process intensification breakthroughs can dramatically shrink the footprint of equipment needed on a crowded factory floor or eliminate waste by using the raw input materials more efficiently. For example, by simplifying and shrinking the process, this approach could enable natural gas refining directly at the wellhead, saving up to half of the energy lost in the ethanol cracking process today. In the chemical industry alone, these technologies could save more than $9 billion annually in process costs. Reducing Embodied Energy and Decreasing Emissions (REMADE) in Materials Manufacturing Institute. In collaboration with the Department of Energy, the Institute will focus on reducing the total lifetime use of energy in manufactured materials by developing new cradle-to-cradle technologies for the reuse, recycling, and remanufacturing of manmade materials. U.S. manufacturing consumes nearly a third of the nations total energy use annually, with much of that energy embodied in the physical products made in manufacturing. New technologies to better repurpose these materials could save U.S. manufacturers and the nation up to 1.6 quadrillion BTU of energy annually, equivalent to 280 million barrels of oil, or a months worth of that nations oil imports. Industry-proposed Institutes Competition. Leveraging authorities from legislation passed with broad bipartisan support in Congress, the Department of Commerce has launched the first open topic institute competition. This competition is open to any topic proposed by industry not already addressed by a manufacturing innovation institute. At least one institute will be awarded using FY2016 funds, and one or more will be awarded subject to the availability of additional funds. The open topic competition design allows industry to propose technology areas seen as critical by leading manufacturers to the competitiveness of US manufacturing. The Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute will also launch five regional manufacturing centers across the United States each focused on local technology transfer and workforce development. UCLA will lead the California regional center, in partnership with the city of Los Angeles harnessing the ability to tap the largest manufacturing base in the United States. Texas A&M University will lead the Gulf Coast centera region anchored in the chemical, oil and gas sectorsand Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) will lead the Northeast center, where glass, ceramic and microelectronic manufacturing has a strong presence. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory will lead a hub in the Northwest and NC State will spearhead a regional hub for the Southeast. To ensure that all American businesses, regardless of their size or potential resource limitations, have the opportunity to benefit from the institutes progress, the Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute will use an open-source digital platform and technology marketplace to integrate advanced sensors, controls, platforms, and modeling technologies into commercial smart manufacturing systems. The institute will also provide the manufacturing communities with easy and affordable access to real-time analytic tools, infrastructure, and industrial applications. Through the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation, the new Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute will partner with three existing manufacturing innovation institutes to pioneer technologies at the intersection of their unique capabilities. For example, the Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute will partner with IACMI to demonstrate the value of using advanced sensors in the production of carbon fiber and with PowerAmerica to showcase the energy savings of using advanced sensors in the production of new wide bandgap semiconductor circuit boards. Industry Partners: Aerospace Corporation; Alcoa; Analog Devices; ANSYS; ArcelorMittal; Autodesk; BASF Corporation; Bonneville Power Administration; Corning; Emerson Process Management; ExxonMobil; General Mills; Global Foundries; Google; KUKA Systems North America; Microsoft; Northrop Grumman; OSIsoft; Pfizer; Praxair; Rockwell Automation; Saint-Gobain; Southern California Edison; United States Steel Corporation; United Technologies Research Center; Medium: A&E Engineering Inc.; LanzaTech; Materia; SEVA; TowerJazz; Small: Able Industrial Products Inc.; Accurate Dial & Nameplate; Advanced Polymer Monitoring Technologies; Apex; APS Technology; Baja Designs; Banks Integration; Bonanza Associates; Citrine Informatics; EnerG2; Eon Reality; GMS Industrial Supply; Goodyear Rubber; Greenway Energy; HannahMax Baking; Industrial Automation Consulting; Infologic, Inc.; Information Systems Associates; Loman CSI-Consortium/Resource; Makai Ocean engineering; Martin Control Systems; Nila; Nimbis Services; One Cycle Control; Process Systems Enterprise Inc.; RES Group; Satelles: Savigent Software; Space Micro; Summertree Interiors Newport Cottages; SyncFab; ThinkIQ; Viewpoint Systems; VIMANA System Insights; Vinatech Engineering Inc.; VRCO; and many more small and medium-sized manufacturers. Local and State Organizations: California Chamber of Commerce; City of Los Angeles; Energy Trust of Oregon ; Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce; LAnSync, National Association of State Energy Officials; Oregon Department of Energy; PortTech LA; State Energy Conservation Office; State of California; State of Connecticut; State of Louisiana Board of Regents; State of Washington; Texas Workforce Commission Manufacturing Enterprise Program (MEP): California Manufacturing Technology Consulting (CMTC), North Carolina MEP , Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station; Investing in Manufacturing Community Partnerships (IMCP): Advanced Manufacturing Partnership for Southern California (AMP SoCal); Pacific Northwest Manufacturing Partnership ; Puget Sound Regional Council. Academic Partners and Research Institutes: yCommunity Colleges: (Brazosport, California Community Colleges (113), Chaffey; Irvine Valley; Lee, Long Beach City) California Institute for Telecommunications; Cal State U (Long Beach; Poly Pomona, Northridge); California Community Colleges Centers for Applied Competitive Technologies; Clemson U.; Georgia Institute of Technology; Idaho National Laboratory; Jet Propulsion National Laboratory; Lamar U.; Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory; Louisiana State U.; Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Michigan Tech Rail Transportation Program; Michigan Technological U.; Missouri U. of Science & Technology; Montana Gallatin College; Montana State U.; MontanaTech; National Energy Technology National Laboratory; National Renewable Energy Laboratory; North Carolina State U.; Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Oregon State U.; Pacific Northwest National Laboratory; Pennsylvania State U.; Purdue U.; Purdue U. Calumet; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; Rochester Institute of Technology; Rutgers School of Engineering; San Diego Supercomputing Center; Savannah River National Laboratory; Texas A&M University; Tulane U; SUNY Buffalo; U. of California (Berkeley, Irvine, Los Angeles); U. of Connecticut; Louisville; Massachusetts; Southern California; Tennessee Knoxville ; University of Texas (Austin; Rio Grande Valley); U. of Virginia; Virginia Tech; U. of Washington Clean Energy Institute; Washington State U.; West Virginia U. Independent Associations and Scientific Societies: American Foundry Society; Alliance to Save Energy; American Council for An Energy Efficient Economy; American Iron & Steel Institute; American Society of Quality; Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology; Council on Competitiveness; EWI; Gas Tech Institute; Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Associations; North American Die Casting Association; North American Process Technology Alliance; National Center for Manufacturing Sciences; Oregon BEST; SME; Southwest Research Institute; Steel Founders Society of America; Northwest Food Processors Association. Established institutes. The established manufacturing innovation institutes are: America Makes, the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute (Youngstown, OH) Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute (Chicago, IL) Lightweight Innovations for Tomorrow (Detroit, MI) Power America (Raleigh, NC) Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (Knoxville, TN) American Institute for Manufacturing Integrated Photonics (Rochester, NY) Next Flex, the Flexible Hybrid Electronics Manufacturing Innovation Institute (San Jose, CA) Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (Cambridge, MA) The institutes have attracted nearly 1,000 companies, universities, and non-profits as members of the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation. The Federal governments commitment of more than $600 million to the nine awarded institutes has been matched by more than $1.2 billion in non-Federal resources from across industry, academia, and state governments. Already, these investments are generating wins for US manufacturing: To you guinea pig lovers who read Steven Doyles article (Guinea pig not a real bargain for $5, June 11), do not despair. That article was the raving of an individual with one brain cell working. Guinea pigs are delightful animals. They are social, interact well with humans and know the voices of their caregivers. Guinea pigs are very easy to clean up after despite what the writer says. Another bit of misinformation by the writer: Their lifespan is longer than two years. It is four to six years. My girlfriend and I have owned guinea pigs for more than nine years and have found them to be loving pets with their own personalities. My advice to Steven Doyle: Get your facts straight before writing about guinea pigs or any other subject. Otherwise, your future articles will have no apparent use. Well except for lining guinea pig cages. Steve Styers Greensboro A business launches in America every 60 seconds, according to the Brookings Institution. Every 80 seconds, one fails. Only about half of newly established companies last five years or more and about one-third survive 10 years or more, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports. The statistics are daunting, but dont be discouraged by them, Daymond John says. Instead, put your time and energy into digging in and fighting for your startups survival right out of the gate. Its OK to have a healthy sense of paranoia, the FUBU founder told Entrepreneur, but only enough to fuel the fire to keep going, get better and survive. Related: Daymond John's Top 7 Tips on How to Launch Your Product Like a Shark We recently caught up with the multi-millionaire marketing mogul on the set of Shark Tank in Culver City, Calif., where he shared the top three basic steps you can take to help your business succeed in the sink-or-swim startup game. 1. Tap your network to your advantage -- for free. People have many individuals around them who they can barter and trade with at the beginning of their business that they dont leverage to their advantage. Were talking tapping into other peoples marketing, mind power and momentum, even other peoples manpower. Cross-promote with others in the industry you operate in. It goes both ways. You promote them and they promote you. Its mutually beneficial and it doesnt cost a thing. 2. Crush your social media marketing. Absolutely study and dominate social media. Make social media 99 percent of your priority. There are about 15 social platforms that you can go onto to acquire customers and/or see what they like and dont like, or, more importantly, to know what your competition is doing and learn off of them. Thats an education thats yours for the taking, for free. Social media marketing is really, really important. I even do it myself today, every single day. Be all over Twitter and Snapchat. Make it happen to build up your business. Related: Shark Tank Star Daymond John Says This Is the Biggest Branding Mistake of All 3. Build infectious brand ambassadors. All you need are one or two infectious advocates of your brand to take your startup over the top. Get your brands fans excited to be part of a movement and theyll spread the word about you for free. Feed them. Give them information and even free product, if you can. Give them a special moment with you that they can snap a pic of and share all over social media. Once theyre part of your brand tribe, believe me, theyll do the promoting for you. Its amazing. Not sure what we're giggling about here. Press junket day = a blur. Thankful for my trusty recorder. #SharkTank A photo posted by Kim Lachance Shandrow (@lashandrow) on Jun 20, 2016 at 10:22am PDT For more of Johns advice for startup success, check out the Shark Tanks Season Eight premiere this Fall on your local ABC station. The date and time it will air is yet to be determined. Related: Copyright 2016 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved GREENWICH Far up North Street, well above the Merritt Parkway near the New York border, Virginia Barrett surveyed the pieces in her art gallery and discussed her efforts to keep the place going against difficult odds. I need all the help I can get, she said. I moved here, the first two years were terrific because we had that grocery store, but as soon as it moved out it was, uh uh. Isnt that sad? False advertising? Photo: Starbucks A judge has weighed in on one of the two big lawsuits Starbucks is facing over its drink sizes, and its not good news for the coffee giant: U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson writes that hes letting the plaintiffs move forward with their class-action suit because he finds it probable that a significant portion of the latte-consuming public could believe that a Grande contains 16 ounces of fluid (what Starbucks says is the volume of its medium size). Starbucks had asked for the suit to be dismissed, but the chain couldnt demonstrate the alleged fraud was implausible as a matter of law, to quote Hendersons legalese. He did water the complaint down a bit its now five claims instead of eight, and he threw out the request for injunctive relief but, otherwise, miffed California latte drinkers Siera Strumlauf and Benjamin Robles will have their day in court. In the suit, they accuse Starbucks of conspiring to underfill drinks by at least 25 percent. Consistency is of course a hallmark of a good coffee shop, and thats where they think they caught Starbucks red-handed, arguing that all baristas are instructed to measure and aerate milk in such a way that intentionally underfills drinks. Part of their claim is that 12-, 16-, and 20-ounce lattes hold exactly those amounts only if theyre filled to the brim, but baristas are told to leave a quarter-inch space at the top. Whats bad for Starbucks is that this is a test any Starbucks-goer can conduct themselves just pop the lid and look at the drink level. In fact, after the lawsuit came out, the Today show did exactly that and bought grande lattes from half a dozen New York Starbucks locations. The show said none of them contained 16 ounces, and one actually measured 12 ounces, effectively a size tall. Starbucks called Todays test unscientific, and a rep reiterated on Monday that theyre ready to take on this meritless lawsuit in court. They also insist baristas will gladly remake beverages anytime the customer isnt satisfied assuming, of course, the customer wants to be the type who complains about a missing quarter inch of milk. [Guardian] From underground hip-hop to ballroom. Photo: Camilo Fuentealba Most of the citys raves have moved beyond secret, underground, drug-fueled bangers (we recommend checking out after-hours parties for those vibes), so weve scoured the scene to collect the weirdest and best pop-up parties where music and dancing always come first. The Absolute Best 1. GHE20G0TH1K Secret location in Brooklyn The best parties spawn movements. Case in point: GHE20G0TH1K, which began in 2009 in small bars and random locations throughout the Lower East Side and Brooklyn chosen by Inwood-born Venus X and her friends; it also hatched Hood by Air, the radical darling of the fashion world. The movement eventually got too big for the parties, and Venus put them on hold, but just this year GHE20GOTH1K returned with a biweekly event. The music is disparate, bouncing from underground hip-hop to Chicago juke to bachata to ballroom, and the DJs are often local talent like MikeQ of Fade to Mind and Rizzla, who helped found KUNQ: Queer, punk, c*nt, crunk, with special guests like Total Freedom, whose harsh club sounds helped define the movement and a whole new genre of electronic music. Of course, they also invite up-and-comers who fit the aesthetic, like Awful Records Tommy Genesis, who just played her first New York show at GHE20G0TH1K. Fridays (twice monthly), 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; $10 to $13 2. The VS parties Various locations; vsparties.com Let us refer you to our most recent Best of New York issue: Pop-up hip-hop parties arent new to the city. But while Henny Palooza is limited to serving only Hennessy cocktails, and Grits & Biscuits just plays southern-trap tunes, the VS Saturday-night parties offer a more universal appeal. Promoter Clarence Fruster launched the roving series (its been held at the Roxy Hotel Tribeca and Irving Plaza) with DJs with big names like Talib Kweli as well as locals like Austin Millz spinning hour-long versus sets think Beyonce versus Rihanna, Drake versus Meek Mill, and old-school Bad Boy versus Roc-A-Fella that elicit plenty of grinding and yaaas of approval from the crowd. A $15-to-$30 cover charge gets partygoers an hours worth of an open bar sponsored by top-shelf liquors like 1800 Tequila and Ciroc. At a recent party, a Jay ZversusKanye West set concluded with a preview of Wests new album, The Life of Pablo, the night before it officially dropped. The crowd went wild. Dates and times vary; $15 to $30 3. Holy Mountain Slake, 251 W. 30th St., nr. Eighth Ave.; 212-695-8970 While Id prefer to put Ladyfags massive warehouse event Shade on this list, it hasnt happened in about a year, so were going to have to go with her monthly Holy Mountain. Inspired by the 1973 Alejandro Jodorowsky film of the same name, the party takes place in a club with three floors, four rooms, and at least eight DJs throughout the night, each catering to a different sound from house to techno to 90s hip-hop. There have been live performances from Missy Elliott protege Sharaya J and tarot-card readings in a room next door, while hosts like New York nightlife icon Sophia Lamar and younger faces like LaFem Ladosha fill the house with a diverse, mostly gay crowd. They all know Ladyfag is rave royalty, and thats reason enough to show up. Monthly (days vary), 11 p.m. to 4 a.m.; $10 to $15 4. Mixpak x Tryna Function Trans Pecos, 915 Wyckoff Ave., nr. Weirfield, Ridgewood Sort of like a baby GHE20G0TH1K and drawing a similar crowd, this joint rave from Greenpoint-based record label Mixpak and party-throwers Tryna Function is strictly about the music. For a single event theyll unite like-minded acts from around the world; they recently paired dance-hall artist Chi Ching Ching from Jamaica and Gaika from Brixton (who recently covered the cult taste-making music magazine Wire) in a Ridgewood all-ages club to demonstrate that certain sounds are, in fact, universal. Saturdays (monthly) 10 a.m. to 4 a.m. or later; $15 to $20 5. Coke Yacht Circle Line Cruises, cokeyacht.com Its a rave. On a boat. This one is backed by Rinsed, who have been throwing some of the citys most extravagant high-concept techno raves since 2011. Last year they started by renting out a Circle Line ferry boat, reinforcing the sound system, scattering blow-up dolls (Rinsed is known for their decor), and basically turning it into a Bushwick warehouse on the water, while playing classic disco and dance like Whitney Houston, Diana Ross, and Donna Summer. It returns this summer, and although it starts earlier than your typical rave the boat takes off at 8 p.m. and returns at 12 a.m. that just means theres no awkward early stage of the party. Things get serious right as the boat sets sail. Various dates, 8 p.m. to midnight; $10 to $30 After a minor hiccup with the launch last month, it appears Android Pay is now working normally within the UK. Yes, you can already shop at quite a few locations using the platform, including big names like KFC and BP and there are already a handful of banks on board with card support. However many people likely need to be informed and given incentives to use Android Pay's new functionality in order for it to pick up. As part of its media campaign to promote the payment gateway, Google has also launched a new promotion program. Cleverly named Android Pay Day, the idea behind it is to offer UK adopters special offers and promotions each month on the Tuesday before a pay check. The initial batch goes out today and includes a deal at Starbucks and one at Deliveroo. The former is a buy one Frappucinno, get one free, white the latter can get you GBP 5 off your first order or GBP 2.5 on your next one (codes ANDROIDPAY5 and ANDROIDPAY2.5 respectively). If you happen to live in the UK and even if neither offer catches you eye, now would still be as perfect a time as any to give Android Pay a swing. You can get it on the Google Play Store or via the source link. It will also be interesting to see which companies support the initiative in the future and how long Google manages to keep it up. Source | Via Like many other Chinese OEMs, Huawei has always had its own approach to Android. Its home-grown EmotionUI ROM has been enjoying quite a bit of popularity recently and now it appears it is due for a big change. According to industry sources, Huawei has been working on a new major upgrade to the OS - version 5.0 which will allegedly bring an entirely new UI, one closely resembling stock Android. Considering the current EMUI 4.1 build as well as most of its predecessors, this will constitute a major shift for the company, which has traditionally opted for more advanced and complex menu structures and navigation schemes. According to Li Changzhu, head of Huawei mobile division, this new-found push towards simplicity in the interface is done to resonate better with Western customers. However, Mr Changzhu also reassures fans that this will not come at the expense of functionality or customizability, which play an important role in EMUI. EmotionUI 5.0 is expected to come some time in Q3 2016. This will probably coincide with IFA 2016 in Berlin and in all likelihood, a new Mate device will be unveiled as the ambassador for the OS as well. Source (in Dutch) These are the best offers from our affiliate partners. We may get a commission from qualifying sales. The Samsung Galaxy C5 and Galaxy C7 went official a month ago and at the time, it was heading only to China. This exclusivity didn't last and now the FCC has certified both, suggesting the C-series will land in the US. Of course, this isn't officially official, so details like launch date and price are unclear. Considering the C5 and C7 are similar in specs to their A5 and A7 counterparts, I'll guess the prices will be around $320 and $380 respectively. Source 1 Source 2 | Via Haiti - Politic : D-Day for Jocelerme Privert It's this Tuesday at noon at the Legislative Palace that should will hold a session in National Assembly https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-17768-haiti-flash-convocation-of-the-national-assembly.html to decide on the extension or not of the mandate of Jocerlerme Privert whose Provisional President's mandate expired on June 14, but continues to assume the presidency of Haiti de Facto, pending Parliament's decision. Although it seems, according to Abel Descolines, the First Secretary of the Office of the Lower House, that the various political blocs of the two chambers would have no objections to the holding of the Assembly, no one ventures to assert that there will be quorum when the time comes. At the positions of parliamentarians, things have not evolved in both chambers and elected officials remain divided between those who wish to see Privert stay until 2017 and those who want him to leave and be replaced by the Prime Minister. Rumors, speculation and informations that is difficult to know if they are true or serve those in power, evoke a majority in favor of maintaining Privert to the head of State. Other more moderate sources speak of division in the group and parliamentarians still undecided in their vote, for the opposition, there is no doubt, that the rejection of Privert will prevail... It is hoped that whatever the merits or the reasons given for one side or the other, the higher interests of the Nation prevail, while in a few hours of the possible holding of the National Assembly, doubts persist all along the line. SL/ HaitiLibre Published on 2016/06/20 | Source Movie "Familyhood" director Kim Tae-gon gave an unreserved compliment on the actress Seo Hyun-jin, who is working with him currently. Advertisement On June 20, director Kim Tae-gon met OSEN reporter in a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Seoul and revealed his thoughts about Seo Hyun-jin. He said, "Whenever I saw Seo Hyun-jin, I thought she is an actress with skills and knowledge". He also talked about casting Seo Hyun-jin for his movie, "When she was filming with us, it was before she did "Another Miss Oh". When I heard she was going to do a drama, I said 'hope it will turn out well' and it actually turned out to be daebak". The director smiled happily. He continued on, "When we had a meeting with Seo Hyun-jin, what I was wondering was if an actress who used to play a leading role in a romance drama would play a role as a mom with two children. It wouldn't be an easy decision but she accepted the offer without hesitation. When we were selecting the concept for her costumes, we prepared pretty clothes. But she chose the humble clothes and said actual moms wear these clothes. We were quite surprised". The director also said, "When she was playing mom, there's nothing weird or awkward about her acting. I thought she was an actress with a truly wide range of acting" and "Also, when something becomes differently even slightly during script reading, actors usually get confused. But Seo Hyun-jin could change her voice tone acting instantly. It was a good surprise. It's only possible for actors who are prepared. I thought she has accumulated skills and knowledge as an actress. Kim Hye-soo also complimented Seo Hyun-jin a lot on the filming set". Login or sign up to follow actresses, movies & dramas and get specific updates and news Login Sign Up New Ad-free Subscriber Login Email Password Password Username Your E-mail will only be used to retrieve a lost password. Stay logged in Help By Jesse Wood When Sara Bartlett turned 16 years old, her father, David Bartlett, owner of The Speckled Trout in Blowing Rock, told her to jump in the car. Saras birthday surprise was waiting for her down the mountain. On the short drive, Sara fell asleep before waking up at the Hickory Regional Airport to her father saying, You are going to go flying today. Oh boy, she exclaimed. Before then, Sara had never really thought about flying. But here on her 16th birthday she was picking between a Cessna and a Piper Cub airplane for her first incentive flight. She selected the Piper Cub, which in retrospect she thought was crazy because it was the oldest plane out there. That first flight eight years ago was mind-blowing and she hasnt looked back since. I just came back awestruck, said Sara. I was so excited and so into it. Today, she is a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Air Force. Recently commissioned, Sara graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, which Time Magazine once dubbed the Harvard of the Sky for its specialization in aviation education, this past May. After starting out as a clueless cadet at risk of being kicked out of ROTC at Embry-Riddle for being an unambitious college student, Bartlett began to take a serious approach to life and her education. In her time in ROTC, Bartlett persevered through the ranks to become one of only 42 people in her class of 300 to be commissioned. On top of that, she was one of only three women in her class to be commissioned. Both of Saras parents, David Bartlett and Marybeth Dandrea, are obviously excited that Sara found her calling and pursued it through lifes ups and downs. I am tickled pink that she is happy, Bartlett said. Yes. I am a proud daddy. During his childhood, Bartlett said he was never exposed to much of anything, so he felt inclined to introduce her to visceral moments like flying a plane. I wanted her to have confidence and experience things that I never experienced, Bartlett said. And you know, the main reason was I knew she would love it. Mom, of course, is just as proud of her daughter. I think its amazing, Dandrea said. I am just really happy for her and the opportunity. But as moms are wont to do, Dandrea was hoping for something more like a desk job. In fact, Sara was initially on track through ROTC and Embry-Riddle to specialize in unmanned aircraft systems, one of four positions that cadets are shuffled into based on a variety of criteria. While Sara enjoyed the culture and camaraderie of the Air Force, in the back of her mind, Sara wanted to fly planes from thousands of feet up in the air. She wanted the calm, exhilaration of the birds eye view. She wanted to be a combat systems operator and not control a drone from a remote location. Two weeks prior to being commissioned and prior to graduation, Sara received the phone call she was hoping for. Headquarters called down and offered to bump her up from unmanned aircraft systems to the more-coveted combat systems officer. I got that phone call and was over the moon, Sara said. She said shes going to be a navigator like Goose in the 80s flick, Top Gun. She wont be controlling the fighter plane, but shell be in the air organizing missions and communicating with the fighter pilot and other aircraft in the vicinity. As the summer continues, Sara will head to Pensacola, Fla., to learn how to fly in the United States Air Force. Depending on the particular plane shell be instructed to learn, Sara said she will be learning to fly or even better, getting paid to learn to fly for at least the next 2 years. She hopes to fly either a F-15e or any variation of the C-130. Born and raised in the High Country and a graduate of Watauga High School, Sara said the best decision she made was to attend a school hundreds of miles away. She also said she didnt let other peoples preconceived notions alter her horizon, and she didnt let fear hold her back. If you let yourself be scared of everything, you wont do anything, Sara said. I think a lot of it is you just gotta jump. That and being surrounded by a supporting cast of family and friends. Thank you mom and dad and awesome family and friends, Sara said. Share this: Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pocket (HedgeCo.Net) The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that two California-based municipal advisory firms and their executives have agreed to settle charges that they used deceptive practices when soliciting the business of five California school districts. An SEC investigation found that while School Business Consulting Inc. was advising the school districts about their hiring process for financial professionals, it was simultaneously retained by Keygent LLC, which was seeking the municipal advisory business of the same school districts. Without permission, School Business Consulting shared confidential information with Keygent, including questions to be asked in Keygents interviews with the school districts and details of competitors proposals including their fees. The school districts were unaware that Keygent had the benefit of these confidential details throughout the hiring process. Keygent ultimately won the municipal advisory contracts. This is the SECs first enforcement action under the municipal advisor antifraud provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act. This unauthorized exchange of confidential client information could have given Keygent an improper advantage over other municipal advisors that were candidates for the same business, said Andrew Ceresney, Director of the SEC Enforcement Division. The Dodd-Frank Act prohibits this type of deceptive behavior by advisors when dealing with municipal issuers. School Business Consulting also is charged with failing to register as a municipal advisor. These laws apply not only to municipal advisors, but also those who solicit business on behalf of municipal advisors, said LeeAnn Ghazil Gaunt, Chief of the SEC Enforcement Divisions Public Finance Abuse Unit. Municipal entities should be able to trust that their selection of a municipal advisor is untainted by any breach of fiduciary duty. Without admitting or denying the findings in the SECs orders instituting settled administrative proceedings: School Business Consulting agreed to a censure and a $30,000 penalty. The firms president Terrance Bradley agreed to be barred from acting as a municipal advisor and must pay a $20,000 penalty. Keygent agreed to a censure and a $100,000 penalty. Keygents principals Anthony Hsieh and Chet Wang agreed to pay penalties of $30,000 and $20,000 respectively. In its foreign and security policy, Finland must prepare for rapid and even unpredictable changes in its operating environment; we don't have the option or desire to isolate ourselves, Timo Soini (PS), the Minister for Foreign Affairs, stated while unveiling the report on Friday. We cannot rule out the possibility that military force or the threat of such force is employed against Finland in light of the security situation in our adjoining territories, concludes a foreign and security policy report drawn up by the Finnish Government. The deterioration of the security environment is according to the report largely attributable to the challenges faced by Europe: terrorism, radicalisation and uncontrolled migration. The report calls attention to the importance of establishing regular political dialogue and practical co-operation with Nato. Finland, the report states, will continue to participate in the exercises and training activities organised by the defence alliance on the basis of its own interests. While carefully monitoring the developments in its security environment, Finland maintains the option to seek Nato membership. Finland is also intent on enhancing its co-operation with Sweden, according to Soini. Sweden is of particular significance for the bilateral co-operation of Finland, confirms a press release from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Finland's foreign and security policy and defence co-operation with Sweden is wide-ranging, and it is promoted on the basis of shared interests without any limitations. The United States is another key partner in regards to international issues. The United States' commitment to Nato and its military presence in Europe will according to the press release remain vital for both the security of Finland and stability of Europe. Finland, the report also assures, will do its utmost to maintain a dialogue on international, regional and bilateral issues with Russia. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Mikko Stig Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi Finland is the new sick man of Europe. And the Netherlands [] is doing slightly better than Italy but significantly worse than France and Portugal, he writes in his blog for the New York Times . The locus of trouble is moving from the southern parts to the northern parts of the eurozone to countries that do not even begin to fit the stereotype of lazy southerners, estimates one of the most distinguished economists in the world, Paul Krugman. Finland and the Netherlands, he acknowledges, should not be compared directly against each other as the problems in the former country stem from the downfalls of Nokia and the forest industry, and those in the latter from a burst housing bubble. The overall point is that when things go wrong there's no good answer, says Krugman. So maybe the woes of the euro reflect a bad system, not moral failure on the part of troubled nations. BMI Research, a research firm headquartered in London, has similarly voiced its concerns about Finland by reminding that the country is expected to lag behind the rest of the euro area and Nordics in terms of gross domestic product. Reforms aimed at tackling structural economic issues dampen near-term growth, it states in its country review. These same reforms, which aim to boost labour market flexibility and cost competitiveness, will also be insufficient alone to boost long-term growth. BMI Research also points out that the risk of a political crisis remains real in Finland. Economic problems will weigh on support for the coalition government, implying that coalition unity will be hard to maintain, it warns. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Martti Kainulainen Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi TV presenter Cassie Stokes has received vile homophobic hate mail since joining the Xpose team. The Dundrum native joined the TV3 line-up in April, filling in for long-time star Karen Koster while she is on maternity leave. But she was left shocked after she received some offensive post from one hate-filled viewer. "I recently got some homophobic hate mail into TV3. I have no idea who it was from, it was on a postcard," Cassie told the Herald. "They didn't sign their name. They definitely had strong feelings towards gay people." The anonymous viewer told the 28-year-old she would have to wear the label of being gay forever, but Stokes explained she does not let homophobic comments bother her. Hurt "There were a few things about, 'you will have this label on your back forever' and I was like, 'really? Because I feel like I am wearing that label very proudly on my front'," she said. Although the TV star was not hurt by the comments, she worried about the impact that person might have on any gay people they might know. "It didn't hurt me as much as it would hurt your family or something like that. "This person is irrelevant to me, but they could be quite relevant to someone that is in their neighbourhood who is gay." Fine Gael TD Jerry Buttimer said nobody should have to put up with the abuse that the TV host received. "She should not have to be subjected to that type of vitriol," he said. "The reason why we have events like Pride is because the work is not finished. It's unacceptable that anybody should be subjected to abuse like that." Brian Sheehan, director of the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network, slammed the abuse as "shocking" and unacceptable. "The abuse that Cassie received is shocking, and yet it's a daily reality for many LGBT people. "All right-thinking people in Ireland will be horrified that someone would be targeted for who they are. Nobody would condone this kind of abuse." Grand Marshal of Dublin Pride and former spokesperson for LGBT Noise, Max Krzyzanowski, pointed out that discrimination against gay people in Ireland is still all too common. "Something that has been revealed in study after study is that people who are the most homophobic, 85pc of the time they are wrestling with same-sex attraction because they have internalised the negative opinions of LGBT people in society," he said. "They very often turn it outward into aggression on other LGBT people who have had the courage to come out. "I think there's every possibility that the author of that postcard fits that bill. "I worked in Panti Bar before and I have seen homophobic violence up close. Most straight people are surprised to learn how frequent these incidents are," he added. Despite the abuse, Stokes said she was focused on how far societal attitudes towards LGBT people have come. "I guess there's still a little bit of hate out there but we are doing amazing things and again it comes back to one day it won't be such a big deal," she said. Terrible Stokes also had her say on the recent shooting in Orlando, Florida, where a crazed gunman opened fire in gay nightclub Pulse. The incident, taking place on June 12, left 50 dead and a further 53 injured. "I think everyone was affected by it in some way," she said. "It was terrible, really upsetting. No matter who it happens to, it's so upsetting. It was a hate crime." Stokes was speaking at the Dare To Be Different Style Awards at Bulmer's Live at Leopardstown. Other judges at the event include Lisa Fitzpatrick and Lorraine Keane. Dublin City Buskers, which represents most buskers in the city, say the new rules on performers could be difficult to enforce Dublin buskers say they are confident that a complete ban on the use of amplifiers by street musicians will not be passed. Dublin City Buskers, which represents most buskers in the city, say the new rules on performers could be difficult to enforce. Roibeard O'Cadhain, a spokesman for the group, said plans to ban amplifiers have been "on the table" since 2014, and said they had been rejected by councillors in the past. "It brings up issues of enforcement," he said. "If someone is on the street with an amplifier, it's Dublin City Council who made the rule, but it's An Garda Siochana who have to enforce it. "It becomes very messy. But at the moment we are working with the city council, and we look forward to the results of the council vote." Mr O'Cadhain also pointed out that many performers are unable to play their genre of music without an amp. He also called many of the busking by-laws in place "unworkable", suggesting that the council should instead look at introducing further decibel limits and reduce the time allowed for one performance. Decibel Councillors previously rejected calls for an amplification ban, choosing instead to lower decibel limits. But in a report, DCC management state that those limits have only been partially effective and "extremely difficult to enforce". In the report, Assistant Chief Executive Brendan Kenny notes that 83pc of the 238 public submissions received on revisions to the by-laws complained about noise levels. He also indicated that an amp ban could allow the council to relax restrictions on performance times, locations and the number of permits that can be granted. The decision will go to a meeting of councillors and members of the Arts Committee, which takes place today, before it goes to a full council meeting next month. A woman has avoided prison after she admitted harassing a former family friend for two months over some "mild school banter" between their young daughters. Aisling McCann (34) began making anonymous silent phone calls to the victim from a blocked number last September. Over the next two months she harassed the woman by sending anonymous emails insulting her daughter and telling her to keep away from her children. She would also order food online and have it delivered to the woman's house and ordered taxis to pick her up at home. McCann, of Oaklands Park, Swords, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to nine charges of harassment on various dates between last September 11 and 22. Gda Sgt Gerry Holland told Tom Neville, prosecuting, that the harassment grew out of some "very mild school banter" that was taken out of proportion by McCann. Judge Melanie Greally noted that McCann was going through a difficult and vulnerable stage in her life. Instead of confiding in family members she was trying to manage her stress by drinking alcohol. Remorseful Judge Greally said she was suspending a 12-month prison sentence after taking into consideration the woman's lack of any other convictions and her early guilty plea. When gardai went to McCann's house last December she owned up. Sgt Holland told the court she was completely remorseful at that time. He said the harassment stopped immediately after gardai confronted her. Before it was traced to McCann, the harassment caused the victim fear and was very distressing to her and her family. Sgt Holland said that the former family friendship was now severed and irrecoverable. Patrick Jackson, defending, said his client came from a decent family. He said they wished to thank the garda sergeant for his sensitivity in dealing with the matter. He told the court the two women's daughters had been friends and that McCann's daughter told her mother about some "very innocent innocuous comment". Counsel said McCann was drinking at the time and was under stress because her family home was in negative equity. Sgt Holland said she had made the calls and sent the emails from her own smartphone and it was easy for gardai to trace them back to her. Homeless man Jonathan Corrie, who was found dead only metres from the Dail, died of a "multi-drug overdose". An inquest yesterday into his death heard how the father-of-two had been sleeping rough on the streets of the capital and was killed by a drug and alcohol mixture. His body was found on a doorstep near the Dail on December 1, 2014, and his death led to a public outcry. Dr Christian Gulmann, a pathologist at the Dublin city morgue, said there was no evidence of hypothermia and believed Mr Corrie's death was caused by a multi-drug overdose. Sophie Pigot, a worker in a nearby bank, told Dublin Coroner's Court that she was walking to work when she noticed a man lying on the steps of a doorway on Molesworth Street in an "uncomfortable position" at around 8am. "I put my hand on his back to see if there was a reaction," she told the court. She immediately ran across to the Dail reception and told the garda who was on duty that there was a man in trouble and that she was not sure if he was alive. Ms Pigot said the garda told her he could not leave his post outside Leinster House but would radio the information to his colleagues. Syringes "I ran back over and touched his wrist, I was pretty sure he was not alive," she said. "I went across to Buswells Hotel and I said, 'A man has passed away outside, please may I have a table cloth to cover him?', and I went out and covered him." Gda Jennifer Keyes, from Pearse Street Station, told the court she arrived on the scene with Gda Eoin Cooper after reports of a sudden death. She said she discovered Mr Corrie face down and it quickly become apparent he was dead. She said three doctors' letters were found with details of the deceased alongside a sleeping bag, a rucksack, small items of clothing, 50 and two syringes - one empty and one filled with blood. Gda Keyes said their investigation learned that Mr Corrie "would normally sleep in that doorway" in the weeks before his death. She said CCTV cameras do not cover the area of the street where Mr Corrie was found dead, and they were unable to narrow down when he went to sleep. In a statement to the court, Mr Corrie's mother, Jean, said she learned of her son's death when Irish Independent reporters contacted her. She said she adopted him when he was 11-months-old and he ran into difficulties in his late teens with incidents of petty crime. The court heard he went to Dublin for drug addiction treatment. Elaine Hughes with a picture of her son Darren, who tragically took his own life in 2012 Online abuse and bullying must be outlawed and severely punished under new legislation, says a mother whose teenage son took his own life. Elaine Hughes (42) said vicious bullying messages were found on her son Darrens mobile phone after his death. I would have printed the messages and brought them to the gardai if Darren had only told me, said Ms Hughes, speaking at her home in Swords. New laws are needed with severe punishments to stop online abuse and bullying. Her call comes as a number of politicians including Dublin West TD Joan Burton have spoken out about the effects of abusive posts on social media. Darren Hughes-Gibson was just 17 when he died. His body was found at Stephenstown Industrial Estate in Balbriggan, Co Dublin, on August 23, 2012. Gardai have received 2,500 pages of deleted messages from Darrens Facebook account following an application to US authorities by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). The garda investigation into his death is continuing. Online bullying is horrific and is affecting a lot of youths today. Its very prevalent. Its easy to sit behind a computer and say whatever you like. Its very cowardly and its vicious, said Elaine. Punishment Darren was threatened with pure violence. I couldnt believe what I saw on his phone ... they told him theyd break his legs and that he should go and die. She said Darren had been bullied throughout his life because of the colour of his skin and because he wore a hearing aid. The teenager was living in New Haven Bay, Balbriggan, when he received the abusive messages. People who do things like that need to be brought to justice. The law needs to be changed to adapt with the times, she said. If theres no punishment to those who do it, theres no reason for them to stop. The DPP needs a law addressing this type of abuse and bullying. Elaine called on politicians to bring in the new laws that are needed. It needs to stop, she added. Darrens inquest hearing last January was told that gardai agreed to send a sample of the complaints arising from the Facebook messages to the DPP to progress the case. A Facebook spokesman said the company encourages law enforcement agencies to follow our guidelines to help take their cases forward. Former Labour leader Ms Burton told the Herald she is very concerned about the impact of abusive social media messages on teenagers. If social media is important to them they can feel very isolated, she added. Simple rows and falling out with friends could be elevated by copying some of the abusive material online in the sense that people might begin to think that somehow or other this is acceptable. Id like to see the social media companies taking responsibility for protecting people from hate speech. Ms Burton said many politicians particularly women had received such abuse. She believes that the companies should filter out abusive language and that there should be measures put in place to tackle serial offenders. Social media has done an awful lot of very good things. It would be an awful pity if what has become a fantastic platform of communication was to become abused for evil purposes, she said. Tom Moran, owner of the Red Cow Hotel, is seriously ill in Spain A top hotelier is fighting for his life after being placed in an induced coma following a fall in Spain. Tom Moran - who owns the Red Cow Hotel on the Naas Road in Dublin - is in hospital in Malaga after suffering head injuries while attending the wedding of Charlie Chawke's daughter. Sources have confirmed the father-of-seven fell after the chair he was sitting on slipped off a ledge. Mr Moran was admitted to hospital in Marbella with internal bleeding before being transferred up the Costa Del Sol to Malaga. Members of the popular businessman's family travelled from Britain and Ireland to be at his bedside this week, and are maintaining a constant vigil. Born in Athea, Co Limerick Mr Moran was in Spain for the wedding of publican Charlie Chawke's daughter Jenny to partner Rory Burgess. While Mr Moran's family remain by his side in Spain, messages of support have been flooding in from Limerick people, many of whom were at last weekend's wedding. Another source said that Mr Moran's family remained "very worried". Mr Moran - a former Limerick GAA sponsor - previously owned hotels across Britain. He sold the bulk of his group - which comprised Bewley's Hotels - to Dalata in a 455m deal. However, he held on to the landmark Red Cow property. Mayor of Limerick Liam Galvin, who is based near Mr Moran's home of Athea, said the whole of Limerick was wishing him a speedy recovery. "The people of Limerick are 100pc supportive of him," he told the Limerick Leader. "He has been more than generous with his time and money when it comes to the GAA in Limerick. I think for the whole community in Limerick, especially the GAA community, Tom is in their thoughts and prayers." injuries Meanwhile, St Munchin's College in the Limerick suburb of Corbally tweeted: "We extend our best wishes to Tom Moran to whom we wish a speedy recovery." Mr Moran's hotel once sponsored the college's rugby team. Mr Moran is the second high-profile Irishman to suffer serious injuries in Spain this month. Garda Ombudsman Commissioner Kieran Fitzgerald remains in an induced coma in northern Spain after slipping off a wall and falling onto rocks two weeks ago. Mr Fitzgerald, from Glin in Co Limerick, had arrived in the country to meet up with his wife and son. Taoiseach Enda Kenny will meet with more groups from the north inner city about rebuilding their area in the wake of gangland crime. This is expected to happen "over the next couple of weeks", Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe has said. Mr Donohoe was speaking after a meeting between the Taoiseach and public representatives from the Dublin Central area yesterday. This focused on the interventions that need to be put in place to help communities there. The Government's plans on the matter are expected to be made known before the Dail recess. "In relation to the need for local employment, we are going to have more economic activity in the north inner city than we have seen for many years," Mr Donohoe said. "We see the development of a local apprenticeship programme as being part of how we deliver that." Tanaiste and Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald, who was also present at the meeting, emphasised the importance of community policing. "Right now we need to have the level of intensive policing which is happening in the inner city. That has to continue," she said. "Community policing will be developed right across the country and that is more possible as we bring more garda recruits into Templemore." She said some representatives were concerned that there was a risk of north inner city areas being seen "in a very stereotype way" after the "ruthless murders". Demand "There are wonderful services in the area but there are clearly long-term issues, particularly around education and housing and supports for vulnerable families. "The drugs issue is a very complex one across the whole country. There is a demand for drugs and we have to look at who is buying the drugs as well. "That is a national conversation to be had," she added. The best Penn State personality? Check out what the punter did now ... This domain has expired. If you owned this domain, contact your domain registration service provider for further assistance. If you need help identifying your provider, visit https://www.tucowsdomains.com/ India is treating the Seoul plenary as one more step in a long diplomatic journey into the heart of the Nuclear Suppliers Group. New Delhi is not certain if it will succeed in its goal of becoming a member before the end of 2016, but believes circumstances require India must try now. The immediate Chinese plan is not to let the NSGs Seoul meeting to even take up the question of Indias membership on June 24, say sources familiar with negotiations. Washington, however, is known to be working overtime in Indias favour. New Delhi, for its part, is seeking to lower domestic expectations about NSG membership and dilute the medias portrayal of this as an India vs China battle. This would make it easier to work towards a consensus within the NSG on Indian membership. Foreign minister Sushma Swaraj has already spoken to her counterparts in 23 countries and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is taking up NSG membership at his meetings at the highest level. Eventually this will include President Xi Jinping as well. Indias strategy towards China is to soft pedal in areas of sensitivity to Beijing. There was no mention of the South China Sea in the last India-US joint statement and no reference to freedom of navigation in Swarajs annual presser on Sunday. Calculating that much of Chinas opposition to Indian membership is driven by its desire not to anger its ally Pakistan, India is not raking up the proliferation record of its neighbour. Thus Swaraj on Sunday said India, as a non-NSG member, doesnt have any view on new members joining the grouping if they have the right credentials. This more or less echoes the position India took in 2008 when it was seeking an exemption from NSG sanctions. Its calculation then, as it is now, was that Pakistans nuclear proliferation was so appalling that Islamabad would find no takers among the other NSG members, other than its allies China and Turkey. The Modi government, nonetheless, has surprised many by going full out for NSG membership though success is not guaranteed. The prime minister believes India has reached a point in its development that it should no longer fear foreign policy failure. If India sees an opportunity, New Delhi should be prepared to seize it even if there are risks involved. NSG membership has always been an Indian policy goal as its current exemption runs a risk of being overturned if China or another unfriendly regime comes to dominate the NSG. It would also help allay concerns of overseas buyers if India is to become an exporter of reactors and nuclear components, a Modi goal that parallels similar plans by his predecessor Manmohan Singh. The decision to push for NSG membership this year came about when President Barack Obama agreed to work the phones on behalf of India. At the very least, this would lock down US support for Indian membership with a Hillary Clinton presidency. In the case of a Donald Trump presidency, New Delhi has no idea what to expect on NSG membership, in which case making a push under Obama made even more sense. Obamas support helped make Indias entry into the Missile Technology Control Regime painless, even though it was a technology regime long seen as beyond Indias reach. That alone is being seen in official circles as an accomplishment that has made the present policy drive worth doing. NSG is the larger prize but one that will be a greater test of Indian diplomatic mettle and one that may not be held to just 2016. Read | China not protesting our NSG bid, only talking of procedure: Swaraj Why NSG membership matters to India: All you need to know China can push Indias NSG bid, but there are riders: State media opinion piece The district hospital in Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhans home district Sehore is in a pathetic state where one bed is shared by three patients, reveals HT Teams reality check. Shockingly, the hospital, which is hardly 35 kilometres from Bhopal, has no ventilators, attendants, incubators and other basic equipment to handle emergencies. Senior doctor BK Chaturvedi said this was the reason why all accident and complicated cases were referred to Bhopals Hamidia hospital. District collector Sudam Khade attributed this to over a years delay in the construction of a new hospital for the district. He said the 250-bed new hospital, which is primarily a trauma centre, would be inaugurated within 20 days. With new infrastructure and greater space here, things will definitely get better, he said. However, the overcrowded district hospital seems to be an open invitation to infections and other risks. The maternity ward is identified by inconsolable cries of newborn babies in the absence of a hospital attendant. Even the air conditioners in the ICU are lying defunct. The condition of the female and children wards was the worst. One bed catered to three patients at a time with none of the 37 doctors on duty could be seen visiting the wards. This ward has two nurses who have to attend to over 100 patients a day. The district hospital has six ambulances. But, only two can be used for the general patients. The rest are meant for pregnancy cases under the Janani Suraksha scheme. Health ministers backyard too lacks facilities The sick newborn care unit (SNCU) of the district hospital in Datia, the constituency of state health minister Narottam Mishra, lacks ventilators, a reality check by HT team reveals. An on-duty doctor requesting anonymity said, The SNCU has 20 beds, but we have to manage the pressure by adjusting the radiant warmer, a specially designed bed for newborns, on a twin-sharing basis. The trauma centre functions only on paper, as all accident cases are referred to either Jhansi or Gwalior in the absence of a neuro-surgeon or a specialised doctor, he said. The hospital is also facing shortage of doctors, as out of 41 sanctioned posts, only 17 were appointed. Similarly, against 52 sanctioned posts of medical officers, 46 were appointed. Civil surgeon Dr MS Pansari, an orthopedist and responsible for the trauma centre, said more than 300 drugs were available. Jabalpur: No end to patients suffering The Seth Govind Das Hospital, formerly known as Victoria Hospital the district hospital in Jabalpur has only two ambulances and both are ill-equipped. Of the two ambulances, one ambulance is engaged on VVIP duty most of the time. A social worker, Manish Sharma, said, I raised the issue before the health department but no action was taken. Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, during his visit to Jabalpur in 2008, promised to upgrade the district hospital to 500 beds from the existing 350 beds. However, not much has been done in this direction. Against the sanctioned 27 posts of doctors, only 14 doctors are currently working. The Phaco machine used for cataract eye operations has also been lying unused for more than one year as no trained doctor is available to run the machine. Hospital civil surgeon Dr AK Sinha said, We have written several times to the health department asking them to purchase new ambulances. The cost of repair of the apheresis machine is around Rs 1.50 lakh and the power to sanction funds by the civil surgeon is Rs 50,000 only. So the machine could not be repaired. Interior designer Sussanne Khan, who heads her own designing firm, is calm as a river. Despite all the turbulence in her life, she moves forward focusing on her path to hard work. Actor Hrithik Roshans ex-wife was recently in news because of reports of an FIR filed against her in Goa for an alleged fraud. On a call from London, she says that the complainants action is false, motivated and preposterous. The case against her Despite all the reports of the FIR, Sussanne says she is calm. I was in London for four days for the Coldplay concert. The kids are with Hrithik (actor Hrithik Roshan, ex-husband) in Mumbai. When on Sunday, I heard all this, I thought Oh my god so many people in the worldactually the concert helped me understand better that I dont need to get affected by crap, they are not doing well themselves, they pull you down. But you learn from this and move ahead. A news report claimed Sussanne Khan had been booked by Panaji police in an alleged Rs 1.87 crore cheating case by Emgee Enterprises accusing her of falsely projecting herself as an architect to secure a contract with a company. Everything is out there... Its just a waste of time. When you are in a company which is delivering great work, there are lot of people around you who try belittle you, malign you and pull you down. I am a working woman who is a single mother, and I will not be affected by crap, she says. I am a working woman who is a single mother, and I will not be affected by crap, says Sussanne Khan. Hrithik is completely with me I am blessed I have a huge family, I have strong support, I dont have any fear. I am blessed with calmness, when you are calm you can think clearly, she says. And when asked she replies, Hrthik (Roshan) is totally with me and he supports me completely. Read: Hrithiks ex-wife Sussanne booked for fraud worth Rs 1.87 crore in Goa: Report Hrithik (actor Hrithik Roshan, ex-husband) is totally with me and he supports me completely (on the matter, says Sussanne Khan. (HT Photo) Explaining her side of things, she says, Our contract states that we were hiring talent or an architect to work on the project which I was heading as a creative director. All that, the contract clearly states.. there was not even one percent doubt that we were hiring, there was no misconception in his mind. I never ever said that I was the architect We were there as a company, a design company. Read: Sussanne Khan opens up about her divorce with Hrithik Roshan And now he is targeting her because, He is trying to attack me just because I have already put a case against him, in 2015. This is a counter attack. He tried to malign my company by making it look like we didnt deliver whatever was to be delivered in the right time. So we filed a case for the dues, because the design of everything (the architecture, the interior planning, etc) was supplied to him. He was supposed to give us a certain amount. According to the contract which was agreed upon by both the parties, whether or not the execution happens, that part was supposed to be given to us. He didnt do that . And he tried to get out of the contract by calling my company unprofessional. That really got me upset and thats the reason I put a case on him! Read: Sussanne Khan on fraud case: Claims against me false, motivated Now he is trying to bully me. He never expected the case to come on him. Our legal notice, I think, made him very upset. He thought he could bully me being an individual who is a single, working mother, probably he thought my company is not strong enough or he could pressure me. He didnt realize that the backing I have with my family, my clout, my standing in my own right and because of my work, I wont be bogged down. He thought he could get away with it. He even tried to defame and malign me verbally, which I got to hear about, she says. This little tactic wont scare me But she wants to set example for all single working mothers. All that accumulated very strongly in mind, I decided to stand up for myself. I am a very strong woman and I will not allow anyone to wrong me. Our case on him was a reaction. This little tactic of his to scare me wont work because the truth is out there I have done nothing wrong. I have done everything abiding by professional ethics. My lawyers are already working on it, and I will file cases on against him, he is trying to defame and malign me. Read: Hrithik Roshan will always be my son: Sussannes mom Zarine I will fight for all the working women However, she says, she isnt angry or scared. I am not scared. Why should I be scared! This is a part and parcel of when you are a famous person and when your company is working doing well. I now understand that people can be malicious. You have to stand up and fight back. But you cant be angry, because the minute you get angry you cant think very clearly. I think very clearly, when I know what the right way is - the best way forward for me is to be blatantly correct. I will not bogged down, I will take him to court for trying to defaming me. He cant bully me, or any other working woman, because this will be set as an example for every single working woman, who understands what it means to work hard, and if someone tries to put them down they will fight for themselves. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Chief of CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification) Pahlaj Nihalani, who has been in the news for the Udta Punjab censor controversy, has now spoken out on the troubles Jacqueline Fernandezs Dishoom song is facing. Nihalani has said that religious sentiments in India are fragile and filmmakers must be more sensitive. The Sikh community had reportedly complained regarding the use of a kirpan-like dagger as an accessory on Jacquelines short outfit in the song Sau Tarah. Read: Now Jacquelines Dishoom song is offensive to Sikhs Reacting strongly to the objection, Nihalani, who has been drawing the ire of the filmmaking community, said: Would Indias new champions of freedom of expression who feel filmmakers must be allowed to show and say anything they like, have a solution to this? In India, religious sentiments are fragile and sensitive. They can easily get hurt and cause severe physical hurt to people at large. And people whose religious sentiments are affected are far more vigilant than we at the CBFC can ever be, he added. Read: How CBFC made Udta Punjab bleed Nihalani recommends the presence of religious scholars and specialists when censoring films with sensitive religious content. But what to do when songs and dances violate cultures and religious codes? Filmmakers must also be sensitive, he said. The complaint, penned by the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, says that Jacquelines act makes a mockery of the sacredness and respect of the religious symbols of kirpan. Watch the song Dishoom producer Sajid Nadiadwala and lead actor Varun Dhawan have already clarified that the accessory used is not a kirpan but an Arabic sword. Follow @htshowbiz for more Pakistani censor board today gave a green signal to the release of Indian movie Udta Punjab here after suggesting more than 100 cuts to remove objectionable and anti-Pakistan content from the film, which had already run afoul with Indian censors. All 10-members of the CBFC have unanimously allowed Udta Punjab to be released after editing objectionable content, said Mubashir Hasan, the head of Central Board of Film Censors (CBFC) in Pakistan. Hasan said almost every dialogue had offensive words so they asked for major cuts in the Punjab-set drug drama. Read: Udta Punjab review: Shahid, Alia, Kareena, Dijit live up to all the hype We have cut all derogatory and offensive words/dialogues and anti-Pakistan content from the film. More than 100 cuts, mutes, beeps have been suggested to the films distributor. Once he will complete the editing as per the requirement of the board, it will again be presented before it for final approval, said Hasan. The Abhishek Chaubey-directed movie, starring Bollywood A-listers Shahid Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Punjabi star Diljit Dosanjh, had run into trouble with the Indian censor board which demanded 89 cuts from the movie. Read: Udta Punjab: Nothing reforms society as entertainment Not to ready to relent, the producers moved the Bombay High Court against the board to get their film cleared for its scheduled release on June 17 while also gathering support from Bollywood. The court passed the movie with just one cut and a revised disclaimer. Earlier, the five-member panel of the board declined to pass Udta Punjab for screening in Pakistan, citing objectionable content but Hasan said they later decided to give it conditional approval. We had not banned this movie. On the appeal of the distributor the full board sat together today and gave conditional approval for its screening here, Hasan said. Watch: Shahid Kapoor in the title song of Udta Punjab He said the board never compromises on anti-Islam, anti-Pakistan and anti-society contents in a film and bans it forthwith. Udta Punjab does not fall in that category. We have asked the distributor to delete those scenes which even slightly refer to Pakistan and words like 786 (which refers to Bismillah) and words Maryam. The films distributor is likely get the content edited in Dubai in a day or two before presenting it again before the CBFC for final approval. Udta Punjab is likely to be screened across Pakistan this weekend, the distributor said. Follow @htshowbiz for more. Barely seven months out of Nestles half-a-billion dollar Maggi debacle, Suresh Narayanan, chairman and managing director of the Swiss packaged foodmakers India unit, is putting his best foot forward. Nestle is launching more than 25 products across categories. If you look at it, it is the biggest single-window launch for Nestle, in a short span of two-three months, Narayanan said. Maggi remain crucial for Nestle. So, the company is adding four new spicy variants, two flavours of cup noodles and one without onion and garlic, Narayanan said. The new variants are aimed at getting a higher market share. Before the food regulator banned Maggi, Nestle held 77% of the instant noodles market. The ban resulted in the largest recall in the history of Indias packaged food business, where 27,420 tonnes of Maggi was destroyed. After the relaunch in November, Narayanan said, Maggi has cornered back 55.5% of the market. Still, almost three-fourth of the new products are in other categories Greek yogurt with 70% more protein, three new flavours of iced tea, a new masala tea, filter coffee, new range of chocolates, a milk product for kids and three ready-to-drink beverages. For Narayanan, however, the bigger challenge is rivals one being Godman-turned-entrepreneur Ramdev with his Patanjali brand of products, which expects to double its revenue to Rs 10,000 crore this year. Narayanan is not unnerved by Patanjalis growth. Competition is good We will play to our strengths, he said. Brokerages, too, looked positive about Nestles comeback. Nestle is gradually getting back to double-digit sales growth, mainly led by volumes, according to a Motilal Oswal equity report on Nestle India. It also pegged the revenue growth for the next two years at about 16% each year. We are here to stay The journey has just begun, Narayanan said. In 2015, the food and beverages market was worth Rs 2 lakh crore, and is expected to touch Rs 3.8 lakh crore by 2017. Of that, Narayanan is looking at a modest Rs 20,000 crore by 2020, almost 2.5 times of what Nestle made in 2015. Ahead of Thursdays referendum on Brexit, Indian information technology industry body Nasscom called the event a defining moment in Indias relation with Britain and her European neighbours. Irrespective of the outcome of the referendum, this is set to be a defining moment in the relationship between UK and its European neighbours, but the emergent configuration could end up being a defining moment for Indo-UK economic relations as well. How, and to what extent it will impact Indian IT companies in the region will become fully clear only after the dust settles on the referendum, a statement from Nasscom said. In its detailed analysis of the two possible outcomes, Nasscom said that the immediate fallout on the IT industry in India would be the impact of any possible decline in the British pound, which would render many existing contracts losing propositions unless they are renegotiated. Decisions regarding large projects could get postponed till clarity on the terms of exit crystallise. Furthermore, any negative impact on the British economy in terms of slower growth or worse, could reduce opportunities for Indian companies in UK, the statement said. The flip side of Britain exiting EU in the longer run, could lead to strengthening of Indo-UK economic relationship, as Britain seeks to compensate for loss of preferential access to EU markets. With the existing 800 Indian companies (IT and other sectors) employing 110,000 individuals in the country, a deeper partnership with India may be in Britains interest. This could work to the benefit of the IT sector in India, since UK accounts for about 17% of Indias IT exports worldwide. Britain choice to exit the EU would also mean that the country would cease to be Indian IT sector s gateway to the larger European market, which would also impair free movement of Indian IT staff within the continent. However if Britain votes to remain, then the current uncertainty would abate with the return of stability in markets and the value of the pound. Business certainty would be restored, though much would depend on Cameron s final deal with the EU. If Britain votes to leave the European Union on Thursday, it will be the culmination of decades of half-hearted and often hostile relations with neighbouring countries. The countrys rocky ties with the EU are rooted in its island history and defiant sense of independence. Some Britons still recall with pride that they were last successfully invaded in 1066. The countrys resistance to the Nazis in World War II is also central to British identity, particularly for older voters. Britain has never really internalised the European project because of its very different history during the 20th century -- it is less frightened of the consequences of leaving, Robert Tombs, a history professor at Cambridge University, told AFP. Politicians at Westminster have also pursued an often two-faced approach to the EU, complicating the relationship even further. One face is a hostile, sceptical and largely domestic one that has helped drive euroscepticism in Britain, said Tim Oliver of the London School of Economics. The other face, largely seen in Brussels, is a constructive, engaging one that has seen the UK shape the EU in a large number of ways. Opinion polls suggest the Remain and Leave camps are neck and neck, leaving Britains future in the EU hanging in the balance. Also Read | Britains newspapers take sides in EU referendum debate Pragmatic decision to join Britain initially stood back from post-war efforts to foster European unity, with senior figures believing that its foreign policy goals were best pursued through its empire. But as the empire declined and Britain watched trade flourish on the continent, it applied to join the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1961, four years after its creation. French president Charles de Gaulle twice vetoed its efforts, but Britain eventually joined in 1973. Labour prime minister Harold Wilson called a referendum on membership in 1975 to try and appease the eurosceptic, protectionist wing of his fractured party. He secured 67 percent support for staying in. European flags with the British Union Jack flag (R) fly in front of the European Parliament on June 9, 2016 in Strasbourg, eastern France. (AFP) Conservative leader Margaret Thatcher was a cheerleader for EEC membership, seeing it as a pragmatic decision to join a tariff-free trading bloc. But as prime minister from 1979 she was soon riling her European colleagues, demanding a rebate on Britains EEC contributions she eventually secured in 1984. She was also fiercely opposed to the blocs growing political integration, fearing the creation of a European super-state. Her visceral No! No! No! approach triggered her downfall in 1990. Also Read | Which way forward? Europe divided on post-Brexit path It also exposed deep fractures in the Conservative party on Europe, which completely handicapped the pro-European John Majors 1990-1997 premiership and remain unhealed to this day. Black Wednesday in 1992 saw the pound tumble out of the Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM) which had pegged it to the German deutsche mark. Then a Conservative rebellion through 1992 and 1993 nearly brought down Majors government over the Maastricht Treaty which turned the EEC into the European Union. Frustrations of membership In 1997, new Labour prime minister Tony Blair came into office wanting Britain to join the euro but met a wall of domestic opposition born of the scarring ERM experience. Since then, a standoffish, one-foot-in, one-foot-out approach has become the default position for successive governments. Britain remains outside the single currency and the border-free Schengen zone, two of the EUs defining pillars. Against a backdrop of restive Conservative backbenchers and core eurosceptic voters leaking away, Prime Minister David Cameron promised a referendum in 2013, aiming to resolve the issue once and for all. During the referendum campaign, Cameron has sold Britains place in the EU as a pragmatic marriage of convenience rather than a place where Britains heart lies. Also Read | Greexit, Alxit and Barxit? Three times the EU shrank In TV debates, he has repeatedly insisted that he is frustrated by the EU and wants to reform it but stresses that membership is good for Britains economy. He may have hoped that Thursdays referendum would clear up the ambiguity in Britains relations with the EU. However, few experts predict a clean divorce in the case of Brexit, which would trigger years of complex negotiations, or, if Britain votes to stay, a second honeymoon. Britain is voting on whether to become the first state to leave the European Union -- but a Brexit would not be the first time the bloc has shrunk. In the past, Greenland, Algeria and the island of Saint-Barthelemy have all made their way out of the EU and its precursors. Greenland The largest island in the world was a part of Denmark when the Nordic country joined the European Economic Community in 1973. After Greenland won extensive autonomy from Copenhagen, the government in Nuuk held a referendum on its place in the EEC in 1982. The out camp won by 53 percent, largely on the back of an anti-European mood fuelled by overfishing in Greenlands waters by industrial fleets from the EEC. Greexit from the EEC officially happened in February 1985. However, Greenland is still officially one of the Overseas Countries and Territories of the European Union and remains eligible for some EU funding under the EU-Greenland partnership. Algeria The North African country remained part of France after World War II. Algerian territories were organised as French departments and a direct part of France. Legally Algeria was therefore also involved in the European Economic Community, which was founded in 1957. After a bloody war of independence Algeria became a sovereign state in 1962 and therefore left the EEC. But for years afterwards Algeria remained in a grey area in relation to Europe and had largely unrestricted access to the European market. It was not until 2005 that the EU and Algeria signed an association agreement to formalise their relations. Pro-Brexit flags fly from a fishing boat moored in Ramsgate on June 13, 2016. (AFP) Saint-Barthelemy This small group of islands in the Caribbean used to be a commune of Guadeloupe, which is also a French department and therefore part of the EU. In a referendum in 2007 Saint-Barthelemy became a separate French administrative unit, and in 2012 it became an overseas territory, and as a result no longer part of the EU. But while the EU lost 25 square kilometres of prime Caribbean territory, the inhabitants of Saint-Barthelemy remain French citizens with EU status and can even use the euro as their currency under a special agreement. Also Read | Which way forward? Europe divided on post-Brexit path Also Read | Britains newspapers take sides in EU referendum debate With consumers moving towards online grocery stores, countrys fruit and milk supplier Mother Dairy is planning to launch an app. While the company has tied up with 10 e-tailers including Grofers and Big Basket to sell dairy products, fruits and vegetables, Mother Dairy is also making its own app to attract customers through daily discounts, cash backs, product availability details and special offers. We are trying to tap on the growing breed of consumers who believe in communicating through smartphone... The idea is to create an app that would allow consumer to know the offers of the day, new product launches, only for app products and discount coupons for say 5% to 10%, S Nagarajan, managing director, Mother Dairy told HT. However, we are still working on the plan and the idea would refine in coming six to eight weeks. Mother dairy sells around 35 lakh litres of milk per day. This year, Mother Dairy is expecting a turnover close to Rs 8,000 crore. We are witnessing growth of about 10% in sales month-on-month through e-commerce space. However, it merely contributes 0.5% to our total revenue. Our target is to generate at least 1% from online sales in a year or two, he said. The company is also set to tap the fast growing online grocery business for which Mother Dairy has tied up with about 10 e-tailers to sell dairy products, fruits and vegetables. Also, dairy major is tying up with payment wallets such as Paytm and SBI cash cards to facilitate easy transaction, both for consumers and retailers. The company has tied up with nine e-tailers - Big Basket, Grofers, AskMe Grocery, Sangam Direct, SRS Grocery, Just Buy Live, Innerchef, Grocermax and Orange E-Tokri - for sale of dairy products, ice-cream, frozen and fresh fruits and vegetables in different cities. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Nikesh Arora, who wrote fat cheques totalling nearly $3 billion for Indian start-ups such as Snapdeal and Ola since becoming president of SoftBank two years ago, is stepping down. He should be CEO of a global business, and I had hoped to hand over the reins to him on my 60th birthday, SoftBank chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son said in a statement. But I feel my work is not done. I want to... work on a few more crazy ideas. This will require me to be CEO for at least another five to 10 years. This is not a timeframe for me to keep Nikesh waiting for the top job. Last August, Arora spent $483 million to buy SoftBank shares as a measure of his commitment to his employer. He has sold those shares to Son, incurring a small loss. Masa 2 continue 2 be CEO for 5-10 years, respect that. Learnt a lot. Clean chit from board after through review. Time for me to move on. Nikesh Arora (@nikesharora) June 21, 2016 Arora had been under fire from some of SoftBanks unnamed investors, who likened his investment strategy to nothing more than throwing a dart at a dartboard, and talked about a conflict of interest since Arora is also an advisor to private equity firm Silver Lake. But SoftBank backed Arora to the hilt. An internal probe, whose results were disclosed on Monday, cleared Arora of all charges. Paytms founder and CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma looked worried on Twitter, saying: @nikesharora Why o why? Thats a big setback for Indian startup ecosystem. Best wishes and hoping even bigger impact next. Both Arora as well as Kunal Bahl, Snapdeals founder and CEO, tried to soothe Sharmas nerves. Going to continue to support the Indian startup ecosystem....cant change faith if you change jobs :)! tweeted Arora. Snapdeals Bahl, in an email to HT, dispelled fears of its business getting affected by Aroras leaving SoftBank: Nikesh has been a great supporter and mentor to our business. Softbank will continue to provide financial and strategic support to our company and the transition at Softbank will have no impact on our business. Bhavish Aggarwal, co-founder and CEO, Ola, expressed the hope that Arora will continue to be a source of support and inspiration to the Indian startup ecosystem. Nikesh is such a great friend, guide and mentor to me personally. I am sure he will continue to be a source of support and inspiration to the Indian startup ecosystem. I look forward to engaging with him in his role as an advisor to SoftBank in the time ahead. SoftBank as an investor, has played a key role in Olas growth story and we will continue to leverage the vast network and expertise that they bring to us as partners, in our mission of building mobility for a billion Indians, said Aggarwal. As an indication of the 48-year-old Aroras standing at SoftBank, Bloomberg data late last month showed his salary at $73 million a year, making him one of the highest paid executives in the world and putting him on a par with Apple CEO Tim Cook and Walt Disneys Bob Iger. No one was much surprised by Aroras salary; he was handpicked by Son as his successor from Google, where he had spent 10 years and was heading global sales. Arora will remain as an adviser to SoftBank, a role he assumes on July 1. This will allow me to think about my next move, he said. Europeans will have to struggle to drag the EU out of the doldrums after Britains vote Thursday, with a public hostile to further integration while Berlin and Paris are at odds over the way forward. Whatever the results of the British referendum on whether or not to quit the EU, heavyweights France and Germany -- both founding members of the bloc -- will find themselves under pressure to defend whats left of their vision for Europe. They may be forced to only pursue issues such as security, as enthusiasm for the bloc has eroded due to a morose economic outlook and as populist rhetoric gains ground. Attempting to maintain the status quo and remaining immobile would amount to political suicide, as the UK vote could push other countries to also seek their own referendum, warned the Institut Montaigne in France. But whats the next step? French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron has championed a common budget, parliament and a commissioner for the eurozone, as he told Le Monde that France would carry the initiative to avoid contamination from Brexit and to immediately launch a positive project for Europe. Berlin however sees it another way. In response to a Brexit, we couldnt simply demand further integration, said German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble in an interview with Der Spiegel. That would be clumsy. Many people would rightfully ask whether we politicians still havent got the message. Even if a Brexit is narrowly averted, he said, we would have to see it as a warning and a wake-up call not to continue with business as usual. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker also said the bloc would have to learn lessons not only from events in Britain but from the rest of Europe, and that pushing for more integration risks adding to the confusion. This euroscepticism is not only present in Britain, he added. The spectacular gains across the continent by populist eurosceptic parties, including in Germany, attest to that. I would be surprised to see from June 24 a major project targeted at boosting European integration, said a German government source speaking on condition of anonymity. Many countries are afraid of this subject because, at the moment, they have no support for such ideas among the public, the source added. Two activists with the EU flag and Union Jack painted on their faces kiss each other in front of Brandenburg Gate to protest against British exit from the European Union, in Berlin, Germany, June 19, 2016. (REUTERS) Focus on security For all the talk of the special French-German relationship, the two leading EU nations make an odd couple. Germany follows a liberal economic line, far closer to Britains than Frances, and preaches reforms and budgetary rigour while refusing to share in other countries debt burden. Paris, meanwhile, is struggling to keep its deficits within the EU limit, having trouble putting down resistance to reforms at home and baulks at giving a supranational entity more oversight over its budget. Today, we are blocked by two taboos -- a French taboo which is to transfer sovereignty, and a German taboo which is a financial and solidarity transfer. We cant progress without breaking them, said Macron. As a result, no French-German joint strategy appears to be close at hand. The Germans are afraid of finding themselves face-to-face with a weak France, said Dominique Moisi, from the French Institute of International Relations. There is no consensus on policies that can be adopted the day after. Even within the German coalition government, parties are not singing from the same hymnbook as some feel there should be a return of powers from Brussels to individual nations. Germany does not have a plan to follow because the government is divided on its post-Brexit strategy, said conservative daily Die Welt. Consequently, several sources believe that the EU partners would turn their attention to issues where there is greater consensus, such as security and defence. We are going to talk a lot about European defence in the coming months, a French government source said. There is a fairly large consensus on the fact that we can do more in the area of external policy and common European security, a German source said. Areas of work in progress include common missions abroad, progress in the sharing of production and military equipment purchase, as well as the creation of a real EU border police force. However, the big step towards a European army -- an idea championed by federalists -- is out of reach. Also Read | Sleepless in the City: London traders brace for referendum Should teachers come to school in jeans? The short answer is: No. Yet earlier this month, the Haryana government withdrew a perfectly legitimate order directing teachers not to wear jeans at work. Political correctness and media ridicule forced the administration to take back its notification. That was a big mistake. Instead of uplifting teaching as a profession, this further confirmed its lowly status; in fact, put a lid on it. Even in the United States, the Mecca of jeans, schools are not always happy when teachers walk in as if on a holiday, or a hike. There are several school boards, such as in New Jersey, Santa Ana, and Colorado, which have prohibited teachers from wearing jeans to class. There is good reasoning behind it; as most professionals go to office in formal work clothes, teachers should too. Otherwise it would be ridiculous; imagine a shabby teacher in jeans facing freshly bathed kids in clean school uniforms. Read | Two men held for throwing acid on 22-year-old teacher in Bhopal Red and romantic radicals should also note that in all portraits/busts of Vladimir Lenin, he is never shown without a suit and tie. Mao Zedong too was inseparable from his trademark jacket and Fidel Castro invariably wore his formal army gear to office. Exceptions, such as the casually attired Mark Zuckerberg or Steve Jobs can hardly be an excuse. They are billion dollar, elevated showmen, who must flash-dance to project their wares. On the other hand, check out photos of Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web, whose science made Apple, Google, and others, rich. You will nearly always find him formally attired with a necktie. Rare also would be a photograph of an open collared Albert Einstein or Bertrand Russell. This is actually quite the rule; most Nobel laureates, including our Amartya Sen, are always properly dressed in public. Its time then to bury the myth that an untidy look hides a brilliant mind. This is about as true as finding gold in sea water. Read | Teachers posted through random lottery in Assam When its all right for school teachers to be dishevelled in class, the message on the blackboard is clear. They dont care and nobody cares for them. They can scream out their demands, but they are not going to happen. To correct this drag, the Third Republic in France, as early as in the 1880s, made sure that all teachers wore dark suits to work. They were respectfully called les hussards noirs, or soldiers in black, not guerrillas in jeans. For the Third Republic leaders the logic was simple: If teachers looked respectable they would be respected. After all, these soldiers in black, in their dark suits, had an enormous task at hand. Their goal was to ensure that French children were as well, if not better, educated than Prussian kids next door. Ernest Lavisse, scholar-administrator of the Third Republic, believed that Prussia was militarily stronger than France because of their superior school education. On account of the prestige that soldiers in black received, French schools began to attract some of the best minds. It was not uncommon for bright, ambitious intellectuals to seek a job in a school, or lycee, after earning their doctorates. Names reel out: Emile Durkheim, Jean Jaures, Merleu-Ponty, Sartre, Claude Levi Strauss; they were all school teachers before they became world scholars. Read | Right to education in for a revamp It is this background that explains why professors in College de France are certified French celebrities. Their inaugural lectures are pencilled on many a Parisians calendar as a major must-be-seen-there event. On a more mundane level, French teachers, of all descriptions, are allowed gratis entry to museums. Why, some even get coupons that serve them free coffee and meals in select restaurants. Indian school teachers will never get there because they are not expected to. In fact, their clothes give the impression that they are forever in and out of pajama parties. It is not as if western clothes are the only formal option; a clean dhoti, a starched sari can equally evoke popular respect. This is because careful attention to office apparel, Indian or western, displays a certain rigour of mind and dedication to duty. Therefore, what one dons to work should never be too comfortable. It is interesting that formal clothes in western societies are bodily restrictive, though not quite thrombotic. But they pinch in all the wrong places, particularly when the wearers posture slackens. It is as if these outfits are designed to force the person to stay awake and remain attentive. Read | Domestic disputes, wrongful conviction: Super 30s Anand gets weird requests In fact, after the Meiji Restoration, the emperor of Japan ordered that only western suits be allowed at work. But a carefully worn dhoti or sari, or the so-elegant sherwani, can be quite uncomfortable too, that is, if you want to keep them looking neat. However, for that to happen, the person must know the why and the when of formal clothing. In Japan again, school teachers enjoy higher status than white collar employees in swishy private firms, and you will not find them wearing jeans. There are schools in that even insist on suits. Quite in keeping, Japanese teachers rank in prestige just after high court judges and corporate presidents. Rub your eyes on this one: A Japanese teacher commands more respect than a doctor and earns a starting salary higher than engineers. In India, on the other hand, a government school teacher gets around `20,000 a month and most of those in private schools are paid even less. As their social status matches their salaries and the clothes they wear, they are often the butt of ridicule. This also explains the popular joke where a lazy child is admonished with the question: Do you want to be a teacher when you grow up? Read | Campus politics to board exams: Highlights of education policy recommendations In the current context, perhaps the question needs to be reframed: Do you want to wear jeans to work when you grow up? Dipankar Gupta is an eminent sociologist and taught at JNU for nearly three decades The views expressed are personal SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police arrested two members of a West Bengal gang and seized fake Indian currency notes with a face value of Rs 3 lakh. The gang has been allegedly smuggling and circulating the fake Indian currency notes (FICN) allegedly printed in Pakistan. The police recovered the notes in the denomination of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 from the arrested men. Police said the notes were smuggled from Pakistan into India via Bangladesh. These notes were to be circulated in markets in Delhi-NCR and Punjab, police said. The arrested persons were identified as Vikas Kumar Sharma, alias Laddi, 36, from Patiala in Punjab, and Moti Lal Basak, 40, from Malda in West Bengal. A Hyundai Verna car used for smuggling had been seized, police said. PS Kushwah, DCP (special cell), said in April their team received information that a Malda-based gang circulated the notes in different cities across the country. Accordingly,a team was constituted under the supervision of inspector Sanjay Dutt to bust the gang. On Sunday, our team learnt that the gang members would assemble near Anand Vihar bus terminal to deliver a consignment of FICN. A trap was laid and two men were caught delivering a consignment of fake currency notes with a face value of ` 3 lakh, said Kushwah. He said during interrogation, they found out that Basak had allegedly received the notes from his mentors in Malda. They had told him to deliver the fake currency notes to a gang member in Delhi, said Sharma. NEW DELHI: A fresh complaint was filed with the Election Commission against 27 Aam Aadmi Party MLAs over office-of-profit charges on Monday. This complaint is different from the one against 21 MLAs filed last year after they were appointed as parliamentary secretaries to six ministers of the Arvind Kejriwal government. The latest complaint has been filed by a law student, Vibhor An and, against Somnath Bharti, Alka Lamba, Rakhi Birla, Ram Niwas Goel and others. He alleged the MLAs are all chairpersons of Rogi Kalyan Samitis (patient welfare panels) in various government hospitals and hold offices of influence. Calling the allegations frivolous, a Delhi government spokesperson said the Samitis, with MLAs as chairpersons, were first set up in Delhi as per a 2009 cabinet decision of the Sheila Dikshit government under the central governments health policy. The new appointees have only replaced the previous holders of the posts, he said. For something to count as an office of profit there has to be clear pecuniary benefit. An honorary post does not constitute office of profit, he said. The complainant, however, argues that even if the post does not carry any monetary benefit, it gives the MLAs influence. According to the complaint, the appointment of the MLAs amounts to holding office of profit because in the capacity of chairperson, these 27 legislators are in position of interfering in day-to-day administration of these hospitals. Eight of the 27 MLAs are also parliamentary secretaries. The complaint says that only the minister in-charge, local MP, president of the zila panchayat or hospital-in-charge can be appointed to the post of chairperson. NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court refused on Monday to put on hold the Centres notifications that declared blue bulls, monkeys and wild boars vermin, allowing them to be culled in three states. A vacation bench of justice AK Goel and justice AM Khanwilkar asked the petitioners animal welfare boards and rights activist to raise their concerns with the Centre. You make the representations. They will consider and take a decision. The authority is with the central government, the bench said, setting a July 15 deadline the next date of hearing for the government. The petitioners had on June 15 asked the court to quash the three notices that declared nilgai (blue bulls), monkeys and wild boars as vermin in Bihar, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, respectively. The Cent re s decisions to classify on state governments request the three animals as vermin put the spotlight back on conservation challenges in India where incidents of man-animal conflict are rising as wildlife habitat shrinks. Starting December 1, the environment ministry has issued three notifications. The most recent was on May 24 for some districts of Himachal Pradesh. The bench asked if the notifications applied to animals in their habitat. Absolute prohibition applies to habitat. You cannot hunt them down in their homes, it said. The order applied only to animals outside the forest area, the government s second senior-most legal officer solicitor general Ranjit Kumar told the court. Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, who appeared for one of the petitioners, referred to killing of Nilgais in Bihar and said, There are scientific ways to deal with such situations. Wild animals cannot be killed like this. The three states had complained they were struggling to pay farmers for crop losses and the growing animal population also posed a risk to human lives. Every year, crops standing in hundreds of acres are destroyed by animals looking for food. Efforts by people to protect their farmland often lead to fatalities on both sides. Senior advocate Anand Grover, appearing for animal rights activist Gauri Maulekhi, argued that the notifications were issued without any scientific survey. The vermin tag, he said, deprived the animals of the shield provided under the wildlife protection act. The animal welfare board too told the court that moving the animals from protected to vermin category has to be backed by scientific evidence. Recently, women and child development minister Maneka Gandhi, too, spoke out against indiscriminate killing of animals. Gandhi held her environment ministry colleague Prakash Javadekar responsible and said she could not understand the lust for killing animals. Javadekar defended the move, saying the culling was for scientific management of rising animal population. The state is no longer responsible for safeguarding the life and well-being of such animals. The indiscriminate killing of these animals will have a detrimental effect on the food chain and in turn lead to an ecological imbalance, the plea said. The Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre and Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisation are the other petitioners in the case. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON PATNA: When the world bends its back and twists to celebrate the healing powers of yoga on Tuesday, Bihar will be singing a completely different tune. Chief minister Nitish Kumar has decided not to observe Inter national Day of Yoga, apparently taking offence at the BJP-led central government cold shouldering his call for total prohibition in the country, an issue close to his heart. Instead, the state will observe the World Music Day, which coincides with the day the world celebrates the ancient Indian art. The Centre is spending huge money on promotion of yoga. It has converted yoga into a political akhara (wrestling ground), whereas the fact is that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is using it for self-branding, said JD(U) spokesperson Sanjay Singh. Bihar imposed prohibition in April and since then Kumar has been pushing the Centre and other states to follow suit. Kumars political rivalry with Modi is legendary. He broke off the JD(U)s years-old alliance with the BJP ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls after Modi was named the NDAs prime ministerial candidate. While Modi went on to become the PM, Kumar returned as CM after trouncing the BJP in last years assembly polls. His promise of imposing total prohibition paid rich dividends with women voters backing the alliance of the JD(U), RJD and Congress. Modi, on the other hand, takes pride in giving a global push to the ancient Indian practice of yoga. Last year, the United Nations dedicated June 21 to yoga. The Bihar unit of BJP said Kumars decision to skip yoga day was narrow minded. We (the NDA government) got yoga international recognition, but Nitish Kumar is indulging in petty politics by not organising any event. It only shows his bankruptcy, said senior BJP leader Nand Kishore Yadav. Though BJP will not organise any yoga programme, Union ministers Ravishankar Prasad, Giriraj Singh, Ram Kripal Yadav and Ram Vilas Paswan are expected to attend separate functions of different organisations, including Ramdevs Patanjali Yogpeeth at Gandhi Maidan in Patna. Kumar, however, has his reasons for linking yoga to prohibition. During a public rally at Palamu in Jharkhand on Sunday, he said yoga was irrelevant without a country-wide ban on liquor. Yoga is a natural treatment process, which liquor addicts cannot perform. However, the official music day celebrations will have nothing new, according to officials like every year, classical artistes will perform at a programme in Patna. We are not holding any function on yoga but are celebrating the World Music Day, which also falls the same day, said a senior officer of the art, culture and youth affairs department. The minister of the department, Shiv Chandra Ram, could not be reached for comments. World Music Day, which originated in France in 1982, celebrates accessibility to good music and the special bond it creates between people across geographical barriers. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON NEW DELHI: The Delhi government on Monday suspended three Delhi Jal Board engineers, including a chief engineer, following a surprise review meeting conducted by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. Sources said the chief minister warned the other officers in the review meeting for having failed to meet the deadline of several projects in their area. The three engineers were suspended as he received more complaints from their area. NEW DELHI: A Dalit worker of the Congress has accused party leader Ajay Maken of hurling derogatory and casteist abuses against him. The worker, Dharmpal Natkhat, also lodged a police complaint even as Maken rejected the allegations. Natkhat said he met party vice-president Rahul Gandhi at the Congress headquarters on Saturday and said that when his son died, Maken didnt bother to pay a visit . Gandhi promptly asked Maken to visit Natkhats home. Later, Maken, who is Delhi Congress chief, allegedly abused him for complaining to Rahul Gandhi. Natkhat claimed he has a video clip which Maken said was doctored. The tape (voice clip) is doctored. I am in politics for 34 years and I have never used such language against anyone and no one has ever accused me of using such language, PTI quoted Maken as saying. At the partys official briefing, Jairam Ramesh didnt want to respond. Dont trivialise the AICC briefing when we are talking of issues like Raghuram Rajan, FDI policy and NSG, he said. NEW DELHI: As the world celebrated Fathers Day on Sunday, the three daughters of New Delhi Municipal Councils (NDMC) deputy legal advisor, MM Khan, who was murdered last month, spent the day trying to get justice for their father. Twenty-four-year-old Iqra, Khans eldest daughter, wrote to the Prime Minister, demanding a speedy and unbiased probe into her fathers murder. We want our fathers murderers to be put behind bars and a speedy investigation. We belong to a middle-class family and the loss of my father has brought our lives to a standstill, Iqra said. In a letter to the PMO and attached to the Twitter handle, Iqra requested PM, Narendra Modi, to take all the necessary action that you can take as a countrys leader to give us justice. I request you to give me an appointment to discuss my fathers case. Please meet me, sir. I am also this countrys daughter, your daughter. I plead to you to respond to my letter, her letter reads. Khan was shot dead outside his house in Jamia Nagar by a group of men on May 17. The family and Khans colleagues alleged he was threatened in a hotel licence fee case. The matter is under investigation. Iqra wrote, I do not want to get involved in any politics. Ours is a simple, middle-class family that lives in a small house. I invite you to come to our house or I can come to your office. My father should get justice. We have a lot of hope from you. With BJPs Maheish Girri protesting outside chief minister Arvind Kejriwals office for allegedly levelling baseless allegations against him in Khans murder, Iqra said her family did not want the case to get politicised. He should end his hunger strike. This is not a political matter. We only want an unbiased probe, she said. The case is also being widely discussed in social media. Iqra is managing a Facebook page titled, Justice for honest martyr MM Khan. The page is followed by over 850 people. My father had been my hero all my life, but now he is my superhero, who went away giving lifes biggest teaching of self righteousness (sic), she had posted on the page. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON NEW DELHI: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal demanded on Monday the arrest of a BJP MP over the murder of a civic body official, opening up a new front in the AAP-BJPs long-running war of attrition in the national capital. The BJP hit back at the AAP leader, with senior party leader Subramanian Swamy terming Kejriwal a Naxalite for his murder charge against Maheish Girri, who launched a hunger strike outside the chief ministers house on Sunday evening demanding either proof or an apology. The charges and counter-charges are the latest in a series of confrontations between the BJP and Kejriwal, who accuses the ruling party at the Centre of creating hurdles for his government. MM Khan, a legal adviser in the New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), was shot dead in Jamia Nagar on May 16, a day before he was slated to pass the final order on the terms of a hotels operation from a property leased out by the civic body. Speaking to reporters, Kejriwal alleged that four days before Khans murder, Girri had approached lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung with a letter from the hotel owner removal of the official from proceedings in a case pertaining to licence violation. On May 12, the L-G allegedly forwarded the letter written by Girri to the NDMC chairman. The East Delhi MP and his party, however, denied having written any letter to the L-G. I condemn CM Kejriwal for running malicious campaign. I challenge CM Kejriwal and his gang of thugs to present before media and public any letter written by me to any authority on NDMC hotel matter. Or else the chief minister should resign, said Girri. Swamy, a Rajya Sabha MP, said Kejriwal is a Naxalite and in (the) habit of levelling baseless charges. Kejriwal also demanded that police should investigate the relation between the BJP MP and The Connaught owner Ramesh Kakkar, a prime accused in the murder case. In a letter to Kejriwal on June 16, Girri had invited Kejriwal to the Constitution Club for debate and produce evidence against him in the murder case on Sunday at 4pm. Kejriwal did not accept the challenge following which Girri, accompanied by his party supporters, reached the chief ministers Flagstaff Road residence and sat on hunger strike. Do weve an open debate on murder cases? Is this BJPs way to seek criminal justice? Is it BJPs criminal justice system to allow those who have murdered to stage dharna outside his residence and thereafter, prominent leaders of BJP reach there to support them, Kejriwal said. NEW DELHI: The BJP on Monday launched an all-out attack against the Aam Aadmi Party and chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to protest his comments on the recent murder of a New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) law officer. Several Members of Parliament joined East Delhi MP Maheish Girri, who has been sitting on a hunger strike in front of Kejriwals house since Sunday. Kejriwal had accused Girri of being allegedly backing the hotelier accused of murdering the law officer, MM Khan. Girri was first joined by MP Subramanian Swamy, who said Kejriwal refused to apologise to Girri. Swamy criticised Lt Governor Najeeb Jung for what he said failing to protect MPs from the attack launched by his government. Later, northeast Delhi MP Delhi Manoj Tiwari joined the protest and dared the chief minister to face Girri. He said hurling baseless charges and going into hiding was an old habit of Kejriwal. BJP national vice-president Shyam Jaju, general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, secretary RP Singh, MP Vijay Goel and other senior leaders with party workers joined the hunger strike. Delhi BJP in charge Shyam Jaju said the party strongly supported Girri in his fight against Kejriwals dirty politics of character assassination. I have a long spiritual bonding with Maheish Girri and I wish to say that the Delhi CM will have to pay a heavy price for this dirty politics, said BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya. Girri said Kejriwal should know that he would not tolerate any nefarious attack on his image. Commenting on AAP leader Ashutoshs tweet, Delhi BJP president Satish Upadhyay said it reflected the insensitivity, immorality of AAP politics. In his message to Girri, he said party workers were prepared for a long battle. NEW DELHI: Delhi Police on Sunday arrested a 20-year-old domestic help for allegedly stealing diamond and gold jewellery worth Rs 90 lakh and Rs 20,000 cash from his employers house in Vasant Vihar when she was abroad. The police recovered 11 gold and diamond necklaces, eight gold and diamond bangles, gold and diamond earrings, 20 gold and diamond rings and Rs 8,500 cash from domestic help, Brijesh. In her complaint to the police on June 16, Namrata Kumari said she had gone to Europe with her daughter when the crime happened. After she returned, she found her almirah and drawers open with jewellery and cash missing. Her husband and son were in Delhi but not at home. Kumari told us she had employed a domestic help Brijesh but she fired him due to his conduct and unsatisfactory services. She said the man visited her house between June 7 and 9 while she was away. We registered a case and started investigation, DCP, South, Ishwar Singh said. The servant was not verified by the police before he was hired. Kumari gave police some documents and details of the help. The police deployed informers to track his movement. The police team conducted raids in Manakpur, Badayun district, UP. But Brijesh fled from his village. We received an input that Brijesh was hiding at his maternal aunts house. A decoy was sent to the house of Brijeshs aunt, posing as an executive of a service provider company to verify a phone ID. Brijesh, who was hiding there, was identified and apprehended, Singh said. Brijesh admitted to the crime. Stolen gold and diamond jewellery and Rs 8,500 were recovered. He said that in 2015, he came to Delhi and started working as domestic help at Kumaris house. In May 2016, she fired him. At that time his mother was ill, but he did not have money to pay for her treatment. It is then when he came back to Delhi and after he found out that his employer was abroad, he planned the theft . After stealing the valuables, he fled to his village, Singh said. BEIJING/NEW DELHI: Indias entry into an elite club controlling nuclear technology is not on the agenda of the groups meeting this week, China said on Monday, but diplomats from the bloc s other member states insisted New Delhi s candidature will be taken up. China has stonewalled Indias membership of the 48-member Nuclear Suppliers Group( NS G) on the grounds that it is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The group, set up in response to India s first nuclear test in 1974, aims to prevent the proliferation of atomic weapons. Ahead of the NSGs annual plenary meet in Seoul on June 23-24, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said Indias application to join the group was not on the agenda. I want to point out the NSG agenda has never covered any issue concerning non-NPT countries joining the NSG. As we understand the annual conference in Seoul this year also has no such kind of issue or topic, Hua told a regular news briefing. The opinion of member countries is divided not only about Indias inclusion but also on the entry of all non-NPT members, she said. But diplomats from other NSG member countries differed with the Chinese perspective, saying their understanding was the issue of new members will be taken up on the final day of the two-day meet. The NSG, being an informal body, has no fixed agenda and issues taken up at meetings depend on the views of members. New Delhi hopes several countries will raise the question of its membership and force China to take a stand, the diplomats said. The US on Monday said it continues to call member nations to back Indias membership, further indicating that New Delhis application is, contrary to Chinese assertion, on the agenda. We continue to call on the participating governments of the NSG to support Indias application at the plenary session this week in Seoul, US state department spokesman John Kirby said. South Korea, which currently holds the NSG chairmanship, is expected to back India. China adopted a similar position when India secured a US-backed exemption from NSG sanctions in 2008 as part of the landmark nuclear deal between the two countries. Even then, Beijing had declared the Indian exemption was noton the agenda, but the US had raised the issue and Germany, the then chairman, had accepted it for discussion. India has ramped up efforts to win backing for its NSG bid, reaching out to key world capitals such as Washington and London and sending foreign secretary S Jaishankar on a lowkey visit to Beijing last week to lobby for its inclusion. Chinas categorical statement came just a day after external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said Beijing was not against New Delhis inclusion but was talking only about the criteria and procedures. Hua told the news briefing Indias bid is not in a matured stage, and needs consensus and detailed discussions among NSG members because New Delhi still has not signed the NPT, the cornerstone pact against the spread of nuclear weapons. The NSG works on the principle of consensus and a single hold-out country can spoil Indias chance to be part of the grouping. Beijings stance might make a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tashkent on June 23 awkward. After Mondays statement, it is also unlikely Modi and Xi will be able to work out a last minute deal before the NSG plenary ends on June 24. India has argued that joining the NSG will give it access to technology needed for clean energy. China has spearheaded the campaign to prevent Indias inclusion while saying that its all weather ally Pakistan should be treated at par with India. Pakistan and Namibia too have applied to join the NSG. NEW DELHI: India eased on Monday foreign direct investment rules for several sectors, including defence, aviation and retail, clearing the way for brands such as Apple to open stores, in sweeping changes aimed at conveying the governments commitment to reforms. The latest move comes two days after Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Raghuram Rajan, a darling of financial markets, unexpectedly announced he would return to academia when his term ends on September 4. Mondays decisions are also seen designed to contain any fallout on investor confidence from Rajans exit and this weeks vote on Britains future in the European Union. Indias equity and currency markets, which fell sharply in early morning trade on Rajans weekend announcement, rebounded cheering the new FDI norms. The 30-share BSE Sensex, which fell 178 points shortly after markets opened, bounced back to close at 26,866.92, up 241 points. The rupee also recovered from a 61 paise plunge in the morning to close 23 paise down at Rs 67.31 to a dollar. The government lifted overseas investment ceilings for civil aviation, defence, pharmaceuticals, multi-brand food retail and eased so-called restrictive conditions for single brand retail. The decision to relax the norms was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday. Key reform decisions were taken at a high level meeting, which makes India the most open economy in the world for FDI, Modis office tweeted. In a second tweet, it said the changes would provide a major impetus to employment and job creation in India. But a policy body linked to the BJPs ideological fount, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, decried Mondays decisions, terming them a betrayal of peoples trust that would spell the death knell for local businessmen. In doing so, this government has not done any good to the country in general and local businessmen in particular, said Ashwani Mahajan, the Swadeshi Jagran Manch national co-convener. Commerce and industry minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the decisions would help in attracting more investments, creating jobs and making India the global manufacturing hub. The government relaxed local sourcing norms up to three years for entities undertaking single brand retail trading of products having state-of-art and cutting edge technology. This will likely benefit Apples plans to open its signature stores in India as the government relaxed the condition that stipulates companies to source at least 30% of their components or merchandise for being eligible to set up company-run retail stores in India. The California-based company, whose CEO Tim Cook was in India recently, had sought easing of this norm to enable it to open stores that sell iPhone, iPads and its other proprietary products. Apple sells in India through distributors, such as, Redington, Ingram Micro and Bettel. The government also allowed up to 100% FDI in domestic airlines and new airports, a move that will allow foreign companies to fully own Indian domestic carriers and greenfield airports and up to 74% in existing airports. Overseas carriers, however, still cant run domestic airlines in India through fully-owned subsidiaries as the ceiling of 49% FDI by foreign airlines stays. In defence, up to 100% FDI has now been allowed without the mandatory condition of bringing in stateof-the-art technology by the foreign partners. FDI limit for defence sector has also been made applicable to Manufacturing of Small Arms and Ammunitions covered under Arms Act 1959. Sitharaman rejected the view that the new FDI rules were announced to counter the possible negative impact on markets of Rajans announcement. This work was going on for a couple of months. Can all this work be done in a day? It is proper to make the announcement when the work is complete. NEW DELHI: Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on Monday asked the Bharatiya Janata Party to come clean on the MM Khan murder case, saying two of its senior leaders were allegedly lobbying for the accused hotelier in the case. Taking a dig at the BJP and east Delhi MP Mahesh Girri for holding a dharna outside chief minister Arvind Kejriwals residence, the Aam Aadmi Party leaders said the ruling party at the Centre should clarify which party was a dharna party. Launching the BJP campaign for the 2015 assembly polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had dubbed AAP as a dharna party interested only in protests and not governance. Speaking to reporters at the Delhi secretariat, Sisodia said, The hotelier Ramesh Kakkar is under arrest and is facing murder charges. The BJP and Girri must explain why Girri, along with Kakkar, met the L-G. Why did Tanwar write to L-G on his behalf, Sisodia said. Not just Arvind Kejriwal but the BJP should apologise to the country and the bureaucracy for supporting the murderer of an honest officer, Sisodia added. AAP leaders made public a copy of letters written by Ramesh Kakkar to the L-G and a copy of the letter issued by the L-G secretariat to the NDMC chairperson. A BJP MP who helped a murderer is protesting outside the CMs residence and police has become a mute spectator. The people of the country can clearly see which is a dharna party and which is interested in governance, said AAP leader Dilip Pandey. Hitting out at Girri over his hunger strike, AAP leader Ashutosh said, Those who are murder accused dont sit on dharna, but are interrogated and arrested. Arvind is diabetic. He sat on hunger protest twice for 15 days. Mahesh Girri should definitely sit on hunger dharna for at least 3 weeks (sic), Ashutosh tweeted. NEW DELHI: The Centre will name the next RBI governor before Raghuram Rajan demits office on September 4 and the selection will be made from among a few probables the Modi government is believed to have zeroed in on. According to reports, the government is not deploying a headhunting panel to scout for Rajans successor and the person taking the job will likely join the central bank as an officer on special duty (OSD) before his term ends. It (announcement of a new governor) will happen reasonably in advance. We dont want unnecessary speculation, PTI quoted a top government source as saying .The process of selection is already on . The practice of moving in a successor as an overlap before the expiry of the incumbents tenure was adopted by the UPA government. On August 7, 2013, Rajan had come on board as then governor D Subbaraos OSD to manage the transition. The names of SBI chairman Arundhati Bhattacharya, former RBI deputy governor Subir Gokarn, RBI deputy governor Urjit Patel, former RBI deputy governor Rakesh Mohan and chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanian are among those speculated to be considered to succeed Rajan as the central bank chief. In a surprise letter to his RBI colleagues on Saturday, Rajan said he will be returning to academia when his term as governor ends. Media reports said quoting Rajans friends and a finance ministry source that a selection panel was to consider a field of candidates rather than directly offer the former IMF chief economist an extension to his three-year term, effectively forcing him to reapply for his own job. He felt it would belittle the position of the RBI governor if he had to appear before the committee, Reuters quoted a senior commercial banker as saying. It would reveal a lack of government support. Rather than have two more years of constant quibbling, he decided to go, said the banker, who knows Rajan personally but had not spoken to him since his decision. In a major crackdown, over 100 personnel from the south district police spread across south Delhi on Sunday night and caught 16 alleged robbers and snatchers, including five minor boys, active at night. Four countrymade pistols with four cartridges, 11 stolen mobile phones, nine two wheelers, two long knives and R14,500 were recovered in the drive through Sunday night, police said on Tuesday. Senior police officers said their questioning helped them solve 44 cases of robbery, snatching and motor vehicle thefts reported from different south Delhi areas. Ishwar Singh, deputy commissioner of police (south), said that in recent weeks, a series of street crimes were reported in south Delhi at night and during early morning hours by criminals riding motorcycles and scooties. The criminals mostly targeted passengers travelling in auto-rickshaws, morning walkers and employees of call centres, hotels and malls returning home late in the night, said Singh. In order to check such crimes, Singh said, the police studied the routes taken by such criminals, the crimes, pattern and vulnerable areas. The reports were analysed and many measures were adopted. Some equipment recovered from the robbers. On the night between Sunday and Monday, over 100 police personnel from different police stations led by ACPs and inspectors put pickets at strategic locations and launched a drive to nab bike-borne robbers and snatchers. Intensive vehicle checking by our police teams helped us catch 16 criminals and recover weapons and stolen two-wheelers, said the DCP. The arrested persons included members of the Anna gang operating from Dakshinpuri area. They were identified as Arun alias Anna, Anil alias Annu, Mohammad Ali, Nitin, Piyush and two minor boys. They were nabbed by a team of south Delhis operation cell led by ACP Rajender Singh and Inspector Vijay Chandel. Two criminals, Faique and Sanu, were arrested by the Vasant Vihar police while Mohammad Kallu, Rahul, Mahesh, and Vishal, were arrested by the Vasant Kunj south police. Three alleged juvenile snatchers were caught by a team of the Malviya Nagar police station. Weapons recovered from the 16 robbers and snatchers. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday launched a counter-offensive over a police investigation against him for alleged corruption, saying he was not scared of any action taken at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The feisty Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader targeted Modi after the citys Anti-Corruption Branch received two complaints linking him and his predecessor, Sheila Dikshit of the Congress, to a Rs 400-crore water tanker scam in the Delhi Jal Board. Officials said investigators will question Kejriwal and Dikshit, with an FIR being lodged in the case. He (Modi)?has scared many people by filing FIRs against them and using CBI raids. Only I stand strong and tall. He wants to scare me and break me, but respected Narendra Damodardas Modiji ... I wont get scared and I wont break, he said. Kejriwal told reporters that Modis actions were welcome. Mein Rahul Gandhi nahi hoon ki tum mujhe dara doge Sonia Gandhi nahi hoon ki tum daba doge ... Mein Robert Vadra nahi hoon ki mere saath setting kar loge (I am not Rahul Gandhi that you will scare me, I am not Sonia Gandhi that you will suppress me. I am not Robert Vadra that you will manage me), he said, referring to the Congress. The BJP has alleged that Kejriwal did not take any action in the water tanker scam for months after an inquiry committee set up by his own party submitted its report. Sources said the fact-finding committee found irregularities in the appointment of consultants, tendering process as well as in overall procurement of the tankers by the previous Congress government. When the tankers were purchased, Dikshit was chairperson of the Delhi Jal Board. She has already dismissed the allegations as politically motivated. These people got a CBI raid conducted against me. It has been six months, but they have not found (irregularity worth) a single penny..., Kejriwal said, referring to a search conducted at a principal secretarys office in January. Read: Water tanker scam: FIR against Sheila a routine procedure says Congress Kejriwal said Modi, through his actions, has finally conceded that his direct fight was with the Delhi chief minister. He listed a number of controversies to corner Modi. Whenever a Rohith Vemula will be forced to commit suicide or a Dailt will be wronged, I will stand up for him, if farmers commit suicide, I will stand up for them ... If you try to save (Madhya Pradesh chief minister) Shivraj Singh Chouhan in the Vyapam scam, I will raise my voice, he said. PhD student Vemulas suicide at University of Hyderabad in January sparked a nationwide debate on discrimination against Dalits, while the mysterious deaths of people linked to the Vyapam education scam in Madhya Pradesh sent shock waves across the nation in 2015. Kejriwal and the NDA government at the Centre have been involved in an intense power struggle since the AAPs emphatic election victory in the national capital in 2015, smashing the aura of invincibility built around Modi. Both leaders had been having a long-running battle since the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, with Modi calling Kejriwal an anarchist and Maoist while the AAP chief dubbed the Prime Minister a psychopath once. Nearly 48 hours after he began a hunger strike against Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, BJP MP Maheish Girri ended his protest after Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh met him and requested him to end the fast. Girri had been protesting outside the chief ministers residence after Kejriwal pointed to his alleged involvement in the murder of NDMC law officer MM Khan. Girri had challenged Kejriwal for an open debate on the matter. After ending his strike, Girri again tweeted: Hello ArvindKejriwal, I will come for a debate by end of day tomorrow. Your Time. Your Place. Your People. PS: pls do bring all the proofs. Rajnath told Girri the police had not found anything against him and so he should not be disturbed. We should thank Maheish Girri for his fight against the chief minister who has become a symbol of falsehood and forgery. This hunger strike will be the beginning of the end of the empire of falsehood of Kejriwal, said Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay. Ahead of Rajnath Singhs visit, AAP leader Ashish Khetan tweeted: This will be the first time that an HM (Home Minister) instead of ordering the questioning of a murder suspect will be felicitating him. Read: Murdered NDMC officials daughter writes to Modi, seeks unbiased probe Union minister Harsh Vardhan had also visited Girri on Monday evening. Girri demanded the resignation of Kejriwal after he was named in the FIR filed by the anti-corruption branch in the alleged R-400 crore water tanker scam. Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta also demanded the CMs resignation. Kejriwal must answer why did he sit on the report for 11 months? What was the deal between the three tanker companies and the CM for suppressing the report? How much payment was made to the companies after the AAP government came to power and how much loss was caused to the government exchequer, said Gupta. Earlier in the day, Girri performed yoga at the agitation venue to mark the second International Yoga Day. On IDY2016 today, participated in a Yoga Session with all karyakartas, here at the venue of my Anshan, Girri tweeted. A 45-year-old man was killed and three others, including his son, were injured in north-east Delhis Bhajanpura on Tuesday when unidentified men in a car opened fire at them. The incident occurred around 8.15 am. According to the police, three or four men in a car (Maruti Swift) waylaid the father and son, who were on a motorcycle. The father, Kailash Gupta, is dead while his son, Rajan Gupta, in his 20s, is critically injured and admitted at the Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital. A tea shop owner and a passerby were also injured in the firing. After the shooting, the assailants car also hit a passerby, breaking his leg. They soon fled the scene. Unconfirmed reports said the deceased was a property dealer and he and his son lived in Harsh Vihar. The police are still trying to identify the motive of the crime. A few years ago, notching up a high score in English was tough, but going by the CBSE Board results now, theres nothing great about getting 90% now. However, the question is, would students with such scores find it easy to do as well in English during graduation? While securing admission in a top-notch college with 90% score becomes easy, a good score might not be an indicator of a students aptitude, say experts. They suggest that separate entrance tests be held across state universities for admission to English literature. The class 12 exams are more about ones language skills. The skills tested in a school leaving exam are very different than the skills required to do well at graduation level. Cut-off marks are not the best criteria to take in students, says, Dr Pratibha Jolly, principal, Miranda House. Getting a 90% is good as far as the literary graph is concerned, but as long as the in-depth knowledge of literature is concerned, the students are not up to the mark, says Feroz Bakht Ahmed, English teacher, Modern School. Class 12 exams are not the test of in-depth knowledge of subject, literary nuances or your know-how of the real story sense. Agreeing to this, Debraj Mookerjee, associate professor, Ramjas College, says, The board exam marks are completely non-reflective of their ability in the subject. It is not a measure of their scholastic aptitude. The CBSE marks are poor indicators of the scholastic ability of a student. They make a very good school leaving certificate, but it doesnt tell us much about the aptitude of a student to study English, or for that matter any subject. You need to have a scholastic aptitude test for students planning to go for higher education. Read more: Dip in St Stephens cutoff may not affect DU list As the cut-offs across state universities soar, most of us often end up criticising the respective universities. However, as Mookerjee says, What do we do? We are bound to admit students who get the required cut-off. If 90,000 students get above 90% marks in Class 12 and admit close to 30,000 students in the university, obviously, for popular courses we are bound to have such cut-offs, how else do we admit students? Cut-offs are the function of marks CBSE gives students. While it is easier to get the perfect score in subjects such as science and mathematics with objective-type questions, how do students manage 90% (and more) in English? As Ahmed says, Let us not take the credit away from students scoring well, the high marks are largely because of the pattern of the question paper. In the reading and the literary section, the questions are of objective type usually comprising of passages from poetry requiring one line questions on pointing out a simile or a metaphor in a line or personification, or the name of the poet that almost every student can answer correctly. The only section wherein an examiner can deduct marks is the one requiring long answers. Also, CBSE gives a blueprint to examiners saying that if a student mentions touches a few given points in the long answer type question then, according to the parameters of the board, they can get full marks in those too, say experts. A Combined Aptitude Test for English (CATE) to test applicants for English was scrapped by Delhi University in 2013 when the four-year undergraduate course was being introduced. Several colleges, including Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Rajdhani College, Kirori Mal College and Vivekananda College used to admit students through CATE scores. Now all admissions to English courses in Delhi University colleges happen through merit. Dr Saitya Brata Das, associate professor and chairperson, Centre for English Studies, School of Language, Literature & Culture Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, says, Merely knowing a language and getting 95% or 96% in board is no indication of the students idea about the subject. More and more universities should adopt JNUs policy to ensure quality and diversity. Entrance tests should be applicable even at the BA level to ensure better quality of students. Mookerjee too says that there should be a national scholastic ability test for admission to English courses, If you can have separate entrance tests for MBA, engineering, legal studies and medical, why not for college admission? CATE was well-devised and looked at a candidates creative writing skills and comprehension with nuanced understanding of literature. That is the competence students must have when they come into higher education, that too a literature course. But, given the large number of applications in DU, organising a subjective test like CATE and getting very little time to mark papers pose problems, says experts. As such there is too much emphasis on exam performance. Our system is not student-centric. When you have smaller systems, you can be student-centric perhaps talk to the applicant, look at the portfolio of achievements, recommendations, check her creative writing skills. This is not easy to do for a large number of applicants. Having more and more tests is no solution. School leaving exams need to be revamped. We dont need multiplicity of tests. The school leaving exam should be able to differentiate students for different abilities. That is where the competencies should be sieved through, Jolly suggests. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Even as she paid tribute to Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin, Mean Girls actress Lindsay Lohan blamed Hollywood for the accident which killed the 27-year-old actor best known for playing Chekov in Star Trek. Read: Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin dies at 27 The 29-year-old actress seemed to be very confused about how the accident went down, reported Ace Showbiz. Anton Yelchin during the photo call for Burying the ex at the 71st Venice Film Festival in a file photo from September 2014. (Reuters) She posted a screen shot of Antons death news on her Instagram account and wrote, This is the result of#hollywood a beautiful life has come to an end. This is the result of #hollywood a beautiful life has come to an end.. A brilliant actor and a loving friend. Surround your life with good people and know who your #true #friends are my prayers and love goes out to anton's family #anton this breaks my heart. He was my friend I am so sorry to Anton's father A photo posted by Lindsay Lohan (@lindsaylohan) on Jun 19, 2016 at 1:49pm PDT Anton died in the early hours of June 19 after a car accident that left him pinned between his own car and a brick column at his home in Studio City, California. Read: SUV that killed Anton Yelchin is under recall Yelchin died Sunday after his 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee pinned him against a mailbox pillar and security fence at his home, Los Angeles police said. Read: Anton Yelchin dies in car crash, Hollywood mourns His jeep rolled backwards after he left it in neutral on his inclined driveways. Follow @htshowbiz for more The SUV that rolled down a driveway and killed Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin was being recalled because the gear shifters have confused drivers, causing the vehicles to roll away unexpectedly, government records show. Yelchin, 27, a rising actor best known for playing Chekov in the rebooted series, died Sunday after his 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee pinned him against a mailbox pillar and security fence at his home, Los Angeles police said. In this file photo from Sept ember 2014, actor Anton Yelchin poses for portraits during the 71st edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy. (AP) The 2015 model-year Grand Cherokees were part of a global recall of 1.1 million vehicles announced by automaker Fiat Chrysler in April, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration records show. The agency urged the recall because of complaints from drivers who had trouble telling if they had put the automatic transmissions in park. If they were not in park and a driver left the vehicle, it could roll away. Read: Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin dies at 27 Fiat Chrysler expected to send recall notification letters to owners on May 16, according to a memo to dealers, but its not known whether Yelchin received or saw his letter. The company is working on a fix and expects to have a software update ready in July or August. Yelchin is perhaps best known for playing Pavel Chekhov in the latest reboot of the Star Trek series. Investigators were looking into the position of Yelchins gear shift at the time of the accident, Officer Jane Kim said. The actor had gotten out of the vehicle momentarily, but police didnt say why he was behind it when it started rolling. Fiat Chrysler said in a statement Monday that it was investigating and it was premature to speculate on the cause of the crash. Yelchins death was the first that might be related to the recall, the traffic safety administration said, although several serious injuries have been reported. The agency said Monday its in contact with police about the cause of the crash, and it urged owners of the recalled vehicles to make sure theyre in park before exiting and to use the parking brake. The driveway to the home of Anton Yelchin in the Studio City area of Los Angeles, on Sunday, June 19, 2016. (AP) As of April, the company had reports of 212 crashes, 41 injuries and 308 property damage claims potentially caused by the shifters, it said in documents filed with the government. The recalled vehicles, including nearly 812,000 in the U.S., have an electronic shift lever that toggles forward or backward to let the driver select the gear instead of moving along a track like a conventional shifter. A light shows which gear is selected, but to get from drive to park, drivers must push the lever forward three times. The recalled vehicles sound a chime and issue a dashboard warning if the drivers door is opened while they are not in park. But the push-button ignition wont shut off the engine if not in park, increasing the risk of the vehicles rolling away after drivers have gotten out. The Grand Cherokee gear shifters were changed in the 2016 model year so that it works like those in older cars. Anton Yelchin poses during the photo call for the movie Burying the ex at the 71st Venice Film Festival in September 2014. (REUTERS) Coroners officials ruled Yelchins death an accident after an autopsy. The results of any toxicology tests would not be known for months, coroner spokesman Ed Winter said. Yelchins friends found him dead after he failed to show up for an audition early Sunday. His death tragically cut short the promising career of an actor whom audiences were still getting to know and who had great artistic ambition. Star Trek Beyond, the third film in the series, comes out in July. Read: Anton Yelchin dies in car crash, Hollywood mourns Director JJ Abrams, who cast Yelchin in the franchise, wrote in a statement that he was brilliant ... kind ... funny as hell, and supremely talented. Yelchin leaves behind at least five unreleased film and television projects, including an animated Netflix series by Guillermo del Toro, Trollhunters. Yelchin voices the shows main character, Jim, who discovers warring trolls living beneath his hometown. He also starred in the Gabe Klinger romance Porto, which may be released in the fall, and had completed work on three other independent films. Yelchin began acting as a child, taking small roles in independent films and various television shows, such as ER, The Practice, and Curb Your Enthusiasm before receiving his breakout big-screen role opposite Anthony Hopkins in 2001s Hearts in Atlantis. Yelchin, an only child, was born in Russia. His parents, who were professional figure skaters, moved the family to the United States when Yelchin was a baby. He briefly flirted with skating lessons, too, before discovering that he wasnt very skilled on the ice. That led him to acting class. I loved the improvisation part of it the most, because it was a lot like just playing around with stuff, Yelchin told The Associated Press in 2011. There was something about it that I just felt completely comfortable doing and happy doing. Follow @htshowbiz for more An entire nation, irrespective of age or gender, stretched and twisted their bodies on Tuesday, to mark the second International Yoga Day. A range of people from differently abled students to pregnant women overcame their physical hardships to master this ancient practice. An event of global proportions like this one, is bound to attract quirky claims, create controversies and set random records. Here is a list of inspiring events, controversies and world records from the second International Yoga Day. Where there is a will... Dispelling the notion that being physically sound is a prerequisite for performing yoga, a group of differently abled students sent out a strong message by performing asanas and yogic exercises in New Delhi. PM Narendra Modi interacted with members of the Paraplegic Rehabilitation Centre (PRC), Mohali, who performed asanas on wheel-chairs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaches out for a wheel chair bound child who was among the thousands who performed yoga on the occasion of World Yoga Day in Chandigarh. (AP) World record? An advocate from Tamil Nadu, K P Ranchana, claimed on Tuesday that she set a world record by performing yoga for 53 consecutive hours. She allegedly performed 600 asanas. I didnt feel tired performing asanas since the morning of June 19. After I completed them, I wondered why it all came to an end. From tomorrow onwards, it is going to be work as usual, said Ranchana, who hails from the temple town of Kanchipuram, around 75 km from Chennai. Ranchana apparently broke the world record set by Uttam Muktan of Nepal who performed yoga for 50 hours and 15 minutes in December 2015. HT could not independently verify this claim. Secular yoga Keralas health minister K K Shailaja had no issues with practising yoga but she was annoyed with the background music - Sanskrit Kirtans. It is not secular, she claimed, as people from all religions were interested in the event. Kerala Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Kummanem Rajasekheran asked the minister to come clean about the group of people she wanted to appease through this. We are baffled why the minister was showing so much intolerance, it was totally unwarranted, said Rajasekheran. Shailaja, later said she never asked for an explanation from the officials on the kirtans . For a better tomorrow... Nearly 2,000 pregnant women preformed asanas in Rajkot, Gujarat. According to state chief minister Anandiben Patel, this is a world record. . Rajkot district collector Vikrant Pandey said the exercise session was carried out under the direct observation of over 100 doctors and the guidance of yoga trainers from Haridwar. The criteria of the Guinness W orld Records were followed in order to create the new record. It required the participation of women who are at least 12 weeks pregnant. Against the requirement of a 30-minute session, the pregnant ladies in Rajkot performed yoga for 47 minutes, Pandey said. HT could not independently verify this claim. Pregnant women perform Yoga at a mass yoga event on International Yoga Day in Rajkot on Tuesday. (PTI) High on yoga Forty crew members practised yoga 35,000 feet above sea level on board a SpiceJet flight. Yoga can cure jetlag, and fear of flying, according to Isha Foundation, which collaborated with the airline for the event. Having pioneered High On Yoga@35,000 feet last year, SpiceJet gifted on-board Yoga to flyers in India and abroad and uphold Indias cultural heritage in a unique manner, senior vice-president and head of inflight services Hingorani said. Yoga on empty stomach BJPs member of parliament from East Delhi Maheish Girri, who was on a hunger strike outside chief minister Arvind Kejriwals house, performed yoga at the agitation venue to mark International Yoga Day. On IDY2016 today, participated in a Yoga Session with all karyakartas, here at the venue of my Anshan, Girri tweeted. He later ended the huger strike after home minister Rajnath Singh persuaded him not to put his life at stake. East Delhi MP Mahesh Girri performing Yoga. (Sonu Mehta/Hindustan Times) Yoga on ice for peace At an altitude of around 5,700 feet above sea level, where oxygen is sparse, against the backdrop of snow-clad peaks and glaciers, troops in their special white suits performed different asanas at Siachen - the worlds highest battlefield. Soldiers perform Yoga on 2nd International Yoga Day in Siachen on Tuesday. PTI (PTI) Soldiers perform Yoga on 2nd International Yoga Day in Siachen Glacier on Tuesday. (PTI) The Indian Air Force organised Yoga events at its bases across the country, including Old Willingdon Camp at Race Course in Delhi. The Indian Navy observed the day with its personnel performing Yoga on ships, as well as at Naval stations across the country. Indian Navy personnel perform yoga onboard INS Kirch on 2nd Yoga Day at Busan, South Korea . (PTI) Officers and sailors of the Indian Navy participate in a yoga session on the deck of INS Viraat. (PTI) India, international or Uttarakhand? While Union railway minister Suresh Prabhu said yoga was Indias gift to humanity, renowned spiritual leader Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev said in the United Nations on Tuesday, if you want to call yoga Indian, then you must call gravity European. He later clarified by saying, yoga is not about you versus me. This is why I said yoga is not Indian because a science cannot be Indian. Yes, yoga originated from India and as Indians we are proud of it but it does not belong to India. But Uttarakand chief minister Harish Rawat had other ideas. At a state-level workshop held on International Yoga Day in Dehradun, he said yoga belongs to Uttarakhand whose saints and seers taught the rest of the world about the miraculous effects of yogic postures. (with inputs from AFP, PTI, IANS) Former Chhattisgarh chief minister Ajit Jogi announced on Tuesday that his new political party would be called Chhattisgarh Janata Congress (Jogi). The decision comes nearly a week after he resigned from the Congress party. He announced the name of the new party at a public rally in Thathapur -- the native place of state chief minister Raman Singh, in Kawardha district. Read:Ajit Jogis new party could affect political scene in Chhattisgarh Earlier, Jogi had suggested eight probable names and six symbols for his new party on June 6 at Marwahi, where he announced his decision to launch the new political outfit. People were asked to submit their preferences online, on social media or on paper. In the presence of hundreds of supporters, Jogi said that in 2018, his party would form the new government in Chhattisgarh. In an attempt to win over the locals, he said his focus would be on selecting those who knew the Chhattisgarhi dialect, into government service. The rebellion in Chhattisgarh comes at a time when the Congress party faces similar issues in Uttarakhand, Tripura, Karnataka, Meghalaya and Manipur. Read:Good riddance, says Congress on Ajit Jogis exit The 70-year-old bureaucrat-turned-politician reiterated the partys welfare measures earmarked in the manifesto released at Kotmi in Marwahi on June 6. Jogis move is being viewed as an attempt to insure the political future of his legislator son, Amit Jogi, who was expelled from the Congress in January for allegedly trying to swing a by-election in favour of the BJP. Jogi resigned from the primary membership of Congress party on June 15 after he was removed from the Congress Working Committee. CM Raman Singh, who has been in power in the mineral rich state for over 12 years, said at the time that the decision did not affect his party at all. The father-son duo, however, lashed out at the Raman Singh-led government alleging poor governance and corruption. To save the rights and honour of Chhattisgarh, the need was felt for a new party that will put an end to Raman Raj, he said. Read:Ajit Jogi no longer CWC member after forming new party: Congress Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday dismissed minister for secondary education Balram Yadav, who played an active role in the merger of mafia don-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansaris Qaumi Ekta Dal (QED) in the Samajwadi Party here on Tuesday. According to sources, the CM was not in favour of the merger of QED in the SP. He had made his intentions clear to senior party leaders. So, on Tuesday he gave a strong signal about his opposition to the move, deciding to meet governor Ram Naik within hours of the merger. Besides inviting the governor for the Raza Iftar he is hosting here on June 25, the CM reportedly handed over two letters to Naik one recommending dismissal of Balram Yadav, and the other seeking the governors nod for expansion of his council of ministers. While the state government issued a notification dismissing Balram Yadav by Tuesday evening, sources said the timing of the swearing-in ceremony could be communicated to the chief minister soon. Already, there were three vacancies in the council of ministers and Balram Yadavs dismissal makes it four vacant posts. In UP, the maximum permissible strength of the council of ministers, including the CM is 60. The cabinet expansion may take place in the next few days, maybe on June 27, said a senior officer. Various names doing rounds for induction in the state cabinet include Balram Yadavs son Sangram Singh Yadav and the CMs close lieutenant and the SPs west UP leader Sanjay Lathar. By inducting fresh faces in his cabinet ahead of the 2017 assembly elections, the chief minister is attempting to spruce up the image of his government that has taken a hit on the Mathura and the Kairana controversies. Not surprising then that his move to sack a senior minister came within hours of minister for PWD Shivpal Yadav and QED president Afzal Ansaris announcement of the merger at a press conference here earlier in the day. Apparently, Balram Yadav had met Afzal Ansari before the Vidhan Parishad and Rajya Sabha polls and sought his partys support for the SP candidates. QED had thereafter supported the SP in the two polls. Incidentally, hours before the announcement of the merger of QED with the SP, the incarcerated Mukhtar Ansari was shifted from Agra jail to Lucknow jail. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The four-day Ambubachi Mela to mark the annual menstruation of a goddess in Guwahatis Kamakhya Temple, starts from Wednesday. Priests said all Hindu temples in the region will remain closed during these four days as Mother Goddess Kamakhya will menstruate in June. Kamakhya, atop Nilachal Hills, is one of 51 Shaktipeeths or seats of Shakti followers, each representing a body parts of the Goddess. The temples sanctum sanctorum houses the yoni female genital symbolised by a rock. We are expecting more than 2.5 million pilgrims during the fair, and we have drawn up a security and crowd-management plan to ensure it is conducted smoothly, Kamrup deputy commissioner M Angamuthu said. Members of Kamakhya Debuttar Board, the temple management body, said the temple doors will be opened on the fifth day of the fair. Devotees seeking a piece of red cloth believed to be soaked with the divine menstrual blood will be let into the sanctum only for a minute. Local authorities, meanwhile, have geared up for a hygiene challenge that the Ambubachi Mela poses. We have assigned sanitation officers to ensure the temple complex remains clean despite the crowd, CM Sarbananda Sonowal said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Former chairperson of Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh and his wife Usha Sinha, accused in the intermediate toppers scandal, were brought to Patna on Tuesday without the necessary document from a local court in Varanasi. Patna senior superintendent of police Manu Maharaj said that the two were brought to Patna without the transit remand as the special investigation unit (SIU) team in Varanasi could not procure it from the local court. Transit remand enables police to shift a person in custody from the place of arrest to the place where he is to be investigated. According to law, they will have to be produced in a Patna court within 24 hours after their arrest. Singh is an accused in the scam and his wife is a co-accused. The couple had gone into hiding after their name figured in the scam, police said. Sources claimed the couple left Bihar and reached Varanasi soon after their alleged involvement in the scam was exposed. After a tip-off, a Bihar SIT team reached Varanasi late on Sunday night and contacted the district police. Patna Police recorded their arrest at around 8am on Monday. However, it took nearly 11 hours for their production in the local court at Varanasi and they could start their journey to Patna only on Tuesday morning. Ajit Mishra, the station house officer at the Bhelpur police station in Varanasi under which the arrests were carried out, said that the entry of the arrests was made at his police station at around 11am. The arrested persons were produced in the court quite late around 7.15pm. The court had closed by then. The team from Bihar was also there and they may have told the court that the arrested persons would be produced in the Patna court within 24 hours. Transit remand is usually required if the arrested person cannot be produced in the court within 24 hours, he added. Lawyers, however, raised questions about the absence of the transit remand saying it is illegal to take any arrested person from one state to another without it. I think transit remand should have been procured from the court for bringing the two arrested persons to Patna. I dont know why it did not happen, Senior advocate of Patna high court Vinod Kanth said. Another Patna HC senior advocate YV Giri said that the police would have to explain if the two were produced in the local court and if they were, there must be some reason why transit remand was not given. Last week, a Patna civil court issued an arrest warrant against Singh, who until recently had headed the BSEB that conducts the Class 10 and 12 examinations in Bihar. So far, 10 persons have been arrested in the case, police said. The scam surfaced after a TV channel showed a sting in which two Class 12 toppers could not answer even elementary questions about the subjects they topped in. The merit list of Class 12 examinees was allegedly manipulated in favour of students who paid bribes. Read| In Bihar board toppers re-exam, experts test knowledge, not ability to top Read| Results of two Bihar board toppers cancelled after poor performance in re-test A 55-year-old Catholic priest was injured when an unidentified man attacked him with a machete in north-central Assams Udalguri district on Sunday night. Sushil John Soren, the pastor of Bhairabkunda parish under the Tezpur diocese, was brought here to a private hospital where he underwent a surgery for injuries to his hands. He was stable and recovering, the hospital authorities said Tuesday. Soren was assaulted at around 9pm when he was returning home after conducting night prayers at the parishs boys hostel, reports said. A stranger followed him for some time and attacked Father Soren with a machete. He ducked to save his head but received serious wounds on both hands, Bishop Michael Akasius Toppo said. The attacker fled when hostel boys and parish staff rushed out to help Soren on hearing his cries, he said. This is the second incident of violence in the area, which borders Bhutan, in four days. On June 15, two workers of Bhooteachang tea estate were killed for allegedly stealing from a local tribal council member. The tea plantation is around 12km from the Bhairabkunda parish. The state commission for minorities has sought a report from the deputy commissioner. The report can help us find the motive behind the attack and prevent people from jumping to conclusions, commission member Allen Brooks told HT. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Narendra Modi government has decided to encourage peoples participation in its flagship smart city mission with a design contest for cities picked for the project. The best suggestion wins Rs 1 lakh. Prime Minister Modi will launch the open competition in Pune on June 25, the first anniversary of the mission, in which residents can suggest ways to make the project better. Also, he is expected to launch a string of projects worth more than Rs 7,000 crore that will be implemented by 20 cities selected in January, the schemes first phase. The projects fall under four broad components improvement; renewal; extension, meaning greenery development; and a pan-city initiative. As part of the Make Your City Smart contest, residents of cities chosen for the project will be asked to design their city the way they would like it to be and the administration will incorporate the suggestions. The competition is open for each of the 20 smart cities. The idea is to get the residents involved in planning the citys infrastructure, what they want, how they visualise their smart city an official said. The government has called for peoples suggestions earlier too, when selecting the cities for the project. The Union urban development ministry, which is piloting the mission, had sought feedback from citizens through online platforms on how to develop their cities. The government selected 20 cities in January and 13 more were picked in May. Each of these will be given Rs 500 crore by the Centre over five years. The states in which these cities are located will make a matching contribution. The plan is to build 100 smart cities by 2022 complete with internet connectivity, quality infrastructure such as waste management and efficient public transport. Most cities in the country are bursting at the seams because of influx from the countryside and lack basic infrastructure. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Former chairman of Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh, his wife former Hilsa MLA Prof Usha Sinha and Prabhat Jaiswal in whose Alto car they were caught fleeing were on Tuesday remanded to a 14-day judicial custody and sent to the Beur central jail in Patna in the Bihar exam scam. Four others arrested from Muzaffarpur in the case on Monday were also sent to judicial custody. They included deputy director of VR College Nand Kishore, principal of Ram Briksha Benipuri Mahila College ( Muzaffarpur) Kumari Shakuntala, Nishu Singh and Rita Kumari . The former chairmans counsel pleaded before the court that his client had serious ailments and would require medical attention. Lalkeshwar Prasad Singhs treatment is on at AIIMS and he regularly keeps unwell. He also has renal artery problem. He is on medication for blood pressure, diabetics and clot in the brain. He needs proper medical facility, the counsel said, producing some medical documents to support his argument. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Actor turned politician M H Ambareesh on Tuesday said he was not a chappal(slipper) to be thrown away when not required, after he was sacked from the Karnataka cabinet, by chief minister Siddaramaiah, along with 13 other ministers for a reshuffle. They want my personal appearance.I will give my personal appearance and give the resignation. I am not anybodys chappal that can be worn and thrown away when you want. I have my own popularity. I am not leaving because of politics. I lead my life because of the peoples sweat. I know how to handle this, Ambareesh said. Ambareesh said Siddaramaiah should have called him before the decision was taken. I am also a three-time MP. I was a central minister and I worked with him for three years. You must call us and say Ambareesh give the chance to somebody else. I would have happily given. I have no interest in power. I am satisfied because I work for my heart (sic), he added. Ambareesh expressed confidence that many political parties would now approach him and give him a red carpet welcome. Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday sacked 14 ministers and inducted 13 members into his council of ministry. The exercise is coming in order to put the party on a sound footing two years before the Assembly elections in Karnataka, which is the only major state where Congress is ruling after being recently ejected out of power in Kerala and Assam. Read | Karnataka: Siddaramaiah sacks 14 ministers, inducts 13 members into council GUWAHATI The Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in Assam appears to have given up on ending rhino-poaching. On Monday, state forest minister Pramila Rani Brahma said it would not be possible to stop poaching. Brahma represents Bodoland Peoples Front, one of the two regional allies of BJP that used rhino poaching as a major issue to dislodge Tarun Gogois Congress government. It is impossible end poaching completely because their network is very big, Brahma said after two rhinos were killed in Kaziranga National Park within a fortnight. But our fight against the poachers will continue. Poachers have killed and sawed off the horn of nine rhinos this year. One of them was killed on June 7 when the minister had visited the park along with the police chiefs of four districts straddling Kaziranga. Brahma also said many of the frontline guards in wildlife preserves were not physically fit enough to combat poachers. We have plans to replace them with fitter people besides ensuring there is sufficient manpower to protect the parks, she said. The minister had earlier said a possible nexus between poachers and forest officers needed to be investigated. This followed the arrest of Mahat Chandra Talukdar, a divisional forest officer, for illegally amassing wealth from forest produce. Police had seized Rs 2.71-crore cash, tiger and deer skin and ivory from Talukdars residence. The arrested DFO disclosed he knew some poachers during his tenure in Kaziranga National Park from 1989-1993 during which 184 rhinos were killed. Poaching will not be possible without the connivance of senior forest officials, Soumyadeep Dutta, who heads a wildlife NGO, said. A rhino horn, valued as an aphrodisiac despite being hardened hair, fetches up to Rs 1 crore in the international grey market, particularly in China and Southeast Asia. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Lakhs of people across India and abroad stretched themselves in various postures to mark the second International Yoga Day as Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the main event in Chandigarh. He performed asanas and maintained that yoga was not a religious activity. At the United Nations, UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon asked citizens across nations to embrace healthier choices to mark the International Day of Yoga. As part of the series of events to mark the second International Day of Yoga, the Embassy of India in Paris organised an event at the iconic Eiffel Tower . The event attracted an overwhelming number of enthusiasts . (Photo: @MEAIndia ) Yoga at Capitol Hill. Enthusiasts come together in Washington DC for Yoga Day celebrations. (Photo: @MEAIndia ) Yoga enthusiasts at a yoga session in Venezuela. (@MEAIndia ) Yoga enthusiasts in Kenya. (@MEAIndia ) Yoga on board the India INS Viraat, in spite of monsoon rains in Mumbai. (@indiannavy Twitter handle) Afghans and foreigners perform yoga to mark International Yoga Day at the Indian Embassy, in Kabul. (AP) Yoga Day being celebrated at Times Square in New York. Chinese enthusiasts practising yoga at a glass sigh-tseeing platform in Shilinxia scenic area in Beijing. (AFP) A participant performs yoga at Marine Drive in south Mumbai on Tuesday. (PTI) Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia performs yoga with school students at Chhatrasal Stadium in New Delhi. (Sonu Mehta/HT Photo) People perform yoga as they gather at the ancient stone circle Stonehenge, during the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year, in Wiltshire. (AP) Armed Forces add to Yoga Day chorus in Siachen (Photo: MEA) People protect themselves from the rain with yoga mats during a group yoga session celebrating International Yoga Day in Lucknow. (AP) People perform yoga at Nehru Park, Chanakyapuri, in New Delhi. (Hindustan Times) Indian yoga enthusiasts take part in a session during heavy rains in Jammu. (AFP) In this photograph released by the Indian Press Information Bureau (PIB), Prime Minister Narendra Modi takes part in a yoga demonstration at the Capitol Complex in Chandigarh. (AFP) Indian Army soldiers participate in a yoga demonstration in Chennai. (AFP) People in India and abroad woke up to an early-morning call to celebrate the second International Yoga Day on Tuesday with much enthusiasm. From Chandigarh to Madhya Pradesh and from London to Geneva, people from all walks of life performed postures of the ancient discipline. The United Nations General Assembly declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga in December 2014. Over 190 countries, including 40 Islamic nations, supported the move to have a special day for yoga. The first International Yoga Day was observed across the world on June 21 last year with Modi performing yoga along with 36,000 people at New Delhis historic Rajpath. People practice a yoga asana in Delhi. (Raj K Raj/HT Photo) Delhis deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia attends a yoga session at Chhatrsal Stadium. (Sonu Mehta/HT Photo) A general view of Connaught Place in Delhi where people can be seen performing yoga exercises. (Raj K Raj/HT Photo) Kashmiri school students perform Yoga exercises in Srinagar. (Waseem Andrabi/HT Photo) Kashmiri Muslim women at an International Yoga Day event in Srinagar. (AFP) People practise yoga at a glass sightseeing platform on the outskirts of Beijing, China. (REUTERS) A Malaysian practitioners perform yoga exercises at Sultan Abdul Samad building in Kuala Lumpur. (AFP) Prime Minister Narendra Modi performs yoga at Capitol Complex in Chandigarh. (ANI) BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi practices yoga in Meerut. (Twitter) Indian Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba during a yoga session in Delhi. (ANI) Union home minister Rajnath Singh attends the International Yoga Day event in Lucknow. (ANI) People perform yoga near the Tower Bridge in London. (PIB) Children perform yoga in Cerkesse, Russia. (Indian embassy in Moscow) Differently-abled people at a yoga camp in Chandigarh. (ANI) Malaysian yoga practitioners perform yoga exercises at the iconic Sultan Abdul Samad building in Kuala Lumpur. (AFP) KOLKATA The governments of India and Bangladesh are close to finalising a luxury cruise service from Kolkata to Dhaka for tourists. Currently, the two countries have a protocol for just the movement of cargo ships across the border. But plans are afoot to sign a new protocol which would allow cruise ships carrying tourists across the border, Arvind Kumar, assistant director of Inland Waterways Authority of India under the ministry of shipping, said. Sources said the talks are at an advanced stage and if things proceed as planned, the service for tourists can be a reality by the end of this year. The Indian part would be monitored by the Inland Waterways Authority of India and Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation will look after it in Bangladesh. Right now tourists can travel to Dhaka from Kolkata either by bus, train or flights. Cargo ships carrying fly ash and coal also move between the two countries. If the talks succeed, the 900-km odd route would be covered by a 14-day long trip. Vivada Cruises sent proposals to both the state government and the Union government, Lt Col (Retd) SR Banerjee, a consultant with the company that operates luxury cruise packages on the River Hooghly, said. According to the plan, tourists would first be taken upstream up to Shantipur in Nadia to see the weavers community. On the way, they would visit places including Dkahsineshwar Temple, Chandanangore, Bandel among others. The cruise would then sail downstream and reach the Indian Sunderbans. It will then cross the border at Hemnagar and sail up to Mongla where they can visit the Bangladesh part of the Sunderbans. Tourists would also be given a glimpse of the backwaters of Atgor Khuriyana, the ancient city of Sonargaon and Chandpur - a fishing harbour known for its top quality Hilsa fish. We are yet to decide upon the tariff. But as it is a luxury cruise it would be a bit expensive, a senior official said. . SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The central government made the entry of foreign direct investment (FDI) into the defence sector easier by removing on Monday a so-called restrictive clause in the policy, a move dubbed as radical liberalisation. Sources said the changes are expected to bring FDI to non-critical sectors such as small arms, clothing and accessories for military personnel. (The) present FDI regime permits 49% FDI participation in the equity of a company under automatic route. FDI above 49% is permitted through Government approval on case-to-case basis, wherever it is likely to result in access to modern and state-of-art technology in the country the prime ministers office said. The condition of access to state-of-art technology has been done away with. The state-of-the-art clause was seen as restrictive, and even unrealistic, that kept away FDI from the sector. Instead of imposing this condition, the new policy calls for modern technology, an official in the defence ministry said. The FDI limit in the defence sector has been made applicable to manufacturing of small arms and ammunition under the arms act of 1959, the PMO said in a statement. Former director general of acquisition, Vivek Rae, who heads the defence ministrys expert committee on streamlining military purchases, said 100% FDI in the sector on a case-by-case basis has been in place since 2013. But the sector did not attract investment because the policy was highly discretionary. The government is still being too cautious. They could have announced 51% FDI through the open route, Rae said. Countries that allow 100% FDI in defence impose harsh restrictions on foreign players, disallowing exports or transfer of technology to other countries through security agreements, he said. The idea is not to restrict investment but impose restrictions for security concerns. The opposition Congress criticised the governments decision, saying tweaking the FDI regime in the military sector could raise security threats. The move poses a big threat to national security and Indias independent foreign policy, former defence minister AK Antony said. The opposition party said the decision, close on the heels of Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to the US, throws the sector into the hands of global defence manufacturers. India and Pakistan both said on Tuesday their efforts to claim 35 million deposited in a London bank by the Nizam of Hyderabad had been strengthened by a British courts ruling. The courts pre-trial judgement dismissed Pakistans application invoking limitation against Indias claim to the money, external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in a statement. The judgement stated Pakistans application for summary disposal of the claim in its favour must fail and the costs for failure will be awarded to India, he added. Swarup was reacting to his Pakistani counterparts remarks that the courts judgement was a clear vindication of Pakistans principled stance. Pakistan claimed India had failed to persuade the court that it could show no legal claim to the money deposited in the bank in September 1948. The judge accepted there was good evidence in support of Pakistans claim which needs to be fully considered at a trial, the Pakistani spokesperson said. The case relates to 1 million pounds sterling deposited in the Pakistan account of the National Westminster Bank, now called the Royal Bank of Scotland, by a delegation of officials of Hyderabad three days after the state acceded to the Indian union on September 17, 1948. The amount is now worth 35 mn. After the Partition, Hyderabad was one of three states which refused to accede to India. While seeking Pakistans help in declaring independence, Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan sent a delegation of officials led by finance minister Moin Nawaz Jung to the US to move a petition in the UN. By the time the delegation arrived in London, Indias armed forces reached Hyderabad and the Nizam had no option but to surrender. As Hyderabad acceded to the Indian union, Jung approached Pakistan high commissioner Habib Ibrahim Rahimtoola and asked him to help deposit the Nizams money in a bank. A week after the money was deposited, the Nizam filed a suit in a London court that said the money was transferred to Pakistans account without his knowledge. India too raised an objection, saying the money belonged to the Indian government as Hyderabad had acceded to the union. The bank then froze the account. After the Nizams death in 1967, his family unsuccessfully attempted to get back the money through an out-of-court settlement. Swarup said: Pending trial or settlement of the matter, it is premature to reach any conclusion regarding ownership of the monies, especially as the present judgement readily acknowledges that there is much force in many of Indias arguments to strike out Pakistans claim of ownership. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veteran Murali Manohar Joshi may not be a happy man today. It was Joshi who held a press conference a few years ago, when his party was in Opposition, to dismiss the proposals for hiking Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in private security agencies. I sincerely urge the Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh) to send the recommendations of the (Arvind) Mayaram Committee, DEA, ministry of finance regarding the private security sector, aside, he said. The department of industrial policy & promotion (DIPP) should refrain from any changes in the FDI policy for private security sector. On Tuesday, possibly much to his dismay, the National Democratic Alliance government announced, The extant policy permits 49% FDI under government approval route in Private Security Agencies. FDI up to 49% is now permitted under automatic route in this sector and FDI beyond 49% and up to 74% would be permitted with government approval route. The tinkering in the FDI policy punches a hole in Joshis arguments that any change in regulation that enables foreign nationals or foreign companies to directly own and control private security and detective services agencies in the country can pose to be a serious threat to national security. Particularly when these agencies directly control over 5 million workers in the country who are deployed at highly sensitive sites and also have access to technological equipments that could be misused by foreign entities to compromise national security. But Joshi is not the only one who may have to eat crow after the new governments FDI policy, touted as a big boost to generate employment and infrastructure, was announced on Tuesday. Five years ago, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, now the Union minister for skill development, was quoted in media as opposing the FDI in civil aviation. Rudy, a former civil aviation minister, was quoted in an IANS report dated November 16, 2011, saying, We are opposed to foreign investment in the aviation sector as it will lead to annihilation of the domestic industry, including (state-owned) Air India. On Wednesday, the BJP-led NDA government allowed 100% FDI in airlines and brought FDI for existing airports under automatic route. The Union cabinets decision to allow 100% FDI in retail food trade earlier entirely prohibited is also seen by many as a backdoor entry to partially allow foreign investment in multi-brand retail, a policy vehemently opposed by the BJP during the United Progressive Alliance regime. Read | Govt relaxes FDI norms in aviation and defence, makes way for Apple stores India now most open economy in the world for FDI, says Modi SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Thousands joined Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday to celebrate the second International Yoga Day, performing postures of the ancient discipline across the country. Addressing people at the Capitol Complex in Chandigarh before a mass yoga session, Modi said people in all parts of the nation people have been connected to yoga. He announced two awards -- international-level and national-level -- for good work on yoga. He said the awards will be given to the recipients on the next Yoga Day. Read| Yoga Day has become a mass movement, says PM Modi At least 7,000 security personnel, including 4,000 paramilitary jawans and 3,000 officers of Chandigarh Police, are guarding the venue. The Union Territory administration, along with Ayush ministry, spent over Rs 14 crore on the event and the four-day yoga festival held in different areas of Chandigarh. PM Narendra Modi does Yoga at a Yoga camp in Chandigarh #YogaDay pic.twitter.com/LoyMWOF5Yq ANI (@ANI_news) June 21, 2016 The whole world supported the resolution on #YogaDay . We got support from all sections of society:PM pic.twitter.com/Phk03zHhls ANI (@ANI_news) June 21, 2016 As Modi performs yoga along with thousands of people at the Capitol Complex in Chandigarh, 57 of his cabinet colleagues lead this years programmes that include mass yoga events, workshops and seminars in other cities across the country. Around 10 ministers are in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh to lead these programmes. Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu,Delhi Lt.Governor Najeeb Jung and BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi do Yoga in Delhi #YogaDay pic.twitter.com/MBChwzNsBy ANI (@ANI_news) June 21, 2016 President Pranab Mukherjee kics off Yoga Day celebrations at Rashtrapati Bhavan. (Photo: @RashtrapatiBhvn) Union home minister Rajnath Singh performs yoga in Lucknow. (ANI Photo) US Ambassador Richard Rahul Verma performs yoga at US Embassy in Delhi. (ANI Photo) CRPF personnel at yoga camp in Gaya, Bihar. (ANI Photo) Yoga on board INS Airavat out at sea. (Photo courtesy- @indiannavy on Twitter) The United Nations General Assembly declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga in December 2014. Over 190 countries, including 40 Islamic nations, supported the move to have a special day for yoga. The first International Yoga Day was observed across the world on June 21 last year with Modi performing yoga along with 36,000 people at New Delhis historic Rajpath. The Gujarat high court has issued notices to the chief information commissioner and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on a petition in connection with the controversy over Prime Minister Narendra Modis education qualifications. Justice SH Vora issued the notices on Monday on the plea of Gujarat University that questioned the information watchdogs authority in asking it to share the details of Modis degree certificates. Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party, locked in a running battle with the Modis BJP over various issues, have accused the PM of fabricating his education qualifications. The petition contended that the CIC exceeded its brief by directing the university to disclose the details of Modis qualifications to a third person -- Kejriwal. Read: DU rejects another RTI query over Modis degree, Kejriwal questions move The plea comes after the university on May 1 shared Modis marksheet, claiming he scored 499 out of 800 marks, or 62.3%, in his post-graduation as an external student in 1983. The information watchdog had on April 29 asked the Gujarat and Delhi universities to share information about Modis certificates with Kejriwal who had petitioned the CIC. A few days later, the BJP made public what it said were Modis certificates -- a Bachelor of Arts from Delhi University and a Master of Arts in political science from Gujarat University. The details were also shared by the two universities but the AAP claimed there were discrepancies in the DU documents and the degree was forged. DU recently rejected another RTI query -- sent in by Delhi-based lawyer Mohd Irsad -- citing privacy concerns. Read: BJP waves PM Modis university degrees, Kejriwal calls them fake DU, as a matter of policy, seeks to maintain the privacy of every student as it holds the data pertaining to a student in a fiduciary relationship with the student concerned, the university said. Kejriwal questioned the universitys motives. This deepens the mystery around PMs degree. If DU feels it is private info, then under RTI Act, DU shud write to PM and seek his permission, the chief minister tweeted. Pakistan High Commission in Delhi has invited Kashmirs separatist leaders including Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik for Iftar on June 25. The invitation is mostly a routine affair. I have been invited for the Iftar but I wont be able to go owing to my commitments here during the month of Ramadhan. May be I will visit the commission after Eid, moderate Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq told Hindustan Times . The invitation comes days after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj indicated that there was warmth and ease in the relationship between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif, which can help resolve complex issues between the two neighbours. Among the hardline Hurriyat camp, as many as 30 have been invited, said Hurriyat spokesman Ayaz Akbar said. Those invited include chairman Syed Ali Geelani, Ashraf Sehrai,Ghulam Nabi Sumjhi, Shabir Shah and Nayeem Khan. It is yet to be decided whether Geelani sahib will attend or not but nevertheless our representation will be there in the function, Akbar said. A spokesman of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front also confirmed the invitation to 12 of their members including chairman Yasin Malik from the Pakistan High Commission. We are not yet sure whether Yasin sahib will be able to attend or not as he is in jail, the spokesman said. Read: Not on talking terms anymore: India, Pakistan NSAs are no longer in touch In August last year, India and Pakistan had cancelled their National Security Advisor ( NSA) level talks after the Pakistan High Commissioner in New Delhi invited Hurriyat leaders for a reception party on August 23, the day the NSA-level talks between the two countries were scheduled in New Delhi. A journalism professor accused of making insulting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and union minister Smriti Irani has been jailed for insulting Lord Rama. Professor BP Mahesh Guru, who teaches at the Mysore University, was arrested on June 17 when he appeared before a Mysore court in connection with a case registered against him for allegedly insulting the Hindu god at a conference in January 2015. Gurus application for bail was rejected on Monday on the ground that he was facing another case filed by the Akhila Karnataka Dr Ambedkar Prachara Samiti over his comments against Modi and Irani, the human resource development minister minister. Guru allegedly made the comments during a meeting this January to condole the death of Rohith Vemula, the Dalit scholar whose suicide at University of Hyderabad over alleged caste discrimination triggered countrywide student protests. Guru, who has been teaching media studies in Mysore University for decades and served in committees of the Union Public Service Commission and the Karnataka Public Service Commission, is known for his outspoken views on social issues. Dileep Kumar, a student of Mysore University, said some people in the audience took exception to his comments when Guru last year criticised Lord Rama for being unfair to Sita, prompting a little-known outfit, Karnadu Sarvodaya Sena, to complain against him. A case was filed against Guru again this January for his allegedly disparaging comments against Modi and Irani. He is reported to have described Irani as a third-rate actress unworthy of being the HRD minister. The Mysore University is now mulling to suspend Guru, who celebrated Mahishasur Martyrdom Day to pay tribute to the demon king slain by Goddess Durga. Honouring Mahishasur has been a divisive subject and Irani spoke against it at length during a parliamentary speech in the wake of Vemulas suicide. Professor C Basavaraju, the registrar, however, said the university syndicate met to decide on Guru on Tuesday but refused to divulge the details. I have just come out of the meeting, which just concluded. We will not be able to discuss the outcome of the meeting till the proceedings are out, he said. Gurus detention has been condemned by human rights activists and intellectuals such as Professor Kancha Ilaiah, Teesta Setalvad, Jayati Gosh and Shamshul Islam. Lt Governor Kiran Bedi led participants at a mass yoga demonstration in Puducherry on the occasion of International Yoga Day on Tuesday. But chief minister V Narayanasamy and his ministerial colleagues, who were scheduled to participate in the yoga day celebrations, were conspicuous by their absence as they had flown to Yanam to participate in government functions. They are later scheduled to visit Delhi from Yanam to meet the Prime Minister and others in the capital, an official said. Speaking to NDTV, Bedi downplayed the event and said politics shouldnt be done on yoga day. The Congress came to power in Puducherry after winning the assembly elections this year. Days after the election results, Kiran Bedi, who was BJPs chief ministerial candidate in Delhi, was appointed the Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory. Bedi joined around 6,000 school and college students, officials and NCC volunteers and performed as many as 40 different asanas lasting nearly 90 minutes from 6.30 am on the Beach Road. Addressing the participants, Bedi said, We are all moving towards one world. Yoga is real humanity. Yoga is coming from our Vedas. All over the world yoga is being celebrated as it unites mind, body and soul. Yoga stands for unity and harmony. Director General of Police of Puducherry Sunil Kumar Gautam, Secretary to Lt Governor G.Theva Needhi Das, Vice Chancellor of Pondicherry University Anisa Basheer Khan, officials of various departments and representatives of different organisations were among the participants. Bedi later told reporters that yoga is the best gift India has given to nine billion people across the world.I want to thank my leader Prime Minister Narendra Modi who took this cause up in General Assembly of the United Nations (for declaring International Yoga Day)..., she said. The Border Security Force (BSF) will soon send a 1,900 personnel-strong contigent to get advanced training in yoga exercises and skills by Ramdev at his facility in Haridwar. BSF chief KK Sharma on Tuesday said the countrys largest border guarding force has decided to intensify yoga training to its troops and the aim is to have at least one trainer in this discipline in each platoon-level formation of the paramilitary force. A platoon, comprising about 35 personnel, is the smallest strength of an operational team in the force. The BSF director general said yoga acts as a stress buster and it is important for his men and women as they are deployed in some of the most arduous and difficult areas as part of their duties in the border guarding and internal security domain. We have included yoga as a way of life and more than 2,000 people have been trained in this skill in the force till now. We got them trained at the Morarji Desai institute in Gujarat and Patanjali Yogpeeth in Haridwar. We now want to intensify this and hence we are sending 1,900 basic-trained personnel to Patanjali in Haridwar next month for learning advanced yoga skills. Ramdev will himself impart them the training, Sharma said during an event to award the forces Yoga team that got the first prize for participating at an International Yoga Day (IYD) event here. The DG said yoga enhances the willpower and productivity of a person and hence it is much required for the 2.5 lakh personnel-strong paramilitary force. There are no two opinions about yoga and that it gives both physical and mental stability and improves will power. We work in difficult and hard areas and hence stress is obvious. We can reduce and regulate that stress by doing yoga and be healthy, he said. About two dozen of the 29 RSS-affiliated socio-cultural and religious organizations could soon get back the allotment of prime land that was cancelled by the previous UPA government in 2004, on the ground that allotment norms were violated. The allotments were made between 1998-1999 and September 2004 by the then Atal Behari Vajpayee-led NDA government. A panel set up last December, to review if the UPA governments decision to cancel the allotment was justified, is set to tell the Modi government that the previous government had unfairly targeted the organizations. It will recommend that except for two or three cases, allotment were justified in the remaining cases and hence the cancellation orders be withdrawn. The panel comprising retired IAS officers LK Joshi and former Delhi chief secretary R Narayanaswami is expected to submit its report to the urban development (UD) ministry on Tuesday. Narayanaswami replaced former UD secretary M Ramachandran after the latter recused himself from the panel last month on personal ground. A government source told HT that the panel had supported the cancellation of the allotment in about three cases where it found that norms were not followed while allotting the land. Refusing to divulge further details, the source said, Let the report first be formally submitted. Another government source said that based on the committees recommendation, the UD ministry will approach the High Court -- where a case is pending on the issue and seek revocation of the cancellation in all such cases where it was found to be unjustified. A majority of the allottees whose land was cancelled have moved court. The ministry will have to approach the court for taking a final call once the committee submits its report, the source added. In 2004, the then UPA government cancelled the allotments based on recommendations by a one-member inquiry committee headed by retired IAS officer Yogesh Chandra. The Chandra committee examined some 100 cases of land allotted to various organisations. In 32 cases, the committee observed the allotments were made without due regard to the stipulated procedure. The UPA government finally cancelled 29 such allotments including those made to organizations such as Mukherjee Smiriti Nyas, Vishwa Samvad Kendra, Dharam Yatra Mahasangh, Akhil Bhartiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram among others. Soon after the NDA came to power in May 2014, many of the organisations whose allotments were cancelled approached urban development minister M Venkaiah Naidu to review their case. The ministry sought the opinion of the Attorney General last August on whether it can review, case-by-case, the decision taken by the previous government. Soon after it got the go ahead from the AG, a two member committee was set up. Government sources said though the allotments were cancelled, in some cases the allottees held on to the land and built makeshift offices there. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Kerala health minister KK Shailaja on Tuesday pulled up officials for including an introductory Sanskrit prayer in the Yoga Day celebrations in the state capital, inviting sharp criticism from several quarters. The minister, who was the chief guest at the function, said prayers were not needed and yoga did not belong to a particular religion. She expressed displeasure at the inaugural address and later questioned officials of the Ayush department in this regard. Read more: Yoga no religious activity, its a global mass movement: PM Modi She said officials should have selected a prayer acceptable to all communities. However, officials clarified the Sanskrit sloka (prayer) was included in accordance with the manual issued by the central government. They said the prayer was taken from Patnajalis Yoga Sutra and was not religious text, as mentioned by the minister. Reacting to the ministers response, former chief minister Oommen Chandy said it was unfortunate to rake up such an issue. We never expected such a response from the minister. In fact, yoga crosses all barriers, he said. The Muslim League, a constituent of the opposition United Democratic Front, also decried the ministers action. I dont know why the minister is so intolerant towards a prayer, said Muslim League general secretary ET Muhammed Basheer. When the issue snowballed into a controversy, the minister denied seeking an explanation from any official. I only made a suggestion. Many people are there who dont believe in any religion. I did not seek explanation from anyone, she said, adding that some people had blown the matter out of proportion. The ruling CPI(M) has developed a yoga session called Secular Yoga without any mantra or slogan. Instead of mantras, in the tailor-made session, mellifluous music accompanies yoga asanas (postures). It even organised yoga sessions in many parts of the state to allegedly steal the thunder of the saffron party. Delhi high court ordered a Ludhiana-based firm to stop manufacturing, selling or dealing goods bearing Louis Vuitton Malletiers logo. The well-known French fashion house had filed a petition alleging that the company Guru Kripa had been dealing counterfeit goods bearing its registered trademarks. The court said Louis Vuitton (LV), which makes luxury trunks and leather goods including shoes, watches, jewellery and accessories, has been able to make out a prima facie case for an interim order. In case the interim order is not passed, the plaintiff (LV) will suffer irreparable loss and injury. The court ordered the firm to stop selling any goods bearing the Louis Vuitton trademarks until next hearing. It also issued summons to the defendants - Guru Kripa and its proprietors - and listed the matter for further hearing on October 4. The court said, two commissioners would visit the firm and investigate, from where the infringing goods are sourced, stocked and sold by the defendants within Ludhiana and any other cities in India. LV has also sought damages of over Rs 1 crore from the firm. Terrorists are hiding in villages close to the vulnerable Pathankot airbase, which can come under fresh attack from them, the Parliamentary Standing Committee (PSC) on home affairs said on Tuesday. It said the government had been informed about it and security of the strategically important facility had been beefed up. The committee was in Jammu to review the security arrangements along the international border and had earlier gone to Pathankot. After going back from Pathankot, we made our suggestions to the government and said that there can be more attacks on in Pathankot. We were told by the villagers that some terrorists were still hiding in the villages there, chairman of the committee P Bhattacharya told reporters here on Tuesday. After the recommendation of the committee, the government has alerted the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF) and the army and handed over the security of the airbase to them, he said. Do you know that a few days ago, the government asked the CRPF, BSF and the army to guard the air force station because some terrorists are hiding there. How they are hiding there, it is not my business to find out but as we got the information from the villagers, it was very clear to us that they are hiding somewhere. We have informed the Union government of about it, Bhattacharya said. When asked to comment on the permission granted by the Indian government to the Pakistani investigation team to visit the Pathankot airbase to probe the January 2 attack, Bhattacharya said he was not in favour of allowing Pakistani intelligence officers to visit the strategic facility. The committee does not support the idea of the Union government of bringing this intelligence branch of Pakistan here. What for? But for any foreign policy of the government, we are not the proper fora, we cannot take the decision to do this and not to do this, he said. A five-member joint investigation team (JIT) from Pakistan had visited India between March 27 and 31 to collect evidence with regard to the Pathankot attack. Bhattacharya said the policy guidelines have to be framed by the Indian government. The committee said it was satisfied with the measures being taken by the BSF to check infiltration, but advocated providing fully modern equipment to the force. Hours after Washington reiterated its support for New Delhis bid to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group, China toned down on Tuesday its opposition to Indias admission to the elite club, saying members were open to discussing the inclusion of countries that are still to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), a nuclear arms control pact. The position adopted by China marked a shift from its assertion on Monday that Indias application to join the 48-nation NSG was not on the agenda of the organisations plenary in Seoul on June 23-24. The door is still open within the NSG for non-NPT members to join, foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said. There is always room for discussion. We did not target any country, India or Pakistan. We only care about the non-proliferation treaty, she said, suggesting that the topic of including non-NPT countries in the NSG could probably come up during plenary. China, which is perceived to be acting at the behest of its all weather ally Pakistan, has blocked Indias bid by linking it to the NPT. Neither India nor Pakistan has signed the NPT. Days after India applied, Pakistan responded with a bid of its own to join the NSG. Read | Pakistan has successfully blocked Indias NSG bid: Sartaj Aziz Indian sources said they were making every effort to get into the club, making realistic assessments of hurdles and devising means to overcome them. Prime Minister Narendra Modi too will take up the issue with Chinese President Xi Jingping on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Tashkent on June 23. As the Americans and the Japanese continued to work the phone lines to drum up support for India, reports suggested foreign secretary S Jaishankar is likely to travel to Seoul to marshal Indian efforts to get membership of the NSG. But the sources admitted that while China remained the biggest challenge, there were some other countries, including Austria and Ireland, which have reservations about a non-NPT member being admitted to the exclusive club. We are working the phone lines, convincing members about our impeccable non-proliferation credentials and remain hopeful of becoming a member of the NSG. Of course, such negotiations go down to the wire, a source said. The NSG functions by consensus and opposition from even one member will mean that India will not be able to gain entry. The NPT is the cornerstone of the NSG and the non-proliferation regime, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua said. The NSG members should focus on whether the criteria (of admitting new members) should be changed, she said, underlining fears that such a move could have implications for the Iran nuclear deal and the situation in North Korea. The US, she said, was the country which made the rule that non-NPT countries should not be allowed to join the NSG. But on Monday, the US again called on NSG members to back Indias application in Seoul. We believe, and this has been US policy for some time, that India is ready for membership and the US calls on participating governments to support Indias application, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said. Read | As China talks tough, US continues to seek support for Indias NSG bid India enjoys most of the benefits of membership under a 2008 exemption to NSG rules granted to support its nuclear cooperation deal with Washington. Other than China, no other nation is openly backing Pakistan because of its track record. The father of its nuclear weapons programme ran an illicit network for years that sold nuclear secrets to countries, including North Korea and Iran. Read | India, Pakistan should bid together for NSG entry: Chinese media An op-ed in the Chinese state-run Global Times tried to downplay Islamabads role in the proliferation of nuclear secrets. Actually, the proliferation carried out by Pakistan was done by Abdul Qadeer Khan, Pakistans chief nuclear scientist, and was not an official policy of the Pakistani government, it said. (With inputs from Jayanth Jacob in New Delhi) Read | Why NSG membership matters to India: All you need to know The United States continues to call upon member nations of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) to back Indias membership application at a plenary in Seoul this week, a White House spokesperson said on Monday. The stand indicated Indias application still might be on the agenda for the meeting on June 23-24, contrary to Chinese assertion in Beijing that it wasnt. China has blocked Indias membership of the NSG, a club of countries controlling access to sensitive nuclear technology, on the grounds that it is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The 48-member group, set up in response to Indias first nuclear test in 1974, aims to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons. We continue to call on the participating governments of the NSG to support Indias application at the plenary session later this week, White House spokesperson Josh Earnest said. Read: Why NSG membership matters to India: All you need to know At the same time, Earnest said the member nations have to reach a consensus decision to admit any applicant and the US will be advocating for Indias membership. The NSG works on the principle of consensus and a single hold-out country can spoil Indias chance to be part of the grouping. India has got the backing of most countries, including the US, Britain, Italy, Mexico, Switzerland and Russia. Asked if the US had talks with the Chinese about Indias membership, state department spokesperson John Kirby said the US discussed the application with other NGS members. In response to the pushback from China, Kirby said: The United States calls on NSG participating governments to support Indias application when it comes up at the NSG plenary. New Delhi has been making all efforts before the Seoul session. The NSG controls access to nuclear technology, which India needs, for one, to meet its increasing power requirements. But Beijing announced on Monday that Indias membership was not on the agenda in the upcoming meeting, a day after Indian foreign minister Sushma Swaraj said China was not opposed to her countrys bid but was highlighting procedural issues. The Congress on Tuesday downplayed the Anti-Corruption Bureaus move to register an FIR against former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit in connection with the water tanker scam by saying it is a routine procedure. Congress leader P C Chacko said the party welcomes the inquiry even if it is politically motivated. The ACB of Delhi has filed an FIR. It is just a routine procedure when the complaint reaches them. Whether it is a complaint, whether there is a scam or something illegal, that is to be decided by an inquiry. So, starting the inquiry is the news now, not the conclusion of the inquiry, he said. ACB chief M K Meena said on Monday that they had received a complaint from Delhi water minister Kapil Mishra. The irregularities committed by the Congress government incurred a loss of around Rs 400 crores, Meena quoted Mishra as saying. Meena further said, We have also received a complaint from BJP leader Vijendra Gupta stating despite receiving report of irregularities, no action was taken to cancel the contract that caused huge loss to the government. We have registered a case under various sections of the prevention of corruption act and Indian penal Code (IPC) and we will take action accordingly, he added. He, however, said both Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and his predecessor could be questioned in this case. I hv given a comprehensive report with evidence. No BJP leader is even talking about it. Why BJP protecting Shiela? Vijender Gupta sent a one page letter to LG no evidence. LG has received 15000 such letters in his tenure. how many he forwarded to ACB? (sic) tweeted Mishra. (With ANI inputs) The Yoga Day cut across the barriers of international borders and was celebrated with great fervour across the globe on Tuesday with more than 135 countries joining the celebrations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, dressed in a white tracksuit, called yoga a peoples mass movement as he took to the mat Tuesday along with millions of others worldwide to celebrate the ancient practice. Indian scholars believe yoga dates back 5,000 years, based on archaeological evidence of poses found inscribed on stones and references to Yogic teachings in the ancient Hindu scriptures of the Vedas. Through the United Nations, International Yoga day is being celebrated throughout the world. The whole world supported it whether it was developed or developing nations. Every section of the society supported it, the 65-year-old premier said. There are several days celebrated by UN, including World Cancer Day, World Health Day, World Mental Health Day, and several others. In the field of sports, there are several days which are celebrated. But this (IDY) is the only, which has direct relation with health and also with physical, mental and social health, he added. I think, this speaks about the power of this heritage, identity of this heritage which was given by our ancestors. In the national capital, more than 10,000 people gathered at Central Park in the heart of Connaught Place and the circular road around it, making it one of the largest yoga shows in the city. School students, teachers, government employees, political leaders, police and paramilitary officials as well as volunteers from NGOs, all sporting white T-shirts and blue and white trousers, performed the yoga postures on red and blue mats rolled out on the lawns. Sessions were also held around the world, including at the Sydney Opera House, where colourful mats were spread outside the Australian landmark, while Afghans and foreigners gathered at the Indian embassy in Kabul. Union minister of state for defence Rao Inderjit Singh said the world was celebrating International Yoga Day by rising above religion. Taking part in yoga exercises in Shimla, he said even Muslim countries were celebrating. India became the first country to spread yoga across the world, he told reporters. People perform yoga during a mass demonstration in Delhi. (Raj K Raj /HT Photo) Former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal also took part in the event amid cloudy conditions in the Himachal Pradesh capital along with Rao. Yog means connecting people... Sixteen out of the 193 countries would also soon adopt yoga, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Dhumal said. Yoga guru Ramdevs Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust said 152 yoga camps were organised across the state in which thousands of people participated. Similar events were held across Madhya Pradesh at the district, block, panchayat and municipality levels. A state-level event was held at the Lal Parade Ground, in which hundreds of people participated, including Union human resource development minister Smriti Irani, political personages, administrative officers and students. In Gujarat, nearly 2,000 pregnant women set a record by performing yoga in Rajkot, as nearly 1.25 crore people took part in the second International Yoga Day celebrations held at around 40,000 venues across the state. Chief minister Anandiben Patel along with governor OP Kohli and many other religious and spiritual leaders were present at state-level celebration held at GMDC ground. Nearly 1.25 crore people today participated in this second edition of International Day of Yoga, celebrated at 40,000 different places across Gujarat, Patel told the media after the event. In many parts of Mumbai and its suburbs, thousands turned up in schools, colleges, open grounds and other places with their yoga mats and took part in the sessions, some of which started at dawn. The Indian Navy completed a three-week capsule to train 25 personnel and popularise yoga among thousands of its sailors and civilians while over 2,000 took part in a yoga programme at Kohli Grounds. Shammis Yogalaya Foundation in suburban Powai organised what is billed as Indias first three-day yoga festival where experts conducted workshops on yoga styles, wellness and health practices and meditation techniques, with the grand finale at Nehru Centre, Worli, on Tuesday. The University of Mumbai joined hands with a Lonavala-based Yoga Institute to train a batch of teachers who also conducted practice sessions for the staffers, in city colleges and in 310 villages across Maharashtra that have been adopted by its NSS cadets. (With inputs from agencies) Read| As it happened: In Chandigarh, PM Modi leads Yoga Day celebrations In pics | Twist and turn: How the world celebrated International Yoga Day Yoga is not a religious activity and people must embrace it for better mental and physical health, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in Chandigarh on Tuesday. Thousands of Indians celebrated the second International Yoga Day by performing postures of the ancient discipline across the country. Addressing people at the Capitol Complex in Chandigarh before a mass yoga session, Modi said:It is probably the first time that a day has become mass movement. Addressing some 30,000 yoga enthusiasts, he said yoga helped control the mind and help people to lead a disciplined life. Video: PM Modi performs yoga Yoga is not a religious activity. Many people do not understand yoga completely. It is not what you will get from yoga but what is important is what you will give to yoga and what all (ailments) will it rid you of...It helps is getting mukti (salvation) from health issues, Modi said, in an apparent attempt to de-link the belief among some that yoga was a part of Hinduism. Modi said yoga was for both believers and non-believers, and there was no need to create any controversy over it. He announced two annual awards will be given from next year: for doing exceptional work for promotion of yoga at the international and national levels. Over 96,000 people had registered themselves to take part in the International Yoga Day event at Chandigarh. (Photo courtesy: @PIB_India on Twitter) The Prime Minister later got down from the stage from where he addressed the gathering and shook hands with differently abled yoga enthusiasts. Donning T-shirts and track-pants, the yoga enthusiasts, shortlisted to perform yoga, had begun lining up around the spruced up complex around 4am on Tuesday. Over 96,000 people had registered themselves to take part in the Chandigarh event. Of this, over 30,000 were picked, including 10,000 each from Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana. At least 7,000 security personnel, including 4,000 paramilitary jawans and 3,000 officers of Chandigarh Police, were guarding the venue in the city where prohibitory orders have been issued at several places. The Union Territory administration, along with Ayush ministry, spent over Rs 14 crore on the event and the four-day yoga festival held in different areas of Chandigarh. Among all days marked by the UN, no day has equalled the mass movement the International Yoga Day has become. It has become the biggest mass movement worldwide, said Modi, who was instrumental in getting the UN to declare June 21 as the International Yoga Day. The United Nations General Assembly declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga in December 2014. Over 190 countries, including 40 Islamic nations, supported the move to have a special day for yoga. The first International Yoga Day was observed across the world on June 21 last year with Modi performing yoga along with 36,000 people at New Delhis historic Rajpath. (With IANS inputs) In pics | Twist and turn: How the world celebrated International Yoga Day MUMBAI: The state government on Monday announced an inquiry into the allegations of misbehaviour against Sunil Mali, personal secretary of public health minister Deepak Sawant by a woman doctor. Mali has been sent on compulsory leave. The 26-year-old doctor from Chalisgaon wrote a letter on June 18 to Sawant and CM Fadnavis seeking action against Mali. She said the incident took place on March 16 around 7pm when she approached Mali at Mantralaya to discuss about a Digital Public Health Centre she had started. Mali made me sit in an anti-chamber for around two hours and later began asking me personal questions, she said. She approached the Marine Drive police station on Monday and filed a molestation complaint against Mali, saying he commented on her clothes, which outraged her modesty. She said Mali should be sacked immediately. Sujata Sounik, principal secretary of the department, will conduct the inquiry. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday questioned Dr Virendra Tawades wife Nidhi in connection with the 2013 murder of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar. The CBI arrested Virendra Tawade on June 11. Nidhi and her mother visited the CBI office at Navi Mumbai around 11.30am and her preliminary statement was recorded, said a CBI source. Nidhi was a member of Sanatan Sanstha but was never an active one. According to officials, Nidhi and her daughter had not been living with Virendra for the past two years as their relationship had soured. Nidhi had recently visited London and was not in the town when the CBI arrested Tawade on June 11. She returned to India on Monday and visited the CBI office on Tuesday morning, said a source adding, She was in shock after she learnt about Virendras arrest. But we told her about the evidence collected against Tawade and his role in the murder. A CBI team then visited Nidhis house in Panvel and searched the residence, which was underway till late evening, added a CBI officer. The officers found 17 documents that interest them, Tawades passport and a few DVDs. We will call her again in a few days, added the officer. Two years after the Bombay high court asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to rework its property tax formula following 47 petitions by citizens, the civic body has stuck to the old calculations, which will result in taxpayers indirectly paying for their flats common areas like passageways and staircase i.e. built up area along with the carpet area of the house. The civic body on Tuesday tabled a proposal for the second time in the last two years reiterating its stand. The proposal takes into account the carpet area of the flat but multiplies this by 1.2, so the final cost remains equal to that of the built up area. The administration claims that if it only considers the carpet area, it will incur an annual loss of nearly Rs 297 crore. Earlier, the standing committee had rejected this formula at least twice and asked the civic body to reduce the citizens expense. The BMC moved to capital value-based property tax system in 2010, leading to an overall hike in city properties. This system refers to the charging of tax on the basis of the capital value of the property, instead of the value of rent the property fetched. The new system considered the built up area of a flat instead of just the carpet area, besides other variables like age of the property and type of structure. The BJP might pass this proposal in the civic body to earn brownie points ahead of the elections. They will then ask the state government to disapprove it, said Congress corporator, Asif Zakaria. Officials said the Advocate General of the state was consulted for the proposal. One of Indias smallest religious communities, the Jews, has now got an official identity in Maharashtra. Ending their decades old struggle, the Jews were finally conferred with the minority status by the state cabinet on Tuesday. Maharashtra is the first state to categorise Jews as a minority group. Of the estimated 5,000 Jews in India, around 4,300 live in the state, concentrated largely in Mumbai, Thane and Raigad district. The governments move means the community is now eligible for state schemes for religious minority groups, including scholarships for students and grants to educational institutes run by community members, among others. However, more than the government schemes, the community is excited about other factors. Documents registering births, deaths and marriages of Jews did not carry their religion, instead categorising them as others, which will now change. Even the census didnt count us as Jews, as a result of which, there are no official figures for our community. Our internal estimates show we are only 5,000 members, which makes us a miniscule, microscopic minority, said Ezra Moses, the secretary of the Indian Jewish Federation. The other benefit, Moses said, will be the community will get full subsidy from the government to visit Jerusalem, the Israeli capital, for pilgrimages. With their major demand accepted, the community hopes the government will pay heed to another request they had made. The holiest day for the community, Yom Kippur, is generally when our kids have examinations. Families cant celebrate this day because of that. With this official tag for us, I hope the government considers making the day an optional holiday, he said. Another community member, David Talegaonkar, who is on the trust which runs one of the three community-run educational institutes, the Sir Elly Kardoorie High School, welcomed the decision. We receive a lot of applications from Jewish students who dont have the means to support their education. This tag means they can have access to government scholarships. The Maharashtra government had, in 2006, recognised six minority groups Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis and Jains. Schools and colleges across the city conducted an hour-long program on the occasion of International Yoga Day on Tuesday. At Hansraj Morarji Public School in Andheri, students as well as school staff arrived an hour before their usual time to practice yoga. We had a practice session before and today we followed the same schedule. Everybody enjoyed it, said Uday Nare, a teacher from the school. At Mithibai College, all the National Cadet Corps (NCC) and National Service Scheme (NSS) cadets, along with the college staff, got together to make this program a success. Yoga is beneficial to everyone and keeping this in mind, we have decided to start a yoga club in our college. This should keep it an ongoing process for students and staff, said principal Rajpal Hande. He said the college will collaborate with a yoga institute soon. The University of Mumbai collaborated with a Lonavala-based yoga institute to not only train a batch of teachers, but also conduct yogasanas from 7am on Tuesday morning. We have conducted yoga sessions in city colleges and also in 310 villages across Maharashtra that were adopted by our NSS cadets, said PRO Leeladhar Bansod. Staff and students at RD National College in Bandra, too, participated in a 45-minute session specifically put together by experts. It was a fun and healthy session and everybody enjoyed it, said principal Dinesh Panjwani. Lets cut through the chase. The term World Music, no matter how much it has caught on today among the cognoscenti, was a marketing invention by the music industry in the 1980s to describe traditional music of any culture. Which means that it includes Celtic music from Irish band Lunasa and Chhebi music from Moroccan group Lemchaheb to the baul songs of Madan Bairagi from Bengal and the qawwali of the Sabri Brothers from Pakistan. World Music is basically the kind of music that does not fall into the multitude of categories that is mainstream in the West. If other kinds of music across the world and the accompanying instruments and styles of playing and singing came under the spotlight, it was because of Western musicians, whether in classical music or pop or rock, bringing them closer to Western ears, introducing Western listeners to different kinds of sensibilities. Read: Let Luke Kenny plan your World Music Day playlist In other words, World Music has come to mean any kind of music that cant be easily fitted into the categories that have been around for decades in record shops in the West. Even if the term World Music and its classification is a Western invention, today, it has come to mean anything that is indigenous. Anything thats not on the charts One of the earliest Western musicians to inject an overtly Other sound into their music was 19th-20th century classical composer Maurice Ravel, whose one-movement orchestral piece, Bolero, brought the Spanish dance and musical form into the mainstream. Sure, there had been other mainstream composers who had been influences by different sounds from across the world. Mozarts opera, The Abduction from the Seraglio, for instance, is his take on contemporary Turkish music. In his Violin Concerto No. 5 in A major, sometimes called the Turkish Concerto, he repeats this eastern influence that arouses the curiosity of listeners in this other kind of music. Read more music stories here Not too dissimilar, if you think about it, from musicians in a different century presenting their audiences with sounds that intrigue and delight them. Take Brian Jones, former member of the Rolling Stones, who is not only acknowledged as the first Western musician to introduce the sitar in a pop song (Paint It, Black in 1966, a full year before George Harrison played the Indian instrument in Within You Without Out), but also the man who produced arguably the first World Music album: Brian Jones Presents: The Pipes of Pan at Jajouka in 1971 showcasing the music from the Moroccan mountain town of Jajouka. Our other sounds, their other sounds But even if the term World Music and its classification is a Western invention, today, it has come to mean anything that is (or at least sounds) indigenous. Folk, roots and ethnic music just has a new name and has a new set of listeners who give it the attention that it lacked when it was confined to a localised few. Whether its Andean pan pipe music or steel drums in Jamaica or Brazil, or closer home, baul, bhatiali, bhangra, gajan, tappa, kirtan, langa, manganiar, more people are listening to these disparate sounds under the rubric of World Music. Whether Nusrat Fateh Ali Khans qawwali is closer to Pearl Jams heavy R&B rock than it is to Paban Das Bauls songs or whether Kailesh Khers sufi has closer sonic similarities to Robert Plants solo albums than the latter has to Led Zeppelin are questions that no longer bother us World Musicwallas. But it is as a niche musical category that World Music is having its Golden Age today. Its been 25 years since Fete de la Musique (literally Festival of Music) was initiated in France in 1982 marking June 21 as International World Music Day. Its another matter that the predecessors of Daler and Nusrat, Purna Das and Tejan Bai had been playing their stuff much before the likes of Paul Simon and Peter Gabriel discovered then. If America wasnt the world leader of music consumerism, would country star Garth Brooks been a World Music artiste? Think about it. (This article first appeared on Hindustan Times in 2007) KATHMANDU/RAXAUL: About 100 doctors were arrested in Nepal for allegedly using forged school certificates from Bihar to get their medical degrees and jobs in government as well as private institutions across the Himalayan country. The arrests were made after a six-month investigation, codenamed Operation Quack, conducted by the Nepals Central Investigation Bureau (CIB). The agency arrested 17 doctors with fake credentials in February. Most of these doctors arrested over the past three days had allegedly procured fake mark-sheets of the Bihar Intermediate Education Council (BIEC), which conducts the class 12 exam. The CIB deputy inspector general, Navraj Dhakal, confirmed the arrest of 100 doctors. We have information that 3,000 doctors in Nepal possess fake intermediate certificates procured from Bihar, he said. Their MBBS degrees are also under the scanner. The Nepal crackdown comes when Bihar, notorious for incidents of mass cheating, is engulfed in a massive exam fraud that was exposed after this years class 12 toppers failed to answer rudimentary questions during a media interaction. The arrested doctors were produced in a Kathmandu court on Sunday and remanded in police custody. Sources said doctors practising in 10 districts, including 15 from Kathmandu Valley, were among those picked up by police. Some of these doctors were associated with reputed hospitals. The probe revealed there were no records for 14 of the arrested doctors with the BIEC. CIB sleuths will visit Bihar on Tuesday to verify the intermediate certificates. The arrests triggered a nationwide protest by the Nepal Medical Association (NMA), which said doctors were being deliberately harassed. NMA vice-president Pramod Sharaff blamed the Bihar education department for the scandal, saying people under the scanner had properly taken the examination. The Capitol Complex here came under international media gaze for the second time in six months as Prime Minister Narendra Modi took part in the Yoga Day event on Tuesday. Modi had earlier visited the complex in January this year during the visit of French president Francois Hollande. Experts and officials of the UT administration feel that the Tuesday event will boost complexs chances of getting the heritage status, the application of which is pending with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). The complex is one of the structures from India vying for the heritage status under the transnational serial dossier. A team of experts from the UNESCO had also inspected the buildings last year and the result on heritage status is expected by the end of this month. The Prime Minister also mentioned Capitol Complex in his speech, saying, I thought Capitol Complex to be the best place to host the International Yoga Day event. I am pleased to see the number of people performing yoga here. Modi even asked Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, who was also on the dais, if he had ever seen such big a crowd at this place. I have stayed at Chandigarh for about five years and its unique architecture always attracted me, the PM said. Chandigarh home secretary Anurag Agarwal said, This is perhaps for the first time that an event of such a magnitude has been held at the complex. Prime Ministers presence here will definitely boost complexs chances of getting the heritage status. He said the heritage status will give a fillip to the citys tourism and the UT administration will get technical assistance from international organisations for maintaining the buildings. The complex Spread over more than 100 acres, Capitol Complex in Sector 1 is an area comprising monuments and buildings. It houses the Open Hand monument, Tower of Shadows, Geometric Hill, and the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the legislative assembly, and the secretariat buildings. It is a pristine and prominent representation of the Chandigarhs architecture designed by French arhitect Le Corbusier. With the Shivalik Hills in the backdrop, the complex looks serene and grand. A coupe was killed and three of their family were injured when a car they were travelling in collided with a truck at Brahampur village near Nangal on the Chandigarh-Una road on Friday night. The deceased were identified as 62-year-old Nek ram and his wife 56-year-old Madhu. Their son Deepak (31), daughter-in-law Ritu (28) and three-month-old granddaughter were injured. The accident took place when the family was returning to Una from Kharar in a Hyundai Santro car (HP-31A-2413). As they reached Brahampur village, an unidentified truck collided with the car, leaving the couple dead on the spot. The truck driver sped away after the accident. The police have registered a case under Sections 279 (Rash driving or riding on a public way), 337 (Causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), 304-A (Causing death by negligence), 427 (Mischief causing damage to the amount of 50 rupees) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) against unidentified truck driver at the Nangal police station. After arriving at the main venue, Capitol Complex in Chandigarh, for the International Day of Yoga at 6.30am on Tuesday, Prime Minister Modi began his speech of about 25 minutes at 6.50 am. Here are some of the key things he said. Public backing Modi said no other day declared by the United Nations had ever got as much acceptance and encouragement from the general public as much as the International Day of Yoga has got. Some people fail to understand yoga, he said. Not religious PM Narendra Modi during the Yoga Day celebrations at Capitol Complex in Chandigarh on Tuesday. (Sanjeev Sharma/HT Photo) He also said that yoga is not religious in nature. Yoga is even for atheists. He went on to urge everyone at large to not criticise Yoga Day. Insurance! On yoga as a lifestyle component, he termed it insurance at zero budget. Yoga is the way to know yourself, in this real world. For the afterlife, there is religion. Yoga is for the here and now. Fighting diabetes Yoga is also creating millions and billions worth of systems and jobs across the world, the PM said. Yoga is developing as a major trade... To all those great people associated with the trade, I want to say this and urge them: We will again celebrate Yoga Day next year; until then, lets concentrate on diabetes. The year round, lets make it our primary target for the year. India is seeing a rise in diabetes. It can at least be controlled. Lets start a mass movement... We will pick some other ailment next year... Awards from next year He also declared that two awards, one national and the other international, would be given for promotion of yoga by the Indian government from next year. We can even go right down to the district level on this, he said. Get the detailed coverage here: HT at Capitol Complex Follow @htpunjab for more Yoga, the ancient spiritual discipline, did not only attract residents from Chandigarh and other parts of India but also some foreign tourists who were visiting the city as it celebrated the International Day of Yoga, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The foreigners performed yoga in the block where the PM was performing asanas. A woman from Australia, who identified herself only as Jass, said she is herself a yoga trainer. (Monica Sharma/HT Photo) Michelle Dolan from New Zealand said, Yoga is such a peaceful thing. When I performed some asanas, I felt at ease. A tour operator by profession, Dolan said, I have earlier also tried to do some yoga and I am also going for a yoga retreat to Rishikesh next. Michelle Dolan from New Zealand. (Monica Sharma/HT Photo) Echoing the same feelings, a woman from Australia who identified herself only as Jass, herself a yoga trainer, said, I have been a yoga teacher for last five years, and I like it as yoga helps in connecting with people. I was just 14 when my mother introduced me to yoga, and took me to attend a class, and ever since I got a liking for it. Click for pics I Moods and moves of Modi at yoga event Antonella Bassi from Yoga Journal in Italy. (Monica Sharma/HT Photo) Journalist Justin Manchester from England said yoga was good for both body and mind. I have been trying to practise yoga but found it quite difficult. He said the days experience had inspired him be more regular. FACEBOOK VIDEO BELOW To cover the event, a journalist from Italy too had come. Antonella Bassi from Yoga Journal Italia said it was indeed an enriching experience to watch so many people perform yoga at one spot. Another journalist Denise Hoogland from Amsterdam sharing her experience too: The atmosphere was quite charged and inspired everyone to perform yoga. I also tried to do some asanas. Also read I Five takeaways from PM Narendra Modis Yoga Day speech in Chandigarh Get more detailed coverage here: HT at Capitol Complex SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Union food processing minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Tuesday described sangat darshan program a revolutionary initiative of Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, which had been proving a boon for masses of the state. Presiding over various programmes in the district, Harsimrat said that this program has become a catalyst in resolving public plaints on the spot. She said that such programs could only be held by those, who were close to people of the state. She said that state chief minister Badal had always been close to the people of state whether in power or opposition. Accusing Congress and AAP for adopting double standards, Harsimrat said that both visionless and directionless parties were trying hard to mislead the people of Punjab but they would not succeed in their vicious plans. She said that seats of Congress had reduced to 44 only in Parliament due to its anti-poor, anti-farmers and pro-scam character. She said that Captain should clear his stand on the charges of money deposited in foreign banks by his family members before leveling charges of corruption on others. She said that income-tax department had recently slapped a notice to him. Harsimrat Kaur Badal during the International Yoga Day celebrations in Bathinda on Tuesday. (Sanjeev Kumar/HT) Speaking about the development scenario in Punjab, Harsimrat said that the state has touched new scales of development in last nine years. She asserted that on the plank of development, the SAD-BJP alliance would form next government and registered third consecutive win in the state. Criticising AAP leadership for making false promises with the people, the union minister said that the pre-election tall claims of AAP to put those indulged in corrupt practices in Delhi had fallen flat since it did nothing in this regard even after two years regime. She said it was shocking that the AAP ignored the file regarding Rs 400 crore water scam for one year. Meanwhile, Harsimrat presided over the programme Program in Boha, where she laid the foundation stone of Rs 35 crore sewerage system. In Joga, Harsimrat laid the foundation stone of Water Supply Project and others developments work to be completed at a cost of Rs 25 crore, whereas in Bhikhi she laid foundation stones of various development projects worth Rs 8 crore. She also inaugurated new hall constructed at Jai Durga Maisar Mandir in Ubha village constructed at a cost of Rs 7 lakh. The minister also inaugurated Cattle Pond in village Khokhar Kalan constructed in 10 acres of land. Harsimrat also distributed Rs 4 crore among 967 beneficiaries for construction of their houses under Indira Awas Yojana. She also gave away sewing machines to 58 needy women under Nanhi Chaan campaign. Prominent amongst those present on the occasion included Mansa MLA Prem Mittal, Budhlada MLA Chatin Singh Samao and leaders of SAD-BJP and officers of district administration. A day after a security guard was hacked to death, police have revealed that a money dispute of Rs 10,000 was the cause of murder. The victims kin staged a protest on Sunday evening in front of Model Town police station, after which a financier was booked in the case. The protesters also demanded that the station house officer be suspended for not taking action on time, even after the victim had lodged a complaint on Thursday after being attacked by the accused. The man, Kuldeep Singh, died in a private hospital on Sunday. Police registered a case under Sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code against Jagdish, Gagandeep, Kali and other unidentified persons. The complaint was lodged by the victims son Narvair Singh, a resident of Shaheed Baba Deep Singh Nagar on Dhandhran Road. In his complaint, Narvair stated that his father was employed at Hotel Grand Marian on Dugri Road. He borrowed a sum of Rs 50,000 from the three accused and had returned part of the money in 14 instalments, while Rs 10,000 was still pending t be paid in three more instalments. His father failed to return the balance amount due to financial difficulties, and had told them that he would return the money as soon as some arrangement was made. But the accused repeatedly pressurised his father for returning the sum immediately, and also started threatening him with dire consequences. Narvair alleged that his father had made repeated complaints to police, including to the commissioner of police in this regard, but the police did not take any action. On Thursday, the accused thrashed Kuldeep Singh while he was on his way back home, and fled the spot. He went to the Civil Hospital for treatment and lodged a complaint at Model Town police station, but was once again ignored. As his health started deteriorating, the family admitted him to a private hospital in Dugri, where he died on Sunday. Assistant sub-inspector Kulwinder Singh said efforts were on to nab the accused. Unhappy with the lack of facilities and some not up to mark at the integrated check post (ICP) at Attari Border, Rajya Sabha MP Shwait Malik said he would take up the matter in the Parliament. Malik, who held a meeting with the officials at the ICP and looked into the arrangements for the Indo-Pak Trade, said, It is shocking to see that there are around 200 CCTV cameras, but 90% are not in working condition. Not only this, the electronic barriers installed inside the ICP are also not in working condition. I have asked the authorities concerned to look into the matter immediately as it is a matter of security. Perturbed over the absence of full body truck scanners, Malik said, This is really shocking that how can national security be compromised. I have asked the authorities to provide the entire correspondence in this regard and will expose people who failed to get things done in the Parliament. Notably, there is absence of full body truck scanners in the ICP and as a result the authorities there just have to depend on the sniffer dogs or manual checking. Terming this as insufficient, Malik said, It is very disturbing that despite serious threats of smuggling from across the border, there is absence of truck scanners. This is a big risk and I will take this up with the government. Malik was also unhappy that a shed was missing at a place where the goods were kept and this caused losses to traders. Chandigarh Congress workers, under the leadership of Pardeep Chhabra, were detained by the police while moving towards the Capitol Complex. They were opposing Narendra Modis visit to the city on the occasion of International Yoga Day. A scuffle took place at the Sector 34 light point when the workers tried to remove the police barricades. Police detained the workers for more than 4 hours at the Sector 39 police station. Later, former member of parliament Pawan Kumar Bansal visited the police station to meet the workers . Pardeep Chhabra (in white) being escorted by the police in Chandigarh on Tuesday. Chhabra said the government had failed to fulfil any of the promises it had made before the election. The government failed in controlling the price rise and organising the Yoga Day was a part of its strategy to divert attention of the people. Traders, employees, workers - all are unhappy with the government, he said. Besides, Mahila Congress president Poonam Sharma, former mayor Harphool Chander Kalyan and several other leaders also protested. Negotiations between Patialas Rajindra Hospital paramedical staff, who have been on an indefinite strike for the past 21 days for regularisation of their services, and medical education secretary Vikas Partap failed in Chandigarh on Tuesday and the protesting workers decided not to open the medical superintendents office, outpatient department (OPD) building and operations theatres (OTs). Nurses and ancillary staff union chief Karamjit Kaur said: Though the medical education secretary assured us of regularisation, we will not end our protest until we get a copy of the notification. We were told that cabinet would decide about the notification. High drama was witnessed in the hospital on Tuesday when the paramedical staff refused to open the lock of the medical superintendents office. Sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) HS Sudan tried to persuade the protesting staff to open the lock, but to no avail, as they insisted a meeting with chief minister Parkash Singh Badal. The protesters shouted slogans against the state government and the SDM had to leave. Reacting to the stalemate, medical superintendent BS Brar said: The ball is in the administrations court now. The OPD, OTs and my office remained locked today. The Bharti Kisan Union Ekta (Dakaunda) also came in the support of the protesting staff. Their demand is genuine and they should be regularised. The government has betrayed the paramedical staff and is promoting privatisation in the health sector, union leader Avtar Singh Kaurjiwala said. Meanwhile, patients at Rajindra Hospital continued to suffer due to protest as the OPD and OT services remained paralysed for the third consecutive day today. The protesters locked six wards after the Mondays meeting with Dr Manjit Kaur Mohi, director, medical education and research, failed. Nachhattar Singh, 60, a patient who came from Devigarh, said: I am told that the OPD is closed today. Earlier too, I had to return as the OPD was closed. I cant afford treatment at a private clinic. Where should I go now? When will the strike end? Two brothers were injured in a blast after a shell exploded in an abandoned godown in the Giaspura area on Tuesday morning. The right leg of Shiv Kumar,14, was ripped apart in the blast, while his brother Vipan, 12, was injured in the head and neck. Both children were rushed to the local civil hospital from where they were referred to Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh. Police recovered a shell from the spot and suspect that the children were trying to pry it open when the blast occurred. Focal Point station house officer (SHO) inspector Harjinder Singh said the police suspect the shell could have been part of scrap dumped in the abandoned building. The blast triggered panic in the area as residents in surrounding buildings rushed out on hearing the explosion. Forensic experts and dog squad reached the spot to check the suspected explosive. The victims live in labour quarters in the Giaspura area and used to collect scrap to earn money. Police suspect that children might have found a shell from somewhere and took it to the plot to extract metal from it. They were beating the shell with a hammer when it suddenly went off. The SHO said the shell could have been part of scrap imported from the bay area. Police were yet to record the statement of the injured children. A case under Sections 286 (Negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance), 337 (Causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 338 (Causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered against owners of the plot Gurmeet Singh Bittu and Ajay Soni. Hospital staff accused of delaying treatment Father of the injured children Raj Bahadur, a resident of Uttar Pradesh, alleged that the civil hospital staff delayed treatment to his sons. They wrapped bandages on their wounds only and left. They did not try to stop bleeding, he said. Later, they were referred to the PGIMER, Chandigarh. Civil hospital senior medical officer Dr Sukhjeevan Kakkar was not available for comments. Office-goers were halted in their tracks on Tuesday morning as several arterial roads of Chandigarh were blocked by security personnel around 9am when Prime Minister Narendra Modi headed back to the airport from Capitol Complex in Sector 1 to catch a flight to New Delhi. Though the Chandigarh administration and police did not go a security overdrive unlike last September when Modi visited the city, commuters had to put up with delays and jams during the peak office hour. The Punjab and Haryana governments had announced that their offices would open at 11am in view of the International Yoga Day event in the state capital but the Chandigarh administration staff got no such respite. JAMS DELAY COMMUTERS Mohit Kumar, a resident of Zirakpur who works at a hotel in Sector 35, Chandigarh, said: I was stuck in the traffic jam near Tribune Chowk at 9am. It was hot and humid after the short spell of rain as we waited for almost half an hour for the traffic to clear. Buses also entered from the same route, making it difficult for two-wheeler riders. Also read I Modi keeps up style quotient in code white at Yoga Day in Chandigarh Lalit Kumar, a resident of Sector 37, was caught unawares and stranded near the petrol pump in Chandigarhs upscale Sector 4 when he was returning from Sukhna Lake at 8.30am. I was told that traffic had been halted to let the Prime Ministers cavalcade pass after the yoga event, he said, taking the delay in his stride. EARLY RISERS HIT TOO Chandigarh Police put up barricades at the roundabout of Sectors 11 and 15, a college campus hub, as a preventive measure though Yoga Day camps were conducted in the area smoothly. Rohit Kumar, a student and a resident of Sector 16, said: The barricades came up at 6am. Police did not allow me to go towards Sector 10 on the pretext that there was no parking space there. KEY ARTERIES CLOGGED Traffic snarls were reported from key arteries linking Chandigarh with Panchkula such as IT Park, Railway Crossing light point, Transport Chowk, Sector 26 roundabout and Madhya Marg till about 10.30am. By 11am, traffic on all routes was normal. Detailed reports II Yoga Day in Chandigarh with PM Modi: Action as it happened! The Hungarian football federation has been fined 65,000 euros ($73,000) for crowd trouble at Euro 2016, European football governing body Uefa said on Tuesday. Uefa said in a statement that the charges were relating to crowd disturbances, setting off of fireworks and throwing of objects during the 1-1 draw against Iceland in Marseille on Saturday. Read: Uefa begins disciplinary probe against Portugal, Hungary, Belgium With just days to go before Britains June 23 referendum on European Union membership, the countrys newspapers have publicly come out on their chosen sides, hoping to influence the debate as polls paint a picture of an evenly split electorate. Pro-Remain Newspapers The Times Britains Times newspaper has come out in support of remaining in the EU, with its Saturday June 18 issue bearing a leading article entitled Why Remain is best for Britain. On balance we believe Britain would be better off leading a renewed drive for reform within the EU rather than starting afresh outside it, the newspaper said. That put the Rupert Murdoch-owned Times at odds with two other newspapers in the media tycoons stable. The Sun and The Sunday Times have both thrown their weight behind Brexit. The Mail on Sunday Britains right-leaning Mail on Sunday newspaper has endorsed the campaign to remain in the EU, saying Britain would be safer, freer and more prosperous in the bloc. Mail on Sunday, Sunday Mirror and Observer all strongly come out for Remain today. Britain's future is #Strongerin pic.twitter.com/m4VJaebyCJ Stronger In Press (@StrongerInPress) June 19, 2016 For modern Great Britain to thrive and prosper we must work with, not against, our European partners; we must keep our seat at Europes top table and help shape its destiny; our strong, clear voice must be heard inside Europe, not be shouted from the sidelines, the newspaper said. Daily Mirror The British left-leaning tabloid urges its readers to vote to remain in the EU, saying membership makes the continent safer and the economic future more certain. This referendum is not just about our previous history. Where you put your X on the ballot paper is about making our own history, it said. Sunday Mirror comes out for Remain. This not about our past, but how we forge our future #StrongerIn pic.twitter.com/gkciAyocOV Stronger In Press (@StrongerInPress) June 19, 2016 It is not about our past, but how we forge our future. And it is a once in a lifetime opportunity. This is truly the battle for Britain. Make Thursday Victory in Europe Day. The Financial Times The countrys leading financial newspaper urged its readers to keep Britain within the 28-member bloc, saying a vote to withdraw would be irrevocable, a grievous blow to the post-1945 liberal world order. This is no time to revert to Little England. We are Great Britain. We have a contribution to make to a more prosperous, safer world. The vote must be Remain, the paper said. The Observer The Observer newspaper, part of the left-leaning Guardian Media Group, urged its readers to vote to stay in the EU. The paper said the EU was not perfect, but that overall it had been a force for good. Remaining in the EU will not magically eliminate the challenges Britain faces in the years to come. But if we choose to do so, it will keep Britain at the heart of reforming the European project so that the nations of Europe are together better equipped to face them, The Observer said. The Guardian Britains main left-of-centre newspaper backed Britain remaining in the European Union, telling its readers that they should keep connected and inclusive, not angry and isolated. Vote for a united country that reaches out to the world, and vote against a divided nation that turns inwards. Vote to remain, the paper said. The Guardian has endorsed a Remain vote ahead of Thursday's referendum #EURef. pic.twitter.com/6eR0mBIwHH Aidan Kerr (@AidanKerrPol) June 20, 2016 Read | EU referendum: Remainers get boost but Brexiters ahead Pro-Leave Newspapers The Sun The Sun, the nations biggest-selling paper, urged its readers to vote leave on its front page on June 14. We must set ourselves free from dictatorial Brussels, said the tabloid, which has a circulation of 1.7 million. Many of its readers already back a Brexit according to polls. The Sunday Times The newspaper urged its readers to vote to leave the EU as a way to press for deeper reform of the bloc, which might make it more acceptable for Britain to actually remain in. Yes, we must be prepared for a bumpy ride, but we should hold our nerve. This vote may be the only opportunity we shall ever have to call a halt to the onward march of the centralising European project, the newspaper said in an editorial. The Sunday Times says vote leave on June 23 #euref https://t.co/9DIGaCwTHw pic.twitter.com/VpKeuYln66 The Sunday Times (@thesundaytimes) June 18, 2016 The Sunday Telegraph The conservative newspaper urged its readers to vote to leave, arguing that the EU belongs to the past and by leaving it Britain would be able to decide who should come to work in the country. Once we have left and are no longer subject to the free movement of labour, popular worries about immigration will become a matter for the British government and for parliament, the paper said. The Telegraph The Daily Telegraph newspaper came out in favour of quitting the European Union on Monday, urging voters to tick the Leave box. The Telegraph made its declaration in an editorial entitled Vote leave to benefit from a world of opportunity. Read | British Indians among key voters decisive for EU referendum Six Jordanian border guards were killed by a car bomb in a remote area of the frontier with Syria on Tuesday during an attack launched from Syrian territory, security officials said. The explosives-laden vehicle blew up a few hundred metres from a camp for Syrian refugees in a desolate eastern area of Jordan where the borders of Iraq, Syria and Jordan meet, a Jordanian army statement said. The army said a number of other vehicles used in the attack were destroyed and that 14 other people were wounded in the attack at around 5:30 a.m. (0230 GMT). It was the first attack of its kind targeting Jordan from Syria since Syrias descent into conflict in 2011. It followed an attack on June 6 on a security office near the Jordanian capital Amman in which five people, including three Jordanian intelligence officers, were killed. The incidents have jolted the US-backed Arab kingdom, which has been relatively unscathed by the instability that has swept the Arab world since 2011, including the expansion of Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. Jordan is a staunch ally of the United States and is taking part in the US-led campaign against Islamic State in Syria, where the jihadist group still controls large areas of territory including much of the east. Jordan has kept tight control of its frontier with Syria since the outbreak of the war in its neighbour. The Rakban crossing targeted on Tuesday is a military zone far from any inhabited area, and includes a three-km (two-mile) stretch of berms built a decade ago to combat smuggling. The rest of the border is heavily guarded by patrols and drones. It is the only area where Jordan still receives Syrian refugees, some 50,000 of whom are stranded in Rakban refugee camp in a de facto no-mans land some 330 km (200 miles) northeast of Amman. Refugees strain kingdom The population of the camp has since last year grown from several thousand to over 50,000 people as the fighting in Syria intensified, relief workers say. Jordan has been a big beneficiary of foreign aid because of its efforts to help refugees but has drawn criticism from Western allies and aid agencies over the humanitarian situation at Rakban, diplomats say. Earlier waves of Syrian refugees had an easier time, with some walking just a few hundred metres to cross into Jordan. Jordan sealed those border crossings in 2013. The United Nations refugee agency said late last year Jordan should accept the new wave of refugees -- their numbers have risen, aid officials say, since Russia started air strikes last September -- and move them to established camps closer to Amman. Jordan, which has already accepted more than 600,000 UN-registered Syrian refugees, is resisting. It says Islamic State militants may have infiltrated their ranks as most of them come from Islamic State-held areas in central and eastern Syria, and has allowed only a trickle of refugees, mostly women and children, in recent months. A homoeopathic doctor belonging to the Ahmadi religious minority was shot dead on Tuesday inside his clinic in Karachi, the latest attack on the community members in the country. Chaudhary Abdul Khaleeq, 50, was in his clinic on Abul Ishpahani road when unidentified gunmen walked into the clinic and opened fire, police said. According to a Ahmadi community spokesperson, it is the second such attack in the same vicinity within a month. The clinic was located in a slum area and the doctor used to provide low cost treatment, SSP Malir, Rao Anwar said. He sustained a single bullet wound to his head, Anwar said, adding, It looks like a targeted attack. The Jamaat Ahmadiyya spokesperson said that earlier in May a member of the same community was gunned down outside his home in a suspected targeted attack in the Metroville-II area of Karachi. Ahmadis claim to have been subjected to various forms of religious persecution and discrimination in Pakistan. The largest Ahmadi community in the world is in Pakistan and followers are frequently the target of blasphemy allegations. Legislation framed in 1974 and 1984 bans Ahmadis from calling themselves Muslims. Jihadists of the Islamic State (IS) drove Syrian regime troops out of Raqa province on Monday, killing dozens of fighters in a lightning counter-attack, a monitoring group said. The attack was mounted late on Sunday in response to a regime offensive in the IS stronghold of Raqa launched on June 3 that advanced about 20 kilometres (12 miles) toward the town of Tabqa, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. It came as US secretary of state John Kerry said he had read a memo from a group of frustrated diplomats urging strikes against the Syrian regime and found it very good. The dissent cable became public last week after 51 serving US officials signed a call for direct US military action to force President Bashar al-Assads regime to negotiate for peace. The memo was seen as a criticism of President Barack Obamas cautious approach, but the dissent channel is an approved mechanism for diplomats opposed to official policy. Syrias civil war began with the brutal repression of anti-government demonstrations in 2011 and has now killed more than 280,000 people and displaced millions. Government troops, backed by Russian airstrikes, in early June pushed into Raqa for the first time since 2014, aiming for the countrys largest dam at Tabqa on the Euphrates River. Daesh (IS) has managed to drive out regime troops from the administrative borders of Raqa province after a fierce counter-offensive, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. It said the jihadists had sent hundreds of reinforcements from their de facto capital of Raqa city to defend Tabqa, which also has an air base, located 50 kilometres to the west. More than 40 members of the pro-regime forces were killed, said the Britain-based Observatory, which relies on a vast network of sources on the ground for its information. Jihadist losses were unavailable. IS kills villagers An initial IS offensive on Sunday failed but a second attack seized many positions southwest of Tabqa. On a separate front, IS also launched a surprise assault from another stronghold in Raqa province, killing residents of two villages it recaptured from US-backed fighters. IS had dispatched a small group of jihadists -- including one driving an explosives-laden car -- into villages southeast of Manbij. The villages had been seized in recent weeks by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The US-led coalition backing the SDF carried out a barrage of air strikes Monday to defend the villages, said Syrian Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman. At least four SDF fighters were killed in the clashes and many more were wounded. The SDF -- a Kurdish-Arab alliance with air support from the coalition -- encircled Manbij nearly 10 days ago. But since then, they had been slowed by almost daily suicide bombings as IS puts up a fight for the town. Held by the jihadists since 2014, Manbij was a key stop along ISs supply route from the Turkish border southeast through the town of Tabqa and on to the city of Raqa. Four out of 10 Pakistanis are living in acute poverty, with the population of strife-ridden Balochistan province faring the worst, according to the countrys first official report on multidimensional poverty. The report unveiled by the government details the countrys official Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), which shows a sharp decline in national poverty rates from 55 % in 2004 to 39% in 2015. Rather than income and wealth alone, the MPI uses broader measures to determine poverty based on access to healthcare, education and the overall standard of living, thus giving a more detailed understanding of poverty. The report states 38.8% of Pakistans population lives in poverty. A majority of the rural population (54.6%) lives in acute poverty, while this ratio is only 9.4% in urban areas. India and Pakistan should together attempt to join the NSG instead of New Delhi mounting a solo bid, the Chinese media said Tuesday, a day after Beijing virtually ruled out Delhis inclusion in the elite nuclear trading club. The latest advice is the clearest sign yet of Beijing yoking New Delhis push for the 48-member nuclear suppliers group (NSG), where the entry is through consensus, with that of its all-weather ally Pakistan. China, opposing Indias bid on the grounds that it is not part of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT), Monday said New Delhis application was not on the agenda when the group holds its annual plenary in Seoul on June 23 and 24. I want to point out the NSG agenda has never covered any issue concerning non-NPT countries joining the NSG. As we understand the annual conference in Seoul this year also has no such kind of issue or topic, Hua Chunying, foreign ministry spokesperson said at a news briefing. Read: As China talks tough, US continues to seek support for Indias NSG bid As reported by HT, diplomats from other member countries insisted that New Delhis candidature would be taken up. Though officially China has not talked about Pakistans bid, Chinese think-tanks and experts have made the Islamabad-angle amply clear. While India strives for NSG inclusion, it prevents Pakistan from joining by insisting on the latters bad record of nuclear proliferation. Actually, the proliferation carried out by Pakistan was done by Abdul Qadeer Khan, Pakistans chief nuclear scientist, and was not an official policy of the Pakistani government, Long Xingchun, director of the Centre for Indian Studies at China West Normal University, wrote in the state-controlled Global Times newspaper. Continuing Pakistans defence, he said Khan was punished by the government. If the NPT and the NSG can give India an exemption, it should apply to Pakistan as well. India has stayed away from discriminatory NPT that classifies the world into the nuclear-haves (the US, and Russia, the UK, France and China) and have-nots (all other countries). China and other countries opposed to NSG including India while excluding Pakistan, because it means solving Indias problem but creating another bigger problem. If India joins hands with Pakistan to seek NSG membership, it seems more pragmatic than joining alone, Long argued. Since both were non-NPT signatories, their joining the NSG would have negative impact on the group but the impact would be worse if only India joined, Long said. If India and Pakistan are allowed to join the NPT and adopt the CTBT, it will tarnish the authority of both. How can nuclear weapon development in other countries such as North Korea, Iran and Israel be dealt with? The article argued that though US signed a civil nuclear deal with India and was backing its NSG bid, legitimacy of New Delhis nuclear status had not been solved. Read: Why NSG membership matters to India: All you need to know New Delhi sees the 2008 deal with the US as validation of its non-proliferation credentials. Long , however, agreed that despite not signing the NPT, India was sticking to NSG guidelines and rigorous policies to prevent nuclear proliferation. It also meets the last requirement and was admitted to membership of the missile technology control regime early this month. Looking to draw similarities, the article argued that like China India, too, advocated non-proliferation and was committed to no-first-use of nuclear weapons. It could also help enhance bilateral cooperation in civil nuclear energies. Measures that can boost mutual trust could be established among China, India and Pakistan, the three nuclear powers in Asia. NSG membership will give energy-starved India access to latest and clean energy. A place on the nuclear trading table will also help domestic firms, which have worked in isolation in face of international sanctions, to take their business global. US President Barack Obama on Tuesday denounced the Senates failure to pass gun control measures in the aftermath of the mass shooting in Orlando, Florida, saying the senate has failed the American people. Obama took to Twitter to say that the Senate failed the American people and that gun violence requires more than moment of silence. The White House has said previously that tweets from his account are from Obama himself. Gun violence requires more than moments of silence. It requires action. In failing that test, the Senate failed the American people. President Obama (@POTUS) June 21, 2016 Meanwhile, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the vote is a a shameful display of cowardice He told CNN on Tuesday that the Republican-led chambers blocking of four gun control proposals Monday does nothing to keep extremists from acquiring guns. Earnest said lawmakers lament gun violence but dont do anything about it. He said that while no bill can prevent all gun violence, why wouldnt we do more? They were common sense bills that were put forward that should have drawn strong bipartisan support that would prevent individuals who are currently suspected of having ties to terrorism from being able to buy a gun, he told MSNBC television. A measure put forward by Democrats sought to bar people on FBI watchlists or no-fly lists from buying firearms. Another Democrat-backed bill aimed to strengthen criminal and mental health background checks for those seeking to purchase firearms at gun shows and on the Internet. A Republican measure proposed a 72-hour waiting period for those on FBI watchlists seeking to buy weapons, so that the government has time to seek a court order to block the sale if need be. The second Republican proposal aimed to improve the background check system. Democrats rejected both GOP measures. Guns are responsible for some 90 deaths each day in the United States, but serious legislative efforts to enact gun control are only raised after particularly horrific shootings. Americans are still reeling from a lone gunmans June 12 attack at the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida that left 49 dead and 53 wounded, making it the deadliest mass shooting ever in the United States. Police stormed the club and killed the gunman, 29-year old Omar Mateen, a Muslim American of Afghan descent pledged allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State group during President Barack Obama has spoken out after each tragic shooting, exhorting Congress to enact stronger gun control laws to no avail. Obama made a similar plea last week while meeting with the families of the Orlando shooting victims. So far, however, the Republican-led US legislature has failed to pass any new gun control laws, with opponents saying that to do so would infringe on the constitutional rights of gun owners. Masked men kidnapped the son of the chief justice of the Sindh high court , the first such high-profile kidnapping in Pakistan this year, police officials said on Tuesday. Ovais Ali Shah, the son of chief justice Sajjad Ali Shah, was abducted from outside the popular Aghas Supermarket in Karachi on Monday. Ovais, a lawyer, struggled briefly before being quickly overpowered and bundled into a white car. Police chief Allah Dino Khawaja told the media he did not believe it was a case of kidnapping for ransom. Khawaja hinted the kidnapping may have been carried out to pressure the government to release condemned militants. A large number of militants who have been sentenced to death are serving their final days in Sindh, officials said. Ovais family members said the kidnappers had made no contact as yet. It is feared that Ovais will be taken to the restive tribal areas or into Afghanistan before negotiations begin. Anti-terrorism expert Jamil Yusuf told the media that in such situations, the kidnappers make contact after they have taken their captive to what they feel is a secure environment. They can also have sold the captive to another group, which is common as well, he added. The car that fatally crushed Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin had been under recall over fears that it could roll off without warning, it emerged on Monday. Friends discovered the Russian-born actor pinned against a brick mailbox pillar and security fence at his California home by his Jeep Grand Cherokee in the early hours of Sunday. Investigators said the actor, who was just 27, had momentarily got out of the vehicle when it rolled backward down the steep driveway toward him. The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said in February that 2015 models of the SUV like Yelchins could continue to move after drivers thought they had locked them in park, and linked the issue to more than 100 crashes. Manufacturer Fiat Chryslers US unit issued a recall for hundreds of thousands of Jeep Grand Cherokees and other models in April to address the problem. However, FCA US said it had not found a permanent remedy and mainly advised owners to double-check that their car was in park as intended. Drivers thinking that their vehicles transmission is in the PARK position may be struck by the vehicle and injured if they attempt to get out... while the engine is running and the parking brake is not engaged, the NHTSA said. No deaths had been linked to the problem but injuries reported included fractured bones and other problems that required hospitalisation. Rollaway vehicles killed 370 people between 2008 and 2011, according to the NHTSA, an average of around 93 people a year, while some 2,000 people were injured annually during the same period. It is premature to speculate on the cause of this tragedy, FCA said in a statement, adding that it was investigating. Incredible talent Yelchin moved to the United States when he was six months old with his parents, who were star figure skaters with the Leningrad Ice Ballet, and made his film debut at age nine in A Man Is Mostly Water. His breakout performance came in the 2006 crime thriller Alpha Dog, and his movie credits include JJ Abramss three Star Trek films and last years critically acclaimed Green Room. Abrams described Yelchin as funny as hell and supremely talented, while Star Trek co-star Zachary Quinto said the actor was one of the most open and intellectually curious people he knew. So enormously talented and generous of heart. Wise beyond his years, and gone before his time, Quinto posted on photo sharing platform Instagram. Justin Lin, who directed Star Trek Beyond, the third in the reboot trilogy due out next month, paid tribute to Yelchins passion and enthusiasm. Susan Sarandon, who starred alongside Yelchin in the 2008 coming-of-age comedy Middle of Nowhere, described the actor as an original. One of the most curious, funny, sweet people Ive ever known, she wrote on her Facebook page. He was a searcher, an incredible talent and a loyal and loving son. Any time would be too soon for his departure from this plane, but this is an unforgivable and unbearable loss. Horror novelist Stephen King and actors William Shatner, Tom Hiddleston and Anna Kendrick noted Yelchins immense talent and passion. Bryce Dallas Howard, his co-star in 2009s Terminator Salvation, described him as an angel on earth whose light will never be extinguished. Milla Jovovich, who acted opposite Yelchin in 2014 Shakespeare big-screen adaptation Cymbeline, described him as her brother and said she and her family were destroyed by his death. On September 21, 2015, Aeham Ahmad, a Syrian, took to Facebook to post about his escape from the war-torn country and the harrowing journey ahead. Dearest Mediterranean, I am Aeham and I would like to safely ride your wave, he wrote. After three days as the first sunlight of the day struck Ahmad found himself on a Greek beach. A week later he was in Germany, a country where he lived for the next one year. However, he had to pay a price. Ahmad left behind his kids, Kinan and Ahmad, his wife, and a burnt piano in Syria. Concerts in the ruins The 28-year-old was born and raised in the Yarmouk camp, an impoverished suburb of Damascus that was established in 1957 to house tens of thousands of Palestinians displaced by the Arab-Israeli conflict. During the Syrian civil war, the Syrian militia encircled Yarmouk, blocking delivery of food, water and medical supplies to the residents. Planes bombarded the area as snipers shot at anything that moved. Ahmads family had to survive with no food and water, as people died around them. Facing an inevitable death, he decided to face it with dignity by giving hope to his camps inhabitants with a piano. He took his fathers piano to the bombed-out streets of his Syrian neighbourhood to play music. When many died, starved or picked up weapons to fight in Syrias civil war, he played uninterrupted to tell the world of his peoples plight as warplanes hovered above, levelling every building to the ground. I used to put my piano in a wagon and pull it onto the street, where I would play songs I composed, inspired by the situation in the camp and in Syria. All I used to do was tell stories of my people and country, says Ahmad. His concerts in the ruins, he says, will always be a part of Syrian peoples collective memory. While playing in the war-ravaged streets, he found music could bring a message of hope even in the face of war, famine and bombs. He vowed not to pick up arms at a time when it seemed as if everybody had joined the rebels or the militia. Soon Ahmad became a symbol of hope, helping Yarmouks people particularly its children, who gathered around and sang with him. They used to love the music. It used to make me so happy. For a moment, they forgot the brutal war raging around them with every note I played, Ahmad says. Ahmad caught the immediate attention of the international media with his singing and piano-playing skills in the middle of Syrias rubbles. During the worst of Syrias violence in 2011, people posted videos of the demonstrations on YouTube. Thats when videos of Ahmad playing the piano started flourishing on YouTube. I didnt know in the beginning that so many people will listen to my music through the internet. I thought only a few in Syria listen to me but it was not so. Through my music, I used to tell the stories of the war that killed many. It was my humble contribution for my people, Ahmad says. Ahmad considers himself an artist, who is trying to tell the world about the war and terror in conflict-ridden Syria. People say I am a star. I am not a star. I am a refugee. I am a refugee artist who is trying his best to tell his story and the story of his people, Ahmad says. I am a storytellera pianist who tells stories with his music. Ahmad considers himself an artist, who is trying to tell the world about the war and terror in conflict-ridden Syria. I am a storytellera pianist who tells stories with his music, he says. (Timmy Hung-Ming Shen) A burning piano But Ahmad had yet to see the worst. Four years of siege, famine and bombing of his Damascus refugee camp didnt kill the celebrated pianist, but something died inside him the day Islamic State militia burned his beloved piano in front of his eyes. They said it was un-Islamic. What is wrong with having a piano? Ahmad says. Scared but unyielding, Ahmad stood up to the guy who was about to burn his piano. But there was nothing he could do. When Ahmad tried to plead with the man, he was slapped and threatened. He told me to shut up and threatened to throw me on top of the piano and burn me along with it. As the ISIS soldier began to pour fluid on the wooden frame of his piano, Ahmad knew it was time. It was then that Ahmad, who took to the streets with fellow musicians to stand up to those who would crush the human spirit, considered leaving the country. It was a very hard decision for me, but I had to do it. I was getting death threats from ISIS. My friends and family told me to leave. I did what needed to be done but I never stopped playing my piano, says Ahmad. Ahmad moved out of Syria in late 2015. He crossed Homs in central Syria, intending to continue on to Turkey, Greece and finally, Germany. But he was arrested in Homs for nine days and had to let his wife and kids go back to the camp in Damascus. He later arrived in Germany in 2015 without his family and sought to bring comfort to the residents of the asylum seekers in Germany. Songs about Syria In Germany, Ahmad has played the piano in as many as 120 concerts. All of these songs bring up deep, mixed emotions inside me, bitter memories and sweet memories of Syria which people around the world should know about, says Ahmad. Ahmad said he will continue playing the piano not because he loves to do it, but he has to do it. I will tell the story of Syria everywhere. In Germany, there are thousands of Syrian refugees. I sing to them. It makes them feel closer to home, says Ahmad. When asked how he sees his future and the war in Syria, Ahmad exclaims: I dont need a war. Nobody needs it. The war came to us. It came to me. And it will end. Ahmad hopes to return to Syria soon and play his piano again. He wants the war to end and see children stay in school, people walk freely and him playing his piano uninterrupted in the streets of Syria and sing. His eyes glisten when asked what he will do when the war is over. He answers: When the war is over, Ill go home. (The writer was in Germany for the Global Media Forum, sponsored by Deutsche Welle) Donald Trump will embark on the US presidential campaign with a war chest tens of millions of dollars smaller than that of his well-organized rival Hillary Clinton, financial documents filed on Monday show. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee has a mere $1.3 million, according to reports filed Monday night with the Federal Election Commission. That sum represents an unprecedented low in recent history for a major presidential campaign. Clintons campaign -- backed by big donors -- had more than $42 million in the bank as of May 31, its report showed. Her super PAC (political action committee), known as Priorities USA, has another $52 million, it was reported as saying on Monday. The news came on the same day Trump dumped his controversial campaign manager as he tried to revitalize his White House bid after recent stumbles. He has taken a hit in the national polls and prompted outrage with comments about Muslims in the wake of the Orlando gay club massacre. However Mondays reports reinforce perceptions that his campaign lags woefully behind Clintons, which is planning to spend more than $100 million on a television advertising blitz ahead of the November election. Last week Clinton launched a media blitz of ads attacking Trump in eight key states -- Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia. Trump -- who has alienated many traditional Republican big donors and had to lend his own campaign $2 million last month -- is reported to have aired no ads since he clinched the Republican nomination last month. The financial gap mirrors the organizational one. Clintons staff of some 700 people dwarfs Trumps skeleton staff of around 70, putting him at a huge disadvantage in the swing states needed to win the election. Assembling operations on the ground takes time. But Trumps campaign, which has prided itself on its lean organization, is planning to outsource it to the Republican party -- a task it normally does not perform. The party on Monday reported raising only $13 million during May, about a third of the money it raised in May 2012 when Mitt Romney was the nominee. U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump dismissed a huge fundraising gap between him and Democratic rival Hillary Clinton on Tuesday, saying he could always tap into his personal wealth if he needed more cash for the campaign. The New York real estate magnate lagged far behind Clinton in the campaign money stakes in May, raising only $3.1 million to her $26 million, according to federal disclosures filed late on Monday. Trumps campaign began June with $1.29 million in cash, well-behind Clintons $42 million war chest. The figures underscore the huge cash advantage Clinton is hoping to enjoy leading into the Nov. 8 presidential election, one that could allow her a large staff and millions of dollars of television and digital ads in battleground states. But Trump has spent much of the race so far breaking the mold of a traditional campaign, defeating a crowded field of primary opponents who vastly outspent him in ads and staff. If need be, there could be unlimited cash on hand as I would put up my own money, Trump said in a statement, adding that he had already spent over $50 million dollars on his bid for the White House. Our campaign is leaner and more efficient, like our government should be. Trump donors, allies and other Republican operatives have expressed concerns about his campaign operation, which has been dogged by internal battles, a threadbare campaign infrastructure of about 30 paid staffers, and a barely existent fundraising apparatus. On Monday, Trump fired his campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, who had been overseeing the fundraising arm. Trump has loaned his campaign $46 million since launching last year, federal filings show. He often uses his own plane to travel to campaign events, and also uses his hotels and other properties as venues - expenses he asks his campaign to reimburse. During the Republican primary race, he shunned donations, often telling his supporters not to contribute money and ridiculing his opponents for accepting cash from special interest groups and wealthy contributors. UNORTHODOX Trump defeated the most talented GOP field in a generation with less staff, less experience and less money in much less time, said Republican strategist Keith Appell. That said, Trumps campaign needs to transition quickly to a national, general election effort online, on the air and on the ground his populist, anti-Washington, new leadership message has been muddled by sideshow issues. Trump began soliciting donations to his campaign only recently, after largely self-funding his successful bid for the Republican nomination. His first fundraiser was near the end of May, and on Tuesday he sent his first email asking for donations and telling supporters that he will match their contributions up to $2 million. Trumps haul in May was about double previous months. The candidate said that his take in June will be more representative of his progress with donors. Trumps allies have said much more cash is now coming in for the general election. His campaign finances drew a flurry of taunts on Twitter on Tuesday morning, including a #TrumpSoPoor hashtag mocking the billionaire. One post joked he had listed his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida as an Airbnb rental, a platform often used by people trying to earn cash off their homes. The former reality TV star still may have several hurdles to cross before convincing deep-pocketed donors to write the kind of checks that would make him competitive with Clintons campaign bank account. The Republican National Committee, meanwhile, announced it raised $11 million in May, and had $19.9 million in cash at the beginning of June. The RNC will help Trumps effort to get elected, but also helps fund congressional races. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton raised nine times more funds than her Republican rival Donald Trump in the month of May, according to regulatory filings on Monday. His campaign cash chest of $1.3 million, compared to Clintons $42 million, was described as paltry even for congressional races, leave alone the big-ticket and expensive White House run. As Trump pivots to the general election, his campaign has been buffeted by controversies raised by his remarks and personnel shake-up. He fired his campaign manager on Monday. There was also a security scare at his rally on Saturday when a British man was arrested for trying to grab a gun from a police officer, with the intention, he has said, of killing Trump. And now, the cash crunch. His campaign raised $3.1 million in May, compared to Clintons $28 million, which after expenses was down to $1.3 million when he started the month of June. Having self-funded the primaries, the Manhattan real estate magnate has called for donations to fund the campaign for the general election, but hasnt made much headway. Trump claimed he wasnt troubled by the state of his cash chest. If need be, there could be unlimited cash on hand as I would put up my own money, as I have already done through the primaries, spending over $50 million. The shortage of cash, however, is showing in the lack of campaign ads compared to Clintons, specially in battleground states that decide the presidential election. Trumps staff of 70 also compares poorly with Clintons 700, which, he said on Monday was by design: Our campaign is leaner and more efficient, like our government should be. Voting along party lines, US senators on Monday killed yet another attempt to fix the countrys slack gun laws, launched this time in the aftermath of the carnage in Orlando. They voted down two competing proposals, one each by a Democrat and a Republican, to prevent suspected terrorists such as the Orlando shooter, Omar Mateen, from buying guns. Mateen gunned down 49 people at a gay nightclub. The senators also defeated one measure extending background checks to gun fairs, exhibitions and online sales, and another that proposed to address the issue of gun violence as a mental health problem. What am I going to tell 49 grieving families? Senator Bill Nelson, a Democrat representing Florida, asked after the votes. I am going to tell them the NRA won again. The National Rifle Association (NRA) is a powerful pro-gun lobby that worked to defeat these measures, and others before, dubbing them an assault on the right to bear arms. Democrats and Republicans blamed each other for the failure to pass the measures, but few, if any, expected them to pass, holding both parties equally accountable. As The New York Times noted, Democrats, who favour gun reforms, were eager (after Orlando) to press their advantage and were not about to make it easy for Republicans. And Republicans, who have largely opposed gun reforms, with much on the line in this election year, were not willing to cross the National Rifle Association, the Times said. The result: the same as before. An attempt to prevent terrorists from getting guns after the killing of 14 people in San Bernardino last December met with the same outcome. And an attempt to extend background checks after the horrific killing of 20 first-graders in Newtown, Connecticut in 2012 met the same fate despite the outrage felt all around. After the failure of the Senate vote, a furious President Barack Obama, flanked by Newtown families, had said then, All in all, it was a pretty shameful day in Washington. Reacting to Mondays vote, Obamas press secretary said, What we saw last night on the floor of the US Senate was a shameful display of cowardice. He went on to blame Republican for the failed votes. But there is some hope left, hinged on a compromise legislation being shepherded by a Republican senator, which has gathered some bipartisan support, and is likely to be put to vote soon. A Vietnamese reporters press card has been revoked for insulting the military in an online post after a search plane crashed last week while looking for a missing fighter jet, the government said. A decision by minister of information and communication Truong Minh Tuan, posted on the ministrys website late Monday, said the press card for reporter Mai Phan Loi of the Ho Chi Minh City Law newspaper had been revoked for seriously insulting the reputation of Vietnamese Peoples Army and hurting the families of the military personnel who died in the accidents. The move is connected Lois comments on the crash of a maritime patrol aircraft with six officers and three military personnel on board last week while searching for a fighter jet which went down two days earlier. Loi, based in Hanoi for the newspaper, posted a comment on the Facebook page of the Young Journalists Forum asking why the aircraft exploded into pieces, saying the possibilities included it being shot down or because of poor quality due to corruption in the military. Loi took the post down a day later from the forum that has 12,000 members, and apologized for using incorrect wording and hurting those involved. On Tuesday, the Tuoi Tre newspaper reported that Loi had been suspended by his newspaper. Executives at the newspaper and Loi were not available for comment Tuesday. All media outlets in Vietnam are under state control. Bad weather has hampered the search for the missing aircraft, its nine crew members and the Sukhoi Su-30 MK2 fighter jet they were looking for. The two crashes were the latest in a string of accidents involving the Vietnamese military, including two helicopters crashes that killed 24 people over the past two years. The Florida nightclub killer called himself an Islamic soldier and threatened to strap hostages into explosive vests in calls with police during the three-hour siege, according to transcripts released by the FBI on Monday. From inside the gay Orlando nightclub, Omar Mateen told police negotiators to tell America to stop bombing Syria and Iraq and that was why he was out here right now. The conversations shed more light on the possible motivations of Mateen, who killed 49 people and injured 53 in the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history. In a first call he made to a 911 emergency operator, the 29-year-old Mateen said, I pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, may God protect him, on behalf of the Islamic State, referring to the head of Islamic State. Authorities believe Mateen, a US citizen of Afghan descent, acted alone in the June 12 rampage, with no help from Islamist militant networks. The 29-year-old security guard was killed by police after more than three hours in the club. The FBI and US state department released partial transcripts of the four calls with the emergency operator and crisis negotiators earlier on Monday, omitting the shooters references to the leader of Islamic State, saying they did not want to provide a platform for propaganda. People attend a memorial service on June 19 in Orlando. (AFP) But they later reversed their decision and released the unredacted version after a wave of criticism from US House of Representative speaker Paul Ryan, Florida governor Rick Scott and other political leaders. Mateens conversations were made public as police sought to fend off criticism that they may have acted too slowly to end a three-hour standoff at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando. Mateen threatened to detonate a car rigged with bombs and to strap hostages into explosive vests, according to transcripts of the 911 calls he made while police tried to rescue people trapped in the club. No explosive vests or bombs were found in the club or the suspects car, however, the FBI said. You people are gonna get it and Im gonna ignite it if they try to do anything stupid, Mateen said during one of the calls, according to the FBI transcript. People attend a memorial service in Orlando. (AFP) CHILLING, CALM AND DELIBERATE While the killer made these murderous statements, he did so in a chilling, calm and deliberate manner, FBI assistant special agent in charge Ron Hopper told a news conference. Mateen also said he was wearing an explosive vest like the kind used in France, apparently referring to the deadly assault in Paris last November by Islamic militants, the transcript said. Speaker Ryan had called for the full text to be released and accused the Obama administration of censoring references to Islamic State. He said the decision to edit the transcript was preposterous and that everyone knew Mateen was a radical Islamic extremist inspired by Islamic State. We also know he intentionally targeted the LGBT community, the top elected Republican official said. The administration should release the full, unredacted transcript so the public is clear-eyed about who did this and why. The FBI and Justice Department said the omissions had caused an unnecessary distraction and that was why they eventually decided to release the unredacted transcripts and summaries of the calls. The attack renewed debate about gun control in the United States. The US Senate on Monday rejected four measures restricting gun sales, dealing a bitter setback to advocates who have failed to get even modest gun curbs through Congress despite repeated mass shootings. Members of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence attend a memorial service in Orlando. (AFP) TIMELINE OF CHAOS The transcripts reveal in precise detail how events unfolded at the Pulse club -- from the first anonymous 911 call at 2:02 am, alerting to shots fired inside, to the SWAT raid three hours later in which Mateen was killed. At 2:04 am, police reinforcements arrived at the scene -- where an off duty officer initially exchanged fire with Mateen. Four minutes later, at 2:08 am, officers from various law enforcement agencies entered the club and engaged the shooter. At 2:18 am, the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) division initiated a full call-out and began preparing for the final assault. Between then and 5:00 am, based on police radio communications, no shots were fired inside. During that time our officers were intermittently in and out of that club saving people, rescuing people from inside the club, Orlando police chief John Mina told reporters. Police obtained significant information from people inside the club, giving them a clearer picture of the threat -- although those transcripts will not be made public. Those calls were very vital, Mina said. People visit a memorial down the road from the Pulse nightclub. (AFP) At 4:21 am, police pulled an air conditioning unit out of a dressing room window, which allowed some victims to escape. At 4:29 am, victims evacuated to safety told police the gunman was threatening to put four explosive vests on hostages within 15 minutes -- a claim which ultimately turned out to be bogus. Half an hour later, at 5:02 am, a SWAT team backed by hazardous device experts began to breach the club wall with an explosive charge and an armored vehicle. At 5:14 am, police radio communication stated that shots were fired and, at 5:15 am, that the suspect was reported down. Asked whether some victims may have been inadvertently killed by police -- in the initial exchange of fire or the final raid -- Mina said that was part of the investigation. But here is what I will tell you, he added. Those killings are on the suspect and on the suspect alone in my mind. ORLANDO: The gunman who slaughtered 49 people at a gay nightclub in Florida said he had a car rigged with bombs outside and threatened to strap hostages into explosive vests, according to partial transcripts of 911 calls he made released on Monday. Omar Mateen, 29, paused during a three-hour siege to telephone emergency dispatchers three times and to post internet messages from inside the Pulse nightclub professing his support for Islamist militant groups. You people are gonna get it, and Im gonna ignite it if they try to do anything stupid, Mateen said during one of the 911 calls, according to a redacted transcript published by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mateen told the emergency dispatcher he was wearing an explosive vest like the kind they used in France, apparently referring to the deadly assault in Paris last November by Islamic militants, according to the transcript. As victims were fleeing the club, they told police outside that the shooter said he was going to put four vests with bombs on victims within 15 minutes, the FBI said in its statement. No such vests or improvised explosive devices were found in the nightclub or the suspects car, however, the FBI said. The gunman identified himself as an Islamic soldier, according to the said, and he told a negotiator to tell America to stop bombing Syria and Iraq. When the crisis negotiator asked the shooter what he had done, the shooter stated , No, you already know what I did, the FBI transcript said. The transcripts did not include a pledge of loyalty that authorities say he made to the Islamic State militant group. Authorities have said preliminary evidence indicates Mateen, who worked as a security guard, was a mentally disturbed individual who acted alone and without direction from outside networks. WASHINGTON: Presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump fired his campaign manager Corey Lewandowski on Monday as he pivots to the general election dogged by a series of recent missteps. Lewandowski, who headed Trumps campaign since its launch last June, was a contentious figure embroiled in a power struggle with Paul Manafort, the campaign chairman. He courted controversy for physically assaulting a female reporter during a campaign event in Florida earlier in the year, for which he was charged with simple battery. Trump had supported Lewandowski then but had begun considering personnel changes ahead of the partys presidential convention in Cleveland, Ohio in July. Political commentator Larry Sabato called the firing a disaster. He told CNN: That campaign is deeply troubled. It goes well beyond Corey Lewandowski. Trump has come under withering scrutiny in recent weeks for his racist comments about a federal judge overseeing fraud cases against his Trump University and for his continuing discriminatory remarks about Muslims. On Sunday he said in view of the Orlando shootings, profiling Muslims is not the worst thing to do. He had earlier called for temporarily banning Muslims from entering the US, specially those for areas of the world with a proven history of terrorist strikes against the US. Trump also came under scathing criticism for his initial response to the Orlando shootingsAppreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism. Both his donors he is now accepting donations after self-funding the primaries and allies worry if can ever extend his appeal to independent voters, whose support he needs to win. Some Republicans, who were never comfortable with Trumps candidacy, have launched a plan, called the most organised yet, to block him at the convention. The Washington Post, which first reported this move by delegates who will attend the convention, has reported they are now raising funds to staff up for the battle. KARACHI: Some shopkeepers in Pakistans Sindh province allegedly sold shoes with sacred Hindu word Om inscribed on them, angering the minority community in the country which described it unfortunate and blasphemous. The patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Hindu Council (PHC), Ramesh Kumar, told PTI they had already lodged protests with the Sindh government and local authorities in Tando Adam Khan after it was brought to the notice of the Hindu community that shoes were being sold with the sacred word Om inscribed on them. It is most unfortunate that some shopkeepers in Tando Adam Khan are selling shoes on the occasion of Eid ul Azha with the Hindu sacred word inscribed on them and the purpose just appears to be to insult the sentiments of the Hindu community, the PHC chief said. LONDON: Campaigners for families of those on board the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 have released photographs of personal items that had washed up on a Madagascar beach, hoping to identify them and their owners. Some 20 personal items were found which include a white, black and red Angry Bird purse, a tartan handbag and part of a black laptop case inscribed with the letters MENSA, BBC reported on Monday. There are no labels identifying them as belonging to the 239 people on board the ill-fated plane en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing that vanished on March 8, 2014. The items were found by US lawyer Blaine Gibson in June on Riake beach, on the island of Nosy Boraha in north-east Madagascar. They may have just fallen off a ship, Gibson told the BBC. Still, I found them on the same 18km stretch of the Riake beach where I found suspected aircraft parts (of the Malaysia Airlines jet) so it is important that they are investigated properly, the lawyer added. The images of the items were released by the Aircrash Support Group Australia website to ascertain whether they may have belonged to MH370 passengers. As well as the personal items, Gibson also found two pieces of debris that may be from the aircraft itself. He recently found three pieces of debris in that area, having already found another piece of debris in Mozambique in March. Australian investigators believe there are almost certainly part of the missing plane. SEOUL: North Korea will not negotiate with the US over two American citizens it is holding until former detainee Kenneth Bae stops publicly talking about his time in prison, state media said on Monday. North Korea arrested Bae, a US missionary, in November 2012 and sentenced him to 15 years hard labour for crimes against the state. He was released two years later and has written an account of his detention in a memoir released in May. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Afghanistan failed to reach an agreement on border management in talks on Monday, officials said, after days of clashes at the border last week left four dead and thousands stranded. Fighting broke out when Pakistan started building a barrier at the crossing to stop Islamist militants crossing over from Afghanistan. That plan angered Afghanistan, which rejects the colonial-era Durand Line border drawn up in 1893 and objects to Pakistan building checkpoints along the disputed boundary. The two countries agreed on a ceasefire on Thursday, and it was decided that an Afghan delegation led by deputy foreign minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai would visit Pakistan for talks on Monday. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON LONDON: Intense campaigning on the June 23 referendum on Britain s future in the EU resumed in full swing on Monday as Prime Minister David Cameron was accused by the Brexit camp of exploiting last weeks murder of Labour MP Jo Cox to help the Remain camp. There was an urgency in the air, with the referendum two days away. Cox, a pro-European Union supporter, was murdered in Yorkshire on Thursday, prompting analysts to believe the incident may lead to a sympathy vote in favour of remaining in the bloc. Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party, said :What we are seeing here is the prime minister and the Remain campaign trying to conflate the actions of one crazed individual with the motives of half of Britain who think we should get back control of our borders and do it sensibly. I think there are Remain camp supporters out there who are using this tragic death to try to give the impression that this isolated, horrific incident is somehow linked to arguments that have been made by myself, or Michael Gove or anybody else in this campaign. And frankly that is wrong. Downing Street was also accused of orchestrating the defection of former minister Sayeeda Warsi from the Brexit camp to Remain. Critics said they were not aware she was part of the Brexit camp. Announcing her move to the Remain camp, Warsi said she will no longer support the campaign to leave the EU, accusing it of hate and xenophobia. Leave campaigners said she was never an active participant in the campaign. Why is it people like me, instinctively Eurosceptic who feel the EU needs reform...feel they now have to leave Leave? Because day after day what are we hearing? The refugees are coming, the rapists are coming, the Turks are coming, she told BBC. Warsi specifically cited a controversial poster released by Farage last week showing migrants and refugees queueing on the border of Slovenia with the caption Breaking point as her key reason for leaving the campaign. She said the image was perpetuating a set of lies about who those people are, where they were going, suggesting they were coming to the United Kingdom This kind of nudge-nudge, wink-wink xenophobic racist campaign may be politically savvy or useful in the short term but it causes long-term damage to communities. War si had resigned as a junior foreign office minister under Cameron in 2014 to protest against the governments policy on the Israel-Gaza conflict in 2014. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON LONDON: Popular writer JK Rowling on Monday flayed the acrimony in the EU referendum campaign, calling it uglier than any I can remember in my lifetime. The creator of Harry Potter urged voters to reject the depiction of the 28-nation European Union as a faceless monster. The author wrote on her personal website that Im not an expert on much, but I do know how to create a monster. She described the campaign for the June 23 vote on Britains future in the EU as one of the most divisive and bitter political campaigns ever waged. For some on the leave side, the EU is not merely imperfect, or in need of improvement: it is villainous. The union ...is depicted as an Orwellian monolith, Big Brotheresque in its desire for control. BRUSSELS: Belgian authorities have detained six people in connection with last years foiled attack on a Thalys express train to France, they said on Monday. The Federal Prosecutors Office said six houses in the greater Brussels area were searched in the operation. An investigating judge would decide later in the day whether the people taken in for questioning should remain in custody, it said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON PESHAWAR: Pakistani authorities on Monday interrogated six Pakistani militant commanders, including the uncle and brother of former Pakistani Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud, after they surrendered to the military over the weekend, officials said. The surrender of Hakimullahs family may weaken the Pakistani Talibans insurgency which has raged since 2007. The main force of the Pakistani Taliban has been led by Mullah Fazlullah since 2013, when Hakimullah was killed in a US drone strike. Hakimullah s brother Ijaz and uncle Khair Mohammad had pledged allegiance to a splinter faction led by Khan Said, who was also reportedly killed by a drone attack in November. The two men, and four other militants, were taken into custody after pledging to renounce violence, officials said. The men were taken to Dera Ismail Khan, a garrison town about 235 km (146 miles) south of Kurram, to be interrogated. A blood-red autumn sun burned off the dense ground fog as it rose over the gently rolling Georgia hills into a cloudless turquoise sky on Sunday, September 20, 1863. But Lieutenant Colonel William Kinman took little comfort in the beauty of the tranquil Sabbath morning. He had had a premonition. We shall have a desperate battle today, many of us will be killed, and I expect to be among the number, he told a fellow officer in the 115th Illinois Volunteer Infantry. About 300 yards away on a hillside behind McAfee Church, Lt. Col. Isaac Clarke was more optimistic. He assured a comrade in the 96th Illinois Volunteer Infantry: I have no fear for myself. I shall go into this fight, and go through it, and comeout of it all right. Kinman and Clarke were officers in the Reserve Corps of the Union Army of the Cumberland, 5,400 men and three artillery batteries, many of whom had never before been in battle. On that Sunday the Reserve Corps would shed its untested status and experience warfares fury, fighting Confederate General Braxton Braggs Army of Tennessee on the second day of the Battle of Chickamauga. The maelstrom would prove Kinmans vision and destroy Clarkes optimism. Before the sun set, the two officers and hundreds of their comrades in arms would lie dead or maimed on the bramble-covered slopes of Horseshoe Ridge. Major General Gordon Granger, commander of the Reserve Corps, was Regular Army, West Point class of 1845. The gruff New Yorker had served in the Mexican War, fought Indians in Texas, and seen action at Wilsons Creek, New Madrid, Island No. 10 and the siege of Corinth. But Granger knew little more than his men about the role his command would be expected to play in the fighting taking place just a few miles up the La Fayette Road. The last order he received from Maj. Gen. William S. Rosecrans, commander of the Army of the Cumberland, came late Saturday night, directing Granger to place his corps on the eastern slope of Missionary Ridge to provide support to the corps of Maj. Gens. Alexander McCook and George H. Thomas. That command did not make much sense to Granger. From his position at the junction of the Ringgold and Cleveland roads, his troops were in poor position to assist McCooks XX Corps at the far right of the Union lines. Their best route to Thomas XIV Corps on the Union left would be a march of more than four miles along the La Fayette Road. To Granger, it seemed the only thing he was in a good position to do was protect the Rossville Gap and keep the road to Chattanooga, Tenn., open. As mid-morning approached, a growing volume of gunfire soon reached Grangers ears, but he had no new orders from Rosecrans. Granger vacillated. Should he go to support Thomas, who hadnt asked him for help, or hold his position and guard the road to Rossville and Chattanooga? Staff officers sent to Rosecrans for guidance returned, unable to reach the commanding general. Between 10:30 and 11 a.m., Granger and his chief of staff, Major J.S. Fullerton, climbed a haystack to get a view of the action. When Granger climbed down, one account has it that Colonel James Thompson, his chief of artillery, remarked that Thomas was having a hell of a fight over there. That convinced Granger it was time to move and if we dont hurry it will be too late. Major Fullertons version, however, has come down through history as the more popular account. He wrote that after 10 minutes of watching on the haystack, Granger jumped up, thrust his glass into its case, and exclaimed with an oath, I am going to Thomas, orders or no orders. And if you go, Fullerton replied, it may bring disaster to the army and you to a court-martial. There is nothing in our front now but ragtag bobtail cavalry, Granger replied. Dont you see Bragg is piling his whole army on Thomas? I am going to his assistance. The men of the Reserve Corps were ready to march in less than 30 minutes. Around 11:30 a.m. 1st Division commander Maj. Gen. James Steedman put the 1st Brigade of Brig. Gen. Walter Whitaker, the 96th and 115th Illinois, the 40th and 89th Ohio, the 22nd Michigan, 84th Indiana and the 18th Battery of the Ohio Light Artillery, on the march for the La Fayette Road. Right behind them came Colonel John G. Mitchells 2nd Brigade, comprising the 78th Illinois and the 98th, 113th and 121st Ohio supported by Battery M of the 1st Illinois Light Artillery. Granger left his remaining five regiments and an artillery battery under Colonel Daniel McCook at the McAfee Church, charged with keeping the escape route to Chattanooga open. Confederate Lt. Gen. Leonidas Polks right wing was attacking Thomas, just as it had done the day before. But soon Lt. Gen. James Longstreet, sent west with three divisions to bolster Braggs army and in command of the Confederate left, would order Maj. Gen. John Bell Hood and 11,000 men concealed east of the Brotherton farm to advance. Elements of Hoods division poured through a gap in the Federal lines a quarter mile wide near the Union center. Brigadier General Thomas J. Wood was withdrawing his division and moving it to the left even though he knew he was following an order from Rosecrans that was based on faulty information. Brigadier General Bushrod Johnson, who assumed command of the attack after Hood was wounded, described the scene as unspeakably grand. Union staff officer Ambrose Bierce wrote that he saw the entire country in front swarming with Confederates; the very earth seemed to be moving toward us! Decisive leadership and the courage of small groups of soldiers from splintered Union regiments, probably numbering no more than 2,000 men in all, would slow the pace of the Confederate juggernaut just enough to ensure that there would still be a Union army for the Reserve Corps to save. Granger moved his column at quick time, and Major Fullerton recalled the narrow road was covered ankle-deep with dust that rose in suffocating clouds. When the column reached the La Fayette Road near the Hein house, Maj. Gen. Nathan B. Forrests Rebel cavalrymen began to lob shells into the blue ranks. Provoked, Steedman sent out skirmishers and unlimbered Battery M of the 1st Illinois Light Artillery. Granger reined in Steedman, re-formed the column and decided that the La Fayette Road was too dangerous. The open fields southwest of the Cloud Church offered a safer and more direct route to Thomas. He also sent Major Fullerton back to the McAffee Church with orders to bring up McCooks brigade to deal with Forrest. Granger had now fully committed his corps. The column now moved at double-quick time directly toward the Snodgrass cabin, with the lead regiments of the Reserve Corps arriving there between 1 and 1:45 p.m. While the tired Confederates were regrouping at the foot of Horseshoe Ridge, Thomas ordered the new arrivals to fill a half-mile gap in his line between Colonel Charles G. Harkers brigade of battered Ohioans and the division of Maj. Gen. Joseph J. Reynolds on the far right of the Kelley farm field. Before Steedman could deploy his winded regiments, the sound of musketry to the right of the XIV Corps made Thomas change his mind. If there were Confederates advancing around the right, the rear of Thomas entire defensive perimeter would be exposed. A courier soon galloped up to confirm that attacking Rebels faced only remnants of the 21st Ohio on Horseshoe Ridge. Those men must be driven back, said Granger. Thomas agreed, then asked, Can you do it? Granger said: Yes, my men are fresh, and they are just the fellows for that work. They are raw recruits and they dont know any better than to charge over there. Those men were Maj. Gen. Thomas C. Hindmans Division, comprising Brig. Gen. Patton Andersons Mississippi brigade, Brig. Gens. Zachariah C. Deas and Arthur M. Manigaults Alabama regiments, and Bushrod Johnsons Tennesseans. The mostly untested soldiers of the Reserve Corps would receive their baptism in blood that day against these veteran regiments on the boulder-strewn slopes of Horseshoe Ridge. Determining time on a Civil War battlefield is an imprecise science at best, and proves especially difficult in accounts of Chickamauga. But Captain Seth Moe, Steedmans assistant adjutant general, reportedly said, [A]nd as this is likely to be an important event, gentlemen, just remember that it is now ten minutes past one oclock. It was now a race to the crest of the ridge. Steedman flung Whitakers exhausted brigade forward in a double line. In front were the 96th and 115th Illinois and the 22nd Michigan. Behind them came the 40th and 89th Ohio and the 84th Indiana. They sprinted uphill for almost 400 yards through oaks, fallen trees, boulders and brambles. After traversing a series of shallow ravines, the brigade ascended a long ridge where it encountered the first sporadic shots of the Rebel skirmishers approaching from the other end. As the hard-charging blue lines reached the crest of the hill, they got their first glimpse of the disciplined Confederate regiments aligned scarcely 60 yards below them. Their bayonets fixed, the Union attackers assaulted their foes with an elan that momentarily stunned the Mississippians. The Confederates quickly regained their poise, however, andsupported by a battery of six guns pouring out solid shot, grape and canisterhalted the headlong Union advance about 100 yards down the southern slope. Then Colonel Cyrus Suggs veteran Tennessee regiments began to counterattack and slowly pushed the exhausted Union regiments back up the ridge. For the next 30 minutes, the two sides thrust and parried at each other, often at almost point-blank range. The 22nd Michigan, the first Reserve Corps regiment to come under enemy fire, suffered about 100 casualties in its first two minutes of battle. Every officer in the 115th Illinois was hit, and Colonel Kinmans death premonition became a reality during the regiments first charge. The Confederates succeeded in pushing the first wave of Steedmans troops off the crest. While General Granger remained with Thomas at the Snodgrass cabin, General Steedman chose to lead from the front. As the series of savage engagements seesawed up and down the slopes, he observed the decimated 115th Illinois again falling back in apparent disorder. When Colonel Jesse Moore told the general that his regiment had no fight left, Steedman told Moore he could go to the rear in disgrace if he wanted to. Then Steedman grabbed the regimental standard from the color bearer and ordered the stunned troops to follow him back to the top of the ridge. They did. There, after his horse was shot out from under him, Steedman continued to rally his troops on foot. The 96th Illinois was also breaking in the face of determined attacks by Suggs Brigade, now reinforced by Colonel John Fultons Brigade of Tennesseeans. Lieutenant Colonel Clarkes optimism about coming through the battle unscathed ended abruptly when a Minie ball hit him in the chest, knocking him off his horse and killing him. But the timely arrival of Steedmans 2nd Brigade under Colonel Mitchell pushed through the tattered remnants of the 96th and succeeded in extending the Union line beyond Fultons left flank. Mitchell formed his brigade into a double line in dense woods and moved up the ridge. The Confederates, fearing enfilading fire from Mitchells regiments and Battery M of the 1st Illinois Light Artillery, fell back toward the protection of their own batteries. An eerie silence enveloped Horseshoe Ridge about 2:45 p.m. Just a few minutes earlier, Thomas and his beleaguered defenders had received a second contingent of unexpected but welcome reinforcements. Colonel Ferdinand Van Derveer had pulled his 1,200-man brigade out of the line above the now quiet Kelley field and, also without orders, marched his troops toward the sound of fighting. Thomas immediately ordered Van Derveer to relieve the tired remnants of Brig. Gen. John M. Brannons troops of the XIV Corps 3rd Division, who had been under a blazing sun and continuous gunfire since 1 p.m. The sun was not bothering General Longstreet as he sat under a large shade tree, confidently following the Confederate offensive. A courier from General Braggs headquarters at Jays Mill cantered up, prompting Longstreet to ride to Bragg to report on the fight and ask for reinforcements from General Polk to hold the ground he had taken. When Bragg turned down the request, Longstreet was dumbfounded. Bragg didnt seem to comprehend how close the Confederates were to total victory. Nonetheless, Longstreet was determined to finish what he had started. There was nothing for the left wing to do, he wrote in his memoirs, but work along as best it could. Old Pete may have been long on fight, but he was short on strategy. Two options other than directly assaulting Horseshoe Ridge were available to him. Either from ignorance or choice, he took neither of them. During a reconnaissance before lunch, Longstreet came under fire from some Union pickets near the half-mile gap in the Union lines that worried Thomas. Longstreet practically rode right by it, and Maj. Gen. Alexander Stewarts Division spent much of the afternoon ignorant of the fact that it was almost in front of it. At the very least, the presence of skirmishers there should have resulted in a reconnaissance in force to ascertain Union strength in the area. The gap wasnt plugged until Captain Charles Aleshire and his 18th Ohio Light Artillery limbered up and fled to the rear in the face of furious Confederate counterbattery fire. He took his guns back to the Snodgrass cabin, where Colonel James Thompson, Grangers chief of artillery, promptly directed the battery to cover the potentially lethal break in the Union lines. Longstreet fully lost this window of opportunity late in the afternoon when the brigade of Brig. Gen. William B. Hazen moved into the gap from its original position above the Kelley farm field. Longstreet also had the option of bypassing Horseshoe Ridge altogether and moving his brigades up the Dry Valley Road to the McFarland and Rossville gaps, thus cutting off Thomas retreat route to Chattanooga. While Longstreet rode back from his disappointing meeting with Bragg, Bushrod Johnson decided to renew his assault on Horseshoe Ridge at about 3:30 p.m. In his official report, he correctly deduced that this position on the extreme left was one of the utmost importance and might determine the fate of the day. From a deep gorge and a nearby hill, Deas and Manigaults Alabama regiments again surged forward with Fultons Tennesseans. In reserve was Colonel David Colemans brigade of mostly Arkansas men. Johnson rode along the line himself to position the brigades before sending them off for another crack at Steedmans severely battered regiments. The two sides slaughtered each other for another 30 minutes before Deas Brigade broke and two regiments of Manigaults Brigade, the 28th and 34th Alabama, refused to re-form and attack again. Colemans brigade almost crested the summit before it too was forced to retreat. By 4 p.m., Confederate soldiers not already dead or wounded withdrew under a curtain of canister fire from their artillery batteries to quench their thirst, redistribute ammunition and perhaps marvel that Providence had spared them. Longstreet had one more hammer to hurl at Horseshoe Ridge, and about 4 p.m. he decided to throw it. General William Prestons Division of about 4,000 men had seen limited action and, compared to the troops opposing them, were fresh and full of fight. But the Confederates were again bedeviled by poor command and control. Prestons largest brigade, mostly Alabama men commanded by transplanted New Yorker Brig. Gen. Archibald Gracie Jr., moved out before the rest of the division was positioned. An angry General Preston realized he could do nothing but order in his other partly formed brigades. Gracie attacked uphill across the Vittetoe Road in a single line of battle against the entrenched remnants of Harkers brigade, some of the original defenders of Horseshoe Ridge. On a low slope of the ridge, Gracies line splintered. Some regiments halted while others advanced, but all suffered significant casualties. James Henry Haynies memoir of the 19th Illinois recalled: [T]hey come so swiftly that we can hardly count their volleying.Through the thick smoke suddenly we see a swarm of men in gray, not in battle-line, but an on-coming mass of soldiers bent on burying their bullets in resisting flesh. Gradually the Union defenders fell back, but Gracies bloodied regiments were too low on ammunition to press home their attack. Johnson, however, was still determined to seize the ridges on which so much blood had been spilled. About 4:30 p.m. he ordered a third assault by the splintered brigades of Fulton, Suggs and Manigault, now numbering only about 800 men. Most of the Union defenders were almost out of ammunition, and John Batchelor of the 78th Illinois later confided in his diary, We were fighting Indian fashionevery one doing the best he could under the circumstances, without regard to tactics or alignment. Yet another hour of savage fighting would finally force the Reserve Corps to withdraw. Steedmans regiments were hopelessly intermixed, and since the Reserve Corps had no stretcher-bearers, many able-bodied men helped wounded comrades to safety, never to return to the line. The redoubtable Battery M of the 1st Illinois Light Artillery covered the withdrawal with volleys of double-shotted canister. According to the units official history: Our fire was reserved until they were so close as to be able to recognize an acquaintance, had there been one there, when our battery opened on them at short range, throwing them into disorder.We then fell back to a high hill a short distance to the rear. Before it pulled all six of its guns off the field sometime after 6 p.m., Battery M had poured out 360 rounds of canister and 276 of spherical case. By 6 p.m., 23-year-old Colonel John Kelley and his motley collection of Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina and Virginia men, now reinforced by Colonel Robert C. Triggs small brigade of three Florida regiments plus the 54th Virginia, began to secure a foothold on the lower slopes of Horseshoe Ridge. But General Thomas had decided to abandon it. While Johnson was urging his weary soldiers to summon their courage once more, Rosecrans chief of staff, Brig. Gen. James Garfield, after riding through Dan McCooks skirmish line, arrived on the field. He made Thomas aware for the first time of the disaster that had befallen the rest of the Army of the Cumberland. Nearly one-third of the army had already fled the field northward to Chattanooga. A telegram from Rosecrans, then in Chattanooga, arrived between 4:30 and 5 p.m., ordering Thomas to assume command of all remaining forces and take a strong position and assume a threatening attitude at Rossville. Thomas was not a man to countenance defeat. He had at first intended to hold his position and withdraw toward Chattanooga only under the cover of nightstill several hours away. He began to organize the final phase of the Battle of Chickamauga, a fighting withdrawal in which the Reserve Corps would lose, perhaps unnecessarily, a large portion of two regiments. With still two hours before dark, Thomas decided to begin withdrawing the divisions facing the Kelley farm field first. He sent Captain John D. Barker of the 1st Ohio Cavalry, the commander of his escort, with orders for General Reynolds to begin. Then Thomas turned over command of the forces on Horseshoe Ridge to Granger and rode off toward the La Fayette Road so he could personally position Reynolds division to cover the retirement of the rest of the army. At about 7 p.m., with the only noise coming from the crackling of burning brush and leaves, the men of Triggs Brigade crept up yet another ridge toward the remnants of the 21st Ohio. Lieutenant Wilson Vance later wrote, Wrapped in the fog, they looked like so many phantoms on a ghostly brigade drill, and it gave one a creepy sensation to look at them. When challenged, the gray wraiths replied, Were Jeff Davis boys. Thinking that their relief had finally arrived, since Jefferson C. Davis was a Union general, the beleaguered defenders rose up only to find their benefactors belonged to the 7th Florida. After six hours of continuous fighting, the valiant remnants of the 21st Ohio downed their muskets and surrendered. To their right, the men of the Reserve Corps 89th Ohio quickly followed the example of their Buckeye brethren. On another ridge Lieutenant William Hamilton of the 22nd Michigan, the first Reserve Corps regiment to come under fire, was crouched behind his men. Out of the gloom came a heavy line of troops, and Williams would later write: It was now so dark we could not distinguish the color of their uniforms. They marched towards us, guns at charge and when within two or three rods of us began to call on us to surrender. Outnumbered and out of ammunition, the men sprang to their feet and became prisoners. The men of the 54th Virginia captured almost 250 of the Wolverines. Misery had been the order of the day for the Union Army. The dead were left unburied, and many of the severely wounded lay under the stars, each man enduring his suffering and thirst alone. Charles Partridge wrote, [T]he survivors still recall it as a hideous nightmare. It was not much better for the dazed and wounded survivors as they stumbled through the cold night, heading as best they could toward Rossville. Partridge remembered wounded horses carrying wounded men and ammunition wagons were halted and filled with human wrecksmen were carried in blankets for milestoiling on wearily through the hours, and along the road that was at once so strange and so long. Even though it missed the savage fighting on Horseshoe Ridge, McCooks brigade achieved a historical footnote. Its men had been successfully keeping the Confederate cavalry occupied, perhaps preventing it from closing the McFarland and Rossville gaps. His men were the last Union forces to leave the field when they limbered up their guns and, at about 10 p.m., filed off the low ridge near the McDonald farm. Chickamauga had lived up to its Indian name, river of death. The casualty lists for the Reserve Corps of the Army of the Cumberland reflect the ferocity of the fight. Granger and Steedman took 3,700 men to Horseshoe Ridge. In just over five hours of combat, they lost 16 officers and 200 enlisted men killed, 66 officers and 910 enlisted men wounded, and 35 officers and almost 600 enlisted men missing and captured. As much as any battle in the Civil War, Chickamauga was a soldiers battle. Charles Partridge said the men of the 96th Illinois were lions while the battle lasted. He easily could have been speaking about all the men of the Reserve Corps. This article was written by Gordon Berg and published in the January 2007 issue of Americas Civil War magazine.For more great articles be sure to subscribe to Americas Civil War magazine today! On May 5, 1775, a packet ship arrived in Philadelphia after a six-week passage across the Atlantic from England. This was a common enough occurrence, since the citys bustling waterfront along the Delaware River usually teemed with ships carrying passengers and merchandise from all over the world. The ship nestled beside a waiting dock, its gangplank enabling the weary human cargo to plant their feet on dry land. One of the passengers was an old man accompanied by his teenage grandson. The old mans face was distinctive, though not yet the icon it was later to become. A large oval face was framed by a fringe of long gray hair that fell unbound to his shoulders. Slightly hooded blue-gray eyes peered over rectangular glasses, and a well-shaped nose hovered above a thin slash of a mouth, just now pursed in concentration as he carefully walked down the swaying gangplank. Benjamin Franklin was coming home to his adopted city after an absence of about a decade. He was the most famous man in colonial America, honored for his many inventions and his contributions to science. Franklin was also a public figure, comfortable in the world of politics and letters. Dr. Franklin he held an honorary degree from Scotlands prestigious University of St. Andrews had been an agent representing colonial interests in Great Britain. Franklins homecoming was bittersweet. There was a growing rift between Britain and its 13 American colonies, and Franklin had devoted months of time and effort trying to repair the breach and effect reconciliation. In truth, the good doctor was a very reluctant revolutionary, at least in the beginning. He loved Britain, and harbored dreams of that fine and noble China vase the British Empire growing ever greater in wealth and power. The dream was becoming a nightmare, however, and the noble China vase was teetering on the edge of a precipice. One more gust of political turmoil and it would fall and smash into pieces. The last couple of years in England had not been happy ones for Franklin; in fact, they had transformed him slowly from ardent Anglophile to committed revolutionary. Franklin had once been blindly in love with Britain; now the scales fell from his eyes. His efforts at reconciliation were spurned, a British minister characterizing Franklin as one of the bitterest and most mischievous enemies this country [Britain] had ever known. Having heard the term American spat out like some loathsome obscenity, Franklin, his patience ended, decided to go home. He also decided that complete independence from Britain was the best course of action. When Franklin arrived in Philadelphia, he could not be sure of his reception. Years before, he had written to a friend that there was a possibility he would be looked on in England of being too much an American, and in America of being too much an Englishman. Those worries evaporated the moment Franklin and his 15-year-old grandson, Temple, touched shore. People shouted his name, and there were spontaneous cheers to mark his progress. As the word spread, church bells even pealed in welcome.But the colonies were in turmoil. The First Continental Congress denied that the British Parliament had any authority to tax the colonies. That, the first Congress insisted, was exclusively the right of their own colonial assemblies. Rhetoric soon turned to bloodshed, when fighting broke out between Massachusetts farmers and British troops at Lexington and Concord. A few days after Franklins arrival, the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia in the Pennsylvania statehouse (now Independence Hall) on Chestnut Street to discuss the issues and plan a course of action. The birth of the United States was not an easy one, and it ultimately involved a long, painful and exceedingly slow gestation. In fact, it took a year, from the spring of 1775 to the summer of 1776, for a majority of congressmen to finally accept the reality of independence. Benjamin Franklin was chosen to be one of Pennsylvanias congressional representatives only a day after his return from England. He accepted the post, but made sure that he did not reveal his true feelings on the touchy issue of independence. In the meantime, he served on several congressional committees, keeping up a pace that would have exhausted a 30-year-old, much less a man who had recently passed his 69th birthday. Congress created a Continental Army for mutual defense and appointed George Washington, a distinguished Virginian, as its commander in chief. British troops in Boston were already besieged by American forces, and an expedition was soon organized to invade and capture Canada for the rebel cause. While Congress deliberated, argued and occasionally dithered, questions began to arise in the minds of many members should America seek foreign aid; would the United Colonies be better off if they entered into a foreign alliance; or should they go it alone, trusting in God and the righteousness of their cause? Franklin, prescient as usual, foresaw the need of foreign aid. He wrote to a friend in July 1775 that Americans have not yet applied to any foreign power for assistance, nor have we offered our commerce for friendship. Perhaps we never may; it is natural to think of it, if we are pressed. These musings, which many felt but dared not speak aloud, took more concrete form after August 23, 1775, when King George III declared the colonies to be in open rebellion. While the majority of Congress still hesitated to make the final, irrevocable break with the mother country, it was deemed prudent to prepare for the worst. To this end a Committee of Secret Correspondence was formed on November 29, 1775, with the mission of corresponding with our friends in Great Britain, Ireland and other parts of the world. The last part of the sentence, other parts of the world, seems to have been added casually, and made purposely unclear, perhaps to allay the fears of those members of Congress who still hoped for reconciliation. In reality, other parts of the world could only mean the rest of Europe, including Britains hereditary enemies France and Spain. The Committee of Secret Correspondence was, in fact, an embryonic State Department. (Its title was changed to Committee for Foreign Affairs in April 1777, once the need for secrecy had been obviated by the Declaration of Independence.) The committees distinguished members included Franklin, Virginian Benjamin Harrison, John Jay of New York, Marylander Thomas Johnson and Pennsylvanian John Dickinson. Benjamin Franklin quickly became the committees most prominent member. He had many connections in Europe, and his fame abroad might open doors otherwise closed to America. Among intellectuals, he was celebrated as the man who dared the lightning and a true apostle of the Enlightenment. His famous experiment in the 1750s had proven beyond a doubt that lightning was indeed electricity. Franklin also created one of the first batteries, and even coined the use of the words positive and negative to describe electric charges. Franklin immediately took up his quill, writing a flurry of letters to his still-wide circle of European friends. He entered the murky world of diplomacy and espionage literally at the stroke of a pen. Philadelphia was as yet unoccupied by British troops, but it was almost certainly occupied by British spies, so Franklin had to exercise caution.Where to begin? Charles Guillaume-Frederic Dumas was an intellectual, by some accounts a Swiss, who was living in The Hague. The Netherlands was no longer a great power, but its strategic location assured that it was a major listening post of European politics. In his December 9, 1775, missive, Franklin made Dumas an agent of the Committee of Secret Correspondence. Acting as the committees spokesman, Franklin told Dumas that America might find it necessary to ask the aid of some foreign power. The latters task was clear: As you are situated at The Hague, where ambassadors from all the courts reside, you should make use of the opportunitydiscovering, if possible, the disposition of the several courts to such assistance or alliance. Franklins hope of foreign aid was not as far-fetched as it may have seemed at the time. When King Louis XVI came to the throne in 1774, he appointed Charles Gravier, comte de Vergennes, as his new foreign minister. Vergennes was a career diplomat with a lifetimes worth of experience. A monarchist to the core, he did not understand the complex issues of taxation and self-government that were threatening to tear the British empire completely asunder. Vergennes was certain of only one thing Britains troubles might provide France with a golden opportunity for revenge. Frances defeat in the Seven Years War was a national humiliation, and to suffer that defeat at the hands of the British only added to the disgrace. When the war ended, France was forced to surrender Canada and its vast holdings along the Mississippi River drainage. Only two small fishing islands off the south coast of Newfoundland, Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, remained of what was once a great French empire in North America. Late in 1774 Vergennes wrote: The quarrel between the colonies and the British government seems to grow more serious every day.It may prove the most fatal blow to the authority of the metropolis [London]. The foreign minister wanted to help the struggling Americansby Eric Niderostprovided, of course, that they proved themselves capable of winning. The French were not going to throw away money and possibly lives on a losing proposition. But Vergennes needed to base his decisions on solid, reliable intelligence. Reports from America were often fragmentary and sometimes contradictory. Vergennes knew that ultimately the American revolt would be decided on the battlefield. Could an American army of peasants stand up to trained British regulars? Adrien-Louis de Bonnieres de Sousastre, comte de Guines, was the French ambassador to the Court of St. Jamess. Though posted in England, he disliked the island kingdom and agreed with Vergennes that America could be helped and encouraged. Guines wrote, I think it might be advantageous to usto have among them [the Americans] a capable man who could judge the situation from the political and military standpoint, could foresee the course of events, and send reports by each merchant ship. In fact, Guines had someone in mind for this mission, and lost no time sending a letter to Vergennes that lavishly praised the candidate. Chevalier Julien-Alexandre Achard de Bonvouloir was a retired officer of the elite Regiment du Cap who had recently returned from America, where he had established many solid contacts. Guines admitted that Bonvouloir had a handicap he was lame but that he was intelligent and fully capable. Guines also noted that Bonvouloir was cost effective, willing to undertake the secret mission for 200 louis dor. If nothing is accomplished, explained the French ambassador, clinching his argument, it is only the loss of 200 louis. The comte de Guines exaggerated many of his young proteges attributes. Bonvouloir, 26, was the black sheep of an old Norman family who had squandered much of his inheritance. He had served in the Regiment du Cap, but only as a volunteer. Bonvouloir was a prodigal son who desperately wished to get back into his familys good graces. He also hoped to become a commissioned army officer, and carve out a brilliant military career. Bonvouloir mainly wanted recognition, not money, for his efforts, and this was his golden opportunity to prove himself on the world stage. He was determined to succeed at any cost. Vergennes was convinced, and a short time later Bonvouloir was given the assignment. Nobody cared that the young French noble had no espionage experience and did not even speak English. Vergennes did give the fledgling spy a detailed set of instructions, an oblique acknowledgment of his inexperience. He was to carry no written instructions, nothing that would incriminate him or the French government. Bonvouloir was to keep his eyes and ears open, recording his impressions in minute detail. Vergennes stressed that he was not to represent himself as an official agent of France, but merely as an Antwerp merchant with vaguely powerful friends back in Europe. In keeping with his Antwerp merchant guise, letters would have to be full of routine business details. This was a cover, in case the missives were intercepted by British agents. The secret portions were to be written in a kind of invisible ink made of milk, which could be developed and read only when heated with a hot shovel. Bonvouloir was not to make any commitments, but nevertheless assure the Americans of French sympathy and best wishes. As a further expression of goodwill, Bonvouloir was to tell the Americans the French had no designs on Canada. The memory of the Seven Years War, with its devastating French and Indian raids along the frontier, was still fresh in most American minds. Americans had spent blood and treasure evicting France from Canada in the late war, and did not wish to see the French flag rising once again over Montreal and Quebec. Once American fears were assuaged on that score, Bonvouloir was to move on, hinting that French ports would be open to trade once independence was declared. Vergennes was well aware that many Americans hesitated to break with Britain; veiled offers of French trade and assistance might tip the scales for independence. Vergennes made it clear that the first person he wanted Bonvouloir to contact was Benjamin Franklin. Franklins scientific writings were well known in France, and the doctor himself had visited Paris in the 1760s. Franklin was a man of influence, tact and intelligence, and also sat on several important congressional committees. The Philadelphia printer would be the perfect conduit to express Frances encouragement to a vacillating Congress. Bonvouloir set sail for America on September 8, 1775. Unfortunately his ship was buffeted by autumnal gales, storms so severe the journey took twice as long as usual. I had a frightful passage, he wrote. I had one hundred days at sea, twenty times I thought I should perish; I was reduced to two biscuits a daya little salt beef and stale water. Once ashore, Bonvouloirs next question was how to make contact with Benjamin Franklin. Franklin was a great man, and busier than usual during those hectic and tumultuous times. Bonvouloir had no credentials, no official status. He did not even have a letter of introduction, which was a common way of meeting well-known figures in those days. The chevalier did have one friend really, just an acquaintance who might provide the access to Franklin that Bonvouloir desperately needed. Francis Daymon was a merchant who had been born in Paris and immigrated to Philadelphia, where he married an American woman. He spoke English well, and supplemented his income by tutoring people in French. Above all he was a part-time librarian with Franklins Library Company. Franklin had hired Daymon, and some accounts say the Frenchman also helped Franklin brush up on his French. The Library Company, founded by Franklin and a group of friends in 1731, was the first circulating library in America. Books were costly in the colonial period; a single tome could cost an average man a months salary. The Library Company allowed subscribers to pool their money and buy books for the benefit of all. By 1770 the library boasted some 2,033 volumes, and the number grew every day. Space was at a premium, so the Library Company moved into the second floor of Carpenters Hall by 1774. Carpenters Hall was a classic specimen of Georgian architecture, formed in the shape of a Greek cross and crowned by a shining white cupola. It had been the site of the First Continental Congress, and many delegates had borrowed books from the Library Companys upstairs holdings. Daymon took care of the collection, recorded who took out the books and who returned them, and did shelving and other related chores. Bonvouloir contacted Daymon and dropped enough hints to give the librarian some idea however vague of his mission. Daymon told Bonvouloir he would do what he could, and he proved a man of his word. When the librarian told Franklin about the encounter, the latter was naturally suspicious. Bonvouloir might well prove a double agent, or even an out-and-out British spy. Traitors to the Crown were hanged. If Franklin and the Secret Committee spoke too freely to this man, they might end up with a noose around their necks. With all the danger involved, it was ironic that the name Bonvouloir meant goodwill in English. Franklin, after some further deliberation, felt the potential benefits more than justified the risks. It was clear that next years campaign was going to be crucial for the American cause. Help was needed, and needed soon. In spite of Bonvouloirs fervent disavowals, it was clear he was acting on the orders of the French government. The French may have been slow, tentative and perhaps even irritating, but they were finally showing signs of abandoning their official neutrality. Bonvouloirs mission was a significant first step in that direction. It was agreed that members of the Committee of Secret Correspondence would meet with Bonvouloir, but only under conditions of utmost discretion. Carpenters Hall was chosen for the nighttime rendezvous. The meeting would involve only four men: Franklin, fellow committee member Jay, Francis Daymon and the mysterious Frenchman. It was best to keep participants to an absolute minimum; a larger group would only attract unwanted attention. Daymon was needed to act as an interpreter. Franklin knew how to read French, having taught himself the rudiments of the language as early as the 1730s. He also knew how to speak a little French, but he was far from fluent at the time, and it was important that no misunderstandings arise due to mistranslation. As things turned out, there were three long meetings with the French agent, all occurring between December 18 and 27, 1775. The first meeting set the pattern for the rest. One chilly night Franklin slipped on a cloak and walked to Carpenters Hall. It was agreed that each participant would go to the rendezvous separately, using different routes, and strictly under the cover of darkness. Franklins great brick house on High Street was only about a block from the hall, so he didnt have far to go. It was ironic that, thanks to Franklin, Philadelphia boasted the best lighted streets in the country. Four-sided lamps, designed by Franklin himself, hung suspended from tall poles and gave out a strong glow. Under those street lamps, his bulky silhouette easily could be seen as he trudged through the frigid streets. Once Franklin showed up the last to arrive by some accounts Daymon led the party up the stairs to the second floor by the light of a flickering candle. He had already made sure that the buildings shutters were tightly fastened, lest any telltale beam of light betray the fact that Carpenters Hall was not empty. The stairs bore an uncanny resemblance to the kind seen on scaffolds. For all these men knew, this might be a dress rehearsal for a climb of a more sinister kind. The second floor of Carpenters Hall was divided into two large rooms. The east room housed the Library Companys books, while the west room was home to its many scientific devices and equipment. In 1774 the west room was described as a handsome Appartment [sic] where apparatus is deposited and directors meet. Cluttered as the west room was with telescopes, air pumps and electrical devices, the east room was a logical place to conduct the secret talks. It was, after all, where the library directors met. John Jay later recalled Bonvouloir as an elderly, lame gentleman, having the appearance of an old, wounded French officer. Its a curious description, because the chevalier was in his mid-20s at the time. He did have a game leg, but nothing else fits. Jays story does conjure up yet another intriguing possibility that Bonvouloir was in disguise. The chevalier de Bonvouloir rigidly adhered to his instructions. I made them no offer, he proudly recalled later, absolutely none. But Franklin and Jay assumed correctly that he was a French agent, and acted accordingly. Apparently Franklin took the lead in the discussions, and though the tone was friendly, Bonvouloir was put on the defensive. These affairs are so delicate, he admitted, that with all the goodwill possible, I tremble as I advance. Franklin and Jay cut to the chase. They wanted to know if France would aid America, and at what price. The chevalier said that yes, France might come to the rebels aid, but he did not know what the condition would be. Franklin apparently asked if France was favorable to the American cause. Bonvouloir pleaded ignorance, explaining he was only a private citizen. When pressed, the chevalier opined that France did wish them well. Benjamin Franklin knew that few American officers had training in European warfare. When the Frenchman was asked if his country might supply two good military engineers, Bonvouloir was evasive, but promised to forward the request to friends back home. America was rich in a variety of natural resources, but poor in gold or silver specie to pay for arms. Franklin queried Bonvouloir about the possibility of obtaining arms and munitions in exchange for American commercial goods. Once again the chevalier gave a conditional assent, but stressed the French government would not take part in such transactions. Instead, business would be conducted by private French merchants. The meetings concluded on an upbeat note. In spite of Bonvouloirs attempts at evasion, it was clear that France was indeed interested in helping the American cause. This was encouraging to Franklin and Jay. As soon as the last session was over, the chevalier quickly sent messages back to France as instructed. On December 28, Bonvouloir penned an account of both the clandestine encounters at Carpenters Hall and his impressions of the general situation. Many of his statements are exaggerations, the narrative peppered with facts that sound plausible but are ultimately false. There is no deliberate attempt to deceive his superiors; its obvious from the tone that Bonvouloir believes what he is saying. Much of the report is a product of a fevered imagination desperate to achieve success. The evidence is circumstantial, but Franklins own fingerprints seemed to be all over Bonvouloirs report. Ben Franklin was a skilled propagandist, and it looks as if he filled the Frenchmans head with facts and figures to suggest America was in a better position than it really was. Some of Bonvouloirs statements bear suspicious similarities to some of Franklins own letters to foreign friends that year. Bonvouloir saw the budding Revolution in a favorable light, as when he boldly states, The Confederates [Americans] are preparing themselves extensively for the coming spring. This sounds much like Franklins letter of December 9, 1775, when the printer speaks glowingly of how our artificers are also every where busy in fabricating small arms, casting cannon, etc. The French emissary reported: Everyone here is a soldier, the troops are well clothed, well paid and well armed. They have more than 50,000 regular soldiers and an even larger number of volunteers who do not wish to be paid.Nothing shocks or frightens them, you can count on that. Independency is a certainty for 1776. This, of course, was a wild exaggeration. Washingtons Continental Army never had more than 18,000 to 20,000 men at a time, and usually the figures were much lower. The troops were badly paid, often badly clothed, especially in winter, and had to endure periods of sickness and semi-starvation. Ironically, the only one of Bonvouloirs predictions that proved accurate was that America would declare its independence from Britain. The Secret Committee of Correspondence was encouraged by the chevalier de Bonvouloirs clandestine visits, so much so that on March 2, 1776, they appointed Connecticut lawyer and revolutionary leader Silas Deane as a special envoy to negotiate with the French government. On the French side, Bonvouloir swallowed the committees propaganda hook, line and sinker. When his wildly positive report reached France on February 27, 1776, it gave Vergennes more ammunition to persuade King Louis XVI to aid the rebellious colonies. France and Spain were not ready for open hostilities, but it was secretly agreed by both parties that the rebellion must be kept alive as long as possible. Meanwhile, another pro-American Frenchman was enlisted as a middleman between the two nations. Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais was a flamboyant man of many talents, author of the play Barber of Seville and later Marriage of Figaro. Among his other accomplishments, he was a French spy, passionately devoted to the American cause. In April 1776, Vergennes wrote to Beaumarchais: We will secretly give you one million livres. We will try to obtain an equal sum from Spain. [He did.] With these two millions you will establish a commercial firm andsupply the Americans with arms, munitions, equipment. Once the funds were in hand, a dummy company Hortalez & Cie was set up to funnel arms and supplies to America. While still maintaining a precarious neutrality, France was now fully committed to providing substantial aid to the insurgent Americans. The chevalier de Bonvouloir soon faded into obscurity. He stayed on in America for about a year, but accomplished little of consequence. After some wrangling he managed to get a commission in the French navy, sailed to India in his ship and died there in 1783. After independence was declared, Franklin sailed for France on October 27, 1776, as a member of a commission authorized by Congress to negotiate a commercial treaty with Louis XVIs government. In 1778 Franklin signed a Franco-American Treaty of Alliance. Thus, from those first furtive winter meetings at Carpenters Hall in Philadelphia three years earlier, aided by Franklins wise guidance and diplomacy, emerged massive French moral, monetary, material and eventually direct military support for the American colonial cause. This article was written by Eric Niderost and originally published in the February 2006 issue of American History Magazine. For more great articles, subscribe to American History magazine today! Every time Id be in the dance, whether I was dancing, drumming or singing, I could envision the sculpture Roughly 1,600 miles from the heart of Pueblo Indian country in northern New Mexico, George Riveras massive bronze Buffalo Dancer II stands outside the entrance to the Smithsonians National Museum of the American Indianthe first sculpture to represent American Indians on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Standing 12 feet tall and weighing a ton, the statue showcases the spirit of the Pueblo Indians, depicting a young man offering thanks in the ceremonial buffalo dance. Native American people pay respect to the buffalo for everything it gives them, Rivera says, and show their gratitude in dance. Rivera installed his sculpture outside the museum in October 2009. Less than a year later the museum made Buffalo Dancer II part of its permanent collection. The figure started out much, much smaller. In 1997 Rivera completed a 20-inch maquette of the buffalo dancer. Thats how he starts most of his works, before recreating the image in stone or casting it in bronze. From the outset Rivera knew the young buffalo dancer, and what it represented, was destined for larger things. Its a dance that has been done for hundreds, maybe thousands, of years, says Rivera, 46. Its pretty significant. I was doing the dance in my early 30s, and every time Id be in the dance, whether I was dancing or drumming or singing, I could envision the sculpture or painting. Ten years after making the maquette, Rivera completed Buffalo Dancer, a larger-than-life bronze now on permanent display outside the new Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino at Pojoaque Pueblo in Santa Fe. Kevin Gover, director of the National Museum of the American Indian, requested another dancer for the museum. Dancing is important to all Pueblo cultures, and especially important to Rivera, who has also created bronzes of deer dancers and butterfly dancers. If you can capture that, thats the essence of who the Pueblo people are. Rivera should know. The longtime governor of Pojoaque Pueblo, he is also a collector of the arts, an art instructor and the driving force behind the creation of Pojoaques Poeh Cultural Center and Museum, which teaches and promotes Pueblo Indian arts, culture and history. My roots are here, he says. Im the governor because I really am genuinely interested in my Pueblo people having a better life and opportunities. As an artist working in stone and clay, painting, sketching, even dabbling in ceramics and architecture he has become internationally famous. Yet wasnt aware of his interest in art, let alone his phenomenal talent, until taking an elective high school art class. I had no idea I would like it so much, he says. That love led him to studies at Santa Fes Institute of American Indian Arts, the California College of Arts and Craft in Oakland and the Lacoste School of Arts in France. After three years in that country, where he taught and apprenticed with a Japanese master sculptor, Rivera returned to his Pojoaque home, inspired to revitalize traditional Pueblo arts and culture. At a young age, I evaluated my career choices and asked myself, Why dont you do something to help your people? Not just Pueblo people. All Indian cultures. The Poeh Center promotes all eight other Tewa- and Tiwa-speaking pueblos of Northern New Mexico as well as other tribes. Buffalo Thunder houses roughly 300 pieces of art by American Indians, both masters and newcomers. He has learned he can help Indian people, not only as a politician, but as an artist, educating non-Indians about the Pueblo way of life. This culture, Rivera says, is still here. Its very much alive. Art isnt restricted to classrooms. It can reach people, and teach them, from a resort at a Northern New Mexico pueblo, to the Washington Mall, and all across the world. This culture, Rivera says, is still here. Its very much alive. To see more of Riveras work visit Glenn Green Galleries. Sidebar for Women Warriors Some of historys most famous women warriors: Artemisia I 5th century BC Queen of Halicarnassus (in modern Turkey) within the Persian Empire, Artemisia commanded five ships under Xerxes during his invasion of Greece in 480 BC. Impressed by her bravery and skill, the ruler said: My men have turned into women, my women into men. Trung Trac and Trung Nhi 1st century AD When Chinese occupiers killed Trung Tracs husband, a petty nobleman in Vietnam, she and sister Nhi raised an armyincluding many women generalsand drove out the Chinese. Hundreds of years later, their story inspired the thousands of women fighters of the Vietnam War. Zenobia 3rd century She became ruler of the Roman colony of Palmyra (in present-day Syria) after the assassination of her husband, a prince and general. Rebelling against the Roman overlords, she seized Egypt and much of Asia Minor, commanding troops from horseback. Rome soon captured the renegade queen, who remained in Rome until her death. Umm Umara 7th century A devout Arab Muslim, she joined her husband and two sons to fight alongside Muhammad in several of the prophets early battles in what is now Saudi Arabia. I never looked to the right nor to the left without seeing Umm Umara fighting to defend me, he said after one battle. Matilda of Canossa 10461115 A noble who inherited power and vast lands in northern Italy following the death of her mother and stepfather in 1076, Matilda became a staunch military ally of Pope Gregory VII and his successors in conflicts with European rulers over church appointments. In 1087, she led an army that marched on Rome to oust a rival installed as an antipope by the Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV. Eleanor of Aquitaine 11221204 Wife of French king Louis VII, Eleanor rode on the Second Crusade as the leader of the forces from her home province. Though she did not directly command forces, she participated in military councils and reportedly clashed with her husband. Tomoe Gozen ca. 11571247 The 12th-century epic Tale of the Heike describes her as a samurai so skillful with the sword and bow that she was a match for a thousand warriors. Joan of Arc 14121431 The famous French patriot. Claiming divine inspiration, she was only 17 when she raised and inspired an army that in 1429 relieved the city of Orleans from an English siege during the Hundred Years War. She commanded troops for more than a year before her capture, after which she was burned at the stake. Lakshmi Bai ca. 18341858 As the widowed ruler of the Jhansi principality in India, she assembled and led an army that fought British annexationthe Sepoy Rebellion of 18571858. Shot and killed, she became a symbol of independence for the countrythe best and the bravest of the rebel leaders, according to a British officer. Deborah Samson 17601827 Dressed as a man and calling herself Robert Shurtleff, Samson joined the American Revolutionary War army, fighting more than a year before being found out and sent to General George Washington, who may have personally discharged her. A few accounts suggest she maintained her disguise despite being wounded several times; in one, she pulls a musket ball from her thigh to avoid a doctors treatment and potential discovery. Nadezhda Durova 17831866 The daughter of a Russian cavalry officer, Durova masqueraded as a man for the better part of a decade as she fought Napoleons Grande Armee, notably at the Guttstadt-Deppen (1807). Tsar Alexander I discovered her identity but awarded her the Cross of St. George for bravery and allowed her to stay in the army, albeit still in disguise. Annie Etheridge 18441913 A Civil War battlefield medic, she became a Union hero after rallying retreating troops at Spotsylvania in 1864. She also served at Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Petersburg, and the Battle of the Wilderness; wrote one soldier, When danger threatens, she never cringes. Flora Sandes 18761956 Though British, Sandes joined the Serbian army during World War I after serving on the front lines as a medical worker. Serbs welcomed her as a sign of Britains support. She stayed with the Serb military after the war, rising to the rank of captain. Maria Bochkareva 18891920 Born into serfdom and abused by her father, she persuaded the Russian army to let her fight in World War I, where she was wounded and decorated for bravery. In mid-1917, she created a women-only battalion of deathshock troops to counter desertion. But the unita few hundred women who shaved their headssaw little action; male deserters turned against them and killed many. Lina Odena ca. 19111936 A Communist Party activist, she fought for the Republican government in the Spanish Civil War against, leading militia units and eventually dying in the field. Marina Raskova 19121943 Part of a three-woman air crew that broke the Russian transcontinental air record before the war, she is believed to have persuaded Stalin to create three regiments of all-female fighter pilots. Before she could fly her first mission, however, she crash-landed during a storm and died. Mariia Vasilievna Oktiabrskaya ca. 19021944 After her husband, parents, and two children were killed in 1943, she gave her savings to the military to pay for a tank she could drive. Short and in her 40s, she distinguished herself in her combat debut, in Belarus, as the first tanker to break through enemy lines. She was mortally wounded in early 1944, not long after joining her unit. Netiva Ben-Yehuda 19282011 At 18, Ben-Yehuda joined the Palmach, the elite fighting force of the Jewish army that fought the 1948 Israeli War for Independence. A demolitions expert, spy, and field commander, she earned the nickname Blonde Devil among Arabs. Celia Sanchez 19201980 An early backer of Fidel Castros rebellion against Cubas Batista regime in the 1950s, she recruited and organized peasant fighters and eventually became a rebel commander and one of Castros most trusted deputies. Nguyen Thi Dinh 19201992 A Vietnamese peasant, she led rebel forces against the French in the mid-1940s and against the South Vietnamese and Americans in the 1960s. She was famed for her guerrilla tactics and her recruitment of women to what became known as the long-haired army. Ann E. Dunwoody 1953 Recently retired after a 38-year military career, she was the first woman to command a battalion in the 82nd Airborne Division and the first female four-star general. Today, women are in combat, she said upon her retirement. That is just a reality. Karakal Battalion 2000 Under pressure to open up combat positions to women, the Israel Defense Forces created this mixed-gender unit, which is assigned to the border with Egypt to stop smuggling and terrorism. return to main story Nine years ago, the Alexander Gallery in Manhattan acquired several items once owned by Confederate General JEB Stuart. Among them was a small watercolor portrait painted by Mrs. Robert E. Lee. Measuring only four inches wide and five and three quarters inches high, Enslaved Girl depicts a young girl in a red dress and white apron, balancing a tub on her head. Though she is small, female, and vulnerable, her calm expression and her stance convey an unmistakable air of strength and self-possession. Behind her lies a split rail fence and a line of trees. Someone, perhaps Mrs. Lee herself, wrote the word Topsy in pencil on the girls apron. Painted in 1830, the year before the then twenty three- year- old Mary Anna Randolph Custis married her distant cousin, Enslaved Girl was valued at $400,000 and sold to the museum at Colonial Williamsburg for an undisclosed sum. The only living child of George Washington Parke Custis and Mary Lee Fitzhugh Custis, Mary Anna grew up at Arlington, the family home her father built as a memorial to his step-grandfather, George Washington. She was educated by a cadre of private tutors, and encouraged in her artistic pursuits by her father, himself a painter, poet, and playwright. Along with the 1100 acres overlooking the Potomac River that Mr. Custis inherited from his father were a number of slaves who lived at Arlington and at the other Custis properties in Virginia, Romancoke and White House, where in 1759 George Washington married Martha Dandridge Custis. Records indicate that the enslaved population at Arlington hovered at around sixty men, women, and children, most of them families. Among them was the Norris family. Leonard and Sally Norris, said to be favorites of Mrs. Custis, had four children: Selina, Wesley, Mary, and Sally. Selina, born in 1823, was taken into the Custis household at an early age to train as a housekeeper. As an adult, she became the head housekeeper at Arlington and served as Mrs. Lees personal assistant. Plagued by crippling arthritis for most of her adult life, Mrs. Lee grew increasingly dependent upon Selina and others to care for her and her brood of seven boisterous children. The two women developed such a close bond that when Mary and her daughters fled Arlington at the start of the Civil War, she trusted no one but Selina with the keys to her home. Selina, who by that time had married Thornton Gray, an enslaved man at Arlington, grew alarmed when Union soldiers began looting the house, making off with furnishings, silver, and other items that had once belonged to George Washington. She confronted their commanding officer, General Irvin McDowell, to demand an end to the thievery of Miss Marys things. The general moved the rest of the items to the U.S. Patent office where they remained until after the war. Today, Selina Gray is remembered as the savior of the Washington treasures. The discovery of the Enslaved Girl portrait presents an intriguing question. Is Selina the girl in the painting? According to the Colonial Williamsburg description, likely the subject was one of the Custis slaves though her name is unknown. But several known facts raise the possibility that it could be Selina Norris Gray. The first is the date. In 1830, Selina would have been seven years old, the approximate age of the girl in the painting. Secondly, Mary Anna and her mother strongly believed in preparing the Custis slaves for eventual emancipation and to this end, they taught the children at Arlington to read and write. Perhaps Mary decided to paint one of her most able students, a child with whom she had a close and ongoing relationship both in the household and in the little schoolroom at Arlington. What is to be made of the word Topsy added to the portrait? Topsy is a character in Harriet Beecher Stowes novel Uncle Toms Cabin, which was first published in its entirely in 1852, the same year Mrs. Lee joined her husband at West Point, where he served as superintendent from September of that year until March of 1855. As a proponent of emancipation, Mrs. Lee undoubtedly read Mrs. Stowes anti-slavery novel (which became the best-selling novel of the 19th century, its popularity eclipsed only by the Bible). Perhaps Topsy called to her mind one of her own Arlington slaves. One for whom she had great affection and knew intimately enough to paint in such fine detail. It is believed Mrs. Lee gave the portrait to JEB Stuart while he was a cadet at West Point. It then disappeared for more than a hundred and fifty years. Historical inquiry demands a constant reassessment of what we think we know. With each new discovery we are called to rearrange the puzzle pieces of the past into a new and more complete picture. Perhaps new scholarship will one day shed more light on the Enslaved Girl. Until then, her identity and her story remain a tantalizing mystery. Dorothy Love is the author of Mrs. Lee and Mrs. Gray: A Novel (HarperCollins June, 2016) Union Colonel Thomas Reynolds lay in a hospital bed after the July 1864 Battle of Peachtree Creek, Georgia. Gathered around him, surgeons discussed the possibility of amputating his wounded leg. The Irish-born Reynolds, hoping to sway the debate toward a conservative decision, pointed out that his wasnt any old leg, but an imported leg. Whether or not this indisputable claim influenced the doctors, Reynolds did get to keep his body intact. Compared to the many men who died because limbs should have been removed but werent, Reynolds was lucky: he survived. I have no hesitation in saying that far more lives were lost in refusal to amputate than by amputation, wrote William Williams Keen, a medical student with the military status of a West Point cadet. Like many Civil War medical workers, Keen learned his trade on the job, under extreme duress, as Civil War battles churned out thousands of wounded men. After treating casualties of the September 1862 Battle of Antietam, Maryland, Keen went to work in Philadelphia at the Turners Lane Hospital, a facility famous for making discoveries about nerve injuries. Later he became professor of surgery at the citys Jefferson Medical College and a leader in American surgery. In his Reminiscences (1905), he commented on the persistent practice of blaming Civil War surgeons for performing unnecessary amputations. Many other Civil War surgeons made the same point: amputations saved lives and failure to perform necessary ones sometimes resulted in fatal infections The image that surgery during the Civil War consisted of amputations, amputations, and more amputations, many done unnecessarily, developed early in the war. Soldiers letters and hometown newspapers were filled with such accusations, and the notion stuck. True, more than 30,000 amputations were done on Union soldiers, and probably a similar number on Confederates, but most were necessary. British and American civilian surgeons who visited battlefield hospitals as observers and committed their opinions to paper agreed with Keen that Civil War surgeons were often too hesitant about amputating. Those experts felt that too few amputations were done, and that the accusations that surgeons were too quick too amputate led them to second-guess themselves, often incorrectly. The introduction of anaesthesia in October 1846 allowed surgeons to operate more deliberately. But because infection almost always followed, very little surgery was done. Then came the Civil War and the need for an astounding number of operations to be performed by doctors without any prior surgical experience. Statistics for the Massachusetts General Hospital, one of the premier hospitals of the era, illustrate the state of surgery in the first half of the 19th century. Between 1836 and 1846, a total of 39 surgical procedures were performed at that hospital annually. In the first 10 years after the introduction of anaesthesia, 1847 through 1857, the annual average was 189 procedures, about 60 percent of which were amputations. Opening the abdomen or chest was rare. About two decades after the Civil War, the volume of surgery in civilian hospitals increased enormously with the introduction of antiseptic and, later, aseptic techniques. Between 1894 and 1904, for example, an average of 2,427 procedures were done annually at the Massachusetts General Hospital and, by 1914, more than 4,000. Many Civil War surgeons lived to see these developments and, reminiscing long after the war, lamented their own lack of preparation for the difficulties of treating large numbers of severely wounded men. Many of our surgeons had never seen the inside of the abdomen in a living subject, one physician wrote, adding, Many of the surgeons of the Civil War had never witnessed a major amputation when they joined their regiments; very few of them had treated gunshot wounds. Despite the lack of preparation, Union surgeons treated more than 400,000 wounded menabout 245,000 of them for gunshot or artillery woundsand performed at least 40,000 operations. Less complete Confederate records show that fewer surgeons treated a similar number of patients. As would be expected, the numbers of surgeons grew exponentially as the war raged on. When the war began, there were 113 surgeons in the U.S. Army, of which 24 joined the Confederate army and 3 were dismissed for disloyalty. By wars end, more than 12,000 surgeons had served in the Union army and about 3,200 in the Confederate. During the course of the war, formal and informal surgical training programs were begun for newly enlisted surgeons, and special courses on treating gunshot wounds were given. Surgeons on both sides rapidly developed skills and knowledge that improved the treatment of wounds, and they devised many new surgical procedures in desperate attempts to save lives. Did Army Surgeons Deserve So Much Criticism? At the start of the war, and especially during both Battles of Manassas and the Peninsula Campaign in 1861 and 1862, care of the wounded was chaotic and criticism of surgeons was valid. Regular Army personnel in all departments expected a short war fought by professionals and tried to follow rules created for the 15,000-man prewar army scattered here and there at small frontier posts. But the Civil War involved large volunteer forces fighting huge battles and sustaining enormous numbers of casualties. The prewar system was overwhelmed. Hospitals were organized at the regimental level, and transportation of the wounded was improvised. Wounded men sometimes went days without any care. Surgeons operated in isolation, without help or supervision. While newspaper articles and soldiers letters described the poor state of affairs to anyone who could read, a new medical director of the Army of the Potomac, Dr. Jonathan Letterman, worked to improve medical care. He was remarkably successful, but the improvements went largely unreported. So public criticism continued to inhibit surgeons, keeping them from making the best decisions. And, as Keen observed, this may have cost lives. One of many observers who agreed with Keen was William M. Caniff, professor of surgery at the University of Victoria College in Toronto. Visiting with the Union army after the Battle of Fredericksburg in the winter of 1862-1863, he wrote that American surgeons were too hesitant about performing amputations. In a long essay published in the British medical journal Lancet on February 28, 1863, Caniff observed, Although a strong advocate of conservative surgery, I became convinced that upon the field amputation was less frequently resorted to than it should be; that while in a few cases the operation was unnecessarily performed, in many cases it was omitted when it afforded the only chance of recovery. While the criticism continued, medical conditions continued to improve. Evacuation and transportation of the wounded got better, as did the establishment and management of hospitals. And the percentage of the wounded that died after treatment dropped dramatically. After Antietam, for example, 22 percent of the 8,112 wounded treated in hospitals died; but after the Battle of Gettysburg one year later, only 9 percent of 10,569 died. Despite that, an editorial writer in the Cincinnati Lancet and Observer noted in September 1863 that Our readers will not fail to have noticed that everybody connected with the army has been thanked, excepting the surgeons. Myth 1: Alternatives to Amputation Were Ignored Infection threatened the life of every wounded Civil War soldier, and the resulting pus produced the stench that characterized hospitals of the era. When the drainage was thick and creamy (probably due to staphylococci), the pus was called laudable, because it was associated with a localized infection unlikely to spread far. Thin and bloody pus (probably due to streptococci), on the other hand, was called malignant, because it was likely to spread and fatally poison the blood. Civil War medical data reveal that severe infections now recognized as streptococcal were common. One of the most devastating streptococcal infections during the war was known as hospital gangrene. When a broken bone was exposed outside the skin, as it was when a projectile caused the wound, the break was termed a compound fracture. If the bone was broken into multiple pieces, it was termed a comminuted fracture; bullets and artillery shells almost always caused bone to fragment. Compound, comminuted fractures almost always resulted in infection of the bone and its marrow (osteomyelitis). The infection might spread to the blood stream and cause death, but even if it did not, it usually caused persistent severe pain, with fever, foul drainage, and muscle deterioration. Amputation might save the soldiers life, and a healed stump with a prosthetic limb was better than a painful, virtually useless limb, that chronically drained pus. Antisepsis and asepsis were adopted in the decades following the war, and when penicillin became available late in World War II, the outlook for patients with osteomyelitis improved. In the mid-1800s, however, germs were still unknown. Civil War surgeons had to work without knowledge of the nature of infection and without drugs to treat it. To criticize them for this lack of knowledge is equivalent to criticizing Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee for not calling in air strikes. Civil War surgeons constantly reevaluated their amputation policies and procedures. Both sides formed army medical societies, and the meetings focused primarily on amputation. The main surgical alternative to amputation involved removing the portion of the limb containing the shattered bone in the hope that new bone would bridge the defect. The procedure, called excision or resection, avoided amputation, but the end result was shortening of the extremity and often a gap or shortening of the bony support of the arm or leg. An arm might still have some function, but often soldiers could stand or walk better on an artificial leg than on one with part of a bone removed. Another problem with excision was that it was a longer operation than amputation, which increased the anaesthesia risk; the mortality rate after excision was usually higher than that following amputation at a similar site. As the war progressed, excisions were done less and less frequently. Myth 2: Surgery Was Done without Anaesthesia Histories of the Civil War and Hollywood movies usually portray surgery being done without anaesthesia; the patient downs a shot of whiskey, then bites down on a bullet. That did happen in a few instances, particularly on September 17, 1862, at the Battle of Iuka, Mississippi, when 254 casualties were operated on without any anesthetic. This episode is recorded in the Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion and is the only known occurrence of any significant number of operations being performed without anaesthesia. On the other hand, more than 80,000 Federal operations with anaesthesia were recorded, and that figure is believed to be an underestimate. Confederate surgeons used anesthetics a comparable number of times. The use of anaesthesia by surgeons doing painful wound treatments in hospitals was well described but not tallied. One explanation for the misconception about anaesthesia is that it was well into the 20th century before research led to more carefully designed applications. At the time of the Civil War, ether or chloroform or a mixture of the two was administered by an assistant, who placed a loose cloth over the patients face and dripped some anesthetic onto it while the patient breathed deeply. When given this way, the initial effects are a loss of consciousness accompanied by a stage of excitement. For safety reasons, the application was usually stopped quickly, which is why surprisingly few deaths occurred. The Civil War surgeon went to work immediately, hoping to finish before the drug wore off. Although the excited patient was unaware of what was happening and felt no pain, he would be agitated, moaning or crying out, and thrashing about during the operation. He had to be held still by assistants so the surgeon could continue. Surgery was performed in open air whenever possible, to take advantage of daylight, which was brighter than candles or kerosene lamps available in the field. So, while surgeons performed operations, healthy soldiers and other passers-by often had a view of the proceedings (as some newspaper illustrations of the time verify). These witnesses saw the clamor and heard the moaning and thought the patients were conscious, feeling the pain. These observations found their way into letters and other writings, and the false impression arose that Civil War surgeons did not typically use anaesthesia. That myth has persevered, but the evidence says otherwise. Myth 3: Most of the Wounds Were to Arms and Legs Another misconception common in Civil War history is the concept that most wounds were to the arms and legs. At the root of this myth are statistics that state that about 36 percent of wounds were to the arms and another 35 percent to the legs. These numbers are based on the distribution of the wounds of soldiers evacuated and treated in hospitals, as shown in the records in the Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion. The trouble is, many soldiers with more serious wounds did not make it to hospitals and were therefore not counted. Wounds of the chest, abdomen, and head, for example, were often fatal on the battlefield. Soldiers with these more serious wounds were often given morphine and water and made as comfortable as possible as they awaited death, while men with treatable wounds, such as injured limbs, were given evacuation priority. A similar statistics-based misjudgment arises in connection with artillery wounds. These were often devastating, fatal immediately or soon after; few soldiers hit by artillery missiles lived to be evacuated. For this reason, the recorded number of artillery wounds treated is low. That fact has led some authors to conclude erroneously that artillery was largely ineffective. Myth 4: Every Surgeon Had Authority to Amputate During the first year of the war, and especially during the Peninsula Campaign in 1862, army surgeons performed all operations. Soon the overwhelming numbers of battle wounded forced the army to contract civilian surgeons to perform operations in the field alongside their army counterparts. Their ability ranged from poor to excellent. Accusations soon arose that surgeons were doing unnecessary amputations just to gain experience. This was undoubtedly true in some cases, but it was rare. After the Battle of Antietam in September 1862, Letterman was so disturbed by public criticism of the army surgeons that he reported: The surgery of these battle-fields has been pronounced butchery. Gross misrepresentations of the conduct of medical officers have been made and scattered broadcast over the country, causing deep and heart-rending anxiety to those who had friends or relatives in the army, who might at any moment require the services of a surgeon. It is not to be supposed that there were no incompetent surgeons in the army. It is certainly true that there were; but these sweeping denunciations against a class of men who will favorably compare with the military surgeons of any country, because of the incompetency and short-comings of a few, are wrong, and do injustice to a body of men who have labored faithfully and well. Motivated at least in part by a desire to improve the public perception of the medical department, Letterman issued an order on October 30, 1862, requiring that in all doubtful cases involving Union soldiers, a board of three of the most experienced surgeons in the division or corps hospital would decide by majority vote whether an amputation was necessary. Then, a fourth surgeon, the available doctor with the most relevant skills, would perform the procedure. This system remained in effect for the rest of the war. After the war, Surgeon George T. Stevens, historian of the the Army of the Potomacs VI Corps, described how the operating surgeon was chosen: One or more surgeons of well known skill and experience were detailed from the medical force of the division, who were known as operating surgeons; to each of whom was assigned three assistants, also known to be skillful men. The wounded men had the benefit of the very best talent and experience in the division, in the decision of the question whether he should be submitted to the use of the knife, and in the performance of the operation in case one was required. It was a mistaken impression among those at home, that each medical officer was the operating surgeon for his own men. Only about one in fifteen of the medical officers was entrusted with operations. The Confederate army had a similar problem with excessively zealous surgeons, and it instituted a similar solution. In the 1863 edition of his Manual of Military Surgery, Professor J.J. Chisolm of Charleston, South Carolina, bluntly addressed the issue of unnecessary surgery: Among a certain class of surgeons amputations have often been performed when limbs could have been saved, and the amputating knife has often been brandished, by inexperienced surgeons, over simple flesh wounds. In the beginning of the war the desire for operating was so great among the large number of medical officers recently from the schools, who were for the first time in a position to indulge this extravagant propensity, that the limbs of soldiers were in as much danger from the ardor of young surgeons as from the missiles of the enemy. It was for this reason that, in the distribution of labor in the field infirmaries, it was recommended that the surgeon who had the greatest experience, and upon whose judgment the greatest reliance could be placed, should officiate as examiner, and his decision be carried out by those who may possess a greater facility or desire for the operative manual. The new procedures helped the patients, but they hardly changed public opinion. In the end, despite advances in surgical practices and their results, Civil War physicians were unsuccessful in improving their public perception. How Did American Surgeons Compare to Europeans? The efforts of Civil War surgeons should be compared with those of their contemporaries: doctors who treated the casualties of the Crimean War of 1854-1856 and the Franco-German War of 1870-1871. Fatality rates during the Civil War, especially those following amputations, compare favorably with those of the British and especially the French in the Crimean War and were much better than those of the Russians and Turks (although statistics for those armies were less thorough). The data for the British in the Crimean War are the most comprehensive available, thanks in large part to the interest taken in statistics by the renowned nurse Florence Nightingale. The British performed a total of 1,027 amputations, with a fatality rate of 28 percent. Overall, Union surgeons had a fatality rate of 26 percent, performing more than 30,000 amputations. Fatality rates varied with the location of the amputation; the closer to the trunk, the higher the percentage. One place the Union surgeons stood out most over their British counterparts was in amputations at the hip. In every recorded attempt by British surgeons, the patient died. Union doctors, on the other hand, succeeded 17 percent of the time. The medical data for the Union forces in the Civil War are the most complete of any war involving America. Careful consideration of these records and the state of medicine here and in Europe at the time reveals commendable efforts and results. Overall, American surgeons during the Civil War did a respectable and generally successful job of trying to save lives. They deserve a better reputation than the lowly one they have received. This article written by Dr. Bollet who is the author of the recent book Civil War Medicine, Challenges and Triumphs, published by Galen Press. This article originally appeared in the October 2004 issue of Civil War Times magazine. For more great articles, be sure to subscribe to Civil War Times magazine today! Many daring cavalry raids took place during the Civil War, operations that were glamorous and exciting, filled with rapid, decisive movements, panic and confusion and the destruction of key lines of communication and supply. Some, however, were noteworthy not for their glamour, but for their extreme difficulty, the tenacity of their commanders and the courage of the soldiers involved. Brigadier General William W. Averells raid on the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad at Salem, Virginia, in December 1863 was one such raid. On December 5, 1863, Brig. Gen. Benjamin Kelley, commander of the Union Department of Western Virginia, ordered Averell to proceed with all your available force now at New Creek, without delay, via Petersburg, Franklin, and Monterey, and then by the most practicable route to the line of the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad, at Bonsacks Station, in Botetourt County, or Salem, in Roanoke County. Once arrived at whatever destination he chose, Averell was to destroy all the bridges, water-stations, and depots on the railroad in that neighborhood, and otherwise injure and destroy the road as far as possible by removing the rails and rendering them useless by heating and bending. Kelley said that the operations were based on the intimated wishes of Maj. Gen. Henry W. Halleck, general-in-chief of the Union Army. The eastern end of the 204-mile Virginia & Tennessee line was at Lynchburg, where cars transferred to the Southside Railroad could continue their eastward trek to Petersburg and Richmond. Heading west from Lynchburg, the Virginia & Tennessee ran through southwestern Virginia until it ended at Bristol, Tenn. At that point, the East Tennessee & Virginia Railroad took over and ran to Knoxville. Halleck wanted the Virginia & Tennessee cut to sever the vital network of railways that tied together the Souths Eastern and Western theaters and served as avenues for communications and supplies. The Virginia & Tennessees importance to the Confederacy was heightened by the fact that Southern troops under Lt. Gen. James Longstreet were operating in East Tennessee and had recently threatened Knoxville. By cutting the rail line, Union commanders hoped to deprive Longstreets men of needed materiel. William Averell was an experienced professional soldier and cavalry officer. He had quickly risen to command the 2nd Division of the Cavalry Corps in the Army of the Potomac. But he had run afoul of Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker, who was looking for scapegoats in the wake of the disastrous Battle of Chancellorsville in the spring of 1863. Hooker blamed Averell for his leading role in Maj. Gen. George Stonemans failed raid against Confederate communications prior to that battle. Averell was relieved of command and exiled to West Virginia, a backwater in the grand scheme of Federal military operations. There he was given command of the 4th Separate Brigade, an odd mixture of infantry and artillery units. He was ordered to turn the infantry into cavalry. Averell quickly shaped the brigade into a reasonably capable fighting force and began conducting operations in August 1863. At the time Kelley issued his orders, Averells brigade had been in New Creek, W.Va., since November 18, having just completed operations against Confederate forces that resulted in a Federal victory at Droop Mountain on November 6. One month later, when he received Kelleys orders, Averell was concerned that his brigade was not fully rested and ready to undertake a demanding operation. The horses were poorly shod due to a lack of horseshoes and forges. Formerly a cavalry division commander in the Army of the Potomac, William Averell had been exiled to West Virginia after the Battle of Chancellorsville. (Photo: U.S.A.M.H.I) Kelley ordered Colonel Joseph Thoburns infantry to accompany Averell and guard his supply wagons. Averell, who chose Salem as his objective, foresaw the need for additional support in the form of multiple movements of Federal troops to confuse the enemy. After communicating those ideas to Kelley, Averell went to department headquarters in Cumberland, Md., on the evening of December 6 to develop a concerted plan of action. Averell and Kelleys complex plan called for four different commands, under Brig. Gen. Eliakim P. Scammon, Colonel Augustus Moor, Brig. Gen. Jeremiah Sullivan and Colonel Thoburn, to seize various locations and hold them until Averell could reach his destination and make good his escape. Scammon was to move his forces out of the Kanawha Valley and arrive at Lewisburg on December 12, watching to the north and preventing any Confederate response from that direction. Moors command was to arrive just north of Huntersville on December 11, look for enemy activity in the direction of Lewisburg on the 12th and 13th and remain near of Frankfort until the 18th. Finally, Sullivan and Thoburn would threaten Staunton from different directions and keep enemy forces there from reacting to Averells presence. Moor and Thoburn were to receive their orders directly from Averell, while Kelley was to issue orders to Scammon and Sullivan. A key part of the deception involved threatening the town of Staunton until December 20-21 in order to properly divert enemy attention. Averell immediately returned to New Creek and rushed to complete preparations for the raid. On the morning of December 8, the brigade, consisting of the 2nd, 3rd and 8th West Virginia mounted infantries; the 14th Pennsylvania Cavalry; Major Thomas Gibsons independent battalion of cavalry and Captain Chatham Ewings battery of artillery, set out from New Creek. The weather that morning was described as bright and beautiful, but Averell reportedpropheticallyhaving many misgivings on account of our poor condition to overcome the wearying distances and confront the perils incident to such an expedition. The brigade, totaling some 2,500 men, headed southwest toward Petersburg, attempting to finish shoeing their mounts along the way. The lack of materials and a practical means of performing the chore while on the move, however, made effective efforts impossible. On December 10, the brigade arrived in Petersburg and was joined by Thoburn and his command of 700 infantry. The combined force continued southwest to Monterey, arriving there on December 11. At Monterey, the brigade drew supplies, along with forage for the horses. Averell had all men and officers who were judged to be unfit for the upcoming rough duty sent back to New Creek. On the morning of the 12th, in the midst of a driving, cold rainstormthe portent of more poor weather to comeThoburns command, along with most of the brigades supply train, turned southeast toward McDowell while Averell led his men southwest toward their objective at Salem. Brigadier General Benjamin Kelley, commander of the Union Department of Western Virginia, hatched the idea for a raid on the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad based on the intimated wishes of Maj. Gen. Henry W. Halleck. (Photo: U.S.A.M.H.I) Averell stayed off the main roads, instead moving the column down a rough path that ran beside Back Creek and occasionally climbing to run atop the steep ridgelines. The driving rain now mixed with sleet and snow, and an intensely cold wind blew from the north. The meandering path required the column to cross Back Creek no less than 13 times in the 23 miles from Monterey to Gatewoods. This was no easy task; the stream was rising steadily and was very swift. As Averells command moved tortuously down Back Creek, the Confederate forces in the region began to react. Early on the morning of December 11, a patrol of 150 Partisan Rangers commanded by Captain Philip J. Thurmond encountered Scammons men on Big Sewell Mountain. The Confederates engaged the force long enough to discover that it was more than a meandering Federal patrol. Brigadier General John Echols, notified by Thurmond, withdrew his forces from Lewisburg to a point two or three miles west, across the Greenbrier River. Upon receiving a report from Echols at his headquarters in Dublin, W.Va., on December 12, Maj. Gen. Samuel Jones, commander of the Confederate Department of Western Virginia, sent dispatches to the adjutant general in Richmond and to General Robert E. Lee at Orange Court House, reporting the situation and urgently requesting reinforcements. At the same time, Colonel William Jackson, commanding the 19th Virginia Cavalry, whose pickets had encountered Moors forces near Marlings Bottom, received Echols dispatch and guessed that another Union force might be coming from the direction of New Creek or Hightown. Jackson then ordered a patrol under Captain Jacob W. Marshall that was positioned near Huntersville to retire to a position on Back Creek near Niter Cave, where elements necessary in the production of gunpowder were located, and watch for Federal movements. The small force would thus act as a tripwire directly in Averells path. On the afternoon of the 13th, Marshalls patrol encountered Averells force, and a brief skirmish ensued. Averell believed the Southerners were the rear guard of Jacksons command, and reported them to have been dispersed. Marshall, who was now cut off, destroyed the cave and sent a courier to Jackson to report Averells presence. At the same moment, Jackson also learned that another Federal force, probably Thoburns, was threatening Staunton, and an opinion was expressed that they were going down the Bull Pasture River to get to his rear. Jackson decided to fall back from his Warm Springs headquarters and moved all his forces to Hot Springs. So far, the Federal plan of deception was working. The Confederate troops in the region were forced to react to multiple threats from different points and thus were unable to focus on the real threat represented by Averell. The complex operation, however, would soon start to unravel. As planned, Scammon forced Echols out of Lewisburg on the 12th, while Moor approached the town from Marlings Bottom. But Scammon, who apparently feared that he was going to be cut off by guerrilla action in his rear, pulled back from Lewisburg almost immediately. Moor, meanwhile, was trying to contact Scammon, who he assumed was still in Lewisburg. When his first messenger was captured by guerrillas, he sent a force of 20 cavalrymen to push their way through. They returned to Moor on the 14th to report that Lewisburg was deserted but that nearby Confederate forces had fired on them as they left the town. Realizing that he was unsupported, Moor retreated and arrived back in Beverly on December 17. A key part of the plan had collapsed. Confederate forces in the area would be able to focus on the real threat and converge on Averell once he showed his hand. On the same day that Moor began his return to Beverly, Averells men steadily moved toward Salem. The rain had not abated, and the Jacksons River could scarcely be forded when the column reached it. The Federals pressed on, however, and reached Callaghans that afternoon. There, a dispatch arrived informing Averell that Scammon had taken Lewisburg and that Echols had pulled back. Averell, thinking his plan was still in place, decided to rest and feed the horses for a few hours. He also sent a small diversionary force down the road from Callaghans toward Covington. At 2 oclock the next morning, with the weather improving, the column moved forward in darkness. Averell kept the men moving, and by 10 a.m. on the 15th they reached Sweet Springs, where they again paused to rest. During their recess, another dispatch reached Averell, this time telling him that Scammon had indeed abandoned Lewisburg and that Echols forces were some four miles from Union, W.Va., to the north. Spurred by this news, Averell put the column back in motion at noon, and by 1 p.m. they had seized the road leading to New Castle. There, they captured a Confederate who told them that as far as he knew no one was aware of their approach. When they were within 12 miles of New Castle, Averell decided to send out another diversion, this time dispatching a patrol toward Fincastle. These diversions did have some effect. On the same morning that Averell was moving toward New Castle, Jones reported from Union that the enemy was at Callaghans last night. Reported coming by Sweet Springs to this place. I think it probable they will go by Covington and strike the iron-works, perhaps at the railroad, via Fincastle. By nightfall, however, the Confederates were aware that Averell was a mere 28 miles from Salem and that the railroad was in the utmost danger. At 11 p.m., Jones sent another message to Richmond, stating: I cannot throw any part of my force here [at Union] on the railroad in time to save it. You may be able to do so if you will send a force to check Averell on the railroad. I will endeavor to take care he does not escape through my department. All through the night of December 15, Averell pushed his brigade hard, determined to reach Salem by the next morning. Despite the brief rests the men and horses had enjoyed during the day, the hard march to Salem over that last week had taxed them. The condition of the troops was bad, Averell reported. Many horses were broken down, more lame, [and] some of the men were obliged to walk. As morning broke, the Union troopers were only four miles from Salem and could clearly hear trains in the distance. There they happened upon a group of Confederate soldiers who had ventured out seeking information about the reports of Federal troops. They now received that information firsthand. Averell questioned them individually in turn and learned that Maj. Gen. Fitzhugh Lees Confederate cavalry had left Charlottesville two days earlier to intercept them. More important, Averell learned that a train containing troops to guard the railroad and supplies was expected to arrive in Salem at any minute. The Union general reacted to this news by sending an advance detachment of 350 men and two 3-inch guns galloping into Salem to seize the depot before the train arrived. As ordered, the group dashed into Salem and set about feverishly preparing for the trains arrival. They first cut the telegraph lines, then tore up the railroad tracks near the depot, positioned one gun and took defensive positions. Within minutes the train, which was coming from Lynchburg, arrived loaded with Confederate troops. The Federals opened fire on it with the 3-inch gun. The first round missed, but a second shot went through the train diagonally. The engineer immediately stopped the train and began to back away. At that point, a third artillery round was fired at the train, which hastened its movements, claimed Averell. Shortly thereafter, around 10 a.m., Averells main body arrived in the town and began destroying as much of the rail facilities and supplies as they could. Parties of men were sent four miles east and 12 miles west down the line, where they set fire to five bridges and damaged as much track as possible. Meanwhile, in Salem, the depots and supplies were set ablaze, and three cars, a water station and a turntable were destroyed. In addition, the telegraph lines were cut for about a half mile. As the depots burned, the supplies within were also destroyed. Averells report of the damage put the destruction at two thousand barrels of flour, 10,000 bushels of wheat, 100,000 bushels of shelled corn, 50,000 bushels of oats, 2,000 barrels of meat, several cords of leather, 1,000 sacks of salt. He also claimed a large amount of clothing and horse equipment was destroyed, along with 100 wagons and other miscellaneous items. The Confederate tally, however, claimed that only 148 barrels of flour, 150 bushels of wheat and 180 bushels of corn were destroyed. At 4 p.m., Averell withdrew from Salem, having created as much mayhem as he could in six hours. His men had covered 80 miles in the last 30 hours, so Averell decided to stop seven miles from Salem and rest a few hours. As the men dismounted, it began to rain and the temperature began to drop rapidly. Both nature and the Confederate army were closing in. Armed with the knowledge that Averell had attacked Salem, the Confederate forces in the region quickly moved to block his escape. Jones realized correctly that his best chance was to cut off Averells escape routes and slow him down enough for converging superior forces to be brought to bear. Jacksons command was in the best probable position to perform the critical task of blocking the passages back to Federal territory, and on the 17th Jones ordered him to return to a position near Clifton Forge, about 15 miles northeast of Covington down Jacksons River, and await further orders. At first light that morning, Jackson took a position near Jacksons River Depot, where he could monitor a route through nearby Rich Patch and another through Clifton Forge, a few miles to the east. Jackson then sent out scouts toward Buchanan and Rich Patch. Detached from the Army of Northern Virginia, Major General Jubal Early had troops approaching Clifton Forge, but after receiving reports that Averell was returning to Salem, he diverted them to Buchanan. Averell and his weary troopers route now took them along the bottom of Craigs Creek, and the deluge of freezing rain that had begun on the 16th continued unabated, turning the creek into a swollen, churning torrent. The streams meandering route forced the brigade to cross it again and again, as many as seven times in only 10 or 12 miles. As the men led their mounts into the freezing water, the horses sank to midrib. Their riders soon found that the current was so fast they had to turn their horses upstream and make them straddle sideways across the water. If they failed to perform this tricky maneuver properly, the current striking the horse in the side would sweep both horse and rider into the torrent, and several men were drowned as a result. The icy temperature took its toll, and soon the soldiers uniforms were frozen stiff and the horses were covered with icicles. After a few crossings, the horses began to balk and had to be whipped and spurred to force them back into the raging waters. Ammunition became soaked and unusable. Averell began to fear that his command would be unable to fight effectively if they ran into Confederate resistance. Therefore, he kept the brigade moving throughout the 17th, into the night and on until sundown on the 18th, when they finally reached New Castle once again. His command was soaked, freezing cold, muddy and hungry. They dismounted to rest and eat, but within a few hours Averell received news that Fitzhugh Lees cavalry was nearby at Fincastle and that Jones was between the Union troopers and Sweet Springs. At 9 p.m., the Federal commander reluctantly ordered the brigade to move out again, a detachment making another false advance toward Fincastle while the remainder of the brigade continued toward Sweet Springs. Within a few hours the Federals ran into Jones pickets and skirmished with them, driving the Confederates back 12 miles, beyond the junction of the Fincastle Pike and the road to Sweet Springs. Averell assessed the situation. Lee was very close to his right and rear, and he knew he could not get through Sweet Springs without a fight that his weary men might not be up to. Averell saw that he had only two choices: He could move back to the southwest, around Jones right flank, through Monroe and Greenbrier counties, or he could move northeast to the Covington and Fincastle Pike. The former was the most circuitous route, while the latter was the most direct and therefore potentially dangerous. Averell chose the latter, rationalizing that the Confederates might not expect it. The brigade moved forward once again, this time toward Covington, along a road described as a deep, narrow defile. The roadbed was covered in ice, and horses repeatedly slipped and fell, slowing the advance. But Averell and his officers kept the command moving, and by midday on December 19 they were nearing Covington and the climax of the raid. At noon on the 19th, Averells brigade reached the Fincastle Pike, some 15 miles from the Island Ford Bridge across Jacksons River, five miles below Covington. Reports reached Averell that the river was unfordable and filled with ice floessecuring the span was the only option. The brigade quickly moved forward and, eight miles from the river, ran into a militia unit of 300 mounted men, which they pushed aside. Averell dispatched a force to closely pursue the militia and secure the bridge. What Averell did not know was that the span had already been prepared for burning as soon as the Confederates received word of the approaching Federal force. But his men moved too swiftly, reaching the bridge at a gallop and preventing its destruction. By 9 p.m. the four-mile-long main Federal column had reached the Island Ford Bridge and begun crossing. Meanwhile, Jackson and a motley force of cavalry and militia tried to cut off Averell. The colonel had elected to move his men to the intersection of the Rich Patch and Covington roads. It was dark by the time he reached that point, and he soon discovered to his horror that Averells force had taken a shortcut off the Rich Patch Road. Most of the Federal column had already crossed the bridge. Jackson sent Colonel William W. Arnett and his 20th Virginia Cavalry up the Rich Patch Road to pin down the end of the column while he led the rest of his men toward the bridge. A night engagement, a rare event in the Civil War, ensued. By that time, all of Averells brigade except the 14th Pennsylvania and some of the ambulances and supply wagons had crossed the bridge. Jacksons men arrived and cut off the bridge, and Arnetts men fell upon the 14th Pennsylvania, which continued to fight its way forward. But despite three attempts, the Federals could not reach the bridge. As morning approached, Averell sent word to the cut-off regiment to try to find another way across. He then set fire to the bridge to stop Jackson from following. As the bridge burned, Colonel Arnett pulled back to prevent the 14th Pennsylvania from escaping via a nearby railroad bridge. This was a mistake. The besieged Federal cavalry instead took a pathway down into the river gorge and, despite the high, icy waters, managed to swim to the other side, losing four men who drowned. The regiment speedily rejoined the brigade and continued the journey back to Union lines. A golden opportunity for the Confederates to stop Averells escape had been squandered in a confusing and frustrating night engagement. This failure could be attributed to the difficulties of communicating in the dark and to the fact that most of the troops on both sides probably had never before fought in darkness. Still another reason might have been poor Confederate discipline. A report filed with Jones by Major Edward McMahon, a quartermaster who arrived in Covington shortly after the skirmish, indicated not only that he thought Colonel Jackson was negligent and incompetent in his preparations for Averells arrival but also that the Confederate troops may have been more interested in pillaging than in stopping the Federals. He reported that townspeople told him the soldiers were running about plundering and gathering up property abandoned by the enemy. Further, he alleged, almost every crime has been perpetrated by the command from burglary down to rape. McMahon added, Unless you order an investigation of these matters, the people here will demand it from the War Department, as the whole community are in a state of great excitement, augmented no little by the many petty crimes, and increased at last to fever heat by the rape on a most respectable lady. Not surprisingly, there was no mention of these incidents in either Jacksons or Jones reports. Although the Confederate threat was now gone, the travails of nature had not yet ended for Averells beleaguered troopers. The waters in all the streams remained high, and the temperature unbearably low. During the final three days of the march, the roads, bemoaned Averell, had the consistency of a glacier and were so slippery that the artillery had to be pulled by dismounted men. On Christmas Eve, supplies from Beverly reached the column and the soldiers ate their first real rations in more than eight days. They kept slowly moving forward, however, and on December 26 the brigade finally arrived in Beverly. The raid had accomplished little of military value. According to Jones report, the railroad was repaired in three or four days and was actually improved by the resulting repairs. Apparently a few of the bridges burned had been in bad condition and their destruction provided a much-needed opportunity to replace them. Averell reported losing seven men to drowning, seven wounded, one missing and 97 captured, most of them at the crossing near Covington. What his report could not reflect was that a staggering 71 of those 97 captured would eventually die in captivity, most at the notorious Confederate prison at Andersonville, Ga. Despite the mixed results of the raid, Averell maintained a measure of satisfaction with the foray, for his brigade had borne up well under very trying conditions. In his report he proudly wrote: The officers and men undertook all that was required of them, and endured all the sufferings from fatigue, hunger, and cold with extraordinary fortitude, even with cheerfulness. The march of 400 miles, which was concluded at Beverly, was the most difficult I have ever seen performed. The endurance of these men and horses was taxed to the utmost. The raid had one unexpected bonus for Averells bone-weary troopers. Noting that his mens clothing had been ruined during the ordeal, Averell asked Halleck to make them a New Years gift of a new suit throughout. This Halleck was glad to doand without charging the men one cent of their regular clothing allowance. >This article was written by Robert N. Thompson and originally appeared in the November 2000 issue of Americas Civil War. For more great articles be sure to pick up your copy of Americas Civil War. Omar Mateen's wife faced problems studying in middle school, so she signed up for special education classes, says Susan, her retired teacher in California. Noor Zahi Salman, Mateen's second wife, was taught by Susan in middle school in Crockett, California. Omar Mateen and Noor Salman, 30, got married in September 2011 after an online meeting. "Noor had difficulty with retention, she had difficulty with conceptualizing, understanding, all challenges to her," Susan said. "She tried hard. She was very sweet." Noor Salman was classified as a "special day class student", which meant that she had to subject herself to special education teachers, as she needed extra help in her classes. She added that Noor cannot comprehend "cause and effect." Salman was part of special education classes as she required more help in school. Noor Salman's family has put out a rare statement strengthening their claim that she was a "special education student" "Noor is completely innocent and [was] unaware of the attacks," the statement said. FBI said she might face charges after accusations that she knew about the shooting and was with Mateen when he bought the guns. Right now, Salman is being examined by the FBI for having possible links to her husband's killing of 49 at an LGBT nightclub in Orlando last weekend. The only thing Noor Zahi Salman did to prevent the worst gun massacre in US history was trying to talk her husband out of it, FBI sources said. She has admitted that she had been with Mateen, 29, when he bought ammunition and holster. She said she also drove him to Pulse nightclub as well as other areas, including Walt Disney World, "because he wanted to scope them out". They all dropped into Disney World in order to examine the area before the gunman finally chose Pulse for the attack, said the law enforcement sources. However, it has also been revealed that Salman never tried to contact officials regarding the impending terror attack, although she claims that she tried to dissuade him from carrying out his actions. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A pharmacy in Colorado is being blamed for death of an 8-year-old. The boy's mother has alleged the pharmacy inadvertently gave her son ADHD medication in a dose 1,000 times higher than what was prescribed, leading to his death. Caroline Steinbrecher has alleged Good Day Pharmacy in Loveland gave her son Jake 30 mg Clondine last October that caused a reaction. Jake was prescribed ADHD medication and never had a reaction before. His prescribed dose was 0.03 mg. Following intake of the medication in higher dose, Jake's condition warranted hospitalization. Doctors found his brain had swelled while tests revealed abnormally high amounts of the drug in the boy's body. Jake however recovered and returned to normal living before being hospitalized earlier this month. He died June 8. His family attributes Jake's death to dosing error. "It wasn't a mistake, it was a sentinel error," Caroline Steinbrecher reportedly said. "Jake and his family suffered dearly during his initial hospitalization, but the family was unprepared for the long term consequences which included his sudden death by an autoimmune response believed to have been triggered by the [pharmacist's] error," the family said in a press release. The family also said the pharmacist who handed Jake down the medication continues to practice with her license intact. The pharmacy reportedly admitted to making an error. The Steinbrecher family has decided to speak out against medical negligence. A memorial fund has also been instituted for children who wish to learn dancing but cannot afford it. "He loved, absolutely loved, to dance. When brought to the emergency room, his only concern was missing dance practice," Jake's obituary reads. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Samsung Galaxy Note 6/7 is among the most anticipated devices this year. Word has it the South Korean company has teasingly given a glimpse of the phone on its website. New reports suggest a User Agent Profile page has been created for the device on Samsung's website for a device codenamed SM-N930F. This is the rumored codename for this year's Note, which could be called Note 7. Samsung has not provided any details of the phone but information about the device is expected on the page. If you're wondering why Samsung would tease us months before the launch of the device, Forbes reckons it is the company's ploy to gain a head start over Apple. Samsung had launched Note 5 in August last year and reportedly benefited from the early launch. Word has it, Samsung could launch its Note earlier than last year's device, warranting early leaks. Recent reports suggested Samsung would call its new note Galaxy Note 7 and skip '6' to line up the phablet with its flagship Galaxy S7 devices. The rationale behind the move is purely branding and marketing, reports suggest; naming the phablet Note 6 could suggest it is last year's device, the company feels. Samsung however has not commented on the reports. That Apple's device is expected to be named iPhone 7, doesn't help. Features speculation about the device has left little to imagination. The device is expected to feature a Snapdragon octa-core chipset with as much as 8 GB RAM. Samsung could also introduce dual-cameras and a beefy 4,000 mAh battery to power the beast. USB could make way for USB-C, marking Samsung's adoption of the port technology that is billed as the future of expansion. Other rumors that we've heard are inclusion of iris scanner, quad HD AMOLED curved edge display as Samsung intends Note to replace the Galaxy Edge + devices. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Lily, a white Arabian or Arab-cross mare, made national headlines over the past few months, drawing attention once again to the treatment of so-called unwanted horses. After a tumultuous few months, Lily died in a pasture accident at Tracey and Jon Stewarts animal sanctuary in New Jersey less than a month after her arrival there. Lily appeared in the media after she was found at the New Holland sales stable in Lancaster County, Pennsylvaniaa livestock auction notorious among horse lovers for being a gateway to the slaughter pipeline for many horses. Get Our Free Weekly Enewsletter About Horses But Lily wasnt even checked into New Holland to be sold. She was abandoned in a back stall, ostensibly because of her poor condition, and discovered on Monday, March 14, by a New Holland employee after sales had ended for the day. The horse was underweight and had a serious eye infection. Her white coat was mottled with paint. That detail, along with her apparent soreness and sensitivity to touch, led to reports that she had been shot with paintballs more than 100 times. Security cameras revealed a man named Phillip Price to be the person who abandoned the horse. He has never been accused of being the person responsible for the condition she was in. However, he was convicted of animal cruelty for transporting Lily while she was unfit for travel, and for abandoning her at the auction. Price had previously been charged with animal cruelty for eight neglected horses in his home state of Rhode Island. Meanwhile, Lily was put in the care of University of Pennsylvanias New Bolton Center. She had to have one eye removed, but she recovered well and even made a friend, another blind mare named Anita, while they both recovered at a private rehabilitation facility. Although no one besides Phillip Price has been charged in relation to Lilys case, Lancaster County SPCA investigator Sue Martin traced Lilys origins to Smoke Hollow Farm, a lesson and show barn in New Jersey. Farm owner Doreen Weston admitted that she did have an elderly white Arabian mare with eye problems taken away by Phillip Price on March 14. That horse had a paint-stained coatnot from paintballs, but from a childs birthday party during which the horse had been painted with non-toxic finger paint. Photos on the farms Facebook page document this. Nevertheless, Weston has expressed doubt that Lily was the same horse as the one who left her farm that day. While Lilys beginnings may never be confirmed, we do know the end of her story. Lily and Anita were both adopted by former The Daily Show host Jon Stewart and his wife, writer/activist Tracey Stewart, who operate a farm animal sanctuary in New Jersey. On Monday, June 20, the sanctuary posted a Facebook update stating that Lily had stumbled and fallen on her neck, causing a break. Reports vary, but Lilys age was said to be anywhere from mid-twenties to mid-thirties. The final month of that life, at least, was spent in a quiet, kind place. What's the best customer experience you have ever had in a hotel? Was it in when you crossed the doors to check-in, when you were having breakfast by the pool, or maybe when the staff helped you organize a candlelit dinner for your significant other? It all begins when your guest opens the door and lands in your lobby. Service culture is one of the aspects that can make or break any business. In hospitality, the moment a guest crosses the front door hoteliers are already under pressure to ensure the best guest experience. But with all the changes in the industry, the internet, online bookings, and the hectic rhythm nowadays, how to make a difference? A good example to follow is how Steve Jobs based the famous Apple stores after asking his employees to recall the best customer service they had ever experienced. Turns out their answer were in hospitality: hotels, cafes, and restaurants. Since then, Apple is an example in service culture and continues to innovate at the core. Hoteliers can also benefit from those practices by challenging some paradigms and opening new possibilities. A free front desk Traditional. Let's talk about this word and how to change it. In a hotel's front-desk, traditional means a big high desk, a bulky computer, and a key cabinet. This archaic and sometimes slow system appears unattractive to both your guests and your staff. By implementing software like our hotel management system (PMS), your staff can greet guests from the foyer with a tablet, complete the guest registration and finish the process in less than five minutes. Removing the front-desk is a fantastic way to start conversations with your guests; if you know a couple is celebrating their anniversary, you can do something to make their stay more special. Hoteliers usually underestimate the impact these conversations have on their guests, but you'd be surprised how many valuable and interesting things you can discover to improve your service culture by modifying your front desk. A tech savvy hotel Considering the dominant generation is Millennial, technology plays a key role. Some hotel chains have implemented online and mobile check-in through apps, but not every hotelier has access to this technology. An answer that is becoming more and more popular in small and medium hotels is to have a responsive social media team, answering your guest's questions and needs in a second. This action not only saves time but also adds up to your guest's expectations. More time to talk Also, what if you send the vital information to your guest's email before and after check-in? Wi-Fi password, breakfast time, check-out, airport shuttle services, and basically any relevant information could be in your guest's email in a second. This assures hoteliers their guests will have the important information in their mobile devices and in their minds, and also make some extra time for conversations and showcasing exemplar service culture. There are several platforms and services that are created specifically around this idea like guestfolio. Advice from the experts (you!) Most hoteliers know the different guest profiles staying in their rooms, and off course those profiles have specific needs. By identifying before and during check-in the general purpose of the trip, hoteliers can anticipate guest's expectations. Using simple tools like Google maps to suggest a walk through a lovely neighbourhood in Rome, or pubs, museums and food around the modern Shard building in London; a voucher for a glass of wine in a nearby italian restaurant; or family friendly parks nearby the hotel will definitely ease your guest's life. Take this example below as one of the many possibilities there are with Google maps. Ultimately, check-in and guest registration varies from guest to guest, and it is vital to identify what type of guests are coming, their needs, and their desires. The check-in is, as we mentioned before, the first physical interaction with your guest, but it doesn't mean it has to be simply transactional or practical. Sometimes the small details are the ones that matter. Do you have any questions related to improving your guest registration and check-in? Let us know in our social media in Facebook or @Base7booking, and we'll do our best to help you. Read the original post here. Estefania Escobar Global PR - Base7booking Base7booking.com View source It looks like you've reached a page that doesnt exist (anymore). Please use the navigation or search above to find content on Hospitality Net. Go back to home Radisson Blu Hotel, Marrakech Carr Eden Carlson Rezidor is accelerating its growth strategy in Africa. The group has opened five Radisson Blu hotels in the first six months of 2016 and signed four new hotels including the first Quorvus Collection in Africa. The group is also entering its 28th country in Africa and taking the Park Inn by Radisson brand to the Indian Ocean islands. In 2016, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group opened five Radisson Blu properties serving the upper-upscale segment: Radisson Blu Hotel Nairobi Upper Hill in Kenya (271 rooms); Radisson Blu Hotel, Marrakech Carre Eden in Morocco (198 rooms); Radisson Blu Residence with 187 luxury hotel apartments in Maputo, Mozambique (the groups first residence concept in Africa); Radisson Blu Hotel Abidjan Airport, Ivory Coast (261 rooms) and Radisson Blu Hotel 2 Fevrier in Lome (320 rooms), host of the first Africa Hotel Investment Forum in West Africa in Togo on 21st and 22nd June 2016. Speaking at the opening of the Africa Hotel Investment Forum, Wolfgang M. Neumann, President and CEO of The Rezidor Hotel Group said, Africa is Rezidors biggest growth market. Our groups total portfolio comprises 69 hotels in 28 countries, with over 15,000 rooms in operation or under development. Radisson Blu leads the way with more hotel rooms under development than any of the other 85+ hotel brands active in Africa today. Our ambition is to be the leading player in the travel and tourism sector across the continent. Carlson Rezidor also announces the signing of its first Quorvus Collection in Africa: the 5-star, 244-room luxury Emerald Grand Hotel & Spa in Lagos, Nigeria. The group also signed a new Radisson Blu Hotel Harare in Zimbabwe (245 rooms), a Radisson Blu Hotel in Durban Umhlanga (207 rooms) and a Park Inn by Radisson in Quatre Bornes, the new commercial hub of Mauritius. Rezidors Executive Vice President & Chief Development Officer, Elie Younes added: In the last 24 months, we have signed a new hotel deal in Africa every 37 days. And its not just about signing hotels; we are delivering our pipeline. We have opened a hotel in Africa every 60 days. In South Africa alone, we now have 14 hotels. In 2016 and beyond, we aim to maintain this great momentum by opening four more hotels in the second half of 2016. Hosted by the Government of Togo, Africa Hotel Investment Forum will focus on hotel development and finance in Africa. How to drive tourism and attract more than just the business traveler. The event connects hotel developers, hotel owners, hotel groups, banks, equity funds, property funds, hotel consultants, advisors and hotel professionals from the international and local markets, driving investment into hotel projects across Africa. The African continent is a powerhouse of exponential growth of the hotel industry, said Elie Younes. Rapid urbanization and economic growth, combined with favorable demographics, has resulted in a shortage of quality internationally branded hotels. This means there are huge opportunities for sustainable and quality growth for world-class international hotel operators like Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. The Irish five-piece are playing in the capital this winter Hermitage Green have announced a live date at Dublin's Olympia Theatre, on Friday November 4. Tickets priced 20 inclusive of booking fee go on sale at 9am this Friday, 24 June from the usual outlets. The Irish band released their debut studio album Save Your Soul in March 2016. After shooting to #3 in the Album Charts, the band cemented their position as one of the most exciting Irish bands around. Advertisement Hermitage Green's riotous songs, heartfelt and poetic ballads and four-part harmonies, make them a must see live act. They're known for captivating and unforgettable live sets, and their unique arrangement of instruments that includes the djembe, rhythmic guitar and banjo, offering a truly original offering of Irish Music. The Irish songwriter, musician, record producer, and broadcaster is heading to the States One of Ireland's most beloved performers Jack Lukeman, aka Jack L, will be the only Irish act flying the flag at this years Hollywood and San Diego Fringe festivals. Having won the best music award at the San Diego Fringe in 2014 and 2015, Jack now takes his new show, and title of his forth coming album The King Of Soho to the Hollywood Fringe Festival. During his 20 year career Jack has recorded 14 albums of both original material and that of other songwriters including an album of Randy Newman songs which he was invited to perform in New York with the Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra, beneath the largest firework display in history. A multi-platinum selling artist, his last release The 27 Club climbed to the number one spot on its first week of release. Advertisement Jack will be returning to tour with Jools Holland during 2016, along with his own international tour dates and launching a new album of his own songs later this year. The Icelandic post-rockers are composing live with a slow tv drive through their homeland. Sigur Ros are taking fans on a tranquil journey around their native Iceland. The Kilmainham-bound trio are live streaming a 24-hour drive around Iceland's scenic coastal ring road to a very unique soundtrack. The art rock group will be composing in real time using constantly evolving elements of new track 'oveur'. As well as the live stream on YouTube, Route One will be broadcast on Icelandic tv. Guitarist and vocalist for the group, Jonsi Birgisson, said that in an age of instant gratification, the group wanted to take things back to real time. Check it out here: Willet Feng had no intention of opening a burger joint - either in an office-complex food court like the one at Greenway Plaza, where his new Kuma Burgers is located, or anywhere else. Yet here he is on a weekday noon, slinging what may be the most radically scarfable burgers in Houston to a crowd of office workers and Greenway construction guys. The flat-top sizzles madly as a spatula presses down a 5-ounce patty of never-frozen ground chuck while a vertical toaster burns a fine crisp sear on both sides of a Sheila Partin sweet sourdough bun. Then on goes an umami-bomb glaze, painted onto the dark crunch of the meat surface: browned butter, soy, pureed shiitake mushroom and roasted garlic, a little Worcestershire. This magic potion makes the 80/20 lean-to-fat beef mix taste surprisingly opulent, even expansive. Next comes a concatenation of fixings and condiments - the best of them house-made - that drop-kick the basic burger into a crazy-good sandwich that surpasses the sum of its parts. Consider Feng's designated SPICY!!! burger (capital letters and triple exclamation points his), with its jalapenos served up pickled, raw and charred; its red-chile-gigged sambal mayonnaise; its mantle of melted pepper jack cheese. The genius optional capper? A nest of brittle fried onion strings reminiscent of the Thanksgiving-casserole variety, only fresh and snappy. They make final fillip of texture, one of the qualities that really sets Kuma Burgers apart. More Information Kuma Burgers xx 3 Greenway Plaza Suite c220 832-542-3528 Hours: L Monday-Friday, 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Credit cards: All major Prices: house specialty burgers $7; basic burger $4; add-ons 50 cents-$2; fries $3-$5; shakes $4.50-$5 Must orders: SPICY!!! Burger; build-your-own burger with fried egg, bacon, cheddar and kimchi relish; Texas chili, by itself or on a burger; salted caramel shake; fresh corn shake Reservations: first come, first served Noise level: quiet to moderate Website: kumaburgers.com xxxx superlative; can hold its own on a national stage xxx excellent; one of the best restaurants in the city xx very good; one of the best restaurants of its kind x a good restaurant that we recommend. (no stars) restaurant cannot be recommended at this time. See More Collapse I may have had to remove a few of the fresh jalapeno cartwheels from my sandwich out of a sense of self-preservation, but I devoured my SPICY!!! Burger in a flash, shedding a happy capsaicin-induced tear or two in the process. All this is a long way from Oxheart, the highly rated Houston restaurant where Feng once cooked. It's an even longer way from Shanghai, where Feng had his most recent chef posting at a pork-centric restaurant called The Grumpy Pig. There the loaded fries wore pulled pork and seaweed on top, and the dining room - perhaps prophetically - was a roofed-over, glass-walled space between two buildings. Back in Houston from nearly two years in China last summer, Feng hired out as a private chef and taught classes at Sur La Table. Meanwhile, he looked for a space to start his own Southeast Asian restaurant. That's a natural fit for Feng, with his Asian work and travel experience. (He speaks Chinese, and at Rice University, he double-majored in managerial studies and Asian studies.) I still remember vividly the Singaporean curry laksa he served for a pop-up dinner at Grand Prize Bar in 2012, which seemed to promise interesting things to come. But like many ambitious young Houston chefs and bar folks of late, Feng could never find the right location in an overheated market. Finally, he was approached by David Buehrer, whose highly regarded Greenway Coffee in Greenway Plaza has been the model of a new breed of food-court development in Houston. It was the visionary Buehrer who reeled in the hip, retro Rice Box stand for Greenway, and when a Greenway burger kiosk went out of business, Buehrer set about recruiting Feng to fill the spot. Thus did Kuma Burgers come to pass. Feng has applied his chefly instincts to the fast-casual task, balancing a range of striking condiments and quality ingredients with the need to get the food out quickly. (In the 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. window Kuma is open every weekday, he might serve 150 orders of burgers, hot dogs or chili.) Feng came up with some nifty add-ons that could be fried ahead of time: those crackly little onions strings, for instance, a great way to add textural snap to a burger; and a side of glassy, translucent lotus chips. Their loops and whorls are as gorgeous as they are ephemeral. A few quirks don't quite work out: The hand-cut fries stiffen up too quickly to wear well, although the scallion aioli that comes with them is a pure bolt of green onion and garlic. (You can get it for free on your burger, if you dare.) And burgers on the sweet side - such as the specialty BBQ Burger with its cheddar, bacon, onion strings, pickles and barbecue sauce - don't contrast enough with the sweet sourdough bun that works so well on more savory combos. Still, I demolished my BBQ Burger with great enthusiasm, down to the last crumb. I was that enamored of the textures, from the emphatic crunch of the patty sear to descending levels of crispness in the bacon, onion strings and pickles. Want to build your own burger? Grab an order sheet and a marker from the bulletin board at the head of the counter, check off the $4 "plain ol' hamburger" option and go crazy. Or go classic. Most additions will set you back a buck or two. Those fine onion strings cost 50 cents. There's spam for the hipsters and house-made guacamole for a local touch, not to mention a complex, meaty chili thrumming with exceptionally fragrant cumin - thanks to careful local spice sourcing and an in-house grind. I was thrilled with my freestyle burger topped with a nicely frizzled fried egg (they'll ask how hard you want it fried); a melty drape of cheddar cheese; crisp bacon strips; and a bottom layer of kimchee relish, the hot-and-salty Korean cabbage condiment that added a bass note of fermented twang to the sandwich. Tab? A well-spent $7.50. Kuma's may not be the biggest, most beef-braggadocious burgers at 5 ounces, but their captivating symphony of flavor and texture brings more excitement than just about any competing burger roster in town. At their best, Feng's burgers rival the madcap creations of Ricky Craig at my longtime favorite, Hubcap Grill. Kuma Burgers has none of the raffish funk of Hubcap, of course, but it is pleasant enough to eat in the wide-open, air-conditioned spaces of the Greenway Plaza food court. The tables and chairs are surprisingly sleek. Buehrer's Greenway Coffee and the Rice Box to-go-possibilities can make the trip a twofer, or even a threefer. If you like, you can cart your food over to the transparent domed section of the plaza that looks like a sci-fi movie set and pretend you're an extra in "Logan's Run" or "The Island." There's no beer in an office food court, of course, but Feng and company spin up some wildly good milkshakes using ice cream made in-house from the recipes of Nuomi, a local ice-cream business by University of Houston grads Joyce Lin and An Nguyen. The gently sweet corn shake from freshly milked cobs tastes of midsummer. (Feng's inspiration was the corn juice that's a popular beverage in Shanghai.) The salted caramel has a mellow burnt-sugar roundness and a palpable edge of salt. If you'd like a salted caramel corn shake, they'll whip up a hybrid. This is such a promising start on the shake front - trading on clear flavors rather than baroque solid add-ins - that I look forward to seeing where Feng goes with it. Already I'm fantasizing about a location unconfined by food-court hours, with more varied kitchen facilities. Feng has started thinking about that, too; a successful brick-and-mortar burger spot could be just the steppingstone he needs toward his dreamed-of Southeast Asian restaurant. Feng has entered the scene at a highly competitive moment in Houston's always-fraught burger market. Yet even in a city that's notably passionate about its burgers, and with hot new joints such as Hopdoddy and Killen's Burgers making a splash in recent weeks, Feng's work stands out. Highflying chef Ronnie Killen's 10-ounce, house-ground Angus monsters are all about the beef, with very basic fixings. There are no shakes. The crinkle-cut fries, though good and crisp, start out frozen. The long lines right out of the gate have made ordering and snaring a seat a Darwinian experience. It's primal, baby. Hopdoddy's smaller, more highly accessorized Angus burgers also draw lines. But there's table service once you've ordered, a full bar with local beers and startlingly good frozen margaritas, plus shakes and excellent hand-cut fries that hit the textural sweet spot, alternating slick-soft with crisp. Throw the ever expanding Bernie's Burger Bus into the mix, its new Katy location to be followed by a Heights outpost, and you've got all the makings of a burger battle royal. Yet even now, with very limited hours and a menu pared down for quick turnover, Feng's Kuma Burgers has made itself a contender. I'm looking forward to the day when I can give it three stars, and I predict that day will come. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Yvette Menefee sits in her contemporary kitchen admiring her glossy white cabinets and black granite countertops and laughs at the '90s time capsule it once was. When she and her husband moved into the new home in 1989, the home came with pink Formica and she added striped wallpaper. "From there I progressed to ... maroon, gold and black with West Indies palm trees and elephants," she said with a laugh. "I might have been a little behind everybody else, but that's what was out there." She and her husband, Bob Menefee, have contemplated moving into Houston from their Sugar Land home since she works in the Galleria area and he works downtown. They looked at a few homes inside the Loop and realized that unless they were willing to spend a lot more, they'd be giving up square footage. They liked their Colony Meadows neighbors, too. Instead of moving, they decided to update. "Whenever your husband says, 'Honey, let's remodel,' you do it," Yvette Menefee said. More Information Tips from experts Lynne T. Jones and Jim Nowlin offer this advice for anyone undertaking a major room renovation. 1. Ask your builder or contractor to show you in 3-D computer modeling what your new room would look like, Nowlin and Jones said. That visualization can help you make decisions and add to your comfort level too. 2. Have an idea of what you'd like to do, but listen to a designer and/or contractor about other ideas, both decorative and structural. 3. Upgrades such as Thermador appliances or fancier flooring and counters will add to your final bill. 4. When demolition work begins, keep your microwave, a sink and refrigerator as long as you can, urged Yvette Menefee. Trust her, they'll come in handy. 5. Lynne T. Jones recommends cabinets and drawers hinged to have a softer closing. Instead of shutting with a bang, they'll glide shut and make a lot less noise. 6. All of them recommend setting a timeline at the start of the project and having frequent updates to check on progress. 7. No matter what happens, "keep your eye on the prize," Jones said. Problems come up and people get frustrated, so stay focused on the end result, not what happens on any single day. See More Collapse Rather than minor tweaks, they decided to gut and start over on their master bathroom first, then tackle the kitchen. They called interior designer Lynne T. Jones who, in turn, reached out to Jim Nowlin of Remodeling Concepts, a contractor she brings into many of her projects. The Menefees are not alone. The National Association of Home Builders reports that again this year, bathroom and kitchen renovations are the most popular projects. In addition to updating the look, homeowners are upgrading these rooms with newer and better features. And most use professional help, whether it's a contractor, interior designer, or both. Kitchen and bath remodeling is 85 percent of Nowlin's business. "The trends I see these days are better appliances and great flooring and counters, especially the larger rectangular tile," he said. The Menefees' goals were to create a master bathroom with a spa-like feel and to take their kitchen from its dated traditional style to something much more current and contemporary. Each project took about three months. They did the bathroom in 2013 for about $40,000 and the kitchen in 2014 for about $80,000. Their original bathroom had a Jacuzzi tub they never used and a small shower they thought was inadequate. Jones' solution was to get rid of the tub and install a luxurious shower lined with porcelain tile and limestone in its place. The shower space became storage cabinets topped with lighted glass shelving. Their builder-grade sinks and cabinets were history, too, replaced by sleek, dark cantilevered cabinets and a limestone counter, partially submerged porcelain sinks and waterfall-style faucets. Jones repeated the limestone, along with the porcelain tile she used for flooring, in the shower. Updated lighting went super simple and sleek, with bar-shaped lights fixed on the mirrors and a chrome pendant light in the center of the bath. Dark, louver doors replaced the ubiquitous six-panel white versions. Before-and-after photos of the kitchen make you wonder if you're in the same home. Those contemporary cabinets reach to the ceiling, and a peninsula that separated the kitchen from the breakfast area is gone. To make up for the lost storage space, they extended the counter on one side of the kitchen and knocked out part of a wall to further open the area to the living room. Gray-beige-blue granite on the island and coordinating mosaic glass tile behind their range complement the honed black granite counters. Since the Menefees both love to cook and entertain frequently, kitchen upgrades included high-end Thermador appliances and a built-in wine cooler. Functional additions include a drawer microwave, plus pull-out drawers in the pantry. While the room feels very white-gray-black, the Menefees can use accent colors anywhere they like. Right now, pops of orange come in pillows on the window bench and a glass vase on the counter. Much of the remodeling work homeowners want involves upgrading, Nowlin said. "What we're seeing are not your average jobs," he said. "They're skewing up, and it's a lifestyle decision. It's like, I can go over here and get this Chevrolet, but I'd rather drive a Lexus. Nobody wants a regular car anymore, and they don't want a regular bathroom or kitchen." HILO, Hawaii - You wouldn't think that a mellow town such as Hilo, a Hawaiian-style community - and the rainiest place in Hawaii - could brag on much in the way of passion and betrayal. But that's what the movie director, the one I bumped into at a film festival party, said he wanted. "How about a story set in a small town where everyone has a secret," he said, handing me a glass of wine. "Set it in Hawaii, since you're going there. But no guidebook stuff. I want a red-hot drama, a battle of the emotions, a tale of anger, jealousy, guilt. A story that'll tear at your gut. Add a natural disaster and a has-been actor and I'll read it." Script writing was the last thing on my mind as I listened to him talk. But I was taking my kids to Volcanoes National Park, on Hawaii's Big Island, where molten lava has been engulfing homes, torching forests and mesmerizing onlookers since 1983. Would that be red-hot enough for Mr. Director (who asked that I not use his name)? The weather in Hilo, the driest in a decade, according to the television, was sunny all day, every day. A good sign, indeed. But more important was ensuring that our long-planned family trip would be a sizzler, engaging and entertaining little minds. To that end I booked a Volcano Discovery tour and a zip line day with Kapohokine Adventures, a Hilo-based outfitter recommended by a friend. "You won't be sorry," he raved. "The guides are exceptional. They know everything that's ever happened. They kept our teenagers enthralled all day." As it happens, Hilo is close to both the ocean and the volcanoes - killer surfing and Kilauea hot spots - so we stayed in town at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel overlooking Hilo Bay. It was here, in A.D. 1100, that the first wave of Polynesian voyagers reached the island, settling near the Wailuku River. That was the village center then and it still is, comfortably old-fashioned with its rustic last-century store fronts, narrow streets, curious galleries, mom-and-pop shops, first-rate restaurants and the occasional newcomer, including Kapohokine Adventures. Like most zip lines, Kapohokine's is built on open land past a macadamia nut orchard, on a long downward slope next to the Hilo Forest Reserve. As expected, aerial views of gorges and waterfalls are guaranteed. But this is no ordinary zip line. Installed with not one but two cables on each of the eight segments, it's a fly-away built for two. Lovers can soar in tandem; mothers and daughters buddy up; sportsmen play the links game, racing each other down the lines. Typically, you ride the first four links before noon, the second four later, and take a lunch break midway for a barbecue or sandwiches. If you're interested, an introduction to Hawaiian culture and a cooling swim in a waterfall pool is available, a bonus activity pioneered by co-owner Gary Marrow. "The tours began when we noticed that cruise passengers needed someone to pick them up at the dock and show them the real Hilo," said Marrow. "We started with one van and when that wasn't enough we bought another one. Now we have 10 new vans and 90 full- and part-time employees. Finally we bought the land and decided to build the zip line." Our Volcano Discovery tour, scheduled for the next day with Kapohokine guide Rich Berner, added more intrigue to our trip. An amateur geologist and National Park volunteer, Berner is also a lettuce farmer, intrepid historian, Hilo resident and a relentless encyclopedia. Ten minutes into the tour, I knew we'd struck gold. Heading along the coast, we looked at lava-damaged houses, though nearby telephone poles, wrapped in metal sheets, survived. So did the quaint Star of the Sea Painted Church, a cultural icon built in 1928, saved when a band of heroes scrambled to move it away from the advancing lava in 1990. On the once-sandy beach at Kalapana, now a lava sheet to the ocean, Berner pointed out thousands of palm fronds pushing up through the cracks, a testament to indomitable life, re-greening the Big Island as it always does. Returning to Volcanoes National Park we drove around the Kilauea Caldera on the Crater Rim Road, stopping at view points on the way to the Thurston Lava Tube, a classic example of lava geology. The tube, 12 feet in diameter and about 100 yards long, is dimly lit, enough to feel spooky when you're in it. The U.S. Supreme Court will decide in the next few days whether President Barack Obama can implement one of the most sweeping changes to the nation's immigration system in decades. Oddly, a ruling in favor of the administration could also benefit Donald Trump if he wins the presidency, boosting a legal argument that he has the authority to suspend immigration from largely Muslim countries with a "proven history of terrorism," as he said last week after the Orlando mass shooting. Though the gunman, Omar Mateen, was born and raised in the United States, his parents came here from Afghanistan decades ago. One of the principal questions at hand in the Obama case, which was challenged by Texas and a coalition of 26 mostly Republican states in 2014, is how much authority the president has to interpret and enforce immigration law especially if it conflicts with congressional will. Legal experts tend to agree that the president has wide oversight and Texas itself concurred when it brought the suit, acknowledging the president has broad authority. Congress only allocates enough money to remove about 400,000 immigrants a year so the administration must prioritize whom to deport. Obama's plan relies on a long-standing legal concept known as deferred action, in which the government can temporarily delay removing certain immigrants and meanwhile give them provisional work permits. His program, if approved, would apply to the parents of American citizens and legal residents who have been here since 2010 and certain youth who arrived illegally as children. In all, roughly a third of the 11 million immigrants in the country illegally could benefit. But critics say deferred action has never been applied to so many immigrants all at once and is tantamount to a significant policy change necessitating public input. Texas fought the program, arguing it would suffer financial harm because it would be forced to provide driver's licenses to some 600,000 eligible immigrants in the state. The state subsidizes the cost of each document by about $130. But critics say it could simply raise the price of the licenses. If the short-handed court decides Texas doesn't have standing to challenge the program or that the president has the authority to implement it, that could bolster a Trump presidency wishing to implement a ban on immigration from certain Muslim countries. Discriminating purely on religion, however, would almost certainly be against the constitution. "A ruling in favor of the president would give Donald Trump more leeway to ban Muslims and mean no one has standing to challenge any of the president's executive actions," said Josh Blackman, a constitutional law professor at South Texas College of Law who filed a brief supporting Texas on behalf of the libertarian Cato Institute. "When states can't challenge these sorts of things, the government can do whatever it wants." Critics contend allowing states to easily challenge the federal government even if they can't prove they have been significantly harmed would mean they could fight any number of federal policies they don't like. And some legal experts say presidents already wield sweeping authority over immigration law, regardless of the outcome in the Obama case. "The courts are generally deferential on what any president wants to do on immigration," said Stephen Yale-Loehr, an immigration law professor at Cornell University. "There is pre-existing case law go that goes back 100 years." Trump last week did not say what countries he might ban but Islamic terrorists have been prevalent in broad areas of the Middle East, northern and sub-Saharan Africa and Asia over the past few decades. Precedent for a country or regional-specific ban goes back to the early 20th century when immigration from Asia was almost completely blocked. Congress passed the Asiatic Barred Zone Act in 1917 citing World War I fears and expanding on the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act. The ban lasted until 1952. In the 1920s, Congress, fearing the spread of socialist ideas, also limited immigration from southern and Eastern European countries like Italy, Greece and Poland. Many Jews and others trying to escape Hitler were thus blocked from entering the United States during World War II. But it's Congress that possesses the power to set immigration law; the president has leeway in how he or she will enforce it. A provision of immigration law, however, grants the president the ability to suspend entry of noncitizens whose arrival "would be detrimental to the interests of the United States." During the 1980 Iran hostage crisis, President Jimmy Carter used it to prevent certain Iranians from coming here unless they opposed the Shiite Islamist regime or had a medical emergency. "That is something a President Trump could claim as additional statutory authority for imposing suspension on Muslim immigrants," Yale-Loehr said. Employing it broadly against several countries, however, would certainly lead to legal challenges similar to that brought against Obama's immigration program. It also depends on what the high court rules in the coming days and how widely or narrowly it decides the Texas case. The justices are expected to issue opinions on cases Thursday and Monday. "Reaffirming the president's broad authority to act on immigration law would be another arrow in the quiver of a President Trump or a future president on how to take broad action on immigration both positively and negatively," Yale-Loehr said. A Houston woman accused of participating in a Bonnie-and-Clyde-style crime spree that left four people dead in 2014 told jurors Monday that she was a victim, not an accomplice. Kimberly Nicole Cormier, 42, testified in her own defense that she was held at gunpoint for days after she witnessed her boyfriend kill his cocaine dealer, then the dealer's neighbor, on Sept. 2, 2014. "He told me he would kill me," Cormier testified in her capital murder trial. "I believed him. I just saw him put a bullet into two people's heads. Why wouldn't I believe him?" Cormier's defense team said Monday that Cormier was not responsible for the crimes committed by her boyfriend, 48-year-old James Earl Nicholas, who died in a shootout with police, because she was under duress. The novel defense is rarely seen in Harris County courts. It requires defense attorneys to prove a person was compelled by threat of imminent death or serious bodily injury and did not put themselves in the position to be at risk. Prosecutors are expected to challenge Cormier's story during cross-examination Tuesday by suggesting she could have run away or that she put herself into the situation by staying with Nicholas as his cocaine-fueled episodes became more violent in the months before the crime spree. On Monday, Cormier detailed a string of crimes punctuated by brief stays in cheap motels around Houston that ended with Nicholas dying in a gunfight after he and Cormier led police on a three-mile chase near Channelview on Sept. 11, 2014. The pair were being pursued in the fatal shooting of Jose Bonilla, 52, a self-employed automobile broker, who was found dead inside his home near Sheldon Lake on Sept. 9. Two days later, investigators with the Harris County Sheriff's Office filed arrest warrants for the couple, who were driving a vehicle taken from Bonilla's car lot. The crime spree began days earlier, on Sept. 2, she testified, when Cormier and Nicholas went to a duplex where 33-year-old Johnny Holcombe was allegedly selling cocaine. Cormier told jurors she was addicted to prescription painkillers and had fallen asleep in the car outside. She woke up, went inside the duplex and saw Nicholas shoot Holcombe in a fit of anger. Cormier said Nicholas, who claimed to lead a prison gang, had vowed never to leave a witness to a crime. He held her at gunpoint as they went next door, where he gunned down Katherine Gingrich, 26, because he believed she might have been able to identify him to police. Three days later, on Sept. 5, Nicholas killed Marty Carroll, 52, who worked at a company specializing in metal surface treatments. He held a grudge against Carroll and was taking revenge, Cormier testified. After the shootings, Nicholas held her for days, refusing to let her out of his sight even to go to the bathroom, she said. An expert on domestic violence, Dr. Toby Myers, has been watching the trial and is expected to testify Tuesday for the defense. She is expected to say Cormier was a victim of "battered woman syndrome," a condition seen in women who have been repeatedly abused by a partner. Cormier testifed she has a history of being involved in abusive relationships. "I believed he loved me," she said Monday of Nicholas. "He was really sweet in the beginning." Law enforcement officers from around the state will join the Pearland community Tuesday in services remembering a Pearland police officer who was killed in the line of duty. The funeral service for officer Endy Ekpanya was set for 10 a.m. Tuesday at Grace Community Church, 14505 Gulf Freeway, followed by an elaborate police procession to a private graveside service. Ekpanya, 30, was killed in the line of duty on June 12 when he was involved in a collision with Amber Willemsen, a former assistant principal who was out on bail on a drug charge at the time of the crash. Ekpanya was transported by helicopter to Memorial Herman-The Texas Medical Center, where he later died. He was the first Pearland officer to die in the line of duty in more than 40 years. Willemsen, 38, of Friendswood, is still in the hospital recovering from injuries she sustained in the crash, according to Texas Department of Public Safety Lt. Craig Cummings, who is conducting the investigation. Cummings said investigators believe Willemsen was intoxicated at the time of the collision, and she has been charged with first-degree felony of intoxication manslaughter of a peace officer. At the time of the accident, Willemsen was out on bail after being arrested on a charge of possession of methamphetamine just two weeks earlier. She also had been charged with driving while intoxicated in 2012, but she received deferred adjudication, a form of probation, in that case. Those charges were dismissed after she completed a probationary term without incident. Willemsen was a former assistant elementary school principal in Clear Creek Independent School District. She resigned in 2012, reportedly because of family health concerns, school officials said. The procession for Ekpanya - which is expected to draw police officers from across Texas and perhaps beyond - will begin at the church and head northbound on the Interstate 45 feeder road, then westbound on the Beltway 8 feeder road. The procession then will go southbound on Pearland Parkway, westbound on Broadway Street and northbound on North Main. A private graveside service will be held at South Park Cemetery, said Pearland patrol division Capt. Chad Randall. Ekpanya is survived by his fiancee and 2-year-old son. Nigerian-born, Ekpanya moved to the U.S. in 1996 and later received a master's degree in business administration and a second master's in management/criminal justice management specialization, according to the police department. Ekpanya worked with the Pearland Police Department for just a year before his death. The 100 Club, a nonprofit organization that supports law enforcement and firefighter families, announced Monday it is providing financial support to the Ekpanya family. A routine traffic stop ended in the arrest of a northeast Texas man allegedly driving a mobile methamphetamine lab. According to NewsWest9.com, 53-year-old Doug Brock was stopped by Nacogdoches County Sheriff's deputies at 10:30 p.m. Sunday. Brock was reportedly acting nervous, prompting suspicion from the deputies. The sheriff's office did not return requests for comment on Tuesday afternoon. The type of vehicle Brock was driving and where he was arrested in Nacogdoches was not reported by media outlets. The news station reports Brock ran to the woods after giving deputies permission to search his vehicle. He escaped and police discovered a meth lab inside the vehicle. KHOU.com reports deputies found 358 grams of a liquid that tested positive for methamphetamine. Chemicals and drug paraphernalia were confiscated. Deputies obtained a warrant to arrest Brock on Monday, finding him in a motel room that day and arresting him. Brock faces a first degree felony charge of manufacturing a controlled substance. He also faces a second degree felony charge for transporting dangerous chemicals, according to NewsWest9.com. Brock was booked into the Nacogdoches County Jail. BRUSSELS - Days ahead of Thursday's British referendum on whether to break free from the European Union, many here fear the decision could lead to the destruction of one of the most ambitious political projects since the Holy Roman Empire. Euro-skeptics across the continent are salivating at the prospect of Britain's departure, hoping to sever their own territories from a map that stretches from the sunny coasts of Portugal to the frigid taiga of Finland. With populist parties surging across the continent, the Brits could be only the first to leave. The region has been dramatically tested in recent years, by the Greek debt crisis, renewed Russian aggression and, more recently, a historic migration crisis. Britain's exit, officials and experts say, could provide the biggest challenge yet. Britain's departure could also damage the union's relationship with Washington, robbing it of its British bridge to the United States. Britain remains one of the biggest advocates of globalization in Europe, and its exit could give new voice to trade protectionists across the region. Among the casualties, critics fear, could be plans for a massive free-trade deal between the United States and Europe. The question is whether a British exit - or Brexit - could spark a stampede for the door in other countries where the Brussels-seated body remains highly unpopular. At the moment, the list of countries that might consider bolting is relatively short: France, Denmark, the Netherlands and a handful of others. But that could change quickly, experts warn. Even if nations defuse their own burgeoning Euro-skeptic movements, the days in which leaders convened in Brussels to hand ever more sovereignty to the EU may be over if Britain departs, diplomats say. That would be a major blow to a project that started after World War II to bind nations together so tightly that they could never battle each other. Some of those who have occupied the EU's highest offices now say they were mistaken to think that if they knocked down economic barriers among countries, a feeling of political unity underneath the blue-and-gold EU flag would follow. "We have the flag and the anthem. We don't have much of what supports the flag and the anthem," said Pascal Lamy, who was the chief of staff to Jacques Delors, the leader of the European Commission from 1985 to 1995. As "leave" started to beat "remain" in British opinion polls in recent weeks, EU diplomats say that their sense of complacency was replaced by deep nervousness. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON Gun control advocates got some of what they wanted Monday when the U.S. Senate agreed to vote on a series of dueling gun measures inspired by the Orlando nightclub shootings, even though all the proposals failed. They included a narrowly-tailored compromise revived by Texas U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in response to the massacre of 49 patrons at a gay nightclub a week ago, the biggest mass shooting in U.S. history. Cornyn's plan, backed by the NRA and the Texas State Rifle Association PAC, would have required law enforcement to be alerted when suspected terrorists try to buy guns, giving federal authorities 72-hour delays to seek judges' orders to block or possibly arrest gun purchasers with terror links. Cornyn's proposal, which first surfaced last December, made a return appearance amid a flurry of amendments brought to the floor after last week's 15-hour filibuster led by Connecticut Democrat Chris Murphy, whose constituents include the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary shootings in 2013 that killed 20 children and six teachers. Some Democrats saw the Senate votes as a sign of momentum in the gun debate after years of trying, but little more. "I deeply believe that these weapons of war don't belong on the streets. And I've tried now three times," California U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein said Sunday on CBS's Face the Nation. "The question comes, how deeply indebted are members of the Senate and the House to the National Rifle Association?" The Cornyn plan emerged as the Republican alternative to an unsuccessful Democratic proposal offered by Feinstein, which would have denied gun sales to people on terror watch lists or others whom authorities believe might be likely to engage in terrorism. The Senate also voted down two other gun-related proposals expanding background checks. All four gun amendments to a Justice Department spending bill faced procedural obstacles requiring 60 vote super-majorities, assuring that Democrats and Republicans could block each other's initiatives. The debate followed a familiar script, with Democrats emphasizing unchecked gun violence in America, and Republicans focusing on gun rights and the threat of terrorism. "This is really surreal to me," said Cornyn, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate. "Our colleagues want to make this about gun control when what we should be making this about is the fight to eliminate Islamic extremism that is the root cause of what happened in Orlando." Democrats countered that the GOP measures fail to control the sale of firearms to suspected terrorists. Republicans contended that the Democratic proposals, however well-intentioned, are unconstitutional. "I don't think any American should sacrifice their constitutional rights without forcing the government to go to an impartial magistrate or judge and be able to show sufficient evidence," Cornyn said in the Senate debate. Cornyn said his provision allowing arrests of suspected terrorist gun buyers made it tougher than the leading Democratic plan. He added that the Democratic measures would not protect people who have been put on secret terror watch lists by mistake. The Orlando shooter, Omar Mateen, had been investigated for terrorist ties and later cleared. During the rampage, he also pledged his loyalty to ISIS, raising questions about whether the attack was an act of terror, a hate crime against gays, or both. Texas' junior senator, Ted Cruz, left little doubt about how he saw the Orlando shooting. Penning an op-ed in the Conservative Review Monday, Cruz wrote, "These votes have nothing to do with fighting radical Islamic terrorists, and everything to do with political grandstanding." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate AUSTIN - A federal judge, frustrated by the lack of progress overhauling Texas' "broken" foster care system now has investigators cramming a year's worth of work into four months. Judge Janis Graham Jack of the Southern District of Texas approved a work plan Monday that orders nine experts to collectively spend up to 2,034 hours from June through September devising answers to problems that long have handicapped the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and moved children from one dangerous home into another. "The Court feels that not enough time has been dedicated and parties are not properly prepared," the judge wrote last week in response to a proposal that a team of six dedicate up to 1,137 hours compiling recommendations to the court on how to fix the state's foster care system. The plan approved Monday adds three investigators and nearly doubles the amount of time the team is expected to spend coming up with recommendations, but keeps the original deadline at the end of September. Jack last December declared the state's foster care system "broken" and unconstitutional. She ordered an overhaul of the entire foster care system in a scathing 255-page order that concluded foster children "almost uniformly leave state custody more damaged than when they entered." She found that "rape, abuse, psychotropic medication, and instability are the norm," that child-on-child abuse in licensed foster care placements is common but not tracked, and that children who rape other children continue to do it as they relocate to new homes. Caseloads range from unsustainable to unbearable, she found, with workers often juggling some 30 cases at a time, burning out nearly one in five workers every year. State officials have said the ideal caseload is between 18-22. In one instance, 4-year-old Leiliana Wright of Grand Prairie died in April after having been choked, force-fed, bound in a closet and bruised "from head to toe" for drinking her brother's juice. Her caseworker assigned to protect her had a caseload of 70, according to stories in the Dallas Morning News. Earlier this year, Jack appointed two special masters to supervise a system overhaul and produce recommendations that can be used to propose changes in the 2017 legislative session. Texas spent $403 million on foster care in fiscal 2015, according to the DFPS annual report. Overall, some 16,127 kids were in foster care across the state, including 2,288 in Harris County in May, according to the department's monthly foster care report. At that time, Montgomery County had 171 children in foster care, compared to 115 in Brazoria County and 77 in Fort Bend County. $345 an hour Jack was "very satisfied" with the new, beefed-up work plan, said Marcia Lowry, co-council for the plaintiffs, who was on a conference call with the judge and the case's attorneys Monday. She represents A Better Childhood, a New York-based advocacy group that targets dysfunctional child welfare systems across the country. The experts on the special masters' team are expected to make up to $345 an hour reviewing records and crafting recommendations, according to court records. Under the work plan's estimate, the four-month query could cost Texas an estimated $600,000. Neither Jack nor spokespeople for the state Department of Family and Protective Services or the Texas attorney general's office fighting the case, responded to requests for comment Monday. Special master Kevin Ryan declined comment, saying the court has forbidden him from communicating to the press. The revised work plan approved by the judge adds 897 hours and three investigators to the effort, according to a review of court records by the Houston Chronicle. The revised plan calls for the team to spend up to 678 hours, the equivalent of 28 uninterrupted days, examining the record, trial transcript and exhibits of the lawsuit M.D. v. Abbott. Recommendations are expected to be rooted in findings from the trial, which also found the state has an unusual way of counting caseloads, said Lowry. "It's very hard to measure where the caseload gaps are and, in fact, what the standards should be. One of the things that came out of the case is that Texas doesn't have standards, and measures caseloads in a way other states do not," she said. Closer look at caseloads Nearly doubling the amount of time the team is expected to spend on its recommendations shows the court wants a thorough investigation and a set of effective proposals, said Paul Yetter, a Houston lawyer leading the challenge against the state foster care system on behalf of children in long-term care and their advocates. "Caseworkers are literally buried in work and just too busy to keep children safe. Without manageable caseloads, innocent children are at risk. Everyone knows this," Yetter said. The new work plan doubles to almost 250 hours the time for researching and making recommendations on tracking caseloads, the time it takes caseworkers to complete tasks and how to keep workloads manageable enough to keep children free from unreasonable harm. Caseworker turnover and inadequate placement of children are the two most daunting challenges facing how the state cares for at-risk children, and are the hardest problems to solve, said Scott McCown, University of Texas law professor and director of the Children's Rights Clinic, which represents children in CPS cases. "They're the most expensive to solve," McCown said. "Any solution's going to be very expensive, so you have to figure out whether a proposal is really a solution, because it's going to cost a lot of money, and you have to build a strong case for why you need to spend the money." Young voters are not stepping up to the ballot box. Between 1964 and 2012, youth voter turnout in presidential elections dropped below 50 percent, and Baby Boomers outvoted 18- to 24-year-olds by a staggering 30 percent. Kids aren't born knowing our history or cherishing the ideals of democracy. The key import of voting isn't passed onto them through their DNA. To ensure the future of our democratic way of life, families, schools and lawmakers need to beef up their efforts to teach them. Because young adults become eligible to register to vote when they are 17 years and 10 months of age, Texas high schools have a unique opportunity to encourage seniors to start the lifelong habit of voting. Recognizing this, the Legislature passed a somewhat unusual law in the early 1980s that requires school principals or their designated deputy to hand out voter registration cards to eligible students twice a year. Unfortunately, principals are overburdened, and it's not clear if this law is more often followed or forgotten. A tweak could help make it more effective. The Texas Education Agency and the Texas Secretary of State should work together to enact a policy that would allow teachers of government, economics and social studies to distribute and collect these forms. There should be a way for principals to automatically deputize these teachers as registrars for their schools without going through a lot of red tape. Educators extol the benefits of experiential learning. The registration of young voters could be woven into the relevant teachers' curricula and would help make the law, not just another law on the books but a powerful tool in engaging young people in the democratic process. Alarmingly, only 23 percent of high school students were proficient in civics in 2014, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Fewer than one-third of high school seniors could explain the purpose of the Declaration of Independence and fewer than one-third of eighth graders could explain how participation benefits democracy, according to the most recent report from the Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools, a coalition co-chaired by former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Millennials, defined as those 18 to 34 years old, in 2015 surpassed Baby Boomers as the nation's largest living generation, according to the Pew Research Center. If millennials don't become civically engaged, their lack of interest in our local and national elections will have profound implications on how our country is governed. Everyone likes to be asked to participate in something. Registering more high school voters to vote would be a win-win for student civic education and for our democracy. Dem game plan Regarding "Castros take aim at GOP, Trump" (Page A3, Saturday), so it looks like Texas Democrats will do the same thing with the Castro brothers that they did with Wendy Davis and face a similar result. We must stop pinning all our hopes on race and gimmicks and personalities and try to put forth a diverse, strong and smart group of candidates in 2018. The Castro brothers get built up so much that often people leave disappointed after hearing them. I went to hear Joaquin address the Meyerland Democrats last year, and while intelligent and affable, his speech basically just regurgitated Democratic talking points. There was nothing groundbreaking or all that engaging. Don't get me wrong; I'm sure he would be a fine statewide candidate, but to think he and his brother can turn everything around without a lot of help from others is pretty farfetched. Matt Stillwell, Houston Better solutions Regarding "Suburban neighborhoods caught in limbo, neither annexed nor set free from Houston" (Page A3, Friday), Houston's post-1999 strategic annexation strategy of annexing sales tax producing areas and giving a portion of the taxes back to the MUDs may be good policy in the short run for Houston's financial bottom-line. In the long term, however, it may be disastrous when housing and infrastructure ages and property values decline without code enforcement and other public health/safety regulations in place. The solution is not one bilateral agreement between two entities such as Fort Bend County and the city of Houston, but a multi-stakeholder approach involving the counties, cities, special districts, etc. - much like The Woodlands did in order to end up with a more structured township form of government rather than special districts, nonprofits and interlocal agreements. And don't forget the Legislature should be involved, because it creates the laws governing incorporation, annexation, special districts, etc. James Thurmond, Former Missouri City city manager, director of University of Houston's Master of Public Administration Program Chase policies Regarding "Man faces charges in Conroe-area crash that killed police officer, child" (Monday, chron.com), sometimes I wonder why police chase them. When it's a risky situation, aren't police supposed to suspend the chase? They could have gotten the person that ran later on, but that life will never come back. Alex Picazo, via Facebook Financial drain Regarding "The dialysis dilemma" (Page A1, Sunday), I read, with increasing anger and frustration, the article on undocumented patients getting their dialysis on my dime. They live from one emergent need to another, rather than having a solid discharge plan for continuity of care once they leave Harris Health dialysis treatment. Where is the concerned private sector supporting the healthcare-for-all platform? What about the faith-based programs wanting to help those marginalized humans? My tax dollars should not be used to pay for these services. Harris Health discharge planners should look at repatriating these patients back to their countries. Medical care for the undocumented is an increasing financial drain. It is draining my bank account because I have to pay increasing property taxes to cover health care for patients who are not here legally. Beth Rodriguez, Houston There are two bookends in Texas politics today shaping the hopes of Democrats who want, at some point, to win beyond the big cities and black- and Latino-dominated areas of the state, both of which became exceedingly evident at last weekends Texas Democratic Party convention. The first is Wendy Davis bruising, double-digit defeat to Greg Abbott in 2014. The state party and its allies, some of them still trying to build an operation in the state, had to cobble together a Democratic apparatus quickly that, they hoped, could pose a credible threat to 20 years of Republican rule. Whatever gains they made in the run-up to the gubernatorial election and there may have been some that we wont see until years later Democrats two years ago, after the Davis defeat, looked like they were right back where they started. The second bookend hasnt finished taking shape just yet: the 2016 race to the White House. I wouldnt be surprised if Trumps name was mentioned the more than anybody elses at the state convention. It was all designed that way, of course. Every state representative and state senator had to get their anti-Trump jabs in before rows of reporters. They echoed everything national Democrats have said about the presumptive GOP nominee in recent months, saying he is unfit to be commander in chief, that hes racist, and that hes only out for himself, just to name a few criticisms. Above all, they predicted that Texans would reject Trump in a way that the states electorate has not any other Republican nominee for president in modern American history. His comments on immigrants, Mexicans and, particularly, his attacks on a federal judge of Mexican heritage would drive up Latino voter turnout in November, they said. Pleas for sensible Republicans to join Democrats and vote against Trump also peppered some speeches. Every rising star the party tried to highlight at last weekends convention in San Antonio lives in this space, a kind of purgatory that is getting very crowded. At the head of that line are the Castro brothers, whom the San Antonio Express-News Peggy Fikac wrote about at the convention. One quote Joaquin Castro, the congressman from San Antonio, gave Fikac stood out as the most fitting mantra for all those trapped between the bookends. We believe its going to be a great year of Democrats, but any other decision is premature at this point, he said. In other words, Hillary Clinton is going to demolish Trump this year, so we do not have to answer questions about our political futures until after that happens. Ask us then. With that, the Castros and everyone else at the convention got in line, bashed Republicans for neglecting the states needs, and passed a party platform that shows what theyd do if voters gave them the chance to lead anywhere in state government. More often than not Id say never a full-scale political sea change, the kind that would have had to happen for Davis to have won, doesnt happen in one election or one year. If Davis loss in 2014 is met two short years later with Donald Trump at the top of the GOP presidential ticket, maybe then the needle can move in some discernible way. Maybe there will a perceptible spike in Latino voter engagement come November. Maybe Trump will have to come back to deep-pocketed Texas to raise money for his campaign because he desperately needs to, meaning hed have to neglect crucial battleground states for a solidly Republican state just as the general elections heats up. Maybe Clinton makes good on her promise, if she wins, to help rebuild state parties where Democratic infrastructure is lacking and where national party leaders have written off as red areas. Her campaign, by the way, is committed to keeping staff in all 50 states through November, according to a Huffington Post report. Hint: That staff could focus on the organizational and field work necessary to build out Democratic operations that go beyond a mere media strategy in the states largest markets. Nothing can be done about the first bookend, but whatever happens in the presidential race this year will create a second one. If Clinton and state Democrats, throwing all their combined fire at Trump, cant show that theyve energized and mobilized more voters here, it may well be another one of those moments theyve become accustomed to: Winning by losing, because at least they had another opportunity to try. There were very few headlines that came out of the Texas Democratic Partys convention last weekend. For the most part, thats probably a good thing. It means the party left San Antonio with a consistent, predictable message about its prospects as a statewide party in the next few years and, of course, about its staunch opposition to Donald Trump. What broke through the state bubble to reach some national media attention were reports that Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro, the former San Antonio mayor, made some news on the vice presidential front after months of speculation that Hillary Clinton will pick him to be her running mate. Castro said he isnt being vetted as a potential running mate, according to the Associated Press. Texas Public Radio reported that he announced he is no longer being vetted. The former may be more accurate. As the San Antonio Express-News put it, the former mayor hasnt been vetted as of Friday, when he made those comments. Today, however, Castro is officially on the former secretary of states VP short list, according to the AP. He joins Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia. Heres how the AP described the vetting process as the VP search intensifies: A small group of Clinton campaign confidants has been sifting through publicly available information about more than two dozen possible contenders for more than a month. But with Democratic primary voting wrapping up last week, the list has been culled significantly and the campaign has begun contacting those under consideration. Castro right now doesnt have a job lined up after January, a point he made in his interview with the Express-News. That is a first for him in a long time. The other two reported to be on the shortlist, Warren and Kaine, do not have to worry about that at all. Now that Clintons VP list has narrowed down to a handful of candidates, Castros prospects are better than they were just last weekend. In an election when control for the U.S. Senate is as closely watched as the presidential race, keeping Warren who would be replaced by a Republican governor and Kaine in the upper chamber means a lot. They can still campaign like hell for Clinton, and theres every indication that they will. Kaine, who is fluent in Spanish, and Warren, one of the best fundraisers Democrats have, would be pitch-perfect surrogates to communities that Clinton needs to turn out in November. Castro doesnt have any of that to consider, freeing him up to jump on board with Clinton with the fewest complications of any other top-tier VP contenders. His pros young, Latino, from a quickly diversifying state seem to be shining a bit brighter this week, especially after he confirmed at the convention that he was wide open. Right now, he said, I have zero plans to run for anything. The executive director of the Houston Area Chamber of Commerce resigned Monday after about 2 years at the post. Brenda Jarrett led the day-to-day activities of the organization since spring 2014. The announcement came from Gayla Bratton, the chambers president, and Tammy Cantrell, a board member. The resignation was effective Monday. I have appreciated the opportunity to work with the Houston area business people, chamber members, Houston City Council, Mayor Don Tottingham, City Administrator Larry Sutton, economic developer Ron Reed, grant writer Elaine Campbell, the Houston city police and fire departments, the county commissioners, the Houston Herald staff, the citys visitor center workers and many volunteers. The Houston community has great potential for economic growth. There is great promise for the future as young business people invest their lives and their livelihoods into the community and are increasingly interested in leading the way for continued improvements. I wish only the best for the Houston community in the future but in order for that to come about the leaders of the community need to find common ground on which to proceed. Bratton said the board is seeking volunteers to help with the upcoming Old Settlers Reunion, set for June 30 through July 2. Call her at 417-967-3898 or Cantrell at 417-967-2580. Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. 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Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. sp;A Chinese bank has come under fire after a video surfaced online showing a leadership trainer roughly, and repeatedly, smacking employees with a wooden paddle.The video posted on Facebook and YouTube by Chinas Peoples Daily shows workers being punished for failing to exceed themselves.Manager spanks employees at a Rural Commercial Bank for not "exceeding themselves" in Changzhi, North China's Shanxi province, reads a caption accompanying the shocking video.The eight employees, who are lined up on stage before an audience, are asked why they have ranked the lowest that day."Because I have not exceeded myself," one of the employees responds.The trainer then spanks the employees four times each with workers beginning to wince in pain towards the end of the ordeal. One employee finally steps out of line, making loud noises of discomfort.The People's Daily Online also reported spanking wasn't the only training method used at the controversial conference an employee's hair was apparently cut after they ranked the lowest in performance.The bank said the spanked employees of the Shanxi branch, in northern China, were to expect an apology from the trainer following the shocking incident. aikato woman who stole over a quarter of a million dollars from her former employer was convicted of her offences earlier today.The 45-year-old who has interim name suppression conceded to a charge of false accounting and a representative charge of theft by a person in a special relationship between 2009 and 2015.Judge Christopher Field convicted the woman on both charges and remanded her on bail to reappear for sentencing on August 18 the womans lawyer admitted his client was realistic about receiving a jail sentence.Ninety-one thefts were found to have taken place between 2009 and 2015, totalling an incredible $750,775.54 a report by the New Zealand Herald indicates the fraud was only uncovered when a client changed accountants and performed a reconciliation of IRD payments to find some hadnt been made.Its thought the former employees banking and accounting experience gave her the ability to bypass accounting software used at the firm and fraudulently deposit cheques into several of her own accounts.Her former employer successfully applied for permanent name suppression to protect its client base. dont worry Ill take care of it dont you f***ing understand embezzled the account found numerous/several errors/mistakes give you a piece of the/my commission Ill/I will work it out I/Goldman Sachs/the firm/we will make up the losses paying fees through the nose/a**/butt split the difference supposed to be the top/best financial company you must/have to buy this stock ails of Goldman Sachs automated email surveillance program have been revealed, providing an insight into how the financial giant keeps tabs on employee communications.CNBC obtained a full list of phrases that the compliance department flags for specific scrutiny. While this is an automated process, human staff later review the flagged emails and determine whether they signify a problem.The document itself was supplied by an anonymous source and contains 180 phrases flagged as potentially dangerous. While it was written in 2008 and Goldman Sachs has updated its terminology since then it still offers a glimpse of how the big financial corporations track staff to ensure compliance.We deploy cutting-edge technology and exercise the utmost care to protect confidential information, secure data and provide high-end client service, a spokeswoman for Goldman Sachs told CNBC. The firms monitoring efforts reflect our commitment to upholding the highest standards of professionalism and integrity.Attorneys for Goldman Sachs described the document as a lexicon of terms and phrases used by the firms compliance department for surveillance of the electronic mail of certain employees.One banking industry expert told CNBC that email monitoring was common in the financial sector.Its not just email, its about using key words to monitor social media as well. What the institution is trying to do is to flag activities that may be illegal or may represent insider trading.Employees from Goldman Sachs told the news outlet they were told beforehand that their emails were being watched. The system also warned staff if an email contained a swear word with the individual having to click a box showing they are aware of the expletive before the email can be sent.Examples of flagged phrases on the list include:The number of obscenity-linked phrases within the list was quite large with eight phrases using the f-word alone. This could mean the system flags a large number of emails, the banking expert said.Youre probably going to get a variety of false f-bomb positives that you don't want to explore any further.Given the list though, it is clear that employees were being watched for specific types of concerning behaviour argumentative conversations, disputes over finances or certain general communications containing expletives. A former TV presenter turned politician has made HR history in Rotorua after becoming the citys first accredited living-wage employer. Kiwi favourite Tamati Coffey confirmed yesterday that his 2015 venture Ponsonby Rd Lounge Bar had been officially recognised as a living wage employer. Im really happy, said Coffey, who was TVNZs early morning weatherman. For me, its saying to our workers; We are a partnership and heres your fair share, as opposed to Thanks for your hard work, your peanuts are in the bank. The independently-calculated living wage currently sits at a minimum of $19.80 an hour $4.55 more than the governments minimum wage. Tim Smith, who opened the venture alongside partner Coffey, says the switch was a savvy business decision which made good economic sense. You cant provide our tables with the best service in town when youre constantly worrying about how you are going to put food on your own, he stressed. Both Smith and Coffey also called on other employers in the hospitality industry to amend their current pay practices. Many hospitality workers in our country have kids to feed and bills to pay on minimum wages that just arent keeping pace, scolded Smith. Instead of hospitality being labelled with offering wages that hold back many kiwi workers and their families, let us as an industry be known for offering fair wages that value contribution and boost our people forward, he urged. An estimated 800,000 people in New Zealand are currently considered to be living below the poverty line with hospitality a key source of minimum wage positions. For more HR news and info, subscribe here. A restaurant in Indiana has fired at least one member of management at one of their locations after a female server received a "Best Butt" award. Scott Wise, the owner of Scotty's Brewhouse, said in a statement that the incident, which happened at the chain's Southport location, was "an isolated occurrence that was unsanctioned and unapproved, according to the Indianapolis Business Journal. Advertisement The server, who has chosen to remain anonymous, told Fox59 that last Monday, during a staff awards ceremony, management handed her a trophy for "Best Butt," while other employees were recognized for qualities like "Best Bartender" or "Best Server." She was then asked to turn around in front of about fifty co-workers so others could take pictures of her bottom. I feel like Im more than just a butt," she told the outlet. "I feel like Im smart, Im going to school. Advertisement Upper management told her the award wasn't their idea, she said, but she hadn't received an apology as of last week. Wise confirmed that sentiment in his statement, saying the chain's executive team had no idea about the award, and didn't approve of the event, according to the Indy Star. I feel like Im more than just a butt. I feel like Im smart, Im going to school. "As a result, we took immediate action that included terminating management, and I have instructed our teams to immediately do additional sexual harassment training companywide, beyond the initial training process new managers go through already when they are hired," he said. He said he has talked about the incident with employees, and that the company has no tolerance for situations like this. You can hear more of the server's comments in the video above, which hasn't been updated with the restaurant's recent comments. Advertisement Also on HuffPost Until now, Canadians had a choice of cremation or burial when it came to death. But now theres a third option. A funeral company in Smiths Falls, Ont. is disintegrating bodies and draining the remains into the sewage system as a more eco-friendly send-off. Hiltons AquaGreen Dispositions performs bio-cremation, a process by which the body is placed into a pressurized stainless steel cremation chamber, and is covered by a mixture of potash, salt and water. The temperature is raised to 150 degrees Celsius, and in a few hours, only the skeleton remains. Advertisement Inside the cremation chamber. (Photo: Dale Hilton) Its a lot gentler on your loved one, company owner Dale Hilton told The Huffington Post Canada about the alkaline hydrolysis. Its just like sitting in a bathtub and the water gently circulates the body and disintegrates you to bone. The bones are then dried out, pressed into a powder, and returned to the family. The liquid waste from the body is disposed of through the local sewage treatment system. Hilton, a funeral director who also operates a pet cremation service, has been performing bio-cremation on animals for two years, and started using the system on humans last year. Advertisement Youre turning them back into their original state, said Hilton. They come into this world in water and youre leaving them in water. More environmentally friendly He said that cremation has become increasingly popular because loved ones are able to do what they want with the ashes. The bio-cremation process is similar, but more environmentally friendly and less harsh on a body. Traditional cremation has been compared to driving for 800 kilometres, while the more energy-efficient bio-cremation uses no fuel. It also destroys any traces of embalming fluids, medications and infection that would otherwise remain on a body after burial. They come into this world in water and youre leaving them in water. Its safe for the sewage treatment system as well, according to Hilton. The remains go through two filter systems at his company before they are released into the sewage pipes. In fact, he said that the end product is a highly concentrated fertilizer that could potentially be used on crops. There are other specific advantages as well. Pacemakers, for example, need to be removed for cremations because they go off like a grenade when exposed to fire. But they and any other kind of surgical hardware can be left intact during bio-cremation. Advertisement Dale Hilton is a funeral director who also runs a pet cremation service. Hilton said hes working with companies outside of Canada that can recycle the undamaged medical hardware and perhaps ship them to people in need. Town officials have been monitoring the water discharged from the companys site, and have not found any abnormalities traced back to the business, reported CBC News. Hiltons service is the first of its kind in Ontario but bio-cremation has been around in the U.S. for 20 years, and in Saskatchewan since 2012. Also on HuffPost Funerals Around The World See Gallery Business groups are objecting loudly to the CPP expansion plans announced Monday, saying they say will cause job losses and reduce wages. But some of Canadas most prominent economists are lauding the move, and say the bigger problem is the countrys retirement savings crisis. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) called the proposed reforms announced Monday evening a devastating move for Canadian workers and the economy in general. Advertisement It cited internal polling indicating that 67 per cent of small businesses would feel pressure to freeze or reduce wages after a CPP expansion, and 35 per cent would be under pressure to lay off employees. It is tremendously disappointing to see that finance ministers are putting Canadian wages, hours and jobs in jeopardy and willfully moving to make an already shaky economy even worse, CFIB president Dan Kelly said in a statement. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce said that the fragile nature of Canadas economy in the wake of the oil price collapse makes this a particularly bad time for a CPP expansion. Advertisement When a government promises big increases in benefits without telling us how much it will cost or who will pay for it, we know theres a big bill coming, the Chamber said in a statement released Monday. Though finance ministers did not specify how much CPP premiums for employers and employees would rise, the broad strokes of the plan are known. Currently, CPP premiums are 4.95 per cent for both employer and employee, and are capped at $54,900 in annual earnings. That limit would rise to $82,700, with the shift brought in gradually over seven years between 2019 and 2025. The idea is to increase CPP payouts in retirement to replace one-third of a persons working income, up from one-quarter currently. A person earning $50,000 a year over their lifetime will see annual retirement benefits increase to $16,000 from $12,000 currently. Advertisement Retirement savings the bigger problem CIBC economists applauded the plan, calling it a step in the right direction. While the cost of implementing it is not trivial, it is necessary to safeguard the retirement of many Canadians, Benjamin Tal and Royce Mendes wrote in a report Tuesday. The decision to implement it gradually is the right approach because the group needing it the most is not retiring for some time. The long lead time between agreement and implementation also leaves businesses more time to adjust. TD Bank economist Brian DePratto also noted that there is a need to boost retirement savings in Canada. But he highlighted that the increase in contributions will impact Canadians across the income spectrum. For those earning below the income cap, increased contribution rates will result in higher deductions (and lower take-home pay), although changes to the Working Income Tax Benefit may help mitigate the impact. In an Angus Reid poll taken before the deal was reached Monday, 75 per cent of Canadians said they support expansion of the CPP. The same number continued to support it when it was highlighted that the expansion would mean less take-home pay, but larger payouts in retirement. Advertisement Fully 86 per cent of poll respondents agreed that Canadians arent saving enough for retirement. A relative of a Calgary woman found dead in a park is speaking out about the damage intergenerational trauma leaves on Aboriginal families. The dismembered remains of Joey English, 25, were found hidden in a northeast Calgary park on June 8. Advertisement Her cousin, Brailon English, shared a childhood photo of Joey on Facebook along with an impassioned plea for Aboriginal youth to speak out about the horrors their communities are facing. "I often wonder what it would be like if we did not suffer the effects of intergenerational trauma. If we were brought up with the privilege and rights and respect of the other ethnicities in Canada," English wrote. Intergenerational trauma is the legacy of psychological and social damage left in communities after generations of historical oppression, according to the University of Calgary. Advertisement "My people are turned away from medical centers, ignored on the streets, told they are worthless. When our women are murdered, the news represents them as high risk or points out their addictions, but nobody sees why. The pain we have grown up with and the abuse we have endured has become normal," he continued. "I want a future where I don't have to worry about my family being killed." In the last few years he has lost two family members to murder and three to suicide, English wrote, adding that intergenerational trauma has hurt his entire family. "My parents, all of my aunts and uncles, my cousins you can see the effects of everything that has happened in their lives. The last residential school closed in the '90s so were still seeing the effects today," he told Metro News. "I want a future where I don't have to worry about my family being killed." Police have not yet released Joey English's cause of death, as it has yet to be determined whether she died from a criminal act. Charges have been laid against Joshua Weise, who is accused of dismembering her body. The 40-year-old suspect appeared in court Wednesday, where he told a judge, "I'm not a bad guy," Global News reported. Advertisement Victims of violence Aboriginal women in Canada are much more likely to be victims of violence than non-aboriginal women, according to Statistics Canada. In Alberta, 206 aboriginal women were murdered between 1980 and 2012. That's 28 per cent of all female homicides during that time period, despite Aboriginal people only making up about seven per cent of the province's population. "This is why I am angry, infuriated, distraught, when someone says to my face that aboriginal issues are not important or non-existent," English wrote. Also on HuffPost: Two new Heritage Minutes released Tuesday focus on significant moments in Indigenous history. The clips, produced by Historica Canada, were written by acclaimed author Joseph Boyden, according to a press release. Advertisement Davin Bomberry stars as Chanie Wenjack in Historica Canada's new Heritage Minute. (Photo: Historica Canada) Unlike other Heritage Minutes that focus mostly on Canadian inventors and achievements, the two videos "highlight darker chapters of Canadian history." They come on the 20th anniversary of National Aboriginal Day and a year after the conclusion of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. One of the videos tells the story of Chanie Wenjack, an Anishinaabe boy who ran away from the Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School in 1966 and died during his escape to go home. Advertisement "His death sparked the first inquiry into the conditions faced by residential school students," reads the Historica Canada release. The Wenjack minute, embedded above, is narrated by his sister Pearl Achneepineskum, a residential school survivor. "I survived residential school. My brother Chanie did not," Achneepineskum says as she holds up a photo of her brother. Chanie Wenjack ran away from a residential school in 1966. (Photo: Historica Canada/YouTube) About 150,000 First Nations, Inuit and Metis children were forced to attend the church-run residential schools over much of the last century as part of government efforts to "take the Indian out of the child.'' Many suffered horrific abuse. Advertisement If Canada is going to move towards reconciliation then we have to engage in some hard truths about residential schools and treaties, said Shane Belcourt, the director of the two videos. "I survived residential school. My brother Chanie did not." The second clip is titled Naskumituwin (Treaty). It explores the August 1905 signing of Treaty 9 through the experience of 18-year-old Cree man George Spence. Spence passed the story of the signing down through his family, according to Historica Canada. "In his life he saw many promises of the treaty go unfulfilled," his great-granddaughter Rosary Spence says in the clip. You can watch the Naskumituwin video below: With files from The Canadian Press Also On HuffPost: Conservatives could not let National Selfie Day slip by without a playful poke at the photo-friendly prime minister. On Tuesday, the party offered best wishes to Justin Trudeau with a Vine featuring five seconds too much of the world's worst song. Advertisement Tory MPs have taken a few shots at Trudeau's selfie game since he came to power in November. In her first speech to the House of Commons as interim Tory leader, Rona Ambrose earnestly suggested Trudeau was too focused on shallow matters at a series of international summits. "While on the international stage we saw leaders of the Western world come together, coalescing around the fight against ISIS, the impression that was left with Canadians and the international community was that our prime minister was consumed with taking selfies," Ambrose said at the time. "I mention this because it was mentioned to me many times by constituents." Advertisement In January, Ambrose earned some applause in question period when she told the prime minister to stop using his "cellphone for selfies with Leo DiCaprio" and instead use it to call the mayor of Montreal and promote the Energy East pipeline. Trudeau reportedly scolded the actor after he used his World Economic Forum speech to bash Big Oil. New Democrats have gotten in on the action, too. NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair has taken at least two selfie-related swipes at Trudeau in the House. Last month, NDP MP Niki Ashton said Trudeau, also the minister responsible for youth, needed to realize the "millennial generation needs more than a selfie to help them grapple with the challenges they are facing." 'It's not about image' But the criticism hasn't stopped the prime minister from taking time to pose with Canadians. In fact, Trudeau told a town hall hosted by Maclean's late last year that Canadians can expect more of the same from him. Advertisement "It's not about image, it's about substance," he said at the time, when asked about his so-called charm offensive. "The more I can stay connected with people, the less I run the risk that prime ministers run of getting disconnected from the very people you're supposed to serve." Also on HuffPost Prime Minister Justin Trudeau marked National Aboriginal Day by participating in one of the most sacred rituals in First Nations culture. Trudeau and other members of his caucus, including Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett and Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould, started the day with a sunrise ceremony at dawn in Gatineau, Que. against the backdrop of Parliament Hill. Advertisement Prime Minister Justin Trudeau takes part in a sunrise ceremony on the banks of the Ottawa River in Gatineau, Que., on Tuesday. (Photo: Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press) Prime Minister Justin Trudeau looks on as Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett and Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould take part in the sunrise ceremony. (Photo: Sean Kilpatrick/CP) Advertisement The tradition is meant to be an expression of gratitude at the start of a new day and a period of personal reflection. Participants often smudge themselves with burnt herbs to cleanse themselves of negativity, according to a CBC News explainer. The ceremony was performed by a First Nations elder Raymond Ballantyne and Elder Madonna Ballantyne. The group was also joined by delegates from the National Inuit Youth Council. Afterward, Trudeau paddled the Ottawa River in a voyageur canoe, wearing a buckskin jacket and moccasins owned by his father, former prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau. He was joined by 12 Metis, Inuit, and First Nation youth. The occasion seemed to fit prime minister's call for Canadians to take some time Tuesday to celebrate the "unique heritage" of Canada's First Nations, Metis, and Inuit people. Advertisement Trudeau's statement marking the day did not gloss over the heartbreak faced by many indigenous Canadians, including the suicide crisis in Attawapiskat and other reserves. "Events over the past few months including the loss of life to suicide and the feelings of despair felt in some communities remind us that we must work in genuine partnership with Indigenous peoples, the provinces, and the territories to better support the well-being of children and families, improve the quality of education for Indigenous students, and ensure health services meet the needs of Indigenous communities," he said. Trudeau reiterated pledges to adopt and implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and "continue the vital work of reconciliation" outlined in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Liberals have promised to implement all 94 recommendations from the TRC report into the shameful legacy of residential schools. Advertisement "We understand the importance of reconciliation and the process of truth-telling and healing in this renewal," he said. He also committed to thinking "seven generations out," as taught by the Iroquois, to address the infrastructure challenges facing indigenous peoples, from much-need roads and bridges to clean water, and to listen to their voices on environmental issues. "No relationship is more important to our government and to Canada than the one with Indigenous peoples." The Huffington Post Canada has reached out to the Prime Minister's Office and Bennett's office for more details on the ceremony. Advertisement With a file from The Canadian Press Also On HuffPost: It was the late 1980s. The Berlin Wall was falling, Chinese students were rising up against their government, and Billy Joel was churning out number one hits like "We Didn't Start the Fire." And in Vancouver, then a smaller city with only a fraction of the populace it has today, home prices were skyrocketing, at a higher rate than they would over two decades later. Advertisement BMO released a chart Monday showing that rising house prices are nothing new in the West Coast city. It shows that prices saw a massive spike in the late 1980s, only to plummet years later dwarfing any increases that happened in recent years. "So much has been written about Vancouver's zany house prices that one might think the current situation is unprecedented," economist Sal Guatieri wrote. Advertisement "But a longer term lens shows the city is no stranger to outlandish price increases that are usually followed by short-term corrections." Guatieri said prices tend to escalate when demand for housing comes up against a low supply level. It's a common contention that economists have made in response to continuing price escalation. He went on to say that housing market corrections haven't had long-lasting impacts historically, but "if speculation is padding demand today and results in overbuilding, then a correction could be more painful than in the past." "The city is no stranger to outlandish price increases that are usually followed by short-term corrections." When a correction happens is anyone's guess even as concerns mount that one is coming. TD Economics issued an economic forecast last week saying it's unlikely that will happen until next year at least. Advertisement Supply may be the culprit on housing prices, but people watching Vancouver's real estate market have increasingly drawn links between inflows of foreign capital and rising property values. South China Morning Post reporter Ian Young has repeatedly addressed the issue in columns and stories such as one about a downtown property that was sold for $60 million one month, and then flipped to a wealthy Chinese immigrant for $68 million just a month later. A study last year also showed that most homes on Vancouver's west side, an upscale area, were owned by people with non-anglicized Chinese names, which suggested to the author that they were recent arrivals to Canada. Also on HuffPost: Yuri_Arcurs via Getty Images A father reading a bedtime story to his son from an e-reader Whether your kids have racked up enough points to travel to the moon and back, or don't even have passports yet, introducing them to new destinations can be done even on a shoestring budget -- through books. I scoured our local bookstore, grocery store and at-home library to bring you the top 10 books that are sure to ignite the travel bug in your child: Advertisement 1.The Paddington series (by Michael Bond). With new board books like "King of the Castle" perfect for the preschool set, "Paddington's Day Off" for early readers and the original, eponymous hardcover book that works well for bedtime stories, there's a Paddington book for every young child. Set in London, England, it'll not only pique your little one's curiosity about Paddington Station and many of London's famous landmarks (like Portobello Market), but also about far-off places such as Peru and Lima, which are also featured in the stories. 2.Where the Wild Things Are (by Maurice Sendak). A childhood favourite for generations, this short story (only 338 words!) may spark interest in travel to one of the world's most spectacular ecosystems: the rain forest. Although Costa Rica may not have the wild beasts quite as described and depicted in the book, it offers an opportunity to experience a place that's more like Max's jungle than not. 3.The Madeline series (by Ludwig Bemelmans and John Bemelmans Marciano). First published in 1939, this story stands the test of time and is beloved around the world. It's set in Paris but in newer stories, Madeline travels to Rome and the United States, too. The character's free spirit and fearlessness is infectious and will surely instigate some travel talk at the dinner table. 4.Mister Seahorse (by Eric Carle). Let's not forget that there's more to see under the sea! Educational in its own right, this beautifully illustrated board book will introduce your child to some of the ocean's most interesting creatures. And perhaps you'll find yourself with a future diver on your hands! Advertisement 5.National Geographic Kids Almanac 2017, Canadian Edition. Packed with 352 pages of interesting facts, mesmerizing photography, activities and animals, there are also several features on different countries -- think Antarctica, Africa and Australia to name a few -- just busting at the seams with information. 6.Sticker Dolly Dressing: Holiday & Travel (from Usborne Books). Featuring more than 700 stickers -- mostly fun outfits and accessories -- that can be used in scenes that range from airports and beaches to safaris and boat rides, your child will spend hours caught up in imaginative play, dreaming about the next destination. 7.Lord of the Rings (by J.R.R. Tolkien). Older kids will get lost in this tale of Middle Earth. It conjures the countryside, and the wonderful thing about a fantasy novel is that it could take place just about anywhere with some rolling green hills. Ireland and Wales come to mind, but if you end up watching the Lord of the Rings movies, too, it might just inspire travel to New Zealand where they were filmed -- on both the north and south islands. 8.Travel Between the Lines (from Wandertooth Media). Although it's marketed as an adult colouring book, make no mistake -- your colour-happy kids will LOVE it. With scenes from several cities around the globe, it's guaranteed to have your kids begging to go see more of the world. 9.Harry Potter (J.K. Rowling). Another book-to-movie series that makes for a challenging read or epic bedtime story for the age 7+ crowd. Featuring Kings Cross station in London, England, we understand that the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry is somewhere in the UK. In the movie, it's actually Alnwick Castle near Newcastle in the north -- an interesting conversation-starter about the many castles in Great Britain. And if England's not convenient for you to visit right now, you can always enjoy a jaw-dropping replica of Harry Potter's world at Universal Orlando Resort in Florida instead (complete with a train ride and London fare like "jacket" potatoes!). Advertisement 10.Anne of Green Gables (by Lucy Maud Montgomery). Orphan Anne hales from Nova Scotia but soon finds herself in Avonlea. Drenched in Prince Edward Island history and its spectacular scenery, this classic tale may inspire your whole family to explore more of Canada and seek adventure in your own backyard. 11.Oh, the Places You'll Go (by Dr. Seuss). Often used for valedictory speeches, the message here is fantastic for kids: anything and anywhere is possible. Read this often as your child grows and gift it to your high school graduate to remind him or her that the world is meant to be explored: "You'll be on your way up! You'll be seeing great sights! You'll join the high fliers who soar to high heights." Happy reading (and travelling)! The ruling Vision Vancouver council recently threw out Councillor George Affleck's motion for discussion about the the wisdom of suicide barriers on Burrard Bridge, thereby enhancing their hard-earned reputation for not listening. This, despite election eve promises to the contrary. What the heck. I started a petition a little while back to ask council to reconsider it's decision on the barriers. That petition garnered over 500 signatures and was featured in media at the time, but it has since grown to well over 2000 (and counting) CKNW's Bruce Allen spoke passionately about the issue, referring to my previous HuffPost blog about the bridge. Advertisement Remember the promise to end homelessness? Of course you do. I voted for Vision because I believed that a promise of that magnitude, that importance, was worth supporting, and my gosh, if you make a promise, you damn well better live up to it or there will be hell to pay. (By hell, I mean getting re-elected.) At the time, it was said that the mayor was staking his political career on the line with this promise. Well... not so much. Clearly, the promise to end homelessness is hollow if it is not backed up with sound policy. Lo and behold, homeless numbers in 2016 are higher than ever. Yes, the total opposite of ending homelessness is to actually increase the problem under your watch. Congratulations, Vision Vancouver, for that dubious achievement. I bring up this "ending homelessness" promise because the suicide barriers have the same hollow ring. "Lives over a view," as Councillor Reimer said. "Even one life is worth saving," as Councillor Jang said. Who could argue with that kind of altruism? Not me. Well, yes, me, actually. Consider the recent news that the city is putting a million dollars towards a mental health hub. Councillor Jang called it "a big health investment for the city." This hub will help about 5,000 people in need per year. How many people die by jumping from Burrard Bridge every year? The answer is .08 people, but the barriers will cost $3.5 million. Advertisement The B.C. auditor general said that more money needs to be spent on mental health. This is the very same Vancouver Coastal Health that lobbied the city to install the barriers and recently cut funding to an arts therapy program which was said to "save lives." She feels angry that vital funds are being directed not to the people who need it most, but a barrier which avoids the real issues. So while the VCH and advocacy groups lobby for barriers, they know that funding for other programs is in short supply. If Councillor Jang feels that even one life is worth saving, why not spend $3.5 million to help many, many more people? There is evidence that barriers do not even save lives, as people may be inclined to just go somewhere else. Funding should instead be focused on helping people at a much earlier stage. I am fortunate to have no personal experience with these issues, but I do know someone who has, and she wrote a very eloquent letter to council which so moved me that I asked her if I could share some of her thoughts here, which she agreed to -- although she prefers to remain anonymous. The writer is a successful public figure who has lived our mental health system first hand and has recovered fully. She described her experience: "If you're admitted to the psychiatric ward, you are shamed for life," she said. "It was the absolute worst experience of my life." She went on to explain that it was not health professionals who ultimately helped her, but friends, who gave her the support she needed. In other words, the system was sorely lacking. Advertisement For this reason, she feels angry that vital funds are being directed not to the people who need it most, but a barrier which avoids the real issues. She considers the fencing more than an impedance to a beautiful view for the thousands who use the bridge -- as she puts it, it is "a chronic reminder of our flawed relationship to mental health and how uneasy it makes us feel. Look away, build a fence, sleep better at night." "The true answer is to help people who need it and help them get better, not throw up a fence on our beautiful 84-year-old historic bridge, blocking the view and at the same time reminding us of how disconnected we are," she said. "If we all weren't depressed before the fences, we definitely will be afterward as it collectively robs us all of much of the joy and enjoyment of the beauty of Vancouver." For this woman who wrote so passionately to council, the fences are a vivid and emotive reminder of the pain she suffered under treatment. "You are treated like a prisoner here in our mental health facilities and this is very much represented through the jail-like appearance of your fences," she said. She feels that much work is needed to improve the system she has had first-hand experience with and she is sure that $3.5 million could be far better spent. "We all suffer more when you choose to ignore us naysayers using our voices to speak up against the fences. Know that what you're really doing is creating more walls in this city, both figuratively and literally, specifically for people who have not had the easiest ride for their emotional well being," she said. She ended her letter with a plea: "Please do not spend this money on bridge barriers thinking you are solving anything. When you see those fences on the bridge, be reminded that many people out there are hurting and they're not getting the help or support they need. I would never wish any person to feel a second of how I felt at my worst moments. I was lucky I made it through alive but as we know, not everyone is." Advertisement This woman's heartfelt and emotional letter received not a single response from any Vision councillor. That's what they call "listening." Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook MORE ON HUFFPOST: 2721 via Getty Images Prayer beads are used in many religions and cultures, either to help with prayer and meditation, or to simply keep the fingers occupied during times of stress. Islamic prayer beads are called subha, from a word which means to glorify God (Allah). Islamic teaching on gays must change. "It has to or it will die from its harshness or rigidity, ... The way it is presently understood, it rots the heart and decays the brain." ~ Imam Daayiee Abdullah In the aftermath of the Orlando gay bar shootings, mainstream Muslim organizations suddenly began to express solidarity with the LGBTQ community. Likewise, many LGBTQ Muslims across North America visibly asserted their voices. Such has been the impact of this jolting event that some conservative Muslims have begun to express concerns on defending "Abrahamic morality." Advertisement Change is often resisted by the self-styled guardians of tradition, who try to control the lives of their co-religionists by preying on their fears through threats of kufr and fisq (apostasy and disbelief). In reality, such leaders are unhealthily addressing their own deep-rooted insecurities by upholding a stringent morality derived from medieval legal manuals. In contrast, a vast majority of Muslims do not necessarily refer to those legal manuals to make their decisions on a whole array of issues including interest-based mortgages, pre-marital sexual contact, latest fashion trends, working in liquor stores and celebrating holidays like Halloween. Likewise, Muslim sexual minorities are not necessarily looking for a fatwa (legal opinion) on the permissibility of anal intercourse. Muslim sexual minorities, like their straight co-religionists, have various ideological bents. Some are fiercely monogamous, others are polyamorous; some have a liberal outlook, others are quite conservative. However diverse, many of them want the option to live their lives as upright citizens in the Muslim community without suppressing their deep-rooted desire for affection, intimacy and companionship. Muslim sexual minorities face the brunt of anti-Muslim bigotry but their problems are compounded by the deep-rooted heterosexism within conservative Muslim communities. This is especially so when the only respite highly educated leaders offer Muslim sexual minorities is the argument that draconian punishments are mitigated by high evidentiary requirements. Advertisement Since they are merely concerned about defending medieval legal manuals, lost on them is the fact that busybodies heavily encroach the private sphere and wreak oppression on fellow human beings in places like Egypt, the Emirates and Pakistan. Even if the private sphere is somehow protected, what comfort do such leaders offer vulnerable Muslim LGBTQ youth? That they are going to be given draconian punishments in the Hereafter? The oppression of such rhetoric is reflected in the correspondence I received from two young Muslim females. "Save for a few close friends, no one else is aware that I'm not straight, because I know the backlash and anger I would receive from Muslims and non Muslims alike, and the recent tragedy in Orlando has only strengthened my decision to keep this secret from my family and community. ... I've gone many days and nights wondering if Allah hates me for who I am." "The Orlando shooting really hit me hard and I was wondering how you cope with all the prejudice and hatred, or if you have any resources you could point me towards. To me, this seems like a double-edged sword of sorts and that I have to defend my existence to both sides." The Qur'an cautions about people whose hearts are sealed. Nonetheless, the following oft repeated claims are challenged below for Muslim sexual minorities, who must contend with such prejudice on a regular basis. Advertisement 1)The physical and metaphysical harms of the homosexual "lifestyle" It is not clear why conservative Muslim leaders repeatedly conflate same-sex unions that rest on affection, intimacy and companionship with the "harm" of a single sexual act. The metaphysical harm is based on the view of a god who burns people in eternity for sodomy. Many Muslims, however, derive their ethics from love that empowers them and not fear that seeks to suppress and diminish their existence. 2)Discrimination on the basis of religious freedom The Prophet taught to love for others what one loves for oneself, and this includes a life based on intimacy, affection and companionship. As such, those who attribute petty instructions to God by insisting on the right to deny hiring sexual minorities in Islamic institutions and mosques merely reflect bukhl (spiritual stinginess). 3)Comparison with an array of sexual behaviours What stops conservative Muslim leaders from equating same-sex relationships with non-procreative heterosexual relationships? The nauseating comparisons with incestuous Zoroastrian marriages to preach reluctant tolerance, silly analogies with pre-marital and extra-marital "pride," and "virtuous pedophile" identity, simply reflect an intimidating and insulting tactic. 4)Hate the sin, not the sinner framework Empty slogans of "compassion" are cheap. They are no substitute for volunteering with sexual minority community centres, learning from counselors and psychiatrists, graciously listening and not judging sexual minorities. Are conservative Muslim leaders willing to go beyond lip service by leaving their own domestic lives to carry on the burden of others? Lives are at stake. These are the lives of our own Muslim sexual minority youth and their parents. Conservative Muslim leaders should not try to superimpose their own struggles with personal sexuality onto the lives of others. Advertisement Thankfully, a recent Pew survey shows that 42 per cent of American Muslims support same-sex marriage and 45 per cent say homosexuality should be accepted. There are many Muslims who do not recognize the authority of self-styled community leaders who try to control the lives of their co-religionists by thumping medieval legal manuals. Such leaders should note that for many Muslims, the bedrock of Islam is love not fear. In support of this opinion piece: Imam Daayiee Abdullah, President and Chair, MECCA Institute Dr. Emran El-Badawi, University of Houston Dr. Adis Duderija, University of Melbourne Dr. Laury Silvers, University of Toronto Jamila Tharp, Coordinating Imam for Redwoods Unity Mosque Initiative Kelly Wentworth, Secretary, Muslims for Progressive Values Frank Parmir, Director, Muslims for Progressive Values, Columbus, Ohio Omar Sarwar, Columbia University Rameez Ahmed, Toronto Sohail Ahmed, U.K. Hadi Hussain, Pakistan Nakia Jackson, U.S. Mow Wehelie, U.K. Dino Suhonic, Netherlands Griffin Downing, San Francisco Gian Marco Visconti, Edmonton Omar Mahmoud, Egypt Shayma Johnson, Strathmore Tony Eljallad, Board member, Al-Gamea Tanda Chmilovska, Calgary Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook ALSO ON HUFFPOST: Nick Saul delivered convocation remarks at the Ryerson University Faculty of Community Services' Convocation on June 9, 2016 where he received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree for his work as a community organizer and food activist. This is a truncated version of his remarks. Good afternoon everyone. Given my neighbourhood organizing background, I'm particularly proud to be part of a convocation linked to the Faculty of Community Services, a faculty that's all about putting people first, shedding light on issues that too often get ignored, and working to create a more inclusive society. All of which is to say, you are my people. I believe that we share the conviction that each of us has a responsibility to one another, and that we're better for our connection. As alumni of this faculty, you've made a commitment to lifting up the common good, to building systems and networks and relationships that benefit not just the few, but the many. Advertisement I'm sorry to say that we are not in the majority. The cult of the individual reigns supreme at this particular political and social moment. It's an ethos that posits that getting ahead justifies any cost -- whether it's personal, familial, environmental or societal. Our society venerates the bottom line -- profit and power, the Kevin O'Learys and Donald Trumps. But that's what makes our collective work -- yours and mine and that of many, many others today -- so very important. It also makes our work in the community sector deeply political, because it is fundamentally about disrupting the status quo. A status quo that has kept far too many of our fellow citizens trapped on the sidelines. In a time marked by so much strife and discord triggered by race, class, religion and income, we desperately need more of you out in the world: people who will speak out for the rights of children, the differently abled, the poor, and the marginalized. My committed colleagues and I at Community Food Centres Canada do our speaking out through the lens of food. Food, of course, is the ultimate connector: we all eat, all cultures celebrate with it, and there's no better way to start a conversation among friends or strangers than over a meal. Advertisement But food also divides us - think of the 4 million Canadians who struggle to put food on their table; think of those with means enjoying fresh organic produce while the poor get fat, sugar and salt-laden foods, with all their attendant health problems; think of the many exploited migrant labourers who grow our food or, internationally, consider the small-scale farmers who are losing their livelihoods due to land grabs by massive multinational corporations. This food divide was in clear sight when I began working in a small food bank in Toronto's west-end in the late 1990s. The fridges and cupboards of the people coming to our door were empty. And what we had on offer -- donations from neighbours emptying their cupboards and corporate castoffs -- was pretty awful. But the problem really crystallized for me during an encounter I had one day with a long-time volunteer. A few times a week this well-meaning gentleman would arrive at the food bank loaded with donated hampers full of over-ripe tomatoes and mushy bananas he'd picked up from grocers in his upscale neighbourhood. I watched this ritual play out for several months before I finally worked up the courage to tell him that the food was of such poor quality we were no longer going to give it out. Needless to say he wasn't happy to hear this news. He felt people should be grateful to receive anything -- no matter the quality. Beggars, in his view, can't be choosers. But we held firm. We felt strongly that it was tough enough for people to come to our door and admit they needed help. To then be handed wilted lettuce, droopy carrots, freezer-burned chicken nuggets, was simply wrong. It wasn't an easy conversation. Our volunteer was upset, a bit indignant. I'll never forget him jamming a box of food into my arms, saying to me he guessed he wasn't needed any more and driving off. Advertisement But this exchange was a defining moment for me and the organization as a whole. The decision to say "no more" was fuelled by the strong belief that everyone not only has the right to healthy food, we all have the right to be treated with dignity. It's a belief that emerged out of a seemingly simple act: listening. We said "no more," because our community told us that they didn't want to eat unhealthy or rotting food. They didn't want to leave our food bank feeling smaller, humiliated by their experience. And this listening set us on an incredible new journey -- a journey we're still on as we work with organizations in cities and neighbourhoods across the country to build vibrant community-based centres that put health and dignity in the foreground and use the power of food to nurture skills, connection, self-worth and social change. I believe listening must always be at the heart of our work -- mine and yours. And I don't mean listening to businessmen, lawyers and politicians -- they already get plenty of air time -- but to the people, like many of those who come to our Community Food Centres in Toronto and Winnipeg and Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, who are isolated in mould-infested basement apartments, who are working three jobs to stay even, who are missing meals so their kids can eat. It's these voices we need to lift up, to support so that the issues that matter to them are on our collective table. And yet, this surfacing of voices and supporting them -- complicated as it sometimes can be -- is only part of our job. There's a tendency in the community sector to be satisfied with service delivery -- meals on tables, mats on floors, workshops delivered, referrals given. And it's true, the need is great and apparently never ending. But we can't allow ourselves to be contented with service. We can't allow ourselves to think that it's the end of our work with our communities. Because front-line programming is only the beginning. Advertisement My job -- our job -- is also to fight for the space to connect the experiences of marginalized people with the public realm. We all need to put at least part of our energy into forging systemic change -- change that gets at the root of the problems we see and experience in our work. Of course, none of this is easy. Personal change is hard -- just ask anyone who's tried to quit smoking or get fit. Systemic political change is even harder. It's messy, nonlinear. There are bumps in the road, frustrating plateaus and obstacles. This is contested ground. We are fighting, as I said earlier, against a status quo that has a vested interest in keeping things the way they are. You're going to get discouraged. You're going to find it hard to face the challenge. You've probably heard that burnout is a common story in the community sector. And I've seen lots of it. Good people get involved because they care, because they care deeply, and then because they care so deeply, they put everything they have into it. They may even stake their sense of their own goodness, righteousness, their success as a person on the fact that they have helped others. So when they are faced with the inevitable setbacks, the baby steps toward change, the retreats and backslides, they start to take it personally. They get demoralized and forget that this is about the long game. They forget that at its very heart this kind of change is about more than a single person, a bad day or week. That the alternative to this struggle is sitting on the sidelines, being passive, a bystander while our fellow citizens suffer, and I am here to tell you that that's no option at all. Change rarely happens as fast as you want it to, but change is possible. Don't forget that the minimum wage, the right to vote, and public health care weren't simply handed to us as gifts of citizenship. Quite the contrary, these important wins for greater equity and justice were victories fought for and won by people just like you and me who found the courage to say enough is enough -- "no more" -- and became part of a mobilizing effort aimed at forging a better way. Advertisement So know that you're not alone. You are on the right side of history when you fight for the rights of the disenfranchised. Find the thing that lights a fire in you. Be dogged in bringing attention to it, find others who share your passion. Listen to those most affected, and together make noise. Make lots of noise and celebrate even the smallest victories. And through this, you'll find a recipe for creating a world in which we all have a seat at the table. Lisa5201 via Getty Images Being a new mom is hard I've often wondered if I had something more than postpartum depression and anxiety. I had extreme mood disturbances following the birth of my first daughter. First, I was severely depressed. I was crying all the time and I thought life was over. I'd pick fights with my husband daily and I was convinced he didn't love me anymore. Then the mood would pass and I'd feel so high and wonderful and on top of the world and I'd have all these amazing ideas that I had to constantly write down. It's like my brain couldn't stop. I had so many thoughts coming in all at once and I would speak quickly and make all these impulsive decisions. I quit my job, wrote a book and a one-woman musical in one month's time. I wore revealing clothing and wore lots of make-up and dyed my hair bleach blond. I rented out a theatre in Toronto and invited all my friends to come watch my performance. I created a new, better version of me. Advertisement Or so I thought. I reached the pinnacle of my elation and then sunk into a deep depression which lasted for months. Then, one day, I perked up again suddenly and dropped thousands of dollars on courses to turn me into this and that. The extreme ups and downs cleared up after my hormones went back to normal but not before emptying my bank account and leaving me looking at pictures of myself during those manic episodes wondering what the hell had happened. I'm still trying to get my book off amazon. The second time around after the birth of my second daughter, I didn't fool around. As soon as I felt the same thing happening, I sought help right away and went on medication. For postpartum depression. But was postpartum bipolar disorder I was experiencing? Does it make a difference? All I did was answer questions on the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale with my doctor that doesn't include any questions about bipolar symptoms. Advertisement "Mood is on a spectrum ranging from severely depressed at one pole, and floridly manic at the other pole, with average/normal mood in the middle," explains Dr. Marla Wald, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University in North Carolina. "People who have 'unipolar' depression oscillate between an average/normal mood and just the depressive pole. People who have 'bipolar' illness have moods that oscillate between the two poles, i.e. sometimes depressed, sometimes manic. 'Bipolar depression' refers to the depressed phase that someone will experience even though at other times they experience mania." According to the Diagnostic Statistical Manual on Mental Health Disorders, symptoms of mania can include: Inflated self-esteem or grandiosity Decreased need for sleep (e.g., one feels rested after only 3 hours of sleep) More talkative than usual or pressure to keep talking Flight of ideas or subjective experience that thoughts are racing Attention is easily drawn to unimportant or irrelevant items Increase in goal-directed activity (either socially, at work or school, or sexually) or psychomotor agitation Excessive involvement in pleasurable activities that have a high potential for painful consequences (e.g., engaging in unrestrained buying sprees, sexual indiscretions, or foolish business investments) Check, check, check... Dr. Wald co-authored a 2016 study on Bipolar Depression in the Pregnancy, Postpartum and Lactation period and I contacted her to learn more about this often overlooked condition. "The goal was to review and summarize the data and to make the broader point that treatment must be individualized and tailored to each woman's needs," says Dr. Wald. "There is a growing recognition among primary care providers of Postpartum Depression- which is a very good thing- but there is insufficient awareness that it may be either unipolar or bipolar depression. If bipolar depression is misidentified and treated as unipolar depression, the patient's situation and symptoms will worsen." Advertisement A study revealed that 23% of women with bipolar disorder had a mood episode during pregnancy and 52% of women with bipolar disorder in the study had an episode during the postpartum period. But you don't have to have bipolar disorder prior to pregnancy to have a bipolar episode postpartum. Studies also show that women with bad PMS and premenstrual dysphoric disorder are a higher risk for a bipolar event during pregnancy and postpartum. I've never been diagnosed with bipolar disorder but I did have anxiety and depression growing up. And who knows? Maybe I am bipolar too and should have been flagged. Maybe if there were more psychiatrists around to help us make a diagnosis, I would have known sooner and taken preventative steps and not have my postpartum episodes be such a surprise to me and my doctor. Dr. Wald is surprised bipolar illness isn't considered just as much as postpartum depression. "Most clinicians who talk about postpartum depression are only thinking about unipolar depression," says Dr. Marla Wald. "While that is an important issue to understand and be prepared for, bipolar depression must be identified quickly to be treated accurately." It's important to identify the difference between postpartum depression and postpartum bipolar disorder because the medication used to treat each one can be different. In fact, sometimes the wrong treatment can actually increase symptoms of mania. Advertisement There are also many wellness practices like yoga, nutrition and meditation that can help but that requires access to a practitioner, money and time. To help with that, I'm creating an affordable online wellness program with yoga routines, meditation downloads and nutritious tips to help moms with any variety of postpartum depression get better. "Bipolar illness is not necessarily a contraindication to pregnancy and motherhood," says Dr. Wald. "Informed decision making can empower women and families to have control over their futures." I wasn't always the clean-cut, straight-edged writer you know and love. At 21 years old, I was a summer student at the University of Montreal. The end-of-semester French exam was looming, and I was on the bubble, grades wise. I desperately needed to do well, so I hunkered down and studied my ass off. I'm kidding, of course; some classmates and I decided to steal the exam. Via an elaborate Ocean's Eleven-style heist, naturally. So one afternoon during lunch break, we made our way down to the teachers' floor. One of us kept the elevator doors open. Another was on hallway lookout. My job was to distract the woman at the service desk with small talk. (Not so easy in French, mes amis.) And being the least likely to draw attention to himself, my 6'9" pal Kyle ventured into the assignment room and nabbed the exam paper. The coast clear, we bee-lined to the library, photocopied the papers, then darted back to the teachers' floor, each of us assuming our previously-assigned posts. The exam was returned, the duplicates were ours, the heist a success. Our wish had come true. Advertisement One glitch: we stole the wrong thing and tanked the test. Big time. Looking back, it's clear the universe was teaching us a lesson about ethics and the value of honesty and hard work. I get it now: if we'd honestly worked harder at scoping out the assignment room, we'd have nabbed the right exam. Message received, universe; thanks for making me a better person. I'd like to say my truant ways were limited to this ill-fated caper. Sadly, this was not the case. What I neglected to mention was why getting a decent grade was so vitally important: I was attending the course under my pal Cory's name, and he'd kick my ass if I failed it. This scholastic bait and switch wasn't the most well-thought-out moment of our friendship. But hey, it was 1993: people were full-metal idiots in those days. Advertisement You see, a few weeks earlier, Cory was set to fly to Quebec to take said French class. But he nabbed a high-paying summer job at the last minute and didn't want to pass on the serious coin involved. So he sent me in his stead. Cory needed the credit to finish off his university degree, and I dug the idea of spending six inebriated weeks in Montreal with free room and board. It was win-win. (*) (*) Local ordinances state it's illegal to be sober in Montreal between the months of June and August. Of course, there was no chance we'd ever get away with such a devious plan. The Canadian post-secondary educational system had strict measures in place to prevent this sort of roguish behaviour. Checks and balances. Photo identification. A series of no-nonsense deans, each more by-the-books than the last. Yet got away with it, we did. The first day of class, I simply said "Bonjour, je m'appel Cory" to my instructor and that was kind of that. I was him. Most impressively, nothing bad whatsoever happened as a result of this scheme. I got Cory his French credit (a C-minus, but screw you, French is hard) and he made a zillion dollars at his job in BC. Then he graduated university and is now extremely successful. Well, I'm assuming. We haven't really spoken since that summer. Crap, I wonder if he's been hiding out all these years, waiting for me to tell him the coast is clear? Advertisement Holly Anissa Photography via Getty Images Smiling woman with cancer wearing scarf. Eleven years ago I was a 39-year-old single mom of two young boys -- five and 10 years old at the time -- living as normal and busy a life as can be expected. I'd learned to live with the skin rash I'd had since the age of 13. Aside from the occasional flare-up, the condition (thought to be eczema or psoriasis) was manageable. It was in my late thirties that the rash began to severely worsen and my family doctor became concerned. One year, two specialists and a biopsy later, my life was forever changed in one diagnosis: cancer. After 25 years, I had finally learned that the rash on my body was the precursor to a rare form of cancer called for Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma (CTCL) that would need to be treated with full-body radiation. Advertisement My treatment plan was as unique as my diagnosis. Although the treatment I required is available in Canada, the cancer centre that administers it was undergoing renovations at the time. So, I was flown out to New Haven, Connecticut to undergo nine weeks of rigorous full-body radiation treatment. I was separated from my boys, treated with harsh chemicals and experienced even harsher side effects. Being away from my boys almost broke my heart. The three of us had always been together, and I could tell it was tough on them. Family and friends rallied to the cause to ensure that I had a caregiver with me throughout the course of my treatment, someone looking after the boys in Calgary, and that they were able to come out to New Haven to visit me while I was undergoing my treatment. What I didn't realize is that once you have cancer, there is no "old self." I was and am forever changed. When I returned to Calgary following my treatment, the tough road to recovery began. I was 25 pounds heavier, bald, with no eyelashes or eyebrows, burnt and exhausted. But I was home, I was with my boys. I was informed of what the side-effects of this type of treatment might entail, and it was expected that I would recover within one year of completion. Advertisement I thought the next year would fly by as I returned to my old self. What I didn't realize is that once you have cancer, there is no "old self." I was and am forever changed. I didn't physically recover in one year, nor in two. It was eight long, exhausting years of slow improvements. I raised my boys with chronic fatigue and chronic pain, while constantly wondering when or if my hair would ever grow back. My oncologist attributed my side-effects to the development of a secondary condition post-treatment that slows down the radiation recovery process. Eight years stretched to 10 as I watched my hair slowly grow back and my energy return. Ten years of raising two boys into young men, running and growing my own business, maintaining old relationships and creating new ones, dealing with a new diagnosis of fibromyalgia and trying to get back to my "old self." Ten years of a lot of struggle and a lot of growth. When a friend and fellow cancer survivor suggested I join her in the inaugural OneWalk to Conquer Cancer benefiting the Alberta Cancer Foundation, I didn't hesitate to register. My commitment to participate in OneWalk started with a desire to raise money, to get in shape and to support my friend -- but as I started my training and fundraising efforts for the event, I soon realized the walk was about much more than that. OneWalk became a way into a community of survivors and supporters that offer more for me than I could have ever imagined. On June 25, I will join hundreds of fellow cancer survivors and their loved ones in a 25-kilometre walk through the streets and communities of Calgary to raise vital funds for the Alberta Cancer Foundation. June also marks 11 years since my treatment. I am delighted to be able to celebrate this feat with fellow Albertans who have been impacted by cancer, while honouring those who are still fighting or who have lost their battle. Training for OneWalk has been one of my first chances to be a part of the cancer community in Calgary, until joining this community I didn't realize how much I'd needed it. I am no longer in the process of getting back to my "old self" because she no longer exists. Through my participation in OneWalk, I've realized that I am no longer in recovery. I am no longer in the process of getting back to my "old self" because she no longer exists. I realize that for me this is as good as it gets. Advertisement I have arrived. My current energy levels and my current amount of hair and my current weight are what I am left with. I am filled with gratitude for all that I do have. I am grateful for all of the beautiful things I gained from the struggle with cancer. I have friends I would likely never have met. I make my health a priority. I am more empathetic, tolerant and understanding of the struggles of those around me, whether due to cancer or any of the multitude of challenges that life throws our way. I have taught my sons valuable lessons in perseverance. I am optimistic; I am resilient. Registering for OneWalk has made me realize what all cancer survivors understand: there is no "old self" to go back to, there is only moving forward. The outpouring of support from friends and family since registering for OneWalk has been quite overwhelming. I met my $1,500 fundraising minimum in just 24 hours, and raised over $2,100 in four days. When a participant registers for OneWalk, we can select which cancer fund our dollars raised will support. It means so much to me to be able to allocate 100 per cent of my fundraising to hematological/blood cancers including lymphoma, leukemia and multiple myeloma. The money is made immediately available to the Alberta Cancer Foundation to support breakthrough cancer research, clinical trials, enhanced care and the discovery of new cancer therapies at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre, Cross Cancer Institute and 15 other centres across Alberta. When I walk on June 25, the new me will be walking accompanied by the shadow of my old self. OneWalk helped me to discover who I am today, and that is just one more thing to be grateful for. You can view my OneWalk page here to learn more or donate, or visit onewalk.ca. Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook MORE ON HUFFPOST: guillermo casas baruque via Getty Images Way of the basque coast. Camio de santiago,north route, guipuzkoa, Camino Frances, also known as The Way of Saint James, is a 775 km pilgrimage across northern Spain. Recently, I packed 2 small bags, boxed up my bike and hopped a plane to Paris. Lugging a massive bike box through Paris, I then took a train to Bayonne in southern France, assembled my bike and rode 3 hours to a town in the Pyrenees mountains called Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port where my journey on the Camino began. Advertisement I set out with few expectations, only knowing I wanted to grow and know myself better. In the end, I experienced the biggest transformation of my life. Here's what I learned: 1. Invest in your soul At school, we invest in education. At the gym, we invest in our bodies. We make financial investments in land, housing, stocks, etc. When do we invest in the thing we carry with us always -- our soul? If you're religious, you might go to church or mosque... but what about experiences? What about discovering what nature, God, and the universe have given us, straight from the source? We're born with the desire to discover. Watch how children explore the world with wonder. Don't let that child in you die. Grow and feed it. Advertisement Travel, love, hike and bike as much as you can. Adventure on! Gratitude truly is the key to happiness I started having knee pains and feeling demotivated one evening. Continuing to bike, I noticed someone far off. Getting closer, I saw it was a woman with a white cane. She was alone, so I got off my bike to walk with her. I learned she was partially blind and ended up walking with her to the next town. I realized this strong woman is an example for everyone. She not only motivated me and made me grateful for my sight, she showed me that we have everything already. We have it all. I learned it's about perspective; seeing things through a filter of gratitude. From there, you will always be happy. Advertisement The Camino, like life, is about gratitude for hot showers, dry clothes, good feet, strong knees and a healthy body. It's about being grateful for every breath. We are never lost; we are just not familiar yet At one point, I decided to let go of my phone and all technology. I wanted to free myself. I believed I'd find my way by the signs and location of the sun. And I got lost. I went south instead of west, 30kms in the wrong direction. Discovering how lost I was, I panicked. But then I realized it was just another Camino; another way. Life doesn't come with a map. We're always somewhat lost. But it's only ever a matter of time till we become familiar with our surroundings. I started to feel comfortable with being "lost." I also stopped seeing the Camino as a race. Which brings me to... Advertisement Life, like the Camino, is not a race. A few days in, I realized I'd brought work along. I was assessing each day by kilometers covered and goals reached. I was doing it all wrong. The Camino, as in life, should be taken at my own pace. I learned not to compare myself to others - how much time they take, or how fast they go. It's all within my control. I choose the speed and time... when to wake up... where to stop for coffee, Spanish omelette or to drink wine... who to talk to, walk with or ride with. I choose it all. I am the captain of my life. It's not a race with others. It's a journey with myself. It is ok to feel, have emotions and express them Exhausted, I went to park my bike. It moved suddenly and hit a wall... so did my head. Some locals came to help. Insisting I go to the church, one took my hand and guided me. Entering, I felt a great energy. I sat down and prayed. Advertisement It had been years since I'd truly expressed emotion. In that moment, I felt the weight of everything I'd suppressed. An emotional waterfall, a strong internal yet external feeling, hit me. I couldn't control my emotions anymore. I was overwhelmed. I didn't care who saw. I was so true to myself in that moment. I felt so human; so real. I decided to never abandon that beautiful feeling for anything. We truly own our emotions, feelings, and bodies. Let your feelings speak. Don't suppress them. They are the route to true happiness. Laugh, cry and love as much as you can. Never hold back. Succeed in your own eyes -- that's what matters If I succeed at work, school, or in society it means I'm able to conform to the system around me. That's only relative success. Advertisement True success is being your best in your own eyes. For me, that means helping others, growing myself and my soul, and giving back. Everything else is just seasonal success defined by time, place and company. It truly is the journey, not the destination Through this beautiful mental, spiritual and physical experience I learned many things. Most importantly, that the Camino is not about the Cathedral or certificate at the end. It's about a Spanish guy pushing your bike 2kms uphill at a 1500 Ms altitude because you're in pain; competing with a Swiss mountain biker and laughing about it; a German girl sharing her water when none is around; laughing with strangers, so hard you forget why. It's about the emotion, the overwhelming feelings, the pain and embarrassment. It's playing cards with Germans. It's talking politics with Americans, food with Italians, wine with Spaniards and French, beer with Belgians, life and bad decisions with your bike... and it's about silence. Advertisement It's the people, not the place. The journey, not the destination. We know where we're going, so enjoy the journey, enjoy life, make yourself happy... everything else can wait. Britain faces a historic vote on Thursday: an exercise of democracy that will shape the country's future. The question of whether the EU itself has enough democratic legitimacy has been a core component of the arguments of those wishing to see the UK leave, while for the most part put to one side by those campaigning to remain. For all the fire and fury of the referendum campaign, the UK is far from the only EU member state wrestling with these important questions. Across Europe the long-term impacts of the 2008 economic crisis, the migrant crisis, national scandals and the rising pressures of globalisation have helped to drive public distrust in traditional sources of influence and authority, an emotional disconnect between the governed and the governing. As a supranational body working across 28 member states with often divergent interests and public attitudes on a huge range of issues, the EU feels this strain more than perhaps any other institution. While the view of experts seems not to count for much in the current debate, nevertheless a recent Foreign Policy Centre publication, Europe and the people: Examining the EU's democratic legitimacy, brought together a mix of academics with a range of different views to try and shed some light on these thorny and fraught issues. The central findings are clear: public trust in the EU is in decline, but so too is trust in national governments. EU institutions do have longstanding democratic mechanisms: direct elections for the European Parliament and representatives of national governments who set the political direction of Europe through the Council and European Council while appointing the Commission to deliver on the objectives it sets. However it is clear that in themselves these mechanisms do not provide the level of connection to the public that is needed, and that further attempts to artificially create a European 'demos' by grafting additional democratic mechanisms onto EU institutions fails to meet the public mood in many states demanding greater national involvement. Advertisement An example of this 'do more' tendency is the emerging common Spitzenkandidaten process for leadership of the Commission, which led to the election of Jean-Claude Juncker as Commission President. The process led to a transfer in power and influence over candidate selection away from member states to the European political groups at a time when the public mood is pushing in the opposite direction. While a handful of states paid attention during the 2014 European Parliament elections that were used to decide which party 'won' the Commission Presidency, particularly those with candidates in the race, most did not, with the major UK parties not participating at all. For too long, and particularly in the UK, the European Parliament elections have been used to debate national issues rather than what the institution actually does. There is a need to look again at the voting system used to elect members of the European Parliament, potentially recreating local constituencies to help people know who represents them in Brussels while maintaining the required proportionality through a national top-up list. The UK Parliament can do more within its existing powers to scrutinise what goes on in Brussels and bring MEPs and MPs together to collaborate. However the EU needs to do more to involve national parliaments at an early stage in the development of EU legislation, potentially giving them the power to suggest new laws, further strengthening the emerging yellow, orange and red card warning and blocking mechanisms for unwanted laws and enhancing the role of national parliaments in final EU decision-making. This could be supported by new mechanisms at an EU level to monitor and protect the principle of subsidiarity (that decisions are taken as closely as possible to the citizen). Advertisement Similarly more could be done to limit the role of the European Court of Justice in reinterpreting EU legislation in relation to the core treaties rather than the meaning of directives and regulations intended by politicians. This could be done at a UK level by creating mechanisms that potentially disapply or limit the application of certain laws and judgments, following input from national parliaments or the public, with similarities to the role of the influential German Constitutional Court. The importance of strengthening the power of nation state parliaments and institutions within the EU system is not primarily because national institutions are more trusted than European ones; indeed in most member states the data suggests the opposite is true with national politicians performing even more poorly. However citizens rightly feel they have a greater ability to directly influence decision-makers and decisions within their own borders, and this proposed change would go some way to responding to the desire for more control over decision-making. There is a need further reform of the EU's consultation processes and stakeholder engagement. These could include reconstructing the currently opaque European Economic & Social Committee to be elected by its civil society and other members, or providing clearer, issue-based information about the policy issues at the heart of EU consultations that could be more easily disseminated by online campaigns. Universities should be leading debates on political policy, values, social conditions and international collaborations. We should take pride in stimulating active and, at times, radically opposing views that need to be aired and considered. How things have changed. When I was an undergraduate nearly 50 years ago, almost all academics and students were engaged in the issues of the day. Today, this bizarre concept of 'safe places' and suppressing debate because somebody might be offended is in danger of creating a vacuous space of non-discussion. Clearly, one of the key debates that will affect the next generation is the future of Europe and the UK's relationship with the EU. The 23rd June EU Referendum is of exceptional importance. Regent's University London has published four annual reports on aspects of the relationship between the UK, EU, and the USA. These have all demonstrated the strength of the UK's position in the EU, including trade, energy, education, research, security and defence. Advertisement However, rational argument based on fact, rarely resolves political disagreement. The outcome of the June Referendum will likely be the result of who can shout the loudest and who can drum up the most fear - tactics being used by both sides - and who can play on the nationalism of an older British population who are most likely to turn out and vote. For 'Remain' it might have been better to concentrate on all that we have gained from EU membership - 60 years of peace, economic growth of 104% since we joined, a strong seat at the high table in global decision making, first class trade deals and so much more. For those of us who believe in evidence based decision-making this has been a very disappointing month. The recent debate between Herman van Rompuy, President Emeritus of the European Council, and Chris Grayling, Leader of the House of Commons, at the annual Regent's University London 'Jean Monnet Lecture' offered some radically opposing views on what has been achieved through UK membership of Europe. Grayling's perspective was that the UK will become increasingly subject to the views of a single block of the Eurozone countries. Van Rompuy countered that the UK (currently) has considerable influence in EU decision-making and there is not a single hostile block, but rather 27 other countries alongside the UK which each have their own priorities. Advertisement The IMF has stated clearly that "a so-called 'Brexit' would disrupt established trading relationships and cause 'major challenges' for both the UK and the rest of Europe. The referendum has already created uncertainty for investors and a vote to exit would only heighten this." The French minister of economics has been completely clear that there would be no place for Britain "in trade talks if the Referendum resulted in Brexit," and that the country would be "killed in trade discussions. The UK is strong because it is part of the UK." The message from across the Atlantic has been similarly clear. The US trade representative, Michael Froman, has consistently stated that America does not welcome trade agreements with individual countries and prefers to reach agreement with large blocks, like the EU. This was also the key message presented by President Obama in his latest visit to the UK. The treasury has modeled a number of post-Brexit options and concluded that under the Norway model, the one preferred by most Brexit supporters, there would be a decline in the UK GDP of 6%, which is equivalent to 4,300 per family. Oxford Economics suggest a 3.9% decline, PWC 3.5%, and the National Institute for Economic and Social research warns of a decline of 2.25%. Some 76% of economists say that the economy will get worse in the medium term and only 9% predict that there will be an improvement, although the latter offer no models to support their position. The answer from the Brexit camp is that everybody else is mistaken and that the UK will have a very strong negotiating hand. They also claim that the current contribution to the EU could be freed up to support essential services. This is simply not true. 44% of UK exports go to the EU countries, while only 16% of EU exports come into the UK. Advertisement It is perfectly possible that other EU countries would welcome a reduction in the UK's competitive economy if there were a vote for Brexit. Those non-EU countries that have negotiated access to the free market have had to pay nearly the same per capita to the EU as the UK currently does, and also allow free movement of labour. The difference is that they have no seat at the policy-making table to influence the future. The Brexit camp have perpetuated lies - that the UK sends 350 million a week to Brussels (the net figure is less than half, closer to 160 million), that Turkey is about to join the EU causing 'migrant' problems, that there will be a European army that we will be forced to join, that all pressures on resources are attributable to migrants, that we will be able to close our borders - and so many more. Despite the claims of the 'leave movement,' Brexit will not help the lower paid. It will destroy their lives, employment prospects and prosperity. Why is all of this important to universities? British universities must be at the heart of their communities and at the forefront of the research that carries humanity forward and develops economies. It is for this reason that entrepreneurs and philanthropists have invested so much in the UK and supported British universities. On 17th June Bill Gates stated clearly that he had invested $1 billion in the UK to support its excellent universities and their access to the single European market. It is almost certain that UK institutions would lose access to European research funding, of which this country is the largest recipient. EU students will potentially require Tier 4 visas to study in the UK and could lose their access to student loans, making the UK a less attractive study destination. British students and academics will find it more difficult to gain access to Erasmus funding to study and gain experience elsewhere. I don't have much sympathy for the European Union in its current form. The EU has a congenitally undemocratic DNA that is designed for big business and littered with secretive lobbying networks built to resist genuine public scrutiny. It has an executive so powerful it could crush the democratically elected left-wing government of Greece, failing to behave humanely toward that long-suffering European country. The EU's economic failure is fuelling racism and ultra-right movements all across the continent, transforming the EU referendum debate from a genuine national conversation into a desolate political wasteland. Europe is now caught in a vicious cycle, fluctuating between the false opposites of capitulation to neoliberal globalization and temptation to anti-immigrant populism. Hostility towards the governing establishment is widely shared in nations on both sides of the Atlantic. If this trend persists, some of the world's greatest democracies could eventually fall into Trumpism in full pomp. Advertisement To those of us who want societies run in the interests of the majority rather than unaccountable corporate interests, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) epitomizes prevailing global capitalism, and its negative social impact is clear enough. Such continental trade deals represent a brutal assault on democracy and the economic security of average citizens. Mechanisms such as the Investor-State Dispute Settlements (ISDS) enshrine the legal rights of companies to sue governments in private courts if any legislation potentially infringes on a company's right to profit, paving the way for unelected transnational corporations to dictate the policies of democratically elected governments. Similar clauses in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) have already started to show their effects across Canada, the US and Mexico. How would Brexit fare in this context? The left in the UK has mistrusted the European project since its inception and it's easy to see why. Supporting Brexit is a natural tendency when one can imagine the potential treasure chest of a strong nation state rejecting the Brussels bureaucrats' austerity-driven politics. This belief, however, is the most wrongheaded one of all when you consider the political realities at stake in a post referendum world. Public concern has grown globally as international migration has risen. Europe's far right is already feeding off the despair fuelled by extreme trade agreements and a backlash against refugees fleeing decades of violence in the Middle East. Breaking the shackles of Brussels will not likely produce a democratic emancipation from mainland Europe; but it could let loose the chauvinistic demons that have been somewhat tamed by the integration project. This is clear when we look at the rise of radical anti-European parties in Austria, France, Germany and many other parts of Europe. Brexit would most likely mean a hard swing to the right in British politics as well, and a galvanizing of UKIP-bolstered xenophobia. Advertisement Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson are being deliberately dishonest and divisive, playing a cynical political game as they treat potential economic chaos for the discontented working class as a low-risk political ladder. When Michael Gove says he's on the side of the common people, he means that he's willing to ride a wave of populism with potent political passion -- as long as it suits him. Facts are especially important when the cohesion of the society is at stake. Immigration is a legitimate concern of the voters, given the failure of successive governments to build public confidence by applying sensible polices. However, although The Leave Campaign's case on immigration may successfully exploit voters' insecurities and fears, their argument is fundamentally flawed. Migrant labour is routinely needed in this country by the NHS, supermarkets, public transport and it's a critical part of the service economy. The truth is that for centuries Britain has benefited from the dynamism and hard work of immigrants, and it needs international talent and ideas in this fast-changing world. I remain convinced that our only hope is to mobilize transnationally. The movement to defeat TTIP has received the support of well over 3 million Europeans in a little over a year. In Berlin, 250,000 people took to the streets rejecting the "free trade" agenda. Linking up campaigners across Europe together has seriously stalled the process, perhaps fatally. In Spain movements such as Podemos resist austerity and privatization policies imposed throughout Europe. In the US, though Bernie Sanders is unlikely to become the Democratic nominee, his progressive movement is forcing even pro-trade Hillary Clinton to re-examine TTIP. This kind of politics aims to unite with people across the continent to build a cohesive, democratic Europe that is run in the interests of the majority. Fragmentation is not the right instrument to confront the immigration crisis, global warming, corporate greed or other truly pressing issues. Advertisement I never met Jo Cox. But after reading about her amazing life in the hours after her awful murder, I wish I had. I spent Friday evening at a vigil in Parliament Square, with hundreds of others, reflecting and celebrating her life and renewing her message of hope and love. Even though she has been taken from us, her message must live on. Advertisement Her killing has impacted me far more than I expected it to. First, because a mother of two children, aged five and three, has been gunned down. I don't have my own children yet, but I have two nephews, of exactly the same age. Indeed, I spent my birthday two days before Mrs Cox's assassination with my almost three year-old nephew, and I spent the day after her murder looking after him then too. I spent yesterday celebrating his third birthday. I cannot imagine how Brendan Cox told his children the news. Secondly, Jo Cox spent almost all her adult life devoted to the same two causes to which I have devoted mine: humanitarian aid and human rights, and politics. And she was the same age as me. Indeed, we were only eight days apart. In the first 24 hours after her tragic death, I learned that she worked for one of my political heroes, Glenys Kinnock, that one of the many causes she championed was Burma, a cause I have dedicated most of the past two decades to, and that she served on the board of Burma Campaign UK. Yes, you read me right: Glenys Kinnock is one of my political heroes. I am a Christian and I am a Conservative. And I will always be. Glenys, as she told me a year or so ago when we had tea in the House of Lords, is a "raving atheist", as well as lifelong Labour. But her commitment to the struggle for freedom in Burma, a cause that is uppermost in my heart, has been second to none. And I twice visited Alexander Aan, an atheist jailed in Indonesia for his beliefs, while he was in prison, and campaigned for his release, because freedom of religion or belief, whether you are religious or not, is a basic right for everyone. I told Glenys that, and she smiled and said on that basis we could totally unite. I believe - I certainly hope - Glenys and I have a bond that transcends party politics and religion, and it centres around two fundamental values: humanity and human freedom. And had I ever had the privilege of meeting Jo Cox, from everything I have read, that would have brought a bond between us too. Advertisement I work for a human rights charity, Christian Solidarity Worldwide. While I never met Jo Cox, many of my colleagues - especially those who work on Syria - did. And they loved her. Andrew Mitchell, whom I took to the Thai-Burmese border in 2007, has said all that needs to be said about her: his media tributes have been powerful. Jo Cox transcended everything: party politics, religion, partisanship of any kind - because she was a true humanitarian. And that's what matters most. Her lack of tribalism clearly shone through, and that is very appealing. The longer I work for human rights, the more I cherish working with people of other political persuasions and other religious beliefs for basic freedoms for everyone - and the more turned off narrow tribalism and partisanship I become. I stood for Parliament in 2005, in the City of Durham, as a Conservative, and I am on the party's Candidates List with hopes to stand again. Whilst I come from a different political party, Jo Cox inspires me. At the vigil on Friday were the words "We'll carry Jo's banner of love". We will, and I will do my part, and that banner of love will triumph over hate. We must all heed the extraordinarily courageous and inspiring words her husband Brendan wrote hours after her death, a challenge and an opportunity for us all. We must also listen to her sister Kim's remarkable statement, and take heart that so many people have spoken out in the hours and days after her murder. It would be wrong to make too many political associations with her killing, beyond the fact that her killer was clearly influenced by the hateful ideology of the far right, which is as poisonous and dangerous as radical Islamism or any other form of extremism and hatred. But I hope that in these next three days, the tone of the EU referendum campaign will change, and the tone of politics with it. It was right that campaigning in the referendum was suspended, and it is right that my party has decided not to context the by-election in Batley and Spen. And I agree with Ed Miliband that there's too much hatred and not enough respect. That said, democracy must continue, and from everything I have learned about Jo Cox she would want it to. In this referendum, there are valid opinions on both sides. There are people on both sides whom I respect. It is an issue that divides political parties, colleagues, friends, families and indeed even individuals. Many feel split in themselves. I did for a time, though in the end I have voted Remain. There are legitimate critiques of the EU institutions and Vote Leave have a powerful case. But the Remain campaign must be heard, the dangers of leaving must be considered, and the unsavoury and extreme voices on either side must be marginalised. Jean-Claude Juncker has stuck his fingers in his ears and covered his eyes in a remarkable piece of physical and political dexterity, and I find him the epitome of distastefulness. But worse, Nigel Farage on his absurd barge with his ghastly and vile racist poster is dangerous. We must not sink into an abyss of parochialism or worse, extremist nationalism. We are an open, free, diverse and outward-looking people and we must not forget that. Can't we chart a common sense course between these two extremes, which honours the human beings whom Jo Cox devoted her life to serve? Can't we vote to remain but reform, as The Times so eloquently argued? I pray for a miracle. And whatever happens, we must work as a nation to tackle the far right as much as radical Islamism and every other hate-filled ideology. Advertisement There is a cynicism about politicians and politics that is, in moderation, understandable but now, taken to the extreme, deeply and profoundly disturbing. I work closely with many Members of Parliament of different political backgrounds. And among the MPs I know, they are utterly devoted, hard-working, courageous, principled and sacrifice so much to serve the greater good. I agree with all those commentators who have argued that we ought to re-evaluate our attitude, thank them for their courage and support them in their work, whatever party they belong to and whether we vote for them or not. AS one of the few political pundits who predicted the results of not just the Scottish referendum but also the last General Election, I find it astonishing how much credence is still given to the blizzard of referendum polls. According to all the latest polls, we are on the very verge of Brexit. Day after day, news outlets are reporting that Brexit hangs by a thread. Aren't the goose-bumps just rippling up your spine as this Brexit bogeyman creeps ever closer? Isn't it exciting? Think of the big brush that will soon be sweeping through the UK! Advertisement Not - of course - that our news outlets are reporting anything other than the truth. They're just spinning what the polls are saying. However... as a former political correspondent, I do know that scare stories can sell a fair few papers. Who's going to buy a paper which splashes on, "Nothing to worry about folks - we're in for more of the same"? I'll soon be coming to my oh-so lofty predictions for the Brexit referendum. But first of all I'll reveal my workings. (And just by the by - I have no axe to grind. I am merely a pundit, sitting cheerily on the fence as I lob grenades at both sides. But how people hate to hear predictions that aren't what they want to hear! You should have heard the howls of outrage at the last General Election when I said that Ed Miliband was a walking disaster.) My starting premise is, as always, that the polls are utter bollocks. In principle, the polls should work brilliantly. They should be a taster of the entire country. You take a small sip out of a whisky vat and you know how the whole vat will taste. Advertisement And that's how it ought to be with a poll. But you better make pretty certain that your tiny taster is a representative sample. One of the trickiest areas for the pollsters is those thoughtless swine who consistently refuse to reveal how they're going to vote. They just keep saying, "I don't know!" And the big question for polling firms is how they then label all these "Don't knows". Do you exclude them from the poll? Do you put them down as, say, half one way and half the other? But there are a lot of "Don't knows" out there who do know - but who're damned if they're going to reveal their voting intentions to a pollster. The pollsters had an even tougher time of things during the general election in May 2015. What happened then was that a lot of diehard Labour voters changed their minds when they were actually in the polling booth. Advertisement Anyway - onto Brexit. Can I ask one small question. What the hell was David Cameron thinking of? He must be potty! Cameron should have been cruising by now - enjoying life as Prime Minister, having lovely weekends at Chequers, making statesmanlike speeches, all that good stuff. And instead, Cameron - and Cameron alone - has contrived to not only dig this massive elephant trap but to then walk straight into it. When he pledged to hold a referendum, he thought that he would finally be lancing the boil of Ukip and the Tory Right. He's done anything but. All he's done is give them much more credibility and much more of a voice than they've ever had before. And far from lancing the boil, all it will do is fester. Just look at what's happened in Scotland with the Scottish referendum. David Cameron thought he would well and truly cut the SNP's cackle by having a referendum. Advertisement And the result? The Union wins the referendum - and the SNP are noisier than ever! They'll keep on wanting referendums until they get the one win they need. I presume that Cameron only called these two referendums because he was pretty certain he'd win. Bet he never dreamed it would be so tight. But the problem with a two horse race is that there are only, well, two horses! And the losing horse, even it's being beaten out of sight, gets a new legitimacy. It also gets a new voice. Just for a kicker, all the TV and radio stations have to give them as much air time as the front-runner. Over the weekend, it was funny to hear David Cameron saying that this referendum was not about him. Well David - yes and no. This referendum may not be about you. But it will certainly be your legacy - going down as the Prime Minister who nearly did for himself with two entirely self-inflicted referendums. So: onto my soothsayer-like predictions for the Brexit referendum. Sorry Brexiteers! We're staying in the EU! I reckon it'll be at least 55-45, probably more. This is mainly because most people prefer the devil they know. Secondly, the leading Brexiteers are not exactly top-table - Boris Johnson, Michael Gove, Nigel Farage, Priti Patel and Chris Grayling. They do not inspire confidence. Lastly, I think that two out of three "Don't knows" will be voting to stay in the EU. There you have it - we'll be staying in the EU, the Brussels bureaucrats will continue to drink their fine wines and brandies at our expense, and the Scottish National Party will have to re-think their strategy on how to rid themselves of England. Advertisement More interesting though is what David Cameron will do with Boris and Gove and Grayling. There's talk that they'll all be given nice posts in the cabinet as some sort of sop to the Tory Right Wing. Not me though. If I'd been put through this merry hell by Boris et al, I would be holding my own very special Night of the Long Knives, and would be kicking the whole lot of them out to the furthest reaches of the Back-Benches, where they can plot and scheme to their hearts' content, like old Ted Heath used to do, but where they will not have a single sniff of power. The news on Monday was dominated by the story of Baroness Warsi's so-called 'switch' to Remain in protest at the Out campaign's 'hate and xenophobia'. Rather embarrassingly for several papers, it has since emerged Warsi was never a supporter of Vote Leave and was not a major figure in the Leave campaign. Instead it has been a classic case of Remain (via The Times today) exaggerating and publicising stories of disharmony in the Leave camp. In stark contrast to this was the limited coverage given to Field Marshal Lord Guthrie's decision to switch his support to Leave (having previously signed a letter in favour of Remain). Lord Guthrie explained his change of view as primarily due to his growing concerns over the prospect of a European Army. Unlike the case of Baroness Warsi, it is clear Lord Guthrie has experienced a genuine change of heart, and it is therefore highly worthwhile to examine his claim a European Army could damage NATO. One of the most common myths about the European Union is the EU has brought peace to Europe. Angus Robertson MP, the SNP's parliamentary leader, has recently remarked how "we should never take peace and security for granted" and this is a strong reason to stay in the European Union. He highlights how there are no examples of armed conflict between Member States of the EU and concludes it was the EU itself which made this possible. Quite how Mr Robertson squares this argument of remaining within a Union to ensure peace and prosperity, with his own views of Scottish Independence. Who knows? The reality is NATO not the EU has ensured peace in Europe. False claims by Remainers are not just incorrect, but are in fact damaging. Advertisement Much has been written about the rise of Donald Trump in America and the possible impact of his Presidency. Of particular concern is his position on NATO. Trump believes NATO members view the US as "weak and forgiving", and they fail to honour their agreements. Whilst many of Trumps utterances are rightly dismissed as incoherent or ignorant (or both), in this case he is right on the money. America stumps up 72% of total NATO spending, allocating 3.6% of its total economic output on defence. In contrast Germany, the largest European economy, spends under 1.2% of its GDP on defence. The UK itself is not much better, only matching the NATO minimum defence spending requirement of 2% through some rather creative accounting. The Americans are perfectly within their rights to question why they should be stumping up vast sums of money to pay for Europe's defence, when the European nations they are protecting refuse to pay anywhere near a fair share. This is a view also put forward by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who at a recent event in Brussels, warned the current disparity in NATO spending is "unsustainable". Part of Trump's great appeal in the US is he is willing to say what many Americans are feeling. His wish for the US to be reimbursed for the vast sums they are spending on European defence is popular amongst ordinary Americans, who view many NATO nations as freeloaders. Considering the tiny amounts European nations are spending on defence, it is difficult to argue they are wrong. It is then doubly insulting when European politicians attribute this peace - not to the US and its vast expenditure - but to the EU! So it is understandable for Americans to support a Presidential candidate who promises to remind these European nations of the huge debt they owe the US. Obama himself threatened to tear up the 'Special Relationship' unless Cameron increased the UK's defence spending. The reality is many European nations have come to believe the myth it's the EU not NATO which has ensured peace. They seem happy to hand over more money and more power to the EU, whilst neglecting NATO. The EU's plans for a European army are just a further continuation of this trend and will surely be the death knells for NATO. Any American President will rightly ask why they need a costly alliance with individual European nations instead of a single agreement with the European Commission, which would not cost them a penny. European nations would question why they should spend significant amounts on national defence to comply with NATO demands, when they are already handing over vast sums of money to the EU, which promises to protect them. NATO would fade into nothing. Advertisement Many in Brussels will undoubtedly celebrate the fall of NATO, viewing it as a puppet of the US and ultimately a barrier to the EU's domination of Europe. Just like the majority of EU policies, it will be Europeans who will suffer. The EU has regularly proven its incompetence on the international stage. In the breakup of Yugoslavia it was the US and NATO which stepped up to the mark to halt the genocide after the EU revealed itself content with watching the massacre from the side-lines. In the current migrant crisis the EU, led by Angela Merkel, has manged to get itself beholden to President Erdogan of Turkey. Donald Trump's rise to politics may appear as a soon-to-be-retired champion of Reaganomics, keen to make outlandishly false statements before being catapulted into oblivion. Trump's attempt to serve as a public official, however, is more conducive with 'truth telling' than any of us first thought, albeit on steroids. Trump has always had the ability to graft a specious sense of reality and project it back to us via the medium of television. Cast your mind back to 2009, when Mr Trump purchased WWE's Monday Night Raw from Vince McMahon, only to sell it back to the groveling CEO at twice the price. It is needless to mention that this was merely a storyline. This narrative, however, is believable enough because it relies on a loose sense of reality: a genuine billionaire playing the part of a billionaire buying a product that could conceivably be owned by Trump. Is it any wonder, then, that the Trump 'reality' brand has produced another hit: the Republican Party nomination? Trump's ability to redefine the word reality, to mean both actual reality and a carefully crafted self-styled pseudo-television reality, has allowed him to play a plethora of different characters to a vast array of different consumers, including the American electorate. If you want to document the rise of a man who has warped the distinction between the tangible and the intangible then look no further than Donald Trump. After all, this is a presidential candidate who accepted an ALS ice-bucket challenge from Homer Simpson. Having discounted Donald Trump as a reality TV star only, where a dose of 'just laugh at him' 800 times a day is expected to fend off this pervasive virus, liberals scrambled for an alternate prognosis. As opponents dedicate more time to doing just this, Trump Shuttle touches down at another rally in a disaffected area of the country with an audience gagging to lend him an ear, and why wouldn't they? Advertisement An early indication that the American electorate might entertain an alternative approach to mainstream politics, was the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). President Bill Clinton promised an export boom that would result in a million jobs within the first five years. According the Economic Policy Institute, as Mexican imports outpaced American exports, job losses replaced job creation and by 2010 the Institute estimated that 682,900 U.S jobs had been eliminated. Bill Clinton proved he was a mistaken devotee of free trade ideology, not a saviour, just like the rest of its proponents. Keen to make amends for economic injustices, in 1997, the Clintons established the Clinton Foundation and diverted the vast majority of fund from the U.S to Latin America and Africa. For instance, in 2015, the foundation expended $143,041,357 - or 57.3% of its annual expenses - on the Health Access Initiative that helps improve access to health care for non-American, poor citizens. The foundation represents a philanthropic endeavour that must not be sneered at; however, when Bill Clinton's home state of Arkansas has a food insecurity rate of 19.9%, equating to nearly 1 in 5 people not having sufficient amounts of food, it seems that there is a lot of work still to be done at home. Bill Clinton's hometown of Hope, Arkansas, represents a symbolic flight of philanthropic dollars from poverty-stricken states to poverty stricken countries; creating a vacuum to be filled by anyone willing to voice the concerns of millions of hungry, poor, unemployed Americans. Cue Donald Trump. Trump has focused nearly all of his campaign on job losses to foreign competitors. Despite the Financial Times interrupting to explain that Trump has over-exaggerated the job loss figures, his rhetoric portrays a sense of reality that is a lived experience for many Americans. Having absorbed this, Trump has successfully condensed this actuality into a narrative that reflects the grievance that the only export boom witnessed by many was that of their jobs, livelihood, and dignity. Therefore, Trump can continue to be sexist, racist, and even un-American in his views, because his slogan bears some truth: America is notcurrently great. Only a handful of statistics are required to highlight the partial-truth of his slogan: 46.7 million Americans live in poverty, 21.1% of children live in poverty, thousands of jobs losses in manufacturing, 48.1 million Americans live in food insecure households. Advertisement Remember pen pals? When I was a kid growing up in Derby, that was the closest anybody ever got to people living in Europe. That and the one girl from my school who went to Spain on her holidays - an exotic place which the rest of us imagined with awe. Then we joined the EEC, which along with so much else brought us prosperity and cheap flights. I'd bet there's not one single kid from my schooldays who hasn't now been to Europe. On holiday, on business, on a trip to their twin town. I am European to the core of my being. A modern languages graduate, I spent a year on a town-twinning programme in Germany, before hopping on a train to Brussels with a mission to work at the European Commission. I also love Britain, which is why I eventually came home to live in London. But that we might quit this precious relationship we have built with Europe is unfathomable to me. There's enough written elsewhere about the positives of trade and free movement of people, but allow me to add some softer reasons why we should never leave the EU. Europe was created to maintain peace. Simply that. After the war, six countries joined together to keep tabs on Germany's coal and steel production, to ensure that it was used only for reconstruction, and not for armaments. The goal was to prevent war in Europe from ever breaking out again. Peace. Why would anyone risk the assumption that a future war with another European nation is fanciful? In the past, European monarchs inter-married to maintain peace, these days we have the European Union. It's nowhere near perfect, but it's a solid union of 28 countries. Peace is not secured just by some military outfit called NATO, it's about two generations of interaction, of intrinsic ties, of living in each other's pockets. Advertisement At the European Commission, I worked on the regeneration of coal and steel communities, from the Durham coalfields to the Portuguese steel towns. Alongside my programme were the European Structural Funds - the Social Fund and the Regional Development Fund. In my time, the 1990s, the UK would sweep up on them both, taking the largest share from the pot. Our national, and regional governments tapped into these funds to magnificent effect in our less well off regions. Across Britain, vast swathes of our infrastructure; roads, bridges, airports, railway stations, universities - hotels even, have been built on the back of European funding. Just look for the plaques. What's more, our great European tourist destinations, Spain, Greece, Portugal, were all developed with these EU Structural Funds. The Algarve alone was unrecognisable as the lavish tourist haven it now is, before Europe pumped in its millions. Incidentally, we'll have to shred that EHIC card which gives us free medical treatment on holiday if we leave the EU. And what about the raft of EU programmes that have enabled our peoples to come together? To understand each other, to recognise we're not so different after all, to learn from each other? ERASMUS for the interchange of university students. HELIOS for common approaches to help the disabled. HORIZON for joint research and innovation projects. COSME for small businesses. The list is endless. All this possibility for cross-fertilization. As for the 60% of legislation which allegedly comes from the EU. Well, if it's major, then why aren't the tabloids all over it? Truth is, Europe has no say over any of the stuff we fret about at general elections - school education, our health budget, spending on social security, income tax. Our government has control over the core essence of our lives in the UK. But in Europe we stand robustly together for the bigger picture. And how are we supposed to influence the legislation it does put out if we're on the outside looking in? We'll still be affected by it, still have to conform to product standards if we want to sell abroad - but then they'll be set without our input. Advertisement As human beings, surely we are stronger in union? Would a worker leave a trade union and face the bosses alone? So why would we leave this union that is now so intertwined and constant, so familiar and enriching? If we step out of Europe, we risk drifting off on an ice floe. And in this currently volatile and fearful world, surely that is a scary prospect? I want my child to live inside the European Union. I'll be distraught if she has to grow up in a UK, which stands alone against the world. Last week, I was invited to deliver a talk in Germany at the annual Synod of the European Diocese of the Church of England. The organisers offered me ninety generous minutes to cover the whole MENA and Gulf regions. A challenging mandate, but one that I accepted with gusto. And whilst I believe that I gave the different hotspots - Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Syria, Yemen the GCC - due diligence and ample analysis, I must also admit that I started and ended my talk with Palestine and its 59-year-old conflict (assuming that the chronometer starts running in 1967) that has become the longest and saddest story of occupation in modern history. Why did I do that, one might reasonably query, given that the Arab Spring has been absent in the Palestinian territories and that the situation has been relatively quiescent? After all, some mischievous commentators might opine that the conflict is being managed quite well: after all, Israel is not truly being sanctioned by the world community and the Palestinians are not really starving like many Syrians or Yemenis today. Advertisement Quite true, but Palestine remains the granddaddy of all the conflicts in the Levant since before the British Mandate and the creation of the State of Israel. Buzz words like Nakba and Naksa or UNGAR 194 (on refugees) and UNSCR 224 or 338 (on the illegality of occupation) are part of the political lexicon of every Arab man or woman in the region. It is instinctive, nay intuitive, and therefore the Israel-Palestine conflict (with one predatory state and another virtual one) has been - and still abides - a central hub for Arabs and Muslims alike. At its most reader-friendly level, the story of Palestine can be explored in Dr Ghada Al-Karmi's In Search of Fatima. However, Palestine is much more than a story that turned sour. It encapsulates elements of history, psychology and emotional investment. It highlights colonialism, betrayal and treachery. It is even not solely about an epic struggle against the injustice and inequity perpetrated against the original inhabitants of this parcel of land by a Western world guilt-ridden about the Holocaust. Perhaps it is about a formula that turned into a master-and-slave equation between increasingly arrogant Israelis and pliantly subjugated Palestinians! Having worked on the second-track negotiations of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict during the [now much-maligned] Oslo years, and having also advised the traditional Churches of Jerusalem about the political process, I am well aware that the solution to the conflict is within reach. If one looks at the various UN Resolutions, the Clinton Parameters, Taba in 2001, the Arab Peace Initiative of 2002 (re-endorsed in 2007), the Olmert-Abbas talks of 2008, as well as other moots, all of them support the critical inevitability of a two-state solution. Otherwise put, the only credible solution is the emergence of two states - Israel and Palestine - existing as neighbours next to each other. But a cynic would wonder why Israel should cede territory it controls to the Palestinians? With a turgid ideology that matches its concrete separation wall, it can try to perpetuate the occupation. Yet, failure to reach agreement would either lead to the dangerous chaos and more apartheid-style control by Israel that breeds more violence, mayhem and - why not - ISIL-style radicalisation. Or else it would augur a binational one-state solution that coerces Israeli Jews and Palestinian Arabs (Muslims and Christians) living in one state, altering the demographics of this land in favour of Palestinian Arabs and inevitably turning into a tinderbox that spews out more vitriol and violence. Advertisement However, the present successive right-wing governments led by PM Benyamin Netanyahu have continued a policy of dispossessing Palestinians of their lands through a relentless plan of encroaching settlements and outposts that have been no more than illegal land-grabs which have been conducted with sheer impunity and a total disregard to International law, its Geneva Conventions and even EU foreign policy objectives. Just take a look at a recent MSNBC TV presentation of the four maps showing the gradual loss of Palestinian land from 1946 till the present day via the UN Plan of 1947 and the subsequent colonisation by Israel of Palestinian lands. It should become evident to the most colour-blind pundits or double-speak politicians that we are heading for disaster. The solution consists not of constantly colliding two narratives, but rather of giving rise to two states alongside the Green Line with appropriate swaps or adjustments and creative diplomatic solutions to the core issues of Jerusalem, refugees, security and water. Otherwise, and whether we invoke Sisyphean or Promethean analogies to this festering conflict, the result will only spell disaster that will continue to haunt us despite the uprisings in the MENA region. This refugee week Mairead Collins, Syria Crisis Emergency Programme Manager at Christian Aid, reflects on the heartbreaking reality of life for Syrian refugee children in Lebanon. On my first visit to Lebanon in September 2013, I met a family who had fled from Yarmouk Palestinian camp in Syria and had made their temporary home in a rehabilitated mosque on the outskirts of Beirut. Refugees for around a year, the father and teenage son had found occasional work, but none of the children including their five-year-old son, Hamed, were attending school due to the costs associated. With every visit since I've witnessed the reality for Syrian refugee children has become bleaker. While there have been increased efforts to include both Syrian refugees and poor and marginalised Lebanese children in education vast issues of social exclusion driven by poverty remain. Advertisement Almost three years later I do not know whether Hamed ever made it to school or whether his family remained in Lebanon. While I hope that he is now going to school with a full belly, lives in a warm safe home, and goes to sleep after a good meal, these hopes are overshadowed by what we know to be the dark reality on the ground for children across the region. Gordon Brown's assertion that by 2017 all children will have a place in Lebanese schools is a hopeful and important goal. And indeed the introduction of second shift schools has increased access to education. However, emphasising the assurance of places in schools for children runs the risk of ignoring some of the key factors motivating their exclusion. It is increasingly hard for refugees to get decent jobs. In 2013, men like Hamed's father, who had been skilled workers back in Syria, were lucky to get a day or two of work in a week, now the situation is worse. Advertisement Unscrupulous employers recognising the depth of desperation and the opportunity to save money are keen to employ children, vulnerable and desperate they are forced to work long hours in often physically trying jobs, exposed to abuse by employers and customers, including sexual assault. As well as working long hours on farms and in shops including auto repair shops, children also work the streets. Children who should be tucked up in bed are pushing between crowds of revelers in bars holding roses for sale, boys and girls that should be in classrooms or playing with friends are offering shoe-shines or tugging on strangers arms to beg for food and money. According to a 2015 joint report by IOM, UNICEF and Save the Children, there were over 1500 children working on Lebanon's streets. Most were earning an average of US$12 per day, heartbreakingly children engaged in prostitution earned an average of three times this amount. For the children involved, there are not many options. As one child responded to the question whether he would like to attend school replied: 'If we go to school, who would help our families?.' The plight of Lebanese child workers is only one aspect of the impact on children displaced by the Syrian conflict. Across the region, including inside Syria; early marriage of girls is driven to a large extent by family poverty; physically and mentally handicapped children are not only excluded from education but have little or no access to the therapies, medication and operations they need; children and youth are drawn into criminal activity or are criminalised due to their illegal status. Christian Aid partners are responding to these needs by providing physically and mentally disabled children with therapies and assistive devices, protection for women and girls at risk and suffering from violence, psycho-social support and non-formal education to marginalised children and psycho-social support to children and their carers in Palestinian camps. In February, a record sum of more than $11 billion was pledged the at the 'Supporting Syria and the Region' conference where ambitious goals were set on education and economic opportunities to transform the lives of refugees caught up in the Syrian crisis - and to support the countries hosting them. The commitment is there, yet progress is slow, so far less than a quarter of this amount has been disbursed. Advertisement The Syrian refugee crisis in Lebanon is now five years old, little boys like Hamed are drifting further and further from hope of a safe childhood with an education and aspirations for a better life. On a recent visit to Beirut I saw a toddler barely walking mimic the actions of her older sibling - a child of maybe only five - as she begged from strangers on the streets of Hamra. This is the pitiful face of the impact of the Syrian refugee crisis on children. Places for children in schools are massively important, but the international community must work harder to turn their plans into action: accelerate the implementation of education and employment initiatives on the ground to make it possible for children to actually go to school. Then children can begin to live the childhood they deserve, and find some hope for their future. Leading voices in both camps in the EU referendum recognise that Human Rights law has been affected by "mission creep" in the interests of sometimes very dubious claims of individual human rights and against national security. "Brexiteers" blame the EU for this, while "Remainers" point the finger at the European Human Rights Court in Strasbourg. Both are wrong. Responsibility for this "mission creep" really belongs to the UK domestic courts. Both sides of the EU referendum will have a rude awakening when, regardless who wins, they discover the UK judges carrying on merrily on their "politically correct" path. Unlike most predictions surrounding the referendum, this is not a possibility or even a probability, but a certainty - because it does not depend on membership or non-membership of the EU. Alarming Case If anything, the position is becoming worse, not better, as can be seen from an alarming case involving national security decided as recently as December 2015. Advertisement The case involved David Miranda (DM), the spouse of a journalist called Glenn Greenwald (GG), who was provided by the self-styled "whistleblower" Edward Snowden with encrypted data stolen from the US National Security Agency (NSA), plus 58,000 classified UK intelligence documents, including personal information allowing staff to be identified. DM was stopped by police at Heathrow Airport under Schedule 7 to the Terrorism Act 2000. After questioning him, the police took from him some some encrypted material derived from the data obtained from Edward Snowden. DM claimed that the police's actions were illegal and infringed his right to freedom of speech under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The case went first to the High Court (Divisional Court), which rejected DM's claim outright, and then to the Court of Appeal, which partly reversed the High Court's decision. "We Won!" Both courts agreed that the seizure of the encrypted material from DM was lawful. But the Court of Appeal's conclusion -- overturning the High Court's decision - was that the stop power in question was in general incompatible with the Article 10 right of freedom of speech. Miranda and Greenwald tweeted gleefully: "We won!" and "Huge win in UK court." Advertisement This decision has dealt a sharp blow to the British Government's anti-terrorism policy -- overturning the judgment by Lord Justice Laws (Laws LJ) in the High Court, who is anything but a government stooge. There are at least two serious problems with the Court of Appeal's decision: Journalism: The Master of the Rolls (MR) in the Court of Appeal was too ready to accept DM's counsel's claims elevating journalists' rights of freedom of speech above anyone else's. Laws LJ (at para 71) had rejected these exaggerated claims. Article 10 does not accord journalists any special privileges. Indeed, it does not even mention journalism or the press at all. [The British Human Rights Act (HRA) does, but this case was based on Article 10 itself, not on the HRA]. The inordinate amount of space devoted by Lord Dyson to journalists' rights is all the more puzzling, in that although GG is a journalist, DM is not. Laws LJ had held (para 72) that "the stolen GCHQ intelligence material that he was carrying was not 'journalistic material', or if it was, only in the weakest sense." Terrorism: MR took it upon himself to redefine terrorism, rejecting the definition in the Terrorism Act and accepted by the High Court, as "too broad" - in particular, by including in the definition of terrorism "non-violent political activity that indirectly, inadvertently and unintentionally happened to endanger life". MR was unduly impressed by the far-fetched hypothetical example of a protest sign erected by junior doctors which was erected in such a way that it accidentally endangered the life of a passer-by! It is hard to believe that anyone would be arrested on a terrorism charge in such circumstances. Worrying MR's general conclusion is a worrying example of judicial activism or even judicial supremacism -- on the part not of any European court but purely on the part of domestic UK judges. The term "terrorism" is not a technical legal term or "term of art". It was carefully defined by Parliament in the Terrorism Act, and for a judge to redefine it amounts to legislating, which judges have no right to do. Advertisement As for the Court of Appeal's approach to "journalism", that can also not be attributed to any European court. The European Court of Human Rights has frequently had occasion to consider a journalist's right to withhold his or her sources - a right which has not always been upheld. But the Miranda case was not about sources. In the words of Laws LJ (para 48): "The source is no secret: Mr Snowden stole the material, and the claimant (however indirectly) got it from Mr Snowden." Lord Justice Laws also held that there was "'compelling evidence' of a serious risk of harm to the public or national security arising out of Mr Miranda being in possession of the material in question". (Cited by MR, para 78). National security and public safety are specifically mentioned in Art 10 as justifying restrictions on freedom of speech. Democracy Along with the 3.3million Europeans from the continent living in the UK, I am unable to vote in the upcoming referendum. It feels frustrating to be kept from participating in an election that might fundamentally change my future. Aside from feeling powerless, I mainly worry about the practical consequences of a potential Brexit. Advertisement Seven years ago, I moved to the UK from my native Belgium to read English Literature at university. Although my Belgian friends enjoyed tuition-free higher education and no admission exams, I studied for three A-levels on top of my normal Flemish diploma, and funded my way through my UK degree by working weekends and holidays. These felt like minor sacrifices in order to live in the country that has always felt more like home to me. After my Master's degree, it made sense for me to continue my career in London. I interned at BAFTA, worked full-time at the BBC, and recently became self-employed. Mine is only one example of a diverse group of Europeans who swapped their home countries in order to work, study or join families in the UK under the EEA's Right of Free Movement. To be covered by the Right of Free Movement, the EEA citizen has to hold comprehensive health care, and either study, work as employee, work as self-employed person or be self-sufficient/retired. It brings an extraordinary amount of benefits to the UK (100,000 health professionals at the NHS are from other EU countries), but also for UK citizens working and retiring abroad. In a 2014 study, UCL economists revealed that the 2.1 million European migrants in the UK in active employment made a net contribution of 20billion to UK finances, with tax far outweighing any benefit claims. Yet despite the fact that Europeans contribute to British society in many ways (economically, but also culturally and socially), we can only vote if we become British citizens. Advertisement The process of naturalisation currently costs 1,236 per person, with fees set to rise. Apart from the ability to vote, it provides very few benefits on top of the ones already available to European nationals. In my seven years of living here, the thought of applying for citizenship (or permanent residency) had never crossed my mind. Until recently. With polls hinting at a lead for the Leave campaign, the practical impact of a potential Brexit on daily life has started to crop up in conversations with my European peers. The majority of them would also want to stay in the UK. Our lives have become interwoven with the country we now call home, even though many have not been here long enough to fall within the 5-year permanent residency threshold. I realise that I approach this issue from a relatively privileged position. Europeans from the mainland who have only recently moved here or who have families to support might feel even less secure. Romanians and Bulgarians especially agree, since they are subject to stricter immigration rules regarding work permits. However, since going freelance as a filmmaker and writer, I do wonder whether the lack of job security will be to my disadvantage. The thought of being unable to use my skills in my chosen field of work, or of having to deal with the US-style hunt for employer sponsorship, fills me with dread. Advertisement One of the big arguments in the Leave campaign is the concept of taking control of the borders. It is worth noting that just 24% of net migration since 1990 is down to the UK's membership of the European Union. 10 percent have come from Western European countries like Belgium, Germany and Italy. The other 14 percent from countries that have joined more recently, such as Poland, Romania and Lithuania. I imagine a Brexit scenario with border controls that check new European arrivals' proof of income and intention to return. I picture Europeans who want to stay for longer requiring proof of employment - a major disincentive for those in industries with low job security such as the arts. I envision European students unable to study in the UK, put off by the international tuition fees and no access to student loans. All of this is speculation, as no country has ever actually elected to leave the European Union. Both the Leave and the Remain campaigns offer no more than elusive hints at future scenarios. The European Union is an institution so tremendous in scale that the debate struggles to relate to our daily lives. On the continent, the impact of the European Union has always felt more tangible. Many of us grew up a quick drive away from the border with our neighbouring countries. There has always been a stronger sense of solidarity and mobility across countries, languages and cultures on the continent, simply because of the euro, geography and the Schengen-agreement. However far removed the impact of the EU in the UK might seem, it is important to highlight that the vote will have a significant impact on Britain's ability to have a seat at the table, to trade with the continent, to benefit from extensive EU grants, and to enjoy rights as EU citizens to live and work in Europe. Advertisement But it will also have an impact on the 3.3million Europeans whose voices have hardly been represented during the debate. We moved here legally, make extensive efforts to integrate fully, and contribute to British society. Yet our futures depend on a vote in which we cannot take part. Although I do not have a say in this referendum, I have encouraged those with the right to vote to ask questions and get informed. I hope all British, Irish and Commonwealth citizens take ownership and cast their votes on 23 June. The outcome of this referendum will not only shape their own future, but also that of continental Europeans who now call the UK their home. As we've built up to this monolith of a vote, we've been flooded with facts and stats from both sides of the debate which all seem to be confused and contradictory. Despite this, there has been little not just in defence of the trading block, but actually in genuine celebration of what it has achieved, what it could achieve, and what it will achieve; why Britain truly is, stronger in Europe. The EU has been a great beacon of support for equal rights across the continent. The European Convention on Human Rights guarantees our rights in the workplace, in public, in private and before the law. It halts prejudice because of our gender, race, religion, sexuality or anything. This focus on equal rights is one of the greatest pillars of EU law - a pillar that we cannot take for granted. Thirdly, perhaps the best thing about the EU is the spirit in which it was made - in the spirit of cooperation, of mutual benefit - in a continent that has seen no period of peace like this for more than 1000 years, an opportunity that cannot be taken for granted. The EU was founded to ensure that European steel would never again be used to end European lives, and while I'm not open to throwing about the term "world war three," I instead would say that it would simply be a shame to abandon the European peace project, because it has been a success. The EU is a unique organisation the likes of which the world has never seen, and perhaps will never see again - and Britain is part of it. Advertisement In addition to this, Britain, in coming together with other European nations has made the humble and sensible decision to pool its sovereignty. In the same way, we pool our sovereignty with NATO, the UN or the WTO, the EU allows our voice to be louder. Instead of 28 separate voices across Europe, we find 1 united voice, representing more than 500 million people to stand against atrocity, and solve problems which cannot be solved alone. The refugee crisis and global warming are crises in which a cooperative effort is the only way to solve them. This union is perhaps the most incredible piece of international cooperation on earth, which fights tooth and nail for the greater good. By coming together with our allies, Britain shows herself to believe in something bigger; to have hope in peace. We should be celebrating the free movement of people. Celebrating? Yes! The European Union's offer of the right to live in any other country for any amount of time, at any time, is an exciting one. There are 1.4 million EU citizens living and working here in the UK, but also 600,000 more in our public services. We rely on EU workers. Furthermore, the opportunity for us to travel, work, study, and live across the EU is as fantastic as it is rare. Visa-free travel allows millions of British nationals of all ages to live from the Mediterranean to the Baltic and beyond - an opportunity to learn languages and experience cultures like no other. We see now a generation of young adults who see themselves as Europeans, who see this ability to travel as a birth-right - and taking it away would be a sad mistake. The EU is an incredible opportunity. I see no argument against it which can tear down what it is or what it represents - and that is hope. Hope for a safe and secure future, hope for strong and growing economies, and hope for complete trust and cooperation between former fascist and communist countries, after a period of war that killed so many of Europe's children. In an eternally globalising world, a decision to walk away from the EU over issues of immigration or sovereignty would be sad. Everything Europe represents, everything Europe hopes for should be what we aspire to. Peace, democracy, co-operation - these should be the watchwords of our generation, not immigration, terrorism and fear. From the European arrest warrant to the Erasmus system, Britain can get so much from the EU, it is ripe for the taking. Our MEPs can do so much for us - but only if we let them. Having elected UKIP and BNP MEPs for many years - is it any wonder we aren't getting the best from Europe? Advertisement "Why is that b..... lying to me?" A meta-question for journalists. But one that has an easy answer in the context of the EU referendum: they don't care how they make the argument as long as they win it. Or perhaps, they have actually begun to lose track of the distinction between truth and falsehood. This attitude is tacitly excused in wartime hence "in war truth is the first casualty". In wartime, shoring up morale by pretending that victory is in sight or at least obscuring defeat is a patriotic duty. But a referendum, for better or for worse, is a peace-time process of direct democracy, and democratic societies rest sovereignty in the will of the people. If that will is informed by propaganda, lies, half-truths, dog-whistles, nudges, inducements to fear, them-and-us reduction of complexity, democracy is in jeopardy. Not a bad description of the effect on opinion of some parts of the tabloid press. Citizens cannot be expected to hold informed opinions about the key political questions of the day if they are systematically misinformed, or, in the case of the EU left uninformed for decades. Xenophobia is the easiest emotion to whip up in times of economic austerity when scapegoats are sought. Government cannot be solely dominated by the politics of the wallet. The pressure on democratic parties to tack into the prevailing wind to hold onto their voters quickly becomes overwhelming, and prejudices are reinforced. Advertisement Referendums are rare, representative democracy is the norm. Sovereignty is normally exercised by citizens' elected representatives and thus becomes the sovereignty of Parliament. But the distinction becomes blurred since the same representatives, in association with the media, play a dominant role in steering public perceptions and thinking about the core question of referendums. In this case of membership of the European Union it has meant them dwelling repeatedly on the utilitarian consequences of each course of action for the British economy and for immigration to Britain from EU countries. This line of argument has effectively marginalised ethical judgements about what is sometimes called "the global common good" or about considerations of any vision for Britain's and Europe's role in the world. The tragic, poignant and very public murder of Jo Cox, the 2015 elected representative for Batley and Spen, understandably brought the dire public discourse to a shuddering, if temporary, halt. Her short life and shorter time as a parliamentarian threw into sharp and unfavourable contrast the conduct of key players in the political and media establishment. Her brutal death seemed a parable of the worst, violent tendencies of our society eliminating the best, the peaceful and most virtuous. How can our democracy be repaired after such a prolonged and, now, sharp decline and in the context of the world's largest population of refugees ever? The conduct of this referendum - and to a lesser degree those during the Greek crisis - would suggest that a great deal of democratic maturity is a prerequisite for referendums. You can't vote the British people out of power, though I sometimes think the far Left and Right would like to. You can intermittently get rid of their elected representatives, and punish in the polling booth lying, greed and xenophobia. Advertisement We are left with representative democracy. It is not in good shape. Why is this so? Voters say they do not like personalised slanging matches and politicians who don't answer the question. But this is the price for uncontrolled media ownership by a handful of enormously powerful media barons. Voters can say what they like, they cannot easily dislodge this key part of our contemporary power structure, and, to survive, their representatives have a reasonable fear of what the media can do to them. In consequence there is a public space for the unscrupulous who know how to pluck at the emotional heart-strings and thereby to assume a media-induced leadership of opinion and elected, high political office. In East Berlin for a few days, I seem to hear bagpipes everywhere. First, a man in a Glengarry busking with a pibroch in Unter den Linden; then a Pole in a Celtic top playing an ancient set of pipes his grandfather had acquired in the Highlands. One rainy day in Alexanderplatz, a piper's distant lament rises over the rumble of the trains. The melancholy air goes with the mood engendered for me by the possibility of Britain leaving the European Union. Advertisement I love Europe. Being in Berlin, particularly the former East, reminds me why. There is so much history of suffering here, but the city has stoically moved beyond that and become a great place to be. I love the idea that as a citizen of the EU, I belong in Berlin. I have an entitlement to be here. It's not just that I can come on holiday but I could live here if I wished. Maybe I never will, but it has been a kind of freedom just to know that I could. Brexiters say that travel is easy outside the EU, but you can't easily live somewhere else. Getting a visa to work in the US for instance is difficult. Personally, I don't want to give up the benefits of European Union citizenship. This is similar to how I thought two years ago in the Scottish referendum on independence. Then, as a committed supporter of devolution and of the Scottish Parliament, I voted against independence. I wanted to keep my birthright of a British passport. Advertisement For me, I decided, devolution did not have to be a stepping stone to independence. Scots can address specific problems closer to home while sharing sovereignty with other institutions such as Westminster and Brussels. We don't have to give up our membership of important institutions. At the time of the Scottish Independence referendum, I wrote about my support for remaining part of the UK, for my respect for English values and English culture. But the fire-breathing nastiness of the Brexit debate has been depressing. It seems to me looking back that it was at the time of the Scottish independence debate that the dragons of English nationalism started to stir, murmuring: "Take back control," and, "We want our country back". Nationalism in general makes me uncomfortable. Perhaps Samuel Johnson was going too far when he said that "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel" But there are very few problems for which more nationalism seems to be a good solution. The way in which the leaders of the SNP Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond have put aside the nationalist cause to campaign for Britain to remain in the European Union is impressive. But hard core nationalists will be hoping England votes to Leave because they see that as the best way to get what they want. Do the English realise the significance of this for the future of the UK? Advertisement Please, England, don't let us down. Don't make a choice that will inevitably threaten the unity of the United Kingdom. Not after all that we have been through together. And there is more to worry about. in East Berlin the other day, I saw campaigners proclaiming that "Putin is not your Enemy; the City of London is," A man with pale blue eyes told me that Russia's leader was offering Germany the hand of friendship and collaboration, unlike the City of London, home of money men, drug dealers and terrorists. A recent editorial in the Financial Times said that Brexit would be "a grievous blow to the post 1945 liberal world order,". At stake, it said, is "the coherence of the West." Advertisement In the New Statesman, Linda Colley, professor of History at Princeton wrote The US has a "long, only partly buried, history of isolationism..It would be unwise " to assume that America will always be available to prop up the European powers." Scot David Edward, a former judge at the European Court of Justice made a speech in which he warned that Britain is in danger of "losing its reputation for reliability". He said Russia was governed by "an unpredictable autocrat with ambitions" and that these ambitions would be encouraged by Brexit and a weakened EU. But Brexit's Michael Gove says "people in this country have had enough of experts." Is that really the case? Are Brexit supporters thinking: who is that Professor Sir David Edward anyway and why should we care what he thinks? I once heard him get the most inspiring end-of-school Assembly speech I have ever heard. In it he talked about the difficult work, in which he played a part, of building the democratic institutions of modern Germany after the Second World War, institutions which were nurtured and strengthened within the European Union. He ended his speech by saying "This is what we achieved in our generation, now you must go out and achieve for your generation." Advertisement I was thinking about this the other day and the fact that It is people who like me, who were born in the baby boom of the 60s and 70s, who are now running the show. I guess I don't want to be part of the generation that fucks up. Within a week, the UK will have voted on whether to remain in the European Union. The sheer quantity of debate in the run-up to the referendum has been extensive - exhausting, even - but it's sadly unlikely that the quality of argument will have motivated a significant number of people to turn out and vote. Never mind the question of whether the general public are the right people in the first place to make such a complex decision, the difficulty in comprehending the many factors at play has been exploited and worsened by the 'Brexit' campaign's systematic use of misinformation and fear over fact and reason. What is most disappointing though is how both sides are guilty of having narrowed the debate about what it means to be in the European Union, with the 'Remain' campaigners too often arguing in the terms of the self-interested concerns of those pushing for Brexit. In doing this, Remain supporters are missing a vital opportunity to the present positive reasons to stay in the EU which are being largely overlooked. More than this, they are playing a part in the normalisation of selfish attitudes that put 'Britain first' - an agenda set by those wanting to leave which is divisive, inward-looking and reliant on flawed evidence and prejudices. Ultimately, it is an agenda that is harmful to the prospects of British people, whether or not the Brexit campaign wins. Nearly all of the debates we have witnessed revolve around the needs of the UK and whether we will be better off - they are about our economy, our public services, our security. This is understandable, especially in a context where many of us have legitimate fears about these issues. However, we have been sold a lie if we believe that the existence of these concerns is as a result of the EU. We would not have voices crying "charity begins at home" if we did not have a political backdrop of cuts for the many and benefits for the few. It is disingenuous to attack an institution which redresses imbalances in wealth (including in areas of our own country neglected by Westminster) for inequalities in a society where taxes have been cut for the rich and obscene corporate greed as highlighted by the Philip Green case is normalised. We are reminded by Brexiteers how we are the 5th largest economy in the world and how 'taking back control' from the EU can make Britain great again. But the irony is that with the resources we currently have (and should be ensuring we collect through fair taxation), we should already be a nation without child poverty, housing shortages, foodbanks, stretched health services and increasing inequality - whether or not we are members of the EU. To blame the refusal of a UK government elected on 24% of eligible votes to act on these issues on malevolently 'faceless, unelected EU bureaucrats' is simply the Brexit campaign taking advantage of domestically-imposed struggles for their own ends. At best this type of argument represents false logic and at worst, suggests an attempt to deliberately misguide the electorate. Aside from this, why should we trust anyway that any money we might gain by leaving the EU would do anything other than feed into a system which currently best serves only the privileged few? Advertisement The immigration debate and the assertion that EU migrants put pressure on services is the prime way in which the Brexit campaign has taken advantage of the very real struggles faced by people trying to secure primary school places and GP appointments, for example, and apportioning them to our membership of the EU. In reality, pressure on services is a political choice from Westminster. EU migrants are net contributors in terms of taxation, and on average, use services less than native Brits - thus they contribute more than their fair share towards the government's task of providing services to meet need. It is logical to say that an increased population will demand more of existing services, but the real issue of the government failing to take revenue and invest it in services that respond to changing demographics and need is being overlooked. Against this background of underinvestment and stretched services, we forget that the nationality of the service user is not the issue. Irrespective of the evidence that EU migrants bring disproportionate revenue which the government chooses not to put towards public services, it is difference on the grounds of nationality that is emphasized. This ultimately represents fearful division and along the lines of 'otherness' - xenophobia. If there are imbalances in our transactions with the EU, they are a result of the inherently un-British attitudes of isolationism and selfishness that drive the Brexit campaign itself and which will only be reinforced by a 'leave' vote. The EU offers the same opportunities for British citizens as it does to the migrants Brexiters decry for 'taking our jobs' here in the UK. We theoretically have the same opportunities to live, work and study abroad and have entitlement to use the services of other member states. Only, we don't go abroad as readily as other Europeans come here, because of our inward-looking attitudes which mean we do not see other countries as bearing opportunities for us in the same way that skilled and unskilled European workers view the UK. Other countries see learning English as attractive and valuable in relation to the opportunities that it can bring, and their governments provide the appropriate structures by which people are encouraged to learn our language. We by contrast are are increasingly poor at looking beyond our culture in the sense of encouraging the uptake of European languages. This not only limits our ability to live and work in other parts of Europe, but inherently restrains our horizons and ability to see ourselves as part of a broader European culture. It's not that other countries don't have anything to offer us, that we are the best and therefore don't want to leave the UK to live and work abroad as others seek to come here. It is that our idea of this being a possibility is automatically narrower as a result of inward looking attitudes that will only be exacerbated by Brexit. Advertisement The overwhelming emphasis on our own needs (and scapegoating of the EU for our own failure to better look after all in our society with the resources that we already have) has largely been pandered to by the Remain campaign. The cost of this has often been to unsuccessfully convey a positive vision of Europe and the benefits we gain from membership that aren't just about economics or our own needs. We are not just responsible for ourselves in our ever more interconnected world, and by relentlessly focussing on our own potential for success we are at risk of overlooking the damage we may cause to the success and stability of others by leaving. Brexiteers say that leaving the EU will mean we can self-determine and work better with others around the world, but what does a self-prioritising agenda do to further working with others? What kind of message would we be sending to the rest of the world if we were to reject a union borne out of a desire for peace, just for the sake of grater wealth and the freedom to consider our own interests alone? Surely Brexit will only serve to encourage others towards selfishness and increase division. Surely it will harm the rest of the EU economy and to a degree harm the relationships we have with those explicitly asking us to remain. Can't we afford to frame the question in terms of the interests of Europe rather than the UK, to think about the prosperity, security and integrity of our shared relationships rather than our own provincial concerns? Despite being born and raised in England, I no longer identify as British. It feels unsettling to say so, and I should add that I still hold a UK passport and have a deep affection for my country of origin. However, having having spent almost a third of my life living in France and Belgium, and learned a second language, I now see myself as European. Maybe one day, if I get the chance to live in more far-flung locations, I will come to consider myself simply global, like George Dibbern, the German author who devised his own passport declaring himself a 'citizen of the world', and set sail for New Zealand on a boat flying its very own flag. For now, I cannot imagine returning to the monolingual island mentality with which I grew up. I left my home town at 19 because I was desperate for wider horizons, and at 21, my degree took me to work in France. I have kept on travelling and living abroad ever since. But what if freedom of movement had not been an option? My life would have been completely different, and infinitely less rich. Advertisement I once met a British woman at a party in Brussels who had worked for the EU for 25 years, but had decided to return to the village where she grew up. She told me that the happiest people she had ever met were those who never left their home towns, remaining ensconced in family life and the familiar. She may well have been right, and I'm certainly not knocking those who choose this path - I'm sometimes slightly jealous of them - but for me that just wasn't an option. My restlessness has brought me a lot of loneliness and insecurity, but at risk of sounding like an overgrown gap year student, I have also grown a huge amount through those experiences. I've come to believe that true freedom is the ability to cope with uncertainty and being alone - which, in turn, frees us from fear. Frees us to leave jobs and relationships that aren't working for us, and to try new things - such as moving abroad, and in that great, terrifying void of finding ourselves alone and friendless in an unfamiliar city, to make things happen. Those are the times when we suddenly take a turning down a random street in case that un-nameable thing our lost soul yearns for might be there. When we talk to people to whom we might not normally give the time of day. Becoming strangers, we suddenly identify with other strangers; other people who have found themselves on the margins of society because they are different in some way, whether through nationality, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, or gender. Our minds creak open, and new things are permitted to enter. I am not able to enter into economic or political arguments for or against the UK leaving the EU. Broadly speaking, I realise that the institutions are corrupt - full as they are of ex-financiers serving their own interests - and that, not unrelatedly, the EU is responsible for some devastating austerity policies, which have led to widespread resentment and a worrying resurgence of extreme right-wing political movements. Advertisement But it is the idea of closing down borders that really frightens me. Living in the country that is now being portrayed by the media as the epicentre of European homegrown terrorism, it seems to me that it is now more important than ever to remain - both literally and metaphorically - open. My first reaction to the Paris attacks, the subsequent Brussels 'lockdown', and the bombs on the Brussels metro and at Zaventem airport, was to hide; I was too afraid to go to my Dutch class at the university, and avoided travelling to Brussels for a couple of weeks. Yet at the same time as having this very human reaction, I also had a powerful instinct to go out into my community and embrace the togetherness that, deep down, I believe is the true reality. I held long discussions about those events with my Muslim neighbour, and went to my local church to pray with others from many different cultures, religious and ethnic backgrounds. That, I think, is the right instinct, and the one we should try to follow - no matter how frightening it may be in a world where terrorists mow down Friday night concert-goers with assault rifles, and politicians like Jo Cox are murdered in broad daylight. The answer to these troubling times is not to shut down and scuttle back into our 'safe' little pods - whether that's behind our computers, or back into our 'national identities'. It is to continue to stand together and demand change. A more democratic EU. Financial regulation which addresses the real root causes of the 2008 crisis. An end to austerity policies which target the very people most in need of help, create festering social resentment, and feed racism and xenophobia. Today's Britain is multicultural, and that is a great thing. Of course, there are problems, but in all the places I have lived - Norfolk, Coventry, Whitechapel, Nice, Brussels and Ghent - it has been my experience that most of the time, most people just rub along. As Rabbi Sacks points out in his book 'Celebrating Life', the media zooms in on the little black dot in the middle of the white sheet of paper - and anyway, we cannot go back. We cannot undo immigration and before it, colonialism. Advertisement When I was at (state) school in Norwich in the 1980s and 90s, I had only a handful of black and Asian classmates - everyone else was white. At secondary school, an Asian friend was called 'Chinky' (she was half-Thai). I for one do not want to go back to a world where that is considered acceptable. A world where my children might never even meet an Asian, or a French person, or an Italian, and have a fascinating conversation with them about their culture, be inspired to travel, and along the way discover parts of themselves they never even knew were there; might realise, when a person who barely speaks a word of their language helps them out when their car breaks down on a foreign road at 2am, that people are people - whether British, Italian or Burmese, and decide in return to help out a foreigner they might once have been afraid of when they see them struggling to lug a pram up the escalator the next day. This year I've travelled to some pretty difficult places. My work has taken me to war-torn Central African Republic (CAR) and to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in Africa. I have also travelled to the border of Serbia and Macedonia where I met refugees fleeing the fighting in Syria, Iraq and Somalia. In particular, I remember meeting children far too familiar with the sound of gunfire. In CAR hundreds of thousands have been displaced by conflict. In the DRC, thousands are living in camps after many years of violence. Each story is heartbreaking and unique, but one thing keeps coming back: What people need most urgently is peace. While humanitarian aid is vital, it is clear that tackling the root causes of problems we see today is essential to achieving that oft-elusive peace. It is also clear that attaining peace is an enormous challenge that will take most countries - by themselves - many years to accomplish; and requires concerted efforts by the international community in each given case. Advertisement Children born into a grim year It's projected that in 2016, more than 6 million children are going to die of preventable causes. They will die of diseases for which we have cures for; wars that can be avoided and of poverty-related issues we know about. We also know that more than 60 million people are now forcibly displaced from their homes. Many live in their countries as internally displaced people. Some flee to neighbouring countries while a tiny minority make their way to North America and Europe to seek safety for themselves and their families. The contrast is stark when you place a lens over the more stable, developed countries that are home to the richest 100 people in the world who have amassed enough wealth to equal that of an estimated three billion people in the developing world. Some of this wealth - as we have seen during the PanamaPapers saga - is stored in tax havens in ways that do not allow governments to tax it in order to fund initiatives such as healthcare, education and infrastructure that could help create better societies in poorer countries. Against this bleak backdrop what is needed, I believe, are concerted public efforts in demanding some equating to this imbalance. How else can we explain that even though the world has become richer than ever before, 17, 000 children are dying each day from poverty, conflict and preventable ailments. Advertisement Headline news and a vision for society The biggest public debate in the UK at the moment is around whether we should remain in the European Union or not. The public debate on the referendum often seeks to ask what we might get if we vote in a particular direction. But it rarely asks how we may be better able to provide for those in need around the world nor how to build a more peaceful world. In an uncertain world, we seem to be increasingly at risk of forgetting about those less fortunate than ourselves. History, particularly in Europe, shows clearly the immense dangers of isolationism. There is a danger here that the growing trend of self-centred withdrawal curtails the spirit of a global community so painfully built over many decades. We do well to stop and think about how our decisions will impact the 60 million people who have had to flee conflict, many as a result of our collective failure to build safe societies and prevent conflicts around the world. The test of our decisions, and of our vision for our societies, is whether we who live in abundance provide enough for those who today have too little and suffer too much. Advertisement We need to move from our current temptations of self-interest and isolationism towards a vision of peace that includes those most forgotten around the world. A peace that is not just the absence of conflict, but the presence of justice and inclusion in society. On World Refugee Day we should take the time to ask ourselves what kind of world we want to live in and how we are contributing to that. We should also take the chance to call on our leaders, governments and the international community to provide the leadership we need to create positive change and peace. Perhaps one of the most profound moments on my recent trip to Northern Iraq for my women's rights foundation Project Monma, happened just minutes away from the frontline with ISIS. With the help of two Yezidi men I was taken to meet a small group of the female fighters of the Peshmerger. Situated on a base just outside the mountains surrounding Mosul, I found a small group of Kurdish women who have literally taken up arms to fight against the barbarism of the Islamic state. They are called the Hiza Agre, or Fire Force. With airstrikes taking place in the distance, we were invited into one of their offices and offered small cups of tea. We then settled down to discuss why the women decided to join the armed forces of Kurdistan. I had travelled to northern Iraq to learn more about how the presence of Isis in the country had affected women. Amidst stories of brutality, fear and truly absurd discrimination, I heard about the female fighters of the Peshmerger. Women who have moved past cultural barriers that would typically prevent a woman from joining an armed group and are fighting on the frontline with Isis. I wanted to know why they decided to join the Peshmerger. The women were clad head to toe in military uniforms, each with a Kalashnikov slung over their shoulders. Fariba, one of the fighters from a village near Erbil settled into one of the chairs with her weapon casually leaned up against her and explained why she decided to join the Peshmerger, 'Isis says that when a man kills him he goes to heaven, when a woman kills him he will go to hell. I have come here to kill Isis.' Advertisement When ISIS first emerged in northern Iraq they attacked the small town of Sinjar that is predominantly populated by the Yezidis. Thousands of men were killed and many of the women were taken to be sold as sex slaves in markets in Mosul and Raqqa. These women have taken up arms with the Peshmerger, to take back their sisters from the hands of Isis. Asima previously a fighter for the PKK, said that when Isis came to Sinjar she decided to join the Peshmerger. Her goal, to fight against Isis. Another woman says life is not always good in Kurdistan, she joined the Peshmerger to be free. Advertisement Suddenly, everyone stands to attention and a woman in her early 30s with a military uniform enters the room. Captain Shaima, the commander of the unit. After greeting each of the men in the room she came to me and smiled broadly. I explained to her why I have come, she nods her head enthusiastically and we settle down to talk. I ask her about their daily lives and she tells me that their days are filled with learning to use guns and training to fight Isis. They do so on an entirely volunteer basis, none of the women are paid. Their presence as women in the area is significant, Captain Shaima explained to me. 'Isis doesn't come to their base because they know there are female Peshermerga here, they're afraid that they won't go to heaven.' 'When the men in the Peshmerga see women killing Isis, he becomes very strong,' she says. When I asked the girls where they found their courage, one woman answered casually, 'there is no difference between men and women, we are like lions.' Lions they are. Next to the female station we were told that there were two American volunteer fighters fighting with the Peshmerga. Curious we asked if we could meet them. They agreed and took us down a dusty road past sheepherders and a small Arab Muslim village. I saw the dust settling from the airstrikes in the distance and glanced at the sheepherders who couldn't have been more than 20 years old, they seemed unfazed. Entering the base we moved past a young group Kurdish Iraqi soldiers to a container like building where we were introduced to the foreign fighters. Advertisement Sitting in the small room, Tony Tata from the US was filled with praise for the female Peshmerger and told me he would stand with the female fighters any day. 'Their heart for their country is above anything. They are phenomenal, if I was told I was only going to fight with them I would say good luck to my brothers, I'm going to fight with my sisters. Kurdistan will be proud of them.' The respect that I felt for this small group of women was profound. What I met that day was a group of warriors who held a tremendous amount of bravery, courage and determination. They are not only standing up against the violence and oppression of the Islamic State but are challenging their own cultural norms and taboos that would typically prevent women from being part of an armed group in Kurdistan. I watched as Commander Shaima entered the room and commanded attention. I saw the women handle their weapons with precision and a notable calmness. As I glanced towards the mountains, knowing that Isis was not far, the courage that I imagined it must take these women to not only be present here but to go head to head in battle, takes tremendous strength. They made me feel proud to be a woman and I like Tony, would be proud to these women any day. If these women can find the force to stand up in the midst of war, to the threat of a violent armed force and worse, an oppressive culture, so can I stand up. So can all of us. I had barely heard of Jo Cox when the news emerged of her death last Thursday. But watching the tributes pour in, I felt a deep sense of loss. The loss of a determined humanitarian, a champion for equality and fairness, a dedicated MP, and a loving mother. Of course, good people die every day, and we barely check our stride to acknowledge it. But sometimes there is a tragedy that bursts our collective public conscience, that makes us take stock and unite across social and political divides. Tributes from politicians of all stripes, and a vigil that demonstrated all of Yorkshire's diversity, suggest that the passing of Jo Cox is one of these occasions. The death of Princess Diana and the Syrian refugee child washed ashore last year are others that spring to mind. There are many reasons why these tragedies stand out. Whether it's their positions in society or the resonance with the narrative of the time. Or the crushing challenge to our innate desire for fair play - the part that cries out at the screaming injustice of it all. That such beauty, energy and compassion should be taken away from us so cruelly. And so prematurely. Advertisement Amongst the many tributes, the most moving was the clear-minded rallying call from her husband Brendan Cox. Fighting grief that dwarfs everyone else's combined he asked that "we all unite to fight against the hatred that killed her". In a world where homophobia, anti-Semitism and Islamophobia are becoming part of the everyday, it is clear that we must heed Brendan Cox's call and fight now more than ever. But how best to fight hate? How do we fight hate without becoming haters ourselves? How often do we attack those we disagree with, with our own brand of hatred and aggression? How often do we belittle, insult or publicly shame people to make our point? And, aside from validation or self-righteousness, what does this achieve? Does it convince our targets to change their minds? Or does it entrench their views (and in some cases) further damage the low self-worth that drove their hatred in the first place? If so, then we are not really tackling the hate at all. Despite our best intentions, we are adding fuel to the fire. We are fanning its flames, making it worse rather than better. We are paving the way for populist politicians to validate it and giving license to the tabloids to spin yet more of it. So how to fight it and achieve a positive result? At the very least, we can engage in debate that uses facts that are not exaggerated or taken out of context. The recent EU referendum and Donald Trump's campaigning across the pond, show how desperately this is needed. But beyond arguing by the facts, perhaps there is room to emulate people like Jo Cox and show more compassion for those we deal with. Compassion for the vulnerable we protect, the people we debate with, and also to ourselves. Personal insults should probably come off the menu. Margaret Thatcher once said "if they attack one personally, it means they have not a single political argument left". But as well as making us look out of ideas, insults remove all hope of convincing people to our way of thinking. Given how people define themselves by their role models we should probably avoid insulting them too (yes, even Nigel Farage). Advertisement Empathy would be a good replacement for aggression. Jo Cox said "there is more that unites us than divides us". So let's look at what we have in common - our desire to be respected, to care for others, to be safe (to name a few). Often I see Tories attacked as nasty, heartless and self-interested (I have said similar). But many want a better society as much as us on the left - they just have a different strategy to achieving it. And those that are self-interested may simply be seeking to protect people close to them. The same nuances apply to anyone we strongly disagree with. Finally, perhaps we can show more compassion to ourselves. Psychologists say that when people aggressively promote their views it can be because they define themselves by them so strongly. They become their views and any challenges are viewed as personal attacks. For increased wellbeing, and less sensitive debate, it's important to ensure some separation. We are obviously far more than our views, but sometimes it takes self-compassion to realise this. This week voters in the UK will make an historic decision that might have economic and political consequences well beyond their own shores. The voters in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland are deciding whether they wish to remain in the EU or "exit"... hence the name "Brexit". Unfortunately for the rest of the world we do not get a chance to officially register our opinion or cast a vote in this historic referendum, although if they vote to leave we will all feel the pain of this monumental decision. Advertisement The same is true for this US Presidential election which also could have earth shattering consequences for the entire world.... and once again the citizens of the world cannot officially register their opinion or cast a vote in this contest. In the post World War II geopolitical scheme of things both the US and the UK have taken on world leadership roles endeavoring to keep and maintain the hard fought peace that followed this tumultuous period. These two nations forged what is now commonly called a special relationship. This has also meant that Americans and Britons along with their NATO Allies have worked together in a number of ways to ensure both political and economic stability on a global basis. The US - UK alliance in most instances has been a positive force in the world (although some will undoubtedly see this differently) and it has also been positive for the citizens of both these nations. Advertisement This is perhaps why the vote to leave the EU is so concerning... and Americans should be paying attention. In fact, it is as concerning as candidate Donald Trump's pronouncements regarding his plan to have America step back from global leadership should he win the coveted title of President of the USA. We don' t need to imagine what happens when these important Western powers fail to lead...just look at Syria and the immigration crisis. It is this very crisis which has brought the EU to a breaking point. If the citizens of Britain vote to exit who will be next? Will the EU itself ultimately unravel and the EURO along with it? When the leaders in the West relinquish their leadership... there is no mystery as to what happens - terrorists and others who wish to do the West harm simply rush in to fill the gap and the problems just get worse. Advertisement Engaging evil in the world is often not politically popular at home but is sometimes necessary... this is when real political leadership counts. In today's world with challenging enemies like ISIS and Al Qaeda - who seek to destroy the Western way of life and plant enemies among us - isolationism is not an effective response. The Brexit vote is about many things - it is about British Sovereignty, it is about feeling disconnected from those who pass the rules that affect daily lives, it is about too many rules and it is about a serious immigration problem that has economic, security and racial implications. However, the campaigning and the focus in the Brexit referendum process seems largely to be highlighting one aspect which is the immigration problem that EU membership has caused in UK. What most voters don't appreciate is that a vote to leave the EU will not necessarily solve this problem it may just send it underground. And once Britain is out of the EU it will have no say in European policies that might even make this problem worse. Advertisement There is no question the EU has its challenges however it does have one major achievement since its creation - the end of a tradition of wars in Europe and relative peace and harmony for decades. The Schengen Agreement more than the EU itself seems to be the real problem. We live in a different world today from the one that existed when the Schengen Agreement was signed - allowing for the freedom of the citizens of EU member states to travel, live and work anywhere within the member states without passport checks or visas and the elimination of real borders among its members states. To this American it seems this Schengen concept was clearly modeled after the USA ... To create the United States of Europe. Freedom of movement and open borders in a world where ISIS, Al Qaeda and others wish to end our way of life may be an idea whose time has come and gone. Unlike the US where at least the Federal Bureau of Investigation - the FBI - does its best to prevent crime and terrorism in all 50 states while coordinating with each state's police forces the EU does not have a similar supranational institution. Advertisement So it is not surprising that the British might want to leave the EU when this part of the "union" is simply not working to control immigration or keep them safe. However, the answer is probably to fix the immigration and security problem for the entire EU and not to let it simply fall apart. It is true that Western Europe cannot absorb all the fleeing citizens of Syria...So the answer here is that military action against the Assad regime appears to be the only option to stabilize Syria. If Syria was at peace its citizens would not need to flee and those who have left could return home. On the overall imbalance of immigration between member states in the EU there are also countless ways this problem could be addressed - for example: with limits on annual immigration and related payments from member countries to ease the economic burdens. However truly open borders where countries cannot check and track who goes in and out... and for what purpose...might need to become a thing of the past. Advertisement This is the same reason that "Donald's Wall" is so popular -- not even the USA - "the land of immigrants " - can afford completely unchecked immigration with both its monetary costs and potential security risks. While so many voters in the UK are focused on immigration, the unintended and unknown consequences of Brexit could be a recipe for the next global economic meltdown. The US and the UK are home to the financial capitals of the world - New York and London. And the leaders of the global economic sector seem to be holding their breath and covering their eyes in disbelief and denial. If the voters decide to cast their vote to exit the EU their own self inflicted economic wound could hemorrhage throughout the entire global borderless economy. London has been the financial gateway to Europe for decades - the intellectual brainpower to keep markets operating is located there. Advertisement Although New York and London have always been friendly competitors the sudden "exit" of London as the leading financial center of Europe would cause international chaos at best. The US and the UK's financial systems are woven together and they are each one of the other's largest trading partners and investors with approximately a trillion dollars at stake - so the "pond between us" - cannot protect the US from the economic pain and uncertainty that a vote to exit the EU will cause. Although there are other European cities who will try to step in - Dublin, Frankfurt, Paris and the list goes on, it will be hard to re-create the things that London and New York share...the "intellectual capital", the sheer number of trained people, the infrastructure and the sophisticated judicial system necessary to keep the financial world running. So London and "The City" won't be easily replaced anytime soon... not to mention the fact there is no plan! A survey conducted by InterNations, the world's largest network for expats, shows that almost three-quarters of British expats who say they are eligible and planning to vote in the referendum are in favor of remaining in the European Union. Even though 67 percent of respondents have been living abroad for five years or longer, almost all of them are aware of the vote that is about to take place in their home country: an average of only 0.3 percent of British expats questioned say that they had not heard of the referendum. As many as 94 percent of British expats think that Brexit concerns them personally and of these, over eight in ten state that Britain leaving the European Union could potentially change their personal living situation abroad. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that close to 60 percent of the Britons living in another European country -- according to the latest UN estimates, there are about 1.2 to 1.3 million of them -- are planning to vote. Of these, 72 percent want the UK to remain in the EU; a result which is 20 to 30 percentage points higher than the opinion of the broader public, as suggested by pollsters such as YouGov or ICM. Similarly, a mere 19 percent state that they are in favor of the UK leaving the EU, as opposed to 40 to 50 percent of the British population saying the same in official, country-wide polls. Nine percent of respondents were still undecided at the beginning of June 2016, when the InterNations survey was carried out. Advertisement Almost three-quarters of British expats living abroad feel well informed about the election, whereas 27 percent disagree with this statement, mainly because they think they are not provided with the necessary information -- 57 percent mention this as a reason for their insecurity. Britons living in Sweden seem to suffer the most: there, close to half of the respondents state that they do not feel well informed about the upcoming election. When asked about their most common sources of information about the referendum, 91 percent of the expats say that they consult British media publications, with 74 percent of them even considering them their primary source. Following on second position are friends and family, with mentions from 53 percent of respondents, followed by English-language media in the expatriates' current countries of residence (38 percent). Media in the local language of the expats' new home countries as well as work colleagues seem to be less important sources of information for British expats and were both mentioned by less than one third of the respondents. More than 40 percent of the expatriates who were questioned in the InterNations survey are not planning to vote. When asked about specific reasons for this decision, the lack of voting rights clearly dominates the picture, with eight out of ten expats who are not planning to vote stating to be in this situation. Survey data shows that this is mainly due to the fact that British expats who have been living abroad for more than 15 years are not eligible: 70 percent of respondents who are not voting are affected by this ruling. British media publications suggest that this is the case for approximately 700,000 people in total. Advertisement "I, like many other British citizens living long term in EU countries, have been utterly disenfranchised from a vote that potentially has a greater impact on us than most," states one of the survey participants. "If we have lived away from the UK, we lose our right to vote -- even in the referendum on this very specific point." Essa, from Syria, teaches basic hygiene and contributes to the census efforts in the Nea Kavala camp in Greece. Danika, from Sarajevo, is on the front line aiding refugees in Paris. Maria, from Vietnam, has used her influential position in the Silicon Valley to found an NGO that supports rescue efforts. Collectively, these individuals demonstrate what we at Prosper hold dear--when refugees are given an opportunity, they give back. In honor of World Refugee Day, we hear how three people in different stages of the refugee experience are taking action in the current crisis: Their words are their own, with minimal editing. We begin with Essa from Aleppo. Essa fled Syria after finishing his degree in civil engineering. He arrived in the Nea Kavala camp in Greece in February and one month later began volunteering with the Red Cross and Red Crescent. He writes, Advertisement "The living situation was very bad. When it was raining and cold, our tents were full of water, and nobody helped us. The toilets and shower were also very bad. There were biting insects and many snakes in our tents. I wanted to help the people and to be their voice." I remember when we first got to the camp, most people were not washing their hands with soap, and we asked them why not. They answered that they did not have soap. So we hung bars of soap on strings on the taps every morning. Later Essa joined the Mapping Team. "We created a database including the full name, age, gender, language, nationality, profession, and health needs of each person and we update it regularly." Essa's goal is to return to study for a Masters at an EU University. He says, "I hope that the civil war in my country will end, and I can go back to see my family again." Advertisement Danika Jurisic fled Sarajevo alone as a teenager in 1992. She coordinates aid efforts in Paris, documents the lives of displaced peoples on the streets, and advocates for refugee rights. The following is a portion of a speech she gave at a TEDxIHE talk in Paris this spring. "I am a refugee. My identity, my life, my entire existence has been marked with this word. It was not a choice, it is just what I am. "With the end of Yugoslavia we became a 'mixed family' overnight. I left everything behind, my family, my home, my identity. I was one of those numerous nameless children that came in busses, abandoned and exposed to many predators. I had no support during those years and depended entirely on social services. Being in the vulnerable position of an underage refugee, gave me insight that is useful in my present activity as a volunteer. "You have to be aware that refugees are burdened with memories of a better past. This is why the presence of volunteers is vital. I have met hundreds of people during this last months who have jumped in and done their best to help. I just wish their voices were more strongly reflected in the current policies of the EU." For many volunteers in the current refugee crisis, action began with a photo. The photo of three year old Aylan Kurdi resonated particularly with Maria Tran. Maria began to share her own story publicly as a way of calling attention to the refugee crisis. The following is part of a speech she gave at her former workplace in the Silicon Valley. "Reading about the dangerous sea route and seeing the photos of Aylan Kurdi reminded me of a period of my life that I haven't thought about very much. I was also three when my parents and I were chased out of our home in Vietnam because we were ethnically Chinese. My parents sold everything they had and paid for passage on a little fishing boat. We were lucky and our boat was picked up by coast guards and brought to safety." When I think back to that time and how I'm here today, all of that only happened because I was rescued. Aylan Kurdi wasn't that lucky, and so he ended up dead on a beach. "I realized that my story could help people motivate action. In October of 2015, I decided to spend two weeks volunteering to humanize the stories of refugees. I had no plan. I don't speak Arabic. I'm not a photographer. I'm not a journalist but I felt passionate and that trip changed my life. "I was shocked at the humanitarian crisis that was unfolding. Upon my return I came together with others and started Sea of Solidarity, a non-profit organisation committed to addressing the needs at landing sites and refugee camps." As we collectively navigate this crisis we must consider the cost of failing to act. Essa, Danika, and Maria are living proof of how our society benefits when refugees have the opportunity to learn, to work, and to give. Acting on behalf of refugees is not merely altruistic. In Danika's words, "By saving refugees, we are saving ourselves, our future, our morality, and our civilization." The campaigning is almost over... in just a few days we decide if we want to be part of the EU or not. I've tried to remain non partisan during the whole debate but as a small business owner in the creative sector I wanted to share a few thoughts on the subject before we all take to the polls. One of Britain's key strengths is our Creative Industries. We are talking about something that generated84 Billion for the UK economy in 2014 and is growing year on year. As our manufacturing and heavy industries decline the creative industries are flourishing and are only likely to become more and more important to our economy in the future. Fashion design, advertising, publishing, software development, modelling, art, music, acting, graphic design - these are just a few of the creative businesses that thrive in our country. But if you look at any of these industries, you will find that many people working in them come from all over Europe and indeed the world. We are a global hub for the creative industries - we attract the best and the brightest who are helping to make sure that these industries grow every year. The Creative Industries in this country succeed because of the simple fact we attract some of the finest creative minds from all over Europe and a restriction on immigration is going to unquestionably damage the talent pool available to our creative businesses. Advertisement Of course, Brexiters will tell you that they don't have a problem with immigration at all, that it's about the quality of immigrants that we let in by. The solution that generally seems to be accepted by the Leave campaign is to use some kind of points based system to make sure we only let top quality immigrants into our land of milk and honey. But how exactly do we define 'quality'? After all, creativity isn't something that can be ticked off on a questionnaire? But how will the Brexit gatekeepers decide if you're worthy of entry? Is it based on Education? Work history? Verbal Interview? Maybe it will just come down to having enough money in your bank account. The truth is that nobody knows - not even the people proposing a points based system - but one thing is for sure: when you try to create one rule for everyone it inevitably fails. Is this how a points based immigration system would work? Leave supporters will tell you that we need more skilled workers and less coffee shop workers, but what doesn't seem to have registered with them is that many immigrants working in coffee shops and restaurants are our future skilled workers - they are creatives taking any work they can get while they look for their big break. Anyone who has ever worked in a creative industry will happily tell you that it takes years of hard work to break into your dream career. Advertisement Many people come to the UK to make a name for themselves in the creative industries - a points based system will almost certainly stop that in its tracks. The fact is that we'll be in a situation where unless people are already successful they won't get into the country. Future entrepreneurs and creative talent will be turned away, something that will ultimately harm us. Are we going to say that we don't care if you could be the next Richard Branson, Vivienne Westwood or Cara Delevigne - it's not how much money you could make for our economy in the future, unless you already have made it you aren't getting in? If that's the case then what will we be left with? Probably another city in the EU taking all the best and brightest creative talent while we fall behind in yet another industry. Because ultimately what Brexit comes down to is about isolating ourselves from the rest of the world again. All that Winston Churchill, Rule Britannia, Bulldog Spirit rhetoric that the Leave campaign love to use is about invoking that old feeling that Britain is somehow better than the rest of the world. Yes, we had a good run a couple of hundred years ago but the world has changed; if you want something from someone you don't just sail over, whack them over the head and take it - you have to work together to achieve a common goal. At Sapphires Model Management we recruit models from all over Europe who come here to work with clients in the UK. You might not think that modelling is a talent per se, but models still do a job that not everyone can do. I can't tell you that I can definitely find the best models from the UK if we close our borders to EU migrants, it's just not possible. Model agencies in this country need models to be able to travel from all over the EU to the UK to ensure that our country has the best talent available for our clients across the world. London, Paris and Milan are the fashion capitals of Europe but If London suddenly pulls out of the EU and models from the EU can no longer work in the UK with such ease then what do you think will happen? Mosty likely, clients and models from the rest of Europe will simply bypass the UK and go elsewhere in order to avoid the paperwork and headaches involved with working with a country outside the EU. Advertisement For over forty years, since my late teens, I have been an avid family history researcher. I have a family tree dating back to the seventeenth century for one side of my family, and have thoroughly researched the origin of the family names of each of my grandparents. Only one of these is Anglo-Saxon English, the others are Scots, Scots/ Irish and French. I discovered that the French branch of the family were Huguenots, a Protestant sect escaping religious persecution in France, who arrived in England in the sixteenth or seventeenth century. Having exhausted documentary evidence, I recently had my DNA analysed and was intrigued to discover that, genetically, I am under half Anglo-Saxon English, but largely Continental European, with a dash of Irish and Scandinavian. My married name is also French (Anglicisation of 'Gervaise', a 'spearman' or soldier), so presumably my children are even more genetically Continental European than I am: we are therefore in this sense a family of immigrants. Given Britain's long history as an asylum provider for those fleeing persecution, we are unlikely to be unusual within the white British population, and this has added to my irritation with the recent rise of British nationalism. Events this week in Leeds, where I have lived for the past 30 years have of course turned this irritation into shock and sadness, and on Saturday morning I made a donation to Jo Cox's fund, which seemed the least I could do to express my horror at the tragic events that occurred only a few miles away from where I live and work. I also felt that the charities that had been sponsored by her friends to benefit from the fund raised were particularly worthy, including the White Helmets, a charity which funds volunteer rescue workers all over the world and Hope not Hate which works for a more inclusive society in Britain. Advertisement I was unaware that while I was cosily sitting at my PC fumbling with my credit card, one of my friends was engaged in a far more practical charitable venture, preparing to cross the channel with aid packages for refugees in Calais. I have known Paul for over a decade, since we were fellow teachers at a school here in Yorkshire, and admired his energy for practical activism in support of good causes. This included a Love Music, Hate Racism concert that he spurred me into organising with him, which turned into one of the most enjoyable and inspiring events for the children during that school year. Browsing the news before I went to bed on Saturday, I saw that a large aid convoy had been turned back at Dover on the basis that it would 'generate violent episodes'. What it did not report was that terror legislation was invoked by French immigration officials at Dover in order to refuse entry to the some of the volunteers. I learned this from a text from Paul that arrived at midnight. He reports: 'We had van load of basic aid, tins of beans, sanitary towels, sleeping bags, kids' clothes and toys donated to us by ordinary people, the most basic aid. We were also taking about 1000 donated by ordinary people at benefit gigs in Wakefield and Bradford. We wanted to deposit this in an aid warehouse in Calais. We had about 18 young people (in their 20s) with us. We were refused entry to France on the basis that we were 'a threat to public order and national security'. In other words, terror laws have been used against us. This was stamped into our passports and entered onto an electronic record. The advice we have had so far indicates that this is a very serious matter for us personally in terms of future international travel and individual criminal records. After the weekend, I will have to seek legal advice.... Advertisement 'When I left this morning I told my son (who is seven years old) where I was going and he made me wait until he had been through his toys and clothes, and he returned with a box of donations for the refugees in Calais. I had to tell him tonight that I was not allowed to deliver these. He cannot understand why, and I have no idea how to explain this to him, as I also find what has happened beyond comprehension'. You may have heard there's a referendum this week on the UK's membership of the EU, with voters across the country set to decide whether or not to leave or remain. Both campaigns have focussed - generally in the most negative terms imaginable - on the dire consequences of either outcome. According to the leave camp, if we stay we'll be overrun by immigrants and steadily cede control to Brussels, while those wishing to remain warn of economic catastrophe if we leave. Positive stuff all round - and no one seems to be asking whether or not we actually belong in Europe. The answer to this quite fundamental question is, emphatically, yes. Our data, based on a comprehensive study of daily life in the UK, the US and 7 European nations, finds that in terms of our routines and how we spend our time, we are squarely European. Compared to the rest of the continent, the UK is very unlikely to be outlier in any respect. For key activities, that are a part of almost anyone's day - such as sleeping, eating and working - adults in the UK spend roughly the same amount of time as the European average. Our closest neighbours, behaviourally, are Germany - suggesting that the debate on the future of the UK and Europe is not the result of fundamental differences in culture and lifestyle. Interestingly, the UK is more similar behaviourally to our European neighbours than to the US, which was also included in the study. If policymakers, businesses or undecided voters are wondering whether or not we are more similar to other EU nations or to the nation on the other side of the Atlantic, these data should provide an answer: as a society we are behaviourally more similar to Germany and France than to the US. Advertisement While we may act very similarly to many European nations, we do think a little different. In this sense, we are attitudinally adrift somewhere in the Atlantic, caught between Europe and the US. In terms of what we believe about the world, and our individual outlooks, adults in the UK are closely aligned with our neighbours across the Channel - the Netherlands and France. The key attitudes that drive this alignment are where we place ourselves on the political spectrum (slightly right of centre), our belief that our country's main priorities should be national rather than global problems, and a lower level of tolerance than other European nations. Although the majority of people in the UK agree that ethnic diversity enriches life and have no objection to living next door to an immigrant, the minority in disagreement is significantly larger than elsewhere in Europe, especially Spain and Germany (our nearest neighbours behaviourally). Overall, one in five people in the UK say they would not want to live next door to an immigrant, the highest in Europe. Every country has its own intolerant minority; in the UK this minority is just a little larger - and large enough, apparently, to separate us from the rest of the continent. The proportion is crucial - if one in twenty people say they wouldn't want an immigrant for a neighbour it is a patently extreme view. If one in five people say it, it becomes part of a much more mainstream political discourse. Advertisement CNBC via Getty Images Dear Reader, Over the last five decades, I've launched dozens of businesses and the Virgin Group now employs almost 50,000 people in the UK. Although I've been living in the British Virgin Islands for some time now, I have never stopped caring passionately about the UK and its great people. As an entrepreneur, I've learned a thing or two about risk and leaving the European Union is not one of the risks I would want the UK to take - not as an investor, not as an entrepreneur, and certainly not as a father and grandfather. The EU has delivered enormous benefits to the UK, its economy, and its people. Up to three million British jobs are linked to the UK's membership in the world's largest single market. It's a market of more than 500million consumers, offering unparalleled opportunities for investment and trade while guaranteeing openness, transparency and security. EU trading partners buy 44% of all British exports, more than 300,000 British businesses operate in other EU countries and it provides great support for thousands of start-ups each year. I have yet to hear a convincing reason why the UK should give that up. Advertisement There are other, more personal reasons why the UK should stay. For starters, one of the EU's most important achievements is that it has kept its members out of conflict in Europe. I represent the first generation of my family not to go to war in Europe. My father Ted fought in North Africa, Italy and Germany during World War II. My grandfather survived the horrors of the trenches in World War I. For centuries, almost every generation was at war with one European country or another. But from the bloodshed and devastation of World War II rose a new vision of a peaceful partnership between Europe's nations built on economic cooperation and openness. Even Winston Churchill called for a "United States of Europe" where millions will "be able to regain the simple joys and hopes which make life worth living." Not a single shot has ever been fired between the armies of EU member states. In fact, in 2012, the European Union received the Nobel Peace Prize for advancing the causes of peace, reconciliation, democracy and human rights. As a member of the EU, the UK is much better off economically. It can trade without barriers or taxes. British citizens can live, learn and work wherever they want in the European Union. And any global threats facing British citizens young and old, such as climate change, financial crisis or conflict, are better addressed collectively. The EU has made both Europe and the UK stronger. If you agree with me I'd urge you to vote to remain. Advertisement Best, "There is nothing but stones here," says Ouafaa Berrada, as our convoy of small trucks turns into the Valley of the Rocks. We loaded them in the morning with foodstuffs and gallons of fluids for poor and vulnerable families living in the barren landscape of Morocco's mid-Atlas mountains. It is Ramadan, the holy month of the Islamic world, when people are encouraged to be especially generous towards the poor. Indeed, one of the purposes of the practice of fasting during the month is to help the "haves" directly experience the hunger of the "have nots". Advertisement As in so many parts of the world, the bright colours of the women's clothing - turquoises, deep blues, reds, purples and tangerine orange - along with the open sky and the natural panorama - play tricks on the mind of the visitor. Rural poverty always seems to leave us feeling that it is somehow less crushing than that found in the crowded slums of the cities. But when you come close to their makeshift dwellings huddled together in the midst of the stony fields that stretch as far as the eye can see - and when you see the women and children making their way over the stony ground towards our convoy, the plight of these people is unforgettable. Stones, scrap metal and plastic sheeting Our convoy is organized by Ouafaa Berrada (above, second from left), an urban sociologist, who spearheads this operation as a volunteer. She is a member of the board of the regional development association and vice-president of the Moroccan League for the Protection of Children. Her husband is the Director of the Language Centre at the University of Al Akhawayn in the city of Ifrane, 300 metres (1,500 ft) above sea level. The university provides a small storeroom for this charitable work and has loaned two of its vans to take the provisions into the harsh mountain areas that surround the city. Our team consists of one of the university doctors, half a dozen students, and Esma Laamiri, wife of the university's finance director. Advertisement At the first stop, our convoy is met by some of the families who live in rough shacks made from stones, scrap metal and plastic sheeting. We see them making their way towards us in the distance over scrub land and dirt tracks. Soon we are surrounded by a couple of dozen women, young children and a few older men. We stop outside a small, one-room school that has been constructed here, the only concrete building visible for miles. The doctor begins calling out the names of the families. As the women identify themselves, they receive plastic bags packed with beans, chick peas, flour, dried fish, and oil, as well as sugar, tea and a large jug of a local high energy drink. The work together to help the weakest among them as they struggle with the weight of the provisions. The team does this work year round. They also take clothing and shoes to the families and provide socio-medical care. Their work is well known in this area . The visits are announced in advance. Over the years they have been doing this, they have learned from their experience - the result is meticulous record keeping and a precise distribution method. Advertisement While the children run around and gather for photos beside the vans, doctor Guennoun works his way through his list, requiring each family representative to show their identity card before authorizing them to collect their share of the aid. Working through the womenfolk "We have learned to put our trust in the womenfolk," Ouafaa tells me. "After a lot of experience, we have developed this system. We give the provisions to the women who identify themselves with their carte d'identite. This ensures that what we bring is treated properly and goes direct to the families. It also means that the children eat well." After half an hour, we head further into the valley, past some herds of small brown sheep. They graze among the endless rocks for green shoots and provide the only income for the people who have settled here in small clusters not locatable on any map. "How did you find these poor communities?" I ask Ouafaa. "I went looking for them," she says. "I knew they must be out here. It is in rural areas like this that the vast majority of the poor of our country live." The Valley of the Rocks is surrounded in the distance by forests, but in the valley where she found these people, there are few trees, and little shade from the strong North African sun. Advertisement "I see solar panels on top some of the dwellings. How did the people manage to get these?" I ask. "These were a gift through Al Akhawayn University," Ouafaa tells me. "There is no electricity or state water supply out here." Absolute poverty The government's National Report 2015 "Morocco between Millennium Development Goals and Sustainable Development Goals" acknowledges that while the country's absolute poverty rate between 2001 and 2014 was reduced by more than two-thirds, there remain 5.3 million Moroccans living either in absolute poverty (1.4 million) or vulnerability (3.9 million). The rural areas account for 85% of the poor and 64% of the vulnerable. In October 2015, the World Bank updated the international poverty line to US$1.90 (1.68 Euros, 1.32) a day. The poor here likely live below that. These statistics come to life in the Valley of the Rocks. At the next stop, the people we meet have brought with them donkeys to help carry the heavy bags of provisions back to their homes. A small complement of dogs has joined in as well. Nearby I count 15 shacks, the sun beating down on the torn black and faded green plastic sheeting and the rusted metal scraps. Advertisement "These are Berber people," Ouafaa tells me. "Like most of the rural poor they are illiterate. Most of them speak only their own language and not Arabic. The children are able to go to the school where we made our first stop. It's a long walk for them - 4 or 5 kilometres. It's even harder in winter through the mountain snow." At our third and last stop, Doctor Guennoun makes a final record of everything that has been distributed, working his way through the sheets of names and identity numbers. "One hundred and ninety six packages distributed today," he announces, a warm smile of accomplishment breaking across his face. One of the students, having witnessed the harsh realities of life for these people living close to the university - and yet in another, utterly different world - asks if it is possible to give money to the people, not only provisions. "They have no idea that people live like this" "If people want to give money," Ouafaa tells her, "they can first email me. We then go through the regional association ADMA (Association pour le Developpement de Moyen Atlas). That guarantees transparent record keeping. We can help anyone arrange this who wants to support our work." Her email is: ouafaaberrada@gmail.com Advertisement "One of our main objects," she tells me, "is not only to bring relief to these people, but also to raise the awareness of the university students by involving them in work for human beings who live in such desperate conditions. Otherwise, they have no idea that there are people living like this." The noon prayers finish at our final stop. The imam gathers his people around him to give thanks and offer a blessing. The women fill the air with their high pitched ululation. As we drive away, returning from our mission of mercy, we look back to see them turning around into the valley, making their way home among the stones. Last week, The Sun urged its readers to BeLEAVE in Britain. This is my response: I believe in a Britain in Europe that looks to the future with hope, not to the past with anger. I believe in a reformed Europe that embraces Britain, and a reformed Britain that embraces Europe. I believe in a Britain that is greater than its fears, and a Europe that is more than the sum of its parts. I believe in a Britain in Europe that cares more for the future prospects of its under-35s than for the rose-tinted memories of its over-65s. I believe in a Europe that learns from the mistakes of its past and is determined to build a better future. Advertisement I believe in a Britain in Europe that wants to work with its neighbours to confront common challenges like climate change, cyber-terrorism and tax evasion, not pretend that it can meet those challenges alone. I believe in a Europe that welcomes immigrants as new Europeans, and does not reject them as unwanted intruders. I believe in a Britain in Europe that is proud of its past and wants to be proud of its future. I believe in a Europe that unites for the long-term benefit of all, not fractures for the short-term gain of the few. I believe in a Britain in Europe that is ready to be a leader, not afraid to be a loser. I went on holiday to Syria in 2009, two years before war broke out. I was visiting my Syrian father-in-law with my husband Tarek and our one-year-old daughter. Tarek was learning Arabic but I only knew two words: 'Marhaba' and 'shukran'. Hello and thank you. My father-in-law told me not to worry, as these would be all I needed when visiting family. I could just say 'hello' when we arrived, eat all the food, then say 'thank you' at the end. We spent our first few days in Syria exploring Damascus. I couldn't believe how many people smiled at us on the street and stopped to wish us well, stroke our baby girl's cheek or offer her sweets. And when visiting family, 'Ahlan wa sahlan' (welcome) became a familiar greeting as doors were thrown open. Our daughter was passed around like a parcel and covered in kisses. We were ushered towards large tables groaning under the weight of plates piled high with homecooked food. Syria was one of the most welcoming places I have ever been. But now, no one is going on holiday to Syria any more. With almost half a million people killed in the bitter civil war, millions more have had to flee their homes, and many have died on desperate, dangerous journeys to reach safety. Tarek's family is safe for now, but I can't help wondering what has become of all the kind strangers we met. Advertisement We were made to feel so welcome by Syrians, and now Syrian refugees who should be welcomed into Europe with open arms are drowning, languishing in overcrowded refugee camps, being teargassed and treated like criminals. By last summer, I was sick of feeling powerless to help. I had to do something. But what? I donated clothes to a local refugee support charity, and helped sort donations at a warehouse. I found a Refugees Welcome march to go to. I read about Refugees Welcome groups being set up all over the country, and looked on the Citizens UK website to see if there was a group near me. There was. At my first meeting with Tonbridge Welcomes Refugees, I discovered that our local council had just agreed to accept ten Syrian families over five years. The main challenge was to find private landlords. At the next meeting, a private landlord showed up whose tenants were about to leave. We had our first property. Just a few months later, we have now welcomed our first Syrian refugees. A brother and sister, Samir* and Nadra*, they were bombed out of nine homes and then fled to a refugee camp in Turkey. They arrived here overwhelmed and traumatised, speaking no English and knowing no one. Advertisement Though the government resettlement scheme provides funding and some support, there is plenty for us to do. We've found volunteer teachers to teach them English, and we've set up an internet connection so they can talk to their relatives still stuck in the war. We also pop in to drink tea, go for walks together, take round some extra pans, or give hugs when needed. The small, friendly acts of welcome we all need to feel at home somewhere. Nadra finds it hard to rein in her natural impulse to ply us with food and drink every time we visit: their meagre allowance does not allow for the generosity they are used to. Still she finds ways to treat us. A teacher herself, she is also teaching us Arabic - a small and happy reminder of the life she used to lead. And one of the first things she taught us to say? Ahlan wa sahlan. Welcome. For more information see www.tonbridgewelcomesrefugees.co.uk In the UK, when you're sick you go to the doctor and expect a swift and accurate diagnosis. It is rare to be told that your symptoms are unheard of or to be given a completely incorrect diagnosis. In many countries though, this is commonplace, especially when it comes to lesser known diseases like leprosy and lymphatic filariasis. In fact, our research shows that a third (34%) of people affected by leprosy have been to three or more doctors before they reach us, at Lepra, and get the correct diagnosis. Advertisement In our Adilabad project in India, we work with indigenous communities and the percentage of misdiagnosis there reaches a shocking 54%. Even in the UK only 37% of people are aware leprosy is still an active illness. While the disease is no longer prevalent in the UK, this lack of awareness means that people affected by leprosy are overlooked by charitable givers. We need this to change so we can continue raising awareness and finding those who have been or could be misdiagnosed. Obviously no case of incorrect diagnosis is good but, in the case of leprosy, those added months without treatment could mean a life with a permanent disability. Those three visits to the doctor, for those not fortunate enough to have a national health service, also mean money. It means fighting to fund a potentially incorrect treatment, giving up work or education to do so and becoming a burden to your family, not to mention the emotional and mental cost caused. Leprosy is curable and there is no need for anyone to live with the potential debilitating effects of nerve damage and disability, but unfortunately it happens because too few people are aware of the symptoms. Often individuals are also too afraid to come forward because of the stigma leprosy carries. That is why the acknowledgement of neglected tropical diseases in the global goals and among the international development community is so important. It is totally unacceptable that people are living in misery with an easily diagnosed, completely curable disease because of a lack of funding and an unfounded stigma. Advertisement Fortunately, our work in areas of India, Bangladesh and Mozambique is enabling us to find more people living with neglected diseases. We are able to provide access to treatment as well as helping individuals in other aspects of their life such as maintaining an income and integrating into society. Our figures show personal income goes up 17% after someone with leprosy has come to us. At Lepra, we are heavily invested in providing public health campaigns as well as government staff training. We also train private practitioners and traditional healers as people often seek help with them first. Both of these actions educate children, women and men on the symptoms of various diseases including leprosy and lymphatic filariasis. This increased awareness should mean that symptoms are recognised and treatment accessed earlier. As well as the standard approaches, at Lepra, we are also training female community champions to go out into remote villages and talk to people about their health. They are actively looking for people who may need our help. This face-to-face contact with a person who may also have experience enduring a neglected disease helps in dispelling the stigma that leprosy is a curse. If we can rid the world of such a myth then perhaps the numbers of misdiagnosis will start to fall, and with them, the severe and debilitating consequences. After all, in the twenty first century, shouldn't we all have the privilege of visiting the doctor in the confidence we'll get the advice and care we need? Baroness Warsi has switched sides from leave to remain, proving that with four days to go until the referendum, not everyone is decided. The latest polls suggest remain is pulling back into the lead but a poll is pure speculation and the fact is there's still everything to play for. Bookies have slashed the price of remaining - a much stronger tell. I work in private education and like many people in the teaching profession - both state and independent sectors - both state and independent sectors - I'm broadly in the remain camp. Without a crystal ball, no one really knows what will happen if we vote Brexit on Thursday. Education Secretary Nicky Morgan's fear that children will leave school without a word of French is perhaps a little unfounded but it's clear there will be some limit on the freedom of movement throughout Europe and for me that's a bad thing. Just think: a two-day school trip to Calais could become a bureaucratic nightmare if everyone needs visas to hop across the Channel. Advertisement There has been confusion over Brexit's impact on school places. Leavers say controlling migration could free up places currently taken by EU children. Yet remainers argue these children (or rather their parents) contribute to the public finances and without this wealth there will be a big hole in the coffers, with education suffering as a result. Yet if we leave Europe, will our teachers leave too? Many schools employ foreigners and around 14% of university staff are from Europe. No one knows what Brexit would mean but it can offer no guarantee of immigration status. If EU nationals working in Britain lose certain rights, such as free NHS care, will they up sticks and go home? Schools claim they will lose 400,000 teachers if the Brexiteers win. We already have a shortage of quality teachers - this would only exacerbate the problem. If the quality of teaching dips, parents who pay for education will start to look elsewhere. And what of the pupils? Some 5,000 children from EU countries are currently at British boarding schools. Brexit would add bureaucracy and complexity to their travel arrangements and make parents reconsider. Around 5.5% of higher education students are from EU countries. An exodus of international students would mean a vast net outflow of money from the UK from associated industries: student accommodation, cultural tourist events to name but a few. Yet voting leave would probably have some benefits. No doubt, the pound would weaken, which could make private education more affordable to international parents. There is an argument that this would cause an increase in the level of international applications as a result of this new found competitivenes; and a knock on effect to all the associated trades. However, the more likely outcome is, the schools in question will see an opportunity to increase fees to take the slack in currency weakness - and to bolster profits. After all, they are running a business too. This would lead to an even higher fee level for domestic families and even less affordability for domestic children to attend the very best institutions. Advertisement I run a private tuition company that works with the children and families with the intention of passing the entrance exams for top independent schools. We're as British as James Bond and Wimbledon but when it comes to the referendum, I'm feeling decidedly European. Many of our students are from overseas and although they tend to come from countries outside of Europe their families operate globally. They might live in India, trade in Germany, moor their yacht in Monaco and have older children studying at the Sorbonne. The British education system - from prep schools to post-graduate - has always lured wealthy foreigners to our country but will Brexit force a sea change with families look to America and Australia for their schooling? I don't know but it's not a risk I'm willing to take so I'm staying in. This Thursday, on the 23rd of June, millions of people will be going to polling stations throughout the UK in order to cast their vote. The people of the UK will be deciding whether we should remain or leave the European Union, a decision that will have a drastic influence over the future of our country. It will affect every one of our lives, and it will determine the role the United Kingdom plays in the world for decades to come. The chance to vote is not something we should take lightly, not only because of the power each of us holds in our own hands, but also because the right to vote is something we should all treasure. When we cast our votes on Thursday, we should remember that in 1780, only 3% of the population of England and Wales could vote. That 3% was, of course, made up of wealthy white males who thought they and they alone should decide the future of their country. Advertisement We should also remember that there are still many people throughout the world who are denied the right to vote or whose votes simply don't count. Even though universal suffrage is a key element of our democracy, we are still lucky to have it. In countries like North Korea, Zimbabwe, Syria, and China, citizens have little or no say in how their countries are run. To many people throughout the world, the idea that a government would hold a referendum seems an idealistic dream for the distant future. We, in the UK, are living that dream of democracy. But we shouldn't just feel fortunate that we have this right to democratically choose our governments. We should also feel grateful. Now, I'm not saying we should be thanking politicians or the establishment or the monarchy for granting us this right to vote. After all, the right of universal suffrage was not given to the citizens of the UK out of good will or kindness from benevolent bureaucrats. It was fought for. We should feel grateful to all those who struggled and persevered so that we could go to the polling stations on Thursday. We should feel grateful to Thomas Paine, whose book The Rights of Man called for an expansion of suffrage beyond wealthy elites. We should feel grateful to the radical speaker Henry Hunt and the 11 people killed at the Peterloo Massacre of 1819, attacked by local yeomanry for calling for their right to vote. They were martyred for their fellow men and women. Then there are the Chartists, the 19th Century radical campaigners for parliamentary reform. Their six-point programme included demands for universal suffrage and voting by secret ballot - both of which we take for granted. All of these revolutionaries gave us what we have today, and we should commemorate their struggle by casting our votes on Thursday. Advertisement But these groups were only the beginning of this battle. When we vote, we must also feel indebted to the suffragettes and to Emily Davison, that great feminist figure who fought for her rights as a woman. Indeed, she gave her life for the cause of female suffrage. At the Epsom Derby of 1913, Emily Davison stepped out in front of King George V's horse in a symbol of protest. Four days later, she died from her injuries. Alongside Emily in this battle for woman's right to vote were Mary Wollstonecraft, Emmeline Pankhurst, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and many, many others. They suffered persecution, alienation and abuse so that women could have equal voting rights to men. And last but not least, we must remember Martin Luther King Junior and all those men and women who took part in the civil rights movement. If they hadn't marched on Washington in 1963, and if they hadn't clung so ferociously to their heartfelt dreams, black men and black women might still not be able to vote in the United States. Martin Luther King Junior was assassinated for fighting for his beliefs - he gave his life so that he and his fellow black Americans could have the right we enjoy today. That, I suppose, demonstrates the importance of voting. Not just because we are voting in an incredibly important referendum, but because we are so lucky that we can vote at all. It hasn't always been like this. We haven't always had this great democratic right. So, when we put our slips in the ballot box on Thursday, whether we are men or women, black or white, Christian or Muslim, working-class or bourgeoisie, we should remember those who gave their lives so that every one of us could have this right. When Thursday arrives, I urge you to go to the ballot box and vote. If you feel alienated and disenfranchised by the current political climate, I don't blame you. But you still ought to go to the polling station and vote or, at the very least, spoil your ballot - it may seem pointless, but it shows that you care and ensures you won't be dismissed as entirely apathetic. Advertisement Turning out to vote on Thursday is the least we can do for all those campaigners and martyrs who championed the rights we enjoy today. Whatever your stance on the referendum, let your voice be heard. Two headlines have been dominating the British press in the past couple of weeks. First and foremost, the EU referendum. A decision to either remain as part of the European Union, or to secede and pursue a new era of Britain being even 'Greater' than ever. Remember that? An age where being British meant only doing British things, like eating Bovril straight out of the jar with your hand, queuing, or singing the national anthem before every meal. This was a vote that was pre-emptively offered by David Cameron in an attempt to quell leaking Tory-to-Ukip voters. Voters that were worried about the economy and immigration, so they decided to vote for an ex-stocks trader with a German wife who said he understood the plight of the working classes and those that feared immigration. Advertisement Man of the people The second headline is the wholly tragic mass shooting in a gay nightclub in Orlando. This has caused the increasingly ugly debate around gun control and gun violence in America to rear its head again. Both of these topics have invigorated the masses, and now we're all furiously debating whether Britain is better off In or Out, and whether we need to ban guns totally or actually give people rocket launchers instead. The idea being if we can blow people up before they've even decided to become mentally ill, homophobic or Muslim, we can finally win the war on terror or drugs or whatever. Regardless of where you stand on the issues, there is a lot of spurious disinformation from all sides. Propaganda that is trying to convince people that 508 million immigrants are going to come over all at once on what I assume will be Noah's Ark, and take our jobs if we stay in Europe. Or claims that Ryanair will become terrible AND expensive if we leave, instead of just terrible. The thing is, a lot of these contentious issues are easily "fact-checkable". For instance, there is no shortage of people willing to tell you the weekly cost of EU membership. 350 million by the way. Well, kind of but not really. That's the figure we pay into the EU before ANY rebates and long term economic returns. See that? I checked that in 30 seconds. But that doesn't stop it getting banded around, and it probably doesn't help that it's plastered on the side of BoJo's Boris Bus for all to see. Advertisement This is the problem though. We're now facing a hugely important vote. Something that will shape this country and our place in the world for generations to come, and people are not voting based on things they've researched, but voting on the first thought they arrive at. Not only this, but it ignores all the facts presented by people that have done the research. The same goes for American gun control. The population are furious that their second amendment right to own an assault rifle might be infringed, because ????. It's their God given right to be able to decimate organic matter at a rate of 200 rounds per minute. To be fair, banning guns wouldn't do anything. Except not really, again. Pictured: A human right. In 1996, Australia banned firearms outright, and since then, zero mass shootings. Now nobody is saying banning weapons would reduce or stop mass shootings, apart from all the people that have seen the evidence. But it's unfair to prove things with facts so let's ignore that. So it seems we have a problem. The great ship of democracy is being steered by those who don't actually know what they're being democratic about. We're making life changing decisions based on dogmatism and lack of understanding. Why is this allowed to happen? Advertisement Is this a truly democratic exercise if we're objectively wrong about the things we're voting for or against? Let's vote to leave Europe because we don't want to spend 350 million a week. Let's vote against gun reform or control because there's no evidence to show it'll reduce harrowing acts of violence. No matter that these are both wrong, my democratic RIGHT to exercise my vote, ignorance be damned, is more important than anything else. You could argue that politicians and lobbyists shouldn't lie to us, but that seems to be par and course for the democratic rigmarole, which in itself is a pretty damning indictment of what we're working with. Halfway through writing this, the tragic shooting of Labour MP Jo Cox hit the headlines. A blatant act of terrorism by a member of the "political" group Britain First. A group that has been given the same democratic platform as every other party. While the right to freely express your opinion has always been the mark of a "civilised" society, at what point do we recognise that the democratic freedom of expression is failing us, and needs to be tempered? When we disagree with an opinion? Probably not. When somebody gets brutally stabbed and shot in the street? Perhaps. This is murky territory. Democracy seems to be a Utilitarian principle at heart. Do the most good for the most people. But allowing an unchecked democracy to flourish now seems counter-intuitive to this principal. It's demagoguery disguised; a wolf in sheep's clothing. But the solution doesn't seem clear either. Do we restrict the right to vote to those who've passed some kind of test to prove they know what they're voting for? Do we just relinquish democratic rule all together? Donald Trump has just over one million dollars cash-on-hand, which is roughly equivalent to his hand sanitizer budget. His campaign is staffing up a rapid response team, an effort were going to codename Operation Your Stupid. And Steve King introduced a bill blocking Treasury from placing Harriet Tubman on the $20, probably because of all those people she shepherded north to give birth to Canadian anchor babies. This is HUFFPOST HILL for Tuesday, June 21st, 2016: DONALD TRUMP: HILLARY NOT LIKEABLE ENOUGH TO GOD - Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. I'm Great. Really Great, he said. My dad. Really classy guy. Repent and believe the good news! Sam Levine: "Presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump on Tuesday questioned the faith of Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama, insinuating that neither may really be a Christian. He told a group of evangelical leaders that he doesnt believe there is enough public information about Clintons religious beliefs. 'Shes been in the public eye for years and years, and yet theres no, nothing out there. Theres like nothing out there,' he said. 'Its going to be an extension of Obama, but its going to be worse, because with Obama you had to have your guard up. With Hillary you dont and its going to be worse.'" [HuffPost] Advertisement THE LATEST ON TRUMP'S SCAMPAIGN - Sam Stein: "Documents show the Trump campaign made four payments totaling $35,000 to a firm called Draper Sterling It was registered with the New Hampshire secretary of states office with the address of 18 Crosby Lane, Londonderry. Someone named Jon Adkins applied for registration in New Hampshire on Feb. 14 and the firm was formally created on March 25. Trumps campaign did make a payment to Adkins directly in May: $3,000 for field consulting work. And on that payment, Adkins listed 18 Crosby Lane as his address. The campaign paid Paul Holzer $3,000 for field consulting work as well. He, too, listed his address as 18 Crosby Lane. While its unclear if the two live together (the neighbor suggested it was unlikely) they certainly are connected. Holzer and Adkins are the chief executive officer and director of business, respectively, at a company called Xeno Therapeutics, a 501(c)3 in Boston. The company says it uses 'lifesaving xeno technology' to help burn victims. It was founded in 2016 but its place of business appears to be an apartment, at least according to this Zillow listing. There is no phone number listed and after this story was published its website was taken down." [HuffPost] GOP OPTS TO SAVE SECOND AMENDMENT, DESTROY THE FOURTH - Pay-as-you-go Constitution shredding. Responsible. Dustin Volz: "U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell set up a vote late on Monday to expand the Federal Bureau of Investigations authority to use a secretive surveillance order without a warrant to include email metadata and some browsing history information. The move, made via an amendment to a criminal justice appropriations bill, is an effort by Senate Republicans to respond to last weeks mass shooting in an Orlando nightclub after a series of measures to restrict guns offered by both parties failed on Monday...The bill is also supported by Republican Senators John Cornyn, Jeff Sessions and Richard Burr, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee. Privacy advocates denounced the effort, saying it seeks to exploit a mass shooting in order to expand the governments digital spying powers. Senator Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, criticized a similar effort last month as one that takes a hatchet to important protections for Americans liberty. [Reuters] Advertisement DELANEY DOWNER - Maine Gov. Paul LePage (R) wants to wash his hands of the federal food stamp program because beneficiaries eat so much filthy junk food. LePage told the Obama administration that hed end the states administration of food stamps if the U.S. Department of Agriculture wont let him decide which foods Mainers can buy with their benefits. Its time for the federal government to wake up and smell the energy drinks, LePage wrote in a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. Doubtful that it will, I will be pursuing options to implement reform unilaterally or cease Maines administration of the food stamp program altogether, LePage wrote. States distribute the benefits but the federal government sets the rules for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which serves roughly 44 million Americans nationwide, including nearly 200,000 in Maine. [HuffPost] Does somebody keep forwarding you this newsletter? Get your own copy. It's free! Sign up here. Send tips/stories/photos/events/fundraisers/job movement/juicy miscellanea to huffposthill@huffingtonpost.com. Follow us on Twitter - @HuffPostHill TRUMP REALLY NOT TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY - Trump raised *adopts Dr. Evil voice, places pinky to mouth* THREE MILLLLIIOOON DOLLARS. Paul Blumenthal: Presumptive Republican Party presidential nominee Donald Trump entered June with just $1.3 million cash on hand in his campaign account, according to a campaign finance report filed on Monday. The tiny sum is the result of Trumps poor first month of fundraising from donors that netted just $3.1 million. Clinton, by comparison, raised $26.4 million for her campaign in the same time period as Trumps $3.1 million. In May 2012, when Romney was the presumptive Republican nominee, he raised $23.4 million. When party committees and supportive super PACs are factored in, the disparity between Clinton and Trump becomes astronomical. Aside from the $26.4 million raised for Clintons campaign, Priorities USA Action (the super PAC endorsed by her campaign) pulled in an additional $12.4 million. The Democratic National Committee also raised $12.3 million. In total, these three committees comprising Team Clinton entered June with $103.4 million cash on hand." [HuffPost] Advertisement TRUMP: WADDA BUSINESSMAN - Presumably his lectern at the presidential debates will be a cardboard box atop which he'll place three cards and ask America to keep an eye on the ace of spades. Christina Wilkie: "Donald Trumps presidential campaign paid more than $1 million last month to companies controlled by the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, according to reports the Trump campaign filed late Monday with the Federal Election Commission. The figure represents payments for facilities rental, catering, monthly rents and utilities at more than a half-dozen Trump-owned companies and properties. It includes nearly $350,000 that the Trump campaign paid a Trump-owned company, TAG Air, for the use of Trumps private jets and helicopters. The most striking expenditure in the new filings was $423,372, paid by the Trump campaign for rentals and catering at Trumps 126-room Palm Beach, Florida, mansion, Mar-A-Lago, which Trump operates as a private club. Though the payment was in May, the Mar-A-Lago bill likely covers a number of campaign events Trump has staged there in recent months. A spokeswoman for the Trump campaign did not respond to an email from The Huffington Post inquiring about the expenditures and Mar-A-Lago." [HuffPost] TRUMP CAMPAIGN ACTUALLY TRYING . . . A LITTLE BIT - Nick Gass: "A Trump campaign aide with knowledge of the plans told POLITICO that the rapid-response effort is a 'small team, but it's growing' and is 'actually only going to be growing from here.' 'This is Mr. Trump's vision and Mr. Trump's directive being executed,' the official said, adding that the team will respond in real time through TV interviews, press releases, emails and social media. Going forward, the campaign official said Trump's messages would target Clinton's policies to make the case that she is beholden to Wall Street interests, foreign governments and corporations an argument frequently visited in the campaign's multiple coordinated messages Tuesday and all but assured to be the main subject of his Wednesday morning speech at Trump SoHo." [Politico] Come to think of it, Trump is like a living, breathing robocall: "Donald Trump is sending out his first small-dollar fundraising email to supporters after a disastrous May fundraising report showed his campaign account drying up. The email pitch, sent Tuesday morning, promises that the presumptive GOP presidential nominee will personally match up to $2 million in donations between Tuesday and Thursday as he hopes to jump-start his fledgling fundraising organization and make up some of the gap between himself and likely Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.'This is my first fundraising email I have sent on behalf of my campaign,' he writes. 'That's right. The FIRST ONE.'" [The Hill's Ben Kamisar] FATTAH FOUND GUILTY - Rema Rahman: "Rep. Chaka Fattah was convicted Tuesday on federal corruption charges that included a scheme to pay off debt from his failed campaign for mayor of Philadelphia, the Justice Department said. In a statement, Fattah acknowledged the conviction but stopped short of saying outright he had any plans to resign. He's already lost his primary, however, so he wouldn't be returning to Congress next year anyway...Fattah, 59, had been charged in a 29-count indictment with racketeering conspiracy, bribery and wire fraud as part of a probe launched by the IRS and FBI in March 2013." [Roll Call] YOU KEEP DOING YOU, STEVE KING - Surprising we haven't heard him weigh in on Sacagawea dollars. "A Republican congressman is trying to block the Treasury from redesigning U.S. currency, a move that could prevent the government from replacing Andrew Jackson on the front of the $20 bill with abolitionist Harriet Tubman. Rep. Steve King of Iowa has offered an amendment to a spending bill barring the use of funds to redesign any Federal Reserve note or coin. It wasn't immediately clear why King opposed the redesign, and his office did not immediately respond to messages...King is a conservative Republican known for his outspoken criticism of U.S. immigration policy. His Democratic opponent in Iowa, Kim Weaver, said it's "a headline-grabbing piece of stunt legislation.' 'And what chance does this meaningless and mean-spirited gesture have of actually passing? Just like most measures introduced by Steve King, none,' she said." [AP] Very important Kim Davis update: "Kim Davis, the Kentucky county clerk who made a splash last summer with her refusal to grant marriage licenses to gay couples, wants an appeals court to officially forget all about the incident and make the case go away. In a motion filed Tuesday with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit, where Davis is contesting an earlier contempt order against her, her lawyers asked for the whole matter to be dismissed because of recent developments in Kentucky law." [HuffPost's Cristian Farias] BECAUSE YOU'VE READ THIS FAR - Here is a Summer '16 mashup. COMFORT FOOD - Exploring the interiors from "Murder She Wrote." - If early 90s video games met Seinfeld . TWITTERAMA @daveweigel: Schumer, seeing huge scrum around Corker: "Did Trump announce him for Vice President?" @mviser: The guy who owns a 64-story hotel gilded in 24-carat gold is running a Motel 6 campaign. @ProfJeffJarviss: If I were @RoyalFamily I'd pull a Henry VIII and start a tweet war with @Pontifex. Huge engagement. Advertisement TAMBOPATA, Peru -- It was late 2014 when Phil Torres first showed me the photos from his recent trip to the Peruvian Amazon. Among them were amazing images of the tropical wildlife, from brilliant macaws to elusive pumas. But there were a few critters in that album that stood out to us in particular. Flipping through his camera, Phil said something like, "Check out this butterfly dude. It hangs out with ants on bamboo." Butterfly on a bamboo stalk in the presence of ants. Butterflies and ants feeding from the sap secretions emitting from the bamboo shoot. Phil and I both have backgrounds in entomology, and yet we had never seen anything like this before. Sure, we knew that some butterfly larvae have symbiotic relationships with ants, known as myrmecophily. This is well documented -- many of the caterpillars that associate with ants have special organs that secrete sugars and amino acids. The ants get a sugary nutritious meal from the caterpillars and, in return, the fragile caterpillars get personal ant bodyguards that defend against predators and parasites. But this is not the case for the adult butterflies, which usually have to evade ants lest they become their next meal. Advertisement Overlook of the Tambopata River at our field site in southeastern Peru. "Look at the three red spots on the butterfly wing." Phil said. "Kind of looks like the ants they're with on the bamboo. Maybe it's some sort of mimicry." Now I was really interested. The butterfly appears to be a known species,Adelotypa annulifera, but these pictures could be revealing an undocumented observation for this butterfly interacting with ants and a potentially new wing-mimicry pattern. Super cool, I thought, but there was just one problem: we know little about this butterfly beyond some dead pinned specimens. What is its life cycle? Where do the larvae develop? What do the larvae even look like? Next to nothing was known about the life history of this butterfly. So to solve this mystery, Phil and I decided to collaborate. I was making a return trip to this exact field site in the coming months, so I set out to uncover the missing pieces of this puzzle. Bamboo stalk with a leaf wrapped around the shoot near the base of the plant. The challenge with this type of fieldwork is that the Amazon rainforest is huge, and the critters we are looking for are tiny. Since Phil observed the butterflies on bamboo, I ventured out to the same habitat, a trek from the Tambopata Research Center. The jungle was particularly hot, humid, rainy and muddy during that expedition, but I was determined to find our caterpillars and butterflies. After hours of hiking through the Peruvian Amazon and getting soaked by the rain, I found myself in the bamboo forest where we knew our butterflies liked to hang out. I checked dozens of bamboo plants but it seemed futile -- no signs of our butterflies. But persistence is the key to fieldwork. I soon saw a young bamboo shoot poking out of the mud, and noticed a leaf near the base of the bamboo, close to the ground. Advertisement First observation of the caterpillars with an ant bodyguard. I pulled the leaf back and to my utter shock, found myself staring directly at two caterpillars nestled against the bamboo and an agitated ant hovering over the Lepidoptera larvae. My heart was pounding -- did I really just find our caterpillars in this vast rainforest!? Clearly they were myrmecophilous, as the ant was trying to protect them. The caterpillars later turned into pupae. Although excited about the find, I knew the job wasn't done. This could be any species of caterpillar, so I knew I had to watch them turn into pupae and then adults in order to confirm that these belonged to the same butterfly species. I checked up on the caterpillars at that spot and took photos and video. After a couple of days, I found our little critters in the same location, but this time they had transformed into pupae! I gently collected them and brought them to a small insect cage at the Tambopata Research Center to see if they would emerge as butterflies. I had my fingers crossed; hopefully they would survive to adulthood. The immature life stages of the butterfly and their association with ants. A: Eggs with Megalomyrmex ant. B: First instar larva with Ectatomma tuberculatum ant. C: Mid-instar larva with Pheidole ant. D: Mid-instar larvae with bullet ants. E: Final instar larva with E. tuberculatum ant. F: Pupae. Days later, I walked past the little insect cage and noticed some activity. Wings fluttering. One of the pupae had successfully eclosed! It was the moment of truth -- what butterfly was it? My jaw dropped when I noticed it was, in fact, the same butterfly (Adelotypa annulifera) that Phil had taken pictures. That means we had just completed the entire life cycle of the butterfly, from egg to larvae to pupae and finally adult. Now felt like we had enough material to write this up as an official scientific publication. Figure 4. Adult Adelotypa annulifera interactions with ants on bamboo. A: Ants touching the butterfly wings with antennae. B: Ant crawling on butterfly wing. C: Ants touching butterfly abdomen. D&E: Butterflies and ants utilizing extrafloral nectary resources on bamboo. F: Butterfly drinking bamboo fluid from the ant. We think the fact that butterflies steal a resource from the ants and let the ants crawl all over them indicates that some complex chemical signaling is going on. Perhaps the butterflies are utilizing a pheromone from their larval stage, potentially allowing the butterfly to take advantage of the ants, which would normally tear a fragile butterfly to shreds. The three red spots on the butterfly wing also look strikingly like the red ants and perhaps serve as a form of mimicry. If a butterfly looks like red ants that bite and sting, a bird may be less inclined to eat it. However, it should be noted that these are just our hypotheses at the moment and, like any hypothesis, should be rigorously tested before we can claim to back it up. We hope to do so, because there most certainly seems to be more to this incredible tropical butterfly than meets the eyes. Stay tuned. Phil and I enjoying a boat ride along the river in the Amazon rainforest. For more info, you can download the PDF here. By Dave Marsey, EVP/Managing Director, DigitasLBi San Francisco It's hard to miss Samsung's impressive Virtual Reality presence at the Palais des Festival in Cannes. I think I had more fun watching visitors experience it than actually strapping on a headset. Well, on second thought, I enjoyed experiencing it myself more. And thats because after attending the session, Samsung Presents: a VR Creators Experience, I have a new appreciation for why VR is such a big deal. The panelists spoke in visceral terms to describe the experience. Eddy Moretti, CCO of Vice, described the awe of going beyond the frame as magical, addictive. Yelena Rachitsky, Creative Producer at Oculus, boldly stated that with VR, catharsis is not happening vicariously, it is happening to you. Advertisement And from Chris Milk, CEO of Within, VR will lead to the democratization of the human experience. I walked out in awe of what VR represents as well as a greater understanding as to why Facebook paid what they did for Oculus. But I was particularly struck by how purposeful VR can be for charitable giving which is where it becomes a major player in the space. As we saw from Monday nights Cannes Lions winners, weve moved beyond awarding charitable work that simply tugs at the heartstrings. Rather, work that drives tangible results -- like moving product -- is being recognized. Heres a great example. Charity: Water partnered with Vrse.works and Samsung to create The Source, a VR film about an Ethiopian girl, Selam, who gets fresh water for the first time with her family from a well that workers have drilled in the desert. Watch the film here. They debuted the film using Samsung Gear VR Headsets at a fundraising gala in New York. The funds collected that evening far exceeded Charity: Waters goal, with one donor alone committing over $300,000. This films dramatically demonstrates VRs move from a novelty item that caused dizziness into a meaningful space that can catalyze social change. Advertisement So heres an idea: lets start with charitable giving and social causes as use-cases for the promise of VR. As an industry, why not rally around doing good first, marketing second? By Alex Van Gestel, CEO, Verbalisation As adlands luminaries gather in Cannes, its a good time to reflect on the current state of creativity. And to see how many of this-years award-winners will be able to point to the science that lies behind their creativity? Just how many of the campaigns and platforms were driven by intuitive leaps and gut feel rather than informed by evidence of what is actually happening in peoples minds? The power of technology and the proliferation of mobile have led to great marketing innovation and creative invention over the last decade but the human insight seems to have taken more of a back seat. Advertisement We believe that merging science with creativity is the future for brand building. Where brands are creatively objective, while being objectively creative. We need this science because our media landscape demands it. As previously discussed, evolving channels and the ever-greater importance of earned media have created new levels of complexity in how we engage an audience. So, the challenge is to find a consistent and effective way to communicate that can cut through the digital haze, creating value not noise. How do we do this? It is vital for brands to have a clear and compelling vocabulary: one that is informed by a genuine understanding of the audience. Because only once you truly comprehend people how they think, what they believe, why they do what they do can you find the right words to motivate and inspire them. Advertisement In this data-driven age we need creativity that is built on a foundation of certainty not on sand. Underpinned, shaped, measured and refined through rigorous, robust and objective science. Its much the same as an architect taking the knowledge of the physical sciences and applying it to constructing a building. The new Switch House extension of Tate Modern in London is a great example of a new form of creativity, only made possible with the underpinning of science. For our approach, we deep dive into the psychology of the audience and apply the science to construct a brands language. By understanding the way our brains process information and control behaviour, were able to engineer powerful messaging that hits the minds relevance button and changes behaviour. We know that when a company owns a consistent lexicon of language in the audiences mind, it creates a clear relationship that spans the brand, product, service and experience. We also know that the right words enter the brain quicker and stay there longer. So, how do we figure out what those right words are? Understanding your audiences psychology is like being able to see a lock in their brain. And seeing the shape of this lock is crucial if we want to cut the right key. Advertisement To make sure that we can do this consistently and accurately we turned to decades worth of findings from the behavioural, psychological and marketing sciences to develop a process that enables the decoding of audience drivers. By identifying the elements that will be most effective in influencing a specific audience, we are able to turn complex intelligence into actionable insights. Our analysis is framed within 24 parameters that fall into four areas. There are the cognitive factors that drive peoples behaviour to identify which psychological principles we should apply. There is the language that they will be most influenced by to identify whether we should use, for example, metaphors or direct language. Then there are external factors that colour the way that they receive and process information to allow for social and cultural codes in the way that we express and deliver the message. And finally we consider how they want messages delivered to identify where, when and from whom they will be most open to it. This operating system, which we call RAID (Rapid Audience Insight Diagnostics), acts like an insights centrifuge, identifying and correlating insights across its parameters to help us ascertain the shape and size of the lock. Then, all thats left is to make the key that fits this lock. The right messaging, expressed consistently in the right words, delivered consistently at the right touch points and talk points. Advertisement We believe that the future of communications, whatever the technology, will be to associate each brand with clear and compelling language: the strongest brands will be defined by their ownership and consistent deployment of words. The right words that stand out in an increasingly cluttered world and stand for what the brand and its audiences share. This means precise selection of the language that each brand will use, so that copywriters become verbal engineers, not just creatives. And it means disciplined application of it across all media and touchpoints in the brands owned and earned channels. What might feel like repetition to you will be perceived as consistency by the audience, as they move from situation to situation, screen to screen. A retailer will also be a consumer and will expect to see the brand use the same language wherever she meets it. As Sebastyne Young said: A picture can tell a thousand words, but a few words can change its story. The assignment of responsibility for terrible events can be viewed simplistically, or it can be viewed in a way that takes into account the complex web of influences in the human world. So it is with the question: Who is responsible for the shooting of the British member of Parliament, Jo Cox, last week? At the simple level - which is also entirely valid - the responsibility apparently rests with the accused shooter, the 52-year-old Scotsman, Thomas Mair. At the more complex level, I would argue, it is probable that some of the responsibility rests with Donald Trump or, one might say, with the "spirit" that Trump has unleashed into the world with his campaign. Advertisement Is that connection plausible? Is that accusation fair? Here's how I see an entirely plausible set of steps by which the path back from Mair to Trump could be traced. For starters, a good deal of the discussion of Mair's actions has connected Mair's actions - killing a pro-EU member of parliament -- with the increasingly inflammatory anti-immigrant rhetoric heard from the "Brexit" side of Britain's current intense debate on whether to leave the EU. That connection is made doubly plausible by the fact that Mair is reported to have shouted "put Britain first" at the time of the shooting, and that he subsequently gave his name in court as "Death to traitors, freedom for Britain." A kind of white nationalism - which had become increasingly vocal in the political environment surrounding Mair -- seems to have motivated Mair's attack on Cox. In other words, Mair's actions - like everything all of us do - took place in a context. Had there been no EU referendum, or if the debate over "Brexit" had stirred up less bigotry and anger, there is a reasonable possibility that Mair would not have made his lethal attack. It is entirely plausible that the intensifying force of bigotry rising around him pushed him over the edge. Advertisement (It seems plausible also to think that the British themselves have drawn some such connection, for it appears that in the wake of this crime, the momentum on the referendum has swung back from "Leave" to "Remain." That swing in public sentiment suggests that -- in the eyes of a segment of the British population -- the assassination of Jo Cox discredited the "Brexit" cause on account of its role in strengthening some ugly passions in the public arena.) If it is reasonable to see Mair's as influenced by the emboldened white nationalism in Britain at their moment of decision, is it also reasonable to imagine that the rise of Donald Trump in America could have similarly influenced Mair? There are two ways that could plausibly have happened -- one through Trump having a direct impact on Mair, the other through Trump fortifying the white nationalist/supremacist forces in Britain, which in turn influenced Mair. Mair himself has ties with American neo-Nazi groups, and such groups in America have been quite vocal about how encouraged they've been by Trump's success. Since Trump has emboldened these groups, surely Mair may have been emboldened likewise. Trump's emergence -- from a supposed political joke to clear front-runner to the presumptive nominee of one of America's two major parties -- has been huge news not only in this nation, but all around the world. That certainly includes Britain. We may recall that a popular petition in Britain led their Parliament to debate a resolution that would have barred Trump from their nation. So, clearly, the image and message of Trump has been an important part of British consciousness. Advertisement If it is true that Trump has encouraged and emboldened America's racist/nationalistic fringe -- and it is -- is there any reason to believe that he wouldn't have a similar impact on similar groups in Britain? Would not the rise to a position of great prominence of someone expressing a spirit akin to their own fortify the forces of racism and bigotry in our closest ally as well? We cannot know whether, has there been no Trump, Jo Cox would still be alive. And in any event, there is no question here of Trump having any legal responsibility. But the human world's densely interwoven fabric of causes and effects means that a given action can be the fruit of a variety of causes. And as every action has many sources, moral responsibility for those actions properly gets spread around. One important way that cause-and-effect weaves its way in the human world is through the operation of contagion - a phenomenon visible throughout history. Something like the recent "Arab Spring" cannot be understood well without a recognition of the reality of contagion. After events in Tunisia brought down an authoritarian regime in that nation, long-standing regimes in other Arab countries - in Egypt, in Libya, in Syria - also came under popular challenge. Another illustration of contagion involves the cascade of events in Eastern Europe near the end of the Cold War - the fall of the Berlin Wall, followed immediately thereafter by the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia, and onward to other nations in the region. That same contagious example of peoples freeing themselves from oppressive regimes contributed, months later, to the rise of the Democracy Movement in China (that movement which was crushed so brutally by the Tiananmen massacre). Advertisement History is full of such examples -- the good, the bad, and the ugly -- of movements spreading by people being moved by what they see other people feeling and doing. We are animals wired for contagion. Try yawning in the presence of a group of people and see what happens. People tend to laugh when others laugh, smile when they smile, cry when others around them do likewise. Anger is contagious, and so are good vibes. And as we civilized humans have organized ourselves into nations and as we watch each other on a global scale, contagion operates also on that larger scale. Which is all the more reason why we should not want a spokesman for bigotry - an apostle for Us-vs.-Them passions - to become the leader of our nation. To paraphrase John Donne: "No nation is an island, Entire unto itself, Every nation is a piece of the planet, A part of the humankind's global civilization." And that is especially true when that nation is the one that long has been called, "The leader of the free world." When most people think about Facebook, they see it as a social networking platform that's used to communicate with friends, upload photos, and share articles. However, what most people don't realize is that Facebook is expanding in many different directions. And this expansion is happening at such a swift and successful pace that many internet companies - Google included - need to watch out. The Rise of Google and Facebook If you were to combine the valuations of Google and Facebook, it's possible that, collectively, they're worth more than a trillion dollars. In fact, some experts estimate that each company could eventually be worth more than a trillion dollars on their own. With that said, the fact that we're even discussing Facebook alongside Google is something that few could have ever predicted. Sure, Facebook has always been a massive social media brand, but the idea that it's rivaling - and could soon surpass - Google as the ultimate technology company is certainly a riveting story. Advertisement Whereas Google is dominant in one single area - search - Facebook is moving successfully in many different directions without compromising its core product. It doesn't take a business expert to understand that success in multiple niches is a better long-term growth strategy than dominance in a single area. Five Signs that Facebook is Taking Over Google will be a powerful company for years to come; nobody doubts this fact. However, it's clear that Facebook is better poised for evolving developments in the consumer marketplace. Here are just a few of the signs that experts and investors are looking at when they claim that Facebook is vaulting to the top. 1. Stronger Mobile Strategy Google is in some serious trouble on the mobile advertising front, which is clearly the future of the industry. "It is struggling to outline a coherent mobile strategy to investors in a mobile era," says Rakesh Sharma of Investopedia, even going so far as to call Google a besieged firm. "This could have serious consequences for the company's bottom line as mobile advertising is posed to overtake digital advertising as soon as 2019." Sharma is also quick to point out that Google is under fire in Europe, where regulators are challenging its dominance in the search industry. With multiple anti-trust lawsuits in play, Google could possibly be forced to diminish its presence in its second largest revenue market. Advertisement Meanwhile, Facebook is thriving with its own mobile strategy. Facebook mobile started out as a glitch app, but has since been refined in a major way. In just a few short years, Facebook's mobile ad revenue has grown from zero percent of the company's ad revenue to a whopping 69 percent. 2. Better Advertising Model Even if you take mobile out of the equation, Facebook's advertising model is much more stable and promising. Whereas Google AdWords was once an equalizing force for small businesses in their attempt to gain search engine recognition, it's no longer a cost-effective tool. In many competitive industries, the larger players with unlimited budgets are buying up all of the inventory and squeezing out the little guys. Take the real estate industry as an example. Big brands like Zillow and Trulia are sucking up so much inventory that individual agents and small websites are finding it impossible to grab any space - but Google's loss is Facebook's gain. Realtors and small businesses are utilizing social media tools to tap into the robust Facebook ad marketplace. It's not just the real estate industry, though. From ecommerce to brick-and-mortar retail, small businesses are becoming increasingly fond of Facebook advertising for two major reasons: (1) It's more cost effective, and (2) It offers better targeting features. Whereas users are limited in what they can do with AdWords, Facebook has access to millions of data points and makes sophisticated audience targeting surprisingly intuitive. In the years to come, this will turn even more ad spend away from Google. Advertisement 3. New Independent Search Function The average person may not realize it, but Facebook is actually coming after Google in the search arena. There's no question that Google is the current king of search, but Facebook is positioning itself to overtake Google and to become the future of search. Facebook understands that, in order to become a major force in the search industry, it has to do something different. It has to look down the road and to predict what customers will want five, ten, or fifteen years from now. In Mark Zuckerberg's humble opinion, the future of search is rooted in artificial intelligence and something called "Graph Search." Graph search is designed to answer search queries and questions when the answer isn't clear, fixed, or structured. This includes questions like, "Which bars do my friends in New York City like to visit?" However, don't expect Facebook to become the new king of search any time soon. Zuckerberg admits this is something that may be more than a decade down the road. "The way that we're thinking about this, there's just so much content that people have shared on Facebook that simply building the infrastructure to index all of it and start ranking it is a multiyear effort, which we're making our way through," he said in 2014. 4. Growth of Facebook Instant Articles Everyone knows that Facebook is one of the internet's leading traffic referral sources. However, Facebook wants to be more than a referral source. It wants to do something that Google hasn't been able to do - own content. It's currently experimenting with this in the form of Facebook Instant Articles, which was just released on April 12. Advertisement While there's much debate over whether this new initiative will work, it's clear that Facebook understands the importance of gaining more ownership and control over ad inventory and content. 5. Focus on User Engagement While there are a lot of concrete signs that point to Facebook's ability to surpass Google in the years to come, it's the intangibles that Facebook possesses that could be its greatest driving forces. Take user engagement, for example. "Google is primarily driven by data. It's like an incredibly intelligent piece of string that both guides and follows you throughout your day," says tech journalist Jamie Carter. "Facebook is primarily driven by engagement, by providing spaces where we can spend time engaging with other people and content. Its places are much more defined - its website, its mobile app, Instagram." In other words, Facebook develops everything with user experience in mind. This makes Facebook products incredibly useful and immersive. While Google also develops quality products, data is the company's heartbeat. Ultimately, this focus on data over engagement could come back to bite the search giant. Look Out, Google...Facebook is Coming for You It's inaccurate to say that Google is on the verge of becoming an obsolete tech company. It's less about the fact that Google is slipping and more about the fact that Facebook is moving rapidly to the forefront. Advertisement Expect to see many battles waged between these two global tech forces in the years to come. However, if the trends that we're currently experiencing end up holding true, it looks like Facebook will be on top. Now, wouldn't that be a story: a college student starts a simple social networking website out of his dorm room and grows it into the world's largest and most influential technology corporation. A protestor holds a sign that reads in Spanish: "We didn't take out a loan. We didn't see a dime. We're not going to pay." during a protest in the financial district demanding the island's public debt not be paid to bondholders in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Wednesday, July 15, 2015. Protesters gathered at what is known as The Golden Mile to demand the banking industry take responsibility for the current economic crisis. This month Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla said Puerto Rico's outstanding $72 billion public debt is unpayable given the island's long recession. (AP Photo/Ricardo Arduengo) (Source: Antonio Sosa Pascual) Every day as I look over the deep blue waters of the Condado Lagoon I tell myself: what a privilege it is to live in Puerto Rico. But then, reality sinks in. I open the newspaper at 6 a.m. and read the headlines: "No money." "No payment for bondholders." "Congress owns Puerto Rico." Where am I? Am I in a U.S. colony? No. It can't be. Colonies don't exist anymore, right? Aren't Puerto Ricans Americans? I read the newspaper again, just to double check. Yes, the people of Puerto Rico have been shortchanged not only in funding but also in civil rights by the US Congress, the US Supreme Court, and soon the U.S. Senate (expected to take up the bill before July 1st) when the PROMESA Act is finally approved and signed by President Obama. Advertisement PROMESA aims to establish an oversight board, a process for restructuring debt, and expedited procedures for approving critical infrastructure projects in order to combat the Puerto Rican government debt crisis. The same day PROMESA was approved in the House, the U.S. Supreme Court confirmed that "Congress is the original source of power for Puerto Rico" and therefore, Puerto Rico belongs to Congress. The Emperor has no clothes now. We are a colony. As I viewed the U.S. House vote on PROMESA -- I could not help but think about my son Salvador who will be 18 in 10 years and may have to face the hard decision whether to stay in Puerto Rico or leave. In 15 years he may have to build his family in the U.S. mainland - not in Puerto Rico - to secure an appropriate standard of living for his children. That is the decision that is currently made by many Puerto Ricans (who are U.S. Citizens) every day these days. Families broken, dreams shattered, and a beloved Island nation state left behind. I have worked very hard in my life, studied hard, and in many ways my life is the American Dream. I came from very humble origins and thanks to the resilience of my family and our focus on working hard and getting an education (MIT MBA) -- together we achieved unimaginable heights. Yet, when I decided to return to my community to give back, what I found was a web of complicated colonial interests canceling each other out mostly because underlying the relationships was the crude truth that none of us, really, owned our destiny. Life in Puerto Rico these days is not as easy as it seems from the eyes of our fellow Americans who come to vacation here. Many of the things Americans take for granted in their cities and states are not true here. The current colonial arrangement means, among many other examples, that doctors get reimbursed less money, so nurses get less money, and patients of course get a service that is not at the level it should be as US Citizens. Advertisement But what does this colonial relationship mean for people who are just trying to make a living in our community? Well, what it really means is that we are constantly in a daily struggle to prove our worth as human beings, equal to our fellow citizens living in the US Mainland. We also have to struggle each day with a system imposed upon us where sometimes a law or regulation has been brewing for years suddenly is approved. Because we have no real representation and vote, we often know nothing about the law or regulation until it is legally binding. That's why representation exists in a democracy -- so that citizens can delegate the responsibility of analyzing information, debating issues, making decisions, and having the people's voice taken into account, without having to pay anyone (i.e., a lobbyist) to represent them. There is intrinsic value in the democratic process, where not only do citizens vote, make amendments, and provide their input, but where there is also a true collective learning process. We don't have this in Puerto Rico, and as a result, our people are constantly trying to catch up, constantly trying to figure out what laws were approved, who supported them, for what reason and how they impact us only after they have been approved not before or during, or when it is too late to influence the process. The only Puerto Ricans who get a chance to influence the process are those with the resources to drive through the labyrinths of Congress or the White House. Not only do we not have representation in Congress, but we don't have the right to vote for the U.S. President whose policies affect our daily lives. So what to do about this? Certainly a change in the Puerto Rico-United States relationship is in order. For many years, our politicians, particularly those from the Popular Democratic Party resisted this because Puerto Rico was in a "comfortable" enough position to avoid making a final decision on our destiny. Now, our collective credit cards have been maxed out -- and a lot of money was not well spent, and we are broke. We have lost our negotiating power and are faced with the difficult decision to accept a fiscal control board imposed to oversee our affairs. Advertisement Yet, the larger question remains unanswered: how can we take this opportunity that history has given us to take our society to a higher level of democracy, as an Independent nation, a state of the Union or both (similar to Ireland where the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland coexist)? As the US Surgeon General highlighted last week, opioid addiction is a public health crisis destroying families and communities across the country, in blue states and red states, in cities and rural areas. Its causes are as complex as its impact is wide-ranging; solving it will require coordinated action from across the public and private sectors. In Portland, Maine, local leaders are tackling this crisis with a collaborative effort. The Greater Portland Addiction Collaborative, catalyzed by Mercy Hospital, is bringing together healthcare providers and homeless shelter operators as well as law enforcement and the courts in an integrated, community-led initiative that will serve 1,200 people most in need of support. At the 2016 Clinton Global Initiative America meeting last week in Atlanta, Mercy Hospital launched this collaborative as a CGI America Commitment to Action. This Collaborative represents one of many inspiring projects underway across the country that illustrate how we are beginning to rewire our approaches to solving social problems. These projects are reducing the number of youth in foster care, helping homeless people find permanent housing, helping former prisoners find and keep jobs, and helping ensure all children are ready to learn when they start school. Uniting these efforts is a fundamental recognition that solving complex problems requires us to coordinate around a clear understanding of the results we seek. And a realization that if we do this well, we will not only address these challenges, we will also substantially reduce the costs of doing so. Advertisement This may seem obvious. But most of our social spending does not actually pay for results, such as reducing opioid overdoses. Instead, funders, usually government, pay social service organizations to undertake activities, such as providing drug counseling or giving an addict a bed in a homeless shelter. These activities are often helpful but can't on their own address the wider problem. When we organize instead around the desired outcome, we are forced to see how the pieces fit together and to collaborate across traditional silos of public and private sector. At the CGI America meeting in Atlanta, I was privileged to lead discussions about how we can accelerate this shift to outcomes-oriented approaches. Participants in the Outcomes Based Financing Working Group included representatives of the country's largest hospitals and social service agencies, state and county government leaders, and community finance leaders. The rapid shifts in our healthcare system provide a particular focus for this conversation: With Medicare and Medicaid beginning to pay for keeping groups of patients healthy rather than paying for treatments dispensed, $1.3 trillion in annual spending is at stake. The discussions promise to lead to other, similar commitments. The discussions were as inspiring as they were wonky. These are some of the smartest people in their fields, committed to thinking about old problems in new ways. A conversation that starts by asking why America pays more for healthcare than any other nation but gets worse outcomes than most of our peers, quickly led to a plan for providing people leaving prison with housing and job prospects. But old habits are hard to break, and the CGI America meeting highlighted what it will take to collaboratively organize around outcomes: Advertisement Learn by doing: New ways of doing things are always held to higher levels of scrutiny than business as usual. It's easy to get caught in an endless cycle of research and analysis to prove that collaboration is worth it or results predictable. We need to get comfortable with taking leaps and adjusting as we learn. Identify the win-win: Organizing around outcomes is often a much more efficient way to address a social problem in theory. But there is no natural constituency for efficiency; instead, individuals and institutions are oriented to getting the most out of the current way of working. For collaborative ideas to take off, they must benefit all the people we need to join us, in all levels of government, the private sector, and the ultimate beneficiaries of services. We must identify who could be threatened by change and figure out how to help them benefit as well. Build trust: Outcomes-oriented approaches often require collaboration between people unused to working together. In the Maine example, hospital workers, homeless shelter operators, drug treatment professionals, and the police have come together around common goals. We must take the time to understand the values and constraints that everyone works under, rather than allowing ourselves to fall back onto stereotypes about people and organizations we may not know well. There is no short-cut to this work. It requires principled and effective leadership just as much as sophisticated analysis. The stakes are so high and the opportunity for improvement so clear. This galvanizing idea is already drawing support from across the political spectrum. Together, we can make tangible improvements in the lives of many people and communities. Photo credit: Allan Gichigi/MCSP General Hospital Akampa in Cross River State, Nigeria, offers a variety of services to women during pregnancy, labor, and delivery. Like all public facilities in Nigeria, women can give birth there for free, and the facility typically carries out 20 deliveries each week. Yet challenges remain. According to Dr. Patrick Ubi, former chief at General Hospital Akampa, the facility lacks appropriate equipment, including an ultrasound machine, an incubator, and functional delivery beds. There is no water and power is unreliable. Women in labor must cross a rickety, 30-year-old bridge to reach the facility; pregnant women needing an ultrasound have to be referred to private facilities, where they are made to pay. Dr. Ubi is one of many health providers who is frustrated by an inability to perform all necessary obstetric services for the women who come to the hospital. These frustrations play out at health facilities and in communities around the world, and at their heart is the inequitable access to health services. Advertisement Equity is at the heart of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)'s 2016 Acting on the Call report. In addition to providing updates from 25 priority countries that together account for more than two-thirds of the world's child and maternal deaths, the 2016 report also takes an in-depth look at the importance of equitable access to health services. Certain populations face disproportionate barriers to accessing health services. By working to expand the equitable distribution of resources to hospitals and communities, we can ensure that all women and children have access to the quality, respectful care that they deserve. The 2016 Acting on the Call report examines how, through an equity-based approach, we can save the lives of 8 million women and children from the bottom two wealth quintiles alone -- the poorest 40 percent of the population -- by 2020. The global community has seen tremendous progress over the past two decades in reducing child and maternal deaths from preventable causes. In order to not just maintain current trends, but accelerate them, we must prioritize reaching the unreached and empowering providers like Dr. Ubi to expand access for the underserved. Equity: Why It Matters Advertisement For a variety of factors, ranging from social to economic to geographic, some populations face unique barriers to accessing the health care and services that they need. Women with HIV or limited financial means may face disrespect and discrimination in health facilities, serving as a major deterrent to seeking care in health facilities. "Many women would prefer to die at home than to experience bad treatment in the public health facilities," said one woman during a focus group in Ethiopia to uncover inequities among migrant populations' access to health services. At the same time, high out-of-pocket costs can prevent the poor from receiving treatment. Children living in rural communities may miss out on lifesaving immunizations. By emphasizing the equitable access of health services and commodities for vulnerable and underserved populations, we can work to ensure that all women, men, and children benefit from global efforts to reduce mortality and improve health, no matter who they are or where they live. Advertisement Health financing, for example -- the funding sources that support a country's health system -- offers insights into the ways in which equity and the health system interact. Without sustainable, equitable mechanisms for health financing, much of the cost of health services falls on individuals. High out-of-pocket (OOP) spending is a leading cause of impoverishment in low- and middle-income countries and a significant financial barrier to accessing care. Without financial risk protection schemes in place, individuals and families may be subject to impoverishing health expenditures. The 2016 Acting on the Call report describes how USAID works closely with in-country partners, including national governments, the private sector, and civil society organizations, to optimize domestic resources devoted to improving maternal and child health outcomes. USAID places particular emphasis on poor, vulnerable, and underserved populations through creative and versatile approaches that take into account each country's unique financing landscape. In some countries, USAID works directly with national governments to increase the portion of the national budget allocated for health. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), for example, USAID advocacy led the prime minister to increase domestic resources for health from 1 percent to 7.5 percent of the national budget, with an unprecedented $3.5 million allocated for contraceptives. The DRC is also one of four pilot countries in which USAID is working to scale up national financing approaches for maternal, newborn, and child health through the Global Financing Facility (GFF). In four frontrunner countries -- the DRC, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania -- USAID is working with global stakeholders to align approaches in commodities systems, market shaping, results-based financing, results measurement, and the private sector. An initial investment by USAID of $50 million over five years in these four countries will leverage $12 billion. Advertisement Elsewhere, we work at the regional and local levels to expand the equitable accessibility of health services. In Ethiopia, for example, USAID supported the eightfold expansion of the country's community-based health insurance (CHBI) schemes, reaching 6.5 million Ethiopians this past year. Through a contribution of central government and household contributions, CHBI subsidized health services for the poor and reduced OOP expenditures. Photo credit: Amy Fowler/USAID Furthermore, with direct control of their individual CHBI cards, women and children were empowered to seek health services without having to ask for funds from a male head of household. A Grand Convergence in Health Health financing is one of many sectors in which USAID is working to reduce inequity and remove barriers to accessing health services. USAID activities in Pakistan use voucher systems and mobile outreach units to bring maternal, newborn, and family planning services to the poor and women in areas far from health facilities. In Tanzania, USAID helped to identify districts with the highest numbers of under- and unvaccinated children. Targeted efforts reduced the number of unprotected children from more than 100,000 in 2013 to fewer than 5,000 in 2015. Advertisement An agreement signed with the Ministry of Health in Haiti secured the availability of voluntary surgical contraceptive services free of charge in USAID-supported facilities. The 2016 Acting on the Call report analyzes the underlying causes of inequity within these health services and others, and examines how to specifically address inequity in order to accelerate progress towards ending preventable child and maternal deaths. As more and more countries and communities are lifted out of poverty, new approaches are needed to ensure the effectiveness and sustainability of efforts to improve global health outcomes. As more and more women and children gain access to health services, concentrated attention to equity is needed to ensure that poor, vulnerable, and underserved populations do not slip through the cracks. As we enter the era of the Sustainable Development Goals, we have the opportunity to not just reduce preventable child and maternal deaths, but to effectively end them. Advertisement This past week saw forty-nine innocent people brutally killed in what has been described as an act of terrorism and hate. Many national leaders, communities, and individuals from around the world have offered their condolences to the victims and their families affected by this devastating incident. In solidarity and peace, we can work together to fight fanaticism and promote human flourishing by overcoming the divide between the secular and the religious realms, as well as the divide among the various religions themselves. The first global conference was convened in 2006 under the shadow of the largest mass killing in U.S. history, which occurred on September 11, 2001. The third and final global conference will meet on September 15, 2016 under the shadow of the largest mass shooting in U.S. history, which occurred in Orlando, Florida on Sunday, June 12, 2016. Both raise the question: How does one deal with fanaticism? But what is fanaticism? Advertisement Fanaticism results from being blinded by the intensity of the luminosity of one's own faith or conviction by standing too close to it, instead of seeing the whole world transformed in its light. Fanaticism fades when one realizes that more than one light may illumine the landscape. In other words, in order to shed fanaticism, one needs to move from faith to interfaith. This is the theme of the third global conference on World's Religions After September 11, which will meet on September 15, 2016 at the Palais des congres in Montreal, Quebec. Please join us and hear the following speakers tell us how they accomplished this journey from faith to interfaith: Karen Armstrong, Gregory Baum, Deepak Chopra, Harvey Cox, Phil Fontaine, Susannah Heschel, Amir Hussain, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and Charles Taylor. Arvind Sharma Birks Professor of Comparative Religion McGill University AsiaToday reporter Kim Yoo-jin & PD Kim Yoo-min : Although life looks quite peaceful in Seoul, tensions between North Korea and South Korea are escalating every day. Prof. Emanuel Pastreich pointed out how to ease tensions on the Korean peninsula. Prof. Emanuel Pastreich: Although life looks very normal here in Seoul, we should not be deceived as to the risks the resulting from this terrible tensions on the Korean peninsula. Advertisement Which is to say that even if the part is involved both North Korea and its build-up of nuclear weapons and development of missile systems and also the response which is increased the amount of military activity in the region, then even if the part is involved, do not intend any sort of real conflict that these situations can spin out of control and lead extreme dangers that we had not imagined. That means, we have to detect this situation seriously and to understand that there is no military solution, and that not any number of weapons on the peninsula can stabilize the situation. Also, I think we have to be honest of ourselves that to speak directly about North Korea about these issues to engage and direct dialog which recognizes multiple possibilities. This is not a sign of weakness, this is not a sign of indecision, but it's very practical and necessary step to be taken and I personally think that this sort of dialog is absolutely necessary. Now the immediate crisis on the Korean peninsula is best result and best dealt with by Koreans. However, the word 'Koreans' has multiple meanings. I think I like to stress that Koreans should involve a broad range of Koreans from ordinary citizens, NGOs, to academics, experts, policy makers, politicians, and people in the private sector. We need the real discussion and dialog about how to respond to North Korea's immediate challenge but also the process of unification going forward which is inevitable, I think,regardless the up-and-downs of the moment. Advertisement At the same time, I think we have to recognize the technology is evolving very quickly and we need to recognize that there's no way to stop North Korea from developing these weapons except to come out to comprehensive guidelines and rules on a global scale for how we develop control technology. What that means is we need own limitations, treaties on East Asia for both conventional and emerging technologies like drones and robots and also for nuclear weapons which will be affecting all over the countries. And I hardly urge the United States to take the first step in proposing such comprehensive arms control agreements for Northeast Asia. Moreover I think it's absolutely imperative that the United States, China, Russia, and other countries will turn to the hard of our policy towards North Korea, and towards the world, which is non-preparation(?) of treaty which the United States, Russia and China signed, which dictates that we should eliminate nuclear weapons on a global scale. The world has largely forgotten the global food panic of 2009 that doubled food prices, saw countries hoarding rice and wheat and threatened to leave hundreds of millions in hunger. International aid and agriculture experts meeting in Washington recently warned that we are one step away from another food panic as the world population inches inexorably from seven billion today towards nine or 10 billion in a couple of decades. "What was accomplished since 2009?" to prevent another food panic, asked World Bank expert Juergen Voegele. Advertisement The United States pledged $22 billion to prepare for global food panic but according to Voegele, the threat of famine is "not over yet - not under control. "We've just been lucky. If two or three food exporting countries have problems" such as drought, floods, conflict, a global food panic "could happen tomorrow." Climate change could cause a repeat of the 2009 food panics, especially as growing population in the world's poorest countries push people to farm steep hillsides and valleys vulnerable to mud slides and flooding. The foreign aid experts spoke at the annual meeting of the Society for International Development which includes major private contractors who carry out billions in foreign aid programs paid for by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and other government agencies. Contractors such as Chemonics, Internews and FHI360 are paid to build schools, clinics and radio/TV networks as well as to train local people to operate them in scores of poor developing countries. Advertisement But although foreign aid from all U.S. and foreign donors has reached $130 billion per year, the aid effort is dwarfed by global economic and population challenges. For example, one expert warned that as China races towards prosperity, it is buying soybeans and grains from U.S. and other farmers to feed the growing Chinese demands for beef, shifting the world food balance and driving up food prices One positive note is that improved use of fertilizer and irrigation drove grain production above the poverty threshold of one metric ton per hectare in some developing countries. But compare that to U.S. and Chinese farmers who produce six tons per hectare. Another fear raised at the conference was that the huge humanitarian crisis caused by millions of migrants in Europe, fleeing conflict and poverty from Syria to Afghanistan to Africa, is draining foreign aid budgets. And the threats from migrants, climate change, famine and population raised a broader question: why do some nations such as South Korea, Thailand, Costa Rica and Rwanda develop - raising incomes, education and nutrition - but dozens of nations such as Burma, Congo, and Haiti fail to develop. For example, even though India launches rockets into space and builds shopping malls, half the world's malnourished children live in India. Advertisement Some countries have long cultures of caste restrictions, genital mutilation, corruption, and authoritarian rule at all levels from the village to the capital city. How can you deliver aid in such situations? Anthony Pipa, a senior USAID official, said in an interview that some "countries haven't made much progress on ending extreme poverty - progress is a story of inclusive economic growth and improved governance." He said countries need polices that involve more people in the economy and deliver social protection to get them out of poverty. "Some whole countries have persistent large numbers of poor - many are in protracted conflict and poor governance," Pipa said. "They have weak institutions, ineffective polices and no political leadership. "Insufficient leadership does not look at ways in which all of those in the country can benefit" from growth. Advertisement Some aid experts argue that the vigorous U.S. emphasis on promoting democracy is the way to improve local governance and spread benefits of growth to the very poor. But countries such as Libya, Egypt, Syria, Tunisia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Kenya and Haiti erupted into chaos after US officials pressed for greater democracy. Should we reduce our aid to democratic groups if it provokes instability? After all, when governments expel USAID democracy programs and local staff end up in jail on charges of treason, don't we share the blame for encouraging them to undertake programs considered illegal by repressive governments. Perhaps the biggest challenge to peace and prosperity on earth comes from the rising global population increase from 7 billion to nine or ten billion in the coming decades. How can we avert growing hunger and underdevelopment? Should a crash program of family planning be launched? The Nobel Peace Prize winner Norman Borlaug told me in an interview shortly before he died that bringing a Green Revolution to Africa was his next challenge and it required roads to bring fertilizer and seed to farmers and ship harvests to markets. But USAID has not done road building and other major infrastructure projects for 20 years. Just a few months later, U.S. corporation Tobie Mining and Energy launched a similar case against Colombia for protecting Amazon rainforest land where the corporation planned to mine for gold. Tobie claims that the government's decision to create a nature reserve and prohibit mining within its borders violates the corporation's broad rights under the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement. Tobie is asking a private tribunal to order Colombia either to allow mining in the Amazon, or to pay $16.5 billion - over 25 percent of Colombia's national budget - to the corporation. Despite admitting having spent only $11 million in mining-related preparations, Tobie justifies the $16.5 billion demand by claiming it's what the corporation hypothetically could have earned if allowed to extract all the gold and iron believed to lie beneath the rainforest land. This barrage of corporate attacks on mining safeguards offers a clear lesson: we cannot afford to empower more mining corporations to use private tribunals to undermine communities' efforts to shut down dangerous mines. But the TPP - and TTIP, as proposed - would do just that. To respect communities' rights to protect their air, water, and livelihoods, we need to replace these polluter-friendly deals with a new model of trade. "Growing up, I never really knew the LGBT community even existed. It's a very strange thing for me to admit now, but growing up it was just never mentioned. Then, as I grew up I realized that I was a part of this community and related to a lot of the same fears and confusion as many of the people. It really made me think about how I wanted to live after finding out about myself and I realized that I wanted to live with love and compassion and no fear. When I heard about the Orlando shooting, and found out the shooter was a Muslim, I was instantly more saddened by it. Being a part of the queer Muslim community is hard enough, since we are such a marginalized people, but then I realized this shooter isn't a true Muslim. Nowhere is it taught to go around killing innocent people who are just trying to feel safe in a space made for them. Nowhere was I taught that this was what my religion taught me, and I am infuriated by this hate crime that was committed against people like me. What frightened me more was how people would perceive us now, since this was another attack but the amount of love and compassion and the fight that people are putting in to not let Muslims become even more marginalized and hated really breaks my heart and makes me hope. To see people fighting against Islamophobia and homophobia together, makes me so proud to be a part of a community like this. Because this is what love is. This is what hope does in the face of fear. To all the victims in the Orlando shooting, my heart is breaking for you, for your lives being robbed of by an individual who knows nothing about love, compassion or faith. I am not a religious person by any means, but I pray tonight that all of you have found a better place. Wherever that may be for each individual. And to the families grieving, I want to say that you are not alone, you will never be alone because there will always be those who will fight against this kind of hate and discrimination. As long as we put love above hate, we will always win." Like most of us my thoughts have returned to Orlando time and again this last week, constantly accompanied by the question, "Why do things like this happen?" Given Mateen's ethnicity and declared allegiance to the Islamic State, it's easy to fall back on one-word answers like "extremism" and "religion." And in the heat of the moment those one-word answers seem to carry a lot of weight. Which made me curious. Just how many mass murders in the US could be attributed to religious extremism? I did a little research and discovered the answer: not many. Of the 46 mass-murder shootings between 1984 and June 12, 2016 (as cited in last Sunday's edition of the Los Angles Times) I could find only four incidents that seemed to have an overtly religious basis: the June 12th Orlando shooting, the December 2, 2015 shooting of 14 people in San Bernadina, CA by U.S.-born Syed Rizwan Farook and Pakistan national Tashfeen Malik, the Planned Parenthood attack in Colorado Springs in November 2015 that left three dead and nine injured, and the August 2012 massacre of six people in a Sikh mosque by 40-year-old Wade Michael Page who talked about an "impending holy war" prior to the shooting. Advertisement Granted, I may have missed something. By the time I got down to #24, the April 2007 killing of 32 people at Virginia Tech by 23-year-old college senior Seung-hui Cho I was rather depressed and started skimming reports. By the time I got to the April 1999 Columbine shootings by two high school students I was numb. But here is what I gathered from my brief investigation: The vast majority of shootings were done by disaffected males for every reason under the sun from the fear of being a virgin forever to a fear of being controlled by ELF electromagnetic waves, hatred of women in power, anger over being betrayed by a spouse, anger over being betrayed by the US government and society in general, anger at being fired, anger at being suppressed and "dissed," anger at getting bad grades, anger at parental actions. Most cases were accompanied by a list of mental diagnoses from Asberger's to schizophrenia, drugs, failed treatments and attempted suicides--which, of course, leads us back to the issue of how such people can so easily get their hands on guns in the first place. A few, like the 2006 shooting of five Amish girls by Charles Carl Roberts IV, a milk truck driver, seemed to come out of nowhere--although apparently Roberts confessed in a last note to his wife that he had molested two young girls and feared a return of his urges. Advertisement Which leaves us exactly nowhere for an overall explanation. But then I ran across an article from the November 2014 edition of New Scientist titled "Most Violence Arises from Morality, Not the Lack of It," that stopped me in my tracks. "Why would you hurt or kill someone else?" writes anthropologist Alan Fiske and co-author Tage Rai. "Contrary to popular perception, people are rarely violent simply because they lose control and fail to think about right and wrong. "People rarely commit violence because they are sadistic or lack empathy. Across cultures and history, there is generally one motive for hurting or killing: people are violent because it feels like the right thing to do. They feel morally obliged to do it." As Rai puts it in another article for Aeon magazine, " The purpose of violence is to sustain a moral order." Of course, the moral order being sustained is the moral order of the individual--their personal worldview and their self-view--the status of which has somehow been violated, in that individual's assessment, by external circumstances and people. Advertisement Which means as much as we'd like to blame simple things like guns, or vast institutions like religion, what it all really boils down to is the individual's personal story about 'how the world should be' or 'how the world should treat them' has been affronted. And their shame at this violation--BTW there are studies such as "Violence: Our Deadly Epidemic and Its Causes" released by the US National Criminal Justice System arguing that shame is the deadliest emotion lying at the psychological root of violence--their shame is such that they take action the only way they can see will balance the scales. Which means? The only possible way we will ever get beyond such horrifying massacres is to expand the parameters of what it means to be human. It means enlarging the scope of education to include emotional training and sexual identity training. It means teaching (gasp!) meditation and other methods of internal examination and mental self-control. It means classes in tolerance. It means religious education in schools--not Christianity, but rather an egalitarian presentation of every major religious belief system with an emphasis on the word "belief" and what that word really means. It means less emphasis on individual competition and personal "success" and more emphasis on relatedness and cooperation. It means fewer violent games, toys and movies on the market. It means embracing individual DNA testing to reveal our global kinship across false political and religious borders. It means absorbing what quantum physics has taught us--that everything is basically one thing ... that we are all connected energetically as one organism. In other words, it means doing everything we possibly can to break down the current obsession with the individual ego "self" and its petty stories and needs and create a more global perspective. Advertisement Josiane da Silva holds her son Jose Elton, who was born with microcephaly, outside her house in Alcantil, Paraiba state, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016. The Zika virus, spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, thrives in people's homes and can breed in even a bottle cap's-worth of stagnant water. Public health experts agree that the poor are more vulnerable because they often lack amenities that help diminish the risk. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) When the Zika virus epidemic erupted in Brazil last year, public health officials took swift action because the virus was linked to an alarming birth defect: microcephaly, a condition in which babies are born with very small heads and possible neurological damage. We know now that Zika virus infection, which is spread primarily through the bite of an infected mosquito, is a cause of microcephaly and other serious developmental defects, and has been linked to other problems, including miscarriages and stillbirth. Advertisement While our attention is rightly focused on vaccine development, mosquito control, and other measures to prevent the spread of Zika, it is also important that we in the public health community identify optimal approaches to treat and care for the generation of children exposed to the virus in the womb. According to the World Health Organization, thousands of suspected Zika-associated cases of microcephaly have been reported in Brazil since October 2015, which is just one of more than 58 countries and territories reporting local, mosquito-borne transmission of Zika virus. To provide optimal care and appropriate interventions for these children, we must first understand the long-term effects of fetal exposure to Zika virus. Our current information is limited because most suspected cases of Zika-related birth defects have involved pregnant women with symptomatic Zika virus infection, while the majority of Zika virus infections do not produce symptoms such as rash, fever, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes). We need to know much more about the health outcomes for children born to women with asymptomatic Zika infections. Advertisement Our understanding of Zika-related fetal complications also skews toward the more extreme and visible birth defects, such as microcephaly. However, a focus on head size may provide false reassurance to doctors and families because other brain abnormalities associated with Zika infection, such as ventriculomegaly (an enlargement of brain ventricles) and intracranial calcifications (calcium deposits in the brain tissue), may occur in children with normal-sized heads. These and similar conditions can be severe and have significant effects on a child's long-term development. Studies are underway to monitor pregnant women in regions where the virus is spreading--not only to discern the risk of adverse outcomes for a woman infected during her pregnancy (whether she has symptoms or not), but also to document the full spectrum of infant outcomes related to Zika virus exposure. For example, we need a better understanding of Zika virus-related eye and hearing abnormalities, as well as neurobehavioral effects such as altered motor function and stiffness. A new NIH-funded study in Zika-endemic areas of Latin America and the Caribbean will closely follow up to 10,000 pregnant women to determine if they become infected with the virus and, if so, what outcomes result for both mother and child. Researchers also will follow the infants, including those who show no signs or symptoms, for at least one year after birth to evaluate their developmental milestones. The CDC has also developed a registry for Zika-exposed women and infants in the United States. Data collected through these studies and systems will be used to inform pregnant women on the risks of Zika, to update recommendations for clinical care, and to improve efforts to prevent Zika infection during pregnancy. Cropped view of a prisoner in an orange jumpsuit standing in a prison cell with arms extended through the bars. Horizontal format. It's become a June tradition; people atwitter about binge-watching the new season of Orange Is the New Black. But the excitement at the premiere of the fourth iteration of the Netflix series shouldn't obscure the real revolution that has happened since these colors became popular at any place other than a Princeton reunion. I think we should honor the woman who started Orange Is the New Black with her prison memoir, Piper Kerman. Not only is her story beside every returning citizen as they show themselves to the world after being locked away from society, she catalyzed the criminal justice reform movement we're witnessing right now. Advertisement It's important to note that Piper didn't have to do any of this. There was no press coverage of her criminal case or sentencing so there was no record to set straight in case someone Googled her name. In fact, the only mention of Piper Kerman at all on the internet between 1990 and 2005 is the Pipe Bomb, the website she and her then fiance set up when she went to spend 13 months at Danbury FCI. If the Orange author wanted to whitewash her life, she could have easily slid back into society and tried to forget her whole experience. Instead she was brave. I can't imagine what it would have been like for me to come out of prison in a pre-Piper world. Piper primed society for women who carried the shame of incarceration and provided a frame of reference to explain our experiences. Because of her, I'm riveting, not rejected, absorbing and not as abandoned I would have been if my sentence had ended prior to the publication of Orange. People call me brave for my efforts at reform but they're wrong. I don't think I have a choice because of relative local notoriety. If I could hide my past I would do it. I go forward only because I can't go back. And because Piper pried open the gates, people listen to me as I march forward after I was rebuffed and pushed back for years. No one would have expected that the Wall Street Journal would publish someone with thirteen felony convictions as an expert on its oped page. You can attribute it to my tenacity or talent, but really it was Piper's breakthrough that made all of this possible. Advertisement Prior to April 2010, when Orange Is the New Black was published, getting legislators to look at our overstuffed correctional facilities was nearly impossible. Jim Webb, the former senator and presidential candidate tried for years to get his fellow members of Congress to pass the National Criminal Justice Reform Act, which was not all that revolutionary. All that the law would have done, had the bill passed, was assess our current system to determine what reforms were necessary. Virginia's senior senator struck out with even that soft-pitch softball. Ever since the publication of Kerman's memoir, justice reform has become more than palatable; it's even popular. Of the twenty-three states that banned the box, twenty-one did it after OITNB was released. The conservative think tank Right on Crime birthed itself eight months after Orange's publication. Attempts at blunting the effects of the War on Drugs, bills like the Fairness in Cocaine Sentencing Act couldn't pass before Kerman hit Orange out of the park. Once Orange was put into black and white, the Fair Sentencing Act moved steadily through Congress, landed on President Obama's desk and achieved the same goals - reducing the disparity between the amount of crack cocaine and powder cocaine needed to trigger certain federal criminal penalties and eliminating the five-year mandatory minimum sentence for simple possession of crack cocaine - that legislation proposed in 2009 and earlier failed to do. While the Fair Sentencing Act was a compromise law that didn't apply retroactively to people sentenced under unfair laws, it was still an historic step forward. While none of these developments have ever directly attributed themselves to the memoir's publication, the connection is clear to someone like me who depends on these justice reforms to exist in society; the number of laws, and the general dawn of awareness of the injustices in our system, happened only after Kerman sounded the alarm. Advertisement Women's rights activists and writer Victoria Law speculated that Congress was more likely to heed Kerman's message because she was a celebrity. I think that lawmakers - along with others who practice severe disdain for people who are 'justice-involved' - are more self-struck than star-struck with Piper; they see themselves in her. She went to the same type of schools, shopped at the same stores and ate at the same restaurants. Piper is a walking reminder that it can happen to you. Piper's effectiveness exposed the racial socioeconomic biases our lawmakers rely upon. The stories of men and women who left incarceration, a majority of whom are poor people of color, couldn't sway lawmakers at all to change the laws. When Piper went to the Senate Judiciary Committee and testified about the horrors of solitary confinement - something she never experienced herself in real life (her character goes to SHU in the series) - President Obama ending up banning its use for juveniles by the Bureau of Prisons and calling for a more proscribed use of it for everyone just two years later. What organizers tried to accomplish for decades, Piper did in a few years. On the first day of summer, in a hotel foyer brightened with banners of patriotic red, white and blue, I was delighted to experience the bustle and excitement of the third annual SelectUSA Summit. An estimated 2,400 participants had come from 70 markets around the globe, eager to find out more about the services that our government can provide to help them invest in the United States. There were representatives of every type of company from multinational to startup. There were also 46 U.S. economic development organizations (EDOs) at the state, territorial, tribal, regional and local levels. And as a former ambassador, I was particularly delighted to see 22 chiefs of mission leading investment delegations from their countries and doing their part to continue those efforts. Advertisement The reason for the buzz was clear: The United States is the best place for business in the world. We lead the world in research and development, entrepreneurship, and advanced manufacturing. We have strong rule of law and intellectual property protections; world-class universities, stable financial markets, plentiful and affordable energy, and vibrant supply chains. With a nation of 320 million - many of them immigrants, an annual GDP of more than $18 trillion, a wide array of resources, and the world's most productive workers, we are unparalleled in the size, diversity and dynamism of our domestic market. As this year's theme - "The Innovation Advantage" - underscores, our economic and commercial success is propelled by an innovative culture that a majority of Americans consider to be part of our national DNA. President Obama said it best that day: "No country has done more to build a culture of making and tinkering, and entrepreneurship and risk-taking, and of innovation and invention." Advertisement That is why the United States, for the fourth straight year, has been voted best in the world for inward investment, according to the Kearney Foreign Direct Investment Confidence Index. Foreign companies and the American communities in every corner of the U.S. where they invest continue to benefit. For example, China's Envision, a Chinese producer of wind turbines and smart wind farm software, is investing $1.3 million in a Global Blade Innovation Center in Boulder and they plan to hire up to 42 highly skilled employees. ELDOR, an Italian automotive manufacturer, saw great potential in Virginia. The company will be investing $75 million in Botetourt County to establish its first U.S. production plant, and are expecting to create 350 jobs. The German precision machining company, Berghoff Group, recently announced a $30 million investment to set up its first U.S. manufacturing plant in Auburn, Alabama. The Auburn community will enjoy 100 new, well-paying jobs in precision machining to produce parts for the manufacturing, semiconductors, and aerospace industries. Advertisement In Port San Antonio, Texas, the Indian company Indo-MIM announced that it would establish its first ever manufacturing operations in the United States, with operations slated to commence by fall of 2016. The $24 million investment is expected to create 330 jobs over five years, including a startup workforce of more than 100 local hires. And Israeli chemical and fertilizer manufacturer Haifa Chemical, a client of SelectUSA since 2013, will invest $12 million to build a new controlled-release fertilizer manufacturing facility in Savannah, Georgia. They plan to create 20 new jobs. SelectUSA, since its inception, has assisted thousands of U.S. EDOs and foreign firms, helping to facilitate $22.5 billion in investment, supporting thousands of U.S. jobs. In 2014, the total stock of direct investment in the United States was valued at $2.9 trillion. That figure represents 17 percent of GDP, which is larger, by far, than any other country. At the Summit, where the excitement was palpable, it was clear the participants knew exactly what they are getting: our consumer market, our skilled and innovative workers, our advanced technology, our deep resources, and a fertile environment for innovation. Advertisement "The World Turned Upside Down." How prescient those lyrics are from the brilliant musical Hamilton. My 14-year-old daughter and I departed Orlando early this past Sunday morning and flew to New York to see the musical about the first fight for our civilization. We heard the news that morning on the airport flat screens. While the tourist areas of my town are billed as the happiest places on Earth, I've spent more than 18 years telling people all over the world that Orlando is so much more than theme parks, hotels, and shows. The motto actually applies everywhere here. It's an amazing place to live and work, and I happily serve as an unofficial ambassador for my adopted hometown. I chose to move here, start businesses here, started my family here. I had several other options, but I wanted to be here. It's a real city -- nothing fake or plastic about our people and the non-theme park culture of our city. We have one of the most open, welcoming, and inclusive business and social climates around, partly because so many are not originally from here. I've lived in many other places, done business in many other cities but rarely seen such hospitality anywhere else. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised by such conscientiousness, but in times like this, it takes on a deeper meaning. Our city will not be known for this travesty. We are so much more, and we can't allow one maniac to define us. Advertisement I broke-down late Monday afternoon in a corner of the hotel bar. I'd held it in for a couple days, been parental and professional. But pressure built. I called my wife: Here we go again. Eleven days before September 11th we brought our daughter into this world. I called a Muslim friend to make sure his family was safe. I broke down again: "Why can't people discriminate between evil and the normal?" While I know most Muslims are not extremists, our civilization is under attack again from those who claim that religion. Modern civilization faces a twisted revolution by those who would rather catapult us back to the Dark Ages. We have to band together and be vocal, visible and resolute - and it is time for political correctness to take a holiday. We are once again at war for our civilization, and we must re-avow our rights and beliefs. Both sides of our political establishment must reconcile with five undeniable truths about the world today. Truth #1: No one should be tortured or assassinated because of who they choose to love. LGBT citizens deserve the same rights as heterosexual citizens. What you do in your bedroom is a personal matter - it shouldn't be a life-threatening choice or one that could get you fired from a job. Your religious views might deem certain actions as inappropriate or sinful, but that can't distract us from living peacefully in our pluralistic society. People in the LGBT community share the very same hopes and dreams as everyone else. People are just people. It's time they no longer be ostracized. Love is love. Truth #2: No one should be allowed to shove their religion down another's throat and at the risk of violence. That isn't the American way. We worship who and how we want in our country -- just don't hurt another in so doing. And it's perfectly okay to be religious, as long as you recognize that others can worship as they like as well. The extremists do not represent Islam. Literal interpretation of sacred texts in all religions can be very dangerous -- it's why Christians and Jews no longer stone sinners to death in 2016. We have to reach out to the majority of Muslims and encourage their outspokenness against this filth. Let us not conflate Islam with extremists. They disgrace Islam when they claim divine inspiration. There is nothing divinely inspired in putting on a suicide-bombers' vest. All of the world's religions hold this truth as a fundamental one. One cannot glorify the Creator by killing his innocent creations. Advertisement Truth #3: We are in a battle for our civilization, and we must acknowledge it. While our civilization is far from perfect, it is the greatest of all time. We offer the most freedoms. Ours is the most humane. This is undeniable, and we are unequivocally correct on this matter. The radicals hate our freedoms and the choices that come from them. They are wrong. We are right. It is NOT relative. If it offends the sensitive, so be it. Identification of our enemy and the war we're in has a very clarifying effect to the mind - to not do this is to dissemble, to deflect, and to show weakness when strength is called for. Truth #4: Banning guns is merely a bandage. If it comes to that, it's the easy part. Fighting for our civilization is much harder. One shouldn't hope to win a war when unarmed. When someone is this mentally ill (what else would you call acting out on such hatred?), it's pretty hard to stop them... be their weapon of choice be guns or knives or homemade explosives or rocks or sticks or whatever. Focusing our "solutions" on guns is very inadequate. It must go much broader than that. However, someone on the government's terrorist watch list or with a history of mental illness mustn't be allowed to secure guns. If you can be identified as an extremist and placed on the "no fly list," how is it possible that you can still buy a gun? It's now time for a national database of registered gun users that all law enforcement can cross-reference. Closing loopholes is just common sense and wisdom, it's not revoking the 2nd Amendment. This needs to happen quickly. No more empty rhetoric. Stop the next atrocity now. Truth #5: Law enforcement agencies must be empowered with the ability to conduct surveillance on mosques and even perform under-cover operations. It isn't a civil rights violation when the alternative could be mass deaths. If some fringe element of Christianity or Judaism or Hinduism or others were terrorizing their fellow citizens, it would make perfect sense to do likewise. We have to use common sense and not let politically-correct thinking cloud our judgment, ever again. Advertisement In the online world, people get compared to Adolf Hitler so often that many years ago "Godwin's Law" was created to give a definition to the phenomenon. In politics, Hitler analogies usually aren't quite as frequent, but they are getting much more common these days. It's one thing to see this accusation hurled in an article's comments section, or even by a late-night comedian (trolling for some laughs), but what is new this year is hearing members of Donald Trump's own party comparing him to fascist leaders (as Meg Whitman recently did). So when political science Professor Kenneth Janda asked if he could write a column making a more academic comparison (instead of just hurling insults), I thought it'd be a great idea. Janda is the Payson S. Wild Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Northwestern University, and he's both written a guest article here before and also been an interview subject (in the midst of the 2008 campaign). Janda makes a pretty good case, drawing on historical data from Hitler's own political campaigns as well as quotes from Donald Trump during the past year. Advertisement Donald Trump, The Apprentice Demagogue Donald Trump is clearly no Adolf Hitler. Trump does not preach Hitler's most hateful domestic policies, and Trump's foreign policy is not imperialist but isolationist. Trump's slogan, "American First," resembles "Deutschland uber alles" ("Germany above all else") more in chauvinistic simplicity than evil intent. But it does underscore that Trump is, as Hitler was, a demagogue, appealing to voters' emotions and prejudices in order to win election. Others observed similarities between the Trump and Hitler election campaigns quite early. They included Mexican president Enrique Pena Nieto, former Mexican president Vicente Fox, and former New Jersey Republican governor Christine Todd Whitman. Recently, major Republican donor and former California gubernatorial candidate, Hewlett-Packard C.E.O. Meg Whitman compared Trump to the fascist demagogues, Hitler and Mussolini. Now that Trump is the presumptive nominee of the Republican Party for President of the United States, we should inquire closely into Trump's and Hitler's electioneering. Did Hitler even campaign in free elections before seizing power? His Nazi party, NSDAP, contested five parliamentary elections, winning 3 percent of the votes (ninth place) in 1928; 18 percent (second) in 1930; 37 percent (first) in July 1932; 33 percent (first) in November 1932; 44 percent (first) in March 1933. Over three elections spanning less than one year, NSDAP emerged as Germany's largest and most stable party. Although Germany's incumbent Paul von Hindenburg defeated Hitler 53 to 37 percent in the April 1932 presidential election, Hindenburg was pressured to appoint Hitler as Chancellor and head of government. With great reluctance, the 84-year-old president complied on January 30, 1933. Controlling the government and banning opposition, NSDAP won all the seats in the November 1933 election. Hindenburg died in August 1934, after which Hitler declared himself head of state. Advertisement Let's examine what some historians wrote about Hitler's campaigns to gain power. I quote from three books: Richard J. Evans, The Coming of the Third Reich (2003); Ian Kershaw, Hitler (2008); and Laurence Rees, Hitler's Charisma (2012). These sources support ten similarities between Trump's 2016 campaign and Hitler's electioneering. (1.) Hitler was underestimated by political observers at the start. Kershaw wrote: "[M]any contemporaries made a mistake in treating Mein Kampf with ridicule and not taking the ideas Hitler expressed there extremely seriously." (p. 149) Evans found that "political opponents on the left still found it impossible to take the Nazis' extremist rhetoric and bullying tactics on the street as anything other than evidence of their inevitable political marginality. They did not conform to the accepted rules of politics, so they could not expect to be successful." (p. 255) Trump was not perceived as a "serious candidate" -- as Jeb Bush charged in the September 16 Republican primary debate. Trump replied: "I'm a businessman, did really well, really well, and Jeb, what I want to do is put that ability into this country to make our country rich again. And I can do that, and I'm not sure that anybody else in the group will be able to do that." (2.) Hitler had political experience but no government experience. "Hitler had the advantage of being undamaged by participation in an unpopular government, and of unwavering radicalism in his hostility to the Republic. He could speak in language more and more Germans understood -- the language of bitter protest at a discredited system." (Kershaw: 206) Trump lacks and denigrates government experience. He said at the February 13 primary debate: "I'm the only one on this stage that said, 'Do not go into Iraq. Do not attack Iraq.' Nobody else on this stage said that.... And I was in the private sector. I wasn't a politician, fortunately." Trump also responded to Greta Van Susteren on Fox News, "I think the people are tired of politicians, because again: all talk, no action, nothing gets done." Advertisement (3.) Hitler benefitted from economic hardships visited on the working class. "The most important precondition for Hitler's rise in popularity was the apparent failure of democracy in the face of economic crisis." (Rees: 57) While Hitler did not explain how he would improve the economy, "He presented a vision, a Utopia, an ideal: national liberation through strength and unity. He did not propose alternative policies, built into specific election promises." (Kershaw: 203) Trump exploits fears of unemployment and economic insecurity. In the October 28 debate, Trump explained: "Yes, it's very simple.... We're going to bring jobs back from Japan, we're going to bring jobs back from China, we're going to bring, frankly, jobs back from Mexico.... We're going to bring jobs and manufacturing back. We're going to cut costs. We're going to save Social Security, and we're going to save Medicare." (4.) Hitler offered no detailed programs for taxing and spending. NSDAP followers "had no idea of the aims of the party. But they were certain that the government was incapable and the authorities were squandering taxpayers' money. They were convinced 'that only the National Socialists could be the saviours from this alleged misery.'" (Kershaw: 192) Trump says that budgetary salvation is easy. Asked on February 25 how he would cut the federal budget, he replied: "Waste, fraud and abuse all over the place. Waste, fraud and abuse. You look at what's happening with Social Security, look at what's happening with every agency, waste, fraud and abuse. We will cut so much, your head will spin." (5.) Hitler was supremely confident in his judgments. "Hitler's analysis left no room for any doubt. He never appeared remotely undecided between possible options." (Rees: 27) Advertisement Trump makes bold claims backed by little evidence: Asked on August 6 for evidence that Mexico is sending criminals across the border, Trump answered: "Border Patrol, people that I deal with, that I talk to, they say this is what's happening." (6.) Hitler made promises to voters without explaining how he could fulfill them. Hitler "did not concern himself with practical realities, but with 'eternal truth', as the great religious leaders had done. The 'greatness' of the 'politician' lay in the successful practical implementation of the 'idea' advanced by the 'programmatist.'" (Kershaw: 157) Trump does the same. Asked by Fox news commentator, Bill O'Reilly, on August 4 how he would get Mexico to pay for the wall he promised to build across the border, Trump replied: "I'm gonna say, 'Mexico, this is not going to continue, you're going to pay for that wall,' and they will pay for the wall." (7.) Hitler was bluntly dogmatic. "There were no qualifications in what [Hitler] said; everything was absolute, uncompromising, irrevocable, undeviating, unalterable, final." (Rees: 171) Trump "tells it like it is." Asked on August 6 about his disparaging comments about women's looks, Trump responded: "I think the big problem this country has is being politically correct. [APPLAUSE] I've been challenged by so many people, and I don't frankly have time for total political correctness. And to be honest with you, this country doesn't have time either." Advertisement (8.) Hitler exploited people's fears and prejudices. Kershaw wrote, "The more Hitler preached intolerance, force, and hatred, as the solution to Germany's problems, the more his audience liked it. He was interrupted on numerous occasions during these passages with cheers and shouts of 'bravo'." (Kershaw: 179) Trump capitalizes on xenophobia. On December 7 his campaign called "for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country's representatives can figure out what the Hell is going on." On December 15, CNN's Wolf Blitzer asked about banning Muslims and refugees fleeing ISIS, Trump replied: "...tens of thousands of people having cell phones with ISIS flags on them? I don't think so, Wolf. They're not coming to this country. And if I'm president and if Obama has brought some to this country, they are leaving. They're going. They're gone." [APPLAUSE] (9.) Hitler enticed voters to view his policies as nondiscriminatory. Rees quoted one Nazi youth who said, "Racist is not the right word in my opinion." The youth preferred "a 'belief in natural orders' that was against 'multi-culturalism.'" (p. 58) Trump reassuringly does not oppose all Mexican immigrants. Announcing his intention on June 16, 2015, to seek the Republican presidential nomination Trump said: "They're sending people that have lots of problems, and they're bringing those problems with us. [sic] They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people." (10.) Hitler promised to restore Germany's glory. Hitler promised a "new Reich that would rebuild Germany's economic strength and restore the nation to its rightful place in the world. This was a message that had powerful appeal to many who looked nostalgically back to the Reich created by Bismarck, and dreamed of a new leader who would resurrect Germany's lost glory." (Evans: 257) Advertisement Trump promises to make America "great again." On December 15, Trump said, in his closing statement: "Our country doesn't win anymore. We don't win on trade. We don't win on the military. We can't defeat ISIS.... If I'm elected president, we will win again. We will win a lot. And we're going to have a great, great country, greater than ever before." German voters eventually succumbed to Hitler's demagoguery and hired him to govern them. Please remind me, did he manage to restore Germany's glory? Chris Weigant blogs at: I'm really a very good man; but I'm a very bad Wizard. L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz He couldn't have known. He wrote it years before Donald Trump was born. But in writing The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, L. Frank Baum was prescient. He wrote a story that foretold the rise and fall of Donald Trump. Of course, some will think it too soon to be certain of his fall, but that does not for a moment take away from the pleasure of that prospect nor does it make the tale less relevant. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz tells the story of Dorothy, a young girl who, together with her dog, Toto, lives in Kansas. When a tornado strikes her house, she and Toto are transported to to the land of Oz over which the Wizard rules. The story describes her travels through that country with Toto, and the friends she makes while wandering through the country side. In writing the book, Mr. Baum focused on three main characters who each had one of the characteristics that are found in the supporters of Donald Trump. (There are a number of other characters, such as the witches who represent the "Trumpettes," the beautiful women who are seen standing behind Mr. Trump at his rallies with blank stares. Time and space prevent me from explaining their significance. We focus exclusively on the three main characters and, of course, the Wizard himself. It is impossible to know whether my interpretation is exactly what Mr. Baum intended but never mind-it is what he wrote. Advertisement Since Dorothy had not signed up for a trip to the land of Oz, one of the first things she did when she met someone who took pity on her plight, was to inquire how she could get back to Kansas. (This was long before Sam Brownback was that state's Governor and her request was, therefore, completely understandable.) She was told that in order to return to Kansas she would have to go to the Emerald City over which the Wizard ruled and he could help her. The first character she encounters as she heads towards the Emerald City is the Tin Woodman. The Tin Woodman has been unable to move because all his joints have rusted but, as luck would have it, he had an oil can and Dorothy was able to lubricate his joints. As soon as his jaw is freed, he tells her that he lacks a heart and would like to go with her to see the Wizard so that the Wizard can give him a heart. The Tin Woodman represents the Trump supporters who, having no hearts, support Mr. Trump even when he says that health care professionals who became infected treating ebola patients abroad, should not be permitted back into this country for treatment. As he explained, "People that go to far away places to help out are great-but must suffer the consequences." As the three companions continue, they encounter a scarecrow that Dorothy frees from the stake to which he was tied. The Scarecrow tells Dorothy that he doesn't have a brain and would like to have one. He joins her entourage, hoping that the Wizard will be able to give him a brain. The Scarecrow represents the Trump supporters who, lacking brains, do not withdraw their support when Mr. Trump says one thing one day and the opposite thing the next day. As Dorothy and her companions continue walking, they encounter the Cowardly Lion who tries to bite Toto. Dorothy slaps the Cowardly Lion and admonishes him. The Cowardly Lion admits that he is a coward and asks to join the entourage so that he can ask the Wizard to give him courage. The Cowardly Lion represents Trump supporters who, like their idol, are afraid of the two "Ms, "Muslims and Mexicans. Advertisement When the travelers get to the gates of the Emerald City they are told that before entering they must wear green goggles because the light in the city is so blinding. The real reason is to make the Emerald City appear to be green because, of course, the Emerald City is not, in fact, green. In that it represents the kinds of promises Mr. Trump makes that look wonderful when seen through his eyes and described by him, but are divorced from reality. The Wizard tells the supplicants he will grant their wishes if they perform one task for him. hey complete the assigned task and return to the Wizard's chambers. Upon entering, Toto knocks over the screen behind which the Wizard is sitting and the visitors see not an imposing wizard but a small, wizened man who describes himself as a humbug from Omaha who got to Oz quite by accident when a hot air balloon in which he was riding got off course. The knocked over screen represents the Trump tax returns behind which Mr. Trump hides his financial affairs which may well be quite different from what he has led everyone to believe. Or How Jon Snow Shot Himself in the Foot Warning: Major plot spoilers ahead. The "Battle of The Bastards" on this Sunday's episode of Game of Thrones featured the series' first direct medieval-style warfare and ended up delivering one of the best damn battle scenes ever. We shouldn't be surprised given that: 1. The episode is one of the now-notorious penultimate episodes we usually get in a Game of Thrones season. Advertisement 2. The episode is directed by Miguel Sapochnik who previously directed season five's "Hardhome" which featured an anxiety-ridden encounter with the White Walker army (if we can call it that) 3. The battle on the fields outside of Winterfell was, like much of the series, at least partly inspired by real events in history. *** While giving their insider take on the episode, show creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss cited the Battle of Cannae in 216 BCE, a battle between the Romans and Hannibal of Carthage (not to be confused with this guy), as a model for the the tactical killing blow on Jon Snow's forces. Based on numbers, the battle should have been won by the Romans. Figures are debated, but it is accepted that Hannibal's forces were outnumbered. Yet Rome's loss was so massive that leaders and strategists did the Roman equivalent of tearing up the playbook and firing both the offensive and defensive coordinators. Advertisement The gist of Hannibal's much lauded plan was to draw the bulk of the Roman forces in by allowing them to push forward, only to then flank them with his own calvary and infantry placed at the wings -- all while the infantry, absorbing the initial attack, began to form a crescent around the Romans. This established an enclosure that put a chokehold on the Roman forces caught inside since their backline was forced forward and the front lines collided head-on with infantry. The aftermath was one of the bloodiest battles and biggest defeats in military history, with figures being estimated at 50,000+ deaths. But just how much does this matter for Game of Thrones? Sure, it's cool that they used that formation. It's great that I was inspired to read about a battle I had never read about until last night because I was still on the high of watching this episode twice. Disclaimer: Me not knowing about the Battle of Cannae until now exposes just how little I actually know about military history and strategy -- but, the details of this historic battle really drive home just how much Jon screwed up when he did that one thing Sansa told him not to do. By charging forward, albeit for an understandable reason (Rickon), Jon effectively reverses the situation of the Battle of Cannae. It's reversed given that in Cannae, the enclosure tactic was used to beat the larger Roman army. Plus, it was the Carthaginian army that seemed the more make-shift of the two given the variation of regions the warriors came from. Jon was drawn into Ramsey's trap, forcing Jon's own make-shift forces to rush in and support him. Now exposed, they ended up surrounded by Ramsey's heavier infantry after having already crashed into his calvary. In other words: By charging in (and giving the cinematography crew a chance for some great shots), Jon gave the massive tactical advantage meant to be used by the lesser side to the stronger and more organized force. Our detour through the Battle of Cannae, besides pointing out the immediate similarities between the two, is meant to reinforce just how right we all were if at some point in last night's episode we stopped for a moment and thought to ourselves, "Jon seriously fucked up." Advertisement ORLANDO, FL - JUNE 19: People wait for the start of a memorial service on June 19, 2016 in Orlando, Florida. Thousands of people are expected at the evening event which will feature entertainers, speakers and a candle vigil at sunset. In what is being called the worst mass shooting in American history, Omar Mir Seddique Mateen killed 49 people at the popular gay nightclub early last Sunday. Fifty-three people were wounded in the attack which authorities and community leaders are still trying to come to terms with. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) In the aftermath of the Orlando massacre, Utah Lieutenant Governor Spencer Cox attended a vigil for the victims and gave a speech, which soon went viral, in which he apologized for his past homophobic behavior and thanked the LGBTQ community for being patient with him while he evolved. He later said in an interview with MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell: "I think it's pretty sad that a speech by a Lieutenant Governor in Utah is getting this much attention just by saying we should love each other. How low is the bar in our country?" On that much we can all agree. But will Cox now find the courage to speak out against his own administration's lawsuit over Obama's directive to states to allow transgender people to use the restroom that matches their gender identity? Will he explain to Gov. Herbert that the "bathroom bill" in North Carolina demonizes and discriminates against trans people and puts them at risk for violence from cisgender transphobic people who want to harm them? Will he recognize that discriminatory policies demonizing the LGBTQ community are what led to the atrocity in Orlando that took 49 lives and injured dozens more? Because, here's the thing. We've seen a lot of statements and sympathy tweets from lawmakers offering their "thoughts and prayers" to the families of the victims. But most ignore the fact that the shooting was a hate crime against the LGBTQ community. Instead, they use it as an excuse for more xenophobia, more violence, more hatred. The massacre in Orlando wasn't an ISIS attack. It wasn't a "radical Islamic terrorist" attack on the American way of life. It was a targeted hate crime against largely black and Latinx LGBTQ people by a violent, mentally unstable American man from Queens with a history of domestic abuse and an assault weapon he should never have been able to purchase. "We have seen no indication that this was a plot directed from outside the United States and we see no indication that he was part of any kind of network. There is confusion about his motives," said FBI Director James Comey. Indeed, there is now some strong evidence to support that the shooter was, in addition to being a mentally unbalanced wife-beater, a closeted gay man who took out a lifetime of self-loathing on a club full of innocents. The thing we need to get straight is that when politicians fail to support equality and instead pass discriminatory legislation or when they refuse to speak out against that discrimination, they are helping to foster the climate in which LGBTQ people are feared, scorned, hated and, ultimately, targeted. And then, when we are tragically reaping what they've sown, they offer their empty thoughts and prayers like so many crocodile tears. It's time we say: enough. You cannot, as Rep. Trent Franks did, call marriage equality a threat to the nation's survival and then tweet that your "thoughts and prayers are with all the victims, their families, and first responders in the #Orlando attack." You cannot, as Sen. Ted Cruz did, call LGBTQ rights leaders "jihadists" out to destroy the Christian way of life, and then tweet this: "Our hearts go out to those killed and wounded last night. Our prayers are with their families, and with all their grieving loved ones." You cannot, as Sen. Rand Paul did, compare same-sex marriage to bestiality and then tweet that your "thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families." Advertisement You cannot, as Gov. Mike Huckabee did, deny the existence of racism in this country and call marriage equality proponents nazis and then ask people to join you "in praying for the victims of the Orlando attack and their families." You cannot, as Congressman Steve Russell did, personally sponsor the bill allowing federal contractors to discrimination against LGBTQ people and then tweet this: "There is simply no civilized explanation for the horrific terror act in Orlando, Florida." You cannot, as Michelle Bachmann did, post a photo of the Orlando skyline with the hashtag "#PrayForOrlando" after you've called for Christians to engage in "spiritual warfare" to combat same-sex marriage and compared LGBTQ people to Satan. You cannot, as Gov. Phil Bryant of Mississippi did, sign a law that allows businesses to refuse service to LGBTQ people and then ask everyone to join you in "praying for God's peace and comfort for those affected by the horrific act of terror in Orlando. You cannot as Gov. Pat McCrory of North Carolina did, sign into law the "bathroom bill," criminalizing transgender individuals who use restrooms corresponding with their gender identity, and then tweet this: "Orlando shooting was a tragedy & should never take place in our country. Those who died were innocent victims of an inexcusable act." Advertisement You cannot, as Gov. Gary Herbert of Utah did, support that discriminatory "bathroom bill" by suing for the right to discriminate against trans people and then issue a statement saying "our hearts are broken" and "we all stand united in support of our brothers and sisters in Orlando." No more broken hearts. No more prayers for peace and comfort. No more pseudo-solidarity. If you do not advocate for full equality for LGBTQ people, you are the problem. "But wait," you say, "I never advocated for murder or violence. I would never, ever support that." Dear weeping politicians, it is long past time for you to connect these dots. You cannot, in one moment, marginalize, demonize and cast as "other" a particular group, and then in the next moment, lament the fact that that group is being targeted for a hate crime. If you advocate for inequality--whether because of your religious beliefs, your cultural beliefs, your political aspirations, etc.--you are helping to create a culture that made LGBTQ people an easy mark for a lunatic homophobe with an assault weapon, regardless of whether his homophobia was internalized or externalized. By failing to speak up against discrimination and hate, you have made the world unsafe for LGBTQ people, fueling their own self-loathing and inciting homophobic rage in others. You are the reason hate crimes against LGBTQ people were up in 2015, and particularly against people of color, transgender people and those who are gender-nonconforming. You are the reason LGBTQ teens are the daily targets of harassment, bullying and violence in schools. And you are the reason they too often choose suicide over the pain of living as a human target. You. Are. The. Problem. If you really want to stand in solidarity with the victims, their families and our community a whole, stop vilifying our community by calling us pedophiles and predators. Stop telling people to hate the sin. Stop warning straight people we are out to destroy their marriages, their families and the American way of life. If you want to pay your respects for the LGBTQ people of color who were slaughtered in Orlando, first try tweeting these words: "This was a hate crime against LGBTQ people of color." Advertisement Then start voting for equal rights for LGBTQ people. Ask your supporters to respect all people equally, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Actively and vocally discourage anti-LGBTQ bullying, harassment and violence. State unequivocally that #BlackLivesMatter. If you really want to make sure this doesn't happen again, you must finally recognize the link between a cultural climate that demonizes LGBTQ people and the attacks against them that inevitably follow. Sitcom is the most popular Spanish-language comedy in the U.S. and worldwide. This article is part of an ongoing Media Life series entitled "Catching the next big wave: Hispanic media." You can read previous stories by clicking here. In the courtyard of a housing project, an orphan squats next to the barrel where he sleeps at night. Wearing a green-checkered cap with flaps covering his ears, the boy daydreams about toys he'll never have. With a sigh, he pulls out an old-fashioned cup-and-ball -- made of stick, tin can and string -- and begins to play. Sad story? Actually, no. The scene is from "El chavo del ocho" ("The Kid from 8"), the most popular sitcom in U.S. Hispanic and Latin American television history and the top-ranked comedy in the Hispanic market today. Advertisement If you want to understand fundamentals of Spanish-language TV-and just how different they are from English-language TV-look no further than "El chavo del ocho." "El chavo" is one quirky TV show. No one knows El chavo's name -- it's never once uttered. The title character, the young boy, is played by a middle-aged man, Roberto Gomez Bolanos, known to fans simply as Chesperito, a derivative of Shakespearito ("Little Shakespeare"). Whenever the little boy gets scared, he becomes immobile, his left arm drooping, his right arm splayed outward. To be revived, he must be splashed in the face with cold water. But here's what's most interesting. There have been no new episodes of the sitcom since 1980. It debuted in 1971, and production stopped nine years later. Advertisement Yet it's a true phenomenon, dubbed into more than 50 languages. Repeats of the show pull an estimated global audience of 91 million viewers daily. In the U.S., "El chavo" is everywhere. If you include episodes from an animated follow-up series, an astounding 31 shows air weekly among the combined Univision, UniMas and Galavision networks. Another 18 half hours of the variety show "Chesperito," which regularly feature "El chavo" skits until 1992, appear each week on Galavision's screen. But surprisingly the show is no ratings monster. Neither it -- nor any comedy -- regularly appears in the Spanish-language Nielsen top 20. Comedy plays a much smaller role in the U.S. Spanish-language TV market. When they want laughs, U.S. Latinos are more likely to turn to English TV, with shows such as "The Big Bang Theory" and "Modern Family" regularly appearing among the top Hispanic English-language viewing rankers. The scarcity of sitcoms on U.S. Hispanic TV is due in part to the industry's cost structure. Dramas, particularly telenovelas, are a surer bet for amassing blockbuster ratings and generating advertising revenue. Advertisement But another factor is cultural. Spanish-language dramas--with their suspense, violence and sex -- can cut through language and cultural differences to capture the attention of U.S. Hispanics. Not so comedy. Humor often relies on cultural cues and wordplay. What's funny to Mexican-Americans might not resonate in the exactly the same way with Latinos of Caribbean or South American descent. "El chavo del ocho" succeeds because it's physical comedy, really slapstick. Slapstick, when done right, is universal. Gomez Bolanos, who not only stars in but created and directed the show, has said he was inspired by the work of comedians like Laurel and Hardy. "El chavo del ocho" has also endured because of its innocence. Much like Charlie Chaplin's "The Tramp," the character of "El chavo" is beloved from Argentina to the Philippines. "El chavo" brings the whole family together. Grandma can remember watching it back home in Ecuador (or Mexico, Peru, Argentina, etc.) Parents can wax about seeing it on Univision when they were young. Kids in the family can appreciate the show's goofy, "Simpsons"-like humor. Advertisement But ultimately, the success of "El chavo" rests in its ability to make audiences laugh about life's hardships and miseries. Gomez Bolanos has said he wanted to "reach everyone, but especially the humble people, those who needed to be reached more than anyone else." Gomez Bolanos died in 2014. For his funeral his body was placed in a glass box for all to see and driven through the streets of Mexico City. The only other person accorded such a procession was Pope John Paul II in 1979. At the comic's memorial service at Azteca Olympic Stadium, which seats nearly 100,000, mourners threw flowers. Many were dressed as the little boy in the green-checkered cap. In 2012, to learn about carnivore ecology in Alaska and celebrate completing my doctorate, my family and I visited Tom Meier, who led Denali National Park's biological program from 2003 until his unexpected death in 2012. I first met this key mentor in the early 2000s, when I tracked wolves for him in Montana, to document a dispersing wolf population. Back then he worked for the US Fish and Wildlife Service on the Northern Rockies wolf reintroduction and strongly encouraged me to attend graduate school. Tom Meier In Alaska I joined him in his office, where a large Denali map hung on the wall. On it he pointed out a 7 by 20-mile notch in the northeast park boundary. Congress didn't include this chunk of private land, a popular hunting and trapping area called the Stampede Corridor and Wolf Townships, when they expanded the park in 1980. Tom used a recent incident to illustrate conservation challenges where wolves are subject to legal killing beyond park boundaries. Denali National Park Map, with Proposed Buffer In May 2012, a trapper hauled a dead horse to a riverbank in the Wolf Townships near the park boundary. He set snares all around it, hoping to catch wolves attracted by the carcass. The snares lay in an area formerly managed as a buffer zone, where for one decade the state had prohibited wolf trapping to protect wolves that spend a good portion of their lives inside park boundaries. The state had lifted this buffer in 2010, with no plans to reinstate it. The trapper caught two wolves. One was a breeding female of a pack often seen by park visitors--the Grant Creek pack. To make matters worse, in June the other breeding female in this pack had died of natural causes. Thus it appeared there'd be no pups in this pack. While the trapper had done nothing illegal, this wolf's death raised public ire and an emergency petition to reinstate the buffer, which the state denied. Advertisement At the heart of such transboundary issues lies the fact that the US National Park Service has a mission to preserve and protect natural resources, which means no consumptive or destructive use. Meanwhile, states have a mandate to conserve natural resources, which means wise use and can include hunting. In places like Denali and surrounding lands, these two different mandates collide, with animals such as wolves suffering the consequences. The next day, we joined Tom and park wildlife biologist Bridget Borg to survey the East Fork wolf den. Discovered by Adolph Murie in1940, this den site had been used periodically by wolves throughout the decades. We crossed a stream and then bushwhacked through the willows along the East Fork River, stopping periodically to listen for signals from radio-collared wolves. Bridget Borg and Tom Meier Radio-Tracking Wolves Photo by Cristina Eisenberg Murie's East Fork den lay atop a high knoll. Ribbons of aspens grew on the knoll's south-facing flank. Leaving the riverbed, we side-hilled and scrambled up a steep, partially washed-out talus slope, rested briefly on a grassy sward, and then thrashed through hellaceous shrub thickets toward the den. Advertisement The den's dark, oval mouth lay in a slope of red-ochre sandy soil, topped by a thick thatch of grass and azure forget-me-nots. From this vantage point, we could see for miles along the East Fork River to Polychrome Mountain and beyond. In 2011, the Grant Creek pack had used a nearby den. Tom and Bridget had observed the pack using that other den during spring and early summer of 2012. They surmised that since the demise of the pack's two breeding females, a third female may have bred. We sat outside the Murie den and ate lunch. As we ate, we talked about wolf studies. There are places where scientists have had insights that have profoundly changed how we see the natural world. This was one of them. East Fork Toklat River, Photo by Cristina Eisenberg Murie spent weeks watching this den and the resident wolves through binoculars. Piecing together wolf social ecology and hunting habits, he found that these animals preyed mainly on sheep, primarily killing young and weak animals. He concluded that wolf predation had a beneficial effect on the Dall's sheep population, countering the ideas of those who favored culling park wolves to increase sheep numbers. The park opted to use Murie's science to manage its wolves, which meant continuing to protect them so they could serve their ecological role. Denali Wolf Many wildlife biologists followed in Murie's footsteps in Denali, such as L. David Mech, Gordon Haber, and Vic Van Vallenberghe. Most recently, Bridget Borg looked at how wolf trapping outside the park affects wolf viewability inside the park. We gazed out at the Toklat Valley and talked about geology and conservation. This big landscape bred big mountains and bigger thoughts. Its ineffable wildness had inspired science rooted in both empiricism and a deep love of nature. Tom was part of this legacy. We talked about hope. And as we discussed the vicissitudes of wolf management, he reminded us that as with all else, we couldn't survive on sorrow and anger. Advertisement We got up and bushwhacked upslope, where we found still more dens. At the top of the knoll we found a meadow spangled with yellow cinquefoil and what Tom had been searching for: the carcass of the Grant Creek pack's second alpha female. She died that spring of natural causes, perhaps while giving birth. In her lifetime she had many pups, who filled this landscape with their howls and wildness. She rested on a soft carpet of grass, her carcass intact and beautiful. Tom considered collecting her skull as a park specimen. He knelt, gently touched her thick, pure-white fur, and decided to let her be. Grant Creek Pack Alpha Female Photo by Cristina Eisenberg The wolf decline has continued in the four years since I visited the Murie den with Tom. In Denali, wolf numbers have dropped from 147 in 2007 to 49 in 2015. Visitor wolf viewing success has gone from 45% in 2010, before the buffer was lifted, to 5% in 2015. Wolf on Park Road, Denali Since 2012, the East Fork pack has dwindled from 14 individuals to 2--a gray collared male and a black uncollared female wolf, seen together last winter. Since then, the male was shot outside the park, his collar destroyed. The female was seen in mid-May at a den site, just outside the park boundary. She's believed to have produced pups. No other wolves have been observed in the vicinity. The East Fork female and pups' future is uncertain without other wolves to help feed them. The conservation community has been urging the park and state to intervene and rescue the pups. If these wolves die out, this will mean the end of an iconic, ecologically valuable wolf family that has been studied since the 1930s. Mallory Brown is in Ethiopia as part of the CrowdRise 24-Hour Impact Project. She has launched a fundraiser and has 24-hours to raise $30,000 to jump start the careers of 30 women in Ethiopia. This is her story. I'm celebrating my 30th birthday today, not with my friends toasting over champagne or dancing until dawn, but with 30 women I've just met in the small rural village of Chapa, Ethiopia. And I don't think I've ever had a better birthday, and I may never again. The women of Chapa live incredibly challenging lives. Like 2.2 Billion people on this planet, these women live on less than $2 a day. They're isolated from industry and opportunities for job training or employment. They have no source of income and struggle everyday to survive. Living off the land, they support their children (between four and eight children each) by finding their own sources of food and water. They cannot afford to send their children to school, build a safe home, or pull their families out of poverty. These women dream of a better future, and today, in celebration of my 30th birthday, I'm going to spend the next 24 hours raising enough money to give it to them. Advertisement Before I tell you how, I want to tell you why: I'm a social entrepreneur and humanitarian. I travel the world to raise money for amazing causes and implement innovative approaches to philanthropy. I believe in direct and personal change. I don't run a global foundation, or make million dollar grants to invest in infrastructure improvements around the world. But since I fell in love with Ethiopia on my first visit here four years ago, I've traveled the globe supporting philanthropic causes in over 22 countries. And I've never questioned that my efforts, while they may be small in scale, are massive for the individuals they impact. I wasn't always a philanthropist - like so many people, I came to it almost by accident. I fell in love with traveling, and when I decided I wanted to do it for my life, I knew that I had to find something to make it about more than myself. I realized that for me, it was the people I met who made the experience of traveling so meaningful. It didn't take me long to discover that I could combine my love for travel with creating small but meaningful changes in the lives of the people I meet while I'm exploring the globe. During my travels, I've felt more and more connected to women. Perhaps its because I'm growing older, or perhaps it's my understanding of the vital importance of women to society. Women are mothers, caretakers, teachers to their children when they can't afford school, and doctors to their community when there is no hospital. Helping a women will help her entire family, which in turn, will help her entire community. Today, I'm partnering with CrowdRise and 29 other passionate women from around the United States to raise $30,000 so the women of Chapa can start their own businesses. If I hit my goal in the next 24 hours, I'll begin working tomorrow to start their new jobs. I'm collaborating with two charities on the ground, Begin with One and Children's Hope Chest, to create a sustainable employment program for these 30 women. They will choose between three jobs - running a mill house, working in a barber shop, and raising livestock. Each woman will receive training, supplies, and ongoing financial literacy support. In 2015, I found CrowdRise, and discovered a real partner who shared my passion for the idea that one person can create real change. Together, we created the CrowdRise 24-hour Impact Project, a flash fundraising campaign that engages donors in real time philanthropy. We publish fundraisers on location around the world to prove that change can happen overnight. The CrowdRise 24-Hour Impact Project has run 8 fundraisers for 8 different causes around the globe. In total, we've crowdfunded these crazy inspirational movements that directly help people in need, all through individual donations of $10 to $25. This birthday campaign is incredibly important to me. Ethiopia is one of my favorite countries. I'll never forget my first time in this country, seeing women carrying water on their heads and families herding cattle. There was a sense of calm and chaos in the green mountains. Advertisement As I'm writing this, catapulted out of my twenties, I'm overwhelmed by that same beautiful mix of calm and chaos. I've struggled like every millennial has to find connection and meaning, I'd like to think that I've found an equation that works for me. So I'm sticking with it. And before the week is over, I'll have turned 30. Hopefully, with the help of other fiercely passionate women and men hungry for connection and meaning, I'll have raised $30,000, created 30 new jobs and changed 30 women's lives. It's gonna be the best birthday ever. To help Mallory reach her goal, donate via the CrowdRise widget below: When Anne Verrill heard the news of another mass shooting by a man wielding an assault-style rifle - this time targeting young people in Florida - she thought "there but for the grace of God go my kids" and then jumped out the window of her safe echo chamber into the snake pit of gun zealots. The owner of Grace Restaurant and Foreside Tavern had exhausted the conversation about gun violence with people she agreed with and saw the futility of signing another online petition. Words, thoughts and prayers aren't enough, and Congress, awash with gun-lobby money, is impotent to do the political work necessary to make changes. Senators in Washington live in a gun-free bubble opposing reasonable gun laws while the rest of us live in a glass house surrounded by people who love to throw rocks. So Verrill put her money where her mouth is. She served up an announcement on Facebook that owners of assault-style weapons are no longer welcome in her establishments, with a picture of an assault weapon on the side. Advertisement "You don't privately own this weapon to protect your family, or to hunt. I understand that I may be offending members of my community, but this is a human issue, not a gun owners' issue, or a Second Amendment issue, it is about humans," she continued. "I cannot, in good conscience, accept anyone inside of my restaurants who believes that this is OK." And so up went a red flag that quickly beckoned the usual army of right-wingers waving their yellow Gadsden flags and screaming about their right to bear arms, while spewing filth and spittle on Verrill's rights and all people of her ilk who believe repeated massacres of innocent civilians by military-style assault weapons is a human-rights issue. Verrill's concern is not without merit. Since last July, seven out of eight of the high-profile mass shootings have been carried out by assault-style weapons. Terrorist groups around the world are buying U.S. guns to kill our citizens and our allies. "America is absolutely awash with easily obtainable firearms," American-born al-Qaida spokesman Adam Gadahn said in a video. "You can go down to a gun show at the local convention center and come away with a fully automatic assault rifle, without a background check, and most likely without having to show an identification card. So what are you waiting for?" Advertisement The easy access to military-style weapons designed to kill large groups of people quickly is so ridiculous - so completely moronic - that even Donald Trump agrees it's a bad idea to let people on a terrorist watch list buy them. Time will tell whether Verrill shot herself in the foot for taking a stand, or whether her courage will inspire business people everywhere to get off the sidelines and into the ring. Corporations may be the only "people" immune from high-capacity magazines of ammunition, and clearly there's a market for gun-violence solutions. Let's out and shame all those who profit from mass murder. Let's report people who make threats and say incendiary and disgusting things online to their employers. Let's take away public benefits from people who use the town square we now call the internet to threaten and harass. We don't have to accept the extraordinary amount of gun violence in America. It's not inevitable - it's a choice, and everyone who throws up their arms in despair and avoids difficult conversations about it are complicit. And we don't have to tolerate bullying by gun fanatics online or surrender the internet to terrorists and organizations intent of harming people. Business owners can refuse customers with a fetish for assault-style guns designed primarily to kill people, and they should. There's a difference between banning people who own guns from your restaurant and refusing to sell a wedding cake to a same-sex couple or a black man. Advertisement "There is nothing intrinsic to the human person about owning a gun. Being a gun owner is not a protected characteristic under the Maine Human Rights Act," according to Mary Bonauto, the Maine lawyer who successfully argued before the U.S. Supreme Court in the historic case Obergefell v. Hodges, establishing the freedom to marry for same-sex couples nationwide and winner of a 2014 MacArthur Fellowship award. Photo courtesy of Flickr. When I started writing books about a decade ago, I took the position that no one should rely on a broker for financial advice. My reasoning was simple. I had never met a broker who recommended a globally diversified portfolio consisting solely of low-management-fee index funds, exchange-traded funds or passively managed funds. It was my view then and now that this is the only intelligent, responsible and evidence-based way to invest. I also couldn't understand (and still don't) why anyone would entrust their life savings to brokers who don't have an obligation to put the interest of their clients above their own. It made no sense to me that brokers are allowed to have undisclosed conflicts of interest they can resolve in their favor. A new level of hypocrisy Recent events have buttressed these views. The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, a trade organization for brokers, joined with others in filing a lawsuit against the conflict of interest rule enacted in April by the Department of Labor. The new rule requires advisors to retirement plans to adhere to a fiduciary standard, disclose all conflicts of interest and place the interest of plan participants above their own. Advertisement In a masterful PR spin on this anti-investor tactic, the plaintiffs assert the DOL rule "prevents financial professionals from best serving retirement savers." The reality is quite the opposite. The rule prevents them from depleting participants' nest eggs by populating retirement plan investment options with products that serve to enhance the bottom line for fund managers and brokers, at the expense of those saving for retirement. An appalling lack of ethics Brokers' ethical violations have been well-documented. Perhaps the proclivity some have to engage in reprehensible conduct is best demonstrated in this compilation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). It lists enforcement actions by the SEC addressing misconduct that led to or arose from the financial crisis. The defendants in these proceedings include many of the largest and best-known brokerage firms, like Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Merrill Lynch, Wells Fargo, UBS, Bank of America, Credit Suisse and others. Misconduct is contagious There's compelling evidence showing that if you have fraudulent co-workers, you're more likely to engage in fraudulent conduct yourself. One study found that, after a merger, a financial advisor is 38 percent more likely to engage in fraudulent conduct if the merger is with a firm that includes advisors with a history of fraud. Spreading the virus A recent study by the Securities Litigation and Consulting Group provides insight into the actual practice of many brokerage firms. In an exhaustive analysis of broker misconduct, the study lists the top 30 brokerage firms with 400 or more registered brokers ranked by the percentage of their brokers with track records of misconduct. Some of the better known names on the list include Oppenheimer & Co. (#7), UBS Financial Services (#11), First Allied Securities (#12), Wells Fargo (#16), Morgan Stanley (#18) and Raymond James (#19). Advertisement The specifics are troubling. Oppenheimer employs 2,217 brokers. According to the study, 276 of them (12.45 percent) have a track record of causing investors harm. Ninety-two of these brokers (4.15 percent) were previously fired from other firms. The lowest ranked of the 30 firms, Purshe Kaplan Sterling, employed 1,229 brokers, 78 of whom had caused harm to investors and 33 of whom had been previously fired. The top-ranked firm on the study's list, Aegis Capital Corp., had an astounding 24.10 percent of its 444 brokers involved with causing investors harm. Twenty-one (4.73 percent) of its brokers were previously fired. This data is deeply troubling. If brokerage firms were genuinely interested in serving the interest of their clients, why would they employ so many brokers with a history of harming investors? This conduct only appears to encourage a culture of unethical behavior. If you feel compelled to use the services of a broker, ask for this data. It may be an eye-opener. Dan Solin is a New York Times bestselling author of the Smartest series of books, including The Smartest Investment Book You'll Ever Read, The Smartest Retirement Book You'll Ever Read and his latest, The Smartest Sales Book You'll Ever Read. He is a wealth advisor with Buckingham and the Director of Investor Advocacy for The BAM ALLIANCE. Red Hook, New York, USA The sad thing -- the really sad thing -- about Orlando is that is probably going to get worse before it gets better. Guns laws, gun nuts, lone wolves, persistent homo- and transphobia, evangelical Islam's continued backslide into medievalism, evangelical Christianity's continued infiltration into politics; it all has combined (and will go on to) into a perfect storm where a religious wingnut can not only become armed to the teeth, but actually feel that the world is on their side. In 2012, I wrote a piece on where gays should not go. We in the West tend to forget that when it comes to being gay, the West is the exception. Being gay can get you killed in a lot of places, even ones billing themselves as a paradise. But now it is 2016, and there have been changes, both forward and backward. Advertisement So as the summer travel season officially kicks off, here is a new summary of those places that you should really think twice about visiting. Yes, every country in the world has a thriving gay community, but being gay in New York City is very different from being gay in Cairo. As before, this summary is painted in brief, broad strokes based on national law (if you want specifics, head to the IGLTA website, or even the State Department). It may be that not all of these laws are enforced, but the fact anti-gay legislation exists means LGBTQs need to plan ahead and, as galling as it is, modify their behavior and dress as needed. Africa To their credit, several countries, including Guinea-Bissau, Mauritius, Cape Verde, and Rwanda, legalized homosexuality even if other bans (same-sex unions, serving openly in the military, etc.) remain in place. Other countries, like Mali, Djibouti, and Burkina Faso, have no laws on the books one way or another. In both such places, however, cultural and religious prohibitions can still make things dangerous when it comes to PDAs, law or no law. Even more dangerous are Egypt and Morocco, which will imprison you; Malawi, which will imprison and whip you; and Mauritania, which will kill you outright. This is not to say there aren't a few victories: A major upturn is Mozambique, which in 2015 adopted a new legal code that that definitively defends same-sex behavior (it was ambiguous before). Workplace discrimination has been illegal since 2007, and the country is an undiscovered gem when it comes to destinations. But it is South Africa that remains the shining star. Cape Town, which recently hosted the IGLTA Convention, is pulling out all the stops to become the gay capital of the Southern Hemisphere, and it is well worth the 17-hour flight. But even South Africa has its problems: A worsening economic and political situation means that the rainbow tapestry so beautifully woven by the late Nelson Mandela is now fraying at the edges. This is not translating into homophobia necessarily, but foreigners should be mindful of things like pickpocketing and mugging (which affects everybody). Stay in the "popular zones" and if it is late at night, take a taxi from wherever you are to your hotel, and vice versa. Advertisement Asia Jail sentences await in Pakistan, India, Singapore, Oman, and Bhutan; death penalties await in Iran and Saudi Arabia (it is probably the only thing those two agree on), as well as in Qatar, Brunei, Yemen, and Afghanistan. But as with Africa, some Asian countries have at least decriminalized homosexuality: Jordan, Lebanon, China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Iraq (seriously!), and Bahrain (surprisingly!). But note that legalization does not mean protection. For example, homosexuality may be legal in Turkey, but gay "honor killings" are common and go unsolved. In practical terms, if it is a Muslim country, all visiting LGBTQs should go on the DL, and hard. The hopes are at the periphery: Israel is very progressive; Tel Aviv Pride is one of the biggest in the the world. Japan, Hong Kong, Macau, the Philippines, and Thailand also score high marks, and Taiwan, the gay-friendliest country in Asia, has the largest circuit party on the continent. Because Asia is so huge and varied, it pays to do your research. Australia & Oceania The Land Down Under is an irony. Sydney hosts the Gay Mardi Gras, one of the largest LGBTQ tourist draws in the world, and Australia tends to be an LGBTQ travel darling. However, the country infamously voted down a same-sex marriage law in 2004. Alternatively, New Zealand grants full equality across the board. But the real fun starts when you get to the South Pacific. If it flies under a European or American flag (French Polynesia or Guam, for example), you are good to go. But then you get to places like Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, and the Cook Islands, where the law stipulates prison sentences for gay men but is "rarely enforced." Where it is enforced is Tuvalu, Kiribati, and the Solomon Islands. Plan your paradise accordingly. Europe Europe is not as simple as it looks; there is a sharp divide down very old fault lines: Every country outside the Iron Curtain is an excellent choice, every one inside it is more in question. In the European Union, homosexuality is legal. But the more east you go, EU or no, the more penalizations you run into. The Low and Scandinavian countries, France, Spain, and the UK are all tops regarding every legal right in the LGBTQ book; Poland, Romania, Serbia, and Bulgaria less so. Advertisement Where things really go downhill are those states once part of the Soviet Union, Russia being the biggest example. The rule of thumb is this: With the exception of the Baltics (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania), if it was a Soviet republic, it is a hotbed for homophobia to the point of murder even if homosexuality is technically legal. Along with Russia, countries under this dubious banner include Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, and Belarus. North America & the Caribbean Completely scattershot, and in more ways than one. Canada seems to have all its eggs in one basket, but the United States may as well be Chicken Little. LGBTQs can marry in every state in the Union, but can be fired from their jobs for their orientation or identity in 28. The states of California, Hawaii, New York, and Iowa are legally level-headed, but comments from GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump and anti-transgender hysteria in the American South show the USA, now smack in the middle of an election cycle, is still very much grappling with the idea of full legal equality for LGBTQs. It's the same story all over the continent. The Caribbean is a regional case of multiple personalities; you can have islands within eyeshot of each other with completely different laws. As with Oceania, if it is associated with a European nation (St. Martin, Aruba) or an American one (Puerto Rico), the legal situation is far more equal than in, say, Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago, Dominica, Jamaica, and St. Vincent & the Grenadines, where homosexuality is illegal to the point of imprisonment. Ditto for Central America. With the exception of Belize, every Latin American country decriminalized homosexuality. Mexico is poised to grant full equality, and Costa Rica, though not that progressive, still earns high marks in relation to its neighbors. Those neighbors, like El Salvador and Panama, have a very strong machismo culture and the influence of the Catholic Church is pervasive. Nicaragua constitutionally bans same-sex marriage. South America It's not universally rosy, but South America looks pretty good. Guyana is the sole holdout regarding LGBTQ decriminalization, and places like Bolivia, Paraguay, Ecuador, and Venezuela have constitutional bans against gay marriage, but ask yourself: How many people are going to Venezuela? The two big draws, Brazil and Argentina, are excellent LGBTQ destinations, and vacation planners should also consider equally forward-thinking Chile, Colombia, and Uruguay. Colombia and Uruguay are, in fact, the most "equal" on the continent. The only thing you should really worry about is Zika. Over the past year, we've heard a lot about "feeling the Bern." But there's been another hot spot smoldering since late last summer that has somehow defied full ignition. I am of course referring to the real Burning Man, Donald Trump. Up to now, despite ongoing misstatements, falsehoods, racist and misogynist remarks, malicious personal attacks, and a basic lack of understanding of the intricacies of domestic and foreign policy that would have destroyed any other candidacy, Trump has managed to wear an inflammable suit. But that casing is starting to smoke and the GOP is feeling the heat. Like many Republicans, I didn't see this inferno coming. I took Trump's initial declaration as little more than a joke. But as the GOP primaries turned into a traveling circus, my evaluation shifted from impossible to improbable, possible to likely, imminent to inevitable. In an election year when all the traditional rules are being broken, Trump's continued success has proven decades of divisiveness, indecision and deception by the party establishment created an angry and resentful Republican base so combustible, that his incendiary rhetoric sparked a firestorm of discontent. Add in a voracious media universe that provided Trump with an estimated $2 billion of free advertising and you had the perfect accelerant. Advertisement Being a practical Republican, which unfortunately seems like an oxymoron today, I want to make a rational observation about an irrational candidate. I'm not looking to join the ranks of the "woe is us" crowd or the flamethrowers on either side who are either boasting or roasting Trump. I'm just raising a fundamental question and mentioning a few hard facts. Let's start with an obvious inquiry that gets buried amidst the noise. Why does Donald Trump even want to be the President of the United States? He undoubtedly wants to win, but is he ready and willing to take on the responsibility of the being the CEO of the world's most powerful country? Ignoring his dearth of political experience, it's almost unimaginable to see him fulfilling the basic commitments and duties of the office. Can you imagine Trump being at a 7:30 AM security briefing? Digesting the complex details of Congressional legislation, trade agreements, and foreign policy? Reading to school kids? Standing around at a Christmas party shaking 2,000 hands? I think not. All of Trump's life has been about trying to be number one and at best, he's a master salesman and at worst, a charlatan. If he captures the biggest prize of all, it will be like the movie The Candidate, where a political novice, Robert Redford, wins an unexpected Senate victory and then turns to his chief advisor and says, "What do we do now?" Baptism by fire is not an ideal scenario for The Apprentice or our country. Advertisement As Trump-ites celebrate his primary coronation, let's recognize that he has captured approximately 11% of the general voting public and more than 90% of GOP primary voters are white. And primary votes don't necessarily translate into general election votes. There are also substantial demographic hurdles to overcome, both ethnic and gender. Latino voters are not going to forgive Trump's racist stance on immigration and women make up 53% of the electorate. Hillary Clinton may be an unlikeable candidate and Trump will do his best to fan the flames in her direction, but women voters are not going to just ignore demeaning and chauvinist behavior. As we have already witnessed, there is also the very real possibility that Trump will self-immolate. Despite all the "expert advice" he's getting in preparation for the general election, he seems incapable of transforming into someone who can resist maligning and offending people. As far as accountability, in the old days, when someone would say, "You said this," you could simply respond, "No, I didn't," and it would be your word against theirs. Now, there's the undeniable evidence of video, so Trump will essentially be asking voters, "are you going to believe me or your lying eyes?" People can keep bashing or bemoaning Trump, but he's not the disease, he's the symptom of a failed party. If it weren't Trump, it would be someone else. He was simply the Pied Piper of an inflamed base, playing the right tune at the right time. Many political pundits have wondered why Trump hasn't changed from a primary to general election ballad; he just doesn't know any other songs. Trump is a self-absorbed chameleon, without any concrete ideas or political ideology of his own. What he has going for him is that people want change; it's not an establishment election. But he's scorching the GOP from within and there are no extinguishers in sight. What really scares me about Donald Trump is he's a wildfire, the hardest kind to control. My deepest hope is that America will avoid the political and diplomatic conflagration that a Trump presidency could ignite. If you're a concerned citizen and GOP supporter, remember what we always tell our children: it's dangerous to play with matches. Advertisement London--It was 1956 and the Royal Court's production of John Osborne's Look Back in Anger that turned Terence Rattigan, the leading local playwright of the previous few decades, into a captain of the old guard. How gallant of the pertinent critics to jettison everything that had gone before--not unlike what happened in the art world when abstract expressionism unceremoniously shunted representational artists aside. What usually occurs after such rude treatment, though, is that cooler heads eventually prevail and baby-with-the-bathwater-victim Rattigan has been reassessed and welcomed back on stages to prove once again his dramaturgical expertise. Advertisement The current example is The Deep Blue Sea, which is enjoying a superb rediscovery. (Karel Reisz did mount one maybe 20 years ago.) The star is Helen McCrory, who's giving the peak performance of her notable career as philandering wife Hester Collyer--and this is a Hester who deserves a big "A" on her frock front. Found nearly dead of a surfeit of aspirins and gas in a downscale London neighborhood, she recovers her life but not her spirit after boyfriend Freddie Page (Tom Burke) forgot her birthday. He's an ex-test pilot and a seemingly full-blown cad for whom she left her husband William Collyer (Peter Sullivan), a revered judge, 10 months earlier. The Deep Blue Sea--Helen believes she's caught between the devil and the deep...--follows the lost soul over the next 18 or so hours as landlady Mrs. Elton (Marion Bailey), neighbors Philip and Ann Welch (Hubert Burton, Yolanda Kettle) and Mr. Miller (Nick Fletcher), a doctor no longer practicing after having been involved in a scandal (possibly homosexual), attempt to come to her aid. So does abandoned husband William, but Hester will have none of it. She's too wrapped up in Freddie, too desperate to make him stay with her in what's essentially the character study of a woman in love but painfully aware that love is a complex state of affairs that frequently don't jibe. Advertisement It could be said that though director Carrie Cracknell, lighting designer Guy Hoare and sound designer Peter Rice apply flourishes to disguise the only slightly creaky situation, it remains--but doesn't really matter. It could also be said that the huge flat that set designer Tom Scutt fills the wide Lyttelton stage with hardly suggests the shabbiness in which Hester has chosen to live in sin with Freddie. By the way, Freddie is the real irony here. A hero during World War II, he's now a society discard and incensed about it. That's right. He may be the original angry young man, a true precursor to Osborne's Jimmy Porter. And to think no one at the time Rattigan was being shown the door noticed he'd foreshadowed Osborne. ****************** A New York City-born friend of mine who's lived here for some time and goes regularly to the theater claims he's hard put to name a single play written by an English playwright that contains a sympathetic American character. I tend to agree and can now add that one of the ugliest Americans ever to appear in a play premiering here is spreading his bad odor in Sunset at Villa Thalia at the National's Dorfman. It's the work of Alexi Kaye Campbell, the son of a Greek father and British Mother. The hateful American is Harvey (Ben Miles), who works for the American government (read CIA) and is clearly involved in various Chilean and Greek regime changes carried out in the 1960s to stop any suspected infiltration of Communism As Campbell's indictment gets underway--and I'm not claiming it's specious to the core--Harvey and blond wife June (Elizabeth McGovern, proving there's life after Downton Abbey) are dining with English playwright Theo (Sam Crane) and his actress wife Charlotte (Pippa Nixon) at the Greek villa the latter couple has rented for the summer. Advertisement Pippa seems reluctant about their having extended the invitation. Theo is less disturbed about the dinner for four and becomes less so when Harvey, casing the joint, suggests that the vacationing couple would likely be able to purchase the beautifully positioned home at rock-bottom cost. That's given the status of the country's economy--about which Harvey may have inside info. Before the first act, set in 1967, ends, a few other facts emerge, including Harvey's attraction to Charlotte (and possibly hers to him). He likes a change from the well-meaning but dim-bulbed June. There's also Harvey's insisting he's falling in love with Theo, platonically, of course. One fact the audience may dispute is Harvey's claim that he's a good man who's been entangled in international upheavals he greatly regrets. As act two starts, it's 1974 and again Harvey and June are stopping at the villa Theo and Charlotte have owned for seven years and share with children Adrian (either Thomas Berry, Billy Marlow or Ethan Rouse) and Rosalind (either Sophia Ally, Dixie Egerickx or Scarlett Nunes). Though Harvey and Theo are still pals (Campbell never satisfactorily explains the extent of their relationship), Charlotte is even more troubled about Harvey's past and then even more so when June unburdens herself of her fear of, and for, him. Directed well by Simon Godwin (Hildegard Bechtler designed the coveted villa with two-level patio), Campbell's achievement is writing three-dimensional figures, whose individual psyches and the conflicts caused when they clash are utterly credible. By the denouement, there's even reason to muster a modicum of sympathy for the dreaded Harvey, certainly as Miles fleshes him out. ****************** Does the title No Villains mean anything to you? It didn't to me either, but it means plenty now. It's a one-act play that Arthur Miller wrote when, at 20, he was still a University of Michigan student and looking to win a playwriting prize that would have fetched him Depression money he desperately needed. Though he has acknowledged it's the most autobiographical play he ever wrote--about a once-lucrative family business failing during a strike--it has never been produced until now. Advertisement Thanks to director Sean Turner, who learned of its existence and tracked it down, it's just moved from Islington's Old Red Lion Theatre to Trafalgar Studios 2. Slightly fewer thanks go to Turner for how he's handled the drama, which in any case has Miller's themes and touches throughout. Everything that motivated him to write about moral conflict and familial discontent is foreshadowed in the 80-minute work. It's also the most Jewish of any Miller opus. Coat manufacturer Abe Simon (David Bromley) and Esther Simon (Nesba Crenshaw) have two sons, Ben (George Turvey), who joined the business, and Arnold (Alex Forsyth), who's the Miller stand-in and refuses to help at the factory because of his "Communist ideas" about not crossing a picket line. A patient at a rural health camp in Mwae County, Kenya has her blood pressure checked as part of a full physical exam. If she needs hypertension treatment, she will get it as part of the cost of the camp. Photo: Bedad Mwangi In Kenya, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular and respiratory disease, diabetes and cancer used to be quite rare, because communicable diseases like AIDS and malaria were more likely to kill you first. That is why life expectancy peaked in 1987, and then went down in the 1990s, as AIDS made its presence felt. But since about 2002, as more Kenyans have gotten AIDS treatment, life expectancy has started going up again and, if current trends continue, Kenya will return to its historic peak of 60 years in 2017, according to a World Bank blog. Advertisement That's great news. But it also means many Kenyans are surviving AIDS only to live long enough to be killed by NCDs. Annually, 28 million people die from NCDs in low- and middle-income countries like Kenya, representing nearly 75 percent of deaths from NCDs globally. Health programs, therefore, must turn their attention to this new pandemic without losing focus on the existing one (AIDS). This scenario is playing out not only in Kenya but in Botswana, Eritrea, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zambia. All of these countries increased their treatment coverage by more than 25 percent between 2010 and 2015, according to UNAIDS. Dr. Samuel Mwenda is a seasoned veteran of campaigns against both pandemics. For 13 years, as the general secretary and CEO of the Christian Health Association of Kenya, a network of Protestant church facilities in Kenya, he has led CHAK's comprehensive approach to HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment. Kenya is now considered an AIDS success story, with CHAK making a significant contribution to that success. UNAIDS says that Kenya is one of the countries "showing the most remarkable progress in expanding access to antiretroviral medicines and reducing the number of new infections." Now he is taking on NCDs (also known as "chronic diseases") with a major new program called Novartis Access. Seventy percent of the global cancer burden is in low- and middle-income countries like Kenya, where the probability of dying between the ages of 30 and 70 from one of the four main NCDs is 18 percent. NCDs now account for 27 percent of deaths in Kenya, according to the World Health Organization. On June 19, Mwenda becomes the third recipient of the Christian International Health Champion Award, which honors an individual who has dedicated his/her life to global health from a Christian perspective and has made significant contributions to the field and to Christian Connections for International Health, which will present him the award at their annual conference. Advertisement "Dr. Mwenda has been a transformational leader for faith-based organizations (FBOs) in Kenya and the African region," said Dr. Rick Santos, president and CEO of IMA World Health, who nominated Mwenda for the award. "He has used his skills and passion to build capacity of emerging health leaders and to advocate for the significant role of FBOs in delivering quality health services to the most vulnerable populations in Africa." Mwenda is a medical doctor specializing in health systems management who took over leadership of CHAK in 2003. Under his leadership, CHAK made significant contributions to the national fight against AIDS in the four most populous provinces of the country with support from various programs funded by the U.S. government and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria as well as Kenyan domestic sources. CHAK now supports over 41,000 clients with antiretroviral therapy, representing about 9 percent of the total number of patients nationally. Kenya now has the second largest treatment program in Africa (after South Africa), with nearly 900,000 people on treatment at the end of 2015. Several years ago, CHAK turned its attention to the new pandemic of NCDs, and began working on hypertension and diabetes. In 2015, with the support of Novartis Access, CHAK offered a portfolio of products to treat cardiovascular disease, diabetes, respiratory illnesses and breast cancer at an end price not to exceed $1.50 per treatment per month. The program is currently in three counties of Kenya and is expected to be in all 47 counties by the end of 2017, and followed soon by Ethiopia, Rwanda and Senegal. The program will be in a total of 30 countries by 2020. "A key learning from HIV programs was that you cannot build awareness until there is treatment," said Mwenda. "It's the same with NCDs. It's access to treatment that gets individuals and families to learn about heart disease and diabetes and to come forward for diagnosis. When people see others in their communities living long, healthy and productive lives despite NCDs, it makes them more willing to invest their own time and resources in treatment." Advertisement "Africa is rapidly overcoming the challenges of infectious diseases," said Mwenda. "I'm proud to say that much of that is due to the commitment of faith-based organizations, that provide about half of all health care in the countries south of the Sahara. I believe that the same God-given mandate that we had to conquer polio and AIDS requires us to get serious about diabetes and cancer." Looking for somewhere exotic yet familiar to travel to this summer? Well look no further than a city whose name you've probably heard of a dozen or so times before. The charm, vibrance, and uniqueness of Berlin will leave you feeling swept of your feet, with something to appeal to just about anyone. It all happened by accident that I myself discovered Berlin. In my final summer of college a few years back I decided to backpack the continent of Europe; solo. I was growing near the end of my holiday and I had decided that I wanted to add Germany to my list of countries that I visited however I was unsure of just exactly which city I wanted to visit. After researching which city I should visit immensely for days, I finally narrower it dine between Munich and Berlin. Still not one-hundred percent sure of which one to choose, I decided I would leave my selection in the hands of God. The next day I headed to the train station in Paris and asked the attendant for a ticket to either Berlin or Munich; whichever was cheaper. She responded with saying that they were just about the same price, with a euro or two being the difference. She then proceeded with looking at me and saying, pick Berlin, you are going to love it there. Advertisement And wow was this woman incredibly right. Berlin to this day remains a city that I still think of as magical, unique, vibrant, and beautiful. A city that was once divided between East and West, and yet is so well-connected and united. A city where you can really run free and be yourself. And do not get me started about the party scene, which is unparalleled to anywhere else in the world. A lot of people often ask me if a day or two is enough to see everything in Berlin, and in my honest opinion it is really not. Berlin is one of those cities that has an extraordinary amount to see, and such a different rich culture you will want to explore. I would recommend a minimum of at least three days here, depending on what you want to see, and perhaps one of those being a weekend if you want to check out the nightlife culture. Below I have listed the things that you must see and do in Berlin, even if your trip is short. East Side Gallery (Berlin Wall) Located on the river in Friedrichshsin near the Oberbaum Bridge, the East Side Gallery is known as a memorial for freedom. Many artists have designed murals which are painted on the wall to represent unity, surviving oppression, and freedom. The wall itself is a bit over a kilometer long, and makes for a great stroll down the river and observing on a sunny day. Museum Island An island located in the Spree River, Museum Island houses a few museums that display Berlin's art collection. The island itself is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Each museum houses artwork from era specific periods. Advertisement Travel Tip: I would recommend buying the one day Museum Pass which will allow you access into all of the museums on the islands. Travel Tip #2: Must see pieces of art include The Ishtar Gate & The Altar of Zeus (Pergamon Museum). Alexanderplatz Located in the city center of Berlin. Alexanderplatz is home to a giant shopping mall with a variety of stores and restaurants. Alexanderplatz can be used as a great landmark to meet up with some one, and would make a great day for shopping, if that's what you're into. Brandenburg Gate Perhaps the most famous landmark in Berlin, the Brandenburg Gate is a must see in Berlin. Marvel at the ancient neoclassical architecture and obtain your must-have selfie in front of it. Gay Holocaust Memorial This memorial is dedicated to the victims that were persecuted during the Nazi regime for being homosexual. The memorial opened quite recently in 2008, and is located in the park near the Brandenburg Gate. The memorial features a concrete cube with a window in which visitors can look in and see a short film. The memorial serves as an important reminder that not only Jews were persecuted in the Second World War, as many other minority groups were targeted as well. Jewish Holocaust Memorial A 19,000 meter memorial, filled with concrete slabs that are arranged in a grid-like pattern on a sloping landscape. The feeling of the memorial is quite maze-like and eerie. Definitely leaving you with a sense of uneasiness. Here all the names of the Jewish victims of Second World War are listed. Advertisement Checkpoint Charlie The most famous crossing point between the divided East and West Berlin, Checkpoint Charlie houses an actual station with a guard, a museum, and old signage that let's you know that you are leaving the free part of Berlin and entering the communist side, and vice versa. Friedrichstrae Think Williamsburg, New York. Hipsters. Bicycles. Shops. Outdoor cafes. Friedrichstrae is the Main Street located in the heart of Friedrichshain. This street is the Berlin version of hipster chic, and many nightclubs and bars are located in this neighborhood. The street always seems to be lively, and you can do anything from rent bicycles, to shop, to eat in this area. I would also recommend staying in this area as you are central to just about everything, and you can pretty much stumble home from the bars and clubs without having to worry about hailing a taxi. Travel Tip: Look for the food shop What A Wurst located right outsie the S Bahn Station at Warschauer Strae Station and try a currywurst. Berlin is one of the only places in the world where you can find one of these. Oberbaum Bridge (Oberbaumbrucke) Located between the neighborhoods of Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg in Berlin, the Oberbaum Bridge connects the once divided city which was known as East and West Berlin over the river Spree. The U-Bahn line U1 runs over this bridge, and the bridge itself can be walked across. It is considered an important symbol of the unity of Berlin. Fernsehturm (TV Tower) Located near Alexanderplatz in Berlin, the television tower is a famous landmark in Berlin and can be seen from various points throughout the city. The tower itself is 368 Meyers tall, and houses a restaurant near the top. Lines can get quite long so advanced ticket purchase is a smart idea, and the views from the top of Berlin are simply stunning. This is a great idea if you have some extra time on your hands, as the whole experience can be quite time-consuming. Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp (Str. der Nationen 22, 16515 Oranienburg) Located outside of the city of Berlin in Oranienburg, Sachsenhausen is easily reached by the S Bahn. This particular camp was used during the Second World War under the Nazi regime to house political prisoners of war. If you have about half a day of time and have never visited a concentration camp before, I would strongly recommend visiting Sachsenhausen.Walking through the camp can be a bit eerie and sad, but it is important to be reminded of the events that occurred there not so long ago. Advertisement Nightclubs Berghain (Am Wriezener Bahnhof, 10243) Often regarded as one of the best nightclubs in the world, Berghain is located between the border of Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain, which is how its name was developed. Berghain us definitely an experience to new and returning visitors alike, and the music is some of the bes you'll find in Germany. However the doormen controls who gets to enter or not, and there is no rhyme or reason to why you may be allowed or denied access into this nightclub. Popular tricks include wearing all black, tight black skinny jeans, having a backpack with you (to show you are there to seriously party for a while), not speaking while waiting on-line, and not using your cellphone either. Photography is strictly prohibited inside the club. For more information on what you should do to get into Berghain try researching past visitors reviews online. Tip: Check online to see the DJ schedule because the doorman just might ask you who is playing that night that you are here to see. Tip #2: just pay the cover once and you are all set for the weekend. You may come in and out as you please, provided you don't wash that stamp off of your wrist. Tip #3: Sunday morning around 4AM is when things really heat up. Perhaps the best time to go, even surpassing Friday & Saturday nights. Tip #4: Feeling tired from parting for so long? Order some snacks or a Club Mate at the bar. Watergate (Falckensteinstrae 49, 10997) Located riverside near the Oberbaum Bridge, this club features beautiful views of the river Spree with floor-to-ceiling windows, and an outdoor terrace. Catch some of the best DJ's spinning here, especially from local BPitch Control records. Dress code is classical like most Berlin clubs, however do keep in mind the doorman here is quite selective of whom he lets in as well. You may hear that Watergate is "closed for a private party," or "there are too many boys inside." You can simply leave and try a different nightclub, or leave and try coming back later. KitKat Club (Kopenicker Str. 76, 10179) Perhaps one of the most interesting nights out you'll ever have, KitKat Club mixes prominent Techno and Trance music with kinky, fetish fashion. As usual in Berlin, the nightclubs dress code is recommended as casual fetish, with many portraying looks that include anything from leather to jock straps to full-on nudity. Sexual intercourse is accepted throughout the venues various rooms, and toys such as slings and poles are located inside. It's best that you come with an open mind, and you'll truly have an experience like no other. Share your photos and stories with me on Instagram @thenycwanderer. Until Next time kittens, XoXo. Turtle Cove Turks and Caicos Private boat ride off the coast of Providenciales, Turks & Caicos - photo: Dayvee Sutton Turks & Caicos has built its reputation as the luxury destination of the Caribbean. For years it's been the escape for the rich and famous. Truthfully, it's only been a recent getaway for the famous; but a well-kept secret of the rich for ages. You won't find any budget hotels on the archipelago of 40 low-lying coral islands, but rather an average of five-star resorts and villas with the agenda to help you indulge in the luxe life. Flights flying into Providenciales aren't cheap either. There's not any discounted stores or shopping outlets, and you'd be hard pressed to find fast food joints or cheap food spots. Turks & Caicos isn't like it's neighbors, Jamaica or Bahamas, where you can pack your schedule with ziplining and off-roading excursions. Rather, visitors go there for nothing else but to beach-bum-it-out. They call it "simple luxury." That means you can do as little as you want, but indulge in the finer things in life -- like an on-call butler to prepare your fine dine-in meal on your personal infinity pool's terrace. Or something like that. Advertisement Private home on Parrot Cay - photo: Dayvee Sutton I must mention that Grand Turk, which is the port stop for major cruise lines, is a total contradiction to the general Turks & Caicos atmosphere - which is "simple luxury." I had a chance to speak to the Premier Dr. Rufus Ewing about the vast difference between Grand Turk and the rest of the islands. He said "Noting was really going on with Grand Turk. Then there was an opportunity to make a port stop here. They wanted one at Providenciales, too. But, of course, that wouldn't match the brand." He continued, "Grand Turk as a port stop has proved to be beneficial as another source of income for us." Cruise ship passengers beach, shop or explore Grand Turk - photo: Dayvee Sutton Eat, beach, drink and sleep, is the normal part of the agenda. The white, fluffy sand that leads into the crystal clear and perfectly tempered waters of the Atlantic Ocean (of course, it's the Caribbean part of the Atlantic). Many of the beaches also have extended sand bars (a consequence of the tropical storms), and that makes for fun Instagram photos that make it look like you're walking on water in the middle of the ocean. Whether you're on the main island of Provo or have accommodations on the private island of Parrot Cay, it easy to find the perfect beach nook and lay out all day. And quite frankly, that's what many visitors prefer to do. Dayvee floating in ocean near Fort George Cay - photo: Dayvee Sutton Now when most people grow weary of the beach bum life, they grab a bike or paddle board and do something a little more active, yet still, very leisurely. But, while I was there, I found some Beyond the Usual ideas to add to your agenda. Advertisement 1. Rent a dog for the day To my knowledge, it's the only place in the Caribbean where you can do this. But, yes...you can rent a puppy for an hour, for a day for the entire week you are there. The mutts on the island are called Pot Cakes, and the Potcake Place is a dog rescue charity based in Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands. Their mission is to reduce the number of stray dogs on the island. They say they have constant stream of puppies needing socialization and adoption. (So if you really fall in love, which you can imagine has been done before, you can even take one home with you!) Stop by their location in the Salt Mills Plaza and take a puppy out to the beach. They say "we will give you everything you need, you just need to supply some TLC." 2. Charter a boat and dive into the ocean Dayvee and Pamela jump off the boat to snorkel The Bight Reef - photo: Dayvee Sutton The Bight Reef is just off the coast, so there's some great snorkeling and diving opportunities. The sea is full of color fish and beautiful arched coral. Charter a boat with Silver Deep, who have been providing excursions for over 25 years. Island Vibes Tours have a boat with a diving board and water slide, which equals THE.BEST.DAY.EVER. Whichever way you choose, getting a boat and leaving your resort for a day will take your vacation to the next level. On our trip out, our Silver Deep captain took us to the private island of Fort George Cay. He pulled the boat right up to the sand, we hopped out and floricked around for a few hours. We picked sea shells and played silly floating games that we made up in the warm water near the shore. 3. Take the ferry to see the caves Dayvee explores and looks for bats in the Conch Bar caves on Middle Caicos - photo: Dayvee Sutton Just about a half hour ferry ride and you can venture to North Caicos. Reserve a taxi tour through North Caicos and to Middle Caicos. (You should look up my new pal Mac from M&M Taxi.) North Caicos is the lushest of all the islands because of the abundant rainfall. They call it the Green Island. On Middle Caicos you'll find the Conch Bar Caves. They are the largest cave systems in the Caribbean. It's about 3 miles of non-submerged caves, and worth the adventure. There's tons bats that will fly out of your way as fast as they can when you show your light on them, and strange (non-edible) shrimp in the water. Don't worry, you won't get wet or have to walk through water. But, bug spray is highly recommended. The mosquitos are waiting for you! (As of this writing, the official Turks & Caicos tourism department said there were no cases of the Zika virus on the islands.) Advertisement Be inspired, watch Dayvee's latest travel video: More from Dayvee Sutton: Visit The Daily Affair for travel and lifestyle tips from our award winning team. There's also awesome lifestyle, travel tip video and vlogs on our Youtube channel. Please subscribe. Courtesy of UploadVR As augmented-reality and virtual-reality technology continues to advance at a rapid pace, one San Francisco startup hopes to make its mark on this landscape. Taylor Freeman and Will Mason, the founders of UploadVR, are on a mission to improve the industry by providing enthusiasts with a space tailored specifically toward VR development. UploadVR acquired a venue in February and officially opened in April in downtown San Francisco, right next to Twitter's offices. The space is equipped with sliding doors and rooms designed for the various types of VR technology. The company has adopted a Google-inspired open culture. According to its founders, what started as a meet-up community snowballed. "I started this meet-up group, and I just saw all these incredibly passionate people coming to these events and being so inspired and sharing their knowledge. So every three weeks, we would throw bigger and bigger events and it was our goal to continue expanding," said Freeman. Advertisement Added co-founder Mason: "Along the way, the whole mission of the company has been to support the ecosystem and VR and to inspire virtual reality." Their target audience is people who are already working in the VR space or who are considering entering it. "We do make a big push and effort to try and bring new consumers into the space and expose them to the technology," said the duo. They said that they continued to follow trends and write about what they saw. As they scaled their events to showcase VR to more people, they recognized that there was a real need in the market. The collective offers "a shared workspace with shared resources for professionals in the space." They also hope to support developers who want to get in but are lacking an entry point. Freeman and Mason met at a block party in the Mission District, and bonded over a shared belief that the virtual-reality space was the next big depot for technological development. Advertisement There are a lot of startups and a lot of VR startups in San Francisco, so adequate space was difficult to find. "Coworking spaces are available in San Francisco, but the infrastructure around them isn't really suited for VR. We need big open spaces. We need the ability to sort of have that room-scale experience. We want to develop for that. And that is not just something you see... And so, you know, we found this space. It's really big," said Mason. According to the founders, another problem is that there are not enough developers in the VR space. However, they believe they have found a solution. "We partnered with Make School now to create a development program for VR, which is starting its pilot program soon. It will be an eight-week intensive program. It takes developers... and it helps place them into jobs," they said. At first, they financed the operation by generating money from events, but later on, they sought additional funding. "We took in some angel funding from Joe Kraus from Google Ventures, from my dad, from a couple other folks. Then we got a $1.25 million dollar check from Shanda Group for a seed round," said Freeman. Freeman and Mason believe that in three to five years, people will look at screens and be amazed that we confined our use of technology to a tiny little window instead of having it all around us in AR and VR. It is possible that AR and VR will completely jump over laptops and desktops in a lot of developing countries. In first-world nations, people will eventually completely replace their mobile devices with immersive headsets capable of AR and VR. Though summer may have a different meaning to you depending on where you are at this moment in time, its arrival can serve as a reminder to take an inventory of the progress you've made towards your current goals and priorities. The first day of summer falls on June 20 this year, but many of us made the adjustment to this new season when we picked our kids up on the last day of school before their break began. Or, the countdown to your annual getaway has been on your mind for weeks as you've contemplated how you'll spend your time in the sun. I'm sharing some ideas for a Summer Business Bucket List and invite you to do the same. 1. Review the last five books you've listened to or read. What you find may serve as a good indicator of your interests; hopefully, the selections are varied but with a nice dose of entrepreneurial wisdom. If it's been a month since you added anything to your Kindle, perhaps you need to trim back on House of Cards and ask a few associates what they are reading and if they think you would enjoy it as well. There's nothing wrong with a few fashion magazines and a good fiction book, but honor your intention of sharpening your business knowledge base. 2. Book a new project, speaking engagement, or a work-related visit to an exciting destination. With fall calendars filling up, don't forget to concentrate on the next few months and make room for new business relationships as well as opportunities to foster existing business. Initiate the conversation with key prospects to determine when you can discuss a future project. 3. Order a workplace personality assessment for members of your team. Although you may have worked together for years, I believe there are things we would benefit from learning about one another's personalities. It's easy to assume all work styles are similar but better to learn what truly motivates your employees so that you can continue to support them as they grow. I recently learned my assistant is strongest in the "S" and "I" areas of the DISC assessment, which means she loves to be helpful and does everything she can to keep the peace. There is no right or wrong result; each trait has distinct strengths and key areas for improvement. Advertisement 4. Schedule a fitness analysis. Though it may not seem business related, one of my priorities is to maintain my good health so that I can be fully present in the office and at home. Knowing a fitness test with a trainer is fast approaching may just be the motivation needed to stick with your workout routine. I'm guilty of getting stuck in a rut of going to the same classes every week and plan on shaking my routine up this summer. 5. Review the operating budget and avoid including items just because "we always have." For those whose budgets restart on July 1, it's crunch time. With already full plates, it can be tempting to carry a line item over without much thought, especially if it's an expense you've grown accustomed to paying. Although I may enjoy a particular vendor or event, I owe it to myself to keep an open mind and consider other services when appropriate. What can you add or trim from your budget that would benefit the business and your team? What ideas would you like to add to this list? Tweet me @dianegottsman or post on my Facebook page. On June 23, the United Kingdom will hold a referendum on whether Britain should remain in or leave the European Union. In the days leading up to the election, the public seems to be evenly split on whether to stay or go, raising questions about what the European Union would look like without Britain and vice versa. It is almost certain that a British exit from the EU, referred to as a "Brexit," would have negative economic consequences for both parties, at least in the short-term. It would be a bureaucratic and administrative nightmare as the British government scrambles to recreate rules and regulations that would enable it to continue trading with the single market, as the EU trading zone consisting of 28 countries is known; and as half of British trade is with the single market, there is no doubt that trade must continue. In effect for example, a Brexit would require Britain to maintain the same standards and regulations that were in place when it was a EU member, but would take away Britain's ability to have a say in those regulations. This is directly contrary to the idea of increased sovereign freedom being pushed by the Exit campaign. Advertisement The flight of big business is another cause for concern. London is the financial capital of Europe and gives New York a run for its money in global importance. Making the transfer of people, goods, capital and services more difficult by exiting the single market would certainly give pause to the major corporations that call London home, with an eye towards relocating to continental Europe. I believe that less freedom would also make it harder for talented people to come to Britain, and compounded by a loss of businesses could lead to a brain drain that would handicap the UK for years to come, stifling economic activity and innovation with a single blow. The ugly sentiment driving the exit campaign seems to come down to playing on base fears: fear of immigrants, fear of economic disenfranchisement, fear of change and a call back to a dark part of Britain's history. I believe that the strength of modern Britain has come in large part from the diversity of people and ideas that have found their way to its shores and its unity with the rest of Europe, and to undo that progress would be shameful indeed. When I was just out of college, I worked for a time in London for a major consumer product company. I was able to operate within Britain without a visa because of the freedom of movement granted to EU citizens such as myself. This time helped me gain crucial experience that has helped my career while at the same time forging relationships with the interesting, talented, and diverse people that call Britain home. It is difficult for me to imagine a world in which Britain closes the door to their European neighbors. In my eyes, both the UK and the EU would be worse off. TOKYO, JAPAN - JUNE 19: Anti-U.S. airbase demonstrators protest the U.S. Airbase relocation to Henoko in front of the Japanese Parliament in Tokyo, Japan on June 19, 2016. Protests over the US military presence in Japan have grown more intense over past days due to previous incidents including the alleged rape of a Japanese woman and drunk driving in Okinawa by American military personnel. (Photo by Nicolas Datiche/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) Could the U.S.-Japan alliance founder as a result of alcohol? Apparently. At least, that's the implication of the U.S. Navy's ban on drinking by personnel stationed on the Japanese island of Okinawa. It would be far better to phase out America's military presence on Okinawa, turning U.S. bases back to the Japanese government. More than seven decades after the end of World War II, Japan's defense should be the responsibility of Tokyo, not Washington. Advertisement The independent Ryukyu Islands were conquered by Imperial Japan in the late 19th century. Residents were never considered full Japanese by the rest of the country, but they suffered disproportionately when the allies invaded the island of Okinawa in April 1945. Nearly 100,000 civilians died in the bitter three-month battle. Afterwards the U.S. government loaded Okinawa with bases, returning the island to Japan only in 1972. America retained its facilities, however. Despite Japan's dramatic recovery, the U.S. remained responsible for that country's defense. In return, Japan's duty only was to be defended by America. At the time the status quo satisfied most everyone, including Tokyo's neighbors. Marine Corps Gen. Henry Stackpole famously explained that U.S. troops were the "cap in the bottle" to stop Japanese remilitarization. Decades later the arrangement has lost its raison d'etre. Washington currently maintains 85 military bases and some 53,000 troops in Japan (plus 43,000 dependents and 5,000 civilian workers). Roughly 40 percent of those facilities, half the people, and three-quarters of the base area are located on Okinawa, with just 0.6 percent of Japan's land mass, in the southernmost and poorest prefecture. About a fifth of the island is under U.S. control: Homes abut runways, prime beaches are off-limits to Okinawans, and island life is dramatically inconvenienced. Nevertheless, there is little political will for change. U.S. officials desire that America remain the region's "essential power," despite Japan's ability to take over its own defense, and retain advanced bases in the Asia-Pacific. Tokyo wants to rely on America's security guarantee, despite Japan's great military potential, while incurring the least political inconvenience from hosting U.S. forces. Both governments benefit from ignoring Okinawa's complaints and filling the island with American military facilities and largely young, male service personnel. Advertisement What could possibly go wrong? Local anger exploded in 1995 after three American service members raped a 12-year-old girl, followed by insensitive comments from military brass. Protests raged and the Japanese government sought to placate islanders with financial transfers and plans to move Futenma airbase and relocate Marines to Guam. These schemes failed to satisfy, however. In 2009 the Democratic Party of Japan took power with proposals for a more independent, Asia-centric foreign policy and promises to address Okinawans' concerns. However, the ineffectual DPJ government failed to achieve its objectives. Far from helping, the Obama administration actively thwarted Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's efforts to address Okinawans' plight. His successors cared less about achieving justice for their countrymen and more about expanding support from U.S. officials. Fear of North Korea, which continued to develop nuclear weapons and missiles, and China, which adopted increasingly confrontational tactics to advance its territorial claims in surrounding waters, encouraged a tighter Japanese embrace of Washington. Taking a more independent approach to its defense was not considered. But base opponents, bolstered by the 2014 gubernatorial victory of Takeshi Onaga, continued to resist. Declared Onaga: "The new military base will not be built." Although the national government pushed ahead, the new governor attempted to revoke the necessary building permits. In elections last weekend his allies took firm control of the Prefectural Assembly, bolstering his efforts to delay construction of new facilities. Fueling popular anger has been a seeming spate of high-profile offenses committed by U.S. military personnel (who, in fact, have a lower crime rate than locals). Last month a sailor pled guilty to rape. Also last month a contractor and former Marine was detained in a murder case. The latter prompted the military to set a curfew and prohibit drinking off-base. Then an apparently intoxicated sailor crashed, injuring two Okinawans. The navy confined all personnel to base except for essential travel and banned drinking on or off U.S. facilities. Explained Rear Adm. Matthew Carter: "For decades, we have enjoyed a strong relationship with the people of Japan. It is imperative that each sailor understand how our actions affect that relationship, and the U.S.-Japan alliance as a whole." Advertisement Prime Minister Shinzo Abe largely ignored the Okinawa question as he sought to bolster Tokyo's military capabilities. He pushed to revise the so-called "peace constitution," Article 9 of which technically forbids Tokyo from maintaining any military; update the so-called Self-Defense Force's 1997 "Guidelines for Japan-U.S. Cooperation," which barred the SDF aiding U.S. forces even if the latter were coming to Japan's aid; and increase military outlays, which never got much above one percent of GDP. The U.S. has applauded his efforts, but progress has been minimal. Observed Emma Chanlett-Avery and Ian Rinehart of the Congressional Research Service, "constitutional, legal, fiscal, and political barriers exist to significantly expanded defense cooperation. Many of Abe's initiatives have faced opposition from the public and from political parties." Less than a quarter of Japanese said they wanted their government to do more militarily. Last year large demonstrations targeted even modest legislative measures which would have received barely a second glance in the U.S. Although Chanlett-Avery and Rinehart spoke of Abe's efforts resulting in "momentum [which] has created new energy in the alliance," that is true only measured against decades of Tokyo doing little at home and nothing abroad. First, the constitution remains unchanged, so Abe has adopted the U.S. tactic of elastic construction: like his predecessors he simply interpreted the nation's fundamental law as he wished it had been written. Military outlays have risen only modestly since Abe took power in 2012. They went up just two percent in 2015, when Japan devoted about $41 billion to defense (actually down in dollars due to a falling yen). Although expenditures have been enough for Japan to assemble a capable military, the amount falls far short of the roughly $180 billion China, Tokyo's main potential nemesis, spends annually. Indeed, between 2004 and 2013 Chinese defense spending rose 270 percent--compared to falling five percent in Japan. Moreover, Japan's expenditures remains an anemic one percent of GDP, compared to around three percent for Beijing and about 3.5 percent for the U.S., which Japan expects to make up its deficiencies. Critics may see Abe as a dangerous nationalist, but his government's military budget doesn't reflect such ambitions. Advertisement Last year Tokyo adjusted the defense guidelines so that its forces could join collective security operations and assist the U.S. when the latter aided Japan. But the changes were marginal. Tokyo's previous participation in international non-combat activities had been quite limited. In Iraq, for instance, Japanese personnel were forbidden from defending themselves; other nations' soldiers had to act as the former's de facto bodyguards. Thus, it won't be hard for Tokyo to do more in the future. In speaking to the U.S. Congress last year Abe cited his nation's "proactive contribution to peace based on the principle of international cooperation." Japan, he said, would confront "terrorism, infectious diseases, natural disasters and climate change." However worthy such endeavors, they are largely irrelevant to the U.S.-Japan alliance. Even the "security" activities cited by the guidelines remain resolutely non-combat: cyber warfare, logistics, mine-sweeping, reconnaissance. Thus, Tokyo's new role will do little to reduce America's military duties. Moreover, the revised standards merely allow Japan to better defend Japan, not assist the U.S. For instance, the guidelines highlight "emerging threats to Japan's peace and security" and "an armed attack against Japan." American interests are an afterthought, subsumed in a short section on "cooperation for regional and global peace and security." Most Americans probably never realized that until last year -- under a supposedly bilateral military alliance -- a Japanese ship on patrol with an American vessel could not assist the latter if attacked. Now the Japanese vessel can act, but only if it too is threatened. And Japanese analysts warn against expecting Tokyo to allow such situations to occur. Explained Japanese scholar Jun Okumura, "We will wait a long time before a destroyer is conveniently nearby when the Chinese [navy] attacks the U.S. 7th Fleet." Some alliance. Of course, Prime Minister Abe told the Congress that he wanted to "make the cooperation between the U.S. military and Japan's Self-Defense forces even stronger, and the alliance still more solid." By that he meant tying Washington even more tightly to Japan's interests, including territorial disputes with China. The U.S. remains responsible for Japan's defense including, as before, all the heavy lifting -- meaning anything really dangerous and expensive. Advertisement In fact, the new guidelines appear to envision an even stronger U.S. guarantee for Japan. Said President Barack Obama: "I want to reiterate that our treaty commitment to Japan's security is absolute, and that Article 5 covers all territories under Japan's administration, including Senkakus Islands." Which means, in theory, that the U.S. is prepared to risk Los Angeles to safeguard Japan's disputed title to a few worthless, unpopulated pieces of rock. There's more. The Joint Statement of the Security Consultative Committee reported that officials from both governments "confirmed the strategic importance of deploying the most modern and advanced U.S. capabilities to Japan"; "welcomed the deployment" of American aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, and ships; and "stressed the importance of sustained cooperation in enhancing Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) capabilities" with additional U.S. weapons deployments. Under the "bilateral" treaty Washington's obligations apparently only increase. How can this be to America's benefit? The U.S. has an obvious interest in Japan's continued independence, but Japan's interest in its own security is even greater. If Tokyo faces serious threats, it should do more to defend itself. In fact, no one expects a Chinese armada to show up in Tokyo Bay. Nor the Chinese navy to interdict Japanese commerce. If conflict erupts, it likely will be over disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands. Only Tokyo can decide how much it is prepared to spend and risk defending its claims. But nothing at stake is worth war, at least for America. Of course, Beijing is not justified in using force there or elsewhere. But the Abe government refuses to even acknowledge an issue, despite legitimate Chinese territorial claims. A seeming blank check from the world's superpower apparently has discouraged Tokyo from considering negotiation and compromise. Advertisement A serious Japanese military build-up is opposed by some of its neighbors, especially those needlessly antagonized by Tokyo over the years. But other countries, most notably the Philippines, now welcome a larger Japanese role in the region. In any case, no one seriously suggests that Japan is about to embark upon a new round of imperial conquests, especially against nuclear-armed China. More than seven decades after World War II Japan should finally act like a normal country -- defending itself, guarding its region, and ending its dependence on America for its security. The U.S. should turn its security guarantee to Japan into a framework for future cooperation. That should include potential assistance if a genuine hegemonic threat arises in Asia. But Beijing does not pose such a danger today and hopefully never will. In the meantime, Tokyo should take the lead in confronting day-to-day security challenges in the region. Which means the U.S. should leave Japan to decide on its own defense and foreign policies, without hectoring or pressure. No doubt the debate in Tokyo would be sharp. Some Japanese are pressing their government to do more because they worry about foreign threats and recognize that the U.S. might back down from a confrontation with China over Japanese interests. Other Japanese dismiss such fears and uphold the country's post-war pacifist heritage. The decision is up to Japan. I do like ballet, and I do like modern dance. But hip hop? Give me a break... That was my attitude until last weekend, when I attended a performance by the French group, Compagnie Kafig, at The Music Center. French choreographer, Mourad Merzouki, with an all-male cast of 10 Brazilian dancers, surprised and delighted the audience with explosive exuberance of dance combined with an extraordinary sense of discipline. To see all 10 dancers carry out extremely complicated and difficult movements --and doing so in complete unison --wow! It made me think of the controlled beauty of movement by corps de ballet dancers in such classics as Swan Lake or The Nutcracker. And wouldn't you be surprised to hear a music score combining Deadmau5 with - believe it or not - music by Vivaldi? And if that's not enough, how about the delicious sense of humor permeating the whole performance... Another big surprise over the last few days was to read a short article in Art in America by Kehinde Wiley, one of the best known American painters, telling the story of his trip to the Soviet Union in 1989, when he was only 12 years old. He writes: "I grew up in South Central Los Angeles in the 1980s, when it was prime gang territory. My mother had six kids and she was always trying to find different programs to keep me and my brothers and my sisters out of trouble..." Advertisement "In 1989, my mom found out about a trip by a group called the Center for US-USSR Initiatives, which, I believe, was organized by the CIA. It was a sort of 'Ping-Pong Diplomacy,' trying to get American kids to hang out with Soviet kids, perhaps creating some type of cultural influence... So fifty of us American kids... mostly from California went to Russia for two weeks... We stayed at a defunct military base in Leningrad with fifty Russian kids. We'd take Russian language classes in the morning and painting classes in the afternoon. And then we'd go swim in the lakes or go mushroom picking. It was a strange, magical summer. The experience changed my trajectory, enabling me to leave the country for the first time, and giving me a broader sense of self and wider boundaries... But being in Russia was a culture shock in more ways than one... I recently did a series of paintings... that were inspired by the Russian icon paintings I saw on this trip, the first time I visited the Hermitage." Through the years, Kehinde Wiley has enjoyed well-deserved critical and commercial success with his trademark paintings presenting young African-American men and women in stately poses mimicking European royal portraits of the past. Now, learning about his trip to Leningrad and to the Hermitage --the city and the museum that also deeply shaped my own life-- I discovered that in spite of our dramatically different backgrounds, we have a special Russian connection, which makes me admire his art even more. To learn about Edward's Fine Art of Art Collecting Classes, please visit his website. You can also read The New York Times article about his classes here, or an Artillery Magazine article about Edward and his classes here. Advertisement ___________ While peer-to-peer messaging on a mobile phone has always been the most basic of all mobile phone features, 2016 is shaping up to be the biggest year ever in the transformation of smartphone messaging into more than just a medium for communication. Putting aside the continued breakout growth of Snapchat and Whatsapp, there's quite a bit happening with the world's two leading message apps: Facebook's Messenger and Google's Hangouts eventually to be remade into Allo. Earlier this year, Facebook opened up their Messenger app for developers to build in-app bots that could do anything from receive news to ordering food. Google followed shortly by announcing Allo a brand new messaging app that will also have similar bot capabilities. The plainly obvious goal of Facebook and Google in encouraging developers to build bots directly into messaging apps is to acquire more users of their messaging apps. Increased usage of the message apps and a larger user base leads to top line revenue growth for their advertising driven business models. Even though developers have already enthusiastically gravitated towards Facebook's bot features with tens of thousands of apps currently available, Facebook (and eventually Google) may be ignoring the greatest opportunity to extract value from their apps. Advertisement Asia as the ideal To view the true engagement potential of a messenger app can be, just have a look across the Pacific Ocean to the leading apps of Asia. The major Asian messaging apps of WeChat, QQ, Line, and Kakao Talk are not just growing their user base by leaps and bounds but they are even able to generate in-app revenue in tandem with that growth. Rather than encourage only developers to build onto their platform, the Asian companies build their own engaging and profitable add-ons by themselves. The user base for these Asian apps are not just limited to Asia as according to estimates by SurveyMonkey Intelligence based on a panel of smartphone users, downloads are growing in the US too. While their current penetration pales in comparison to Hangouts and Messenger, the growth trajectory is heading in the right direction. As a result of the features beyond messaging built into the apps, the engagement for these Asian apps are even higher than their US counterparts. The graph below shows the percentage of the apps users that opened the app on a daily basis. However, the real value in their engagement is their revenue which the Asian apps are actually earning from their apps while Messenger and Hangouts do not. Advertisement In the US these apps primarily drive revenue from the sale of stickers and enhanced messages with additional pictures; however, in Asia they do many interesting things which I will go through one by one. WeChat WeChat, owned by the Chinese Internet conglomerate Tencent is one of the largest messaging apps in the world with 700 million monthly active users. Within WeChat users can message with videos, voice and text. Users can also send each other money or even pay utility bills. WeChat recently started charging users of its payment service (the ability to send funds to other users) which opened up a new revenue stream for them. WeChat's global average revenue per user is $7 QQ Tencent also owns another messaging app called QQ which was originally a desktop app, but has now migrated to mobile and is available in English. QQ has 829 million monthly active users and monetizes by selling games. The most interesting feature of QQ is that it has a live translation option to allow people who don't speak the same language to converse. Line Line is owned by the Korean company NHN which also owns the most used search engine in Korea. Line was created after the Tohoku tsunami in Japan as a way for people to communicate without straining the calling networks, but it struck a nerve and people loved it. Line monetizes by selling stickers and games to its uses. KakaoTalk KakaoTalk owned by Daum, the operator of the other major search engine in Korea, currently has 93% of the Korean messenger market. While KakaoTalk began as a simple messaging app it has grown into a platform for games and apps. KakakoTalk monetizes by selling its users stickers and even consumer goods like Starbucks coffee gift cards. Advertisement The Future of Messaging While the Asian apps take an all of the above approach by building out platforms as well as API's it's possible that Google and Facebook will eventually go down that route too. Krish Sridhar, CEO of Loctoc, who is a mobile messaging expert and previously a digital leader at McKinsey, claimed that "the developer-first approach is the fastest way to grow the platform, even if in the future, the platform owners start to own many of the key functionality. For example, Messaging can be a place for banks to offer their services (via bots) while at the same time companies like Google/Facebook become the platform to quickly pay your friends." So back when I was in grammar school, my best friend, Wendy, told me she might move away to California with her family. It was a terrifying prospect and one I didn't want to deal with. Then, a few days later, she told me that it was a false alarm. The family was staying put for the time being. I put the unhappy possibility that they might leave out of my mind. Then, a year later, she started talking about California again and that old dread came back to me. That is a little bit like what net neutrality feels like to me. It is this issue that fades into the background just long enough for me to relax, before rearing its ugly head again. Way back in 2014 I discussed why net neutrality is such a vital issue for small business. In case you have forgotten, net neutrality is the principle that no person or organization should be able to pay Internet service providers (ISPs), such as Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon, to speed up delivery of their products or services. In other words, all data is created equal. Advertisement In early 2015, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) passed a net neutrality order. Good news. But ever since then, Republicans in Congress and ISPs have been playing tag team pushing legislation and bringing legal challenges designed to block imposition of the FCC's rules. Opponents claim the order will lead to new taxes and fees for customers and burdensome regulations for providers. But Tom Wheeler, Chairman of the FCC, says the order will not authorize any new taxes or fees and includes language that protects ISPs from utility-style regulations. Fortunately, just this week, we heard more good news on the net neutrality front. An appeals court rejected the US broadband industry's latest lawsuit and upheld the FCC's order. A mix of US broadband industry lobby groups and ISPs tried to argue that net neutrality violates ISPs' right to free speech under the First Amendment. In their decision, the judges wrote that because ISPs do not and are not understood by users to "speak," the First Amendment doesn't apply to open Internet rules. Score one point for common sense. The appeals court ruling is a great victory, but now is not the time to get comfortable. That move to California still could be lurking. Our friends in the cable and telecom industry have promised to continue this fight, all the way to the Supreme Court. And, if that sends chills up your spine, it's probably because you remember the Supreme Court's now infamous ruling in the Citizens United case back in 2010, which prompted Mitt Romney to tell an Occupy Wall Street protestor, "Corporations are people, my friend." Something tells me a free speech argument just might work at the Supreme Court. So how do we ensure net neutrality for the long term? The best way to do this is to make it law. That means voting people into Congress who support net neutrality (and making sure that the presidential candidate you support will sign it into law.) Advertisement Are you with me? Let me know in the comments below or on social media: Twitter, Facebook, or Google+. This past Tuesday, at the White House-convened United State of Women Summit, I was on energy overload. It was a day of inspiring speeches by on-the- ground trailblazers and the thrilling moment when President Obama called himself a feminist. Yet for me, the most exciting, kick-off news was this: The White House made visible its "Equal Pay Pledge". By signing the Pledge, companies commit to conducting an annual company-wide gender pay analysis across occupations; reviewing hiring and promotion processes and procedures to reduce unconscious bias and structural barriers; and embedding equal pay efforts into broader enterprise-wide equity initiatives. Companies pledge to take these steps as well as identify and promote other best practices that will close the national wage gap to ensure fundamental fairness for all workers. Research shows that white women earn 79 cents to every white man's dollar, Hispanic women earn just 54 cents, and African American women earn 63 cents. 28 companies, many household names, so far have signed on to The Pledge. Yes, government has, in two words, stepped up. Power has now been brought to the problem. My bet is that the Equal Pay Pledge will have more widespread success than the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. Why? Because the Pledge taps into the competitiveness of CEOs. They will want to belong to a group that is publicly known for doing what is right. The same happened when the Giving Pledge provided similar opportunity for the ultra-wealthy. I am reminded of why the 30% Club, started by the dynamic leader, Helena Morrissey, in England (and now with a strong presence in the US as well) succeeded there, accelerating female representation on public company boards. In 2010, Morrissey used the same strategy. She enlisted the support of Lord Mervyn Davies, a leader of the British House of Lords, to persuade CEOs, that competitive breed, to join a prestigious, public group by declaring to add women to their boards. Power was brought to the problem. Then there was action. "Yes, our company commits in public to make a positive change". The Equal Pay Pledge relies on power addressing the problem too, - Presidential power and then CEO power. CEOs are signing on (Here's the link: https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2016/06/14/businesses-taking-equal-pay-pledge). They review compensation of employees with like-jobs. When they discover discrepancies, they remedy, some even overnight. Other CEOs, the fortunate or the forward-looking ones, find no gender pay gap...to the penny. CEOs are using their power. More and more will sign on. The US government is on our side, using its power to urge action and create a fairer America. We can spread the word and ask companies where we work ,or in which we invest, to take the Equal Pay Pledge. We can support our 44th President in this effort and soon our 45th. The Equal Pay Pledge, with its appeal to the pride, competitiveness as well as decency of individual CEOs will ignite more companies, especially if we all demand this, to achieve the simple goal which has so far eluded other legislation: equal pay. I am optimistic. The adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change were compelling victories for global diplomacy. Yet these successes only mark the beginning, not the end, of the road. It is now our collective responsibility to ensure that we turn our promises into bold action. For no region is this more important than Africa, where despite more than a decade of growth, millions of people still suffer from poverty and hunger, or are threatened by conflict, instability, or environmental destruction. While all issues identified by the SDGs are important in today's interconnected world, there is one area where urgent action can disproportionately increase prosperity in communities across Africa. This critical area is African agriculture and food systems. A healthy and well-nourished population is a prerequisite for eradicating poverty and driving equitable growth, and yet in Sub-Saharan Africa, one in four people are still chronically short of food and millions more lack proper nutrition. These numbers are likely to get worse due to rapid population growth and the impacts of climate change. Yet, Africa's agricultural potential is huge and it can be unlocked. To do so, we must treat agriculture as a business opportunity. Nearly two out of three Africans depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. The vast majority of them are smallholder farmers, many of whom are women. If we can turn these small-scale farmers into agro-entrepreneurs and move from subsistence to surplus farming, Africa, which currently spends billions every year on importing food , could not just feed itself, but also become a major exporter. So how do we concretely harness this potential in Africa? Advertisement First, we have to significantly increase productivity. Cereal yields in Africa are lower than half the world average. This is not, as anyone who has visited rural Africa knows, due to a lack of effort by African smallholders. It is because farmers lack appropriate resources, critical inputs such as high-yielding seeds, and modern technologies. Adopting efficient policies and scaling-up investment in agriculture, including in research, development and innovation, is crucial for improving both the productivity and sustainability of agriculture. As floods, heat waves and other extreme weather events become more frequent and more severe, farmers need access to drought and heat-tolerant crop varieties and smart irrigation technology. Second, we have to connect smallholders to markets so that they can sell their produce. This primarily requires governments to invest in the necessary rural infrastructure, but corporations also have a crucial role to play. They can expand links with farmers' organisations and local agribusinesses and share market access with small-scale farmers in order to develop the value chain. Responsible companies now understand that businesses can benefit from working in partnership with local communities and become a source for growth and stability. Third, we must ensure that agriculture and food systems improve nutrition. Meeting the different nutritional needs of African communities is key to beating hunger and would help millions of children to live healthy and productive lives. Decision makers need to adopt policies that help smallholders produce nutritious foods such as vegetables, pulses, and fruits, and invest in the development and promotion of new, more nutritious crop varieties that are rich in vitamins and minerals. As Kofi Annan will stress in his remarks at the 7th Creating Shared Value Global Forum in Abidjan on June 21, a strong and sustainable agricultural sector is crucial to building prosperous societies in Africa. It is for this reason that the Kofi Annan Foundation launched the African Food Systems Initiative, which brings together leaders from all sectors to assist smallholder farmers to increase productivity, enter the value chain, and produce commercial surpluses. If we get this right, we will not just drive inclusive economic growth and employment, but also help make Africa the world's next breadbasket. Advertisement Fabian Lange - Associate Research Officer at the Kofi Annan Foundation. The Kofi Annan Foundation mobilises political will to overcome threats to peace, development and Human Rights. COLUMBUS, OH - JUNE 21: Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton waves to supporters on June 21, 2016 at the Construction Arts & Auto Technology building, Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center, in Columbus, Ohio. Clinton discussed her vision for a stronger America and her commitment to build an economy that she says will work for everyone. (Photo by J.D. Pooley/Getty Images) Clinton is considered the presumptive Democratic nominee after beating Sanders by nearly 4million votes. The Sanders campaign planned a massive layoff of at least half its staff. After meeting with President Obama, Sanders pledged to work with Clinton to defeat Trump. The mission to defeat Trump was solidified during a meeting between Sanders and Clinton after the D.C. primary. Sanders has not conceded and some supporters are energized by his tenacity to keep the dream alive. But while the dream of a Sanders presidency is not dead, it's clinging on life support and even the most ardent supporters are ready to mercifully plug the plug. Advertisement The majority of Sanders supporters will support Clinton in the general election. But some are considering all their options, some even shockingly considering voting for Donald Trump. (shudder) So, while yes, for many voting for the Democratic nominee who shares many of the same goals and beliefs seems like the natural choice. But to others I must ask--have you considered Hillary Clinton? Like Sanders, Clinton believes abortion is a woman's right. Like Sanders, Clinton believes women should have access to and funding for contraception. Like Sanders, Clinton believes in expanding stem cell research. Like Sanders, Clinton supports providing contraceptives for low-income women. Like Sanders, Clinton advocates reducing teen pregnancy by providing education and contraceptives. Like Sanders, Clinton wants to reinforce anti-discrimination and equal-pay requirements. Like Sanders, Clinton is committed to fighting for minorities, immigrants and women's rights. Like Sanders, Clinton wants to increase America's commitment against global AIDS. Like Sanders, Clinton wants more funding and stricter sentencing for hate crimes. Like Sanders, Clinton would consider a constitutional amendment against Citizen's United. Like Sanders, Clinton believes presidents should reveal donations to their foundations. Like Sanders, Clinton supports banning campaign donations from unions and corporations. Like Sanders, Clinton believes assault weapons should be off the street. Like Sanders, Clinton believes businesses should be legally required to hire women and minorities. Like Sanders, Clinton strongly supports same-sex marriage. Like Sanders, Clinton believes voter registration should be an easier process. Like Sanders, Clinton does not believe citizens have an absolute right to gun ownership without restrictions. Like Sanders, Clinton believes in expanding Obamacare. Like Sanders, Clinton wants to prioritize green energy. Like Sanders, Clinton believes in taxing the wealthy at a higher rate. Like Sanders, Clinton believes in a pathway to citizenship. Like Sanders, Clinton does not support privatizing social security. Like Sanders, Clinton supports a clean power plan. Like Sanders, Clinton supports cap and trade. Like Sanders, Clinton is committed to defeating Donald Trump. Look, I get it. I was not a Clinton supporter from the beginning. I felt the Bern and voted for Sanders in the primaries. When examining every issue, Sanders shared more of my views than Clinton and I valued his record, goals and consistency. But the primaries are over and he didn't win. And please put your tin foil hat away because she won outright-- fair and square. This isn't a hanging chad situation. We're talking about a lead of almost 4 million votes. The end is nigh. Before you gorge yourself on Bernie's Yearning ice cream or weep into your favorite "Feel The Bern" t-shirt while mourning, please know all hope is not lost. Take a look at the list above again. Many of those key issues you feel so strongly about are also important to Clinton and she shares your commitment to accomplishing those common goals. For that reason, I'm with her. Advertisement Where is Winston Churchill when you need him? Or today's leaders like him? Someone who not only has the courage to make the right decisions but who can also inspire others to follow in times of crisis. Churchill is in the pantheon of the greats because once he adopted a vision, he sold it with passion, regardless of criticism or adversity. And he put the interests of his country before his own. It's a noble characteristic that seems in short supply today. A recent survey by the World Economic Forum found that 86 per cent of respondents believe we are suffering a global leadership crisis. Most of us don't need to rely on a survey to know this is true, we can just feel it. Failure of leadership runs the spectrum, from national politics to the economy, and of course international conflicts. The world is in crisis mode and there are few effective leaders to be seen. Advertisement Nowhere is this crisis of leadership more evident than with the current refugee crisis. Put simply, it should have never become a crisis in the first place. It has been a complete leadership failure from the beginning, starting from the West's failure to foresee the mass exodus of civilians once the Syrian conflict began. photo credit Rena Effendi For the West, it was easy to ignore -- in the beginning -- because frontline states of Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey absorbed the massive first wave. But then, as the conflict dragged on, these frontline states began bursting at the seams. It was at this point, that refugees, in desperation began to look to Europe as their only hope for a future. For much of the 20th Century Western Europe and the United States have stood as examples of the virtues of democracy, universal human rights, and humanitarianism, but they have turned their backs on those principles for which they stood. Europe buried its head in the sand. It hoped that if it ignored the massive human trafficking into Greece and didn't create an adequately funded formal settlement and relief process, it would not create a welcome mat. Europe's leaders believed this approach would act as a deterrent to refugees making the journey. Advertisement They were wrong. They failed to understand the depth of the desperation of the refugees, an incomprehensible myopia when they knew thousands of people, including children, were drowning in their attempt to find sanctuary. Germany, to its credit, initially tried to do the right thing but couldn't get the rest of Europe on side. Now it has succumbed to the loudest xenophobe countries and closed its borders, exporting the problem to Turkey with a deal that not only contravened all humanitarian rights of refugees, but also turned out be impossible to implement. It was shameful and certainly doesn't bode well for the moral authority of the West. It's important to try and determine why this happened. It's not that leaders in Europe and the US are heartless, who don't care nor recognize the humanitarian, legal and economic reasons for protecting refugees. Leaders behave this way because they are catering to public opinion, which in turn is often clouded by exaggerated media reports and the hysterics of a minority of fear mongers. The fact is that there are workable solutions to this refugee crisis. Some very intelligent people have been providing such solutions. But there are no leaders with enough courage to even listen. Instead we have countless conferences, proclamations and calls to action that are more talk than substance. It's ironic that there seems to be almost no debate when a decision is made to spend billions on a bombing campaign, but endless debate on spending the basic humanitarian funding that's needed to care for the victims those conflicts create. Advertisement Two proposals I have seen recently go a long way to demonstrate the leadership needed to deal with this refugee crisis. Both not only deal with the proper settlement of hundreds of thousands of refugees in Europe and the US, but just as importantly, send the right message to the rest of the world: All that talk of western values we have been exporting for 70 years, is not just empty rhetoric, it something we will act on. The first proposal Europe: A Better Plan for Refugees, is presented by George Soros Open Society Foundations, to deal with the European aspect of the refugee crisis. Mr. Soros proposes surge funding, taking advantage of the EU's AAA rating to provide long-term development funding to the frontline states of Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon. This plan would also provide for the resettlement of 350,000 to 400,000 refugees into Europe. This plan makes a lot of sense but needs the approval of over 50% of the EU member states. The second proposal The United States and the Syrian Refugee Crisis: A Plan of Action - comes from a collaboration between students and Michael Ignatieff, formerly Harvard Kennedy School Shorenstein Centre and now newly appointed President and Rector of Central European University in Budapest. This paper suggests that the United States should allow for 65,000 Syrian refugees (half of what the UNHCR has recommended are in need of resettlement) who are pre-screened and vetted before entering the country. This operation will follow the example of Operation Provide Refuge in 1999, when over 4,000 Kosovar refugees were brought into the United States, screened and resettled within one month. Today's refugees would first be settled at Fort Dix for further screening and over time be settled throughout the United States. This plan would go a long way to sending the right message to the rest of the world. Both these proposals are grounded in common sense. But they need to be accepted by a modern-day Churchill, a leader -- or leaders --with the courage and conviction that seems in short supply. Advertisement Europe is reeling from the Paris and Brussels attacks and the hardline position being taken by several Eastern European countries. In the US, President Obama must deal with the pushback of public opinion in the aftermath of the San Bernardino attacks, not to mention the xenophobic rhetoric from certain republican presidential candidates and 31 state governors. Now, I appreciate that most politicians crumble in the face of adverse public opinion. When is the last time a politician sacrificed his re-election chances just to be on the right side of history? Yet President Obama has an opportunity to do the right thing. As a lame-duck president in his final term he is in the perfect position to just do the right thing. He has a perfect opportunity to send the right message to the rest of the world. If Canada, at one tenth of the population of the US, can take 25,000 Syrian refugees, the 65,000 proposed by Ignatieff should be simple enough. It would be an important value statement from America's first African American President and a powerful message to Islamic extremists. Picture Obama at Fort Dix welcoming these refugees to their new home, much like Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did in Canada. Don't let the recent lull in the flow of Syrian refugees fool you. The refugee crisis is far from over. And it will challenge the western values we hold dear. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Persian Gulf War. It was fought in late 1990 through early 1991 by a U.S.-led coalition of 34 countries against Iraq in response to Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait. It also was the first U.S. war to be waged after the advent of the 24-hour cable television news cycle. The conflict was accompanied by memorably intense and round-the-clock coverage on CNN. But there've been few recognitions of the war's 25-year milestone on the cable news networks, let alone in broadcast or print media. Advertisement For David Winnett, a Gulf War combat veteran who climbed the ranks from private to captain during his 20-year career in the U.S. Marines, it's just the latest in a succession of insults to the men and women who served in this largely forgotten war. "It's no surprise that many people could easily forget 'our war.' It was far too fast by any historical measure," Winnett told Healthline. "Perhaps things would be different had we continued our advance all the way to Baghdad, but the fact is, we didn't. So regardless of whether or not we think our war has been unfairly set aside in the history books, it is what it is." Toxic Aftermath While ground combat in the Persian Gulf War only lasted days, Winnett said, the toxic legacy of the war has been just as devastating for the postwar health of Gulf War veterans as the defoliant Agent Orange has been for those who served in Vietnam. Winnett is just one of hundreds of thousands of Gulf War vets who suffer from Gulf War Illness (GWI), also known as Gulf War Syndrome, the panoply of chronic and often debilitating symptoms reported by veterans of that conflict. Advertisement The acute symptoms, which for many veterans never go away, include extreme fatigue, neurological issues, insomnia, migraines, joint pain, persistent coughing, gastrointestinal issues such as diarrhea and constipation, skin problems, dizziness, respiratory disorders, and memory problems. The National Academy of Sciences estimates that as many as 250,000 of the 700,000 U.S. troops who served in the Persian Gulf War have been affected by GWI, which studies have shown is the result of a litany of toxic exposures that troops like Winnett endured while serving. Troops were exposed to toxic smoke from the fires of thousands of military burn pits in the war zone. The fires involved tires and other things that contain harmful chemicals. There was also sarin and other toxic chemicals dropped on U.S. troops. Two peer reviewed scientific research studies released in 2012 concluded that weather patterns carried massive toxic chemical cloud that fell on U.S. troops. The cloud was created by the U.S. bombing of Iraqi chemical weapon storage facilities The first study concluded that nerve and blister agents, which were supplied to Iraq by the U.S. before the Gulf War when Hussein was an uncomfortable ally, were bombed by U.S. forces. The toxic substances were swept into the atmosphere and subsequently dropped on U.S. troops. Advertisement The second study confirmed the number of GWI reports was in fact higher at the places where the sarin fell. "Our peer reviewed scientific findings bring us full circle by confirming what most soldiers believed when they heard the nerve gas alarms. The alarms were caused by sarin fallout from our bombing of Iraqi weapons sites," James Tuite, who led the first study, said in a statement. The VA's Position Despite the scientific evidence and a mandate from Congress that Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recognize several of the symptoms as connected to service in the Gulf War, the VA maintains that there are no definitive scientific studies that link symptoms and diseases associated with GWI to toxic exposures during the war. According to a 2015 report, about 80 percent of Gulf War veterans who file disability claims citing presumptive chronic multisymptom illnesses connected to toxic exposures are denied by the VA. A written statement from the VA's Post-Deployment Health Services team to Healthline stated that in the past few years the VA has "ramped up educational efforts to VA providers on Gulf War Illness." However, the statement read, "there are times when referral to a psychiatrist is indicated due to a co-morbid condition such as severe depression or another severe mental health condition." Advertisement In another email to Healthline, VA officials said a claim could be denied for a number of reasons, including the belief an ailment was caused by something other than military service or the ailment could be "less than 10 percent disabling." Most often, say multiple sources for this story, veterans who say they have these symptoms are sent to the psychiatric departments of VA centers, where they are typically given psychotropic drugs that don't help them, and in many cases make things worse. The VA acknowledges the following in a statement on its website: "Rockets filled with sarin and cyclosporine mixes were found at a munitions storage depot in Khamisiyah, Iraq, that had been demolished by U.S. service members following the 1991 Gulf War cease-fire. An undetermined amount of these chemicals was released into the atmosphere. The Department of Defense concluded about 100,000 Gulf War Veterans could have been exposed to low levels of these nerve agents." The VA also adds that "research doesn't show long-term neurological problems from exposure to low levels of sarin. A low level of sarin is an amount that doesn't cause noticeable symptoms during the exposure." Regarding the burn pits, a VA statement on its burn pits registry page reads, "At this time, research does not show evidence of long-term health problems from exposure to burn pits." Advertisement Did the Gulf War Cause Cancer, Too? Benjamin Krause is a Gulf War veteran who went to law school after he retired from the military, and dedicates his practice to helping his fellow veterans. He told Healthline that burn pit exposures are associated with an increasing number of diseases, including cancer. "There's growing evidence showing a link between burn pits and certain cancers like pancreatic cancer, for example," Krause said. "VA is working to create a registry to help with service connection and health benefits for these veterans, but history has shown us that such initiatives take much longer to perfect while sick veterans die." Compounding the problem, Krause said, are non-VA healthcare providers who are simply unaware of the health risks of military service. "They don't ask the right questions and risk deadly misdiagnosis of symptoms because of a lack of awareness of the harms of burn pits, among other things," Krause noted. "Veterans are getting sick and dying now. We need our VA to pick up the pace before more veterans get sick and die from burn pit exposure related illnesses." Advertisement Congress Steps In Anthony Hardie, a staff sergeant in the Army who served in combat deployments in the Gulf War and Somalia, has worked for years to get laws passed that set the framework for Gulf War veterans' healthcare, research, and disability benefits. The director of Veterans for Common Sense and chair of the programmatic panel of directors for the Gulf War Illness Research Program, Hardie's work with fellow veteran advocates on both sides of the aisle led to the passage of the Persian Gulf War Veterans Act of 1998 and the Veterans Programs Enhancement Act of 1998. Hardie told Healthline that these laws gave Gulf War veterans hope for new treatments and recognition by the VA that their persistent symptoms were related to their service. "But when veterans suffering from Gulf War Illness walk through the door at VA centers and clinics in 2016," he said, "there are still no evidence-based treatments for them. And most of them are just shuffled off to psychiatric care." Winnett added that while Congress deemed three symptoms to be "presumptive" to service in the Gulf War, the VA continues to largely ignore that. Advertisement "The most widely reported symptoms of Gulf War Illness are profound fatigue, excruciating bodywide muscle pain, and chronic GI problems," said Winnett. "The VA, despite its own regulations that are supposed to give the benefit of the doubt to veterans with symptoms considered 'presumptive' to service in the Persian Gulf War, instead continue as an organization to view Gulf War Illness as a psychosomatic illness." Winnett explained that if a veteran can't get their symptoms rated as service-connected, "their chance of receiving medical care relative to their symptoms is slim to none. This is a national tragedy of the highest order." Reasons for Optimism Despite the frustrations, every veteran advocate interviewed for this story said there is reason for optimism. For one thing, Congress recently decided to continue funding GWI treatment research at $20 million for the next year. "[This] is just what we asked for," said Hardie. "It shows that Congress continues to take Gulf War veterans' health issues far more seriously than the Department of Defense or the VA." In addition to the two House hearings earlier this year, the Senate has also taken up the GWI issue. Advertisement Last month, Sen. Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat from Wisconsin, announced that reforms and investments she fought for to improve veterans' care were passed by the Senate as a part of the fiscal year 2017 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs funding bill. Among Baldwin's priorities stated in the bill is "better treatment for veterans suffering from Gulf War Illness." Baldwin's provisions, which have received virtually no media coverage, would "improve the approval rates of veterans' disability claims; enhance ongoing studies and research into the causes of and treatments for Gulf War Illness; and strengthen the membership and work of the Research Advisory Committee, which oversees the government's research agenda." A spokesperson for the VA told Healthline, "The Department of Veterans Affairs is currently working on responding directly to Senator Baldwin, and will include relevant post-deployment health information." Promising New Science The science surrounding GWI also continues to progress. Two major, four-year, $5 million treatment development research projects at Nova Southeastern University and Boston University are about halfway completed and are expected to break new ground for possible GWI treatment recommendations. Advertisement And while there are no evidence-based treatments yet for GWI, some natural supplements have been shown in studies to effectively lessen some of the symptoms. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, concluded a few years ago that 19 of the most common GWI symptoms improved after taking supplements. "We found in our research that there was significant benefit to the veterans' physical function," Beatrice Golomb, professor of medicine at the school and principal investigator on the study, told the Bergmann & Moore veterans law firm. "And that is a huge issue with these veterans, whose physical functions often decline. Some of them used to run 20 miles. Now they can't jog a couple of blocks." About 80 percent of veterans with GWI who took coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) saw improved physical function, and the improvement correlated to higher levels of CoQ10 found in the blood, according to research published in Neural Computation. "This is not a cure, but we think maybe if we give the veterans more of a mitochondrial cocktail they will see an even greater benefit," Golomb said. Advertisement Forgotten After 9/11 Winnett said he felt a "moral obligation" to help his fellow vets after making a 2008 trip to Washington for a VA hearing on Gulf War veterans' health. "I was taken aback by the physical condition of the veterans I saw there," Winnett recalled. "I was older than most Gulf War veterans because I had 16 years of service under my belt when the war began. In Washington, I saw veterans in their 40s who couldn't walk without assistance. Some were in wheelchairs." Winnett said that after 9/11, many people in America, including legislators, just forgot about the fact that many thousands of 1991 veterans were sick. "We moved on as a country following 9/11 to more pressing matters," he said. "I would guess that Korean War veterans experienced a similar phenomenon as the Vietnam War ramped up in the mid 1960s. There comes a time when you're no longer the flavor of the day." Thomas Bandzul, an attorney and veterans advocate who's testified numerous times before Congress on Gulf War health issues, said the American public to this day simply does not have a good understanding of the effects the Gulf War had on the troops. Advertisement "The VA has downplayed the significance of Gulf War Illness and has successfully delayed the research that help veterans with their physical ailments," Bandzul said. "VA still refuses to treat or allow these veterans a disability claim. The unspecific term of 'general illness' is still applied to most Gulf War veterans, and their claims are usually denied. This callous and capricious manner in dealing with veterans is a shame." Veterans Have Each Other's Backs But what stands out most among the Gulf War veterans who agreed to talk to Healthline for this piece is their relentless support of each other. Last year, Larry Cockrell, a combat veteran who served with the 7th Marines in Task Force Ripper during the first Gulf War, was rated 100 percent disabled by the VA and retired from a successful career as an investigator for several Fortune 500 companies. Cockrell has several serious health issues as a result of his service, but he's dedicated his life to assisting his fellow combat veterans as well as their families on their ranch in Lake Mathews in Southern California. "We assist combat veterans with file claims or file disagreements with VA," he told Healthline. "Honestly, the Gulf War was forgotten when the parades ended. We fought the largest tank battles, birched the largest minefields, and injected our troops with experimental vaccines, all while fighting on the most contaminated battlefield in the history of warfare." Advertisement Cockrell said "everyone dropped the ball" when Gulf War veterans came home and could not get the healthcare they needed. But he said he has gotten new strength and has never felt a stronger sense of purpose than he does now by helping his fellow veterans on his ranch. "We love having the spouses and partners here enjoying the ambience and horses and giving their kids rides," he said. "Ironically, I've only had a few veterans jump on a horse and ride. But as Winston Churchill once said, 'the outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man.' Just being around them assists veterans. It's a given that our health issues are not going to get better as we get older. It's time to give these combat veterans a 100 percent disability rating and a chance to manage their disabilities." By Jamie Reno Revolution concept. Red symbol on black background. Clenched fist held in protest vector illustration. Panoramic Fifty years ago, the term "Black power" fired into the American vocabulary. In celebration of the fifty-year anniversary of the call for Black power this week, I present this exclusive excerpt from my new book, Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America. This excerpt narrates Stokely Carmichael's famous Mississippi call for Black power on June 16, 1966, the racist attacks that ensued, the emergence of the Black Panther Party, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s embrace of the antiracist idea of Black power in 1967. Black youth were quickly extracting negative associations from the identifier "Black," foremost among them Stokely Carmichael. Carmichael had been born in Trinidad in 1941, and his family had moved to Harlem in 1952, the same year his idol, Malcolm X, was paroled from prison. In 1964, Carmichael graduated from Howard University. By then, Malcolm's disciples, Carmichael included, were loading the old identifier, "Negro," with accommodation and assimilation--and removing ugliness and evil from the old identifier, "Black." They were now passionately embracing the term "Black," which stunned some of their parents and grandparents, who would rather be called "nigger" than "Black." Advertisement As the new chairman of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, Stokely Carmichael was one of the leaders of the Mississippi March Against Fear in the summer of 1966, alongside Martin Luther King Jr. and Floyd McKissick of the Congress of Racial Equality. The massive march careened through Mississippi towns, battling segregationist resisters, mobilizing and organizing locals, and registering the latter to vote. By June 16, 1966, the March Against Fear was in Greenwood, Mississippi, one of the buckles of the belt of majority Black southern counties still ruled by armed White minorities. "We been saying freedom for six years and we ain't got nothing," Carmichael shouted at a Greenwood rally. "What we gonna start saying now is Black Power!" "What do you want?" Carmichael screamed. "BLACK POWER!" the powerless Greenville Blacks screamed back. Quickly blown by the fans of the American media, the maxim whisked through all the majority Black urban areas and rural counties that were politically controlled, economically exploited, and culturally denigrated by White assimilationists and segregationists. Antiracists reading Malcolm's autobiography had been looking for a concept to wrap around their demands for Black control of Black communities. They latched onto Black Power as firmly in the North as they did in the South, and Martin Luther King Jr. learned why later in the summer. After an open housing march on August 5, 1966, through a fuming White neighborhood in Chicago, King told reporters he had "never seen as much hatred and hostility on the part of so many people." There was nothing more democratic than saying that the majority, in this case the disempowered Black majority, should rule their own local communities, should have Black power. But just as sexists could only envision male or female supremacy, northern and southern racists could only envision White or Black supremacy. And the twenty urban rebellions that ensued in the summer of 1966 only confirmed for many racists that Black Power meant Blacks violently establishing Black supremacy and slaughtering their oppressors. Time, the Saturday Evening Post, the U.S. News and World Report, the New York Post, and The Progressive are a few of the many periodicals that condemned the start of the Black Power movement. Advertisement Even prominent Black leaders criticized Black Power. Roy Wilkins of the NAACP sang from the worn hymnal of attacks on antiracist ideas: he redefined the antiracist idea as segregationist and attacked his own redefinition. "No matter how endlessly they try to explain it, the term 'Black power' means anti-white power," Wilkins charged at the NAACP's annual convention on July 5, 1966. "It is a reverse Mississippi, a reverse Hitler, a reverse Ku Klux Klan." Vice President Hubert Humphrey added his two licks at the convention. "Yes, racism is racism--and there is no room in America for racism of any color." Riding the opposition to Black Power, Goldwater Republicans made substantial gains in the midterm elections of 1966. Carmichael did not stop promoting Black Power, however. He traveled around the nation in the final months of 1966 to build the movement. In October, he gave the keynote address at a Black Power conference at the University of California at Berkeley. In nearby Oakland that month, two community college students, incensed that their peers were not living up to Malcolm X's directives, had organized their own two-man Black Power conference. Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale composed the ten-point platform for their newly founded Black Panther Party for Self Defense, demanding the "power to determine the destiny of our Black Community," "full employment," "decent housing," reparations, "an immediate end to POLICE BRUTALITY and MURDER of Black people," freedom for all Black prisoners, and "peace"--quoting Jefferson's Declaration of Independence. In the next few years, the Black Panther Party grew in chapters across the country, attracting thousands of committed and charismatic young community servants. They policed the police, provided free breakfast for children, and organized medical services and political education programs, among a series of other initiatives. The growth of the Black Panther Party and other Black Power organizations in 1967 reflected the fact that Black youngsters had realized that civil rights persuasion and lobbying tactics had failed to loosen the suffocating stranglehold of police brutalizers, tyrannical slumlords, neglectful school boards, and exploitive businessmen. But nothing reflected that realization, and that effort to release the stranglehold, more than the nearly 130 violent Black rebellions from coast to coast between March and September that year. And yet racist psychiatrists announced that these "rioters" suffered from schizophrenia, which they defined as a "Black disease" that manifested in rage. To racist sociologists, the male rioters were raging from their emasculation. Meanwhile, racist criminologists suggested that the rioters were exuding urban Blacks' "subculture of violence," a phrase Marvin Wolfgang used in 1967 for his classic criminology textbook. Racist politicians were proclaiming that the "lazy" rioters demonstrated the need to reduce the welfare rolls and impose work requirements. Black power would not relent, appealing to activists of many ideological stripes. Black power even appealed to the face of the civil rights movement. Indeed, the civil rights movement was transforming into the Black Power movement in 1967, if not before. "No Lincolnian Emancipation Proclamation, no Johnsonian civil rights bill" could bring about complete "psychological freedom," boomed Martin Luther King Jr. at the annual convention of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) on August 16. The Negro must "say to himself and to the world . . . 'I'm black, but I'm black and beautiful.'" King brought on a chilling applause from SCLC activists, who waved signs that read, "Black Is Beautiful and It Is So Beautiful to Be Black." King made his way out of the good graces of assimilationist America that year. Assimilationists still wanted to keep him in the doubly-conscious dreams of 1963, just as they had wanted to keep W.E.B. Du Bois in the doubly-conscious souls of 1903. But King no longer saw any real strategic utility for the persuasion techniques that assimilationists adored, or for the desegregation efforts they championed. He now realized that desegregation had primarily benefited Black elites, leaving millions wallowing in the wrenching poverty that had led to their urban rebellions. King therefore switched gears and began planning the SCLC's Poor People's Campaign. His goal was to bring poor people to the nation's capital in order to force the federal government to pass an "economic bill of rights" committing to full employment, guaranteed income, and affordable housing, a bill that sounded eerily similar to the economic proposals on the Black Panther Party's ten-point platform. The title of King's speech at the SCLC convention was the title of the book he released in the fall of 1967: Where Do We Go from Here? "When a people are mired in oppression, they realize deliverance only when they have accumulated the power to enforce change," King wrote. "Power is not the white man's birthright; it will not be legislated for us and delivered in neat government packages." Excerpted from Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi (Nation Books, 2016). Reprinted with permission from Nation Books. A series of accidents brought me to Helen DeWitt's The Last Samurai. A friend from Twitter invited me to a New York book party in 2011 to celebrate the release of her novel, Lightning Rods. Once there, the generous people at New Directions pressed a copy of Lightning Rods into my hands. What struck me as most remarkable was that this oddball story, which was more a satire than story, was as compelling as a thriller. So when I saw cover quotes from the likes of A. S. Byatt that lauded DeWitt's earlier work, The Last Samurai, I thought I might as well check that out. Well. That was destiny. The Last Samurai is a book everyone should be talking about. Hell, it should be taught in schools. Due to an ill-starred publishing history, The Last Samurai disappeared from shelves until this May, when New Directions reissued the novel in a beautiful new edition. And I want to tell the whole world, because it is just that extraordinary. What is The Last Samurai? On one level, it's a quest: A boy's search for his father. On another, it's an intellectual powerhouse featuring multiple languages and references across the spectrum of literature, history, the arts and the sciences. It's about a passion for ideas and how this can overlap with an equally compelling passion for meaning--with frustrating and sometimes even tragic results. It's laugh-out-loud funny in unexpected ways. At the heart is Sybilla, a single mother--tormented, brilliant, and frequently hilarious--who accidentally molds her son into what we would consider a genius. By age of four, Ludo is reading Greek. And this is where it begins. Advertisement In this interview, Helen talks about the process of creating The Last Samurai, the shifting and elusive character of Sybilla, Kurosawa, and much more. Every book has a starting point, and The Last Samurai in particular is so complex and rich that it's hard to see what it grew from.The final product reads like a piece of music played by a virtuoso. But it all must have begun somewhere. Can you talk about the genesis of this book? In June 1995 I quit the latest of many jobs I had taken to try to leave space for writing. I was going to write till my money ran out. (I had about 3000 in the bank.) I was very depressed. Seven years after leaving Oxford I had 100-odd fragmentary mss and not one finished book. There was one very ambitious book, inspired by The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, which was up to 300 single-spaced pages and had serious structural problems, the result of being worked on piecemeal. I hoped the money would be enough to let me pull it together, but I was very very tired. I then got a call from my father who began haranguing me for being depressed. He was outraged, screaming at me because I was not upbeat and full of hope. By the time we hung up I was in a much worse state. Instead of using my money to finish a book I was paying rent for a room where I could stare at the wall. I thought: We don't pick our parents. If we could, I KNOW I would have picked something better than YOU. Advertisement I then began thinking about what it would take to pick a parent - how would that be possible? At what age? Would it make a difference if a child had unusual intellectual maturity? Had perhaps had the kind of training given J S Mill (taught Greek at the age of 3 and so on)? And if the child COULD choose, wouldn't it have to persuade its choice to agree? (I thought of that film, Six Degrees of Separation, in which a young man claims to be the son of Sidney Poitier and charms parents in a way their children don't.) And I thought of the recruitment sequence in Seven Samurai, when villagers look for samurai to protect their village from bandits. I suddenly thought: What if a child did not know who his father was and imagined a hero? What if he found out and his father wasn't a hero? WHAT IF his single mother had used Seven Samurai to provide male role models, so that he had been immersed in the film from an early age? (This struck me as funny; I began to laugh.) And WHAT IF he appropriated the famous recruitment sequence? What if he decided to pick a hero, hunt him down, and put him to a test? (I won't share the test, since I had better leave SOME surprises for those who have not read the book.) For years, remember, the boy knew only that his father was a travel writer; he thought of every impressive explorer (Thor Heyerdahl, Roald Amundsen...) that this might be the one. So he had a wide range to pick from. Many possibilities for things to go horribly wrong. This struck me as gloriously perverse, and, crucially, it had a very clear structure. I thought: Right. I will do the research. And then I am going to write a book in a month. With NO INTERRUPTIONS. (September 1995 was to be the month.) By the end of the month I will have a finished book, and then it doesn't matter what happens. If it gets published, fine. If it doesn't, fine. Either way, I can get on with my life. (Ha.) I was right that the structure gave a clear path to the ending. But the single mother, following the pedagogical principles of J S Mill and using Seven Samurai for male role models, turned out to be much more complicated than I had expected. First she was boring and self-righteous; then I thought of Kurosawa's solution to the boring doctor in Drunken Angel, and I realized she would be more interesting if tormented and flawed. I thought of Lydia Gwilt in Wilkie Collins' Armadale - an embittered drug-addicted murderess with a passion for Beethoven and a savage wit - this was a MUCH more sympathetic character, to my mind, than my dreary Shavian single mother. So the end was clear, but the newly flawed single mother made the beginning much more intractable. I ran out of money and had to start working again and this book too developed serious structural problems and there was no one-month wonder... Advertisement Helen DeWitt at an exhibition of her personal library at Artists Space in Soho. Photo credit: Jesse Ruddock As a writer I often find it comforting to hear that a masterpiece underwent revisions and fine-tuning before it coalesced into what it would become. I think Sybilla is one of the great characters of contemporary literature. How would you say Sybilla's character influenced (or complicated) the novel's structure? On the one hand, as soon as she became flawed and tormented it seemed important to have a little of her background. In my mind I saw embittered parents robbed of the chance to make the most of their own talents, in each case in part of parental intervention - incorporating this made the narrative unbelievably dense and complicated. Finally I decided to be ruthless - that is, not to worry about seamless integration, but simply put part of it in a prologue. I now know that this is generally frowned on: starting with a prologue is a good way to ensure that agents won't even look at a book. But this was before the Internet; you could do what felt right for the book with no sense of wilfully flying in the face of conventional wisdom. On the other hand, various radical decisions that shaped the story (to raise a child according to the precepts of J S Mill and Yo Yo Ma, to allow the child to leave school after one month) seemed to need some explanation. So - oh God, oh God, oh God - in early drafts there were endless pages of Sibylla editorializing. This was horrible. Unspeakably horrible. (By "unspeakable" I mean that the word "horrible" does not convey how tedious it was, how interminably the pages of opinionating seemed to go on.) The way to fix this, I thought, was a) to place her principles in constant conflict with the reality of the small child and b) to have her attempts at a reasoned master narrative broken up by the incessant interruptions of the Infant Phenomenon. First there would be a battle between her voice and the voice of the boy, then a 6-year-old voice would take over in a diary (so one saw this grand educational project only from the point of view of the guinea pig), then the narrative would leap to voice of the 11-year-old, when he was about to start his quest. Having this variety of voices and texts did seem to give energy to a book which had been, as I say, unspeakably horrible, but it did make it more complicated. You have a background in Classics. Do you think that played into the mythic structure of the novel's final third? Advertisement No, that part of the book was dominated by Seven Samurai. (I was interested in the way the recruitment sequence reveals moral qualities as much as skill.) My background in Classics had a different influence on the book. Most readers will not have had the chance to try Greek at any age, let alone 4, when little Ludo begins; it would be fatally easy for the reader to imagine that a child mastering this esoteric language must be a genius, a prodigy, a special case. But Mill thought any child could do what he had done, given the same method of instruction, and the fact is, we simply don't know - most children aren't even taught the alphabet. (This is really, as you can see, another twist on the fact that we don't pick our parents.) I could obviously not give a blow-by-blow account of little Ludo's early education, but it seemed crucial to demystify this a little bit. Suppose a child can read English (many do at an early age). And you then start spelling English words in Greek letters that are similar: and so on. Most readers, I think, see at once that they get this now and could in fact have got the hang of it in elementary school. Greek has some letters we don't have, and the grammar is more complicated, but the fact is, the reason it looks impenetrable is that no one ever bothered to explain. So they're arbitrarily cut off from one of the great literary repertoires of Western civilization. It feels natural to be daunted by ANY language in an unfamiliar script; it does not feel natural to say: I learned one writing system at the age of 6, how hard can it be to learn another? I'm afraid many editors thought there was too much Greek (and Old Norse, and Japanese...) in the book, but even readers who did not like it have said they realized they could read Greek. This matters to a classicist. I don't think children should be made to learn this or any other language; that's quite different from allowing them to think it is the the province of the upper class, the privileged, or a little genius who won an obstinate parent in the lottery of life. Advertisement Photo credit: Jesse Ruddock When you say you were interested in the way the recruitment sequence reveals moral qualities--yes! This is an angle to the book that seems to get lost sometimes when people talk about how it is "about brilliance." Not to say that the book is a morality play...but without question it's an exploration of values. For me, at least, it made sense that Ludo would start out by privileging the sorts of things he himself is good at (he is by no means immune to the idea that it is impressive to know lots of languages, for instance), or things he thinks he could be good at if he had help from someone who did not airily refer to various branches of higher mathematics as 18th-, 19th-century stuff. He is drawn to the adventurous type of man he once imagined his father to be, not someone who simply sits in a room with a lot of books, but he picks a couple of people who augment this with intellectual brilliance - an obsessive linguist, a scientist who might win a Nobel prize. Then he realizes that they're monsters. It's not, of course, that monstrosity automatically goes with intellectual brilliance, but the shock forces him to think again about what he should be looking for. That was what interested me: that once he gave himself the chance to choose, there was the possibility of making mistakes. And, how can I put it, he had to make the mistakes to see how he had been biased by his own obsessions. (I don't want to say too much about the choices and mistakes, since so much depends on setbacks being unexpected by the reader as well as the boy.) I was intrigued by Sybilla's outrage that the Seven Samurai of Kurosawa's film were an "elite band"--I admit the reason for it escaped me. I would love to hear more about this, if you'd explicate it. Kurosawa, it seems to me, goes out of his way NOT to assemble an elite band. (In this Seven Samurai is quite different from The Magnificent Seven.) Kambei, the leader, says he is nothing special: he has merely had a lot of fighting experience. Shichiroji, his former henchman, lost sight of in a terrible battle, simply managed to escape. Gorobei distinguishes himself by, erm, seeing through the recruitment trick (he's supposed to rush through a door to a fight when someone is hiding behind the door with a stick, dodge the blow -- and stands laughing in the street). Kyuzo, the master swordsman, IS exceptional (he's not interested in fighting, he only wants to perfect his art) - but he is exceptional among the band as well as in relation to the rest of the world. Heihachi, found chopping wood to earn a meal, is asked how he has got through so many fights. Answer: I usually run away. While Kambei is assembling this band of decidedly mixed ability he is followed by Katsushiro, a dazzled young aristocrat from a samurai family; he doesn't want to take Katsushiro because he's too young, and is talked into it. Treat him like a man, he'll become a man, says Heihachi - but in fact, once they reach the village, the samurai tell Katsushiro in one episode after another that he should stand by and watch (which he obediently does). And finally, least elite of the lot, we have the gatecrashing impostor, Toshiro Mifune, swashbuckling around with a sword he has no idea how to use. Mifune is a farmer's son who claims to be a samurai; put to the test he FAILS. A good samurai will parry the blow, but he's drunk; the stick comes down on his head; Kambei: A good samurai would never get so drunk. Nobody wants him on the expedition, but he tags along anyway. Once he's taken on he shows again and again that he has NO IDEA of samurai discipline - falls asleep on his watch, deserts his post to go off on a one-man sortie to capture a gun... But unlike the deferential Katsushiro he throws himself (unasked) into one engagement after another and MAKES himself a fighter. This is tremendously powerful and moving, since it is set within a context of extreme social stratification, one where entitlement to the skills and courage of the warrior are assumed to be hereditary. (This is, of course, why the film seemed profoundly relevant to the story of a fatherless boy who imagines that finding his father is the key to finding his place in the world.) A phrase like "extreme social stratification" makes me think of the recurring theme of Ludo's quest for a parent who would pay his way through a prestigious school. Later in the book are examples of men who excelled within the academic structure--and they are not good men. I'm not sure if I have a question here, but I'm interested in your thoughts. I've touched on this earlier, but-- I suppose one aspect of his interest in a school is his growing awareness that there are things he can't do on his own. But there's also an element of showmanship in succeeding in a prestigious environment -- if he can't go up the Amazon with a father he might as well go to Cambridge at the age of 12. What he doesn't entirely allow for is the way gaming that system can lend itself to gaming the social system; intellectual brilliance is no guarantee that successful gamesmanship will not be used unscrupulously. But then, of course, a knack for gaming systems is not in itself a bad thing--so I also wanted to throw him in the path of people in (roughly) the tradition of Raoul Wallenberg, who handed out Swedish passports to Hungarian Jews about to be shipped off by the Nazis. Helen DeWitt was born in a suburb of Washington, D.C., in 1957. She studied at the University of Oxford and is the author of Lightning Rods (New Directions, 2011) and The Last Samurai (New Directions, 2016). An #OrlandoStrong sign is left at a makeshift memorial for the victims of the Pulse night club shooting in Orlando, Florida, U.S., June 19, 2016. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri A killer stormed a safe haven for the LGBT community and their friends in Orlando, Florida, and murdered forty-nine people. We condemn the killer and mourn the victims with all our heart, mind, and soul. But as Muslims we doubly mourn, because the murderer acted in the name of our religion to slay people who often feel marginalized in American society, as do we. How can murder happen in the name of a God whose prime attributes, the Quran tells us, are mercy and compassion? The Quran expressly states that the Prophet Muhammad was not sent but on a mission of mercy and compassion to the world. Apart from the ninth, every chapter in the Quran opens with the words: In the name of God, the Merciful and Compassionate. Muslims around the world rest in the embrace of those words that so deeply inform our faith. They illumine the paths we walk. Everything we do is charged with the imperative to show in our own actions -- mercy and compassion. Advertisement And so the carnage at the Pulse nightclub is, from the Quranic perspective, "nothing you can fathom." Here I quote the words of Angelica Jones, an entertainer at Pulse recently interviewed on CNN Tonight. Though off work the night of the attack, Jones was present at the club with her colleagues and friends, enjoying the music. In her CNN interview, she recalled the scene. As the shots rang out, she knew almost instinctively that, as an employee of the club, her first duty was to the patrons. So she helped open as many doors of escape as possible. Then, with others, she hid in the dressing room. She kept a cool head, advising those with her to silence their phones, lest they cue the killer to their presence. "All I could do was pray," she said. After some hours, the ordeal ended. Towards the end of the interview, from the standpoint of having survived a brutal assault, Jones spoke for many in the LGBT community when she said, with candor and dignity, "I'm a transgender individual. Getting work isn't the easiest thing for me. I had a safe haven, a place that I could come, call work -- able to pay my bills. The terror in the attack," she said, "took that away." No Muslim would take away from anyone else their safe haven. We know ourselves well enough what it's like to lose that. From a Muslim perspective, the test of a God-minded society is how well it cares for those who need a haven, a job, a place to come to feel at ease. We do not claim innocence of homophobia. But we hold up for all to know a point from our jurisprudence that few likely do know. Islamic law is quite specific on matters of inheritance. We are talking now about laws from a thousand years ago. The classical books of Islamic jurisprudence stipulate that male children inherit from parents twice what female children do. Set aside for a moment the offence this may be to our modern feelings for gender equality, and consider what the jurists had to say about transgender identity. Note that, a thousand years ago, it registered on their radar! But here is what worried them -- not that it challenged gender norms or broke with the general public's expectations of human sexuality, but what the transgender's fair and just portion was to be of their inheritance. Were they to get the portion due a male or a female? They were concerned about the justice owed transgender individuals. They wanted to make sure that transgendered Muslims got their fair share of their parents' estate. When was the law ever more considerate, or striving more in its own modest way to channel the divine mercy and compassion? The divine concern extends further. It is not only for all of us to flourish in our lives, however we were born. Family is a value -- and marriage a human right -- under Islamic law. We must do better around the world to acknowledge the rights of LGBT people to find emotional happiness and physical fulfillment in the lives most natural to them. Advertisement We know that LGBT identity is widespread in the Muslim world. And we know that homophobia is a long-standing blight on the history of human cultures. It has been a human failing for many of us. But none of us can find any excuse in that for its presence today. We mourn all who died in the Orlando shooting, and pray for the survivors' return to physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Where the LGBT community inhabits a margin, we stand there with them too. Members of the LGBT community participate in a vigil in memory of the victims of the Orlando Pulse gay nightclub shooting and hate crimes in San Salvador, El Salvador June 18, 2016. REUTERS/Jose Cabezas Dear Conservative Christian family, Being the son of two pastors, I was taught to love the sinner, but to hate their sin. The first time I saw two men kissing I hated what they had done and hated that I had to watch. As I've read through Facebook, Twitter and various article online, there are many conservative Christians, asking one question: "Why are we being blamed for the Orlando shooting?" Advertisement I fear that conservative Christians are being lumped in with the homophobic shooter, ISIS and religious radicals because, to the LGBT+ community, these are the groups who maintain the system that produces homophobia. I'd like you to understand that homophobia is not only demonstrated by the shooter, the boys who punched me in the park, or the uncle who called me "faggot." Homophobia, at its core, is hatred that changes the way LGBT+ people understand their value. Homophobia, at its core, is hatred that changes the way LGBT+ people understand their value. The true effects of homophobia don't exist on the external surface where crime is committed. They rest in the fabric of the human soul who has been taught that they aren't as good as their heterosexual neighbor. You see, the blossoming of homophobia is violence, while the root system is the cultural/religious mindset that's comfortable branding an entire group of people as relationally inferior, spiritually immature, as well as socially and sexually deviant. Advertisement When the messages of your churches and the sermons you clap for; when the messages you deliver as our parents, leaders, and well-intentioned friends negatively shift the way we, people of the LGBT+ community, feel about our version of love, our relational offering, or our position in this world [as God's beloved children], the system of homophobia is working through you. And I know this is not your intention. I also know internalized homophobia very well. When I discovered that I was bisexual, homophobia started to teach me: I am not clean emotionally, romantically or spiritually. I am a perverted boy. My body was my enemy. So, I did the right Christian thing: I hated my sin. But when your "sin" is loving, your left with no option but to hate your entire self. As a diligent Christian boy, I knew God was going to kill me -- an eternal life in hell. Can you imagine what this feels like for LGBT+ people who loved God so deeply? The voice of the shooter, the same voice we project onto God, had made its way into my self-dialogue, "Kill him!" I needed to avoid the once-and-for-all mistake of loving a man (and the peril for which I was doomed). I began praying for God to take my life before I made an irreversible sin. And when God wouldn't, I reached for suicide. When your "sin" is loving, your left with no option but to hate your entire self. You see, when Christians use "Love the sinner, hate the sin" to make themselves morally peaceful while loving a "sinner" like me, they're giving ordained permission to and normalizing the same hatred that burgeoned in the young shooter's heart and fueled my desperation for suicide. Both the shooter's disdain and my self-hatred developed over time -- starting with a small religious seed of instructions: "...hate the sin." Advertisement And maybe the shooter was committing suicide. It is possible that the shooter was attracted to men. Out of a religiously infused self-hatred, was he projecting his internalized homophobia onto others as a means of ending his accumulated self-disdain, permanently? What if this religiously induced hatred causes unbelievable distortions in the self-understandings of all LGBT+ people -- even unto death? What are our religious slogans doing to humanity? But it doesn't stop there. The mindset of "Love the sinner, hate the sin" has even tricked those of us in the church. Love cannot be in cahoots with hatred. For example, how can you love me yet hate my Hispanic skin? In this light, Christian claims of loving me (while hating how I love) feel like a sham. I know conservatives Christians mean well, but please remember what genuine [unconditional] love feels like. The problem has been in our conservative churches for decades. It's in our conservative sanctuaries and its metastasizing violence beyond our walls. The problem is a silent machine producing the willingness to hate our neighbors and our own personhood. Advertisement Love cannot be in cahoots with hatred. I feel the small seed of hatred at work when you ask me to block you from seeing my kisses. Or when I am welcome in your conservative churches, yet kept from sacraments like communion and marriage. Conservative Christian sentiments sounds like love, but look like hatred shrouded in conditional acceptance. Is it possible that we, the Church, have blurred the distinction between tolerance and unconditional love? I feel foolish for trusting you this long, and I am part of you. Can you imagine how my non-religious LGBT+ neighbors feel? The painful set of circumstances is that "Love the sinner, hate the sin'"is a moral cornerstone that insulates you from the body of people who have been emotionally and spiritually burned by your iron. Advertisement Without our sanctuaries, where would you have us turn? Thank God for open and affirming churches, our cohesion as a gay community, and sanctuaries like the Pulse. I truly understand how "hating sin" feels like it could produce religious stability or moral certitude. It's imperative, however, that we acknowledge that the hatred of mankind -- our hatred -- is causing death, not life. It's producing separateness, not communion. Many of us in the LGBT+ community are not bullying you into abandoning your religious values. We're simply asking for camaraderie. We are all part of the same family at our truest core, so can we work together? Can we participate as comrades in the process of healing? It will take us time, but we have to start now. Please, help us build relational and religious paradigms free of hate. If we can accomplish this side-by-side, we could very well eradicate the divisions that keep us attacking one another. We may even save lives. Advertisement Your Hispanic, bisexual brother in Christ, Isaac _______________________ More fake news daily at The Political Garbage Chute. LAGO DEL DESESPERACION, FLORIDA -- Back in April of this year, 28-year-old nurse and Florida resident Jane Sampson was raped while walking home after working a late shift at St. Mary's Hospital. To her utter shock and dismay, when Jane missed her period in May, she took a pregnancy test and found out she was carrying her rapist's child. Without any hesitation, she headed to the Planned Parenthood in her city, only to be told that in Florida she had to wait 24 hours to have the pregnancy -- the pregnancy only brought about by her rape -- terminated. "I was so angry and sad," Sampson told our reporter via Skype, "because I had already been horribly violated and traumatized. Then, a month after I was raped I find out I'm pregnant with that scumbag's seed? I wanted it out of me right then and there. And in America an abortion is my constitutional right; it has been for decades. But not in red-ass Florida." So, Sampson says, she did some quick research online and found that not even traveling to one of Florida's closest neighboring states would let her, as a rape victim, immediately terminate the rape pregnancy. That's when Sampson says she stumbled upon a fact that she said "completely changed everything." In Florida, while rape victims have to wait a full day to get an abortion, anyone can buy an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle with absolutely no waiting period whatsoever. Advertisement "Once I found out that I had more rights to a firearm than I did to control my own biological bodily functions," Ms. Sampson told us, "I knew exactly what I had to do. So I went down to Liberty Gun and Ammo and bought myself a Bushmaster AR-15. I was going to end this pregnancy one way or another." Given that the AR-15 is a high-powered rifle, Sampson knew it would take some modification to use in her own abortion. Luckily for Jane, Bushmaster has a special line of U-Abort It rifle accessories that can be added to the AR-15, allowing it to be used with surgical precision. "It turns out, my state isn't the only one that sees zero irony in making weapons of wanton death and destruction easy to get while making a safe and legal, constitutionally protected medical service as hard to have performed as possible," Jane told us, "and so Bushmaster developed a whole product line for red state women like me who still want to have control over our own reproduction, silly us." Once the abortion was complete, Sampson says she had no more use for the gun. Fortunately for her, being a resident in Florida, she could take her AR-15 to any one of the 55 state gun orphanages that Governor Rick Scott had created during his first term. The gun orphanages match up lost, abandoned or surrendered firearms to homes that, according to the official state charter for the orphanages "display good, clean, ammo-hoarding patriotism." Advertisement "There really aren't that many experiences in life that are worse than being raped," Sampson said, "except maybe finding out you're pregnant from the rape. But, luckily for me even though my state doesn't value my life enough to let me decide to instantly terminate my attacker's pregnancy he inflicted me with, they gave me an option to take matters into my own hands, I guess." In a small, garage-like building in northern Iraq, Seve wakes up each morning not knowing how she'll provide for her six children. Her husband is injured and unable to work. Their only income comes from the few vegetables her 12-year-old son can sell. Two years ago, they and thousands of other Yezidis fled Sinjar as they saw their neighbors kidnapped and killed by ISIS. A survivor of sexual violence, Seve is still deeply traumatized. Many days she doesn't have enough food for the family. Living outside a refugee camp, they have limited access to resources to help them. Seve with her son. Photo credit: Alison Baskerville, 2016 Seve is not alone in her struggles. Of the world's 65 million displaced people, 80 percent are women and children, and 80 percent of refugees live in developing countries like Iraq, Kenya, Lebanon, and Turkey that do not have the kind of resources they need. This week we mark both World Refugee Day and one month since the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul. The key issues have been identified: given the complexity and long-term nature of the refugee crisis today, the international community has to do more than provide traditional short-term humanitarian assistance (although that is essential.) Given the disproportionate impact of conflict on women, programs have to be tailored specifically to address the needs of women who are refugees and displaced. What women like Seve tell us they need are three things: personal security, psychosocial support, and economic opportunity. Advertisement Naming and Ending Violence against Women and Girls The precarious situation facing refugees leaves them vulnerable to exploitation and abuse - this is especially true for women and girls. UN Women found that over 80 percent of refugees live in daily fear of abuse, and over two-thirds know someone who has been abused. Every time a woman leaves her home, goes to the market, or to visit a doctor, she fears becoming a victim of sexual harassment and violence. But even at home, she is not safe as refugees confront rising levels of domestic violence and early and forced marriages. "All of these things disturbed me before but somehow felt part of normal life," says Sheiran Habash, a 32-year-old Syrian refugee. She and her sister Kabira fled Syria several years ago, and now live in northern Iraq with their families. Sheiran Habash (left) and her sister Kabira (right) with their trainer Amina who leads classes on gender-based violence. "All the women of the world... we all have the same stories," says Amina. "I want to build safe spaces for all women." Photo credit: Alison Baskerville, 2016 In northern Iraq, Women for Women International is supporting programs to help displaced Syrian and Yezidi women understand the many forms of violence, learn their rights, and know how they can address harassment and abuse. By bringing women together, they gain the confidence to share their experiences and to speak out against their abuses. We are also engaging men in the communities as allies and partners in our efforts to end violence. Advertisement "To understand what it actually means, it has given us the language to understand how we feel," explains Sheiran. "We have the language to speak about it and have a voice about it." Her sister Kabira agrees. "I now know when you are sitting in a taxi for example and the taxi driver starts to make suggestions to you...or trying to harass you sexually, you now know that this is not normal behavior, this is gender-based violence. So now you know how to deal with that and how to complain and where to go...to get support." Healing Unseen Trauma For refugees to have the chance to move forward, however, they need the resources to treat and manage their psychological and emotional trauma. Most of the women we meet in northern Iraq are deeply traumatized by their experiences of war, and by their ongoing struggle to survive. For Seve, the Yezidi woman who survived sexual violence, coming to the centers WfWI supports in northern Iraq has finally enabled her to open up and find healing. She began to talk to the trained social workers about some of her experiences, and found being together with a group of other women who had similar pasts calmed her. Awaz leads a relaxation therapy group for Seve and other Yezidi women to help them find ways to reduce stress and heal from trauma. Photo credit: Alison Baskerville, 2016 Advertisement From Aid to Opportunity Many Syrian and Yezidi women living in host communities in northern Iraq shared with us their daily struggle to provide for their families. In fact, more than 50,000 people or one-third of households cannot afford food, water, fuel, and clothing. The lack of income and opportunities to earn has driven families to arrange forced and early marriages of their daughters for a bride price. "Life here is difficult for us, because we are refugees and we cannot find jobs," says Slava, a Syrian refugee living near Erbil, Iraq. Her husband is educated, but as they searched for work, they fell into a vicious cycle that haunts many refugees. Without work experience, it becomes harder and harder to find employment, and aid can only stretch so far. "Everything is too much for us," she says. We know from our work in other countries that women who have experienced conflict and displacement need opportunities and skills to earn and rebuild their lives. In northern Iraq, WfWI is connecting women with business skills training and support to help them identify markets and opportunities for them to generate income. Slava with her husband and their son at a training center supported by Women for Women International. Photo credit: Alison Baskerville, 2016 While Syria and Iraq are at the epicenter of the refugee crisis today, the need for security, economic opportunity, and psychosocial support is shared by all women who have experienced conflict and displacement. Long-term displacement requires longer-term solutions that go beyond traditional forms of humanitarian assistance. The international community is saying the right things - what we need now are words translated into action. Advertisement By Jerry Zezima Whenever my wife asks me to tidy up the bathroom, I feel like throwing in the towel because I could never get it to look as nice as the porcelain convenience at a place like the Waldorf Astoria. So imagine my surprise and delight when I met a guy whose job is to throw in the towel in the porcelain convenience at -- you guessed it -- the Waldorf Astoria. I recently attended a dinner at the famed New York City hotel, which is ritzy enough to rival the Ritz but does not, to my knowledge, serve Ritz crackers, at least not in the bathroom, where I went to answer the call of nature, which called collect. Advertisement As I was washing up (according to some people, I have been washed up for years), I was handed a towel by a gentleman dressed to the tens, which is even better than the nines. He was nattily attired (if we were in the ladies' room, he would have been Natalie Attired) in a white, pleated, wing-collar shirt; a black, crisply tied bow tie; a neat black vest; sharply creased black pants, and shiny black shoes. I, dressed to the sevens in a wrinkled gray suit, took the perfectly folded paper towel, which was embossed with the Waldorf logo, and dried my hands, though not before dripping water all over my dull black shoes. "Would you like another towel, sir?" washroom attendant Alex Giannikouris asked politely. "Thank you," I replied as he handed me one. "Now I can shine my shoes." I also took a shine to Alex, who has worked at the Waldorf for 32 years and, judging from the many visitors who stopped in to get tidied up themselves, is even more popular than the celebrities who frequent the premises. "Alex!" exclaimed one gentleman (we were, after all, in a room marked "Gentlemen," which made me wonder what I was doing there). "Como esta?" Advertisement "Muy bien," responded Alex, a native of Greece who speaks about half a dozen languages. The two men carried on a brief conversation in Spanish, at the end of which Alex said, "Adios!" Another man, tall, handsome and bedecked in a tuxedo, greeted Alex with a handshake -- after, of course, drying his hands on the towel Alex gave to him. "Are you a regular?" I asked the visitor. "What?" he replied indignantly. "A regular," I explained. "Not irregular." "Yes," said the man, who seemed relieved. "I've known Alex for years. He's a great guy." That was the consensus among the other visitors, one of whom spoke with Alex in French and another in Greek. "I even know a little Korean," Alex said, in perfect English. Then he regaled me with stories of the celebrities who have stopped in to admire themselves in the mirror. "The best," Alex said, "was Frank Sinatra." "Did he do it his way?" I asked. Alex smiled and said, "Yes. He was very nice and very generous. A big tipper." "How much money did he give you?" I wondered. "I can't say," Alex replied. "The IRS might find out." At least Alex won't get in trouble with the Social Security Administration. That's because Bill Clinton, when he was president, signed Alex's Social Security card. Alex pulled it out of his wallet and showed me the inscription: "To Alex: Thanks, Bill Clinton." "Are you going to vote for his wife?" I asked. "I don't talk politics in here," said Alex, who was happy to talk about George Burns ("a funny guy"), Al Pacino ("he washed his face in the sink") and Ingrid Bergman. Advertisement "Ingrid Bergman was in the men's room?" I spluttered. "No," said Alex. "I saw her upstairs. She was very beautiful. One other time, I saw Pope John Paul II upstairs. As he walked past, he gave me a blessing." But Alex said he feels especially blessed to be married to Maria, his wife of 39 years. "One woman for all that time? Why not?" Alex said with a broad smile. "Do you show your appreciation by tidying up the bathroom at home?" I wondered. "No, she does it," admitted Alex, who leaves the tidying up at the Waldorf to a cleaning crew. He and Maria have three grown children and two young grandchildren. "I'm a grandpa, too," I said. "My granddaughter calls me Poppie." "I'm called Papou, which is Greek for grandfather," said Alex, who is 63 and plans to retire soon. "I've had a good career at the Waldorf," he said. "I've met a lot of nice people. But one of these days it will be time to go. And then," he added, "I'll really throw in the towel." Stamford Advocate humor columnist Jerry Zezima is the author of three books. His latest is "Grandfather Knows Best." Visit his blog at www.jerryzezima.blogspot.com. Email: JerryZ111@optonline.net. Dave Boone was always funny. "Many years ago, just days before my grandmother passed away, she told me that she'd ask for me whenever she was feeling down," says Boone. "She said, 'just let David talk, he's bound to say something funny." And he was also very creative. "I'm an only child, so I was always good at make-believe and inventing characters and stories to amuse myself," he shares. His father had a collection of radio shows from the 1940s. So from an early age he was exposed to Jack Benny, Charlie McCarthy, Bob Hope, even The Lone Ranger. Not only was Boone influenced by the storytelling, he was also obsessed with sound effects. "I'd sit in the den with my tape recorder and make up my own radio skits with jokes and sound effects," explains the Norwalk, Connecticut native. "When I found out that I could also amuse my friends and family, I tried to do so as often as I could." He fell in love with theater when his parents took him to to productions at the Westport Country Playhouse. "They also let me watch TV and, mostly, inspired me to dream. They still do," says Boone. While he was student at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut he met Jay Leno at a comedy club. After graduating and moving to Los Angeles he ran into Leno again at the Improv. At the time, Leno was Johnny Carson's official guest host. "I let him know that I was trying to become a comedy writer and he handed me his fax number. This is in the days before email," Boone explains. The very next day Boone began submitting Leno monologue jokes. "It got to the point where I was selling jokes on a regular basis and they'd call me when Jay had to fill in for Johnny at the last minute," says Boone who also wrote for his friend Kevin Nealon when he was the Weekend Update anchor on Saturday Night Live. Advertisement Those jobs and lots of hard work led to other late night shows including Later, with Greg Kinnear. A week after he was hired, Kinnear left to make As Good As It Gets. A year later, the actor was nominated for an Academy Award. And Boone was writing for Oscar host, Billy Crystal. "Writing for Billy opened a lot of doors for me. And if I'm ever in doubt, I ask "what would Billy do?," says Boone. "It's easy for writers to fall in love with their own jokes, even if they're out of place. If a joke leans toward the mean side or the "funny in the writers' room" side, having Billy's voice in my head gives me the confidence to kill it and look for something else." His connection with Crystal had him writing for Comic Relief 8 at Radio City with Whoopi Goldberg and the Robin Williams. "The last time I worked with Robin, I wrote with him for his tribute to Jonathan Winters on the Emmys," says Boone who has written for 10 Academy Award shows. Boone spent four "very happy years" with Goldberg on Hollywood Squares, followed by two years as Head Writer when Bruce Vilanch left the show. He also worked on Dancing with the Stars with host Tom Bergeron for a decade. "We met on Hollywood Squares and have been inseparable for 17 years," explains Boone. "I love the live aspect of Dancing With the Stars and I love going to work where there's a live band and gorgeous dancers. It beats working in an office." Boone returned to Tony Awards in his 13th consecutive year as the show's Head Writer. It's a job that deeply resonates with his love for theater. "I get to infuse the Tonys with thoughts of my own about what theater means to me," says Boone who has won 2 Emmys and a Writers Guild Award writing the show. "I'll often write something from the heart and tell the talent, 'that's my truth, if it's not your truth, I don't want you to feel obliged to say it.' Most, if not all, have the similar feelings toward the art form and don't disagree with the words." Advertisement So what will these Scandinavian sisters be doing for an encore? Would you believe joining forces with the LEGO Group? Anna & Elsa - along with Kristoff, Olaf & Sven - will be starring in four new Frozen animated shorts that will air on the Disney Channel. Not only that, but these new LEGO shorts will be based on a brand-new published-by-Random-House story, "Frozen Northern Lights." The fun officially gets underway in July as Frozen fans can once again return to the kingdom of Arendelle thanks to a cleverly interconnected collection of books, animated shorts from the LEGO group as well as digital games & activities. Advertisement "So what awaits 'Frozen' fans once they return to Arendelle?," you ask. "Frozen Northern Lights" tells the story of Little Rock, one of those trolls that adopted young Kristoff & Sven in the original Frozen film. Little Rock needs help earning his tracking crystal. So Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Sven & Olaf join this tiny troll on an epic mountain adventure to restore the glimmer of the Northern Lights. The hardcover novelization of this story -- "Disney Frozen Northern Lights: Journey to the Lights" - will hit store shelves next month. As for those four animated shorts, the LEGO Group will definitely be bringing its unique style of animation and quirky sense of humor to the world of Frozen. And did I mention that the vocal talent from the original Disney Frozen will be returning to reprise their roles? Or that a full compilation of all four of the LEGO "Frozen Northern Lights" shorts will air on the Disney Channel later this Fall? Mr. Trump, you had a meeting today and invited almost 1,000 Christians to it. From the reports so far, the people you asked to come were overwhelmingly white, old, evangelical, conservative men. There were lots of other evangelicals that you didn't invite, even some old white evangelical men like me who have raised questions to you that you have yet to answer. And it would have been so much better to have invited more black, brown and young evangelical women and men, from a broader spectrum of political perspectives. You would have been asked some better questions. I've been told some of the questions you were asked today, as well as the questions you weren't asked. You were asked about religious liberty, and answered that you would appoint conservative Supreme Court justices as recommended by the Federalist Society and the Heritage Foundation. People of faith across all our traditions do care deeply about religious liberty, and we need to ask you about the ban on all Muslims from entering our country which you continue to propose, along with your proposed surveillance of mosques and the profiling of Muslims already living as citizens in the United States of America. You didn't answer any questions about how those stances are compatible with a belief in religious liberty. You were asked about poverty, crime, and racial issues. I'm glad you were, because those moral and biblical matters are at the heart of many of our deepest concerns about you. You said that black Americans were being "screwed over" by the economy and you would offer more jobs. We all agree that jobs are critically important to solving the problems of poverty. But you have to also answer why you have claimed an American judge couldn't be fair to you because of his Mexican heritage, made hateful comments about Mexican immigrants, been painfully slow to distance yourself from KKK and other white supremacist groups, and have regularly stoked racial fear and division, even in continually disparaging our first African American president as not really one of "us." Mr. Trump, our churches are becoming more diverse, as our country is, and we regard that as a blessing and a gift from God, not as the threat you and many of your followers seem to think it is. You have to answer our questions about racial bigotry. Advertisement You were asked by a Latino evangelical leader how you would protect our borders while building a bridge to the Hispanic community. You spoke of national security and the threats from immigration and said you would like to build better relationships with Hispanics, but without saying how you would do that. You need to answer why and how you would deport 11 million undocumented immigrants, breaking up all those families, and dividing our local communities. Jesus tells us that how we treat "the stranger" among us is literally how we treat him. But I'm told Jesus didn't even come up at today's meeting. When asked about national security and issues of terrorism, you committed to spend more on the military, give Israel 100% support, and again called our current leaders "stupid." You didn't answer how you could, in good conscience, bring back torture as you have promised -- which is a moral issue for many of us in the religious community, as well as a violation of international treaties our country has signed. And your horrific promise to kill the families and children of terrorists is a moral question that you desperately need to clarify. When asked, you agreed that we should pray for our political leaders but then said that should mean only praying for the good ones -- assuming you meant yourself. Mr. Trump, it has been said that you may be the most irreverent and illiterate candidate when it comes to religion that either party has ever nominated, which is why it seemed so ironic that you today accused your likely opponent, Hillary Clinton of being weak in her faith. Your statements and behavior today and throughout this campaign raise many questions about your own beliefs, from the things you have said about not having asked God for forgiveness, to your remarkable lack of knowledge about Christian faith and lifestyle. Slowly learning the language of evangelicals will not substitute for moral positions on the public questions that our faith lifts up. You need some deeper conversations with the faith community about that. Advertisement "On the committee, Robert Kennedy watched as McCarthy turned over most of the investigative work to a 25-year-old Columbia Law School wunderkind, Roy Cohn, who had made a name for himself doggedly prosecuting the Rosenbergs, (who were executed on June 19, 1953). McCarthy put Cohn in command of the entire subcommittee staff of forty investigators and lawyers, including Kennedy. Cohn gave his closeted lover, G. David Schine, the 25-year-old hotel heir, a plum assignment on the committee. Schine's only qualification was that he had written a tendentious anti-communist pamphlet, which was placed in the rooms of the hotels his family owned. Kennedy tried to warn McCarthy that he was making a big mistake by putting Cohn in charge, but the Senator enjoyed the national media attention Cohn's sensational acts attracted. Kennedy detested Cohn; and Cohn once called Kennedy a "rich bitch" to his face. At one point, the two young men nearly came to blows after a Senate hearing. "In April 1953, Cohn and Schine dashed in and out of ten European cities in a highly publicized junket, at government expense, to remove books from the stacks of the U.S. Information Service libraries they deemed "Communist." The antics of Cohn and Schine, as Kennedy had predicted, ultimately led to McCarthy's downfall. It began when the U.S. Army drafted Schine for military service, and Cohn used his position on the committee to seek preferential treatment for his special friend. Behind the scenes, McCarthy contacted the Army on Schine's behalf saying he needed him on his staff, not in uniform. When the Army refused to back down, and would not give Schine preferential treatment, Cohn began investigating civilian personnel in the Department of the Army for possible Communist ties. In the spring and summer of 1954, Cohn's attacks produced the legendary Army-McCarthy hearings. "The hearings took place in the Corinthian-columned Senate Caucus Room, (the same location where both John and Robert Kennedy would later announce their presidential bids). The proceedings lasted for fifty-seven days, with 187 hours of live television coverage. The nation was transfixed. At that time, Kennedy had the good fortune to have been recruited to serve as the counsel for the Democratic minority on the committee, and he kept a low profile. His new boss was Senator John McClellan of Arkansas, the ranking Democrat. Kennedy can be seen in footage of the hearings seated behind McClellan at the end of the long table on the Democratic side, occasionally passing a note to one of the Senators. "Under the bright television klieg lights, with his typical dramatic flare, McCarthy began to smear the character of a young lawyer associated with the team representing the Army. His accusations led to the culminating event of the hearings when Joseph Welch, the courtly, soft-spoken special counsel for the Army, implored McCarthy: "Let us not assassinate this lad further, Senator. You have done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?" After Welch's simple query, McCarthy's game was up. He had stood up to the bullying Senator's smear tactics, which he called "recklessly cruel." The American public turned against McCarthy. On December 2, 1954, the full Senate voted to censure him, 67 to 22, for behavior "unbecoming" of a Senator. (Massachusetts Senator John Kennedy conveniently missed the vote against his family friend because he was recuperating in the hospital from back surgery). "Senator McClellan assigned Robert Kennedy the task of writing the minority's report. Kennedy impressed McClellan and other Senators with his dispassionate, detailed indictment of McCarthy's overreaching. Although he had repudiated McCarthy's tactics in print, and the Republicans had abandoned their one-time standard bearer, Kennedy did not end his personal friendship with the defeated Senator. He remained on good terms with McCarthy even as McCarthy suffered his precipitous decline, aggravated by sclerosis of the liver brought on from years of alcoholism. Kennedy often visited McCarthy at Bethesda Naval hospital. In May 1957, he was one of the few public figures to fly from Washington to attend McCarthy's funeral at Saint Mary's Catholic Church near Appleton, Wisconsin. He still believed that McCarthy's gravest error had been remaining loyal to Cohn. Kennedy was unable or unwilling to grapple with the lasting damage that McCarthy had done to the careers of so many innocent people." (Palermo, pp. 26-27) Pancreatic cancer surpassed breast cancer this year to become the third leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. Of the 53,070 Americans who will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer this year, many will be advanced-stage because there are no early detection methods. And with limited effective treatment options, most will not survive. In fact, if you are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer today, you only have an 8 percent chance of living five years. Advertisement My father, Jim Fleshman, was one of those countless patients who became a devastating statistic. At age 52 and just four months after diagnosis, he died. Progress may at times seem impossible - but much of our world's history has been doing what we once thought was impossible. However, when people raise their voices and take action, the impossible becomes possible. Certain types of breast cancer and AIDS are not considered a death sentence today because advocates stood up and made these diseases a national priority. It's now time to make the impossible possible for pancreatic cancer and for patients like 35-year-old Elizabeth Jurcik. Jurcik remembers her father, a gastroenterologist, telling her, with tears in his eyes, how difficult it was to tell his patients they had pancreatic cancer. He would urge them to make the most of their time - travel the world and spend time with family and friends. Advertisement Years later, when Jurcik was 31, she was ironically diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. But thankfully Jurcik wasn't told to get her affairs in order - her disease was caught early, and she was able to have surgery - an option many patients are not given because there is no effective early detection method for pancreatic cancer. Jurcik knows her story is different than most and feels fortunate to be alive to advocate for more research funding on behalf of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Thanks to the efforts of passionate volunteers and supporters like Jurcik, we are beginning to see real results and progress within the federal government. On Jan. 2, 2013, the Recalcitrant Cancer Research Act was signed into law by President Barack Obama. The statute required the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to develop scientific frameworks for recalcitrant cancers, beginning with pancreatic and lung cancers. The statute also defined recalcitrant, or deadliest, cancers as those cancers with a five-year survival rate below 50 percent. The passage of this bill would not have been possible without passionate advocates who demanded that Congress make these tough cancers a national priority. And we cannot forget the significance of the National Cancer Moonshot Initiative spearheaded this year by Vice President Joe Biden. The goal of the initiative is to double the rate of cancer progress and to make a decade worth of advances in five years. This aggressive goal mirrors the goal made by the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network many years ago to double pancreatic cancer survival by 2020. Advertisement So, momentum is building. But more must be done. Today, nearly 700 pancreatic cancer advocates, including over 100 survivors, will join me on Capitol Hill to urge Congress to increase federal funding for cancer research. While we advocate on the Hill, thousands of supporters from across the nation will call their members of Congress, as part of our National Call-in, to make these same asks. Please join us in this national effort. Together we will urge Congress to put the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on a path to sustained growth by appropriating $34.5 billion for the NIH, including $5.9 billion for the NCI, so that we can fully fund the Cancer Moonshot Initiative and make progress on our nation's deadliest cancers. There is much to be proud of and so much progress on the horizon. But to double survival by 2020 and ensure Congress continues to make cancer research funding a priority, we need even more committed individuals with a fierce passion for tackling pancreatic cancer, the deadliest major cancer. Please take two minutes today to join our National Call-in. In loving memory of my dad and the countless dads, moms, sisters, brothers, children and other loved ones lost to this disease or who are fighting it today, let's make the impossible possible. Julie Fleshman, JD, MBA, serves as president and CEO of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, the national organization creating hope in a comprehensive way through research, patient support, community outreach and advocacy for a cure. Pssst. Employers and Managers, please enjoy and send this to your interns! co-written with our Summer Associates Delia Borbone and Matt Curry Last week I spent some time meeting several Sidwell Friends students (my alma mater) in Washington, D.C. as they embark on their summer internships. My hats off to the students for electing in high school to seize an opportunity and work full time while their friends are in Costa Rica, Bethany Beach, Camp and many at family houses at the Jersey Shore. I came back to the Twomentor offices and asked two of our awesome interns, Delia and Matt, to join in and share our top 15 pieces of advice to start interning with your best foot forward. Here are my top recommendations followed by Delia's and Matt's great insights: JULIE'S TAKE: 1] Finding Yourself Professionally. An internship will teach you what you like and what you don't like professionally. This is invaluable experience as it might give you insight to help inform your college major and the direction you might want to go in life. Having confidence in yourself professionally before you go to college (ideally) is equivalent to having keys for a new car. You will need it and an internship will give you merit-based self esteem. Advertisement 2] Avoid the Jellyfish. Study the culture of the company you are working for and try to avoid the jellyfish (politics/ gossip) you are swimming with. Yes, even adults can play games like middle schoolers, have childhood fears, and you don't want to be in the mix with people who are negative or causing harm professionally to their peers. Remember the adage: Culture eats strategy for lunch. Also, if there is a Debbie or a Dan downer in the office, just be polite. Maybe they are going through something hard at home. Try not to judge too much. 3] Get Focused Early. Define with your boss your A, B, and C priorities. Focus on doing an amazing job and delivering on your 'A' and 'B' priorities first. If you have too much on your plate and are given more daily ask your manager to help you prioritize what's an 'A' or a 'B' and expected deadlines. This is called managing the manager. Please keep a journal and write things down so you remember what you've been tasked with. 4] Socialize. Go to out of work events with your colleagues, managers, and more. One of the students from Sidwell already joined the company softball team for the summer. People do business with people they like. Be likable. Offer to get someone a cup of coffee or grab lunch for them here and there. It's kind and appreciated for sure. 5] Capture Metrics! So Matt (who you will hear from below), gets really proud when we get 'At bats' with senior executives and leaders. An 'at bat' is a first call and we have a goal of having 20 calls always on the whiteboard. The thing is once we've had three calls, we are down to 17 and Matt (and our other awesome intern Febin from Georgetown University) want to make sure we stay at 20... when we hit 20, he (and I) are thrilled and we all need to celebrate small wins. Advertisement 6] Get a Good Housekeeping Seal of Intern Approval. Offer to help write a reference letter at the end on how you did this summer. Bottom line, you want one before you leave from your supervisor or another key executive. Offer to draft something and definitely give him/her a one pager on your summer accomplishments and results for the files. It's much harder to get a letter after you leave the internship for the sheer fact that people get busy. 7] Keep Connected. Have a Linkedin profile yet? Create one and connect with the key people you met on your summer journey including your boss. Send authentic personal thank you notes to anyone who touched you and helped you, and keep people in your network. These relationships are golden and you will want to maintain them for years to come. 8] Find a Mentor. Find someone at your office who you found welcoming to you when you started the internship or that you just fundamentally get along with. A person who has been there and has more experience in the company. A person who is generous with feedback and/or sharing perspectives. Ask that person to lunch or coffee to initiate a mentoring relationship and share some of your internship goals. DELIA'S TAKE: Advice from Delia Borbone, Furman University, The Washington Center Summer Associate 9] Be Open-Minded. When you first start an internship, you go in being prepared to share what you like to do, what your skills are, and what your work style is. Yes, you will be given assignments where your skills will shine, but that will not be the case every time. The whole point of an internship is to be exposed to the unknown and challenge yourself. Don't say no to a project because you don't think you will be able to do it perfectly. Taking on a task that you aren't familiar with and putting in your best effort means a lot more. Take advantage of the many opportunities given to you, and remember that if you mess up it's okay, this isn't permanent. This is a time to explore all possibilities; you may end up learning about or liking something that you had no knowledge of before. I will be the first to admit that I'm hesitant to venture out of my comfort zone, whether it be trying new food, meeting new people, or taking on an "out of the box" assignment. More often than not, I find out something new about myself that I'm actually good at or really like doing. 10] Be Confident in Yourself. Whether it is work, school, doing a presentation, or an internship, almost everyone is nervous the first time they are doing something. Being nervous is natural, but don't let it take over. When you lack self-confidence, others around you notice. Believe in yourself and what you are doing. No one expects you to know how to do everything, that is why it's an internship. It is easy to be overwhelmed by your new surroundings, but don't be afraid to ask questions and speak up. The best way to shake your nerves is to jump right into the new culture around you and fully embrace it. So be confident and show your peers and superiors your potential! Yes, I know this is easier said than done. It's easy for me to think I'm not nervous until I walk into a room for the first time. Once I do though, I make myself ask more questions or add to the conversation until it becomes natural. 11] Be Positive. Everyone has a bad day now and then. No one likes waking up late, forgetting something, or spilling your coffee on your shirt. Meetings may not always go as planned and you won't always see eye-to-eye with everyone. Things happen! However, how you choose to carry on with your day is key. You can let those things ruin the rest of your day, or you can put them out of your mind and focus on what is next. Having a positive attitude influences everything around you. If you're still annoyed by the time you get to work, you'll most likely be annoyed about any other mishaps during the day. However, if you choose to let it go and think positively, you can still have great day! Staying positive, no matter the circumstance, is the difference between having a bad day versus a fair day, or a fair day verses a great day. It's hard to not let the little things get to you, I let them get to me more than I'd like to admit. When this happens I tell myself that someone out there is probably having a worse day than I am, something worse could have happened, and that I am the only one standing in the way of making my day better by dwelling on it. MATT'S TAKE: Advice from Matt Curry, Radford University, Summer Associate 12] Ask Questions. The whole point of interning for a company is to learn new skills and hone in on existing ones. Asking questions will only increase your knowledge repertoire. Personally, I know that sometimes I need additional information or I even miss vital directions in completing a task. So it is essential for me to ask questions to be able to understand exactly what I need to do and thus, finish the job effectively and on time. Also, asking for feedback is an additional way to gain insight on your progress and what you can do to improve your work. Don't stop there though! Be sure to make a conscious effort to implement said feedback into your work efforts. 13] Know Your Goals. Knowing precisely what you want to get out of interning is very important to learning usable skills and ideas that you can apply in the future. These goals should be specific and challenging, yet broad and feasible enough to perform in only a few months. You'll still learn a great deal going into the office on the first day, naive of your goals. However, knowing what you want to get out of the experience will ensure your time is well spent. Furthermore, it's a good idea to inform your boss what your goals actually are. This way you will be assigned work that is in alignment with your ambitions. 14] Build a Network. Assuming you don't live under a rock you've heard the phrase, "it's not about what you know, but about who you know." Don't get me wrong, once the right person helps get your foot in the door it is, in fact, about what you know. But getting there has a lot to do with your connections. Having said that, it's important to meet as many people as possible that could later help you with your professional life. The reason I'm here right now, working this awesome internship, isn't because I'm super smart, but rather because I knew the right person. It's imperative to constantly build a network of reliable and upstanding people around yourself. 15] Be Observant. One of the most efficient ways to learn from interning is to be attentive of the business professionals around you. How do they conduct business? What behaviors do they exhibit? How do they communicate with customers? Try to listen up on sales calls or sit in on meetings to witness exactly what makes them successful. Obviously they're doing something right, so figure out exactly what that is! Interning is not only about what you can do for your company BUT what your company can do for you too. You are learning and improving professionally, just as you are helping your company advance in its industry. Realize that the effort you put in will be reciprocated with insight and experience that is invaluable to your success. The greater degree you advance your company the more you'll learn and be remembered in years to come. Advertisement By the way, did you know 95% of employers said that candidate experience is a factor in hiring decisions according to the latest annual survey by National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). "Not only does participation in an internship make the student a more attractive candidate, but it can also be an avenue to a job," says NACE Executive Director Marilyn Macke. Cheryl Clarke's new poetry collection is By My Precise Haircut (The Word Works Press, 2016). By My Precise Haircut is the winner of the Hilary Tham Capital Competition, judged by Kimiko Hahn. Clarke is the author of Narratives: poems in the tradition of black women (1982), Living As A Lesbian (1986), Humid Pitch (1989), Experimental Love (1993), the critical study, After Mecca: Women Poets and the Black Arts Movement (Rutgers Press, 2005), and The Days of Good Looks: Prose and Poetry 1980-2005 (Carroll and Graf, 2006). Julie R Enszer: Your collected prose and poetry came out in 2006 from Carroll & Graf under the title The Days of Good Looks. What is striking about that collection is the way your poetry and prose work together and evolve together for you as a writer and thinker. Can you talk about how the two impulses one to poetry and one to prose operate for you as a writer? Advertisement Cheryl Clarke: The will to revision. I expand and contract. Poetry and essay take the same kind of time limited-impulse, an impulse to dailiness--the quotidian, especially most of the essays included in The Days, which are more journalistic than for-all-time. The use of the titles of my books of poetry to name four of the five sections of The Days creates the sense of evolution and intersection between the poetry and prose. The publisher, part of the Perseus Group, which has now been bought by Hachette, wanted to leverage more attention to the prose. I spent a lot of time editing that collection--arranging, proofing, line and copy editing. I even asked them for more money, because of the amount of work I had to do on that collection. Much of what you see as "striking" is my editing. You see my commitments to certain leitmotifs in the collection: the poems that show the phrase "living as a lesbian," which emphasizes my dedication to lesbian community, e.g. from "Living as a lesbian: a futuristic fantasy" in Living As A Lesbian to "living as a lesbian fin de siecle" in the final section, "The Days of Good Looks"; the lesbian narratives "Althea and Flaxie" (Narratives: poems in the tradition of black women) and "Vicki and Daphne" (Living As A Lesbian); in the beginning of the collection you see the two iconic essays, "Lesbianism" and "Failure to Transform" talked about previously from the 1980's to the 2000 essay "Lesbianism 2000," which corrects some of the monolithic politics of the "Lesbianism," to the critiques of the marriage politics of the lesbian and gay communities in "The Prong of Permanency" and of black respectability and the black church in "Ecstatic Fallacies"--the two essays which conclude the collection; the tributes to the slave narrative, "Bulletin," "Sisters Part," and "no place" from Humid Pitch (which concern I reprise in By My Precise Haircut with "Belinda's Petition.") Then, the final section, "The Days of Good Looks," is comprised of poems and essays after 2001--the poems seem to layer the narrative and the lyric techniques, as in the multi-part poems, "The Days of Good Looks" and "Dreams of South Africa," and the "documentary" poem "A Sister's Lament," which continues my tradition of poems that honor black women in the military, like "Hanging Tough in the Persian Gulf" in Experimental Love (1993). The essays in the collection record my concerns for writing about literature, like "Living the Texts Out" which first appeared in the collection, Theorizing Black Feminisms (ed. James and Busia, 1990) all the way to "Pomo Afro Homo Vexing of Black Macho in the Age of AIDS," which would appear in Corpus, one of the publications of of AIDS Project Los Angeles in 2006, as well in The Days. I would love for someone to update The Days of Good Looks. JRE: Many people might only know you from your ovular 1981 essay, "Lesbianism: An Act of Resistance". This essay both defines lesbianism and challenges definitions of lesbianism. It continues to be widely read and taught. What meaning does it continue to carry for you? CC: I am happy for the energy I put into the "Lesbianism: An Act of Resistance." The energy reflects a time during the Women in Print Movement, mid-'70s-to mid-'80s when all of us were glorying in independent publishing, public readings of our writing, and celebrating our institutions, e.g., theaters, centers, bookstores. I am also happy for its seeming timelessness, as timeless as the anthology in which it first appeared, This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color (1982). But I say to the audiences who only know me because of "Lesbianism" or "The Failure to Transform: Homophobia in the Black Community" from Home Girls: A Black Feminist Anthology, I have continued to write both essays and poetry. Advertisement JRE: One of the things you talk about in the essay is working and loving relationships between black and white women. You wrote, "We, as black lesbians, must vehemently resist being bound by the white man's racist, sexist laws, which have endangered potential intimacy of any kind between whites and blacks." Has this changed in the thirty-five years since you wrote the essay? How? CC: Both you and I are in interracial relationships. And, of course, we are committed to living in an imagined world where our relationships are honored. The danger to potential and actual intimacy between black and white women is still prevalent and present, but that danger does not let any of us off the hook for emotional honesty. I think the critiques of black women who are in relationships with white women have abated some. If I sense lack of approval of my interracial self, the extent to which I will speak about it to those individuals depends upon how much I want them in my life. Lesbian-feminism is responsible for the interracial relationship (smile) between women. Many white lesbian-feminists are my best friends. I still regret ending "Lesbianism" with an appeal to love, however. This is what we do when we can't go anywhere else. JRE: By My Precise Haircut comes out twenty-three years after your last collection of poetry, Experimental Love. What accounted for the long pathway between these two collections? What challenges do you experience as a writer staying in print and in literary conversations? CC: Every writer who continues to write has to depend on intergenerational audiences. I feel I owe a debt of gratitude to Women's and Gender Studies departments, which have kept us in the "conversations" of those committed to studying and reading and learning from the writing of women; and to activists who have kept me in their lives and have continued to be influenced by my insights. I continued to be asked to submit my writing to anthologies, collections, and other publications since 1993. And I continued to write, which helps. I always try to keep a manuscript going. Audre Lorde advised me back in 1982, after Narratives, when she still was on the Kitchen Table collective, "Cheryl, you should be working on your next book." I have tried to follow that advice. Also, thanks to scholars like you, Julie, I have been able to continue to contribute to our literary conversations. You have asked me to participate on Sinister Wisdom's Board, to be a poetry judge for the Deming Fund, to co-edit with you the Journal of Lesbian Studies special issue "Where Would I Be Without You" on the friendship between Pat Parker and Judy Grahn. You also are responsible for entering me into the Hilary Tham Contest sponsored by The Word Works Press, from which my manuscript, By My Precise Haircut, was chosen by judge, Kimiko Hahn, in February of 2015. Advertisement JRE: I am committed to intergenerational literary citizenship. Classic lesbian-feminist publisher Firebrand Books published your earlier work, and Narratives was distributed by and then reprinted by Kitchen Table Press. Can you talk about the role of the feminist press in your life as a writer? CC: Were it not for the feminist press, you would not know about Cheryl Clarke. JRE: On one hand The Days of Good Looks is a pinnacle of your writing career, but on the other hand, I feel like you are still deeply and actively engaged in producing new work. What project--or projects--are you working on next? CC: I am always writing. I work on poetry every week. I want to write a book of essays entitled "Adult Black Culture: Gaining Entry." And I will talk about its title in the introduction to the collection. I am working on a poetry manuscript--no title as yet. JRE: We will all stay tuned for the next book! Old lady sitting with her hands in her lap touches the wedding ring on her finger as if fondly remembering her husband and happier days A brazen bit of name and place dropping: At the White House last week, President Obama spoke of the strides his administration has accomplished for LGBT people as well as the fact that there are still so many things left to do. It was his eighth LGBT Pride Reception, and as I stood just feet from him, I found that that word, "pride," was a thing I felt deeply. I know he has "evolved" on LGBT issues; I have no problems with that, for it's what thoughtful people do. In the end, through their own soul-searching, they get it right. I felt pride in a president who has gotten so much right. A lot of my friends were saying that they felt proud of me. I'm not sure why. What I had done required no soul-searching at all. They tell me it was "brave" of me to transition back in the 90s, before people understood transsexuals and before there were any other examples of anyone doing what I was doing as a teacher, but I wonder how brave it can be to do the only thing in the world that you actually can do. In 1998, I knew I had only two choices laid out clearly before me: transition or die. There was no third option; I could not go on living as I had been. Advertisement "In 1998, I knew I had only two choices laid out clearly before me: transition or die. There was no third option." In the beginning: Not that it was an easy road. At the time, we had a couple of gay math teachers and a gay English teacher. There were a few others, but they weren't out, and the ones who were out didn't talk about it. And then I came along. I'd been working in the English Department for fifteen years when I lost the battle against gender dysphoria. I mean I had known all my life, of course, since I first noticed that there was a physical difference between girls and boys (and I'm a fairly bright person with five siblings, so that was at about age three) but I had long abandoned hope of ever actually transitioning. When I was growing up (the 60s and 70s) doing that was unheard of and, as I later discovered when I did hear of it, very, very expensive. So my daily childhood prayer (Dear God, just let it be gone when I wake up) was slowly replaced by something more like an unattainable fantasy. Not that I didn't try once in awhile. I had to: I'd been harboring a deep secret that had rendered me "the weird kid" in my neighborhood and school. I needed at least to make the token attempt to bring it into the open, even if I was terrified of what might happen. There was a "Dear Abby" column once, a woman writing for advice because her son was going to become a woman. What can I do, Abby? How can I even face my friends? Abby kicked her butt: Your child is a transsexual, and will be facing a very difficult life. It's a one in a million chance, but there you go. All you can do now is to love and support your daughter and stop thinking about yourself. (I loved Abby.) So I took the letter to my mom and just gave it to her to read. I stood there while she did, waiting for her response. Finally, she looked up, stared at me for a long moment, and said, "Honey, you aren't one in a million." Advertisement I never tried after that. She'd proven that she just didn't see the problem, or didn't want to discuss it. Either way, it was over; she'd shut it down. (Ironic footnote: later, after transition, I asked her about that. She had no recollection whatsoever of the conversation.) Anyway, I just gave up, allowing a "male" personality to take over my daily life so I could live it. And I lived it as well as I could for the next 28 years. I went to college according to a sort of checklist. What would a guy do? Well, join a fraternity. Check. Though it was a scholars' fraternity... Get a girlfriend. OK... so I spent the whole of freshman year trying to find one. What did I know of that? I'd never really had one before except for a brief relationship with a girl my sister set me up with in high school; I had agreed mostly as a kind of beard. Speaking of which: grow a beard. Check. In May I finally found a girlfriend. Check. Decided it was so hard to find her, I'd just marry her. Did. I basically abdicated running my life to this second personality I had invented; it was the only way I could live. And yet I told myself I "had it all under control." Ha! I'm not sure what kind of "control" there is when you are thinking about something every minute of every day. Still, we are capable of incredible self-delusion. And anyway I didn't really give a crap about my life; I just wanted to live it as well as I could, get through it, and get it over with. I told myself I was thirty when I was 28. I called myself middle-aged when I was in my lower thirties. I was in a rush to move things along. Advertisement "I basically abdicated running my life to this second personality I had invented; it was the only way I could live. And yet I told myself I 'had it all under control.' Ha! We ended up with three children, though the last ten years of our marriage was mostly a friendship. And during those ten years, my mind was coming apart at the seams: I'd met a transperson -- ironically through my wife -- and just meeting him had opened so many doors I couldn't shut again that by 1998, terrifying or not, I knew I needed to take a leap. The actual transition part: You can't do that here! Everyone told me this wealthy, conservative suburb was the last place I'd be able to make this sort of thing work. But I thought: Might as well try. One of the gay math teachers, when I told him what was going to happen, said, "Well, I guess that takes the pressure off of us!" As far as my research, the school's research, and the research of the myriad news outlets that covered my transition could tell in those pre-internet days, I was the very first school teacher in America who had ever transitioned on the job without stopping, remained in the same assignment, and made it work. I just left in June as Mr. and returned in the fall as Ms. on a day when TV news trucks lined the streets in front of the school. Both Chicago papers did feature stories about me; the Tribune offered me the cover of its glossy Sunday supplement for an interview. Oprah, Jerry Springer, and Rachel Ray wanted me on. I was the talk of all of the TV news and talk radio stations. But I granted no interviews: I had little children and, in those days, I was afraid of violent reprisals. I didn't want my children caught in the crossfire should anything happen. Nothing ever did, but of course violence against transpeople is an ongoing concern even today. I had plenty of support from the school and from the students and parents I knew, so things went surprisingly smoothly, give or take a bump or two in the road. The few harassments I had were quickly dispatched by the administration and never happened again. It wasn't perfect, but it was far better than I had hoped: I lost my marriage and several long-time friends, my father and one sister wouldn't have a relationship of any kind with me for the next seven years, and some old-boy colleagues just couldn't figure it out. But most of my friends and family, as well as my children, were still with me, and I still had my career, so all in all I thought I'd fared very well despite the anguish, the tears, the pain, and the difficulties. But that was 1998, and the world is a totally different place now. I see it around me, in the news, in the lives of my students, and in the life of my own transgender son. Today I just introduced myself to you. In future blogs, I'll discuss some of these changes and how they've come about, and what current political issues might mean for the future of LGBT-especially trans-youth and adults in the U.S.. -- "How wonderful it is that no one has to wait, but can start right now to gradually change the world." -Anne Frank The violence of Saturday night's mass shooting in Orlando, FL. has left many parents and educators wondering how to purposefully discuss the event, which was the deadliest attack on American soil since 9/11, with their children. It is hard enough as an adult to confront and try to understand this depth of evil, and some voices, from celebrities to newspapers to our own Vice President, are saying that prayers are not enough. In the face of so much hatred and destruction of life, what can we do that is productive? As parents, educators, and role models for children, we can take action by encouraging tolerance in today's youth. Advertisement Developing a tolerant mindset Tolerance is about respecting human dignity and maintaining a fair and objective attitude toward those whose opinions and practices differ from your own, as long as these opinions aren't being used to incite violence or unlawful behavior. To help children learn that diversity is something to celebrate and not fear, the National Crime Prevention Council recommends taking the following steps: Bring into your home toys, books, TV programs, and records that reflect diversity. Provide images of nontraditional gender roles, diverse racial and cultural backgrounds, and a range of family lifestyles. Show that you value diversity through your friendships and business relationships. What you do is as important as what you say. Advertisement Make and enforce a firm rule that a person's ethnic background is never an acceptable reason for teasing or rejecting someone. Provide opportunities for your children to interact with others who are racially or culturally different and with people who have disabilities. Look for opportunities in the neighborhood, school, after-school and weekend programs, places of worship, camps, concerts, and other community events. Respectfully listen to and answer your child's questions about people's differences. If you ignore questions, change the subject, sidestep, or scold your child for asking, you may suggest that the subject is bad or inappropriate. Teach your child ways to think objectively about bias and discrimination and to witness against these injustices. Set an example by your own actions. Teaching tolerance Religion is one of the major motivators behind hate crimes, and a topic that can be covered with children from an early age. Rabbi and relationship expert Sherre Hirsch suggests using a house metaphor. Advertisement "In a house you've got a front door, a back door, a side door, a doggy door- you have all these doors that lead into the central place, usually the kitchen. But no matter what door you come in, you always arrive at the same place," says Hirsch, the first female rabbi of Sinai Temple, Los Angeles. "So that's what I tell my children. People practice religions, they think about God differently, but we're all just ending up in the kitchen. We're just coming through different doors." But religion is not the only source of friction between groups of people. In order to teach an overall sense of tolerance, try these strategies from the National Association of School Psychologists: Model compassion and acceptance of differences. Children take their emotional cues from the significant adults in their lives. Avoid making negative statements about any racial, ethnic, or religious group. Reach out to your neighbors and colleagues who might feel at risk because of their ethnicity, religion or other traits. Provide useful information. Accurate information about people, events, reactions, and feelings is empowering. Use language that is developmentally appropriate for children. Make sure all information is factually true. This is especially important when news reports have negative statements about any specific group. Discuss historical instances of American prejudice. Internment of Japanese Americans after Pearl Harbor and the backlash against Arab Americans during the Gulf War are obvious examples. Teachers can do lessons in class, but parents can also discuss the consequences of these events and encourage their children to suggest better choices that Americans can make this time. Identify "heroes" of varying backgrounds involved in response to traumatic events. These include firefighters, police officers, rescue workers, military personnel, public officials, medical workers, teachers, faith leaders, public figures, and regular citizens who work to help keep students, families, schools, and communities safe. Discuss how it would feel to be blamed unfairly by association. Ask children if they have ever gotten in trouble for something a sibling or friend did and how they felt. Would they like it if their entire class were punished for the actions of one student and if they think this would be fair? Older children might want to consider what would have happened if all white American males had been condemned for the Oklahoma City bombing. Advertisement Follow KidsInTheHouse.com on Twitter and Facebook About Kids in the House Kids in the House is the ultimate parenting resource. With a searchable database of over 9,000 parenting videos, parents can easily access solutions to the full range of parenting challenges that occur between pregnancy and college. Learn from over 500 top experts, including doctors, educators, professional athletes, business leaders, celebrities, best-selling authors and parents like you! For more information about Kids in the House, please contact Kids in the House at (310) 899-6026 or office@kidsinthehouse.com. Since ancient times, compounds containing mercury have been used in the treatment of skin diseases and other ailments. However, mercury toxicity was not fully appreciated until March 8, 1809 when two British ships, the HMS Triumph and HMS Phipps, came to the rescue of a Spanish ship that had been damaged in a hurricane. They rescued the crews and transferred the valuable cargo of mercury. Within weeks, the crews began to experience the effects of mercury poisoning , eventually many were hospitalized and some died. Mercury was known to ancient peoples and was even found adorning a 15th century BCE ceremonial cup in an Egyptian tomb. Aristotle authored the earliest record of what he called "fluid silver" or quicksilver in the 4th Century BCE. Mercuric chloride, calomel, was used as an antiseptic to kill bacteria while mercuric sulfide is used to make the bright red vermillion paint. Mercury was also commonly used in batteries, fluorescent lights, thermometers, barometers and felt production leading to dementia in those workers and the phrase "mad hatters" coined by Lewis Carroll in Alice in Wonderland. Mercury has been used to extract gold and silver by a process of amalgamation. The Spanish ship was transporting mercury to South America for the extraction of silver. On March 16th some of the mercury was transferred into the sloop HMS Phipps. The cargo had been saturated with water leading to rotting containers with several tons of mercury leaking into the lower decks and holds of both ships. Mercury quickly contaminated everything on the lower decks. Within 3 weeks, mercury poisoning appeared among the crews. Symptoms of mercury poisoning were excessive saliva secretion, mouth ulcerations, and partial paralysis as well as lung and bowel complaints. At an estimated temperature below decks of 68 degrees F, the saturation point of mercury would have been 140 times the maximum allowable concentration. Those with the highest exposure, some of whom later died, suffered from dramatic swelling of their heads and tongues, lost their teeth and suffered from gangrene of the face and tongue. By mid-April, 200 men, one third of the crew, showed signs of mercury poisoning. On April 22nd, the men were transferred to hospital ships and the Triumph was inspected by four fleet surgeons. The Triumph was a large 79 gun ship of the line. The very different structure of the sloop HMS Phipps lessened the impact of mercury on board, though some of her sailors were also affected. The Triumph was cleaned and returned to service in June only to have fresh cases of mercury poisoning appear. By June 13th, she was ordered to sail home to England which took 40 days and despite numerous precautions, additional men became ill, but the symptoms were not as severe. The Triumph was emptied and little is known about her fate other than she became a quarantine ship before being broken up in 1850. Though poisoning with mercury was known, accidental poisoning by mercury vapor was rare and the incident on the Triumph is unique in the history of toxicology. It gave everyone a fuller appreciation for the dangers of mercury poisoning. It was June 2015. At a dark and lonely train station on the border of Macedonia and Serbia, a humanitarian tragedy was unfolding. Thousands of men, women, and children--people of all faiths from the Middle East--were fleeing the horrors of war. Often bereft of any last possessions but a backpack, a cell phone, and perhaps a bit of bus money, these civilians had once been well off, even affluent, but had lost everything. Advertisement If they made it past the missiles at the borders of Turkey, if they made it across the sea without drowning in their attempts to reach the shores of Europe, if they made the long journey north through Greece, they arrived in Macedonia. From there they hoped to make their way to Western Europe to find safety and asylum. The trains they arrived in were crowded, damaged, and dirty. At the station where they disembarked, there was no aid organization, no shelter, and no one to offer directions to their next destination. Refugees often got lost in the open wilderness. And that was when Team Studenicani appeared. Megan and William Tucker with Team Studenicani. Photo by Orhan Ferati. It all started when Suat, a local man from the nearby village of Studenicani, visited the station one day. When he returned home, he told his friends what he had seen. One by one, they visited the station as well, and saw the human tragedy before their eyes. One of his friends was Naip, a local window installation professional. "I saw a pregnant woman sleeping in a toilet stall," Naip told me, holding back tears. "I couldn't take it. I had to do something. And one day, I brought my two-year-old son with me. He saw a refugee boy his age, shivering with cold, and gave his jacket to him. I couldn't believe my eyes! Even a two-year old could sense the desperation of the refugees at the station." And so, the team formed--a group of renegade humanitarians who would not stand by and watch the suffering of their fellow man. Night after night, when their day jobs were finished, they showed up. They escorted refugees through open fields to their next destination, carrying flashlights, babies, and bags. They built makeshift bridges over rivers. They constructed wood stoves from barrels, to keep people warm. They made ponchos from nylon sheeting to conserve costs. By day, they supported their families. By night, they supported refugees. It was not uncommon for them to sleep only two hours a night. Hfz-fati, a devout Muslim who has memorized the entire Koran, was a part of the team from the beginning. "We help all refugees," Hfz-fati told me. "It doesn't matter what their religion is--Christian, Jew, or Muslim. They are all our brothers. They are all humans, and they deserve our help." Why did these men do this? Why did they give up their off-hours to help thousands of strangers who didn't even speak their language? "When you see it in front of your eyes, it's different," said Orhan, another key team member. "It's different from reading about it, or hearing about it. You see it. You can not sit by and do nothing." Orhan Ferati holding a refugee child during aid distribution in Idomeni, Greece. Photo by Ashley Wiley. And so it went. Month after month, night after night, Team Studenicani was at the border camp, providing support. Over time, other humanitarian aid organizations began to appear and offer help alongside the team. But Team Studenicani had a special reputation. 100% unpaid, 100% volunteer, their work came from the heart. Often the first to arrive and the last to leave, they set the example for the rest to follow. Advertisement To miss the arrival of a refugee train was unthinkable, even if it meant staying at the camp all night to wait--and many a visitor has told stories of these men walking around the camp barefoot, having given their shoes away to refugees. "One night in October," Naip told me, "it was raining so, so hard. There were thousands of people without shelter. We gave out every poncho we had. Then we gave away our own jackets, but there were still many people shivering and wet. I got into the car with Suat, and closed the door. We sat there for a moment, trying to think. I turned around and saw a tear in Suat's eye. "Then my phone rang. "'Are you Naip?' a voice asked in Albanian. "'Yes,' I said. "'I have 2000 ponchos for you,' the man answered." Naip was shocked. Sure enough, a few hundred meters away, someone had dropped off thousands of ponchos for them. They never found out who their anonymous donor was, but every refugee got a poncho that night. In November 2015 I became one of the luckiest women in the world when a chance encounter introduced me to Ziko, a key member of Team Studenicani. That night I visited the camp and worked with the team. We joined forces, founded Winter Clothes for Refugees, and spent the next months at the station together, putting warm clothing on shivering human beings. Eventually we formed a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Charity United, which provides refugee aid to this day. But without Team Studenicani, it never would have happened. Megan Tucker working with Ruzhdi Ferati (center), a member of Team Studenicani, to dress a refugee child in northern Macedonia. Photo by Hfz Fati Shabani. Advertisement It's now nearly a year later. Team Studenicani has never abandoned its task. They are on the ground regularly, not only in Macedonia but also now in Greece, distributing food, clothing, and vital supplies to refugees. It is times like these that we learn that the world is full of good people--and team Studenicani may be one of the best examples I have ever known. This is the way the world ends Not with a bang but a whimper. T.S. Eliot America needs a political revolution, as Bernie Sanders has been telling us for a year. But his "What's Next" livestream last week was disappointingly un-revolutionary. Why Revolution? Moneyed wealth virtually always gets what it wants from government. This is not just because of Citizens United. A peer-reviewed study conducted by researchers at Princeton and the University of Chicago documents that the pattern had already been true for decades. The "billionaire class" has a stranglehold on the legislative process. Therefore it can block attempts at reform via constitutional amendment. Its influence dominates the executive branch, which enforces or fails to enforce the laws, and much of the judiciary. Its corporations control most people's media sources for understanding what is happening. I've seen no one even try to demonstrate that the .01 percent will allow us to amend away their near-monopoly on political power through electoral reforms. Advertisement To know how ruthless that class can be when it feels threatened, one need only look at their agents' federally-coordinated dispersal of Occupy encampments, infiltration and disruption of and violence against the Black Panther Party, 1950s repression of a Communist Party that basically organized people for what Bernie espouses, and unbroken decades of bloody foreign operations. Political Revolution Dampened Down Yet in last Thursday's broadcast, Bernie seemed to reduce the political revolution to this: Prioritizing the defeat of Donald Trump Getting good people to run for local offices Trying to persuade Hillary Clinton to support a progressive party platform, make Democrats actually work for that agenda, and transform the party into one that serves the 99%, not the 1%. I have enormous respect for the courage and energy Bernie has shown in carrying a message that includes so much of what we need. But I think he gave us a recipe that liberals (and I was one) have been trying for decades. The recipe hasn't worked, because, as Bernie so often tells us, the super-rich have a lock on our political system. Improving Democrats' Rhetoric Let's look at a couple of Bernie's major points. I look forward, in the coming weeks, to continued discussions between the two campaigns to make certain that your voices are heard and that the Democratic Party passes the most progressive platform in its history and that Democrats actually fight for that agenda. Bernie Sanders, 6/16 address A year ago Robert Reich urged Hillary to start using populist rhetoric and, under Bernie's pressure, she has. Well, Barack Obama did, too. But then he supported big-bank bailouts while millions lost their homes, named Eric Holder a Wall Street white-collar-crime defense attorney attorney general, pushed the TPP and TTIP, vastly expanded a drone program that kills nine "collaterals" for every person targeted for assassination, went after whistleblowers but not torturers, defended a new law that gives the military authority to imprison indefinitely any of us whose activities it claims supports terrorists, oversaw an unprecedented number of deportations, and initiated a dangerous new trillion-dollar nuclear-weapons program. Neither Republicans nor the tough economic situation Obama inherited made Obama do any of these things; corporate corruption of him and his party did. So if Bernie's talks with Ms. Clinton lead her to now promise "change we can believe in," can we believe her? She tells us, in effect: "True, I raised tens of millions of dollars from corporate heads, often at $225,000 for an hour-long speech. But you can trust me to represent you, not them. I conned them into believing they'd get their money's worth, but they won't. You, however, can trust me I would never con you." She's trustworthy because she's a good con artist. Give me a break. As for battling about the Democratic platform, its contents have never mattered to anyone but the delegates at the convention. American parties have no party discipline every candidate is free to campaign using her or his own set of promises and is equally free to break them. What magic wand would make a better set of empty promises less empty? This is not political revolution. Hillary Revolutionizing the Party? I also look forward to working with Secretary Clinton to transform the Democratic Party so that it becomes a party of working people and young people, and not just wealthy campaign contributors: a party that has the courage to take on Wall Street, the pharmaceutical industry, the fossil fuel industry, and the other powerful special interests that dominate our political and economic life. Bernie Sanders, 6/16 address I don't understand. The woman has not disavowed her and her husband's critical roles in the Democratic Leadership Council. That's the group which strategized moving the Party to the right in the 1980s, so that it could get more corporate money. Bill headed it then; Hillary was a member while in the Senate. Advertisement She has not distanced herself from the first Clinton Administration's strong support for a racist mass incarceration policy. Nor from its continuing the Reagan-era push for deregulation. Nor from its paving the way for the Iraq War by demonizing the Iraqi government, singing the false WMD refrain, conducting overflights and bombings over parts of that country, and imposing murderous sanctions. Nor does she disavow the Wall Street bailouts, war-without-end policies, and too-little-too-late voluntary climate-change goals of the Obama Administration. What is there to talk to this person about? She is the epitome of what Bernie mobilized us to fight against. The Campaign Can Support a Revolutionary Movement I don't know if Bernie, after daily shouting the truth that politics belongs to the billionaire class, is starting to say that the Emperor known as the Democratic Party might be wearing a new suit of clothes after all. What I do know is that sometimes even the best leaders have to have their feet held to the fire by their bases. The campaign did not respond to an appeal to democratize itself. It did not answer a plea to help us organize not only for Bernie's nomination and election, but for building the kind of movement outside the parties, outside the electoral process which he rightly tells us in every speech is needed to bring about revolutionary change. Now some activists, with widely varying perspectives, have posted a signable open letter urging the senator to enable his supporters to find each other and conduct our own dialogues on how to move forward. It suggests alerting them to BeyondBernie.us, a website devoted to that purpose. (Full disclosure: I'm involved in that initiative.) There are all kinds of views on what needs to happen, e.g., taking over the Democratic Party from below and mobilizing to win elective office, starting locally; building an ongoing movement to put pressure on officeholders to do the right thing; even, as I believe, organizing to gradually build a massive movement that can, in time of crisis, nonviolently topple the billionaire class's rule in a revolution that looks like a revolution. Advertisement With the diversity of views among those of us who have backed Bernie's campaign, I submit that he doesn't have the moral right to mobilize us as he has, collect and hold the contact information of millions of us, and then decide on a strategy for us, especially one that seems to contradict the message that drew us in. Given a great deal of evidence of his sincerity, I trust he knows this. Bernie, please raise your sights to where they seemed to be before Thursday's address! Please decentralize! Please help us find each other! Please help us create forums to discuss and debate strategy! We won't all agree, but we can create different centers that each work at whatever level and in whatever way they see fit. quite possibly the worst video ever made... TRONC is the new name for the Tribune Company's new effort at rebranding. The Tribune Company has been around for a long time. Founded in 1847, its flagship paper, the Chicago Tribune was the longtime media powerhouse of its owner Robert McCormick. It owns a lot of newspapers. In 1924, The Tribune Company was amongst the first to get into broadcasting, and, as with its print operations, it become a national media giant. But, as Orson Wells said of Citizen Kane - death came to him, as it must to all men. And by 2008, the once mighty Tribune Company had filed for bankruptcy, yet another victim of the Internet, among other things. Advertisement But.. not so fast. An infusion of new capital and new managment breathed life back into the company and it sought to find its place in the new world of digital journalism. So far, so good. Until yesterday. Earlier this month, the Tribune Company decided to rebrand itself as TRONC, standing for Tribune Online Content. First, whoever came up with tnat name should be fired. Then, this morning, the company released a video that was supposed to explain the company to its employees. Were I an employee watching this, I would have gotten my resume updated and out the door. For a business that is supposed to be embracing video (which is what I think the video is trying to say once you cut through the corporate double speak: Advertisement "It's about meeting in the middle having a tech startup culture meet a legacy corporate culture and then evolving and changing and that's really the fun part." If that's the 'really fun part', please do not invite me to their corporate Christmas party. They're also apparently going to make a major move into video: "Right now, we're averaging about 16% of our article pages have the type of video player that we can monetize. By 2017 we need to get to 50% of our article pages have a Brightcove video player attached to it. " At least, I think that's what they said. If this is their idea of great video, the last thing their readers are going to want is more of these. This video is absolutely terrible. It shows no understanding at all about what makes video work - which is, it has to tell a story, it hast be compelling, it has to hold your interest (and, just my own pet peeve, the two less than dynamic characters they selected to explain all of this (closer to living death) should at least make eye contact with the camera (and with me, the viewer). To whom are they speaking? An invisible third person in the room? But I digress. Finally (in what seemed like hours later) they close by saying: "We're a content company, first, last, and always. The role of tronc is to transform journalism, from pixels to Pulitzers." Dear Tribune Company, If this is the kind of content you intend to produce, then I think you are indeed going to transform journalism, but not from pixels to Pulitzers, but rather from pixels to pathetic. If your organization asked you to help maintain a positive work environment, how would you respond? Would you feel stifled, burned or unable to be authentic? Or would you feel energized, engaged and optimistic about the culture that was trying to be created? Recently the union representing T-Mobile employees contested an employee handbook clause that read: Employees are expected to maintain a positive working relationship with internal and external customers clients, co-workers and management. Their concern was that if employees are discontent they need to be able to freely air that displeasure. And the U.S. National Labor Relations Board ruled in their favor. But does maintaining a positive work environment, mean we can't speak honestly and openly with others? Advertisement "Not at all," said Professor Kim Cameron, Professor of Management and Organizations in the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan when I interviewed him recently. "Honest, straightforward feedback given in a no-nonsense and supportive manner has been found to be immeasurably more effective than harsh or blunt criticism in three critical ways: It motivates performance, is less likely to be misinterpreted, and uplifts rather crushing employees. "Likewise maintaining a positive work environment doesn't mean over-emphasizing soft, touchy-feely, smiley-face, saccharine-sweet, cohesive activities at the expense of the hard-nosed, competitive and challenging aspects of business," he explained. "For an environment to be positive, it needs to be well-rounded." Given negative environments that induce hostility and provoke anxiety have been found to lower productivity, performance, creativity and engagement, whilst positive work environments seem to enable greater productivity, lower turnover, and better health outcomes, Kim believes that despite the T-Mobile case our workplaces will continue to become more positive over time. So how can you help to build a well-rounded positive environment in your workplace? Here are three positive leadership practices Kim recommends based on his research: Deliver constructive and candid feedback - If you want to implement more positive communication, the data shows that you must do so sincerely and authentically -- otherwise it can have the reverse effect. Take every opportunity you can to give people feedback on their strengths, their unique contributions and help them to see where they are performing at their best. Use examples and be as specific as you can. When you need to address a negative event try to stay objective. Describe the problematic situation (rather than evaluating it), identify objective consequences or your personal feelings associated with it (rather than placing blame), and suggest and ask for acceptable alternatives (rather than arguing about who is right or at fault). Value contribution not just achievement - When you value contribution goals (those that benefit others) over achievement goals (those that benefit yourself) researchers have found that you are more likely to experience higher levels of interpersonal trust, more supportive relationships, more meaning in your work and better performance. Giving, contributing and supporting others is what enables us to flourish and yet almost all of our workplace motivation systems are based on the principal of receipt - if you achieve your goals, then we'll give you something. But it turns out that if you give people the chance to contribute, their performance is actually more likely to improve. So when the University of Michigan staff excel they are given a plus one award - a recognition of their own efforts and a chance to award somebody else as well. Develop positive energy networks - positive energy is characterized by a feeling of aliveness, arousal, vitality and zest. It's a life-giving force that researchers have found allows you to perform, to create and to persist and unlock your resources and capacities. Rather than just focusing on physical, psychological or emotional energy - which become depleted when used - try to prioritize relational energy which actually increases as it's exercised and is four times more likely to predict your success, than power or knowledge. You can do this by being a problem solver, rather than a problem creator. Making sure you're fully present during your interactions with other, so they truly feel that they matter to you. Help other people thrive by investing in their improvement and where you can recruit, recognize and reward people for being positive energizers. Advertisement What can you do to make your workplace more positive? Long Island - world-renowned for its single-family homes - has fewer multifamily housing options than other suburbs near New York City. We have fewer rentals than our suburban neighbors in Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York; we pay more in rent, and we have less housing near transit stations. Not surprisingly, Long Island's population between the ages of 18 and 34 dropped 16 percent from 1990 to 2014, according to the Long Island Index, and 72 percent of young Long Islanders say they are likely to leave the area by 2020. Why is it so much harder to build multifamily housing - whether rental, co-op, or condominium - in Nassau and Suffolk counties? To answer that question, the Long Island Index, which is published by the Rauch Foundation, commissioned a former Newsday reporter, Elizabeth Moore, to explore the issue and report on it. The resulting case study - titled "The Long Campaign: What it Takes to Build Apartments on Long Island" - is now available at www.longislandindex.org. It looks at the experience of one developer, AvalonBay Communities, Inc., an equity REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) that has developed more than 250 residential communities across the United States - from California to Massachusetts, Washington to Florida. It has built 10 residential communities on Long Island in the past 25 years and developed others in New York City, Westchester and Rockland counties, Northern New Jersey, and Southern Connecticut. Advertisement The case study compares the approval process on Long Island with nearby and more distant suburbs and explores the timelines of specific developments. It underscores the inevitable variation among different projects but also reveals patterns; it highlights the relative speed of approval in jurisdictions competing with Long Island as well as the root causes of Long Island's slowness. As Elizabeth Moore writes: "Apartment development is complex anywhere, but it becomes truly arcane on Long Island, where multiple layers of government exercise authority but information about the process and its rules is often difficult to uncover... What is known is that land zoned for apartments is vanishingly scarce on Long Island, the home of the nation's first single-family suburbs... So just about every apartment development becomes a case for the zoning board. And that alone adds a minimum of one to two years to any development process... An apartment proposal also may require a subdivision proceeding, a legal change which like a rezoning, has public notice and hearing requirements that can take a year or two..." The good news for Long Island is that the causes for its slowness can be fixed. A fundamental need, for instance, is for communities to consider designating many more locations, ideally downtown, for multifamily housing and to zone them as such "as of right." That will give developers confidence that they can purchase properties in those locations and build accordingly. In addition to "as of right" zoning, consideration should be given to streamlining the permitting process for housing that conforms with zoning regulations. That will bring about more quickly the desired economic benefits. Advertisement The challenge is that it's up to individual communities to decide what kind of housing they want and where. It will, therefore, take a lot of actions by individual communities to change the patterns of the region, which are putting it at an economic disadvantage. Moving in these directions will require enlightened leadership, but it will also energize Long Island's economy, enhance job opportunities, and enable our children and grandchildren, once grown, to live nearby. That's a powerful set of motivators that should provide incentive to communities to consider their interests in light of regional needs. The two are not separate. The days are gone when employees moved to where the businesses are. Today the businesses move to where the employees are, as the growing presence of Silicon Valley companies in New York City readily attests. Long Island needs to focus on attracting younger workers, if we want the businesses that we need to locate here. The key is to develop multifamily housing that young people can afford - and with it the transit-oriented downtowns that attract them as well. Elizabeth Moore's case study points the way. It's time to consider what she's uncovered and to create a Long Island for the 21st century that maintains our renowned lifestyle and traditional values, one of which is to retain and sustain future generations. Advertisement As I drove into the desert for my silent meditation retreat, I was not looking forward to sitting still. I mean, I was because I knew the benefits, but my mind was moving so rapidly I knew the first hour or so would be difficult. I was already jittery from the coffee I consumed and I had conversations and ideas swirling through my awareness. The meditation retreat was right on time. I knew I needed it and truthfully we all do. Let me tell you where my mind was at before the meditation retreat. I was emotionally snagged by the hate and the violence happening around the world. The news had managed to suck me in. People I had liked and respected were spewing hate on-line and racism was becoming more apparent everyday it seemed. Just two days before, I was slightly on edge while sitting with my daughter at LAX airport as I noticed the bomb detection crew parked out front. Advertisement Fear had made its way into my awareness. *places hands over eyes and shakes head* I do the work to choose love over fear, every damn day. Yet still, I am HUMAN. A Course in Miracles teaches us, "No one who lives in fear is truly alive. That's right, fear limits our perception...BIG TIME. I'm not saying that there aren't dangers in the world, because there are many. However, some may never reach us, so why are we living in the mental/emotional prison of fear? Every moment that we choose fear over love, we are essentially wasting time. Worry is a waste. We could spend that precious time focused on solutions. The first thing we must work on is our awareness. This can be tricky when we are so wrapped up in the story that sparked fear in the first place. Let's be clear, the fear limiting many people is more subtle. We have fears of not having enough money, enough talent or fear someone may fall out of love with us. Subtle or not, fear is still fear and it can stunt our personal growth and essentially block success. Fear can keep you hanging onto careers and relationships that cause more pain than joy. This energy also makes us sick. Literally! When we worry, our body releasing the stress hormone cortisol which leads to illness and premature aging. Advertisement Why so much worry? We are viewing the world through a very limited lens. THIS is why I meditate. This is why I choose to enter into days of silence. You see, the point of meditation is not to quiet your mind or shut it down. That's incoherence. We are sitting to gain awareness. To become more coherent. We sit in silence to wake up to the bigger picture. The key is to observe your mind. To become aware that you are not your mind. That voice that never shuts up, even when you are exhausted, is not you. It's only a piece of who we are. We have the ability to train it and look beyond it. So many humans are suffering from a severe case of chronic opinions. The opinions from others and their own. This is extremely draining! Concerning yourself with what another person thinks is a waste of time. It has nothing to do with us as their opinions are formed from their conditioning and history. We must focus on being our authentic self and that becomes more clear during meditation. There's freedom in being present, without worry, expectation or judgment. In meditation you are focusing on the present moment through the observation of your breath, while noticing the illusions your mind projects. Close your eyes and witness this mental movie screen and it's vast capabilities. Past events, fantasies of the future and all sort of imagery and you simply allow it to pass. Remember, you are the observer. Advertisement When we do this we are energetically lifted above the smaller realities of our world to gain a macro perspective of what life truly is. From space, the planet is perfect. The earth is at peace. Our mother Earth is a living being with trillions of life forms inhabiting it. This includes the human race and ultimately the animal kingdom. We choose whether or not to tune into this Universal truth. Do we choose to focus on the smaller realities of the human condition OR do we choose the greater Reality? In these moments we can catch glimpses of universal love, peace and visions for our life. This is liberation, the birthplace of healing. I've healed depression and anxiety through my meditation and ongoing awareness practice. Just four years ago I was diagnosed with a panic disorder, agoraphobia and depression. I couldn't handle open spaces or the freeway without a full-blown panic attack so I was forced to take daily medication. I was so connected with my mind, I allowed it to drive me to chronic pain. I knew I didn't want to live my life this way. So I didn't. I devoted my life to healing. I learned to listen to my feelings for they are divine messengers. I began to get clear on my feelings regarding my environment (work/friends/home), my nutrition and monitored my mental state. I surrendered to becoming my most authentic and BEST self. What are you willing to do to get free? When I drove away from Royal Way Ranch two days later, I was blissful. I was absolutely vibrating at a much higher frequency than when I had arrived. I was fully awake and rich in awareness. Aware of the human condition but not completely consumed by it. Ahhhhh, the spaciousness of emotional F R E E D O M. Advertisement This was my 5th silent retreat, and each one has been unique as my consciousness evolves and life circumstances change. I am forever grateful for the teachings of Rev./Dr. Michael Bernard Beckwith and the creativity expressing through his wife Dr. Ricki Byars Beckwith as chants and sacred song as they facilitated this retreat. So here it is, you have the answer. A sure fire solution to dissolve nearly every fear. A path to uncovering your purpose. A divine sanctuary within where the infinite is revealed to you. Will you choose to enter the silence? It's ready when you are. Iceland's otherworldly stunning landscapes lie in wait. Every corner of this amazing country full of a wonderful variety of beautiful sights. Bubbling mud pools, impending geysers, snow-peaked mountains, impressive waterfalls, spectacular glaciers, striking black-sand beaches, potentially earth-changing volcanos, and iceberg-filled lakes await. Road after road, completely empty - you behind the wheel. This tells the story of the road that circumnavigates this memorable and sparsely populated country - Iceland's Ring Road. Back in May 2011 myself and my husband took the short two and a half hour flight from the UK. Back then we had to trek all the way to Heathrow (!) from our home in Somerset for our flight. Since then the options have vastly increased and you can easily fly from Bristol (and many other local airports). Advertisement We had decided to drive all around the island in our hire car because, after months of research, we realised this was the best way to see most of what Iceland has to offer. The road aptly named 'Route 1' - it's the one main road in Iceland - takes you from the west of the island after flying into Keflavik airport, all the way east, and back to the west of the island. Upon landing in Iceland we knew we were in a remarkable and unique place. We drove those first few miles after leaving the airport, as the majestic mountains stretched out in front of us and the road became our own. The variety of landscapes that exist in such a small area is simply awesome. Parts of this country also feel like you are on the moon, and in fact (history/space-loving/general fact-fans listen up) the Icelandic interior now not accessible to the every-day visitor was used by training astronauts in the 1960s as a rehearsal for their upcoming voyage into space! What also makes Iceland so special at the time of year that we visited is its amount of daylight hours. In May the sun doesn't really set so you have almost 24/7 daylight. This allows you great freedom as you have a much longer day and more time to explore this incredible island. My advice would be use this time wisely and, where possible, visit tourist spots at unusual times to avoid any crowds or tour busses. Advertisement Special highlights for us included: seeing wild reindeer, finding snow at Krafla, all the stunning waterfalls (especially Skogafoss), the Blue Lagoon, visiting ingvellir (as seen in Game of Thrones!) and the exploding Strokkur geyser, the amazing sulphuric landscape of Namaskard, Vik's beautiful black beach and Jokulsarlon's iceberg filled lagoon (amongst many others!). 832 miles in 6 days - and each and every mile worth it! Iceland is a truly spectacular and special place and a place you simply have to visit. All photographs are copyright of Nicola Barnard Photography. Nicola works as a personal travel counsellor and has over 15 years experience of planning and booking trips - including her own destination wedding to Lake Tahoe, California, and her round-the-world honeymoon. Nicola has specialist experience in planning bespoke off-the-beaten-track New Zealand itineraries. In May of this year an Uber driver was charged with attempted murder of two Montgomery County police officers. After dramatically displaying the suspect's 20-foot-long rap sheet, local ABC7-WJLA reporter Kevin Lewis, who broke the story, asked pointed questions in a segment that aired on May 25: "Uber requires all driver-applicants submit to a background check. So how did [suspect Jonathan] Hemming get approved? How long had he been driving for? And what was his star rating? Today we emailed Uber with those questions but got no response." WJLA's report noted that police found weapons, ammunition and drug paraphernalia in Hemming's Uber vehicle, in which he was arrested. Highlighting Uber's role was important because "so much focus has been on their background checks," said WJLA's Lewis. Lewis broke the story on Twitter a little before 1 p.m. on May 25, and later that day WJLA aired his report during the 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. newscasts. Advertisement Do you use @Uber? Here's one driver's criminal record. How did he pass background test? I'm waiting for an answer. pic.twitter.com/62FVgm5iCF Kevin Lewis (@ABC7Kevin) May 25, 2016 The Washington Post covered Hemming's arrest as well. But the Post's article, also published May 25, doesn't mention Uber. "The Post wrote a story about the arrest, WJLA then reported that the suspect was an Uber driver (it was not mentioned by law enforcement)," Post local editor Mike Semel wrote in an email response. "Despite repeated calls to Uber, police, and prosecutors, we weren't able to immediately confirm that Mr. Hemming was an Uber driver." In its May 26 print edition the Post continued to omit the word "Uber," and the paper has yet to publish a follow-up story despite the now-established connection between Hemming and Uber. Advertisement This isn't the only time Uber has faired better in the Post than in other media. The Post, Uber & Bezos "We cover Uber as we would any other company," Post executive editor Marty Baron wrote in an email response to submitted questions. "Jeff Bezos has never had any influence over our coverage." But what Post owner Jeff Bezos does have is a financial stake in Uber. Since the ride-hailing giant is privately owned, the size of Bezos' investment in the company isn't public. "I have no information about the value," Baron wrote. Bezos, who owns the online retail giant Amazon, has an estimated net worth of $63 billion. In 2013 he purchased the Post for $250 million. The Post routinely discloses Bezos' connection when reporting on Amazon, but not Uber. Baron explained why in his email: "Our general policy is to name individual investors when they control or manage a company, when they are active rather than passive investors, when their individual participation in a company is the subject of dispute, or when something about the nature of their participation generates news. In the case of Uber, Jeff Bezos does not appear to be any of those things. Even so, we have frequently identified him as an investor in the company." "If they're going to disclose it sometimes, why not all the time?" asked media critic Adam Johnson. "Either it matters or it doesn't." Shouldn't the Washington Post point out that its owner, Jeff Bezos, owns about $1-3 billion worth of Uber stock? https://t.co/205eGD0D9l Adam H. Johnson (@adamjohnsonNYC) November 4, 2015 Johnson has written about the Post's conflicted coverage of Uber for Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, a media watchdog group. For Johnson, Bezos' Uber investment is newsworthy because of its potential size, as he explained in an email. Advertisement "Back of the napkin math has Bezos owning over $1.5 billion in stock (probably much more soon after they get valued again). That, by definition, gives him influence in the company as any major shareholder would. 'Passive investor' is a meaningless distinction." Uber & Saudi Arabia Uber is now valued at $62.5 billion, more than Ford or General Motors. The company's rapid growth has been fueled by large investors, the most recent being the most controversial. Earlier this month Saudi Arabia announced its Public Investment Fund was investing $3.5 billion in Uber and filling a seat on the company's board. In conjunction with this, Uber announced it would be expanding its operation in Saudi Arabia, the only country in the world that prohibits women from driving. "Uber is profiting from this ban, generating tremendous revenue by providing male drivers to Saudi women who are not allowed to drive," stated a petition from the activist group Codepink. If Uber profits from Saudi Arabia's ban on female drivers then presumably so do its shareholders, including Bezos. Yet the Post's coverage of Saudi Arabia's investment fails to disclose Bezos' stake in Uber. (The Huffington Post disclosed editor-in-chief Arrianna Huffington's seat on Uber's board in its story on the Saudi-Uber partnership.) Also left out of the Post's coverage of the Saudi-Uber partnership are the protests of Saudi women, which have been reported on by other media outlets. "They're investing in our pain, in our suffering," Dr. Hatoon al-Fassi, a professor and women's rights advocate, told Bloomberg. The protests have grown on Twitter, where a popular hashtag (translated from Arabic) is: 'Saudi women announce Uber boycott.' "Saudi women are like cash cows for transport companies," read a tweet cited in a BBC report. "The prevention of women from driving is no more a social matter, but it is now an economic benefit of the government. To God we complain," another user tweeted. But what most distinguishes the Post's coverage may not be its failure to cover the Saudi women's protests, or the lack of disclosure of Bezos' stake in Uber. Rather it's the Post's explanations for Uber's involvement in Saudi Arabia. "For many women in the country, the app and its competitors offer a chance at greater autonomy... If you are a Saudi woman and you want to commute to work or run errands on your own, a ride-sharing app can become an important tool." While nuanced overall, the Post's story offers explanations for the Uber-Saudi partnership which are seldom found in other media reports. "Uber has acknowledged the role its app plays in the country, usually portraying it as a strength. In December the company offered free Uber rides to Saudi women during the first election in which they were legally allowed to vote." "I would take strong issue with your suggestion that the piece was overly favorable to Uber," Post foreign editor Douglas Jehl wrote in an email response. "You have cited two paragraphs from the story, but you have otherwise overlooked the thrust of the piece that took a critical view of this alliance." Kalamazoo Killings On the night of February 20, Uber driver Jason Brian Dalton killed six people and injured two others in Kalamazoo, Michigan, police said. Before, during and after the alleged shootings, Dalton picked up fares in his Uber vehicle, according to media reports. More than an hour before the killings began, a frightened passenger jumped out of Dalton's car. The passenger, Matt Mellen, later spoke with the local CBS affiliate WWMT. "I'm upset because I tried contacting Uber after I had talked to the police, saying that we needed to get this guy off the road." Advertisement After Mellen's interview, several media outlets followed up with stories highlighting Uber's lack of responsiveness. "Passenger says he warned Uber of erratic driver before Kalamazoo killings began," blared an L.A. Times headline. "Uber acknowledged getting complaints about Kalamazoo shooting suspect," read an ABC7-NY headline. The Post's coverage of the shooting, meanwhile, didn't emphasize Uber's inaction to the same extent. "Uber's algorithms could spot crimes in progress. But do we want them to?" read a Post headline. The story (a guest post) discusses the tradeoffs between safety and civil liberties in today's data-rich environment. "Uber screening process drew scrutiny long before Kalamazoo shootings," was the headline of one of several Post stories on Uber's screening. "It was unclear how a background check would have helped," the story noted, since "the suspect in Saturday's shooting did not have a criminal record." "Ultimately, investigators may decide that there was no reliable way to predict that Dalton would, during a single shift on the job, morph from his identity as a driver into his role as a mass killer," the Post reported. Like a number of other Post stories, this one quoted Mellen, but his criticism of Uber's lack of responsiveness wasn't the focus. The Post most forcefully takes Uber to task over its lack of responsiveness in another story, in the final paragraph. "[Mellen and his fiance] said they struggled to figure out how to warn Uber about the dangerous driver. They said they eventually found an e-mail address and sent a lengthy message, but only received a reply from Uber on Sunday around noon, almost a full day after reaching out." In the Post's reporting on the Kalamazoo killings, which is extensive, the newspaper once again failed to disclose Bezos' stake in Uber. Uber & Democracy Public Citizen, the public interest group founded by Ralph Nader, recently released a report examining Uber's operation in eight U.S. cities. While each city's experience is unique, Uber's willingness to bully, lobby, and where necessary flaunt local laws, is consistent throughout. Advertisement .@Uber portrays itself as scrappy, but it's a giant corporation that's disrupting local democracy. Read our report: https://t.co/7BtZF9hzfm Public Citizen (@Public_Citizen) May 18, 2016 "No single company or interest should have the power to use its wealth the way Uber does, overwhelming democracy's deliberative and decision-making processes," Public Citizen president Robert Weissman said in a press release accompanying the report. Uber's astounding growth has coincided not only with accusations of bullying, but also the mistreatment of workers. At any given time, Uber is facing multiple lawsuits on several fronts, including over whether its workers are employees or, as it contends, independent contractors. As Uber continues growing, its stockholders, including Bezos, presumably benefit. And when Bezos' newspaper reports on Uber, a company he's heavily invested in, that is the definition of a conflict of interest. Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, Calif., has been in the news twice in the past two weeks. But the stories weren't about one of its doctors discovering a cure or inventing a new life-saving procedure. They were about 11 tragic deaths that occurred at the hospital and about the hospital's costly and illegal union-busting campaign that forced Huntington into signing a settlement agreement with the California Nurses Association. This is what happens when a hospital puts profits over people -- its patients as well as its employees. It is emblematic of a larger problem -- the corporatization of health care. The 625-bed facility made headlines when it reluctantly admitted that 11 Huntington patients had died between January 2013 and August 2015 after being infected by dangerous bacteria from medical scopes. Another five patients were infected but are still alive. The hospital acknowledged the deaths only after the Pasadena Public Health Department (PPHD) was about to release a report about the outbreak of multi-drug-resistant (MDR) pseudomonas aeruginosa linked to procedures (called endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography) performed with scopes made by the Olympus Corporation. Advertisement The city agency's investigation, which began last August with an unannounced site visit and continued with cooperation from hospital staff, blamed both the design of the scope and the hospital for lapses in infection control. For example, according to the report, the hospital used canned compressed air from Office Depot to dry the scopes -- which is not recommended by the manufacturer or by nationally recognized cleaning guidelines. The PPHD report triggered stories in the Los Angeles Times headlined "11 deaths at Huntington Hospital among patients infected by dirty scopes, city report says" and "Pasadena hospital broke the law by not reporting outbreak, health officials say." Initially, Huntington only notified patients who had been treated with the scope between January and August 2015 about the possibility of infections. The PPHD, after it began its investigation, insisted that Huntington notify all patients who had been treated with the scopes since January 2013. The PPHD had to ask Huntington twice to notify those earlier patients before the hospital complied. The duodenoscope is, according to the Times, "a long snake-like tube with a tiny camera on the tip that is inserted into a patient's throat and upper gastrointestinal tract. It is used to treat cancer, gallstones and other problems in the bile or pancreatic ducts." The PPHD report concluded: "This broad bacterial contamination supports the hypothesis" that the hospital's disinfection and maintenance "were insufficient to prevent the spread of infection." "We take responsibility for the deficiencies outlined in the [Pasadena Public Health Department] report and have taken steps to ensure rigorous compliance going forward," wrote Derek Clark, the hospital's director of public relations, in an email response. Advertisement The same week that the story about the deaths broke, Huntington also made news when it reluctantly agreed to a settlement with the California Nurses Association (CNA). The hospital agreed to rescind the firing of registered nurses Allysha Shin (whose last name was Almada before she was married last October) and Vicki Lin and restore their full back pay. Both were illegally fired as part of Huntington's vicious and expensive anti-union campaign last year. The results of last year's union election were overturned. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) will determine a new election date. Huntington also agreed to abide by labor laws that protect the RNs' right to organize and agreed to post its commitments throughout the hospital and email the notice to all nurses. It would hardly be news that a hospital has agreed to obey the law, except that Huntington so egregiously broke the law last year that they had to put it in writing before CNA would approve the settlement agreement. During last year's organizing campaign, the union caught Huntington engaging in dozens of illegal acts of intimidation designed to prevent the nurses from gaining a stronger voice in their workplace. CNA brought these unfair labor violations to the federal National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which ruled against the hospital. Hospital officials were scheduled to testify on June 6 before an NLRB hearing. But on June 1, the hospital agreed, as part of the settlement with CNA, to set aside the results of last year's election and allow the nurses to move forward with a new election. If you're wondering whether there's a connection between these two news stories -- the 11 deaths and the union battle at hospital -- wonder no longer. There is. Advertisement Sources among nurses and CAN believe that the hospital knew that the deaths were due in part to its negligence in sterilizing its scopes -- and its efforts to keep them secret -- was about to go public, because a Los Angeles Times reporter had been asking questions. Huntington signed the settlement agreement with CNA on May 31. The Times' first story about the scopes scandal came out the next day. Were Huntington's top executives worried about this double whammy of news stories about the hospital's self-inflicted wounds? Better to settle with the union than to expose themselves to more negative publicity at the NLRB hearing, where nurses were prepared to testify about the hospital's outrageous and costly efforts to frighten and intimidate them from organizing and voting for the union. An administrative law judge was slated to review 42 objections to the 2015 election. These included the 175 challenged ballots that led to an inconclusive election result, the firing of Shin and Lin, and other labor law violations committed by Huntington administrators. The NLRB had anticipated a three-to-four-week hearing. "The terms of the agreement make it clear that we have the right to speak out and that the hospital's campaign to silence us must stop," said Terri Korrell, who has been an RN at Huntington Memorial Hospital for 42 years. But there's another important missing piece to the story about the tragic deaths of 11 Huntington patients. Huntington nurses warned hospital management about the problem with unsterilized scopes, but their concerns were ignored. It wasn't until a Huntington nurse expressed concerns to CNA -- which then, protecting the nurse's identity, notified federal health agencies and the Los Angeles Times -- that Huntington removed the scopes and began taking appropriate action. This is one reason that many Huntington nurses were organizing to gain a voice in their workplace. It had to do with patient care -- specifically, the hospital administration's prioritizing of revenue over patient care. In 2014, Huntington nurses felt that they weren't being listened to about this and many other aspects of patient care. So they contacted CNA and began talking about organizing a union. The nurses who called CNA felt that having a union, with a collective bargaining agreement insuring an independent voice for nurses in advocating for patients, was the only way that they would be listened to regarding the erosion of patient-care conditions, including chronic short staffing and inadequate supplies. Advertisement On paper, Huntington is a "nonprofit" institution, but in reality, it operates like a large for-profit corporation. Soon after the nurses' union drive began in May 2014, the hospital (named for Henry E. Huntington, a turn-of-the-century railroad tycoon) engaged in a nasty and expensive union-busting effort. They paid a bevy of experienced and high-priced anti-union firms and consultants--Littler Mendelson, IRI and Genevieve Clavreul of Solutions Outside the Box--to harass nurses and undercut their organizing efforts. Managers at the hospital interrogated nurses about their union activity, required nurses to attend anti-union "captive audience" meetings and denied pro-union nurses access to the hospital when they were off-duty and wanted to discuss union matters. When pro-union nurses and community allies, including a number of prominent local clergy, were meeting in the cafeteria, hospital security staff told them to remove their literature from the tables, but didn't say anything to a group of anti-union staff at the other side of the cafeteria who had their own materials. One of the hospital's security staff took photos of a pro-union nurse as she passed out leaflets on the public sidewalk outside the hospital. The hospital arbitrarily switched the retirement date of one nurse who had worked at Huntington for 31 years--and who was an outspoken union supporter--so she wouldn't be able to vote in the union election last April. Allysha Shin Not all the nurses were initially sympathetic to the idea of unionizing. One of the reluctant nurses was Shin, who worked in the intensive care unit. Shin considered Huntington Hospital her second home. Her mother has worked there as a nurse for over 30 years. She was born at the hospital, attended its day care center and volunteered there when she was in high school. She worked as a nurse's aide in Huntington's ICU before becoming an RN. The family volunteers their dog at the hospital as a therapy dog. "I was close with my mom's coworkers. I loved Huntington," Shin recalled. "I knew I wanted to go into nursing." Given her strong ties to the hospital, Shin was thrilled when she was hired at Huntington five years ago after graduating from the nursing program at California State University in Los Angeles. She worked hard, made close friends among her fellow nurses and enjoyed caring for her patients. Advertisement "I was outspoken about patient safety," Shin said. "In nursing school, I learned that a lot of hospitals use lift teams to help patients turn over or get out of bed, so nurses don't have to strain or hurt their backs. I gave my manager some research about this, but nothing happened. When we were short on linens or IV pumps, I mentioned it to my manager. But the problem continued. I thought the hospital was jeopardizing patient care, so I said something." Her words went unheard. "To cut expenses, the hospital began rationing supplies, like bed linens and patient gowns," Shin explained. "Many of our patients in the ICU have very compromised immune systems so the risk of infection is very high. It is absolutely essential that we have adequate supplies of clean linens, yet the hospital is intent on limiting these basic necessities." Nurses say that patient care standards at Huntington have eroded, compromised by cuts in nursing as well as support staff. Nurses have been forced to do more work with less help. They were made to do more admissions, more transportations of patients and more housekeeping tasks because of hospital cutbacks in these areas. The unsterilized scopes were among the many issues that nurses brought to Huntington management's attention. Thanks to CNA's efforts, California is the only state in the country to enact a law mandating the ratio of nurses to patients in acute care facilities, which Huntington and other hospitals opposed before it was passed by the California Legislature and signed by Gov. Gray Davis in 1999. The law took effect in 2004, giving hospitals five years to phase in the changes. Nurses report that Huntington has repeatedly violated the nurse-to-patient ratio law, endangering patient safety. Even so, when some of her colleagues contacted CNA to help them organize a union at Huntington, Shin had doubts. Advertisement "At first I wasn't sure it was a good idea," she said. "I went to some informational meetings. But I soon realized that we needed a collective voice to be advocates for ourselves and our patients. I'm not afraid to stand up for what I believe is right." Shin became a visible leader in the union drive. Before and after work, she met with fellow nurses--in their homes, coffee shops and outside the hospital--to encourage them to support the unionization effort. She was one of three Huntington nurses whose photo appeared on a CNA-sponsored ad on public buses running throughout the Pasadena area. "Save one life, you're a hero," the ad said. "Save a hundred lives, and you're a nurse." Last July 26, she spoke out at a public community forum at a local church and at a news conference on the need to improve conditions at the hospital, joined by many local elected officials and community leaders who supported the nurses' right to organize. A few days later, she was quoted in a local newspaper about conditions at Huntington Hospital and management's expensive union-busting campaign. Shin was suspended a week after the article was published and fired several weeks later, despite her long-term ties to the hospital and her excellent performance evaluations. "I put my whole soul into caring for my patients, and management knows this. At Huntington, I worked as a nurse educator and sat on a committee of nurse leaders who bring patient care concerns to management. I have special training in trauma and open heart," Shin said. "I care deeply about providing the best possible care, and that's exactly why I spoke up at the community forum--to help ensure that RNs are supported in providing top-quality, safe care." Advertisement "The next thing I knew, I was fired," she said. "They tried to silence nurses. They tried to intimidate other nurses from speaking out. It's wrong." On election day, the hospital received 539 votes to the union's 445, but 175 votes were disputed, leaving the final results inconclusive. In addition, CNA filed dozens of objections to management's illegal conduct during the election period. As a result, the NLRB did not certify the results. CNA filed many "unfair labor practice" charges against the hospital with the NLRB, including Shin's firing and other efforts to suppress voting and otherwise rig the outcome of the election. CNA asked the NLRB to seek a federal court injunction to force Huntington to rehire Almada and Lin. In January, the federal agency found that there was enough evidence to show that Huntington had illegally terminated Shin and Lin for their union involvement. The nurses intend to continue their efforts to win representation with CNA in the near future. They plan to wage another union campaign, and they hope that Huntington will abide by the settlement agreement to obey the law and refrain from hostile intimidation tactics so that the election will take place on a level playing field. The settlement "is an enormous breakthrough for all Huntington RNs who have worked hard to seek union representation and stood up valiantly for justice in the face of HMH administration's illegal and immoral campaign," CNA President Malinda Markowitz said. "Management is finally accepting reality. We nurses deserve a place at the table. Our voices deserve to be heard. In order to be patient-care advocates, we need the protection of a union to fight for our patients." Advertisement The experience had a profound impact on Shin, who was raised in a conservative family and had no prior involvement with activism of any kind. Last October, Shin was invited to the White House Summit on Worker Voice because of her leadership role in the union drive at Huntington. She presented a stethoscope to President Obama on behalf of her fellow nurses and the California Nurses Association. Engraved on the stethoscope was the message: "Listen to Nurses." "Watching the courage of my fellow nurses as they dealt with the hospital's anti-union campaign, and seeing activists from other unions and from the community lend their support, really opened my eyes and strengthened my resolve to fight for workers' rights and patient care," she said. Shin was thrilled by the CNA-Huntington settlement, which she called a "huge success for Huntington nurses." But she decided to resign from Huntington and continue her nursing career at Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, a CNA-represented hospital nearby. "For the past six months, I've been working at Keck USC, a hospital where RNs enjoy a CNA contract," she explained. "Huntington RNs deserve the same protections and benefits that RNs enjoy under CNA contracts. I am committed to supporting my former HMH colleagues with their quest to win union protection. I'll be there each and every step of the way." Underlying the scopes scandal and the hospital's illegal anti-union efforts is a larger problem that isn't unique to Huntington. At many hospitals, nurses try to alert management about issues with patient care and management blows them off or retaliates. This is emblematic of the corporatization of health care--pushing for profit at patients' expense. Hospitals like Huntington spend large sums of money in certain areas, while cutting back on areas that support safe patient care. The difference at Huntington is that nurses, unlike the majority of California hospitals, do not yet have a powerful independent voice through union representation, leaving management's priorities unchallenged. Advertisement Since 2010, for example, Huntington has increased the prices it charges for its services 16 percent faster than its costs have increased. In other words, the hospital seeks to boost its bottom line at the expense of patient care. During that same period, the hospital has received almost $2.5 billion in revenue from patients and had a net income of almost $87 million. On a day-to-day basis, Huntington is run by longtime CEO Steve Ralph, who earned $3.9 million in 2014 according to its most recent 990 form submitted to the Internal Revenue Service. (Huntington's PR director refused to provide Ralph's current compensation). But the hospital's broad policies and direction are shaped by its board of directors, who include doctors, business people and civic leaders. Nurses and other employees, patients and their families, and community members have a right to hold the board accountable for the hospital's patient-care problems as well as for its expensive and illegal anti-union campaign. According to the hospital's website and recent press releases, Huntington's board of directors include Paul Ouyang (chairman); Jaynie Studenmund (vice chairman); Stephen Ralph (president and CEO); Sharon Arthofer; former Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard; Wayne Brandt; Louise Bryson; James Buese, M.D.; Michelle Chino; Reed Gardiner; Armando Gonzalez; Christopher Hedley, M.D.; R. Scott Jenkins; Paul Johnson; David Kirchheimer; Ellen Lee; Lolita Lopez; Lois Matthews; Allen Mathies Jr., M.D.; John Mothershead; Elizabeth Olson; Kathleen Podley; James Shankwiler, M.D.; John Siciliano; Rosemary Simmons; K. Edmund Tse, M.D.; and Deborah Williams. Americans view nurses more favorably than any other profession. Nurses have ranked No. 1 in the Gallup Poll's "honesty and ethics" survey every year but one since 1999. (The exception is 2001, when firefighters topped the list, shortly after the September 11 terrorist attacks). Despite this, hospitals like Huntington refuse to grant nurses the dignity and respect that they deserve. If nurses had union protection and did not have to fear retaliation for voicing concerns about patient safety at their hospital, would 11 innocent patients have died? The question lingers with many people. Huntington nurses want the hospital to return to its founding mission: to provide quality and safe patient care. Advertisement Over the past two years, Huntington nurses and community members alike have had to endure an aggressive anti-union campaign of harassment, intimidation, surveillance, bullying and wrongful termination--a campaign launched with the Huntington administration's blessing. This costly battle has been waged against nurses who simply want to exercise their federally protected rights to organize a union and, more importantly, to uphold their responsibility to protect the sick and vulnerable admitted as patients under their care. A Conversation With Azuri CEO Simon Bransfield-Garth on Energy Poverty and Building the Knowledge Economy Think about this for a minute: Your pocket probably holds the sum total of human knowledge. (That's assuming your smartphone is in there. If you're using it to read this, 10,000 libraries of Alexandria are at your fingertips.) There is practically no limit to what one can achieve with just a smartphone and a Wi-Fi connection, from contacting people on the other side of the planet, to earning academic degrees, making money, or even just swiping right. But suck the power out of that smartphone and you're left with a useless hunk of plastic. In the United States, cellphones die all the time, but our abundance of power ensures resurrection on demand. That's not how it works in other parts of the world. Advertisement In rural villages throughout Africa, there is no central grid to plug into. Yet despite this energy deficit, many Africans do own mobile phones - though recharging one can mean a three-hour bus ride to the nearest city. In Nigeria, some areas do have access to an electric grid, but there isn't enough power to go around. It doesn't matter if the electricity is being used for life-saving operations, because even hospitals are subject to rolling blackouts. As Simon Bransfield-Garth, engineer and CEO of Azuri Technologies, explains, what separates developing economies from robust economies is not how much energy they generate, but how they access the energy that's available to them. When that access is granted, things change very quickly. Many inhabitants of third-world communities live and die in "poverty traps," where upward mobility is restricted due to limited access to resources. "You're spending so much on your day-to-day existence that you can't afford to buy the things that allow you to not spend so much on your day-to-day existence," explained Bransfield-Garth. His company, Azuri, offers an affordable access point for escaping the poverty trap, with a sustainable business model that uplifts communities and plugs them into the knowledge economy. Advertisement Sub-Saharan Africa: A "Staggering" Business Opportunity With a PhD in Engineering from St. John's College, Cambridge, and over 25 years' experience building rapid growth, technology-based businesses, Dr. Bransfield-Garth boasts an impressive technical resume. As solar technology became increasingly cheaper (First Solar projects installed costs of $1 per watt by next year), Bransfield-Garth was interested in finding where the next generation of solar panels would make the greatest impact. Looking outside of conventional markets and into emerging markets, Bransfield-Garth concluded that the business opportunities in Africa were "really staggering." In rural areas of Africa that are far removed from any grid, candles and kerosene lamps are still the norm. There, the cost of power is exponentially higher than in the U.S. "The cost of electricity in the U.S. is something like fifteen cents per kilowatt hour," the CEO explained. "In Africa, the equivalent cost of a kerosene lamp is eight dollars per kilowatt hour. And twenty cents in the market to charge a mobile phone is something like $100 per kilowatt hour." With electricity at such a premium, and sunlight so plentiful in African states, the solar market should have been booming. But it wasn't. "The answer comes down to something that's fairly fundamental with all renewables," said Bransfield-Garth. "If you move into a house, you expect to pay for the electricity you use, but if you go and buy a wind turbine or solar panels, actually what you end up doing is buying your own power station. That works fine, but you need capital to do that." Advertisement When even the hardest working individuals make between three and five dollars a day, that capital simply doesn't exist. But Azuri was sure there was a way to market solar power so that it cost less than kerosene and the combined investment of time and money for charging mobile phones. "So we came up with the idea of combining mobile phone and solar technology so people could pay for their solar power as they used it, rather than paying all up front," said the Azuri CEO. An Azuri solar system. (Photo courtesy of Azuri) In 2011, the company helped pioneer the rent-to-buy business model for solar panels in Sub-Saharan Africa, with customers using their phones to pay a fee every week or every month. "That gives them a code which causes the system to work, and then at the end of that period it shuts off and they repeat that process. In Kenya, for example, we put a solar system in a house, free of charge, and then they pay for it on a subscription basis. It's a similar model to satellite TV in the West, except that the customer owns the equipment after 18 months," said Bransfield-Garth. It turns out, the pricing model works like gangbusters, and several other companies have started doing the same thing. Azuri, however, boasts the widest reach of any pay-as-you go solar company in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Virtuous Circle Installing solar panels in an energy-poor area has a butterfly effect. This one action has profound ripple effects across the local economy, as Bransfield-Garth explained to Planet Experts: Advertisement "If you go to a village that has no access to electricity, the chances are people are using candles for lighting. They will have mobile phones, but they'll probably have to go on a three-hour bus journey to go and get them charged up. People have no access to TV, no access to the internet, except in as much as it comes through a mobile phone. They're disconnected from the knowledge economy. When you get solar power in the house, then the entry point tends to be lighting and mobile phone charging. What we find is, on average, children spend two hours a day extra on homework when they have solar lights, so it's entirely normal for kids to go from mid-class to top of their class in three months just because they're doing that much more studying." With access to affordable, self-generating power, families that no longer have to save for the cost of kerosene or travel long distances to charge their phones can keep their shops open longer. Farmers are able to process crops at home later into the evening. The access to power also allows individuals to buy appliances that make their lives more convenient. "They get a radio or they get a TV or they get a smartphone so they can access the internet," said Bransfield-Garth. And, of course, the positive changes in customers' lifestyles also benefit Azuri from a business standpoint. Fellow villagers see the new prosperity and want to join in. "You get the opposite of the poverty trap," said Bransfield-Garth. "People are able to step up. We call it the 'energy escalator,' where people can step up progressively from one stage to the next, to gain access to more technology, which makes customers more productive, which gives them more money, which gives them access to more technology." Best of all, once customers own their solar panels, there is no falling back to where they were before. And their energy independence is a fantastic marketing strategy for Azuri, which prides itself on being a part of this "virtuous circle," wherein the lives of both business and customer are improved by their relationship. Power Is Empowering "Fundamentally, providing access to basic power and the knowledge economy is a tremendously leveling kind of activity," said Bransfield-Garth. Advertisement What's happening in Africa and other emerging markets is an intriguing reversal of the traditional tech story. Once upon a time, importing technology to the developing world could mean dismantling an old factory and giving it 10 more years of life somewhere else on the planet. But with distributed power systems, an energy revolution is taking place that is a generation ahead of the West. Azuri CEO Simon Bransfield-Garth in Kenya. (Photo Credit: Azuri) Right now in the United States, conventional energy is stuck in a tug-of-war with solar providers over issues like smart-metering and energy credits. Solar customers are increasingly disengaging from the large, centralized grids that have enjoyed a monopoly on power until this point. Meanwhile, in many parts of Africa, distributed power doesn't have any politics or grids to contend with. Entire regions of the continent leapfrogged landlines for mobile phones, and the same thing is happening with solar. And those solar systems are becoming more advanced all the time. Take HomeSmart, for example, an artificial intelligence program built into Azuri's software. As Bransfield-Garth explained, many solar products are designed to work in East Africa and Kenya, areas that are more or less sunny all the time. In many parts of West Africa and Ghana, however, there are about two months out of the year when the weather is generally cloudy. Customers that might get eight hours of light on a sunny day would be reduced to just two hours on a gray day. "We thought, well, let's think about what the customer wants," said Bransfield-Garth. "[Households] want to be able to see at night. They're less concerned about how bright the light is, they just want to be able to see. So what we did is put a little artificial intelligence engine into the solar light, and it goes and figures out what the customer's average usage of the system is. Then, every night, it looks at how much power is in the battery and it adjusts the brightness of the lights, so you're guaranteed to get that duration of light every night." Azuri claims that this is the "first time that machine-learning approaches have been used in small domestic solar home systems." The funny thing is, said Bransfield-Garth, it's not a feature they typically use as a selling point because it can be difficult to explain to customers. Advertisement "It's like the engine controller in your car that's looking after all sorts of things in your engine," he said. "Traction control, for instance. When you go around a corner, it makes sure that you don't spin off the road. It's not something that you can sell, it just means that the customer's experience is that much better." Installing an Azuri unit in Kenya. (Photo: Azuri) The HomeSmart system bases its decisions off of the customer's average usage and then fine tunes the brightness accordingly. This system is being used in rural villages right now, and yet some American utilities are charging their customers on flat rates. It's a salient instance of tech inequality, but not on the sides you'd expect. And Simon Bransfield-Garth thinks this is the way of the future. "Five years ago, everyone said electrification means the grid. I think the trajectory is undeniably towards having more distributed power. "It's very different in the West because of course you've always got the grid, so you've always got the alternative. But I think that the cost of distributed power is going down and the cost of centralized power, if anything, is going up. So having your own power generation is really important. Oddly enough, if you think about something like the HomeSmart technology, where it optimizes the use of available power, you can imagine in 30 years having a similar technology in your house in California where you optimize your solar power so you take as little out of the grid as you possibly can. But it will happen more slowly because, in the grand scheme of things, electricity in the West is relatively cheap. PHOENIX, AZ - JUNE 18: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks to a crowd of supporters during a campaign rally on June 18, 2016 in Phoenix, Arizona. Trump returned to Arizona for the fourth time since starting his presidential campaign a year ago. (Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images) Twelve days ago, Paul Ryan and the House Republicans introduced a report on national security harshly critical of President Obama. "America," they warned, "faces the highest terror threat level since 9/11." Let's take them at their word. And so, a question. Of all the threats we face, what fear most haunts our national security community? Advertisement It is not massacres like those in Orlando or San Bernardino, as monstrous as they are. It is a threat which, while more remote, would be infinitely more devastating: a nuclear attack -- including by terrorists like ISIS and Al Qaeda. This existential danger drives America's efforts to curb the spread of nuclear weapons, and to keep our country safe from a nuclear holocaust. And here lies the irony in the Republicans' warning. For it is yet another compelling reason that a man as ignorant, irresponsible, unstable and unprepared as Donald Trump should never become president. True, Trump's nativist scapegoating of all Muslims -- including millions of loyal Americans, many of whom have served our military -- increases the danger of more mass slaughters like Orlando, breeding alienation while attacking those whose vigilance could help prevent such horrors. But his xenophobia and lack of basic knowledge also enhances the most terrible prospect of all -- nuclear terrorism. While the nuclear threat is horrifying to contemplate, its greatest dangers are little understood, or even discussed in public. In recent years, the public's worry about nuclear proliferation has focused most particularly on Iran -- a frequent subject of Trump's crude and self-preening attacks on Obama's supposed "weakness" in confronting threats to America. But it is unlikely that Iran would start a nuclear war: however aggressive, its regime has a return address, and a reprisal could annihilate Tehran. Advertisement That is why nuclear terrorism by non-state actors is America's ultimate nuclear nightmare. As debilitating as the mass slaughters we have suffered can be, only terrorism by nuclear means has the potential to destroy our economy, our security, our system of civil liberties, our commitment to democratic ideals, and our very trust in each other. In short those things which, at our best, make us who we are. This is why countries which could spawn nuclear terrorism are the greatest threats to our way of life. It is why Pakistan -- not Iran -- is the most dangerous place on earth. It is why our next president must have sound judgment, a stable temperament, and a sophisticated understanding of the of nuclear threat posed by Al Qaeda and, more recently, ISIS. It is why that president cannot -- must not -- be Donald Trump. The facts which make this so are as little-known as they are sobering. To start, Al Qaeda has long been obsessed with acquiring nuclear weapons, and Pakistan has always been its focus. Just before 9/11, bin Laden met in Afghanistan with a Pakistani nuclear scientist and an engineer, drawing up specifications for an Al Qaeda bomb. And after 9/11, bin Laden announced Al Qaeda's intention to kill 4 million Americans in reprisal for the Muslim deaths he attributed to the United States and Israel, and issued a fatwa calling for the use of nuclear arms against the West. Bin Laden is dead. Al Qaeda is not. And a new force has emerged with the same apocalyptic desires -- ISIS. Granted, perpetuating nuclear terrorism would require a high degree of organizational and logistical sophistication. But intelligence officials believe that ISIS is scouring Iraq for nuclear and radioactive materials for use outside the country. Indeed, it is known that they have already seized lower-grade nuclear materials from Mosul University. And the tragic attacks in France and Belgium have a disturbing nuclear coda. Advertisement The terrorist cell which executed these attacks previously monitored an official at Belgian nuclear research sites housing highly enriched uranium -- HEU -- which could be used to fabricate a nuclear weapon. How do we know? Because Belgian authorities captured a surveillance tape taken by members of the cell. Why track the official? One theory is that the terrorists intended to kidnap a member of his family, meaning to coerce him to transfer nuclear materials. Another is that ISIS meant to precipitate a Fukushima type disaster by attacking a Belgian nuclear facility -- a strike which could spew large amounts of radiation, rendering the surroundings uninhabitable and causing thousands of early deaths from cancer. This last ambition did not originate with ISIS -- the planners of the 9/11 attacks considered crashing a plane into a nuclear facility near New York City. As for the mass slaughter executed by ISIS in Brussels, experts believe that this may have been a fallback operation, chosen over a nuclear-based scheme only because authorities were closing in. Whatever the case, terrorists have several potential openings to carry out such a plan -- acquiring or fabricating a nuclear weapon; building a dirty bomb; or attacking a nuclear reactor. To obtain a bomb, they can steal nuclear weapons or materials; buy them on the black market; or recruit nuclear scientists to supply materials or expertise. There is, of course, precedent for nuclear trafficking on a massive scale -- until 2004, A Q Khan, the director of Pakistan's nuclear program, ran a black market through which he sold nuclear materials and technology to such nations as Iran, Libya, and North Korea. Advertisement As for theft, the International Atomic Energy Agency -- IAEA -- has documented 18 incidents where highly enriched uranium and plutonium were lost or stolen. The threat persists -- nuclear materials are stored at hundreds of research facilities in over 30 countries where security may be grossly inadequate. Thus, in relative terms, nuclear materials are even less secure than nuclear weapons. Constructing a nuclear bomb does not require extraordinary expertise, or knowledge of classified information. As for smuggling nuclear materials, Matthew Bunn of Harvard puts the matter starkly: "The immense length of national borders, the huge scale of legitimate traffic, the myriad potential pathways across these borders, and the small size and weak radiation signal of the materials needed to make a nuclear bomb make nuclear smuggling extraordinarily difficult to stop." Three countries are the most likely sources -- North Korea, Russia and Pakistan. North Korea exists outside political and moral norms, even as it aggressively expands its nuclear capacity. One of our leading experts on nuclear terrorism, Graham Allison, gave me this sober assessment: based on its past history as a nuclear purveyor, "there is no reason to believe that North Korea would not sell bombs or material to another state -- or to ISIS." Moreover, Dr. Allison adds, the sole potential deterrent on its conduct is the fear of retaliation, and North Korea's young leader is inexperienced and unpredictable. Russia, at least, is not a rogue state. But it has the world's largest nuclear stockpile and is vulnerable to corrupt insiders. Between 2010 and 2015 the FBI stopped four attempts by criminal gangs in Russia to sell nuclear materials to ISIS. There are links between home-grown Russian terrorists and ISIS. And there is no end of smuggling routes and smugglers to facilitate the movement of nuclear materials from Russia through the Middle East. But perhaps the biggest threat is Pakistan. Its arsenal of roughly 130 nuclear warheads is growing without restraint, and its chief motivation -- fear and hatred of India -- has yet to abate. The Pakistani government has declined to increase compliance with international rules for stopping the spread of nuclear materials. Even its denial of knowledge regarding A Q Khan's activities is open to considerable doubt. Advertisement Moreover, its nuclear arsenal is subject to extraordinary threats -- both from corrupt insiders and armed extremists, whether inside or outside the military. There is no country with more active terrorists than Pakistan -- it is the epicenter of Al Qaeda and related groups, most with close ties to the Pakistani security apparatus. In some combination, these allies could well cooperate in acquiring a nuclear weapon or materials. This concern is far from academic. Experts believe that terrorists have attacked Pakistani nuclear facilities at least three times in the last 10 years. So serious is the risk that the U.S. Army has trained specialized units to grab back Pakistani nuclear weapons in the event that they are stolen. In turn, this has led to further lack of cooperation between the U.S. and Pakistan. Add to all this the risk of a jihadist take over of the Pakistani government, or the total collapse of the state -- dangers exacerbated by serious concerns about the security of its nuclear arsenal. We don't know where all the weapons are stored. The people who do -- the military and the Pakistani intelligence service, the ISI, include highly-placed jihadist sympathizers. This is captured by a chilling remark from a former head of the ISI: "The same nuclear capacity that can destroy Madras, India can destroy Tel Aviv." The scenario in which terrorists link with the ISI to steal a nuclear weapon is far from a Bondian fantasy. Indeed, the ISI itself is at the heart of Pakistani jihadism. Advertisement It helped create the Taliban to fight the Russians in Afghanistan, and introduced its leaders to bin Laden. It created the terrorist group LET to carry out attacks against India, such as the bloody massacre in Mumbai. The military, the ISI and LET all recruit from the Punjabi, Pakistan's dominant ethnic group, creating familial ties among all three. With the ISI's protection, LET trains hundreds of jihadists every year. As for Al Qaeda, it is highly implausible that the ISI did not know of bin Laden's whereabouts before he died. Moreover, Al Qaeda helped fund LET, and after 9/11 some of its leaders took refuge in LET safe houses. And some Al Qaeda soldiers and strategists have transferred their allegiance to ISIS -- which emanated directly from Al Qaeda in Iraq. All three groups are Sunni, and share an implacable hostility toward the United States. And so their affinity enhances the already grave concerns of our national defense community about the possibility of nuclear terrorism in America. Whatever the potential sources of such a threat, we are surely vulnerable. To start, nuclear weapons or materials can be smuggled through the ports in Long Beach or New York, where we inspect a fraction of all cargo containers. Dr. Allison notes that there is greater cooperation between the FBI, local police and federal counter-terrorism personnel, and that our screening at ports has become more sophisticated and rooted in better intelligence. But he admonishes that there are many other means of smuggling nuclear materials, such as fishing boats and private planes. The risk is exacerbated by 1100 miles of seacoast and lengthy and unguarded borders, leaving us extremely vulnerable. Equally worrisome is that Americans fighting with ISIS in Syria and Iraq have been able to return with relative ease. And in the post-Snowden world, Dr. Allison observes, those bent on doing us harm know more about our counter-terrorism measures. Advertisement A nuclear event in a major U.S. city could kill more than a half a million people, cost trillions of dollars, and trigger an exodus by residents of other major cities. Such an event would be economically, politically and psychologically devastating. It is all too easy to imagine Americans waiting for the next city to be destroyed, shattering our belief in our government, our system of civil liberties, or even our future as a democracy. We cannot let this happen. Enter Donald Trump. On the eve of the recent Nuclear Security Summit -- initiated by President Obama to encourage nuclear countries to secure materials which can be used by terrorists -- Trump unburdened himself on the subject of nuclear proliferation. Reversing decades of American foreign policy, he welcomed the idea of a nuclear-armed Japan and South Korea, arguing that it would save America the expense and trouble of defending Asian allies in an area shadowed by nuclear North Korea. He then topped this off by refusing to rule out using nuclear weapons in a European military conflict. To say the least, Trump displays a dangerous ignorance of the risks of nuclear proliferation, not to mention a shocking failure of imagination regarding the horrors of nuclear warfare. For 70 years, American presidents have worked to stop the spread of nuclear weapons. Trump's supposed hero, Ronald Reagan, said it well: "A nuclear war can never be won and must never be fought." Since then, the bipolar world of the Cold War has evolved into something far more lethal: a multi- polar world in which the danger of nuclear warfare increases exponentially with the spread of nuclear weapons -- including the risk that they will fall into the hands of terrorists. Only America's influence and the assiduous work of its presidents has limited the number of nuclear-armed nations. That Trump seems not to know this, and even less to care, defines the dangers posed by his boundless ignorance, ego and instability. This required Obama to suggest that someone who failed to grasp the need for constraints on nuclear weapons should not be president. For Obama, cleaning up after this frightening ignoramus has become a cottage industry, starting with Trump's counter-terrorism program -- surveillance of Muslims at home, barring all Muslims from abroad, and labeling 1.6 billion Muslims around the world as incipient jihadists. Advertisement His odious response to the tragedy in Orlando only increased the danger. He doubled down on his ban on Muslims, asserted that American Muslims at large "know what's going on" with respect to terrorist threats" and congratulated himself on his foresight in scapegoating all Muslims at home and abroad. In doing so, he cemented his position as the single person in America who does the most to further the goals of ISIS. There is no better fuel for alienation than for our president to disparage loyal Americans -- let alone those who could be indispensable in identifying potential terrorists. Nor could there be a greater gift to ISIS than to indiscriminately scorn every Muslim on the globe. Beyond the fact that it serves ISIS's anti-Western narrative, as counter-terrorism Trump's blanket ban on refugees from the terrible slaughter in Syria is misdirected. The best way to carry out terrorist operations in America is through home-grown terrorists or those who enter the country surreptitiously. No terrorist leader who wants to penetrate America would look to our slow, onerous and -- despite Trump's lies -- extremely thorough process of vetting Syrian refugees as a promising pathway to success. Once again, Trump's ignorance leads him -- and any intelligent discussion of counter-terrorism -- down a dangerous blind alley. All this enhances the terrorist threat to the United States -- a self-inflicted wound reflective of a remarkable degree of thoughtlessness, irresponsibility, demagoguery and sheer stupidity by a candidate who has no business anywhere near the White House. Advertisement Add to this Trump's "program" for defeating ISIS in Syria and Iraq, combining torture with mass bombings which would decimate civilians -- not to mention his musings about using nuclear weapons against ISIS or in a European ground war. The net effect is a mushroom cloud of radioactive ignorance from a man incapable of better. Given the gravity of nuclear proliferation and the menace of nuclear terrorism, this dangerous posturing underscores the seriousness of the job he seeks. In any area, but particularly this one, the presidency must be reserved for those who are knowledgeable and stable. This captures the fatal contradiction between the Republicans' report on national security and their nominee. To introduce the report, Paul Ryan and Congressmen Mike McFaul and Rob Goodlatte appeared before the Council on Foreign Relations. Conveniently, they treated Trump like a dead mouse on their kitchen floor -- if they did not mention it, perhaps no one else would notice it was there. But while there was also little mention of weapons of mass destruction, the congressmen allowed that America should combat terrorism by offering people in more volatile areas of the world- specifying the Middle East- an example of openness and freedom. Moderating, Andrea Mitchell asked the obvious question: does Trump's proposal of a ban on Muslims further the national security interests of the United States? Advertisement Congressmen McFaul and Goodlatte had the grace to look bemused. Eventually, they disowned the idea of a Muslim ban in favor of thorough vetting. But their comments on Trump himself were excruciating -- and revealing. Their only recourse was to ask us to live with them in "hope." They "hope" that Trump will reflect on his proposed ban. They "hope" that he will read their report and other relevant sources of knowledge. They "hope" that he would surround himself with good people. They" hope" that he would exercise "good leadership." In such a dangerous area as this, America deserves more than hoping that a hopeless narcissist will awaken to the grave responsibilities Republicans have given him. However one feels about his foreign policy as a whole, Barack Obama has met his responsibilities to confront the nuclear threat with seriousness and resolve. His initiative in establishing regular Nuclear Security Summits has improved security and strengthened international cooperation. As a result, some states have given up weapons material altogether. For example, in 2010 the Ukraine had weapons for 8 to 10 bombs; by 2012, they had agreed to ship all nuclear materials back to Russia, lessening the danger of proliferation. At least in these terms, Obama has made the world safer. Advertisement The next president must have the same qualities: a deep awareness of the nuanced problem of nuclear terrorism, a knowledge of the countries and circumstances which pose the greatest risk, and an absolute dedication to ensuring that we -- and, to the extent possible, others -- are never victimized by such a horror. This gritty work will require constant focus. We must fight the spread of nuclear weapons. We must build intelligence cooperation with other countries to identify and thwart terrorist groups with nuclear ambitions. We must work collectively to interdict nuclear theft and smuggling. We must strengthen law-enforcement units trained to frustrate nuclear terrorism -- including in the United States. We must work around the globe to ensure, as best we can, that nuclear weapons and materials are secure. We must ensure ironclad security for nuclear materials in America, wherever they may be. We must make it clear that any country who provides nuclear material to terrorists will pay a prohibitive price. And, as has Obama, we must pursue the leadership of ISIS and Al Qaeda, limiting their operational capacity to carry out nuclear threats. This includes intelligent and measured actions against ISIS in Iraq and Syria -- not "carpet bombing" or the mass slaughter of civilians, but a careful strategy on the ground to diminish the territory held by ISIS and, therefore, its aura of success. To advance a nuclear threat, ISIS requires leadership and logistical capacity. As we decimate their leadership and shrink their territory, we reduce that capacity. Advertisement This requires us to work at building the military within those countries, including among Sunnis; embedding combat advisors instead of committing U.S. troops; and enhancing American influence to help promote conditions which frustrate ISIS by giving local citizens the hope of a better life. This is precisely what Obama has started doing, and what Hillary Clinton proposes to further. And it is yet another fundamental of counter-terrorism which Donald Trump fails to comprehend. These priorities rank high among the hardest work and toughest decisions demanded by the presidency. And, in the end, that work starts with us. Our vote must be more than an expression of what makes us feel good in the moment, without a thought to all the responsibilities the president must bear. It cannot license vapid posturing or phony toughness more dangerous to us than our enemies. Nor can we abet the election of a candidate incapable of giving the dangers of the world we live in the most serious and considered thought -- most particularly, the existential dangers posed by nuclear weapons. For we are choosing, above all, a president who can help ensure that we stay safe while maintaining our national character. Without this, nothing else may matter very much. 2016 is, indeed, no time for Trump. Whatever one's disagreements with her may be, Hillary Clinton is the only sane choice we have in a world where, all too often, insanity reigns. To quote a long-ago ad when another candidate, Barry Goldwater, spoke carelessly of using nuclear weapons: "The stakes are too high for you to stay home." In 1959 the Revolutionaries finally forced the Cuban president, and United States ally, Fulgencio Batista into exile. Fidel Castro and his insurgency had taken over. Two years later, John F. Kennedy, the golden boy in the White House, initiated the Bay of Pigs invasion. Surrounded by advisors and cabinet members who believed Kennedy could not possibly make a mistake, Kennedy heard not one objection before launching the failed invasion. The ill-conceived, poorly-executed, and completely bungled operation to invade Cuba and take over lasted only 6 days, and was an international embarrassment to the United States. From 1996 through 2001 Enron had been named by Fortune Magazine as "The Most Innovative Company in the World." Innovative indeed. In 2001, Enron CEO Jeff Skilling, former CEO Ken Lay, along with top executives, cooked the books by underreporting debt, and inflating profits. They are in prison now. Advertisement Enron had been consistently ranked near the top in quality of management, talent, and innovative products and services. According to one top executive, "We got to the point where we thought we were bullet proof." As Carol Dweck describes in her book Mindset, when advisors to the former CEO of General Motors, Alfred P. Sloan, were in unanimous agreement over a decision, he would say to them, "I propose we postpone further discussion of this matter until our next meeting to give ourselves time to develop disagreement..." Irving Janis, of Yale University, coined the term "Groupthink" and published a book under the same name in 1972. In his research groupthink most easily occurs when three circumstances are present: A strong, persuasive group leader A high level of group cohesion Strong external pressure to make a good decision Here is a small, yet simple, practice to avoid groupthink, and to spur ingenuity and innovation. Reward Creative Defiance David Packard, cofounder of Hewlett-Packard, had a favorite story of a junior engineer who was asked to abandon work on a new type of monitor he was working on. Instead of dropping the project, the young engineer instead took the monitor to show to customers, and developed an enthusiastic support base for his innovative idea, which convinced the company to proceed developing the product. The company made over thirty-five million dollars on sales of that monitor, and the engineer was awarded a medal "for extraordinary contempt and defiance beyond the normal call of engineering duty." Advertisement One more example... In the early 1990s, Howard Behar, former President of Starbucks, was then acting as vice president of sales and operations to help expand Starbuck's store locations. Dana, one of his store managers in Santa Monica, showed Howard a new drink their store invented. Howard agreed the drink was excellent, but the management team back in Seattle was hesitant to adopt it, and asked Dana to stop making it. Howard called her up, and privately told her to keep making it and monitor sales. That was the birth of Starbucks' Frappuchino, which turned out to be one of their most popular--and profitable--drinks. Creativity, and innovation often occur more rapidly when people are encouraged - rewarded even - by their acts of constructive defiance. Go. Try something new. Take a risk. What would you do if you were not afraid? To learn about how questions can drive Innovation and Transform Mindsets see: Steve Shapiro on Out-Innovate the Competition Marilee Adams on Question Thinking: The Key to Transforming Mindsets ____________________________________________________ You might enjoy this related article Join my Email updates for more realistic optimism Learn more about my Speaking work Shawn Hunter is President and Founder of , a company building beautiful online learning courses based on the work of best-selling authors. My new book Small Acts of Leadership, (Bibliomotion) will be out in October, 2016. You can a copy now. All over Orlando, something unexpected and wonderful is happening. Many Orlando tattoo shops have created special designs donated proceeds to the victims over the weekend, and lines were out the door and down the block. What a great way to show support for the victims and the gay community! New trend in Orlando - Supporters getting Pulse tattoos. This is my daughter :D #OrlandoStrong #PulseShooting pic.twitter.com/2c9Puhj3nT sherry smith gray (@sherisaid) June 17, 2016 Advertisement ML Van Valkenburgh told me the story of her tattoo: I live in College Park. I knew Cory Connell, who was killed at Pulse, casually--everyone in the neighborhood did. He worked at the Publix around the corner and he was incredibly kind and outgoing--the person who always had a smile for you. I am also a writer for an online paper based in Chicago, and my publisher emailed me asking if I remembered his friend who had been instrumental in designing the site. He told me her brother Andy's daughter was engaged to one of the victims' brother. When I asked which victim, I was stunned to find out it was Cory. I contacted Andy to offer anything I could--meals, support, just ANYTHING. He asked the simplest thing of me. He asked that when I used the #OrlandoStrong hashtag in social media, I also use the #CoryStrong hashtag. And I promised I would. This tattoo represents three things--the indomitable spirit of my city, my love and support for both the victims and families and my loved ones in the LGBTQ community, and my determination to keep a promise I made. I've talked with Andy a lot this week and will be attending Cory's wake tonight. I wanted to get this done prior to being there. I wanted the Connells to know the love their son put into the world will always live on. Advertisement Jeff Brow and Brian Wettstein, co-owners of The Doggie Door in Winter Park, got their first tattoos this weekend. I'm in tears over how much this tattoo means to me.. We're strong and nothing can break us! #OrlandoStrong pic.twitter.com/yHLhckRuJM Tyler Ortega (@Tyleraortega) June 16, 2016 Advertisement Krystina Gilio, co-owner of Lady Luck Orlando, chose a beautiful cityscape underscored by a rainbow pulse. Advertisement Just talked to young lady who waited 12 hrs to get this #Pulse tattoo. She says proud to call #Orlando home. pic.twitter.com/zXQFti21Wu Kera Mashek (@KeraFox4KC) June 19, 2016 The Heart of a Surgeon Dr. SreyRam Kuy was recently interview by Sally Croom, Louisiana State University Health Shreveport. This interview was originally published in Inside LSU Health on June 16, 2016 and can be read here If not for a surgeon in a Cambodian refugee camp, Dr. SreyRam Kuy might not be alive today. Certainly, her mother would not be. For the past two years, Dr. Kuy has returned the favor, working as a general surgeon at the Overton Brooks Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Shreveport. Some 30 full-time affiliated LSU Health Shreveport faculty members provide care for patients and training for some 70 residents at the VA hospital. Advertisement Survivors of the infamous Khmer Rouge Killing Fields, Dr. Kuy's family had just arrived at the aid camp in Thailand two weeks before a devastating grenade attack. It left her with a head wound and nearly detached her left ear. Her older sister, SreyReath, suffered an arm injury, while their mother took the brunt of the blast trying to shield her two daughters. A German surgeon volunteering in the camp operated on the three, saving SreyRam's life and then - against great odds her mother's as well. No matter how terrible your circumstances are, don't ever, ever give up Advertisement Dr. Kuy's mother was a college-educated teacher in Cambodia and her husband, now deceased, was a mid-level government worker. They had lived a fairly comfortable life in Phnom Penh with their baby daughter, SreyReath. Now they and other educated Cambodians posed as illiterate rice farmers to avoid being killed, struggling to survive years of hard labor and hunger under Pol Pot's regime. At one point, her mother was dragged off by the Khmer Rouge after someone revealed her true background. She used her wits and a Cambodian folk tale to convince the soldiers that they were making a mistake. They let her go, but others weren't so fortunate. Over four years, two million Cambodians died, either from execution, torture, starvation or disease. Two million Cambodians died, either from execution, torture, starvation or disease. It was during this time, in the spring of 1978, that SreyRam was born in Talien, Cambodia. Her actual birthday is a mystery, since no one had access to calendars. It was miracle in itself that her mother was not killed, as were many pregnant women who could not keep up with the arduous work in the camps. But what kind of life was she bringing this new child into? "She looked at my sister, then four years old. Instead of a plump cheeked princess, she was not sallow-skinned, sunken eyed with a bloated belly. So when I was born, at the edge of the Killing Fields, my mom wept. It felt cruel to bring another life into this living hell." The young mother was left to fend for herself, with only the help of her frail mother. By then, her husband had been sent to a re-education camp, many miles away from Talien. (Re-education was a euphemism for brutal beatings and savage slave labor.) "There was not hope in sight that the nightmare would end," her mother later told her. Advertisement She did anything she could to stay alive to care for her children. After working all day at forced labor, she crept into the jungles to forage for food for her daughters and elderly mother. "One time, she was digging for wild bamboo shoots and stumbled upon a litter of tiger cubs in the jungle. Terrified, she ran for her life to escape the mamma tiger, which she was certain was nearby. But arriving back at the hut empty-handed, she mustered up her courage, then returned to the jungle to pick more wild bamboo shoots," according to the family story. Says Dr. Kuy: "To me, that is truly heroic. But, my mother now laughingly says, 'I wasn't fearless. I was just hungry." On January 7, 1979, the Khmer Rouge were overthrown in the capital city of Phnom Penh. It took about a month for the news of the liberation to reach the jungles of Talien. "It seemed unbelievable," said Dr. Kuy. However, even though they were free, the family had absolutely nothing. The city had been destroyed. "Our home in Phnom Penh was gone, and our family farmland had been taken over by squatters," Dr. Kuy reported. Realizing there was no chance for any future there, Dr. Kuy's mother took her two and six-year old and fled Cambodia in 1980. Advertisement Walking for days through the jungles, side stepping land mines and hiding from the border patrol, they joined hundreds of thousands of illegal, unwanted immigrants, finally reaching a refugee camp. The rocket-propelled grenade that landed in their camp, nearly killing them, had been intentionally aimed at another set of refugees trying to cross the border. "That is really what it means to have compassion," she believes. After living in for different refugee camps, Dr. Kuy and her family were able to get visas with the help of an American Christian missionary and ended up in Corvallis, Oregon. Her mother took menial jobs cleaning hospital rooms and second jobs cleaning doctors' houses and working in a thrift shop to support them. My mom often tells me how proud she is to be an American, and how astonished she is by the kindness of Americans "My mom was so proud to have the opportunity to work, to live without fear, and to have freedom. She often tells me how proud she is to be an American, and how astonished she is by the kindness of Americans," Dr. Kuy said. Advertisement "I'm not a politician. I'm not a legal scholar and there's a great deal I don't know about politics and global affairs. I'm just a surgeon. What I do know is that I was once a refugee myself. And I am so grateful to this country for opening its doors to my family and me. We fled a genocide, survived a bombing in the refugee camps, and we had absolutely nothing. We were destitute, didn't speak English, and had absolutely nothing to offer. And yet, I thank God that we were given the opportunity to come to America. I am so proud to be an American, and so grateful for the compassion of the American people." We were destitute, didn't speak English, and had absolutely nothing to offer. She wishes those who helped could know the result of their kindness "Judy, that American Christian missionary, may never know it, but because of her my mom frequently returns to her home village in Cambodia, where she helps rebuild the community and shares her story of perseverance, hope and faith. Mrs. Carver, that teacher who helped two young refugee girls resettle in Oregon, may never know it, but because of her I have a passion for teaching, and I mentor college students, medical students and surgical residents." Dr. Kuy was awarded the Gerald E. Bruce Community Service Leadership Award from the Ford Family Foundation, which is given for unselfish initiatives taken professionally and civically for the betterment of their communities. She was honored for the work she has done with veterans and healthcare. The award comes with a $5,000 grant, which Dr. Kuy has chosen to be given to an organization that serves veterans. "I'm inspired by people, like Jay Leno and JJ Abrams, who use their talents and skills, to shine the light on the tremendous need among veterans." I don't even know his name, but because of him I'm alive today. And, as surgeon myself, caring for US veterans, I'm reminded what a privilege it is to care for the people who fought for the freedoms I treasure. According to a recent survey by PayScale, there is a giant gap between how millennials view themselves in the workplace and how they are viewed by their managers. Media fretting about how this alleged "slacker generation" is faring in adulthood often manifests in articles decrying the number of millennials who still live with their parents. A recent Pew poll, for example, had the headline "For First Time in Modern Era, Living With Parents Edges Out Other Living Arrangements for 18- to 34-Year-Olds." But such statistics may say a lot more about the state of the economy than the work ethic of millennials. Likewise, this PayScale study on how millennials misperceive their workplace skills may say a lot more about flaws in our educational system than flaws in 20-somethings. As we will see, one way to correct these flaws centers on increased science education. According to the PayScale study, while only 2% of millennials (defined as those born 1982-2002) thought of themselves as "unprepared" for their jobs, 13% of their managers described their millennial employees as unprepared. Forty-four percent of managers say writing proficiency was an issue among millennials; for public speaking, 39% of millennials fell short; for data analysis, 36%. Even worse, managers deemed 60% of millennials lacking in critical thinking skills, 56% inattentive to detail, and 46% lacking communication skills. What is especially striking is that millennials did not seem to understand their own deficits. While 20% of millennials described their job qualifications as "extremely prepared," only 9% of their managers agreed. Advertisement Overconfidence is rampant among American students. As part of the PISA (Program for International Student Assessment) test in science and math abilities, students were asked to rate their math confidence. For the 2012 PISA test, 69% American students reported confidence in their math abilities (compared to the international average of 56%). On the PISA test, however, the United States ranked an embarrassing 27th out of 34, with US students demonstrating "particular weaknesses in performing mathematics tasks with higher cognitive demands." This gap was particularly acute at the upper levels of math, with just 2% of Americans scoring in the highest rank; 31% of Shanghai students achieved this level. American students may think they're good in math, but in comparison to their peers in other countries they are not. Students from non-US countries who excelled on the PISA test were much humbler about their mathematical prowess. The paradox of students feeling confidence but lacking skills may be partly the result of our toxic culture of unearned self-esteem, where effusive praise for mediocre achievements mixes with the haunting dread that some child, somewhere, might not feel like a champion all the time. But a bigger portion of the blame falls on what schools offer and what schools require. Think about the skills the employers cited above were assessing: writing proficiency, public speaking, data analysis, critical thinking, attentiveness to detail, communication. There are many disciplines that touch on pieces of these, but only one type of class that consistently employs all of these: science courses. We might not be able to change endemic American overconfidence, but requiring more science classes might at the least improve a broad range of skills. Advertisement Science draws upon and integrates numerous essential skills. Scientists are expected to be effective communicators, frequently speaking in public at scientific conferences and translating their complex data into coherent explanations, both oral and written. Science requires attention to detail. Critical thinking is the essence of scientific examination, and critical analysis of data is required at all levels of science. Science classes draw on skills taught in courses ranging from English, history, public speaking, math, and logic. Even artistic and graphic skills come into play; for example, early in my geologic education, I was expected to become proficient in Adobe Illustrator as a means of displaying data I collected in the field. So science courses can truly be said to be a capstone discipline, drawing on elements learned in other courses, integrating many disparate skills to synthesize something bigger than one individual class. Most students will not pursue careers in science, of course, but everyone can benefit from classes requiring the integration of so many skills. It should be emphasized that the purpose of education is not merely to prepare students for earning money. But science courses can refine the skills employers are looking for. In our technologically-driven economy it makes sense that schools should expect their students to take an ever-increasing number of science courses. I love Elton John. Early Elton John, that is. In fact, ever since our school's founding fifteen years ago, I've given an annual presentation to the Upper School students in which I weave together personal memories and stories with various songs from the 1970's pop star. (See below for a link to my spring presentation.) To my pleasant surprise, despite the fact that the students weren't even born when Elton was recording hits such as "Bennie & the Jets" or "Rocket Man," the kids almost always know and usually really like the music. Still, it's not something I've ever considered appropriate fodder for a commencement address -- that is, until this year. Here's why: Towards the end of our 12th grade trip to Poland and Israel -- a one-month journey that culminates our school's robust experiential learning program -- I learned that Elton was playing an open-air concert in Tel Aviv. Not only was our schedule free that night, a true rarity, but given the unusually small size of this year's senior class, I knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for my students and me: A chance to see the aging icon in the Holy Land, together! We did so and it was truly memorable. Afterwards, I couldn't help but notice the concert t-shirts which all the kids had bought that night -- they were emblazoned with the classic double-album, Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road. Given that our theater department had recently performed Wizard of Oz, it occurred to me that perhaps the famous musical, movie and song were worthy of explication. So my research began. Advertisement Not surprisingly, there's no shortage of academic theories on the subject; they range from political and psychological -- particularly Jungian -- to social and theological. Among the more notable is one by Salman Rushdie, who wrote an entire book about the movie, which he considered one of his most important literary influences. For Rushdie, Oz is more than just a children's film and more than mere fantasy. It's a story in which the driving force is -- get ready for the graduation connection -- how what he calls the inadequacy of adults requires kids to take control of their own destinies. In other words, graduates, though you have had and always will have older adults who care about you and are there to offer guidance -- especially your parents -- you are on the precipice of having to navigate your own respective Yellow Brick Roads -- largely by yourselves. It's scary, to be sure; but it's also liberating and exhilarating. Rushdie's idea is similar to one I shared during my original Elton John presentation earlier this spring, specifically this: To live is to leave. This June morning those words are particularly relevant because within a matter of days, you will be heading out on your own, traveling to colleges all across the country, and in many cases, not ever living under the security of your parents' roofs again. But that's not even the "leave" I'm referring to when I speak of what it is "to live." What I mean is that in order to truly live, you must leave other things behind -- things such as complacency, fear, judgment, the expectations and desires of others, and the need to conform. And parents, just as "to live is to leave," I would suggest that "To love is to let leave." Even when it hurts or even when you're convinced that you know better than they do, you must leave them. Because self-discovery is the essence of making it along the Yellow Brick Road. Which brings me to the following idea. Advertisement Unlike a movie, life isn't scripted -- meaning, the end of Yellow Brick Roads are often unclear. Students, you simply may not know what your destination is right now and that's ok. Moreover, your sense of what comprises "Emerald City" -- meaning what you imagine will give personal and professional fulfillment -- may and probably will change over time. Too often, we tell students that their goal is to discover themselves. But there is rarely a singular self within each of us. Plus, what we want at age 18 isn't what we necessarily want at age 28 or 48. That's because who we are at 18 isn't who we are at 28 or 48. As a recent article in the Wall Street Journal explained, Confucian philosophy encourages us to think of life not in terms of decisions, but as a series of ruptures that lead us from one thing to another. Confucius would say to our graduates today and their anxious parents: Live with a constant awareness of the ever-changing world and your ever-shifting self. Train your mind and heart to stay open and constantly take into account all the complex stuff that is you. In short, know that your Yellow Brick Road of tomorrow may lead in a different direction than where you start today. Still, we all know that the proverbial sayings are true, that whether your road is paved with yellow bricks or grey concrete, everyone's life path will encounter difficulty. When facing the inevitable hardships, it's worth remembering this bit of navigation advice: Always take the Yellow Brick High Road. What's does that mean? It means admitting mistakes, acknowledging shortcomings, apologizing when we hurt others, not taking short-cuts, and not gossiping. The high road is also a humble road. One in which we don't have to be right all the time. One where we're flexible and accommodating -- not just practically speaking, but in terms of our spirit and energy. There's no question that the high road is a harder road; but it's also the right road -- the one that when you look back, you'll be glad you took. How appropriate to see this story pop up in my Facebook feed, from a year ago today. Though I still hurt at times, I'm ready to tell my truth and move on. Hamptons Magazine published this story I wrote about my healing journey after my 2001 divorce that originally led me to Sag Harbor. The article title "The End", refers to Montauk at the end of Long Island, and also the last page in the magazine, but ironically that day turned out to be 'the end' of my then decade-long relationship. The day I saw this story was to be our last as a couple. The next day, just a week before the 10th anniversary of our first date on a nearby beach, as we walked our dogs for what turned out to be the last time, I discovered that my 55-year-old love had been secretly dating his 28-year-old coworker for months. My intuition had seen it coming when we all briefly worked together six months earlier, and I saw her openly flirting with him. I figured she was too young and I brushed off my intuition. I noticed, but ignored, his tiny little signs of disengagement like taking our photo off his phone screensaver, and no longer addressing his emails to me with "my love". Yet I suddenly felt like I was hit by a truck, living in a cliche midlife crisis story, and feeling unbearably shattered that someone I loved, trusted and so deeply respected was choosing to behave this way after so many years together. I knew I wasn't the first woman to suffer this fate with him, but I thought we both had learned to do better from past painful mistakes. I never imagined this would happen to us. Did I bring it upon myself? I felt angry at him, even more angry at her, I blamed myself, and for the next year my feelings traveled all over the map. Advertisement I was determined to find the silver lining, even from the beginning of this breakup. I don't always remember to embrace it, but I always believe there is one. In bed, the night before I guessed the truth, I had read a passage from Abraham-Hicks ("I Am Getting Divorced and Feel Lost") about how the ending of any relationship opens the door of opportunity for a better relationship for both people, sometimes with the same partner, sometimes with a new one. What an odd but appropriate choice of bedtime reading that turned out to be. For a long time, I hoped for a better relationship with the same man. But truthfully, I wanted him to come back different, more emotionally available, more vulnerable and honest, more expressive of his feelings. In short, I wanted him to be different, which is not the same as truly loving him as he is. At the same time that my heart was breaking, and I was clinging to some hope he would return and we would rebuild in new ways, I had other days when I thought of our breakup as the day I was set free, free to have a bigger and better life without him. I wanted someone willing and able to share his heart more fully with me, someone willing and able to work through difficult patches. That wasn't the relationship we had, but it was the relationship I wanted. Perhaps I was receiving the very gift I desired most. I began to wonder if he needed to leave my life, simply to make space for me to have this better relationship I imagined. With a sometimes clear mind and a very determined heart, I felt ready to open up and communicate more honestly with my love. I wrote him long and loving letters about so many of the things I wished we had been talking about for years. But he had truly moved on with the young woman, and could not hear me. He had no interest in trying to fix what went wrong between us that had led to such a breakdown in communication. In the face of a challenging time in our relationship, he ran. More importantly for me, though I could not change the outcome, I noticed that my instinct was to stay, forgive, and take on the challenge to go deeper and head on into the problem. I had trouble imagining my life without him, but now I had no choice, and maybe that could be a good thing. My heart ached for months on end, but I considered the idea that his departure was actually a gift for me. Maybe he could never be the open hearted and loving man I wanted him to be, but maybe I was becoming the open hearted and loving woman I always wanted myself to be. Advertisement I look back and see how I slowly shut down over those 10 years too, how I ate and drank too much and gained unwanted weight to protect myself from the pain of thinking I might be in the wrong relationship, how I stopped writing or speaking my truth and sharing my dreams and vulnerabilities, how I gave up so many activities I once loved, how I pretended all was fine but I had stopped feeling like my radiant self long ago. I gave away so much of my power in that relationship, and I put him on a pedestal as if his past achievements meant that he was the important one and I was simply his 'plus one'. I had abandoned myself over the years, to the point where I felt quite numb. This shakeup was probably the only way to jolt me out of my funk and back into living my life with the passion and intensity I once had. Our connection never felt like a perfect match, but I cherished his tender, traumatized heart and could see the beauty of his soul so I always believed he was worth the compromises. I do tend to see the best in everyone. I imagined that after my son left for college we would live together again, reconnect as a couple and re-ignite our spark together. In these last couple years, I had pulled away from him because I found deeper and more meaningful communication easier with other friends (mainly female). Since our breakup, I have learned so much more about myself and about what I do and do not want in a life partner. But I didn't want to start over with a new man, I wanted to break new ground with the one I had. I could forgive whatever happened, because I know that he suffers from old wounds of trauma too. We have a lot of that baggage in common. As much as I wanted to help him, I have learned the hard way that I cannot heal his wounds, I can only hold space for him while I examine my own, notice how I am still suffering from old stories of neglect and abandonment and holding stuck emotional energy in my body. Letting that energy and those old stories out has been anything but pretty. So many tears. So much grief and anger to release. So much gunk to process. I have been processing with such intense determination, because I really want to stop repeating these painful lessons created by covering up deep but unhealed emotional wounds. I am tired of the deep dark secrets, and I am tired of pretending things feel ok when they don't. We are no longer friends, even though we have over 100 friends in common. We do not speak. We broke all social media ties, which of course feels strange when Facebook sends me "memories" of years past I would rather not see, particularly as Father's Day approaches. I tried to be his friend a few times but after several days or weeks of hopelessly shallow communications, I could not rise above my feelings of betrayal, pain and anger. I wanted to want him to be happy, and at times I achieved that, but I also said angry things I regretted. I suffered senselessly from his cold, short, businesslike responses to my long heartfelt letters. Cutting all ties felt necessary, even though he said he "only wanted to end our partnership, not our friendship". I don't know how to be friends with a man who hurt me so deeply and claimed to be very happy with his new girlfriend just a couple years older than his daughter. Total disconnection has been necessary for me, and I cannot say how long it must last. I struggled enormously this past year. I could barely work, and I lost a job I loved that involved traveling and working with him. My heart is so connected to what I do, that I simply turned down other jobs that required me to be happy and 'on'. Nothing has been easy, particularly knowing he continues to date the now 29 year old political campaign staffer, rather than grieve the end of our relationship. Maybe we just grieve differently. Untangling 10 years worth of memories and letting go of the dream that we would be together forever has been painful. Crazy ego-driven emotions have crippled me when I least expected it. In the past I might have chosen to dull the feelings with various substances or behaviors, or even a wild rebound relationship. This time I wanted to face my fears and emotions head on, feel the feelings, and continue straight through the hardest parts until the feelings passed. I have been dancing around a fine line between feeling like a powerless victim (which I know I am not) and feeling I am headed to a better place (which doesn't always feel real either). Many people told me it takes a 10th of the length of the relationship to get over it. So today would be that day. And though I know I am not fully over this relationship, I am very close. I look forward to the day I don't think of him at all. Maybe in the fall I will consider dating again, though I barely know where to start since the last time I really dated was back pre-1994 when the internet barely existed and I was a 28 year old with a killer body and an exciting career photographing weddings and families all over the world. This year I will turn 50, and my friends are encouraging me to try things like Tinder and online dating, the thought of which makes me almost sick to my stomach. I still believe another great man will appear in my life when I am truly ready. My last blind date, arranged back in 2005 by friends I met while photographing a wedding in Lucca, led to ten mostly happy years with a good man, so I am optimistic there is a friend of a friend out there somewhere for me when I am ready to ask. Advertisement Today, more than anything, I am grateful for my incredible friends, for so many wise women (plus a few men) and powerful healers who have stepped up and held me and helped me to turn this story into something positive....particularly when I resisted most. There were so many days when I couldn't see the many beautiful gifts of my life, couldn't feel gratitude for anything, and didn't know how I would make it through this dark time. Those beautiful souls were my mirrors who help me see that I was so much more than some accomplished man's 'plus one' and I certainly didn't deserve to be treated the way he had treated me. I was not being punished, I was being liberated. You know who you are and I love you. A few of you have saved my life, more than once. This breakup has brought me closer to so many people. It has made all of my other relationships stronger, more honest, and more valuable to me. It has helped me open my heart and see myself better, the dark side in particular but of course the light too. I have found it hard not to blame myself for the way he left and I have searched for my 50% in this story.....what I did wrong, what I could have done better or differently, how I could have loved him and myself more. I know it will be hard for me to open my heart and trust a man again the way I trusted him. I don't always feel stronger because of this, but I know at a deep level that I am. I also know that my intuition has never let me down, and I would be wise to trust it implicitly. I believe this has all been for the best. How could it not be? I am grateful for what I have been through, and that I have survived. I am grateful for the deep healing I am still experiencing, and the slow transformation into a stronger, more resilient woman. I am ready to stop grieving, to stop choosing to suffer, and to start living fully again. That was how I felt before we met. After my first marriage ended in 2001, I worked hard to resolve so many deep and dark issues through four years of therapy and other types of healing work on myself while simultaneously raising a young child. I felt so clear, radiant and joy-filled when my love and I were set up on that first blind date back in the summer of 2005. I hate that I lost that energy over the course of a decade with this man, living together for six years in a city I never loved (because his then teenage kids were there), then living apart when we returned to New York City because work and school schedules forced us to live 2 hours apart for a few years. I felt my bright light had dimmed to such a tiny flicker in our last years together, and I am now overjoyed to feel it re-ignite as I finish raising my son in my tiny town by the ocean which I love so dearly. As an added bonus to my breakup story, I have noticed that my son handles his own relationships, and their endings, with so much more grace than even I had at his age. He is honest, direct, and compassionate with the young women in his life, and treats them with great respect, even when breaking up. I know he was deeply affected by my suffering as a result of his ''other dad's" behavior. I feel confident I have raised a more honest, emotionally open and communicative young man than the one I dated, and he makes me so proud to be his mother. I have experienced many great days in the last year, mixed in with many terrible ones. I trust a better partnership is coming into my life, with a brave, wise and whole man who challenges and expands me in all the best ways. I hope he can cook and loves to dance! I am surrounded by such loving friends and family, the world's greatest son, and so many rich and deep connections that make my life truly as beautiful as it looks in my pictures. My photography, the landscape I live in by the ocean, and my various creative pursuits heal me on many levels. I feel humbled and grateful, and a little bit sorry that I have not been able to focus on the good as much as I normally would in this past year. Ten years is a long time, and in some ways I feel I wasted the last year feeling so sad about a connection that was gone long ago with someone I never felt fully appreciated me. I struggle not to feel that I wasted the last 10 years of my life in that relationship, though I am grateful I did not stay for 20. I know we had some great times and lovely adventures. He treated my son like his own and I know my young boy thrived in our stable household when he needed that most in his life. I know I have so much to be grateful for, in spite of the way our love story ended. His behavior is no reflection on me, and I believe it says more about his own unresolved issues, so I keep reminding myself not to take any of it personally. My former love is an intelligent and generous man, who does so much good in the world for others. I want to believe he never truly intended to hurt me, and he really was doing the best he could at the time. I have a lot of love and compassion for him still and I don't have time to waste another day regretting that we could not address our unhealed wounds together. I learned so many great lessons in the last 11 years and I get to take all of that knowledge and experience with me. The End, indeed....this is "The End" of a long and painful year of grieving. (Photo: Courtesy of NBC) By Dayna Evans Some time ago, I started keeping a tally of all the men I consider my enemies. Any glance at an Us Weekly story about Jeremy Renner, or an advertisement in a magazine where John Mayer sullenly cradles a watch, would be enough to remind me, Oh yeah, those men, they are my enemies. Never forget the wrong they have done in this world. I check the list every few months to make necessary additions and add scientific footnotes. My list of male enemies is currently 18 men long and always open to new members. The crimes men like Mayer and Renner have committed are commonplace and fairly easy to forget: Renner called a fictional character a slut, Mayer wrote a Grammy-winning (!) song professing to know how mothers should treat their daughters. One guy is on my list because he broke a close friend's heart. Another has a lifetime membership for being a complete unforgivable shitbird. These men remain my eternal and everlasting adversaries. But none are more important than the men on my list who work in my industry. These male enemies are the ones who fuel me every single day. The work wife has become the most recognizable relationship in the workplace: a woman with whom you get lunch, share secrets, drink one-too-many tequila cocktails before 7 p.m., when you go home to a meal of macaroni and cheese eaten over the stove. Then, of course, there was the work husband: a male stand-in for the work wife, a man who replaces your own significant other while that person is busy at his or her job. This was followed up, unsurprisingly, by the work daddy. These relationships make for a happy family of confidants and friends, people who help you overcome the indignities of work, who convince you that you are worthy of a promotion, who share in your successes and sorrows, who are generally amenable to the idea that you should one day run this goddamn company. You will be the CEO, dammit! They're going to recognize! Advertisement But these fools are no match for the male nemesis. Women at work are encouraged to be ambitious but not too ambitious; forgiving but demanding; in a short skirt and a long jacket; aware of her place at every turn. There is no shortage of material that proclaims to have all the answers to the "when will the workplace be good for women?" conundrum, but the challenges we face seem to multiply even in the days of the supposedly pickle-juice-free Boss Lady. We don't get paid as much; our work is squashed while a man's is celebrated; and we are on the receiving end of sexism, misogyny, and harassment just for existing and trying to get a paycheck. The perfect salve for the woman who wants it all but knows she can't have it is to focus on a man at work who sucks, and not stop focusing until she supersedes him. Every great figure in history has their counterpart, a thorn in their sides they must overcome in order to reach greatness. Wile E. Coyote had the Road Runner. Hillary has Trump. I have Ben Affleck. This is the role of the male nemesis. Can you think of a man at your office or in your industry on whom you can focus as the person you are committed to outpacing? Perhaps it's someone who has been given the promotion you deserved, or who is so lazy that he becomes the subject of all your gab sessions with your work wife. Or perhaps he's a member of upper management, an all-around douche, a boss you've seen at holiday parties act sleazy with the interns. Or maybe it's a man who talks over you at every meeting, who hits you with an "actually ... " after everything you say. There are a million different reasons a man at work -- or in your industry -- can become a nemesis. Now all you have to do is focus relentlessly on being better than him. (In all likelihood, you already are.) Advertisement Once you've found your nemesis, you'll find the rest will come rather easily. Any time this man does anything to annoy you, when he tries to interrupt your creative process, or when the systemic injustices of being a woman at work simply favor him over you, use the slight as fuel to imagine being the boss of your own company while he toils away in obscurity. The only hard-and-fast rule of the male-enemies list: One may never forgive, and one may never forget. The most foolproof trick on the path toward "self-empowerment" is to stop letting dumb men who have hurt you (or others) into your life. There are so many more people worthy of your time. And those people didn't write a song called "Daughters." Much like a Secret-style vision board, imagining your success over a designated male enemy is both easy and free. Just focus on attaining your goals any time these men become a thorn. As Nicki Minaj once said, "Shout out to my haters. Sorry that you couldn't faze me." Don't let the men on your male-enemies list get the best of you -- instead, use every dumb thing they do to propel you forward. By Todd A. Eisenstadt, American University QUITO, ECUADOR - True to primordialist stereotypes, Latin America's indigenous peoples are the best stewards of the region's rainforests, according to a new study I co-authored with Karleen West, but several signs in Ecuador point to increasing government obstruction of that group's ability to protect their patrimony. In work being published by Comparative Politics early in 2017, West and I found that Ecuador's indigenous people have stronger attitudes regarding the importance of environmental protection, at least in areas where their rainforests are still pristine. But in the country's northern Amazon region, where oil spills and resulting public health risks prompted indigenous communities in 2013 to win in Ecuador's highest court a landmark legal case against Chevron (formerly Texaco), indigenous respondents have a contrary position. There, indigenous survey respondents' attitudes on environmental conservation are much less supportive than those of the general public. The findings are disturbing for environmentalists, implying that mobilizations for the environment may only succeed BEFORE widespread degradation and contamination from oil drilling. But Ecuador's indigenous communities seemed undaunted last week, as the first oil was pumped in the Yasuni National Park, where the Ecuadorian government had in 2009 pledged to "leave the oil in the soil" and thus favor the park's biodiversity over oil revenue, but only if international donors paid the forgone oil proceeds. As sufficient donations were not collected, President Rafael Correa in 2013 pledged to allow drilling, and a concession was granted to a Chinese company, which extracted its first crude there last week, ending Ecuador's symbolic importance in the worldwide Stranded Oil Movement. Advertisement Meanwhile, to coopt opposition to oil drilling in regions where survey respondents had strong views about protecting unspoiled rainforests, the Ecuadorian government has, over the last couple of years, discredited anti-extractivist indigenous national assemblies, including those of the Achuar and Sapara peoples, naming "parallel" assemblies, managed by pro-government leaders who favor oil extraction. Activists also report that national programs like "Forest Partner" (Socio Bosque), conceived to preserve wilderness by paying nearby residents to NOT plant crops or sell lumber, have been distributed only to pro-extractivist indigenous families. Gathered in Quito last week to study the Ecuadorian constitution's guarantees of freedom of assembly and to ensure recognition of duly elected leaders - rather than allowing the government to impose inauthentic ones - indigenous leaders speculated also about the conclusions of the American University/State University of New York-Geneseo survey, funded by the National Science Foundation and conducted by the CEDATOS polling firm in Quito. "Where the environment is destroyed, our identity is destroyed as this interrupts the relationship between nature and our people," said Romulo Akachu, vice president of Ecuador's national indigenous federation (CONAIE) and representative of the Shuar Nation, where oil drilling has not commenced. In Ecuador, the concept of Sumak Kawsay (in Kichwa) or Buen Vivir (Spanish), describes an Andean indigenous cosmovision, validated in the survey of 1740 people nationwide in Ecuador, which ascribes a living essence to nature. Taking this further than any other nation, the Ecuadorian constitution in 2008 granted "nature" human rights, and designated any citizen as qualified to defend these rights. Over a dozen cases of such citizen defense of nature have been presented, with nature winning a few (concretely, jaguars and sharks) have won. Advertisement When the sacred link between humans and nature is broken, believers in this Andean indigenous cosmovision may lose interest in saving the environment because their lands go from being spiritual and sacrosanct, to just another economic resource. But CONAIE National President Jorge Herrera, a Kichwa resident from Ecuador's central mountains, added another reason for peoples' lack of concern for the environment once their lands have been polluted. To Herrera, the Ecuadorian government's clientelist manipulation, by giving some resources and depriving others, focuses residents' interests on materialism and away from the Buen Vivir sacred bond. The indigenous activists interviewed argued that concern for the environment did not diminish in polluted post-extraction areas. Herrera argued that citizens in polluted areas were, instead, demoralized and thus less able to express uninhibited enthusiasm. Whatever the case, CONAIE activists plan to bring in international legal instruments and courts to ensure greater indigenous participation in decision-making regarding future efforts to extract oil and minerals like copper from their lands. I have never visited my father's birthplace in Kosice, Czechoslovakia. In fact, I find that part of the world quite confusing. I couldn't tell you the difference between a Czech and a Slav or what area the Czech Republic occupies. My father, who passed away in 1999, was an incredibly complex man, who survived the death camps of the Holocaust and then returned to an Eastern Europe where his family and friends were but a memory. After a few European pit stops in Vienna and Paris, he decided to raise a family in America. I often think that his will to live, even after he lost his parents, two brothers and a sister, is itself a miracle. His loss is unfathomable, more than anyone should bear in a lifetime, much less at the tender age of 16 when we in America are mostly worried about college, the opposite sex, our future prospects. He wore his pain stoically. Most people did not know the baggage he carried in his heart. But those close to him saw the immeasurable pain and damage the war inflicted. He was a man who always thought doom was around the corner, that any silver lining was about to be eclipsed by a dark cloud. It is Father's Day as I write this and a glance at my Facebook feed shows countless pictures of fathers and pithy tributes. It's hard to sum up a huge relationship - one that has so many layers and ups and downs - in a short tribute. But many try to do this and it makes us feel good that even though our fathers are long gone, we can at least honor their memory on this Hallmark holiday. I've been thinking a lot about my father lately, more than 17 years after he suddenly dropped dead while on vacation in Florida. He died at the age of 73, tanned, with his mind still crystal clear and his love for my mother still fierce. At the time, it all seemed so tragic - an unexpected bursting of an artery, a relatively young man felled just as he was beginning to enjoy being a new grandfather, a big hole opened up in my mother's heart for the loss of her beloved. I went through the normal stages of grieving. But because my third child was born just three weeks after dad's sudden death, the focus shifted quickly. My child-related insomnia was exacerbated by the shock of losing a parent, the first death of someone close to me. My heart ached. I wore his clothing for a few months to feel close. I attended daily prayer groups to say the Jewish prayer for the dead. Life marched on and there were young kids, a newly fragile mother and a growing business to distract me from thinking too much about my dad and his painful life. But last month I visited his brother, my only living relative of his generation, and the memories and the aches came flooding back. My uncle regaled me one weekend with stories about how he and my father eluded the Nazis in the mid-1940s, how they were able to procure false Christian identity documents for 9000 other Jews, and how my father protected his young love, my mother, during the war. It occurred to me that while my father must have suffered deeply in his teenage years because of the loss of his family, his life after that was filled with much joy. His love affair with my mother, which started when they were both tweens in 1937, stayed strong for the 51 years of marriage they enjoyed. My father saw his two sons grow up in New York, go to prestigious colleges and find success in their chosen professions. He even got to see the promised land: two of his grandchildren, Jonah and Tess, were the apple of his eye in those few years he got to enjoy them at the end of his life. Father's Day is a Hallmark holiday but it does force us to think of our dads and the impact they had on our lives. I was blessed to be raised by a man who was always there when I needed him; I never questioned where he would be when the chips were down. Of course, we all have our quibbles with each of our parents - they should have done this more, they shouldn't have done that, whatever. But now, as a father of three wonderful children who are each entering their adult years too rapidly for me to ponder, I have a greater appreciation for my father's sturdiness and devotion to family. In this week after Father's Day, I think of the famous phrase: "Ninety percent of life is just showing up." Here's to all dads like mine, who never stopped showing up. That's all we can ask. On October 7, 2001 , less than a month after the 9/11 attacks, the Bush administration launched a bombing campaign against Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. An invasion to "liberate" the country followed. Almost 15 years later, with the Taliban again gaining ground , President Obama has just eased constraints on the U.S. military's use of air power there. To aid Afghan troops, American planes can once again be sent out in "proactive" strikes against the Taliban whenever U.S. commanders believe it useful or necessary. In the decade and a half between those two bombing decisions, American air power has been loosed not just in Afghanistan, but in Pakistan, Yemen, Iraq, Syria, Libya, and Somalia -- seven countries across the Greater Middle East and Africa. So how'd that turn out? Of those countries, only Somalia might have been considered a failed state in 2001. Today, it has been joined by Libya, Yemen, and Syria. All are now egregiously failed states. Iraq, a country invaded by the U.S., occupied, and in most of the years between 2001 and 2016 repeatedly battered by air strikes, is now a riven land. Its Sunni areas are partially occupied by the Islamic State, its Kurdish territories independent in all but name, its government a sinkhole of corruption and nearly bankrupt, its army notoriously open to collapse. And as in Afghanistan, so in Iraq all these years later, the skies are again filled with U.S. bombers and drones and just recently another form of air power as well: U.S.-piloted Apache helicopters have been sent back into action to support Iraqi troops in their faltering offensive against the Islamic State (even as U.S. planes help reduce ISIS-controlled cities to rubble). By now, Iraq certainly qualifies as a failing, if not failed, state. Afghanistan (see above) falls into something like the same category. In all of them, terror groups have spread widely. Of the seven countries in question, only Pakistan might have escaped the failing category and yet, from the expansion of terror groups on its territory to its faltering economic state, it is in worse shape today than it was in October 2001. Religion has created a sacred space around their ideology so people don't get to ask questions about religion. I think it's time for those untouchable walls to come down. Because we should be able to ask questions if we are curious about something. Religion is a cognitive artifact created by human beings to comfort them about those things they are afraid of. For example, fear of death...so how do we deal with it? A comforting thought is that you go to a good place after you die. Saying goodbye is hard, but if that person is going to a better place, it is comforting to some extent. This idea is practical and useful. However, it is unknown whether this better place does exist. But that's not that important because the idea is useful. So there are two separate issues: whether you accept something because it is useful and practical or whether you accept it because you believe it is the truth. But believing it doesn't make it true. So, from now on, I think eventually, we will have a choice not to accept those declarations as truth. For example, here is an object. We can examine it from a religious perspective, from a scientific perspective, from a social-science perspective and from a philosophical perspective. If it is a religious object, you might be told you shouldn't approach it from a scientific perspective. But I think we should be free to question religion. Looking back on history, they said God controlled the movement of the cosmos, and people believed that. But then one person had a question about whether that was true. He made a lot of scientific observations and found there were contradictions on this belief. And then he spent many years trying to resolve these. One of the contradictions was resolved when he discovered that it was the earth that revolved around the sun. That led to what we now know. But people at that time thought that was ridiculous. Because if you stepped outside, what you appeared to see was the sun going around the earth. But what we see is not always the truth because it could be an error in a perception. These misunderstandings were corrected over a long period of time and through countless efforts. Today you don't need a prime mover for the cosmos. Everything should be approached from the perspective of what is the truth. Members of Queer Advocacy Network join with St. Pauls Church of Christ Thursday evening for a candlelight vigil. Andy Carpenean/Boomerang photographer "There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." Luke 21:25-28, NIV To follow recent events is to understand quite clearly that we live in disturbing, perhaps even apocalyptic, times. We are certainly not the first people to witness violence and hatred around us and be drawn towards despair. The early church understood themselves as living in the "end times," and it would be difficult to blame them. Rome was set upon and besieged by multiple raiding tribes (not to mention internal rebellions) before finally falling in the 5th century, and Christians themselves were subject to multiple persecutions, sometimes involving mass executions at their most extreme. To witness events of such brutality must make one doubt the continuance of life afterwards. But many of our saints--martyrs, in particular--are those heroes who rose above the brutality and the doubt to bear witness to a future reality of God's reign of love. So must heroes today. Advertisement AP reporter Josh Replogle had worked at the Pulse nightclub as a bartender for a couple of years during college, and he rushed there in the middle of the night to cover last week's massacre. Although straight, he said of his time there "I felt loved," he said, his voice cracking. "I felt acceptance, and I'd never really had that before." How is it that a straight, white man, the pinnacle of privilege in our society, speaks of finding "acceptance, "something we wouldn't imagine he would even need, at a gay nightclub? Because outside that club and other such refuges, the world is awash with bullies, people who have to tear others down to feel better about themselves, people who speak words of hate rather than love. Replogle knew he didn't belong to that world, and so he felt more welcome, more truly himself, in a world based on tolerance, a bully-free zone. Having been embraced by that world, he was strong enough to document it and get the message out about the community that had embraced him, not retreat behind a justifiable veil of anger. Advertisement "I truly believe if everyone could have the experience I did, the world would be such a different place," he said. Yes, perhaps then we wouldn't live in a world where bullies are so revered that more than a third of the population hopes to seat one in the White House. Politics can feel like a corrosive pursuit, and throughout time, Christians, and other religious groups before and since, have frequently decided to absent themselves from the world of politics, seeing it as distracting from and even destroying the spiritual life of a community. It's a stance that, frankly, makes a lot of sense, and I can understand withdrawing from political life in order to protect one's own sanity. This election season alone could be enough to drive anyone to become a desert hermit--or at least move to Canada. But Jesus said "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's" (Matthew 22:21, KJV), acknowledging that there are things that operate under the control of earthly powers, and we abdicate our responsibility if we disengage from them entirely; however, we must always remember to keep our focus on what really matters, the God-things. The majority of (my) every day is consumed in reading the overnight intel reports (and) meeting with foreign leaders - from presidents to chiefs of their intelligence community. ____________________________________________________________________________ As Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) campaigns for re-election, it is a legitimate question for N.C. reporters-- given their lack of background in covering national security topics--as to whether they will give him a free pass on his highly controversial role as chairman of the "oversight" Senate Intelligence Committee? Apparently not, if he can dictate the coverage on his own terms, as in Burr: Orlando Shooting Reveals Gaps in U.S. Terrorism Strategy, Charlotte Observer (McClatchy), June 18, 2016. The senator, who once said he would prefer not to ever talk about intelligence matters in public, has now turned his committee into a high-profile televised platform featuring C.I.A. director John Brennan. Advertisement On Burr's Watch Parading as the top intelligence official in Congress, the fingerprints of North Carolina's senior senator are on some bad and questionable things going down in Washington, and that deserve vigorous debate: 1. He has condoned the torture committed in the past by C.I.A. employees on detainee suspects in black site prisons abroad, and protected the practitioners still on board at the Agency, while doing everything in his power--when he demands the return of all copies sent to executive branch agencies--to bury the detailed evidence in the classified version of the torture report released by the committee in late 2014. New details on the torture practices have just emerged: Detainees Describe C.I.A. Torture in Declassified Transcripts, New York Times, June 16, 2016. I nearly died four times said a detainee when describing CIA torture by being waterboarded 83 times. To cover up the evidence is to be complicit in the torture. 2. He continues to post-facto rubber stamp C.I.A. drone strike assassinations of "militants" in several countries that have also resulted in the killing of hundreds of women and children, and even the death of American citizens. The Agency is engaged in war from Pakistan to Yemen to Somalia to Libya. However, drone strikes are in the process of being transferred to the Pentagon. ( CIA Drone Strikes Plummet As White House Shifts Authority to the Pentagon, Washington Post, June 16, 2016.) Drone strikes within Pakistan apparently will be included in an upcoming White House report on those killed in counterterrorism operations outside of "war zones." Advertisement 3. He has steadily supported the expansion of warrantless surveillance of Americans' phone calls and e-mails by the N.S.A., subject only to a secret court--the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court--that almost never interferes. Last week the House of Representatives voted against an amendment to the 2017 annual defense bill that would have set new limits on government surveillance powers. The FISA Court The chief judge of the FISA court has rejected a legal challenge to rules permitting F.B.I. agents to search emails written by Americans that the government has intercepted without a warrant in the name of gathering foreign intelligence. ( Judge Rejects Challenge to Searches of Emails Gathered Without a Warrant New York Times, April 20 , 2016.) The opinion was issued in November and remained classified until April. It stated that what are called "backdoor searches" by the F.B.I. comply with the Constitution. Yet, a separate part of the heavily-redacted ruling scolded the N.S.A. and the F.B.I. for instances in which they violated court-imposed rules for the program! So much for the third branch of government (Article III). Chief Justice Roberts alone makes the appointments to the FISA court. Sen. Burr is now working to substantially expand F.B.I. searches through a provision included in the Senate's annual intelligence authorization bill that would give the bureau the ability to demand citizens' online data, including e-mail records and browsing history. According to Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), a senior member of the Intelligence Committee, the bill would allow any F.B.I. field office to demand e-mail records without a court order. Where Burr's Loyalties Lie North Carolina has a senator who is party to both executive branch "eye in the sky" warfare abroad--not authorized by Congress--and "Big Brother" government at home. As chairman of the intelligence committee, by law he and a few other members of Congress are briefed by C.I.A. director John Brennan on completed "signature" drone strikes and other significant, anticipated covert operations; and by N.S.A. director Adm. Michael Rogers on phone and Internet surveillance. Advertisement But do not expect Burr to talk with voters about such matters, although with discretion he is free to do so. As a rule, he revels in secrecy, while leaning on the threat of terrorism to get re-elected. CONCLUSION Sen. Burr is in bed with the intelligence community in Washington. Hear him toot his horn: The majority of every day is consumed in reading the overnight intel reports (and) meeting with foreign leaders - from presidents to chiefs of their intelligence community. ( Burr's Washington Profile on Rise as Chairman of Senate Panel That Focuses on Terrorism, Charlotte Observer, February 20, 2016.) Just this past week, when Brennan was appearing before his committee, Burr was quoted as saying: When you look at as many global threats as I do every morning... What is going on here? Is he a member of the Legislative Branch, or the Executive Branch? He has been co-opted. That is one purpose served by twice-weekly C.I.A. briefings afforded intelligence committee members in a sealed room high up in the Capitol. So much for checks and balances, and the first branch (Article I) of government. (Chief legislative assistant for foreign policy, U.S. Senate Majority Whip, 1974-77, assisted in drafting the legislation that established the mandate for the first Senate Intelligence Committee.) By John Rampton Over the years, I have learned that business design can benefit your company in so many areas. For most businesses, according to Heather Fraser the director of Rotman DesignWorks, business design can be defined as "a methods-based approach to innovation that helps teams get to bigger breakthroughs faster and define strategies for competitive advantage." For me, business design has helped improve brand identity and loyalty, market position, sales, idea generation and time to market It's allowed me enhance operational efficiencies, creating a well-oiled machine. Common Types of Business Designs Business design doesn't just include the outward appearance of your business, such as a logo or website. While having a consistent look and voice for your brand are important, business design permeates everything about a company. When my team is looking at a graphic design for marketing materials or a website or if they are developing a new product, they put the principles of business design to work. While I do not have a product to actually package or a retail location, these are also types of business designs, along with architectural and interior design. Below are a few pointers on how to rethink the design of your business, including examples of how I applied these ideas to my own business. Advertisement Build a Winning Business Model Your business model must be a top priority. Figure out how to modify your model to disrupt the market and create more value than your competition. At Due, I realized that there was a valuable core solution in the online invoicing system. However, in order to compete (and beat similar companies), I had to redesign my business to specialize in payments and offer an end-to-end solution for time and project management, billing and invoicing, a digital wallet, and more. Have a Clearly-Defined Mission Statement When starting a business, it helps to have a mission statement. When defining your mission statement, I suggest asking yourself the following questions: Why exactly are you in business? Do you know your customers? What image of your business do you want to convey? Why do people want your products or services? What roles do you and your employees play? What's your competitive edge that will help you succeed? What are your values and how do they guide your business? I used these questions as the basis for creating my company's mission statement. Once it was drafted, I turned to my team for feedback on how we could tweak it until it would guide us, and the business, towards achieving our primary objectives. Put the Customers First My one goal is to always put the customer first, followed closely by potential customers. In applying these concepts to my own business, I had to conduct research to understand what my customers really cared about, explore the creative ideas we could incorporate into our design, use a prototype to create an initial design of our new payments platform, and evaluate the feedback from customers on the new features and tools we were looking to add for value and a competitive advantage. I first had to consider the big problems my customers were facing beyond just invoicing and getting paid on time. I then aligned my team and customers so they were on the same page. Finally, I took all this information and put it into a design that would create the right experience for the customers who would be using my payments platform. Be Flexible Every business owner will tell you that nothing goes as planned, including me. No matter how much research and preparation I have put into my business, those initial business plans and projections can be off track. For example, I focused strictly on online invoicing until I realized I could design a much larger business from the initial product. As our first year of business progressed, I also changed my business design. It was important for me to pivot in order for Due to become the successful businesses that it is today. I've been able to accomplish our goals because we had backup plans and were flexible and willing to make the necessary changes. Advertisement Surround Yourself With the Right People When building my all-star team, I look for people who share my passion, are a bit on the quirky side, are committed to what I'm building, and are ambitious and experienced. They must also be willing to learn and have a strong character. Lastly, they must be likable -- they should have that air about them that is positive, passionate and enthusiastic. The people design of my business has gone a long way to turning my business design into a success. Business design is really a lifelong process of blueprint revival. This perspective will empower and help you understand how to do great things. By Michael Goldfien and Michael Woolslayer In May, Austria came within a hair's-breadth of electing the first far-right head of state in the European Union. The narrow loss of Norbert Hofer prompted sighs of relief in elite circles in the United States. However, Austria is just the latest European country to flirt with a political outsider. Insurgent political candidates are succeeding across Europe and North America, from Hungary and Austria on the right and Greece and Spain on the left. Taken as a whole, the success of such leaders and movements, which often endorse anti-immigration or anti-trade platforms, suggests a breakdown of the political elite consensus in many Western countries. This erosion of elite consensus could have an impact well beyond the countries in which it is taking place. Like-minded internationalist elites within European and North American countries have joined to forge over the past 100 years a Western diplomatic consensus that has transformed the nature of alliances in the West, from arrangements of convenience based primarily on power balancing to broad-based partnerships rooted in common values. Yet if revisionist politicians gain influence in Western capitals at the expense of these elites, the durability of values-based alliances will become less certain. While far-right and far-left political forces are gaining traction across the West, the most troubling sign for the future of values-based alliances is the rise of Donald Trump in the United States and the Brexit movement in the UK. America and Great Britain have not only been among the West's greatest champions of the liberal world order; Washington and London's "special relationship" is a testament to the power of ideas in transforming relations between states. Harm to the century-old Anglo-American special relationship, perhaps irreparable should Trump or the "Brexiteers" get their way, could well mark the beginning of a reversion to a more transactional alliance system harkening back to the pre-World War period. Advertisement Alliances, Then and Now In contemporary American foreign policy, the term 'ally' is usually reserved--with notable exceptions, like Saudi Arabia--for like-minded states with which Washington has explicit or implicit mutual defense pacts. These security arrangements are defined in global terms: obligations to defend an ally apply to virtually any attack emanating from any source. In the case of NATO, the only invocation of Article V in the Alliance's history resulted not from a Russian invasion of Europe, as was long imagined, but by a terrorist attack on New York City and Washington, D.C. that was planned in Afghanistan. The al-Qaeda attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in 2001 were seen not just as an act of violence perpetrated against one NATO member, but an assault on the liberal political, social, and economic order jointly constructed by the states of Europe and North America. Traditionally, however, Western alliances were narrow arrangements. They were transactional promises to render specific services under a limited number of contingencies. Prior to World War I, alliance structures were highly dynamic, as navigating international politics necessitated an abundance of ideological and tactical flexibility. However, following the devastation of the World Wars, many statesmen and policymakers declared this system of shifting alliances morally bankrupt and incapable of maintaining the peace. Interestingly, it was the United States and Great Britain, both of which had long viewed Continental realpolitik with some measure of disdain, that were most responsible for effecting a liberal transformation of international politics and the global economy. Amidst the destruction of WWI, Woodrow Wilson argued that in the new international system, "[t]here must be, not a balance of power, but a community of power; not organized rivalries, but an organized common peace." This sentiment was the seedling of collective security and the central pillar of post-WWII transatlantic security relationship. While the United Kingdom's power waned in the aftermath of each of the two World Wars, it found in the United States an ideological heir and proxy for the maintenance of the liberal global order. Advertisement Britain's celebrated economist, John Maynard Keynes, meanwhile, was a central figure in shaping the ideological and institutional foundations for a global economy focused on shared-prosperity. Keynes provided intellectual leadership at the Bretton Woods Conference in 1944, which saw the creation of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, while the United States provided the financial might to implement Keynes' vision. Keynes and his American partners were also integral players in the drafting the International Trade Organization charter, though rejected by an uncooperative U.S. Congress, a forerunner to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and, eventually, the World Trade Organization. Twin Challenges to the Western Diplomatic Consensus The ideology of the Anglo-American elite in the interwar and post-WWII period laid the foundation for the current global order. That this elite developed a shared reverence for ideas and values in a way that had not previously existed in relations amongst Western states allowed for the development of a 'special relationship' based on more than just common interests. However, with the 'Brexit' vote approaching and the 2016 American presidential election on the horizon, will anti-internationalist political forces upend the 'special relationship' and the Western diplomatic consensus that it represents? Take the Brexit, which 43% of Britons favor according to a recent Financial Times poll. Prominent "Brexiteers" like former Mayor of London Boris Johnson argue, in addition to claiming that the European Union seeks a "superstate" like that which Nazi Germany wanted, that a United Kingdom unshackled from the European Union would take back its sovereignty and curtail immigration. This is a far cry from Winston Churchill's call for the "natural grouping" of a "United States of Europe" buttressed by U.S. power and guided by the British through the special relationship. Churchill recognized that weakened global influence would make Britain increasingly dependent on its ability to shape U.S. power. As Richard Haas notes, one of the special relationship's main values to the United States is the access it provides the country to the European Union. No longer a sufficiently powerful partner on its own, a United Kingdom outside of the European Union could lose much of its allure as a close U.S. ally, and with it, a major portion of its remaining geopolitical importance. The further collapse of the U.S.-U.K. special relationship would enfeeble the already-embattled institutions of the post-war order. As co-architects of the infrastructure of the liberal system, the British often provided support and the much need cloak of multilateralism to the wielding of U.S. power; American backing, in turn, helped maintain British influence globally well beyond its decline. Now emerging powers like China and Russia challenge pillars like the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and NATO. The Anglo-American institutional partnership is already fraying; in 2015, much to Washington's consternation, the United Kingdom joined the Chinese-backed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. A Britain withdrawn from Europe would only hasten the existing order's diminution. Unfortunately, even if British voters reject the Brexit, neither the U.S.-U.K. special relationship nor the broader Western diplomatic consensus is safe. In November, American voters may yet choose a candidate seemingly committed to reordering the current international system. Donald Trump has already said that he does not anticipate having a "good relationship" with David Cameron after the British prime minister criticized Trump's proposal to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the United States. More broadly, when given the opportunity to outline his foreign policy vision, Trump has made clear that he sees the United States' current alliance structure, in which Britain is a linchpin, as deeply unfair. While some mainstream American politicians and policymakers have expressed frustration with the terms of U.S. alliances, Trump has gone so far as to call NATO "obsolete" and U.S. involvement in the multilateral body too expensive for what the country receives in return. In this way, his understanding of international alliances reflects the view that prevailed in pre-World War I Europe rather than in the post-World War II liberal order; alliances should be coldly transactional rather than rooted in shared values. If Trump were elected president, his hostility to U.S. alliances with the United Kingdom and other like-minded countries would represent an extraordinary break from his predecessors, Democrat and Republican alike. John F. Kennedy, in his inaugural address, made an ambitious commitment to the liberal world order. "Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and success of liberty." In Trump, the United States would have a president to whom friends are a burden and liberty a hardship, and for whom the price of America's global commitments is always too high. It is no wonder that the countries most antagonistic to the current world order have cheered on Trump's candidacy. Russian President Vladimir Putin has called Trump "talented without a doubt," while a recent op-ed in a North Korean state-run newspaper declared the real estate tycoon a "wise" and a "far-sighted" candidate. Inflection Point The combination of a vote in favor of Brexit and a successful presidential bid by Trump could strike a significant blow to the liberal world order, thereby weakening its most stalwart champions just as a wave of adversaries menaces its foundations. In the case of Brexit, a recalcitrant Russia awaits such a potentially fatal blow to the European Union, the diplomatic fallout from which could undermine cohesiveness in NATO. Meanwhile, a President Trump hostile to NATO could leave Europe unmoored from its most important security partner at a time of great instability. Even a Trump victory or Brexit alone threatens the increasingly fragile diplomatic consensus upon which the West's peace and prosperity rests. Advertisement For 70 years, the United States and the United Kingdom have been at the core of the most successful transnational political and ideological bloc since the Roman Empire. Even as Britain's hard power has waned, London's role as a liberal force in European politics and a cultural heavyweight has allowed it to be perhaps America's greatest ally in upholding the current rule- and trade-based international system. That system is fundamentally based on the proposition that international engagement, rather than isolation, is the best path to peace and prosperity. That so many in the United States and the United Kingdom question this proposition, as evidenced by the strong support for Donald Trump and a possible Brexit, is a worrisome sign for the international order indeed. Michael Goldfien is a Campaigns Fellow at Young Professionals in Foreign Policy, and has an MA in International Policy Studies from Stanford University. With the horrific attack in Orlando this past week it can almost seem like the Islamic State is unstoppable. Indeed, the terrorist organization has carried out numerous attacks on the Western world. We've had to deal with San Bernardino, Paris, Brussels, Australia, Paris again, and now Orlando. Surely this is a sign of a growing extremist vitality. The Islamic State is winning the war we are waging against extremism. Or is it? The portrayal of ISIS in the media would certainly lead to the conclusion that the great American military is faltering against this dark force. But let's try to look at the facts. First of all, it shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that the media is sensationalist. There is an inherent bias in America to report on stories with greater emotional and popular sway. Therefore, a terrorist attack in Paris or Orlando is going to get more publicity than a successful liberation in Iraq. This creates a system of information conveyance that is prejudiced towards the failures of the battle against the Islamic State. This phenomenon must be factored into anyone's judgment of the events unfolding on the world stage. With this new recognition of bias, we should take another look at the news. You won't find it in the headlines or on the front page, but there is a catalog of the victories against the Islamic State in the secondary layer of the media. Within the past two years, ISIS has lost over one-fifth of its territory. The caliphate has seen the loss of Tikrit, Kobane, Ramadi, Sinjar, nearly the entirety of its border with Turkey, and countless oil fields. With the loss of territory the Islamic State has been deprived of vital sources of tax revenue, oil profits, illicit smuggling pathways, and coerced manpower. Advertisement Moreover, one can only speculate as to the decline in morale since the glory days of ISIS when it marched on Iraq's Second City, Mosul. And now that prize appears to be in jeopardy. Over the past month anti-ISIS forces have staged a three-fronted attack on Islamic State territory. At this very moment American backed Kurds are advancing on ISIS-held Manbij, Iraqi troops are advancing into the center of ISIS-held Fallujah, and the Syrian military is advancing toward Raqqa, the de facto capital of the Islamic State. This past weekend in fact the Iraqi military seized control of Fallujah's city hall. Once Fallujah falls, which seems imminent, the only major city left in ISIS's grasp in Iraq is Mosul which the Iraqi Prime Minister has vowed to take back with American military support. Therefore, with nearly all of its important holdings gone in Iraq and its capital in the balance is ISIS really the invincible force it appears to be? Frankly the answer is no. Then why do we see an increase in terrorist attacks in the West? The answer is simple. The Islamic State is rapidly deteriorating and they know it. To keep up soldier morale and to continue their jihad they need to maintain their rock-star appeal. They need victories in a world where they are consistently being denied success. Inspiring an unstable individual in Florida to purchase a gun and kill fifty people is much easier than developing an effective military strategy to retake land they have decisively lost. Thus, the feeling that we all have of the invincibility of ISIS is just a capitulation to the terrorist propaganda machine. Ultimately, terrorist attacks are managed by the PR department and we should react to them as such. It is extremely important, therefore, not to succumb to the ignorant ranting of an opportunistic demagogue. The death of fifty people in Orlando is apparently political fodder for our dictatorial presidential candidate. The effectiveness of ISIS propaganda plays right into his hand. ISIS creates the illusion, our candidate seizes upon that image and promises he can fix the problem. When you only have headlines and sensationalism to go off of then the candidate's vision may seem appropriate. However, headlines and sensationalism are not reality. What we are seeing is a classic reoccurrence of what has happened in history countless other times. A small group of people uses effective propaganda to inflate the apparent magnitude of their cause inducing a boisterous autocrat to restrict the values he was elected to protect. Voting for our demagogue is an uninformed vote against the morals and values of our nation. ANI/Twitter Eight school children were killed and eleven seriously injured after a van they were travelling in collided with a bus in Kundapur in Karnataka. #SpotVisuals 8 school children dead & 12 injured in an accident between an omni van & pvt bus in Kundapur, Karnataka pic.twitter.com/S3ru4sPugN ANI (@ANI_news) June 21, 2016 The children, who studied at the Don Bosco School in Kundapur, 400km from Bangalore, met with an accident at around 8 in the morning. While 8 children died on the spot, one out of the 11 injured is said to be very critical. Advertisement Contact HuffPost India Also see on HuffPost: NARINDER NANU via Getty Images Indian students hold placards as they participate in an anti-drugs awareness march organized by the Joshi Foundation in Amritsar on April 7, 2015. AFP PHOTO/NARINDER NANU (Photo credit should read NARINDER NANU/AFP/Getty Images) NEW DELHI -- In an interview with The Indian Express, Vijay Sampla, the junior minister in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, has rubbished the AIIMS report which estimated that there are over eight lakh drug users in Punjab, and he claimed that the drug problem in the state is no worse than anywhere else in the country. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, which commissioned the study, has now rejected the findings of the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre at AIIMS, and is planning to ask the Delhi-based medical institute to conduct another "proper nation-wide survey." Advertisement "Punjab ko badnam kiya jaa raha hai (Punjab is being maligned). You will never hear of a rave party in Punjab. It happens in Delhi, Mumbai, Goa and Himachal Pradesh. There is no issue in Punjab, it is the creation of the media, Sampla toldThe Indian Express. If I am in politics, what is my role? My role is how to increase the honour of my country. If honour increases, the problem will get over. Our duty is nation first. If you malign the nation, strip yourself naked, others will call you naked, he told the newspaper. Earlier this year, AIIMS reported that Punjab consumes worth Rs.7,500 crores, every year, which includes worth Rs.6,500 crore. The AIIMS study said that out of the 2.77 crore people in Punjab, 2.3 lakh were dependent on opioid and 1.23 lakh were dependent on heroin. Sampla also happens to be the president of the Bharatiya Janata Party's state unit in Punjab, which will soon be heading to the polls for the State Assembly election. BJP is the junior partner of the Shiromani Akali Dal in the ruling coalition, which is confronting a severe anti-incumbency sentiment. Advertisement Drugs in Punjab is a major issue in the upcoming state election, with the Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress Party attacking the ruling coalition for failing to combat the problem. Rival political parties, which are in the race for Punjab, have accused the ruling coalition of trying to downplay the extent of drug addiction in the state. Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal, for instance, accused the Modi government of instructing the Censor Board to cut major chunks of Udta Punjab, a movie about the drug problem in the state. Arguing that the sample size taken for the AIIMS study in Punjab was very small, Sampla told The Indian Express "Of the total 2.75 crore population in the state, the report estimated that over 8 lakh are drug users. The numbers include those who consume alcohol even once a week. The actual addicts are only over 2 lakh which is less than one percent of the states population," Sampla said. We will appoint AIIMS as the nodal agency to conduct a proper nation-wide survey on drug abuse, he told the newspaper. Advertisement Contact HuffPost India Also on HuffPost India: Shiv Singh/facebook Age is no bar for learning and, in India, lack of an educational qualification is no bar for holding any elected position in the government. Shiv Singh, the 52-year-old Mayor of Bharatpur, Rajasthan, once again demonstrated the validity of both the truisms when he cleared his Class X Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education (RBSE) exams on Sunday, securing 44.83 percent overall. He secured his highest marks, 53 out of 100, in science. Advertisement Singh, who had hired a tutor to help him study said, "Being a mayor, I hardly got time for studies during day hours. I studied for two hours daily at night." He recalled that he had been forced to abandon his studies in 1971 or 72 because of personal compulsions. "Recently, I got a chance to visit a foreign country but I was unable to speak in English. I felt very bad," he said. That prompted him to start studying again. "Had I failed, I would have tried again. Now, I will continue to study further," he said. According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, to be a driver with the Central government, a candidate needs to know at least one Indian language along with English. However, no educational qualification is required to be a mayor. However, as per the new norms, a candidate contesting municipal elections must have passed her or his Class X exams. Were Singh to contest the elections again, his new degree will definitely help him. Advertisement Contact HuffPost India Also see on HuffPost: A local Congress worker who called Ajay Maken a drunk during a telephone conversation, has lodged a police complaint accusing the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) president of abusing him because he is a Dalit. Congress worker Dharmpal Natkhat, who said he often gets threat calls on phone, had taped the entire conversation, and alleged that soon after the altercation, a group of men threatened him and his family, asking him to withdraw his complaint. It all started when Natkhat had gone to meet Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi to wish him on his 46th birthday. He had complained that despite being a party worker and losing a son recently, Maken had not visited his home. When Maken heard this, he allegedly called Natkhat, but the conversation went downhill as soon as Natkhat suggested that Maken should "cut down on his drinking". The voice on the other end of the line, purportedly of Maken, is heard using an expletive and asking if Natkhat did not know how to speak to others. Advertisement What wrong did I do? I met Sonia ji, Natkhat told ANI. They told me if I am seen anywhere nearby the AICC, my second son would be killed. Where should I go now?.. It was shocking that he used such languages, he said. I said I wont take back the complaint even if it costs my life. Even Oscar (Fernandes) ji came to my place. I am thankful to him. He (Maken) drinks in the evening and doesnt remain in his senses. I asked him not to drink considering his age, he added. Advertisement Here's the taped conversation between the two: I came to meet Rahul Gandhi to wish him on his birthday: Dharmpal Natkhat, who was allegedly abused by Ajay Maken pic.twitter.com/7Wp3otBJbu ANI (@ANI_news) June 20, 2016 Following which, he (Maken) started abusing me ferociously. What was my mistake?: Dharmpal Natkhat, Congress pic.twitter.com/ixSyk2eDWl ANI (@ANI_news) June 20, 2016 Natkhat submitted his complaint at the Mandir Marg Police Station. Maken, on his part, has rubbished the allegations and said the the voice clip was "doctored". "The tape (voice clip) is doctored. I am in politics for 34 years and I have never used such language against anyone and no one has ever alleged me of using such language," PTI quoted him as saying. Advertisement Dharmpal, who runs a catering business, claimed that he was registered as a Congress member way back in 1978 and rose to be elected as secretary of the Delhi unit of party's volunteer wing Sewa Dal. Claiming his close association with several senior party leaders, Dharmpal also said he was a life member of Congress and will remain so despite the incident. In his complaint, he has asked police for protection expressing threat to life. "We have received a complaint and looking into it," New Delhi Deputy Commissioner of Police, Jatin Narwal said. Majority World via Getty Images An elephant blocks the road in Nandankan, meaning Garden of Gods, a wildlife sanctuary in Orissa, India. June 24, 2005. (Photo by: Majority World/UIG via Getty Images) Since April last year, at least 39 elephants have reported to have died in Odisha, but the state forest department's wildlife wing appears to be clueless. The government officials apparently came to know of the elephant deaths months later in some cases, only finding the carcasses of these jumbos, without learning of the cause of their death. An Odisha-based NGO, Wildlife Society of Orissa, has claimed that the elephant deaths are much higher. According to them, 91 elephants have died in the past 14 months. At least 17 elephants are suspected to have been poached since the beginning of this year, claimed the NGO, as per their records shared with HuffPost India. As many of the carcasses have decomposed by the time they are discovered, forest officials claim that the reasons behind their deaths cannot be ascertained. Advertisement "In most cases the bodies were found after weeks in highly decomposed state making it easier to conceal the truth but difficult to catch the culprits," the NGO's secretary Biswajit Mohanty had written in a letter to the environment department earlier this month. "This is clearly unacceptable since lakhs of rupees are spent every month on trackers who are supposed to follow elephant herds on a 24x7 basis. A dead elephant should have been detected within hours which is not happening." File photo of one of the elephants who died in Odisha. (Courtesy: Wildlife Society of Orissa) Indian elephants are an endangered species. Their current population is about 20,000-25,000 according to the World Wildlife Organisation. Male elephants are usually poached for ivory tusks, skewing the sex ratio among elephants. Last year, the elephant population in Odisha had risen by 24, taking the total population in the state to 1,954. However, since then, elephants have reportedly died in the forests of Keonjhar, Nayagarh, Cuttack, Sambalpur, Dhenkanal, Angul, Deogarh, Kandhamal, Sundargarh and Mayurbhanj districts. Advertisement According to Mohanty, Odisha has less than 100 mature and healthy breeding tuskers. If the current trend of poaching continues, all these elephants will be killed in the next five or six years. At the end of last year, state forest and environment minister Bikram Keshari Arukh had told winter session of the Parliament that 85 elephants had died in Odisha and his government did not know the reason. Earlier this month, state chief minister Naveen Patnaik called for "zero tolerance" against illegal wildlife trade. Also See On HuffPost: Mary Knox Merrill via Getty Images NEW DELHI, INDIA - SEPTEMBER 8: Signs warning students of ragging (otherwise known as hazing) are posted on the gates of Jamia Millia Islamia college campus in New Delhi, India, September 8, 2009. (Photo by Mary Knox Merrill/The Christian Science Monitor/Getty Images) A 19-year-old Dalit nursing student was admitted to a hospital after being allegedly ragged by her seniors. According to reports, she is in a critical condition. Ashwathy, a first year nursing student of Al Qamar College of Nursing at Gulbarga near Banglore, was reportedly ragged by her seniors on May 9, reports The NewsMinute. Advertisement Ashwathy is native of Pulluvanpadiyil near Edappal. According to a Times Of India report, a group of eight senior students forced the girl to drink phenyl, following which, she vomited blood. Following that, she was admitted to Intensive care unit (ICU) of medical college with severe stomach problems. After five days, her health worsened and she was sent home by college authorities, reports ToI. She was taken to Thrissur Medical College Hospital by her relatives and after two day long treatment there she was shifted to Kozhikode Medical College Hospital on June 2. The 19-year-old's relatives have said that she has been facing ragging since the time she joined college. Advertisement According to reports, the girls family had lodged a complaint at a police station in Gulbarga. However, the police officials were unable to record her statement as she was not in a position to talk. The girl's relatives have alleged that the police authorities in Banglore and the college authorities are yet to take any action based on their ragging complaint. A week after the censorship debate over Bollywood film Udta Punjab, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has now got into a tussle with the Malayalam film industry after denial of certificate to the movie 'Kathakali' on grounds of nudity. Malayalam film directors and technicians on Monday staged a dharna in front of the office of CBFC in Thiruvananthapuram, protesting denial of certification to the movie. CBFC had denied certificate claiming nudity and vulgarity in the film and demanded three cuts. The movie-makers, with the backing of the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA), had moved the Kerala High Court in the matter. Advertisement The two-hour film on the life of a Kathakali artiste is directed by Sijo Kannanaikkal. Recently, the CBFC asked for three cuts to be sanctioned for unrestricted public exhibition. The board wants the removal of a scene in which the protagonist Dasan is undressed and beaten up and another towards the end in which Dasan removes the Kathakali attire and walks towards the Bharathapuzha river. Meanwhile, director Saijo had the perfect response to it a hilarious music video on how he likes being naked. "I was born naked, you have tied me with clothes...you have covered me with a mask..." goes the lyrics of the song. Advertisement Pacific Press via Getty Images VARANASI, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA - 2015/07/09: People of different beliefs organised Iftar party on 21st day of Roza iftar. They believe its God-given opportunity to strengthen the bonds between various communities. On this occasion Hindus and Muslims jointly organised party. (Photo by Akshay Gupta/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images) An affiliate of the Rashtirya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) will host an iftar on 2 July. The iftar is set to be a grand affair and international in its scope, with invites sent out to ambassadors from nearly 140 countries, both Islamic and non-Islamic. The iftar will be held at the Parliament House Annexe and the Pakistani ambassador , is among the invitees. The iftar will be organised by the RSS patronised Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM). The MRM was formed in 2002 as a platform for Muslims at the initiative of then RSS Sarshangchalak, K.S. Sudarshan, with the aim of bringing "Hindus and Muslims together". Advertisement The MRM chief, Mohammad Afzal, said that members of Prime Minister Narendra Modis cabinet along with representatives of the RSS will also attend the iftar. We want to give the message to the world that this (Modi) government is a good government for Muslims. It reflects a new chapter of global harmony being written by the Prime Minister, Afzal told Mail Today. Indresh Kumar, Sangh pracharak (volunteer) for MRM, however cautioned that the move should not be seen as a "political ploy". Advertisement The aim is to tell the world that Indian-ness and the Indian culture are an umbrella under which people from all nationalities and religions live with equal rights and dignity, Kumar told Mail Today. India is a ray of hope and peace for the Muslim world. I hope this is the line of approach of all the speakers at the party, he added, stressing that the iftar is being organised by Muslims and for the Muslim community. The MRM has organised iftar in the past. Last year, RSS-backed organisation had hosted an iftar for Muslims from across the country as well as for diplomats of Muslim countries stationed in Delhi. Ambassadors of some countries, including Egypt, and representatives of various Muslim countries had attended the event. Hindustan Times via Getty Images NEW DELHI, INDIA - JUNE 19: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj with Minister of State V.K. Singh and Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar during an annual press conference at Ministry of External Affairs, Jawaharlal Nehru Bhawan, on June 19, 2016 in New Delhi, India. Swaraj said, 'China is not protesting membership of India in NSG, it is only talking of criteria procedure.' She also said India would not oppose any other application for entry into the NSG but underlined the final decision should be decided on merits. (Photo by Arvind Yadav/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) The Morning Wrap is HuffPost India's selection of interesting news and opinion from the day's newspapers. Subscribe here to receive it in your inbox each weekday morning. Essential HuffPost Bollywood actor Salman Khan put his foot in the mouth once again when he compared his gruelling workout schedule for his upcoming film Sultan to the condition experienced by a raped woman. He told a news portal that when he used to walk out of the ring, after the shoot, he used to feel like a raped woman he couldnt walk straight. The Twitter went crazy after the interview hit the internet. Advertisement Stunned to find his family in the BJP's 'exodus' list, Gaurav Jain, a businessman, has filed a police complaint for being dragged into the controversy fanned by Hukum Singh, BJP's leader in Shamli district, where, he claims, Hindus have fled due to intimidation and harassment by Muslims. The arrest of two Dalit women and the use of non-bailable charges against them for their alleged scrap with some CPM workers in Kannur, Kerala has caused a major image-challenge for the month-old Pinarayi Vijayan government. Even as a defiant CPM is tried to brush the incident aside as a political conspiracy, Congress, BJP and the dalit activists targetted the government on the grounds of harassment of women, social exclusion, and misuse of authority. Main News Prime Minister Narendra Modi is encouraging millions of people across India and abroad to bend and stretch for the International Yoga Day. Attending the event in Chandigarh, Modi said that yoga gave 'health assurance at zero budget'. The government has now banned the use of potassium bromate as a food additive after a CSE study found out that its presence in bread caused cancer. The CSE study had found that 84 per cent of 38 commonly available brands of pre-packaged bread tested positive for potassium bromate and potassium iodate. These two food additives are banned in many countries and listed as 'hazardous' for public health. Advertisement China on Monday said that Indias membership was not on the agenda at the upcoming meeting of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) in Seoul. MEA's Vikas Swaroop responded that while the government was optimistic on the issue, he cautioned the media not to speculate and wait for the outcome of the Seoul meeting. Off The Front Page BJP MP Yogi Adityanath recently accused Mother Teresa of being part of a 'conspiracy to Christianise India'. Speaking at a religious meeting Adityanath claimed that Mother Teresa targetted Hindus in the name of doing service and then converted them to Christianity. As many as 984 graduates and five MPhil degree holders have applied for the five hamal (porter) posts in Maharashtra. The MPSC had released an advertisement for the recruitment of five hamaal posts in December and got 2,424 applications. The approximate salary for this post is 13-14 thousand per month and the minimum educational qualification for the post is just Class IV with the age limit of 18-33 years. After the controversy surrounding Udta Punjab and Haraamkhor got over, a Malayalam film Kathakali has locked horns with the Central Board of Film Certification. The CBFC has reportedly refused to grant a certificate due to nudity portrayed in the film. Opinion It will be sad to see RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan return to Chicago. But he must take his share of the blame for this unfortunate situation, writes Rajiv Kumar in The Indian Express. "One of the reasons why the Government did not support Rajan could be the fact that he was combining the role of a senior policy mandarin with that of a public intellectual... Not only did he advise the finance minister to stick to the fiscal target, which was clearly stepping over red lines, he also chose to speak publicly on the state of tolerance in the country and whether or not a strong government faces the danger of succumbing to dictatorial tendencies a la the emergency in India or Hitlers Germany," he says. Advertisement With India now acknowledged as the fastest growing large economy in the world and also edging up in the World Banks ease of doing business rankings, the time is ripe for the country to open its doors wider to FDI. This is exactly what the Centre has done by raising FDI caps in some sectors, sweeping others entirely into the automatic route and diluting preconditions for sectors with restrictions, says an editorial in The Hindu. "There is no disputing that the FDI relaxations, irrespective of whether they were timed to signal the Centres commitment to reforms in the face of RBI Governor Raghuram Rajans exit in September, are a step in the right direction. But as we have learnt from the past, the devil is usually in the detail," it says. India is treating the Seoul plenary as one more step in a long diplomatic journey into the heart of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, writes Jayanth Jacob in Hindustan Times. "NSG membership has always been an Indian policy goal as its current exemption runs a risk of being overturned if China or another unfriendly regime comes to dominate the NSG. It would also help allay concerns of overseas buyers if India is to become an exporter of reactors and nuclear components, a Modi goal that parallels similar plans by his predecessor Manmohan Singh," he says. Advertisement Contact HuffPost India Also On HuffPost: Bloomberg via Getty Images Passengers use smartphones at Mumbai Central railway station in Mumbai, India, on Friday, Jan. 22, 2016. Google Inc. in partnership with RailTel Corp. and Indian Railways today launched high speed WiFi at the station. They plan to roll out the service to more than 400 railway stations, covering 10 million passengers each day, according to chief executive officer Sundar Pichai. Photographer: Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg via Getty Images On the occasion of 'World Wi-Fi Day' on 20 June, Google rolled out their free railway station Internet service in four more stations across India -- Sealdah, Lucknow Jn, Lucknow and Gorakhpur Jn. That makes Google WiFi available in a total of 19 stations. Google reported that a total of 1.5 million users have accessed the Internet in these stations. In January, Google launched its first free WiFi offering at Mumbai's Mumbai Central station. Within a week of the launch, almost 100,000 users had connected to it for using the Internet. Advertisement "The majority of India continues to access the Internet on a narrow band network, limiting their experience of Internet to basic activities. Easy and affordable access to full fidelity broadband network continues to be a challenge in India and is throttling the economic impact that Internet can have on the country," the official Google blog post said. Because of low overall connectivity in Tier 2 cities, railway stations there see more data consumption as the people there are more likely to use the WiFi connection to watch videos or stream music, as opposed to just checking email and social networking. To connect to the WiFi network at a railway station, you are redirected to a page where you have to fill in some details about yourself. After you have submitted the details, you get an OTP (One Time Password) on your mobile phone which you can enter into the post-registration screen and start using the WiFi services. Advertisement The idea of providing free WiFi was first broached when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Google headquarters last year. This was followed by an announcement that Google will provide WiFi at 500 stations in India. In 2016, a more detailed plan was announced during the railway budget. A total of 100 stations will be equipped with free WiFi Internet by the end of the year, and another 400 stations over the course of the next two years. Google has partnered for the project with RailTel which owns the railway cable network across India. RailTel will be providing wireless solutions, while Google is providing Internet connectivity. The search giant is keen to get a foothold in India by providing free WiFi and educational services. Earlier this year, it was said to be working with the government to provide Internet connectivity in rural areas by floating balloons as part of its Project Loon. Recent reports suggest that Goa might be the first place where the project will be implemented. Calling on the world to embrace Yoga as a discipline in everyday life, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on the occasion of the International Yoga Day today, asserted that the ancient Indian art was the most selfless of its kind, as it did not discriminate, did not ask for much, but simply functioned for the betterment of mankind and brought every society together. Speaking on the occasion in Chandigarh with a mass gathering of almost 10,000 people, the Prime Minister said he had proposed 21 June as the ideal day for Yoga Day celebrations because in many parts of the world, this day is quite long and is closer to the earth. Stating that Yoga Day has garnered massive support from across the world, Prime Minister Modi said that there is no other event which matches the global popularity of this day. Advertisement (People practise yoga at a tourist spot ahead of the International Day of Yoga, on the outskirts of Beijing, China, June 20, 2016. China Daily/via REUTERS) "The United Nations observes several occasions but no other movement has become a global movement like Yoga Day. No other event is able to match the popularity of Yoga Day. This proves the power of the legacy by our ancestors," he said. Further asserting that some people do not understand the science behind Yoga, the Prime Minister said that the disciple was not a religious practice and was the path to salvation, adding that it provides health insurance for zero budget. Advertisement Yoga is for the believer and non believer as well. It does not differentiate between the rich and poor or the literate and illiterate. "Yoga is for the believer and non believer as well. It does not differentiate between the rich and poor or the literate and illiterate. Just like the cell phone has become a part of your daily life, I call on the world to embrace Yoga," he said. The Prime Minister also said that it needs to be ensured that while Yoga spreads across the globe as a popular practice, its sanctity is maintained, adding that it must not be dragged into any controversies either. Talking about Yoga as a roaring business success, he said that the form was gaining popularity as a major business and profession as well and that the demand for Yoga trainers across the globe was growing every day. "Let's focus on one thing in the coming days and that is how to mitigate diabetes through Yoga. Diabetes can surely be controlled through Yoga. Let us make Yoga more popular world over. Let India produce good Yoga teachers," the Prime Minister said. Advertisement He also thanked the United Nations for extending their support to ensure the success of this day across the globe. Meanwhile, the United Nations headquarters in New York lit up to mark the occasion of International Yoga Day. The United Nations General Assembly declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga on December 11 in 2014 after a call from the Prime Minister Modi during his address to UN General Assembly on September 27. PM Narendra Modi meets people at Yoga camp in Chandigarh #YogaDaypic.twitter.com/0AjJS1Px4Z ANI (@ANI_news) June 21, 2016 BCCI Chief Anurag Thakur and Harbhajan Singh do Yoga in Dharamsala #YogaDaypic.twitter.com/Euz8pKndFa ANI (@ANI_news) June 21, 2016 HM Rajnath Singh and Shia cleric Maulana Yasoob Abbas do Yoga in Lucknow on #YogaDaypic.twitter.com/f8S6wCpjSN ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) June 21, 2016 PM Narendra Modi doing Yoga in Chandigarh #YogaDaypic.twitter.com/u3WXfBS5EZ ANI (@ANI_news) June 21, 2016 Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu,Delhi Lt.Governor Najeeb Jung and BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi do Yoga in Delhi #YogaDaypic.twitter.com/MBChwzNsBy ANI (@ANI_news) June 21, 2016 NEW DELHI -- Here's a fun way to learn French while staying fit next time you practice yoga, remember the French name for each pose. The Institut Francais in New Delhi celebrated the International Yoga Day by teaching participants the French words for various yoga poses. Since a lot of yoga poses are inspired by animals the cat pose, the cow pose, the downward-facing dog pose, etc, they added "a French touch" by presenting these asanas named after animals by their French names. Next time you do Bhekasana, remember that the French word for frog is "grenouille". Similarly, Kurmasana can teach you "tortoise" is "tortue" and "camel" (after Ustrasana) is "chameau". "Lion" and "cobra" are the easiest they're the same in French! K-State opens competition for kicker Kansas State coach Chris Klieman isn't giving up on kicker Chris Tennant, but he isn't giving him a free pass, either. Here we look at some of the highlights from Irving Azoff's recent keynote at the NMPA, particularly regarding artist's rights and the importance of what's best for the creators. Azoff's efforts now also includes this campaign signed by 180 major artists. ___________________________ Guest post from Artist Rights Watch Irving Azoff highlighted the gridlock on artist rights in Washington in his June 8 keynote at the annual meeting of NMPA, the music publishers trade association. The music industry has never been more powerful and popular and we as an industry have never done a shittier job of rallying together as one industry, Azoff said. We should work together to solve the root of the problem fair compensation. I had one artist who was making $450,000 a year between all of his royalties, Azoff said. Now after the digital revolution, he is down to making $40,000 a year. But he noted that digital services like Youtube, which have very nice executives working for them, say they are not making any money on their ad-supported services, Azoff noted. How can you sit there and say we cant afford a couple of hundred millions of dollars for your industry, when their market cap is worth a half a trillion dollars? Azoff noted that the industry has been operating under the consent decree since the 1941. Anyone with sense would ask, why does the DOJ think we still need a consent decree, he observed. I think its deplorable. Finally, Azoff noted that no matter what role he played in the industry, as a manger, a promoter, a label executive, If you do whats right by the creator whether thats the artist or songwriter it will eventually be right for your company as well. The world is at greater risk of wildfire damage than ever before, according to newly released information from Nevadas Desert Research Institute and the University of Tasmania, and thats being evidenced by the flames racing across three states in the American Southwest.Triple-digit heat intensified wildfires Sunday in Southern California, Arizona and New Mexico, forcing the evacuation of hundreds and requiring the service of an increasing number of firefighters.The high-pressure system in the area has pushed temperatures to record levels, reaching 118 degrees in Phoenix and 108 in Burbank, California, breaking records for both cities. The fires come at a time when Southern California has already suffered through four years of drought, dried vegetation and low humidity.If a fire gets started, it really spreads, said Stuart Seto, a weather specialist with the National Weather Service in Los Angeles.Its part of a larger pattern identified in the Desert Research Institute report. According to the analysis, fire weather season length has increased by 18.7% from 1979 to 2013.And it isnt just longer seasons the amount of area each year impacted by wildfire is larger than ever before.CoreLogic suggests than nearly 21,000 homes in the Pacific Northwest are at very high risk of destruction.Fires have destroyed nearly 3,000 homes since 2000, according to CoreLogic, and the newly published research from American and Australian scholars suggests that trend wont be turning around any time soon. However, not everyone is at equal risk and producers need to be aware of some important trends.Unsurprisingly, businesses and homeowners in the Southern Rockies and South-Central US are at the greatest risk of wildfire damage. Together, the two regions contain more than 145,000 properties categorized as very high risk and another 915,000 at high risk.The Northern Rockies and Pacific Southwest are also more in danger of out-of-control flames than other regions in the US.But the study does more than just identify large, general swaths of the highest potential risk areas. According to Dr. Thomas Jeffrey, senior hazard scientist at CoreLogic, the data also reveals that new homes and businesses are especially exposed to wildfire damage.New home construction in and around urban areas tends to occur on the outer edge of current development, Jeffery said. The fact that newly constructed homes are likely to be located in areas that would be in close proximity to wildfire risk is an important consideration for brokers and agents.He added that agents assessing quotes for homes and businesses in urban areas should check to see whether the buildings are in close proximity to high fuel concentrations outside the actual urban or parcel boundary. If they are, this could affect their policy premiums.These lessons arent just for producers and clients who live in the areas outlined in the study, however. Jeffrey says no one should write off wildfire risk simply because they dont sell insurance in the generally-acknowledged hotspots.The geographic concentrations of higher wildfire risk are not limited to the traditionally-accepted wildfire states like California or Colorado, Jeffrey said. It is clear from this report that all of the western states have areas of higher wildfire risk. With driverless cars slowly but surely becoming a reality on roads everywhere, the question on everyones minds remains: Who is at fault should a driverless car figure into an accident?No other question has given the auto insurance industry quite the headache. While some believe that the advent of self-driving cars would usher the end of auto insurance, there may yet be a role for car coverage with a little adjustment.According to a feature on the Los Angeles Times, the introduction of driverless cars is expected to lead to the sharp drop of car-related accidents, as over 90% of such accidents are attributed to driver error. Theoretically, this fact should lower insurance bills for consumers, but conversely it could shrink the personal auto insurance market, the article posits.A number of insurance giants have voiced their concerns over self-driving technology, citing that it would upset the industry.In a speech last year, Allstate Corp. chariman Thomas Wilson notably said that the move to driverless cars could have the most detrimental impact on auto insurance.Investor Warren Buffettalso chairman, president and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway , which owns GEICO also said last year in a forum that we would not be throwing a party at our insurance business once driverless cars are introduced.Despite such skepticism, some insurers and industry experts have stepped forward to meet the challenge the robot cars pose.British company Adrian Flux Insurance Services recently launched what it touts as the first driverless car policyit covers existing cars using autonomous features such as self-parking and autopilot systems. It would also cover drivers for situations out of their control, such as satellite failures or cyber-attacks from hackers.We wanted to help provide confidence and clarity around the ongoing debate of who is liable? remarked Adrian Flux General Manager Gerry Bucke in a statement.On the side, analysts agree that while liability continues to be an issue, consumers will still need insurance for damages outside of driving, such as from falling trees or vandalism.American Insurance Association Assistant General Counsel & Chief Claims Counsel James Whittle is not too worried, and believes driverless cars will not be too much of a big problem for the industry, for the simple reason that a lot of people like to drive. Antitrust regulators have expressed their worries over Anthems proposed acquisition of Cigna and are skeptical that both insurers can offer compromises that would preserve the health insurance industrys competition, said sources familiar with the matter.Anthem has asserted that it has minimal overlap with Cigna, geographically and product-wise, to highlight how the deal would not hurt competition. The insurer had also claimed that the deal would lower costs and improve product offerings for all its customers.Acting associate attorney general Bill Baer warned, however, that such mergers can give companies far too much power over the markets in which they operate, threatening the principles of freedom and fairness that undergird our economy.Representatives of both insurers, Justice Department staffers and dozens of representatives of state attorneys met on June 10 in Washington to discuss the merger, reported The Wall Street Journal. During the meeting, government officials outlined their concerns about the merger of two of Americas top health insurers.During the meeting, the Justice Department listed key areas where it claimed that the merger could hurt competition. The national employer market was one key area identified, since according to the officials the deal would lower the number of competitors in that market from four to three. Another point identified was the individual health plan marketAnthem participates in the individual markets of 14 states, while Cigna is on seven, with plans to expand into new states next year. Yet another key area listed was that the merger would have too much power to coerce healthcare providers to lower reimbursement rates.Mergers can receive government approval if either company involved agrees to concessions such as restrictions on their operations. Government officials, however, told the companies that they were not certain that Anthem or Cigna could offer adequate compromises to make the deal fairer, sources told The Wall Street Journal.We have been in ongoing dialogue with the Justice Department and state regulators regarding the compelling combination of our two companies to increase consumer access to high-quality, affordable health care, a spokeswoman for Anthem said. Given that the process is ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment on our actual discussions.Originally, Anthem and Cigna await a decision on the deal by July 2. A source familiar with the matter, however, told The Wall Street Journal that the companies now expect to hear more details by mid-July. French-based global insurance firm AXA has set out its vision for expansion with a strategy titled Ambition 2020.The plan was presented to investors at a conference in Paris Monday and highlighted the need to adapt and grow in a challenging economic environment.Along with many global insurers, AXA intends to expand its operations in Asia; as well as to make cost efficiencies and to focus on customer expectations in a digital world.There will be focus on its Protection & Health business, especially in mature markets, while property & casualty commercial lines will be expected to grow in high-growth countries.The Canadian federal and provincial governments have reached a preliminary agreement to expand the Canada Pension Plan.Discussions ended late in the evening and the proposal is that premiums would be increased over a 7-year period starting in 2019, subject to formal approval by the provinces."While we look forward to more details, we are pleased that the Federal and Provincial governments have committed to a modest increase in CPP," noted Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association (CLHIA) President and CEO Frank Swedlove. "However, we continue to believe any CPP enhancement should be targeted to those sectors of the population that need to increase their savings for retirement, and that they will be available to all Canadians no matter where they work or live."With fewer employers offering workplace pensions, Canadian finance ministers are concerned about the cost of supporting an aging population if premiums are not increased.Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company has announced its expansion into the Accident & Health market in Asia.Based in Singapore, the new business unit will focus initially on broker-distributed Group Personal Accident and Business Travel products, and will strategically expand its suite of A&H products over time.The operation will be headed by Phillip Brain who joins from Chubb , where he was vice-president and accident & health group manager in the region. Previously he was with AIG in a similar role.The professional body for insurance brokers in the UK has urged its members to carefully consider the benefits of remaining in the EU.With just two days to go until Britain goes to the polls in the historic in/out vote, the British Insurance Brokers Association says its members should make their vote count.The apolitical organization has publicly expressed views that staying in the bloc would be better for the industry and consumers for reasons including the ability for brokers to sell across borders and the large pool of talent and knowledge available across Europe.BIBA chairman Lord Hunt of Wirral commented: I believe that remaining in the EU would be a vote for business stability over uncertainty. A remain vote would stimulate investment and boost confidence that we will be able to continue to trade freely under the EU freedom of services provision.Meanwhile, 21 leaders of insurance and long-term savings associations across Europe have signed a letter urging the UK to remain a member of the EU. Two insurance units of the monolithic Berkshire Hathaway Inc. have come under fire for circumventing a state law designed to shield small businesses from unpredictable workers compensation costs.California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones came down against the company in a complaint alleging the California Insurance Company, a Berkshire workers comp carrier, filed one set of rates and policies with the state department, but sold businesses different policies through Applied Underwriters , another Berkshire company.The complaint was forwarded by a Sacramento linen-rental firm, which said it had been unexpectedly charged hundreds of thousands of dollars in workers compensation coverage for its 60 workers.The program is known as a profit-sharing arrangement, in which the premium paid by the insured is adjusted for the actual costs of claims incurred while the policy is in place, rather than expected claims.Shasta Linen Supply Inc. said it had obtained a policy from California Insurance before buying a subsequent agreement issued by Applied Underwriters that replaced the terms in the original policy. These terms, Jones said, hadnt been submitted to the Insurance Department for review.In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Jones said the events were made with an intent to circumvent government regulators, and that he finds it very, very troubling.His decision on the side of Shasta orders California Insurance Company to repay premium amounts paid in excess of the rates under the policies that were filed. The Insurance Department will also evaluate other policies and rates sold by Berkshire companies, which may lead to further action by Jones.The department said other state insurance offices are also seeking to prohibit the sale of similar policies from Berkshire Hathaway companies.A spokesperson for Applied Underwriters contested Jones decision in an interview with the Journal.The company strongly disagrees with the commissioners decision and intends to vigorously pursue all legal avenues, the spokesperson said.The decision was made after Jones considered testimony and other evidence gathered during a state administrative law proceeding last year. The judge in the case recommended the commissioner find the arrangement an unfiled and unapproved agreement.Jones decision goes against one of the largest companies in the United States, as well as the state of California. It is one of the states 10 biggest workers compensation carriers, according to NAIC data. Williams Economics Professor to Join White House Sciences Fellow WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. Jessica Leight, assistant professor of economics at Williams College, has been named a fellow on the White House Social and Behavioral Sciences Team (SBST). The team is charged with translating findings and methods from the social and behavioral sciences into improvements in federal policies and programs. The SBST is a small interdisciplinary team made up of fellows and associate fellows from colleges and universities, government agencies, and other research organizations from fields including psychology, policy, law, medicine, statistics, political science, and economics. The team will draw on their research experience to review current federal programs and recommend ways to make federal programs more effective. Often the work of the SBST involves using data and research to find ways to overcome seemingly small barriers to increase engagement with federal programs. As an example, the SBST recommended a series of text messages to students about tasks necessary to successfully matriculate in colleges important reminders intended to help reduce summer melt among college-admitted high school graduates in urban districts. In another project, the SBST recommended a targeted outreach letter to increase awareness of and access to a Farm Service Agency microloan program that can be especially beneficial to new and small farm operations. Leight earned her Ph.D. in development economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her research focuses on health and human capital investment, including agriculture, in countries around the world. One of her current projects, funded by the U.S. Department of Labor, evaluates a girls education program in India. Leight has experience working with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) on projects in Kenya and Nigeria, and is looking forward to collaborating more with USAID from her post with SBST. Both Superintendent Douglas Dias and School Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Greene came under fire at Monday's Mount Greylock School Committee meeting. Mount Greylock School Committee Splits on Superintendent Evaluation WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. A divided Mount Greylock Regional School Committee on Monday gave a passing grade to the district's superintendent after his first year on the job. On a vote of 4-2 (with one member absent), the committee rated Douglas Dias "proficient," the second highest of four possible grades in the rubric established by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The potential grades include unsatisfactory, needs improvement, proficient and exemplary. Two members of the seven-person committee rated Dias "unsatisfactory" on their individual rating forms, though one of the two hinted at Monday's meeting that he could settle for "needs improvement." The seventh member, who did not vote at Monday's meeting, Williamstown's Gary Fuls, rated Dias as proficient on his written form, giving the superintendent consistently high marks in most of the individual categories that comprise the state evaluation form. Richard Cohen of Lanesborough and Steven Miller of Williamstown voted in the minority against endorsing the grade given by five of seven committee members individually. The vote was preceded by a lengthy discussion in which the committee struggled with its internal process and the proper standard to which a first-year, first-time superintendent should be held. The latter point led Cohen, whose written evaluation score was unsatisfactory, to indicate he would upgrade that score if his colleagues agreed to drop down from proficient and meet in the middle. "I'm in favor of 'needs improvement,' " Cohen said just before the vote. "If you look at the DESE guidelines, that's the middle ground for a new superintendent. 'Proficient' would be exemplary for a new superintendent. I think 'needs improvement' is more realistic." Miller did not join Cohen in offering that compromise, but he did ask if the state had any data about what sorts of grades first-year superintendents receive. After replying that no data was available, Chairwoman Carolyn Greene called an up-or-down vote on a motion to make the majority's grade the grade of the full committee; that motion passed, 4-2. Throughout the discussion, Cohen repeatedly complained about how Greene excerpted his written comments for a composite evaluation that was distributed to the committee prior to the vote. As chair, Greene accepted the six written evaluations and grades of her colleagues, synthesized them on one form and distributed that document on Monday to help inform the discussion at the meeting. He also complained that the summative document without all of his comments was available for public consumption at the meeting. "I'm concerned because the document you just handed to the press includes some of my comments but not the more important ones," Cohen said. "I based my ratings on evidence. I think you're doing a disservice by not including the full comments. "I don't think the chair has discretion to decide which comments are worthy." Greene said her goal was to distill the comments from all the members into one user-friendly document that balanced all the committee members' input positive and negative. "I spent four days on this," Greene said. "The evaluations did not come [back from committee members] all at once. I was constantly rejiggering and trying to put together and aggregate document. This conversation can determine if it should be changed, if you want to change your scores. You can make changes up until voting." Later in the discussion, Cohen said he was persuaded to change his rankings in the "performance goals" section of the evaluation from the lowest ranking, "did not meet" to the second of five rankings, "some progress," after listening to comments at the meeting from committee member Wendy Penner. But both Cohen and Miller argued that their full written comments along with the full written comments of other committee members should have been distributed prior to the meeting so that everyone had a chance to fully digest their colleagues' input before voting. Greene said the aggregate form she compiled served that purpose and, since it was communicated through the chair, avoided any Open Meeting Law violations. She also said it was a moot point, since both Cohen and Miller mailed out their full comments to the other members on Monday before the meeting; both also made printed copies of their personal evaluations available to iBerkshires.com. Both Cohen and Miller were strongly critical of Dias in written comments to support their grades, which consistently fell in the low range of the available spectra. Miller criticized Dias for being nonresponsive to the School Committee and accused him of giving it "incomplete and misleading" information. Cohen echoed that sentiment. "The Superintendent's support of the MG School Committee decision-making role has also been unsatisfactory as demonstrated both by the quality of documents that were provided to the Committee and by deficiencies and delays in providing important information." Both Cohen and Miller relied heavily on negative grades Dias received from administrators who, for the first time in the history of Lanesborough-Williamstown Tri-District, were asked to do a formal evaluation of the superintendent. "[Six of the seven] members of the admin team indicated that he only 'sometimes' or 'rarely' 'articulates a clear, inspiring vision for the school system,' " Cohen cites in his comments. Cohen's evaluation also follows up on a theme that he has consistently raised in School Committee meetings: the role of the committee in directing educational policy. "At the August 17 MG School Committee meeting, the Superintendent demonstrated a lack of understanding about the School Committee's state-mandated role in making educational policy decisions," Cohen wrote. "Despite repeated discussions on the role of the School Committee during the course of the year, the Superintendent has shown little curiosity about researching the matter and has continued to act as if the School Committee has responsibility for budget decisions but not educational policy." Miller, a frequent critic of the decision to change the program of the special education preschool at Williamstown Elementary School, cited that controversy throughout his evaluation of Dias, who serves as superintendent at Mount Greylock, Williamstown Elementary and Lanesborough Elementary and is evaluated independently by the three different school committees. In comments to the Williamstown Committee and online postings, Miller has repeatedly emphasized that he was speaking about the Side-By-Side issue as a private citizen and not in his role as a Mount Greylock School Committee member. In his evaluation of Dias as a School Committee member, Miller wrote, "His handling and role in the cancellation of the full-day side-by-side program has been abysmal, and indicative of the concerns I have as a school committee member and the concerns members of the community have with his performance." Miller's comments went so far as to refer to the claim that "$35,000+" has been "raised by the community" to support Side-By-Side, although no grant has actually been reported or offered to the WES Committee. And at Monday's meeting, he specifically asked that Greene add his comments about Side-By-Side to the aggregate document. All five of the School Committee members who gave Dias high marks acknowledged in their written comments that his first post as a superintendent was not an easy one. Dias was thrown into a Tri-District arrangement in which he was answerable to three different school committees at a time of constricting budgets and in a year when one of the districts, Mount Greylock, was in the middle of the Massachusetts School Building' Authority's feasibility study phase. "I feel he has done a good job at keeping all three schools at high standards, but has gotten lost in the complexity that each school system brings and therefore some schools have gotten more attention than others," wrote Sheila Hebert, who also serves on the Lanesborough School Committee. "While this is difficult for any superintendent to deal with, Doug can make things work by setting priorities and by keeping communication open with each school committee as difficulties arise with an individual school system that may require more of his attention." Chris Dodig agreed that the Tri-District post is "a challenging one." "I think much of the first year was learning on the job and keeping the school(s) moving forward," Dodig wrote. "Dr. Dias' hard work and work ethic was noticed and very much appreciated. I am persuaded the job will become easier for him over time and he has the ability to be an excellent superintendent." Miller's written comments noted that while he was giving Dias an overall grade of unsatisfactory, he still thought it was possible for Dias to be "a great superintendent for our district." And Cohen at Monday's meeting characterized his own comments as "constructive criticism." "I worked hard to bring Doug here," Cohen said. "I was the person, along with [Dodig] who did the due diligence and called many people and got glowing reports. I think in many ways, Doug has been very engaged and has been trying to do a good job ... in an extremely difficult year politically. "We have someone we call 'doctor' for a reason. ... We expect and should expect that person should be a real leader in terms of education. "It's a lot easier to not be critical and just accept someone's self-evaluation. I thought it was my obligation to do my best in this process." Dias largely stayed out of the conversation as the committee debated its final evaluation, but he did note at a couple of points that constructive criticism is a useful tool. "The purpose of this is to get feedback that will help me grow," Dias said. "I get all the raw data. Some of it I agree with. Some of it I have questions on. But I always interpret feedback as helping me to grow as a first-year superintendent." We work towards an equitable, gender-just, self-reliant and sustainable fisheries, particularly in the small-scale, artisanal sector We work towards an equitable, gender-just, self-reliant and sustainable fisheries, particularly in the small-scale, artisanal sector We work towards an equitable, gender-just, self-reliant and sustainable fisheries, particularly in the small-scale, artisanal sector We work towards an equitable, gender-just, self-reliant and sustainable fisheries, particularly in the small-scale, artisanal sector Imperial Valley News Center U.S. Department of State Recognizes World Refugee Day Washington, DC - In honor of World Refugee Day on June 20, officials from the U.S. Department of State are participating in a variety of outreach activities in Baltimore, Washington, D.C., New York City, and New Jersey to honor the contributions of refugees making new lives in communities across the U.S. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will be attending an interfaith Iftar reception this evening at the All Dulles Area Muslim Society center in Sterling, Virginia, where he is looking forward to meeting with refugee families and the communities that have so generously welcomed them to the United States. He will be joined in making remarks and meeting with community leaders by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Special Envoy Angelina Jolie Pitt, a tireless advocate on behalf of refugees. This afternoon, the Secretary and Special Envoy Jolie Pitt will meet with a group of State Department employees who are former refugees or the sons and daughters of refugees. Following that roundtable, the Secretary and Special Envoy will hold a bilateral meeting to discuss refugee and other issues. The Secretary will also speak with a group of college students who are visiting the Department to participate in the U.S. Diplomacy Centers diplomatic simulation on refugees and forced displacement. He will have the opportunity to see young Americans engaged in learning how to resolve a simulated humanitarian crisis through diplomacy. Ambassador Samantha Power will represent the United States Mission to the United Nations later tonight at a photo exhibit organized jointly with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) at the New York Public Library. Recognizing refugees contributions to American society, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken will represent the Department at a naturalization ceremony being held today at the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. He will deliver remarks, and welcome some of Americas newest citizens to a nation founded on the perseverance and dedication of immigrants. Deputy Secretary Blinken will also attend a small, informal training session for community leaders from across the United States who came to America as refugees and are dedicated to helping arriving refugees to integrate successfully. U.S. Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources Heather Higginbottom will participate in a public service announcement sponsored by the Ad Council. Through this campaign, Deputy Secretary Higginbottom will explain the strength and importance of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, and will highlight the positive impact that refugees have on their communities. This past weekend, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration Anne C. Richard spoke with refugees in Baltimore at a World Refugee Day event sponsored by representatives of the local community. Joined by the Mayor of Baltimore Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Assistant Secretary Richard conveyed her deep, heartfelt appreciation for the Baltimore communitys outstanding support for refugees, and her admiration for those who are leading successful lives in their new homes. Today, Assistant Secretary Richard, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Anne Patterson, and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Linda Thomas-Greenfield will discuss the refugee crisis and other foreign policy issues at a luncheon held today by the Womens Foreign Policy Group. Special Representative for Religion and Global Affairs Shaun Casey will travel to New Jersey later this week to attend a World Refugee Day event hosted by a local resettlement agency, highlight the role of religious communities in welcoming refugees, and thank local volunteers for their contributions. Special Representative to Muslim Communities Shaarik Zafar and Assistant Secretary Richard will join the Secretary at the interfaith dinner tonight at the All Dulles Area Muslim Society in Sterling, Virginia. Special Representative for Business and Commercial Affairs Ziad Haidar is meeting today with business owners and refugees to discuss how refugees can and do fill roles much in demand in todays economy from healthcare to education to technology. These efforts demonstrate the Departments commitments to leading the global response to refugee crises, through the provision of humanitarian assistance and in marshaling our diplomatic resources to ask every individual and every nation to do more. Building on this commitment, President Obama will co-host the Leaders Summit on Refugees in New York on September 20. The goal of the Presidents summit is to expand the humanitarian safety net and create more long-term, durable opportunities for refugees. The United States remains committed to finding safe, new lives for the worlds most vulnerable people as they flee conflict, terrorism, and persecution. Meeting of the Transatlantic Policy Network on Religion and Diplomacy Washington, DC - Special Representative for Religion and Global Affairs Shaun Casey will host a meeting of the TPNRD from June 20-22. Fifteen diplomats and representatives from Europe, the European Union and Canada will participate. Founded in 2015, TPNRD is a policy network that brings together officials from foreign ministries in the European and Atlantic regions whose portfolios focus on religion. Its biannual meetings address specific policy issues of concern to its membership and allow attendees to identify possible areas of future cooperation and consultation. TPNRDs secretariat is based at the Cambridge Institute on Religion and International Studies at Cambridge University in the UK. TPNRD participants will meet with State Department officials, as well as academics and experts from foreign policy think tanks to discuss issues such as the interface of religion and countering violent extremism, opportunities for moving forward with the Marrakesh Declaration, the UNs Sustainable Development Goals, and the terminology of religious engagement. In addition, the group will meet with the U.S. Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom David Saperstein and Special Advisor for Religious Minorities in the Near East and South and Central Asia Knox Thames to discuss protection of religious minorities. Operators of Tech Support Scam Settle FTC Charges Washington, DC - The defendants behind Vast Tech Support have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission and State of Florida charges that they scammed thousands of consumers out of millions of dollars by selling them bogus technical support services. Under the settlement, Vast Tech Support, LLC and OMG Tech Help, LLC and their chief operating officer, Mark Donohue are prohibited from misleading consumers about the nature of the products they sell or market, as well as from deceptive telemarketing. In addition, Vast Tech Support and OMG Tech Help are prohibited from advertising, promoting or selling any tech support products or services. The FTCs complaint against the defendants was filed in 2014 as part of a group of actions against Florida-based tech support schemes. It alleges that the defendants used software designed to trick consumers into thinking there were problems with their computers, and directed consumers to telemarketers who subjected those consumers to high-pressure deceptive sales pitches for tech support products and services. The FTC and State of Florida charged that the defendants violated the Telemarketing Sales Rule and the FTC Act, along with the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. Under the terms of the stipulated final orders, Donohue is subject to a monetary judgment of $9,177,000, which is suspended based on his financial condition. Vast Tech and OMG Tech are subject to a monetary judgment of more than $27.2 million, which is partially suspended; the companies are required to surrender all of their assets to a court receiver. The full judgments will become due immediately if the defendants are found to have misrepresented their financial condition. The Commission vote approving the stipulated orders was 3-0. The FTC filed the proposed orders in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. President Obama Announces Winner of New Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute and New Manufacturing Hub Competitions Washington, DC - Throughout this week, the Obama Administration will be highlighting Americas capacity for creativity and invention and how our innovative progress over the last seven and a half years has helped continue to make our economy the strongest and most durable in the world. As part of this effort, today, at the third-annual SelectUSA Summit in Washington, DC, before an audience of business leaders, economic development officials, and investors from around the world, President Obama will announce that the Smart Manufacturing Leadership Coalition (SMLC) will lead the new Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute, in partnership with the Department of Energy. The winning coalition, headquartered in Los Angeles, California brings together a consortium of nearly 200 partners from across academia, industry, and non-profitshailing from more than thirty statesto spur advances in smart sensors and digital process controls that can radically improve the efficiency of U.S. advanced manufacturing. The Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute is the ninth manufacturing hub awarded by the Obama Administration. Today, the President also announced the launch of five new manufacturing hub competitions, which will invest nearly $800 million in combined federal and non-federal resources to support transformative manufacturing technologies from collaborative robotics to biofabrication of cells and tissues, to revolutionizing the ways materials can be reused and recycled. With the new competitions underway, the Administration is on track to meet the Presidents goal of a National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI) of 15 institutes underway across the country before the end of his Administration. After a decade of decline from 2000 to 2010, the U.S. manufacturing sector has added over 800,000 jobs since February 2010 and remains more competitive for jobs and investment today compared to recent decades. And just last month, a new survey of CEOs from around the world declared the United States the most attractive country for investment for the fourth year in a row. Announcing New Manufacturing Innovation Institute Award and Competitions The Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute being announced today, the ninth institute government-wide awarded to-date, will focus on innovations like smart sensors that can dramatically reduce energy expenses in advanced manufacturing, making our manufacturing sector strong today and positioning the United States to lead the manufacturing of tomorrow, helping sustain the resurgence of U.S. manufacturing currently underway. The Smart Manufacturing Leadership Coalition will bring together nearly 200 partners to launch the Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute, focused on accelerating the development and adoption of advanced sensors, data analytics, and controls in manufacturing, while reducing the cost of these technologies by half and radically improving the efficiency of U.S. advanced manufacturing. In addition, the newly announced manufacturing innovation institute topics now under competition include: Robotics in Manufacturing Environments Manufacturing Innovation Institute. In collaboration with the Department of Defense, the newest manufacturing institute will focus on building U.S. leadership in smart collaborative robotics, where advanced robots work alongside humans seamlessly, safely, and intuitively to do the heavy lifting on an assembly line or handle with precision, intricate or dangerous tasks. People collaborating with robots has the potential to change a broad swath of manufacturing sectors, from defense and space to automotive and health, enabling the reliable and efficient production of high-quality, customized products. Advanced Tissue Biofabrication Manufacturing Innovation Institute. In collaboration with the Department of Defense, the Institute will pioneer next-generation manufacturing techniques for repairing and replacing cells and tissues, which may one day lead to the ability to manufacture new skin for soldiers scarred from combat or to produce life-saving organs for the too many Americans stuck on transplant waiting lists today. The Institute will focus on solving the cross-cutting manufacturing challenges that stand in the way of producing new synthetic tissues and organs such as improving the availability, reproducibility, accessibility, and standardization of manufacturing materials, technologies, and processes to create tissue and organ products. We expect collaborations across multiple disciplines; from 3D bio-printing, cell science, and process design, automated pharmaceutical screening methods to the supply chain expertise needed to rapidly produce and transport these live-saving materials. Modular Chemical Process Intensification (MCPI) Institute. In collaboration with the Department of Energy, the Institute will fundamentally redesign the process used for manufacturing chemicals, refining fuels, and producing other high-value products by combining many complex processing stages into one simple and streamlined step. Process intensification breakthroughs can dramatically shrink the footprint of equipment needed on a crowded factory floor or eliminate waste by using the raw input materials more efficiently. For example, by simplifying and shrinking the process, this approach could enable natural gas refining directly at the wellhead, saving up to half of the energy lost in the ethanol cracking process today. In the chemical industry alone, these technologies could save more than $9 billion annually in process costs. Reducing Embodied Energy and Decreasing Emissions (REMADE) in Materials Manufacturing Institute. In collaboration with the Department of Energy, the Institute will focus on reducing the total lifetime use of energy in manufactured materials by developing new cradle-to-cradle technologies for the reuse, recycling, and remanufacturing of manmade materials. U.S. manufacturing consumes nearly a third of the nations total energy use annually, with much of that energy embodied in the physical products made in manufacturing. New technologies to better repurpose these materials could save U.S. manufacturers and the nation up to 1.6 quadrillion BTU of energy annually, equivalent to 280 million barrels of oil, or a months worth of that nations oil imports. Industry-proposed Institutes Competition. Leveraging authorities from legislation passed with broad bipartisan support in Congress, the Department of Commerce has launched the first open topic institute competition. This competition is open to any topic proposed by industry not already addressed by a manufacturing innovation institute. At least one institute will be awarded using FY2016 funds, and one or more will be awarded subject to the availability of additional funds. The open topic competition design allows industry to propose technology areas seen as critical by leading manufacturers to the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturing. Headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, the Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute will also launch five regional manufacturing centers across the United States each focused on local technology transfer and workforce development. UCLA will lead the California regional center, in partnership with the city of Los Angeles harnessing the ability to tap the largest manufacturing base in the United States. Texas A&M University will lead the Gulf Coast centera region anchored in the chemical, oil and gas sectorsand Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) will lead the Northeast center, where glass, ceramic and microelectronic manufacturing has a strong presence. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory will lead a hub in the Northwest and NC State will spearhead a regional hub for the Southeast. To ensure that all American businesses, regardless of their size or potential resource limitations, have the opportunity to benefit from the institutes progress, the Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute will use an open-source digital platform and technology marketplace to integrate advanced sensors, controls, platforms, and modeling technologies into commercial smart manufacturing systems. The institute will also provide the manufacturing communities with easy and affordable access to real-time analytic tools, infrastructure, and industrial applications. Through the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation, the new Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute will partner with three existing manufacturing innovation institutes to pioneer technologies at the intersection of their unique capabilities. For example, the Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute will partner with IACMI to demonstrate the value of using advanced sensors in the production of carbon fiber and with PowerAmerica to showcase the energy savings of using advanced sensors in the production of new wide bandgap semiconductor circuit boards. Industry Partners: Aerospace Corporation; Alcoa; Analog Devices; ANSYS; ArcellorMittal; Autodesk; BASF Corporation; Bonneville Power Administration; Corning; Emerson Process Management; ExxonMobil; General Mills; Global Foundries; Google; KUKA Systems North America; Microsoft; Northrop Grumman; OSIsoft; Pfizer; Praxair; Rockwell Automation; Saint-Gobain; Southern California Edison; United States Steel Corporation; United Technologies Research Center; Medium: A&E Engineering Inc.; LanzaTech; Materia; SEVA; TowerJazz; Small: Able Industrial Products Inc.; Accurate Dial & Nameplate; Advanced Polymer Monitoring Technologies; Apex; APS Technology; Baja Designs; Banks Integration; Bonanza Associates; Citrine Informatics; EnerG2; Eon Reality; GMS Industrial Supply; Goodyear Rubber; Greenway Energy; HannahMax Baking; Industrial Automation Consulting; Infologic, Inc.; Information Systems Associates; Loman CSI-Consortium/Resource; Makai Ocean engineering; Martin Control Systems; Nila; Nimbis Services; One Cycle Control; Process Systems Enterprise Inc.; RES Group; Satelles: Savigent Software; Space Micro; Summertree Interiors Newport Cottages; SyncFab; ThinkIQ; Viewpoint Systems; VIMANA System Insights; Vinatech Engineering Inc.; VRCO; and many more small and medium-sized manufacturers. Local and State Organizations: California Chamber of Commerce; City of Los Angeles; Energy Trust of Oregon ; Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce; LAnSync, National Association of State Energy Officials; Oregon Department of Energy; PortTech LA; State Energy Conservation Office; State of California; State of Connecticut; State of Louisiana Board of Regents; State of Washington; Texas Workforce Commission Manufacturing Enterprise Program (MEP): California Manufacturing Technology Consulting (CMTC), North Carolina MEP , Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station; Investing in Manufacturing Community Partnerships (IMCP): Advanced Manufacturing Partnership for Southern California (AMP SoCal); Pacific Northwest Manufacturing Partnership ; Puget Sound Regional Council. Academic Partners and Research Institutes: Community Colleges: (Brazosport, California Community Colleges (113), Chaffey; Irvine Valley; Lee, Long Beach City) California Institute for Telecommunications; Cal State U (Long Beach; Poly Pomona, Northridge); California Community Colleges Centers for Applied Competitive Technologies; Clemson U.; Georgia Institute of Technology; Idaho National Laboratory; Jet Propulsion National Laboratory; Lamar U.; Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory; Louisiana State U.; Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Michigan Tech Rail Transportation Program; Michigan Technological U.; Missouri U. of Science & Technology; Montana Gallatin College; Montana State U.; MontanaTech; National Energy Technology National Laboratory; National Renewable Energy Laboratoroy; North Carolina State U.; Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Oregon State U.; Pacific Northwest National Laboratory; Pennsylvania State U.; Purdue U.; Purdue U. Calumet; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; Rochester Institute of Technology; Rutgers School of Engineering; San Diego Supercomputing Center; Savannah River National Laboratory; Texas A&M University; Tulane U; SUNY Buffalo; U. of California (Berkeley, Irvine, Los Angeles); U. of Connecticut; Louisville; Massachusetts; Southern California; Tennessee Knoxville ; University of Texas (Austin; Rio Grande Valley); U. of Virginia; Virginia Tech; U. of Washington Clean Energy Institute; Washington State U.; West Virginia U. Independent Associations and Scientific Societies: American Foundry Society; Alliance to Save Energy; American Council for An Energy Efficient Economy; American Iron & Steel Institute; American Society of Quality; Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology; Council on Competitiveness; EWI; Gas Tech Institute; Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Associations; North American Die Casting Association; North American Process Technology Alliance; National Center for Manufacturing Sciences; Oregon BEST; SME; Southwest Research Institute; Steel Founders Society of America; Northwest Food Processors Association. Early Successes from the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation From the very first manufacturing institute pioneering novel 3D printing technologies in Youngstown, OH, to the most recently awarded institute pushing the boundaries of advanced fiber and textile technologies in Cambridge, MA, each of the now nine institutes is part of a growing innovation network dedicated to securing the U.S. technological leadership required to win the next generation of advanced manufacturing. The institutes, each led by manufacturing experts renowned in their field, have attracted nearly 1,000 companies, universities, and non-profits as members of the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation. The Federal governments commitment of over $600 million to the nine awarded institutes has been matched by over $1.2 billion in non-Federal resources from across industry, academia, and state governments. Already these institutes are having an impact from helping Rochester, NY attract over $1.4 billion and 800 manufacturing jobs through new photonics companies to pioneering the first FDA approved 3D-printed medical device. Already, these investments are generating wins for U.S. manufacturing: To help anchor production of new semiconductor technologies in the United States and accelerate the commercialization of advanced power electronics, in March, the Power America Manufacturing Innovation Institute successfully partnered with X-FAB in Lubbock, TX, to upgrade a $100 million dollar foundry to produce cost-competitive, next-generation semiconductors, enabling new business opportunities to sustain hundreds of jobs. Using next-generation metals manufacturing techniques, Lightweight Innovations for Tomorrow (LIFT), the Detroit institute focused on lightweight metals, has successfully reduced the weight of core metal parts found in cars and trucks by 40 percent, improving fuel efficiency and saving consumers dollars at the pump. In addition, LIFT has introduced curriculum in 22 states to train workers on the use of lightweight metals. This summer, 38 companies will host students in paid manufacturing internship in partnership with LIFT. America Makes has attracted hundreds of millions of dollars in new manufacturing investment to its region, including helping to attract GEs new $32 million global 3D printing hub and spurring Alcoa to invest $60 million in its New Kensington, PA facilities, both of which will benefit from proximity to America Makes and its expertise in 3D printing with metal powders. In addition, America Makes, with Deloitte and other partners, has created a free online course on the fundamentals of 3D printing for businesses. Over the last year, over 14,000 business leaders have taken this course to learn what 3D printing can do for their businesses. To learn more about the open competitions for these next manufacturing innovation institutes, please visit Manufacturing.gov. The established manufacturing innovation institutes are: This Isnt Our Last Love Letter Dear Don Don, Way back in 92 I walked into the room and knew Never felt this way before I shook your hand while gazing into your eyes And the feeling grew As I took a seat I knew A love that would have my heart Forever I knew Way back in 92 They say love at first sight doesnt always last or isnt true We were the exception to that rule Our love had no where to hide A spark set fire As if this is how the universe started I never doubted our love or what we could do Together we grew Forming a bond everlasting That became our glue My euphoria was YOU Im eternally grateful for the love and life we shared For how fortunate we were : to have and to hold through sickness and in health Til death do us part Until we are together again This isnt our last love letter I love you with all my heart and soul Yours forever, Deirdre (Mrs. Hank Snow) Im fortunate to have fallen in love with, marry and make a life with the sharpest, coolest, funniest, most rare, bad ass, tender loving, loyal man on the planet, my husband Don Imus. A True American Hero I dont know why it has been so hard for me to write about my dear friend Don Imus. I certainly know what he meant to me, my family, my charity, my hospital and the millions of fans that listened and loved him for so many years. I keep reading all the beautiful condolences that people are writing about how much a part of their lives were effected by listening to him over the years. But what most people dont talk enough about is what he did for all of us. In every sense of the word, he was an American Hero. His work with children with so many different illnesses and his dedication to their future was unmatched by anyone I have ever known or heard about. Besides raising over $100,000,000 for so many causes, he took care of young people for over 20 years in a state where he could not breathe. Along with his incredible wife Deirdre, he created a world where children were not defined by their disease. That was a miracle! He was a miracle. I will miss him ever day for the rest of my life. I was blessed to be a part of his and Deirdes life. No one will ever do what he did. I love you Don Imus - A TRUE AMERICAN HERO David Jurist IMUS IN THE MORNING FIRST DAY BACK! Watch: Snake Attacks Owner As She Tries To Release It From Cage Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the IndyArts email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Tate Modern in London opened the long-awaited Switch House last week. Some critics assumed the Tate was opening a fun palace, more intent about creating an enjoyable visitor experience than a close encounter with the arts of our time and of the future. True, there is the pleasing ascent to the 10th floor, with its 360-degree panoramic views of the city, but I encourage visitors to linger in the basement. Joined to the old Tate Modern by the Turbine Hall, architects Herzog and de Meuron have carved out a lobby complete with a brutal yet perversely graceful curving stairway. On this ground floor visitors can enter into what were the tanks of the old power station, one of which is currently partly inhabited by Lebanese sound artist Tarek Atoui. Atoui was born in Beirut in 1980 at the height of the civil war. He left Lebanon in 1998 and moved to France, where he studied electronic music at the French National Conservatory in Reims. When I meet him during the rehearsals prior to the works public opening, he tells me that one of the consequences of being born during the war was that there were no record shops in Beirut or radio to listen to, so his musical education really started when he moved to Paris to study. He confesses: I have no classical musical education. While in Berlin, Atoui came across some ancient instruments in storage in the ethnological museum in Dahlem. He negotiated the bureaucracy of the museum and obtained permission for musicians to play them. The music produced was then recorded, and formed the basis for Atoui to approach contemporary instrument makers to invent instruments based solely on the sounds that the ancient instruments had made. He emphasises the fact that the instruments are based on aurality, not the visual impact or social knowledge of the originals. The instruments on display when the musicians are absent are a mixture of quasi-traditional looking blowing horns, African head-stands and, most bizarre perhaps, fine looking porcelain tea cups. Atoui tells me he was drawn to Arabic music by how relevant it is to this project with its traditions of improvisation and adaptability to different instruments. He admits his interest in music stems more from Stockhausen and John Cage and music post-Second World War, then classical music. So when I sit in on a rehearsal later I am prepared to be challenged by the sounds. Atoui will perform with his instrument makers for several hours every day until later when other composers/musicians will be given access to the instruments. What I am unprepared for is the musicality displayed, and the grace in the sound as Atoui gently strikes the Chinese porcelain with a thimble or rubs the edges with a metallic chain. The pots are handmade, he tells me, as it is the only way to give this clear ringing tone. Moving between the traditional looking horns and these more domestic objects, Atoui captivates through sound, and when the music is over the instruments remain to tickle the imagination of the viewer. It is a generous collaboration and with the dramatic acoustics in this tank should prove to be a popular one. And if, like me, you bump into a kissing couple in Charlotte Posenenskes mini-pavilions that share the space, let them enjoy the moment. Continuing until 25 September, Tate Modern. www.tate.org.uk Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the The Life Cinematic email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Few details were initially known about Alien: Covenant when director Ridley Scott announced the continuation of his once-beloved franchise other than it was to shed Prometheus' main character played by Noomi Rapace. It seems, however, the filmmaker was bluffing - Swedish actor Rapace has been spotted on the film's Australian set. Deadline reports that Rapace's archaeologist Dr Elizabeth Shaw will be showing up in Alien: Covenant after all alongside Demian Bichir, Danny McBride and fellow Prometheus actor Michael Fassbender (who returns as the synthetic David 8). It's Katherine Waterston (Inherent Vice, upcoming Harry Potter spin-off Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them) who'll be the hero of this particular piece playing a character linked to someone we know very well. Alien: The monster returns? Show all 11 1 /11 Alien: The monster returns? Alien: The monster returns? SU-50-alien-rex.jpg Sigourney Weaver up close and personal with an alien from the hugely successful Alien franchise of films. Ridley Scott's new film Prometheus was screened last weekend Rex Features Alien: The monster returns? alien-79.jpg Alien (1979) The famous scene just before a chestburster exits through its host's rib cage. Rex Features Alien: The monster returns? Aliens-Rex.jpg Aliens (1986) Ridley has been revived to help a team of marines investigate missing colonists. Here she walks amongst plethora of alien eggs. Rex Features Alien: The monster returns? aliens-exosuit.jpg Aliens (1986) Ripley prepares to battle an alien queen wearing an exosuit. The beast is defeated when it is expelled into space through an airlock. Rex Features Alien: The monster returns? alien-3-rex.jpg Alien 3 (1992) Dwarfed by the success of its two predecessors, Alien 3 received mixed reviews. Rex Features Alien: The monster returns? alien-3-stalk.jpg Alien 3 (1992) An Alien stalks its victim at a prison on a human colony. Rex Features Alien: The monster returns? alien-resurrection-veno,.jpg Alien Resurrection (1997) An Alien spewing venom in the fourth installment of the franchise which saw Ripley cloned 200 years after her death. Rex Features Alien: The monster returns? AVP-2004.jpg Alien vs Predator (2004) The fifth Alien movie saw the collision of two sci-fi titans. When unsuspecting humans stumble upon the Aliens and Predators battling it out in an underground hunting ground they must stop the fight from reaching the surface. Rex Features Alien: The monster returns? AVPR-2007.jpg Alien vs Predator Requiem (2007) When a Predator and Alien hybrid, imaginatively named a Predalien, causes mayhem in Colorado, a lone Predator is sent to destroy it with countless humans caught in the crossfire. Rex Features Alien: The monster returns? AVPR-2007-car.jpg Alien vs Predator (2004) A Predalien menaces the town of Gunnison, Colorado. Rex Features Alien: The monster returns? prometheususe.jpg Prometheus (2012) Director Ridley Scott has promised that the release of the sort-of prequel will reveal some secrets about the origin of the Aliens. Rex Features The films official plot synopsis reads: "Ridley Scott returns to the universe he created in Alien with Alien: Covenant, the second chapter in a prequel trilogy that began with Prometheus - and connects directly to Scott's 1979 seminal work of science fiction. "Bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, the crew of the colony ship Covenant discovers what they think is an uncharted paradise, but is actually a dark, dangerous world - whose sole inhabitant is the 'synthetic' David (Fassbender), survivor of the doomed Prometheus expedition. This description excitingly confirms there be another film after Covenant, making up a full prequel trilogy linking directly to the original Alien. Alien: Covenant is set for release in the US on 4 August 2017. A UK release date is yet to be confirmed. Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the The Life Cinematic email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Elizabeth Banks has revealed that she was deemed too old at 28 to play love interest Mary-Jane in Spider-Man. The US actress and producer, now 42, did a screen test alongside Tobey Maguire for the 2002 film but was rejected for her age, despite being just 16 months older than the lead actor. I screen-tested for the role of Mary-Jane Watson in the first Spider-Man movie, opposite Tobey Maguire, she told Glamour magazine. Tobey and I are basically the same age and I was told I was too old to play her. Im like, Oh, okay, thats what Ive signed up for. Hollywood's (few) female directors Show all 10 1 /10 Hollywood's (few) female directors Hollywood's (few) female directors Elizabeth Banks Banks made her directorial debut with Pitch Perfect 2 in May 2015 after feeling 'underused' by Hollywood. PA Hollywood's (few) female directors Kathryn Bigelow Director Kathryn Bigelow, winner of Best Director for 'The Hurt Locker' (2008). Also known for Zero Dark Thirty (2012). Getty Images Hollywood's (few) female directors Ava DuVernay Ava DuVernay is best known for her recent Oscar-nominated film Selma (2014). Justin Sutcliffe Hollywood's (few) female directors Lone Sherfig Danish film director Lone Scherfig, best known for Oscar-nominated film An Education (2009). Getty Images Hollywood's (few) female directors Sam Taylor-Johnson Sam Taylor-Johnson, best known for directing Fifty Shades of Grey. Getty Images Hollywood's (few) female directors Sofia Coppola Sofia Coppola is best known for Oscar winner Lots in Translation (2003) and she recently directed The Bling Ring. Hollywood's (few) female directors Jane Campion Jane Campion was the President of 2014's Cannes jury. EPA Hollywood's (few) female directors Angelina Jolie Actress Angelina Jolie had her second experience as director with Unbroken (2014). Unbroken Hollywood's (few) female directors Phyllida Lloyd Phyllida Lloyd, best known for Mamma Mia! and The Iron Lady. Getty Images Hollywood's (few) female directors Gurinder Chadha Film Director Gurinder Chadha has directed several award-winning documentaries for the BBC and has an alliance with the British Film Institute (BFI). She's best known for Paris, je t'aime and recenty directed Bend it Like Beckham. AP The role eventually went to Kirsten Dunst, who would have been around 20 at the time. Banks settled for a minor part as Daily Bugle secretary Betty Brant, which she played in a further two Spider-Man films. Nowadays Banks is grateful for that fact that, unlike many young actresses, she was never a flavour of the month as it means she can enjoy longevity. Her interest lies primarily with character-based comedies and she recently directed Pitch Perfect 2, which grossed $285 million worldwide. Banks is no longer directing the threequel, however, after turning down the job to spend more time with her family. The new schedule butts up against my parental responsibilities in a way Im not really comfortable with, she said earlier this month. Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the The Life Cinematic email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Stan Lee, the man who created many of our favourite superheroes, is just as excited as you are about Spider-Man joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Tom Hollands latest iteration of the web-slinger debuted in Captain America: Civil War, winning over legions of fans who thought it was too soon to replace Andrew Garfield. Speaking about Holland, Lee said at a live Q&A (via Comic Book Resources): Oh, he's wonderful! I was with him the other day. He is great! I can't believe it. It's as if we created a living being to be Spider-Man, and it turned out to be him. When further asked about his upcoming Marvel cameos, Lee was unable to say which films he would be appearing but did confirm that his favourite ever cameo was recently filmed in Atlanta. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 Show all 34 1 /34 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 1. Captain America: Civil War Release date: 6 May 2016. Iron Man and Captain America are set to face off in this superhero blockbuster that will feature nearly all the Avengers but wont be an Avengers film. It will also mark the first time Spider-Man will feature in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Sony having made a deal with Marvel Studios. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 2. X-Men: Apocalypse Release date: 27 May 2016. Following the success of Days of Future Past, Apocalypse will follow the young X-Men team as the battle against Oscar Isaacs titular villain as he gathers his four horsemen; Magneto (Fassbender), Angel (Hardy), Storm (Shipp), and Psylocke (Munn). Expect carnage and no Wolverine. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 3. Suicide Squad Release date: 5 August 2016. The first supervillain film, Suicide Squad is also based in the DCEU (DC Extended Universe, where Batman and Superman live) and will introduce the world to Margot Robbies Harley Quinn and Jared Letos Joker. One of the more exciting upcoming DC films thats for sure. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 4. Doctor Strange Release date: 4 November 2016. Benedict Cumberbatch will debut in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe, where Captain America and Iron Man live) as the Sorcerer Supreme. The film already has an incredible cast, including Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachael McAdams and Tilda Swinton. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 5. Untitled Lego Batman film Release date: 20 February 2017. Kicking off 2017 is the Lego version of Batman, who will lead his own spin-off, having already featured in the amazing Lego Movie. Will Arnett voices the titular character, while Zach Garfianakis - from the Hangover - will voice The Joker. But will he better than Leto? 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 6. Untitled Wolverine film Release date: 3 March 2017. Having not starred in X-Men: Apocalypse, Wolverine will return to the big screen in a solo film which was recently made R-Rated following the success of Deadpool. It is expected to be Hugh Jackmans last outing as the titular character. Fox 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 7. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Release date: 5 May 2017. Chris Pratt and the crew are returning to space in the sequel to the surprisingly successful Guardians of the Galaxy. According to director James Gunn, the film will not feature Thanos, even though he will to play a major role in phase MCU Phase 3. Cast includes newcomers Kurt Russell and Pom Klementieff, as well as, rumour has it, Sylvester Stallone. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 8. Wonder Woman Release date: 23 June 2017. Gal Gadot is returning to the DCEU in her very own film, marking the first female-led superhero film on this list. Chris Pine is on board to play Wonder Womans love interest. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 9. Untitled Spider-Man reboot Release date: 7 July 2017. Yes, it is another Spider-Man reboot, having previously been redone with Andrew Garfield as the lead. However, this time it is part of the MCU, with Tom Holland as the titular character, and a heavily rumoured cameo by Iron Man could be in the pipeline. We can dream. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 10. Untitled Fox film Release date: 6 October 2017. In a strange announcement, Fox decided to withhold the release of Gambit until a future, as-yet unannounced date, which could be here, or this could be a completely separate project. Many suspect Deadpool 2 could nicely fit here, Fox capitalising on the success of the first film. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 11. Thor: Ragnarok Release date: 3 November 2017. Chris Hemsworth will be returning as the Norse God in his third solo MCU film. Flight of the Conchords Taika Waititi is on board to direct, and promises a fun adventure that will likely lead into Marvels next project, Infinity War. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 12. Justice League Part One Release date: 17 November 2017. Hot on the heals of Thor comes Justice League Part One, the first DCEU team-up flick which will see Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Aquaman and Cyborg work together to fight bad guys. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 13: Untitled Fox film Release date: 12 January 2018. Kicking off 2018 will likely be the second Deadpool film, but then again, this could very well be another X-Men team-up. Theres also talk of an X-Force film, with Deadpool and other mutants teaming up to fight evil. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 14. Black Panther Release date: 16 February 2018. The first non-white male-led superhero film in the MCU comes in the form of Black Panther, with Chadwick Boseman reprising the titular role, having also starred as the Panther in Civil War. Creeds Ryan Coogler is on to direct what could be a very exciting film. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 15. The Flash Release date: 16 March 2018. The Flash will be the first DCEU film since Justice League, and sees Ezra Miller take the lead. Phil Lord and Chris Miller were supposed to pen the film before Disney snapped them up for the Han Solo-film, leaving Seth Grahame-Smith to take charge. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 16. Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 Release date: 4 May 2018. And so, we finally get to the point of all these Infinity Stones! Thanos will be the big bad, with the Avengers needing to team up to defeat their biggest foe yet. It has previously been described as the end of the Avengers as we know it. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 17. Ant-Man and The Wasp Release date: 6 July 2018. Peyton Reed will be back to direct this surprise sequel to one of the better received MCU films. While the name is ridiculous, at least Marvel are finally having a leading female superhero. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 18. Untitled Fox film Release date: 13 July 2018. Again, not much word on this one except it is thought to be X-Men spin-off New Mutants, something Josh Boone has been hit up to write. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 19. Animated Spider-Man Film Release date: 20 July 2018. Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach, and Amy Pascal - the team behind the live-action Spider-Man films - are producing this unrelated animated adaptation of the hero. Because you can never have too much Spider-Man, right? 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 20. Aquaman Release date: 27 July 2018. Another Justice League spin-off, Jason Momoa plays the leading man. Furious 7s James Wan is on to direct, but little else is known about the film. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 21. Captain Marvel Release date: 8 March 2019. Weve hit 2019, and the first confirmed superhero film will be the first proper female-led MCU film. No-one is confirmed to be in the titular role of Carol Danvers just yet. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 22. Shazam Release date: 5 April 2019. Dwayne Johnson stars as the villain in this DCEU film which will be somewhat separate to the other DC films. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 23. Avengers: Infinity War Part 2. Release date: 3 May 2019. The conclusion to the long drawn MCU saga. Expect a big finish with at least a few planets being destroyed. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 24. Justice League Part Two Release date: 14 June 2019. Soon after the Infinity War story reaches its conclusion, so will the Justice Leagues. Not much is known, except Darkseid will likely be the villain for at least one of the parts. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 25. Inhumans Release date: 12 July 2019. The concept of Inhumans (or Marvels mutants) has already been introduced in TV, through Marvels Agents of Shield, yet the film is expected to introduce the Royal Family who have yet to be seen in the show. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 26. Cyborg Release date: 3 April 2020. Having debuted in Justice League Part One three years previously, Cyborg will finally be making his own outing, with Ray Fisher as the titular character. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 27. Untitled MCU film Release date: 1 May 2020. The first of three untitled Marvel films. There are a couple of contenders, the first is a likely sequel to Spider-Man with Sony, or a third Guardians of the Galaxy film, thus finishing the trilogy. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 28. Green Lantern Corps. Release date: 19 June 2020. Before you start to worry, this has nothing to do with the Ryan Reynolds-starring flick that hit cinemas a little while ago. Instead, this will be another DCEU film that will likely spin-off from Justice League after the Green Lantern Corps cameo in one of the parts. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 29. Untitled MCU film Release date: 10 July 2020. As well as Spider-Man or Guardians of the Galaxy sequels, a Doctor Strange or Black Panther one could fit in nicely here. Or perhaps Black Widow may finally get the solo-film she deserves. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 30. Untitled MCU film Release date: 6 November 2020. Some speculators also think a Blade film could fit in here, marking over 20 years since the first Blade. But many believe the character may be better suited to a Netflix series, as with Daredevil and Jessica Jones. Theres also talk of a Runaways film reaching cinemas at some stage. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 31. Untitled Ben Affleck Batman film Release date: TBA. Now were onto the TBA release dates, the first of which is a Batman solo film, written and directed by Ben Affleck. When this is due, no one is quite sure but expect it sooner rather than later if Batman v Superman is a success. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 32. Suicide Squad 2 Release date: TBA (rumoured 2017). A sequel to Suicide Squad is expected to come in 2017 according to recent reports, but nothing has been confirmed. If the first is successful, it should come as no surprise for Warner Bros to rearrange their schedule to fit in this surefire hit. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 33. Venom Release date: TBA. This is an odd one, as it has been confirmed Sony are wanting to release a Venom film completely unrelated to the upcoming Spider-Man reboot. Venom, as you may know, is a Spider-Man villain, intrinsically linked to Spider-Man, so it seems odd they would release a film unrelated to the rebooted project and not linked to the MCU. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 Anything else? Well, now you mention it, theres also that sequel to Fantastic Four that has seemingly been dropped by Fox. Plus, theres the Gambit film which has been put on hold (but will likely fill an untitled Fox slot so we havent added it extra). Then again, it could be shoehorned in somehow Marvel Meanwhile, the cast of Spider-Man: Homecoming has increased a lot recently, with Hannibal Buress, Donald Glover and Kenneth Choi joining the film. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Google is rolling out new health tools aimed at making it easier for people to self-diagnose. The company says that 1 per cent millions of searches on its website are related to peoples symptoms. But the unclear information and confusion is leading people to experience unnecessary anxiety and stress, and it hopes to fix that with its new tool. With a new feature that is being rolled out, Google hopes to solve those problems and help people find out what might be wrong with them. Gadget and tech news: In pictures Show all 25 1 /25 Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gun-toting humanoid robot sent into space Russia has launched a humanoid robot into space on a rocket bound for the International Space Station (ISS). The robot Fedor will spend 10 days aboard the ISS practising skills such as using tools to fix issues onboard. Russia's deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin has previously shared videos of Fedor handling and shooting guns at a firing range with deadly accuracy. Dmitry Rogozin/Twitter Gadget and tech news: In pictures Google turns 21 Google celebrates its 21st birthday on September 27. The The search engine was founded in September 1998 by two PhD students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, in their dormitories at Californias Stanford University. Page and Brin chose the name google as it recalled the mathematic term 'googol', meaning 10 raised to the power of 100 Google Gadget and tech news: In pictures Hexa drone lifts off Chief engineer of LIFT aircraft Balazs Kerulo demonstrates the company's "Hexa" personal drone craft in Lago Vista, Texas on June 3 2019 Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures Project Scarlett to succeed Xbox One Microsoft announced Project Scarlett, the successor to the Xbox One, at E3 2019. The company said that the new console will be 4 times as powerful as the Xbox One and is slated for a release date of Christmas 2020 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures First new iPod in four years Apple has announced the new iPod Touch, the first new iPod in four years. The device will have the option of adding more storage, up to 256GB Apple Gadget and tech news: In pictures Folding phone may flop Samsung will cancel orders of its Galaxy Fold phone at the end of May if the phone is not then ready for sale. The $2000 folding phone has been found to break easily with review copies being recalled after backlash PA Gadget and tech news: In pictures Charging mat non-starter Apple has cancelled its AirPower wireless charging mat, which was slated as a way to charge numerous apple products at once AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures "Super league" India shoots down satellite India has claimed status as part of a "super league" of nations after shooting down a live satellite in a test of new missile technology EPA Gadget and tech news: In pictures 5G incoming 5G wireless internet is expected to launch in 2019, with the potential to reach speeds of 50mb/s Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Uber halts driverless testing after death Uber has halted testing of driverless vehicles after a woman was killed by one of their cars in Tempe, Arizona. March 19 2018 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures The giant human-like robot bears a striking resemblance to the military robots starring in the movie 'Avatar' and is claimed as a world first by its creators from a South Korean robotic company Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi and Kaptain Rock playing one string light saber guitar perform jam session Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway resembling the giant panda is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway, resembling a giant panda, is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A concept car by Trumpchi from GAC Group is shown at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A Mirai fuel cell vehicle by Toyota is displayed at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A visitor tries a Nissan VR experience at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A man looks at an exhibit entitled 'Mimus' a giant industrial robot which has been reprogrammed to interact with humans during a photocall at the new Design Museum in South Kensington, London Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A new Israeli Da-Vinci unmanned aerial vehicle manufactured by Elbit Systems is displayed during the 4th International conference on Home Land Security and Cyber in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv Getty For individual symptoms like 'headache,' well also give you an overview description along with information on self-treatment options and what might warrant a doctors visit, product manager Veronica Pinchin wrote in a Google blog. By doing this, our goal is to help you to navigate and explore health conditions related to your symptoms, and quickly get to the point where you can do more in-depth research on the web or talk to a health professional. The results will be created by looking for health conditions that are mentioned in its web results, Google said. It also checks those results against information created by its doctors a team of experts who will check through the individual symptom information and check that it shows the right information and comes up for the right searches. Despite that expert help, Google says that the search tool is meant for informational purposes only, and recommends that everyone consult a doctor if they need advice. It also asks that people tell it whether or not the information is useful. The feature will be rolling out on mobile in the next few days, Google said, initially with results showing in English for users in the US. Over time it hopes to roll out the feature to more countries and languages, as well as introducing new symptoms to its catalogue. Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Lifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} People who have graduated from university are more likely to be diagnosed with a brain tumour, scientists have said. Glioma, a malignant tumour that attacks the nervous system, was found to be 19 per cent more likely to be diagnosed in male university graduates who studied for three years, in contrast to men who left school at the age of 16. Women were found to be 23 per cent more likely to be diagnosed with glioma if they were educated to degree level. The study, which was published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, was conducted to study the connection between socioeconomic position and three types of tumour: glioma, which is the most common; meningioma, which is usually benign; and acoustic neuroma, a non-cancerous brain tumour. Researchers also discovered that men in professional jobs or managerial roles as opposed to those who undertook more manual jobs were 20 per cent more likely be diagnosed with glioma. They also had a 50 per cent higher chance of being diagnosed with neuroma. Health news in pictures Show all 40 1 /40 Health news in pictures Health news in pictures Coronavirus outbreak The coronavirus Covid-19 has hit the UK leading to the deaths of two people so far and prompting warnings from the Department of Health AFP via Getty Health news in pictures Thousands of emergency patients told to take taxi to hospital Thousands of 999 patients in England are being told to get a taxi to hospital, figures have showed. The number of patients outside London who were refused an ambulance rose by 83 per cent in the past year as demand for services grows Getty Health news in pictures Vape related deaths spike A vaping-related lung disease has claimed the lives of 11 people in the US in recent weeks. The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has more than 100 officials investigating the cause of the mystery illness, and has warned citizens against smoking e-cigarette products until more is known, particularly if modified or bought off the street Getty Health news in pictures Baldness cure looks to be a step closer Researchers in the US claim to have overcome one of the major hurdles to cultivating human follicles from stem cells. The new system allows cells to grow in a structured tuft and emerge from the skin Sanford Burnham Preybs Health news in pictures Two hours a week spent in nature can improve health A study in the journal Scientific Reports suggests that a dose of nature of just two hours a week is associated with better health and psychological wellbeing Shutterstock Health news in pictures Air pollution linked to fertility issues in women Exposure to air from traffic-clogged streets could leave women with fewer years to have children, a study has found. Italian researchers found women living in the most polluted areas were three times more likely to show signs they were running low on eggs than those who lived in cleaner surroundings, potentially triggering an earlier menopause Getty/iStock Health news in pictures Junk food ads could be banned before watershed Junk food adverts on TV and online could be banned before 9pm as part of Government plans to fight the "epidemic" of childhood obesity. Plans for the new watershed have been put out for public consultation in a bid to combat the growing crisis, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said PA Health news in pictures Breeding with neanderthals helped humans fight diseases On migrating from Africa around 70,000 years ago, humans bumped into the neanderthals of Eurasia. While humans were weak to the diseases of the new lands, breeding with the resident neanderthals made for a better equipped immune system PA Health news in pictures Cancer breath test to be trialled in Britain The breath biopsy device is designed to detect cancer hallmarks in molecules exhaled by patients Getty Health news in pictures Average 10 year old has consumed the recommended amount of sugar for an adult By their 10th birthdy, children have on average already eaten more sugar than the recommended amount for an 18 year old. The average 10 year old consumes the equivalent to 13 sugar cubes a day, 8 more than is recommended PA Health news in pictures Child health experts advise switching off screens an hour before bed While there is not enough evidence of harm to recommend UK-wide limits on screen use, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health have advised that children should avoid screens for an hour before bed time to avoid disrupting their sleep Getty Health news in pictures Daily aspirin is unnecessary for older people in good health, study finds A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has found that many elderly people are taking daily aspirin to little or no avail Getty Health news in pictures Vaping could lead to cancer, US study finds A study by the University of Minnesota's Masonic Cancer Centre has found that the carcinogenic chemicals formaldehyde, acrolein, and methylglyoxal are present in the saliva of E-cigarette users Reuters Health news in pictures More children are obese and diabetic There has been a 41% increase in children with type 2 diabetes since 2014, the National Paediatric Diabetes Audit has found. Obesity is a leading cause Reuters Health news in pictures Most child antidepressants are ineffective and can lead to suicidal thoughts The majority of antidepressants are ineffective and may be unsafe, for children and teenager with major depression, experts have warned. In what is the most comprehensive comparison of 14 commonly prescribed antidepressant drugs to date, researchers found that only one brand was more effective at relieving symptoms of depression than a placebo. Another popular drug, venlafaxine, was shown increase the risk users engaging in suicidal thoughts and attempts at suicide Getty Health news in pictures Gay, lesbian and bisexual adults at higher risk of heart disease, study claims Researchers at the Baptist Health South Florida Clinic in Miami focused on seven areas of controllable heart health and found these minority groups were particularly likely to be smokers and to have poorly controlled blood sugar iStock Health news in pictures Breakfast cereals targeted at children contain 'steadily high' sugar levels since 1992 despite producer claims A major pressure group has issued a fresh warning about perilously high amounts of sugar in breakfast cereals, specifically those designed for children, and has said that levels have barely been cut at all in the last two and a half decades Getty Health news in pictures Potholes are making us fat, NHS watchdog warns New guidance by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the body which determines what treatment the NHS should fund, said lax road repairs and car-dominated streets were contributing to the obesity epidemic by preventing members of the public from keeping active PA Health news in pictures New menopause drugs offer women relief from 'debilitating' hot flushes A new class of treatments for women going through the menopause is able to reduce numbers of debilitating hot flushes by as much as three quarters in a matter of days, a trial has found. The drug used in the trial belongs to a group known as NKB antagonists (blockers), which were developed as a treatment for schizophrenia but have been sitting on a shelf unused, according to Professor Waljit Dhillo, a professor of endocrinology and metabolism REX Health news in pictures Doctors should prescribe more antidepressants for people with mental health problems, study finds Research from Oxford University found that more than one million extra people suffering from mental health problems would benefit from being prescribed drugs and criticised ideological reasons doctors use to avoid doing so. Getty Health news in pictures Student dies of flu after NHS advice to stay at home and avoid A&E The family of a teenager who died from flu has urged people not to delay going to A&E if they are worried about their symptoms. Melissa Whiteley, an 18-year-old engineering student from Hanford in Stoke-on-Trent, fell ill at Christmas and died in hospital a month later. Just Giving Health news in pictures Government to review thousands of harmful vaginal mesh implants The Government has pledged to review tens of thousands of cases where women have been given harmful vaginal mesh implants. Getty Health news in pictures Jeremy Hunt announces 'zero suicides ambition' for the NHS The NHS will be asked to go further to prevent the deaths of patients in its care as part of a zero suicide ambition being launched today Getty Health news in pictures Human trials start with cancer treatment that primes immune system to kill off tumours Human trials have begun with a new cancer therapy that can prime the immune system to eradicate tumours. The treatment, that works similarly to a vaccine, is a combination of two existing drugs, of which tiny amounts are injected into the solid bulk of a tumour. Nephron Health news in pictures Babies' health suffers from being born near fracking sites, finds major study Mothers living within a kilometre of a fracking site were 25 per cent more likely to have a child born at low birth weight, which increase their chances of asthma, ADHD and other issues Getty Health news in pictures NHS reviewing thousands of cervical cancer smear tests after women wrongly given all-clear Thousands of cervical cancer screening results are under review after failings at a laboratory meant some women were incorrectly given the all-clear. A number of women have already been told to contact their doctors following the identification of procedural issues in the service provided by Pathology First Laboratory. Rex Health news in pictures Potential key to halting breast cancer's spread discovered by scientists Most breast cancer patients do not die from their initial tumour, but from secondary malignant growths (metastases), where cancer cells are able to enter the blood and survive to invade new sites. Asparagine, a molecule named after asparagus where it was first identified in high quantities, has now been shown to be an essential ingredient for tumour cells to gain these migratory properties. Getty Health news in pictures NHS nursing vacancies at record high with more than 34,000 roles advertised A record number of nursing and midwifery positions are currently being advertised by the NHS, with more than 34,000 positions currently vacant, according to the latest data. Demand for nurses was 19 per cent higher between July and September 2017 than the same period two years ago. REX Health news in pictures Cannabis extract could provide new class of treatment for psychosis CBD has a broadly opposite effect to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main active component in cannabis and the substance that causes paranoia and anxiety. Getty Health news in pictures Over 75,000 sign petition calling for Richard Branson's Virgin Care to hand settlement money back to NHS Mr Bransons company sued the NHS last year after it lost out on an 82m contract to provide childrens health services across Surrey, citing concerns over serious flaws in the way the contract was awarded PA Health news in pictures More than 700 fewer nurses training in England in first year after NHS bursary scrapped The numbers of people accepted to study nursing in England fell 3 per cent in 2017, while the numbers accepted in Wales and Scotland, where the bursaries were kept, increased 8.4 per cent and 8 per cent respectively Getty Health news in pictures Landmark study links Tory austerity to 120,000 deaths The paper found that there were 45,000 more deaths in the first four years of Tory-led efficiencies than would have been expected if funding had stayed at pre-election levels. On this trajectory that could rise to nearly 200,000 excess deaths by the end of 2020, even with the extra funding that has been earmarked for public sector services this year. Reuters Health news in pictures Long commutes carry health risks Hours of commuting may be mind-numbingly dull, but new research shows that it might also be having an adverse effect on both your health and performance at work. Longer commutes also appear to have a significant impact on mental wellbeing, with those commuting longer 33 per cent more likely to suffer from depression Shutterstock Health news in pictures You cannot be fit and fat It is not possible to be overweight and healthy, a major new study has concluded. The study of 3.5 million Britons found that even metabolically healthy obese people are still at a higher risk of heart disease or a stroke than those with a normal weight range Getty Health news in pictures Sleep deprivation When you feel particularly exhausted, it can definitely feel like you are also lacking in brain capacity. Now, a new study has suggested this could be because chronic sleep deprivation can actually cause the brain to eat itself Shutterstock Health news in pictures Exercise classes offering 45 minute naps launch David Lloyd Gyms have launched a new health and fitness class which is essentially a bunch of people taking a nap for 45 minutes. The fitness group was spurred to launch the napercise class after research revealed 86 per cent of parents said they were fatigued. The class is therefore predominantly aimed at parents but you actually do not have to have children to take part Getty Health news in pictures 'Fundamental right to health' to be axed after Brexit, lawyers warn Tobacco and alcohol companies could win more easily in court cases such as the recent battle over plain cigarette packaging if the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights is abandoned, a barrister and public health professor have said Getty Health news in pictures 'Thousands dying' due to fear over non-existent statin side-effects A major new study into the side effects of the cholesterol-lowering medicine suggests common symptoms such as muscle pain and weakness are not caused by the drugs themselves Getty Health news in pictures Babies born to fathers aged under 25 have higher risk of autism New research has found that babies born to fathers under the age of 25 or over 51 are at higher risk of developing autism and other social disorders. The study, conducted by the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Mount Sinai, found that these children are actually more advanced than their peers as infants, but then fall behind by the time they hit their teenage years Getty Health news in pictures Cycling to work could halve risk of cancer and heart disease Commuters who swap their car or bus pass for a bike could cut their risk of developing heart disease and cancer by almost half, new research suggests but campaigners have warned there is still an urgent need to improve road conditions for cyclists. Cycling to work is linked to a lower risk of developing cancer by 45 per cent and cardiovascular disease by 46 per cent, according to a study of a quarter of a million people. Walking to work also brought health benefits, the University of Glasgow researchers found, but not to the same degree as cycling. Getty Women in professional and managerial roles were 26 per cent more likely to be diagnosed with a brain tumour than those in manual roles, while the risk of meningioma was 14 per cent more likely. Previous studies have suggested socioeconomic positions are linked to malignant tumours in the brain, but researchers noted most findings were based upon poor study design. NHS symptoms of acoustic neuroma: symptoms tend to develop gradually and often include hearing loss, which usually only affects one ear tinnitus (hearing sounds that come from inside the body) vertigo (the sensation that you're moving or spinning) A large acoustic neuroma can also sometimes cause: persistent headaches temporary blurred or double vision numbness, pain or weakness on one side of the face problems with limb co-ordination (ataxia) on one side of the body The nationwide study looked at 4.3 million Swedes, born between 1911 and 1961.They were followed from 1993 to 2010 and studied for primary brain tumours. Results showed 7,100 women and 5,700 men from the participants were diagnosed with brain tumours. To explain the connection, researchers have suggested people who have better educations and jobs could be more likely to seek medical help, as a result of being more aware of symptoms. "This study found consistent associations between indicators of higher socioeconomic position and increased risk of glioma in both sexes," the authors wrote. Sir David Spiegelhalter, Winton professor of the public understanding of risk at the Statistical Laboratory at Cambridge University, said: "In spite of my degrees, I find these results deeply reassuring. For example, in each group of 3,000 men of the lowest educational level, we would expect five to be diagnosed with a glioma over 18 years. In 3,000 men with the highest educational level, we expect six gliomas. "This is a classic example of where 'big data' can find results that are of 'statistical' but not of practical significance." For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Americas burgeoning weed industry just seems to be climbing higher. Tech giant Microsoft announced Thursday it is partnering with a cannabis industry-focused software company called Kind Financial. The company provides seed to sale services for cannabis growers, allowing them to track inventory, navigate laws and handle transactions all through Kinds software systems. The partnership marks the first major tech company to attach its name to the burgeoning industry of legal marijuana. Recommended Read more Microsoft has partnered with a marijuana start up While most big tech companies have been shy to get involved, tech start-ups have been flocking to the up-and-coming pot trade, which is fully legal for both recreational and medical purposes in five states. The marijuana industrys specific needs for data tracking to optimize plant growth and other logistics, as well as its booming market potential, make it well-suited for tech partnerships. Nobody has really come out of the closet, if you will, said Matthew A. Karnes, the founder of marijuana data company Green Wave Advisors, to The New York Times. Its very telling that a company of this caliber is taking the risk of coming out and engaging with a company that is focused on the cannabis business. Cannabis around the world Show all 13 1 /13 Cannabis around the world Cannabis around the world Morocco Farmers destroy cannabis plantations under Moroccan police supervision in the northern Moroccan Larache region, pictured here in 2006 AFP/Getty images Cannabis around the world Colorado Growing business: Cannabis on sale at River Rock Wellness Sam Adams Cannabis around the world Oakland Oaksterdam in Oakland, California, is the world's only university dedicated to the study and cultivation of cannabis Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Images Cannabis around the world Seattle A cannabis smoker marks the start of the new law by the Space Needle in Seattle Getty Images Cannabis around the world China Cannabis growing wild in China, where it has been used to treat conditions such as gout and malaria Cannabis around the world Uruguay Uruguay has voted to make the country the first to legalize marijuana AFP/Getty Cannabis around the world Colorado A groundswell of support from the public led to full legalisation in Colorado Getty Images Cannabis around the world Berlin A man smokes licenced medicinal marijuana prior to participating in the annual Hemp Parade, or 'Hanfparade', in support of the legalization of marijuana in Germany on August 7, 2010 in Berlin, Germany. The consumption of cannabis in Germany is legal, though all other aspects, including growing, importing or selling it, are not. However, since the introduction of a new law in 2009, the sale and possession of marijuana for licenced medicinal use is legal. Sean Gallup/Getty Images Cannabis around the world UK The UK latest figures show 2.3 million people used cannabis in the last year AP Cannabis around the world Amsterdam Tourists visiting Amsterdam will not be banned from using the citys famous cannabis cafes Getty Images Cannabis around the world Merseyside These 25 cannabis plants, seized in Merseyside police, could have generated a turnover of 40,000 a year Cannabis around the world San Francisco April 20, 2012: People smoke marijuana joints at 4:20 p.m. as thousands of marijuana advocates gathered at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, California. The event was held on April 20, a date corresponding with a numerical 4/20 code widely known within the cannabis subculture as a symbol for all things marijuana. Reuters Cannabis around the world Spain A cannabis users' association will pay the town of Rasquera more than 600,000 a year for the lease of the land This hesitancy comes from the still murky legal status of marijuana in most of the country. Marijuana is still illegal nationwide, and the risk of crackdowns where federal and state laws contradict have discouraged many banks from working with marijuana businesses. There are also risks in taking a weed business across state lines where it could have a different legal standing. And theres always the danger that a change in government leadership, say with a changing presidential administration, could result in a backtracking of relaxed marijuana laws. Then there are the potentially negative association. [My company ]has stayed away from investing in the cannabis industry because its like investing in the porn industry, said Zack Bogue, a venture capital investor. Im sure there's a lot of money to be made, but its just not something we want to invest in. Allen St. Pierre, executive director of National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), sees marijuana software and Microsoft as a natural pairing. If you are trying to go big macro strategy at a company like Microsoft, and you want a super diverse portfolio, and youre located largely in a place where you can visibly see the marijuana commerce happening, and of course maybe your employees and others are engaged in that commerce, why wouldnt the company invest in it? he said. He adds that he believes that Microsofts association with legal marijuana will ultimately be helpful in the legalization effort. (Microsoft, based in Redmond, Wash., is in a state that has legalized marijuana for recreational use.) The legitimacy it lends will make it easier for marijuana producers to do business, citing growers who see their ad dollars refused by corporations that dont want to be associated with the substance. Having a brand name like Microsoft will definitely catch peoples attentions, he said. He also thinks the partnership could affect legislation. Microsoft has a leviathan [lobbying] effort up here in Washington [D.C.], he said. One of the things that has been really interesting to see is how the focus is becoming not so much about legalization per say, thats almost become a bugaboo word up on the Hill, but just focusing in on these commerce reforms, for example to allow banks to handle this trade ... they lobby hard for that stuff on the Hill right now and to have a Microsoft weigh in saying, we want to be part of that commerce, can only buoy those efforts. St. Pierre notes that Kind, which is never directly involved in growing, testing, or selling marijuana, is typical for the kind of companies cropping up around lobbying efforts and gaining financial traction. These ancillary companies that provide services around the actual moving of product are legally much easier to handle. The fact that one is engaged in their minds in quite legal commerce, one where lawyers are saying, sure you can set up software to track it, you can set up a web page that shows pretty pictures of marijuana and rate it, or get coupon discounts, etc., he said. Compared to the other side of the issue, where youre growing it, transporting it, youre selling it, and youre actually touching it, the lawyering they get is ... more schizophrenic. These actual producers, he adds, are the most legally vulnerable. Still, St. Pierre is thrilled at the partnership. Ten years ago, 20 years ago, if you were saying, I have a software and Im hoping to track marijuana sale, you and I would be in a RICO conspiracy. So that speaks to how much has changed, and how today whats heralded in a newswire as a big partnership, years ago would have put you in federal prison, he said. Copyright Washington Post For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Lindsay Lohan has appeared to claim Hollywood is to blame for Anton Yelchins death. The 29-year-old actor paid tribute to the late Star Trek actor in an Instagram post which included a screenshot of some news articles and a lengthy caption. Yelchin, who is best known for playing the character Chekov in two Star Trek movies, was killed by his own car at his home in Los Angeles at 1am on Sunday (19 June). Police said the 27-year-old actor stepped out of his car on the steep driveway of his home and the car rolled backwards, pinning him against a brick postbox pillar and a security fence. Lohan has prompted criticism for her tribute to Anton, with users arguing Hollywood cannot be blamed for the tragic accident. Although others have defended her, arguing the emphasis should remain on Yelchin's death rather than on her remarks. Lohan's post reads: This is the result of #hollywood a beautiful life has come to an end.. People news in pictures Show all 18 1 /18 People news in pictures People news in pictures 7 October 2015 Russian President Vladimir Putin takes part in an ice hockey match between former NHL stars and officials at the Shayba Arena in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. Vladimir Putin spent his 63rd birthday on the ice, playing hockey with NHL stars against Russian officials and tycoons EPA People news in pictures 6 October 2015 German designer Karl Lagerfeld (R) and model Cara Delevingne (C) appear at the end of his Spring/Summer 2016 women's ready-to-wear collection for fashion house Chanel at the Grand Palais which is transformed into a Chanel airport during the Fashion Week in Paris, France Reuters People news in pictures 5 October 2015 Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne addresses the Conservative party conference in Manchester. The Chancellor argued that reducing the payments to people in low paid jobs would give them economic security by reducing the Governments spending deficit Getty Images People news in pictures 4 October 2015 Cowboys captain Johnathan Thurston takes a moment in the centre of the field with his daughter Frankie Thurston, holding dark-skinned doll, after winning the 2015 NRL Grand Final match between the Brisbane Broncos and the North Queensland Cowboys at ANZ Stadium in Sydney. The image quickly became the talking point of Australias National Rugby League Final and provoked a strong reaction on social media, with many praising Thurston for giving his child a toy that promotes inclusiveness and diversity Getty Images People news in pictures 3 October 2015 Pope Francis gives a thumbs-up as he greets people at the end of an audience to the participants of a meeting organized by the "Food Bank" at the Paul VI audience hall in Vatican Getty Images People news in pictures 2 October 2015 Britain's Finance Minister George Osborne (L) throws an American football as he meets with former American football players Dan Marino (2nd R) and Curtis Martin (not pictured) at 11 Downing Street in London, ahead of the New York Jets playing against the Miami Dolphins at London's Wembley Stadium on 4 October Getty Images People news in pictures 1 October 2015 An honor guard opens the door as Russian President Vladimir Putin enters a hall to attend a meeting with members of the Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia People news in pictures 30 September 2015 Former Mrs America Lisa Christie, who alleges misconduct by Bill Cosby, holds up photos of her younger self during a news conference at the law office of attorney Gloria Allred in Los Angeles People news in pictures 29 September 2015 Matt Damon has defended himself against claims that he instructed gay actors to remain in the closet. He had said I think youre a better actor the less people know about you and sexuality is a huge part of that. Whether youre straight or gay, people shouldnt know anything about your sexuality but an appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres show said, I was just trying to say actors are more effective when theyre a mystery. Right? Getty People news in pictures 29 September 2015 Actor Marion Cotillard has said that there is no place for feminism in Hollywood. Speaking to Porter magazine, she saidFilm-making is not about gender/ You cannot ask a president in a festival like Cannes to have, like, five movies directed by women and five by men. For me it doesnt create equality, it creates separation. I mean, I dont qualify myself as a feminist." Getty People news in pictures 29 September 2015 Actor Paul Walkers daughter, Meadow, is suing Porsche over her fathers death in a lawsuit that claims he was trapped in the burning car because of design flaws and the seat belt. The Fast and Furious star was killed when the Porsche Carrera GT he was a passenger in hit a pole in California in 2013. The driver, his friend Roger Rodas, also died when the vehicle burst into flames. AP People news in pictures 28 September 2015 Robert Mugabe waits to address the United Nations General Assembly. The leader of Zimbabwe reportedly exclaimed 'We are not gay!' as he criticised Western nation's "double standards and attempts to prescribe new rights that are contrary to our values, norms, traditions and beliefs. In 2013 he described homosexuals as worse than pigs, goats and birds. Reuters People news in pictures 28 September 2015 South African comedian Trevor Noah hosts the first 'Daily Show' since taking over from Jon Stewart as host. Stewart had presented the US satirical news show since 1999 and was described by Noah during the show as a 'Political father' 2015 Getty Images People news in pictures 25 September 2015 Sir Elton John may have received a phone call from the real Vladimir Putin. Mr Putin's spokesman announced he had made contact weeks after the singer was duped by pranksters pretending to be the Russian President. Getty People news in pictures 25 September 2015 Actor Leonardo DiCaprio was mistakenly declared as the artist who produced the Mona Lisa by Fox News anchor Shepard Smith. It was in fact Leonardo da Vinci. People news in pictures 24 September 2015 A new biography claims Donald Trump expected to be dead by 40 and never marry. The Guardian says the a new book also claims that in 1980, Mr Trump manufactured a fake vice-president of his real estate conglomerate, whom he called John Baron. People news in pictures 24 September 2015 The Dalai Lama has said that Britain's policy towards China is just about 'Money, money, money.' And asked 'Where is morality?' People news in pictures 24 September 2015 Puff Daddy secured the number-one spot on the Forbes Hip Hop Cash Kings list, with the publication calculating he made an estimated $60million (39m) between June 2014 and June 2015. "This breaks my heart. He was my friend I am so sorry to Anton's father, Lohan concludes. Some of the caption is written in Russian and translates as condolences to the family and friends. Lohan's post has triggered a mixed response of social media. Hollywood have produced lots of accidents, I can't recall any freak accidents like this one however. Where zero paparazzi were present," wrote one Instagram user. This wasn't Hollywood's fault. I respect your opinion but you are wrong. RIP Anton, added another. It was actually the Jeep..NOT Hollywood, chipped in another. But other users have stood up for Lohan and have said her remarks were misunderstood. Instead of focusing on the death of a young man you're all busy policing Lindsay Lohan's thoughts and telling her how to grieve. How sad, said one user. While another said, Get lost if you don't like her. Shes blaming Hollywood for many things not just for this. Hollywood and the chase of starts (paparazzi) have produced many accidents. A representative for Lohan did not immediately respond to request for comment. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Veteran BBC correspondent Caroline Wyatt has revealed she hid the effects of multiple sclerosis from the corporation for nearly fifteen years because she was worried she would be seen as unreliable by bosses. Wyatt, 49, stepped down from her position as religious affairs correspondent last week after revealing she had MS. Wyatt has been dealing with unidentified symptoms for 25 years but was only diagnosed at the end of last year. Wyatt is one of the BBCs most respected and well-known correspondents and has worked at the corporation for more than twenty years. She has also held the positions of foreign correspondent and defence correspondent during her time there. Specialists informed Wyatt there was a chance she had MS after she became very wobbly on her feet in Moscow in 2001 but Wyatt continued with her career regardless. It wasnt a diagnosis I liked and, because I wasnt ill and I was doing a job I loved, I just carried on, Wyatt told the Radio Times. You dont want to be seen as someone who is possibly fallible, someone who might not be able to do the job well. I didnt want the BBC to think, We cant send her somewhere or rely on her." People news in pictures Show all 18 1 /18 People news in pictures People news in pictures 7 October 2015 Russian President Vladimir Putin takes part in an ice hockey match between former NHL stars and officials at the Shayba Arena in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. Vladimir Putin spent his 63rd birthday on the ice, playing hockey with NHL stars against Russian officials and tycoons EPA People news in pictures 6 October 2015 German designer Karl Lagerfeld (R) and model Cara Delevingne (C) appear at the end of his Spring/Summer 2016 women's ready-to-wear collection for fashion house Chanel at the Grand Palais which is transformed into a Chanel airport during the Fashion Week in Paris, France Reuters People news in pictures 5 October 2015 Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne addresses the Conservative party conference in Manchester. The Chancellor argued that reducing the payments to people in low paid jobs would give them economic security by reducing the Governments spending deficit Getty Images People news in pictures 4 October 2015 Cowboys captain Johnathan Thurston takes a moment in the centre of the field with his daughter Frankie Thurston, holding dark-skinned doll, after winning the 2015 NRL Grand Final match between the Brisbane Broncos and the North Queensland Cowboys at ANZ Stadium in Sydney. The image quickly became the talking point of Australias National Rugby League Final and provoked a strong reaction on social media, with many praising Thurston for giving his child a toy that promotes inclusiveness and diversity Getty Images People news in pictures 3 October 2015 Pope Francis gives a thumbs-up as he greets people at the end of an audience to the participants of a meeting organized by the "Food Bank" at the Paul VI audience hall in Vatican Getty Images People news in pictures 2 October 2015 Britain's Finance Minister George Osborne (L) throws an American football as he meets with former American football players Dan Marino (2nd R) and Curtis Martin (not pictured) at 11 Downing Street in London, ahead of the New York Jets playing against the Miami Dolphins at London's Wembley Stadium on 4 October Getty Images People news in pictures 1 October 2015 An honor guard opens the door as Russian President Vladimir Putin enters a hall to attend a meeting with members of the Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia People news in pictures 30 September 2015 Former Mrs America Lisa Christie, who alleges misconduct by Bill Cosby, holds up photos of her younger self during a news conference at the law office of attorney Gloria Allred in Los Angeles People news in pictures 29 September 2015 Matt Damon has defended himself against claims that he instructed gay actors to remain in the closet. He had said I think youre a better actor the less people know about you and sexuality is a huge part of that. Whether youre straight or gay, people shouldnt know anything about your sexuality but an appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres show said, I was just trying to say actors are more effective when theyre a mystery. Right? Getty People news in pictures 29 September 2015 Actor Marion Cotillard has said that there is no place for feminism in Hollywood. Speaking to Porter magazine, she saidFilm-making is not about gender/ You cannot ask a president in a festival like Cannes to have, like, five movies directed by women and five by men. For me it doesnt create equality, it creates separation. I mean, I dont qualify myself as a feminist." Getty People news in pictures 29 September 2015 Actor Paul Walkers daughter, Meadow, is suing Porsche over her fathers death in a lawsuit that claims he was trapped in the burning car because of design flaws and the seat belt. The Fast and Furious star was killed when the Porsche Carrera GT he was a passenger in hit a pole in California in 2013. The driver, his friend Roger Rodas, also died when the vehicle burst into flames. AP People news in pictures 28 September 2015 Robert Mugabe waits to address the United Nations General Assembly. The leader of Zimbabwe reportedly exclaimed 'We are not gay!' as he criticised Western nation's "double standards and attempts to prescribe new rights that are contrary to our values, norms, traditions and beliefs. In 2013 he described homosexuals as worse than pigs, goats and birds. Reuters People news in pictures 28 September 2015 South African comedian Trevor Noah hosts the first 'Daily Show' since taking over from Jon Stewart as host. Stewart had presented the US satirical news show since 1999 and was described by Noah during the show as a 'Political father' 2015 Getty Images People news in pictures 25 September 2015 Sir Elton John may have received a phone call from the real Vladimir Putin. Mr Putin's spokesman announced he had made contact weeks after the singer was duped by pranksters pretending to be the Russian President. Getty People news in pictures 25 September 2015 Actor Leonardo DiCaprio was mistakenly declared as the artist who produced the Mona Lisa by Fox News anchor Shepard Smith. It was in fact Leonardo da Vinci. People news in pictures 24 September 2015 A new biography claims Donald Trump expected to be dead by 40 and never marry. The Guardian says the a new book also claims that in 1980, Mr Trump manufactured a fake vice-president of his real estate conglomerate, whom he called John Baron. People news in pictures 24 September 2015 The Dalai Lama has said that Britain's policy towards China is just about 'Money, money, money.' And asked 'Where is morality?' People news in pictures 24 September 2015 Puff Daddy secured the number-one spot on the Forbes Hip Hop Cash Kings list, with the publication calculating he made an estimated $60million (39m) between June 2014 and June 2015. Its only been the past two years when Ive had to admit that actually I have got a problem. When I was tired I just hit a wall, and had to go to bed. Wyatt first embarked on her career as a trainee at the Beeb in the 1990s. Since then, she has gone on to report from all corners of the globe, covering the fall of the Berlin Wall, the conflicts in Kosovo and Chechnya and later the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Wyatt now uses a stick to aid her walking and said she had recently fallen over in the street which came as "a really big shock. Recommended Read more Caroline Wyatt steps down following multiple sclerosis diagnosis But Wyatt said although she felt her body was "betraying" her at times, she was determined to live her life to the fullest. It is what it is. I am not angry, and I dont want bitterness to start eating away at me. I dont know what the future holds, but I am determined to make the most of my life, she said. After the summer, Wyatt will return to the airwaves as a presenter on BBC Radio Four and the World Service. She will also have occasional reporting roles for television where they are suited to her medical advice. A spokesperson for the BBC did not immediately respond to request for comment. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Swedish authorities are attempting to interview Julian Assange inside the Ecuadorian embassy more than four years after the WikiLeaks founder sought asylum in London. Dr Guillaume Long, the Ecuadorian foreign minister, said a formal request was being considered as investigations continue into an alleged rape in Sweden. He said the request could be an important breakthrough, following a meeting with British foreign minister Hugo Swire in London to discuss the case. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange holds a copy of a U.N. ruling as he makes a speech from the balcony of the Ecuadorian Embassy, in central London Mr Assange has always denied allegations of a sex attack stemming from a working visit he made to the country in 2010, when revelations made by WikiLeaks on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars were reverberating around the world. He sought refuge at the Ecuadorian embassy in London after the UK attempted to enact a European arrest warrant, saying he feared that Sweden would extradite him to the United States to be investigated over the activities of WikiLeaks. Mr Assange's lawyers have demanded that he be allowed to leave the embassy, where he has diplomatic asylum, without fear of being arrested after a recent ruling by a UN working group that his confinement amounted to arbitrary detention by Sweden and Britain. The Government disputed the decision and said it was not binding, while the Stockholm District Court has since refused to overturn the arrest warrant on Mr Assange. In pictures: Julian Assange's 'arbitrary detention' Show all 14 1 /14 In pictures: Julian Assange's 'arbitrary detention' In pictures: Julian Assange's 'arbitrary detention' Julian-Assange.jpg Getty Images In pictures: Julian Assange's 'arbitrary detention' Assange2.jpg In pictures: Julian Assange's 'arbitrary detention' assange1.jpg In pictures: Julian Assange's 'arbitrary detention' assange.jpg In pictures: Julian Assange's 'arbitrary detention' westwood-assange.jpg In pictures: Julian Assange's 'arbitrary detention' assange.jpg In pictures: Julian Assange's 'arbitrary detention' Assange3.jpg In pictures: Julian Assange's 'arbitrary detention' Assange3_1.jpg In pictures: Julian Assange's 'arbitrary detention' Assange-AP.jpg In pictures: Julian Assange's 'arbitrary detention' Assange5.jpg In pictures: Julian Assange's 'arbitrary detention' Assange6.jpg In pictures: Julian Assange's 'arbitrary detention' Assange-AP.jpg In pictures: Julian Assange's 'arbitrary detention' Assange-REUT.jpg In pictures: Julian Assange's 'arbitrary detention' Assange-Still-Vimeo.jpg The district court finds that there is still probable cause for the suspicion against Julian Assange for rape, less serious incident, and that there is still a risk that he will depart or in some other way evade prosecution or penalty, its ruling said in May. Dr Long raised the UN case at Monday's meeting but said he was very disappointed with Mr Swire's reaction. "It is very important that the UK should abide by and respect the UN working group's decision, he added. "It has been somewhat downplayed by the governments of the UK and Sweden, but it should not be. "This is a very serious body, part of the UN human rights system, and we don't agree that its decisions are not binding. "In previous cases, the UK has called on countries to act on the group's findingsif Ecuador had a ruling against it, I am sure the UK government would be the first to pressure us to abide by its finding. Hammond on Assange The minister said Mr Assange's health had suffered over the past four years, adding that he has been receiving medical treatment and was due to undergo a psychological evaluation. He is living in a tiny space, with no outside courtyard - pretty dire conditions for him, he added. Mr Swire said he wanted to improve Britains relationship with Ecuador but that he felt frustration at the lack of progress in the case. Four years after voluntarily entering the Ecuadorean Embassy, Julian Assange remains there, with a European Arrest Warrant in connection with a serious sexual offence allegation still outstanding, he added. I personally expressed to Foreign Minister Long my sincere hope that Ecuador will soon facilitate the Swedish Prosecutors request to interview Mr Assange in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London. It is important that this case is finally brought to a close. Additional reporting by PA For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A pet cat has been returned to its family after escaping from kennels three years ago. Ollie disappeared from Aberdeenshire kennels in July 2013 while his owners, the Bailey family, were on holiday. After months of searching, the family from Peterhead began to lose hope they would ever recover him. Ollie was finally found in the village of St Fergus, only five miles from where he originally disappeared. Owner, Adele Bailey, 37, told the BBC: "It is all a bit surreal - it's just unbelievable. "We did posters and did searches for about a year. We were getting possible sightings. "However I was starting to think on the dark side and that we had lost him." The charity Cats Protection rescued Ollie and was able to reunite him with his family due to his microchip. The coordinator of Cats Protections Fraserburgh Branch, Elizabeth Jones, said: Our branch was thrilled when we discovered this was Ollie we didnt think hed ever be found after being missing for so long. "His owners were in tears when they picked him up as theyd given up hope too. Weve had so many messages from the public via our social media saying what great news. "Ollies story just goes to show how important it is to microchip your cat and to keep the records updated. Had the Baileys changed their mobile number it would have been much harder to reunite them with Ollie. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 Britain's former Chancellor of the Exchequer, Conservative MP, Rishi Sunak leaves from an office in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 15 September 2022 Members of the public in the queue on in Potters Fields Park, central London, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 14 September 2022 The first members of the public pay their respects as the vigil begins around the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall, London, where it will lie in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2022 Crowds cheer as King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort arrive for a visit to Hillsborough Castle Getty UK news in pictures 12 September 2022 Crowds line the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, as King Charles III joins a procession from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles Cathedral following the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS UK news in pictures 11 September 2022 Members of the Public pay their respects as the hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland, is driven through Ballater AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 10 September 2022 Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales, Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales, Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wave at well-wishers on the Long walk at Windsor Castle AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 9 September 2022 King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort wave after viewing floral tributes to the late Queen Elizabeth II outside Buckingham Palace Getty UK news in pictures 8 September 2022 A screen commemorating Britain's Queen Elizabeth II in Piccadilly Circus, London Britain EPA UK news in pictures 7 September 2022 Police officers stand guard after Animal Rebellion activists threw paint on the walls and road outside the Houses of Parliament in protest, in London, Britain Reuters UK news in pictures 6 September 2022 Queen Elizabeth II welcomes Liz Truss during an audience at Balmoral, Scotland, where she invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2022 Visitors at the PoliNations garden in Victoria Square, Birmingham, which is made up of five 40ft high tree installations and over 6,000 plants. The PoliNations programme aims to explore how migration and cross-pollination have shaped the UKs gardens and culture PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2022 Undergraduates at the University of St Andrews take part in the traditional Pier Walk along the harbour walls of St Andrews before the start of the new academic year PA UK news in pictures 3 September 2022 The Massed Pipes and Drums parade during the Braemar Highland Gathering at the Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park PA Mrs Bailey added: "We got a call from the St Fergus area about a cat that was coming round. "With the help of Cats Protection he was scanned and it was his chip. We jumped straight in the car. He was straight up on my knee purring. "He's come back fatter - he's not gone without a feed. I cannot believe how well he is looking. And he's back playing with his favourite catnip mouse toy." According to research by Cats Protection, less than a third of pet cats are microchipped with one in four cats having no identification at all. Grumpy Cat Grumpier Than Ever at SXSW The charity's chief veterinary officer, Beth Skillings said: "Microchipping is a simple and cheap procedure which gives cats the chance to be safely and quickly returned to their owner. "Collars can cause serious injury and can come off and get lost, whereas microchips are quickly and permanently inserted under the skin." As of April 6, all British dogs must now be microchipped or their owners face fines. Many pet charities including Cats Protection and the RSPCA are currently campaigning for the same rules to be applied to cats. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A 78-year-old man has been punched in the face while handing out Remain leaflets, it has been alleged. The man was reportedly giving out the leaflets on a busy high street in Carlisle when he became involved in an altercation with another man, 52, about the upcoming EU referendum. He was struck in the face and suffered minor injuries in the alleged attack. The incident took place outside House of Fraser on English Street, Carlisle. In a statement, Cumbria Police said they have arrested a man in connection with the alleged assault. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 15 September 2022 Members of the public in the queue on in Potters Fields Park, central London, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 14 September 2022 The first members of the public pay their respects as the vigil begins around the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall, London, where it will lie in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2022 Crowds cheer as King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort arrive for a visit to Hillsborough Castle Getty UK news in pictures 12 September 2022 Crowds line the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, as King Charles III joins a procession from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles Cathedral following the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS UK news in pictures 11 September 2022 Members of the Public pay their respects as the hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland, is driven through Ballater AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 10 September 2022 Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales, Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales, Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wave at well-wishers on the Long walk at Windsor Castle AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 9 September 2022 King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort wave after viewing floral tributes to the late Queen Elizabeth II outside Buckingham Palace Getty UK news in pictures 8 September 2022 A screen commemorating Britain's Queen Elizabeth II in Piccadilly Circus, London Britain EPA UK news in pictures 7 September 2022 Police officers stand guard after Animal Rebellion activists threw paint on the walls and road outside the Houses of Parliament in protest, in London, Britain Reuters UK news in pictures 6 September 2022 Queen Elizabeth II welcomes Liz Truss during an audience at Balmoral, Scotland, where she invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2022 Visitors at the PoliNations garden in Victoria Square, Birmingham, which is made up of five 40ft high tree installations and over 6,000 plants. The PoliNations programme aims to explore how migration and cross-pollination have shaped the UKs gardens and culture PA They have appealed for witnesses or anyone with information which could assist their inquiries to contact them. With less than 48 hours to go until the UK goes to the polls to vote on continued membership of the European Union, both camps are entering the final phase of campaigning. Latest polls suggest the slimmest of leads for the Remain campaign, with a mere one point lead. Previous polls have indicated that the Leave campaign claimed majority support. However, one in 10 voters have said they are undecided and as polling day looms previously undecided people are now more inclined to say they are voting Remain. What to believe about the EU referendum Campaigning was suspended last week following the murder of Labour MP and pro-EU campaigner Jo Cox, who was shot and stabbed in her West Yorkshire constituency. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Activists have flown abortion pills into Northern Ireland using a drone to protest against the regions ban on abortions. Pills were also despatched there by speedboat by Women on Waves, a group that delivers abortion pills to countries where they are illegal. Two women then swallowed the pills in front of a crowd. Activist Courtney Robinson, who took one of the pills, posted pictures to social media of the event. The group plans to stage a protest outside Belfasts Court of Appeal which is hearing a government-sponsored appeal against a recent ruling which found the abortion ban is in breach of human rights legislation. In November, Belfast High Court found the total ban, including for rape victims and cases where the foetus has such a severe abnormality it will not survive outside the womb, meant the UK was failing to uphold Northern Irish womens human rights. Unlike the rest of the UK, it is a criminal offence to have an abortion in Northern Ireland or to help another person to do so. A 21-year-old woman was recently prosecuted for performing an abortion on herself at home in Belfast when she was 19, after she had failed to find enough money to travel to England for the procedure. Her housemates found out about the incident after finding foetal remains in a bin and informed the police, who arrested her. A second woman is due to stand trial later this month charged with helping her daughter to have an abortion. In February this year, Stormont voted to keep the ban despite the High Court ruling. The House of Commons has been urged to overturn the ban from Westminster. Shadow justice minister Jo Stevens wrote to Westminsters human rights committee calling for action, saying: We believe that there are few more egregious breaches of human rights than the denial of vital healthcare, yet this is the situation for hundreds of thousands of women in Northern Ireland. These women have the right to expect their rights to be recognised and protected by the UK parliament and therefore we ask that you make this situation a priority for your committee. Recommended Read more Northern Ireland urged to stop prosecuting women under abortion ban These prosecutions are continuing despite a ruling of the high court that Northern Irelands abortion laws are incompatible with the UKs Human Rights Act We appreciate that abortion is a devolved issue. However, human rights are not a devolved issue. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 15 September 2022 Members of the public in the queue on in Potters Fields Park, central London, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 14 September 2022 The first members of the public pay their respects as the vigil begins around the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall, London, where it will lie in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2022 Crowds cheer as King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort arrive for a visit to Hillsborough Castle Getty UK news in pictures 12 September 2022 Crowds line the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, as King Charles III joins a procession from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles Cathedral following the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS UK news in pictures 11 September 2022 Members of the Public pay their respects as the hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland, is driven through Ballater AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 10 September 2022 Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales, Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales, Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wave at well-wishers on the Long walk at Windsor Castle AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 9 September 2022 King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort wave after viewing floral tributes to the late Queen Elizabeth II outside Buckingham Palace Getty UK news in pictures 8 September 2022 A screen commemorating Britain's Queen Elizabeth II in Piccadilly Circus, London Britain EPA UK news in pictures 7 September 2022 Police officers stand guard after Animal Rebellion activists threw paint on the walls and road outside the Houses of Parliament in protest, in London, Britain Reuters UK news in pictures 6 September 2022 Queen Elizabeth II welcomes Liz Truss during an audience at Balmoral, Scotland, where she invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA It is believed that around 1,000 Northern Irish women travel to Great Britain for an abortion every year. This summer, a court ruled that they were not entitled to free terminations on NHS England and instead have to pay for private procedures. It is feared that a growing number of women in the region may be ordering pills online and performing abortions on themselves. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A fungal disease which has no known cause continues to spread across the UK as it affects more dogs. Alabama rot has affected 14 dogs within the first four months of the year, with a total of 78 dogs confirmed to have suffered from the disease since 2012. The worst affected area is Greater Manchester, which has seen 12 cases in four years. A local woman urged dog owners to stay away from woodland near Wigan after her pet contracted the disease and was put down, the Manchester Evening News reported. Recommended Read more Murdered dog becomes first canine victim to feature on Crimewatch London, Monmouthshire, Surrey and West Sussex have all had two confirmed cases since the start of 2016, while the disease has been found in 27 counties in England and Wales since 2012. There have also been unconfirmed reports of cases in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Also known as idiopathic cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy (CRGV), the disease was first seen in the 1980s, and was only known to affect greyhounds in America. In the UK, it does not discriminate against breed, age or weight. Vets4Pets, a country-wide veterinary, is supporting the research to combat the illness and has detailed information about how to spot it, which it urges dog owners to read. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 15 September 2022 Members of the public in the queue on in Potters Fields Park, central London, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 14 September 2022 The first members of the public pay their respects as the vigil begins around the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall, London, where it will lie in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2022 Crowds cheer as King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort arrive for a visit to Hillsborough Castle Getty UK news in pictures 12 September 2022 Crowds line the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, as King Charles III joins a procession from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles Cathedral following the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS UK news in pictures 11 September 2022 Members of the Public pay their respects as the hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland, is driven through Ballater AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 10 September 2022 Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales, Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales, Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wave at well-wishers on the Long walk at Windsor Castle AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 9 September 2022 King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort wave after viewing floral tributes to the late Queen Elizabeth II outside Buckingham Palace Getty UK news in pictures 8 September 2022 A screen commemorating Britain's Queen Elizabeth II in Piccadilly Circus, London Britain EPA UK news in pictures 7 September 2022 Police officers stand guard after Animal Rebellion activists threw paint on the walls and road outside the Houses of Parliament in protest, in London, Britain Reuters UK news in pictures 6 September 2022 Queen Elizabeth II welcomes Liz Truss during an audience at Balmoral, Scotland, where she invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA Albama rot looks like skin lesions, which most commonly appear below the elbow or knee and can also be around the mouth and belly and appear ulcer-like, with swelling and red skin. Vets4Pets says knowing the warning signs is key to treating the disease. Although it is not clear how the disease in contracted, experts at Vets4Pets believe it is picked up on the paws and legs from muddy walks and suggest owners wash off woodland mud and check for signs of CRGV, and if in doubt call the vet. Dr Huw Stacey, director of clinical services at Vest4Pets said: Treatment is supportive, but is only successful in 20 to 30 per cent of cases. The only way to be 100 per cent sure of the disease is by post-mortem. The website also has a post code search function to look for areas that have confirmed cases. Owners should contact their local vets if they find an unexplained sore on their pet. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A fourth woman has come forward claiming Sir Clement Freud sexually assaulted her. Rosemary Rimmer-Clay was attending Dundee University, where Freud was rector, when they met at a Burns Night dinner on campus in 1975. She told ITV News that Freud had invited her for a coffee. She said she didnt see anything sinister in it at the time, and agreed to go with him. The two ended up at Ms Rimmer-Clays flat, where he said he would cook her an omelette. She mentioned that this seemed strange to her, because they had just eaten a big meal at the on-campus dinner. Actually, I think that was a kind of ritual he had, she told ITV. He gave it to me in this very ceremonious way and watched me eat it. Ms Rimmer-Clay said that Freud then lunged at her. In an attempt to get him away from her, Ms Rimmer-Clay shared with Freud that her sister taught his daughter, something which she said left him horrified. He kind of backed off, then he came over again and said well at least give me a kiss. I was thinking this is vile, I dont want to give him a kiss, but he had me up in a corner, she said. Ms Rimmer-Clay had never been kissed before, and described the incident as a really horrible experience. She said that if she had not had the personal connection with his daughter, she thought that she would have been at huge risk. Sylvia Woosley: "I would like to just return to the child I was, before I was molested physically" He was a very cold person, she said. There was nothing kind of fun or happy about him, he was just going to get this thing that he wanted, it was a power thing really and it felt very unpleasant. I was intimidated. He was abusing his power to prey on very young girls. I went from thinking this is someone I really admire to thinking hes just a revolting creep. Three other women have come forward with accusations again Clement Freud, including Sylvia Woosley, who claims he began abusing her when she was 10 years old, and continued frequently assaulted her while she was living with Freud and his wife in London as a teenager. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A really crucial detail about the EU referendum has gone virtually unmentioned and it is probably the most crucial detail: Parliament doesn't actually have to bring Britain out of the EU despite the public voting for it. That is because the result of June 23 referendum on Britain's EU membership is not legally binding. Instead, it is merely advisory, and, in theory, could be totally ignored by UK government. This incredible detail is explained in a new blog post by Financial Times columnist and legal expert David Allen Green. Green says that no legal provision was included in the EU referendum legislation that requires UK Parliament to act in accordance with the outcome of the referendum. 'Londependence' petition calls for London to join the EU on its own This is unlike the last referendum held across Britain, the Alternative Vote referendum held in 2011, where the outcome had a legal trigger and had to be acted on by the government of the time. Instead, what will happen next if the public votes for a Brexit will be purely a matter of parliamentary politics. Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Show all 30 1 /30 Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? David Beckham (REMAIN) The former captain for the England international football team announced on Instagram that he was voting to Remain. He said: We live in a vibrant and connected world where together as a people we are strong. For our children and their children we should be facing the problems of the world together and not alone. Getty Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Victoria Beckham (REMAIN) 'I believe in my country, I believe in a future for my children where we are stronger together and I support the remain campaign.' Getty Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Daniel Craig (REMAIN) Actor He was pictured wearing a white T-shirt with the slogan: 'No man is an island. No country by itself. Vote Remain on 23rd June.' Getty Images Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Bob Geldof (REMAIN) Irish singer expresses his support for the Remain vote as he waves from a boat carrying supporters for the 'Remain' campaign in London AFP/Getty Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? John Cleese (LEAVE) The Monty Python star signalled he will vote to leave the EU when he tweeted: "If I thought there was any chance of major reform in the EU, I'd vote to stay in. But there isn't. Sad." Getty Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Daniel Portman (REMAIN) Game of Thrones actor supports Reamin vote Getty Images Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Elton John (REMAIN) The singer also announced his intention to vote Remain on Instagram, sharing an image which said Build bridges not walls, along with the caption I'm voting to remain. #StrongerInEurope Getty Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Roger Daltrey (LEAVE) Former frontman of iconic rock band The Who. I am not anti European, but I an anti the present way we are being governed in Europe, he wrote in The Mirror. The whole system has been corrupted by political ego and massive government overreach. The Euro being a perfect example I do not want to be dragged into the kind of Federal State that this present EU is pushing for - with the UK's voice getting smaller and smaller. AFP/Getty Images Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? JK Rowling (REMAIN) The author of the Harry Potter books has expressed concern that "racists and bigots" are directing parts of the Leave campaign. She added: How can a retreat into selfish and insecure individualism be the right response when Europe faces genuine threats, when the bonds that tie us are so powerful, when we have come so far together? How can we hope to conquer the enormous challenges of terrorism and climate change without cooperation and collaboration? Getty Images Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Vivienne Westwood (REMAIN) British fashion designer expressed her support for Remain vote Getty Images Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Michael Caine (LEAVE) The actor has said he is a reluctant Leaver. He said: "I don't know what to vote for. Both are scary. To me, you've now got in Europe a sort of government-by-proxy of everybody, who has now got carried away. Unless there is some extremely significant changes, we should get out." Getty Images Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Benedict Cumberbatch (REMAIN) Benedict Cumberbatch and Sir Patrick Stewart led more than 280 figures from the arts world who backed a vote to stay. An open letter pledging support for Remain was also signed by music stars Hot Chip, alt-J and Paloma Faith, authors Dame Hilary Mantel and John le Carre, and fashion designer Dame Vivienne Westwood. Daniel Craig was pictured wearing a vote Remain t-shirt with the words "No man is an island. No country by itself" emblazoned across it in a picture tweeted on the Stronger IN account. Getty Images Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Patrick Stewart (REMAIN) Actor is a leading supporter of the Remain campaign Getty Images Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Elizabeth Hurley (LEAVE) The actress said If it means we can go back to using decent lightbulbs and choose high-powered hairdryers and vacuum cleaners if we so wish, I'm joining Brexit for sure. Getty Images Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Stephen Hawking (REMAIN) The physicist was in favour staying, and said "progress comes from co-operation". He said: "By working together in Europe we make our economy stronger and we give ourselves more influence in the world and we provide future opportunities for young people." Numerous scientists have also voiced their support for Remain, claiming an out vote would badly damage the field. Getty Images for Breakthrough Pr Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Sol Campbell (LEAVE) The former England international football star said he is backing Brexit so that young British sporting talent would be nurtured and given greater opportunities at British clubs. He said: "I'm looking at the sporting side - how youngsters aren't getting the opportunities at some of the big clubs and some of the big clubs are bringing in youngsters from 14, 15, 16 and becoming homegrown, which is pushing some of our youngsters out." Getty Images Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Hilary Mantel (REMAIN) Author Hilary Mantel announced her support for Remain vote Getty Images Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Bear Grylls (REMAIN) The adventurer and TV presenter said he spoke "from the heart" in backing the EU. "At such a time for the UK to retreat, run and cut ourselves loose from Europe, when there are so many challenges on our doorstep, to me just doesn't feel either courageous or kind, he said. Europe has many flaws, but I also believe the way to help resolve many of those tough issues is from within... I have never been a good quitter and I am so proud of the UK and our values: tolerance, kindness, respect, courage and resilience. This is why I want us to stay together and Remain in Europe." Getty Images Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Billy Bragg (REMAIN) British singer decided to support Remain campaign AFP/Getty Images Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Ian Botham (LEAVE) The former England Test cricketer and Test team captain supports Brexit Getty/Laureus Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Simon Cowell (REMAIN) Music mogul Simon Cowell announced his support of staying in EU Getty Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? David James (LEAVE) The former England goalkeeper supports Brexit Getty Images Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Idris Elba (REMAIN) The actor voiced his support for Remain vote Getty Images Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? John Le Carre (REMAIN) British writer supports Remain campaign Getty Images Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Paloma Faith (REMAIN) English singer supports Remain campaign Getty Images Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Perry McCarthy (LEAVE) The racing driver supports Leave campaign Rex Features Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Keira Knightley (REMAIN) The actress intends to vote for Remain campaign Getty Images for Lincoln Center Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? James Cracknell (LEAVE) British athlete and rowing champion decided to vote for Brexit Getty Images Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Florence Welch (REMAIN) British singer supports Remain campaign Getty Images for Gucci Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Helena Bonham-Carter (REMAIN) The actress expressed her support for Remain vote AFP/Getty Images The government could decide to put the matter to parliament and then hope to win the vote, Green says. In the scenario of Britain's EU membership being put to a Westminster vote, barring no dramatic change in allegiances, it is likely that MPs would vote to keep the country in the 28-nation bloc. This is because the vast majority of the 650 MPs identify as Europhiles and would likely support a motion position to protect Britain's place in the EU. Pro-EU MPs could even argue, ironically, that ignoring the public's will would be parliamentary sovereignty in practice - something that Leave campaigners argue has been conceded to Brussels. Alternatively, ministers could attempt to negotiate an updated EU membership deal and put it to another referendum. Finally, the government could just choose to totally ignore the will of the public. The only way that a Brexit vote would have weight in law would be if the government decided to invoke Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty. This is when an EU member state chooses to activate the process of withdrawing from the 28-nation bloc. Article 50 would make Britain's EU membership a legal matter. However, even if the June 23 referendum produces a Leave majority, the government would not be obliged to invoke the legislation. What to believe about the EU referendum As Green says: A vote for Brexit will not be determinative of whether the UK will leave the EU. That potential outcome comes down to the political decisions which then follow before the Article 50 notification. The policy of the government (if not of all of its ministers) is to remain in the EU. The UK government may thereby seek to put off the Article 50 notification, regardless of political pressure and conventional wisdom. This has to go down as one of the largest pieces of small print in British political history. The overwhelming majority of the British public is probably totally unaware of this legislative loophole. As far as most Brits understand, Britain will no longer be an EU member if Leave wins next week's referendum. Interestingly, parliament choosing to ignore the British public isn't as unthinkable as conventional wisdom leads us to believe. In fact, according to the BBC, MPs have already discussed the possibility. Speaking to the BBC earlier this month, an unnamed pro-EU MP said: "We would accept the mandate of the people to leave the EU. But everything after that is negotiable and parliament would have its say. The terms on which we leave are entirely within my remit as a parliamentarian and that is something for me to take a view on." In an event attended by Business Insider on Wednesday night at the University of Westminister, former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said that he would not support a motion to ignore the will of the public, in spite of his strong pro-EU convictions. Read more: Analysts question the way Apple describes its data Mike Ashley has a plan to save BHS with no job losses Investors think central banks have lost their power Read the original article on Business Insider UK. 2016. Follow Business Insider UK on Twitter. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} What is the Chilcot Inquiry? The Chilcot Inquiry was set up in 2009 by Gordon Brown to examine whether there were broader lessons to be learnt from the Iraq War. Chaired by the former Whitehall mandarin Sir John Chilcot its terms of references were to consider the period from the summer of 2001 to the end of July 2009, embracing the run-up to the conflict in Iraq, the military action and its aftermath. The inquiry has been looking at the way decisions were made and actions taken, to establish what happened when and identify the lessons that can be learned. Blair hints he could reject the findings of the Chilcot inquiry When will it be published? After years and delays and criticism the final inquiry will be published on 6 July. At 2.6 million words long it is four times the length of Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace. What will it say? There is a huge amount of speculation about what will be in the report but the truth is no one other the Inquiry panel itself knows for certain. Most of the speculation has been around the criticism that Tony Blair is likely to face for the decision to take Britain to war. But he is likely to be far from the only person and institution criticised. Britains military leadership at the time are understood to be in line for rebuke for failing to provide good enough assessments of the problems that were likely to occur post invasion and for being too quick to say yes to politicians. They will also face criticism for the British occupation of Basra and later ignominious withdrawl. The Iraq War: A timeline Show all 16 1 /16 The Iraq War: A timeline The Iraq War: A timeline 11 September 2001 Terrorists belonging to al-Qaeda use hijacked aeroplanes to kill 2,996 people in attacks on the east coast of the US. AP The Iraq War: A timeline 12 September 2001 Tony Blair promises George W Bush that the UK will support the US, whatever the President decides to do. AFP/Getty Images The Iraq War: A timeline 25 March 2002 Jack Straw, Foreign Secretary, warns Blair that invading Iraq would be legally dubious. Getty Images The Iraq War: A timeline June 2002 Tony Blair asks defence officials to outline options for UK participation in military action against Iraq. afp/getty images The Iraq War: A timeline 24 September 2002 The government publishes a dossier about the threat from Iraqs weapons of mass destruction. A foreword by Tony Blair states that Saddam Husseins military planning allows for some of the WMD to be ready within 45 minutes of an order to use them. It is subsequently alleged that this dossier was sexed up for political reasons. Getty The Iraq War: A timeline 2 October 2002 Congress authorises President Bush to use military force against Iraq. Getty The Iraq War: A timeline 8 November 2002 UN Security Council passes resolution 1441, insisting that weapons inspectors be allowed back into Iraq and calling on the regime to give up its WMD or face the consequences. Simon Walker/AP The Iraq War: A timeline 18 July 2003 David Kelly, an expert in biological warfare, is found dead after being named as the source of quotations used by the BBCs Andrew Gilligan to suggest that the dossier of September 2002 had been sexed up. Lord Hutton is appointed to chair a judicial inquiry into his death. GETTY IMAGES The Iraq War: A timeline 13 December 2003 Saddam Hussein is captured near Tikrit, after nine months in hiding. REUTERS The Iraq War: A timeline 2 March 2004 Bombings in Baghdad and Karbala kill nearly 200 people: the worst attacks since the fall of Saddam. Getty Images The Iraq War: A timeline 14 September 2005 Bombs in Baghdad kill 160 people and injure more than 500. EPA The Iraq War: A timeline 30 December 2005 Saddam Hussein is executed. Getty Images The Iraq War: A timeline 28 May 2009 The last British combat troops leave Iraq. Getty Images The Iraq War: A timeline 24 November 2009 The Chilcot inquiry holds its first public hearing. Getty The Iraq War: A timeline 2 February 2011 The Chilcot inquiry holds its final public hearing. AFP/Getty Images The Iraq War: A timeline 21 January 2015 Sir John Chilcot confirms that his report will not be published before the general election in May 2015. Getty Images Britains intelligence services are also expected to be criticised for not caveating intelligence that was later used by minister in the famous "45 minute claim". The Foreign Office and in particular the former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw could also be in the line of fire. Earlier this year it was claimed that Mr Straw has been sent a 5,000-word letter by the Chilcot inquiry listing alleged failings. Mr Straw, who became Foreign Secretary in 2001, is understood to be at risk of criticism over his handling of the run-up to conflict in 2003 and his departments role in the British occupation of Basra afterwards. What will the consequences be? Chilcot has made it clear that the inquiry is not a court of law, and so cannot and will not discuss criminal culpability. However it adds: If the Committee finds that mistakes were made, that there were issues which could have been dealt with better, it will say so. It is very unlikely that either Mr Blair or any other figure criticised in the report will face criminal charges as a result of its findings. However that will certainly not stop them being judged in the court of public opinion. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Police are investigating reports that a Conservative MP was sent a threatening message on Facebook. Craig Mackinlay, the MP for South Thanet who stood against Nigel Farage at the general election in 2015, said MPs had a right to feel safe and that he had alerted the authorities. The alleged incident comes a week after the killing of Labour MP Jo Cox in West Yorkshire, after which the issue of MPs safety has come to the fore. MPs on Monday paid tribute to Ms Cox in Parliament in a brief break from campaigning in the EU referendum. Mr Mackinlay said: Following the shocking events of last Thursday, it is in the most appalling taste that I have received a death threat using social media, with emoticons of a gun, knife and laughing face recommending a similar means by which I should be executed. Sadly, all MPs receive abusive communications, but in the wake of the murder of Jo Cox MP, I have passed on the details to Kent Police who have allocated a senior detective to investigate whether the Malicious Communications Act has been breached. Whilst I can take the rough and tumble of modern politics, my wife and staff are obviously concerned about their daily activities in serving the public. Jo Cox shooting - pictures of the crime scene Show all 7 1 /7 Jo Cox shooting - pictures of the crime scene Jo Cox shooting - pictures of the crime scene Media reports said Jo Cox, 41, who is a lawmaker for the opposition Labour Party, had been attacked as she prepared to hold an advice surgery for constituents in Birstall near Leeds REUTERS Jo Cox shooting - pictures of the crime scene A handbag and shoes lie on the ground as police cordon off an area after Jo Cox, was shot and stabbed by an attacker at her constituency in Birstall Getty Images Jo Cox shooting - pictures of the crime scene Medical equipment lies on the ground behind a police cordon in Birstall near Leeds REUTERS Jo Cox shooting - pictures of the crime scene Police stand behind a cordon in Birstall near Leeds. A British lawmaker Jo Cox was in critical condition after an incident in her constituency in northern England REUTERS Jo Cox shooting - pictures of the crime scene An eyewitness said the 41-year-old mother of two was left lying in a pool of blood on the pavement after her assailant struck in Birstall PA Jo Cox shooting - pictures of the crime scene Police stand behind a cordon in Birstall near Leeds REUTERS Jo Cox shooting - pictures of the crime scene Police stand behind a cordon in Birstall near Leeds REUTERS They have a right to feel safe, and I thank Kent Police for not only considering security at my office more closely, but also for the contact they have made with me following the murder of Jo Cox MP last week. Kent Police said they were investigating the allegations. A spokesperson for the force said: "Kent Police is investigating a report of a threatening or offensive communication made today. Inquiries are ongoing. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The leader of the Scottish Conservatives has attacked Boris Johnson for being vague about job losses in the event of Brexit. Ruth Davidson quoted the former Mayor of London who is widely seen as a future Tory leader as saying there might or there might not be job losses after Brexit. She made the attack during a major EU referendum debate at the Wembley Area in London, paving the way for future animosity between the two top Tories if Mr Johnson leads his party at the UK level. He says he cant guarantee that people wont lose their jobs Boris Johnson, asked, said there might or there might not, she said That is not good enough, that is not good enough." Mr Johnson, who was also present at the debate, hit back, arguing that the claims amounted to project fear. They say they want to make a positive and patriotic case then theyre back to project fear within moments of this debate, he retoreted. The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit Show all 7 1 /7 The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 22 May 2015 In his regular column in The Express Nigel Farage utilised the concerns over Putin and the EU to deliver a tongue in cheek conclusion. With friends like these, who needs enemies? PA The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 13 November 2015 UKIP MEP for Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire Mike Hookem, was one of several political figures who took no time to harness the toxic atmosphere just moments after Paris attacks to push an agenda. Cameron says were safer in the EU. Well Im in the centre of the EU and it doesnt feel very safe. Getty Images The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 19 April 2016 In an article written for The Guardian, Michael Gove attempts to bolster his argument with a highly charged metaphor in which he likens UK remaining in the EU to a hostage situation. Were voting to be hostages locked in the back of the car and driven headlong towards deeper EU integration. Rex The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 26 April 2016 In a move that is hard to decipher, let alone understand, Mike Hookem stuck it to Obama re-tweeting a UKIP advertisement that utilises a quote from the film: Love Actually to dishonour the US stance on the EU. A friend who bullies us is no longer a friend The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 10 May 2016 During a speech in London former work and pensions secretary Ian Duncan Smith said that EU migration would cause an increasing divide between people who benefit from immigration and people who couldnt not find work because of uncontrolled migration. The European Union is a force for social injustice which backs the haves rather than the have-nots. EPA The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 15 May 2016 Cartoon character Boris Johnson made the news again over controversial comments that the EU had the same goal as Hitler in trying to create a political super state. Napoleon, Hitler, various people tried this out, and it ends tragically. The EU is an attempt to do this by different methods. PA The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 16 May 2016 During a tour of the womens clothing manufacturer David Nieper, Boris had ample time to cook up a new metaphor, arguably eclipsing Goves in which he compares the EU to badly designed undergarments. So I just say to all those who prophecy doom and gloom for the British Business, I say their pants are on fire. Lets say knickers to the pessimists, knickers to all those who talk Britain down. Getty Images Ms Davidson responded that wanting to protect British workers is positive. Most economic forecasters have suggested that Brexit would cause an economic shock. Vote Leave has dismissed the warnings as dodgy and based on establishment economists, however. The European Union referendum will take place on 23 June. The deadline to register to vote has already passed. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} David Cameron has given a last-ditch speech calling for Britain to remain in the European Union. The Prime Minister made the call at lunchtime on Tuesday with just one full day of campaigning to go before polling day. Polls show a tight race, with both sides hopeful of victory. The full text of the Prime Minister's speech is below. "Good afternoon. Were near the end of a frenetic campaign. "And today I want to pause and speak to you very directly, and personally, about the momentous decision that this country faces in just two days time. "For six years, Ive had the responsibility and the honour of being your Prime Minister. "And I want to tell you why, doing this job, I feel so strongly that Britain should remain in Europe. "Above all, its about our economy. "It will be stronger if we stay. "It will be weaker if we leave. "Thats a huge risk to Britain to British families; to British jobs and its irreversible. "There is no going back. "And its also about our national security, too. "My first responsibility is to keep you safe. "Some of the most important moments behind that door are when youre reading the intelligence reports "taking in the most chilling details about those who are planning to do us harm. "My job is to act. To make the right call. To use every tool at my disposal to protect our country, to protect you, to protect your children. "I would not be standing here, encouraging you to vote to remain in the EU, if I thought the EU stopped me from doing that. "The reality is the opposite. Our membership of the EU helps me. "Ive seen first-hand, in these dangerous times, how we can better cooperate with our friends and neighbours. "How we can share information, track terrorists down and bring them to justice. "How, alongside key allies like the French and the Germans, were more effective at facing down threats and keeping people safe. Ive seen it time and again at a very practical level that were safer in Europe than out on our own. "Being a member of the European Union also gives us strength in the world. "We arent any old country. Were a special country one whose language, whose values, whose influence is felt the world over. "If I felt that remaining in the European Union diminished us, I would recommend that we voted to leave. "But it doesnt. It amplifies our power. "When were in these organisations, we become an even bigger force in the world, with a bigger influence in the world. "And in the European Union, with 27 countries behind us, we can take a stronger lead in tackling climate change "fighting disease and poverty "standing up to Russian aggression "helping friends around the world in South East Asia, Australasia, the Caribbean "and we can promote and preserve the values we hold so dear like democracy, like freedom, like tolerance. "Thats how our extraordinary country has always made its influence felt. "Not by walking away from the world. But by engaging with it. "Brits dont quit. "We get involved, we take a lead, we make a difference, we get things done. "If we left, our neighbours would go on meeting and making decisions that profoundly affect us, affect our country, affect our jobs but we wouldnt be there."Theyd be making decisions about us, but without us. "Above all, being a member of the European Union is about our economic security. "The reason I came into politics was to help people to lead a better life "to get a good job, to earn a fair wage, have the chance to own a home, to provide for your family and for your retirement. "Thats why the thing I have focussed on most these past six years, in that building, is sorting out our economy. "Now I know I havent got every decision right. And I know not everyone has been happy with what Ive done. "But of this I am convinced indeed, of this, every living Prime Minister, whether Labour or Conservative, is convinced: "Britain is better off inside the EU than out on our own. "At the heart of that is the Single Market 500 million customers on our doorstep "a source of so many jobs, so much trade, and such a wealth of opportunity for our young people. "Leaving the EU would put all of that at risk. "Expert after expert independent advisers, people whose job it is to warn Prime Ministers have said it would shrink our economy. "In the short term facing recession. "In the medium term enduring a decade of uncertainty. "And in the long term living with fewer jobs, lower wages and higher prices. "These are risks to our families and we shouldnt take them. "In particular, it will be future generations the apprentices and the graduates starting out in life, the children learning in our schools, those yet to be born who will be hit hardest. "Its for that reason I want to speak very directly to those of my generation, and older. "I know Europe isnt perfect. Believe me, I understand and I see those frustrations. "I feel them myself. "Thats why we negotiated and enhanced our special status. "Out of the Euro. "Keeping our borders. "Not involved in ever-closer union. "We have the best of both worlds. "So as you take this decision whether to remain or leave do think about the hopes and dreams of your children and grandchildren. "They know their chances to work, to travel, to build the sort of open and successful society they want to live in, rests on this outcome. "And remember: they cant undo the decision we take. "If we vote out, thats it. "It is irreversible. "We will leave Europe for good. "And the next generation will have to live with the consequences far longer than the rest of us. "For the next two days, up and down the country "in homes, in pubs, in the staff room at work, on the train on the way home "the conversations will continue: in or out? "But on Thursday, those conversations will stop. "It will just be you in that polling booth. "Just you taking a decision that will affect your future, your childrens future and your grandchildrens future. "I believe, very deeply, from my years of experience, that well be stronger, well be safer, well be better off inside Europe. "To put it as clearly as I can: our economic security is paramount. "It is stronger if we stay. "If we leave, we put it at risk. "Thats a risk to jobs, a risk to families, a risk to our childrens future and theres no going back. "So, this Thursday, remember who we are as a nation "remember how far weve come, and how much more we can achieve "and, for you, for your family, for the future of our country, vote remain." Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Being an EU member has helped Britain clean up its rivers, streams and coastlines, which have become homes for otters, salmon, sea trout and other wildlife for the first time since the industrial revolution, a group of high level Remain supporters claim in an open letter to The Independent. The list of the letter's signatories include the Environment Secretary Liz Truss, Stanley Johnson, whose son Boris is leading the Brexit campaign, and a galaxy of past and present Conservative and Labour ministers, shadow ministers, and leading figures from organisations concerned with preserving the countryside, such as the Campaign for the Preservation of Rural England, the Ramblers Association, the Countryside Alliance, and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. They claim: As custodians of, and enthusiasts for, the countryside we know that the stability and certainty our membership of the EU provides is good for all of those who live, work or play in our green and pleasant land. By working in partnership with other European countries we have ensured our rivers, streams and coastline are in the healthiest state for 25 years with otters, salmon, sea trout and other wildlife returning to places for the first time since the industrial revolution. All you need to know about the EU referendum They add: With some of the 700 million (540 million) of EU funding that goes to support the environment and rural areas supporting the maintenance and restoration of hedgerows, ditches, stone walls and our vital uplands, the very fabric of our countryside is being supported by our membership And they warn: A vote to leave the EU on 23 June would be a backwards step for the protection of the countryside. Agriculture and environmental protection are subject to more EU legislation than almost any other aspect of Britains economic life, and many farmers have complained about the volume of EU red tape with which they have to deal. But Remain supporters point out that the UK cannot resolve or eliminate problems such as air and sea pollution or contagions such as mad cow disease without co-operation from the rest of the EU. The letter from 37 leading figures with an interest in preserving the environment comes as the opposite sides in the referendum debate argue over whether public services benefit or suffer from Britains EU membership. Vote Leave has published new research which, they say, shows the devastating impact that migration has on schools, where 100,800 infants are already being taught in classes of more than 30 pupils, and one in five primary school children have a first language other than English. Leave campaigners claim that if the EU remains at its present size, the number of European citizens in the UK school system could rise by 261,000 by 2030. If Turkey were to join the EU in the near future something David Cameron has emphatically said will not happen along with four small Balkan countries who have applied to join, that figure could increase to 571,000. Priti Patel, an Environment minister and prominent Leave campaigner said: Thursday offers a once in a lifetime opportunity to say that the situation is unsustainable. But in a joint statement, leading supporter of Remain have warned that leaving the EU would eviscerate public services, and have denounced Leaves claim that immigration puts schools and other services under strain as ludicrous and factually incorrect. What has the EU ever done for us? Show all 7 1 /7 What has the EU ever done for us? What has the EU ever done for us? 1. It gives you freedom to live, work and retire anywhere in Europe As a member of the EU, UK citizens benefit from freedom of movement across the continent. Considered one of the so-called four pillars of the European Union, this freedom allows all EU citizens to live, work and travel in other member states. What has the EU ever done for us? 2. It sustains millions of jobs A report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research, released in October 2015, suggested 3.1 million British jobs were linked to the UKs exports to the EU. What has the EU ever done for us? 3. Your holiday is much easier - and safer Freedom to travel is one of the most exercised benefits of EU membership, with Britons having made 31 million visits to the EU in 2014 alone. But a lot of the benefits of being an EU citizen are either taken for granted or go unnoticed. What has the EU ever done for us? 4. It means you're less likely to get ripped off Consumer protection is a key benefit of the EUs single market, and ensures members of the British public receive equal consumer rights when shopping anywhere in Europe. What has the EU ever done for us? 5. It offers greater protection from terrorists, paedophiles, people traffickers and cyber-crime Another example of a lesser-known advantage of EU membership is the benefit of cross-country coordination and cooperation in the fight against crime. What has the EU ever done for us? 6. Our businesses depend on it According to 71% of all members of the Confederation of British Influence (CBI), and 67 per cent of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the EU has had an overall positive impact on their business. What has the EU ever done for us? 7. We have greater influence Robin Niblett, Director of think-tank Chatham House, stated in a report published last year: For a mid-sized country like the UK, which will never again be economically dominant either globally or regionally, and whose diplomatic and military resources are declining in relative terms, being a major player in a strong regional institution can offer a critical lever for international influence. A joint statement by Labours former leader and deputy leader, Ed Miliband and Harriet Harman, and the former and current leaders of the Lib Dems, Nick Clegg and Tim Farron and others, warns: Our public services face one of the greatest threats they have ever faced. Leaving the EU would devastate the economy and leave hard right Tories at the helm. The combination would eviscerate our public services, including the NHS. Miliband on EU referendum The leaders of the Leave campaign have shown complete disregard for our vital public services, advocating their break-up, privatisation and the introduction of charging. They have never and will never care about what this would mean for ordinary families. The EU referendum debate has so far been characterised by bias, distortion and exaggeration. So until 23 June we were running a series of question and answer features that explain the most important issues in a detailed, dispassionate way to help inform your decision. What is Brexit and why are we having an EU referendum? Does the UK need to take more control of its sovereignty? Could the UK media swing the EU referendum one way or another? Will the UK benefit from being released from EU laws? Will we gain or lose rights by leaving the European Union? Will Brexit mean that Europeans have to leave the UK? Will leaving the EU lead to the break-up of the UK? What will happen to immigration if there's Brexit? Will Brexit make the UK more or less safe? Will the UK benefit from being released from EU laws? Will leaving the EU save taxpayers money and mean more money for the NHS? What will Brexit mean for British tourists booking holidays in the EU? Will Brexit help or damage the environment? Will Brexit mean that Europeans have to leave the UK? What will Brexit mean for British expats in Europe? Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} George Soros has warned Britain will see a fall in sterling worse than Black Wednesday if it votes to leave the EU. The world-famous US investor warned "the value of the pound would decline precipitously". Writing in the Guardian with two days to go before the referendum, the 85-year-old billionaire and philanthropist said a vote for Leave "would also have an immediate and dramatic impact on financial markets, investment, prices and jobs". What has the EU ever done for us? Show all 7 1 /7 What has the EU ever done for us? What has the EU ever done for us? 1. It gives you freedom to live, work and retire anywhere in Europe As a member of the EU, UK citizens benefit from freedom of movement across the continent. Considered one of the so-called four pillars of the European Union, this freedom allows all EU citizens to live, work and travel in other member states. What has the EU ever done for us? 2. It sustains millions of jobs A report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research, released in October 2015, suggested 3.1 million British jobs were linked to the UKs exports to the EU. What has the EU ever done for us? 3. Your holiday is much easier - and safer Freedom to travel is one of the most exercised benefits of EU membership, with Britons having made 31 million visits to the EU in 2014 alone. But a lot of the benefits of being an EU citizen are either taken for granted or go unnoticed. What has the EU ever done for us? 4. It means you're less likely to get ripped off Consumer protection is a key benefit of the EUs single market, and ensures members of the British public receive equal consumer rights when shopping anywhere in Europe. What has the EU ever done for us? 5. It offers greater protection from terrorists, paedophiles, people traffickers and cyber-crime Another example of a lesser-known advantage of EU membership is the benefit of cross-country coordination and cooperation in the fight against crime. What has the EU ever done for us? 6. Our businesses depend on it According to 71% of all members of the Confederation of British Influence (CBI), and 67 per cent of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the EU has had an overall positive impact on their business. What has the EU ever done for us? 7. We have greater influence Robin Niblett, Director of think-tank Chatham House, stated in a report published last year: For a mid-sized country like the UK, which will never again be economically dominant either globally or regionally, and whose diplomatic and military resources are declining in relative terms, being a major player in a strong regional institution can offer a critical lever for international influence. Arguing sterling is "almost certain" to fall "steeply and quickly" if there is a vote to leave, Mr Soros wrote: "I would expect this devaluation to be bigger and more disruptive than the 15% devaluation that occurred in September 1992, when I was fortunate enough to make a substantial profit for my hedge fund investors, at the expense of the Bank of England and the British government." Mr Soros, who is a Hungarian refugee, famously made a bet against sterling currency in 1992, leading to $1 billion in profit. He also said the pound would "fall by at least 15% and possibly more than 20%," meaning "ironically one pound would be worth about one euro a method of 'joining the euro' that nobody in Britain would want". He concluded: "A vote to leave could see the week end with a Black Friday, and serious consequences for ordinary people." All you need to know about the EU referendum Mr Soros previously bet the UK will remain in Europe, saying if the UK does leave it will result in a Europe-wide meltdown. If Britain leaves, it could unleash a general exodus, and the disintegration of the European Union will become practically unavoidable, he said. In February this year, he called for surge funding from the EU - at least 40 billion euros a year for the next three years - to give refugees jobs, healthcare and education. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Leading figures in Vote Leave, the official Brexit campaign used to say that they would not need to focus on immigration to win the EU referendum debate. Dominic Cummings, the groups campaign director, said two years ago that the campaigns one essential task was to reassure voters that leaving would not be bad for jobs and living standards. Unfortunately for them, all of Britain and the worlds leading economic authorities said early in the campaign that, actually, it almost certainly would. So the strategy changed. An article by Michael Gove in The Timeson April 25th set the new tone. Recommended Read more Leaders from almost every UK university back a Remain vote Because we cannot control our borders and because our deal sadly does nothing to change this fact - public services such as the NHS will face an unquantifiable strain as millions more become EU citizens. Leave campaigners have also raised concerns about migrations impact on the availability of jobs. Putting immigration front and centre was a calculated move but many of the assertions of Leave campaigners have been challenged. The scale of immigration Net migration to the UK stood at 333,000 in 2015. 630,000 people moved to the country in that year, and 297,000 left, according to the Office for National Statistics, giving us the oft-quoted net migration figure of 333,000. Of those who immigrated to the UK, there were slightly more non-EU citizens than EU citizens. The Governments stated goal is to have net migration in the tens of thousands. Many argue that cutting migration to this level could be bad for the economy. Regardless, because of high levels of non-EU migration which the Government can already control through the visa system, leaving the EU and ending the automatic right of EU citizens to live in Britain would not automatically achieve this target. What has the EU ever done for us? Show all 7 1 /7 What has the EU ever done for us? What has the EU ever done for us? 1. It gives you freedom to live, work and retire anywhere in Europe As a member of the EU, UK citizens benefit from freedom of movement across the continent. Considered one of the so-called four pillars of the European Union, this freedom allows all EU citizens to live, work and travel in other member states. What has the EU ever done for us? 2. It sustains millions of jobs A report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research, released in October 2015, suggested 3.1 million British jobs were linked to the UKs exports to the EU. What has the EU ever done for us? 3. Your holiday is much easier - and safer Freedom to travel is one of the most exercised benefits of EU membership, with Britons having made 31 million visits to the EU in 2014 alone. But a lot of the benefits of being an EU citizen are either taken for granted or go unnoticed. What has the EU ever done for us? 4. It means you're less likely to get ripped off Consumer protection is a key benefit of the EUs single market, and ensures members of the British public receive equal consumer rights when shopping anywhere in Europe. What has the EU ever done for us? 5. It offers greater protection from terrorists, paedophiles, people traffickers and cyber-crime Another example of a lesser-known advantage of EU membership is the benefit of cross-country coordination and cooperation in the fight against crime. What has the EU ever done for us? 6. Our businesses depend on it According to 71% of all members of the Confederation of British Influence (CBI), and 67 per cent of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the EU has had an overall positive impact on their business. What has the EU ever done for us? 7. We have greater influence Robin Niblett, Director of think-tank Chatham House, stated in a report published last year: For a mid-sized country like the UK, which will never again be economically dominant either globally or regionally, and whose diplomatic and military resources are declining in relative terms, being a major player in a strong regional institution can offer a critical lever for international influence. Vote Leave claims that by 2030, the UK population could increase by 5.23m by 2030. This is based on the assumption that Turkey, Albania, Montenegro, Serbia, and Macedonia will join the EU by 2020, giving their citizens the automatic right to come and live in the UK. None of these states has an official accession date. Vote Leave campaign material has particularly focused on the prospect of Turkey joining the EU. While it is certainly the aim of the EU, the Turkish leadership, and the British government for Turkey to eventually enter the EU, all sides accept that the prospect is likely to be a long way off. All potential EU countries must adopt EU rules before they can be admitted. These rules are split into 35 policy areas and in 10 years of trying, Turkey has so far only succeeded in meeting all the rules in only one area science and research. The impact of immigration on jobs Former Work and Pensions Secretary and Leave campaigner Iain Duncan Smith has said that high levels of EU migration mean British workers are forced to compete with millions from abroad for employment. The number EU workers in Britain has certainly increased quickly in the past three years, from 1.4m to 2.1m, and from 2.6 per cent of the workforce a decade ago to 6.8 per cent last year. However, the rapid increase in EU workers 700,000 extra in the past three years coincided with an increase of one million in the number of British people in work. Employment growth has been impressive across the board as Britain emerges from the post-2008 recessions and both UK and EU citizens have benefitted. It is also the case that many of the jobs that have been created in that time are the result of increased migration. A bigger population requires more goods and services, which means more jobs are created to provide them. Without doubt, migration from the EU helped us out of the economic doldrums. Concern among voters often focuses on the fear that migrants come to the UK to exploit its welfare system, but HMRC figures show that migrants who arrived in Britain in the last four years EU migrants paid 2.5bn more in income tax and national insurance than they took in tax credits and child benefit. Immigration and the single market EU migration to the UK is high because freedom of movement is a key commitment that states must sign up to if they want to be part of the European single market the tariff-free trade area that is the source of much of the economic benefit of EU membership. The Leave campaign has given mixed messages as to whether it would want Britain to leave the EU but stay in the single market a relationship similar to the one Norway has with the EU. Even those states which are outside the EU must accept freedom of movement to be part of the single market. Boris Johnson has said the UK would have access to the single market. If he means it would be a member, then it would be unprecedented for this to be offered without Britain also having to accept free movement. The Remain campaign have therefore sought to emphasise that its highly unlikely we could have it both ways. What to believe about the EU referendum Immigration and the NHS In a major speech on immigration, Michael Gove warned that more arrivals could make the NHS unsustainable by 2030. The NHS itself disagrees. Chief executive of NHS England has pointed out that 130,000 European-born doctors, nurses and care workers are vital to keep our health and care services functioning. It is unclear what their working status would be in the event of Brexit, but Vote Leave has indicated it would want them to stay. Migration can benefit the NHS in other ways. About 78 per cent of working age EU migrants in the UK are in work (a higher proportion than among UK nationals), so most are paying tax and contributing to the NHS in theory making it better able to cope with the higher numbers of patients. Migrants are also more likely to be young and fit so less likely to need the NHS. Importantly, migration has not been the biggest factor increasing pressure on the NHS in recent years its been an ageing population, with patients more likely to suffer long-term conditions like heart disease, cancer, respiratory diseases and dementia as they age. Simon Stevens has argued that we need more younger migrants to fill the population gap, providing taxes to pay for the care of the older generation and filling the care jobs that will be created. The EU referendum debate has so far been characterised by bias, distortion and exaggeration. So until 23 June we were running a series of question and answer features that explain the most important issues in a detailed, dispassionate way to help inform your decision. What is Brexit and why are we having an EU referendum? Does the UK need to take more control of its sovereignty? Could the UK media swing the EU referendum one way or another? Will the UK benefit from being released from EU laws? Will we gain or lose rights by leaving the European Union? Will Brexit mean that Europeans have to leave the UK? Will leaving the EU lead to the break-up of the UK? What will happen to immigration if there's Brexit? Will Brexit make the UK more or less safe? Will the UK benefit from being released from EU laws? Will leaving the EU save taxpayers money and mean more money for the NHS? What will Brexit mean for British tourists booking holidays in the EU? Will Brexit help or damage the environment? Will Brexit mean that Europeans have to leave the UK? What will Brexit mean for British expats in Europe? Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The poet Hilaire Belloc advised that you should always keep a-hold of nurse for fear of finding something worse advice the British electorate generally takes to heart. A week ago, it appeared that voters might actually ignore Mr Belloc and let go of nurse. A poll published in The Independent on 10 June showed that 55 per cent in favour of defying the experts and leaving the EU, against 45 per cent who were for staying in. A run of opinion polls over the next few days showed Brexit ahead by similar margins. Recommended Read more Bookies dramatically shorten odds of a Remain vote But now the polls are telling a different story. They suggest that the result is so close that either side could snatch a victory, implying that in the final week there has been a small but significant shift of opinion towards Remain. The polls showing a narrower gap were published as the nation absorbed the horror of the murder in broad daylight of the MP Jo Cox. Naturally, headlines writers were tempted to assume cause and effect. Remain surge back into the lead in wake of Jo Cox murder one headline declared. But if, instead of focusing on the dates when the poll results were published, we look at the dates on which pollsters were asking the question usually a day or two before publication the inference to be draw is that opinion was already moving before that horrific murder brought campaigning to a temporary halt. Opinion polls do not always turn out to be right. Sometimes that is because of sampling errors, and sometimes because people are not really answering the question they are being asked. When voters are asked midway through a Parliament how they intend to vote at the next election, their replies are usually snap verdicts on the government of the day rather than a firm statement of intent. If the government, or the Prime Minster, has annoyed them they will say they are going to vote for the opposition. Some will say it right up until the day they walk into a polling booth, when caution takes over, and they vote to keep a-hold of nurse after all. What has the EU ever done for us? Show all 7 1 /7 What has the EU ever done for us? What has the EU ever done for us? 1. It gives you freedom to live, work and retire anywhere in Europe As a member of the EU, UK citizens benefit from freedom of movement across the continent. Considered one of the so-called four pillars of the European Union, this freedom allows all EU citizens to live, work and travel in other member states. What has the EU ever done for us? 2. It sustains millions of jobs A report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research, released in October 2015, suggested 3.1 million British jobs were linked to the UKs exports to the EU. What has the EU ever done for us? 3. Your holiday is much easier - and safer Freedom to travel is one of the most exercised benefits of EU membership, with Britons having made 31 million visits to the EU in 2014 alone. But a lot of the benefits of being an EU citizen are either taken for granted or go unnoticed. What has the EU ever done for us? 4. It means you're less likely to get ripped off Consumer protection is a key benefit of the EUs single market, and ensures members of the British public receive equal consumer rights when shopping anywhere in Europe. What has the EU ever done for us? 5. It offers greater protection from terrorists, paedophiles, people traffickers and cyber-crime Another example of a lesser-known advantage of EU membership is the benefit of cross-country coordination and cooperation in the fight against crime. What has the EU ever done for us? 6. Our businesses depend on it According to 71% of all members of the Confederation of British Influence (CBI), and 67 per cent of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the EU has had an overall positive impact on their business. What has the EU ever done for us? 7. We have greater influence Robin Niblett, Director of think-tank Chatham House, stated in a report published last year: For a mid-sized country like the UK, which will never again be economically dominant either globally or regionally, and whose diplomatic and military resources are declining in relative terms, being a major player in a strong regional institution can offer a critical lever for international influence. The EU referendum is like nothing that has ever happened before in the UK. That makes the outcome particularly difficult to predict. But the recent shift in the polls suggests that as the day of decision draws nearer, people are more inclined than they were a week ago to stick with the devil they know. The EU referendum debate has so far been characterised by bias, distortion and exaggeration. So until 23 June we were running a series of question and answer features that explain the most important issues in a detailed, dispassionate way to help inform your decision. What is Brexit and why are we having an EU referendum? Does the UK need to take more control of its sovereignty? Could the UK media swing the EU referendum one way or another? Will the UK benefit from being released from EU laws? Will we gain or lose rights by leaving the European Union? Will Brexit mean that Europeans have to leave the UK? Will leaving the EU lead to the break-up of the UK? What will happen to immigration if there's Brexit? Will Brexit make the UK more or less safe? Will the UK benefit from being released from EU laws? Will leaving the EU save taxpayers money and mean more money for the NHS? What will Brexit mean for British tourists booking holidays in the EU? Will Brexit help or damage the environment? Will Brexit mean that Europeans have to leave the UK? What will Brexit mean for British expats in Europe? Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Boris Johnson and Sadiq Khan have gone head-to-head in the biggest live debate ahead of Thursday's EU referendum. Here are the latest updates: Please allow a moment for the live blog to load Sadiq Khan accused Boris Johnson and Leave campaigners of peddling project hate against immigrants to try and scare voters into leaving the European Union in a live BBC debate. The London Mayor rounded on his predecessor to claim Vote Leave was scaremongering by claiming Turkey would imminently join the EU and extend the union's outer border to Syria and Iraq. But in front of a boisterous 6,000-strong audience at Wembley Arena, Mr Johnson received a standing ovation from parts of the audience when he declared that polling day could be our country's independence day. The event saw members of the same party repeatedly clashing, with Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson directly attacking Mr Johnson, and Mr Khan and Labour Leave campaigner Gisela Stuart criticising each other. Some of the most heated clashes came over immigration - seen as a strong area for the Leave camp. What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Show all 5 1 /5 What's the European Parliament ever done for us? What's the European Parliament ever done for us? A cap on the amount of hours an employer can make you work The Working Time directive provides legal standards to ensure the health and safety of employees in Europe. Among the many rules are a working week of a maximum 48 hours, including overtime, a daily rest period of 11 hours in every 24, a break if a person works for six hours or more, and one day off in every seven. It also includes provisions for paid annual leave of at least four weeks every year Getty Images What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Helping the people of Britain to avoid smoking In 2014 MEPs passed the Tobacco Products Directive strengthening existing rules on the manufacture, production and presentation of tobacco products. This includes things like reduced branding, restrictions on products containing flavoured tobacco, health warnings on cigarette packets and provisions for e-cigarettes to ensure they are safe What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Helping you to make the right choices with your food Thanks to the European Parliament, UK consumers have access to more information than ever about their food and drink. This includes amount of fat, and how much of it is saturated, carbohydrates, sugars, protein and so on. It also includes portion sizes and guideline daily amount information so people can make informed choices about their diet. All facts must be clear and easy to understand What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Two year guarantees and 14-day returns policy for all products Consumers across the EU have access to a number of rights, from things which are potentially very useful, to things which used to be annoying. For example, shoppers in the UK receive a two-year guarantee on all products, and a 14-day period to change their minds and return a purchase, these things are useful www.PeopleImages.com-licence restrictions apply What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Keeping your air nice and fresh (and safe) Believe it or not, although the situation is improving, some areas of the UK have appalling air quality. A report by the Royal College of Physicians released on 23 February says 40,000 deaths are caused by outdoor air pollution in the UK every year. Air pollution is linked to a number of illnesses and conditions, from Asthma to diabetes and dementia. The report estimates the costs to British business and the health service add up to 20 billion every year Mr Khan accused Mr Johnson of running a campaign of hate against migrants, and drew howls of protest from the audience after praising David Cameron's renegotiated deal with the EU. "Your campaign hasn't been project fear, it's been project hate as far as immigration is concerned," he told his rival. Mr Johnson hit back - pointing out the current London Mayor had previously said that those concerned about immigration should not be accused of prejudice. When you've got numbers running at 184,000 net from the EU, 77,000 coming without even the offer of a job last year, it's obviously time to take back control," he said. But Mr Khan said Leave campaigners were scaring people into voting for Brexit by telling lies, such as claiming Turkey would soon join the EU. Mr Cameron previously said Turkish EU membership is unlikely before the year 3000. The debate was the final major television event before voters go to the polls on 23 June, with the final day of campaigning on Wednesday. The EU referendum debate has so far been characterised by bias, distortion and exaggeration. So until 23 June we were running a series of question and answer features that explain the most important issues in a detailed, dispassionate way to help inform your decision. What is Brexit and why are we having an EU referendum? Does the UK need to take more control of its sovereignty? Could the UK media swing the EU referendum one way or another? Will the UK benefit from being released from EU laws? Will we gain or lose rights by leaving the European Union? Will Brexit mean that Europeans have to leave the UK? Will leaving the EU lead to the break-up of the UK? What will happen to immigration if there's Brexit? Will Brexit make the UK more or less safe? Will the UK benefit from being released from EU laws? Will leaving the EU save taxpayers money and mean more money for the NHS? What will Brexit mean for British tourists booking holidays in the EU? Will Brexit help or damage the environment? Will Brexit mean that Europeans have to leave the UK? What will Brexit mean for British expats in Europe? Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Three of Britains leading independent economic institutions have issued a final warning that Britain will almost certainly be worse off outside the EU, saying that no economic question in their lifetimes has ever been subject to so much agreement among experts. Challenging Leave campaign claims that Britains economy would not suffer from Brexit, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) and the Centre for Economic Performance (CEP) said that almost all of those who have looked seriously at this issue were predicting lower real wages in event of Brexit, higher prices for goods and services, higher borrowing costs and higher unemployment. In our lifetimes we have never seen such a degree of unanimity among economists on a major policy issue, the directors of the three institutions said in a joint statement. The precise effect, in terms of numerical percentage, is of course uncertain. But that we would be financially worse off outside the EU than in is almost certainly true. What to believe about the EU referendum Addressing some of the claims of the rival campaigns, they said that the Leave campaigns pledge of a 10bn Brexit dividend for public services and tax cuts was almost certainly untrue. The claim that the UK would, after Brexit, be able to trade with other EU nations on equally good terms to those we currently have was also deemed almost certainly untrue. Remain campaign assertions that households could be 4,300 a year worse off by 2030 were deemed to be uncertain, while warnings that immediate tax rises would be needed in the event of Brexit were branded unlikely, with the economists predicting that the Government would instead allow borrowing to rise to cover the economic costs of leaving the EU in the short-term. The EU referendum debate has so far been characterised by bias, distortion and exaggeration. So until 23 June we were running a series of question-and-answer features that explain the most important issues in a detailed, dispassionate way to help inform your decision. What is Brexit and why are we having an EU referendum? Does the UK need to take more control of its sovereignty? Could the UK media swing the EU referendum one way or another? Will the UK benefit from being released from EU laws? Will we gain or lose rights by leaving the European Union? Will Brexit mean that Europeans have to leave the UK? Will leaving the EU lead to the break-up of the UK? What will happen to immigration if there's Brexit? Will Brexit make the UK more or less safe? Will the UK benefit from being released from EU laws? Will leaving the EU save taxpayers money and mean more money for the NHS? What will Brexit mean for British tourists booking holidays in the EU? Will Brexit help or damage the environment? Will Brexit mean that Europeans have to leave the UK? What will Brexit mean for British expats in Europe? Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Queen is reported to have asked dinner guests to give her three good reasons why Britain should be part of Europe, according to royal author Robert Lacey. Mr Lacey, writing for The Daily Beast website, said the monarch posed the challenge recently. 'Give me three good reasons', she has apparently been asking her dinner companions recently, 'why Britain should be part of Europe?' Mr Lacey wrote. A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: The Queen is above politics and acts on the advice of her Government in political matters. The referendum is a matter for the British people to decide. Mr Lacey told the Press Association: The Queen likes a healthy debate around the dinner table. It was just a question. She's aware of the complexities for different parts of the UK. As we know, she's very careful not to betray whatever her personal opinions may be on this. You can say the same of her husband. The Queen's grandson Prince Harry broached the subject of the EU referendum at the street party for the monarch's official 90th birthday. He brought up the debate over Brexit with dairy farmer Mike King, 46, and his wife Rachel, 48, from Iron Acton, near Bristol, as he chatted to them on The Mall. 5 times the Queen's veil of neutrality was dropped But the Prince kept his own views close to his chest. Mr King said afterwards: I told Harry we were farmers and were hardy so we're just used to the wet (weather). When he heard we were farmers, he said 'In or Out?' and I said I was going to ask him the same. I said 'I'm undecided', and he said: 'I'm not allowed to say'. Traditionally, the Queen and her family never vote or stand for election. Although the law does not ban royalty from voting, it is considered unconstitutional for them to do so. What has the EU ever done for us? Show all 7 1 /7 What has the EU ever done for us? What has the EU ever done for us? 1. It gives you freedom to live, work and retire anywhere in Europe As a member of the EU, UK citizens benefit from freedom of movement across the continent. Considered one of the so-called four pillars of the European Union, this freedom allows all EU citizens to live, work and travel in other member states. What has the EU ever done for us? 2. It sustains millions of jobs A report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research, released in October 2015, suggested 3.1 million British jobs were linked to the UKs exports to the EU. What has the EU ever done for us? 3. Your holiday is much easier - and safer Freedom to travel is one of the most exercised benefits of EU membership, with Britons having made 31 million visits to the EU in 2014 alone. But a lot of the benefits of being an EU citizen are either taken for granted or go unnoticed. What has the EU ever done for us? 4. It means you're less likely to get ripped off Consumer protection is a key benefit of the EUs single market, and ensures members of the British public receive equal consumer rights when shopping anywhere in Europe. What has the EU ever done for us? 5. It offers greater protection from terrorists, paedophiles, people traffickers and cyber-crime Another example of a lesser-known advantage of EU membership is the benefit of cross-country coordination and cooperation in the fight against crime. What has the EU ever done for us? 6. Our businesses depend on it According to 71% of all members of the Confederation of British Influence (CBI), and 67 per cent of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the EU has had an overall positive impact on their business. What has the EU ever done for us? 7. We have greater influence Robin Niblett, Director of think-tank Chatham House, stated in a report published last year: For a mid-sized country like the UK, which will never again be economically dominant either globally or regionally, and whose diplomatic and military resources are declining in relative terms, being a major player in a strong regional institution can offer a critical lever for international influence. Last month, the press watchdog ruled that The Sun newspaper had breached press regulations with its front page headline suggesting the Queen was in favour of the UK leaving the EU. The Sun - March 2016 The headline, Queen backs Brexit, published in March, was significantly misleading, the Independent Press Standards Organisation (Ipso) said. Buckingham Palace complained, insisting the Queen was politically neutral. Ahead of the Scottish independence referendum in September 2014, the Queen told a well-wisher in the crowd after morning church at Crathie Kirk, near Balmoral, a few days before the vote: Well, I hope people will think very carefully about the future. When Scotland voted no, Prime Minister David Cameron confirmed the Queen's delight at the decision when he was caught on camera saying: She purred down the line. PA The EU referendum debate has so far been characterised by bias, distortion and exaggeration. So until 23 June we were running a series of question and answer features that explain the most important issues in a detailed, dispassionate way to help inform your decision. What is Brexit and why are we having an EU referendum? Does the UK need to take more control of its sovereignty? Could the UK media swing the EU referendum one way or another? Will the UK benefit from being released from EU laws? Will we gain or lose rights by leaving the European Union? Will Brexit mean that Europeans have to leave the UK? Will leaving the EU lead to the break-up of the UK? What will happen to immigration if there's Brexit? Will Brexit make the UK more or less safe? Will the UK benefit from being released from EU laws? Will leaving the EU save taxpayers money and mean more money for the NHS? What will Brexit mean for British tourists booking holidays in the EU? Will Brexit help or damage the environment? Will Brexit mean that Europeans have to leave the UK? What will Brexit mean for British expats in Europe? Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Two-thirds of Ukip voters believe the EU referendum will probably be rigged, while nearly a third suspect MI5 involvement in the alleged plot, a new survey suggests. Pollsters YouGov surveyed a representative sample of all voters on whether they believed Thursdays plebiscite would be conducted fairly. Voters were asked whether they agreed with the statement It is likely that the EU referendum will be rigged with possible responses Probably true, Probably false and Dont know. In total 45 per cent of people said the referendum would probably not be rigged, while 28 per cent said it probably would be. 26 per cent said they did not know. The study found a sharp contrast between the views of people leaning towards Remain and people leaning towards Leave, however. Just 11 per cent of people who planned to vote Remain said it was probably true that the EU referendum would be rigged, while 70 per cent said it probably wouldnt be. Leave voters were far more suspicious, with 46 per cent agreeing that rigging was likely, and just 30 per cent saying it was unlikely to be rigged. People who voted Ukip in the 2015 election were extremely likely to believe the referendum would be rigged. Just one in five said the vote would be conducted fairly while a full 64 per cent said it was likely to be rigged. No other party had more than 25 per cent of people who believed the same claim. Another question, asking whether people believed MI5 is working with the UK government to stop Britain leaving the EU, was agreed with by 30 per cent of Ukip voters. Around the same number, 31 per cent, thought MI5 were probably not involved. The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit Show all 7 1 /7 The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 22 May 2015 In his regular column in The Express Nigel Farage utilised the concerns over Putin and the EU to deliver a tongue in cheek conclusion. With friends like these, who needs enemies? PA The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 13 November 2015 UKIP MEP for Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire Mike Hookem, was one of several political figures who took no time to harness the toxic atmosphere just moments after Paris attacks to push an agenda. Cameron says were safer in the EU. Well Im in the centre of the EU and it doesnt feel very safe. Getty Images The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 19 April 2016 In an article written for The Guardian, Michael Gove attempts to bolster his argument with a highly charged metaphor in which he likens UK remaining in the EU to a hostage situation. Were voting to be hostages locked in the back of the car and driven headlong towards deeper EU integration. Rex The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 26 April 2016 In a move that is hard to decipher, let alone understand, Mike Hookem stuck it to Obama re-tweeting a UKIP advertisement that utilises a quote from the film: Love Actually to dishonour the US stance on the EU. A friend who bullies us is no longer a friend The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 10 May 2016 During a speech in London former work and pensions secretary Ian Duncan Smith said that EU migration would cause an increasing divide between people who benefit from immigration and people who couldnt not find work because of uncontrolled migration. The European Union is a force for social injustice which backs the haves rather than the have-nots. EPA The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 15 May 2016 Cartoon character Boris Johnson made the news again over controversial comments that the EU had the same goal as Hitler in trying to create a political super state. Napoleon, Hitler, various people tried this out, and it ends tragically. The EU is an attempt to do this by different methods. PA The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 16 May 2016 During a tour of the womens clothing manufacturer David Nieper, Boris had ample time to cook up a new metaphor, arguably eclipsing Goves in which he compares the EU to badly designed undergarments. So I just say to all those who prophecy doom and gloom for the British Business, I say their pants are on fire. Lets say knickers to the pessimists, knickers to all those who talk Britain down. Getty Images The startling figures come after the Remain campaign accused Vote Leave of propagating conspiracy theories in relation to the referendum. One recurring warning on some unofficial Leave social media channels involves activists telling people to bring an indelible pen to the polling station so that their votes cannot be erased and re-cast in favour of Remain. Senior Vote Leave figures have also flat-out denied evidence produced by economists and other experts, often dismissing it as being finances by the EU or otherwise suspect. Two Conservative politicians who switched sides from Leave to Remain over the campaigns conduct have also been repeatedly accused on social media of being plants who had only pledged to support Leave so they could undermine the campaign by defecting later on. Ukip MEP Gerard Batten claimed in a blogpost in May that the Nazis had created the "basic plan" for the European Union. Vote Leave and Leave.EU have not yet responded to requests for comment on this story. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A Tory councillor has been suspended after responding to news of a memorial fund set up after Labour MP Jo Cox was killed by saying Ive just donated the steam off my p***. Dominic Peacock, a Conservative Party councillor for East Riding who is campaigning for the UK to leave the EU, deleted the comment within moments of posting it on Facebook along with a news story about the fund. He subsequently issued an "unreserved apology" and told The Independent he was "tired and emotional". Stephen Parnaby, a leader of the East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said in a statement: "Following inappropriate and offensive comments made on social media relating to the sad and tragic death of Jo Cox MP, I have suspended Cllr Dominic Peacock from the East Riding of Yorkshire Council Conservative Group with immediate effect. "I shall be reporting this to a meeting of the full Group and my recommendation will be that he be expelled. "All people in public life, irrespective of politics should be united in condemning the fatal and dreadful attack on Jo Cox. This is not the time for inappropriate remarks, however intended, and I will not tolerate them in my Group, and residents should expect their elected representatives to act in an appropriate and compassionate way." Responding to the comments, which were posted in a pro-Leave Facebook group, Chevan Ilangaratne, who describes himself as a Legal Fellow at the Mental Disability Advocacy Centre, called for Mr Peacock to resign. Mr Ilangaratne wrote: "What an utterly odious and inappropriate comment to make following what was an absolute tragedy for mankind last week. (Facebook (Facebook) "The attack was a bitter attack on democracy - the very means by which you got elected a councillor. When I get a minute, I shall be writing to you formally to demand your immediate resignation. "Anything short of stepping down will not even begin to satisfy the level of contrition needed for this truly disgraceful remark. You are not fit for public office in any capacity. Beverley deserves better, Britain deserves better." Mr Peacock told The Independent he deleted the post as soon as he became aware of its potential for offence and that he offered an unreserved apology. "I shouldnt have used those words or that language," he said. "What I should have explained was that there was no way I would donate to the White Helmets. "Clearly, I shouldnt have put out a statement that was so sharp. I should have thought. I think the words are tired and emotional. Jo Cox tributes - in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Jo Cox tributes - in pictures Jo Cox tributes - in pictures Floral tributes and candles are placed by a picture of slain Labour MP Jo Cox at a vigil in Parliament square in London AFP Jo Cox tributes - in pictures Tributes to Labour Party MP Jo Cox are placed on her houseboat in Wapping in London REUTERS Jo Cox tributes - in pictures The Union flag at half-mast on top of Portcullis House in London after Labour MP Jo Cox was shot and stabbed to death PA Jo Cox tributes - in pictures Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn (2R) and deputy leader Tom Watson (L) light candles as they attend a vigil to slain Labour MP Jo Cox in Parliament square in London AFP/Getty Images Jo Cox tributes - in pictures Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn and deputy leader Tom Watson (rear) arrive to leave tributes at Parliament Square PA Jo Cox tributes - in pictures People leave St Peter's Church after a vigil in memory of Jo Cox REUTERS Jo Cox tributes - in pictures Flowers left at Parliament Square opposite the Palace of Westminste, following the death of Labour MP Jo Cox PA Jo Cox tributes - in pictures People react as they look at tributes left for Labour Member of Parliament Jo Cox in Parliament Square, London REUTERS Jo Cox tributes - in pictures A man writes a message at Parliament Square PA Jo Cox tributes - in pictures People stop to look at tributes left at Parliament Square opposite the Palace of Westminster PA Jo Cox tributes - in pictures A woman arrives to lay flowers at a statue to Joseph Priestly in Birstall near to the scene where Labour MP Jo Cox was shot AFP/Getty Images Jo Cox tributes - in pictures Tributes at Parliament Square opposite the Palace of Westminster PA Jo Cox tributes - in pictures A woman places candles in tribute to Labour Party MP Jo Cox REUTERS Jo Cox tributes - in pictures A member of the public signs a memorial for British MP Jo Cox in Parliament Square, London EPA Jo Cox tributes - in pictures People sign messages of condolence for MP Jo Cox during a vigil in Parliament Square in London Getty Images Jo Cox tributes - in pictures Flags at half mast outside Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, after Labour MP Jo Cox was shot and stabbed to death in the street outside her constituency advice surgery in Birstall PA Jo Cox tributes - in pictures People arrive in Market Square with floral tributes after the death of Jo Co Getty Images Jo Cox tributes - in pictures Floral tributes are placed in Market Square next to the statue of Joseph Priestley following the death of Jo Cox Getty Images Jo Cox tributes - in pictures Floral tributes are brought to the scene after the death of Jo Cox Getty Images Jo Cox tributes - in pictures A police officer carries bunches of flowers at the scene of the shooting of Labour MP Jo Cox in Birstall REUTERS "I put it in a flippant way and I can see why people think its appalling. "I shouldnt have done it and I issue an unreserved apology to anyone who I have hurt or offended." Jo Cox died for her political views, says husband Brendan Cox Thomas Mair, aged 52, is accused of Ms Cox's killing in Birstall, West Yorkshire, on Thursday. He appeared at the Old Bailey on Monday charged with murder, grievous bodily harm, possession of a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence and possession of an offensive weapon. The GoFundMe page set up by Mrs Cox's friends in "celebration and memory" of her work currently stands at over 1 million, after more than 32,500 people donated over three days. It comes as a Survation poll showed the Remain and Leave campaigns were neck-and-neck, at 45 per cent and 44 per cent respectively. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Britain will lose its place as a global leader in science and innovation if voters turn their back on the European Union in this weeks referendum, around 100 universities warn today. In a letter to The Independent the vice chancellors of almost every major higher education institution in the country say they are gravely concerned about the impact of Brexit. The signatories include the heads of Oxford, Cambridge and Durham and Bristol and all of the UK universities in top 50 world rankings. The letter shows the depths of concern among academics about the risks of pulling out of the EU. Recommended Read more Pound surges against the dollar as Brexit fears subside They point out that every year, universities generate over 73 billion for the UK economy 3.7bn of which is generated by students from EU countries alone. EU membership supports British universities to attract the brightest and best minds from across Europe, enhancing university research and teaching and contributing to economic growth, they write. Voluntarily cutting ourselves out of the worlds largest economic bloc would undermine our position as a global leader in science and innovation, impoverish our campuses and limit opportunities for British people. What has the EU ever done for us? Show all 7 1 /7 What has the EU ever done for us? What has the EU ever done for us? 1. It gives you freedom to live, work and retire anywhere in Europe As a member of the EU, UK citizens benefit from freedom of movement across the continent. Considered one of the so-called four pillars of the European Union, this freedom allows all EU citizens to live, work and travel in other member states. What has the EU ever done for us? 2. It sustains millions of jobs A report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research, released in October 2015, suggested 3.1 million British jobs were linked to the UKs exports to the EU. What has the EU ever done for us? 3. Your holiday is much easier - and safer Freedom to travel is one of the most exercised benefits of EU membership, with Britons having made 31 million visits to the EU in 2014 alone. But a lot of the benefits of being an EU citizen are either taken for granted or go unnoticed. What has the EU ever done for us? 4. It means you're less likely to get ripped off Consumer protection is a key benefit of the EUs single market, and ensures members of the British public receive equal consumer rights when shopping anywhere in Europe. What has the EU ever done for us? 5. It offers greater protection from terrorists, paedophiles, people traffickers and cyber-crime Another example of a lesser-known advantage of EU membership is the benefit of cross-country coordination and cooperation in the fight against crime. What has the EU ever done for us? 6. Our businesses depend on it According to 71% of all members of the Confederation of British Influence (CBI), and 67 per cent of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the EU has had an overall positive impact on their business. What has the EU ever done for us? 7. We have greater influence Robin Niblett, Director of think-tank Chatham House, stated in a report published last year: For a mid-sized country like the UK, which will never again be economically dominant either globally or regionally, and whose diplomatic and military resources are declining in relative terms, being a major player in a strong regional institution can offer a critical lever for international influence. The Vice Chancellors go on to warn that leaving Europe would create a difficult environment for the long-term investment in higher education and research that is necessary for the UK to maintain its position as a skilled and a globally competitive knowledge economy. For us it is crystal clear that our outstanding universities and our students are stronger in Europe. In other developments: The letter comes as a new poll, using methodology developed after the 2015 general election, shows that the result of the referendum is within the margin of error. The survey, conducted by the research centre NatCen, shows support for remaining in the EU at 53 per cent while 47 per cent back leaving. The survey was conducted as an experimental test of a new approach to polling that was recommended by the Inquiry into the performance of the opinion polls in last years general election. What to believe about the EU referendum While conducted primarily over the internet, respondents were selected for interview at random rather than from amongst people who had volunteered to participate. Those who initially failed to respond were followed up by phone, while interviewing was conducted over an extended four week period, with multiple attempts made to make contact with hard to reach respondents. The survey estimate takes into account likely differences between voters in their willingness to vote in the Referendum. These differences are estimated on the basis of the level of participation in the 2015 election reported by respondents when they took part in the 2015 British Social Attitudes survey, NatCens annual high-quality survey which came close to replicating the result of the 2015 general election. Read the full text of the letter and a list of signatories here. The EU referendum debate has so far been characterised by bias, distortion and exaggeration. So until 23 June we were running a series of question and answer features that explain the most important issues in a detailed, dispassionate way to help inform your decision. What is Brexit and why are we having an EU referendum? Does the UK need to take more control of its sovereignty? Could the UK media swing the EU referendum one way or another? Will the UK benefit from being released from EU laws? Will we gain or lose rights by leaving the European Union? Will Brexit mean that Europeans have to leave the UK? Will leaving the EU lead to the break-up of the UK? What will happen to immigration if there's Brexit? Will Brexit make the UK more or less safe? Will the UK benefit from being released from EU laws? Will leaving the EU save taxpayers money and mean more money for the NHS? What will Brexit mean for British tourists booking holidays in the EU? Will Brexit help or damage the environment? Will Brexit mean that Europeans have to leave the UK? What will Brexit mean for British expats in Europe? Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Michael Gove was a "dreadful education secretary" because he did not trust experts, the leader of the Liberal Democrats has said. Tim Farron told a major EU debate at Wembley arena in London that Mr Gove had got it wrong on so-called "experts". The Tory MP earlier this month refused to name any economists backing leaving the the European Union. He said: "People in this country have had enough of experts. But on Tuesday evening Mr Farron hit back. "Nine out of ten experts say were better off in the European Union. Perhaps the quote of the whole campaign if Michael Gove saying weve had enough of experts," Mr Farron said. "Thats perhaps an explanation of why he was such a dreadful education secretary. When I send my kids to school I want them taught by experts, not a bloke down the pub." Mr Gove is campaigning as a senior figure in favour of leaving the European Union. His time as education secretary was marked by running conflict with teachers and education academics, who is was accused of ignoring. The EU referendum is on 23 June. The deadline to register to vote has already passed. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} David Cameron's former policy guru has claimed the Prime Minister was told four years ago it was "impossible" for the Government to meet its immigration promises if the UK remained in the EU Leave supporter Steve Hilton said civil servants "directly and explicitly" explained the pledge to reduce net migration - which last month hit 333,000 - to the tens of thousands would fail. Just weeks ago, Mr Cameron insisted he stuck by his "ambition" to pull the number under 100,000. But Mr Hilton said the premier reaffirmed his commitment to target in the 2015 general election even though he "had been told it was undeliverable". Writing in The Daily Mail, the Leave campaigner recalled the details of a meeting in the final months of his time as director of strategy. He said: "We were told, directly and explicitly, that it was impossible for the Government to meet its immigration target as long as we remained members of the EU, which of course insists on the free movement of people within it. "In the 2015 Conservative manifesto, the Prime Minister reaffirmed his commitment to the immigration target he had been told was undeliverable. What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Show all 5 1 /5 What's the European Parliament ever done for us? What's the European Parliament ever done for us? A cap on the amount of hours an employer can make you work The Working Time directive provides legal standards to ensure the health and safety of employees in Europe. Among the many rules are a working week of a maximum 48 hours, including overtime, a daily rest period of 11 hours in every 24, a break if a person works for six hours or more, and one day off in every seven. It also includes provisions for paid annual leave of at least four weeks every year Getty Images What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Helping the people of Britain to avoid smoking In 2014 MEPs passed the Tobacco Products Directive strengthening existing rules on the manufacture, production and presentation of tobacco products. This includes things like reduced branding, restrictions on products containing flavoured tobacco, health warnings on cigarette packets and provisions for e-cigarettes to ensure they are safe What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Helping you to make the right choices with your food Thanks to the European Parliament, UK consumers have access to more information than ever about their food and drink. This includes amount of fat, and how much of it is saturated, carbohydrates, sugars, protein and so on. It also includes portion sizes and guideline daily amount information so people can make informed choices about their diet. All facts must be clear and easy to understand What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Two year guarantees and 14-day returns policy for all products Consumers across the EU have access to a number of rights, from things which are potentially very useful, to things which used to be annoying. For example, shoppers in the UK receive a two-year guarantee on all products, and a 14-day period to change their minds and return a purchase, these things are useful www.PeopleImages.com-licence restrictions apply What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Keeping your air nice and fresh (and safe) Believe it or not, although the situation is improving, some areas of the UK have appalling air quality. A report by the Royal College of Physicians released on 23 February says 40,000 deaths are caused by outdoor air pollution in the UK every year. Air pollution is linked to a number of illnesses and conditions, from Asthma to diabetes and dementia. The report estimates the costs to British business and the health service add up to 20 billion every year "When I saw that, I assumed this was either because he was certain he could negotiate a solution within the EU, or was assuming we would leave." It comes as research for The Daily Telegraph said the In camp was seven points ahead, with 53% of the vote among those who intend to have their say at the ballot box. But the ORB International study found that when all voters are taken into account, the Remain lead drops to two points on 49%, compared to 47% for Leave. Exit poll supremo John Curtice, a professor at Strathclyde University, said the possibility of the UK quitting was being underestimated, suggesting a 45% probability was a "sensible" assessment. Additional reporting by agencies For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A policeman who emitted a loud screeching sound while running from a snake in South Africa has become an internet sensation after viewers found it hilarious. Footage of the spectacle, which climaxes with the policeman running and screaming, has been uploaded to YouTube after the mans colleagues apparently filmed the incident, and it has now been viewed tens of thousands of times. The 39-second clip shows the South African policeman releasing his dog on the edge of a wood. It is unclear what the man thinks the dog is supposed to be trying to find. When the policeman catches up with the dog, he suddenly emits a high pitched-shriek and a stream of words as he sprints back towards his fellow officers, some of whom are laughing in a manner suggesting they knew what was coming. The dog had reportedly found a snake. Lol, this is funny, wrote YouTube commenter Dropping Guy. I love my country, wrote fellow YouTube user Adam South. South Africa is home to many of the worlds most deadly snakes, including the Black Mamba, the Puff Adder, the Boom Slang and the Mozambique spitting cobra. The video does not show what kind of snake the policeman was fleeing. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} New York State may soon make it illegal to advertise wholly unoccupied apartments for short-term rentals on Airbnb. The bill was approved on Friday by New York State, and a final decision will now be made by Governor Andrew Cuomo, who will sign it off, veto it, or even let it become law without his signature. If it becomes law, the bill will prohibit advertising online listings for unoccupied apartments that last less than 30 days. New York already prohibits such rentals if residents are not present, but advertising them was not explicitly barred. The law is designed to prevent commercial firms buying up apartments and turning them into Airbnb hotels. Under the legislation first-time offenders would be fined $1,000, but repeat offenders will be fined $7,500. Let's be clear: this is a bad proposal that will make it harder for thousands of New Yorkers to pay the bills, Airbnb's Josh Meltzer told TechCrunch. Dozens of governments around the world have demonstrated that there is a sensible way to regulate home sharing and we hope New York will follow their lead and protect the middle class. Actor Ashton Kutcher, an Airbnb investor, tweeted: People are going to lose their homes because of this ignorant bill! Recommended Read more The best bars in New York City New York is one of Airbnbs biggest markets, and the company, which was founded in 2008 is now valued at $25bn (17bn) and estimates it contributes around $60m in taxes to the state of New York. In November the company spent $8m fighting a similar legal ruling aimed at short term rentals in San Francisco. But the State Assemblys Linda Rosenthal, one of the bills sponsors, said the bill is aimed at targeting people or companies with multiple listings. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty Speaking to the New York Post she said: There are so many units held by commercial operators, not individual tenants. They are bad actors who horde multiple units, driving up the cost of housing around them and across the city. She added: You should know who your neighbour is and what happens when people rent out their apartments on Airbnb is you get strangers. Every night there could be different person sleeping in the next apartment and it shatters that sense of community in the building. It also can be dangerous. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The British man who allegedly grabbed a police officer's pistol in an attempt to kill Donald Trump at a rally has been described in court as autistic yet competent. Michael Sandford, from Dorking in Surrey, was arrested at a rally for the presumptive Republican nominee at the Treasure Island hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The 20-year-old reportedly told police he had planned for more than a year to kill Mr Trump and die in the process, according to the US Secret Service. He was tackled and frogmarched out of the venue after allegedly asking to get the businessman's autograph and attempting to take a policeman's sidearm. Another member of the crowd, Gregg Donovan, said he briefly spoke to Sandford, describing him as "strange". Identified by his UK driving licence, Sandford had been living in Hoboken, New Jersey for around 18 months. He was living out of his car, did not have a job and was in the country illegally after overstaying a visa. His mother told court researchers that he was treated for obsessive compulsive disorder and anorexia when he was younger, and that he once escaped a hospital in England. Prior to arriving in Las Vegas on Thursday June 16, Sandford drove across the country to San Bernadino in California. The next day he visited Battlefield Vegas shooting range where he shot a 9mm Glock pistol, firing off 20 rounds. The Secret Service report said that as a back-up, Sandford bought a ticket to another Trump rally in Phoenix Arizona later on in the day. Donald Trump's most controversial quotes Show all 14 1 /14 Donald Trump's most controversial quotes Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Isis: "Some of the candidates, they went in and didnt know the air conditioner didnt work and sweated like dogs, and they didnt know the room was too big because they didnt have anybody there. How are they going to beat ISIS?" Getty Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On immigration: "I will build a great wall and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me and Ill build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words." Reuters Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Free Trade: "Free trade is terrible. Free trade can be wonderful if you have smart people. But we have stupid people." PAUL J. RICHARDS | AFP | Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Mexicans: "When Mexico sends its people, theyre not sending their best. Theyre sending people that have lots of problems. Theyre bringing drugs. Theyre bringing crime. Theyre rapists." Getty Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On China: "I just sold an apartment for $15 million to somebody from China. Am I supposed to dislike them?... I love China. The biggest bank in the world is from China. You know where their United States headquarters is located? In this building, in Trump Tower." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On work: "If you're interested in 'balancing' work and pleasure, stop trying to balance them. Instead make your work more pleasurable." AP Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On success: "What separates the winners from the losers is how a person reacts to each new twist of fate." Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On life: "Everything in life is luck." AFP Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On ambition: "You have to think anyway, so why not think big?" Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On his opponents: "Bush is totally in favour of Common Core. I don't see how he can possibly get the nomination. He's weak on immigration. He's in favour of Common Core. How the hell can you vote for this guy? You just can't do it." Reuters Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Obamacare: "You have to be hit by a tractor, literally, a tractor, to use it, because the deductibles are so high. It's virtually useless. And remember the $5 billion web site?... I have so many web sites, I have them all over the place. I hire people, they do a web site. It costs me $3." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Barack Obama: "Obama is going to be out playing golf. He might be on one of my courses. I would invite him. I have the best courses in the world. I have one right next to the White House." PA Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On himself: "Love him or hate him, Trump is a man who is certain about what he wants and sets out to get it, no holds barred. Women find his power almost as much of a turn-on as his money." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On America: "The American Dream is dead. But if I get elected president I will bring it back bigger and better and stronger than ever before and we will make America great again." GETTY His mother, who has not been named, told Federal Magistrate Judge George Foley her son had a history of mental health problems. From an early age Sandford had been interested in the TV series Robot Wars and had rebuilt fighting machines for roadshows affiliated to the show, according to the Telegraph. A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are providing assistance following an arrest of a British national in Las Vegas." Facing a charge of "an act of violence on restricted ground", he could be given a prison sentence of up to ten years and fined a maximum of 170,000. Sandford was denied bail and is due back in court on July 5. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} An online gun store based in the United States sold more than 30,000 AR-15 semi-automatic rifles in one seven-day period. Hunter's Warehouse, based in Bellevue, Pennsylvania, claims that since the killing of 49 people in the Orlando nightclub shooting, the AR-15 - or Armalite Rifle - has proved popular with buyers. A semi-automatic relation of the military M-16 assault rifle, the AR-15 is strikingly similar to the weapons used in the mass shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School, San Bernadino Inland Regional Centre and Pulse nightclub in Orlando. The owner of Hunter's Warehouse, Tom Engle, told Fox Business: "In particular the AR-15 has been selling very, very well. Shootings dont push up gun sales Its when the government starts talking about banning particular guns and up go gun sales. When people lose their right to buy a particular gun or a particular type of gun, they go after them and they want them then. Rifles such as the AR-15 were banned in the United States by the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban. In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting Show all 30 1 /30 In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting Friends and family grieve after a list of hospitalised victims was released, implying the death of those who weren't on the list and hadn't been heard from, outside a Hampton Inn & Suites hotel near the Orlando Regional Medical Center AP In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting People mourning for victims of the mass shooting near the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting Mina Justice speaks to a reporter discussing texting with her son Eddie who was in a bathroom at Club Pulse in Orlando. It has now been confirmed that Eddie Justice was among the 50 people killed in the massacre AP In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting FBI agents investigate near the damaged rear wall of the Pulse Nightclub Getty Images In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting Terry DeCarlo, executive director of the LGBT Center of Central Florida (C) is comforted by Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan (R) after a shooting involving multiple fatalities at a nightclub in Orlando AP In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting FBI agents investigate the damaged rear wall of the Pulse Nightclub Getty Images In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting Police officials investigate the back of the Pulse nightclub after a shooting involving multiple fatalities at the nightclub in Orlando AP In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting A member of the Medical Examiners office wheels a body to a vehicle from the mass shooting at Pulse Nightclub Getty Images In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting A photograph posted by the Orlando Police Department on Twitter with the words, "Pulse shooting: In hail of gunfire in which suspect was killed, OPD officer was hit. Kevlar helmet saved his life", in reference to the operation against a gun man inside Pulse night club in Orlando REUTERS In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting FBI, Orlando Police Department and the Orange County Sheriff's Office personnel investigate the attack at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando AP In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting Annette Stubbs, a pastor at a local church, prays for victims a few blocks from a crime scene at the nightclub where a mass shooting took place AP In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting Aimee McCarthy from Jacksonville, gives blood at the oneblood facility, to help the victims from a mass shooting at a nightclub in Orlando AP In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting Police forensics investigators work at the crime scene of a mass shooting at the Pulse gay night club in Orlando REUTERS In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting An injured person is escorted out of the Pulse nightclub after a shooting rampage AP In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting An injured man is escorted out of the Pulse nightclub after a shooting rampage AP In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting An injured man is escorted out of the Pulse nightclub after a shooting rampage AP In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting Law enforcement officials work at the Pulse nightclub following a fatal shooting AP In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting Orlando Police officers direct family members away from the nightclub AP In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting The scene outside the Orlando gay club where multiple people have been shot AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting The injured are treated in the street outside Pulse in Orlando following the shooting EPA/Univision In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting Two witnesses, Jermain Towns (left) and Brandon Shuford, wait down the street for news following shooting and hostage stand-off at the Pulse nightclub. Mr Towns said his brother was in the club at the time AP In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting Emergency services at the scene. Ambulance crews and firefighters were outside the club alongside police. EPA In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting People treating the wounded on the street EPA In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting Friends and family members embrace outside the Orlando Police Headquarters during the investigation of a shooting at the Pulse night club Reuters In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting Law enforcement agencies and local city representatives give a news conference in the wake of a mass-casualty shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando Rex In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting Orlando police officers seen outside of Pulse nightclub after a fatal shooting and hostage situation in Orlando, Florida Getty In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting Friends and family console one another outside the Orlando Police Headquarters In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting U.S. President Barack Obama speaks about the worst mass shooting in U.S. history that took place in Orlando REUTERS In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting Imam Syed Shafeeq Rahman, the Imam of the mosqe that mass shooter Omar Mateen attended, speaks to the media in Fort Pierce. The imam said that the suspect never gave any indication he was capable of such violence.Omar Mateen attended evening prayers three or four times a week at the Islamic Center of Fort Pierce, bringing his son who is about four or five years old AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting Omar Mateen has killed 50 people at a gay nightclub after pledging allegiance to Isis in the deadliest mass shooting in US history Myspace The weapons were then reintroduced into the market after the law expired in 2004 when the US Congress failed to renew it. Gun owner Jon Stokes from Texas wrote on Vox: "With the AR platform, a person with absolutely no gunsmithing expertise can buy one gun and a bunch of accessories, and optimise that gun for the application at hand. You can even make an AR-15 into a pistol, Cops and civilians buy AR-15s because that one gun can be adapted to an infinite variety of sporting, hunting, and use-of-force scenarios by an amateur with a few simple tools. "In this respect, the AR-15 is basically a giant Lego kit for grown-ups. Killers 911 call released In the wake of the recent Orlando mass shooting, the US Senate has failed to pass new gun law restrictions including stronger buyer background checks and preventing pople on the FBI's terror watch list. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A dramatic security alert was triggered briefly at the entrance to the Holland Tunnel leading into Manhattan early on Tuesday after police arrested three people trying to enter with a pick-up truck loaded with weapons, including loaded guns, rifles, knifes and ballistic vests. The incident occurred at the height of the daily morning rush hour when thousands of vehicles are pouring into the Holland Tunnel from the New Jersey side as people make their way to offices in New York City. The truck was initially stopped because it had a cracked windscreen. But after bringing it to the curb, police discovered that it was a virtual rolling arsenal of weapons. Also found inside was a camouflage armoured helmet and 2,000 rounds of ammunition. Those inside the car - two men in their fifties and a woman in her twenties - were placed under arrest. While the fear of a terrorist attack is never far from the minds of many New Yorkers, nerves have been taught since the night club attack in Orlando ten days ago. However, the authorities said that there was no suggestion of any connection between the truck and any terror plot. No counter-terrorism agents were involved in the investigation into the truck and its cargo because the case had no terrorism nexus, a spokeswoman for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Kelly Langmesser, said. There is no immediate threat, she added. Police will not speculate on where the weapons were bound, but there were reports they might have been headed to one side in a drugs dispute. The arrest of the trio, believed to be residents of Pennsylvania, was smooth and there was no stand-off with police, officials noted. This could have gone bad really quickly, a policeman at the scene commented. The scenes at the Holland Tunnel unfolded on the same day that authorities accused that three men in Rochester, New York, of illegally selling over 100 assault weapons from a single gun shop. One man was arrested and two others are being sought, officials said. The Rochester case may be the most important since New York state passed newly tough gun laws in 2012 directly in response to the Newtown mass school shooting in Connecticut. New York has enacted some of the toughest, most sensible gun safety laws in the country, and with todays arrests, we are sending a message that these laws will be vigorously enforced, the attorney general, Eric T. Schneiderman, a Democrat, said. The tragedies in Orlando, Newtown, Aurora and communities across the country are clear signs that we need to get our national gun violence epidemic under control. New Yorks assault weapons ban keeps New Yorkers safer, and makes the job of law enforcement easier. There is no place for weapons of war on the streets of America. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A 20-year-old British man who tried to grab a policemans gun at a Donald Trump rally in Nevada has told police he had driven there from California to kill the presumptive Republican nominee, court documents allege. Michael Sandford was arrested on Saturday at the Treasure Island Casino in Las Vegas, where the property mogul was holding a campaign event, the Associated Press reported. He has now appeared in court in Nevada, where he was charged with an act of violence on restricted grounds and remanded in custody without bail. According to documents presented to the court, Mr Sandford approached a police officer claiming that he wanted an autograph from Mr Trump, before grabbing the handle of the officers gun and trying to remove it from the holster. Mr Sandford reportedly told officers that he intended to kill Mr Trump. He is said to have told law enforcement officials that he had been planning the assassination for up to a year and did not expect to survive the attempt. Mr Sandford had a UK drivers licence and had practised shooting a pistol at a Vegas gun range the day before the incident. Public defender Heather Fraley said Sandford appeared to be competent and hadn't been diagnosed with a mental illness, but that he has autism and previously attempted suicide. He was living out of his car, did not have a job and was in the country illegally after overstaying a visa. Donald Trump's most controversial quotes Show all 14 1 /14 Donald Trump's most controversial quotes Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Isis: "Some of the candidates, they went in and didnt know the air conditioner didnt work and sweated like dogs, and they didnt know the room was too big because they didnt have anybody there. How are they going to beat ISIS?" Getty Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On immigration: "I will build a great wall and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me and Ill build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words." Reuters Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Free Trade: "Free trade is terrible. Free trade can be wonderful if you have smart people. But we have stupid people." PAUL J. RICHARDS | AFP | Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Mexicans: "When Mexico sends its people, theyre not sending their best. Theyre sending people that have lots of problems. Theyre bringing drugs. Theyre bringing crime. Theyre rapists." Getty Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On China: "I just sold an apartment for $15 million to somebody from China. Am I supposed to dislike them?... I love China. The biggest bank in the world is from China. You know where their United States headquarters is located? In this building, in Trump Tower." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On work: "If you're interested in 'balancing' work and pleasure, stop trying to balance them. Instead make your work more pleasurable." AP Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On success: "What separates the winners from the losers is how a person reacts to each new twist of fate." Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On life: "Everything in life is luck." AFP Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On ambition: "You have to think anyway, so why not think big?" Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On his opponents: "Bush is totally in favour of Common Core. I don't see how he can possibly get the nomination. He's weak on immigration. He's in favour of Common Core. How the hell can you vote for this guy? You just can't do it." Reuters Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Obamacare: "You have to be hit by a tractor, literally, a tractor, to use it, because the deductibles are so high. It's virtually useless. And remember the $5 billion web site?... I have so many web sites, I have them all over the place. I hire people, they do a web site. It costs me $3." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Barack Obama: "Obama is going to be out playing golf. He might be on one of my courses. I would invite him. I have the best courses in the world. I have one right next to the White House." PA Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On himself: "Love him or hate him, Trump is a man who is certain about what he wants and sets out to get it, no holds barred. Women find his power almost as much of a turn-on as his money." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On America: "The American Dream is dead. But if I get elected president I will bring it back bigger and better and stronger than ever before and we will make America great again." GETTY His mother told court researchers that he was treated for obsessive compulsive disorder and anorexia when he was younger, and that he once escaped a hospital in England, according to Ms Fraley. Donald Trump: What are his actual policies? Attendees at the rally had to pass through a metal detector before gaining entry. During his speech, Mr Trump said the security screening process had prevented some audience members getting into the venue in time to hear him speak. The billionaire reality TV star blamed the delay on the US Transportation Security Administration, though in fact the security at the Vegas event was being handled by police, the secret service and the casino itself. I'm not happy about it, but I have to put up with it, Mr Trump said, complaining about the delays. They didn't bring enough machines. Federal Magistrate Judge George Foley said at a hearing on Monday that Mr Sandford, who has not entered a plea, was a potential danger to the community and a flight risk. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump is brushing off a cash crunch that threatens to cripple his campaign for president hinting that he is ready to dig deeper into his own pockets if necessary to battle Hillary Clinton. New campaign financing reports filed by both candidates revealed that the self-proclaimed multi-billionaires campaign had ended May with just $1.3 million in the bank, a figure that is not even close to what a conventional presidential bid would normally need to remain competitive. By contrast, Ms Clinton has built a fund-raising Leviathan. She closed off the month with $42.5 million in hand. Since starting her campaign, she has raised $238.2 million and is thus well on the way to meeting her declared goal of $1 billion before its all over. The implications for Mr Trump are potentially far-reaching. He is already allowing Ms Clinton to run a barrage of TV and radio ads against him in battleground states - more than 3,000 in one week alone this month - without running a single broadcast spot of his own. Indeed, he has yet to book any airtime for advertising in the summer or autumn, further indicating a campaign almost unable to handle - or fund - all the tasks now before it. Already hesitant donors will not be impressed, moreover, with some of the expenses being reported by the Trump campaign, some of which have been going back into his pockets or to his own companies. Items reported include $423,000 paid in May alone to his own club in Palm Beach, Florida, Mar-a-Lago. "What is Trump spending his meager campaign resources on? Why, himself, of course," Hillary Clinton said in a mocking Twitter message on Tuesday. On Tuesday, Mr Trump sent out his first personal email soliciting funds. In it he promised to match donations dollar for dollar with his own money up to a maximum of $2 million. Thus was born the first presidential Trumpathon, even if it is happening via email, not on television. This is the first fundraising email I have ever sent on behalf of my campaign. Thats right. The FIRST ONE, it began. He then vowed to help make it the most successful introductory fundraising email in modern political history by personally matching every dollar that comes in WITHIN THE NEXT 48 HOURS, up to $2 million! He has also fallen far behind in assembling the national infrastructure that would normally be vital for winning enough states in November to win the White House. While Ms Clinton already has 700 employees on her campaign books, he has so far managed only about 70 people. While the former first lady has teams of press spokespeople, Mr Trump still has only one - Hope Hicks - who since the start of the campaign has given the impression of a person drowning. Both the pitiful amounts of money he is managing to raise and the puny scale of his on-the-ground operations suggest a campaign perhaps for a junior US Senator on Capitol Hill rather for commander-in-chief of the United States. His thirst for money has also forced him to spend precious time in states with large numbers of Republican donors pregnant with cash but which will barely be competitive in the general election. Last week, saw him travel for two days first to Texas and then to Arizona. The question is being asked with increasing urgency: at what point does Mr Trumps own faith in his ability to mount a campaign fueled by media noise crash against the reality that he will still need all the usual paraphernalia - a humming fundraising operation, massive voter digital outreach as well as a network of war-rooms in all the key swing states - to win? Mr Trumps surprise decision to sack his longtime manager, Corey Lewandowski, on Monday suggested that he might have started to get the message - including from members of his own family - that the time to start building a more conventional campaign has arrived. On Wednesday, Mr Trump will give "a speech about the election, at his own Soho Trump Hotel in Manhattan. While there is no intelligence on what the specific topic of the address will be, it may be the moment he pivots publicly towards a more traditional strategy against Ms Clinton. That, for certain, is what many in the Republican Party will want to hear, including its leaders, Paul Ryan, the House speaker, and Mitch McConnell, the party leader in the US senate, who have endorsed Mr Trump but continue to speak critically of him. Hoping for a change of tone from the candidate also are the many traditional donors, whose reluctance to embrace him so far in part explains his desperate cash drought. But on Tuesday, the mogul feigned scant concern. I understand money better than anybody, Mr Trump said on The Today Show on NBC, before adding: If it gets to a point, I'll do what I did in the primaries. I spent $55 million in the primaries. I may do it again in the general election. We're going to be running a little bit different campaign, he told Fox News. We want to keep it lean. I'm not looking to spend all this money. She's going to spend more than $1 billion. I can go a different route, I could just spend my own money, have a lot of cash and do like I did with the other and just spend money on myself and go happily along and I think I win that way, Mr Trump also suggested that his cash difficulties are in part precisely thanks to the party and its reluctance full to embrace him. It would be nice to have some help from the party, he said, adding that the Republican National Committee and its chairman, Reince Priebus, have been terrific, but it would be nice to have full verbal support from people in office. He also sent an email to reporters insisting his campaign cash problems would be overcome. If need be, there could be unlimited cash on hand as I would put up my own money, as I have already done through the primaries, spending over $50 million dollars," he said. "Our campaign is leaner and more efficient, like our government should be. Among those still not convinced that even the firing of Mr Lewandowski signals a real shift in strategy is Veteran GOP fundraiser Fred Malek. If it signals a change in his style and approach, it can only be positive. But I feel he needs to do more. And I feel that, no matter what he does on the fundraising front, he's going to be at a huge financial disadvantage, he said, noting that it usually takes two years to build the kind of fund-raising operation that a presidential campaign would need. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Hillary Clinton has taken fierce aim at the heart of Donald Trumps case for being elected president calling into question his success as a businessman and arguing that his promised prescriptions for the American economy would lead to recession and certain disaster. Ms Clinton lampooned Mr Trumps own description of himself as the King of Debt. The United States of America doesn't do business Trump's way, she told supporters in Ohio, delivering a speech that echoed her bombardment of his foreign policy positions earlier this month You might think that because he has spent his life as a businessman hed be better prepared to handle the economy, she offered. Well, it turns out he is dangerous there too. Just like he shouldnt have the finger on the button, he shouldnt have his hands on our economy. While Ms Clinton tried to replicate the impact of her foreign policy speech, her task may be harder in the economic sphere. According to a new CNN poll only 43 per cent of registered voters nationally would trust her to run the economy compared to 51 per cent for Mr Trump. Mr Trump meanwhile vowed to hit back at her on Wednesday with a speech in New York which would see him discussing, he said in a Twitter message, the failed policy and badge judgment of Crooked Hillary Clinton. In another message, he made reference to the ongoing investigation into Ms Clintons use of a private email server while US Secretary of State. How can Hillary run the economy when she can't even send emails without putting entire nation at risk? the New York business mogul asked. She, meanwhile, was directing voters attention to a Moodys Analytic report saying that if enacted Mr Trumps economic program would lead to a new lengthy recession and cost the jobs of about 3.5 million people. If Ms Clinton managed to get under Mr Trumps skin in Ohio it was perhaps with a jibe at his success as a writer of business books, among them the best-selling, The Art of the Deal - a tome he first wrote in 1987 that many of his fans treat almost as scripture. He has written a lot of books about business. they all seem to end at chapter 11, she said to laughter, making reference to the Chapter 11 filing that any company makes to the courts in America if it wants to go into bankruptcy. Again she argued that putting Mr Trump in charge of the economy would carry unacceptable risk, in part because of his unpredictability. Every day we see how reckless and careless Trump is. Hes proud of it. she said. Thats his choice. Except when hes asking to be president. Then its our choice. The harshest moments in her speech dealt with the history of his gambling empire, notably the multiple failures of his casinos in Atlantic City, his four different bankruptcy filings and the harm done to those whose businesses or lives were ravaged because of those failures. Today, his properties are sold, shuttered or falling apart and so are a lot of peoples lives, Ms Clinton suggested. In America, we dont begrudge people being successful - but we know they shouldnt do it by destroying other people. The same people he's trying to get to vote for him now are people he's been exploiting for years, she declared. And just as she urged Americans to wonder how he would behave in a foreign policy crisis, so she did the same when it comes to the economy. Imagine him being in charge when your jobs and savings are at stake. Is this who you want leading us in an emergency? Alexander Hamilton would be rolling in his grave because of suggestions made by Mr Trump that he would seek to renegotiate the terms of Americas debt if it became too large, she went on. The full faith and credit of the United States is not something you just gamble away, Ms Clinton insisted, saying that his tax plan alone threatened to grow the debt by $30 trillion. It would break 225 years of iron clad trust that the American economy has with Americans and with the rest of the world. She mocked Mr Trumps fair trade admonitions noting that Trump ties are made in China, Trump suits in Mexico, Trump furniture in Turkey, Trump picture frames in India and Tump bar wear in Slovenia. She added: I love to know how all act fits with his talk about America First. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The organisers of a renewed Republican effort to deny Donald Trump the partys presidential nomination say they now have the support of several hundred delegates, with just weeks to go until the GOP convention. The group is seeking to alter party rules by adding a conscience clause allowing delegates, if they so wish, to vote against the presumptive nominee and against the results of the Republican primaries. This literally is an Anybody but Trump movement, Kendal Unruh, a Colorado delegate and member of the conventions Rules Committee who is helping to organise the anti-Trump faction, told the Washington Post. Nobody has any idea who is going to step in and be the nominee, but were not worried about that. Were just doing that job to make sure that hes not the face of our party. Recommended Read more Trump parts way with campaign manager he so vigorously defended Ms Unruh said the group comprised pockets of resistance made up largely of former supporters of Senators Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio and Ohio Governor John Kasich, all of whom were soundly beaten by the property mogul during the primaries. Steve Lonegan, a spokesman for the Courageous Conservatives PAC, which previously backed Mr Cruz, told CNN he believed that at least 250 delegates were on board. On Sunday, the group said it was fundraising in part through Mr Lonegans PAC to finance a recruitment drive and a legal defence fund. A month before the party meets in Cleveland, GOP leaders are once again being forced to play down the prospect of a contested convention. Sean Spicer, chief strategist for the Republican National Committee (RNC), said in a statement that talk of changing convention rules was silly, adding: There is no organised effort, strategy or leader of this so-called movement. It is nothing more than a media creation and a series of tweets. Even some Republicans who have endorsed Mr Trump are concerned by his toxic rhetoric, be it racial attacks on the federal judge overseeing a lawsuit against Trump University, or his call this weekend to begin profiling Muslim Americans in the wake of the recent mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando. Yet the anti-Trump movement faces an uphill struggle even to add its conscience clause, let alone overturn the will of Republican primary voters. At least 57 members of the 112 Rules Committee members must vote for the change, which then has to be ratified by a majority of the conventions 2,400 delegates. It is also unclear whom they might recruit to be a standard-bearer, given that many of the partys most prominent anti-Trump figures have either counted themselves out of contesting the convention or declined to attend the event at all. But even a quelled rebellion would be a blow to Mr Trump, who is slumping further in the polls with his campaign in apparent disarray. On Monday, the billionaire reality TV star ditched his controversial campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski. His campaign has so far shown little sign of ramping up its national organisation or its fundraising operation to get on a general election footing. Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee, is leading by 5.8 per cent in national polls, according to the latest RealClearPolitics average. She also holds the lead in a majority of crucial swing states. Mr Trump has accused his erstwhile primary rivals Mr Cruz and Jeb Bush of manipulating attempts to derail his candidacy, describing efforts to deny him the nomination as totally illegal and a rebuke of the millions of people who feel so strongly about what I am saying. Speaking at a rally in Las Vegas on Saturday, he also said the anti-Trump faction was a hoax that had been made up by the press. Several delegates have reported facing pressure from party colleagues to support Mr Trump, including threats of ostracisation and fines. But House Speaker Paul Ryan, the highest-ranking Republican in Congress, has left the door open for a delegate effort to dethrone the presumptive nominee at the convention. Speaking to NBCs Meet the Press on Sunday, Mr Ryan said it was not my place to decide whether delegates ought to be bound or unbound. It is not my job to tell delegates what to do, what not to do, or to weigh in on things like that. They write the rules. They make their decisions, said Mr Ryan, who will act as chairman of the July convention. The last thing I would do is tell anybody to do something thats contrary to their conscience." For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A Bollywood actor has sparked outrage after comparing himself to a raped woman during an interview. Multi-millionaire Salman Khan made the controversial remark during an interview to promote his upcoming film, Sultan, about a wrestler. The 50 year old was describing the gruelling film schedule when he made the off-the-cuff remark. Speaking to a group of journalists, the Indian Express quoted him as saying: While shooting, during those six hours, thered be so much of lifting and thrusting on the ground involved. That was tough for me because if I was lifting, Id have to lift the same 120-kilo guy 10 times for 10 different angles. And likewise, get thrown that many times on the ground. This act is not repeated that many times in the real fights in the ring. When I used to walk out of the ring, after the shoot, I used to feel like a raped woman. I couldnt walk straight. In pictures: India in shock after teenage girls 'gang raped and hanged' Show all 13 1 /13 In pictures: India in shock after teenage girls 'gang raped and hanged' In pictures: India in shock after teenage girls 'gang raped and hanged' India gang rape Sohan, father and uncle of Murti and Pushpa, the two girls who were raped and hanged in Katra Sadatganj in Uttar Pradesh, is comforted by his mother (Photo Simon de Trey-White) Simon de Trey-White In pictures: India in shock after teenage girls 'gang raped and hanged' India gang rape Murti's mother is briefed by the local Senior Superintendant of Police Atul Saxena (Photo Simon de Trey-White) Simon de Trey-White In pictures: India in shock after teenage girls 'gang raped and hanged' India gang rape Sohan (55) holds passport sized images in his hands of his daughter Murti (right) and niece Pushpa (left) in Katra village, Ushait near Baduan, Uttar Pradesh (Photo Simon de Trey-White) Simon de Trey-White In pictures: India in shock after teenage girls 'gang raped and hanged' India gang rape Murtis brother Veerendar (Photo Simon de Trey-White) Simon de Trey-White In pictures: India in shock after teenage girls 'gang raped and hanged' India gang rape Villagers stand by the mango tree from which the two girls were hanged (Photo Simon de Trey-White) In pictures: India in shock after teenage girls 'gang raped and hanged' India gang rape Villagers and media throng the home of the murdered teenage girls (Photo Simon de Trey-White) In pictures: India in shock after teenage girls 'gang raped and hanged' India gang rape Congress party Vice President Rahul Gandhi interacts with women during his visit to the village of the two girls In pictures: India in shock after teenage girls 'gang raped and hanged' India gang rape Demonstrators from All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) hold placards and shout slogans during a protest in New Delhi against the recent killings In pictures: India in shock after teenage girls 'gang raped and hanged' India gang rape Members of the All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) shout slogans during the protest In pictures: India in shock after teenage girls 'gang raped and hanged' India gang rape Members of Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union shout slogans as they participate in a protest against the gang rape In pictures: India in shock after teenage girls 'gang raped and hanged' India gang rape A member of Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union shouts slogans In pictures: India in shock after teenage girls 'gang raped and hanged' India gang rape An activist places a candle on a pavement during a candle lit vigil to protest against the gang rape of two teenage girls In pictures: India in shock after teenage girls 'gang raped and hanged' India gang rape Activists hold candles during a vigil I would eat and then, head right back to training. That couldnt stop. Seemingly realising his mistake, he is reported as then saying: I dont think I should have But despite trying to backtrack, the Indian actors comments caused outrag, particularly as the country is trying to tackle rape and violence against women. After a brutal gang rape of a student in Delhi four years ago, new anti-rape laws were passed in the wake of protests against sexual violence. Khan's inflammatory remarks prompted the National Commission for Women (NCW) to threaten him with a summons if he did not apologise. Social media users created the hashtag #InsensitiveSalman symbolising their anger at his choice of words. But supporters of the actor, who made the Forbes list of the world's highest paid actors with earnings of up to $33.5 million, created their own counter hashtag #SalmanMisquoted. The actors father, Salim Khan, later tweeted an apology on behalf of his son. He said: "Undoubtedly what Salman said is wrong, the simile, example and the context. The intention was not wrong. Nevertheless I apologise on behalf of his family his fans & his friends. A spokesman for the actor is said to have claimed he was joking. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Hong Kongs chief executive has sent a letter to Beijing asking if it has violated the one country, two systems plan over the case of the five booksellers who had disappeared, after one claimed he had been blindfolded and interrogated by Chinese officials. The two systems law guarantees the freedoms and rights of Hong Kong people. Leung Chun-yings letter reportedly asked Beijing to clarify how relevant mainland departments handled cases where Hong Kong citizens have broken mainland laws and whether mainlander people had carried out cross-border law enforcement in the semi-autonomous city, according to Asia One. Did the handling of the incident hinder the one country, two systems principle and the Basic Law protecting Hong Kong residents freedom and rights, especially the free of expression, publication and personal safety?, said Mr Chun-ying. Recommended Read more Hong Kongers greatest fears have turned into brutal reality Lam Wing-Kee, 61, is one of the five book sellers who went missing from the publishing house, Mighty Current, and bookstore Causeway Bay Books. Both specialise in selling gossipy political books which are legal in Hong Kong on Chinas ruling Communist Party leaders. Mr Lam, who was released on Thursday, led thousands of marchers in Hong Kong to protest the detention of the five men on Saturday. Hong Kong protesters chanted protect freedom of the press, freedom of publishing and freedom of speech as they marched from the Causeway Bay Books shop to the Liaison Office. An employee arranges books about China politics in a books store in Causeway Bay district in Hong Kong (Getty) (Getty Subscription) He said he had been held in captivity for eight months by Chinese officials, where he says he was blindfolded and interrogated and had considered suicide many times. He said he had been accused of trying to overthrow the Chinese government. Following the release of thee other colleagues in March, Mr Lam was transferred from solitary confinement to a room that allowed more freedom. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV footage in Beijing shows Gui Minhai, a Swedish national and co-owner of publisher Mighty Current in Hong Kong, weeping during an interview broadcast (AFP/Getty Images) In January, Gui Minha, a Swedish passport holder and one of the five booksellers who went missing, made a confession on Chinese TV saying he handed himself over to Chinese authorities for a drink driving offence in 2004. He is still believed to be in custody and protesters also demanded his release. The other men reported missing were Lee Bo, the general manager of Mighty Current, last seen in mainland China in October, Cheung Jiping, 32, the publishing houses business manager and Lam Wingkei, 60, the manager of the book store, who was last seen in Hong Kong in October. Hong Kong's freedoms are protected by the Basic Law, a mini-constitution that includes the inviolable freedom of Hong Kong people from arbitrary arrest and search. A number of Western governments, including Britain's, voiced concerns this year that Chinese-born British national Lee Bo, who went missing from Hong Kong in late December, had been abducted. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A shopping centre in central Brussels has been evacuated following a security alert over a man feared to be wearing a suicide vest. Bomb disposal units and the emergency services shut down the City2 complex in the Belgian capital this morning after the alarm was raised. A man called police at 5.30am claiming he was wearing an explosives belt that could be triggered remotely, sparking an anti-terror operation. But the "device" contained nothing more harmful than biscuits and salt, prosecutors said, with photos showing it comprised parcel tape, tin foil, a phone and a wire. Bomb disposal units and the emergency services shut down the City2 complex. Roads were also closed (Reuters) A full counter-terror operation had been mounted early in the morning, causing Prime Minister Charles Michel to cancel a radio appearance for an urgent meeting with the national crisis response centre. Mr Michel later said that the situation was under control, adding that security services remained "extremely vigilant". A suspect was arrested at the scene and found to be wearing a fake suicide vest. He is being questioned at the moment, said Ine Van Wymersch, a spokesperson for the Brussels prosecutors' office. There were no explosives. A statement said initial inspections revealed that the fake vest "contrained salt and biscuits", adding: "Any threat of an explosion could be ruled out." The suspect, named as JB, born in 1990, was previously known to authorities and has a history of mental illness. He recently contacted the police claiming he had been encouraged to join Isis in Syria. The suspect's device contained biscuits and salt, prosecutors said, with photos showing it comprised parcel tape, tin foil, a phone and a wire (Reuters) Prosecutors said his statements had been investigated and several people interviewed, but the claim could not be confirmed or denied. Authorities are currently determining whether to treat the incident as terror-related or as a hoax. Rogier Metro station and surrounding roads were temporarily closed as a security cordon was established around the shopping centre while the operation continued. A spokesperson for Belgium's crisis centre said nationwide security measures remained unchanged, with the threat on level three out of a maximum four. Shopping centres were among the reported targets of a group of Isis fighters said to be travelling towards Belgium from Syria last week, sparking increased precautions. Belgium has been on high alert since the Isis attacks on Paris in November, when several of the militants were traced to Brussels. In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Show all 30 1 /30 In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport A man carries an injured person in Brussels Airport, after explosions ripped through the departure hall In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Travellers get to their feet in a smoke filled terminal at Brussels Airport after explosions In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport A man is wounded in Brussels Airport in Brussels In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport A man speaks on a mobile phone in Brussels Airport, after the explosions ripped through the departure hall In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Belgian police officers detain a man at the Gare du Midi train station in Brussels In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport A police officer stands guard as people are evacuated from Brussels airport, after explosions rocked the facility in Brussels In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport People stand near Brussels airport after being evacuated following explosions that rocked the facility in Brussels In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Crew and passengers are evacuated from Zaventem Bruxelles International Airport after an attack in Brussels In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Passengers gather near Brussels airport in Zaventem, following its evacuation after blasts rocked the main terminal of Brussels airport In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Two women wounded in Brussels Airport in Brussels In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Passengers and airport staff are evacuated from the terminal building after explosions at Brussels Airport in Zaventem near Brussels In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Passengers and airport staff are evacuated from the terminal building after explosions at Brussels Airport in Zaventem near Brussels In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Broken windows seen at the scene of explosions at Zaventem airport near Brussels In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport People leave the scene of explosions at Zaventem airport near Brussels In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport People are evacuated from the scene after two explosions were heard at Brussels Airport In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport People wait outside of the Brussels Airport after evacuation In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport People leave the airport area after explosions at Brussels Airport in Zaventem In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Passengers comfort each other as they are evacuated from the terminal building after explosions at Brussels Airport in Zaventem In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport People react as they walk away from Brussels airport after explosions rocked the facility in Brussels In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Emergency services attend the scene of explosions at Zaventem airport near Brussels Reuters In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Injured people at the scene at Brussels Airport after two explosions were heard PA In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport The aftermath of the explosions at Brussels airport PA In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport People wait outside of the Zaventem airport after two explosions were heard PA In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Emergency services at the scene of explosions at Brussels Airport In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport A view of the scene after the explosions at Brussels airport PA In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Emergency services at the scene of explosions at Zaventem airport near Brussels Reuters In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport The aftermath of the explosions at Brussels airport PA In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport The view of the Brussels airport after the explosion PA In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Smoke is seen at Brussels airport in Brussels AP In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport A photo shows cars on a blocked highway near Zaventem, Brussels National airport, after two explosions rocked the main hall of Brussels Airport Getty Images In March, bombings at Brussels Airport and Maelbeek Metro station killed 32 people, and there have been reports of several further plots. Dozens of people were arrested in raids last Friday on reported intelligence that they were planning to attack the Belgian capital as people watched the national teams Euro 2016 match against Ireland on Saturday. Recommended Read more Three months on and still much of the Brussels plot remains a mystery Three men were detained on charges of attempting to commit terrorist murder and participating in the activities of a terrorist group, believed to be Isis. A new suspect, named as Youssef al-Ajmi, was also arrested in connection with the Brussels attacks last week, as investigations into a suspected network of supporters continues. On Monday, a series of house searches relating to the attack on a high-speed train from Amsterdam to Paris on 21 August 2015, resulted in six arrests. No one was killed in the incident, when passengers tackled the gunman to the ground after he opened fire with an assault rifle and pistol. Abdelhamid Abaaoud, an Isis fighter and suspected ringleader in the Paris attacks, was linked to the attempted massacre. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A university professor has been dismissed from her post at an Istanbul institution for allegedly insulting Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Bilgi University confirmed that Professor Zeynep Sayn Balkcoglu had been sacked after insulting the Turkish president during a lecture, which had taken place one day previously. Professor Balkcoglu, who worked in the communications faculty, was dismissed immediately after the university rectors office learned of the incident. Our rectors office also immediately gave instructions to analyse the incident and launch the necessary legal investigations about it, the statement said. The dismissal occurred after details of the lecture were posted on social media, and Turkish news outlets described Professor Balkcoglus remarks as vulgar and rude. In Turkey it is against the law to insult the Turkish nation or its government officials and institutions. Those who do so could face a prison sentence of up to two years. In March, a British academic who lectured who lectured in computer science at Bilgi University claimed he had been deported from Turkey without trial after being accused of terrorist propaganda. Recep Tayyip Erdogan's most controversial quotes Show all 8 1 /8 Recep Tayyip Erdogan's most controversial quotes Recep Tayyip Erdogan's most controversial quotes The Turkish President's craziest quotes Just a week before he was elected President, he called Erdogan Amberin Zaman, the Turkey correspondent for 'The Economist', a "shameless militant woman disguised under the name of a journalist" after she had asked an opposition leader whether "Muslim society is able to question" the authorities. "Know your place," Erdogan said. "They gave you a pen and you are writing a column in a newspaper. "And then they invite you to a TV channel owned by Dogan media group and you insult at a society of 99 per cent Muslims," he said he said according to Today's Zaman newspaper. Sascha Schuermann/Getty Images Recep Tayyip Erdogan's most controversial quotes The Turkish President's craziest quotes Turkish people are pictured chanting slogans during an anti-government protest on Taksim square in Istanbul, on 29 June, 2013. The protests were sparked by brutal police action against a local conservation battle to save Istanbul's Gezi Park, and soon turned into nationwide demonstrations against the government. Amid the protests - the worst in Turkey for years - Erdogan accused demonstrators of being "arm-in-arm with terrorism," according to Reuters. "This is a protest organized by extremist elements. We will not give away anything to those who live arm-in-arm with terrorism," he said. GURCAN OZTURK/AFP/Getty Images Recep Tayyip Erdogan's most controversial quotes The Turkish President's craziest quotes During last years protests, activists used social media to organise and disseminate information. Several dozen tweeters were arrested following the protests, according to local media reports. Erdogan responded by calling the technology a "menace". "There is now a menace which is called Twitter," Erdogan said. "The best examples of lies can be found there. To me, social media is the worst menace to society," BBC New reported. Vladimir Astapkovich/RIA Novosti via Getty Images Recep Tayyip Erdogan's most controversial quotes The Turkish President's craziest quotes Not helping to allay accusations of authoritarianism, after Turkish police detained 49 people, including well-known business people and those close to the ruling party, Erdeogan ominously told reporter that Turkey "is not a banana republic" that can be affected by unnamed "operations", according to Today's Zaman newspaper. People who are backed by the media and certain funders cannot change this country," he said. "People backed by certain dark gangs both inside and outside Turkey cannot mess with the country's path. They cannot change conditions in Turkey. Turkey is not a country that anyone can launch an operation into. The [Turkish] nation will not allow that. The AK Party, which is governing this nation, will not allow this." Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images Recep Tayyip Erdogan's most controversial quotes The Turkish President's craziest quotes Friends and relatives of the miners who died in an explosion at the Soma mine are pictured praying following the burial in Soma cemetery of the last body to be recovered from the mine in May 2014. At the time, the then-Prime Minister badly misjudged the Soma mining disaster, in which 301 workers died. He told the relatives of dead and dying miners that "these types of incidents are ordinary things", following allegations that the government had ignored safety concerns about the privately owned mine, the Guardian reported. In his defence, Erdogan recounted in a separate speech a list of mining disasters which occurred abroad, including a British disaster in 1862, and one in America "which has every kind of technology". Oli Scarff/Getty Images Recep Tayyip Erdogan's most controversial quotes The Turkish President's craziest quotes Palestinians pictured attending Friday noon prayers in a destroyed mosque that was hit by Israeli strikes, in Gaza City. As Prime Minister, Erdogan has condemned Israel, accusing it of deliberately killing Palestinian mothers and warned that the it would "drown in the blood it sheds." Speaking to thousands of supporters during a rally in Istanbul ahead of the 10 August election, Reuters reported him as saying: "Just like Hitler, who sought to establish a race free of all faults, Israel is chasing after the same target." "They kill women so that they will not give birth to Palestinians; they kill babies so that they won't grow up; they kill men so they can't defend their country ... They will drown in the blood they shed," he said. AP Recep Tayyip Erdogan's most controversial quotes The Turkish President's craziest quotes Amid the worst protests in Turkey for years which had spread across dozens of cities last June, Erdogan accused demonstrators of being "arm-in-arm with terrorism," according to Reuters. A demonstration to halt construction in a park in an Istanbul square grew into mass protests against a heavy-handed police crackdown and what opponents called Erdogan's authoritarian policies. "This is a protest organized by extremist elements," Erdogan said before departing on a trip to North Africa. "We will not give away anything to those who live arm-in-arm with terrorism," he said. Sascha Schuermann/Getty Images Recep Tayyip Erdogan's most controversial quotes The Turkish President's craziest quotes In March 2014, Erdogan accused a 15-year-old boy who died from injuries sustained in last year's anti-government protests of being linked to terrorism. Berkin Elvan, who became a symbol of anti-government protests, had gone to pick up bread when he was hit with a teargas canister - sending him into a nine-month coma before he passed away. In a speech broadcast on state TV, Erdogan said of Berkin: "This kid with steel marbles in his pockets, with a slingshot in his hand, his face covered with a scarf, who had been taken up into terror organisations, was unfortunately subjected to pepper gas. How could the police determine how old that person was who had a scarf on his face and was hurling steel marbles with a slingshot in his hand? ADEM ALTAN/AFP/Getty Images Professor Stephenson was accused of distributing illegal propaganda from issued by the banned Kurdistan Workers Party, but said that he simply had leaflets in his bag inviting people to a Kurdish festival. He was later allowed to return to Turkey, and is due to face trial. Concerns have been growing over academic freedom in Turkey, after a criminal investigation was launched in January 1,128 Turkish academics signed a petition to the Turkish government calling for an end to violence in south-eastern Turkey, leading to a number of signatories reportedly being detained. The incident led to what has been described as a crusade against academics, with many who signed the petition being investigated by university administrations. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Nicolas Sarkozy has told Angela Merkel that Turkish membership in the EU is 'unthinkable'. The former President of France met with the German Chancellor in Berlin on Tuesday. He also told reporters: "Europe needs leadership, Europe needs to take initiatives, Europe needs new ideas." David Cameron has said arguments made by the campaign to Leave the EU about Turkey joining the bloc were "simply not true". When asked by an audience member in his last major TV appearance before the referendum if the UK would veto any attempt by Turkey to join the EU, the Prime Minister said it was the biggest red herring in the whole of the referendum debate and that its not going to happen. He added: I really feel strongly about this, as people are getting through their letterboxes leaflets from Leave saying Turkeys going to join the EU not true, theres going to be a European army with Britain in it not true, we give 350 million pounds per week to Brussels not true. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Video has emerged showing an Iraqi soldier carrying a civilian to safety before being shot in the leg by Isis fighters. The grainy footage shows the soldier carrying the civilian on his shoulder as he dashes out from shelter, amid the sound of shouting and gunfire in Fallujah, Iraq. As the soldier crosses the road he collapses to the ground, apparently after being shot in the leg. The footage then switches to a view of other soldiers taking cover behind an advancing tank, before they run out to pick up the injured soldier and civilian and carry them both to safety. The video, uploaded to LiveLeak.com, was purportedly filmed on Sunday. In pictures: The rise of Isis Show all 74 1 /74 In pictures: The rise of Isis In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters Fighters of the Islamic State wave the group's flag from a damaged display of a government fighter jet following the battle for the Tabqa air base, in Raqqa, Syria AP In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters Fighters from Islamic State group sit on their tank during a parade in Raqqa, Syria AP In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters Fighters from the Islamic State group pray at the Tabqa air base after capturing it from the Syrian government in Raqqa, Syria AP In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters Fighters from extremist Islamic State group parade in Raqqa, Syria AP In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis kidnapping A video uploaded to social networks shows men in underwear being marched barefoot along a desert road before being allegedly executed by Isis Getty Images In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis kidnapping Haruna Yukawa after his capture by Isis In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis kidnapping Khalinda Sharaf Ajour, a Yazidi, says two of her daughters were captured by Isis militants Washington Post In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters Spokesperson for Isis Vice News via Youtube In pictures: The rise of Isis A pro-Isis leaflet A pro-Isis leaflet handed out on Oxford Street In London Ghaffar Hussain In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters Isis Jihadists burn their passports In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis controls Syrian Aid A man collecting aid administered by Isis in Syria In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis controls Syrian Aid A woman collecting aid administered by Isis in Syria In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis controls Syrian Aid Local civilians queue for aid administered by Isis. Since it declared a caliphate the group has increasingly been delivering services such as healthcare, and distributing aid and free fuel In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi security forces detain men suspected of being militants of the Isis group in Diyala province In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Mourners carry the coffin of a Shi'ite volunteer from the brigades of peace, who joined the Iraqi army and was killed during clashes with militants of the Isis group in Samarra, during his funeral in Najaf In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraqi refugees An Iraqi Shiite Turkmen family fleeing the violence in the Iraqi city of Tal Afar, west of Mosul, arrives at a refugee camp on the outskirts of Arbil, in Iraq's Kurdistan region In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi A photograph made from a video by the jihadist affiliated group Furqan Media via their twitter account allegedly showing Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi delivering a sermon during Friday prayers at a mosque in Mosul. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared an Islamist caliphate in the territory under the group's control in Iraq and Syria In pictures: The rise of Isis Islamic extremists destroying mosques in Iraq Shiite's Al-Qubba Husseiniya mosque explodes in Mosul In pictures: The rise of Isis Islamic extremists destroying mosques in Iraq Smoke and debris go up in the air as Shiite's Al-Qubba Husseiniya mosque explodes in Mosul. Images posted online show that Islamic extremists have destroyed at least 10 ancient shrines and Shiite mosques in territory - the city of Mosul and the town of Tal Afar - they have seized in northern Iraq in recent weeks In pictures: The rise of Isis Islamic extremists destroying mosques in Iraq A bulldozer destroys Sunni's Ahmed al-Rifai shrine and tomb in Mahlabiya district outside of Tal Afar In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi security forces celebrate after clashes with followers of Shiite cleric Mahmoud al-Sarkhi, in front of his home in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Baghdad In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi security forces arrest a follower of Shiite cleric Mahmoud al-Sarkhi after clashes with his followers in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Baghdad In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi security forces arrest a follower of Shiite cleric Mahmoud al-Sarkhi at his home after clashes with his followers in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Baghdad In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi security forces arrest a follower of Shiite cleric Mahmoud al-Sarkhi after clashes with his followers in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Baghdad In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis A vehicle burns in front of a home of a follower of Shiite cleric Mahmoud al-Sarkhi after clashes with his followers in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Baghdad In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraqi refugees An Iraqi woman holds her exhausted son as over 1000 Iraqis who have fled fighting in and around the city of Mosul and Tal Afar wait at a Kurdish checkpoint in the hopes of entering a temporary displacement camp in Khazair In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraqi refugees Displaced Iraqi women hold pots as they queue to receive food during the first day of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, at an encampment for displaced Iraqis who fled from Mosul and other towns, in the Khazer area outside Irbil, north Iraq In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria A militant Islamist fighter waving a flag, cheers as he takes part in a military parade along the streets of Syria's northern Raqqa. The fighters held the parade to celebrate their declaration of an Islamic "caliphate" after the group captured territory in neighbouring Iraq In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Isis fighters wave flags as they take part in a military parade along the streets of Syria's northern Raqqa province Reuters In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Isis fighters travel in a vehicle as they take part in a military parade along the streets of Syria's northern Raqqa province In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Fighters from the Isis group during a parade with a missile in Raqqa, Syria. Militants from an al-Qaida splinter group held a military parade in their stronghold in northeastern Syria, displaying U.S.-made Humvees, heavy machine guns, and missiles captured from the Iraqi army for the first time since taking over large parts of the Iraq-Syria border In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Isis fighters during a parade in Raqqa, Syria In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Fighters from the Isis group during a parade in Raqqa, Syria. Militants from the splinter group held a military parade in their stronghold in northeastern Syria, displaying U.S.-made Humvees, heavy machine guns, and missiles captured from the Iraqi army for the first time since taking over large parts of the Iraq-Syria border In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Isis fighters hold a military parade in their stronghold in northeastern Syria In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Isis fighters during a parade in Raqqa, Syria In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria A member loyal to the Isis waves an Isis flag in Raqqa In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi anti-government gunmen from Sunni tribes in the western Anbar province march during a protest in Ramadi, west of Baghdad. The United Nations warned that Iraq is at a "crossroads" and appealed for restraint, as a bloody four-day wave of violence killed 195 people. The violence is the deadliest so far linked to demonstrations that broke out in Sunni areas of the Shiite-majority country more than four months ago, raising fears of a return to all-out sectarian conflict In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi security forces hold up a flag of the Isis group they captured during an operation to regain control of Dallah Abbas north of Baqouba, the capital of Iraq's Diyala province, 35 miles (60 kilometers) northeast of Baghdad In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Iraq Isis fighters parade in the northern city of Mosul In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Volunteers, who have joined the Iraqi army to fight against the predominantly Sunni militants from the radical Isis group, demonstrate their skills during a graduation ceremony after completing their field training in Najaf In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Kurdish Peshmerga troops fire a cannon during clashes with militants of the Isis group in Jalawla, Diyala province In pictures: The rise of Isis Lieutenant General Qassem Atta speaks during a press conference Iraqi Prime Minister's security spokesman, Lieutenant General Qassem Atta speaks during a press conference about the latest military development in Iraq, in the capital Baghdad. Iraqi forces pressed a campaign to retake militant-held Tikrit, clashing with jihadist-led Sunni militants nearby and pounding positions inside the city with air strikes in their biggest counter-offensive so far In pictures: The rise of Isis A police station building destroyed by Isis fighters An exterior view of a police station building destroyed by gunmen in Mosul city, northern Iraq. Iraq's new parliament is expected to convene to start the process of setting up a new government, despite deepening political rifts and an ongoing Islamist-led insurgency. Iraqi President Jalal Talabani issued a decree inviting the new House of Representatives to meet and form a new government In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Iraq Smoke billows from an area controlled by the Isis between the Iraqi towns of Naojul and Tuz Khurmatu, both located north of the capital Baghdad, as Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga forces take part in an operation to repel the Sunni militants In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraqi refugees An elderly Iraqi woman is helped into a temporary displacement camp for Iraqis caught-up in the fighting in and around the city of Mosul in Khazair In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraqi refugees An Iraqi Christian woman fleeing the violence in the village of Qaraqush, about 30 kms east of the northern province of Nineveh, cries upon her arrival at a community center in the Kurdish city of Arbil in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraqi refugees An Iraqi woman, who fled with her family from the northern city of Mosul, prays with a copy of the Quran AP In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Iraq The body of an Isis militant killed during clashes with Iraqi security forces on the outskirts of the city of Samarra Reuters In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi civilians inspect the damage at a market after an air strike by the Iraqi army in central Mosul EPA In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Members of the Al-Abbas brigades, who volunteered to protect the Shiite Muslim holy sites in Karbala against Sunni militants fighting the Baghdad government, parade in the streets of the city AP In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Shia tribesmen gather in Baghdad to take up arms against Sunni insurgents marching on the capital. Thousands have volunteered to bolster defences AFP/Getty In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis A van carrying volunteers joining Iraqi security forces against Jihadist militants. Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki announced the Iraqi government would arm and equip civilians who volunteered to fight AFP/Getty In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Fighters of the Isis group parade in a commandeered Iraqi security forces armored vehicle down a main road at the northern city of Mosul In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq An Islamist fighter, identified as Abu Muthanna al-Yemeni from Britain (R), speaks in this still image taken undated video shot at an unknown location and uploaded to a social media website. Five Islamist fighters identified as Australian and British nationals have called on Muslims to join the wars in Syria and Iraq, in the new video released by the Isis In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Al-Qaida inspired militants stand with captured Iraqi Army Humvee at a checkpoint belonging to Iraqi Army outside Beiji refinery some 250 kilometers (155 miles) north of Baghdad. The fighting at Beiji comes as Iraq has asked the U.S. for airstrikes targeting the militants from the Isis group. While U.S. President Barack Obama has not fully ruled out the possibility of launching airstrikes, such action is not imminent in part because intelligence agencies have been unable to identify clear targets on the ground, officials said In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Militants attacked Iraq's main oil refinein Baiji as they pressed an offensive that has seen them capture swathes of territory, a manager and a refinery employee said In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Militants from the Isis group parading with their weapons in the northern city of Baiji in the in Salaheddin province In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq A smoke rises after an attack by Isis militants on the country's largest oil refinery in Beiji, some 250 kilometers (155 miles) north of the capital, Baghdad. Iraqi security forces battled insurgents targeting the country's main oil refinery and said they regained partial control of a city near the Syrian border, trying to blunt an offensive by Sunni militants who diplomats fear may have also seized some 100 foreign workers In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Militants of the Isis group stand next to captured vehicles left behind by Iraqi security forces at an unknown location in the Salaheddin province. For militant groups, the fight over public perception can be even more important than actual combat, turning military losses into propaganda victories and battlefield successes into powerful tools to build support for the cause In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq An injured fighter (C) from the Isis group after a battle with Iraqi soldiers at an undisclosed location near the border between Syria and Iraq In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Fighters from the Isis aiming at advancing Iraqi troops at an undisclosed location near the border between Syria and Iraq In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Fighters from the Isis group taking position at an undisclosed location near the border between Syria and Iraq In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Fighters from the Isis group inspecting vehicles of the Iraqi army after they were seized at an undisclosed location near the border between Syria and Iraq In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq One Iraqi captive, a corporal, is reluctant to say the slogan, and has to be shouted at repeatedly before he obeys Sky News In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Iraqi captives held by the extremists Sky News In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Iraqi captives held by the extremists Sky News In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Militants of the Isis group force captured Iraqi security forces members to the transport In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Militants of the Isis group transporting dozens of captured Iraqi security forces members to an unknown location in the Salaheddin province ahead of executing them In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq A major offensive spearheaded by Isis but also involving supporters of executed dictator Saddam Hussein has overrun all of one province and chunks of three others In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Militants of the Isis group executing dozens of captured Iraqi security forces members at an unknown location in the Salaheddin province In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Isis militants taking position at a Iraqi border post on the Syrian-Iraqi border between the Iraqi Nineveh province and the Syrian town of Al-Hasakah In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Isis rebels show their flag after seizing an army post AFP/Getty Images In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Isis militants waving an Islamist flag after the seizure of an Iraqi army checkpoint in Salahuddin Getty Images In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Demonstrators chant slogans as they carry al-Qaida flags in front of the provincial government headquarters in Mosul, 225 miles (360 kilometers) northwest of Baghdad. In the week since it captured Iraq's second-largest city, Mosul, a Muslim extremist group has tried to win over residents and has stopped short of widely enforcing its strict brand of Islamic law, residents say. Churches remain unharmed and street cleaners are back at work More than 80,000 civilians have fled Fallujah since the operation to liberate the city from Isis was announced last month, the United Nations has said. An Iraqi commander reported fierce clashes as counterterrorism forces pushed to clear out the remaining militants. Isis still controls Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city, and large parts of Syria. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Civilians fleeing Isis brutality and battles in the Iraqi city of Fallujah are arriving in refugee camps to find another nightmare that could cause more deaths, aid workers have warned. More than 60,000 people have reached displacement camps since Iraqi forces started their advance on the so-called Islamic States stronghold last month, with demand for shelter, water and health care far outstripping supply. Many have arrived in recent days, since militants retreated from checkpoints in parts of Fallujah, allowing families who would previously have been flogged or shot to escape. Iraqi Army regain more territory control over Fallujah But humanitarian agencies have warned that the surge has seen conditions deteriorate by the day, with hundreds of people left without shelter in temperatures nearing 50C and pregnant women, children and the elderly and disabled collapsing in the heat without medical care. Saleh, an Iraqi man from Fallujah, told the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) he had been sleeping in the open at the Amiriyat al-Fallujah camp for six nights with his wife and six children. Women are sleeping on the bare ground here, he said. My family has been here for five days and we have no water, only one blanket shared by seven people. Only today they filled the water tankwhy is this happening to us? Let the United Nations help us and come and see how much we are suffering, let them see what were going through. They are among more than 150 families gathered outside the camps official borders, with access to only one water tank and no latrines. In pictures: Iraq battles to drive Isis out of Fallujah Show all 12 1 /12 In pictures: Iraq battles to drive Isis out of Fallujah In pictures: Iraq battles to drive Isis out of Fallujah Smoke rises after airstrikes by US-led coalition planes as Iraqi security forces advance against Islamic State extremists in Fallujah, June 15, 2016 AP In pictures: Iraq battles to drive Isis out of Fallujah Iraqi security forces advance during heavy fighting against Isis militants in Fallujah, Iraq, on 14 June AP In pictures: Iraq battles to drive Isis out of Fallujah Shia militia say that moving resources from Fallujah towards the area near Mosul was a 'betrayal' of the battle for the city GETTY In pictures: Iraq battles to drive Isis out of Fallujah Hospital sources said 18 bodies were recovered from the river over the weekend AP In pictures: Iraq battles to drive Isis out of Fallujah Up to 60,000 civilians were feared trapped in Fallujah at the start of the Iraqi operation AP In pictures: Iraq battles to drive Isis out of Fallujah Shia fighters hold an Isis flag in an operation east of Fallujah the terror group has lost ground in both Syria and Iraq AFP/Getty In pictures: Iraq battles to drive Isis out of Fallujah Shia fighters hold their weapons as they gather near Falluja, Iraq, June 4, 2016. Reuters In pictures: Iraq battles to drive Isis out of Fallujah Pro-government forces bid to take back ground from Isis in Fallujah MOADH AL-DULAIMI/AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Iraq battles to drive Isis out of Fallujah Smoke billows on the horizon as Iraqi military forces prepare for an offensive to retake the city AP In pictures: Iraq battles to drive Isis out of Fallujah A member of the Iraqi security forces fires artillery during clashes with Isis militants near Fallujah, Iraq, 29 May, 2016 Reuters In pictures: Iraq battles to drive Isis out of Fallujah Iraqi government forces fire a rocket near al-Sejar village, north-east of Fallujah, on May 26, 2016, as they take part in a major assault to retake the city from the Islamic State group AFP/Getty In pictures: Iraq battles to drive Isis out of Fallujah Shia fighters and Iraqi security forces advance towards Fallujah Thaier Al-Sudani/Reuters The NRC said it was providing up to three litres of safe drinking water to each person per day but said the dangerously low amount was far below the emergency standard. Aid workers fear that people could start resorting to unsafe water sources in the heat, as doctors report the spread of water-borne diseases. Nasr Muflahi, the director of the NRCs mission in Iraq, said: What were seeing is the consequence of a delayed and heavily underfunded response with an extreme toll on the civilians fleeing from one nightmare and living through another one. The situation is deteriorating by the day and people are going to die in those camps unless essential aid arrives now. Fallujah may have been retaken but its citizens are facing a catastrophe. The governments engaged in this battle have the responsibility to provide the funding and the resources needed for the tens of thousands of innocent women, children and men displaced and left out on their own. Save the Children was also raising concern over the crisis in Fallujah and elsewhere, as an assault is expected to begin on Mosul, Isis largest stronghold in Iraq. Displaced Iraqis from the embattled city of Fallujah cook at a camp on June 18, 2016. (AFP/Getty Images) Maurizio Crivellaro, the charitys country director in Iraq, said a United Nations funding shortfall had left humanitarian organisations struggling to meet basic needs There are already 3.5 million internally displaced people in Iraq, alongside 250,000 Syrian refugees, and the services to support them are overwhelmed, she added. The international community cannot ignore the tragedy that is unfolding in Iraq. To stop this spiralling out of control, funding and support need to be put in place to help the Iraqi authorities and humanitarian agencies cope with the scale of the crisis. Otherwise, were facing a situation where young children are escaping the terror of life under siege only to find themselves at risk of hunger, disease and exposure in supposedly safe areas. The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) raised additional concerns over allegations of serious human rights violations and abuses against civilians by pro-government militias. One video showed a body being dragged at speed by a military vehicle while a man in a military uniform beat his disfigured and bloodied head. Another showed people being hit with a rifle and kicked in the head by men wearing military uniforms, and refugees have reported men and boys being separated and detained en masse. Smoke rises after airstrikes by US-led coalition planes as Iraqi security forces advance against Islamic State extremists in Fallujah, June 15, 2016 (AP) A committee set up by the governor of Anbar Governor has found that at least 49 people had been killed, with some tortured, and 600 men disappeared after being taken into custody by armed groups operating in support of Iraqi security forces. Several suspects have been arrested. A spokesperson for the UNHCR said it would continue to increase its emergency response in Amiriyat al-Fallujah, Khalidiya and Habbaniyah Tourist City, erecting hundreds more tents in three new camps and two extensions. But the refugee agency has reached only 21 per cent of its funding requirement for Iraq and the surrounding region so far this year, launching an urgent appeal for $17.5 million (12 million) to meet immediate needs. It estimates that up to 84,000 people may have fled Fallujah since Iraqs military offensive started on 23 May, including 10,000 over three days last week. UNHCR and its partners are working around the clock to provide assistance to families who have managed to escape Fallujah, with just the clothes on their back, said its representative in Iraq, Bruno Geddo. In many cases, two or three families are having to share tents as there is not enough accommodation, and many new arrivals are having to sleep rough, without hygiene facilities. Up to 60,000 civilians were feared trapped in Fallujah at the start of the Iraqi operation (AP) Agencies are scrambling to respond to the rapidly evolving situation - and we are bracing ourselves for another large exodus in the next few days as we estimate that thousands more people remain trapped in Fallujah. According to UN figures, the violence has forced more than 3.4 million Iraqis to flee their homes and more than 40 per cent of those displaced are from Anbar province. Battles continued on Tuesday as government forces dislodged Isis fighters from two northern districts of the city, supported by air strikes from the US-led coalition. An Iraqi military commander said at least 2,500 militants had been killed in the month-long offensive but gave no indication of casualities in government forces and their supporters. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory after special forces entered the city centre on Friday, capturing government buildings and the central hospital, but at least 20 per cent of Fallujah is still under Isis control. The extremist group still controls Iraq's second-largest city of Mosul and large parts of neighbouring Syria. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Israeli troops mistakenly killed a Palestinian bystander while responding with gunfire to a petrol bomb and rock attack on Israeli vehicles in the occupied West Bank, the military said. An earlier statement from the military had identified the Palestinian as an assailant. The mayor of his village said he was a 15-year-old. The military said several Palestinians threw petrol bombs and stones at vehicles, injuring three civilians, on a highway between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem that traverses the West Bank. Israeli media reports said two of those hurt were foreign tourists. Troops gave chase and "after an initial inquiry, it appears that uninvolved bystanders were mistakenly hit during the pursuit," a military spokeswoman said, identifying one of them as the Palestinian killed in the incident. She said the military had opened an investigation. Over the past eight months, Palestinian attacks have killed 32 Israelis and two visiting U.S. citizens. Israeli forces have shot dead at least 197 Palestinians, 134 of whom Israel has said were assailants. Others were killed in clashes and protests. Abdul Karim Kassem, head of the local council of the Palestinian village of Beit Ore-Tahta, told Reuters that Mahmoud Badran, the teenager killed in the incident on Highway 443, was in a car with other passengers "returning from a pool in a village near us when they came under fire". Another Palestinian was wounded by Israeli gunfire and taken to hospital in the West Bank city of Ramallah. The military said two additional suspects were arrested. The last deadly violent incident occurred on June 8 when two Palestinian gunmen shot dead four Israelis at a cafe in Tel Aviv. Palestinian leaders say attackers have acted out of desperation over peace talks frozen since 2014 and Israeli settlement building in occupied territory that Palestinians seek for a state. Tensions over Jewish access to a volatile and contested Jerusalem holy site, revered by Muslims as Haram al-Sharif (Noble Sanctuary) and Jews as Temple Mount, have also fuelled the violence. Israel says incitement in the Palestinian media and personal problems at home have been important factors that have spurred assailants, often teenagers, to launch attacks. Reuters Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Independent Climate email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A poisonous fish which has a sting strong enough to kill a human is invading the Mediterranean, warn conservationists. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (UICN) has raised concerns after the lionfish was spotted in the waters around Turkey, Cyprus and the eastern Mediterranean. Native to the South Pacific and Indian Ocean, the potentially deadly fish has toxic barbs and an excruciating sting capable of killing people. Although fatalities are rare, the stings can cause extreme pain, vomiting and respiratory paralysis. Recommended Read more Man rushed to hospital after picking up rare poisonous fish The tropical fish, also known as the Devil Firefish, is a highly invasive and predatory species, and environmentalists fear its arrival could jeopardise other types of marine life. It is thought the colourful fishs presence may cause a knock-on effect on the delicate eco-systems. After being spotted in the Med, Maria del Mar Otero, of the UICN, told AFP: "That shows that the fish is spreading, and that's a cause for concern. Despite being slow-moving and conspicuous, becasue even sharks avoid the fish they can roam in waters unchecked. The top 12 addictive foods Show all 12 1 /12 The top 12 addictive foods The top 12 addictive foods Pizza Pizza has been identified as one of the most 'problematic' foods for people The top 12 addictive foods Chocolate The most addictive foods are 'highly processed' The top 12 addictive foods Crisps They tend to have added amounts of fat The top 12 addictive foods Cookies And added refined carbohydrates The top 12 addictive foods Ice cream The top 12 addictive foods French fries The top 12 addictive foods Cheeseburger The top 12 addictive foods Soda (not diet) Soda was the one exception on the list, which is highly processed and high in refined carbohydrates but not fat The top 12 addictive foods Cake The top 12 addictive foods Cheese Cheese has also been found to trigger the same part of the brain as hard drugs, research suggests The top 12 addictive foods Bacon The top 12 addictive foods Fried Chicken xxx This can lead to the decimation of fish stocks which normally regulate algae, and attract new species due to the changes in flora and fauna. Dr Carlos Jimenez, a marine biologist at the Cyprus Institute, said the species "could have a heavy negative impact on the ecosystems as well as on local economies". The Lionfish was first recorded in Cuba in 2007, and within two years were commonplace in the waters. After being introduced into the Caribbean it wreaked havoc on marine life, and The Association of Caribbean States organised a summit to discuss how to combat its encroachment. Cuba, Columbia and the Bahamas now encourage locals to eat the fish, which is considered a delicacy in Japan, in a bid to keep their numbers low. Cuba recently introduced an annual fishing tournament specifically targeting the species. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The ghosts of massacres past haunt the Syrian war. First the Islamists scattered the bones of the victims of the 1915 Armenian genocide of one and a half million Christians by the Ottoman Turks outside their memorial church in Deir Ezzour. Then last weekend, a suicide killer arrived at the Syriac Orthodox Church in Qamishli, a small Syrian town isolated on the northern border with Turkey but still held by regime troops, and tried to attack Christians at a church service commemorating the Assyrians own genocide of 250,000 again at the hands of Turkish Ottomans during the First World War. His target was clearly the patriarch of the Syrian Orthodox Church but the clergymans bodyguards, members of the Assyrian Christians own 200-strong Sotoro (Protect) militia, took the full force of the explosion, protecting their church leader with the loss of three of his bodyguards who were blown apart. Five others were wounded. This armed group, whose symbol is an eagle, had been shepherding their fellow Christians into the church to commemorate what Assyrians refer to as the Sayfo (Sword) massacres when their ancestors were slaughtered by Turks and Kurds in villages and cities inside present-day Turkey, Syria and Iran. Three bodyguards died in protecting Moran Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, left, the patriarch of the Syriac Orthodox Church (Getty) Ever since the Syrian war started in late 2011, Christians have been fleeing the country to Turkey through Qamishli, despite the efforts of their own church officials to persuade them to stay. The Assyrians own clerical leader was himself born in Qamishli his official title is Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, His Holiness Moran Mor Ignatius Aphrem II but educated in Lebanon, Syria, Egypt and Ireland. He must have been reminded of the fate of a less fortunate Assyrian cleric, Shimun XXI Benjamin, who was Catholicos Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East in 1918 when he was assassinated in Iran by a Kurdish leader called Simko Shikak. The Catholicos Patriarch had not just a handful of bodyguards but 150 of them, all of whom were murdered. In the same year, thousands of Assyrians were put to death in mass killings by Ottomans and Kurds in the Iranian city of Urumieh. Less than two decades later, the British-trained Iraqi army massacred up to six thousand Assyrians, many of them machine-gunned to death in Zakho and Dohuk near the Turkish border. Shimun XXI Benyamin was assassinated in 1918 The British had encouraged the Assyrians to join the imperial Levies after Iraqs occupation by the UK at the end of the First World War much as the French encouraged the Alawites to join their Troupes Speciales in post World War One French mandate Syria. And just as the Sunni Muslims of Syria came to distrust the French-financed Alawite militia, so the Kurds and Iraqi Arabs disliked the Assyrian Levies who thought they were protected by their British tutors. When their killers arrived with other Iraqi army forces to celebrate victory over the Assyrians in Mosul in 1933, local Muslims decorated triumphal arches with melons pin-cushioned with knives a symbol of the fate of the Assyrians. Isis would have approved. Armenians mark 101 years since genocide Show all 10 1 /10 Armenians mark 101 years since genocide Armenians mark 101 years since genocide Armenian people carry torches during a march to commemorate the mass killings of Armenians Getty Armenians mark 101 years since genocide Armenian people take part in a march in commemoration of the 101th anniversary of the mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman forces in 1915 Getty Armenians mark 101 years since genocide People hold a flag during the laying of the flowers at the Genocide Memorial in Yerevan Getty Armenians mark 101 years since genocide President Serzh Sargsyan and actor George Clooney attend the laying of the flowers at the Genocide Memorial in Yerevan Getty Armenians mark 101 years since genocide Armenian clergymen, US actor George Clooney, center, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, second right front, and guests attend a ceremony at a memorial to Armenians killed by the Ottoman Turks, in Yerevan AP Armenians mark 101 years since genocide Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian (C,R) and US actor George Clooney (C) attend a ceremony at the Genocide Memorial in Yerevan Getty Armenians mark 101 years since genocide A general view of attendees and mount Ararat during the laying of the flowers at the Genocide Memorial in Yerevan Getty Armenians mark 101 years since genocide Lebanese of Armenian descent burn an effigy of Turkish president Erdogan during a protest in front the house of Turkish Ambassador to mark the 101st anniversary of the mass killing of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire in 1915, near Beirut, Lebanon EPA Armenians mark 101 years since genocide Activists hold portraits of victims during a silent demonstration to commemorate the mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks in Istanbul Reuters Armenians mark 101 years since genocide Activists hold portraits of victims during a silent demonstration to commemorate the mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks in Istanbul Reuters Historians have never reached a final conclusion as to whether the 1915-18 Assyrian slaughter could be defined as genocide of which the Armenians were certainly victims. Talaat Pasha, the vicious Ottoman interior minister, was clearly content to see Assyrians liquidated but there is doubt about just how organised the killings were. Some orders for the butchery of Assyrians were cancelled or ignored. But with the blood of a generation of Christian Armenians flowing through the streets of thousands of Turkish towns and villages, the Assyrians were unlikely to escape destruction. A mural commemorating the 1915 Armenian genocide (Getty) So who was the suicide bomber outside the Assyrian church at Qanishli last Sunday? He is unlikely to have been from the large Kurdish community in the town since the Kurds are now close allies of the Christians against the Islamists. The regime has no interest in murdering its loyal Christian citizens who for the most part live under the protection of the Syrian army. The Turks have a far larger and more terrifying war to fight with their own Kurds to worry about the survivors of the remnants of the 1915-18 Ottoman massacres. So it looks likely that the lone would-be murderer of the Patriarch was an Islamist, either from the Al-Nusrah group which destroyed the Armenian bones at Deir Ezzour and then dynamited the great Armenian church in the city or from Isis. If this is true, then the black and cult-like enemy of Bashar al-Assad of Syria, the Syrian army, the Hizballah, the United States air force, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, the RAF, the Russian government, the Jordanians and the Iraqis, the French and the Belgians and Barak Obama and Donald Trump, has struck again. Without much success. This time. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A student at Oxford University who started a campaign to fund scholarships for refugees has revealed that 240,000 has been pledged over a two-year period. BBC News reports how biomedical engineering student, Thais Roque, launched the Oxford Students Refugee Campaign (OxSRC) in October last year, aiming to lobby the university and colleges to provide scholarships for refugee and asylum-seeking students. From the, so far, 11,000 students who have joined the cause, supporters will donate 1 a month over the two years. It is hoped that, starting in the academic year 2017/18, scholarships will be available at the institution for those whose education has been disrupted because of conflict or natural disaster, with applications opening this September. Ms Roque said in an online statement: Our university has a history of helping refugees, and has taken commendable steps this year to offer places to at-risk academics forced to leave their homeland, but we want to extend this initiative to students fleeing those same areas too. Refugee crisis - in pictures Show all 27 1 /27 Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugee crisis - in pictures A child looks through the fence at the Moria detention camp for migrants and refugees at the island of Lesbos on May 24, 2016. AFP/Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Ahmad Zarour, 32, from Syria, reacts after his rescue by MOAS (Migrant Offshore Aid Station) while attempting to reach the Greek island of Agathonisi, Dodecanese, southeastern Agean Sea Refugee crisis - in pictures Syrian migrants holding life vests gather onto a pebble beach in the Yesil liman district of Canakkale, northwestern Turkey, after being stopped by Turkish police in their attempt to reach the Greek island of Lesbos on 29 January 2016. Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees flash the 'V for victory' sign during a demonstration as they block the Greek-Macedonian border Refugee crisis - in pictures Migrants have been braving sub zero temperatures as they cross the border from Macedonia into Serbia. Refugee crisis - in pictures A sinking boat is seen behind a Turkish gendarme off the coast of Canakkale's Bademli district on January 30, 2016. At least 33 migrants drowned on January 30 when their boat sank in the Aegean Sea while trying to cross from Turkey to Greece. Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A general view of a shelter for migrants inside a hangar of the former Tempelhof airport in Berlin, Germany Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees protest behind a fence against restrictions limiting passage at the Greek-Macedonian border, near Gevgelija. Since last week, Macedonia has restricted passage to northern Europe to only Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans who are considered war refugees. All other nationalities are deemed economic migrants and told to turn back. Macedonia has finished building a fence on its frontier with Greece becoming the latest country in Europe to build a border barrier aimed at checking the flow of refugees Refugee crisis - in pictures A father and his child wait after being caught by Turkish gendarme on 27 January 2016 at Canakkale's Kucukkuyu district Refugee crisis - in pictures Migrants make hand signals as they arrive into the southern Spanish port of Malaga on 27 January, 2016 after an inflatable boat carrying 55 Africans, seven of them women and six chidren, was rescued by the Spanish coast guard off the Spanish coast. Refugee crisis - in pictures A refugee holds two children as dozens arrive on an overcrowded boat on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugee crisis - in pictures A child, covered by emergency blankets, reacts as she arrives, with other refugees and migrants, on the Greek island of Lesbos, At least five migrants including three children, died after four boats sank between Turkey and Greece, as rescue workers searched the sea for dozens more, the Greek coastguard said Refugee crisis - in pictures Migrants wait under outside the Moria registration camp on the Lesbos. Over 400,000 people have landed on Greek islands from neighbouring Turkey since the beginning of the year Refugee crisis - in pictures The bodies of Christian refugees are buried separately from Muslim refugees at the Agios Panteleimonas cemetery in Mytilene, Lesbos Refugee crisis - in pictures Macedonian police officers control a crowd of refugees as they prepare to enter a camp after crossing the Greek border into Macedonia near Gevgelija Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A refugee tries to force the entry to a camp as Macedonian police officers control a crowd after crossing the Greek border into Macedonia near Gevgelija Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees are seen aboard a Turkish fishing boat as they arrive on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing a part of the Aegean Sea from the Turkish coast to Lesbos Reuters Refugee crisis - in pictures An elderly woman sings a lullaby to baby on a beach after arriving with other refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A man collapses as refugees make land from an overloaded rubber dinghy after crossing the Aegean see from Turkey, at the island of Lesbos EPA Refugee crisis - in pictures A girl reacts as refugees arrive by boat on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees make a show of hands as they queue after crossing the Greek border into Macedonia near Gevgelija Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures People help a wheelchair user board a train with others, heading towards Serbia, at the transit camp for refugees near the southern Macedonian town of Gevgelija AP Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees board a train, after crossing the Greek-Macedonian border, near Gevgelija. Macedonia is a key transit country in the Balkans migration route into the EU, with thousands of asylum seekers - many of them from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia - entering the country every day Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures An aerial picture shows the "New Jungle" refugee camp where some 3,500 people live while they attempt to enter Britain, near the port of Calais, northern France Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A Syrian girl reacts as she helped by a volunteer upon her arrival from Turkey on the Greek island of Lesbos, after having crossed the Aegean Sea EPA Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees arrive by boat on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Beds ready for use for migrants and refugees are prepared at a processing center on January 27, 2016 in Passau, Germany. The flow of migrants arriving in Passau has dropped to between 500 and 1,000 per day, down significantly from last November, when in the same region up to 6,000 migrants were arriving daily. As one of the most prestigious universities in the world, we feel that if Oxford can seize the initiative with regards to this issue, then it will set a powerful example for other universities to follow. She added how the response to the campaign has been overwhelming, and said: We have been bombarded with emails from young people desperate to continue their higher education and pursue what some of them call their last chance. Students displaced in New Zealand, Turkey, France, Greece, Ireland, Sweden, Germany, and Lebanon are sharing with us their moving stories of hardship and perseverance. They are living proof of the immense need for scholarship schemes like the ones we are proposing. The developments have come as it is revealed refugees from across the world will be able to take more than 1,000 online university courses for free as part of a collaboration between the US government and online education provider, Coursera. In an effort to provide education and skills training to as many people as possible as part of World Refugee Day, the US Department of State announced on Monday Coursera will provide fee waivers to organisations working directly with refugees, allowing them to gain qualifications in the new Coursera for Refugees initiative. Lila Ibrahim, Courseras chief business officer, said one of the best ways to reach the people who need education opportunities the most is by working with organisations that understand the local needs. Rebecca Taber, head of government partnerships at Coursera, added: Nearly 60 million people worldwide are currently forcibly displaced. Coursera for Refugees is designed to provide as many of them as possible with greater access to education in career relevant skills, as they navigate new homes and difficult times in their lives. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for weekly expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Outside The Red Planet Diner, in the high desert town of Sedona, the model of a flying saucer hovered at an awkward angle, its battered body forever anchored to the asphalt. Scanning the restaurant floor, I found a table with a view of the towering red mountains beyond the car park a backdrop worthy of 2001: A Space Odyssey. Joining me for dinner that evening was Melinda Leslie, manager of the nearby Centre For The New Age. I had signed up for Melindas UFO-spotting tour, which employs military goggles to scan the night sky. As our food arrived, she recounted a few of her otherworldly experiences. My first abduction was in San Bernardino, California, in 1993, she said, very matter of factly. We were taken into a low-lit room and undressed, then put through a series of examinations. They took some eggs from me, then they attempted to extract sperm from my friend, Mike. She paused to take a delicate bite of mashed potato. Unfortunately, he had a vasectomy so they had some trouble with that... Smiling weakly, I tried not to choke on my Space Burger. The Red Planet Diner (Edmund Vallance) I had been in Sedona for less than an hour, and already I felt like a peripheral character in a 1950s B-movie. Looking up from my plate, Melindas face was framed in a lurid, scarlet sunset, the mountains behind her glowing with alien light. I had come to Arizona hopeful, fearful and sceptical in roughly equal measure. If I was going to have a close encounter with a flying saucer or a sperm-hungry extraterrestrial for that matter I had certainly come to the right place. Sedona is 4,500 metres above sea level, with some of the clearest night skies in North America. Here, shamanic healings, psychic readings and past life regressions are commonplace. Alien abduction seemed only a hop and a skip away. But tonight was not my lucky night. Those clouds dont look good, said Melinda, pointing out of the window. I think were going to have to postpone our tour until tomorrow. The following morning, the sky was clear, and the evening forecast looked promising. Feeling encouraged, I headed towards Spaceship Rock, a saucer-shaped outcrop about an hours hike from the Bell Rock trailhead. At close range, Sedonas mountains are curiously intimidating. As I squinted up at Bell Rock rising from the dust like an angry, crimson dinosaur, my mouth became suddenly very dry. What if strange beings really did use this high elevation as some sort of light-speed playground? What if all my preconceptions were about to be obliterated, like a planet in the path of an alien death ray? In 1997, the former-governor of Arizona, Fife Symington, admitted to observing an enormous and inexplicable craft. Many ridiculed him, but he was adamant: the ship was metallic, with a constant shape and a geometric outline. Spaceship Rock (Edmund Vallance) I was having trouble erasing this image from my mind as I walked into Bell Rocks elongated shadow. I saw chunks of glittering quartz embedded in the dust; hummingbirds buzzing through juniper bushes and the long shadows of tall trees intersecting the red valley floor. Following the path around the base of the mountain, I eventually spied Spaceship Rock hunched on the horizon. At first, I was underwhelmed (it looked more like an Egg McMuffin than The Millennium Falcon) but scrambling up its slippery sides, I was rewarded with 360-degree views of a serene and celestial landscape. Sitting on my alien perch, with Courthouse Butte to my right, and Cathedral Rock to my left, I felt like a marooned astronaut: a shorter, fatter version of Matt Damons character in The Martian. That evening, I arrived at the Center For The New Age, adrenalin coursing through my veins. There I met Tom and Mindy, primary school teachers from Boston. This was the couples third tour in as many months. Once, Tom told me, he had seen a triangular object hauling butt across the sky on another occasion, a pair of orange orbs. The Sedona landscape (Edmund Vallance) After Melinda had briefed us on the use of the infrared military goggles which absorb up to 20,000 times more light than the naked eye we piled into the back of her car, and drove for about 20 minutes towards a flat-topped hill known as Airport Mesa. I was a little concerned by the name, which seemed to suggest a preponderance of earthling technology, but Melinda assured me that planes were easily identifiable by their flashing navigation lights. Shooting stars have tails, and satellites fly very slowly towards the horizon, she said. When weve ruled all these things out, were left with the unknowns. Over the course of about two hours, we saw at least a dozen white, yellow and orange lights moving quickly across the sky sometimes solo, sometimes in pairs. Were they high-flying satellites? Shooting stars? Or military aircraft, perhaps? Melinda seemed very sure that they were extraterrestrial craft. But oddly enough, it didnt seem to matter. Martians or no Martians, Sedonas night sky was a heavenly sight to behold. Training my goggles on the sparkling expanse, I felt suddenly very small a grinning child, wide-eyed with wonder. Travel Essentials Getting there British Airways (0344 493 0787; ba.com) and its partner American Airlines (0844 499 7300; americanairlines.co.uk) fly direct from Heathrow to Phoenix, Arizona. Virgin Atlantic (0844 209 7777; virgin-atlantic.com) and its partner Delta fly from Heathrow and Manchester via Atlanta. Sedona is around 100 miles north of Phoenix. Visiting there Centre For The New Age (001 928 282 2085; sedonanewagestore.com). UFO sighting tour $75 per person. Red Planet Diner (001 928 282 6070). More information Sedona Tourist Office: 001 928 282 7722; visitsedona.com visitarizona.com Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for weekly expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} In another blow to Egypts traumatised tourist industry, British Airways has decided to abandon its route to the countrys main resort, Sharm el Sheikh. Like other UK airlines, BA suspended its service from Gatwick to Sharm el Sheikh on the instructions of the UK government on 4 November last year. The ban was imposed following the crash of a Metrojet Airbus A320 in the Sinai desert shortly after take-off from Sharm el Sheikh. All 224 passengers and crew on the charter flight to St Petersburg died. It is widely believed that the plane was downed by a bomb placed on board at the Egyptian airport. Despite the Egyptian government spending tens of millions of dollars on enhancing security at airports, especially Sharm el Sheikh, the ban on flights to the resort has been kept in place. The winter season for British tourists to Sharm el Sheikh and the other Sinai resorts was effectively wiped out. The government in Cairo has been optimistic that the UK ban on flights would be lifted in time for the winter season, though with only four months to go before the winter schedules take effect there has been increasing concern about the travel industrys preparedness to respond. A report in the Daily News Egypt on 15 June quoted a BA regional manager as saying that flights to Sharm el Sheikh would resume on 15 September. Russian passenger plane crashes in Egypt Show all 20 1 /20 Russian passenger plane crashes in Egypt Russian passenger plane crashes in Egypt Egyptian soldiers collect personal belongings of plane crash victims at the crash site of a passenger plane bound for St. Petersburg in Russia that crashed in Hassana, Egypt's Sinai Peninsula Russian passenger plane crashes in Egypt Egyptian soldiers collect personal belongings of plane crash victims at the crash site of a passenger plane bound for St. Petersburg in Russia that crashed in Hassana, Egypt's Sinai Peninsula Russian passenger plane crashes in Egypt In this Russian Emergency Situations Ministry photo, made available on Monday, Nov. 2, 2015, showing Metrojet Airbus A321-200 flight 7K9268 flight recorder on display at an undisclosed location in Egypt Russian passenger plane crashes in Egypt Mourners lay flowers at Pulkovo International Airport outside St. Petersburg. Russia on 1 November mourned its biggest ever air disaster after a passenger jet full of Russian tourists crashed in Egypt's Sinai, killing all 224 people on board. Flags were at half mast on the parliament building, in the Kremlin, and on other official buildings in honour of the victims, most of whom were from Russia's second-largest city of Saint Petersburg Russian passenger plane crashes in Egypt People pay their respects at the entrance of Pulkovo airport outside St. Petersburg, during a day of national mourning for the plane crash victims Russian passenger plane crashes in Egypt Debris from the plane crash in Egypt Russian passenger plane crashes in Egypt A piece of an engine of Russian MetroJet Airbus A321 at the site of the crash in Sinai, Russian passenger plane crashes in Egypt The crash site debris Flight 7K9268 crashed in the Sinai peninsula, in all probability killing every one of the 224 people on board AFP/Getty Russian passenger plane crashes in Egypt The crash site debris Debris lies strewn across the sand at the crash site EPA Russian passenger plane crashes in Egypt Relatives in St Petersburg Relatives react after a Russian airliner with 217 passengers and seven crew aboard crashed, as people gather at the Kogalymaviais information desk at Pulkovo airport in St Petersburg on 31 October AP Russian passenger plane crashes in Egypt Relatives in St Petersburg A relative of a passenger of MetroJet Airbus A321 at Pulkovo II international airport in St Petersburg, Russia, 31 October 2015. EPA Russian passenger plane crashes in Egypt The plane's journey The plane's last recorded radar position above the northern Sinai peninsula Flightradar24 Russian passenger plane crashes in Egypt Where it crashed A satellite view from Google Maps of the rough area where the plane crashed, in the mountainous Hassana region of the Sinai peninsula. Google Maps Russian passenger plane crashes in Egypt The plane The Metrojet's Airbus A-321 with registration number EI-ETJ that crashed in Egypt's Sinai peninsula REUTERS/Kim Philipp Piskol Russian passenger plane crashes in Egypt The plane The crashed Airbus A321 at Domodedovo international airport, outside Moscow,, on 20 October Russian passenger plane crashes in Egypt Relatives at in St Petersburg A relative of a passenger on MetroJet Airbus A321 at Pulkovo II international airport in St Petersburg EPA Russian passenger plane crashes in Egypt Relatives at in St Petersburg Relatives of passengers of MetroJet Airbus A321 at the Crown Plaza hotel in St Petersburg EPA Russian passenger plane crashes in Egypt Bodies being repatriated An Egyptian soldier prays as emergency workers prepare to unload bodies of victims from a police helicopter to ambulances at Kabrit military airport on 31 October. AP Russian passenger plane crashes in Egypt Bodies being repatriated Ambulances line up as emergency workers unload bodies at Kabrit military airport, 20 miles north of Suez, on Saturday AP Russian passenger plane crashes in Egypt Bodies being repatriated Egyptian paramedics load the corpses of victims into a military plane at Kabrit military air base by the Suez Canal on October 31, 2015 AFP/Getty Images But in a statement BA now says: The safety and security of our customers will always be our top priorities and we have suspended our flights from Gatwick to Sharm el Sheikh indefinitely. Customers who hold bookings on any cancelled services for the coming winter season can claim a full refund or can use the money to cover a new booking with us for an alternative destination. Bad news for Egyptian tourism Daily flights on BA between Heathrow and Cairo continue. Other airlines are looking to resume services to Sharm el Sheikh, with 30 October talked about as a possible start date; it is the day that winter schedules are introduced worldwide. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for weekly expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Star quality The Franklin Hotel in Knightsbridge, London, reopens to guests on 1 August, ahead of its official launch in October. The Victorian building has been closed for more than a year since it was bought by the Italian Starhotels group and completely revamped by designer Anouska Hempel. The 35 rooms start at 360 a night. thefranklinlondon.com NY-LON La Compagnies new LUnlimited pass goes on sale on 18 July. Only 10 are available, but for $35,000 (24,000), you can get a year of unlimited business class flights between Luton and New Yorks Newark airport. Passholders will have access to a personal concierge, who will help with booking and managing flights. lacompagnie.com Call of the wild To mark 50 years since the release of the film Born Free, Virginia McKenna (star of the film and co-founder of the Born Free Foundation) and her son, Will Travers, will host two 10-day safaris in Kenya this year. Departing 29 August, the trips will visit Elsas Kopje in Meru National Park, the location of the film and home of Elsa the Lioness, and Tortilis Camp in Amboseli. Prices start at $8,674 (5,900) per person including accommodation with some meals, game drives and domestic transport but not international flights. Plus a donation to the Born Free Foundation. chelipeacock.com Plane to Spain Norwegian Air Shuttle has launched flights from Edinburgh to Barcelona, going head-to-head with Ryanairs service. Norwegians flights depart twice a week, on Wednesday and Saturday mornings. norwegian.com Art of France The Massif du Sancy, in Frances Auvergne region, is hosting the tenth edition of its Horizons festival until 25 September. The event sees artists display open-air installations inspired by, and created for, the surrounding landscape. horizons-sancy.com One of this year's Horizons installations, Aequilibrium Singularis, by Michel-Marie Bougard (Ludovic Combe/Horizons) One step beyond Steppes Travel is hosting the inaugural Beyond travel festival at the Royal Geographical Society in London on 17 and 18 September. The event will feature seminars and panel discussions, as well as exhibitions and documentary screenings. Speakers includes Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Chris Packham, and champion freediver and ocean conservationist Hanli Prinsloo. steppestravel.co.uk Buy it Tripping the Flight Fantastic: Adventures in search of the worlds cheapest air fare is an account of how writer Andrew Fraser created his dream trip on a budget, and had some unusual experiences on the way, including witnessing octopus autopsies in Girona and spotting giant pink Alexander the Greats in Skopje. 9.99, Bradt Travel Guides. bradtguides.com Island escape Cugo Gran, an exclusive-use luxury farmhouse in Menorca, is allowing guests to book its rooms individually, on a B&B basis, from September. The villa is set within a 250-acre estate, and has its own pool plus sea views. Doubles start at 325 including breakfast and airport transfers (minimum three-night stay). cugogranmenorca.com KLM will take off from Dublin Airport for the first time in 50 years Airliner KLM will take off from Dublin Airport for the first time in half a century after sealing a deal on a new route to Amsterdam. The Dutch flag carrier will start its twice daily service between the Irish capital and Schiphol Airport on October 30. The flights will link into KLM's long haul routes, opening up "easy connections" to destinations such as Johannesburg, Havana, Beijing and Hong Kong, the airline says. Return fares between Dublin and Amsterdam will be upwards of 99 euro. KLM was the first continental carrier to serve Dublin Airport in 1947. The airline pulled out in 1966 - 50 years ago this year. Vincent Harrison, managing director of Dublin Airport, said the service was the 16th new route announced already this year under expansion plans. "After five decades away, we're delighted to welcome KLM back to Dublin Airport," he said. "This new service will offer enhanced choice and connectivity to passengers travelling to Amsterdam and also for those connecting to onward destinations from the Schiphol hub." Aer Lingus will continue to run two flights every day between Dublin and Amsterdam. The Data Protection Commission said it had been asked to handle cases of surveillance cameras at work The data watchdog launched investigations into more than 900 complaints last year including CCTV being used to spy on hospital and supermarket staff. People trying to find out what information state agencies and companies held about them made up more than half of the work. The Data Protection Commission said surveillance cameras at work, direct text message marketing, email issues, banks not keeping personal details up-to-date and a lack of response to concerns most occupied the public last year. A breakdown of the complaints revealed 578 were to do with people trying to access information held by companies and government bodies about themselves. Another 104 were related to direct marketing, 16 related to the use of CCTV and two were about the use of biometrics. In one, a supermarket worker was sacked after putting a paper bag over a camera in a staff canteen while a colleague gave her a new hairdo. Management had not told employees they were being recorded on their breaks, the commission was told. The shop bosses claimed the camera had been put up to counter customer theft, waste, staff theft, bullying and harassment among staff and to maintain a clean canteen. The commission found no security issue in the canteen that justified putting up CCTV. In another, two foremen in Letterkenny General Hospital were found to have put up unauthorised covert surveillance in their maintenance department over security concerns. "Covert surveillance is normally only permitted on a case-by-case basis, where the data is kept for the purpose of preventing, detecting or investigating offences, or apprehending or prosecuting offenders," the commission said. "Clearly, any decision by a data controller to install covert cameras should be taken as a last resort after the full exhaustion of all other available investigative steps." The Data Protection Commission said 23 complaints related to people's right to be forgotten on the internet. The commission said 94% were resolved amicably and it highlighted a number of cases it investigated. In another, the Department of Social Protection was criticised after it emailed a woman's confidential illness-benefit statement to her employer. It included her name, address, PPS number, date of birth, bank details and number of children. The department apologised to the woman and said the member of staff who sent it out was new to the job and the woman should have been told her employer was trying to access the information. The commission said employers need to make sure staff are fully trained and closely supervised, particularly when processing personal data. "Errors by staff present a high risk of data breaches on an ongoing basis and it is critically important that efforts are made to mitigate against those risks by driving data protection awareness throughout the organisation, with particular focus on new or re-assigned staff," it said. The watchdog said it was notified of 2,376 data security breaches in 2015, up by more than 100 on the previous year. Commissioner Helen Dixon said there had been seminal judgments by the European Court of Justice last year. The most high profile involved the campaign by Austrian lawyer Max Schrems, who challenged the right of Facebook to transfer data of millions of users to the US. It led to the court declaring the Safe Harbour agreement, which allowed for that, invalid. Ms Dixon's office is still investigating Mr Schrems' complaint to reveal how much of his personal information ended up in the US. She said EU rules allow for extensive protection of personal data. "Likewise, agreement on a new legal framework for data protection in Europe will clearly lay out new rights for individuals, increased obligations for organisations handling personal data and an increasing focus on enforcement for data protection authorities," she said. "These developments, coupled with rapid technological change, undoubtedly present challenges, but the office will continue to meet these head-on through careful planning and appropriate resourcing." In the UK, the Brexit debate has become a battleground for the leadership of the Tory party. Pictured are London Mayor Boris Johnson and Prime Minister David Cameron. Photo: AFP/Getty Images The European Union referendum will come down to the wire following a surge of support among those certain to back Remain in the final days of the campaign, David Camerons election strategist says. An analysis of a poll for this newspaper which shows that amongst definite voters, the Prime Ministers Remain campaign now has a 7-point lead, with 53pc of the vote compared to Leaves 46pc. Read More Last week, Leave was one point ahead in the poll, its first lead since March. However, amongst all British voters, Remain has just a 2-point lead on 49pc of the vote compared to Leave on 47pc, the smallest the gap has been since these polls began in March. The surge for Remain comes in the wake of the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox on Thursday last week. The poll suggests that pro-EU voters are now more likely to turn out than people backing a Brexit. But it shows that Leave is still making gains on policies such as the economy, suggesting that if the Brexit campaigns supporters can be motivated to turn out and vote, the result of the referendum is too close to call. Writing in The Daily Telegraph just three days before the country goes to the polls, Sir Lynton Crosby says the result of the In-Out referendum is still uncertain despite the boost for Remain. Read More Lynton, who masterminded both Mr Camerons general election victory and Boris Johnsons two mayoral election victories, says: All the signs of ORBs latest and final poll point to a referendum that will truly come down to the wire. Since the start of this polling series in March, Leave has seen steady improvements across a variety of attributes, ranging from the economy to credibility. However it has also failed to quash the almost ubiquitous perception that it is the riskier of the two options. The leader of the campaign to keep Britain in the European Union has been accused of a morally unacceptable plot to use Mrs Cox's death to make case for Remain and call out Brexit supporters Read More The Home Office has warned that Britains immigration system risks being undermined after a judge ruled officials cannot detain asylum seekers they believe are posing as children without evidence. Boris Johnson suggested that Nigel Farage is "bigoted" and "xenophobic" after controversy following a Ukip poster warning that Europe is at breaking point because of migrants. The pound rallied and the FTSE 100 recorded its biggest one-day gain in four months amid signs the markets believe a Remain vote is increasingly likely. George Osborne, the Chancellor, refused to rule out suspending the markets in the hours after a Brexit vote. Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, insisted that he will not be to blame if Britain leaves the EU following claims from his own MPs that he has not done enough to support the Remain campaign. Mr Johnson will on Tuesday take on Ruth Davidson, the leader of the Scottish Conservatives, in the final televised debate of the referendum in front of a 6,000 strong audience in Wembley Arena. Todays poll for The Telegraph finds that turnout will be crucial to the final result of the referendum and that Remain voters are becoming increasingly motivated as polling day approaches. The poll finds that turnout among Remain voters has risen by 9 points in the last week to 69pc. Meanwhile, turnout among Leave voters has fallen by 4 points to 64pc. Last weeks boost for the Leave campaign in a series of polls appears to have lessened Brexit-backers motivation to go to the polls on Thursday. Leave voters expectation of a victory has increased from 24pc last week to 39pc today, the poll finds. Meanwhile, 47pc of Remain voters expect Mr Camerons campaign to win, a fall from 54pc last week. Sir Lynton writes: This could be contributing to complacency among Leave voters the same complacency problem Ive previously highlighted as a potential threat for the Remain campaign that is driving down the importance of voting on Thursday and, in turn, negatively affecting Leavers motivations to head to the polling booths. Alternately, it could be motivating Remainers who didnt think their vote was needed to decide they better show up. As I pointed out in my original column, the side that is most effective in motivating their voters to turn out on the 23rd will be the side that emerges victorious. The poll finds that Leave has significantly improved its position in policy areas such as the economy and national security. When asked which vote will create a stronger economy, 40pc of voters now say Leave and 45 per cent say Remain. In May, Remain had a 21-point lead on the economy. In a significant shift, Sir Lyntons analysis finds that staying in the EU is now seen as the riskier security option when it comes to terrorism, with 40pc cent of voters saying Remain will expose the UK to a greater risk of terrorism, up 8 points in the last week. Of those surveyed, 33pc said Leave will leave Britain more at risk, a fall of 6pc. However, Leave is still seen by voters as the riskier option, according to the survey. When asked which campaign is a risk, Remain has fallen one point to 27pc, with Leave gaining two points in the last week to 56pc. Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022] British PM David Cameron alongside Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn as they leave Parliament to attend a service of remembrance for Jo Cox in London yesterday. Photo: Getty "Racists and bigots" are directing parts of the campaign to the leave the EU, Harry Potter author JK Rowling has claimed, as she criticised eurosceptics for claiming a "tsunami of faceless foreigners" are heading to Britain. In a 1,700-word essay on the referendum, the Harry Potter author criticises a string of "monsters" she says the Out campaign has created to scare voters into leaving the EU. She says Nigel Farage's controversial "breaking point" migration poster is "an almost exact duplicate" of Nazi propaganda and brands Leave campaign leaders "mini-Trumps". Ms Rowling also references "fictional bad guys" such as Lord Voldemort - Harry Potter's nemesis - and Hannibal Lecter in a message that appears to back remaining in the EU. The message, posted on her website and entitled 'On Monsters, Villains and the EU Referendum', comes just days before polls open across the UK to decide the fate of Britain's membership of the EU. She writes that "the tales we have been told during this referendum have been uglier than any I can remember" and criticises the In campaign for deploying "bleak facts" and "grim prognostications". But she reserves her fiercest criticism for the Out campaign. "It is dishonourable to suggest, as many have, that Leavers are all racists and bigots: they aren't and it is shameful to suggest that they are," she writes. "Nevertheless, it is equally nonsensical to pretend that racists and bigots aren't flocking to the 'Leave' cause, or that they aren't, in some instances, directing it. For some of us, that fact alone is enough to give us pause. "The picture of Nigel Farage standing in front of a poster showing a winding line of Syrian refugees, captioned 'Breaking Point', is, as countless people have already pointed out, an almost exact duplicate of propaganda used by the Nazis" She later adds: "The 'Leave' campaign is selling itself as the courageous option. Take a leap of faith, they say. Step off the cliff and let the flag catch you! With the arrogance of a bunch of mini-Trumps they swear that everything will be glorious as long as we disregard the experts and listen to them. "Embrace the rage and trust your guts, which Nigel Farage undoubtedly hopes contain a suspicion of brown people, an unthinking jingoism and an indifference to the warnings of history." Ms Rowling also criticises the Brexit campaign for creating a "monster" by claiming "a tsunami of faceless foreigners [is] heading for our shores, among them rapists and terrorists". She finishes by urging everyone to vote in the referendum, saying: "The ending of this story, whether happy or not, will be written by us." Meanwhile, the House of Commons met yesterday in "heartbreaking sadness" and "heartfelt solidarity" to pay tribute to Jo Cox, the Labour MP who was killed last Thursday in a gun and knife attack on the street in Birstall, West Yorkshire. Speaker of the House John Bercow said the killing "in this manner, of this person, our democratically elected colleague" was "particularly shocking and repugnant". A white rose was placed in Ms Cox's usual place on the Labour benches. Several of her Labour colleagues, including Heidi Alexander, Stephen Kinnock and Carolyn Harris, were in tears before Mr Bercow began the tributes. In total silence, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was called to speak. He said: "Last Thursday, Jo Cox was doing what all of us do, representing and serving the people who elected her. We have lost one of our own and our society has lost one of our very best." Ms Cox's husband, two young children and family were present, seated in the public gallery. As MPs, all wearing the white rose of Ms Cox's native Yorkshire, wiped away tears, Prime Minister David Cameron spoke of the sadness the country felt at the killing of the "loving, determined, passionate and progressive politician". He said: "We are here today to remember an extraordinary colleague and friend. Jo Cox was a voice of compassion whose irrepressible spirit and boundless energy lit up the lives of all who knew her, and saved the lives of many she never, ever met." An increase in Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV) in spring and winter barley crops in recent weeks has been attributed to a combination of sowing dates and increasing resistance in aphids to the most common insecticides. "This was pretty predictable given that there's growing aphid resistance and spring crops were planted late," said Teagasc's crop specialist Michael Hennessy. Farm payments from Europe could be hit if Britain exits the EU, according to one of Teagasc's top economists. Kevin Hanrahan said that the Basic Payment scheme that channels 1.2bn into Irish farms annually are likely to be hit if the Brexit referendum is passed in Britain next week. Despite pleas from the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, for British farmers to vote to stay amid what he called an "overwhelming case when it comes to farming", the majority of farmers appear to be set to vote for a Brexit this Thursday. Some 58pc of farmers polled at the Cereals event in Lincolnshire last week said they wanted out, even as the Scottish NFU wrote to all its members outlining the fact that 74pc of farmers' income in the region came via the EU's 'cheque in the post'. "Countries such as Norway only secure the same access to EU markets as we do by paying the same EU membership fees, implementing the same EU rules such as sheep tagging but have no say over the rules. The worst of all worlds," outlined the letter, which was signed off on by no less than six former NFU presidents. Last week the Vote Leave campaign committed to maintaining farm funding to match current EU levels even if the country votes to leave in the referendum, but only until 2020. Teagasc's Kevin Hanrahan said that the UK is a net contributor to the European budget in an interview with Irish TV. "If they were to vote to leave that would have a negative impact on the EU budget and on the budget for agriculture as a consequence, and I think it would have a negative impact on the direct payments of income support levels that the CAP provides to farmers," he said. "I don't think it would be very dramatic but it would be negative and might mean the share of the EU budget that gets devoted to agriculture gets reduced from 40pc." Dependency However, he also noted that the money that the CAP has propped up farmer incomes had generated "dependency culture" in Irish agriculture. "One can argue that in the long run they don't help Irish productivity at all but that is not the fault of the European Union, this is what we as a European society have decided to do in terms of supporting agriculture which has looked for support," he said. An even bigger issue in Mr Hanrahan's opinion is the loss of our biggest ally at the table where decisions are made in Brussels. "The UK and Ireland have got to know each other around the council table since 1973 and the absence of our key partner in all sorts of negotiations would be the biggest fallout to emerge from a Brexit vote so I think we should be deeply worried that our influence in Brussels would potentially be reduced if the vote on June 23 is to leave," he said. The ICMSA said that they were "praying that sense and reason will prevail in the privacy of the booth". "Here is threat that Brexit might initiate a slow unravelling of the Union itself with other Member States backing out of an arrangement that has on balance been a huge benefit to us all," the ICMSA President added in a statement. The hen harrier is one of Ireland's rarest birds of prey but populations have continued to decline, despite the designation. The current national population is estimated to be between 108 to 157 breeding pairs in 2015, according to the 2015 National Hen Harrier Survey published on BirdWatch Ireland's website in April. "Forestry has been a positive experience and a rewarding investment" says Christy Tighe, a dairy farmer from Tuam, Co Galway who went from milking cows to harvesting trees. Born and bred in Tuam into dairy farming, Christy and his brothers Michael and Peter took over the farm owned by his father and uncle, and farmed in partnership culminating in the establishment of Tuam Dairies in 1985. At its peak, Tuam Dairies was milking over 800 cows and employing 30 people. By the time the business diversified into the Galway Bay Cheese company in 1987, Christy had left the farming side and was managing the processing end of the business. Towards the end of the 1980s, the big supermarkets began to squeeze milk prices and with strong downward pressures hitting margins and profitability the brothers took the decision to sell the business to the Kerry Group in 1992. By this stage, Christy and his brothers had already seen the potential of forestry and bought three semi-mature Sitka spruce plantations. Convinced of its potential, Christy took a major personal and business decision to begin seriously investing in forestry. Fast forward twenty years and by now his forestry portfolio extends to eight plantations totalling over 140 hectares. Dominated by high yielding Sitka spruce, which provides the strong commercial drive to his investment, the average plantation size of 17.5 hectares generates considerable economies of scale. Good husbandry is critical whether it is a good milker or timber producer like Sitka spruce. From the outset, Christy was determined to follow best forest management practice and employed professional forestry companies to oversee the planting and early maintenance of all his plantations. But he then went a step further and made an even more critical decision early on to take responsibility himself in the day to day maintenance of the plantations after they passed the maintenance grant stage at four years old. With a substantial forest portfolio to manage involving a range of management skills and schemes, Christy keeps himself informed by regular attendance at Teagasc and other field days and staying in regular contact with foresters including his local Teagasc forestry adviser Noel Kennedy. "There are a number of obstacles that are hindering the development of farm forestry," says Christy. "One of the main reasons why I believe there is a relatively low uptake of forestry by farmers is because of the replanting obligation after clearfell and no forestry premiums available at that time," he added. The large road bonds that are requested regularly by some Local Authorities are another obstacle. "Some County Councils I deal with now require large bonds in case roads are damaged before timber can be removed from the forest. Why do I have to pay this money to move timber every five years or so when milk lorries go up and down this road daily?" he asks. "For instance, I had to pay a bond of 5,000 to a Local Authority before I was allowed to remove the timber. It took months to get my money back." He also finds it frustrating the inconsistency how Local Authorities apply planning regulations. "I had to go for full planning permission recently although there was a sufficient and existing entrance in place already," he said. However, he feels that farm forestry is worth it. Christy conservatively estimates that the return on investment from his early plantations to date is 10pc per annum. Increases in land price have reduced the rate of return on his younger plantations which he estimates at a still healthy 5pc per annum. The future for forestry in Ireland is bright according to Christy and he advocates that more farmers should be considering forestry on marginal land as an investment in their farming future. Together with his children who are now joint owners of the forests, he is looking forward to growing more quality trees and leaving a solid and sustainable investment for the next generation. Steven Meyehn is a Teagasc forestry advisor email: Steven.Meyen@teagasc.ie THINNING DRIVES GROWTH OF COMMERCIAL TIMBER PRODUCTION Thinning is a critically important operation as it drives the growth onto the remaining trees to accelerate more valuable commercial timber production. The end game is a high volume final crop that maximises the most valuable sawlog timber category as early as thirty years old. Christy has organised and supervised several timber harvesting operations and sales already, gaining valuable experience in the process. Most timber sales in Ireland are standing sales. This means that the forest owner sells timber as it stands in the forest at an agreed price before harvesting takes place. The buyer will organise and pay for the harvesting and haulage costs. From his experience, Christy now favours roadside sales. This means that Christy pays a harvesting contractor directly to fell and forward the trees to roadside. Christy will then in a separate operation- sell the harvested timber on to a timber buyer. The timber buyer buys the timber roadside and pays for the transport from the forest to the sawmill. Christy finds that there are several advantages to selling his timber roadside. Most importantly, it gives me full control over the harvesting operation. I supervise the thinning operation making sure that the poorer quality trees are removed while the better quality trees are left to grow on undamaged, he said. Another very good reason is because I find that selling roadside tends to be a good bit more profitable, he added. However, keep in mind that organising and supervising a roadside sale is not for the fainthearted. It requires time, dedication and expertise. It also has tax implications. Christy charges 5.2pc tax on the sale of the timber while he pays the harvesting contractor 13.5pc tax on the services provided. Over the last few months, Christy has been carrying out thinning operations in Co Galway. He thinned a 2.5ha Norway spruce plantation for the first time. This resulted in a harvest of about 93 tonnes of pulp and 25 tonnes of palletwood. Harvesting costs came to approx. 24 + VAT per tonne. Murrays sawmill in Co Galway paid him 47.34/t for the palletwood roadside. He sold the pulpwood separately to a firewood merchant. The total net return on the first thinning of this Norway spruce plantation came to 16 per tonne. Not bad. Christy also carried out a second thinning in a 5.7ha Sitka spruce plantation. This operation resulted in a harvest of 217 tonnes of pulpwood and over 29 tonnes of 2.5 metre length palletwood. The latter assortment was once again sold to Murrays sawmill in Ballygar for 47.34/t roadside while the pulpwood was sold for firewood. Because this was a second thinning operation the harvesting cost was lower and came to 21 + VAT per tonne. This resulted in a net return of approx. 18/t. Not bad especially if you take into account that standing sales in this area tend to fetch 8-10/t standing. The above figures correspond to timber prices being paid currently. Sawmills tend to pay right now 50-55/t standing for sawlog while 3.1 metre length palletwood fetches 30-35/t standing. Pulpwood prices are typically 4-6/t standing. Keep in mind though that several factors will influence the price youll get for your timber. Issues such as distance to the mill, timber quality and straightness, current demand, volumes, etc. all play a major part. Teagasc's education system is set for a 30-year overhaul as a special advisory group assesses the state of the country's agricultural academic sector. "We need to question whether our programmes are fit for purpose for the next 30 years," said Teagasc's director Gerry Boyle at the student of the year awards in Dublin last week. "The farms of the future are going to be very different, and that's why we've a steering group engaged in forming a strategic vision." However, the Teagasc boss and former college professor believes that not just the content of courses, but the way that they are delivered should change. "We can teach a student to dehorn a calf, but maybe we should be training them in entrepreneurship - almost like training them to develop their level of ambition," he said. He pointed to Finland's switch from subject-based to phenomenon-based learning. "I'm very taken with the idea of the farmer as an entrepreneur, who faces the challenge of developing a farm. It really struck me when I was in New Zealand that farmers out there see themselves as resource managers," he said. However, Mr Boyle acknowledged that the courses could not lose sight of their target audience. "Ag students tend to be practically minded, so there's no point in telling them to learn off a profit monitor. It's got to appeal to them," he said. Record numbers of students enrolled in third-level courses in agriculture following millions from CAP funds being ringfenced for young farmer schemes. In order to avail of the top-ups, young farmers must have completed a level five course in agriculture - the modern equivalent of the Green Cert. The influx resulted in a tripling of intake at Teagasc courses, with another 3,500 applicants on waiting lists. "The benefits of a third-level education cannot be overstated, with research showing that family farm income is 30-90pc greater on holdings where the farmer has a third-level qualification," said Mr Boyle. He added that the increased economic activity created by more productive farms generates a social rate of return close to 25pc. "So education is an investment that pays handsomely," he concluded. Debate over a potential cattle glut next autumn has intensified as cattle prices dropped for the second week in a row. The IFA has moved to play down forecasts by Bord Bia and the Minister for Agriculture that 50,000-80,000 additional cattle would be arriving at the factory gates this autumn. Livestock chairman Angus Woods has instead claimed that 24-36 month animals were down by 58,000hd compared with last year. However, Bord Bia analysis shows that this was largely a result of the trend to slaughter animals at a younger age. The food agency maintains that the combination of lower exports to Northern Ireland, increasing numbers of culls, and an increase in young bulls will more than counter this fact. In addition to the increase this autumn, AIMS data is pointing to an increase of more than 100,000 head being fit for slaughter next spring. Cull cow numbers have continued to rise, and prices are back by 10c/kg to 3.40/kg for R grades. Prices for prime steers and heifers are also back by 5c/kg, a development that has alarmed farmers during a month when prices traditionally remained stable or hardened. Livestock exporters looked to take advantage of the trade's uncertainty by dampening expectations for the Turkish trade, despite their cries for action just a few weeks ago. Three major exporters, who all declined to be named, told the Farming Independent that "nothing will move in the short term" to Turkey until domestic prices for stock dropped to 2/kg. They pointed to a 60pc import levy on all stock as one of the main reasons that stock needed to be sourced so cheaply. However, the IFA claims that cattle prices in Turkey are 7.50-8.00/kg, with feeders paying 4.00-4.50/kg for younger stock on the hoof. The Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed has also thrown down the gauntlet to exporters, challenging them to "step into the breach". "This is going to be a tremendous help given the glut with 80,000 extra cattle and extra dairy culls, but the challenge is now for exporters to step into the breach," he said. He added that there was potential for other types of cattle to go to the Turkish market, including breeding stock, and noted that the Egyptian market was already open but suffering from low prices. However, exporters were adamant that Irish cattle are too expensive for Turkey. "Irish cattle prices are a big part of the problem," said one operator. The IFA has lashed out at processors claiming that their 'undermining of prices' was very damaging to the Irish beef sector. ICMSA Beef Chairman Michael Guinan, welcoming the announcement on Turkey, stressed the need for follow-through. "The danger is that this development just stops at the announcement - as was the case with the Egyptian one last February," he said. Irish Rail's director of infrastructure, Don Cunningham, said that space needs to be set aside at Dublin Airport for the Dart line Irish Rail has cast doubt over whether the 2.4bn Metro North project in the capital will ever be built. And the semi-State company has insisted that provisions must be made for connecting Dublin Airport to the city centre with a Dart spur line instead - a scheme already sidelined by the Government in favour of the Metro project. Irish Rail's director of infrastructure, Don Cunningham, said that space needs to be set aside at Dublin Airport for the Dart line because of the prospect that "other major rail developments including Metro North will continue to be deferred in the context of funding constraint". Last September, the Government announced that the Metro North scheme was the favoured project for linking the airport to the city centre. It was included in the 2016-2022, 27bn capital spending plan. But the Government acknowledged it would take a decade before the 16.5km Metro North line would be operational. Construction is expected to start in 2021. It had been estimated that the alternative Dart scheme linking the airport would have cost as little as 200m. The 7km Dart line was also Irish Rail's favoured option. "It is Iarnrod Eireann's view that this is a cost effective solution that could, subject to funding, be delivered within a five-year timeframe and at a relatively modest capital cost," according to Mr Cunningham, who made the comments to Fingal County Council on foot of a recent application by the DAA to embark on a major office development at Dublin Airport. Dublin Airport is growing rapidly. It will handle over 27 million passengers this year and the figure could hit 36 million by 2033. "Based on the Metro North only proposal, and in the absence of Dart underground, Dublin Airport will remain remote from the national rail network apart from one interchange point with the Maynooth line in the vicinity of Drumcondra," according to Mr Cunningham. "This is not an attractive option for access to the wider rail network," he said. "Given the scale of these two projects there has to be concern, in the context of limited funding and the absence of a Dart spur, regarding the timescale for linking the rapidly growing airport to the rail networks." He said that if a Dart spur line was built, it's possible that in the future some intercity services from Cork, Limerick and Galway could operate directly to and from Dublin Airport. Dell has agreed to sell its software unit to buyout firm Francisco Partners Management and the private equity arm of activist investor Elliott Management Corp. The sale of the unit, which is focused on advanced analytics, database management and data protection, will help Dell reduce its debt burden after a series of deals since its own buyout in 2013. Terms weren't provided in the statement released yesterday. The software unit is understood to include Quest Software, which employs 180 at Mahon Point in Cork. Dell's chief executive officer and founder Michael Dell agreed in October to buy EMC Corp for $67bn to broaden the company's product line-up from servers to storage devices amid intensifying competition. Dell, which has said it will add about $50bn in debt to get the EMC deal done, expects the purchase to close between June and October, people familiar with the matter have said. Sale of the software group is Dell's latest ahead of the EMC merger. Japan's NTT Data Corp agreed to buy Dell's information-technology services businesses for $3.06bn in March. A month later, Dell took its cybersecurity company SecureWorks Corp public, raising $112m. Debt financing for the latest transaction was provided by Credit Suisse Group and RBC Capital Markets, according to the statement. Texas-based Dell is also proceeding with selling software assets Sonicwall and Quest, people with knowledge of the matter have said. EMC is seeking to sell its Documentum business as part of its plan with Dell to divest more than $6bn in assets. Elliott Management had pushed EMC to sell itself and spin off VMware. (Bloomberg) The first ever direct air route between Dublin and China is on the cards, with Hainan Airlines closely examining the potential for a service. Hainan Airlines is part of the huge Chinese conglomerate HNA, a Fortune 500 company whose activities stretch from aviation to hotels and shipping to technology. In Dublin today, HNA chief operating officer William Zhang confirmed that a service from Dublin to China is under serious consideration. Hainan Airlines has just launched a route between Manchester and Beijing. Mr Zhang said that Dublin is now being analysed to see if sufficient demand exists for a route from the Irish capital to China. Government agencies such as the IDA, Enterprise Ireland and Tourism Ireland have been pushing for a direct route to China for a number of years. Senior HNA executives have been in Dublin for the past few days, and held a meeting at the Chinese embassy to discuss the route potential. HNA acquired Irish aircraft leasing firm Avolon last year. Avolon chief executive and co-founder Domhnal Slattery said today that he'd be hopeful the route to China will be launched. It would be a major coup for the DAA, which controls Dublin and Cork airports. Helen Dixon said the insurance sector was given particular attention (Stock image) Insurance companies are not deleting records of penalty points as they are supposed to under law, according to the Irish Data Protection Commissioner. An examination of the insurance industrys practices by the data watchdog has revealed that the three-year legal limit put in place to give motorists a second chance may not be fully observed. The audit found evidence of the retention of penalty-point data beyond three years, said the annual report from Helen Dixons Data Protection office. The sector, she said, was given particular attention last year. Under the Road Traffic Act, penalty points remain on a licence record only for a period of three years, said the report. The Office is continuing to engage with the companies audited in 2016 to agree on an acceptable retention period and archiving solution. Ms Dixons report said that the purpose of the audits was to examine existing facilities within insurance companies to access penalty-point data in conjunction with the roll-out of a new facility by Insurance Ireland, allowing for direct access to penalty-point data in real time However, this facility came up short when put under the microscope. We will continue to examine this area further in 2016, said the privacy regulators report. Elsewhere in her report, the Data Protection Commissioner revealed that she rejected requests from an unnamed key tribunal witness to delete their name from certain Google searches. Ms Dixons report says that 23 complaints were received by the states data privacy body in relation to the right to be forgotten from online search engines. However, the privacy office only upheld seven of the complaints, while 16 of them were refused. One rejected complaint centred around a long-running tribunal, where the Office concurred with Googles position not to delist certain URLs found following a search conducted using an individuals name, said the annual report. Given that the individual concerned had given key testimony at this important tribunal, it was considered that there was a legitimate public interest in maintaining access to this information against a search on that individuals name. A search against other keywords in the original content would still have produced a result in the search engine. Under European law, an individual can request that a personal name be delinked from searches that return web links deemed outdated or irrelevant. However, freedom of information advocates fear that the rule is sometimes exploited by white collar individuals to whitewash misdeeds or matters of genuine public interest. Overall, the Irish Data Protection Commissioners Office received 932 complaints from members of the public last year, most relating to denial of access to personal records. The largest single category of complaints related to access rights, which accounted for over 60pc of the total and reflecting the extent of the difficulties some individuals experience exercising their statutory right of access, said the annual report. The second largest category of complaint concerned electronic direct marketing. The number represents a 3pc fall from the year before. However, the number of data breaches notified to Helen Dixons office was up 6pc to 2,317. And her office applied three enforcement notices against Aer Lingus, O2 and Arizun Service Irelan. Meanwhile, the introduction of the Eircode system was the cause of many queries on data protection grounds last year. A number of these arose in relation to the Eircode database, from individuals whose names were included alongside their Eircode and were available on the Eircode Finder, said the annual report. A limited number of queries were also received regarding incorrect spelling and allocation of townlands associated with Eircodes. And there were a small number of complaints about the roll-out of the Department of Educations Primary Online Database. Issues cited around the legal basis for the collection and processing of the personal data involved, the quality of the information notices provided to parents, the use of the PPSN as an identifier in the database and the purported linking of funding to schools with parents compliance in providing their childrens data, said the report. Some matters remain under ongoing investigation. However, the Data Protection Commissioner has warned that Irish companies will soon face stricter laws on data protection. European legislation, in the form of the upcoming General Data Protection Regulation, will shake companies out of their current complacency, she said. The new rules, to be implemented in 2018, will legally oblige all data controllers to notify data protection authorities of any personal data security breach that occurs with 72 hours. Ms Dixon said that current standards of data protection observance are not up to the mark. What becomes clear from dealing with many organisations in Ireland is that they deploy little resources themselves to manage data protection compliance, she said. Some organisations appear to struggle with the principles-based nature of data protection legislation and suggest that it is difficult to correctly interpret and apply the principles in the specific scenarios with which they are dealing. From what I have seen, little real attempt is made in some cases to interpret and apply the principles and to examine implementation from the perspective of affected data subjects. In other cases, organisations appear to not even be conscious that what they are proposing represents a significant interference with an individuals data-privacy rights and view efficiency and cost-saving as automatically sufficient justifications for any action. It is helpful, therefore, that the forthcoming General Data Protection Regulation will bring an increased power of enforcement for data protection authorities. First and foremost, it will explicitly put back onto organisations the clear obligation to properly organise themselves to ensure they are adequately protecting the individuals fundamental right to data privacy and can demonstrate their accountability in this regard. Kenmare Resources is a step closer to securing a much needed capital injection after lenders agreed a plan to restructure the Irish miner's debt. It has to raise $275m for the deal to take effect. The Oman State General Reserve Fund has committed $100m, and Kenmare said discussions with new and existing shareholders have been positive, with three large shareholders committing $115m between them. Some of the company lenders have agreed to make up the balance if the company falls $40.8m or less short, via an equity stake. The plan is designed to reduce Kenmare's debt from $392m to $100m, with $75m of capital set aside for working capital and other day-to-day expenses. "With the finalisation of key transaction agreements as announced today, we look forward to further engagement with investors and the completion of the Capital Restructuring in the next few weeks," Kenmare managing director Michael Carvill said. The company's shares had risen 20pc in London by lunchtime yesterday. "Production and cost guidance for 2016 remains unchanged and the product market is already showing a long awaited improvement in prices, reversing four years of significant downward pressure," Mr Carvill said. "With increased power stability at the [Moma Titanium Minerals Mine in Mozambique], a recapitalised balance sheet, a new strategic investor and a higher free float than would have existed with two strategic investors, we believe that the completion of the capital restructuring will leave Kenmare in a strong position in an industry with expectations of a growing supply deficiency." The regulatory body for solicitors is using private detectives to spy on lawyers who it suspects of bulk-buying personal injuries actions. The solicitors are under the spotlight over suspicions that they bought thousands of actions from claims-harvesting websites. Expand Close Ken Murphy of the Irish Law Society: Claims harvesting unfair to majority of solicitors. Pic Tom Burke / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ken Murphy of the Irish Law Society: Claims harvesting unfair to majority of solicitors. Pic Tom Burke More than 20 solicitors are thought to be engaged in buying books of claims that have been hoovered up from adverts placed online. The Law Society has a strict policy ban on claims harvesting. It has angrily dismissed suggestions that it should do more to ensure that its solicitor members vet clients to weed out false and exaggerated personal-injury claims. Bitter arguments have broken out between insurance companies and lawyers over the extent to which claims, particularly exaggerated and false ones, are pushing up motor premiums. Premiums have risen by 34pc in the past year, according to the Central Statistics Office, with many motorists being asked to pay double and even treble their previous premium. Read more: Insurance hikes on cards as compo payouts to soar Insurance companies blame high levels of court awards in personal-injury cases and dodgy claims for the premium hikes. They also complain about inconsistent levels of court awards for similar injuries and argue that legal costs make up around 50pc of the cost of court-contested claims that are settled. However, lawyers' bodies, such as the Law Society and the Bar Council, say the number of court awards has not risen. They claim that undercharging in the past and under-reserving by insurers are behind the premium hikes. The director-general of the Law Society Ken Murphy said the regulatory body was determined to purse claims harvesters as a matter of public policy and because such activities were unfair on the majority of solicitors who comply with advertising regulations. The society has hired private detectives to probe lawyers suspected of buying claims in bulk from claims-harvesting websites. Barristers and solicitors face stringent advertising regulations aimed at preventing 'ambulance-chasing' and the development of US-style 'claims factories'. Lawyers here are banned from placing ads in locations such as hospitals or funeral homes. However, the European Commission has warned the Government that its strict ban could breach the EU's Services Directive. Read More Mr Murphy said: "The investigations are at an advanced stage and solicitors who are found in breach of regulations may be referred to the Solicitors' Disciplinary Tribunal or to the High Court, which may strike off solicitors who are found to be in breach of the law's strict policy ban on claims harvesting." Mr Murphy said it was not straightforward to identify who is behind the websites. Some of them are registered overseas. He added: "What is separate and more sinister is those persons who are not solicitors who are behind these websites and hoovering up claims with a view to selling them in bulk to solicitors." Mr Murphy dismissed suggestions that the Law Society should put in place processes to force solicitors to assess whether claims cases are genuine before they are taken on. He said: "Even two seconds of analysis will reveal that to be an absurd proposition. The society has no right or power to interfere with the administration of justice. "That is the preserve of judges and the courts who assess the evidence, hearing it from both sides, and reach conclusions accordingly." Intense engagement with Facebook by the Irish Data Protection Commissioner Helen Dixon led to new tools launched by the social network that lets people opt out of online behavioural advertising through Facebooks service. Ms Dixon said an audit completed by her office resulted in the launch of a Facebook tool called Download Your Information that allows users to download a copy of their Facebook data. She said that Facebook had also introduced a privacy checkup tool in response to the Irish offices investigations. And Ms Dixon said that her office was engaged in an organisational and technical review of settings and controls in relation to advertising, updated and new features such as legacy accounts and family tagging, handling of consent to the use of cookies, personal data inventories, use and retention of location data, use of contact data, and an extensive engagement on details of access request handling. Ms Dixon's office has also commenced an audit of Adobe, the multinational software giant that has an operations base in Dublin. The technology-based probe will will be focused on certain areas of Adobe Systems Irelands establishment and products, according to the annual report of Europes most powerful data regulator. Adobe makes software products that include graphics tools such as Photoshop, Illustrator and Flash. The audit will be one of the first to use a new custom-built forensics unit set up by the Irish office to deal with more complicated technical processes attached to multinationals operating out of Ireland. Any adverse finding could cause Adobe to change some settings on its products. Earlier this month, a German privacy regulator fined Adobe 8,000 for continuing to transfer data to the US under the struck-down Safe Harbour treaty. Other companies to come under the Irish data protection spotlight include Linkedin, which is currently being acquired by Microsoft for over 23bn. Ms Dixon said that discussions between her office and Linkedin have resulted in adjustments to the layout and location of settings on Linkedin members profiles. She also said that Linkedin has created a new Cookie Council made of company staff to look further into cookie-related matters across their service offerings and processing operations. We asked that LinkedIn provide more detail in its cookie policy relating to concepts such as Do Not Track, opt-out controls, third-party cookies, non-cookie storage mechanisms and categorisation of individual cookies, said Ms Dixon. To that end, LinkedIn last year established a centralised team of privacy and security engineers in Dublin to test and train engineering and product personnel. The Data Protection Commissioner also said that her office has met with Google, Microsoft and other tech giants about privacy issues. An audit of Apples Irish operations, which was previously flagged by Ms Dixons predecessor, Billy Hawkes, has yet to get under way. However, the Commissioners office confirmed engagement with AirBnb in respect of their new establishment in Ireland and the operation of their service and product offering in Europe. And the Commissioner said that her office had taken several meetings with organisations who are exploring the possibility of establishing a base in Ireland. An airplane powered solely by energy from the sun headed across the Atlantic early yesterday, on one of the longest legs of the first-ever flight around the globe without using a drop of fuel. The spindly, single-seat Solar Impulse 2 left New York's John F Kennedy International Airport at about 2.30am on a trip expected to take up to 90 hours, the 15th leg of its round-the-world journey. The craft is in some ways a throwback to the early years of flight, with the latest transatlantic crossing recalling John Alcock and Arthur Brown's 1919 journey that famously ended in a Galway bog. On the current trip, Swiss aviators Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg have been taking turns piloting the plane, which has more than 17,000 solar cells built into wings whose span exceeds that of a Boeing 747, with Piccard at the controls for the transatlantic flight. The airplane's slow cruising speed, similar to that of a car, has required both men to take up meditation and hypnosis as part of training to stay alert for long periods. Solar Impulse 2 is due to land some time on Thursday in Spain or France, with the precise location to be determined later depending on weather conditions, said Elizabeth Banta, a spokeswoman for the project team. The carbon-fibre, propeller-driven plane has four solar-powered engines and four batteries to store surplus energy. It weighs the same as a family car and can climb to 28,000 feet (8,500 m). The team behind Solar Impulse - part of a campaign to build support for clean energy technologies - hopes to complete the circumnavigation in Abu Dhabi, where the journey began in March 2015. Piccard and Borschberg completed a multi-flight crossing of the United States with an earlier version of the plane in 2013. Borschberg set an endurance record for the longest non-stop solo flight last July in a 118-hour trans-Pacific crossing from Japan to Hawaii. Piccard's trans-Pacific crossing this year, reaching San Francisco after a flight of nearly three days, took more than three times the 18 hours celebrated airwomen Amelia Earhart took to fly solo from Hawaii to California in the 1930s. The propeller-driven Solar Impulse is slow, but potentially revolutionary. Its four engines are powered solely by energy collected from solar cells built into its wings. That requires a wingspan exceeding that of a Boeing 747, but the carbon-fibre plane is much lighter. The aircraft can cruise at speeds of 34 to 62 mph (55 to 100 kph), around 10 times less than conventional flights. Surplus power is stored in four batteries during the day, to keep the plane aloft on extreme long-distance flights. In a precursor of their globe-circling quest, the two men completed a multi-flight crossing of the United States with an earlier version of the solar plane in 2013. Battery damage sustained during the crossing kept the aircraft grounded for nine months. The Swiss team's ultimate goal is to achieve the first round-the-world solar-powered flight, part of its campaign to bolster support for clean energy technologies. The team hopes eventually to complete its circumnavigation in the United Arab Emirates, the starting point for the journey back in March 2015. The trip has been slow going, battery damage kept the aircraft grounded for nine months. (Reuters) BILLIONARIE Wilbur Ross may be backing Donald Trump for the White House in November, but he's not backing the would-be President's stance on Brexit. For Ross, a British withdrawal would mark the "most expensive divorce proceeding in the history of the world". A so-called Brexit "would be terrible" for sterling as well as the UK, European and US markets, Ross said in an interview with Bloomberg. But the veteran investor said he was going long on the UK because he believed that "the British public would come to its senses and not make this very foolhardy decision to leave." "It's the people that are retired that seem to be most in favour of leaving and that's really strange," Ross said. "In most countries it's the older people which are more conservative. "Here it's the young people who want to stay and the old people who want to plunge off into the dark." But he said he didn't think it would be a "Lehman moment" in that the world won't come to an end. Problems for ex-Ulster boss In his time in charge of Ulster Bank, Jim Brown earned a reputation as a pretty straight talking New Zealander while he tried to rehabiliatate the Royal Bank of Scotland-owned bank. Last year he left his job at Ulster Bank to run the launch of RBS' new consumer bank in the UK, Williams & Glynn. However word now reaches The Punt that the new brand may never get off the ground. Press reports in the UK indicate RBS has put on hold its marketing campaign for the brand, which it is required to create under state aid rules. 'The Times' suggests that the new bank may never see the light of day because of what it calls "IT issues and management problems". RBS is trying spin out 300 of its branches into the Williams & Glynn business ahead of a sale or flotation as a condition of its bailout by the UK taxpayer. Clearly it is proving easier said than done. It seems Mr Brown did not get the respite he might have hoped for when he left Ulster Bank. Qatar-Dublin route next year Dublin Airport appears to be in line to get its latest service to the Middle East sooner than expected. Expand Close Qatar Airways / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Qatar Airways Aer Lingus chief executive Stephen Kavanagh said only a few weeks ago that the airline, now part of IAG, was considering either flying to the Middle East, or that Qatar Airways could begin flying to Dublin from Doha. Qatar Airways owns 15pc of IAG. While Kavanagh said a link to the Middle East would be a medium-term project, it's almost now certain that Qatar will start flying the Dublin-Doha route next May. A major route announcement by the DAA for an unnamed service was postponed last week for, it's understood, logistical reasons. But it's likely the Qatar service - which will be daily - will be unveiled today. The route will effectively put Qatar Airways, pictured, in competition with Gulf rivals Etihad and Emirates, which serve Abu Dhabi and Dubai respectively from Dublin, with many passengers connecting to Australia, but also to other destinations in Asia. Just how Qatar's arrival will impact its rivals at Dublin remains to be seen. Qatar is also launching services next year to cities including Auckland, Nice and Lusaka. Microsoft is partnering with a software company that supports the cannabis industry, marking the first time a major company has put its money behind legal cannabis. Microsoft is teaming up with Kind Financial, a Los-Angeles based start-up founded in 2013. Kinds mission is to make it easier for marijuana-related businesses to make safe and secure transactions, within the law. Kind will be running a new software for governments in Microsoft's cloud, Azure Analysts have said that the move could be an important step as marijuana becomes accepted as a legal drug in the US. David Dinenberg, Kinds CEO, said no one can predict the future of cannabis legalisation. He expects that the industry will always be subject to strict oversight and regulations similar to alcohol and tobacco. Kind is proud to offer governments and regulatory agencies the tools and technology to monitor cannabis compliance. I am delighted that Microsoft supports KIND's mission to build the backbone for cannabis compliance, Dinenberg said. A Microsoft spokesperson said that the company is supporting government customers and partners to help them meet their missions. "KIND Financial is building solutions on our government cloud to help these agencies regulate and monitor controlled substances and items, and manage compliance with jurisdictional laws and regulations, Microsoft said. Bill Gates, Microsoft founder, voted for the legalisation of marijuana in Washington, his home state. It's an experiment, and it's probably good to have a couple states try it out to see before you make that national policy, he told Buzzfeed in 2014. Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, Washington state, and Washington DC, have already legalised recreational, as well as medical, marijuana for adults. Twenty more states have legalised marijuana for medical use only. ( Independent News Service) Maya receives her special gift from the cast of Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games Maya from Tipperary was delighted to meet her idol Michael Flatley Michael Flatley has joined the Make A Wish Foundation in making one little girl's dream a reality. The Irish dancing star met another incredible dancer, little Maya, before the Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games Dublin premiere tonight. Taking part in the Make a Wish Foundation, Mayas wish came true when she met, spoke and practiced her high kicks with her idol Michael and the Lord of the Dance cast. Maya also received a specially designed Irish dancing dress from Make a Wish foundation which her mum Linda says makes her, the happiest little girl. Expand Close Maya from Tipperary was delighted to meet her idol Michael Flatley / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Maya from Tipperary was delighted to meet her idol Michael Flatley Though the Tipperary native is only seven she has been dancing since the age of three, dedicated Maya practices and watches Irish dancing after school every day. Despite doctors diagnoses, Maya, who has multiple medical issues beats all odds and continues to dance on. Expand Close Maya receives her special gift from the cast of Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Maya receives her special gift from the cast of Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games takes place from tonight until Satruday (21 - 25 June) at Dublins Bord Gais Energy Theatre. Minister Simon Coveney has moved to assure householders they will "not be ripped off" by the new bin charges, after a protest was staged as he arrived for a meeting at council offices in Dublin. The Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government said a proposed 12-month cap on charges would not simply be left to waste management companies to agree to on a voluntary basis. He held a behind-closed-doors briefing on the controversial new pay-by-weight bin charges with south Dublin County Council yesterday. Expand Close Simon Coveney presence at Council meeting attracts activists demonstrating against the bin charges. Paul Murphy TD with megaphone.Photo: Doug O'Connor / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Simon Coveney presence at Council meeting attracts activists demonstrating against the bin charges. Paul Murphy TD with megaphone.Photo: Doug O'Connor Minister Coveney greeted councillors and officials outside the door amid chants from the gathered protesters. The demonstration was organised by the Anti-Austerity Alliance. "We are not simply asking the industry (to cap charges) on a voluntary basis," the minister said. "I want to be sure that what I ask is actually followed through on." Paul Murphy TD (AAA) said legislation should be brought in to prevent charges being raised but he ultimately wanted the privatisation of the service to be reversed. A plan to cap bin charges for 12 months is mired in doubt as questions linger over whether the freeze can be enforced. The new pay-by-weight system is supposed to be delayed after bin companies proposed freezing charges for a year. The move comes amid controversy about some families being forced to pay hugely inflated bills. However, two of the country's biggest bin collection companies are not even part of the agreement. And the Government is not sure if such a price freeze could be enforced. It is not clear what form of regulation can be introduced to force companies to cap charges, or if the proposed system will now go ahead as planned. Separately, the Government intends to introduce the pay-by-weight system in civic amenity sites from next February. Around 200,000 tonnes of household waste is brought directly to civic amenity sites every year. A spokesman for the minister said the system was expected to be introduced in private and local authority sites. The change will affect one in eight households which do not have a kerbside collection service. Housing Minister Simon Coveney is due to get legal advice on his options. Former Justice Minister Alan Shatter has begun a Court of Appeal challenge seeking the quashing of criticism of him in the Guerin report. The hearing comes after the OHiggins Commission contradicted findings made in a scoping report by barrister Sean Guerin, who was appointed by the Government to examine allegations made by garda whistleblower Sgt Maurice McCabe. In a report delivered in May 2014, Mr Guerin found Mr Shatter had not heeded Sgt McCabes complaints in relation to shortcomings in garda investigations in the Cavan/Monaghan division. However, retired High Court judge Mr Justice Kevin OHiggins, who headed up a commission of investigation launched in the wake of the Guerin report, subsequently found Mr Shatter had dealt with the complaints appropriately. Mr Shatter resigned due to Mr Guerins findings and recently said he felt like a murderer after the Guerin report was published. The former TD said he believed the Guerin report cost him his Dail seat and has described how he was spat on, shouted at and harassed in public in the wake of its findings. In the Court of Appeal today, Mr Shatters counsel Paul Sreenan SC said his client was entitled to have relevant parts of the Guerin report quashed. He said there were two contradictory versions of what happened on the public record and these were easily accessible to people in Ireland and abroad. Mr Sreenan said Mr Shatter enjoyed an international reputation and the fact the Guerin criticisms had not been quashed was damaging to his client. Counsel said fair procedures were not used by Mr Guerin as Mr Shatter had not been contacted by the barrister for his version of events before the critical report was published. The entitlement to fair procedures existed and was breached. That is the core of our argument, said Mr Sreenan. Counsel said that under Mr Guerins terms of reference he was mandated to communicate with An Garda Siochana and other relevant entities or bodies, which clearly included the minister. We think he should have observed fair procedures if he was going to criticise the minister, he said. The appeal is being heard by a three-judge Court of Appeal, made of of the courts president, Mr Justice Sean Ryan, as well as Ms Justice Mary Finlay Geoghegan and Ms Justice Mary Irvine. Mr Shatter previously failed in a High Court challenge to the findings of the Guerin report in May last year. However, that challenge took place before the OHiggins Commission reported. Homeless man Jonathan Corrie - who was found dead just metres from the Dail - died of a "multidrug overdose". An inquest into his death yesterday heard how the father-of-two had been sleeping rough on the streets before a drug and alcohol mixture overdose. He was found dead lying on steps near the Dail on December 1, 2014. His death led to a public outcry against homelessness. Sophie Pigot, a worker in a nearby bank, told the Dublin Coroner's Court that she was walking to work when she noticed a man lying on the steps of a doorway on Molesworth Street in an "uncomfortable position" at around 8am. She immediately ran across to the Dail reception and told the garda on duty there was a man in trouble and that she wasn't "sure if he is alive". Garda Jennifer Keyes, from Pearse Street Station, told the court she arrived on the scene alongside Garda Eoin Cooper after reports of a sudden death. Gda Keyes said she discovered the body face down and that it became apparent the man was dead. She said that letters were found with details of the deceased alongside a sleeping bag, a rucksack, some clothing, 50 and two syringes. The officer then contacted Mr Corrie's former partner who indicated that his adoptive mother, Jean Corrie, lived in Kilkenny. Ms Corrie identified the deceased, from pictures, as her son. Dr Christian Gulmann, a pathologist in the Dublin city morgue, said that there was no evidence of hypothermia and believed Mr Corrie's death was caused by a "multidrug overdose". Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane recorded a verdict of misadventure. A 32-year-old Garda, who was viciously injured and threatened by a prisoner who had just been sentenced to a jail term, has been awarded damages in the High Court. Garda Michael McCallion, who is based at Malahide Garda Station, Co Dublin, told the court that in June 2012 he and colleague Garda Barry Jones had been escorting the man to a prison staff handover at the Criminal Courts of Justice. Garda McCallion said during a Garda Compensation hearing that when they approached the lift area in the courts complex , the man became extremely aggressive and agitated and lashed out at them and used foul language. As they tried to restrain him he had fought back violently. He had eventually been put on the ground and handcuffed. Garda McCallion told his barrister Pat Purcell, that as they were going into the lift, the man again struggled violently. He said his left hand and right shoulder had been injured in the struggle. Mr Justice Bernard Barton heard that before the man was handed over to prison staff, he had threatened Garda McCallion, saying: I wont see my boys and I will make sure that you dont see yours. Youll regret this. The court heard that Garda McCallion, who sued the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, had gone to his GP that day. He had suffered soft tissue injuries to his left wrist and index finger, neck and right shoulder with pain lasting for several months. He had been concerned that the man would carry out his threat. Mr Purcell, who appeared with John Hennessy from Hennessy & Perrozzi solicitors, said the prisoner, a drug abuser, had since died. Judge Bernard Barton said he was satisfied Garda McCallion suffered injuries as a result of a vicious attack and awarded him 17,500 damages along with his legal costs. A 38-year-old man has been cleared of murdering but convicted of killing his housemate, who had failed to bring home ribs from the butcher. The Central Criminal Court trial heard that both men had spent the day drinking with another man in their house in Laois. The killer sent his 26-year-old housemate out to buy cider and ribs that afternoon, but he arrived home without the ribs. His housemate became offended when he would not go back out for them and stabbed him with a kitchen knife. Alexander Karpovs, who was originally from Latvia, died of a single stab wound to the heart at his home on Spa Street in Portarlington on February 15th, 2014. Deivydas Zigelis, a Lithuanian, had pleaded not guilty to his murder, but guilty to his manslaughter. The court heard that both men worked as bin collectors during the week, but spent their weekends drinking alcohol at home. The jurors saw photographs of their filthy house, the floors strewn with debris, broken crockery, drink cans and empty cigarette boxes. A garda testified that the only food he could see in the kitchen was a bag of sugar. A friend of the two testified that he went to their house that morning because he couldnt find any cider in his own home. They spent the day drinking; he and the deceased drank vodka and the accused drank cider. He testified that he continued watching television when he saw the accused run towards the deceased with a knife because there were often conflicts in the house. He said he later saw blood, and the accused asked him where it was coming from. The court saw CCTV footage of the deceased making a number of trips to an off licence that day. Mr Karpovs was also seen entering a butchers shop that afternoon but leaving without purchasing anything. The accused told gardai that his housemate had returned from the shops with cider, but without ribs. I took the cider and told him go back to the butcher and get the ribs, he said, explaining that his housemate had sat on the couch and refused to go back out. I got offended. I took a knife and hit him, he continued. I took the knife out of his body and put it beside the sink. The prosecutor remarked that Mr Karpovs hadnt done what he was told. Shane Costello SC also told the jurors not to let the mens pathetic living circumstances affect their deliberations. He warned them that intoxication was not a defence. A drunken intention is still an intention, he said in his closing speech. He intended to kill or cause serious injury, even if only for a fraction of a second, even if drunk, he concluded, asking for a guilty verdict. The accused mans barrister drew comparisons between the men sitting around drinking vodka and watching Russian films and the Irish wage packet on the bar of an English pub on a Friday night, a sing song in the corner. He noted that his client had told gardai that it was not his intention to hurt his housemate and was puzzled as to how it happened. The possibility he had no idea what he had done remains very active, said Conor Devally SC in his closing speech. Intoxication is not being promoted as a defence, he said, Just that intent is absent. He read from a previous direction of a judge, who said that intoxication was material to the question of intent; it could prevent the accused having the intent. The six women and six men of the jury deliberated for almost six hours over two days before returning with a unanimous verdict. The foreman had filled in Not Guilty on the issue paper and was asked to clarify the verdict. He said that the verdict was, in fact, not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. He was asked to write this in full on the issue paper. Mr Justice Paul Butler remanded Zigelis in custody until July 26th, when a date will be set for sentencing. At the best of times, particle physics can be a pretty elusive subject, and so it was on the Leaving Certificate Physics Higher Level paper LC Physics - At the best of times, particle physics can be a pretty elusive subject, and so it was on the Leaving Certificate Physics Higher Level paper. Teacher Ger Curtin of Beneavin College, Finglas, Dublin, and the ASTI, said students would be expecting the topic as a choice in one question and as a full part of another, but it only appeared as a half part. But Mr Curtin said that modern physics did turn up a lot on the paper, with much overlap of topics in different questions. He said it is a lesson to all not to count on predictability in papers. Mr Curtin said Section A was fine, and despite the unexpected nature of some questions in Section B, overall the paper was doable. Pat Doyle of the Institute of Eduction said the difference in style and presentation of the paper this year would have thrown students. However, he said if they kept their cool and read carefully through the questions, they would have realised it was not as difficult as it first appeared. Mr Doyle said some of the questions in Section B were very wordy. Mr Curtin said the ordinary level paper was reasonably student friendly. More than 8,000 students sat the physics paper yesterday, while about 600 sat the combined physics/chemistry paper. LC Accounting Fresh elements to questions in the Leaving Certificate Accounting Higher Level paper would have tested students, said teacher John O'Sullivan of Ashton School, Cork, and the ASTI. He said all except Question 1 contained theory questions, "which can be a challenge for accounting students who generally prefer the numerical side". Mr O'Sullivan also said that many students were assuming that Marginal Costing would appear in the Management Accounting section and those students may have been surprised by its omission. However, a student aspiring towards a high grade would have been happy . Ray O'Loughlin of the Institute of Education said that there was "a sting in the tail of many of the questions". Mr O'Loughlin noted an adjustment on Question 1 on manufacturing accounts and said the wording of the question was "a bit ambiguous". Mr O'Sullivan thought ordinary level students would have been "very satisfied with the choice and the standard of questions". JC Technical Graphics A new and refreshing approach to testing students' knowledge of 3D solids and their ability to sketch these solids was welcomed in the Junior Certificate Technical Graphics Higher Level paper. Teacher Michael Leyden of Abbey Vocational School, Donegal town, and the TUI, said it was a well structured paper but questions would have kept candidates busy right to the end of the exam. He described the ordinary level paper as "well pitched" for candidates. JC Materials Technology: Wood Fair, balanced and topical, was how teacher Noel Scott of Loreto Community School, Donegal, and the ASTI, summed up the Junior Certificate Materials Technology (Wood) Higher- Level paper. He said students regarded the papers at both levels as "friendly". Michael Leyden of Abbey Vocational School, Donegal Town, and the TUI, agreed, describing higher level as well structured, while ordinary level "covered a wide range of topics". PRECAUTIONS have been called for by public health doctors after 22 cases of measles have been confirmed in Kerry. The outbreak has been linked to a case in April when an infectious person travelled on a flight from Dublin to the county. Kerry University Hospital- which has not treated a patient with measles in several years, has appealed to people not to bring children to the hospital as visitors. If someone has suspected measles they should also not attend their GP surgery but instead ask for a home visit. The hospitals emergency consultant Martin Boyd said measles are very contagious. No serious complications in the fifteen cases recorded so far in Kerry have emerged. Earlier this month, the HSE public health departments and the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) said they were investigating an ongoing measles outbreak in different parts of Ireland. Outbreak control teams have been convened in HSE East, South and Midwest. Nineteen measles cases linked to the outbreak had been identified to date, of which 13 are confirmed and six are probable. All cases have occurred in individuals under 30 years of age, with most cases occurring in the 15-19 year age group. It is believed that the source of infection most likely came from another European country where measles outbreaks are occurring. Most of those who have been infected as a result of this outbreak did not know that they had been in contact with measles. It is also known that most had not received the MMR (Measles- Mumps- Rubella) vaccine. In drawing particular attention to this outbreak, the HSE, according to Dr Kevin Kelleher, Consultant in Public Health said they were looking to raise public awareness around the signs and symptoms of the condition and ensure that anyone with concerns addresses them immediately in order to receive a rapid diagnosis. This in turn allows the HSE HPSC Public Health teams to be fully responsive and in a position to implement all necessary control measures. Dr Kelleher stressed that measles is highly infectious, and if cases are isolated early, the risk of transmission to vulnerable individuals decreases. The time between exposure to the virus and developing measles rash is normally 14 days (range 7-21 days). People are infectious from 4 days before rash starts until 4 days after. People who are fully vaccinated with two doses of MMR vaccine are normally protected. Those most at risk are those who are not fully vaccinated with two doses of MMR, babies (younger than 12 months so too young to be vaccinated), and those with weakened immune systems if exposed. Measles symptoms include:High fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a red rash that starts on head and spread down the body- this normally starts a few days after onset of illness GPs have the biggest impact on a woman's decision to have regular cervical screening, according to a study. Currently over 4,500 doctors and nurses in GP practices, women's health, family planning and Well Woman clinics are registered to provide the free screening through Cervicalcheck. However, a study, led by the National Cancer Registry, found GPs have the crucial role in influencing women to have a test and making them acceptable. Women were predominantly very trusting of their GP and the information provided by them, said the study, spearheaded by Mairead O'Connor. Motivators to attend, according to focus groups involved in the study, included advice that screening can be life-saving. A positive attitude by their GP to screening strongly influenced their likelihood of attending for a test. It was suggested that doctors could bring up the issue while having a consultation with the patient about another health matter. Cervical screening is not a test for cancer but a check on the health of the cells of the cervix. Most women's test results will show that everything is normal, but for around 1 in 20 women the test shows some abnormal changes in the cells of the cervix. However, most of these changes won't lead to cervical cancer and the cells can return to normal without intervention. In some cases, the abnormal cells need to be removed so they cannot progress to cancer. Fall-off The Dublin Well Woman Centre in its most recent annual report noted a fall-off in the numbers of women attending for screening under the free Cervicalcheck programme. The greatest reduction in numbers attending for smear test is in the 25 29 age group. In 2006 some patients would have requested tests more frequently than the three year interval set by the Cervicalcheck screening programme. Due to emigration there may simply be less women in this age group to attend for screening, it said. The clinic also said another aspect of note is the reduction in older women attending for testing. Initially the smear programme did seem to increase the numbers of middle aged women getting tested but this appears to have levelled off. The average age for diagnosis of cervical cancer is 44 so it is important that this age group is seen. It recently emerged that the incidence of cervical cancer in poorer areas the country was 120pc higher than in better off regions between 2008 and 2012. Over 300,000 women were screened under the national screening programme Cervicalcheck between 2013 to 2014. Around 77pc of eligible women availed of the service from the point at which it was set up in 2009 to 2014. However, it means that nearly one third were not screened. Changes Meanwhile, a major assessment report is due later this year from the patient safety watchdog, the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) which is conducting research to determine if the method of cervical screening should be changed. The health technology assessment is independently evaluating the clinical, financial, ethical and organisational implications of establishing human papillomavirus (HPV) testing as the primary screening test for preventing cervical cancer. At present, liquid-based cytology is used as the primary screening tool by CervicalCheck. If low grade abnormalities are detected, the same sample is tested for HPV DNA to determine if the woman should be referred for further tests or back to routine screening. Changing the order of these tests - using HPV DNA testing as the primary test followed by liquid-based cytology- has the potential to improve the detection of cancerous and pre-cancerous cell changes and to increase the efficiency of the screening process. Gardai attended the scene of a serious crash at a busy Dublin thoroughfare yesterday evening. Emergency services also responded to the scene at the junction of South Circular Road and St John's Rd West. At least two Dublin Fire Brigade engines and two ambulances rushed to the scene of the incident, which occurred shortly before 8.30pm. Traffic approaching the junction from Kilmainham and Islandbridge was heavily congested as a result. Expand Close Scene of crash Credit: Jane Last / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Scene of crash Credit: Jane Last Evening commuters suffered major tailbacks, as far back as Heuston Station and on to the quays, while the area was cleared . Rolling road closures were also put in place on the south Circular Road. The crash was cleared at around 9.30pm - but commuters experienced some knock on delays. There are no reports of any serious injuries. Dublin Traffic - Delays outbound on St. Johns Road West due to a collision at JCN with SCR & Con Colbert Road. Gardai at scene An Garda Siochana (@GardaTraffic) June 21, 2016 More to follow... Brid Smith, People before profit, Anti-Austerity Alliance candidate, celebrates after winning the final seat in the Dublin South-Central constituency at the RDS Count centre. Credit: Damien Eagers Suspending bin charges won't stop the public backlash or solve the current waste crisis, according to a TD. Suspending the charges is just what they did to the water charges in the hope that it goes away in a years time. "People arent going to be happy about this. They want something thats legislated thats set in stone thats going to stop these companies pushing up the bin charges, TD Brid Smith said s told RTEs Today with Sean ORourke. Smith argued that the waste management companies have operated a price cartel where smaller companies were pushed out and the larger companies have a monopoly on the industry. The problem was privatisation in the first instance. Once you imposed a charge theres going to be massive competition in this area. The competition will become so massive, chaotic, expensive and inefficient and thats exactly what happened. An essential service needs to be in public hands not in the market of viscous competition, she said. Conor Walsh, Secretary of Irish Waste Management, said it was complete nonsense that the waste companies were even talking to each other about prices. Walsh confirmed this morning that the new pay-by-weight charges will be suspended for 12 months to allow time to address the problems. He told Sean ORourke that the bin companies have to decide individually on a price which will sort itself out through competition. We all support pay-by-weight. Companies understand they will lose money on this, he said. Fine Gael TD Fergus ODowd said that the suspension of the charges is a golden opportunity to change the current system. A very significant number of people under the pay-by-weight will actually be paying less not more. The problem is some companies have hiked up their prices for a medium waste user, he said. We need to change our ways. Houses in Drogheda will go from 311 per year to 608 per year for putting out less waste and that is absolutely unacceptable. We have an opportunity now for fair and for balanced charges four people to reduce waste. ODowd called for a fairer system where people with disabilities and larger families are offered an exemption. Walsh said the Irish Waste Management Association have agreed to provide a weight allowance to HSE patients supplied with incontinence wear to reduce their annual waste charges. Some people will pay less, some people will pay more. There will be winners and losers, he said. THE Taoiseach Enda Kenny has led special Dail tributes to slain British MP Jo Cox who was killed in Yorkshire last Thursday. Mr Kenny said the killing was an attack on democracy and its workings. Fianna Fail leader said the killing of an elected representative must be reflected upon by everyone. Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams said she was a remarkable young woman and a human rights champion. Labour leader Brendan Howlin said everyone was entitled to the strongest possible opinions - but they must be expressed moderately. Read More For the AAA-PBP Richard Boyd Barrett said she was a champion of the rights of Palestinians, Syrians and others suffering oppression. Independent TD Maureen O'Sullivan said Ms Cox had been robbed of her potential and cut down in her prime. Independent Rural Alliance TD said Ms Cox was clearly full of energy and determination and was a huge loss to her community and family. Taoiseach Enda Kenny has pledged to continue to meet with north inner city groups in Dublin about rebuilding areas affected by gangland violence. This is expected to happen "over the next couple of weeks", Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe has said. Mr Donohoe was speaking after a meeting between the Taoiseach and public representatives from the Dublin Central area yesterday. This focused on the interventions that need to be put in place to help communities. The Government's plans on the matter are expected to be made known before the Dail recess. "We will be clear by the Dail recess what it is we want to do in the long run," he said. "We will also be clear on what short-term interventions will be put in place to make a difference. "In relation to the need for local employment, we are going to have more economic activity in the north inner city than we have seen for many years." He mentioned the development of a local apprenticeship programme as one of the ways in which this could be delivered. Fears that the areas affected by recent murders would be seen "in a very stereotyped way" also need to be addressed, according to Tanaiste and Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald. "There are wonderful services in the area but there are clearly long-term issues, particularly around education and housing and supports for vulnerable families," she said. "Right now we need to have the level of intensive policing which is happening in the inner city. Community policing will be developed right across the country and that is more possible as we bring more Garda recruits into Templemore." It might not be the weekend yet, but there was never a rule written about enjoying pancakes midweek. While the options on modern brunch menus are endless, a tall stack of pancakes cannot be beaten. Here are five of the best places to stop by and grab a plate of pancakes and crepes in Dublin: 1. Moloughneys, Clontarf Wishing I still had this plate of pancakes in front of me #foodporn #yum #instafood #love A photo posted by Amy (@whatshedoesnow) on Nov 30, 2015 at 8:53am PST Located on Vernon Avenue just a stones throw from the seafront, Moloughneys is an ideal spot to drop in for breakfast any day of the week. The pancakes are fluffy and slightly crispy on the outside, while the streaky bacon and maple syrup combination is to die for. 2. Lemon Crepe and Coffee Co., City Centre Lemon is possibly the most well-known crepe spot in the city centre and for good reason. They offer sweet and savoury options, from traditional strawberries and cream to Mexicano-style. All crepes are less than a tenner too, which is a major bonus. 3. Le Petit Breton, Drumcondra #Ireland #dublin #sunday #brunch #irishbreakfast #crepe #coffee A photo posted by Junghye Park (@junghye35) on Apr 24, 2016 at 5:55am PDT Le Petit Breton is a relatively new creperie in Drumcondra, but it has already made a name for itself as a place to watch. The Irish breakfast crepe gives the best of both worlds, combining a fry-up with crepes, while the homemade salted caramel sauce is mouth-wateringly good. 4. Yogism, City Centre MORNING DEALS Half portion of #pancakes and @3fecoffee #coffee - 6 DROP BY we are open from 9am - 7pm at #GeorgesArcade A photo posted by YOGISM (@yogism) on May 6, 2016 at 12:17am PDT If youre looking a healthier pancake option, Yogism is your place to go. The Yogism website describes their pancakes as as delicious as they are healthy, and that couldnt be more true. Theres even a vegan option, which can be hard to come across. 5. Ginos, City Centre Ginos is a great choice if you want to grab your food and go while browsing around the city centre. The crepes are made before your eyes and then wrapped into a cone container - ideal for diving in to on a morning stroll. IT IS a simple and compassionate gesture that can make a big difference to a hospital patient who is battling illness in unfamiliar and lonely surroundings. The campaign to urge more staff to introduce themselves with the greeting Hello My Name Is... is now spreading globally. St Jamess Hospital in Dublin is the latest to make it part of the daily automatic routine on its wards. The campaign was started by Kate Granger, a 31-year-old English doctor who was struck by a lack of the personal touch when she was being treated for terminal cancer three years ago. I want my legacy to be a better health service, the consultant said. The doctor who told her the cancer had spread did not introduce himself or look her in the eye. Her campaign reminds staff to go back to basics, build trust and make a human connection with patients by, at the very least, giving their names. St Jamess Hospital chief executive Lorcan Birthistle commented: The simple exchange of names between any member of hospital staff and a patient is how the foundations of a relationship, built on trust and compassion, is fostered. We take a holistic approach to the care of our patients. The launch of the Hello my name is campaign reinforces our continued commitment to the delivery of person-centred care. A troubling phenomenon is emerging across the US as sociologists confront the new reality that marriage is becoming a class-bound institution. There, 30pc of the population are thriving - they enjoy a reasonably well-paid job and good career prospects, their lives are satisfying and most are married. They and their children aspire to and usually achieve their goal of getting a degree. The remaining 70pc have a different profile. They do not have careers and their income is low. Their social mobility is static or downward. Their family structure differs also in that marriage is much less common. It is of course unclear whether these features are the causes or the result of the class divide. Some 100 family scholars came together in 2015, of whom David Blankenhorn, President of the Institute of American Values, was one. Their objective was to examine the role of family structure and they concluded that "American marriage today is a class-based and class propagating institution". Blankenhorn is the author to the preface of a report published a few days ago by the Iona Institute, of which I am a patron. The purpose of this was to examine if marriage patterns in Ireland are showing the same trends as in the US. Popular opinion has it that marriage is still very popular in Ireland - after all over 22,000 couples married in 2015, compared to 16,000 in 1996. However, when we examine the rate per 1,000 of the population, there is a different picture. In 1973 the rate was 7.5 per 1000 and in 2014, 4.8 per 1000. Data from the 2011 census, presented in our report, showed 65.7pc of those in the professional group (social class A) were married compared to 31.8pc in the unskilled group (social class I). Cohabitation is broadly similar across socio-economic groups ranging from 13.2pc down to 10.2pc while lone parenting was at 4.1pc in group A and 9.4pc in group I. So, the pattern with regard to marriage is similar in Ireland to other English-speaking countries with the exception of divorce, which remains low in Ireland by EU standards. What the cause of this trend is remains unclear, but one possibility is that the social welfare system may be creating an impediment to marriage. The Department of Social Protection found in 2008 that a couple, one a single mother and a partner on jobseekers allowance, would be disadvantaged financially if living together while their joint income would be almost 70 higher if living apart. Another explanation might be that attitudes to marriage have changed, with many seeing marriage as conferring no particular benefits on society and some regarding it as patriarchal. Yet, why this should preferentially deter the lower socio-economic groups is unclear since these ideas are more likely to dominate among those attending third-level institutions, yet this is the group that continues to marry in large numbers. A stimulating book on this topic is Robert Putnam's Our Kids. Putnam, recognised as a "public intellectual", has drawn attention to the increasing disparity between the social classes in a variety of measures such as school sports, obesity, maternal employment, single parenthood, financial stress, college graduation, church attendance and friendship networks. Like the other writers on this topic he is unsure of the cause, but suggests that changes in industry, replacing unskilled workers on the manufacturing lines with robots, has created mass unemployment and the collapse of the working-class family. Does it matter that marriage is declining in large swathes of the population in the Western World? It matters at several levels. The first is that we need to find out why certain socio-economic groups are deterred from marriage. The Marriage Opportunity Council in the US has been established to examine this question. We know that there is a relationship between marriage and poverty and according to Isabel Sawhill of the Brookings Institute (a liberal-leaning think tank in the US) if the marriage rate in 2001 was the same as in 1970, the poverty rate would have been 20-30pc lower than its actual rate. Open, a lone parent support organisation in Ireland, says that over a quarter of adults and children in one-parent households in Ireland are at risk of poverty. Finally, poverty is associated with increased rates of mental illness, especially depressive illness and anxiety disorders. Thus it is in everybody's interest to begin a conversation about marriage, poverty and the wider ramifications on society before an atomised, disengaged and angry subgroup rears its head in our cities, as forecast by Putnam. Paul Lannon, who has been living with MND since 2011, with his wife Sandra, at a visit to the Aras in May 2015 Photo: Martin Maher In June he climbed four mountains in 16 hours - by November he was struggling to do four push-ups in a row. For Kilkenny-native Paul Lannon, the descent into illness was both rapid and wholly unexpected. Not yet 40 when he did the Four Peaks challenge, the former bar worker and fork-lift driver was a successful executive with JP Morgan, earning an excellent salary, and travelling all over the world for his job, visiting regions of China, Russia, and South America. He often jokes that the only continent he hasn't set foot on is Africa. Despite a heavy workload as vice president of operations with the bank, Paul found time to help raise more than 16,000 for Focus Ireland during the gruelling Four Peaks Challenge - climbing four Irish mountains in three days in June 2010. "At the time I was 15 stone and led a completely sedentary lifestyle; the most exercise I got in a day was walking the dogs for 20 minutes before leaving for work." Paul was always a guy who liked a challenge and never shirked hard work - ever since he was old enough, he'd worked in the family pub, known as Dickeys, in Knocktopher, Co Kilkenny. He later managed a bar and drove a fork-lift truck in England, and spent time in construction in Germany before returning to Ireland, landing a job in the logistics sector and working his way up. "If something came up at work that I thought would be a challenge, I'd put myself forward for it," he recalls, adding that he trained from February 2010 until June, losing nearly two stone by the time the event took place. "I was over the moon about it," he recalls now, "and we raised over 16,000 for Focus Ireland too." Read More A motorbike fanatic and self-confessed "petrol-head", Paul, who now lives in Dunleer, Co Louth, had transformed his previously sedentary life to lose weight and get fit when the hammer-blows began. In September, just a few months after completing the Four Peaks Challenge, the executive noticed his index finger and wrist were starting to get tired more easily. "Using the computer mouse at work, I'd find my index finger and my wrists were getting tired and I'd use my left hand instead." Initially, he recalls, his doctor thought it was a repetitive strain injury - Paul spent many hours on the computer at work. However, he was also starting to notice that while working on his beloved motorbike, his right arm was becoming increasingly fatigued, and he always seemed to involuntarily drop nuts and bolts. By November of that year, he noticed that when he was in the gym - he'd kept going in a bid to maintain his fitness levels - he couldn't do his push-ups. "I was struggling after four or five of them. At that stage I also noticed that my index finger was bending." Concerned, he sought advice, underwent a battery of tests and on May 8, 2011 was officially diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND). Read More It was just a month before his 41st birthday and less than a year after his victorious climb of the Four Peaks, when his doctors told him they could guarantee he would live for 12 months and that "everything after that would be a bonus". Paul was now one of a group of some 350 people living with MND in Ireland. MND is often referred to as the 1,000-day disease as most people die within 1,000 days of being diagnosed. "I went from being able to lift two kegs of beer at a time to needing two hands to lift a pint glass of water," recalls Paul, who says his wife Sandra and family network have been a tremendous support. He resigned from his job in June 2014 and instead focused on becoming an ambassador for the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association (IMNDA), which provides support to people with motor neurone disease, their carers, families and friends. "I do whatever I can do to help raise awareness and funding while I'm still able to do it," he explains. "I go to events and give talks, and help other, recently diagnosed people come to terms with the disease." Read More Paul can no longer lift the kettle. Dressing himself is now impossible. He also had to get rid of his motorbike, another major blow - since his youth, Paul had a fascination with motor sport. His father and uncle had always raced go-karts and the pair were well known in the go-kart world with 15 Irish titles between them. Paul had eagerly followed their footsteps, racing go-karts, cars and motorcycles. Now, however, Paul cannot move his arms above chest height. His fingers and thumbs don't work as they used to, and he experiences difficulty with speech and eating. "You have bad days, especially when you're trying to do something and you drop something for the fourth or fifth time in a row. "Sometimes it is difficult, but you try to stay positive and I have a great support network." Paul urges everyone to support the IMNDA Drink Tea for MND day, which takes place tomorrow as part of MND awareness month. Supporters can literally 'lift a cup' to IMNDA by ordering the special Supervalu Tea Pack and organising their own 'Drink Tea for MND' day. "This is an extremely worthy cause and we would encourage as many people as possible to lend their support to the campaign," says Des O'Mahony, SuperValu marketing manager. Motor neurone disease (MND) is a progressive neurological condition that attacks the motor neurones, or nerves, in the brain and spinal cord. This means messages gradually stop reaching muscles, which leads to weakness and wasting. MND can affect how you walk, talk, eat, drink and breathe. Read More However, not all symptoms necessarily happen to everyone and it is unlikely they will all develop at the same time, or in any specific order. The Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association (IMNDA) is the only organisation of its kind in this country. It was set up in May 1985 to provide care and support to people with motor neurone disease, their carers, families and friends. The IMNDA provides specialised services for people affected by this debilitating disease such as equipment on loan, financial assistance towards home help, advice and home visits by three MND nurses. In order to provide these vital services the IMNDA depends heavily on the generosity of the public and supporters of the association, who generate over 86pc of its income. * For further information visit imnda.ie, phone 01 8730422 or contact the helpline: Freefone 1800 403 403 or email: info@imnda.ie. If you can't organise a tea day it's possible to make a small donation. Text MND to 50300 and donate 2. What is MND? Motor neurone disease (MND) is a progressive neurological condition that attacks the motor neurones, or nerves, in the brain and spinal cord. This means messages gradually stop reaching muscles, which leads to weakness and wasting. MND can affect how you walk, talk, eat, drink and breathe. However, not all symptoms necessarily happen to everyone and it is unlikely they will all develop at the same time, or in any specific order. The Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association (IMNDA) is the only organisation of its kind in this country. It was set up in May 1985 to provide care and support to people with motor neurone disease, their carers, families and friends. The IMNDA provides specialised services for people affected by this debilitating disease such as equipment on loan, financial assistance towards home help, advice and home visits by three MND nurses. In order to provide these vital services the IMNDA depends heavily on the generosity of the public and supporters of the association, who generate over 86pc of its income. Not many people have the patience to wash brand new clothes before wearing them. They go straight into the wardrobe or, sometimes, straight on us that day. The tag is ripped off and the new items are debuted for everyone to see. However, experts say that new clothes should always go for a wash before wearing them as they arent as clean as we think. New clothing often contains harsh chemicals that can cause rashes and itchiness. Many synthetic fabrics contain azo-aniline dyes, which can cause reactions in those who are allergic, professor of dermatology Donald Belsito told The Wall Street Journal. Furthermore, garments are often treated with chemicals before they are sold to prevent them from creasing and to prolong freshness, which can also cause allergic reactions. Even worse, you never know exactly who has tried on your new favourite piece before you bought it or how many times it was worn. Taking that into consideration, bacteria, lice, fungus and dead skin cells are among just some of the things that can be transferred onto clothes from being tried on in store. Thats reason enough to put on a wash, if theres ever been one. KLM will take off from Dublin Airport for the first time in 50 years KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is set to operate flights from Dublin to Amsterdam starting from the end of October. The airline today revealed that it will run two direct flights a day between Dublin Airport and its European hub at Amsterdam Schiphol. The flights are the first KLM has scheduled from Dublin in 50 years. Passengers will be able to connect through Amsterdam via two daily flights starting from October 30 - with departures from Dublin at 5.55am and 1.15pm. A big win for Dublin Airport, the route is also a clear play for transfer business, with KLMs long-haul network offering connections to some 130 destinations, including Johannesburg, Havana, Beijing and Hong Kong. Flights from Amsterdam to Dublin will operate from 12pm and 9.20pm, the airline said, with fares starting from 99 return. The announcement makes Amsterdam one of the best connected cities from Dublin, with daily flights already in operation by Aer Lingus and Ryanair. KLM's new service will be operated using Embraer 190 aircraft, offering three travel classes - business, economy and economy comfort. The Dutch airline was the first continental carrier to serve Dublin Airport in 1947, but ceased its route in 1966 and hasn't operated from the capital since. The flights are the 16th new service announced from Dublin this year. Read more: Premium Colette Browne Opinion Every effort must be made to retrieve oral histories of mother and baby home survivors With three days to go until the Mother and Baby Homes Commission ceases to exist as a legal entity, we are being told that audio recordings of hundreds of witnesses which were deleted may not actually be gone forever. It is another usual twist in a most emotional saga. For decades, survivors of mother and baby homes have been denied a voice and denied autonomy. When they fell pregnant, many through rape and abuse, they were marched to the doors of religious institutions. An almost universal consensus has emerged among polling houses in the UK suggesting that we're heading for a British exit from the European Union. Since June 9, opinion polls have shown an averaging lead of 4pc in favour of leaving the EU. However, the poor performance of polling houses prior to the 2015 UK general election casts considerable doubt over these polls. Indeed, the betting markets remain sceptical, predicting that Britain will remain in the EU. To evaluate the predictive capacity of the polls, we can examine the historical relationship between polls and referendum results. Looking at the 25 most recent referendums in the UK and Ireland, it is clear that there are situations where polls are very good predictors and there are situations where polls are very bad predictors. Shedding some light on whether Britain is likely to leave the European Union, a multivariate regression model points to two key ingredients necessary for polls to be good predictors. The first ingredient is a short time until polling day. Unlike a general election, where long-held preconceptions about political parties influence voting preferences, referendum outcomes are more heavily influenced by the campaign and its arguments. As we get closer to polling day, opinions harden and polls become increasingly better predictors of the final outcome. Polls two months before polling day tended to be poor predictors - with an average error of 12pc; polls one week before polling day tended to be incorrect by an average error of 7pc; and polls three days out tended to have an average error of just 4pc. While these are, of course, large margins that cast sufficient doubt on the veracity of predictions of a Brexit, it is clear that we should take the polls this week much more seriously. The second ingredient is a high turnout. While successive polling inquiries have blamed electors in the form of 'Shy Tories', 'Late Swingers', or 'Lazy Labour', the underlying failure has been a more disconcerting inability to create samples representative of those that turn out and vote. This shortcoming has produced polls that have overestimated whichever party or position has the support of - typically younger - electors less likely to turn out, while underestimating whichever party or position tends to have the support - typically of older - electors more likely to turn out. In each of the last six UK general elections, either the Labour Party or the Liberal Democrats has been overestimated by an average of at least 3pc in the final week. In Ireland, Fianna Fail, with considerable support among older voters, has also been underestimated in the last two Irish general elections as well as the most recent set of local elections. Across Europe, political polling consistently overestimates support for parties belonging to the broad family of the centre-left parties, again with supporters from demographic groups less likely to turn out. Equivalently, support for liberal positions in referendums in Ireland on abortion, divorce or gay marriage, which typically have the support of younger voters, have also been consistently overestimated in the polls immediately prior to polling day. In this referendum, younger voters and those less engaged with the issue tend to be in favour of remaining in the EU. Given this flaw, it is therefore no surprise that polls are more inaccurate where turnout is low. The data shows that polls were far better at predicting the final outcome where turnout was higher. The average error in referendums with a higher turnout (of 50pc) was just 2pc. Whereas the average error in referendums with a lower turnout (of 30pc) was an enormous 19pc. Given that turnout is likely to be at least 60pc in this referendum, the considerable negative effects of differential turnout are likely to be somewhat diminished. However, all is not entirely clear. What complicates this analysis is that for the first time, pollsters are attempting to tackle the turnout issue. Previously, polling agencies created polls to be representative of the wider population and dealt with the turnout by asking respondents how likely it was that they would vote. However, younger electors willing and available to respond to political polls were not representative of their demographic group as a whole, overestimating their likelihood to turn out. In this campaign, polling firms have developed turnout models to estimate the demography of those who turn out and vote. While historical evidence indicates that these polls are likely to be relatively accurate, with such a tight margin and with polling methodologies in flux, these polls should be treated with extreme caution. Dr Kevin Cunningham is a lecturer in statistics The British electorate decides on Thursday, in the most important decision facing the country since 1945, whether to leave the European Union after some four decades of membership. In a campaign that has been high on hyperbole, the 'Leave' leaders have failed - remarkably - to address the single most important question that it needs to answer. That is the alternative that it wishes Britain to adopt instead of membership of the EU. The fact that it hasn't been able to articulate this with clarity sells the electorate short at such an important moment in Britain's history. To be sure, former London mayor Boris Johnson had seemed to advocate in March for the United Kingdom to have the type of bilateral deal that Canada may be on the cusp of concluding with the EU after around seven years of negotiations. Yet he has since appeared to row back from this after not appearing to know that the agreement, which is still to be concluded, has taken some seven years to negotiate and does not cover services, which represent around 80pc of the UK economy. Fellow leave campaigner Michael Gove has asserted that the United Kingdom should "be outside but have access to" the EU's single market, which one of his Conservative political heroes, Margaret Thatcher, negotiated in the 1980s and on which a significant array of British jobs and investment depend. But beyond saying that he favours a bilateral deal with the EU, he too has failed to fully articulate what the specifics of this vision encompass. A key reason for the Leave camp's inability to tackle this question head-on is that there is no existing alternative which comes close to providing the same balance of influence and advantages that Britain gets from its status inside the 28-member union. For all the EU's flaws, and it has many that need to be better tackled, the United Kingdom now enjoys a uniquely positive position in what is the world's largest political and economic union. For instance, Britain has all the benefits of the single market economic powerhouse, but is not part of the eurozone; it has retained a budgetary rebate and ensured that it cannot be outvoted by eurozone countries against UK interests. And Britain is not part of the Schengen border-free area, which means that it operates border controls with other EU member states. The stark reality is that while the nature of bilateral agreements with the EU varies, all of them have major disadvantages, including the fact that none of them provide full access to services. Moreover, Leave campaigners have generally shied away from the implications of what access to the single market may entail without EU membership. Take the example of Norway, which has considerable access to the single market, except in areas such as agriculture and fisheries. In exchange, it is required to adhere to EU rules without having a vote on them, as EU members such as Britain do now; it accepts free movement of people; makes contributions to EU programmes and budgets; and is still required to perform customs checks on goods crossing into the EU. Moreover, such free trade deals with the EU generally take years to negotiate, with no guarantees that the United Kingdom would obtain terms as good as those in operation today. Furthermore, preferential access to 53 markets outside Europe, with which the EU has free-trade agreements, would come to an end or need to be eventually renegotiated bilaterally in the coming years. Outside of the economic realm, such free trade deals also offer no guarantees that the United Kingdom could fully replicate existing co-operation in areas like policing and security. Moreover, with Britain now accounting for less than 1pc of the global population and around 3pc of global GDP, leaving the EU will also undermine the way in which membership helps to enhance wider UK influence in the world, both politically and economically. Remarkably, even the commonly acknowledged worst-case scenario - that the United Kingdom may not reach any new agreement with the EU on a new arrangement - has been welcomed by prominent leave campaigner Nigel Farage, the leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party. Farage has noted in cavalier fashion that this "worst-case scenario is better than where we are today", despite the fact that it would mean Britain's trading arrangements reverting to so-called WTO (World Trade Organisation) rules, the most complete break with the EU of any post-Brexit arrangement, which former WTO director-general Pascal Lamy has condemned as a "terrible replacement" for single market access. Taken overall, and despite the flaws of the EU, it is clear that continued membership is the best available choice for Britain, so that it can help lead the charge to reform the union from within. Given the Leave camp's failure to answer the most fundamental questions about the UK's post-Brexit future, the sensible answer is to remain. Andrew Hammond is an associate at LSE IDEAS (the Centre for International Affairs, Diplomacy and Strategy) at the London School of Economics Its one of the biggest riddles there is: how can couples emerge from an unhappy marriage with a relatively low body count, and minimal blowback for all involved? Couples have been trying this for decades, with varying degrees of success. There has been the dont get mad, get everything faction of wives, who made the ugly divorce into an art form. Some, like Amber Heard and Johnny Depp, have walked headlong into a full-scale soap opera. Others have battled through, staying in a miserable union for several reasons (money, children, rising rents), and therefore, staying miserable. And then, there have been the conscious uncouplers: those who have taken a leaf from Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrows book and managed to part with as little acrimony as possible. Just this week, Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon enjoyed some family fun on Fathers Day with their two children Moroccan and Monroe. Nick may have rapped about divorce and child custody woes in a recent song, but the pair proved that theres nothing but love and respect between them with a heart-warming Instagram snap. Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr still profess to be great mates, while Amber Rose and Wiz Khalifa actually went out and celebrated their divorce last month together. Expand Close Exes Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Exes Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr Most splitting couples are avowed in their intentions to keep things as civilised as possible. But hurt hearts, bruised egos and the emotional sting of court proceedings often put paid to even the best intentions. The secret to a functional divorce, according to a new BBC show Mr v Mrs: Call The Mediator, is the introduction of a third party to the whole process. Divorce mediators arent there to help anyone with the emotional reasons behind the break-up. Theyre not a counselling service, or one with a view to getting the couple back together. Video of the Day The mediators job, as it stands, is to help a divorcing pair agree on a settlement around assets and child custody. If a mediator is doing their job right, the couple is spared the expense of lengthy court proceedings, and the anguish of a tit-for-tat throwdown. Most of all, both parties will feel as though theyve been sufficiently heard. The success rate is high: nearly 90pc achieve a satisfactory deal, according to primary provider, National Family Mediation (NFM). Presiding over events on the BBC series is charismatic Irene Jackson, who has seen more than her fair share of struggling couples. In all cases, theres an element of emotion involved, she explains. An element of sadness. Its our job to take the negativity out of the room. Money is often a sticking point for couples struggling to split. One of my lines is do you want to spend this money on court and legal fees or on your own children? says Irene. Most respond well to that, but for some it is the principle. Its not uncommon for the rot to have set in an unhappy marriage for so long; so much so that people have long missed the telltale signs that their marriage is on the rocks. Here are the biggest signals that you may be headed for marital strife, and how to pull back from the brink: 1. You communicate using the four horsemen Lisa OHara, relationship counsellor at Mind & Body Works, pinpoints the four horsemen of the apocalypse that signify doom: criticism, contempt, defensiveness and stonewalling. Research shows that contempt is the greatest predictor of a break-up, she says. Every relationship has a minor element of one of these, but if you see all four, the relationships has serious problems. 2. Youre attracted to other people Its one thing having an office boyfriend, but anything more sinister than harmless flirtation spells trouble. If youre behaving in a way or thinking in a way that might give your partner cause for concern, that is something to think about, says Lisa. In terms of fancying someone and paying real attention to them well, do know the difference between harmless and something else. 3. Youre not sexually in sync Says Lisa: Sex can often be a mirror of a relationship. If theres no sex, you have to see if you are connecting at all on any level. For other people, its the only way theyre connecting, and thats a problem too. 4. Youre not interested in your partners life Having separate interests is one thing; quite another is a different life entirely. Men will often say that (in session), explains Lisa. Theyll say, shes not a bit interested in what I do for work. People like their partners to be interested. It gives them a chance to connect. Helen Dunne, a relationship counsellor at Access Counselling, agrees: Everyone needs their own friendships and hobbies, but its important to have relationship hobbies and friendships, too. Co-dependence when youre relying on a person to tell you how youre going to be that day is a real problem. 5. Your only bond is the children If your relationship is predominantly a parenting one as opposed to a couple one, its likely that you no longer have that intimacy, reveals Lisa. A lot of couples notice when their children leave the nest that they have no real relationship, and they want help to separate. 6. Youre not communicating at all Lisa notes that a significant number of clients present the same issue: Women often feel if theyre bringing up a problem in their relationship, their complaints arent being heard. Theres a period where nothing is happening in the relationship and as time goes on, she may turn around and say Im leaving you. If shes going quiet, its because shes becoming resentful and not holding him in high regard. 7. Youre fighting in the wrong way Mary Johnson, director of counselling at Accord, asserts that some healthy disputes can be no bad thing. Conflict shouldnt be seen as a negative thing, once its well-handled, she says. Couples can have differing opinions and some couples are better than others at managing that. You can deal with issues without being personally insulting, or resorting to name-calling. 8. Youre no longer working as a team One person in the family might feel overloaded in terms of responsibility, observes Mary. Sharing out housework and childcare doesnt have to be 50/50, but if one person isnt helping out when they quite feasibly can, that will cause issues. Rearing kids can cause difficulties too, if you have different views on how to rear them. Its best to sit down and discuss how you will both rear them, especially if one parent is more relaxed in their way than the other. 9. Youre no longer laughing When the fun goes out of the relationship, it will quickly start to sour, asserts Helen. The cracks soon start to show at some level, so its important to keep laughing and having fun together. Mr V Mrs: Call The Mediator is on BBC 2 tonight at 9pm Police inspects cars going into the airport of the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, November 7, 2015. REUTERS/Asmaa WaguihAA British Airways has extended its suspension of flights to the Egyptian resort of Sharm al-Sheikh indefinitely, becoming the first major UK airline to cancel departures for the crucial winter season in Egypt. British and Russian governments banned their airlines from flying to Sharm al-Sheikh, a popular winter sun destination, because of concerns about security at the local airport after the suspected bombing of a Russian passenger jet in October 2015 killed all 224 people on board. Tourism is a key source of income for the Egyptian economy but the number of tourists fell 40 percent in the first quarter of 2016, partly hurt by the flight ban keeping British and Russian tourists away. "The safety and security of our customers will always be our top priorities and we have suspended our flights from Gatwick to Sharm al-Sheikh indefinitely," British Airways said in a statement on Tuesday. Customers with bookings on any cancelled services for the winter season will be offered a full refund or can put the money towards a new flight to an alternative destination, it added. Other British airlines, such as Monarch and easyJet, have previously said they hoped to restart flights to Sharm al-Sheikh for the winter season beginning in October, although that is dependent on advice from the UK government, which has so far not changed. Egyptian tourism minister Yehia Rashed last month called on the British and Russian governments to rethink their position on the flight ban. Egypt's efforts to revive its tourism industry suffered a fresh blow in May when an EgyptAir plane crashed into the Mediterranean, killing all 66 people on board. The cause of the crash is still unknown. Expand Close Russian Emergency Situations Ministry employees and police officers are seen as they take a car to drive to the area of a plane crash at the Rostov-on-Don airport, about 950 kilometers (600 miles) south of Moscow, Russia Saturday, March 19, 2016 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Russian Emergency Situations Ministry employees and police officers are seen as they take a car to drive to the area of a plane crash at the Rostov-on-Don airport, about 950 kilometers (600 miles) south of Moscow, Russia Saturday, March 19, 2016 Monarch has cancelled all flights up to October 30, easyJet for the rest of the summer season, while tour operators Thomson and First Choice, part of the TUI Group, have cancelled until Sept. 28. "Should the travel advice change prior to 30 October, Monarch will reassess the situation and decide when to restart services to Sharm El Sheikh," Monarch said. A screengrab taken from a video showing the abducted girls in full-length hijab, praying in an undisclosed location Photo: AFP/Getty A multinational force has begun operations against Boko Haram along the border between Niger and Nigeria, a general from Niger said on Tuesday. Brigadier-General Abdou Sidikou Issa, tactical chief of staff for troops based in Niger's southern zone of Diffa, a region plagued by the Islamist militant group, said troops from Chad and Nigeria were involved in the operation. It began in secret almost a week ago. This is not the first time the nations in the Lake Chad basin -- Niger, Nigeria, Chad and Cameroon -- have joined forces against Boko Haram, a violent Islamist group which started in Nigeria seven years ago and has since launched deadly attacks in all four countries. "The operations have as their objective (to end) the occupation of all the zones currently occupied by Boko Haram," Issa said. "Our role is to firmly secure the border." Expand Close Amina Ali, the rescue Chibok school girl, sits during a meeting with Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential palace in Abuja, Nigeria, Thursday, May. 19, 2016 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Amina Ali, the rescue Chibok school girl, sits during a meeting with Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential palace in Abuja, Nigeria, Thursday, May. 19, 2016 The multinational force, headquartered in Chad's capital of N'Djamena, began trying to dislodge the militants from areas where they are active last year. Niger and Chad have performed joint army operations against Boko Haram, which wants to establish an Islamic state in West Africa, since early 2015. Chad this month committed soldiers to the latest counter-attack against Boko Haram after its fighters attacked the southern Niger town of Bosso, killing 26 soldiers. A makeshift memorial to the victims of the Pulse nightclub mass shooting in Orlando, Florida (AP) The US Attorney General Loretta Lynch has arrived in Orlando to meet with prosecutors, first responders and families of the victims of last week's nightclub shooting. The trip comes as the US Justice Department continues investigating the June 12 massacre at the Pulse nightclub, in which 49 people died and dozens were injured. Federal investigators have not ruled out charges against others in connection with the shooting and say they are still trying to determine why Omar Mateen, who died in a gunfight with police, targeted a popular gay nightclub. Ms Lynch arrived at the FBI office in Orlando to be briefed by US Attorney Lee Bentley and other law enforcement officials, including prosecutors assigned to the investigation. "I think there's a real benefit to having her here to see everything first hand," Mr Bentley said. More clues emerged when the FBI released a partial transcript of phone calls Mateen had with a 911 emergency operator and police crisis negotiators once the shooting was under way. He identified himself as an Islamic soldier, demanded to a crisis negotiator that the US "stop bombing" Syria and Iraq, warned of future violence in the coming days and at one point pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State group, the FBI said. Despite his declarations, the FBI said it has found no evidence the attack was directed by a foreign terrorist organisation. Mateen instead appears to have radicalised on his own through jihadist propaganda on the internet. The statements to police, which one FBI official said were made in a "chilling, calm and deliberate manner" were similar to posts he apparently made to Facebook around the time of the shooting. "I let you know, I'm in Orlando and I did the shootings," Mateen said in one call that came more than half an hour after shots were fired, the FBI said. Shortly after the call with a 911 operator, Mateen had three conversations with crisis negotiators in which he identified himself as an Islamic soldier and told a negotiator to tell America to stop bombing Syria and Iraq. He said that was why he was "out here right now", according to the excerpt. The shooting has fostered discussion about US government efforts to identify and prevent individuals looking to commit violence - Mateen had been interviewed by the FBI three times since 2013 as part of two separate investigations and placed on a terror watch list - but also about whether stiffer gun control laws are needed. The US Senate Monday rejected proposals from both parties on Monday to keep extremists from acquiring guns, including one that was publicly supported by the Justice Department. Ms Lynch has said federal investigators are still unresolved as to what drove Mateen to violence and to what extent he may also have been motivated by anti-gay hatred. Investigators have done hundreds of interviews, including with family members, and are working in particular to determine how much knowledge his wife had of the plot. Ms Lynch's meeting with first responders comes as Orlando police face continued questions about the response to the rampage. On Monday, police Chief John Mina said that if any fire from responding officers hit victims at the club, gunman Mateen bears the responsibility. He would not give further details but said: "Here's what I will tell you. Those killings are on the suspect, on the suspect alone in my mind." AP Congolese former vice-president Jean-Pierre Bemba has been sentenced to 18 years in prison by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and sexual violence. Bemba has been jailed for murders, rapes and acts of pillaging committed by his troops in the neighbouring Central African Republic (CAR) in 2002 and 2003. Presiding judge Sylvia Steiner said Bemba will get credit for the eight years he has already spent in ICC detention since his arrest in May 2008. Bemba, a former Congolese senator and vice president, was the commander of the Movement for the Liberation of Congo when he was asked in 2002 and 2003 to send troops by CAR president Ange-Felix Patasse to provide support during a civil war. International non-governmental organisation Human Rights Watch said the ruling offered "a measure of justice for victims of sexual violence and other grave crimes in the Central African Republic where armed groups have preyed on civilians with total impunity for more than a decade". Geraldine Mattioli Zeltner of Human Rights Watch said: "Other commanders should take notice that they, too, can be held accountable for rapes and other serious abuses committed by troops under their control." The sentence is the highest yet passed by the ICC, the world's first permanent war crimes court which has previously handed down sentences of 12 and 14 years in prison for two other Congolese militia leaders. The maximum sentence the judges can hand down is life in prison. At the time of his conviction in March, judge Steiner said women, girls and men were targeted by Bemba's forces, often with multiple soldiers raping women and girls in front of other family members. Bemba was convicted even though he spent much of the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The court said he was able to communicate with his troops using radios and satellite and mobile phones and also saw reports of their grave crimes in the media. What little action Bemba took to prevent or punish crimes by his forces was grossly inadequate, Steiner said. AP British Labour MP Jo Cox was preparing a report for Parliament on the rise of Islamophobia and the dangers of aggressive nationalist radicals before she was killed outside her constituency surgery, it has emerged. The mother of two died after being shot and stabbed in the street in Birstall, West Yorkshire. The 41-year-old had recorded a video in which she spoke about preventing Islamophobia and said that in her constituency "many of our young women don't feel safe when they're out on the street", according to 'The Times'. The video and report were both planned to be launched on June 29. Ms Cox worked on the report with Tell Mama, a charity that monitors anti-Muslim incidents in the UK, and which has warned of a surge in aggression and Islamophobia in the past year. Tell Mama director Fiyaz Mughal told 'The Times' that the organisation's annual report would detail the escalation in anti-Muslim activity in the UK last year. He said significant clusters of far-right activity during that time had taken place in Yorkshire. Mr Mughal said: "In the last 18 months South Yorkshire is one of the leading areas in the country [for Islamophobic incidents]." Meanwhile, 77-year-old Bernard Kenny, who was stabbed in the abdomen while trying to help Ms Cox, remains in hospital with serious injuries. Thomas Mair (52), from Birstall, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' court on Saturday, charged with murder, grievous bodily harm, possession of a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence and possession of a knife. Mair gave his name to the court as "death to traitors, freedom for Britain", and was remanded in custody until June 20, when a bail application will be heard. A former classmate of a Briton accused of attempting to grab a police officer's gun in a bid to kill Donald Trump has described him as "strange". Michael Steven Sandford, from Dorking in Surrey, was arrested at a rally in a Las Vegas casino on Saturday after going for the weapon as he asked for the presidential hopeful's autograph. The 20-year-old, who was in America without permission, later told police he wanted to kill the presumptive Republican nominee, according to the Secret Service. The US court heard Sandford told investigators he expected to die in the attempt, which he had been planning for a year. He arrived in the city on Friday, when he went to a local shooting range where he reportedly learned how to use a gun for the first time. A federal public defender told the court on Monday that Sandford was autistic yet competent, although he did not enter a plea. His mother, who has not been named, told the judge he had a history of mental health problems. A former classmate of Sandford, who is now 20 and was in his Year Six class at Powell Corderoy Primary School in Dorking, said: "My boyfriend's mum showed me an article about it this morning and asked if I had gone to school with him and as soon as I saw the picture I recognised him. "All I remember about him from school - he was a bit of a strange one and I never really spoke to him. "We didn't keep in touch. I used to see his mum around town quite a lot." She said she was aware he had some mental health issues and autism. Paul Davey, from Havant, reportedly said his son did not have an interest in politics, had a form of autism called Asperger's and he feared his son may have been manipulated. He was also reportedly a fan of Robot Wars as a teenager and had bought several machines from the robotic fighting series. According to court research, Sandford did not have permission to be in the US after overstaying a visa and was unemployed. Papers filed at the court said he had been in the country for around 18 months and lived in Hoboken, New Jersey. He had driven across the US to San Bernardino, California, and had been living out of his car before travelling on to Las Vegas on Thursday. On Friday, he visited the Battlefield Vegas shooting range where he practised using a 9mm Glock pistol, firing off 20 rounds. The following day he went to the Treasure Island Casino where Mr Trump was addressing a rally of 1,500 supporters amid tight security. Attendees had to pass through metal detectors manned by Secret Service, police and casino security officials. One of those in the crowd, Gregg Donovan, said he had briefly spoken to Sandford while they queued and he seemed "strange". When he later asked to get an autograph from the billionaire, Sandford allegedly attempted to take a police officer's holstered gun before being tackled and frogmarched from the venue. A Secret Service report said Sandford told officers he had been planning the assassination for around 12 months and believed he would die in the process. He said he had also bought a ticket to a rally in Phoenix, Arizona, for later on Saturday as a back-up. Sandford was carrying a UK driving licence at the time he was arrested. A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are providing assistance following an arrest of a British national in Las Vegas." Surrey Police said they were providing support to the family, who are understood to be planning to travel to America. On Monday, Sandford was denied bail at the district court in Nevada, where he appeared charged with an act of violence on restricted grounds. Federal Magistrate Judge George Foley declined to release Sandford, who appeared before him in leg irons, over concerns that he was a potential danger to the community and a flight risk. He will appear in court again on July 5. Sandford went on to attend Ashcombe School, said headteacher David Blow, but he declined to comment further. Powell Corderoy headteacher Emma McLoughlin said she did not work at the school when Sandford attended but staff had mentioned him. She said: "I did not know the guy, it was a long time ago in the school's history. "It highlights the importance of how we teach children about expressing themselves in non-violent ways. "To be honest it's not the sort of thing we want to draw the children's attention to." People from Berck-sur-Mare paid tribute to the girl after the mayor provided a 'dignified grave' for her A French woman has gone on trial for premeditated murder after leaving her 15-month old daughter to die on a beach in Northern France. Fabienne Kabou, 39, admitted leaving her only child named Adelaide after her grandmother - in freezing conditions on the Berck-sur-Mer beach as the tide came in during a hearing following the incident in November 2013. Ms Kabou is said to have taken a train from Paris to the Channel coast, and on arrival had allegedly asked locals about tide times, Le Monde reported. On the same evening she is accused of taking the girl to the beach which she allegedly told detectives she chose because even the name sounded sad and returning without her. A fisherman discovered the child's body the following morning. Although Ms Kabou admitted to leaving the girl shortly after she was arrested, subsequent psychiatric analysis said the defendant had "severely impaired judgement due to paranoid delusions", Le Figaro reported. However, psychiatrists found the woman was not clinically insane, so a trial is being held to decide the woman's guilt. During a hearing at the Boulogne-sur-Mer court on 23 December 2013, Ms Kabou described how she had felt driven by a relentless force, according to Le Parisien. She explained: I'm still standing, I hold her against me and then I say no, no, no, I keep saying no, I do not know why. I cried. Its as if I was telling someone I could not do a thing like that, but I did. Ms Kabou was previously living in a Paris workshop with sculptor Michael Lafon, who was 30 years her senior and the father to her child. She had become pregnant twice before both times suffering miscarriages and gave birth to the third child alone in the workshop. The pair had never registered the birth of the girl, so officially she did not exist. According to three experts on the case this was because the woman believed her daughter to be in great danger. Drs Daniel Zagury, Roland Coutanceau and Mourassis Wilquin examined the woman who was born to a wealthy Catholic family in Dakar, Senegal - and found she had great intelligence and an IQ well above average. However, they were also said to be struck by the faith she placed in irrational beliefs such as witchcraft, according to Le Monde. Ms Kabou reportedly felt ill and often had hallucinations, which she had documented in a journal. She also wrote how she could hear the voices of dead relatives who she believed intended to harm her, the newspaper said. The trial is expected to take a week and, if found guilty, Ms Kabou could recieve a life sentence. Displaced people who fled from Islamic State violence receive relief goods during World Refugee Day celebrations at Al-salam refugee camp in Baghdad, Iraq. REUTERS/Ahmed Saad The number of people displaced by conflict is at the highest level ever recorded, the UN refugee agency has said. It estimates that 65.3 million people were either refugees, asylum seekers or internally displaced at the end of 2015, an increase of five million in a year. This represents one in every 113 people on the planet, according to the UN agency. Meanwhile, the UN refugee chief has said that a worrying "climate of xenophobia" has taken hold in Europe as it struggles to cope with the migrant crisis. The influx of people, the biggest since World War Two, has led to greater support for far-right groups and controversial anti-immigration policies. In its annual report marking World Refugee Day, the UN said it was the first time the number of refugees worldwide had passed the 60 million mark. More than half - 54pc - of the total number are people from just three countries: Syria, Afghanistan and Somalia. According to the report, 65.3 million people are refugees, asylum seekers or displaced, with 12.4m of those newly displaced by conflict or persecution in 2015. It also revealed that 24 people a minute were forced to flee in 2015, and that half of all refugees are children under 18. Read more: Record 65 million people displaced in 2015, says UN Despite the focus on Europe's migrant crisis, the UN said that 86pc of the world's refugees were being sheltered in low- and middle-income countries. Turkey is the biggest host country for refugees worldwide, with 2.5 million people, followed by Pakistan and Lebanon. More than 1,011,700 migrants arrived in Europe by sea last year, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), although other agencies put that number much higher. Some 35,000 arrived by land, the IOM said. The preferred destinations for most were richer northern countries such as Germany and Sweden. This is reflected in the UN's figures for new asylum applications in 2015, which show Germany was the largest recipient. The UN refugee chief said European leaders needed to do more to co-ordinate policies and to combat negative stereotypes about refugees: "Those who do the opposite, who stir up public opinion against refugees and migrants, have a responsibility in creating a climate of xenophobia that is very worrying in today's Europe," Filippo Grandi told reporters. A firefighting aircraft drops fire retardant material in efforts to contain a huge forest fire that continues to rage out of control for a third day, in the mountainous areas southwest of Cyprus' capital Nicosia (AP Photo/Philippos Christou ) Two firefighters were killed tackling one of the largest forest fires to hit Cyprus in years and several countries mobilised aid to contain the blaze, which raged for a third day on Tuesday. The fire, possibly started by an attempt to burn dry stubble, broke out on Sunday in the foothills of the Troodos mountain region of the eastern Mediterranean island. It has been fanned by high winds and scorching temperatures, hampering efforts by firefighters backed by water bomber aircraft from Greece and Israel and helicopters from the British military bases in Cyprus. French and Italian air support was expected on the island later on Tuesday. The two firefighters were killed when a water tanker overturned. A third was in a critical condition after a fire truck plunged down a ravine. Expand Close A firefighting plane drops water onto a forest fire at the foothills of Troodos mountain region in Cyprus June 21, 2016. REUTERS/Stringer / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A firefighting plane drops water onto a forest fire at the foothills of Troodos mountain region in Cyprus June 21, 2016. REUTERS/Stringer They were the first fatalities among firefighters reported in at least a decade in Cyprus, which has frequent brush fires during hot summer months but usually on a much smaller scale. Turkey, which Cyprus has been at loggerheads with for decades, also offered aid, the state-run Cyprus News Agency said. There was no immediate response from Cypriot authorities. A Reuters witness said lush pine forest was reduced to blackened stumps as aircraft dumped red dry fire extinguisher over flames, followed by helicopters equipped with 'rainmaker' buckets. The Soleas area hardest hit by the blaze is covered by pine forest and fruit orchards. The blaze coincided with a heatwave which pushed temperatures up to 42 degrees centigrade (108 Fahrenheit), creating tinderbox conditions. The broader area contains 10 well-conserved painted churches dating from the Byzantine era which are on the UNECSO World Heritage list. "They are not in danger, we are protecting them," fire brigade spokesman Leonidas Leonidou told Reuters. Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades asked for a postponement of a meeting scheduled with Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci, part of a series of talks focused on reunification of the war-divided island. Akinci, head of the breakaway Turkish Cypriot state in northern Cyprus, also offered assistance, but Anastasiades declined, saying there were enough assets available. Cyprus was split along ethnic lines following a Turkish invasion in 1974 triggered by a brief Greek inspired coup. Syrian refugee boys await approval to enter Jordan at the Hadalat reception area on the Syrian-Jordanian border (AP) Six members of Jordan's security forces were killed and 14 injured when an explosives-laden truck detonated on the country's border with Syria. Government spokesman Mohammed Momani said Jordan is sealing the border area for the time being, leaving it unclear how international aid will reach some 64,000 Syrian refugees stranded on the other side. King Abdullah II said Jordan will "respond with any iron fist" against anyone harming its borders or security. It was the deadliest attack along the tense border in recent memory and raised new concerns about the pro-Western kingdom's vulnerability to violence from long-running conflicts in neighbouring Syria and Iraq. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the assault, the third against Jordanian security installations in seven months. The previous two attacks had targeted security compounds inside Jordan. Jordan does not yet know who is behind the attack, Mr Momani said. The military said the explosion occurred near an encampment for tens of thousands of Syrian refugees who are stranded in a remote area on the border and await entry into Jordan. The attack targeted a military post serving Syrian refugees in an area known as Ruqban, the army said. "It was a suicide attack," Mr Momani told reporters. "It was a truck driven in a very fast speed, and it reached our side of the border and it ended up exploding with the driver inside." He said Jordan decided to "close that crossing area and consider this area a closed military zone." A Ruqban resident said that after 5am, he saw a truck speeding towards a Jordanian border gate and crashing through it. Seconds later, a blast went off, followed by the sound of shooting, according to the resident. Ruqban is the larger of two tent encampments that expanded rapidly in recent months as more Syrians fleeing fighting at home try to reach Jordan. The camps have also attracted smugglers, war profiteers and members of various armed groups fighting in Syria's civil war. The Jordanian military said those killed in Tuesday's attack included four border troops, a member of the civil defence and a public security officer. The statement said 14 were wounded, including nine public security officers. It described the bombing as a "cowardly terrorist attack". Ruqban and the smaller Hadalat camp house around 64,000 Syrians, according to estimates by international aid agencies. Both camps are located along the border. Ruqban is just a few miles from the point where Syria, Jordan and Iraq meet. Ariane Rummery, a spokeswoman for the UN refugee agency in Geneva, said the attack "underlines how challenging the relief operation is". Several aid groups, including the World Food Programme, said they were not able to reach distribution points near the area on Tuesday. With crowds at the camps swelling rapidly in recent weeks, the situation for refugees in the two encampments has become increasingly dire. Jordan only admits several dozen refugees every day, citing the need for stringent security vetting. Jordanian officials have said they have evidence that militants from Islamic State, also known as Daesh, have infiltrated the two camps and are attempting to slip into Jordan, pretending to be refugees. For months, Jordan has "been warning the international community and everybody of the increased number of people on the other side of the border", Mr Momani said. He said: "We have strong evidence of the presence of terrorist elements and Daesh elements ... and today is clear proof of that." Jordan is a member of the US-led military coalition fighting to drive IS out of the areas it controls in Syria and Iraq. Jordan has fortified border defences, including with US-funded surveillance systems, to try to stop attackers and infiltrators. Jordan has also widened a crackdown on IS sympathisers at home, jailing hundreds in the past two years for promoting the group's ideas on social media. Jordanian security installations were targeted twice before in the past seven months. In November, a Jordanian police captain opened fire on instructors at an international police training centre in the capital, Amman, killing five people, including two Americans, before being shot dead by security forces. Two weeks ago, a gunman armed with an assault rifle killed five people in an office of Jordan's intelligence agency. The assailant, said to have previous ties to Islamic militant groups, was arrested several hours later. The government said he was a lone wolf and imposed a gag order, preventing further reporting. Jordanian officials have played down concerns that militant groups, including IS, pose an external and internal threat to the kingdom, seen as a crucial ally by the West in combating extremism. AP Police officers stand guard near a blocked-off street in Brussels after Belgian authorities took a man into custody following a pre-dawn security alert at a major shopping centre (AP) A man wearing a fake explosive belt sparked a major security alert in Brussels by claiming he would be blown up outside a shopping centre. Police said the man claimed to have been abducted and dropped off at the City 2 complex. He said that the "suicide belt" would be detonated remotely. The suspect later admitted that he had made the whole story up. Belgium has been on at least its second-highest security alert level for about eight months since the November 13 massacres in Paris that killed 130 people. On March 22, suicide attacks on the Brussels underground and airport killed 32 people and injured hundreds. Extra police and military have been mobilised, guarding major buildings, nuclear plants and parts of the transport network. Police searched the home of the mother of the suspect, a man in his 20s identified in official documents only as JB, finding materials that had apparently been used to make the fake belt, Brussels prosecutor Rym Kechiche said. Confronted with this information, JB admitted falsifying his story. He said he had given police the licence plate number of a car he spotted in a street. The driver of the vehicle was questioned and then released. Prosecutors said JB, who had recently informed police that he had been enlisted to join the Islamic State extremist group in Syria, was known to police and is thought to have had psychiatric problems. He has been remanded in custody over the hoax and a psychological assessment has been ordered. Straight after the pre-dawn alert, Prime Minister Charles Michel changed his morning programme and a meeting of the Belgian crisis centre was called. "The situation is now under control. The security services remain extremely vigilant," Mr Michel said. Crisis centre spokesman Peter Mertens said the nation's security alert had not changed. Mr Mertens said: "That level, and the measures accompanying it, is already high. The situation of this morning has no impact on the existing measures." At the scene, police in hoods and military wearing helmets were seen patrolling around at least one major entry to the City 2 shopping centre, and the demining squad was also called in. Some entries to the subway station were blocked, and underground traffic disrupted. The alert was similar to an incident in Paris in January, when police shot to death a man wearing a fake explosives vest and carrying a butcher knife as he threatened officers. The man carried a document with an emblem of the Islamic State group, but his family in Tunisia insisted he was not an extremist. Belgium has been on high alert over the last week following a series of arrests and police raids linked to suspected terror attacks. Over the weekend, authorities charged three men with terror-related crimes after two days of raids and the detention of 40 people in a major investigation which they said required "immediate intervention". Unconfirmed media reports suggested that a shopping complex, an American fast food chain and police were among the possible targets. Security was visibly higher immediately after the reports surfaced, although police denied that it was boosted in response to the news. Mitsubishi chairman and CEO Osamu Masuko, left, and president Tetsuro Aikawa prepare for their press conference in Tokyo (AP) The Japanese government has said car giant Mitsubishi overstated the mileage on its vehicles by up to 16%. The transport ministry said its own mileage tests had looked into cheating by the automaker on its minicar models, tiny cars eligible for tax breaks in Japan. Tokyo-based Mitsubishi Motors acknowledged recently it had systematically inflated mileage for eK minicar models, as well as some others. But it has insisted it did not lie on mileage on models sold abroad. Last month, Nissan took a 34% stake in Mitsubishi, promising to help effect a turnaround in the firm's fortunes. Under a special agreement, Mitsubishi had supplied the models to Nissan, which does not make its own minicars. Nissan's own tests had uncovered the mileage cheating. Two mothers were arrested after a toddler had to be rescued from the roof of a three-story home in the US A brilliant Oklahoma police officer has been fired for disguising an inmate as a deputy to help him with his duties. Ted Williams, 45, has been accused of removing an inmates restraints and dressing him up in a black windbreaker and sheriff ball cap on April 11. The inmate helped handle detainees at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Processing Center in Oklahoma City, and at one point, was left unattended, The Associated Press reports. Williams was fired from his post three days later when the inmate told a jail administrator about the incident. In his termination letter, Garvin County Sheriff Larry Rhodes said his former deputy's actions were "inexcusable." "I'm embarrassed about it, I'm mad about it, and if I could have stopped it, Rhodes wrote, according to The Oklahoman. If I would have been there, I can tell you it wouldn't have happened. Sheriff Roades said that two officers are required to transport detainees and said his former deputy was too impatient to wait for the second officer. No state or federal charges have been filed against the former officer The Senate has voted down four proposed gun control measures introduced in the wake of the recent Orlando massacre, the deadliest mass shooting in US history. Following the June 12 shooting, which left 49 dead and another 53 injured at an LGBT nightclub in Orlando, Democratic Senators staged a 15-hour filibuster to demand new gun-control legislation. Read More Four such measures arrived on the Senate floor on Monday two from Republicans and two from Democrats but none amassed sufficient bipartisan support to succeed. With 54 Republicans and 46 Democrats or Independents in the Senate, any such proposals faced an uphill struggle to attract the 60 votes they needed to pass under congressional rules. The filibuster was led by Senator Chris Murphy, who entered the Senate in January 2013, less than a month after 20 schoolchildren were killed at Sandy Hook elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, his home state. Read More He proposed an amendment to require background checks for all gun sales, including those at gun shows. His amendment was supported by just 44 Senators and opposed by 56. California Democrat Dianne Feinstein, who tried and failed to introduce an assault weapons ban after Sandy Hook, wanted the attorney general to have the ability to deny gun sales to those on the terrorist "no-fly list," a proposal endorsed by the Department of Justice. It also failed, attracting 47 votes for and 53 against. Senator John Cornyn, a Republican from Texas, wanted law enforcement to be alerted when anyone on the terrorism watch list tries to buy a firearm, and to be able to delay the purchase for up to 72 hours. It won a majority with 53 votes, but failed to reach the necessary 60. A proposal from Iowa Republican Senator Chuck Grassley would have seen funds increased for the federal background checks system, but would not have closed the so-called "gun show loophole". That too failed, also with a majority of 53 votes. The votes were split almost entirely along party lines. Democrats criticised both Republican measures as ineffectual, while Republicans contended that the Democratic proposals were too stringent. Before the vote, Mr Grassley argued that Ms Feinstein's plan to ban those on terror watchlists from buying guns "violates the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. Read More Mr Murphy said he was "disappointed" by the results, "but far from surprised." In a statement issued after all four motions failed to pass, he blamed the result on Republicans beholden to the National Rifle Assocation (NRA). "We knew breaking the NRA's stranglehold on this Congress would be a long, uphill climb," he wrote. "This country is rising up to demand stronger, safer gun laws, and in the fact of unspeakable tragedy, our movement for change got stronger this week." A British teenager has been arrested at a Donald Trump rally after going for a police officer's gun before telling investigators he wanted to kill the US presidential hopeful. Michael Sandford, 19, tried to grab the weapon from the officer after asking for the Republican candidate's autograph at a Las Vegas casino. The teenager told investigators he had been planning the assassination for a year, including spending time on a firing range in recent days, and was convinced he would die in the attempt. Sandford, who was carrying a UK driver's licence, is expected to appear in a US court in Nevada on Monday afternoon charged with an act of violence on restricted grounds. A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are providing assistance following an arrest of a British national in Las Vegas." A British teenager arrested at a Donald Trump rally after going for a police officers gun told investigators he wanted to kill the US presidential hopeful. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) A British teenager arrested at a Donald Trump rally after going for a police officers gun told investigators he wanted to kill the US presidential hopeful. Michael Sandford (19) tried to grab the weapon from the officer after asking for the Republican candidates autograph at a Las Vegas casino. The teenager told investigators he had been planning the assassination for a year, including spending time on a firing range in recent days, and was convinced he would die in the attempt. Sandford, who was carrying a UK drivers licence, is expected to appear in a US court in Nevada charged with an act of violence. The British national had lived in Hoboken, New Jersey, for around 18 months and had driven to San Bernardino in California before travelling to Las Vegas on Thursday. The teenager told police he visited the Battlefield Vegas shooting range on Friday where he fired off 20 rounds from a 9mm Glock pistol to learn how to use it. On Saturday he went to the Treasure Island Casino where Trump addressed a rally of 1,500 people amid tight security. After approaching a police officer and asking for an autograph he grabbed the handle of the officers gun. Sandford also told investigators he had a ticket for a Trump rally in Phoenix, Arizona, for later on Saturday as a back-up. A UK Foreign Office spokesman said: We are providing assistance following an arrest of a British national in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, Donald Trump parted ways yesterday with Corey Lewandowski, his controversial campaign manager, reportedly at the insistence of his children. Mr Lewandowski had steered the campaign for the past year as it accumulated controversies and primary election victories and favoured a strategy described as let Trump be Trump. He clashed with Paul Manafort, the veteran Republican strategist hired to professionalise the campaign ahead of the presidential election. With Hillary Clintons push for the White House running rings around Mr Trumps in terms of fundraising and organisation, Mr Lewandowski played an increasingly peripheral role. Mr Manafort convinced Mr Trump to read speeches from an autocue and inject policy into what has always been a personality-led candidacy, while reassuring donors and party grandees that the candidate would evolve. Having apparently won the internal power struggle, Mr Manafort is expected to take full control of the campaign. Mr Lewandowskis sudden exit comes three months after he was charged with battery for grabbing a reporter who was attempting to question Mr Trump. The charges were subsequently dropped, but not before Mr Trump came under pressure to fire his campaign manager. The news was welcomed by some in Mr Trumps inner circle. Michael Caputo, New York campaign director, tweeted: Ding dong the witch is dead! Mr Trump reportedly made the decision to remove Mr Lewandowski after a meeting with his children, who have taken active roles in the campaign. Ivanka Trump, his daughter, went so far as to say she would step back from assisting further if Mr Lewandowski was not fired, according to CNN. Mr Lewandowski said he did not know why he had been sacked and that he had a great relationship with Mr Manafort and Mr Trumps children. Man removed from Donald Trump rally in Las Vegas by police on Saturday A young Briton accused of attempting to grab a police officer's gun in a bid to kill Donald Trump has appeared in a US court in shackles. Michael Steven Sandford, from Dorking in Surrey, was arrested at a rally in a Las Vegas casino on Saturday after going for the weapon as he asked for the presidential hopeful's autograph. The 20-year-old, who was in America without permission, later told police he wanted to kill the presumptive Republican nominee, according to the Secret Service. Sandford, who is said to have autism, told investigators he expected to die in the attempt, which he had been planning for a year. Read More He arrived in the city on Friday, when he went to a local shooting range where he reportedly learned how to use a gun for the first time. On Monday, Sandford was denied bail at a district court in Nevada, where he appeared charged with an act of violence on restricted grounds. Federal Magistrate Judge George Foley declined to release Sandford, who appeared before him in leg irons, over concerns that he was a potential danger to the community and a flight risk. He will appear in court again on July 5. A federal public defender told the court that Sandford was autistic yet competent, although he did not enter a plea. His mother, who has not been named, told the judge he had a history of mental health problems. According to court research, Sandford did not have permission to be in the US after overstaying a visa and was unemployed. Papers filed at the court said he had been in the country for around 18 months and lived in Hoboken, New Jersey. He had driven across the US to San Bernardino, California, and had been living out of his car before travelling on to Las Vegas on Thursday. On Friday, he visited the Battlefield Vegas shooting range where he practised using a 9mm Glock pistol, firing off 20 rounds. The following day he went to the Treasure Island Casino where Mr Trump was addressing a rally of 1,500 supporters amid tight security. Attendees had to pass through metal detectors manned by Secret Service, police and casino security officials. One of those in the crowd, Gregg Donovan, said he had briefly spoken to Sandford while they queued and he seemed "strange". When he later asked to get an autograph from the billionaire, Sandford allegedly attempted to take a police officer's holstered gun before being tackled and frogmarched from the venue. A Secret Service report said Sandford told officers he had been planning the assassination for around 12 months and believed he would die in the process. He had also bought a ticket to a rally in Phoenix, Arizona, for later on Saturday as a back-up. Sandford was carrying a UK driving licence at the time he was arrested. A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are providing assistance following an arrest of a British national in Las Vegas." When youre the mother of a three-year-old girl, its a pretty safe bet your daughter will be getting up to mischief. So when mum Stacey Wehrman Feeley found her young daughter climbing on top of the toilet, she snapped a picture, thinking it would make a cute shot for her husband. Expand Close Stacey Wehrman Feeley and her daughter / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Stacey Wehrman Feeley and her daughter However, when she questioned her little girl about her reasons for standing up on the toilet, she was devastated by her answer. "She was practicing a lockdown drill at her preschool and what you should do if you are stuck in a bathroom," Feeley wrote in a viral Facebook post, along with her daughter doing the drill. Her daughters actions prompted Ms Wehrman Feeley to write the emotive Facebook which has been shared almost 10,000 times since it was posted last week. Politicians take a look, she wrote. This is your child, your children, your grandchildren, your great grandchildren and future generations to come. They will live their lives and grow up in this world based on your decisions. "They are barely 3 and they will hide in bathroom stalls standing on top of toilet seats. I do not know what will be harder for them? Trying to remain quiet for an extended amount of time or trying to keep their balance without letting a foot slip below the stall door? Although Ms Wehrman Feeley doesnt claim to have any of the answers to curb gun violence in the US, she asks that her post be shared in order to provoke some debate. No one thinks gun control will be 100% crime control. But maybe, just maybe, it helps 1% or 2% or 50%? Who knows unless we try? Why on earth are there not universal background checks? Where is a universal registration database? Why are high capacity magazines ever permitted to be sold to anyone other than direct to the military? Is that really necessary to protect yourself or hunt for that matter? Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has said that Republican rival Donald Trump would send the US economy back into recession, warning his "reckless" approach would hurt workers still trying to recover from the 2008 economic turbulence. "Every day we see how reckless and careless Trump is. He's proud of it," Mrs Clinton said. "Well that's his choice. Except when he's asking to be our president. Then it's our choice." Mrs Clinton's address in Ohio, one of the nation's most important swing states, sought to define Mr Trump on the economy in a similar manner in which she tried to undercut his foreign policy credentials earlier this month. In a searing takedown of her Republican rival in San Diego, Mrs Clinton declared that electing Mr Trump would be "a historic mistake" and lead America toward war. This time, at an alternative high school in Columbus, Mrs Clinton questioned Mr Trump's temperament to guide the economy and repeatedly pointed to his business record as evidence of how he would treat small businesses and working families if he ascended to the White House. "Just like he shouldn't have his finger on the button, he shouldn't have his hands on our economy," Mrs Clinton said. Her speech included stinging one-liners, including a takedown of Mr Trump's best-selling books. "He's written a lot of books about business. But they all seem to end at chapter 11," she said, in an allusion to the US bankruptcy code. Mr Trump responded on Twitter as Mrs Clinton delivered her address, writing in one tweet: "How can Hillary run the economy when she can't even send emails without putting entire nation at risk?" He appeared to be referring to Mrs Clinton blending her personal and official emails on a homebrew server in her house, while she was secretary of state. In her speech, Mrs Clinton used Mr Trump's own statements to undercut his economic credentials, pointing to remarks he made that that US could sell off assets, default on its debt and that wages are too high. She also repeated a comment he made that pregnant employees are an "inconvenience". Mrs Clinton said financial markets often "rise and fall" based on comments made by presidential candidates. Suggesting the United States could default on its debt could cause a "global panic", she added. She also seized on a report on Monday by Moody's Analytics which found Mr Trump's plans would lead to a "lengthy recession," costing nearly 3.5 million American jobs. She said economists of all political ideologies agree that Mr Trump's ideas "would be disastrous" and pointed to opposition to Mr Trump's candidacy from both 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and liberal Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren. The analysis by Moody's Mark Zandi, a Clinton donor and former economic adviser to Republican Senator John McCain's 2008 campaign, predicted Mr Trump's approach would swell the federal debt as the nation's economy becomes more isolated by less trade and cross-border immigration. Mr Trump has pointed to trade as a major difference with Mrs Clinton, saying last week that her support of past trade deals such as the North American Free Trade Agreement had cost the country "millions of jobs". He also has assailed her promotion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal as Barack Obama's secretary of state as a sell-out of US workers. Mrs Clinton announced her opposition to the so-called TPP last October, saying it failed to meet her test of providing good jobs, raising wages and protecting national security. Brushing it aside, Mrs Clinton said there was a difference between "getting tough on trade" and starting "trade wars". Bolstered by more than 40 million US dollars (27.2 million) in television advertising, Mrs Clinton and her Democratic allies are trying to use this period before next month's Democratic National Convention to disqualify Mr Trump among moderate voters on the economy and prevent him from successfully wooing working-class voters in battleground states such as Ohio, Wisconsin and Michigan. Fundraising reports filed late Monday showed Mrs Clinton with a big fundraising advantage, starting the month with 42 million US dollars (28.6 million) in the bank compared with Mr Trump's 1.3 million US dollars (886,000) in cash on hand. Mrs Clinton also planned to make a more proactive case on the economy on Wednesday in Raleigh, North Carolina. Jake Sullivan, the campaign's senior policy adviser, said she would lay out the "progressive economic agenda" in the speech to help workers who have not yet benefited from the economic recovery. While the twin speeches on the economy sought to set an economic framework for the general election, Mrs Clinton's pitch was also aimed at Democratic primary voters who supported Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who has not yet endorsed Mrs Clinton or conceded the nomination to her. The campaigns of Mrs Clinton and Mr Sanders are discussing ways of addressing key economic issues in the Democratic platform which will be approved at the Philadelphia convention, including the TPP pact, providing free college tuition and cutting student debt and expanding Medicare and Social Security. AP Sen. Lindsey Graham SHARE By Donovan Slack, USA Today WASHINGTON Hope for any movement in Congress to change gun laws shifted Tuesday to a proposed compromise spearheaded by Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, that would prevent people on no-fly lists from buying guns. The measure would affect roughly 2,700 Americans, a smaller subset than those on terror watch lists covered by two bills the Senate rejected mostly along party lines Monday. And it would allow individuals denied firearms to appeal in court. It's unclear how much support Collins can draw for the legislation. Only a handful of senators have voiced their backing so far, including Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H.; Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz.; and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. "I own an AR-15, and if you're on this list, it doesn't bother me you can't buy one right away," Graham said. Collins has some Democratic support: Sens. Tim Kaine of Virginia, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Martin Heinrich of New Mexico appeared with Collins at a press conference unveiling the measure. But Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California has already bashed it. She said the proposal "has no teeth and misses many individuals who shouldn't be able to purchase guns." Collins maintained that the compromise would cover roughly 109,000 people including the Americans who are on two lists: the no-fly list, which prevents them from boarding commercial planes flying to, from or over the United States; and a so-called "selectee list," which mandates they receive extra scrutiny at airports before flying. Flake took to the Senate floor Tuesday to express his support, saying the proposal is bipartisan, "unlike most of what has been put forward so far. "And it has growing support as well," he said. "We actually believe we ought to put something on the floor that will pass, not just protect one party or the other in terms of an election coming up. We want to actually have an impact." Graham, a former presidential candidate with a record of supporting gun ownership rights, said it is easier to fix the mistake if someone is wrongly denied a chance to buy a gun than it is to reverse a gun sale to someone intent on murder. "The likelihood of someone being on this list and buying a gun to use it in terrorist act to me is far greater than the likelihood of an innocent person being on this list," Graham said. Graham said he understands the National Rifle Association's concerns about infringing on Second Amendment rights, but "every right, whether it's speech or buying a weapon or any other constitutional right, has boundaries on it." As senators continued trying to drum up support, Senate leaders from both parties continued attacking each other for failed votes Monday in the wake of the mass shooting in Orlando that left 49 dead and 53 others injured. The shooter, Omar Mateen, pledged allegiance to the Islamic State. "Now is the time for Democrats to join us," Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., urged Tuesday. "Work with us to connect the dots on terrorist communications, work with us to address the threat of lone-wolf attacks, work with us to prevent more Americans from being inspired by ISIL like the terrorist in Orlando." Democrats on Monday shot down a Republican proposal to stop hundreds of thousands of people on broader terror watch lists from buying guns only after a court review and another that would have increased funding for the background check system but not expand the types of sales requiring checks. At the same time, Republicans rejected Democratic legislation that would have expanded the types of gun sales requiring background checks for prospective buyers and allowed the Justice Department to ban gun sales to suspected terrorists on the watch lists without a court order. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., accused Republicans on Tuesday of putting the interests of the National Rifle Association ahead of the American people. "Senate Republicans proved again that regardless of how brutal the massacre or how reasonable (the solution, or) timely. It doesn't matter. There's never a good time. Their actions will be dictated by the National Rifle Association," he said. President Obama weighed in Tuesday on social media, saying that the Senate as a whole failed the American people. "Gun violence requires more than moments of silence. It requires action," he tweeted. "In failing that test, the Senate failed the American people." Contributing: Mary Troyan, The Greenville News. SHARE By Harry Hendershot, Seneca I am deeply concerned about the situation in our present attempt to get a candidate for president. There are many members of our Congress and ex-members, including the Bush presidents, who have said they will not back the nominee if it is Trump. Seems to me that if you are a loyal party member you would back this person even if you didn't particularly like him. These anti-Trump people are telling millions of American voters two things. 1) We would rather have Hillary than Trump. Hillary, a left-wing radical who would probably appoint two or three members of the Supreme Court. 2) They are proclaiming that millions of people who voted for Trump are nothing more than a bunch of dumb idiots. How could Trump be worse than Obama? I believe Trump is a loyal American who wants to do the right thing. He should have a Republican Congress to keep in check if necessary. Analysing the situation today, teaching alternatives open to students are: Today, when the question of higher studies arises, the sole purpose is that students aspire to build their credentials and enhance employment value. It is critical here to appreciate the difference between a job and a career.Analysing the situation today, teaching alternatives open to students are: Brick and mortar (old technology) Tech-oriented (new technology) & Human-oriented (human touch) Looking at this scenario, I would think that the ideal situation would be a combination of all the three options. Consider the new GenX students today. They are tech-savy, using various tools. Awareness levels are high but because attention spans are low, they are easily distracted. Interests are scattered which indicate lack of depth. Sometimes they appear even confused and need a lot of counseling. Plus the art of asking questions has almost been forgotten. Additionally, the new GenX students are high on ideation which makes them experimental and entrepreneurial. In this age of instant coffee and fast food, it often happens that ideas may be great, but they are not carried forward effectively and eventually fail. If you consider teaching methodology, there is a clear difference between the old and the new. The old method (by rote) depends on lectures, seminars, debates, films, theatre, workshops and the advantages are clear. As students go through the grind of learning, teacher conviction is high and so are inspiration levels. Personalised connectivity is high, highlighting high energy levels and the students also improved communication skills through this process. The new method that has evolved, exposes students to webinars, Skype interactions, video conferencing, online courses and more. The advantages point to - gaining speedy information (anytime-anywhere), going beyond geographical borders. But the disadvantages are that it can be subject to technical flip-flops, there is poor people interaction affecting Group Dynamics. Mainly, the touch factor ie the human factor, is missing. Therefore, I would say that the desired technology should be a combination of the two: the old and the new. And I would call this the high tech method vs the high touch method. In this way it would ensure that the mass of information accessed can develop thinking capability and lead to a learning process that can help them deal with all kinds of people and through this, create Critical Group Dynamics. (CGD). What is important is the need to hold attention for specified time spans, which is possible through interactive teaching ie role play, workshops, theatre, drama and games. So, the road ahead should point to the teachers role as a guru-friend-mentor. In this role, the teacher can also be inspirational and direct young talent in the right direction. Students should be nudged to think ahead, by providing greater challenges for them to overcome. Author is Dean, The Delhi School of Communication Kalyan Varma, Vice President, Products, TUV Rheinland India. As a GSO Notified Body, TUV Rheinland will now provide Market Access Services to the Middle East by verifying that your products fulfil the legal requirements under the GCC Technical Regulations. TUV Rheinland India, a subsidiary of TUV Rheinland Group, Germany, a worldwide leader in testing, training, inspection, consulting & certification, has announced that it would provide market access services, to the Middle East, primarily for manufacturers and exporters of toys and electrical products in India. TUV Rheinland has been officially appointed as a Notified Body by the Standardisation Organization for the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GSO).TUV Rheinland is one of the first organizations to be registered as Notified Body under the Gulf Technical Regulations for both Toys and Electrical products and will now be able to provide the necessary evaluation and approval services to allow for the regulatory Gulf conformity marking (G-mark) for products sold in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member countries of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as Yemen.It will be mandatory form July 01, 2016 for a third party approval by a Notified Body for childrens toys and electrical products specified in the Gulf Technical Regulation, to check compliance with all safety requirements prior to shipment to the GCC MarketWith TUV Rheinland product approvals, manufacturers and exporters of toys and electrical products in India can benefit from a speedy introduction to your market of choice in the Middle East, gain the lead over the global competition and save money thanks to our experience and expertise.In addition to compliance with technical requirements for products, the manufacturers or importers are also obligated to undergo the corresponding conformity assessment procedure, ensure quality in production and retain technical documentation in order to legally affix the Gulf Conformity Marking (G-Mark) to their products HDFC Life and Max Life are in talks to create the country's biggest private life insurer, according to reports. Both the companies may announce plans in the next few days. If talks fructify, the merger will be the first among life insurers in more than a decade, the report added.Government imposed 20% customs duty on sugar exports to boost domestic supply and check prices which are ruling high at Rs 40/kg.Indian Oil Corp is reportedly planning to acquire the largest 37.5 per cent stake in the proposed joint venture to manage fuelling facilities at all airports.The company has now informed BSE that the issue of Basel III Compliant Tier 2 Bonds of Rs.10,00,000/- each for cash at par aggregating to Rs.500 crore with an option to retain oversubscription of up to Rs. 500 crore shall be open from June 17, 2016 to June 22, 2016 and the deemed date of allotment shall be June 24, 2016. The Bonds have been rated AA by ICRA & CARE and bear coupon rate of 9.05% p.a.The Board of Directors of the Company has approved the Sub-division of the equity shares of the Company from Rs. 2 each fully paid up to Re. 1 each fully paid up. Details required as per Regulation 30 of SEBI (Listing Obligation and Disclosure Requirements) Regulation, 2015 is enclosed. This is however, subject to the approval of the shareholders.The company is scouting for acquisitions in Indonesia and has shared a wish list of assets with various investment bankers as part of its inorganic growth strategy in the South East Asian nation, says report.CCI has approved the proposed amalgamation of McNally Bharat, its subsidiary McNally Sayaji Engineering and EMC Ltd with Kilburn Engineering, says report.The company reportedly said it will continue to scout for companies and listed out digital technologies as a key focus area.SBI has set up a Rs. 200 crore fund to invest in fintech startups, according to reports. The stock would remain in action following its decision to merge its subsidiaries with itself.The company is planning to add 2,500-MW of conventional capacity and at least an equal amount of renewable plants every year, as per media report.The company informed BSE that a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company to consider and discuss the overall financial viability of the Company.International Finance Corp is looking to invest up to $75 million or about Rs.500 crore, in Glenmark Pharma which is raising $200 million to reduce debt and expand operations.The company said it is seeking legal advice to take appropriate steps after the Enforcement Directorate attached properties worth Rs,1,411 crore belonging to the company and its promoter Vijay Mallya in the IDBI Bank loan default case, as per media reports.Moodys Investors Service has revised to negative from stable the outlook on the Ba3 corporate family rating and senior unsecured rating of Tata Power, days after the company said it will buy Welspun Renewable Energy at an enterprise value of Rs 9,249 crore.The company announced an association with Paytm, to sell movie tickets to moviegoers.IT major Wipro has asked for government's nod to set up an IT special economic zone (SEZ) over an area of 19.76 hectares in Kolkata, as per reports.Ujaas Energy Ltd has received an order for Designing, Engineering, Procurement & Supply, Construction & Erection, Testing & Commissioning and Comprehensive Operation & Maintenance for 10 years of 3MW (AC) Solar PV Power Plant on Turnkey Basis in UP.Reserve Bank on Thursday allowed foreign investors to buy more equity in Carborundum Universal as their shareholding had slipped below the prescribed limit.The company said that market regulator Sebi has allowed it to sell 42,565 shares to maintain the minimum public shareholding requirement.The company has informed BSE that the Board of Directors of the company at its meeting held on June 16, 2016, considered and approved the proposal for splitting of equity shares of the company, subject to the approval of the shareholders in respect thereof, in the 20th Annual General Meeting of the Company.Indiabulls Housing Finance Ltd has announced that the Company proposes to issue 2000 Secured Non-Convertible Redeemable Debentures with a face value of Rs. 10 lakh each. Essar today announced that its Raniganj (East) Block in West Bengal has become Indias first CBM (Coal Bed Methane) asset to cross the 1 million scmd (standard cubic metres per day) production milestone. This makes Essar the countrys largest unconventional gas player. The targeted plateau production from the Block is 3 million scmd. As per 2016 NSAI (Netherland Sewell & Associates, Inc.) report, the proven, probable and possible gross CBM reserves in the Raniganj (East) Block is estimated at 1.09 tcf (trillion cubic feet). The Block is assessed to have additional resources in the contingent category of around 270 bcf (billion cubic feet). We married talent with technology to transform reserves to production. In the last 12 months, the average well productivity has more than doubled, the gas break-out time in new wells has reduced to days instead of months, and the work-over cycle has reduced to a fifth. Our collaborative relationship with international service providers has resulted in win-win solutions, said Mr Manish Maheshwari, CEO-E&P, Essar. Essar has commenced supply to Matix Fertilisers for its pre-commissioning activities at the rate of 150,000 scmd. Besides Matix, the CBM gas is being supplied to industrial consumers in the catchment area of Durgapur. The gas pricing is in compliance with the government notified formula of October 2014. There are tremendous opportunities in the domestic unconventional hydrocarbon sector. The Hydrocarbon Exploration Licensing Policy (HELP), which was announced by the Government in March 2016, recognises this potential in contributing towards national energy security, Mr Maheshwari added. A study, which was undertaken with the support of USTDA (US Trade & Development Agency), by an independent US firm that has expertise in shale has made a preliminary assessment of original in-place shale gas resources of around 8 tcf underneath the CBM play in the Raniganj (East) Block. Besides Raniganj (East), Essars CBM portfolio includes more than 2,700 sq. km of high quality acreage. IndiaMART, India's largest online marketplace that connects buyers with suppliers, invested Pre Series-A Funding in ProcMart, a business-to-business marketplace startup with a corporate centric sourcing approach. With this assistance from IndiaMart, ProcMart plans to invest this capital to create an all-inclusive & user-friendly technology that is quickly scalable. Furthermore, it hopes to expand its reach across all Tier-1 cities in next couple of months. Commenting on this announcement, Dinesh Agarwal, Founder & CEO, IndiaMART said, This investment fits in to our endeavour of making business commerce as easy as consumer commerce. B2B procurement space has a lot of scope for technology enablement & through a quotation based system, ProcMart is trying to help Indian Companies thrive in the digital economy. ProcMart has seen phenomenal business traction so far. They are already working closely with customers likes LG, Religare, and Coca Cola to fulfill all requirements. Adding their bit, Anish Popli, Founder & CEO, ProcMart commented, The worlds leading global companies are looking to the sourcing & procurement function to do a lot more than cut the price of supplies. Since we are a tech-enabled enterprise, our plan was to raise funding to upgrade our current infrastructure. We are extremely grateful that IndiaMart, one of the leading players in this industry, saw potential in our business. We are confident that this financial backup will help us in creating a highly tech-enabled company and increases our efficiency in the procurement process. ProcMart plans to maintain focus on developing a remarkable ecosystem with an extraordinary B2B network which benefits both buyers and suppliers. Currently, the company is operational in Delhi/NCR and Maharashtra. ITC announced that the Members of the Company at the Annual General Meeting (the AGM) held on 29th July, 2011 approved the re-appointment of Yogesh Chander Deveshwar as a Director, not liable to retire by rotation, and also as Wholetime Director and Chairman of the Company for a period of five years with effect from 5th February, 2012. Deveshwar will complete his present term on 4th February, 2017. This AGM will be his last as Chief Executive Officer of the Company.The Board of Directors of the Company have resolved to put on record on the occasion of this AGM, the immense contribution of Mr. Deveshwar to the transformation of ITC under his leadership.It may be recalled that when Mr. Deveshwar assumed office as Executive Chairman in January, 1996, the Company was confronted with formidable challenges. The early diversification efforts had either failed or were languishing, the businesses were not competitive enough in an emerging liberalised economic environment, and the Companys reputation was at a low ebb. It was critically important then to create a new future for the organisation by redefining a vision that would invigorate and inject new life to every sinew of the enterprise.The contributions of Mr. Deveshwar are far too many to recount but an attempt is being made to cover some of the salient ones. Mr. Deveshwar put in place a new strategy of organisation with systems and processes supported by a digital backbone leveraging the power of information technology, and framed a three tier governance structure appropriate to a multi-business corporation infusing the concept of distributed leadership.Mr. Deveshwars vision to make ITC an engine of growth for the Indian economy, keeping societal value creation as an integral part of business purpose, has led to the creation of multiple drivers of growth, world-class Indian Brands, and recognition as a global exemplar in Sustainability. ITCs businesses and value-chains today support sustainable livelihoods for around six million people, many of whom represent the weakest sections of society The scrip opened at Rs. 109.75 and touched a high and low of Rs. 111.65 and Rs. 108.25 respectively. A total of 593648(NSE+BSE) shares were traded on the counter. The current market cap of the company is Rs. 2544.22 crore. The BSE group 'B' stock of face value Rs. 1 touched a 52 week high of Rs. 153.7 on 28-Dec-2015 and a 52 week low of Rs. 47.05 on 22-Jun-2015. Last one week high and low of the scrip stood at Rs. 114.6 and Rs. 108.1 respectively. The promoters holding in the company stood at 64.95 % while Institutions and Non-Institutions held 1.8 % and 33.26 % respectively. The stock traded below its 50 DMA. Kwality Ltd has announced that a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company will be held on June 24, 2016, inter alia, to raise funds upto Rs. 300 crore by way of term loan and issue of Non-Convertible Debenture. The Union Cabinet is likely to take up for approval the Telecom Ministrys proposal on various issues related to upcoming spectrum auctions such as pricing and timing, on Wednesday, according to a telecom ministry official. Union Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had later hinted at a possibility of auctions being held in August-September time-frame. (The Hindu)Most of the telecom operators have shown improvement in network performance although Airtel, Vodafone, Reliance, Aircel and Idea need to better their call drop rate performance in Delhi-NCR, Trai said. (Indian Express)In August last year, Terry Gou, chairman of Foxconn Technology Group, announced that the world's largest electronics contract manufacturing company was in the final stages of investing in New Delhi-based refurbished goods seller GreenDust. (ET)The government announced sweeping reforms to open up the country's defence, food processing and civil aviation sectors to 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI). It clears the way for Apple and other single-brand retailers to open stores in the country. (India Today)Swedish music streaming service Spotify said on Monday its user base had grown to 100 million, up from 75 million previously, as it pushed into new markets and despite competition from the likes of Apple Music. (Reuters)Nearly 57% of the global urban population remains unconnected to broadband internet, with 37% living in some of the world's wealthiest cities, a study said. (TOI)Lava International has appointed Rahul Agarwal as the Chief Technology Officer and Ankit Pal as the Design Head, to support its efforts towards making valuable technologies accessible in terms of availability, affordability and usability. (India Infoline)Himachal Futuristic Communications (HFCL) has bagged an advance purchase order of Rs 1245 crores from state-run telco BSNL to build a dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) based optical transmission backbone network for the armed forces within 18 months. (ET) The rains are finally here but here I am, sitting in one corner of my office, looking out at the drizzle and envying all those lucky people whove taken off on a long drive to enjoy the weather. If only I was back in college and it was all about bunking those boring lectures! If like me, you are also thinking of ways to get out of work and hit the road soon, here are some monsoon staycation destinations for you to lounge in this rainy season. 1. Mahableshwar, Maharashtra Arcangelmichael16.files.wordpress.com A mere 5 hour drive from Mumbai, this monsoon spot is the perfect getaway for all the romantics. Enjoy the rains under one umbrella and gorge on the yummy sweet corns at the hill side. Also, be prepared for some serious foggy roads. Where to stay: Le Meridien Mahabaleshwar Resort & Spa Club Mahindra Mahabaleshwar Sherwood Fountain Village 2. Coorg, Karnataka Theshootingstar.files.wordpress.com Coorg, formerly known as Kodagu, is famous for its coffee and wildlife. Landscaped in the beautiful Western Ghats of southwestern Karnataka, this district has intense rainfall right till November. The Abbi Falls at Coorg is the biggest tourist attraction. If youre a nature lover, there is lots for you to do there such as trekking and enjoying the vast wildlife of the area. Where to stay: Amanvana Spa Resort Heritage Resort The Tamara Coorg 3. Udaipur, Rajasthan Thinkstock Want to feel like royalty? Head straight to the land of the palaces, the heritage city of Udaipur. During the monsoons, the city looks absolutely pristine and beautiful. Enjoy the monsoons with a dreamy date with your loved. Where to stay: The Oberoi Udaivilas Shouryagarh Resort Spa The Amargarh 4. Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir Thinkstock Ladakh is heaven on earth and the best time to visit this heaven is during the monsoons. Take in the grandeur of the Pangong lake, the serenity of the Thiksey monastery and the enchanting snow-capped mountains at the Changla pass. Where to stay: The Zen Ladakh The Grand Dragon Eco Poplar Resort 5. Shillong, Meghalaya Thinkstock Shillong receives the heaviest rainfall during the monsoons, making it the most beautiful places to visit. The greenery and the picturesque valleys of Khasi and Jayanti hills are some of the tourist attractions. Enjoy the numerous waterfalls and the panoramic natural scenery of this place. Where to stay: Ri Kynjai Heritage design- Serenity By The Lake Hotel Centre Point Royal Heritage-Tripura Castle 6. Ranikhet, Uttarakhand Mouthshut.com Ranikhet is a tranquil hill station and cantonment town situated in the Almora district of Uttarakhand. The name Ranikhet means the Queens meadow and truly this little hill station positioned 6132 ft above sea level lives up to its name. The majestic view of the Hilmalayan hills, the lush green forests and exquisite wildlife is something to watch out for during the monsoons. Where to stay: Chevron Rosemount Cosmos Himalayan Villas WelcomHeritage Windsor Lodge 7. Lonavala, Maharashtra Mouthshut.com If you stay in Mumbai then you must have definitely visited this bustling hill station at least once. During the monsoons, the best way to get close to nature is by driving to Lonavala. Enjoy the waterfalls on the way, get drenched in Bushi dam and dont forget those piping hot bhajiyas at the famous Tiger point of Lonavala. Where to stay: Della Resorts & Villas The Machan Fariyas Resort Lonavala I'm ready to strike off these places from my bucket list, what about you? Before you head out to book your hotels for the staycation, log on to Yatra.com to bag the best deals. If you thought 89 cuts from Pahlaj Nihalani was unjust, wait till you hear this. The Pakistan Censor Board has gone a step ahead and suggested more than 100 cuts on Udta Punjab for its release across the border. The board had over the weekend reviewed the film in Sindh one more time and finally gave it a green signal. But when the makers got the conditions, they were shocked. It wants all "objectionable and anti-Pakistan" content to be removed from the film. All this after the movie had already run afoul with Indian censors. Mubashir Hasan, the Central Board of Film Censors head said almost every dialogue had offensive words so they asked for major cuts in the Punjab-set drug drama. "All 10-members of the CBFC have unanimously allowed Udta Punjab to be released after editing objectionable content. We have cut all derogatory and offensive words/dialogues and anti-Pakistan content from the film. More than 100 cuts, mutes, beeps have been suggested to the films distributor. Once he will complete the editing as per the requirement of the board, it will again be presented before it for final approval." Earlier, the five-member panel of Pakistan's censor board declined to pass Udta Punjab for screening in the country, citing objectionable content but Hasan said they later decided to give it conditional approval. "We had not banned this movie. On the appeal of the distributor the full board sat together today and gave conditional approval for its screening here." He added that his board never compromises on anti-Islam, anti-Pakistan and anti-society contents in a film and bans it forthwith. "Udta Punjab does not fall in that category. We have asked the distributor to delete those scenes which even slightly refer to Pakistan and words like 786 (which refers to Bismillah) and words Maryam." The Abhishek Chaubey-directed movie, starring Bollywood A-listers Shahid Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Punjabi star Diljit Dosanjh, had run into trouble with the Indian censor board which demanded 89 cuts from the movie. Refusing to budge to the demands, producer Anurag Kashyap and his team moved the Bombay High Court against the board to get their film cleared for its scheduled release on June 17. As they fought an impending battle against the authoritative board headed by Nihalani, the entire Bollywood and audience across the nation gathered in their support. The court passed the movie with just one cut and a revised disclaimer. The film's distributor will get the content edited in Dubai in a day or two before presenting it again before the censor board in Pakistan for final approval. According to the distributor, Udta Punjab is likely to be screened across Pakistan this weekend. "When I used to walk out of the ring, after the shoot, I used to feel like a raped woman. I couldnt walk straight. I would eat and then, head right back to training. That couldnt stop. This is what India's favourite hero, Salman Khan, had to say when asked about his apparently rigorous training schedule for Sultan, a movie where he plays a successful wrestler who later turns to MMA. Or something like that. But why did he say it? Probably Salman is not used working so hard in his life. Probably Salman is not used to watching what he saying. Perhaps, just perhaps, this is one of the million other things about Salman's life that have not one iota of logic in them. Which is why I write this, not for Salman, but for those who are (very rightfully) losing their temper over his 'rape equals stressful training' comment. Guys, Salman cannot be taken seriously, he's Bollywood's Azam Khan if you will! amazingwallpapers.net True, a lot of people ignored his - I dont think I should have, plea in the interview, but why say shit in the first place? No, he shouldn't have, but when has that ever stopped Bhai from saying or doing the things he does? He shouldn't be doing such crappy films, but he does. He shouldn't have (allegedly) physically abused his partners, but he did. He shouldn't have (allegedly) called poor Vivek Oberoi 42 times, but he did. He shouldn't have gone hunting for those endangered animals, but he (allegedly) did. He shouldn't be (allegedly) drinking and driving, but he does. He shouldn't have killed those people, but he did (allegedly). He surely shouldn't have gotten away with it, but he did! I really need to stop here because the alleged list could go on. 2.bp.blogspot.com It's almost as if he knows he's about to do or say something really dumb, and then goes ahead and says it anyway. It's almost like he's spending a huge amount of his time trying to sabotage himself. Just when things are better - boom! The problem, however, isn't Salman. The reason why this guy's dumb comment makes it to the front page is because he, unfortunately, does have a huge fan following of people, who actually think the guy can be a role model. Wait, scratch that, even a random Snapchat makes the headlines nowadays. All you need to do is insult a celebrity. The fans will take care of the rest. port.ro But to be honest, Salman shouldn't be facing the brunt of the slangs we all use casually on a daily basis. Just look at our lives - how is it that our politicians don't end up paying for half the shit they say on a daily basis? Nobody's justifying what Salman said, but our politicians truly have some vile things to say about rape victims, acid victims, people from different castes, communities or religions. We are to be blamed for using certain words way too loosely. How many times have you casually thrown the word "f**ked" to describe an unfavourable situation? The truth is, we have been trivialising sexual violence and rape culture for far too long, and Salman Khan isn't solely responsible for that. nthwall.com But I'm digressing. Salman fans, if it hasn't been demonstrated a thousand times over already, you need to know that your star is a moron. A moron whose movies are probably the most logical thing about him and that's not saying much. At the risk of generalising, most of the "die-hard" Salman Khan fans aren't the ones reading this. In all probability, they don't know how to read. Which is why it becomes sort of a social responsibility for a superstar of such stature to carry himself as an example for the masses. Rajnikanth does mind-numbingly entertaining films too, but off the screen, he's perhaps the most genuine superstar you'd spot. The way he carries himself with incredible elan demands respect. But having your 80-year-old father defend your words and actions time and again, doesn't. Everybody knows Salman is an imbecile, his tweets are evidence enough. But it's time his fans learn that too. But then again, when running over innocent people didn't change anything, why would a comment trivialising rape? Porn addicts may find this a tad unreal. But have you reached a point where too much porn has made you take a step back and say, 'Enough!' ? Or, has the habit set your expectations so high, that the real thing doesn't suit the 'porn-real' image in your head? Well, you're not alone. Lakhs of men and women across the world are turning away from porn. Not just that, they are taking digital celibacy to the next level, so that their 'kinky' digital habits do not trouble their real life. And all this with the help of #NoFap - an online community where compulsive porn surfers come together to break free of their addiction. msicollege Is online porn rehab a good idea? While sexologists in the city say there is no harm in watching porn at times, a full-fledged addiction is real and affects everyday life. Well known sexologist, Dr Mahindra Watsa says the practice of consuming porn is nothing new, and has been going on since a while. However, it is only now that porn is so easily available that such a rehab is needed. He says, "Even in our time, we had pornographic periodicals which people used to watch. There is no harm in that. It's more like an outlet for fantasy. But an addiction, if it affects your everyday life, is harmful." olofofounited Unfortunately, there's a lack of rehab centres addressing this habit in the city. So does an online rehab fulfil the lacuna? Says Dr Rajan Bhosale, counsellor and consultant in sexual medicine, "Self-motivation is the key. The urge to quit any harmful habit including watching porn, has to come from inside. But Mumbai doesn't have a set-up for self-help. Having said that, visiting a counsellor works best rather than going to people online who don't have the proper experience to deal with such matters." Read Also: PornHub Is Offering You Rs. 16.65 Lakhs To Hack Its System And Look For Bugs What the Indian users have to say A look into the solutions given on the online rehab site perhaps affirms Dr Bhosale's views. Many of the online uses attribute culture clash with west when it comes to fulfilling sexual expectations. They also blame "conservative upbringing" for their addiction, which some divert by "working everyday until you get exhausted so that sexual urges come only limited number of times. Even if you are having urges the frequency would be less and you will enjoy it." (sic). gawkerassets However, there are some tried and tested ones too. Users, from India and abroad, are happy to suggest alternative methods, like yoga, finding an activity to focus and installing porn blockers and deleting all the junk off your hard drive so as to avoid temptation. Among the several suggestions to quit watching porn is to go 'cold Turkey' on it. A post titled the NoFap starter kit gives a few handy tips, such as, "Write down on a piece of paper why you are quitting and all the reasons why." What is NoFap? A long running online community that began in 2011 on an internet forum on the message board Reddit, NoFap is today a 1,70,000 strong bunch of men and women across all ages and sexuality, who meet and support each other to abstain from pornography and masturbation. The group operates like a support group and has its own vocabulary, acronyms and a forum which contains several members from India as well. Members are honest when they 'crash' and give in to the temptation, and then 'Reboot' or start the abstaining cycle all over again. Its rule states that it isn't a 'porn-hating' or an 'anti-masturbation' site. NoFap vocab onthe.io Users have developed a lingo to create a connection between people chasing the same goal... Accountability Partners: Accountability partners are pairs who hold each other responsible for their sexual habits Fapstronaut: A NoFap user Femstronaut: A female NoFap user PIED: Porn-induced erectile dysfunction where men are unable to achieve or maintain an erection without the use of porn or porn fantasy. aferfi Reboot: The process of restoring your brain to factory defaults. Said to take about 90 days (+/- 30 days), by anecdotal reports. Relapse: For addicts, the act of returning to old habits after a period of improvement. Reset: Failing one of the decided programs/challenge PMO: Porn, Masturbation and Orgasm" The cycle of porn use that constitutes the core of addiction. Read Also: Indias Not The Only One, Now An American State Declares Porn A Public Health Crisis! Involuntary sex bans! thequint No Escort sites: This month, the central government banned 240 websites offering escort services on the recommendation of an expert committee under the ministry of home affairs. However, industry sources criticised the move, calling it directionless. "Content of all the websites cannot be blocked. The order has been issued without going into technical nitty gritty around it. If a website changes the name or link slightly, it will again start working," said an executive of an internet service provider (ISP). Porn ban: Last year, in a large-scale crackdown on the internet in India, more than 850 porn websites were blocked as telecommunications companies began to implement government instructions to ban x-rated websites. Many viewed this as an attack on internet freedom in India. The ban was however, partially lifted as it was seemed unfeasible to have sweeping restriction on the internet freedom in India. The worlds most expensive luxury train, Maharaja Express, will have a new route that takes it through South India next monsoons, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said. There is ample scope for tourism in Goa and (the) Konkan belt. I have asked (the) Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) to introduce worlds most expensive luxury train Maharaja Express in southern India covering Goa, Maharashtra and Kerala. he said. 5 Indian Luxury Trains That Will Make Sure You Start Saving For A Ride On One Of Them Subhrajit Chandra/bccl He laid the foundation stone for new railway line crossing at Kharepatan in Maharashtra via video conferencing. maharajas The minister said plans are to make sure that by next year, Maharaja Express, which has won several awards for four consecutive years as the worlds best luxury train, should make trips in Goa during the monsoon season. According to Prabhu, this will help to attract rich tourists to Goa. maharajas The travel by this train is very expensive and hence will attract high-end tourist and generate revenue for railway as well as (the) state, he said, adding the train will help generate employment. bccl The Minister further said the Konkan Railway Corporation will have 10 more railway stations along the Goa, Konkan, Karnataka and Kerala route for which Rs. 150 crore will be alloted. Konkan Railway is not only important for the belt, but today it serves as important lifeline to the people of Goa, Konkan, and Kerala, Prabhu said. PTI maharajas Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said the train will attract rich tourists, and help generate revenue palaceonwheel Fare: On Single Occupancy per person - Rs. 4.5 Lakh When you step onto Maharajas Express, you wont believe your eyes. The express, that looks like a train from the outside, becomes a royal palace once you step in. The train offers a range of five itineraries, which include plans such as meeting the royal family at one of the largest dinosaur fossil sites in Balasinor, exploring the temples of Khajuraho, dining at an elephant polo match in Jaipur, enjoying a sundowner on the sand dunes of Bikaner, and indulging in a champagne breakfast overlooking the Taj Mahal. The train comprises 14 guest carriages with 43 cabins in total. Packages range from 4 days/3 nights to 8 days/7 nights and cover major Indian cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. Since Raghuram Rajan revealed on Saturday that he wouldn't seek reappointment to the governorship of the Reserve Bank, when his term ends in September, speculation has been rife about his likely successor. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has said that an official announcement will be forthcoming, and government sources have reportedly said that the Centre is considering a number of candidates - including SBI chief Arundhati Bhattacharya, Deputy RBI Governor Urijit Patel, former Deputy RBI governors Subir Gokarn and Rakesh Mohan, Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das and Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian. BCCL If Bhattacharya is named to the position, she will be the first woman to head India's central bank. Here are some interesting facts about Arundhati Bhattacharya. A long, glittering CV BCCL Bhattacharya has worked at SBI for almost four decades. Her SBI career began all way back in 1977, when she joined the bank as a probationary officer. She has since served the bank in various capacities, including as Chief General Manager and Deputy Managing Director. An unprecendented appointment BCCL When she was appointed as the bank's chairperson in 2013, Bhattacharya became the first woman in the institution's two-century long history to lead it, and the first woman to lead an Indian Fortune 500 company. "The challenge as a woman is that you have to prove yourself again and again, not just at work, but at home as well," The Economic Times has quoted her as saying. A visionary BCCL It was during Bhattacharya's term as the Chief General Manager of the bank that it established SBI General Insurance, SBI Macquarie Infrastructure Fund and SBI-SG Global Securities Private Ltd., and introduced services like mobile banking and financial planning. A global leader BCCL Forbes Magazine in 2016 ranked Bhattacharya 25 in its list of the world's 100 most powerful women, and called the current phase of her glittering career "her most challenging test yet", citing the increasing burden of unpaid loans on the country's banking system. In late 2014, she took on liquor baron Vijay Mallya, when SBI sent Kingfisher airlines a notice to declare the company "a wilful defaulter." In March this year, SBI asked the Debt Recovery Tribunal to arrest Mallya, impound his passport, and obtain a complete record of his assets. Personal life BCCL Bhattacharya was born in the City of Joy. She earned a degree in English Literature from Kolkata's Lady Brabourne College, and did her postgraduate studies at Jadavpur University. She is married to Pritimoy Bhattacharya, a former IIT-Kharagpur professor. They have a daughter, Sukrita. Modi's high flying investment runs around the world has made him India's most prominent frequent flier. Yet, for a man who lives, work, sleeps and holds meeting 30,000 feet above ground, his plane is ridiculously unsafe - its a commercial ageing Boeing 747 sans self-protection systems with a few special amenities. Neither the Special Protection Group's (SPG), nor India's Defence analysts approve of it, and had requested for four-engined aircrafts with self-protection suites. Air Vice-Marshal (retired) Manmohan Bahadur of the Centre for Air Power Studies even said the only way Modi can stay alive is by avoiding conflict areas. Obamas plane is pretty hard to shoot down - because theres a decoy in his fleet of 3 that includes a chartered jumbo jet for office staff and his security team. After 2 years of coming to power, Modis set to get a new official aircraft, said to be modelled after US President Barack Obama's Air Force One. For one, itll be a a state-of-the art Boeing 777-300. According to Aaj Tak, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar is about to finalise two new Boeing 777-300s in the Defence Acquisition Council meeting this week. With security as the mandate for the new plane, theres some some much needed upgrades. Defence analyst (Retd) Air Commodore Prashant Dixit told the media that the plane features special radar-absorbing metal, and it can dodge enemy radar and also retaliate in case of an air attack, including anti-missile systems, ability to withstand grenades and rocket attacks, Doctors on call 24 X 7 and a An operating theatre for emergency surgery. ET Vaishali Yadav , who underwent a major heart surgery last week with help from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), was pleasantly surprised to get a letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself. Last week, she wrote to the prime minister - her second letter to 'Modi Sarkar' (as she fondly addresses Modi). Her first letter, seeking help for the surgery, mobilised the district administration to arrange free treatment for the six-year-old second grader. However, the response to the second letter, in which Vaishali thanked Modi for arranging the surgery and even attached a drawing for him, has left the Yadav family pleasantly shocked. For, this time the PM himself wrote to the child. A hand-signed letter from Modi was received by her uncle Pratap on Monday evening. "Can anyone imagine getting a letter from the PM, that too a family like ours that stays in a 10x10 ft room? Even the postman had to take some effort to find our place. But seeing the PM's seal on the envelope, he made sure we got the letter in time," said Pratap. Read what the PM told the young one here Here are 5 more Indians that made news today: 1. Meet Pavan Amara, A Rape Survivor Herself, Now Helping Other Victims Reclaim Their Bodies i.telegraph. It is hard to imagine what goes through the mind of a woman after sexual violence. Revulsion for your own body, an inability to look at yourself in the mirror and a debilitating tension have been described by victims as some of the life- changing consequences. One woman said that her rapist had taken away so much from her and now he was taking her health, too. Pavan Amara, a student nurse in London, now 27, had suffered similarly. She was raped as a teenager. She decided to reach out and help rape victims reclaim their bodies. She began by talking to NHS doctors and nurses, Rape Crisis volunteers and staff at Sh!, the only female-focused sex shop in the UK. In 2014, Amara, whose family comes from Kultan, near Amritsar, set up the "My Body Back project". Amara found that many victims stopped visiting doctors because they were not able to let anyone touch them. With the My Body Back project, Amara has created services for them to access healthcare.What happened next? Read here! 2. Modi Compares Yoga To A Cellphone, Asks India To Make It A Habit On International Yoga Day! PIB Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the second International Yoga Day on Tuesday as he attended a Yoga event in Chandigarh. He also performed Yoga along with over 30, 000 participants. Addressing the gathering the India Prime minister said yoga is "not a religious practice" and should not be dragged into controversy. With participation from around 190 countries, PM Modi said Yoga has become a people's mass movement. Read more anecdotes from our PM. 3.This Is How A Gujarat School Principal Used Yoga To Transform A Notorious Village BCCL/representational image Surprisingly, the maximum time that Digubha Gohil spends his time on the mobile phone is 4:30 in the morning. This 42-year-old principal of primary school in Alampar village makes at least 80-100 wake-up calls to the locals, who then gather in the school compound by 5 am. They diligently perform pranayam and yogasanas for an hour under Gohil's guidance. This has been the routine in Alampar, a small village of Bhavnagar district's Umrala taluka, for the last six years. Read more here 4. 82 Year Old Man Fails Class X For The 47th Time, Still Doesnt Give Up 365jia.cn Now this the kind of persistence that Bihar's star students could have used. Shiv Charan, 82, who appeared in the Rajasthan Board's Class 10 exam for the 47th time a few months back, has failed once again. The results of the Rajasthan Board of Secondary Examination announced on Sunday evening have again shattered his hopes of getting married.Also known as Sheojiram and Pappu, the resident of Kohari village of Behror town, over 140 km from here, has been taking the test for the last 47 years. In the early years of his life, he vowed to marry only after getting through the examinations. "Till the time I am alive I will go on giving the exam," Shiv Charan told on Monday. Read more about his adventures here 5. Man Forgets Bag In A Mumbai Auto, The Driver Searches Him For Two Hours And Returns It TOI Honesty is still alive. A 24-year-old rickshaw driver, Guddu Gupta, who found a passenger's forgotten bag in this vehicle, drove around for at least a couple hours to track down its rightful owners on Saturday. Gupta found a bag in his autorickshaw around 7.30pm on Saturday. He had ferried a couple, Mukhtar Ahmed Idrisi and his wife, from Kurla railway terminus to Bandra-Kurla Complex but Gupta was unsure whose bag it was. It later turned out that the bag contained Rs3,000, gold jewellery, bank documents and insurance papers. Read more Surprisingly, the maximum time that Digubha Gohil spends his time on the mobile phone is 4:30 in the morning. BCCL/representational image This 42-year-old principal of primary school in Alampar village makes at least 80-100 wake-up calls to the locals, who then gather in the school compound by 5 am. They diligently perform pranayam and yogasanas for an hour under Gohil's guidance. This has been the routine in Alampar, a small village of Bhavnagar district's Umrala taluka, for the last six years. BCCL/representational image And, the transformation that Gohil brought about in this once notorious village is for all to see. Large number of men, who were addicted to maava (mixture of betel nut, tobacco and lime commonly consumed in Gujarat) have given up the habit, the health of villagers has improved and most importantly, the attendance in school consistently remains 100%. In fact, yoga guru Baba Ramdev, had also visited Alampar twice after getting to know how Gohil single-handedly brought such positive changes through this traditional Indian wisdom. "I did a brisk business, thanks to large number of maava addicts in our village. I myself consumed 30-35 maavas every day. But after taking up Yoga, I have not only given up my addiction but also closed the paan shop," said 38-year-old Sahdevsinh Gohil. BCCL/representational image Gohil told TOI, "As a teacher, in 2009, I saw half of the children mostly flunked classes daily. The average attendance used be around 40%. So, I started teaching Yoga early in the morning. Initially, just 20 students came but gradually the numbers increased to 100." BCCL/representational image "Parents also started joining them. After Yoga class, I started persuading parents of regular absentees to send their wards to school. As a result, we have 100% attendance of 222 students of class I to VIII," Gohil said. What is more, at least 18 students of Alampar have got jobs in the police department and army after they successfully took the entrance exam! BCCL/representational image Bansi Maharaj, 35, a villager, said, "We saw Digubha working round-the-clock, meeting villagers urging them to give up addiction and turn towards Yoga. His selfless work touched our hearts and that is why everyone listens to him." Ramdev's coming to Alampar also helped changed the image of "notoriety" that the village had for years. In fact, people from other villages did not dread to pass through Alampar after 7pm as liquor addicts and anti-social elements would often pick up fights with outsiders for no plausible reason. BCCL/representational image Gohil's goodwill has also helped the village get cleaner. A Kenyan court has upheld the use of anal examinations to determine a suspects sexual orientation, dismissing the argument that the procedure amounts to torture and degrading treatment. Despite repeated pleas to Kenyan courts, the nation's judiciary has ruled in favour of a controversial test for gay sex. Kenya outlaws homosexuality, but is known to rarely prosecute violations. amcnetworks There was no violation of rights or the law, Mombasa high court judge Mathew Emukule said on Thursday. I find no violation of human dignity, right to privacy and right to freedom of the petitioners, he said. Two men had sought a court ruling to stop enforced anal examinations and HIV tests of men accused of being gay after they were subjected to the procedures. The two were arrested in a bar near Ukunda, a town along Kenyas Indian Ocean coast, in February 2015 on suspicion of engaging in homosexual sex, a criminal offence in Kenya. They still face the charges and, if convicted, could be jailed for 14 years. Reuters In their petition, the men said the anal examinations and HIV and hepatitis B tests they were forced to have amounted to torture and degrading treatment. The judge said the petitioners should have used their lawyers to seek injunction orders to avoid undergoing the tests. I sat in court holding my chin in disbelief, said Eric Gitari, the executive director of the Kenyan National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, which has supported the petition. He said the men would appeal. Its so painful when we are trying to encourage the gay community to go to court to affirm their rights; the courts are instead affirming violation of their rights, Gitari said. capital.gr The judgment means that someone can be arrested on a rumour that they are gay and subjected to these tests, he said. Do we want to use the nations scarce resources on this? Amnesty International condemned the ruling. Forcible anal examinations of men suspected of same-sex relationships is abhorrent, and violates the prohibition of torture and other ill-treatment under international law. They should not be allowed to continue, said director for East Africa, Muthoni Wanyeki. It is also absurd as the government has no business proving or disproving consensual homosexual activity. Its a violation of the right to privacy. Read Also:While India Still Goes Back And Forth On The Barbaric Two Finger Test, This Is How The Rest Of The World Behaves It is hard to imagine what goes through the mind of a woman after sexual violence. Revulsion for your own body, an inability to look at yourself in the mirror and a debilitating tension have been described by victims as some of the life-changing consequences. One woman said that her rapist had taken away so much from her and now he was taking her health, too. i.telegraph. Pavan Amara, a student nurse in London, now 27, had suffered similarly. She was raped as a teenager. She decided to reach out and help rape victims reclaim their bodies. She began by talking to NHS doctors and nurses, Rape Crisis volunteers and staff at Sh!, the only female-focused sex shop in the UK. In 2014, Amara, whose family comes from Kultan, near Amritsar, set up the "My Body Back project". Amara found that many victims stopped visiting doctors because they were not able to let anyone touch them. With the My Body Back project, Amara has created services for them to access healthcare. guardian-series "We run our MBB Clinic for women to have STI testing, cervical screening, and contraceptive fitting and removal. We have just started our MBB Maternity Clinic, too, which is for women who are pregnant, have a newborn, or want to become pregnant to receive specialist care," she said. "I knew there was a gap in services from my experience, and the more I spoke to other women the more I realised something really needed to be done about it. We also run workshops for women to explore what they like and don't like sexually, so they feel they have control over their sexual choices again after being raped". Additionally, a large number of those seeking help or reaching out are Indian, "We have had a surprising number of emails from India since we started our project. Not only from women wanting to use our services, but also from Indian men congratulating us on starting the service," Amara said. Amara will also run the first maternity clinic for rape survivors. She explains that doctors and nurses are not always equipped to deal with rape survivors. In the clinic, women will be in control, using first sessions to specify body positions and phrases they're not comfortable with, and have the option of self-test kits to avoid being touched. static.guim/Represenatational image "This is not a new problem, and women deserved this way before 2016. I really hope it can make a big difference to the women who use it and the babies who are born there. I have a lot of support from the staff there, who are very passionate and caring. That's important because it's a huge work load and we all need to look after each other as well as our patients. As long as we always put the women and babies we look after at the centre of our world, keep looking after one another, stay close-knit, and stay very focused and determined then things should be fine". The evidence is clear for why such an establishment is necessary , "Worldwide, the World Health Organisation estimates 1 in 3 women have experienced sexual violence. It's so common, and the very least that can be done is provision of proper services". On combating rape specifically in the Indian and Punjabi community, Amara highlights the mindset: "Women are always blamed regardless of the context in our culture. People cry when a baby girl is born, her mother is blamed for her birth, daughter-in-laws are routinely blamed by their husband and in-laws for a small dowry, it's still a cultural norm for daughters-in-law to be treated badly, and Indian police still record the huge number of honour killings simply as another 'kitchen fire'. In every stage of a woman's life, she is blamed within our culture, so it's little surprise that when she's raped she is to blame yet again, rather than the rapist". It's the brilliant @pavanamara again on her new maternity clinic for survivors of sexual violence https://t.co/AKcVSiffWk Andrew Johnson (@andyjey) June 13, 2016 However, Anara notes that particularly since the horrific death of Nirbhaya in 2012, in Delhi, many in India "challenge and question their country's attitudes towards women far more than in Britain, and they are changing it". She also however, condemns societal pressures such as "behsti" and "izzat": "This has stopped women in India and in the diaspora from speaking out for a long time. A lot of it has to do with keeping the family's izzat, and that responsibility always seems to lie with the women in a family rather than everybody. People are questioning these things though. I was surprised when I went to visit my family in India in 2013, it felt like a country different from the one I had last visited in 2012. Nirbhaya's death had changed some things. In our village, everything was being questioned, women seemed to be saying things publicly that had only ever been spoken about privately before". A dating website called SecondWife.com has been launched by a Muslim entrepreneur, aimed at helping men find second wives. Azad Chaiwala, the man behind the website, claims that it promotes fidelity, old-fashioned values, and morality. Handout The 33-year-old businessman believes in his product so much that he himself plans to select his next two wives from the website. The site already has 35,000 members and is highly popular among Muslim men in places like Leicester. People visiting the website are greeted with a verse from the Quran which goes: "Then marry women of your choice, two or three, or four, but if you fear that you will not be able to deal justly, then only one." SecondWife.com Encouraged by his website's immediate success, Chaiwala opened a second dating site called Polygamy.com, purely to cater to Western clientele of all faiths. It's particularly popular among women and has garnered more than 7,000 members since its launch last year. Polygamy.com With the banner "Welcome to the world of polygamy", the website greets its users with a happy, culturally-diverse family proclaiming, "We want bigger, stronger families." In Britain, bigamy is illegal and can land one with a seven-year jail sentence. However, Chaiwala feels that he is not promoting any kind of criminal activity through his websites as his religion allows men to have up to four wives, as long as everyone is happy with the arrangement. Facebook Not everyone's happy with Chaiwala's websites though. Khalid Mahmood, the MP for Perry Barr and a Muslim himself, branded Chaiwala's websites utterly "stupid". "It puts a person in huge peril because they are not allowed to claim, as a partner, on his estate. It is not acceptable and puts individuals very much at risk, it puts them at a huge disadvantage. They think they are doing the right thing, but it does put them at risk in terms of the financial situation," the MP said, reports The Sun. Facebook But for Chaiwala, it's completely legit. "People go to a nightclub and have a one-night stand and thats the end of it. Men go with prostitutes; people look for swingers' clubs. A man wants to get married to multiple partners in an honourable manner, he wants to share his love and resources - why do you have an issue with that? It is not for everyone some men are not physically, or financially, capable of taking care of other women." Calling out everybody who believes in a woman vs man double-standard, President Barack Obama said that attitudes towards women embracing their sexuality needs to change. He said, "We need to change the attitude that punishes women for their sexuality but gives men a pat on the back for theirs." He shared his opinion on Tuesday's White House Summit on the United State of Women that discussed issues like women's reproductive health. AP Labeling himself as a feminist, Obama added, "I might be a little grayer than I was eight years ago, but this is what a feminist looks like." Obama wants people to be more "intentional" about this change in attitude. Obama quoted the first black woman elected to Congress, Shirley Chisholm, to prove his point. He said, "The emotional, sexual and psychological stereotyping of females begins when the doctor says: It's a girl." AP Men and women have been differentiated on their sexuality since time immemorial and Obama's comments only strengthen this ancient tenet on which the world operates. While men are praised and hailed for their machoism, women are always labelled with the worst of worse names. Obama has perhaps become the first sitting president to publicly speak against this world culture and invite everyone to contribute towards this change. The country of Afghanistan is strategically placed in the crossroads between major trade routes of east and the west. In its heydays Afghanistan was the melting pot of cultures and civilizations from both sides. It once boasted of a thriving multi-cultural and multireligious society until it was overrun by radical islamists. The Atlantic The Taliban and later Al-Qaida which made Afghanistan their home systematically eliminated all the traces of is glorious past, one by one. While the persecution of Hindus and Sikhs from Pakistan and Bangladesh have managed to make it to news discussions, the plight of the two communities in Afghanistan largely went unreported. RFE The situation is so bad that, close to 99 percent of former Hindu and Sikh citizens of Afghanistan have left the country over the past three decades. Before the Mujahedeens took control of the country in the 1980's Afghanistan had a Sikh and Hindu population of around 220,000. The numbers came down to 15,000 when the mujahideen was in power during the 1990's and continued to come down throughout the Taliban regime. Currently only an estimated 1,350 Hindus and Sikhs remain in the country. afghanhindus Community leaders who still live in Afghanistan say they have been suffering discrimination for decades. "The discrimination against us surfaced in 1992 when people started counting who were Hindu or Muslim and Tajik, Uzbek or Hazara," Awtar Singh, head of Hindus Council in Afghanistan, told Afghanistan's Tolo News. rferl They complain that they are treated as second class citizens by the majority community. They also say that the once thriving business community is now struggling mainly because their properties were forcibly taken away from them. The pressure from extremist groups to convert to Islam is also adding to the worries of the community. southasiafoundation Anarkali Honaryar, a former Afghan Lawmaker and prominent Sikh human rights activist said the community have even been targeted for religious custom of holding funeral cremations, a practice forbidden in Islam. According to Honaryar, there have been incidents where people threw stones at Sikh funeral processions and verbally attacked them. The years of persecution have forced them out of their homeland seeking shelter elsewhere. A lot of them have left the country for Europe or India. Among the nearly 9,000 Afghan refugees in India, most of them are Hindus and Sikhs. Tribune The plight of Sikhs in Afghanistan first made it to international headlines in August 2014 when 35 Afghan Sikhs were found in a container at Tilbury docks in UK. They were being illegally smuggled to UK. One of them crammed into the container had died by the time they were spotted by the UK authorities. Buddhism in Afghanistan Even though Buddhism has no presence in modern day Afghanistan, in the pre-Islamic era it was one of the most prominent religions there. Even though the religion is no more present in the country a number of significant Buddhist structures existed in Afghanistan till the Taliban takeover. afghanistanembassy.org.uk In fact one of the most notorious acts of the Afghan Taliban was blowing up the Buddha of Bamiyan, a 4th century rock-carved Buddha statue, believed to be the tallest of its kind in the world. The destruction of the UNESCO World Heritage site which the Taliban deemed as idol worship is widely seen as the inspiration to the likes of ISIS which destroyed centuries old relics in Iraq and Syria. Even though it is impossible to be restored to its original shape, in 2015, a Chinese company party restored it by filling the empty enclosure by hologram. UEFA took strict action against Croatia by fining them 100,000 euros after their fans caused an Euro 2016 match to be stopped in the middle. AFP Croatian supporters threw flares into the field in the match against Czech Republic. Their reaction was strange considering that Croatia were leading in the match. The match resumed later on and ended in a 2-2 draw. AFP UEFA also ordered the Croatian federation, the HNS, not to sell tickets to fans identified by the HNS and the Croatian authorities as hooligans. But the ticket sanction was deferred until the end of the tournament. AFP Hopefully this move will discourage fans from such things in the future. Fingers crossed as we near the knockout stage of Euro 2016. NATO Commander Sees No Imminent Russian Threat To Baltics By Reuters June 21, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " Reuters " - PRAGUE: NATO is not contemplating a troop build-up in East Europe and the Baltics beyond existing plans as there is no imminent threat from Russia, despite fears amongst Baltic states, the alliance's military chief said Monday. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia see themselves in the front-line of any potential conflict with Russia and are putting their armies on a war footing. NATO is planning a new NATO force in Poland and the three Baltic nations. The four battalions, of up to 1,000 troops each, are part of a wider deterrent to be approved at a summit in Warsaw on July 8 that NATO hopes will discourage Russia from orchestrating the kind of campaign it used to annex Ukraine's Crimea peninsula in February 2014. General Petr Pavel, chairman of the NATO Military Committee, said the battalions would act as a political deterrent rather than a military one. No bigger force was needed at this point, he said. "Deployment of substantial military force is not being considered," he told a news conference. "It is not the aim of NATO to create a military barrier against broad-scale Russian aggression, because such aggression is not on the agenda and no intelligence assessment suggests such a thing." Nonetheless, the Russian threat could not be ruled out, he said. The Baltic states and their southern neighbour Poland fear NATO plans are too small and symbolic to deter an attack by Russia and want a sophisticated anti-missile shield to protect the region. Home Sign up for our FREE Daily Email Newsletter The Slow Death of the Syria Cease-Fire Brings a Hybrid War With Russia Closer By Alastair Crooke June 21, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " World Post " - BEIRUT Gradually, the mist of ambiguity and confusion hanging over Syria is lifting a little. The landscape is sharpening into focus. With this improved visibility, we can view a little more clearly the course of action being prepared by Iran, Russia and the Syrian government. Russia is emerging from an internal debate over whether the U.S. is truly interested in an entente or only in bloodying Russias nose. And what do we see? Skepticism. Russia is skeptical that NATOs new missile shield in Poland and Romania, plus military exercises right up near its border, are purely defensive actions. Iran, meanwhile, is studying the entrails of the nuclear agreement. As one well-informed commentator put it to me, Iran is coldly lethal at the gloating in the U.S. at having put one over Iran. Because, while Iran has duly taken actions that preclude it from weaponizing its nuclear program, it will not now gain the financial normalization that it had expected under the agreement. Its not a question of slow implementation Ive heard directly from banks in Europe that theyve been visited by U.S. Treasury officials and warned in clear terms that any substantive trade cooperation with Iran is closed off. Iran is not being integrated into the financial system. U.S. sanctions remain in place, the Europeans have been told, and the U.S. will implement fines against those who contravene these sanctions. Financial institutions are fearful, particularly given the size of the fines that have been imposed almost $9 billion for the French bank BNP a year ago. In principle, sanctions have been lifted. But in practice, even though its sales of crude are reaching pre-sanctions levels, Iran has found that, financially, it remains substantially hobbled. America apparently achieved a double success: It circumscribed Irans nuclear program, and the U.S. Treasury has hollowed out the nuclear agreements financial quid pro quo, thus limiting Irans potential financial empowerment, which Americas Gulf allies so feared. Some Iranian leaders feel cheated; some are livid. Others simply opine that the U.S. should never have been trusted in the first place. And Damascus? It never believed that the recent cease-fire would be a genuine cessation of hostilities, and many ordinary Syrians now concur with their government, seeing it as just another American ruse. They are urging their government to get on with it to liberate Aleppo. Just do it is the message for the Syrian government that Ive heard on the streets. A sense of the West being deceitful is exacerbated by reports of American, German, French and possibly Belgian special forces establishing themselves in northern Syria. All this infringement of Syrian sovereignty does not really seem temporary but rather the opposite: there are shades of Afghanistan, with all the temporary NATO bases. In any case, it is no exaggeration to say that skepticism about Western motives is in the air especially after Ashton Carter, the U.S. defense secretary, raised the possibility of NATO entering the fray. As Pat Lang, a former U.S. defense intelligence officer, wrote last week: The Russians evidently thought they could make an honest deal with [U.S. Secretary of State John] Kerry [and President] Obama. Well, they were wrong. The U.S. supported jihadis associated with [Jabhat al-Nusra, al Qaedas Syria wing] ... merely pocketed the truce as an opportunity to re-fit, re-supply and re-position forces. The U.S. must have been complicit in this ruse. Perhaps the Russians have learned from this experience. Lang goes on to note that during the truce, the Turks, presumably with the agreement of the U.S., brought 6,000 men north out of [Syria via the] Turkish border ... They trucked them around, and brought them through Hatay Province in Turkey to be sent back into Aleppo Province and to the city of Aleppo itself. Reports in Russian media indicate that Nusra jihadists, who have continued to shell Syrian government forces during the truce, are being commanded directly by Turkish military advisers. And meanwhile, the U.S. supplied the opposition with about 3,000 tons of weapons during the cease-fire, according to I.H.S. Janes, a security research firm. In brief, the cease-fire has failed. It was not observed. The U.S. made no real effort to separate the moderates from Nusra around Aleppo (as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has affirmed). Instead, the U.S. reportedly sought Nusras exemption from any Russian or Syrian attack. It reminds one of that old joke: Oh Lord, preserve me from sin but not just yet! Or in other words, preserve us from these dreadful jihadist terrorists, but not just yet, for Nusra is too useful a tool to lose. The cease-fire did not hasten any political solution, and Russias allies Iran and Hezbollah have already paid and will continue to pay a heavy price in terms of casualties for halting their momentum toward Aleppo. The opposition now has renewed vigor and weapons. It is hard to see the cease-fire holding value for Moscow much longer. The original Russian intention was to try to compel American cooperation, firstly in the war against jihadism and, more generally, to compel the U.S. and Europe to acknowledge that their own security interests intersect directly with those of Moscow and that this intersection plainly calls for partnership rather than confrontation. The present situation in Syria neither facilitates this bigger objective nor the secondary one of defeating radical jihadism. Rather, it has led to calls in Russia for a less conciliatory approach to the U.S. and for the Kremlin to acknowledge that far from preparing for partnership, NATO is gearing up for a hybrid war against Russia. It is also hard to see the cease-fire holding any continuing value for Tehran either. While the Iran nuclear agreement seemed to hold out the promise of bringing Iran back into the global financial system, such expectations seem now to be withering on the vine. As a result, Iran is likely to feel released from self-imposed limitations of their engagement in Syria and in other parts of the Middle East. Damascus, meanwhile, only very reluctantly agreed to leave its citizens in Aleppo in some semi-frozen limbo. Iran and Hezbollah were equally dubious. All this suggests renewed military escalation this summer. Russian President Vladimir Putin will probably not wish to act before the European summit at the end of June. And neither would he wish Russia to figure largely as an issue in the U.S. presidential election. Yet he cannot ignore the pressures from those within Russia who insist that America is planning a hybrid war for which Russia is unprepared. The Russia commentator Eric Zuesse encapsulated some of these concerns, writing that actions speak louder than words. Earlier this month, he notes, the U.S. refused to discuss with Russia its missile defense program: Russias concern is that, if the Ballistic Missile Defense or Anti Ballistic Missile system, that the U.S. is now just starting to install on and near Russias borders, works, then the U.S. will be able to launch a surprise nuclear attack against Russia, and this system, which has been in development for decades and is technically called the Aegis Ashore Missile Defense System, will annihilate the missiles that Russia launches in retaliation, which will then leave the Russian population with no retaliation at all. Zuesse goes on to argue that the U.S. seems to be pursuing a new nuclear strategy, one that was put forward in 2006 in a Foreign Affairs article headlined The Rise of Nuclear Primacy, and scrapping the earlier policy of mutually assured destruction. The new strategy, Zuesse writes, argues for a much bolder U.S. strategic policy against Russia, based upon what it argued was Americas technological superiority against Russias weaponry and a possibly limited time-window in which to take advantage of it before Russia catches up and the opportunity to do so is gone. So, what is going on here? Does the U.S. administration not see that pulling Russia into a debilitating Syrian quagmire by playing clever with a cease-fire that allows the insurgency to get the wind back in its sails is almost certain to lead to Russia and Iran increasing their military engagement? There is talk both in Russia and Iran of the need for a military surge to try to break the back of the conflict. Does the U.S. see that ultimately such a strategy might further entangle it just as much as Russia and Iran in the conflict? Does it understand Saudi Arabias intent to double down in Syria and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogans political interest in continuing the Syrian crisis? Does it judge these very real dangers accurately? No, I think not: the political calculus is different. More likely, the explanation relates to the presidential election campaign in the U.S. The Democratic Party, in brief, is striving to steal the Republican Partys clothes. The latter holds the mantle of being credited as the safer pair of hands of the two, as far as Americas security is concerned. This has been a longstanding potential weakness for the Democrats, only too readily exploited by its electoral opponents. Now, perhaps the opportunity is there to steal this mantle from the Republicans. All this hawkishness the American shrug of the shoulders at making Iran feel cheated over the nuclear agreement; at Russia, Iran and Damascus seething that the Syria cease-fire was no more than a clever trap to halt their military momentum; at the psychological impact of NATO exercising on Russias borders; at the possible consequences to Obamas refusal to discuss the ballistic defense system all this is more likely about showing Democrat toughness and savvy in contrast to Donald Trump. In short, the Democrats see the opportunity to cast themselves as tough and reliable and to transform foreign policy into an asset rather than their Achilles heel. But if all this bullheadedness is nothing more than the Democratic Party espying an apparent weakness in the Trump campaign, is this foreign policy posturing meaningful? The answer is that it is not meaningless; it carries grave risks. Ostensibly this posture may appear clever in a domestic campaigning context, where Russia is widely viewed in a negative light. But externally, if the Syrian cease-fire comes to be viewed as nothing more than a cynical ploy by the U.S. to drag Russia deeper into the Syrian quagmire in order to cut Putin down to size, then what will likely follow is escalation. Hot months ahead in Syria. Russia will gradually reenter the conflict, and Iran and Iraq will likely increase their involvement as well. There are those in the U.S., Turkey and the Gulf who would welcome such a heightened crisis, hoping that it would become so compellingly serious that no incoming U.S. president, of either hue, could avoid the call to do something upon taking office. In this way, the U.S. could find itself dragged into the maw of another unwinnable Middle Eastern war. We should try to understand the wider dangers better, too. Baiting Russia, under the problematic rubric of countering Russian aggression, is very much in fashion now. But in Russia, there is an influential and substantial faction that has come to believe that the West is planning a devastating hybrid military and economic war against it. If this is not so, why is the West so intent on pushing Russia tight up into a corner? Simply to teach it deference? Psychologists warn us against such strategies, and Russia finally is reconfiguring its army (and more hesitantly, its economy) precisely to fight for its corner. As another noted Russia commentator, John Helmer, noted on his blog on May 30, the new NATO missile installations in Eastern Europe are hostile acts, just short of casus belli a cause of war. According to Reuters, Putin warned that Romania might soon be in the cross hairs the new NATO missile installations there will force Russia to carry out certain measures to ensure our security. It will be the same case with Poland, Putin added. Did you hear that sound? That was the ratchet of war, which has just clicked up a slot or two. Click for Spanish , German , Dutch , Danish , French , translation- Note- Translation may take a moment to load. What's your response? - Scroll down to add / read comments Sign up for our FREE Daily Email Newsletter For Email Marketing you can trust Donate Please read our Comment Policy before posting - It is unacceptable to slander, smear or engage in personal attacks on authors of articles posted on ICH. Those engaging in that behavior will be banned from the comment section. Trolling for War with Russia By Patrick Buchanan June 21, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - Some 50 State Department officials have signed a memo calling on President Obama to launch air and missile strikes on the Damascus regime of Bashar Assad. A "judicious use of stand-off and air weapons," they claim, "would undergird and drive a more focused and hard-nosed U.S.-led diplomatic process." In brief, to strengthen the hand of our diplomats and show we mean business, we should start bombing and killing Syrian soldiers. Yet Syria has not attacked us. And Congress has not declared war on Syria, or authorized an attack. Where do these State hawks think President Obama gets the authority to launch a war on Syria? Does State consider the Constitution to be purely advisory when it grants Congress the sole power to declare war? Was not waging aggressive war the principal charge against the Nazis at Nuremberg? If U.S. bombs and missiles rain down on Damascus, to the cheers of the C-Street Pattons, what do we do if Bashar Assads allies Iran and Hezbollah retaliate with Benghazi-type attacks on U.S. diplomats across the Middle East? What do we do if Syrian missiles and Russian planes starting shooting down U.S. planes? Go to war with Hezbollah, Iran and Russia? Assume U.S. strikes break Syrias regime and Assad falls and flees. Who fills the power vacuum in Damascus, if not the most ruthless of the terrorist forces in that country, al-Nusra and ISIS? Should ISIS reach Damascus first, and a slaughter of Alawites and Christians ensue, would we send an American army to save them? According to CIA Director John Brennan, ISIS is spreading and coming to Europe and America. Does it make sense then that we would launch air and missile strikes against a Syrian regime and army that is today the last line of defense between ISIS and Damascus? Does anyone think these things through? Wherever, across the Middle East, we have plunged in to wage war Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, Syria people continue to suffer and die, and we are ensnared. Have we not fought enough wars in this Godforsaken region? Last week, Russian planes launched air strikes on the rebels in Syria whom we have been arming and training to overthrow Assad. Said John Kerry, "Russia needs to understand that our patience is not infinite." But why are we arming rebels to overthrow Assad? Who rises if he falls? Moscows alliance with Damascus goes back decades. Syria provides Russia with a naval base in the Mediterranean. Vladimir Putins support for the embattled Syrian regime in the civil war being waged against it is legal under international law. It is our policy that appears questionable. Where did Obama get the right to arm and train rebels to dump over the Damascus regime? Did Congress authorize this insurrection? Or is this just another CIA-National Endowment for Democracy project? Why are we trying to bring down Assad, anyhow? U.S. foreign policy today seems unthinking, reactive, impulsive. Last week, 31,000 NATO troops conducted exercises in Poland and the Baltic republics, right alongside the border with Russia. For the first time since 1945, German tanks appeared in Poland. Now we are planning to base four NATO battalions one U.S.-led, one British, one German, and perhaps one Canadian, as the French and Italians are balking at being part of a tripwire for war. How would we react if 31,000 Russian, Chinese, Cuban, Iranian and North Korean troops conducted military exercises across from El Paso and Brownsville, Texas? How would we react if each of those countries left behind a battalion of troops to prevent a repeat of General "Black Jack" Pershings intervention in Mexico in 1916? Americans would be apoplectic. Nor are some Europeans enthusiastic about confronting Moscow. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier called the NATO exercises "warmongering" and "saber-rattling." He adds, "Anyone who believes that symbolic tank parades on the alliances eastern border will increase security is wrong. We would be well-advised not to deliver any excuses for a new, old confrontation." Not only is Steinmeiers Social Democratic Party leery of any new Cold War with Russia, so, too, is the German Left Party, and the anti-EU populist party Alternative for Germany, which wants closer ties to Russia and looser ties to the United States. This month, we sent the USS Porter into the Black Sea. Why? Says Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, "to deter potential aggression." While there is talk of a NATO Black Sea fleet, Bulgaria, one of the three NATO Black Sea nations, appears to want no part of it. The European Union also just voted to extend sanctions on Russia for annexing Crimea and supporting separatists in Ukraine. Donald Trump calls the NATO alliance a rip-off, a tripwire for World War III and "obsolete." Hillary Clinton compares Putins actions in Ukraine to Hitlers actions in Germany in the early 1930s. Looking for a four-year faceoff with a nuclear-armed Russia? Hillarys the one! Patrick J. Buchanan is the author of the new book "The Greatest Comeback: How Richard Nixon Rose From Defeat to Create the New Majority." To find out more about Patrick Buchanan and read features by other Creators writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators website at www.creators.com . Eyewitness Tells How The U.S. Ambassador Instigated "Revolution" In Syria By Moon Of Alabama S. Rifai, also known as @THE_47th, is a Syrian "activist" from Homs. He was involved since early 2011 when the U.S. Ambassador Robert Ford (@fordrs58) fomented the "revolution" in Syria. He has since tweeted about the "revolution" and has shown lots of insider knowledge. Below S. Rifai corrects the U.S. propaganda record. The former ambassador Ford allegedly had a hand in last weeks "dissident" letter by some State Department employees. The letter urges launching an open U.S. war against Syria and its government. Ford was recently interviewed about the letter for an exculpatory piece in the New Yorker. In the New Yorker interview Ford asserted: We all learned from Iraq that regime change is not the way to bring about positive political change. In the case of civil war, there needs to be negotiation between the opposition and the government. The question is how you increase the likelihood that it will succeed. And ever since Secretary Clinton and Sergei Lavrov concluded the communique, in June, 2012, Administration policy has failed to create the conditions necessary to succeed. Quoting the above S. Rifai responded to former ambassador Ford's assertions (emphasis added, edited to expand Twitter shorthand): S. Rifai @THE_47th 5:02 AM - 19 Jun 2016 That's not what u told us in meetings in Damascus Ambassador @fordrs58 .. that's not the message you conveyed Ambassador Ford @fordrs58 you have had more freedom in Damascus in 2011 than most political opposition and throughout your meetings, the above message was different You actually had the courage Ambassador @fordrs58 to sit with regime officials who seemed ready to defect and your message certainly wasn't "negotiation" Your meetings in Abu Remmaneh, Malki, and in known dissidents houses Mr. @fordrs58, remember those? remember the promises? I can get more specific about these meetings Mr. @fordrs58, but it is not in your interest nor mine These details are like farts in the wind Mr. Ambassador @fordrs58 - what counts is the "Assad must go" part that you and your president said repeatedly. Ford did not immediately respond but S. Rifai insisted S. Rifai @THE_47th 5:14 AM - 19 Jun 2016 @fordrs58 so please clarify: you knew all along that Obama wanted "negotiations with the government" but you and him kept telling us "Assad will go"? Another "revolutionary" joins: Abdul @al_7aleem 5:36 AM - 19 Jun 2016 .@THE_47th @fordrs58 Isn't it our fault for forgetting the last 90 years of US history in all our excitement... S. Rifai @THE_47th 5:38 AM - 19 Jun 2016 We didn't forget as much as we hoped for change.. It's not like we had another power-player we could rely on Later on Ford responded: Robert Ford @fordrs58 10:34 AM - 19 Jun 2016 you should remember that we (US Embassy and others) urged a dialogue with the Syrian government and that protests stay peaceful (Ford's tweet implies that, despite his claimed urging, the protests did not stay peaceful. He admits that the protesters, not the government, initiated the violence.) Rifai counters: S. Rifai @THE_47th 11:36 PM - 19 Jun 2016 Expectation vs. Reality Your trip to Hama was about dialogue? Your Malki meetings were about peace? Are you insulting my intelligence? .@fordrs58 when you knew Manaf Tlass or the Prime Minister was about to defect, did you urge them to dialogue instead? .@fordrs58 where is "dialogue" in Obama's "Assad must step aside"? Assad must go, Obama says .@fordrs58 when farouk Al Sharaa invited the opposition to a meeting in 2011 you advised Nabil Maleh, Michel Kilo, Fayez Sara NOT to dialogue. .@fordrs58 do you want the Bulgarian Ambassador to refresh your memory? How about B.R? Or M.T? All were there when you advised the opposition NOT to dialogue. .@fordrs58 you were giving us lectures on how important it was to tour the EU and lobby for our cause, and to capitalize on EU cutting ties with Assad Later: Robert Ford @fordrs58 7:33 AM - 20 Jun 2016 @THE_47th please get your facts straight. I never even met Fayez in 2011. We urged Sharaa dialogue to expand to include people like Michel & Haithem M. S. Rifai @THE_47th 8:10 AM - 20 Jun 2016 .@fordrs58 fine. I'll get them to say what you told them. On another note: why did you provide "non-lethal" aid to rebels? .@fordrs58 and when you went to the Syrian border with Turkey to meet rebels, were you also urging them to dialogue? To recap. Ford now asserts that he and Obama did not want immediate violent "regime change" in Syria. That they wanted to have a dialogue and negotiate with the Assad government. Rifai, who was there from the very beginning, says that those are lies. In his talks with the opposition Ford argued against any negotiations. His talks were not about peace or dialogue. They were for blatant, violent "regime change". The "revolutionary" dupes fell for it. --- Addendum: Ford peddles at least one other big lie in the New Yorker interview. He says: [Back in 2012, we in the State Department ...] didnt anticipate that the Al Qaeda organization would split and produce an even more virulent formthat a more extreme form would come to control the eastern portion of Syria going into Iraq. In mid 2012 the Defense Intelligence Agency circulated a high level assessment of the situation in Syria that said the opposite. The Obama administration did anticipate the Islamic State. According to (vid, 8:50) then DIA boss Gen. Flynn, it was a "willfully decision" by the Obama administration to do nothing to prevent it. THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING A DECLARED OR UNDECLARED SALAFIST PRINCIPALITY IN EASTERN SYRIA (HASAKA AND DER ZOR), AND THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THE SUPPORTING POWERS TO THE OPPOSITION WANT, [...] ISI COULD ALSO DECLARE AN ISLAMIC STATE THROUGH ITS UNION WITH OTHER TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS IN IRAQ AND SYRIA, WHICH WILL CREATE GRAVE DANGER IN REGARDS TO UNIFYING IRAQ AND THE PROTECTION OF ITS TERRITORY. The Rise of the Corporatocracy By Graham Vanbergen June 21, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " European Financial Review " - Transnational corporations are wreaking havoc on financial, economic, social and ecological systems in a creeping colonisation of public life where just 147 organisations now controls 40 per cent of global trade. We all have a feeling that something is not quite right any more. We know there is a creeping colonisation of public life by corporations because we know a slow motion coup detat is taking place by transnational organisations facilitated by our political leaders. The incontrovertible proof stares at us in the face every day with wave after wave of financial, economic, social and ecological crisis. A clear and troublesome picture of corporate power has emerged in recent years where rising inequality is now simply the distinction of expanding corporate activity and those being left behind. A study in 2000 by Corporate Watch, Global Policy Forum and the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) revealed some alarming facts about a rising corporatocracy that should have been brought to heel by western governments years ago. Instead, corporations are now literally at the helm. At the turn of the millennia this study confirmed that whilst there were around 40,000 worldwide corporations, just 200 had true global reach and influence. These colossal organisations, many larger than national economies controlled well over one quarter of global economic activity whilst 80 per cent of the worlds population were either left out completely, marginalised or were net losers as a direct result of their activities.1 The decade long IPS study made for very uncomfortable reading. The most alarming amongst a long list of culpability is that as corporate profits soared wealth concentration followed, and it did so in an environment of stagnating workers wages. For perspective, the report highlighted that of the 100 largest economies in the world, 51 were corporations; only 49 were countries. Wal-Mart for example, was bigger than 161 countries. Mitsubishi was larger than the fourth most populous nation on earth: Indonesia. General Motors was bigger than Denmark. Ford was bigger than South Africa. The top 200 corporations were bigger than the combined economies of 182 countries and have twice the economic influence than 80 per cent of all humanity. You might find it something of a surprise to learn that these same 200 global corporations employed less than one third of one per cent of the worlds people just 18.8 million. Trading, automobiles, banking, retailing and electronics are where most corporate concentration accumulates and even then one third of all trade is transactions among various units of the same corporation. By 2012, the top 25 corporations in the world were earning $177,000 per second with Wal-Marts annual revenue having risen to $470 billion. Today the outlook is even worse. Three mathematicians at Zurich Polytechnic Institute published a quite remarkable in-depth report on transnational corporations (TNCs) according to their connections to other TNCs. Beginning with a data base that has now grown to 43,000 corporations, they refine the ownership connections, up and downstream and highlight the most interconnected of these companies. Finally, they arrive at a core of 147 companies that now controls an astonishing 40 per cent of the economic value of the entire sample and therefore, global trade. In little more than a decade, TNCs share of the global market place has increased dramatically whilst competition fell by almost the same factor. And yet, armed with such damning and conclusive information, the situation continues to deteriorate as politicians abandon any fragments of morality in favour of lucrative revolving door careers leaving entire nations with little more than the hollowed out remains of once thriving economies based on manufacturing and the corpse of democracy. In the late 1970s the share of economic value going to labour in the form of wages in Europe was around 70 per cent of GDP. Over the decades there has been a dire shift. Capital has had a very favourable 10 per cent rise in returns and by contrast labour a 10 per cent fall. With an economy worth 13 trillion, the loss to an already stretched working and middle class is 1.3 trillion a year. Shareholders used to be content with returns of say 3 or 4 per cent but now demand near on double digit returns or the CEO is ousted. The consequence being that corporations want to win no matter what the cost. In Susan Georges State of Corporations the observation is made that From the mid-1990s, the largest American banking, securities, insurance and accounting transnational corporations joined forces and, employing 3000 people, spent $5 billion to get rid of all the New Deal laws passed under the Roosevelt administration in the 1930s the very laws that had protected the American economy for over sixty years. Through this collective lobbying push, they won total freedom to remove any money-losing assets from their balance-sheets and move them into shadow banks that appeared nowhere on their balance sheets. They became free to create and trade hundreds of billions worth of toxic derivative products, such as bundles of sub-prime mortgages, with no regulation whatever. 2 The peak of their collective effort was a global implosion of the finance industry in 2008 and eight years later its lingering state of decline now threatens the Great Depression of 1929 as the longest running recession in history already the slowest recovery ever recorded. In the US alone, over 10 million families had their homes repossessed and according to Bloomberg, $14.5 trillion, or 33%, of the value of the worlds companies and nearly 14% of US GDP was wiped out by the crisis. This forgets the effects on developing and third world economies where $3.3 trillion of promised aid remains just that promised and unpaid. In the era of too big to fail and jail virtually no one was brought to heel or sent to prison for such devastating crimes. Today, the banking industry is almost totally out of control. Daily derivative trading is now a third greater than at the peak of the 2008 crisis. Fraud, rigging, insider dealing and money laundering reach a new summit of lawlessness each day. In the top twenty of global corporations, five are banks. In the meantime, learning from previous successes, corporate lobbyists now termed expert committees meet daily with EU Commission officials to hammer out a trade deal whilst almost no consumer or environmental organisations are represented. Civil society is excluded, as are their representatives in the guise of MEPs with the illusion of democracy fading fast. Corporations now place their profits in ultra low or no tax jurisdictions and their losses in high-tax ones, where an estimated $32 trillion is shielded from making any contribution to the societies they extract their wealth from with little or no scrutiny from governments. What we now have is anarchy by very rich and powerful corporations. The roll call of shame is never-ending auto manufacturers, banking, pharmaceutical, food manufacturers, energy industries to name few. Epic financial crimes, monumental tax evasion, ecological damage on an industrial scale and non-stop illegal wars to ensure a never-ending resource supply is a shameful system based on corporate greed. In its wake we now have 1920s style rampant inequality and rising poverty reminiscent of the era of Dickens. All of this somehow is the new normal. 3 Steal a loaf of bread and its prison for you, loot an entire country and its a Knighthood. For instance, the British public believes as a result of a long, malicious class-war style political campaign, that benefits fraud is a huge social problem. A recent poll by the workers union TUC showed people believe that 27% of the welfare budget is fraudulently claimed. The figure is in fact 0.7%. As it turns out benefit underpayments by the government outweighs benefit fraud. Contrast that with one of Britains biggest fraudsters HSBC. In a few short years it has been caught laundering billions of ill-gotten gains on behalf of dictators and despots, international gangsters, traffickers, drug barons, murderers and every other criminal down a particularly odious food chain. It was also caught red-handed in the huge Swiss tax evasion scandal benefitting corporations before we even got to hear of the Panama Papers. The Conservatives gave its boss Stephen Green a plum ministerial role as trade minister in 2011 and he sits in the House of Lords as a Tory peer in an irony lost on themselves and the media. 4 Globalisation has continually compounded corporate power and consolidated its influential reach on global governance. Again, trade deals such as TTP and TTIP where entire continents are subjected to corporate domination are evidence of that, but their reach has a more sinister outcome. Corporate lobbyists who now have unprecedented privilege granted by global decision makers to sideline sovereign regulations designed to protect citizen rights and the environment have infiltrated the United Nations. The UN has a special section for corporations called the Global Compact founded about fifteen years ago by Kofi Annan and the then President of Nestle. To become a member, a corporation need only sign on for fifteen principles in the areas of human or labour rights and the environment. 5 The corporations of the Global Compact added themselves to members of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and other trade bodies such as the Chambers of Commerce. When the UN held its environmental conference in Rio 2012, business completely dominated proceedings for the first time. Corporate interests now have a disproportionality high level of political influence on a truly global scale. A good example would be Cecilia Malmstrom, the lead EU Trade Commissioner of the TTIP negotiations between Europe and the US. She was questioned by a reporter from The Independent a few months back on why she continued her persistent promotion of the deal against such massive public opposition, her response was: I do not take my mandate from the European people. 6 Just a few weeks ago we discover that the European Parliament voted in favour of the Trade Secrets Protection Directive a law that gives corporations alarming new superpowers to prosecute and criminalise whistleblowers, journalists, and news organisations that publish leaked internal documents. As Dr. Paul Craig Roberts former Assistant Secretary of the US Treasury for Economic Policy and associate editor of the Wall Street Journal put it recently politically powerful corporations have gained the power in Western democracies to sacrifice the welfare of all populations to corporate greed for profit regardless of the cost to peoples, countries, and societies. American democratic capitalism is total and irredeemable. TTIP gives corporations unaccountable power over governments and peoples Democracy is now on the verge of going from farce to tragedy as a direct result of the indomitable rise of corporate power. We now live in an era where the fetid reality between rich and poor is demonstrated no better than the rapidly rising inequality of wealth distribution. In 1976 America, the top 1% earned 9 per cent of the national wealth. Thirty years later and their take of national wealth has almost tripled to 24 per cent. 7 One of the greatest challenges of our time is to understand the influence of transnational corporations over public policy and how we can engineer a form of capitalism that benefits a wider range of people whilst wrestling social and environmental injustice back into the safe arms of a fully functional democracy. Currently, the only thing left in opposition now is a general public under siege who protest in cities across Europe and America and present petitions to their respective governments representing millions of citizens. These are the same people who have to pay for all this (legalised) criminality in lost services, employment and savings, yet remain unheard. Graham Vanbergen s business career culminated in a senior executive Board position in one of Britains largest privately owned property portfolios owned by the worlds largest financial institution of its type; at one point managing over 11,000 units. Today, he is the contributing editor of truepublica.org.uk, owner of a commercial blogging news service and a regular contributor to a number of renowned news and political outlets. References 1. The rise of corporations Global Policy Forum https://www.globalpolicy.org/component/content/article/221/47211.html 2. Susan George State of Corporations 3. https://www.tni.org/sites/www.tni.org/files/download/state_of_corporation_chapter.pdf 4. UK has poorest people in Western Europe 5. http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/uks-poorest-among-most-financially-stricken-europe-1452895 6. HSBCs Stephen Green appointed trade minister amid banking scandal 7. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/hsbc-scandal-banks-former-boss-stephen-green-resigns-from-uk-finance-lobbying-group-10046438.html 8. UN infiltrated by corporations 9. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/docs/news_events/9.1_news_archives/2013_12_06/Secretary-GeneralReportA68326.pdf 10. Head of EU TTIP negotiations quote 11. Wealth inequality in America VIDEO 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 FBI Told Orlando Shooter's Wife Not to Tell US Media He Was Gay In an interview with Brazilian TV, the ex-wife of Omar Mateen claimed the U.S. agency told her to keep quiet about his homosexuality. By teleSur June 21, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " teleSur " - The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation told the former wife of the Orlando shooter Omar Mateen, Sitora Yusufiy, not to speak of his homosexuality or the fact that she, his family and others believed he was gay, Yusufiys current fiance, Marco Dias, told a Brazilian TV channel in an interview. Dias told the Brazilian television station SBT Brazil Tuesday that Yusufiy believed Mateen was gay and that his father called him gay several times in front of her. However, the FBI asked her not to tell this to the American media. Since the attack, Mateen has been dubbed an Islamic terrorist by politicians, senior officials and commentators in the U.S. following reports he had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group. However, the idea that he could have been a closet-homosexual indicates that the Orlando shooting might have been a deeply felt and personal act of hate. The FBI and law enforcement in the United States have so far been pursuing the Islamist terrorism angle and their alleged demand from Mateens ex-wife to keep mum about his homosexuality suggests they want to downplay the personal and self-hating nature of the attack in favor of the Islamic terrorism-related one. Since his attack on the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando, the developing narrative surrounding Mateens life is that of a troubled human being who had a history of domestic violence, a struggle with his sexual orientation, as well as an inclination toward a radical version of Islam. However, in addition to recently pledging allegiance to the Islamic State group, Mateen had previously shown support for both al-Qaida and Hezbollah, who have radically different interpretations of Islam and are in fact bitter enemies. This suggests Mateen had an extremely shallow and confused understanding of Islam as he failed to comprehend the social and political differences between the diferent groups. Hezbollah are currently fighting against the Islamic State and other radical Sunni groups in Syria. Furthermore, Yusufiy has told the media that her ex-husband started to emotionally and physically abuse her just months into their marriage. She said he exploded in anger and often beat her while also keeping her hostage, which led her family to literally rescue her from the abusive relationship and Mateens mental instability. To add to this a former male classmate of Mateen said he had been asked out romantically by the mass shooter, who was reported to be a regular at the Pulse nightclub, having visited it more than a dozen times over the years. Reports also suggest the attacker used several gay dating apps and communicated with several users. Kevin West, a regular at Pulse, told the Los Angeles Times he had exchanged messages with Mateen on an app. And now, it seems the overwhelming reports and testimonies pointing to Mateens personal motives are forcing the FBI to pursue a different angle. On Wednesday gay dating apps Jackd and Grindr said they had been contacted by the FBI as part of the Orlando shooting investigation. They also said they could not provide information on whether Mateen had profiles on those sites as such details are now part of a classified investigation. A spokesman for dating app Grindr also indicated they have been contacted by authorities. In response to an inquiry from BuzzFeed News, the company announced: We will continue to cooperate with the authorities and do not comment on ongoing investigations. Similar attacks by troubled white men in the U.S. against minorities are rarely referred to as terror attacks by either law enforcement agencies or the media, which points to a troubling trend that links the label terror to non-white Muslim attackers only. Tragedy struck at Alhaji Ede Avenue in Igando area of Lagos, after a 19-year-old lady allegedly committed suicide following a quarrel with her lover. The deceased, Uche Obiora, was said to have visited her lovers home over the weekend. There were, however, different accounts as to how the tragedy struck. A version of the account said a quarrel ensued between them, over suspicion by Obiora that her boyfriend, Ernest Ihaza, was having an affair with another lady. Another version stated that during the visit, Ihaza announced his intention to discontinue with the relationship. During the verbal confrontation between them, Ihaza was said to have stormed out of his apartment. However on arrival, he reportedly met Obiora writhing in pains on the floor holding on to her stomach. Obiora, who later reported the case at the Igando Police Division, disclosed that Obiora drank poison. Contacted, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Dolapo Badmus, said: Ernest Ihaza reported at the Igando Police Station that his girlfriend, Uche Obiora, committed suicide by drinking snipers insecticide. We are investigating the matter. Source: Vanguard Wife of the president Mrs Aisha Buhari has called the Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose a mad dog. Fayose had alleged that Mrs Buhari was indicted in the Halliburton Scandal. When that American, Jefferson, was being sentenced, the Presidents wife was mentioned as having wired $170,000 to Jefferson. Her name was on page 25 of the sentencing of Jefferson. We can serialize the judgment for people to see and read, Fayose had said in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary Mr Idowu Adelusi. The governor was reacting to the freezing of his account by anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which he described as unconstitutional as he enjoys immunity as a sitting governor. Angered by Fayoses claim which presidential spokesman Garba Shehu had dismissed as false, Mrs Buhari took to twitter to express her displeasure. Enough is Enough Fayose. A mad dog that isnt chained. I refuse to keep quiet, she wrote. Ekiti state governor, Ayo Fayose is fighting back in the media following reports that he is under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). His accounts have been frozen by the EFCC as investigations begin but Governor Fayose is determined to have the last word. In a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Fayose said, Even the President cannot claim to be an angel, the estate he built in Abuja is known to us. His wife was indicted over the Halliburton Scandal (sic). When that American, Jefferson, was being sentenced, the Presidents wife was mentioned as having wired $170,000 to Jefferson. Her name was on page 25 of the sentencing of Jefferson. We can serialize the judgment for people to see and read. Mr. Fayoses Special assistant on New Media distributed a link to the U.S. Department of Justice Web site showing court documents where Mrs. Buhari was alleged to have transferred suspicious funds to a convicted former American congressman, Williams Jefferson. Williams Jefferson, a former member of the U.S House of Representatives was convicted in 2009 on charges of bribery and corruption and was sentenced to 13 years in prison- the longest ever sentence handed to a member of Congress. The documents show that a Mrs. Buhari transferred $170,000 to Williams Jefferson through a proxy. The arraignment of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and three others before Justice Yusuf Haliru of a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja for alleged forgery of Senate Standing Rules has been set for June 27. Mr. Saraki, his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu; a former Clerk to the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa and his deputy, Benedict Efeturi, stand accused of falsifying the Senates Standing Rules used in the June 9, 2015 election of presiding officers for the Upper Legislative Chamber. They were billed to be arraigned on Tuesday before Justice Haliru but the inability of the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation to serve them with the originating summons led to the postponement. Consequently, the trial judge ordered that the defendants be served with the summons through substituted means. Justice Haliru ordered that details of the notice of service should be placed on the notice board of the National Assembly for access by the respective defendants. The defendants will stand trial on two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and forgery of the Standing Rules. A member of the House of Representatives in Nigeria, Mark Gbillah, has called for a detailed public investigation over allegations of sexual misconduct brought against three members of the lower chamber of the National Assembly. Gbillah said the allegations made by the Ambassador of the United States to Nigeria, Mr James Entwistle, did not occur. He stressed the belief that the allegations were meant to tarnish the image of the members involved and the legislative house. He, therefore, demanded a detailed and open investigation into the matter. Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, had since ordered an investigation into the matter, saying the allegations were not conclusive enough to decide that anyone is guilty. The House has also mandated a joint Committee of ethics and Foreign Affairs to investigate the matter and report back to the House. Their report is expected to guide the House on the position it will take on the matter. The Inspector General of Police, IGP, Mr. Solomon Arase retires today. Arase was appointed in April 2015 by former President Goodluck Jonathan as Acting IGP following the sack of Sulaiman Abba, over alleged misconduct. His appointment as substantive IGP was confirmed by the Police Council the following month. Mr. Arase bows out as the 18th indigenous Inspector General of Police having attained the mandatory retirement age of 60 today with 35 years of active service in the Force. As officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force anxiously await President Muhammadu Buharis choice of successor, the Force PRO, Olabisi Kolawole, confirmed that a new police chief will be announced today. Kolawole, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, said: The IGs tenure will end today and we dont know who the next IG will be as I speak. Even the IGP does not know but maybe he will know later today (yesterday) or tomorrow (today) but as we speak now, we are all in the dark. I am sure we will know tomorrow (today) and will communicate it to you. In a related development, President Buhari last night hosted the outgoing IGP to a presidential/farewell dinner with all the security chiefs led by Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin, in attendance. A former senior special assistant on domestic affairs to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, and Iwejuo Joseph Nna (alias Taiwo A. Ebenezer and Olugbenga Isaiah) have been granted bail. They were admitted to bail on Tuesday by Justice M. B. Idris of the Federal High Court, Lagos after they pleaded not guilty to 23 counts of concealment and retention of proceeds of crime to the tune of over N1.67 billion. The money was allegedly laundered through the accounts of Ebiwise Resources Limited, Avalon Global Property Development Company Limited, Rotato Inter-Link Services Limited and and Pluto Property & Investment Company Limited in a new generation bank, where the second defendant, Iwejuo was the accounts officer. Ruling on the bail applications, Justice Idris admitted the first accused, Mr. Dudafa, to bail in the sum of N500 million with two sureties in like sum. The sureties shall be landed property owners within the jurisdiction of the court. They are also to deposit the title documents to the court registry, while the documents are to be verified by the EFCC. The sureties shall in addition, deposit three-year tax clearance certificates, while the first accused person is to deposit his international passport with the court. The sureties shall file an affidavit of means which shall also be verified by the EFCC. The second accused person was granted bail in the sum of N250 million with two sureties in like sum. The sureties shall be landed property owners within the jurisdiction of the court, and deposit their title documents with the chief registrar of the court. The title documents shall be verified by the EFCC. The accused person shall deposit his international passport with the court. The judge adjourned the case till July 4 and 5, 2016 for trial. Today on the floor of the Nigerian senate, Senator Dino Melaye raised a point of order on an imminent threat to Nigerias democracy & against the principal officers of the Senate. The senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District stated that principal officers of the senate are being accused of a fraud that doesnt exist. Reports yesterday stated that the senate president, his deputy and their associates will today appear in court for forgery, a suit filed by the office of the Attorney General Of the Federation. It says the accused have conspired amongst themselves to forge the Senate Standing Order, 2011 (as amended) and thereby committed the offence of conspiracy, punishable under Section 97 (1) of the Penal Code Law. However, according to Melaye, the emerging trend poses a threat to security and Nigerias unity, while also suggesting that the Attorney General of the Federation be summoned to appear before the Senate. He noted that there were more important duties for the executive arm of government to carry out rather than use their power to persecute others. The Executive has decided to be chasing rats when the Economy is gradually falling into recession.~ Senator @dino_melaye Nigerian Senate (@NGRSenate) June 21, 2016 The Senate is aware of the dubious acts of the Attorney General of the Federation and his office. ~ Senator @dino_melaye Nigerian Senate (@NGRSenate) June 21, 2016 While speaking on Senate Standing Rules Sen Melaye said the same rule thats said to be a fraud has been used to screen the same AGF, Ministers, Ambassadors, Directors, etc and added that the 8th Senate without fear or favour will continue to promote the peace and unity of this great nation. Senators like Senator Sam Anyanwu, Senator Ibrahim Gobir , Senator Chukwuka Utazi, Senator Bassey Akpan and others supported the motion raised by Sen Melaye and the Senate accordingly resolves that its Standing Rules is authentic and its not forged and mandated Judiciary Committee to summon the AGF to explain and justify with evidence the basis for his act. Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State on Monday fought back over the freezing of his Zenith Bank account by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, accusing President Muhammadu Buhari and his wife, Aisha, of being corrupt. The governor made reference to the role played by Mrs. Buhari in the messy bribery scandal involving U.S. Congressman, Williams Jefferson. Mr. Fayose distributed a link to the U.S. Department of Justice Web site holding court documents where the wife of the president was alleged to have made suspicious transfer of funds to a convicted former American congressman, Williams Jefferson. In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, Mr. Fayose also President Buhari was far from being the clean man he portrayed himself. Even the President cannot claim to be an angel. The estate he built in Abuja is known to us. His wife was indicted over the Halliburton Scandal. When that American, Jefferson, was being sentenced, the Presidents wife was mentioned as having wired $170,000 to Jefferson. Her name was on page 25 of the sentencing of Jefferson. We can serialize the judgment for people to see and read, the statement said. We will not allow this and we will defend our rights within the law of the land. Those who think they can silence me are mistaken. I am a person who is not perturbed by things like this. Let them wait till 2018 when I will finish my term and I will be the one to go and meet them. I wont run away and let them investigate the whole world, I have nothing to hide or fear, he said. The governors Special Assistant on New Media, Lere Olayinka, later circulated links to and copies of the said court document detailing Mrs. Buharis mention in the scandal. The documents showed that in some of the exhibits tendered in convicting Mr. Jefferson of bribery, one Mrs. Buhari was listed as transferring $170,000 to the American politician using a firm as proxy. Government Exhibits 36-87 (6/26/02 $170,000 wire transfer from account in Nigeria in the name of Aisha Buhari to an account in the name of The ANJ Group, LLC, identifying William Jefferson as Beneficiary), the U.S. Government Sentencing Memorandum said on page 22. As at the time of publishing this report, neither Mrs. Buhari nor the presidents spokesman, Femi Adesina, had reacted to the damning allegation by the vexed Ekiti governor. As kidnapping and other related crimes continue to rise in Kogi State, a military official said on Tuesday that the Nigerian government will deploy a special military squad to the state. The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai, informed the Governor of the State, Mr Yahaya Bello, of the planned deployment during a meeting with him at the States capital, Lokoja. According to him, the Federal Government is worried over the increase in kidnapping and other related crimes. The Army Chief was in the state with some of his men on a working visit to the military formation to see the challenges facing them and proffer a solution to enable them carry on with their constitutional responsibility of ensuring internal security. He commended Governor Bello for providing logistics and other necessary support to security agencies in the state and promised that a special squad of military personnel would be in the state soon to curb the activities of the kidnappers. Miss Comfort Ekaette Inyang, the best graduating student of Babcock University, Ilishan, Ogun State, is a wise virgin. The 21- year -old Computer Science graduate topped the 2015/2016 session, finishing in First Class division with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.96. Inyang said she set the goal to become the best student right from her first day in the university and was never distracted by frivolities. I was very focused, never had a boyfriend on campus but had close friends who supported me. I was actively involved in school activities. I had a timetable and I adhered strictly to it. For falling in love with her books, she smiled home with four academic awards, including the Vice Chancellors prize for the best graduating student. She said the university had shaped her life positively, paving her successful career path. Babcock University not only taught me but also showed me that it is possible to excel in every aspect of my life without compromising my dream and aspirations. This institution also opened my eyes to the challenges that confront Nigeria and has taught me that I can be a vital part of the solution, she said. Inyang said she had unforgettable experiences on campus, noting that the awesome state of the faculty, the conducive learning environment, amiable lecturers contributed immensely to her success. Out of the 1,616 Stallion class of 2016, 33 of them graduated in First Class division. The convocation was a joyful celebration for the graduating students, their parents and friends. The colourful ceremony was attended by the Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, President of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Aigboje Aig- Imoukhuede, representative of Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosu, pioneer Vice Chancellor, Prof James Kayode Makinde, among other dignitaries. Governor Okezie noted the challenge of unemployment in the country but advised the graduating students to face the future with determination. He said the university had placed the graduands on the path of success, while lauding the institution for nurturing a generation of young Nigerian and African leaders. Also speaking, the Vice Chancellor, Prof Ademola Tayo applauded the students performance and charged them to keep the banner of excellence higher. Although a lot of the students were already playing leadership role in different spheres, he implored them to continue their good work and invest their skills and good moral acquired from the university in the growth and development of the country. Source: TheSun Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State yesterday faulted the accusation that he prompted female Muslim students in public schools in the state to wear hijab over their uniforms during the school hours. The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Osun State chapter, recently accused the governor of surreptitiously backing the hijab policy in the state, following a State High Court judgment, which affirmed the right of female Muslim students to wear the religious garment. SEE ALSO: 5 Things PDP Had To Say About Aregbesolas Hijab Policy Mr. Aregbesola challenged those who accused him of ordering the use of Hijab by Muslims to bring concrete evidence to substantiate their claims. He also challenged those accusing him of plunging the state into religious crisis to present a video or voice recording, written speech evidencing where he commanded or ordered female Muslim students to wear hijab on their uniforms. Mr. Aregbesola stated this at the roundtable on Development Collaborative Framework for Education Development and Advancement organised by the Development and Advancement in Western Nigeria (DAWN) in Osogbo, the state capital. If I permitted Hijab, would the Muslims have gone to court to challenge it? Is that not contradictory? the governor asked. Is it a crime that I am a Muslim, is it because I struggle to be a good Muslim that everything I do is being misunderstood? I think I dont deserve all these lies against me. The governor pointed out that the programmes he introduced into the states education system were part of the resolutions that came out of the education summit organised by his administration and chaired by Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, shortly after coming into office.The programmes, he stressed, have no religious undertones. There is nothing religious in any of our policies, Mr. Aregbesola said. The fact on ground contradicts our oppositions claim. The choice of my deputy governor tells it all, I knew she is a pentecotalist of the highest order before I picked her. Everything we have done in the line of education is in line with the resolution of our education summit. Against all speculations, I have not ordered the use of Hijab, I challenge anybody with evidence to come out and show that I have made a proclamation on Hijab. P&G serves nearly 5 billion people around the world with its brands. The Company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers, Tide, Ariel, Always, Whisper, Pantene, Mach3, Bounty, Dawn, Fairy, Gain, Charmin, Downy, Lenor, Iams, Crest, Oral-B, Olay, Head & Shoulders, Wella, Gillette, Braun, Fusion, Ace, Febreze, Ambi Pur, SK-II, and Vicks. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. Job Description The Internship drive is for OND holders who are available to commence their one year industrial attachment. Our aim is to pre-select exceptional OND holders for internship openings in Procter and Gamble. This opening is not limited to any specific field of study but only OND holders will be considered this time. The job openings cover departments like Sales, Supply Network Organization, Marketing, Customer Market Knowledge, Human Resources e.t.c. Successful candidates will be considered for openings across Procter & Gamble departments in Lagos, Ibadan, and Agbara. Note that no specific field of study is required for any particular department. Candidates successful with this online application will be invited for a test. You can also join our facebook page: www.facebook.com/PGCareersNigeria. Practice questions will be available for you to download on our facebook page to help you prepare in time for the test. Procter and Gamble is the largest FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) company in the world with strong brands like Pampers, Ariel, Always, Gillette, Oral B just to name a few. We have been in existence for over 176 years globally and 21 years in Nigeria. For more information about P&G the company and our brands please visit http://www.pg.com/ and this website http://www.experiencepg.com/ . We wish you all the best with your application! Qualifications This opening is not limited to any specific field of study but only OND holders will be considered this time for the internship positions. Requisition Number: IME00000263 Apply Now The Kaduna State Government has set up an amnesty committee to mop up illegal arms and light weapons from bandits across the state. The Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of the State, Mrs Amina Sijuade, disclosed this to newsmen at the end of the weekly executive council meeting. According to her, the illegal weapons in the hands of unauthorised users is a threat to the security of lives and property in the state. Mrs Sijuade explained that the exercise, which would last for a period of four months, is aimed at ensuring adequate protection of lives and property of the citizens. She also explained that part of the amnesty programme would be the provision of jobs and other incentives to repentant criminals who return their arms. The trial of a former governor of Taraba State, Reverend Jolly Nyame, was stalled on Monday at an FCT High Court, Gudu, Abuja, due to the absence of the prosecution witness lined up by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. The prosecution was to produce its witness in court to testify against the ex-governor. Mr. Nyame, who is facing trial on a 41-count charge of money laundering, criminal breach of trust and gratification of N1.64bn Taraba fund, was present in court. However, counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), told the court that he could not get in contact with his witnesses due to the fact that they changed their addresses. Mr. Jacobs, however, promised the court that on the next adjourned date, he would appear with his witnesses. These witnesses are no longer with the Commission, thats what makes it difficult to contact them. He said he would contact the EFCC chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, in order to facilitate the process of locating the witnesses. Ahmed Yusuf, the defence counsel asked the court for a date for the next hearing after the courts vacation. Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria Correspondent, Mr. Yusuf said his team did not object to the case being adjourned. The prosecution intends to continue the case by calling their last witness. We did not object to the case being adjourned, he said. The judge, Justice Adebukola Banjoko, lamented that the case had been on for 10 years. She adjourned the date for the next hearing to June 28. (NAN) Vanguard An Ado-Ekiti Magistrates Court, yesterday, remanded 33-year-old Emmanuel Imole in prison custody for allegedly pouring hot soup on a police officer. Punch The arraignment of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, and others alongside whom were charged with forgery of the Standing Rule of the Senate 2015, may no longer hold today as scheduled. The Sun Enugu State-born Vincent Egechukwu Obetta is a legal practitioner, a social crusader, and public affairs analyst. The Director of STREETLAW AFRICA INC., a human rights education non-governmental organisation was the counsel to incarcerated leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu. Daily Times The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has called on members of the public to be mindful of the activities of fraudsters, who pose as recruitment agents of the NDLEA. Thisday The federal government and militant groups in the Niger Delta, including the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), which has claimed responsibility for a series of attacks on oil and gas installations in recent months, have agreed to a 30-day truce to give President Muhammadu Buhari time to come up with a comprehensive plan for the oil-rich region, investigations by THISDAY have revealed. Guardian Following an interim order of a federal high court in Lagos, the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON) through its appointed receiver/manager, Chief Robert Ohuoba has taken over the business, trading activities and all fixed and floating assets of firms belonging to a former governor of Kogi State, Idris Wada over an alleged unpaid debt. Daily Trust A 37-year-old tailor has been sentenced to one year imprisonment by a Zuba Grade 1 Area Court for posing as a policeman and defrauding two of his neighbours. Tribune FOR the second time in six months, the House of Representatives Committee on Defence visited the Theatre Command of the Nigerian Army fighting to end the Boko Haram menace in the North-East. The Nation That was the scene yesterday in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, when Governor Ayo Fayose defied the rain to visit a bank where he demanded his statement of account. The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Ondo State chapter has carpeted the All Progressives Congress (APC) over its comments on Governor Olusegun Mimikos working visit to the United Kingdom (UK). The opposition APC on Sunday berated the governor for traveling in spite of the ongoing strike action by workers in the state over unpaid salaries. In its reaction, the Ondo PDP spokesperson, Ayo Fadaka, in a statement on Monday in Akure, said even though the workers strike is unfortunate, such action is not restricted to Ondo State. Mr. Fadaka added that the spate of industrial action was a product of the poor understanding of economic management by the APC-led Federal Government. He said: The fact that the governor embarked on a working visit does not in any manner indicate that the apparatus of governance equally took a walk. According to him, while Mimiko was away, the Commissioner for Finance was in Abuja in respect of the N14 billion staggered loan the state is accessing to settle workers salaries. He further stated that the deputy governor attended a National Economic Council (NEC) meeting with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. Furthermore, Mr. Fadaka noted that the House of Assembly sat to give approval to the Executives quest to get the loan. It is also germane that we emphatically declare for the umpteenth time that the governors trip to the United Kingdom was sponsored by the authorities of the Chatham House, who also took care of his stay and feeding while he was their guest. It was a working visit for the governor, who used the opportunity to enunciate the many achievements that have been recorded in our health sector, a factor that is responsible for his invitation in the first instance, and the need for the governor to share this experience on a world platform. It is germane to mention that the Ondo model in healthcare will be of help in many developing nations since it has been made public in a cathedral of policy formulations that the Chatham House represents, the PDP said. The party, therefore, called on the APC in the state to learn a lesson on how to play the role of opposition. It is our sincere opinion that it should constructively criticise developments in our state without being outlandish and pedestrian, the statement said. Workers in the Ministry of Finance for the second day running continued with their protest over unpaid N1.2 billion Special Overtime Allowance (SOT). Unlike yesterdays protest where some workers were allowed to carry out skeletal services in the ministry, Tuesdays protest grounded activities at the sprawling headquarters of the Finance Ministry in the Central Business District, Abuja, as all entrances were shut by the protesting workers. In its reaction to the protest by the workers on Monday, the Director of Communications in the ministry, Salisu Dambatta, said the action was not justified because the payment of SOT was stopped by the last administration in 2014 and funds not provided for the allowance in the 2016 budget. Besides, Dambatta said the SOT allowance was not part of the remuneration in the Federal Public Service. But the workers disagreed as they stayed out of their offices from 8am when they resumed work on Tuesday and vowed not to attend to any official assignment until the arrival of the Minister, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun. They said their agitation would continue until the minister is either removed or their allowances paid. The protest is still on as of the time of filing this report. The Presidency has described Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State attempt to link President Buharis wife, Aisha, to US Congressman William Jeffersons bribery scandal for which the American lawmaker was convicted in 2009 as laughable. SEE Also Aisha Buhari Was Involved In Halliburton Scandal -Fayose According to the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the presidency would have ordinarily ignored Fayose because he was a man childishly obsessed with the desire to grab the headlines and insulting people at will because of his incurably boorish instincts, but chose to because of innocent Nigerians who might be misled by Mr. Fayoses shameless and blatant distortion of facts. In a press statement signed by Mr Shehu, Aisha had no direct, indirect or the remotest connection with William Jeffersons corruption scandal in the United States. He further dared Mr. Fayose to tell Nigerians if the so-called Aisha whose pictures he proudly, but ignorantly shared, was the same Aisha married to President Muhammadu Buhari, or if the Aisha of his idle imagination had any relationship by blood or any relationship in whatever form with President Buharis wife. Mr Shehu added that though Fayose was entittled to free speech that does not include the right to falsely accuse innocent people of crimes they knew nothing about. Aisha Buhari, according to the media aide was entitled to protect her reputation from being recklessly maligned, adding that political opposition was not a licence to attack peoples reputation brazenly without legal consequences. Queen takes to Twitter to thank wellwishers for 90th birthday messages. Earlier today, Queen Elizabeth II sent a tweet thanking everyone who sent her 90th birthday wishes via social media. For the record, this is Her Majestys second ever tweet. In case anyone wondered whether the tweet had been penned by one of her press officers rather than the Queen herself, minutes later another tweet appeared confirming: This tweet was personally sent by Her Majesty The Queen. The Senate has faulted the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) over its role in the alleged mismanagement of N120 billion released to the aviation sector out of the N500 billion intervention fund by the Federal Government in 2011. A probe by Senate Committee on Aviation and Anti-Corruption alleged that N120 billion allocated to the aviation sector as bailout, from the entire N500 billion intervention fund, was mismanaged. However, the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, told the committee that his ministry and agencies under it were not aware of the fund. On his part, the CBN representative said out of the N120 billion intervention fund injected into the sector, only N39.5 billion had been recovered while the balance of N81.2 billion was still outstanding. He admitted that some of the 10 Airlines that benefitted from the fund were now moribund. He said this was against the objective of the fund. The moribund airlines include AirNigeria and Chanchangi Airlines, while Arik, Dana, Aero, Kabo, Overland, First Nation, Odenegene are the ones still in operation on the strength of the fund. When probed on why two out of the 10 airlines folded up despite the intervention fund, he said responsibility for monitoring the implementation of the fund was given to Bank of Industry, BoI, being the facilitator of the loans. The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has raised the alarm over the possible assassination of Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose by the Presidency. Governor Fayose had on Monday accused the wife of the president, Aisha Buhari, of being indicted in the bribery scandal involving jailed U.S Congressman, William Jefferson. He also alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari was not squeaky clean as he portrays himself, claiming the president has a vast estate in Abuja, the nations capital. While the Presidency on Tuesday said it would have ordinarily ignored Fayose because he was a man childishly obsessed with the desire to grab the headlines and insulting people at will because of his incurably boorish instincts, Mrs. Buhari purportedly insulted the Ekiti governor, calling him a mad dog that isnt chained. Reacting to the outburst by the wife of the president, the opposition PDP in a series of tweets last night, claimed that the Ekiti governors security is no longer guaranteed following his exposure of Mrs. Buharis alleged corrupt dealings. Governor Fayose may have to take extra security measures to prevent Aisha Buhari or the 1st family from assassinating him. The Buhari led government with recent development can assassinate Fayose. From persecuting members of PDP, assassination may be next, said the PDP via its twitter handle @PdpNigeria. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has urged Nigerians to do what is right even at this difficult moment in the countrys history. Speaking on Tuesday at a meeting with the Australian Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary, African Branch, Mr Mathew Neuhaus, Osinbajo reassured Nigerians that although the nation may be passing through difficult times, the Buhari presidency would ensure that the Nigerian people benefit from the resources of the nation. It is a difficult time, but we think it is an excellent opportunity to do right by the people so that our people are able to get the benefit of the nations resources, Professor Osinbajo said. The flexible foreign exchange policy just recently put in place would encourage foreign investment. We are looking forward to the benefits of the new foreign exchange policy, a statement by his spokesman, Laolu Akande quoted him as saying. The Vice President commended the Australian government for its excellent support in the fight against insurgents in the Northeast. He observed that while significant progress has been recorded in militarily downgrading Boko Haram, the other challenge now was overcoming the ideology that motivates terrorist activities. Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has appealed to politicians and their supporters in Edo State to show maturity in their conduct ahead of the States governorship election. The Governor of Ebonyi State David Umahi also stressed the need for a peaceful election in the state at a meeting with Governor Oshiomhole. The meeting was held at the Government House in Benin City shortly after the Ebonyi governor supervised the Peoples Democratic Partys primaries in Edo State. Umahi urged politicians and their followers to realise that the interest of the nation was above that of any political party. Speaking at the meeting, Governor Oshiomhole lauded the Ebonyi State Governor, stating that his gesture was one that should be emulated by party members, being a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Oshiomhole is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The Sickle Cell Aid Foundation of Nigeria (SCAF) has announced the daughter of Nigerias President, Zahra Buhari and YBNL act Adekunle Gold as their brand amabassadors. SEE ALSO: Zahra Buhari Pens tribute To The President On Fathers Day According to photos shared on Instagram: Meet the SCAF Brand Ambassadors, Zahra Buhari & Adekunle Kosoko (Adekunle Gold), ready to tackle Sickle Cell Disorder . We are so humbled to have brand ambassadors dedicated to our cause to #breakthesicklecycle. #WSCD16 #nurasstory #SCAF #BrandAmbassadors #BreakTheSickleCycle. The Sickle Cell Aid Foundation (SCAF) is a registered Non-Governmental Organisation set up to annihilate the inheritance of Sickle Cell Disease in Nigeria. The foundation plans a widespread and persuasive awareness campaigns that would lead to provision of the best healthcare for Sickle Cell patients, and the creation of Sickle Cell Specialist Centres in all states of the federation. Mateen Was With G4S, UN Global Compact Probing, Volkswagen Out By Matthew Russell Lee UNITED NATIONS, June 21 -- The killer in Orlando, Omar Mateen, worked since 2007 at private military contractor G4S. A co-worker there is quoted that it was quite apparent that the guy had anger issues and was very unstable -- but G4S kept him on. G4S is a member of the UN Global Compact, and when Inner City Press first asked the UN why this mercenary firm was a member, the response was the business is not illegal. How about, irresponsible? On June 21, Inner City Press asked Lise Kingo, Executive Director of the Global Compact, about G4S and for any companies which had been urged to leave the Compact. On the latter, Kingo said that Volkswagen has been asked to leave the Compact, at least for now. This hasn't happened with G4S; it is being "investigated," Kingo said, as to its procedures for hiring, for example. Inner City Press asked about the Ng Lap Seng iPad the Global Compact network representative at the Macau meeting in 2015 refused to return. Kingo said it now HAS been returned. Inner City Press asked, to whom? Ng Lap Seng is under house arrest. A Compact staffer approached to say the proceeds were given to charity and that a receipt will be forthcoming. Watch this site. On June 14, Inner City Press asked Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Stephane Dujarric, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: the shootings in Orlando, the the shooter, or Omar Mateen, was an employee of this G4S, which is a security or private military contractor. And it's come up before in this room, because somehow it's a member of the Global Compact, even though there are many controversies surrounding its actions. It was said The Wall Street Journal quoted one of his co-workers as saying he had anger issues and was very unstable. I'm just wondering if there are any what's the procedure for the UN Global Compact, number one, allowing in a company that's basically a mercenary or private military contractor, but, two, when it becomes clear that they're providing automatic weapons to somebody who is described as having? Spokesman Dujarric: Okay. I think we're jumping to conclusions here. First of all, I know our colleagues at Global Compact are as saddened and heart-broken as we are all about what happened in Florida. Whenever concerns are raised about a company, such as the one you mentioned, contacts are had, and they are having there are being they are monitoring the investigation at this point, and they will monitor and decide whether or not appropriate action should be taken with G4S' place in the Global Compact. Inner City Press: And is there any just relatedly, on the Global Compact, are there any Ng Lap Seng-affiliated or funded companies that remain at one time, the World Harmony Foundation was in? Spokesman: Not that I'm aware of, but that's a question you need to ask them. The UN Global Compact allows companies to claim affiliation with the United Nations as long as their practices are not illegal -- and even then, the Global Compact put on its board of directors a South Korean businessman convicted of fraud with the SK Group, Chey Tae-won. On March 15, Inner City Press asked UN spokesman Martin Nesirky if Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has any problem with his Global Compact allowing the company G4S to join, despite it being a private military contractors which has even supplied security technology to seven Israeli prisons and two remand prisons located in Israel and on the occupied West Bank. Nesirky's response was to say that Ban has confidence in long time Global Compact director Georg Kell. But G4S reportedly faced prosecution for the death of an Angolan deportee in the UK - click here for that. Subsequently, Kell's and the Compact's spokesman Matthias Stausberg sent Inner City Press a previously put out response to criticism of the Compact by the UN's own Joint Inspection Unit. Inner City Press replied: At the noon briefing I asked about the Global Compact accepting private military contractor G4S into the Compact, despite protests about its involvement in, for example, prisons in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. This is what I am requesting a Secretariat response on, for example this link. Please advise, thank in advance. Stausberg asked for more time to respond -- therefore this couldn't be included in the initial story -- and subsequently on this point wrote to Inner City Press that the provision of private security services is not an illegal activity. We therefore saw no reason to deny G4S participation in the UN Global Compact. In fairness, Stausberg's full response, praising and defending G4S, is set forth below. While he raises a question about the term mercenaries, we note that private military contractors, and even forms of mercenaries, are not illegal either. Here is the question: should the only standard applied by and to the UN Global Compact be whether an activity is legal? Manufacturing weapons is legal, as is the production of pornography. Would the UN Global Compact allow pornographers and weapons merchants to join? Apparently yes. In any event, as to G4S, note that Scotland Yard is considering bringing a corporate manslaughter charge [under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007] against the world's largest private security firm over the death of an Angolan deportee. Detectives investigating the death of Jimmy Mubenga, who collapsed while being deported on a commercial flight from Heathrow, have interviewed whistleblowers from G4S, the company hired by the government to deport foreign nationals. They are considering whether the company could be held responsible for his death under rarely used legislation that came into force three years ago. Now what will the UN and Global Compact do? Watch this site. Stausberg wrote: Subject: Press Q at noon re Global Compact accepting private military contractor G4S into the Compact From: Matthias Stausberg [at] un.org To: Matthew Lee [at] InnerCityPress.org Cc: Kristen Coco [at] un.org, Farhan Haq [at] un.org, Martin Nesirky [at] un.org, Ursula Wynhoven [at] un.org Hi Matthew, here are some answers for you: Since you use the term "mercenary", can you please clarify (and provide sources) which current G4S activities you believe would qualify under commonly accepted definitions of the term mercenary (e.g., as in the International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries)? 2. The provision of private security services is not an illegal activity. We therefore saw no reason to deny G4S participation in the UN Global Compact. 3. Regarding the specific provision of security technology to various clients in Israel and the Occupied Territories, please note the recent announcement by G4S that it will cease providing certain services and technologies through its Israeli subsidiary. (http://english.themarker.com/danish-company-halts-equipment-supply-to-west-bank-in-wake-of-public-protest-1.349239) 4. Please note also that G4S is a signatory to the International Code of Conduct for Private Security Service Providers (ICoC), which was launched in November 2010 as a voluntary initiative to improve industry standards and ensuring respect for human rights and humanitarian law by private security service providers. While the ICoC is not intended to replace national regulation and state control, it marks a critical effort to clarify the role of non-state actors in this arena. Executives could forfeit some compensation under new rule AP - 1 hour ago Securities regulators wants to make sure publicly traded companies recover any executive compensation thats awarded based on financial statements that are found to contain errors $SPX : 3,839.61 (-0.51%) $DOWI : 31,839.58 (+0.01%) $IUXX : 11,444.41 (-1.93%) Weekly U.S. Ethanol Production and Stocks Climb 2% Renewable Fuels Association - Wed Oct 26, 11:52AM CDT Report on U.S. ethanol production, usage, and stocks for the week ending October 21, 2022. Hogs Higher at Midday Barchart - Wed Oct 26, 11:42AM CDT Tuesdays late session bounce carried through Wednesdays midday with front month lean hog futures 12 to 72 cents higher. The USDA National Average Base Hog Price was $8.23 higher in the AM update... HEZ22 : 88.500s (+0.06%) HEJ23 : 94.175s (+0.24%) KMZ22 : 96.975 (-0.56%) Cotton Red but Firm at Midday Barchart - Wed Oct 26, 11:42AM CDT Midday cotton futures are trading 4 to 14 points in the red through midday. A weaker US dollar was initially supportive, as was the stronger stock market. Futures had gotten down to 77.68 cents at the... CTZ22 : 77.82s (-0.83%) CTH23 : 77.38s (-0.72%) CTK23 : 76.75s (-0.53%) Cattle Futures Trying a Bounce Barchart - Wed Oct 26, 11:42AM CDT After a Tuesday pause in the cattle rally, front month futures are UNCH to 17 cents higher through the Wednesday midday. October contracts are the exception with a 40 cent drop so far. The weekly FCE auction... LEV22 : 151.450s (-0.15%) LEZ22 : 153.575s (+0.18%) LEG23 : 157.025s (+0.21%) GFV22 : 176.425s (-0.10%) GFX22 : 178.825s (+0.51%) Beans Off their Highs at Midday Barchart - Wed Oct 26, 11:42AM CDT Soybean prices had printed +10-12 cent gains early in the day session, but sold off between 10 and 11 AM CDT and are only 1 1/2 to 4 cents in the black coming into midday. A weaker US dollar was initially... ZSX22 : 1381-6s (unch) ZSPAUS.CM : 13.3717 (+0.09%) ZSF23 : 1393-0s (unch) ZSH23 : 1401-6s (unch) Mixed Midday for Wheat Market Barchart - Wed Oct 26, 11:42AM CDT Wednesday wheat trading has winter wheat futures working in the black. CBT SRW fractionally higher to 3 cents in the black so far. KC HRW futures are up by 2 1/2 to 3 1/4 cents in the front months. Spring... ZWZ22 : 840-4s (+0.69%) ZWH23 : 859-4s (+0.61%) ZWPAES.CM : 7.7393 (+0.75%) KEZ22 : 940-6s (+0.67%) KEPAWS.CM : 8.9896 (+0.70%) MWZ22 : 952-0s (unch) Corn Red at Midday Barchart - Wed Oct 26, 11:42AM CDT Wednesday action initially had the market working higher, but midday quotes show 1 to 2 cent weakness in the front end of the corn market. EIA reported ethanol production averaged 1.033 million barrels... ZCZ22 : 685-0s (-0.18%) ZCPAUS.CM : 6.7606 (-0.04%) ZCH23 : 690-4s (-0.25%) ZCK23 : 690-0s (-0.29%) "BAM!" Got your attention? Good. This catchphrase and interjection belongs to none other than Emeril Lagasse. The zany celebrity chef and restaurateur opened his first restaurant in New Orleans' Warehouse District. Soon, he started appearing on Food Network shows like Essence of Emeril and Emeril Live. For his efforts, Lagasse has amassed quite a bit a wealth, some $50 million by one estimate. That a chef can make that kind of money is another reminder of the earning power of celebrities in our current erawhich, as we often point out, is driving celebrity philanthropy to an entirely new level. (See our ever-growing guide to these donors, Glitzy Giving.) Last decade, Lagasse and his wife Alden established the Emeril Lagasse Foundation to support childrens educational programs that inspire and mentor young people. What's Lagasse's recipe to improve outcomes for children and youth? Well, food, naturally. The charity supports nonprofits that "inspire and mentor young people through the culinary arts, school food and nutrition and important life skills programs." To date, the foundation has given away some $7 million in grants to childrens charities in New Orleans, the Greater Gulf Coast, and around the country. While Lagasse has made the Gulf Coast his adoptive region, Alden Lagasse is a Mississippi native. After spending time in New Orleans and New York, the family relocated to Florida, which also serves an important site of philanthropy. The foundation is mainly interested in supporting organizations that connect food to healthy living, as well as address life skills development, childhood hunger, and arts education. Of course, food is a hot area of philanthropy right now, with many fundersincluding some big guns like the Kresge Foundationworking this space with an eye on affecting broader societal outcomes. Lagasse, we should note, isn't the only the chef turned philanthropist. We've also covered the giving of Wolfgang Puck. Related: The Lagasses, via their foundation, have supported organizations like Edible Schoolyard NOLA, Covenant House, and Contemporary Arts Center Summer Camp. The foundation partners with Lagasse's alma mater Johnson & Wales University to run the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA) Culinary Arts program for high school students. The Emeril Lagasse Foundation recently gave away more than $150,000 to select nonprofits. Grantees include: Second Harvest Food BankTo continue supporting its Summer Feeding, Kids Cafe and School Pantry programs. Since 2010, the Lagasse Foundation has provided over 895,000 fresh, healthy meals to campers across the city to address the lack of food available to New Orleans and Acadiana school children in the summers. Libertys KitchenTo support its Youth Leadership Center and further expand programs that provide a path to self-sufficiency through life skills and workforce training for youth. Emerald Coast Childrens Advocacy CenterTo provide funding for a new kitchen at its recently expanded second location in Walton County, Florida. The foundation also runs annual fundraising events like its signature outdoor food and music festival, Boudin, Bourbon & Beer, and its nationally recognized charity wine auction and gala dinner, Carnivale du Vin. This past November, these two events raised over $3 million for childrens charities. Per its contact page, interested and qualified organizations should mail a concept paper no longer than three pages. Expect the Lagasses to stay focused on supporting children and youth. Also look out for more charity work in Florida. In the Spring, the foundation hosted a benefit auction in Santa Rosa Beach that raised nearly three quarters of a million dollars for Gulf Coast charities. Related: Emeril Lagasse Profile The global refugee crisis has become far worse than anyone ever expected. We hear all the time that its the largest humanitarian crisis since World War II. The scope and scale, not to mention true level of human suffering, is difficult to fathom. When refugee stories make the media rounds, the focus tends to be on Syrian refugees and for good reason. According to the latest Syria Regional Refugee Response report released by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) there are nearly 5 million Syrian refugees worldwide. But the global refugee crisis is bigger than Syriamuch bigger. UNCHR puts the number of global refugees at 21.3 million. But it says there are another 40 million people who've been forcibly displaced from their homes and are internal refugees. In 2015 alone, over 12 million people were added to this vast, miserable sea of humanity. We've written often about the lack of movement by major foundations in the U.S. and abroad to address this issue. We've also written about the few funders that arent turning their backs on the suffering of displaced people. Standouts, here, include the UPS, Western Union, and Stavros Niarchos foundations, all of which have stepped up by committing millions of dollars and resources to ease the misery of the worlds refugees. Another standout funder in this space is the Ikea Foundation. In recent years, Ikea has been ramping up its funding considerably. To give you an idea of what this looks like, in 2014, the foundation increased its giving by over 20 percent, with around $140 million in grant money going out the door that year. Major points of funding interest for Ikea include disaster response and relief and helping refugees. Related: Ikea Foundation Remains Front and Center in Global Refugee Crisis Funding Ikea has approached the refugee crisis from all angles. It has given $95 million to provide shelter, care and education for refugee children and their families in Ethiopia, Sudan, and Bangladesh, and $70 million to help the UNHCR assist 120,000 Somali refugees who recently arrived at the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya. The foundation is also the major backer of Better Shelter, a for-profit social enterprise working in collaboration with the UNHCR to develop a more durable housing alternative to the flimsy, poorly insulated tents typically used to house refugees around the world. Related: Ikeas BetterShelters Getting Put to Work in Nepal Now, the foundation is stepping up again to help the worlds multitudes in crisis with an over $8 million (7.3 million) give to Oxfam. The grant launches a three-year program to ensure local humanitarian actors in Bangladesh and Uganda are able to cope more effectively with crises, from severe flooding to large numbers of refugees fleeing conflict. Oxfam will use the funds to provide basic needs, including water, sanitation, food, shelter and money. But theres another long-term goal, here. The global humanitarian ecosystem is broken, or at the very least, overstretched. Especially considering the U.N.'s multi-year, multi-billion-dollar funding shortfalls and the fact that donation pledges are slow to roll inas of June 2016, the Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan or 3RP, had only received a measly 30 percent of its $4.55 billion funding requirements. As if the money problem couldnt get any worse, the state of the global humanitarian system all but ignores local organizations, which only receive about 0.2 percent of funding dollars. But it's often local groups that find themselves on the front lines of refugee problems, as throngs of people needing help show up in communities bordering conflict zones. Ikea and Oxfams new partnership is addressing this challenge by facilitating collaboration between country- and district-level agencies, helping local groups develop tools and resources to better handle emergency and disaster situations, direct cash programs, and arrange peer learning opportunities. The program will also help local NGOs set up monitoring and financial management systems. Oxfam has also committed to increase its humanitarian funding directed at local agencies from 20 percent to 30 percent by 2018. For its part, the Ikea Foundation has always been a nimble and responsive disaster and refugee funder. Regarding this latest gift, Per Heggenes, CEO of the foundation, said: Local organizations are often better placed to provide immediate assistance because they are on the ground and understand the community and culture. If you're not paying close enough attention, the Laura and John Arnold Foundation can seem like a pretty scattered funder, funding grants for work on a grab bag of issues. One month it's disrupting the college textbook industry, the next it's taking on inflated prescription drug prices. Arnold has its fingers in a growing number of piesthe latest being organ transplants. (More about that in a minute.) Yet, rest assured, there's actually logic tying all these efforts together. Namely, the Arnold Foundation is an opportunitistic funder that's looking for inefficiencies, underperformance and system failures in U.S. society where it can intervene with targeted work that will improve the situation. Organ transplantation is the latest problematic corner of U.S. society that the foundation sees as ripe for an overdue fix. Nobody likes to be stuck on a wait list, but the people who have it toughest are those in need of a kidney, heart or other critical organ for transplant. Unfortunately, the nation's organ waiting list continues to grow there are currently more than 120,000 names on itwhile the supply of available organs stays flat. This supply-and-demand imbalance translates to average waits of three to five years for transplant patients. Not everyone makes it: Twenty-two die every day while on that list. And it's often an expensive wait, requiring costly and less healthy stopgap measures like dialysis. So recently the Laura and John Arnold Foundation announced two new grant programs to eliminate the wait and get patients the organs they need. The $4.2 million Donor Management Research Initiative will support efforts to increase the number of organs each donor can give from an average of three up to as many as eight. The grant program, in partnership with Oregon Health and Science University, University of California San Francisco, and United Network for Organ Sharing. The second grant program will attack the problem of donated but unused organsabout one in five donated organs go unused. In partnership with American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons, LJAF will fund research to evaluate and reshape the country's current organ transplant system, including incentives. Most of LJAF's work is in justice, education, policy, research integrity and sustainable public finance. But health is a major interest, too. The foundation has not only given more than $40 million for research into nutrition and problems of obesity, but has also been giving grants lately to address problems in the U.S. healthcare system. Laura Arnold is on the board of trustees of the Baylor College of Medicine. Organ transplantation is pretty advanced medical work, requiring specialized teams of doctors, surgeons and other caregivers. But managing the scarce and time-sensitive supply of donor organs is also a practical and logistical challenge. And that falls within LJAF's wheelhouse and broader mission to identify and improve areas that underperform because of inefficiency, lack of information and similar systemic weaknesses. Update 5/11/22 The coroners court in Hong Kong has ruled that the two firefighters who perished in 2016 while battling a four-alarm blaze at SC Storage in the Amoycan Industrial Centre died by misadventure. Deputy Coroner Philip Wong applied the legal definition, noting that Thomas Cheung and Samuel Hui acted lawfully and out of duty but died due to unexpected circumstances. The ruling ends an eight-month inquest. Both firefighters were awarded posthumous gold medals for bravery six years ago, according to a source. In addition to his ruling, Wong made several recommendations. For example, he said the Fire Services Department should review its internal communications process to improve response time. In the 2016 incident, a rescue operation wasnt deployed in time to save the firefighters. He also suggested that the Buildings Department consider regulating self-storage units through a licensing system and that it should be mandatory for tenants of industrial buildings to attend fire drills. At the time of the fire, an employee of the self-storage facility told authorities he didnt know how to use a fire extinguisher, a source reported. Andrew Work, executive director of the Self Storage Association Asia (SSAA), disagreed with Wongs recommendation for a licensing system. He noted that the safety-standards certification program SSAA implemented last year is already designed to promote regulatory compliance, best practices and accountability. The program follows guidelines set forth by the Buildings and Fire Services Departments, and SSAA appointed Knight Frank, an independent real estate consultancy, to manage its implementation and assess local storage facilities. Right now we have the strictest regulations in the world, and that should be sufficient, Work told a source. Adding another layer of bureaucracy on top of it its hard to see what the objectives would be there. Launched in 2014, SSAA provides information, education and support to self-storage owners and operators as well as other industry stakeholders. Its mission is to build a platform that supports its development and establishes industry standards. 6/28/16 The SC Storage fire in Hong Kong was mostly extinguished as of Saturday, 108 hours after consuming two of the seven floors occupied by the self-storage business. During an examination of stored contents, investigators found compressed gases and other substances that produced inflammable vapors, according to a source. Dangerous goods subject to regulations on approved storage premises and licensing from the director of fire services were found on the first, fourth, fifth and sixth floors. Hong Kong law limits the amount of regulated, dangerous goods that can be stored without a license. Self-storage tenants or operators in violation of the requirements could face legal consequences, including maximum penalties of 18 months in jail and a fine of HK$25,000, a source reported. A cross-departmental taskforce of fire, police and independent experts was being assembled to look into the cause of the fire and weigh in on the use of industrial buildings for self-storage. Debate among officials has continued regarding possible regulations requiring tenants from disclosing the goods they are storing. Nip Yuen-fung, chairman of the Fire Services Department Staffs General Association, told a source that allowing tenants to self-report their stored contents was too weak a solution. [Self-storage operators] may have guidelines which state no dangerous goods can be stored in the cubicles, but if all it says is if you breach it theyll end your contract, then the regulatory oversight is quite weak, he said. Right now, every time [officials] want to carry out inspection, they need to get the storage owner to come and unlock [the unit], to see whats been stored inside. Conducting security checks on every tenant isnt realistic, according to Eddy Li Sau-hung, president of the Chinese Manufacturers Association, who is also the landlord of an industrial building. It is infeasible for the landlord or operator to have to conduct security checks every time, he told the source. You can put a hundred things on a contract, but if the customer doesnt care, what can you do? Li recommended the government be in charge of security checks. Lawrence Poon Wing-cheung, a planning board member, suggested implementing a licensing system in which self-storage operators and customers share responsibility for the goods being stored. Former fire chief Anthony Lam Chun Man said self-storage operators should conduct risk assessments. Kevin She, co-founder of SC Storage, indicated in a Facebook post that the operator had made some operational mistakes and taken action to improve management of the facility. I have learned a valuable lesson, he wrote. Thank you everyone for your support and criticism. She said he would cooperate fully with the investigation. She also pledged HK$500,000 in financial aid to the families of both firefighters who died fighting the blaze. Hang Lung Properties, which owns the building, has offered HK$1 million to each family and set up a HK$1 million education fund for each of their children, a source reported. 6/23/16 A second firefighter has died as a result of injuries sustained in the fire at SC Storage, which has been burning for four days. Senior firefighter Hui Chi-kit, 37, was taken to United Christian Hospital Thursday at 7:30 p.m. after losing consciousness at the scene, according to the source. He died at 9:10 p.m. Chi-kit is survived by his wife and 7-year-old son. A second firefighter has died as a result of injuries sustained in the fire at SC Storage, which has been burning for four days. Senior firefighter Hui Chi-kit, 37, was taken to United Christian Hospital Thursday at 7:30 p.m. after losing consciousness at the scene, according to the source. He died at 9:10 p.m. Chi-kit is survived by his wife and 7-year-old son. Two other firefighters were also taken to the hospital Thursday evening. In all, 11 firefighters have been hospitalized. David Lai Man-hin, director of the Hong Kong Fire Services Department, held a press conference late Thursday to express his condolences and said he wouldnt sacrifice the lives any more firefighters. A committee will be formed to investigate the deaths, he added. Man-hin didnt comment on questions from reporters about why a more active firefighting strategy wasnt employed, the source reported. Although cracks are beginning to appear on the exterior walls of the 66-year-old building, authorities claim the structure isnt in imminent danger of collapse. 6/22/16 The SC Storage fire has continued to burn more than 36 hours after it began and spread to the fourth floor of the building, which is also part of the self-storage facility. Fire crews tried to prevent the blaze from spreading by spraying water into the fourth floor, but heat from the lower floor was too strong, according to the source. Responders have also tried to cool the fifth floor, which also houses storage units. The fire, which killed 30-year-old firefighter Thomas Cheung, has prompted criticism from citizens and officials who say few improvements have been made to aging infrastructure since a firefighter was killed in 2010. Secretary for Security Lai Tung-kwok announced there will be citywide inspections of all self-storage facilities to review how fire-safety standards can be strengthened, the source reported. Changes to municipal building laws and self-storage regulations could be on the horizon, after officials indicated the layout of the storage facility and unknown contents inside units have made extinguishing the fire more difficult. Buildings in Hong Kong were not required to have automatic-sprinkler systems until 1973. The eight-story Amoycan Industrial Centre was built in 1961. Current law doesnt require older industrial buildings to meet current safety standards, according to the source. The SC Storage fire is the longest in Hong Kong since December 1995, when it took firefighters 40 hours to put out a building fire in the Kwai Chung area. 6/21/16 A firefighter died on Tuesday battling a four-alarm blaze at an SC Storage self-storage facility in the Ngau Tau Kok area of Hong Kong. The fire was contained to the third floor of the Amoycan Industrial Centre building in the Kwun Tong district. Thirty fire engines and about 120 firefighters were deployed. Four other respondents were treated at a hospital for dehydration and smoke inhalation, according to the source. The unidentified firefighter who died was found after a 30-minute search. The senior station officer is survived by his wife and a 4-month-old child. SC Storage comprises 2,400 square meters on multiple floors of the building. While firefighters were able to contain the blaze to the third floor, they faced challenges due to the configuration of the units. The floor housed more than 200 units with narrow passageways, according to Poon Wai-lun, deputy chief fire officer of the Kowloon Fire Services Department. We encountered some difficulties in the blaze due to a large area, severe heat and dense smoke, Wai-lun told the source. Each cubicle was locked by occupants. We had to break them open to hose them. Water was sprayed into the facility using two aerial ladders, the source reported. Tenants who use the facility include Kam Siu-man, a well-known comic-book artist and co-owner of the G. Goal Club, a local comic-book store. Perhaps our valuable collections, such as original manuscripts, old comic books and vinyl records are now reduced to ashes, Siu-man posted on his Facebook page. No suspected cause of the fire was reported. SC Storage operates several self-storage facilities in Hong Kong and Macau, China. New Sources: RTHK, License System Unnecessary for Mini-Storage RTHK, Firemen Died by Misadventure in Mini Storage Unit The Standard, Death of Two Firefighters Killed in Ngau Tau Kok Blaze Ruled as by Misadventure Previous Sources: Hong Kong Free Press: Second Firefighter Dies in Hospital as Storage Unit Fire Rages Into Fourth Day Hong Kong Free Press: Dangerous Goods Discovered in Fire Building; Storage Unit Owner Pledges $500K to Firefightersa Families South China Morning Post: Mini-Storage Fire at Hong Kong Industrial Building Prompts Debate on Declaring Stored Goods South China Morning Post: Compressed Gases and Dangerous Goods Found in Hong Kong Building Where Inferno Killed Two Firemen South China Morning Post: Ngau Tau Kok Inferno Exposes Hong Kongas Historical Failings as Blaze Spreads to Fourth Floor South China Morning Post: Hong Kong Firefighter Dies After Battling Fourth-Alarm Blaze in Ngau Tau Kok Industrial Building Masons Self Storage, which operates 24 facilities in Wales, recently celebrated the renovation of its facility in Barry, a town in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 10. Gordon Mason, senior director, was joined by Welsh National Assembly Member Jane Hutt for the official re-opening. Additional attendees included staff members and vendors connected with the project. Also present at the event was The Sensory Fun Bus by Positive Interactions, a charitable project supported by the storage operator. The bus offers a calm environment in which people with learning disabilities and their families can explore a sensory-room environment. Following the ceremony, guests were offered lunch prepared by a local caterer as well as guided tours of the storage property and Fun Bus. It was a great honor to formally open the newly expanded, 24/7 self-storage facility, and to congratulate this pioneering family business, Hutt said. It was also great to visit the Sensory Bus, which makes such a difference to so many peoples lives. Property renovations included the addition of 170 new units, a new elevator and sliding doors, signage, and video cameras. The operator also installed new management software. In addition, the facility now offers moving and packing supplies as well as mobile storage. The Mason Family launched its first business, local removals company Masons of Barry, in 1905. The company is now known as Masons Moving Group. The owners opened Welsh Self Storage Centre in 1991, and the family business was rebranded as Masons Self Storage in 2015. Katina Stefanova Marto Capital Marto Capital founder, CEO and CIO Katina Stefanova was bitten by the entrepreneurial bug at an early age. Growing up in Bulgaria under Communist Party rule, she watched her father lose his job as vice president of a government-owned metallurgy company after the Berlin Wall fell in 1989 and then go on to recreate it, hiring many of the same people who had worked for him. Stefanova, 40, who attended a top English language high school in her native country, received a full scholarship to Utahs Brigham Young University, where she graduated in 1998 with a BA in international relations. Although she was offered scholarships to several law schools, including those of Georgetown University and New York University, she chose to join accounting firm Arthur Andersen in its mergers and acquisitions group in Seattle, where she did work for companies looking to buy dot-com businesses. In 1999, Stefanova moved to Seattle-based AdRelevance, one of the first firms to measure Internet advertising, and led its international expansion. In 2001 she relocated to London to work in IBM Corp.s M&A group for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. She returned to the U.S. in 2003 to earn an MBA at Harvard Business School in Boston; it was there that she got interested in asset management. After hearing a presentation at HBS by Greg Jensen, then research director of Bridgewater Associates, Stefanova decided she wanted to work for the Westport, Connecticutbased hedge fund firm founded by Raymond Dalio because of its depth of understanding of the investment world and how markets work. Jensen (now co-CIO) hired Stefanova as a senior investment associate in 2005. She went on to spend more than nine years at Bridgewater, serving in a variety of areas including account management, client service, fund accounting, information technology and operations and worked directly with Dalio as a management committee adviser. Stefanova left Bridgewater in 2014 to start thinking about the evolution of the asset management industry and the opportunities for disruption. This May she launched New Yorkbased Marto, named for her fathers former company, to address investors unmet needs by offering systematic, cost-effective investment solutions that can deliver superior returns in a world facing serious economic challenges. Read Stefanova's recent feature, Asset Managers, Prepare to Have Your Business Disrupted.Visit the 2016 Hedge Fund Rising Stars: Ivy League Schools Pave the Way for more on the Rising Stars. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission ( ASIC ) and The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) have signed an Innovation Functions Co-operation Agreement to help encourage innovation in their respective countries financial sectors.The agreement allows fintech firms in Singapore and Australia to initiate negotiations in each others market faster and obtain information on the needed licences. This helps cut down on regulatory uncertainty and time to market.Greg Medcraft, chairman, ASIC, said that it is important to cut down on the amount of international red tape in a bid to boost innovation.We recognised that innovation in financial services isnt confined by national borders. ASIC is committed to encouraging innovation that has the potential to benefit financial consumers and investors.It is very exciting to observe and clearly some business ideas will want to scale up internationally. We believe this agreement with the MAS will help break down barriers to entry both here and in Singapore, he added.Sopnendu Mohanty, chief fintech officer of MAS, said: This agreement between the MAS and ASIC would create opportunities for fintech businesses from Singapore and Australia to grow and expand into each others markets. Singapore has a vibrant FinTech ecosystem, reinforced by sound infrastructure and a growing talent pool, to support companies intending to use Singapore as a gateway to other markets in Asia.To qualify for the program, businesses must meet the eligibility guidelines of their home regulator. A dedicated team or contact person will help applicants understand the regulatory framework in the market they wish to join.ASIC and MAS have committed to joint innovation efforts and share information on new market trends and its impact on innovations. Employers Mutual has announced that they have rebranded and will be known as EML and have replaced their 20-year-old logo.EML, Australias oldest workers compensation insurance mutual, will rebrand over the next six months and Mark Coyne, CEO of Employers Mutual, said that the rebranding gives a fresh look at the company.EML has a proud history as one of Australias oldest and most respected providers of work injury insurance, Coyne said.As we have continued to diversify and expand our specialist services nationally, we have taken this opportunity to rebrand to EML to reflect our national presence.Our new logo is designed to provide us with a fresh identity that brings together our people, our partnerships and mutuality.While the branding of the business has changed, Coyne stressed that the business itself will remain focused on its core principles.Our core purpose of helping people get their lives back after a work injury has not changed, Coyne continued.We will continue to leverage our expertise in workers compensation on a national basis, whilst also providing an expanded offering including self-insurance administration, life insurance services and consulting.EML now provides workers compensation claims management across four states, having been appointed by WorkSafe Victoria to its agent panel in April. Drake Resources, a global asset company, has announced a deal to acquire an Israeli-based cyber company as the business looks to move into cyber insurance and risk.The deal, worth $11 million, will see Drake acquire Genome Technologies, a cyber-risk governance security solution company which aims to reduce cyber risk from human factors currently a gap in the market according to Drake.Both Drake and Genome have now successfully completed a very detailed and comprehensive Due Diligence process, a Drake statement said.It is now complete and all parties are satisfied that the process has been successfully concluded.Drake and Genome recently held discussions with representatives of an Australian State government, and agencies supporting these governments, with regard to the commercial development of Genomes human cyber-risk governance solution.These discussions confirmed that the Genome cyber-risk solution satisfies an unresolved need to monitor, report and mitigate the human risk factor in organisations relating to innocent employees.The business also revealed that they have held early talks to distribute Genome products with other companies.A leading Australian Risk Management consultancy that designs the processes and systems to integrate risk into an organisations specific and tactical objectives, has expressed interest to market and distribute the Genome solution, the statement continued.The conversation with the consultancy, which works with in 20 multinational companies employing multiple million employees, is at an early stage.Technology used by Genome helps map and identify each employees risk level from a cyber perspective providing customised mitigation and training solutions to help reduce risk.Genome has already signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with a number of leading global organisations in the insurance, accounting and telecommunications industries, including Howden Broking Group and BDO South Africa, the statement said.Shay Simkin, CEO of Howden Broking Group Israel and head of its Global Cyber Practice, told news.com.au that Genome provides a different perspective on a booming market.The solution that Genome has is that rather than just looking at outside risks, the company is looking at inside risks as well, Simkin said.We now know that the inside risk is one of the most problematic risks that we are facing today, because employees are becoming more connected and more dependent on outside devices.I see Genome as being an insurance enabler. In the same way that people buy burglar alarms to reduce their insurance premiums, so too will people buy products like genome to not only protect their business but reduce the risk that they have. The Hudson River may still become a major corridor for the shipment of thick, tar sands oil from Canada despite moves last year by New York officials that many thought stopped those efforts. At issue is a key air permit needed by an oil terminal in Albany to transfer heavy crude from railcars to barges that would travel down the Hudson and past some of New Jerseys most densely populated communities on their way to refineries. Although oil spills by tankers have decreased in recent decades, environmentalists and some local officials say heavy crude represents a significant threat to the Hudson because it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to fully clean up. Many believed the proposal by Global Partners LP was defeated last year when the New York Department of Environmental Conservation reversed its original approval of the plan after the agency received considerable backlash. But the permit issue is now slowly wending its way through New York courts. A lot of people thought it was the end of the story, but its really just in a state of limbo, said Kate Hudson, a lawyer with the advocacy group Hudson Riverkeeper. Its still a real threat. A spokesman for Global Partners of Waltham Mass. did not respond to a request for comment by The Record newspaper. Under Gov. Andrew Cuomo, New York has quietly turned the Hudson into a major transportation route for oil by allowing Global and Buckeye Partners of Houston to more than double the amount of crude theyre permitted to handle in Albany to almost 3 billion gallons a year. Those ships, destined for East Coast refineries, are carrying Bakken crude a light form of oil from North Dakotas booming well fields that is mostly buoyant and vaporizes at the waters surface. Although Bakken crude is volatile and has been involved in several fiery derailments, tar sands oil presents a greater threat to a river because it clumps together and sinks. Nowhere has this been demonstrated more than in the Kalamazoo River in Michigan, where in 2010 an Enbridge pipeline ruptured, spilling more than 843,000 gallons of tar sands crude into the waterway. Even with a six-year cleanup that has surpassed $1 billion, the EPA estimates that upward of 168,000 gallons of oil cannot be recovered and will remain in the river for the foreseeable future. Its just about the worst possible thing you can transport on a river, said Gil Hawkins, president of Hudson River Fishermens Association. It doesnt go away. Thats why river advocates became alarmed in 2013 when New York environmental officials approved a plan by Global that would allow it to heat viscous oil in cold weather so it can be transferred from rail to barge at its 63-acre terminal on the banks of the Hudson. Opponents say the only oil that would need to be heated in such a fashion comes from the Alberta tar sands in Canada, which had been the subject of a national debate on the need to build the 1,200-mile Keystone XL pipeline to the Gulf of Mexico. President Obama last year blocked the pipeline from being built, saying the environmental risk outweighed any economic gains. Public opposition against the permit was significant. The Department of Environmental Conservation extended the public comment period by almost a year and received more than 19,000 letters and emails, almost all against the project. Last year, the DEC rescinded its initial approval to Global, saying heating the crude would pollute the air in the area, which includes a large residential development. But the decision was never finalized and it allowed Global to challenge the agency in court. A judge had ordered the agency to make a final ruling this month, but the DEC is now appealing. A DEC spokesman would only say that the agency is waiting on the courts to hear its appeal. In New Jersey, Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto, D-Secaucus, called on Governor Christie to conduct a comprehensive review of the states readiness to handle spills and emergencies. The Jersey side of the Hudson has seen thousands of new residents in the past 25 years as the waterfront has been transformed from a fading industrial hub to a high-end bedroom community. Bob Considine, a spokesman for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, said the agency is monitoring the developments but wont be formally weighing in because we have no jurisdiction. All oil tankers and barges that serve U.S. ports have been required since last year to have a double hull, one of the many reforms spurred by the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill. A double hull was key in preventing a disaster on the Hudson in 2012 when the Stena Primorsk, the first tanker carrying light crude out of Albany, ran aground and ruptured its outer hull. None of the 12 million gallons of oil it carried spilled because the inner hull was not breached. While the amount of oil spilled has decreased as double hulls have been phased in, they are not foolproof. A double hull tanker spilled almost 1.4 million gallons of oil off Singapore last year after colliding with another ship. An accident like the Stena Primorsk is one reason Kate Hudson of the Hudson Riverkeeper hopes New York officials consider the impact to the river if the court orders them to revisit the issue. You cant just look at what could happen just to Albany, she said. It has to be much broader than that. It has to take into account what can happen to the Hudson. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Trends New York Energy Oil Gas Pollution New Jersey Boston Retirement System, the public pension fund for Boston municipal employees, filed the first bondholders proposed class action against Volkswagen AG related to the companys diesel emissions scandal, law firm Labaton Sucharow LLP said. The lawsuit, which also names as defendants Volkswagen Group of America Inc and Volkswagen Group of America Finance Inc., claims that false and misleading statements and omissions by Volkswagen caused its bonds to trade at artificially inflated prices, only to decline after the emissions scandal went public, the law firm said in a statement. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, seeks to recover damages for bondholders who purchased bonds between May 23, 2014, and Sept. 22, 2015, in sales that raised more than $8 billion for Volkswagen, the law firm said. At the same time that Volkswagen was deceiving U.S. investors and regulators with its rigged emissions systems, it was raising billions of dollars from investors in the U.S. capital markets, Thomas A. Dubbs, a partner with Labaton Sucharow, said in the statement. Volkswagen did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The German automaker misled bondholders by failing to disclose that it had used a device in some of its diesel cars that allowed them to temporarily reduce emissions during testing, which increased sales, the complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court of Northern California, claims. The company, which faces a slew of litigation in Germany and in the U.S. by car owners and shareholders, has set aside $18 billion to cover the cost of vehicle refits and a settlement with U.S. authorities after admitting in September to cheating U.S. diesel emissions tests. In the United States, Volkswagen has until June 28 to reach a final diesel emissions settlement with government regulators and owners of nearly 500,000 2.0-liter vehicles. (Reporting by Abinaya Vijayaraghavan in Bengaluru; Editing by Leslie Adler) Related: Topics Lawsuits USA Aon Plc Chief Executive Officer Greg Case, who moved the insurance broker to London from Chicago four years ago, said the U.K.s centuries-long leadership in the industry would be damaged if voters choose to leave the European Union. The U.K. has been at the center of insurance and risk management since maritime trade and shipping was insured at Lloyds in the City of London more than 325 years ago, Case said in a letter posted Monday on the companys website. Leaving the EU jeopardizes the U.K.s leading position in the epicenter of our global service economy. Industry leaders have been stressing the benefits of global commerce, along with the risks of isolationism, ahead of the June 23 vote. American International Group Inc. CEO Peter Hancock said last week that hed consider establishing a European operations hub beyond London if the Leave side prevails. Case said Aon may not be able to provide the same coverage options to clients if trade barriers increase. He also said the company would find it harder to recruit and retain top talent. Aon moved its headquarters to the U.K. in 2012, citing improved access to Lloyds of London and emerging economies. Lloyds is the worlds oldest insurance market and is used by businesses seeking to guard against large or complicated risks. Aons shift also provided tax benefits. Managing Risk Cases company acts as a middleman in the insurance industry, helping clients arrange coverage to guard against risks ranging from natural disasters to bed bugs to lawsuits. It is the second-largest broker by market capitalization to New York-based Marsh & McLennan Cos. In our world, risk is inevitable and we manage it accordingly, Case wrote. But leaving the EU is an unnecessary gamble. Aon climbed 95 cents to $107.81 at 12:13 p.m. in New York, extending its gain for the year to 17 percent as global stocks rallied after weekend polls showed Remain prevailing in the U.K. vote. Marsh & McLennan rose 76 cents to $66.62 and is up 20 percent since Dec. 31. Related: Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. Topics Europe Leadership London Aon A 2005 federal law was designed specifically to prevent gunmakers from being sued for mass killings like the one at Sandy Hook Elementary School, lawyers for the maker of the AR-15 assault weapon used in the attack told a Connecticut judge. The suit over the massacre of 20 children and six educators hinges on an exception to the law that applies when a seller negligently entrusts a weapon to a buyer who is likely to use it in a crime. Attorney James Vogt, a lawyer for the Remington Arms Co., said Monday in state court in Bridgeport that the exception is intended to apply to face-to-face retailers or individuals who sell guns. It cant be applied to a manufacturer, he said. The question of whether the AR-15 should be sold to the public should be dealt with by legislators rather than juries, he said. The exception could only apply if the retailer had known that Mrs. Lanzas son was mentally ill, Vogt said, referring to Nancy Lanza, the mother of shooter Adam Lanza. About a dozen family members attended the packed hearing, which took on fresh meaning in the wake of last weeks massacre of 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, with a similar assault rifle the worst mass shooting in U.S. history. Unsafe But Legal Arent there other things that are unsafe but legal? Vogt asked, using cigarettes as an example. He compared the situation to a cars being stolen and then used to run over a crowd of people, resulting in a suit against the dealer and automaker. Bushmaster Firearms International, maker of the rifle, and parent Remington should have known that mass shootings like the 2012 attack might result from selling military-grade weapons with 30-round clips to civilians, plaintiffs attorney Josh Koskoff said . The AR-15 was designed to be used in combat, and yet there it was on the floor, not of a battlefield, but of Vicki Sotos first grade classroom, having been used by a civilian, Koskoff said, referring to a 27-year-old teacher killed at Sandy Hook after attempting to hide her students in a closet and mislead the shooter. The rifle did not get there by accident. The Stakes A victory for the Sandy Hook families might provide a road map to success in court for victims in other mass shootings, despite a variety of laws in other states, including Florida, that offer even greater immunity to gunmakers. Assault weapons were banned in Connecticut after the Sandy Hook assaults, and on Monday the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to the law. A federal ban on such weapons was passed in 2004 and expired a decade later. Renewed efforts by mostly Democratic lawmakers have repeatedly failed. Congress in 2005 passed the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which shields gun companies from liability when crimes are committed with their products. The statute, backed by the National Rifle Association, has helped the industry win dismissal of other cases. At Mondays hearing, Koskoff referred to legislators as sheep who lack sufficient knowledge about semiautomatic weapons that can be deadlier than fully automatic weapons banned in the U.S. Companies Knowledge Bushmaster and Remington know what these weapons can do more than any congressman, Koskoff said. Judge Barbara Bellis may take as long as three months rule in the Connecticut case. The suit has already proceeded further than others like it, with Bushmasters attempt to end case on jurisdictional grounds rejected by Bellis in April. That ruling triggered a requirement for evidence to be exchanged, which may reveal internal e-mails and other documents at Bushmaster and Remington. The case is Soto v. Bushmaster Firearms International LLC, 15-cv-6048103, Connecticut Superior Court (Bridgeport). Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. Topics Claims Connecticut Gun Liability The Supreme Court is supposed to take appellate cases to make the law clearer. Last weeks opinion on healthcare fraud had the opposite effect. Instead of spelling out exactly when a misrepresentation in healthcare billing counts as a legal violation, the court said that sometimes it is and sometimes it isnt. The result introduces new uncertainty in the law instead of greater clarity. The case name is a mouthful: Universal Health Services Inc. v. U.S. ex rel. Escobar. But the three parts of the name all matter. Universal Health Services, the defendant, owned a clinic that delivered mental health services in Massachusetts. The only problem was that many of its employees werent licensed or trained to provide the services. Escobar is the name of the family whose daughter, Yarushka, tragically died after receiving substandard care from the unqualified providers. The United States appears in the case because, under the False Claims Act, the Escobars are permitted to bring a civil suit against the healthcare provider for lying to the federal government when it submitted bills. Such a suit, known by the Latin tag qui tam, is one brought by a civilian acting as a private attorney general on behalf of the U.S. The legal question before the Supreme Court was whether in order to win, the Escobars had to do any more than prove the healthcare provider had submitted bills for services that it had delivered while violating regulations. The justices sent the case back to the lower court to reconsider based on the new confusing guidelines. The case matters because the whole healthcare industry has a stake in the outcome. All healthcare is closely regulated by state and federal rules. If it amounted to a false claim every time one of those rules was broken and a bill was submitted, it would expose the industry to extensive liability. In an opinion for the unanimous court, Justice Clarence Thomas broke the issue into two parts. The first issue was whether a provider could be said to have committed fraud just by submitting a bill, which ordinarily does not contain any statements or representations to the effect that all regulations have been followed. Thomas resolved this issue simply, holding that it didnt matter that an ordinary bill doesnt contain an express statement that all rules have been followed. At common law, he explained, a deliberately partial statement can count as a fraudulent misstatement. He cited a classic 1931 decision written by then-Judge Benjamin Cardozo when he served on the New York Court of Appeals. In that case, Junius Construction v. Cohen, Cardozo consider the case of a seller who disclosed that two new roads might be built near a property he was selling, but neglected to mention a third road that might run through the property, cutting it in half. One of the most influential common-law judges in U.S. history, Cardozo said that the seller had misrepresented the facts: by mentioning two possible roads, he implied that there wasnt a third in contemplation. Applying Cardozos principle to healthcare bills, Thomas concluded that stating that services had been provided could amount to a misrepresentation if those services were provided in violation of regulations. That left the second, more complicated issue: was the providers misrepresentation material? According to the Supreme Court, the False Claims Act requires that the lie you tell the government in your invoice be material to the governments decision to pay you. The Department of Justice argued to the Supreme Court that any violation of the rules should count as material, for a simple reason. The government has the authority to refuse payment to a provider if any of the rules have been violated. Thus, any information about failure to follow the rules could affect the governments decision to pay and would therefore count as material. Thomas refused to adopt this standard, which would make providers liable for any and all billing mistakes. But instead of providing a substitute definition for what would be considered material, he entered into an analysis of what materiality is not. A misrepresentation, he wrote, cannot be deemed material merely because the Government designates compliance with [a rule] as a condition of payment. In other words, even if the government says it wont pay unless a given rule has been followed, that doesnt make noncompliance material grounds for liability. It also isnt enough, Thomas said, when the government has the legal option of not paying if a rule isnt followed. Finally, he said, materiality cannot be found where noncompliance is minor or insubstantial. That implies the providers noncompliance would have to be substantial and more than minor. But he did not say exactly what those terms mean. If this wasnt confusing enough, Thomas summed up by saying that the governments determination that following a given rule is a condition of payment should be relevant, but not automatically dispositive as to materiality. Thomas tried to give a little bit of guidance to lower courts. In practice, he said, evidence of materiality could include the fact that the government usually wont pay a certain kind of claim if a given rule hasnt been followed; and if the government routinely pays claims regardless of violation of a certain rule, then that would also count as evidence in the other direction. The thrust of the opinion is clearly that lower courts should try to figure out what kinds of rule breaking the government usually ignores when it comes to making payments, and what kinds of rule breaking are substantial enough to block payment. But although this might seem sensible in theory, it will leave the lower courts with little or no guidance as to how they are supposed to make this determination. Is statistical evidence the answer? If so, how can it be gathered? And what if the government says that from now on, it intends to require compliance with all rules before making payments? The result is that, when it comes to healthcare billing, the court has made the legal meaning of the False Claims Act murkier, not clearer. That isnt the courts purpose at least not when its doing its job right. This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. Topics USA Legislation Medical Professional Liability The father of a young woman killed in the Paris massacre last November is suing Google, Facebook and Twitter, claiming that the companies provided material support to extremists in violation of the law. Reynaldo Gonzalez, whose daughter Nohemi was among 130 people killed in the Paris attacks, filed the suit on Tuesday in the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of California. The suit claims the companies knowingly permitted the Islamic State group, referred to in the complaint as ISIS, to recruit members, raise money and spread extremist propaganda via their social-media services. In statements, Facebook and Twitter said the lawsuit is without merit, and all three companies cited their policies against extremist material. Twitter, for instance, said that it has teams around the world actively investigating reports of rule violations, identifying violating conduct, and working with law enforcement entities when appropriate. Facebooks statement read, in part, that if the company sees evidence of a threat of imminent harm or a terror attack, we reach out to law enforcement. Google, meanwhile, said it wont comment on pending litigation, but noted that that it has clear policies prohibiting terrorist recruitment and content intending to incite violence and quickly remove videos violating these policies when flagged by our users. Under U.S. law, internet companies are generally exempt from liability for the material users post on their networks. Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act provides a legal safe harbor for companies like Twitter and Facebook; it states that no provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider. But it isnt clear if that legal defense will suffice in this case. Ari Kresch, a lawyer with 1-800-LAW-FIRM who is part of the Gonzalez legal team, said in an email that the lawsuit targets social media companies because of the behavior they enabled, not what they published. This complaint is not about what ISISs messages say, he wrote. It is about Google, Twitter, and Facebook allowing ISIS to use their social media networks for recruitment and operations. The complaint also alleges that Googles YouTube shared revenue with IS from ads that ran with its videos. Benjamin Wittes, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, agrees that the legal safe harbor might not shelter social-media companies in such cases. Twitter may not succeed in quashing a similar lawsuit filed in January by the widow of a U.S. man killed in an attack in Jordan on those grounds, Wittes argues. But he said Twitter could still prevail because the causal link between its alleged support for extremists and the attack is very weak. Related: Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Catastrophe Natural Disasters USA Google After climbing in each of the past two years, customer satisfaction is falling among the nations largest auto insurers, while satisfaction is actually up a tad for small insurers. This rising dissatisfaction with large carriers is in turn driving overall industry satisfaction downward as customers react negatively to price increases, according to the J.D. Power 2016 U.S. Auto Insurance Study. One key reason smaller insurers are doing better is the value brought by their independent agents, according to analysts at J.D. Power. The study examines customer satisfaction in five factors (in order of importance): interaction; policy offerings; price; billing process and policy information (formerly billing and payment); and claims. Satisfaction is measured on a 1,000-point scale. Smaller insurers benefit from the personal interactions provided by their independent agency force. Satisfaction varies regionally, from a high of 825 in the Southeast region to a low of 795 in the New England region. Seven of the 11 study regions post significant decreases in overall satisfaction year over year, with the greatest declines occurring in the Southwest (-20 points) and Texas (-17) regions. Price Perception Drives Satisfaction Downward Overall satisfaction declined by what the survey terms a significant seven points to 811 from 818 in 2015. The 17 largest insurers, for which satisfaction dropped by seven index points from 2015, are the primary drivers of the overall decline. Comparatively, satisfaction among the smaller insurers increased one point from 2015. J.D. Power analysts say the overall decline is largely influenced by a three point decrease in price satisfaction, which is attributable to a year-over-year two percentage-point decline in the percentage of customers who say they have not experienced a premium increase in the past 12 months. However, the perception among some customers is that they have had an insurer-initiated increase, even though they have not experienced a specific incident or life change that could account for the price hike. Small Insurers Pass Large Insurers According to the study, this year marks the first time in the past six years that small insurers achieved a higher satisfaction score than large insurers, albeit just barely (815 vs. 814, respectively). More positive perceptions of price have helped drive the differing performances between the two groups, as the price factor is the largest advantage small insurers have over large insurers. In contrast, large insurers perform higher in digital interactionswebsite and assisted onlineas they have greater resources for their websites and online staffing. Price perception among customers of smaller insurers is likely influenced by the fact that they frequently select their insurer with the help of an independent agent, said Greg Hoeg, vice president of the U.S. insurance operations at J.D. Power. Smaller insurers benefit from the personal interactions provided by their agency force, including their ability to educate customers about the value their policy provides. Interaction Still Problematic Among the five factors measured in the study, interaction and policy offerings were the primary drivers of the overall decline in customer satisfaction. Lower levels of satisfaction with the call center representative (down six points to 839) and the local agent (down seven points to 864) drove the decline in satisfaction in the interaction factor. The decline in satisfaction with policy offerings (down by eight points to 809) was due in part to insurers failure to make it easy for customers to work with them, according to analysts. Customers also gave lower ratings year over year for service elements, including the ease of making changes to an existing policy and ease of obtaining a new policy, suggesting that insurers havent been able to move the needle when it comes to making changes more convenient for their customers. Assisted Online Interaction Improves Notably, satisfaction with assisted online interactions improved across all elements of the customer experience, including the promptness in communicating with a representative and timely resolution of problems, questions or requests. Additionally, the courtesy, knowledge, and overall concern for customer needs on the part of the representative assisting them also contributed to the improvement. Assisted online interactions include instances where customers may have first visited their insurers website to resolve an issue and are later further assisted by a representative via a chat feature. Insurance customers want their billing problems, policy questions or claims resolved efficiently, said Hoeg. Today, more and more customers are interested in communicating via digital channels. Insurers should take note that the traditional call center representative may no longer be the most efficient and satisfying way to resolve an issue, even a complex one. Satisfaction Drives Loyalty Among delighted auto insurance customers (overall satisfaction scores of 900 and above), 75 percent say they definitely will renew their policy, compared with just 12 percent of displeased customers (scores of 549 and lower). The 2016 U.S. Auto Insurance Study is based on responses from 44,681 auto insurance customers. The survey data was collected from January 29, 2016 to March 25, 2016. Top Ranked Carriers Following are J.D. Powers highest-rated auto insurance brands for customer satisfaction by region: California: Ameriprise (846) Ameriprise (846) Central : Shelter Insurance (819) : Shelter Insurance (819) Florida: The Hartford (834) The Hartford (834) Mid-Atlantic: Erie Insurance (829) Erie Insurance (829) New England: Amica Mutual (855) Amica Mutual (855) New York: GEICO (828) GEICO (828) North Central: Auto-Owners Insurance (842) Auto-Owners Insurance (842) Northwest: PEMCO Insurance (847) PEMCO Insurance (847) Southeast: Farm Bureau Insurance Tennessee (870) Farm Bureau Insurance Tennessee (870) Southwest: The Hartford (829) The Hartford (829) Texas: Texas Farm Bureau Insurance (836 Related: Topics Carriers USA Trends Auto Texas Following a severe hailstorm in south Texas in 2012, insurers were beset with homeowner property lawsuits sometimes after claims were paid and repairs were completed even though data from the Texas Department of Insurance show few complaints were filed during 2013-2015. Some insurers have seen hundreds of lawsuits being filed simultaneously immediately or sometimes months after a storm, the Insurance Council of Texas reported. Insurance companies began to challenge many of the questionable lawsuits and ICT suggests that recent court decisions may work to deter such litigation. For instance, in May, a six-member jury in Houston didnt fall for the story that a hail storm resulted in a womans leaky roof, the ICT said. The claim involved water damage from a leaking roof, and was supported by a roofing expert who claimed the leak was the result of hail damage. The homeowner was seeking $46,000 in damages. The insurer, the Texas FAIR Plan, countered by arguing that the leaking roof was the result of long-term poor maintenance. The insurer also pointed out that the homeowner did not examine the roof until six months after the lawsuit was filed. The jury deliberated for less than a minute before returning with their verdict. I dont think the jurors even sat down before making their decision, said Lori Daves, of Jay Old and Associates, who defended the Texas FAIR plan in the case. It was the quickest verdict I have ever been part of. Many of these lawsuits also have found their way into federal court where some have been dismissed after appraisals were completed. In one case, a federal judge in McAllen admonished a plaintiffs attorney, asking him why he shouldnt be sanctioned for bringing factually unsupported hail claims against insurer, the ICT said. Source: Insurance Council of Texas Topics Lawsuits Carriers Texas A North Carolina man will spend at least a year in prison after prosecutors said he intentionally caused 12 wrecks, filming many of them on a dashboard camera and uploading the footage to the internet. District Attorney Todd Williams said in a news release that a jury found 27-year-old Byron Fulghum guilty of six felony counts of insurance fraud, four misdemeanor counts of assault with a deadly weapon and other charges. Fulghum was sentenced June 16 to 12 months to 34 months in prison. Williams says no one was seriously hurt in the 12 wrecks, which took place over three years around Asheville. The prosecutor says Fulghums own video from his Ford Focus showed him intentionally turning his car into the bumpers of other vehicles. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics North Carolina Seattle-based PEMCO Insurance announced that nearly half of Northwest drivers admit they illegally use their phones while driving and a majority do it because they dont think its too dangerous. Thats according to a poll the insurer commissioned in late 2015. In a recent survey of Washington and Oregon residents, PEMCO found that about half of Northwest drivers (46 percent) admit to using their phone to talk or text while driving, at least on a few trips, when they know its against the law. Of those who fess up to phone use, a majority (51 percent) explain that they do it because they dont think the distraction is too dangerous in that moment. Others say they do it because they dont think theyll get caught. According to the poll, the worst offenders pose threats beyond the obvious horror stories of distracted driving they are parents of children under 18 who run the risk of teaching their teen drivers the dangerously bad habits of texting and talking while driving. PEMCO found that two-thirds of parents with kids in the home say they knowingly use their phone illegally while driving on at least a few trips. Only about half as many drivers without kids (38 percent) say they do the same. PEMCO Insurance commissioned this independent survey, conducted by FBK Research ofSeattle, that askedWashingtonand Oregonresidents questions about driving habits and attitudes toward current Northwest issues. The sample size, 600 respondents inWashingtonand 600 inOregon, yields an accuracy of +/- 4.1 percent at the 95 percent confidence level. In other words, if this study were conducted 100 times, in 95 instances the data will not vary by more than the associated error range, the company said. PEMCOs poll was conducted by FBK Research of Seattle in November 2015. Source: PEMCO Insurance Topics Personal Auto (Bloomberg) -- The Obama administration is opening U.S. skies to more commercial drones with long-awaited regulations that the government hopes will spawn new industries for inspecting bridges, monitoring crops and taking aerial photography. Its the most comprehensive set of rules yet for the burgeoning use of sophisticated unmanned aircraft. Compared with current law, the final regulations to be released Tuesday by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration will allow a far greater range of uses, according to people familiar with the announcement. "We are in the early days of an aviation revolution that will change the way we do business, keep people safe, and gather information about our world, President Barack Obama said in an interview with Bloomberg News. This is just a first step, but this is the kind of innovative thinking that helps make change work for us -- not only to grow the economy, but to improve the lives of the American people." The rules could be a boost for drone manufacturers such as SZ DJI Technology Co. of China, the worlds largest. Other U.S. companies that have been working with the FAA on expanding drone operations, such as PrecisionHawk in Raleigh, North Carolina, and AirMap Inc. of Santa Monica, California, also stand to benefit. The new regulations, which become effective two months from publication in the Federal Register, took years to craft and are seen as a critical step toward realizing the potential of drones to perform such tasks as monitoring crops, inspecting power lines and pipelines as well as assisting government agencies in disasters. Low Flights The rules permit only low-level flights within sight of an operator and not over people. Drone operators-for-hire will have to pass a written test and be vetted by the Transportation Security Administration -- but no longer need to be airplane pilots as current law requires. Drones under the regulation must weight less than 55 pounds ( 25 kilograms). Drone package deliveries by companies such as Amazon.com Inc. and Alphabet Inc.s Google Project Wing arent allowed under the regulations until the FAA writes separate rules governing their use. Similarly, the limitations in the regulations wont permit longer flights for agricultural flyovers, pipeline and utility inspections and news media photography over crowds. While the rules dont apply directly to hobbyists, who dont need a license to fly if theyve registered their drones with the FAA, it lays out the governments authority to enforce aviation regulations on all unmanned aircraft. Symbolic Victory Drone-advocacy groups called the regulations a symbolic victory that paves the way for those future uses. The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International trade group forecasts drones will produce $82 billion in economic value and create more than 100,000 new jobs in the first 10 years after widespread flights are approved. QuickTake: Domesticating Drones I regard it as a significant milestone, said AUVSI President Brian Wynne, who had been pushing FAA to issue the regulations for years. Well accelerate the process of understanding what the risks are that will allow us to move on to more complex operations. The release of the rules puts the U.S. ahead of Europe in setting standards for the drone industry. The European Union has yet to adopt comprehensive rules for civilian drones, according to the European Aviation Safety Agency website. Individual nations have imposed restrictions, but they differ across borders. EASA is trying to develop rules by 2017. The FAA has already convened groups to study how to eventually allow such flights. Test programs are examining how to: approve long-range drone flights in which an operator steers with video images; make unmanned craft safe to fly over people; and expand agricultural uses. The Obama administration also announced new federal initiatives with NASA, the FAA and other government agencies to study how to broaden drone uses for tasks such as disaster response and environmental monitoring. NASA is already developing an air-traffic control system for low-altitude drones. Privacy Concerns Privacy concerns will be addressed by a new government campaign to educate operators and businesses. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration last month issued non-binding privacy policy suggestions. Commercial drone operators will be tested on privacy issues as part of their license, according to the Obama administration. The FAA has permitted commercial drone operations -- those conducted for hire, as opposed to recreational flights by hobbyists who dont need a license -- since September 2014 under a case-by-case exemption process ordered by Congress. Drone operators under this program had to have a traditional pilots license. As of June 2, the agency had granted 6,004 such permits to fly drones commercially. The new regulation allows a far easier approval process and is expected to swell the ranks of commercial operators. The agency is dropping the requirement for a pilots license, relying instead on a simpler knowledge test. FAA-approved drone operators will have more leeway to fly different drone models and multiple missions. Major Step The regulations are a major step for not only unmanned aerial systems, but virtually every sector of the economy, Gregory Walden, counsel to the Small UAV Coalition, a Washington trade group, said in a news release before the rules were released. Walden called the action a victory for innovation in technology and a new era in aviation. They also will promote safety at a time when hundreds of thousands of hobbyists are flying with limited FAA oversight, Wynne said. There were more than 1,200 reports of drone safety incidents last year, including flying too close to airliners, according to FAA. The new rules codify what until now have been set out as FAA policy statements and interpretations. All drones are aircraft and subject to FAA enforcement actions if operators are reckless or fly in prohibited zones, according to the agency. We need an attitude of professionalism where people are working to improve the safety record all the time, Wynn said. People who obtain FAA drone-pilot certificates will now have an economic incentive to help police the system, he said. Operators will be restricted to flying below 400 feet, more than five miles from an airport without obtaining FAA permission and must keep the device within sight -- limiting flights to roughly a quarter mile. Allindomani dellattentato di Manchester, avvenuto lunedi sera al termine di un concerto, sul web sono apparse numerose fake news, come una foto che ritrae Ariana Grande con il volto (apparentemente) sporco di sangue. Unimmagine condivisa su Instagram che lascia presupporre che la cantante idolo dei teenager sia rimasta ferita nellattacco. In realta quella foto risale al 2015 ed e stata scattata sul set di una serie televisiva. Falsi appelli per trovare bambini Falsi appelli di persone scomparse e ipotesi fittizie sullidentita degli attentatori sono poi rimbalzate sul web, da un social allaltro, Twitter in primis, senza avere alcun fondamento. Non sono mancate foto rubate da internet e utilizzate da profili fake per fingersi amici e familiari dei dispersi. E il caso dellimmagine di un bambino con la sindrome di down, scattata per un marchio di abbigliamento, e usata la notte scorsa per ricercare un fantomatico bambino di nome Frank che durante lattacco sarebbe stato al concerto con il fratello. O la foto di una bambina australiana utilizzata per lanciare lallarme della sua scomparsa. Qualcuno ha usato una foto di Gemma in un falso profilo su Twitter sostenendo che si tratti di un amico disperso nella tragedia di Manchester, ha smentito la mamma su Facebook, non capiro mai questa cosa bizzarra di fingere di essere qualcun altro online. Lattentatore fuggito Non e mancata poi quella che riguardava un presunto attentatore fuggito nei pressi dellOldham Hospital, ospedale vicino allArena. Unaltra mostrava una foto della cantante ferita in cui si affermava che la Ariana Grande avrebbe lasciato il mondo della musica. Notizie come questa sono iniziate a circolare appena unora dallattacco, intralciando e confondendo le operazioni di soccorso e le indagini delle forze dellordine inglesi. One of the more consistent rumors, despite seeing some pushback recently, is that the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will ditch the 3.5mm headphone jack in favor of going with the Lightning port, or Bluetooth, for headphones. Now, according to a new report from Mac Otakara, and citing sources the publication spoke with at this years Computex Taipei, there might be a few key changes in place. First, the report does echo previous rumors, saying that Apple will indeed drop the 3.5mm headphone jack in its future iPhone models. However, Apple will apparently not be including Lightning-equipped EarPods in the box. Instead, the sources say Apple will have 3.5mm EarPods in the box, and include a Lightning adapter to connect them to the phone: At Computex Taipei 2016, many manufacturers showcased their new Lightning audio adaptors, and it seems there has been rumors that the headphones to be included with the new iPhone 7 series will still come with its own headphone jack as usual, and that a Lightning headphone jack adaptor will also be included in the package. As it stands, this is the first time that something like this has been suggested. Leading up to this report, the rumors have gone with Apple including Lightning headphones right out of the box, but also pushing truly wireless headphones as a separate purchase, which would connect to the new iPhones via Bluetooth. Its certainly an interesting rumor, especially in light of more recent suggestions that Apple wont drop the 3.5mm headphone jack at all. Could this be an indication that the 3.5mm headphone jack is here to stay, or do you think Apple would actually include an adapter? Or is the likely outcome that Apple will include Lightning headphones? [via Mac Otakara The Catholic Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin has announced that he will not send trainee priests from his own diocese, the largest in Ireland, to the national seminary at St Patricks College, Maynooth. When asked about his decision to send three seminary students from Dublin to the Irish Pontifical College in Rome instead of Maynooth later this autumn, Dr Martin said I wasnt happy with Maynooth "I have my own reasons for doing this," the Archbishop continued. There seems to an atmosphere of strange goings-on there, it seems like a quarrelsome place with anonymous letters being sent around. I dont think this is a good place for students, he said. Martin made his assessment after a series of anonymous letters alleging inappropriate behavior among some of the seminarians in Maynooth made headlines, including claims that some of them may have used the hookup app Grindr, which is primarily used to arrange gay sexual encounters. But Dr Martin made no comment on those sensational reports to the Irish Times, instead explaining that he had what he called a certain bonding with Rome (where he lived and worked for in the Holy See for 25 years) and where he felt the Irish college offered a good grounding in the Catholic faith. Monsignor Ciaran OCarroll, the rector of the Irish college, confirmed that the three Dublin based seminarians would be transferring to Rome, adding this was very much the usual practice, since this was the time of year when bishops nominated students for the college. It is however extremely unusual for Irish seminarians to be transferred from Maynooth to Rome after an Archbishop cites strange goings on in the national seminary as the reason for the transfer. Read more Catholic news here Maynooth currently has around 60 seminarians in residence and when rumors broke of inappropriate behavior earlier this year a spokesperson quickly assured the press that procedures were in place to handle any controversial complaints against seminarians. The suggestion that a thriving gay subculture exists at Irelands national seminary first came to light in May of this year after anonymous letter suggested that both seminarians and staff members at Maynooth had been using the hookup app Grindr. At the time Monsignor Hugh Connolly told The Irish Catholic the church intended to "thoroughly deal" with any concerns regarding such behavior. Meanwhile, acknowledging that the number of seminarians for Dublin has dropped, the Archbishop told the Irish Independent "What is more important for me is the quality of the men who come forward and the training that they receive." The fact that the Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland, in whose diocese Maynooth sits, apparently believes that Maynooth is currently an unsuitable place to train Irish priests is a remarkable development. Irish whiskey in the United States have grown by an astronomical 642 percent but what should you be drinking? The Irish know whiskey. The spirit is so embedded in the culture that whiskey in Irish, uisce beatha, means the water of life. The Emerald Isle has become synonymous with some of the best whiskeys in the world including Jameson, Tullamore Dew, and Bushmills, to name a few. Irish whiskey has also made a huge comeback with new distilleries and plans in the pipeline across the country from Teelings in Dublin to Waterford and Rademon Estate. In fact, according to the Irish Whiskey Association (IWA) 10 distilleries have commenced production of Irish whiskey in the last year or so, while plans are in motion to open an additional 22. More and more, everyone wants to try new whiskeys and from 2002 to 2015, sales of Irish whiskey in the United States grew by an astronomical 642 percent, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. Read more: Warm yourself with the history of Irish whiskey in Dublins city center Considering the new love affair with whiskey we decided to take a look as some of the old reliables. There are as many brands of the spirit as dialects in Ireland, but they all adhere to the same strict guidelines in production. Irish whiskey must be aged and distilled in the Republic of Ireland or in Northern Ireland. It must be aged three years in a wooden casket. If the product is a blend of two or more distillates, it then must be referred to as blended Irish Whiskey. And lastly the whiskey must be distilled to an alcohol by volume level less than 94.8 percent from a yeast-fermented mash of cereal grains in such a way that the distillate has an aroma and flavor derived from the materials used. Considering ourselves connoisseurs of the spirit, we have compiled a list of our ten favorites. Jameson Jameson is the worlds leader in Irish whiskey, selling 31 million bottles annually. It is the third largest single whiskey distillery in the world and is produced by a division of the French distiller Pernod Ricard. Maintaining its pure pot still distilling tradition, Jameson is produced in Cork and vatted in Dublin. Powers The most popular brand of whiskey in Ireland is a mixture of pot-still and grain. Powers was first distilled at the St. Johns Distillery at Thomas St, Dublin in 1791. Powers Gold Premium sells over 2.5 million bottles in Ireland each year. Redbreast Redbreast is produced at the new Middletown Distillery by Irish Distillers and is only one of two pure pot whiskeys being produced today. First distilled in Cork in 1903, Redbreast has garnered many accolades including Irish Whiskey of the Year by whiskey writer Jim Murray and was listed as number one in John Hansells buyers guide. Read more: Irish whiskey BBQ sauce and basting stock recipe Tullamore Dew Originally a pure pot whiskey distilled in 1829 in the small town of Tullamore, County Offally, Tullamore Dew is now a blended whiskey. Its the worlds second best-selling Irish whiskey behind Jameson. Tullamore Dew is owned by Scottish company William Grant and Sons. Tyrconnell Tyrconnell is made by the Cooley Distillery, Ireland's only independent distillery. Originally it was owned by the Watt distillery. The family of the same name owned a horse, The Tyrconnell and entered him into the prized horse race The National Produce Stakes." It won despite its 100 to 1 odds. This triumph inspired the family to name its premium whiskey after its prize-winning colt that appears on the label to this day. Bushmills The whiskey is produced at the Old Bushmills Distillery in Bushmills, County Antrim. In 1608 Sir Thomas Phillips was issued a license to distill in the area from King James I. Hence, Bushmills is widely considered to be the oldest licensed distillery in the world. The distillery is owned by Diageo. So popular is the whiskey that the old Bushmills Distillery appears on the reverse side of sterling banknotes in Northern Ireland. Paddy This whiskey dates back to 1779. It was then known as Cork Distillery Company Old Irish Whiskey. The name was changed in 1912 to honor extremely successful company salesman Paddy Flaherty whose name became associated with the brand. The 80-proof blended Irish Whiskey is Irelands third best-selling whiskey. The brand has been selling better overseas. It was made available in the US in February 2010. Michael Collins A whiskey fit for the legendary Irish statesman, Michael Collins, is a 3rd Party brand produced at the independent Cooley Distillery. This is where the flagship Tyrconnell is also distilled. Slieve Foy Yet another fine Irish whiskey distilled at Cooley distillery. This boutique whiskey is 100% Irish malt. It is available now in the States and is distributed by Preiss imports. Green Spot Green Spot is a pot still distilled Irish whiskey. It is a very special spirit made specifically for and sold by Mitchell & Son of Dublin, an independent Irish wine merchant. The whiskey blend was originally known as Pats Whiskey and bore the label of a man on a green background. This led to the name change to Green Spot. Only 200 cases are made each year and most are sold through Mitchell and Sons Shop in Dublin. It is very difficult to obtain outside the country. Read more: New Orleans-style frozen Irish coffee is the perfect summer treat (RECIPE) Fifteen cases of measles have been confirmed in county Kerry. It is understood that a person infected with the highly contagious illness traveled from Dublin to the county in May by plane and others became infected as a result. In the past number of weeks several cases of measles have been confirmed in Dublin, Sligo, Mayo, Louth and Limerick. Anyone who may have symptoms is being asked to contact their GP to arrange a home visit and is being urged not to travel to any clinics or hospitals due to the contagious nature of measles. University Hospital Kerry is also asking visitors not to bring children to the hospital at this time. Minister Simon Coveney is to bring a final plan to deal with bin charges to the Cabinet this morning. Last night the minister was seeking legal advice from the attorney general as to whether a 12 month price freeze on charges could be brought in. A British man accused of trying to take a police officer's gun in order to kill US presidential hopeful Donald Trump in Las Vegas has been denied bail by a federal judge. Federal Magistrate Judge George Foley declined to grant bail to 20-year-old Michael Steven Sandford, who has been charged with an act of violence on restricted grounds. Judge Foley said Sandford was a risk to the community as well as a flight risk. Sandford has not yet entered a plea. Court research shows he is unemployed, living out of his car and is in the US illegally. A federal public defender said he has autism and has attempted suicide. Sandford was arrested on Saturday at the Treasure Island Casino, where Mr Trump was speaking. He is accused of making a grab for a Las Vegas police officer's holstered gun, and investigators say he wanted to kill Mr Trump. Sandford wore shackles and appeared to tremble during the district court hearing in Nevada. Public defender Heather Fraley said Sandford appeared to be competent and had not been diagnosed with a mental illness, but has autism and had previously attempted suicide. He was living out of his car, did not have a job and was in the country illegally after overstaying a visa. His mother told court researchers that he was treated for obsessive compulsive disorder and anorexia when he was younger, and that he once escaped a hospital in England. Ms Fraley argued that Sandford should go to a halfway house because he did not have a criminal history, but the judge said he should stay in detention ahead of a July 5 court date. Sandford told officers he had been planning an assassination for about a year and was convinced he would die in the attempt. He said he also reserved a ticket for a Trump rally in Phoenix, scheduled for later in the day, as a back-up plan. He told authorities that he went to the Battlefield Vegas shooting range the day before the rally and fired 20 rounds from a 9mm Glock pistol to learn how to use it. Police detectives who visited the range spoke with an employee who confirmed that he provided Sandford with shooting lessons, according to the complaint signed by Secret Service Special Agent Joseph Hall. About 1,500 people attended the Las Vegas rally, which was held in the Mystere Theater inside the casino. Attendees had to pass through metal detectors manned by Secret Service, police and casino security officials. The U.S. planemaker is in advanced talks with AirBridgeCargo Airlines and its Moscow-based parent, Volga-Dnepr Group, to convert a year-old commitment into more than 10 firm orders for 747-8 freighters. The agreement could be announced as soon as the Farnborough Airshow next month in England. The deal would provide a crucial lifeline for the Queen of the Skies as Boeing tries to preserve production until the air-cargo market revives or shipping companies start to replace aging wide-body fleets. The 747 freighter, prized for a hinged nose that allows large cargo to be loaded at the front, is Boeings second-most expensive commercial jet, with a list price of $379.1 million. Buyers typically negotiate discounts. Converting commitments to firm orders starts the process of allocating manufacturing resources and production slots to build the planes. A representative of Volga-Dnepr declined to comment on the talks, but said the airline plans to take all 20 jumbos it committed to last year. A Boeing spokesman declined to comment. Sales have dwindled for Boeings four-engine 747 and the Airbus Group SE A380 superjumbo jetliner as airlines have shifted long-range travel to more-efficient twin-engine models like Boeings 777. Boeing had just 22 unfilled orders for the 747 through May, according to its website. The planemaker halved annual output of its largest commercial jet to six planes in January. The potential Russian saviour for the 747 - which brought long-range travel to the mass consumer market when it was introduced by Pan American World Airways in 1970 - isnt just a Boeing customer. Volga-Dnepr also transports large aircraft segments for Boeings 787 Dreamliner from suppliers to the planemakers factories. President Joe Healy, who launched the initiative at an IFA hill sheep farmers forum in Newport Co Mayo, said the plan covers all of the key policy issues and must be a priority for the Government. He said the policy actions are geared at positively promoting the sustainable development of hill areas and, if implemented, could have a very positive impact on hill farming and on wider rural communities. Hill areas are generally economically vulnerable and policy responses from Government are needed to arrest the decline that has become more apparent in recent times, he said. IFA Sheep Committee chairman John Lynskey said the IFA had secured 25m in additional funding for a new targeted sheep support scheme under the Rural Development Programme. He said the scheme must be simple and effective with minimal expense, costs or bureaucracy on farmers. IFA Hill chairman Pat Dunne said the average farm income in hill areas is 16,338 with direct payments representing 100% or more of income. Meanwhile, a guiding principle of the Food Wise 2025 strategy is that environmental protection and economic competitiveness are equal and complementary. This was stated by Agriculture Minister Michael Creed at a National Dairy Council seminar in Goleen, West Cork. A Teagasc farm walk hosted by Kieran and Catherine OSullivan, from Dunmanus, the 2015 national winners of the NDC and Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards, followed the seminar. Mr Creed said efforts to enhance sustainability and in the dairy sector are particularly important in the context of challenging market conditions. We are so fortunate in Ireland to have access to nutritious milk and dairy produce supported by a sustainable, grass-based system, he said. Kilkennys Henry Shefflin, holder of 10 All-Ireland senior hurling medals, said excellence is not achieved overnight. Noting that the dairy farm families in the national awards share tremendous pride in the results, he said consumers are the real winners here. NDC chairman Teddy Cashman said buyers of dairy are looking beyond the consistent quality of the product to provenance and sustainability and these are all areas where Irish dairy farming really shines. Dairy expert Jack Kennedy said the challenging time for many dairy farmers is all the more reason to highlight and reward best practices which drive quality standards on farm. Irish SMEs supported by the government agency increased the value of their exports to 20.6bn in 2015 a 10% rise on the previous year. In 2005, client companies exported 10.73bn while last year saw growth across all export sectors. Software exports for the year totalled 1.8bn after an increase of almost a third while exports for construction and consumer companies surged more than 20% higher. More traditional industries also enjoyed success in foreign markets with manufacturing exports up 11% at 3.4bn and food companies exporting 10.6bn worth of goods in 2015. Enterprise Ireland chief executive Julie Sinnamon heralded Irish firms success overseas and highlighted their push into newer markets as a key trend that she is keen to see continue. Enterprise Irelands role is to help Irish companies export globally. The 2015 export figure of 20.6bn demonstrates the scale of the success that Irish companies are seeing in terms of winning business at record levels internationally, Ms Sinnamon said. Exports increased to five of the seven global regions categorised by Enterprise Ireland with slowdowns in the Russian and Brazilian markets denting sales to central and eastern Europe and Latin America. A sharp 27% increase in exports to the USA and Canada saw its overall importance to Irish exporters grow with the North American market now accounting for 14% of total exports. A fifth of goods sold overseas last year, worth 4.17bn in total, were destined for Northern Europe while the UK remained Irelands biggest market despite its overall share of exports falling. The UK remains our largest export market, but we are seeing a trend whereby the exports to the UK as a proportion of our total client exports has declined from 45% in 2005 to 37% in 2015, as more companies have diversified their export strategies into Northern Europe, the USA and high growth markets including China, India, the Gulf and Brazil, Ms Sinnamon said. Enterprise Ireland is targeting exports of 22bn in 2016 but warned that its client companies were at the mercy of a number of external risks. There are a number of risks to the continued growth in exports and the uncertainty associated with the UK referendum has already had an impact on clients exporting to the UK, she added. The Dublin-based firm which owns and operates the Moma titanium mine in Mozambique announced yesterday its chief lenders have approved its debt restructuring plan, which will, at the very least, see its debt mountain shrink from $330m to no more than $100m. The plan sees Kenmare raising between $275m and $368m in total. Some 4,620 Irish SMEs received an average of 37,000 in funding from the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) to the end of December 2015. The loans which businesses apply for through SBCIs range of on-lending partners supported 17,000 Irish jobs last year, according to the fund. In total, SBCI had committed 751m to SMEs through its five on-lending partners AIB, Bank of Ireland, Ulster Bank, Merrion Fleet Management and Finance Ireland by the end of 2015. SBCI chief executive Nick Ashmore said he was pleased with the results contained in its 2015 economic impact report and added that it is looking to expand its range of funding partners. These initial figures show that the more choice and competition generated in the SME lending sector, the more we can help our indigenous businesses grow and support jobs and so we hope to build on this initial impact and further support Irish economic activity with an active pipeline of new lenders and funders in 2016, Mr Ashmore said. SBCI currently gets its funding from three partners the European Investment Bank, Ireland Strategic Investment Fund and German bank KfW - which it then lends to SMEs via the likes of the Irish domestic banks. The fund was established by the government to provide lower cost funding to SMEs hamstrung by the sky high rates on offer in the market. SBCI loans of up to 250,000 were on average 1.5% cheaper than those available on the market in 2015. Dido Harding, who received 550,000 in base pay, said she would donate her 220,000 annual cash bonus to charity following the hack on its business. Throughout the cyber attack, we worked hard to put our customers first, and we know that they have appreciated our efforts and our honesty throughout, Ms. Harding - who has been CEO since 2010 said yesterday. In footage released to the public, two men and a woman can be seen entering the aisle where the fireworks are on display just before the blaze starts. As the fire takes hold, employees can be seen franticly trying to pull more fireworks off shelves in an attempt to stop the fire from spreading. But, on Saturday, members of the notorious Westboro Baptist Church arrived in Orlando to picket the services - the fundamentalist church have previously protested at the funerals of US soldiers and have condemned Ireland for The Kansas-based extremist group had announced their intention on Twitter that they planned to attend with anti-gay signs and offensive chants - they see last weeks attack on the gay nightclub as a sign from god. But there were those who were determined not to let them disrupt the services. Members of the Orlando Shakespeare Theatre Company arrived dressed as angels and used their 8ft wings to shield mourners from the small number of protestors. The Angels arrive to huge applause at St Luke's for funeral #OrlandoStrong @wmfeorlando to block WBC pic.twitter.com/xLbDM9GXrA Catherine Welch (@CWELCHNEWS) June 18, 2016 Demonstrators also sang Amazing Grace and the American national anthem to drown out the picketers chanting. WBC protests as supporters sing national anthem. "I love you Orlando" yelled out, crowd cheers @wmfeorlando pic.twitter.com/BnAdageIDj Catherine Welch (@CWELCHNEWS) June 18, 2016 The Westboro members eventually left, to cheers from the angels and the onlookers. People cheer as tiny group of Westboro Baptist Church protesters leaves. Also thank @OrlandoPolice #OrlandoStrong pic.twitter.com/BXHYthWnyU Joey Flechas (@joeflech) June 18, 2016 via BreakingNews.ie Hairy Baby Clothing Company, based in Little Island, have designed a t-shirt in aid of the Orlando Pulse Victims Fund. The design sees the incorporation of the rainbow flag, a symbol adopted by the LGBT community. Judge Jacqueline Linnane said Richard Murphy, of 10 Carrickmines Avenue, Dublin 18, whose investment property is No 44, Rochestown Park, Dunlaoghaire, Co Dublin, said he had never attended a Circuit Civil Court hearing relating to his bank debt. She granted Permanent TSB Plc, formerly Irish Life and Permanent, a possession order against Murphy, for the property. Barrister Micheal Mac Aoidh, counsel for the bank, told the court that Murphy, who again was not in court, had borrowed 950,000 from the bank in March 2006. Mr Mac Aoidh, who appeared with Belgard Solicitors for Permanent TSB, said Mr Murphy had agreed to monthly repayments of 2,493.75 over 25 years. Victoria Hayes-Burke, assistant manager at Permanent TSB, told Judge Linnane, in an affidavit grounding the banks application for possession, that the purchase price of the Rochestown Park house was 1.26m in 2006, and the bank had granted Murphy a loan of 950,000. Judge Linnane said the last payment to Mr Murphys investment property mortgage account had been made more than six years ago, on April 14, 2010, despite Mr Murphy having had the property let out to a tenant. The bank was currently owed 1,070,089. Your legal proofs are in order and I am making an order for possession against Mr Murphy only, without any stay, said Judge Linnane Mr Mac Aoidh. He is not living there and has tenants in the property. The judge said the possession order was only against Mr Murphy and not against any tenant. She awarded the bank its legal costs against Murphy, whose address was given as No 10 Carrickmines Avenue, Dublin 18. A Department of Justice briefing document, published over the weekend, said Forensic Science Ireland was in critical need of a new laboratory. It said the continuing absence of proper laboratory facilities could undermine court proceedings and create immense reputational damage. Under current capital plans, construction is not due to begin until 2019, with an estimated three-year completion date. The director of FSI, Dr Sheila Willis, has previously expressed her extreme concern at the delay, saying it was not tenable to wait until 2022. The briefing document said Ms Fitzgerald, the justice minister, had written to the minister for public expenditure and reform on April 27 seeking funding to start building in early 2017. Asked yesterday whether there had been a reply, a department spokesman said they received a response on May 23. The response outlined possible avenues which could be explored further as part of the budgetary process and the department is presently exploring these options, he said. The department briefing pointed out that plans for the new laboratory are ready to proceed as soon as funding is made available. It said the risks of not proceeding with construction of new facilities include the following: More and more time and effort will have to be expended to ensure there is no contamination with the laboratory; The potential of such contamination to undermine court proceedings, at large expense, and cause reputational damage, is immense; A continuing inability to implement the exchange of DNA data in breach of EU obligations in the fight against serious crime and terrorism; A continuing inability to provide a full service to the Garda Siochana in the investigation of crime; An increasing inability to exploit the full potential of the DNA database, which began last November. The document said the service provided by FSI, previously known as the Forensic Science Laboratory, was crucial in the investigation and prosecution of crime. It said its current facilities, in an office block shared with the Garda Technical Bureau, were completely inadequate. It said this was particularly so in light of the establishment and rapid growth of the DNA database and the need to fulfil EU obligations on information sharing. FSI is in critical need of new facilities, in the shape of a new purpose-built laboratory, the document said. The briefing document said Ireland cannot meet its EU obligations under the Prum decision regarding co-operation against organised crime and terrorism. This decision introduced procedures for the exchange of DNA analysis files, fingerprint data, and vehicle registration data. Implementation of Prum was meant to have taken place by August 2011, said the document. Ireland is not yet connected to any other MS [member state] in relation to any of these types of data exchange. Environment Minister Simon Coveney has warned bin companies to maintain a price freeze for a year, after an agreement was reached for the mandatory introduction of pay by weight bin charges to be deferred by a year. Though he was still finalising a deal with bin companies last night, it is expected that a pay freeze will be agreed upon when it comes before Cabinet this morning. Under the deal being hammered out last night bin companies will maintain a price freeze for the next 12 months, which will be based on households last bill. Although Mr Coveney is hopeful that all refuse companies will agree to the price freeze, last night he warned that if there is any evidence of this agreement being breached then he would introduce primary legislation to enforce this. Mr Coveney was forced to act after it emerged that many households may face massive hikes in bin fees when the new charges are introduced. Fianna Fail are expected to back the package and last night Barry Cowen, the partys, environment spokesman said: When we raised it last Thursday we said we want it addressed and the loophole needed to be closed. He said given that some of the main operators are not part of the Irish Waste Management Association which was in talks with Mr Coveney, legislation would be required to ensure that all companies do not use the new system to hike up charges. The issue of bin charges will also be raised by the AAA-PBP in a Dail motion tonight. Paul Murphy of the AAA- PBP said: Temporary is not a solution and we wont accept a 12-month cap as a solution as its an attempt to kick to touch on the issue. Secondly we wouldnt accept anything that isnt based on a statutory instrument or on legislation of some form because everything else is voluntary and we just dont trust these companies. Sinn Fein are to bring a motion before the Seanad tomorrow to annul the charges and last night urged Fianna Fail to vote with them. The Upper House has the power to annul a ministerial order voted in by the Dail within 21 sitting days. Speaking at South Dublin County Council offices ahead of a council meeting yesterday he said his job is to ensure that the new system is not being abused or used as a way of increasing charges. Thats why I have asked the industry to agree to a cap on charges so that we can reassure people that nobody would pay more next year than they would this year, he said. He said there is a lack of trust in the new system and there is now a need to assure people I think we can do that by requiring that a cap be put in place, Mr Coveney said. But it is not as straight forward as that because there are legalities there that we need to get through, we are not simply going to ask the industry on a voluntary basis to do this. I want to be sure that what we ask for is actually followed through on and from that perspective I have to take a little bit more advice from the Attorney Generals office, he said. Julian Cuddihy, aged 43, was accused of murdering his mother Kathleen, aged 73, and father James, aged 77), at their home in Churchtown, Carndonagh, Co Donegal on October 22, 2014. Earlier this month, he pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity and a jury delivered a unanimous not guilty verdict after less than an hour of deliberation at the Central Criminal Court. Mr Cuddihy, who believed that by killing his parents he was sending them to heaven, was yesterday committed to the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) in Dundrum for inpatient care. Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan ordered his committal on foot of a report by Dr Sally Lenihan, consultant forensic psychiatrist based at the CMH in Dublin. Dr Lenihan told the court that Mr Cuddihy was first admitted to the CMH on October 31, 2014, suffering from psychotic symptoms and delusional beliefs. She assessed him as suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, a state of mind that affects his thinking, perception, emotion, and judgement, and which impairs his mental function to the extent that he requires care or treatment. She told the court that the kind of care Mr Cuddihy needs is available only at the CMH. Ms Justice Heneghan said she was satisfied that Mr Cuddihy was suffering from a mental disorder under the definition of the 2006 Criminal Law (Insanity) Act and was in need of inpatient care in the only designated centre the Central Mental Hospital, Dundrum. The judge ordered his committal to the CMH for inpatient care and treatment. It is alleged Dr Mohamed Elhassan, while working as a senior house officer in the Cavan-Monaghan Mental Health Service in 2013, wrote prescriptions for four people who were not his patients, nor patients of the service. These included prescriptions for Xanax, a benzodiazepine used to treat anxiety; Mirtazapine, an antidepressant used to treat major depressive disorders; Nitrazepam, a benzodiazepine used to treat severe anxiety and insomnia; and Zopiclone, also used to treat insomnia. It is also alleged Dr Elhassan interfered with the therapeutic management of a woman, Patient E, between January and June 2013, prescribing Xanax to this person, who was suffering from depression and had a history of addiction to benzodiazepines. The inquiry, held at the Irish Medical Councils headquarters in Dublin 2, heard Patient E died by suicide in June 2013, but Dr Elhassan does not face any allegations in relation to that tragedy. The inquiry heard t Dr Elhassan left Ireland in 2014, and he was not present yesterday via Skype or telephone. Dr Elhassan is originally from Sudan and qualified in Romania before coming to Ireland in 2013. Dr Feargal Leonard, executive clinical director at the Cavan-Monaghan Mental Health Service, told the inquiry that concerns were raised about Dr Elhassan in early February 2013, shortly after he commenced employment there on 21 January. Dr Elhassan, who told his supervisors he suffered from social anxiety and used benzodiazepines himself, went on sick leave from February 5 until April 9. One month later, on May 28, Dr Leonard met with Dr Elhassan again, and Dr Leonard told Dr Elhassan he would not be re-employed at the Cavan-Monaghan Mental Health Services once his six-month contract was up. On June 4, Dr Leonard heard of an incident in which Dr Elhassan had prescribed Xanax for a male patient, referred to as Patient D This concerned Dr Leonard, not least because Dr Elhassan was not allowed to prescribe Xanax to patients. Dr Leonard met with Dr Elhassan that day and, in the course of their conversation, Dr Leonard realised the patient for whom the prescription was intended was a woman. This woman turned out to be Patient Ds daughter, referred to throughout the inquiry as Patient E. Dr Elhassan effectively left the service that day and, shortly afterwards, Dr Leonard brought his concerns about Dr Elhassan to the Medical Council. I thought it was a patient safety issue, Dr Leonard said yesterday. In previous correspondence to the Medical Council, which was read out yesterday, Dr Elhassan said prescribing the medications was a mistake, but that he had done so out of compassion for the people involved. The cabinet member outlined some of the options being assessed by the Government ahead of a taskforce being set up to help the north inner city in the wake of recent gangland-linked murders there. A broad outline of the plan to help the communities is expected to be ready before the Dail rises for the summer and ministers take their holidays, Mr Donohoe said. He was speaking following a meeting of inner city representatives, including councillors and TDs, who met Taoiseach Enda Kenny for over two hours in government buildings yesterday. Speaking afterwards, Mr Donohoe explained: We are going to have more economic activity than the north inner city has seen for many many years the strategic development zone in the Docklands, the large construction works that are due to begin later on in the year at the top of Sheriff Street. The Dublin Central TD outlined how a local apprenticeship programme should be part of that. Labours Joe Costello has called for jobs in the nearby business district to be ringfenced for local communities, including in the construction sector. Sinn Feins Mary Lou McDonald said yesterday it could take a generation to help communities and resolve some of the concerns in the north inner city. She also said it needed to be clarified if the taskforce would be set up on a statutory footing or not. The communities dont want a pat on the head. Mr Donohoe agreed that some issues may take years but that an action plan would ensure some were implemented sooner. However, some areas involving support in education could take many years to produce results, he said. It would be clear before the Dail rises what the plan would be, he said, although the proposed taskforce for the area may not be up and running by then. Councillors in general were pleased with yesterdays meeting, but also said that the time for talking needed to come to a close soon. Social Democrats councillor Gary Gannon said Mr Kenny pledged several times during the meeting that this was not a gimmick and that he wanted a real plan put together. Councillors also welcomed the fact that the taskforce would be community-led as opposed to just being controlled by the Government. It will be chaired by junior housing minister Damien English. The taskforce will also involve input from several departments, including health and environment. Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald said that the inner city area economically had suffered for many years. The Tanaiste also said that communities had been devastated by the recent murders but that a heavy policing presence was still necessary to try and stop any more bloodshed. Speaking after the meeting, Workers party councillor Eilis Ryan proposed that a Docklands tax be levied on large businesses in the area and IFSC, with the revenue going to fund public investment in local jobs. A senior county council engineer spoke yesterday of light at the end of the tunnel for Buttevant, in Co Cork. Numerous cars have been damaged in recent years by its undulating street surface. Tom Stritch, the councils director of roads, told a northern division meeting that the major roadworks, on the N20, south of Mallow, were ahead of schedule. He said roadworks in Buttevant, which started a year ago, were almost complete. However, the contractor, Priory Construction Ltd, will move off site for the annual Cahirmee Horse Fair (July 12) and return to finish in early August. Mr Stritch said work on upgrading the N20, south of Mallow, was being undertaken by contractor, Egis Lagan, and was also ahead of schedule, near the Burnfort junction. Those works should be complete by the end of August. Mr Stritch said consultants were being appointed to conduct a feasibility study into the northern bypass of Mallow, and should start work in later summer. Funding of 100,000 was set aside by the last government to engage consultants. Many councillors were annoyed yesterday, as they had believed claims by recent Dail candidates that funding for the project was in place. Cllr Tim Collins, northern division chairman, said gridlock in Mallow was a disgrace and it was patently obvious the bypass was essential. He secured unanimous support from colleagues when he proposed that the local authority write to Transport Minister Shane Ross, inviting him to come to Mallow and see the traffic chaos at first-hand. Cllr Ian Doyle said he was recently part of a council delegation that met with senior TII (Transport Infrastructure Ireland) officials and discussed the bypass. Cllr Doyle said the officials had said that they were equally frustrated, as they did not have the money to do a number of badly-needed projects around the country. Cllr Gerard Murphy (FG) said: This is hugely important. The sooner we can secure the capital for this project the better. Cllr Daniel Fitzgerald said that for Mallow to attain its full potential, it needed a bypass. Bridge St and the town park junctions are very dangerous. Its frightening the amount of near-misses at them on a near-daily basis, he said. Cllr Frank OFlynn said Dairygold was putting huge investment into the Mallow plant, which would significantly increase HGV traffic in the town. We were told, before, that the money was in place for the bypass, so where is it? he asked. Cllr Doyle noted that the N20, just south of Charleville, was in an appalling condition, as was the state of the road running through the town. TII have agreed to look at it in the coming days, but, again, its dependent on the government making funding available. He said the town was also a bottleneck and the only solution was to reactivate plans for the mothballed, 800m Cork-Limerick motorway (M20). Yesterdays victim was found on Monasterboice Road in Crumlin, south Dublin at around 4am. He was shot at several times and suffered gunshot wounds to his abdomen. The man, 33, underwent surgery yesterday and is expected to recover. Tensions in the general area have already been high with expectations that the Hutch gang would conduct revenge attacks on senior members of the Kinahan crime cartel who live in several addresses nearby. Yesterdays shooting is not being linked to the Kinahan-Hutch feud, but a local conflict, although one of the main criminals involved, currently serving a lengthy prison sentence, is associated with a leading figure in the Kinahan cartel. The victim is closely associated with a young man who died in 2009, following a shooting in 2007. That murder was during the height of the Crumlin-Drimnagh feud, which claimed up to 16 lives in the area between 2000 and 2012. Ian Kenny, 22, was shot in a car in Stillorgan, south Dublin, by his friend Jonathan Dunne in July 2007. Mr Kenny was shot in the head and shoulder and was left in a permanent vegetative state and died over two years later. Dunne claimed to gardai he was ordered to do the shooting by gang bosses in Crumlin in order to repay a lost drug consignment. Associates of one of these bosses previously carried out a drive-by shooting on Monasterboice Road in September 2006. Following the shooting, three uniformed gardai positioned themselves outside the home of Mr Kenny in case the attackers came back, which they did. Sergeant Mark Clarke was hit in the chest and arm when he went to protect Mr Kenny as the attackers opened fire. He survived but was left with pellets in his body that could not be removed. It is thought that the latest victim was shot on the street. Emergency services were alerted to the scene and the victim was taken to St Jamess Hospital. His injuries were not considered life-threatening. Gardai conducted local inquiries yesterday to see if people heard gunshots or saw anyone acting suspiciously or any vehicle on the street at the time. Ballistic experts were conducting an examination at the scene yesterday. People with information can contact Sundrive Rd garda station on 01 666 6600, or the garda confidential telephone line 1800 666 111. Last month, a district court judge in the Family Law court approved an interim care order application from Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, after hearing that the out of control girl had threatened to have classmates at her primary school shot by others. The girl was aged 11 at the time of the incidents. Her primary school had to call gardai on three occasions to help contain the girl. The social worker in the case said the girl had assaulted and threatened classmates and assaulted her mother and a sister in the presence of the school principal. Arising from the judges order, the following day, Tusla took the girl from her parents and brought her to a foster parent in the same county. Giving evidence as part of an application to extend the care order, the social worker in the case told the court the girl cried as she was bringing her to her foster parent. She said: That has shown to me that there are very close family bonds that family means a lot to her. Paying credit to the girls parents on the handover of their daughter Tusla, the social worker said: They showed immense kindness and support to their daughter and supported an arrangement that would have otherwise involved gardai and would have been very distressing for everyone. The social worker said that the girl is content and happy in her foster placement and that there has been no repeat of earlier behaviour. The girl has asked me about returning home and most children would be asking that, but her behaviour and how she is doing shows me that she is content, that she is happy and thriving where she is. Her behaviour shows that this arrangement is working but this is very early days. The girls parents enjoy one-hour access to their daughter per week. The social worker said: The girl presents as very happy and delighted to see her parents when she sees them and equally she has been happy to return to her carer. The girls parents are separated and the mother was opposing the application for an extension of the interim care order. She told the court: I love my daughter dearly and I would like to have my daughter home. The father told the court: My daughter wants to come home. No one likes to lose a child and I would like that she could come home. A solicitor for the court-appointed guardian ad litem for the girl said he was supporting the application for the extension of the interim care order. The social worker in the case said Tusla still has concerns about the familys ability to care for her. She said: The family life is still very chaotic and unstable and it remains very concerning. She said that arising from a case conference which was also attended by the girls parents, all agencies would share a very high level of concern around the parents current capacity and the family situation. Granting Tusla its application for an extension to the interim care order, the district court judge said the girl is now in recovery, and is responding to boundaries and consistent care. He said he had no difficulty in extending the interim care order for 29 days. Judge Olann Kelleher imposed a six-month jail term on John Murray and banned him from driving for six years at Cork District Court. Murray, aged 33, pleaded guilty to driving while under the influence of cannabis, dangerous driving, and related charges. Det Garda Geraldine Daly and Garda Martin MacSweeney were on duty at Kilmore Rd, Knocknaheeny, Cork, when they saw the Renault car on the wrong side of the road driving directly at the unmarked Garda car. Judge Olann Kelleher told the Dubliner the only reason sentencing had been adjourned was for the accused to attend drug rehabilitation and so far he has not. Andrew Hurley, of 88 Clonmacnoise Road, Crumlin, Dublin, was caught dealing heroin on Grand Parade, Cork, on January 7, 2015. Hurley was charged with having heroin and having it for sale or supply at Parnell Place, Cork, on January 7. The detection was part of Operation Emerson. Under this, supply charges were brought against people who were caught in the act of selling a small quantity of heroin even 50 worth or less to an undercover officer. Defence barrister, William Bulman, said there were a number of factors for why Hurley was not on a rehabilitation programme. Hurley said he was on a waiting list. Judge Kelleher said yesterday: I gave him a month to get his house in order. My note is quite clear. He was getting an opportunity to get treatment for his addiction. This is a crime against society, against the people of Cork. I will send you to jail. Did you think I was bluffing the last time? You stayed out of prison on the basis that you would do certain things and you didnt do them. You were selling drugs in Cork. If you dont want to do treatment I will deal with it. The judge put it back until Friday as a last chance for Hurley to get on to the drug treatment programme. Introduced as an ornamental plant, the giant knotweed was not only uprooting road surfaces, it has delayed the building of a hospital, and is now a major problem on the banks of the Laune one of the countys major rivers. Fianna Fail councillor John Francis Flynn called for a knotweed enforcement officer to be appointed. Its out of control along the river bank, Mr Flynn warned. The coastal regions of the county are badly affected, and the knotweed is found in the centre of Ballylongford, on the Shannon estuary, in Dingle but also inland in Killarney where several clumps along the N22 are being treated, previous meetings have been told. Spraying not cutting was the only solution as even tiny fragments of the knotweed can cause it to spread. However, Killarney Fianna Fail councillor John Joe Culloty astonished his fellow councillors with a suggestion the dreaded plant might be eaten. Mr Culloty had attended a conference in Caherdaniel on tackling knotweed and he had tasted its shoots and it was like rhubarb. Not only had he eaten the shoots, but he had also eaten knotweed jam, he said. There was also a knotweed wine, the council heard. You can cook knotweed. It tastes like rhubarb but maybe this was the way it was cooked, he said. He said the plant had significant medicinal properties referring to the high levels of vitamin C which the young spring shoots hold. It had to be eradicated, but the council might look into using the plant for food as a way of curtailing it, he said. It could even cleanse the council chamber, Independent councillor Michael Gleeson said in exasperation. He had begun the drive against knotweed, calling for war to be declared on it, over the past number of years but was getting no support for his call for a special presentation to the council on the subject. Kerry County Council has set aside a 100,000 war chest in its knotweed battle. Ger Curtin of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) said students should have been pleased with the first section of the higher level physics exam. It covered experiments done in school, and he was particularly happy with one about electricity. Mr Curtin thought there were some challenging parts to questions in the second section of the exam, such as those on mechanics and heat. He was pleased with a semi-conductors question and another about radio- activity. However, he felt some students might rather have seen separate questions on particle physics and applications of electricity, rather than having to choose between them within one question. With references to the European nuclear research organisation CERN in the particle physics question, Mr Curtin said examiners were continuing to allude to modern issues. He made the same point about the basing of an ordinary level physics question on the New Horizons spacecraft visit to Pluto last year. Teacher Julie Twomey with sixth year Mount Mercy College students Lucy Galvin, Jill Hanlon, Mary Cowhig, Grainne Cowhig, and Ali Brady. It examined topics on gravitational force and acceleration, and although he thought ordinary level students might not be as well-read on current issues as higher level counterparts, it was a welcome way to relate physics to contemporary matters. The paper was, otherwise, in line with those of past exams with a question about mechanics giving students a lot of work to complete. Meanwhile in the afternoon, nearly 6,800 students took their exams in Leaving Certificate accounting. For higher level students, Teachers Union of Ireland subject spokesperson John OSullivan said some of the wide choice of questions contained fresh elements to test them. All except the first one had theory questions which, he said, can challenge accounting students who generally prefer the numerical aspect of the subject. Those who assumed marginal costing to appear in the management accounting section might have been surprised by its omission. Mr OSullivan thought those who aspired to securing a high grade would have been happy overall with the paper. Leaving Certificate students Gavin McNamara and Cian Collins of St Munchins College ASTIs Noelle Moran said that the higher level exam was fair and balanced for the topics examined and the choices within the paper. She noted occasional changes to the type of entries used in a few questions, such as the depreciation of an asset in a suspense account question. Mr OSullivan said the ordinary level accounting questions were direct and almost entirely numerical in content, which should please those who were taking the exam. In the first section of the paper, a tabular statement and control account questions were very approachable. He said that a very nice ratio question in the second section should have reassured students, and questions on a farm account and management accounting would also have appealed to the ordinary level candidates. Long road to the Finnish for Suvi Student Suvi Inkenen. Spare a thought for Suvi Inkenen whose day of exams began at 9.30am and didnt end until 8pm yesterday. Not only is she one of only just a handful of students taking Finnish, the Leaving Certificate candidate at Mount Mercy College, Model Farm Rd, Cork, also had physics and accounting papers to get through. Because the timing of Finnish and physics clashed yesterday, school staff supervised her throughout lunch and the half-hour break between accounting and the 5.30pm start time for her Finnish exam. The incident occurred on Sunday after an emergency landing at the airport resulted in several arriving and departing aircraft being delayed for a time. While most pilots that had been scheduled to depart waited for their turn, the BA pilot took exception to the hold-up. His flight had been cleared to be pushed back from its stand in preparation for departure to London Heathrow. An Aer Lingus aircraft was also given permission around the same time to push back onto another taxiway. The controller had tried to contact the British Airways crew over the radio to advise them there was an Aer Lingus aircraft behind them. The BA pilot then called the controller to tell her the ground crew had stopped pushing his plane back because there was another plane behind them. On a tape recording of the exchanges which appeared on social media on Sunday night, the controller told the pilot: Yeah, I was trying to call you sir. The controller told the pilot the Aer Lingus aircraft was pushing back and when they were clear, he could then push back and start his engines. The pilot acknowledged the instruction but told the controller: You should have told us that before really. The controller replied: I was trying to call you sir, you werent listening out but they (Aer Lingus) were also cautioned reference you, they were supposed to give way. The pilot retorted: I wasnt listening out because we were talking to the ground crew and theyre telling us the same thing, so youre a bit late. The controller again told the pilot she had called him on the radio to warn him of another aircraft behind. Oh so its his fault, okay, the British Airways pilot said. Im just too busy to continue any further conversation about this on frequency, the controller told the disgruntled pilot. The pilot of another aircraft, who had been listening in, said: Maybe push off stand quicker while another said: Yeah, get off stand quicker. As pilots continued to take sides with the controller, another said: Good girl. A fourth pilot jumped to the controllers defence saying: Youre doing a great job, thanks very much. After a time, the British Airways pilot requested permission to taxi and was cleared to do so. Then he said: And to advise, we will be filing a safety report. One pilot replied: Oh my God while another called the BA pilot a tool. Several pilots then keyed their microphones and laughed on the frequency to show their disgust at the BA pilots behaviour. Det Garda Tony Devane testified, yesterday, that he pointed his legally held submachine gun at the man, who was kneeling behind the car, and shouted: Armed gardai, show me your hands. Martin Long raised his hands over his head immediately and he was not holding anything. Yesterday, he was sentenced to six months in prison for the offence on February 9, 2015. Det Garda Devane shone the light from his submachine gun under the parked car and saw what looked like a revolver. The detective put on blue latex gloves and recovered what turned out to be a replica. Joseph Cuddigan, defence barrister, said it was a replica of an old Colt 45, which, he said, used to be called a peacemaker in the Wild West. Garda Sean Murray, who was also present, said when he saw Long, aged 24, of Loughaderra, Castlemartyr, County Cork, carrying the firearm, I was 100% it was a real firearm, at the time. Mr Cuddigan said the accused admitted having the replica. He said the only defence available was authorisation or a reasonable excuse. Long, yesterday, pleading not guilty, on the basis that his reasonable excuse was that he was showing it to his friend. Long said he did not point it at anyone and that if he had pointed it, it would have been at his friend. He said he had met the friend in the pub, told him he had the replica revolver, went to get it from under a bed at his girlfriends house, and showed it to his friend on the street. Long believed that it was his girlfriend who called the guards and who then locked him out. When questioned by Det Garda Aidan Forrest, Long said: I told her I had this and didnt want to carry it down town. I wanted to get it home safe. Det Garda Forrest said the young woman told gardai that Long had threatened to throw a rock through her window that night. Long replied: Where would I get a rock on Blarney St? After all I did for her, bought her cars, brought her to Australia, shit for thanks. I never get a minutes peace with her, she is all drama. She knows how to trigger my buttons. Long said he threw the gun under the car as soon as the guards told him to put his hands up, because he did not want to get shot. Judge Olann Kelleher said he did not accept the excuse that it was reasonable for Long to show it to his friend and he convicted him. Inspector Ronan Kenneally said the accused had 18 previous convictions, including for being threatening and obstructing gardai. Mr Cuddigan said: There is nothing to suggest he has any connection with a subversive organisation. Judge Olann Kelleher said: I take this matter very seriously a crowded area and a man brandishing a gun. It was a replica, but no doubt gardai were worried. Lord Mayor Chris OLeary had to suspend a meeting of the citys joint policing committee (JPC) when three women from Mayfields Lagan Grove where a Polish family has been forced out of their home and where three homes have been attacked in recent weeks insisted on trying to raise questions despite repeated requests to sit down. Mr OLeary said the JPC was not a public forum but that members would meet the residents afterwards. But they persisted, forcing the mayor to suspend the meeting until calm was restored. Lagan Grove resident, Catherine Coffey-OBrien, whose home was stoned recently after she spoke out publicly on anti-social behaviour, said she was disgusted that they were not allowed to raise concerns at the JPC. She also said the Garda crime figures presented to the JPC do not present an accurate picture. Weve had numerous incidents in Mayfield that havent been reported because people have been intimidated, she said. Before it was sporadic, but now every week something is going on, and it shows to me that there is social breakdown up there. There is a cluster of people who have no respect for the law or their communities. Im afraid nothing will happen until someone is murdered. Workers Party councillor Ted Tynan dismissed the disruption as nothing more than raised voices and said the focus should be on tackling the minority responsible for terrorising Lagan Grove. There is a culture evolving in Lagan Grove where certain individuals are saying we are in charge around here, he said. There is going to be a serious incident. There is now talk of vigilante activity and we certainly dont want people taking the law into their own hands. Supt Mick Comyns said he has had numerous meetings with residents and councillors and accepts that people are afraid to report certain incidents. All I can do is encourage people to report it, he said. We are working with residents committees, city council, and politicians to resolve the issues. I can reassure people we will deal with it if they come to us. The row came hours before the JPCs new six-year strategy was launched. Romanian national Ciprian Grozavu, aged 42, with an address at Bridge House, Sean Hales Place, Bandon, had pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Duke at Bridge House on November 12, 2011. Grozavu was found guilty of Mr Dukes murder by a jury at the Central Criminal Court and was given the mandatory life sentence by Mr Justice Paul Carney on July 17, 2013. In the Court of Appeal yesterday, Grozavus barrister, Thomas Creed, said the three-judge court had to allow his clients appeal if there had been the risk of a different verdict. Mr Creed submitted that in answering a question from the jury on whether they could return a verdict of manslaughter without prejudicing the outcome for another accused, the trial judge failed to just say yes. That was only one way to answer the question, said Mr Creed. However, the jury had been left with the impression that they could have prejudiced another trial if they returned a verdict of manslaughter in Grozavus case. Furthermore, Mr Creed said the trial judge had addressed the jury on the question of common design when it wasnt part of the prosecutions case. Finally, he submitted that the trial judge erred in failing to discharge the jury at the close of the prosecutions case. Timothy OLeary, for the DPP, said it was never a murder/manslaughter trial. Grozavus defence had always been that he didnt do it, said Mr OLeary. Had Grozavu been found guilty of manslaughter, Mr OLeary said the conviction would not have made any sense as nobody in court was arguing for that result. Mr OLeary said the trial judge had cured the common design issue when he told the jury to ignore it and there was a significant amount of evidence to leave the case go to the jury. Judgment was reserved yesterday. Kenmare Fine Gael councillor Patrick Connor-Scarteen said the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport should make incentives available to attract more chefs and people to the catering industry. Currently restaurants and hotels in Kerry are experiencing severe shortages, Mr Connor-Scarteen said. One website last weekend had 64 vacancies for chefs of levels, from head chef to trainee, in Kerry. Dining areas are packed but the restaurants are struggling to cope and temperatures are rising in more ways than one in the kitchen, he said There is huge frustration in the catering industry right now. Making tourism and travel a Leaving Certificate subject needs to be looked at as well as working conditions to ensure a skillset for Kerrys biggest industry, he said. He has called on the industry itself to change to make it more attractive for chefs in terms of pay, seasonal work, and workplace conditions. He said in some establishments, kitchens are too small and too hot and he has heard of chefs having to work in kitchens where the temperature is more than 40C. Chefs are among the best-paid workers in the industry and hoteliers are ensuring their conditions are good to hold on to them, according to one hotelier who did not wish to be named. The days of the wolf behind the hotplate are well and truly gone. The image has completely changed and the pay is very good yet they are not to be found this season. The head of the department of hotel, culinary and tourism at the Institute of Technology, Tralee, and Failte Ireland board member Mary Rose Stafford said the shortage of chefs this season is serious. There isnt a quick fix to this, she said. Its not just chefs there is a huge shortage too in waiting staff. The best thing that the hotel and catering industry can do is upskill existing staff to the level of chef, she said. The Kerry Economic and Community Plan 2016-2021 notes that tourism the key driver of economic activity in the county with 14,000 employed in tourism and more than 400m generated by visitors annually. At least one in every five jobs and businesses in the county depend on tourism, it says. They abstained from voting for party candidate Michael OConnor, a recently co-opted councillor, to become chairman of Wicklow County Council. The party last night blamed the failure of the three councillors to attend a strategy meeting at which the nomination had been discussed in advance. Councillors John Snell, Oliver OBrien, and Gerry ONeill all abstained from voting for Mr OConnor. As a result, Sinn Feins vote was split down the middle, with Mary McDonald and Nicola Lawless backing the party executives preferred choice. Mr OConnor has only been a county councillor for four months, having been co-opted to replace newly elected TD John Brady. The co-option proposal of Mr OConnor had been a point of controversy within the local branches of the party, as its former councillor, Ross OMurray, had been overlooked. He has since quit the party, reportedly as a result of the co-option decision. Mr Snell, who had been vice-chairman of the councils municipal district committee in Wicklow town and the chairman of the councils housing special planning committee had also been passed over for the chance to run for the county chair. The overlooking of Mr Snell as a likely nominee for chairman may have been the reason for the three councillors abstaining in the vote. In the midst of the split within Sinn Fein, Pat Fitzgerald (FF) was elected county chairman and Edward Timmins (FG) was elected deputy. Mr OConnor told the Irish Examiner the party split was a matter for the record, but he would not comment further. A Sinn Fein spokesperson said: All three of the councillors failed to attend the meetings where the partys nomination was discussed. They then failed to support the Sinn Fein nominations for chairperson and vice-chairperson. The party will now be asking all three councillors why they failed to do so. The agency held approximately 13,500 adoption files one quarter of all adoption files in the country. It closed in 2013, with the transfer expected to take between 12 to 18 months. The Irish Examiner understands that issues around indemnity against any legal action taken by people seeking their records was a significant factor in the transfer delay. Tusla declined to confirm it had been indemnified in respect of the records but it had obtained the appropriate protection in respect of known potential issues. St Patricks Guild has been excluded from the Mother and Baby Homes Commission, despite the Irish Examiner revealing that the government was in 2013 informed that the agency had knowledge of several hundred illegal birth registrations. An Adoption Authority of Ireland delegation told representatives of the Department of Children and the General Register Office in June 2013 that the agency was aware of several hundred cases of illegal birth registrations. St Patricks Guild are aware of several hundred illegal registrations, but are waiting for people to contact them; they are not seeking the people involved. Must consider how revelations of this sort would affect a family unit, states a department note of the meeting. St Patricks Guild has hit the headlines on numerous occasions most notably when this newspaper revealed its role in the illegal adoption of Tressa Reeves son. The agency was criticised by Alan Shatter in the Dail as far back as 1997, when he hit out at it for having deliberately misled people by giving grossly inaccurate information to both adopted persons and birth mothers. He said such behaviour by an adoption agency was almost beyond belief. The Government has repeatedly resisted calls by campaigners for an audit of all adoption files held in the State so that the full scale of illegal adoptions and birth registrations can be uncovered. Susan Lohan of the Adoption Rights Alliance said the fact the transfer of files overran significantly showed the complete indifference of the Adoption Authority of Ireland and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs towards the rights of adopted people and natural mothers. Both bodies are fully aware of the very significant numbers of illegal registrations on the files and, on the back of other scandals around child trafficking to the US, high mortality rates, mass graves, etc, are fearful of the potential scale of this operation becoming known, she said. Paul Redmond, chairman of the Coalition of Mother and Baby Homes Survivors, said the agency had been exposed on numerous occasions and called on Tusla to carry out a full audit of the files. If the HSE or Tulsa find suspicious issues in the files, the gardai should be called in immediately and no one should be immune, including the nuns, he said. Kathy McMahon of the Irish First Mothers group said it was imperative that the Mother and Baby Homes Commission seek Government sanction to include St Patricks Guild in its investigation so it can fully audit all the files. With polls placing both the Remain and Leave sides neck and neck, Mr Kenny has urged the 330,000 Irish who are eligible to vote to use their ballot to keep Britain in the European Union. In an op-ed in todays Guardian newspaper Mr Kenny writes that it is not his place to dictate to the British electorate but instead speaks directly to Irish in Britain. He argues that it is in their interest to remain in the EU in Thursdays referendum. Mr Kenny travelled to Liverpool and Manchester last week to campaign for a Remain vote. However, he cancelled campaigning in the wake of the murder of British Labour MP Jo Cox. With 1.2bn in trade between Ireland and Britain each week and 200,000 jobs in Ireland dependent on UK business, a number of government ministers have travelled to Irish communities in the Britain and the North to highlight the importance of a remain vote for this country. Minister for Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht Heather Humphries also travelled to Co Down last night in a bid to drum up support for the remain campaign. Fianna Fail foreign affairs spokesman Darragh OBrien said if Britain votes to leave, the repercussions for Ireland would be far-reaching and wideranging. Mr OBrien said: There is no room for apathy or complacency from any quarters on this crucial issue. He said the impact on the North is a cause of great concern and a Brexit would be a blow to British-Irish and North-South relations. Mr OBrien said: The almost certain reintroduction of hard controls on the border between North and South would have serious implications for cross-border workers and students and would inevitably disrupt trade and tourism as well. Co-operation between north and south and between Ireland and Britain has been never been stronger and more productive, but it was hard won and is not inevitable. Meanwhile, Sinn Fein has said a vote to leave has the potential to disrupt and depress agricultural exports. MEP Liadh Ni Riada said Britain accounts for almost half of our meat and dairy exports, and the uncertainty that would follow a Leave vote on Thursday will impact on food producers across Ireland. Long-term, a British exit from the EU will mean an end to easy access for their market for Irish produce, and could lead to tariffs, making Irish goods a less attractive proposition for British buyers. Ireland would be unable to negotiate its own trade deal with Britain under EU rules, whereas Britain would be free to agree its own terms with non-EU beef-producing countries such as Brazil and Argentina, she said. She also questioned the level of planning by the Government in the event of a vote for British withdrawal from the EU later this week. Style rules. Some love to follow them; others beg to break them. Allegiances aside, their making facilitates a degree of cognitive freedom. On days that entail a school run and running late for work, the fixity of wardrobe staples is reassuring. A bit of bad news: Things are changing. Our accelerated 4G lifestyle has sought planning permission for a new comfort zone. Those blazers, ballet flats, and skinny jeans that once gave welcome reprieve have been cast to the back of the sartorial queue. The irony? Its all our doing. Look around you. Wider legs, flatter shoes, and looser tops have been infiltrating our closet space with a blurring boundary between day and evening wear; work and play. Whats more, much of these patterns are replicating themselves across the gender divide creating a more unisex attitude. Senior trend forecaster Louise Stuart-Trainor explains: The athleisure trend is dominating and given the hectic pace of modern life, its in our interest to ensure that clothing, and in particular, footwear can seamlessly transition from the office to the gym, to the cocktail bar. Shes right. The high heel once a bona fide fashion staple has experienced a considerable speed wobble and the rubber-soled interlopers, runners, have infiltrated the must-have ranks. Editor of interactive fashion, beauty, and lifestyle magazine maven46.com, Tanya Grimson, sums up their ascent: When trainers came back again, just like skinnies, there was a general perception that they wouldnt stick, that for some they were still only a recreational add-on; but as street style influencers continued to wear them at shows with dresses, it became apparent, this was another way of dressing a style staple we cant live without. Whats most interesting is how homogeneous the marketplace has become. Jaden Smith, son of Will, bagged a lucrative deal as the face of Louis Vuitton womenswear; while model and self-styled gender capitalist Dove Rain has walked both male and female fashion shows. A sample of curated wardrobe go-to lists from the web delivers duplicates for men and women from bomber jackets, to white sneakers and polo necks. Spanish chain Zara just announced its unisex Ungendered line; Swedish brand COS is introducing a genderless trainer range. Similarly, populist style scions like J Crews creative director Jenna Lyons continuously push boundaries by flouting convention: A denim jacket with black tie skirt; a tux with skater pumps; a white shirt and full-length feather skirt. Playing with the edges of taste creates new pockets of possibility evolution at its best. Stylist Colm Corrigan offers some practical tips. My advice is to shop wisely, take a look at whats working for you in your wardrobe already and whats not. Is there something that you repeatedly buy like the same top in different colours? Then this is something you know works for you and your body. Its perfect to continue to invest in these items, as not every trend will suit you when wanting to look current. The most fashionable people are the ones who dont follow fashion rules and always look super chic. Need guidance? The handy cheat sheet to the right should help. Movements keep moving; best keep moving with it. Eight pieces that will update your wardrobe instantly WOMEN * Cropped flare or straight leg jean: Its not that skinny jeans are dead. Theyve just got serious competition. No longer the prettiest girl in school, the (up)tight super stretch denim now has to share air space with a cooler counterpart whose more relaxed demeanour is winning legions of fans. Dyed-in-the-twill skinny adherents neednt hang up their jeans just yet. Think: What would Kate Moss do? Hack off the hems and wear them with ankle boots most likely. Follow suit for best results. * Flat and blocky shoes: Levelling the fashion playing field starts with the feet. You can thank Karl Lagerfeld who got the ball rolling in 2010 by pairing sneakers with couture and Celines Phoebe Philo who made the box fresh Stan Smith part of the style vernacular. As for heels? Swap those stilettos for granny heels square- or almond-toed with a chunky 2in heel. Now, doesnt that feel better? Youre welcome. * Polo necks: Mary Robinson is having the last laugh on this one. For a few seasons none of us really had the neck to be that reserved, until the polo neck revealed itself to be the ultimate sartorial shapeshifter. Worn with seventies brio think high-waisted flares and a suede jacket beneath 40s teadresses, 90s slips, and most importantly part of the ultimate slap dash hair hack: Tucked into a bob. In essence, its permutations are limitless; its presence is here to stay. * Bomber jackets: The renaissance of the bomber jacket is rooted in our unshakeable love for athleisure. Slouchy shapes and less restrictive silhouettes prove that comfort is king. To gussy things up, expect intricate embroidery, soft silks and vibrant colourways. Drape over a summer dress, a skirt and sweater, or straight up with a t-shirt and straight leg jean. Easy. INSIDER TIP: I think everyone should invest in a good leather jacket, they are the definitive wardrobe staple that instantly adds an edge and elegance to any look and can dramatically perk up an otherwise dull outfit. I also think sunglasses are a fantastic way of creating personal style in a flash, opt for something a little eye-catching, whether it is through shape or colour and again it can transform your look. Tanya Grimson, editor of maven46.com. MEN * Skinny or straight leg chino: Brace yourselves bootleggers! If the popular Instagram account @menwithclass (2.9m followers) is to believed, then the chino rules supreme. Think cropped or rolled, worn bare ankled or with notice-me socks nestled into a natty loafer. Supermodel David Gandys got the goods on this one, as does The Clooney. * Polo necks: As divisive as it is dapper, the polo neck has swiftly reinstated itself as a menswear mainstay. The appeal? A very pedestrian warm and comfortable. It also eclipses the fussiness of a shirt and tie, so factor lazy snaps into that too. Oh, and lest we forget: Steve McQueen, Daniel Craig, and Michael Fassbender all roll deep with this look. Seal of approval achieved. * Bomber jackets: No introduction needed here. Over the past five years, the bomber has done serious damage to the sanctity of dress codes. Blurring the lines of casual and smart with its sloped shoulders and rounded collar, wearing shirts and ties suddenly got a lot more interesting. Its semi-formalwear Jim just not as we know it. * White sneakers: These fellas have fought their way quietly to the front of the fashion queue. Proving discretion is the better part of valour, their low-key nous makes them perfect for anything and everything from a suit and t-shirt to jeans and a cashmere sweater. Wear them like an Outkast jam so fresh, so clean. INSIDER TIP: For guys I would say a casual navy suit (COS), a simple white t-shirt (COS), teamed with a pair of white, non-branded trainers (Common Project @ Nowhere Man). Three pieces that will carry you into this summer without having to over think things. ON THURSDAY, Britain will make the most important political decision the country has made in a generation. The EU referendum will have far-reaching consequences, and the stakes could not be higher. The Leave campaign has tried to dismiss the economic arguments. But when you strip away the rhetoric and the myths, the evidence is undeniable. Whether its analysis from the British Treasury, the Bank of England, the Confederation of British Industry, the IMF, or the OECD, it is clear that remaining part of the EU will be better for our economy, better for trade, better for businesses both large and small and better for exports. Almost half of everything Britain sells to the rest of the world is sold to Europe. In London alone, exports total over 12bn (15.5bn) every year to Europe, and the city is home to the European headquarters of 60% of the worlds non-European global businesses. Access to EU markets is crucial to the success of the City of London, and for every 1 Britain puts into the EU, it gets almost 10 back through increased trade, investment, low prices, and jobs. These are just some of the critical economic arguments, but in the days remaining before June 23, we also have a responsibility to ensure that people know the benefits of remaining in Europe go far wider. It is only thanks to its membership in the EU, for example, that Britain has protection for workers rights, such as guaranteed paid annual leave, paid maternity leave, security for the workforce when companies change ownership, and the fair treatment of part-time workers. These rights cannot, and should not, be taken for granted. It is also thanks to its membership in the EU that Britain get hundreds of millions of pounds in London to support apprenticeship and employment programs to help the most disadvantaged in society. And it is Britains membership in the EU that offers us a crucial route to meeting the biggest challenges it faces from climate change and the refugee crisis to tax evasion and terrorism. We cant get around the fact that Britain can solve challenges on this scale only by working together, not by turning our back on our partners. Also, crucially, remaining in Europe is the way Britain can be true to its values and history. Its a fundamental question about who Britain is, its character, and how Britons perceive themselves. I am the son of immigrants who grew up on a council estate in south London. I saw first hand how Britain embraced my parents and my family and provided us with countless opportunities. And my story is far from unique. In London and across the country, Britain has always been open, looked outwards, and formed partnerships. This is how London has developed into the thriving, vibrant city it is today in my opinion, the greatest city in the world. But Britain will be able to stay on top only if it continues to attract the best and brightest from other countries and if it retains its internationalist outlook rather than taking a narrow, isolationist approach. Finally, it is important to highlight the one group for whom this decision matters the most young people. Not only do they want to see Britain retaining an influence on the international stage, helping to shape the world for the better, but they also have the most to gain from remaining in the EU and want to make the most of opportunities to live and study abroad, exploring Europe, and expanding their horizons. In these last few remaining days before this historic referendum, I will be talking to young people, talking to Labour Party voters, talking to communities across London putting forward the positive, patriotic, and values-based case and I urge others to do the same. For Britain ends up with a vote to leave because we failed to do enough to get the positive message out, then we will have let down millions of people who will end up paying the price. Lets make sure Britains legacy is not closing doors for the next generation. Sadiq Khan is a Labour Party politician and has been the mayor of London since May. THERES a silver lining to the dark clouds of populist Euroskepticism crowding in on the European Union. In Brussels, and in a number of Europes capitals, leaders know that the EU must respond to mounting discontent, and that, at long last, there is political capital in doing so. The catalyst has been Britains nonsensical Brexit debate. The arguments of Leave campaigners are inaccurate, when they are not outright lies; but the furious debate in Britain over whether to remain in Europe has laid bare the EUs deep-seated weaknesses, and has forced European leaders to heed them. The rise of Europes populist parties is exerting similar pressure across the continent. And yet, though feared, those parties have scant political credibility; Britains Brexiteers, by contrast, include government ministers who count the EUs supposedly undemocratic decision-making among its main shortcomings. In fact, the EUs chief failures have little to do with democracy. The chaos of the refugee and migrant crisis, Europes inadequate response to the Arab Spring of 2011, the Ukraine crisis three years later, and Russias assertiveness cannot be blamed on how the EU reaches decisions. But those events have underscored its inability to react quickly and decisively. Worse still, they have highlighted its failure to head off trouble by agreeing on economic and security strategies. Nonetheless, democracy is key to the EUs future. For years, critics have pointed to Europes democratic deficit. The Council of Ministers which, together with the European Parliament, makes up the EUs legislature is as impenetrably secretive as that of North Korea; indeed, it operates behind closed doors, without any public record of who said what. There have been modest moves to increase the European Parliaments powers, but they have not been recognised sufficiently by the European public to quiet complaints. Mollifying voters antipathy to the EU will require substantial change, and that uncomfortable truth is beginning to dawn on Europes mainstream politicians. EU governments main fear has been that a vote for Brexit, on Thursday, will unleash a stream of copycat referendums elsewhere. It would deal a devastating blow to the EUs credibility, both in its member states and abroad. But a British decision to remain would be almost as bad, if the EU institutions in Brussels simply heaved a sigh of relief and returned to business-as-usual, leaving dysfunctional structures untouched. In that case, the populists would use the bogeyman of the EU super-state to gnaw away at mainstream parties grassroots support. What democratic reform, then, might be envisaged? The last time this question was asked was in 2005, when French and Dutch referendums torpedoed the EUs proposed Constitutional Treaty. The EU was at its apogee at the time, lifted by the new euro and the ambitious Big Bang eastward enlargement of 2004; so the chances of securing change today, when the EU is at its nadir of popularity, would seem unlikelier. In fact, the opposite could be true. When the European project was thriving, only a few visionaries saw the need for centralising more powers. It might look counter-intuitive, but Europes falling productivity and shrinking workforce signal even tougher times ahead, and strengthen the case for an EU that is more efficient, as well as more democratically responsive. And thats the trickiest question of all. How can the EU transform ramshackle decision-making mechanisms, which have been re-jigged and subject to makeshift additions for 40 years, into an efficient, working democracy? Standing in the way is the prized sovereignty of 28 countries that have very different political cultures and a host of conflicting national and regional interests. There are no obvious models. Political scientists have suggested scores of ideas, ranging from the re-introduction of double mandates (giving national MPs a seat in the European Parliament) to the creation of an EU Senate in a bicameral system. But the details of a more democratic EU, in which the Commission would be made truly accountable to the public, are less important than the political will to move forward. Most of Europes national governments, whatever their political colour, have long-opposed a more streamlined and democratic EU. Now, though, they must choose between being outflanked by Euroskeptic parties on both the far left and far right, or responding to that threat by creating a supra-national democracy that can satisfy voters legitimate concerns. The 2003 European Convention that produced the ill-fated EU Constitution offers no blueprint for the future. Its convoluted business was conducted largely out of sight. To stem mounting criticism of Europe, the EU needs the coup de theatre of an open debate involving civil society, not just a handful of political representatives. Its premise must be that the EU is heading toward dissolution, and that only by becoming more responsive to Europes citizens can it reverse the trend. Giles Merritt is the author of Slippery Slope: Europes Troubled Future, recently published by Oxford University Press. Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2016. That rises to 25% among French citizens in favour of the UK leaving exiting, according to an EU-wide opinion poll conducted by the Bertelsmann foundation, a non-profit arm of Bertelsmann, the German multinational media group. An analysis of eupinions, an EU-wide opinion poll commissioned by Bertelsmann Stiftung (Foundation), shows 54% of EU citizens want the UK to remain but more than 21% of those questioned want it to leave. Those who fear consequences for their own country are in the minority. Spain and Poland are the countries most heavily in favour of the UK remaining (64% and 61%) while a slight majority of citizens in Italy (55%) and Germany (54%) are also opposed to a Brexit. That figure falls to 41% in France. When it comes to the consequences of a Brexit for the EU and its member states, there is a lot of uncertainty. Although many fear that the EU would be weakened, they do not foresee any negative consequences for their own countries. Only 45% of EU citizens outside of the UK expect the position of the EU to be worsened by a Brexit and an equal proportion of 45% said that they did not believe anything would change. In terms of the changes that the participants could foresee, economic ones were at the forefront, with 45% believing that a Brexit would economically weaken the EU, while just over a quarter of those questioned, 26%, fear that the EU would suffer a loss of power without the British. In Poland and Germany, a narrow majority is worried about a Brexit but the French, Spanish and Italians believe it would not have negative consequences. The poll did not give figures for Ireland. Even though many citizens are more preoccupied with their everyday concerns than they are with the results from London, all Europeans would lose out if the UK leaves, said Aart De Geus, chairman and CEO of the Bertelsmann Stiftung. However, most fellow EU citizens do not share his concerns as 67% outside the UK do not expect a Brexit to have an impact on their country. Bookmakers said the frenzy of excitement over the looming vote has prompted some people to place bets for the first time. They include a woman from central London who has placed her first ever bet by putting 100,000 on the UK voting to stay. She stands to make 40,000 if the vote goes her way. And another woman from Kingston in south-west London has gambled for the first time by staking 10,000 on Leave, according to William Hill. Betfair says 40.5m has already been traded on the Betfair Exchange on the referendum with 20.25m staked by backers and 20.25m put up by layers. This means it has beaten the Scottish independence referendum to be the most gambled upon political event in British history. While William Hill spokesman Graham Sharpe said he is expecting a massive spike in betting on Thursday as most people wait until the last minute to decide to gamble. We are expecting to see a big flurry of betting on Thursday, thats what happened in the Scottish independence referendum. There is a growing appetite for betting in politics, the Scottish independence referendum showed us that. We saw a similar phenomenon in the general election, the Labour leadership, and the London mayor. It has spread from a niche market with people in the Westminster bubble the main clients seeking bets, now there is much more interest, people feel much more connected to this event. William Hill has cut their odds for Remain twice, as they went from 4/11 to 1/3 and then to 2/7 (a 77% chance), while Leave was lengthened twice, from 11/5 to 9/4, then to 13/5 (a 27% chance). While Betfair also placed the odds for Remain at 2/ the best since May while Brexit odds have drifted to 7/2, equating to a 22% chance. Betfair spokeswoman Naomi Totten said: With just three days left until the vote the Betfair market momentum is now all behind Remain, which was backed as low as 1/5 this morning, with one customer backing it to the tune of 100k. The Leave campaigner launched the attack as she met war veterans backing withdrawal at an airfield in Berkshire. Patel said the poster, which shows a line of refugees moving through Slovenia, was wrong. It was wholly inappropriate. It is wrong, wrong, wrong. That is not reflective of British values, she said, later insisting the Leave campaign had not lost momentum in recent days. Quite the contrary, we have been putting forward a positive case. Patel was dismissive of comments made by senior Tory Sayeeda Warsi, who branded Vote Leave xenophobic. She is entitled to her view. We are seeing a range of voices during this debate. Only at the weekend Lord Guthrie, who famously came out to Remain, and now he has come over to the Vote Leave case for a range of reasons. So, she is one voice in this campaign. I think the voices that we need to listen to in this referendum are the voices of the British public, and they will decide the outcome of this referendum on Thursday. They are not comments that I can relate to. We have been very positive about Britains potential outside of the European Union, said Patel. Asked about Warsi comparing Michael Gove to the BNP in a tweet, Patel said: Theres no need for personal comments. How does that help to inform the debate? I just think comments like that do not help to inform the British public when it comes to making a decision on how to vote on June 23. Entertainment / Music by Staff reporter Award-winning producer Prince "Oskid" Tapfuma has been accused of stealing a song by little known Germany based musician, Vimbai "Vee Kay" Zimuto and giving it to Fungisai Zvakavapano-Mashavave.Fungisai released her latest album Huya Uone Zvakuitika which carries the song Amai Ndakanaka Amai.Vee Kay claims to have given Oskid her song, Ndakanaka to produce.However, the song is a popular children's rhyme which is sang by children during playtime.Vee Kay posted under Fungisai's Facebook video marketing the song, "Hello Fungisai. I would like to tell you that this song is mine. I gave it to Oskid to do a beat for it. I even paid for the beat which I am still waiting for. Gadzirirai ma lawyer amana (prepare for a lawsuit). Oskid told me you were a professional but you have taught me a good lesson that I will never forget. I have all the proof of all our transactions and emails. I told you this song is already registered."However, Fungisai dismissed Vee Kay's claims saying the song was in fact produced by PTK, not Oskid and that the latter had no hand in the production."How are you Vee? I am so at peace and so relieved to learn that God saved me from your hand long back. He saw this coming before I could see it. The way I looked flat out for Oskid to produce my song Amai Ndakanaka Amai? But he was nowhere to be found. I ended up working with PTK records and found him up to the task."Amai Ndakanaka Amai is my favourite childhood rhyme which I beefed in my own way from within me to motivate the girl child. I wouldn't be surprised if anyone had used the rhyme too as we all used to sing it. It's a catchy phrase. Look at the song again my sister and be honest with yourself."If you have anything like that then it would be just three words (the nursery rhyme). We are unique in our different ways. I compose all my songs and I have never accepted a song from anyone because I believe in inspiration from God. Please feel free to exhaust all channels. I am at peace. Thank you Jesus, I am free!" Fungisai wrote.Oskid on the one end also dismissed Vee Kay's claims.His manager, Hillary "Punchline" Mutake released a statement."In light of the statements made against our client Prince "Oskid" Tapfuma and the Oskid Production brand, over the past few days regarding the #NdakanakaScandal "Oskid is deeply disturbed by the calibre of these accusations, which are aimed to have a negative impact on his professionalism, code of conduct and business and brand identity. We further state that these accusations are littered with sensationalist distortions and misleading correlations."He was commissioned to produce a song by Vee Kay titled Ndakanaka, and did so as per her brief. Never at any point did Oskid or any member of the Oskid Production team leak the song, its body or share any creative concept of her song with Fungisai or any other artiste as suggested in the allegations made against Oskid and Oskid Production team."For the record, Fungisai only commissioned Oskid to produce three records for her just released Huya Uone Zvakuitika EP. Oskid Productions has only production credits to Huya Uone Zvakuitika, Vanondibatirana and Giroriya as per Fungisai's commission brief. Never did Oskid or any member of the Oskid Production team play any part in the writing or production of Fungisai's Amai Ndakanaka Amai record. As stated by Fungisai in her last press statement via her Facebook page, another production house under producer named PTK was tasked to produce the song in subject, a statement detaching Prince "Oskid" Tapfuma from these allegations."As for the Vee Kay's Ndakanaka record Oskid Production were commissioned to produce, Oskid and the Oskid Production team are in the process of completing the mastering of the Vee Kay's record as agreed," Mutake said. The former Two And A Half Men actor went public with the news of his HIV diagnosis in November, and said he had been diagnosed with the disease four years beforehand. In an interview with journalist and TV presenter Piers Morgan at a one-off event at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London, Sheen, 50, admitted he had not always told his partners about his sexually transmitted disease, but said he had not had sex without protection. He said: The only couple of times I didnt tell somebody was because the last 25 times Id told somebody, they used it against me, and they used my medical condition for their own folly and financial gain. And the amount of despicable charlatans that I thought were allies, that then turned against me, they were coming out of the woodwork, it was crazy, the actor said. Since going public with his HIV status, Sheen has been hit by allegations from previous partners, including former fiancee Brett Rossi and ex-girlfriend Bree Olson, that he had unprotected sex without telling them he had the STD. Asked if he had put anyone else at risk by having unprotected sex, Sheen said: I never did. On all five of my children, and my granddaughter, I never did. Because I wouldnt do that to someone. I would not. How could I explain it later? And heres the great news: no one has been infected by me. No one. They claim the sorrow and the pity or whatever, but thats on them, and again I know the truth, Sheen added. In a wide-ranging interview, Sheen teased that he slept with the daughter of a government minister 20 years ago. He said: There was a girl here about 20 years ago, right? And I cant say she was famous, but her father really was. And lets just say, it was a race to the airport between the Parliament, my security team and Interpol. Refusing to reveal her name, he explained: Thats all I can speak to it, because its not fair. Mr Farage said the Remain campaign were scared witless about the prospect of defeat on June 23 and were trying to create a link in voters minds between her killing and the EU vote. He also dismissed the defection to the Remain camp of former Conservative chair Sayeeda Warsi as a Number 10 put-up job. Ms Warsi said her decision to change sides was sparked by a xenophobic poster released by Mr Farage, and lies from Michael Gove over the prospect of Turkey joining the EU. But her announcement was greeted with bemusement by Leave campaigners, who said they were not aware the Muslim peer had ever been a Brexit supporter. Mr Cameron has faced criticism from for retweeting a link to the last article written by the Batley & Spen MP, in which she argued Britain could deal with immigration more effectively by remaining in the EU. Mr Farage, who acknowledged on Sunday Ms Coxs death had taken momentum out of the Leave campaign, told LBC radio: I think there are Remain camp supporters out there who are using this to try to give the impression that this isolated horrific incident is somehow linked to arguments that have been made by myself or Michael Gove or anybody else in this campaign, and frankly that is wrong. He insisted he had said nothing inciteful during the campaign, adding: What we are seeing here is the prime minister and the Remain campaign trying to conflate the actions of one crazed individual with the motives of half of Britain who think we should get back control of our borders and do it sensibly... We have a prime minister and a chancellor and other big political leaders in Britain who are scared witless. They thought they would win this referendum by a country mile. They know its neck and neck, they know its down to who turns out on the day to vote, and there is no level of denigration or false association that they will not stoop to, but I think people are intelligent enough to see through this sort of thing. Asked whether he was using the MPs death for political advantage, Mr Cameron said: What I have been talking about in respect of Jo is what a wonderful human being and great politician and great campaigner she was. He added: Last week a brilliant member of parliament, a loving mother, a loving wife was tragically murdered on our streets. What everyone has been saying, and what I say again, is paying tribute not only to her but the values she lived by and epitomised in public life of tolerance, of service, of community. Thats what we are saying about her. Mr Cameron said there were good ways of controlling immigration through changes to the welfare system, but added: A bad thing to do would be to leave the single market, costing jobs, hurting businesses and hurting families finances right up and down the country. Mr Lewandowski in some ways as brash and unconventional as the candidate himself had been by Mr Trumps side since the beginning of his unlikely rise to presumptive Republican nominee. But he clashed with longtime operatives brought in to make the campaign more professional. He played a central role in daily operations, fundraising, and Mr Trumps search for a running mate, but Mr Lewandowskis aggressive approach also fuelled near-constant campaign infighting that complicated Mr Trumps shift toward the general election. Iranian intelligence officials have broken up one of the biggest terrorist plots ever planned to target Tehran and other provinces in the Islamic Republic, the countrys state media reported. The reports quote the countrys Intelligence Ministry as saying that it has arrested several suspects in the plot to bomb the capital and other provinces, seizing bombs and ammunition during the operation. The Intelligence Ministry statement, read live on Iranian state television and carried across the countrys news agencies, had little detail. The announcement comes as Iran finds itself battling the Islamic State group while also supporting Syrias embattled President Bashar Assad in his countrys long, bloody civil war. Several suspects have been arrested and are under interrogation over the plot after agents seized ammunition and bombs, state media said. The semi-official Fars and ISNA news agencies quoted Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Irans Supreme National Security Council, as saying the attack was timed to hit during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Irans state-run IRNA news agency, citing the Intelligence Ministry, said the attack was supposed to come on the anniversary of the death of the Prophet Muhammads wife, Khadija, which was commemorated in small ceremonies across Iran on Thursday. The report didnt identify those arrested, though it called them takfiris, a derogatory term in both Arabic and Farsi referring to Muslims who accuse others of being nonbelievers. Iranian authorities often refer to followers of the Sunni militant Islamic State group as takfiris, though it isnt clear if this case involved the extremist group that holds territory in Iraq and Syria. Shiite power Iran has been helping both the Syrian and the Iraqi government in their battles against the Islamic State group. IRNA, however, called those involved in the plot Wahhabi takfiris in its report in Farsi on the arrests. Wahhabism is an ultraconservative school of Islam practiced predominantly in Saudi Arabia. Relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia have frayed following the kingdoms execution of a prominent Shiite cleric in January and subsequent attacks by protesters on Saudi diplomatic posts in Iran. The kingdom cut diplomatic relations with Tehran following those attacks. Iran recently announced it would not be sending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for the annual hajj pilgrimage, as it said the kingdom did not meet Irans requests for better security for Iranian pilgrims. The hajj pilgrimage is required of all able-bodied Muslims once in their lifetime. Three-year-old daughter Lejla sat on her father Brendans lap, while son Cuillin, five, snuggled up to his grandmother in the gallery overlooking the chamber of the Commons. They heard Prime Minister David Cameron praise their mother as a voice of compassion whose irrepressible spirit and boundless energy lit up the lives of all who knew her, while Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said that, with her death, British society had lost one of our very best. MPs wore white roses in memory of Yorkshire-born Cox, and a single white rose was placed on the green leather bench where she usually sat. Also in the gallery were Coxs parents Jean and Gordon and her sister Kim, who wiped away a tear and smiled as fellow Yorkshire MP Holly Lynch fondly recalled how her friend had quickly made her name in the Commons as an MP who was not easy to be whipped. Several MPs wept as speaker John Bercow told them that the House was meeting in heartbreaking sadness and heartfelt solidarity to pay tribute to the Batley and Spen MP, who was elected only last year. After the House was adjourned, MPs processed across the road to St Margarets often referred to as the House of Commons parish church for a service of prayer and remembrance in Coxs memory. The killing of the 41-year-old mother of two outside the public library in Birstall in her West Yorkshire constituency has prompted an outpouring of public grief and shaken parliament, which was in recess for the upcoming EU referendum. Bercow said the killing of the Labour MP in this manner, of this person, our democratically elected colleague was particularly shocking and repugnant. He hailed her as caring, eloquent, principled and wise (and)... filled with and fuelled by love for humanity devoted to her family and a relentless campaigner for equality, human rights, and social justice. Her death strikes not only at an individual but at our freedom, said Bercow. In total silence, Corbyn told MPs: We have lost one of our own and our society has lost one of our very best. The horrific act that took her from us was an attack on democracy, and our whole country has been shocked and saddened by it. But in the days since, the country has also learnt something of the extraordinary humanity and compassion which drove her political activism and beliefs, he said. Today we remember Jos compassion and a passion to create a better world and in her honour we recommit ourselves to that task. Cameron said he wanted to pay tribute to a loving, determined, passionate, and progressive politician who epitomised the best of humanity and who proved so often the power of politics to make our world a better place. Recalling first meeting the former aid worker in Darfur in 2006, he said she was a humanitarian to her core a passionate and brilliant campaigner whose grit and determination to fight for justice saw her time and time again driving issues up the agenda and making people listen and above all act. Shortly before MPs gathered, Thomas Mair, aged 52, from Birstall, appeared at the Old Bailey charged with murdering Cox, grievous bodily harm, possession of a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence, and possession of a knife. Following the tributes, Cox tweeted: Thank you to the whole House & staff for your kindness & compassion to our family today & for describing so well the Jo we love #MoreInCommon. The NSPCC said 38 police forces in England and Wales had recorded 3,186 sex crimes against children in 2015/16 that involved offenders using the internet. Offences included sexual assaults, grooming victims, and inciting children to take part in sex acts. Most victims where an age was provided by police were 13 (535), but 272 were under 10 and the youngest was one. This is the first year that police have been required to cyber flag sex abuse cases where the internet was used, although the NSPCC added that a small number of forces said they did not know about or were not using the Home Office scheme. Chief executive of the NSPCC Peter Wanless said: These figures confirm our fears that the online world is playing a significant role in the sexual abuse of children in the UK. Its clear a large volume of sexual assaults and rapes of children have involved the use of the internet for example by grooming victims before abusing them offline, or live-streaming the abuse. "Children are increasingly telling our ChildLine service how they are being targeted. The gunman who slaughtered 49 people at a gay nightclub in Florida threatened to blow up a car rigged with bombs and to strap hostages into explosive vests, according to partial transcripts of 911 calls he made. You people are gonna get it, and Im gonna ignite it if they try to do anything stupid, Omar Mateen said during one of the calls made from the Pulse nightclub in downtown Orlando, according to the transcript released by the FBI. No explosive vests or bombs were found in the nightclub or the suspects car, however, the agency said. The first call came more than a half hour after shots rang out, when Mateen told a 911 operator, Praise be to god, and prayers as well as peace be upon the prophet of god, he told the dispatcher, referring to god in Arabic. I let you know, Im in Orlando and I did the shootings, he said. Mateen, a 29-year-old security guard, paused several times during the three-hour siege at the club to speak by phone with emergency dispatchers and police negotiators, as well as to post internet messages pledging allegiance to Islamist militant groups. While the killer made these murderous statements, he did so in a chilling, calm and deliberate manner, said Ron Hopper, a FBI assistant special agent in charge. Mateen told an emergency dispatcher he was wearing an explosive vest like the kind they used in France, apparently referring to the assault in Paris last November by Islamic militants, according to the transcript. As patrons fled the club, they told police outside that the gunman said he was going to put four vests with bombs on victims within 15 minutes, the FBI said in its statement. Mateen, a New York-born US citizen and Florida resident of Afghan descent, who has been described by US officials as self-radicalised in his extremist sympathies. Some details of transcripts between Orlando police and gunman Omar Mateen revealed by FBI: https://t.co/XA7A57hIQB https://t.co/19evCLBorw Sky News (@SkyNews) June 20, 2016 The partial transcripts did not include a pledge of loyalty that authorities say Mateen made to ISs leader. Hopper told a news conference near the nightclub that only partial transcripts were released so as not to propagate violent rhetoric. US House Speaker Paul Ryan accused the Obama administration of censoring references to the IS militant group and called for the full transcripts to be released. Mateen identified himself as an Islamic soldier, according to the FBI, and he told a negotiator to tell the United States to stop bombing Syria and Iraq. The Joint Terrorism Taskforce has conducted more than 500 interviews about the massacre, Hopper said, and has processed 600 pieces of evidence. Orlando Police Chief John Mina said the initial engagement by authorities caused the gunman to retreat and barricade himself in a bathroom with hostages. He said officers were inside the club saving victims during the three-hour standoff. Trump defying the law, says NRA Jill Colvin Donald Trump is backtracking from his contention that victims of the Orlando massacre should have been allowed to carry arms into the nightclub where they were attacked a stance even the NRA says is untenable. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee tweeted he was obviously talking about additional guards or employees of the Orlando, Florida, nightclub where Omar Mateen murdered 29 people when he spoke about the value of having more people armed to challenge the gunman. Thats not what Trump said previously. A day after the attack, he told radio host Howie Carr: Its too bad that some of the young people that were killed over the weekend didnt have guns, you know, attached to their hips, frankly, and you know where bullets could have flown in the opposite direction, Howie. It would have been a much different deal. I mean, it sounded like there were no guns. They had a security guard. Other than that there were no guns in the room. Had people been able to fire back, it would have been a much different outcome. Trump had repeated his suggestion at rallies across the country last week. In Atlanta he said the carnage would have been lessened if some of those great people that were in that club that night had guns strapped to their waist or strapped to their ankle. His statements were a step too far for the National Rifle Association, a powerful lobby for armed self-defence and broad permissions to carry weapons. No one thinks that people should go into a nightclub drinking and carrying firearms, the NRAs chief lobbyist, Chris Cox, told ABCs This Week on Sunday. That defies common sense. It also defies the law. It was the latest scuffle between Trump and those supporting him in the political establishment. Trump, the partys presumptive presidential nominee, had achieved a fragile peace with Republicans and their allies om which they support him in exchange for Trump uniting the Republican party and fighting his likely general election opponent, Democrat Hillary Clinton. Instead, his proposals for fighting terrorism such as by targeting Muslims and restricting assault-style weapons have inflamed his supporters. The NRA dustup came at an especially sensitive time. The Senate prepared to vote on expanded gun background checks and proposals to keep people on a government terrorism watchlist or other suspected terrorists from buying guns. However, prospects for any significant change in gun laws were dim. Meanwhile Trump said the United States should consider more racial profiling, in response to a question about whether he supported greater law enforcement scrutiny of Muslim Americans after the Orlando shootings. The activists, from the National Co-ordinator of Education Workers, or CNTE, are opposed to the mandatory testing of teachers as part of education reform, and are also protesting the arrest of union leaders on money-laundering charges. In clashes in the southern state of Oaxaca, protesters threw stones and petrol bombs, and burned vehicles, while riot police were said to have fired on protesters. Clashes took place in several municipalities in Oaxaca, but the most violent were in Nochixtlan, north of the state capital, also called Oaxaca. In a late-night press conference, state governor, Gabino Cue, accompanied by federal police chief, Enrique Galindo, said the death toll in Nochixtlan was six. 53 civilians, 41 federal police agents, and 14 state police officers were injured. Twenty-one people were detained. All the dead were civilians, with two connected to the CNTE union. Earlier, Mexicos government had said that 21 federal police had been wounded, three of them by gunfire, and that its agents had not carried guns. The attacks with guns came from people outside the blockades, who fired on the population and federal police, it said. Footage showed at least one police officer firing a gun several times. Mr Galindo acknowledged that he had sent in some officers with guns, after agents had come under fire. The police obligation is to protect the population, he said. Clashes continued outside Oaxaca city, and in the municipalities of San Pablo Huitzo and Santiaguito, where protesters burned federal police installations. Over the past week, unionised teachers have blockaded streets, a shopping centre, and train tracks in the western state of Michoacan. They have also forced some bus lines to cancel trips to Oaxaca, which is a popular tourist destination, and blocked a highway in Tehuantepec. Federal prosecutors accuse union leaders of setting up an illegal financial network to fund protests and line their own pockets. They allege the scheme controlled the payroll of Oaxacas teachers. Thats an almost 10% increase on 2014, which had the highest number of refugees since the Second World War, with 60m displaced people. Last year, Europe saw the arrival of large numbers of migrants, the UN refugee agency said in unveiling its annual Global Trends Report. The Geneva-based agency urged world leaders to do more to end the wars that are driving the exodus of people from their homelands. I hope that the message carried by those forcibly displaced reaches the leaderships: we need action, political action, to stop conflicts, said Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The message that they have carried is, If you dont solve problems, problems will come to you. With stark detail, UNHCR said that, on average, 24 people were displaced every minute of every day last year or 34,000 people a day up from six a minute in 2005. Global displacement has doubled since 1997, and risen by 50% since 2011, when the Syria war began. Half of the refugees came from three countries: Syria, Afghanistan and Somalia. Turkey was the top host country for the second year running, taking in 2.5m people, nearly all from neighbouring Syria. Afghan neighbour, Pakistan, took 1.6m, while Lebanon, next to Syria, hosted 1.1m. Mr Grandi said politicians and advocacy groups face daunting challenges helping the largest subset of displaced people 40.8m internally displaced in countries in conflict. Another 21.3m were refugees and 3.2m were seeking asylum. More than a million people fled to Europe last year, causing a political crisis in the EU. Mr Grandi called on countries to fight the xenophobia that has accompanied the rise in refugee populations, and criticised physical barriers like fences erected by some European countries as well as legislative ones that limit access to richer, more peaceful EU states. Such European policies were spreading a negative example around the world, he said. There is no plan B for Europe in the long run, Mr Grandi said. Europe will continue to receive people seeking asylum. Their numbers may vary ... but it is inevitable. Burma Arakanese and Rohingya Criticize New Govt Term for Muslims The Burmese governments deployment of a new, supposedly neutral, name for Rohingya Muslims has already drawn criticism from within Arakan State. RANGOON Members of both Arakanese Buddhist and Rohingya Muslim communities have objected to referring to Rohingya as the Muslim community in Arakan State, as used by Burmas representative at the 32nd regular session of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland. On Friday, Burmas representative Thet Thinzar Htun said using Muslim community in Arakan State, instead of the contentious term Rohingya, would help to bring harmony and mutual trust between the Buddhist and Muslim communities in Arakan Statewho remain largely segregated since anti-Muslim violence in 2012 and 2013, which displaced around 140,000 people, the vast majority of them Muslim. Thet Thinzar Htuns words were in response to comments from a UN special rapporteur, Maina Kiai, criticizing religious-based discrimination against the Rohingya, where the term Rohingya was used. The continued use of the latter term was only making things worse and adding fuel to the fire, said Thet Thinar Htun. The deployment of the new elongated label could represent an attempt by the National League for Democracy (NLD) government to chart a neutral path between vocal Burmese nationalists, who reject the term Rohingya and insist they be called Bengalis (to suggest they are illegal migrants from Bangladesh), and criticism from foreign governments and human rights groups, who insist on the right of the Rohingya to identify as such. The previous military-backed government under President Thein Sein was adamant on the Bengali designation. While the NLD government has maintained ambiguity, NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi has publicly cautioned against the use of emotive terms (such as Rohingya), which she claimed only stoked tensions. Pe Than, a lawmaker in the Lower House of the Union Parliament for the Arakan National Party (ANP), which represents the interests of the Buddhist majority in Arakan State, told The Irrawaddy the current government should stick to the same usages (e.g. Bengali) as the previous government. He said the current situation in the Arakan State was a consequence of the historical mistake of U Nu, the first prime minister of Burma, who exploited the term Rohingya to gain votes in general elections. Arakan State citizens are Buddhist. Why has [the government] called them Arakan State Muslims? Whats next? The term Myanmar Muslim? he said, implying that this would be unacceptable. He claimed that Muslim community in Arakan State would be objectionable not only to Arakanese Buddhists but also to the Bengali community, because it does not specify their race. He argued that the NLD government is trying to find a temporary solution because it has said it would address the problems in Arakan State as part of a 100-day plan. They are trying to cut corners, Pe Than said. He said he personally accepted the Rohingya being designated simply as Muslimsthe objection was to the coupling of Muslim with Arakan, the latter word being, under his reasoning, the exclusive preserve of Buddhists, despite its wide use as a geographic term. He said that his party, the ANP, would be holding an urgent meeting to discuss the implications of Muslim community in Arakan State, before releasing a statement on this new usage from the government. Yanghee Lee, the UNs special rapporteur on human rights in Burma, reached Rangoon on Sunday. According to government media outlets, she will visit Kachin, Arakan and northern Shan States, as well as the capital Naypyidaw. She will be compiling a report to be delivered at the 71st UN General Assembly in New York in September. A source from the Arakan State government said Yanghee Lee would reach the Arakan state capital Sittwe on Wednesday, where she will meet with the state government and also visit Sittwes prison. Than Htun, a Sittwe resident and self-styled nationalist, told The Irrawaddy [Lee] is just coming to meet with Bengalis [to form] a one-sided judgment, expressing frustration with what he perceived as ingrained bias in favor of the Rohingya from the UN. Zaw Zaw, a Rohingya resident of Aung Mingalar ward in urban Sittwea de facto camp for Muslims, who live segregated from the towns Buddhist community and have tight restrictions imposed on their movements in and outsaid he had heard some displaced Rohingya might demonstrate with hand-painted signboards during Yanghee Lees visit, to show their own dissatisfaction with the governments new Muslim community in Arakan State usage. Rumors have been spreading on social media that Rohingya based in camps were planning to protest during Yanghee Lees visit. Falsely attributed photographs circulating on Facebook purported to show Rohingya rehearsing with signboards and t-shirts reading, I am Rohingya / Native Land Arakan (Burma). Both Arakanese and Rohingya are unhappy with the [new] term, Zaw Zaw said. We do not accept any terminology other than Rohingya. However, he thought the government would use the new term only temporarily. If they persisted in using it, rather than referring to them as Rohingya, the government will not succeed, he said. In recent weeks, the government has been handing out National Verification Cards (NVCs) to stateless Muslims in several townships of Arakan State. The NVCs are provisional documents, whose bearers will later be scrutinized for citizenship eligibility under Burmas 1982 citizenship law, which discriminates heavily against the Rohingya as an unrecognized ethnic group. Stateless Muslims in Kyaukphyu and Ramree townships have reportedly been cooperating with the scheme. However, some in Sittwe, Ponnagyun, Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships have refused to submit to it, because the religion and ethnicity of the bearer is not stated on the new NVCs. Many Rohingyawho comprise the large majority of stateless Muslimsare suspicious that the government will later add their own entries under religion and ethnicity, such as Bengali Muslim, an imposed identity that many Rohingya reject. The Irrawaddy phoned both the head of Arakan States immigration department Win Lwin and state government spokesman Min Aung, to clarify the details of Yanghee Lees trip and the citizenship verification drive, but received no response. Last month, the Committee for Arakan State Peace, Stability and Development was formed. State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi chairs the committee. Arakan State Chief Minister Nyi Pu, an NLD appointee, and Union Border and Security Affairs Minister Lt-Gen Ye Aung, a military appointee, were chosen as deputy chairs. ANP representation is conspicuously absent. The committees purview includes resettling displaced communities, social development and coordinating the activities of UN agencies and international organizations. News / Africa by BBC Former UN secretary general Kofi Annan has questioned the International Criminal Court's (ICC) handling of the cases against Kenya's leaders.Mr Annan asked whether President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto should have remained free during their trials, says the Financial Times (FT).The ICC dropped charges of crimes against humanity against both men but said witnesses had been intimidated.The cases related to violence after disputed elections in 2007.Some 1,500 people were killed and 600,00 forced from their homes as ethnic clashes spread around the country.Both men denied the charges and accused the ICC of unfairly targeting African leaders.Kenya says it will withdraw from the ICC.Mr Annan, who was appointed by the African Union to mediate Kenya's post-election crisis of 2007-08, accused the Kenyan government of using state resources to undermine the ICC."The president and vice-president were the ones in the dock and so they put lots of efforts and resources into fighting the case," he said.The former UN secretary general told the FT that Africans should seek justice abroad if they could not get it domestically.He also rejected accusations that the ICC was biased against Africa, saying: "Slobodan Milosevic and others convicted of war crimes in the former Yugoslavia had been tried in The Hague before the ICC was established."The African Union has been critical of the ICC with member states on the continent threatening to withdraw from the court.Mr Annan also praised the recent conviction of Hissene Habre, the former president of Chad, who was tried in an African Union-backed court in Senegal.Kofi Annan's comments about the International Criminal Court have elicited sharp reactions.The interest the story has generated illustrates the emotional and political importance Kenyans attach to their leaders.Although President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto are yet to formally respond, critical comments on social media from their close associates and supporters, using the hash tag #SomeoneTellKofiAnnan , could represent the thinking of the two leaders.Those opposed to the former UN chief's remarks say his comments are ill-advised. They argue that the Hague-based court concluded there was no evidence to sustain the cases against the two leaders.However, opposition supporters have welcomed Mr Annan's comments, saying the former UN chief was right to speak out against impunity amongst African leaders.But to keen observers, the comments may have come too late to have any impact. Burma Burmese Nationals Form 8th-Largest Refugee Group According to a new report by the UN refugee agency, Burma ranks number eight on a list of countries that produced the most refugees in 2015. RANGOON Burmese nationals make up the eighth largest group of refugees in the world, according to a report by the UN refugee agency, released on Monday commemorating World Refugee Day. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimated that Burma displaced 451,800 people as of the end of 2015 a slight decline compared to the previous years 479,000, due to resettlement from Malaysia in 2015. The figure includes some 120,000 Burmese refugees in Thailands nine official camps on its border who were displaced by armed conflicts, but not an additional 450,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs), particularly concentrated in Kachin and Shan States. According to the report, Syria ranks number one as the largest refugee source country, displacing 4.9 million people and Afghanistan came in second with 2.7 million refugees. Turkey became the biggest host country with 2.5 million refugees. UNHCRs Global Trends report documented forced displacement worldwide based on data from governments, its partner agencies and its own reporting and found that a total 65.3 million people, more than half of which were children, were displaced as of the end of 2015, compared to 59.5 million in 2014. One in 113 people on earth are displaced, refugees or asylum-seekers. UNHCRs Monday statement mentioned that 24 people were forced to flee each minute in 2015 on average. At sea, a frightening number of refugees and migrants are dying each year, UNHCRs Filippo Grandi said in the report. On land, people fleeing war are finding their way blocked by closed borders. Closing borders does not solve the problem. The report specified that 21.3 million were identified as refugees with 3.2 million asylum-seekers and 40.8 million IDPs. Correction: It was originally reported that the UNHCR figure of 451,800 refugees included Burmas IDPs. It does not. The IDP population also totals more than 450,000 people by itself. Burma Court Denies Bail to Ultra-Nationalist Politician Charged with Defamation A local court has denied a bail request from ultra-national politician Nay Myo Wai, who remains in jail facing defamation charges. PATHEIN, Irrawaddy Division The Pathein District Court in Irrawaddy Division denied a bail request on Monday from Nay Myo Wai, an ultra-nationalist politician charged with defamation under Burmas Telecommunications Law. Nay Myo Wai is on trial for sharing posts on social media that allegedly defamed President Htin Kyaw, Army Chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing and State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi. Nay Myo Wai, a supporter of the Buddhist nationalist group Ma Ba Tha, serves as chairman of the Peace and Diversity Party, which contested the November general election on an ultra-nationalist platform but failed to win a seat. In recent years he has earned a reputation as a frequent propagator of anti-Muslim sentiment online. Wai Yan Aung, an executive member of the Burma Teachers Federation, filed the lawsuit against the politician in early May under Article 66(d) of the Telecommunications Law and accused him of defaming Burmas top trio online. Article 66(d) carries a punishment of up to three years imprisonment for using a telecommunications network to commit defamation. Nay Myo Wai was arrested by police on May 4 and brought to trial three weeks later. The Kangyidaunt Township Court where he faces trial denied him a previous bail request. Myint Thein, the plaintiffs lawyer, told The Irrawaddy that the Pathein District Court judge denied Nay Myo Wais bail request, which claimed the defendant was suffering from breathing problems and had to rely on an oxygen cylinder. The court said it would not consider the bail request because it had not received medical records from a hospital or doctor. When asked by The Irrawaddy about the courts refusal of the bail request, Sandar Oo, Nay Myo Wais sister who is acting as his lawyer, refused to comment. Myint Thein added that the court also rejected additional photo evidence submitted by plaintiff Wai Yan Aung, saying the pictures were filed lateafter the lawsuit was filed and the arrest had already occurred. Nay Myo Wai was not present in court on Monday, but about 20 of his supporters gathered wearing t-shirts that said May Nay Myo Wai be freed. He remains in custody at Pathein Prison. Burma New App Aims to Give Youth Civic Education NGO OneWorld joins forces with UNESCO and the Ministry of Education to give teachers and students an app that promotes taking active roles in society. RANGOON Burmas first civic education mobile application, New Niti, will be included in a UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)s ongoing educational project and will teach the countrys high school students about human rights and active citizenship. The UNESCO project, which is part of a global initiative called Connect To Learn, provides training to teachers and education professionals on how to utilize information and communications technology (ICT) to improve learning outcomes. According to its developer, the UK-based non-governmental organization OneWorld, UNESCO will make the app available in its ICT digital library, which is part of the Empowering Women and Girls through Mobile Technology in Myanmar project launched in June last year as a public-private partnership among UNESCO, Ericsson and the Ministry of Education. The app was primarily developed in Burma and released in October 2015 in collaboration with a number of other local civil society groups and creative initiatives. The apps goal is to educate the countrys youth populations on five main conceptscitizenship, democracy, elections, rule of law, and peace, OneWorlds Burma-based project manager Angelika Kahlos told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday. The app New Nitiniti means morality in Sanskritruns on Android-operated smartphones but not on Apples iOS platform yet. The app features written and audio stories and animations as well as games and quizzes, all available in both Burmese and English. Kahlos said the fundamental vision of the app is to promote active citizenship on the individual level while also improving access to information and education. This is the first time in Myanmars history that human rights and democracy content will be made available via a high-tech app in the government-run education system, she said. The endorsement of the New Niti app by UNESCO in Myanmar not only helps to promote access to information, but it also helps to promote modern technologies to teachers and the youth, who are quick to embrace and master them. According to the UNESCO website, the ICT project provides teachers with professional development training by producing English language and life skills mobile learning apps. It also creates content for mobile devices for 20,000 high school students. The ICT project has already provided more than 3,000 tablets, some 180 laptops and projectors to the Ministry of Education, school leaders and teachers at 31 project schools in Mandalay Division, Pegu Division and Mon State. The New Niti app will be preloaded on the devices. Curriculum developers for the app include the Center for Youth and Social Harmony, Kalyana Mitta Foundation, Mote Oo, Saitta Thukha Development Institute and other partners who created illustrations and dialogues. The application will be handed over to the Saitta Thukha Development Institute, a Burmese civic education training NGO that will further localize and develop the app. The bilingual Android app can be downloaded here, and a smaller Burmese-language-only version can be accessed here. UPDATE: This story has been updated to include more information about UNESCOs ICT project. Burma Presidential Spokesman Hits Back Against UN Criticism Over Rohingya Spokesman Zaw Htay has blamed the persecution of minority groups on the previous government, saying the UN should acknowledge the recent positive change. RANGOON The UN and the international community should support ongoing reforms inside Burma instead of focusing on human rights abuses perpetrated by the former government, said Presidents Office Spokesman Zaw Htay, in response to a fresh criticism from the UN over Burmas treatment of religious and ethnic minoritiesin particular the Muslim Rohingya. This week saw the release of a new report on Burma by the UNs human rights office, which stated that systematic violations against the Rohingyaincluding denial of citizenship rights, forced labor and sexual violencecould amount to crimes against humanity. More than 100,000 Rohingya remain in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in Arakan State, after anti-Muslim violence in 2012 and 2013. They are subjected to severe restrictions of movement and are denied citizenship and proper access to healthcare and education; many have chosen to flee the country, placing them in the hands of predatory human-trafficking gangs. The new government has yet to take concrete steps to alleviate the situation, and its policies remain a topic of speculation. Presidents Office Spokesman Zaw Htaywho held the same post under the previous military-backed government of then-President Thein Seintold The Irrawaddy the UN and the international community should observe reforms inside the country, be flexible with the new governments approach and provide support and encouragement, adding that the new government recognized the abuses carried out in the past. This was a weakness from the past. Our government will challenge it and will work for human rights. We have already laid the foundation for this with our new policies. They (UN report) needs to reflect on the reforms undertaken by the new government, Zaw Htay added. On Friday, Burmas representative to the UNs Human Rights Council Thet Thinzar Htun criticized the use of the term Rohingya by international actors as adding fuel to the fire. Instead, the term Muslim community in Arakan State was floated, which the representative said would encourage harmony and mutual trust between Buddhist and Muslim communities. Last month, the Committee for Arakan State Peace, Stability and Development was formed. Chaired by State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, its purview includes resettling displaced communities and coordinating the activities of UN agencies and international organizations. In recent weeks, the government has been handing out National Verification Cards (NVCs) to stateless Muslims in several townships of Arakan State. The NVCs are provisional documents, whose bearers will later be scrutinized for citizenship eligibility under Burmas 1982 citizenship law, which discriminates heavily against the Rohingya as an unrecognized ethnic group. Zaw Htay said the green cards would be later handed out to those now receiving NVCs in Arakan State, affording them equal rights. It is not currently clear where these green cards fit into Burmas complex hierarchy of citizenship documentation, and what their legal basis is. Yanghee Lee, the UNs special rapporteur on human rights in Burma, is visiting Burma between June 20 and July 1. She arrived in Rangoon on Sunday, and will be in Arakan State from Wednesday. She will also visit Kachin, Arakan and Shan states, and the capital Naypyidaw. Important steps have already been taken to further democratic transition, national reconciliation, sustainable development and peace, Yanghee Lee said in a statement. I intend to make a comprehensive and objective assessment of the human rights situation taking these elements into account. Early Surges of a Cultural Nationalistic Flood Tide in Myanmar? As conservative Buddhist nationalism grows in Myanmar it may extend into the secular and cultural spheres as well. Foreign observers of Myanmars changing social and cultural landscape have watched with great concern the flood tide of religious nationalism as conservative and radical Buddhist groups have expressed fears of a Muslim spiritual and social invasion that they have perceived to threaten their religious views. Coming from religious organizations such as Ma Ba Tha and the Myanmar Patriotic Monks Union, they seem to have had wide popular support, or at least popular acquiescence, for who can publicly disagree with the pronouncements of eminent members of the sangha? The legislature has passed laws intended to prevent this perceived disease from spreading. To those addicted to democratic traditions and open societies, this is illustrative of very disquieting development, even as right-wing nationalistic groups gain prominence in many Western societies. Religion is rarely isolated from other social elements, and in Myanmar the nexus of religion, culture, and history are pronounced. Now, however, the nationalist flood tide may now have extended from religion to the secular realm. On May 31, 2016, it was reported that these two religious associations protested that one of the major Yangon hotels had dressed bellboys and porters in the supposed royal dress of the kings of Pagan (11-13th c.)thus mounting in their view a major affront and an insult to the secular, but somehow sacred, traditions of Myanmar. What this supposed royal dress might have looked like may be the subject of considerable academic debate, but the existential issue is more serious. If a hotel wants to engage in such jejune stylistic games, it is more an insult to the guests intelligence rather than to the dignity of Pagans rulers. More seriously, it indicates a profound sense of cultural vulnerability that is likely to spread with potentially dire consequences. To many in the West, this may be unanticipated or even ludicrous. Do Western societies become incensed when their hotel bellboys and porters wear the reminiscent uniforms of high-ranking, revered historical military officers, and are thus disrespectful of their military heritages? Myanmar has become awash in tourists. They bring with them more than personal baggage, but also some of a cultural, and not always desirable, nature. If Western popular culture permeates, if Western dress codesoften rather slovenly in style and applicationdominate in the streets, if Myanmar social usage is truncated or neglected, and if the seamy side of tourism become intrusive in Yangon, as it has in Bangkok, this sense of vulnerability will tend to grow, and with it perhaps a more intense nationalism that may undercut the goals of any Myanmar government as it fosters intensified intellectual and cultural isolationism. Thailand, another predominantly Buddhist society, does not feel the same sense of vulnerability, perhaps because it was never colonized and its monks did not partake in anti-colonial political activity, as in Myanmar where two Myanmar Buddhist monks were martyrs in the independence movement. Yet there is also a growing conservative and intolerant Buddhist movement among monks in Thailand. The Buddhist Protection Center of Thailand, with links to the World Buddhist Leaders Organization and the World Federation of Buddhist Youth, all have associations with Myanmars Ma Ba Tha, which they have honored. We have witnessed the growth of nationalistic, anti-foreign and right-wing politics in a number of European countries, and in a particularly American way in some of the U.S. political stances. In the West, we tend to equate these to problems associated with both potential terrorism and extensive refugee (both war-related and economic) flights. But they are more deeply related to fears of changing and disturbing social dynamics, including widening income maldistributiona phenomenon we may expect to grow in Myanmar. As these fears move into the social realmbeyond religious doctrineprotection of perceived cultural heritages may become more important even though some are undoubtedly based on myth, as in many societies. This sense of cultural dignity and concern in Myanmar is important. But the intended protection of culture has been dictated by the state, sometimes carriedat least to a foreign observerto extremes. Let us remember that under the juntas it was illegal to have Western instruments included in a classical Burmese orchestra. Yet popular culture evolves, and many in Myanmar will regret the present popularity of Western clothing, formerly rarely seen amongst the Bamah (Burmans) except in the military. Yet protection of culture and traditions can also be positive, as in the recent prohibition against construction that would have aesthetically and religiously had a negative impact on the Shwedagon Pagoda. There is probably no solution to the dilemma, but one would hope that those foreigners, institutions, and governments that wish the administration of Myanmar well might consider their own policies and practices, both public and private, that would both extend democratic governance but still be less cultural threatening. Is this possible? David I. Steinberg is Distinguished Professor of Asian Studies Emeritus, Georgetown University, and visiting scholar, School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University. His latest edited volume is Myanmar: The Dynamics of an Emerging Polity (2015). Culture Restoration of Thai Kings Tomb Continues Under DNA Test Uncertainty While DNA tests to confirm the identity of King Uthumphons tomb remain pending, the tomb site near Mandalay is being prepared for its re-consecration. MANDALAY Amid uncertainty over the material remains of an 18th century Thai King, the team restoring what is believed to be his tomb in Amarapura near Mandalay have chosen to continue work on the instructions of a Buddhist abbot. This is in spite of a notice issued in May by Mandalay municipal authorities instructing the restoration team to halt their work while DNA tests are carried out to determine whether the tomb was indeed that of Thai King Uthumphon, who ruled Siam for only two months in 1758 and was later captured in a Burmese invasion. A consecration ceremony planned for the tomb at the end of June remains as scheduledalthough, in the absence of the funerary urn while it undergoes testing, the site will initially be designated only as a memorial site. The [DNA] test will take time because it [is being applied] to the remains of a person who died several hundred years ago. In the mean time, the Sitagu Sayadaw [abbot] instructed us to continue the restoration work to protect the ruins of the tomb and the related temples, which are threatened by the weather, explained Tampawaddi Win Maung, who leads the restoration team. Excavation of the Thai kings purported tomb began in 2013. Many artifacts were unearthed, including the supposed cremation urn of the king, among a series of tombs and religious structures on Lin Zin hill in Amarapura Township, on the outskirts of Mandalay City. Restoration work on the historic remnants on Lin Zin hill has been halted three times since then. According to the restoration team, more than half of the excavation sites have been ruined due to human activity and adverse weather during the halts. The Thai team, which funded the restoration, decided the place could act [initially] as a memorial site for King Uthumphon, [] for Thai visitors, said Win Maung. Restoration of the main tomb and the foundations of an old Thai-style monastery are almost finished. The ceremony to re-consecrate the tomb will be held on June 26 and 27. Prominent Buddhist abbots and monks from Thailand, and officials from the Thai royal treasury department, are planning to attend. Since there is some uncertainty over the cremation urn of the Thai king, we will not place it back in the tomb as we had originally planned, said Win Maung. The place will be just a monument [] until the results from the MCDC [Mandalay City Development Council] proves whether or not it is the real tomb, he added. According to Burmese official history, Uthumphon (known as King Dok Madua in Thai histories) was captured along with many other members of the Siamese courtafter he had already been deposed and was living as a monkby Burmese King Sinphyushin (17361776) in his invasion of the Thai capital Ayutthaya in 1767. Uthumphon was brought as a prisoner to the Burmese royal capital of Ava, close to present-day Mandalay. After the Burmese king shifted his palace from Ava to Amarapura, King Uthumphon lived in Amarapura as a monk until his death and burial on Lin Zin hill. Burma Govt Peace Delegation Asks Ethnic Groups to Disarm A Burmese govt delegation reaches out to three ethnic armed groups that are still fighting the Burma Army, hoping to include them in Panglong, sources say. RANGOON A Burmese government peace delegation led by Dr. Tin Myo Win has told three ethnic armed groups of the Arakan, Palaung and Kokang ethnicities not to attack the Burma Army and to disarm so that they will be invited to join the upcoming peace conference, sources say. The peace delegation said that Burma Army chief Gen Min Aung Hlaing would give the green light to the three groups to join peace talks and perhaps sign the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) if they disarm, said a leader of a Palaung [Taang] armed group, the Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA). Tar Bong Kyaw, general secretary of the TNLA who was not present at the meeting with Tin Myo Win, told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday, I got information that they [the delegation] want us to release a statement on disarming and cessation of attacks on Burma Army troops. Then Gen Min Aung Hlaing will give the green light [for us attending meetings]. He was unable to provide additional details on the discussions over the weekend. The Burmese governments peace delegation met with leaders of the three ethnic armed groups during its trip to Shan State to talk with ethnic Wa and Mongla armies. They held informal, separate meetings with the TNLA, the Arakan Army (AA) and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) in Mongla town, Shan State. The three groups were excluded by the previous government from signing last years NCAa pact signed by eight non-state armed groups and the former governmentand they are still at war with the Burma Army in Shan State. On May 13, Lt-Gen Mya Tun Oo said at a press conference in Naypyidaw that the MNDAA, TNLA and AA have no option but to disarm. The Burma Army would not negotiate peace with them if they failed to do so, said the general. The three NCA non-signatories are members of an alliance of ethnic armed groups, the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), but recently have said that they would withdraw from the group. It has been reported that the three groups are trying to ally with the United Wa State Army (UWSA) and National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA), a Mongla ethnic army. Sources on the China-Burma border told The Irrawaddy that members of the delegation who are army officials asked the UWSA to withdraw from its bases on the Thai border. In May, Thai military officials asked their Burma Army counterparts to help convince the UWSA to withdraw its bases on the Thai-Burma border, claiming some were on Thai territory. The UWSA said they could not move their military outposts because they had been based there for many years, according to the sources, who requested to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the meetings. Sources familiar with the matter also said the UWSA told the government delegation to include the three NCA non-signatories in peace talks and meetings in order to achieve the goals of the NCA. The government delegation, led by Dr. Tin Myo Win, is responsible for dealing with ethnic armed groups that have not signed the NCA. It is one of two groups that are laying the foundation for the 21st Century Panglong Conference, which is expected to be held next month. Another sub-committee is led by Burma Army Lt-Gen Yar Pyae and is responsible for handling the eight non-state armed groups that have already signed the NCA. In 1947, Gen Aung San, State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyis father, convened a meeting of several ethnic groups in Panglong, Shan State that resulted in an inter-ethnic peace pact. Kyaw Kha also contributed to this story. Burma In Mon State, Expanding Quarries Threaten Farms The number of quarries in Mon State is quickly increasing and locals say authorities fail to regulate their environmental impact on farmlands. PAUNG TOWNSHIP, Mon State On a recent afternoon in May, the farmers of Ohn Titbin Village Tract were tending to their betel nut and rubber plantations when a loud blast erupted at the foot of Kalama Mountain and shook the ground. Workers had set off an explosion in a local quarry located about 10 km away and a cloud of dust drifted out from the area towards the plantations here in Mon State, southeastern Myanmar. Farmer Nyan Htay said several blasts occurred every day after quarrying had increased in the area in recent years. The resulting increase in pollution, he said, has affected the local environment and the harvest of his 6-acre rubber plantation. I earned about 6 million kyats (about US$5,000) in previous years, but it has declined to just 3 million kyats, said the ethnic Karen villager. Farmers in the area, which comprises six villages with Bamar, Karen, Pa-O and Mon residents, said that since 2011 authorities have allowed companies to rapidly expand the extraction of rock stone to make gravel, while paying little attention to its environmental impact. Waste and dust has polluted air and water sources, they said, while explosions have disrupted the underground water table and caused cracks in the walls of local homes and Buddhist pagodas. Swathes of forest around the quarries that were used by villagers to collect firewood and food, such as bamboo shoots, have been fenced off. Polluted Creeks, Empty Wells Khin Hla Cho, a woman from Ywakalay Village, said access to drinking water has become problematic. We have to dig new wells as the old ones have dried up due to the explosions, she said. Htein Lin, a 55-year-old farmer in Pa-O Su Village, said he relied on a now polluted local creek and sediments in the water had gradually covered 5 of his 6.5 acres of land. I could only complain to the village administrator about the damage to my land, but nothing else happened, he lamented. Anger has long been building among the communities. In 2014, they sent a petition with 1,200 signatures to the Presidents Office but received no reply. Recently, they sent letters to the National League for Democracy (NLD) government in Naypyidaw and the Mon State government demanding action against the quarries. On June 5, desperate farmers staged a protest calling for Long Life Aggregate Mining Company to cease quarrying. Shwe Thaung, the Ohn Titbin Village Administrator, acknowledged the environmental problems, but said he was powerless to stop the companies because they had received long-running licenses from the previous government A creek that was 100 feet wide in the past has now narrowed to about six feet because heaps of waste [from the quarries] were dumped in it, he told Myanmar Now, adding that pollution had also affected his rubber plantation. Supplying Expanding Infrastructure More than 100 quarries have sprung up in recent years near the easily accessible mountains in Mon State22 of which are located in Paung Township and 48 in Kyaikhto Township, according to Aye Zan, an NLD Mon State lawmaker who is studying the industrys environmental impact. On the eastern and western sides of Kalama Mountain, which dominates the region, six companiesYarmanya, Long Life Aggregate Mining, Shwe Myint Moh Tun, Tun Tauk Sa, Azami and L.M. Jewelleryare extracting rock stone. At the noisy, dusty quarries, dynamite and heavy machinery is used to break off large chunks of rocks from the mountainside, which are then crushed into gravel or smaller rocks that are loaded on to trucks. The construction material is supplied to Myanmars growing number of road and infrastructure works, as well as government development projects, such as deep-sea ports and special economic zones at Thilawa near Rangoon, and Kyauk Phyu Island off Arakan State. Tin Ohn, general manager of Shwe Myint Moh Tun Company, said it held a 30-year license to quarry 50 acres of mountainside, adding that the firm produced around 400 tons of rocks per day destined for the Thilawa SEZ. We operate quarries at a rocky mountainside that is not suitable for agriculture. We have approval of the Mon State government, he said. Tin Ohn downplayed the quarrys environmental impacts, but added that affected farmers would be paid around $80 if they could show that a young rubber tree was destroyed by the company. Government Action? Tin Hla, a senior member of the Agriculture and Farmers Federation of Myanmar, which is supporting local communities, said some companies were breaching environmental rules by operating in the vicinity of farms, but authorities failed to act against them. According to the rules, quarries must be set up about 4 miles away from villages, he said, adding that the companies made no effort to consult villagers or accept complaints about their operations. Aye Zan, the NLD lawmaker, said, We can say for sure that these mining activities have negative environmental and social impacts, but we are still in the process of surveying all these mining sites in Mon State. After that we will table a bill in the Mon State parliament about this issue. Tun Ming Aung, a Paung Township state lawmaker with the NLD who raised the problems in the state legislature on June 2, said he would call for regulating the quarries when the complaints were properly documented. If people really suffer from these quarries we will try to stop them, he said. Min Kyi Win, the states Minister for Environmental Conservation and Natural Resources, told Myanmar Now that the environmental impacts were a concern, but added that the quarries were an important source of state government revenue. If our country has sufficient revenue we dont need to break up these mountains, he said. Htun Ko, a 35-year-old farmer from Ook Tatar Village who has been protesting against Long Life Aggregate Mining Company, said residents livelihoods suffered greatly and he vowed they would continue to fight against the mining. Our campaign will continue until the companies move away from this area, he said. This story originally appeared on Myanmar Now. News / National by Thobekile Zhou The importation ban on several items has turned into a circus as government departments are issuing conflicting reports.On Monday evening there where media reports indicating that protesting travellers at Beitbridge border post had forced Zimbabwe Revenue Authority to suspended the implementation of the controversial ban on importing certain items.The ban was gazetted only last week under statutory instrument number 64 of 2016 which sought to tighten screws on imports of basic commodities.At the weekend, fed up travellers at Beitbridge Border post staged protests after Zimra officials had randomly confiscating items.But in a twist, Minister of Industry and Commerce, Mike Bimha told the ZBC News that the ban would be enforced in July."The regulation comes into effect next month, when the importation of some commodities in the statutory instrument will now require the granting of permits" he said.The goods that have been literally banned include coffee creamers (Cremora), Camphor creams, white petroleum jellies and body creams.The long list also includes furniture, baked beans and potato crisps, cereals, bottled water, mayonnaise, salad cream, peanut butter, jams, maheu, canned fruits and vegetables, pizza base, yoghurts, flavoured milks, dairy juice blends, ice-creams, cultured milk and cheese. Title: When it works it's OK, when it doesn't it's awful Time With Provider: Package Name: I signed up because I was an existing mobile customer (had to move providers as Demon - owned by Vodafone - is being run into the ground).The purchase process was a nightmare - it took three attempts to reach the sales line and then my order just stopped. When I rang to enquire I was told that there was an issue, answered one question was told it would progress. It didn't. So I chased again and was asked another simple question that had frozen the order. In both of cases VF could have sorted the problem with one simple email or call but didn't.On transfer days (five weeks after the order rather than the ten working days promised) I plugged in the router and waited. ADSL provision moved over then when time came to switch over to VDSL the system froze. So I tried VF's appalling technical helpline and ended up talking to the team in Glasgow who are not bad once you've hacked through the automated call handling. Turned out that there is a known issue with routers not initialising properly. Once we got to that point, a factory reset of the router and it worked perfectly.Line speeds as I'm close to the exchange are 79.99 Mbps downstream and 19.0 upstream, so pretty respectable. However a number of ongoing niggles have occurred:1) faulty exchange equipment - I was suffering repeated short outages; I eventually spoke to someone competent who diagnosed a possible BT equipment fault. 48 hours outage - difficult when my wife runs a business from home - and an Openreach visit to the local BT box and it's been fine since. Not VF's fault but it should have shown on their systems and been rectified before2) contention - although this is less of an issue, I suffer reduced download speeds during high load times (falling from around 80 Mbps to 30 - still respectable but annoying)3) router - the one supplied by VF is crap and you can't use your own; it won't recognise USB hard drives, and the Twonky server is non-functional. Support can't get it working either. It also knackered an existing media server on my home network (the work around is to make sure that your VF router is plugged into nothing but a switch connected to everything else). It works now but seems ludicrous. Being able to use my own VDSL modem/router (as BT allow) would sort a lot of problems. As I said, the supplied one is crap. There may be future firmware updates but for now if you want anything more than plug and play for someone with no technical skills, I'd look elsewhere4) customer services - the automated phone service is enough to suck your soul out through your ears and leave you in tears as you try to find the right combination of buttons to talk to an actual person. EVERYTHING about the system is designed to get you talking to someone about mobiles, not broadband. Even the dedicated broadband support line (0808 003 4515) can render it impossibleThe offer from VF is something that works very well when it works, and COULD be very good with some minor tweaks: a decent line for support queries and the option to use one's own hardware would make the problems disappear. As it is, look elsewhere, and even if BT or Talk Talk's customer support is poor, it can't be as bad as this. If it weren't for an eighteen month contract term I would already have jacked it in and gone elsewhere. TOP500 announced on Monday, June 20, that China has gained the highest rank in computing power by placing more machines than the United States on the list and building the fastest supercomputer in the world with domestic processor chips. According to Engadget, China's new supercomputer is called the Sunway TaihuLight. On its official website, Top500 has declared that China's supercomputer is the world's fastest. The Sunway TaihuLight supercomputer is located in Wuxi, Jiangsu province, at the state-funded Chinese Supercomputing Center. The machine is a 40,960-node system powered entirely by the 260-core ShenWei 26010 Chinese processors. The processor has been designed by Shanghai High Performance IC Design Center. The Chinese supercomputer is leading by a wide margin, at 93 petaflops of processing power. The Sunway TaihuLight is being nearly three times more powerful than the previous record-setter, the 33.85-petaflop Tianhe-2. China's new system runs on a custom Linux variant and uses a custom interconnect format based on PCI Express to link its nodes. The power-efficient machine has a relatively modest 15.3 megawatts of energy consumption. According to Bloomberg, the fact that the world's fastest supercomputer is powered by Chinese-designed semiconductors is a breakthrough for country's attempts to reduce dependence on imported technology. It is also threat for the first time to U.S. technology dominance. Jack Dongarra, the creator of the measurement method used by TOP500 and professor at the University of Tennessee, said that this is the first time when China has more systems on the TOP500 list than the U.S. While the Chinese had no entries in the 2001 list, in the latest they have 167 machines compared with 165 for the U.S. Dongarra also confirmed that China's supercomputer is not based on an existing architecture. Previous supercomputer winners used processors built on U.S. technology from International Business Machines Corp., Intel Corp. or Sun Microsystems. With this venture China shows its determination to replace its dependence on expensive tech imports and build its domestic chip industry. The country may also try to minimize its reliance on U.S. companies for security infrastructure and defense technology. Google has upgraded its navigation and mapping app Waze to help for drivers to easier steer around tricky intersections. The setting to bypass difficult intersections has been launched in Los Angeles on Friday, June 17. Los Angles City has one of the largest communities of Waze users. According to estimations, around 10 percent of L.A. drivers use the application. According to Gizmodo, the city of Los Angles works closely with app developers in order to help provide drivers with data via LA's open-data portal. Peter Marx, the city's Chief Technology Officer, told the publication that the city provided the locations of signalized intersections to Waze, in an aim to relieve congestion and driving stress in Los Angeles. According to Vanguard Tribune, Waze will help drivers to solve the left-hand turns that can be a safety hazard especially in the absence of traffic light. The spokeswoman for Waze, Julie Mossler, said that the upgraded app will help avoiding taking additional longer routes. The drivers in Los Angeles City and in additional 18 countries will benefit of the new Waze upgrade. Among these countries are included Italy, France, Netherlands, Columbia and Brazil, among others. Google's navigation app Waze used to insist on making left turns on busy streets with no signal to stop traffic. Waze calls these types of situations "difficult intersections." However, the new feature will become the default setting on the app in order to help drivers avoid these difficult intersections. Now drivers will be given an alternative route, like using a series of right turns or going to the closest signal instead, to make turning left easier. Not every single difficult intersection can be avoided and in some cases this might add travel time. If drivers would rather prefer to make their way across a multi-lane road, they can also disable the new feature. News / National by Thobekile Zhou Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) leader former Vice-President of Zimbabwe, Joice Mujuru takes her rallies to Harare this weekend to 'sell her party brand'.Mujuru held her first rally as opposition leader on Saturday in Bulawayo attracting a capacity crowd at Stanley Square.Since politics is a game of numbers, her popularity will come under immense scrutiny in Harare.ZimPF Provincial Spokesperson Retired Colonel Kudzai Mbudzi briefly told Bulawayo24.com in Bulawayo that Mujuru will hold rallies in all provinces."Mujuru has started holding rallies."The next rally is in Harare on 26 June followed by Masvingo on 6 July"Mashonaland East gets a chance to meet her on 8 July and Manicaland (July 9 then travel to Matabeleland North( July 13), in Mashonaland Central (July 15) Midlands, Mashonaland West (July 20) and then head to Matabeleland South on July 23.Mbudzi said the party does not believe in bussing people to rallies."People expect to see what numbers we will be able to pull since politics is definitely a game of numbers."However people should take not that we do not believe in bussed people".However, during introductions on Saturday, a Masvingo coordinator said came wire more than 100 party supporters 'to support Bulawayo'. Data-Centre-as-a-Service provider NextDCs Melbourne data centre which uses solar power as a supplementary energy source has been certified to operate at a NABERS 4.5 star level of energy efficiency. NEXTDCs head of engineering and design, Jeff Van Zetten, said the NABERS certification process was begun in October 2014 and required a year of measurement and considerable effort from the companys engineering team. According to Van Zetten, the Melbourne centre (M1) is the first data centre in Asia Pacific to use solar power as a supplementary energy source, and a rating of the standard certified confirms NEXTDCs commitment to meeting customer demand for keeping IT and energy costs to a minimum and building a strong sustainability strategy. M1 was designed to maximise the reliability of the critical plant that supports our customers needs, and at the same time we delivered an extremely energy-efficient data centre. Achieving these two goals hand-in-hand while operating at scale above 10MW is very significant. As the first data centre in Australia to operate at a NABERS 4.5 star level, M1 is realising the NABERS intent to genuinely benchmark efficiency and support the long-term sustainability of our industry. The chief operating officer of NextDC , Simon Cooper, said while reliability and speed of access to data are the key concerns for data centre operators, sustainability is an increasing priority. "We continue to invest in this area as it is fundamental to the sustainability of all businesses, as well as the future needs of Australias IoT-based society." The Debian GNU/Linux project says that former Tor developer Jacob Appelbaum is no longer welcome at its events, after charges of sexual misconduct were levelled against him. Appelbaum, a well-known privacy advocate, resigned from the Tor project on 2 June. As iTWire reported on Monday, Appelbaum's status as a Debian developer was revoked on 18 June. Responding to a query from iTWire, Debian Project leader Mehdi Dogguy said: "The Debian Account Managers have taken action to revoke Jacob's membership of our project. This is a matter we take extremely seriously and it has been under consideration for two weeks." Appelbaum has also been asked to leave other hacker groups like the Cult of the Dead Cow, Noisebridge, and will not be allowed to attend events organised by the hacker group Chaos Computer Club. Dogguy said: "In reaching their decision, the Debian Account Managers took into account the public disclosures from members of the Tor project and others, and first-hand accounts from members of the Debian community. "At the time the decision was taken, Jacob had not responded to our request for his comments." Asked whether Appelbaum would now be allowed to attend Debian conferences, Dogguy responded: "At the moment, he is not welcome in Debian events." Meanwhile, at least a couple of members of Linux Australia are resisting a push by Russell Coker, a senior Debian developer and a long-time member of the Linux community, to bar Appelbaum from any LA events. Appelbaum was one of the keynote speakers at the annual Australian National Linux conference (LCA), which is organised by LA, in 2012. Russell wrote to the main linux-aus mailing list saying he wanted Appelbaum banned from future LCAs and also wanted Linux Australia to make a public statement about the matter, a suggestion which was taken up by Linux Australia president Hugh Blemings. Blemings said the matter would be taken up at the council meeting on Tuesday night and he did not want to comment further. Two people posted to the linux-aus mailing list, saying that any restrictions on Appelbaum should be put in place only after he was formally found guilty of the charges that have been levelled at him. One of them, Andri Effendi, referred to Appelbaum's work with Tor, and his association with people like Julian Assange and Edward Snowden, and suggested that the charges may be a set-up. "It has been a proven fact that GCHQ has a program for psychological manipulation and there are slides that show the tactics they use on 'targets' to ruin a persons life," Effendi wrote. "For this look at the Ed Snowden documents." He said this was not dissimilar to what has happened in Appelbaum's case. "Someone(s) has set up a blog by people purporting to be his victims. They've contacted colleagues, neighbours and friends. "If this community is to stand by its own values, we must presume Jacob Appelbaum is innocent until proven guilty. Otherwise this might as well be the Spanish Inquisition." On the ABCs Q&A program on Monday night, Turnbull made it clear the governments preference was for very large IT services contracts in the future to be delivered from within government, and not outsourced to private companies. Turnbull told his Q&A audience that while the Medicare payments system was badly in need of updating to get it to a sort of smartphone-era, the work would be done within government, not outsourced. I am very sceptical about the way in which very large IT services have been outsourced to big systems integrators in the past and the efficiencies have often been less in reality than were promised. "Thats why I set up the Digital Transformation Office. Its like a start-up within government, but with the innovation edge of a start-up, to revive, renew government online services from within government, rather than just signing big contracts with the big systems integrators."Turnbull told Q&A host Tony Jones he was not an unqualified fan of outsourcing at all and if I was I would never have set-up the Digital Transformation Office.What we have to do is ensure we bring government services into the 21st century and you don't do that, solely, by pushing them out the door so there is nothing left inside government."The Prime Minister also restated his commitment that Medicare would not be privatised, nor sold off by the government. He was responding to Labor leader Bill Shorten's statements that the govermnment was planning to privatise the healthcare service."I am saying to all Australians unequivocally that no part of Medicare that is delivered by government today will be delivered by anyone else in the future," he said, adding that this included the Medicare payments system. Internet Australia has given a tick of approval to the NSW government for its decision to allocate significant funding to foster innovation, saying state governments are crucial to Australia becoming an "innovation nation". Laurie Patton, the chief of IA, the body representing Internet users applauded the move, while noting that Australia is well placed to become an innovation nation, and the support of state governments will be crucial if we are to achieve our full potential to become a significant player in our region. But, despite his endorsement of the role of state governments, Patton cautioned that moves to increase the use of online platforms by people dealing with government agencies need to be matched with programs to ensure that everyone has access to the Internet and the skills to use it. The year 2016 is the National Year of Digital Inclusion. A time to ensure that we do not exacerbate the existing 'digital divide. Overseas experience, especially in the UK, has found that increased online provision of government services benefits the digitally literate but also disadvantages people without digital skills, Patton cautioned. The IA boss also highlighted the need for fast broadband to be rolled out ASAP in order to ensure that NSW benefits from the emerging digitally enabled global economy. And, Patton repeated IAs recent call for a review of the NBN, once again banging the drum about the use of ageing copper and what he has described as a decrepit HFC network built 25 years ago for Pay TV placing Australias economic future at risk. We've fallen to 60th on global speed rankings, from 30th just a few years ago. This slide relative to our overseas peers will continue even as the NBN is being built so long as we rely on the current technology mix. New Zealand out-performs us and Singapore, arguably our biggest regional competitor, already delivers broadband speeds 100 times faster than ours. IA has repeatedly maintained that the Internet is an essential service that will underpin Australia's social and economic progress and that all Australians must have reliable, affordable access to a high-quality, high-bandwidth broadband service for both upstream and downstream traffic wherever they live and work. If the Internet is to reach its potential for good it is essential that we make it available to everyone. The ability to participate in our digitally enabled future is becoming a basic right of all Australians. Gaining employment, dealing with government, and engaging in a wide range of community activities will increasingly require digital skills." UK tech employees are sounding a warning that if Britain votes to leave the European Union (EU) in the Brexit referendum, it will have a negative impact on the technology sector in the country, and, more broadly, on the global tech industry. Just hours ahead of Thursday nights (our time) Brexit vote, polling in the UK puts the opposing sides the Remain and Leave campaigns neck and neck at 50/50. A newly released survey by Juniper Research reveals that tech employees from both UK and international firms think the industry would suffer as a result of reduced funding from the EU for the UK tech sector, and that London would be less attractive as a tech hub. The survey found that 65% of UK tech employees believed that leaving the EU would have a negative effect on the global technology industry. More than 7 in 10 of UK respondents who think it would be bad for the sector believe it would be harder for UK tech firms to attract and employ individuals from EU countries. But, despite the concerns of those tech employees about an exit from the EU, the research also found that a significant minority (35%) of UK respondents believed that Brexit would either have little impact on the tech industry or else could even have a net positive effect. Almost 90% of those who felt that the tech sector would be unaffected by Brexit cited the global nature of the tech industry and how it is largely unaffected by political or geographic boundaries, while of those who believed Brexit to be positive for the tech sector, more than 80% cited less EU red tape as a benefit. And, the survey also found that immigration was regarded as the biggest issue in the referendum, with 38% of respondents placing it at the top of their list, ahead of the economy (28%), while 66% of respondents who expressed a preference felt that the Leave campaign had outperformed Remain. According to Dr Windsor Holden, head of forecasting and consultancy at Juniper Research, the nature and diversity of the reasons cited for the UK to remain in the EU presented difficulties to the Remain campaign. Vote Leave have focused effectively on the emotive issue of immigration, Holden says. The combination of financial and economic issues which concern those wary of Brexit cannot as easily be encapsulated and communicated, and therefore present a real challenge to those seeking to engage with the public. Junipers report Brexit -The Tech Industry Take is available as a free download after registration, from the Juniper website. Some people follow the money; some [happier] ones follow the passion. Regardless, some companies develop a reputation for being either the best, hippest, coolest or most exciting places to work. LinkedIn, the worlds largest Internet-based professional network, has published the Australian Top Attractors List (top 25 at the end of the article) and, while it statistically favours larger companies, it also covers reputation. KPMG, PwC and Commonwealth Bank are its top three employers in Australia. While professional and financial services companies dominate the list, it is interesting that Aussies want to work for homegrown brands 50% of the top 10 companies are Australian. Jason Laufer, LinkedIn director of talent solutions Australia and New Zealand, said, Our research reveals that 70% of Aussie workers are willing to take a pay cut to work for a company with a mission they believe in, and that shares their personal values. Building a strong talent brand driven by purpose and showcasing their culture by sharing content through their employees' networks is vital to attracting the right talent." The research also covered attitudes to some incentives and conversely barriers. Key drivers included: 61% stated the primary reason for being more attracted to big-name companies is that they offer higher salaries. 95% prefer a grossed up salary rather than offset by company perks. 56% cited availability of flexible hours and remote working when necessary. 37% wanted strong health care benefits. Top five things that Aussie workers take into account when considering a company: 63% competitive salary 53% opportunity for growth opportunity for growth 48% health of the business health of the business 39% short commute short commute 37% whether they like their potential boss Surprisingly, or perhaps not, aspirational or feel-good things like corporate social responsibility (CSR), and PPP people, planet, profit did not even rate a mention. HR managers have long touted these as important non-salary benefits yet workers are saying "dont spend money on them spend it on us". However, when asked what they would not put up with if they were given an opportunity to work for a leading company in their industry, 78% said they would not tolerate a bad corporate culture, and 67% said they would not tolerate a company that didnt align with their personal values (whatever they may be). A total of 59% said they would tolerate an outdated and uninspiring office space if it meant better wages or conditions. The full list of LinkedIns Australia Top Attractors for talent is below: News / National by Sukulwenkosi Dube A 46-YEAR-OLD Bulilima man struck his 17-year-old nephew with an iron rod on the head, killing him on the spot for using his scotch cart and leaving it with a punctured tyre.Zamani Moyo, who stays in Tshukuluthu Village, Maitengwe area, is suspected to have fled to Botswana after killing Takemore Moyo (17), a Form Two pupil at Bambadzi Secondary School.The incident happened on Saturday afternoon. A furious Zamani allegedly accosted Takemore with a Mopane switch and beat him up until he retaliated. The councillor for the area, Zoolakes Nyathi, said Takemore grabbed a brick and struck his uncle on the chest."Zamani armed himself with an iron rod and struck his nephew on the head resulting in his death," said Clr Nyathi. He said Takemore's grandmother, Ms Grace Mdlongwa, who was asleep in another room, was awakened by the noise of the scuffle.Clr Nyathi said Ms Mdlongwa found her grandson lying on the ground and tried unsuccessfully to resuscitate him. Zamani, the councillor said, fled from the homestead."Villagers teamed up in pursuit of Zamani but footprints showed that he had crossed into Botswana through an illegal entry point," said Clr Nyathi. He described the incident as a tragedy that had left community members shocked.The councillor urged villagers to amicably solve disputes without using violence. We all need somewhere to live, a roof over our heads, a safe place to call home But with rapid technological advances and the move to remote working, it has become so much more. Global flat-pack furniture and accessories giant IKEA has unveiled insights into Sydney homes compared to homes from 12 different cities, including Stockholm and New York. The third annual IKEA Life at Home Report opens the doors to Australian homes, revealing that the Australian home goes beyond the physical space meaning the "home" can be created in any place where friends and family meet and connect. On the tech front the report exposes a variety of interesting issues when it dives into findings around both social spaces, work and private areas, and how, and what, affects our way of interacting with our connections online and offline: 68% of Aussies communicate and interact with others online in the home; 26% of 18-29-year-olds believe having good Wi-Fi is more important than having social spaces within the home; 17% think contact online is more important than being able to invite people into their home; 40% admit to checking social media when they wake up in the night, highlighting the need and desire to be hyper-connected, no matter the time of day; and 65% of all Millennials (18-29-year-olds) and 49% in the silver generation (61+ years) stream/play music to "feel" at home. Tiffany Buckins, country interior design manager, IKEA Australia, says, When we think of the space at home, it is easy just to think of it as a physical area where we keep our things and go about our daily activities. In other words: four walls and a roof. While the home is a personal haven where we can recline, reconnect and revitalise after a long day, the research reveals home isnt only a physical structure its also a sensory experience. While most homes have been designed to be functional with little attention paid to our senses, the research found that for a space to feel like home, a fourth dimension needs to come into play: our senses. Taste, sight, smell, and sound are all important building blocks in how we experience our surroundings. Senses help us make sense of the world around us and have a strong impact on our moods, emotions, and even behaviour. Comment IKEAs findings on technology and the home are a start, but probably dont go far enough. As Australian homes ranging from stand-alone homes to micro-studio apartments get smaller due to the pressures of land and house building costs, many want do more "work" within their homes. This is evidenced by: Australia rides on the back of small business, with around 62% of the 97% of all small business being sole traders without employees working from home. A recent LinkedIn study said 56% wanted flexible and remote working ability. Businesses faced with ever increasing "HQ" rental and space costs are looking at home working to reduce the pressure on providing space and desks at work. A significant increase in the number of K12 students to over 3.752 M A massive increase to more than 1.314 million in university education driven by foreign student intake (328,659). Add to that the TAFE and private college systems and there are well over two million needing to have a study environment at home. The greying of Australia the last statistics were 3.3 million in 2014 means more are abandoning larger family homes (where they could host a dinner party or BBQ) for smaller apartments and moving a lot of relationships online. This group may not be ready to retire but also want flexibility in work or part-time work work from home. means more are abandoning larger family homes (where they could host a dinner party or BBQ) for smaller apartments and moving a lot of relationships online. This group may not be ready to retire but also want flexibility in work or part-time work work from home. 98% of Australians have Internet access (or some sort), and most use it daily Home owners tech needs are simple fast and reliable Internet so that they can run a business. The need for an NBN is evident. Electrical contractors are reporting an upturn in new homes of ethernet cabling throughout to carry phone, LAN, and music, as well as an increase in the number and location of power points and more light fittings. The days of a single central light in a bedroom are over. With smaller homes come micro spaces so well-designed desks, filing cabinets, workspace lamps/lighting, and suitable home office furnishings/fabrics/finishes need to fit into a variety of spaces including the bedroom, kitchen, lounge whatever happened to the luxury of a separate study? Tech companies like Canon, and HP are reporting that consumers want SOHO (small office, home office) products that look good and have colours that match modern home decor - and have all the same features as commercial units. D-Link says a router is now more likely to be placed beside the large screen TV in the lounge it has to look good. It also reflects the need for not only fast Wi-Fi AC, but multiple channels (at least dual 2.4 and 5GHz bands, multi-user MIMO antennas) and IoT support. A router is no longer just a router. Once we all went to work physically. Now we commute via cyberspace. Have a read of iTWires David Williams most timely article titled Virtual Reality headsets propel future of remote working. The problem with most security cameras is they have a fixed field of view. The cure is not one of those fancy 360 cameras but a better dome camera that has a 75 tilt, and full 360 pan and rotation. D-Link wanted to focus on image quality with its new DCS-4802E Vigilance full HD, day and night, outdoor dome turret, PoE, network camera. The Vigilance DCS-4802E has HD 19201080 resolution (can record at a lower resolution for smaller file size), integrated infrared illumination (up to 20 metres in complete darkness and 3D noise filtering) and a rugged IP66 weatherproof housing that ensures continuous performance even in extreme climates. The 3-axis gimbal allows for precise lens positioning and it uses PoE (power over ethernet) for fixed installation. D-Link ANZ managing director Graeme Reardon said, Security conscious buyers will observe a very deliberate pattern in the Vigilance IP camera product line since its successful launch last year. D-Link recognises that an increasing number of businesses are seeking value-oriented, professional surveillance cameras that offer a wide range of features, yet are easy to use. The DCS-4802E expands the Vigilance line-up with more features. Specifications include: Two Megapixel, 1/3 CMOS, f/2.0, 10X digital zoom, full HD 1080p resolution Adjustable image size and quality, 16:9 or 4:3 from 360p to 1080p Wide Dynamic Range (WDR) video enhancement for variable light conditions Infrared LED night vision (20 m in complete darkness) 8mm lens (108 diagonal field of view) 360-degree pan and rotate, 75 tilt capability Video motion detection IP66 Weatherproof rating 802.3af compliant PoE module for single cable install Real-time video compression H.264, MJPEG and JPEG codecs Up to 32 networked cameras uses IPv4 or IPv6 Supports simultaneous video streaming and recording Designed for general security, access control, monitoring public areas, monitoring inventory D-View robust management software includes upload of customised floor plan (privacy mask) and email alerts HTTPS web access ONVIF compliant (interoperable with any ONVIF software, and controllers) Price $349.95 from D-Links online shop of security providers. From what I have seen, this is one of the more fully featured dome cameras at a great price. In 20 years, there will be more robots than humans, people will date through their avatars and drones will deliver pizzas. That's the vision many Americans have of the future, according to a study from the Imperial College of London, which surveyed more than 2,000 Americans about how they believe technology will transform their lives. The study, was released today to mark the beginning of Technology Week in London, shows that one in four adult Americans expect there will be more robots than people by 2036. It also found that 35% expect people to date via avatars instead of in person and 69% says cashless technologies will replace paper money and coins. Ezra Gottheil, an analyst with Technology Business Research, isn't quite as technologically optimistic as many in the survey. "Well, I'd have problems with both those specific predictions," he told Computerworld. "Drones are going to be subject to flight restrictions because of the density of traffic, but there will be a lot of robots doing things people do now. I have little doubt that pizzas will be delivered -- and probably made -- by unmanned vehicles." And Gottheil said he doesn't buy the avatar dating prediction at all. The Americans surveyed also foresee technology changing healthcare. Some of those surveyed said they expect to use virtual reality to "see" their doctor in the 2030s, rather than physically going to the doctor's office. When someone needs an organ transplant, instead of waiting nervously on a donor list, a 3D printer will simply make the organ they need. And a little less than half of those surveyed also say the world's first cloned human will have been born by 2036. Gottheil isn't sure society is ready for that yet. "I think we're close to being able to clone people," he said. "Well, maybe able, but ethics prevent us from doing so. Well, either ethics or crowds with pitchforks." This fast drive, currently discounted by 52% on Amazon from $119.99 down to just $57.99, plugs directly in your lightning or USB port allowing you to add 64 GB of storage to your iPhone, iPad and iPod, allowing you to transfer files to and from a computer/laptop without using a cable. You can also copy and browse all files with the FREE IOS app giving you the ability to directly watch movies and listen to music that you can store on the drive. The HooToo Lightning connector flash drive currently averages 4.5 out of 5 stars (read reviews). For more information and buying options, see the discounted flash drive on Amazon. Twitter has made no secret of its interest in machine learning in recent years, and on Monday the company put its money where its mouth is once again by purchasing London startup Magic Pony Technology, which has focused on visual processing. "Magic Ponys technology -- based on research by the team to create algorithms that can understand the features of imagery -- will be used to enhance our strength in live [streaming] and video and opens up a whole lot of exciting creative possibilities for Twitter," Twitter cofounder and CEO Jack Dorsey wrote in a blog post announcing the news. The startup's team includes 11 Ph.Ds with expertise across computer vision, machine learning, high-performance computing and computational neuroscience, Dorsey said. They'll join Twitter's Cortex group, made up of engineers, data scientists and machine-learning researchers. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The acquisition follows several related purchases by the social media giant, including Madbits in 2014 and Whetlab last year. This time, Twitter stands to benefit in three ways. 1. Better videos Video quality is surely the most obvious reason Twitter undertook the move. "Though video and live video are becoming increasingly critical parts of social and sharing sites, image quality often leaves much to be desired," said Charles King, principal analyst with Pund-IT. "That's a problem that Magic Pony's team has tackled successfully by developing algorithms that automatically sharpen and fix low-resolution and blurred images." The deal should help Twitter enhance the quality of videos shared on its site, thus improving user experience and enjoyment. That's a big deal for a site that's been struggling to attract and retain loyal users. 2. A sharper focus on events Indexing and categorizing unstructured data like pictures and videos isn't easy, but it's critical to making sure they can be found and promoted. That's especially important for real-time news, which is Twitter's specialty, said Rob Enderle, principal analyst with Enderle Group. "With this they can take an event like the Orlando shooting and collect, near instantly, all the user-created video and pictures into a single stream and provide a level of coverage a network would envy," Enderle said. "You could literally watch the stories emerge through the virtual eyes of the folks there." Combined with commentary, that content could essentially form a news service, either from Twitter or through another business that pays Twitter for the technology, Enderle said. Machine learning "could become one of their best paths to profitability, because the result could be both compelling and a huge ad revenue generator," Enderle said. Of course, "Id anticipate a huge spike in spending before they get the benefit of the result," he added. "That could be problematic for investors." 3. Deeper analytics Machine learning and neural networks are becoming "a very hot part of the overall big data and analytics market space," and with investments like this one, Twitter can "move beyond being a data source of human comments" and push further into analytics, said Nik Rouda, a senior analyst with Enterprise Strategy Group. For example, it could use the new capabilities to start offering intelligence services to analyze the Twitter streams of businesses that don't yet have machine-learning capabilities of their own, Rouda said. It could also move beyond just hashtags and text analytics to find trending topics in the images and videos that get tweeted, he added. Twitter could use the technology to identify specific people, locations and things in photos and video, and to profile users for marketing ads or driving more engagement, he suggested. Finally, it could tap machine learning to identify copyrighted materials -- "even those that have been modified in memes," he said. "This helps Twitter continue to evolve beyond just short text comments into some potentially more valuable areas," Rouda said. Alternative chip architectures are taking some thunder away from Intel's x86 at this week's International Supercomputing Conference in Frankfurt. China's TaihuLight, which was ranked the world's fastest supercomputer, has a homegrown chip. And the ARM architecture, which dominates mobile-device chips, will appear in Fujitsu's next flagship supercomputer. The Fujitsu system, called Post-K, will succeed the K computer that is No. 5 on the Top500 list of the world's fastest supercomputers. Post-K will be installed at the RIKEN Advanced Institute for Computational Science in Japan in 2020. Fujitsu will share more details about the computer on Tuesday during a session at the conference. The K computer, which delivers 10.5 petaflops of peak performance, uses the Fujitsu-designed SPARC64 VIIIfx processor. for Post-K, Fujitsu will design an ARM chip. In 2014, Fujitsu said it would use its SPARC Xlfx processor in the next K computer. It's not clear whether that chip will now go into an upgrade to the current K system. Fujitsu has not respond to a request for comment on that point. The company also sells servers based on SPARC. There's a chance those might also shift to ARM, said Jim McGregor, principal analyst at Tirias Research. Fujitsu already makes ARM-based microcontrollers and networking chips. The fundamental shift in processor architecture will require big changes and investments in the silicon, software and customer support, McGregor said. Fujitsu may have come to the conclusion that SPARC was losing its competitive edge and they had a choice to move to x86, Power or ARM. ARM processors may be the right choice for its Fujitsu's servers, which are built for infrastructure workloads, McGregor said. "It maybe isn't a big deal to Intel, but it definitely is a notch in the playing field for one of the alternatives [to x86]," McGregor said. Companies like Google are also looking at x86 alternatives for custom workloads. Google and Rackspace are teaming up to design a server called Zaius based on the Power9 architecture. Intel dominates the server chip market and went into 99.2 percent of all servers in 2015, according to IDC. Computing vendors see ARM servers as a power-efficient alternative to Intel's Xeon chips but are mostly still in the testing stage. Analysts believe ARM's market share will grow over time. There is also growing concern around large-scale supercomputers drawing megawatts of power. ARM supercomputers might be a more power-efficient alternative. U.S. warnings and public scrutiny of hacks by groups believed to be China-based may have led to an overall decrease in intrusions by these groups against targets in the U.S. and 25 other countries, a security firm said. From mid-2014, after the U.S. Government took punitive measures against China, including indicting members of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army for computer hacking, economic espionage and other charges, and raised the possibility of sanctions, FireEye has seen a notable decline in successful network compromises by China-based groups in these countries. We suspect that this shift in operations reflects the influence of ongoing military reforms, widespread exposure of Chinese cyber operations, and actions taken by the U.S. government, according to the report released Monday by FireEyes iSIGHT Intelligence. The unit reviewed the activity of 72 groups that it suspects to be operating in China or supporting Chinese state interests. Other security firms have also commented previously on the possible decline of hacks by China-based groups after strong measures by the U.S. But in April, Admiral Michael Rogers, Commander of the U.S. Cyber Command, told a Senate committee that cyber operations from China are still "targeting and exploiting" U.S. government, defense industry, academic and private computer networks." Starting with measures like the indictment of the five PLA members in May 2014, President Barack Obama authorized in April 2015 the sanctioning of individuals or entities that engage in malicious cyber-enabled activities that create a significant threat to the national security, foreign policy, or economic health or financial stability of the United States. There were reports subsequently suggesting that the U.S. government could also impose sanctions on China for cyberespionage. During a September visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to the U.S., he and Obama agreed that the two countries will not conduct or support cyber-enabled theft of intellectual property like trade secrets. The activity by China based groups, measured by active network compromises, has dropped from over 60 intrusions in February 2013 to just a few in May this year, according to FireEye. The decline in number of attacks does not necessarily suggest a lack of interest from the Chinese groups, but could be a shift in focus from quantity to quality, experts said. Through late 2015 and 2016, we saw suspected China-based groups compromise corporations networks in the U.S., Europe, and Japan, while also targeting government, military, and commercial entities in the countries surrounding China, according to FireEye. Among the targets this year were a U.S. government services company, in an apparent bid to get information on military projects, and four firms with headquarters in the U.S., Europe and Asia that made semiconductors and chemicals used in the manufacture of the devices. Remember the old saying, dont bite the hand that feeds you? Well, this robot is choosing to prick the fingers that build it. The First Law, as the robot is nicknamed, is a simple machine made up of sensors, a metal arm, and replaceable diabetes needles. A random algorithm programmed into the robot decides whether or not to deliver a sharp prick to your finger. The bots creator, artist and roboticist, Alexander Reben, is not a masochist. Instead, he built the bot to spark a conversation about artificial intelligence. Reben says its important that people discuss the ethics of creating super smart robots and imagine living with them before they become a reality. A robot thats built to cause pain and injury, what does that mean? And if thats not all the robot does, but there is a probability that a robot could do that sort of thing, what do we have to think about now and how do we plan for that? I tried out the villainous machine for myself and have to admit that I was a bit confused about how I should feel. After all, I can yell and hit a person that hurts me, but a robotwhat good would that do? This is not the first time Reben has dabbled with the human-machine relationship. His latest projects include a knife-wielding robot that mimics the symptoms of a person with violent mood swings. Last year, Reben also created a mask that allows other people to speak in place of the wearer. But Rebens most famous piece of art is a documentary, Robots in Residence, made entirely by a series of small cardboard robots he calls, BlabDroids. In the documentary, the tiny droids ask strangers a series of serious questions like, If you died tomorrow, what would you regret the most? Surprisingly, people share details with the bot they would most likely never share with a stranger. Its a phenomenon that Reben attributes to the Eliza Effect, assuming that computer behaviors are the same as human behaviors. Even now, most people have a near heart attack when they lose their phones, so it will be curious to see how humanity deals with technology that will mimic our brains so well, it may even outsmart us. Solar Impulse 2 is halfway to making aviation history. The plane took off from New York's John F. Kennedy Airport on Monday and is making its way across the Atlantic Ocean to Seville, Spain. If successful, it would be the first time an emissions-free airplane has crossed the Atlantic. Solar Impulse 2 is expected to land in Seville on June 23rd after a four-day, nonstop flight. It's not the first time the pilot, Bertrand Piccard, has made the journey, but this trip may be his most significant. "Lindberghs transatlantic flight marked a new area in aviation and contributed to the progress of air transport on a large scale," Piccard said. "With Solar Impulse, our aim is to encourage the deployment of clean technologies everywhere. If an airplane can fly day and night without fuel, everybody could use these same efficient solutions in their daily lives." From Spain, Solar Impulse 2 will continue on to Abu Dhabi, where it began it's journey in March 2015. You can follow the plane's progress online here. News / National by Nqobile Tshili BULAWAYO Provincial Minister of State Nomthandazo Eunice Moyo has invited 15 "serious business persons" to be part of a government delegation heading for China next month to explore investment opportunities. Macro-Economic Planning and Investment Promotion Minister Dr Obert Mpofu will lead the delegation, which will be drawn from different provinces.Minister Moyo said officials from local authorities and provincial ministers would visit China from July 10 to 15 with 15 slots reserved for the business community. She said those who were passionate about the city's development should come aboard."We're going to consider those who come first. It's going to be on a first come and first serve basis. It's open to anyone who wants to develop the city and create business opportunities for themselves," said Minister Moyo. She, however, said those who want to travel must be able to fund themselves."We want to know who we're going to be travelling with by June 25. The businesspersons who want to be part of our delegation should be in a position to fund their trip. We can only facilitate that they acquire visas among other documentation," she said.Minister Moyo urged the business community from Bulawayo to grab the opportunity to travel to the Asian economic giant as the trip can create vast opportunities for them."We'll be going to a very industrialised province so this trip will capacitate them with information to grow their businesses. They'll also create developmental bridges for Bulawayo as the city's industrial resuscitation is on the Government's agenda," said the minister. She said those interested should visit her office at the Mhlahlandlela Government Complex in Bulawayo.They can contact her personal assistant Sichelesile Moyo Ncube on 09-887593, direct line 09-880935 or mobile phone 0772131984. This Week in Review A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more. Contracts were exchanged on Tuesday and the deal should be completed within the next fortnight. It will give Palace's inspirational manager Steve Coppell 3 million to spend on new blood. He will also seek to agree new contracts with star youngsters Clinton Morrison and Hayden Mullins. News / National by Mashudu Netsianda A MAN who was deported from South Africa for allegedly violating the neighbouring country's immigration laws has found himself in a quandary after he was also declared an illegal immigrant in Zimbabwe.Mr Daniel Desire Mncube (46) faces deportation back to South Africa after the Registrar General's office failed to find his name in the country's births and deaths records.He has become "stateless." Statelessness occurs when an individual is not considered as a citizen of any state, and it affects an estimated 12 million people worldwide.Mr Mncube through his lawyer, Mr Bruce Masamvu, said his deportation was fraught with procedural irregularities. He was deported on May 13 this year by the South African Deaprtment of Home Affairs after he was declared an illegal immigrant and is now staying in Beitbridge.Mr Mncube's father was believed to be a Zimbabwean married to a South African. Both parents are late.According to copies of his original documents, Mr Mncube was born in South Africa on February 12, 1970. He acquired his ID in March 1993."I was arrested on February 19, 2016 by South African immigration officials in Pretoria alleging that I was an illegal immigrant from Zimbabwe. I produced my identity documents and they seized them under the guise that they wanted to verify my citizenship status before they handed me over to the police," said Mr Mncube.Upon being released from police custody last month, they deported him to Zimbabwe and did not return his particulars.The confiscated documents include a passport, driver's licence and an ID card.Mr Masamvu said when he contacted the South African Embassy officials in Harare on behalf of Mr Mncube, they failed to give a satisfactory explanation.Ms Grace Sekgothe, who is Second Secretary responsible for immigration and civic services at the South African Embassy, confirmed that they aware of Mr Mncube's case but declined to comment.Mr Masamvu said Mr Mncube's deportation was unlawful and in violation of the South African Citizenship Act."Mncube is a South African and belongs to that country and his deportation is illegal and a violation of that country's laws. The deportation wasn't proper because the South African immigration authorities didn't bother to clarify his status with their Zimbabwean counterparts who clearly indicated that he wasn't on the Registrar-General Office's records," said Masamvu.Section 2 (1) (a) of the South African Citizenship Amendment Act of 2010, reads: "Any person who immediately prior to the date of commencement of the South African Citizenship Amendment Act of 2010, was a South African citizen by birth or (b) who is born in or outside the Republic, one of his or her parents, at the time of his or her birth, being a South African citizen, shall be a South African citizen by birth."Mr Masamvu said they have since written a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Mr Mncube is married to Sarah Ntsholo, who is a South African and the couple has two children.A 1954 United Nations convention on stateless people urges countries in which such people reside, to integrate and naturalise them. News / National by Staff reporter A special envoy of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Mr Zhang Ming has delivered a special message to President Robert Mugabe and presented to him the construction plans for the new Parliament of Zimbabwe building.Speaking after a closed door meeting with Mugabe at his Munhumutapa offices in Harare today, Mr Ming construction should begin as soon as the Zimbabwean government approves the construction plans.Accompanied by Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe and Foreign Affairs officials, the Chinese envoy also announced that China is donating the new parliament which will be situated in Mt Hampden, just outside Harare.The agreement is part of several other mega-deals signed last year when the Chinese President visited the country.With the current Parliament Building in Harare having become small, the new building is expected to house over 210 legislators.The Chinese government also announced a further donation of food aid to Zimbabwe in the form of rice worth US$27 million.Zimbabwe and China share close cooperation in various spheres of development on bilateral and multilateral levels.Among other bilateral projects, China has provided funding for the upgrading of Hwange Power Station and has built schools and clinics across the country.Zimbabwe will also benefit from the US$60 billion given to Africa during the FOCAC Summit held in South Africa last year. Email Links to our top local news stories of the day, Monday through Saturday. News / National by Staff Reporter The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructure Development is set to descend on mining towns across the country to assess the levels of road infrastructure investment with the objective of compelling the entities to increase spending on road rehabilitation.Concerns have been raised over the poor state of road infrastructure around mining towns with communities and the government accusing the entities of neglecting social investment initiatives.Chairperson of the portfolio committee, Dexter Nduna said through the nationwide tour, they seek to engage mining entities so that there is increased investment in road rehabilitation around their communities.The committee is expected to visit Mutoko as its first port of call before heading to Manicaland Province.Granite mining in Mutoko has been a source of conflict between the company and the villagers with the company accused of failing to repair roads.Given the history of reluctance by the mining companies to rehabilitate the road network around their communities, the committee says it will not hesitate to propose a road rehabilitation tax. The Hispanic Conservative Aaron Rodriguez's blog is part of our Purple Wisconsin project. Rodriguez espouses limited government and a competitive free-market economy. SHARE By Jordan Morales, at the Hispanic Conservative, has a good piece out on RNC leadership ultimately rejecting their own 2012 autopsy report by pledging fealty to Donald Trump. "In December 2012, after Mitt Romneys loss to President Obama, RNC Chairman Reince Priebus commissioned an autopsy report (known as the Growth and Opportunity Project) of the 2012 election cycle. Republicans wanted to know what had gone awry and how they could start winning presidential elections in the future. The report was a road map to victory. It treated messaging and demographic partners among other things. But one of the biggest takeaways was that the Republican Party had deficient support from the Hispanic community and that outreach needed major improvement. It said that the GOP needed to enhance its messaging, that a welcoming tone was going to be crucial to repair the relationship with people we had needlessly offended. Specifically, it said Republicans 'must embrace and champion comprehensive immigration reform. If we do not, our Partys appeal will continue to shrink to its core constituencies only.' You can read the full article at The Hispanic Conservative. Editor's Note: Purple Wisconsin is a collection of community bloggers with views from across the political spectrum. The Journal Sentinel hosts these blogs as a way to encourage thoughtful debate about the important issues facing Wisconsin and the Milwaukee region. The opinions voiced here are those of the individual bloggers alone; they are responsible for their posts. The Journal Sentinel does not edit or direct the bloggers in any fashion. SHARE By of the Steve Hannah, former chief executive officer of The Onion, will be the keynote speaker at The Wisconsin Innovation Awards in August, organizers said Tuesday. Hannah, who was managing editor at The Milwaukee Journal before taking the helm at The Onion, transformed the satirical newspaper into a digital media company. He held the CEO position for 10 years, stepping down in 2015 at age 67. Hannah will discuss creativity and adaptability, particularly drawing from 12 years spent writing a syndicated column called "State of Mind" that profiled "extraordinary ordinary" people. Hannah will speak and the awards will be announced at a reception on Tuesday, Aug. 16, at the Wisconsin Union Theater in Madison. For more information, go to www.wisconsininnovationawards.com. SHARE By of the Shine Medical Technologies, a Monona company aiming to make medical isotopes, has signed a supply agreement with HTA Co. Ltd., a Beijing maker and distributor of chemical products. Under the terms of the agreement, Shine will provide molybdenum-99 for use in HTA's technetium generators. Moly-99, as it is known, decays into technetium, a diagnostic imaging agent widely used in medical imaging tests. HTA is China's largest distributor of medical isotopes, the companies said in a statement. The supply agreement is HTA's first with a U.S. supplier of Mily-99, they said. Shine in February received a construction permit from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to build a $100 million plant in Janesville that will make medical isotopes. Shine says it is the only medical isotope producer to reach this stage of the commission's permitting process since the 1960s. In the quest to connect more Wisconsin consumers with homegrown fish, two little-known species hold promise, said Kathy Kline with the Eat Wisconsin Fish initiative. Another cod Untold amounts of ocean cod are served each week in the proverbial Friday night fish fry, but Lake Michigan is home to its own freshwater cod. It's called burbot, lawyer, eelpout, lingcod or "poor man's lobster." "It looks like cod, tastes like cod, you can cook it any way you cook cod," said Joe Van Der Puy, plant manager of Bodin Fisheries in Bayfield on Lake Superior. For Bodin, burbot is bycatch none of the fishermen sets nets specifically for it. There's never been a commercial fishery for burbot, said Kline. Despite low demand, sales "are continuing to rise," according to Van Der Puy. In 2012, Bodin caught 400 pounds. That doubled in 2013 and again in 2014, he said. Brian Moran, former chef and manager of St. Paul Fish Co. in the Milwaukee Public Market and a full-time culinary instructor at Milwaukee Area Technical College, said one problem with the fish is that there's "only about a 30% yield" of edible fish after cleaning it. But, he said, "it's a very nice fish, very white and flaky." And "they're found all over, they live in all different depths of water." If you want to try burbot yourself, you can head to Door County's Washington Island, where one commercial fisherman, Ken Koyen, fishes specifically for burbot, for serving in his restaurant, KK Fiske and The Granary. Promising hybrid And in the farmed-fish sphere, there's saugeye. Saugeye is a naturally occurring hybrid, a cross between a female walleye and a male sauger. The species caught the attention of Wisconsin researchers as a potentially good fish to farm for several reasons. The fish like to live close together, they accept feed well, they grow quickly and they taste just like walleye. "It would be hard to tell the difference in taste, if there is any," said Emma Wiermaa, outreach specialist with the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility in Bayfield. The facility, which already works with walleye to stock inland lakes, has been working with a Wisconsin fish farmer to help him get started raising saugeye. The fish are ideal for an indoor recirculating system, Wiermaa said, because it affords more control and it's more economical for mass production. "Within about five years, if all goes well, we will see businesses starting to raise saugeyes," she said. The following descriptions of some common Wisconsin fish are gleaned from eatwisconsinfish.org, where you'll find much more information about each species, including how often each is safe to eat. Great Lakes fish Burbot: Many Wisconsinites have never heard of this commercial rough fish, also called lawyer. It looks like a cross between an eel and a cod, but it's a member of the freshwater cod family, and its firm, white flesh and delicious flavor resemble that of cod and haddock. Chubs: Bloater chubs have the highest amount of omega-3 fatty acids of the Great Lakes commercial fish species more than sockeye salmon. They are very oily and make a wonderful smoked fish. Numbers have been in decline since the 1990s, and demand far exceeds availability. Lake herring (cisco): Ciscoes (from Lake Superior) have roughly the same amount of omega-3 fatty acids as sockeye salmon. They can be used fresh, smoked and frozen; they can be steamed, fried, broiled and baked. However, much of the catch is sent out of state to be made into gefilte fish, and the roe is made into caviar. Lake trout: Historically, lake trout (along with whitefish, sturgeon and herring) was one of the "big four" species of Great Lakes commercial fishing. It was already long in decline from overfishing and pollution when the invasive sea lamprey entered the Upper Great Lakes in the 1930s and nearly wiped it out. Today, Lake Superior supports the only remaining naturally sustaining population of lake trout in the Great Lakes; in Wisconsin, it's the only fish species subject to harvest limits on that lake. It has roughly the same amount of omega-3 fatty acids as sockeye salmon, with flesh that is firm and rich in flavor. Lake whitefish: Considered to have the finest flavor of any of Wisconsin's commercial fishes, it's the fish used in Door County fish boils and, in northern parts of the state, in fish fries. It contains higher omega-3 fatty acid levels than Atlantic cod. Most of the whitefish caught here goes out of state, much to the East Coast, where it's popular for gefilte fish. Smelt: Lake smelt are oily (but less so than saltwater smelt), and their flesh has a soft texture. Their aroma is like freshly cut cucumber. Most smelt are headed and gutted, but people eat them with the bones intact. Smelt populations in the Great Lakes are no longer as large as they once were. Walleye: The flesh of walleye is firm, white, fairly dry and virtually free of bones. A highly prized game fish and a popular fish to eat, it is the subject of research into ways to farm the fish (and a naturally occurring hybrid, saugeye). There is no commercial walleye fishery in Wisconsin waters of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. Walleye in restaurants here is likely from Canada. Yellow perch: Also known as lake perch, this popular fish (formerly a fish fry staple) has a mild, sweet flavor with firm, flaky white flesh and slightly more omega-3 fatty acids than Atlantic cod. The population is so low that Wisconsin commercial fishermen are allowed to fish for yellow perch only in the waters of Green Bay, and most of that goes to local restaurants and fish markets. Most yellow perch in stores here comes from Canadian waters of Lake Erie. Farm-raised fish Approximately half the seafood eaten worldwide including in the United States is farm-raised. Here are six fish farmed in Wisconsin. Arctic char: Arctic char has roughly the same amount of omega-3 fatty acids as sockeye salmon and a taste that falls somewhere between salmon and trout. In Wisconsin, Arctic char are raised in biosecure indoor recirculating systems. The Bristol-based AquaTerra has plans to raise its "Bristol char" using aquaponics. Atlantic salmon: Salmon is the second most-popular fish eaten in the United States and is among the richest sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Nelson Trout & Salmon Farm in Eastman is the only source of farm-raised Atlantic salmon in the Midwest. Pacific white shrimp: White shrimp have a clean, sweet taste with a classic shrimp flavor and firm texture. They are bluish-gray or greenish-gray when raw but turn pink when cooked. Shrimp is the most popular seafood in the U.S.; however, the majority eaten here is imported from farms in Southeast Asia, Ecuador and Mexico. Dairyland Shrimp in Westby is the first indoor saltwater shrimp farm in the state. Rainbow trout: The flesh of the rainbow trout is white, pink or orange in its raw state and lightens when cooked. It is a mild flavored fish with delicate small flakes and a nut-like flavor. Most Wisconsin rainbow trout sold in grocery stores are raised in outdoor ponds and raceways fed by cold spring water, such as at Rushing Waters in Palmyra. Tilapia: Tilapia are flaky, mild-tasting, lean fish. Because tilapia prefer tropical temperatures, they are raised indoors in Wisconsin, most in recirculating tanks. Growing Power in Milwaukee raises small amounts of both tilapia and yellow perch via aquaponics. Yellow perch: Yellow perch, also known as lake perch, has a mild, sweet flavor with firm, flaky white flesh. In Wisconsin, yellow perch are raised either in outdoor ponds or in indoor recirculating systems and in some cases by aquaponics. (Growing Power's perch goes to Lakefront Brewery for its fish fry.) SHARE By of the An employee at a Cousin's Subs in the 7600 block of W. Burleigh St. shot at two armed robbers Monday morning after they stole money from the store's safe, the Milwaukee Police Department said. Two people walked into the store and pointed a gun at employees, one of whom chased after the two outside the store, according to the police. Neither of the two people was hit. SHARE By of the A man has been charged after police say they found him in January selling marijuana-laced Rice Krispies Treats to students in the parking lot of McDonell Central Catholic High School in Chippewa Falls. According to the criminal complaint, Tanner Dusick, 18, admitted to selling the bars, for $10 each, which he said he made from a recipe for "cannabis butter" that he found online. Police found two marijuana-laced Rice Krispies Treats in Dusick's car, the complaint states. Dusick is scheduled to appear in court on July 19 on felony charges of dealing marijuana and possessing marijuana with intent to sell it. If convicted, Dusick could receive up to seven years in prison. Opinion / Columnist COLOGNE/VUMBA - Ethiopia's exiled autocrat, Mengistu Haile Mariam, now a full Zimbabwean citizen has reportedly urged the military to take an active, and decisive role in President Robert Mugabe's cumbersome succession gridlock, amid growing fears of a possible government shut-down and civil unrest owing to the deteriorating economic situation in the country, Spotlight Zimbabwe reported.A government shut-down is defined as a situation in which a government stops providing all but essential services, resulting in a furlough for civil servants, covering the duration of the shut-down itself.In the United States, for instance the longest partial government shut-down in the modern era stretched from November 19, 1995 to December 16, 1995. The shut-down was the result of President Bill Clinton and the then Republican-controlled Congress clashing over the budget and the country's debt ceiling limit.The secretive disclosures come on the backcloth, of reports that the ruling Zanu PF administration, has suspended salary payments for teachers and nurses due to worsening cash shortages. Harare will only make available the salaries on July 7 and 14 for the respective professions, instead of the normal June 20 pay-day.Zimbabwe's military and air force officers, have however been prioritised, and will be paid on June 27 instead of the 12th of the month while police and prison staff will be paid on June 30, according to finance secretary, Willard Manungo.As Mugabe faces a worsening balance of payment crisis, his exchequer Patrick Chinamasa, is this week expected to finalise agreements to repay some US$1.86 billion of arrears to multilateral financial institutions, in anticipation of re-entry into the international financial system after almost two decades out in the cold.According to high level army sources, Mengistu has been holding "several private meetings" at his farm in Vumba between February and April 2016 with senior military personnel, where as a hired consultant of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, he has allegedly proposed that the army steps in to resolve Mugabe's succession before it is too late."His (Mengistu) argument is that President Robert Mugabe's succession issue has become so complex, such that only the military can step in with a solution," said a senior officer based at Mutare's 3 Brigade army base in confidentiality. "They want a military solution, through civilian architecture, because the warring factions in the ruling party could trigger a total collapse of the ruling party, and the President is thought to be open to a peaceful succession exit, which will not cost Zanu PF power, something which is within the orbit of the military, without having to stage a putsch."It has also come to light that Mengistu, has now reportedly become an unofficial member, of the influential Joint Operations Command (JOC), and he sometimes travels to Harare for some consultation work, during which time he is rarely seen at his upmarket Gunhill mansion.JOC brings together the army, intelligence, prison and police chiefs.Intelligence sources last week said, Mengistu, without giving a specific date, had allegedly met Mugabe and some security chiefs, to recommend military strategy, which can be employed to keep the regime politically afloat, as the danger of civil disobedience was increasingly being precipitated by the current cash crunch."We gather that he has met the President, and they have discussed key security issues. Mengistu is of the view that the President must not be forced or rushed out of office, but the time had come for the military to be involved if Zanu PF is to survive beyond 2018. The only worrying factor is that there might be a period of martial law, should the succession issue end up being carelessly handled. We have the President to thank for the present peace prevailing, he cannot just leave office prematurely, because it will result in chaos."As first reported by Spotlight Zimbabwe, on 18 March 2016, Mengistu is said to be also the brainchild behind a political scheme of having Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) Commander, General Constantine Chiwenga, brewing since 2008 to become vice president, under VP Emmerson Mnangagwa's likely presidency possibly before year end.This publication can also put it on record, that Mnangagwa and Chiwenga, are all but set to become the new Zanu PF administration before the much anticipated 2018 Presidential elections, as Mugabe is unlikely to finish his term according to party insiders.Defence minister, Sydney Sekeramayi's mobile phone was unreachable the whole day yesterday when we sought a comment. The minister's office also declined to give official comment.Mengistu fled to Zimbabwe in 1991 following his ouster by rebel forces in a country he ruled with an iron grip for 17 years after the 1974 assassination of Emperor Haile Sellassie.He has also been issued with a Zimbabwean diplomatic passport with full citizenship by Mugabe since 2002 according to foreign affairs officials in the capital. All of Mengistu's family members have also been granted citizenship, after their father successfully sought asylum following a civil war defeat in 1991.Mengistu was tried and found guilty of genocide in absentia and was sentenced to life in prison in January 2007.Some of the known family members are: Andenet (son), who has been studying abroad on a Zimbabwean passport for years, and is believed to be now fronting family business interests in the country; Tegiste (daughter) a qualified doctor, who has been employed by the ministry of health since 1998, in the paediatrics department in the capital. She is also registered with the Health Professions Council. Waukesha The day after their daughter's 12th birthday sleepover, Angie Geyser and her husband, Matt, found themselves in a Waukesha police station, hoping to pick her up and take her home. Officers had shown up earlier at their house looking for their daughter, Morgan, who had gone with her friends to a park after breakfast. Angie Geyser on how she found out about Morgan's arrest Angie Geyser, the mother of Morgan Geyser, talks about how the police notified her of Morgans arrest. Now 14, Morgan was charged in the 2014 stabbing of her sixth-grade classmate to appease Slender Man, a fictional internet character. Video by Mike De Sisti "They wouldn't tell us anything," Geyser said, except that one of the girls was hurt, and Morgan and the other girl weren't with her. The parents were told to wait, and an officer stayed until they received notification that Morgan had been found, was OK, and that police just needed her to clear up some questions. The Geysers headed to the station, assuming that whatever had happened, they would probably have to punish Morgan. Their thought was to cancel a trip to a Star Trek convention. "That's how clueless we were," Angie Geyser said in an interview. Finally, an officer came to the lobby and told the parents they could not take Morgan home. She was being charged with attempted homicide. "I sobbed. I ran to the bathroom and threw up. It didn't seem possible," Geyser said. The 36-year-old mother of two she has a younger son spoke with a reporter for the first time since Morgan and her friend Anissa Weier made international headlines in May 2014. The Waukesha sixth-graders were charged as adults with trying to kill their friend to impress or appease Slender Man, a fictional internet character. Suffering from 19 stab wounds, Payton Leutner crawled to the edge of some woods, where she was found by a passing bicyclist. The girls were arrested hours later, trying to walk to a northern Wisconsin forest where they believed Slender Man lived in a mansion. Anissa Weier and Morgan Geyser are charged with attempted first-degree intentional homicide for what police say was a plot, planned over months, to kill their classmate, Payton Leutner. Weier and Geyser reportedly stabbed their victim 19 times with a five-inch blade. Go to section Two years later, they remained at the Washington County Juvenile Detention Center on $500,000 bail. But early this month, a judge returned Morgan to a state mental hospital where she had earlier gotten treatment for rare early onset schizophrenia, which had been diagnosed while she was in custody. The Geysers are still waiting to find out what will happen to Morgan. The case has plodded along through competency evaluations, an extensive preliminary examination, hearings on whether the girls should be transferred to juvenile court, and now an appeal after Waukesha County Circuit Judge Michael Bohren denied that transfer. The experience has galvanized Angie Geyser into something of an advocate for reforms in mental illness and juvenile crime laws, and prompted her to finally share her perspective. "I was shocked to learn 12-year-olds could be charged as adults," she said. "Some of the comments on stories say 'Adult crime, adult time.' That's BS," she said. "These are children." She also was surprised at how hard it was to get her daughter psychiatric treatment and was recently mentioned in a House floor speech by a Pennsylvania congressman pushing a bill to revamp the nation's approach to addressing mental illness. Timeline: The Slender Man Stabbing Case 'Where have you been?' Family photo Morgan Geyser decorates cupcakes on her 12th birthday, two weeks before her arrest. Geyser shared her thoughts at a picnic table in Frame Park, where she often took Morgan as a younger child. "She was always the kid going up the slide," she said. She said Morgan has changed a lot in the past two years. For one, she's grown into a teenager, taller and more mature at 14 than she appeared at 12, when the world first saw her, handcuffed, in court. But the most dramatic shift, Geyser said, came after Morgan's initial commitment to the state mental hospital. That began in December, more than a year after doctors had diagnosed Morgan with early onset schizophrenia, a condition experts say worsens faster without treatment. "When the medication finally worked, it was like a switch went on, like, 'There you are! Where have you been?'" Before, Geyser said, "We never knew which Morgan we'd get" during visits. "She was floridly psychotic for 19 months." During that time, Morgan played with ants, talked to hallucinations, and watched the Weather Channel for hours. But after treatment, she began to show appropriate emotions like remorse and for the first time told her mother she missed her. After Morgan's condition was stabilized during her winter stay at the Winnebago Mental Health Institute, she was returned to the juvenile detention center in West Bend. Because the facility is designed to hold juveniles only a few days, it has no windows and doesn't allow regular access to the outdoors. "That's detrimental to any child," Geyser said. Cycle of deterioration Angie Geyser on how Morgan is doing now Angie Geyser, the mother of Morgan Geyser, talks about how her daughter is doing currently. Video by Mike De Sisti Morgan's attorney, Anthony Cotton, tried to persuade Bohren to modify her bail to a signature bond and release Morgan to live with her grandfather, a retired police chief living in Manitowoc County. She could continue getting treatment and therapy in a better environment than the jail, while subject to GPS monitoring and around-the-clock supervision. Bohren denied that request, and Morgan's condition began to deteriorate again, her mother said. After she gouged her arm with a broken colored pencil in late May, jail policies required she be put on a suicide watch, kept alone for nearly a week wearing only a padded gown. "She couldn't have books or drawing materials or even her glasses," Geyser said, or utensils to eat meals. "I find the thought of her sitting in solitary, blind, eating with her hands like an animal extremely disturbing," Geyser said. That led the judge hearing the parents' request for a civil commitment separate from Bohren's handling of the criminal case to order her back to Winnebago on June 3. "My preference is that she stay up there," Geyser said. "It's the best place for her. She's a mentally ill child." Today, Morgan can sit with her extended family from 5 to 7 p.m., and Geyser said someone visits her about every other day. Geyser said there's a downside to her daughter's regained insight and emotional connection. "With lucidity comes awareness of the gravity of the situation," she said. "I try to help her be hopeful, saying: 'When you come home, when you go to college.' She responds: If she does those things." The whole process to get Morgan committed took six months, time she went untreated. Geyser thinks that process designed to protect patients' rights also needs reform. She doesn't know how long Morgan will stay at the mental health hospital. It will depend on when doctors feel she's stable enough to return to the least restrictive setting which in her case is the juvenile jail. Her mother fears a return to West Bend will just start the cycle of deterioration over again. Adult or juvenile? Angie Geyser on Morgan being charged as an adult Angie Geyser, the mother of Morgan Geyser, talks about her daughter being charged as an adult. Video by Mike De Sisti Meanwhile, Geyser waits on the Court of Appeals to determine whether Morgan's case will remain in adult court. She has the court's docket bookmarked on her smartphone and checks it several times a day. Robert Henak, an appellate lawyer, said it's not unusual for a case to take this long nine months or much longer to be decided. But he, too, said he assumes the court would try to move more quickly since the criminal case is on hold pending the decision, and the nature of the relief sought. The District 2 Court of Appeals panel in Waukesha is deciding the appeal. Judge Mark Gundrum recused himself from even considering whether the panel should accept the appeal. He has not said why. An appeals judge from Wausau, Lisa Stark, will replace him on a panel with Judges Paul Reilly and Lisa Neubauer. More than 70 people have written to the court urging the case be transferred to juvenile court, mostly via form letters at Slender Chance, a website set up by a friend of Geyser. State law required the girls be charged as adults because of the crime attempted first-degree intentional homicide. If the court were to reverse Bohren and transfer the case to juvenile court, the girls would likely quickly enter negotiated pleas and start sentences within the juvenile system. Advertisement They would face up to three years in the state's troubled juvenile prison followed by close community supervision until age 18. If they remain in adult court, they would face trial and possible sentences of up to 45 years in prison, plus many more years of extended supervision. Either might raise an insanity defense, which if successful would land them in Winnebago for treatment for an indefinite number of years. Geyser said she dreads a trial and just focuses on the appeals court for now. 'How didn't I know?' Angie Geyser on Morgans loss of privacy Angie Geyser, the mother of Morgan Geyser, talks about Morgans loss of privacy. Video by Mike De Sisti Geyser said she decided to talk with a reporter to let the world know Morgan is not a monster. She said she wanted to from the beginning, when TV crews were camped outside their home. "I wanted to defend my daughter, tell them about the Morgan we knew" who loved animals, reading and performing in front of her parents' video camera, but were advised by lawyers to stay silent, she said. She did later speak at length on camera for a documentary, "Beware the Slenderman," which has only been screened at a festival, but is planned for release on HBO next year. She said that early on, the family was subjected to hateful online comments, calls and letters especially after an ABC 20/20 episode about the victim's recovery. "Like 'You should rot in hell,' and that kind of thing," she said. That vitriol has largely subsided. Angie Geyser on seeing signs of Morgans schizophrenia Angie Geyser, the mother of Morgan Geyser, talks about seeing signs of Morgans schizophrenia. Video by Mike De Sisti She admitted she and Morgan's father did engage in some second-guessing. "A big part of parenting in general is second-guessing. 'How didn't I know she was sick?' " They attributed behavior that, in hindsight, may have been symptomatic of problems, on puberty, middle-school goofiness and Morgan's quirky personality. "There were no glaring, obvious signs she was ill." And while they were aware that Morgan's father's own schizophrenia increased her chances of affliction, they weren't expecting to start looking for signs for another five or six years, when the disease more typically begins to manifest. She also disputes that Morgan ever refused treatment and medication after her arrest, saying it was never really offered, only discussed. Morgan's comments to psychologists during competency reviews that she didn't want to lose "friends" she hallucinated was not the same as refusing treatment, her mother said. She also thinks many people support the idea that Morgan and Anissa should be moved to juvenile court, but are afraid to say so. "There's some feeling that if you show compassion for the girls, you're somehow lessening what happened to Bella," using Payton's nickname. Geyser has not met with the victim or her family. Still, she said, "We love Bella and feel horrible about what happened to her. I can't imagine... "When it comes down to it, they're all children." twitter.com/ProofHearsay bvielmetti@journalsentinel.com SHARE By of the From 2007 to 2015, the City of Milwaukee took over an average of 534 foreclosed and often-dilapidated properties every year due to tax delinquency. Through civic ingenuity, Northside Housing Initiative has turned this city-owned blight into a real estate and employment opportunity a venture that is one of eight public sector projects and individuals being recognized Tuesday in the Public Policy Forum's 24th annual "Salute to Local Government" awards. The housing initiative, which is a collaboration among the city, the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority and real estate developer Gorman & Co., has restored 128 foreclosed homes and built 111 new homes on vacant lots since 2007. Gorman & Co. rents the houses to low-income families at discounted rates with aid from federal grants. The project has also hired more than 300 Milwaukee residents, many with criminal records, through the Northcott Neighborhood House to renovate the properties. These construction workers are trained in electrical, plumbing, heating and other skill areas. The Public Policy Forum, a Milwaukee-based research organization, is commending the initiative with its "Innovative Approach to Problem Solving" award for these accomplishments. Other recipients include Kayla's Krew and the City of Franklin for working to build a playground accessible to children with disabilities, and Kathleen Cooke for lifetime achievement as the superintendent of the Hamilton School District in Waukesha County. Asked about the reasoning behind the initiative's award, Public Policy Forum President Rob Henken said, "It was the multifaceted approach: The ability to take a complicated and pressing problem and not only take on the immediate issue of foreclosed properties but also to use this opportunity to train a workforce." Henken added that the forum applauds the effective cooperation between the city and Gorman & Co. The Northside Housing Initiative is now in its eighth phase, constructing 40 additional housing units in and around the Amani neighborhood with help from $850,000 in funding from WHEDA. Planning for the ninth and 10th phases is underway. WHEDA's Executive Director Wyman Winston wrote in an email, "I'm confident this next phase will also be successful, which is good for the economy of Milwaukee's 30th Street Corridor, the city of Milwaukee and the state." Milwaukee Public Schools Superintendent Darienne B. Driver addresses members of the state Assembly urban education task force in January. In a letter to the community, Driver and Milwaukee School Board President Mark A. Sain offer an alternative to the Opportunity Schools and Partnership Program proposal presented by Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele and OSPP Commissioner Demond Means. Credit: Rick Wood SHARE By To the Milwaukee community: We truly appreciate the dedication, time and support of our families, staff and growing number of community partners to promote and encourage the success of Milwaukee Public Schools students. We want to provide you with this update on the Opportunity Schools and Partnership Program (OSPP). In June 2015, the state Legislature passed a law creating the OSPP, which gives Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele the responsibility to appoint a commissioner who has the authority to transfer an MPS school or schools from the district to the OSPP. On April 21, 2016, Commissioner Demond Means presented a proposal to MPS with a June 23 deadline for response. We appreciate the desire of Abele and Means to develop a partnership proposal that attempts to limit harm to MPS students. However, as we have examined the OSPP proposal over the past six weeks, we have identified the following concerns: The academic and curricular programming lacks detail and clarity. The school funding plan is unclear. The school qualitative reviews outlined in both state law and the OSPP proposal have not been conducted. The request for proposals seeking a school operator was not issued and steps have not been taken to select a school. The OSPP proposal contains elements that contradict the legislation, namely that staff at the OSPP schools will remain employees of the district with little guidance about how this would be compliant with state law Given these concerns, we have requested a meeting with Abele and Means to discuss an alternative to the OSPP proposal. We know the fundamental needs of our families include greater access to high-quality early childhood education, sustained resources and support, stable school communities, rigorous curriculum led by strong instructional leaders and having a voice in the decisions that impact their children. With these critical factors in mind, and given that the qualitative analysis as outlined in the OSPP proposal was not completed, selecting a school would be unfair to school communities because they have not had an opportunity to participate in a qualitative review. We have developed an alternative option that will add value and align with the critical work already underway at MPS: Create a high-quality early childhood education program, addressing a community need acknowledged by local leaders and the Speaker's Task Force on Urban Education. Provide the choice for families to opt-in to OSPP. Locate the program inside the former 35th Street Elementary School, which is well-suited to serve our youngest learners; it would share a separate and distinct space in the same building with Assata, an MPS partnership school; this is a model that has been used in the past and allows for improved achievement and better student and family engagement and support at both schools. Improving student outcomes is challenging and much work remains. As a district, we have implemented strategies for school turnaround rooted in collective impact including: Developing intentional, mutually beneficial partnerships. Making data-informed decisions. Implementing research-based programs. Strengthening current infrastructure. Maximizing resources and managing our assets. Our efforts are yielding results. More students are earning scholarships with a record-breaking $47.8 million awarded this year; more high schools are ranked among the best in the state and nation; and more than 100 MPS schools are recognized for promoting positive behaviors by an independent statewide organization. Community engagement is leading to stronger families and a healthier community. With ongoing support from committed community partners, we will continue to see positive results. MPS is committed to ensuring that all partnerships bring additional value and enhance our current standard of care. In doing this, we also must ensure our school communities are kept intact and we believe our alternative does just that. We are ready to discuss this alternative with Abele and Means. For more information, please visit www.mpsmke.com/ospp. Darienne B. Driver is superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools. Mark A. Sain is president of the Milwaukee School Board. Earl Minley, 18, (left) credits Violence Free Zones and Charles Robinson Jr. (right) for helping him turn his life around. He was one of 18 Milwaukee Public Schools students awarded scholarships for their hard work. Credit: Karen W. Higgins When Earl Minley was in eighth grade, he got into fistfights and hung around boys who packed heat. Graduating from high school was not on his mind. Today, Minley, 18, is the first person from his family to not only graduate from high school, but he did so with honors. The Vincent High School grad said he is nothing like his former self thanks in part to Violence Free Zones, Running Rebels and a man who he described as his "high school dad." At an event June 15, Minley and 17 other Milwaukee Public Schools students were recognized as peer mentors for showing exemplary leadership as ambassadors of peace in their community. Each student was awarded a scholarship for $2,500 to assist with tuition costs at the college or university of his or her choice next fall, with the option of applying $500 to the costs of supplies and equipment, for a total of $45,000 in awards. When Minley was introduced at the podium by his mentor Charles Robinson Jr., Minley talked about how Robinson was always there for him. He talked about how his father was incarcerated and Robinson helped to get Earl Minley on the right path. "If he saw me with having a bad day or something like that he was there to pick me up. He would say 'come to my office and let's talk,'" Minley said. "He talked to me like a father would and I needed that." He then turned to Robinson and gave him a hug, which brought a tear to a few eyes in the crowd. Minley's story is not the one you typically hear, but thousands of students just like him overcome the odds every year to graduate from MPS and go to college. He will be majoring in criminal justice at Concordia University in the fall. He wants to be a federal probation officer. He gave a special thanks to his mother, who raised him and his two brothers and worked two and three jobs just so they could have food on the table and clothes on their backs. "It was hard for her getting to work with no car and trying to make ends meet. She didn't have a lot but she had time and that's what matters the most," he said. At least half of the students honored at the ceremony admitted that they had some rough patches in school. All of them thanked their VFZ mentors and parents for helping them along the way. One girl got pregnant; another admitted that she didn't want to listen to anyone; and one boy talked about his quick temper. Violence Free Zones started in Milwaukee 10 years ago. It's now in 11 high schools. The program has a proven track record of reducing fights and suspensions in schools by having young adults and peer mediators work with students to defuse a situation before it escalates. Students who participate in the program learn not only how to settle disputes but how to teach their peers on how to settle disagreements. Many of the students had multiple colleges and universities to pick from; some of the schools the students will be attending include historically black colleges and universities, as well as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee Area Technical College, Cardinal Stritch University and Marquette University. Bob Woodson, founder and president of the Center for Neighborhood Enterprise in Washington, D.C., which funds programs such as Violence Free Zones and Running Rebels, said the problem is that society believes more in policing our way to safety instead of youth mentoring programs that work. When I talked to Robinson about Minley's speech, he told me that it brought him to tears. Many of the kids who are going through tough patches just want to know that they matter. The event to honor them proved that they not only matter but it also showed that they are leaders. James E. Causey is a Journal Sentinel columnist and blogger. Email james.causey@jrn.com. Facebook: fb.me/jamescausey.12 Twitter: jecausey Activists protest Tuesday at the entrance of the National Rifle Association in Fairfax, Va., to honor the 49 people killed at the Pulse Nightclub, in Orlando. Columnist Christian Schneider argues that in the public debate about guns in America, each side not only has its own facts, it has its own language. Credit: PAUL J. RICHARDS We've all heard former Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan's admonition that "Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts." Yet the public debate about guns in America takes Moynihan's warning to the next level: Each side not only has its own facts, it has its own language. For instance, take the rush after the recent Orlando shootings to ban "assault" or "military-style" weapons like the AR-15 rifle. Gun control advocates immediately jumped to regulate sales of "automatic weapons" and "assault rifles" like the AR-15, which they deem too deadly for one individual to need. Scary stories about the AR-15, which Hillary Clinton called "weapons of war" that can fire hundreds of rounds per minute, began circulating, further clouding the story. For starters, an AR-15 wasn't used in the Orlando shooting. Instead, the shooter used a Sig Sauer MCX semi-automatic rifle and a 9mm handgun. Perhaps this is a distinction without much difference the Sig Sauer is similar to an AR-15 but it does demonstrate the rush to vilify the AR-15 by those seeking to regulate its sale. But more important, neither the Sig Sauer nor the AR-15 is an "assault weapon" under any applicable definition. They are both semi-automatic weapons, meaning every time the user pulls the trigger, the gun fires one bullet just like any handgun or hunting rifle. Sure, the AR-15 looks more like something out of the "Die Hard" movies, but it doesn't shoot any faster than many smaller guns. Actual "assault weapons" widely defined as automatic machine-gun style weapons, are essentially banned in America. (There are also roughly 8 million AR-15-style rifles in circulation in America right now, so best of luck confiscating those.) Hillary Clinton has called for reinstatement of an "assault weapons" ban signed by her husband but it's almost certain that ban would not have barred the Orlando shooter from owning his weapon. Under the assault weapons ban signed by Bill Clinton in 1994 and which lasted through 2004, AR-15s were only prohibited if they featured multiple military-style upgrades, such as folding stocks and pistol grips, which made them easier to conceal and control. But if the gun wasn't tricked out, it was completely legal to own. Further, a 2004 Department of Justice report found that the assault weapons ban caused no discernible change in gun deaths in America, and didn't keep people from getting access to guns that were just as powerful as the AR-15. As Sean Davis at The Federalist has pointed out, between 2003 the last full year of the assault weapons ban and 2014, the number of murders committed with rifles dropped by nearly one-third. "Aha," say gun control advocates but what about the "terror gap" loophole that allows people on terror watch lists to purchase guns? Well, the Orlando shooter wasn't on any such list, even though he had been investigated and his cases dropped due to lack of evidence. In fact, such a "loophole" actually is due process as protected by the U.S. Constitution. Law enforcement shouldn't be able to take away one's constitutional rights simply because one is placed on a list imagine President Donald Trump unilaterally fabricating a list of American citizens he would simply deport. Or creating a list of journalists who were no longer granted freedom of speech because they didn't support him. Constitutional rights aren't "loopholes." Of course pro-gun advocates want to keep firearms out of the hands of terrorists; they simply want the government to ask a judge first. This is why the ACLU has opposed the opportunistic plan congressional Democrats fashioned to politically cash in on the tragedy. The inability of both sides of the gun debate to even come to agreement on what certain words mean makes meaningful discussion impossible. It's as if a French tourist is arguing with a Korean traffic cop using an interpreter who only understands German. And until anti-gun forces learn to speak firearm, they'll only strengthen the resolve of those who are fluent. Christian Schneider is a Journal Sentinel columnist and blogger. Email cschneider@jrn.com. Twitter: @Schneider_CM SHARE By and Washington A divided Senate blocked rival election-year plans to curb guns Monday, eight days after the horror of Orlando's mass shooting intensified pressure on lawmakers to act but knotted them in gridlock anyway even over restricting firearms for terrorists. In largely party-line votes, senators rejected one proposal from each side to keep extremists from acquiring guns and another shoring up the government's system of required background checks for many firearms purchases. With the chamber's visitors' galleries unusually crowded for a Monday evening, including relatives of victims of past mass shootings and people wearing orange T-shirts saying #ENOUGH gun violence, each measure fell short of the 60 votes needed to progress. Democrats called the Republican proposals unacceptably weak, while Republicans said the Democratic plans were too restrictive. The stalemate underscored the pressure on each party to stand firm on the emotional gun issue going into November's presidential and congressional elections. It also highlighted the potency of the National Rifle Association, which urged its huge and fiercely loyal membership to lobby senators to oppose the Democratic bills. "Republicans say, 'Hey look, we tried,'" said Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.). "And all the time, their cheerleaders, the bosses at the NRA, are cheering them." Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said the Orlando shootings, in which the FBI says the American-born gunman swore allegiance to an Islamic State group leader, show that the best way to prevent extremists' attacks here is to defeat them overseas. "No one wants terrorists to be able to buy guns," he said, suggesting that Democrats used the day's votes "to push a partisan agenda or craft the next 30-second campaign ad." That Monday's four roll-call votes occurred at all was testament to the political currents buffeting lawmakers after gunman Omar Mateen's June 12 attack on a gay nightclub. Only a handful of lawmakers changed positions from votes cast in December on similar proposals, highlighting each party's enduring stances on guns. There is little sign that the House's Republican leaders will even allow votes. Republican senators facing re-election this fall in swing states were under extraordinary pressure. One Republican, New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte, backed both bills blocking gun sales to terrorists, a switch from when she joined most Republicans in killing a similar Democratic plan in December. Monday's votes came after Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) led a near 15-hour filibuster last week demanding a Senate response to the Orlando killings. Murphy was sworn into the Senate shortly after the December 2012 massacre of 20 first-graders and six educators in Newtown, Conn., but that slaughter and others since have failed to spur Congress to tighten gun curbs. The last were enacted in 2007, when the background check system was strengthened after that year's mass shooting at Virginia Tech University. With Mateen's professed loyalty to extremist groups and his 10-month inclusion on a federal terrorism watch list, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) proposed letting the government block many gun sales to known or suspected terrorists. People buying firearms from federally licensed gun dealers can currently be denied for several reasons, chiefly for serious crimes or mental problems, but there is no specific prohibition for those on the terrorist watch list. That list, not to be confused with the so-called no-fly list, contains about 1 million people, including fewer than 5,000 Americans or legal permanent residents, according to government figures. The Republican response to Feinstein was an NRA-backed plan by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) that would let the government deny a sale to a known or suspected terrorist but only if prosecutors could convince a judge within three days that the would-be buyer was involved in terrorism. The Feinstein and Cornyn amendments would require notification of law enforcement officials if people, like Mateen, who had been under a terrorism investigation within the past five years were seeking to buy firearms. Republicans said Feinstein's proposal gave the government too much power to deny people's constitutional right to own a gun and noted that the terrorist watch list has mistakenly included some people. Democrats said the three-day window that Cornyn's measure gave prosecutors to prove their case made his plan ineffective. Murphy's rejected proposal would have widely expanded the requirement for background checks, even to many private gun transactions, leaving few loopholes. The defeated plan by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) increased money for the background check system and revamped language prohibiting some people with mental health issues from buying a gun, which Democrats claimed would reduce current protections. "I believe we all share the same goal that terrorists should not be able to obtain arms," said Wisconsin Republican Sen. Ron Johnson. "But we should be careful before using government lists with undefined criteria as the basis for revoking Americans' constitutional rights. That's why I voted for measures by Sen. Grassley to improve background checks and by Sen. Cornyn to protect Americans' security and the due process of law under the Constitution. If Democrats cared about making improvements in gun laws, they would have supported these genuine improvements instead of playing politics." Wisconsin Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin, who voted for Murphy's and Feinstein's proposals and against Grassley's and Cornyn's, said, "If all Washington does is agree to disagree, then we have failed to provide the leadership people are demanding to take action and save lives from gun violence." Brooks trial: DA, victim family to speak at post-trial press conference Jurors around 9:45 a.m. Wednesday reported they had reached a verdict. Court will reconvene at 10:45 for the reading of the verdict. Representatives of the governors for the eight Great Lakes states Tuesday approved Waukeshas application for a Lake Michigan water supply. Waukesha plans to return water to the lake by discharging treated wastewater to the Root River at S. 60th St. in Franklin. Credit: Don Behm By of the Chicago Delegates for the governors of the eight Great Lakes states on Tuesday unanimously approved the City of Waukesha's request for a Lake Michigan water supply. On a historic 8-0 vote, Waukesha won the water prize it sought for 13 years. More than a dozen city officials attended the meeting of the states at the University of Illinois-Chicago. Absent any legal challenges, the city will become the first U.S. community located entirely outside the Great Lakes drainage basin to receive a diversion of lake water under the Great Lakes Compact. "This is going to help Waukesha now and in the future," Waukesha Mayor Shawn Reilly said after the vote. "It will help our children and their children to an environmentally sustainable supply of water." Reilly said he was grateful for each state's participation in reviewing the city's application. "They based their decision today on science and the law," he said. State delegates focused their discussion Tuesday on a few last-minute amendments to a 12-page document. The document summarizes views of regional officials on the merits of Waukesha's plan and the conditions needed for it to comply with a 2008 federal law known as the Great Lakes Compact. The compact prohibits Great Lakes water under any circumstances from being pumped beyond counties straddling the lakes' drainage basins. Waukesha County straddles the subcontinental divide between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins, so the city was eligible to apply for lake water. The amendments offered by Minnesota and Michigan were not deal breakers, and they were approved by the states. One flatly states that the city's original proposed water distribution area extending into four other communities that gained the blessing of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in December "did not clearly meet" all terms of the compact. Conditions added by regional officials last month were intended to achieve compliance. Two of the conditions from the group include: diverting no more than an average of 8.2 million gallons a day of lake water by midcentury a lesser volume than the average of 10.1 million gallons requested by the city; and a smaller water distribution area than the city proposed. The smaller area would include only the city's existing water service area, plus several town islands: small pieces of the Town of Waukesha surrounded by the city. An amendment requested by Minnesota emphasizes that individual states or the Great Lakes states as a group can take enforcement actions against Waukesha to compel compliance with those conditions or the compact. Minnesota representative Julie Ekman said last month that she wanted to emphasize there would be another layer of enforcement beyond Wisconsin's existing authority. A separate amendment offered by Michigan would subject the city's water utility to performance audits with only 30 days' advance notice. In such an audit, the city would be required to open its operating records to inspection by one or all of the other seven states. Michigan representative Grant Trigger said the amendment seeks transparency of city operations "to provide assurances that if this is approved it will be done right." Wisconsin DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp served as Gov. Scott Walker's delegate to Tuesday's meeting. Before the final vote, Stepp confirmed the department's "commitment to and authority to enforce" diversion conditions. In a statement after the meeting, Stepp said: "We look forward to working with Waukesha, its residents and our neighboring Great Lakes states and Canadian provinces to ensure that today's decision is implemented in ways consistent with the scope of our authority and the needs of the community." Milwaukee Riverkeeper Cheryl Nenn said environmental and conservation groups from the region appreciated that the states "addressed the most egregious failure of the city's original application the large water service area." "We continue to believe Waukesha has reasonable water supply alternatives" without turning to the lake, Nenn said. "And we're worried about potential environmental impacts to the Root River and downstream to Lake Michigan." Nenn said the regional groups had not decided on possible legal challenges to the diversion approval. Return to sender Tuesday's decision requires the city to return 100% of the water pumped from the lake. It will return as fully treated wastewater discharged to the Root River, a tributary of the lake. Waukesha started down a path leading to Tuesday's decision with several years of studies evaluating alternatives to its primary water supply deep wells pumping radium-contaminated water out of a sandstone aquifer depleted by more than a century of heavy regional use. Those studies concluded in 2010 by pointing city water utility officials toward the lake as the only sustainable resource available for the long term. A June 2010 application for Lake Michigan water was followed by six years of review, first by Wisconsin environmental regulators and subsequently by regional water resources officials from the other seven states and Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. Just last month, representatives of seven of the eight states and both provinces gave conditional approval to the city's request and agreed Waukesha is without a reasonable water supply alternative to Lake Michigan. After imposing conditions restricting use of the lake water, nine of the representatives with Minnesota abstaining determined the request would comply with the Great Lakes Compact. "None of the evaluated alternatives were found to be reliable sources for a long-term, dependable and sustainable public water supply," the group says in a declaration of finding. The Great Lakes Compact required unanimous approval among states participating in the final decision. A single no vote would have killed Waukesha's plan. Waukesha's lake water plan would cost $207 million or more to carry out. The city has proposed buying lake water from Oak Creek, building one set of pipelines and pumping stations to divert the water to Waukesha for use and a second set to return an equal volume of water as fully treated wastewater. The next step is gaining state permits to construct and operate the system. Barring any legal delays, it will take six months to a year for the DNR to issue permits and for the Public Service Commission to authorize the city to construct the project, said Eric Ebersberger, deputy administrator of environmental management for the DNR. When lake water becomes available, Waukesha will stop using its 10 groundwater wells, including seven deep wells. The city is under a court-ordered deadline of June 2018 to fully comply with federal and state drinking water standards for radium. The lake water system could not be built in two years, so the city will have to seek an extension of that deadline in court, officials said. When will the tap open? The next step for Waukesha is gaining state permits to construct and operate the system. Barring any legal delays, that will take six months to a year. The city is under a court-ordered deadline of June 2018 to fully comply with federal and state drinking water standards for radium. The lake water system could not be built in two years, so the city will have to seek an extensionof that deadline in court. Reddit Email 0 Shares By IMEMC | Zionist Union member of the Israeli parliament of the Knesset, Tzipi Livni, called for a referendum, Saturday afternoon, over what she reduced to a problem with Palestinians. Speaking at an event in the Israeli city of Rishon LeZion, south of Tel Aviv, Livni censured Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for failing to take what she described as an opportunity for the US-backed two-state solution. There is a regional window of opportunity, Livni said, according to Press TV/Al Ray. But the glass ceiling is rising, and Netanyahu is unable to rise up and seize the opportunity, she stated. We need to know in which direction were going. Settlers at helm in Israel Livni, a former candidate for the prime minister, said the regimes policies were driven by those supporting settlement of Israelis beyond borders recognized by the international community. She specifically pointed at the Yesha Council, an umbrella organization dealing with the regimes illegal settlements. They know from their time in office that the Israeli government carries out the desires of a minority, the Yesha Council, which dictates the agenda, she said. Over half a million Israelis live in more than 230 illegal settlements built since the 1967 Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank, including East al-Quds (Jerusalem). They must be stopped The minority has taken control with the help of collaborators in government. Israel stuck in daydream The former Israeli foreign minister also boasted about democracy in Israel, saying it was being endangered with Bibi and his allies at helm. Livni said the regime is disintegrating with the loss of its democratic values, referring to other Israeli officials who have recently attacked Bibi, namely former minister of Military affairs Moshe Yaalon and former premier Ehud Barak. There is a strong cry here from people who see what is happening, she said. You cant address democracy in Israel while tip-toeing around the main issue. She concluded that a referendum should be held in Israel now, noting, Israel is stuck in a daydream, moving aimlessly. Livnis remarks came as severe crackdown of Palestinians continued unabated in the occupied lands, with Muslim youth placed behind bars, and Zionist expansive policies raging on. Via IMEMC Related video added by Juan Cole: Press TV: EUs Mogherini: Two-state solution unlikely to work Opinion / Columnist For decades, Marange has been known for nothing else save for poverty until some years ago when the greatest and most spectacular find of the century was made in that area.Expectations were high that the discovery of diamonds in Marange would revolutionize first foremost, the livelihood of the residents of that arid land. The cake was just too big for Marange or Manicaland, thus it had be shared nationally. However, Marange still remains the habitat of the poorest people in the country.As a resident of Marange, I am in total agreement with the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, Cde Saviour Kasukuwere when he gentlemanly admitted that government let us down by letting companies that were operating in Chiadzwa loot the diamond proceeds. Indeed, the nation in general and Marange in particular did not enjoy to the fullest, the God-given endowment. Marange Community received with shock that the diamonds were exhausted when they had not seen anything to show for their diamonds. They were still expecting dividends from the diamond proceeds realized daily by the unscrupulous mining firms.These mines refused to comply with government directive of merging because they knew they had already got their easy pickings through their mechanized panning which only exploited the alluvial diamonds. It was alluvial diamonds which they had exhausted and were not prepared to go underground. They did not lose sleep over losing their operating licences because they had already stashed the diamonds proceeds in their offshore accounts. A Liberal Democrat British Legislator, Lord David Chidgey confirmed that the proceeds from Zimbabwe's diamonds were being kept illegally in London banks."The (British) government has announced a new anti-corruption strategy and support for a wide range of international institutions and initiatives. However, what we now need to hear is the plan of action to end. There has been the misuse of companies, other legal entities and legal arrangements, including trusts, to hide the proceeds of corruption."How can we be taken seriously when the City of London is considered by many to be the money laundering capital of the world? London is the destination of choice, for example, for billions of dollars whisked out of The Crimea and the proceeds of the diamond fields of Zimbabwe and the bauxite mines of Guinea," said Lord Chidgey in the House of Lords recently.The Auditor-General is said to have extended investigations into the looting of diamonds to London. We hope that the investigations will be fruitful and it must get full support of every Zimbabwean.During the official opening of a Zanu PF and war veterans office at Bazel Bridge in Marange on Friday, Cde Kasukuwere, who is also the party's national political commissar, raised a ray of hope for the people of Zimunya-Marange who did not even benefit from the botched Zimunya-Marange Community Ownership Trust. He said government will do everything in its power to make sure that the diamonds looters face the music."When the diamonds were discovered here, we all thought that it will improve the livelihood of the people in this area. Now all we have are lots of theories on what could have happened to our diamonds. Why should the people of Marange remain poor when some people siphoned their riches to foreign countries? Kana zvichinzi tichasvina dumbu iroro madiamonds edu abude ticharisvina. Whoever stole the diamonds must face the full wrath of the law," said Kasukuwere.Indeed if it means squeezing somebody's stomach to recover our diamonds, let it be. Cde Kasukuwere's statement is all that the people of Marange were waiting to hear all along. Unfortunately it had to come from a child of Mashonaland Central to raise those concerns. Hopefully it's not one of those political statements generously said at rallies. The people of Marange heard and kept the promise and one day they will remind you Cde Kasukuwere on what became of the investigations into the looting of the diamonds.Cde Kasukuwere was dead right for expecting the improvement of the livelihood of the Zimunya-Marange residents upon the discovery of diamonds. Everybody thought and expected as much. However, the residents have been left poorer. Their land has been left in sheer degradation with some having been displaced and relocated to areas where there is not enough farming land. They had no problem with the relocation for they thought it was in the national interest to do so.Some communities are benefitting from locally based resources. The Community Share Ownership Trust in other areas such as Mhondoro-Ngezi transformed the livelihood of the residents. Marange had no commercial farms due to its climatic conditions which are harsh to farming. As a result, the residents did not benefit much from the Land Reform programme. The discovery of diamonds had given hope to the poor residents who thought it would put them on equal footing with land reform beneficiaries.Government is even failing to pay its workers on time when such a precious stone has been mined in the country for 10 years. President Mugabe also told the nation that the country lost about $15 billion diamond money through looting other forms of leakages.A serious investigation must get to the bottom of this matter and explain a lot of mysteries surrounding the diamond looting. One of the mysteries to be explained is why the diamonds were stolen at that colossal magnitude when government was in partnership with all the firms that were operating in Chiadzwa. There was the ministry of Mines and Mining Development that played an oversight role over the mining operations in Chiadzwa. There was Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC) which was in partnership with all the mining firms on behalf of government. There were government appointees in the boards of those mining companies. Where were all these people when the diamonds were looted?----------------Rufaro Mufundirwa TORONTO, June 20, 2016 /CNW/ - Galane Gold Ltd. ("Galane Gold" or the "Company") (TSX-V: GG) is pleased to announce that Wayne Hatton-Jones has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Company at the annual and special meeting of shareholders of the Company held earlier today. Mr. Hatton-Jones is currently the Chief Operating Officer of the Company. Mr. Hatton-Jones has had over 27 years' experience in mining and held a number of senior management positions in the mining industry including with Randgold, Gold Ridge Mining, Avocet Mining Plc and Harmony. Galane Gold Chairman, Ravi Sood commented "Having worked with Wayne for the last two years I know that he will be a positive addition to the board and will assist us in our long-term strategy to operate long-life and low-cost gold mines that can produce positive returns for investors across commodity cycles. In addition, on behalf of the board of directors and shareholders of Galane Gold, I would like to thank Charles Byron for his service as a director for the past five years. Charles has played a pivotal role in exploration in Botswana for almost 30 years. In fact, Charles led the team that conducted the critical exploration work that led to the discovery of the Tau ore body and, ultimately, the development of commercial gold mining in Botswana. We are pleased to announce that Charles has agreed to continue to work with us on exploration and other ad-hoc projects." About Galane Gold Galane Gold is an un-hedged gold producer and explorer with mining operations and exploration tenements in Botswana and South Africa. Galane Gold is a public company and its shares are quoted on the TSX Venture Exchange and the Botswana Stock Exchange under the symbol "GG". Galane Gold's management team is comprised of senior mining professionals with extensive experience in managing mining and processing operations and large-scale exploration programmes. Galane Gold is committed to operating at world-class standards and is focused on the safety of its employees, respecting the environment, and contributing to the communities in which it operates. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE Galane Gold Ltd. VANCOUVER, June 21, 2016 /CNW/ - Goldsource Mines Inc. ("Goldsource" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has reached commercial production on Phase I at its Eagle Mountain Gold Project ("Eagle Mountain") located in Guyana, South America. The Company had defined commercial production as achieving an average minimum of 80% of the 1,000 tonnes per day nameplate capacity and 45% recovery in Falcon gold concentrate over a continuous period of 30 days. The operation achieved this milestone as of June 20, 2016. Yannis Tsitos, President, stated, "Achieving commercial production is a significant milestone for the Company and one for which all of us at Goldsource can proudly take credit. I want to personally thank all of our employees and contractors for their dedication and hard work, ensuring the successful transition from commissioning to commercial production with a stellar safety record. This achievement is also a testament to the co-operation obtained from all our stakeholders, inclusive of Guyanese authorities, suppliers and shareholders." During the last 30 days, operations reached a maximum daily throughput of approximately 1,400 tonnes with an estimated average of 900 tonnes. Falcon gravity recovery to concentrate was approximately 50%. For the remainder of 2016, Management will continue to optimize the operation and anticipates a total production of approximately 3,600 ounces of gold for 2016. Starting in Q3, 2016, Eagle Mountain operations plan to implement a second shift as well as begin use of a newly purchased 40 tonne articulating truck to increase throughput from higher grade areas. With the planned expansion of operations, Eagle Mountain is targeting an average throughput of approximately 1,800 tonnes per day. The processing plant and equipment are currently performing to Management's expectations and the camp site is fully equipped and functional. The Company currently employs 37 staff and contractors at Eagle Mountain. During the commissioning phase, which commenced on January 28, 2016, the Company performed approximately 55,000 man-hours, with one minor lost time accident. Goldsource plans to release its Q2, 2016 and year to date production results on Monday, July 11, 2016. The Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects for this news release is N. Eric Fier, CPG, P.Eng, and Chief Operating Officer for Goldsource, who has reviewed and approved its contents. ABOUT EAGLE MOUNTAIN GOLD PROJECT Phase I of Eagle Mountain Gold Project is based on a Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") dated June 15, 2014, which calls for a 1,000 tonnes per day open pit gravity plant with post-commissioning and ramp up cash operating costs of US$500 to US$600 per ounce of gold. Please refer to the Company's website at www.goldsourcemines.com and the Company's filing on SEDAR for further information on the PEA. Management's production decision for the Eagle Mountain Gold Project is not based on a feasibility study of mineral reserves demonstrating economic and technical viability. This project has a much higher risk of economic or technical failure and may adversely impact the Company's projected profits, if any. The risks associated with this decision are set forth in the Company's latest annual management's discussion and analysis available on the Company's website and the under Goldsource's SEDAR profile on www.sedar.com. ABOUT GOLDSOURCE MINES INC. Goldsource Mines Inc. is a Canadian resource company that has recently achieved commercial production for Phase I at it 100%-owned Eagle Mountain Gold Project, located in Guyana. Goldsource is led by an experienced management team, proven in making exploration discoveries and achieving project construction on time and on-budget. Ioannis (Yannis) Tsitos President Goldsource Mines Inc. Neither TSX-V nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX-V) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. Such forwardlooking statements concern Goldsource's strategic plans and expectations in the PEA for the development of the Eagle Mountain Gold Project; the amount of future production of gold over any period; cash operating costs per ounce of gold; life of mine; estimated pre-production cost; the amount of expected grades and ounces of metals, gold recoveries mine life and gold production rates of the Eagle Mountain Gold Project; and expectations regarding the Company's ability to manage capital resources and meet working capital requirements. Such forwardlooking statements or information are based on a number of assumptions, which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things: conditions in general economic and financial markets; ability to realize the PEA and develop and finance the project; accuracy of the interpretations and assumptions used in calculating inferred mineral resource estimates; availability of mining equipment; availability of skilled labour; timing and amount of capital expenditures; performance of available laboratory and other related services; and future operating costs. The actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forwardlooking statements as a result of the risk factors including: the timing and content of work programs; results of exploration activities and development of mineral properties; the interpretation of drilling results and other geological data; the uncertainties of resource estimations; uncertainty as to actual capital costs, operating costs, production and economic returns at the Eagle Mountain Gold Project; reliance on the PEA; and general market and industry conditions. Forward-looking statements are based on the expectations and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. The assumptions used in the preparation of such statements, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date the statements were made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements included in this news release if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as otherwise required by applicable law. SOURCE Goldsource Mines Inc. The US Supreme Court [official website] ruled [opinion, PDF] Monday in Encino Motorcars v. Navarro [SCOTUSblog materials] that it could not rely on the Department of Labors (DOL) interpretation of a statute on overtime pay, sending the case back to the lower court. The issue in the case was whether service advisors at car dealerships are exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Acts (FLSA) overtime-pay requirements. The DOL had originally concluded [SCOTUSblog report] that service advisors were entitled overtime pay, but reversed its decision following numerous courts rejection of the regulation. Then the DOL updated the regulation back to its original stance excluding service advisors from the statute. The plaintiff employee, Hector Navarro, filed suit against his automobile dealership employer alleging that the latter violated the FLSA when it did not pay him overtime compensation. Navarro argued [SCOTUSblog report] that the justices should rely on the updated DOL regulation, but the court stated that one basic procedural requirement of administrative rulemaking is that an agency must give adequate reasons for its decisions. The court concluded [Forbes report] that the update to the FLSA was issued without the reasoned explanation that was required in light of the [DOLs] change in position, that the industry relied upon the DOLs position since 1978 that service advisors were exempt from overtime pay requirements, and that the updated rule could not carry the force of law. The Supreme Court vacated and remanded [The Hill report] the case to the Ninth Circuit for further review in a 6-2 opinion. This case is decided on the heels of a DOL decision to update its FLSA overtime rules. Since 1938, the FLSA directed [Business Insider report] that employees must be paid at least time-and-a-half for each hour they worked more than 40 hours a week. Workers that received less than $23,660 a year or $455 a week were to be paid overtime with some exceptions. Last month the White House announced [Business Insider report] that the DOL would raise the salary threshold for overtime pay to $47,476 a year or $913 a week. The change has widespread consequences [Forbes report] for businesses and nonprofits who must either raise the wages for employees or pay overtime compensation. The Obama administration has maintained [DOL official site] that the new rule will improve the lives of workers while businesses and Republicans have criticized [SHRM report] the rule stating that it will hurt the lowest paid American workers the most. The US Supreme Court [official website] ruled [opinion, PDF] 4-3 Monday in RJR Nabisco, Inc. v. The European Community [SCOTUSblog materials] for RJ Reynolds [corporate website] in a challenge by EU countries accusing the company of a money laundering scheme. The court found that the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) [text] does not apply extraterritorially. Justice Samuel Alito delivered the opinion of the court, while Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg filed an opinion concurring in part but dissenting from the judgment, joined by Justices Stephen Breyer and Elena Kagan. Breyer also filed an opinion concurring in part and dissenting from the judgment. Justice Sonia Sotomayor took no part in the case. The European Community (EC) and 26 of its member states brought this suit claiming that Russian and Colombian organized crime rings smuggled drugs into Europe, then laundered the profits into a scheme that included the sale of RJR Nabisco cigarettes. RJR executives allegedly bribed border agents in South America and wired the cigarette payments into accounts in the US. The EC suffered injury in this scheme in the form of lost tax revenue and lost profits from state-owned tobacco businesses. The US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit reversed [opinion, PDF] the district courts decision to dismiss the suit. The Supreme Court granted certiorari in October and heard oral arguments [JURIST reports] in March. The US Supreme Court [official website] upheld [opinion, PDF] several provisions of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (AIA) [text, PDF] on Monday. In Cuozzo Speed Technologies v. Lee [SCOTUSblog materials] the court heard arguments on whether the Patent Trial and Appeal Board decisions in challenges are under judicial review and whether the Board may construe claims in a challenged patent to their broadest reasonable interpretation rather than its plain and ordinary meaning. In a unanimous decision the court upheld the ruling [opinion, PDF] by the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit [official website] in favor of the US Patent and Trademark Office. The court heard oral arguments [JURIST report] in the case in April. Under the AIA statute [SCOTUSBlog analysis], competitors can file a petition seeking inter partes review. The newly created Patent Trial and Appeal Board can institute a review if it finds a reasonable likelihood that the challenger would prevail. The point of contention is the language that the review decision is final and nonappealable. When issuing a patent, the PTO considers applications under a broadest reasonable interpretation standard to determine if the patent conflict with prior art. However, in litigation, an ordinary meaning standard has been applied. Under the AIA, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board has used the broadest reasonable interpretation standard which is the major point of dispute in the case. Due to this conflict and confusion, Global Positioning System (GPS) manufacturer Garmin [official website] requested the PTO review Cuozzos trademark on speed indicator technology, alleging that multiple parts were ambiguous. Cuozzo requested to revise those portions, but instead the PTO found that no changes should be made. THE ATMOSPHERERemember when drones were the coming thing in adult movie production? Jules Jordan used them several times for releases in 2013-14, and Rocco Siffredi Hard Academy (2016) employed several drone shots to capture "a huge cast in outdoor orgy action"but what with local authorities attempting to crack down on unauthorized porn shoots, the aerial gadgets seem to have disappeared from the porn device tacklebox. But have no fear: Porn's loss is the rest of the world's gain. For instance, take rural sub-Saharan Africa, where women can now receive birth control pills and condoms, not to mention sex ed materials, by drone, thanks to several drone delivery projects now under way in the Third World. The United Nations Population Fund has a joint drone delivery project going on that it's co-funding with the Dutch government, and the number is growing by the week. "In late November of last year, an unmanned, automated machine with a wingspan of about 50 inches carried about 4.5 pounds of supplies like condoms and birth control pills, as well as life-saving drugs like oxytocin, which prevents hemorrhaging during childbirth, to parts of Ghana," wrote Sophia Cousins for National Public Radio. "Access to birth control, reproductive health information and other services for women of childbearing age is a massive problem in this region, where fewer than 20 percent of women use modern contraceptives." "The drone can cover large distances quickly and can take off and land without a runway," Cousins noted. "The ultimate goal is to get the drone to travel about 60 miles in an hour. Flown by a pilot who's stationed in a nearby health care facility, the drone unloads its delivery to a spot in the village designated for dropping off health products. A health care worker picks up the goods and takes them to the local clinic." Philip D. Harvey, founder of Adam & Eve and head of family planning organization DKTInternational, agreed that "It makes sense to me, especially for condoms," but noted that he hasn't tried drone deliveries yet: " I'll let you know if we try it. Quantities would have to be small and delivery coordinated so it would likely fit only in special situations. Still, you never know..." But the Third World isn't the only area to benefit from drone deliveries. Dr. Rebecca Gompertsfounder of Women on Waves, a non-profit coalition of doctors and activists in favor of women's access to abortion, and Women on Web, a site where women can get abortifacent pills mailed to themis also getting into drones. "In recent years, Gomperts has also become famed for her drone work," noted Maya Oppenheim of the Independent (UK). "Most notable is the campaign in Polandwhere abortion is severely restrictedin the summer of last year. "The drones are flying abortion pills from one country to the other," Gomperts explained. "Like the ship, it's using the different laws and jurisdictions to do that legally and by doing that it's trying to invent a new mode of delivery. This is not yet sustainable in the long run but these are test campaigns to see how it works out." "So far so good," Oppenheim concluded. "[T]he campaign in Poland was a success. The drone-delivered drugs were flown from the border of Germany safely into Poland where they were collected." And Poland isn't the only European destination for the pills. Gomperts' Women on Waves has teamed up with other pro-choice organizations like Alliance for Choice, Rosa, and Labour Alternative to fly drones from the Republic of Ireland, where abortion is legal but restricted, to its Catholic northern neighbor, Northern Ireland, where it's a felony. "It is an all-island act of solidarity between women in the north and the south to highlight the violation of human rights caused by the existing laws that criminalize abortion in both the north and south of Ireland except in very limited circumstances," said a Women on Waves press release. So while Americans may speculate about what drone-delivered pizza may taste like, or how quickly drone-delivered books ordered from Amazon will arrive, drones may wind up playing a more important part in the life of the world than is obvious from the feel-good stories played up in the American press. LOS ANGELESFans of the stunning Cherie DeVille can rejoice this week, as she has two new DVDs coming outand she appears on the cover of both releases. The first release is Tuesday's MILF On MILF 2, from Addicted 2 Girls and directed by Mike Quasar. Cherie shares the cover with scene partner Karlie Montana and confirms that two MILFs are better than one. Cherie and Karlie enjoy every bit of each other in this hot lesbian scene. Cherie also takes center stage on the cover of Wednesday's release of Wicked's Hide And Peep. Directed by Kevin Moore, Cherie, along with Elsa Jean and Markus Dupree, take viewers on a voyeuristic fantasy with a sexy threesome. Cherie and Elsa are all about sharing, whether it's each other or Markus' cock. It seems that everyone who works with Cherie walks away happy and satisfied, and her scene partner Elsa is no exception. She always enjoys working with Cherie, saying, "Cherie is one of my favorite girls to work with. I get so excited when I work with her. She's so hot! I absolutely love her!" Cherie is represented by OC Modeling and is available for B/G, B/B/G, B/G Anal, G/G, G/G Anal, Group, Print/Stills, and more. Directors and producers can contact OCM via their website for bookings. Cherie is also available for feature dancing and can be booked through The Lee Network. Fans may follow Cherie on Twitter, Instagram,and see her on FreeOnes, and check out her Snapchat, user name cheriedevillexx. They may also wish to spoil her with a gift from her wishlist. VALENCIA, Calif.The most-awarded adult film series of all time is about to please fans yet again. Girlfriends Films is announcing the release of Women Seeking Women 130 featuring contract star Prinzzess paired with new adult starlet Lana Rhoades. The feature is now available on the Girlfriends Films website and in stores nationwide. Director Dan OConnell said he was thrilled with the opportunity to work with newcomer Rhoades just two weeks into the start of her career. With her stunning looks and equally high performance level, I cant imagine Lana Rhoades not taking home the New Starlet of the Year award, OConnell said. She still seems unaffected by it all and is certainly destined to the sort of starlet fame that we havent seen since Tera Patrick. Rhoades, a dark-haired fair-skinned beauty, is featured in a storyline with Prinzzess, whose character rents her a room and begins working to seduce her into overcoming secret lesbian desires. OConnell was pleased to be a part of the newcomers first girl-on-girl filming experience. Shooting Lanas first girl/girl scenes is certainly exciting for me, the director proclaimed. She worked with Prinzzess, another fantastic performer, and there were certainly sparks flying all over the place in that scene. Part of the same storyline is a set-up starring Scarlet Red as Prinzzess cousin, who has some fun of her own with Lanas visiting friend, portrayed by Shyla Ryder. Dan OConnell was pleased to have Scarlet Red back on set after her nearly year long sabbatical from adult filmmaking. I dont remember anyone who is so sweet but can yet be so dirty and demented, said OConnell, who considers Red one of his favorite performers. According to the director, he expected great things to come from the scene, but no one could have predicted the sparks that would fly. Scarlet and Shyla Ryder, who is also a favorite of mine, hit it off and looked like best friends the moment they got to set, so I knew this would be a great scene and it was. After having shot a few thousand scenes in my career, I dont recall two girls meeting and bonding like those two did. This scene should certainly rank as one of the very best in both their careers. Women Seeking Women 130 is currently available for DVD purchase on the Girlfriends Films website and in stores nationwide. Box art and trailers are accessible on the Women Seeking Women 130 detail page at the Girlfriends Films Distribution website. Donald Trump's Presidential Campaign Is In Serious Financial Trouble Trending News: Has Trump Been Using His Campaign To Line His Own Pockets? Why Is This Important? Because for better or for worse, in US politics, money matters. Long Story Short Presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump is having a bad month: he has a mere $1.3-million in his campaign coffers, raised a puny amount of money in May and his campaign is going generally haywire. Plus, someone tried to kill him this week. Long Story Donald Trumps camp has to now things are grim when #TrumpSoPoor is trending on Twitter. And no wonder the hashtag is making the rounds: his campaign is almost out of money and appears to be in complete chaos. And he isnt even the actual nominee yet. #TrumpSoPoor his next trophy wife will be from Mexico. Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) June 21, 2016 According to campaign finance reports filed on Monday, the Trumps war chest only has about $1.3-million on hand. Thats astonishingly low. Just as bad, his team only raised $3.1-million in May the month he clinched the Republican nomination. Hes even had to lend his campaign $2-million to cover overhead. Compare this to Hillary Clintons fundraising efforts. The presumptive Democratic nominee raised $27-million in May, leaving her with a healthy $42-million to spend. Thats about 32 times what her likely GOP rival has. Lots of people asking if I'm joking about Trump's 35K in payments to an ad firm called "Draper Sterling" I'm not pic.twitter.com/NMBXKjNLLn Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) June 21, 2016 man this FEC report is giving me heartburn. trump the most successful grifter we've ever seen. gonna make money off a presidential campaign Aminatou Sow (@aminatou) June 21, 2016 This is not good, according to the New York Times: Donald J. Trump enters the general election campaign laboring under the worst financial and organizational disadvantage of any major party nominee in recent history, placing both his candidacy and his party in political peril. Not only does the financial disparity allow Clinton to massively outspend Trump in TV ads in critical swing states shes spent $26-million this month alone, while Trump hasnt aired one it also allows her to hire staffers to run field operations. The Times says Trumps staff numbers around 70. Clintons is 10 times that number. So no wonder his controversial campaign manager has been fired. In a move that has apparently been long planned, Corey Lewandowski was ousted from his position following a disastrous strategy meeting at Trump Tower on Monday morning. According to New York Magazine, Lewandowskis fate was sealed when his solution to the campaigns woes was to leak Trumps vice-presidential nomination to the press ahead of the Republican convention next month. RELATED: Mark Cuban Questions Donald Trump's Billionaire Status Even the convention is looking like a PR embarrassment. Apple has joined companies like HP Inc, Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Wells Fargo, UPS, Ford and Motorola in stating publicly that it is avoiding or seriously reducing their corporate presence at the Cleveland convention. And if things werent already bad enough, the Secret Service detail guarding Trump is probably really nervous because a 20-year-old British kid allegedly tried to kill Donald at a Las Vegas rally on Saturday. Sad! Also, if you think Donny is hurting now, remember his only successful business was branding. The name is mud in 4/5 of the world now. 15/ (((Anthony Weiner))) (@anthonyweiner) June 21, 2016 Own The Conversation Ask The Big Question: Can the Trump team recover and Make American Great Again? Disrupt Your Feed: Dont count him out just yet. There is still a lot of time left between now and November. Drop This Fact: At this point in the 2012 election, Mitt Romney raised $23.4-million and finished the month with $17-million. He still lost. After the last few years of a global pandemic, and the resulting pressure that is being put on many care providers, health is The untimely death of British MP Jo Cox in the hands of an extreme English nationalist has deprived her constituency, her country and Europe of a hard-working and inspiring individual dedicated with body and soul to the good causes of humanity. It has also deprived the British Labour Party and UK politics from a rising star, and the campaign for the UK staying in the EU of a passionate and committed voice. The cowardly murder, though, may have quite the opposite result to the one expected by its perpetrator. Like an ancient Greek tragedy, where the Gods demand a human sacrifice before allowing supportive winds to blow for the departure of the fleet, so the sacrifice extracted from Jo Cox seems to have set the British Isles on a course closer to, rather than away from, Europe. It did not have to come to this, nor was it planned to happen this way. But destiny and the unknown are well-established sources of history. If the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand by Gavrilo Princip ignited the First World War, this one will hopefully contribute to avoiding new conflicts on the European continent and possible serious side effects on the global economy. The lives of the innocent have often been taken by evil individuals, but have ultimately proven stronger than their opponents and have prevailed in the long run. Destruction cannot construct a permanent state of affairs, but can only disrupt and live at the expense of the creative forces for a short while. The death of Jo Cox and the emotional reactions it elicited on both sides of the English Channel has mobilized forces that are much bigger than any argument than the Leave or even the Remain campaign could ever make. Disappointingly, even the latter until recently focused on economic arguments: why the UK should stay in the EU to avoid negative economic consequences. As important and partly convincing such arguments may be, they miss the bigger point, which has to do with a much more important bond between UK and its EU partners. It is a bond of common values and principles, a shared destiny in a changing world, a shared determination to overcome old divisions that have cost the lives of millions, and a decision to live and work together, on the basis of the many things that unite us. The day of the UK referendum is fast approaching. The result may be too close to call until the last minute. It could go either way but it can certainly not ignore the dynamic ties of blood and emotion that were awakened by the assassination of Jo Cox. May she rest in peace and may the European Union, with the UK in its midst, come out of this ordeal stronger. BELLEVUE -- If these walls could shop ... A Bellevue man is accused of bilking his employer out of nearly $768,000 and stuffing at least $200,000 in cash behind the drywall of his house. Here's the kicker, according to authorities: Steven S. Molnar, 42, didn't spend a dime of the money he stole from Pitney Bowes Presort Services, an international business that specializes in mail sorting and delivery. Within a day of being confronted about a theft, Molnar retrieved the cash $207,000 from his wall and returned it in a bag, authorities say. He then agreed to transfer the rest of the stolen money from accounts he had set up at various banks across the city. Local authorities say they've rarely heard of an embezzler hoarding his heist. Yet, investigators say, they've uncovered no gambling addiction. No spending compulsion. They say Molnar may be nothing more than a miser motivated by a desire for a rainy day fund. Unique in that there isn't some other issue that was driving him to steal the money, Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine said. I don't know if he was trying to get to a certain amount of money and was storing it away until he could leave or what. Molnar, who is expected to turn himself in Friday, could not be reached for comment. His attorney, Michael Nelson, said his client believed he had resolved the matter. It is surprising and perplexing that any allegations would be made after the matter was fully and completely resolved between Mr. Molnar and his employer months ago, Nelson said. Even though the state is required to show that a loss was intended, no loss occurred. We fully expect the charges to be dismissed in due order. Kleine called it nonsensical to suggest that no charges should be brought because someone paid back what he took ... after he got caught. I don't understand that logic, he said. Certainly, the intent was to steal the money when he was hiding it in his walls. According to court documents filed by investigators William Mulligan and Lance Ivener: Molnar, of 2705 Fairview St., worked as an account manager for Pitney Bowes in Omaha. In 2002, Pitney Bowes completed its acquisition of a mail presort business called PSI Group. Over time, businesses continued to make out payments to PSI Group, rather than to Pitney Bowes. In January 2011, Molnar set up an account at Great Southern Bank under the name Steven Molnar, dba (doing business as) PSI Group, Inc. He then began to deposit money intended for Pitney Bowes at least 19 checks into the personal account he had set up at the bank. From January 2011 through February 2012, the money piled up: $767,906. In March 2012, Molnar tried to add another business name to his account. Authorities allege that he was hoping to continue the same scheme with a new company Pitney Bowes had acquired. Great Southern Bank officials became suspicious. A bank vice president, Doug Marrs, looked at Molnar's account and saw that he had a balance of more than $300,000. And he had transferred $455,000 more from the account splitting that up among accounts at four area banks. On April 16, Marrs confronted Molnar. Marrs ordered Molnar to return all the money to Great Southern Bank within 72 hours. The next morning, Molnar was at the bank with a bag of cash in the amount of $207,000, the affidavit said. Later in the day, he came by with four cashier's checks totaling $248,421. Those totals, combined with the balance in the Great Southern Bank account, made up $772,521. Of that amount, Molnar claimed $4,615 was his. Great Southern Bank wired $767,906 back to Pitney Bowes. Molnar originally denied that his activity involving the GSB account was fraudulent but later admitted his involvement in the fraud, the affidavit said. Molnar may be the first accused embezzler to make restitution before a charge was brought. He faces one count of theft by deception, punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Two of the people charged with robbing a convenience store near Alda this summer have waived their preliminary hearings. Kyle Christen, 20, of 116 Lakeview Circle, No. 4, and Shaylee Brown, 19, of Hastings appeared in Hall County Court Tuesday with their attorneys. They are each charged with felony robbery for the Aug. 29 incident at the Git N Split near the Interstate 80/Alda interchange. Both are out of jail on bond. Their arraignments in Hall County District Court are scheduled for 9 a.m. Nov. 26. A third person, Geoffrey R. Adamson, 20, of Hastings is also charged with robbery for the incident. His preliminary hearing was originally set for Tuesday as well, but he waived the hearing and pleaded not guilty in district court earlier this month. His trial has been set for January. As of Tuesday, he remained in the Hall County Jail. The robbery occurred at about 1:16 a.m. Aug. 29 when two people, later identified by authorities as Christen and Brown, dressed in baggy clothes went into the store, displayed what appeared to be a handgun and demanded money from the clerk. The clerk gave them more than $800, Deputy Hall County Attorney Nancy Berger-Snyder said during the trios first court appearance on Sept. 12. The robbery was recorded on the stores surveillance system. According to a search warrant affidavit filed in district court Oct. 1, investigators learned the trio used the money from the robbery to go to Colorado and get matching tattoos. The Grand Island Independent / www.theindependent.com LINCOLN Look for battles over assault weapons in Nebraska and Iowa next year. Some state lawmakers say they will push to ban the types of guns used in recent mass shootings. Lawmakers in both states said they would try to pass bans on assault weapons in the wake of Mondays decision by the U.S. Supreme Court not to review Connecticuts prohibition on sales of the military-style rifles. Six other states, along with multiple cities and towns, also ban or restrict such weapons. Im going to craft legislation to ban their possession and ownership for civilian use, said Nebraska Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha. These are military-style weapons, and they should be in the hands of the military only. Iowa Sen. Matt McCoy of Des Moines said Monday that he felt compelled to introduce a similar bill in response to the recent massacre of 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. It impacted our community significantly, said McCoy, who is gay. Meanwhile, gun-rights advocates predicted strong resistance to such proposals in states where assault weapons are regulated in the same way as hunting rifles or shotguns. A ban has zero chance of passing, said Sen. Bill Kintner of Papillion. I can count votes, and I just dont see any appetite by a majority of senators to restrict Second Amendment rights. Opponents of the bans say people often mistakenly believe that assault weapons are fully automatic guns, which fire multiple rounds with a single trigger pull. Rather, their mechanisms are semi-automatic, which means the trigger must be pulled to fire each shot. Gun defenders argue that its inflammatory to refer to the firearms as assault weapons because they work the same way as a traditional rifle used to hunt deer or other big game. Gun control advocates say the rifles in question are designed to kill people, with features such as pistol grips and barrel shrouds that better serve that purpose. Assault weapons are not defined in Nebraska or Iowa law, so they fall under the category of long guns rifles or shotguns that exceed a certain barrel length. People 18 and older may legally purchase long guns in both states without a permit. If the seller is a federally licensed dealer, the buyer must undergo an FBI background check before making the purchase. But if the seller is a private party, no background check is required a provision that gun control advocates consider a loophole thats often exploited at gun shows. Both Iowa and Nebraska place greater restrictions on the buying of handguns: Buyers must be at least 21 and must undergo state background checks before they are issued permits to purchase handguns. Handgun buyers also must have such permits even if they purchase from a private seller. High-capacity magazines external clips that allow a semi-automatic gun to be fired more times without reloading also have become a flashpoint in the debate. Some states have banned magazines that hold more than 10 rounds, although neither Nebraska nor Iowa has put such a restriction in place. Self-defense is at the top of list as to why people are buying firearms, said Kurt Liske, vice president of the Iowa Firearms Coalition. If youre in a life or death situation, why should you be limited to 10 rounds of ammunition or some other arbitrary number? Democrats control the Senate in Iowa, Republicans the House. Liske said hes skeptical that a ban on assault weapons can become law, even if it passes the Senate. Nebraska Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks of Lincoln said she was heartened by Mondays Supreme Court ruling allowing states to keep restrictions on certain types of firearms. The decision gave her more determination to pursue similar restrictions in Nebraska, she added. Chambers said America needs to confront the reality of homegrown terrorists. McCoy, the Des Moines senator, said he and his colleagues also need to do more to improve mental health care, to help address the underlying cause of some mass shootings. McCoy said he grew up hunting pheasants in Iowa so is not opposed to guns. I think you can be pro-Second Amendment and still do some common-sense things to protect the public, he said. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Halloween customs from around the world Halloween is derived from some of the oldest customs in the world. The culture of these traditions are 2000 years old during an age... Spindle Items ..FUN WITH WORDS Have you heard of the saying, to appear smart, be silent. It means if you dont open your mouth, people may... Out of the Past 25 Years AgoOct. 29, 1997 A light industrial park is planned for the site of the abandoned grain mills on Military Road after their expected... Make a plan to vote this November Election Day is less than two weeks away. Have you made a plan to vote yet? Midterm elections are often overlooked, but I urge everyone... 3K Shares Share I recently saw the movie, Captain America: Civil War. If you havent seen it yet (no spoilers), the United Nations decides that because of civilian fatalities during previous Avenger battles, the world would be safer if all superheroes voluntarily subjugate themselves to the authority of an organized government body. Sounds good to some of the Avengers; after all, innocent people have died, and maybe some form of supervision will minimize collateral loss. Captain America, on the other hand, refuses, believing that his own conscience combined with his super-hero skills and training make him more qualified than any external force in deciding how to handle the bad guys. As I watched our brave Avengers criticized and excoriated for the damage that they have ensued on society during their attempts to do good, I couldnt help but find comparisons to the way that doctors are treated in our current health care system. Read the headlines: Like the Avengers, doctors are shown wreaking havoc on society. Medical errors (and therefore doctors), are the third leading cause of death in the United States. Physicians are responsible for Americas opioid crisis. And why even use doctors when nurses can provide the same or better care than doctors do with less training? Everywhere you look, doctors have become societys favorite whipping-boy. Never mind the fact that physicians enter the profession with the best of intentions, sacrificing years of our lives to education, including an ongoing struggle to stay abreast of the latest scientific research, deferring family life and friends, and obligating ourselves to thousands of dollars of debt. Never mind that doctors have had to fight harder as our enemy grows stronger with the epidemic of obesity, diabetes and the aging of the population. Forget the good work that doctors have done, the lives that have been saved by both intervention and prevention of disease. And never mind that doctors hurt and suffer along with our patients. Because even when doctors are trying the best that we can, things go wrong. We get tired. We make mistakes. And when we do, our hearts ache, we shed tears, and sometimes we feel so much guilt that we cant go on. Sometimes we even kill ourselves. So how is society to reconcile the conflict that arises when despite doctors best efforts, people will suffer and die? Up to this point, Americans reaction has been very similar to the UN solution to dealing with the Avengers: Lets form a large government body to supervise doctors, laying out thousands of pages of documents telling them what do to, and then criminalize physicians when they dont follow the rules. Lets create burdensome systems to allow that government body to keep a medical scorecard, making up the rules as we go along. Make doctors buy expensive computer systems, and then become typists and data entry clerks to make it easier on government reviewers. Lets keep doctors in their place by calling them providers and making them fight for every payment. Dont forget to subject them to a needlessly expensive and time-consuming process of certification in order to ply the trade that they have worked so hard to achieve. News flash: This abusive system isnt working. Doctors are burning out, quitting, retiring, and forgoing primary care specialties. And the biggest loser of this decrease in physician morale are Americans, every single one of us, as the best and brightest in health care quietly slip away. We need to change the paradigm. Stop this civil war in medicine, and let doctors get back to what we truly do best: caring for our patients. Let us police ourselves with our own medical boards, and help us to cut out the administrative burdens that affect our time with patients. Please believe that physicians have more training and skills than any group of MBA graduates and career politicians. And like the Avengers, know the vast majority of doctors will follow their conscience to always do what is right. Rebekah Bernard is a family physician and the author of How to Be a Rock Star Doctor: The Complete Guide to Taking Back Control of Your Life and Your Profession. She can be reached at How to Be a Rock Star Doctor. Image credit: Sarunyu L / Shutterstock.com 439 Shares Share I joined physicians nationwide last year in cheering when Congress passed the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA). Not only did it eliminate the congressional budgetary fiction known as the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula, it also promised to simplify and improve Medicares costly and complex programs that purport to measure the quality of care we provide to our patients. Unfortunately, as we review the draft implementing rule, it appears that the net result will be neither simplified nor improved. Frankly, while we see the need for some legislative tweaks, this proposed rule is not what Congress ordered. MACRA already has accomplished two of its intended goals. It reauthorized the Childrens Health Insurance Program for two years, and it removed the constant threat of SGR-driven Medicare payment cuts. The SGRs faulty assumptions would have forced annual fee cuts for physicians for every one of the past 15 years. The obvious folly of that policy drove Congress to override each of those cuts since 2002, often in desperate, last-minute or retroactive circumstances. The associated financial threats and uncertainty about business viability created continuously hazardous conditions for physicians. MACRA also promised to simplify the ever-tightening thicket of federal regulations that strangle physicians practices. The draft regulations that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published on May 9 fall far short of that promise. If implemented as written, they would dump additional bureaucratic work on physicians and their practices, and would continue to impose onerous federal controls on physicians and their practices with no data to show that they would improve the quality of or access-to-care for patients. The system devised by CMS is far more costly, complex, and confusing than the costly, complex, and confusing programs it is replacing. Compliance would be especially difficult for small practices who may end up with Medicare payment penalties even if they spend the time and money to jump through all the new regulatory hoops. The budget-neutral system of bonuses and penalties pits physician practices against each other, so that there will be annually anointed winners and losers regardless of how well all practices perform on these new quality standards. When MACRA legislation was enacted, TMA had no reason to expect CMS would propose to continue flawed concepts from the current quality programs along with plans to diminish a physicians worth down to a complex point system. More disappointing is to learn that CMS proposes to design a program that is stacked against solo physicians and small group practices in its first year of implementation. CMS and proponents of the agencys proposed plan say it will streamline the current quality reporting systems and simplify the transition to value-based care. CMS Acting Administrator Andy Slavitt says we have to get the hearts and minds of physicians back, and he claims MACRA will put physicians back in control. Our analysis of the proposed regulations reveals something much to the contrary. We found: Costly reporting and compliance. The compliance, documentation, and reporting requirements related to the new combined incentive programs are inordinately costly for many physicians. CMS own figures show the new programs will add additional compliance costs of $128 million above the cost of the programs it is replacing. Disjointed timelines and perverse incentives. CMS has failed to properly engage physicians and guide them to successful participation since the current program began in 2007. The replacement does little to reverse the problems in the current systems, and in fact immediately increases the requirements for success. The first year of implementation is not the time to raise the bar and increase the degree of difficulty in meeting quality reporting requirements. Metrics outside of physician control. Vendors and patients, not physicians, have control over meeting MACRAs standards and requirements. Physicians should not be penalized for the failures of their electronic health record (EHR) vendors or for the demographic or socioeconomic status of their patients. Two years too late. CMS plans to use two-year-old data to determine whether physicians receive a bonus or penalty. Data from 2017 will be used in 2019, 2018 data in 2020, and so on. At no point in the process will physicians be provided feedback on their current performance data or insights within the current performance year on how to improve their status, and no objective standard will exist for physicians to target. Physicians should be given real-time and correct information on their practices. Arbitrary incentives to create massive changes in physician practice type. The need for sophisticated support systems, the inflexibility of the measurement standards, and the lack of realistic incentives to change all create pressures for physicians to abandon small practices to join large ones or to sell out to hospitals. In fact, CMS published data shows that payment penalties could decimate small practices, still the majority in Texas. Cost without benefit to Medicare. There is no evidence that the incentives in the draft MACRA regulations are likely to be effective in improving care quality or increasing efficiency. Requirements should include only activities proven to actually enhance care quality, or to reduce cost with no adverse impact on quality, access, or productivity. The nearly 50,000 physician and medical student members of the Texas Medical Association urge the leadership of CMS to chart a different course of action. We call on them to take the time necessary to ensure that this new law supports and enhances the physicians who provide the medical care to our nations 54 million Medicare beneficiaries. We urgently request that CMS stop moving down a path that threatens to plow under tens of thousands of physician practices and needlessly create an access crisis for patients covered by Medicare. In general, we are asking for time, fairness, simplicity, and flexibility. More precisely: Exempt physicians who have no possibility of earning more than it costs them to report data, and do not force physicians into unacceptably risky payment models. Establish objective and timely measurement and reporting systems that are simpler and less costly than those currently required. The focus should be improving care for all Medicare patients, not creating yearly physician winners and losers with payment affected two years after care has been delivered. Use quality metrics that capture those activities that are under the physicians control and have been shown to improve quality of care, enhance access-to-care, and/or reduce the cost of care. The focus should be on metrics that are most meaningful to a practice and its patients, not on what will result in the best score. Allow physicians who want to shift to value-based care enough time to make this transition in a way that actually benefits their patients and does not cause undue collateral damage to their practices. Require EHR vendors to build and maintain products that meet federal specifications rather than forcing physicians to purchase and constantly upgrade expensive and often-balky systems. Last week I sat in the American Medical Association audience when Acting Administrator Slavitt said, I am convinced that adding new regulations to an already busy health care system without improving how the pieces fit together just will not work. He also said he wants to hear what practicing physicians think about this draft rule. This practicing physician is telling Mr. Slavitt his plan just will not work. Change it. Don Read is president, Texas Medical Association. Image credit: Shutterstock.com The Mining Association of Canada says it welcomes and plans to be an active participant in the federal government's review of environmental and regulatory processes. "The mining industry's experience with the regulatory reforms of 2012 differs from many other sectors. In contrast to others, our sector experienced not less, but more oversight of projects, more stringent requirements, and more uncertainty, especially during the transition to the new regime," says Pierre Gratton, president and chief executive officer of MAC. "We have considerable knowledge and experience to share with the government, Indigenous peoples and other stakeholders in terms of how the current system is being implemented and what can be done to improve overall public confidence, certainty and predictability of federal reviews." By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com Goldsource Achieves Commercial Production at Eagle Mountain Gold Project Goldsource Mines Inc. (TSX: GXS) has reached commercial production on phase one of its Eagle Mountain gold project in Guyana, South America. The company had defined commercial production as achieving an average minimum of 80% of the 1,000-tonnes-per-day nameplate capacity and 45% recovery in Falcon gold concentrate over a continuous period of 30 days. The operation achieved this milestone as of Monday. "Achieving commercial production is a significant milestone for the company," says Yannis Tsitos, president. During the last 30 days, operations reached a maximum daily throughput of approximately 1,400 tonnes with an estimated average of 900 tonnes. Falcon gravity recovery to concentrate was approximately 50%. For the remainder of 2016, management aims to optimize the operation and anticipates total production of approximately 3,600 ounces of gold for 2016, Goldsource says. Starting in the third quarter, Eagle Mountain operations will implement a second shift as well as begin use of a newly purchased 40-tonne articulating truck to increase throughput from higher-grade areas. With the planned expansion of operations, Eagle Mountain is targeting an average throughput of approximately 1,800 tonnes per day. By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com Seabridge Gold Completes Acquisition Of SnipGold Seabridge Gold (TSX: SEA; NYSE: SA) officials say the company has completed the acquisition of all of outstanding shares of SnipGold Corp. under a deal originally announced in April 19. On closing Seabridge issued 695,277 shares to acquire SnipGold, at an exchange ratio of one share of Seabridge for 63 outstanding shares of SnipGold Corp. Up to 60,550 additional Seabridge shares may be issuable upon exercise of outstanding options and warrants originally issued by SnipGold, but now exercisable to acquire Seabridge shares. By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com SHARE By John Bristow If you had to choose which is the higher authority for you, would it be Jesus or the Bible? Obviously that question is directed only at those readers of this column who identify themselves as Christians, persons who have at some point sworn allegiance to Jesus as Lord and King. And for them, the question holds: which is the higher authority for you, Jesus or the Bible? Some might candidly answer "neither" or "both." For example, both Jesus and the Bible urge us to pray. If we ourselves often engage in prayer then our answer is "both." Both Jesus and the Bible instruct the faithful to welcome strangers and sojourners. If we ourselves, on the other hand, disregard or actively oppose the needs of the refugee and homeless, then our candid answer must be "neither." But what of those times we must choose between, say, the laws of Moses and the commandments of Jesus. For sometimes these two religious authorities seriously conflict with each other. Both are honored as scripture, but just shrugging our shoulders and mumbling, "the Bible says" ignores what the Bible really says. Recall, if you will, a time when Jesus was teaching a crowd gathered on the temple mount. Some scribes and Pharisees (conservative biblical scholars of their day) entered that gathering, dragging with them a terrified woman prisoner. These righteous leaders were acting on a covert plan to discredit and ensnare Jesus, and the woman was the hapless worm on their fishing hook. "Teacher," they said mockingly to Jesus, "this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery." Everyone present knew the divinely-prescribed punishment for adultery: execution (Leviticus 20:10). So these righteous defenders of the scriptures were putting Jesus on trial, this self-appointed soft-hearted rabbi from Galilee who preached that those who are merciful are blessed. "In the law Moses commanded us to stone such women," the prosecutors reminded their listeners, pointing to their captive. Then, aiming their fingers toward Jesus himself, they demanded, "Now what do you say?" Everyone waited in silence, wondering whether Jesus would entrap himself as a heretic (challenging the scriptures) or as a waffling coward (disclaiming his own teachings). The muted on-lookers watched as Jesus knelt down. Was he engaging in a prayer, confessing his unfaithful and reckless disregard for holy writ, or was he displaying obeisance to these doctors of the Mosaic law? Strangely, Jesus did neither. Instead he began to write in the ground. "When they kept on questioning him," we read, "he straightened up and said to them, 'Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.'" You remember what happened then. The accusers repeated their charges and Jesus continued to write in the sand. But then his challenge began to register with them, "Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." And the defenders of the law slowly walked away. So which side lay your own loyalties in this story, with the scriptures or with Jesus (John 8:1-11)? The question has deadly relevance for us today, you know. On the one hand, there is the scripture that states, "If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall be put to death; their blood is upon them." (Leviticus 20:13) This authority is quoted again and again today by some preachers and evangelists in affirming the murder of 49 victims in an Orlando gay bar. On the other hand, there remains Jesus' challenge, "Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first." So I ask myself and any others: when you have to choose, which is the higher authority for you, Jesus or the Bible? John Bristow is a retired minister living in Port Orchard. Contact him at john@johnbristow.org. Estherica Seman, 16, of the Housing Kitsap Teen Challenge program, gathers kabobs for a meal the program provided Friday for the residents of the Golden Tides Senior Apartments. SHARE Alyssa Mantanona, 14, of the Housing Kitsap's Teen Challenge program, serves salad to Golden Tides Senior Apartments residents Josephine Miller (left) and Ann Barbillion. Teens from the program made dinner for the residents Friday. Laura Daley (right), the resident services director for Housing Kitsap, helps Golden Tides Senior Apartments residents with dinner. Teens from the program made a dinner for the residents Friday. Oirah Donnelly, 14, of the Housing Kitsap's Teen Challenge program, serves cake to Golden Tides Senior Apartments residents Joyce Balcom (left) and Ken Nelson. Teens from the program made dinner for the residents Friday. Oirah Donnelly (right) and Alyssa Mantanona, both 14, arrange Friday's meal for Golden Tides residents. By Christian Vosler, christian.vosler@kitsapsun.com SILVERDALE In their neighborhood, teens Shanice and Estherica Seman are considered members of the old guard. When new neighbors move into Fairview public housing in Bremerton, the sisters are among the first to greet the arrivals, often with food. On Friday night, they extended that practice in a unique way. The girls helped prepare and serve a meal to seniors living in public housing as part of Teen Challenge, a leadership and mentoring program that aims to provide resources for at-risk youth in public housing. The dinner was held in the community center of the Golden Tides housing complex in Silverdale. Youth in public housing are often considered at-risk, according to Housing Kitsap's Resident Services Director Laura Daley, because members of that population typically have high ACE (adverse childhood experiences) scores. ACE is a metric for measuring the experiences of youth up to 18 and takes into account emotional, physical and sexual abuse. High ACE scores are correlated with an increased likelihood of health problems like alcoholism, tobacco use and unwanted pregnancy. Daley hopes the Teen Challenge program will bring some stability to young people in Kitsap County. "We focus on educational and employment skills development and what we're looking for is to encourage their self-sufficiency and future success," she said. Teen Challenge is not new. According to Daley, it has existed in some form for at least eight years. The group meets every other week, and youths participate in workshops, visit colleges and volunteer in the community. The Teen Challenge senior dinner Friday was so successful that the group plans to hold one every month. Shanice and Estherica are among 78 teens living in public housing in Kitsap County. They have been living in public housing since 2009, when they moved to the United States from Saipan, an island in the Western Pacific. "(Teen Challenge) is very challenging, and you get to learn new things," Estherica, 16, said. "We used to be very shy and now we're learning, we're (opening up)." In addition to the senior dinner, Teen Challenge participants recently took a trip to the University of Washington to learn about applying to college. On Thursday, the group will begin a workshop called the Art of Hip-Hop, in which youth are encouraged to write music. At the end of July, the group will tour the University of Oregon and Oregon State University. Daley said that trip will provide an opportunity to teach camping and survival skills. Shanice, 18, wants to attend Olympic College after she graduates from high school. She hopes to pursue a degree in psychology and become a therapist. Before the Teen Challenge field trip to UW, she said she had a lot of questions about how to go to college. "I didn't know what we needed," she said. Her sister isn't sure what she wants to do yet after high school but is interested in community college and a profession in the medical field. Teen Challenge is funded through BASIC, a nonprofit organization that operates programs for public housing residents. The program recently received a grant for $700 from the Bremerton Soroptimists to be used specifically for the young women in the program. The majority of funding comes through grants from institutions like the Soroptimists, the Kitsap Community Fund and Kitsap Youth Mentoring Endowment Fund, Daley said. Eight young people are participating in Teen Challenge, and Daley said is actively recruiting more. Housing Kitsap operates 136 public housing units in Kitsap County. SHARE Robert James Brown of Anchorage, AK Dec. 20, 1995 to May 16, 2016 Veteran Robert "Bobby" James Brown was born on Dec. 20, 1995 in Wheat Ridge, Colorado to Jeff and Valeta Brown. Bobby tragically lost his life on May 16, 2016 in a kayaking accident on Eklutna Lake in Alaska. Funeral services with military honors will be 1 p.m. Saturday, June 25th at Adventure of Faith Church in Port Orchard under the care of Rill Chapel. A complete life story and tribute wall can be accessed at www.rill.com. Matthew Plummer writes on why he is voting for the UK to leave the EU: Accountability the EU is basically an appointed Government, not an elected one Eurozone integration will be the main focus of EU going forward Trade too many vested interests to do good trade deails Less Government 10,000 EU employees in Brussels earn more than David Cameron Immigration UK outside EU could do free movement agreements with countries such as NZ Progressive values dont come from the EU but Magna Carta etc Security comes from Five Eyes, not EU. An EU Army undermines NATO Reform meaningful EU reform cant be achieved The referendum appears to be neck and neck. Brexit was leading in the polls, but since the murder of Jo Cox, most polls have shown Brexit now slightly behind. Share this: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Reddit WhatsApp More Pinterest Print Tumblr The Herald reports: Long-serving Waikato MP Lindsay Tisch will leave Parliament after next years election. Mr Tisch, a former National Party president and who became an MP in 1999, has announced he will not seek the National Party nomination for his Waikato electorate next year. Waikato is a safe National seat, with Mr Tisch having one of the largest majorities in the country when he won the seat by 16,169 votes in 2014. Stuff reports: Donald Trumps campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, is leaving the campaign, following a tumultuous stretch marked by missteps and infighting. Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks said Monday that Lewandowski will no longer be working with the campaign. She paid tribute to his hard work and dedication and wished him the best. Two insiders told the New York Times that Lewandowski was let go. Lewandowsky deflected any criticism of his approach, pointing instead to campaign chairman Paul Manafort. Paul Manafort has been in operational control of the campaign since April 7. Thats a fact, Lewandowski said, declining to elaborate on his dismissal. Harvest Bible Chapel Chattanooga, WMBW/Moody Radio Southeast and Pierce Law Firm are teaming together to solicit donations of items to show the citys support for the Chattanooga Police Department officers. Martin Pierce, attorney at Pierce Law Firm, said, "After an increase in shootings in April, the Chattanooga Police Department responded with more officers on the streets, meaning longer hours and more work for the officers, who often are so busy they cannot stop for meals. The goal is to provide a show of appreciation through supplies of practical and useful non-monetary resources for every officer. With the recent ramp-up of patrols, many police officers had their normal off-days or leave time cancelled, and others worked required overtime to keep our city safer. The sponsors wanted to show appreciation to our hard-working police force and also equip them with items that they can have at the ready going forward, as the need arises." There will be a drop-off day on Thursday, June 23, from 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. at Harvest Bible Chapel Chattanooga, off Gunbarrel Road near Hamilton Place Mall, at 1640 Joiner Road. Donations may also be dropped off at Pierce Law Firm, 4513 Hixson Pike, Suite 109, any weekday through Thursday, June 30, between the hours of 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Several companies in the Chattanooga area have already made donations to the Chattanooga police officers, including Chick Fil-A in Hixson, Zaxbys, Top Flight, Wrigleys, Chattanooga Bakery and First Tennessee Bank. Suggested items to be dropped off for the current drive include: Snacks prepackaged, single-serve (crackers, nuts, granola bars, etc.) Bottled water Gatorade or PowerAde Chapstick/Lip balm Sunscreen Hand Sanitizer Wet Wipes Coupons for fast-food restaurants Insect Repellent Ponchos Water Bottles Thermos bottles Black ink pens Reusable bags (such as grocery recyclable bags) Black or navy blue hand towels X3 Nitrile Powder-free Textured Disposable Gloves (can be purchased by the box). These gloves protect from Fentanyl whereas latex gloves do not. Chill-its Evaporative Cooling Towels Neither the Chattanooga Police Department nor any of its officers are involved in this solicitation, and it comes solely and directly from the community sponsors, it was stated. Following the cold-blooded murder of four U S Marines and a Navy Sailor by a local cowardly subhuman Islamic Terrorist on 16 July 2015, the citizens of the greater Chattanooga area responded with unparalleled support for the families and comrades of the Fallen Five and for the wounded Marine recruiter and Chattanooga police officer. The USMC Recruiting Office on Lee Highway received approximately 39 of the 50 plus rounds fired into military recruiting offices at that location on 16 July. As a retired volunteer for our Marine recruiters, I was tasked with locating a temporary facility where Marine recruiters could interview potential recruits and their families while their office was being repaired.After initially being turned down by a local "institute of higher learning," I turned to the one person who I knew would make this happen: Mike Carter, an individual I have known professionally and highly respected for almost 20 years.I reached Mike about 8 p.m. in Nashville. He told me that he would drive back to Chattanooga first thing in the morning and told me that if I had not heard back from him by noon the next day, to callhim back. Instead, just two hours later that same night, Mike called me and said he had secured a location near the recruiting center for our Marine recruiters to use and we agreed to meet there at 10 the next morning.Mission accomplished because of the total commitment and dedication of Mike Carter in supporting those who protect us.In subsequent months, Mike has personally worked toward improving the protection of our recruiters. I will not state details of his continual efforts because I do not want to educate our Islamic Terrorist enemies on what we have done.Out of respect for the families of the Fallen Five military members, I will not specify the actions Mike has taken on their behalf.Mike has always emphasized to me that he wants no publicity or recognition for his efforts for our active duty military personnel, their families and our veterans.This is the Mike Carter I have always known, as a Judge, business man, and staterepresentative:1. His word is his bond. He does what he says he will do.2. He possesses unimpeachable integrity. This is important to me based on my 33 years as a federal prosecutor specializing in prosecuting hundreds of corrupt public officials.3. He walks the walk; his actions speak louder than his words.4. He embodies the Marine Corps/Navy core values of Honor, Courage and Commitment.We are blessed to have Mike Carter representing us in Nashville. I am proud to support his reelection.Semper Fi, Wayne Rich Retired U.S. Marine Corps Colonel Bruce Hayes sits in his office at the Knoxville Chamber on Market Square on Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Hayes has been named executive director of the Tennessee Small Business Development Center in Knoxville. G. CHAMBERS WILLIAMS III/NEWS SENTINEL SHARE By Chambers Williams of the Knoxville News Sentinel Bruce Hayes, a longtime counselor for the Tennessee Small Business Development Center in Knoxville, has been named executive director of the agency, replacing Larry Rossini, who retired in March. The Small Business Development Center, housed at the Knoxville Chamber's offices in Market Square downtown, is an affiliate of Pellissippi State Community College, and works to help small businesses in a seven-county area that includes Knox, Blount, Claiborne, Cocke, Jefferson, Sevier and Union counties. The center's resource partners are the Knoxville Chamber and the U.S. Small Business Administration. "We're very excited to see someone appointed to that position in Knoxville," John Mallano, acting Tennessee district director for the SBA, said Tuesday. "Small businesses create two-thirds of all new jobs in our country, and it's important that they get the help they need to grow." A former custom homebuilder who started his career in industrial construction maintenance, Hayes for the past nine years has been a small business counselor for the Knoxville center, specializing in construction. "Our mission here has three goals," Hayes said Tuesday. "We focus on helping long-term clients, promoting capital formation in Tennessee, and assisting startup businesses. But we spend the bulk of our time on the first two." He said he plans to continue building on the center's success under Rossini's leadership, and help small businesses navigate the fast-changing business environment. "Small business planning is changing dramatically, and the original business-plan model is dead," Hayes said. "We are focused on helping small businesses move to a lean planning environment." There are four areas of expertise the center helps businesses deal with, Hayes said: the business concept, operations, the customer relationship and organization. "We can offer help for businesses in the areas of taxes, financing and human resources, among other things," he said. The Small Business Development Center works with local partners to achieve its goals of helping businesses. Among those partners are SCORE (Service Core of Retired Executives), the Knoxville Urban League and the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, Hayes said. "We do an education component for startups," Hayes said. "But a lot of startups get pushed into SCORE. We can direct people to the right office, however." The center's typical client is an established small business with about six employees and annual revenues of $500,000 to $1 million, he said. But the center has some clients with revenues up to $25 million a year. "In Tennessee, any business with fewer than 500 employees qualifies as a small business," Hayes said. "We don't turn anybody away." In 2015, the center served 466 clients for a total of 2,135 counseling hours. It also helped 30 businesses start up, creating 183 new jobs, and helped businesses retain 1,280 jobs. Firms helped by the center created more than $11 million in new capital investment in the local economy last year. The center partners with Pellissippi State on training opportunities and workforce development. For more information about the center, visit the website at tsbdc.org or call 865-246-2663. SHARE SAUL YOUNG/NEWS SENTINEL Architect Brian Pittman at his home, the Mary Boyce Temple house on Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Dobby and Twiggy inside one of the rooms of the Mary Boyce Temple house owned by architect Brian Pittman. (SAUL YOUNG/NEWS SENTINEL) Brian Pittman built a LEGO replica of his home, the Mary Boyce Temple house. (SAUL YOUNG/NEWS SENTINEL) Brian Pittman's home, the Mary Temple House in 2014 after restorations were completed.(SAUL YOUNG/NEWS SENTINEL) By Ali James of the Knoxville News Sentinel After Knoxville architect Brian Pittman was diagnosed with not one, but two types of cancer, he re-evaluated his life's goals. "When something like that happens, you have an awakening moment," he said. "I just decided to do what I really wanted to do, which was houses." While stepping away from his career to battle the cancer, he realized he wanted to work on a more diverse portfolio. He was proud of his 20-year career working on commercial architectural projects, but he realized he wanted to pursue his passion designing homes. Pittman, who recently joined Johnson Architecture, Inc. as a senior designer, can trace his passion all the way back to his childhood. "I decided I wanted to be an architect when I was 5; I spelled it with a 'k,'" recalled Pittman. "I played with Legos, but I didn't build many cars or boats, I built houses and fixed it where I could remove the roof. (Even then) I was able to see in 3-D. You can tell me what you want and I can envision it in my head and translate it very quickly." Then at the age of 10, he spotted the Mary Boyce Temple House, which sits on the corner of Henley Street and West Hill Avenue in downtown Knoxville. "I love that house and I want to live in that house some day," he remembers declaring to his mother, Mary. In 2006, he fulfilled that dream when he purchased the house, which was in dire need of attention. As Pittman celebrates three years since he finished his radiation treatments, he feels even better about the future. "I've not felt this healthy in a long, long time," he said. "I want to keep doing what I'm doing (as an architect), but I want to maintain it in a healthy way. I want to do projects that speak to me more." He hopes that in his new role he will be able to expand Johnson Architecture's residential project capacity and provide valuable expertise on commercial projects and historic-preservation work. "I get to continue doing a broad range of architecture," said Pittman, who was after a change of pace and more diversity in his projects. "I chose them (Johnson Architecture) because it's very relaxed and mutually supportive. We all have different skills and I like working in an environment that allows me to do what I'm good at." During Pittman's 20 years as a designer at McCarty Holsaple McCarty, he worked on prestigious projects such as Neyland Stadium Gate 21 and north end-zone expansion at the University of Tennessee; Clayton Center for the Arts at Maryville College; the Blount County, Bristol and Art Circle-Crossville public libraries; L&N STEM Academy; Tailor Lofts; Westminster Presbyterian Church; and the AAA of East Tennessee headquarters. He also designed several residential projects on the side, including the award-winning Weeks House in Louisville, Tenn. "There's something about a house that speaks to me," he said. "This is somebody's personal, private space. With a house, there are two equal partners who want two different things. It's a real challenge to give them both what they want within the same structure." When comparing modern and traditional architecture, Pittman insists that he likes both. "I just differentiate between good and bad," he said. "It's all in the details, the design and the thought process. That's what makes good architecture." In addition to his architecture work, Pittman is also known as "Cathedral Guy." He uses a fountain pen to do freehand drawings of fictional cathedrals depicting a front, side, rear or detailed view. "I'm approaching my 700th, and all sales go toward the renovations of my home on the Hill," Pittman said. He's been restoring the Mary Boyce Temple house since he purchased 10 years ago. The four-story brick home and the previously attached duplex are the only two freestanding, private residences in downtown Knoxville. The house was built in 1907 and was occupied by Mary Boyce Temple from 1920 until her death in 1929. She was a preservationist and philanthropist from a prominent Knoxville family. The adjoining duplex was built in 1946. "We lived in that while we renovated the big house, which was (at the time) 10 different apartments," Pittman said. His family now lives in the original house. "When I started the project, I did a lot of the work myself," Pittman said of the painstaking preservation. A general contractor who understood his vision for the house agreed to handle just "the big hairy stuff" to keep costs down, he said. This left Pittman to run the restoration the way he wanted to. "I've kind of had health problems on and off my entire life," said Pittman, who was diagnosed with kidney disease at age 29. "The skin cancer has been going on since I was 15, and the tumor in my neck was diagnosed in 2015," he said. In 2013, as he lay recovering in a bed next door, other people stepped in to help finish his house. "That helped me focus on getting better," he said. "My house wasn't finished, and I wanted to be proud of what I had done. More than 100 different people have worked on the house, in one capacity or another. "We were able to retain as much of the original character as possible," he said. "In the end, my buddy Eddie Crim saw what was going on, knew that I was sick and still needed a man on the ground to oversee the project. The house is still not finished; it took us seven years, but we're still not finished." But, he added, "An architect's house is never done. I am just going to have to pick at that house for the rest of my life. "I've always been bright-eyed and bushy-tailed," Pittman said of his outlook. "And even though I got sick and came close to dying a few times, (that attitude) allowed me to keep on plugging along, I'm the luckiest man on the face of the planet; I still have two grandparents, a great partner, my mother lives upstairs, I get to do work that I love to do and I get paid for, and hat makes me exceedingly lucky." Whenever he gets sick, he does his best to pretend it's not there, he said. "I do what I'm supposed to and rest when my doctor says," he said. "I want to dwell on the positive, not the negative. I needed to slow down and take better care so I can take care of myself, so I can continue to do what I love to do." See Brian Pittman's cathedral illustrations at www.CathedralGuy.com. Read more about Brian Pittman's restoration of the Mary Boyce Temple House on his Facebook page: www.facebook.com/Mary-Boyce-Temple-House-134792669917752/ Knoxville police stop a car Monday, June 20, 2016, on Hall of Fame Drive after a reported robbery of a male juvenile. Five juveniles were taken into custody and charged with a variety of offenses related to the robbery. (KNOXVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT) SHARE By News Sentinel Staff KNOXVILLE The Knoxville Police Department says it took 12 minutes to wrap up an armed robbery of a male juvenile Monday afternoon. As a result, four male juveniles and a female juvenile were charged with aggravated robbery, especially aggravated kidnapping and weapons possession. The male juvenile is okay, according to police, who did not release any of their names or ages. The arrests began to unfold after officers were called to the Pilot, 3615 Sutherland Ave., about 4:29 p.m. on a report of a robbery. They met a male juvenile who said he was walking to a friend's house to get a ride to work when a vehicle with three occupants stopped beside him, according to KPD. The boy knew one of the passengers from school so he asked for a ride. The vehicle drove around the block and picked up two more passengers. When the vehicle got to Sutherland Avenue, the boy's acquaintance pulled a handgun and demanded money, according to KPD. When he couldn't produce any money, they drove to the Pilot and forced him to withdraw an undisclosed amount of money from an ATM. The boy refused to leave the Pilot, and the car fled. He called E-911 to report the robbery. Twelve minutes later several police officers located the vehicle on Hall of Fame Drive, where they conducted a traffic stop, according to KPD. After the interviews, they charged all five juveniles. More details as they develop online and in Wednesday's News Sentinel. U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy talks with members of the media at the conclusion of a tour at the Behavioral Health Group Knoxville Intake Center on Tuesday, June 21, 2016. The visit is part of a cross -country tour to address problems with opioid addiction and treatment. (AMY SMOTHERMAN BURGESS/NEWS SENTINEL) SHARE Regional vice president Derek Walsh, left, leads a tour of the Behavioral Health Group facility for U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy at the group's Knoxville Intake Center on Ailor Avenue on Tuesday, June 21, 2016. The visit is part of a cross-country tour to address problems with opioid addiction and treatment. (AMY SMOTHERMAN BURGESS/NEWS SENTINEL) Regional vice presidents Jeremy Wilkerson, left, and Derek Walsh, center, lead U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy on a tour at the Behavioral Health Group Knoxville Intake Center on Tuesday, June 21, 2016. The visit is part of a cross-country tour to address problems with opioid addiction and treatment. (AMY SMOTHERMAN BURGESS/NEWS SENTINEL) U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy talks with nursing supervisor Hailey Green at the Behavioral Health Group Knoxville Intake Center on Tuesday, June 21, 2016. The visit is part of a cross-country tour to address problems with opioid addiction and treatment. (AMY SMOTHERMAN BURGESS/NEWS SENTINEL) By Kristi L. Nelson of the Knoxville News Sentinel U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy wants to "turn the tide" on the nation's opioid abuse epidemic. On Tuesday, his Turn the Tide Rx tour brought him to a part of the country drowning in addiction issues. Murthy spoke to about 350 practitioners during grand rounds at the University of Tennessee Medical Center, then met with community leaders including chief medical officers of Knoxville area hospitals, members of law enforcement, elected officials and advocates. Later, he toured an intake center and outpatient treatment center operated by Behavioral Health Group, which provides medication-assisted treatment methadone to people addicted to opioid drugs. Murthy said 2.2 million people nationally need substance-abuse treatment, but fewer than half are getting it. In Tennessee that rate may be higher, especially among the uninsured: A recent report from the Tennessee Association of Mental Health Organizations estimated 4 percent of Tennessee residents who needed addiction treatment in 2014 received services. "We have to close that gap," Murthy said. He noted that of the $1.1 billion proposed by President Barack Obama to battle the opioid addiction epidemic, "a big chunk" is directed toward expanding access to treatment. Murthy has focused on educating providers and encouraging widespread use of data programs that monitor the prescription of opioid drugs. Nationally, more than 2 million providers can prescribe such drugs, and he plans to send those providers a letter and a pocket card to help guide their treatment of pain with such drugs. He's encouraged members of the public to know when to use the drugs, to keep drugs locked up, to properly dispose of unused opioids and has tried to destigmatize addiction, which is found among all geographic areas, races and socioeconomic groups, he said. "Addiction is a chronic illness not a moral failing or a character flaw," Murthy said. "We have to shift how we think about addiction, because until we do that, it's going to be hard for us to, ultimately, get treatment to those who need it." Later this year, Murthy said, he'll release the first-ever surgeon general's report on substance use and addiction and health. "The purpose of that report will be to bring together the best available science on substance use and addiction, so that clinicians know how to treat patients, so that policymakers know what programs work and what to support, and so that families know what to do when they're concerned about a loved one," he said. At 7 p.m, Murthy will speak and answer questions at a town hall meeting at the Knox County Health Department. The public is invited. "I can read as many briefings as I want in Washington, D.C., but nothing beats actually coming and hearing directly from communities about what's happening here," he said. "We all recognize if we don't come together to address the opioid epidemic now, we'll be paying for it for years and years to come in terms of health-care costs, in terms of lost economic productivity and, most importantly, in terms of human suffering." By Hayes Hickman of the Knoxville News Sentinel The fallout from University of Tennessee administrators' losing battle with state legislators over funding for the Office for Diversity and Inclusion was still fresh in the minds of students and faculty with the news Tuesday of Chancellor Jimmy Cheek's coming retirement. Cheek had lobbied in support of the office's mission, without success. The budget cuts, which became law in May, eliminated four staff positions, including the vice chancellor for diversity and the director of the UT Pride Center. "In the end it didn't work out for us," said Reid Guthrie, a sophomore in public relations. "But I appreciated him doing that. He really showed that he cared for the students." Kendra Slayton, a graduate student in English, wondered whether Cheek was outspoken enough. "A lot of people felt the university wasn't really saying a lot to argue practically against what the Legislature was trying to do," she said. The controversy began last year with two posts on the Office for Diversity's website. One, which appeared in August, encouraged the use of gender-neutral pronouns for transgender students and others. Another, posted in December, offered a list of suggestions on how to make holiday parties more inclusive and less religious-themed, sparking a conservative backlash and accusations of a "war on Christmas." "If we're going to be a top 25 university, that's an important part of it as well, to make this an inclusive campus," said Carrie Sheffield, a senior lecturer with the English Department. "I was really happy that (Cheek) was working towards that and saddened that it was misinterpreted by so many people, that it was just trying to be PC, or politically correct a negative term today, which really just means (being) respectful and accepting differences." Cheek insisted his decision to step down and return to a faculty teaching position was not prompted by lawmakers' growing influence in campus affairs, or other recent conflicts, such as the filing in February of a federal Title IX lawsuit against UT for its handling of student sexual assaults. "It's been kind of a rough year politically for UT," Slayton said. "I don't know if it's got something to do with that. "He's probably also caught between a rock and hard place with a lot of that stuff. My guess is it's got something to do with the various things that have happened in the past year." SHARE By Bob Fowler of the Knoxville News Sentinel CLINTON Upgrades to a treacherous stretch of Clinton Highway in Anderson County are on the drawing board, and the project is scheduled next year, officials said. The 2.6-mile section of the roadway also known as state Route 9 or U.S. Highway 25W will be improved from its intersection with Edgemoor Road to the Knox County line. That hillside stretch includes large, sloping curves as it climbs to the Knox County line and has been the scene of many fatal wrecks. One bend in the highway is so well-known it's named: Beck's Curve. According to Tennessee Department of Transportation figures, there were 10 fatal crashes and 11 incapacitating injury wrecks out of a total of 252 crashes on that stretch of Clinton Highway between 2006 and 2015. Traffic safety concerns and the need for upgrades led to a meeting in April between local officials and TDOT, spokesman Mark Nagi said. "There is a lot of interest in getting something done," Anderson County Commissioner Chuck Fritts said. Fritts, who represents the area, said residents have told him that getting onto the highway from side roads can be particularly risky. Planned is resurfacing, a continuous center turn lane and wider shoulders, Nagi said. Lane markings will also be redone to allow dedicated passing areas, he said. A TDOT handout says the improvements "will eliminate weaving, reduce speed differentials and simplify road scanning and gap selection for entering vehicles." Paved, 7-foot wide roadside shoulders "will provide refuge for disabled vehicles and a recovery area for errant vehicles," according to TDOT. The center turn lane "provides a buffer between opposing travel lanes and safe refuge for turning vehicles." Cost of the improvements is pegged at $900,000, Nagi said. Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank briefed county commissioners about the project during their meeting Monday, and on Tuesday said she was "extremely excited" about the plans. "I've always felt like there was room for safety improvements there," she said. Nagi said there will be a community outreach meeting on the project 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 7, at the Claxton Community Center, 1150 Edgemoor Road. The mayor said additional, similar upgrades for Clinton Highway from Clinton to Edgemoor Road are planned in 2018. She also told commissioners that the addition of another turn lane onto westbound Edgemoor Road from Clinton Highway should begin soon. Rogers Group had the low bid, and combined with engineering fees, the county's cost for the project is $182,718, she said. Other improvements to that busy intersection were recently completed. After the well-worth-the-wait breakfast at Aretha Frankensteins, Lionel and I decided to try out Crust Pizza on Signal Mountain Road.The restaurant is owned by the same people who own Aretha Frankensteins and Sofa King Juicy Burger, so we had to give it a try.The website says Crust is the home of the super famous cracker thin crust, and they definitely make good on that promise.We felt like eating in to get the vibe of the place, though it probably wasnt necessary.The building was small, just one room, and though it was decorated in a similar way as Aretha Frankensteins (framed, eclectic posters and old photos on the brightly colored walls), it didnt have quite as much spunk.Judging by the number of people who came through the front door, it seems popular to order in ahead and carry-out. Like Lupis Pizza, as well as many other small pizza joints, Crust even has an option to take-and-bake your pizza at home.We ordered a Build-Your-Own 12 inch pizza, which starts at $11.00. Toppings at our size were $1.00 each for veggies and $1.95 each for meat and cheese.There was a pretty nice selection to choose from, as well. All the standards were available, along with a few different cheeses and sauces, but you could also get a little creative with options like rosemary chicken, capers, basil pesto sauce, blue cheese, and sardines.They even had roasted corn, which reminded Lionel and I of the years we lived in Japan. Over there, corn and mayonnaise were the preferred pizza toppings, more popular than pepperoni!Though we agreed to veto the cornno reason to relive those particular memories too vividlyLionel and I are not physically capable of agreeing on the same pizza toppings. We go halfsies 100 percent of the time.On his side, Lionel got pepperoni, Italian sausage, and tomato. On mine, I got tomato, spinach, and roasted garlic. We also ordered of a Pizza Cioccolato, a dessert Smores pizza ($7.00).Our server was training a new employee, and since it was early Monday evening, they didnt appear to have a lot of extra staff on hand. With a few other tables already seated, we did wait a bit to get a menu and refills, and to have our dessert cooked and brought out when we finished our dinner, but everyone was extra friendly, and it appeared not to be the normal speed of things.Besides that, the food was good, the portions were satisfying, and it was the right pricemy favorite kind of meal.The ingredients were super fresh. The mozzarella was good quality, and the sauce was delicious, things that are a must for me when it comes to pizza.Though Ive always preferred a hand-tossed, thicker pizza crust, Lionels favorite is thin and crunchy, and he said Crust Pizza served some of the best hes had in a while.Im a big fan of Smores pizzathe mix of sweet and salty is just so tantalizingand I have a recipe Ive used for many years at home. Crusts take on the dessert was pretty good, and honestly, I was just excited to see a restaurant offering it. If youve never tried a Smores pizza, make sure to give it a shot.(Tip: A half order comes with four slices, and the dish is rich enough that one person per sliceif everyone isnt still really hungrymight be just enough!)Overall, I think we still like Lupis better. To be fair, though, Crust is a bit cheaper. Lupis 12 inch pizzas start at $11.75 with toppings at $1.95, no matter what kind. For veggie lovers like me, how frustrating! I know Im a penny-pincher, but two dollars for a couple leaves of spinach?Well definitely have Crust Pizza again, and we might even check out their lunch buffet, which runs from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. every day ($8.00).Location: 100 Signal Mountain Road, Chattanooga, Tn 37405Hours: M Sun 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Celebrity chef Paula Deen and North Knoxville resident Billy Clenney look down at Clenney's dog, also named Billy, on his front porch on Tuesday. Deen stopped by to drop off a meal for Clenney, provided by the Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee's Mobile Meals program, and for Billy, via CAC's Feed a Pet program. (CAITIE MCMEKIN/NEWS SENTINEL) SHARE Billy Clenney hugs celebrity chef Paula Deen on his front porch in North Knoxville on Tuesday. Deen stopped by to drop off Clenney's meal, provided by CAC's Mobile Meals program, and dog food for Clenney's dog Billy. (CAITIE MCMEKIN/NEWS SENTINEL) Billy, Billy Clenney's dog, stands next to him on his front porch in North Knoxville on Tuesday. (CAITIE MCMEKIN/NEWS SENTINEL) By Kristi L. Nelson of the Knoxville News Sentinel Billy Clenney, 73, had to wait much later than usual for his Mobile Meals lunch Tuesday. But the trade-off was getting it delivered by one of his favorite TV personalities: Paula Deen. The celebrity chef, who owns two restaurants in Sevier County, was in town to present 3,000 pounds of her own brand of dog food Hugs to the Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee's Office on Aging, for its Feed a Pet program. Deen had read an article about the program, which gives pet food to low-income seniors and was facing a shortage last month when manufacturer Hill's Pet Nutrition ceased donating food. Hill's contribution had accounted for 75 percent of the food used in the program. But the community stepped up with donations, said program manager Misty Godwin, as did Deen. "I have to admit, I have not tasted this," Deen told CAC employees before donating 540 bags of dry dog food bearing the likeness of her dogs Gus and Lulu. She took one of those bags to Clenney for his Schnauzer, also named Billy. The program "concerns two of my soft spots: the elderly and animals," Deen said. "Pets are so important to elderly people. My grandmother lived to be 91, and she was never without a dog. They're such good company." Office on Aging Director Susan Long told Deen the program started when Mobile Meals volunteers noticed some seniors were saving half of the meal they received each day to share with their pets. "We can't have that!" Deen said. Clenney said he's been part of the Feed a Pet program for about six months. "It really helps," he said. He's also one of about 870 East Tennesseans who get a hot meal each day through the Mobile Meals program, which manager Judith Pelot said has been "growing steadily." Pelot said there are 67 Mobile Meals routes for delivery, and "we always need volunteers." Goodwin said a particular need among the elderly is supplemental drinks such as Boost or Ensure. Through the News Sentinel's Milk Fund, CAC can provide limited amounts of the beverages to about 140 elderly or frail people, but more are on the waiting list, she said. At $10-13 a pack, the drinks can strain the budgets of many seniors, she said. "Even buying a gallon of milk can be a hardship for some seniors" who also are paying for rent, utilities and medications, Goodwin said. CAC accepts donations of the supplemental beverages, or residents willing to buy a package of the drinks monthly can "adopt" a senior on the waiting list and purchase Ensure for that particular senior, she said. Donations can be brought to the L.T. Ross Building, 2247 Western Ave., or call 865-524-2786 for information. SHARE Madeline Rogero CHINESE BEES At a lodge on the edge of a village on the northern outskirts of Beijing, Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero found a common interest with the local townspeople: Beekeeping. "There were a lot of beehives all over that area because there are a lot of chestnut trees, other fruit trees, vegetables that they grow, and so it seemed like on every spare piece of land there are beehives," Rogero said. "So of course I wanted to learn about that." Rogero and her husband, Gene Monaco, have been avid beekeepers since 2004 and are members of the Knox County Beekeeping Association. While at the lodge, she was introduced to a local woman who shared her interest. "She invited us into her home, she showed us her bees actually, I got a great little video of her showing us her bees," Rogero said. The woman also showed them how she cooked on a wood-burning stove and boils water for tea with a long metal tube in the stove, and poured it into a thermos. "She invited us in, she shared that and showed us the way she lives," Rogero said. "It was very sweet, very heartwarming." Rogero and Erin Gill, the city's sustainability director, were in Beijing for the second U.S.-China Climate-Smart/Low-Carbon Cities Summit, which was held June 7-8. They were joined by officials from 40 Chinese cities and 19 other U.S. cities. burned out The push to get marijuana referendums on local ballots failed last week when Steve Cooper didn't get the minimum signatures required from Knox County registered voters. He wanted to send a message to the state Legislature by letting voters choose locally to allow marijuana for recreational use and for medical use, in two separate issues. Though the referendums would not have the weight of law, he said, they would send at least grab attention of state government on marijuana legislation. But he fell short of the supporters required to get the issues on ballots. And it's unlikely that we will we be seeing him again on other issues, marijuana-related or not. "At the moment, no," he said when asked if he plans to be an advocate going forward. "This was my run at it." He said he'd prefer to leave any future push on the matter to "one of these younger types." Gathering more than 16,000 petition signatures was no easy task, according to Cooper. Saying the 75-day window to gather names was tight, Cooper said he wished the petition period was longer, like the 90-days some other states allow. As long as the local election commission approves the language on a referendum, anyone can get their issue on a ballot with enough petition signatures. Cooper said that planning and organization are key in such a signature drive. "When the clock starts, be ready to jump on it," he said. "Do the research, plan and be ready." SHARE By Jamie Satterfield of the Knoxville News Sentinel Transcript of KPD's interrogation on Lemaricus "Slim" Davidson Alleged torture slaying ringleader Lemaricus Davidson told authorities he promised on his daughter's life to save Channon Christian. He didn't. Davidson's account of the January 2007 slayings of 21-year-old Christian and 23-year-old Christopher Newsom was revealed publicly Friday for the first time as attorneys David Eldridge and Doug Trant tried to convince Knox County Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner to keep jurors from hearing it. She grabbed me. She touched my arm. ? She was asking me was she gonna (sic) die. I told her that it was gonna be all right. I didn't think my brother was gonna kill that girl, man. I put this on my daughter, man. I told girl I'll make sure she got out. I make sure you be all right. According to a transcript of the statement, Davidson first denies knowing anything about the slayings but eventually paints himself a wannabe hero who failed to follow through on a vow to keep Christian alive. "She grabbed me," Davidson said. "She touched my arm. ? She was asking me was she gonna (sic) die. I told her that it was gonna be all right. I didn't think my brother was gonna kill that girl, man. I put this on my daughter, man. I told girl I'll make sure she got out. I make sure you be all right. "She just said she ain't want to die, man," he said. "That's all she said, she ain't want to die. And I just couldn't take that (expletive). I left." Authorities allege it was Davidson, already a convicted carjacker who admitted he was a gun-toting, drug-dealing gang member, who was calling the shots when Christian and Newsom were kidnapped, tortured, raped and slain. Also charged in the slayings are Davidson's brother, Letalvis Cobbins; Cobbins' girlfriend, Vanessa Coleman; and Cobbins' pal, George Thomas. In his statement, Davidson blames Cobbins and Thomas for the fatal carjacking, although he said he felt responsible, in part, because he had been pushing Cobbins to pull his financial weight. "That's part of why I feel like it's my fault, cause I pressured that man into going out there and doing some (expletive) like that," Davidson said. He initially insisted to Knoxville Police Department Investigator Ryan Flores and U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives Agent Forest Webb that he wasn't even at his house when the crimes occurred. "I'm a convicted felon," he said. "I had gun in my house. ? Selling dope, that's what I do, sell dope. ? I ain't gonna lie. I'm a gang member and all that, dude. ? I don't kill people though." But when Davidson learned his three alleged partners in the slayings had been caught in Kentucky, he conceded he saw Newsom and Christian on the night of the carjacking. "They had both of them in the back seat (of Christian's vehicle) tied up," Davidson said. " I'm telling them, 'Man, y'all stupid as (expletive).' " His nerves, he said, were so frazzled that he walked to a neighbor's house and "smoked a blunt." He needs a daily marijuana fix, anyway, according to his statement. "I gotta have weed to almost function, and I believe that I'm bipolar too, like this is whatever run in my family," Davidson told the investigators. Davidson also denied any role in the rapes. DNA evidence links both Davidson and Cobbins to the rapes, according to prior court statements. No DNA evidence has been found to implicate either Thomas or Boyd in the rapes. Prosecutors Leland Price and Takisha Fitzgerald are seeking the death penalty in the case. Cobbins faces trial first in August. Jamie Satterfield may be reached at 865-342-6308. SHARE By Lydia X. McCoy of the Knoxville News Sentinel The Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency and Jefferson County officials on Tuesday were searching Douglas Lake for a 76-year-old man who went into the water to help some children swimming near their boat and never resurfaced. "What witnesses are saying is that the children were struggling and the 76-year-old man went down the (boat's) ladder and swam out in an attempt to offer them some assistance," said Matt Cameron, a spokesman with the TWRA. "When he got out there to them, he went under water and he never came back up. We're not clear what caused him to go under." All three of the children that were in the water are fine, he said. "They were all wearing life jackets so there were no problems there," Cameron said. Rescue crews had been searching the end of Henderson Island, a TWRA refuge on Douglas Lake about a mile downstream from Dandridge, since shortly before noon. Crews that are assisting in the search are the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, the Jefferson County Rescue Squad and the Dandridge Fire and Rescue Squad. Cameron said authorities recently got some GPS coordinates they believe will help them to narrow their search. The TWRA has also provided a remote-operated vehicle which is an underwater robot with a hi-tech sonar unit on it, he said. "We're hoping to bring some closure to this sooner, rather than later," Cameron said. Seattle (Photo: Ted S. Warren, AP) The 20th century French architect Le Corbusier, famous for his huge, inhuman structures, dedicated his first book To Authority. Too many of his successors seem to feel the same way. Now, in his new book The Human City: Urbanism For The Rest Of Us, Joel Kotkin says theres a better way. Todays urban planners seem to favor high density. Like Le Corbusier, theyd like people to live in tall, densely packed buildings, take mass transit to work, and scorn the fatter and slower and dumber residents of the suburb, to use a description from Seattles The Stranger that Kotkin quotes. The problem is that most people, especially people who have or want to have children, dont like living that way, and that as American cities have become taller and denser, they have essentially become playgrounds for the rich and childless. For all their impressive achievements, and sometimes inspiring architecture, high-density cores such as those in Manhattan, Seattle, San Francisco, Boston and Washington, D.C., have the lowest percentages of children, Kotkin says in his new book. And its not just in America. Kotkin says big Asian cities have the lowest fertility rates on the planet, and in Hong Kong, 45% of couples say theyve given up on having children. Yet politicians love these cities. As Kotkin writes, Around the world, planners, politicians and pundits often wax poetic about these massive new building projects and soaring residences made up of hundreds of tiny stacked units, but theres just one problem with this brave new condensed world: Most people, including many inner-city residents, arent crazy about it. People care deeply about where they live, and they often arent thrilled with the kind of urban vision held by many city leaders. So if people are lukewarm, why are politicians so enthusiastic about big urban development? I think there are three reasons: Snobbery, graft and politics. The snobbery comes from the fact that most media are headquartered in big cities and the people who work there are the kind of people who like big cities often people who, as one of Taylor Swifts songs has it, move to a big ole city in part as revenge on the places they come from. As Kotkin notes, the writers, pundits and academic types who write on the subject of cities tend to live in big cities; suburban and rural people are treated as losers, or just ignored, despite the fact that most people dont live in big cities. And theres a class thing going on, too. As Robert Bruegmann noted in his book, Sprawl: A Compact History, nobody minds when rich people build houses in the country. Its when the middle class does it that we get complaints. The graft is probably more important still: Big developments mean lots of permissions, many regulatory interactions and, of course, big budgets all of which lend themselves to facilitating the transfer of money from developers to politicians. Frequently theyre government subsidized, which allows that money to come, ultimately but almost invisibly, from the pockets of taxpayers. (This is also why politicians like subways and light rail better than buses. You can reward a developer over the long term by putting a rail station near a development, which makes it a proper object for graft. Bus routes, on the other hand, can change overnight, so theyre not worth as much.) Finally, theres politics. Politicians like to pursue policies that encourage their political enemies to leave, while encouraging those who remain to vote for them. (This is known as the Curley effect after James Michael Curley, a former mayor of Boston.) People who have children, or plan to, tend to be more conservative, or at least more bourgeois, than those who do not. By encouraging high density and mass transit, urban politicians (who are almost always on the left) encourage people who might oppose them to vote with their feet and move to the suburbs. This isnt necessarily good for the cities they rule. Curleys approach, which involved wasteful redistribution to his poor Irish constituents and incendiary rhetoric to encourage richer citizens to emigrate from Boston, as David Henderson wrote on the EconLog, shaped the electorate to his benefit. Result: Boston as a consequence stagnated, but Curley kept winning elections. But thats OK. Politicians dont care about you. They care about power, in urban planning and in everything else. Glenn Harlan Reynolds, a University of Tennessee law professor and the author of The New School: How the Information Age Will Save American Education from Itself, is a member of USA TODAY's Board of Contributors. During its 80th year of existence, Knoxville's citizens decided to establish and fund a public school system. On Jan. 21, 1871, they voted 433 to 162 for the proposal. Mayor John S. Van Gilder appointed a committee to locate suitable buildings to accommodate the students. It was composed of the first three members of the school board: Dr. John M. Boyd, W.A. Henderson and Jesse A Rayl. According to "Heart of the Valley," one of our leading history books, the committee was "much encouraged when they received a grant from the Peabody Fund through the influence of Dr. Thomas W. Humes, President of the East Tennessee University (UT). The search for space resulted in renting nine buildings, some of them the basements of churches and 'other damp, dark rooms.' " School opened on Sept. 4, 1871. There were 17 teachers to teach approximately 1,000 children for 10 months on salaries of $32.50 per month for the 15 female teachers and $40 for the two male teachers. The harsh winter caused attendance to decline, and only six of the nine schools survived. These were the Old Register building, Temperance Hall and Hampden-Sidney for white children; and Logan Temple Church School, the Creswell School and Shiloh Church School for black students. For the first four years the school system continued to use rented space for classrooms. In August 1872 the city purchased the old Bell House Hotel at the corner of State and Main for $5,500 for school purposes. It had 11 classrooms and office space for the superintendent and school board members. Alexander Baird Jr. served as principal of the school and superintendent of the system. Operating funds of $5,581 came from city taxes, $2,300 from the Peabody Fund and $1,427 from Knox County. However, all was not well. The Press and Herald of Dec. 11, 1872, reported a shortfall: "We spent a few pleasant minutes in the room of the principal of the city schools yesterday. Mr. Baird gave us gratifying accounts of the success of the schools and the progress of the scholars. We learned incidentally that the salaries of the teachers had not been paid for some time. This is, we presume, owing to the deleteriousness of the taxpayers, and the school fund under our defective state law." During the administration of Mayor Peter Staub, the city built its first new school, which was dedicated on April 16, 1875. Named after George Peabody, whose foundation had contributed $7,500 to city schools, the new building was located at 311 Morgan St. just off Magnolia Avenue. That structure still stands and is owned and used by the Central Labor Council. In 1876 the city purchased property at 327 Central St. between Commerce and Union for the first school building for black students. It was originally called the Colored School and then the Austin School after Emily Austin, who raised funds to elevate it to a high school in 1879. The Board of Education hired John W. Manning, a recent graduate of Yale College, as principal in 1881. The Knoxville Journal and Tribune of June 8, 1911, listed all 20 black schools in Knox County: Harris Chapel, Hodge Chapel, Jones Chapel, Edgewood, Oakland, Sand Branch, Riverdale, Armstrong Chapel, Ditney Hall, Maloneyville, Sunrise, Dante Dale, Lyons View, Mitchell Chapel, Russell Street, Clover Hill, Concord, East Emory, Liberty Hill and Nubbin Ridge. SHARE The city of Knoxville is seeking a $6.4 million grant from the state to install a "smart" traffic signal system along Broadway as part of a citywide upgrade. Aimed at relieving congestion and improving air quality, the project also would enable the city and Knoxville Area Transit to build the region's first bus rapid transit project. Even if the bus rapid transit project does not materialize, the health, safety and efficiency benefits justify the investment along one of the city's busiest thoroughfares. The grant from the Tennessee Department of Transportation, which uses federal dollars, would not require a match from city coffers, according to documents outlining the scope of the project. City Council is to consider authorization of the proposal at today's meeting. The traffic signal system would encompass 36 signals along the Broadway corridor. Using new software and fiber optic communications, the "mixed flow transit signal priority" system would be able to adjust the timing of traffic lights to the actual traffic conditions. Improved traffic flow translates into lower emissions and cleaner air. Coupled with planned technology upgrades KAT will be making to aid in dispatching and tracking buses, the traffic signal system would give green-light priority to buses. The system also could enable the city to develop a bus rapid transit line on Broadway. A full-blown bus rapid transit line uses dedicated traffic lanes, typically down the center of the roadway, for more efficient bus service. Buses receive priority at traffic lights, which reduces commute times. Bus stations are built at signaled intersections, with access via crosswalks. The systems have been built in more than two dozen American cities, including Cleveland, Boston, Pittsburgh and Los Angeles. According to the Transit Cooperative Research Program, most bus rapid transit systems increase ridership. KAT's Route 22, which serves the Broadway corridor, is one of the system's busiest routes. Route 22 buses carry an average of 21 passengers per hour and about 23,000 per month. That volume would make it seem a natural fit for a bus rapid transit line. The concept is intriguing, but the city and KAT are not drawing up plans for a bricks-and-mortar system, according to Jesse Fox Mayshark, Mayor Madeline Rogero's communications director. A bus rapid transit line on Broadway would face challenges. Dedicating the center lane, which now is a turn lane, could cause more problems than it would solve. A system also could face political opposition. When the city of Nashville proposed such a transit line, the state Legislature, under intense lobbying by Americans for Prosperity, attempted to block it. In a compromise, lawmakers required that no bus rapid transit systems could be built in counties with metropolitan governments without legislative approval. Knox County has a charter form of government, but a concrete proposal could prompt a similar battle. Still, the city and KAT should seriously study the feasibility of bus rapid transit lines. As Knoxville grows more densely populated, a fast, efficient transit system will become more essential to city residents. SHARE There was no mention of the First Amendment in "Evangelicals feel anxious." This amendment was written because the many different Protestant Christian groups in the 13 colonies would fight one another over whose scripture interpretation was closer to God's. To avoid a religious war that would destroy the union and to guarantee free practice of religion, the First Amendment required tolerant practice for all religions. The expressed anxiety by the evangelicals appears to result from an unwillingness to accept tolerance as a regulator of their beliefs. They are not alone. The pope has called for religious freedom, referencing "Evangelii Gaudium, 256" and healthy pluralism. These documents call for "a healthy pluralism, one which genuinely respects differences and values them as such, does not entail privatizing religions in an attempt to reduce them to the quiet obscurity of the individual's conscience or to relegate them to the enclosed precincts of churches, synagogues or mosques." Our First Amendment was written to guarantee free practice of any individual or group conscience. "Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom" was a statement attributed to several of our Founding Fathers to recognize that we are a product of man and the future may bring repeated attempts to destroy our free society. Mayo Uziel, Oak Ridge TSBDC names Bruce Hayes as new executive director Bruce Hayes, new executive director of the Tennessee Small Business Development Center in Knoxville. Knoxville's Tennessee Small Business Development Center, an affiliate of Pellissippi State Community College, has named Bruce Hayes as its new executive director. Hayes has worked for the TSBDC for nine years as a small business counselor. He steps into his new position following the retirement earlier this year of former executive director Larry Rossini. "I'm looking forward to the opportunities of this new position," said Hayes, who before coming to work at TSBDC was a custom homebuilder. "I'm planning to build on the work TSBDC has been doing for years now, and add a new focus on small businesses that are already up and operating." Hayes has worked with numerous startup businesses like The Flower Pot and Blue Slip Winery through his work at TSBDC. "Our mission is to encourage economic growth in Tennessee. It's those small businesses that contribute to the economic development of the state because it's those business owners who are hiring people and expanding," Hayes said. "However, current small-business owners are focused on running their business. They don't necessarily know who to go to if they need help. We want to expand the direction of TSBDC so that we can ensure existing small business owners know we have the resources to help them. We're not just here for startups." Pellissippi State's Small Business Development Center serves Blount, Claiborne, Cocke, Jefferson, Knox, Sevier and Union counties. In 2015, it served 466 clients for a total of 2,135 counseling hours. The TSBDC helped 30 new businesses start up, create 183 new jobs and retain 1,280 jobs. The firms TSBDC aided went on to create more than $11 million in new capital investment into the local economy. The Small Business Development Center is affiliated with Pellissippi State and partners with the college on training opportunities and workforce development. For more information about Pellissippi State, visit www.pstcc.edu or call 865-694-6400. Published June 20, 2016 New report shows 750,000 people with disabilities behind bars JUNE 20, 2016 AT 8:40.m. EST WASHINGTON, June 20 As the White House and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle consider criminal justice reform, a new white paper, "Disability & Criminal Justice Reform: Keys to Success" was released today by the nonprofit disability organization, RespectAbility. The report uses public data previously available but never before assembled and analyzed. It makes a series of recommendations to reduce the school-to-prison pipeline for people with disabilities, to enable incarcerated individuals with disabilities to receive the literacy and life skills they will need when they exit the justice system as well as have access to their human rights, and to help returning citizens become productive members of their communities. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 32 percent of federal prisoners and 40 percent of people in jail have at least one disability. Using such sources and limited data, RespectAbility estimates that more than 750,000 people with disabilities are behind bars in America. This includes 140,000 who are blind or have vision loss, approximately the same number who are deaf or have significant hearing impairments and more than 200,000 who have mobility issues. The largest group, which includes more than half a million people, has cognitive impairments. We need to acknowledge and accommodate for the full range and large numbers of people with diverse disabilities who are incarcerated as well, said Janie Jeffers of Jeffers and Associates, who is one of the reports authors and an expert on crime and prisons. Failure to adequately and appropriately deal with these disability issues expands the cycle of failure, crime and recidivism. The authors, who include Jeffers as well as returning citizen Eddie Ellis Jr. and RespectAbilitys Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi and Philip Pauli, argue that for criminal justice reform to succeed, every stage and effort must take into account the specific realities and needs of people with disabilities who are in the school-to-prison pipeline, the justice system or returning to our communities. For decades, stories about criminal justice have focused on race and poverty alone. But this story misses the lens of what happens to people with disabilities whose parents do not have the resources to ensure they have correct disability diagnoses, IEPs and accommodations. The majority of people behind bars is functionally illiterate and did not complete high school. Many have repeatedly been victims of assault, sexual violence, bullying and low expectations experiences that can lead to committing crimes. The process starts young, as youth with disabilities only graduate high school at a rate of 61 percent, compared to 81 percent for people without disabilities a 20-point gap in outcomes, Mizrahi said. In addition, children with disabilities, like myself as I am dyslexic and was raped when I was 12, are three times more likely to be victims of rape or sexual assault than children without disabilities. Victims of assault are more likely to commit crimes. Once individuals with a disability are in the system, they face significant problems including access to counsel, a lack of accommodations, complex rules, systematic abuse and solitary confinement. Many are abused behind bars. For example, people who are deaf or blind are put in solitary for years as an accommodation; however, evidence shows that this can cause them to have significant mental health problems. Eddie B. Ellis Jr. received a dyslexia diagnosis as a child but did not receive the support he needed in school, leading to him dropping out and engaging in crime. While incarcerated, Ellis was never given accommodations or treatment for his dyslexia or Epilepsy. I remember having my first seizure in Youngstown, Ohio, in 1997 after being jumped on by some correctional officers and from that time until I was released, I was never given any medication or test to see what was happening to me, said Ellis, who spent 10 years in solitary confinement for manslaughter. Years before, some fellow inmates told me that I would be talking to them and them go into a daze-like state, which I found out later could have been signs of Epilepsy. I had a bad seizure around 2009, and I was taken to the hospital and was told that I do have Epilepsy and they see it in my frontal lobe. Upon release, Ellis found ways to educate himself and is now a productive member of the community serving as a mentor to other returning citizens in the Washington, D.C., area. While 95 percent of incarcerated people will be released, the programs and communities waiting for them are not yet prepared to provide appropriate supports. Without appropriate support, two-thirds will end up being re-incarcerated, with new crime victims in their wake. The majority of the stories do not end with success like Ellis. The White House has been pushing for criminal justice reform from reducing recidivism to meaningful sentencing reform. White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett will be discussing the issue with Americas mayors at their upcoming annual meeting this weekend. They will be exploring best practices that mayors can use in their cities. The Coalition for Public Safety a bipartisan group from left to right that includes the ACLU, Americans for Tax Reform, Center for American Progress, Faith and Freedom Coalition, Freedom Works, The Leadership Conference Education Fund, NAACP and Right on Crime is addressing what they call the U.S.s over-criminalization and over-incarceration problem. More than 60 percent of the people in prison are now racial and ethnic minorities, according to the coalition. But while the Senate is attempting to pass sweeping criminal justice reforms, not everyone is on board. At a speech to the Hudson Institute last week, Sen. Tom Cotton said the U.S. is suffering from an under-incarceration problem. As groups push for reform with support from the White House and many in Congress, RespectAbility is working to ensure that people with disabilities are not left out of the discussion. Local radio and television host James Howard will pilot a one-year anniversary memorial flight in honor of the military servicemen killed by the terrorist attack in Chattanooga. The attack happened on July 16, 2015; four U.S. Marines and one sailor were killed.Mr. Howard and his daughters Gracie and Lucy, along with copilot Taylor Newman will depart from the Chattanooga Airport on Saturday, July 16 at 6 a.m. and will fly to Port Angeles, Wa. Mr. Howard chose the destination of the memorial flight based on the support the city of Chattanooga received after the terrorist attack from the unlikely place of Port Angeles, Wa.Last year at this time, Outside Magazine hosted their annual Best Towns competition.Readers of the magazine voted Chattanooga Americas Best Town of 2015 with Port Angeles, Wa. coming in second place. Shortly after the terrorist attack, the city of Port Angeles sent a representative from their city, along with banners signed by members of the Port Angeles community, to Chattanooga as a gesture of care and support.I was touched by the fact that the people of Port Angeles took the time to show us, Chattanooga, their support in such an intentional way, said Mr. Howard. Showing up with posters and banners a representative from their city it was another piece of the healing process for me and for Chattanoogans and so the destination for the flight just makes sense. Terrorism is now a global problem we all face, and Port Angeles stepped up and proved to be a great example of support in our time of horrific tragedy and grief.Mr. Howard will depart (wheels up) from Wilson Air at the Chattanooga Airport on Saturday, July 16 at 6 a.m. and will be flying a Cessna 172. He will receive a military escort out of the city from two T-28 Trojans to honor the military men whose lives were lost in the Chattanooga terrorist attacks on July 16, 2015.The names of the servicemen killed are:1. Sgt. Carson Holmquist2. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Randall Smith3. Gunnery Sgt. Thomas Sullivan4. Lance Cpl. Squire Skip Wells5. Staff Sgt. David WyattThe names of the five military servicemen will be marked on the Cessna 172. The plane will be nicknamed The Spirit of the Fallen Five in honor of the five servicemen who lost their lives that day.Estimated arrival time at the airport in Port Angeles, Wa. is the evening of July 17. Upon his arrival, Mr. Howard will deliver a thank you banner to the city of Port Angeles as a gesture of thanks for the support shown to Chattanoogans last year. After his mission in Port Angeles is complete, Mr. Howard will set his second speed record through the National Aeronautic Association on his return flight.About James HowardJames D. Howard has been in the broadcasting industry for over 25 years and a pilot since he was a teenager. He is the host of WTVC-TV NewsChannel 9s This N That and co-host of WDEF Sunny 92.3s number one rated morning show. He shared the microphone with Luther Masingill, the longest running broadcaster in the history of the world, until Luthers death in 2014. James continues to co-host the morning show with Kim Carson, weekday mornings on WDEF Sunny 92.3.He has been flying since the age of 13. In 1996, James set his first speed record when he touched down at every airport in Tennessee in less than 19 hours, raising money for the Childrens Hospital at Erlanger. James has been a Chattanooga resident all his life and lives with his wife, Christy, his two daughters, Gracie and Lucy, and his dog, Lily. By Lee Hyo-sik Kim Chang-ho, new Nature Republic CEO Nature Republic, one of Korea's low-cost cosmetics brands, has promoted its senior vice president of sales to be the new CEO, replacing disgraced founder Jung Woon-ho who has been in prison for the past nine months. The company had initially expected Jung to return to its helm early this month after serving an eight-month prison sentence. But he was taken into custody again on separate charges of embezzlement and breach of trust. Jung is also suspected of having orchestrated a scheme to lobby judges, prosecutors and other influential figures to garner a lenient sentence. Last October, Jung was incarcerated for violating the Foreign Exchange Control Act after gambling overseas. He was found to have lost more than 10 billion won ($8.5 million) at casinos in Macao and the Philippines from March 2012 and October 2014. With its founder unlikely to be released from prison any time soon, Nature Republic decided to name Kim Chang-ho, senior vice president in charge of domestic sales, as the new CEO. Kim is expected to mobilize all the resources of the company to stabilize its operations at home and abroad, and list the company shares on the local bourse. The company has been seeking to go public over the past year but Jung's troubles with the law have made it almost impossible to do so. "Kim is the right person to restructure our business organization and improve our company image," a Nature Republic spokesman said. "As a global beauty brand, we will introduce more innovative products that consumers in the United States, China and elsewhere want." Nature Republic had initially sought to recruit a new CEO from outside the company, according to industry officials familiar with the matter. But no one was reportedly willing to assume the post as the firm was in bad shape because of its falling sales and tarnished public image. Given these circumstances, it decided to promote Kim as the new CEO. Kim, who received his bachelor's degree in English from Konkuk University, began his career at LG Household & Health Care in 1984. He joined The Face Shop, which was founded by Jung, in 2004 and served as a sales executive until it was sold to LG in 2009. He then joined Nature Republic in 2009 and has since been overseeing its sales operations. By Lee Hyo-sik A number of state projects have been drifting on increasing "regional egoism," making it harder for the central government to make policy decisions in a timely and economically-feasible manner, analysts said Tuesday. Municipal administrations and their residents are pressing policymakers to locate airports and other social infrastructure that can create economic benefits to their regions, while threatening not to vote for politicians who do not support their causes. However, they are taking a contrasting attitude toward a nuclear power plant and other facilities that either pollute the environment or are distasteful, waging a "not in my backyard" campaign. The analysts say that the government should make policy decisions in a more transparent and coherent manner, and bolster its mediating role between parties of different interests to minimize social conflict. In turn, municipal governments and residents need to give up their self interest and accept government decisions for the sake of the entire country, they said. Hyundai Motor's luxury brand Genesis G80 sedan / Courtesy of Hyundai Motor By Jhoo Dong-chan Hyundai Motor has received more than 5,000 preorders for the new G80 luxury sedan since its June 13 introduction. Hyundai expects this will contribute significantly to the automaker's sales performance. The G80 sedan is the second model of Hyundai Motor's luxury brand, Genesis. Hyundai said in a press release that the automaker has received a total of 5,120 preorders for the G80 in six days, 853 preorders a day. "We have confirmed the consumers' expectations of the Genesis brand and its G80 sedan through preorder sales," said an official. "The company will carry out various marketing events and promotions, including test drives, along with its release next month." Hyundai Motor will provide a parts warranty extension for three years or 60,000 kilometers and five years or 100,000 kilometers. Three-year customer care service along with luxury hotel vouchers are also expected to be part of the package the G80 customers will enjoy, an official said. The Genesis G80 sedan was first unveiled at the 2016 Busan International Motor Show, boasting elegant tweaks in its extended front grille and bumper with sharp headlamps. Following the brand's first sedan model, the EQ900, the G80 is a face-lifted version of the second-generation Genesis DH, with an enhanced high-tech safety system and gentrified design. It mounts a 3.8-liter V6 GDI engine with an 8-speed automatic transmission that produces a maximum 311 horsepower while the G80 Sport model is equipped with a Lambda II 3.3-liter twin-turbo GDI V6 engine that produces 370 horsepower with 52.0 kgf-m of torque. The model also has 18-inch wheels and the rear bumper has chrome moldings. Its newly installed Adaptive Full-LED Headlamps provide a wider range of illumination at night as they change direction when the vehicle is cornering. Hyundai Motor recreated the Genesis brand last November to compete in the global luxury car market worldwide. Along with the brand introduction, Genesis introduced the EQ900, named G90 in overseas markets. Hyundai officials said the G80 model will become prominent in the mid-luxury market, competing against the German BMW 5 series and Mercedes Benz E-Class. By Jhoo Dong-chan Tesla Motors is seeking to enter the Korean market, as the U.S. electric vehicle (EV) maker has started its search for employees and office space in Seoul. It recently posted job ads to its website for four positions in Seoul software engineer, sales advisor, operation specialist and store manager. Given this, Tesla is expected to launch sales operations for the automaker's EVs soon in Korea. The automaker registered its subsidiary corporate body, Tesla Korea Limited, last November. Tesla CEO Elon Musk said in April that the company will start selling its Model 3 sedan here by the end of this year. A Tesla official said the U.S. EV maker received a total of 253,000 preorders for the Model 3 in the first week after it began receiving preorders on March 31. The monetary value of the preorders was 13 trillion won ($11.3 billion). A Hyundai official said in a previous interview with The Korea Times that the EV sedan introduced by Tesla would not encroach on its own domestic market share. "Tesla's Model 3 won't influence Hyundai Motor in sales at home any time soon, as the price of the model is still too high and the nation's infrastructure for EVs has not been fully established yet," said a Hyundai official. The price of the Model 3 starts at $35,000, before government subsidies and incentives. In Korea, the price is expected to reach about $40,000. "It will cost around 43 million won in Korea for a Tesla, considering dealers' margins and additional fees," the Hyundai official said. "The consumer price even with government incentives for green cars is expected to be well over 30 million won." Senator David Perdue, a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement after the Obama Administration acknowledged that International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors found traces of man-made uranium at Parchin, Irans secret nuclear weapon facility: The Obama Administration has naively trusted Iran to be forthcoming about its nuclear programa program it spent the last decade hiding from the world. A December 2015 IAEA report shows that the belligerent nation went so far as to remove and replace layers of soil to hide nuclear material at the Parchin military facility. Traces of uranium were found by IAEA inspectors and reported months ago. Now, the Obama Administration has finally admitted that this site was likely linked to the countrys covert nuclear weapons program, and yet does not call Iran out for its blatant cover-up. From the onset, President Obama misplaced his trust in Iran and this has already proven to be a grave mistake. Why the Obama Administration isnt calling for a further review of the Parchin site by the IAEA is unfathomable.Last December, the IAEA put out a 16-page report titled, Final Assessment on Past and Present Outstanding Issues regarding Irans Nuclear Program. In the report, the IAEA stated that its inspectors found traces of man-made uranium. At the time of the reports release, the Obama Administration did not comment on the discovery of uranium particles but still moved forward with its dangerous nuclear deal. Korea's ruling Saenuri Party on Tuesday urged the government to provide a "significant" amount of extra budget to bolster the country's economy that is struggling with a prolonged slump. "The country is facing challenges in the job market due to youth unemployment and corporate restructuring issues," the party said during its special meeting arranged to find solutions to the country's employment issues. "As the central bank is rolling out active measures to cope with challenges through credit-currency policies, it is now time for the government to come up with fiscal plans," the party added. An official from South Korea's Ministry of Strategy and Finance, who also attended the meeting, did not respond directly to the request, adding that the government also finds "various necessities" for allocating a supplementary budget, but there are no specific plans being examined at the moment. (Yonhap) The Korean government said Tuesday it will hold a special anti-terrorism meeting amid rising threats from overseas terrorist groups. The date of the meeting has not been set, but it will be chaired by Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn with related ministers to take part in the discussions. The gathering comes as reports indicate the militant Islamic State (IS) group has made threats against South Korea. South Korea's National Intelligence Service earlier said IS has been calling for terrorist attacks through messaging services by revealing the locations of key military bases and individuals associated with them around the globe. The spy agency said the list included some U.S. military bases in South Korea, as well as a staff worker of a local civic group. South Korea currently operates an anti-terrorism center under the prime minister's office after the country's first comprehensive anti-terrorism bill went into effect this month. Related to the meeting, the National Assembly's Intelligence Committee said the government aims to come up with countermeasures to cope with the threats made by IS. (Yonhap) Korea's government said Tuesday that it has scrapped a long-running plan to build a new gateway airport in the southeastern region, choosing instead to push for the expansion of Busan's existing Gimhae International Airport. The announcement was made after French airport engineering company ADPi conducted a year-long feasibility study on two candidate sites for the new international airport -- Miryang, a rural town located between Busan and Daegu, and Busan's Gedeok Island -- and other options. ADPi, an entity owned by Paris Airport Group, said in a news conference at the Sejong Government Complex that expanding Gimhae International Airport is the best option to meet the growing demand for international air travel in the country's southeastern region. There have been growing calls for a new airport in the southeastern Gyeongsang region as Gimhae International Airport, located on the southwestern outskirts of Busan, has long been overwhelmed with inbound and outbound tourists. Travel from Busan with a population of 3.5 million and nearby South Gyeongsang Province with 3.4 million to South Korea's main gateway, Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, takes about four to five hours by car. Daegu and surrounding North Gyeongsang Province had advocated Miryang, citing its easier accessibility and sufficient demand, whereas Busan's residents demanded the new airport be built on Gadeok Island within the port city. The two candidate areas have fiercely competed to host the new airport for the past few years, which led to heated verbal clashes between politicians from the rival regions. During the previous Lee Myung-bak administration, the government had taken up the new airport project as the president's campaign pledge, but put off the decision due to the overheated regional confrontations in 2011. (Yonhap) By Lee Kyung-min Maritime authorities are under criticism for a lack of measures to prevent conflicts or violence stemming from language and cultural differences among crewmen from various countries on fishing vessels. Critics say government inaction may cause incidents similar to recent murders on a fishing vessel in the Indian Ocean, where two Vietnamese crewmen aboard a Korean tuna trawler allegedly stabbed two Korean sailors to death. While the number of foreign crewmen is rising, there is no mandatory training for either officials from vessel operators or the workers about addressing conflicts. According to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, there were 220 Korean registered deep-sea fishing vessels operating at the end of last year. A total of 4,866 crewmen were on board, and 69 percent of them were foreigners, mainly from Vietnam and Indonesia. The number of foreign sailors is increasing by 12 percent annually, as Koreans have become less and less interested in holding the job over the past decade. Despite the situation, the ministry provides little to no means to prevent or resolve conflict among crewmen having different languages and cultural backgrounds. The preventive measure is currently up to each vessel operator, but it is not being carried out well. "Currently, operators of each vessel carry out training on foreign crewmen only once before they embark on month-long deep-sea fishing expeditions. But repeated training is almost impossible," an official from the Korea Overseas Fisheries Association said. When asked about providing an English booklet of examples of conflict situations expected on vessels, the official said the operators would not consider it due to the cost. "The main reason we hire foreigners is lower labor costs. If the ministry forces us to spend on conflict prevention, many of us might have to shut down," he said. "Crewmen with different backgrounds stay together in a confined space for an extended period of time. The working condition is not very good, and all these combined factors can easily bring conflicts," he said. A rights group urged the government to promptly come up with anti-conflict measures. "Vessel operators seem to give up on solving the problem, saying Sometimes it happens,'" an official from the Citizens' Solidarity for Human Rights said. "This is why the fisheries ministry should promptly intervene and set the regulation to prevent that from happening," he added. Last month, the ministry issued a guidebook for Korean sailors "to better understand their foreign counterparts," only to be criticized for content that was highly offensive about foreign crew members. In the guidebook published by the Korea Maritime Safety Tribunal under the ministry, nationals from Indonesia, Vietnam, China and the Philippines were described in degrading terms. Following the criticism for the highly biased content, the ministry took down the material which was available online for free for revision. The release of the revised version is not scheduled anytime soon, according to a ministry official. On Monday, two Vietnamese crewmen allegedly killed their Korean captain and a Korean chief engineer on the Kwang Hyun 803, a tuna trawler in waters off the coast of the Seychelles. Citizens watch the government's announcement on the decision to scrap its plan to build a new airport in the country's southeastern region, at Seoul Station, Tuesday. / Yonhap By Kang Seung-woo The Park Geun-hye administration's decision, Tuesday, to scrap a plan to build a new airport in the southeastern part of the country was a political consideration to avoid a split of traditional strongholds of Park and the ruling Saenuri Party, analysts said. However, Cheong Wa Dae is expected to face a backlash given that Park failed to keep her presidential election pledge. The bidding war between Gadeok Island and Miryang for a new airport has emerged as a hot-button issue as both sites are situated in the southeastern region, the Saenuri Party's traditional support base. Busan backed Gaedeok Island, while Daegu favored Miryang. In addition, the ruling side has long been concerned that the regional rivalry over the airport site could cause a rift in its political stronghold ahead of next year's presidential election. "The decision can ease the intensifying regional conflict between the Saenuri's two support bases," said Hwang Tae-soon, a senior analyst at the Wisdom Center. En route to the announcement, lawmakers from both regions said that they would not agree with a tertiary option, or for expanding Gimhae International Airport. Saenuri lawmaker Kim Do-eup whose constituency is in Busan complained of the announcement, saying that it is the wrong decision. By Kim Hyo-jin Rep. Kim Chong-in A special legislative committee should be formed to discuss constitutional revisions, said Kim Chong-in, the interim leader of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK), Tuesday. In a speech at the National Assembly, Kim said that the current presidential system should be revised to reflect social and political changes made since its last amendment in 1987 and to address issues caused by the concentration of power in the office of the President. "Now's the time to review whether the five-year, single-term presidential system is right for us," he said. "The power centralized in the office of the President and the winner-take-all structure has deepened political conflicts and deterred the government from devising mid- and long-term economic policies." The years-long issue of revising the Constitution resurfaced last week after political bigwigs including National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun called for the need. Inter-party talks on the amendment are expected to gain momentum following Kim's proposal. The minority opposition People's Party hailed the suggestion, saying it will cooperate in forming the special committee. The ruling Saenuri Party responded cautiously, saying negotiations are required on the matter. "I agree on forming a committee on political reforms in general, but I'm not sure yet if we need a separate body for a constitutional revision," said Rep. Chung Jin-suk, the party's floor leader. "Bipartisan talks should come first." Calling for reforming the economic structure, Kim also vowed to root out privileges and irregularities perpetrated by conglomerates, or chaebol. "Our party will work on revising commerce regulations to more effectively keep chaebol owners in check," he said. "It is urgent to democratize the corporate decision-making process and regulate their abuse of power in the market." Kim added that the party will seek to deprive the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) of the exclusive right to decide whether firms face criminal investigation for antitrust activities. The Fair Trade Law states that the FTC is the only entity with the right to file a complaint with the prosecution regarding violations of the fair trade act. Critics have argued that the antitrust watchdog has shown leniency in response to irregularities within chaebol. "It will be a symbolic move showing the public's will to uproot institutionalized monopolies," he said. Concerning North Korea's nuclear issue, Kim underlined that South Korea should seek to resolve the matter through inter-Korean dialogue. "A series of U.N. resolutions also recommended the resumption of inter-Korean and six-party talks," Kim said. "As the international community advised, we should seek dialogue regarding the ongoing sanctions against the North." He also argued that Seoul should review China's vision of simultaneously seeking denuclearization and a peace treaty on the Korean Peninsula. Busan Mayor Suh Byung-soo leaves after a press conference at Busan City Hall, Tuesday, to express regret over the government's decision to scrap its plan to build a new airport in the country's southeast, and instead expand Gimhae International Airport. Gadeok Island near Busan had been one of the sites studied for the new airport. / Yonhap Government opts to expand Gimhae airport By Kim Bo-eun The government has scrapped its much-awaited plan to build a new airport in the country's southeastern region, Tuesday, dodging regional tensions over the selection of a new location. Neither of the two finalists Gadeok Island in the southern port city of Busan and the inland town of Miryang, South Gyeongsang Province was selected. Instead, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) announced it would expand the existing Gimhae International Airport to deal with the increasing number of passengers flying there. The result was based on a year-long feasibility study by the French company Aeroports de Paris Ingenierie (ADPi), a unit of ADP (Paris Airport Group). "ADPi concluded that expanding Gimhae airport would be the best alternative, and the government supports the results, as it has comprehensively considered the factors necessary in deciding the location of an airport such as air safety, commercial viability, accessibility and the environment," Land Minister Kang Ho-in said in press conference at the Sejong Government Complex. "New runways and terminals will be built at Gimhae and transportation to the airport will be improved, in order to meet the demand of passengers in the region." MOLIT will launch studies on expanding the airport within the year and finalize the plans next year. Kang Joo-yeol, head of an association backing Miryang as the new airport location, sheds tears as he leaves the Daegu Chamber of Commerce and Industry after the government announcement. / Yonhap The expansion will involve building a new runway to increase the total number of runways to three, and a new terminal and control tower, as well as new roads and railways to the airport. There will be no safety problems and little issues with noise, the ministry said. The expanded airport will be able to accommodate 40 million passengers annually compared to the current 5.9 million. The ministry expects the expansion to take a decade, being completed in 2026, with estimated cost of 4.1 trillion won, about half of the costs for Miryang or Gadeok Island. A college student was sentenced to one year in prison for allegedly hitting his ex-girlfriend and uploading naked images of her without consent. /Courtesy of Twitter By Lee Jin-a A college student has been given a one-year prison sentence for assaulting his ex-girlfriend and posting naked photographs of her on the Internet. According to the Seoul Northern District Court, the victim wanted in April to split-up with her boyfriend, surnamed Hong, who she claimed had abused her physically. But the boyfriend did not want to and threatened her over naked photos he took when they were dating. When the woman did not respond, Hong opened a blog and uploaded dozens of naked photos of the woman and private information about her. "We sentenced him to one year in prison because of the seriousness of the crime he committed, which left significant psychological damage to the victim," said presiding judge Yang Sang-yoon in a ruling statement. By Jun Ji-hye The Army plans to establish a team to look into possible future threats to national security, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Jang Jun-gyu said Tuesday. Jand added that the team will be similar to the U.S. National Commission on the Future of the Army (NCFA), which creates combat strategies for the future including weapons development. The team will also study the changing social and political environment as well as changes in international relations. "The Army will launch a commission soon, which will produce future plans," Jang told a forum held at the Ministry of National Defense Convention in Yongsan, central Seoul. "The commission will actively push for defense reform as well as the ongoing national project, dubbed, Creative National Defense." Under the project, the military plans to develop next generation weapons through convergence with information and communication technology as a response to North Korea's development of asymmetric military capabilities. The ministry's project is part of efforts to meet President Park Geun-hye's creative economy initiative. An Army official said on the condition of anonymity that the authorities will discuss details such as the aims, composition and schedule of the commission by early next month. "Soldiers on active duty, retired generals as well as outside experts can participate in the commission," the official said. He added that Jang had visited the NCFA during a visit to the United States in April and felt the need for Seoul to have a similar entity. Established last year, the NCFA conducts a comprehensive study of the roles and structure of the U.S. Army and policy assumptions related to its size and force mixture. It also makes recommendations on modifications related to current and anticipated mission requirements for the Army, according to its website. By Jun Ji-hye North Korea is apparently preparing to fire what appears to be a Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) from its east coast, the South Korean military said Tuesday. Intelligence officials detected signs of the North moving a vehicle carrying the missile to the east coast area, where the reclusive state previously launched four ballistic missiles, also believed to be Musudans, since April. "The South Korean military is closely watching developments for a possible missile launch," said an official from the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The official said it was hard to predict when the North will launch the missile. Earlier in the day, Japan's Kyodo News reported that Tokyo also detected the movement of a mobile missile, noting that this is likely a sign of preparation for a launch. Japan and the United States are paying attention to the possibility that the North could launch the missile on June 25, the 66th anniversary of the outbreak of the 1950-53 Korean War, or on June 29 when the North's Supreme People's Assembly is scheduled to take place, according to Japanese media. The isolated state has launched four Musudans since April 15, but each failed, casting serious doubts over the quality of the missiles, which were deployed in 2007 without test-firing. The Musudan, also known as the BM-25, is thought to have a range of some 3,000 to 4,000 kilometers, long enough to reach Guam, home to U.S. naval and air bases. According to Kyodo News, the Defense Minister Gen Nakatani ordered Tokyo's Self-Defense Forces to destroy any North Korean missile that enters Japanese airspace. Japan's Patriot Advanced Capability 3 missile interceptors as well as the Aegis-equipped destroyer carrying SM-3 interceptor missiles will be deployed, it said. Pyongyang conducted the first launch of the Musudan, April 15, the 104th anniversary of the birth of North Korean founder Kim Il-sung the grandfather of current leader Kim Jong-un as the regime was gearing up for a high-profile ruling party congress in early May. The missile exploded in the air at the time, according to the JCS. Then the North conducted unsuccessful launches in the morning and afternoon of April 28. The fourth attempt conducted May 31 also failed, humiliating the Kim Jong-un regime. Observers say that the North has apparently tried to analyze the causes of failures in previous launches and address deficiencies, and is seeking to attempt a successful launch. The North's National Defense Commission said Monday that its armed forces have put the U.S. military base in Guam within its striking range. Observers added that the repressive state is carrying out the launch as a protest against the international community's sanctions imposed on the regime for its fourth nuclear test in January and a long-range rocket launch in February. Rock City is continuing its partnership with Wings to Soar in an ongoing peregrine falcon restoration project. Two brother peregrines, named Lewis and Clark by Rock Citys social media followers, arrived at Rock City on May 27 and were placed in a hack box to prepare for release into the wild. Lewis flew at 6:17 a.m. on June 13 and Clark took flight closely behind him at 6:20 a.m. These brother birds, being from the same clutch, were from a breeder in Hastings, Mn.We are so excited to be partnering once again with Wings to Soar for this years peregrine falcon release from Rock Citys Lovers Leap area, said Jeff Raabe, director of operations for See Rock City, Inc.There is much hope that through our ongoing program this beautiful raptor species will once again be repopulated in the Chattanooga and North Georgia area after years of extinction here.Wings to Soar has led the falcon program at Rock City since 2006, when the first peregrines Garnet and Frieda were released (named after Rock Citys founders). Since then, eight other peregrines have flown from the hacking site, most of the names chosen by Rock Citys Facebook followers: Rocky, Ted, Zenith, Chatty, Lookout, Fourscore, Orville and Wilbur.John and Dale Stokes with Wings to Soar also host Rock City Raptors Birds of Prey Shows every Friday through Sunday during the summer through Labor Day and daily the week of July Fourth. Find out more at www.seerockcity.com/birds U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said Monday that "denigrating" America's closest allies is a "serious and tragic mistake" as he unleashed a scathing swipe at Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Biden made his remarks in a security conference in Washington as concern has grown about the potential negative effects Trump could have on alliances if he is elected. The real-estate tycoon has expressed deeply negative views of alliances and U.S. security commitments overseas, seeing them as a cumbersome burden sucking up taxpayer dollars. "The unrivaled network of alliances and partnerships that we have enables us to be an effective global leader," Biden said. "As we continue to urge our allies to do more, denigrating our closest partners as liabilities is a serous and tragic mistake." Calling Asia "the world's most consequential region," Biden maintained that the U.S. is a "Pacific power." "The next administration is going to inherit treaty alliances with Australia, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines and they're stronger than they've ever been," Biden said at the Center for a New American Security conference. "Maintaining our alliances isn't always easy, to state the obvious, but the United States is wealthier and safer because the world's strongest democracies are on our corner. It's just common sense," he said. Trump has long argued that the U.S. should no longer be the "policeman of the world," expressing deeply negative views of U.S. security commitments overseas and claiming it makes no sense for the U.S. to help defend such wealthy allies as Japan, South Korea and Saudi Arabia in exchange for little. He says allies should pay 100 percent of the cost of stationing American troops, or the U.S. should be prepared to end their protection. He even suggested allowing South Korea and Japan to develop their own nuclear weapons for self-defense so as to reduce U.S. security burdens. About 28,500 American troops are stationed in South Korea to deter North Korean aggression, a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. Many agree that the troop presence is also in line with U.S. interests in a region marked by China's rise. Earlier in the day, Defense Secretary Ash Carter made similar remarks, emphasizing that U.S. allies around the world are a "critical ingredient to U.S. strength and leadership." Carter said the U.S. military will continue to "defend our nation, underwrite global security, and uphold the principled order that has benefited our nation and so many others." "Thankfully, we've never had to do so alone. That's because there is another critical ingredient to U.S. strength and leadership, and that is what I want to emphasize today: our unrivaled relationships with other countries -- a long-time network of allies and partners in every corner of the world," he said. Carter also called the network of alliances an "important strategic asset." "Our allies around the world have stood with us -- and fought with us -- time and again, most recently in Iraq, Afghanistan, and against ISIL. And we are just as committed to them. As history has shown, we have fought with our friends and allies -- and to defend the principles we share -- in the Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and in Europe," Carter said. "Together, America's unrivaled military strength and that network of friends and allies -- also unrivaled -- have formed the bedrock of global security for decades. It reflects an important fact: the United States has all the friends around the world, and our antagonists have few or none. That's no accident," he added. (Yonhap) Podcaster Chance Dorland / Courtesy of Clayton Jones By Jon Dunbar When radio broadcaster Chance Dorland came to Korea in 2013, he found the local English broadcast media lacking, held back by censorship and rigidity. So he decided to build his own audio empire, culminating in Korea FM. "Korea FM was my way of giving myself an outlet to do reporting and have discussions on topics that I probably could do as a reporter or broadcaster in America but often cannot do here in South Korea," he told The Korea Times. "And truthfully, I also wanted to show that one person can do a better job than even some of the biggest Korean media entities by just telling the truth and not being afraid," he added. He launched the online podcast platform last year with help from friends, streaming Korean indie music and releases the more-than-weekly "Korea FM Talk Radio & News Podcasts." He brings on regular guests such as ex-Marmot's Hole blogger Robert Koehler to discuss current events, Facebook community "Only in Korea OinK" founder Travis Hull on anything fun or controversial and LA Review of Books writer Colin Marshall for culture and living. Dorland is certain they're Korea's top non-education English-language podcast, hitting about half a million downloads and streams and making the front page of the Korea iTunes Store. His 150-plus episodes are free to listen but Dorland accepts small donations through patreon.com/KoreaFM after fans urged him to set up a donation system. "All this has been accomplished with me doing this in my spare time with the help of some other people here and there," said Dorland, "so I'm very optimistic that with more resources, Korea FM could grow its audience and cover even more important stories and topics that otherwise might be censored or ignored." Dorland has been into radio since he started working for a "mom and pop" radio station in Iowa in his senior year of high school. He studied radio and TV broadcasting at Emerson College in Boston, and his career took him to bigger ponds, working for big names like Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel and his "radio idol" Adam Carolla. After a stint with the Peace Corps in Colombia, he moved to Korea, attracted by its culture, food and media job market. He may have over a decade of experience, but he encourages anyone who's interested to start a podcast. "Anyone can start a podcast," he said. "That doesn't mean your podcast will be good or is even worth listening to, but you can still be genuine." Visit KoreaFM.net or facebook.com/KoreaFM to listen in. By John Redmond The Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Korea (CanCham Korea) will celebrate Canada Day at Dulwich College Seoul, Sunday. Billed as an opportunity to celebrate Canadian culture, the annual event attracts a variety of international and local participants. "The event is one of the biggest annual events hosted by the chamber which brings together Canadians in Seoul, as well as their members and friends to celebrate the birthday of Canada," the event organizer said. "The event attracts over 350 people, and it is a perfect opportunity to experience the cultural wealth of Canada, as well as to connect with the diverse Canadian society in Korea," states the website. Guests are invited to customize their own BBQ grilled burgers, cool off with Canadian beers and enjoy Canadian music. Snacks including ice-cream sundaes with maple syrup and Oreo toppings will also be offered. The day's activities will include carnival games, prizes and souvenirs. Formed in 1995, CanCham Korea is a volunteer-based, member-driven nonprofit whose mission is to promote commerce between Korea and Canada. The Canada Day celebrations will run from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and cost 40,000 won for adults and 20,000 won for children. Canada Day falls on the following Friday. Dulwich College Seoul is in Seocho-gu, southern Seoul. For more information, visit canchamberkorea.org or call (02) 554-0246. The United States on Monday rejected North Korea's threat to keep detaining two American citizens unless a former detainee stops criticizing Pyongyang, saying the freedom of speech is guaranteed in the U.S. and urging Pyongyang to immediately free detainees. The North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) issued the threat earlier in the day, claiming that Kenneth Bae, a Korean-American missionary who spent two years at a North Korean labor camp, "keeps spouting invectives against the DPRK." After his release in late 2014, Bae has recently published a book entitled "Not Forgotten," which recounts his experience of imprisonment in North Korea. In a recent speech at Congress, Bae said the communist nation operates like a "big giant cell." KCNA said the North "will neither make any compromise nor conduct negotiations with the U.S. over the issue of American criminals nor take any humanitarian measure" unless Bae stops criticizing Pyongyang. It also said that "American criminals now in custody in the DPRK will never be able to go back to the U.S." In response, the State Department said Bae has the right to freedom of speech. "The welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad is one of the highest priorities of the State Department. In the United States, the right to free speech is guaranteed under the constitution," said Ory Abramowicz, a State Department spokesman. The North is currently holding Otto Warmbier, a U.S. college student, and Kim Dong-chul, a 62-year-old Korean American. "We urge the DPRK to pardon Mr. Warmbier and grant him special amnesty and immediate release on humanitarian grounds," Abramowicz said. Warmbier was sentenced to 15 years at hard labor in March for trying to steal a propaganda banner from a Pyongyang hotel. "A representative from the Swedish Embassy last visited Mr. Warmbier on March 2, 2016. We are in regular, close coordination with the Swedes, and the United States government continues to actively work to secure his earliest possible release," the spokesman said. Kim was sentenced to 10 years at hard labor on charges of espionage and subversion after being arrested in October last year. But the department official declined comment on Kim's case, citing "privacy considerations." The Swedish Embassy handles consular matters for the United States in North Korea because Washington and Pyongyang have no diplomatic ties. (Yonhap) The U.S. envoy for North Korea's nuclear program has no plan to meet with a nuclear negotiator from Pyongyang on the sidelines of a security forum both sides are attending in Beijing this week, the State Department said Monday. Amb. Sung Kim, special representative for North Korea policy, is scheduled to attend the Northeast Asia Cooperation Dialogue, which brings together government officials and scholars from all six nations involved in negotiations over the North's nuclear programs. On Monday, Choe Son-hui, deputy director for North American affairs at North Korea's Foreign Ministry and the North's deputy chief envoy for the six-party talks, arrived in Beijing to attend the two-day conference set to begin Wednesday. Kim is scheduled to arrive there on Tuesday. Their attendance in the same conference raised speculation they may hold talks on its sidelines to discuss ways to break the deadlock in the six-party talks that have been stalled since late 2008. State Department spokesman John Kirby said, however, that Kim has no plan to meet with North Korean officials. "He's traveling there for these meetings primarily with Chinese officials, and to attend what's known as the Track 1.5 Northeast Asia Cooperation Dialogue. It's a well-established forum and U.S. government officials have participated regularly over the years," Kirby said. "There would be no reason for us not to go to this. In fact, we have every reason to want to go to it, and I'll let the DPRK speak to their reasons for sending a representative," he added. (Yonhap) North Korea has deployed an intermediate-range ballistic missile to its east coast although there are no signs it's ready for launch, a South Korean government source said Tuesday. "We have detected signs that the North has deployed what appears to be a Musudan missile," the source said on the condition of anonymity. A South Korean military official said the military is closely watching the situation. Earlier, Japan's Kyodo news agency reported the North is preparing to fire a missile. (Yonhap) By Choi Sung-jin President Park Geun-hye has a knack for putting everything backward. Under Park's governance of three-and-a-half years, economic policy has returned to the pre-1997 Asian financial crisis era, favoring the chaebol at the expense of workers. Democracy went back almost two decades to the pre-democratization movement of 1987, as shown by the fall of the country's press freedom rankings, from 34th place in 2007 to 70th in 2016, as well as the reemergence of the omnipotent state spy agency under the pretext of anti-terrorism maneuvering. The nation's diplomacy even brings to mind 1977 when South and North Korea vied to win the hearts of as many nonaligned countries as possible in a Cold War-era competition. President Park's tour of three African nations Uganda, Ethiopia and Kenya earlier this month and Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se's visits to three other countries Cuba, Russia and Bulgaria had only one purpose: taking away the North's friends. In countermoves, Pyongyang was also busy sending officials to these countries. Park and her diplomatic team say further isolation of North Korea will deepen its economic difficulties and drive it eventually to abandon its nuclear ambitions. But Pyongyang actually needs only one ally to push ahead with what it does now Beijing. While Park was in Africa, Chinese President Xi Jinping was meeting Kim Jong-un's chief diplomatic aide. The tighter the U.S. siege of China becomes, the higher the North's strategic value rises to its communist brother. Almost throughout the first half of this year, Park's diplomatic team has spent all of its energy taking the lead in stepping up sanctions on North Korea to punish the North's nuclear test and long-range rocket launch. As if to set an example, Seoul shut down the inter-Korean factory park in the North Korean border city of Gaeseong in February. It was a stupid move, giving up the last bit of remaining diplomatic leverage in dealing with the North while losing the trust of not only the North Korean leadership but also many South Korean businesspeople, not to mention the public. Worse yet, no matter what Seoul does, Washington and Beijing will decide their next moves in strict accordance with their respective strategic interests. When the two giant powers feel it necessary to negotiate over North Korea, they will do so, hardly caring about what South Korea thinks. If the relationship between the U.S. and China aggravates and tension in East Asia rises to a dangerous level, it will only work for the diplomatic benefit of North Korea. Either way, South Korea has little to gain if it strains inter-Korean ties. Since its outset in February 2013, the Park administration has received relatively higher marks in diplomacy than in domestic policy. There might be some reasons for it. Unlike her predecessor, Lee Myung-bak, who leaned too much toward the U.S., Park professed to take a more balanced approach between America and China. Park also suggested she would seek a reconciliatory approach with the North. These words ended as such. After Park closed the joint industrial complex, something even former President Lee did not do, the relationship between the Koreas dropped to the lowest it has been in decades. The balanced diplomacy between the U.S. and China is not working as hoped for, either. Foreign Minister Yun raised some uproar last year, claiming Seoul was "receiving love calls from Washington and Beijing." But a woman can remain attractive to competing suitors only when she keeps the same distance between them, instead of wavering from one to the other, and she should definitely have her own ideas, not constantly taking her cues from her suitors. Plus, she should have assets she can give to her potential partners in the case of South Korea, this could be firm leverage on the North. Seoul has gone in exactly the wrong direction in all these respects. The two conservative leaders, Lee and Park, have criticized their liberal predecessors for spoiling North Korea. What the conservative governance of eight-and-a-half years has done is far worse arm the North with a dozen nuclear bombs. Right-wing critics point out the North's first nuclear test took place in October 2006 under liberal President Roh Moo-hyun. It was one year after the Sept. 19, 2005, agreement on the North's denuclearization, reached under Seoul's diplomatic initiatives, became almost useless because the then George W. Bush administration put financial pressure on Pyongyang. The North has since conducted three more nuclear tests when the U.S. and South Korea stepped up their diplomatic pressure. When the two Koreas held their first summit 16 years and one week ago, few Koreans, South and North, thought their relationship would degrade to a Cold War confrontation. Had the Koreas stuck to the second summit seven years later, the tension in the West Sea might not be as high as it is now and Chinese vessels might not be fishing in Korean waters. All that changed when Lee turned "ABR" anything but Roh even in foreign policy, following George W. Bush's "ABC" anything but (Bill) Clinton. North Korea, particularly its leadership, is like a desperate lunatic that will not go away quietly but will injure the other critically at its final moment. The South should at least tame the madman, and the best tranquilizer is the taste of money capitalism. The Park administration should start by reopening the Gaeseong Industrial Complex and resume South Korean tours to Mt. Geumgang. If the current state of affairs continues unabated, there is little Seoul will be able to do when the situation changes drastically. I only hope President Park will not take the nation back to that era of more than a hundred years ago when giant powers clashed in this part of the world and determined Korea's fate but our ancestors could do nothing because of an inner split and mutual hatred. Choi Sung-jin is The Korea Times' senior writer. Contact him at choisj@ktimes.com. Grilling burgers in the shade and camping under the stars are some of the favorite July 4th activities offered in Georgias State Parks and Historic Sites. Want to learn about our nations independence? Visit Fort Morris near Darien for their Colonial Faire and cannon firings. Want to see fireworks? Gather at Seminole State Park on July 2 for early festivities on the lake. Whether you have just a few hours on the 4th or the extended weekend, Georgias State Parks make for a fun-filled holiday. July 4th weekend is always one of the busiest holidays in Georgias state parks, so visitors are encouraged to reserve campsites, cabins, picnic shelters and yurts in advance. Reservations can be made up to 13 months in advance by calling 1-800-864-7275 or online at www.GeorgiaStateParks.org. Cant get away for the whole weekend? State parks welcome visitors to come for just the day as well. For a $5 parking fee, guests can cool off at lakeside beaches, explore hiking trails, and even fish for their dinner all for free. Many state parks rent stand-up paddleboards, aquacycles, bikes and kayaks for a small fee. Some of the states historic forts will showcase Americas history with musket firings, military drills and displays. Park rangers encourage visitors to bring picnics, but to leave fireworks at home because sparklers and explosives are not allowed in Georgias state parks. However, many parks are close to towns with their own displays planned, such as Crooked River State Park near St. Marys. Want more ideas on affordable July 4th activities? The State Park System has these suggestions: Find ranger-led hikes, old-timey games, firework displays and more programs at www.GeorgiaStateParks.org/ events . Covered picnic shelters and enclosed group shelters can be reserved for family reunions and parties. All offer pretty views, and grills and restrooms are nearby. Reservations should be made in advance for these popular shelters. Individuals can use picnic tables scattered throughout all of Georgias state parks for free. Lakeside swimming beaches are free once visitors pay a $5 parking fee. Popular spots include Don Carter State Park on Lake Lanier, Tugaloo on Lake Hartwell and Hard Labor Creek near Rutledge. More sandy beaches are listed at www.GeorgiaStateParks.org/ swimming . Assembly needs to introduce independent probe The prosecution on Monday indicted Hong Man-pyo, a senior prosecutor-turned-lawyer, as part of its probe into a scandal involving Jung Woon-ho, CEO of the cosmetics company Nature Republic. Hong is suspected of receiving 300 million won in illegal attorney fees last August from Jung, who is serving a prison term for gambling overseas, under the pretext of lobbying senior prosecutors. He is also accused of receiving another 200 million won from Jung in September 2011 to lobby senior officials of Seoul Metro over the cosmetics firm's subway store contract. Hong is charged with evading 1.5 billion won in taxes by underreporting his legal service fees. However, the prosecution cleared all incumbent prosecutors from suspicions by concluding that Hong's lobbying failed with no prosecutors and investigators found to be implicated in irregularities. The results of the prosecution's probe into the lobbying scandal left many questions unanswered though. In fact, it's incomprehensible that the lawyer did not benefit from his connections with prosecutors who were his juniors or colleagues while he worked as a prosecutor, given his huge wealth accumulated within a short span of time. Over four years since he became a lawyer in 2011, Hong has earned nearly 10 billion won in legal fees, 9.1 billion won of which was earned in 2013 alone. True, suspicions have been raised against the prosecution's investigations of Jung, who was arrested last October for betting over 10 billion won at illegal casinos in the Philippines and Macau between 2012 and 2014. Gambling charges against him were dropped twice in 2013 and 2015. The prosecution also unusually cut its demand for sentences for him at an appeals court. He was suspected of embezzling company funds to repay his gambling debt, but this was not included in the prosecution's charges. All these doubts could be the reasons for suspecting that Hong might have peddled his influence. But the prosecution brushed aside all these suspicions. The prosecution confirmed that Hong had met the prosecutor in charge of the gambling case twice and telephoned him nearly 20 times, but the prosecutor in question only went through documentary examination. The prosecutor's superior didn't undergo an examination on the ground that it was not confirmed that he was contacted by the lawyer. The prosecution concluded that Hong's lobbying efforts failed, noting that Jung was taken into custody. But given that his embezzlement suspicion, which usually carries far heavier penalties, was excluded from the prosecution's charges, one could believe that Hong's lobbying efforts worked. It's no wonder that people's mistrust in the highest law enforcement agency will deepen if its probe into the lobbying scandal is wrapped up like this. Irregularities involving prosecutors are nothing new, but it's long overdue to root out "jeongwanyeu,'' an evil practice still rampant in our legal community that gives special treatment to retired prosecutors and judges. All this explains why the latest lobbying scandal must not be left with the prosecution. The National Assembly needs to discuss introducing an independent counsel to investigate the case. By Lee Min-hyung The nation's antitrust watchdog is investigating Apple Korea over the terms of its marketing contracts with local mobile carriers, sources said Tuesday. It is the latest in a series of probes into the iPhone maker's allegedly unfair corporate activities here. Sources said Apple Korea has pressed carriers into buying a minimum volume of promotional iPhones and sharing the burden of repair costs. "The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) is investigating mobile carriers over the exact terms of their contracts with Apple, and Apple Korea will also be looked into soon," said a source. This is not the first time Apple has come under criticism for its business operations here. In April, the FTC ordered the rectification of 20 unfair provisions in contracts with its certified repair service partners. The contracts included stipulations that the repair firms could not file lawsuits against Apple Korea within a year after any dispute. The repair service partners had little choice but to agree to such terms, due to the market power of Apple's popular iPhone series. Apple Korea complied and changed the contracts. Last year, the FTC ordered Apple to allow customers refunds for repair services. Expectations are that the FTC may fine Apple Korea and urge the U.S. technology giant to revise its contracts with mobile carriers if any similar unfair terms are found. Apple Korea may have taken advantage of the competitive landscape among the nation's three mobile carriers, each vying for subscribers for the popular iPhones, said the source. In Korea, mobile carriers offer few subsidies for iPhones. This is a stark contrast with popular Android handsets from manufacturers such as Samsung or LG. "As Apple does not allow mobile carriers to offer subsidies for iPhones, they may have been forced to pay for Apple Korea's marketing activities," said another source. In recent years, Apple has been mired in similar controversies in other countries. In 2013, Taiwan's antitrust authority fined Apple $666,000 over illegally interfering with iPhone pricing. This April, French authorities sued Apple for $55 million for abusing its market status in France, citing unfair clauses in its contracts with mobile carriers there. By Yoon Sung-won Samsung SDS said Tuesday it will not take immediate action to support its stock price as minority shareholders have demanded. "As our shareholders have reprimanded us to draw up measures to recover the stock price, we have thoroughly reviewed with experts diverse plans such as a self-tender and an interim dividend," Samsung SDS said in a posting on its website on Tuesday. "And we have decided not to consider actions such as repurchasing treasury stocks and paying interim dividends due to procedural and validity issues as we are reviewing the plan for the business division." On June 14, a group of Samsung SDS small shareholders visited the company's office to voice their objection to the plan to divide its logistics business and urged the company to take action such as stock repurchasing, interim dividends and a capital increase without compensation to boost the stock price to compensate for their financial losses amid the restructuring. Because Samsung SDS refused to accept any of the measures, the shareholders may stage a larger demonstration against the restructuring plan and take legal action against Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Samsung SDS President and CEO Chung Yoo-sung. "The experts have said it is better to use our cash reserves after the planned division in boosting corporate value through merger and acquisitions instead of opting for repurchasing stock and declaring an interim dividend right now," Samsung SDS said. "As for a capital increase without compensation, they said this measure cannot be considered as a fundamental policy to boost the stock price as it will merely increase the amount of stock without changing its essential value." The announcement came earlier than expected considering the minority shareholders gave a two-week time limit to the company to act. Samsung SDS said the earlier-than-expected refusal of the demands was to prevent extra losses to shareholders. "We have discussed all the experts' results with our board of directors and decided to quickly clarify our position though we had two weeks to make the decision," it said. "This was due to concerns that expectations about the company's stock price stimulus may leave innocent victims in its wake." Despite the company's explanations, however, its refusal of the demands is likely to cause the perception that the minority shareholders have been sacrificed amid a group-wide restructuring move aimed at consolidating the interests of Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong and the owner family. In Tuesday's announcement, Samsung SDS also said the logistics business division plan has been made to sustain growth and expand external business and the company vowed to boost its competitiveness and escalate corporate value that will lead to a boost in shareholder value. Samsung SDS said it will boost profitability in the IT system service sector. "Once we divide our logistics business, we will be able to establish a specialty management system and quickly push for major agendas such as seeking new logistics deals, mergers and acquisitions and boosting executive capabilities," the company said. Meanwhile, Samsung SDS closed at 150,500 won ($130) on the Seoul bourse, down 1.31 percent from a day ago. The company's stock price reached about 420,000 won when it was first listed in 2014. By Yoon Sung-won LG Electronics and Korea Land & Housing Corp. (LH) will cooperate in providing eco-friendly apartments, the electronics maker said Tuesday. The electronics unit of LG Group and the state-run housing corporation said they have signed an agreement to collaborate and share technologies in the smart energy sector. The two companies stressed that the agreement will combine LG Electronics' integrated energy technologies including solar energy production, storage and management systems, and LH's long-accumulated expertise in construction and management of apartments. "The eco-friendly smart energy apartment market is showing great potential as it integrates diverse energy-related technologies," LG Electronics' energy business center president Lee Sang-bong said in a statement. "Based on the cooperation with LH, we will seek to take the leadership in the global energy market and contribute to foster new growth engines in the energy sector." LG Electronics said smart energy includes distributed power generation using renewable energy sources such as solar power, energy storage systems that boost the efficiency of electricity consumption by saving surplus electricity from off-peak times for peak times, and energy management systems for monitoring power use in real time. Besides jointly seeking new smart energy business models for newly built apartments, the two are also looking to involve themselves in operation and maintenance of sustainable eco-friendly housing systems. LG Electronics and LH said they expect the collaboration to lead to domination of the global smart energy apartment market. The two will jointly develop an urban development model dubbed K-Smart City, which is designed to be independent in terms of energy production and management. LH plans to export the model to India, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. "By accumulating sustainable urban and apartment construction capabilities based on smart energy technologies, we will be able to provide housing that can effectively deal with chronic electricity shortages and frequent blackouts in emerging cities in the Indian and Southeast Asian markets," said LH CEO Park Sang-woo. "We will also team up with LG Electronics to create job opportunities for related small- and medium-sized enterprises." By Kim Da-hee An Arizona woman ran over her boyfriend with her car after learning he was HIV-positive, according to the New York Daily News on Wednesday. Misty Lee Wilke, 45, was charged with attempted second-degree murder while the boyfriend sustained serious head and spine injuries. According to the report, Wilke drove her car into her boyfriend, who was riding a bicycle, on April 29. CCTV footage showed Wilke's red Mustang hitting the man head-on and running over him. Wilke told police about the incident approximately 30 minutes later. She said she ran over the man because she was furious that he hid his HIV infection. She told police her boyfriend laughed at her when she learned of his infection. Rapper Verbal Jint has made a shocking confession. On June 19, he made a post on his social media accounts stating that he had committed the crime and was reflecting deeply on it. Verbal Jint made the confession before news sites began reporting on the incident. In the post, he stated, "I admit that four nights ago, I drove near my house while I had a blood alcohol level of .067." He continued with, "I do not have any excuses to make nor any reason to hide my crime. Anyone who drinks and drives has the potential to cause deadly accidents. I am deeply reflecting on my irresponsible actions." "I am writing this shameful post because I feel that the truth should not be kept hidden," the rapper also included solemnly. He ended the letter by stating, "once again, I apologize for being such a dissapointment." As he has already admitted to the crime, Verbal Jint is expected to lose his license for 100 days. This is one of the rare cases where a celebrity has actually come out and admitted to the crime. A car crashed into the Apison Tornado Memorial and flagpole early Tuesday morning, causing significant damage to the memorial site at 10200 East Brainerd Road. Authorities said the damage was caused by a silver Acura RS6, driven by Frankie Clarence Parsons, 22, of 10278 Loma Cita Lane, Ooltewah. Jesse Morris, 21, of 1252 Grand Center Road, Chickamauga, Ga., was a passenger in the vehicle that wrecked at 12:15 a.m. Upon arrival, Hamilton County Sheriffs Office deputies found both Parsons and Morris complaining of painful breathing. Hamilton County EMS was called to render medical aid, but both parties refused transport to the hospital. Upon further review, deputies found that the vehicle in question matched the description of a vehicle involved in a prior accident earlier in the night in Catoosa County, Ga., where it allegedly fled the scene after destroying a fence and driving through private property. Deputies smelled a strong odor of alcohol and a sobriety test was performed. The driver, Parsons, failed the sobriety test and was taken into custody for DUI. Deputies arrested Morris for possession of a firearm while intoxicated. Marijuana was also found in possession of Morris. The firearm is suspected to be stolen. Both Parsons and Morris were taken into custody and transported to the Hamilton County Jail. More charges could be pending depending on the outcome of the investigation. Trustee Bill Hullander said citizens raised the money for the memorial, which he said cost over $20,000. He said the memorial was broken into several pieces and could not be repaired. Mr. Hullander said the citizen group will reconvene to insure that the memorial is rebuilt. He said, "We will be looking first to any insurance the driver had." University of Tennessee, Knoxville Chancellor Jimmy Cheek has decided to step down from his post and join the faculty, UT President Joe DiPietro announced Tuesday. Chancellor Cheek, who has served as chancellor since February 2009, will remain in office until his successor is found. A search is expected to begin immediately after the board of trustees annual meeting, which takes place on Wednesday and Thursday. Dr. DiPietro said he hopes to have a candidate to recommend to the board at its spring 2017 meeting. Leading a campus with thousands of employees, students and stakeholders is a demanding role that comes with numerous challenges, but it also has many rewards, Dr. DiPietro said. Chancellor Cheek has served us well, and I am grateful for the energy and vision he has brought to the University of Tennessee and our Knoxville campus. Dr. DiPietro said, "As chancellor, Cheek led UT Knoxville to attract some of the worlds leading researchers, faculty and staff who are experts in their fields. Cheek also raised the UT Knoxvilles status as one of the countrys most prolific research institutions by maintaining its strong relationship with Oak Ridge National Laboratory through exponential growth in joint appointments and shared programs. On Chancellor Cheeks watch, UT Knoxville also has moved forward with record fundraising success and an unprecedented $1 billion in new construction and building renovation, including a new student union, a redeveloped residence hall village and a number of new classrooms and laboratories. With an innate understanding as a first-generation college student, himself, Chancellor Cheek worked to broaden diversity and student access to the University. His work led to his participation in the White House Summit on increasing college opportunities for low-income students. Jimmy Cheek has led the University of Tennessee at Knoxville with skill and patience," said U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander. "He has helped to make a fine university even better. The SLFP does not condone the continuation of the Emergency Regulations (The Public Security Ordinance) more than a day necessary Read more Sun-Times Op-Ed Really Misses Point About Policing With Data By Stephen Gossett in News on Jun 21, 2016 9:08PM Getty Images; Photo: Scott Olson In the wake of Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnsons panel appearance at the City Club of Chicago on Monday, the Chicago Sun-Times published an op-ed in which columnist Mary Mitchell expressed that familiar sense of empathy and fatigue about Chicago gun violence that we all feelbut unfortunately it leads her down a dangerous, slippery-slope path that advocates an aggressive policing strategy that even she herself envisions as resulting in civil liberties violations. The crux of Mitchells argument rests upon an admittedly eye-catching statistic: 80 percent of the 66 people shot over Memorial Day weekend were on a list of possible targets generated by the police department's CompStat statistics; and all of the offenders appeared on the list. The reason why the shooters are still there, we identified them, but we cant pluck them off the street until they actually do something that we can arrest them for, Johnson said during the luncheon. Its the logical, lawful position. Mitchells response? Fair, but not good enough. She then cites the weekends most alarming violent crimesthe assault-rifle-powered shooting in front of church and the shooting of a 3-year-oldbefore the law-and-order outrage takes hold: Not even one of the 1400 on the watch list should be able to take a breath of air without a police officer seeing it. But the police do take a pro-active approach toward the people on the list, knocking on doors and directing them toward local and federal services that might benefit. Mitchells own newspaper said as much while calling the questionwhy dont we just arrest the people the algorithm identifies?obvious. Mitchell then draws a troubling parallel between the federal war on terror (and all the overreach therein) and the Chicago Police Department. CPD should have as much intel on these individuals as FBI officials have on ISIS sympathizers We shouldnt let these domestic terrorists force us to live in fear. Still, another line in her piece stands out for casual disregard: Will some of these officers run afoul of civil liberties? Probably? From the fallout over the Laquan McDonald death, to the Independent Police Review Authoritys earned reputation for incompetence, to the seemingly regular release of videos that depict potential excessive force, this statement is particularly tone deaf. The gun violence is indeed tragic, out of control, indescribably costly in so many ways. But we should not let it cost innocent people their civil rights too. (Weve reached out to the American Civil Liberties Union, Human Rights Watch and the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police for comment and will update this post accordingly.) PRESS RELEASE Sen. Graham: 9/11 Came from Top of Saudi Power Pyramid June 20, 2016 (EIRNS)In addition to re-airing the April 2016 segment of 60 Minutes on the 28 pages fight, CBS TV Miamis Jim DeFede conducted a ten-minute interview on Sunday with Sen. Bob Graham, in which Graham delivered one of the sharpest indictments yet of the Saudi Royal Family. Asked to comment on the now infamous paragraph in the final report of the 9/11 Commission, which said there was no evidence of high-level Saudi Monarchy or government support for the 9/11 hijackers, Graham said I strongly disagree. He explained that he believed that it went to the top of the pyramid and that such an attack on an ally could not have been carried out without such top-down approval. He reviewed the fact that the hijackers spoke no English, had no previous travel to the United States and were not particularly well-educated. They had to have received help from inside the United States and that help had to have come from outside the country. I think it points a very strong finger to Saudi Arabia as the ultimate source, Graham declared. Asked by DeFede to comment on a recent letter by Sen. Bill Nelson to President Obama, reporting that he had read the 28 pages and intelligence reports that debunk them, Graham said that all of the documentation still classified should come out publicly. He cited the fact that a Federal Judge in Ft. Lauderdale is reviewing 80,000 pages of FBI documents from the Tampa field office on a Sarasota investigation into a wealthy Saudi family that had ties to Mohammed Atta and several other hijackers who spent months in the area. Graham said that if the 28 pages are made public, he will call for a full-scale re-assessment of the US relationship with Saudi Arabia, noting that Saudi Arabia is the number one arms purchaser in the world, with much of the sales coming from the United States. Do we want to sell arms to a country that was our enemy in the run-up to 9/11? Graham called Saudi Arabia a perfidious, unreliable ally, emphasizing that the Saudi Monarchys primary goal is survival. They are an absolute monarchy that is obsessed with how to prevent the kind of Iran-style coup that overthrew the Shah. Graham referenced the JASTA bill, noting that the 9/11 families have been in court for years against the Saudi Monarchy, but have had the cases dismissed, due to issues of sovereign immunity and the courts finding that the plaintiffs lacked evidence of Saudi Royal involvement. That evidence, Graham noted, is locked up. PRESS RELEASE Russia and China Preparing High-Tech Cooperation at Summit June 20, 2016 (EIRNS)Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin and Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang have been meeting in Huangshan in Chinas Anhui Province since June 19, preparing for the upcoming official state visit to China by President Putin. Putin will arrive in China on June 25, following the Tashkent summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) which takes place on June 23-24. Rogozin and Wang Yang are leading the Russian-Chinese intergovernmental Commission session, where a number of bilateral high-technology agreements are being completed in time to be signed at the state visit by Putin. One crucial agreement is an intellectual property deal, covering space technology. China is looking to purchase Russian RD-180 engines, and Russia is seeking Chinese micro-radio technology vital to Russias space program. aAnother big agreement on the table is n $11 billion stake in Russias oil giant Rosneft, which Putin wants to sell to China and India. This would give the two BRICS nations a total 19.5 percent stake in the Russian oil company, which is increasing exports to the Asian market. China and India are also two of the biggest energy consumers in the world, with continuing growth in energy needs. President Putin has a busy week, coming out of last weekends St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. He is meeting today in St. Petersburg with the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan, where he will be pressing for a non-military solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh crisis. He is meeting separately with the two leaders and then will host them for a trilateral lunch. Thursday he goes to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, for the SCO summit, and then travels on to China for the official state visit with Xi Jinping. Somewhere in that same time frame, according to some reports, there will be a meeting of the Normandy Four heads of state, to push for further implementation of the Minsk II accords on Ukraine. PRESS RELEASE Another Minsk II Summit in the Making June 20, 2016 (EIRNS)Whereas Germanys Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier is coming under harsh attacks from the Christian Democrats and, particularly, the Greens in Germany for his critical remarks last weekend on the ongoing NATO build-up, Chancellor Angela Merkel (Christian Democrat) is working on another "Normandy Format" summit with the Presidents of France and Russia, on the Minsk II process. Berlin rumors have it that this might take place even before the July 8-9 NATO Summit in Warsaw. The succession of meetings between Putin, Poroshenko, Hollande, and Merkel led over the last year to the formulating of a Minsk II solution to the still-unresolved crisis in Eastern Ukraine. Now there are separate channels between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry complementing the Normandy negotiations (named because the first meeting of the quartet of leaders took place in Normandy at commemoration of the D-Day landing). Although the European Union is generally expected to okay the extension of sanctions against Russia on June 28, its summit provides an option of a short-notice postponing of the sanctions vote, on the basis of new Russian or Franco-German proposals coming out of the Normandy process. In St. Petersburg last weekend, at the International Economic Forum, former French President Sarkozy called for a lifting of sanctions and a normalization of relations with Russia, and suggested to Putin that he take the first step by unilaterally lifting the sanctions Russia imposed on Europe after the EU sanctions against Russia were adopted. PRESS RELEASE Will NATO Start World War III over a Cyber Attack? June 20, 2016 (EIRNS)Will a hacking attack against computer networks in a NATO member country be considered an attack to which the alliance will respond with a conventional war? Thats the implication that some are drawing from the decision, last week, made in the NATO defense ministers meeting to consider the cyber domain an operational domain on par with the domains of sea, air, land, and space. "A severe cyber attack may be classified as a case for the alliance. Then NATO can and must react," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told Bild Zeitung, last week. "How, that will depend on the severity of the attack." Stoltenberg said that the alliance needed to adjust to the increasingly complex series of threats it faces, which is why NATO members have agreed to defend against attacks in cyberspace just as they do against attacks launched against targets on land, in the air and at sea, reported Reuters. In other words, NATO may respond to a hacking attack with conventional weapons under Article V. According to a report in Deutsche Wirtschafts Nachrichtencovered by Paris-based analyst Eric Zuesse in English in a June 15 blog postingNATO alleged that because Russian hackers had copied the emails on Hillary Clintons home computer, this action of someone in Russia taking advantage of her having privatized her U.S. State Department communications to her unsecured home computer and of such a Russians then snooping into the U.S. State Department business that was stored on it, "might constitute a Russian attack against the United States of America, and would, if the U.S. President declares it to be a Russian invasion of the U.S., trigger NATOs mutual-defense clause and so require all NATO nations to join with the U.S. government in going to war against Russia, if the U.S. government so decides." According to Zuesse, NATO had already produced, in 2013, an informational propaganda video alleging that "cyberattacks" by people in Russia or in China that can compromise U.S. national security, could spark an invasion by NATO, if the U.S. President decides that the cyberattack was a hostile act by the Russian or Chinese government. As the NATO defense ministerial was proceeding, news emerged of a hack of the Democratic National Committees computer network, an attack which was immediately blamed on the Russian government. A lone hacker, with the handle Guccifer 2.0, soon claimed responsibility for the hack, but the whole episode demonstrates how difficult it really is to accurately identify those responsible for a cyber attack, particularly where there may be conflicts of interest. Commercial firms, such as the one hired by the DNC to investigate its network security, "dont get nearly as much attention (read 0) if they leave attribution out of their report, or say that they dont know," said Jeffrey Carr, CEO of the digital security firm Taia Global, in remarks the SearchSecurity website on June 17. Margaret Atwood is ready for her adaptation. Netflix and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation are bringing Atwoods historical novel Alias Grace to the small screen, Deadline reports. The book will be adapted as a six-hour miniseries being written and produced by Sarah Polley and directed by Mary Harron. The news comes less than two months after Hulu announced it ordered an adaptation of Atwoods dystopian novel The Handmaids Tale, starring Elisabeth Moss in the lead role. The 1985 book, now considered a feminist classic, was made into a 1990 film starring Natasha Richardson with a screenplay by Harold Pinter. The Hulu series is scheduled to air next year. Alias Grace, published in 1996, is based on the true story of Grace Marks, a maid in Canada who was convicted of murdering her boss, Thomas Kinnear, and his housekeeper in 1843. Advertisement Marks co-defendant, James McDermott, was hanged for the crime; Marks served three decades in jail before being pardoned. After being released from prison, she moved to the United States. Margaret Atwood talks about Los Angeles and her serial novel Positron. Polley said shes been a fan of Atwoods novel for years and has read it repeatedly. Grace Marks, as captured by Margaret Atwood, is the most complex, riveting character I have ever read, she said. This wont be the first time Polley has adapted the work of a Canadian literary legend. She wrote and directed the 2006 film Away from Her, based on Alice Munros short story The Bear Came Over the Mountain. Polley earned an Academy Award nomination for her screenplay. Director Harron also is no stranger to literary film adaptations. She co-wrote and directed the 2000 movie American Psycho, based on Bret Easton Ellis novel, and adapted Rachel Kleins horror novel The Moth Diaries for the big screen in 2011. Production on Alias Grace is scheduled to begin in August. Theres no word yet on when it will be hitting screens. ALSO: The Margaret Atwood story you cant read Elisabeth Moss to star in The Handmaids Tale for Hulu Amazon to open brick-and-mortar bookstore in Oregon just 10 miles from indie giant Powells The renomination of conservative Charles P. Blahous III as a Social Security public trustee, which has riled the programs advocates, ran into another potential roadblock Tuesday. And the result was an angry exchange on the Senate floor. Three Democratic Senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Charles E. Schumer of New York and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island moved to refer Blahous renomination back to the Senate Finance Committee, which moved the nomination to the full chamber on an expedited basis earlier this month. The action may mean that the committee will have to hold a full hearing on the nomination, which could delay it for months. As we reported earlier, Blahous is a highly controversial figure in the Social Security community. He was executive director of President George W. Bushs 2001-2002 Commission to Strengthen Social Security, which aimed to privatize the program. He has argued that future benefits should be reduced from their currently legislated levels and suggested that the program is more generous to retirees than is commonly understood (which implies that proposals to expand benefits are unnecessarily generous). He opposed last years congressional reprieve for Social Securitys disability program, which saved millions of families from looming benefit cuts. Advertisement Leveraging any and all government positions to advance their...agenda is the entire point of the Koch effort, and Mr. Blahous is a prime example. Democratic Sens. Warren, Schumer and Whitehouse Despite this record, President Obama has renominated Blahous, a Republican, to a second four-year term as public trustee. The nomination was a two-fer the public trustees serve as pairs, one from each party and Blahous renomination was linked with the renomination of Democrat Robert D. Reischauer. But it was also unusual, since tradition calls for the trustees to serve single terms and then make way for new blood. The breach with tradition was the theme of Democratic opposition to Blahous when the nominations were first considered by the Senate Finance Committee on June 8. The panel approved both names on a party-line vote. Even before then, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) had said he would place a senatorial hold on both nominations once they reached the floor. Under Senate rules, that would doom them. RELATED: Has President Obama appointed a fox to guard the Social Security henhouse? Tuesdays action by Warren, Schumer and Whitehouse is directed at Blahous alone. They say its connected to their concern that Blahous is essentially a front for the right-wing billionaire Koch brothers. We asked Blahous to respond, but havent heard back. The public trustees are obscure cogs in the Social Security machine. They serve alongside four federal officials the secretaries of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury, and the Social Security commissioner to oversee publication of the programs annual reports. The 2016 trustees report is due for release Wednesday. Blahous critics have claimed that he has pressured the other trustees into incorporating language in the reports overstating the financial crunch facing Social Security including an assertion so controversial it prompted an unprecedented rebuttal by Stephen C. Goss, Social Securitys chief actuary. Leveraging any and all government positions to advance their pro-corporate, anti-government agenda is the entire point of the Koch effort, the three Democrats wrote in the Huffington Post on June 7, and Mr. Blahous is a prime example. They named him as one of an army of aggressive conservative ideologues groomed for government service and bankrolled by the Koch brothers. Thats a reference to his position as a senior research fellow at the Koch-funded Mercatus Center of George Mason University. From that perch, Schumer said during the finance committees June 8 session, Blahous has published a series of articles falsely warning Americans that Social Security is in a crisis state in need of immediate reform. Thats an ideological viewpoint that clearly aligns more with the Koch Brothers than with the beneficiaries this position is intended to protect, Schumer said, and not an appropriate one for a public trustee. Committee Chairman Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah) defended Blahous as the victim of election-year hyper-partisanship: In even-numbered years, some people tend to go to polar extremes whenever anyone anywhere mentions Social Security and/or Medicare in a sentence, he said. There are some who, in any context, but particularly during election years, are so unwilling to have a reasonable discussion about these programs that they will go out of their way to silence any alternative viewpoints and stigmatize anyone who has ever expressed a contrary opinion. The Democrats maneuver apparently infuriated Hatch, who took to the Senate floor Tuesday to assail the Democrats for shameful actions that have threatened the integrity of those [trustees] reports with their allegations, as well as attacking an individual based on false claims. That led in turn to an angry exchange between Hatch and Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), who asked him to describe his proposals for stabilizing the Social Security trust fund. (See video below.) Weve had everything from more taxes to pay for it, which isnt very exciting to most people around here, to more government programs to pay for it, Hatch snapped back. Responding to accusations that Blahous was an advocate of privatization, Hatch said, The last time I recall anybody talking about privatization was President Clinton. Actually, Clintons term ended in 2001. George W. Bush, who followed him to the White House, empaneled the commission, of which Blahous was executive director, that was designed to promote the concept. The three Democrats motion is aimed at overruling the finance committees fast-track approval of Blahous. It means the panel may have to hold a formal hearing on his nomination, which was skipped the first time around and which may serve to focus more attention on Blahous viewpoints and his purported connections to the Koch interests. At the very least, it will delay the nomination for weeks, if not months and possibly nullify it permanently, since the Senate will be firmly in presidential campaign mode by this fall, and may be inclined simply to leave the task of filling the empty trustees seats to the next president. Keep up to date with Michael Hiltzik. Follow @hiltzikm on Twitter, see his Facebook page, or email michael.hiltzik@latimes.com. Return to Michael Hiltziks blog. ALSO Charles Koch opts out of attending the GOP convention Column: Congress continues its stealth assault on Social Securitys customer service Nonprofit backed by Koch brothers wont have to reveal its donors to Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris UPDATES: 2:55 p.m.: This post has been updated with details of the Mikulski-Hatch floor fight. Boeing Co. said Tuesday it signed an agreement with Iran Air expressing the airlines intent to buy its aircraft, setting up the biggest business deal between the Islamic Republic and America since the 1979 U.S. Embassy takeover in Tehran soured relations. Already, an Iranian official has suggested his country may purchase $25 billion in airplanes from Chicago-based Boeing, welcome news to workers on its massive assembly line north of Seattle and company stockholders. However, the long-standing enmity between the U.S. and Iran, as well as other sanctions, still could complicate any agreement even after last years nuclear deal. Advertisement Boeing issued a statement to the Associated Press saying that it signed the Iran Air agreement under authorizations from the U.S. government following a determination that Iran had met its obligations under the nuclear accord reached last summer. SIGN UP for the free California Inc. business newsletter >> Boeing will continue to follow the lead of the U.S. government with regards to working with Irans airlines, and any and all contracts with Irans airlines will be contingent upon U.S. government approval, it said. Boeings statement offered no further details. Fakher Daghestani, a Dubai-based spokesman for the manufacturer, declined to elaborate. Iran Air, the countrys national carrier, said this week it wants to buy new generations of the Boeing 737, as well as the 300ER and 900 version of the Boeing 777. Earlier Tuesday, Irans Transportation Minister Abbas Akhoundi said possible deals between the Islamic Republic and Boeing could be worth as much as $25 billion, on par with the countrys earlier agreement with its European rival, Airbus. Iran also has ordered 20 airplanes from French-Italian aircraft manufacturer ATR. The initial talks were held and I can say Boeing is negotiating with the U.S. officials and possibly the amount of our purchase is equal to Airbus, Akhoundi said. If the deal goes through, he said, the first Boeing plane could arrive in Iran in October. The overall size of the proposed Boeing sale to Iran remains unclear. Ali Abedzadeh, the head of Irans Civil Aviation Organization, was quoted Sunday by the state-run IRAN newspaper as saying the sale would involve 100 Boeing aircraft, something the manufacturer has declined to discuss. Boeing has been cautious about entering Irans market as other sanctions remain in place against Tehran. American officials had said as recently as last weekend that the sale would need permission from the U.S. Treasury. Its unclear what changed in the last few days. Treasury officials could not be immediately reached for comment. It is likely Boeing may run the sale through an overseas subsidiary and use a currency other than U.S. dollars in order to avoid running afoul of American laws. Iranian airlines have some 60 Boeing airplanes in service, but most were purchased before the 1979 Islamic Revolution that ousted Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and brought Islamists to power. Out of Irans 250 commercial planes, 162 are flying while the rest are grounded due to lack of spare parts, Akhoundi said Tuesday. Parts and servicing remained nearly impossible to get while the world sanctioned Iran over its contested nuclear program. Included in last years nuclear deal, which limited Irans uranium enrichment in exchange for sanctions to be lifted, is approval for airline manufacturers to enter the Iranian market. However, American lawmakers have warned Boeing not to do business there as the Iran deal remains a hot topic in the ongoing presidential election. At issue as well is Iran and Americas long-standing suspicion of each other, as the two countries havent had direct diplomatic relations since 1979. For Americans, it is the U.S. Embassy takeover during the Islamic Revolution and its blacklisting of Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism. For Iranians, it is the American- and British-backed 1953 coup that installed the shah, as well as the U.S. Navys 1988 downing of an Iran Air commercial jet heading to Dubai. Since the nuclear deal, Iran also has conducted ballistic missile tests, launched rockets near U.S. warships in the Persian Gulf and briefly captured 10 American sailors. The Shiite power also has seen relations deteriorate with the Sunni kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a major U.S. regional ally. Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has expressed his continued distrust of American brands coming into the country. Comments Khamenei made in April apparently caused Iranian officials to strike models from General Motors Co.'s Chevrolet division off a list of allowed automobile brands for the Iranian market. Khamenei also questioned purchasing aircraft in a speech June 14. This is a very important and necessary task, but is it a priority? Khamenei asked, according to a transcript on his official website. Imagine that we buy 300 airplanes. It is not clear whether this is a priority or not. This should be studied. ALSO Why the idea of Brexit Britains exit from the European Union is shaking up markets worldwide Where the world stands on gay rights 10 years ago Indias tigers were vanishing. Heres how a few villagers with cameras are helping to save them #WhyIRide Trends Ahead Of City Council Vote On Rideshare Rules By Stephen Gossett in News on Jun 21, 2016 8:42PM Photo via Tripp on Flickr Some Twitter users took to their accounts Tuesday afternoon to vocally defend rideshare service like Uber and Lyft, which could face new regulations with the City Council set to vote Wednesday on a much-debated, highly contentious bill. The companies have threatened to pull out of Chicago if the Council moves forward. #WhyIRide was trending on Twitter starting early afternoon, with more than 1,600 tweets as of 2:40 p.m. It was frequently coupled with the hashtag #ChiCouncil. The latest version of the bill reflects a recent capitulation by Ald. Anthony Beale, who has led the charge for regulation. Beale agreed to shelve the opposition's biggest point of contention, a required fingerprinting process for background checks, while a six-month study investigated their success. He also faces pressure for the administration to back down on demands to require drivers be drug-screened. A much toothier version of the bill passed the Transportation Committee last Friday. Political action committees representing taxi industries have contributed more than $50,000 to 13 aldermen, according to reports. Meanwhile, Uber has faced criticism for its billion-dollar "money grab" from investors. They has also been taken to task by pro-taxi organizations for not being truthful about claims of support to underserved neighborhoods. "Ubers own recommendation to hit [incentives] is to skip the South Side, skip the West Side, stick to the Loop, Lincoln Park, Wicker Park, and Lakeview," David Kreisman, of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, told Chicagoist. Most college freshmen learn on Day 1 that they shouldnt use Wikipedia. Its framed as a crime on par with cheating: a mortal sin against the gods of academia. In hundreds of classrooms across the country, though, some professors have begun taking a very different tack. Not only are their students encouraged to see Wikipedia as an important information source, but theyre required to edit it for class assignments. For the record: An earlier version of this article misstated the name of the Wiki Education Foundation as the Wikipedia Education Foundation. Students at Emerson College, for instance, are responsible for Wikipedias theatre and disability page. The encyclopedia article on minor depressive disorder was revamped by a student at North Dakota State University. And if you ever look up the Wikipedia page on vaccination policy a hot topic in our current political climate most of what youre reading sources from a sophomore-level chemistry class at the University of Michigan. Advertisement In sum, more than 14,000 students have created or edited 35,000 Wikipedia articles as part of a program run by the Wiki Education Foundation. The three-year-old nonprofit, a spin-off of the Wikimedia Foundation funded in part by the Stanton Foundation and Google, is determined to convince professors and students that counter to everything they have ever been told Wikipedia actually belongs in schools. Its so much better than a term paper, from a students perspective, said Susan Alberts, a biology professor at Duke University who has used Wikipedia in her classroom for the last five years. This way, when students write something, someone besides their teacher actually reads it. As Alberts experience suggests, the idea of students editing Wikipedia is not entirely novel. But Wiki Ed, which has grown exponentially in the last three years, has developed a program that makes it easier for new classrooms to join up and for hundreds of classes to participate at once. The organization takes care of training students on Wikipedias obtuse cultural norms and retro editing interface. After that, it works with professors to oversee students as they draft, edit and submit articles, often over several weeks. In Alberts behavioral ecology classroom, students are invited to pick their favorite topic off a pre-selected list of biology articles that Wikipedia has said it needs, which they will spend the semester drafting and revising. When they are ready to make their changes to the live Wikipedia article, a hardened Wikipedian is on call to help them. See the most-read stories in Business this hour >> To date, students in Alberts class are responsible for adding about 26,600 words to articles on behavioral ecology, including large portions of the articles on the endurance running hypothesis and vocal learning. If you Google either of those topics today, Wikipedia is the first result: Both articles are lengthy, thorough and immaculately sourced to a range of symposiums and journals. This, says Eryk Salvaggio, Wiki Eds spokesman, is the real benefit of the program: Its not merely a pedagogical tool but a way to liberate knowledge from journals with paywalls and college classrooms and ferry it to the Internet public. According to a May 2016 Knight Foundation survey on mobile-phone use, Wikipedia is a more significant destination for news and information, in terms of monthly audience reach, than CNN, the New York Times, the Washington Post, USA Today and BuzzFeed. Yet many of the people writing these highly trafficked, influential pages have less access to the latest academic literature than your average college freshman taking an introduction to biology course. The benefits go way beyond the student, Salvaggio said. Its learning in concentric circles that improves the publics understanding. Wiki Ed is working on a special project this year: Since the fall, the program has been focused on science, math and engineering, areas in which coverage tends to be spotty. During the spring term alone, Wiki Ed estimates student edits have been seen by an audience in the 58-million range. As a communications exercise, it works, Alberts said. Where else is student work going to have that kind of impact? Caitlin Dewey writes for the Washington Post. ALSO Ticket to the White House or political oblivion? The challenge for Donald Trump as he seeks a running mate Joe Biden to target Donald Trump on foreign policy Are the media complicit in mass shootings? Grocery workers turned out in large numbers Monday to vote on whether to authorize a strike against Ralphs and Albertsons, which also includes Vons, Pavilions and Safeway stores, union officials said. The results of the vote wont be available until Tuesday night. But grocery workers historically have followed the unions suggestion on whether to vote no or yes on a strike, said officials from the United Food and Commercial Workers union, which represents about 47,000 clerks, meat cutters and merchandise stockers across Southern California. The union advised members vote to authorize a strike. Everybody seems invigorated to vote yes, said Rick Icaza, the president of UFCW Local 770. Advertisement A clearer indication of how workers feel about the stores contract proposal might be how many of them show up to cast a ballot through Tuesday, when members of some locals will vote. By mid-afternoon Monday, people monitoring the voting stations said turnout was high. Its almost like a rush of people all the time, said Kathy Finn, director of collective bargaining at UFCW Local 770, who spent Monday at a voting hall in Harbor City. According to union officials, the grocery companies want to give workers a 10-cent-per-hour raise over the next three years, reduce the companies additional contributions to pensions, and ask workers to put in several more months of work before they can reach the highest pay level of $20.10 for a clerk. Kendra Doyel, a Ralphs spokeswoman, said she couldnt comment on specific proposals due to NLRB rules, but said in an email that a strike authorization vote is premature and only serves to cause concern for associates and customers. Carlos Illingworth, a spokesman for Albertsons, said: We remain committed to negotiating a contract that is fair to all parties, including our employees, and will continue to work to achieve that. Icaza said the union has about 10 more meetings with the stores scheduled. He said the goal is to hammer out a better deal for workers and avoid a strike like the one in 2003 and 2004 that lasted for 141 days. Natalie.Kitroeff@latimes.com Follow me @NatalieKitro on Twitter UPDATES: 6:12 p.m.: This story has been updated to include a statement from Albertsons. Sweltering temperatures across Southern California prompted calls Monday for electricity customers to reduce their energy use to help reduce strain on a system already weakened by the absence of the troubled Aliso Canyon natural gas storage plant. Utility companies urged their residential customers to voluntarily delay washing clothes and dishes until bedtime and to keep their thermostats at 78 degrees or higher. In addition, the power companies asked business customers to voluntarily suspend unnecessary daytime operations such as production line work until nightfall. The so-called flex alert initiated by the California Independent System Operator, which manages the states electric grid for most of the state, was scheduled to run from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Advertisement Were doing everything we can to reduce the load, said Ronald Nichols, president of Southern California Edison. Its something that were closely monitoring. Nichols said there were a small number of outages Monday of about 10,000 to 20,000 of Edisons customers, but there was no expectation of forced rolling blackouts. To help manage available power, Edison and other utilities also initiated other energy saving programs Monday, called demand response. Business and residential customers that enroll in the programs can earn credits on their bills by agreeing to reduce their electricity usage during periods of high electricity use. The programs tapped for Mondays high temperatures were largely voluntary, though customers enrolled in some programs can agree to have service interrupted by the utility when electricity use is high. We are certainly watching temperatures, said Lynsey Paulo, a spokeswoman for Pacific Gas & Electric, which asked its customers to save energy even though the higher temperatures were south of its service area. We are encouraging our customers in Northern California to prepare for the heat now. This round of high temperatures are expected to be short-lived, but it still was a test of how prepared the utilities are to handle summer demand for electricity. 1 / 79 A DC-10 air tanker drops Phos-Chek, a fire retardant, on the Fish fire in Duarte on June 22. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 79 Aja Jasmin spends time with her horse Waldo, who has been evacuated along with 200 other horses to the Fairplex in Pomona because of the San Gabriel Complex fire. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 79 Elizabeth Stolz of Duarte reads a book next to her horse Rhiannon at the Fairplex. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 79 A fire burns above Spinks Canyon Road in Duarte. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 79 A Los Angeles County fire helicopter drops water on the San Gabriel Complex fire above Duarte. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 79 Alex Bernardini helps his mother, Regina, move valuables back into their home two days after they were forced to evacuate as the San Gabriel Complex fire burned in the nearby hillsides. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 79 Firefighters survey hillside charred by the Fish fire in Duarte. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 79 L.A. County Sheriffs Deputy Toby Coe feeds carrots to a stray horse awaiting transport to the Fairplex in Pomona. The stallion is believed to belong to Rancho Sierra Bonita, which was forced to quickly evacuate two days ago as the Fish fire burned nearby. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 79 A stray horse is tied to a sign on Encanto Parkway in Duarte, awaiting transport to the Fairplex in Pomona. The stallion is believed to belong to Rancho Sierra Bonita, which was forced to quickly evacuate two days ago as the Fish fire burned nearby. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 79 A flare up from the Fish fire can be seen in the hills abouve Duarte early Wednesday morning. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 79 A DC-10 air tanker drops a load of fire retardant as the San Gabriel Complex fire continues to burn in the hills above Monrovia. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 79 Sycuan Golden Eagle Hot Shots head into the brush to create a fire break near Spinks Canyon Road in Duarte as the San Gabriel Complex fire continues to burn. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 79 The charred remains of a truck are dragged uphill near the Morris reservoir a day after it crashed and started the Reservoir Fire near Azusa. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 79 The charred and battered remains of a truck are dragged uphill near the Morris reservoir a day after it crashed and started the Reservoir Fire near Azusa. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 79 Macelda Ramos helps her daughters Natalie Ramos, 9 right, and Olivia Ramos, 11, pack their belongings to be driven out from their home on Spinks Canyon Road in Duarte Tuesday as two brush fires burning dangerously close to each other in Duarte and Azusa. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 79 Dr Seta Whitby, right, and her husband, Gordon Whitby, watch the progress of the firefight above their home on Spinks Canyon Road in Duarte. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 79 An LA County firefighter mops up hotspots on the hillside along 3200 block of Brookridge Rd. on Tuesday in Duarte. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 79 A helicopter makes water drops on Spinks Canyon above Duarte on Tuesday as two brush fires burn dangerously close to one another in Duarte and Azusa. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 79 An LA County firefighting helicopter makes a water drop above Westvale Road as Fish fire burns in Duarte on Tuesday morning. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 79 A deer finds shaded spot to rest under a tree along 200 block of Mt. Olive Drive as firefighters continue battle Fish Fire on Tuesday morning in Duarte. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 79 A Los Angeles County firefighting helicopter makes a water drop above Westvale Road as the Fish fire burns in the hills above Duarte on Tuesday. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 22 / 79 Kerry Lawrence waters her lawn on 300 block of Greenback Ave. Lawrence, who has been living in Duarte for 39 years, says she has been through this on four different occassions. Her cars are packed and ready to evacuate if asked. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 79 Evacuee Elisa Pirard looks out at the smoke from the Fish fire above Duarte on Tuesday morning. Pirard and her husband, Chuck, spent the night in their motor home at the Red Cross Duarte Community Center Shelter. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 24 / 79 Liz Reilly, left, talks to fellow evacuees Richard Evans, wife Dorothy and son Richard J. Evans, all of whom spent the night in a Red Cross shelter in Duarte after being forced to flee their homes. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 79 U.S. Forest Service firefighters Chris Calomino, left, and Pedro Barba are on fire watch at the 3200 block of Brookridge Road as the Fish fire burns above the hills in Duarte on Tuesday morning. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 79 U.S. Forest Sevice firefighter Pedro Barba keeps the hillside wet along Brookridge Road as a wildfire burns above the hills in Duarte on Tuesday morning. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 79 Firefighters keep an eye on the flames on a hillside in Duarte as the fast-moving Fish fire continues to burn Tuesday morning. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 79 U.S. Forest Service firefighter Mike Aguirre keeps an eye on flames above Brookridge Road in Duarte as the Fish fire burns on Tuesday morning. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 79 A firefighter gets some rest Tuesday morning after working overnight on the Fish fire, which is still raging in the hills above Duarte. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 79 The Fish fire burns near homes in Bradbury on Monday evening as a Los Angeles County fire helicopter makes a nighttime water drop in a long-exposure image. (Stuart Palley / For The Times) 31 / 79 The Fish fire as seen from Huntington Drive near the site of evacuations in Bradbury on Monday night. (Stuart Palley / For The Times) 32 / 79 Onlookers take pictures of the Fish fire Monday evening off Huntington Drive as the fire burns uphill. (Stuart Palley / For The Times) 33 / 79 The Fish fire burns near homes in Bradbury on Monday evening in this long-exposure image. (Stuart Palley / For The Times) 34 / 79 A Los Angeles County fire engine provides structure defense in Bradbury on Monday night as the Fish fire threatens buildings in the neighborhood. (Stuart Palley / For The Times) 35 / 79 The Fish fire burns above Huntington Drive on Monday evening. (Stuart Palley / For The Times) 36 / 79 An L.A. County inmate fire crew member is outlined by the glow of flames at the Fish fire Monday. (Stuart Palley / For The Times) 37 / 79 The Fish fire threatens homes in Bradbury as a Los Angeles County fire engine performs structure defense Monday evening. (Stuart Palley / For The Times) 38 / 79 A residential street in Bradbury is threatened by the Fish fire as flames threaten the area Monday evening. (Stuart Palley / For The Times) 39 / 79 A Los Angeles County inmate hand crew hikes above a residential neighborhood in Bradbury on Monday evening to battle the Fish fire. (Stuart Palley / For The Times) 40 / 79 Los Angeles County firefighters work with prison crews to put out hot spots in the Fish fire burning in the hills above Duarte on Monday. (Harrison Hill / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 79 Los Angeles County fire fighters prepare to fight the fish fire in Duarte. (Harrison Hill / Los Angeles Times) 42 / 79 Los Angeles County firefighters rest as the Fish Fire burns behind them Monday afternoo in Duarte. (Harrison Hill / Los Angeles Times) 43 / 79 Firefighters in the air and on the ground work to control a fire that broke out in Duarte. Daniel Medina, 14, helps load his familys car with important belongings as flames crested the ridgeline near his house. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 44 / 79 Sebastian Guzman, 11, and Samantha Karakashyan, 12, evacuate a home on Las Lomas Road as a wildfire that started in Duarte heads in their direction. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 45 / 79 Connie Tran, 17, holds her dog Snowball as she prepares to evacuate her house on Las Lomas Road. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 46 / 79 Plumes of smoke frame the Los Angeles skyline from brush fires burning above Duarte and Azusa. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times ) 47 / 79 A helicopter joins in the fight against a wildfire that broke out in Duarte. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 48 / 79 A firefighting helicopter drops water on the Fish fire near Duarte. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 49 / 79 Duarte residents on Green Bank Avenue watch as firefighters battle a brush fire from the ground and the air. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 50 / 79 A billboard frames a brush fire burning above Duarte. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 51 / 79 A fire-fighting plane makes a retardant drop on the Duarte fire at 500 acres with 0% containment. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 52 / 79 A fire-fighting helicopter drops water on the Duarte fire at 500 acres with 0% containment. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 53 / 79 Smoke from two fires -- one in Azusa and one in Duarte -- billows above the 210 Freeway on Monday. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 54 / 79 Smoke is visible from the 210 Freeway as two brush fires burn in Duarte and Azusa. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles TImes) 55 / 79 With temperatures soaring, crowds flock to the beach on the north side of the Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles TImes) 56 / 79 Guadalupe Esquivel, right, cools off her son Ricardo Esquivel, 4, second from left, and her grandchildren, from left, Jason Guerrero, 3, Alfredo Santos, 5, Kaylee Santos, 2 (partially blocked) and Isabella Esquivel, (back to camera), as they sit inside an inflatable pool at Woodley Park in Van Nuys. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 57 / 79 Stephanie Wong creates her own shade with an umbrella walking past Disney Hall in downtown Los Angeles on Monday. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 58 / 79 Ruth Lopez, 13, whips water off her hair as she seeks relief from the heat while playing with cousins in the Memorial Fountain Splash Pad at Grand Park in downtown Los Angeles. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 59 / 79 USC professor Michael Harris holds a bottle of ice water to his head to combat eye strain while he sits in a coffee shop in Palm Springs, where the temperature reached a record high of 122 degrees on Monday. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times) 60 / 79 Nece Smith, Lisa Smith and Linda Smith use an umbrella to shade themselves from the sun Monday on Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs, where the temperature soared to a record 122 degrees. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times) 61 / 79 The exercise area around the Rose Bowl in Pasadena was busy early Monday morning, (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times ) 62 / 79 Diont Harp, a worker on a light-rail line, tries to keep cool Monday in downtown Los Angeles as a record-setting heat wave tightens its grip on the Southland. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 63 / 79 Two walkers trying to beat the heat with an early stroll cast long shadows Monday morning at the Rose Bowl. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 64 / 79 Sprinklers offer a bit of relief as Danny Huerta, 23, who just graduated from UC Davis, is home doing wind sprints at the Rose Bowl. Many were trying to get in early-morning workouts to beat the heat on Monday. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 65 / 79 Firefighters try to stay cool after battling a brush fire in Silver Lake. (Callaghan OHare / Los Angeles Times) 66 / 79 A firefighter tries to control the flames that broke out in Silver Lake. (Callaghan OHare / Los Angeles Times) 67 / 79 A helicopter drops water while firefighters work to control a blaze that threatened structures along the 2 Freeway where it meets the 5 Freeway. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 68 / 79 Area resident Pascual Gutierrez uses a garden hose as he works alongside firefighters battling a blaze that threatened structures along the 2 Freeway where it meets the 5 Freeway. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 69 / 79 A firefighter turns to observe the brush fire under the 2 Freeway on Rosebud Avenue in Los Angeles on Sunday. (Dillon Deaton / Los Angeles Times) 70 / 79 In Silver Lake, a fire at a home quickly spread to brush along the 2 Freeway, prompting firefighters to call for more resources and air support. The freeway was closed in both directions near its terminus in Echo Park. (Dillon Deaton / Los Angeles Times) 71 / 79 Robert Aguilar pours water on his head during halftime of a soccer game at the Sepulveda Basin Sports Complex. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 72 / 79 Steve Akerboom of Northridge cools off his dog Christine at the Sepulveda Basin Off-Leash Dog Park. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 73 / 79 Richard Saldana, 79, of Norwalk relaxes on a hot but breezy beach day in Alamitos Bay, Long Beach (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 74 / 79 Michelle Valdez, 19, of Hawthorne enjoys the shade provided by two umbrellas planted in the sand at Alamitos Bay in Long Beach. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 75 / 79 Jack Amsbry, 18, of Pasadena soaks up a warm beach breeze in Long Beach. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 76 / 79 Zhang Zhifa and spouse Ding Zunqin, both 75 of Arcadia, enjoy some time at Rosies Dog Beach in Long Beach. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 77 / 79 Jeremy Albucher of Los Feliz cools off with water after playing in a three-on-three pickup basketball game at North Hollywood Park in North Hollywood on Friday. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 78 / 79 Joseph Cotts of Buena Park looks to pass the ball to a teammate in a three-on-three pickup basketball game at North Hollywood Park in North Hollywood on Friday. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 79 / 79 David Lone of Reseda relaxes inside his car parked in the shade at Balboa Park in Encino on Friday. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) See the most-read stories in Local News this hour >> Part of the concern raised by Cal-ISO is that natural gas supplies used as fuel for many power generators in the Los Angeles area may be tight during this heat event because of the inability to access natural gas stored at Southern California Gas Co.s Aliso Canyon facility. A well at the storage facility began leaking in October and wasnt plugged for four months, which led to a moratorium on gas withdrawals. The California Public Utilities Commission and other state energy agencies have warned that because of the lack of operations at the Aliso Canyon field, the states largest natural gas storage facility, Southern California could face blackouts during as many as 14 days this summer. In May, the commission gave Edison approval to purchase battery storage for electricity to help reduce strain on the electric system. Nichols said Edison plans to have the batteries available next summer, though some could come online as early as the end of this year. Air quality regulators recently agreed to allow the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to violate pollution rules this summer by burning diesel fuel at three L.A. Basin power plants to prevent blackouts. ivan.penn@latimes.com Follow me at @ivanlpenn READ MORE The science behind this crazy heat wave Twin fires burn more than 2,000 acres and trigger evacuations in San Gabriel Valley As triple-digit temps and winds hit the Southland, firefighters keep battling nearly 8,000-acre Sherpa fire The forced brevity that gave Twitter its rapid-fire feel is getting pared back for the second time in as many months. On Tuesday, the San Francisco social media company began welcoming videos of up to two minutes, 20 seconds -- nearly five times the previous limit. In addition, Twitters Vine app, which hosts constantly-looping six-second videos, now allows some users to link to longer clips via a Watch more banner in the bottom right corner. Last month, Twitter relaxed its 140-character limit on posts by removing links and some other items from the count. Advertisement After a decade of sticking to the concept that finite space breeds creativity, the company is warming to the idea that people need room to roam. The changes give high-profile Twitter users more ways to integrate advertising and make money off their posts, company spokeswomen said. But more than that, it gives top users one less reason to divert attention to Facebook, Snapchat and other apps. Users have separate gripes about limits on each service, but none has been as defined by stringency as Twitter. Twitter finds itself retooling to compete for the attention of celebrities and companies, whose content attracts the masses of lurkers that advertisers want to pitch. Adding new users at a faster pace has been a top goal at Twitter because Wall Street zeroes in on user growth to value social networking companies. Twitter also unveiled Engage, a separate app to help users with large followings track incoming messages and statistics about their posts. paresh.dave@latimes.com Twitter: @peard33 Audrey Tautou charmed movie audiences in the title role of Amelie, the 2001 Jean-Pierre Jeunet movie about a Parisian waitress who embarks on a series of whimsical adventures. For the musical adaptation of the hit movie, producers have found their leading lady from the cast of Hamilton. Phillipa Soo will play Amelie in the English-language stage musical that is set to kick off at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles in December, before a planned Broadway engagement. The actress currently plays Eliza Hamilton, wife of Alexander Hamilton, in the smash musical Hamilton running at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York. We are thrilled to be producing Amelie, a New Musical in Los Angeles before it heads off to Broadway, and excited that our Ahmanson Theatre audience will be the first to see Phillipa Soo in the lead of this mesmerizing show, read a statement from Center Theatre Group producing director Douglas C. Baker. Advertisement See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour >> When the musical debuted at Berkeley Repertory Theatre last year, British actress Samantha Barks played the lead role. Soo was involved in the developmental process of the musical, according to Aaron Harnick, a producer of the show. The musical is scheduled to run at the Ahmanson from Dec. 4 to Jan. 15. Producers said the show will open on Broadway in 2017 but havent announced dates or additional casting. Pam MacKinnon, who directed Amelie at Berkeley Rep, will return to direct it at the Ahmanson and on Broadway. Soo, who is a Juilliard School alumna, was nominated for a Tony Award this year for her role in Hamilton. She is one of a few Hamilton stars who will be leaving the show in the days ahead as their contracts end. She will depart Hamilton July 9, the same date as leading man Lin-Manuel Miranda and Leslie Odom Jr. In 2013, Jeunet told a French media outlet that he was disgusted by the idea of Amlie being turned into a stage musical. I absolutely loathe musicals and I hate Broadway, the filmmaker told RTL, the French radio network. He said he ultimately allowed the adaptation to happen so that he could help fund a medical charity for children. I can tell you that I wont see [the musical], I dont want to hear anything about it, Jeunet said. But with the money that it brings in, he added, perhaps I could save some lives. david.ng@latimes.com MORE ENTERTAINMENT COVERAGE Oprah Winfreys Greenleaf deserves high praise, but her network may not receive its full bounty Michael Jackson stockpiled pornography at Neverland Ranch, documents show Independence Day to challenge Finding Dory in box office battle of the sequels The Gay Mens Chorus of Los Angeles and its Cuban counterpart, Mano a Mano in Havana, would like you to hear their song 20 of them, presented in glittery, feathered costumes and all. The two groups will give a joint concert, Hear My Song (Oye Mi Canto), on Saturday and Sunday at the Alex Theatre in Glendale. The concert, which includes classical Cuban music, modern American pop songs reinvented with a Latin twist and original compositions, is dedicated to the Orlando shooting victims. An as-yet undetermined portion of proceeds will go to a GoFundMe campaign organized by Equality California for families of victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting. Were gonna cry through this entire concert, GMCLA Executive Director Chris Verdugo said. But well raise our voices even louder now. Well be the voices of the 49 lives who have forever been silenced. We want to provide a space for people to mourn and grieve, but also to celebrate the beauty of these peoples lives. Advertisement The 37-year-old GMCLA, more than 250 people strong, and the nascent, six-member Mano a Mano (Hand to Hand) might seem an unlikely partnership, but their missions are aligned: to promote LGBT rights and understanding. Their collaboration has been more than two years in the making. Cuban-born, Florida-based independent filmmaker Fermin Rojas co-founded Mano a Mano Cubas only official gay mens chorus, he says in 2014 with his husband, Jay Kubesch. He approached Cuban American Verdugo about partnering for an L.A. show. That led to GMCLA members visiting Mano a Mano in Havana in February. I knew this alliance could break down barriers within the Cuban community, Verdugo says, and give people an opportunity to see how music really is universal. See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour >> That Mano a Mano is a non-government-run, independently funded chorus is extremely rare in Cuba, Rojas says. The chorus performs free concerts at universities and music festivals in Cuba. It doesnt yet have a building of its own and instead rehearses out of the Instituto Superior de Arte. The Cuban government has been accepting of Mano a Mano, Rojas says, inviting the chorus to perform at the last two annual galas for Cenesex, a government organization advocating for LGBT and womens rights in Cuba. Cuba, with all its political shortcomings and lack of civil liberties, it leads the Caribbean in LGBT rights, Rojas says. You experience homophobia, its a macho culture. But you dont experience it in the same threatening and lethal way you might in Jamaica. Still, Rojas felt a gay mens chorus in Cuba would have an important place in creating opportunities for awareness. Join the conversation on Facebook >> There might be that one child in a remote province of Cuba that has no reference for what a gay person is or how to be one, he says. And it may provide heterosexual audiences the opportunity to have a positive encounter with gay people in a very different atmosphere that they wouldnt otherwise have. This weekends concert, which kicks off Mano a Manos first U.S. tour, hitting six cities this summer, will include song and dance with a Latin flair. Think Gloria Estefan remixes and a salsa version of Culture Clubs Karma Chameleon. Theres also an original commission, for which composer Michael Shaieb set music to a work by gay poet Richard Blanco, who is Cuban American. Theres original costuming. The guys have been taking Latin dance classes for months, Verdugo says. Part of our mission is to celebrate people, help them be their true authentic selves, so we wanted as authentic a concert as possible. Adds Rojas: If you want to experience what a carnival in Cuba might be like, stick around for the finale. MORE ENTERTAINMENT COVERAGE Oprah Winfreys Greenleaf deserves high praise, but her network may not receive its full bounty Michael Jackson stockpiled pornography at Neverland Ranch, documents show Independence Day to challenge Finding Dory in box office battle of the sequels Sumner Redstones lawyers are asking a probate judge to dismiss a high-stakes lawsuit that challenges the moguls decision to oust two longtime advisors from their influential roles helping oversee the Redstone familys media empire. The two associates Viacom Chief Executive Philippe Dauman and Viacom director George Abrams were removed May 20 from their positions as board members of the Redstone family investment vehicle, National Amusements Inc., as well as from a trust that will eventually make decisions about Sumner Redstones controlling shares in Viacom and CBS Corp. Redstones attorneys, in court documents filed Monday in Massachusetts, argued that the ailing 93-year-old mogul was acting within his authority when he removed Dauman and Abrams from the Sumner M. Redstone National Amusements Inc. Trust. Advertisement The only scenario that would prevent Redstone from making changes to his trust would be a written finding by three physicians stating that the mogul is mentally incompetent and that hasnt happened, Redstone attorney William F. Sinnott argued in the motion to dismiss the lawsuit brought by Dauman and Abrams late last month. Sumners authority under the trust, including the authority to remove trustees and to vote the stock of NAI is suspended during his lifetime only if he is mentally incapacitated, the motion argues. Sinnott also urged the Massachusetts judge overseeing the case to transfer the matter to California because the media tycoon has lived in Los Angeles since 2003 and his nurses all live in the area. Sumner receives around-the-clock nursing care, and his primary physician strongly recommends that Sumner not travel across the country unless medically necessary, Sinnott wrote. The Massachusetts probate judge, George Phelan, has scheduled a June 30 hearing to consider the motion to dismiss. The Redstone family controls nearly 80% of the voting stock of CBS Corp. and Viacom Inc. The shares are held in the family investment vehicle, National Amusements, which also oversees the family-owned movie theater chain. National Amusements has its headquarters near Boston. Sumner Redstone owns 80% of National Amusements and his daughter, Shari Redstone, owns the remaining stake. Dauman, Abrams and a third Viacom director, Frederic Salerno, have been arguing that a healthy Sumner Redstone would not have dumped his longtime business associates and that he is acting under the undue influence of his daughter. The motions to dismiss of Shari Redstone and the lawyers hired for Sumner represent continued efforts to avoid a fair inquiry into Sumners well-being and how various documents came to be, said a spokesperson for Dauman and Abrams. The facts will only come out through discovery on an expedited basis. We are urging the court to allow the inquiry to proceed as quickly as possible. Redstones attorneys argue that the ailing mogul is making his own decisions. They say Daumans plans to sell a stake in Paramount Pictures infuriated Redstone and prompted him to cut ties with Dauman, who has been his lieutenant since 1986. Redstone has known Abrams for 50 years. Meanwhile, a judge in Delaware scheduled a hearing Wednesday to begin the review of the Redstone familys dramatic move last week to replace five Viacom board members, including Dauman and Abrams. That hearing, before Delaware court Chancellor Andre G. Bouchard, is expected to deal with scheduling issues, including consolidating the two lawsuits that were filed last week and pending in Delaware. In their petition, the Redstone family -- through National Amusements asked the Delaware courts to affirm the removal of the five Viacom board members. Frederic Salerno, one of the removed directors, filed the Delaware June 16 petition that seeks to block the board changes. The five board members are expected to serve until the Delaware judge rules on the case. MORE FROM ENTERTAINMENT China box office: Warcraft crosses $200 million, could become top import of 2016 Anton Yelchin, actor in Star Trek films, dies in freak car accident at age 27 EDC 2016: A lack of festival deaths bodes well for its future meg.james@latimes.com @MegJamesLAT In what seems like an attempt to mitigate the damage done by his stint on The Bachelorette, recently eliminated bachelor Chad Johnson, also known as Bad Chad, appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Monday night after his elimination from the show. Johnson had piqued the Internets interest with his quick temper and bizarre non sequiturs on ABCs hit dating reality show, though sparked some concern as the Realtor from Tulsa, Okla., continued to exhibit potentially violent behavior, threaten fellow contestants and even getting involved in a scuffle with another bachelor. But Johnson was all laughs Monday night as he Skyped in to Kimmels show (his pet dog Pumpkin prominently featured in the background, completely disinterested in her owners interview) to assure the late night host that he wasnt actually a bad guy, that he just liked to say bad things. In the moment youll say things, do things. My thing is, sometimes I say things to get the result that I want, Johnson tells Kimmel, describing basic conversation and human interactions. Kimmel also showed Johnson footage from that evenings episode, that Johnson had yet to watch, in which all of the remaining contestants threw a raucous party celebrating his elimination. Jimmy Kimmel chats with the man who earned the nickname Bad Chad on this season of The Bachelorette and shows him footage of the men on the show reacting to his elimination. Johnson told Kimmel that whoever you are is amplified about a million times on the show. So what you did is pretended to be a despicable jerk so that everyone would think you were a despicable jerk and now everyone thinks youre a despicable jerk, Kimmel pointed out to Johnson before adding, Its a bad plan, Chad. Chad Johnson talks about his interactions with the other men on The Bachelorette and explains that he was just pretending to be crazy to drive the other guys away from him. Bad plan though it may be, it doesnt seem to be fazing Johnsons prospects whatsoever, as the volatile bachelor will also appear on the next season of Bachelor in Paradise, proving that apparently sometimes bad behavior does pay off. Not only that, but it appears that Johnsons Instagram trolling of his former competitors from the show may have led him to a love connection, as he revealed that the photo he shared recently of himself smooching fellow contestant Robby Hayes ex-girlfriend Hope Higginbotham (who accused Hayes of dumping her in order to join this season of The Bachelorette) could in fact lead to something more. I dont want to make any judgments or say where its going to go, Johnson told Kimmel, shrugging. Other fascinating tidbits from Johnsons time with Kimmel include: He and Canadian Daniel, his BFF on the show, text each other every day. His business as a Realtor is booming thanks to his rising reality stardom. He wouldnt actually hurt Jordan Rodgers after the show, as he threatened. He has people for that. Swell. Until we see Johnson again on Bachelor in Paradise, please keep his memory alive by watching this clip of him eating meat daily. "The Bachelorette" Season 12 contestant Chad Johnson is looking to fall in love with JoJo Fletcher, but the other men think he may just be here for the free food. Or, alternatively, this Instagram video of him dancing without a shirt on. The choice is yours. MORE Does too much violence spoil the fairy tale? A look at Season 12 of 'The Bachelorette' Saying 'I do' to official 'Bachelorette' spoilers Why are 'The Bachelor' and 'The Bachelorette' so white? Lifetime's 'UnREAL' explores the issue Follow me on Twitter @midwestspitfire Charlie Sheen has few regrets but ruining his hit sitcom Two and a Half Men is one of them. Sheen let that slip when he returned to the Today show Tuesday, seven months after going public with his HIV-positive status. The 50-year-old actor said it was like being released from prison last November when he shared his secret on the show. This time, at Matt Lauers urging, the onetime party warlock who has said hes lived a life without regrets shared another secret: There actually are a few things in his life he wishes hed done differently. Advertisement I regret not using a condom the one or two times when this whole thing happened. I regret ruining Two and a Half Men. I regret not being more involved in my childrens lives growing up, which I am now, Sheen said. Thats about it. Another likely regret that didnt make the short list: going to Mexico for an experimental HIV treatment right around the new year. His viral load went from zero to 7,000 as a result of stopping the meds that had been working, he said Tuesday, but it since has returned to undetectable levels. That didnt go so well, Sheen said. That man is a criminal. Hes a charlatan. Hes hurting a lot of good and decent people. The actor is on another experimental treatment now, this time as part of a U.S. clinical trial of a drug thats injected once a week and replaces the cocktail of pills hes been successful with thus far. Everyone that I had told up to that moment had shaken me down. Charlie Sheen, on why he didnt tell two partners he was HIV-positive The changes its not just physical, but its psychological. Its emotional, he said. Theres no depression; theres no shades of dementia. This is the future of treatment, what Im doing now. Sheen and Lauer also got down to brass tacks as the host tried to nail down his guest about whether hed told the truth in November about telling his partners about his HIV status. The actor admitted there were two times he hadnt volunteered that information, but said protection was always in place. Taking a page from the reality-TV playbook, Sheen explained hed lied by omission to his partners for the right reasons. Because, he said, everyone that I had told up to that moment had shaken me down. ALSO: Charlie Sheen: Drunk and awesome at the drive-through Charlie Sheen sued: What does Scottine Ross claim her ex did? Martin Sheen praises Charlie Sheens HIV reveal as The most difficult thing hed ever done Follow Christie DZurilla on Twitter @theCDZ. Selma Blair was hospitalized Monday after an incident on a flight to Los Angeles International Airport from Cancun, and on Tuesday afternoon she apologized for her behavior, saying she was filled with shame. I made a big mistake yesterday. After a lovely trip with my son and his Dad, I mixed alcohol with medication, and that caused me to black out and led me to say and do things that I deeply regret, the actress said in a statement to Vanity Fair, confirming a TMZ report about what led to her making a scene on the plane. Officials were notified Monday of an ill passenger arriving on a flight from Cancun, Mexico, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a statement Tuesday. The aircraft was met by CBP officers and the passenger was turned over to the Los Angeles Fire Department for transport to a local hospital. Privacy laws prevented the release of further details, the agency said. Los Angeles Airport Police also confirmed that a sick individual was taken to a hospital from an arriving flight at LAX. TMZ sources said the 43-year-old was traveling in first class and drinking wine. Citing witnesses, the outlet said the actress suddenly started crying, saying, He burns my private parts. He wont let me eat or drink, and continuing, He beats me. Hes going to kill me. Blairs 4-year-old son, Arthur Saint, whom she shares with ex-boyfriend Jason Bleick, was with his parents on the flight, the actress said in her statement. Arthur was with his Dad asleep with his headphones on, so there is that saving grace, she told Vanity Fair before apologizing profusely to the passengers and crew who were affected. Blair, who recently played Kris Jenner in FXs American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson, said Thursday on Instagram that she and her son were leaving on a jet plane with Bleick for a Fathers Day weekend. Though Bleick and Blair separated in 2012 after two years together, they have stayed friendly. The onetime Anger Management actress was photographed over the weekend on the beach at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya, where Us Weekly said the group had been staying. Bleick showed up on Instagram late Monday morning in a photo with Arthur taken on a plane and tagged from Cancun International Airport. On our way back from Mexico," the fashion designer said. Bleick posted a photo of his son early Tuesday, wielding a big stick in what appears to be a park, with a caption that said, A new day & an early morning stick hunt with dad. A rep for Blair couldnt be reached immediately for comment Tuesday. ALSO: Iggy Azalea and Nick Young break up: I've tried to rebuild my trust in him, she says, but I can't Zoe Saldana on her role in 'Nina' biopic: 'There is no one way to be black' Can the Hooked app find the next 'Harry Potter' for Hollywood? Follow Christie DZurilla on Twitter @theCDZ. UPDATES: 4:41 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from Selma Blair. This was originally published at 10:03 a.m. You are here: Home A new adaptation of a classic Japanese novel will start shooting in Osaka. A file photo shows a poster of Manhunt (1976). [Photo: mtime.com] The film's title is Manhunt, the same with the first adaptation in 1976. Film director John Woo attended a celebration ceremony together with main actors and actresses. The novel, originally named Going across an Angry River, tells the story of a man who is framed of murder, but who manages to find the real culprit with the help of a woman. The new adaptation, however, will only be loosely based on the original work. The story will be set in an international context and will add modern elements. Chinese, English, and Japanese will all be spoken. Instead of creating a thriller like the novel, Woo intends to convey his personal violence aesthetics in the film. John Woo is a Chinese American director, who rose to fame in Hollywood mainly with his violent action films, like Face Off. Name: Restaurant Marin, named after co-owner Marin Howarth. She and her husband, chef Noah Blom (he worked at Daniel in New York City), are also the duo behind Arc restaurant next door. Restaurant Marin opened in April. Concept: The restaurant, located at the South Coast Collection shopping center in Costa Mesa, bills itself as a modern-day diner. So theres chicken pot pie, a fried chicken sandwich, pancakes, a patty melt and meatloaf on the menu but its all more elaborate than what you would expect. Almost everything is sprinkled with pink salt before it leaves the kitchen. And instead of laminated menus and greasy booths, your food is served in a beautiful, intimate space outfitted with tabletops made of sea glass, distressed mirrors, chandeliers and short plush blue booths that curve ever so slightly at the ends. Howarth also designed the space. Like its sister restaurant Arc, most things are cooked over fire or in a wood-burning oven. That includes the pancakes, the cakes and pies, even the eggs. And you can order those pancakes and eggs for dinner, because breakfast is served all day. Advertisement The chicken pot pie from Marin in Costa Mesa. (Jenn Harris / Los Angeles Times ) Order this: Chicken pot pie. A buttery lattice crust sits on top of a rich filling of shredded chicken, mushrooms and carrots. And its big enough for two people to share. Or try the roll. Its Bloms version of a lobster roll, only his comes on a house brioche bun topped with pieces of lobster, grilled shrimp served with the heads and sweet oven-roasted tomatoes. And this: Order the crumpet, even if there are three of you and you each got an entree even if you plan on ordering a slice of cake for dessert. Just think of it as a necessary side dish that is actually a hybrid of a giant English muffin, crumpet and biscuit. The top is golden brown, crisp and jagged like a biscuit; the bottom is flat and toasty like an English muffin; and the middle is doughy and tender like a crumpet. Its served with butter and a house-made jam (right now its berry). This will also serve as the bread for the restaurants fried chicken sandwich and breakfast sandwich, called the muffin. The roll at Restaurant Marin in Costa Mesa. (Jenn Harris / Los Angeles Times ) What youre drinking: Four bottled cocktails by Koire Rogers, also known as the restaurants bar chef. Hes also the bar chef at Arc next door. Try the Duke, a bottled cocktail made with vodka, Herbsaint anise-flavored liqueur, orange and anise; a glass of wine; or a Cream Fizz mocktail made with cream, juniper and orange flower. And even the table water is fancy its infused with mint and strawberries. If youve got a sweet tooth: As soon as you walk through the doors, youll be drawn to two glass cake stands to the left of the entrance. One holds a German chocolate cake, the coconut pecan frosting peeking out between the layers. And the other holds a chocolate cake the restaurant calls Death by Chocolate. If you order the Death by Chocolate (and why wouldnt you with a name like that?), youll be served a wedge of rich, dark chocolate cake layered with chocolate frosting (its big enough for three people), topped with a dollop of fresh whipped cream. The Death by Chocolate cake at Restaurant Marin in Costa Mesa. (Jenn Harris / Los Angeles Times ) No tips please: Restaurant Marin, like Arc, does not accept tips. Its a move many restaurants around the country have already made, and one many will have to consider when the new California minimum wage increase goes into effect (restaurants will have to increase employee pay to $15 an hour by 2022). So what does this mean for your dinner bill? Dishes are pricier than you may expect. At Restaurant Marin, the roll is $40, the chicken pot pie is $26 and a slice of cake is $15. That space in the back: Howarth and Blom plan on opening the Guild later this year. Its a private, members-only dining space at the back of the restaurant, accessible through a private door. If you want in, youll have to fork over a $15,000 membership, and $1,000 annual fee. Info: 3321 Hyland Ave., Suite G, Costa Mesa, (949) 402-3974, www.restaurantmarin.com. I always have room for dessert. Follow me on Twitter & Instagram @Jenn_Harris_ ALSO: The only guacamole recipe youll ever need Dine L.A. Restaurant Week returns. What you need to know. Talking about fire and seasonal feasting with the chefs from Portlands Ox restaurant The latest thing technology is trying to make obsolete: visiting the doctors office. An increasing number of apps and online services are offering women a way to get birth control, including emergency contraception, without having to visit a doctor in person. For the record: This story previously said the app Nurx was for obtaining birth control only. The app also offers PrEP. California is one of a handful of states that allows people to access healthcare with a video conference or online, thanks to the Telemedicine Development Act of 1996 and the Telehealth Advancement Act of 2011. Advertisement Discuss this story on our Facebook page Apps like Lemonaid and Nurx, along with sites such as Virtuwell, Maven and Planned Parenthood, offer birth control-finding services. A quick overview: Nurx is an app for obtaining birth control and the HIV prevention medication PrEP. Lemonaid is an app that offers birth control prescriptions as well as options for finding treatment for conditions like a urinary tract infection, the flu, acne and hair loss. The Planned Parenthood telehealth site offers birth control prescriptions along with options to order a home test for STDs and get treatment for a UTI. Maven calls itself a digital clinic for women and has a network of doctors, nurse practitioners and experts on womens and childrens health such as doulas, lactation consultants, pediatricians and nutritionists. Virtuwell offers general healthcare treatment for the sort of thing you might visit your physician about: allergies, ear infections, pinkeye and colds in addition to birth control prescriptions and STD treatment. With the apps, all you have to do is answer some questions and submit them along with a photo of yourself for a doctor to review. The sites require a short video conference with a doctor or nurse practitioner. However, in some cases there is no digital replacement for face time (not FaceTime) with your provider. Jacqui Letran, a nurse practitioner in Costa Mesa who has 15 years of experience prescribing birth control to teenagers and adults, said shes on the fence about it. On the one hand, she said, doctors visits take time and money. People who are poor, who live far from a doctors office, or who cant take time off from work during normal office hours would benefit from being able to take care of their health from the comfort of their smartphone. More stories from Health >> But on the other hand, education and risk assessment play a critical role in those in-person visits. Its harder to replicate that online. If youre not seeing your healthcare provider on a regular basis, youre missing out on quite a bit of healthcare education, Letran said. Also, birth control medicine comes with a very small risk of potentially dangerous side effects like blood clots, stroke and heart problems. The majority of women can very safely take birth control, she explained, but for the small percentage who cant, a physical doctors visit is essential. She recommended that otherwise healthy people see their regular doctor for their first birth control prescription and use apps or telehealth sites for refills, and plan to be back at the doctors office at least once every two years. MORE FROM HEALTH AND WELLNESS No Internet, TV, junk food or alcohol allowed at Aja, a new luxury retreat in Malibu Want to get off the diet merry-go-round? Maybe its time to try mindful eating The L.A. workout that will help you build a better booty jessica.roy@latimes.com Find Jessica Roy on Twitter @jessica_roy. Think todays heat in L.A. is miserable? Its going to become more frequent in the summers to come. Days of extreme heat are defined as those on which the temperature reaches 95 degrees. In downtown Los Angeles, there was an average of just six extreme heat days yearly in the 1980s and 1990s. But by the year 2050, there could be 22 days of extreme heat in Los Angeles, and by 2100, there could be 54 such days, a study released by UCLA scientists last year said. Advertisement It gets even worse the farther inland you go. The San Gabriel Valley could see its number of extreme heat days climb from 32 to 74 by 2050, and 117 by 2100. Here are some maps of how bad it could get: A new season of extreme heat likely lies in our future, the UCLA scientists warned. By 2050, the most likely average future August will be warmer than the hottest August of the 1980s and 1990s, they said. In fact, L.A.s future winters will be most similar to how April felt in the 80s and 90s. We have to confront this, study co-author Alex Hall, a professor at UCLAs atmospheric and oceanic sciences department, said in an interview last year. Climate change is inevitable in this region. Valleys will be hit worse than the coast, said Katharine Reich, associate director of the Center for Climate Science, part of the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, which performed the study. If youre in the San Fernando Valley, where the Santa Monica Mountains block your access to cool sea breezes, youll experience more extreme heat, she said. The farther inland you go, the more impacted youll be. NEWSLETTER: Get essential California headlines delivered daily >> There is, however, some good news. A concerted effort to control carbon emissions could make L.A.s future less hot than it could be. For instance, if a concerted effort were made to curb carbon emissions, downtown L.A. could see only 15 days of extreme heat by 2100, instead of 54 days if business goes on as usual. And the San Gabriel Valley could see only 61 extreme heat days, instead of 117. If we decide to get off the business-as-usual train, we can prevent even worse impacts that would otherwise come at end of the century, Reich said. That means following through on pacts such as the landmark Paris climate accord, designed by world leaders to rescue the planet, Reich said. On a local level, installing rooftop solar panels and reducing driving gas-guzzling cars would also help, she said. Increasing our use of public transit if we did that across the board in L.A. that would really make a meaningful reduction in L.A.s carbon emissions, Reich said. In the long run, making sure new roofs are cool that is, come in a white or light, reflective color instead of black would also help keep cities cooler. Los Angeles and Pasadena have laws requiring new roofs and major re-roofing projects to use cool roofs, said David Fink of the nonprofit Climate Resolve, which aims to prepare local governments for climate changes effects. But most of the other cities in L.A. County do not have such rules. Planting more trees and developing a cooler, more reflective asphalt on city streets would also help, Fink said. On a hot day, black asphalt on city streets can heat up to as much as 150 to 160 degrees. A cooler material could reduce that heat absorption by 30 to 40 degrees and reduce the urban heat island effect, which raises city temperatures by four to six degrees. ALSO Twin fires burn more than 4,500 acres and trigger evacuations in San Gabriel Valley Record-setting heat wave leads to blackouts in L.A. The science behind this crazy heat wave The recent massacre at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla., has focused attention on the status of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and questioning people in the United States. Over the last decade, the country has made significant progress in terms of acceptance of this community, according to human rights advocates. The militarys dont ask, dont tell policy, which prohibited gay and lesbian personnel from serving openly in the armed forces, has been repealed, and sexual orientation has been added to the militarys equal opportunity regulations. Advertisement Last year, the Supreme Court declared same-sex marriage legal in all 50 states. And the nation has its first special envoy for the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people. (Intersex individuals are those with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesnt seem to fit the typical definitions of female or male, according to a definition from the Intersex Society of North America.) Thats not to say that everything is perfect. Members of the LGBTIQ community still face discrimination and remain a primary target of hate crimes, advocates say. But living in the United States as an LGBTIQ individual is often safer than in many other parts of the world, where sexual orientation or gender identity can lead to execution, imprisonment or torture. Anti-gay activists attend a rally next to the Korea Queer Culture Festival in front of City Hall in Seoul on June 11, 2016. (Chung Sung-Jun / Getty Images ) Whats the status of LGBTIQ people in other countries? Its ever-evolving, said Helen Kennedy, co-secretary-general of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Assn., based in Geneva. Governments around the world have pursued initiatives aimed at reducing violence and discrimination, and in the last 10 years the number of countries that criminalize consensual same-sex activity has dropped from 92 to 73, Kennedy said in an email. However, these advances havent wiped out the continuing human rights violations facing LGBTIQ persons everywhere in the world, she said. Thousands of people have been killed or have suffered violent attacks; many more still have to face daily discrimination in healthcare, employment, education and housing. Transsexual and intersex people often bear the brunt of the abuse because of their physical attributes, advocates say. A Turkish anti-riot police officer steps on a rainbow flag during a rally staged by the LGBT community in Istanbul on June 19, 2016. (Ozan Kose / AFP/Getty Images ) Where is being gay punishable by death? There are 13 countries where the death penalty might be applied for same-sex sexual acts, according to Kennedys organization. These are countries that have large Muslim populations, and the sentencing derives from an interpretation of sharia, or Islamic law. There are some, such as Nigeria and Somalia, where only certain regions impose capital punishment for homosexual acts. Others -- including Mauritania, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates -- have provisions for the death penalty in their legal codes but are not known to have carried it out in such cases. And there are countries where local courts and non-state actors have summarily imposed the death penalty against homosexuals, including parts of Iraq and Syria controlled by the extremist group Islamic State. Countries where the penalty can be implemented nationwide include Sudan, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Yemen. The method of execution can include hanging, stoning, beheading or being thrown off a high building, as Islamic State reportedly favors. What drives the lack of acceptance of homosexuals in some countries? The greater visibility of gay people, while a welcome development, can expose the community to negative attention, activists say. The overall trajectory for a lot of LGBTIQ people is positive, but were also seeing an acute backlash around the world, said Jessica Stern, executive director for OutRight Action International, an advocacy group. The backlash is akin to what happens to many communities and movements when they stand up and advocate for their rights. The backlash is akin to what happens to many communities and movements when they stand up and advocate for their rights. Jessica Stern, executive director for OutRight Action International The labeling of homosexuals as immoral, perverts, pedophiles or mentally ill has been used as justification for their mistreatment, Stern said. In Indonesia, for example, one lawmaker tweeted that LGBT people should be put to death, the New York-based Human Rights Watch reported. The mayor of a major city claimed milk formula and instant noodles make babies gay; and the countrys defense minister equated Indonesias LGBT rights movement with a form of proxy war more dangerous than nuclear warfare, according to the rights group. Women in the South African city of Cape Town protest in 2010 against a sentence of 14 years in prison, with hard labor, given to two men in Malawi. (Schalk van Zuydam / Associated Press ) Where has there been progress on gay rights? Kennedy noted that in just the last three months, the Seychelles and Nauru decriminalized same-sex sexual conduct; Norway introduced a law allowing people to determine for themselves their gender; a non-discrimination law in employment came into force in Ukraine; marriage equality arrived in Colombia; Bolivia approved a law allowing transsexuals to change their names, genders and photos on official documents, and the Philippines elected its first transgender congresswoman. Andrew Park, director of international programs at the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law, added that a dozen countries now recognize some form of third gender. There are also 22 nations that allow same-sex marriage and 25 that offer some degree of recognition for same-sex civil partnerships, according to Kennedys organization. Argentina was the first country in Latin America to allow gay and lesbian couples to marry in 2010, and New Zealand was the first in the Asia-Pacific region in 2013. Same sex couples celebrate after getting married in Mexico City in March 2010. (Eduardo Verdugo / Associated Press ) So is marriage equality the final goal? Far from it, gay rights activists say. In many countries, gays and lesbians have few ways to make their voices heard. The repression of human rights organizations makes it hard for LGBT communities to organize, said Stern, of OutRight. The upholding of antiquated laws doesnt help. This month, for example, a court in Kenya ruled that a colonial-era law that allows forced anal examinations for men suspected of being homosexual is constitutional. Stern worries that the ruling will provide ammunition for those who claim that the bodies of homosexual men are deformed, and by examining the anus you can detect this biological difference. In the U.S., the Supreme Court ruled anti-sodomy laws unconstitutional in 2003 but they still remain on the books in some states. Park, the UCLA professor, noted that greater protections are needed here against employment discrimination. Congress has never passed a gay civil rights law, he said. Meanwhile, a legal standoff continues between the federal government and nearly a dozen states over transgender bathroom access in schools. It is an ongoing struggle, said Kennedy about the fight for equal rights. And shocking events like the Orlando shooting are dreadful reminders of the price far too many LGBTIQ persons, all around the world, have to pay simply for being who they are. MORE NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD From San Ysidro to Sandy Hook: Surviving, but never getting over it They dared to register blacks to vote, and the KKK killed them: A 52-year-old case is closed unsolved 10 years ago Indias tigers were vanishing. Heres how a few villagers with cameras are helping to save them ann.simmons@latimes.com The Los Angeles Board of Education on Tuesday passed a $7.6-billion budget that includes significantly higher spending for next year, though questions remain about how much of that money will go to the students it should. Despite the budgets additional $700 million, officials warned against expecting to see sweeping benefits in the classroom. The district also is paying a higher fee to the state pension fund for retirees, managing increased healthcare costs and footing the balance of a two-year, 10% raise for teachers and other employees. Advertisement A portion of the new money will be used to hire one extra teacher for electives at each high school and one extra teacher at 55 elementary schools with especially pressing needs. About $10 million would go toward the districts new discipline program up from $7 million this year. Called restorative justice, it aims to reduce suspensions and expulsions. Other increases are for arts education, special offerings in magnet schools and a program to provide academic instruction in dual languages. It is right for some of our allies to look at what weve done and question, said board member Monica Garcia, before stating that there is no doubt that the district is making progress. But she added, There is more work to do. Even with the larger budget, the board has approved 32 layoffs and 17 separations (for staff who are not permanent employees) and reduced hours for 55 district employees. Those affected include educational aides, parent liaisons and career placement assistants, though many could be rehired over the summer as schools decide how to use discretionary money. The vote comes at a time of financial uncertainty, as state officials and advocates argue with the nations second-largest school system over its spending priorities. Under the states funding formula, most of the new dollars are supposed to help low-income students, students who are learning English and students in the foster-care system. But L.A. Unified is spending a lower percentage of this money on these students than other school systems, say advocates who have sued the district and accuse it of violating state law. State officials initially sided strongly with the advocates, but its unclear how hard they are willing to push the school system to rewrite its budget. L.A. schools Supt. Michelle King has vowed to challenge the state in court if necessary. Chief Financial Officer Megan Reilly warned last week that following the states directives would require a dramatic increase in class sizes and a staff reduction of up to 2,000. The district gets state funding for each student that it serves. But some programs, such as food services and special education, cost more than whats coming in to cover them. In those cases, the district has to look elsewhere for funding. The district contends it can use some of the new state money to fill in the funding gap for services to the disabled, as long as the disabled students covered are among the students the state is targeting for extra help. The advocates suing the district disagree, and as much as $450 million a year could be at stake. The teachers union president praised the priorities signaled by the budget, which includes money for recent changes to the teachers contract such as the additional elementary school teachers. Were happy that our contract agreement, which focuses on highest need and highest priority schools, is one part of an equity focus in this budget, said United Teachers Los Angeles president Alex Caputo-Pearl. Some parents at the board meeting, however, were less satisfied. There should be more transparency into how well programs work and parents should have more say in how principals use discretionary money, said Juan Jose Mangandi, president of the English Learner Advisory Committee, who has a 6-year-old son in the school system. District enrollment has been decreasing for the last decade because of changing demographics and an increase in enrollment at independent charter schools, a trend that the district is trying to reverse. The district anticipates an enrollment drop of 13,728 for the 2016-17 school year in district-operated schools, and an increased independent charter enrollment of 5,984. Total district enrollment, including charters, is about 650,000 this year. Board President Steve Zimmer praised King, who took charge in January, on her first district-wide budget, but called for all hands on deck to improve funding and spending, and to increase enrollment, which would bring in more money. We need a comprehensive strategy around the very obvious issues that we struggle with at this table every single day, Zimmer said. Another variable in the districts finances is the funding that L.A. Unified and other school systems receive from Proposition 30, a 2012 ballot measure that increased income taxes to pay for education and other needs. That measure expires at the end of 2018. If voters across the state fail to approve an extension, then L.A. Unified and other school systems would face financial crisis, Zimmer said. sonali.kohli@latimes.com howard.blume@latimes.com UPDATES: 7:20 p.m.: This article has been updated with additional details and comments. 5:50 p.m.: This article was updated with passage of the budget. This article was originally published at 3:14 p.m. A Canoga Park man was arrested in connection with the theft of a trailer containing $250,000 in artwork by Matisse and Chagall, police said Tuesday. Robert Michael Slayton was taken into custody Thursday on suspicion of grand theft, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. He was released hours later on $70,000 bail. Detectives found the stolen trailer in Slaytons backyard in the 7700 block of Farralone Avenue in Canoga Park, police said. The trailer was stripped. Advertisement Detectives from the Los Angeles Police Departments Art Theft Detail recovered more than $120,000 in stolen art. See the most-read stories this hour But not all of the stolen art has been recovered. Los Angeles police art investigators said the 24-foot-long, rectangular 2005 Haulmark trailer and roughly $250,000 in precious cargo disappeared Nov. 20 from an industrial park in Chatsworth. The inventory of the stolen cargo included antiques, collectors glass, paintings, sculptures and prints, LAPD art theft Det. Donald Hrycyk said. Artwork by Matisse, Chagall, Miro, Haring and Neiman were also among the stolen pieces. Anyone who was offered art for sale by Slayton is urged to contact the Art Theft Detail at (213) 486-6940. For breaking news in California, follow VeronicaRochaLA on Twitter. ALSO Man held on suspicion of brandishing a toy gun at a U.S. Marine Corps recruitment center Deal to spend $57.6 million on LAPD body cameras clears key hurdle L.A. school district expected to pass a $7.6-billion budget Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca is in the early stages of Alzheimers disease, but he nonetheless should serve time in prison for lying to federal investigators during a probe into jail abuses by sheriffs deputies, the U.S. attorneys office has concluded. In a court filing released late Monday, Assistant U.S. Atty. Brandon Fox confirmed rumors about Bacas health, writing that an expert on Alzheimers had evaluated the former sheriff for the government and verified the diagnosis. For the record: This article said that defiant comments by Sheriff Lee Baca were made by him during an acceptance speech at a reception where he was given an award. Baca made those comments, which were summarized in a court filing, in an interview he gave to the Jewish Journal after his speech. Calling Baca a study in contrasts for his high achievements in office and the ethical failures that were his downfall, as well as a physically fit 74-year-old who is able to function in his daily life, Fox urged U.S. District Judge Percy Anderson to sentence Baca to six months in prison. Baca is scheduled to be sentenced next month. Advertisement The punishment, Fox wrote, is appropriate after taking into account all sides of defendant Baca, including his crime, his current health and his likely prognosis. The suggested prison term stems from a deal Baca struck with prosecutors in February. Under the terms of the agreement, Baca pleaded guilty to lying to Fox and other officials during a long, voluntary interview he gave in 2013 about his knowledge of a scheme underlings carried out to obstruct an FBI investigation into corruption in the L.A. County jail system. In pleading guilty, Baca admitted that he lied when he told federal authorities that he was unaware his subordinates were planning to approach the FBI agent leading the jail investigation at her home to threaten her with arrest. And Baca agreed not to contest other allegations leveled by federal prosecutors, including that he directed subordinates to approach the agent, telling them that they should do everything but put handcuffs on her, the agreement said. In exchange, prosecutors agreed not to pursue more serious charges against Baca and that he should spend no more than six months in prison. Anderson, the judge, must still approve the deal. If he decides a six-month sentence is too lenient, Anderson would tell Baca before sentencing him. If that happens, Baca would have to choose whether to accept Andersons punishment or withdraw his guilty plea and take his chances with whatever charges the government might decide to bring. In the new court papers, Fox said six months in prison was still appropriate despite the Alzheimers diagnosis, which came to light after the plea agreement was made. Bacas cognitive impairment is slight, Fox wrote, adding that there was no evidence his condition played a role in his lying to the FBI and that the interview took place a year before Baca first consulted a doctor about memory issues. The physician who advised the U.S. attorneys office predicted his condition would not deteriorate significantly in coming months, Fox wrote. Forcing Baca to serve a prison term while his conditioned worsened badly would not serve justice, but six months in prison in the near future would do so, Fox told Anderson. The physician advised that the prognosis for Baca five or 10 years from now was bleak. In justifying the call for Baca to spend time behind bars, Fox said stripping the former sheriff of his freedom would have a powerful deterrent effect on the law enforcement community. Instead of upholding the law, defendant Baca committed a crime by lying to the federal government. Bacas actions showed that he believed he was above the law. Fox cited a defiant acceptance speech Baca made recently at a reception where he was given an award, where it was reported that he said, Ill stand on my record proudly, anywhere, whether its in the free world or in jail. Such comments, Fox found, can be interpreted to mean that he still believes he is above the law and refuses to acknowledge the problems within the Los Angeles County jails. In a brief interview with The Times a few weeks ago, Baca said he could not comment about whether he had Alzheimers because of the ongoing court proceedings. He added that he was willing to take responsibility for his actions. Bacas attorney meanwhile asked Anderson to show leniency, requesting that the judge give Baca probation. Michael Zweiback struck a decidedly remorseful tone, acknowledging in a court filing Monday that Baca failed the people he was elected to serve. His lifes work has ended in a large scale breakdown of the Los Angeles Sheriffs Department at a time when he was its leader, the attorney wrote. However, Zweiback said, it would be unjust to let Bacas failures at the end of his career completely overshadow his accomplishments running the department. In addition, Zweiback wrote, Bacas diagnosis of Alzheimers has left him in need of consistent monitoring and treatments that hope to slow the progress of the disease. Baca, who ran the department for more than 15 years, retired in 2014 amid the FBI probe into misconduct and abuse by deputies in the countys jail system. So far, more than a dozen former sheriffs officials have been convicted as a result of the wide-ranging investigation, which began more than five years ago. Prosecutors sought, and received, lengthier prison terms from Anderson for lower-level officers convicted in the obstruction case. And at his sentencing next week they are seeking five years behind bars for Bacas former second in command, Paul Tanaka, who was convicted in April. In his filing, Fox went out of his way to explain why Baca did not deserve such a harsh punishment, saying he had far less culpability than the others and that he should be credited for admitting his crime. Reports that Baca might be suffering from Alzheimers were first reported by the blog Witness L.A. last month. joel.rubin@latimes.com Twitter:@joelrubin Times staff writer Cindy Chang contributed to this report. ALSO 1 in 10 Cal State students is homeless, study finds L.A. County district attorney looks into alleged beating by staff at Sylmar juvenile hall L.A. apartment owners charged with allegedly evicting tenants, then renting their units via Airbnb UPDATES: 12:03 p.m.: This story was updated with a correction on June 30. 7:45 p.m.: Updated with additional details from court filing. 6:46 p.m.: This story was updated with Baca interview, background. This story originally published at 6:38 p.m. Firefighters on Tuesday continued to battle twin blazes burning dangerously close to each other in the mountains above Duarte and Azusa, as hundreds of residents were forced to flee and dozens of horses were evacuated. More than 1,000 firefighters deployed to tame the Reservoir and Fish fires, burning about 1.5 miles apart in Angeles National Forest. The fires are now being managed as a single conflagration called the San Gabriel Complex fire, authorities said. They could connect if winds become gusty. Late Tuesday, fire officials said the blazes had burned 4,900 acres, downgrading earlier estimates on the fires size. The blazes are 10% contained. Advertisement Fire crews were a little short on resources Tuesday morning and awaiting additional staffing because so many people had been deployed to fight blazes in Santa Barbara and San Diego counties, incident commander Mike Wakoski said at a news conference. The San Gabriel Complex fire raged near Duarte in June. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) The fires, which broke out Monday as temperatures hit triple digits, were burning in steep, rugged terrain in an old fuel bed, a region of forest that had not burned for many years, said Angeles National Forest Fire Chief Robert Garcia. The flames moved uphill as the fires spread, forcing crews to rely largely on aircraft. No structures had been lost as of Tuesday, but the fires had forced the evacuation of at least 770 homes, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Authorities on Tuesday urged residents of Monrovia and Bradbury to keep an eye on the news and to prepare to evacuate. Monrovia City Manager Oliver Chi said in a statement that officials had closed Canyon Park, Trask Boy Scout Camp and the Hillside Wilderness Preserve. Officials also have prepared the Monrovia Community Center to serve as an evacuation center in case residents are ordered to leave. John Tripp, deputy chief of the Los Angeles County Fire Department, said the western flank of the San Gabriel Complex fire would be the biggest threat on Tuesday. Crews were able to use water-dropping helicopters overnight to slow the blazes advance, but it was still very uncontrolled. Tripp advised residents to evacuate early if the flames got close, warning of clogged roadways if fire crews and evacuating residents used the same roads. Crews are battling the fire amid a brutal heat wave that has already knocked out power to thousands of residents and stoked fires from San Diego to Santa Barbara counties. Capt. Michael McCormick of the Los Angeles County Fire Department provides an update on efforts to fight the Fish fire burning near Duarte. The Reservoir fire was reported first at about 11 a.m. Monday at Highway 39 in the San Gabriel Mountains, said Andrew Mitchell, spokesman for Angeles National Forest. The blaze was apparently ignited by a fatal car crash. A vehicle went over the side of the road and plunged to the bottom of a canyon near Morris Reservoir, Tripp said. More than an hour later, the Fish fire erupted near Brookridge and Opal Canyon roads in Duarte. The cause remains under investigation. Evacuation orders went out for nearly 700 homes in Duarte, including homes near Encanto Parkway and Brookridge Road. Azusa police issued evacuation orders for the communities of Rainbow Ranch and Mountain Cove, the latter a gated neighborhood with about 320 homes. U.S. Forest officials said. Camp Williams and structures near Glendora Mountain Road and San Gabriel Canyon also were evacuated. The Red Cross, together with the L.A. County Fire Department and the city of Duarte, were operating an evacuation center at a recreation facility in the 1600 block of Huntington Drive in Duarte. Thirty-five people spent the night at the shelter, said Roxanne Schorbach, a spokesperson for the Red Cross. The evacuees included Rafat and Manzoor Khan, who live in the Woodbluff neighborhood of Duarte. Their daughter and two young grandchildren were visiting from Irvine on Monday night when sheriffs deputies knocked on their door and told them they had to leave. They said take your important things, Rafat Khan said. I dont know what things are important everything is important. The shelter offered the Khans and others a breakfast of fruit and cereal, showers and packages containing shampoo, conditioner, other toiletries, a face mask and bottles of water. Merla Canoy, who also spent the night, said, Its better than a bed and breakfast! Except for the beds. In Bradbury, where voluntary evacuation orders had been given by Tuesday morning, Connie Storey sat like a sentry Tuesday outside the house of a neighbor who had gone to the doctor. As smoke rose from the nearby mountain ridges and helicopters dropped water, she and her neighbors had been keeping watch with binoculars and cellphone news updates. On Monday, Storey who lost her house to the Station fire in 2009 -- grew frustrated with onlookers driving through the small foothill community to take photos of the fire and wildlife fleeing the flames. She said she had to warn one man who was too busy trying to photograph the fire that he didnt see a bear coming his way. Its a three-ring circus, she said. Storey worried about embers from the fires lighting up nearby vacant houses with dry brush around them. Weve complained to the city many times, she said. The fires triggered a smoke advisory from the South Coast Air Quality Management District. Smoke from the fires could be seen from Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area in Baldwin Hills. A total of six active fires were burning in California on Tuesday, three of them in Southern California. The Sherpa fire, which broke out last week near Santa Barbara, was 70% contained and had burned 7,969 acres, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Officials said communities under evacuation at that blaze may start to return home Wednesday morning unless conditions change dramatically. In San Diego County, a wildfire fueled by dry brush and sweltering temperatures has scorched 7,500 acres just north of the U.S.-Mexico border and prompted mandatory evacuations for the entire east county community of Potrero. The fire was about 5% contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. About 25 homes south of State Route 94 and east of State Route 188, near where the fire was initially sparked about 11:30 a.m. Sunday, were also evacuated. The Border fire has destroyed four outbuildings and left three firefighters with minor injuries. The cause is under investigation. Times staff writers Joseph Serna, Veronica Rocha and Matt Hamilton contributed to this report. ALSO 122 degrees: Palm Springs breaks record and it could get hotter Ex-L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca has Alzheimers disease, but he still faces a 6-month prison term 1 in 10 Cal State students is homeless, study finds UPDATES: 7:06 p.m.: This article was updated with recent figures about the size of the wildfires. 2:06 p.m.: This article was updated throughout. 10:23 a.m.: This article was updated throughout. This article was originally published at 6:57 a.m. Traditional Chinese dragon performance welcomes the guests at the Opening Ceremony for the new Haldor Topsoe plant in Tianjin, China. [Photo by Mariah Breeze / China.org.cn] Despite the explosive blasts that occurred in Tianjin last year, Danish company Haldor Topsoe opened a catalyst plant on June 16. The Chinese city of Tianjin was ranked the country's third best performing city in terms of its economical standing in 2015. Topsoe will contribute to the continuance of the city's performance, making its largest investment ever of 600 million yuan (US$91 million) in the new plant named Haldor Topsoe Catalyst Company Inc. This is the company's first plant in China and its third worldwide. Its first plant was established in Denmark and its second was built in Texas, USA. Back in April of 2015, many foreign companies shut down operations temporarily due to safety concerns after the deadly chemical explosion in Tianjin. According to a press release from the company "safety is a focal point for Topsoe, so machines have the highest safety standards and there are strict rules for the use of protective equipment and the handling of chemicals." Haldor Topsoe, headquartered in Denmark, was established by Dr. Haldor Topsoe in 1940 and has remained a private, family owned company. The technology of this chemical based company is applied to three main areas including chemical processing, refining, and emissions management. The new plant produces catalysts which are used to speed up chemical reactions by providing a byproduct which in turn will transform waste into valuable products. The main purpose is to cut down the harsh chemical contribution to air pollution. According to Chairman Henry Topsoe, catalysts are used to make over 90 percent of the world's industrial products. In hopes to develop a successful business in China, one of the most important aspects that is essential for growth is for the company to build research and development partnerships. During an interview with CEO Dr. Bjerne Clausen, he discussed this issue. "We try to communicate with the best universities in the world, and we also realize that in order to develop a sustainable market in China, we have to have some sort of research collaboration here to attract the best people and also establish our visibility in the Chinese market." With other large manufacturing companies like Sinopec Catalyst Company, Clariant and Johnson Matthey offering similar products at a cheaper price, Dr. Clausen explains how the company plans to stay competitive. "In our market we are not the cheapest but the way we compete is having the best products on the market, and then we are able to take a premium. In order to have the best products on the market, we must be the most efficient, the ones with the highest activities and so on. We have to do a lot of research, and that is the reason why we have a lot of activity in the company and we are able to put new products on the market at a great pace." Follow China.org.cn on Twitter and Facebook to join the conversation. A man has been arrested in connection with the death of a food truck vendor who was fatally shot in gang crossfire in Santa Ana, police said Tuesday. Jose de Jesus Gomez Ochoa, 30, of Tustin was taken into custody Monday on suspicion of murder and parole violations, according to the Santa Ana Police Department. Ochoa, a documented Santa Ana gang member, had been wanted by law enforcement officials for violating parole, police said. Ochoas arrest comes hours after police responded to the 1700 block of South Evergreen Street. Eliu Armando Gramajo, 52, was working at his food truck at 7:19 p.m. when shots rang out and struck him, police said. Advertisement He was not a gang member, rather an innocent bystander, officials said. Gramajo was not the intended target of the shooting and was most likely a victim of gang rivalry, police said in a statement. Officers found Gramajo wounded at the scene. He was taken to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Homicide detectives said they found fresh gang graffiti in the neighborhood, police said. Gramajos nephew told KABC-TV he was a family man. He was just a good, all-around person, the nephew said. A good family guy, always there for his family. He meant the world to us. For breaking news in California, follow VeronicaRochaLA on Twitter. ALSO 238 arrested in sweep of suspected child sex predators L.A. County district attorney looks into alleged beating by staff at Sylmar juvenile hall I will never again break the law: O.C. woman goes to prison for sham marriage and visa business Los Angeles city lawmakers broke through a lengthy political logjam over police body cameras on Tuesday, clearing the way for a City Council vote on the costly initiative. After six months of delays, the councils Public Safety Committee unanimously backed the plan for purchasing thousands of devices from Scottsdale, Ariz.,-based Taser International, a move that would make the LAPD the largest law enforcement agency in the nation to use the devices on such a widespread scale. A full council vote is scheduled for Wednesday. Councilman Joe Buscaino, who previously warned that the program would divert funds from other public safety needs, said he now is comfortable with the initiative and ready to move forward. Advertisement Police officers want the cameras, Buscaino said, so they can show the public the professionalism, the courtesy they employ every single day. Interested in the stories shaping California? Sign up for the free Essential California newsletter Critics of the program were less enthusiastic, saying the LAPDs policy for releasing footage will undermine efforts to improve police oversight. The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California has opposed the program for months, criticizing the LAPDs decision not to publicly release body camera footage without a court order. Catherine Wagner, an attorney for the civil liberties group, told lawmakers Tuesday that they should withhold funding until the policy is revised. The LAPDs program, while perhaps the biggest ... is not even close to being the best, Wagner said. The vote was the latest step in a sometimes rocky review process for the camera program, which is backed by Mayor Eric Garcetti and his appointees on the Board of Police Commissioners. Last year, city lawmakers began voicing dismay over the programs cost $57.6 million over five years and raised questions about whether the Police Department got the best deal possible. Competing technology firms complained they were unfairly left out of the LAPD selection process, which relied in part on a competitive search conducted by the much smaller Kern County Sheriffs Department. As a result, city lawmakers postponed a crucial vote to approve the body camera program, delaying the rollout for months and derailing Garcettis pledge to put a camera on nearly every officer by the end of this year. LAPD officials do not expect to finish outfitting 7,000 officers with cameras until the fall of 2017, at the earliest. See the most-read stories this hour Body cameras have been hailed as a key tool for improving police accountability and building community trust in law enforcement. Garcetti unveiled his initiative in late 2014, amid nationwide protests over how police use force, particularly against African Americans. The LAPD already has about 860 cameras, purchased with private donations. Last year, the department negotiated a contract with Taser to provide thousands more, along with replacement equipment, digital storage of the recordings and thousands of Tasers. The council was set to vote on the $31.2-million contract in December. But city lawmakers balked at the last minute, saying they were worried that the technology would require scores of additional LAPD officers to review camera footage and monitor the use of the devices. The LAPD later revised its plan to include more civilian staffers. The concerns continued in April, when Councilman Mitch Englander questioned whether the LAPD should start the selection process over and accept new bids from camera manufacturers. Police commissioners defended the process, saying the initiative was too important to delay further. Englander, who heads the councils Public Safety Committee, asked for a fresh analysis of the body camera market. In response, the department surveyed several camera manufacturers to determine whether they had made upgrades to their devices and storage systems. After receiving information from 18 companies, LAPD officials determined that Taser still was their preferred choice. Ive been a passionate proponent, but also wanted to make sure we did this correctly, Englander said Tuesday. Representatives of a competitor to Taser disagreed, saying the city should have carried out a more open search for camera technology. There was little transparency in the process, said City Hall lobbyist Adena Tessler, whose client is Hollywood-based Wolfcom camera manufacturer. Nobody should be doing this in a city this size without an open bid process. david.zahniser@latimes.com | Twitter: @DavidZahniser kate.mather@latimes.com | Twitter: @katemather ALSO Michael Jackson stockpiled pornography at Neverland Ranch, documents show Riordan, former L.A. City Council candidate fined by Ethics Commission Driver sentenced after pleading no contest in deadly Christmas concert crash A monk from Riverside and an Australian man looking to buy a 6-year-old boy were among 238 people arrested during a two-month operation targeting child predators in Southern California, officials said Monday. Conducted by the Los Angeles Regional Internet Crimes against Children task force, Operation Broken Heart III targeted offenders wanted for the sexual exploitation of children, child prostitution, sex tourism and possessing and distributing child pornography, said Deputy Chief Matt Blake of the Los Angeles Police Department. Among those arrested during sweeps in April and May were entertainers, community leaders, white-collar professionals and clergy members, said John Reynolds, acting special agent in charge for U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations. Advertisement The incidence of child sexual exploitation has reached staggering proportions, he said at a news conference. The incidence of child sexual exploitation has reached staggering proportions. John Reynolds, acting special agent in charge, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations Law enforcement officials said the arrests underscore the importance of families maintaining an open dialogue about Internet safety. Parents and kids need to have frank conversations about how to stay safe in cyberspace, Reynolds said. Children and teens, he said, are spending more time on the Internet and social media sites, where child predators often look for victims. The Los Angeles task force is one of 61 programs nationwide funded through the U.S. Justice Departments Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Created in 2014, Operation Broken Heart gives law enforcement agencies and task forces an opportunity to combine resources and investigative tools to identify child sexual predators. The Los Angeles Police Departments Internet Crimes Against Children unit serves about 300 warrants each year in pursuit of child pornography suspects. In a high-rise building in Long Beach, 11 officers review an average of 350 child pornography cases a month. NEWSLETTER: Get the days top headlines from Times Editor Davan Maharaj >> Investigators use forensic equipment inside a mobile crime lab named The Beast to scan through hard drives for any illicit images. In May, Michael Quinn, 33, traveled from Australia to Los Angeles to complete a deal to buy a 6-year-old boy for sex, according to the U.S. attorneys office in Los Angeles. Undercover agents met Quinn on a social media networking site, where he had communicated that he wanted to meet up with a dad who shares his young one, according to prosecutors. Quinn explained to the undercover agent he was hoping to meet other pervs in the U.S. and ultimately agreed to pay a human trafficker $250 to provide him with a young boy with whom he could engage in illicit sex, according to the U.S. attorneys office in Los Angeles. Quinn went to a hotel in Los Angeles, where he planned to meet and party with three other child predators and engage in sex with boys, prosecutors said. Instead, undercover agents were waiting inside the hotel room. See the most-read stories this hour >> After Quinn handed money to an agent, who was posing as a sex trafficker, law enforcement authorities entered the room and arrested him, prosecutors said. Weeks later in Riverside, authorities arrested Kounzong Saebphang, 26, a monk, at his home in the Wat Lao Buddhist Monastery in Riverside. Authorities were investigating Saebphang since last year when they received information that he was possibly distributing child pornography, according to the Riverside County district attorneys office. When federal investigators searched the monastery, they found at least one digital device containing child pornography in his belongings, prosecutors said. Prosecutors alleged he also distributed child pornography to another person through a social media site. ALSO I will never again break the law: O.C. woman goes to prison for sham marriage and visa business They dared to register blacks to vote, and the KKK killed them: A 52-year-old case is closed unsolved 3 arrested with loaded rifles and handguns on way to New York City For breaking news in California, follow VeronicaRochaLA on Twitter. An Orange County woman was sentenced Monday to four months in prison for running a fraudulent marriage and visa business with her family an enterprise that prosecutors contended netted up to $60,000 per phony marriage for mostly Indian citizens who wished to stay in the U.S. Nisha Bhargava, of Yorba Linda, pleaded guilty in January to a misdemeanor count of possessing identification documents to defraud the U.S., according to her plea agreement filed in federal court. In addition to sentencing Bhargava to prison, U.S. District Judge George H. Wu ordered her to pay a $10,000 fine, according to the U.S. attorneys office in Los Angeles. Bhargava, her husband and her daughter were arrested in April 2011 on suspicion of immigration fraud charges. About 20 suspicious visa petitions were linked to the trios Maple Eagle Immigration Consultants, a now-shuttered Cerritos-based business. Advertisement The business would promise $2,000 payments to low-income U.S. citizens to entice them into marrying foreign nationals, according to a complaint filed in federal court. Couples would pose for photos and open bank accounts to give the union an aura of legitimacy, federal prosecutors contended. Authorities launched their investigation in 2009 when they became suspicious about similarities among applications from the familys immigration consultancy. On some applications, the same spouses and marriage witnesses were used, federal authorities said in 2011. Bhargava played the role of assistant to her husbands immigration fraud scheme by preparing documents and helping to open bank accounts, prosecutors said. Her husband, Ajit Bhargava, pleaded guilty in 2014 to a felony count of conspiracy to commit marriage and visa fraud. Hes scheduled to be sentenced in July. The couples daughter, Runjhun Bhargava, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a special diversion program. After she completed the program in October 2015, her plea was withdrawn and criminal charges were dismissed, according to court papers. Prosecutors recommended a short prison term for Nisha Bhargava, who was born in New Delhi, came to Southern California in the 1980s and is a U.S. citizen. Her attorney said the case brought shame upon her family in the U.S. and in India. Bhargava begged the judge to show her mercy in a letter filed in court. I made bad choices and I take responsibility for my actions. I am sorry that I showed such disrespect to my adopted country, Bhargava wrote. I am humbly asking you for your mercy, she wrote before ending her letter with a promise: I assure you that I will never again break the law. matt.hamilton@latimes.com Twitter: @MattHjourno ALSO Watch the dramatic aerial bombardment against fast-spreading wildfires Ex-L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca has Alzheimers disease, but he still faces a 6-month prison term L.A. County district attorney looks into alleged beating by staff at Sylmar juvenile hall The long-held belief by scientists that manta rays gracefully roam vast stretches of the open ocean may not be true. Our research shows that manta rays stay in comparatively small areas, said Joshua Stewart, a doctoral student in marine biology at UC San Diegos Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Stewart and his collaborators placed satellite tags on manta rays off Mexico and in the Indo-Pacific. Monitoring revealed that the rays which can live more than 40 years remained close to where they were tagged. Advertisement The researchers also took tissue samples of the manta rays to make sure they were studying the same populations of creatures. Their findings were published Monday in the journal Biological Conservation. Scientists are concerned about the welfare of manta rays. The animals are increasingly being targeted by fishermen, who want the animals gill plates. Theyre widely used in traditional Chinese medicine. Manta rays are gregarious, gentle creatures that often interact with divers and snorkelers in places like Hawaii. But fairly little is known about them because manta rays mostly live in remote areas of the open ocean near sea mounts and offshore islands. Stewart spent a lot of time tagging and studying the animals in the Revillagigedo islands, about 240 miles southwest of Cabo San Lucas. They are capable of swimming long distances, but they didnt, said Stewart, who was sometimes overshadowed by manta rays, whose wingspan can be up to 23 feet wide. gary.robbins@sduniontribune.com Robbins writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune The Obama administration on Tuesday rejected a right of conscience complaint from anti-abortion groups in California who objected to the states requirement that health insurance plans include coverage for elective abortions. The civil rights office at the Department of Health and Human Services said it had completed an investigation and dismissed several complaints after concluding Californias policy did not violate a decade-old rule adopted by Congress, known as the Weldon Amendment. The office said the provision, which protects doctors, nurses, hospitals and other healthcare providers who object to performing abortions, does not extend to health insurance firms that have no moral objection to providing abortion coverage and instead are acting on the request of religious-minded customers. Advertisement The decision upholds a move by the California Department of Managed Care, which notified seven insurance providers in 2014 that state law does not allow them to offer coverage that limits or excludes abortions for some employers. The issue arose when faculty members at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles and Santa Clara University objected to this limitation in their insurance plans. The insurers and the universities agreed to comply with the states requirement, but several anti-abortion advocates filed a complaint with the federal agency. They cited the Weldon Amendment, which says no federal funds may go to a state that discriminates against a health care entity that does not provide, pay for, provide coverage of, or refer for abortions. Sponsors of the measure said it was intended to protect the right to conscience for those who have moral objections to abortion. But after considering the complaints for nearly two years, the civil rights office decided this provision did not apply to the California health insurance providers in question because they were willing to provide abortion coverage to their other customers. See more of our top stories on Facebook There is no healthcare entity protected under the [right of conscience] statute that has asserted religious or moral objections to abortion and therefore there is no covered entity that has been subject to discrimination within the meaning of the Weldon Amendment, Jocelyn Samuels, director of the Office for Civil Rights at the Department of Health and Human Services said in a letter to the California complainants. State officials and womens health advocates welcomed the decision. We are pleased to see HHS has upheld the law. The Weldon Amendment is very clear to whom it applies and to whom it does not apply, said Susan Berke Fogel, director for reproductive health in Los Angeles for the National Health Law Program. Californias managed care law regulates health plans, and none of them have a problem covering abortion. She noted that the state law did not extend to employers who self-fund their coverage. Lawyers for the Alliance Defending Freedom, which filed one of the complaints, denounced the HHS decision. The Obama administration is once again making a mockery of the law, said Casey Mattox, senior legal counsel for the alliance. The state of California has ordered every insurer, even those insuring churches, to cover elective abortions in blatant violation of the law. We will continue to defend churches from this clear violation of the 1st Amendment and federal law and call on Congress to hold HHS accountable. NEWSLETTER: Get the days top headlines from Times Editor Davan Maharaj ALSO Trader Joes agrees to cut greenhouse gas emissions in court settlement Attorney general visiting Orlando in wake of deadly attack They dared to register blacks to vote, and the KKK killed them: A 52-year-old case is closed unsolved david.savage@latimes.com On Twitter: DavidGSavage UPDATES: 3:35 p.m.: This article was updated with additional background and reaction. This article was originally publised at 1:46 p.m. Trader Joes, the popular California-based supermarket chain, agreed in court to spend about $2 million to reduce refrigerator coolant leaks that deplete the ozone layer and contribute to global warming. Trader Joes also agreed to pay a $500,000 civil penalty under a consent decree with the Justice Department and the Environmental Protection Agency that was filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for Northern California. Officials said stopping the coolant leaks will eliminate as much greenhouse gases as about 6,500 cars produce each year. Advertisement See more of our top stories on Facebook John Cruden, the governments top environmental lawyer, said in an interview that the consent decree sends a message to other large supermarkets to inspect their refrigeration equipment and reduce coolant emissions. This settlement will assist our efforts to control these two major environmental problems, Cruden said, referring to protecting the ozone layer and stemming the growth of greenhouse gases. It is the third settlement federal authorities have reached with a national supermarket chain in recent years. Safeway and Costco previously agreed to reduce their leaks of coolants. In court papers, prosecutors alleged that Trader Joes, which is based in Monrovia and has 461 stores in 43 states, violated the Clean Air Act by failing to repair leaks of R-22, a hydrofluorocarbon and coolant. SIGN UP for the free California Inc. business newsletter The supermarket chain also failed to keep adequate service records for its equipment, the government alleged. What we saw here was bad management, Cruden said. They are going to have to do better record keeping, a lot better than what they had been doing, and a system to do it nationally. The EPA discovered the leaks after records showed Trader Joes was buying far more refrigerant than it should have. As part of the settlement, Trader Joes will upgrade its equipment and switch to less-harmful coolants. In a statement, Alison Mochizuki, a spokeswoman for Trader Joes said the company looks forward to working with the EPA in its mission to reduce air pollution and protect the ozone layer, and, with this agreement, has committed to reducing its emissions to a rate that matches the best of the industry. MORE BUSINESS NEWS Universal Studios plans CityWalk upgrades to draw more locals PG&E to close Diablo Canyon, Californias last nuclear power plant Considerable uncertainty in the economy warrants a cautious approach to interest rate hikes, says Feds Janet Yellen @delwilber UPDATES: 11:29 a.m.: This story was updated with additional details and comment from Trader Joes This article was originally published at 8:40 a.m. A former Klansman is serving what amounts to a life sentence, but one of the most infamous murder cases of the civil rights era has long been overshadowed by a sense of justice denied. Though three federal investigations spanned decades, prosecutors never obtained a murder conviction. This week, federal and state officials reluctantly conceded that the investigation into the killings of Andrew Goodman, Michael Schwerner and James Chaney is closed -- and still unresolved. For the record: An earlier version of this article referred to Nekosha County Deputy Sheriff Cecil Price. Price was a deputy sheriff in Neshoba County, Miss. Theres nothing else that we can do, Mississippi Atty. Gen. Jim Hood announced at a news conference Monday, a day before the 52nd anniversary of the slayings. Alls been done unless some other witness comes forward. Advertisement Chances of that are slim. Most people involved are dead or elderly with memories too faint for testimony. This June 24, 1964, photo shows the burned station wagon of Michael Schwerner, Andrew Goodman and James Chaney in a swampy area near Philadelphia, Miss. The bodies of the men were found later in an earthen dam. (Jack Thornell / Associated Press ) The killings helped spur President Lyndon B. Johnson to push for the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Goodman, Schwerner and Chaney had traveled to Neshoba County, Miss., to register black voters during the height of Freedom Summer. Goodman and Schwerner were white, Chaney black. Their deaths inspired the 1988 movie Mississippi Burning, and the incident is sometimes known as the Mississippi Burning case. Goodman, Schwerner and Chaney met in Ohio in June 1964 at a training session for the Congress of Racial Equality ahead of Freedom Summer, an effort to register black voters in Mississippi and set up Freedom Schools, alternative free schools for black Southerners. Mississippi had one of the largest and most disenfranchised black populations. A decade after Brown vs. Board of Education, its schools were still segregated. The three men were teaching hundreds of volunteers how to navigate the racism and violence they would encounter in Mississippi. At the conference, Schwerner, 24, heard that one of the Freedom Schools he helped organize in a church had burned down. Along with 21-year-old Chaney and 20-year-old Goodman, he drove to Mississippi on June 20 to investigate. On June 21, they were arrested by Neshoba County Deputy Sheriff Cecil Price on charges of speeding. They were released from jail that night, and Price helped two cars stuffed with Klansmen track down the friends station wagon as they drove down Highway 19. They were stopped, yanked from their car and taken in the officers car to a rural road, shot and buried 15 feet below an earthen dam. It was 44 days before their bodies were discovered. See more of our top stories on Facebook >> Of 19 people thought to have been involved, local authorities declined to charge anyone. A sheriffs deputy aided the Klan in killing the men, and law enforcement shielded them from punishment. In 1967, eight men were convicted on federal charges of violating the victims civil rights, with none serving more than six years in prison. Decades later, a Jackson Clarion-Ledger reporters investigation later helped uncover new evidence that led to the 2005 conviction of Edgar Ray Killen, a Klansman and minister involved in the killing. Three black jurors and nine white jurors rejected the murder charges against Killen but found him guilty of three charges of manslaughter for recruiting the lynch mob that killed the men. Killen was convicted 41 years to the day of the killings. Two days later a judge sentenced Killen to 60 years in prison. The killings are one of 113 pre-1970 cold cases of racially motivated murders the FBI doubled down on since the passage of a 2008 unsolved crimes law named after teenage lynching victim Emmett Till. According to a 2015 Justice Department report, 105 of such cases have been closed, with very few prosecutions. Yet this is one of the biggest cases of this century, and among those cold cases, said Cliff Johnson, director of the MacArthur Justice Center at the University of Mississippi School of Law. In a time when minority voting rights are again being fiercely debated among activists and lawmakers, the Mississippi Burning killings are all the more relevant, he said. Youll find two groups of people in Mississippi. There are those who were alive at the time and have acute knowledge of these horrific acts. People that recognize that justice was never done, Johnson said. Then you have a second group of people from whom this is something from a history book. Edgar Killen arrived in a wheelchair at the Neshoba County Courthouse for jury selection in his murder trial on June 13, 2005, in Philadelphia, Miss. (Marianne Todd / Getty Images ) The Justice Departments third investigation into the case began in 2010 with the goal of seeing whether there was evidence to prosecute any surviving suspects. Despite one of the most intensely investigated and documented underlying investigations of any racially motivated murder during the 1960s, followed by the exhaustive efforts of more recent reinvestigations, the passage of time has simply rendered additional prosecutions impossible, Vanita Gupta, head of the Justice Departments civil rights division, said in a statement Monday. While legal and factual impediments sometimes prevent us from bringing cases we wish that we could, the civil rights division remains dedicated to pursuing racially motivated crimes wherever the facts allow. David Goodman, Andrews brother, who lives in New York, said he wasnt surprised the investigation was closed, because the [killers] were never tried and most of them are dead. Yet Goodman, who runs a social-justice-oriented foundation named after his brother, said the case speaks to something bigger. My brother wasnt murdered because he was white or because he was an activist. He was murdered because, to the people that murdered him, black lives didnt matter. To a lot of people, they still dont matter, he said. The case is an opportunity for us to recognize history in the context of the present moment. Nothing is closed about racism in America. ALSO Where the world stands on gay rights In China, feminism is growing and so is the backlash In an attempt to stem abuses, the Border Patrol gets a new chief from the FBI Jaweed Kaleem is The Times national race and justice correspondent. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. A Kentucky clerk who spent five days in jail for refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples asked a federal appeals court Tuesday to dismiss her appeals of a judges ruling because of a new state law that will take effect next month. Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis stopped issuing all marriage licenses after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling effectively legalized gay marriage last year. Two gay couples and two straight couples sued her. A federal judge ordered her to issue the licenses, but she refused and went to jail. See the most-read stories this hour >> Advertisement Davis appealed the decision, and a federal appeals court had scheduled arguments in the case next month. But in April, the state Legislature approved a new law removing the county clerks names and authorizations from state marriage licenses. Davis said the law accommodates her religious beliefs and makes her appeals unnecessary. In a news release, Davis thanked state lawmakers, Republican Gov. Matt Bevin, her attorneys and Jesus Christ. I am pleased that I can continue to serve my community as the Rowan County Clerk without having to sacrifice my religious convictions and conscience, said Davis, who was elected as a Democrat but switched to a Republican after her incarceration. She will be up for reelection in 2018. The American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky, which also sued Davis, says it agrees that Davis appeals should be dismissed. However, spokeswoman Amber Duke said the merits of the case unrelated to her specific appeal are still before the courts. On the eve of the one-year anniversary of the Supreme Courts ruling, were pleased that same-sex couples can fully realize legal recognition of their love, including in Rowan County, Ky., said James D. Esseks, director of the ACLU Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender & HIV Project. Davis attorneys are asking the appeals court to dismiss her appeals and to vacate all of the court orders issued in the case, including the contempt order from U.S. District Judge David Bunning that sent Davis to jail. Davis attorneys also ask the court that no costs be taxed against her. ALSO 3 arrested with loaded rifles and handguns on way to New York City Obamas health advisors reject Catholic challenge to Californias required abortion coverage They dared to register blacks to vote, and the KKK killed them: A 52-year-old case is closed unsolved Here in the nations most populous county, there is one universal complaint: traffic. So perhaps it should come as no surprise that when the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority asked for feedback on a proposed 40-year, $120-billion funding plan to double the size of the regions mass transit system, improve highways and fill potholes, people said they wanted more projects, built faster. Southeast Los Angeles County officials, for example, complained their light rail line between Artesia and downtown L.A. wouldnt be completed for decades. Cal State Northridge leaders argued they need a rapid transit line to campus. City officials said they wanted more money for potholes. Bicycle advocates demanded more funds for bike lanes. A long wish list of traffic fixes is to be expected in a region with so many transportation needs. The surprise, however, is that in public meetings and opinion polls, people said theyd be willing to pay and keep paying for a better transportation system. In response, Metro staff came back with a new plan: They intend to ask voters to permanently hike the countys sales tax to provide a perpetual funding stream to build, operate and maintain transportation projects. Advertisement Metros board of directors is expected to vote this week whether to put the sales tax measure on the November ballot. The measure would permanently extend Measure R, the 30-year, half-cent-per-dollar-spent sales tax hike that passed in 2008 and kickstarted a massive public transit construction boom. And it would add another half-cent tax increase with no sunset. Those would be on top of two other permanent sales tax increases for transportation that were passed in 1980 and 1990. If the board signs on to the permanent tax hike and 66% of voters agree, Los Angeles County shoppers would pay a total of 2 cents on every dollar for transportation forever, or until voters revoke one or all of the sales tax increases. That would bring in about $3.4 billion a year. Few if any counties in the nation have such a large and permanent local source of transportation funding. But few regions have the same need as Los Angeles, which has the worst traffic congestion in the nation. Drivers in the metropolitan L.A. region spent 81 hours sitting in freeway congestion in 2015, according to an annual analysis. The build-out of a comprehensive, convenient public transit system will not eliminate congestion, but will give people real choices so they dont have to sit in traffic, clogging the roads and polluting the air. Metro has put together a funding plan that is generally logical and fair. The measure would commit 35% of the new funds to build more than a dozen major transit projects, including new rail lines through the middle of the San Fernando Valley, between Artesia and downtown L.A. and over the Sepulveda Pass. About 20% would pay for bus operations, which still serve the majority of Metros riders, and 2% would fund active transportation projects that make it easier and safer for people to bike and walk, which is a vital part of the transportation infrastructure that has been too often overlooked. Metro has also set aside 17% for a dozen highway projects and 17% for cities to spend on their local transportation needs, such as pothole repairs and sidewalk improvements. Theres no question that Los Angeles County has tremendous needs and that the infusion of new money would transform the regions transportation system. But the decision to switch switch from a 40-year-tax to a permanent tax comes with both pros and cons, neither of which has been discussed much publicly. The benefit of a tax with no sunset is that Metro can borrow against future revenue to build more projects sooner; some projects will be pushed forward as much as a decade, according to Mayor Eric Garcetti, a chief proponent of the plan. The permanent tax also ensures Metro will have enough money to operate the expanded system and maintain it as it ages, which transit experts say is absolutely critical, noting that most of the nations public transit agencies havent set aside enough money to keep their networks in good repair. Thats why San Francisco, Boston and Washington have struggled recently with breakdowns and shoddy service. But a permanent sales tax is, well, permanent -- and its impossible to predict L.A. Countys funding needs 40 or 50 years from now. Will transportation still be the regions top priority? Is it wise to lock up so much sales tax revenue for transportation that could be used instead to house the homeless or build new parks or hire more police officers? Also, a time-limited tax forces Metro and its political leaders to include the public in its decision making process, lay out its goals and be more judicious with taxpayer monies. Transportation officials went on a spending spree in the 1980s and 1990s, financed by borrowing against Props A and C, both permanent sales tax measures, and the debt nearly paralyzed the agencys operations. Whether Metro ultimately goes to the ballot with a 40-year, 50-year or permanent sales tax hike, the fact is Los Angeles County needs a great public transit system, and its going to take money to make it happen. Nearly 50 years ago, Los Angeles County voters rejected a half-cent sales tax proposal that would have built an 89-mile rail and bus network between downtown, Long Beach, the San Fernando Valley and Westwood, the San Gabriel Valley, and even a route to LAX. The Times Editorial Board at that time urged a no vote, saying we are an automotive people, unlikely to change our habits. Imagine if voters had said yes? How many hours of congestion might have been avoided? How much pollution might have been prevented? Now, five decades later, our habits will have to change, one way or another. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook The second annual report from Portland, a London-based strategic communications consultancy, shows that China has moved up two spots to 28 in 2015, and the United States, which has taken the UK's 2015 position, is leading in soft-power. China's move up in the rankings show that it continues to be well recognised for its culture, as illustrated by the country reaching 8th place in the culture sub-category. Besides a cultural presence felt across the globe, China's involvement on the world stage, and its own steps to increase its soft power reach, have added to its positioning. Aid and development projects in Africa and Asia are helping add to China's soft-power while also helping others. China performed best in culture thanks to the richness of its cultural heritage, as well as its winning a number of UNESCO world heritage sites (currently 48 sites) where it is second only to Italy. According to the report, one indicator of a country's soft-power is how many international organizations it is part of. The China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, which launched in January 2016, represents a 'milestone in China's global engagement' and reveals an "emerging vision for a Chinese world order." The Silk Road Economic Belt initiative from China, which seeks to recreate the infrastructure and trade route of the old Silk Road, has had an economic and cultural impact on Africa, an impact that the report says is already being felt. In an article included with the report, Ambassador Tommy Koh from Singapore said that he is confident China's ranking will progress in the coming years, and that China's soft-power will be enhanced by President Xi's fight against corruption, the country's move towards a low-carbon economy, and by the rule of law. Meanwhile, the U.S. took the top spot from the UK in overall results, placing the UK in second place, while Germany has dropped to third, and France to fifth. Canada has entered the top five at fourth place. At a time of justified concern about arbitrary police stops, the Supreme Court on Monday made such harassment more likely rather than less. By a 5-3 vote, the court upheld the search of a drug defendant that grew out of a stop that the state conceded was unlawful. The decision in a Utah case pokes yet another hole in an important principle: that courts may not consider evidence that is the result of an illegal search or seizure the so-called fruit of the poisonous tree. In 2006 Edward Strieff was stopped by a police officer after he walked out of a house in South Salt Lake City suspected on the basis of an anonymous tip of being the scene of narcotics activity. After Strieff identified himself, the officer ran his name through a data base and discovered an outstanding arrest warrant for a traffic violation. The officer then arrested Strieff on that charge and searched him, finding a bag containing methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. The state subsequently admitted that the officer lacked reasonable suspicion to stop Strieff, as required under Supreme Court interpretations of the 4th Amendment. Advertisement Writing for the majority, Justice Clarence Thomas concluded that it didnt matter if the officer had no basis on which to stop Strieff; the evidence was admissible anyway, Thomas said, because the link between the unconstitutional stop and the discovery of the drugs was attenuated by the officers discovery of an outstanding arrest warrant. This wrongheaded decision continues the courts practice of watering down the exclusionary rule that, by forbidding the use at trial of illegally seized evidence, serves to deter police misconduct. And the decision could have far-reaching consequences. As Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in a powerful dissent: This case allows the police to stop you on the street, demand your identification, and check it for outstanding traffic warrants even if you are doing nothing wrong. If the officer discovers a warrant for a fine you forgot to pay, courts will now excuse his illegal stop and will admit into evidence anything he happens to find by searching you after arresting you on the warrant. Sotomayor also noted that, although Strieff is white, it is no secret that people of color are disproportionate victims of this type of scrutiny. The Supreme Court should have used this case to remind police that violating the 4th Amendment has consequences and that such fishing expeditions are an affront to the Constitution. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook ALSO Supreme Court gives police more power to stop and question people Supreme Court says judges must step aside from cases they once prosecuted Supreme Court to decide if people awaiting deportation have a right to release on bond To the editor: Let Donald Trump go with Newt Gingrich as his running mate. Then they wouldnt be able to attack Hillary Clinton for her husbands impeachment as president, considering Gingrich lost the House speakership over his infidelity, the same reason Gingrich was trying to remove Bill Clinton from office. The media would love it. (Help wanted: A veep for Donald Trump, Opinion, June 19) Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) has fought against rights for women, LGBT people and immigrants great for a GOP running mate. As Doyle McManus indicates, Gov. Chris Christie is losing popularity in New Jersey. He also sold out to President Obama, according to many Republicans. Advertisement As the rumor mill churns, Trump could just keep the VP slot in the family and go with his daughter. Lloyd Fradkin, Newhall .. To the editor: McManus warns any vice presidential candidate seeking to serve the presumptive Republican nominee to be ready to roll with the punches. And he reminds a candidate that he will be serving under a leader who proudly ignores advice and who has a proven mercurial personality that provokes needless crises without warning. Thats a timely warning. Meanwhile, in the same days Business section, Joyce Russells On Leadership column warns readers that research shows 90% of successful leaders manage their emotions and stay calm and in control during times of stress. Such proven leaders also have a healthy sense of humor about life and dont take themselves too seriously. They admit mistakes, apologize and use more positive than negative language in dealing with others. The warnings continue. June Maguire, Mission Viejo .. To the editor: Trump is a blowhard, but as a populist he is unwilling to attack Social Security and Medicare. On the other hand, as McManus notes, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), the cerebral darling of establishment Republicans, is passionate about cutting future spending on Social Security and Medicare. Such is todays Republican Party. Few American households can count on a traditional pension nowadays, and the idea that 401(k)s or IRAs can take up the slack is ludicrous. An annuitized $100,000 in retirement assets might yield about $5,000 a year in income. With the median household income at around $54,000, how can anyone expect families to pay for necessities and also set aside a meaningful amount for retirement? Its not surprising 50% of households have no retirement savings at all. Medicare and Social Security are the last bulwarks against ill health and grinding poverty. They must be supported and fortified. Grace Bertalot, Anaheim Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook To the editor: Kudos to public officials and media outlets who would deny a measure of fame to massacre perpetrators by refusing to mention their names. (Are the media complicit in mass shootings? June 18) Four years ago, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper referred to the 2012 Aurora movie theater killer only as Suspect A. Lately, journalists at CNN and some officials have refused to say the Orlando shooters name. While such fame-denying approaches may not preclude social media from displaying the killers names, keeping them out of newspapers and books not nearly so ephemeral as Internet articles might well serve the purpose. Advertisement Hickenloopers approach seems well worth emulating. Try referring to mass killers only by date, location and number of victims. For example, use 2016-Orlando-49 for the most recent mass shooter, and 2015-San Bernardino-14a could work for the primary killer in December (his spouse and accomplice could be designated by 14b). I hope The Times mention of the Orlando and Aurora killers names, though germane to the subject report, is the last time I see them in print. Christine Hagel, Santa Maria .. To the editor: The age of intense media coverage of mass murders may have begun with Charles Starkweather. Barely 19, he murdered nine people in and around Lincoln, Nebraska in January 1958. After a week on the lam, Starkweather killed once more, whereupon he was captured. Four months later, he was tried, convicted and sentenced to death. Starkweathers appeals were denied, and he was executed in June 1959 at age 20. While this teenage psychopaths sordid saga captivated the national press for 18 months, his murderous rampage long thereafter provided fodder for movies and music, which include the 1973 film Badlands, Bruce Springsteens 1982 song Nebraska, and Billy Joels 1989 hit We Didnt Start the Fire, with its 1950s era-evoking line, Starkweather homicides, children of thalidomide. Such perverse examples of enduring infamy abound. A concerted effort to deny fame to mass killers is long overdue. Devra Mindell, Santa Monica Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook Hillary Clinton warned Tuesday that Donald Trumps business record disqualified him from overseeing the nations economy, arguing that his policies and temperament risked sending the U.S. into a recession and setting off a global panic. The Democrats address to a battleground state audience here followed the same template as one she delivered on national security on the eve of the California primary, featuring several barbed attacks on Trump, her likely Republican general election opponent. Just like he shouldnt have his finger on the button, he shouldnt have his hands on our economy, Clinton said. Advertisement And just as she did in her national security address in San Diego, Clinton repeatedly used Trumps words and the few policy details hes offered against him confessing at one point even she had to ask her own staff: He really said that? Election 2016 | Live coverage on Trail Guide | Sign up for the newsletter On taxes, for instance, Clinton cited an independent analysis that said Trumps tax plan would increase the national debt by $30 trillion and was not even in the universe of the realistic. Alexander Hamilton would be rolling in his grave, she said. Trumps campaign responded by impugning the source of the report Clinton cited: Moodys analyst Mark Zandi, who Trump aides noted has ties to Democrats and the Obama administration, and personally contributed to Clintons campaign. But Zandi also advised John McCain, a point Clinton made in her speech. And she noted that criticism of Trumps economic policies comes from across the political spectrum, including 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, who gave a speech excoriating Trump during the primary season, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), the liberal firebrand who has served as something of an attack dog on Trump for Democrats. Clinton pointed voters to the detailed economic plans she has laid out on her website, conceding they were wonky. She said Trump needs to be held to the same standard, for what he proposes and the consequences of what he says. For example, she said, Trump makes big threats but has no serious plan to encourage manufacturing. The world hangs on every word our president says. The markets rise and fall on those statements. Even suggesting that the United States would default would cause a global panic, she said. We cant let these loose, careless remarks get any credence in our electorate or around the world. Clintons speech appeared aimed at drawing the election conversation back to the economy after a period dominated by national security and the Orlando nightclub massacre. She also was trying to undercut one of Trumps main selling points: his purported business acumen. Trump has no real strategy for creating jobs, just a string of empty promises, she said. But then maybe we shouldnt expect better from someone whose most famous words are, Youre fired. She saved some of her most stinging criticisms for Trumps own finances and business practices. She wondered whether Trump would not make public his tax returns because maybe he isnt as rich as he claims. And while hes written many books about his businesses, they all seem to end at Chapter 11, she said, in reference to various Trump bankruptcies. Clinton also raised the Trump University case as an example of the lawsuits Trump has been a party to, most from ordinary Americans and small businesses that said his companies didnt pay or pay fully. The same people hes trying to get to vote for him are people hes been exploiting for years, she said, saying it was not normal behavior. Trumps campaign responded by targeting Clintons own economic record and the practices of her and her husbands charitable foundations. It said that the U.S. lost a quarter of its manufacturing jobs under Hillary-backed trade policies. Clinton has said she opposed the only trade deals that came before her as a senator. Notably, even with the drawn-out battle against Bernie Sanders behind her, Clinton hewed closely to progressive goals and rhetoric. She vowed in her speech to veto any efforts to undo Dodd-Frank financial reforms and reiterated her opposition to the Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal, while noting that Trumps own businesses have engaged in the kind of outsourcing he now attacks. On Wednesday, Clinton will follow up on the Trump-focused event with more on her own economic vision, which she said would include dealing with student debt and making sure the super-rich contribute their fair share. michael.memoli@latimes.com For more 2016 campaign coverage, follow @mikememoli on Twitter. ALSO Donald Trump booted his campaign manager to boost his White House bid. But it hasnt reassured a lot of people. Joe Biden: Some of the rhetoric Im hearing sounds like it aims to radicalize all Muslims Ticket to the White House or political oblivion? The challenge for Donald Trump as he seeks a running mate Im Christina Bellantoni. This is Essential Politics. Lets get started. Hillary Clinton will be back in California next week for two Tuesday evening fundraisers. One will be held in the early evening at the Los Angeles home of tech billionaire Sean Parker and his wife, Alexandra Lemas. Tickets start at $2,700 per person, according to a copy of the invitation obtained by The Times. The other is at the Los Angeles home of Jane and Marc Nathanson, co-hosted by Sherry Lansing and Billy Friedkin. The event supports the Hillary Victory Fund, meaning some of the funds raised will go to the Democratic National Committee and state Democratic parties. Advertisement Contribution levels start at $33,400 per couple. To be an event co-chair and attend a reception with the candidate, couples must contribute $100,000. The Democrats campaign announced Monday having raised more than $28 million in May. It would be a compliment to say Donald Trumps May fundraising report was lackluster. The billionaire raised a dismal $3.1 million last month and spent $6.7 million and loaned his campaign more money to keep it afloat. Trumps campaign ended May with $1.2 million in cash on hand (less than some congressional campaigns raise in a quarter), compared with $42 million for Clintons campaign. The numbers were released on a day that began with Trump dumping campaign manager Corey Lewandowski. I wouldnt change one second of my time with Mr. Trump other than to say, Thank you, its been an honor, Lewandowski said on MSNBC, not long after security escorted him from Trumps Manhattan headquarters. HOW THEY GOT HERE, AND WHATS NEXT Our team has created a handy guide to All Things Trump and All Things Clinton, detailing the presidential rivals candidacies, backstories and how they would govern. And check out our interactive Electoral College map to see who is most likely to make it to 270. GUN CONTROL EFFORT FAILS IN U.S. SENATE Despite Clintons last-minute attempt to get supporters to stand up to the NRA and call their senators, four gun control measures failed on the Senate floor Monday, as expected. Also Monday, the Supreme Court turned away another challenge to state laws banning the sale of rapid-fire assault weapons. Without comment or a dissent, the justices dismissed appeals from gun-rights advocates in Connecticut and New York who contended the state bans violated their rights under the 2nd Amendment. AN UNLIKELY ADVOCATE Rep. Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena) thinks about a photo of 6-year-old Jack Pinto in a Little League uniform when he talks about gun violence. Pinto was one of 20 elementary school students killed in Newtown, Conn., in 2012. Gun control efforts that at first seemed possible failed in the Senate after Newtown, but Democrats havent given up. Sarah Wire introduces you to Thompson, a lifelong hunter who has become an unlikely advocate for gun control. DALAI LAMA DAZZLES SACRAMENTO Giggling, smiling and signing autographs, the Dalai Lama visited Californias Capitol on Monday. He was greeted by hundreds of supporters outside, then welcomed into the Assembly chamber, where he delivered a speech to a joint session of the Legislature. It was totally wrong that Muslims are viewed as militant. In a reference to gun control, he said external disarmament must be preceded by internal disarmament. His overall message: The best way to take care of ones self is to take care of others. DONT PAROLE MANSON FAMILY KILLER, SAYS SHARON TATES SISTER While the Tibetan leader was preaching peace and tolerance upstairs in the state Assembly on Monday, the sister of one of Californias most famous murder victims was urging Gov. Jerry Brown to deny parole to a former follower of Charles Manson. Debra Tate, the sister of actress Sharon Tate, showed up in Sacramento with some 139,000 signatures on a petition opposed to the parole of Leslie Van Houten. Van Houten was convicted of first-degree murder in the two-day Manson groups killing spree through Los Angeles in August 1969. And as John Myers reports, family members of the victims want Brown to reject a state review boards April recommendation that Van Houten be released from prison. TODAYS ESSENTIALS Vice President Joe Biden called anti-Muslim rhetoric deeply, deeply damaging to our national security on Monday and warned that proposals like those supported by Trump only threaten to further inflame Arab-world sentiment against the U.S. Michael Steven Sandford, 19, appeared in court Monday after being arrested on suspicion of trying to seize a gun from a police officer so he could shoot Trump at his weekend rally in Las Vegas. A controversial bill to expand overtime pay rules for California farmworkers has been quietly revived in the Legislature, less than two weeks after being rejected in an emotional vote on the Assembly floor. Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa says hes going to announce whether hes running for governor after the November election. The head of the states electricity regulator isnt enthused about a bill that could dismantle his agency, though he wants changes to how the California Public Utilities Commission operates. A survey Monday commissioned by several Native American tribes with concerns about legalizing Internet poker in California found a majority of the states likely voters oppose the idea. LOGISTICS Miss yesterdays newsletter? Here you go. Did someone forward you this? Sign up here to get Essential Politics in your inbox daily. And keep an eye on our politics page throughout the day for the latest and greatest. And are you following us on Twitter at @latimespolitics? Please send thoughts, concerns and news tips to politics@latimes.com. The sister of Sharon Tate, the actress murdered by followers of Charles Manson during a brutal two-day rampage across Los Angeles in 1969, had hoped to see California Gov. Jerry Brown in person on Monday. Let him look into our eyes, feel our pain, Debra Tate said as she stood in the hallway outside Browns office in the state Capitol. Instead, Tate met with two top Brown aides and left them with copies of an online petition signed by some 139,000 people that urges the governor to deny parole to a former member of the Manson cult, Leslie Van Houten. Advertisement This is not a person we want out, Tate said as she shepherded a group that traveled to Sacramento toting three boxes of signatures a small group that included family members of victims Leno and Rosemary LaBianca. Let him look into our eyes, feel our pain. Debra Tate, sister of slain actress Sharon Tate Van Houten, 66, was convicted of first-degree murder in the stabbing death of Rosemary LaBianca. A state review board recommended her for parole in April. She had petitioned for parole 19 times prior to that decision. In all, seven people were killed over the course of two August nights almost 47 years ago. Van Houten was not implicated in the murder of Sharon Tate, the pregnant wife of film director Roman Polanski, but did enter LaBiancas Los Feliz home the following night. Five people were convicted in the Tate-LaBianca killings, part of Mansons infamous promise to incite a race war that he said was inspired by The Beatles song, Helter Skelter. These are serial killers, Debra Tate, 63, said in an interview as she waited to walk into the Capitol. These are, as far as I know, the original domestic terrorists. Sister of Sharon Tate delivers petitions to @JerryBrownGov, urging no parole for Manson's Family's Leslie Van Houten pic.twitter.com/JGpJQAweVn John Myers (@johnmyers) June 20, 2016 Brown has until mid-September to either accept or reject the parole boards recommendation, and others also have urged him to keep Van Houten behind bars. Deborah Hoffman, a spokeswoman for the governor, said the case file had not yet arrived in Browns office. Every case is reviewed carefully on its own merits, she told The Times in an email. The families of the Manson groups victims have become forever linked in their quest to ensure that none of the men and women are ever released from prison. Tony LaMontagne, a grandson of the LaBiancas, said the murders resemble the feeling of having a wound, and keep tearing off the Band-Aid before it ever heals. Sign up for our daily Essential Politics newsletter Ever since I was a little kid, said the 42-year old LaMontagne as he carried a large box of petitions into the Capitol, my memories of my grandfather are this. Family members said the signatures protesting Van Houtens parole were gathered over weeks through the online petition site Change.org. Van Houten, 66, was originally sentenced to death along with Manson and three others. When the California Supreme Court struck down the death penalty in 1972, their sentences were commuted to life in prison. Van Houten has told parole board officials through the years that she was ashamed of what happened and that she doesnt shirk her responsibility. But Tate said on Monday that none of the convicted Manson group killers has ever expressed remorse to the family members of the victims. Leslie Van Houten, nor anybody else, has ever attempted to reach out and write a letter of apology, Tate said. Two others convicted in the LaBianca murders, Charles Tex Watson and Patricia Krenwinkel, have both been previously denied parole several times. Manson, now 81, remains in prison. One member of his group, Susan Atkins, died in prison in 2009. In January, Brown denied parole for Bruce Davis, another Manson follower convicted in separate murders. Tate briefly made her case in person to two of the governors legal affairs aides. She said she hopes Brown will again look past existing policies for releasing older prisoners who have maintained clean records behind bars. Hes had a long, long political career, Tate said of the governor. And it would just be a horrible note of legacy to go out on. john.myers@latimes.com Follow @johnmyers on Twitter, sign up for our daily Essential Politics newsletter and listen to the weekly California Politics Podcast ALSO: Board recommends parole for Mason follower Leslie Van Houten Gov. Brown pardons 91 on Christmas Eve, including Robert Downey, Jr. Updates from Sacramento The Dalai Lama touched on issues both ancient and contemporary during a speech to the California Legislature on Monday, urging lawmakers to protect the environment, support education and seek inner peace by caring for humanity. The best way to take care of ones self is to take care of others, the Tibetan leader said. He said it was totally wrong that Muslims are viewed as militant. In a reference to gun control, he said external disarmament must be preceded by internal disarmament. And he mused about how the moon may look beautiful in the night sky, but its not a suitable place to live. Advertisement This planet is the only place we can live happily, the Dalai Lama said. There is no other choice than to fully protect our own home. The world-famous monk charmed Californias leaders during his visit. As he surveyed the Assembly chamber at the start of his speech, with scores of politicians arrayed before him, the cherubic Dalai Lama giggled in his traditional red robes. I dont like too much formality, he said. He made a slow exit after his speech, waving to the audience in the upstairs gallery and shaking hands with lawmakers. Baby, baby! he exclaimed when he spotted Assemblyman Das Williams (D-Santa Barbara) holding his child. When he came to lanky Assemblyman Chris Holden, a Democrat from Pasadena, he said Ooh, very tall! He walked through the Capitol halls greeting lawmakers and visitors, even signing some autographs. Two women cried with joy after meeting him. The Dalai Lama has been traveling in the United States, and sat down with President Obama last week at the White House. The meeting sparked familiar objections from Chinese officials, who also protested earlier conversations with the Tibetan spiritual leader. His visit to Sacramento came after a stop in Orange County on Saturday, where he helped celebrate the opening of a new Buddhist temple. Outside the Capitol on Monday, families gathered with umbrellas, parasols and spray bottles filled with water on a sweltering afternoon as they waited to catch a glimpse of the iconic figure. Its sort of like a once-in-a-lifetime chance, said Tenzin Desel, 13. Children decked in traditional Tibetan dress waved flags and took photos with their friends. A lone protester shouted from a megaphone but was soon drowned out by shouts from the crowd and Tibetan music. As the Dalai Lama arrived from a private luncheon with Gov. Jerry Brown and legislative leaders, people lifted up white scarves and erupted in cheers. Jamyang Nordup, 54, and 15 of his family members piled into four cars to drive from Berkeley to catch a glimpse of His Holiness. They waited two hours under the sun without umbrellas out of respect, said Nordup, owner of the Tibetan Cultural House in San Rafael. He is our teacher, our spiritual leader and our advocate for world peace, he said. A few feet away, 41-year-old Kelly Montana sat with her mother in the shade after greeting her longtime hero. You hope to see him and that his deep compassion will somehow emanate from him to you and that you get some of it by proximity, she said. A little more compassion for everyone and everything. chris.megerian@latimes.com jazmine.ulloa@latimes.com ALSO: Thousands welcome Dalai Lama during visit to Little Saigon Updates on California politics Updates from Sacramento Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom warned a conference of cannabis industry members Tuesday that they need to get involved in passing a pot legalization measure on the November ballot or the cause will be set back nationally. Newsom also chided fellow Democratic elected officials for not doing more to change the law even though he said the war on drugs has been an abject failure. I kind of got frustrated by some of our colleagues because they werent leading, Newsom told some 2,000 industry activists and entrepreneurs at a conference in Oakland sponsored by the National Cannabis Industry Assn. Advertisement Newsom said current drug policies constitute a war on the poor, on folks of color and its got to end. Newsom, a candidate for governor in 2018, addressed the crowd during an annual business summit. He said California will be helped by Colorado, where cannabis has been legalized. You are seeing that the sky is not falling, he said. Californias initiative is expected to qualify any day, but Newsom warned the supportive crowd not to take it for granted that it will pass. Its not a done deal by any stretch of the imagination, he said. We need your help on the campaign. Newsom added that while former Facebook President Sean Parker is helping, Hes not going to fund the whole thing. If it is defeated, it will set back this movement in California and nationally for years and years. Newsom said his wife needs convincing because she is scared to death about the message this sends to our kids. He also warned that if the measure passes and it is not implemented well, it could also set back efforts to legalize cannabis elsewhere. Bad actors can screw this thing up for everybody and there is a lot at stake, he said, adding California should lead by good example. He noted the last legalization initiative was narrowly defeated and polls show support lagging other parts of the country. Newsom received a standing ovation after his keynote address and was swarmed by industry people wanting to take a picture with him afterward. The three-day summit features panels including a discussion of the initiatives chance of passing. The Adult Use of Marijuana Act proposed for the Nov. 8 ballot was drafted largely based on recommendations of a Blue Ribbon Commission on Marijuana Policy created by Newsom. The measure would allow adults ages 21 and older to possess, transport and use up to an ounce of marijuana for recreational purposes and would allow individuals to grow as many as six plants. The conference Tuesday was attended by representatives of groups that support the initiative, including the Drug Policy Alliance, the Marijuana Policy Project and the California Cannabis Industry Assn. Opposition is lead by law enforcement and health groups including the California Police Chiefs Assn., the California Hospital Assn. and the California State Sheriffs Assn. Updates from Sacramento patrick.mcgreevy@latimes.com @mcgreevy99 ALSO Federal prosecutors drop case against Bay Area pot dispensary Only one of Californias pot initiatives has the green that counts Driving while high? Lawmakers want police to be able to check It took about 40 hours for the Albertsons on Verdugo Avenue and Hollywood Way in Burbank to become a Haggen grocery store, but its a change thats more than in name only. Haggen acquired the store when it agreed to buy more than 140 grocery stores throughout California, Washington, Oregon, Arizona and Nevada earlier this year, as Albertsons and Safeway shed more than 160 stores to gain federal approval for a merger. Prior to the acquisition, Bellingham, Wash.-based Haggen did not have a presence outside the Pacific Northwest. The deal allows the company to expand from 18 stores with 16 pharmacies into a large regional chain of 164 stores with 106 pharmacies. Nicky Graham, the stores director, worked at the store under other names Lucky and Albertsons and she was on hand Thursday afternoon when it opened under the Haggen banner for the first time, after closing on Tuesday evening and undergoing a whirlwind transformation. Much of the change at the Burbank store, so far, is cosmetic a new sign out front; new fixtures, art and signage inside and crisp, green Polo shirts for the staff. But one big change, Graham said, is that the store now offers more organic and local products. I like the fact that we give our customers choices, Graham said, noting that the store still offers the products customers are used to, but also has more products than it had before to meet a range of customer needs. Among the local offerings are fish from Santa Monica Seafood, bagels from Western Bagels in Los Angeles and berries from Rincon Fresh in Camarillo. Another major difference is that the deli and bakery counters will offer more products now made fresh, in-house and from scratch, said Chanel Martinez, head of the deli department for Haggen throughout the Central California Coast and Northern Los Angeles. Martinez, who worked for close to a decade as a La Cordon Bleu instructor, said she came in to teach employees in the service departments how to make products such as a potato salad that follow the recipe of founder Dorothy Haggen, who helped her husband launch the grocery chain in the 1930s. Burbank resident Cinde Bost said she posted news of Haggens arrival on Facebook and the response from a relative up north made her excited to check it out. She hadnt planned on shopping, but she left with a few items in her cart Thursday afternoon. It was nicely different, said Bost. The meat selection was really awesome. However, theres a lot about the store that hasnt changed, too. Alongside the new products, which also include Haggen private-label items, are brands and staples such as toilet paper, detergent and sodas that shoppers are used to. And while five new employees were hired in the past week, Graham said, all of the former Albertsons employees have stayed. She said shed heard a lot of feedback from customers who were happy the staff was able to stay. As a shopper, that continuity was important to Janet Diel, who said its her neighborhood store and one she frequents. Im glad that all the employees are the same, Diel said. If they werent here, I wouldnt be. -- Chad Garland, chad.garland@latimes.com Twitter: @chadgarland Its been an uphill battle in Sacramento to regulate the sober-living industry due to political opposition and antidiscrimination laws, Orange County legislators said Thursday during a regional forum in Laguna Hills. Still, the politicians said, they keep trying to regulate facilities that house people recovering from drug addiction and alcoholism in otherwise residential neighborhoods. Costa Mesa and Newport Beach have both taken operators to court, asserting that rehabs harm neighborhood quality of life. Over 600 people packed the Laguna Hills Community Center to hear Assemblymen Matthew Harper (R-Huntington Beach) and Bill Brough (R-Dana Point) and state Sen. Pat Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) speak to the problems and potential solutions. Harper discussed Assembly Bill 2255, introduced by Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez (R-Lake Elsinore) and co-authored by him. Harpers district includes Costa Mesa and Newport Beach. The bill seeks to define drug- and alcohol-free residences and require that they contain live-in managers, operators or owners. It also would require the clients to participate in legitimate programs of recovery from substance use disorder, including, but not limited to, Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous programs, according to the bill, which is in committee. Nearly 400 people attended a town hall meeting about sober-living homes in Orange County on Thursday at the Laguna Hills Community Center. (Bradley Zint / Daily Pilot) Harper said he normally favors smaller government but believes sober-living regulations would be appropriate. Bates said group homes are becoming more prevalent in Orange County. Its a very, very complex issue, she said. I never imagined that it would be such, but it certainly is. Sacramento legislators have introduced bills on the topic since the 1990s, Bates said, including some during the most recent session. She noted that one of them, AB 2772, was defeated at the committee level. Authored by Bates, it would have required addicts to receive treatment at state-licensed facilities that show compliance with local laws. Another bill, AB 2403, introduced by Assemblyman Richard Bloom (D-Santa Monica), would allow state authorities to deny permits for treatment facilities within 300 feet of others. The bill passed the Assemblys Health Committee and is headed to Appropriations. Im pretty hopeful on this bill, said Brough, one of its co-authors. Parking disputes, secondhand smoke and noise have been connected to Newport Beach and Costa Mesa sober-living homes. Both cities crafted regulations but saw them challenged in court. Costa Mesa has an estimated 172 sober-living facilities, according to Tarquin Preziosi, a deputy city attorney who spoke Thursday. City officials estimated that nearly 30% of all state-licensed drug and alcohol treatment facilities in Orange County are in Costa Mesa. Thursdays meeting was sponsored by Orange County, the Assn. of California Cities and the Orange County Assn. of Realtors. The state visit to Poland by China's President Xi Jinping is designed to intensify Sino-Polish relations and to facilitate the development of trade, communications, infrastructure investment and people to people exchange. An article written by President Xi last week surveys the broad historical sweep of mutual collaboration and influence between the two countries. Xi praised Polish genius and pointed to Nicolaus Copernicus who transformed "mankind's understanding of the universe" by showing that the earth revolves around the sun. And he also praised the genius of Marie Curie who laid the foundations for the development and application of the radioactivity theory. Special significance was also given to the Polish missionary Michal Boym who travelled to China in the 17th century and wrote extensively about its society, history, science and culture. At the center of Xi's visit is the development of China's "Belt and Road" initiative. This refers to the new Silk Road belt -- an economic region roughly corresponding to the ancient Silk Road involving trade from China to Central Asia, West Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, but actually the initiative includes the entire Eurasian landmass. The maritime Silk Road is intended to include Southeast Asia, Oceania and North Africa. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is largely designed to help finance infrastructure projects that accelerate these initiatives. China is building an extensive high-speed railway and freight networks that crisscross the world. There are even plans to build a high-speed railway from China to the USA via Russia, going under the Bering Straits to Alaska and Canada. Similar high-speed networks are planned from Beijing to London and central China to Germany. Beijing's improving relations and trade with Eastern and South Eastern Europe is part of the 16+1 strategy which concerns a group of 16 former Communist states, namely Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania and FYR Macedonia. These countries are poorer than their West European counterparts and are worried about the future of the EU and the Eurozone, which remains mired in crisis. The 16+1 initiative allows for direct economic relationships to be forged between China and these countries and it is not coordinated or approved by the EU in Brussels -- to the annoyance of some in the European Union. However, this also dispels the myth -- commonly repeated by those who want Britain to vote to leave the EU -- that the EU has such an iron grip on its member states that they cannot make independent deals with China. All the 16 countries require extensive infrastructure investment and they are well-educated, diligent and adventurous people. One reason why these countries are prepared to circumvent the Brussels bureaucracy is that major EU transfers to these countries will dry up in 2020, so China is seen as a counterbalance that can help to ameliorate the negative impact of this decline. Certainly there is a lot of scope for expanding positive investment opportunities. Bilateral trade with these countries rose 28 percent last year to $56.2bn. Chinese investment will be welcomed in much of the region to help modernize its infrastructure, which can lay the basis for a general process of reindustrialization based on the latest technology and science. Poland has the lowest ratio of homes to population in Europe. It is estimated that the country is short of between 500,000 to 1 million homes. This is a rather peculiar statistic from the British vantage point as so many Polish migrants to the U.K. work in the construction industry. Chinese investment could certainly help to alleviate this shortage. Poland joined the European Union (EU) in 2004 and about 2.3 million Poles live and work abroad, mostly in other EU countries and many of them work in Britain. The Polish presence in China remains very small. So, if China can entice hundreds of thousands of Poles to move to China to study and work, then the long-term potential of Sino-Polish cooperation can be guaranteed. One way to do this is to encourage Polish schools to teach Chinese from an early age and to offer scholarships to thousands of Polish students to learn Chinese. They can go on to take higher education courses in Chinese universities. The first few thousand students and migrant workers can act as pioneers to pave the way for hundreds of thousands to follow. This is particularly important nowadays as countries like Britain are no longer as supportive of migrants arriving from Poland. So, opportunities beckon for the determined and audacious to carve out a unique niche of connections in China that will lead to mutually beneficial trade, investment and cultural exchange. Heiko Khoo is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit: http://china.org.cn/opinion/heikokhoo.htm Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. The recent murder of 49 people at Pulse, a gay bar in Orlando, Fla., left the entire country in shock. This act of hatred toward the LGBTQ community has made homosexual Americans and many others fear for their lives and for the fate of this country. America has many homophobic people who refuse to accept that love is love, regardless of gender. However, in these times of tragedy, people of all sexualities have come together in solidarity with the victims. The student staff of Corona del Mar High Schools Trident magazine chose to voice their support for the LGBTQ community on and off campus and pay tribute to the victims of the attack. Regardless of our political views, I think its essential that students of all sexualities on our campus are provided with a loving environment in which they feel safe, accepted and worthy, sophomore Delaney Ivey said. Observing a tragedy in the middle of Pride Month prompted us to raise awareness to the fact that LGBTQ community members are always fighting an uphill battle, even as our society progresses. On June 13, the Trident launched the Pray For Orlando photo and quote series on social media, sharing heartfelt student responses to the Orlando shooting. Providing CdM students a platform to express their voice, as Trident did with the Pray For Orlando series, is important because hearing the feelings expressed in the quotes redirects us to focus on love and acceptance, rather than hate and ostracization, English teacher and Trident advisor Laura Holk said. It may prompt people to reevaluate their prejudiced views and realize violence against people in the LGBTQ community could tragically affect one of their friends. The series received such a positive reaction that Trident staff decided to take its support of CdMs LGBTQ community to the next level. In just 24 hours, the Trident editors planned a memorial ceremony for the victims of the Orlando shooting. They advertised June 16 as a school-wide Pride Day, encouraging staff and students to attend the memorial wearing rainbow colors to match the gay pride flag. I was beyond excited when I found out our school was going to have Pride Day, junior Sara Marshall said. Being in the closet at our school is a scary thing, but events like this help those who are afraid realize that there are others out there just like them. Theyre all over our school and even those who arent LGBTQ are still likely to be there for you. Just as the name entails, Pride Day inspires us in the queer community to be proud of who we are. The morning of the memorial ceremony, Trident staff members decked out the quad with freshly painted posters and rainbow streamers, even wrapping the Seaking, CdMs mascot statue, in a blanket of color. The names of the 49 victims from the Orlando shooting were written on tags and tied to flowers. A banner was laid out for students to sign and pledge their support for the LGBTQ community. When the 10 a.m. bell rang for break, students wearing rainbow and tie-dye shirts with pride flooded the quad. Members of all five choirs from CdMs Vocal Music Department took the stage to perform a tribute to those who had their lives ended in the Orlando shooting. They sang Seasons of Love, the title song for their spring concert. Junior Tyler Mardis and senior Ethan Lindt sang lead vocals in a touching performance that left many students teary eyed. The memorial created such a warm and loving atmosphere on campus, Spanish teacher Elisa Ramirez said. It felt like we were all united and left the labels at the door to accept each other as humans first. I loved that all the students got involved and showed so much respect and support. The banner, reading I Stand With The LGBTQ Community, was covered in signatures within minutes. Seeing students, teachers and staff unite on one front and stand in solidarity against hate was an emotional, overwhelming experience, Delaney said. Im endlessly thankful for each individual who demonstrated their love for our school, our nation, and our world. Sara added, I feel that a lot of the time people only talk very surface level about tragedies, even the ones that take place here in the U.S. Its hard for people to connect what theyre hearing to the actual reality of what has happened. This memorial brought the issue straight to our school, and has already started an important conversation. Trident editors plan to mail the signed banner, along with a book of student quotes from the Pray For Orlando series and photos from the memorial ceremony, to the mayors office in Orlando. They hope to spread the love and acceptance expressed on campus to other places. Im so proud of my Trident students for their ability to recognize that something can be done to bring light to the epidemic of mass shootings in our country, Holk said. If the younger generation can foster love for one another, regardless of ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or gender, then maybe events like the Orlando tragedy will diminish. Im proud of my Trident students for showing so much compassion, which teaches others compassion too. The entire CdM student body shared their compassion and grief over this senseless tragedy, fostering a growing culture of acceptance in their community and beyond. -- HANNAH SCHOENBAUM is editor of the Trident magazine at Corona del Mar High School. As Newport Beach prepares to dump sand along the sea walls surrounding Balboa Islands Grand Canal, residents are wondering when their dream of a fully dredged waterway may become reality. Since the Grand Canal was last dredged in the late 1990s, waterfront residents have watched as the white sand lining the passage sloughed away, transforming it to a stretch of slimy mud. Decades ago, Balboa Islanders and visitors would place their beach chairs on the sand beside the Grand Canal to watch as their children hunted for crabs and seashells. Though the Grand Canal, which bisects the main island and Little Balboa Island, is still widely used by paddleboarders, boaters and families, people are not as inclined to sit there anymore, given its current state, residents say. Its not how youd like it to be, said resident Don Abrams, who has asked the city for years to dredge the waterway. Frequent dredging removing fine-grain sand and debris would refresh the Grand Canal, perhaps restoring its former glory, some say. Mayor Ed Selich, who represents the area on the City Council, indicated during a July study session that he favored the city dredging the Grand Canal before reinforcing the sea walls with sand. With that in mind, some Balboa Island residents were puzzled when they received a notice last week that a city-hired contractor would be putting sand against the sea walls surrounding the Grand Canal before any dredging had been done. The purpose of the sand, which the city extracted from the Santa Ana River, is to stabilize aging sea walls that are intended to protect harborfront property from flooding during storms and high tides. With forecasters anticipating strong storms and surf during El Nino conditions this winter, city leaders last month voted to authorize pouring sand into the Grand Canal to help stabilize some of the citys oldest and most deteriorated sea walls. This is our effort to temporarily fortify the sea wall, said Harbor Resources Manager Chris Miller. Were preparing as best we can to eliminate anything that could happen to the wall. Though city officials say they want to dredge the Grand Canal, they cant begin until they have the necessary permits, which likely wont happen for about a year. Historically, the process has been for the city to dredge and then build up the beach area with fresh sand. However, with El Nino storms coming, officials felt it was time to act. We cant wait until we have a problem to put the sand up, Selich said. I dont know how long the sand will last, but Im hoping itll last through the storm season, Miller said. Abrams said that while he understands the urgency, he believes the additional sand could make the dredging process harder. With time and storms, that sand will fall away from the wall, he said. It may make dredging more challenging later on. A major hurdle the city has faced with dredging the Grand Canal sits just below the waters surface. Slender strands of green eelgrass, which is protected by state and federal law, have impeded the citys ability to dredge the Grand Canal and other areas of the harbor for years. Of the 90 acres of eelgrass throughout the harbor, about an acre is along the Grand Canal, according to city documents. While eelgrass plays an important role in the development of suitable habitat for marine life, red tape surrounding its preservation has long frustrated those who spend time in the harbor. The Southern California Eelgrass Mitigation Plan requires anyone who wants to dredge to be responsible for replanting 1.2 square feet of eelgrass somewhere in the harbor to make up for every square foot disturbed. The process is long and often costly, Miller said. City officials expected to get some relief when the California Coastal Commission in June approved a city plan that would allow officials to not only dredge deeper in the harbor but also to disrupt a certain amount of eelgrass annually, depending on how much of the plant is in the harbor at the time. However, Coastal Commission staff hasnt issued the permit. And after the staff sends the document, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will have to sign off on the plan. Miller said he originally hoped to have the plan in place by this month, but now he has his fingers crossed for January. Still, the city eelgrass plan doesnt necessarily mean the entire Grand Canal could be dredged at once, because, while the requirements would be lessened, the city still needs to mitigate eelgrass disruption. The overall bottom line is, we cant use up the yearly amount impacting eelgrass in the Grand Canal, Miller said. Miller estimates it could take up to five years to have the canal dredged completely. Wendy Friedman, who has lived on Balboa Island for about five years, said the Grand Canal should reflect the charming atmosphere of the islands shops and harbor views. Our canal should be as beautiful as the rest of Balboa Island, she said. It has the potential to be spectacular. Jeff Herdman, a member of the Balboa Island Improvement Assn., has entered the 2016 race for Newport Beach City Council. Herdman, a registered Republican, filed paperwork Thursday declaring his intent to run for the District 5 seat, which represents Balboa Island and the Fashion Island area. If elected, the 69-year-old Balboa Island resident would replace Mayor Ed Selich, who will be termed out next year after serving on the council since 2006. Im looking forward to it, and Im excited about it, Herdman said. Its in the very early stages. Im gearing up and starting to raise a little seed money and get my website up and running. Herdman declined to provide specifics of his platform. Its just too early, he said. After Herdman became a board member of the Balboa Island Museum and Historical Society last year, board President Ed Trainor wrote in an announcement: Jeffs passion for and love of the island have already been felt by his fellow board members, and we are so happy to have him involved in this capacity. While hes lived in Newport Beach full-time for 17 years, Herdman said he has been visiting the city seasonally since 1953. My home on Balboa Island was purchased by my parents in that year, he said. We moved from Los Angeles every summer to the island during my growing up years. I have seen lots of changes over the years. Herdman, who made his living as a teacher and principal, is no stranger to the city government. He has served on the citys charter revision committee, the tidelands management committee and is currently a member of the civil service board, which provides advice to the council on personnel matters and conducts appeal hearings of city employees for disciplinary issues, among other things. Herdman has been openly critical of council members Scott Peotter, Kevin Muldoon and Marshall Duffy Duffield, all of whom were elected in 2014 on a slate known as Team Newport along with Mayor Pro Tem Diane Dixon. In April, Herdman sent a letter to the California Fair Political Practices Commission alleging that a campaign contribution Peotter received last year violated Newport Beachs municipal code and the state Political Reform Act. Peotter denied any wrongdoing. Herdman also has suggested in published letters to the Daily Pilot that the city should request that the FPPC conduct a full audit of all the candidates in last years election to examine their independent expenditures, slate mail committees and other expenditures spent to influence the election. All of us need to know who had investments in the outcome of the election and how those contributions may influence council decision-making, he wrote in an Oct. 15 letter. Three City Council seats will be in play during the November 2016 election. In addition to Selich, Councilman Keith Curry, who represents District 7 (Newport Ridge and Newport Coast), will be termed out. Fred Ameri, a longtime Newport Beach resident and a former planning commissioner, and local lawyer Will ONeil, a Finance Committee member, have launched campaigns for the seat. Councilman Tony Petros, who represents District 2, which includes Newport Heights and Newport Crest, has declared his intent to run for reelection, according to city documents. A Newport Beach teenager who helped spark a panic through a leaf blower prank at a Newport Beach movie theater last year has been sentenced to 100 hours of community service and three years probation for his part in the crime. Colin Hunter Davis, 19, pleaded guilty Tuesday in Orange County Superior Court to three misdemeanors participating in an unlawful assembly, disturbing the peace and trespassing in connection with an Aug. 8 incident that terrified moviegoers at the Edwards Big Newport 6 cinema near Fashion Island. Some people were trampled and suffered minor injuries in the rush to escape, police said. Davis faced a maximum sentence of one year in jail but agreed to plead guilty for the lesser sentence. As part of the agreement, prosecutors will dismiss the unlawful-assembly charge if Davis completes his community service and does not violate any terms of his probation for a year. Superior Court Judge Julian Bailey gave Davis six months to complete the 100 hours of work at a homeless outreach center in the Newport Beach-Costa Mesa area. Defense attorney David Elden told Bailey that Davis plans to finish the community service before he heads to college. Davis spoke only briefly in court, answering procedural questions and telling Bailey he hasnt decided where hell attend college. Outside the courtroom, Davis and his attorney declined to talk to a reporter. Nothing to say, Elden said. According to prosecutors, Davis and three other teenagers touched off a stampede when they burst into a screening of the thriller The Gift. When one of the teens revved a leaf blower in the theater, moviegoers thought it was chain saw or a gun and scrambled for the exits, police said. Katrina Wolfe, who was in the audience that night, told the Daily Pilot in August that the prank left her in fear for her life. It is no exaggeration at all to say that as soon as I saw people scurrying, I felt that we were in mortal danger, Wolfe said. My boyfriend thought the same we felt that we could absolutely be killed. According to prosecutors, Davis, who was 18 at the time, sneaked into the screening and opened an emergency exit from the inside so a co-conspirator could enter with the leaf blower. In the days after the scare, Newport Beach police released pictures of four people who reportedly had revved a leaf blower outside an In-N-Out Burger near UC Irvine an hour before the theater incident. Davis and three other teenagers turned themselves in, police said. The other teens have not been identified because they are minors, and details of their cases have been kept confidential. -- Jeremiah Dobruck, jeremiah.dobruck2@latimes.com Twitter: @jeremiahdobruck A family and two pet dogs escaped a fire at their Newport Beach home before firefighters arrived to douse the blaze Friday afternoon, according to fire officials. A man smelled smoke around 4:15 p.m. and discovered the fire in the homes garage at 927 Aleppo St., according to the Newport Beach Fire Department. After the family and pets escaped, firefighters arrived and saw heavy smoke coming out of the garage and flames on the roof, fire officials said. Crews searched the garage and used chain saws and a hose on the roof to control the fire, according to authorities. Twenty-five firefighters contained the flames to the garage and roof, but the homes interior sustained some smoke damage, fire officials said. Authorities estimated the cost of the overall damage at $55,000. Investigators are working to determine the cause of the blaze. -- Jeremiah Dobruck, jeremiah.dobruck2@latimes.com Twitter: @jeremiahdobruck Boxes and bags of donated clothes, stuffed animals and other items intended for charities were reportedly stolen from Costa Mesa Councilman Gary Monahans bar and restaurant over the weekend. Skosh Monahans on Newport Boulevard had hosted a donation drive that began Thursday for goods to be given to Fresh Beginnings Ministries and the Costa Mesa Network for Homeless Solutions. Monahan said Monday that six to eight boxes of items and several bags of clothes were placed on the restaurants unlocked patio. Sometime between Saturday night and Sunday morning, the contents of nearly all the boxes and bags were stolen, Monahan said. Among the lost items were computer equipment, canned food, toys and toiletries. Monahan said he didnt figure that leaving the items on the patio would make them a target for thieves. It was just Goodwill kind of stuff, he said. The donation drive also raised several thousand dollars, but Monahan said no money was stolen. Organizers said they likely will hold another fundraiser in a few weeks to make up for what was lost. -- Bradley Zint, bradley.zint@latimes.com Twitter: @BradleyZint Parents, have you ever argued with your kids about technology? Do you worry that your son spends too much time playing video games or your daughter seems overly fixated on the number of likes she gets on her Instagram selfies? Have you begun to wonder if technology and social media have turned your children into alien pod people and you have no clue how to bring them back to Earth? Youre not alone. Thats one of the messages found in the thoughtful documentary Screenagers, which has been generating buzz at school sites and other venues around the country. The film provides a sobering glimpse into the ways that technology is affecting our kids. It then offers if not solutions, exactly some ideas for families to begin the attempt to establish a partial restoration of normalcy. Local parents will have an opportunity to see Screenagers on April 21, when it will be shown at Corona del Mar High Schools Sea King Theater. Id highly recommend attending and, if possible, taking your kids. It could spark a meaningful family dialogue about the positive and negative aspects of technology and how to foster greater self-control over its use. The film was directed by Dr. Delaney Ruston, a physician and filmmaker with an impressive academic and professional pedigree. She was educated at Cornell, Stanford, the University of California, San Francisco and, until recently, was on the faculty at the University of Washington. She and her family recently moved from Seattle to New York, where she now works as the filmmaker-in-residence for the Stony Brook Medical Center. Ruston has previously made documentaries on mental health and was inspired to create Screenagers by her own struggles finding an appropriate balance regarding digital technology use by her children. She presents her personal story her then-12-year-old daughters desire for a smartphone and the appeal of video games to her son, who was 14 at the time of filming as a launching point for a larger discussion about how an over-reliance on technology can impact adolescents and family life. Throughout the films approximately one-hour running time, she intersperses the anecdotal parents and their children addressing their relationship with technology among research data and insights offered by psychologists, scientists and other professionals. Ruston said she learned that the average kid spends more than six hours a day looking at screens and that doesnt even count screen time used for schoolwork. Teenage boys spend an average of 11.3 hours a week playing video games. Experts in the film discuss how all that technology use exacts a toll. For example, studies have shown that prolonged exposure to violent video games can result in decreased empathy and increased aggression. Theres also discussion regarding the impact on adolescent brains from the continual back-and-forth between the virtual and real worlds; the negative effects on attention span and learning; and comparisons drawn between overdependence on digital devices and chemical addiction. But where I found Screenagers most compelling was in the stories of individuals and families struggling to find the proper balance with technology use. Theres the grandmother learning to set limits for the teenage grandson shes raising; the girl who battled depression after she succumbed to a boys pressure to send him a suggestive picture of her; a college freshman so consumed by video gaming that he stopped going to class; and a boy who cheerily confesses how easily he fools his parents into thinking hes only using his digital devices to do homework. The film doesnt offer any facile solutions, but it does encourage parents not to surrender to a sense of futility and confusion, to a Thats just the way it is now way of thinking. Nor should they make the mistake of setting rules without explaining them to their kids in ways they will understand. The most important points seem to be: First, pay attention to your kids technology use; second, talk to them about it. In a recent phone interview, Ruston told me she is still working toward finding that proper balance with her kids, now 14 and 16, but theyve made progress. A big error she initially made, for instance, was forcing her daughter into a rigid contract regulating her smartphone use. She eventually realized she needed to enlist her daughters input on the rules. Indeed, an amusing moment in the film comes when Rustons daughter says that she also becomes frustrated by her mothers frequent technology-induced distractedness. Ruston and her family also now engage in regular discussions she calls Tech Talk Tuesdays, which, somewhat surprisingly, have been a hit with her kids. Its still a day-to-day struggle, how much to parent and how much leeway to give her kids, she said. But Rustons motivation in making the film was to bring the issue out into the public realm. She wants to enable parents to feel more comfortable acknowledging that theyre in over their heads, and to realize that its OK to set limits on technology use. Some people just feel overwhelmed by it. A lot of it happens in silos, she said. I wanted to get people talking. See the film if you can. And then talk to your kids about it. PATRICE APODACA is a former Newport-Mesa public school parent and former Los Angeles Times staff writer. She lives in Newport Beach. Many years ago, I had the privilege of working on property tax legislation to bring millions of dollars back to Orange County and 12 other counties in California that were receiving a disproportionate share of property tax dollars in comparison to the amount they were sending to Sacramento. This was due largely in part to a complex formula that was created around Proposition 13 and the fact that counties like ours, and many others, did not have infrastructure as developed as Los Angeles and San Francisco, which receive a far greater share of property tax dollars. If youre thinking weve been short-changed, youre right. With sales tax being a volatile revenue stream for Costa Mesa, we have seen in past years a fluctuation in sales tax income of as much as 25%. Sales tax revenue is currently more than $50 million, but has dropped below $40 million, while property tax revenue has been a steady stream of more than $20 million. With the current concerns over the cost of operating police and fire departments, not to mention their looming unfunded pension liabilities, shouldnt Costa Mesa officials do everything they can to ensure funding for the next 30 years? Measure Z, the proposed Costa Mesa First initiative labeled a smart growth initiative is not really that smart for our city when you do the math. Property taxes from older Prop. 13 homes bring in far less money per home, whereas new homes bring in much more. Although there are many houses being sold in Costa Mesa and those new sales will be assessed at the higher rate, it is not enough to offset any sudden decline in our economy or a recession, as economists still warn us may happen. When it does, our sales tax revenue will plummet and so may the value of homes. We may even see much of our aging population that are living off the equity of their homes under water. We can prevent this today through real smart growth initiatives enacted through our City Council and not through a costly initiative process that will ultimately end in lawsuits over its constitutionality, as was the case in 1987. Lets propose smart-growth ordinances that bring in new families, who will in turn help increase sales tax revenue. Lets create housing projects that celebrate the eclectic history of our city and also promote community. Lets support low-income housing that otherwise would be stifled by the Costa Mesa First initiative, which does not provide for a true, mandated exemption, as it falsely claims. Finally, lets not push developers away from our city through an initiative that puts too many restrictions and hurdles upon them, but instead create a smarter plan that invites them to be part of a vision that will allow generations of families to remain here and continue to call Costa Mesa their home. Lets encourage, and even demand, our elected representatives create a smart-growth alternative to the dangerous and unlawful no-growth initiative that creates gentrification in our communities. As counties such as Orange, Riverside and San Diego are rapidly moving in the direction of voters being registered Democratic, Sacramento will pay more attention to the needs of these counties in an attempt to woo more voters. Undoubtedly, compromises will need to be made to ensure that counties, such as ours, will receive a greater share of property tax dollars. When that happens, do we want to miss out on potentially millions of dollars in property tax that could help fund police, fire, parks and help pay off the unfunded pension liabilities? Do we want our children and grandchildren to be left paying our debt because we voted for an initiative that took away their future? Do we want to see our community overrun by crime-infested motels because our leaders didnt have the resolve to tell the voters what they were really voting for? Residents of Costa Mesa, the future rests on you. Contact your mayor and City Council members today and demand they work together on a smart solution for growth in our city. Make them do their jobs and hold them accountable; they work for you. If the Costa Mesa First Initiative passes, all residents lose. -- DOUG VOGEL lives in Costa Mesa. It was an opening reminiscent of a blockbuster premiere when the Walt Disney Co. hosted the Glendale Historical Societys Come Fly With Us gala and benefit at the spruced-up Grand Central Air Terminal. Guests, some dressed in 1920s finery, walked a red carpet and stopped for a photo in front of the paparazzi backdrop before entering the building. Disney has completed the restoration and rehabilitation of the terminal that was built in 1929 and whose frequent flyers included Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart. Architect Henry Gogerty combined the style of Spanish Colonial Revival with Zigzag Moderne in the terminals design. The last flight from the historic air field was in 1959. The terminal and adjacent buildings were purchased by Disney in 1997. The Glendale Historical Society was a strong advocate for the restoration of the terminal over the years and was heavily involved throughout the renovation process from 2013 to 2015 to ensure that the buildings historic features were preserved. Disney employees inhabit office space on the second floor. A visitors center, which will be open to the public later this month on a limited, reservation-only basis, has photographs of famous aviators and other mementos on display. For more information, go to https://bit.ly/1Uzg2NM. Guests chatted during the gala while partaking of hors doeuvres and signature cocktails in the event room, which originally was the passenger waiting area. Among those enjoying the event were Richard and Carol Lee and Gail Egan, who donned a flappers dress. Perusing the vintage photos in the visitors center was community volunteer Patty Mack, who recalled coming with her parents to see Earhart at the historic terminal. Her father snapped several photos of the famous aviatrix. Greg Grammer, society president, thanked Disney and G &C Properties for sponsoring the event and Forest Lawn for donating the flowers. Grammer then presented the first Preservation Award to Disneys Adam Gilbert, director of corporate real estate and asset management, and Steve Milam, senior project manager who oversaw the renovation that was completed by the design team of Frederick Fisher & Partners Architects, Pamela Burton & Co. Landscape Architecture and Historic Resources Group. Grand Central serves as a model for adaptive reuse and the kind wed like to see more of in Glendale, Grammer said. The second award for Outstanding Achievement in Historic Preservation went to the Niodrara Drive Historic District, which includes 32 houses and is distinguished by examples of Period Revival, Ranch, Modern and an American Foursquare from 1912, one of the oldest houses in the Verdugo Woodlands. This is the seventh historic district to be designated in Glendale. Accepting the award were Cathy Jurca and Laura Crook. Jurca, the historical societys vice president, was the applicant for the award, and Crook is a society board member. The two worked diligently to get the district through the application process. Crook also served on the gala committee with Jeri Anderson, Sean Bersell, Leslie and Robert Gordon, Marica Hanford, Victoria Lasken, Sonia Montejano, Scott Smissen and Ralph Ziegler. Attending the event were Mayor Paula Devine, council members Laura Friedman, Vartan Gharpetian and Zareh Sinanyan as well as Glendale Unified School District Board President Armina Gharpetian. Proceeds from the evening, which included a silent auction, benefit the societys endowment and preservation funds, which allow the society to continue to be a strong voice for preservation in Glendale. JOYCE RUDOLPH can be reached at rudolphjoyce10@gmail.com. A Huntington Beach duo proved their worth as the chili champs of Surf City, as they won the peoples choice category at the 2016 Chili at the Beach competition for the fourth year in a row. Chili Royale beat 20 other chili competitors, while first-timers Chili Maximus won the judges choice. Last year, Chili Royale won the peoples choice and judges choice awards. Advertisement Join the conversation on Facebook >> Angelo Barriga, who leads Chili Royale with friend Nicholas Fisher, said he felt disappointed about not placing in the judges choice category but excited to win peoples choice again. It feels like a huge relief because of all the hard work we put into it, the 35-year-old said. The work put into this is just weeks and weeks of marketing and trying to get it right. Randys Salsa also came out on top in the salsa competition, with the group winning in both the judges choice and peoples choice categories. Fifteen groups competed in the chili competition. The event also included vendors, carnival games and live music. -- Brittany Woolsey, brittany.woolsey@latimes.com Twitter: @BrittanyWoolsey ALSO Mermaids come ashore at Huntington Beach to the delight of onlookers Commission agrees with residents: 2-story homes on private lot would be a detriment Ziggy three-peats in Purina surf dog competition Flash European Council President Donald Tusk warned the impact a Brexit would have on the European Union (EU) and urged British citizens to vote to stay in the European Union during his official visit here on Monday. Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa (R) speaks with European Council President Donald Tusk during their meeting at Sao Bento Palace in Lisbon, Portugal on June 20, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] "I want to call for all British citizens, on behalf of, I know that for a fact, almost all European leaders: Stay with us; we need you," Tusk told journalists at the prime minister's residence in Lisbon. Not only Europe, but also the Western community would become weaker if Britain were to leave the EU, he added. "The biggest threat, in fact, is what we don't know, about the possible consequences of Brexit and I have no doubt that the political and geopolitical consequences are completely unpredictable," he warned. "If we have something massive and unpredictable in politics, it always means something very dangerous and this is real, it is not a theory." When asked what his biggest fear was about Brexit, he replied: "The biggest fear is that it can encourage other Eurosceptics to leave, it can be the first step of disintegration," he said about potential risk of the EU breaking up. He concluded that in Portugal and other member states you could feel a lack of confidence in Europe which meant a "massive" risk. His comments came only days before the British go to the polls to decide on whether or not to remain in the EU. Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa also highlighted the risks of a Brexit, pointing out Britain and Portugal had the "oldest bilateral relationship in Europe." Portugal's progress and a possible sanction for having missed its eurozone deficit target was another issue both officials commented on. "I am happy to know that Portugal has come a long way since the financial crisis. And I want to be very clear: For sure Portugal is on the right track. I have no doubts," Tusk said. Costa also highlighted that Portugal was on the right track and insisted the EU not punish the country. "What is important is to confirm that the implementation this year is running in line with our forecasts, and therefore sanctions are even less justified," Costa pointed out. "Even though we did not reach the objective last year, this year we are on a positive trajectory, as the execution data both on the revenue side and on the expenditure side have confirmed. I hope that convinces the EU not to apply sanctions of this kind." Regarding the refugee crisis, Costa said a "common response" was needed by the EU and said a feeling of confidence by citizens in Europe was required to face terrorism, external threats, and economic challenges ahead. Tusk, who has urged for global solidarity, thanked Portugal for its active role in the refugee crisis and pointed out that the country was an example to follow in this domain. Heres a chance to chill and learn history from Americas Last Frontier: Alaskas bush pilots will share tales from the 49th state during free, summertime chats in Anchorage. For $30, you also can fly in a floatplane as part of the Talk on the Dock program. Advertisement The lectures are on the dock of the Lakefront Anchorage hotel, which sits on the shore of Lake Hood, a large seaplane base just a few miles from downtown. Hotel guests and the public are welcome at the talks at 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Sept. 15. After the 20-minute presentation by pilots from Regal Air, attendees can hop aboard a floatplane for a tour of the city and the mountains. The 15-minute rides take off and land on water. No advance booking is needed. And dont worry about it getting dark. The sun doesnt set in Anchorage in late June until shortly before midnight. Info: (907) 243-2300. Anchorage visitors who want to delve further into the storied history of bush pilots in the unforgiving wilderness should make time to see the Alaska Aviation Museum, also beside Lake Hood. ALSO 5 ways to beat the heat at theme parks this summer Whats cooler than a pool in the desert? Becoming a mermaid in a pool in the desert heres how How to see Edinburgh, Scotland, in just one day? Go from chapel to castle to pub Heres how you can catch some of the worlds biggest waves without sticking a toe in the water. Surfing photographer Zak Noyle shares some of his epic images in an exhibition at T Galleria by DFS in Honolulu. Noyle captured photos of mega-waves -- some a stunning 50 feet high -- on Feb. 25, 2016, along Oahus North Shore, famous for its surfing contests. Advertisement Noyle was the only photographer allowed in the water during the Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau, a competition that only takes place when swells reach a minimum of 20 feet. Eddie Aikau was a popular North Shore lifeguard and surfer who disappeared at sea during a doomed canoeing expedition in 1978. Clyde Aikau helped honor his older brothers memory during the February event. In addition to the photos, the exhibition also contains the gear Noyle used to capture his images, and the surfboard used by Koa Rothman, who at 22 was this years youngest competitor in the Quiksilver contest. A selection of Noyles artwork and T-shirts are for sale too. The exhibition continues through Aug. 31 at the gallery. Info: T Galleria by DFS, 330 Royal Hawaiian Ave., Honolulu; (808) 931-2700 ALSO Please dont feed Hawaiis rare state bird, the nene, and dont run over it either Good times light the nights in San Diegos Gaslamp Quarter Hilton Garden Inn comes to Waikiki Beach in a really big way Chinese President Xi Jinping eats breakfast before dawn. He speaks in a bold, down-to-earth manner and is capable of drawing a room to nod in praise. And the head of state is incredibly diligent: While others are gathering for family dinners or watching TV, Xi is still burning the midnight oil. These are some of the revelations in an article published Monday in the Shanghai Observer newspaper, a largely state-funded new-media platform founded in January (read the English translation here). Titled How does Xi Jinping pass the day? the article has been republished seemingly everywhere in Chinese media, including the home page of the official New China News Agency website. While many other world leaders daily comings and goings are well-publicized to the media and their official residences (like the White House) may be open for public tours, Chinas leaders still remain cloaked in a high degree of secrecy -- hence the fanfare over the Shanghai Observer story. Advertisement In the article, the reporter follows Xi throughout a busy day at the office. Already working before daybreak, Xi reads his briefing and meets with representatives of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and Tanzanian President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete. The hagiographer-journalist praises Xis speaking style and wisdom, noting how he easily defused a tense moment with Kikwete. At a time when anger over income inequality and egregious displays of government corruption is simmering, fawning media coverage like this seems aimed at setting Xi apart from his predecessors by making the leader appear more amiable and transparent. With Chinese officials often presented as grand figures by the strictly controlled state media, many Chinese dont know what their unelected leaders actually do. In China, leaders work and lives remain mysteries, said Hu Xingdou, a professor of economics at the Beijing Institute of Technology. In the past, the more mysterious leaders were, the more unfamiliar they were to people, the more people would worship them, he said. But nowadays, the more unfamiliar you are to people, the more distant you appear, he said. A good deal of the article is dedicated to how efficient and hardworking the Chinese leader is. Xi is described as working at high speed and with great energy, and at work both at day and night. He says he finds joy in exhaustion both in the office and at home. Since Xi took office, his public relations team has been working to present him as someone to whom the average Chinese person can relate. He has been photographed eating an austere dinner with a rural family, ordering steamed buns at a fast-food chain and shooting a video in the secretive compounds of Zhongnanhai. The Hong Kong-based newspaper Ta Kung Pao reported that Xi took a common taxi ride last April -- though the New China News Agency later debunked the story as fake. Most recently, a photo of Xi in Wuhan holding an umbrella, his pants rolled up to keep his cuffs dry, won the countrys top photojournalism prize on Oct. 22. The photo might not seem particularly technically or stylistically notable, but it quickly caught steam on Chinese social media platforms. Mondays profile of Xi was published as Beijing is preparing for the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference, which will see world leaders including President Obama visit the Chinese capital in November. Already, Chinas government has announced a raft of special measures unseen since the 2008 Olympics, designed to present the Chinese capital as a place free of pollution and traffic. Burnishing Xis image is another part of the package. Silbert is a special correspondent. In a gravelly riverbed blooming with dry desert brush, conservationist Dharmendra Khandal pointed to the spot where villagers once set a deadly trap for two young male tigers. A few years ago, a tiger had wandered into a field at the edge of Ranthambore, a famed wildlife reserve, and mauled two goats belonging to a local farmer. In retaliation, he injected pesticide into the goat carcasses, a common method of killing tigers who return to feed on their slaughter. Two goatherds walked alongside Khandal, nodding in understanding. Their community had long viewed tigers as a threat. But instead of opposing the great predator, they have become unlikely players in a decade-long battle to save it. Armed with special cameras, 30 villagers have collected the most detailed records ever of the movements of the big cats along the edges of one of Indias main tiger sanctuaries. Their work has offered new information about the pathways tigers use to move in and out of the reserve, giving officials a chance to protect the endangered species habitat in the ever shrinking forests of central India. Advertisement The innovative project comes as Indias tiger population the largest in the world experiences a remarkable comeback. In 2006, a national census found that as few as 1,165 tigers remained from an estimated population of 45,000 a century ago. Poaching, shrinking habitats, disappearing prey and conflicts with humans posed such a threat that conservationists worried that the 10-foot cat would someday become extinct. By 2014, however, Indias official tally of tigers had almost doubled. That drove the worldwide population of wild tigers up to at least 3,890 this year the first recorded global increase after decades of decline. Indian authorities had evolved more accurate counting methods, but conservationists agreed the recovery was also due to improvements in Indias forest service and greater local efforts to combat poaching and other human threats. At the center of the battle in Ranthambore is Khandal, a tall, thick-mustached scientist who runs an organization called Tiger Watch out of a prefab office outside the national park in the northwestern state of Rajasthan. Khandal, 42, has watched the tiger population of the park a former hunting ground for Rajasthani royals swell from 18 in 2005 to as many as 60 adults and cubs today. About 10 tigers are born every year now in and around Ranthambore, offering tourists hardy enough to withstand 115-degree summer heat among the best chances anywhere to see the animals in the wild. Advertisement The tigress Mala wanders through Ranthambore National Park, where the tiger population has risen from 18 a decade ago to nearly 60. (Shashank Bengali / Los Angeles Times ) On a scorching morning recently, a cluster of jeeps and open-top buses gathered below a rocky hillside to observe the tigress Mala, or necklace, named for the broken stripes along her side that resemble a string of beads. After a long, lazy stretch, Mala suddenly stood up. Instantly, she darted across a bed of rocks and into a clutch of golden brush where she had spotted a large sambar deer. Mala clawed at the giant prey, then climbed on top and smothered the fallen deer. Tourists stared slack-jawed as Mala lay there for several minutes before dragging the fleshy body up the hillside under the shade of a tree. Its much easier to see the tigers than before, said a rail-thin guide with thick black hair who goes by Ved, who has worked here for two decades. But the disturbances to the park and the animals are more and more. More than 150 villages are within a little more than a mile of Ranthambores boundaries, a thick human density that would challenge any wildlife sanctuary but particularly one that houses tigers the ultimate solitary beast. As the tigers range farther afield to find space and prey, it has put them in increasingly direct conflict with farmers and herders. Advertisement Last year, a 10-year-old male popularly known as Ustad (meaning master) was confined to captivity after he mauled a park ranger, his fourth human victim in five years. This March, a tigress known as T-35 who left the park years earlier was found dead of a suspected poisoning in a forest 70 miles from Ranthambore. T-35s journey underscored that Ranthambore is part of a network of tiger habitats stretching across hundreds of miles. To ensure that the population continues to thrive, forest officials are trying to map and protect the corridors tigers use to move in the wild. The challenge now isnt that the tiger population is declining its that its growing, Khandal said. Inside the park is the forest departments job. But it was becoming clear that you also had to look at was going on outside. He found allies in the Gujjars, a tribal community that raises sheep and goats in the scrubland ringing the park. In early 2013, Khandal met Hanuman Singh Gujjar, a goatherd who was working with the state forest department. For about $25 a month, Gujjar would send forest officials information about tigers he spotted near the windswept fields outside the park where he lived. When the forest department stopped paying Gujjar, saying they couldnt afford to hire him full time, Khandal stepped in with funding from Tiger Watch. A young male tiger was on the move from Ranthambore. Khandal gave Gujjar a camera trap a camera fitted with an infrared motion sensor, used to capture images of animals in the wild and the goatherd set off on an old motorcycle. Advertisement The challenge now isnt that the tiger population is declining its that its growing. Dharmendra Khandal, Tiger Watch Over the next six weeks, Gujjar followed the tiger through the bush for nearly 150 tire-blistering miles, tracking its pug marks, capturing photos and marking GPS positions on a cellphone. We realized how much time they take, how far they travel, the routes they use to cross rivers and canals, Khandal said. It fine-tuned our knowledge. With forest department support, Khandal now employs about 30 villagers as wildlife trackers, paying each about $40 per month. On a recent afternoon, his cell phone buzzed every few minutes with photographs from the trackers cameras. Hidden behind tree branches or near the carcasses of prey, the cameras have obtained images of elusive predators such as tigers, leopards and even the caracal, a pointy-eared cat that is a rare sight in Ranthambore. The information has helped forest officials chart three corridors tigers use to move between Ranthambore and the nearby Kailadevi sanctuary. Last month, authorities finalized a proposal to relocate five villages and compensate residents to reduce pressure on the pathways. Advertisement These villagers have done some extraordinary work so far, said Y.K. Sahu, field director at Ranthambore. What we have discovered is we cant work in seclusion. We need help from the local population. Dharmendra Khandal, right, reviews images with two village wildlife trackers outside Ranthambore. (Shashank Bengali / Los Angeles Times ) Khandal, who holds a doctorate in wetland ecology, does not consider himself a tiger expert. Smaller animals have long been his passion. His cellphone ring tones are bird calls, and he devoted his early career to discovering new spider species in Indian forests. When he was hired by Tiger Watch in 2003, poaching was the gravest threat to the predators, due mainly to demand in China for tiger parts that are used in traditional medicines, worn as charms or eaten as delicacies. Khandal went after the killers with brio, leading raids on suspects homes that helped authorites capture more than 70 people, 40 weapons and dozens of skins. Yet poaching and seizures of tiger parts are rising. The Wildlife Protection Society of India says at least 30 tigers have been lost to illegal killings in the first half of 2016, the most in any six-month period since the group began tracking the crimes eight years ago. Advertisement India may be doing well in terms of numbers of tigers, but the poaching problem and demand from China is getting worse, said Belinda Wright, the societys executive director. The wildlife trackers in Ranthambore have gathered dozens of tips on poaching networks and passed them onto authorities. They have found and defused crude bombs used to kill small animals made of gunpowder packed into balls of dough that deprive predators of their prey and have sometimes injured humans. Last month, a camera trap captured an image of two men on a motorcycle with a high-powered flashlight and guns slung over their shoulders. Police tracked down the bike but the suspected poachers remain at large. People here want to protect the tigers; we just want to make sure that we, too, are protected, said Naresh Gujjar Sawta, 28, who has worked with Tiger Watch since 2014. We all live in this forest so it makes sense that we look out for them. shashank.bengali@latimes.com For more news from South Asia, follow @SBengali on Twitter Advertisement ALSO Scientists deploy Frankenturtles in Chesapeake Bay to boost survival of loggerheads Rare toads (presumably) love him; off-roaders do not Bald eagles pose an increasing risk at U.S. airports. Heres how officials are trying to protect them. The debate over whether Britain should exit the European Union has swirled around such issues as immigration and jobs. But here in Germany, the big fear is that that the departure of its most important free-market ally could leave the continents economic powerhouse perilously isolated. Approval of a so-called Brexit by British voters on Thursday could be devastating for Germany, whose free-trade, pro-markets Weltanschauung could find itself, without Britain, newly challenged by calls for even more extensive social welfare policies and creeping protectionism in a smaller and diminished EU. Britains departure could upset what has been a delicate balance of power, forcing Germany to take a leadership role that it has long eschewed, in part for fear of awakening the ghosts of its early and mid-20th century attempts to dominate Europe. Advertisement It would be a nightmare for Germany if Britain votes to leave the EU. Ingo Peters, political scientist at Berlinas Free University These fears are especially prominent in France, which has long relied on Britain as a counterweight to its powerful neighbor. The biggest worry is that a British exit could lead to the unraveling of the 28-member European Union itself after six decades of peace and prosperity on a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual continent that had been scarred by centuries of warfare. It would be a nightmare for Germany if Britain votes to leave the EU, said Ingo Peters, a political scientist at Berlins Free University. It would be negative not only for the obvious economic reasons and trade issues, but Brexit would also undermine institutions such as the EU, as well as NATO. Not far down the road, he said, well see a return of fears of a German hegemony, and cartoons...around Europe of [German Chancellor Angela] Merkel wearing a Hitler mustache. The vote in Britain is expected to be extremely close. Opinion polls published Monday from other EU countries, on the other hand, showed overwhelming support for the Remain campaign. You can feel that this is an historic moment the end of one era and the start of something new, European Council President Donald Tusk said in an interview with Germanys Bild newspaper. No one can foresee the long-term consequences of Brexit, Tusk said. I fear, as a trained historian myself, it could be the beginning of the end of the EU and political civilization in the West. In a research note for the geopolitical consulting firm Stratfor on Tuesday, Adriano Bosoni argued that Europes ability to handle shocks such as the eurozone crisis, the massive influx of refugees and a more assertive Russia could be weakened. If Britain withdraws from the continental bloc, its primary effect would be geopolitical, shaking the balance of power in Europe to its very foundation and forcing the bloc to rethink its role in the world, Bosoni wrote. Contagion is a palpable fear, with some leaders in Scotland raising the prospect of another vote for independence from Britain in order to remain in the EU. There are worries that nationalist groups will seize on Britons bid for more control over immigration and fiscal policies to push for their own EU divorces. Why the idea of Brexit Britains exit from the European Union is shaking up markets worldwide Theres a clear danger of a domino effect, said Ulrike Guerot, director of the European Democracy Lab at the European School of Governance in Berlin. Voters in other countries after this will be saying, we want to vote on the EU too. Merkel has sought to stay out of the fray, fearing her opposition could be counterproductive. Yet she has not remained entirely silent. I would personally hope and wish for the United Kingdom to stay part and parcel of the EU, she said recently. We work together well. And whenever we negotiate new rules, you can have more of an influence on the debate when youve got a seat at the table than you have when youre on the outside. German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble bluntly warned Britain that it should not expect any special treatment if it votes to leave. In is in and out is out, he told Der Spiegel magazine recently in an issue, published in both German and English, with a cover that said: Please dont go. Years of free trade are at stake for both Germany and Britain. Britain is Germanys third largest export market, purchasing 120 billion euros a year worth of goods and services and more German cars than any other country. An estimated 45% of Britains exports are destined for EU countries. Munichs Ifo Institute for Economic Research recently calculated that Britains exit could cost Germany an immediate 0.1 to 0.3 percentage points of gross domestic growth per year, and up to three percentage points over the long run. Germany would probably be the biggest loser of a Brexit, Ifo President Clemens Fuest said, aside from Britain itself. Kirschbaum is a special correspondent ALSO Column: Brexit is just a symptom of a larger crisis Potential for Brexit adds to need for rate hike caution, Feds Janet Yellen says U.S. stocks hold steady as Brexit vote nears Op-Ed: Dear Brits: Dont listen to the U.S. on Brexit Israeli troops shot and killed a 14-year-old Palestinian boy early Tuesday in the West Bank and wounded four others, a Palestinian official said. Wajih Ahmad, head of the Beit Ur al-Tahta local council, said the teen, Mahmoud Badran, was killed when the car he was traveling in was fired upon by an Israeli military patrol. The hospital in the West Bank city of Ramallah said another Palestinian was moderately wounded and three others were lightly wounded. The military said it was responding to Palestinians throwing rocks and firebombs on vehicles on a busy road in the area in which three civilians were hurt. It said Israeli forces tried to protect other vehicles and fired toward suspects. From the initial inquiry it appears that uninvolved bystanders were mistakenly hit during the pursuit, the military said in a statement. Advertisement See the most-read stories in World News this hour Over the last nine months, Palestinians have carried out dozens of attacks, including stabbings, shootings and car-ramming assaults, which have killed 32 Israelis and two Americans. About 200 Palestinians have been killed during that time. Israel has identified most of them as attackers while the rest died in clashes with Israeli troops. The assaults were once near-daily incidents but they have become less frequent in recent weeks. Also Tuesday, the Israeli military demolished the home of a Palestinian who stabbed to death an American tourist and war veteran in an attack earlier this year. The troops entered the West Bank village of Hajjah to knock down the residence of Bashar Masalha. In March, he killed Taylor Force and wounded 10 others in a stabbing attack on a Tel Aviv beachfront promenade. Force was a Vanderbilt University graduate student visiting Israel during a school trip. He previously graduated from West Point and served tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. Masalha was killed by police after the attack. Israel says it carries out housing demolitions to deter future attacks. The Palestinians consider it a form of collective punishment. MORE NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD Car bomb kills 6 Jordanian security officials near Syrian refugee camp 14 Nepalese guards killed in suicide blast in Afghanistan Why the idea of Brexit Britains exit from the European Union is shaking up markets worldwide An explosion near a Syrian refugee camp in the remote northeastern corner of Jordan killed at least six security officials and wounded 14 others on Tuesday, army officials said. A car bomb blew up near a sand berm a few hundred yards from the Rukban refugee camp, a Jordanian army statement said, quoting an unnamed military official. The camp lies 8 miles southwest of where the borders of Jordan, Iraq and Syria converge. The blast, the statement said, targeted a forward military post manned by army soldiers, civil defense officials and Jordanian border guard forces offering assistance to the refugees. Advertisement An earlier statement added that a number of the hostile attacking vehicles near the berm were destroyed. The car came from the direction of the Syrian border, a Jordanian military official with the armys media office said, and investigations were still ongoing to determine the amount of explosives used. Jordans foreign minister, Nasser Judeh, tweeted on Tuesday that Jordans military was attacked by the hand of cowardice and terrorism. He vowed that this evil will be defeated. See more of our top stories on Facebook >> Rukban, a featureless desert area that once served as an informal crossing between Jordan and Syria, has become the makeshift home of tens of thousands of Syrians fleeing the violence in their country to Jordan. In recent months, fighting in Syrias Homs and Raqqa provinces -- where many areas are controlled by Islamic State -- has swelled the number of refugees at Rukban to an unprecedented 68,000 people, according to figures by UNHCR, the U.N.s refugee agency. Video footage uploaded by refugees in Rukban depicts a sprawl of tents stretching for miles between sand berms marking the demilitarized zone between the two countries. The borders unclear delineation has made it illegal for relief organizations and the Jordanian military to administer aid in the camp itself for fear of inadvertently entering Syrian territory. Despite the growing mass of refugees on its border and growing pressure from international aid groups, Jordan has only permitted a trickle of asylum seekers -- anywhere from 50 to 100 people per day -- into the country. It has insisted that all who enter must undergo extensive security screening to ensure they do not sympathize with Islamic State. Throughout the five-year civil war raging in Syria, Jordanian authorities have often reported foiling attempts by unknown parties to cross into the country from Syria. The security situation along the border pushed Jordan to award an $18.6-million contract to U.S. defense contractor Raytheon to install passive barrier fencing, sensors, cameras and a command and control system across areas of the Jordan-Syrian border including Rukban, according to a statement released by Raytheon in October of last year. Jordan, an important regional ally of the U.S., joined the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State in 2014. Last year one of its pilots, Lt. Moaz Kasasbeh, was captured and brutally murdered by the militant group after his plane crashed over Syria. Earlier this month, three officers with Jordans General Intelligence Directorate and two others were shot by a gunman near the Jordanian capital, Amman, in what was said to be an attack inspired by the Islamic State. Jordan has also provided support to Syrian rebel factions fighting Islamic State near the Tanf border between Syria and Iraq, 12 miles northeast of Rukban. Bulos is a special correspondent. ALSO Man arrested in Brussels after security alert about suspicious package 10 years ago Indias tigers were vanishing. Heres how a few villagers with cameras are helping to save them Turkeys president vows to pursue project that sparked deadly protests UPDATES: 3:52 a.m.: This article was updated with information about U.S. defense contractor Raytheon. This article was originally published at 3:32 a.m. We already know about the abysmal state of education in Mexico, where students routinely score near the bottom of international testing. But a new report by a Mexico-based think tank has revealed some real zingers, including 70 teachers who haul in more pesos than the president of the nation (the equivalent of about $15,000 a month). One impoverished state, Hidalgo, was said to have more than 1,000 teachers listed as 100 or more years old. The Mexican Institute for Competitiveness (IMCO) calculated the average teachers monthly salary at 25,000 pesos, or nearly $2,000, making it the highest paid profession in the country. Advertisement That salary is nearly three times the average of any other salary, thanks in large part to powerful labor unions that have secured high wages for teachers, who can sell their positions to friends or bequeath them to relatives, none of whom ever have to be tested for abilities or skills. Most of the highest paid educators are in the impoverished and violent coastal state of Veracruz. In Hidalgo, all 1,440 centennarian teachers who top the pay scale seem to have the same birth date, IMCO said. Hidalgos state education secretary went on television later Thursday to clarify that the states oldest teacher is only 84 and said the study misinterpreted some pensions as pay. IMCO said it culled its information from reports that state governments send to the federal education department. The full report, in Spanish, is available online. Meanwhile, Thursday was the national Day of the Teacher. Several thousand teachers and their supporters marked the occasion by marching through Mexico City, tying up traffic and blocking government buildings. It was a paid holiday. On 20 June Paraguays President Horacio Cartes announced that he had accepted the resignation tendered by the head of the national anti-drugs agency (Senad), Luis Rojas. End of preview - This article contains approximately 477 words. Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article Not a Subscriber? Choose from one of the following options Hillary Clinton has built a commanding seven-point lead over Donald Trump in a new national poll that pits the two presumptive presidential nominees head to head. A Monmouth University poll now finds Clinton leading Trump 47 percent to 40 percent, with just six percent of voters insisting they remain undecided. Almost 60 Percent of Voters Keen on Stopping Trump Perhaps even more troubling to Trump and Republicans, nearly 60 percent of voters indicate they view preventing him from ascending to the Oval Office as important. Among likely voters, Clinton's lead swells to eight points (49 percent to 41 percent) and in the 10 states where President Barack Obama's margin of victory in 2012 was less than seven points Clinton leads 47 percent to 39 percent. The poll was conducted days after an Islamic State sympathizer opened fire on an Orlando nightclub filled with gay patrons, killing 49 before being killed in a shootout with police. Trump reacted to the tragedy by reasserting his call for a ban on Muslims entering the U.S. and criticizing both Clinton and President Obama over what he branded as their "weak" response to radical Islamist terrorism. Bloomberg Poll has Trump Down Double Digits In addition to the Monmouth poll, a recent Bloomberg poll found Clinton with an even larger 12-point lead over Trump at 49 percent to 37 percent. The RealClearPolitics national average shows Clinton ahead by nearly 6 percentage points, a lead that has only grown since late May. The Monmouth poll also finds Clinton topping Trump among independents (42 percent to 37 percent), women, and people of all ages between 18 and 34 (54 percent to 34 percent) and 35 and 54 year-olds (47 percent to 39 percent). Clinton also leads within the margin of error among those 55 and older (44 percent to 43 percent). Among registered voters, 49 percent overall said it is "very important" that Trump not become president, while another 10 percent called it "somewhat important." The U.S. Supreme Court is poised to decide the issue of if detained immigrants facing deportation proceedings should be allowed bail hearings after spending more than six months in custody. The case stems from a 2010 class-action lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union against the Immigrations and Custom Enforcement (ICE) branch of the U.S. government. More specifically, the case revolves around the plight of 1,000 immigrants in California, all of whom languished behind bars for extended periods after being accosted for either crossing the border illegally or committing certain crimes while considered legal residents. ACLU officials have long argued that immigrants held in detention centers across the country who demonstrate that they will show up for court hearings and pose no public threat should be entitled to the right to go before a judge for a bail hearing. California Court, Appeals Court Have Already Decided in Favor of Detainees A California court has already sided with the ACLU, and the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco later upheld the lower court's verdict on appeal. Still, the U.S. Department of Justice argues that the appeal court's decision was "fundamentally wrong" and has now "dramatically expanded the number of people eligible for hearings and set a high bar for the government." Lead Plantiff Spent Years at Detention Center The lead plaintiff in the case is identified as Alejandro Rodriguez, who was brought to the U.S. as an infant and became a legal permanent resident. Back in 2003, Rodriguez was convicted of drug possession and ordered to be deported. Over time, he spent three years in detention and data shows once an immigrant is held over six months the typical stay for a detainee at the Central District of California center is well over a year. The ACLU argues such acts are unconstitutional, setting the stage for the high court to hear the case during its next term running from October until June 2017. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials (ICE) have nabbed 331 people in a series of raids targeting undocumented immigrants across six Midwest states. The sweeps were carried out in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Kansas and Missouri and are described as targeting those previously convicted of crimes and other immigration related violations. Sweeps Spanned More Than a Month The operation took part over a five week period, spanning from May 9 to earlier this month. As many as 107 people are reported to have been arrested in Chicago, with another 25 apprehensions coming in the Indianapolis area. "Our dedicated officers strive to make our communities safer by arresting convicted criminal aliens and removing them from the United States," said Ricardo Wong, field officer director for Enforcement and Removal Operations in Chicago. "By focusing our resources on the most egregious offenders, we ensure the very best use of our resources while immediately improving public safety." ICE officials noted of the 25 arrest in Indiana, 23 of the suspects have previously been convicted of crimes in the U.S. ranging from drugs to fraud to domestic violence. In Illinois, 96 of those arrested had been convicted of crimes including robbery, aggravated sexual abuse and weapons offenses. "Those arrested who have outstanding orders of deportation, or who returned to the United States illegally after being deported, are subject to immediate removal from the country," according to a statement from ICE. Remaining individuals are awaiting a hearing with an immigration judge. Kansas City Reported to Have 39 Arrests Reports are there were also 39 arrests made in the Kansas City area, including that of a 25-year-old Mexican national and documented Sur 13 gang member with a prior conviction for sexual assault and an outstanding warrant for deportation, which has since been executed. In another case, a 28-year-old Mexican national with a prior conviction for weapons violations was arrested and remains in the custody of Ice officials pending the outcome of deportation proceedings. A 44-year-old Freemansburg man must stay away from his wife after hitting her with a TV remote as he yelled at her, borough police report in court papers. Kenneth Monahan, of the 700 block of Bach Court, was arraigned Sunday afternoon before on-call District Judge James Narlesky on charges of simple assault and harassment, court papers say. Police allege that an intoxicated Monahan about 6 p.m. Saturday was screaming at his wife and then threw the remote. The device hit his wife in the chest and face, causing bruises, police said. Monahan's wife "became extremely afraid, grabbed the children and left the residence for a friend's house in New Jersey," police said. Monahan was released on $2,500 unsecured bail and can't go into his wife's home or place of business, court papers say. A preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled 9:30 a.m. July 8 in the district court at 1214 Stefko Boulevard in Bethlehem. Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A 32-year-old Bethlehem woman is charged with assaulting her wife, city police report in court papers. Velma Santiago, of the 1800 block of Oberly Drive, just after 10 a.m. Saturday "mushed" her 26-year-old wife in the face, police said. Santiago then flipped over a living room coffee table, picked up broken pieces and threw them at her wife, injuring her right wrist and shoulder, police said. The argument began when Santiago's wife confronted her about swearing in front of children, police said. Santiago was arraigned Saturday afternoon before on-call District Judge James Narlesky on charges of domestic-violence-related simple assault and harassment, court papers say. She was released on $1,500 unsecured bail, but she can have no contact with her wife, court papers say. A preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled 9:30 a.m. July 1 in the district court at 1214 Stefko Boulevard in Bethlehem. Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Someone lit three fires in less than an hour Tuesday morning in Downtown Easton. The first fire was reported at 9:23 a.m. in a Dumpster in the Easton Arts Building Court off the 200 block of Ferry Street. The rear of a building that fronts Northampton Street and hosts a day care center was left with a burn pattern about three feet up its rear wall. The second fire -- this one destroyed a mattress next to a Dumpster -- was reported at 9:59 a.m. in the 200 block of Church Street, about two blocks from the first fire. The third fire was reported at 10:11 a.m. in the rear of a home at 241 Ferry St., across the street from the first fire. It only burned a bit below the siding. "It looks like he graduated," Easton fire Chief John Bast said. "He tried to set a building on fire." No one was initially in custody. The city police and fire departments were working together on the investigation. The second fire could have been worse, property owner Francis Pinter said. The Dumpster had been emptied in the past hour, there were no cars parked nearby in the lot and the owner of Lauter's Fine Furniture rushed out and used a fire extinguisher to control the fire, Pinter said. As it was, the mattress burned quickly, he said, and all that was left was the metal frame. Jeff Zemenak said he did what anyone would do. The owner of the furniture store figures he is a quick thinker, so it didn't take long to decide what to do. Someone driving by told him there was a fire in the lot and he ran out to check on it, quickly reversing field to grab a fire extinguisher. When he got across the parking lot, flames were about a foot and a half high off the mattress -- which wasn't from his store, he said. His goal was to contain the fire until firefighters arrived, he said. He emptied the extinguisher, shooting it under the Dumpster as well to make sure there was no fire there. Flames were pretty much gone by the time he went back in the store, he said. "I just tried to help the fire department," he said later from his store. "I didn't want anything to spread to the buildings." With three fires lit within two blocks, he expressed concern, but not surprise. "Nothing surprises me today," he said. "There are a lot of strange people in the world today. Not just Easton." The children at Millie's Creative Learning day care at South Third and Ferry streets were not aware of the fire at the rear of their building, Director Katiera Dority said. There left the first-floor business "just as a precaution," she said. The fire did not enter the building, she added. "It was fun for them," she said of the children. "They got to go outside early." Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A man told to leave the apartment where he was illegally staying repeatedly threatened to burn down the landlord's house, according to Slatington police. Mark Rondeau, 46, was arraigned Tuesday morning on charges of making terroristic threats and harassment. Rondeau, whose last address was in Kernersville, North Carolina, was sent to Lehigh County Jail in lieu of $10,000 bail. Slatington police said Rondeau was staying with Ted Kistler in an apartment at 331 W. Church St., but Rondeau was not on the lease. Landlord Dean Bucks learned of Rondeau's stay and told him over the phone on Sunday he was not welcome at the apartment anymore, police said. Rondeau called Bucks back, and reportedly threatened to board up the windows to Bucks' home and burn it down in the middle of the night while Bucks and his family were sleeping. After hanging up with Bucks, Rondeau then turned to Kistler, repeated his threat to burn down Bucks' home, and then asked Kistler for the landlord's address, according to police. Kistler refused to provide the address. Rondeau then called a woman, told her he would burn down Bucks' home and asked the woman for Bucks' address, police said. Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. JERSEY CITY -- Three people were arrested at the Holland Tunnel on Tuesday morning after police found a number of guns in their vehicle, authorities said. The vehicle, a brightly-colored Dodge, bore the name Higher Ground Tactical, which is an indoor shooting range and gun dealership in Upper Milford Township, outside Emmaus, NBCNewYork.com reported. A woman who answered the phone there Tuesday afternoon declined comment. In a Facebook post shortly before the incident, Higher Ground Tactical owner John Cramsey said he was outside of Brooklyn, N.Y., and headed to rescue a 16-year-old girl who "went up there to party with a few friends." Her friend died of a heroin overdose, Cramsey wrote. "I'm bringing her out of NY today and anybody else that wants to go home, too," he wrote. Cops stopped the vehicle on the New Jersey side of the tunnel around 7:40 a.m. because of a cracked windshield, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department said in a news release. During the stop, cops allegedly found long-range weapons, handguns and ballistic vests, as well as a camouflage helmet with night-vision goggles. Two men and a woman described as "gun enthusiasts" were taken into custody after police found the weapons, NBCNewYork.com reported. The men, in their 50s, and the woman, in her 20s, might be from Pennsylvania, according to NBC. The New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness says there is "no nexus to terrorism" related to the arrests. The PAPD didn't release the names of the three suspects. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook. U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah, D-Pa., leaves the federal courthouse in Philadelphia on June 21, 2016. Fattah, a veteran Pennsylvania congressman, was convicted June 21 in a racketeering case that largely centered on various efforts to repay an illegal $1 million campaign loan related to his unsuccessful 2007 mayoral bid. (AP Photo) A veteran Pennsylvania congressman was convicted Tuesday in a racketeering case that largely centered on various efforts to repay an illegal $1 million campaign loan related to his unsuccessful 2007 mayoral bid. U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah was found guilty of all counts against him, including racketeering, fraud and money laundering. His lawyers had argued that the schemes were engineered without Fattah's knowledge by two political consultants who pleaded guilty in the case. The 59-year-old Democrat had been in Congress since 1995 and served on the powerful House Appropriations Committee. But he lost the April primary and his bid for his 12th term. His current term ends Jan. 2. Fattah had little reaction to the verdict, but he kept a smile on his face as he conferred with his lawyers afterward. He will remain free on bail. A judge set sentencing for Oct. 4. Fattah told reporters as he was leaving the courtroom: "Well, it's a tough day, but I do want to thank the jurors for their service." He said he will confer with his lawyers on the next step. Prosecutors said Fattah routed federal grant money and nonprofit funds through his consultants to pay back the illegal loan. His wife, Philadelphia TV news anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah, took a leave after her husband's indictment and then quit her job in February. She was cited in the case over the sham sale of her Porsche, which prosecutors said was a bribe. But she was never charged with any wrongdoing, and she said the sale was legitimate. In a related case, his son, Chaka "Chip" Fattah Jr., was convicted on charges of bank and tax fraud and sentenced in February to five years in prison. A jury found he took part in a scheme as a subcontractor to defraud the Philadelphia school district. Justice Department lawyer Jonathan Kravis said in his closing argument that Chaka Fattah Sr. used federal grants and nonprofit funds to enrich his family and friends. Defense lawyers acknowledged Fattah might have gotten himself in financial trouble after a costly mayoral bid, but they said any help from friends amounted to gifts, not bribes. Many of them came from co-defendant Herbert Vederman, a wealthy friend who had dreams of scoring an ambassadorship. U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, a Democrat, testified that he never took the pitch from Fattah too seriously, even though Fattah once bent the president's ear about it. Democrat Ed Rendell, a former mayor and governor, was called to defend Vederman, his former deputy mayor. He said Vederman was qualified for the job and accused prosecutors of cynically misreading the help he lent Fattah. Vederman helped support Fattah's South African nanny and paid $18,000 for a Porsche owned by Fattah's TV anchor wife. "The nanny, the Porsche and the Poconos, they weren't part of a bribery scheme," Fattah lawyer Samuel Silver argued in closings. "Those were all overreaches by the prosecution." The campaign loan was just one of several schemes prosecutors outlined during the trial. They say Fattah was aided in his endeavors by current and former staffers who ran his district office or the nonprofits; by Vederman, who now lives in Palm Beach, Florida; and by political consultants Greg Naylor and Thomas Lindenfeld, who pleaded guilty. The other co-defendants are Bonnie Bowser, of Philadelphia, who ran his district office; Karen Nicholas, of Williamstown, New Jersey, who ran the education nonprofit Fattah started; and Robert Brand, of Philadelphia, a businessman married to a former Fattah staffer. The jury on Tuesday came back with a mixed verdict for them. Fattah stepped down as the top Democrat on the Appropriations subcommittee on commerce, justice and science when he was indicted in July 2015. Under the House's Code of Conduct, a lawmaker who is convicted is not to vote in committee or in the full House if the punishment for his conviction may be two or more years' imprisonment. Prior to Fattah's conviction, the House Ethics committee had impaneled an investigative subcommittee and, at the request of the Justice Department, deferred action. A senior Democratic aide said it would not be unusual for Justice to renew that request of the Ethics panel to defer action until appeals are over. The aide was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss the possible steps by Ethics and Justice. Find lehighvalleylive on Facebook. Milk is frequently requested by food bank participants, but yet it is rarely donated. On Tuesday, the milk shortage was potentially brought to a halt as Second Harvest Food Bank of the Lehigh Valley & Northeast Pennsylvania announced the start of its "Fill a Glass with Hope" program. The program is part of a larger partnership between Second Harvest and several associations. Second Harvest Director Paul Lynch said the coalition will allow the 65,000-square-foot East Allen Township warehouse to hopefully serve 30,000 families milk each month. The program's official start at Second Harvest drew a crowd of local food bank agency representatives who use Second Harvest. Representatives from St. Matthew Lutheran Church's food bank in Bethlehem were excited that their needy patrons would be provided with milk at a fraction of the cost. "This is wonderful," said Mary Man, head of the St. Matthew's food bank. "The timing around the summer is important so people keep eating." Fill a Glass with Hope is a partnership between Feeding Pennsylvania, the Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association and two other programs. It got its start as a pilot program in 2014 in central Pennsylvania, where it began to provide local food banks with fresh milk. That was made possible by money given through grants, corporate sponsors and individual donors. After the pilot program's success, Fill a Glass with Hope expanded to include all eight food banks that are part of the Feeding Pennsylvania network, including Second Harvest. Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Hannah Smith-Brubaker said 1.7 million Pennsylvanians are at risk of hunger each year. "The official expansion of this program is exciting," Smith-Brubaker said in East Allen. "It's important everyone have sustainable access to milk." Lynch said providing milk can be tricky because it's perishable and not easy to transport. Although patrons who use Second Harvest will be charged for the milk, Lynch stressed food will continue to be donated. "Now, we'll be able to purchase a quart of milk for 25 cents, and a half-gallon of milk for 40 cents," Lynch said. Northeast Ministry Bethlehem, one of Second Harvest's partners, provides for 207 families a month through its food bank, Executive Director Paula Johnson said. Johnson said her organization also felt pressures of milk requests. "Now, we'll be able to purchase it at a fraction of the price and serve," Johnson said. Lori Sherman, a representative from the Pennsylvania State Education Association, presented Second Harvest with a $1,000 donation toward the new program. Sherman said PSEA was proud to support the program because she says nutrition and learning are linked. As Lynch shook Sherman's hand he said, "That's 8,000 glasses of milk." When Second Harvest had its annual meetings with agencies last year, Lynch said people were extremely excited to learn Fill a Glass with Hope was in the works. "Now, this really gives them an opportunity to stretch their budgets," Lynch said. "So far, the reception has been very positive." Second Harvest welcomes any contributions. Visit its website to learn how to further support the Fill a Glass with Hope program. Ashleigh Albert is lehighvalleylive.com's Russell J. Flanagan Memorial news intern. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A former bank exec is not eligible for a probationary program that could wipe her record clean because her alleged blood alcohol content was too high when police say she hit two cars. Tracey Smith resigned from Merchants Bank in March because of her pending DUI charges. (Courtesy photo) Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli said Tracey Smith's application for Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition, a pretrial intervention program for nonviolent first-time offenders, has been denied. If Smith had been accepted and completed the program properly her record would've been expunged. "The criteria since we established it excludes anyone who has a.30 blood-alcohol content reading or higher and is involved in an accident," Morganelli said. Smith, 54, of Stroudsburg, had been tapped to take over Merchants Bank as chief executive officer but she resigned in March due to her drunken driving charges. Smith's blood-alcohol content was allegedly more than four times the legal limit in late December when police say she was involved in two crashes in Palmer Township. She was chief operating officer and executive vice president at the time. Smith is scheduled to appear in Northampton County court to face the charges July 5, online court records indicate. Smith was northbound about 5:10 p.m. Dec. 23 in a 2014 Audi that struck a southbound vehicle head-on in the 900 block of Greenhill Avenue, Palmer Township police said earlier. Erica Koplin, the driver of the other vehicle, went to ask Smith if she was OK and Smith backed up and drove away on Greenhill Avenue, police said. Smith's Audi then hit a vehicle a short distance away in the 2000 block of Edgewood Avenue, police said. Prior to the second crash, a township officer was investigating the first crash and found property damage, including two struck mailboxes and a wooden post in the 900 block of Chelsea Street and the 900 block of Greenhill Avenue, police said. Another officer was called to the second crash and quickly learned Smith was the same driver in both accidents, police said. Smith was unable to find her driver's license, registration or insurance papers, police said. She then told the officer she "messed up" and was "drinking at a party after work," according to police. Her blood-alcohol content was 0.36; penalties for most drivers in Pennsylvania start at 0.08, police said in January. Sara K. Satullo may be reached at ssatullo@lehighvalleylive.com.com. Follow her on Twitter @sarasatullo and on Facebook.. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Save Hacketts Bookmakers, one of the best known businesses in the midlands, has been placed in liquidation. The company has 18 betting shops nationwide. The move sees the loss of 35 jobs, with the immediate closure of the outlets. In a statement, Managing Director, John Hackett said they had taken the decision with very deep regret. Hacketts Bookmakers was originally founded by Cyril and Monica Hackett in 1965. From its Offaly base, the company expanded and, at its peak, had 65 shops around the country, with a turnover of 134 million and employing 160 staff. The company billed itself as Ireland's largest independent bookmaker. The business struggled in latter years due to a combination of factors. A restructuring drive saw the closure of 26 stores and the sale of a number of shops to Paddy Power. PwC have been appointed Liquidators. It is understood that an agreement has been reached with Paddy Power to honour any outstanding bets. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. Some 600 youngsters from primary schools around the county enjoyed a day out at Tayto Park recently to celebrate their achievements in the Junior Entrepreneur programme, sponsored by Irish Dog Foods in Naas. During the ten-week programme, classes work with local business people to develop one of their ideas. The teachers tell us that itis often the less academic students who come up with the business idea, said Siobhan Gannon of Irish Dog Foods. And because the jobs that need to be done are so diverse, every single child has a role in making the business idea a reality. JEP is a national programme initiated by Kerryman Jerry Kennelly and developed with Mary Immaculate College of Education in Limerick. Some of the ideas developed by the young Kildare moguls include: A range of Christmas gifts and cards made by Ms Ryans class at St Brigids NS, Ticknevin; a Friday tuck-shop run by Miss Scullys class at Killashee Multi-denominational School; Miss Milsoms class at Hewetson NS, Clane, operated a car wash and sold refreshments to the car owners while their cars were being washed; Mr Grehans class at Two Mile House NS made customised hoodies and Ms Wards class at Gaelscoil Nas na Riogh made funny face bookmarks. JEP will run in the 2016/2017 school year and teachers interested in their classes taking part can contact Trea at 045 872701. One of the oldest enterprises in Naas has celebrated its 70th anniversary recently. George Tutty launched a retail footwear shop at 7 Poplar Square, Naas, in November 1946. From there he began his handmade shoes business, taking customer measurement in a small office in the shop. The business went from strength to strength and George then bought the premises across the road, known as Hanlons yard and set up a factory, employing up to 12 people. Over the years he made shoes for many people including the late President of Ireland Sean T OKelly, Pres. Patrick Hill, former Taoiseach Garret Fitzgerald, actor Larry Hagman (best known for playing JR in the TV series Dallas) as well as many well known people in the horseracing world. The business featured in Hands, an award winning series of television documentaries about Irish crafts, in 1979. Shortly afterwards George retired, handing the business over to sons Edward and George. Edward relocated the business initially to a new factory on Friary Road and then to its current location in Millbrook, just a short distance away. Edward retired in October 2005 and George took over the enterprise along with his wife Marion, carrying on the legacy of making shoes the Tutty way, as started in 1946 by George and Nellie Tutty. The Tutty family recently celebrated 70 years of continued business at the Falls Hotel in Ennistymon, where George Snr originally learned the wonderful craft of shoemaking in Walls on the main street of the West Clare town. Thanks to Boxties Johnny Gallagher, The Big Box Ceili Band will appear in Rossinver Community Centre on Friday night July 1, with special guests Sean Gallagher and Patsy McCabe. The Big Box Ceili Band, is a big band of family and friends. The core of the show is simply made up of the famous Boxtie Band with Johnny Gallagher, Pauric Gallagher, James Gallagher, Sean OReilly, joined by former Boxtie fiddle man James McNamee. The concept of their show is mixing all forms of modern music and making it sound Irish or giving it the Irish touch. They are simply a Rockn Roll band with a load of acoustic instruments. Its a great blend of banjo, accordion, fiddle and whistle, says Johnny, Its Rock Pop and Reggae music. Its the best of fun and makes a great night out for the listeners and it creates this big sound which makes everybody dance with great energy. The Boxtie Band have been playing music together for many years and entertaining audiences all over the world. Back in our youth we all played Irish Trad together at school and pub sessions. The Big Box Ceili band is an opportunity which gives us all a chance and a place to perform together again. We get to play our favourite Irish music pieces and some original music, plus changing some of our favourite pop and rock songs and turning them into crazy Irish sounding classics, says Johnny. Sean Gallagher has been performing music since his youth with his brother Jimmy. They came through the Irish Rockn Roll era with different musical influences and careers. But together they shared international success throughout the 70s and 80s, achieving chart success with The Fitzgeralds Ceili band and their own Stampede. Patsy McCabe, family friend and Belcoo man will join them on the night Dont miss this unique opportunity to hear them all together at home in Ireland. Show starts at 10pm with full bar. Tickets 15. For more information and tickets call Betty on (071) 9832970 or Michelle Delaney (071) 9832970. What has the European Union ever done for us, is one of those questions which most Liberal Democrats have no hesitation in answering from cleaner beaches to reduced roaming charges for mobile phone users However, one example that sadly receives little attention is the record of the European Investment Bank (EIB). Now banking might seem rather dry, indeed rather boring for many people. However, when it comes to the EIB its benefits do need to be heard. I was first alerted to how significant its lending was when I read the papers going to the Transport for London (TfL) Board last September. I discovered TfL had entered into a new 1 billion corporate loan with the EIB to support investment in a number of projects, including station upgrades, track renewals and cycle superhighways. The more I looked into the issue the more I realised how significant EIB lending was. In London alone it has funded over the years numerous projects including 1.5 billion for Crossrail tunnels and trains, not to mention funding for the East London Line, London Overground, Thameslink and new Eurostar trains. Its lending is not just limited to transport projects, for example last year the EIB provided 102 million to improve 38 schools across Croydon, helping to provide thousands of extra spaces. Last month it announced 700 million in lending for the Tideway Tunnel to help clean up the Thames. And in April this year University College London agreed a 280 million loan with EIB to develop its Bloomsbury and UCL East campuses. And while I am most aware of the EIBs work involving London it must be stressed that its work benefits every corner of the UK. For example it recently agreed to provide 525 million for construction of the Beatrice windfarm to be built 14 km off the Caithness coast. And just yesterday it announced 60 million of lending to enhance both Swansea Universitys historic Singleton Park Campus and to expand research facilities at the new Bay Campus. Just two weeks ago it announced 280 million lending for North Ireland social housing. Back in April it provided 56 million to build seven new secondary schools in Bradford, Harrogate, Keighley, Bradford and Huddersfield. And in February it lent 100 million to Newcastle University for vital investment in new facilities. If this wasnt enough just yesterday the EIB also announced a ground breaking 100 million investment for UK small businesses. Once you start looking at the long list of projects benefiting from EIB lending it is no surprise to discover that 2015 was a record year for the EIBs engagement across the UK, providing 5.6 billion in total in lending. Last year the UK was the fourth largest recipient of lending from the EIB, with only Spain, Italy and France borrowing more. But does the EIB really matter? Surely there are always organisations willing to lend? Well it does matter and for two powerful reasons. Firstly the lending from the EIB will largely dry up if we leave the EU. And secondly the lending is cheap, providing often the lowest cost of borrowing available in the world. Although the EIB is the worlds largest public lending organisation and does indeed lend outside the EU, it is a fact that 90% of its lending stays within the bloc. Indeed this is not surprising as the banks shareholders are the 28 members of the EU. The fact that future lending will be hit if we leave the EU is not some Remain scaremongering. Indeed when specifically asked what would be the implications of Brexit, Boris Johnson, the then Mayor of London has said: such an event would be likely to preclude further access to this source of finance and may reduce any non-contractual flexibility to negotiate restructuring of the existing loans. When questioned Boris Johnson has also admitted that the EIB provides a cheap form of lending, admitting for example that TfLs recent loan of 1billion had borrowing costs 31 million lower than an equivalent loan from the Public Loans Board (which has historically been the cheapest form of lending for any public sector organisation). On the rare occasions that the EIB is debated in public I have noticed that Brexiters immediately talk about how its funding could be returned to the UK. Sadly such a comment shows a huge misunderstanding by them as to how the EIB actually operates. The reality is that the EIB funds its operations by borrowing on the capital markets rather than drawing on the EU budget. Of course no one is suggesting that schools cant be built, new social housing provided, universities expanded and transport systems improved without funding from the EIB, but it is crystal clear that the EIBs lending provides an invaluable role. And by providing often the cheapest form of finance available in the world it can ensure the difference between a project being viable or not. The EIB might lack profile, but its significance certainly cant be overlooked. It has helped change and improve the infrastructure in every part of the UK. * Caroline Pidgeon is a Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member and Deputy Chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee Our country has a long and great tradition of leadership. Increasingly, we recognise that it has to be not only national leadership but our global leadership, where we are a part of a larger group of human beings seeking a better world and a better life, which makes the greatest difference to our lives. It would be a tragedy if this country gave up that kind of leadership because it is essential in the modern world, in which countries are totally interconnected with one another. We have warred for generations over land, resources and ideas, spilling the blood of our children so that one small corner of the continent can put its flag in another small corner of the continent. In the last century we called this to an end. We agreed that we had finally had enough of the bloodshed and instead collaborated to build a stronger, more peaceful Europe. It is not just violence we are protecting against. In building the European Union we have built the single biggest trading block in the world, the largest source of overseas investment in the world and an organisation which has the capacity to have a major impact in its negotiations in the World Trade Organisation and elsewhere. In building the European Union we have built one of the strongest bastions of rights and democracy in the World. In bringing about an extension of democracy, an extension of recognition of the rule of law, and an extension of a willingness to settle conflicts peacefully throughout the whole of Europe west and east. For the generations following us we must fight to keep this project going. Our children, our grandchildren and our decedents yet to come will only benefit from the achievements of a European continent working together. In creating a safer, more prosperous world we will protect our families from the mistakes we have made in the past. Our children will face new problems which older generations havent had to. Climate change is already disrupting communities across the world, we are seeing the effects right here in Europe. It will only become more of a problem, and an increasingly global crisis, as the years pass. Our inaction now dooms our descendants. That is why it is so important that we work with our friends and allies across Europe to put in place the provisions we need to save our environment. We cannot stay on the side-lines any longer; we must play a full part in the development of a European Union which could contribute far more than it has already to the peace, freedom and human rights of the whole planet. We owe it to our children to build a better world. This article is from the EuroFile (pdf) a collection of essays offering a positive, liberal case for Europe * Baroness Shirley Williams is a Liberal Democrat member of the House of Lords, a founder member of the SDP and the Liberal Democrats and author of several books including her autobiography, Climbing the Bookshelves. LifeStyle The best LifeStyle shows are right here, from Australia and around the world. Catch up with the experts on home design and interiors, food and cooking, the property market, and get fresh ideas with the savviest of renovators. Whether you need inspiration for cooking up a storm, to refresh a tired room, or tips to sell your property, Foxtel LifeStyle will always something new for you to watch. Enjoy your favourite experts like Andrew Winter and Neale Whitaker, or Deb Hutton and Jamie Oliver live or On Demand. Get Foxtel TWO young sisters have been placed in State care after Tusla the Child and Family Agency was granted an Emergency Care Order. Limerick District Court was told the agency was seeking the order as there were concerns for the safety and wellbeing of the sisters, one of whom is less than a year old. The presiding judge was told the children have been living with their mother who is currently in a very heightened emotional state following the break-up of her relationship with the childrens father. A social worker told the court the woman has been living in a combination of emergency accommodation and sheltered accommodation in recent times but that she is not able to cope. Concerns were expressed about messages she posted on social media in recent days and there was evidence that gardai were recently called to a sheltered housing facility. The social worker said while the woman wants the best for her children her lifestyle is consistently chaotic. Following discussions with the womans solicitor, it was agreed that the girls would be placed in the care of an aunt. The judge was told the woman is aware of the boundaries which will apply and that if there are difficulties the children will be placed with a foster family. Tusla is expected to seek an Interim Care Order later this week. A NUMBER of former University of Limerick employees, concerned staff and others will be mounting a peaceful protest at the UL gates this Wednesday morning to highlight the suspension of two staff members more than a year ago. Set to carry placards bearing messages such as Limerick 2020 Vision - sadly not found in UL, the protest aims to highlight ongoing governance, lack of transparency and employment issues at UL, as staff who have spoken out over perceived wrongs do not feel their voices have been heard. A number of those protesting will be bearing masks to protect their identities, as some who are current employees are fearful of any legal repercussions from the university, and others say they have signed confidentiality clauses in terms of their own difficulties. Leona OCallaghan, one of three whistleblowers, who has been trying to highlight issues regarding expenses in the university since 2012, is among those who will be taking another stand. She was one of three female whistleblowers in the finance department who led to the publication of the Mazars review commissioned by the Higher Education Authority into processes and procedures employed at UL, which found numerous shortcomings. Were going ahead with it, as we feel we are still being pushed from pillar to post months on from the publication of the Mazars review. It was something we were all hoping to avoid. Instead of continuing to talk about the apparent lack of inaction, despite assurances that UL and the HEA are in talks, we felt we have to take action. Fianna Fail deputy Willie ODea, who has been made aware of the employees issues on an ongoing basis, said he wont be in a position to attend due to Dail debates this Wednesday on social welfare issues. It is very, very regrettable that these employees, and former employees, have been forced to resort to a protest, even a peaceful on, to demonstrate their ongoing frustrations, he told the Limerick Chronicle. The HEA has yet to comment on the progress of its ongoing consultations with UL following the Mazars report. The protest will take place from 8am to 1pm. All are welcome to attend. A GARDA-led programme that has seen officers on dedicated foot patrols in the city centre has been discontinued. Operation Prowl, which was put in place more than two years ago, was aimed at addressing shoplifting and other issues of concern to the business community in the heart of the city. But Supt Derek Smart, Henry Street garda station, confirmed this Monday, that the scheme has been wound up. However, he insisted there would be no reduction in manpower levels on the ground. We are just tackling the issue in a different way, he told the Limerick Leader. Despite this, retailers and business representatives have criticised the decision, with Chamber chief executive Dr James Ring set to raise the matter with the superintendent at a meeting this Tuesday. It is critical to have gardai on the street during business hours. The view of the chamber is there are not enough at the moment. Thats why we are calling for the powers that be to make more gardai available, he said. He also said be believes traders will be very disappointed, and very worried by the end of Operation Prowl. Dr Ring said it is also concerning that just five of the latest batch of graduates from Templemore are bound for Limerick City, something reflected by Fianna Fail councillor James Collins, a member of the councils economic committee. Operation Prowl which was put in place initially as a pilot with the Chamber also focused on strengthening the links between security staff who operate within the various stores in the city, and the gardai patrolling the streets. In its early days, four gardai all women based in Henry Street signed up to the patrols. Cllr Collins said Operation Prowl should be extended, rather than scrapped. He said: The biggest deterrent to crime on our streets, particularly in the late evening, is the presence of a garda on the beat. We are talking about having a night-time economy, and if we do, we need an environment where people can feel safe. Guards on the beat is the biggest deterrent to crime on the streets. Trader Michael Gleeson, William Street, said he has not seen any foot patrol in the thoroughfare where his shoe shop is located. He said: We have had one undesirable on the street sitting outside a shop for two years. We have made numerous representations to have him removed, yet he is still there, really causing problems. It seems to be totally ignored by Henry Street garda station. Mr Gleeson added the least city rate payers could expect is one garda patrol on the street each day to reassure shoppers as well as retailers. Supt Smart said: All operations need to be rejuvenated and changed. You have to try and reinvent it all the time: People get used to seeing something one way. It can get a bit stale, so you need to keep it fresh. But Dr Ring said: We have seen a reduction in anti-social behaviour due to the great work of the gardai, so why would you reverse it? It doesn't make sense. We should be increasing resources and making the city the safest and least troublesome place it can be. A CAMPAIGN in opposition to plans by Irish Cement to burn used rubber tyres at its plant in Mungret has stepped up a gear. On Saturday, a group of people went across the city delivering leaflets to homes warning them of their serious concerns about the process. The volunteers from Limerick Against Pollution (LAP) were joined by Fianna Fail TDs Willie ODea and Niall Collins, Sinn Fein councillor Malachy McCreesh, and Brian Haugh of the Green Party. They gave out posters to people urging them to make a submission to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which will ultimately grant Irish Cement permission to replace the burning of fossil fuels in Mungret. For its part, the company says the development is necessary to bring the Limerick facility in line with the rest of the country, and retain its competitiveness. The firm has previously said around 40 new roles will be created over the plans lifetime, with the remaining jobs at the cement plant copperfastened. But LAP is concerned about the hazardous waste incineration planned for the factory. They claim this will produce harmful micro-particles. These tiny particles travel long distances in the air and cause serious respiratory and heart problems, the group says. One of the campaigners, Trish Talty, Goudavoher, added: We are very concerned about the dangers to human health. Incineration of these materials will lead to harmful emissions. She also claimed that numerous requests made to Irish Cement for a public meeting have been declined. LONG-awaited proposals for a new 18m footbridge across the Shannon will be presented to councillors this Thursday. Limerick's local authority is proposing to build the link, which may run from Arthurs Quay, and behind the Potato Market. A group set up in opposition to the scheme, Footbridge Folly, has said the bridge will impede the flow of the river and destroy some of the views of the Shannon. There is also disquiet about the fact the bridge was not listed in any development plan, with question marks remaining over the status of an anonymous donor who is to provide some of the finance. Three former mayors Cllrs Michael Sheahan, John Gilligan and Kathleen Leddin have all spoken in opposition to the plan. But this Monday, another two former mayors who are expected to again hold the portfolio shortly have spoken out in support. Fine Gael councillor Michael Hourigan said he would see the link as a big positive. I think we should be very serious about this footbridge. It will be a feature in this city. The money is coming down from Failte Ireland, and we are being given money from a benefactor. We are all trying to develop tourism in this city, and we have been told in the near future, tourism will be the largest industry in this country. So if we are to get our share of tourism back into this country, and back into Limerick, and enjoy the riverscape, Id see the bridge as a big positive, he said. Cllr Kieran OHanlon favourite to become the next Mayor of Limerick City and County said he would be leaning towards the idea of a footbridge. But he warned the council needs to engage in a better level of consultation. The whole announcement about this bridge was not up to the standard it should have been. My understanding is there is are a number of options available. There 16m is available to spend on this, so we need to get it right, he said. Cllr James Collins is keeping an open mind on the scheme, saying: We had a brief presentation, where a couple of powerpoint slides were thrown up, but that is the only discussion I have had in relation to it. THE Light Moves festival of screendance has announced an open call for papers and presentations for a symposium taking place during Limerick city based event. Light Moves, which takes place from November 3 6, is Irelands international festival dedicated to the art of dance on film and video art with movement as a central theme. It is curated by Jurgen Simpson and Mary Wycherley and produced by Dance Limerick, with support from the Arts Council and Limerick City and County Council. The symposium aims to encourage artistic and scholarly exchange, debate and discussion in screendance and related disciplines including performance, dance, film, visual arts, sound and text. Proposals are invited from practitioners and scholars for 20-minute presentations. Experimental and/or group formats of presentation are welcome. The theme for the symposium is Identity in Focus - Body, Site and Frame. "We're very excited to announce this year's Open Call for papers and presentations for the Light Moves Screendance Symposium," said Jenny Traynor of Dance Limerick. "The symposium is a wonderful opportunity for screendance practitioners to investigate this exciting artform at a deep level and to share ideas and reflections with their peers from all over the world. For the last two years, we have been really impressed with the high standard of presentation from around the globe and two excellent keynote addresses from Douglas Rosenberg in 2014 and Claudia Kappenberg in 2015. "We're very much looking forward to the responses to this year's theme Identity in Focus - Body, Site and Frame. Those interested in submitting proposals should note our slightly earlier deadline and be sure to have their ideas with us by Thursday, July 7," she added. See www.lightmoves.ie. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page. CHANCELLOR'S AWARD UW-Stout MENOMONIE Kyle Flaten, a plastics engineering major from Menomonie, received the Chancellor's Award for the spring 2015 semester at UW-Stout. The award is presented to students who have a grade-point average of 3.5 or above. UW-Platteville PLATTEVILLE Menomonie's Nicole Graetz and Jessica Qualley were named to the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Chancellor's List. The Chancellor's List honors full-time students who earned a 4.0 GPA in the spring 2016 semester. GRADUATES North Dakota State University FARGO, N.D. Michelle Louise Craig, of Menomonie, graduated from North Dakota State University in spring 2016. Craig earned a Bachelor's of Science in Animal Science. South Dakota School of Mines & Technology RAPID CITY, S.D. Rachel Brunstad, of Menomonie, was one of over 350 students to receive their Bachelor of Science, Master of Science or Doctor of Philosophy degrees from the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology. Brunstad graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor's of Science in Geological Engineering. Marquette University MILWAUKEE Daniel Simpson, of Menomonie, has graduated from Marquette University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish for the Professions. LYNN, iND./BOYD Dennis E. Spaeth, 67, of Lynn, formerly of Boyd DIED Wednesday, June 15, 2016, at his home. A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, at St. Josephs Catholic Church in Boyd, with military honors. Inurnment will be in Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery in the town of Edson, at a later date. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, with a rosary service at 7 p.m. and from 10 to 11 a.m. Thursday, both at Leiser Funeral Home in Cadott. Someday, stargazers may see pink, green and violet shooting stars streak across the night sky, thanks to a startup company that wants to launch tiny, human-made meteors, according to news sources. The Japanese company ALE plans to create and release artificial meteors into space that emit colorful trails when they burn up in Earth's atmosphere. For instance, a meteor made of copper would burn green; a barium one would burn blue; and potassium, rubidium and cesium meteors would burn various shades of purple. "As one learns in high school science classes, when a substance burns, the flame emits a specific color; this is called the flame reaction," ALE said on its website. "By loading our satellite with various materials, we are able to turn our shooting stars into any color." [Space-y Tales: The 5 Strangest Meteorites] Normally, shooting stars form when particles in space usually much smaller than an inch (just a few millimeters long) enter the atmosphere and burn brightly, in a process known as plasma emission. ALE researchers want to recreate that process, but with human-made particles, they said. The company plans to launch a satellite carrying about 500 to 1,000 "source particles," which will become the artificial meteors. Once the satellite stabilizes in orbit, operators on the ground can command it to discharge the particles to create the colorful shooting stars. "The particles will travel about one-third of the way around the Earth and enter the atmosphere," ALE researchers said. "[They] will then begin plasma emission and become shooting star[s]" at an altitude of about 37 miles to 50 miles [60 to 80 kilometers] aboveground. The mission, dubbed "Sky Canvas Project," will emit dozens, if not hundreds, of particles, showering Earth with rainbow-colored meteor showers, the company said. Though small, the particles will burn brightly, according to ALE scientists. Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky, has an apparent magnitude of minus 1.5. (The lower the apparent magnitude, the brighter the glow.) The artificial shooting stars have an apparent magnitude of about minus 1, at least in a laboratory setting, the researchers said. This means they'll be visible down on Earth, even in a city, where lights often drown out celestial objects, ALE said. [Fallen Stars: A Gallery of Famous Meteorites] Space junk If launched, ALE's satellite would join countless other spacecraft orbiting Earth. However, the company says it will follow international regulations and ensure that its satellite doesn't stay aloft and become space junk, by purposefully crashing it into the atmosphere within 25 years. "In this case, the used satellite itself will become a very large shooting star," ALE said. Moreover, the company is taking precautions so that its meteor-emitting satellite won't crash into other satellites. The team created software based on the United States' Joint Space Operations Center (JSpOC), which tracks satellites and debris in space. ALE will calculate where other objects are located in space, and prevent the ALE satellite from colliding with them, the company said. But Moriba Jah, a space-junk expert and the director of the University of Arizona's Space Object Behavioral Sciences program, isn't sure that method will work. JSpOC's site, space-track.org, largely tracks objects' general movements, but not their precise locations, which makes him "a bit uncomfortable" and unsure if ALE's satellite can effectively stay out of trouble, Jah told National Geographic (opens in new tab). Still, ALE plans to launch its first satellite in the second half of 2017 and service it in 2018, the researchers said. The company plans to launch a new satellite every year after that, and it hopes the project will reveal more about the science of meteors. [Photos: New Kind of Meteorite Found in Sweden] But it won't be cheap. Each particle is slated to cost about 1 million yen (about $9,620) to produce, and that doesn't include the costs for the satellite or the launch, National Geographic reported. What's more, ALE dispelled rumors last week that it might stage an artificial meteor shower for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. "While we do intend on providing our shooting stars, once complete, to large-scale events and we also have mentioned the Olympic Games as an event that we would love to work with (*hint*) in interviews we have not made an official proposal to the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games and hence do not have any facts or developments to disclose at the moment," the company said in a statement. Original article on Live Science. The 1,500-year-old skull (shown here after reconstruction) of a woman, who was part of an ancient royal dynasty called the Silla culture, shows she had an elongated head. Editor's Note: This article was updated at 3:50 p.m. E.T. on Thursday June 23 The grave of a woman with a bizarre, long-headed skull has been unearthed in Korea. The woman was part of the ancient Silla culture, which ruled much of the Korean peninsula for nearly a millennium. Unlike some of the deformed, pointy skulls that have been found throughout the world in other ancient graves, however, it is unlikely that this woman had her head deliberately flattened, the researchers said. [See Images of the Long-Headed Woman's Facial Reconstruction] Ancient culture The ancient Silla Kingdom reigned over part of the Korean Peninsula from 57 B.C. to A.D. 935, making it one of the longest-ruling royal dynasties. Many of Korea's modern-day cultural practices stem from this historic culture. Yet despite its long reign and wide-ranging influence on culture, the number of Silla burials with intact skeletons remained few and far between, said study co-author Dong Hoon Shin, a bioanthropologist at Seoul National University College of Medicine in the Republic of Korea. "The skeletons are not preserved well in the soil of Korea," Shin told Live Science in an email. [7 Strange Facts About North Korea] However, in 2013, researchers had a lucky break while excavating a grave near Gyeongju, the historic capital of the Silla Kingdom. Inside a traditional burial coffin, called a "mokgwakmyo," lay the nearly perfectly intact bones of a woman who died in her late 30s. Long head The team managed to extract the woman's mitochondrial DNA, or DNA that is passed from mother to daughter. The analysis revealed that she belonged to a genetic lineage that is present, though not common, in East Asia today. Analysis of the carbon isotopes (versions of carbon with different weights) in the skeleton also revealed that the woman was likely a strict vegetarian, in keeping with the interpretation of Buddhism that was prevalent at the time in the country. She also ate a greater percentage of her calories from foods with a type of carbon found in foods such as rice, wheat and potatoes, versus millet or maize, the researchers reported June 1 in the journal PLOS ONE. (The carbon isotope testing cannot determine whether the diet was composed primarily of rice, potatoes or wheat.) The team was also able to reconstruct her facial features and head shape based on skull fragments. It turned out that the woman was dolichocephalic, meaning her head width was less than about 75 percent of its length. That differs somewhat from the trends in the region today, where people are more commonly brachycephalic, meaning their head width is at least 80 percent of the head length. One possibility is that the head was deliberately deformed to have this elongated shape. Skull deformation has occurred throughout the world, and in fact, archaeologists have unearthed evidence of skull deformation from the neighboring Gaya Kingdom, said study co-author Eun Jin Woo, a physical anthropologist at Seoul National University in the Republic of Korea. However, the team ultimately ruled out this explanation because heads that are deliberately deformed usually have flatter bones in the front of the skull. To compensate for all of the pressure that head deformation causes, the bones in the side of the skull tend to grow more, Woo said. "The skull in this study did not show the shape changes in deformed crania," Woo told Live Science in an email. "In this regard, we think her head should be considered as normal variation in the group." Editor's Note: This article was updated to clarify that foods such as rice, potatoes and wheat produce the same carbon signature, so researchers cannot distinguish which of those specific foods made up the bulk of the Silla woman's diet. Original article on Live Science. Southview Elementary in Chippewa Falls has a new view for its playground, and its all about including everyone in the fun. A new design aims to be barrier-free, so children of all ages, cognitive levels and disabilities can enjoy the full range of the playground. The design includes various ramps and hand grips for children using wheelchairs, braces or walkers so they can explore the grounds without mobility assistance. The design also keeps the needs of children on the autism spectrum in mind by providing interactive boards, the ability to rock, to swing and an enclosed, spinning egg structure for sensory needs. The ground will also include an absorbent foam-like material that is easier to walk. The woodchips currently being used meet the American with Disabilities Acts standards, but they can be hard to maneuver for some. While the playground is made with disabled children in mind, it can be used by all kids. Southview Principal Sara Denure said she hopes the Chippewa Falls community takes advantage of it as well. We welcome the community and this is the only playground of this design in Chippewa Falls, Denure said. This is something were going to be really proud of and we encourage the community to come use it after school hours. She said the school is still deciding how much of the old playground they will keep since its still ADA certified and functions well. Some equipment that has been there for over 40 years, such as a slide and a web dome, will likely be removed. Carla Golden, a member of the Parent Teacher Organization in Chippewa Falls, said they are still fundraising for this project and looking to raise $130,000 to start construction next summer. They currently have raised $13,000. The PTO will be looking for funds through a variety of outlets such as pizza sales, reaching out to Southview neighbors, as well as finding sponsors and requesting grants. They will also be at the Northern Wisconsin State Fair next month looking for support. Hopefully this sets the expectation for what students deserve when theyre outside playing, Golden said. Play is a huge component of that learning process. We welcome the community and this is the only playground of this design in Chippewa Falls. This is something were going to be really proud of and we encourage the community to come use it after school hours. Sara Denure, Southview Elementary principal New York City's Broadway is thoroughly soaked with rain as steam billows upward in this photo, taken near Times Square in 1988. The word "moist" doesn't even begin to describe the clammy feeling evoked by a photo of steam rising from Broadway on a rainy day near Times Square. The photo, captured in 1988 by photographer Jodi Cobb, is one of 50 National Geographic images on display in a new, traveling exhibit. The show also includes Steve McCurry's haunting 1984 portrait of an Afghan girl and Michael Nichols' 1991 photo of a zoo-bound chimpanzee reaching out to primatologist Jane Goodall in what is now called the Republic of the Congo. Wildlife photographer Chris Johns, who served as the magazine's editor-in-chief from 2005 to 2014, selected the photos for National Geographic's very first mobile app in 2011. [See Some of the Amazing Nat Geo Photos] "[It] seems silly now, but digital apps were very new then, and this was one of National Geographic's first photo gallery apps," said Kathryn Keane, National Geographic's vice president of exhibitions and experiences. "It was very well received and features some of the greatest photographs from our prestigious history in photography and photojournalism." Johns even included one of his own photos, a 1996 shot of a tawny lion walking into a gust of wind, its eyes squinting as it patrols a dry riverbed in the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, a wildlife refuge in South Africa. In this 1996 photo, a lion patrols the dry Nossob riverbed in the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, a wildlife refuge in South Africa. (Image credit: Chris Johns National Geographic) Wildlife refuges are essential to preserving habitat and ecosystems. This explains why many of the wildlife photos have a conservation theme to them, Keane said. "Telling stories about the plight of the world's wildlife populations is core to our mission," Keane told Live Science. The show also features a ghostly photo of the Titanic taken in the North Atlantic Ocean in 1991. Emory Kristof, an innovator in underwater robotic imaging, took the photo with 10,000 watts of light mounted on a pair of new submersibles. "At the time, these were the most detailed images that anyone had ever seen of theworld's most famous shipwreck," Keane said. Photographer Thomas Abercrombie's view of Mecca, which, until now, hasn't been shown to the public, will also be on display in the traveling exhibit. And yet another photo shows a 1977 shot taken by a camera mounted on the tail of a Lockheed L-1101 plane. The photographer, Bruce Dale, used a remote-controlled camera to take a 25-second exposure of the jumbo jet, lit up by lights from the runway and the city. Some photos will show the "near frames" that the photographers took that is, the sequence of images snapped before and after the prized image that photographers took to capture the perfect shot. The show, "50 Greatest Photographs of National Geographic" will run at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh until Sept. 11. After that, the exhibit will go to the Whatcom Museum in Bellingham, Washington, and then to the Elliott Museum in Stuart, Florida. Original article on Live Science. A 5,000-year-old whalebone figurine, one of the oldest representations of a human form found in Britain, has been rediscovered after going missing for more than 150 years. The figurine was first discovered in the 1850s at the Skara Brae archaeological site in the Orkney Islands, at the northern tip of Scotland, and was part of the private collection of the local "laird," or landowner, in the 1860s. But it was thought lost until British archaeologist David Clark rediscovered it in a box in the archives of the Stromness Museum at Orkney in April. Clarke told Live Science that he was reviewing the museum's stores of artifacts from Skara Brae when he found the Neolithic figurine. [See Photos of the Mysterious "Buddo" of Skara Brae] "We were going through boxes quite quickly for me to get a sense of what's there, and in the last box of the afternoon I opened it up and there he is, just lying there looking at me," Clarke said. "It was amazing, I was just gobsmacked." The figurine has been dubbed the "Buddo" of Skara Brae, from the Orkney language word for "friend." It was carved from a single piece of whalebone and measures about 3.7 inches (9.5 centimeters) high and 3 inches (7.5 cm) wide. Holes for eyes and a mouth have been cut in the face, and another hole in the body forms a naval or bellybutton. The figurine was found in a stone bed compartment in a building known as "House 3" at Skara Brae. The site was uncovered in sand dunes by a major storm in the winter of 1850, and it was first excavated by William Watt, the laird of a nearby manor named Skaill House. Skara Brae is now a UNESCO World Heritage site, and famed for the remarkable preservation of its stone houses, which were built partly underground possibly to insulate them against the weather, archaeologists have said. Neolithic "idol" Clarke said the Buddo figurine was described as an "idol" or a "fetish" by the Scottish antiquarian George Petrie, who reviewed the finds from Skara Brae and published a report on the discoveries in 1867. At the time, it was the oldest human figurine found anywhere in Britain. [Photos: Neolithic Bow and Arrow Revealed in Melting Snow] But after Petrie's report, the figurine was not seen again, and another review of the Skara Brae finds in the 1920s made no mention of it. "I dont think it has seen the light of day for 150 years at least," Clarke said. Archaeologist Hugo Anderson-Whymark, a trustee of the Stromness Museum, was working with Clarke when the figurine was rediscovered. Anderson-Whymark told Live Science that museum records showed the figurine was contained in a box of artifacts from Skaill House that had been donated to the museum in the 1930s. But the figurine wasn't recognized and it lay undisturbed for decades, he added. The Buddo will now go on display as the "jewel" of the Stromness Museum collection, Anderson-Whymark said. He has also created a 3D model of the figurine, which can be viewed online (opens in new tab). While Clarke cautions that the purpose of the figurine is not yet known, he thinks it may have been left on purpose on the floor of the home where it was found when the village was abandoned, perhaps as part of a ritual for departure. "I think it is a special object that's been placed in a house thats being abandoned," Clarke said. Similar deposits of objects were previously found in other Neolithic houses at the site, he added. Archaeologists think Skara Brae was abandoned by its inhabitants around 2500 B.C., possibly because the local climate had become much colder and wetter at that time. Clarke said the Buddo seemed to be carved from a whale vertebrae. One of the natural canals of the vertebrae runs through the Buddo from ear to ear, which may have been used to hang it up in some way. Another hole in the bottom of the figurine may have been used to attach separate legs, like a doll, he said. Stone Age art The Buddo is one of only a few Neolithic representations of a human form ever found in Britain. The discovery of the figurine in the 1860s was the first time any representation of a human had been found in Scotland, Clarke said. [In Photos: Amazing Ruins of the Ancient World] Since that time, three more Neolithic figurines have been found on the island of Westray in the Orkneys, and four were discovered in southern England. "They're very rare; there are only eight from Britain, and so it really is very significant," Clarke said. "These are almost the sole images of humans found in Britain until you get to just a few centuries B.C." This rarity of human figures in Neolithic British and Irish art may signify a religious taboo against artistic representations of humans and animals, said Antonia Thomas, an archaeologist from the University of York, in the United Kingdom. "What is extraordinary about the Neolithic of Britain and Ireland as a whole is the almost complete lack of any representations of humans or animals, or indeed anything from the living natural world," Thomas told Live Science. "In continental Europe, you see animals and people represented, but in Britain and Ireland you don't at all the art work is all geometric and abstract, and you don't really find these figurines, they are exceptionally rare," she said. "So, it has led some people to think there may have been some sort of taboo on representing living forms, rather similar to the Islamic taboo, and thats quite an interesting line of inquiry." Thomas said many of the extraordinary finds from Skara Brae including bone and stone necklaces, pendants, beads, and pins for hair and clothing gave archaeologists insight into the personal lives of the Neolithic people who lived there. "We very rarely get a glimpse into the more personal aspects of people in the Neolithic. To have things like this jewelry and now this figurine, you are really starting to get a sense of identity, and connecting more with people," Thomas said. Several stone and whalebone pots found at Skara Brae contained pigments that were probably used on the walls of houses, to decorate pottery, and possibly to decorate people's bodies, she added. "Were really starting to get a sense of how people lived, how they liked to adorn themselves and to think about themselves," Thomas said. Original article on Live Science. Diagnosing cancer is about to get more accurate, with the help of artificial intelligence. Pathologists have diagnosed diseases in more or less the same way for the past 100 years, by laboring over a microscope reviewing biopsy samples on little glass slides. Working almost robotically, they sift through millions of normal cells to identify just a few diseased ones. The task is tedious and prone to human error. But now, scientists and engineers have created a technique that uses artificial intelligence (AI) and can differentiate cancer cells from normal cells almost as well as a top-notch pathologist. A Harvard-based team demonstrated the AI method as part of a competition at the 2016 International Symposium of Biomedical Imaging in Prague, showing how it could pinpoint, with 92 percent accuracy,cancer cells among samples of breast tissue cells. That accuracy was far better than the other AI methods in the competition, landing the team first place. Humans + AI Humans still have the edge: Pathologists beat the robots in this competition with their ability to identify 96 percent of the biopsy samples with cancer cells. [Super-Intelligent Machines: 7 Robotic Futures] But the real surprise came when pathologists were teamed up with the Harvard team's AI. Together, the artificial intelligence and good, ole human intelligence identified 99.5 percent of the cancerous biopsies. While the thought of trusting Dr. Robot with your medical analysis may seem a bit scary, some scientists see great promise in AI-assisted doctor services. "Our guiding hypothesis is that 'AI plus pathologist' will be superior to pathologist alone," said Dr. Andrew Beck, of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School in Boston, who led the creation of the winning AI design. "If we and the larger research community are able to demonstrate that the use of AI tools significantly reduces diagnostic errors, I believe patients, physicians, health care payers and health systems will be supportive of the addition of AI tools in the clinical workflow," he told Live Science. Why breast cancer cells? The contest, held in April, invited AI designs from around the world created by private companies and academic research organizations. The goal was to spur interest in creating more accurate AI methods of disease diagnosis. "The fact that computers [in the April competition] had almost comparable performance to humans is way beyond what I had anticipated," said Jeroen van der Laak of Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands, who organized the contest. "It is a clear indication that artificial intelligence is going to shape the way we deal with histopathological images in years to come." [Infographic: The History of Artificial Intelligence (AI)] The contest organizers chose the topic of breast cancer detection more specifically, metastatic cancer cells in sentinel lymph node biopsies as a real-world test of an important public health issue. Among U.S. women, breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer (after skin cancer) and the second deadliest type of cancer (after lung cancer), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A sentinel lymph node biopsy is a surgical procedure in which a sample of tissue is removed from a sentinel node, the first in a group of lymph nodes, or glands, where cancer cells might spread after leaving the original site. A multicenter study published in 2003 in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons found that these biopsies, using traditional human analysis, were 96-percent accurate, with a false-negative rate of 8 percent. Because cancer surgeons rely on the biopsies to decide what tissue to remove or leave in place, often at the very moment a cancer is beginning to spread, accuracy in the biopsy analysis is crucial. Machines that learn Beck's group used a process called "deep learning" to essentially teach a computer to better recognize what cancer cells look like. This process is a machine-learning algorithm used in applications such as speech recognition; it makes the system more and more accurate with each use. In preparation for the contest, Beck's group fed the computer thousands of images of cancer cells. The team identified examples for which the computer was prone to make a mistake in cancer identification and retrained the computer using greater numbers of more difficult examples. The development of such automated diagnostics has been a goal for the AI field for the past 30 years, as computers became more commonplace in labs, Beck said. But only recently has the field seen the improvements in scanning, storage, computational power and algorithms necessary to make this possible. Don't worry, pathologists won't be fading away. Beck said the field will evolve to adopt new skill sets. For example, pitfalls to avoid with AI include a system that routinely misses a particular rare form of cancer the AI hasn't seen before or that is routinely thrown off by an artifact in the biopsy image, he said. Humans will be needed to continuously teach the robots. Beck's team includes postdocs in his Harvard lab, Dayong Wang and Humayun Irshad, along with Harvard graduate student Rishab Gargya and MIT researcher Aditya Khosla. A technical report describing this work was posted yesterday (June 20) on the open-access e-print archive arXiv.org. Follow Christopher Wanjek @wanjek for daily tweets on health and science with a humorous edge. Wanjek is the author of "Food at Work" and "Bad Medicine." His column, Bad Medicine, appears regularly on Live Science. Help wanted: Seasoned Republican politician with Washington experience. Must have high energy, conservative credentials and a strong stomach. Job requires working for mercurial boss who provokes needless crises without warning. On paper, youll be his deputy, but this chief executive prides himself on ignoring others advice. The successful candidate will roll with the punches and subordinate his/her public image to the bosss whims. Four-year, no-exit contract; once youre in, youre in. Would anybody want this job? As Donald Trumps scorched-earth style has driven his poll numbers downward, the question isnt only whom hell pick as his running mate; its also whether leading Republicans are willing to shackle their futures to his. If you take the job, youre betting your reputation and your career on Donald Trump, said Vin Weber, a former Republican congressman from Minnesota who, it must be noted, is not a fan. The presumptive nominee has an albatross around his neck, agreed David Winston, a longtime GOP pollster. The share of voters who have an unfavorable opinion of Trump is higher than weve ever seen for a presidential candidate. That means he isnt just vetting potential running mates; hes going to have to recruit them. If Trump loses the general election, his No. 2 risks collecting a share of the blame. If Trump wins, the new vice president gets to spend four years contending with a boss whose reality TV catchphrase was: Youre fired. Small wonder that the list of prominent Republicans who dont want to be considered is as long as those who are signaling interest. Nominees often find their running mates among the rivals they defeated in the primaries, but Sen. Ted Cruz, Sen. Marco Rubio and Gov. John Kasich are all in the not me camp. Trump has said he would like a vice president with experience in Congress, somebody that can help me with legislation. But some of his partys top figures on Capitol Hill dont appear interested, either. House Speaker Paul Ryan would be a logical candidate; he was Mitt Romneys running mate in 2012, and hes beloved by many conservatives. But while Ryan has formally endorsed Trump, he has repeatedly criticized the real estate mogul, slamming his criticism of a Mexican American federal judge as the textbook definition of a racist comment. Besides, Ryan is passionate about cutting future spending on Social Security and Medicare; Trump disagrees. That marriage isnt going to happen. The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Bob Corker, has traveled to Trump Tower in New York to offer foreign policy advice. But if Corker was initially interested, hes sounding less enthusiastic now. Last week, the senator said he was disappointed by Trumps statements after the mass shooting in Orlando, Fla., in which the presumptive nominee accused U.S. Muslims of harboring terrorists and suggested that President Obama might secretly sympathize with extremists. In an effort to be constructive, I have offered public encouragement (to Trump), but I must admit that I am personally discouraged by the results, Corker told me. Who would take the job? Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the House, has been virtually campaigning for the role. Trump was right about Orlando, he told conservative columnist Byron York. Trump has been warning again and again that this has been getting more dangerous. Trump and Gingrich are also in broad agreement on domestic policy; like Trump, Gingrich criticized Romney and Ryan for proposing cuts to Medicare spending in 2012. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, one of the first primary candidates to endorse Trump, seems eager too all too eager. Hes become a fixture on Trumps campaign, to the extent that The New Yorker reported that he has transformed himself into a sort of manservant, delivering the candidates lunch from McDonalds. (The governors office issued an indignant denial, at least about the lunch.) Christies term as governor ends in January 2018, and he cant run again. But its not clear what hed bring to the ticket; his job approval in New Jersey has plummeted and he has no Washington experience. Trump has said he would consider Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama, the first member of the Senate to endorse him. But Sessions has pointed out that hed be a bad strategic choice, since the GOP shouldnt need extra help in the Deep South. The presumptive nominee has also said he likes Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin, a governor with solid conservative credentials; she has said shes honored to be considered. Contrary to popular belief, its not unprecedented for politicians to decline an offer to run for vice president. Its not even unusual. According to Joel K. Goldstein of St. Louis University, no fewer than seven Democrats in 1972 turned down then-Sen. George S. McGovern, including Sens. Edward M. Kennedy and Walter F. Mondale. Kennedy went on to serve as one of the most powerful senators of modern times. Mondale served as vice president under Jimmy Carter and became the 1984 Democratic presidential nominee. So it doesnt hurt a politicians career to turn down the second spot on the presidential ticket. But its definitely not a good sign for the candidate at the top. If Trump loses the general election, his No. 2 risks collecting a share of the blame. If Trump wins, the new vice president gets to spend four years contending with a boss whose reality TV catchphrase was: Youre fired. School & Education, Local News, Health & Wellness, Home & Garden, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: June 21 2016 Governor Cuomo and Legislative Leaders announce agreements on a number of end of session issues. Albany, NY - June 17, 2016 - Governor Cuomo, Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Senate Independent Democratic Conference Leader Jeffrey Klein today announced an agreement on a number of end of session issues. This agreement adds to the major accomplishments weve already achieved throughout the legislative session that will improve the lives of millions of New Yorkers,Governor Cuomo said.From capital funding for our college campuses to supportive housing for the most vulnerable populations, this legislative package addresses critical needs that will have a meaningful impact in every corner of the state. The latest agreement builds on the historic accomplishments of this legislative session. As part of this years budget, we passed a $15 minimum wage, created the nations most robust paid family leave policy, and cut middle class tax rates to the lowest level in 70 years. We continued that progress with a comprehensive plan to combat heroin and opioid abuse, by increasing access to breast cancer screenings, by reforming antiquated laws on alcohol sales, by improving rail safety, and by enacting the nations strongest regulations to rein in the corrosive effects of Citizens United on our political process. Despite perpetual gridlock in Washington, we have proved once again that by working together in a bipartisan manner, government can be a vehicle for action and change. The results of this legislative session are further proof that New York is built to lead. Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan said,This agreement closes the door on an extraordinarily productive session focused on the economic and quality-of-life issues facing New Yorkers and their families, and the need to provide our kids with real and meaningful opportunities for the future. We take action on so-called 'zombie properties,' thereby improving the quality-of-life in our neighborhoods and preserving property values, and protect children from lead in their drinking water. In addition, we provide flexibility to successful charter schools to be regulated by the SUNY Charter Institute, which will improve educational opportunities for students across this state. Meanwhile, we believe that a one-year extension of mayoral control with reforms that require school-by school budget data to promote greater fiscal transparency is in the best interest of students and their parents. This debate has always been about ensuring that school children in New York City receive a first-class education that prepares them for the rest of their lives, and this agreement moves us closer to that goal. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said,This agreement will build on our successes earlier this session and help move New York forward so that our families can grow and thrive. This is a comprehensive package of proposals that will ensure stability for our schools, help keep our SUNY and CUNY institutions top notch, provide critical housing for people in need, and help keep our communities safe and secure. I thank the members of the Assembly Majority for their expertise and commitment to the issues that matter most to New Yorkers. We still have much work to do, and I look forward to working with our partners in government to help us grow our economy and lift New Yorkers up. Senate Independent Democratic Conference Leader Jeffrey Klein said,"At the start of session we delivered paid family leave, won the fight for $15 and delivered a major middle class tax cut. At the close of session, we're restoring the public's trust by enacting strong ethics reform and extending mayoral control in New York City with greater transparency. I have long championed curing the problem that derelict bank-owned and zombie properties pose in communities across this state. Finally, banks will be responsible to maintain zombie properties that have caused property value devaluation across our state. I'm proud that together we delivered for the people of New York State. Housing Todays agreement includes the execution of a memorandum of understanding to make more than $570 million in state resources available to advance capital construction and operating on the first 1,200 units of supportive housing under the Governors sweeping $20 billion Housing and Homelessness plan. The funding will be released to the Division of Housing and Community Renewal and is available immediately to be awarded in conjunction with other resources including state and federal tax credits to support construction costs for the new supportive housing units. The capital and operating funding approved today complements the recently released request for proposals for services and operating awards; together, the capital, services and operating funds will ensure timely completion of the first 1,200 units of the state plan to create 6,000 units of supportive housing over the next five years, 20,000 units of supportive housing over the next fifteen years, and creating or preserving 100,000 units of affordable housing over the next five years. Mayoral Control of NYC Schools Extended with Increased Transparency The agreement extends Mayoral Control in New York City for an additional year. The agreement includes greater transparency by requiring New York City to publish Community School Districts spending information within their proposed budget and on their website. By making this information available to the public, voters, parents and taxpayers in communities across New York City will have a greater understanding of their school districts budget. Foreclosed Homes and Bank-Owned Properties Bank-owned foreclosed properties pose a significant threat to economic health and public safety of local communities, driving down property values and serving as hotbeds for criminal activity. The agreement includes provisions that will help prevent people from losing their homes, and combats the blight of vacant and abandoned bank-owned properties, also known as "zombie homes," by expediting the rehabilitation, repair and improvement of these properties. The agreement will: impose a pre-foreclosure duty on banks and servicers to maintain vacant and abandoned properties; improve the efficiency and integrity of the mandatory settlement conferences to better protect homeowners facing foreclosure; create a toll free hotline for people to report potentially vacant and abandoned properties; establish an electronic database of vacant and abandoned properties to be maintained by the State Department of Financial Services; create an expedited foreclosure process for vacant and abandoned properties; and establish a Consumer Bill of Rights informing property owners of their rights in foreclosure proceedings to prevent people from losing their homes. Require Testing For Lead in Schools Lead poisoning is extremely harmful to young children and may cause permanent brain damage. Schools in New York are not currently required to test their drinking water for lead, or notify parents or government officials of results. The agreement will make New York the first state in the nation to put a requirement in statute that mandates periodic testing of drinking water in schools, reporting to parents and local and state entities, and provides guidance for remediation to ensure availability of clean and safe drinking water in every school. The state will fund a portion of the testing and remediation costs and will reimburse these costs on an expedited schedule in emergency situations. Charter School Flexibility The cornerstones of the charter school educational model are flexibility and innovation. However, the current process to authorize and reauthorize charter schools is outdated and inflexible. To ensure that charter schools are able to adjust their operating model, high-performing charter schools in good standing will be allowed to switch to a different oversight and regulatory entity such as the Board of Trustees of State University of New York or the Board of Regents of the State Educational Department during the 2016-17 school year. Additional Capital Funding for SUNY and CUNY The agreement provides $50 million in additional funding for capital projects on SUNY and CUNY campuses. This amount is beyond the State's contribution of $403 million to the SUNY and CUNY capital budgets for FY 2017. DASNY Permitting For Javits Convention Center This bill authorizes the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York to serve as building code agent on the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center project. By permitting through DASNY, Empire State Development will be able to address essential permitting needs for Javits, thus mitigating potential delays and cost overruns. State Control of NYRA Extended This agreement extends the New York Racing Association Reorganization Board until October 18, 2017, continuing the Board, which has successfully turned around NYRA's finances since its exit from bankruptcy in 2012. This agreement preserves the valuable public window into the operation of racing and wagering at New York's premiere racing facilities, and into the use of statutory racing support payments. Other End of Session Agreements: Additional agreements announced earlier this week include: Approximately 300 pedestrians are killed and 15,000 injured by motor vehicles each year More than 25 percent of motor-vehicle-related fatalities are pedestrians Eighty eight percent of the pedestrian crashes outside New York City occurred in urban areas Forty eight percent of the urban crashes outside New York City occurred in 20 communities Pedestrian crashes on state routes are more severe More than 70 percent of the pedestrian crashes occurred on locally owned roads Sixty one percent of the contributing factors to pedestrian crashes were related to driver actions, while 37 percent were related to pedestrian actions. For drivers, the top two contributing factors were driver inattention and failure to yield right of way. For pedestrians, the top two were pedestrian error and pedestrian failure to yield right of way. The Safety Action Plan, part of the states broad effort to improve traffic safety, supports the States Complete Streets Law and is consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act Transition Plan. Governor Cuomo signed the Complete Streets Law in 2011, requiring state, county and local agencies to consider the safety and convenience of all users when developing transportation projects that receive state and federal funding and are subject to NYSDOT oversight. Funding for the plans implementation will come from the federal Highway Safety Improvement Program, as well as other state and federal funding sources. Systemic Approach to Engineering Improvements The plan calls for a systemic approach to proactively address widespread safety issues and minimize the potential for crashes by implementing low-cost countermeasures throughout the roadway network. Pedestrian safety site evaluations will begin this year on state-owned roadways, including at 2,000 crosswalks without traffic signals and 2,400 signalized intersections. The second year of the plan, NYSDOT will fund local pedestrian safety initiatives identified through a project solicitation. Information about that funding will be available later in the year. Improvements at crosswalks without traffic signals will include pavement markings and signs. Up to 400 locations will receive enhanced treatments as warranted, including refuge islands and attention-grabbing light beacons. At signalized intersections, high visibility crosswalk markings and additional signs will be installed. Signalization will be enhanced with extended crossing times, countdown timers that tell pedestrians how many seconds they have to cross the street and leading pedestrian intervals that help make pedestrian more visible to motorists by giving them a head start before traffic can turn onto the street. These sites also will be evaluated for enhanced treatments, such as pedestrian refuge islands or median and curb extensions. In addition, NYSDOT will evaluate for potential safety improvements five corridors with a higher-than-expected number of pedestrian crashes. At the same time, the State Department of Health will produce and place public service announcements about pedestrian safety, engage local traffic safety boards, schools and others in public outreach, and provide training for safety organizations. The Governors Traffic Safety Committee will encourage police agencies to apply for traffic safety grants in the 20 communities with the highest number of pedestrian crashes, provide education for law enforcement and justice officials, and organize an annual pedestrian safety law enforcement blitz. Focus Communities The plan calls for the communities with the highest number of crashes from 2009 to 2013 outside of New York City to be given extra attention to improve pedestrian safety. That will be done by providing education, enforcement and funding for safety improvement projects through a competitive grant solicitation. A list of the communities is attached. Education and Enforcement Initiatives A targeted enforcement campaign by police agencies along the corridor starts today and runs through the end of next week with the goal of improving both driver and pedestrian safety. Police will hand out a warning notice, developed by GTSC and DOH, which details State law regarding pedestrians. They also may issue tickets to both pedestrians and motorists for violating the law. In addition, police will have supplies of informative motorist and pedestrian safety tip cards to distribute. Furthering the education effort, a pocket guide covering vehicle and traffic law related to pedestrians was developed for police personnel. It serves as a resource that law enforcement personnel can keep in their patrol car glove boxes for quick reference. In addition, a fact sheet will be distributed as part of outreach to local courts to inform them of the campaign and help reinforce the importance of the issues that are being addressed with this focus on pedestrian safety. The education campaign emphasizes the See! Be Seen! message for driver and pedestrian awareness. The See! aspect of this campaign encourages drivers to: Stop for pedestrians at crosswalks and intersections Do not block crosswalks when stopped at an intersection Do not run red lights Slow down and obey speed limits Always look for pedestrians, particularly when turning at a green light or making a right turn on red Take extra care around schools, playgrounds and neighborhoods The Be Seen! aspect of this campaign encourages pedestrians to: Cross at intersections and marked crosswalks Use pedestrian push-buttons where available and wait for the signal to cross Use sidewalks; if there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic so you see vehicles and drivers see you Stay visible after dark and in bad weather by wearing light-colored or reflective clothing Watch for vehicles backing out of parking spaces and exiting driveways Make eye contact with drivers so they see you Look left, look right, and then look left again before crossing a street Congressman Eliot Engel said, Those of us who live in or around the busy streets of New York City know we can never be too safe when it comes to protecting pedestrians. I support Governor Cuomos New York State Pedestrian Action Plan, which is supported by the Federal Highway Administration and will undoubtedly improve public health and safety. Congresswoman Nita Lowey said, Pedestrian safety is critical to health, safety and quality of life in our communities. This is a great example of how we can work across levels of government to make a difference in the lives of New Yorkers. Congressman Steve Israel said, Knowing that Long Island is home to some of the most dangerous roads in the state, I have been a relentless fighter for resources to make our roads safer. I fought in Congress to make certain that policies were included in the long-term highway bill to ensure safety for all travelers is a priority for planning and building roadways. I applaud Governor Cuomo for launching this initiative and will continue to be a partner in efforts to keep our streets safe. Congressman Paul Tonko said, These infrastructure improvements will make it easier for New Yorkers to commute and recreate in the Capital Region and throughout the entire state. I thank Governor Cuomo for recognizing these local needs and acting on them in a way that boosts our economy and creates quality jobs in our area. Congresswoman Kathleen Rice said, Pedestrian safety is both a public health priority and local economic priority. Over the past several years, the Town of Hempstead in our district has seen the highest number of pedestrian-involved crashes in the entire state thats a serious problem for parents raising kids in our communities, for residents who deserve to be able to walk and run safely in our neighborhoods, and for business-owners who rely on foot-traffic in our business districts. The Governors new initiative offers an opportunity to confront this problem comprehensively through smarter engineering, education and enforcement, and Im pleased that the Town of Hempstead has been designated a focus community so that we can give pedestrian safety in our district the full attention it deserves. Congressman Lee Zeldin said, This critical initiative, secured through the bipartisan federal highway bill that passed Congress last year, will help to make improvements to our communitys local infrastructure, increasing walkability and pedestrian and motorist safety in Suffolk County. As a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I strongly support improving our local roadways and will continue working in Congress to strengthen Long Islands infrastructure. The educational campaign stresses that drivers and pedestrians must avoid distractions and not text or use mobile devices while driving or while walking across a street. For more information, visit Governor Cuomos new pedestrian safety website. It provides an overview of the pedestrian safety plan, examples of highway safety improvements that can enhance pedestrian safety and tips for safely navigating roadways as a pedestrian. Follow New York State DOT on Twitter and Facebook. Sports & Recreation, Nature & Weather, Local News, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: June 21 2016 DEC's completed restoration of the Edward's Avenue Dam, as well as the installation of separate fish and eel ladders at that location unveiled. Riverhead, NY - June 16, 2016 - New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Regional Director Carrie Meek Gallagher and DEC Marine Division Director Jim Gilmore were joined today by state and local officials and environmental advocacy groups to unveil DEC's completed restoration of the Edward's Avenue Dam, as well as the installation of separate fish and eel ladders at that location. The restoration of the Edwards Avenue Dam, which is owned by DEC, cost approximately $967,500 to construct with funding received from NY Works. The construction project replaces a failing concrete dam with a new concrete structure and steel sheeting spillway. The new spillway structure, which meets 100-year flood protection requirements, has raised water levels behind the dam to levels not seen for nearly a decade when the former Edwards Avenue Dam and its wooden plank board flood control structure began failing. "The installation of both the fish ladder and the first-ever eel ladder on the Peconic River is a great step forward in enhancing the ecological vitality of the Peconic River watershed," said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. "This project, and the work done further downstream to create the first fish passageway and expanded alewife spawning habitat areas, is an excellent example of how public-private partnerships can effectively restore and enhance ecological resources and a waterway that is important to all Long Islanders." The installation of the fish and eel ladders is part of a long term restoration plan to open 300 acres of critical spawning habitat for river herring and American eels along the Peconic River. The Edwards Avenue Dam will add 35 acres to this goal. The fish ladder is the second ladder on the Peconic River with the most eastern fish ladder located in the Town of Riverhead's Grangebel Park. Other barriers to migratory fish on the Peconic River are in various stages of progress and will be completed in the coming years. Long-term goals focus on expanding river herring, specifically alewife, spawning and maturation habitat areas. Alewives are an important forage fish and a favorite of striped bass. Runs of alewife have been declining along the Atlantic Coast largely due to construction of barriers on historical spawning tributaries. Town of Riverhead Supervisor Sean M. Walter said, "American eel populations have experienced drastic declines in recent years, and habitat expansion rebuilds the species, as well as the animals in the food chain. This fish passage enables River Herring (Alewife) and American Eels in their quest to swim upstream and spawn, thus effectively opening habitat along the Peconic River. Many partner entities must be recognized for the hard work and funding that was required to complete this project." Specifically, Walter expressed appreciation to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services. Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine said, "The Town of Brookhaven appreciates the work of the Peconic Estuary Program, the NYSDEC and the individuals and environmental groups that have been critical to seeing this project to completion. The fish passage that has been constructed builds on the earlier fish passage built downstream at Grangebel Park in Riverhead. The Town of Brookhaven and Suffolk County are cooperating to use state grant funds to construct fish passage at the next obstruction, Forge Road. Completing these projects reconnects our river systems with our bays, and allows fish such as River Herring to access ancestral spawning habitat that they have been cut off from for the hundreds of years that these dams have existed. With these projects we are restoring key elements in the Peconic ecosystem. We are also enhancing public access, tourism and fisheries. These actions help maintain and improve the environment that is key to our quality of life." "As part of our mission, the Division of Marine Resources is committed to restoring and enhancing habitat for migratory fish species, in particular river herring and American eel within the Peconic River system, in order to assure that self-sustaining populations of these resources are available for future generations," DEC Division of Marine Resources Director, Jim Gilmore said. "The Division of Marine Resources knows that this project will greatly enhance this fish population as part of a larger project to restore this sensitive ecosystem within the Peconic Estuary." The Peconic River, the longest river on Long Island, is one of only four rivers classified Wild, Scenic and Recreational Rivers on Long Island and is part of the Peconic Estuary system, one of 28 nationally recognized estuaries in the United States, designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. "This project is a strategic priority for the Peconic Estuary Program as part of our comprehensive habitat restoration plan," Peconic Estuary Program Director, Dr. Alison Branco said. "This fish passage project will add 35 acres towards an overall goal to restore over 300 acres of critical spawning and maturation habitat for river herring within the Peconic River system. River herring, and other migratory fish species, are an integral part of the ecosystem and the Peconic Estuary Program is committed to the restoration of these important species." In 2007, the New York State Department of Transportation and DEC created a new canoe and kayak launch site on the Peconic River at Edwards Avenue. This site, which is adjacent to the Edwards Avenue Dam on property owned by DEC, features a launch site, a protected parking area, and pedestrian path. The newly reconstructed dam and fish and eel ladders are about 150 yards east of the canoe and kayak launch site and can be reached either by paddling to the site or by a short walk from the parking lot. DEC acquired the Edwards Avenue Dam property in 1996 to allow canoeists and kayakers to fully navigate the Peconic River, which the previous site owner was preventing. Suffolk County conveyed the adjacent Peconic River at Edwards Avenue site to DEC in 2005 after taking possession of the property for non-payment of taxes. "The completion of the Edwards Avenue fish pass and American eel pass is another step in the continuing effort to reconnect the Peconic River for diadromous fish, including river herring and American eel," Peconic River Fish Restoration Commission, Byron Young said. "While this long awaited project is ahead of fish passage efforts on two downstream dams (Forge Lake and Upper Mills) it is a step in the right direction and will be waiting for the fish when they can gain access through the downstream dams. Efforts are underway on those two projects and it is hoped that the completion of this project will hasten the work downstream." The fish and eel ladders was designed in consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Installation was performed under a DEC contract in accordance with DEC regulations. The concert starts each night at 7:30 p.m. with doors opening to concert-goers at 6 p.m. The LIRRs westbound service will begin with the 3:42 p.m. train from Port Washington. Eastbound service will begin with the 3:48 p.m. train from Penn Station. A total of 36 trains will make the Mets-Willets Point stop in each direction and after the concert has ended, trains will continue to stop at Mets-Willets Point until concert-goers have been accommodated. Customers may view the Dead & Company Concerts at Citi Field Special Timetable here. Those coming from eastern Long Island should consult branch timetables for service to Woodside Station in Queens, where transfers can be made to Port Washington Branch trains on Platform B for service to Mets- Willets Point Station. Please remember to take your train ticket when transferring at Woodside and have it ready for presentation at Mets-Willets Point. For More Information Customers may visit here for all train schedules or may call the LIRR Customer Service Center at 511, the New York State Travel Information Line, and say Long Island Rail Road, when prompted. The deaf or hard of hearing can use their preferred relay service provider for the free 711 relay to reach the LIRR at 511. For up-to-the-minute service info, download the LIRRs Train Time app or sign up for LIRR service alerts here. Westbury, NY - June 20, 2016 - Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano, District Attorney Madeline Singas, Acting Police Commissioner Thomas Krumpter, Sheriff Michael Sposato and representatives from the United States Department of Homeland Security today announced an arrest in connection with the manufacturing of counterfeit goods in Westbury. More than $1 million in goods were seized along with embroidery machines, which are estimated to have illegally labeled 16 million articles of clothing. Counterfeiting is a billion dollar global industry and the United States is the number one destination for fake merchandise. Pictured left to right: Sheriff Michael Sposato, District Attorney Madeline Singas and County Executive Edward P. Mangano. County Executive Mangano stated, Counterfeiting defrauds our consumers by providing them inferior quality goods and robs artists and designers of their work product all while damaging the designers brand with poor quality knockoffs and undermining innovation. More disturbingly, history has shown us these crimes are often linked with other criminal activity including terrorism, the drug trade and organized crime. Most counterfeit goods are also produced in sweatshops notorious for violating child-labor laws and basic human rights. This arrest stops a major distribution chain in its tracks. On Thursday, June 16th County Deputy Sheriffs were executing a Landlord Tenant Warrant of Eviction at a commercial warehouse in Westbury and observed hundreds of boxes of assorted clothing and industrial type embroidery (brand name labels such as North Face, True Religion, Lacoste, Polo and Uggz) staged to be attached to clothing. Deputy Sheriffs contacted the Nassau County Police Departments Third Squad who determined that counterfeit merchandise was possibly being produced. With the assistance of the District Attorneys Office, a counterfeit apparel expert determined, by viewing the merchandise from the opened exterior garage door, that counterfeit merchandise was in fact present. While waiting for a search warrant, the Third Squad was notified by the landlord that the tenant was responding to pay outstanding rent. The tenant arrived at the landlords place of business - two blocks from the warehouse and was placed in custody by police and later charged with Trademark Counterfeiting. Representatives from the United States Department of Homeland Security are further investigating the possible use of seaports and airports as means of delivery and transport of the labels. This is an excellent example of a well-organized, multi-agency investigation which led to the disruption and dismantling of this elaborate counterfeiting operation, Acting Commissioner of Police Thomas Krumpter added. This arrest will have a tremendous impact on the distribution of this unsafe, subpar merchandise. Hempstead, NY - June 20, 2016 - Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano announces that a Veterans Stand Down will be held on Tuesday, July 12, 2016 at American Legion, 160 Marvin Avenue in Hempstead. The Stand Down, from 10am 2pm, is hosted by the Nassau County Veterans Service Agency (VSA) with assistance from volunteers representing all service organizations. My administration is committed to serving our veterans and ensuring resources are provided to them once they return home from service, said County Executive Mangano. Nassau County Stand Downs have assisted veterans in securing benefits, job counseling, legal advice and dental care. I thank all those good citizens who donate their time to making this event a success. Veterans will receive assistance with securing entitled benefits, job counseling and legal advice. Clothes and food donated from the community will be available to the veterans, as well as a BBQ, haircuts, medical screenings, enrollment in the Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system and dental cleaning offered by Dental on the Go. Representatives from Nassau County government agencies will be participating, including the departments of Social Services, Health, and Human Services, as well as The Salvation Army, the New York State Department of Labor, The Department of Veterans Affairs, New York State Division of Veterans Affairs and The Red Cross. For more information, please contact the Nassau County Veterans Service Agency at (516) 572-6565. Sports & Recreation, Local News, Press Releases, Seasonal & Current Events By Long Island News & PR Published: June 21 2016 This summer, Tommy Bahama and the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation are collaborating in support of Long Island State Park beaches and the Jones Beach Lifeguard Corps. Official Tommy Bahama Uniforms for Jones Beach Lifeguards for Summer 2016. The partnership also includes Tommy Bahama sponsorship of the 38th Annual Volleyball Tournament at Jones Beach on July 16-17. Long Island, NY - June 20, 2016 - This summer, Tommy Bahama and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation are collaborating in support of Long Island State Park beaches and the Jones Beach Lifeguard Corps. Tommy Bahama will bring its relaxed, Make Life One Long Weekend philosophy to the beautiful beaches of Long Island, by providing the official lifeguard uniform t-shirts, rashguard and board shorts. This is the first time the lifeguard uniforms will be made from technical fabrics with a UPF 50+ rating for sun protection. There will also be Tommy Bahama recognition signs on lifeguard chairs, stands and lifeguard shacks. The full opening for all Long Island region beaches is Saturday, June 25. For many New Yorkers, summer is best enjoyed with surf, sun and a fun day at the beach, said State Parks Commissioner Rose Harvey. We are excited to partner with Tommy Bahama to support our beautiful sandy beaches and the Long Island lifeguards who watch over them and keep millions of park visitors safe. Not only does this new gear provide greater sun protection for our lifeguards, but the iconic Tommy Bahama brand also instills a summertime state of mind thats long been an essential part of the Long Island beach experience. Were honored to partner with the Jones Beach Lifeguards this year. For Tommy Bahama, summer is about going to the beach and enjoying all it has to offer. The lifeguards commitment to safety allows New Yorkers to take advantage of some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Weve designed uniforms that will deliver comfort, style and most importantly, one more layer of protection against the sun, says Rob Goldberg, Executive Vice President Marketing at Tommy Bahama. Tommy Bahama will provide 500 Jones Beach Lifeguards with custom designed uniforms made from fabrics containing a UPF 50+ rating for sun protection. The navy blue and yellow uniforms will include a long sleeve rashguard and swim trunks made of technical fabrics, as well as long and short sleeve 100% Pima cotton t-shirts, all featuring a specially designed co-branded logo. This is the first time the official lifeguard uniform will be made from fabrics with a UPF 50+ rating to provide critical sun protection. The Jones Beach Lifeguard Corps is responsible for water safety operations within seven heavily visited metropolitan New York beaches, including three major facilities on the Atlantic Ocean and two pools at Long Island State Parks, which serves an estimated 12 million visitors each season. The beaches include Jones Beach, Robert Moses, Hither Hills, Heckscher, Orient, Wildwood and Sunken Meadow State Park beaches as well as swimming pools at the West Bathhouse Jones Beach and Montauk Downs. Established in 1929, the corps is one of the nations premier rescue organizations. The public-private partnership also includes Tommy Bahama sponsorship of the 38th Annual Volleyball Tournament at Jones Beach on July 16-17, which hosts over a thousand players. This is a free co-ed tournament consisting of four and six player leagues. Tommy Bahama will also provide scholarships to support the popular Junior Lifeguard program. This program provides training for young adolescents to become future lifeguards within the New York Metropolitan area beaches. In recognition of the Long Island region beaches, Tommy Bahama will host a special Shop for a Cause event at their New York City flagship store and restaurant on Fifth Avenue and at the Walt Whitman Shops in Huntington Station, Long Island. On Friday, June 24, 20% of net sales at both locations will be donated to the Natural Heritage Trust (NHT) which benefits public programs for parks, recreation, cultural, land and water conservation and historic preservation purposes of the State of New York. The NHT accomplishes its mission through cooperative programs and projects with its agency partners: New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP), Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Department of State (DOS). The NHT is dedicated to building and sustaining relationships with organizations that share mission compatible goals and purposes. About Tommy Bahama Tommy Bahama is part of Tommy Bahama Group, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Oxford Industries, Inc. (NYSE:OXM). Established in August 1992, with corporate headquarters in Seattle, Tommy Bahama is an island-inspired lifestyle brand that defines relaxed, sophisticated style in mens and womens sportswear, swimwear, accessories, footwear and a complete home furnishings collection. The company owns and operates over 160 Tommy Bahama retail locations worldwide, 16 of which offer a Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar. The Tommy Bahama collection is available on TommyBahama.com and at the finest U.S. retailers, including Nordstrom and other specialty retailers. Additional stores will be opening this year. For more information, please visit here. About Jones Beach and New York State Parks Jones Beach is a world-class swimming destination offering Atlantic Ocean and bay swimming along a 6.5 mile beachfront. The park is undergoing a $65 million revitalization to restore its historic grandeur, expand food and beverage service, streamline park entry and increase storm resiliency as part of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo Parks 2020 initiative to redesign and rebuild state parks for the future. Statewide, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversee 180 state parks and 35 historic sites, which are visited by 65 million people annually. For more information on any of these recreation areas, call 518-474-0456 or visit www.nysparks.com Local News, Crime, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: June 21 2016 Michael Troyan, a physician assistant who operated two urgent care clinics on the east end of Long Island, today pleaded guilty to conspiring to illegally distribute oxycodone. Pictured is Michael Troyan, a provider at East End Urgent & Primary Care Medicine in Riverhead. When sentenced, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years' imprisonment and a $1M fine. Riverhead, NY - June 17, 2016 - Michael Troyan, a physician assistant who operated two urgent care clinics on the east end of Long Island, today pleaded guilty to conspiring to illegally distribute oxycodone, a highly addictive prescription pain medication. The guilty plea was entered before United States District Judge Denis R. Hurley at the U.S. Courthouse in Central Islip. When sentenced, Troyan, 37, faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment and a $1 million fine. In announcing the guilty plea, United States Attorney Robert L. Capers expressed his grateful appreciation to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administrations (DEA) Long Island Tactical Diversion Squad, which led the governments investigation in this case. The DEAs Long Island Tactical Diversion Squad comprises agents and officers of the DEA, Nassau County Police Department, Rockville Centre Police Department and Port Washington Police Department. According to court filings and statements made in court during the guilty plea, between November 2011 and October 2015, Troyan, who was authorized to prescribe controlled substances, issued prescriptions for thousands of oxycodone pills to co-conspirators for the purpose of illegally re-selling the pills. During the investigation, Troyan was captured on video in an undercover operation writing phony prescriptions at his Riverhead medical office for oxycodone and receiving large quantities of cash half the profit from prior illegal sales. As part of his guilty plea, Troyan agreed to forfeit $710,290 attributable to illegal prescription sales. One of Troyans co-conspirators was Southampton Town Councilman Bradley Bender, who is scheduled to be sentenced on June 24, 2016. Benders resignation as a Councilman was accepted by the Southampton Town Board on the day of his guilty plea, Nov. 24, 2015. This case is part of a series of federal prosecutions by the United States Attorneys Office as part of the Prescription Drug Initiative. In January 2012, that Office and the DEA, in conjunction with the five District Attorneys in the Eastern District of New York, the Nassau and Suffolk County Police Departments, the New York City Police Department, and New York State Police, along with other key federal, state, and local government partners, launched the Initiative to mount a comprehensive response to what the United States Department of Health and Human Services Center for Disease Control and Prevention has called an epidemic increase in the abuse of opioid analgesics. To date, the Initiative has brought over 160 federal and local criminal prosecutions, including the prosecution of 18 health care professionals, taken civil enforcement actions against a hospital, a pharmacy, and a pharmacy chain, removed prescription authority from numerous rogue doctors, and expanded information-sharing among enforcement agencies to better target and pursue drug traffickers. The Initiative also is involved in an extensive community outreach program to address the abuse of pharmaceuticals. The governments case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Allen Bode and James Knapp. Pets & Animal, Local News, National & World News, Community, Charity & Cause, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: June 21 2016 Animal rights and advocacy groups along with Congressman Lee Zeldin to urge the Chinese Government to stop the slaughter of over 10,000 dogs at the Yulin Dog Meat Festival. Washington, DC - June 20, 2016 - United States Congressman Lee Zeldin (NY-1) of the Foreign Affairs Committee will join New York City and Long Island animal rights and advocacy groups at a press conference on Tuesday, June 21 2016 at 2 pm in Washington D.C. to urge the Chinese Government to stop the slaughter of over 10,000 dogs during the start of the Yulin Dog Meat Festival, which beings this week in Asia. The popular Festival, in which dogs are tortured and eaten, has drawn international criticism with over 12 million people signing a petition in opposition. There have been protests in New York City, Los Angeles, and Washington D.C. and across the globe to stop this tragic animal abuse. Global Strays of Manhattan, The Suffolk County SPCA, the Southampton Animal Shelter, and other advocacy groups across the region, will be urging members of Congress to stop this inhumane act. They will be bringing rescue dogs dressed in purple ribbons, the symbol of the anti-animal abuse movement. Congressman Zeldin has co-sponsored a resolution, H. Res. 752, that condemns the Festival, which involves the cruel capture and killing of thousands of dogs. The resolution calls on the Chinese government and Yulin authorities to end the meat trade and better enforce food safety and animal transportation laws. It also urges the National People's Congress of China to enact an anti-animal cruelty law. The International Humane Society is currently in China protesting the festival. Over 26 members of Congress are supporting the resolution. When: Tuesday, June 21, 2016 2:00 PM Where: US Capitol Building East Front "House Triangle" Outside Washington, DC 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 Status of Copts in Egypt Remains Precarious Despite Positive Rhetoric of Egyptian Government WASHINGTON, June 21, 2016 / Coptic Solidarity was honored to host Members of Congress Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA), Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ), Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA), Rep. Dave Trott (R-MI), Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) and Rep. Fortenberry (R-NE), USCIRF Commissioner Dr. Daniel I. Mark, U.S. State Department Special Advisor for Religious Minorities in the Near East and South/Central Asia Mr. Knox Thames, Co-Secretary General of the Transatlantic Parliamentary Group on Counter Terrorism Dr. Walid Phares, President of the St. Cyril of Alexandria Orthodox Christian Society Holy Transfiguration College Fr. Michael Sorial, Senior Fellow of Hudson Institute Nina Shea, Co-Director for Policy and Research, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Dwight Bashir, Esther K. Wagner Fellow, Washington Institute Dr. Eric Trager, Visiting Fellow, Brookings Institute Dr. Sarah Yerkes and many more excellent speakers. Leading Egyptian entrepreneur and progressive voice Naguib Sawiris provided a pointed and candid keynote speech at the Annual Banquet Dinner. The Conference highlighted the range of institutionalized, long-standing discriminatory practices targeting Copts, as well the shocking lynching of an elderly Christian woman, Soad Thabet, that laid bare the depth to which regressive Islamism has penetrated into Egyptian society, under the complacent eyes of the authorities. While recognizing positive rhetoric and symbolic acts by Egyptian authorities toward the Coptic community and against the worst forms of Islamism, openly-discriminatory rules, such as the "anti-blasphemy" law, restrictions on church building and designation of religion on state identification cards, as well as the de facto exclusion of Copts from senior state positions, the use of informal reconciliation sessions to circumvent the application of law in acts of sectarian violence against Copts, the conflation of the state with Islam and a culture that educates and encourages treatment of Copts as outsiders in their own land, continue to firmly designate Egypt's Christians as second class citizens. The situation with Christian and other minority communities in much of the region is even more alarming, so much so that the United States and other countries rightly have formally designated what has been occurring as acts of genocide. Coptic Solidarity announced its new initiative, Maspero Remembrance Day, marking the upcoming fifth anniversary of the murder of 28 peaceful protestors on October 9, 2011. More details and resources will be released shortly to assist with communities wishing to join in these commemorative efforts. Coptic Solidarity affirms the critical need for justice to be served in Maspero, to ensure all citizens have equal protection under the law and that the law is applied equally and fairly to all citizens regardless of their creed. Following the Conference, Coptic Solidarity President, Alex Shalaby, announced his resignation at the organization's General Assembly. Mr. Shalaby will continue to serve on the board of Coptic Solidarity. Coptic Solidarity Vice President, Dr. George Gurguis, was unanimously elected to finish Mr. Shalaby's term as President. Dr. Gurguis is a staff psychiatrist at Dallas VA Medical Center and Associate Professor of Psychiatry at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Coptic Solidarity is an organization seeking to help minorities, particularly the Copts, of Egypt and we support those in Egypt working for democracy, freedom, and the protection of the fundamental rights of all Egyptian citizens. For more information, contact Lindsay Vessey at 801-512-1713 or Share Tweet Contact: Lindsay Vessey, Coptic Solidarity , 801-512-1713, coptadvocacy@copticsolidarity.org WASHINGTON, June 21, 2016 / Christian Newswire / -- Coptic Solidarity's 7th Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. entitled The Future of Egypt's Religious Minorities: Status of Copts after Two Revolutions affirmed the pressing need to protect the rights of the largest Christian minority in the Middle East, and the rights of aggrieved minority communities in the region as a whole.Coptic Solidarity was honored to host Members of Congress Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA), Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ), Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA), Rep. Dave Trott (R-MI), Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) and Rep. Fortenberry (R-NE), USCIRF Commissioner Dr. Daniel I. Mark, U.S. State Department Special Advisor for Religious Minorities in the Near East and South/Central Asia Mr. Knox Thames, Co-Secretary General of the Transatlantic Parliamentary Group on Counter Terrorism Dr. Walid Phares, President of the St. Cyril of Alexandria Orthodox Christian Society Holy Transfiguration College Fr. Michael Sorial, Senior Fellow of Hudson Institute Nina Shea, Co-Director for Policy and Research, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Dwight Bashir, Esther K. Wagner Fellow, Washington Institute Dr. Eric Trager, Visiting Fellow, Brookings Institute Dr. Sarah Yerkes and many more excellent speakers. Leading Egyptian entrepreneur and progressive voice Naguib Sawiris provided a pointed and candid keynote speech at the Annual Banquet Dinner.The Conference highlighted the range of institutionalized, long-standing discriminatory practices targeting Copts, as well the shocking lynching of an elderly Christian woman, Soad Thabet, that laid bare the depth to which regressive Islamism has penetrated into Egyptian society, under the complacent eyes of the authorities. While recognizing positive rhetoric and symbolic acts by Egyptian authorities toward the Coptic community and against the worst forms of Islamism, openly-discriminatory rules, such as the "anti-blasphemy" law, restrictions on church building and designation of religion on state identification cards, as well as the de facto exclusion of Copts from senior state positions, the use of informal reconciliation sessions to circumvent the application of law in acts of sectarian violence against Copts, the conflation of the state with Islam and a culture that educates and encourages treatment of Copts as outsiders in their own land, continue to firmly designate Egypt's Christians as second class citizens. The situation with Christian and other minority communities in much of the region is even more alarming, so much so that the United States and other countries rightly have formally designated what has been occurring as acts of genocide.Coptic Solidarity announced its new initiative, Maspero Remembrance Day, marking the upcoming fifth anniversary of the murder of 28 peaceful protestors on October 9, 2011. More details and resources will be released shortly to assist with communities wishing to join in these commemorative efforts. Coptic Solidarity affirms the critical need for justice to be served in Maspero, to ensure all citizens have equal protection under the law and that the law is applied equally and fairly to all citizens regardless of their creed.Following the Conference, Coptic Solidarity President, Alex Shalaby, announced his resignation at the organization's General Assembly. Mr. Shalaby will continue to serve on the board of Coptic Solidarity. Coptic Solidarity Vice President, Dr. George Gurguis, was unanimously elected to finish Mr. Shalaby's term as President. Dr. Gurguis is a staff psychiatrist at Dallas VA Medical Center and Associate Professor of Psychiatry at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.Coptic Solidarity is an organization seeking to help minorities, particularly the Copts, of Egypt and we support those in Egypt working for democracy, freedom, and the protection of the fundamental rights of all Egyptian citizens. For more information, contact Lindsay Vessey at 801-512-1713 or coptadvocacy@copticsolidarity.org Omar Mateen swore allegiance to Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi at least twice during a 911 call the night of his attack on a LGBT nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Mateen made or received several calls during the massacre at Pulse nightclub, where he killed 49 people and wounded dozens more on June 12. The Department of Justice and the FBI released a transcript of one of his 911 calls earlier today. The call lasted approximately 50 seconds and was made at 2:35 a.m. My name is [sic] I pledge of allegiance to Abu Bakr al Baghdadi of the Islamic State, Mateen told the 911 operator. The operator then asked: Ok, Whats your name? I pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr al Baghdadi may God protect him [Arabic], on behalf of the Islamic State, Mateen responded. Before the DOJ and FBI jointly released the transcript, the FBI published its own redacted version. However, the FBI omitted any mention of Baghdadi and the Islamic State in its text. This move proved to be controversial, leading the DOJ and FBI to publish a more complete transcript later in the day. The screen shot below shows the transcript as it was initially presented to the public. Mateen was quite obviously referring to Baghdadi and the Islamic State. In fact, US officials acknowledged Mateens stated allegiance the day after his heinous assault. At a press briefing on June 13, for instance, FBI Director James Comey indicated that Mateen had made his loyalty to Baghdadi known. During his calls the night of the attack, Comey told reporters, Mateen said he was doing this for the leader of ISIL, who he named and pledged loyalty to. ISIL (or the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) is the US governments preferred acronym for the Islamic State. President Obama also mentioned Mateens loyalty oath during a statement on June 14. The president said Mateen was inspired by propaganda produced by the Islamic State and that he offered his fealty to it. Mateen took in extremist information and propaganda over the Internet, according to Obama. The president then cited the Islamic States repeated calls to attack in the West, explaining that Mateen absorbed some of that and during his killing spreepledged allegiance to ISIL. Therefore, the FBIs initial redactions were pointless, regardless of the bureaus motivations for omitting key words. Both Comey and Obama already explained to the public that Mateen had sworn allegiance to Baghdadi and the Islamic State. Other references to the Islamic State According to a timeline released by the FBI, Mateen made several other references to the Islamic State during three calls with the Orlando Police Departments Crisis Negotiation Team. The calls began at 2:48 a.m. on June 12, just 13 minutes after the 911 call mentioned above. The last one ended just before 3:30 in the morning. In these calls, the shooter, who identified himself as an Islamic soldier, told the crisis negotiator that he was the person who pledged his allegiance to [omitted], and told the negotiator to tell America to stop bombing Syria and Iraq and that is why he was out here right now,' the FBIs timeline reads. Iraq and Syria are home to the Islamic States so-called caliphate. Mateens claim to be an Islamic soldier was likely a reference to the Islamic State too. Indeed, one of the groups propaganda arms called Mateen a soldier of the caliphate within days of the attack. However, this does not mean that Mateen had any operational ties to the organization. The Islamic State has used the word soldier to describe both formal members and individual jihadists who act in its name. It also appears from the FBIs summary that Mateen mentioned his allegiance to Baghdadi during his calls with the crisis negotiation team. (The timeline omitted Baghdadis name after the words pledged his allegiance to.) Mateen made some false claims to the crisis negotiator, saying there was some vehicle outside that has some bombs. This wasnt true. He also claimed to be wearing a suicide vest, which also wasnt true. He described the supposed vest as the same kind they used in France. This was an obvious reference to the Islamic State terrorists who assaulted Paris in November 2015. In the next few days, youre going to see more of this type of action going on, Mateen told the crisis negotiation team. He then hung up and, according to the FBI, multiple attempts to get in touch with him were unsuccessful. But Mateen may have also professed his loyalty to Baghdadi on Facebook. Senator Ron Johnson, a Republican who chairs the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, sent a letter to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg on June 15. In the letter, which was first reported by Fox News, Senator Johnson referred to several Facebook posts that have been attributed to Mateen. America and Russia stop bombing the Islamic state..I pledge my alliance [sic] to abu bakr al Baghdadi..may Allah accept me, Mateen apparently wrote in one post on June 12, either during or shortly before the attack. Another Facebook post purportedly reads: The real muslims will never accept the filthy ways of the west and You kill innocent women and children by doing us airstrikes..now taste the Islamic state vengeance. In what is believed to be his final post, Mateen threatened: In the next few days you will see attacks from the Islamic state in the usa. According to Senator Johnson, his staff also learned that in May 2016, Mateen used Facebook to search for information on the San Bernardino terrorists, who acted in the Islamic States name. And, on June 4, Mateen entered the search words Baghdadi Speech on Facebook. Therefore, the available evidence indicates that Mateen mentioned his loyalty to Baghdadi at least four times the night of the attack. Mateen pledged bayah (oath of allegiance) to Baghdadi twice during a 911 call, mentioned it at least once during his conversations with the crisis negotiation team, and also swore bayah in a post on Facebook. Islamic State tells supporters to swear allegiance before dying Not all of the available transcripts have been released to the public. That evidence certainly includes additional details on Mateens thinking. In the days following Mateens murderous rampage, much of the medias reporting has focused on his motivations. Some witnesses have come forward to say that Mateen himself was secretly gay, implying that he acted out because of his repressed or conflicted sexuality. This is possible, but federal officials told The New York Times they have found no evidence in his effects or online presence to back up claims Mateen was gay. Other reports have pointed to the shooters disturbed, sometimes violent, past. None of these characteristics would preclude Mateen from being a jihadist. The psychology of all humans, including ideologues, is complex. There is no reason to believe that jihadists are automatons motivated by ideology alone, without any other concerns or problems. But on the night of June 12, Omar Mateen swore allegiance to Abu Bakr al Baghdadi repeatedly. As The Long War Journal has reported, this is precisely what the Islamic State tells its followers to do. [See LWJ report, Why the Islamic State tells supporters to swear allegiance before dying.] For example, the 12th issue of the groups English-language magazine Dabiq, which was titled Just Terror, specifically told any would-be follower to record his will, renew his bayah, carry the Khilafah banner, and strike the crusaders and their pagan and apostate allies wherever he can find them, even if he is alone. This passage was addressed to every such muwahhid [Muslim who emphasizes the unity of Allah] barred from hijrah that is, every believer who cannot make his or her way to the lands of the caliphate. The Islamic State says that each individual should purify himself of the branches of lesser hypocrisy that hold him back from performing jihad in his location. Therefore, not only does the Islamic State encourage supporters to carry out attacks in their home countries (a common motif), but also wants them to document their allegiance to the caliphate. This makes it easier for the organization to claim credit or inspiration for the violence, whether or not any of the groups members instructed the individual terrorist beforehand. Like the couple responsible for the attack in San Bernardino in December 2015, Omar Mateen followed these instructions, repeatedly making his bayah to Baghdadi known. Thomas Joscelyn is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Senior Editor for FDD's Long War Journal. Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here. The Afghan Taliban denied government claims that its shadow governor for the important southeastern province of Ghazni was killed last weekend in an airstrike. Ghazni has served as a haven for the Taliban and its ally, al Qaeda. Afghanistans Ministry of the Interior claimed on June 18 that Mullah Mohammad Qasim and an undisclosed number of fighters were killed in an airstrike in the Aab Band district of Ghazni. The strike also destroyed several vehicles and motorcycles, According to MoI [the Ministry of Interior], Mullah Qasim had a major role in terrorist activities in various parts of Ghazni province and his death will have a positive result on security situation of the province, Khaama Press noted. The Taliban quickly denied reports of Qasims death. Spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid rejected reports that Qasim was killed, and described the Ministry of Interiors claim as the enemys propaganda. We strongly reject the enemys propaganda. Nothing has happened to our Ghazni governor Mawlawi Mohammad Qasim Samim; he is alive and occupied with his jihadist work, Mujahid said in an official statement released on Voice of Jihads Pashto-language website. Mujahid said that the Afghan government has repeatedly spread false rumors of martyrdom of the Islamic Emirates provincial and district officials which, thanks be to God, proved to be wrong. Additionally, he discounted government claims that Mullah Rahmatullah Najib (Najibuallah), the shadow governor for Logar province, was killed by Afghan forces last week. Both Qasim and Najib recently mourned the loss of Mullah Mansour, the Talibans previous emir who was killed in a US drone strike in Baluchistan, Pakistan, and swore allegiance to Mullah Haibatullah, the Talibans new leader. After Mansours death, the Taliban said that the targeting of its top leaders will not deter the group from fighting to achieve its goal of reestablishing the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Nor would such airstrikes lead it to negotiate a peaceful settlement of the 15 year old conflict. Ghazni is a key province for both the Taliban and al Qaeda. The province has served as a traditional stronghold for both groups. The Taliban is thought to control at least one district (Nawa) and contests two others (Arjistan and Ghazni), according to data compiled by The Long War Journal. Osama bin Laden considered Ghazni to be strategic terrain. Ghazni was one of four provinces mentioned by bin Laden for al Qaeda leaders and operatives to relocate to in order to dodge the intensifying US drone campaign in Pakistans tribal areas in 2010. Bin Laden suggested that Ghazni, Zabul, Nuristan, and Kunar were well suited for al Qaeda members to shelter due to the strength of the Taliban and the terrain. Several senior and mid-level al Qaeda leaders and operatives were killed in Ghazni after bin Laden made his suggestion. [See LWJ report, Bin Laden advised relocation of some leaders to Afghanistan due to drone strikes in Waziristan.] Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal. Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here. Were New Here The site design is new and the brand name is shorter. Find out who, what, where, when, and why in one handy little post. Austal Limited announced securing two new contracts for three commercial passenger ferries with a total value of approximately AU$30million. Firstly, Austal has been awarded a contract for the construction of a 50 meter high speed passenger catamaran for Seaspovill Co. Ltd, which operates a number of high speed ferries on multiple domestic routes in South Korea. With a contract value of approximately AU$16million, Austal will construct the catamaran to an Incat Crowther design that has capacity to carry up to 450 passengers, at speeds of up to 40 knots. As many South Korean passenger ferry operators seek proven international shipbuilders to help deliver a generational update of the countrys passenger ferry fleets, Seaspovill has selected Austal to build their new ship; based on continued satisfaction with their pre-owned 48 meter high speed catamaran, Seastar 3, built by Austal in 1998. This vessel continues to impress and is performing well with a high quality, robust construction and practical design. The new 50 meter high speed catamaran will be constructed by Austal Philippines in Balamban, Cebu with delivery anticipated in June 2017. Austal has also been awarded a contract from Supercat Fast Ferry Corporation (SFFC) of the Philippines, for two 30 meter passenger catamaran ferries. A subsidiary of leading Philippines transportation and logistics company 2Go Group Inc (PSE:2GO), SFFC has awarded Austal a AU$13million contract which includes the provision of spares. Transporting up to 300 passengers each at up to 25 knots, the two catamarans will join SFFCs popular Supercat fast ferry fleet operating between 10 ports throughout the Philippines Archipelago. Construction of the two Incat-Crowther designed vessels will also take place at Austal Philippines and delivery is scheduled for June 2017. Announcing the contracts, Austal Chief Executive Officer David Singleton said the two contracts were significant in many ways, with the two SFFC vessels representing Austal Philippines first new build program for the Philippines domestic market and the Seaspovill contract Austals first new build for South Korea. Once again Australian ship design and reputation for performance and quality wins out in the highly competitive international ship building market. Austal has a world class reputation for high speed ferries and naval vessels which continues to be recognized and brings quality work to the business. We are seeing a resurgence in the passenger ferry market worldwide which Austal is well placed to win, Singleton added. Maritime security experts have met in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (15-17 June) to share expertise on how cooperation on maritime surveillance monitoring and communication systems in the South Atlantic can benefit countries in west and central Africa. Delegates from 11 African countries, the Brazilian Navy and various African regional organizations and other countries shared their experiences and challenges in enhancing maritime security, with a view to improving maritime security through better maritime governance, maritime situation awareness and cooperation across the South Atlantic. The meeting also discussed the institutional framework required to foster maritime governance and security in the South Atlantic. International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the Brazilian Navy co-sponsored an Experts Panel meeting on Maritime Security in the South Atlantic a follow-up meeting to the Situational Awareness Workshop also held in Brazil last year, which sought to identify opportunities for technical cooperation, training and assistance to countries which are part of the South Atlantic Maritime Coordination Area. Additionally, IMOs Chris Trelawny had the privilege of awarding the prestigious Brazilian Maritime Safety Award, to the Brazilian naval ship corvette Almirante Barroso, which was involved in rescuing 220 immigrants in the Mediterranean Sea in September last year. Gisela Vieira, Maritime Safety Division, joined Trelawny in representing IMO at the various activities. 1898 - During the Spanish-American War, the cruiser USS Charleston captures the island of Guam without resistance from Spain, because the Spanish Navy had no sufficient ammunition for defense. 1919 - The German navy scuttles its own fleet at Scapa Flow. After the Nov. 11 Armistice, the surrendered German ships are divided by Allies. German officers then organize a mass destruction of the fleet that occurs on this day. 1942 - PBY aircraft from (VP 24) recovers a two-man torpedo bomber crew from USS Enterprise (CV 6) 360 miles north of Midway after their plane went down June 4. The aviators are the last survivors of the Battle of Midway to be recovered. 1944 - USS Newcomb (DD 586) and USS Chandler (DMS 9) sink Japanese submarine (I 185), 90 miles east-northeast of Saipan. Also on this date, USS Bluefish (SS 222) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Kanan Maru off southern approaches to Makassar Strait while USS Narwhal (SS 167) sinks Japanese powered sailboat No.2 Shinshu Maru, 12 miles southwest of Culasi. 1944 - TBF/Ms and F4Fs from USS White Plains (CVE 66) sink Japanese cargo ship Shoun Maru off Rota, Saipan. (Source: Naval History and Heritage Command, Communication and Outreach Division) ABS Chairman, President and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki concludes his term as Chairman of the International Association of Classification Societies Ltd. (IACS) encouraging the organization to continue setting high standards for performance and raising the bar of excellence. We set a clear and aggressive agenda for my term as Chairman, and I am very proud of the work we accomplished collectively elevating safety by achieving our top priority of Goal-based Standards recognition by IMO (International Maritime Organization), raising the profile of cyber security and setting a firm foundation for improved working relationships with industry organizations including the IMO, Wiernicki says. These initiatives demonstrate foresight and commitment of IACS members, and they strengthen IACS in its critical role. Heading discussions with IMO, Wiernicki described the organizations recognition of IACS-developed rules regarding goals and functional requirements of the International Goal-based Ship Construction Standards for Bulk Carriers and Oil Tankers (GBS) as monumental. This powerful endorsement represents a new era in maritime safety and reinforces the role of IACS as trusted technical advisor to the IMO, says Wiernicki. It is a key accomplishment for several reasons It provides a consistent framework and philosophy for goals, requirements and verification; strengthens the IACS-IMO relationship providing for even further means of continuous improvement; and reinforces the importance of IACS and class in marine safety leadership. Another noteworthy milestone during Wiernickis tenure was recognizing and elevating the importance of cyber system safety by promoting the Expert Group to a Panel, which positions it among the top IACS focus areas, and creating a dedicated industry Joint Working Group. Leading complex conversations to align industry, Wiernicki began a legacy to develop the next generation of safety systems. As IACS Chairman, Wiernicki initiated strategic discussions between the organization and IMO that undoubtedly will pave the way for a long-term agreement in the near future. We live in exciting and challenging times, he says. Successfully navigating converging regulatory, technology and classification evolution requires strong technical leadership, and IACS is firmly on a charted path of success. I am honored to be in the forefront of this effort as Chairman of IACS and Chairman of ABS, and I look forward to celebrating continued achievements that improve maritime safety. Wiernicki assumed the role of IACS Chairman at the end of the 71st session of the IACS Council in Paris on July 2, 2015, and will chair his final Council meeting in Washington, DC, on June 28-29, 2016. Chinas state-owned COSCO Shipping Corp plans to launch cruise services in the South China Sea in July, reports Reuters. The first route is expected to travel from Sanya to the Yongle Island, part of the Xisha Islands in Hainan province. Its part of Beijings plans to transform several islands in the disputed waterway into tourist destinations to bolster its territorial claims. "It is practical to stimulate the local economy through development of tourism, logistics and infrastructure facilities," Xu Lirong, chairman of COSCO Shipping, said. China COSCO Shipping signed a contract with China National Travel Service (HK) Group Corp and China Communications Construction Co Ltd in late April, to jointly establish a cruise company to offer tourism services in the South China Sea. Subscribe for Maritime Reporter E-News Maritime Reporter E-News is the maritime industry's largest circulation and most authoritative ENews Service, delivered to your Email five times per week Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines have agreed to conduct coordinated maritime patrols as part of a broader plan to tackle rising security challenges in the waters bordering the three countries, report local media. This plan was sent in a joint statement following the trilateral meeting among Philippines' National Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Malaysia Defense Minister Dato Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein and Indonesia Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu in Manila. They also agreed in principle to have the armed forces of the three countries exercise greater coordination in conducting relevant security and maritime activities. During the meeting, the three officials discussed the recent incidents of kidnappings and armed robbery at sea in common maritime areas. The Ministers agreed that the best practices shared by Malaysia and Indonesia on their experiences in the Malacca Straits Patrol (MSP) may be adopted as a model for trilateral cooperation to address common maritime security concerns, the statement said. Nearly 20 Indonesian and Malaysian tugboat crew have been kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf militants this year, with Jakarta airing fears that the problem could reach levels seen off the coast of Somalia. The ministers also agreed for the armed forces and relevant agencies of these three countries to expedite the crafting and finalization of relevant Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), the Philippines defense department said. More than 150 leaders in the cruise industry from around the world will meet here this week, as the Port of New Orleans hosts the 2016 Platinum Associate Membership Advisory Council Conference of the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA). Local elected officials and tourism leaders will meet with cruise executives from FCCAs 19 Member Lines, along with key cruise tourism stakeholders, to update them on New Orleans' tourism economy, infrastructure and attractions. Presenters include Gary LaGrange, Port of New Orleans President and CEO; New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, Iftikhar Ahmad, Director of Aviation, Louis Armstrong International Airport; Stephen Perry, President and CEO of New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau; Kyle Edmiston, Assistant Secretary, Louisiana Office of Tourism; and Mark Romig, President and CEO of New Orleans Tourism and Marketing Corp. We are excited to host this prestigious meeting and welcome our cruise partners to New Orleans, LaGrange said. As the sixth-largest cruise port in the United States, we hope to highlight the attractions and advantages of cruising from New Orleans as we continue to grow the cruise the industry in Louisiana. A wide array of topics will be covered in the meetings by cruise executives. Andy Stuart, President of Norwegian Cruise Line, will discuss cruise line destination development. Christine Duffy, President of Carnival Cruise Line, will present Carnival and New Orleans: Beyond Business. Giora Israel, Senior Vice President of Carnival Corp., will present The opening of Cuba, an opportunity or a challenge? And Donnie Brown, Environmental and Health Director of Cruise Lines International Association, will discuss health and safety policies and procedures. In addition, FCCAs membership will present a $20,000 charitable donation to the Tipitinas Foundation for new instruments for New Orleans youth. The conferences business meetings will kick off Thursday, June 23 at Harrahs Hotel (Second Floor) at 8:30 a.m. Port of New Orleans cruise terminals recently completed a second consecutive year of cruise operations topping the 1-million-passenger mark. Cruise embarkations and disembarkations totaled 1,023,700 in 2015 and larger and newer cruise ships positioned in New Orleans in 2016 look to attract additional passengers this year. Preparatory work to ensure timely compliance with IMOs Ballast Water Management Convention should not be postponed as it is thought the convention will soon be ratified by a sufficient number of states to pass the entry into force tonnage threshold. The International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships Ballast Water and Sediments (the Ballast Water Management or BWM Convention) was adopted by the IMO in February 2004 and is set to enter into force 12 months after ratification by 30 states, representing 35 per cent of the worlds merchant shipping tonnage. The number of ratifications currently stands at 51, representing 34.87 per cent of the world fleet tonnage, and the maritime industry therefore considers it likely that the BWM Convention will soon be ratified by states having sufficient tonnage to pass the tonnage threshold. The BWM Convention will apply to all ships and offshore structures that carry ballast water and are engaged in international voyages. The Convention imposes a challenging ballast water discharge standard which will be phased in over a period of time. The exchange of ballast water mid-ocean is an intermediate solution and most vessels will need to install an approved ballast water treatment system eventually. Members and clients planning to install a ballast water treatment system are advised to start the preparatory work as soon as possible. Although, in most cases, a vessel must be taken out of service for the period of installation, proper planning of the installation period well in advance can save time and money, especially if the installation can coincide with a scheduled dry docking. The companies that own and operate a Greek shipping vessel and two engineers from the ship were convicted today in U.S. District Court in Seattle of 12 felony counts related to their dumping of oily waste at sea, announced U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. The ship operator, Angelakos Hellas S.A., the ship owner, Gallia Graeca Shipping LTD, the chief engineer, Konstantinos Chrysovergis and the second engineer, Tryfon Angelou were found guilty of violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships, the falsification of records in a federal investigation and engaging in a scheme to defraud the United States. The jury deliberated for three days following an eight-day jury trial. U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour scheduled sentencing for September 16, 2016. According to records filed in the case and testimony at trial, the cargo ship Gallia Graeca traveled from China to Seattle in October 2015. During the voyage, a pollution-control device known as an oil water separator was inoperable. On October 16, 26 and 27, 2015, the defendants bypassed safeguards that prevent the discharge of oily water and discharged approximately 5,000 gallons of oily bilge water overboard. The defendants concealed these incidents from the Coast Guard by making false statements to inspectors, and making false statements and omissions in the ships oil record book. When Coast Guard inspectors asked the engineers to operate the oil water separator during the inspection, the engineers did so in such a way that the equipment appeared to be working properly even though it was not. "The detection, investigation and prosecution of the illegal discharge of oil was truly a team effort among Coast Guard marine safety professionals and the Department of Justice prosecutors," said Cmdr. Matt Edwards, chief of prevention at Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound. "While the vast majority of vessel owners run a safe and environmentally conscious operation, this case demonstrates our willingness to hold people and organizations accountable for willfully violating U.S. laws and regulations." When Coast Guard inspectors examined the oil water separator they found its filters were clogged with oil and found oil residue in the overboard discharge piping. Records indicated the oil water separator had not been serviced for months prior to the voyage from China. According to the official oil record book presented to the Coast Guard, bilge water had not been discharged during the voyage to Seattle. However, the Coast Guard investigation discovered evidence that oily water had been discharged into the sea three times on its voyage from China. Calling it a voyage of deception and pollution, prosecutors argued that the engineers tried to hide the pollution from the Coast Guard to avoid having the ship detained in Seattle. Keeping the ship on schedule was a benefit to the owners and operators who had a contract to move $25 million in goods out of Seattle. Shipping company executives had been in contact with the engineers about how they should present the log book for the Coast Guard inspection. Falsification of records in a federal investigation is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships is punishable by up to six years of imprisonment. Scheming to defraud the United States is punishable by up to five years in prison. Each count of conviction is also punishable by a $500,000 fine against each corporation and $250,000 against each individual defendant. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Seth Wilkinson and Matthew Diggs, and by Special Assistant Attorney Stephen Bor. Bor is an attorney with the United States Coast Guard specially appointed to prosecute criminal cases in federal court. The case is being investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division. A new whitepaper from the Rolls-Royce led Advanced Autonomous Waterborne Applications Initiative (AAWA) outlines the projects vision of how remote and autonomous shipping will become a reality. This is happening. Its not if, its when, said Oskar Levander, Rolls-Royce, Vice President of Innovation Marine, speaking at the Autonomous Ship Technology Symposium 2016 in Amsterdam. The technologies needed to make remote and autonomous ships a reality exist. The AAWA project is testing sensor arrays in a range of operating and climatic conditions in Finland and has created a simulated autonomous ship control system which allows the behavior of the complete communication system to be explored. We will see a remote controlled ship in commercial use by the end of the decade. The AAWA whitepaper explores the research carried out to date on the business case for autonomous applications, the safety and security implications of designing and operating remotely operated ships, the legal and regulatory dimensions and the existence and readiness of a supplier network to deliver commercially applicable products in the short to medium term. The whitepaper draws on a wide range of expertise from academic researchers from some of Finlands leading universities: Tampere University of Technology; VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd; Abo Akademi University; Aalto University; and the University of Turku. Industry input has been provided by leading members of the maritime cluster including Rolls-Royce, Brighthouse NAPA, Deltamarin, DNV GL and Inmarsat. The annual Shetland Race from Bergen will be at Lerwick from Thursday 23 to Saturday 25 June. 2016 marks the 30th annual race which started in 1987 that first year with only one competitor actually making the trip but it still ranked as a qualifying race. From 1988 the race has attracted a good number of entries annually. Currently, 34 yachts are entered bringing up to 200 sailors to Lerwick. The entries are predominantly Norwegian but there are two British flagged yachts participating including local yacht Roundabout skippered by Tommy Allan. There is also a German entry, and a previous Scottish prizewinner Erin skippered by John Murphy of Port Edgar Yacht Club. The timings of the race at Lerwick are slightly different this year. The yachts will leave Bergen on Wednesday 22 June at 10.00am local time which is three hours earlier than normal. Depending on the weather, the fleet should arrive in Lerwick during Thursday. The start back to Bergen has been brought forward to 4.00pm local time on Saturday afternoon (25th) rather than the more usual Sunday morning. The reason is so that the competitors can be back at work in Bergen on Monday rather than have to take holidays into a second week. Recent past winners of the Blue Ribband awarded to the yacht first across the line, Solo 2 skippered by Rune Aasberg and Serenity skippered by Fridtjov Bergmann, are both competing again this year but they will have keen competition for the prize. The fleet will have trackers to allow monitoring of the progress of the yachts and predict their time of arrival. The trackers will be available online at www.shetland-race.no Volunteer timekeepers at the finish line at Lerwick Boating Club will be on duty for arrival and a voluntary liaison crew at Victoria Pier will greet each yacht. The main social event at Lerwick is the Prizegiving being hosted at Mareel auditorium in the early evening on Friday. A civic welcome is kindly provided by Shetland Islands Council with sponsor support from BP and Peterson UK. Russia's Rosneft and Italy's shipping company Pietro Barbaro have agreed to jointly develop international sea freight operations, as the oil group has been aiming to expand its shipping business. Rosneft (represented by RN-International projects) and Pietro Barbaro S.p.A. have signed an agreement to establish a Joint Venture (JV) for international sea freight at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. The document was signed by Rosneft Chief Executive Officer Igor Sechin and Pietro Barbaro Group owner Giovanni Barbaro. The document, which was signed in continuation of the Memorandum concluded in February 2016, regulates the acquisition of share in the JV by RN-International projects and activities of the JV which, in particular, will provide shipping services to Rosneft and its partners in the field, fleet joint operating and management. The cooperation with the Italian party will allow Rosneft to strengthen its position in the tanker market, increase the economic efficiency of its logistics business dimension and as a consequence boost the profitability of its operations. Further, the agreements will have a positive effect on the development of other Company's businesses: shipping, bunkering, agenting, brokerage. The project will have synergistic effect on the operations of the Parties: Rosneft is one of the global leaders in production, refining and export of hydrocarbons, whilst Pietro Barbaro is a long-standing Rosneft partner and an established company in the area of tanker shipping, holding an own fleet and possessing extensive capabilities in the area of hydrocarbon logistics and storage. In commenting the Memorandum, Igor Sechin said: "Our collaboration with Pietro Barbaro has moved to a new level. Following the acquisition of shipping assets in Russia, we take the next step in the development of our relations with a long-standing partner. The new joint venture will allow Rosneft not only to increase the presence on the Russian market, but also take a strong position on the world's shipping scene. " Giovanni Barbaro, commenting on the said: "Pietro Barbaro is honoured for the great opportunity given by Rosneft and proud to continue to bring its shipping tradition and expertise to this joint venture. The common aim of the JV is to implement a profitable and sustainable business for Rosnefts logistics of oil by complying with the highest international standards with focus on quality, safety and environment". The second of two Damen Shoalbuster 3009 multi-purpose workboats for SMIT Amandla Marine has been named in a ceremony at Damen Shipyards Cape Town, South Africa. With De Beers Group Services the end client, the Lady Sponsor for the occasion was Mrs Adri Nelson, Supply Chain Centre Manager for De Beers Group Services in Port Nolloth. Mrs Nelson has been integral to the newbuild programme in her role of managing the Northern Cape based supply chain centre for De Beers. Named the Aogatoa, the vessel is the second of two Shoalbusters 3009 ordered by SMIT Amandla Marine for the De Beers contract and built at Damen Shipyards Cape Town (DSCT). The first, the Aukwatowa, was delivered in December 2015. Throughout both builds, DSCT has had the full cooperation of Damen Shipyards Hardinxveld, the yard behind the development of this class. The Dutch yard has transferred the necessary technology and provided full support to ensure a top quality end The Shoalbuster range of multi-purpose, shallow draught workboats is designed for all types of operations in inland and coastal waters. The 30-metre 3009S has a bollard pull of 24.5 tonnes and is fitted with a crane with a lifting capacity of up to 1.7 tonnes, making it suitable for towage, buoy-laying, pushing and all-round support duties. These new vessels will carry out supply and support work for the De Beers Groups offshore diamond mining activities out of Port Nolloth in the Northern Cape. With the shallow waters of the port making it accessible only to vessels with draughts of 2.8 metres or less, the minimal draught of the Shoalbuster was an important factor in SMIT Amandla selecting the class. During their time at the yard the construction of the two vessels made a significant contribution to the local economy with 180 employees employed locally working on the projects and with many of the materials also sourced locally. In addition, 13 apprentices both male and female also played an important part in the build, between them accumulating over 30,000 hours of on the job training as a result. This was delivered by DSCTs acclaimed merSETA-accredited training school. In expressing appreciation to the De Beers Group and Smit Amandla, Sam Montsi, Chairman of DSCT, said: I am confident that the delivery of this, the second of the two shoalbusters, will conclusively demonstrate to the regional shipping industry that, given the opportunity, DSCT can build and deliver quality vessels at a fair price. International Maritime Organization (IMO) will have an important contribution to make to the UN 2017 Oceans Conference, which is being co-hosted by Fiji and Sweden from 5 to 9 June 2017. It has aims to support the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development). Through the development of global standards to ensure shipping does not adversely impact the environment and through its extensive technical cooperation programme, IMO supports the aims and objectives of SDG 14. Preparations for the 2017 Oceans Conference were discussed when Stefan Micallef, IMOs Director, Marine Environment Division, met the representative of the co-host, H.E. Ambassador Peter Thomson, Permanent Representative of Fiji to the United Nations and President-elect for the 71st session of the UN General Assembly (16 June). exactEarth Europe Limited, a UK subsidiary of exactEarth Ltd, a provider of Satellite AIS data services, recently concluded the main part of its South Africa Safety Initiative for Small Vessels (OASIS) project a small vessel tracking trial with the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), part-funded by the UK Space Agency (UKSA) under its International Partnership Space Program (IPSP). A key aspect of SAMSA's mandate is to ensure safety of life at sea, including small vessels in the fisheries, leisure marine and workboat sectors. These vessels, particularly artisanal fishing boats, typically operate without a tracking system onboard, making it difficult for the authorities to locate them if they are involved in an accident at sea. With IPSP funding, exactEarth Europe and its IPSP partners SRT Marine Technology (SRT - UK) and Marine Data Solutions (MDSol - South Africa), were able to carry out extensive sea trials in South Africa of their cost effective Advanced Class B Satellite Enabled AIS (ABSEA) Identifier designed specifically to support long and short range small vessel tracking. The ABSEA Identifier is battery-powered and can easily be fitted onto very small boats with little or no on-board infrastructure. It transmits standard Class B AIS position reports that can be detected by coastal AIS systems, but it is also enhanced to maximize its ability to be detected by exactEarths satellite AIS constellation. This ensures a boat can be tracked both inshore and offshore and those locations where coastal AIS is not available. Both the Identifiers satellite and coastal position reports are provided as standard AIS messages for integration into third-party maritime domain awareness systems, as well as being viewable in exactEarths ShipView data visualization tool. Following the success of the trial in South Africa, SAMSA is now assessing its options for the operational use of ABSEA. In the meantime, and under a grant extension from the UKSA, exactEarth Europe, SRT, MDSol and SAMSA are currently conducting a second, smaller trial with the Namibian Directorate of Maritime Affairs on their Atlantic coast, where they share similar small vessel safety concerns with SAMSA. This trial should be concluded by September, 2016 The extensive trial activity being conducted in South Africa under the OASIS project is a very important step in the validation and introduction of our small vessel tracking solution, said Peter Mabson, CEO of exactEarth. The work on the project to deploy this product in a real world environment and to get critical feedback from a range of actual users who face these real world issues is invaluable as a major step in the market introduction process for this exciting new capability. We would sincerely like to thank SAMSA for their support and feedback related to the project and to UKSA for providing the funding and oversight for this important activity. We also look forward to taking this activity to the next level asan operational capability in South Africa and to thereby make a meaningful contribution to the improvement of maritime safety. The OASIS project, through the use of the Identifiers, provided very valuable information to SAMSA related to the capability of detecting, tracking and monitoring of small vessels in the trial areas, said Captain Karl Otto, Executive Head, Centre for Sea Watch & Response, SAMSA. A debt of gratitude goes to the UK Space Agency as Sponsor for this trial in South Africa, and to SRT Marine (UK) as well. Also, our thanks goes to exactEarth Europe for making the trial a reality, to Marine Data Solutions for their full support and to our SAMSA colleagues who participated in and supported the concept of the project in the trial areas. The trial proved to be very beneficial in addressing the problem of detecting and identifying small boats along the coastline, primarily for SAMSAs maritime safety purposes. Bob Moriarty explains why precious metals investors may want to look beyond gold to a commodity with a long history and an interesting relationship to the yellow metal. I wrote a book a couple of months ago about some of the basics of investing. The book has done well and it seems to have struck a cord with readers. In the book I try to explain that by listening to the "Experts" investors are doing themselves a disservice. When the "Experts" get it dead wrong, they don't pay, you do. So why not take some responsibility for your own investment decisions? The Gurus don't care if you make money; they only care if they make money. Much of what you hear is noise designed to match your fantasies. If you dream at night of gold going to $10,000 an ounce, you can listen to Jim Rickards. And maybe he's right. On the other hand you may belong to the choir that hates gold. If you do, perhaps you want to pay more attention to Harry Dent, who is calling for $400 to $800 gold in 2017. Or maybe they are both wrong but understand the best way to sell anything is to preach Armageddon of some variety and fill all the fantasies of your readers. Jim Rickards rarely points out that he lost his first fortune while working for Long Term Capital Management. He had his entire fortune invested in LTCM stock. In my book I discuss what happens when someone controls over 50% of any market at all. They have to lose because in a zero sum market, due to transaction friction, the majority always loses. LTCM became the market in their investments, so all anyone had to do to profit was to bet against them. When everyone loves the stock market, you should sell it. When everyone loves gold, you should drop it. When all people talk about at cocktail parties is real estate, dump it. I cover all of this in my book. Likewise with Harry Dent. I haven't heard him say anything lately about his 1999 book titled "The Roaring 2000s," where he said the Dow would go to at least 21,000 and perhaps as high as 35,000 by 2008. Harry Dent and Jim Rickards are brilliant at marketing. Being brilliant at making money for themselves does not necessarily translate into being brilliant at making money for you. And isn't that why you invest in the first place? If your intent in investing is to feed your fantasies, you can save yourself $3.99 because my book would be an utter waste for you. But if you want to make money, try investing a little in yourself. You began reading this piece because of the title. If you love gold, you want to crucify me. If you hate gold you probably think I'm all wise. Actually all I wanted to do was point out a high potential investment that is pretty easy to make based on price movements in platinum during all of history. Why should you dump gold and buy platinum? Before I answer that question, I need to fill you in with a short history of platinum. The Indians of western Colombia, in the Choco Region, have been mining alluvial gold for thousands of years. When they were finding gold nuggets, they also came across a similar shiny silver-colored metal. Believing that this other metal was immature gold, they tossed it back in the rivers to grow. The heavy and shiny metal was platinum. The first recorded recognition of platinum came in the writing of Julius Caesar Scaliger who came across platinum when he traveled to Colombia in 1557. A Spanish conquistador named De Ulloa has been given credit for the discovery of platinum after collecting samples of the metal while stationed in Colombia from 1735 until 1746. He later wrote a report about the metal, describing how the natives mined it and used it in traditional jewelry. Due to the high temperatures required to melt platinum and a lack of commercial uses, platinum prices were low until the early years of the 20th century. During the 19th century, in response to the new discovery of platinum in Russia in 1820, the price of platinum was as low as 40% of the price of gold. From 1828 until 1845 Russia produced coins made of platinum, however the tests proved unsatisfactory. The few remaining coins from that era are highly valued today. The First World War and the advent of the oil age brought new uses for platinum as an industrial metal and catalyst in oil production. From the late 19th century, prices for platinum increased due to the high cost of production and processing. Platinum almost always had a premium to gold since that time. During periods of economic stability, platinum tends to carry a premium to gold, when the world faces economic instability, often the price of platinum will decrease relative to gold, even falling below the price of gold. That is the situation today. Two years ago, platinum cost 116% of the price of gold. As of last Friday, the 17th of June, platinum stood at 74% of the price of gold. Gold was an incredible and record $331 higher per ounce than platinum. That has never happened before in the last 116 years. For a relatively safe investment the market says investors should be selling gold and buying platinum. That can be done either by buying a platinum ETF and selling a similar amount of a gold ETF or simply by trading gold coins for a greater number of platinum coins. (See chart above.) I try to make the point in my book that the best way to ever profit is to buy things when they are cheap and sell them when they are expensive. That sounds difficult but if you subscribe to a charting service such as that of Nick Laird's Sharelynx.com you will have all the data you need to make an intelligent investment decision. You don't need me or any other so-called guru to tell you what you should be doing. While there are many voices talking about how high gold is going to go and who knows, maybe gold will go to $10,000 or $50,000 an ounce, it is a fact that relative to the CRB Commodities index in general, gold is more expensive than at any time in history. If gold is going to go to $10,000 an ounce, commodities will probably go up a lot more. And so will platinum. Buying platinum and selling gold is not a directional bet. You don't care if the both go up or both go down or one goes down relative to the other. You only care about the spread decreasing from a record $331 per ounce premium to gold to a more traditional premium of platinum over gold. This is an investment that you can enter and go to sleep at night knowing you have made a high percentage bet with low risk. Yes, the premium of gold over platinum could go higher. That just makes it a better investment over time. All things change. Gold and silver investors should be paying attention to the Commitment of Traders released on Friday. The speculators are at a near record long while the commercials are at a near record short. This is exactly the opposite of what I pointed out in late December. The COTs were the most favorable in 14 years back then. They are as unfavorable now as they were favorable then. Nobody ever went broke taking a profit. It would be a good time to be thinking about taking some money off the table. You do not need me to tell you that, you can figure it out for yourself if you read my book. Nobody Knows Anything is available on Amazon in either Kindle version for $3.99 or in paperback for $9.99. Bob and Barb Moriarty brought 321gold.com to the Internet almost 14 years ago. They later added 321energy.com to cover oil, natural gas, gasoline, coal, solar, wind and nuclear energy. Both sites feature articles, editorial opinions, pricing figures and updates on current events affecting both sectors. Previously, Moriarty was a Marine F-4B and O-1 pilot with more than 820 missions in Vietnam. He holds 14 international aviation records. Want to read more Gold Report interviews like this? Sign up for our free e-newsletter, and you'll learn when new articles have been published. To see recent interviews with industry analysts and commentators, visit our Streetwise Interviews page. Disclosure: 1) Statements and opinions expressed are the opinions of Bob Moriarty and not of Streetwise Reports or its officers. Bob Moriarty is wholly responsible for the validity of the statements. Streetwise Reports was not involved in any aspect of the article preparation or editing so the author could speak independently about the sector. Bob Moriarty was not paid by Streetwise Reports for this article. Streetwise Reports was not paid by the author to publish or syndicate this article. 2) This article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. This article is not a solicitation for investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company mentioned on Streetwise Reports. 3) From time to time, Streetwise Reports LLC and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned. Directors, officers, employees or members of their families are prohibited from making purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise during the up-to-four-week interval from the time of the interview until after it publishes. Charts courtesy of Bob Moriarty Fascist Victory Behind the European Union Most of what you learned from orthodox history schooling is flat out wrong. Add into this indoctrination, the movie accounts that portray the reasons and motivations about the conflict during World War II. Especially, the European theater which has been obfuscated in scores of books and political analysis, mislead and distort the facts. All the efforts to chastise the NAZI regime profoundly ignore the true end results of the German surrender. To the victors belongs the descriptive end account of the narrative. Yet, when you peel back the onion, the tears that are exposed carry forward well into the next millennium. Often the comparison of Napoleons dream of a unified Europe ruled by France with Hitlers boast of a thousand year Reich implies that both lusted for dominance across the continent. Events bear out that both brought carnage, while failing to win the political outcome. Neither was able to implement their plan for integration, but with the unconditional surrender to the Allies, the National Socialist dream actually began to be implemented in a distinctive corporatist form. However, the lineage of The Dark Roots of the Brussels EU is most revealing and shocking. This article highlights the birth place of the "Brussels EU" on the drawing boards of the Nazi/IG Farben-coalition for a post-war Europe under their control. It is an excerpt of the speech by Dr. Rath on the occasion of receiving the "Relay of Life" award from survivors of the Auschwitz concentration camp. Stripped out of the plot, was the ultimate goal that would eliminate any semblance of national identity. Global control always is founded upon the need to eradicate as much of cultural distinctiveness as a path to eliminate national sovereignty. The Nazi-Fascist Origins of the EU Superstate is described in 2008 by the director of the Freenations website Rodney Atkinson former British Ministerial Adviser, author, and lecturer at University of Mainz in Germany. The following excerpt sums up nicely the reality of what happened over the last seven decades. There has been a coup against the people of Britain and those nation-states of Europe which were liberated from Fascism in 1945 and from Communism in 1989. This has been a coup against the sovereignty of the voters, the very definition of democracy. Those who sought to destroy democratic sovereignty knew they could not succeed if they were open about their intentions. And they could not succeed if they attempted their coup within one democratic system. They therefore acted behind the democratic system and across national borders. They established in the European Union a bureaucratic corporatist state so monolithic that most can be intimidated into silence by the very size of the project, and emasculated by the necessary remoteness of the powers involved. The plans for this essentially fascist process were laid and carried out by, among others, many leading Nazis and Fascists after the second world war, and realized in the European Union today. The fact that many naive constructors of todays Europe had good intentions does not mitigate the fact that they have summoned up the hated regimes of the fascist past and created structures built on the ashes of democratic nationhood, all of which coincides with the plans of the very European fascists they thought they were expunging. Now that their hitherto secret aim of turning the democratic nation-states of Europe into a gigantic corporatist empire is imminent, the new dictators have grown bold. Now they can act as if the voters do not exist, for they know the voters have no power. Although the European Constitution was thrown out comprehensively by the people of France and the Netherlands, it has been reintroduced in the form of the so-called Lisbon Treaty, and EU governments have been intimidated into avoiding referenda of their peoples. Having blocked such referenda, the European Commission had the unmitigated gall to launch a new initiative under the heading Debate Europe: Giving Citizens a Voice. View the video, The European Union, a Fascist Superstate -- Rodney Atkinson, for further evidence. Now if you want to dismiss this assessment out of hand and have the patience of a careerist technocrat, the Fact Sheets on the European Union looks at the Legal basis, the objectives and the Main principles of the EU. Also, the public relations of The history of the European Union is provided in this establishment account of the prize from WWII. Step back and reflect on the actual success from this European Union? Is Europe still a cradle of Western Civilization or has it become a cauldron of a globalist toxic stew? The answer should not be difficult to arrive at for anyone who has the integrity and honesty to admit the truth about a world in turmoil. Peter Koenig asks in his essay, The Collapse of the European Union: Return to National Sovereignty and to Happy Europeans? His initial comment is dead on. Imagine the European Union was to collapse tomorrow or any day soon for that matter. Europeans would dance in the streets. The EU has become a sheer pothole of fear and terror: Economic sanctions punishment, mounting militarization, the abolition of civil rights for most Europeans. A group of unelected technocrats, representing 28 countries, many of them unfit to serve in their own countries political system, but connected well enough to get a plum job in Brussels are deciding the future of Europe. In small groups and often in secret chambers they decide the future of Europe. If the NAZI juggernaut crushed the Soviet Communists and made a settlement with England, do you really believe that the same Bilderberg globalists would be administrating the continent much differently from the elites who run the EU today? Certainly that famous German efficiency might be lost, but the end result is that the swastika just looks different with gold stars on a blue background flag. If saving democracy was the objective of waging war against Hitler, then by the way the EU runs their confederation, victory had a much higher price to be paid decades later. All you need to know about the proof behind this assertion is to examine the efforts behind the current New World Order Desperation: the Brexit Fixit Psyop. Britain exiting the EU would be a nightmare for the NWO. Today they showed us how far they will go to prevent a potential Brexit. All the way, whatever it takes. They have now turned things into a hot war, pitting the will of the people, against the crush of power. Todays psyop was as easy as it was obvious. But if British people are still feistyeven waking up to their EU shackles, this little victory by the EU/NWO might be Pyrrhic. The whole Brexit war has planted the will of the people against the perpetuation of power shackles over the people. Even if the Brits vote to leave the EU, do not be surprised when the results will be ignored by Parliament. There is an incredible theory that a Brexit won't actually happen even if the public votes for it exposes the actual tyranny that the EU represents. A really crucial detail about the upcoming EU referendum has gone virtually unmentioned and it is probably the most crucial detail: Parliament doesn't actually have to bring Britain out of the EU if the public votes for it. That is because the result of June 23 referendum on Britain's EU membership is not legally binding. Instead, it is merely advisory, and, in theory, could be totally ignored by UK. Just think how a NAZI bureaucrat would administer their fascist policies that favor the hegemony of the German industrial Reich. Following the sentiments of the people was never part of the triumph or the will for the Fuhrer. Seemingly not much has changed under the authoritarianism of Brussels that UK MPs may follow. When the style of the despotism changes, while the substance of the end objectives remains the same, it is time to admit that individual European nations were the definite losers in the staged wars that only advance globalism. As hard as it is to accept by docile yet confused patriots, the national origins of European countries are in danger of survival from the continued existence of the European Union. The prospects of internal political resistance have never been better from the gains in support of the likes of Marine Le Pen in France and Norbert Hofer from Austria. Thus, the gates of the EU are becoming more assailable than the flood from illegal infiltrators. The designs of the transnational elites have remained the same. The EU is a miserable failure when judged in terms of protecting national identity. It is time to unwind this system of fascist unilateralism that treats citizens as a useless inconvenience to the unelected privileged cabal of globalism. The European Union has become the heritage of all that was wrong that came out of World War II. End it now before WWIII becomes the final result of its arrogance. SARTRE June 21, 2016 Source: http://batr.org/forbidden/062116.html Discuss or comment about this essay on the BATR Forum http://www.batr.org "Many seek to become a Syndicated Columnist, while the few strive to be a Vindicated Publisher" 2016 Copyright BATR - All Rights Reserved Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. British Pound Outlook - BREXIT, Europe and You - Does your vote matter? The BREXIT vote is only a few days away and will have a profound impact on the future of the globe we are lead to believe. Stalin's first criteria has been met - the illusion that the people are involved in the outcome suffices. Those in power will decide when they count your votes. To crack the illusion of those who cast the votes believing that their votes count, we need to establish where and how those in power claim their authority and legitimacy. Authority is simply alluded to through the framework of international law which is controlled by those in power at any point in time - SOVEREIGN STATE. One which governs itself independently of any foreign power. From Wikipedia: In international law, a sovereign state is a nonphysical juridical entity that is represented by one centralized government that has sovereignty over a geographic area. ........ It is also normally understood that a sovereign state is neither dependent on nor subjected to any other power or state. A sovereign state refers to a state that possesses full sovereignty over its affairs, existence, and territory. It is complete in itself. Legitimacy too is alluded through the same framework of international law which is controlled by those in power at a point in time - A de jure government is the legal, legitimate government of a state and is so recognized by other states. In contrast, a de facto government is in actual possession of authority and control of the state. From Wikipedia: De jure, or legal, sovereignty concerns the expressed and institutionally recognised right to exercise control over a territory. De facto, or actual, sovereignty is concerned with whether control in fact exists. Cooperation and respect of the populace; control of resources in, or moved into, an area; means of enforcement and security; and ability to carry out various functions of state all represent measures of de facto sovereignty. When control is practiced predominately by military or police force it is considered coercive sovereignty. Thus de-jure sovereign is one who has a legal claim to sovereignty but does not possess it in fact while de-facto sovereign is one who has no legal claim to sovereignty but possesses it in fact and exercises necessary force to make and enforce its laws. After the lapse of some time, when the de-facto sovereign shows sign of permanence and continuity and is able to acquire popular consent, either by democratic methods or by force, it will become de-jure sovereign as well and will be so recognized by other states. From this, the source of power is purely based on international legal acceptance of other states governments or institutions exercising control over a territory. The illusion of legitimacy hence is purely one of who writes the rules and which team do you want to be in! So a legitimate government can be any form recognised by those in power of the club you want to be in! Nothing to do with the people who this legitimate government represents! How is authority and legitimacy derived - through force and coercion of the club of international law...... from Wikipedia... A number of modes of acquisition of sovereignty are presently or have historically been recognised by international law as lawful methods by which a state may acquire sovereignty over territory. The classification of these modes originally derived from Roman property law and from the 15th and 16th century with the development of international law. The modes are:[31] Cession is the transfer of territory from one state to another usually by means of treaty; Occupation is the acquisition of territory that belongs to no state, or terra nullius; Prescription is the effective control of territory of another acquiescing state; Operations of nature is the acquisition of territory through natural processes like river accretion or volcanism; Creation is the process by which new land is reclaimed from the sea such as in the Netherlands. Adjudication and Conquest In Territorial Acquisition, Disputes, and International Law By Surya Prakash Sharma, he summarises it as follows; "Territorial doctrines and dogmas at a particular time are the offspring of the attitude and conception of states and people at that time. As attitudes vary from time to time, so do the doctrines. In the process new doctrines emerge." And from Wikipedia.... Justifications There exist vastly differing views on the moral basis of sovereignty. A fundamental polarity is between theories that assert that sovereignty is vested directly in the sovereign by divine or natural right and theories that assert it originates from the people. In the latter case there is a further division into those that assert that the people transfer their sovereignty to the sovereign (Hobbes), and those that assert that the people retain their sovereignty (Rousseau) Are we ruled by claimed divine right, or our natural right, or have we transferred our natural right to the current sovereign? Looking at the justice system will allow us something against which we can gauge international law and the sovereignty of the UK. From the definition of a sovereign state is international law justly applied? The evidence and facts are that beyond a shadow of a doubt a resounding no. Many governments have been not only coercively, but even forcibly removed, to list but a few since 1990 - Bulgaria 1990, Albania 1991, Afghanistan 1980s, Somalia 1993, Yugoslavia 1999-2000, Ecuador 2000, Afghanistan 2001, Venezuela 2002, Iraq 2003, Haiti 2004, Somalia 2007 to present, Honduras 2009, Libya 2011, Syria 2012 to present, Ukraine 2014....... So what is the value of international law? Without power to enforce it allows abuse and this is indeed happening. There is some power greater than international law and the same applies to the UK, which by definition too is not a sovereign state as European and international law supersede British law. There is simply no such thing as a sovereign state as power is derived through coercion and force by the biggest playground bullies! It really does not matter if you are a conspiracy theorist of Illuminati, Bilderberg's, Rockerfellows, Goldman Sachs, 9/11 or 7/7 New World Order, Vaccinations, GMO, global warming, Fiat money or the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan, if you understand how the illusion is played, you can start to see where the real power lies, but first. What is power? The degree of influence that an individual or organization has among their peers and within their society as a whole. Read more: http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/social-power.html#ixzz4C1yDGj3C In social science and politics, power is the ability to influence or outright control the behavior of people. Power can be understood as the ability to make one do something which he or she would not otherwise do. Power very clearly is the ability to influence the behaviour of others. Needs and wants For this we need to go back to some basic realities. To physically survive we need food and water, and for the human race to survive a suitable environment to allow reproduction. That is it! Our instinct covers this as we will use whatever power we have to fulfil these natural needs. These are natural laws that an infinitesimally few of us can overcome. Everything beyond this is wants and NOT NEEDS. We have the power physically to hunt and gather our food and water needs, and if limited in availability we may need to coerce others to fulfil this need. We must have a society for once we mature based on our reproductive needs, again we may need to coerce a partner to reproduce. Beyond this there is no need for power over others. As we progressed from hunter gatherers and learned how to cultivate the land, society formed in a fixed geographic area and hence by today's international law met the criteria of sovereign states. Our needs had not changed, but as sovereign individuals we had to give up some of our natural right of doing what we wanted when we wanted how we wanted for the benefits of being in society as a means of managing conflict if any arose. The only possible area of conflict would have been if someone felt a natural injustice in the fulfilment of their needs. The benefits of being in society at this point could only be to overcome the fear of lack of needs - food, water and a suitable environment for reproduction. Albert Schweitzer, noble peace prize laureate 1952, described this so well in his book "On the Edge of the Primeval Forest" based on his experiences in Africa. " The negro, then, under certain circumstances works well, but only so long as circumstances require it. The child of nature -here is the answer to the puzzle - is always a casual worker. In return for very little work nature supplies the native with nearly everything that he requires for his support in his village. The forest gives him wood, bamboos, raffia leaves, and bast for the building of a hut to shelter him from sun and rain. He has only to plant some bananas and manioc, to do a little fishing and shooting, in order to have by him all that he really needs, without having to hire himself out as a labourer and to earn regular wages. If he does take a situation, it is because he needs money for some particular object ; he wishes to buy a wife, or his wife, or his wives, want some fine dress material, or sugar, or tobacco; he himself wants a new axe, or hankers after rum or cheap spirits, or would like to wear boots and a suit of khaki. There are, then, various needs differing in number with the individual, but all lying outside the regular struggle for existence, which bring the child of nature to hire himself out for work. If he has no definite object in view for which to earn money he stays in his village. If he is at work anywhere and finds that he has earned enough to supply his heart's desires, he has no reason for troubling himself any further, and he returns to his village, where he can always find board and lodging. The negro, then, is not idle, but he is a free man ;hence he is always a casual worker, with whose labour no regular industry can be carried on." How is power derived to influence others? By being able to fulfil a need for survival, or a want. There is no other way! Again from Albert Schweitzer's book... " There is, therefore, a serious conflict between the needs of trade and the fact that the child of nature is a freeman. The wealth of the country cannot be exploited because the native has so slight an interest in the process. How train him to work ? How compel him ? "Create in him as many needs as possible ; only so can the utmost possible be got out of him," say the State and commerce alike. The former imposes on him involuntary needs in the shape of taxes. With us every native above fourteen pays a poll tax of five francs a year, and it is proposed to double it. If that is done, a man with two wives and seven children will contribute 4 (100 francs) a year, and have to provide a corresponding amount either of labour or of products of the soil. The trader encourages voluntary needs in him by offering him wares of all sorts, useful ones such as clothing material or tools, unnecessary ones such as tobacco and toilet articles, and harmful ones like alcohol. The useful ones would never be enough to produce an amount of labour worth mentioning. Useless trifles and rum are almost more effective. Just consider what sort of things are offered for sale in the forest ! Not long ago I got the negro who manages for a white man a little shop close to a small lake, miles away from civilisation, to show me all his stock. Behind the counter stood conspicuous the beautiful white painted cask of cheap spirits. Next to it stood the boxes of tobacco leaves and the tins of kerosene. Further on was a collection of knives, axes, saws, nails, screws, sewing machines, flat-irons, string for making fishing-nets, plates, glasses, enamelled dishes of all sizes, lamps, rice, tinned stuff of every variety, salt, sugar, blankets, dress material, muslin for mosquitoes, Gillette safety razors !, collars and ties in rich variety, blouses and chemises trimmed with lace, corsets, elegant shoes, openwork stockings, gramophones,, concertinas, and fancy articles of all sorts. Among the last named was a plate, resting on a stand, of which there were several dozen. " What is that ?" I asked. The negro moved a lever in the bottom part and a little musical box at once began to play. "This is my best paying article" said he. "All the women in the neighbourhood want one of these plates, and plague their husbands till they have earned enough to buy one !" There really is very little on why people want power, and generally it seems to have its roots from needing control resulting from fear. That certainly is true when it comes to the application of gaining legitimacy of power to control. If we better understood it then possibly we could better control it. Through history we can see this where needs fail to be met because of scarcity - either factually or perceived, which naturally would generate fear for survival. In my experience a second source of fear is ego / pride where the fear is about losing face. This stems from a closed mind leading to lack of willingness to evaluate the best current knowledge and modifying ones behaviour to include best current knowledge. We are taught not to hurt others feelings in the things we say and hence as a society we do not learn how to deal with our pride. At the same time are taught to suppress our views and feelings through lying, and in growing up we see honesty does not pay!!! What a sick society. Grossly simplified looking through history we can see how power has moved to those who generate fear into others to gain their legitimacy, initially beating one another over the head, then progressing to mind control games to generate the fear with gods and religion and after life, and now again the fear is generated through physical violence as the mind control becomes less effective. Now re-read Albert Schweizer's analysis above. That is how simple it is - take away mans ability to freely fulfil his needs and generate wants! Look at everything around you and it is simple if you follow the money to see who is pulling the strings. From William Engdahl " this cabal is one of many interconnected ones with fearsome power and ruthless intent to use it - Big Banks controlling the Federal Reserve and our money, Big Oil our world energy resources, Big Media our information, Big Pharma our health, Big Technology our state-of-the-art everything and watching us, Big Defense our wars, Big Pentagon waging them, and other corporate predators exploiting our lives for profit. " To get a basic understanding of the big picture interconnectedness. There is no simple linear cause and affect. I would strongly suggest you spend an hour and a quarter and watch Totalitarian Democracy in the New World Order. With new understanding we can start to look for solutions, but without understanding how we got here there is no peaceful way forward. This is not about BREXIT - This is about how you want to live! If the vote goes ahead - you remain in Europe and sink with Europe under the power of US Imperial Corporatism! That will shortly be broken by people who have the courage of their beliefs and the UK will fall under Sharia law because those extreme radicals who claim to be Muslim have the courage of their convictions and ACT on their beliefs whatever you may think of them. The law of the jungle will take over as force is the only way they see of overthrowing the US corporate empire. They have the experience of this over the last 100 years, where Western extremism first controlled their natural resources and then through force made many de Facto states. 80% of the humans on the planet have the same basic value set. We will always have 10% extremist on either side and currently those extremists are Corporate Imperial US and extreme fundamental Islam! Do not fall for the divide and conquer - see the US corporate Imperials and the Fundamental Islam extremists for what they are. What can you do in the 80% centre? Start by getting out of Europe. Then hold your politicians accountable for their actions under UK and international law. That means people like Obama, Merkel, Cameron, Blair and Bush, to name but a few (whether they were led by the cabal or not is irrelevant - if they dont want to stand trial then they must reveal their paymasters who should stand trial), should stand trial for where they have broken international law by invading sovereign countries plus the war crimes they were responsible for. Hold Israel to account for the holocaust of the Palestinians and their crimes against humanity. Just these simple steps will have a dramatic change on the peace on our planet! Further it will send a strong message to others that they will be held to account for their actions which will change their behaviour. If you value what you have you must stand up and ensure those laws you value are upheld in total transparency. Then and only then will things start to change for the better. No one should be above the law as otherwise you create hatred. Without the rule of law the rule of the jungle takes over. This means we need to move from de Facto to de Jure governments - governments for the people by the people, and to stop repeating history where we always have ended in revolution we must accept our responsibility of controlling those we choose to represent us. Take back your freedom to overcome your fears. So what is the outlook for the British pound - that depends on the outcome of BREXIT. For the historical analysis see Britain's Prospects: GBP and BREXIT - MAP Wave Analysis. Failure to close this month above 1.48 spells doom unless we see a high around 1.528 before month end. Above we can see a long term median line from 1993. The 2009 low broke the 2001 low and the is only a 20% probability from this for the GBP to be bullish where this must be noise. Next we can see the 2009 low held in March. For bullish confirmation the pound needs to break last Junes high of 1.59! For medium term bullishness it needs to work upto the up sloping green ML. In detail recent action we can see that the pound held the March low and has met the MAP 5th wave criteria by breaking above 1.477 today. We can see that reaching cyclical resistance and this high must hit the green ML which has a ideal wave target towards the end of July. What has caused this rally over the last few days? Well you can clearly see last week's low hit the MLL and bounced sharply - that is typical of short covering when prices bounce like this. Prices are approaching the MLU and if we do not break through then I am afraid....... the days of the pond are over which means UK will join the Euro! By using MAP Wave Analysis (MWA) you confirm that you are personally responsible for any and every decision you make based on any content found on this site. You confirm that you have read and agree to abide by the Copyright and Intellectual Property Rights as stated . You confirm that you have read and agree to follow Your Duty of Care as stated You confirm that you have read and agree to and take full personal responsibility for your decisions as stated in the Disclaimer. You confirm that you have read and agree to and will abide by principles of my Terms of Service as stated. For other articles published click here 2016 Copyright Marc Horn- All Rights Reserved Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors. 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. This is a question I ask as my family and I face the onslaught of a billion dollar, for-profit corporation named Dominion Power. Dominion Power, with their army of lawyers and huge political contributions that have bought both political parties in Virginia, is coming onto my property this week (with workers from Ohio) without my permission to survey and collect any articles of value. All they had to do was send two notices that state after a certain date they would enter my property. So I ask; would any reasonable citizen be okay with someone coming onto their property without permission and taking articles of value. This is a clear violation of Article Four of the Constitution of the United States, The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated. I have a family with four young children. I have always followed the rules, paid my taxes and loved my country. My wife and I both went to state colleges, earned degrees and saved our money for years to buy a few acres of land to raise our children. We have worked hard to maintain our land and home. We have taught our four young children that in America, hard work and following the rules are rewarded. We have spoken to our children about the three examples of the unalienable rights which the Declaration of Independence says has been given to all human beings by their Creator, and for which governments are created to protect. Those rights are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. As I write this all of my rights to personal property are about to be usurped not for the greater good as spelled out in the Constitution, but by a billion dollar for-profit monopoly known as Dominion Power. The pipeline route is in my backyard, where we dreamed of one day putting a pool and a garage and through a patch of woods my kids play in and enjoy. Once the pipeline comes through, we would not be allowed to build anything else in the large area surrounding the easement. Our woods will be cleared and Dominion Power will determine a fair market value without consideration that the value of my entire property will be greatly diminished. As a billion dollar corporation they want the land as cheap as possible to maximize profits at the expense of the citizens or more correctly We the people. So I ask are we free? Right now I have the words of Patrick Henry ringing in my mind, I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death! Jason Phillip Harris Churchville As the hour of judgement draws nearer, the campaigns on both sides of the EU referendum have become increasingly dominated by one issue: immigration. On the Leave side, the months leading up to this referendum have seen a ratcheting up of xenophobic and racist rhetoric, with the sole aim of scapegoating migrants and the EUs free movement of labour for all the ills in society. In response, many honest and well meaning workers and youth have called for a Remain vote in order to keep out the most extreme right-wing elements in the Tories and UKIP. A vote for Brexit, we are told, will be a boost to Boris, Farage, and the far-right, which will only serve to strengthen xenophobic attitudes and the oppression of migrants. The only solution, therefore, the argument goes, is to back the Remain camp and support the lesser evil of Cameron and co. in order to defeat the reactionary Brexiters. This prevailing mood on the Left is completely understandable, particularly in the wake of the brutal murder of Jo Cox, whose murder was clearly a political act by a neo-fascist. Most strikingly, when asked for his name in court at the weekend, Coxs killer Thomas Mair stated, "Death to traitors; freedom for Britain. As we have already highlighted, the tragic events surrounding Jo Cox are a clear reflection of the hysteria, xenophobia and racism that have been whipped up by Brexit camp, which found their most clear expression in the pictures of UKIP leader Nigel Farage, on the same day as Coxs death, standing proudly next to a chilling poster depicting the threat of queues of immigrants attempting to enter Britain. There is no doubt that the Leave leaders in the EU referendum are playing on the worst fears and most backward prejudices within society. And it is also clearly true that workers have nothing to gain from a Brexit led by the likes of Boris, Gove, and Farage. But, we must also maintain a clear head amidst all this chaos and soberly ask: will a vote to Remain really defeat racism and the far right, and help migrants and the wider working class? The lesser evil A large part of the Left Remain argument hinges on the idea of supporting the lesser evil of the so-called progressive Tories of Cameron and Osborne, etc. against the most reactionary Tories of Boris Johnson, Michael Gove, and Iain Duncan Smith. Cameron and Osborne may be carrying out cuts and attacking workers already, but things will apparently be even worse under a Boris or Gove led Tory government, we are told. In short: better the Devil you know. In effect, we are asked to form a Popular Front and carry out a two-stage process: first to defeat the reactionary Leave campaign and keep out Johnson, Gove, Farage, et al.; and then to regroup the Left and the labour movement in a fight against Camerons Tory government. Whilst it is true that socialists cannot support a Leave campaign that is led and dominated by the most reactionary elements in politics, neither can we support a vote to Remain inside a capitalist club that has, in the final analysis, the same fundamental programme and interests at its core: austerity, privatisation, and attacks on the working class. This is vividly demonstrated by events in Greece, where cuts are being carried out under the explicit duress of the EU and its institutions. The EU, meanwhile, is clearly no friend of migrants. For those on the outside, it has become Fortress Europe, with Merkel signing up to a shameful deal with the authoritarian Erdogan government in Turkey to eject refugees from Greece. Even Schengen agreement and the free movement of peoples within the EU has become a joke, as governments across Europe erect barriers to prevent an influx of immigrants. In these respects, we would have been in favour of a left-wing Leave campaign, led by Corbyn and the other leaders of the labour movement, that argued against the EU on the basis of an anti-austerity, internationalist, pro-worker programme of socialist policies. In the absence of such a campaign, however, we cannot throw our support behind the reactionary Brexit leadership that is on offer. Those on the Left who rightly criticise the Brexit camp for its vile leadership, however, should be consistent and apply the same critical faculties to the leadership of the Remain side. Just as we must accept the unfortunate reality that a vote for Brexit in this referendum would be a vote for Boris and Farage, so we must also recognise that a vote for Remain will be a vote for Cameron and Osbornes vision for Europe - not a vote for the progressive, social Europe advocated by Corbyn and the Left. And what, we must ask, does Camerons vision for Europe (and Britain) consist of? The truth of the matter is that on every issue, there is no fundamental difference between Cameron and Boris. Cameron wants - and has strongly argued for - an EU that has more privatisation, less regulation, worse workers rights, and greater barriers to immigration. As Prime Minister for the last six years, he has sought to carry out this programme in practice in Britain, with endless austerity and attacks on workers, youth, the poor, and - yes - migrants. On the other side, we have the Tory voices of Boris, Gove, and IDS who argue for...more privatisation, less regulation, worse workers rights, and greater barriers to immigration. Where is the difference? At the end of the day, Boris and Cameron are cut from the same cloth - they are two sides of the same capitalist coin. The Left is right to denounce the xenophobic rhetoric of the Brexit leaders. But we must not forget the equally horrific demonisation of migrants, racist language, and anti-immigrant statements coming from David Cameron and the other Tory leaders of the Remain campaign. Were building an immigration system that puts Britain first; UK Muslims helping jihadis; a swarm of migrants is trying to break into Britain; Sadiq Khan supports ISIS: all of these, and much more, have been said by the Prime Minister or attributed to him by the Tory press. As many Tory and Labour critics have already pointed out, the only reason why Boris is supporting Brexit is because he has his eye on the top job in British politics, and he sees a route there over Camerons dead body. Meanwhile, Camerons pro-EU credentials are equally as weak as Boris anti-EU ones, with the Tory leader stating earlier in the year that he would support a vote to Leave if he could not support the reforms to the EU that he wanted - reforms ultimately designed to attack workers and migrants. Farage and UKIP, meanwhile, are fundamentally no different to much of the Tory backbench. Indeed, Farage himself is a former member of the Conservatives, whilst UKIPs only electoral successes have come from defecting Tory MPs. What we have, then, is not a battle between reactionaries and progressives; a battle between the far right and moderates - but a battle between two wings of the Tory Party. That is the real choice on offer in this referendum, and workers and migrants have nothing to gain from a victory of either side in this contest. Right-wing Remain The Left within the Remain camp must take a long hard look at who is really in charge on their side. Corbyn has correctly distanced himself from the Remain Tories of Cameron and co. Unfortunately, however, we must be honest and say that a vote to Remain will not be a vote for Corbyns social Europe of stronger workers rights, more freedom of movement, and greater environmental protection, etc., but a vote for Camerons Europe of the polar opposite: attacks on trade union legislation, the scapegoating of migrants, and the ratcheting up of privatisation and deregulation. In reality, Corbyn has become a lone voice within the leadership of his own party on this question. With the exception of the Labour leader, the Labour Remain campaign is dominated by Blairites who have far more in common with Cameron than Corbyn. On all the main questions - of cuts, privatisation, and immigration - they agree with the Tories. For example, Corbyn has been consistent in his correct assertion that migrants are not to blame for the shortage of housing and jobs or the strain on public services, whilst also rightly arguing that we must explain and address the issues that lead to migrants coming to Britain in the first place - that is, because of war and poverty. In this respect, the Labour leader has been by far the most consistent politician in defending the free movement of peoples, strongly holding his ground when under pressure from the BBCs Andrew Marr recently. Corbyns right-wing colleagues in the Labour leadership, however, are indistinguishable from the Tories - both of the Brexit and Remain variety. The Blairites have been unanimous in their calls for Corbyn to take a tougher line on immigration - in essence, a support for the idea of Fortress Europe. Speaking to the BBC, Tom Watson, the Labour deputy leader, justified the need for Labour to shift to the right on the question of immigration. "For the last decade, I would say that immigration has been the backdrop to every election we've had in Britain," Watson said. "I think a future Europe will have to look at things like the free movement of labour rules." Alan Johnson, the leader of the Labour In for Britain campaign, made similar comments on the question, stating that: There's three types of immigration: there's immigration from outside the EU, there's illegal immigration, and there's free movement. Of those, free movement gives us the benefit of the single market. Our argument is remaining part of the single market helps us to control the other two forms of immigration. If we leave, the situation is going to be worse. Elsewhere, in a moment of deja vu, Gordon Brown, the former Labour Prime Minister, weighed in on the debate in order to try and win the referendum for Cameron, with demands to counter the pressures on our public services from all forms of immigration. If Brexit wins and the chorus of voices scapegoating migrants becomes louder, the blame will lie entirely with the right-wing Labour politicians who for years have pandered to UKIP and the Tories by calling for a tougher line on immigration, and in doing so have legitimised the anti-immigrant stance put forward by both UKIP and the Tories. This culminated in farcical pictures at the last general election of Ed Miliband standing next to a monolithic stone tablet declaring his pledge for controls on immigration. And thats not to mention the infamous controls on immigration mug. It is this constant drift to the right, left unchecked by any genuine alternative from Labours right wing, that has allowed for the whole debate to now be dominated by the most unsavory characters in British politics and their racist and reactionary rhetoric. The way to combat the right wing of Boris, Gove, and Farage, therefore, is not to side with the other right wing of Cameron and the Blairites, but to stand aside from both reactionary camps and fight for an independent class perspective - for a working class alternative of internationalism and socialism. Fight xenophobia! Fight the far right! Fight for socialism! All the chickens are now coming home to roost for Cameron and the racist ruling class. Right-wing politicians and the Tory press have spent years blaming migrants for the problems caused by the very system they defend. In doing so, they have conjured up reactionary forces that are now beyond their control and created Frankensteins monsters in the form of Farage and the far right. Backing a vote to Remain, however, will not defeat right-wingers such as Boris and Farage, nor will it give a boost to those fighting for migrants and against racism and xenophobia. Regardless of the referendum result, the Tories will be in a state of crisis, as David Cameron pays the price for appealing to prejudice and stirring up the most backward layers of society in his attempt to stay in power and distract workers from the real cause of housing shortages and unemployment: his programme of austerity. Mass migration and the fears amongst ordinary people based on the myths of immigration are both the result of genuine problems, the root of which lie with capitalism. On the one hand, there are millions of men, women, and children who have been forced from their homes by imperialist wars, civil wars, terrorism, climate change, and poverty - all symptoms of the senile capitalist system and societys decay. On the other hand, the support for Brexit and the anti-immigrant mood that does exist amongst ordinary people is a reflection of real concerns over jobs, housing, and public services - problems that neither Tories nor Blairites have offered (or can offer) a genuine solution to. Those who vote for Brexit or UKIP are not simple racists, but working class families who are looking to give the Establishment a kick in the teeth and have their voice heard. As the Financial Times (15th June 2016) comments, a mistrust of the elite has built over decades, fuelling an anti-EU insurgency. These fears, concerns, and moods will not be laid to rest by well meaning calls to Remain, but only by the leaders of the labour movement standing out and offering a real - bold, socialist - answer to the questions that fuel these sentiments. The only way to combat anti-immigrant rhetoric and bigoted political figures such as Farage, meanwhile, is not to support the lesser evil, but to take away the fertile ground in which they thrive. Socialists must never get sucked into supporting the politics of lesser evilism. Throughout history, without exception, support by the Left leaders for the lesser evil has always paved the way for the rise of the greater evil. By subordinating the working class and the struggle for socialism to the demands of the progressive capitalists, the leaders of the labour movement only serve to disorientate workers and youth and in turn strengthen those right-wing demagogues, populists, and charlatans who offer up their quack remedies and reactionary poison as a solution. It is precisely the programme of the lesser evil - in this case, Cameron and Osborne - that has given rise to the risk of Brexit and support for UKIP and the far right. The craven and servile behaviour of the Blairites, who have constantly fallen over themselves in their attempts to prove what responsible statesmen they can be, meanwhile, is what has allowed the mainstream debate to shift so far to the right in recent years. Jumping into bed with the progressive Tories now will not resolve the situation, but only exacerbate it further. Hope and despair Paradoxically, it is precisely at this time when the rest of the Left is full of despair that the Marxists are full of optimism about the future of the class struggle. Whilst many look at events across Europe and the USA and end up weeping and shouting about the threat of reaction and the far right, we see a more positive - albeit contradictory - situation. Where some focus only on the rise of Le Pen or Trump, we highlight instead the inspiring movement of workers and youth against the El Khomri labour law in France and the radicalisation expressed by the Sanders phenomenon in America. In Britain, many workers and youth are understandably concerned by the support for Boris and Farage. But we must not forget the incredible Corbyn movement that began only 12 months ago, which drew tens of thousands into political activity, and which still holds an enormous potential power today if organised around a bold socialist programme. We must not be impressionistic in our analysis or empirical in our response. We must neither be drunk with euphoria in the face of victories, nor paralysed by despair and demoralisation in the wake of defeats. Rather than being taken in by ephemeral moods and temporary swings to the right, which are hysterically used to justify temporary alliances with the lesser evil of the progressive capitalists, Marxists must analyse the situation objectively and look at the long term processes at play. Above all, we must calmly and soberly tell the truth: without a fundamental transformation of society along socialist lines, all the rotten symptoms and plagues of capitalisms decay - of xenophobia, racism, and the far right - will never be cured. 100 years ago, Europe was caught in the midst of a wave of nationalism and chauvinist hysteria as Social Democratic leaders in every country supported their own national bourgeoisie and called for workers to rally to the defence of the motherland. By 1917, however, this reactionary mood had turned into its opposite, with the Russian Revolution marking the beginning of a European-wide revolutionary movement that recognised no borders. The conditions for an explosion of the class struggle are being prepared today in Britain, in the USA, and across Europe. A new world slump is on the horizon, whilst none of the contradictions that created the previous crisis have been resolved. The ruling class, meanwhile, is split and is unable to rule in the old way - the feud within the Tories over this referendum is a clear indication of this. The only thing that is lacking is a revolutionary leadership to offer a way out of the impasse. We refuse to back either reactionary camp in this whole farce of a referendum. Instead, we call on Corbyn and the leaders of the labour movement to stand up and fight boldly for a real, socialist alternative. No to the bosses EU! No to Tory Austerity Britain! For the Socialist United States of Europe! SPRINGFIELD -- "Professor Micron" mixed the potassium permanganate and the glycerine, and then he dropped the knowledge. As the mixture bubbled and then burst into a flame 6 inches high and hot enough to warm the face of an observer yards away, the professor -- in real life Michael O. Budnick, executive director of Mad Science of Western New England -- explained that what was happening in the little glass saucer was a demonstration not just of a chemical reaction involving the sugar in glycerin but of human metabolism. "This is what your body does every day, burn sugar to make energy," he said. "We've just sped it up." He also made it flashy and fun. It's a signature bit of stagecraft-turned-education for Budnick's company, Mad Science of Western New England, which does science demonstrations for elementary-age students in a territory stretching from New Hampshire and Vermont south to include Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties and parts of northern Connecticut. Budnick is the local franchise holder for The Mad Science Group of Montreal. That's where two brothers, Ariel and Ron Shlien, came up with the Mad Science formula of getting kids hooked on science through hands-on projects and showy experiments back in 1985. Today, Mad Science has 160 locations like Budnick's operating in more than 20 countries across five continents. Budnick, who's been at this for five years after careers in both education and business, moved to the Indian Orchard Mills five months ago from offices in Northampton. He also recently received $15,000 in funding through the city of Springfield's federal Community Development Block Grant program. Half the $15,000 is a forgivable low-interest loan charging 0.25 percent and the other half is a straight grant. The requirements are that Budnick continue to grow his business and continue to employ people here in Springfield. He has five full-time and 12 to 18 part-time employees who go out and put on the programs. Many of Mad Science' part-time employees have theater backgrounds and have cultivated a stage presence. Basing his crew out of Springfield makes sense because it central to his territory. Besides hiring, Budnick said the funding also allows him to offer Mad Science programming in lower-income communities where kids are in danger of missing out. "Really, the mission is to get kids interested in science," Budnick said. "What we try and do is teach kids that science is not this body of knowledge. It's about experimenting and asking questions and trying things out. It's about finding out what happens if you do this, or this, or this." For example, slime, a slippery gelatinous substance, is really a good way to teach kids about polymers by mixing a plastic with a solution of household Borax. "We have enough material for three years. A kid can do a weekly after school program with us for three years of elementary school and not repeat," he said. Programs include birthday parties, after-school and summer programs and events. The company can set up a dinosaur dig using fossils mined in Greenfield or a rocket launch either with a real rocket engine or water pressurized with air from a bicycle-tire pump. At many events, like the recent Strolling of the Heifers in Brattleboro, Vermont, Mad Science can fill a tent with hands-on science activities like chemistry experiments and dinosaur digs where whole families can learn. A tent at an event like that is sponsored by a local business. A birthday party costs at least $200. Sending a kid to a summer or after-school program put on by a parent-teacher association or recreation center costs $11 to $14 per hour. Budnick said Mad Science of Western New England will do 60 to 70 week-long summer science programs this year. "Not much more than a babysitter, and you get more out of it," he said. That means he needs lots of room to store all the fossilized dinosaur poop and slime ingredients and all the other equipment and supplies. He also needs space to host training programs for staffers. He found it at Indian Orchard Mills, a former factory in the Indian Orchard section of Springfield now home to 130 tenants including artists, workshops, marketers, a toy and board game company, a distillery and a company that makes custom beer-tap pull handles for microbreweries. "They fit right in," building owner Charles Brush said of Mad Science. "The coolness factor makes them a great addition to our campus." And with its industrial character, no one at Indian Orchard Mills notices the noise or smell from a few science experiments, Brush said. SPRINGFIELD -- The unemployment rate in the city of Springfield fell by a tenth of one percentage point in May, to 7.1 percent from 7.2 percent in April, according to data released Tuesday by Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development and the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. The May 2016 rate of 7.1 percent is two percentage points lower than the 9.1 percent unemployment rate recorded in May 2015. But the improvement seems to be due both to a drop in the city's labor force and to an increase in the number of people with jobs. A falling labor force could indicate that Springfield residents are giving up their job searches, mirroring what economists see as a troubling national trend. The good news: according to the state, the 7.1 percent unemployment rate is the lowest since the same rate was recorded in September 2007, three months before the Great Recession hit. Jobless numbers are gathered through a phone survey of households. Jobs numbers come from a survey of employers, often missing smaller companies and start-ups. The state then double-checks those numbers against payroll data submitted with tax information. Also, local employment statistics are not adjusted for seasonal changes in the economy. Things like colleges and universities laying off workers for summer can change these numbers, as can big hiring at summer places of employment. Highlights from Tuesday's data: Springfield: Unemployment rate: Number of people employed: Labor Force: Unemployed: Springfield had the Other area towns and cities: Holyoke: Chicopee: Palmer: Ware: Pittsfield: Worcester: Amherst: West Springfield: Westfield: Agawam: South Hadley: Hatfield: East Longmeadow: Belchertown: Longmeadow: Northampton: As a region, Greater Springfield recorded: Unemployment rate: Job gains: Statewide, the Massachusetts economy gained 25,200 jobs on the month for a gain of 0.7 percent. On the year, the state is up 47,900 jobs, for a gain of 1.4 percent. The state's unemployment rate remained at 4.2 percent in May, when adjusted for seasonal changes in the economy. The national average unemployment rate is higher, at 4.7 percent The statewide unemployment rate is higher -- at 9.6 percent -- when those working part-time who would rather work full-time and those who have stopped looking for work are counted. Nationally, this measure of unemployment is 10.6 percent. ENFIELD -- Police arrested two Springfield men early Sunday following a stabbing that sent two men to Baystate Medical Center. The Hartford Courant reported that one of the victims, stabbed in the torso, suffered serious injuries. The second victim suffered injuries to his arm. Deputy Police Chief Gary Collins told the Courant that police were summoned to the parking lot of Silvia's Gourmet Restaurant, 23 North Main St., at about 2 a.m. following an argument. Police charged Hugo Salazar-Najera, 40, with first-degree assault, second-degree assault causing serious physical injury with a weapon, carrying a dangerous weapon and second-degree breach of peace. Mauricio Ayala, 22, of Springfield, was charged with third-degree assault and second-degree breach of peace. Collins said Salazar-Najera, armed with a 31/2-inch folding knife, repeatedly stabbed the two victims. Witnesses told police that Ayala escalated the argument into a fight. Collins said Salazar-Najera, armed with a 31/2-inch folding knife, repeatedly stabbed the two victims. Witnesses told police that Ayala escalated the argument into a fight. Collins said Salazar-Najera's bail was set at $200,000, and he was arraigned in Superior Court on Monday. The Courant reported the judge lowered bail to $2,000 cash-only, which Salazar-Najera posted, and he is due back in court on July 5. Ayala posted his $5,000 bail on Sunday and is due back in court on June 28, according to the Courant. BOSTON - Police are investigating an indecent assault of a visually impaired woman downtown on Monday morning. At about 10 a.m., officers with the Boston Police Department's Sexual Assault Unit responded to a call in the area of Beacon and Bowdoin streets. The woman, who was walking with a service dog, said she was inappropriately touched. Police said she was unable to provide a description of the suspect. Investigators are asking anyone with information to come forward. If you have any information about the assault, call detectives directly at (617) 343-4400, call CrimeStoppers at (800) 494-TIPS, or text the word "TIP" to CRIME (27463). Police promise to "stringently guard and protect the identities of those who wish to help this investigation anonymously." SPRINGFIELD Being hungry can make it difficult for students to concentrate and to learn. Mark Jeffrey, district manager of Sodexo, knew one way to resolve those issues was to get students to eat breakfast. Springfield Public Schools and Sodexo, the district's food service provider, were recently honored for their excellent breakfast participation rates, ensuring that more than 80 percent of students are starting off their day with a nutritious meal. "Since we launched the Breakfast in the Classroom initiative, we have had reports of less trips to the nurse's office. Students eat as part of a smaller community, so they look forward to going to class which has reduced tardiness," said Jeffrey. "Since they look forward to eating together, we have seen more students participate and we hope that translates into scholastic success." There are 60 public schools in the city, with roughly 25,000 students, according to Timothy Gray, the school district's food service administrator. Currently about 30 schools are participating in the program. Jeffrey hopes to get 15 more schools involved in the coming school year and another 15 the following year. It's a simple concept instead of getting breakfast in the cafeteria, students are brought their meals by Sodexo staff and eat at their desks before the school day begins. Students are offered a variety of options including a hot and cold meal, fruit, and milk. "For many of these students this and school lunch are their only meals of the day. Their access to food is in the schools and this program provides the ability for every single one of them to participate," Jeffrey said. Gray said the district also participates in the United States Department of Agriculture Community Eligibility Provision. "Every student in the district receives a free breakfast and lunch because our poverty rate is so high here in Springfield," he said. "Since no student has to pay, it takes away the stereotype of free lunch versus paid lunch, and since we introduced the Breakfast in the Classroom model, we have seen so many more students participate." The school district and Sodexo received the Eos Foundation Healthy Start Leadership Award in May along with a $10,000 grant for their efforts to expand Breakfast in the Classroom throughout the district. Twenty-five Springfield schools were honored for being among the schools in Massachusetts that have reached 80 percent school breakfast participation rates. "As adults, we know that feeling hungry negatively impacts our mood and ability to focus. Think about a student walking into class feeling this way," said Thaddeus Tokarz, principal of Central High School, the first Massachusetts high school to implement BIC and one of only a few high schools nationwide to reach a more than 80 percent participation rate. "More than 90 percent of our students eat a nutritious school breakfast and academically we're seeing that have an impact." Jeffrey said he is incredibly proud of the work done at Central and hopes to expand that to the rest of the high schools. The High School of Science and Technology recently launched the program as well. Springfield first piloted the breakfast program at Brightwood Elementary in 2012 and six schools were serving breakfast in the classroom by 2013. Now nearly half of the district's schools are participating. "We actually have a waiting list now. At first it was us trying to sell the idea to principals, now that they see it's working they want to implement it in their schools," Jeffrey said. Andrea Silbert, president of the Eos Foundation, described Breakfast in the Classroom as a "silver bullet" to successfully fighting hunger. "It is a straightforward solution to combat childhood hunger in Massachusetts, with well-documented academic, behavioral, financial, and economic development benefits for kids and school districts," she said in a prepared statement. "The work that these schools - principals, teachers, custodians and cafeteria staff in particular - have done to implement their free breakfast program is admirable and serves as a model for other schools in the state." However, now that the school year has ended, the district is still hoping to ensure children are getting at least one or two nutritional meals over the summer. "We are always trying to come up with innovate ideas to feed kids," Gray said. One way students can access food during the summer is through the Summer Food Service Meal Program which features 25 locations across the city. "We don't always see a lot of students at some of the sites and I think that has to do with transportation or families not knowing the food is available," Gray said. "We want students to take advantage of the program, so that no kid is going hungry in the summer months." The district has put a list of participating locations on its website. The sites will begin serving breakfast and/or lunch on June 27 through Aug. 23. Summer Food Service Meal Sites by RomanMatias Bear Paw Development Corporation is a private non-profit organization created for the purpose of administering programs to help improve regional economic conditions in Hill, Blaine, Liberty, Chouteau and Phillips Counties and the Fort Belknap and Rocky Boy's Indian Reservations. Below are workshops offered by the U.S. Small Business Administrations Boise District Office and our resource partners. For additional information call (208) 334-9004 x342 or email [email protected]. Registration links for individual events are included below. All events can be found online at http://www.sba.gov/events. Boise District Office events can also be found at http://www.SBABoise.eventbrite.com. https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USSBA/bulletins/150105a Sunil Bholah a presente le 4 decembre 2020 fait avec la collaboration de lUnited Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) pour le secteur manufacturier mauricien qui pourrait toucher 145000 emplois dans le pays selon les chiffres presentes a Westin Turtle a Balaclava. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Articles similaires Le Committee of Supply du budget 2019-2020 termine , une nouvelle seance pour les deputes et ministres avant sans doute des vacances bien meritees. 1.Announcements 2.Papers 3.Question 4.MotionThe Honourable Prime Minister, Minister of Home Affairs, External Communications and National Development Unit, Minister of Finance and Economic Development That all the business on todays Order Paper be exempted from the provisions of paragraph (2) of Standing Order 10. 5.Statements by Ministers 6.Public Bills (a)THIRD READING*The Appropriation (2019-2020) Bill 2019(No. X of 2019: The Honourable Prime Minister, Minister of Home Affairs, External Communications and National Development Unit, Minister of Finance and Economic Development) (b)SECOND READING* The Disciplinary Bodies (Health Sector) (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill(No. IX of 2019: Dr the Honourable Minister of Health and Quality of Life)(c)COMMITTEE STAGE*The Disciplinary Bodies (Health Sector) (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill(No. IX of 2019: Dr the Honourable Minister of Health and Quality of Life (c)THIRD READING* The Disciplinary Bodies (Health Sector) (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill(No. IX of 2019: Dr the Honourable Minister of Health and Quality of Life)(c)COMMITTEE STAGE*The Disciplinary Bodies (Health Sector) (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill(No. IX of 2019: Dr the Honourable Minister of Health and Quality of Life Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Articles similaires Chicken will be the best-positioned protein due to its low price position in times of pressure on consumer spending power but rises in production costs and the long-term impact of COVID-19 threaten to disrupt the sector, according to Rabobank. Contraline, a company based in Charlottesville, Virginia, is working on introducing a new method for male contraception that may overcome many of the limitations of existing approaches, particularly vasectomy. Contralines procedure is called Vasintomy and like vasectomy it works by preventing sperm from moving down the vas deferens. Unlike vasectomy, though, its a non-surgical procedure that doesnt permanently reconstruct male anatomy and should be reversible. We spoke with Kevin Eisenfrats, co-founder and CEO of Contraline, to get a better idea of the technology and what we can expect from the company in the future. Medgadget: Lets start with how Vasintomy from Contraline works. Its described as non-surgical in your literature, and were curious about the details from a clinicians point of view. Kevin Eisenfrats, Contraline: The Vasintomy can be described medically as an ultrasound-guided, percutaneous injection. Just like in vasectomy, the urologist first identifies the vas deferens, administers local anesthesia, and secures the vas to the skin. Heres where Vasintomy is vastly different. Instead of making an incision and pulling the vas out, he/she uses a standard ultrasound probe to visualize the lumen (the hole in the center) of the vas deferens. Once visualized, they inject Echo-V (or the polymer solution) into the lumen through the skin. No incisions, sutures, or scalpels are required. Echo-V appears on the ultrasound confirming the injection was done properly. The whole procedure is predicted to take 3-4 minutes. Medgadget: Can you tell us what side effects you hope to overcome over existing techniques? Kevin Eisenfrats: Firstly, the gel is non-hormonal so there will be no systemic side-effects like weight gain and acne that come with female steroidal options. In the past, there have been gels or devices implanted into the vas deferens. Some of them cause scarring of the vas tissue. Granulomas can form if the urologist misses and injects into the smooth muscle layer, and foreign body responses can occur if the gel is not biocompatible. Vasintomy allows the urologist to see the lumen so it reduces (potentially eliminates) the chance for granulomas and our gel is biocompatible. Medgadget: What about reversing the procedure, how is that performed and do you expect healthy recovery for the vas deferens? Kevin Eisenfrats: We cannot reveal too much about our reversal procedure yet, but what we can say is that the procedure is identical to Vasintomy in that it is non-surgicalexcept instead of a gel being injected, we inject a solution that dissolves the gel. The solution contains an agent which will selectively and effectively de-precipitate the gel. As long as the gel does not damage the basal membrane of the epithelial wall, there should be healthy recovery of the vas. Were testing this in our rat study now :) Medgadget: What is your background to have ended up working on such a project and how long has your team been developing this technology? Kevin Eisenfrats: My personal background.. I studied nanomedicine engineering at the University of Virginia. I have been interested in the field of reproductive and contraceptive health since high school. I even wrote my admissions essay for UVA on why there is no male birth control pill yet. I worked in Dr. John Herrs lab doing research on uterine cancer for three years and at the National Institutes of Health doing research on in vitro fertilization. The Contraline team has been going at it for a little over a year now. Medgadget: Is there a clinical background that led to this technology, or perhaps it was the result of a lightbulb moment for someone? Kevin Eisenfrats: The only knowledge we had was that gels and devices had been implanted into rabbits, monkeys, and humans before (i.e. RISUG in India) and they work really well! However, there are a lot of problems with them that have limited commercialization. When I was reading these papers, I had a light-bulb moment: why have none of these procedures been non-surgical? That would make the whole procedure much more appealing. One of the biggest concerns for vasectomy patients is the invasiveness of the procedure. Thats why I invented Vasintomy. Medgadget: What challenges do you expect to encounter bringing Vasintomy to market, and where in the world do you expect itll be initially adopted? Kevin Eisenfrats: The biggest challenge will be the FDA. Echo-V is a high-risk device because its implanted in the body and lasts for years. We have to show animal data, biocompatibility data, and do human clinical trials to get approval. But thats why we have a great team which has been through the FDA before and were producing all of the required data. Were very set on going after the United States as our first market. It has the biggest target market size and sets the precedent for regulatory approval in other countries. We have some other countries around the world we are looking at.. but cant reveal them just yet. Medgadget: Are you or do you expect to develop other medical products and what are the long term goals for the company? Kevin Eisenfrats: My vision is for Contraline to become a global leader in the male reproductive health space. To start, were developing a suite of products that accompany Vasintomy. This includes new injection devices, needles, ultrasound technology with needle-guiding algorithms, etc. Were also interested in novel male contraceptives apart from Vasintomy/Echo-V. Link: Contraline by Aaron Baar , June 20, 2016 Powering everything from Space Shuttles to laptops, Intel has plenty of stories to tell, and the company is looking for innovative ways to tell them. The companys Global Production Lab, the production arm of Intels in-house Agency Inside, has just launched a first-of-its-kind mentorship program. Working with film and communication schools in the United States and the United Kingdom, the company will work to help students students develop their production skills while learning the structure and workflow of an ad agency and global corporation at the same time. I want to integrate these interns from film schools into our work flow, Teresa Herd, vice president, global creative director for Intel, tells Marketing Daily. They will be working on real media assets and deliverables. advertisement advertisement The program -- which Herd says helps fulfill Intel Chief Marketing Officer Steve Funds charge to connect more directly with Millennials -- will include roundtable discussions with leaders from multiple Intel departments, Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and industry leaders from other disciplines. The initial group, which begins work this summer, includes a producer, motion designer and cinematographer from USC, an editor from UCLA and a sound designer from the U.K. National Film & Television School. If we want to have influence in the category going forward, [we thought,] Why dont we bring them into the team? Herd says. Our goal is to make the best quality work. We werent going to do this if we couldnt get the students to do their best work. by Maarten Albarda , Featured Contributor, June 20, 2016 The Association of National Advertisers(ANA) report on media transparency, the World Federation of Advertisers(WFA) report on digital ad fraud, the Interactive Advertising Bureau(IAB)s Trustworthy Accountability Group, and even Googles DoubleClick -- all have reported on the issues of budget waste due to ad fraud and mark-ups. All sources acknowledge we are talking billions of dollars. The crappy ad experience is leading consumers in ever-larger numbers to block digital ads altogether. If left unaddressed, this issue will kill a potentially useful advertising avenue for marketers, a hugely profitable revenue-builder for agencies and a growing source of revenue for (online) publishers. Plus, it will kill access to independent journalism and content for consumers. So all parties clearly indicate they want to fix what is wrong -- but sadly, all independent from each other. The industry interest groups such as the ANA, WFA and IAB do an admirable job of highlighting the problem in terms of size and pervasiveness. That is helpful, but so far these scare-mongering tactics have not really led to the collective outrage you would expect when billions of dollars are siphoned off from working ad dollars. In fact, the answer has been to pour more dollars into the hugely broken system. advertisement advertisement The agencies are waking up, and are beginning to build solutions and practices that deliver a measure of fraud- and waste- avoidance. But the agencies are doing this by themselves, using a wide variety of bespoke technologies, guidelines and tools. Is Group Ms approach better/safer than Dentsu/Aegis? Who knows, and how can you ever find out without the transparency the industry needs? Media owners and sellers are beginning to offer safe content offerings, although DoubleClick showed recently that even those are not fraud-proof. A few weeks ago, John Motavalli wrote Naming Names: Anatomy Of An Ad Fraud, here on MediaPost, which showed that even if you think youre buying safe content from The Financial Times, it aint always so. Last week, I read an interview with Jeroen Verkroost, the managing director of the IAB Netherlands chapter. He delivered a defense of some of the mark-ups digital agencies place on digital advertising. I am not sure I can defend the fact that the WFA calculated this to be up to 60% of digital ad dollars (per the recently published Compendium of Ad Fraud Knowledge for Media Investors report). But what Verkroost says is that some of those mark-ups fund things that matter to advertisers. I assume you don't speak Dutch (perhaps Double Dutch on occasion?), so I have translated part of what he said: Lets assume a media agency charges 15% in a digital trade, and a targeting party charges 25%. In this scenario, the agency delivers buying strategies, adding in the right targeting partners, they monitor and optimize the campaign during execution, and deliver the post-buy report. The targeting party ensures the message reaches the right target audience, thus avoiding waste. Is this worth 40%? Or, worse, 60% as in the WFA scenario? I will leave that to the procurement department to negotiate with the agency. But what I would advocate is to use some of the percentages to start an industry fund, jointly supported by all parties, to properly combat ad fraud. Lets set rules jointly but, more importantly, build technology in defense to attack whats wrong. Hey, I know, lets call it the CIA: the Coalition for Intelligent Advertising. by Erik Sass , Staff Writer @eriksass1, June 20, 2016 When it comes to publisher rivalries, British newspapers make their American counterparts seem positively demur. When the British tabloids fight with each other, its more Peaky Blinders than Downton Abbey (although Mary and Ediths more vicious moments come close). So its a testimony to the industrys dire outlook that publishers are putting aside their enmity or at least their pride and considering a multi-publisher advertising sales alliance. According to the Financial Times, which first reported the news, top execs from the Telegraph Media Group, Trinity Mirror, and Rupert Murdochs News UK are meeting to discuss possibly forming a consortium for advertising sales. The idea would be to encourage more ad spending by streamlining the process, offering cross-publisher discounts for volume, and cutting costs in sales. The FT quotes Trinity Mirror CEO Simon Fox, who explains: We will always fight each other at the newsstands and for the best stories. But in the background, there are many ways we can come together to present a more powerful voice to the advertising industry. Meanwhile Steve Goodman, the managing director of print trading for WPP agencies in Britain, gave a tentative thumbs up, telling FT: Potentially this could be a valuable way forward for both sides. If the newspapers are able to come together and offer attractive packages across all titles that would give us an advantage over buying it piecemeal then we would be very interested. FT noted that the publishers could face obstacles in the form of opposition from regulators and legislators, who have opposed industry trusts on anti-monopoly grounds. However, they may be moved to accept the unusual arrangement by the industrys desperate circumstances. Last year display ad revenues tumbled 15%, and the trend continued into the first half of this year. The industry is showing signs of pressure. Earlier this year, a new newspaper launch, theIs New Day, was scuppered after just a few weeks in print, and the Independent ceased publishing a print edition in March. Ironically, the rumors of a national newspaper alliance in Britain comes just a week after the Newspaper National Network, an industry-wide ad sales consortium in the U.S., announced that it would close up shop at the end of this month. by Richard Whitman , Columnist, June 20, 2016 Former worldwide creative director of Saatchi & Saatchi, Bob Isherwood, who is currently founding partner of Dialog Health, Chairman of the Global Creative Council for Innocean and Dean of the Cannes Young Creative Academy, has been kidnapped by The Advertising Liberation Army at Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity 2016. No, seriously! OK, maybe not, but still. The kidnappers released a video which shows three masked men holding Isherwood hostage. Isherwood is seen holding a copy of Sundays edition of the Lions Daily. The kidnappers, who claim Cannes Lions statues are made in sweatshops, read aloud the following statement: We are the Advertising Liberation Army. And we hope this action will take us towards truthful and transparent advertising. Yesterday we kidnapped one of the godfathers of your capitalist creativity, Bob Isherwood, from this Festival. If you do not perform our task by tomorrow, 21st June, Bob Isherwood will not be released by the penthouse suite he is in. advertisement advertisement We love advertising and marketing but we can no longer watch silently when the world is being destroyed by outright lies, corruption and immorality. To demonstrate this, we tried to find out whether the production of Cannes Lions statues stands the light of day. We found sources that claim the statues are produced in terrible working conditions in shady sweatshops. We tried to confirm the information with the festival organizers but did not get an answer. You, the creative industry, must demand an answer to this question! How are the Cannes Lions statues produced? What are the conditions and rights of the workers? Go to the organization and get a response. We are not alone, millions of people want to move to a more ethical consumption. Answer these questions publicly, develop your activities and release Bob. You have until dawn tomorrow to answer our questions To increase the pressure, we produced our own statues, ethically. Until you answer our questions we will give out thirty of these ethically produced statues per day. More details about the kidnapping will be released at hasan & partners seminar Can trolling be a force for good in advertising on Monday. So, yeah, it's all just a stunt to promote a Cannes Lions panel. Did you attend? Was it any good? And might this stunt hit just a little too close to home what with all the crazy sh*t going on in the world these days? by Larissa Faw , Staff Writer, June 21, 2016 CANNES, FRANCE -- Actor Will Smith has experienced success across multiple forms of media: TV, music, and movies. Yet it was his daughter that provided one of his biggest lessons in his career. During a conversation with Edelman's Jackie Cooper at the Cannes Lions, Smith offered advice that has relevance for advertisers seeking to connect with consumers worldwide. "My power is being able to sell a product globally," says Smith. "I need to be in tune with their needs, not try to trick them into seeing Wild Wild West." Smith is frank about his early desire to be the biggest movie star in the world. He was obsessed with winning rather than artistry. Then, during a brief lag in his career "around the time that he made Wild Wild West, he jokes, his kids were thriving with their careers. His son Jaden starred in Karate Kid and his daughter Willow was on tour with Justin Bieber promoting her album. "I call it the year of mutiny. My family decided they were no longer functioning under my winning tyranny." In Dublin, his daughter said she was done with her tour. She had her fun and wanted to go home. Smith, however, said she needed to finish her commitment and enjoyed being a parent to a famous daughter. He was caught up in his concept of what it means to be a successful parent. Then, during the next tour stop in London, she came downstairs completely bald. "She shaved her head when her hit record was [called] whip my hair," says Smith. They quit the tour and went home. "It was an explosive moment in my mind," he says. Selling, marketing and creating cannot be about me. There wasn't a sales pitch I could sell her because she didn't want it. You got to spend the majority of the time understanding the other person," he says. Smith cautions against building something if people don't want it since, "you aren't going to be able to sell it. This revelation led to his shift from focusing his goals from product to people. He isn't making movies solely based on what he wants. People purchase around values. They connect with human and emotional needs. Fantastic storytellers define universally relatable emotions. Smith is selling across a global platform so he must adjust his frame of mind to succeed across multiple cultures. This means physical comedy works better than verbal comedy. Above all, global products and content aren't going to necessarily translate unless they are rooted in connections. "It's the power of the story," he says. You can't begin a story merely by saying that a dude came into a room and nobody liked him, he points out. And trying to reverse engineer around a theme is very difficult, he cautions. He uses the film Pursuit of Happyness as one example of how the plot resonated globally because it was about a dad living on the street with his son. Everyone can relate to that, he says. At one point Smith joked that he has never done a celebrity endorsement and after saying he would never do so, he reversed his opinion after realizing he was sitting in front of thousands of advertisers. "This is the wrong room to say that. I am open." by Tobi Elkin , Staff Writer @tobielkin, June 21, 2016 The New York Times Co., along with most other major publishers, is taking ad blocking seriouslyso seriously, its preparing an ad-free digital edition in response to the sharp rise in this practice. Times Co. CEO Mark Thompson confirmed the plans on Monday in Cannes, where the global advertising industry meets annually to celebrate the best advertising and discuss other issueslike ad blocking. As most readers of MediaPost newsletters know, ad blocking is one of the most serious threats to the industryalong with ad fraud (non-human traffic), viewability, and transparency issues (agency and third-party fees, media kickbacks, and related items that the Association of National Advertisers report cited recently). More than one in five of the world's 1.9 billion smartphone users are blocking ads when browsing the Web on their devices, according to a report by analytics firm Priori Data and PageFair, which helps publishers come up with solutions to ad blocking. At least 419 million people are blocking ads on smartphones, up 90% between January 2015 and January 2016, according to the report. And there are now twice as many mobile ad blockers than desktop ad blockers, because more people are browing the Web on their phones. Research firm Ovum projects that publishers lost $24 billion in revenue globally in 2015 due to ad blocking. advertisement advertisement Meanwhile, the Times is developing an edition that allows users to opt out of advertising if they want to. The ad-free version will cost consumers more than a standard subscription, and rightly so. Thompson told the assembled audience at Cannes that readers need to learn the journalism they enjoy costs real money and needs to be paid for. He didnt disclose pricing for the new option. Separately, Thompson told the audience that the Times T Brand Studio, its native advertising unit, will generate $60 million in revenue this yearrevenue that presumably will help prop up the rest of the business. Adblock Plus, one of the biggest ad blockers, lets ads from hundreds of companies pass through its filters if they meet its acceptable ads policy. Some of those companies pay to be included in the program. The Times and other publishers have tried this program and others to fight ad blocking. Thompson said that more than 40% of non-subscribers in a test agreed to whitelist the Times Web sitemeaning that those readers let ads through their blockers when they were presented with a message about the need to pay for high-quality content. Forbes has tried preventing users with ad-blocking software from accessing its site. It recently started allowing ad-blocking users to access Forbes.com if they register for a Forbes accountwhich means they have to offer personal information such as an email address or access to information from their Google or Facebook profiles. Wired has tried asking readers outright to turn their ad blockers off, and The Wall Street Journal has begun doing this as well. by Joe Mandese @mp_joemandese, June 21, 2016 CANNES, FRANCE -- Delegates attending Clay Bavors presentation here this morning thought they were experiencing him live, on a well-lighted stage in the Palais. In reality, he was merely an electrochemical rendition in a dark theater. At least thats how the Google VR chief explained the way people experience anything -- real or virtual -- leaving me wondering whether Bavor was actually physically present at todays session of the Festival of Creativity, or whether he was just demonstrating one of Googles next-generation VR technologies. Its all the same thing to our brains, he said -- pointing to his, just a bunch of photons bouncing off our retinas, or audio waves of energy vibrating on our eardrums. But when they come together in the kind of immersive way that technology is beginning to enable, our brains simply cannot distinguish. Bavor kicked things off with a simple demonstration of relatively old VR technology showing what happens when you transport people to a high-diving board 50 meters over a swimming pool. They reach for a railing that is not there, he said. And most wont do what Google asks them to do while testing users in their VR lab. We ask you to walk to the end and step off. And most people cant do it, Bavor -- or a fabulous rendition of him -- told the audience, which may or may not have also been there. Bavor then demonstrated Googles most current VR technology, called Jump, as well as one called Daydream that is just being released. Both enable users to create high-quality mobile VR experiences -- and the latter, Bavor said, would do it at scale. Google has already begun to deploy the technology with some of the greatest and most imaginative storytellers in the world to create content that will transform the way people experience the world. Jump has already taken more than a million school students on virtual field trips around the world, and even to Mars. Daydream executions, presumably, will take us to places we so far can only dream of. As good as these new technologies are, Bavor predicted that within 10 years, VR gear will become so perfected that simply wearing something that looks like a pair of large sunglasses will render experiences as vivid and real as reality in our brains. You will be able to have experiences that are so convincing that at times you wont be able to tell whether you are in virtual reality or real reality, he said. Not surprisingly, Bavor told the auditorium full of industry creative and media executives that the implications would have a big impact on the way they create brand experiences for consumers, including three big shifts affecting story, art and memory. The difference between those experiences and the ones people have had using other storytelling media for thousands of years, he said, is you dont read or see or watch it. If a story is unfolding in VR, you are in that story, he said, concluding: Youre part of it, because you are there. by Gavin O'Malley , Staff Writer @mp_gavin, June 21, 2016 Has our media consumption evolved such that ideas no longer need to be attached to a specific medium? Not according to Sir John Hegarty. We live in a world today where everything is fragmented, which is incredible in many ways, the British ad vet told a full house at the Lumiere Theatre, in Cannes, on Monday afternoon. Yet, What you need in that fragmented world is a big idea that holds everything together, Sir Hegarty said. Of course, People talk about media neutrality Oh, Im media neutral, said the Bartle Bogle Hegarty founder. But, An idea has to appear and start somewhere an idea cant be media neutral. You write a book, you do a painting, you put up a building an idea has to start somewhere, Sir Hegarty stressed. As for mediums, cinema is Sir Hegartys personal preference. I think cinema offers us the most amazing place to start an idea, because its culturally important, he said. What youre trying to do if youre in brand marketing is youre trying to make your brand culturally important, and [so] cinema is the place to do that. by Sara Guaglione , June 21, 2016 Ebonys new owners are ready to set their plan in motion: turning a 71-year-old publication into a multimedia platform. Last week, Johnson Publishing Company, which has published Ebony since 1945 and Jet since 1951, announced that African-American-owned private equity firm Clear View Group had acquired the titles. The new publishing entity, Ebony Media Operations, is Clear Views first foray into print and digital publishing. According to a report by Ebony managing editor Madison J. Gray, published today, Michael Gibson, who serves as board chair of Ebony Media Operations, and Willard Jackson, Clear Views vice-chairman, want the new company to transform into a multimedia platform, by expanding Ebony Medias digital space and perhaps dip their toes into broadcast. advertisement advertisement We see bringing additional programs, activations, events, contentto further satisfy what we think is a need out there for African American content, Jackson told Gray. Whether its healthcare or education related, we want to offer different ways to provide content to the existing readership. We see really expanding the digital platform. Jackson believes Ebonys legacy will help the brand compete with other digital content targeting African-Americans. Were the No. 1 African American brand in the world, he said. Its the power of the brand that we think sets us apart from all those other sites and digital platforms. The new company will keep the magazine's Chicago headquarters and its New York editorial office and most of the current staff will stay onboard. We are not the operators of these different companies, Gibson told Gray. Theyll continue to be operated by the management teams that run the companies. As Publishers Daily previously reported, Linda Johnson Rice, chairman of Johnson Publishing and daughter of company founder John Johnson, will remain as chairman emeritus on the board of Ebony Media Operations. Kyra Kyles will replace Kierna Mayo as editor-in-chief at Ebony. Cheryl McKissack, COO at Johnson Publishing, will take over as CEO of the new company. will continue to publish its monthly print edition (Jet went digital-only in 2014), which Gibson toldis the company's anchor. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy, which edits a cancer patient's T cells to recognize their tumors, has successfully helped patients with aggressive blood cancers but has yet to show the ability to treat solid tumors. To overcome this hurdle, researchers genetically engineered human T cells to produce a CAR protein that recognizes a glycopeptide found on various cancer cells but not normal cells, and then demonstrated its effectiveness in mice with leukemia and pancreatic cancer. Their proof-of-concept study appears June 21 in Immunity. "This is the first approach using a patient's own immune cells that can specifically target this class of cancer-specific glycoantigens, and this has the great advantage of applicability to a broad range of cancers," says first author Avery Posey, an instructor at the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania. "Future cancer immunotherapies combining the targeting of cancer-specific carbohydrates and cancer proteins may lead to the development of incredibly effective and safe new therapies for patients." CAR T cell therapy involves engineering patients' own immune cells to recognize and attack their tumors. T cells are collected from the patient's blood and genetically engineered to express cell-surface proteins called CARs, which recognize specific molecules found on the surface of cancer cells. The modified T cells are then infused into the patient's bloodstream, where they target and kill cancer cells. In recent clinical trials, CAR T cell therapy has dramatically improved the outcomes of blood cancer patients with advanced, otherwise untreatable forms of leukemia and lymphoma. But the full potential of CARs for treating solid tumors has not been reached because they have targeted molecules found on the surface of both normal cells and cancer cells, resulting in serious side effects. Posey, along with co-senior authors Laura Johnson - Director, Solid Tumor Immunotherapy Laboratory, Center for Cellular Immunotherapies - and Carl June - Richard W. Vague Professor in Immunotherapy - both at the Perelman School of Medicine at Penn., were motivated to find a solution quickly, for very personal reasons. One of their colleagues, who was well known for her scientific discoveries and lifelong contributions in the field of cancer genetics, had been diagnosed with end-stage cancer. "She knew of our work and asked if there were any promising treatments we had that might be able to help her," Johnson says. "This really polarized our team, in a worldwide collaboration, to find and fast-track a potential treatment for her cancer to the clinic." As far as targeted immunotherapy goes, the patient's tumor presented a significant challenge: It had none of the markers that are present on several of the other cancers Johnson and her team had worked on. "That was truly what drove the work that resulted in the CAR in this study," Johnson says. "It was the only marker we could find on her tumor; and it turns out, on just about every other tumor we tested, too." The cancer cell marker that Johnson and her team identified was a specific change in protein glycosylation, that is, a unique pattern of sugars decorating a protein found on the cell surface. In collaboration with investigators from the University of Copenhagen and University of Chicago, the researchers developed novel CAR T cells that express a monoclonal antibody called 5E5, which specifically recognizes a sugar modification--the Tn glycan on the mucin 1 (MUC1) protein--that is absent on normal cells but abundant specifically on cancer cells. The 5E5 antibody recognized multiple types of cancer cells, including leukemia, ovarian, breast, and pancreatic cancer cells, but not normal tissues. "This is really the first description of a CAR that can target multiple different solid or liquid tumors, without apparent toxicity to normal cells," Johnson says. "While it may not be a universal CAR, it is currently the closest thing we have." Moreover, injection of 5E5 CAR T cells into mice with leukemia or pancreatic cancer reduced tumor growth and increased survival. All six mice with pancreatic cancer were still alive at the end of the experiment, 113 days after treatment with 5E5 CAR T cells. Meanwhile, only one-third of those treated with CAR T cells that did not target Tn-MUC1 survived until the end of the experiment. The downside, Johnson cautions, is that this type of therapy is still very new, and there are numerous factors that are involved at the tumor level that may limit treatment. In particular, more work is needed to determine the safety of this therapy in advanced mouse models that can more accurately predict safety in humans, and its efficacy specifically against metastatic cancer, which is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. "So while we are hopeful, no one ever knows if a cancer treatment is truly going to work, and be safe, until it actually goes to treat patients in the clinic," Johnson says. If these preclinical studies are successful, the researchers plan to further develop their CAR T cell therapy and test its safety and efficacy for different types of metastatic cancer in upcoming clinical trials. "Unfortunately, our colleague passed away before this could reach a clinical treatment, but she was happy that even if it couldn't help her, this finding might be able to help other patients in the future," Johnson says. This work was supported by Novartis, the National Institutes of Health, the Danish Research Councils, and the Danish National Research Foundation. Conflicts of interest: The University of Chicago has filed a patent on the 5E5 CAR and an invention disclosure has been filed on these studies. The University of Pennsylvania has entered into a strategic alliance with Novartis for the development of chimeric antigen receptors. A study of patients in a Minnesota county suggests the incidence (new cases) of parkinsonism and Parkinson disease may have increased over the past 30 years but that trend may not be genuine and must be confirmed in other populations, according to an article published online by JAMA Neurology. A previous study suggested smokers may have reduced risk of Parkinson disease (PD) and speculated the decline in smoking by men in the U.S. after a peak in the 1940s and 1950s could result in an increase in PD incidence decades later. That theory has not been tested empirically. As a result, Walter A. Rocca, M.D., M.P.H., of the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., and coauthors studied time trends for parkinsonism and for PD in Olmsted County, Minn., from 1976 to 2005. Parkinsonism was defined as the presence of at least two cardinal signs: rest tremor, bradykinesia, rigidity and impaired postural reflexes. PD was defined as parkinsonism with all three of the following features: no other cause, no documentation of unresponsiveness to levodopa, and no prominent or early signs of more extensive nervous system involvement. The study included 906 patients with parkinsonism with a median age at onset of 74, of whom 501 were men. Of the 464 patients with PD with a median age of onset at 73, 275 were men. Incidence rates of parkinsonism increased in men from 38.9 per 100,000 person-years between 1976 and 1985 to 55.9 between 1996 and 2005. Rates of PD increased in men from 18.2 between 1976 and 1985 to 30.4 between 1996 and 2005 and the increase was greater for men over 70 or older. No similar overall trends were seen for women, according to the results. The authors note their trends should be interpreted with caution for a variety of reasons, including that they may be due to increased awareness of symptoms, improved access to care of patients, and better recognition by physicians. The authors suggest the trends they report may suggest a possible association with a change in smoking behavior. The prevalence of smoking has declined over time. However, other important lifestyle and environmental changes also have taken place over the decades. "Our study suggests that the incidence of parkinsonism and PD may have increased between 1976 and 2005, particularly in men 70 years old and older. These trends may be associated with the dramatic changes in smoking behavior that took place in the second half of the 20th century or with other lifestyle or environmental changes. However, the trends could be spurious and need to be confirmed in other populations," the study concludes. Article: Time Trends in the Incidence of Parkinson Disease , Rodolfo Savica, MD, MSc, PhD; Brandon R. Grossardt, MS; James H. Bower, MD, MSc; J. Eric Ahlskog, PhD, MD; Walter A. Rocca, MD, MPH, JAMA Neurology, doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2016.0947, published online 20 June 2016. Editorial: Are We Ready for a Potential Increase in Parkinson Incidence? "The epidemiologic observation that cigarette smoking is associated with lower PD risk is robust but the debate over whether the association is causal seems never to be resolved. Given the substantial adverse health effects of cigarette smoking and low PD incidence, it is almost impossible to directly examine this question in clinical studies. However, results of the Savica et al study and a similar previous analysis may offer indirect support for causality: the increase of PD incidence may follow decrease in cigarette smoking over the past 50 years, a trend that also affects men more than women," Honglei Chen, M.D., Ph.D., of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Triangle Park, N.C., writes in a related editorial. A phase II clinical trial demonstrated that a new type of treatment for genital herpes, an immunotherapy called GEN-003, may reduce the activity of the virus and the number of days with recurrent herpes. This effect of treatment, given by a series of three injections, appears to last for up to at least one year. The research is presented at the ASM Microbe research meeting in Boston. "GEN-003 is believed to work through a different pathway from most vaccines by recruiting T cells, which are critical to controlling chronic infections such as herpes," said Dr. Fife, MD, PhD, an investigator and Professor of Medicine at Indiana University. In addition, GEN-003 is also designed to stimulate antibodies to help neutralize the virus. 310 participants with a history of chronic, recurrent genital herpes received three shots of one of six different vaccine doses, 21 days apart. Over 1 year, participants were tested for stimulation of the immune system against the herpes virus, the frequency that the herpes virus was detectable on the skin around the genital area ("viral shedding"), and the number of days that herpes outbreaks ("lesions") were visible. GEN-003 treatment drove significant reductions in the rate of viral shedding and lesion frequency compared to rates before treatment. Immune response data are being analyzed and will be the topic of a future presentation. "The importance of these clinical findings is that it represents a new approach to treatment, and may provide a new option for patients suffering from chronic, recurrent genital herpes," said Dr. Fife. Current treatments consist of antiviral medications, which may be taken episodically to treat acute lesion outbreaks, or daily to reduce the number of outbreaks and the risk of transmitting the herpes simplex 2 (HSV-2) virus to sexual contacts. GEN-003 may provide relief similar to that available with daily antiviral medications, but with improved convenience. "GEN-003 is expected to be tested in combination with antiviral medications to potentially provide a level of relief not currently achievable. "While several previous preventative vaccines have failed in the past, the new approach taken with GEN-003, arming the T cell immune system, may one day lead to an effective prophylactic herpes vaccine," said Dr. Fife. The study results were reported by Dr. Kenneth H. Fife and colleagues at ASM Microbe, in Boston, Massachusetts, Monday, June 20, in a poster session. The study was sponsored by Genocea Biosciences, Cambridge, MA. A luciferin analog generating near-infrared bioluminescence achieves highly sensitive deep-tissue imaging. To see right through something is to know its true intent - the same could be said to apply to biological tissues, especially tumors. Bioluminescence imaging with a firefly enzyme, called luciferase, and its substrate D-luciferin, is widely used to monitor biological processes. However, the emission wavelength of bioluminescence produced by D-luciferin limits the sensitivity of this technique. At 562 nm, this light does not effectively penetrate biological tissues. Share on Pinterest A luciferin analog generating near-infrared bioluminescence achieves highly sensitive deep-tissue imaging Image Credit: Tokyo Institute of Technology To overcome this limitation, a team of Tokyo Tech and the University of Electro-Communications (UEC) researchers developed a luciferin analog (a compound that resembles another in structure) that can produce bioluminescence with near-infrared wavelength and is applicable in animal experiments. This allows markedly higher target-detection sensitivity, even at very low concentrations. A novel soluble luciferin analog The UEC researchers had previously synthesized a novel luciferin analog, AkaLumine, by altering the chemical structure of D-luciferin. While the emission wavelength of bioluminescence produced by AkaLumine yielded high penetration, its insolubility hindered its use. The team moved beyond this to screen for water-soluble derivatives of AkaLumine, and discovered that one of them, AkaLumine hydrochloride (AkaLumine-HCl), was in fact soluble. The Tokyo Tech researchers evaluated these substrates and had provided proper information for directing it to be practical use in animal experiments, making AkaLumine-HCL applicable for bioluminescence imaging of deep tissues. Share on Pinterest Optical imaging of the biological tissue (4-mm/8mm-thick sliced beef) were placed on the wells with each substrate (left). Penetration efficiency of bioluminescence through the tissue (right) Image Credit: Tokyo Institute of Technology AkaLumine-HCl emitted near-infrared bioluminescence at 677 nm when reacted with firefly luciferase (Figure 1), and had greatly improved tissue-penetration efficiency. In 4-mm or 8-mm slice of beef, AkaLumine-HCl bioluminescence showed penetration 5-fold and 8.3-fold higher than bioluminescence produced by D-Luciferin (Figure 2). Notably, achieving such a high sensitivity using D-luciferin would require a 60-fold higher concentration. Share on Pinterest A luciferin analog generating near-infrared bioluminescence achieves highly sensitive deep-tissue imaging Image Credit: Tokyo Institute of Technology To further evaluate the performance of AkaLumine-HCl in a lung cancer mouse model, the researchers compared the bioluminescence signals from mouse lung cancer treated with AkaLumine-HCl, D-luciferin, and its superior counterpart, cyclic alkylaminoluciferin (CycLuc1). Remarkably, AkaLumine-HCl significantly increased detection sensitivity of lung tumors as compared with D-luciferin and CycLuc1 (Figure 3). Immediate applicability Owing to its superior properties that enable higher sensitivity and accuracy, AkaLumine-HCl has potential to become the preferred choice for bioluminescence imaging. Nonetheless, for now, the benefits that its discovery brings can already be reaped in bioluminescence imaging studies in small animal models. Australian researchers have discovered that an existing medication could have promise in preventing breast cancer in women carrying a faulty BRCA1 gene. People who carry a faulty BRCA1 gene are at high risk of developing aggressive breast cancer. Currently many women with a gene mutation choose surgical removal of their breast tissue and ovaries to reduce their chance of developing breast and ovarian cancer. By pinpointing the cells that give rise to breast cancers in women who have inherited a faulty version of the BRCA1 gene, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute researchers have identified that the drug denosumab may have potential to prevent breast cancer from developing. If confirmed in clinical studies, this would provide a non-surgical option to prevent breast cancer in women with elevated genetic risk. Using samples of breast tissue donated by women carrying a faulty BRCA1 gene, Ms Emma Nolan, Professor Jane Visvader and Professor Geoff Lindeman were able to pinpoint the cells that give rise to breast cancer. The research, which also involved researchers at the Australian familial cancer consortium kConFab and US biotechnology company Amgen was published in Nature Medicine. Cancer precursor cells in BRCA1-mutant breast tissue had many similarities to aggressive forms of breast cancer, said Ms Nolan, who is a PhD student at the institute enrolled through The University of Melbourne's Department of Medical Biology. "These cells proliferated rapidly, and were susceptible to damage to their DNA - both factors that help them transition towards cancer," she said. "We were excited to discover that these pre-cancerous cells could be identified by a marker protein called RANK." Professor Lindeman, who is also a medical oncologist at The Royal Melbourne Hospital, said the discovery of RANK as a marker of cancer precursors was an important breakthrough, because inhibitors of the RANK signalling pathway were already in clinical use. "An inhibitor called denosumab is already used in the clinic to treat osteoporosis and breast cancer that has spread to the bone," he said. "We therefore investigated what effect RANK inhibition had on the cancer precursor cells in BRCA1-mutant breast tissue." The research team showed that RANK inhibition switched off cell growth in breast tissue from women with a faulty BRCA1 gene and curtailed breast cancer development in laboratory models. "We think this strategy could delay or prevent breast cancer in women with an inherited BRCA1 gene mutation," Professor Lindeman said. "A clinical trial has already begun to investigate this further." "This is potentially a very important discovery for women who carry a faulty BRCA1 gene, who have few other options. Current cancer prevention strategies for these women include surgical removal of the breasts and/or ovaries, which can have serious impacts on people's lives. To progress this work, denosumab would need to be formally tested in clinical trials in this setting as it is not approved for breast cancer prevention," Professor Lindeman said. Professor Visvader said the discovery had its basis in more than a decade of investigations of breast stem cell function. "By thoroughly dissecting how normal breast tissue develops, we have been able to pinpoint the precise cells that are the culprits in cancer formation," she said. "It is very exciting to think that we may be on the path to the 'holy grail' of cancer research, devising a way to prevent this type of breast cancer in women at high genetic risk." The research team worked closely with Mrs Avis Macphee, a patient advocate, through the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute's consumer-researcher buddy system. The research was supported by The National Breast Cancer Foundation, The Qualtrough Cancer Research Fund, The Joan Marshall Breast Cancer Research Fund, the Australian Cancer Research Foundation, Cancer Council Victoria, the Cancer Therapeutics Cooperative Research Centre, an Amgen Preclinical Research Program Grant, the National Health and Medical Research Council, the Victorian Cancer Agency, and the Victorian Government Operational Infrastructure Support Scheme. Please complete this form and we'll send you a personalised information that is requested You may use this for your own reference or forward it to your friends. Please use the information prudently. If you are not a medical doctor please remember to consult your healthcare provider as this information is not a substitute for professional advice. Advertisement Yoga-loving Modi, dressed in a white tracksuit, led more than 30,000 people in the northern city of Chandigarh for a mass session where they performed poses and breathing exercises at the outdoor Capitol Complex."Do not wait, make yoga a part of your life," Modi urged in a brief speech to mark the event, an idea he successfully asked the United Nations to adopt."This is a day linked with good health and now it has become a people's mass movement," the 65-year-old premier said. Modi took a short break to inspect the poses of his fellow yogis, who included students and soldiers, before returning to his spot.His ministers were also dispatched to cities around India to stretch and bend alongside school children, while the navy tweeted photos of sailors on mats spread atop an aircraft carrier.Modi, who credits yoga for his ability to work long hours on little sleep, has been spearheading an initiative to reclaim the practice as an historic part of Indian culture after his Hindu nationalist government came to power in 2014.Indian scholars believe yoga dates back 5,000 years, based on archaeological evidence of poses found inscribed on stones and references to Yogic teachings in the ancient Hindu scriptures of the Vedas.Modi, who has established a government ministry charged with promoting yoga, last year led around 35,000 people in New Delhi in an outdoor session to mark the first world yoga day.Source: AFP Advertisement In the new research, led by Robert Banh, a graduate student in Neel's lab, the investigators found that signals sent by the enzyme protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) work in a previously unknown way to shut down oxygen-using processes in breast cancer cells deprived of oxygen, thereby enhancing their survival.Neel and colleagues first identified the gene for protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) as part of search for molecules that suppress tumor growth in the early 1990s. PTP1B is the hallmark member of a group of enzymes that take a phosphate group away from biomolecules to turn processes like cell growth on or off.Neel and colleagues, as well as the group of Michel Tremblay at McGill University, found in earlier studies of mice that PTP1B function was required for the growth in certain cancers. These included breast cancers caused by the Her2 oncogene (HER2+ breast cancer cells), which is implicated in 20% of human breast cancers. In more recent work, Banh, Neel and colleagues found that human HER2+ breast cancer cells lacking PTP1B grew normally under standard culture conditions, but died much more rapidly in low oxygen.Furthermore, researchers found that the three signaling pathways by which cancer cells were known to adapt to hypoxia worked fine in PTP1B-deficient HER2+ breast cancer cells. These included the well-known hypoxia-inducible factor pathway, which shifts the way cells use oxygen from oxidative phosphorylation in cellular 'machines' called mitochondria to glycolysis, which does not require oxygen. Instead they found that other non-mitochondrial sources of oxygen consumption were not dialed down appropriately in PTP1B-deficient breast cancer cells.The team further found that PTP1B controls the response of tumors in hypoxia by regulating the protein RNF213, which in in turn suppresses oxygen consumption by enzymes called '945-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenases (945-KGDDs). These enzymes use oxygen, vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and iron to catalyze myriad reactions.As the team began to fill in details concerning PTP1B pathway, they realized from the literature that RNF213 was also important in a rare condition called Moyamoya Disease, where patients experience abnormal blood vessel growth in the brain that can lead to blocked arteries and seizures. Conceivably, says Neel, Moyamoya disease symptoms could reflect an abnormal response to hypoxia in vascular cells, and his lab is working to understand the condition's molecular basis."We have seen many times in the cancer field that studies of rare syndromes can be being important in explaining mechanisms by which cells respond to stresses," says Neel. "We hope our new study will provide insights into Moyamoya disease that then feed back into our work in cancer biology."Source: Eurekalert On June 2, 2016, Muhammad Al-Sa'id, a columnist for the official Saudi daily 'Okaz, published an article titled "Ayatollah Obama - A Tehran Love Story," in which he attacked President Obama for supporting revolutionary Iran and striving to focus U.S. foreign policy on the far east, while abandoning the Middle East. According to him, this view by Obama is disconnected from reality and runs contrary to traditional U.S. policy, which considered Iran a country violating international law and supporting global terrorism. Al-Sa'id argued that Iran is exploiting Obama's support to realize its own interests, and harnessing U.S. administration circles to operate in its service and against its enemies. The following are excerpts from the article:[1] Muhammad Al-Sa'id (image: alassr.com) "The ties between Tehran and Obama run contrary to the history of the relations between the U.S. and Iran, which experienced periods of great difficulty and suspicion over four decades. Moreover, the U.S. has always viewed Iran as a rogue country that violates international law and sponsors terrorism - [terrorism] that has targeted the U.S. in many places around the globe. These inexplicable ties [with Iran] that run counter [to America's past policy] sum up Obama's personality, which was shaped by his legal and academic background, and by the resistance of the [black] racial minority to the [white] race that surrounds it... "The people at the Iranian foreign ministry, who are Islamic Revolution [loyalists], obviously understood this equation and they exploit it by painting themselves as victims and as having adopted values of democracy and [human] rights. However, like all revolutionaries, they will [eventually] fail and carry out the same acts of slaughter against those who collaborated with them and helped them to realize their dream of being accepted back into the global fold by means of the [nuclear] agreement... All the world's liberals, like Obama... support liberal ideology, yet they turn a blind eye to the hypocrites who use it as a means to seize power... "Obama believes in revolutionary countries and feels that they are closer to his heart and his conscience than the veteran, stable nations. He believes Iran is a model for a successful revolution that can be improved upon, worked with, and transformed into a democratic revolution, as he sees in his senseless dreams. This is a romantic view that Obama holds from the height of his white throne in his black house. A view akin to an eastern tale filled with the scent of incense, the taste of pistachios, and a celestial carpet bazaar. He believes that he can realize [this dream] based on a document by the American National Security Council, even if it claims the lives of tens of millions of innocent people. At the same time, Obama dreams of implementing his political view... which is based on abandoning the old world - from Casablanca in the West to Manama in the East - and replacing it with the [Pacific Rim] countries - from Korea in the north to New Zealand in the South. "The relationship of conflict and struggle between Tehran and Afghanistan and the Arabs is ancient... but [there is] another, even more dangerous, link that was born in those same barren deserts between two elements with opposite ideologies - namely the Sunni-Arab Al-Qaeda [organization] and Shi'ite Iran - which is the current key to Uncle Sam's satisfaction. Thanks to the link between Iran and Al-Qaeda, Iran has managed to fully control this barbaric group's branch in Afghanistan from 2003 until today by hosting its activists and their families in safe houses and diverting their threat towards Saudi Arabia. We should mention that the violent actions [of Al-Qaeda] against Saudi Arabia began after 2004. "The Iranian politician did not make do [with helping Al-Qaeda], but also tried to appease the West by providing intelligence on Al-Qaeda and the terrorist organizations tied to it, and even sacrificed the lives of commanders [in the group] who were no longer important [to Iran], turning them into a reward for the U.S. administration - [a reward] that this administration uses occasionally [to show it is combatting terrorism]. And why not? [After all,] Al-Qaeda runs its activity from offices in the eastern neighborhoods of Tehran. "Naturally, Saudi Arabia was in the crosshairs of Iran, which saw the personality of 'Mullah Obama' as a safe haven to realize its interests. The ripeness of the Iranian lobby [in the U.S.] and its infiltration into American media, and especially into the State Department, enabled Iran to do this. "In the capital of Washington, Iran exploited the rich and influential Iranian diaspora, which numbers tens of thousands, especially second- and third-generation members, and managed to convince them to serve the Iranian nation and set aside their political differences with it. It raised a generation that broke free of the complex of its forebears, who were hunted in their day by the wolves of the Basij. The [Iranian] diaspora devoted its efforts to the Iranian homeland and to realizing its grand interests. This is a message that Iranian youths understood, while Arab youths failed to. [Thus,] U.S. [administration] circles became great engines serving Iran's policy and striving to destroy its enemies." Endnote: Always a trashy nuisance, it's now a growing danger. Tires collect water and become prime breeding grounds for mosquitoes especially the ones that spread Zika virus disease and other tropical mosquito-borne illnesses. Wyatt, a mother of five, doesn't know where the tires are coming from. But she's worried about it, and so are health officials. Spraying for the type of mosquito that carries Zika is not always effective, and they can breed in pools of standing water as small as a Styrofoam cup. That means vacant lots or messy yards may need to be cleaned up, whether the owner of the mess wants it cleaned or not. Dr. Umair Shah, the head of Houston's county health department, called getting the cooperation of local residents his department's biggest issue. "It's really about a neighbor who might have sources of breeding on their property that can impact a neighbor two or three houses down," he said. Experts believe the vast majority of neighbors will comply. But not all. For months now, the federal government has been urging local health officials to review local nuisance ordinances and plot how to handle property owners who are combative or can't be found. During a recent outbreak of dengue fever in Hawaii that involved the same mosquito that can spread Zika, health officials went to more than 500 properties to survey or spray. In 23 cases, residents refused requests to enter. It happened again in March, when health officials went to see a Kauai resident who was infected with Zika after traveling to an outbreak area in Latin America. Initially, the person would not allow health officials onto the rental property. But when a team returned for a follow-up visit, a family member let them in to look for mosquito breeding areas. "For the most part, we do get good cooperation," said Keith Kawaoka, deputy director for environmental health at Hawaii's state health department. But sometimes cooperation comes only after a couple of conversations. Zika has been sweeping through Latin America and the Caribbean in recent months, and the fear is that it will get worse there and arrive in the U.S. with the onset of mosquito season this summer. Zika causes only a mild and brief illness, at worst, in most people. But it can cause fetal deaths and severe birth defects in the children of women infected during pregnancy. After West Nile Virus, another mosquito-borne disease, hit the United States in 1999, the response was often to spray wide areas using trucks and aircraft. But the kinds of mosquitoes that primarily spread West Nile are different from the Aedes aegypti mosquito that spreads Zika and dengue. That tropical pest likes to live very close to people, and immediately around their homes. If someone is diagnosed with Zika and health officials determine that they were infected by a local mosquito, officials will draw a circle around their house with a radius of about 150 yards. That's roughly half a block in many cities. An Aedes aegypti mosquito doesn't travel farther than that during its typical three-week lifespan. Next, health officials or mosquito control workers will visit the properties within that circle and look for standing water where mosquitoes may be breeding, including Styrofoam cups, flower pots, and old tires. They will work with the property owner to remove them, or treat them with chemicals that kill mosquito larvae. Some people may not want such an intrusion. In Hawaii during its dengue outbreak, much of the resistance came from organic farmers and beekeepers wary of chemical sprays, Kawaoka said. But there may be other cases in which a property occupant is hiding an illegal activity and doesn't want health officials snooping around. Or, there may be people who simply don't want anyone from the government on their land, some experts said. "In modern America, there's been a lot of focus on individual autonomy," said Lawrence Gostin, a public health law expert at Georgetown University. Health officials think they would be able to beat back a legal challenge to government intervention because courts have long allowed the government to intrude onto private property to deal with situations that may be harmful to the public, Gostin said. Since the beginning of the year, Florida residents have sent dozens of emails to Gov. Rick Scott alerting him to overgrown backyards with standing water and expressing concern over Zika, mosquitoes, and the efforts to control mosquitoes. A pregnant woman in Hillsborough County wrote that she looked forward to what else the state and her county could to do protect her, but she also questioned the effect of insecticides on her and her baby. "I am doing my best to be healthy for the baby, but the Zika virus has me worried," she wrote in an email obtained by The Associated Press through a public records request. "It is impossible to say that I can never leave the house." Wyatt doesn't know where the tires on her street in Houston come from, but she doesn't think it's her neighbors. She considers the people on her block to be quiet people who don't come out of their houses much but don't appear to cause any trouble. "They all look out for one another," she said. But health officials in Harris County have had mixed results trying to clear up dumping grounds and standing water. And mosquito control staff are fielding complaints from people tired of seeing staffers walk on their property to monitor mosquito traps that officials have set up to try to detect Zika before human infection, said Martin Reyna Nava, technical operations manager for the county's mosquito control division. He stressed that the vast majority of people cooperate. But Shah and others are concerned that some trouble spots will keep popping up, at least until a local Zika case occurs in the community and makes people realize that the danger is real. "There may be folks who say, 'Nah, I'm not really interested in helping,'" Shah said. "That's where the challenge comes in." CASEVILLE The 8th annual Ribstock rolls into town Friday. Organizer Steve Louwers said restaurants have committed to cook, theres a new venue and the festival returns with many of its staples. Yes, thats the same Steve Louwers who, with wife Michelle, sold their True Value Hardware and said goodbye to Caseville after being in business 20 years and moved to Florida last November. The couple well known in the Caseville and Thumb area has returned: Louwers is still president of the Caseville Chamber of Commerce and now will be directing all of Casevilles summer events. On Friday, Tri-Cities based The Music Doctors are on tap to play tribute to the Grand Ole Opry. They play a three-hour show, Louwers said. The Music Doctors start playing at 7 p.m. There are four bands lined up for Saturday, playing two-hour slots starting at 3 p.m. Tweed and Dixie play at 3 p.m., The Two Timin Band plays at 5, Dani Vitany and the 10 Hands Tall Band perform at 7, and David Shelby plays at 9. All the performances are scheduled to take place in the amphitheater in the Caseville County Park. Shelby, who Louwers said has played every Ribstock, is the headliner in Saturdays country music festival. Also on Saturday evening, the RibStock Best Ribs winners will be announced at 8:45 p.m. The amateur rib cook-off returns Friday. That just keeps growing and growing, Louwers said. Thousands of ribs will be featured under one tent, from noon to 8 p.m. in the Caseville County Park. On Saturday, a batch of kids games is planned, he said. Kayak, Stand up Paddleboard, Kiteboarding Clinic is set to take place from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Caseville County Beach. Also at the beach on Saturday, there will be a Country Sand Castle Building Contest from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be childrens face painting, glitter tattoos and a balloon twister event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Memorial/City Park. A Country Showdown Talent Search is set to take place that day from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the amphitheater. Following the search, an ice cream eating contest will take place for ages up to 14 years old at 1:30 p.m. at Shakers Ice Cream Parlor. At 3 p.m. Saturday, there will be a 3 Little Pig Races (for ages 5-10) at the Rainbow Motel. From 4 to 6 p.m., the Lemon Tree Marketplace will host Country Cowboy Hatbands Creations, where $5 includes a childs hat. And on Sunday, the Chamber will cook ribs at noon to raise money for the fireworks showing. Another familiar face returns to Caseville this year: Johnny Burke. The radio personality is coming to Ribstock as a judge and for some hosting, Louwers said. He loves ribs, Louwers said. Louwers says Burke is also booked to grand marshal this years Parade of Tropical Fools, the signature event of Cheeseburger in Caseville in August. Louwers says Ribstock is a good, fun weekend to kick off the summer. PIGEON Students didnt waste any time when inaugurating the new science laboratory at Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker High School. In the fall, students in the college biology class measured amounts of protein, lipids and carbohydrates in various foods. A few months later, chemistry students completed an experiment with copper and nitric acid. Right before Christmas, these students created Christmas ornaments using galvanized iron, hydrochloric acid and copper nitrate solution. Closer to the end of the school year, biology students studied various plant cells underneath a microscope. Forensic science students developed tests to identify unknown powder substances and learned how to detect blood types. The new science lab, constructed last summer as part of the districts sinking fund for facility improvements, has added plenty of spark to science lessons. The lab features eight stations that offer plenty of space for groups to work on experiments. There is more safety equipment available, as well, so a wider variety of materials can be used in experiments. It looks like a lab one would find at a college. This year, we were able to do a lot more labs than weve ever done, said Jordan Maust. In our college biology class, we had 16 experiments. In physics class, every other week we start a new experiment. The new labs have opened (my knowledge) to the lab side of science. The new labs and equipment give us a wider variety of (projects) we can do, said Ashley Baranski. Its super helpful. The new lab also helped Science Olympiad team members better prepare for competition, and this year for the first time, they advanced to state-level competition. Laker High School science teacher Deb Hasselschwert said the science lab turned out better than what she imagined. Shes excited about being able to do experiments shes always wanted to do with students. The lab allows students to perform experiments that were not possible in the old classrooms and to be safer while experimenting, Hasselschwert said. It allows students to experience working in a college-level facility while still in high school. Hasselschwert said the new Laker science lab is even more advanced than some college labs. As past students come back to visit, they have been in awe of the new lab and ask if they can take college classes here during the summer, she said. She said her favorite parts of the lab are the dual view fume hood and the extra-large sinks at each station. I have used both regularly this past year and am excited to use them next year, she said. The lab is shared between multiple teachers, and their science classrooms also received renovations. The classrooms have more advanced technology, such as a projection system with surrounding television screens that can be moved around the classroom. I feel Lakers has taken a huge step forward on the technology front with these two new classrooms, she said. Hasselschwert said the renovations have helped her expand her technological skills when presenting information to students. The high-tech classroom has allowed students to interact with each other and present information in a new way, she noted. Students and I can present from anywhere in the room and everyone can see and hear what is happening. I have also used the TV screens for individual teams that are working together and viewing the same design or presentation. The students seem to also really like this feature. Hasselschwert said shes looking forward to spending more time in the lab and exploring science to the fullest. She said shes very thankful for the school board, administration, technology department and custodial staff for the work theyve done to make the science department remodel so successful. I feel so blessed to be teaching in such an amazing facility, she said. hs chemistry lab: Laker High School students in chemistry class, taught by Deb Hasselschwert, work on an experiment with copper and nitric acid in the new science lab. Hasselschwert said she was able to conduct experiments shes always wanted to do, but wasnt able to do before the new science lab. The lab was part of the secondary school renovations last summer. (Submitted Photo) college bio: In the new science lab, Jordan Maust looks at cells through a microscope as Mariah Cook looks on. Laker High offered a college biology class this year, which was taught by Laker science Scott Lebsack. The new lab and equipment provided the perfect environment for college-level experiments and projects. Students in this class earned college credit through Mid-Michigan Community College. (Submitted Photo) Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley today welcomed the Army's new secretary into his job today at a ceremony in Arlington, Virginia. Fanning was sworn in May 19 as the civilian head of the Army. He is the first openly gay person to lead one of the nation's military service branches. The Army's 3rd Infantry Regiment, known as the Old Guard, stood in formation on Summerall Field at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall near the Pentagon as Carter and Milley spoke of Fanning's strengths as a leader. "Secretary Fanning, it is an honor to formally welcome you," Carter said. "It has been a privilege for me to work alongside Eric Fanning for many years and watch him develop into one of our country's most knowledgeable, dedicated and experienced public servants. "I have seen firsthand why he is one of this administration's most trusted and capable appointees and one of the Pentagon's most dependable civilian leaders." Fanning served as Carter's chief of staff when he first became secretary of defense. The graduate of Dartmouth College also previously served as acting Air Force Secretary as well as deputy undersecretary of the Navy. "That gives him a unique perspective on the pivotal connections that bind our joint force. Secretary Fanning understands the full spectrum of responsibilities and opportunities that we face as a 21st Century military," Carter said. Milley described Fanning as a "man of immense personal courage and integrity." "Today is a very special day as we recognize an officially arrived secretary of the Army Eric Fanning," Milley said. Milley joked that it took six months for Congress to confirm Fanning as Army secretary, relating the story of how the second Continental Congress on 10 May 1775 created "the United States Army, the continental Army from companies of Pennsylvania rifleman. And only five weeks later that Army was real." "In only five weeks they created an Army, but it took six months to confirm my secretary." Much of the delay had to do with Sen. Pat Roberts, a Kansas Republican, placing a "hold" on Fanning's nomination so he could get assurances from the Defense Department and the Obama administration that prisoners from the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, naval base will not be housed in the future at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Roberts told Politico's Morning Defense that his blocking of Fanning's nomination solely involved the Guantanamo issue, and was not about Fanning's sexual orientation. Fanning's nomination had also been delayed by demands from Sen. John McCain, an Arizona Republican and the panel's chairman, for un-redacted Defense Department emails on the Fanning appointment. McCain said he had received the emails and there was nothing in them to delay further the committee's vote. Earlier, McCain and others on the panel had charged that President Barack Obama violated the little-used Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998 by putting Fanning's name forward. Fanning had been serving as acting Army Secretary since the retirement last year of former Army Secretary John McHugh. McCain said that the Vacancies Act prohibited anyone serving in an "acting" post from getting the full-time job. To get around McCain's complaint, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter shuffled top Army management posts. Fanning resigned as acting Army secretary. Patrick Murphy, a Pennsylvania Democrat who served in the House from 2007 to 2011 and had been nominated to become Army undersecretary, was named acting secretary until Fanning could get a hearing. At the nomination hearing in April, McCain appeared to be satisfied with Fanning's compliance. "In my opinion, his resignation has cured the President's violation of the law," McCain said. In his testimony and in response to questions, Fanning shared the concerns of McCain and other senators on both sides of the aisle on the problems faced by the Army in paring troop strength to 450,000 soldiers and possibly 420,000 soldiers, if mandated budget cuts under spending caps known as sequestration return. Milley told the audience he has complete confidence in Fanning's ability to lead the Army. "I can speak for all of us in uniform that we are absolutely thrilled to have you aboard," he said. "Eric Fanning is an incredible professional; he is completely committed to our Army, both the soldiers and the families. "As an Army, we could not be luckier to and more proud of our new secretary." Fanning said there is work to be done in the future, emphasizing the need to end sexual assault and suicide. "We must ensure that everybody has access to behavioral health and that we eliminate the stigma attached with seeking help," Fanning said. Soldiers "must know that we are taking care of their families when they are away from home. We must make sure that they are trained for the full range of contingencies not just the kind of fighting we have seen in Iraq and Afghanistan, and to make sure that they are equipped in a way that always maintains a decisive advantage over any adversary." Fanning also spoke of the need to make the Army a more diverse force. "Finally we must continue to open up opportunities to those who meet the standards but were previously denied the opportunity to serve," he said. "By leveraging diversity and creating an inclusive environment in which all are valued, we engender opportunities for people to be part of the greatest mission there is defending our nation's security." -- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com Despite Flipping in Surf 4 Times in a Year, Marines Say New ACV Is the Future of Amphibious Warfare Some Marine veterans familiar with the vehicle and its operations have worried about the reliability of the ACV. A Marine major who was convicted of fraternizing with two female Naval Academy midshipmen in 2011 will face another court-martial later this year, this one on charges that he lied to an administrative board about the nature of his relationship with the two women. Former Naval Academy instructor Maj. Mark Thompson was referred by Marine Corps Installations Command Commander Brig. Gen. Thomas Weidley for trial by general court-martial June 13 on charges of making false official statements and conduct unbecoming a gentleman, MCICOM spokesman Rex Runyon said. The news was first reported today by The Washington Post. General court-martial is the most serious forum in which military charges can be adjudicated, and reflects the severity of the punishment the prosecution is calling for in the case: 32 months confinement, dismissal from the Marine Corps, and a fine of $200,000 -- a day of jail time for each day Thompson served on active duty since the alleged 2011 liaisons with the midshipmen and all the pay he earned since then. Throughout his previous court-martial and subsequent board of inquiry, Thompson maintained he had only a professional relationship with the two women. But that story was undercut this year when Washington Post reporter John Woodrow Cox unearthed a cell phone owned by one of the women, Sarah Stadler, containing text messages that appear to contradict Thompson's statements and hint at a much more intimate relationship. At a May 13 Article 32 investigative hearing, another key witness for the prosecution emerged: Thompson's friend and former colleague Maj. Mike Pretus, who received a grant of immunity in order to testify in the case. Pretus told the court he had participated in a 2011 threesome with Thompson and one of the midshipmen, at Thompson's home in Annapolis. He also described phone conversations in which Thompson told him that both women were drunk at his home, and that he expected a sexual encounter with both to take place. Since then, Pretus said, Thompson had become fixated on perceived flaws in the prosecution of the original case, ultimately pursuing a story in The Washington Post in an effort to clear his name. "In his mind, he is innocent. One hundred percent innocent," Pretus said of Thompson. Thompsons side of the story has yet to be told. Thompson and his lawyer, Kevin McDermott, walked out of the courtroom at the start of the Article 32 hearing. McDermott said he had been denied the opportunity to present key defense witnesses and evidence and decried the hearing as a "show trial." He did not immediately respond to Military.com requests for comment on the decision to refer Thompson to court-martial. Runyon said Thompson's arraignment on the new charges is expected to take place next month. The court-martial will happen sometime this fall, he said. -- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at@HopeSeck. A retired Air Force master sergeant strong-armed out of another airmans retirement ceremony in April because he began making a speech that referenced God is demanding a written apology from his former service and disciplinary action against the airmen who muscled him from the event. Retired Master Sgt. Oscar Rodriguez also wants the Air Force to admit it was wrong and written assurance the Travis Air Force Base, California, air wing will not "commit assault or battery" against him in the future for engaging in the same conduct, according to the law firm representing Rodriguez. "Should you fail to respond or deny our request for relief, we are prepared to pursue all available legal options," Mike Berry, senior counsel and director of military affairs for First Liberty Institute said in a demand letter to Air Force June 20. Berry told Military.com on Tuesday that a lawsuit against the Air Force is an option. If that happens the suit would likely be filed in California or in Washington, D.C. During the speech, which Rodriguez has reportedly given at a number of ceremonies in the area, the retired master sergeant references God a number of times. The April 3 incident, captured on video, shows Rodriguez stepping forward as two airmen in dress uniform begin the ceremonial folding of the American flag during the retirement of Master Sgt. Charles Roberson. As he does so an airman in BDUs approaches him, apparently directing him to return to his seat. When he does not do so a second airman who Berry believes is Lt. Col. Michael A. Sovitsky, Robersons commander at the 749th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron begins to intervene. Related Video: He is dissuaded by another enlisted airman, who joins with two others in forcibly removing Rodriguez from the event even as he continues making the speech. An Air Force spokeswoman told Military.com on Tuesday that officials are reviewing the matter but could not comment at this time. Retired Master Sgt. Charles Roberson, in a video statement posted to the First Liberty website, said he invited Rodriguez to his ceremony after hearing him deliver the speech a month earlier. "He has so much passion for the flag and country, and that is what I wanted to be a part of my own ceremony," Roberson says in the video. "That the Air Force would do this to myself, as it was my retirement I was very embarrassed and humiliated in front of all my family and friends." In a separate video, also posted to First Liberty, Rodriquez said that "to have my fellow [Air Force] family throw me out of the ceremony because of the mention of God is beyond mean." Berry said that Rodriguez, as a private citizen and an Air Force veteran, "has the right under the First Amendment to engage in speech, including religious speech." Berry said the retirement ceremony was not a command event, so no one in attendance was forced to be there. Mikey Weinstein of the watchdog group Military Religious Freedom Foundation, who often finds himself at loggerheads with the Air Force over religion issues, said he believes the Air Force handled this incident correctly. Weinstein said the retiree probably should have been court martialed for asking Rodriguez to make the speech even after he was told by his commander, Sovitsky, that it was not to be delivered. The ceremony was held on base and at that point Roberson was still on active duty and subject to military law, Weinstein said. "It doesnt have to be mandatory [for Air Force regulations to apply]. This was an official Air Force event, which falls under the cognizance of the commander," Weinstein said. TheAir Force adopted a flag folding script more than 10 years ago to remove religious references in speeches and the various claims made by speakers about the meaning of the flag folds. In an official article published in 2005 the Air Force said there were many scripts being used, "but many are religious in nature and also ascribe meaning to the individual folds." "Our intent was to move away from giving meaning, or appearing to give meaning, to the folds of the flag and to just speak to the importance of the flag in U.S. Air Force history,"the Air Forces office of protocol said at the time. -- Bryant Jordan can be reached at Bryant.jordan@military.com. Follow him on Twitter at@BryantJordan. U.S. advisers on the ground have picked targets, but the White House has yet to approve airstrikes to support the fledgling Libyan government's fight against ISIS, President Obama's nominee to head U.S. Africa Command said Tuesday. Marine Lt. Gen. Thomas D. Waldhauser told the Senate Armed Services Committee at his nomination hearing that U.S. Special Forces advising the Government of National Accord based in Tripoli had identified ISIS targets but AFRICOM needed presidential authorization to conduct strikes against them. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, said "That makes no sense, does it?" Waldhauser, known in the Marine Corps for being outspoken, responded: "No, it does not." "Do you think it would be wise to have that authority?" Graham asked. "It would certainly contribute to what we're trying to do inside of Libya," Waldhauser said. The current guidance to the military was to assist the GNA against ISIS while promoting political reconciliation among the various factions in Libya, Waldhauser said. The U.S. has a sufficient number of advisers on the ground "at the moment" -- he wouldn't say how many -- but "I am not aware of any overall grand strategy at this point," Waldhauser said. Sen. John McCain, an Arizona Republican and the committee's chairman, said " 'At the moment' means to me we don't have a strategy. Unfortunately, this administration has reacted at the moment with incrementalism, mission creep, a gradual escalation in Iraq and Syria and I don't want to see the same thing in Libya." At a later Pentagon news conference, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook, when asked about Waldhauser's remarks, said "We've been willing to take airstrikes" in the past against ISIS leaders in Libya but none has occurred in recent months, and there have yet to be any in support of the current drive by GNA forces to take the port city of Sirte from ISIS. "It's a complicated situation" in Libya, Cook said. "The most encouraging thing we see now is the action on the ground around Sirte. We'll continue to watch it closely. If the Libyans can do it on their own, that would be a good thing." Waldhauser was expected to win easy confirmation and promotion to four-star rank from the full Senate to lead the sprawling AFRICOM with headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, and replace Army Gen. David Rodriguez, who is retiring. Earlier this year in a Pentagon briefing, Rodriguez put the estimated number of ISIS fighters in Libya at 4,000-6,000, roughly double what it had been at the beginning of 2015. Rodriguez said then that the policy was to conduct limited airstrikes in Libya against ISIS targets, only going after those leaders and groups that posed imminent threats to U.S. personnel and interests. Rodriguez said that last Nov. 13 a U.S. airstrike killed ISIS leader Abu Nubil in the city of Derna, the first such strike against an Islamic State leader in Libya. In February, a series of airstrikes was conducted on a militant training camp in the seaside Libyan town of Sabratha, Rodriguez said. -- Richard Sisk can be reached at richard.sisk@military.com. If youve ever looked at getting a federal job, or a non-appropriated funds job, youre familiar with the USAjobs.gov website. Well, maybe not familiar with it, but youve visited it. It can be really, really frustrating. One spouse shares what is a common sentiment, I'm starting to get really frustrated. My husband finally retired, and all I want is to provide for my family. I've submitted applications through USAJobs and a few contracting companies, but the only thing I've heard back in the last two-and-a-half months are a couple of rejections. First, its important to understand you are not alone. And you may not even be doing anything wrong. I'm just guessing here, but I'm betting you've been piecing together work throughout your service member's career and you may even have some significant gaps. Now that transition has happened, you're looking forward to contributing more to the family income and pursuing a steady, meaningful career. I wish I could give you a magic answer. What I can give you is a little perspective on the federal hiring process and some resources. The first thing to know is that the federal hiring process is its own animal. It's definitely different than most traditional corporations. Everything is different, from the resume you should be submitting (longer than a traditional resume) to the timeline (much longer than a normal hiring process) and the process of negotiating salary (most jobs are assigned a set range and must stay within those limits). The first resource I would like to point you to is the Military Spouse Guide to Federal and Contractor Employment that was published by In Gear Career, now Hiring Our Heroes. In addition to helping military spouses consider whether federal employment is the right path for them, it discusses federal resume writing and Military Spouse Preference. In addition to the Guide, you can also check out this article right here on Military.com. While contracting work doesn't have the exact same requirements as the federal system, the process can also take a while. Some of the jobs that you find listed may not actually be won yet. They could be positions that are part of a proposal and the firm may choose to hire you only if they win the contract. Here's the bottom line: This sector, whether strictly federal positions or contracting, requires some research, diligence and patience. Check out the resources above, make sure your resume meets the requirements and I wish you the best of luck. Keep Up with the Ins and Outs of Military Life For the latest military news and tips on military family benefits and more, subscribe to Military.com and have the information you need delivered directly to your inbox. Dear Ms. Vicki, I've been reading your columns since around 2006 when we were at Fort Campbell. I followed you to Heidelberg and now I follow you on SpouseBuzz. I'm really glad that you are still around. You should know that your advice is invaluable. I also like how candid you are while using humor at the same time. My husband was killed in Iraq in 2007 and, after that, my life spiraled out of control. For the first three years, I felt like I had been hit by a truck. I started drinking alcohol to excess and using other drugs. My parents took custody of our two sons, who are now 11 and 13 years old. It's taken me a long time to try and get my life back on track. Yes, there were many services that reached out to me, but none of them could take away the private hell I was experiencing. I was depressed, angry and very lonely. Now I'm working as an administrative assistant in Kansas, where I live near my parents and other family members. My sons visit me very often, but they are not living with me full time. We are working on them moving in permanently sometime in the next few months. I work near a government building that houses several military personnel. I recently met a man who's been in the Army for 15 years. He and I have been on a few dates, but he has never met my sons or any of my family. He keeps saying he wants to take our relationship further, but I think he is moving too fast. I like him a lot, but I'm still so confused. Do you think it's OK for me to try and find love again or should I wait and see what the future holds? -- Trying to Get Stronger Dear Stronger, I really appreciate your letter. First, let me say that I will never forget your husband's sacrifice. Never. You are in my heart too, and I'm very sorry for your loss. Honestly, the way you signed the letter really says everything to me. You said you are trying to get stronger. What you are saying is that you are still trying, but you are not there yet. It's OK to keep focusing on you and your children. Of course, you desperately miss your husband. And guess what? Because you are human, you still have sexual desires and needs too. You want to be in another relationship -- a healthy one, one where you are at your best entering the relationship. Right now, I'm not so sure you are at your best. You admitted to a history of alcohol dependency and other substance use. Your life spiraled so out of control that your parents had to take custody of your children and now you are trying to take care of them full time again. Yes, you are experiencing an array of emotions, and I totally understand that. I'm concerned for you and for your children. They must be going through a lot emotionally. It's important that you listen to them and put your efforts on them first. They are at a crucial age in development. I would definitely recommend individual therapy for you and for your children, and family therapy too. Not only do you need to process your grief and loss, but you also need to be treated for substance abuse. The new guy may be great now, but you could be writing to me later saying that he's a Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde. You don't need that, and your children don't either. I know that people don't always take my advice, and you may decide to start dating the new guy anyway. I get it, and I won't be angry or disappointed with you. But, if you do, please keep your children away from the relationship. It needs to be a long time before a new man is invited into their inner circle. Too much has happened in all of your lives, and you have to be very careful with them. Please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers. Keep in touch with me, and let me know how you and your children are doing. -- Ms. Vicki Keep Up with the Ins and Outs of Military Life For the latest military news and tips on military family benefits and more, subscribe to Military.com and have the information you need delivered directly to your inbox. DETROIT -- Anton Yelchin's 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee that rolled down his driveway and pinned him against his mailbox was part of a Fiat Chrysler safety recall. The "Star Trek" actor was killed Sunday, June 19 after between trapped between the Jeep and the concrete-reinforced mailbox. He was 27. Los Angeles Police and Fiat Chrysler officials have not confirmed the cause of the fatal incident. The recall includes upwards of 800,000 vehicles, which has reportedly resulted in at least 41 injuries. Those recalled include Dodge Chargers and Chrysler 300s built between Feb. 15, 2011 and Nov. 27, 2014; and Jeep Grand Cherokees built between July 16, 2012 and Dec. 22, 2015. The recall stems from other instances of drivers possibly being struck by their own vehicles after thinking they put their vehicle in the park position, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's complaints database. Fiat Chrysler said the recall is "to reduce the effect of potential driver error by enhancing warnings and transmission shift strategy." "Certain 2012 to 2014 Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 vehicles and 2014 to 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles are equipped with an 8 speed transmission and a monostable gear selector," the NHTSA defect report reads. "FCA US has determined that the existing strategies built into these vehicles to deter drivers from exiting the vehicle after failing to put the transmission into PARK have not stopped some from doing so." The transmission shifters fell into a federal probe that looked into complaints claiming the electronic gear shifter could confuse drivers. Fiat Chrysler America has maintained that the parts involved in the 41 injuries did not include any equipment failure. The NHTSA's complaint database lists 211 complaints from 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee owners. "Every time I drive the vehicle I have problems properly shifting into the correct gear, especially reverse and park," a Jeep Cherokee owner from La Grange, Illinois wrote June 20. "Sometimes the shifter doesn't move at all, sometimes it shifts too far. "It is absurdly difficult to operate and unsafe. I am driving children around in a defective vehicle that is killing people." To see all user complaints, click here and navigate to the "complaints" tab. See below for a chronological rundown of the events leading to the recall: City_Council_050916_RJS_01.jpg The Ann Arbor City Council has approved a new ordinance banning coal tar or other pavement sealants containing more than 0.1 percent polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. (File photo | The Ann Arbor News) ANN ARBOR, MI -- Before you give your driveway a fresh coat of sealant, you might want to check to make sure you're not using toxic materials. The City Council voted 10-0 Monday night to approve a new ordinance banning certain pavement sealant products believed to pose cancer risks. A violation of the ordinance will be a civil infraction punishable by a fine up to $10,000. Specifically, the ordinance prohibits the use and sale of coal tar or other sealants containing more than 0.1 percent polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs -- compounds that are toxic and mutagenic, can cause birth defects and are considered probable human carcinogens. City officials say the ordinance is intended to protect the quality of Ann Arbor's waters and the health of residents. The ordinance was developed by the city attorney's office based on a resolution approved by the Environmental Commission last August recommending that the city regulate the application of sealants containing high levels of PAHs on driveways, roads, parking lots and other surfaces. Supporters of the ordinance say PAHs are 1,000 times more prevalent in coal-tar sealants than in asphalt-based sealants, which are believed to be just as effective, readily available for purchase and comparable in cost. "Sealing driveways and parking lots with a known human carcinogen seems insane when asphalt sealcoat is a viable and effective alternative," said Janis Bobrin, the county's former water resources commissioner and one of the city's representatives on the Huron River Watershed Council. "The toxic chemicals in coal-tar sealants don't stay in place. They migrate into our waterways and the environment," Bobrin added. "Your lifetime risk of cancer goes up by 38 times, assuming a lifetime exposure to these sealants, when compared to normal urban background levels." The Huron River Watershed Council is collecting data on the extent of PAH contamination in sediment in the Ann Arbor area. "We have data from detention ponds in the city of Ann Arbor that show the public health and ecosystem detriments," Laura Rubin, the Watershed Council's executive director, told the City Council, expressing hopes that the city's ordinance will set the stage for statewide legislation. The states of Washington and Minnesota, the District of Columbia and dozens of municipalities throughout the U.S. have banned coal-tar sealants. City, county and University of Michigan facilities already have either reduced or halted use of coal-tar sealants, according to a city staff memo. Jeff Gearhart, research director at the local Ecology Center, spoke in support of the ordinance at Monday night's meeting. Gearhart studies chemical hazards in consumer products nationally and regionally. He said coal-tar sealants represent an unnecessary use of a hazardous substances that pollute waters and pose health risks. Council Member Jane Lumm, an independent from the 2nd Ward, expressed concerns about the potential for homeowners to be fined. "I don't think homeowners have a clue about PAH contents in sealants and most won't have a clue either that the city even has an ordinance related to sealants, yet they're responsible," she said. Matt Naud, the city's environmental coordinator, said he expects the city will have to do very little enforcement because news of the ordinance should send a signal to the market to stop offering the prohibited sealants in Ann Arbor. Naud said when the city enacted prohibitions on phosphorus-based lawn fertilizers years ago, the market changed with virtually no enforcement. He expects area retailers to just put asphalt-based sealants on store shelves, and the city will try to educate commercial applicators about the rules. All commercial applicators will be required to register with the city prior to applying pavement sealants in the city in any calendar year. "This is a no-brainer," said Council Member Julie Grand, D-3rd Ward, just before the 10-0 vote. Council Member Sumi Kailasapathy, D-1st Ward, was absent. Ryan Stanton covers the city beat for The Ann Arbor News. Reach him at ryanstanton@mlive.com. Library agreement.jpg Ann Arbor District Library Director Josie Parker and Ann Arbor Public Schools Superintendent Jeanice Swift sign an agreement making the library completely independent from the school district on June 20, 2016. (Provided photo | Jo Mathis, AAPS) ANN ARBOR, MI -- Ann Arbor Public Schools and the Ann Arbor District Library have parted ways as of Monday, June 20, two decades after voters approved the separation. Part of Michigan's Proposal A, which passed in 1994 to restructure the school funding formula, said public schools could no longer operate public libraries. In 1996, voters in the Ann Arbor Public Schools district approved creating a separate district library that could levy its own property taxes separate from the school district. AAPS still owned the downtown library building, located at 343 S. Fifth Ave., and "basically gave it to" the library at that point, said AAPS Board of Education President Deb Mexicotte, with two stipulations: that the school district be able to hold meetings there and that it retain a financial stake in the building if it was ever sold or repurposed as anything other than a library. On Monday, the AAPS board of education approved accepting a $3 million payment from the district library in exchange for relinquishing those rights in what Mexicotte said was a mutually beneficial arrangement. "It is with our deepest appreciation for the AADL and the commitment we share to educate, inform and uplift our community that we move to this next phase of our long--standing and mutually respectful relationship," Mexicotte said in a press release issued Monday. "This step to complete the separation of our organizations works to further both our missions while maintaining and enhancing the Ann Arbor Public School's ability to serve our district students and families." Jan Barney Newman, president of the Ann Arbor District Library, also was pleased with the agreement and said the library plans to continue partnering with AAPS. The school district built the downtown library in 1957 and expanded and renovated it in 1971 and 1989. "Now the library is an independent entity owning its own building and its own future," Barney Newman said. Lauren Slagter covers K-12 education for The Ann Arbor News. Contact her at 734-255-1419, lslagter@mlive.com or on Twitter @LaurenSlagter. 20308718-mmmain.jpg Eastern Michigan University approved a composite tuition increase of 4.1 percent at its Board of Regents meeting on June 21, 2016. MLive file photo YPSILANTI, MI -- Eastern Michigan University's Board of Regents approved a composite 4.1 percent tuition and fees increase during its meeting Tuesday, June 21 -- an increase similar to a number of other institutions throughout the state of Michigan. The increase is under the state-recommended cap of 4.2 percent and significantly lower than last year's 7.8 percent hike, which resulted in EMU forfeiting $1 million of its state aid, while providing $10 million in revenue for the university. The increase was based on state guidelines for tuition restraint. This year's increase in tuition for undergrads is estimated to result in $4.6 million in revenue for the university. "One of the main things we do as regents is take a look at the budgets that (EMU Interim President Don Loppnow) presents to us and like any budget, you look at your revenue and expenses and try to figure out what the best answer is being mindful of state standards," EMU Board of Regents Chair Mike Morris said. "A year ago we did what we thought was absolutely essential at the time. As you look across the state, everyone has pretty much stayed under the 4.2 percent cap, so I think we did the right thing." The average cost in tuition and fees for the 2017 fiscal year will be $12,120 -- an increase from $11,638 last year. An entering freshman undergraduate taking 30 credits this year will pay $11,209 in tuition and mandatory fees. The Regents also approved a university recommendation that all non-resident undergraduates entering Eastern in fall 2016 and after be charged at the in-state tuition rate. Current non-resident students will continue to pay the current out-of-state rates, but will not see an increase to their 2016-17 academic year tuition rate. The Board of Regents did not take part in any discussion on the increase, which would include a hike in tuition and fees of between 5.5 percent and 5.7 percent for graduate and doctoral students. The Eastern Michigan University Board of Regents approved a $312.3 million general fund operating expenditure budget for fiscal year 2017 at its regular meeting Tuesday (June 21). The budget reflects a $4.7 million increase (9.7 percent) in university-sponsored financial aid over the previous year. Over the last nine years, Eastern's financial aid has risen by about 150 percent, from $21.4 million in 2007-08 to $53.2 million in 2016-17. "We understand the impact of the cost; what we're trying to do is find that happy medium," Morris said. "We continue to look at the overall credit ratings that the university gets and the overall balance of equity and debt on the capital structure of the university and have that long-range vision of where we hope to go and how we hope to get there." Loppnow said creating a budget and setting tuition is a balancing act of trying to make college as affordable as possible for students while maintaining and creating academic programs to strengthen the university's mission. "The bottom line is when it comes to tuition and the needs of the campus community, we have been very careful in building our budget by cutting costs significantly," Loppnow said, pointing to a more than 5 percent cut to the operating budget for 2017. "At the same time we're trying to direct the dollars saved and the new revenues coming in from tuition and fundraising to key academic initiatives." EMU is expected to receive $73.6 million in state appropriation in 2016-17, a 2.5 percent increase in funding. Martin Slagter covers higher education for The Ann Arbor News. Reach him at mslagter@mlive.com or on Twitter. Brian Tungl On Monday, May 23, Washtenaw County Trial Court Judge David. S. Swartz sentenced Brian Scott Tungl, left, of Mount Morris after he pleaded no contest to a felony charge of embezzling more than $50,000 worth of equipment from the district. (Lindsay Knake | The Ann Arbor News) ANN ARBOR, MI -- Originally sentenced to six months in jail, a former Dexter Community Schools IT director who stole from the district will instead serve time on house arrest with a tether following a re-sentencing hearing on Monday, June 20. Washtenaw County Trial Court Judge David S. Swartz ruled Monday to change the terms of the sentence he initially issued for Brian Scott Tungl on May 23. Tungl, 46, of Mount Morris, pleaded no contest on May 10 to a charge of embezzling more than $50,000 and less than $100,000 worth of technology equipment from the school district, and two other charges against him were dismissed in the plea agreement. School officials say Tungl stole more than $300,000 worth of technology equipment like laptops and iPads from DCS starting when he was hired in 2011. He deleted the district's inventory list before he resigned late in 2014, and police began investigating him in February 2015. The embezzlement charge carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison or a fine of $25,000 or three times the value of the money or property embezzled, whichever is greater. The penalty also could include both imprisonment and a fine. Swartz initially sentenced Tungl to six months in jail and two years on probation, plus required Tungl to complete 500 hours of community service and pay restitution. A hearing to determine the amount of restitution has not yet been set, and the school district wants Tungl to pay $426,000. Tungl's attorney Todd F. Flood requested the sentence be reconsidered based on two factors: he didn't think Tungl's level of remorse had been sufficiently communicated at the initial sentencing and he didn't think the "serious nature of Mr. Tungl's ongoing health issues that will require immediate medical attention that cannot be addressed in the Washtenaw County Jail" was properly conveyed in the presentence investigation report. Tungl underwent multiple surgeries related to hip injuries from November 2015 to February 2016, and he still suffers back pain, ulnar nerve pain and pain in his hip and leg related to those injuries and other health complications, Flood said. In his brief requesting the re-sentencing, Flood presented doctors' recommendations saying Tungl needs physical therapy for his hip or he will lose his mobility, and he pointed out the jail can only treat Tungl's pain with Tylenol, which is not sufficient. Tungl began physical therapy on May 23, the same day as his initial sentencing. "In short, then, Mr. Tungl is at a crucial point in his ability to regain movement, flexibility and overall function of his hip," Flood wrote in his brief, filed June 3. "He was unable to engage in meaningful physical therapy until May 23, 2016, because of ongoing medical problems." Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Paul M. Barnett responded to Flood's brief on June 16, saying the original sentence was valid. "The defendant's medical condition and whatever level of remorse he may feel were both facts readily available at the time of sentencing and cannot be the basis to 'resentence' the defendant," Barnett wrote in his response. Swartz agreed with Flood's stance and changed Tungl's sentence from six months in jail to six months of home arrest with a tether. He is permitted to leave his house only for medical appointments. Michael Wendorf, president of the Dexter Community Schools board of education, said he was frustrated and disappointed by the turn of events. He attended Monday's re-sentencing hearing with three other representatives from the school district. "[Tungl] has yet to express any remorse ... and his lack of remorse was one of the factors that was cited by Judge Swartz in his sentencing," Wendorf said at a school board meeting Monday. "It's a very lenient sentence for a man who committed serious crimes against the children and the people of this district." Wendorf, a former federal prosecutor, planned to contact the Washtenaw County prosecutor's office Tuesday to discuss what he considered poor handling of the case. Lauren Slagter covers K-12 education for The Ann Arbor News. Contact her at 734-255-1419, lslagter@mlive.com or on Twitter @LaurenSlagter. Myanmar's mobile rollout has connected millions to the internet for the first time but it has not been without growing pains, especially in the form of outages and sometimes spotty service. Stephane Lamoureux, chief executive officer of KBZ Gateway, spoke to The Myanmar Times about the physical and regulatory challenges facing the countrys telecoms industry, as well as the benefits a boom in bandwidth should bring customers. KBZ Gateway aims to offer public and private sector customers better and faster connectivity partnering with Asia Satellite Telecommunications (AsiaSat) and US-based Hughes Network Systems for a satellite network. Mr Lamoureux said that meanwhile, at a higher level, the telecoms sector is still figuring out its direction. Theres a lack of clarity on exactly where [the industry] is going and how fast we need to get there, he said. On the policy front, the issue is speed and transparency, Mr Lamoureux said. New telecoms regulations and the issue of licences take a long time. If [this] was sped up and a lot simpler, [companies] could do a lot more and we could probably get outside investors into the country, he said. Mr Lamoureux points to the Ministry of Communications and Information Technologys planned auction of 140MHz of spectrum in the 2600MHz band, announced in February and scheduled for March. But industry suggestions sought by the ministry drummed up a range of opposing views, and the auction never appeared. Multinational mobile operators Telenor and Ooredoo had earlier expressed desire for a spectrum roadmap before more spectrum is auctioned. Mr Lamoureux said there was a need to work with the Myanmar Investment Commission and the Telecommunications Department to speed up new regulations and provide more transparency on industry roadmaps. At the end of the day, if you have a clear roadmap and you know where youre going its a lot easier to get there, he said. Another roadblock to progress is purely physical. Fibre is being deployed across Myanmar, but its not financial viable for it to reach across the entire country, said Mr Lamoureux. This means relying on VSAT a system that uses a two-way satellite ground station and on mobile connections from tower networks, he said. Myanmar needs perhaps another 15,000 to 20,000 towers for operators to provide coverage, he added. KBZ Gateway is using VSAT for its upcoming satellite-based network, and the system involves a Bago ground station that is going through testing and should be available for customers in the third quarter of this year, Mr Lamoureux said. VSAT is widely used in the US and elsewhere, but Mr Lamoureux is hoping KBZ Gateway can transform how the technology is seen in Myanmar. We need to almost renew the reputation of VSAT in the country, he said. Up until now the quality hasnt been there, costs [for consumers] are fairly high and stability [has been poor]. This has contributed to a bad reputation, but KBZ Gateway has gone with the best available VSAT technology and made sure it has a roadmap for using the next generation of satellites, he said. Deploying VSAT requires a lot of upfront capital expenditure, not just on construction of physical antennae but also importing international talent to help build local skills, Mr Lamoureux said. But together with mobile tower networks it will be the only way for services like mobile banking and online education to reach remote areas, he said. KBZ Gateway is facing little in the way of competition for the services that it plans to offer, but its buiding up, Mr Lamoureux said. More competition will help increase the quality of services consumers receive, and in time reduce costs, he added. VSAT is still very expensive, [as is] fibre connectivity, he said. More bandwidth will also put downward pressure on prices, and two new deep-sea cables should help deliver the necessary increase. Campana Group, based in Singapore with a Yangon subsidiary, is building a 1600 kilometre (1000-mile) submarine cable system, which will link Myanmar to Malaysia and Thailand, with connections to Singapore and Hong Kong. Myanmar will also receive a boost to connectivity from the Asia-Africa-Europe-1 cable, which is being built by a consortium of 17 carriers and will connect countries across the three continents. Both are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2017. [Those are] going to bring a tonne of bandwidth, Mr Lamoureux said, and that bandwidth will help us drop prices [for customers]. A newly formed Yangon Region government committee will make its first site visits to review suspended high rise projects today. U Phyo Min Thein, Yangon Region chief minister, told parliament last week that the government will finish reviewing the projects and start re-issuing construction permits soon. The investigation of project plans and schematics has already finished, and on-site visits start today. The citys construction industry has been coping with the fallout from the freeze of around 200 high-rise projects, which YCDC imposed in May. The projects had received varying levels of approval from the previous administration, but the new government is making sure they correspond to Yangon development plans. More than 60 of the halted projects had received permits and some 120 had already started construction. The committees first on-site visits will be to 12 of the 64 projects to receive permits but where construction has not started, U Than Htay, department head of engineering for YCDC, told The Myanmar Times. The projects are spread across Ahlone, Botahtaung, Hlaing, Kamaryut, Kyeemyindaing, Mayangone, Tarmwe and Yankin townships. The 13-person committee is chaired by Daw Nilar Kyaw, Yangon regional minister for electricity, industrial and transportation. The group also includes representatives from the Association of Myanmar Architects, the Myanmar Engineering Society, the Committee for Quality Control for High-rise Building Projects, Yangon Heritage Trust, the Myanmar Construction Entrepreneurs Association, Myanmar Earthquake Committee and YCDC committee members. Industry figures including architects have express approval of the governments investigation into high-rise projects. But contractors have complained that the review is taking far too long and is hurting the entire industry. Developers in Yangon typically sell units through pre-sales, receiving either upfront cash or installments, which they use to fund the project. With construction stopped, buyers refused to pay and cash flows dried up. Some construction workers lost jobs when projects were initially halted, while others found daily cash wages replaced by rice and oil. Developers warned that skilled workers would start to look elsewhere if the freeze lasted too long. Some projects bring back skilled Myanmar workers from Singapore on long-term contracts and employ expatriate technicians. Related businesses dealing in sandstone and cement have seen sales plummet. U Than Htay previously told The Myanmar Times that the government had no desire to spend a long time scrutinising the projects, but that close inspection was necessary. Vein, a tale of poverty and corruption amid stunning natural wealth, was awarded the prestigious Aung San Suu Kyi and Hantharwady U Win Tin awards at the close of the Human Rights Human Dignity International Film Festival 2016. The directors said the documentary set out to ask these questions: Who benefits? Where does our jade go? And why do the impoverished workers risk their lives? The festival, the fourth since its founding, was held from June 15 to 18 at Nay Pyi Taw Cinema and Junction Mawtin mini cinema. It screened 40 documentaries, shorts and animations. The awards ceremony was held on June 19 at Sule Shangri La Hotel, Yangon. One strong contender for an award, Twilight over Burma, was pulled from the program at the request of the Motion Picture Classification Board, due to fears it would harm efforts toward national reconciliation and damage the image of the armed forces. Vein was created to show how the poor live, said directors Ko Jet, Htet Aung San and Phyo Zayar Kyaw. We werent going for the prizes. We just want to help people escape from the curse of natural resources, they said after accepting the prizes. The March 13 Award, intended to honour the university students who demanded human rights on that date in 1988, went to My Life I Dont Want, an animatied film by young director Nyan Kyal Say. It depicts the life of a girl from birth to adulthood as she faces gender discrimination and sex exploitation. The jury described it as heart-wrenching. I wanted the public to watch my animation, so I focused on making it as good as possible, said Nyan Kyal Say, thanking the donors who financed the work. I hope it will help others fight discrimination. The Vaclav Havel Library Award was won by directors Sai Kong Kham and Lamin Oo for Peaceful Land, about land-grabbing, and the new VOA Award was won by Lovely Bones by Nway Zarchi Soe. I made it with the help of disabled people in the Ayeyarwady Delta. Its not a love story. Its about people with disabilities who dont know about human rights until they die, she said. The Gender Equality Award went to Mary and Yupar Mo Mos documentary Woman with a Gun, and the Peter Wintonick Award was won by Mary, Pyae Shane Ko and Min Thihas Missing Footprint, which depicted the life of a one-legged fishermans family. We hoped wed won when we heard the audience applaud, said Mary. The short film award initially went to The Mask by Nay Min Tin, but the jury later withdrew the award when it was found that the film had been shown at another film festival last year. Another winner will now be selected. We dont accept films that have already been submitted to another festival, said organiser Min Htin Ko Ko Gyi. He founded the film festival in 2013 after attending the One World Human Rights film festival in the Czech Republic the previous year. Widespread and ongoing violations against Myanmars Muslim Rohingya minority, including denial of citizenship, forced labour and sexual violence, could amount to crimes against humanity, the United Nations warned yesterday. In a report on the human rights situation for minorities in Myanmar, the UN human rights office said it found a pattern of gross violations against the Rohingya ... [which] suggest a widespread or systematic attack ... in turn giving rise to the possible commission of crimes against humanity if established in a court of law. The report was published amid hopes that the new government, steered by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, will address deep communal hatred in Rakhine State. Tens of thousands of Rohingya are confined to squalid displacement camps after waves of deadly unrest with Buddhists in 2012. UN human rights chief Zeid Raad Al Hussein said he was encouraged by statements by the new government in recent weeks. But, he warned, the fledgling government had inherited a situation where laws and policies are in place that are designed to deny fundamental rights to minorities, and where impunity for serious violations against such communities has encouraged further violence against them. Presidents Office spokesperson U Zaw Htay yesterday said the government totally rejects the crimes against humanity label. I believe that that kind of [phrasing] cam have a negative impact on the situation, he said. The government is in a very, very difficult situation now and the international community should recognise that and find ways to help support Myanmar. He said the situation in Rakhine State was being addressed through the Rakhine State Peace, Stability and Development Committee headed by State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and added that the first priority is to issue ID cards to those who have none. Mr Zied said at the 32nd Human Rights Council in Geneva yesterday, that It will not be easy to reverse such entrenched discrimination. Even so, he added, it must be a top priority to halt ongoing violations and prevent further ones taking place against Myanmars ethnic and religious minorities. During its year-long probe, his office found an alarming increase in incitement to hatred and religious intolerance by ultra-nationalist Buddhist organisations against the Muslim community in Rakhine State. Buddhist nationalists have staged protests across the country against even using the term Rohingya. They label the group Bengalis, casting the community of more than 1 million as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. The self-identifying Rohingya are denied citizenship even though many can trace their roots in the country back generations. The UNs report found that in addition to being denied their nationality, state security forces have committed a wide range of other violations against the Rohingya. These include summary executions, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and detention, torture and ill-treatment, and forced labour, the report found. Arbitrary arrest and detention of Rohingya remains widespread, it said, pointing out that arrests are often carried out without grounds, formal processing or charges, until release is secured by payment of a bribe. Muslim IDPs in Rakhine State need official authorisation to move between, and often within, townships, severely restricting their freedom of movement, it said. The restrictions severely impact all aspects of life, including the possibility to make a living, and to access education, healthcare and emergency treatment, it said. The report also outlined abuses against other minorities, especially in Kachin and northern Shan states, where armed conflict has intensified. The deliberate targeting of civilians, using child soldiers, forced labour, and sexual and gender-based violence figure among the long list of abuses, with the report warning they might amount to war crimes. The report called on Myanmar to order an independent investigation into all the alleged violations, and a comprehensive inquiry into the situation of minorities in the country. A spokesperson from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday that a team is preparing a rebuttal for the Human Rights Council. We will have a chance to discuss the report at the end of this month, maybe on the 28th or the 29th, said U Kyaw Moe Tun, deputy director of the International Organisations and Economic Department. We already sent some documents to the Myanmar office [in Geneva]. Some points mentioned in this report are different from what is happening on the ground. So we will have to discuss with concrete documents. Additional reporting by Ei Ei Toe Lwin and Laignee Barron Nearly 1 million Myanmar citizens were forced from their homes, or remained displaced, in 2015, according to a UN report released yesterday. Refugees from Myanmar made up the eighth-largest refugee group in the world last year. More than 451,000 people who fled Myanmar were without permanent homes and another 451,000 were displaced within the country by the end of last year, the UN refugee agencys report Global Trends Forced Displacement in 2015. Most of the refugees are the result of conflicts between different [armed] groups, said Presidents Office director U Zaw Htay. The new government is focused on the peace process and fixing the refugee situation is a very important part of the peace process. Thousands were displaced after fighting broke out in northern Shan State in February and March, according to a report from the UN earlier this year. More refugees from Myanmar than from anywhere else in the world were resettled to another country in 2015, the UN report said. Last year, 19,500 Myanmar refugees were resettled across the world. Malaysia took on the bulk of those refugees. South Korea allowed 22 Kayin refugees, who had been living in camps in Thailand, to join their country last year, according to a United Nations report released in December. Other Myanmar refugees have resettled in the United States Australia, and elsewhere. In the Asia and Pacific region, only Afghanistan saw more people displaced (2.7 million) last year, according to the report, which combines the UNs data with information supplied by governments and partner agencies. On the same day the UNs report was released, Myanmar state media ran a story about incidents of human trafficking occurring in displacement camps set up in Laiza, Kachin State, along the Chinese border. Internally displaced persons (IDPs) living within the Kachin Independence Army-controlled area often cross into China looking for work. But about five times a year these refugees, mainly girls and women, are captured by human traffickers, sold, and then forced to have children and to work all day, the state-media account said. Muslim refugees from Rakhine State left in record numbers last year, taking to overcrowded boats moored by human traffickers. The UNHCR estimated over 33,600 people travelled the well-worn smuggling route from the Bay of Bengal to the Andaman Sea in 2015, a 34 percent rise from the previous year. More than 370 people died along the journey. Last year was the worst year for displacement in recorded history, according to the UN report. More than 65 million people worldwide were forced from their homes by the end of 2015. The war in Syria was the worlds leading cause of displacement. Rock extraction in Mon State has increased in recent years and local villagers say authorities are failing to regulate the operations' negative environmental impact on villagers. On a recent afternoon in May, the farmers of Ohn Titbin village tract were tending to their betel nut and rubber plantations when a loud blast erupted at the foot of Kalama Mountain and shook the ground. Workers had set off an explosion in a local quarry located about 10 kilometres (6 miles) away and a cloud of dust drifted out from the area toward the plantations here in Mon State, southeastern Myanmar. Farmer Ko Nyan Htay said several blasts occurred every day after quarrying had increased in the area in recent years. The resulting increase in pollution, he said, has affected the local environment and the harvest of his 6-acre rubber plantation. I earned about K6 million [US$5000] in previous years, but it has declined to just K3 million, said the ethnic Kayin villager. Farmers in the area, which comprises six villages with Bamar, Karen, Pa-O and Mon residents, said that since 2011, authorities had allowed companies to rapidly expand the extraction of rock stone to make gravel, while paying little attention to its environmental impact. Waste and dust has polluted air and water sources, they said, while explosions have disrupted the underground water table and caused cracks in the walls of local homes and Buddhist pagodas. Swathes of forest around the quarries that were used by villagers to collect firewood and food, such as bamboo shoots, have been fenced off. Polluted creeks, empty wells Ma Khin Hla Cho, a woman from Ywakalay village, said access to drinking water had become problematic. We have to dig new wells as the old ones have dried up due to the explosions, she said. Ko Htein Lin, a 55-year-old farmer in Pa-O Su village, said he relied on a now-polluted local creek, and sediments in the water had gradually covered 5 out of his 6.5 acres of land. I could only complain to the village administrator about the damage to my land, but nothing else happened, he said. Anger has long been building among the communities. In 2014, they sent a petition with 1200 signatures to the Presidents Office but received no reply. Recently, they sent letters to the National League for Democracy government in Nay Pyi Taw and Mon State government demanding action against the quarries. On June 5, desperate farmers staged a protest calling on Long Life Aggregate Mining Company to cease quarrying. U Shwe Thaung, the Ohn Titbin village administrator, acknowledged the environmental problems, but said he was powerless to stop the companies as they had received long-running licences from the previous government. A creek that was 100 feet wide in the past has now narrowed to about 6 feet because heaps of waste [from the quarries] were dumped in it, he told Myanmar Now, adding that pollution had also affected his rubber plantation. Supplying growing infrastructure More than 100 quarries have sprung up in recent years near the easily accessible mountains in Mon State, 22 of which are located in Paung and 48 in Kyaikto township, according to Aye Zan, an NLD Mon State lawmaker who is studying the industrys environmental impact. On the eastern and western sides of Kalama Mountain, which dominates the region, six companies Yarmanya, Long Life Aggregate Mining, Shwe Myint Moh Tun, Tun Tauk Sa, Azami and LM Jewellery are extracting rock stone. At the noisy, dusty quarries, dynamite and heavy machinery is used to break off large chunks of rocks from the mountainside, which are then crushed into gravel or smaller rocks that are loaded onto trucks. The construction material is supplied to Myanmars growing number of road and infrastructure works, as well as government development projects, such as deep-sea ports and special economic zones at Thilawa near Yangon and Kyaukphyu Island off Rakhine State. U Tin Ohn, general manager of Shwe Myint Moh Tun Company, said it held a 30-year licence to quarry 50 acres of mountainside, adding that the firm produced around 400 tonnes of rocks per day destined for Thilawa SEZ. We operate quarries on a rocky mountainside that is not suitable for agriculture. We have approval of the Mon State government, he said. U Tin Ohn downplayed the quarrys environmental impacts, but added that affected farmers would be paid around $80 if they can show that a young rubber tree was destroyed by the company. Government action? U Tin Hla, a senior member of the Agriculture and Farmers Federation of Myanmar, which is supporting local communities, said some companies were breaching environmental rules by operating in the vicinity of farms, but authorities failed to act against them. According to the rules, quarries must be set up about 4 miles [6.7 kilometres] away from villages, he said, adding that the companies made no effort to consult villagers or accept complaints about their operations. U Aye Zan, the NLD MP, said, We can say for sure that these mining activities have negative environmental and social impacts, but we are still in the process of surveying all these mining sites in Mon State. After that we will table a bill in the Mon State parliament about this issue. U Tun Ming Aung, a Paung township state lawmaker with the NLD who raised the problems in the state legislature on June 2, said he would call for regulating the quarries when the complaints were properly documented. If people really suffer from these quarries we will try to stop them, he said. U Min Kyi Win, the states minister for environmental conservation and natural resources, told Myanmar Now that the environmental impacts were a concern, but added that the quarries were an important source of state government revenue. If our country has sufficient revenue we dont need to break up these mountains, he said. Ko Htun Ko, a 35-year-old farmer from Ook Tatar village who has been protesting against Long Life Aggregate Mining Company, said residents livelihoods suffered greatly and he vowed they would continue to fight against the mining. Our campaign will continue until the companies moves away from this area, he said. Republished with permission from Myanmar Now Four men were sentenced last week to one years imprisonment for publishing a Rohingya calendar that authorities said could be detrimental to the state or public tranquility. The four men have been incarcerated since their arrest on November 24 and police are still looking for another man who was charged in absentia. Publisher U Kyaw Kyaw Wai was also arrested last year but has since been released due to a lack of evidence corroborating his alleged role in the case, according to judge U Myint Kyaw. We have taken action against them but the main organiser of the publication, U Aung Khin, has absconded. The court has declared him a fugitive and put out a court warrant. We also shared this with other police stations, said Police Major Khin Maung Latt. The verdict was handed down on June 14. The released publisher and his four associates were fined K1 million (US$845) in November after their arrest for offences under the Printing and Publishing Law. They were released but then quickly arrested again, this time for causing fear or alarm to the public under penal code provisions. The calendar contained quotes from speeches by former Prime Minister U Nu and other major post-independence figures describing Rohingya Muslims as a distinct ethnic group. It also quoted a 1946 speech by Bogyoke Aung San in which he invited Muslims to live in peace with Myanmars Buddhist majority. The calendar was published in Myanmar, English and Arabic languages. The word Rohingya is a sensitive subject in Myanmar. Nationalists say it is an invented term and refer to the group of Muslims who self-identify as such instead as Bengalis, implying they are illegal immigrants from neighbouring Bangladesh. The term Bengali was also used by the previous government, while State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has asked that neither term be used, calling them both unnecessarily emotive in the current political climate. Loans totalling K500 billion (US$421 million) are to be parcelled out to the nations states and regions according to the amount of rice they intend to grow and their respective population size. The program, administered by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation, will see the Cooperatives Department begin dispersing the funds in the first week of July. The bulk of the money, which is being drawn from a $400 million loan from Chinas Exim Bank, will go to the countrys largest paddy-producing areas: Bago Region tops the list and will receive K84.656 billion worth of loans, while Ayeyarwady Region will receive K80.723 billion and Sagaing Region will get K71.897 billion. State-run media reported on June 17 that farmers in Bago Region had accumulated nearly K9 billion in debt to the Myanma Agricultural Development Bank since 2012. According to an official from the regional arm of the state lender, farmers who have defaulted on repayment will face unspecified legal action, with no exemptions for those who may have seen harvests negatively impacted by natural disasters over the years. Bago Region, like much of the country, was hit by severe flooding in July and August 2015 that depressed national agricultural output and economic growth. Of Bago Regions K8.8 billion in unpaid loans from 2012 to 2015-16, 86 percent came in the last fiscal year, according to The Global New Light of Myanmar. More than 400 people have already been prosecuted for defaulting, the state media report said. Cooperatives Department director U Myo Aung said Exim Bank rules required the new loans to be offered on the basis of the size of the paddy industry and population. At the other end of the scale comes tiny Kayah State, which will receive only K2.297 billion because of its relatively low population and the small scale of its agriculture, said U Myo Aung. Cooperative loans are directed toward agricultural businesses, in particular paddy growing, he told The Myanmar Times on June 19. Under the loan program, Kayin State and the Nay Pyi Taw Council area will receive the second- and third-smallest loans, amounting to K4.318 billion and K4.720.831 billion, respectively. In a separate development, Myanma Agricultural Development Bank, also under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation, will increase its loans by 50 percent for this rainy paddy season, to K150,000 an acre, up from K100,000. U Myo Aung said cooperative loans were different from agricultural bank loans. Cooperative loans are based on the ability to make regular repayments. The initial cooperative loan is set at K100,000 for a cooperative association member, and it will increase depending on their ability to make regular repayments, he said. Cooperative loans increase by K20,000 an acre if a borrower can repay regularly. Under credit rules and regulations, it has been decided to increase loans to K500,000 a member, he added. U Win Hlaing Oo, chief officer of the Department of Agriculture, told The Myanmar Times on June 19 that more than 500,000 acres of monsoon paddy would be planted during this monsoon season in Kayin State. The estimated area to be planted in Kayin State totals 523,240 acres, he said. Though only 2000 acres had been planted as of the end of May because of dry weather, the recent onset of rains would permit a rapid increase. U Win Hlaing Oo said paddy was the main crop in the state, followed by seed corn and green gram, at 51,500 acres and 50,000 acres, respectively. Coffee, peanuts, sesame and pigeon peas are also being planted. About 1800 farmers are expected to borrow money to plant paddy in the state this monsoon season, borrowing some K150,000 per acre from the government. The cooperatives loans will also be dispersed in Magwe (K69.270 billion), Mandalay (K66.680 billion) and Yangon (K36.286 billion) regions, and Shan (K32 billion), Mon (K17.750 billion), Kachin (K16.375 billion), Rakhine (K10.441 billion) and Chin (K7.809 billion) states. Translation by Zar Zar Soe Lawyers from Mandalay have appealed to the Ministry of Home Affairs to abolish a newly formed Muslim lawyers association for fear that it will create problems and divisions. An attorney of the Lawyers Network for Upper Myanmar collected signatures and sent a formal request to the Home Affairs Ministry, according to U Thein Than Oo, the secretary of the Independent Lawyers Association of Myanmar. I havent signed it even though I disagree with forming a Muslim lawyers network, because they have the right to form an association, the Mandalay-based lawyer said. U Thein Than Oo added that he was concerned the issue would reignite tensions between Buddhist and Muslim communities. The Ministry of Home Affairs confirmed receipt of the letter asking it not to permit the Muslim association to register. We have no plan to take action on this because we havent received any registration request by the association described in the letter, said U Ye Naing, the spokesperson for the ministry. The Myanmar Muslim Lawyers Association was formed in Yangon by 70 attorneys in early June. Preparations are being made to register with a 15-member central executive committee at the end of this month. National League for Democracy legal adviser and lawyer U Ko Ni, who acts as the patron of the association, said the lawyers had not acted against any laws or against the constitution. He added that all Muslims in the country should have legal assistance to protect them. I dont understand why people criticise us when they hear the term Muslim. We dont cause any trouble to others. We just want to give assistance to our Muslim minority people who have long suffered under military rule, he said. U Khin Maung Cho, the secretary of the association, told The Myanmar Times that the group plans to legally protect the Muslim minority who are losing their rights, dont enjoy equal education and are being discriminated against in social affairs. He added that the lawyers will also support the rule of law in the country and give legal advice to parliament. We are not making any problems we protect against problems, he said, adding that legal assistance will also be given to non-Muslims if they face politically motivated religious discrimination. Well-known human rights lawyer U Robert San Aung spoke against the new association. They shouldnt mention any religion if they really wanted to help the people, he said. I wont accept forming the Muslim lawyer association because I think their way is wrong. U Myo Aung, the secretary of the Mandalay lawyers network, told The Myanmar Times that he also did not agree with the formation of the association, because he worried that it would create more conflicts between communities and divisions among lawyers. Some or even all of the 1300 acres of farmland grabbed in 1978 for the construction of a leprosy hospital in Mandalay Region will be returned to previous owners, local officials said over the weekend. Though no exact date has been set for the return, 32 farmers will again possess the land they were forced to give up nearly 40 years ago, according to the Mandalay Region government. Between them, the farmers will receive back 208 acres of land, out of the total 1329 acres that was taken from residents of Yay Nant Thar village. The rest, more than 1100 acres, will be scrutinised by the Farmland Management and Statistics Department. We want them to plant crops and make a profit. We dont want them to sell the farmlands to others. We will help the farmers to get good seeds. This is the first time farmland will be returned in this governments term and we want everybody to cooperate, said Mandalay Region Chief Minister U Zaw Myint Maung. After determining the ownership of the remaining Yay Nant Thar village land, those parcels too will be returned, according to the farmland officials. We will examine carefully who was the real owner of the land and we will return it. In some cases the ownership is not clear so we cannot return those lands yet, said U Zaw Min Aung, a district official from the Farmland Management and Statistics Department. Local residents urged the government to scrutinise ownership claims carefully so that no new problems would arise due to the plan. We are happy to hear that the farmlands will be returned, but the regional government should be certain that the owners are the original farmers. The land problem in Yay Nant Thar village is very complex. If land gets given to the wrong person, there may be problems, said U Ye Yint Aung, a resident of the village. A ceremony to mark the occasion will be held in the Bayint Naung hall in Madaya township. While preparations have begun, no exact date has been set yet. It has been confirmed, however, that one of Myanmars two vice presidents will attend the ceremony. To solve land disputes, President U Htin Kyaw formed a land dispute resolution committee in May. The committee is chaired by Vice President Henry Van Thio and includes Union, region and state ministers. Under the previous administration, a Land Utilisation Management Central Committee headed by then-vice president U Nyan Tun was set up in 2013 to implement the findings of a parliamentary land confiscation investigation commission. The committee agreed to return land or pay compensation in 699 cases, totalling 474,000 acres, and then-president U Thein Sein set a September 2014 deadline for the handover to take place. But parliamentarians and land rights groups criticised the governments handling of the procedure, as in some cases land was returned not to the owner but to a tenant farmer, and in other cases the military or government departments refused to return the land. Translation by Khine Thazin Han The UN special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar was asked yesterday to refrain from using controversial terminology to refer to people in Rakhine State. Yanghee Lee met with Foreign Minister Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday, the first meeting during the UN monitors fourth official visit to the country. The foreign minister reportedly asked Ms Lee to avoid using the term Rohingya during her trip. The current administration has said its official position is to avoid using either Bengali and Rohingya to refer to a Muslim community in Rakhine State, many of whom self-identify as Rohingya. The government and Daw Aung San Su Kyi herself also avoid using this word. It is not useful to the community and it could cause tensions by using it, said U Zaw Htay, of the Presidents Office. In a statement released yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Ms Lee discussed human rights in Myanmar, defence issues, Rakhine issues, the peace process, matters related to peaceful assembly and international human rights agreements that have not yet been signed by the country. On June 17, Myanmars representative to the UN human rights assembly, Daw Thet Thinzar Tun, asked the international community to avoid the term Rohingya and use instead Muslim community in Rakhine State. Journalists were not allowed to report on State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyis birthday party yesterday. The 71-year-old National League for Democracy leader held a celebration not on her actual birth date, June 19, but on June 20 in the hluttaw compound with the Rule of Law Committee. Journalists showed up half an hour prior to the ceremony but staff at the gate said they could not enter the building where it was being held. Youre allowed to enter during the hluttaw session, a staff member at the gate said. Entering while the session is in recess is not allowed. The media has increasingly found their access restricted by the new government, and formerly available parliamentary chambers have been closed off under the NLD. Its leader has on more than one occasion shown her irritation with members of the press and taken steps to curb party members ability to speak with reporters. Restrictions on media photography, filming and interviews around the parliament building have been tightened further since the NLD took power, and during a photo op in December the NLD chief told the media to stop taking so many pictures. Translation by Emoon South Korea has donated 40 yellow schoolbuses to the education ministry. The buses will transport 1000 students to school in Zabuthiri township, Nay Pyi Taw, Union Education Minister U Myo Thein Gyi told reporters after the handover ceremony. The gift was arranged by the Korea International Cooperation Agency with State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and the ceremony took place at Nay Pyi Taws No 6 Basic Education High School on June 17. Korean ambassador Yoo Jae Kyung told participants, Our country was very poor. Having no natural resources, we concentrated on the education sector in order to develop our economy. With this gift, we hope to develop the education sector here. He added that Korea would maintain its support. As Myanmars national development depends on the improvement of basic education, we are glad to donate to the education sector. I am pleased that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will mainly focus on this sector. Korea will continue to provide assistance to development in Myanmars economic and social sectors, he said. The education ministry will fund the buses operating costs. Translation by Thiri Min Htun As the United Kingdoms debate about whether to withdraw from the European Union has heated up, in and out have come to define the stark choice facing voters in this weeks Brexit referendum. The British are not alone: The world is increasingly divided between the mentalities underpinning support for the leave and remain campaigns. Do citizens and their leaders want to work with others toward greater security and prosperity, or do they think that they are better served by isolating themselves behind real or virtual walls? Those with an out mindset view the world through a Hobbesian lens, seeing everywhere the danger of people with unregulated passions, driven to do them harm. Only an omnipotent Leviathan can ensure order and security. This is essentially the worldview gradations of extremism notwithstanding of Austrias Freedom Party, Greeces Golden Dawn, the UK Independence Party, Hungarys ruling Fidesz party and similar forces throughout Europe and the West, not to mention the worlds autocracies and outright dictatorships. Theirs is a politics of fear and dog-whistle incitement of the extremist forces that exist in every society. And, as weve seen in both the UKs Brexit debate and the United States presidential election campaign, neither facts nor reason will dissuade voters with an out mindset. As the Nobel laureate economist Daniel Kahneman recently observed of Britains Leave camp, The arguments look odd: They look short-term and based on irritation and anger. And yet they work. In the US presidential election, the choice between Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee, and her Republican counterpart, Donald Trump, reflects an unambiguous battle between in and out. In response to the recent mass shooting at an LGBT nightclub in Orlando, Trump boasted that he had been right all along about the threat posed by radical Islamic terrorism. Clinton, by contrast, offered words of support in English and Spanish to the victims, and focused on the community and on the need for gun control. With his xenophobic rhetoric and fondness for despots like Russian President Vladimir Putin a demagogue who bullies the neighbours he doesnt invade Trump epitomises the out mindset: hyperbolic, malicious, pompous and hostile to all who defy or disagree with him, be it the press, which he berates and tries to block, or judges presiding over his lawsuits. Some senior Republicans, to their credit, have disavowed this Pied Pipers effort to lead Americans over a cliff of isolation and bigotry. But many others, confronted with his steady stream of insults directed at Latinos, Muslims and women, seem to have walled off their consciences. Paul Ryan, speaker of the House of Representatives, has called Trumps comments racist, but continues to endorse him. So does Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and, perhaps most remarkably, John McCain, the partys 2008 presidential nominee, whose military service Trump denigrated, saying that McCain returned from Vietnam a war hero only because he was captured, adding, I like people who werent captured. Clinton, on the other hand, though widely perceived as a foreign-policy hawk, is still of the in mindset someone who knows the value of trade, discussion and compromise. She also understands the value of smart power that bombs arent always the most valuable tools to use in pursuit of ones goals. She would presumably seek to advance the legacy established by US President Barack Obama, whose trips to Vietnam, Cuba and Japan this year focused on moving on from a very difficult past to a new, more hopeful future. This in mindset has proved its worth time and again. The world benefits from entering into treaties and embracing cooperative arrangements. By working in concert with other countries and through global institutions, countries become safer and more prosperous. A victory for the out mindset which seems to regard compassion, truth and integrity as if they were vestigial limbs would be Pyrrhic, at best. Economies would wither, violent conflict would increase, and women, minorities and journalists would suffer as out movements use scare tactics that encourage the extreme among them. The irony is that all of this is coming at a time when technology companies in Silicon Valley and beyond, long criticised as inward-looking, isolationist and self-obsessed, are moving as fast as they can to be in. Thats why Tim Cook in May became Apples first CEO to journey to India, and a trip by Microsofts CEO, Satya Nadella, followed. Likewise, Facebooks CEO Mark Zuckerberg devoted considerable effort to learning Mandarin ahead of his trip to China in March. Companies are investing in building more efficient translation software to make working anywhere, with anyone, simple and seamless. Multinationals worldwide know that to grow and thrive they must look to markets and relationships beyond their own home countries borders. And what is true of global companies applies to countries: Those that are not in will inevitably be left out. Project Syndicate Lucy P Marcus, founder and CEO of Marcus Venture Consulting, Ltd, is a professor of leadership and governance at IE Business School and a non-executive board director of Atlantia SpA. The Hague (AFP) - Former Congolese vice-president Jean-Pierre Bemba has formally appealed against his conviction for war crimes by the International Criminal Court, arguing his trial was "flawed," his lawyers said Wednesday. Bemba last week "filed an appeal against his conviction", his defence team said in a statement sent to AFP. The former militia leader was sentenced in June to 18 years in jail after being found guilty at the ICC on five charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Folks, isn't it intriguing that despite all that has been happening about the gift of a Ford Expedition vehicle to President Mahama by the Burkinabe contractor, the Lion of Gonja hasn't bothered to say anything at all? Why? And how does his abject silence reflect on the matter? I appreciate his show of maturity in not allowing himself to be drawn into the intrigues. And interestingly, although the NPP has rushed to make ugly noise about the issue, its Akufo-Addo has chosen not to comment on it. Only he knows why!! His vacuous claim that he won't be in office to accept bribes is as lame as he can't deal with. We know how Ghanaian lawyers do things!! In reacting to the matter, several voices have created the impression that the President did the wrong thing by accepting the gift even if he didn't use it personally. Some have even suggested that he should apologize for what happened and return the vehicle to the donor or pay for it. I twist my nose at those calling for an apology as if it is the solution to the needless dust-storm. It is a trap being set for President Mahama, which I will encourage him to see and side-step. Apologize? No!! Here is why: According to Cupach and Metts (1994), apologies admit blame and seek atonement for untoward behavior (p. 10). (Read Cupach, W. R., & Metts, S. (1994). Facework. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.). Apologizing means admitting that he has done something wrong and is at the mercy of those who feel wronged, which will itself become the stone on which his blind political opponents will step and pick to cast at him. No apology should be rendered because the matter itself is a non-issue. Our political history tells us what our leaders have received from whom or where all these years. What is the justification for picking on President Mahama lone? We have already made our voices heard on the politically motivated busy work done by Multimedia's Manasseh Azure Awuni with the intents and purposes to harm President Mahama's image. We have made it clear that what Azure Awuni sought to do was to mix up issues with little regard for timeline and sequence of events, not to mention other attenuating factors. (Visit my Facebook wall to read all my comments so far). That explains why he sought to give us a potpourri of events and utterances that couldn't mix properly in his crucible of political mischief. 1. Azure Awuni did a shoddy work with an otherwise interesting case that would have helped us refine our laws and regulations on gift-giving, bribery, and corruption in Ghana. In his indecent haste to paint President Mahama black for narrow-minded political purposes, he couldn't complete the circle of investigation. A reasonable investigative journalist with such an issue in hand would have contacted President Mahama for his side of the story. Unfortunately, Azure Awuni didn't. He copiously quoted from the Burkinabe contractor and so-called anti-corruption experts to draw the unfortunate but pre-meditated conclusion against President Mahama. The ethics of journalism (especially the aspect on investigative journalism) enjoin the investigator to gather evidence from the subject of the investigation. Anything short of that is unprofessional and amateurish. At least, my training at the Ghana Institute of Journalism (from 1982 to 1984) and practice at the Ghana News Agency and elsewhere thereafter has given me that benefit. How about falling below standards as is in this case of Azure Awuni? And the subject of his investigation is the fount of authority in Ghana!! How did he set up his investigation not to know how to do it convincingly and professionally too? Had he contacted with President Mahama to gather ideas on what exactly happened, he would have had a well-rounded investigation done. But he didn't and gave us a one-sided collage of drivel. Knowing very well that President Mahama would have something to say about the issue, why didn't he contact him to do a more professional work? Overzealously, he drew his conclusion without bothering to tie up the loose ends. How credible could that effort be, then? 2. The gift of that Ford Expedition vehicle didn't precede the award of the contract to the Burkinabe to warrant anybody's jumping to the conclusion that it was meant to buy the conscience of the President. It came long after the Burkinabe had done the contract (walling of the Ghana Embassy premises) in 2012. Could it be seen as a "thank-you" gesture? Possible. It's not strange for appreciation to be shown as such. Could it be seen as a way of wetting the ground for future contract awards? Possible, especially if the previous contract had been professionally executed (as is known of the Burkinabe contractor).to place the contractor on a good keel. Could that explain why he won hearts and was poised to be given part of the eastern Corridor project? Could be; but we have been told that he has withdrawn his interest in it. Why? As a fallout from Azure Awuni's interview with him that might have given him some shockwaves? I don't know. 3. The mixing up of issues as if they all occurred at the same time. The quick reference to President Mahama's Code of Ethics for his appointees particularly created the impression that by accepting the gift, he had violated his own regimen. Of course, the vehicle had long been given before John Mahama became President and before he issued that Code. We know of what the Constitution says and what the CHRAJ has in regard to such an issue (public officials and gifts). Even then, it is difficult to establish a conflict of interest or crime in this case (Remember that Emile Short, former head of CHRAJ himself has said that not every gift can be deemed as a bribe). So, what is what now? 4. Calls on President Mahama to apologize to Ghanaians, return the vehicle to the Burkinabe contractor, and others by the NPP Minority verging on impeachment have fallen flat. The move by the CPP youth to petition the CHRAJ to take on President Mahama is a big storm in a small tea cup. It won't go anywhere. In point of fact, this needless political rhetoric about the Ford Expedition is already doomed. The earlier we put it behind us, the better. I have spoken!! Soweto (South Africa) (AFP) - In a Soweto dance studio with yellowing mirrors, enthusiastic ballet students practise their first positions and plies in socks at the barre. Classical dance, for decades confined to South Africa's white minority, is finding its feet in the country's black townships. Twenty-two years after the end of apartheid, "We have beautiful contemporary dancers but not classical dancers," said Dirk Badenhorst, head of the South African International Ballet Competition, seeking out rising stars across the continent. The dearth of black talent is at least in part because historically "ballet was only for white people .. and the ballet was only taught in the traditional white areas," said Badenhorst, who is trying to shake things up with a new project to train township dance teachers in classical ballet. - 'Up, up, up. Stomach!' - Lessons take place in the heart of Soweto, a hop and a skip from the Hector Pieterson Museum dedicated to a key moment in the fight against apartheid, the uprising led by high school students in 1976. "Up, up, up. Stomach, more, back," says classical teacher Maria de Torguet, pointing at a less-than-perfectly-poised back or a lazily-held head among her eight students, all black adults. "When I grew up .. there was no ballet in townships. We had to go out in the town and pay for the lessons," says one of them, Mmule Mokgele, taking a break between exercises at the barre. "I am happy for my kids because ballet is coming to the township," she added. Aged 34, Mmule teaches contemporary dance and Afro-fusion in Soweto in a run-down school, whose yard has been turned into a car wash. But she decided to get trained to teach classical. "Once you get to learn ballet, it disciplines you mentally, physically, it is easier for you to learn other dances," added Mmule, short-cropped hair dyed red, with a baggy T-shirt and muscled legs beneath her black leggings. Every Tuesday morning, she endlessly repeats the first position, plies and works on holding her arms under Maria's attentive but relentless gaze. In the afternoon she teaches her 10-year-old students what she learned in the morning. - 'Without love nothing succeeds' - "The fact that they experience the pain themselves right now and tomorrow they teach it, they have a better empathy with the children they are working with. They have a better understanding as how to explain and encourage the kids in what to do and how to do it," said Badenhorst. "It is often said that if you are a brilliant scientist you are not necessarily a brilliant science teacher .. The same with ballet," he added. With his project, which aims to train a thousand teachers over the next three years, teachers and students are taking the same path together, he added. Maria -- brought in from Cuba, a country with close ties to South Africa in areas including politics and dance -- is a patient instructor. With a firm voice, she asks one student to take off a scarf, another to remove a hood. "It's very difficult to teach them classical. In Cuba, teachers have studied classical dance for at least eight years," added the petite 58-year-old brunette. "Not here. I teach them to hold their bodies well. Concentration is also important, as much as passion. Without love nothing succeeds." - Ballet for men? - Her task is not easy, all the less so since her English vocabulary is limited. Mmule says she and her fellow students have got used to understanding Maria's commands. Others have defied expectations even to be here. "My friends are, like, why are you doing ballet? Why don't you find something that would suit you as a man? But I love dancing," said fellow student Ncepa Sitokwe, whose body is already toned by years of African dancing. "Our traditional dancers did not expose us, with our African dances, we only do gigs to be seen when there is something celebrated. With this methodology, you are going to be seen outside South Africa," he added. Badenhorst has a dream. "When Benjamin Millepied was the director of the Paris Opera, he was talking about the lack of transformation in the Paris Opera," he said, referring to the dearth of non-white dancers. "So I would love in 8 years or 10 years the young kids from this project to land up in the Paris Opera." Sheikh Mustapha Ibrahim, Chairman of Islamic Council for Development and Humanitarian Services (ICODEHS) has disclosed that a new foundation has been formed to promote the dissemination of Islamic knowledge in Ghana and Africa. The foundation was formed at an international conference of Islamic scholars hosted by the Kingdom of Morocco and attended by a three member Ghanaian delegation headed by Sheikh Mustapha Ibrahim. The other members of the delegation from Ghana were Hajia Aida Jibirin and Hajia Salma Tahir both of them Ghanaian women Islamic preachers. Known as Mohammed Khamis Foundation, the foundation has its headquarters in Rabat morocco, with branch offices to be opened in African countries such as Senegal, Chad, Sudan, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, and Ghana. Sheikh Mustapha Ibrahim said the foundation will recruit Islamic scholars to help spread the true meaning of Islam and wipe out misconceptions about the religion thereby stamping out extremism on the continent. Sheikh Ibrahim who is also a renowned Ghanaian author and Islamic scholar who has written many books on Islam for schools and general reading said the foundation will soon open offices after the current Ramadan fast period in all member countries including Ghana. The new offices will among other things offer support to Islamic preachers known in Arabic as duats and provide scholarships to needy Islamic students. He said another delegation from Ghana that visited Morocco at the same time for the annual Darul Assam meetings was also headed by the National Chief Imam Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu. The chief imams delegation also discussed issues meant to promote Islam in Africa and the world at large. Sheikh Ibrahim thanked the government of Morocco for organizing the meetings for the large delegations and the establishment of the foundation. He called on all Ghanaian Muslims to give their support to the initiative by the Kingdom of Morocco in order to promote healthy Islamic teachings learning and good behavior and practices in Ghana and Africa Background to Islam in Africa Africa was the first continent, outside of Arabia that Islam spread into in the early 7th century. Almost one-third of the world's Muslim population resides in the continent. Muslims crossed current Djibouti , Somalia and Eritrea to seek refuge in present-day Ethiopia though Most Muslims in Africa follow common traditions; the complexity of Islam in Africa is revealed in the various schools of thought, traditions, and voices in many African countries. African Islam is not static and is constantly being reshaped by prevalent social, economic, and political conditions. Generally Islam in Africa are often adapted to African cultural contexts and belief systems forming Africa's own orthodoxies. It was estimated in 2002 that Muslims constitute 45% of the population of Africa. Islam has a large presence in North Africa , the Horn of Africa , the Swahili Coast , and much of West Africa , with minority but significant immigrant populations in South Africa . In spite of the rapid development of Islam the religion is facing challenges through the upsurge of various Islamic groups some of who are engaged in activities such as extremism and terrorism considered to be anti Islam. It is therefore a welcome development for African Muslims to get together to save the situation as initiated in Morocco Get in touch with us for more info through: Alhaji Alhasan Abdulai : [email protected] 0244370345/0274853710/0208844791 Accra, Ghana 20th June 2016 The Public Accounts Committee of Parliament has ordered the management of the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA), to surcharge its former boss, Alhaji Gilbert Seidu Iddi for wasting over GHc186,000 on a trip to Turkey, four years ago. The directive follows a recommendation by the 2013 Auditor General's report that Gilbert Seidu Iddi be surcharged for the unauthorized payment. At its sitting on Monday, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Kwaku Agyemang Manu said per the Auditor General's report , the money spent on the officials who embarked on that trip including Gilbert Seidu Iddi and a former Minister of state , Alhaji Dr Mustapha Ahmed was not productively used. Kwaku Agyemang Manu therefore directed the management of SADA to serve their former boss with a letter for refund. SADA not doing enough to recover money CEO admits Meanwhile, speaking to Citi News, the current CEO of SADA, Charles Abugri, admitted that his outfit has not been doing enough to recover state funds that were wrongfully expended by the past management. No we haven't done enough. We have to keep working at it some things we are recovering. Some efforts, we are making. We probably need to give a bit more effort in one thing or the other, but some of these legal things are complex. SADA boss, Charles Abugre He however expressed reluctance in using the legal route to recover the monies saying, courts are not cheap so sometimes you have to find other ways to resolve the problem other than court to get our money back and try and build the relationships going forward. That doesn't mean that we have ruled out court. These are all possibilities. Also speaking to Citi News, the Vice Chairman of the committee, Samuel Atta Akyea expressed disgust at how monies meant for SADA were misappropriated during the tenure of the previous management. It is the most disgraceful report that I have ever seen and read since I became a member of the Public Accounts Committee. The shameful dimension to this whole thing is that, it seems to me that there are people who want to do cover ups, he added. By: Duke Opoku Mensah/citifmonline.com/Ghana Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings: Leader, NDP 21.06.2016 LISTEN The cliche that simply says Never say never is quite interestingly applicable to my position in this current discussion. For never in the million years did I ever envisage myself agreeing with Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings on any issue pertaining to Ghanas social, economic, or political trajectory. This unyielding posture/opposition to anything Rawlingsreasonable or nothas its genesis from the manner in which Nana Konadu and her husband (J.J. Rawlings) shot themselves into political limelight via military coup. In short, I have mortal hatred for coup detats; hence, over the years everything the Rawlingses have to say is always taken with the grain of salt on my part. However, circumstances or time changes and evolves, too; so here Im in the same trenches with a political nemesisone of the Rawlingses. Its also said that politics creates strange or unlikely bedfellows. The general point is, yes, many of us may have diametrically opposing political viewpoints with Nana Agyeman-Rawlings and her husband. Still, that does not mean we should blindly dismiss or ignore the legitimately serious concerns she has been raising about the direction of the country now, regardless of our past or ongoing differences with her ideological persuasions. That is why at this juncture some of us strongly agree that Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings is right on the money regarding many of her criticisms of the Mahama-led NDC government. Rather than demonizing her because of her opinions of the feckless policies of President Mahama, how about the deniers take a sober and fair look at the merits of Mrs. Rawlings criticisms or arguments? Engaging in abusive ad hominem argument toward the messenger is preposterous. Many Ghanaians, including even some reasonable NDC operatives, privately recognize that Ghana is socioeconomically anemic and worse off under excessively tax and spend Mahama government. Nana Agyeman-Rawlings as concerned Ghanaian is just pointing out the sorry state and the prevailing realities as she sees them. In that regard, what has she done wrong to incur the NDCs displeasureJust for sticking out for the truth? It is sadly ironic, needless to say disingenuous that many of the seemingly diehard cheerleaders of Mrs. Rawlings are now the crucifying crowd trying to discredit her indictments of the ruling government, casting uninformed aspersions and telling the poor Ghanaians to ignore the former first lady because of her genuine dissenting views of Mahamas corrupt regime. The argument from within some panicking NDC operatives that Nana Konadu has no credibility to criticize her former party is replete with cynical fallacies that cant pass the basic litmus test of critical thinking. Arguably, no one knows the NDCs operational pathways as well as its overall objectives more than Nana Konadu Agyeman and her husband the ex President Rawlings. The couple founded the NDC almost out of nowhere and in the process disentangled the dominance of the CPP and the UP in Ghana body politic. Simply put, Mrs. Rawlings is not only well-informed about Ghanaian politics for the past three decades, but also she knows the inside and out of the party she helped her husband found. Besides, President Mahama used to be a mentee of Nana Konadus husband for a long time, probably without which Ghana would not have had Mahama-led NDC administration. Also, it may not come as a surprise that the Rawlingses may still have some few residual sympathizers out there in the ruling party who may update them periodically about the unfolding developments inside the party. As such, whenever Nana Agyeman-Rawlings offers criticisms of the track record of NDC government, most likely she knows exactly what she is articulating about. As a proverb goes, it is foolish to argue with a frog that pops out of the muddy pond to say that it sees a dead crocodile under the water. Honestly, this is not meant to evoke any sarcasm here. For one thing, Nana Agyeman-Rawlings had closely watched her Husband led the NDC government through good and bad times over the previous years, making her one of the knowledgeable people in the country to understand the rudiments of incompetence governance. She probably regrets some of the bad policy choices her husband made as a president. Hence, her past experience and in-depth understanding of government are finding expression in her constant critiques of the NDC government vis-a-vis the economic ditch the nation is heading into under President Mahama. In fact, there is nothing that Mrs. Rawlings has said so far about Mahama-led NDC government that is make-believe; almost everything is well known to the majority of Ghanaians. The former first lady is just providing reinforcement of what is already happening over the past years under the present government. Here is Mrs. Agyeman-Rawlings: Dumsor is a serious issue, businesses cannot continue when there is no electricity, and some businesses are closing down while some are moving to other countries. She also reemphasizes that President Mahama administrations excessive taxation is creating serious problems for businesses as well as water and rent thereby making we the public [Ghanaians] suffer for their incompetence which is not acceptable. Is Nana Agyeman-Rawlings making all these up? The answer is a big NO! Her recent criticisms of the government are factually accurate. No capable government serious about embarking on vibrant industrialization programs with an eye on the provision of gainful employment for its fast-growing youthful population will be as clueless as to how to effectively address Ghanas perennial power problem. As Mrs. Rawlings rightly suggested, how can a government that brags it is committed to opening up industries across the country but does not have the technical know-how to solve the nations electricity conundrum? Many of us cant agree more with Nana Agyeman-Rawlingss argument against Mahama government. Let the good God or Allah have mercy on Ghana! The writer is based in the United States and can be reached: [email protected] The Ewe Union in Hamburg celebrated their 25th anniversary in style, the exceptional event took place on Saturday, the 11th of June 2016 at the auditorium of the Technical University in Hamburg Berliner Tor. The silver celebration was attended by all Ewe Unions in Germany. The well attended occasion, had several groups performing, drumming and dancing to beautiful ewe music, showcasing rich ewe cultural traditions. Different kinds of Agbadza and Boborbor dance was on display. The Okwahuman & Ga-Dangme Communities of Hamburg did not only dance to some beautiful Ghanaian songs but donated undisclosed sums of money in support of their colleagues. The Ewe (Eeawo literally means Ewe People) are the ethnic group located in the Volta region of Ghana, the southern Togo and Republic of Benin. Their local language spoken is Eegbe and essentially, a patrilineal people. However, the unique characteristics of Ewes: They are tolerant, reserved, well educated, and able to learn vocational trades and specialized in handling adverse situations peacefully. Extended families is one of the most aspect of Ewe social life and have never supported a hierarchical concentration of power within a large state. The Ewes wear Kente as their traditional clothe. A delegation from Ghana, led by the former Minister of Transport of the Republic of Ghana, Mrs. Attivor Dzifa, the first Ghanaian to resign a ministerial position voluntarily and the deputy Volta Regional Minster, Mr. Francis Komla Ganyeglo were at the event to support their brethren. As typical of politicians, they took the opportunity to inform the gathering of the achievements of the President Mahama led government, mostly in the Volta Region of Ghana. However, the deputy minister admitted that upon arrival in Germany, and seeing the road network, oh yes we have more to do as a people, he said. Unfortunately most often we try to drive African representatives on European tours around in the few best cars we have!!! This is wrong and must cease, we must take the busses, trams and trains with them. A few might be motivated to start rethinking by exposing them to the true state of the transportation and road network in Germany. The Ambassador of Ghana to Germany, Her Excellency Akua Sena Dansua in her key note address in her native Ewe language challenged Ewes and Ghanaians in general to take education, especially that of the youth and vocational skills seriously. She encouraged Ghanaians at the gathering to advice their relatives to avoid violence during the incoming general elections to be held in Ghana. The ambassador admitted that though Ghanaians make up the first batch of Africans to come to Germany, they are non-relevant where it matters most in the Germany society. The observation by Her Excellency was absolutely correct In Germany nothing happens from doing nothing! No individual Ghanaian can come that far without the support of the community. To provoke positive change and influence needs the assistance of influential individuals and governmental -/ambassadorial backing. It calls for well-defined goals, strategic planning and above all, specific sustainable measures. Mr. Johannes Kahrs, (SPD) Federal Member of Parliament -Germany, who has been very supportive to the social prosperity of Africans in Hamburg, challenged the African community to do more and take advantage of the existing organizations. He also pledge to assist the African community as long as he can. Mr. Daniel Torkornoo, President of Ewe Dukor Germany and Mamaga Ngoyinyanufiaga of Sasadu Traditional Area, of the Volta Region of Ghana, Mr. Brown Dumashie, founder of the Ewe Union Hamburg, Togbui Avanyo, president of the Ewe Union Hamburg made short speeches at the occasion. They all reminded the participants, especially those from Eweland not to forget their birth roots and therefore urged them to contribute meaningfully to the development of their hometowns. Special dignitaries to grace the occasion included, Mr. Jan Porksen, Deputy Senator of Works, Integration and Social Welfare Hambug, Mrs. Dikenou, wife of Togo Ambassador to Germany, Dr. Kingsley Dokyi, Dr. Rolland Tetteh Doku, Mr. Frank Heinrich, Mrs. Sylvaina Gerlich, Dr. Koffi Lolo, Elder David S. Henemi SDA Church, Irene Appiah SPD, Togbui Antoinette Bosco, Togbui Adraki and Togbui Ahaho. The planning committee, and organizers must be commended for an excellent job, there was enough drink and food to eat, however a few organizational challenges typical of big events were noticeable. The party loving Ghanaians were extremely unhappy with the organizers, the event has to end at 12 midnight. The AfterParty could not take place. The moderator Mr. Ashley of Berlin and his assistance did a wonderful job, they took their time to make short translations in English for non-ewe speaking invited guest. The Ewe Community in Hamburg, wishes to express their sincere gratitude to all invited guest, Ga-Dangme community of Hamburg, Okwahuman Union Hamburg. Ewe Unions from Bremen, Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Berlin, Oberhausen, Munich and Nurnberg. The 25th Anniversary Celebration of the Ewe Community in Hamburg was fantastically superb. President John Dramani Mahama 21.06.2016 LISTEN Ghanas President John Dramani Mahama, after unthinkingly prejudicing himself with a car gift from a Burkinabe contractor who sought for and benefited from Mahamas friendship has set in motion a propaganda machinery that is aimed at legitimizing a shameful act. Some who would defend the president as corrupt have been shamed into wondering if they did the right thing. Monsieur Djibril Kanazoe, a Burkina Faso admitted sending a 2010 Ford Expedition as a gift to Ghanas President John Mahama in an interview with Joy Fm journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni. According to the Burkinabe businessman, President Mahama has been a family friend who attended the funeral of his late father in 2011. The car, according to him was not to influence the president for another contract, but a gift. He adds, The president called to thank me. However, yet another contract for 25.9million to construct part of the Eastern Corridor road system in 2012 was awarded him the same year he finished building the wall. A third single sourced 82 million GHs contract was offered M. Kanazoe, The sequence of events in the affair does not exonerate neither M. Kanazoe nor Mr. Mahama from the suspicion of criminal influence of a public officer immediately as provided in Article 284 of our constitution that says a public officer shall not put himself in a position where his personal interest conflicts or is likely to conflict with the performance of the functions of his office.. The government party is vigorously trying to legitimize a wrongdoing that anywhere else could fetch the president an impeachment. The attempt to overlook the details in shipping the car down from Burkina Faso, its clearance and registration is only an exercise in propaganda. The Ghana mission in Burkina Faso facilitated the shipping process and equally, clearing at the Tema Harbor all in the name of John Mahama, supposedly. According to the NDC, since the vehicle was immediately added to the Jubilee House car pool it absolves the president from the charge of corruption. Simply put, the ruling party is in denial. The burden of the crime increases as the tax payer is saddled with fuelling and maintaining the personal vehicle of the president. John Mahamas party is dragging Ghana into an abyss of corruption. Since 2011 when he assumed office as president the NDC has done next to nothing about corruption. The defiantly dismissive attitude of the party towards the current event not only shows disrespect to the people of Ghana but its lack of commitment to fight the evil of corruption. Omane Boama and his cohorts are seeking to redefine corruption. The fact that the car has supposedly been added to the presidential motor pool does not vindicate the act as corrupt. It legitimizes stealing and/or any act of corruption as long as it is applied for the public good. The way and manner the NDC propaganda machinery is dealing with the issue makes it seem as if the party has gagged Ghanaians into finding a new definition for corruption. It is amazing. Ghanaians heard President John Mahama praising the investigative work done by Journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas which exposed more than 20 judges and some workers of the Judicial Service. Someone who accepted 2,000 GHs, a goat and some tubers of yams were fired and denied their ex-gratia awards. Almost all the judges who were involved were fired from the Judicial Service without their pensions. The 1992 constitution of the 4th Republic has been seriously breached and Ghanaians are dancing around it as if all is fine. Whichever way one looks at the issue there is no doubt that Mr. Mahama has committed an impeachable offence. As Prof. Mike Ocquaye says, facts of the matter do not absolve the president from impeachment, and I agree with him. Mr. Daniel Batidam, the Advisor on Governance at the Office of the President, is of the view that the motivation for a gift is even more important than the quantum. He believes if motivation is to influence the public official, the quantum of the should not stop people from questioning the gift. Mr. Batidam, an anti-corruption crusader who once headed the Ghana Integrity Initiative, also advises the President on corruption. He is the key person who speaks on corruption at the Presidency. I did not tell him I was investigating the conduct of the President, according to Manasseh. When Manasseh asked Mr. Daniel Batidam that if the President sought his advice on whether or not to accept a gift with the value of about $100,000 from a contractor who does business with the government, what his advice would be. The presidential advisor said, Well, Im sure you know that these are not situations that would occur in reality in terms of the kind of president we have. It had already occurred. What would Mr. Batidam say now that a situation has occurred in reality? Ghanaians and members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have not forgotten the harassment the NDC put the party through when it concocted stories of corruption about President John Kufuor. He was wrongly accused of refurbishing his house with several thousands of state funds. He endured a CHRAJ investigation into accusations of interest in a hotel deal his son did, among several other politically motivated allegations. Not even late President Mills would stay clear of the sordid and shameful allegation of former President Kufuors affair with an Iranian lady Ms. Gizelle Yajzi and allegedly had twins with her. Ghanaians are waiting to hear from President John Mahama offering to appear before the CHRAJ to defend himself as his predecessor did. As a people how are Ghanaians taking this? Taking in the propaganda filth of the NDC or taking action? He was caught in flagrante delicto, or what the Americans would say, caught with his pants down. The Ghana Business Development Review (GBDR) report, the first of its kind was launched at the University of Ghana Business School Graduate building on Thursday, June 16 , 2016. Prof. Samuel Agyei-Mensah, the Provost of the College of Humanities in his welcome speech, congratulated all the authors for excellently researching into the various sectors of the Ghanaian economy and providing compelling insights in the GBDR. Prof. Agyei-Mensah In the purpose of gathering address, the Dean of University of Ghana Business School, Prof. Joshua Yindenaba Abor said, the overall aim of the GBDR was to develop an evidenced-based report that tracks the performance of businesses in the Ghanaian economy. This he said will help advocate for policies that spur growth and performance of businesses to improve economic development. Prof. Yindenaba Abor Dr. Abdul-Gafaru Abdulai, a senior lecturer at UGBS, in delivering an overview of the fifteen chaptered report, outlined the sectors' contents, structures, achievements and challenges, and the overall summary of various sectors. Among the sectors reviewed were Manufacturing, Energy, Oil and Gas, IT and Communication, Hospitality and Tourism among others. Dr. Abdulai classified these sectors as creating possibilities for businesses. Dr. Abdul-Gafaru Abdulai The chairman for the occasion, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana Professor Ernest Aryeetey commended the Business School for producing the GDBR. He said, the past twenty years has witnessed a massive improvement in data collection and analysis which has brought about effective decision making in both private and public sectors. Prof. Aryeetey mentioned that, the report will serve as a guide to potential investors to enable them understand the Ghanaian business environment. Prof. Aryeetey then officially launched the report, and copies were distributed to all participating organisations. You have been working for months but out of the blues your boss calls you to go for a vacation, you have been craving for forever. However, there is the condition that you must not shelve your responsibilities even if you are on vacation. If you are in a dilemma because you love your job but want a work-free vacation to Tinapa Resort in Calabar , not to worry, you can still be a sterling employee even if you resolve to take the much-needed break by following these tips shared by Jovago.com, Africas No.1 hotel booking portal. Set up an out-of-office message The first thing you should do is let everyone know that you are out-of-the-office, especially your customers and clients. Doing this will alert as well as ensure that your client should not expect an instant response to their message. However, ensure that you dont ignore the mail for so long or else your boss will be on your neck. Have a plan in place This is only possible if you have a good work relationship with your colleagues. This will make you more relaxed when you are leaving for your vacation because you can easily call them to complete a task for you on your behalf. In fact, you can tell them about what work needs to be completed when you eventually take a leave of absence. Both of you should work in tandem! Give co-workers your emergency number This is the most important thing you must do. You may not necessarily inform them about where you are going but you must drop an emergency number which they can use to contact you. Hence, your phone must always be available especially if you are a senior-level employee. Get everything done before you leave The fact that you are going on vacation doesnt mean you should immediately disappear for your trip. You must complete the leftover responsibilities before you leave. Of course, you know that if you do not do it now, you must do it later. So, dont procrastinate! Get everything done if you really want to enjoy your vacation. Think about what you want to do when you return Many employees do not look forward to thinking about what they want to do when they return to work. A combination of the stress, the Lagos traffic and the need for you to meet your Key Performance Indicators (KPI) freaks some people out, especially with Mondays. To make you blend in like you never went on vacation, you should think about what you want to accomplish when you return. Hence, do not get carried away by your vacation and forget everything about work! Enjoy your holiday There is no excuse for you not to enjoy your holiday even if you are working remotely. The whole point of taking a break from work is to unwind and rejuvenate yourself. This is the best for you, as you will return to your desk happier and more productive. 21.06.2016 LISTEN The above heading may sound or look like one of those ancient novels or script of a 21st century Hollywood fiction movie yet to be released come November 7th 2016. But one will not be equally surprised to hear the above being said by one man who could be described as angry, livid, cross, heated and fuming with rage over a constituency primary dubbed Uncle and Nephew contest which ended in controversies and still being challenged. Yes your guess is right, I am talking about a former Minister of Sports, a former Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing and Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram Constituency Enoch Teye Mensah. Samuel Dzata George may have had great family relationship and working relationship with a man he called his uncle but those may remain fond memories if nothing is done to replant or straitened a fallen family tree as a result of youthful exuberant motivated kind of quest to become a legislator. This is so because Mr. Enoch Teye Mensah, a Hat loving man who is affectionately referred to as ET Mensah does not, emphasis mine, DOES NOT want to speak, or hear the name Sam George in any conversation between him and any soul. I cannot independently tell how long he intend to remove the name Sam George from his future discussions but what I can confirm now is uncle ET is not ready anytime soon to share any conversation involving the name Sam George , not even in writing. You are asking how I know about this, let me let it out in a form of dialogue for you. This was what transpired between Honourable Enoch Teye Mensah and the host of news and current affairs program Ghana Dadwen on Onua fm Bright Kwesi Asempa. DIALOGUE Asempa: So honourable let us go to the constituency now ET Mensah: ok Asempa: how is the constituency doing after the primaries? ET Mensah: oh everything is fine, although not as one would imagine Asempa: ohhh ok, that is fine. ET Mensah:hmm Asempa: How about Sam George? ET Mensah: hey, hey I dont want to talk about that boy, no please please, I dont want to discuss him at all. I brought that boy up with my own hands, but that boy has turned out to be something else. No I wont, devil incarnate. Asempa, everybody has a Judas and in due course . Asempa: that is fine honourable I will not go there ET Mensah: yes let us not talk about that boy. He thinks he can turn and bite a hand that fed him? I am waiting on the elders of the party. But I dont want to talk about him Asempa: but honorable, I was at your area over the weekend and from what I am hearing it looks as if the people on the ground want you to go independent..even before the question ended ET Mensah:oh who are those saying that? Let me tell you, I am one of the founding fathers of the NDC and I have been with this party ever since. Under no circumstances will I now jump ship, for what? We and some cadres were with Chairman Rawlings in the beginning and we have seen it all and gone through all, it is not time to say I want to leave the NDC, NO there is nothing like that and nobody can come to me to even discuss that with me. The people of my constituency have been done great injustice but we are on it. The elders are looking at my petition. Please let us not think like that. Asempa: ohh ok but will you help the party? ET Mensah: I am a member of the NDC and I will always be there to help my party. Can we move on? Well, from the above discourse, it is clear (1) uncle ET Mensah is not thinking of leaving the National Democratic Congress, a party he helped formed, at least not now or at all, (2) the family or working relation between him and Sam Dzata George is now on the ice and will need a lot of heat to thaw and (3) in the event that the outcome of the petition does not go in favor of uncle ET, he may adopt do it let see attitude and that can cause the seat to change hand come November/December 7th..I am not claiming to be Ben Ephson. TREND WATCH So Mr. Enoch Teye Mensah one of the three wise men, has been representing the people of Ningo/Prampram since 1992 with interesting results. Walloping any candidate that stood on the ticket of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP). The differences are evidence that it will be an arduous task or better still an exercise in futility to try to predict doom for Ningo/Prampram Mugabe (borrowed though). Let us look at the statistics since the inception of democratic elections. 1992 Enoch Teye Mensah- NDC 18,339 71.5% Abed Tawiah Okorno -NPP 6,196 24.1% 1996 Enoch Teye Mensah NDC 15,677 56.10% Desmond Nene Quaynor NPP 1,569 5.60% 2000 Enoch Teye Mensah NDC 12,206 78.00% Gwendolyn Sarah Addo NRP 1,463 9.40% 2004 Enoch Teye Mensah NDC 17,179 71.70% Samuel Carboo Martey NPP 6,782 28.30% 2008 Enoch Teye Mensah NDC 18,339 71.47% Abed Tawiah Okorno NPP 6,196 24.15% 2012 Enoch Teye Mensah NDC 21,178 54.06% Sylvester Tetteh NPP 17,122 43.71% Is victory at a glance for the persistent candidate of the New Patriotic Party in the Ningo/Prampram constituency Sylvester Tetteh against ET Mensah, should the petition go on his favor or NDC will run away with another victory with Sam Dzata George, which will solidify Sam Georges campaign mantra of it is time for the youth to take over. Spare a thought. Outraged residents of Nungua, Teshie and Labadi, took to the the streets of Accra in their numbers, to show their displeasure with what they call the killer tariffs by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG). Wielding placards with various inscriptions depicting their anger at the government, the demonstrators called on government to reduce the suffocating tariffs, or face many more of such actions from them. Clad in red and black apparel, the angry residents demonstrated through major streets of the three communities. They are demanding immediate reduction in the cost of power, arguing that the high bills are collapsing their businesses and making their lives unbearable. Citi News Philip Nii Lartey, who was amidst the demonstrators, said the demonstrators called on President Mahama to directly intervene in the tariff situation. One of the protesters directed his appeal to the Electricity Company of Ghana, and the Municipal Chief Executive for the area. Another resident also expressed displeasure with the positioning of ECG meters outside their homes, and demanded the meters be moved back into their residences. We are also pleading to ECG to take the meters from the poles and send it to our various homes. This is what we are asking the government to do for us. Suspend 'problematic' billing software PURC to ECG The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), in May 2016, instructed the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), to suspend the implementation of their new billing software until further notice. A statement signed by the PURC's Public Relations Director, Nana Yaa Jantuah, said the directive was necessitated by incessant complaints from customers who alleged that they were being over-billed by the ECG. But staff of ECG have accused government of being responsible for the high tariffs following the increases and the introduction of taxes. Electricity tariffs up by 59.2%, water 67.2% ahead of Christmas The PURC late last year sanctioned an increase of 59.2 percent and 67.2 percent for electricity and water tariffs respectively. But businesses and individuals expressed displeasure with the increase which they described as astronomical. Photo credit: Philip Nii Lartey By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana 21.06.2016 LISTEN By Stephen Asante, GNA Kumasi, June 20, GNA - Dr. Isaac Okyere, a Heart Surgeon at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi and an old student of the Anglican Senior High School (SHS), has appealed to his colleagues, particularly those in the diaspora, to mobilize resources to improve the school's infrastructure. Quality education, he said, was dependent on the availability of adequate teaching and learning materials, pointing out that, it was the duty of the old students 'to give back to their alma mater to ensure academic excellence'. They should also pay regular visits to the school to interact and mentor students to strive for excellence, while identifying with some of the challenges inhibiting smooth academic activities for prompt solutions. Dr. Okyere made the appeal through the Ghana News Agency (GNA), after he led the '1991 Year Group' to donate assorted books on science, mathematics, literature and current affairs to the school at a ceremony in Kumasi. The Group, had already refurbished broken down shelves at the library and presented street light bulbs to enhance security on campus. Dr Okyere advised the students to concentrate on their books, urging them to refrain from practices that could jeopardize their career development. Mr. Kwasi Asante, Convener of the Group, said the gesture formed part of activities marking the 25th anniversary celebrations of their completion of the school. He assured that they would continue to assist to improve facilities at their alma mater for quality education delivery. Mr. Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah, Assistant Headmaster of the school, thanked the old students for the care shown to their alma mater and affirmed the authorities' resolve to maintain discipline and higher academic standards at all times. GNA The Rector of the United Nations University, Dr. David M. Malone had lauded Ghanaians for their zeal in education. The Rector made the remarks when he paid courtesy calls on the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources and Minister of Education in separate visits in Accra. Dr. Malone noted that Ghana is gradually becoming a hub for education in the West African sub- region, indicating that the UN University continues to receive excellent Ghanaian students in its PhD and Masters programmes. He added that a Ghanaian scholar, Yaw Agyeman Boafo, has excelled in the UN Universitys first PhD programme in Sustainability Science. His great achievement, he said, propelled the University of Tokyo to award him a Postdoctoral Fellowship, after which he will be returning to Ghana to serve his nation. On her part, the Minister of Education, Prof. Naana Opoku Agyemang, thanked the Rector for the compliment and indicated that the Government is working hard to improve the countrys educational system to produce more excellent students. She said Ghana is working to develop a national agenda on the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and her ministry is keen on implementing the localized SDGs on education. The Education Minister, Prof. Opoku Agyemang, therefore urged UNU-INRA to collaborate more with Government agencies in Ghana on its projects. Dr. Malone seized the opportunity to brief the Ministers on the activities of the United Nations University (UNU), more particularly on the programmes of the UN University Institute for Natural Resources in Africa (UNU-INRA). He stated that the institute, which is one of the fourteen institutes / training programmes of the UN University and currently the only one in Africa, focuses on promoting the sustainable management of Africas natural resources through research, capacity development and policy advice. He emphasized the commitment of the UN University to working with Governments and partners, especially in the developing world to promote sustainable growth. The UNU Rector used the visits to thank the Government of Ghana through the ministries on the countrys contributions to the UN Universitys endowment fund for UNU-INRA. He indicated that Ghana is among four African countries that are currently contributing generously to the UNU- INRA endowment fund, which was established based on a resolution taken by the then Organization of African Unity (OAU) in 1986, for African Governments to provide funding support for UNU-INRA. The Director of UNU-INRA, Dr. Elias T. Ayuk, presented recent natural resources management policy briefs and other publications of the Institute to the ministries visited. Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com Prof. Ocquaye 21.06.2016 LISTEN Following the widely expected dismissal of the lawsuit brought by Mr. Sammy Crabbe against the New Patriotic Party (NPP), by an Accra Human Rights Court, the Chairman of the Legal and Constitutional Committee of the NPP, Prof. Mike Ocquaye, was reported to have told a radio court correspondent in an interview that if the plaintiff expressed remorse and regret, the partys national executive would be willing to seriously consider reinstating the indefinitely suspended Second Vice-Chairman of the party (See Say Sorry for Forgiveness Prof. Ocquaye to Crabbe Classfmonline.com / Ghanaweb.com 6/2/16). One wishes that matters were that simple with Mr. Crabbe, who was suspended primarily because he had very publicly and categorically stated that under absolutely no circumstances would he consent to working for the collective interests of the party with the men appointed by the NPPs National Executive Committee (NEC) to replace the indefinitely suspended National Chairman and General-Secretary of the party. In other words, the decision to indefinitely suspend Mr. Crabbe as Second Vice-Chairman of the New Patriotic Party was squarely based on Mr. Crabbes dastardly attempt to gang up with Messrs. Paul A. Afoko and Kwabena A. Agyepong against the authority and integrity of the members of the partys National Executive Council (NC) who effected the suspension of these two men. To more fully appreciate the issue at stake here, Prof. Ocquaye and his associates ought to vividly recall the fact that the grievances of Messrs. Afoko, Agyepong and Crabbe emanated from the fact of their preferred choice of candidate for the partys 2016 flagbearerships having convincingly lost the partys presidential primary contest to Nana Akufo-Addo for the third-consecutive time. Matters were further complicated for these virulent dissenters by the all-too-righteous and principled insistence of Akufo-Addo to retain Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the Oxbridge-educated former Deputy-Governor of the Bank of Ghana, as his running-mate, a choice that has been widely applauded both within and without party circles. Needless to say, the three dissenters and key players at the partys Kokomlemle headquarters had hoped to advantageously position their prime political steed for a post-Akufo-Addo control and effective domination of party affairs. Once this thumb-nail apercu of the main gripe of these so-called Big Three is well understood, it becomes crystal clear that the distinguished and highly respected former Dean of the Law Faculty of the University of Ghana has woefully jumped the gun, as it were. Even more significant ought to be borne in mind the decision by Mr. Crabbe to adamantly and hotly contest and/or appeal the clearly incontrovertible decision by Justice Dennis Adjei to throw out his suit. Even as veteran journalist Kweku Baako rightly pointed out not quite a while ago, in deciding to brazenly and imperiously defy the New Patriotic Partys established political culture, as well as the forces in control of the partys affairs, Messrs. Afoko, Agyepong and Crabbe had both woefully underestimated the heft of the forces they had been contending with as well as grossly misfired. Hitherto, the trio had been widely alleged to have been playing surrogate for some entrenched party forces who intended to use them to effectively deep-six the presidential ambitions of Nana Akufo-Addo, while also cynically furthering either their own agenda or that of their surrogates. In all likelihood, these internal detractors might have come to the sobering realization that any dastardly attempt to scuttle the presidential ambitions of a very popular and respected Nana Akufo-Addo has the inevitable long-term repercussion of hurting the partys chances at clinching the presidency in the offing. For Mr. Crabbe, though, absolutely nothing has changed at the partys Kokomlemle headquarters. Messrs. Afoko and Agyepong are still out on suspension. And so, really, the climate cannot be said to have become conducive to having Mr. Crabbe restored to his former administrative position as Second Vice-Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, when the man has also already categorically and very publicly declared that he has absolutely no intention, whatsoever, of working hand-in-glove with the likes of Messrs. Freddie Blay, the NPPs Acting National Chairman, and Mr. John Boadu, who doubles as both the partys substantive National Organizer and Acting General-Secretary. Mr. Crabbe has also, ironically, described the members of the NPPs National Executive Council (NC) as lawless coup-makers. And so, really, Mr. Crabbe has effectively thrown himself out of the party, either as an ordinary/general member or a potentially restorable party executive. *Visit my blog at: kwameokoampaahoofe.wordpress.com Ghanaffairs File Photo 21.06.2016 LISTEN With the unpleasant history of playing peripheral role in global economic affairs by way of merely supplying raw materials in various international trades, one can hardly discount the respite that surrounds the ongoing discussion on industrialization in Ghana. At long last, we are thinking of moving from the side-lines to mainstream. Indeed, more refreshingly, it appears the major stakeholders across the political divide in spite of their usually unnecessary diametric opposition, concur on the need for rigorous transformation of the fundamental structure of the economy from primary/extractive industry to one that is based on value addition and processing. Of course, the logic in this is simple. International trade is somewhat analogous to table top trade where if a sellers selling price for an item is less than its cost price, loss abounds. If this happens repeatedly, the seller will be out of business. Similarly, in international trade, if the value of a countrys exports falls short of its imports, theres balance of payment deficit which could have cyclical chain of daunting effects which the wo/man on the street will feels in the form of poverty, lack or restricted access to basic amenities such as potable water, healthcare, education and sanitation just to mention a few. It is from this background that I wore a broad smile upon hearing the news about the promise of a major partys flagbearer to establish at least a factory/industry in each district of Ghana when elected into office. Considering that this was also coming from backdrop of a recent revitalization of a defunct sugarcane factory in Komenda, I could only smile more. However, with the proven historical record of many Ghanaian politicians in mind, one that borders on consistent inconsistencies, efficient inefficiencies, promising heaven and delivering hell, the smile could not survive a micro second. The average Ghanaian is so familiar with disappointments by politicians. As expected, on the airwaves, the promise of establishing factories has taken over from the Ford Expedition brouhaha in various discussions. Of course, its understandable, who does not want to hear about jobs or their creation? Having followed the discussions for a while, there appear to be much focus on the feasibility of the promise or proposal well, I doubt if we can call it as such as this stage. Those who are more sceptical are pointing to issues of funding whilst supporters retort with recapitalization from corruption. I would want to tackle it from a different angle by briefly touching on the technical soundness. Lest I forget, let me point out that I do so as a staunch supporter of industrialization in Ghana. While admitting that there is no one absolute way of viewing the technical soundness of the promise/proposal, I have particular interest in the location aspect of it. Why? Well, Im an Urban Analyst. Before moving further, it is imperative to stress that a thorough and comprehensive exposition of this subject requires a whole scientific study. Prior to that, I share my thoughts like anyone else. My reference to location at this moment is at the broad district level. Indeed, thats the only location available now. An industry in each district. Proceeding further, I ask: If we could establish additional 216 industries, do we have to cite one in each district? This question cannot be well examined without reference to some of the major factors which affect the citing of industries and how the promise sits with them. Economies of scale: Economies of scale is one of the major factors which explains the uneven spatial distribution of industries and even cities. Well, the focus here is on industries. Economies of scale comes in two ways; internal and external. Whilst not discounting the pertinence of internal economies of scale, as for instance, the edge to overcome fixed cost associated with production pushes firms to locations where they can produce more, I will lay more emphasis on the external economies. The proposal of an industry in each district appears to overlook agglomeration economies where there is more benefit in concentration than dispersion. Whatever those industries in mind are, one can easily speculate the potential of some linkages among them. For instance, the output of one firm could serve as the input of another. Such linkages could be maximized when the firms in question are located in a common cluster. Still on external economies, the benefit of sharing the cost of common infrastructural (such as roads, electricity, water, telecommunication, etc) among firms could be lost if they are thinly dotted in 216 districts. For instance, energy intensive firms in a cluster can pool resource to establish a major power plant which independently, neither firms could afford. Same can be said about knowledge and information sharing where innovation spreads faster in clusters. It is the interaction among these factors that explains the concentration of industries in some areas (such as Tema). Thus, in basic terms, there are more advantages of citing an industry as part of a cluster than as a standalone. The Materiality Index (MI): The MI of what is to be produced which is a representation of the ratio of the weight of inputs to the weight of output is one important factor. Not to make it is so academic, in simple terms, the materiality index of a product helps to determine whether the product is bulk gaining or bulk losing. Bulking gaining is when the finished product is heavier than the raw materials used for its manufacturing. In such an instance, it might be more economically prudent to establish the industry close to the MARKET as this will reduce the cost of transportation. Thus, having raw material at a location is not enough justifiable for an industry to be cited there. On the other hand, if an industry is bulk losing, it will make much economic sense for it to be cited in proximity to its SOURCE OF INPUTS as this will cut down the transport cost of unwanted weight. Juxtaposing this with the promise at hand raises more questions especially, regarding the emphasis on each district. These questions include: what is to be produced; for whom; what are the required inputs; where are the required input located; what is the cost of transporting the required inputs from source; where is the target market; and what is the cost of transporting the output? For instance, on the last question, if the purpose of creating a particular industry is for export to the international market and the product is bulk gaining, the choice of optimal location is limited to places closer to ports. Indeed, its not for nothing that many industries prefer to cite in Tema. Fast forwarding, these crucial questions which come together to inform economically prudent locations are not answered yet we are talking about each district with an industry. Another crucial factor is the type of labour required but more importantly, where they are located. No two locations (districts) have the same human resource. It is therefore important, prior to talking about location to be clear on the type of labour required, i.e, whether unskilled, semi-skilled or skilled and where they can be located. Indeed, at times, the cost of transporting the required labour to areas where they are absent could be so considerable that it might make more economic sense to rather locate closer to major centres which accommodates them. In a nutshell, whilst it might be politically expedient to spread firms across the 216 districts, technically, most of the intended benefits could be well achieved with a rather cluster citing. Yes, the need to industrialize has never been greater. However, if as a country we are able to find resources for 216 factories/industries, spreading them thinly across the districts could amount to preparing grave of some prior to their commissioning. Apparently, as with many political promises, this one may not have been backed by the critical conceptual and technical thought it deserves. That notwithstanding, it hits on vital fundamental path required for an accelerated economic growth hence, it is never too late to refine the thinking, taking on board some of the issues raised. Long live Ghana. Felix S. K Agyemang PhD candidate, University of Cambridge [email protected] Banjul (Gambia) (AFP) - Three men charged with sedition in the Gambia were tortured in jail and made to sign false testimonies, their lawyer said Tuesday, after they allegedly said the president disliked the country's majority ethnic group. President Yahya Jammeh is regularly accused of sanctioning human rights abuses in the tiny west African country, and was recently accused by the United Nations of "dehumanising" Mandinkas, who make up 41 percent of the population, in an inflammatory speech. The trio -- Ebrima Keita, Musa Fofana and Alasanna Jallow -- could face two years in jail for allegedly saying on May 11 that Jammeh "never liked" Mandinkas. The president himself is from the minority Diola ethnic group. They are further accused of saying the Gambia was "at boiling point" following a spate of protests and the death in custody of opposition activist Solo Sandeng -- a fatality the government admits took place while Sandeng was under police guard after a demonstration. Appearing in court for their defence, lawyer Abdoulie Fatty said the three men were beaten, threatened at gunpoint and forced to thumbprint confessions that were either dictated to them or written on their behalf. A few weeks after their arrests, Jammeh threatened to "wipe out" Mandinkas in a speech, accusing them of trying to destabilise the country by joining protests organised by the opposition United Democratic Party in April. He also told supporters that if activists dare to "go out and demonstrate in the streets, I will kill you and nothing will come out of it," causing renewed international alarm a few months ahead of a presidential election. A statement issued on June 10 by the UN Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide said such "vitriolic rhetoric" had historically been "both a warning sign and a powerful trigger for atrocity crimes". KINSHASA (AFP) - Jean-Pierre Bemba, the ex Congolese vice-president handed an 18-year-jail term Tuesday for "cruel" rapes and murders in neighbouring Central African Republic, was once a towering figure in business and politics. Bemba, a once feared warlord now aged 55, was sentenced after being found guilty in March by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. The war crimes tribunal said the one-time vice president had failed to deter rapes, killings and looting by his private army in 2002 and 2003 in CAR. Bemba's case was the first before the ICC to focus on sexual violence as a weapon of war and the first to underline a military commander's responsibility for the conduct of troops under his control. Bemba, who became vice president of an interim government from 2003 to 2006, was born on November 4, 1962 in Bogada in the northwest Equateur province of what is now Democratic Republic of Congo. Bemba's father was a rich businessman close to dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, who ruled from 1965 until his ousting in 1997 and named the country Zaire. Young Bemba was schooled in Belgium, the former colonial power, and went on to take over family businesses, using his popularity in the capital Kinshasa to build on his wealth and expand into sectors such as mobile phones, air freight and television. A former business associate described the heavy-set Bemba, an imposing 1.90 metres (6 foot 3 inches) tall, as "too impulsive, too authoritarian as a boss. "The social side was not his strong suit," the source added. Even so, nine years after going into exile Bemba continues to enjoy support in Kinshasa, especially among members of his former MLC militia, now a political party. "I feel bitter towards the ICC," MLC member Daddy Kondo told AFP after the verdict, accusing the court of "neocolonialism". Another militia member, Jean Faustin Isenge, dubbed the verdict and sentence "shameful" and added "I no longer believe in this court." - Miniature Mobutu - MLC official and lawmaker Delly Sesanga, who ran Bemba's office while the latter was vice president, labelled the man nicknamed the "chairman" as well as a "miniature Mobutu" as an intelligent leader albeit with an impulsive trait which "can lead to mistakes." Bemba left Kinshasa in 1997 when the late rebel leader Laurent Desire Kabila, father of current President Joseph Kabila, overthrew Mobutu and gave the country its current name. A 1998-2003 war drew foreign armies on rival sides into the vast central African nation with fabulous mineral wealth. Bemba became leader of the Congolese Liberation Movement (MLC) rebels, a 1,500-strong force backed by neighbouring Uganda and opposed to the Kabila regime. - Pride in bush years - Bemba has spoken with pride of his years in the bush, where his men controlled Equateur province and the border region with the Central African Republic. Bemba sent his fighters into CAR in October 2002 to help put down an attempted coup against then president Ange-Felix Patasse, sparking a months-long campaign of horrific abuses by MLC troops against the civilian population. After the Congolese war ended in 2003, Bemba laid down his arms and was awarded one of four vice-presidential posts shared out among wartime rivals in a transitional government. In 2006, he lost a presidential run-off against young soldier Joseph Kabila, who had been rushed to power by politicians after the 2001 assassination of his father. After the poll defeat, Bemba vowed to lead the opposition and was elected to the national Senate. However, he refused to let his militia be integrated into the ranks of the regular army, insisting he needed the MLC to ensure his own safety. In March 2007 an armed stand-off erupted into violence in Kinshasa, claiming at least 300 lives, according to the United Nations. As the government brought charges and the courts began to move against Bemba, he quit the country, ostensibly to seek medical treatment in Portugal. He left Kinshasa escorted by UN armoured vehicles on April 11, 2007. Until his arrest in Brussels in May 2008 on an ICC warrant, Bemba lived between Portugal and Belgium in what he called "forced exile", insisting he would yet return home to take up an opposition role. Bemba denied guilt throughout a trial which began in 2010 and his lawyers said Monday he would appeal the verdict. An explosion in an arms depot in Garabulli, Libya has kileed at least 29 people. By (AFP) 21.06.2016 LISTEN Tripoli (AFP) - An explosion in an arms depot near the Libyan capital killed at least 29 people and wounded dozens of others on Tuesday, security and medical officials said. The blast occurred in Garabulli, a town about 60 kilometres (40 miles) to the east of Tripoli, when gunmen stormed the depot belonging to a militia, a security official said. "Armed men stormed the arms depot which belongs to a militia from Misrata (further east). A blast occurred but the exact causes are still unknown. Maybe the militia had rigged the depot," said the official. A medical source said at least 29 people were killed and dozens wounded. "There are body parts" at the arms depot, he said, adding that the death toll could rise. The security official said the gunmen stormed the warehouse after clashing Tuesday with armed residents of Garabulli who had accused them of stealing from a grocery store. A 20-member trade delegation from Ghana concluded a week-long visit on Friday to the Netherlands to explore opportunities for business and cooperation in food & beverage processing and agricultural inputs. The mission was led by the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) and Ghana Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI), supplemented by members of GhanaVeg. GhanaVeg is a programme funded by the Netherlands Embassy with the aim of establishing a sustainable and internationally competitive vegetable sector in Ghana that contributes to inclusive economic growth. The goal of the trade mission was to promote cooperation, investment and exchange knowledge between Ghanaian and Dutch entrepreneurs, and to build the capacity of AGI and GCCI and its members in these sectors. The Netherlands is the second largest exporter of agri-food worldwide, exporting 65 billion euros worth of vegetables, fruit, flowers, meat and dairy products each year. According to the Ghana Investment Promotion Center (GIPC) the Netherlands was the largest investor in Ghana in the first quarter of 2016. The delegation visited a wide range of companies in the Netherlands active in different sectors: poultry farming, fruit and vegetable growers, dairy and oil seeds producers. The program was complemented with matchmaking, a visits to the GreenTech fair in Amsterdam and business networking events. The trade mission followed an earlier mission last year with GCCI to the Netherlands on agriculture, infrastructure and textiles. The Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Ghana, H.E. Hans Docter said the trade mission is another example of how the Netherlands and Ghana are literally growing together. The mission complements the Embassys efforts on private sector development in Ghanas agricultural sector. The trade mission was commissioned by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) and implemented by the Ghana Netherlands Business & Culture Council (GNBCC), the Netherlands Africa Business Council (NABC) and Dutch employers organization FME. GCCI was established with the prime objective of promoting industrial and commercial interest in Ghana and business operators, firms and industries with interests spanning every sector of private enterprise in the country. As a business association, AGI represents over 1,200 members and aims to create a supportive and competitive business climate that will make Ghanaian companies internationally competitive. Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com you are here: business See orders worth Rs 5,000-7,000 cr in 2 quarters: L&T Defence FII fund flows have always been petty in India, being nowhere close to a significant sum because of the controlled regime. We need defence modernisation and opening doors to FIIs will help us get more such technology, says JD Patil of L&T Defence, in an interview to CNBC-TV18. business YC Deveshwar to give up executive role at ITC from Feb 2017 Yogesh Chander Deveshwar, India's longest-serving, most-recognized and highest-paid CEO, is set to step down from executive role from February 2017, after which he will stay on as Non-Executive Chairman. business Stocks in focus: Aviation, Tata Communication, Yes Bank Some of the stocks that should be on your radar are: Jet Airways, SpiceJet, Interglobe Aviation, Tata Communications, Dish TV India, Den Networks, Hathway Cable and Datacom, Siti Cable Network, Yes Bank, Voltas, Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services. business Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, Eicher Motors favourite stocks: IIFL Sanjiv Bhasin of IIFL is of the view that Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, Eicher Motors and Shriram Transport are the favourite stocks. Earlier this month, a 17-year-old Chicago teen diagnosed non-Hodgkins Lymphoma last summer was granted his wish by the Make-A-Wish Foundation to tour Specialized Bicycle Components headquarters in Morgan Hill. Going to the Specialized HQ was like heaven, being surrounded by some of the best bikes in the world was just incredible, said Graham, who enjoys riding his road bike with friends from Higher Gear in Chicago. At the request of his parents, only his first name is being published. We were presented with an opportunity, through Make-A-Wish Foundation, to make a wish come true, explained Katie Sue Gruener of Specialized. Grahams wish was to visit Specialized HQ to check out our research and development facilities and get a custom S-Works Tarmac. He also asked for his sister, Quincy, to join the trip with him. The two Midwesterners came June 8 to make his dream a reality, Gruener shared. The special visitors toured the different areas of the company and Graham was treated to a one of a kind custom Tarmac, that he designed himself. He took the bike out for a lunch ride with the crew and hit the roads of Morgan Hill. We are honored and humbled for the opportunity to do this, Gruener said. Poultry contract meeting slated COLUMBUS -- Two national experts on poultry contracts and the poultry industry will make presentations and answer questions from participants at an informational meeting from noon-2 p.m. today at Columbus Public Library. The meeting was scheduled in response to the proposed construction of a Costco-owned chicken processing plant in Nebraska. This meeting is free and open to the public, and food will be provided. RSVP to 402-936-4870. Tip Night to help scouts COLUMBUS -- A Tip Night to help Boy Scout Troop 212 is scheduled for 5-8 p.m. Wednesday at Pizza Ranch, 2266 33rd Ave. Ten percent of sales and all tips during that time will go to help members of the troop attend the High Adventure Camp. Sheriff's office part of Click It COLUMBUS -- The Platte County Sheriffs Office participated in the nationwide Click It or Ticket safety belt enforcement campaign held over the Memorial Day period from May 23-June 5. Deputies worked overtime during the time period in high-traffic areas with the main focus on safety belt enforcement from traffic violations. A total of 62 citations were issued for various traffic violations such as speeding, traffic signal violations, stop sign violations, vehicle registration and vehicle insurance violations along with seat belt and child restraint violations. Arrests were also made for drunk driving and driving under revocation or suspension violations. A total of 243 warning/violation cards were issued during the time period. A usage survey was conducted prior to the enforcement and again after the enforcement period. The results showed a 5 percent increase in seat belt usage. The sheriffs office was awarded an overtime grant from the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety to fund the enforcement effort. New exhibit at Platte gallery COLUMBUS -- A new exhibit from 12 area artists is on display through August at the Platte River Gallery on the lower level of Columbus Public Library. Jean Danforth has mixed media exhibit in the glass case called Steampunk, Season 2 with original custom memory/scrapbooks and artwork. Other exhibiting Columbus Area Artists with original two-dimensional artworks are: Christine Bartek, Jim Davis, Donna Dubsky, Doris Hicks, Elizabeth Hicks, Lauralyn Pilakowski, Barb Pokorny, Jody Priester, Rod Supencheck, Amy Tomaseviz and Patrice Wielgus. Works include acrylic, collage, oil, watercolor, pastel, ink, photography and mixed media with a focus on preserving a bit of the past for the present, as well as what is current, contemporary or abstracted. The Platte River Gallery is open during regular library hours. Morningstar's "Perspectives" series features investment insights from third-party contributors. We hear from Stuart Mitchell, manager of the SWMC European Fund. We have sourced many of our most profitable investment ideas over the years from esoteric areas of the market. Often these opportunities are poorly researched by the investment community. We are witnessing one such opportunity currently in Dassault Aviation, the manufacturer of the Rafale fighter aircraft and private jets. These are not usually mainstream investment industries and the company is barely known. While Dassault Aviation has been publicly quoted for 27 years, the free float remains small; rising from 2% to 14% when in 2015 Airbus began to dispose of its investment as part of its wider refocusing. The free float should rise to 38% by the end of 2017, as Airbus fully disposes of its holding. This might encourage the fund management industry to begin paying closer attention. The company has the lustre of being 56% owned by the Dassault family, who have a justified reputation as long-term creators of value. We have profited from investing in Dassault Systemes, the world leading 3D technology group, which is 41% owned by the Dassault family. Dassault Aviation boasts consistently impressive returns on capital over many years. Accounting is conservative with R&D expensed through the P&L while the company has a very strong balance sheet, holding some 2.5 billion net cash. The Need for Speed The Rafale has an unusual history. In the late 1970s the French, British, German, Italian and Spanish governments joined forces to develop a European jet fighter known as the Eurofighter. The French government, however, broke away from the project in 1981 following disagreements over workshare and more importantly specifications. The first demonstration aircraft of what would become the Rafale was developed by Dassault Aviation, Thales and Safran in 1986. This was soon followed by an order from the French government in 1988, and the first Rafale entered service in 2001. The Eurofighter was designed in the depths of the cold war to out-manoeuvre Russian aircraft in a dogfight. The likelihood of such aerobatics has greatly receded in recent times. By contrast, the Rafale has the advantage of being able to fly at very high speeds at low altitude. This is what has made the Rafale uniquely well-suited to the low-level bombing typical of recent warfare in Afghanistan, Libya, Mali, Iraq and Syria. The Eurofighter has been relegated to the role of a support aircraft. The Rafale has the added advantage of being able to carry more bombs. The Rafale also has the advantage in some eyes of not being American. The echoes of General de Gaulles troisieme voie continue to reverberate. This seems to have resulted in the announcement of a significant number of new orders from India, Egypt, and Qatar over the past 18 months. There remains the possibility of further domestic orders from countries such as Malaysia and the UAE. Recovery of Private Jets Getting to grips with the private jet side of the business has been equally fascinating. Dassaults business jet profits are currently depressed by unusually high R&D spending, 13% of sales versus 8% on average, as it prepares to launch a new range of jets focused on the more profitable large-cabin market. This has coincided with a cyclical low in the private jets following the crisis. However, jet orders have begun to recover again rising from 64 in 2013 to 90 in 2014. Disclaimer The views contained herein are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of Morningstar. If you are interested in Morningstar featuring your content on our website, please email submissions to UKEditorial@morningstar.com Shares in Volkswagen (VOW3) posted sharp gains on Monday, rising by 5.5%, after the beleaguered car manufacturer was reported to be making progress on a $10 billion settlement in the US, after it admitted cheating on diesel emission tests last year. This settlement expected by the end of this month - could see it fix half a million emission-cheating cars, or get them off US roads, even though the regulators have yet to approve the proposed fixes. Citing unnamed sources, Bloomberg said it has learned that Volkswagen, Europes largest automotive manufacturer, plans to set aside $6.5 billion to cover compensation for car owners and $3.5 billion for the US government and California regulators. Part of the deal also includes an option for car owners to request their vehicles be repaired, however that would not guarantee an approved fix, according to same sources. Lawyers for Volkswagen are due to submit the proposed deal to the San Francisco federal judge overseeing US lawsuits by June 28. In September 2015, Volkswagen admitted that it was cheating in emission tests by making its cars appear far less polluting than they were, affecting 11 million diesel-engine cars worldwide. The scandal has cast a shadow over the whole market for diesel cars. German car giant Daimler also started an internal investigation into emission testing in April this year. Volkswagen is scheduled to meet its shareholders at its annual meeting on 22 June. The meeting is expected to be dominated by discussion of this emission scandal and subsequent compensation claims. Global Auto Shares Up Volkswagen isnt the only car manufacture to post gains on Monday, following this news. While Volkswagen gained 5.5% to 124.75p at the closing time on Monday, Daimler (DAI) shares were up 4.5% - to 58.35p. Shares of Bayerische Motoren Werke (BMW) increased 4.7% to 72.34p, Renault (RNO) gained 3.5% to 78.87p, and Peugeot (UG) gained 4.2% to 13.7p. Volkswagen Scandal a Buying Opportunity for Long-Term Investors This emissions-scandal, which emerged nine months ago has caused shares in many car manufacturers to tumble. This follows uncertainty among investors about what the final compensation costs may be, but this could create a buying opportunity for some investors. Shares in Volkswagen are currently trading at a discount, according to Morningstar analyst Richard Hilgert. Therefore he rated the stock as an undervalued stock with a four-star rating. The risk that the company is constantly making news headlines for the wrong reasons creates near-term stock price volatility, Hilgert said. However, this creates an opportunity for long-term investors willing to accept higher risk, he added. He is confident with the degree of financial flexibility Volkswagen has to deal with the inevitable fines and compensation - provided there are no additional surprises from the emission scandal. With an enviable portfolio of brands, a bevy of new and redesigned model introductions, and leading shares in many of the world's markets, as well as a healthy pile of cash, we think Volkswagen is well buffered to endure potentially substantial fines and judgements, Hilgert said. Volkswagens global automotive strategy also successfully reduces the company's dependence on domestic volume by diversifying geographical and profitable operations. A broad array of brands, serving multiple segments, reduces reliance on any one vehicle category, according to Hilgert. Recovering European Auto Demand Improves Dividend Payouts European auto demand is in recovery, therefore Hilgert expects Daimler, the owner of the Mercedes-Benz brand, to average relatively higher free cash flow over our five-year explicit forecast period, which should support an improvement in dividend payouts to shareholders. Another automotive manufacturer BMW also benefits from the recovery of demand in Europe, offsetting weak demand in some developing markets. Owing to an ingrained culture that obsesses over the details that the company's customers demand, Hilgert thinks BMW will continue to successfully manage its brand images, ranging from premium-priced BMW motorcycles and Mini Cooper passenger cars, to luxury BMW passenger cars and ultra-luxury of its Rolls-Royce brand. This should lead to economic value creation for investors, he said. Investors are paid a small dividend, which Morningstar analysts think is likely to increase, given the company's solid cash flow and dividend payout history. Both stocks are currently trading a discount, rating as undervalued stocks by Morningstar analysts with a four-star rating. Nicolas Walewski, manager of Silver Rated Alken European Opportunities and Bronze Rated Alken Absolute Return Europe funds says that the automotive sector has been one of the poorest performers in Europe this year; however he said he believes the industry offers compelling value for investors. He said the industry could benefit from a rally in oil prices, renewed innovation which has seen significant increases in R&D and a more global approach: The market is currently fixated on the environment for US manufacturers, investors need to realise the auto market is not just the US it is global. The US constitutes 18 million cars, out of a global market of about 73 million. He added: It is true volumes in the US have probably peaked. this landscape may not be positive for a US-dominant manufacturer such as Ford (F), this is a strong tailwind for the likes of Peugeot and Renault, as well as major automotive supplier Valeo (FR). An independent panel of experts is calling for syndicated mortgages to be regulated in the same manner as securities.The government should require that documents issued to raise capital for syndicated mortgage investments be subject to the same level of regulation as the securities regulator applies to other offering documents used to raise capital in the province, a FSCO report, entitled Review of the Mandates of the Financial Services Commission of Ontario, Financial Services Tribunal, and the Deposit Insurance Corporation of Ontario, says.The report features the findings of panel members George Cooke, former president and CEO of The Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company, James Daw, former Toronto Star personal finance columnist, and lawyer Lawrence Ritchie.The three were appointed by the Minister of Finance in 2015 to review three agencies; the Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO), the Financial Services Tribunal (FST), and the Deposit Insurance Corporation of Ontario (DICO).They released their findings -- which include the recommendations for syndicated mortgage regulation -- in the 92 page report, which can be accessed here During our review, we became concerned with what appears to be a regulatory gap regarding syndicated mortgages, the report says. All companies involved in raising money for property development through the sale of syndicated mortgages to small investors should be actively monitored to ensure compliance with relevant legislation and regulations in a manner that is consistent with the level of oversight and scrutiny applied by securities regulators.Due to the complexities of syndicated mortgages, the report reads, regulation would be best handled by the securities regulator.This would best ensure a consistent application of disclosure requirements across products and investments seen by investors as comparable, the report says.The recommendation comes on the heels of growing calls from many industry professions for more stringent regulation for these increasingly popular investments. The apparently contradictory trend is potentially being driven by families switching from two cars to one and buying a single larger, all-purpose vehicle as a result, said Startline Motor Finance Chief Executive Paul Burgess. He said: Our latest Tracker shows that 23% of families have already or are planning to sell one of the cars they run because of their personal finances, something that is backed up by anecdotal evidence that we are hearing. A quarter or more of respondents in the CFPBs Office of Consumer Response and Supervision, Enforcement and Fair Lending Division said theyd been discriminated against. A third of respondents said they didnt believe success at the agency was passed more on merit than favoritism. Those results were even higher among black employees (41%) and female employees (37%). 71% of survey respondents whod filed an Equal Employment Opportunity complaint said they didnt feel that the CFPB management made a good-faith effort to resolve the complaint informally. Several employees cited cases in which a complainants privacy was violated when managers, the EEO office or the Office of Human Capital shared private information with people without a need to know about the complaint. About half of those who had experience with the EEO process said the CFPBs Office of Civil Rights was not a neutral party free of conflicting interests. 27% said they didnt think employees felt comfortable raising concerns or disagreeing with superiors without fear of reprisal. 28% didnt have confidence they could pursue a complaint without fear of reprisal. About 9% said they had personally been retaliated against. About 10% said they had personally observed retaliation against another employee. Nearly a quarter said that managers were not held accountable for how they handled employees. That number was even higher in the Office of Consumer Response (33%) the Office of Human Capital (49%) and the SEFL division where 52% of employees said their managers faced no accountability. Recently released findings from the Government Accountability Office paint a grim picture of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureaus workplace culture.The CFPB hasfor what employees and former employees described as a pervasive culture of discrimination and retaliation. In March of last year, the Inspector General of the Federal Reserve audited the agency and made 17 recommendations related to diversity and inclusion. According to the GAO report, the CFPB has failed to complete seven of them. And the results of a GAO survey of CFPB employees found heightened concerns related to fair treatment, trust that employees can raise concerns without fear of reprisal, confidence in complaint processes, and other matters, the watchdog reported.The survey seems to indicate that a culture of discrimination is still a problem at the agency. Nearly one in five employees said they had been discriminated against, and a quarter of black, Asian and female employees surveyed said they had been victims of workplace discrimination at the CFPB.Among the reports other findings:House Financial Services Committee chair Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) has long criticized the CFPB. In 2014, his committee held hearings in which several CFPB employees and former employees testified that they had experienced discrimination and retaliation. After the release of the GAO report, Hensarling blamed CFPB Director Richard Cordray for allowing a culture of discrimination to continue at the agency.This report from the nonpartisan GAO confirms that there are serious problems of discrimination and retaliation by managers against employees at the CFPB. This is exactly what multiple whistleblowers told our committee, Hensarling said Tuesday. Only one man has the power to fix this immediately, and thats Richard Cordray.Hensarling accused Cordray of making at best, half-hearted attempts to deal with the issues raised by the report.For at least three years, Mr. Cordray has been presented time and again with evidence that CFPB managers discriminate and retaliate against his employees from a report the CFPB commissioned in 2013, from whistleblowers, from Congress, from the Federal Reserves Inspector General and now from the Government Accountability Office, Hensarling said. Why havent heads rolled? Instead of trying to sweep this offensive behavior under the rug, why hasnt Richard Cordray called someone on the carpet? How can employees expect this to stop if no one in management is going to be held accountable?There is an alarming lack of accountability at the CFPB, he continued. And thats got to change. Cornell Thomas, 38, was arrested at approximately 3 a.m. June 18 on a charge of possession of cocaine, a state jail felony. Oscar Towns, 57, was arrested on a charge of possession of methamphetamine, a third-degree, theft of property (warrant), a state jail felony. Sean Balsom, 23, was arrested on a charge of possession of methamphetamine, a state jail felony. Ruben Dario Carrasco, 19, was arrested for on a charge of fraudulent use or possession of identifying information, a state jail felony. Jasper Joe Pence, 37, was arrested at approximately 4 p.m. June 17 on a charge of aggravated assault against a public servant -- going off bond (warrant), a first-degree felony. Bryant Ramirez, 32, was arrested at approximately 6 a.m. June 17 on a charge of possession of methamphetamine, a state jail felony. John Scott Roghair, 23, was arrested at approximately 2 p.m. June 17 on a charge of theft of property with at least two previous convictions (warrant), a state jail felony. Christopher Michael Cross, 32, was arrested at approximately 8 p.m. June 16 on a charge of possession of methamphetamine, a state jail felony. Derian Marquis Anguiano, 21, was arrested at 9:15 a.m. June 17 on a charge of possession of cocaine, a third-degree felony. Mark James Larizza, 23, was arrested at 7:30 p.m. June 16 on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon (family violence), a first-degree felony. Note: Places of residence were not listed and in some cases, arrest date was not listed. --- Source: Odessa Police Department WASHINGTON (AP) A divided Senate rejected rival plans to bolster the federal background check system and moved toward blocking other proposed curbs on guns Monday, eight days after the horror of Orlando's mass shooting intensified pressure on lawmakers to act but knotted them in election-year gridlock anyway even over restricting firearms for terrorists. Each party offered a proposal it said would keep terrorists from obtaining firearms and a second shoring up the existing system of background checks for gun purchases. With the Senate visitors' galleries unusually crowded for a Monday evening, lawmakers voted 53-47 for the Republican background check plan and 44-56 for the Democratic version both short of the 60 needed to move ahead. The two competing measures for keeping firearms from terrorists also faced defeat along mostly party lines, with each side accusing the other of dangerous political grandstanding and inflexibility. Democrats said the GOP proposals were unacceptably weak while Republicans faulted the Democrats' plans as overly restrictive. The proposals' gloomy fates underscored the pressure on each party to give little ground on the emotional gun issue going into November's presidential and congressional elections. It also highlighted the potency of the National Rifle Association, which was urging its huge and fiercely loyal membership to lobby senators to oppose the Democratic bills. "Republicans should be embarrassed, but they're not," said Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. "Republicans need to put the lives of innocent Americans ahead of the NRA." Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the Orlando shootings in which the FBI says the American-born gunman swore allegiance to a leader of the Islamic State extremist group show the best way to prevent attacks by extremists is to defeat such groups overseas. "Look, no one wants terrorists to be able to buy guns or explosives," McConnell said. He suggested that Democrats were using the day's votes "as an opportunity to push a partisan agenda or craft the next 30-second campaign ad," while Republicans wanted "real solutions." That Monday's four roll-call votes were occurring at all was testament to the political currents buffeting lawmakers after gunman Omar Mateen's June 12 attack on a gay nightclub. The 49 victims who died made it the largest mass shooting in recent U.S. history, topping the string of such incidents that have punctuated recent years. The FBI said Matteen a focus of two terror investigations that were dropped described himself as an Islamic soldier in a 911 call during the shootings. That let gun control advocates add national security and the specter of terrorism to their arguments for firearms curbs. Gun control groups were also working the issue, with relatives of victims of past mass shootings and others visiting lawmakers and watching the day's debate from the visitors' galleries. GOP senators facing re-election this fall from swing states were under extraordinary pressure. One, Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., said Monday she would vote for the Democratic measure to block gun sales to terrorists, a switch from when she joined most Republicans in killing a similar plan last December. She said that vote plus her support for a rival GOP measure would help move lawmakers toward approving a narrower bipartisan plan, like one being crafted by Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. Monday's votes came after Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., led a near 15-hour filibuster last week demanding a Senate response to the Orlando killings. Murphy entered the Senate shortly after the December 2012 massacre of 20 first-graders and six educators in Newtown, Connecticut, but that slaughter and others have failed to spur Congress to tighten gun curbs. The last were enacted in 2007, when the background check system was strengthened after that year's mass shooting at Virginia Tech. Because of Mateen's self-professed loyalty to extremist groups and his 10-month inclusion on a federal terrorism watch list, proposals aimed at blocking terrorists from getting guns were in the spotlight. One proposal by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., would let the government block many gun sales to known or suspected terrorists. People buying firearms from federally licensed gun dealers can currently be denied for several reasons, chiefly for serious crimes or mental problems. There is no specific prohibition for those on the terrorist watch list, which updated government figures showed currently contains around 1 million people including fewer than 5,000 Americans or legal permanent residents. No background checks are required for anyone buying guns privately online or at gun shows. The GOP response to Feinstein was an NRA-backed plan by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. It would let the government deny a sale to a known or suspected terrorist but only if prosecutors could convince a judge within three days that the would-be buyer was involved in terrorism. The Feinstein and Cornyn amendments would require notification of law enforcement officials if people, like Mateen, who'd been under a terrorism investigation within the past five years were seeking to buy firearms. Republicans said Feinstein's proposal gave the government too much unfettered power to deny people's constitutional right to own a gun. They also noted that the terrorist watch list has historically mistakenly included people. Democrats said the three-day window that Cornyn's measure gave prosecutors to prove their case made his plan ineffective. The Senate rejected similar plans Feinstein and Cornyn proposed last December, a day after an attack in San Bernardino, California, killed 14 people. Murphy's rejected proposal would widely expand the requirement for background checks, even to many private gun transactions, leaving few loopholes. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, defeated plan increased money for the background check system. Like Murphy's measure, it prodded states to send more records to the FBI, which operates the background check system, of felons and others barred from buying guns. Grassley's proposal also revamped language prohibiting some people with mental health issues from buying agun. Democrats claimed that language would roll back current protections. Separately, Collins was laboring to fashion a bipartisan bill that would prevent people on the no-fly list with just 81,000 names from getting guns. There were no signs Monday that it was getting wide support or would receive a vote. AUSTIN, Texas (AP) A third federal lawsuit filed against Baylor University accuses the Waco, Texas-based school of creating a "hunting ground for sexual predators." A former Baylor student identified as Jane Doe says in the lawsuit filed Monday that she was drugged and abducted from an off-campus residence dubbed "The Rugby House" in February 2015. The lawsuit says when her family notified Baylor officials, they were told the school was aware of several reported assaults there, but investigators dropped all communication with the woman, who dropped out. Baylor officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The other lawsuit say the school was indifferent to rape claims and didn't enforce federal gender discrimination protections. Former school president Ken Starr was demoted in May after a report found Baylor mishandled rape allegations for years. The place where generations of Texans danced and celebrated is a "total loss" after a firefighters worked Sunday night into Monday, battling a fire at Fredericksburg's historic Turner Hall, officials said. Area firefighters responded to a call at the location, hailed by residents as "the best dance floor in Gillespie County," around 10:45 p.m. Sunday, according to a news release issued by the City of Fredricksburg. When crews arrived at the venue at 103 West Travis Street, the building was already engulfed in flames. Crews fought the fire until about 5 a.m. The building is considered a "total loss," the city said in a news release. An investigation into the fire is being conducting by the state's fire marshal's office, Public Information Officer Jerry Hagins told mySA.com on Tuesday, but added that emerging details on the origin and cause of the blaze may "take a while." According to Austin-based ABC affiliate, KVUE, no injuries were reported in the fire. The hall was established in 1871 as the "Fredericksburg Social Turnverein." It originally served as a gymnastics school and 9-pin bowling alley. Turner Hall was deemed as one of the only six remaining Turnvereins in Texas, according to the release. Lt. Terry Weed of the Fredericksburg Police Department's Criminal Investigations Division told the Fredericksburg Standard that the marshal's office is looking for surveillance footage, but "there is nothing as yet to suggest criminal activity." mmendoza@mysa.com Twitter: @MaddySkye COLUMBUS At this months Mens NetWork meeting at Peace Lutheran Church, the topic of discussion was disasters, natural and otherwise. After watching an introductory video on the topic, one of the dozen men seated around a table shared a story about a time when he was stuck in a blizzard on the side of the road and how the people who lived nearby helped him. NetWork chairman Norman Hoppmann asked the man what he learned from that experience. If anyones in a situation like I was in, I will try to find a way to help them the way those people helped me, he said. Mens NetWork is one of several organizations under the Lutheran Laymens League. Although Peace Lutheran has had the Lutheran Womens Missionary League for decades, its Mens NetWork group is only about two years old. I feel its very much needed in our society, Hoppmann said. Its to encourage men to be very much involved with their family and the children and with the church. Hoppmann said our society pushes men to focus on work and making money instead of spending time with their family. Even though men are attuned to being the money-maker, they have a role in the family, Hoppmann said. That is what I think society has pushed them into. The bigger society is more interested in making money. The group gives men a place where they can discuss their lives, struggles and spirituality. It's really to help the men of the family to become involved in the process of bringing up the family and being what they were designed to be by God in the first place, Hoppmann said. Ive seen where the role of men in the family too often has been negated and pushed to the background, all in the meaning of being macho or something, but not being a good father and role model, he said. As well as their monthly meetings and Bible study, the group has gotten involved in a number of community projects. Were trying to reach out to do more for the community, said Virgil Gellerman, the groups ambassador. We try to have a group that does positive stuff. Theyve collected clothes and other necessities for the Orphan Grain Train. On April 30, which was national Mens NetWork work day, the local group repaired picnic tables at Glur Park. Theyre in the planning stage of refurbishing cabins at Camp Luther. Gellerman said on average 15-20 men join their regular meetings, but more join the service days. Some of us older folks cant quite do the physical stuff, but they do the planning and the younger guys do the work, Gellerman said. The Mens NetWork meets on the third Monday of the month at 7 p.m. at Peace Lutheran Church. Next MD Issue - Kai Greene's No-Holds Barred Interview Written by Steve Blechman 21 June 2016 Next MD Issue - Kai Greene's No-Holds Barred Interview Kai Greene is one of the most mysterious competitors to emerge on the bodybuilding landscape in years. The three-time Arnold Classic champion and three-time runner-up at the Mr. Olympia has known the extremes of professional glory and personal darkness. Much has been written about Kai Greene, and posted online, but rarely has the treatment done justice to one of the greatest bodybuilders of our time. Sitting down with Kai Greene, and getting to know the man behind the power and his passion, is a job worthy of an equally legendary man bodybuildings premier historian, Peter McGough. This Is Who I Am, Peters exclusive and raw interview, explores Kai Greenes journey from childhood to Arnold, to his confrontation with Phil Heath, and the events that molded him into a modern-day legend. Speaking of the reigning five-time Mr. Olympia, Phil Heath, he has massive delts and arms that are simply at a level most of his fellow pros can only dream of. Like Phil, Roelly Winklaar has huge, round, delts that literally set him apart from the rest of the pros. In Dutch Demolition Man! Roelly The Beast Winklaar Blasts His Massive Delts. Roelly gives us his tips for building the boulder shoulders that have earned him his moniker. Dallas McCarver and Matt Jensen are two hardworking young Southerners who represent a new generation of bodybuilders rising in the industry. In Killer Collaboration! Dallas McCarver and Matt Jansen Prep for the Chicago Pro. MDs Ron Harris talks with them to learn more about their methods and their mental approach to becoming a better pro bodybuilder. One rule, as Dallas put it: Bust your ass and lift heavy, every day. Every time we set foot in the weight room, thats the goal. In the June issue of MD, we went back over the last decade and shared 50 training tips from a wide range of pro bodybuilders who have all been part of Team MD. The response was overwhelmingly positive, and there were inquiries as to whether we could possibly do the same thing with nutrition tips. Since nutrition is equally if not more critical toward your ultimate success in reaching your personal physique goals, we would be remiss if we didnt. In 50 Nutrition Secrets of the Pros. Ron Harris serves up a veritable smorgasbord of nutritional knowledge, straight from some of the best bodybuilders in the sport, past and present. Muscular Development is your number-one source for building muscle, and for the latest research and best science to enable you to train smart and effectively. Our team of physicians, industry experts and research scientists has these reports on improving performance this month: - Fat Attack - The Demise of Ephedrine and Rise of p-synephrine - Nutrition Performance - Vitamin D3 Boosts the Muscle-Building Effect of Leucine - Supplement Performance - Leucine Versus Mixture of Branched-Chain Amino Acids (Leucine, Isoleucine, Valine) - Muscle Growth Update - Low-Load, Slow-Movement Squat Training: Increases Muscle Size and Strength, But Not Power - The M.A.X. Muscle Plan - Does Altering Foot Position Target Different Areas of the Calf Muscles? - Testosterone - T-Killers: Pro and Negative Testosterone Factors - Bodybuilding Science - Are Hexagonal Bar Deadlifts Better Than Barbell Deadlifts? The rest of the book is packed to the binder as usual making MD your one-stop, most authoritative source for optimizing muscular development with the latest cutting-edge research on training, nutrition, fat loss, performance-enhancing drugs, muscle growth and bodybuilding science and exclusive information from the industry experts, insiders and bodybuilding legends who make it all happen. See you next month! SUBSCRIBE TO MD PRINT OR DIGITAL DISCUSS THIS EDITION ON THE MD FORUM Speaker is totally wrong in his ... Microphone and US Flag View Photos Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers delivered this weeks Republican address, talking about the GOPs efforts to restore representative government and uphold the Constitution. McMorris was Tuesdays KVML Newsmaker of the Day. Here are her words: We were all shocked and saddened by the tragedy in Orlando last weekend. It was heartbreaking. Its a reminder that, at the end of the day, no matter your background, we are all Americans. And even as we grieve together as a nation, we must remain vigilant to protect the promise of America. Its a promise that everyone here should have the confidence to live free, knowing theyre safe from terror in their own community, and so they can pursue their own dreams. Because in America, we trust people to make the best decisions for themselves. Not a government that decides for you. But today, people are anxious. Were on edge as ISIS makes the world more dangerous. Parents worry about their childrens future. Seniors worry about retirement. Students worry about finding good jobs to pay back their debt. Hard-working families cant understand Washington, D.C.s tangled web of taxes, one-size-fits-all regulations, and arbitrary rules. Were anxious because your voices are not being heard in Congress. Theres a better way to restore representative government and uphold our Constitution, and thats what we rolled out this week. Our goal is to reaffirm that government by the people, speaking through their elected representatives, is the best way to keep us free and safe; protect our liberty; and make sure the promise of America exists for the next generation. Over time, presidents came to legislate by executive orders; courts came to make laws from the bench; and we, Congress, ceded power to the other two branches in order to simplify the lawmaking process. But Congress is the seat of representative democracy. It is here that we the people should make decisions about all laws that will govern us. Not in the basement of the Labor Department. This is not a Republican or Democrat issue; its an American issue. And it touches the very core of who we are. Lets use the power of the purse to make government more accountable to people, so the IRS cant target free speech and the EPA cant regulate mud puddles. Lets do our job of reviewing, rethinking, and possibly eliminating government programs that are running on autopilot without oversight, So agencies like the VA operate their hospitals more like Cleveland Clinics. Lets hold unelected bureaucrats accountable for interfering with the next innovative startup someones creating in a garage or with a scientist working to cure cancer in a lab. Lets make agencies closer to the peoplea government that operates more like Uber and Amazon and less like the DMV. Andmost importantlylets give people a voice through their elected representatives so a 19th century institution can actually solve 21st century problems. Restoring the peoples voice in Congress is not just one part of our Better Way agenda, its the most important part. Unless people are back in the drivers seat, we wont be able to rebuild our military, roll back the red tape, or help our most vulnerable. Because only we, the people know the way to achieve our dreamsnot the government. Thats why freedom is so important. Its about making certain the promise of America is never broken. I hope youll learn more about our plan to restore representative government at www.better.gop. The Newsmaker of the Day is heard every weekday morning on AM 1450 and FM 102.7 KVML at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45 AM. Sacramento Capitol Building View Photos Sacramento, CA Praising Californias diversity, the Dalai Lama says he believes that its people can make a significant contribution to the world. During a Monday afternoon address to a joint session of the California State Legislature that lasted a bit more than 20 minutes, the Tibetan spiritual leader remarked that the many races and cultures in California provide positive potential to create genuine harmony of the different races, different beliefs. He emphasized that, even ahead of religion, proper teaching and learning is key to creating a more thoughtful and compassionate society that cares to take care of each other and the planet. Through this, he says, come sensible solutions, compromise and the path to a happy humanity and genuinely peaceful world. The Dalai Lama, now touring the U.S., visited President Barack Obama at the White House last week and spent some time in southern California before his Sacramento stop. Ahead of his speech he attended a small luncheon with Governor Jerry Brown, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon and Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon. Were all so busy these days that a new way to visit the doctor is becoming popular. Its called tele-medicine. Its fast and convenient, said Mike Gorsage, Tampa General Hospital's senior vice president. You dont have to take three to four hours off from work to get in to see a doctor. Tampa General created a video to show how easy it is to have a virtual doctor visit. The video shows a mom picking up her kids from karate class, when a little girl in the back seat coughs. Ooh, I dont like the sound of that. Lets see what the doctor says, said a mom acting in the TGH video. The mom pulls over and clicks the TGH Virtual Care app on her smart phone. Within a few minutes, shes video chatting with a doctor. How it works TGH is teaming with national tele-health company American Well to provide doctors for the service. Patients download the app through the TGH Virtual Care website, the Apple app store or the Google Play store. Then, you fill out medical information and a credit card number for payment. When a patient logs in, they get access to a virtual waiting room with several doctors seeing patients. Users can check out the doctors' bios and see whether they have other patients waiting. Then, patients pick a doctor to see them. The average wait time to talk to the doctor is less than 10 minutes. Its very similar to a regular doctors visit, said virtual doctor Dr. Shannon Simon. We talk to them first. Then, we perform a physical exam, which is the part thats different. Virtual exam The doctor examines patients through the camera on a phone or computer. If theyre having a rash, I may have them take a picture of the rash, so I can get a better look and they can upload the picture, Simon said. The most commonly treated problems include sinus infections, sore throats, pink eye, flu, cough and more. The virtual doctors are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They can treat minor problems and send a prescription to a patients pharmacy for most things. That does not, however, include controlled substances such as painkillers. Its a real convenient way for patients to receive medical care wherever, Simon said. Not for serious emergencies The virtual doctors are easy and convenient, but theyre not designed to deal with serious emergencies such as a possible broken limb or chest pains. Those are things patients will have to handle the good, old fashioned way: seeing a doctor in person. TGHs Gorsage says its definitely a growing trend in health care. Many organizations, like the Cleveland Clinic, and us, and many others are already using tele-health all over the country, all over the world, Gorsage said. Besides TGH in Tampa, Nemours Childrens Network in Orlando is also participating. For more information on that program, click on this link: Nemours CareConnect: Pediatric Telemedicine. The virtual care visits cost from $39 to $49, depending on the service. Generally, thats out of pocket. Some insurance companies are beginning to cover tele-heath visits, but you should check with your carrier to find out whether you're covered. This week, Interstate 95 will be shut down in both directions overnight because of construction. I-95 will shut down in Daytona Beach overnight on June 21 and June 23 Construction workers are installing beams Detours have been set up for drivers Florida Dept. of Transportation said I-95 will be closed in both directions around the Interstate 4 interchange on Tuesday, June 21 from 10 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. Then, on Thursday, June 23, I-95 will be closed southbound from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Cranes will be staged in the lanes to set beams over the interstate, requiring the shutdown. I-4 will not be affected. Detours have been set up for drivers during both shutdowns. FDOT says the detours will be clearly marked. Northbound I-95 drivers: Exit at Beville Road (SR 400) and take Williamson Boulevard north to International Speedway Boulevard (US 92). Access to I-95 NB will be open. Southbound I-95 drivers: If you are going towards I-4 westbound, get off at International Speedway Boulevard (US 92) and head west to the I-4 westbound on-ramp. If you are going toward Port Orange and beyond, you will get off at International Speedway Boulevard (US 92) and head east to Williamson Boulevard south. Take that to Beville Road (SR 400). Access to I-95 southbound will be available. FDOT is asking travelers in these areas to slow down, watch and follow detour signs through the construction zones. DETOUR MAP Click the markers to find the start points for your detour. In light of the Pulse nightclub massacre, a non-profit with a message of solidarity is rising from the darkness. Local DJ starting group to focus community against discrimination Miguel Garcia De Quevedo has held fundraising events for Pulse victims Wants to make sure community unity lasts Miguel Garcia De Quevedo, 23, is a local DJ who has a passion for music and humanity. "It is clear that Orlando has no issue with who you are, what you believe in, who you choose to love, Garcia De Quevedo said. And I feel like that should be something monumental to this city." He's held a number of fundraising events like a live stream with more than 30 DJ's across the state to raise funds for the 49 victims of the attack. He started a Facebook page called Orlando United Against Hate, a central hub for information related to community efforts. Now it's a website: OrlandoUnitedAgainstHate.com and he wants to make it a non-profit. The organization will be focused on bringing the community together against discrimination and other important causes that affect this generation. "We are going to be establishing more events for everybody from all walks of life to be able to attend and participate, that way the community can get a full interaction with everybody," he said. Garcia De Quevedo says there should be no tolerance for hateful thoughts, hateful language or hateful actions. "We need something that's going to unite all of us, he said, And bring us all together and not let tragedies be the only thing that brings us all together." Right now there are many events and fundraisers in place to aid the community but as time passes hes afraid people will forget. This is why he wants to create something that wont fade away, he says. One of the heartwarming sights in the aftermath of the Pulse attack was the hundreds of people lined up to give blood. A week later those lines are gone. However, One Blood says the need for donated blood still remains. Need for blood donations remains, OneBlood says OneBlood collected 30,000 units of blood, has distributed about half 1 survivor of the attack needed at least 200 pints alone Like all of Orlando I was horrified by what happened last Sunday, said Leslie Wolcott. Wolcott came the Sunday of the attack to give blood, but the lines were so long then she wasnt able to donate and had to make an appointment for a week later. On Monday, she finally got to donate. My husband and I made appointments last Sunday, and Orlandos so great, this is the first time weve been able to get in to give blood. So Orlandos a really good place despite a really bad thing happening, said Wolcott. OneBlood says in the week following the Pulse shooting, it has collected nearly 30,000 units of blood from donors throughout Florida and the southeastern part of the United States. It has already distributed about half that. In fact, OneBlood says one of the Pulse nightclub shooting victims has received at least 200 pints of blood. That means the donations from more than 200 people have helped keep that victim alive. Herb Voyles also donated blood. Im happy there was a large response to this because if there wasnt, that victim might have already passed away, said Voyles. Voyles has returned to the One Blood donation center off West Michigan Street in Orlando just about every day since the Pulse shooting to volunteer, by handing out water, juice or whatever blood donors need to be comfortable. OneBlood says the best thing for people to do now is make an appointment to donate. While first-time donors are up 40 percent and donations are still coming in, the long lines are gone, and they worry donations will fall off later this summer. Wolcott says donating was the least she could do to help the victims. I think like any people, you struggle with not being able to do enough. But its nice to be able to do something, said Wolcott. You can call 1-888-936-6283 to find a OneBlood center near you. You can also visit the OneBlood website at www.oneblood.org/donate-now and put in your zip code to find a donation center. On Monday, friends and family gathered at Lake Eola to remember Eddie Justice, one of the 49 killed in the Pulse nightclub attack. His best friend, Demetrice Naulings, was inside the club the night of the shooting and managed to escape. Demetrice Naulings was in Pulse nightclub during the shooting He made it out alive, but his friend Eddie Justice was killed This will always be my best friend, Naulings said. Justice was killed on a night that was supposed to be memorable. Going to the club to have a good time, he said. Now he is haunted by the sights and sounds of a massacre. That night, the lights went out and the music stopped and you could hear the screams, the helps, Naulings said. You know it hurts you when you cant help someone and youre free and you know theyre in danger. He said he was able to escape through a back door into an alleyway. He later found out that his friend Eddie was held hostage, trapped in a bathroom. The last text message his mom got from him is that 'I dont want to die here,' Naulings said. Surrounded by family and friends at Lake Eola, Naulings said he wants to do more with his life, knowing that he was lucky enough to survive. My heart still weighs heavy to know what he has been through, because it is a tragedy for what hes endured, his mother Tripholia Moreland said. To honor the memory of Eddie Justice and all of the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting, notes were written on heart-shaped cut-outs to be sent into the sky with a balloon release. I will always love this person, Naulings said. Jarvis Wheeler is determined to ensure his Pine Hills students succeed. Teacher Jarvis Wheeler runs The Hub The Hub is a mentoring and social services program at Evans High Wheeler graduated from Evans and returned to give back He runs The Hub, a program of social services, mentoring and overseeing activities for students at Evans High School. I wanted to come back and make that difference and be that person that that student can say, You know what, Mr. Wheeler helped me; he supported me, said Wheeler, a News 13 Everyday Hero. Were doing things here at Evans in Pine Hills that no other school, no other community, is doing, he said. Now that the students have it here in their backyard, it definitely helps out not only with education but accessibility. Wheeler went to the school himself, admitting at the time that the school wasnt the most positive place to be. He attended Florida State University, then onto graduate school, majoring in social work and public administration. I knew I probably couldnt do much with my generation, but I could come back home and help out the next generation, he said. The 28-year-old dad then returned to Evans to do his part. I came back home, Wheeler said. I knew I wanted to come back home, work with youth. I love high school because you can be a little more transparent and help them with real-world issues. In May, Wheeler watched a group of all-male students graduate, who hed been assisting since ninth grade. Each was accepted into a four-year college or university. Its all about helping our borderline students be more prepared for college, Wheeler said. When youre about helping people, the names may change but the mission never changes. The Hub Directors enthusiasm and focus has rubbed off on his colleagues as well. Just being in his presence is very electrifying, very energizing, said Curtesa Vanderpool, the Hubs assistant director. He just makes you want to be a better person. When youre a kid, you dont really focus on seeing your surroundings like that. I think my mother really kept me structured and had my priorities in place, Wheeler said. Knowing that I come here every single day to be a service for our students, its what gets me up. GET OUR APP Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. Download it here. Sen. Bill Nelson joined a bipartisan group to unveil a new measure to stop people on terror watch lists from buying a gun, one day after the U.S. Senate rejected four measures on gun control. Bipartisan group promotes compromise "If you are too dangerous to fly on an airplane, you're too dangerous to buy a gun" Includes an appeals process that should take care of constitutional concerns Notifies the FBI if someone who was on the list in the last 5 years buys a gun Nelson, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine and others presented the measure Wednesday. It is an amendment that will be attached to an appropriations bill for the Departments of Commerce and Justice. The new measure includes a provision that would ban an individual trying to buy a gun who is on the no-fly list or the selectee list. The total of people on these lists are 109,000 people, mostly foreign nationals. "Basically we believe if you are too dangerous to fly on an airplane, you're too dangerous to buy a gun," said Sen. Collins. The measure also notifies the FBI if someone who has been on the terrorism screen database within the last five years, so that the FBI can investigate. The measure also includes a process to appeal the denial of a gun purchase for American citizens and Green Card holders. In that case, the government would have to prove the individual is a terror suspect. If the person wins the appeal, their court fees will be paid. The senators co-sponsoring this bill include: Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-New Hampshire Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Arizona Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-North Dakota Sen. Marin Heinrich, D-New Mexico Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Florida Sen. Angus King, I-Maine Senators voted on four amendments Tuesday, two proposed by Democrats and two proposed by Republicans, and rejected them all. The four amendments addressed a gun control background check and the no-fly, no-buy list, but the Democrats' bills were far more stringent and destined to fail in the majority Republicans Senate. Nelson filed a similar amendment earlier last week, days after the Pulse nightclub attack where 49 people were killed. Shooter Omar Mateen was on the terror watch list from 2013 to 2014, but was removed after the FBI closed his case after it was ruled inconclusive. He was able to buy two guns legally. Both were used in the attack. "I owe it to the people of Orlando to try to get something done. I owe it not only to those families, of 49, but I owe it to those families of people still in the hospital, some of which may not make it," Nelson said. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, said the only way to get anything passed is a bipartisan solution, and if this passes it will help him make the case for fixing gaps in the background check system. "We're at war, and I don't really know how to protect our nation without really changing the way we do business," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina. "I'm sick of the shootings, I'm sick of the vigils, I'm sick of the homicide victims support groups, I'm sick of the claims that we'll do something about it, I'm sick of the partisan rhetoric, and I'm really sick of getting to the end of all of that and not doing something about it and seeing that happen again and again and again and again!" said Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia. Sen. Collins said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will allow a vote on the compromise. See the bipartisan announcement Hale County Meals on Wheels of Plainview has received a $50,000 grant from the Texas Veterans Commission Fund for Veterans Assistance to fund to assist with home-delivered meals for eligible Plainview veterans, and their dependent or surviving spouses who reside in the city limits of Plainview and the Seth Ward community. Specifically, this grant will positively affect the local community by impacting the problem of elder hunger experienced by veterans and their dependent and surviving spouses. Hale County Meals on Wheels is a nonprofit organization serving the city of Plainview and the Seth Ward community. Hale County Meals on Wheels has delivered meals to elderly, disabled and homebound citizens in Plainview for more than 30 years. Volunteers deliver hot, nutritious meals at noon each weekday to a daily average of 145 elderly and disabled citizens, totaling more than 36,400 meals annually. Funding statistics consist of 57 percent funded by the Texas Department of Aging and Disability, 5 percent private pay, and 38 percent paid from donations and grants. Veterans comprise 33 percent of all meal recipients. Hale County Meals on Wheels is extremely grateful for the funds provided by the Texas Veterans Commission Fund for Veterans Assistance, Kim Horne, executive director of Hale County Meals on Wheels, said. This generous grant will allow our organization to deliver more than 8,000 meals to eligible Plainview veterans, and their dependent or surviving spouses who reside in the city limits of Plainview and the Seth Ward community, Horne said. Our goal is to make sure every eligible veteran knows about our program and is encouraged to participate, and to provide nutritional enhancement and daily contact to each recipient in order to eliminate the problem of poor nutrition and isolation faced by older citizens. Eligible recipients include homebound veterans, their dependent spouses and their surviving spouses who do not qualify for meal assistance under state and federal programs based solely on age, income and disability. Recipients must meet the following criteria: be homebound or need assistance to leave home, be unable to prepare a well-balanced meal each day, and must be over age 65. Recipients must provide a signed and dated application along with a DD-214, VA Form 21-256 or other proof of military service before home-delivered meal service can begin. The applications for assistance will be distributed to the Hale County Office of Veterans Affairs, Unger Memorial Library, VFW Organization, Faith in Sharing House, Hale County Tax Assessors Office, Covenant Hospital, Plainview, Hale County Senior Citizens Center and the Salvation Army. The application is also available on the Hale County Meals on Wheels website at www.mealsonwheelsplainview.org. Hale County Meals on Wheels is accepting donations to provide home-delivered meals to elderly and disabled citizens in our community. There are open positions for volunteers on a weekly, monthly or fill-in basis. For more information on Hale County Meals on Wheels or how you can support its community efforts, please visit www.mealsonwheelsplainview.org or call Director Kim Horne at 806-292-9020. The Fund for Veterans Assistance grant program was established in 2007 by the 80th Legislature and funded in late 2009. The program awards reimbursement grants in four categories: General Assistance, Housing4TexasHeroes, Veterans Mental Health, and Veterans Treatment Court Grants. These grants offer funding to non-profit and local government organizations which, in turn, provide direct services to Texas Veterans and their families. For more information, visit www.tvc.texas.gov. With the help of the local businesses, Waylands School of Business hopes to soon have its students getting practical one-the-job experience as interns with local businesses. By integrating students more into the business community, they hopefully will receive real-life practical experience, Dr. Barry Evans, dean of the School of Business, told Chamber of Commerce Board members at Tuesdays monthly meeting. And successful internships presents some of the best opportunities for our students looking for employment following graduation. The program calls for students to draw at least minimum wage while working at businesses, either during the summer or over the course of a regular 15-week semester. In addition to learning practical experience, they will also be earning three college credits. A faculty member will be assigned to each intern, to make sure they are showing up to work and meeting the expectations of their employer, Eaves explained. They will start out with some goals and a basic understanding of their job duties. While he expects in the short term only 10 to 15 interns will be available each semester, Evans said a long term goal is to make internship a core requirement for business majors. If that happens, the number of potential interns could grow to about 200. Evans added the School of Business has started a business advisory group to offer input on things our students need to learn in the School of Business. They will be helping up develop a better curriculum by telling us what things we need to teach, and what we dont need to teach. Evans serves as adviser of Waylands ENACTUS group. That organization is working with the Central Plains Centers sheltered workshop for developmentally challenged adults to launch a local factory to make handmade gourmet soup. This is just another way we are trying to integrate Waylands School of Business into the local community. Chamber President Dr. Bobby Hall, presiding Tuesday, reported that Ron Trusler has stepped down as chairman of Leadership Plainview. In his place, M. Shane Harrell will assume the dual roles of chairman and curriculum director, which he has been for several years. The next Leadership Class begins in September and the Chamber is accepting applications for the 15 spots. Tuition is $350 and the class meets on the second Wednesday of each month. Linda Morris, executive director, reported the Chamber continues to raise funds for the annual fireworks show on Saturday, July 2, at Regional Park. This years professional show will cost $14,000. The Chamber is $3,500 short of the goal. Tax-deductible donations can dropped off or sent to the Chamber at 1906 W. Fifth, Plainview, TX 79072. Donations using credit and debit cards can be made by calling 806-296-7431. Donation jars are located at Amegos and United Supermarkets, and uniformed Boy Scouts will be passing through the crowd during the show to collect donations. The next scheduled Business After Hours is Sept. 8 in the newly remodeled Petes Place in the basement of Waylands McClung Student Center. Hall notes that the Petes Place has the only Starbucks in Plainview. Other upcoming activities include a ribbon cutting at 4 p.m. Wednesday, June 29, for West Texas Dental Associates, 409 Dallas Suite 302-C, south of Long John Silvers; and a future ribbon cuttings at West Texas Medical Plaza and Roberts Tractor Repair. The Chamber will make its annual report to the Plainview City Council on June 28. Morris reports that the Chamber receives about 25 percent of its budget from the City of Plainview. Morgan Eaves Real Estate, represented by owner Cary Eaves, was introduced as Business of the Month. Jaci Wirth, a recent Plainview High School graduate and daughter of Jack and Tracey Wirth, was announced is the recipient of the $1,000 Leadership Plainview Scholarship. She will attend Texas A&M University studying biomedical science, and plans to continue her education in medical school. Police charged a New Fairfield man Tuesday with multiple offenses related to the illegal possession of firearms and ammunition after state police seized 46 illegal firearms in March, authorities said. Michael K. Giannone, 44, of 38 Merlin Ave., New Fairfield, was charged with 65 counts of possession of a high-capacity magazine, nine counts of possession of an assault weapon and three counts of possession of a silencer, according to state police. He was held in lieu of $100,000 bond and was scheduled to appear in Danbury Superior Court Tuesday for arraignment. Giannone was initially arrested in March after state police executed a search warrant in the same case, and had been free after posting $75,000 bond on charges of firearms trafficking, illegal sale, transportation or delivery of firearms, and multiple counts related to the illegal possession of firearms. State police said the charges issued Tuesday conclude a lengthy investigation that included Giannone illegally selling firearms to an undercover detective without providing the necessary paperwork. State police stopped Giannones vehicle in New Fairfield on March 24 after obtaining warrants the previous day authorizing both his arrest and a search of his Merlin Avenue home, state police said. Giannone told police he builds parts for rifles and sells them at gun shows to make income after losing $700,000 on a failed pizzeria a few years ago, according to the affidavit. He also stated he followed all regulations regarding the building and sale of firearms or parts, including supplying all necessary paperwork, when questioned by police. One of the troopers involved in the investigation, though, stated Giannone sold a firearm to an undercover detective without paperwork, at which time he said he did so because I need the money. After further questioning, Giannone also admitted building a firearm for someone else without paperwork, according to the affidavit. State police found 59 firearms during their search of Giannones home, including nine unregistered assault rifles state laws passed after the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School prospectively bans the sale of assault rifles and requires owners of legally purchased ones to register the guns. State police said Giannones assault rifle stash included two AK-47s and five completed AR-15s with no serial numbers. He also had 65 high-capacity ammunition magazines state law bans those with more than 10 rounds; 12 AR-15 lower receivers without serial numbers, and three silencers, according to state police. State police said Giannone had more than 10,000 rounds of live ammunition, and estimated the amount could be closer to 20,000. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Leading cannabis activists, including Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, warned Tuesday that if California voters dont support legalizing marijuana for adult recreational use in November it could set momentum on the issue back at least a decade. Its not a done deal by any stretch of the imagination, Newsom told a meeting of legalization supporters. Any of you think this is done in California, you couldnt be more wrong. With the Adult Use of Marijuana Act expected to qualify for the California ballot in the next week or so, and the possibility of cannabis measures going before voters in eight other states this fall, weve never had so much at stake in one election night, Aaron Smith, executive director of the National Cannabis Industry Association told those attending the opening of the organizations convention Tuesday in Oakland. If we dont win California and at least half of the other states in play right now, the public narrative around our industry will dramatically change for the worse and for quite some time, setting us back a decade or more, Smith said. Smith and others sought to tamp down any sense that the legalization measures were a shoo-in to pass. If voters in all nine states support cannabis measures, Smith said, that means that 1 in 4 Americans will live in a state where recreational adult use of marijuana is legal and 3 of 4 will live in a state where medicinal use is legal. Congress, Smith said, simply cannot ignore numbers at this scale. Newsom, introduced as the highest ranking statewide official to address a major cannabis conference, sounded a similar cautionary note during his 30-minute keynote speech to some of the 3,000 people attending the three-day conference. Newsom said that while polling has been strong in recent weeks, including a Public Policy Institute of California survey last month that found 60 percent support for legalization, there are rumors every day of a deep-pocketed donor popping up for the opposition. And despite the fact that Newsoms friend and Silicon Valley venture capitalist Sean Parker has committed millions toward the ballot measure, Newsom said, Dont think youve got one person funding this. Seans got a lot of money, theres no doubt about that, but hes got a budget, too. Hes not going to fund the whole thing, he said. Theres a lot of mythology around that. We need your help. Newsom reminded the audience that even though all of Californias elected statewide officials are Democrats, he is the only one that supports legalization. It is still a controversial issue in the state. Heck, I was deeply involved in something not that long ago called gay marriage and remember, they passed Proposition 8 (outlawing same sex-marriage) in California not that long ago, in 2008, Newsom said. However, some top officials are softening their opposition. On the day after the June 7 California primary, state Attorney General Kamala Harris, who is running for U.S. Senate, said, I am not opposed to legalizing marijuana, but there are some details we need to figure out, including how we are going to test impairment when one is under the influence of marijuana. Joe Garofoli is the San Francisco Chronicles senior political writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoli This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Texans are often hailed as some of the nation's friendliest folks they will hold the door open for you, invite you to their barbecue and spin you around a dance floor but they aren't afraid to challenge anyone who sullies the things they love most. RELATED: The 26 types of people you are destined to meet on Tinder in Texas This week Reddit user @ImJustABagofHammers asked the Texas subreddit, an online community where all things Lone Star State are discussed, to chime in on ways to "Piss of /r/Texas in one sentence." The submissions were certainly cringe-worthy. Take the simple, yet infuriating example from, @tehramz: "Whataburger sucks." RELATED: 30 things you should never say to a San Antonian Whataburger, the burger mecca for Texas, is one of many things residents of the Lone Star State will not stand for being bashed publicly. RELATED: Major faux pas to avoid in San Antonio In addition to the Reddit submissions, we've come up with a few more ways to upset a Texan in one sentence. Click through the gallery above to see them all. Use them as a cautionary tale of what not to tell a Texan, or test your luck. mmendoza@mysa.com Twitter: @MaddySkye ANSONIA A city native and graduate of Emmett OBrien Technical School is serving aboard a 600-foot long U.S. Navy destroyer that looks as small as a fishing boat to enemy radar. Petty Officer FC Evan Lloyd Vantine is a turbine engine technician aboard the ship, the USS Michael Monsoor, which is currently under construction in a Bath, Maine shipyard, a Navy spokeswoman said. A technician with a mechanical background is responsible for the operation and maintenance of marine gas turbine engines used for both propulsion and electrical generation used on board ship, said Heidi McCormick, the Navy spokeswoman. I was never really into cars or engines growing up, Vantine said in a statement released by the Navy. I came from an electrical background, but these engines are very powerful and pretty efficient for their size and a lot of fun to work with. Its also a great honor to love what you do while also getting to serve your country. This extremely capable warship is a lasting tribute to the ships namesake, Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Monsoor, whose bravery and sacrifice serves as an example for each of us, every day, said Capt. Scott Smith, the Monsoors commanding officer. The sailors selected for duty on the Monsoor are the best in the Navy; when combined with the advanced technological and multi-mission capabilities of the ship, they will ensure it is a relevant and integral part of our battle force for years to come. The ship was christened on Saturday and is expected to be placed into service next year. The best part of serving aboard Michael Monsoor is being at the tip of the spear in the future of the Navy and how we conduct business with todays cutting edge technology, said Vantine. We also get to represent and honor a great fallen hero as the name sake of this fine vessel, I am very proud to sail under Michaels name. The charter school movement backstopped by a billionaire club that includes Michael Bloomberg, Paul Tudor Jones and Ray Dalio wants to put its stamp on the Legislature in Connecticut. CT Forward, a newly launched nonprofit advocacy group, will survey House and Senate candidates across the state on their support for public charter schools. The litmus test will determine which candidates receive financial and grassroots support from the groups dues-paying members, who will be made up heavily of parents. Families for Excellent Schools, which has wrangled with Bridgeport administrators over education reform, is behind the election-year initiative. That struggle has lots of allies and lots of adversaries, and it will continue until every kid in the state has access to the education that they deserve, said Jeremiah Kittredge, the CEO and co-founder of Families for Excellent Schools. I actually think the biggest adversary here is the struggle of time. Connecticut has 24 charter schools, with five in the states largest city, Bridgeport, enrolling 2,350 students. There are three charter schools in Stamford and one in Norwalk. New York City, on the other hand, added about 180 charter schools during Bloombergs tenure as mayor. Bloombergs former press secretary , Stu Loeser, runs the public relations and media consulting firm hired by Families for Excellent Schools. In Bridgeport, FES successfully fought a proposed moratorium on charter schools in 2015. Some skeptics still view the push for public charter schools as a step toward privatization by wealthy outsiders, however. Claudia Phillips, a parent leader in the Bridgeport chapter of FES, said its high time the charter school movement becomes a player in legislative races. This is about choice for families, Phillips said. Parents are left with no choice. Phillips 14-year-old son attends Achievement First Bridgeport Academy Middle School. Because there is no charter high school in the city, he will join his 16-year-old twin sisters taking the bus to Amistad Academy in New Haven. They have to be up by 5 oclock in the morning, Phillips said. We do what we have to do. Its sad. State Rep. Patricia Billie Miller, D-Stamford, took a more agnostic approach on charter schools, saying she helped secure funding for the Stamford Charter School of Excellence that opened in 2015. She also visited the Bronx, N.Y., school that it is modeled after, but said she doesnt consider herself a proponent of charter schools. Im a proponent of what works to educate a child so they may be successful in life, Miller said. So I will not be seeking endorsements from this organization. There are good charter schools and there are bad charter schools. There are good traditional public schools and there are bad schools. There is no connection between CT Forward and a super PAC that went by the same name and supported Gov. Dannel P. Malloys 2014 re-election. For a $10 initiation fee, members of the group will have access to a private website with information on lawmakers records and links to contribute to specific candidates. We view it as a critical new tool, Kittredge said. Kittredge stopped short of singling out foes in the education debate, which has frequently pitted charter school advocates against teacher unions such as AFT Connecticut, which represents 10,000 teachers, paraeducators and education support personnel in local and regional schools in the state. The vast majority of Connecticut children attend traditional neighborhood public schools, said Jan Hochadel, the unions president. State lawmakers and the governor must not lose sight of this fact no matter how much money charter management organizations and their lobbyists spend to push their agenda. For giants of the hedge fund industry such as Jones and Dalio, both Greenwich residents, charter schools have become a favorite cause. Each has contributed to Families for Excellent Schools, which reported $17.6 million in contributions and grants for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2015, to the IRS. Kittredges compensation was $222,297 for that time period, more than Connecticuts state education commissioner and New York Citys schools chancellor. The retired Bridgeport police officer who shot his former fiancee last Thursday before taking his own life dodged at least two restraining orders, Florida media outlets report. The former detective and narcotics agent, William Billy Chase Jr., 58, was also reportedly granted bail after allegedly threatening to commit a murder-suicide. Published reports said Chase shot Lynn Herriott, a 52-year-old mother of three, more than five times before shooting and killing himself. As of late Tuesday evening, The Florida Times-Union said Herriotts wounds were life-threatening. On Monday, her sister, Natasha Bridges, told News4JAX in Jacksonville, Fla., that Herriott had undergone brain surgery and lost an eye. I just feel like the police system, the law needs to do a better job when it comes to domestic violence, because now shes fighting for her life, Bridges told the television station. Chase spent years as a crime fighter, but ended his life violently. In the early 1980s, he worked undercover, posing as a custodian at The Bridgeport Post, now the Connecticut Post, in an effort to catch a copy boy suspected of selling drugs. Newspaper staffers didnt discover Chases real profession until after the employee was arrested. It is unclear whether his police service helped him win leniency from the courts later. In 2011, a judge denied a request for a restraining order from another former romantic partner, according to the Times-Union. Hes someone that went to law school, too, Lennie Grimaldi, a journalist and longtime friend of Chase, told the Post. In 1994 the two men co-authored a book chronicling Chases career in the Bridgeport Police Department. Grimaldi also wrote on his blog, Only In Bridgeport, about the incident that ended Chases life. On Feb. 19, the Times-Union reported, Herriott requested a restraining order and was denied. A few days later, according to the newspaper, she reported being, beaten and choked by Chase, who she said threatened to kill her and himself. He was arrested on charges including kidnapping and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and a few days later, Herriott filed another domestic-violence injunction which was approved, the Times-Union reported. Grimaldi describes Chase as a tortured soul who was constantly battling his demons. Chase sometimes used a government-approved alias designed to protect him from retaliation from criminals he helped put behind bars. He was booked in Florida as Dexter Levin. It was the last of many names that Chase used in his life multiple identities that Grimaldi said made Chase lose himself. The doctor told me Im 120 percent disabled, Chase told the Connecticut Post in 1994, referring to physical and psychological injuries from his work as an undercover agent. He was admittedly a troubled person, Grimaldi said, but none of (Chases friends) would have called this. Neither, apparently, did the judge who, according to Grimaldi, set bail for Chase after the kidnapping arrest. Grimaldi said he received a call from Chases bail bondsman, and that the bond was extremely high. Eventually, Chases friends raised the bail money and Chase was released. Despite the restraining order, Chase ignored a federal requirement under the Violence Against Women Act to surrender his firearms, the Times-Union reported. Ignoring the restraining order, he reportedly waited for Herriott near her car with his loaded gun and two clips of ammunition, then shot her on Thursday after 5 p.m. when she was getting out of work. Ultimately, the observational skills Chase employed to catch criminals may have enabled him to become one. Did his knowledge of the legal system and fear of facing prison as a cop contribute to his final actions? Grimaldi said he was unsure. I think possibly that may have very well been a factor that he was facing prison. ... His relationship ended ... and he made an extraordinary, tragic decision, he said. According to Grimaldi, Chase is survived by three sons, including a 5-year-old who lives in Florida. Staff writers Cedar Attanasio and Daniel Tepfer contributed to this report. Albany Guilderland town residents expressed frustration and concern Monday night for a proposed multilevel apartment complex along the town line in Albany. Town residents outlined to city Common Council members fears of increased traffic and flooding, along with a frustration of the ever-increasing development in a neighborhood once considered quaint and quiet, that will be amplified with the proposal to build a 173-unit apartment on Loughlin Street. The dead-end street abuts the Guilderland town line and SUNY Polytechnic Institute on Fuller Road in Albany. Sandidge Way Apartments, proposed by Colonie-based Dawn Homes Management, would feature six buildings housing the apartments, administrative offices and fitness amenities. In order to construct the complex, the zoning must be changed from single-family, low-density residential to multifamily high-rise residential. "It just doesn't belong in this neighborhood," said Helen Bickmore, a Warren Street town resident. She described safety concerns already present when pulling out on to Fuller Road. "It is an impossible situation." Dawn Homes Management is working with Columbia Development on the project. Columbia spent more than $3.5 million acquiring homes several years ago, which are located next to the Fuller Road campus of SUNY Polytechnic Institute land once slated for NanoCollege dorms and parking. Under the plan, Dawn Homes Management would buy the land from Columbia and then construct and manage the apartment building. An expanded full environmental assessment form for the complex was submitted to the city on May 31. The council did not vote on the changes Monday, however members approved making the Common Council the lead agency for reviewing the environmental impact of the project. "This is what gives us control over the future of whatever happens" in the area, Ward 12 Councilman Michael O'Brien said. Members also approved renaming Loughlin Street to Sandidge Way after the first African-American family to purchase a home on the street. Albany County Legislator Paul Miller, of the 32nd District that covers the Guilderland area, spoke out against the proposal, remarking on how it's "disingenuous to name a street for the Sandidge family then tear down the home." He added that the traffic circle at the NanoCollege also is a hazard and could become worse with the addition of an apartment complex. The project plans for about 300 parking spaces to accommodate cars. Guilderland resident Donald Csaposs, who lives on Norwood Street, said the money spent for the traffic circle on Fuller Road would be compromised. "I drive Fuller Road every day, and I can tell you from experience Fuller Road is a solid line of vehicles," Csaposs said. "There is no way 300 cars are going to be able to make a left hand turn." afries@timesunion.com 518-454-5353 @mandy_fries On this date in ... 1916: Jennie Jensen of Washington Avenue became Albany's first war bride of the Mexican campaign when she obtained a marriage license from the city clerk's office with her intended, Homer Israel Knott, private of Company B. Knott was on a short leave of absence before his company was to report to the armory for training. It was not known whether Knott and Jensen were able to marry before he left for the armory. 1966: Legislative leaders, faced with a growing rebellion over the $283 million New York City tax package, put off the remainder of the session until after the June 28 primaries. That decision was made in light of a basic political truth: no legislator wants to go into a primary having just cast a vote to increase taxes. 1991: An increasing number of unmarried couples were entering the housing market. It was a case of simple economics, said Dottie Flansburg, a home counselor with the Albany County Rural Housing Alliance Inc., a nonprofit group that dispensed free advice to home buyers. Flansburg counseled parents and children, unmarried couples of all kinds, as well as divorced people who were living with someone new. They all shared a desire to build equity and to reap the tax benefits of homeownership. Want to read more about the Capital Region's past? Have any memories or thoughts about how our history relates to today's events? See http://blog.timesunion.com/history/ The state Medical Examining Board on Tuesday disciplined six doctors, including fining a Norwalk doctor $5,000 for prescribing high doses of opioids to a prison inmate and other patients without proper safeguards. The board also suspended the license of a family medicine physician from Westport, saying his excessive drinking of alcohol presents a clear and immediate danger to the public. In the Norwalk case, the board also reprimanded Dr. Martin Perlin and limited his ability to prescribe painkillers. Between 2013 and 2015, Perlin prescribed high doses of opioids without adhering to standard safeguards, state Department of Public Health records show. One of the patients was incarcerated during the time that Perlin prescribed drugs for him, the records show. Perlin denied the allegations, but chose not to contest them. Under a consent order, the board imposed a permanent restriction on Perlins license barring him from prescribing painkillers except for patients in acute pain, not to exceed 15 days, and for terminally ill patients. Excessive alcohol use In the Westport case, DPH records show that Dr. David S. Parnas underwent alcohol detoxification at Norwalk Hospital in February, when he reported that he drank a pint of vodka a day for the past two years. In May, he enrolled in HAVEN, a confidential state program for health care professionals dealing with substance abuse issues, but records show that he has provided the program with no evidence of abstinence or recovery. DPH officials said they cannot verify that Parnas can practice medicine safely. Parnas attorney, Glenn Gazin of Stamford, told the board that Parnas has been safely working at a New Canaan walk-in clinic without complaint for the past month. The doctor monitoring Parnas work has been pleased with the quality of care he is providing, Gazin said. He added that Parnas attends Alcoholics Anonymous meetings nearly every day. This is the second time this year that the medical board has disciplined Parnas. In March, it had reprimanded him and placed his medical license on probation for two years for his failure to appropriately prescribe narcotics to patients. In March 2013, Parnas surrendered his permit to prescribe controlled substances, a consent order he signed in March said. A DPH consultant found that Parnas failed to document narcotic prescription doses, failed to adequately evaluate pain and did not adequately monitor medication use by patients between 2008 and 2013, the consent order said. Parnas did not contest the allegations. On Tuesday, the board also fined a family practice physician from New London $2,000, reprimanded him and placed his license on probation for six months for endangering a patient on Dec. 2, 2013, records show. The patient complained to DPH in 2014 that Dr. Steven P. Johnson let the person drive to the emergency room from Johnsons office with symptoms of a loss of energy, dizziness and a heart rate of 31. A DPH consultant found that Johnson had placed the patient at extreme risk for a heart attack and should have transported the patient by ambulance to the emergency room. By signing the consent order, Johnson chose not to contest the allegation while admitting no wrongdoing. Two board members, Michele Jacklin and Dr. Robert Green, voted against the consent order, saying the penalty should have been more severe given the serious nature of the incident. Out-of-state lapses On Tuesday, the medical board also disciplined three doctors for misconduct or lapses in care in other states. State law allows the Connecticut board to discipline doctors who have licenses in Connecticut when they have been disciplined in other states. The board reprimanded Dr. Vlad Frenk, an anesthesiologist from Stamford, for writing anesthesia records between 2004 and 2008 indicating two different procedure dates when he knew they were performed on a single patient in New York on a single date. New York officials said he also failed to properly treat two patients, records show. In 2013, New York officials fined Frenk $10,000 and placed his license on probation for three years, records show. New Jersey officials also reprimanded him in 2015. The board also reprimanded Dr. Thomas DAmato of Bayonne, N.J., in connection with discipline he had received in New York state in 2015. New York officials had placed his license on probation based on allegations that in 2010, he filed false reports about two patients, saying he had performed psychiatric evaluations on them when he had not, according to a DPH consent order DAmato signed in March. The order said DAmato in 2010 also filed a false report when renewing his New York license, saying he had not resigned any hospital privileges when in fact, he had done so the previous year. The board also reprimanded Dr. Sharad Kothari of Lenox, Massachusetts in connection with discipline handed out by Massachusetts officials in February. Officials in that state reprimanded him for giving the superintendent of his building 60 tablets of a narcotic without examining or creating a medical record for the person, DPH records show. This story was reported under a partnership with the Connecticut Health I-Team (www.c-hit.org) Albany After the U.S. Supreme Court announced Monday it would decline to hear a challenge to New York's SAFE Act, gun control advocates cheered. And so did one of the state's most outspoken opponents of the 2013 legislation. "I'm ecstatic," said Tom King, president of the state Rifle & Pistol Association, a leading Second Amendment group. King's relief wasn't due to the survival of the SAFE Act, but from what he saw as the potential peril to his side if the case had gone before a high court that's currently operating with only eight members. The Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear plaintiffs' appeals in the cases of Kampfer v. Cuomo as well as Shew v. Malloy, which challenged a Connecticut law that, like the SAFE Act, was passed in the aftermath of the December 2012 killings of 26 students and teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. Central to both cases were objections to expanded assault weapon bans in each state. The court's actions, announced in a lengthy listing of cases accepted and denied, was in keeping with its decision to turn down a similar appeal challenging a local assault-weapons ban in Highland Park, Ill. Last October, the New York-based Second U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the constitutionality of the SAFE Act as well as the Connecticut law. Kampfer's appeal was denied by the Second Circuit in March. In Connecticut and New York, the lower court concluded that the "core provisions" of the expanded bans on assault weapons didn't violate the Second Amendment because they were "substantially related to the achievement of an important governmental interest" public safety and crime reduction and were therefore subject to intermediate and not strict court scrutiny. Responding to that decision, Gov. Andrew Cuomo called on other states to follow New York's lead. He has continued to hammer that message in the wake of several intervening mass shootings, including the June 12 deaths of 49 people at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Fla. The semiautomatic rifle used by Omar Mateen in that massacre, a Sig Sauer MCX, is banned in New York under the SAFE Act due to its design features. On Monday, Cuomo invoked the shootings in Orlando, San Bernardino and Sandy Hook in calling on Congress to act on gun control. "How many more lives must be cut short?" he said in a statement. "How many more mass shootings must this nation endure? The time for Congress' silence and inaction is over. Thoughts and prayers are not enough they must show political will and muster the political courage to enact strong national gun safety laws for all Americans." In late February, King's organization decided against pressing its own appeal of the Second Circuit's rejection of its suit a tactical move directly related to the sudden death of conservative Justice Antonin Scalia earlier that month. King said pressing forward without a staunch conservative on the bench risked a 5-3 decision in favor of the SAFE Act and similar measures that could have set legal precedent for decades. The best-case scenario for opponents of those laws, he noted, was a 4-4 decision that allowed the current federal appellate decision to stand. The group "had a hell of a chance of winning" its case had Scalia not expired, King said. The decision to forgo the appeal was "the hardest decision I've ever had to make in my life." Kampfer v. Cuomo was similar to the group's lawsuit but "maybe not quite as strong," King said. With the Republican majority in the U.S. Senate unwilling to hold hearings on President Barack Obama's nomination of Merrick Garland to fill Scalia's seat on the court, gun rights groups are banking on presumptive GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump's victory in November and the nomination of a conservative justice in the Scalia mold next year. Meanwhile, the Rifle & Pistol Association as well as Second Amendment groups nationwide are watching the progress of other cases moving through the legal pipeline. At the top of the list is a Maryland case, Kolbe v. O'Malley, that earlier this year resulted in a federal court decision that concluded a "fundamental right" existed to own weapons in "common use" including many of the firearms categorized as assault weapons in post-Newtown state bans. King said that case has "a very, very good fact pattern maybe even a little bit better than ours was." Although New York and Connecticut have restricted military-style semi-automatic rifles like the AK-47 and AR-15 for decades, the post-Newtown laws strengthened those bans by expanding them to include weapons with certain military features such as a detachable ammunition magazine, a pistol grip, a flash suppressor or a folding stock. In its landmark 2008 ruling in D.C. v. Heller, the court stated the Second Amendment does, in fact, confer the right of individuals to own firearms. But the opinion, written by Scalia, said that Second Amendment rights are "not unlimited." Dan Freedman contributed from Washington, D.C. cseiler@timesunion.com 518-454-5619 @CaseySeiler This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate STAMFORD A group of Freemasons have made it their mission to clean up a 19th-century graveyard whose storied past had long been buried beneath an overgrown lawn and piles of trash. Andrew Melillo led the effort last month with local Masonic lodges and members of the First Congregational Church of Stamford to resurrect Northfield Cemetery, which is nestled among tall buildings at the corner of North and Franklin streets. This project began with Andrew looking into the historic aspect and it became a cleanup project, which is great in itself, said Michel Gomez, worshipful master of Stamford Union Lodge No. 5. Its one of those things you pass by all the time and you dont think about the history. The volunteer group recently submitted a nomination for the cemetery the final resting place of several of Stamfords earliest citizens with surnames including Weed, Scofield, Gillespie and Selleck to be listed with the State Register of Historic Places. The designation would make the graveyard, which opened in 1806, eligible for maintenance funding, Melillo said. The last person buried in the graveyard was Ida Vosser in 1967, according to historical records. By default, it is the oldest cemetery in Stamford now. The designation would be an important recognition and far more than it has right now, said Melillo. The masons were joined over Memorial Day weekend for the cleanup by volunteers from the First Congregational Church, which owns the graveyard. The group cleaned up trash, cleared vines and cleaned markers and headstones. The cemetery was in far worse condition three years ago when Melillo, a Greenwich resident, stumbled through tall grass to find his great-, great-, great-grandfather, Oliver Brown Finchs grave. The plot was littered with strollers, empty cans and bottles and other trash, Melillo said. It was upsetting , Melillo said. There was so much overgrowth, stones were being lost and covered over and stones were broken and thrown about. It was pretty much chaos. While historical records are piecemeal, the graveyard includes the remains of 24 Revolutionary War soldiers, 12 Civil War veterans and four veterans of the War of 1812. The group generally prioritizes cleaning up and maintaining the veterans graves, Melillo said. The group has funded new granite markers for the graves of two Revolutionary War veterans Capt. Thaddeus Weed, who was born in Stamford in 1748, served under Gen. Marquis De Lafayette in Virginia in 1781 and died in 1804, and Pvt. Joseph Hoyt, who died in 1799 at the age of 59. Weed was among several who were moved to Northfield Cemetery from older burial grounds to accommodate the expansion of the city, including what is now Columbus Park. Concerns about the care and stewardship of the cemetery have been discussed for decades. Abraham Davenport deeded the land to the First Congregational Church in 1789 to be forever a burying place. The church was sort of the town government of the time and it retained ownership, Melillo said. David Vintinner, chairman of the First Congregational Churchs Board of Trustees, said Melillos initiative has been responsible for much of the progress. The churchs endowment only provides about $1,000 a year to maintain the cemetery, Vintinner said. We have happily let Andrew Melillo lead in the maintenance and weve had no problem turning over that part of our endowment for him to use, Vintinner said. Vintinner said the church wholeheartedly supports the cemetery becoming part of the Registry of Historic Places. Melillo and others have paid to have gravestones restored and are now repairing the headstone of Mary Smith, the daughter of the Rev. Daniel Smith, a pastor of First Congregational Church. The Masonic lodges are very adamant on doing this because the graveyard has a lot of departed brothers of the lodges, Melillo said. History is important from a Masonic standpoint. It is important for a community to kind of help keep this in good condition. mcassidy@scni.com, 203-964-2264. twitter.com/martincassidyst Description: Stellar Partnership Marketing's Luxury Escape Getaway Sweepstakes is giving away a relaxing beach vacation. Enter for your shot at winning a trip to the Buccaneer Golf & Spa Resort in St. Croix, a prize worth $3,500. Sweepstakes Links: Click Here to Enter this Sweepstakes Click Here for the Official Sweepstakes Rules Click Here for the Sweepstakes' Home Page Note: If the sweepstakes entry link doesn't work for you, try entering through the home page and looking for a link to the sweepstakes. Category: House & Garden Sweepstakes, International Travel Sweepstakes, Sports Sweepstakes, Medium Sweepstakes, One Entry Sweepstakes Eligibility: Open to residents of the United States (void in Alaska, Hawaii, and Rhode Island), 18+ and above the age of majority Start Date: August 01, 2021 End Date: August 31, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. ET Entry Frequency: One time per person/email Sweepstakes Prizes: Grand Prize: A four-night stay for two at the Buccaneer Golf & Spa Resort in St. Croix including daily breakfast, snorkeling, kayaking, floating mats, and more. (ARV: $3,500) Additional Comments: By entering, you agree to receive email communication and special offers from the sponsor and its sweepstakes partners. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Harlandale Independent School District trustees on Monday unanimously voted to postpone a decision on a proposal to rename an elementary school for the late Tejano bandleader Emilio Navaira until September at the earliest. It doesnt mean its not going to be reintroduced or anything of that nature, trustee Ricardo Moreno said. We just need more time to discuss it. The Navaira family will also have months to consider whether they want the name change, said Andrew Fernandez, district spokesman. A San Antonio native, Navaira was one of a few Tejano stars who crossed over to the mainstream and was credited alongside Selena with helping popularize the genre. He died last month in his New Braunfels home at 53. Authorities believe the death was from natural causes. Navaira won a Grammy Award in 2003 for best Tejano album. He also was charged three times with driving while intoxicated, including in 2008, when he crashed his tour bus and went through the windshield. He spent years recovering from a severe brain injury. Several other musicians were injured. The first time Emilio Navaira sang onstage was at Vestal Elementary School. His mother, Mary Navaira, worked as a bilingual aide at Vestal for more than 25 years and continued as a full-time substitute until the day Emilio died. Supporters of the name change also have said Navaira raised more than $1 million for the Children's Hospital of San Antonio and sponsored Little League teams. Opponents to the name change have referred to Navairas drunk driving record in public meetings and on social media and have said they wanted the Vestal community to have more input in choosing the school's namesake. Vestal, located at 1111 West Vestal Place, is being reconstructed, one of many projects funded by last year's $65 million bond issue. When finished, the school will face Cantrell Drive. amalik@express-news.net Twitter: @AliaAtSAEN Police arrested a 20-year-old man after his girlfriend, a student at D.M. Sauceda Middle School, told a school nurse the man was the father of her yet-to-be-born child, according to a complaint filed in Hidalgo County. Rodolfo Nava Jr. was arrested and charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child, a first degree felony, after a warrant for his arrest was issued on June 9. Two Arlington police officers say they were pressured to make stops and write citations because of a department traffic ticket quota, according to media reports. On May 31, 15 police officers were put on paid leave after an audit revealed they falsified traffic stops during a three-month period, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The officers, whose names have not been released, said their supervisors told them to make two to three traffic stops per shift with 50 percent of stops resulting in a ticket. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A renowned San Antonio sculptor was sentenced to a year in jail and ordered to pay more than $400,000 for failing to file his income tax forms for four years, a federal misdemeanor. Carlos Cortes, who has been commissioned by area businesses and the city of San Antonio and was featured by Martha Stewart on national television, pleaded guilty in April. According to the IRS, Cortes did not file individual income tax returns for 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 despite earning gross income well in excess of the filing requirements. U.S. Magistrate Judge John Primomo gave him the maximum jail term and ordered him to pay $404,433 to cover his taxes due to the IRS. Cortes has said that he was embarrassed by the matter but wasnt trying to evade taxes. Its just poor bookkeeping and also putting it off, Cortes said in April. I take full responsibility. If I learned anything from all of this, is to deal with it when it arises and dont let it get to the point of where we are right now. He admitted he had gross income of $62,043 in 2006; $66,138 in 2007; $457,192 for 2008 and $781,847 for 2009, according to court documents. Cortes is the third generation of his family to work in the French faux bois (false wood) style of concrete sculpture. Among his works are the grotto on the Museum Reach of the Riverwalk, the H-E-B Treehouse at the Witte Museum, and a pavilion on the grounds of Landa Park in New Braunfels, according to previous stories in the San Antonio Express-News. He also designed a 1,200-pound dining table that sits in Skylands, the home of businesswoman and home stylist Martha Stewart in Mt. Desert Island, Maine, she said in a post in February in her online blog. gcontreras@express-news.net Twitter: @gmaninfedland Fiesta has been influenced by gay culture since the 1950s, according to a scholar set to speak at a Pride Month event Tuesday. Amy Stone, associate professor of sociology and anthropology at Trinity University, will discuss the way that LGBTI visibility is part of a transformation of the festival, a news release stated. The forum at 6:30 p.m. in the Central Library Auditorium, 600 Soledad St., is one of six events the San Antonio Public Library set for June. Want to get a closer look at the king of the San Antonio Zoo? You might be able to soon, thanks to the next wave of renovations that aim to make zoo exhibits more interactive. The lion exhibit is the latest to get an update after a year and a half of renovations worth about $4 million administration will start planning this summer for the zoos next 25 years of development, which could cost up to $100 million. SA Reads summer book drive began this week and continues through Aug. 19. Donate books for infants to teens at any San Antonio Public Library branch and any Firstmark Credit Union (theres one at Alamo Ranch at 10911 Culebra Road), among other locations. Contact: 957-8790 or literacysanantonio.com Free hearing and health screenings will be provided 9 a.m. to noon at the Casa Helotes Senior Citizen Center, 12070 Leslie Road. Contact: 695-8510 Illusions by Blake will be presented at 2 p.m. at Maverick Library, 8700 Mystic Park. For all ages. Watch this illusionist and magician present The Magic of Reading show. Its free, but tickets are required. They will be available at the library starting June 20. Contact: 207-9060 Alamo Ranch Neighborhood Advisory Committee will be meeting 6-8 p.m. at the Alamo Ranch Club House, 4100 Alamo Parkway. Contact: 740-4976 Astronomy in the Park is presented by the San Antonio Astronomical Association 8 p.m.-10:30 p.m. in the parking lot at Raymond Rimkus Park, 6440 Evers Rd, Leon Valley, weather permitting. Its billed as the longest running free public star party in the San Antonio metro area. Contact: 262-8384 Thursday, June 23 The Astonishing Mr. Pitts! will be at Cody Library, 11441 Vance Jackson, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. June 23. Learn how to train your brain using magic, ventriloquism and cartooning. Fun for the whole family. Contact: 207-9100 Helotes City Council will meet at 7 p.m. at the council chambers, 12951 Bandera Road. For details, go to www.helotes-tx.gov and click on agendas. Friday, June 24 Free health screenings will be provided 9 a.m. to noon at Casa Helotes Senior Citizen Center, 12070 Leslie Road. Blood pressure checks, glucose readings and cholesterol levels will be checked by nursing students from the UT Health Science Center. Contact: 695-8510 Sandbanks Shadow Factory is at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. at Great Northwest Library, 9050 Wellwood. For kids and families. Its all about shadows. Participants will be treated to A Wild Goose Chase. Contact: 207-9210 Lions Club Bingo is at 7 p.m. at the Helotes Lions Club, 14690 Bandera Road, on the east side of the highway between Floores Country Store and El Chaparral. Contact: 695-2356 Saturday, June 25 Blood Drive will be 10:30 a.m.- 2 p.m. at Igo Public Library, 13330 Kyle Seale Parkway. The South Texas Blood & Tissue Center will bring its bloodmobile to the parking. As its motto goes, Save a life: give blood Contact: 207-9080 Pet adoptions will be conducted by the Helotes Humane Society at Petco at Bandera and Loop 410 from noon to 3:30 p.m. Contact: 422-6242. Sunday, June 26 Lions Club Bingo is at 2 p.m. at the Helotes Lions Club, 14690 Bandera Road, on the east side of the highway between Floores Country Store and El Chaparral. Contact: 695-2356 Senator Frank L. Madla Jr. Natural Area Board of Directors meets at 6 p.m. at Grey Forest City Hall, 18502 Scenic Loop Road. For the agenda, go to greyforest-tx.gov/madla-park/board-agendas/ Contact: 695-3261, ext. 1 Family night and free dance at John T. Floore's Country Store, 14492 Old Bandera Road. Doors open at 6 p.m. Live music by Rex Allen McNiel. Contact: 695-8827 Monday, June 27 Senior Hula Dance Class will be 12:30 p.m. at Great Northwest Library, 9050 Wellwood. Youre never too old to learn the art of graceful motion! Contact: 207-9210 Helotes Board of Adjustment will have a public hearing at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 12951 Bandera Road. The agenda includes a request by M/I Homes for a variance to decrease the side yard setback requirement from 10 feet to 5 feet for six properties. For more information, go to www.helotes-tx.gov and click on notice of public hearing. Tuesday, June 28 Celebrate America arts & crafts will be 3:30 p.m.-5 p.m. at Cody Library, 11441 Vance Jackson. Get ready for the Fourth of July with red, white and blue creative crafts. For all ages. Contact: 207-9100 Grey Forest City Council meets at 6:30 p.m. at Grey Forest City Hall, 18502 Scenic Loop. For the agenda, go to greyforest-tx.gov/government/agendas-minutes/ Coming up Tom Kinsey, Naturalist will be talking with kids about live animal ecology 2 p.m.-2:45 p.m. and from 3 p.m.-3:45 p.m. June 29 at Maverick Branch Library, 8700 Mystice Park. Free, but tickets are required. Available at the front desk starting June 27 at 10 a.m. Contact: 207-9060. Helotes Independence Celebration begins at 6:30 p.m. July 2 at the Helotes Municipal Complex. Its free. Theres a concert by the Helotes Area Community Band, family friendly activities and food vendors. Free hot dogs, ice cream and apple pie while supplies last. Fireworks will be launched at dusk. Bring your own chairs and/or blankets and you can bring your own food and drink. The event layout and parking map is available on the citys website. Movie Night at the Park starts at 6 p.m. July 15 in the green area behind the Helotes City Hall, 12951 Bandera Road. The City of Helotes is the host for this charming small-town event that heralds the arrival of sunny weather. Theres a free concert from the Helotes Area Community Band at 7 p.m. and a bouncy slide for kids, food vendors and a free prize drawing. Bring your own chairs, bug spray and umbrella. The kid-friendly movie is preceded by Looney Toons cartoons. The movie will be Goosebumps. All numbers have a 210 area code unless otherwise noted. To have your event listed, send the details, including date, time, place and contact phone number, to dfuentes@express-news.net SAN ANTONIO A man and woman who were shot multiple times in front of a home on the East Side on Monday morning were both 26, according to the San Antonio Police Department. The man, identified by police as Brady Coleman, died from his wounds at the San Antonio Military Medical Center shortly after arriving there. SAN ANTONIO A man who told Alamo Heights police he was coming home from "law school" around 3 a.m. on Saturday while driving on a flat tire is facing his fifth DWI charge, according to Alamo Heights police. Authorities arrested Sean Menendez, 39, and charged him with a felony DWI, third or more, after an officer noticed he was driving slow along the 6400 block of Broadway with a flattened front passenger's side tire. RELATED: Texas dad charged with DWI after child falls out of moving car According to the police report, authorities pulled Menendez over and could smell a strong scent of alcohol coming from his gold Infiniti I30. When officers asked why he was driving slow, he explained his tire was flat but officers noted the tire had been jammed into the wheel well, displaying signs Menendez had previously hit a curb or another hard surface, according to the report. RELATED: NEISD police officer arrested, charged with DWI Additionally, Menendez told officers he had "a little" to drink before getting behind the wheel, the report said. According to the report, Menendez was asked to identify himself and displayed his passport, but upon further investigation, officers realized his California driver's licence was suspended, and impounded his car. RELATED: Felony DWI arrests in Bexar County, May 2016 While a LinkedIn page lists Menendez under a separate alias, and as a J.D. candidate at St. Mary's Law School, he has held management and legal jobs in at least three different states Texas, California and Arizona, according to the LinkedIn page. Menendez has four previous DWI convictions according to the Alamo Heights Police blotter. In addition, Menendez has four criminal cases, both open and closed, in Gilbert, Tempe and Buckeye, Arizona, as well as Mission Viejo, California. News researcher Misty Harris contributed to this report. MMedina@mySA.com Twitter: @MariahMedinaaa SAN ANTONIO A man who was shot and killed on the Southwest Side during a suspected road rage incident on Sunday has been identified. Juan Amaro, 40, died from a gunshot wound to the head around 5 p.m. at Ray Ellison Drive and Loop 410, according to the Bexar County Medical Examiner. Republican Donald Trump is playing down his lousy May fundraising numbers, insisting that June's report will be better. Campaign officials say in a statement Tuesday that June marked the campaign's first full month of fundraising activity, a period during which the presumed Republican presidential nominee had stops in San Antonio, Dallas and Houston. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SAN ANTONIO A man died Tuesday after being struck by a vehicle on Loop 410 at Ray Ellison Drive as he ran across the highway while fleeing security from a nearby Walmart, police said. The southbound lanes of Loop 410 were completely shut down at Ray Ellison Drive after the crash, which occurred just after 8 a.m. MORE: SAPD: Man arrested, charged with murder after fleeing fatal road rage shooting San Antonio Police Department officers at the scene said a man, who has not been identified but is in his 40s, was taken to an University Hospital with serious injuries, but was pronounced dead a short time later. Authorities believe the man stole merchandise from the nearby Walmart, 7239 SW Loop 410, prompting the store's loss prevention staff to chase him. Erica Jones, senior manager of communications for Walmart, said that the store's staff did not chase the suspect beyond the parking lot, which is immediately adjacent to the highway. "We have policies in place for our asset protection associates to monitor and deter shoplifters in our stores," she said. "Part of this policy involves turning cases over to local law enforcement when appropriate." An on-duty SAPD officer was at the store filling out a report for an unrelated incident when the chase began. SAPD spokesman officer Douglass Greene said that officer witnessed the commotion and drove his car near to the intersection of Ray Ellison Drive and Loop 410, thinking that the suspect would try to run under the highway. While waiting for the suspect, he was flagged down by witnesses who said that the man had been hit. Greene said it is unclear what the man allegedly stole, and that no other SAPD officers were involved in the incident until after the crash. The driver of the car, a man in his 30s, that struck the man initially left the scene but returned about five to 10 minutes later. Green said the driver is cooperating with investigators and authorities are unsure whether he will face charges. Investigators pushed all southbound traffic onto the access road of the highway while they worked together evidence at the scene. This developing story will be updated as details become available. Text "NEWS" to 72727 to sign up for breaking news from mySA mdwilson@express-news.net Twitter: @MDWilsonSA This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Since October 2015, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has seen a 47 percent increase in migrant rescues in the Rio Grande Valley, according to a news release. RELATED: Six found in trunk, trailer in near-100-degree heat in separate incidents near Texas-Mexico border On Monday, U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Rio Grande Valley Sector rescued four migrants and one minor, each abandoned by their smuggler, within 24-hours. In Falfurrias, agents found a man who was severely dehydrated abandoned on a ranch. He was given water and taken to a local hospital to be treated for dehydration, according to the news release. RELATED: Video chronicles 'cat-and-mouse game' at Texas border between agents, migrants Later, agents discovered another migrant that had been abandoned and was in need of water. According to the news release, the person was offered water but declined. In Kingsville, agents located a minor who was lost and needed medical attention after their smuggler abandoned them. The minor was taken to a hospital to be treated for stomach cramps and dehydration. In Sarita, agents rescued two people that were dehydrated and left in a brush. RELATED: Mexican authorities probe 'El Chapo' after prison guard found brutally killed near Texas border U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents in the Rio Grande Valley are urging migrants to not jeopardize their lives by trying to enter the country illegally. kbradshaw@express-news.net Twitter: @kbrad5 Raising her three children in the 1950s and 60s, Sally Marie Bower was happy to be a homemaker, organizing birthday parties, baking and decorating the familys Dallas home. But when her children started high school, Bower began to look for something more to do, settling on opening a gift shop with two other women. Within a couple of years she had bought out both partners and expanded the store, her daughter, Sheri Rosen, said. She included us from the very beginning; we thought it was fun because she thought it was so much fun. After opening a few more Dallas stores, all named Happy Happy Gifts, Bower opened shops in Plano, Fort Worth and Houston. Bower opened a last shop, on Bandera Road near Helotes, after she and her second husband retired to San Antonio, operating it until her health began to fail about four years ago. Bower died June 20 at 84. More Information Sally Marie Bower Born: Nov. 14, 1931, Weatherford Died: June 20, 2016, San Antonio Preceded by: Husband, Hugh Bower; son Don Wolf; parents, H.C. and Linnie Leatherman. Survived by: Daughter Sheri Rosen; son Mark Wolf; daughter-in-law Becky Wolf; and nine grandchildren. Services: Funeral at 9:30 a.m. today at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, 1520 Harry Wurzbach Road. See More Collapse After graduating from San Angelo High School, Bower got on a bus moved to Dallas, Rosen said. Taking any work she could find, Bower modeled for Neiman-Marcus and worked as a nurses aide. It was while working at an insurance company that she met her future husband. They married in 1952. As their children arrived, Bower learned to do a lot with little. My father was starting his own insurance company and we lived very leanly for a long time, Rosen said. Still, Bower always found ways to make things special for us, as she eventually did in her stores for her customers. Starting her first shop in the 1970s, Bower soon expanded, knocking out a wall after buying the space next door. Her second Dallas store was even bigger. She had a natural ability to do interior design, Rosen said. Instead of making every store look alike, she had themes; one might have a marble floor, another a Mexican tile floor, another would be painted stark white. Bower never had trouble finding help as she opened more shops. She saw it as an opportunity to share with people she knew, her daughter said. Relatives, old high school friends, next-door neighbors theyd work for her for 10 years or more. Remarrying in the 1980s she and her first husband had split years before Bower sold the shops, starting a cattle ranch with her new husband in Marysville. They found the land and dove into learning how, Rosen said. She went from being a Dallas housewife to this ranch; it was amazing. The couple eventually moved to San Antonio after several years of successful ranching. mheidbrink@express-news.net Blood donations typically decrease during the summer, but the need for San Antonio area residents to give blood is more urgent than usual. The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center last week sent emergency blood units to Orlando, Fla., following the mass shooting, which left 53 people wounded. That development came as officials cited a 21 percent drop in donations at the San Antonio region since 2012, the Express-News reported. No one cares if you live or die, unless you care. Words from a psychiatrist talking about tolerance, being in love and being gay provoke us to wonder how we got to Orlando. Whats it all about? Reflecting over the trauma, the destruction, the ultimate breakdown of anything and everything that makes any sense, Im appalled by the number of people who look for others to blame when the real story lies in what Dr. Mieko Mitchell says in Jere Myles book Murder on the Pier: If you dont care, no one else will. Weve seen that demonstrated in the rhetoric of politicians; the prayers of various religious prelates; even the parents and friends of those who were killed or injured. We saw it in the actions of those who put their lives on the line, the heroes of the evening, to save whoever they could. Again, as we face another tragedy, we see people taking care of someone besides themselves. We see people not so much caring about living or dying, but people caring about others living. Thats what its all about: moving beyond rhetoric and policy; moving beyond stupidity fashioned in political correctness rather than being cloaked in the reality that we all have the same skin, the same blood, and it doesnt matter if we are Jewish, Muslim, Christian or Hindu. It doesnt matter if we are black, white, brown, gay or straight. All that matters is we care. We care to be different inasmuch as we embrace anothers faith. We care to be different inasmuch as a persons ethnicity or sexual orientation doesnt matter. We care to be different because we know that one day, we all will die and whether we die with dignity or not depends on how we live. I cannot begin to understand or grasp the pain and suffering of those who lost someone in Orlando. I cant think of how someone could hate so much that expressions of love are silenced by gunfire. I refuse to fathom that we have become so nihilistic and inhumane we cant allow ourselves to see how beautiful each of us is. But have we? Is that what its all about? Have we fallen so far down the rabbit hole or become so jaded we think no one cares anymore to love one another? Can we even agree that helping each other is better than fighting each other just because we cant get our way? Is that what its all about? If it is, then how did we get here? Author Anthony Jay commented that the uncreative mind can spot wrong answers, but it takes a very creative mind to spot wrong questions. I think thats what we need to start doing being creative; stop criticizing the answers and learn to demand answers to the questions we should be asking, beginning with: Is it about race, sexual orientation, terrorism, or is it about forgetting how we once loved? Archie R. Wortham is a professor of speech for the Alamo Community College District. He wont pivot. So I have to. Having seen Donald Trump as a braggadocious but benign celebrity in New York for decades, I did not regard him as the apotheosis of evil. He seemed more like a toon, a cocky huckster swanning around Gotham with a statuesque woman on his arm and skyscrapers stamped with his brand. I certainly never would have predicted that the Trump name would be uttered in the same breath as Hitler, Mussolini and scary menace, even on such pop culture staples as The Bachelorette. Trump jumped into the race with an eruption of bigotry, ranting about Mexican rapists and a Muslim ban. But privately, he assured people that these were merely opening bids in the negotiation; that he was really the same pragmatic New Yorker he had always been; that he would be a flexible, wheeling-and-dealing president, not a crazy nihilist like Ted Cruz or a mean racist like George Wallace. He yearned to be compared to Ronald Reagan. Trump was applying his business cunning, Twitter snarkiness and bendy relationship with the truth to his new role as a Republican pol. The opposition was unappetizing: Cruz, a creepy, calculating ideologue; Marco Rubio, a hungry lightweight jettisoning his old positions and mentor; Chris Christie, a vindictive bully; Jeb Bush, a past-his-sell-by-date scion. When Trump pulled back the curtain on how Washington Republicans had been stringing their voters along for years with bold promises, like repealing Obamacare, that they knew had no chance, it was a rare opportunity to see them called out. His obnoxious use of ethnicity only exposed the fact that Republicans had been using bigotry against minorities and gays to whip up voters for decades. The GOP would love to drop Trump now because it prefers a candidate in the partys more subtle racist traditions. The neocons calling Trump a fascist would certainly prefer a more militaristic candidate. Trump realized the Iraq War was misbegotten long before much of the media cognoscenti in New York, and he was willing to hold W. accountable for being asleep at the switch before 9/11 and using a bait-and-switch on Iraq. Even though he ranted about the press, he was also far more available to the media than the cloaked Hillary Clinton, who has yet to give a news conference this year. But he undermines his accessibility when he incites nastiness against reporters at his rallies and revokes the Washington Posts credentials for a headline he doesnt like. Before his campaign became infused with racial grievance, victimhood and violence, Trump told me, I have fun with life, and I understand life, and I want to make life better for people. If he had those better angels, he didnt listen to them. Seduced by the roar of the angry crowd, Trump kept dishing out racially offensive comments about my African-American, a black man he spotted at a California rally; the Mexican judge on the Trump University case; and the Afghan who committed the atrocities in Orlando. Trumps pledges to release his tax returns and surround himself with an A-team fell through. A month after his hostile takeover of the Republican Party, hes got a skeletal operation a few floors below his office suite in Trump Tower. Trump shocked himself by shooting to the top of the Republican heap. It was like watching a bank robber sneak into a bank, only to find all the doors unlocked. But like Dan Quayle and Sarah Palin, Trump refused to study up on policy. So he has been unable to marry his often canny political instincts with some actual knowledge. He has made some fair points. A lot of our allies do take advantage of us. Our trade deals have left swaths of America devastated. And it was a positive move to propose a meeting with the NRA on gun control for people on the terrorist watch list. But his fair points are outnumbered by egregious statements and nutty insinuations, like suggesting that President Barack Obama is tolerant of Islamic State attacks, an echo of the kooky birther campaign that he led, suggesting that Obama wasnt qualified to be president. Now Trumps own behavior is casting serious doubt on whether hes qualified to be president. Maureen Dowd is a columnist for the New York Times. Another deadly mass shooting, more votes on guns in the U.S. Senate and, failure again. It has become a familiarly sickening cycle. First there is the murder of innocents by people who shouldnt have been allowed to buy the weapons they used. Then comes the outrage. And then inaction. It happened after Sandy Hook. Twenty children and seven adults dead. A military-style assault weapon among the weapons used. After San Bernardino. Fourteen dead. Another military-style assault weapon used. And, now, it has happened after the deadly shooting at the Orlando nightclub frequented by members of the LBGT community. This time 49 dead. A military-style assault weapon also used. On Monday, the Senate turned back four amendments on guns to a Justice Department bill. But these votes wouldnt even have occurred had it not been for a successful filibuster the week before by Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Connecticut that forced consideration of the amendments. Nothing has changed at the Senate. Much of it is still in thrall to the gun lobby. And Democrats on Monday were reluctant to give Republicans any perceived victory on guns. But what the Senate has failed to grasp is that a lot has changed outside Congress. The death toll keeps mounting and polling reveals that the public supports common-sense gun regulations. Among the common-sense measures, the Senate rejected one by Democratic California Sen. Dianne Feinstein that would permit the U.S. Attorney General to deny a gun sale to a person if there is a reasonable belief that the buyer was likely to commit terrorism. A competing amendment by Texas GOP Sen. John Cornyn would have imposed a higher standard probable cause and a three-day blockage in which a court reviews the sale. Democrats correctly noted that this was too high a bar both because probable cause is harder to prove and no review is likely to be completed in three days. Another Republican amendment by Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa would have provided more money to add mental health records to a national database, rejected amid Democratic discomfort with a definition of mental illness that, they said, would have still allowed the mentally ill to purchase guns. The final amendment by Murphy would have closed the gun-show and online purchase loopholes by requiring background checks on these as well. This, too, should have been approved. But absent from consideration was a reinstatement of the ban on assault weapons that expired in 2004. And GOP Maine Sen. Susan Collins is crafting a compromise on watchlists. All in all, these votes and no consideration of an assault weapons ban represent the triumph of politics over sanity. Democrats forced Republicans to go on record with votes against sane gun regulation and Republicans offered weaker amendments the one on watchlists backed by the National Rifle Association that they will spin as Democrats spurning reasonable measures. Partisan politics, in other words. Meanwhile, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to take up Connecticuts ban of assault weapons, which that state enacted after the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in Newtown. An appeals court had already ruled in October that the measure does not violate the Second Amendment. Other states should take note. There is a fiction circulating that gun ownership is inviolate. But the Supreme Court, while acknowledging that there is a personal right to gun ownership, has not said it is an absolute right. In fact, the United States already regulates gun ownership. It has long been settled that there is no right for Americans to own machine guns or grenade launchers, for instance. Thats regulation. And as Daily Show comic Trevor Noah said recently, other terrorist acts not involving firearms resulted in regulations. After highjacked airliners slammed into targets on 9/11, the U.S. made it harder to hijack airliners with the heightened TSA checks now familiar to all and locked cockpits. In other words, the tools used in those mass killings were taken into account. Guns are the more commonplace tools for mass killings. This is a notion lost on the Senate. And it is something the nations voters should take into account in November. SYDNEY The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Australian grocery chain Woolworths has thrown down the challenge to the convenience store sector with the smallest of its small format Metro stores. Metro, located on York Street in Sydney, will open early in the morning to cater to commuters and workers looking for coffee, sandwiches, sushi and a small range of dry groceries. While there are 15 Metro stores in Australia, the York Street location is the smallest at roughly 3,000 square feet. A Woolworths spokesman told the news source that the company is listening to our customers and adapting our offer to suit how our busy customers want to shop. The spokesman continued that the new Metro store offers choice and convenience, including lots of grab and go meal options for breakfast and lunch, and full meals for dinner. He added that the stores merchandise mix will also allow customers to top-up shop. Smaller format stores have been on the radar for all retailers, writes the news source, including Coles, Metcash and Aldi in Australia, and Tesco and Sainsburys in Britain. Convenience and Impulse Retailing reported last month that Woolworths is planning to expand its Metro network as convenience outpaces grocery. The stores are generally located near public transport, offering a range of grab-and-go and ready-made meals. The smaller express format was launched by the supermarket chain in 2013. Yves here. One of the things that is routinely airbrushed out of official discourse on the immigration in the US is that our immigration policy to a significant degree is designed to lower labor costs. It should not be surprising that at a time when average wages are stagnant, most middle and lower income Americans are debt-burdened, face short job tenures and are living paycheck to paycheck that anxiety about immigration is at a high level. Having said that, it is also true that 15 years of relentless political and media focus on terrorism has increased xenophobia. As one of my contacts put it, What do you expect when you train people to think that the woman behind the checkout counter who wears a headscarf has an AK-47 at home? And that isnt much of an exaggeration. Earlier this evening, I happened to be on the treadmill when a CNN documentary, Why Do They Hate Us? was running. Lets start with the When did you stop beating your wife? nature of the question. The fact that the US has created failed states all over the Middle East didnt get a mention. The show was all about what the Administration likes to call radical jihad. It started with a long opening sequence of violent scenes from Middle-East-related terrorism, starting with 9/11. The next section featured Muslim reformers arguing against the Muslim moderate position that Islam is not a violent religion. It then cited sections of the Quran (of the kill the infidel sort) and compared them with equally bloodthirsty passages from the Bible, and claimed that Christianity does not operate from that (these days) and then proceeded to discuss the culture of jihadists, and said many were formerly unemployed, drug addicts, not well educated, and didnt understand the religion qua religion, theyd just latched onto these organizations. That was as far as I got. The problem I had was that this video was heavy on scary images, like a guy with knife next to person about to be beheaded, when they were only tangentially related to the narrative at that point. Finally, a bit of background to this piece. When I was in Oz (2002-2004), the population was just over 20 million. The combination of tight immigration policies (it was tough for me to get a visa) and low birth rates meant the population was static. That had seemed to work well. Australia was prosperous and had enjoyed a long run of growth. But the business community was pushing hard for a much higher level of immigration, to generate a higher growth rate, even though Australia has resource constraints, the biggest being water. The higher growth faction won. By David Llewellyn-Smith, founding publisher and former editor-in-chief of The Diplomat magazine, now the Asia Pacifics leading geo-politics website. Originally posted at MacroBusiness At Domainfax, Peter Hartcher writes a shocker today: The political consensus in favour of immigration has collapsed in most of the developed world. Hostility to immigrants is now the great motive force animating politics in Europe and the US. Its on stark display now in the countries to which Australia has typically looked for leadership and for example, American and Britain. This is a troubling omen for Australia. We do not have the problems of the US and Britain. But Australia commonly imports words, ideas and political trends from these countries. And often we absorb them uncritically. It would be a dire mistake for Australia to import the anger, fear and hatred thats now running amok among our civilisational cousins. As Australias Race Discrimination Commissioner, Tim Soutphommasane, says: We do need to state the case for immigration and cultural diversity, as therell always be political elements seeking to exploit fears and anxieties. But a well-ordered immigration program is good for Australia, he tells me. It supports our economy, and it reinvigorates our society. We have every reason to be proud of our multiculturalism. Our experience has been very different from Europe, and we must not draw the wrong lessons from what is happening there. Or the US. Australia is a multicultural society and an immigrant nation. These are not choices. Our only choice is whether we make a success of it. Lets get a few things straight first. I have spent my entire adult life campaigning for both successful multi-culturalism, of which I am very proud, and Australian integration with Asia. Indeed I worked with Peter Hartcher on The Diplomat for nigh on a decade, which explicitly held these goals. But Peters comment today is not the solution, it is the problem. A well-ordered immigration program needs to be socially, economically and politically sustainable otherwise it will generate the kind of resentment on display in the northern hemisphere. The first pre-condition for each is to ensure buy-in by the polity and that requires both debate and choices. Wowserishness that shuts down both will only generate powerlessness, anger and a backlash. So, first of all. Do not represent immigration as manifest destiny. It is a choice. One we should argue for and select. Having established that support we then need to discuss what kind of immigration we want. My own view is that Id rather see the complete opposite of today wherein refugees are demonised and economic migrants are ushered in via a variety of questionable front doors where legality is in constant question. The moral imperative of assisting the persecuted plus the long benefits that they bring stand in far better stead with the Australia I grew up in than the lowly game of selling our souls to the rich of China, recently encapsulated by Warwick McKibbin: Obsessed by weak commodity prices and volatility in global financial markets to the point of not thinking about the future? Dont be, advises top economist and former Reserve Bank of Australia board member Warwick McKibbin. Australia is better placed than most countries to benefit from long-term global trends such as population ageing, fiscal adjustments and the shift in economic clout from Europe to Asia, Professor McKibbin says. If you have got something like a fixed asset in a country and you are globalising the entire world then location becomes a valuable asset. Real estate on Sydney harbour for example is also from a national point of view attractive. But for foreign investors its also very attractive because theres billions of dollars of wealth being generated in China. The middle class is expanding, and theyre going to want to buy things, environmental goods theyre going to want to buy stuff which we actually have in abundance. But much of it is fixed assets so you cant change the supply of it, and so therefore its value is likely to go up a lot. But it will also drive up the real exchange rate, hurting the competitiveness of trade-exposed industries such as tourism currently enjoying good growth with a lower Aussie dollar and manufacturing. A stronger dollar means Australian goods and services are more expensive for foreigners while competing foreign goods and services are cheaper for Australians. And the Prime Minister: From July 1, students aged six and above would be able to apply for student visas regardless of their country of citizenship and their guardians can also apply for Guardian visas (subclass 580) These visa-rule changes, which were announced during Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbulls visit to China in April, also mean non-residents can buy several new properties or one existing property Dave Platter, from the leading Chinese international-property portal Juwai.com said there has been a nearly 20 per cent jump in inquiries for properties in Australia since Mr Turnbulls announcement Estate agents Vera and Geoffrey Wong have hosted an open home in Sydneys Eastwood. Most of their clients are either Chinese or South Korean investors, and Mr Wong says when they were choosing a property, there is no doubt their childrens education is considered most important. He said buyers are planning purchases that cater for their childrens entire education. Schooling that is I cant emphasise it enough is one of the main factors, he said. Our clients, I would say over 70 per cent, (are looking,) at schooling and the university afterwards. A well-ordered immigration program does not need underhanded entry points nor should it be crowding out the existing population from essential services. Yet that is where we are at in the major eastern capitals: ScreenHunter_13326 Jun. 03 07.22 Property prices, junior age school congestion, falling university standards and a long list of other straining infrastructure is crowding out the living standards of the existing population. That brings us to our third condition of a well-ordered immigration program. It needs to meet the needs and improve the lot of existing Australians and that will need to inform the size of the inflows. Australia is still running what is essentially a Big Australia agenda in the east yet there is no obvious reason why it should, no skill shortages, no lack of diversity, no economic dividend, no strategic imperative. Indeed, it is all the opposite with high underemployment, vibrant inner-cities, a grotesque lack of infrastructure investment and an approaching tipping point where economic integration with Asia will overwhelm traditional Western alliances. It is not socially, economically or politically sustainable to erode the standards of living in the existing Australian population in this way. There may be an argument for it. That is, that not doing it will lead to an even larger fall in living standards but that argument must be made convincingly and Im not sure it can be. If it is not then eventually you will create the very anti-immigration pulse that you are seeking to avoid. New spin state discovered near absolute zero (Nanowerk News) Researchers at the University of Tokyo have discovered two stable states in a tetrahedral spin material, a result that is seemingly inconsistent with the third law of thermodynamics. However, at extremely low temperatures near absolute zero they discovered a new liquid-like spin state and confirmed that the law is preserved (Physical Review B, "Low-Energy Excitations and Ground State Selection in Quantum Breathing Pyrochlore Antiferromagnet Ba 3 Yb 2 Zn 5 O 11 "). Neutron spectrum and entropy of spin frustrated magnet Ba 3 Yb 2 Zn 5 O 11 . The energy distribution of stable and excited states can be seen in neutron spectra in the panel (a) and (b). With decrease of temperature to absolute zero entropy approaches to zero in the panel (c) and accordingly the number of states changes from two to one. (Image: Takatsugu Masuda) Spin is a fundamental characteristic of some elementary particles and can be in one of two states, up or down, both with the same energy level. If there is a force that constrains spins to adopt opposite states, when considering just two spins the most stable condition (the lowest energy state or ground state) is for them to adopt opposite states, one up and one down. However, adding a third spin to make a regular triangular structure, the third cannot be opposite to both an up and down spin and is said to be spin frustrated it could be either up or down, creating several possible states with the same energy level. Adding one more spin to make a regular tetrahedron and more spins are frustrated, meaning that there are even more possible spin states that could be adopted and there are multiple states in which the material is stable. However, the third law of thermodynamics requires that at absolute zero (-273.15C), there must be only one ground state in a crystal. Consequently, the existence of a spin-frustrated material with multiple states with the same energy level appears to be inconsistent with the third law. The research group of Associate Professor Takatsugu Masuda at the University of Tokyos Institute for Solid State Physics used neutrons to examine the internal state of the magnetic material Ba 3 Yb 2 Zn 5 O 11 which exhibits spin frustration. The research group discovered that regular tetrahedral spins are realized within the material and that the tetrahedra are almost entirely isolated, showing almost no interaction with surrounding tetrahedra at all. Furthermore, each tetrahedron has two stable states, which is seemingly inconsistent with the third law of thermodynamics. However, when the researchers looked for a truly stable ground state, they found that as the temperature approached absolute zero entropy also approached zero, and it was confirmed that a single state is selected at ultralow temperatures. It was found that this state is a new spin liquid state in which there is no structural order among the spin particles. Discovering the existence of regular tetrahedral spin made it well worth coming all the way to Australia to make use of this neutron experimental apparatus, says Masuda. He continues, It was a pleasure to see the growth of my graduate student Tendai Haku as he revealed the spin model through careful calculation using the data brought back from Australia. Nanotechnology education for the leaders of tomorrow (Nanowerk Spotlight) As the leading nanotechnology portal, for the past 10 years, Nanowerk has been committed to educate, inform and inspire about nanotechnologies. We do this by connecting the nanotechnology and nanoscience community to companies and the general public: To help people from the nanotechnology community communicate what they do So that people can be better informed about whats really happening in nanoscience and nanotechnology, without the hype So that people and policy-makers can make informed decisions about nanotechnology So that nanoscience researchers and nanotechnology businesses can receive the support they need in order to flourish So that nanotechnology can make a difference to society (through research and innovation) and to the economy (through the creation of impactful technology and high-quality, knowledge-based jobs). So it was nice to see a recent Focus article in ACS Nano ("Nanotechnology Education for the Global World: Training the Leaders of Tomorrow") where the authors discuss current approaches to nanoscience training and propose a learning design framework to promote the next generation of nanoscientists. As the authors write, "Education has long been recognized as an important factor for growing the fields of nanoscience and nanotechnology and solidifying and expanding their roles in the global economy. In many countries, there is growing interest in developing educational programs across the full spectrum of educational levels from K-12 to postgraduate studies. Various formal and informal educational practices are being designed and tested that promote general awareness of nanoscience and nanotechnology as well as provide advanced learning and skills development, including through group learning and peer assessment." In their article, the authors discuss innovative learning models that are being applied at the undergraduate level in order to train future leaders at the interface of engineering and management. Middle and high school students spend time at the California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA running nanoscience experiments. High school teachers from over 100 schools and 30 school districts are trained, networked to one another, and supplied with kits for their classrooms. Graduate students, postdocs, faculty, and staff run, expand, and improve these fully subscribed outreach events on a continuous basis. ( American Chemical Society) While these programs are not strictly focused on nanotechnology, many graduates pursue nanotechnology-focused careers and they provide examples of important factors that should be considered in the nanotechnology field. Moreover, they represent the growing trend of holistic learning, which integrates coursework across disciplines, promotes foreign experiences, and encourages industrial internships. Here is the set of recommendations they make: Inspire Students To Envision What Is or Could Be Possible Possibilities include a greater focus on nanotechnology applications in courses or hands-on laboratory experiences that tie in with class concepts. Even before reaching the classroom, students should have positive views of nanoscience and the potential it holds. Successful learning practices start with capturing the imagination of students. Communicating the remarkable features of nanoscience in a simple and clear way to the mainstream public would go a long way toward achieving this goal. Promote Role Models Who Impact Society From an educational perspective, the tech world is a particularly good example because successful entrepreneurs such as Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, Sheryl Sandberg, and Mark Zuckerberg have captured the public audience and inspired countless students to think beyond the classroom. In nanotechnology, similar role models can inspire students with the many opportunities available in the field. Encourage Global Collaboration Nanotechnology research and development is truly global. Early exposure to these trends will better inform students about career opportunities and give them ideas about how to work together in teams across disciplines and cultures. A growing number of partnerships already provide international experiences for nanoscience and nanotechnology students. Support Early Exposure Inside and Outside of the Laboratory For many students, nanoscience and nanotechnology are about working in a lab doing scientific research. While this activity is common, its generalization could not be farther from the truth. There are many possible ways to get involved in nanotechnology, from instructional education and hands-on training to entrepreneurship and manufacturing. Holistic approaches that integrate these different possibilities, while providing targeted career development, would greatly benefit students and the overall goals of nanotechnology education. Developing a strong workforce infrastructure for nanotechnology Communication Across Fields Stressing the importance of communication, the authors conclude: "Finally, one of the great strengths of the nanoscience and nanotechnology communities is that we have taught each other how to communicate across fields, to look at and to leverage each other's approaches, and to address the key issues of a multitude of fields. As a field, we are increasingly viewed as problem solvers in science and technology, developing new tools, materials, methods, and opportunities. Bringing this aspect of our field to students (and scientists and engineers at all levels) will have significant impact on the world around us and our ability to make it better." SHARE By Laura Layden of the Naples Daily News Airfi has quietly landed in Naples. The foreign technology company has "soft landed" at the Naples Accelerator, where it's looking for a helping hand to grow its U.S. operations. The company is in the telecommunications industry. It's not a new cellphone service or internet provider as its name might suggest. It's involved in the "internet of things." The startup based in London has developed a technology that can connect smart devices to the Internet, from light switches to wearable tracking devices. It sees a huge opportunity for growth in the U.S. Dariush Zand, a co-founder and chief product officer for Airfi Networks UK Limited, has traveled between London and Naples for the past six months, charged with the mission of finding more partners and buyers for its technology in the U.S. "Sell, sell, sell," he said. "I'm the commercial guy." The U.S. has the largest market share for consumer electronics in the world and the U.S. and China dominate the global consumer electronics market with more than one third of the market share, according to a report by Persistence Market Research, based in New York. Recent studies have estimated 50 billion devices will be connected to the internet by 2020, from cars and washing machines to light bulbs and electric toothbrushes. "We are in fact what is called an enabler, a technology enabler," Zand said. "The technology is out there. It's not as slick as what we do." While Naples will be the hub for Airfi's U.S. operations, the company plans to open an office on the West Coast, most likely in San Francisco, later this year. But its headquarters will stay in London. "What we need as a growing business is stability," Zand said. The company's technology is a SIM card, or portable memory chip, that can be added or built into devices, linking them to more than 460 mobile networks in more than 206 countries. Added to a light switch, it allows property owners to turn lights on and off remotely. Paired with a tracking device, it enables parents to keep tabs on the their children. "It just needs to work out of the box. That's the most important thing," Zand said. A number of smart appliances, from washing machines to refrigerators, could benefit from the use of cellular connectivity instead of Wi-Fi, which may not reach all parts of the home or be complicated to set up, he said. Airfi has found some strategic partners in the U.S. The company also has partners in Europe, including the Netherlands and France, in Singapore and in Canada, too. "We are beginning an exciting phase of growth in the business as we take advantage of the unique nature of the service we provide to companies," Zand said. The telecommunications industry is incestuous, he said, so some of the companies that might have been considered competition have become partners instead. "We all have fun," Zand said. The company expects to launch its service in the U.S. with two customers over the next few weeks and to announce a third one within a few months. "These things take time," Zand said. "It doesn't happen overnight." One of the companies Airfi is working with will have internet-connected vending machines selling fresh produce. With Airfi's technology, the machines will alert the operators when supplies run low so they can be restocked and when there are problems with the equipment so they can be fixed. Asked to name a few of his customers, Zand said: "It's all very, very confidential." Locally, he said, Airfi's technology may one day allow winter residents to put their hurricane shutters down from another state as a storm approaches, then to raise them when the threat of danger has passed. Last week Airfi signed a sizable contract with a Naples-based customer, which Zand would not disclose. Over the next few months, Airfi will ramp up its sales and marketing efforts in the U.S. and has begun hiring in Naples. Airfi raised $514,000 in startup capital. It's looking to raise more so it can keep up its momentum. "The money will come. We'll just have to leave it up to our CEO to go and get it," Zand said. "I just keep selling." Airfi expects to become profitable in the next 12 to 18 months. "We are going to keep growing, keep growing and keep growing," Zand said. With 20 years of experience in the telecommunications industry, Zand has worked for such companies as Vodafone, Huawei and Sony Ericsson. He's also a serial entrepreneur. One of his ventures, Ovivo Mobile, a mobile virtual network in the United Kingdom, went bust, but he said he'd do it all over again for the lessons he learned from the mistakes he made. There are three business partners and owners in Airfi. The others are: Ian Campbell, the CEO, a former chief executive of Airtel-Vodafone Channel Islands, and David Fowler, the chief technology officer, who has more than 20 years in the telecommunications industry working for such companies as BT, O2 and Huawei. Airfi landed in Naples because the area offers good access to talent and capital, an affordable location and a supportive network, Zand said. The Naples Accelerator at the Kraft Center off Pine Ridge Road in North Naples, dubbed a "soft landing" accelerator, targets technology companies like Airfi. The center, designed to attract national and international businesses that need help growing their companies, provides low-cost offices and services, such as assistance with market research and business plan development. The accelerator, supported by local and state taxpayer dollars, has attracted more than a dozen foreign companies since its opening last year. Zand, 38, started coming to Naples on holiday with his parents when he was 2 years old, and he continued visiting the area with his family through his teens. In his 20s, Zand started coming to Naples on his own, so he already has connections here. Through his connections here he was introduced to Marshall Goodman, president and CEO of the Naples Accelerator. "This is a wonderful place to be," Zand said. "We're very fortunate to be in here and have access to this facility." Goodman met Zand more than a year ago, but Airfi wasn't ready to move into the U.S. then. Once the company raised enough money, it could afford to stretch its wings. The company and its technology are "extraordinary," Goodman said. With a connection to the Internet, devices can receive and send data. Goodman sees a lot of potential for the technology to be used with health-related products, which are in high demand in Southwest Florida where there's a growing 65-and-older population. "This really opens the door to a range of entrepreneurs here who have a great product, but it's dumb. It just sits there. This can make it smart and could really open up a lot of doors for businesses in Southwest Florida that are looking to connect their products to the Internet," he said. SHARE Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-Mass., recently disclosed that a congressional investigation has found at least 72 employees of the Department of Homeland Security listed on the U.S. terrorist watch list. In other news, President Barack Obama used a memorial service for the victims of the Orlando massacre to advocate for more gun control laws. Anyone else see a contradiction in these two items? Interviewers frequently ask me why I don't favor more gun control laws. My response: Name one law that deters someone intent on breaking the law. Murder has been prohibited since the beginning of civilization, but people still murder. One might as well outlaw human nature. Only those predisposed to obey laws will obey them. Florida prohibits openly carrying firearms and many places advertise "gun-free zones," which can be an open invitation to anyone intent on mass murder. The Orlando shooter, Omar Mateen, reportedly visited Pulse nightclub several times before breaking its gun-free-zone policy. That night, he entered the club with an assault rifle and entered into a gun battle with the club's security guard, an off-duty police officer. He then retreated to a bathroom, taking hostages. Had Mateen cased the place? Did he know the guard would be the only one standing in his way? It would appear so. Despite the president's claim to the contrary, it is reasonable to believe that even a small number of armed patrons might have limited the number of fatalities. And had the shooter known he would encounter armed patrons perhaps he might not have chosen that particular club as his target. More gun laws are not the answer. Britain has some of the toughest gun laws in the world, but that did not stop a deranged man from shooting and stabbing to death Jo Cox, a member of Parliament. Mateen was a radical Muslim who pledged his allegiance to the Islamic State group, or ISIS. Why do so many of us find it hard to accept that Islamists want to kill us as part of a strategy to create a worldwide caliphate? And why is the president adopting their language by using the term ISIL, which stands for the "Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant," a larger area of the Middle East that includes Lebanon, Jordan and Syria? The president uses their terminology, but refuses to say "Islamic terrorism," while continuing to allow thousands of Syrian refugees into America when authorities say there are so many that they can't conduct proper background checks. The answer to the first question is political correctness. The owner of the gun store where Mateen purchased his rifle said he also asked about body armor. When Mateen left the store, someone contacted the FBI. The follow-up, however, proved insufficient. James Kallstrom, a former FBI assistant director, recently spoke with Megyn Kelly on her Fox News show. Kallstrom told Kelly that orders have come down from the White House that the bureau cannot investigate "anything to do with Muslims" and agents are "petrified" of losing their jobs if they do. Islamists could not have a better friend in the White House had they put one of their own there. The media and liberal activists have returned to their default positions, of course. New York Times columnist Charles Blow blames conservative Christians and their biblical doctrines on marriage, sexuality, even evolution for fomenting "hate" against LGBT people, a hate that, supposedly, propelled Mateen toward mass homicide. Truth is often a casualty in politics, but in a presidential election year it has become a mass casualty. Dr. Christi Warren works on a patient as her assistants hold him steady. Animal Eye Doctors is a veterinary practice in Estero specializing in veterinary ophthalmology. Lance Shearer/Special to the Banner SHARE Amy Plassins exits the clinic with Lucy, her Jack Russell terrier. Animal Eye Doctors is a veterinary practice in Estero specializing in veterinary ophthalmology. Lance Shearer/Special to the Banner Dr. Christi Warren works on a patient as her assistants hold him steady. Animal Eye Doctors is a veterinary practice in Estero specializing in veterinary ophthalmology. Lance Shearer/Special to the Banner Ashley Stritenberger welcomes Alex after he is treated for an eye clawed by the family cat. Animal Eye Doctors is a veterinary practice in Estero specializing in veterinary ophthalmology. Lance Shearer/Special to the Banner Dr. Christi Warren holds a patient after a procedure. Animal Eye Doctors is a veterinary practice in Estero specializing in veterinary ophthalmology. Lance Shearer/Special to the Banner By Lance Shearer, Banner Correspondent There's a picture on the wall in the Animal Eye Doctors waiting room that sums up the challenge facing the practice. A dog stares at an eye chart; but the dog is unlikely to be able to read even one line, or respond to the doctor's "which is better this, or this?" question. Animal Eye Doctors specializes in veterinary ophthalmology, and their patients not only can't tell the doctor where it hurts, they don't necessarily understand the importance of holding very still as the doctor performs a delicate procedure. The doctor in question is Dr. Christi Warren, who attended veterinary school at Texas A&M, did her internal medicine residence at Washington State University, and her ophthalmic residence at the University of Florida in Gainesville. The patients she sees at Animal Eye Doctors are "80 to 90 percent dogs," but she also treats "cats, guinea pigs, rabbits, birds anything with an eye. I once treated a rattlesnake, but he had corks on his fangs." In addition to the clinic, Warren also performs considerable pro bono work for local animal-related organizations, including the Naples Zoo, the Shy Wolf Sanctuary, animal rescue organizations and the Conservancy in Naples, where she makes her home. These connections can lead her looking into the eyes of even more exotic creatures. "I did cataract surgery on a lemur last year, and I treated the blind cougar at the Naples Zoo. I've seen hawks, owls, pelicans, opossums and turtles at the Conservancy. Mostly, they just sit there like they're a pet." "She does all that work without charging, just to help out," said front office manager Susan Hraha. "She does a lot for the community that way." Originally from Oyster Bay, Long Island, although she totally escaped the accent, Warren comes from a medical family. "My dad is a doctor, and my mom is a nurse," said Warren. "My dad said, 'don't go into human medicine.' I tried various veterinary specialties in school, and I fell in love with this. You get to do medicine and surgery, and see this whole amazing world inside the eye." Plus, she added, "You don't have to deal with really sick animals and euthanize them." It's very gratifying, she said, to see people relaxed and happy once their animal friends' eye problems are taken care of. Although she is the only animal eye doctor on the staff at Animal Eye Doctors, Warren originally had a partner, a Dr. Wolf from whom she bought the practice, and she expects to take on another doctor in the future. What she does have is assistants and technicians, who help keep the patients still and perform the services of a nurse. On a recent morning in the clinic, the patient load included a Jack Russell terrier with suspected glaucoma, a Shih Tzu who had been clawed in the eye by the family cat, and a reporter's golden retriever with a corneal ulcer. Saba, the retriever, was a return patient, having been treated for the same condition in the other eye last year. His rubbing of his eye, which was swollen and oozing mucous, let his family know he needed the procedure once again. Dr. Warren used a tool called an Alger brush to perform a procedure called keratotomy or debridement, removing excess tissue from the surface of the eyeball, and sent him home wearing an E-collar (for Elizabethan, although it was casually referred to at home as his "lampshade"), and instructions to apply three salves and antibiotic ointments four times a day until his follow-up visit in a week. Saba was wearing a contact lens, not to correct his myopia, but to allow the healing to take place. The Shih Tzu was OK, too, with just an E-collar, a newfound understanding of the reasons to treat cats with respect, and a scare for his concerned "mommy." Unlike Saba's scheduled appointment, that visit, like many to Animal Eye Doctors, was an unscheduled emergency, which makes scheduling for the practice challenging. "My vet sent me here right away," said Ashley Stritenberger, whose Shih Tzu "went after Apollo the cat, and got his cornea scratched. I hope he learned his lesson." It's just coincidence, said Dr. Warren, that her first name, Christi, has two "i's" in it. And the woman who looks into animals' eyes all day has no pets of her own at home. "No, I take care of everybody else's," said Warren. "When I do have pets, I like the exotics they're so misunderstood. My last pet was a hedgehog." IF YOU GO Animal Eye Doctors Address: 9180 Estero Park Commons Bldg., Suite 4, Estero Phone: 239-948-3937 Information: Visit tanimaleyedoctors.com SHARE By T.R. Kerth, Citizen Contributor Let's face it, we'll never make America great again until our politically correct legal system stops harassing good parents. I speak, of course, about the McHenry County (Illinois) woman who was charged with a misdemeanor and forced to plead guilty of endangering the life of her children, just because she fired a pistol shot into the TV where the kids were watching a music video. I mean, have you seen some of those videos? What good parent hasn't wanted to bust a cap into the Sony every now and then, just to teach the kids an important lesson? The music video was by a band called Primus. I had never heard of them, so I thought I'd look them up because they sounded like they might be dangerous foreigners. Who knows, they might even have been born in Afghan, and you know how nasty those Afghannerites can be. But according to Google the band members were all born in California just one more proof that you can't trust the lying liberal media. There were plenty of links I could click on to give Primus songs a listen, but I didn't want to overdo the research for this article, so I took a pass. Facts just get in the way. I trust the mom's judgment when it comes to protecting her kids from bad influences. It's her right, isn't it? Who are we to tell her how to raise her kids? Of course, the police tell a different story than the mom tells about the incident. The cops say the music video was the target, because that's what she told them when they showed up to talk to her. Typical government overreach to go all "Justice League" on anybody exercising their God-given right to change the channel with a revolver. But her lawyer says the cops are wrong to claim she was shooting at the Primus video, because she wasn't Primus PO'd at all. No, her lawyer says, the pistol accidentally discharged as it sat in her lap while she spent a little quality family time watching TV with the kids. Don't you hate it when that happens? In fact, they all thought it was sort of funny. As proof, the mom says the kids "spent the next week beating the TV with a hammer." And that, of course, is where the mom went wrong. After all, hammers could be hazardous in the hands of those kids, whose ages ranged from 6 to 15. It's a miracle none of them blackened a fingernail. There's a lesson to be learned here: The pistol she shot the TV with was just a little .22 caliber shooter, but if she had watched TV with a full-clipped Mac-10 in her lap and squeezed the trigger for a second or so, there wouldn't have been any TV remnants left to tempt the kids into picking up something as hazardous as a workbench tool. Just one more example of the dangers of trying to get through the day with inferior fire power. Of course, it all would have ended right there if the kids hadn't gone to school and joked about the incident, where a nosy busybody teacher overheard them and contacted the Department of Child and Family Services. The teacher was probably one of those bleeding-heart arsty-fartsy liberals who want all good Second-Amendment-loving Americans to pound their Glocks into glockenspiels. Is this really what you want your schools to do meddle into your home life and tell you what videos you have to tolerate on TV, or how to change the channel? Defending yourself from a nanny state like that is reason enough to sit around with a gun in your lap. For now, we won't know how it all turns out until August 12, when the mom is scheduled to be sentenced. She could face punishments of as much as $2,500 or one year in jail for a Class A misdemeanor count of endangering the life of a child. And it's doubtful she'll ever get her hammer back which is probably a good thing because she has a lot to learn about kids and tool safety. Unfortunately, I don't hold much hope that she will be treated fairly by our court system because the case is being decided by a woman judge, and you know how hysterical women can be when it comes to kids. They all let their emotions get in the way and go overboard with political correctness. I think the judge should recuse herself from the case, because there's no way a woman judge can control her lady-juice hormones in a case involving kids. (Or in any case, for that matter.) The woman judge's name is Sharon Prather, which sounds kind of foreign, doesn't it? Remember that guy who used to be president of that country where all the Jews live wasn't his last name Sharon? I was going to Google the judge to see what terrorist country she might have been born in, but I didn't want to get bogged down with a bunch of wonky facts since I'd already made up my mind about her, so I let it go. Anyway, I intend to keep a close eye on this poor mom's sentencing in August, because if things go wrong for her, there's only one political candidate to vote for in November who would pardon her if he gets elected. Because when he's president, trust me, he's going to "make America great again" with the help of millions of Americans who agree with every word I've said here. - - - The author splits his time between Southwest Florida and Chicago. Not every day, though. Contact him at trkerth@yahoo.com. Why wait a whole week for your next visit to Planet Kerth? Get T.R.'s book, "Revenge of the Sardines," available now at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other fine online book distributors. His column appears every Saturday. Maria Lucio reads to Levi Gamez, 18 mos., in her home in Immokalee on Monday, June 13, 2016. Lucio is one of 26 women in Immokalee who do in home childcare for children 0 to 3 years old through the Redland Christian Migrant Association. (Dorothy Edwards/Staff) SHARE By June Fletcher of the Naples Daily News Southwest Florida ranks high on the list of places in terms of income inequality, which is a growing problem nationwide, a new report says. "The rise of top incomes relative to the bottom 99 percent represents a sharp reversal of the trend that prevailed in the mid-20th century," according to a new report published by the Economic Policy Institute, a nonprofit think tank based in Washington, D.C., which compared 2013 annual incomes for the top 1 percent of different areas to the bottom 99 percent. That's because in the past, rising wages, collective bargaining and low unemployment helped raise middle-class wages, while a "cultural taboo" prevented executives from receiving outsized compensation packages and bonuses, the report said. But for more than a generation, that's no longer been true. The most unequal metro area in Florida and third in the country was Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island. The study ranked 916 places nationwide. Average annual income of the top 1 percent of the population was $4.2 million, while the average income for everyone else the 99 percent was $57,258, for a top-to-bottom ratio of 73.2. Cape Coral-Fort Myers, where the top 1 percent made an average of $1.3 million, or 33.5 times more than the rest, ranked 19th. Topping the list were Jackson, Wyoming, where the top 1 percent brought in $20 million, or 213 times more than the 99 percent, who earned $93,891, and Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, Connecticut where the top earners made $6 million, or 73.7 times more than the rest, who made $82,222. Nationally, 1-percenters made an average of $1.2 million, or 25.3 times the $45,567 brought in by the rest of the population. Myra Shapiro, former chairwoman for the Naples Alliance for Children, said she's seen the effects of eroding incomes for the middle class and poor since she arrived in Southwest Florida in 1981. "Collier County is wonderful but very diverse," she said. "You have pockets of poverty and wealth, but all parts of the county have their own issues when it comes to finding food, health care, affordable housing, everything." She noted that for children, the impact has been especially telling since in the past decade, the percentage of economically needy children in Collier County receiving free or reduced lunches has risen steadily. It increased to 62 percent, representing 28,302 students, in 2016 from 41 percent, or 17,858 students, in 2006. The situation is equally telling in Lee County, where last year the federal government decided to pick up the tab for lunch for more than 50,000 students in 77 schools that qualify as economically needy. For a school to qualify for the program, 40 percent of the students need to be eligible for free or reduced meal service. Barbara Mainster, executive director of Redlands Christian Migrant Association in Immokalee, said the gap in wealth is so huge, it must be difficult for a mansion-dweller in Port Royal to imagine what life is life for a typical farmworker or child care worker who makes Florida's minimum wage of $8.22 an hour. "One farmworker brought her income tax form for me to review, and she was making $13,000 a year," Mainster said. "She was living in a one-bedroom apartment with no air-conditioning because it cost $350 a month, and that's all that she could afford." Because housing costs take a big chunk of income, families often double up in trailers, with parents and children sharing one room. Others move out to Lehigh Acres, where housing tends to be more affordable, and commute. Clothing often is bought in thrift stores, and much of the family's food comes from the Fort Myers-based Harry Chapin Food Bank, which last year distributed 18.4 million pounds of food throughout the region, compared with 12.5 million pounds in 2010. "Still, people struggle," she said, adding that an increase in the minimum wage is needed to lift more people out of poverty. Yet it's not just the poor who have difficulty making ends meet, said Thomas Felke, assistant professor of social work at Florida Gulf Coast University. Many middle-class workers in the region pay more than the recommended 30 percent of income for housing and don't qualify for government-sponsored assistance programs that could help with food, tuition and other life expenses. The area's large senior population on fixed incomes is especially vulnerable, he said. "I had a case of a 65-year-old woman who had lost her home and asked an agency what was available," he said. "She was told to go to Walmart and ask the manager if she could park overnight in its lot." "Telling that to a senior? Is that the best we've got?" he said. "We don't do enough policy planning in the region." Naples wealth adviser Kevin Simpson said that while he doesn't think those in the highest income brackets "have any real sense" of what it means to be in the lowest brackets, some are trying to understand it better. He mentioned both United Way and the Naples Winter Wine Festival as examples of charities where donors are encouraged not just to write checks but to visit the people and programs that they help. "There are certain segments that are trying to raise and keep the money local," he said. And Shelton Weeks, chairman of the department of economics and finance at FGCU, noted that some of the area's richest residents are also retired chief executives of major corporations who represent a "wealth of human capital" that few other areas can match. These executives "can and do engage with the region's business community in a lot of helpful ways," he said. "The most relevant question for the region is how can we engage these individuals more effectively so we can move the economic ball forward?" Ye's Donda Academy still set for City of Palms Classic despite controversy Donnie Wilkie, vice president of the City of Palms Classic, said Wednesday as of now, there are no plans to remove Donda Academy from the tournament. FILE - In this March 7, 2016, file photo, Sen. Greg Evers, R-Baker, speaks during a legislative session in Tallahassee, Fla. Evers, who is running for Congress in the Florida Panhandle, has announced a Facebook contest to give away a semi-automatic rifle. Evers said Monday, June 20, 2016, that he is giving away an AR-15. (AP Photo/Steve Cannon, File) SHARE By Arek Sarkissian of the Naples Daily News TALLAHASSEE The League of Women Voters of Florida called on state lawmakers Monday to hold a special session to pass laws that would tighten the state's gun controls in the wake of the mass shooting last week in Orlando that left 49 people dead. The League of Women Voters sent a letter Monday to Gov. Rick Scott, House Speaker Steve Crisafulli and Senate President Andy Gardiner asking them to call a special session so lawmakers can pass a law that would ban assault rifles. Omar Mateen, 29, used an assault rifle and a handgun on June 12 to slaughter 49 people at an Orlando gay nightclub. The letter also asked for legislation that would require background checks for guns that are privately sold. "Any harm to any of us is harm to all of us and must be addressed by the entire state," Pamela S. Goodman, president of the League of Women Voters Florida, wrote in the letter. The letter was co-signed by several human rights groups and educational associations throughout Florida. Goodman recognizes chances are slim the Legislature will honor her call for a special session. However, state lawmakers need to know of a growing coalition of leaders across the state who want tighter gun controls, Goodman said. "Only our Legislature is the body that can make these changes" she said. "It's commonsense legislation to address the tragedy that occurred in this state." Goodman added the call for tighter gun controls reflected the voice of thousands who were outraged by a plan by state Sen. Greg Evers, R-Baker, to give away a custom-built AR-15 rifle. Evers, who is running for a congressional district that spans the western half of the Panhandle, said the giveaway was part of his campaign promise to protect the Second Amendment on Capitol Hill. Evers will randomly choose someone who has liked and shared his Facebook campaign page or signed up on his campaign website by July 4. "With terrorism on the rise and liberals in Washington talking about taking away your Second Amendment Rights I decided to giveaway this custom AR-15," Evers wrote on Facebook. Efforts to reach Evers on Monday were unsuccessful. Evers has long been one of the biggest gun supporters in the state Senate. He sponsored a bill during this year's legislative session that would have allowed concealed weapon permit holders to carry a handgun on campus. The measure failed after state Sen. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami, decided not to allow Evers' bill to be heard in the Judiciary Committee he chairs. Contact Daily News reporter Arek Sarkissian at (850) 559-7620 Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., right, speaks with Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., behind, on Capitol Hill, Monday, June 20, 2016 in Washington. A divided Senate blocked rival election-year plans to curb guns on Monday, eight days after the horror of Orlando's mass shooting intensified pressure on lawmakers to act but knotted them in gridlock anyway even over restricting firearms for terrorists. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) SHARE FILE In this March 14, 2016, file photo, then-Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., speaks during a campaign rally at Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Fla. Rubio suggests he is reconsidering his plans to leave the Senate at the end of this year, and may run for re-election instead. Rubio tells reporters that he will let everyone know about any change of status next week after spending some time with his family. The filing deadline for the Florida Senate race is June 24. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File) By Ledyard King, USA TODAY WASHINGTON Florida's two senators split sharply on a new round of gun control measures on Monday, echoing the partisan divide in Congress over how to respond to last week's massacre at a nightclub in Florida. None of the four gun control measures two Democratic, two Republican that came to the floor on Monday received the 60 votes needed to advance. The votes fell largely along party lines in the Senate where Republicans control 54 of the 100 seats. Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson voted for measures that sought to crack down on gun sales in a variety of ways, including denying guns to people who may no longer be on a terror watch list and expanding background checks to include private sales and sales over the internet. "Do we think that a person that is on the no-fly list ought to be able to buy one of these lethal killing machines?," Nelson said on the Senate floor next to a large picture of two assault weapons similar to one of the guns used by the Orlando shooter, Omar Mateen. "I've been a hunter all my life. I grew up on a ranch. I own numbers of guns. But my guns are for hunting. These guns are for killing." Mateen had legally purchased a semi-automatic assault rifle and a handgun before launching his June 12 rampage at Pulse nightclub in Orlando that left 49 dead and 53 injured. It was the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. Mateen's name had appeared on a terrorist watch list two years ago but was removed after the case was closed with no further action. Republican Sen. Marco Rubio voted for a measure that called for research on the causes of mass shootings and would have increased funding for the background check system, but would not have expanded the types of gun sales that require them. He also backed a provision would have allowed federal law enforcement officials to delay gun sales to suspected terrorists, including those on watch and no-fly lists, for three days and then halt the sales, but only after proving probable cause before a judge. Rubio voted against the two measures Nelson supported. Nelson voted against the two Rubio supported. Rubio did not speak on the Senate floor. But he issued a statement through his office after the votes denouncing the proposal to deny guns to people who have been on terrorist watch lists. He said the proposal would have violated the Second Amendment rights of those people by putting the burden of proof on the individual, not the government. "It would not prevent terrorist attacks, but it would deny thousands of law-abiding Americans their constitutionally protected right to bear arms without any due process," Rubio said. "Our terror watch lists are a mess that need to be fixed. We know there are thousands of innocent Americans who have been put on these lists without any justification, and getting their names cleared can be an arduous process." In his statement, Rubio denounced the Democratic proposals as "politically-motivated and driven by a larger ideological agenda to disarm Americans." Nelson, who lives in Orlando, blamed Monday's votes on pressure from the National Rifle Association. "All this is is the NRA locking down its votes, putting the fear of God in our Republican friends and colleagues on the next Republican primary that they're going to be in," he said. SHARE By Ledyard King, USA Today WASHINGTON Voters in three presidential battleground states including Florida have delivered a stinging verdict on Donald Trump's comments about a Mexican-American judge. A Quinnipiac University poll released Tuesday found presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton making gains against the Republican real estate mogul in two of the three swing states considered key to determining the presidency. And some of that could be attributable to Trump's recent attacks on Indiana-born Gonzalo Curiel, the federal judge in Southern California presiding over a class-action fraud lawsuit against former Trump University, said Peter Brown, the poll's assistant director. A sizable majority in each of the three states Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania say Trump's comments were "racist." Clinton leads Trump 47 percent-39 percent among Florida voters, up from the 1-point advantage (43 percent-42 percent) she held last month in the same poll before Trump spent several days going after Curiel in speeches and interviews. The new poll also showed Trump's 4-point lead has vanished in Ohio. It was 43 percent-39 percent Trump last month, compared to 40%-40% in the latest poll. Little has changed in Pennsylvania. The former first lady is up 43 percent-42 percent in the new poll, compared to 42 percent-41 percent last month both statistical ties. Trump criticized Curiel, whose parents emigrated from Mexico, months ago. But he stepped up those broadsides in late May after clinching the nomination. Among the criticisms, Trump said the judge is biased against him and should recuse himself from the fraud case because the billionaire wants to build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico. Nearly six in 10 voters in each of the three states deemed that "racist," compared to about one-third who did not, the poll found. That hurts Trump in states with high Hispanic populations like the Sunshine State, Brown said. "It is Hillary Clinton's best state and perhaps Donald Trump's toughest lift," Brown said of Florida. "One reason might be Florida has a larger Hispanic population than the other two states, and Trump has clashed with Hispanic leaders over some of his remarks." Since 1960, no candidate has won the presidential race without taking at least two of the three states. The poll also found that among Florida voters: Clinton and Trump both have high negative ratings. Fifty-three percent have an unfavorable view of her, compared to 61 percent for him. By a 60 percent - 31 percent margin, voters say Clinton is better prepared to be president. By a 47 percent - 36 percent margin, voters say Clinton has higher moral standards. Forty-three percent say Trump is more honest and trustworthy compared to 40 percent for Clinton. Trump is seen as better at creating jobs and battling the Islamic State, while Clinton gets higher marks on immigration and responding to an international crisis. Trump and Clinton are pretty much tied when it comes to who's more inspiring or is a stronger leader. By a 48 percent - 40 percent margin, voters say they would rather invite Trump to their backyard barbecue, but 49 percent said they would rather turn to Clinton during a personal crisis compared to 40 percent for Trump. The poll of 975 Florida voters was conducted From June 8 19 and has a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points. Contact Ledyard King at lking@gannett.com; Twitter: @ledgeking SHARE Discussions related to Southwest Florida's environment and habitat are on tap in the coming days, but it's also a week for political animals. Here are some important meetings and dates this week: Bear hunt Meeting in a coastal community south of Tallahassee, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is to consider whether to authorize another black bear hunt. Agency staff was asked in April to present, during the commission's June meeting, options for another bear hunt. The meeting begins at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Franklin County School Gymnasium, 1250 U.S. Highway 98 in Eastpoint. Agency records show staff will recommend modifying hunting rules, based on an updated bear population study and experiences with a 2015 hunt. A new count released earlier this year showed about 4,350 adult bears across the state, compared with a 2,640 estimate 15 years ago. However, a group of scientists recently suggested the state's latest count was flawed. Staff also is suggesting rule changes, based on problems that occurred with the numbers killed in 2015, when some hunters didn't comply with regulations. That was the first authorized hunt of Florida black bears in more than two decades. Agency staff also is to provide updated information about human-bear conflicts and efforts to address the securing of garbage and other food sources luring bears into neighborhoods. While we understand hunting is a valid wildlife management practice, we've objected to holding hunts deep in the woods of bears that aren't interacting with neighborhoods. That doesn't directly address bear-human conflicts. We've suggested a better answer before authorizing another hunt is to require bear-proof garbage containers in rural areas and see what occurs by enforcing such a law. Land conservation With the Legislature's reluctance to put much money into the Florida Forever land-buying program, the burden shifts to local governments. Lee commissioners wisely will ask voters Nov. 8 if they want to renew the 20-year-old local tax to buy land under the Conservation 20/20 program. On the agenda for Wednesday's meeting of the Estero Village Council is a resolution calling on voters to support the referendum. "Conservation lands provide quality of life and environmental and economic benefits, such as protecting water resources, drinking water supplies and wildlife habitat...," the resolution the council will consider aptly states. The council meets starting at 2 p.m. at 9401 Corkscrew Palms Circle in Estero. Qualifying As for political animals, the Aug. 30 primary and Nov. 8 general election ballots will be set as of Friday. Would-be candidates have been weighing in on issues and raising money for months, but federal, state and local ballots don't become official until qualifying week, which began Monday and concludes at noon Friday. By then, we'll know for sure if U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio will change his mind and run after his failed presidential bid. U.S. House and state legislative seats, along with county offices in Collier and Lee from County Commission to School Board, also will have ballots finalized, among others. Lee commission The next step toward Bonita Springs getting a long-deserved new library is before Lee County commissioners Tuesday. Commissioners are to consider a $987,772 contract with BSSW Architects Inc., which has offices in Naples and Fort Myers, to develop and design plans, then administer the construction contract, for a new, relocated library. A $14 million, 30,000-square-foot library is planned at the southeast corner of Reynolds Street and Felts Avenue, replacing the aging Pine Avenue library. The commission meets beginning at 9:30 a.m. in chambers in the old Lee County Courthouse at 2120 Main. St., Fort Myers. Then at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Lee commissioners get another look at the proposed 2016-17 county budget. Staff has come up with a recommendation on how to address a projected $7.7 million deficit in county government's operating budget. SHARE Collier County Public Schools Diversity is a wonderful thing. It should be promoted, embraced and kept in perspective. That applies not only to ethnic and racial diversity in the community and workplace. It also pertains to a diversity of opinions. "Diversity" in both contexts comes to mind in light of a weekend report in the Naples Daily News that some individuals affiliated with the Collier chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People are upset that there aren't more black leaders and teachers in Collier County Public Schools. We concur with the need to achieve diversity and the right of individuals to share their thoughts, as diverse as those opinions might be even within a specific organization. We do, however, also call for perspective. We carefully choose the word "individuals" because the opinions expressed about CCPS didn't come from leadership of the Collier NAACP. The opinions didn't come from any of six officers listed on the local NAACP's website, nor anyone identified there as serving on the Collier organization's executive committee, including chairs of education, legal redress and political awareness. "This article was formulated without my knowledge or authorization," wrote Harold Weeks, president of the Collier NAACP, in an email sent Monday to the district from out of state and copied to local NAACP leaders. "Hopefully this news article has not damaged our working relationship for the good of all the students in CCPS system." By the numbers According to Florida Department of Education reports, 11.6 percent of CCPS students are black, while 4 percent of teachers are 98 out of 2,752 who chose the option to report their race or ethnicity. According to the reports, of about 100 assistant principals and administrators, eight are black. Those percentages would indicate black students aren't seeing enough black role models in the classroom and front offices. Yet 2010 U.S. Census data show 6.6 percent of Collier's population as black. Projections have that around 7 percent in 2014. Because the black student population percentage nearly doubles the overall racial makeup of Collier, it means that in various age brackets there are proportionately more black children than adults those of age to teach in or direct schools. What's the bellwether percentage of black teachers to achieve? Is it 11.6 percent represented by student racial composition or 7 percent of the overall population? Blame game Some looking for anything to pin on Superintendent Kamela Patton due to the School Board's 3-2 power struggle and fall election may seize upon this. Again, perspective is in order, not the least of which is a May 2000 Daily News article that cites the district's need 16 years ago for a more diverse classroom workforce. Since Patton came here five years ago, Collier County hasn't been building schools that would create new on-campus leadership positions. There were hiring freezes during the Great Recession. This isn't just a CCPS issue. A National Education Association position paper cites "a need to increase diversity and cultural competence in the teaching workforce" in the U.S. and also cites the cost of college as a deterrent to turning out new teachers. "We've tried to work together in-house on this matter without resolution. There is no blame involved, for both sides have been at fault," Weeks wrote Monday to Patton. "This matter has been with us for many years and sorry to say will not be resolved any time soon. I personally feel you have worked diligently to make this happen." More to do? Is there more to do? Certainly. Are there other ethnic and racial needs to take into account? Absolutely. Collier schools became a "minority majority" district for the first time in October 2004. Census data show Collier is nearly 27 percent Hispanic or Latino, while 49.1 percent of the students are. Summer is time for filling teaching positions for the next academic year. We've heard Patton and staff talk before about district recruitment and internal promotion initiatives. A summer refresher course for the community seems in order. SHARE Tom Garner, Bonita Springs Enablers We've legalized just about anyone to purchase a weapon of mass destruction in the form of a military-style weapon capable of firing 30-plus rounds without changing clips. So why do we do this? The answer seems to be that special interest groups have a lock on our Congress to the extent that Congress is incapable of passing sane gun laws. This inability to act rationally is a systemic problem and can be fixed only when we force Congress to pass term limits, make gerrymandering illegal and reverse the Citizens United decision. Once we do this, we the people will have greater input on what we need to do as a country to protect all citizens in a rational and meaningful way. Until we force some systemic changes as to how our Congress behaves, incidents like Orlando will continue unabated. SHARE Jim Adduci, Naples and Boston Orlando shooting So the FBI interviews him three times. He expresses his support/interest for ISIS. When you interview and investigate someone, you talk to his family, friends and co-workers (four of them warned the authorities); his father supports the Taliban; and the shooter checked out OK. Nothing to worry about. The FBI should have taken away his gun, and notified his employer. Then, if he tries to buy guns illegally, you have him committing a crime; jail time. If he wants to sue in court for his right to own a gun, so be it. According to the FBI, they couldn't do anything because he did not commit a crime. The problem with that is when a terrorist does commit a crime, it's killing countless people. Rope off the area, collect the evidence; move along, nothing to see here. With that system, we lose. The ball was dropped. Just like the bombing in Boston, the FBI and Homeland Security knew about the two brothers, their trips to a terrorist country; and interviewed them also. Even Putin's KGB warned us that they were terrorists! They let them go about their business; the result was the Boston bombing. We know the FBI and Homeland Security have a lot on their plate, but when you know the enemy, don't look the other way. We expect these things to happen when you don't know them at all. By the way, how's the TSA doing? I remember reading more than 80 percent of the weapons during a test run got through. We are about as safe as a chicken in a slaughterhouse. The sky is falling thanks to our leadership. (As delivered) President Rivlin, It is a great honour and a great pleasure to welcome you here to the NATO Headquarters and we have just finished very constructive talks where we have addressed common challenges and how we can further enhance the cooperation between NATO and Israel. NATO Allies set great store by our relationship with Israel. For more than twenty years, Israel has been a very active NATO partner through the Mediterranean Dialogue. The only security forum that brings together NATO Allies with Israel and Arab countries. Israel was the first Mediterranean Dialogue country to agree a Security of Information Agreement with NATO back in 2001. And we also agreed an Individual Cooperation Programme in 2006. We are now taking our cooperation a step further. We have agreed to establish an Israeli Mission to NATO, headed by Israels Ambassador to the European Union. And this is really an important step and I welcome that very much. And I very much look forward to the opening of this new mission in the near future. This is an important step, but it is not the only step that we are taking. We have also begun our discussions on how to enhance our bilateral cooperation even further. Increasing the level of cooperation between NATO and Israel, as well as with our other Mediterranean Dialogue partners, is essential. The violence and instability that has gripped the Middle East and North Africa in recent years is a clear threat to the security of all our nations. We have just discussed the evolving security situation in the region. And President Rivlin, allow me to express my condolences on the recent terrorist attack in Tel Aviv. Terrorism has touched so many of our cities. From Brussels to Ankara, and from Orlando to Tel Aviv. It is vital that countries that share the same values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law stand united against hate and against terrorism. And that we stand as one in defence of our open societies. NATO and Israel have a long relationship and we are longstanding partners. I very much look forward to visiting Israel and to develop an even closer relationship with Israel in the coming years. So once again, welcome to NATO, to NATO Headquarters and thank you for excellent meetings. Infants who receive multiple vaccines more likely to die Real vaccine damage figures could be much higher (NaturalNews) It's a scene that is familiar to many parents: You bring your baby in for a check-up, and the doctor informs you that your 6-month-old is due for "some shots." After some prodding, he reveals that your baby actually needs a combination of eight different vaccines. He assures you that this is normal practice and nothing to worry about. You brace yourself for the inevitable crying that will accompany the needle's jab, and then you go home and forget the whole thing ever happened ... until the next check-up.However, for some parents, the injection and crying are only the beginning of the nightmare. Half a million adverse events have been reported in association with vaccines in the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), which is run by the FDA and the CDC.That statistic is pretty shocking, but the fact that 5.4 percent of these reactions in children getting five or more vaccines concurrently were fatal isunforgivable. Now, medical research journalist Neil Z. Miller is warning parents that the practice of administering multiple vaccines in one visit is unsafe and can even be deadly.Miller states that the CDC recommends that infants receive the polio, diphtheria, hepatitis B, rotavirus, pneumococcal, tetanus, Haemophilus influenza Type B and pertussis vaccines at 2, 4 and 6 months of age, despite the fact that such a combination has never been tested for safety in clinical trials.After examining data regarding the percentage of reported reactions involving hospitalization or death as it relates to the number of vaccines the child received as well as their age, he noted:"Our study showed that infants who receive several vaccines concurrently...are significantly more likely to be hospitalized or die when compared with infants who receive fewer vaccines simultaneously."It also showed that reported adverse effects were more likely to lead to hospitalization or death in younger infants."While 5.4 percent of reactions were fatal in those infants who received five or more vaccines at once, the figure fell to 3.6 percent for those receiving four or fewer. This rate is still unacceptably high, but the difference does illustrate how receiving more vaccines is a lot riskier.Miller's findings were published in the. He was also part of a 2012 study that compiled data from VAERS which revealed a positive correlation between the number of vaccine doses administered and the percentage of hospitalizations and deaths.Even worse, experts have suggested that vaccine reactions are vastly under-reported, with former FDA commissioner David Kessler saying that ''only about one percent of serious events [adverse drug reactions] are reported." This means that the actual number of deaths from multiple vaccine doses could be a lot higher than reported rates. How can this practice be allowed to continue? Crystal Downing is one mother who knows all too well just how dangerous multiple vaccine doses can be. Her infant son died just one day after receiving eight vaccinations at once. The doctors tried to blame it on SIDS, but she noticed him acting strangely almost immediately after getting the shots.She wants other parents to be aware of the dangers. "My son was injected with 8 vaccines, if you don't know what is in them, learn! When I did, I was shocked and mad at myself for not questioning this before," she said.It can be pretty difficult to convince some people of the dangers of vaccines, and many parents rightfully want their children to be protected from the illnesses many of these vaccines are designed for. The best move that parents who still wish to vaccinate their children can make is to insist that only single doses are given, and that they be spaced out far enough to ensure that a cumulative effect does not occur. Monsanto's flagship herbicide linked to birth defects, obesity and autism Glyphosate and antibiotic resistance (NaturalNews) The "Great Glyphosate Rebellion" a term first coined bycontinues to intensify, not only in Europe, where application of the widely used weed killer is about to expire , but also in the U.S., where Monsanto has long held regulatory authorities in a choke-hold, allowing for the persistent distribution of its toxic chemicals . But those days may finally be coming to an end.A coalition of independent scientists held a closed door meeting with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Washington D.C. on Tuesday, during which they pressured officials to ban glyphosate once and for all Researchers testified that the weed killer presents serious risks to public health, animals and the environment that should not be ignored any longer.They explained to EPA officials that exposure to glyphosate is strongly linked to a host of debilitating and often fatal health effects , including autism, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, birth defects, obesity and gluten intolerance, among other diseases."When a cell is trying to form proteins, it may grab glyphosate instead of glycine to form a damaged, mis-folded protein. After that it's medical chaos. Where glyphosate replaces glycine, the cell can no longer conduct business as usual causing unpredicted consequences with many diseases and disorders as a result," said pathobiologist Dr. Stephen Frantz, a public health research scientist.Frantz also highlighted the adverse effects Monsanto's flagship weed killer has on the environment, including its ability to inhibit crops from capturing carbon from the air, an essential tool for combating climate change "Glyphosate negatively affects the soil microbiome. It is destroying the ability of soil to be a nutritive medium for producing crops. Organic or biological regenerative agriculture is the solution for the sustainable agricultural sector and will conserve soil, air and water quality, and sequester carbon that helps to mitigate the climate crisis. We call for a ban on glyphosate."Another major health concern related to glyphosate application is the role it plays in fueling antibiotic resistance, which according to the World Health Organization, is one the biggest threats to humanity.Because the weed killer is a patented antimicrobial, consuming foods sprayed with glyphosate exposes humans to a "chronic, low dose antibiotic," said Frantz. As a result, superbugs are becoming far more prevalent, so much so that experts are now predicting an end to the era of antibiotics."Glyphosate is impacting DNA and causing disease . These diseases are skyrocketing and we will only see more of this if we do not put a stop to the use of glyphosate," added Sterling Hill, a DNA research scientist based in Louisiana.The EPA is currently reviewing the safety of glyphosate, and will not say if the weed killer will be re-licensed until the completion of its review, which is set to be released next year.In May, the agency published what appeared to be the results of its assessment, which concluded that glyphosate is not a human carcinogen. However, the EPA strangely yanked the assessment from its website , claiming that it was "inadvertently" released, and that its review is not yet finished.The document that was prematurely released used Monsanto data to reach its conclusion. Environmental advocates are hopeful that the official ruling will recognize that glyphosate does in fact cause cancer. They have arrived! The ISS crew successfully landed on Earth using the Soyuz TMA-19M spacecraft last June 18 after spending 186 days in space. Three astronauts aboard the Soyuz spacecraft are Expedition 47 commander and NASA astronaut Tim Kopra, ESA astronaut Tim Peake and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko. They landed after an expected bumpy ride back to Earth at 5:15 am in Kazakhstan. After 186 days in space, three @Space_Station crew members are safely home on Earth. Details https://t.co/YJYkD9AbOl pic.twitter.com/QXB0t7dub1 NASA (@NASA) June 18, 2016 The trio was quickly rescued and retrieved by the Russian recovery team. The recovery team was seen circling the crash site while the parachuted-spacecraft carefully descended from space. The astronauts are fine after surviving almost a three-hour flight back home in the cramped space in the capsule. They were immediately placed in a reclining chair and had undergone initial check-up after the recovery. A team of flight surgeons and nurses attended to the trio prepared for any unwanted physical conditions due to landing and re-entry on the planet. British astronaut Tim Peake was elated to see the Sun and marveled at the "smell of the Earth". "I'd love some cool rain right now!" Tim Peake said in a statement, published by the New York Post. After their arrival, the crew dished out their space suits and changed into Earth-borne clothing before they were flown to their respective bases. Back in Europe during my stopover in Bod, Norway on the way to @ESA_EAC pic.twitter.com/plVxcCsXNk Tim Peake (@astro_timpeake) June 18, 2016 Although the landing was considered generally smooth, the capsule landed on its side after being caught by the wind. The landing was somehow obscured by this small occurrence that might have shaken the trio inside, but experts say this is quite normal in a space capsule landing. The world watched through NASA live TV as the epic landing unfolds. Major Peake, with his eyes closed obviously adjusting to the sunlight, gave a thumbs up and spoke to the press. The British astronaut had only nice words to say about the journey "it was incredible, a real ride. Best ride I've been on ever," said Peake, according to a report by the Guardian. The trio's return marks the completion of NASA's human research studies including ocular health, cognition, salivary markers and microbiome. The research will pave the wave for relevant vaccines for diseases such as glaucoma, long-duration explorations and of course, health benefits for medical practices on Earth. Hot Jupiters are the new exoplanets being observed by astronomers and scientists. The European Southern Observatory (ESO) recently discovered that there are far more "hot Jupiter" types of planets than expected in the cluster of stars called Messier 67. The collection of data from different instruments and telescopes helped the scientists at ESO conclude that there was an unusually large number of hot Jupiters on Messier 67. The denser environment of the cluster might have caused more interactions between planets and nearby stars, thus more hot Jupiters managed to form. ESO used data from the HARPS spectrograph and the La Silla Observatory in Chile. Messier 67 cluster has 88 stars and is believed to be as old as the Earth's Sun. The old star cluster of Messiah 67 is found in the Cancer constellation according to Space.Com. "We want to use an open star cluster as a laboratory to explore the properties of exoplanets and theories of planet formation," Roberto Saglia, team lead of the study said in a statement published by Science Daily. "Here we have not only many stars possibly hosting planets, but also a dense environment, in which they must have formed," Saglia added. The scientists use data to observe the "wobble" effect of hot Jupiters. The presence of the said effect confirms that the exoplanets exist, not one but three in one star cluster. The study that discovered three hot Jupiters in the Messier 67 is considered "striking" to scientist as it is unusual to find a large number of hot Jupiters near each other. The discovery of three hot Jupiters in one cluster amazed the authors of the study. "No hot Jupiters at all had been detected in open clusters until a few years ago. In three years the paradigm has shifted from a total absence of such planets - to an excess!" Luca Pasquini, co-author of the study said in an interview with Daily Galaxy. The team believes that the discovery of an unusual number of exoplanets called hot Jupiters will not end here. As more data are gathered, there could be more bodies waiting to be discovered. Hundreds of pregnant women are at risk of having babies with severe birth defects as number of people infected with Zika in Puerto Rico increases at an alarming rate, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said. According to the latest data, infection rates are continuously rising and will eventually affect one-quarter of the U.S. territory's 3.5 million people. Current estimates also show that 1 percent to 13 percent of babies born to women infected with Zika during pregnancy will have birth defects such as microcephaly, a condition where babies are born with abnormally shrunken heads. "In coming months, thousands of pregnant women in Puerto Rico will catch Zika," CDC director Thomas Frieden said in a press release published on The Washington Post. "This could lead to dozens or hundreds of infants being born with microcephaly in the coming year," Frieden added. The data came from blood donation testing results from blood centers in Puerto Rico. According to the data, the percentage of blood donations testing positive for Zika has been increasing at 1.1 percent in the week ending June 11. This is the highest level since testing began in April 3, CDC said. This percentage translates to a 2-percent infection rate each month and a 25-percent infection rate annually. "These numbers are increasing faster than we had anticipated," Frieden said in an interview with The Washington Post. About 32,000 babies are born in Puerto Rico each year, and the projected increase in Zika infection rate would put thousands of women at risk before giving birth, CDC said. The estimate of the number of birth-defect cases was based on a recent study in Brazil, which found that women who were infected in the first trimester faced a 13-percent risk of giving birth to infants with Zika-related birth defects. According to the Puerto Rico health department, the island territory has 1,726 confirmed cases of Zika, including 191 pregnant women. So far, only one case of microcephaly has been reported to date. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos already ventured into the commercial space service industry with his company, Blue Origin. Bezos' startup seems to stand along side Elon Musk's SpaceX, as Blue Origin launched its fourth test flight of its space rocket New Shepard. Last June 18, Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket was launched and landed for the fourth time. The event was streamed live and was witnessed by thousands worldwide. NASA is currently seeking for reusable rocket technologies that is why private companies such as Blue Origin, SpaceX and Made In Space are all attempting to develop the most cost-effective rockets or reusable space shuttles. The live webcast of the test flight was shown at BlueOrigin.com. With the move of live streaming its launch, it seems like the company is trying to gain the public's attention and is "trying to be transparent" with its project since early this year, according to a report by the Verge. The company's projects weren't publicized until recently, but the trend is changing now as more and more information has been revealed about their projects. Bezos and his company also started encouraging press and media exposures this year. This move can be construed as an attempt to win over its future market, the tourists because Blue Origin plans to send tourist into space. Enthusiastic Bezos also encourage viewers to watch the launch that fell on the same day as Father's day. "Watching a rocket launch (and rocket landing!) might add a little extra fun with the kids on Father's Day - enjoy," Bezos said in an announcement published by Mashable. New Shepard launch set for Sunday at 10:15 am ET. Live webcast starts at 9:45 am ET at https://t.co/WTXblOKlvk #GradatimFerociter Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) June 17, 2016 Former test flights of Blue Origin were successful, the New Shepard was brought to suborbital space landed back safely at the launch site in Texas. The test was in preparation of Blue Origin's New Shepard to bring "customers" to space where they can marvel at the view of Earth from space. Researchers from the NASA-funded European Space Agency's Venus Express mission have discovered a terrifying "electric wind" on Venus that is strong enough to wipe out oceans from its upper atmosphere. The study posted in AGU Publications says that the existence of an "ambipolar" electric field is vital on every planet as it helps ions overcome gravity. However, in Venus' case, the electric field is five times stronger than Earth's ionesphere, resulting to the planet's loss of heavy ions including oxygen, waterforms and water species. "It's amazing, shocking," Glyn Collinson from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center told Science Daily. "We found that the electric wind, which people thought was just one small cog in a big machine, is in fact this big monster that's capable of sucking the water from Venus by itself." Collinson further said that they did not expect Venus' electric wind to be so powerful that it has the ability to strip away oxygen, sucking it out from the atmosphere into space. "This is something that has to be on the checklist when we go looking for habitable planets around other stars," he added. Known as the twin sister of Earth, Venus features the same physical characteristics of Earth in terms of size and gravity. Past researches have also revealed that waterforms such as oceans have once existed on Venus. However, the said planet's atmosphere is currently very hot at around 860 degrees Fahrenheit. Scientists previously thought that the removal of oceans from Venus' atmosphere was due to light hydrogen escaping and oxidization of rocks. However, that is apparently not the case. On Venus, the electric field is so strong that it can speed up oxygen ions to escape the planet's gravity. The reason behind the strong electric field on Venus is not yet known, but Collinson speculates that it might be due to the planet's closeness to the Sun. This new information will help scientists understand other worlds in the solar system as well as identify possible habitable zones. 2015 is a terrifying year for those fighting to save the planet. Global Witness, an international NGO that documents abuses worldwide, recently released a report documenting the lethal attacks against environmentalists across several countries. The report showed that there are at least 185 environment activists who were killed last year. Brazil and Philippines had the most environmental activist deaths, 50 and 33 respectively. Other countries topping the list are Colombia, Peru, Nicaragua, Democratic Republic and Congo. The report enumerated several stories of environmental activists killed for their advocacy. For instance, the father and grandfather of Michelle Campos, a lumad from the Philippines. Lumad is a regional term referring to indigenous peoples in southern Philippines. According to Michelle's narrative, they were publicly executed. "We get threatened, vilified and killed for standing up to the mining companies on our land and the paramilitaries that protect them," she told the advocacy group. The lumad own ancestral lands in many regions in different provinces. "My father, grandfather and school teacher were just three of countless victims. We know the murderers--they are still walking free in our community. We are dying and our government does nothing to help us," she added. Global Witness said agribusiness, water and land rights, and logging were the major source of conflict usually between indigenous peoples and private sectors. "These numbers are shocking, and evidence that the environment is emerging as a new battleground for human rights," the report said. "Across the world industry is pushing ever deeper into new territory, driven by consumer demand for products like timber, minerals and palm oil. Increasingly communities that take a stand are finding themselves in the firing line of companies' private security, state forces and a thriving market for contract killers." Three environmentalists are being killed every week, according to the report. The noted deaths last year, is the highest annual death toll ever recorded, doubling the number of journalists killed in the same period. According to The Independent, this marked an increase of 59 percent from 2014. Since 2002, Global Witness has documented 1,176 cases of environmentalists death. Despite the huge number, the report said there are probably more undocumented killings and the number is probably much higher. SAN FRANCISCO, CA USA (June 20, 2016) What began as a passion of a handful of individuals, a musician, filmmaker, technologist, scientist and astronaut, has become a global movement by thousands to increase awareness and education about asteroids. Supported by 22 global partners, scores of international agencies, 72 space travelers from 12 nations, leaders in business and finance, parents and youth, Asteroid Day 2016 will include hundreds of events on and around June 30, 2016. Professor Stephen Hawking, who will participate in the Starmus Festival, an Asteroid Day event, states that One of the major threats to intelligent life in our universe is a high probability of an asteroid colliding with inhabitable planets. Our goal is to dedicate one day each year to learn about asteroids, the origins of our universe, and to support the resources necessary to see, track and deflect dangerous asteroids from Earths orbital path, explains Dr. Brian May, astrophysicist, guitarist and songwriter for QUEEN who co-founded Asteroid Day. Asteroids are a natural disaster we know how to prevent. This is the premise of Asteroid Day. Asteroid Day is held on the anniversary of the largest asteroid impact of Earth in recorded history. On June 30, 1908, a relatively small asteroid (40 meters) exploded over Tunguska, Siberia, releasing the equivalent of 100 tons of TNT, devastating an area of about 800 square miles, the size of any major metropolitan city. Events for Asteroid Day will be held on all five continents and include films, concerts, interactive workshops and expert panels with engineers, scientists and astronauts and special programs for youth. San Franciscos California Academy of Sciences will host a day program for youth, followed by an evening program for adults, with screening of their newest planetarium show, Incoming!, exploring asteroids, comets, and the hard-hitting stories of our cosmic origins. New Film Series Asteroid Day Co-founder Grig Richters will debut a seven-part film series, with an introduction by Neil deGrasse Tyson, Director of New Yorks Hayden Planetarium. The series celebrates the work of asteroid experts, scientists, astronauts, and policymakers, with interviews with Mark Boslough, Stephen Hawking, Ed Lu, Bill Nye, Patrick Michel, Lynne Jones, Lord Martin Rees, Rusty Schweickart, and Carolyn Shoemaker. It also highlights upcoming missions to search for and study near-Earth asteroids: Asteroid Impact & Deflection Assessment (AIDA) mission, a joint project of ESA and NASA; OSIRIS-REx, NEOCam and Hayabusa2. The European Space Agency (ESA) is a premier partner of Asteroid Day. ESA asteroid specialists will be participating at public events in Barcelona, Munich and Heidelberg, sharing details of the European component of AIDA, as well as ESAs Space Situational Awareness program. This program looks at Near Earth Objects, logging any that might one day pose an impact threat to our planet, comments ESA Director-General Jan Woerner. We are also proposing to start the Asteroid Impact Mission, to perform a close-up survey of a tiny asteroid while at the same time the NASA DART spacecraft crashes into it, attempting to shift its orbit. Asteroid Day media partner, Discovery Science, the only global network dedicated entirely to the wonders of science, will launch Countdown to Asteroid Day a special programming block beginning 20th June, to be aired globally in the lead up to June 30 events. On Asteroid Day, Discovery Science will dedicate the entire day to asteroid programming, leading with two one-hour premiere titles: Man Vs. Asteroid: An Asteroid Day Special, and The Man Who Tweeted Earth, a profile of Canadian Astronaut Chris Hadfield. Discovery Science reaches 72 million US households and 97 million households internationally across 159 countries and territories. Founding partners of Asteroid Day include: The Association of Space Explorers, B612, California Academy of Sciences, The Planetary Society, Natural History Museum of Vienna, and Starmus, which all will be hosting events in 2016. Media materials, including a downloadable press kit with quotes from supporters and partners, photos, video, and BROLL, are available in the Asteroid Day Newsroom. Join the discussion on TWITTER: @asteroidday #AsteroidDay Facebook: www.facebook.com/AsteroidDay PHOTOS: https://www.flickr.com/photos/asteroidday/albums/with/72157663909624126 Media Contact: Diane Murphy (pr@asteroidday.org); Tel: +1.310.658.8756 Actor Charlie Sheen talked about his life since revealing his HIV-positive status on Today seven months ago, describing the admission as feeling "like being released from prison." The actor said he decided to reveal his HIV status to end what he called extortion efforts by his former girlfriends. Though he said these efforts have begun to subside, he said his public revelation initially made things worse. He described the lawsuits by women who claim he did not reveal his HIV as having no merit. Sheen claimed he had not infected anyone and that he always used protection. However, he did admit to not informing some partners of his status after learning his diagnosis. "I regret not using a condom the one or two times when this whole thing happened. I regret ruining 'Two and a Half Men.' I regret not being more involved in my children's lives growing up, which I am now. That's about it," he said. "We can only move forward from today." Since revealing his status as HIV-positive, the actor has released an emoji app on iTunes and is currently the face of a new condom brand. The problems continue to mount for Oakland's embattled police department. Mayor Libby Schaaf's appointment of the city administrator Friday to run the police force may have been against state rules, prompting her on Monday to name an acting assistant chief to help lead the department. Acting Assistant Chief David Downing is now running the day-to-day operations of the police department, Schaaf said, and will work with City Administrator Sabrina Landreth, who will oversee the department. Ralph Brown, the spokesman for the Peace Officers Standards and Training Agency (POST), said state government code Section 38630 and an opinion by the California Attorney General's Office state that a police department must be under the control of a police chief and having the same person serve as city administrator and chief of police is illegal. But Schaaf said in a prepared statement, "Tactical and operational decisions will remain with Oakland police commanders as they always have. Administrative and personnel decisions will come directly to the city administrator (Landreth)." Schaaf, who accused Brown of creating "confusion," said Section 38640 "applies only to general law cities and not to charter cities," such as Oakland. The state Attorney General's Office weighed in with a statement Monday: "The allegations of misconduct are extremely disturbing. The exploitative behavior alleged is not only egregious, but if true, also reflects a serious breach of the trust placed in law enforcement by the communities we are sworn to serve. There must be swift and clear accountability for any wrongdoing. Restoring public trust in the Oakland Police Department requires sound and strong leadership. The Mayors decision to appoint the City Administrator to oversee the Oakland Police Department in administrative matters appears consistent with the citys charter and state law." Landreth and Downing are the latest people tapped to run the police department in the wake of a growing series of scandals. The pair replace Paul Figueroa, who served two days as the city's sixth police chief since 2011 before resigning on Friday. "I think the level of chaos and confusion is totally unacceptable," said City Councilwoman Rebecca Kaplan. "We've been trying to rebuild that connection between the community and police, and seeing this level of dysfunction undermines that." On Monday, police also said a member of the department has been placed on administrative leave. NBC Bay Area has confirmed the member placed on leave is Lt. Tony Jones, who allegedly sent racist text messages to four other officers in the department. The department is also dealing with allegations more than a dozen Oakland police officers had sex with a teenage prostitute. Bay City News contributed to this report. Thousands gathered at SAP Center in downtown San Jose for a memorial service to honor Officer Michael Katherman, who was killed in an accident a week ago. Katherman's co-workers, family and friends remembered him as a loving husband, father and colleague, someone who was just as passionate about riding bikes as he was about protecting his community, about playing baseball with his kids as he was about patrolling South Bay neighborhoods on his motorcycle, He loved his work, San Jose Police Chief Eddie Garcia said, calling Katherman the "ultimate partner." "Mike died doing what he loved: Riding a motorcycle patrol," Garcia said. A motorcade arrived to the arena at 10:27 a.m. after a roughly 12-mile trip from the Darling & Fischer Chapel of the Hills funeral home in Los Gatos. Hundreds of officers in uniform stood in two long rows as the procession arrived. Behind the hearse carrying Katherman, more officers came in police motorcycles flashing red and blue lights. Two San Jose fire trucks extended their ladders to hold an American flag outside the center's entrance at West Santa Clara and South Autumn streets.[[383837491, C]] Katherman, 34, was fatally struck by a minivan about three miles away from the arena at North 10th and Horning streets on June 14. Katherman was on a police motorcycle heading north and was hit by the minivan as it was making a left turn to Horning Street. The driver stayed at the scene and cooperated with the investigation, police said. Katherman was an 11-year veteran of the department who leaves behind his wife, April, and two children, Josh and Jason.[[383840261, C]] About a dozen flower arrangements, including one that read Katherman's badge number 3900, were placed on and around the stage inside the arena. Pictures of Katherman through the years were displayed on the Jumbotron. "Mike was a very passionate person, he was always 'all in'... Mike's passion for defending the residents of San Jose: All in," said Katherman's father Tom Katherman. The ceremony began at 11:13 a.m. with an honor guard playing bagpipes followed by Katherman's casket and family. "He doesnt want us to be sad ... He wants us to rejoice. He wants laughter," said Myke Whittington, Katherman's friend from the police academy. "To Mike's family, we cannot begin to imagine the anguish and loss you're going through, however we do feel your pain ... We hope you truly know and feel that you're part of our family,"said San Jose Police Assistant Chief Dave Knopf. Garcia talked about what he learned about the officer in the past week. The chief said he didn't personally know Katherman, but called him an "exceptional cop and an even better man." Through conversations with Katherman's friends and family, Garcia said he learned the officer had a "zest for life," sense of humor and strong Christian faith.[[383774081, C]] "He was the ultimate partner and you knew you would be safe with him," Garcia said. In a video montage shown during the memorial, Katherman thanks his wife for helping him become a San Jose police officer. "She had my back from Day 1... I think at times she was more excited that I was becoming a police officer than I was," he says, smiling, sitting next to his friends. After the service, a procession took place through Interstate Highway 280 and U.S. Highway 101 to a Gilroy cemetery. Outside the SAP center, Katherman was honored with a flyover and final salute, as the American fly was flown high. People lined up on the freeway to wave flags and catch a glimpse of the motorcade escorting fallen SJPD officer Mike Katherman to a private burial in Gilroy. A GoFundMe account has been set up to help the Katherman family. As of Tuesday evening, 208 people had raised $34,215 of a $100,000 goal. Riya Bhattacharjee contributed to this report. Fallen Officer Michael Kathermans, Dad Tom Katherman speaks at the memorial service. The memorial service for fallen Officer Michael Katherman at SAP Center in San Jose. no description Reports of an intruder and possible shots fired at a U.S. Army facility in Dublin Tuesday are unfounded, Alameda County Sheriff's Office officials said. The investigation conducted by multiple law enforcement agencies prompted a lockdown as officers searched the Parks Reserve Forces Training Area, also known as Camp Parks, for the reported intruder. The sheriff's office also used a drone in the search. Dublin schools in the area with summer school and day care programs were also told to shelter in place. Authorities first received reports of the situation at about 11 a.m., Dublin Unified School District officials said. The sheriff's office, which runs nearby Santa Rita Jail, also said that reports of an escape at the jail are false and that the jail has nothing to do with the situation at Camp Parks. A high school hate letter that threatened violent murder and sexual assault at a Santa Cruz County campus - and the school's response to it - has parents outraged and consulting with an attorney, according to authorities. Police and school officials earlier this month investigated a lurid letter allegedly written by a 15-year-old Scotts Valley High School student that lists 21 students - most of them girls - and four women teachers who would be fatally stabbed and sexually assualted. The school district's immediate response to the June 2 letter, according to parents and their attorney, was to not take it seriously. They want some reassurance from the district that their children will be safe at school. "(District officials) basically said they looked at it; hes sorry he wrote it and feels bad and itll all blow over," said Jim Sibley, attorney for the potential victims. An attorney representing the Scotts Valley Unified School District disputes the allegation that it did not take the threat seriously, saying an investigation started immediately. "The principal notified the district office, and we have continued to work with families involved," said Damara More, assistant general counsel, School and Colleges Legal Services. Scotts Valley police investigated June 3 and said the student was held on an in-school suspension so he could be monitored by school staff and a school officer during the last three days of the school year. Sibley said the letter may be considered "a criminal act," either for its threatening nature, harassment or exposing a minor to pornography. The punishment for a juvenile in such a case likely would be "a psychological evaluation and perhaps probation," he said. Parents of potential victims also are requesting a restraining order against the teen who allegedly wrote the letter. The police investigation ended Saturday, and while there was no attack carried out, the District Attorney's Office will receive a full report Tuesday and will decide whether to file charges, officials said. Hundreds of residents were forced from their homes near the San Gabriel Mountains remain out of their homes Tuesday evening as two wildfires erupted in the foothill suburbs of Los Angeles, growing fast and surging closer to each other. The San Gabriel Complex fires in Azusa and Duarte have scorched more than 8 square miles with no containment of the spreading flames, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Hundreds of firefighters, deputies, police agencies and volunteers were battling the blaze and helping residents leave the area. By Tuesday evening, 770 homes had been evacuated and more than 5,400 acres burned. By nightfall, fire officials determind the fires were 10 percent contained, and the acreage was revised to 4,900. Firefighters from the Santa Barbara and San Diego are expected to join the fight. The first fire erupted around 11:15 a.m. Monday on Highway 39 near the Morris Reservoir dam north of Azusa, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The fire was believed to have been started by a vehicle that veered off the road. The second fire ignited about 4 miles away by Opal Canyon and Brookridge roads, bordering a neighborhood on the foothills near Duarte. The fire near Duarte threatened homes overnight due to shifting winds. "We had fire on the hillsides above those structures," said Chief John Tripp, of the Los Angeles County Fire Department. "Most of the night, that fire creeped down and came to the bottom of the slope. "We made tremendous progress on the east side of Duarte. Our big threat today is the west flank. There's a fire line that goes from the bottom of the slope all the way to the top of the mountain." At about 4 a.m., a wind shift pushed the fire down the slope, Tripp said. Firefighters used water dropping helicopters to slow the fire, but communities to the west, including Bradbury and Monrovia, should be ready to evacuate, Tripp said. "That's still an uncontrolled flank of the fire," Tripp said. Chief Robert Garcia, of the Angeles National Forest, said the fires are in areas of the forest that "have not burned in a number of years." Triple-digit heat has fueled similar fires from the Pacific Coast to New Mexico, including one near Portero, a small desert town close to the Mexico border. The continuing drought and lack of significant rain from the winter El Nino has made Southern California ripe for what could be one of the worst wildfire seasons on record. An El Nino weather pattern brought near-normal snowfall to parts of California last winter, but most of the precipitation stayed to the north of Southern California. A five-year drought has left 40 million dead and dried-out trees in California, including 29 million that died last year alone, according to the U.S. Agriculture Department. Evacuation Orders in Foothill Communities Charlie Downing, out of breath and with his shirt off because of the heat, said when he first smelled fire and felt heat that he ran outside of his house in Duarte and was astonished by size and nearness of the flames. "I came running over just to look and it was 15 to 20 feet in the air," Downing told reporters. "By the time I came back and told my grandma and my kids to get in the car, it was right by the car." He and two neighbors sprayed the flames with their yard hoses until firefighters arrived minutes later. Evacuation orders were issued in Azusa for the Mountain Cove, El Encanto and Rainbow Ranch areas, with an evacuation center established at Memorial Park, 320 N. Orange Ave. Voluntary evacuations were in effect for the Mirador and Crystal Canyon areas. Mandatory evacuation orders were issued for Duarte Mesa residents living above Markwood Street between Westvale Road and Tocino Drive, and above Conata between Tocino Drive and Mountain Crest Road. Mandatory evacuation orders were issued earlier for residents on Brookridge Road, with voluntary evacuations in effect for residents north of Fish Canyon Road from Greenbank Avenue to Encanto Parkway. Monrovia residents whose homes are located north of Foothill Boulevard and east of Myrtle Avenue and the Bradbury area were advised that evacuations could be implemented, sheriff's deputies said. Residents in Bradbury and Monrovia were at the ready to evacuate at any time, though some who had already evacuated were frustrated. "If you evacuate, you can't get back in. If you stay, you can't get out," Theresa Allain, a Duarte resident, said. Additional road closures were announced Tuesday. Mount Olive Drive at Royal Oaks Drive Vineyard Avenue at Markwood Street Woodbluff Street from Sunnydale Drive Greenbank Avenue from Deerlane Drive Conata Street at Bettyhill Avenue Mel Canyon Road at Opal Canyon Road Mountain Crest Road at Fish Canyon Road Encanto parkway at Markwood Street Mount Olive Drive at Woodlyn Lane Mount Olive Drive at Elda Street NBC4's Annette Arreola and Toni Guinyard contributed to this report. Father Michael Pfleger, the outspoken pastor at St. Sabinas church in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood, called on the state of Illinois to declare a state of emergency amid dire economic situations in Chicago and Illinois. The comment was made during an appearance at the City Club of Chicago Monday. Pfleger participated in a panel on Chicagos Homicide Crisis alongside Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson and the Democratic nominee for Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx. The citys broke, the states broke and dysfunctional and in downstate Illinois when a hurricane happens, a tornado happens, what do we do, Pfleger asked. "We call a state of emergency and resources are brought in. Pfleger encouraged using federal resources to embolden communities and bolster the police force. We need to call a state of emergency and not be embarrassed by it, but get the federal resources so Eddie [Johnson] can hire more police so we can bring in more jobs, Pfleger added. So we can redevelop some of our communities that look like theyve been hit by a tornado or a hurricane and bring back to our communities the equal opportunity our children deserve. Pfleger stressed the need to address the root causes of the citys gun violence epidemic, like underserved communities, education, unemployment and gun control, among other things. He also addressed the need to mend the relationship between communities and police and improve community accountability. If everybody just takes care of their block, block by block we can take back this city, Pfleger said. Additionally, the pastor faulted the National Rifle Association for allegedly contributing to the increase in guns on the streets, claiming that politicians "have been bought by the NRA and aren't willing to do anything to make it so guns aren't as accessible on the streets of Chicago." He also took time to address national politics and the rise of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. "Look at this election," Pfleger said. "I'm ashamed to be an American right now. I'm ashamed to be an American to think that somebody with views like Trump has risen to the office of possibly becoming the president of the United States." Pfleger said that Americans need to address difficult realities like race and segregation. "It's real in America," Pfleger said. "And guess what, the Trump America we're living in now is dangerous. We now have racism, it's got a second breath from this man." "Racism and segregation are on the rise in America and we have to deal with it," he added. During the panel, Johnson discussed a new commitment to accountability within the Chicago Police Department. We have to establish a culture of accountability for the police department as well as the residents of this city, Johnson said Monday. So you cant just expect the police to be accountable for their actions. We need the citizens of Chicago to be accountable for their actions, also. Johnson said CPD was using town hall-style meetings to interact with community members and build relationships. He also outlined the departments strategic subject list. We have what we call a strategic subject list, Johnson said. "That list documents people, its a computer software program that documents who will most likely either be victims of gun violence or the perpetrators of gun violence." The superintendent noted that the list will typically consist of 1,300-1,400 people and promised that the program doesnt identify people based on race, gender, ethnicity or geographic location. Johnson said that of the 66 shot over Memorial Day, 80 percent were on the list. Additionally, 100 percent of that weekends offenders were on the list. During his speech, Johnson also called for the strengthening of mandatory minimum sentences for crimes involving guns and pointed out some stark statistics. Johnson said that since Jan. 1, CPD has removed one illegal gun per hour, every day this year. He also noted that Chicago removes more guns than the LAPD and NYPD combined. Its because we have that many more guns out on the streets of chicago, the superintendent said. Foxx pushed for proactive solutions to the citys violence. "The sad reality is, we cannot deal with the issues of violence in our communities in the aftermath, she said Monday. We must aggressively pursue the constellation of factors that lead to violence in our communities. The overwhelming number of the homicides that are occurring in the city of chicago are the result of illegal guns. She also said it was vital to look at jobs and neighborhood investment, as well as education. We have to deal with our educational systems, our public health systems, our mental health systems in partnership with the goal of prevention because enforcement comes after the fact, Foxx said. Cleopatra Pendleton, mother of Hadiya Pendleton, also participated in the panel. Pendleton was shot and killed in 2013 while standing in a Kenwood park with friends. One week earlier she performed at President Barack Obamas second inauguration. According to the Chicago Tribune, the city recorded its 300th homicide after 59 were shot this weekend, 13 fatally. Chicago police announced late Monday that nearly 100 guns were confiscated off the streets of Chicago over the weekend, including a handful of semi-automatic weapons. When monetary bail is set, a defendant has a few options to stay out of jail. The defendant can provide the full amount of money to the court or provide a piece of property of equal value to the court as collateral. If this is not possible, the defendant can contract with a bail bondsman to secure his or her release. A bail bond is a mechanism to secure a bail amount once a judge has fixed bail, Nicholas Wachinski said. ... A bail bond is an insurance product. It is an insurance policy that a defendant will appear as required in the future to the court. Wachinski is a Pennsylvania attorney and executive director emeritus of the American Bail Coalition, which describes itself as dedicated to the long-term growth and sustainability of the surety bail industry. In Cumberland County, bail bondsmen provided bonds in excess of $33 million in nearly 2,700 cases between 2010 and 2015, according to an analysis of court records conducted by The Sentinel. Wachinski explained that when a defendant contracts with a bail bondsman, the bondsman issues an insurance policy to the court system for the value of the full bail. For this service, Wachinski said bondsman collect a 5 to 15 percent charge. At this rate, the bail bond industry earned between $1.6 and nearly $5 million from 2010 to 2015. Showing up If the defendant does not appear and can not be brought back into the court system through lawful means ... the court receives, as a beneficiary of an insurance policy, payment, Wachinski said. The payment is not designed to (do) anything other than motivate the defendant to come back to court. In essence, if a defendant does not appear in court as they are directed, the court can revoke the bail and collect that money incentivising the defendant to appear and the bondman to help assure the defendant shows up. Common Pleas Judge Thomas Placey explained that a quality bail bondsman can act in similar fashion to pre-trial services, providing supervision and help for defendants. We have some really good bail bondsmen, Placey said. I know Jim Buckley is going to get the guys here. While he highlighted Buckley, Placey noted that not all bondsmen are equal. Some dont know the person missed a hearing until they receive a letter saying A warrant has been issued in your clients case, he said. Of the roughly monetary bail 500 cases in the Court of Common Pleas between 2010 and 2015 with bench warrants issued for defendants for failure to appear, more than 300 had defendants released through a professional bondsman at the time the warrant was issued, according to an analysis of court records conducted by The Sentinel. Despite this, the court collected very little money from those cases, and the bail revocation process was only completed in a little more than 30 cases with professional bondsmen. Revocation Between 2010 and 2015, Cumberland County collected about $47,000 from bail revocations, according to the Cumberland County Clerk of Courts. Of those revocations, only $10,000 was collected from bail bondsman. The rest was collected from private individuals or defendants who supplied cash for bail. Wachinski said this can likely be explained by bail bondsman proactively getting defendants back to court when they miss an appearance. I think thats exactly what it is, he said. On an average basis we are 98 percent effective ... I think what youre seeing is those figures are like that because the bail bondsman are doing what they are supposed to do. A state bail bond reform bill, sponsored by Sen. Rich Alloway, passed in 2015 provides that revocation of a bail bond can not be completed unless the defendant has not been returned to court or its shown that the defendant is incarcerated somewhere else within 90 days. The bondsman then has up to two years to recoup some of the revoked funds. Wachinski said it does not matter if the defendant is picked up by the bondsman or law enforcement. Revocation of cash bail in Cumberland County was completed more than twice as fast as those with professional bail bondsmen, according to court records. Cash bail revocations were completed on average within 38 days of the failure to appear, compared to nearly 90 days for professional bail bonds. This included more than $1,000 from cases where the defendant was returned to court prior to the completion of the revocation. In one case, $475 was collected by the county, but not until after the defendant was picked up, appeared for multiple hearings, was released on his on recognizance and was sentenced, according to court records. Any money collected by bail revocations goes into the courts general fund, according to Cumberland County District Attorney David Freed. In the case of a revocation, Wachinski said bail bondsmen have the ability to sue the person who took out the bond to recoup funds. If a defendant does appear for court as required, the bail bond is released, and in the case of cash bail, the money is returned minus a 3 to 7 percent court fee. The 2015 law also imposes a $500 to $5,000 fine on a person who posts bail for a defendant if that defendant goes on to commit a new crime. Bondsmen in Pennsylvania and around the nation really are the oldest form of community correction, Wachinski said. They really are designed to work with loved ones, family, friends, significant other, co-workers, employers, people who surround a person accused of a crime as a support mechanism. These are trained professionals ... who really do work with these support systems to have these people in the community and released in the community to answer for their charges so no one is unnecessarily held pending trial. A new class of Chicago cops will join the force Tuesday. Nearly 100 new police recruits and 88 sergeants will graduate at Navy Pier as Chicago reaches a milestone no city wants to reach: More than 300 homicides for the year. City and police officials say there is one issue that is pushing the numbers up illegal guns. The Chicago Police Department took more than guns off the streets over Fathers Day weekend, confiscating a total of 4,200 guns so far this year, but with the violence continuing to surge across the city, Chicago police superintendent Eddie Johnson says his officers need the extra help. Supt. Johnson wants lawmakers to ban high-powered weapons and for judges to hand down stiffer penalties for those who break gun laws. Gun violence is such a problem the American Medical Association is now calling it a public health crisis. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and other county health officials are scheduled to be meeting at Stroger Hospital Tuesday morning to talk about the toll gun violence is taking on the community. A 6-year-old girl who was critically wounded in a gang shooting two weeks ago in the Logan Square neighborhood has been upgraded to good condition Monday. A Stroger Hospital spokeswoman said Monday that Jaylene Bermeo has been upgraded from fair to good condition. She returned to the hospital Thursday morning, two days after she was initially released after being hospitalized in stable, but guarded condition for about a week. Jaylene was shot in the chest as she and other children in her family were drawing with sidewalk chalk about 8 p.m. June 6 in the 2100 block of North Bingham, according to Cook County prosecutors. A relative took her to Presence Saints Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center, and she was transferred to Stroger in critical condition, police said. The bullet hit Jaylene in the back, punctured her lung and lodged in her chest close to her heart. Police allege a 17-year-old boy was driving down the block when he opened fire on rival gang members, inadvertently striking the girl in the back. He was charged as a juvenile with aggravated battery with a handgun and remains in custody. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers as Jaylene recovers, the Bermeo family said in a statement after the shooting. We truly appreciate the support our family has received during this difficult time. Please keep the prayers coming for Jaylenes full recovery so she can get back to the dance classes she loves so much. Chicago police announced late Monday that nearly 100 guns were confiscated off the streets of Chicago over the weekend, including a handful of semi-automatic weapons. The seizure came amid a Fathers Day weekend that saw more than 50 people shot, including a 3-year-old boy and a man who was shot with an assault weapon outside a church, authorities said. So far this year, the Chicago Police Department says it has taken more than 4,200 guns off the streets. In a release, the department said while there is a national conversation on the availability of high-powered weapons, the police department is seeing first-hand the devastation these weapons can cause on Chicagos communities. These guns are built for a battlefield, and they have no business on our streets, Superintendent Eddie Johnson said in a statement. While we will continue to proactively work to take guns off our streets, we need everyone to join us in our efforts to keep our neighborhoods safe and we need the rest of the criminal justice system to hold those who use these illegal guns accountable." A divided Senate blocked rival election-year plans to curb guns on Monday, eight days after the horror of Orlando's mass shooting intensified pressure on lawmakers to act but knotted them in gridlock anyway even over restricting firearms for terrorists. With the first day of summer underway, the Chicagos violence continues to be in the national spotlight. On Sunday, a 21-year-old man was fatally shot outside Holy Cross Church in the citys Back of the Yards neighborhood when a gunman with an assault weapon unleashed at least 40 rounds in the area. The shooting took place while churchgoers were attending a 1 p.m. inside the church. "This terrible violence is destroying not only those killed and wounded, but all of us," Archbishop Blase Cupich said in a statement. "If we want to survive as a community that treasures life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, we must act now to put an end to this carnage. No doubt there are many causes, but we can start by getting these combat weapons off our streets. Not to act only gives in to the despairing falsehood that there is nothing we can do, which means that violence wins. This is a responsibility that belongs to all of us as citizens, especially to our elected officials. Let them hear our voices. Let us demand action today. Doing nothing is no longer an option." Father Michael Pfleger, the outspoken pastor at St. Sabinas church in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood, called on the state of Illinois to declare a state of emergency to bring more police officers to communities. We need to call a state of emergency and not be embarrassed by it, but get the federal resources so Eddie [Johnson] can hire more police so we can bring in more jobs, Pfleger said. So we can redevelop some of our communities that look like theyve been hit by a tornado or a hurricane and bring back to our communities the equal opportunity our children deserve. A 4-year-old girl died Sunday after she was found unconscious in a pool at a private suburban club, officials said. Authorities said the young girl, who had turned four just one week earlier, was found after 7:30 p.m. in the pool at the Downers Grove Swim and Racquet Club. CPR was performed and paramedics transported the girl to Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital. Attempts to revive her at the hospital were unsuccessful, according to the Downers Grove Police Department. The DuPage County Coroner said the girl was pronounced dead at 9:07 p.m. The preliminary cause of death was drowning. The incident remained under investigation Monday. The girls identity was not being released Monday evening. The drowning marked the first of two pool deaths in the Chicago area in 24 hours. A 27-year-old man was found dead in a public pool on Chicago's Southwest Side early Monday. Fire officials said the cause of death is believed to be accidental drowning. As many as 40 shots were fired Sunday when a gunman using an assault weapon opened fire outside a church in Chicago, killing at least one person, police said. The shooting happened just before 2 p.m. Sunday in the 1700 block of West 46th Street in the city's Back of the Yards neighborhood, according to authorities. Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the victim was walking in front of Holy Cross Church when a gunman jumped out of a car and shot him with an assault weapon, unleashing at least 40 rounds. The victim, identified by family friends and the Cook County Medical Examiner's office as 21-year-old Salvador Suarez, was killed and pronounced dead at the scene. "He had just called and asked me to make spaghetti, his favorite, and 20 minutes later, he's gone," said close family friend Sharon Bolsega. The shooting occurred at the intersection of South Hermitage Avenue and West 46th Street, where both Holy Cross Immaculate Heart of Mary Church and William Seward Communication Arts Academy are located. In a statement Monday, Archbishop Blase Cupich said Suarez was killed about 20 feet from the doors of Holy Cross Church as a 1 p.m. mass was being held. He added that Suarez "was killed with a high-powered semi-automatic assault riflenot unlike the weapon of war used to murder 49 people in Orlando." "This terrible violence is destroying not only those killed and wounded, but all of us," Cupich said. "If we want to survive as a community that treasures life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, we must act now to put an end to this carnage. No doubt there are many causes, but we can start by getting these combat weapons off our streets. Not to act only gives in to the despairing falsehood that there is nothing we can do, which means that violence wins. This is a responsibility that belongs to all of us as citizens, especially to our elected officials. Let them hear our voices. Let us demand action today. Doing nothing is no longer an option." Just a few days earlier, 15th Ward Alderman Ray Lopez told NBC 5 he heard dozens of gunshots just three blocks north of Sunday's shooting. We heard 40 shots ring out from what I believe was a semi-automatic weapon of some caliber, Lopez said of the gunfire that happened around 2 p.m. Wednesday in the 4300 block of South Marshfield. While no one was injured in Wednesday's shooting, at the time, Lopez said he feared the worst when it came to the style of weapon used in that incident. We could have had our own mini massacre right here in Chicago, he said. Guglielmi said the bullets from Sunday's shooting appeared similar to those fired Wednesday, and authorities believe Suarez was the intended target, the victim of a dispute between two gangs. "The victim is not a documented gang member, we know he is an associate of a gang," said Supt. Eddie Johnson. "We are working that case diligently, trying to bring it to a resolution." No one was in custody for Sunday's shooting death as of Monday evening, according to police, and Area Central detectives are investigating. It's a shocking development in the Celina Cass murder mystery, as her stepfather Wendell Noyes is officially charged with causing the 11 year old's death. It the first time we have seen Noyes since his step daughter Celina Cass was found dead back in 2011. It's also the first time that Cass's mother has seen her ex husband. As you can imagine it was a difficult day for her, but one she says has been a long time coming. "I hope he rots in Hell," said Louisia Cass. "He deserves every bit of what's coming to him, I want the death penalty." Celina's mother sat in court Tuesday afternoon, once married to the man who prosecutors say caused her daughter's death by "submerging her in the Connecticut River," in 2011. Cass told us there were never any warning signs when they were together. "My kids all got along with him, it seemed like a perfect family," Cass said. Celina was last seen at her home in West Stewartstown on July 25th, 2011 watching TV with her mom. "I was rocking her in my chair the last time I saw her alive," Cass said through tears. The next day, she was gone. During the search, crews scoured the area. Divers found Cass's body in the river days later. The case has remained open and active for all this time. "Celina has stayed in our hearts and she will remain there for the duration of this case," said New Hampshire Associate Attorney General Jane Young. Louisa Cass says she's always believed the investigation would lead to Noyes and that she's been waiting for this moment for years. "I just want justice," she said. "It's been five years, I didn't think it was ever going to come." Noyes was arrested at the state psychiatric hospital Monday night where he's been staying since last year. The judge granted the defense's motion for further mental evaluations before moving forward with court proceedings. No plea was entered and bail was not discussed. Ten pregnant women in Dallas County have preliminary tested positive for the Zika virus, the county health director said during a meeting Tuesday with the commissioner's court. Dallas County Health and Human Services Directory Zachary Thompson said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends waiting until the women give birth to confirm the diagnosis by testing both the mother and her child. Thompson told the Dallas County Commissioner's Court Tuesday morning that the women all contracted the virus while traveling internationally and that none of the infections were spread locally. To date, no Zika-infected mosquitoes have been found in Dallas County. Mosquitoes in North Texas could become carriers if they bite a Zika infected person. Dr. Seema Yasmin, public health reporter for The Dallas Morning News, tweeted the risk of local outbreaks could increase as the number of people with the infection rises and as conditions improve for mosquitoes to breed. Risk of local outbreaks as the # of ppl with the infection increases AND as humidity, temp etc favours mosquitoes https://t.co/8kcVWMiC6E Dr. Yasmin (@DoctorYasmin) June 21, 2016 A total of nine human cases of Zika had been previously confirmed in Dallas County this year. Those nine people either visited foreign countries or had sexual contact with a person who traveled out of the United States. The nine patients have fully recovered from the virus, Thompson said. To avoid mosquito bites, officials urge everyone to use bug spray around the clock this mosquito season and get rid of standing water where mosquitoes may breed. How to Protect Yourself From Mosquito Bites Dress in long sleeves, pants when outside: For extra protection, spray thin clothing with repellent. in long sleeves, pants when outside: For extra protection, spray thin clothing with repellent. DEET : Make sure this ingredient is in your insect repellent. : Make sure this ingredient is in your insect repellent. Drain standing water in your yard and neighborhood: Mosquitoes can develop in any water stagnant for more than three days. It has been recommended in the past that to avoid mosquito bites you should avoid being outdoors during Dusk and Dawn (the 4 Ds). While this is true for mosquitoes that commonly carry the West Nile virus, other types of mosquitoes that are more likely to carry Zika, dengue and chikungunya are active during the day. When outdoors, no matter what time of day, adjust your dress accordingly and wear insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus as your first line of defense against insect bites. A 14-year-old boy has been stabbed to death in a strip mall parking lot, according to Houston police. Police said the teenager, Joseph Aguirre-Flores, was attacked late Monday night in southwest Houston. Witnesses told police that they heard a scream, then saw Aguirre-Flores running from the parking lot to a street, where he died. Witnesses said two men also fled the scene. Investigators are reviewing security video, but no arrests have been made. Houston police aren't sure what Aguirre-Flores was doing in the area. The State of Texas has a new tactic to punish parents who fall too far behind on child support payments - blocking their vehicle registration renewal. This latest effort to ensure compliance with child support orders will go into place later this year, impacting drivers whose registrations are up for renewal in December, according to a spokesperson with the Texas Attorney Generals office. The move will only impact people who have gone at least six months without making a payment, said Janece Rolfe, of the AGs Child Support Division. If they have not made any payments in six months, I think that speaks for itself, Rolfe told NBC DFW. Already, the attorney generals office is able to revoke drivers, professional and recreational licenses of child support evaders. A Tarrant County family law attorney told NBC DFW he initially thought the AGs decision was a great one. Anytime you can get child support from people who arent paying child support its a great idea, said Brian McGrath, of McGrath & McGrath. But upon further review, McGrath noted he is concerned that some people who arent paying child support already have proven they can go out of their way to avoid their responsibilities, using tactics including under reporting their earnings to the IRS and taking cash jobs so they will not have documented income. I believe that the good people that are in a bad situation will be hurt, McGrath said, referring to parents who have fallen behind due to unforeseen financial circumstances. And I believe that the bad people that dont want to pay, it wont affect them much at all. A female pit bull puppy was injured when someone doused her with an accelerant and lit her on fire early Monday morning in Palestine, police say. The puppy was found badly injured on the 700 block of South Street and is now being treated at a local veterinary clinic after being helped by Palestine Animal Control. Witnesses said that an an older model four-door passenger car, either gold or silver in color, was observed leaving the scene. It was occupied by three black males, two black females and one Hispanic female, they told police. Whoever is responsible for setting the puppy on fire could face charges of cruelty to animals, which is punishable up to two years in prison and a fine of $10,000. Palestine Police urge anyone with information to contact the police department at 903-729-2255 or Crimestoppers at 903-729-8477. Tips can also be submitted anonymously by texting PALPD plus the information to 847411. What a dumb time to be alive. In a normal country during normal times, the jihadi terrorist shooting in Orlando in which 49 people were murdered in cold blood and more than 50 injured would be a cause for a serious debate about national security. Instead, it has been taken as an opportunity to light a bonfire of the inanities. Lets start at the top. President Obama once famously said (more than once, actually), Dont tell me words dont matter. Fast-forward to this week, when in a tantrum of biblical proportions, the furious president said ... words dont matter. Responding to complaints from Donald Trump and others that he wont say the words radical Islamic terrorism, Obama huffed, Calling a threat by a different name does not make it go away. This is a political distraction. Never mind that Obamas passion refuted his own argument. Perhaps hes right that there is no magic to the phrase radical Islam, but if thats the case, why the years of stubborn refusal to say it? Its almost like Obama still thinks words matter he just wants to mock anyone who thinks the wrong words matter. But lets discuss this political distraction business. Before the blood had been mopped up in Orlando, the president and the woman seeking to replace him immediately tried to make the second-worst Islamic terror attack on American soil into anything other than Islamic terrorism. Over and over again, news outlets uncritically reported on the common-sense effort to implement more stringent background checks and get rid of automatic weapons, AR-15s and other assault weapons. Well, automatic weapons i.e., machine guns are already essentially banned for civilians. And the weapon used in Orlando wasnt an assault weapon or an AR-15. As for background checks, they already exist. Moreover, the FBI conducted two extensive investigations into the shooter a background check far more exhaustive than any proposed checks. The terror watchlist ban on gun purchases that Democrats now desire is a Constitutional horror show if you believe, as the ACLU does, that the federal government shouldnt be allowed to unilaterally draw up secret lists to deny people their civil rights. Of course, Democrats insist theyre just being pragmatic, which is why Sen. Joe Manchin, (D-W.Va.) thinks the constitutional requirement for due process is killing us. What he didnt mention is that the Democrats proposal is opposed by the head of the FBI because it would make tracking terrorists more difficult. Apparently, common sense requires trampling the Constitution to make the FBIs job harder. A ban on Muslims would not have stopped this attack. Neither would a wall. I dont know how one builds a wall to keep the internet out, Hillary Clinton said to guffaws from the crowd at a campaign event in Virginia. Not one of Donald Trumps reckless ideas would have saved a single life in Orlando. OK, but her proposals wouldnt have saved any lives either. Moreover, this is the woman who insisted her illegal private email server was secure because it was guarded by armed Secret Service agents. Ironically, their guns do save lives, but theyre no more effective than a wall at combating the internet. Still, for all its stupidity, the gun conversation looks like a debate at the Algonquin Round Table compared with the effort to make the Orlando shooting all about homophobia and gay marriage. While the precise motivation for the rampage remains unclear, the New York Times editorialized, it is evident that Mr. Mateen was driven by hatred toward gays and lesbians. Hate crimes dont happen in a vacuum, added the Gray Lady (Im referring to the Times, not Clinton). They occur where bigotry is allowed to fester, where minorities are vilified and where people are scapegoated for political gain. Tragically, this is the state of American politics, driven too often by Republican politicians who see prejudice as something to exploit, not extinguish. The killer was a registered Democrat. The source of his hatred was not the Christian Coalition, but radical Islamism. He stated this motivation clearly during the shooting and for months prior. He reportedly also considered attacking that notorious gay hangout Disney World. Would we be hearing about the pernicious, right-wing, anti-cartoon-character climate if hed opted for that target? Maybe we would, because all that really matters to the people who hate saying radical Islamic terrorism is that we cling to the right political distractions. Jonah Goldberg is a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and a senior editor of National Review. You can email him at goldbergcolumn@gmail.com. The Dallas Valley View Mall is due to move a step closer to the wrecking ball this week with a City Council vote Wednesday. New owners of the 43-year-old mall on LBJ Freeway at Preston Road plan to transform most of the real estate into "Dallas Midtown," a mixed-use development of homes, stores and offices. The deal reviewed by a Dallas City Council Committee Monday provides $36 million in city support for the $290 million project phase one. Sears would be the only department store to stay for now, and demolition would begin on the other old stores by years end under terms of the deal. "We're excited about it," said Dallas Councilman Lee Kleinman. "I think it's going to do a lot, not only just to bring jobs and housing and retail and other things to the city. It's going to increase our tax base tremendously." Commercial and residential buildings would be placed on a new street grid where the mall once stood. Kleinman, who grew up near the mall, said the new plan meets Dallas' goals for denser, urban development. "It's really supposed to be very walkable and very bicycle and pedestrian friendly," Kleinman said. Vacant mall parking lots closest to LBJ Freeway are now zoned for 40-story office buildings. The developers and Dallas city officials hope to attract big corporate relocations of the sort Plano has won recently. "I think that would be great. It would help the neighborhood a lot. We don't live too far from here," said neighbor Stephanie Randall Hastings. Monday, she and husband Alan Hastings visited the Valley View AMC Theater, one of the few mall attractions still open. Alan Hastings said the nearly abandoned mall is much different than the busy place where he worked at a shoe store in the 1980s. "It's just amazing," he said. "I guess everybody is moving up north and this area is slowing down." Visitor Howard Smith said he stopped at the mall Monday to see if it was still open since so few cars were parked outside. "It's hanging on life support and it reminds me of Southwest Center Mall," Smith said. The city deal to revive the Valley View area includes devoting a portion of the future tax value increase to support for Southwest Center Mall area improvements near Interstate 20 and Westmoreland Road. Smith wondered if demolition would make Valley View a bigger eyesore. "Once they tear this mall down it would just be on great big old vacant spot," he said. In return for the city investment in the project, developers are expected to meet performance goals. Demolition must begin by Dec. 31, 2016. Construction of the first phase must be completed by Dec. 31, 2019. A new AMC Theater is planned in one of the first new buildings. Fourth of July, as a general rule, is about the most outside-iest holiday on the calendar. After all, pyrotechnic displays and the wide open sky are a longtime twosome, and sprinklers, Slip 'N Slides, and the eating of watermelon tend to work best when done in an alfresco situation. But one contingent that isn't quite as jazzed about the noise of the occasion are pups. It's often said that July 4 or make that July 5 is an especially busy day at dog shelters, thanks to canines who might have bolted from their backyard due to an especially loud crackle from the sky. In anticipation of July 5, with the knowledge that a busy time may be ahead for our shelters, the Pasadena Humane Society is taking the move to hold a special adoption day, one that "clears the shelters" and provides pups a new and loving home. Thursday, June 23 is Free Adoption Day at the Raymond Avenue shelter, which means no adoption fees to pay to find the feline or Fido you've been dreaming about. Does that fee include spay/neuter surgery? It does. Will your baby be microchipped? You bet. And how about the vaccines? Those will be part of the program, too. You'll need to show Pasadena Humane a few things before leaving with your lovey. Do you rent? Find that proof that you can have a pet. Do you want to get a move on the adoption process? You can fill out the paperwork ahead of time (which gives you more time for getting down on the ground at the shelter to visit with its home-needing residents). The watermelon and sparklers and barbecue of Fourth of July are all classics, as is the sky show. But making sure our furry ones are in a safe and comfortable place come nightfall, and that the shelters don't become overwhelmed in a matter of hours, is part of the holiday planning. It's a good message to remember, whether or not you visit Pasadena for a new pup or kitty on June 23. A homeless man was sentenced Monday to four years in prison for stealing a tricycle custom made for a 13-year-old boy with special needs, officials said. Carlos Andres Lopez, 47, pleaded no contest to a first-degree burglary charge stemming from the theft of a 13-year-old disabled boy's $5,300 tricycle from the parking garage of a Burbank apartment complex. Lopez was immediately sentenced to four years in prison by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Stanley Blumenfeld. Two related counts were dismissed. The criminal complaint alleged Lopez had prior convictions in nine cases between 1991 and 2011 for offenses that include grand theft, first-degree residential burglary and unlawful taking of a vehicle. The gray-and-black tricycle was taken Jan. 23 from a secured garage in the 4500 block of Clybourn Ave., but was recovered five days later after a passerby -- who had seen news coverage of the theft -- spotted the specialized "Berkel'' brand bike, according to Burbank police. The tricycle was custom-made for the teen, who has cerebral palsy, according to the district attorney's office. Burbank police forensic specialists lifted evidence from the tricycle, leading detectives to Lopez, who then was arrested at a scheduled meeting with his probation officer. Police said Lopez admitted stealing the tricycle, along with a sewing machine from the bed of a pickup truck in the same parking garage. "Lopez said he was planning to sell the bike, but after hearing about and seeing the media coverage, he knew he wouldn't be able to sell it, so he decided to dump it,'' Burbank police Sgt. Claudio Losacco said at the time. City News Service contributed to this report. Additional charges have been filed against the former finance services manager for the city of Placentia, charged with embezzling $5.2 million from the city, prosecutors said. Michael Minh Nguyen, 34, of Irvine, is charged with an additional 19 felony counts of misappropriation of public funds, 66 felony counts of money laundering, one felony count of making a non-sufficient funds check, and two felony counts of falsifying records. The court also issued a temporary restraining order on the assets held by the Orange County District Attorneys Office that were seized from the defendant. His attorney didn't immediately respond to an email seeking comment. On April 14, Nguyen was charged with 17 felony counts of misappropriation of public funds with sentencing enhancements for aggravated white collar crime over $500,000, and property loss over $3.2 million. If convicted on the new charges, Nguyen faces up to 97 years and eight months in state prison and a fine of $10.3 million. Nguyen is being held on $4.3 million bail and must prove the money is from a legal and legitimate source before posting bond. Nguyen was hired on April 21, 2008, by Placentia as their financial services manager, which allowed him access to city accounts. He was responsible for wire transfers and keeping financial city ledgers. Between Jan. 27, 2014, and April 12, Nguyen is accused of making 36 wire transfers from a Placentia account to several other accounts personally belonging to him and other recipients. In the past four months alone, the defendant is accused of wire transferring $2 million from the Placentia account. On April 11, he is accused of wiring over $300,000 to a personal account, and the next day, on April 12, he is accused of again wiring another $1.5 million. The $1.5 million that was successfully transferred was frozen and reverted back to Placentia. Nguyen is accused of concealing the embezzlement by altering the financial ledgers. He's accused of embezzling about $5.2 million by depositing the money into his own personal accounts. On April 12, Placentia found the unauthorized wire transfers and contacted the Orange County District Attorney to report the fraud. The defendant was arrested April 13. Charges were dropped Monday against a father arrested by Pomona police for public intoxication at the LA County Fair in 2015, according to the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office. On Sept. 15, 2015, a teen and his father accused Pomona police officers of a cover-up after they said they were roughed up during an arrest. Ignacio Aguilar's 16-year-old son was arrested after being punched and wrestled to the ground by officers. He was videotaping his father's arrest at the LA County Fair, and officers said they believed he was trying to free his dad. Police reports claim Ignacio was "antagonistic" and "unable to take care of himself." But his attorney David Gamil says the cellphone recording taken by his teen son contradicts the police account. The same officers claimed Christian was following too closely, trying to "rescue" his dad. Ignacio claims he was never given a field sobriety test or a breathalyzer. He told NBC4 that when he was in lock-up, he spotted a camera and actually attempted to give himself a field sobriety test, hoping to prove his innocence. The family attorney says dismissing the criminal charges was the right thing to do, but it is still not enough. "That doesn't mean the officers are going to be held responsible by the city or the police themselves. So we will bring a lawsuit to make sure they're held responsible and we are going to make heads roll," Gamil said. The obstruction charges against the teenager were dropped in late May. The family tells NBC4 they now plan to file a civil suit against the Pomona Police Department after all charges against the teen's father were dropped Monday. The son of a former "Real Housewives of Orange County" cast member was arrested Monday for allegedly shooting a Costa Mesa man and running from police, authorities said. Joshua Waring, 27, of San Juan Capistrano was booked on suspicion of attempted murder, vehicle theft, felony evading, hit and run and assault and battery. His bail was set at $1 million. Officers responded around 2:30 a.m. to a report of a gunshot victim in the 2900 block of Babb Street in Costa Mesa, said Lt. Paul Beckman of the Costa Mesa Police Department. Officers found the victim, 35-year-old Daniel Lopez, had been shot in his lower torso and suffered serious injuries, Beckman said. He was taken to a hospital and is expected to survive, Beckman said. Witnesses at the scene identified Waring as the suspect in the shooting, Beckman said. Authorities spotted the suspect driving a stolen white BMW sport utility vehicle in Santa Ana near Standard and McFadden avenues around 10:30 a.m., Beckman said. When officers approached, the suspect sped off in the SUV, crashed and fled on foot near Fourth and Terminal streets, Beckman said. The suspect attempted to hide inside a nearby business but surrendered to Santa Ana police after a brief standoff, Beckman said. Officers recovered "evidence related to the attempted murder" from the SUV, but not the gun used in the shooting, Beckman said. Waring's mother, Lauri Peterson, was a cast member of the Bravo documentary series "The Real Housewives of Orange County" from its debut in 2006 until 2008, when she left to deal with her son's problems, the Los Angeles Times reported. Court records show Waring has pleaded guilty to misdemeanors including hit-and-run in 2008, battery in 2009, possession of drug paraphernalia in 2009 and resisting a peace officer and drug possession in 2015, the newspaper reported. "As most of the viewers know, I have a son and he's had a lot of challenges," Peterson said in a 2015 interview with a reporter for a Bravo website covering its programming. "He and his wife had a baby almost three years ago. He's really struggling and, well, they're both really struggling." Peterson said in the interview that she and her husband had adopted Waring's then-3-year-old daughter. Police urged anyone with information about the shooting to call Detective George Maridakis at (714) 754-5051. A driver accused of using his SUV as a weapon to drag a Los Angeles Police Department officer who was holding on to the steering wheel was sentenced to seven years in state prison Monday, prosecutors said. Grant Anthony Muldrow, 22, was handed down the sentence immediately after pleading no contest to a felony count of assaulting a police officer causing great bodily injury, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said. Prosecutors said Muldrow admitted to being the driver of an SUV that dragged the officer, who was attempting to make an arrest, in Granada Hills in January of 2015. The vehicle reached speeds of 45 mph with the officer holding on to the steering wheel. The SUV then struck a tree and ended up on a sidewalk in the residential neighborhood. The driver ran from the scene, setting off a manhunt. The officer suffered several broken bones, prosecutors said. NBC4's Jonathan Lloyd contributed to this report. What to Know A Broward County judge and investigators for both the state and a suspended BSO deputy visited the scene of a 2014 shooting. Deputy Peter Peraza is using Florida's Stand Your Ground defense in the case involving the death of Jermaine McBean. One day after defense attorneys wrapped up their case, a Broward County judge and investigators for both the state and a suspended BSO deputy visited the scene of the July 2013 shooting that ended with one man being killed. Deputy Peter Peraza testified that he told the victim, Jermaine McBean, to drop the weapon he was holding. Peraza said McBean refused, then later turned and pointed the authentic-looking camouflage air gun at Peraza, who fired three shots at McBean. Peraza is using Floridas Stand Your Ground law as his defense in the shooting. If he is granted that, the case will be dismissed. If not, it will continue to a trial, where the deputy could then be sentenced to a maximum of 30 years in prison if convicted of the manslaughter charge. Officials will visit the Oakland Park scene where the shooting took place in an effort to decide if Perazas defense is valid. McBean reportedly suffered from bi-polar disorder and had suffered a recent episode before the shooting. He had purchased the air rifle shortly before the shooting took place. Perazas legal team called 31 witnesses while presenting their case, while the State Attorney called four witnesses before the case was recessed for the day. Alumni from Our Lady of Lourdes Academy held a fundraiser Monday for a fellow alum who was injured in the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando. It was a message of love and support for Laura Vargas from her high school classmates and the Miami community. "It hits close to home when you hear it happens in Orlando, 200 miles away, but then when you hear it happened to a classmate it really strikes a cord," organizer Alexandra Pantin said. Vargas' cousin, also a Lourdes Academy graduate, attended the fundraiser at Finka Table & Tap in southwest Miami-Dade and thanked everyone on behalf of the family for their thoughts and prayers. "I talked to her the other day and she is just so happy seeing so many people love her," cousin Andrea Tejada said. Vargas went to Pulse nightclub last weekend with her best friend, Luis Vielma. She sustained two gunshot wounds on her back and survived, but Vielma passed away. "She wakes up at night and is always asking about him, and we all tear up when we talk about him because he was so phenomenal," Tejada said. Family members believe emotionally there could be a long road to recovery but through love and prayer she'll get better with each passing day. "We need to unify in love. And that message is real, love is love is love, forever and ever," Tejada said. You know that nutjob you always see on the street, speed-rapping to himself about God knows what? His verbatim dialogue probably goes something like this: You know the Republicans honestly folks, our leaders, our leaders have to get tougher. This is too tough to do it alone, but you know what, I think Im going to be forced to. I think Im going to be forced to. Our leaders have to get a lot tougher. And be quiet. Just please be quiet. Dont talk. Please be quiet. Just be quiet to the leaders, because they have to get tougher, they have to get sharper, they have to get smarter. We have to have our Republicans either stick together or let me just do it by myself. Ill do very well. Im going to do very well. OK? Im going to do very well. A lot of people thought I should do that anyway, but Ill just do it nicely by myself ... So said Donald Trump on the stump Wednesday. What he appeared to be saying yesterday if I am decoding his incoherence properly; no easy task, because he makes Sarah Palin sound like Cicero is that he wants congressional Republicans to shut up and let him run the whole show. Which is what youd expect from a tinpot autocrat who has no clue about campaign teamwork, or any respect for checks, balances, and the separation of powers. Thanks to his recent string of verbal idiocies, he has fallen woefully behind in this race. Hillary Clinton has opened a 12-point lead in one national poll, and an 11-point lead in another. State-level polls show that even red bastions like Utah, Arizona, Kansas, and Georgia are in play. Most Americans dislike Trump by a landslide. In one new national poll, his favorability share has sagged to 29 percent. In that poll, he now has a net-negative rating among working-class whites. One big reason for his burgeoning unpopularity and this becomes clearer with each passing day is that hes way over his head. He has no clue how to connect with people beyond his core fan base, and hes too vain and/or ignorant to take advice. On Tuesday, for instance, a savvy adviser wouldve told him: Donald, if you wanna win crucial North Carolina, youre gonna need massive turnout from its soldiers and vets. So trust me, Donald, its really a terrible idea to rhetorically attack U.S. servicemen and women, to call them thieves, while campaigning just 90 miles from a U.S. military base. But since no such adviser exists, heres what Trump said that day about our war in Iraq: Crooked as hell. How about bringing baskets of money millions and millions of dollars and handing it out? I want to know who were the soldiers that had that job, because I think theyre living very well right now, whoever they may be. Trump was actually right, as far as it goes. During the past decade, 115 military personnel have been convicted of skimming money that we earmarked for the Iraqis. Thats 115 people out of the hundreds of thousands who served in Iraq, who put their lives on the line. Indeed, the problem with Trumps remark, politically speaking, is that it sounded like a broadbrush slandering of our fighting men and women. In military-heavy swing-state North Carolina, no less. And even though Trump wants congressional Republicans to just be quiet, this incident in North Carolina has triggered a vocal mini-rebellion. At least three GOP senators have already condemned Trumps remarks. A lot of Republicans are diving for the bunkers, hoping to survive November, and theres no way Trump can muzzle them all. This isnt 1933 Germany, when you could just burn down the Reichstag. Nope, this is 2016 America, where Lamar Alexander, an exasperated Republican senator, told the press earlier this week that we do not have a nominee until after the convention. And when he was reminded that Trump was the presumptive nominee, he replied, Thats what you say. Whoa. To which I say, Hello, Cleveland! Dick Polman is the national political columnist at NewsWorks/WHYY in Philadelphia (newsworks.org/polman) and a Writer in Residence at the University of Pennsylvania. Email him at dickpolman7@gmail.com. A man accused of giving buttocks-enhancing injections that resulted in the death of a woman in Miami-Dade in 2013 appeared in court Monday where he pleaded not guilty in the case. Jose Robusto is facing a manslaughter charge for the death of one of his patients, 28-year-old Suyima Torres, who died 10 hours after receiving buttocks injections. Torres was the mother of two young children. Besides manslaughter, Robusto is also facing charges of practicing medicine without a license. He pled not guilty to both charges and was appointed a public defender. Torres allegedly went to see Dr. Robusto in 2013 for a buttocks lift. She paid him $2,300 for the procedure. But Torres collapsed outside the clinic and died 10 hours later in the hospital. The autopsy report showed the victim had large amounts of a type of material used in repairing electronics and ceramics. Robusto left to his native Venezuela after the victim's death but he returned to Florida last month and was arrested at the airport. He later admitted to performing medical procedures without a license in several parts of the country, authorities said. Robusto will be back in court next month as his case gets ready to go in front of a jury. If convicted Robusto could face up to 25 years behind bars. A South Florida mom turned to NBC 6 Responds when a deal she made with a dealership went sour and left her without a vehicle. "Those were my legs," said Mariely Santana, after the car she had purchased was repossessed. Santana says this all started earlier this year, when she was in the market for a car and came across an ad for the Car Depot of Miramar that suggested they'd be willing to work with her. "No credit. We'll help you out. It doesn't matter, you know, and I got fooled by it," Santana said. A 2013 Captiva caught Santana's eye, the car seemed ideal for storing all of the tools she uses for her construction jobs. "I had looked at it and said well but that car they're not going to give it to me because I dont have such a great credit," Santana said. So she went to the dealership, ready to trade-in her 2001 Toyota Camry. Santana says a finance manager assured her he could get her payments to fit her tight budget. That same day, she signed a contract agreeing to pay $262 a month for 5.5 years. "I was excited," she said. "I wasnt even believing it, that I was driving the car." The contract she signed said financing wasn't final even when you drive the car off the lot. A month later, she says she got a call from the dealership saying her financing agreement wasnt approved, which would mean her monthly payment was going up $30 and she needed to sign a new contract. She says she told the finance manager she couldn't afford the increase. "This is not cool what you're doing at this moment. I'm sorry I cannot agree to a higher price on the car," Santana said she told the manager. That's why she said she just wanted to return the new car and get her old car back. "He's like well forget about your car. What do you mean forget about my car? He's like your car is already long gone," Santana said. Santana admits she didn't make any payments on the car. A month later, the Captiva was repod from her home. The Car Depot of Miramar declined our request for an interview. Their attorney sent us a statement saying: "It's my client's policy not to comment on specific sales transactions. My client tries to ensure all customers are happy with their purchase." The Better Business Bureau (BBB) said they frequently get complaints about dealerships changing finance payments. "That's very awful but that's what we hear here-it happens a lot." The BBB said the best thing you can do is to secure financing with a bank before you even walk into a dealership. "It's better for you to go to your bank or credit union and try to see if they can give you the financing, the money you need to buy this car." You should also not leave a dealership with a vehicle until you've received the financing paperwork. As for Santana, the car that was supposed to be a step up has now turned into a problem that might not have a fix. "I can't sleep. I can't eat," she said. "My worry is I don't know where this is going to end." If she can't get her car back, Santana said she'd like $2,000, the value of her trade-in. An attorney for the dealership told NBC 6 Car Depot is currently calculating the amount of money they're willing to return to Santana. The attorney also said, "We've repeatedly made efforts to resolve this matter but it appears Ms. Santana is more interested in the public portrayal of the story instead of an actual resolution." Evacuations were ordered Monday afternoon as firefighters battled two brush fires burning in the Angeles National Forest above Azusa and Duarte, amid a record-setting heat wave, fire officials said. The first fire erupted around 11:15 a.m. on Highway 39 near the Morris Reservoir dam north of Azusa, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The fire is believed to have been started by a vehicle that went off the road. The blaze, dubbed the Reservoir Fire, was first reported at 5 acres and rapidly spread to 1,200 acres, the Los Angeles County Fire Department said. No structures were threatened. Mandatory evacuations were ordered for residents in the Mountain Cove, Rainbow Ranch, and El Encanto neighborhoods along Highway 39 in Azusa, according to the Azusa Police Department. Voluntary evacuations were recommended for the Mirador and Crystal Canyon neighborhoods. An evacuation center was set up at Memorial Park at 320 N. Orange Ave. The second fire broke out about four miles away, near Opal Canyon and Brookridge roads, bordering a neighborhood on the foothills near Duarte. Fire officials said the so-called Fish Fire had scorched more than 2,000 acres and was moving north, away from homes. Fire crews were attacking the flames by air and ground. The fires erupted on the hottest day of a Southern California heat wave, as red flag warnings were in effect in the region through Tuesday. Residents near to the Duarte Mesa fire were under mandatory evacuation orders from Markwood Street between Westvale Road and Tocino Drive, and above Conata between Tocino Drive and Mountain Crest Road. Mandatory evacuation orders were issued earlier for residents on Brookridge Road, with voluntary evacuations in effect for residents north of Fish Canyon Road from Greenbank Avenue to Encanto Parkway. An evacuation shelter was set up at 1600 Huntington Drive in Duarte. Police said water and meals would be available, and service animals were welcome. Pet owners can take their small animals to Wonder Dog Ranch at 220 Taylor St. in Monrovia. Large animals, such as horses, should be taken to the Pomona Fairplex at 1101 W. McKinley Ave, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Monrovia residents whose homes are located north of Foothill Boulevard and east of Myrtle Avenue and the Bradbury area were advised that evacuations could be implemented, sheriff's deputies said. By 9 p.m. Monday evening, the fires had not yet merged, and were 1.5 miles apart, according to the LA County Fire Department. Undercover police teams cracking down on sexual abuse on the subway recently made two dramatic arrests, the NYPD says. Police arrested 45-year-old Cecil McKenzie, one of the 82 sex offenders in New York City who are not allowed to access the transit system, according to NYPD Transit Bureau Chief Joseph Fox. McKenzie was caught riding between cars at 59th Street and Lexington, and when NYPD stopped him and did a background check, the officers learned he was not allowed to be in the subways. Transit police soon made another bust, arresting 53-year-old William Faulkner for allegedly trying to press up against a woman on the subway. He, too, was not allowed to ride the subway. Fox says there's an undercover team specifically trained to watch for such predators. "They actually watched him and caught him in the act," he said. There have been 451 reports of sexual abuse in the subway so far this year, an increaseo f 156 compared to last year, according to the NYPD. Fox said it's women who speaking up more and reporting the incident, even anonymously, that have made a difference. Two police officers were taken to a hospital after a possible late night police-involved shooting in Jersey City. Detectives were combing a crime scene at Woodland and Lembeck avenues for evidence early Tuesday morning. Gunfire erupted at the intersection shortly before midnight on Monday, according to police. There are unconfirmed reports that two officers shot a man with a knife in his arm, although the circumstances around the possible police-involved shooting werent immediately known. Two officers were taken to Jersey City Medical Center to be checked out. They are expected to be okay. The condition of the man who may have been shot by police has not been released. The Hudson County Prosecutors Office is investigating, along with Jersey City police. What to Know Donald Trump is meeting with hundreds of Christian leaders at a Times Square hotel in the hopes of winning their votes in November. Hundreds of protesters were expected too. Multiple groups said they'd hold vigils and march on Times Square. Trump's meeting comes a day after he fired campaign manager Corey Lewandowski in the hopes of calming anxious GOP leaders. Republican Donald Trump appeared to raise questions about likely rival Hillary Clinton's religious faith at a closed-door meeting with evangelical leaders on Tuesday in New York City. The presumptive GOP nominee, in a video clip of his remarks, appeared to suggest the public doesn't know "anything about Hillary in terms of religion." He made the remarks in meeting with hundreds of evangelical Christian leaders at a midtown hotel, leading a discussion with former GOP presidential candidate Ben Carson at the Marriott Marquis. "You know, she's been in public eye for years and years, and yet there's no, there's nothing out there. There's like nothing out there," he told the group. "It's going to be an extension of Obama, but it's going to be worse because with Obama you had your guard up, with Hillary you don't. And it's going to be worse," he warned. A spokeswoman for Trump's campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on exactly what Trump meant. My Faith Votes and United in Purpose organized the "Conversation About Americas Future." In a press release, the groups said the event aimed to help Christian leaders "better understand [Trump] as a person, his position on important issues, and his vision for Americas future." They said it would also help Trump "better appreciate matters of importance to the faith community." Several groups had announced plans to organize protests in midtown to coincide with the event and expected hundreds of protesters to turn out. The exact turnout numbers weren't immediately clear. Footage of Trump speaking at the meeting at a Times Square hotel, which was closed to reporters, was posted by attendee Bishop E.W. Jackson on his Twitter feed. Jackson told The Associated Press that Trump had been talking about the idea that conservatives are constantly scrutinized over their religion, how devout they are and their positons on social issues. "He was saying in the context that liberals and the Democrats don't get those kinds of questions, they don't get their faith examined in that way," he said. "He wasn't questioning her Christianity, but he was questioning the implications of her faith, compared to how conservatives tend to have their faith examined." Clinton grew up in the Methodist church, attending church youth group and teaching Sunday school like her mother. While she doesn't often talk about her faith on the campaign trail, she occasionally quotes biblical verses and mentions her experiences in church. "I am a person of faith. I am a Christian. I am a Methodist. I have been raised Methodist," she told voters in Iowa in January. Trump has sometimes struggled to discuss religious issues. He has declined to cite his favorite biblical verse and has toted around a photo from his confirmation as evidence of his Christian upbringing. But attacking other people's faith appears to be a favorite move in Trump's playbook, NBC News reported. The pattern looks to have begun with President Obama. In questioning Clinton's religious convictions Tuesday, Trump added an attack of the president, saying "it's going to be an extension of Obama, but it's going to be worse." But even before Trump launched his White House bid a year ago, he was known to regularly cast doubt on Obama's Christianity. In the posted footage, Trump also takes issue with the idea of encouraging prayers for all leaders. "I said: Well you can pray for your leaders, and I agree with that, pray for everyone. But what you really have to do is you have to pray to get everybody out to vote for one specific person," he said. "And we can't be again politically correct and say we pray for all of our leaders because all of your leaders are selling Christianity down the tubes, selling evangelicals down the tubes." PICO Action Fund and Faith in Public Life said they were teaming up to hold a "Faith Over Fear Prayer Vigil" outside the Marquis at 9 a.m. Bend the Arc Jewish Action said it was going to hold a vigil outside Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue, then marching to the hotel and protesting outside. The groups, which include Christian, Muslim and Jewish activists, said they were protesting the GOP candidates "hateful narratives" and "terrifying anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant, anti-woman and violent agenda." Photos from the scene showed a group of people both supporters and detractors holding up signs and chanting. Trump's meeting with religious leaders comes a day after he fired campaign manager Corey Lewandowski in a dramatic shake-up designed to calm panicked Republican leaders. Lewandowskis approach of "Let Trump be Trump" fueled the billionaire businessmans unlikely rise in politics, but has also led to a souring relationship with the Republican National Committee, donors and GOP officials in recent days. Trump's campaign on Tuesday also announced the formation of a new "Evangelical Executive Advisory Board" that will advise the candidate "on those issues important to Evangelicals and other people of faith in America," according to a release. Members of the new group include former Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. and Faith and Freedom Coalition leader Ralph Reed. A hedge fund manager arrested last week on insider trading charges declared his innocence in a short, handwritten note before he was found dead with a slashed neck in an apparent suicide, authorities said Tuesday. Sanjay Valvani, 44, was unresponsive when his wife found him early Monday evening in a bedroom of their Brooklyn Heights apartment, said Detective Ahmed Nasser, an NYPD spokesman. He said a knife was found nearby. A short, handwritten note on loose-leaf paper was found at the scene, said a law enforcement official who was not authorized to be quoted by name on the subject and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. In the note, Valvani references the indictment and the uncertainty it has caused, and he declared his innocence and thanked friends for their love and support, the official said. Defense attorneys Barry Berke and Eric Tirschwell said in a statement that Valvani's death was a "horrible tragedy that is difficult to comprehend." They added: "We hope for the sake of his family and his memory that it will not be forgotten that the charges against him were only unproven accusations and he had always maintained his innocence." Prosecutors declined to comment. Last week, Valvani pleaded not guilty to criminal charges that he persuaded a former senior Food and Drug Administration official to give him inside information about generic drug approvals, allowing him to earn about $25 million illegally from 2005 through 2011. If convicted, Valvani could have faced up to 85 years in prison, though insider trading cases have rarely resulted in sentences longer than a decade. The Securities and Exchange Commission said in a release last week that Valvani made unlawful profits of nearly $32 million from tips he received from Gordon Johnston, who worked at the FDA for a dozen years and remained in close contact with ex-colleagues while he worked for a trade association representing generic drug manufacturers and distributors. Johnston pleaded guilty last week, admitting his role in the scheme. Valvani was a partner and money manager at Visium Asset Management in New York City. NBC 4 New York has reached out to Visium for comment. The medical examiner's office will determine the cause of Valvani's death and police said their investigation was continuing. A friend of Omar Mateen told NBC News the Orlando shooter began listening to jihadist propaganda after a mutual friend was killed in a suicide bombing in Syria. Prior to 2014, Mohammad Malik says, he never heard Mateen express extremist views or say anything homophobic. But after the bombing, Mateen began listening to recordings of Anwar al-Awlaki, the radical Islamic cleric killed by a U.S. drone strike in Yemen three years earlier. A suicide bomber, Moner Mohammad Abu-Salha, had said in videos that al-Awlaki inspired him. Mateen told Malik that he thought the messages were "very powerful," and that's when he called the FBI. After the agents investigated Mateen, they determined that his comments to co-workers were not a threat. After the mass shooting in Orlando, Malik is trying to make sense of the friend who became a killer. American adventurer Blaine Gibson said he has found personal belongings washed-up on the same beach where he previously discovered three potential parts of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, NBC News reported. He found three more possible pieces of the plane on a beach on the Madagascan island of Nosy Boraha earlier this month. He also recovered the sole of a shoe, a prayer cap, cell phone case, and luggage and other bags. A spokesman for the Australian government's Joint Agency Coordination Centre, which is coordinating the search, said Malaysian authorities would be investigating the possible find. Two women are charged in the murder of a Delaware County woman found handcuffed, stabbed and shot in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park. Shavon Armstrong, 39, of Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania surrendered to Philadelphia Police Friday in connection to the death of Toy Charda Bryant. Shintele Smith, 28, of Philadelphia, was also arrested Tuesday for her alleged involvement in the murder. Philadelphia Police Armstong, a.k.a. Palliadium Smith, faces murder, criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, robbery and other related offenses. Shintele Smith is charged with murder, criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, robbery, unlawful restraint and other related offenses. A couple heading to work found Bryant's body around 8:30 a.m. on June 14 about 10 feet from Georges Hill Drive near the Mann Center for the Performing Arts in West Philadelphia. The 26-year-old Chester, Pennsylvania woman had her hands handcuffed in front of her body. Detectives said she was stabbed multiple times and was shot once in the back of her head. [[383023991, C]] Homicide Capt. James Clark said Bryant had defensive wounds on her hands. "I believe she was in a fight for her life, and unfortunately she lost," he said. Detectives believe Bryant was killed in another location and then dumped in the park. Fairmount Park is one of the largest municipal park systems in the United States, covering more than 9,200 acres throughout the city. Police have not yet revealed a motive behind the murder. Police are investigating after a motorist driving through Fairmount Park in West Philadelphia stumbled upon a gruesome scene Tuesday morning: the body of a woman who had been handcuffed and stabbed in the stomach. NBC10s Pamela Osborne is live at the scene with the latest on the investigation. Imagine the entire population of France uprooted from their homes, forced to flee danger, persecution or starvation. The U.N. refugee agency says more people than that 65 million were displaced worldwide at the end of last year, easily setting a new postwar record. And it warned that European and other rich nations can expect the flow to continue if root causes arent addressed. After a year when more than a million people arrived on European shores, UNHCR said Monday World Refugee Day that continued conflicts and persecution in places like Syria and Afghanistan fueled a nearly 10-percent increase in the total number of refugees and internally displaced people in 2015. I hope that the message carried by those forcibly displaced reaches the leaderships: We need action, political action, to stop conflicts, said Filippo Grandi, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. The message that they have carried is: If you dont solve problems, problems will come to you. The Geneva-based agencys latest Global Trends Report shows that for the first time since World War II, the 60-million mark was crossed. If these 65.3 million persons were a nation, they would make up the 21st largest in the world, the report said. In stark detail, UNHCR said that, on average, 24 people had been displaced every minute last year or 34,000 people a day up from six every minute in 2005. The total number of displaced people has roughly doubled since 1997, and risen by 50 percent since 2011 alone, when the Syria war began. About 11.5 million people from Syria have fled their homes: 6.6 million remaining within the war-ravaged country and 4.9 million moving abroad. At the end of last year, more than half of all refugees were from three countries: Syria, Afghanistan and Somalia. More than half of all displaced people were children, UNCHR said. Turkey was the top host country for the second year running, with 2.5 million refugees nearly all from neighboring Syria. Afghanistans neighbor Pakistan had 1.6 million, while Lebanon, next to Syria, hosted 1.1 million. The scale of this human suffering is almost unimaginable; the need for the world to respond is beyond question, said President Barack Obama, adding that he planned to convene a summit on refugees in September when world leaders meet for the U.N. General Assembly. In advance of that summit, the United States is urging other governments to contribute more funding for humanitarian aid operations, to grant more refugees the chance to work and attend school, and to provide more resettlement opportunities for refugees who cannot safely go home or remain where they are, he said in a statement. We are urging our non-governmental partners, including the private sector, to do more as well. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan noted that displacement has been a major challenge throughout history but humanity stands idly by as more than 65 million people escape from inhumane treatment and oppression today. Governments whose policies aggravate humanitarian crises around the globe remain reluctant to lend their victims a helping hand, Erdogan said. The international community has a political and moral obligation to restore the human dignity of refugees. UNHCRs Grandi said policymakers and advocacy groups face daunting challenges in helping the largest subset of displaced people: Some 40.8 million living away from their homes within countries in conflict. Another 21.3 million are refugees and some 3.2 million more are seeking asylum. More than a million people fled to Europe last year, causing a political crisis in the EU with Greece and Italy facing the initial wave, Germany welcoming in hundreds of thousands, and some eastern European countries erecting barriers to block the flow. Concerns about immigration have affected the debate in Britain about whether to remain in the European bloc in Thursdays referendum. A jury has convicted veteran U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah in a racketeering case that largely centered on various efforts to repay an illegal $1 million campaign loan. NBC10s Lauren Mayk tells us what the prosecution has to say about Chaka Fattahs conviction. Fattah was found guilty of all 22 counts, including racketeering, fraud and money laundering. His lawyers had argued that schemes were engineered without Fattah's knowledge by two political consultants who pleaded guilty in the case. [[383820231, C]] Fattah's jovial and calm demeanor didn't change much as the verdict was read, according to NBC10's Deanna Durante, who was in the courtroom. As he emerged from the courthouse after the guilty verdict, Fattah made a brief statement and headed straight to confer with his lawyers. "We'll figure out what our next steps are," he said, without answering other questions from the throng of reporters. The 59-year-old Democrat has represented West Philadelphia as well as parts of Center City, South Philly, Montgomery County and the Main Line in Congress since 1995 and served on the powerful House Appropriations Committee. But he lost the April primary and bid for his 12th term. Fattah's current term ends in December. "This trial is a referendum on Chaka Fattah, Sr.'s conduct," U.S. Attorney Zane Memeger said, adding he would ask for jail time and would be working to determine what that ask might be based on sentencing guidelines. Memeger credited testimony from insiders like former staffer and confidant Gregory Naylor and political consultant Thomas Lindenfeld as critical to the trial's outcome. "They were able to give that inside view and the jury believed that inside view given by those individuals and that was key to our success in this case." Fattah will remain out on bail ahead of his October sentencing. Jurors began deliberations late Wednesday afternoon, nearly a month after the trial began May 16. One juror was dismissed in the racketeering case without explanation Friday. An alternate replaced the missing member, and U.S. District Judge Harvey Bartle III ordered jurors to begin deliberations again. [[383818891, C]] Prosecutors said Fattah routed federal grant money and nonprofit funds through his consultants to pay back the illegal loan. His wife, former NBC10 news anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah, took a leave of absence after her husband's indictment, then quit in February. She was cited in the case over the sham sale of her Porsche, which prosecutors said was a bribe. She was never charged with any wronging, and has always maintained the sale was legitimate. Justice Department lawyer Jonathan Kravis said in his closing argument that Chaka Fattah also used federal grants and nonprofit funds to enrich his family and friends. Defense lawyers acknowledged Fattah might have gotten himself in financial trouble after a costly mayoral bid, but they said any help from friends amounted to gifts, not bribes. Many of them came from co-defendant Herbert Vederman, a wealthy friend who had dreams of scoring an ambassadorship. U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, a Democrat, testified that he never took the pitch from Fattah too seriously, even though Fattah once bent the president's ear about it. Democrat Ed Rendell, a former mayor and governor, was called to defend Vederman, his former deputy mayor. He said Vederman was qualified for the job and accused prosecutors of cynically misreading the help he lent Fattah. Vederman helped support Fattah's South African nanny and paid $18,000 for a Porsche owned by Fattah's TV anchor wife. "The nanny, the Porsche and the Poconos, they weren't part of a bribery scheme," Fattah lawyer Samuel Silver argued in closings. "Those were all overreaches by the prosecution." The campaign loan was just one of several schemes prosecutors outlined during the trial. They say Fattah was aided in his endeavors by current and former staffers who ran his district office or the nonprofits; by Vederman, who now lives in Palm Beach, Florida; and by political consultants Greg Naylor and Thomas Lindenfeld, who pleaded guilty. Four co-defendants also faced numerous charges. Fattah's former chief of staff, Bonnie Bowser, was found guilty on 5 of 21 counts she faced. Vederman was found guilty on all counts against him. Political consultant Robert Brand was found guilty on all counts against him. Former Fattah aide Karen Nicholas was found guilty on some of her counts. The four-week trial concluded quicker than most observers expected and did not involve any bombshell testimony or evidence entered by prosecutors and defense attorneys. [[383818021, C]] The guilty verdict leaves Fattah's remaining days in office in question. "This charge cost him his reelection. Hed been an 11-term Congressman and did a lot of things for his constituents when he was in office," said Howard Bruce Klein, a former federal prosecutor. "So I would say its a sad ending for a public servant who made scholarships available for thousands of students over the years, but now has come to a very unhappy ending, being guilty of corruption. So its a day for the Congressman, its a sad day for his constituents and its a sad day for Philadelphia." Members of the jury didn't comment as they left court Tuesday afternoon. Fattah's son Chaka "Chip" Fattah Jr. was also found guilty of federal fraud charges. A horse adopted by Jon Stewart and his wife after it was found seemingly abandoned at an auction stable in Pennsylvania died at their New Jersey farm on Sunday. The white mare named Lily was euthanized after falling and breaking a bone in its neck at their Middletown farm, Tracey Stewart said. "When we knew there was nothing more we could do for her we covered her in kisses and kind words and said our goodbyes," Stewart said in a statement. "Our hearts are aching we had so many more fun plans for her. She was beyond special and beyond loved." The Stewarts adopted the horse last month after it was found in March at an auction stable in New Holland, Pennsylvania. Police said she was covered in paint and was extremely sore to the touch. The abused-horse tale soon became a cause celebre, but the animal's previous owner said the story relayed by the Lancaster County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals that it was shot by paintballs was wrong. Weston, who owns Smoke Hollow Farm in Pittstown, New Jersey, said the horse was about 35 years old and was acquired in the late 1990s. She said the animal was actually used as a canvas at children's finger-painting parties. Weston said she wanted the horse euthanized because its quality of life was so poor. She said she contacted a horse dealer to take it in February and assumed the dealer would euthanize the horse but didn't tell him to. The dealer, Phillip Price, of East Providence, Rhode Island, was convicted last month in New Holland of animal cruelty and other charges related to transporting a horse in poor condition. Price is on probation in Rhode Island after pleading no contest to animal cruelty in July, court records show. Weston said that she was sad to hear that the horse died and thanked the Stewarts for trying to help her. "She had a lot of issues. Her physical condition was deteriorating rapidly. I did everything I could to try to get her better," Weston said. "She wasn't well, she hadn't been well for a while. ... They tried to make her have more quality of life and I'm sure she did, for a month or so." Tracey Stewart said that Lily enjoyed her time at the farm munching on grass and got "massages, baths and lots and lots of hugs." Stewart said the animal slept in her barn listening to soft music and that the horse's favorite Pandora channel was Ray Lamontagne. Hundreds have been forced to evacuate their homes as crews struggle to contain a fast-moving wildfire burning east of San Diego near the border. The wildfire is now in its third day. As of approximately 7:15 p.m. on Tuesday, the fire was scorching 6,020 acres, or 9.4 square miles, and was 10 percent contained. A total of 1,550 firefighters from across Southern California are fighting the so-called Border Fire, which started Sunday afternoon as a two-acre fire with slow spread. Cal Fire tweeted the fire had burned 7,500 acres Monday evening. But fire officials said better mapping showed the fire had burned around 6,020 acres on Tuesday. San Diego County Emergency/ESRI Several hundred residents living in or near Potrero have fled the fire following mandatory evacuation notices. Eight-hundred structures are threatened. You can find more information on specific evacuations, and shelters, below. Residents in need of emergency assistance evacuation should call 911. At 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Cal Fire officials said the wildland fire was five percent contained and holding at 7,500 acres. Cal Fire officials say their goal is to further contain the fire and stop it from moving forward with more air resources. NBC 7s Elena Gomez has the latest from the Border Fire near Potrero. Cal Fire officials have issued mandatory evacuation orders for the following areas: Community of Potrero Homes along Highway 94 between Emory Road and Plaskon Road Forest Gate Star Ranch Cowboy Ranch Dog Patch Canyon City The community of Lake Morena Village, northwest of Campo. Specifically, a two-mile radius around Lake Morena Drive and Oak Drive west of Buckman Springs Road. Cal Fire said the fire has been moving north and northeast, threatening parts of the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail, as well as the surrounding communities. The Pacific Crest Trail is closed. "Firefighters will continue to construct containment lines day and night to slow the growth of the fire eventually stopping the spread of the fire," the Cal Fire incident report on the fire notes. The fire has prompted mandatory evacuations in Potrero. NBC 7s Liberty Zabala reports. The community of Potrero was the first to evacuate Sunday afternoon when officials issued the mandatory order. Potrero has a total population of 693 people in 207 units, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2014 American Community Survey. State Route 94 is closed from State Route 188 to Potrero Valley Road. It is unclear when the road will be open again. Mountain Health, the only community clinic in Campo and the Mountain Empire Region, has opened up their community center in Campo for displaced residents. The center is located at 31115 CA-94 in Campo. Evacuees are being directed to Los Coches Creek Middle School, where an overnight shelter was set up. The school is located on 9669 Dunbar Lane in El Cajon. A previous emergency shelter at Campo Elementary School at 1654 Buckman Springs Road has closed. Updates on the fire and emergency shelters can be found here. The fire, near Potrero, prompted mandatory evacuations Sunday. NBC 7s Matt Rascon reports. Residents looking to cool off near the fire can go to the Campo-Morena Village Library at 31356 Highway 94 in Campo. The library was closed Monday but was open as a cool zone from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Find a complete list of cool zones here. Crews expect more fire activity in the coming days. NBC 7s Matt Rascon reports. Four outbuildings have been destroyed. Three firefighters have been injured. One firefighter suffered heat-related injuries while working in triple degree heat, but is expected to be okay. Another firefighter suffered heat-related injuries and another suffered a knee injury. More than 150 engines and 30 hand crews have been fighting the fire, which moved quickly over the rugged and steep terrain near Potrero, 45 miles east of San Diego, Cal Fire said. Twelve water tenders, six helicopters, four air tankers and seven dozers have also been involved in putting out the fire. Combined, 1,484 personnel are on scene. That includes personnel from San Diego Gas and Electric, San Diego County Fire, Border patrol, Cal Trans, San Diego Sheriff Department, BLM, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the Red Cross. Rising, triple digit temperatures and dry conditions have made the fire tough to fight. "Excessive heat which is uncharacteristic for this time of year, steep terrain, extremely dry vegetation due to many years of drought, difficult access and winds have produced extremely erratic fire behavior making it very difficult for firefighters to mitigate this incident," Cal Fire notes in the Border Fire's incident report. [G] Border Fire Scorches 7,609 Acres East of San Diego San Diego Sheriff's officials said 48 of their deputies are assisting with security patrols and traffic controls in the evacuated and fire areas. Two ASTREA Bell 205 fire-rescue helicopters are making water drops; each copter has a 375-gallon belly tank. Across California, more than 4,700 firefighters are fighting six active wildfires. Scenes from the Border Fire, which has charred more than 200 acres in Southeast San Diego near Potrero in a matter of hours. The fire broke out Sunday morning around 11:30 a.m. north of Tecate, Mexico, and west of Campo. At first, Cal Fire crews reported the fire at 3 to 5 acres with a slow rate of spread, not threatening any structures. The fire jumped Highway 94 in a matter of hours and continued rapidly spreading from there. "As we came out of Potrero, there was fire on both sides of the road, so I guess it was a good thing we got out when we did," evacuee Andy Lindsay said at the evacuation location on Sheridan. Lindsay spent six days in an evacuation center during the Harris Fire in 2007. In 2007, the Harris Fire burned more than 90,000 acres in the same area, killing one person and badly burning another. The fire also destroyed 253 homes. A time lapse of the smoke seen from Los Pinos as a result of the Border Fire. "Hopefully we won't be here for five or six days like we were last time," he said. Sunday night the California Governors Office of Emergency Services secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help ensure the availability of vital resources to suppress the fire. The FMAG also enables local, state and tribal agencies to recover eligible costs. The National Weather Service said an excessive heat watch will be in effect for parts of San Diego County and Imperial County, including valleys, mountains and deserts, from Sunday morning through next Thursday evening. The Border Fire is zero percent contained and has grown to 900 acres. NBC 7s Liberty Zabala reports from the scene. Communities that will feel the heat the most include: El Cajon, Santee, La Mesa, Poway, Pine Valley, Julian, Escondido, San Marcos, Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear. If you have photos or videos of the fire, please send them to isee@nbcsandiego.com. A man with a gun snuck into a Carlsbad apartment just before 5 a.m. on Monday morning, demanding cash and other valuables, according to the Carlsbad Police Department. Police say they received an emergency call at 4:58 a.m. from a man living in an apartment in the 2600 block of Jefferson Street who was woken up by an intruder. The caller said that the suspect climbed into his living room after removing a window screen. After confronting the intruder, the man pulled out a gun and started asking for cash and cell phones. He then exited through the front door after being given $25. Officers arrived on the scene and searched for the suspect with help from a police tracking dog, but were unable to find him. The suspect is described as a white male in his 20s, about 6 feet tall and 180 pounds. Police say the investigation is still ongoing and that anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to call the Carlsbad Police Department. Federal agents are investigating whether an employee was plotting an attack against senior officials of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security inside its headquarters in Washington, D.C., according to federal court filings. The employee, Jonathan Wienke of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was found with a gun by security officers while he was on the job at agency headquarters on Nebraska Avenue in northwest D.C. two weeks ago, according to the court filings obtained by the News-4 I-Team. Wednesday, the U.S. Homeland Security Committee announced it will investigate Wienke and whether the agency responded appropriately. Initial reports of this incident are very troubling, and my Committee is looking into this serious matter. DHS has been in contact and we will continue to engage with the appropriate officials to gather all the facts, said Chairman Michael McCaul in a statement. Wienke pleaded not guilty to a gun charge and is awaiting further court proceedings in the case. But Wienke had more than a gun when he was searched on June 9, according to a request for court permission to raid Wienkes home. A federal agent and security officers also found Wienke had a knife, pepper spray, thermal imaging equipment and radio devices. And the feds said in the court filing that Wienke was found in his workspace, which is in close proximity to a meeting of senior agency officials the day of his arrest -- and that Wienke was aware of the meeting. In the same court filing, the agent said there was probable cause to believe Jonathan Wienke was conspiring with another to commit workplace violence, and more particularly may have been conspiring or planning to commit violence against the senior DHS officials in the building. Wienkes attorney did immediately return a request for comment. There was no response when News4 knocked at the door of Wienkes home in Martinsburg, which sits next to the MARC train station near downtown. The Martinsburg Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service have assisted in the investigation, according to a police official who spoke with News4. According to the court filing, Wienke was chosen for a random security screening when he arrived at agency headquarters at 7:30 a.m. The feds, in their filing, said security officers found the knife, pepper spray, thermal imaging equipment and radio devices during the screening and seized them. But Wienke was allowed to proceed to his office by agency security, according to their court filing. About 90 minutes later, before the meeting of the senior DHS officials near Wienkes work area, security went to Wienke and asked him to undergo another screening, according to the court filing. During that screening, the feds found the loaded gun and the five hollow-point bullets, the filing said. According to the court record, Wienke had a top-secret clearance inside DHS headquarters, a building which has 3,000 employees. Federal prosecutors declined to comment on the status of the investigatation into Wienke. The U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia said Wienke was released from custody on June 13, after a court appearance. His next court appearance is not yet scheduled. A U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesman issued a statement: "As previously reported, an individual employed with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was arrested Thursday, June 9, 2016 after security officers discovered a concealed handgun. He was detained, turned over to the Metropolitan Police Department and subsequently arrested. The individual, who worked in a non-supervisory role in the Office of Intelligence and Analysis, has been placed on administrative leave." Lester Mehrkam, who owns a book store next to Wienkes Martinsburg home, said he watched police and federal agents walk around the house earlier this month. They were casing the outside and knocked on the doors, Mehrkam said. Wienke commuted to his job in Washington, D.C. from Martinsburg, and was rarely seen outside his house, Mehrkam said. What to Know After the Orlando attack, LGBT organizations are mobilizing mental-health resources to help people cope with potentially long-term effects. Counselors have several tips on how to cope, including not to isolate yourself. While its a normal reaction its the wrong thing to do." Many LGBT people who also are Muslim are feeling particularly wounded, the co-founder of an LGBT Muslim group said. Hundreds of people mourning the victims of the shooting massacre in Orlando recently packed into the pews of a church in Washington, D.C. and participated in a kind of group therapy session. More than a week has passed since a gunman opened fire at a gay nightclub and killed 49 people, but people around the world are still hurting and may struggle for a long time, experts say. One psychologist described a "spiral of grief." "You cannot cope alone, and you cannot heal in isolation," veteran LGBT rights activist and therapist Dr. Pat Hawkins said at Foundry United Methodist Church, a quick walk from Dupont Circle. She pointed to the back of the sanctuary. Ten mental-health professionals wearing name tags stood ready to talk with mourners one-on-one. NBC Washington "If you need that help, go back and check in," Hawkins said at the community meeting held Wednesday by a coalition of LGBT groups. She gave tips on how to take care of oneself amid grief, including "eat, sleep, distract," and then social worker Sam Shinberg took the floor. Shinberg, of The DC Center for the LGBT Community, led the group in a moment of silence, and then asked each person to introduce themselves to a stranger. "What went through your mind when you heard the news? What are you thinking now? What are the ways that we as a community can heal and love and grow through this?" she asked. For seven minutes, the room was abuzz with conversation about heartbreak and resilience. Therapists said that conversation is just beginning. After the Orlando attack June 12, LGBT organizations in D.C. are mobilizing mental-health resources to help the community recover from an attack they say may have long-term effects. Shinberg helped organize the forum Wednesday night. She said she knew she right away she wanted counselors and therapists to be present. "Mental health care is so important in a time of crisis like this," she said. "People are feeling fear, loss, shock and anger." Those who have suffered previous violence or trauma may feel particularly shattered by the Orlando massacre, clinical psychologist Dr. Robin Halprin-Hawkins said. She described the "spiral of grief." "It wraps around itself and encounters itself again, and every time there's another pain that comes, it hits all of them," said Halprin-Hawkins, who is Hawkins' spouse. The longer the spiral continues, the less energy one has to cope. The DC Center is offering free individual and group therapy sessions, and on Friday will launch a new bimonthly therapy group for survivors of violence. Whitman-Walker Health also is highlighting its mental-health services. Leaders of the community health center are considering starting a drop-in group "to help people come together" in the wake of the attack, counselor and community relations director Josh Riley said. Many LGBT people who also are Latino or Muslim are feeling particularly wounded, the counselors and therapists said. Urooj Arshad, a founding board member of the Muslim Alliance for Sexual and Gender Diversity (MASGD), said many of the group's members feel unable to grieve the Orlando massacre because they feel on guard against backlash against Muslims. "All of our identities are being under attack," she said. Arshad encouraged members of the group, and others, to take care of themselves. Her own friends asked what they could do to help her, and she said they could donate to MASGD. Instead, they started a GoFundMe page to support her self-care. News4s Pat Collins talks with owners and patrons of local gay bars and nightclubs to see what changes they plan to make in the wake of the mass shooting in Orlando. Riley said he expects the emotional effects of the Orlando shooting to reverberate for years for many members of the LGBT community. For older people, it may reignite the pain of living through the AIDS epidemic. For younger people, the killings may spark unfamiliar feelings of vulnerability. "For many people who have grown up in the springtime of the LGBT civil rights movement, this is the first time they have felt threatened or in danger," he said. Mourn at your own pace, Riley said. The counselor advised people to not feel shame for still feeling sad once national attention moves away from Orlando. "Just because it stops streaming through your [Facebook] News Feed doesn't mean you should be over it," he said. Tips From Mental Health Professionals: Don't feel ashamed if you are struggling. "A reaction to this, an impact on mental health, is a normal reaction," Riley said. "For lots of complex reasons, people still feel a lot of shame about their own behavioral health." Don't, he said. Talk with loved ones and family members about what you're experiencing. "To open up and be vulnerable can be a little scary, but that is the price of connecting and feeling better," Riley said. Don't isolate yourself. "When we are feeling vulnerable, we tend to pull back into ourselves," Riley said. "While it's a normal reaction, it's a paradoxical thing. It's the wrong thing to do. Reach out to people and use your support system." Keep yourself busy. "Eat, sleep, distract," Hawkins said. "It's your job to go out to movies, to read books, to watch TV, to see family and friends," she said. "The best thing that helps people is going out to dinner, honest to God." Do what makes you happy. "Cuddle your critter," Halprin-Hawkins said about how playing with pets can help. Be aware that you may be more likely to engage in risky behavior as you grieve. "Sex and substance use are escapes from the pain people are feeling," Hawkins said. "If you go out and you think about having an extra drink tonight, don't do it. Or if you think about having an extra encounter tonight, don't do it." Take care of others. "Get involved in advocacy for equality, for acceptance," she said. "Get involved in the elections. You've got a perfect opportunity." If you're an ally or supporter of LGBT people, ask how you can help. "Keep being supportive to your friends," Riley said. "We're going to feel this for a long time." Resources: The DC Center for the LGBT Community Free individual and group therapy sessions are available. See The DC Center's website for more information, or email survivorsupport@thedccenter.org. Whitman-Walker Health Individual and group therapy sessions are available to current patients. Many types of insurance are accepted. Crisis Text Line "You can text if you don't want to talk to someone," Hawkins explained. Text "START" to 741-741 to exchange text messages with a trained crisis counselor. The Trevor Project Lifeline The Trevor Project provides 24-hour crisis-intervention services to LGBT and questioning youth. Services are available by calling 1-866-488-7386 any time, or sending text messages and chat messages during limited hours. A driver suspected of crashing a car with 17 pounds of marijuana inside was arrested after he tried to flee the scene using an Uber, police said. Baltimore police said 32-year-old Brandon McDaniel was taken into custody Monday shortly after police discovered the vehicle, which had crashed into a light pole. Inside the crashed car, police said they found 17 freezer bags of marijuana, each weighing about a pound. A witness told the officer that the driver ran away. Police said McDaniel was found and arrested a short time later while trying to leave the area in an Uber. It's unclear what charges he faces. It's not immediately clear whether McDaniel has an attorney. When a Maryland woman got a recall notice for an engine she just replaced, she thought getting a refund from the manufacturer would be easy. Carol Eichelberger of Myersville said the engine of her 2012 Hyundai Sonata with 63,000 miles on it failed while she was driving. I just had to drift off with no power steering, with nothing, she said. The car just quit on me. She had the car towed to a Hyundai dealership and was told the engine needed to be replaced at a cost of almost $6,000 because it was no longer under warranty. We were sick because I thought, We'll just have to have the car towed home because I don't know what to do with it, she said. But a mechanic friend of the family offered to replace the engine at a fraction of the cost. We paid him, and it was running again, Eichelberger said. Less than two months later, she received a recall notice for the engine she paid almost $4,000 to replace. According to the recall notice "metal debris may have been generated from factory machining operations." That could cause "possible engine failure," federal safety regulators said. But when she asked Hyundai for a refund for the recalled engine, she was denied. According to Hyundai's reimbursement policies, it can "only reimburse transactions made with a legitimate business or repair facility." Eichelberger's mechanic "was unable to provide documents such as a business license." Had I known, I would have taken it to a dealer, but I had to do what was financially best for me, she said. After NBC4 Responds contacted Hyundai, it agreed to refund the full amount of the repair a few days later. If you have an issue with your car, file a complaint with the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, and if you need to get it repaired, make sure to go to a licensed mechanic, preferably one that is certified to work on your particular vehicle. Montgomery County police have identified the driver of an SUV that may have been involved in a crash that killed a 72-year-old woman last week. Police say Ousmane William Mohamed Barry, 20, crashed his black SUV on Randolph Road on June 17. A minute before the crash, Victoria Millicent Hitchins' car left the same roadway, crashing into a tree. Hitchins of Rockville, Maryland, was pronounced dead at the scene. Police believe both drivers were speeding down Randolph Road at the same time before they crashed their vehicles. Police have been looking into the possibility the two crashes were related. "It's one minute apart, it's only about a mile apart, and that's one of the reasons why investigators don't want to just let it go," Montgomery County Police spokesman Paul Starks said. Barry remained at the scene, but witnesses said up to three passengers jumped out of the vehicle and ran away. One man was arrested a short time later. Police are still looking for the other passengers. Investigators said they found drugs in the SUV, so charges could be filed against some or all of the people inside the vehicle. This was not the first time Barry has been involved in a traffic incident. Police say Barry was cited June 15 after ramming into another car in a McDonald's parking lot. The SUV's back window was broken in that incident. Police said Barry may also be connected to an armed robbery in Silver Spring. Investigators say a black SUV was identified as the getaway car in that robbery. "The victim did not get a good look at the suspect; it was a very quick armed robbery," Sgt. Paul Reese of Montgomery County Police said. "We're investigating any leads with the items that were stolen from that victim at this time." Eighteen protesters were arrested Tuesday morning during a demonstration outside the headquarters of the National Rifle Association (NRA) in Fairfax County, Virginia. Protesters laid on the ground inside chalk outlines during a "die-in," with palms painted red to symbolize the blood of those killed by gun violence. The protesters had spent the night outside the NRA, some with lawn chairs or sleeping bags, in advance of planned civil disobedience Tuesday morning. They chanted "Arrest the NRA" as they marched in support of tougher background checks and the banning of assault weapons. "It could have happened to any of us; it has happened to many of us and if the NRA has its way, it will happen again," said one protester. They were prepared to be arrested, authorities said. Protesters were given guidelines and a five-minute warning before the arrests, said Fairfax County Police. Those arrested were taken to a police cruiser and were issued summonses and charged with loitering on a highway, a class 4 misdemeanor, police said about 9:40 a.m. Tuesday. They were then released. Protesters have staged monthly demonstrations outside the NRA headquarters since the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in December 2012. Now the group Code Pink has joined them to step up protests in the wake of the recent Orlando nightclub shooting, calling Monday's protest a vigil, a "lock-in" and a "die-in" on Twitter. Code Pink interns were arrested for blocking the front entrance of the NRA, the group tweeted Tuesday morning. Monday night, the group read the names of the Orlando victims starting at 2:02 a.m., the same time the massacre inside the nightclub began, the group said on Twitter. They also held up pink hearts with names and photos of the victims, later stringing the hearts on trees outside the NRA Tuesday morning. Counter-protesters also showed up at one point, saying they should blame the shooter and not the weapon. A group of pro-NRA demonstrators said they didn't go to discuss policy or law, and that they, too, mourn the Orlando victims. "It was a hater that came and took their lives and destroyed those families... for the rest of their lives," said one. The NRA issued a statement saying it respects the entire Constitution, including the First Amendment, "unlike these anti-Second Amendment groups that like to pick and choose which amendments are valid...." "Well, people have a right to protect themselves and defend themselves; we were just talking about that," said protester Kim Harrison early Monday. "But at the same token, you've got assault rifles in the hands of people who are just going around, just killing folks. That's not fair, [to] just have people taking out their lives like that." At Blue Ridge Arsenal in Chantilly, Virginia, sales of automatic weapons and handguns have gone up in the week and a half since the shooting in Orlando. "There is not one person in this store who doesn't want the gun violence to stop," said Katie Myers, director of training at the store. "There's not one person at the NRA who doesn't want the gun violence to stop. But I think we need to focus on the actual person behind the violence, bot the firearm itself." Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton said Tuesday that Republican rival Donald Trump would send the U.S. economy back into recession, warning his "reckless" approach would hurt workers still trying to recover from the 2008 economic turbulence. Clinton's address in Ohio, one of the most important swing states, sought to define Trump as little more than an economic con man, whose ignorance and ego would tank the global economy, bankrupt Americans and risk the country's future. "Every day we see how reckless and careless Trump is. He's proud of it," Clinton said. "Well that's his choice. Except when he's asking to be our president. Then it's our choice." The speech was similar to one earlier this month in which she tried to undercut Trump's foreign policy credentials. This time, at an alternative high school in Columbus, Clinton questioned Trump's temperament to guide the economy and repeatedly pointed to his business record as evidence of how he would treat small businesses and working families if he was elected. "Just like he shouldn't have his finger on the button, he shouldn't have his hands on our economy," Clinton said. Her speech included stinging one-liners, including a takedown of Trump's best-selling books. "He's written a lot of books about business. But they all seem to end at chapter 11," she said, in an allusion to the U.S. bankruptcy code. Trump responded on Twitter as Clinton delivered her address, writing in one tweet: "How can Hillary run the economy when she can't even send emails without putting entire nation at risk?" He appeared to be referring to Clinton blending her personal and official emails on a homebrew server in her house, while she was secretary of state. The businessman later appeared to embrace one of Clinton's attack lines, writing: 'I am "the king of debt.' That has been great for me as a businessman, but is bad for the country. I made a fortune off of debt, will fix U.S." The Republican National Committee also released a response tying Clinton to "eight years of disastrous Obama policies." Clinton used Trump's own statements to undercut his economic credentials, pointing to remarks he made that that U.S. could sell off assets, default on its debt and that wages are too high. She also repeated a comment he made that pregnant employees are an "inconvenience." Clinton said financial markets often "rise and fall" on comments by presidential candidates. Suggesting the United States could default on its debt could cause a "global panic," she added. She also seized on a report Monday by Moody's Analytics which found Trump's plans would lead to a "lengthy recession," costing nearly 3.5 million American jobs. She said economists of all ideologies agree that Trump's ideas "would be disastrous" and pointed to opposition to Trump from both 2012 GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney and liberal Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren. The analysis by Moody's Mark Zandi, a Clinton donor and former economic adviser to Republican Sen. John McCain's 2008 campaign, predicted Trump's approach would swell the federal debt as the U.S. economy becomes more isolated by less trade and cross-border immigration. Trump has pointed to trade as a major difference with Clinton, saying last week that her support of past trade deals, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement, has cost the country "millions of jobs." He also has assailed her promotion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal as Obama's secretary of state as a sell-out of U.S. workers. Clinton announced her opposition to the TPP last October, saying it failed to meet her test of providing good jobs, raising wages and protecting national security. Brushing it aside, Clinton said there was a difference between "getting tough on trade" and starting "trade wars." Bolstered by more than $40 million in television advertising, Clinton and her Democratic allies are trying to use this period before next month's Democratic National Convention to disqualify Trump among moderate voters on the economy and prevent him from successfully wooing working-class voters in battleground states like Ohio, Wisconsin and Michigan. Fundraising reports filed Monday showed Clinton with a big fundraising advantage, starting the month with $42 million in the bank compared with Trump's $1.3 million in cash on hand. Clinton also planned to make a more proactive case on the economy Wednesday in Raleigh, North Carolina. Jake Sullivan, the campaign's senior policy adviser, said she would lay out the "progressive economic agenda" to help workers who have not yet benefited from the economic recovery. While the twin speeches sought to set an economic framework for the general election, Clinton's pitch was also aimed at Democratic voters who supported Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who has not yet endorsed Clinton or conceded the nomination to her. The campaigns of Clinton and Sanders are discussing ways of addressing key economic issues in the Democratic platform which will be approved at the Philadelphia convention, including the TPP pact, providing free college tuition and cutting student debt and expanding Medicare and Social Security. The headmaster of Boston Latin School has resigned amid federal and city investigations into the handling of racially charged incidents at the prestigious public school. Dr. Lynne Mooney Teta is resigning after nine years at the helm, according to Boston Public Schools. "We have faced challenges this year, and I have been greatly encouraged by the commitment of students, faculty, families and alumni to work together to collaboratively address issues of racism and discrimination in our community," Teta said in a letter to Boston Latin's community. The nation's oldest public school was thrust into the spotlight in January when minority students publicized their complaints about alleged racial harassment and discrimination. Boston's NAACP branch called on Teta to resign. "Boston Public Schools now has an opportunity to embed leadership that values diversity and inclusion, rejects racial bigotry, and is responsive to every student, parent, teacher, and alum," said Michael Curry, president of the NAACP's Boston branch, in a statement to the Boston Globe. "Now is the time to finally address the diversity of the faculty and the student body." The U.S. attorney in Massachusetts launched an investigation in March after community members and civil rights organizations submitted a written complaint. A Boston Public Schools report released earlier this year found seven incidents related to race and ethnicity at Boston Latin between November 2014 and January 2016. According to the school district's Office of Equity, the school failed to adequately respond to a student's threat to lynch a 15-year-old black classmate. "After weeks of self-reflection and frank conversations, I realize that in important ways I have not succeeded," Teta wrote in an open letter to the school community in February. "I am truly sorry." The office issued a set of recommendations to Superintendent Tommy Chang in an effort to "improve the culture and climate" at the school, which Chang pledged to implement. Chang thanked Teta for her work in a statement issued Tuesday. "In recent months, several students bravely shined a light on the issue of cultural proficiency at BLS, illuminating a problem that exists not only at this school but across our city and country. Under Lynne's guidance, BLS faculty worked with student leaders to develop a comprehensive plan to create a more welcoming and inviting environment for all students," he said. "These efforts must continue, but I feel confident that the steps taken have firmly put BLS on a path of continued growth." Boston Mayor Marty Walsh also issued a statement thanking Teta for her "nine years of dedication." Walsh said he looks forward to working with the next headmaster to "carry on the school's tradition of academic excellence, while creating a positive environment for all." Boston Latin was founded in 1635 and names among its notable alunmni five signers of the Declaration of Independence, including John Hancock, Samuel Adams and Benjamin Franklin. In the midst of incredible sorrow over the loss of her son, a New Hartford mother recently made the difficult decision to donate his organs. Monday, she and her family were honored by Hartford Hospital for that donation and for the first time she shared how she came to that decision with NBC Connecticut. Zachary Dube was just 23-years old when he was killed in a hit-and-run crash in May. Authorities say he was struck by a pickup truck on Rt. 44 in Barkhamsted as he was riding his dirt bike. The person who hit him had left him there. They left him there," said Zak's mother, Beth Mehmel-Dube. State Police say they've found the vehicle involved, but not the driver. They say the case is still under investigation. Taken from this world too soon, a decision by Zaks family kept a part of him here on Earth. He just was a gift to me and everybody that he came in contact with. He was special," said his mom. That's why Zaks mom says it was only fitting that they donate his organs, giving four other people the gift of life. She says it wasnt an easy decision but it was the right one. People who are out there waiting for a second chance at life because theyre hanging on by a thread, and then something like this happens, and thats something that you can do to make a little bit of sense on this earth about this," she said through tears. Monday, the family celebrated that gift at Hartford Hospital. Zak's sister raised the "Give Life" flag, while a friend sang Hallelujah. A letter from the family of a patient who received Zak's kidney was read. The hospital says a man in his 30's received one of Zak's kidney's while a woman in her 40's received the other. His liver went to a woman in her 60's and his heart saved the life of man in his 50's. Four lives saved. The hospital hopes will bring more attention to the need for organ donation. "About 20 people die every day in the United States waiting for an organ donation to save their life, Heather Paquin, Organ Donation Coordinator, LifeChoice Donor Services She added that only one-percent of people die in a manner that will allow organ donation. For the most part that you need to be fairly healthy prior to your death," Paquin explained. Zaks family wasn't done giving. Through the sale of inspirational stickers, they donated $1,000 to the cause, keeping their sons spirit alive as well. A 67-year-old, disturbed man from York, Maine is in custody and facing multiple charges after crashing his car during a police pursuit on Monday evening in Reading, Massachusetts. According to the North Reading Police Chief, the department received multiple 911 calls at 6:30 p.m. about a man acting strangely and irrationally in a car that was stopped in the intersection of Rt. 28 (Main Street) and Rt. 62, causing traffic to be stopped. When police arrived they found the suspect exhibiting bizarre behavior inside a 2009 Nissan Maxima. He was screaming and pulling his hair. Before the officers could take action, he drove off, resulting in a police pursuit that went on for about 1.2 miles. The suspect drove erratically, swerving across the road, narrowly missing several utility poles before he sped up, veered off the road and crashed into a utility pole at the intersection of Rt. 28 (Main Street) and Franklin Street. The suspect's vehicle flipped and caught on fire. He was rescued and taken to an area hospital by the Reading Fire Department. A former state representative admitted to a mortgage fraud scheme in court Monday. In a press release, the Department of Justice says that Victor Cuevas, 52, of Bristol, waived his right to indictment and pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to commit bank fraud in a home mortgage loan scheme. The charges stem from an incident that began in 2013 when Cuevas applied for a loan from the Federal Housing Administration Loan (FHA) to purchase a resident in Bristol. The FHA program various restrictions on the types of funds that can be used to purchase properties. According to court documents, Cuevas claimed he was using funds gifted to him by family to purchase the property. At the time, Cuevas was an employee of the City of Waterbury and the state representative for the 75th District. It was determined that the funds he used to purchase the Bristol property were actually a loan from another City of Waterbury employee, whom Cuevas repaid $7,000 after the mortgage closed. Cuevas pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. He is scheduled for sentencing September 21, 2016. He resigned from the Connecticut General Assembly in March 2016. Cuevas was also arrested on DUI charges in October of last year. An inmate who walked away from a work site in Maine has been captured. State police say Jonathan Edman was assigned to a work site in Kingsbury Plantation on Route 16 when he ran off Tuesday morning. Edman, a 20-year-old inmate at the Charleston Correctional Facility, was caught just before 3 p.m. near the intersection of routes 151 and 154 in Brighton, about seven miles from where he ran away. He has been serving a five year sentence since March 2016 for assault, tampering with a witness, juror or victim and domestic violence assault convictions. No other details were immediately available. A man accused of approaching a girl for sex and attempting to get her in his vehicle in Massachusetts faced a judge Tuesday. Robert Toney, 25, is being held without bail after allegedly offering money to the 14-year-old girl in exchange for sex near a restaurant in the Shoppers World plaza in Framingham. She refused and police say Toney then told the girl to get into his car. She was able to run away. Police then put out a bulletin and officers in Sherborn stopped Toney a short time later. Police say he is from Austin, Texas, and is in the process of moving to Providence, Rhode Island. He has been charged with enticing a child under 16. His attorney denied all allegations in court, and said his client has no criminal record, adding that he spoke with the girl because she was upset. Authorities in Massachusetts say a Rhode Island man has been arrested after being caught peeping on a woman in a unisex changing room in a Target store. Revere police say Sheldon Fulbeck, 39, of Lincoln was arrested when he was in court in Attleboro for an unrelated, but similar, case. Fulbeck is accused of looking over a dividing wall in the changing room of a Target on Furlong Drive last week. Fulbeck was held on $5,000 bail and is expected to be arraigned in Chelsea District Court soon. It's unclear if he as an attorney. The stepfather of an 11-year-old New Hampshire girl found dead in a river in 2011 was held without bail on a second-degree murder charge on Tuesday. Wendell Noyes, 52, of Stewartstown, was arrested Monday at the state psychiatric hospital in the slaying of Celina Cass. The girl was reported missing from her home on July 26, 2011, and her body was recovered from the Connecticut River six days later. Noyes, who is accused of killing Cass by submerging her body in the river, was arraigned Tuesday. Due to the serious nature of the charge, he is not eligible for bail. Most of the discussion at Tuesday's hearing centered around Noyes' competency. He has been hospitalized since Dec. 29 and has previously been deemed incompetent to stand trial by a judge on unrelated misdemeanor charges. His attorney said there is a continuing concern about his competency, and asked that a follow up evaluation be conducted. The judge agreed, and said no further hearings will be scheduled until that happens. At the time of her disappearance, Celina lived with Noyes, her mother, her 13-year-old sister and the 22-year-old son of one of her mother's former boyfriends. Both men were later subpoenaed to testify at grand jury proceedings related to the case. In February, a major crimes squad truck was seen parked outside Noyes' trailer. A Norwich, Connecticut, man accused of killing his pregnant wife and setting their apartment on fire is facing new charges connected to the death of the couple's unborn child. Patrick Antoine pleaded not guilty Monday in New London to a new charge of assaulting a pregnant woman resulting in the termination of a pregnancy, and charges of murder and first-degree arson. Police say the 39-year-old Antoine stabbed 37-year-old Margarette Mady multiple times June 2 before setting fire to the curtains. Police say he told them she was a voodoo priestess who had cast spells on him. They say Antoine said his wife was eight months pregnant with a child he believed was not his. He allegedly said she told him he would be dead by July as a sacrifice before the child's birth. A 21-year-old New Hampshire man was injured in an officer-involved shooting that occurred after he brandished a weapon on Monday in Manchester. Manchester Police say they were checking the area of Wayne Street and Amory Street a little before 7:30 p.m. for an armed robbery that occurred early Sunday morning. As officers were searching the area, they located a man matching the description, later identified as Jacob Brady, 25. Police say that upon making contact with the Brady, he brandished a weapon and a police officer fired his gun at the Brady, causing him to drop his gun and hit the pavement. Brady was taken into custody and treated at a local hospital for a minor injury. He is being held for an arrest warrant for armed robbery and is additionally charged with criminal threatening. He is set to appear in court on June 21. A Michigan man was killed Tuesday morning in Peterborough, New Hampshire by a police officer after a brief pursuit. The New Hampshire Attorney Generals Office identified the deceased male as Lane Lesko, 19, of Ann Arbor, Michigan. An autopsy conducted Wednesday determined his cause of death to be a single gunshot wound. Senior Assistant Attorney General Jeff Strelzin said Lesko crashed the BMW he was driving on Route 136 in Peterborough and got out. There was some sort of confrontation with police, and the officer opened fire. The attorney general's office has not revealed the name of the officer who opened fire, or which agency he works for. What led to the pursuit in the first place also remains unclear. A witness, Frank Mogavero, told necn he observed a Greenfield police cruiser following the man moments before the fatal encounter. The BMW had a dealership plate, but investigators would not say if the car had been stolen. Lesko had been reported missing by New Hampshire Fish and Game earlier in the week after running away from a camping and canoeing trip at Lake Umbagog on the New Hampshire/Maine border on Sunday morning. A canoe, pontoon boat and truck were reported missing around that same time and it is believed that they were connected to Lesko's disappearance. The camping and canoeing trip was organized by Summit Achievement, which serves adolescents aged 13 to 20 from around the world who are experiencing difficulty within their family, school, and/or personal lives. Massachusetts health officials confirm that a case of tuberculosis has been identified at a Brookline day care. The case was found at the Tiny World Child Care's facility on Beacon Street. The Mass. Department of Health released a statement that says in part, "DPH is monitoring the situation, and working closely with local officials and the Tiny World Child Care community." The statement also says, "In line with standard procedure, individuals who might have been exposed have been notified, and testing is being recommended and offered." Health officials caution that a positive test for tuberculosis infection does not necessarily mean the person has active, infectious tuberculosis and treatment will help prevent active cases. Parents say an informative meeting will be held Tuesday night from 4 to 6 p.m. about the case. Rights activists led by the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the Tor Project are rallying similar organizations and their constituents to step up opposition to a rules change backed by the U.S. Justice Department that would grant law enforcement vast new surveillance authorities and undermine anonymity online. Website operators are being asked to join the effort today by posting banners on their sites. From an EFF press release: EFF and over 40 partner organizations are holding a day of action for a new campaignnoglobalwarrants.orgto engage citizens about the dangers of Rule 41 and push U.S. lawmakers to oppose it. The process for updating these ruleswhich govern federal criminal court processeswas intended to deal exclusively with procedural issues. But this year a U.S. judicial committee approved changes in the rule that will expand judicial authority to grant warrants for government hacking. Right now, Rule 41 only authorizes federal magistrate judges to issue warrants to conduct searches in the judicial district where the magistrate is located. The new Rule 41 would for the first time authorize magistrates to issue warrants when technological means, like Tor or virtual private networks (VPNs), are obscuring the location of a computer. In these circumstances, the rule changes would authorize warrants to remotely access, search, seize, or copy data on computers, wherever in the world they are located. The organizations are collection petition signatures at noglobalwarrants.org and website operators can also go there to download widgets that express their opposition to Rule 41. [MORE: For sale: The nuclear bunker of your dreams] A letter addressed to the Congressional leaders of both parties can be read here. An earlier post from EFF offers greater detail regarding the dangers of the proposed change. In May, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) filed a bill that would block Rule 41, writing at the time: When the public realizes what is at stake, I think there is going to be a massive outcry: Americans will look at Congress and say, What were you thinking? Welcome regulars and passersby. Here are a few more recent buzzblog items. And, if youd like to receive Buzzblog via e-mail newsletter, heres where to sign up. You can follow me on Twitter here and on Google+ here. Microsoft has been anxious to goose interest in Edge, its replacement browser for Internet Explorer that ships with Windows 10. Thus far, while Windows 10 has piled up 300 million installs, it's offered no coattails for Edge. The latest numbers from Net Applications put Edge at just 4.99 percent share. So, the company's newest tactic? Battery power. In a series of its own power consumption tests "in a controlled lab environment," combined with "the real-world energy telemetry from millions of Windows 10 devices," Microsoft claims you can "simply browse longer with Microsoft Edge" than with Chrome, Firefox or Opera on a Windows 10 device. + Also on Network World: Microsoft tweaks IE11-Edge interoperability in Windows 10 + In its test, Microsoft set up four identically configured Surface Books to power monitoring equipment, which ran a series of typical user activities, such as browsing sites, scrolling, opening new tabs and watching videos. Microsoft said its tests showed that Edge is a more energy-efficient browser on Windows 10, with up to 36 percent to 53 percent more battery life, depending on the browser. In addition to the tests, the company said the results of its laboratory testing were replicated in the aggregated telemetry pulled from millions of Windows 10 devices. You know, the spying we've all gone nuts about? So, telemetry from users backs the lab tests. I can somewhat believe this. Chrome started out as a lightweight browser, but it has gotten very heavy in recent years. Every new tab means a new process in Windows. Open the Task Manager when you have a lot of tabs open, and you will see a bunch of chrome.exe tasks in the process window, along with a lot of memory being consumed. In addition to the use test, Microsoft also streamed high-definition videos to the four Surface Books, and noted how long each device lasted before the battery ran out. Streaming high-definition video is definitely going to drain the battery. In testing the Opera browser, it enabled the browser's battery saver mode. Microsoft Edge: 7h 22m 7s Opera: 6h 18m 33s Mozilla Firefox: 5h 9m 30s Google Chrome: 4h 19m 50s Microsoft concluded with the news that it is working on furthering the energy efficiency of Edge for the upcoming Windows 10 Anniversary Update due late next month. These improvements listed in a separate blog post include: More efficient background tabs: According to Insider feedback, background tabs in Edge use more CPU power than they would like, so Microsoft will reduce the execution of background JavaScript timers. This, it said in the blog post, results in energy savings "of over 90 percent in some scenarios." Flash is more efficient: Flash should be taken out and shot, but Microsoft is keeping it around for now. Flash will run in a separate process in the Anniversary Update, and non-essential Flash content is paused by default. A more efficient user interface for Edge: The browser's UI will be further optimized for power efficiency, right down to animations. One example is the Reading mode button, which will be totally redesigned, saving GPU cost by nearly 75 percent, saving the CPU cost by 100 percent and reducing the power impact to near zero. The IT employees at Unum Group, a Chattanooga, Tenn.-based insurer, are alert to the possibility that their employer may shift work to an offshore outsourcing firm. The employees don't know much yet, but they know enough to be alarmed -- and a letter sent out last week by the CIO did little to change that. The news about Unum, which reported nearly $11 billion in revenues last year, originated in a recent blog post by Sara Blackwell, a labor attorney in Florida who represents former Disney IT workers in a lawsuit after that firm replaced them with offshore outsourcer workers. Some of the replacements were on H-1B visas. Blackwell claims that several hundred IT employees are at risk of being laid-off or rebadged with an IT services contractor. A Chattanooga newspaper, the Times Free Press, reported last week on the possibility and included Unum's response. The firm calls Blackwell's claims speculation and hearsay. Even so, an IT employee at Unum said the local newspaper report was true, and said workers haven't been told much except that management is looking at the possibility of outsourcing IT jobs -- and others -- to cut costs. "I don't understand why they are looking to outsource when the company is doing well," the employee said. After the Times Free Press story appeared, Unum CIO Kate Miller sent a letter to IT employees. She wrote that the company is looking at a "few areas within IT that have been identified as having potential for increased leverage of external partners." Unum is still "in the evaluation process," Miller wrote, stressing that no decision would made for a couple of months. Miller's letter, which was seen by Computerworld, described the firm's approach in using "external partners" and said it wasn't a new development. "In certain cases, external partnerships can help us deliver better capabilities faster and allow our people to focus on the areas where we can have the greatest impact," wrote Miller. "Unum is committed to a strong IT function and organization driven primarily by our own employees," she wrote. Computerworld sought an interview with Miller, but a company spokeswoman declined the request. Miller was appointed CIO in 2013, and had previously worked in Washington as associate CIO of applications development for the Internal Revenue Service. A spokeswoman for Unum, Mary Clarke Guenther, said cost issues alone "aren't enough to lead us to a decision to work with an external partner. Relationships have to make sense on a number of levels, including enabling us to better serve our customers, supporting the long long-term growth and efficiency of our business, and driving outcomes that are better than those we can achieve ourselves." David Lewis, president and CEO of OperationsInc, a Norwalk, Conn.-based human resources consulting firm, argued that Unum is now doing damage control. "I would expect that, no matter what Unum leadership has to say, the damage has been done, and the employees as such are not trusting of any messages to the contrary," said Lewis. Phillip Tsen, a former offshore executive at IBM who has since written a fictional book that explores the morality of offshore outsourcing, warns about the practice. He explored the impact of outsourcing in The PM Executioner: A Project Manager's Journey in Offshoring Jobs, which describes what happened to one Peter Fallon, a project manager. (The book is available in both Kindle and softcover editions; Amazon price $2.99-$16.95.) Outsourcing an IT organization "including valuable employees, is sending a wrong message to the rest employees in the company; it will create a low morale and less loyal relationship for a long term," said Tsen. He argued that "managers are the culprit of fostering an inefficient organization" and said shifting work to an offshore pool of workers "will not fix the organizational and the project management problems." Tsen warned that life will not become easier for IT leaders who move to a "vendor management role" after they transfer IT services to an outsourcing firm. "Don't think the standard solution template that was presented to you with your competitors' logos as references will be the right solution for you," said Tsen. "Take the control of implementing your own solution. "Holding your vendor accountable for meeting an agreed-upon set of KPIs [key performance indicators] does not translate to your business success," he said. Instead, Tsen said, firms and employees should work together during a transformation, which "requires employees to demonstrate their capability of learning new technology and their willingness to contribute into the transformation efforts." The turnover rate in offshore work is high, he said, and there's "no loyalty in offshore workers." The result: A firm's technical and business strategies will leak out "simply via your offshore workers' job hunting interviews." This story, "IT workers at Tennessee insurer on edge amid outsourcing rumors" was originally published by Computerworld . One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021 Study finds extreme levels of Transferrin Saturation Ratio reflecting blood iron levels linked to increased risk of death A new study led by researchers at the Graduate Entry Medical School (GEMS), University of Limerick (UL) has found that people with low levels and very high levels of a commonly measured laboratory test, the transferrin saturation ratio are at an increased risk of death. The test is a measure of the amount of available iron in the bloodstream with low levels generally reflecting a state of iron deficiency and high levels suggesting a relative excess. Members of the Kidney Health Research Consortium at the Graduate Entry Medical School and University Hospital Limerick. (left to right) Dr Ells Gillis, Darya Yermak, Dr Mohamed Elsayed, Dr Liam Casserly, Professor Austin Stack, Professor Ailish Hannigan, Dr John Ferguson, Dr Hatim Yagoub, Dr Waleed Mohamed. The study found that subjects with extremely low transferrin saturation levels (less that 17.5%) were at a 45% higher risk of death. On the other hand, the risk of death was also significantly higher for subjects with very high levels of transferrin saturation above 31.3 %. According to primary author, Professor Austin Stack, Foundation Chair of Medicine at University of Limerick Graduate Entry Medical School, and Consultant Nephrologist at University Hospital Limerick, the transferrin saturation ratio is a commonly used blood test to assess the amount of iron in a patient. Low levels of transferrin saturation ratio generally indicate iron deficiency, while high levels;-traditionally > 50% indicate an excess of iron, which can be detrimental to health. High levels usually occur in states of iron overload like haemochromatosis, multiple blood transfusions and cirrhosis. There is some uncertainly as to what the optimal levels of transferrin saturation ratio are to maintain normal health, and while some studies to date have shown that low levels are associated with elevated death risk, others have suggested the contrary. In this study of 15, 823 adults from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) conducted from 1988 to 1994 in the US and with follow-up 2006, the research team sought to examine in detail the risks associated with transferrin saturation ratio and determine the optimal levels that were associated with best survival. In this very large population-based study, we found that individuals at both ends of the spectrum-people with very high and very low levels were at increased risk of death said Professor Stack. This pattern of association was what we call a j-shaped relationship. We found that adults with the lowest levels of transferrin saturation ratio (< 17.5 %) had higher percentage of anaemia and several other chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and poor socioeconomic status, indicators that might have accounted for the higher rates of death. Yet, when we accounted for these factors in our analysis, low levels continued to predict higher death risk. What was even more surprising, was that adults who had high transferrin saturation ratio > 31% also experienced higher rates of death, a relationship that was not accounted for by levels of inflammation or other medical conditions. When we looked at the relationship between transferrin saturation and deaths from cardiovascular disease, the results were even more striking. A low transferrin saturation ratio less than 17.5 % increased the risk of cardiovascular death by over 200% while a higher TSAT level above 31% increased the risk by almost 60% said Dr John Ferguson PhD, biostatistician and senior author of the study. We believe that these results have important practical implications for the wider medical community said Professor Stack. Our analysis suggests that the optimal transferrin saturation range for patient survival should be between 23% to 40% and that careful clinical assessment is warranted for patients with low and high levels in order to identify states of iron deficiency or iron excess. Our study demonstrates that transferrin saturation ratio is a useful prognostic tool in assessing a patients health and while we support the correction of low transferrin saturation levels in the general population, we would also advise caution against excessive iron loading to levels beyond 40%. Dr. Jason Gilliland, a Scientist at Children's Health Research Institute, Lawson Health Research Institute and Director of the Human Environments Analysis Laboratory at Western University, is combining health research with geography to understand the connection between children's nutrition and their local neighbourhoods. In an innovative study, Dr. Gilliland and his team used GPS technology to provide evidence that adolescents' exposure to junk food outlets during trips to and from school affects their likelihood of making a junk food purchase. The study followed 654 students, aged 9 to 13, from across London and Middlesex County, Ontario. Each student was given a portable GPS logger to track their trips to and from school over the course of two weeks. The GPS logger identified each time a student entered within 50 metres of a junk food outlet, those stores or restaurants where students might make an unhealthy food purchase, and recorded their time exposed. Each student was also given an activity diary to record any junk food purchases during those trips. Results showed that exposure to junk food outlets had a significant effect on a child's likelihood of making a junk food purchase. Of all trips where a child was exposed to a junk food outlet, 1 in 20 included a junk food purchase. The length of time that a child was exposed significantly increased their chances of making a purchase, increasing from 1.7% at less than one minute of exposure to 16% at 16 to 17 minutes of exposure. In addition, trips home from school were much more likely to be associated with a junk food purchase than trips to school. "This study provides strong evidence that a child's surrounding food environment affects their food purchasing behaviour," says Dr. Gilliland, also Director of the Urban Development Program and Professor in the Department of Geography at Western University. "Unlike past studies, these results provide strong accuracy through the use of GPS technology to more precisely capture exposure." Dr. Gilliland's team also found that trips made by car were much more likely to result in a junk food purchase than those made by an active mode of travel. These odds increased significantly with length of exposure. Exposure while riding the bus did not result in a junk food purchase, due to limited mobility and school board restrictions. "These results show that trips by car, under adult supervision, are more likely to result in a junk food purchase," says Dr. Gilliland. "This suggests the powerful influence that parents can have on their children's eating habits and the need to be mindful of this. It also suggests that an active mode of travel may be healthier, not only for physical activity, but also for nutrition." The study found that trips made by females were more likely to result in a junk food purchase at all levels of exposure than those made by males. Females were 2.5 times more likely than males to make a junk food purchase after 5 minutes of exposure and 3 times more likely to make a purchase after 15 minutes of exposure. Dr. Gilliland suggests this may be due to female adolescents having more money in the Canadian culture of babysitting, but also cites the importance of health promotion campaigns that target males and females separately. "Overall, this study's findings have significant implications for municipal planners, school board officials, public health officials and other decision makers," says Dr. Gilliland. "This provides clear evidence that bylaws and policies should be enacted that restrict the concentration of junk food outlets around schools." In addition, the study highlights the need to educate adolescents in making healthy food choices. One way Dr. Gilliland and his colleagues are working to make healthy eating attractive is through the use of a smartphone app - SmartAPPetite. Dr. Gilliland created this app to remove barriers to finding local and healthy foods in southwestern Ontario. "We may not be able to change the landscape of our food environments overnight," says Dr. Gilliland. "But we can work to promote healthy eating in innovative ways." Reports new study in Biological Psychiatry A study published in Biological Psychiatry reveals a new link between low levels of the thyroid hormone thyroxine during pregnancy and risk of schizophrenia in the offspring. Low levels of free thyroxine in pregnant women, referred to as hypothyroxinemia, are associated with abnormalities in cognitive development similar to those in schizophrenia, a neurodevelopmental disorder. Hypothyroxinemia is also associated with preterm birth, a risk factor for schizophrenia. To determine if hypothyroxinemia is associated with schizophrenia, the study, led by senior author Dr. Alan Brown, Professor of Psychiatry Epidemiology at Columbia University Medical Center, the New York State Psychiatric Institute, and Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, examined thyroxine levels in archived serum samples from 1010 mothers of children with schizophrenia and 1010 matched control mothers. The sera were collected during the first and early second trimesters of pregnancy as part of the Finnish Maternity Cohort. Comprehensive Finnish registries of the population and psychiatric diagnoses provided information on case status (schizophrenia or control) among offspring of mothers corresponding to the prenatal serum samples. The authors found that 11.8% of people with schizophrenia had a mother with hypothyroxinemia, compared with 8.6% of people without schizophrenia. The finding was statistically significant. This suggests that children of mothers with hypothyroxinemia during pregnancy have increased odds of developing schizophrenia. The association remained even after adjusting for variables strongly related to schizophrenia such as maternal psychiatric history and smoking. First author of the study Dr. David Gyllenberg of the University of Turku, Finland, thinks the importance of this paper is that it "links the finding to an extensive literature on maternal hypothyroxinemia during gestation altering offspring brain development." Dr. Gyllenberg was a visiting scholar at Columbia University when much of the research was conducted. Genetics & Genomics eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today Brown emphasized that "this work adds to a body of literature suggesting that maternal influences, both environmental and genetic, contribute to the risk of schizophrenia. Although replication in independent studies is required before firm conclusions can be drawn, the study was based on a national birth cohort with a large sample size, increasing the plausibility of the findings." This study did not address the cause of this association, but did find that adjusting for preterm birth lessened the association between hypothyroxinemia and schizophrenia, suggesting that preterm birth may mediate some of the increased risk. The authors note in the paper that the finding may not be specific to schizophrenia, and should be studied as a risk factor for other neurodevelopmental disorders as well, such as bipolar disorder and autism. The finding is expected to stimulate further studies examining how hypothyroxinemia causes neurodevelopmental abnormalities and ultimately contributes to risk of mental illnesses that arise during development. "As rodent models of maternal hypothyroxinemia have been developed and schizophrenia is largely considered a disorder of brain development, I hope this paper can inform future animal studies examining molecular and cellular deviations that are relevant to schizophrenia," said Gyllenberg. Dr. John Krystal, Editor of Biological Psychiatry, thinks the association has clinical potential for reducing risk in the offspring of mothers with low thyroxine levels. "This study identifies a preventable potential contributor to the risk for schizophrenia. Maternal hypothyroidism can be easily diagnosed and effectively treated," said Krystal. A clinical trial conducted by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators has found that the use of patient navigators - individuals who assist patients in receiving health care services - may improve comprehensive cancer screening rates among patient populations not likely to receive recommended screenings. The study, which received Online First publication earlier this month in JAMA Internal Medicine, found that such patients - mostly low-income and ethnic minorities - were more likely to adhere to cancer-screening guidelines when assisted by patient navigators. "These findings demonstrate how effective patient navigators can be for patients who, for a variety of reasons, encounter obstacles to receiving cancer screening," says Sanja Percac-Lima, MD, PhD, physician leader for cancer outreach at the MGH Center for Community Health Improvement and the study's lead author. "Health disparities pose a major challenge to low-income and ethnic minority patients, and our study suggests a proactive approach may help increase their chances of receiving the care they need." Lab Diagnostics & Automation eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today Using a computer system, researchers identified patients across 18 MGH primary care practices, including four community health centers, who were at-risk of not completing recommended cancer screenings - based on a previous missed appointment and their primary language not being English - and who were also overdue for breast, cervical, and/or colorectal cancer screening. Among 1,626 identified at-risk patients, 792 were randomly assigned a patient navigator who would provide intense outreach and guidance to assist in obtaining screenings. Navigators contacted patients in their own language, educated and encouraged them, arranged transportation and accompanied them to visits, and helped overcome any other barriers to obtaining screening. The study results showed that 32 percent of patients who were successfully connected with patient navigators completed at least one overdue cancer screening, compared with 18 percent of patients in the control group. "Patient navigators provide a critical bridge between patients and caregivers that enhances and improves care," says Percac-Lima, who is an assistant professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. "By employing these types of tactics, we can address critical health disparities for at-risk communities." Ever since Angelina Jolie used cancer genetic counseling and testing to learn about her risk for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, many other women have chosen to do the same. But for women in rural communities, traveling to meet in person with cancer genetic counselors can be time-consuming and expensive. Now, a new study shows that getting cancer genetic counseling over the phone can be just as good as getting the same counseling in person. The work, led by Anita Kinney, PhD, RN, at The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, was published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Genetics & Genomics eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today All the women who took part in the study were at increased risk for hereditary breast or ovarian cancer. The researchers divided the women into two groups. One group traveled to meet in person with a cancer genetic counselor and the other received counseling over the telephone. Both groups of women received teaching materials and letters about their risk in the mail. With the women's permission, letters about their risk and how to manage it were mailed to their doctors. One year after their counseling, the study assessed how the women felt: their anxiety and cancer-related distress, and how much control and how informed they felt about their risk and medical recommendations. It also tracked how many women went on to get genetic testing. Both groups benefited similarly from genetic counseling. "This study provides important evidence that telephone counseling is an effective alternative to in-person counseling," says Kinney. "It can help to make cancer genetic services more widely accessible, which is an important consideration in rural states like New Mexico. We hope that our study's results will help increase health insurance coverage of telephone counseling so that more cancer patients and their family members can benefit from potentially lifesaving cancer risk information." Nikesh Arora is stepping down as president and chief operating officer of Japan's Softbank, the company said on Tuesday. Arora, who took over as president and COO of the telecom giant in May 2015, was seen as a potential successor to billionaire CEO Masayoshi Son. Here's a lowdown on his career: Arora holds an MS degree from Boston College and an MBA from Northeastern University, both of which were awarded with distinction. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. In 1989, he graduated from the Institute of Technology in Varanasi, India with a Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering. Before joining SoftBank, Arora was a longtime executive at Google Inc., where he oversaw all revenue and customer operations at the internet giant, as well as marketing and partnerships. At Google, he also served in several other roles, including the development and management of its operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Prior to that, Arora was chief marketing officer at T-Mobile Europe. May 1992 VP, Finance, Fidelity Investments April 1997 VP, Putnam Investments April 2000 CEO, T-Motion, PLC July 2001 Chief Marketing Officer, T-Mobile Europe December 2004 President, EMEA Sales, Marketing & Partnerships, Google Inc. January 2011 Senior Vice President and Chief Business Officer, Google Inc. February 2013 Board Member, The Harlem Children's Zone (to present) June 2014 Board Member, Tipping Point Community (to present) September 2014 Vice Chairman, SoftBank Corp. (currently SoftBank Group Corp.) September 2014 CEO, SoftBank Internet and Media, Inc. (currently SB Group US, Inc.) November 2014 Director, Sprint Corporation (to present) June 2015 Chairman of the Board, Yahoo Japan Corporation (to present) June 2015 Representative Director, President & COO, SoftBank Corp (currently SoftBank Group Corp.; to present) Masa 2 continue 2 be CEO for 5-10 years, respect that. Learnt a lot. Clean chit from board after through review. Time for me to move on. Nikesh Arora (@nikesharora) June 21, 2016 Plan to support them for an year, hence continuing as advisor. https://t.co/JBtSiFdSvJ Nikesh Arora (@nikesharora) June 21, 2016 Before joining SoftBank, Arora was a longtime executive at Google Inc, where he oversaw all revenue and customer operations as well as marketing and partnerships. India-born Softbank President and COO Nikesh Arora has resigned from the company with effect from June 22 but will stay in advisory role for a year."SoftBank Group Corp (SBG) announces the resignation of Nikesh Arora, Representative Director, President & COO, from the position of Representative Director and Director of SBG with the expiration of the term of office at the conclusion on of the 36th Annual General Meeting of Shareholders," SoftBank said in a statement.SoftBank said Arora and Chairman and Chief Executive Masayoshi Son had disagreed over when Arora would replace Son as head of the group.Arora's resignation came because he wanted to begin taking the reins "in a few years time", SoftBank said, while Son intended to continue at the company's helm "for the time being"."The difference of expected timelines between the two leads to Aroras resignation."Arora appeared to confirm that in a tweet, saying that Son would continue as CEO for "5-10 years"."All good. Masa wanted to be CEO for longer, I did as promised, time to move on," he tweeted.Arora however said he will continue with Softbank as advisor.Praising Arora's work at SBG, Son said he should be CEO of a global business."I had hoped to hand over the reins of SoftBank to him on my 60th birthday - but I feel my work is not done. I want to cement SoftBank 2.0, develop Sprint to its true potential and work on a few more crazy ideas. This will require me to be CEO for at least another five to ten years - this is not a time frame for me to keep Nikesh waiting for the top job," he said in a statement.On Monday, SoftBank had said the allegations levelled by some shareholders against Arora, including those questioning his conduct and qualifications, have been found to be "without merit".Arora had joined SoftBank as its Vice-Chairman and CEO of SB Group US -- previously SoftBank Internet and Media Inc -- in September 2014 from search giant Google. Trousers with leather pockets worn by Adolf Hitler and a brass container that held the cyanide used by a top deputy to commit suicide were among a trove of Nazi memorabilia sold for hundreds of thousands of euros at an auction in Germany. The sale of items from a collection of an American medical officer who attended to the needs of defendants at the Nuremberg War Crimes Trials was condemned by Germany's Jewish community as "scandalous" and "disgusting". The auctioneer did not respond to repeated requests for comment. German media said one Argentine bidder spent over 600,000 euros ($681,060) alone at Hermann Historica's weekend auction in Munich, snapping up Hitler's trousers and military jacket, and an aviator watch that belonged to Hermann Goering, the beefy Nazi air force commander, among other things. The trousers sold for 62,000 euros, the jacket - made from "finely-woven field-grey cloth" - went for 275,000 euros, the watch for 42,000 euros and some silk underwear owned by Goering for 3,000 euros, according to mass-circulation daily Bild. Other items under the hammer included the brass container for the hydrogen cyanide phial that Goering swallowed while awaiting trial in Nuremberg in 1946, which fetched 26,000 euros, and Hitler's medical X-rays after a failed assassination attempt in July 1944, Hermann Historica said on its website. It said the pockets of Hitler's black trousers were leather lined "so he could carry a gun unobtrusively with him". The Central Council of Jews denounced the auction in the run-up to the sale and had called on Hermann Historica to cancel the event. The auctioneer said on its website that it procured objects of contemporary German history only under strict conditions for museums, archives and serious collectors to help enable understanding and ensure the events of the Nazi era never recur. Bild said on Monday 169 items had been sold from the collection of medical officer John K. Lattimer, who died in 2007. The bidder from Argentina told Bild he was purchasing the objects for a museum whose name he did not disclose. Come for the queen scolding William, stay for the George facepalm. pic.twitter.com/etvmofiU5m Brandon McGinley (@brandonmcg) June 15, 2016 Last weekend, the British royal family came together for Trooping the Colour parade, an annual tradition to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's 90th birthday.(Photo: The British royals at trooping the Color parade/Reuters)While Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, is second in line to the British throne, it's the Queen who is 'the boss'.A five-second clip, rather a GIF, that emerged from the event is breaking the internet after it was shared by Brandon McGinley, Editor, Eternal Word Television Network, Publishing.The clip shows 'Granny'- that's what Prince William calls the monarch - reprimanding the 33-year-old Duke on the Buckingham Palace balcony for not standing up. In the short clip, Queen Elizabeth, dressed in a neon green outfit, is seen nudging Prince William on his arm and commanding him to 'stand up' when he kneeled to attend to his two-year-old son, Prince George.(Photo: The British royals at trooping the Color parade/Reuters)Prince William at first seemed a little surprised by the nudge, but immediately followed his grandmother's orders. He rose instantly and sheepishly continued to admire an overhead plane. Prince William's younger brother, Prince Harry, 31, who was standing behind, next to Princess Kate and 1-year-old Princess Charlotte, also took note.(Photo: The British royals at trooping the Color parade/Reuters)The GIF shows the royals in a human moment, where just like any other grandmother, the Queen too scolds his grandson for not following decorum. And the grandson, even though he is a Duke, is not exempt from the scolding.But what really bowled the viewers was a perfectly-timed - that's what it seems - face-palm by Prince George immediately after 'Gan Gan' (that's what the little one calls his great grandmother) ordered his father to get up.Watch the GIF here:But , later we found out that the little prince was just shielding his eye to take a better look at the planes flying overhead. Here's the full video: New Delhi: In order to boost hiring, scores of all candidates taking various competitive examinations will be made available online for both public and private sector. The central government has approved the proposal of Niti Aayog for making available publically scores and ranking of candidates in recruitment examinations through a portal for increasing access of the unemployed to job opportunities, an order issued on Tuesday by Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) said. The move comes nearly three months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement in this regard. "As approved by the government, the candidates will have the option to opt out of the disclosure scheme. The option of opting out will have to be taken at the time of filing up the application. "This, thus further indicates that the actual implementation can be done only on those examinations for which the application forms will be invited in future. Seeking option from candidates during the process of conduct of examination may neither be practical nor feasible," it said. There are many recruiting agencies like Union Public Service Commission and Staff Selection Commission to select employees for various government jobs including for prestigious Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) among others. The results of government entrance examinations for engineering and medical colleges are already being used by private colleges for admissions. J&K Police on Tuesday said that they have arrested a top Lashkar e Taiba commander from Lolab in Kupwara district Abu Ukasha, also known as Hanzullah, was apprehended by security forces during an operation in Sogam area of Kupwara on Monday, a police official said. After Ukasha's disclosure, the security forces launched a search operation in the nearby forests to track down another LeT militant Abu Bakar. The search operation was still in progress when reports last came in. Ukasha, a resident of Pakistan, is being questioned for information about the militant network in north Kashmir region where he was active for several years now, the official said. Kabul/New Delhi: Two Indians working as guards at the Canadian Embassy in Kabul were among 25 people killed in a string of Taliban suicide attacks across Afghanistan on Monday. In the first attack, a Taliban suicide bomber hit a minibus carrying foreign security guards in Kabul along the main road to the eastern city of Jalalabad, killing Indian and Nepalese security guards. The Taliban also claimed a second smaller blast in south Kabul. The third blast took place in a market in the remote northeastern province of Badakhshan. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup in New Delhi said, "We have learnt that 2 Indian nationals, Ganesh Thapa and Govind Singh from Dehradun died tragically in the blast in Kabul on Monday morning." "Government is in touch with the families of Indian nationals and is working with the Afghan government to repatriate their mortal remains at the earliest," he said. The two Indians were working for a private security company, Sabre International. Canada condemned the attacks and offered condolences to the families of the guards. "Canada strongly condemns today's terrorist attacks in Afghanistan by the Taliban, including the attack on a bus carrying security guards who protect the embassy of Canada to Afghanistan, in Kabul," Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion said in a statement. He offered condolences on behalf of Canadians to the families and friends of "the Nepalese and Indian guards killed", adding that many had been "part of our embassy family for years." "They will be remembered for their service in the protection of the men and women at the embassy of Canada to Afghanistan." The attacks come days after the US announced an expansion of the US military's authority to conduct air strikes against the Taliban, a significant boost for Afghan forces which have limited close air-support capacities. Chandigarh: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday led a camp of over 35,000 people for the second International Yoga Day celebrations. Asking people to embrace yoga, he said it is not a religious activity and people should perform it for better mental and physical health. "Yoga is not about the other life. Therefore, it is not a religious practice. It is the science of this world, it is about what we will get in this life," Modi said. Modi announced two annual awards to be given from 2017 for doing exceptional work for promotion of yoga at the international and national levels. Dressed in a white-coloured t-shirt and trouser along with a scarf, Modi himself performed yoga 'asanas' along with the people at the event. Defence forces personnel and school children, people from all ages -- 10,000 each from Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana -- performed yoga 'asanas' on pink and blue coloured mats during the event. Many people do not understand yoga completely. It is not what you will get from yoga but what is important is what you will give to yoga and what all (ailments) will it rid you of. It helps is getting mukti (salvation) from health issues, Modi said, in an attempt to de-link the belief among some that yoga was a part of Hinduism," he said. Modi also said that the UN-declared International Day of Yoga had become the biggest global mass movement. Among all days marked by the UN, no day has equalled the mass movement the International Yoga Day has become. It has become the biggest mass movement worldwide, said Modi, who was instrumental in getting the UN to declare June 21 as the International Yoga Day. He said yoga was for both believers and non-believers, and there was no need to create any controversy over it. "Make yoga a part of your life. Just as the mobile phone is now a part of your life, make yoga too a part of your life," he said. Yoga, he said, helped to control the mind and maintain a healthy body. It helped people to lead a disciplined life. Emphasising on the importance of yoga, Modi said yoga was a guarantee for wellness, not just fitness. "Yoga binds body, mind, intelligence and soul. It provides a balance to mind and body. Yoga gives health insurance at zero budget. Anyone can do it anywhere. We are busy in our lives. We are cut off from ourselves. Yoga links us to ourselves, he said. Expressing concern at the rising number of diabetics in India, he urged people to focus on the disease so that it could be tackled in a better way by the next International Yoga Day. Yoga day was also held at 100 other locations across Chandigarh. Thousands across the country began the day with yoga exercises on Tuesday. Yoga guru Ramdev held his record-breaking yoga event in Faridabad in Haryana, adjoining the national capital, earlier on Tuesday. Organisers said over 100,000 people performed yoga with Ramdev, setting a world record. Second Int. Yoga Day celebrations in Paris on 18 June @MEAIndia @IndianDiplomacy pic.twitter.com/vHZO5c4jTV India in France (@Indian_Embassy) June 18, 2016 : As part of the series of events to mark the second 'International Day of Yoga, the Embassy of India in Paris organised an event at the iconic Eiffel Tower on Sunday.The event attracted an overwhelming number of yoga enthusiasts but due to space constraints and security reasons, we had to restrict the number of participants, the Embassy said in its Facebook page."More than 300 Yoga enthusiasts participated in the celebrations, the statement added.The event commenced with a meditation session by the teachers of the Shivananda Yoga Centre in Paris.Speaking on the occasion, Indian Ambassador to France Mohan Kumar emphasised the importance of yoga for a healthy and balanced life."I am glad to be part of this international yoga festival in Paris. It can be said that Euro Cup and Yoga Day are the most rocking events in France now, said Satish Reddy, Managing Director, World News Network who participated in the event.Earlier on Saturday, another yoga event organised by the Embassy at the La Villette park in Paris drew more than 2,000 participants.The event commenced with sufi songs and traditional Baul song from West Bengal followed by meditation."On June 21, more than 100 people will perform Yoga on board a boat in the river Seine sailing from the Eiffel Tower to Cathedral Notre Dame, the Embassy said in a press release.Apart from Paris, the International Day of Yoga was celebrated with great enthusiasm in several cities of France, including Strasbourg, Nice, Avignon, Angers, Gretz, Samoens, Toulouse, Nantes, Gouvieux and in French overseas territories like Guadeloupe, Martinique and the Reunion Islands.More than 7,000 people across France joined in these celebrations aimed at spreading the message of Yoga for peace and harmony, the statement added. The celebration of Indian Cinema in Spain is about to begin this week with the 17th edition of IIFA. Almost all the celebrities are expected to make a grand entry at the venue, walking the famous green carpet. Biggies like Salman Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone are ready to set the stage on fire this year. To be held in Madrid, capital of Spain, the four-day cinematic celebration will start on June 23. Bollywood stars Farhan Akhtar and Shahid Kapoor will host the gala night. The latest heartthrob of Bollywood, Fawad Khan will be seen hosting a section with his 'Kapoor and Sons' producer Karan Johar. Besides knowing the winners and getting a detailed view of the looks, it's the performances and noted moments that govern the excitement. Let's take a look at some of the most iconic performances by 'A-list' celebrities. With Abhishek and Aishwarya performing together before their romance kicked off to Kareena and Shahid's before the breakup lovely performance, these videos will take you back in time: Aishwarya, Abhishek and Amitabh Bachchan shook a leg on 'Kajra Re' A time when rumours about Abhishek Bachchan and Rani Mukherjee's romance were rife and Aishwarya was just a good friend. Take note, how Rani cheers the trio while sitting beside her to-be father-in law, late Yash Chopra. Shahid, Priyanka and Prabhudeva set the stage on fire Before Miss Chopra took the world by storm with her talent, she was being linked up with 'Shasha' Shahid Kapoor. Just look at their chemistry! Salman and Govinda 'Partner' up to entertain the audience Time much before 'Dabangg' became the middle name of Salman Khan, he was trying to match his comic timing with the king of comedy, Govinda. You just can't miss Katrina Kaif cheering her heart out for her then boyfriend Salman and co-star Govinda! Ranveer Singh and Anushka Sharma match the energy and charm of Shah Rukh Khan A performance to remember! Shah Rukh was setting the IIFA stage ablaze with his energy, dancing on 'Om Shanti Om' title track with Priyanka Chopra and Dia Mirza, when Anushka and Ranveer joined him. The 'Band Baaja Baarat' co-stars perfectly matched King Khan's step and gave the night a befitting end. Deepika Owns the stage as effortlessly as she owned Bollywood that year An iconic performance in itself, it is the year when Deepika reached the best phase of her career, while battling depression. This performance is as elegant and energetic as the lady herself. Also, Ranveer Singh's expressions while watching his lady-love perform are not to be missed! Sushmita Sen's breath-taking performance! Sushmita has never shied away from breaking the set expectations. From her life decisions to her career and this performance, everything proves that the former beauty queen is ahead of her times in many ways. Glittering in diamonds from head to toe, Miss Sen performs on 'Diamonds are Girls Best Friend' and wins the hearts of men and women alike! Kareena and Shahid Kapoor's 'much in-love' performance Remember the time when Shahid and Kareena were the 'It' young couple? Well, they were quite vocal about their relationship. The then couple performed on IFFA stage, proclaiming their love for each other by recreating iconic Bollywood love songs. While we are happy about their current status, watching this video makes us miss this couple. Hrithik Roshan's IIFA performances When we are talking about performances how can we not talk about Bollywood's most loved and celebrated performer and actor Hrithik Roshan. Roshan, who is known for enthralling the audience with his moves, has given many notable performances on IIFA stage. Here's a compilation of all the breath-taking performances by Bollywood's very own 'greek-god'. New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday issued notice to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra's company in connection with its money laundering probe in a land deal in Rajasthan's Bikaner district. The ED asked Ms Skylight Hospitality to produce before the Investigating Officer by June 24 certain documents related to the Bikaner land scam . Official sources said the notice has been issued to the firm under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED had conducted extensive searches in this case in Rajasthan and other places in May and had claimed to have seized a number of documents. Land in Bikaner The probe is related to the purchase of 275 bigha land allegedly by the company in the Kolayat area of the border town of Bikaner. The central probe agency had registered a criminal case of money laundering in this case in 2015 on the basis of FIRs filed by the state police after the local tehsildar had made a complaint. The ED has not mentioned the name of Vadra or any company linked to him in the FIR but it named some state government officials and some of the "land mafia". While filing the case, it had also taken cognisance of reports that referred to a firm allegedly linked to Vadra purchasing some of these lands in Bikaner. Vadra has denied any wrongdoing even as Congress party called the action "sheer political vendetta". The agency had conducted similar searches in the case in Delhi in 2015. Land Mafia? Rajasthan government had in January 2015 cancelled the mutation (transfer of land) of 374.44 hectares of land, after the land department claimed to have found that the allotments were made in the names of "illegal private persons". The tehsildar had said in the complaint that the government land in 34 villages of Bikaner, to be used for expanding the army's firing range in the area, was "grabbed" by the land mafia by preparing "forged and fabricated documents" in connivance with government officials. ED suspects that huge amounts of money was laundered in this case by people buying land at cheap rates through forged documents. The state government had, while cancelling the mutations, said these were not issued by the Commissioner, Colonisation, Bikaner. The state police had also filed chargesheets in the 18 cases in a court in Kolayat in 2015. Puducherry: Lt Governor Kiran Bedi led participants at a mass yoga demonstration in Puducherry on the occasion of International Yoga Day on Tuesday. She joined around 6,000 school and college students, officials and NCC volunteers and performed as many as 40 different asanas lasting nearly 90 minutes from 6.30 AM on the Beach Road here. Chief Minister V Narayanasamy and his ministerial colleagues, who were scheduled to participate in the yoga day celebration, were conspicuous by their absence as they had flown to Yanam to participate in government functions there. They are later scheduled to visit Delhi from Yanam to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and others in the capital, an official said. Addressing the participants, Bedi said, "We are all moving towards one world. Yoga is real humanity. Yoga is coming from our Vedas. All over the world yoga is being celebrated as it unites mind, body and soul. Yoga stands for unity and harmony." Director General of Police of Puducherry Sunil Kumar Gautam, Secretary to Lt Governor G Theva Needhi Das, Vice Chancellor of Pondicherry University Anisa Basheer Khan, officials of various departments and representatives of different organisations were among the participants. The entire two km stretch of beach road was thronged by long rows of participants. Bedi later told reporters that yoga "is the best gift India has given to nine billion people across the world. I want to thank my leader Prime Minister Narendra Modi who took this cause up in General Assembly of the United Nations (for declaring International Yoga Day)...," she said. By the initiative, Modi had united the humanity, she said. The Lt Governor said she was committed to serve "every breath of my life to realise the objective of prosperous Puducherry and prosperous India." Mumbai: Maharashtra Bharatiya Janata Party MLA stirred a controversy by comparing Dalits to pigs. In the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Dombivli MLA Ravindra Chavan said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Fadnavis are working for 16-18 hours a day and they think of farmers and Dalits as piglets in a gutter and are trying to remove them from there, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis are working for 16-18 hours a day with a dream to make this a 100 per cent BJP state. They may have to face many hardships, but they always think of farmers and Dalits as those piglets trapped in a gutter, and try to remove them from there," Chavan said. The video is purportedly of an event in neighbouring Thane district on June 17. Chavan cited the example of Abraham Lincoln narrating a story where Lincoln picked up a "piglet" from a drain and cleaned it. The political parties are up in arms against the BJP MLA for his controversial remarks. The NCP activists has held a demonstration against the BJP MLA over his statement which they said has hurt the feelings of Dalits and farmers. The activists had said that they felt offended by the "derogatory" statement reportedly made by the legislator. They had demanded that a case under Atrocities Act be registered against the MLA and his membership to the Legislative Assembly be cancelled. 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and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Jamaica Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Mexico, United Mexican States Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu US Virgin Islands Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland United States Minor Outlying Islands United States of America Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe There is no threat to my government or party. I will speak to all the unhappy MLAs who have been dropped," Siddaramaiah told News18 over the phone from Bengaluru. But, this exercise seems to have backfired, and now it is threatening to engulf the beleaguered party in the state. Presently, Karnataka is the only large state ruled by the Congres Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said there was no threat to his party, playing down the open revolt that broke out in the Congress party's state unit after 14 ministers were dropped.He said there were 123 aspirants for 34 cabinet berths and that he had to drop some MLAs and and induct new faces."There is nothing personal about it. My new cabinet looks more cohesive. I have given representation to all major castes and regions in the state. The desperate opposition parties like BJP and JDS are trying to exploit the situation by creating a hype. I refuse to admit that there is a revolt," he said.After Siddaramaiah dropped 14 ministers to induct 13 new faces into his Cabinet on Sunday, angry supporters of the sacked ministers have hit the streets damaging public property and blocking roads, including in state capital Bengaluru.One high-profile party leader, Kannada film actor Ambareesh, quit as MLA though this is yet to be accepted by the Speaker. The "Rebel Star" has given enough indications of quitting the party.Launching an all-out attack on Siddaramaiah, he said, "I am not an ordinary fellow, that he can throw me away like a chappal (slipper). There should be some dignity in how I am treated. If I was called and told I will be dropped, I would have been happy. The Chief Minister is an ambitious man. He did not show the courtesy."He requested his angry fans, who blocked main roads in Mandya district, not to inconvenience the public. He said that he was not in touch with other rebel MLAs. However, he admitted that opposition parties are holding talks with him, though he is not joining any of them. Both the BJP and JDS have already invited him to join them.Siddaramaiah refused to react to Ambareesh's outbursts against him. V Srinivasa Prasad, who is also a Dalit leader from Mysuru like Siddaramaiah, accused the Chief Minister of betrayal."Siddaramaiah should have been removed from the chair of chief minister. He has been a disaster as CM. He has betrayed me. He did not have even the basic courtesy to inform me before dropping me. I will see how he will win the next election," Prasad told News18.BJP leaders have already met him in Mysuru to persuade him to join the saffron party. The JDS has also approached him.Siddaramaiah, who came to power in May 2013, reshuffled his Cabinet for the first time in three years, dropping veterans like Srinivasa Prasad, Ambareesh, Dinesh Gundurao, Vinay Kumar Sorake, S Shivashankarappa and others. He inducted party stalwarts like Kagodu Thimmappa, Ramesh Kumar and nearly a dozen others to prepare the Congress for the Assembly elections due in early 2018.s.The BJP, led by former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa, and the JDS, led by former prime minister HD Deve Gowda, are using this to take revenge on their common enemy.Deve Gowda told News18, "I am not doing anything to topple the Congress government. It is their own creation. We welcome whoever wants to join us."Yeddyurappa said the BJP was not in touch with any rebel MLAs and that he was not interested in engineering defections.The party leaders Sonia and Rahul Gandhi are away from the country has worsened the situation for the Congress. After its debacle in the recent five-state Assembly elections, Congress is now left with only Karnataka and a few smaller states. If it fails to douse the flames of dissidence, it can submerge the entire party, feels veteran journalist Ramakrishna Upadhya.In the 224-member Assembly, the Congress has 123 MLAs. The main opposition BJP has 44 and the JDS has 40 MLAs. There are 16 others. Beijing: In an unusual move, China's state media on Tuesday defended Pakistan's nuclear record, saying it was AQ Khan who was responsible for atomic proliferation which was not backed by the government and argued that any exemption to India for NSG entry should also be given to Pakistan. "While India strives for Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) inclusion, it prevents Pakistan from joining by insisting on the latter's bad record of nuclear proliferation. Actually, the proliferation carried out by Pakistan was done by Abdul Qadeer Khan, Pakistan's chief nuclear scientist, and was not an official policy of the Pakistani government," an article in the state-run Global Times said. "Khan was punished by the government afterwards with several years of house arrest. If the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the NSG can give India an exemption, it should apply to Pakistan as well," it said. This is probably the first time Chinese official media has directly made a case for Pakistan's inclusion in the NSG. China officially maintains that there should be consensus about admitting all members. "China and other countries are opposed to NSG including India while excluding Pakistan, because it means solving India's problem but creating another bigger problem. If India joins hands with Pakistan to seek NSG membership, it seems more pragmatic than joining alone," said the article titled 'China no barrier to India joining NSG'. India and Pakistan conducted nuclear tests in 1998, which were condemned by the international community, and the US, the EU and Japan all imposed harsh sanctions on the two countries. After the September 11 attacks, the sanctions were gradually lifted. The US even signed with India a Civil Nuclear Agreement and backs India's bid to join NSG. But the issue of the legitimacy of India's "nuclear status" has not been solved, it said. "If India and Pakistan are allowed to join the NPT and adopt the CTBT, it will tarnish the authority of both. How can nuclear weapons development in other countries such as North Korea, Iran and Israel be dealt with," the article said. The article put the blame of proliferation from Pakistan squarely on nuclear scientist Khan. Khan was disgraced in 2004 when he was forced to accept responsibility for nuclear technology proliferation and was made to live a life of official house arrest. In 2009, the Islamabad High Court declared Khan to be a free citizen of Pakistan, allowing him free movement inside the country. The article came as the NSG began its meeting in Seoul, even as the Chinese foreign ministry said India's admission is not on the agenda. The NSG remains divided over non-NPT countries like India becoming its members, China's Foreign Ministry had said yesterday less than 24 hours after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had exuded hope that "we would be able to convince China to support our entry to the NSG." "We understand that non-NPT countries are concerned about their entry into the NSG. But since NSG is still divided about the issue, so it is still not mature to talk about the entry issue in the annual conference in Seoul," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying had said. "The NSG plenary meeting started Monday and will end Friday in Seoul. In a bid to become a member of NSG, the Indian government has launched a diplomatic offensive and Indian President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have embarked on foreign visits to win support from NSG member states," the article said. "The NSG was set up by a group of countries that have civil nuclear technology, equipment and material export capabilities. It aims to achieve nuclear non-proliferation by preventing civil nuclear technology and material from being used to develop nuclear weapons," it noted. A country must meet four requirements to become a member of the NSG. It must have the capacity to export civil nuclear technologies; it must abide by the guidelines of the NSG; it must have signed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) or other regional non-proliferation treaties, the article said. It also needs to provide "overarching and integrated legislation prohibiting unlawful activities in relation to Weapons of Mass Destruction and their delivery systems, it said. "As a nuclear power, India has acquired the ability to export civil nuclear technologies. The NSG allows member countries to export civil nuclear technology, equipment and material to India. India's struggle to enter the NSG is also aimed at joining the global civil nuclear market"," it added. The article stated that despite not being an NSG member, India has been sticking to NSG guidelines and implementing rigorous export control policies to prevent nuclear proliferation. India also "meets the last requirement and was admitted to membership of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) early this month," it said. "The direct obstacle for India joining the NSG is that it has not signed the NPT or any other regional non-proliferation pact. The only exception for a non-NPT signatory is if it obtains consent from all NSG members. Countries such as Norway, New Zealand, South Africa and China all hold reservations about India's inclusion into the NSG," the article said. "But some Indian media and scholars simply put the blame on China, accusing China of being hostile toward India, which misses the point," the article said. "India joining NSG does not harm China's own interests. India advocates nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament and commits itself to no-first-use of nuclear weapons as China does. It could also help enhance bilateral cooperation in civil nuclear energies. Measures that can boost mutual trust could be established among China, India and Pakistan, the three nuclear powers in Asia," it said. Washington: Democratic presumptive presidential nominee Hillary Clinton raised a whopping USD 28 million for election campaign in May, while her Republican rival Donald Trump raised USD 3.1, according to the latest figures released by the Federal Election Commission (FEC). Trump, who self-funded his entire primary campaign and launched fund raisers only in late May, ended the month with just USD 1.3 million in his kitty, Clinton was cash rich with USD 42.5 million on hand. The mainstream American media said that Trump is "disastrously" short in cash. In a statement, Trump argued that there is no reason to panic as he held the fund raising event only on May 25. "If need be, there could be unlimited 'cash on hand' as I would put up my own money, as I have already done through the primaries, spending over USD 50 million. Our campaign is leaner and more efficient, like our government should be," Trump said in a statement. In an interview to Fox news, Trump said he helped raise USD 12 million for the Republican Party in a fundraising trip through Texas, Nevada and Arizona this month. His campaign said the month of June represents the first full month of fundraising activity for the campaign and this will be reflected in the June FEC report. "To date, the campaign's fundraising has been incredible and we continue to see a tremendous outpouring of support for Trump and money to the Republican Party. The positive response to our fundraising efforts so far is a further indication that the country does not want yet another corrupt politician like Crooked Hillary," the campaign said. In a statement, the Hillary Campaign said it began June with more than USD 42 million in the bank after raising more than USD 28 million in May thanks to more than 650,000 contributions from about 430,000 people during the month. The average donation during May was about USD 44. "We're starting the general election in strong financial shape thanks to the support of over 1.3 million people and strategic investments that helped us conserve our resources," said Hillary for America Campaign Manager Robby Mook. "That grassroots support will be critical to our success and will ensure that we have the resources we need to communicate Hillary Clinton's message that we are stronger together." Clinton brought in USD 28,275,817.46 through Hillary for America and the Hillary Victory Fund in May. She raised more than USD 9 million in May in contributions of USD 200 or less and more than 60 per cent of the campaigns contributions for the month were from women. Beijing: China, which has been opposing India's NSG membership bid, for the first time on Tuesday said the "door is open" for discussions on the issue but took a swipe at the US for backing India, saying it was one of those who made the rule against the entry of non-NPT countries into NSG. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying said while discussions are going on among the NSG members, the admission of new members is not listed in the current plenary meeting in Seoul. "The door is open. The room is there. We never said we are against who (a country). We did not target any country, India or Pakistan," Hua said adding that China, for its part, cares about non-proliferation treaty (NPT) as criteria for admission of the new members into the NSG. "This is the core of the international non-proliferation. If the non-proliferation regime is changed how can we explain the Iranian nuclear treaty," Hua argued. "We just had a treaty with Iran. We have North Korean issues there. So this concerns the core issue whether NPT and non proliferation system could be impacted by this," she said. Reiterating what she said on Monday, Hua stated that, "According to my understanding, it (entry of new members) is not on the agenda of the NSG meeting in Seoul." "The door is open for the admission of the non-NPT members. It is never closed. It is open. But the members of the NSG should stay focussed on whether the criteria should be changed and whether non-NPT members should be admitted into the NSG," she said. Chinese Foreign Ministry, however, asked the 48-member NSG to "stay focussed" on whether the criteria should be changed on entry of non-NPT countries into the elite group. "I have not seen the US statement supporting India. But US is one of those who made the rule that non-NPT countries should not join the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)," Hua said. "The relevant rule was made on the principle that NPT was the cornerstone of the NSG," she said. Hua made the remarks in response to a question on US asking members of the nuclear trading club to support India's application. "We care about rules. US just sets the rules. This is not an issue between China and India but (about) the pillar for non-proliferation system," she said. Amid China's opposition, the US has given a fresh push to India's NSG membership bid by asking members of the elite club to support India's entry into the grouping during the ongoing plenary meeting in Seoul. "We believe, and this has been US policy for some time, that India is ready for membership and the United States calls on participating governments to support India's application at the plenary session of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said. "At the same time, participating governments will need to reach a consensus decision in order to admit any applicant into the group and the United States will certainly be advocating for India's membership," Earnest said. While majority of the elite group members backed India's membership, it is understood that apart from China, countries like Turkey, South Africa, Ireland and New Zealand were not in favour of India's entry into the NSG. China maintains opposition to India's entry, arguing that it has not signed Nuclear NPT. However, it has been batting for its close ally Pakistan's entry if NSG extends any exemption for India. Pakistan applied for NSG membership, a week after India submitted its membership application. India has asserted that being a signatory to the NPT was not essential for joining the NSG as there has been a precedent in this regard, citing the case of France. India is seeking membership of NSG to enable it to trade in and export nuclear technology. The access to the NSG, which regulates the global trade of nuclear technology, is expected to open up the international market for energy-starved India, which has an ambitious energy generation programme. India is looking at 63,000 MW energy requirement through the nuclear programme by 2030. The NSG looks after critical issues relating to nuclear sector and its members are allowed to trade in and export nuclear technology. Membership of the grouping will help India significantly expand its atomic energy sector. India has been reaching out to NSG member countries seeking support for its entry. The NSG works under the principle of consensus and even one country's vote against India will scuttle its bid. Firm buttocks held in flared jeans, her back caressed by deep black hair, the navel-length flowery shirt dressed the torso and a slender arm stretched out to buy a cup of coffee at the Abu Dhabi airport.Sipping tea, whiling away the time, as I waited to board the flight to Tehran, I started guessing nationalities, a habit you develop if you are frequently in transit. I observed the lady as the Filipino barista handed her the cuppa and wondered where she could be from.Gate number 43 was in a dingy basement and I reached just in time to board. There she was again - the Persian beauty.Flying over the Arabian sea I remembered reading Sherin Ebadi's Iran Awakening, the story of a woman through different phases of Iran's history. More than three decades after the Islamic revolution, has anything changed? what was it like for women to live in Iran in 2016?As the plane started descent, the girl had donned a longer shirt almost touching the ankle and a shawl to cover her head.A few days before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Tehran, the purpose of my travel, the moral police had incarcerated eight models for posing without a head scarf.The Ministry of External Affairs in India sent us all an advisory in advance cautioning us to cover the head, wear knee-length shirts and 3/4th sleeves.A few days before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Tehran, the moral police had incarcerated eight models for posing without a head scarf.In Tehran, I hit the bazaar.It's a sea of scarves, a city where a woman can't even shake hands with a man unless he is family.Thanks to the moral police, virtues in Iran are not a personal but a police affair.The moral police of Iran is infamous for oppressing women and the whispers tell you that they are never too far from scarf-less women. A bunch or two is always lurking around in crowded areas to find a prey.I don't find the moral police or rather they don't find me, but I spotted several shoe stores.In the world of fashion in Iran, it seems, shoes are the most experimented with. As I picked several pairs of 'Made in Iran' sandals, I started chatting with the Iranian women in the store.Both in India and in Iran, women are suppressed in the garb of societal norms.In India, in many households women are expected to cover their head when meeting an elder.In states like Haryana, in many villages, a social restriction called 'ghoonghat' continues to be in play, under which the women are to cover not just the head, but at times the entire face.They say it is giving respect to the elderly, but in reality it's just another sign of how a woman, her face, her looks are treated as a prized possession of the men in her life.And the admission that other men are perverts. The best way to protect yourself, is to hide yourself.The only relief is that in India it isn't legally imposed.We headed to meet a few students in American studies at Tehran university. Three scholars in black emerged.Zeinab tells me wearing a long hijab makes her feel safe. "I don't want to be seen as a woman ; just a human being, not too feminine."It worries me to hear Zeinab speak of her gender, her sexuality as a trouble maker. She wants to hide it.A colourless box, she believes guarantees her safety. Zeinab and Marzeih emphasise covering up provides them with the mobility and access denied to the generation before them.Unwittingly, the dress code imposed by the clerics post the 79 revolution, encouraged the patriarchs to send their girls to school. Wearing the veil, the girls attended religious schools and over time the number of girls attending university surpassed that of the boys.Zeinab and Marzeih come from religious families with deeply ingrained Islamic values.Now they are armed with a PhD. Is it a matter of time before they question more?Interestingly, Zeinab does not endorse the moral police arresting the models who dared to drop the head scarf and shows me pictures of several of her friends without the head scarf on the social messaging service Telegram.At a cafe in the heart of Tehran, I meet Salma, Zahra and Sanaz.In the 80's, these girls would have been arrested for wearing lipstick, missing socks or even if a strand of hair was visible.This would be committing 'bad hijabi'. Backed by the mullahs, the system was much harsher. Interpretation of modesty was left entirely to the men in the morality police.But since then, things have changed. The morality police has been forced to make concessions. The scarf is slipping.You can travel without a male family member accompanying. Some girls are rebellious enough to frequent the hukkah bars.Public display of affection between young lovers is becoming the new normal at least in the urban areas.Navigating the streets of Tehran, often you would find young boys and girls expressing a mixed bag of political views; sometimes out in the open and sometimes in a vibrant underground Tehran.From the time the Shah banned the wearing of hijab to the time Khomeini unleashed his moral police, the women of Iran and what they wear has been at the heart of Iran's politics.For the women it has been a daily battle to win the right to reveal an inch of hair, paint a toenail, gift a smile. As for me, by the time my visit ended I had had enough of the scarf.While leaving Tehran I bumped into an Indian politician also visiting Iran, he remarked, "I can't believe I am looking at you in this avatar." I responded ,"Yes, I intend on taking it off the moment I cross immigration."And I did only to be rudely ordered by the guards at the security check point to rewear it.You see this isn't a fashion accessory or a harmless tradition. I see it as a tool meant to subjugate, and I don't like being told what to wear or not. "We have been making successful efforts against India's Nuclear Suppliers Group membership," Aziz said. Pakistan has "successfully" blocked India's bid to gain membership of the NSG, prime minister's advisor on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz on Tuesday told parliament.Pakistan has a strong case to gain Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) membership on merit and non-discriminatory basis, he said in a statement.His remarks came ahead of the key meeting of the 48-nation NSG this week in Seoul when it will take up the applications of India and Pakistan.Aziz also told lawmakers that Pakistan was not being isolated and its official foreign policy was being tuned to the new alignments in the world.He said Pakistan would continue to follow the policy of non-interference in affairs of other countries. He said foreign policy was geared for the protection of national interests and nuclear assets.Aziz said that Pakistan's political role would increase after becoming full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.He said Pakistan enjoyed historical relations with the Muslim world which were based on common religion and recent visits by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Muslim countries will not affect Pakistan's ties with them.Earlier, opposition parties blamed the government for failing to safeguard national interests saying Pakistan was being isolated in the region and demanded a review of its foreign policy. Kandahar: The Taliban on Tuesday ambushed a series of buses and cars in southern Afghanistan's Helmand province, forcing people out of the vehicles and abducting around 60 passengers, an Afghan official said. The insurgents later said they released all but 27 of those abducted. According to Mohammad Ismail, a district police chief in Helmand, the attack happened in Gareshk district. The Taliban forced the buses and cars to stop at gunpoint, he said, adding that it's not known where the Taliban took the abducted passengers. The abductions come amid stepped-up Taliban attacks as part of their summer offensive. The insurgents frequently target buses carrying civil servants, or those perceived to be working for the Kabul government. On Monday, a Taliban suicide bomber killed 14 Nepalese security guards in an attack on their minibus in the Afghan capital. And in late May, a suicide bomber struck a minibus carrying court employees during morning rush hour, also in Kabul, killing 11 people. The Taliban also claimed that attack. In today's attack, Abdull Ghafoor Tokhi, the Helmand transportation director, said the Taliban "stopped couple of buses and around 15 other vehicles on the main highway and searched them all" suggesting they were looking for someone or something specific and had enough time to go through all the vehicles. Later today, Helmand police chief Gen. Aqa Noor Kentoz said Afghan security forces launched an operation to find the abducted passengers. He said it was too early to say how many government employees were among those travelling in the attacked buses and cars. Taliban spokesman Qari Yusouf Ahmadi later in a message to the media confirmed the group was behind the assault and said the insurgents still hold 27 of the abducted but freed the others. "We freed all but 27 ... there will be an investigation and we will find out if they are government employees and if so, they will be hand over to the Taliban judicial officials to decide on their fate," said Ahmadi. Earlier this month, the Taliban killed 12 people they had captured, including policemen and soldiers, in eastern Ghazni province. Last month, Taliban-linked insurgents killed at least nine people after seizing passengers off buses in northern Kunduz province. Warning: The following column includes spoilers about this season of Game of Thrones, including the most recent episode, Battle of the Bastards. As my husband and I settled in to watch the penultimate episode of Game of Thrones season six, I told him in more colorful language than I can use here that the hour had better end with the death of a certain sadistic character. Or else. Or else what, exactly, Im not even sure. Its not like Im going to throw in the towel now, this far into the series. But I got my wish. The good guys finally won well, if you can call hundreds, possibly thousands, of men dying a win. Really, there was only one death we needed, and we got it. Ramsay Bolton is gone, folks. Sunday nights Battle of the Bastards is arguably one of the series finest hours (Id give last seasons Hardhome the edge, if only because the episodes big battle sequence between the wildings and the White Walkers came out of nowhere). After dealing with some business across the Narrow Sea in Meereen Danys back! The masters have been defeated! Oh, hey, theres Theon and Yara, and now theyre all teaming up! the action turned to the North, where Jons ragtag band of wildings and Northmen prepared to fight Ramsays much larger forces (of evil!). 'Game of Thrones' goes beyond the wall in 'Hardhome' The entire episode took a turn at around the 30- or 40-minute mark, giving us the shows most thrilling action sequence yet, one Im still trying to wrap my brain around. Insert obligatory spoiler alert here. How could you not love the meeting between Jon and Ramsay that happened early in the hour? The two bastards, finally face-to-face, one a symbol of all thats good in the Thrones world, the other the most despicable character on a show full of them. Ramsay offered terms of surrender. Jon declined. Then the former Lord Commander challenged Ramsay to a one-on-one fight in lieu of battle. Lord Bolton, unsurprisingly, declined, but Jon got a nice dig in, wondering how Ramsays men would feel about fighting for him knowing he wouldnt do the same for them. After, Jon gathered with his most trusted allies Davos, Tormund and sister Sansa to discuss strategy. This would have been an ideal time for Sansa to tell Jon shed sent for reinforcements. Two episodes ago, youll recall, we watched her send off a raven to someone, who most viewers speculated was Petyr Littlefinger Baelish and his Knights of the Vale. If Sansa had told Jon they might be coming to aid in the fight, perhaps things would have been different. Perhaps her little brother, Rickon, would still be alive. As the forces gathered to fight the next morning after a delightful scene between two of my favorite characters, Davos and Tormund Ramsay strode out with Rickon, who had been his hostage, and goaded Jon into giving up on all strategy in an effort to save his younger brother. Then he killed him, right in front of Jon. What ensued was the most brutal battle sequence the show has staged. The action was disorienting, mostly shown from Jons point of view as he dodged arrows and fought men on horseback. Chaos reigned, and he was right in the thick of it, while Ramsay, fittingly, watched from a distance. I could barely breathe when Jon was knocked down and buried beneath an ever-growing pile of bodies. Then he dug himself out, only to see his troops completely encircled by Ramsays forces. It looked dire. It looked like there was no way out. And thats the moment when Sansa decided to show her hand, riding to the rescue with the sneaky, icky Littlefinger and the Knights of the Vale. It was a wonderful moment to see Ramsay finally lose, but I really could have done without the smug look on Littlefingers face as he rode to the rescue (dont fall for his crap again, Sansa!). Even then, Ramsay would not admit defeat. He retreated inside the walls of Winterfell, telling the remaining soldiers that they could starve out the opposition during a siege, seeming to forget that Jon, you know, had a giant on his side. Wun-Wun, the last of the giants, made quick work of the gate and died for it. RIP, big guy. Jon advanced on Ramsay and practically beat him to death, stopping as Sansa arrived on the scene. Later, Sansa had her revenge, feeding Ramsay to those hounds he was always going on and on (and on) about. It was a nice bit of poetic justice, that his own beasts killed him. And I know I should be worried about Sansa being so cold-hearted in that final scene the antithesis of what her father stood for, and of who Jon is. But Ill worry about that one another day. UPDATE: The body of a missing boater was found Tuesday morning, according to the Virginia Department of Game an Inland Fisheries. Spokesman Lee Walker said 61-year-old John Wayne Martin of Hurt was found near where his boat capsized on the Staunton River at 9:45 a.m. Walker said water levels on the river had dropped which allowed officials to spot the body. Martin had been missing since Saturday evening. Walker said Martins family has been notified. Earlier: The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries on Monday confirmed the identity of a Pittsylvania County boater missing on the Staunton River since the weekend. John Wayne Martin, 61, of Easome Road in Hurt, was reported missing around 7:25 p.m. Saturday, according to Lee Walker, outreach director of VDGIF. In a phone interview Monday, Walker said search efforts shifted from rescue to recovery. High water levels and poor visibility have made the search more difficult. VDGIF Sgt. Sonny Nipper told The News & Advance on Sunday the missing man was aboard a small motorboat towing people in kayaks and canoes so they could float down the river. The last time his companions saw him was when he turned them loose and continued upstream. Nipper said they later saw items from the mans boat floating down the river. The incident occurred in a remote location about a few miles downstream from the Altavista boat landing. The News & Advance was unable to reach Martins family for comment Monday. On Monday, 120 teens representing 26 high schools from across the state arrived at James Madison University for the 2016 Summer Leadership Retreat. The annual leadership retreat, which is sponsored by Youth of Virginia Speak Out About Traffic Safety (YOVASO) and Virginia State Police is funded by a grant from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles Highway Safety Office. Students and their advisors will spend the week learning how to reduce crash risks, studying negative consequences of poor driving behaviors, and training to serve as youth traffic safety advocates. Participants will use the information to work in peer-to-peer programs in the schools to promote safe teen driving and prevent motor vehicle crashes among teens. Amherst County High School, Heritage High School and Jefferson Forest High School were among the schools that sent students. The leadership retreat runs until Thursday, June 23 and concludes with an awards banquet recognizing students, schools, administrators, law enforcement and business partners for their efforts in 2015 and 2016 to prevent teen crashes in Virginia. Home News Sports Social Obituaries Events Letters Looking Back Health Jewels Stitch in Time Southern Idaho murder suspect who escaped Bonner County police chase has been arrested in Spokane June 20, 2016 A south Idaho murder suspect who ended up in a police chase in northern Bonner County this past March was spotted and arrested in Spokane over the weekend. James Mancuso, who was wanted on a charge of second-degree murder in the stabbing death of Robert Stevens in Nampa on March 10, was spotted in Spokane by police officers there. Mr. Mancuso, who was on foot, attempted to run, but was caught and arrested by the officers. Back in March, police say Mr. Mancuso was involved in an argument with the victim, 30 year old Robert Stevens. The argument led to an altercation in which Mr. Mancuso stabbed the victim, according to police. The victim later died at a hospital. Mr. Mancuso, age 32, fled with Ashley Ford, age 27. Ms. Ford was wanted as an accessory to second-degree murder and as a material witness in the case. As police in Nampa searched for the couple, they turned up in northern Bonner County a few weeks later in April, where their vehicle was spotted and pursued by police in stormy, muddy conditions, at times traveling off road. The couple was able to elude officers, and their vehicle was later found abandoned. Soon afterward, the Bonner County Sheriff's office received a report that a white Toyota pickup had been stolen in that same area. It was suspected the couple had stolen that vehicle. No trace of the couple was found, until 10 days after they had been pursued in Bonner County, when the stolen white Toyota pickup was recovered abandoned April 2 in the Spokane Valley. Later, in early May, police in Las Vegas, Nevada came upon a female there in an injured condition, and stopped to see if they could offer assistance. They transported her to a Las Vegas hospital, where she was treated for minor injuries and released. By that time, her identification as wanted Idaho suspect Ashely Ford had been established, and she was subsequently arrested on her outstanding Idaho warrant. Mr. Mancuso was thought to also be in Las Vegas at the time, but he was not located and his whereabouts were not clear until he was seen and arrested in Spokane over the weekend. A KHQ news reporter has spoken with Mr. Mancuso in jail, and according to those reports he is denying committing the murder. He further stated he had supported himself while on the run my "doing a lot of odd jobs on Craigslist," and that he had returned to Spokane last month. Ms. Ford has already been extradited back to Canyon County. It is presumed that at some point extradition proceedings will begin to return Mr. Mancuso to Idaho to face charges there, also. Questions or comments about this article? Click here to e-mail! Lady Killers Homicide detectives are now searching for the two women who are persons of interest in the murder of 23-year-old Kareem St Rose. Relatives told Newsday yesterday they believe the young man was set up by the two women who reportedly got away with $6,000 and jewellery St Rose had on him. Those two women who did this, they have money in their pockets right now because they put (set) him up, said a relative, who wished to remain anonymous, during an interview near his home in Petit Valley. I cannot believe that is what they did to him, because he accustomed to liming with them. They come and pick him up normal normal, and lime with him good. Then when they were ready, they deal with his matter (kill him). Newsday understands that at about 9.40 pm on Sunday, St Rose was in a white car with the two women, travelling along Wrightson Road, Port-of-Spain, when he got into an altercation with them. Sources told Newsday during the fracas, the car crashed into another vehicle. When the driver of the second car got out of his vehicle he saw St Rose and the two women scuffling. The women were reportedly stabbing St Rose multiple times about the body as he tried to defend himself. In an attempt to escape his female attackers, St Rose got out of the car, which had come to a stop at the corner of French Street, but he fell on the side of the road, covered in blood. He died on the spot as the car he was in sped off. The women allegedly stole jewellery, a cell phone, and about $6,000 cash from St Rose. Eyewitnesses contacted the police and a Rapid Response Unit arrived on the scene and found St Rose on the side of the road. He was pronounced dead by District Medical Officer Dr Sengali. Relatives of the slain man told Newsday the two women had picked up St Rose in a white vehicle, hours before his death. Newsday was told St Rose had gone out with the women before. Relatives described St Rose as a friendly, generous person, but admitted he had a few run-ins with the law. Is not everybody could be a doctor or a lawyer, said the relative, So he used to hustle. When you hustling, you know that you would have a few run-ins with the law, but that is not to say that he is a bad person. He was never really involved in anything but he used to hustle to make ends meet. St Rose was the youngest of five children. Newsday was told that the man whose car was hit was so shocked to see the two women attacking St Rose, that he did not see the licence plate of the vehicle they were in. But Newsday understands that CCTV footage from police cameras on Wrightson Road, captured images of the car moments before the attack occurred. An autopsy is expected to be performed on St Roses body at Forensic Science Centre in St James today. The murder toll for the year now stands at 215. One Theory on the Big Jump in Workers With Disabilities (Newser) Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood closed the book on one of the most explosive murder cases in American history Monday, saying all leads have been exhausted and there is "nothing else that can be done" in the 1964 "Mississippi Burning" killings. "The FBI, my office, and other law enforcement agencies have spent decades chasing leads, searching for evidence, and fighting for justice for the three young men who were senselessly murdered on June 21, 1964," Hood said, per the Clarion-Ledger. "We have determined that there is no likelihood of any additional convictions," he added, noting that the case will be closed, though it could be reopened if new information is presented to his office or the FBI. The Justice Department has released its own 48-page report on the case. James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner, civil rights activists who had been working to register black voters in Mississippi, were murdered by Klansmen while they were investigating the burning of a black church. Edgar Ray Killen, the only person ever tried for their murders, was prosecuted in 2005 and is serving a 60-year sentence. Hood said there hasn't been enough new evidence to try other suspects, including James Harris, who allegedly recruited KKK members to kill the men. "For these participants, the good Lord will have to deal with that," Hood told reporters. Relatives say they hope attention turns to continuing discrimination in Mississippi, and to all the others hurt or killed in the 1960s struggle. "The civil rights period was not about just those three young men," Chaney's sister, the Rev. Julia Chaney Moss, tells the AP. "It was about all of the lives." (This Tennessee lawyer is still trying to solve the 1940 murder of an NAACP member.) (Newser) More than 200 professors across North America and Europe have condemned Yale ethics and philosophy professor Thomas Pogge in an open letter following a BuzzFeed investigation accusing him of sexual harassment. Pogge appears to have "engaged in a long-term pattern of discriminatory conduct," including "unwanted sexual advances, quid pro quo offers of letters of recommendation and other perks, employment retaliation in response to charges of sexual misconduct, and sexual assault," write the signees, including his own colleagues at Yale, per BuzzFeed. The initial BuzzFeed reportwhich described the allegations against the 62-year-old professor as an "open secret in the international philosophy community"highlighted the case of Fernanda Lopez Aguilar, one of three women to file a federal civil rights complaint against Yale over its handling of complaints, reports Jezebel. Her complaint alleges Pogge sexually harassed her while at a conference in Chile, then fired her from a postgraduate fellowship when she spurned his advances. It also claims Yale paid $2,000 to keep her quiet and refused to investigate other claims against Pogge. The professor has produced emails he says show Lopez Aguilar's complaint is a veiled attempt to get money, per BuzzFeed. However, the open letter says Pogge "selectively (and without permission) appended" emails that "in no way support the intimation of extortion." "Nothing is more important to our philosophical community than the trust he has betrayed," it continues. "We strongly condemn his harmful actions toward women, most notably women of color, and the entire academic community." (Read more sexual assault stories.) (Newser) Unless you've got close connections to Mickey or Mao, you're going to have a hard time getting into Club 33. A private members-only club by that name exists at the Disneylands in Anaheim and Tokyo, and the Los Angeles Times has discovered that the brand-new Disney park in Shanghai also boasts a Club 33. Disney reps weren't keen to discuss the existence of the exclusive clubwhere membership fees in the US are believed to be in the neighborhood of $12,000 a year after paying what Travel + Leisure says is a $25,000 entrance feebut early design documents signaled that the club would be included, and so the LAT's Julie Makinen did some sleuthing. Earlier this month, an Instagram post from senior Disney exec Michael Chase featured a menu cover with a 33 on itand was tagged with the location "Club 33 Shanghai Disneyland." Makinen spotted an arched doorway with a 33 on it near the Enchanted Storybook Castle in the Shanghai Disney resort, though VIPs were seen being turned away from it after last Thursday's opening ceremony, suggesting other entrances lie elsewhere. According to the Laughing Place blog, the entrance is unassuming, as "the street numbers appear natural to the casual observer31, 32...33." It's not clear how many members the secret Shanghai club will have, though membership is said to be limited to just 500 at the Anaheim park, where the original Club 33 opened in 1967 five months after the death of Disney, who was the driving force behind the club's creation. At that location, the $100-a-head menu has included items like sassafras-dusted duck breast with morel mushroom sauce. Last year, one longtime member went so far as to sue after his membership was rescinded, noted the OC Register. More on the club here. (Read more Disney World stories.) (Newser) Donald Trump's campaign is so low on cash it wouldn't be considered a high roller at one of his casinos, according to financial disclosures released late Monday. The Trump campaign began June with just $1.29 million in cash, compared to $42 million for Hillary Clinton's well-heeled campaign, reports Reuters. He did manage to raise $3.1 million in May, a hefty sum by Trump campaign standards, but that total was dwarfed by the $26 million Clinton raised during the same month. Trump loaned his campaign around $2.2 million, bringing that total to around $46 million. The filings reveal that around a fifth of what Trump's campaign spent in May went to Trump-owned companies or to his children, the Guardian reports. When super PACs are included in the total, Clinton's side has a war chest of $94 million compared to under $2 million for Trump, though some Trump-allied PACs have yet to file, the Los Angeles Times reports. The lousy fundraising figures for May are "totally inexplicable" in light of the fact that he was the presumptive GOP nominee for almost the entire month, had momentum, and was "running against the Democrat [Republicans] most love to hate," writes Chris Cillizza at the Washington Post. He warns that if Trump has another month where the funding gap between the two campaigns is so overwhelming, "the general election may be over before it ever really started." (On Monday, the Trump campaign parted ways with Corey Lewandowski, the campaign manager who oversaw fundraising operations.) (Newser) Casey Nocket left her mark on national parks across the West, but she won't be able to go back and reminisceat least not while she's on probation. The 23-year-old San Diego woman pleaded guilty last week to defacing rock formations in seven parks, and for the next two years, she's persona non grata on 524 million acres of public land, the Los Angeles Times reports. That accounts for about 20% of the US, notes the Guardian. She'll also have to perform 200 hours of community service and pay restitution; the amount will be settled in a future hearing. Acting US Attorney Phillip Talbert cited Nocket's "lack of respect for the law and our shared national treasures" and said cleanup efforts are complete at five of the parks. Not that it's been an easy task: A National Parks Service rep said workers have to meticulously scrape away each layer with just hot water and plastic spatulas, per the San Jose Mercury News. Nocket went on her 26-day tagging spree in 2014, drawing facesincluding that of a woman smoking a cigaretteon rocks in acrylic paints and markers and signing them with her Instagram handle, "Creepytings." What did her in: her own postings on social media, which led to outraged activists creating a petition for the White House to slap her with "the most serious of charges," per TrailMob. On Nocket's no-visit list, per Fox 13, are any public lands overseen by the NPS, US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Army Corps of Engineers. "This case illustrates the important role that the public can play in identifying and sharing evidence of illegal behavior in parks," the NPS' head of law enforcement tells the Mercury News. (Graffiti from different vandals in Arches National Park might be too big to remove.) (Newser) From the Cullinan mine in South Africa emerged in 1905 what still ranks as the world's largest rough diamond: the Cullinan diamond, a 3,106-carat gem that was cut down into smaller stones and incorporated into the British crown jewels. Now Petra Diamonds announces it's made another sparkling find from the same mine, a 121.26-carat white Type II diamond of "exceptional color and clarity, and an outstanding example of the large, high-quality diamonds for which the mine is known." City AM notes that Petra, which has been struggling lately in the diamond market due to lack of demand and plummeting prices, will sell its newest jewel in the last auction of its fiscal year, now taking place in Johannesburg. (The world's second-largest diamond was found in November in Botswana.) (Newser) Ted Kaczynski may have been a prolific manifesto-writer before he was identified as the "Unabomber," but he claims he wasn't the one who penned letters to journalists earlier this year, BuzzFeed reports. The site had requested an interview with Kaczynski, who declined that interview, but he did send along a handwritten note dated June 10 to writer Andrew Kaczynski (no relation). In it he tries to clarify a couple of things about that other alleged letter-writing campaign. Labeled "To journalists in general," the note asserts that "some creep in Santa Barbara, California, has been sending letters in my name to various journalists, requesting an interview and expressing what he pretends are my opinions." After informing reporters that no such interviews will be granted, he then launches into Journalism 101, calling many of today's reporters "stupid" and "lazy" and noting that "competent journalists" would have picked up on the original letter's California postmark (he's housed in a Colorado federal prison) and seen the handwriting didn't match up with his own (readily available via samples online). Kaczynski's final burn: "As PT Barnum said, 'There's a sucker born every minute.' And apparently many of them grow up to be journalists." (What past letters have revealed about Kaczynski: He apparently fell in love with a pen pal.) (Newser) A man wearing a fake explosive belt filled with salt and cookies sparked a major security alert outside a downtown Brussels shopping center and an emergency meeting of government ministers Tuesday. Police say the manknown to police and thought to have had psychiatric problems, according to prosecutorsclaimed to have been abducted and dropped off at the City2 complex, per the AP. He said that the "suicide belt" would be detonated remotely. A prosecutor says authorities are investigating whether the incident had links to terrorism or whether it was a hoax. The man, identified only as JB, was taken in for questioning and had recently informed police that he had been enlisted to join ISIS. Prosecutors weren't able to prove or disprove his claim. A second man, who is suspected of driving him to the scene, was also being questioned. Amid the alert, Prime Minister Charles Michel changed his morning program, and a meeting of the Belgian crisis center was called. Belgiumwhich has been on at least its second-highest security alert level since the Nov. 13 attacks in Parishas been particularly on edge over the last week following a series of arrests and police raids linked to suspected terror attacks. Over the weekend, authorities charged three men with terror-related crimes after two days of raids and the detention of 40 people in a major investigation that they said required "immediate intervention." Unconfirmed media reports suggested that a shopping complex, an American fast-food chain, and police were among the possible targets. (Read more Brussels stories.) (Newser) At least Lily had a great last month. A rescue horse recently adopted by Jon Stewart died on Sunday, according to a Facebook post from the farm sanctuary Stewart runs with his wife, Tracey. "Her bones were very frail. She stumbled and fell hard on her neck causing a break," the post reads. "We stroked her hair and told her over and over again how loved and special she was," according to a second post, per NJ.com. "She went peacefully ... under her favorite tree on soft grass." The horse's back story remains a little unclear. Initially, the SPCA in Pennsylvania's Lancaster County said the horse, discovered at an auction stable, had been pelted up close by paint balls. But the horse's former owner has since come forward to say that the paint actually came from kids' finger-painting parties, reports AP. The owner says Lily was 35, and she had taken her to a horse dealer in February under the assumption the horse would be euthanized. The dealer put her up for auction, however, and that's when she was discovered. The dealer faces animal cruelty charges over transporting a horse in poor condition. (Read more Jon Stewart stories.) (Newser) Thanks to a load of long-term debt and flagging sales, Barnes & Noble's days on this planet may be numbered. But Alex Shephard writes for the New Republic that although there may be a temptation to "gloat, the death of Barnes & Noble would be catastrophicnot just for publishing houses and the writers they publish, but for American culture as a whole." First, up to 30% of some publishing houses' sales can still be tied back to Barnes & Noble, he writes. And publishers rely on the giant advance orders that B&N places: Independent book stores often don't have the funds to place more than a token few of these orders, while sites like Amazon prefer to order just a few books in advance at a time to manipulate customers into scooping up in-demand titles. The money publishers get from B&N helps them send authors on book tours and otherwise pay to advertise their creations. But what Shephard really worries about is the quality of lit we'll start to see if Barnes & Noble shutters. Big names like James Patterson won't suffer, nor will romance, sci-fi, and commercial fiction writers, all of whom have adapted to lower prices or have enough of an audience to do well no matter where they're sold. It's the unknown authors of literary fiction who will most pay the price. "In a world without Barnes & Noble, risk-averse publishers will double down on celebrity authors and surefire hits," Shephard writes. Without B&N and corporate publishers, "the kinds of books that challenge us, that spark intellectual debates, that push society to be better, will start to disappear." Soon, "we'll be adrift in a sea of pulp." (Read his entire piece here.) (Newser) Among the revelations in the Trump campaign's May FEC reportit spent more than $200,000 on hats, is basically brokewas the intriguing detail that it paid $35,000 to Mad Men characters. ThinkProgress reports the campaign made four total payments on the same day to "Draper Sterling" for "web advertising." Draper Sterling was registered to Jon Adkins in New Hampshire in March 2016, according to Vanity Fair. It lists Adkins' apparent home as its headquarters. Paul Holzer, who cofounded medical startup XenoTherapeutics with Adkins, also lists the same address as his home, though a neighbor tells the Huffington Post he doesn't think both men live there. The Trump campaign paid Holzer and Adkins $3,000 each for "field consulting," as well. ThinkProgress could only find one other public mention of Draper Sterling: an FEC complaint accusing it of being a scam that helps perpetrate legally questionable activity. A super PAC called Patriots for America apparently owes Draper Sterling more than $56,000 for "business consulting." Patriots for America is run by Holzer's brother, Adam McLain, who may be running the super PAC out of a coffee shop owned by Adkins. The coffee shop may or may not be real. And while none of this is outwardly illegal, it's definitely odd. A Republican consultant says Draper Sterling is "a front for Paul Holzer." Other Republicans say it's being used by ousted Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski to "line his own pockets." On Tuesday, bios for both Holzer and Adkins were removed from the XenoTherapeutics website, which was then briefly taken offline. One thing is for certain: Mad Men plots usually made a lot more sense. (Read more Donald Trump stories.) (Newser) There's a line where a dope sound system crosses over into the realm of illegality, and it's probably somewhere around speaker number 40. NBC New York reports police received multiple calls complaining about "exorbitantly loud" music coming from a white van a little before 11pm Saturday in Queens. The music was so loud, in fact, that one of those calls came from the bullpen at nearby Citi Field, where the Mets were taking on the Braves, according to AM New York. QNS reports the van has been an "ongoing issue" in the neighborhood, hosting "impromptu parties" with its incredibly loud music. When police arrived Saturday, they found about 40 people gathered outside the van, which had its doors open revealing more than 50 speakers (AM New York puts the number at 80) installed inside. The music was vibrating police cruisers and making officers' ears ring. The van's owner, 47-year-old Nelson Hidalgo, was allegedly sitting in the passenger seat with a Coors Light, adjusting the sound. He was arrested on suspicion of criminal nuisance, unreasonable noise, unlawful assembly, and more. Hidalgo, who has no prior arrests, wanted to know why he wasn't just being issued a ticket as usual. "I spent over $20,000 on this equipment, Hidalgo allegedly told police. I know its illegal, but its the weekend." (Read more weird crimes stories.) The first of its own kind of "extinct" meteorite has been recovered from a Swedish limestone quarry that manufactures floor tiles. The meteorite is considered to be a remnant of a bigger object that must have been destroyed in the past and does not exist in the universe any more. The meteorite, dubbed "Osterplana 65," is estimated to be at least 470 million years old. The ancient Swedish space rock was found amidst hundreds of other common types of meteorites called L type chondrites. A majority of these objects is believed to have formed when their "mother" object collided with an asteroid, forming several fragments. While hundreds of L chondrites resulted from the mother object, the material of the asteroid that brought that fate to the huge meteorite was not known until now. Osterplana 65 is now considered to be one of the parts of the asteroid that sent hundreds of L chondrites raining down on Earth. According to lead author Birger Schmitz of the Lund University, the meteorite was considered as a "mysterious" object for so many years because of the sheer inability of the researchers to figure out what it was exactly. He further said the object in question is something outside of this world. Schmitz believes that there is still a lot left to learn about the meteorites that smashed the Earth during important moments in the evolutionary history of the planet. The researcher believes that a space rock collision might have helped alter the ecosystem of Earth, which in turn, led to the establishment and survival of new species. The researcher further wrote in the study that the history of the solar system can be potentially reconstructed by looking at the sediments of the Earth, in addition to what can be observed in the skies. The complete details of the discovery have been reported in the journal Nature Communications. NASA's glory is not just restricted to space missions and sending rovers and robots to examine the worlds of different planets in the universe. But it also masters at exploring the frontiers close to Earth. NASA initially designed X-planes that overcame the sound barrier and flew to the edge of the Earth. It also tested unique concepts such as forward-swept wings. According to new reports, NASA has now conceptualized a new place with 14 electric engines. This all-electric plane, dubber X-57 or Maxwell, is a kind of a converted light plane. A team of NASA researchers behind the new plane decided to name it Maxwell after the 19th century Scottish physicist who performed breakthrough work on electromagnetism, James Clerk Maxwell. Under the new project, the NASA researchers are planning to modify the recently obtained Tecnam P2006T twin-engine light aircraft that originally has an Italian design. The X-57 or Maxwell is being built under NASA's Scalable Convergent Electric Propulsion Operations Research project. With Maxwell, NASA is aiming to reach a top speed of 175 mph. Even though the limit is quite below the sound barrier, the researchers believe that it will still be a lot more useful. The plane will have a total of 14 engines, out of which, 14 will provide extra thrust and the remaining two will be located at the tip of the wings to propel the plane at high altitudes. NASA is aiming for efficiency across the board with its idea of Maxwell. The American space agency wants to reduce the "overall operational costs for small aircraft by as much as 40 percent" with the help of Maxwell. Even though the plane has been described as "hybrid" since the time of its inception, NASA says that it will try to make an all-electric plane that operates just on batteries. Microsoft after successfully launching their new operating system a year back, brought out updates to all their existing users through a special "the Windows 10 Anniversary Update". All users will be receiving the updates as soon as possible and it will be over-the-air(OTA) and the update will install itself automatically which makes users to not worry about missing it. However, if you're curious about the upcoming update, you don't have to wait until the final release date to check it out. Microsoft has been releasing public preview builds, each one a little bit closer to the final version. Anyone can get and install those builds by first becoming part of Microsoft's Windows Insider Program, then joining what's called the Fast Ring. However, Insider program sign-ups have been paused for some time. However public users can track about the happenings of updates in the new builds through Microsoft forums where people generally drop their opinions in the site which doesn't require user signup and the access is public. What follows is a list of every preview build of the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, starting with the most recent and going back to the beginning of the year. For each build, Microsoft would've included the date of its release and a link to Microsoft's announcement about it. The most recent build, which showed up only two days after the last one, focuses primarily on bug fixes. But it also includes a feature that long-time Windows users will welcome which is the ability to easily perform a clean install of Windows on your respective PCs. To use it, go to Settings > Update & security > Recovery, and choose "Learn how to start fresh with a clean installation of Windows." You'll then be directed to a Microsoft Community page that has instructions about how to do a clean install, as well as a link to download the necessary tool.The bonus here is that the process will delete any applications that don't come standard with Windows. That means it will not only delete apps you've installed, but pre-installed apps that came on the system as well. So if you wish, you can run this as soon as you get a new PC and remove all that irritating bloatware. New Delhi: PM Narendra Modi addressed thousands of people on the second International Yoga Day gathered for asanas in Chandigarh this morning. Addressing people at the Capitol Complex before the beginning of the mass yoga event, PM Modi highlighted the importance of yoga and said that yoga has connected all the people of the nation. This mass yoga event is being celebrated worldwide, UN the international body also lits up with an image of yoga body. The first International Yoga Day was observed across the world on June 21 last year. United Nations General Assembly declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga in December 2014. (In Pics: PM Narendra Modi and ministers perform yoga on International Yoga Day) Here are the highlights of the International Yoga event from Chandigarh: -Whole world supported the idea of Yoga Day . We got support from all sections of society. -I really feel some people don't fully understand the power and benefits of Yoga. -This is a day linked with good health and it has now turned into a people's mass movement. -Yoga is not just about what one will get, it is about what one can give up -Just like the way we have made cell phones an indispensible part of our lives, make Yoga also indisensible for you. -Yoga does not discriminate between rich and poor. -Today more and more gynecologists are recommending Yoga for pregnant women. -Let us make Yoga more popular world over. Let India produce good Yoga teachers. -Let's focus on one thing, how to mitigate diabetes through Yoga. Diabetes can surely be controlled through Yoga. -From next year onwards we will give two awards on Yoga Day ,want to honour those working to popularise Yoga. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Chandigarh: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday joined over 30,000 people in Chandigarh for the second International Yoga Day celebrations. Modi, who was seen actively performing yoga, said that yoga is "not a religious practice" and should not be made controversial. Here are the 10 latest updates of the mega event: 1. Modi was seen wearing a white t-shirt, trouser with a scarf. He surveyed people who were performing yoga and then settled on a mat and joined them at the Capitol Complex. 2. PM Modi urged people to embrace yoga like the way they have taken to the mobile phone. He said it "gives us health assurance at zero budget". 3. Modi pitched for treating diseases like diabetes through the ancient spiritual discipline. 4. Two awards were announced by the Prime Minister for the people who are working to popularise yoga in India and abroad. 5. President Pranab Mukherjee took part in the Yoga Day session along with around 1000 people at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. 6. 57 ministers across India, including union ministers Rajnath Singh, Venkaiah Naidu and Smriti Ira, also led sessions. Rajnath led a yoga event braving the rain in Lucknow. 7. On Sunday, yoga guru Ramdev led a three-hour rehearsal at New Delhis Rajpath. The rehearsal was attended by ministers. Today, Ramdev led a yoga camp in Faridabad. A record 100000 people participated in the event. 8. International Yoga day is being celebrated in 191 countries across the world, Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj informed. Multiple preparatory events took place across the US, UK and Australia ahead of the International Yoga Day. 9. On Monday, striking images of yoga postures were seen at the headquarters of the United Nations, which was illuminated. Hundreds practiced yoga at Times Square in New York City. 10. The United Nations named June 21 as International Yoga Day last year. 177 nations adopted the resolution proposed by PM Narendra Modi without a vote. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: An unidentified person opened fire on Tuesday at Bhajanpura area of New Delhi leaving one person dead and three others injured, reports said. According to reports, the diseased was riding a motorcycle when he was shot at. His son, a tea shop owner, and a passerby were also injured in the firing. Police has reached the spot and an investigation is underway. More details are awaited. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on June 23 in Tashkent, capital of Uzbekistan on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), sources said on Tuesday. SCO is a Eurasian political, economic, and military organization, founded in 2001 by leader countries China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The meeting is going to be a crucial one as India tries harder to press the world countries specially China in favor of its NSG bid. After External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj cleared the air saying that China was not opposing Indias NSG entry but it was just raising the procedural issues, dragon on Monday retorted on the same. Pouring cold water on Indias NSG bid, China said that no such agenda was on Seouls plenary meeting. China has been opposing Indias entry on the grounds that it is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). This meeting between Jinping and PM Modi could hold the key to Chinese approval for the consensus at Seoul meet. According to sources, this meeting is going to be an exclusive one-on-one discussion to win support of China for Indias NSG bid. While on the other hand, US has been persistently by the side of India and has even asked the member countries to consider and support Indias NSG application. Earlier Russias Vladimir Putin had also extended his support in Indias NSG membership bid by stating that Russia would raise this matter in the meeting. But it would be immature to conclude anything before the meeting, will India succeed in getting the NSG membership or not, only time will tell. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: In a fresh push to Indias NSG membership bid amid Chinas opposition, the US has asked the members of the elite club to support Indias entry during the ongoing plenary meeting in Seoul. On the other hand, Chinese media in a surprising move, has directly made a case for Pakistans inclusion in the NSG, probably for the first time. Here are the latest developments: 1. Chinas state media has defended Pakistans nuclear record. It said AQ Khan was responsible for atomic proliferation which was not backed by the government. The Chinese media argued that any exemption to India for NSG entry should also be given to Pakistan. 2. The NSG remains divided over non-NPT countries like India becoming its members, Chinas Foreign Ministry had said yesterday less than 24 hours after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had exuded hope that we would be able to convince China to support our entry to the NSG. 3. The US has given a fresh push to India's NSG membership bid. We believe, and this has been US policy for some time, that India is ready for membership and the United States calls on participating governments to support Indias application at the plenary session of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters. 4. China had said on Monday that India's membership is not on the agenda of the NSG meeting in Seoul. China maintains opposition to India's entry, arguing that it has not signed Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). However, it has been batting for its close ally Pakistan's entry if NSG extends any exemption for India. 5. While majority of the elite group members backed India's membership, it is understood that apart from China, countries like Turkey, South Africa, Ireland and New Zealand were not in favour of India's entry into the NSG. 6. Last week as well, the US had called on members of the nuclear trading club to support India's membership. 7. Pakistan applied for NSG membership, a week after India submitted its membership application. 8. India has asserted that being a signatory to the NPT was not essential for joining the NSG as there has been a precedent in this regard, citing the case of France. India is seeking membership of NSG to enable it to trade in and export nuclear technology. India has been reaching out to NSG member countries seeking support for its entry. The NSG works under the principle of consensus and even one countrys vote against India will scuttle its bid. 9. The access to the NSG, which regulates the global trade of nuclear technology, is expected to open up the international market for energy-starved India, which has an ambitious energy generation programme. India is looking at 63,000 MW energy requirement through the nuclear programme by 2030. 10. The NSG looks after critical issues relating to nuclear sector and its members are allowed to trade in and export nuclear technology. Membership of the grouping will help India significantly expand its atomic energy sector. (With inputs from PTI) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Playing an unhinged serial-killer is not one of the easiest things to pull off but Nawazuddin Siddiqui says he was confident about his role in Raman Raghav 2.0 because Anurag Kashyap was behind the camera. Nawaz, 42, first collaborated with Kashyap in a small role in the directors debut film Black Friday but it was Gangs of Wasseypur 2 that saw the actor play his first memorable lead role. The Badlapur star says he shares a great chemistry with Kashyap, who, he feels manages to get the best out of him. I feel very confident with Anurag. When he is behind the camera, I feel I can be the best actor in the world. He gives me that kind of security, which an actor seeks in his director. I cant explain the chemistry we have but we can sit for hours together without exchanging a word, Nawaz told PTI in an interview. Anurag has already spoken about how disturbing it was for Nawaz to play the role as the actor fell ill during the making of the film, which is a contemporary take on notorious serial killer Raman Raghav. The movie released this Friday. Nawaz says it was hard to believe that a person like this existed and it was a disturbing process to prepare for it. The process of preparing it was disturbing. He is not a normal person. He is proud of his killings and has a justification for it. I may not think like that but when you are playing a character like this, you have to believe that otherwise you wont be able to justify it. To unwind from his movie roles, Nawaz takes a trip to his village in Muzaffarnagar and spends time farming. It is important to separate the reel from reality. I go to my village and do farming. I like it there. I feel like I am the same old person. It gives you a breathing space. Ask whether things have changed in the village now that he has become a big star, Nawaz says, My stardom does not work there. You have to stay like a farmer and they like that. They feel that they have their old friend back. For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Washington: In a big jolt, Republican presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump fired his controversial campaign manager Corey Lewandowski. Falling poll numbers and pressure from many in Trumps inner circle ultimately led to the decision. The Donald J Trump Campaign for President, which has set a historic record in the Republican Primary having received almost 14 million votes, has today announced that Corey Lewandowski will no longer be working with the campaign, Trump campaign spokeswoman Hope Hicks said in a statement to The New York Times. The campaign is grateful to Corey for his hard work and dedication and we wish him the best in the future, Hicks said. According to the top US daily, Lewandowski, 42, was seen as someone having hostile relationship with members of the national press. Lewandowski was often at odds with Trumps chief strategist, Paul Manafort, who was brought on in March when the candidate seemed poised for a lengthy fight over delegates, the daily said, adding that he was said to have resisted certain moves that would have increased the staff, at times blocking Manafort from making hires or later undoing them. In an interview to Fox News, Barry Bennett, a senior Trump adviser, said, Paul [Manafort] is totally in charge of the campaign now that Lewandowski is gone. Lewandowkis abrupt departure is the campaigns most significant staff change to date, and signals an acknowledgment from Trump and his inner circle that big change is necessary ahead of the general election, CNN commented on the 70-year-old real estate billionaires surprise move. Trump has suffered major setbacks since becoming his partys presumptive nominee last month. He has come under intense criticism from party leaders, major donors and rank-and-file Republicans for an array of issues, including his response to last weekends terrorist attack in Orlando that killed 49 people, it said. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Islamabad: Pakistani PM Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz while answering a question about Indo-Pak ties claimed that India has always tried to maintain its hegemony in South Asia region and Pakistan has rejected this while effectively protecting its interests. Pakistan rejected this (Indian) hegemony and has effectively protected its interests and its stance over Kashmir, nuclear deterrence and conventional balance, Aziz was quoted as saying. He maintained that protecting Pakistans sovereignty and vital interests is a great achievement as a nation. Talking about the Afghan refugees problem, Aziz said it became a security issue for Pakistan as refugee camps have become safe havens for terrorists due to unregulated movement. We have reestablished our writ over FATA (tribal areas) but if Afghan border remains unregulated, our tribal areas cant stay safe, he said. Calling for repatriation of Afghan refugees, Aziz said the repatriation will be a gradual movement and Pakistan will need a plan of action for the process. He said Pakistan is paying for the policies it adopted during the Russian invasion of Afghanistan which resulted in five million refugees coming to Pakistan with drugs, guns bringing instability. Aziz claimed that when the current government came to power, it decided to pursue the policy of non-interference which means Pakistan will not fight someone elses wars. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Seoul: Despite repeated warnings from UN, North Korea seems to be prepping up for another missile test. The country appears to be preparing for a powerful, new medium-range missile test, following a series of failures for a ballistic weapons programme that aspires to threaten the US mainland, multiple reports said today. Japanese and South Korean media quoted official sources as saying North Korea looked to have deployed a so-called Musudan missile near its east coast. The North has made four failed attempts this year to test fly the Musudan, which has an estimated range of anywhere between 2,500 and 4,000 kilometres (1,550 to 2,500 miles). The lower range covers the whole of South Korea and Japan, while the upper range would include US military bases on Guam. We have detected signs that the North has deployed what appears to be a Musudan missile, South Koreas Yonhap news agency quoted an unidentified government official as saying. Japans Kyodo News agency and public broadcaster NHK both cited unidentified sources as saying preparations for a missile launch might be underway. The Defence Ministry in Seoul declined to confirm the reports, but said it was closely monitoring the situation. UN resolutions ban North Korea from any use of ballistic missile technology, although it regularly fires short-range missiles into the sea off its east coast. Kyodo said Japans military had been ordered to intercept any missile or falling parts that might threaten Japanese territory. First unveiled as an indigenous missile at a military parade in Pyongyang in October 2010, the Musudan has never been successfully flight-tested. Three failures in April were seen as an embarrassment for the Pyongyang leadership, coming ahead of a rare ruling party congress that was meant to celebrate the countrys achievements. The latest attempt in May was also deemed to have failed. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Srinagar: Security forces have arrested top Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) commander from Kupwara district of north Kashmir, police said today. Abu Ukasha, also known as Hanzullah, was apprehended by security forces during an operation in Sogam area of Kupwara last evening, a police official said. He said on Ukashas disclosure, the security forces launched a search operation in the nearby forests to track down another LeT militant Abu Bakar. The search operation was still in progress when reports last came in. Ukasha, a resident of Pakistan, is being questioned for information about the militant network in north Kashmir region where he was active for several years now, the official said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Bastogne: Belgiums few remaining World War II veterans are worried their old indispensable ally Britain will turn its back on Europe and undercut the ideals they fought for in the 1940s. These resistance fighters used Britain as a rear base to battle the Nazi occupation of Belgium, now the post-war heart of the European project for peace and prosperity. But they fear Britain could become the first country to leave the European Union and trigger its unravelling, if British voters choose that path in Thursdays in-out referendum. For Jean Martial, who left his home in Brussels in 1942 aged 18 to join the resistance in London, the peace that Europe has known for over 70 years is a direct result of the union. And he hopes Britons will vote to remain in the 28-nation bloc. If theyve kept the same mentality as 1940, the Remain vote will win. They wont want to leave the European Union, said Martial, who fought in the Battle of Normandy and helped liberate Brussels in September 1944. The Leave camp pushing for a so-called Brexit from the EU argues that Brussels crushes Britains sovereignty, including removing its control over the hot topic of immigration. Henri dOultremont, another Belgian resistance fighter who was based in London, blames the EU for having failed to live up to its ideals. This idealistic union which was created and extended, never reached its final goal, the 91-year-old said. We never managed to complete this European Union, so we shouldnt be surprised if some countries are exasperated and want to leave. For Benoit Remiche, curator of a World War II museum in the town of Bastogne in the Ardennes forest, the risk of Brexit is symptomatic of an alarming trend in Europe. There are very worrying signs, be it in the east or even here at home, of a form of selfishness, a form of nationalism, a belief that if we retreat into ourselves, we might find some solutions, Remiche warned. And I think that could once again lead to barbarism. He is reminded every day of the price paid in the Ardennes where American and other allied troops suffered tens of thousands of casualties in the Battle of the Bulge in late 1944 when Nazi Germany launched its last offensive. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Mangaluru: At least eight children were killed and nine were injured on Tuesday after a Maruti Omni with school children and a private bus collided head on at Kundapur, about 90 kilometres away from Mangluru. The mishap took place at Mohadi Cross, Trasi, Kundapur, Gangolli Police Station area. The van was carrying 19 occupants, including 17 students from Don Bosco School, driver Martin and teacher Philomena. The bus was plying from Byndoor and was moving towards Kundapur, while the van was coming from the opposite direction. According to police, two children died on the spot while six succumbed to injuries while they were being taken to hospital. While six children have been admitted to Chinmay Hospital in Kundapura, others are receiving treatment at Kasturba Medical College Hosital, Manipal. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Patna: Former Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) chairman Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh, his wife Usha Sinha and five others were today remanded in 14 days judicial custody in connection with the intermediate toppers scam. Special vigilance judge Raghvendra Kumar Singh passed the order after the seven were produced in his court in the wake of the special investigation team (SIT), probing the intermediate toppers scam, slapped charges against them under the provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. Lalkeshwar and Usha, a former JD(U) MLA, besides Prabhat Jaiswal who had provided refuge to them for over a week when they went into hiding, were produced before the court a day after they were arrested from Varanasi in connection with the scandal. They were brought to Patna today on transmit remand. Four other accused - Kumari Shakuntala, principal of Rambriksh Benipuri Mahila Vidyalaya, Muzaffarpur; Rita Kumari, a teacher of Gandhi Higher School, Bharwal, Muzaffarpur; Nandkishore Yadav, a committee member of Kishun Rai College, Bhagwanganj, Muzaffarpur; and Nishu Singh, of Bidupur in Vaishali district, were arrested from different places by the SIT and were also produced in the vigilance court. All the seven accused have been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The scam had rocked Bihar earlier this month after Ruby Rai, a student of Vishun Roy College in Vaishali district who had topped in the arts category, failed to answered basic questions and went on to describe political science as prodigal science that taught cooking. Embarrassed by the irregularities, the state government had ordered a SIT probe in the matter during which Bachcha Rai, the principal of Vishun Roy College, was arrested besides some other accused persons. The SIT subsequently booked Lalkeshwar and his wife Usha, a former principal of the Ganga Devi womens college in Patna, in the intermediate toppers scam, but the couple dodged arrest and went underground for over a week before being finally arrested from Varanasi. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi : India-born Softbank President and COO Nikesh Arora, will step down from the telecom giant effective June 22, the company said. The 48-year-old took over as president and COO of SoftBank in May 2015, was seen as a potential successor to billionaire CEO Masayoshi Son. Arora was the one of the highest paid executives with a pay package of about $73 million (Rs 500 cr) in the fiscal year ended March 31. In the previous year, he got a $135 million (Rs 850 cr) including a bonus. The Softbank president has funded many start-ups like Snapdeal, Ola, OYO Rooms and Housing.com. The former Google executive was accused of making bad deals earlier this year. Arora will move to an advisory role and continue to support SoftBank, while he zeroes in on his next challenge. New Delhi : Beleaguered tycoon Vijaya Mallya resigned as chairman of Bayer CropScience Ltd, the Indian subsidiary of the German pharma major Bayer AG, the company said on Tuesday. Mallya, who was appointed Chairman of the Board in March 2004, will cease to be the Chairman and Director with effect from June 30, Bayer CropScience said in a statement. Commenting on the development, the company said: Bayer CropScience Ltd regretfully accepts the voluntary resignation of Vijay Mallya as its Director and Chairman. The company said it will appoint a new Chairman at the next Board meeting. Mallya, who is currently wanted in India over loan default cases related to the long-defunct Kingfisher Airlines, had in March announced retirement from the post of Chairman of Sanofi India. In March, he had left the country amid continuing efforts by banks to recover dues totaling over Rs 9,000 crore of unpaid loans and interest owed by Kingfisher Airlines. He had agreed to quit as the Chairman of United Spirits Ltd in February after its new majority owner Diageo agreed to pay him Rs 515 crore and absolve him of all liabilities over alleged financial lapses at the company founded by his family. On reasons for his move, Mallya had said that he wanted to spend more time in England closer to his children. Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of healthcare and agriculture. In India, Bayer CropScience is into seed and crop protection business. New Delhi : The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs, which is in J&K to review security measures at border areas, on Tuesday warned of another terror attack at the Pathankot airbase. The Committee also said terrorists are hiding in villages close to the vulnerable Pathankot airbase. It said the government has been informed about it and security of the strategically important facility beefed up. The committee was in Jammu to review the security arrangements along the international border and had earlier gone to Pathankot. After going back from Pathankot, we made our suggestions to the government and said that there can be further attack on Pathankot... We were told by the villagers that some terrorists were still hiding in the villages there, Chairman of the committee P Bhattacharya told reporters today. After the recommendation of the committee, the government has alerted the CRPF, BSF and the army and handed over the security of the airbase to them, he said. Do you know that a few days ago, government asked the CRPF, BSF and the Army to guard the air force station because some terrorists are hiding there. How they are hiding there, it is not my business to find out but as we got the information from the villagers, it was very clear to us that they are hiding somewhere. We have informed the Government of India about it, Bhattacharya said. When asked to comment on the permission granted by the Indian government to the Pakistani investigation team to visit Pathankot airbase to probe the January 2 attack, he said he was not in favour of allowing Pakistani intelligence officers to visit the strategic facility. The committee does not support the idea of the Government of India of bringing this intelligence branch of Pakistan here. What for? But for any foreign policy of the Government of India, we are not the proper fora, we cannot take the decision to do this and not to do this, he said. A five-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) from Pakistan had visited India between March 27 and 31 to collect evidence with regard to the attack. Bhattacharya said the policy guidelines have to be framed by the Indian government. The committee conducted intensive tours of Indo-Bangla border and India-Pakistan border and now we are heading towards Srinagar. We went to Pathankot which is the most vulnerable area, he said. The committee said it was satisfied with the measures being taken by the BSF to check infiltration, but advocated providing fully modern equipment to the force. As of now, they have explained to us the way they are trying to prevent infiltration. You cannot say what is happening today or tomorrow but up till now, it is all right, Bhattacharya said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Islamabad: Pakistan has successfully blocked Indias bid to gain membership of the NSG, prime ministers advisor on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz today told parliament. Pakistan has a strong case to gain Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) membership on merit and non-discriminatory basis, Aziz said in a statement. We have been making successful efforts against Indias Nuclear Suppliers Group membership, he said. His remarks came ahead of the key meeting of the 48-nation NSG this week in Seoul when it will take up the applications of India and Pakistan. Aziz also told lawmakers that Pakistan was not being isolated and its official foreign policy was being tuned to the new alignments in the world. He said Pakistan would continue to follow the policy of non-interference in affairs of other countries. He said foreign policy was geared for the protection of national interests and nuclear assets. Aziz said that Pakistans political role would increase after becoming full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. He said Pakistan enjoyed historical relations with the Muslim world which were based on common religion and recent visits by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Muslim countries will not affect Pakistans ties with them. Earlier, opposition parties blamed the government for failing to safeguard national interests saying Pakistan was being isolated in the region and demanded a review of its foreign policy. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Privacy Overview This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. Hillary Clinton received memo stating Obamas support for ISIS After receiving loads of criticism for insinuating that President Barack Obama may have ties to ISIS, new evidence shows that Donald Trump was right all along. In 2012, Hillary Clinton as well as the State Dept. and other agency officials received a classified intelligence information report which clearly warns of the rise of ISIS. The document states that an Islamic State could be created in accordance with terrorist groups from Syria and Iraq. THIS CREATES THE IDEAL ATMOSPHERE FOR AQI TO RETURN TO ITS OLD POCKETS IN MOSUL AND RAMADI, AND WILL PROVIDE A RENEWED MOMENTUM UNDER THE PRESUMPTION OF UNIFYING THE JIHAD AMONG SUNNI IRAQ AND SYRIA, AND THE REST OF THE SUNNIS IN THE ARAB WORLD AGAINST WHAT IT CONSIDERS ONE ENEMY, THE DISSENTERS. ISI COULD ALSO DECLARE AN ISLAMIC STATE THROUGH ITS UNION WITH OTHER TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS IN IRAQ AND SYRIA, WHICH WILL CREATE GRAVE DANGER IN REGARDS TO UNIFYING IRAQ AND THE PROTECTION OF ITS TERRITORY. Considering that virtually everything reported came true, one has to wonder why the Obama administration did nothing to prevent ISIS from gaining so much power. What are they gaining by having this maniacal, radical terrorist organization committing horrific acts of violence all over the world? Why wouldnt preventing this from occurring be a top priority? The report goes on to explain that Al Qaeda in Iraq (abbreviated to AQI in the text) was receiving support from the West. During that time, Al Qaeda was speaking through Muhammad Al Adnani, who now happens to be the spokesperson for ISIS. None of this should come as much of a surprise, and yet there are no words to describe how disheartening it is to know that our commander-in-chief has done virtually nothing to prevent these terrorist attacks from happening. The Obama administration knew what was coming they received the warning and they let it happen anyway. Once again, attempts at being politically correct have proven to stand in direct conflict with the truth. If we want things to change if we want our politicians to be honest we must put aside our fear of sounding politically incorrect and begin asking the hard questions and demanding the safety of American citizens. Sources: Breitbart.com YouTube.com Twitter.com JudicialWatch.org Submit a correction >> RIDGEFIELD With school enrollment continuing to decline, the Board of Education has hired a consulting firm to study the districts building capacity and how best to use its existing space. At the boards final meeting last week before the summer recess, Superintendent Karen Baldwin said Milone & MacBroom consultants would soon begin a capacity and enrollment study to determine whether redrawing individual school boundaries or shuttering a school is warranted, among other options. By 2020, were looking at a 24 percent decline in enrollment in the middle schools, Baldwin said. This is an opportunity to begin thinking in a public way about what our planning processes are. Baldwin said the consultants will review several factors, including the districts enrollment projections and the availability of space within the school facilities. She said once their report is completed, she would present two options to the board for review. Weve asked them to look at feeder schools, boundary lines and grade configuration, Baldwin said. School board Chairman Fran Walton did not respond to a request for comment. More Information School Enrollment 2011-12 - 5,312 2012-13 - 5,233 2013-14 - 5,229 2014-15 - 5,113 2015-16 - 4,996 2016-17 - 4,960 See More Collapse In addition to closing a school, the district has also discussed redrawing school boundary lines as a way to balance school populations across the six elementary schools. Declining enrollment has been a problem for several districts in the Danbury area and led to the closing of New Milfords John Pettibone Elementary School in 2014. Newtowns school board has also discussed closing an elementary school. The drop in student population has long been on Ridgefields radar, but actual enrollment hasnt always corresponded with the grim projections, which vary according to assumptions about birth rates, housing trends and other factors. An enrollment report issued last November from Milone & MacBroom projected that elementary population would drop from 2,024 in 2015-16 to below 2,000 next year. Several years ago, the school board targeted 2,000 elementary school students as the threshold that would trigger school closure discussions. The same report, however, showed that total enrollment might begin to rebound as soon as 2021-22, giving board members hope of avoiding discussions on closing a school something that has proved highly controversial. According to a memo from Baldwin, the district expects to have 4,960 total students in 2016-17, less than the 4,996 in 2015-16, but still 57 more than projected by Malone & MacBroom. The capacity study will help to guide decision making relative to how we organize our learning environments to provide for relevant, personalized, challenging learning experiences for all students PreK-12, Baldwin wrote in the memo. awolff@newstimes.com; 203-731-3333; @awolffster This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEW FAIRFIELD The Board of Education will hire a Massachusetts consulting firm to help its members and superintendent communicate better with the public and school employees. The board voted 6-2 Thursday night to pay up to $3,000 to Future Management Systems to work with Superintendent Alicia Roy and the nine-member board this summer. The firms work would include interviewing each board member over the phone and holding a meeting to discuss their findings and plan next steps in the process. The Board is always looking for professional development opportunities as it seeks to operate more effectively as a unit and with the community, said Chairman Steve Burfeind. For months, disgruntled members of the public and district educators have packed board meetings to convey their dissatisfaction with Roy and the board itself, citing a lack of communication about a proposed administrative reorganization and other issues. Teachers have said they lack a voice in district operations and are frustrated by, what they view as, Roys top-down leadership style. The groundswell of opposition began about three months ago with the start of an online petition calling for a vote of no confidence in Roy. The petition has about 530 signatures. Last month, the teachers union called for Roys resignation after 70 percent of the teachers cast a vote of no confidence in the superintendent. Depending on the consultants findings and recommendations, a second phase of the work could include a workshop with the school board and superintendent on team-building and leadership development, along with individual meetings with board members. These additional services would cost more money. Board members Samantha Mannion and Amy Tozzo voted against hiring the consultant. We know what the issues are. We know what the problems are. We know what people think and how people feel, Mannion said Friday. They have been getting up here every other week consistently for the last year. Im not in favor of spending any more district resources because I dont feel thats going to fix the problems. Keith Conway, president of the New Fairfield Education Association, said he was wary about the consulting firm. I cant understand how bringing in a consultant recommended by the superintendent, who has been the issue in the district, is going to improve things, Conway said. If you administered truth serum to every company employee (aside from salespeople) and then asked them to describe the sales department, youd likely hear words like pushy, high maintenance, lazy and a bunch of prima donnas. Theres often a clear disconnect between other departments and sales teams. This is primarily the result of a lack of understanding and its very damaging to a company culture -- leading to contagious toxicity, resentment and even animosity. Related: 10 Examples of Companies With Fantastic Cultures Below are three ways to close the gap between the sales department and everyone else: 1. Change your mind. Culture starts at the top. Leaders who view their sales team as a necessary evil arent setting their companies up to succeed. The leader of a business must take ownership for all facets of the business and that means leading the way in ensuring that sales and all other departments are really working together to accomplish the companys goals. 2. Change your language. Words matter. They have power over your culture. Every time you hear yourself or anyone else use the language above, push back. Make it unacceptable to refer to salespeople as high maintenance or pushy. If the company culture accepts disrespectful language and attitudes toward any department, the whole company suffers. Instead, set the example by celebrating the attributes that make salespeople successful (there passion and enthusiasm, for example). Remind yourself and every department that the whole business rides on sales. You have to sell product or services in order to exist. Make sure every department understands this. Related: Why Company Culture Is More Important Than Ever 3. Promote personal ownership. Growing up, my dad never let me blame anyone or anything. He said, When you point a finger at someone else, there are three fingers pointing back at you! Adopting a mindset of total ownership is crucial to succeeding, no matter the market conditions. Adopt this mindset as a leader and then require it from your employees. Peoples reactions to falling short demonstrate whether they blame others or take personal responsibility. Looking first at our own behaviors and mindsets demonstrates personal accountability, while blaming circumstances demonstrates a victim mindset. A finger-pointing culture will see each department as its enemy rather than another member on the same team. Related: How These Franchises Established a Company Culture That Works If you take the simple actions above, you will change your culture, which in turn changes your business. Social influence is a powerful thing -- whether for good or for evil. As a big believer in positivity, I'd like to see it used for good -- promoting a team-oriented culture of positive attitudes. Related: 3 Ways to Close the Cultural Sales Gap What Entrepreneurs Can Learn From The Couple Who Uses Storytelling Skills to Sell Dream Homes The 5 Most Persuasive Skills for Selling to Executives Copyright 2016 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved WENDAKE, QC, June 21, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - June 21, 2016, National Aboriginal Day, will be marked by an exceptional event that encourages reconciliation and openness. For the first time in Quebec, after having officially taken oath, thirty new Canadian citizens will be greeted by the Chief of the AFNQL and First Nations representatives during a reception in the presence of the Mayor of Montreal, Mr. Denis Coderre. The message of the First Nations to the new citizens will be inspired by the deep values of openness and hospitality expressed at the time of the first contacts, more than five centuries ago. The necessary reconciliation between First Peoples and the society as a whole will be at the heart of the reception, hosted by the City of Montreal. For many, Montreal is not only the site of the Great Peace of 1701, it is also today the crossroads of peoples of many origins and First Peoples. On the eve of the celebrations of the 375th anniversary of the founding of Montreal, the Mayor of Montreal, Denis Coderre and AFNQL Chief Ghislain Picard decided to join their voices on this June 21st to send a message of reconciliation to the population. "Reconciliation is an opportunity we cannot miss. Mayor Denis Coderre and the City of Montreal are inviting us by taking this first step in celebrating with us, the National Aboriginal Day. There could be no better time to promote a better knowledge of the other and a better understanding of the issues, if we want to give full meaning to reconciliation between all those who share the same territory," declared AFNQL Chief Ghislain Picard. About the AFNQL The Assembly of the First Nations of Quebec and Labrador is the political organization regrouping 43 Chiefs of the First Nations of Quebec and Labrador. www.apnql-afnql.com. SOURCE Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador For further information: Melanie Vincent: [email protected], Cell.: 418-580-4442 Visible Gold in Grab Samples Further Increases Expectations for Property's Potential MONTREAL, June 21, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - ALGOLD RESOURCES LTD. (ALG: TSX-V the "Corporation") is pleased to announce the first mineral resource estimate in accordance with the Canadian Securities Administrators' National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") for its recently acquired Tijirit Property ("Tijirit" or "the Property") in Mauritania. The 100%-owned Tijirit project, which encompasses an area of more than 1,000 km2, is situated approximately 25 kilometers southeast of Kinross' Tasiast gold mine. The resource estimation was prepared by SGS Canada Inc. geological group Geostat ("SGS Geostat") with an effective date of June 15, 2016, using results from 294 reverse circulation holes ("RC") totalling 37,533 meters, 23 diamond drill holes ("DDH") totalling 3,813.08 meters and 16,239 meters of trenching carried out on the Property by past operators Shield Mining and Gryphon Minerals from 2009 to 2012. The supporting NI 43-101 Technical Report will be posted on SEDAR at www.sedar.com no later than 45 days after the date of this release. None of Algold's recent exploration work, the 10,000-meter RC program included, has been taken into account in the technical report. Algold expects to publish an updated NI 43-101 resource estimate in the latter part of 2016 that will include results from the current program. Highlights This report summarizes results obtained by previous operators and present the current mineral resources. Measured and indicated resources of 28,930 ounces at a grade of 1.75 g/t Au and inferred resources of 241,560 ounces at a grade of 1.71 g/t Au at a cut-off grade of 1.0 g/t Au Measured and indicated resources of 27,630 ounces at a grade of 1.82 g/t Au and inferred resources of 226,650 ounces at a grade of 1.79 g/t Au at a cut-off grade of 1.05 g/t Au Resources by zone are shown in the following tables, at cut-off grades of 1.00 g/t Au and 1.05 g/t Au. Figure 1 show the Wire Frame over the mineralised zones on a Landsat Imagery of Tijirit. Note: Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. This disclosure does not include economic analysis of the mineral resources. Table 1: Tijirit maiden resources, 1.0 g/t Au cut-off Zone Category Au (g/t) Tonnage Gold Ounces Eleonore Indicated 3.62 51,000 5,980 Sophie I - II Measured 1.79 28,000 1,600 Sophie I - II Indicated 1.57 216,000 10,900 Sophie III Indicated 1.13 29,000 1,040 Lily Indicated 1.54 189,000 9,410 Total Measured & Indicated* 1.75 513,000 28,930 Eleonore Inferred 3.26 188,000 19,650 Sophie I - II Inferred 1.96 1,635,000 103,180 Sophie III Inferred 1.10 320,000 11,270 Lily Inferred 1.48 2,258,000 107,470 Total Inferred* 1.71 4,401,000 241,560 * Totals may not add up due to rounding. Table 2: Tijirit maiden resources, 1.05 g/t Au cut-off Zone Category Au (g/t) Tonnage (t) Au Ounces Eleonore Indicated 3.67 51,000 5,960 Sophie I - II Measured 1.86 26,000 1,530 Sophie I - II Indicated 1.61 200,000 10,380 Sophie III Indicated 1.16 23,000 870 Lily Indicated 1.59 174,000 8,900 Total Measured & Indicated* 1.82 474,000 27,630 Eleonore Inferred 3.28 186,000 19,590 Sophie I - II Inferred 2.03 1,522,000 99,460 Sophie III Inferred 1.14 192,000 7,020 Lily Inferred 1.53 2,050,000 100,580 Total Inferred* 1.79 3,949,000 226,650 * Totals may not add up due to rounding. The actual resources model does not capture the high-grade potential of the Eleonore zone, but rather illustrates, at this point in time, the considerable tonnage and relatively low-grade Lily zone. The high-grade nature of the gold bearing quartz vein of the Eleonore zone is expected to significantly increase the overall grade of the deposit by adding quality ounces. Increasing Potential of the Tijirit Project "For quite some time Algold has believed in Tijirit's potential, and we are pleased to report that recent geological work has significantly enhanced our comprehension of its gold mineralisation and further increased our confidence that a significant gold deposit may be uncovered on the property," stated Francois Auclair, Algold's President and Chief Executive Officer. Historical drilling over the Eleonore zone resulted in a number of high-grade intersections, including 6 m @ 17.63 g/t Au (ERC4) and 4 m @ 4.22 g/t Au (12TRC138). These historical results have been heightened by a rock chip sampling program over a large area, following recent work done by Algold geologists and field workers who discovered the presence of very high grade gold quartz veining over a strike length of more than three kilometers (reference Algold's press release dated May 19, 2016). (Figure 2) Rock Chip Sampling Sixty-eight (68) rock chip samples from the Tijirit property, including 33 from Eleonore, 11 from Sophie I and II and 24 from other potential targets have been sent for analysis. Assays are currently pending and expected shortly. The visible gold quartz vein samples shown previously (Algold's press release dated May 19, 2016) have not been included in this batch of samples. Resources Modeling and Estimation The database contains 317 drillholes and 197 trenches with 43,615 assay results. (Details are provided in the table below.) Hole Types Number of Drillholes Sum of Length (m) Number of Assays Sum of Assayed Length (m) DDH 23 3,813.08 3,764 3,763.93 RC 294 37,533.00 33,145 37,514.00 Trenches 197 16,239.00 6,706 10,656.00 Total 514 57,585.08 43,615 51,933.93 A modeling cut-off grade of 0.3 g/t Au and minimum thickness of two meters were used to delineate mineralised volumes. The 1,144 two-meter composites were capped at grades varying between 2.5 g/t Au and 16 g/t Au based on local extreme grades. Only nine composites were capped. The gold loss is approximately 15% for the 1 g/t Au cut-off resource. Densities are based on 413 readings from DDH holes. A density of 2.00 t/m3 was used for saprolite, 2.7 t/m3 was used for fresh rock in the Lily zone and 2.8 t/m3 was used for fresh rock in the other zones. The block model has a block size of 2 x 2 x 2 meters. Estimation was done by inverse distance squared with ellipsoid influenced distances. A total of 40 separate volumes were estimated with 40 composite sets. Two estimation passes were used with ellipsoids of 75 x 75 x 25 meters and 150 x 150 x 50 meters. The first pass uses a minimum of four and a maximum of seven composites, with a limit of two per drillhole. The second pass uses a minimum two and a maximum of seven composites, with a limit of two per drillhole except for Eleonore (E) and Sophie III (C) with a minimum of one. The smoothing of the estimation is adequate. The measured and indicated categories have been outlined by hand on longitudinals based on drilling density. Drilling every 40 meters was classified as indicated and drilling every 30 meters was classified as measured. The remainder is inferred with interpolation up to 200 meters and limited extrapolation. The SGS Genesis software was used for the modeling and estimation. Table 1 shows the base case resource with a cut-off grade of 1.00 g/t Au. Table 2 shows the effect of raising the cut-off grade to 1.05 g/t Au. Some whittle optimized open pits have been prepared, but are not considered for this maiden resource estimate. The base case resource extends from surface to a depth of 320 meters with 90% of it extending from surface to a depth of 210 meters. Acquisition of Properties from Gryphon In connection with the Corporation's exercise of its option on the Tijirit and Akjout properties granted by Gryphon Minerals Limited, announced on March 11, 2016, Algold incurred advisory fees of C$250,000. As announced on May 31, 2016, 1,250,000 common shares of the Corporation were issued in lieu of said advisory fee. Algold Retains the Services of Renmark Financial Communications Inc. Algold has retained the services of Renmark Financial Communications Inc. ("Renmark") to support its investor relations activities for an initial term of three months commencing June 1, 2016 subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. The initial term may be extended by mutual consent and the Corporation has agreed to pay C$5,000 per month in consideration for their services. Renmark Financial Communications Inc. does not have any interest, directly or indirectly, in Algold Resources Inc. or its securities, or any right or intent to acquire such an interest. About Algold Algold Resources Ltd. is focused on the exploration and development of gold deposits in West Africa. The board of directors and management team are seasoned industry professionals with extensive experience in the exploration and development of world-class gold projects in Africa. Algold is the operator of all of its exploration licenses in Mauritania. Algold owns 100% of the Tijirit and Akjout properties, which were acquired from Gryphon Minerals (Australia) through a transaction completed earlier in 2016. Algold owns 90% of the Kneivissat property, while the Legouessi property is being managed through a 51% earn-in interest agreement with Caracal (Electrum Group Companies). Algold can earn up to a 90% interest in the Legouessi exploration permit (reference Algold's press release dated October 10, 2013 for more details), however, Caracal has the right to participate in the joint venture at either 51% or 75%, by funding its share of expenditures. Quality Assurance / Quality Control (QA/QC) Analytical work for soil geochemical samples and rock chips samples is being carried out at the independent ALS Laboratories Ltd. in Loughrea, Co. Galway, Ireland, an ISO 17025 (2005) certified laboratory. Samples are stored at Algold's field camps and put into sealed bags until delivered by a geologist to the ALS preparation laboratory in Nouakchott, Mauritania, where samples are sieved and prepared for shipping. Until the end of 2015, samples were analysed at the ALS facility in Bamako, Mali. Since early 2016, samples have been analysed at ALS in Ireland. Samples are logged in the tracking system, weighed, dried and finely crushed to better than 70% passing a 2 mm (Tyler 9 mesh, US Std. No.10) screen. A split of up to 1,000 g is taken and pulverized to better than 85% passing a 75 micron (Tyler 200 mesh) screen, and a 50-gram split is analysed by fire assay with an AA finish. Blanks, duplicate and certified reference material (standards) are being used to monitor laboratory performance during the analysis. All of the results and press releases related thereto have been reviewed for accuracy and to ensure that they are in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 by Andre Ciesielski, DSc. PGeo, Lead Consulting Geologist and Qualified Person, Algold Resources Ltd. Yann Camus, P.Eng., of the independent firm SGS Canada Inc. geological group Geostat is the qualified person under NI 43-101 standards who supervised the preparation of the resource estimate and approved all resource-related material in this press release. Yann Camus has visited the property from April 16 to 20, 2016, for current personal inspection requirements. All information supporting the resource estimation was verified for any inconsistencies. There was no limitation on the verification process. CAUTIONARY LANGUAGE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This news release contains and refers to forward-looking information based on current expectations. All other statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release are forward looking statements (or forward-looking information). The Corporation's plans involve various estimates and assumptions and its business is subject to various risks and uncertainties. For more details on these estimates, assumptions, risks and uncertainties, see the Corporation's most recent Annual Information Form and most recent Management Discussion and Analysis on file with the Canadian provincial securities regulatory authorities on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. These forward looking statements are made as of the date hereof and there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, such statements are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements that are included herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. SOURCE Algold Resources Ltd. Image with caption: "Figure 1. Resources Wireframe (CNW Group/Algold Resources Ltd.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160621_C1619_PHOTO_EN_718870.jpg Image with caption: "Figure 2. Eleonore zone. This new target will be tested as part of the 10,000 m drilling program.: 482,485E- 2,250,949N (UTM-WGS84-Zone28 North). (CNW Group/Algold Resources Ltd.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160621_C1619_PHOTO_EN_718872.jpg For further information: Algold Resources Ltd. 1320, boul. Graham, bureau 132, Mont-Royal, Quebec, H3P 3C8, www.algold.com ; Francois Auclair M.Sc., PGeo, President & CEO, [email protected], (514) 889 5089 ; Yves Grou, CPA CA. Executive Vice Chairman. [email protected] (514) 237 7757 Rob Campbell named Partner at MNP LLP CALGARY, June 20, 2016 /CNW/ - Coming from a northern Manitoba First Nation and growing up all across Canada, from Inuvik to Ottawa, Rob Campbell had many dreams but none involved working with an accounting firm. Today, as National Director of Aboriginal Services for MNP LLP, Campbell sees becoming the first Status-Indian in Canada to be appointed Partner to a leading national tax, accounting and business consulting firm as a collective milestone. "I feel valued by MNP and honoured to be recognized for my contributions," Campbell said. "Being appointed Partner is a reflection of the commitment MNP has with me and with the Aboriginal community as a whole." The fifth-largest accounting firm in Canada, MNP has invested more time and resources into understanding Aboriginal needs than any other firm in the country. MNP represents more than 250 First Nations, Metis and Inuit's communities across the country and over 800 clients, and has a clear understanding of the broad range of conditions that often exist exclusively within this environment. "In the five years Rob has been with MNP, he has demonstrated an incredible dedication to recognizing, empowering and celebrating the unique cultures and traditions within First Nations, Metis and Inuit communities across Canada. Rob's thorough understanding of the varying opportunities and challenges many Aboriginal individuals, businesses and communities face, has helped us as a firm strengthen our commitment to enable communities not only to thrive, but fully realize all that can be achieved," Clayton Norris, MNP Vice President Aboriginal Services, said. Campbell brings to his role with MNP more than 25 years of experience in community, economic and business development, focusing on public sector, corporate and private enterprises. He is a trusted leader, known for his integrity, professionalism, kind humour and strong relationship-building expertise. Campbell counts his father, George Campbell, as being the strongest influence in his life. Starting as a trapper in northern Manitoba, George rose to leadership positions in organizations, business and institution. He showed his son how hard work, an open mind and respect can lead to success for individuals and communities. "As many Aboriginal people aspire to all kinds of positions in life, we are all making that little contribution that collectively moves our people forward," Campbell said. "As we evolve in these roles and become decision makers, and leaders in all walks of life, it enhances our people and society in general." MNP provides a wide base of services to the Aboriginal community, ranging from audits to bookkeeping to advisory services, with focuses on governments, organizational development, economic growth and resource development. About MNP MNP is a leading national accounting, tax and business consulting firm to Canada's Aboriginal communities. We have invested more time and resources into understanding Aboriginal needs than any other firm. With more than 250 Aboriginal clients and 70 Aboriginal team members, MNP has developed a diverse suite of services designed to preserve our clients' traditions and position them for success. For more information, visit mnp.ca SOURCE MNP LLP Image with caption: "Rob Campbell has become the first appointed Status-Indian in Canada to be appointed Partner at a leading national tax, accounting and business consulting firm. (CNW Group/MNP LLP)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160620_C5555_PHOTO_EN_717912.jpg For further information: Rob Campbell, MNP National Director Aboriginal Services, T: 204.775.453, E: [email protected]; Clayton Norris, CAFM, MBA, CPA, CMA, MNP Vice President Aboriginal Services, T: 403.263.3385, E: [email protected] HALIFAX, June 21, 2016 /CNW/ - More students in Nova Scotia than ever before will be working under the Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) program this year, thanks to unprecedented interest shown by employers and students. The Honourable MaryAnn Mihychuk, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, announced today that 2,858 jobs have been approved for funding in the province this summer, compared to 1,819 jobs created in 2015, an increase of 57 percent. Overall across the country, Employment and Social Development Canada received 30 percent more applications from employers, as small business owners hired more students, providing them with much-needed work experience. The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister, announced in June that more than 77,000 jobs were approved for funding for students across Canada through the CSJ program. That number is more than double last year's 34,000 and roughly 7,000 more than originally anticipated when the Government announced a boost to the funding in the federal budget earlier this year. The Government of Canada remains committed to supporting youth employment and will make sure that young Canadians develop the skills and gain the experience they need to secure good, well-paying jobs. Quote "Congratulations to both students and employers in Nova Scotia for helping the Government meet its goal of doubling the number of summer jobs funded by the annual program. As Canada's population ages, it's vitally important that young Canadians have access to meaningful work at the beginning of their careers. Young Canadians will get the experience they need to help them prepare for the job market thanks to enthusiastic employers who are hiring them under the Canada Summer Jobs program. I have said it before and I am proud to say it again, the Canada Summer Jobs program works for Canada's youth." The Honourable MaryAnn Mihychuk, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour Quick Facts In 2016, Nova Scotia was allotted $7.7 million of CSJ funding, compared to $5.0 million in 2015. was allotted of CSJ funding, compared to in 2015. In Nova Scotia , a total of 474 jobs in the small business sector have been approved for funding compared to 134 in 2015, an increase of 254 percent. , a total of 474 jobs in the small business sector have been approved for funding compared to 134 in 2015, an increase of 254 percent. A total of 335 jobs in the public sector have been approved for funding in Nova Scotia compared to 228 in 2015, an increase of 47 percent. compared to 228 in 2015, an increase of 47 percent. In Nova Scotia , a total of 2,049 jobs in the not-for-profit sector have been approved for funding, compared to 1,457 in 2015, an increase of 41 percent. , a total of 2,049 jobs in the not-for-profit sector have been approved for funding, compared to 1,457 in 2015, an increase of 41 percent. The province of Nova Scotia received a total of 2,155 applications compared to 1,759 in 2015, an increase of 23 percent. received a total of 2,155 applications compared to 1,759 in 2015, an increase of 23 percent. In 2015, 300,000 students were unable to find jobs during the summer in Canada . . The annual budget for Canada Summer Jobs was increased by $113 million for each of the next three years, beginning in 201617, doubling the number of students being hired across the country this summer. This increase means more students will be getting much needed experience. Associated Link Budget 2016 Related Product Backgrounder Backgrounder Youth Employment Strategy The Youth Employment Strategy (YES) is the Government of Canada's commitment to help youth make a successful transition to the workplace. YES helps youth between the ages of 15 to 30 get the information and gain the skills, job experience and abilities they need to make a successful transition to the workplace. YES includes Skills Link, Career Focus and Summer Work Experience and is delivered by 11 federal departments. Skills Link helps youth facing barriers to employmentincluding single parents, youth with disabilities, aboriginal youth, young newcomers and youth in rural and remote areasto develop employability skills and gain experience they need to find a job or return to school. helps youth facing barriers to employmentincluding single parents, youth with disabilities, aboriginal youth, young newcomers and youth in rural and remote areasto develop employability skills and gain experience they need to find a job or return to school. Career Focus helps post-secondary graduates transition to the labour market through paid internships and helps provide youth with the information and experience they need to make informed career decisions, find a job and/or pursue advanced studies. helps post-secondary graduates transition to the labour market through paid internships and helps provide youth with the information and experience they need to make informed career decisions, find a job and/or pursue advanced studies. Summer Work Experience provides wage subsidies to employers to create summer employment for secondary and post-secondary students. The Summer Work Experience program includes Canada Summer Jobs. Each year, the Government invests approximately $330 million in YES to help young people gain the skills and experience they need to find and keep good jobs. Budget 2016 builds on that amount and proposes to invest an additional $278.4 million in 201617 in YES to help nurture and develop underutilized and untapped talent, such as Indigenous youth, youth with disabilities, single parents and newcomers by: creating new green jobs for youth; increasing the number of youth who access the Skills Link program, which helps young Canadians overcome barriers to employment; supporting employment opportunities in the heritage sector under Young Canada Works ; and ; and new investments in the Canada Summer Jobs program. Canada Summer Jobs In February 2016, the Government announced that it will create up to 35,000 additional jobs in each of the next three years under the Canada Summer Jobs program. The investment of $339 million over three years starting 201617 will nearly double the number of job opportunities supported by the program. Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) provides funding to not-for-profit organizations, public-sector employers and small businesses with 50 or fewer employees to create summer job opportunities for students. CSJ creates summer job opportunities and provides valuable work experience for youth intending to return to their studies full-time in the next school year. The program also helps employers generate jobs that focus on priorities important to their local communities as well as on a number of national priorities that include: employers who help welcome and settle Syrian refugees to Canada, as well as Syrian students; Indigenous people, who are among the fastest-growing segments of the Canadian population; small businesses working to become more innovative, competitive and successful, in recognition of their key contribution to the creation of new jobs; and cultural and creative industries looking to create jobs and to strengthen our rich Canadian identity. This latter priority will support the planning of Canada's 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017. Follow us on Twitter SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada For further information: John O'Leary, Director of Communications, Office of the Hon. MaryAnn Mihychuk, P.C., M.P., Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, 819-654-5611; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected] TORONTO, June 20, 2016 /CNW/ - Galane Gold Ltd. ("Galane Gold" or the "Company") (TSX-V: GG) is pleased to announce that Wayne Hatton-Jones has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Company at the annual and special meeting of shareholders of the Company held earlier today. Mr. Hatton-Jones is currently the Chief Operating Officer of the Company. Mr. Hatton-Jones has had over 27 years' experience in mining and held a number of senior management positions in the mining industry including with Randgold, Gold Ridge Mining, Avocet Mining Plc and Harmony. Galane Gold Chairman, Ravi Sood commented "Having worked with Wayne for the last two years I know that he will be a positive addition to the board and will assist us in our long-term strategy to operate long-life and low-cost gold mines that can produce positive returns for investors across commodity cycles. In addition, on behalf of the board of directors and shareholders of Galane Gold, I would like to thank Charles Byron for his service as a director for the past five years. Charles has played a pivotal role in exploration in Botswana for almost 30 years. In fact, Charles led the team that conducted the critical exploration work that led to the discovery of the Tau ore body and, ultimately, the development of commercial gold mining in Botswana. We are pleased to announce that Charles has agreed to continue to work with us on exploration and other ad-hoc projects." About Galane Gold Galane Gold is an un-hedged gold producer and explorer with mining operations and exploration tenements in Botswana and South Africa. Galane Gold is a public company and its shares are quoted on the TSX Venture Exchange and the Botswana Stock Exchange under the symbol "GG". Galane Gold's management team is comprised of senior mining professionals with extensive experience in managing mining and processing operations and large-scale exploration programmes. Galane Gold is committed to operating at world-class standards and is focused on the safety of its employees, respecting the environment, and contributing to the communities in which it operates. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE Galane Gold Ltd. For further information: Nick Brodie, CEO, Galane Gold Ltd., + 44 7905089878, [email protected], www.GalaneGold.com TORONTO, June 21, 2016 /CNW/ - In a ground-breaking addition to its Heritage Minute collection, Historica Canada is releasing a pair of new Minutes that explore vital moments in Indigenous history: treaty-making and residential schools. The Minutes highlight darker chapters of Canadian history and come a year after the conclusion of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. "If Canada is going to move towards reconciliation then we have to engage in some hard truths about residential schools and treaties," said Shane Belcourt, director of the two Minutes. "We had so much to say about the issues but only one minute. My hope is these Minutes lend themselves to a larger dialogue." "As a country, we advance by learning from lessons of our past, both good and bad," said Anthony Wilson-Smith, President and CEO of Historica Canada. "In this case, the path to reconciliation begins with education acknowledging past wrongs to Indigenous people and working to make things right." "Chanie Wenjack" tells the story of a 12-year-old Anishinaabe boy who ran away from the Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School in 1966. Wenjack (known as Chanie to his family, but historically as Charlie) died shortly into his journey. His death sparked the first inquiry into the conditions faced by residential school students. Wenjack's sister, Pearl Achneepineskum, herself a survivor of residential school, shares the story in her own voice. "Naskumituwin (Treaty)" tells the story of the signing of Treaty 9 through the eyes of a historical witness, George Spence. Spence, an 18-year-old Cree from Albany, James Bay, witnessed the treaty signing at Fort Albany on August 3, 1905. In the oral history tradition, Spence passed the story of the treaty signing down through his family. His great-granddaughter, Rosary Spence, shares the story as she inherited it. Stills from the Minutes can be downloaded here. The Heritage Minutes were produced by Historica Canada and Toronto-based Wabunganung Film Company Ltd. They were written by acclaimed author Joseph Boyden. Boyden and filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin provide the iconic end narration for "Wenjack" and "Treaty", respectively. Additional educational materials for teachers are available here and here. These Heritage Minutes were made possible through funding from the Ontario government. Historica Canada thanks Porter Airlines for its generous donation of travel vouchers for this project. Historica Canada is the country's largest organization dedicated to enhancing awareness of Canadian history and citizenship. SOURCE Historica Canada Image with caption: "Davin Bomberry as "Chanie Wenjack" in Historica Canada's new Heritage Minute on residential schools. (CNW Group/Historica Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160621_C4958_PHOTO_EN_718002.jpg For further information: Andrea Hall, Communications Coordinator, [email protected], 416-506-1867 ext 261 OTTAWA, June 20, 2016 /CNW/ - Today, Minister of Energy, Glenn Thibeault and Minister of Infrastructure, Bob Chiarelli joined Hydro Ottawa's President and CEO, Bryce Conrad and Chair of Hydro Ottawa's Board of Directors, Jim Durrell, to announce that Hydro Ottawa has entered into a purchase and sale agreement with Hydro-Quebec to acquire the remaining 33 per cent interest in the Ottawa River Ring Dam and a 27 megawatt hydroelectric generating station, Centrale Hull 2, on the Gatineau side of Chaudiere Falls. Hydro Ottawa's existing portfolio at Chaudiere Falls includes six run-of-the-river hydroelectric generation plants, a 67 per cent interest in the Ring Dam, and all water rights. In 2014, Hydro Ottawa announced a 40-year contract with the former Ontario Power Authority (now merged with the Independent Electricity System Operator) to expand its Chaudiere Falls site with a new 29 megawatt facility, scheduled to be completed in 2017. Once this acquisition is complete, Hydro Ottawa will own 100 per cent of the hydroelectric facilities at the Chaudiere site on both sides of the Ottawa River signifying even greater possibilities to grow Ottawa's green energy capacity for the future. Hydro Ottawa is already the largest municipally owned producer of green energy in Ontario with a generation capacity of 79 megawatts (enough to power 62,000 homes a year). The acquisition aligns with Hydro Ottawa's 2012-2016 Strategic Direction to increase the utility's supply of clean energy to customers, and by pursuing low-risk opportunities with stable long-term returns. The closing of this acquisition, subject to conditions, is expected to occur in the third quarter of 2016. Quick Facts This acquisition will have no impact on electricity rates for Hydro Ottawa customers. Hydro Ottawa has more than 100 years of experience operating hydroelectric plants at Chaudiere Falls. has more than 100 years of experience operating hydroelectric plants at Chaudiere Falls. Negotiations are ongoing with the Independent Electricity System Operator to secure a power purchase agreement for Centrale Hull 2 and Gatineau No. 1 (already owned by Hydro Ottawa) to be connected to the Hydro Ottawa distribution system in order to sell electricity to the province of Ontario . The two hydroelectric stations have a total output of 39 megawatts (MW). . The two hydroelectric stations have a total output of 39 megawatts (MW). Hydroelectric facilities have minimal impact on the environment because they don't produce pollution or greenhouse gases. Instead they rely on the natural flow of their water source, and can generate power 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all year long. In 2015, Hydro Ottawa acquired 10 run-of-the-river hydroelectric facilities from Fortis Inc. in Ontario and nearby New York State , representing installed green energy capacity of 31-megawatts. and nearby , representing installed green energy capacity of 31-megawatts. Hydro Ottawa's other generation portfolio also includes majority shares in landfill gas-to-energy facilities at the Trail Road landfill site in Ottawa and the Lafleche landfill site in Moose Creek, Ontario . Quotes "Sustainability is the future, and environmentally responsible generation is the key to achieving it. That's why increasing renewable power is a top business priority for Hydro Ottawa. This acquisition opens up a world of possibilities to one of the largest remaining hydroelectric sites in the province, and we're very excited about what the future has in store for our community, Ottawa residents and our shareholder, the City of Ottawa." - Bryce Conrad, President and Chief Executive Officer "Hydro Ottawa continues to do innovative investments that are strategic and for the betterment of our city. This acquisition represents a significant growth opportunity in the renewable generation field that builds on our existing assets at Chaudiere. Clean, sustainable run-of-the-river hydroelectric facilities are simply responsible long-term planning for a brighter future." - Jim Durrell, Chair, Board of Directors "Chaudiere Falls is a perfect example of Ottawa's leadership, and it represents an important infrastructure expansion. This acquisition will allow Hydro Ottawa to grow its green energy capacity for the future. Hydro Ottawa's expansive portfolio at Chaudiere Falls contains smart, stable investments that will increase the utility's ability to supply its customers with clean, reliable and affordable electricity. Congratulations, Ottawa." - Bob Chiarelli, Ontario Minister of Infrastructure "As Ontario's newly appointed Minister of Energy, I'm pleased to celebrate Hydro Ottawa here today. Their acquisition of the remaining hydroelectric assets at Chaudiere Falls is an important step towards a green energy future for all Ontarians. And it builds on the expansions already underway, which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 115,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. Hydro Ottawa is an industry leader in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and continues to provide, clean, reliable power to energy customers in the Ottawa area." - Glenn Thibeault, Ontario Minister of Energy "On behalf of City Council, I am pleased that Hydro Ottawa is increasing its supply of green renewable energy, enough to power 22,500 more homes a year." - Jim Watson, Mayor of Ottawa About Hydro Ottawa Hydro Ottawa's core businesses are delivering electricity, generating renewable power and providing energy conservation/management services. Hydro Ottawa is a community-owned, private company, delivering electricity to more than 325,000 customers in Ottawa and Casselman. It is the largest municipally-owned producer of green power in the province, with hydroelectric and landfill gas-to-energy generating facilities. Hydro Ottawa Holding Inc. (Hydro Ottawa) owns and operates two subsidiary companies, Hydro Ottawa Limited and Energy Ottawa Inc. SOURCE Hydro Ottawa Holding Inc. For further information: Media contact: Daniel Seguin, Manager, Media and Public Affairs, Hydro Ottawa, Tel: 613-738-5499 ext. 345, [email protected], www.hydroottawa.com TORONTO, June 20, 2016 /CNW/ - Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) today commented on the recommendations included in the final report from the Expert Panel reviewing the mandate of the Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO). The panel's final report builds on the recommendations in its preliminary report released in the fall of 2015 and favourably aligns with the P&C insurance industry's input. The recommendations are also grounded in international regulatory principles and reflect recent innovations and best practices in financial services regulation. In its report, the panel recommends that the Ontario government modernizes financial services regulation by replacing FSCO with a new independent regulatory agency Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) with the objective of creating a world-class regulatory system. "Given the rapid pace of change in the financial world, we believe the new regulator needs to be nimble and foster a strong, vibrant and innovative financial services sector," said Kim Donaldson, Vice-President, Ontario, for IBC. "The regulator must be an effective model for excellence for financial sector regulation in Ontario, with a mission to protect and promote a broad range of consumer interests in a manner that is proactively responsive to changing consumer needs, as well as adaptive to new and sometimes disruptive future technologies." IBC will encourage the government to move quickly to implement the recommendations through the necessary legislative and regulatory changes and to announce them as early as this fall's economic statement. About Insurance Bureau of Canada Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) is the national industry association representing Canada's private home, auto and business insurers. Its member companies make up 90% of the property and casualty (P&C) insurance market in Canada. For more than 50 years, IBC has worked with governments across the country to help make affordable home, auto and business insurance available for all Canadians. IBC supports the vision of consumers and governments trusting, valuing and supporting the private P&C insurance industry. It champions key issues and helps educate consumers on how best to protect their homes, cars, businesses and properties. P&C insurance touches the lives of nearly every Canadian and plays a critical role in keeping businesses safe and the Canadian economy strong. It employs more than 120,000 Canadians, pays $8.2 billion in taxes and has a total premium base of $49 billion. For media releases and more information, visit IBC's Media Centre at www.ibc.ca. Follow IBC on Twitter @InsuranceBureau and @IBC_Ontario or like us on Facebook. If you have a question about home, auto or business insurance, contact IBC's Consumer Information Centre at 1-844-2ask-IBC. If you require more information, IBC spokespeople are available to discuss the details in this media release. SOURCE Insurance Bureau of Canada For further information: To schedule an interview, please contact: Steve Kee, Director, Media & Digital Communications, 416-362-2031 ext. 4387, 416-841-5669, [email protected] OTTAWA, June 21, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - The Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, issued the following statement today on the occasion of National Aboriginal Day: Boozhoo and greetings from the traditional territories of the Algonquin people! Today, Canadians will celebrate a special milestone; the 20th Anniversary of National Aboriginal Day, that was proclaimed in 1996 by the then Governor General Romeo LeBlanc. This date also marks the Summer Solstice traditionally a very significant day for Indigenous Peoples. As we celebrate 20 years, National Aboriginal Day continues to be an opportunity for all Canadians to learn more about the unique culture, heritage and contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Metis peoples that have helped shape this great nation. It also provides an opportunity for all Canadians to renew or build upon their relations with Indigenous peoples of Canada as we move forward on this journey of reconciliation. One way all Canadians can do this is by picking up a book written by an Indigenous author or related to an Indigenous subject as part of #IndigenousReads month. Indigenous titles are among the world's best reading today. Through reading, we can all play a role in celebrating and promoting First Nations, Inuit and Metis authors and books. Reconciliation has to be about all Canadians. Let's take the time to share in the experience of National Aboriginal Day with our friends and family, and take the time every day to promote respect, understanding and appreciation. Happy National Aboriginal Day everyone! You can subscribe to receive our news releases and speeches via RSS feeds or e-mail. For more information or to subscribe, visit www.aandc.gc.ca/subscriptions. SOURCE Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada For further information: Media Relations, Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, 819-953-1160 Company's North American Plants Allow for Local, Cost-Advantaged Production ALBERTA, Canada, June 21, 2016 /CNW/ -- Primus Green Energy, Inc., a gas-to-liquids (GTL) technology and commercial solutions company that transforms methane and other hydrocarbon gases into methanol and gasoline, today announced plans to develop and deliver a 160 MT per day methanol plant to an operating site in Alberta, Canada. Primus has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with an Alberta-based capital and operating partner. Production of methanol from the plant will begin in the first quarter of 2018 for regional distribution. The methanol produced will be utilized by Alberta's natural gas industry primarily by natural gas producers and processors in the Montney and Duvernay natural gas fields. Adhering to the company's local production strategy, the standardized modular GTL system will convert low-cost feedstock from Alberta natural gas fields into methanol, thus saving natural gas producers and processors in the region on production and transportation costs of methanol, while also improving the value of the natural gas feedstock. As a result, the systems are cost-competitive with large-scale world-class methanol plants. In addition to its Marcellus plant announced earlier this year, Primus plans to deliver up to three additional methanol plants in North American regional markets with capacities ranging from 160 MT per day to 640 MT per day, all of which will follow its low-cost standardized design and facilitate local production. "We are excited to bring our technology to the two most prolific natural gas basins in North America: The Marcellus/Utica in the United States and the Montney/Duvernay in Canada," said George Boyajian, chief commercial officer of Primus Green Energy. "This project represents the expansion of Primus' distributed methanol production strategy in North America, delivering a high-quality product for regional clients and utilizing Alberta's large supply of cost-advantaged natural gas. Our technology allows for the reduction of transportation costs while providing the natural gas industry in Alberta with a stable and locally-responsive supply of methanol." Primus has applied to Alberta Energy's Petrochemicals Diversification Program (AEPDP) to effectively reduce feedstock costs and increase the overall economic viability of its project, while providing lower cost methanol to Alberta consumers. Boyajian added: "Royalty credits are an important incentive as we make a final investment decision and will affect the final location decision of our methanol plant." Primus' STG+ technology can use a range of natural gas feedstocks, including wellhead and pipeline gas, dry or wet associated gas, "stranded" ethane, excess syngas from underutilized reformers or mixed natural gas liquids. The systems' stranded and associated gas applications offer an ideal solution to the lack of traditional natural gas pipeline infrastructure in remote locations, enabling the monetization of gas that would otherwise be stranded or flared. The low-cost, modular systems can be trucked in and assembled onsite for easy deployment. The STG+ methanol and gasoline solutions are being developed in multiple projects across North America, Asia and the Middle East. By comparison with other GTL technologies, the process holds many key advantages, including record low capital and operating costs, high liquid product quality, zero wastewater, unmatched process simplicity and one of the best conversion yields on the market. These advantages result in STG+ technology being uniquely economical at all scales, starting at as small as 100,000 Nm3 (5 million scf) per day of feed gas. About Primus Green Energy Inc. A global leader in gas-to-liquids (GTL) technology, Primus Green Energy delivers solutions for gas monetization based on its proprietary STG+ technology. Located in Hillsborough, N.J., Primus' vertically integrated headquarters includes facilities for design, engineering, operator training and remote operation, as well as research and development and catalyst development. Core to Primus' business is its dedicated senior technology team, which represents more than 300 years of collective experience at leading energy and oil and gas firms. Primus is committed to the continuous development of new solutions and applications as well as to the advancement of existing systems in order to meet customers' unique business needs. Primus Green Energy is majority owned by Kenon Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: KEN / TASE: KEN). For more information, please visit www.primusge.com. MEDIA CONTACT: Jerry Schranz Antenna Group [email protected] 201-465-8020 SOURCE Primus Green Energy Inc. OTTAWA, June 21, 2016 /CNW/ - Today on National Aboriginal Day, the Public of Service Alliance of Canada has partnered with the community of Grassy Narrows to launch a campaign demanding safe drinking water in First Nations communities. "Access to clean and safe water is a basic human right," says Robyn Benson, National President of PSAC. "It's appalling that in 2016, so many First Nations communities are forced to boil their water or drink from a bottle." The #ThirstyforJustice campaign video was developed in collaboration with an award-winning documentary filmmaker and focuses on the community of Grassy Narrows. The river water has been contaminated by mercury for over 40 years and the tap water is not safe to drink. Grassy Narrows is only one of more than 100 First Nations communities that do not have access to safe water for drinking, cooking and bathing. "Our people are a river people. Historically, they lived from the water," says Judy DaSilva, a Grassy Narrows community activist and International Peace Prize winner who is featured in the video. "It's like a genocide of our people. Many have died from the mercury poisoning and today people are still dying." "It's hard to imagine something we have cherished and honoured for the last ten thousand years can turn against us," says Steve Fobister, a former Grassy Narrows and Treaty Three Chief who was poisoned by mercury contamination. Call to action The #ThirstyforJustice campaign is demanding that the Liberal government make good on its promise to fix the water crisis in First Nations communities and ensure that all Indigenous People have access to tap water that is safe to drink. Share the campaign video and tag @JustinTrudeau and #ThirstyforJustice. Visit ThirstyforJustice.ca today SOURCE Public Service Alliance of Canada Video with caption: "Video: Take action for Grassy Narrows and safe water for all First Nations". Video available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTjG8GqkWeI&feature=youtu.be For further information: For more information or to book interviews: Veronique Breton, [email protected], 343-540-8882 HARWELL, Oxon, United Kingdom, June 21, 2016 /CNW/ - exactEarth Europe Limited, a UK subsidiary of exactEarth Ltd (TSX: XCT), the leading provider of Satellite AIS data services, recently successfully concluded the main part of its 'South Africa Safety Initiative for Small Vessels' (OASIS) project a small vessel tracking trial with the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), part-funded by the UK Space Agency (UKSA) under its 'International Partnership Space Programme' (IPSP). A key aspect of SAMSA's mandate is to ensure safety of life at sea, including small vessels in the fisheries, leisure marine and workboat sectors. These vessels, particularly artisanal fishing boats, typically operate without a tracking system onboard, making it difficult for the authorities to locate them if they are involved in an accident at sea. With IPSP funding, exactEarth Europe and its IPSP partners SRT Marine Technology (SRT - UK) and Marine Data Solutions (MDSol - South Africa), were able to carry out extensive sea trials in South Africa of their cost effective 'Advanced Class B Satellite Enabled AIS' (ABSEA) Identifier designed specifically to support long and short range small vessel tracking. The ABSEA Identifier is battery-powered and can easily be fitted onto very small boats with little or no on-board infrastructure. It transmits standard Class B AIS position reports that can be detected by coastal AIS systems, but it is also enhanced to maximise its ability to be detected by exactEarth's satellite AIS constellation. This ensures a boat can be tracked both inshore and offshore and in those locations where coastal AIS is not available. Both the Identifier's satellite and coastal position reports are provided as standard AIS messages for integration into third-party maritime domain awareness systems, as well as being viewable in exactEarth's 'ShipView' data visualisation tool. Following the success of the trial in South Africa, SAMSA is now assessing its options for the operational use of ABSEA. In the meantime, and under a grant extension from the UKSA, exactEarth Europe, SRT, MDSol and SAMSA are currently conducting a second, smaller trial with the Namibian Directorate of Maritime Affairs on their Atlantic coast, where they share similar small vessel safety concerns with SAMSA. This trial should be concluded by September, 2016. "The extensive trial activity being conducted in South Africa under the OASIS project is a very important step in the validation and introduction of our small vessel tracking solution," said Peter Mabson, CEO of exactEarth. "The work on the project to deploy this product in a real world environment and to get critical feedback from a range of actual users who face these real world issues is invaluable as a major step in the market introduction process for this exciting new capability. We would sincerely like to thank SAMSA for their support and feedback related to the project and to UKSA for providing the funding and oversight for this important activity. We also look forward to taking this activity to the next level as an operational capability in South Africa and to thereby make a meaningful contribution to the improvement of maritime safety." "The OASIS project, through the use of the Identifiers, provided very valuable information to SAMSA related to the capability of detecting, tracking and monitoring of small vessels in the trial areas," said Captain Karl Otto, Executive Head, Centre for Sea Watch & Response, SAMSA. "A debt of gratitude goes to the UK Space Agency as Sponsor for this trial in South Africa, and to SRT Marine (UK) as well. Also, our thanks goes to exactEarth Europe for making the trial a reality, to Marine Data Solutions for their full support and to our SAMSA colleagues who participated in and supported the concept of the project in the trial areas. The trial proved to be very beneficial in addressing the problem of detecting and identifying small boats along the coastline, primarily for SAMSA's maritime safety purposes." About exactEarth Ltd. exactEarth is a leading provider of global maritime vessel data for ship tracking and maritime situational awareness solutions. Since its establishment in 2009, exactEarth has pioneered a powerful new method of maritime surveillance called Satellite-AIS ("S-AIS") and has delivered to its clients a view of maritime behaviours across all regions of the world's oceans unrestricted by terrestrial limitations. exactEarth has deployed an operational data processing supply chain involving a constellation of satellites, receiving ground stations, patented decoding algorithms and advanced "big data" processing and distribution facilities. This ground-breaking system provides a comprehensive picture of the location of AIS equipped maritime vessels throughout the world and allows exactEarth to deliver data and information services characterized by high performance, reliability, security and simplicity to large international markets. For more information, visit exactearth.com. About SAMSA The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA samsa.org.za) is accountable to the Minister of Transport, and was established in 1998 under the terms of the South African Maritime Safety Authority Act 5. Its vision is "The Authority championing South Africa's global maritime ambitions" and its mission is "to promote South Africa's maritime interests and development and position the country as an international Maritime Centre while ensuring maritime safety, health and environmental protection". SAMSA delivers four main outputs consistent with its mandate and responsibilities: Safety and environment protection standards for responsible maritime transport operations An infrastructure for monitoring and enforcing compliance with safety and environment protection standards The capability to respond to marine pollution incidents and other maritime emergencies The capability to detect, locate and rescue people in maritime distress situations. SOURCE exactEarth Ltd. Image with caption: "exactEarth's Small Vessel Tracking Trials a Success in South Africa (CNW Group/exactEarth Ltd.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160621_C5302_PHOTO_EN_718409.jpg For further information: Nicole Schill, Marketing Communications Manager, [email protected] GATINEAU, QC, June 21, 2016 /CNW/ - The following statement was issued by the Honourable MaryAnn Mihychuk, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, today on the occasion of National Aboriginal Day: I offer greetings from the traditional territory of the Algonquin people as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of National Aboriginal Day. The summer solstice is a significant day for Indigenous people across our country. This special day allows Canadians to learn more about the culture and contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Metis people that have helped shape our wonderful country. I have personally grown through my relationship with my friends in the Metis Nation Homeland. I was very pleased to participate in a sunrise ceremony, early this morning, to mark the start of National Aboriginal Day. In the spirit of establishing a new nation to nation relationship with Indigenous people, our government is determined to make a positive change in the lives of Indigenous Canadians. Earlier this spring, I was pleased to introduce new one-time investments and improvements in Indigenous training and employment programs which will help Indigenous people get the skills they need to contribute and participate in our economic prosperity. Across the country this summer, you will also see more Indigenous youth working in our communities thanks to a major investment in the Canada Summer Jobs program. I look forward to engaging further with Indigenous people and our partners to ensure our programs, including the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training Strategy, help improve the lives of Indigenous people. I encourage you all to participate in the various National Aboriginal Day events taking place in your community. Happy National Aboriginal Day everyone! The Honourable MaryAnn Mihychuk Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour Associated Link National Aboriginal Day Follow us on Twitter SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada For further information: John O'Leary, Director of Communications, Office of the Hon. Maryann Mihychuk, P.C., M.P., Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, 819-654-5611; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected] HALIFAX, June 21, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - Maritime Bus and VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) announced today that they are enhancing their partnership and simplifying the travel experience in Eastern Canada. Starting July 14, 2016, travellers will be able to purchase Maritime Bus tickets online at viarail.ca. This intermodal sales agreement will expand VIA Rail's network. In one single transaction, travellers will be able to book a trip to the many destinations offered by Maritime Bus either as a connecting trip with the Ocean train between Montreal and Halifax or simply using VIA Rail website for a Maritime Bus trip only. VIA Rail's passengers will be able to easily plan a trip between Montreal and Charlottetown, Prince-Edward-Island; or Saint John, New-Brunswick; or Sydney, Nova Scotia. Passengers will be able to book their tickets online at viarail.ca and receive a combined itinerary including a Maritime Bus ticket and a VIA Rail boarding pass. Maritime Bus believes transportation companies have a responsibility to connect communities and allow the travelling public access to cost effective sustainable travel options. "Being able to partner with VIA Rail shows how both companies understand the importance of working together", reflects Mike Cassidy, President of Maritime Bus. "Having two competing transportation services willing to share train and bus infrastructure for the benefit of their passengers shows total commitment to the marketplace. We are proud of this new Intermodal Partnership which has the Maritime Region at heart." "Providing a simple and seamless travel experience is what will encourage people to leave their car behind and travel with Maritime Bus and VIA Rail. This agreement is part of our strategy aimed at increasing the mobility of Canadians while reducing their carbon footprint", said Yves Desjardins-Siciliano, President and CEO of VIA Rail. "By making travel on an integrated network of carriers more convenient and attractive, this initiative will help residents from communities across the Maritimes to travel within the region and beyond by connecting to the Ocean train for a trip to Montreal. It also encourages all Canadians to discover the beauty of the Eastern provinces." "Over the past months, VIA Rail has made preparations to receive many passengers onboard the Ocean train during the summer, a peak period for train travel between Montreal and Halifax", added Susan Williams, General Manager, Eastern Canada, at VIA Rail. "Thanks to the integration of Maritime Bus' and VIA Rail's networks, we are glad to offer our passengers the possibility to easily plan a trip to take part in the many attractions Canada's Maritime Provinces offer. Now exploring the impressive Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick, visiting the stunning Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia or going to the beautiful Prince Edward Island will be easier and more convenient for our customers. About Maritime Bus Maritime Bus is a dedicated Line Run passenger and parcel service operating within the major municipalities of the Maritimes providing a vital link between these highly populated areas and the rural communities. About VIA Rail's intermodal partnerships Since 2010 VIA Rail has developed more than 20 intermodal and affiliate partnerships aimed at improving connectivity with other passenger carriers across the country. To date, this strategy has led to partnerships with: Airline companies AeroMexico, Cathay Pacific, Hainan Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Qatar Airways, Air Transat, Royal Jordanian, Air North, Yukon's Airline, Hawkair and First Air; Airline, Hawkair and First Air; Major urban transportation companies Agence metropolitaine de transport in Montreal, GO Transit and UP Express in Toronto ; ; Motor coach transportation companies notably AirConnect shuttle bus to Montreal Trudeau airport, Robert Q in South-West Ontario , Maritime Bus in Eastern-Canada , Red Arrow in Alberta , and Wilson's Transportation between Vancouver and Victoria . About VIA Rail Canada As Canada's national rail passenger service, VIA Rail ( viarail.ca ) and its 2,600 employees are mandated to provide safe, efficient and economical passenger transportation service, in both official languages of our country. VIA Rail operates intercity, regional and transcontinental trains linking over 400 communities across Canada and about 180 more communities through intermodal partnerships, and safely transports nearly four million passengers annually. The Corporation was awarded seven Safety Awards by the Railway Association of Canada over the last eight years. For more information, visit: www.viarail.ca/en/about-via-rail. Stay connected with VIA Rail Twitter @VIA_Rail Facebook viarailcanada Instagram @viarailcanada Evolution Blog SOURCE VIA Rail Canada Inc. For further information: Mylene Belanger, Advisor, Public Relations, VIA Rail Canada, 514 871-6309, 1 877 393-8787, [email protected], [email protected]; Mike Cassidy, President, Maritime Bus, 902 393-0139 Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State set politics aside, on Monday, to host his Ebonyi State counterpart and Chairman of the electoral c... Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State set politics aside, on Monday, to host his Ebonyi State counterpart and Chairman of the electoral committee for the governorship primaries of the PDP in Edo State, Governor David Umahi, saying what is at stake is not war, it is contestation, it is democracy.Speaking while playing host to Governor Umahi who paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Benin City, shortly after conducting the primaries of the PDP, Governor Oshiomhole said,I appreciate you very much, party or no party. I always say that for people of our level and of our exposure, we should all recognize that there is only one supra-party to which we all belong; and that is Nigeria as a nation and we are all committed to serving it and to contributing to its strength, unity, progress and prosperity.I believe we made a conscious choice as a people to settle for a multiparty democracy.We could have opted for a unitary party system where everybody must belong to one party, but we opted for multiparty democracy. And it can only happen if people, very decent people, responsible people, people who mean well find different political platforms to canvass for support, to bid for power and to use power creatively to impact on the lives of our people.Oshiomhole said the visit would go a long way to demonstrate that what is at stake is not war but contestation in democracy.He said, So, you are one hundred percent right when you said that party or no party, in fact, the most important thing is our common country and our common commitment to serve our people. And as a person, I appreciate you a lot, and I appreciate the courtesy of coming to Edo State, and in spite of a very challenging assignment you have had to perform between yesterday and this afternoon, you have taken the time to visit your brother which is myself.That in a way will go out to tell many people that what is at stake is not war; it is contestation; it is democracy. It doesnt happen if you dont have more than one candidate. And if there are no candidates, then there is no democracy.While urging Nigerians to rise above sentiments and partisan politics but to stand up to work for the unity of Nigeria, Oshiomhole congratulated Governor Umahi, saying I also want to congratulate you for a successful party primary. We were also able to watch it. I saw you render pro bono electoral services, and like you said, when followers see leaders of different parties sharing jokes, they will know that this is not war. It is all about persuasion, politics of ideas. I pray that our democracy continues to grow from strength to strength, and we emphasize more on issues rather than persons, and across political divides, we build friendship. I know that there are a lot of people in my party who have a lot of regard for your person, and vice versa. So, this is the way it should be.I think we should exchange this visit across all divides to build unity because we still have few challenges here and there. There are still a lot of people who question the unity of our country, but people of your level and my level, we must rise above all sentiments to stand for Nigeria and to work for the unity, as they say, to uphold her honour and glory. May God use us to do much more for our country and for our respective states.Speaking earlier, the Governor of Ebonyi State, Mr. David Umahi said, I am here to see my brother. I came yesterday evening to conduct the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries. I was the chairman of the electoral committee for the governorship primaries of PDP. At the level of the Governors Forum, we dont emphasize party at all. That is why I told him I was going to be here. And he was very excited and said he was going to host me.Yesterday, I was to be hosted here, but I came a bit late, and I went into stakeholders meeting. So, after the congress, I said, let me see him, and greet him and appreciate him for the security and other logistics that he provided to make our primaries very hit-free. This is how it should be. We are one people, the same Nigerians. And so, we should play politics of maturity, politics of decency, and to know that the interest of our country should come first before the party. And so, you may not imagine that I have just produced a candidate to confront his candidate, and here we are in Government House, talking and rejoicing. And I want to pray to God that the mood we are in now should be the mood of the election.Governor Umahi said the success of the primaries of the two parties is an indication that Nigeria can be better. He said, I want to also commend him for a successful primary. We took a cue from him. It was well organized; I watched it live. Again, we are very happy for that feat because it shows that in our politics, we are growing and we will continue to grow to a point when things are decently done.The two primaries in Edo State indicate that Nigeria can be better. So, for this, I congratulate him both for the APC primaries and that of PDP, and it is my prayer that God is going to strengthen you for the work you are doing for the people of Edo State. Again, I bring greetings from my family to your family. Senate President Bukola Saraki has accused Danladi Umar, chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), of bias. Senate President Bukola Saraki has accused Danladi Umar, chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), of bias.Arguing a motion seeking the withdrawal of Umar from his trial, Saraki through Paul Erokoro, one of his counsels, alleged that the CCT chairman had already decided his fate unfavourably.It is no longer possible for my lord to be fair in this trial, he alleged.Erokoro argued that the statement of Umar- in which he said that Saraki was tactically delaying the trial to avoid final consequences- had shown the CCT chairman as being bias against his client.He, therefore, urged the judge to recuse himself for the sake of fair hearing.But Rotimi Jacobs, prosecuting counsel, asked the tribunal to dismiss the motion saying that: The argument is based on a false premise.He said that there was no basis for the motion because the tribunal had not shown itself to be biased.Earlier, Saraki had filed a similar motion asking the judge to withdraw from the trial on the grounds that he was under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).In the previous motion, his argument was that the CCT chairman was under the control of the EFCC- which was investigating him.But Umar dismissed the application for lacking in merit.On Tuesday, after listening to the arguments of the counsel, the tribunal judge adjourned to case to July 13 for ruling on the motion- after saying that he would be travelling on Wednesday. Gareth Bale's third goal at Euro 2016 helped Wales cruise into the knockout stage as Group B winners with a dominant 3-0 win over Russia on Monday.Aaron Ramsey scored early and Neil Taylor added his first international goal before Bale's second-half effort as Wales finished top of the group after runners-up England failed to beat Slovakia in a 0-0 draw.Wales pressured Russia from the start, as Igor Akinfeev saved Gareth Bale's shot from 18 yards and Sam Vokes' follow-up was offside.But they didn't have to wait long for the breakthrough after James Chester picked off a Russia pass at midfield. The ball fell to Joe Allen, who played in Aaron Ramsey and the Arsenal man chipped the ball over Akinfeev to give Wales the lead in the 11th minute.Wales doubled their advantage nine minutes later when Bale drew defenders on the counter-attack, and when Roman Shirokov took the ball off his foot it worked as a perfect through ball to Neil Taylor, who saw his first shot saved but made no mistake with the follow-up.Taylor had not scored any goal since April 2010, when he was with Wrexham in England's fifth-tier Conference National.Russia's best chance in the first half came after Ashley Williams could only touch Akinfeev's long punt back toward his own goal, and Artem Dzyuba got a touch to it before Wayne Hennessey made the save. England had to settle for second place in Group B as they were held to a goalless draw by Slovakia in Saint-Etienne.England had gone into the match as group leaders but they could not make the pressure pay against Slovakia and, with Wales beating Russia, they have to settle for second, with Slovakia finishing third with four points.England boss Roy Hodgson made six changes from the 2-1 win over Wales, including the decision to rest captain Wayne Rooney and bringing Jamie Vardy and Daniel Sturridge into the attack.The changes brought little change to England's fortunes, though, during a first half that saw them once more dominate possession but struggle to make it count.They did have chances. Vardy, who scored after coming on as a substitute against Wales, had the first sight of goal when he diverted a Nathaniel Clyne cross over the bar.Vardy then set up Daniel Sturridge -- scorer of the winner in that match -- but the Liverpool striker's shot was blocked in front of the goal-line by Peter Pekarik, who later suffered significant bleeding after being caught by Ryan Bertrand's forearm.Jordan Henderson was then allowed time to control, swivel and shoot in the area with a quarter of an hour played, but his shot was blocked. Two minutes later, Vardy was played through and got a shot away despite the close attentions of Martin Skrtel, but he was denied by Slovakia keeper Matus Kozacik.On 33 minutes, Adam Lallana was given a free shot near the penalty spot, but his shot was palmed away, and England once more went in at half-time without having scored.Slovakia improved after the break, and on 52 minutes they were nearly handed the advantage when Chris Smalling made an ill-advised attempt to chest the ball back to Joe Hart only for Robert Mak to sneak in, but the PAOK attacker could not steer it toward goal.At the other end, Clyne got behind the defence and fired in a shot from the right but his effort was saved by Kozacik. Vladimir Weiss then had a chance when a deflection fell kindly, but Hart was able to make the save at his near post.With Wales 2-0 up against Russia in Group B's other match, England required a victory to top the group and Hodgson opted to introduce Rooney and Dele Alli from the bench for Wilshere and Lallana.Alli almost made the difference with his first touch, steering a Jordan Henderson cross toward goal, but Skrtel was able to deflect it over the bar.On 73 minutes, Eric Dier clipped a ball over the defence for Sturridge, but the striker could not make contact to send it into the net.Shortly afterwards, Hodgson brought on Harry Kane to replace Sturridge, while Slovakia looked to shore up their defence with Sampdoria centre-back Milan Skriniar replacing Weiss.The final minutes saw England throwing numbers forward as they tried to force a late winner but they could find no way through and may now have to contend with more daunting opposition in the round of 16. House of Representatives Committee on Housing Tuesday accused Babatunde Fashola led Ministry of Power, Works and Housing of incompeten... House of Representatives Committee on Housing Tuesday accused Babatunde Fashola led Ministry of Power, Works and Housing of incompetence over the implementation of the 2016 N35b budget for the Housing component of the Ministry.This is as Fashola expressed concern over poor response from States for provision of land for the National Housing project with 17 out of 36 States responding to the request so far.Chairman of the Committee, Mustapha Bala (APC, Kano) during an interactive session with the Ministry on the status of the implementation of the budget doubted the competence the Ministry to implement the National Housing project, six months into the fiscal year 2016.The Committee became agitated when the Minister, Babatunde Fashola in his presentation said the Ministry was still in the process of sorting out the designs for the project.Fashola, who said he inherited a 2012 Housing plan that had no blueprint on how to implement it, disclosed that the public private partnership (PPP) agreements entered into by previous administrations could not solve the countrys housing challenges.With a target of 21,008 units, the previous PPPs could only deliver 2750 units over the years.He regretted that most of the PPPs that claimed to have delivered their targets had no evidence to show for it, while the delivered houses were inaccessible and out of the reach of most Nigerians.In view of the failure of the previous PPPs, he said the Ministry had to look at a sustainable and affordable housing project for Nigerians.Besides going into partnership with a German firm for the provision of energy efficient housing units to be incorporated into the National Housing code, the Minister disclosed that the Ministry has commissioned Shelter Afrique for a $5,000 housing unit for low income earners.He said the Ministry is looking at either mortgage financing or rent-to-own option as modes of payment for the prospective house owners.According to the Minister, the Ministry was yet to advertise for the project because it has just was in the pruned down the unit designs from 480 to 12 but had to further reduce it to six.He also disclosed that letter have been written to States for provision of suitable land in the capitals and Local governments headquarters for the project but only 17 have so far given commitments from the 19 that responded.He said the Ministry can only commence with just four States that have completed the process from 17 that have given their commitment.He said the Ministry will not provide single design nationwide but different House types that include one, two and three bedroom bungalows and duplexes taking into consideration the peculiarities, culture and environment of each State.The Committee Chairman was not however impressed by the Ministers presentation saying it appears the Ministry is incompetent to implement the budget.He said: What has the Ministry been doing since November last year when the budget was presented till now that appropriate designs are not ready, you have not even advertised for it?Are you not competent or what, because you ought to have competed the design by February so that once the budget was passed you commence. Design should not take more than 15 days because your experts in the Ministry have been doing it for years.By the time you start this project, you will have just about three months left in the year, even if the budget is extended to March 2017 that will be just six months.The Committee also wondered why the Ministry could not dispense with redundant and non-performing PPPs while wondering if there was a framework and criteria for qualification.Fashola, in his response said the blame for the late implementation of the budget should not be heaped on the MinistryHe said: That is a strange question because a bulk sum was proposed in the budget for the National Housing project and we asked States in need to access it willingly but the House insisted that it must go round.The result is what we are seeing now; many did not respond because housing needs of each State differs, taking into cognizance the role migratory factor plays here.He also said the Ministry should be commended rather than criticized for the work it has done on the project, adding, The Ministry should be commended and not condemned because the budget is inadequate.As a result of that, we are focusing on sustainable housing plan that works rather than rushing the budget, affordability and slum prevention is key to this design.Other countries that had housing program decades ago did not even have 100 percent home owners but they have a near uniformity of designs. By the time we go full circle, we wont be talking of N35b but hundreds of billionsWhy it took so long for the design to be ready, infrastructures-roads, sewage disposal, water and others have to be planned into the housing and thats what the Ministry is doing.To say all these should be done in three months is difficult because we need a plan that will accommodate cultures and other peculiarities of each State. Our designs are based on feedback.I appeal to the Honourable House that we look at the larger picture, even if you are not impressed with my staff, I have a different opinion. Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has blasted President Buhari, saying he cannot claim to be an angel and clean from corruption, rev... Mr. Fayose distributed a link to the U.S. Department of Justice Web site holding court documents where Mrs. Buhari was alleged to have transferred suspicious funds to a convicted former American congressman, Williams Jefferson. (CLICK HERE FOR THE DOCUMENTS) Fayose made the accusations in reaction to the alleged blocking of his bank account, which he operates with Zenith Bank Plc, by The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, Mr. Fayose said President Buhari was far from being a clean man.Even the President cannot claim to be an angel, the governor said, in reaction to the freezing of his Zenith Bank account by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.The estate he built in Abuja is known to us. His wife was indicted over the Halliburton Scandal (sic). When that American, Jefferson, was being sentenced, the Presidents wife was mentioned as having wired $170,000 to Jefferson. Her name was on page 25 of the sentencing of Jefferson. We can serialize the judgment for people to see and read.The governors Special Assistant on New Media, Lere Olayinka, later circulated links to and copies of the court document detailing Mrs Buharis mention in the scandal.The documents showed that in some of the exhibits tendered in convicting Mr. Jefferson of bribery, Mrs. Buhari was mentioned as transferring $170,000 to the American politician using a firm as proxy.Government Exhibits 36-87 (6/26/02 $170,000 wire transfer from account in Nigeria in the name of Aisha Buhari to an account in the name of The ANJ Group, LLC, identifying William Jefferson as Beneficiary), the U.S. Government Sentencing Memorandum said on page 22.Mrs. Buhari could not be reached for comments. And Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, declined comments, saying he would need to check the documents himself before issuing an official statement.Mr. Fayoses comment sparked a recollection of how Mr. Jefferson, between 2000 and 2005, used his position as member of the U.S. House of Representatives to offer illegal services to private companies for cash rewards.Mr. Jefferson and his family, according to U.S. authorities, received about $367,500 through through his firm, ANJ Group, for services rendered to iGate, an American broadband technology provider.An indigenous firm, Netlink Digital Television, had signed a joint venture with iGate to set up digital satellite TV and broadband Internet services in the country. NDTV was owned by Oyewole Fasawe, a PDP chieftain at the time.Mr. Jefferson was contracted to help promote iGate and NDTV partnership in Nigeria.Following a lengthy trial, Mr. Jefferson was convicted in 2009 and sentenced to 13 years in prison.Although Mr. Fasawe was arrested in 2005 by the EFCC, he was never convicted.Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar were also said to be a person of interest in the allegations. Liverpool are ready to try sign Napoli star Marek Hamsik to Anfield this summer, according to Italian journalist Emanuele Giulianelli.Giulianelli revealed: "Aurelio De Laurentis, the Napoli president, has received a proposal of about 45m for the Slovak midfielder, who has been offered a contract of four years at 6m."That equates to a transfer fee of just under 35m - which would effectively equal the club record paid for Andy Carroll in 2011, and around 90k-per-week.Hamsik, now 28 years of age has lit up Euro 2016 for his country over the last week and has spent the majority of his professional career at Napoli after joining from Brescia while still a teenager back in 2007. The Federal Government may have call the bluff of the striking resident doctors, as Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole has directed... They are to be replaced with others from the pool of applicants for the training programs in the various disciplines, the minister said.The minister issued the stem directive to Chief Medical Directors (CMDs) and Medical Director (MDs) of Federal Government Tertiary Health Institutions to fill the vacancies created by Resident Doctors who have abandoned their training programme by refusing to report for work.The directive, according to a statement issued by Mrs.Boade Akinola, Director, Media and Public Relations, ministry of Health, was contained in a circular signed by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Amina Shamaki and sent to the CMDs and MDs of the Federal Tertiary Health Institutions.The minister charged the CMDs and MDs to ensure immediate compliance to the directive in order not to create ominous gap in training with attendant disruption of health care delivery in your facility.It was however not clear if the resident doctors have commenced the nationwide strike action as the leadership of the resident doctors, it was learnt were at the National Assembly to honour the invitation of the House of Representatives committee on Health at the time the directive was issued.Though, resident doctors are on strike in some states if the federation.It has come to the notice of the Management of the Ministry that some Resident Doctors in your establishment have voluntarily withdrawn from the Residency Training Program by refusing to report for training without authorization. Public Service Rule, PSR 030402 (e) is relevant. This is in spite of the ongoing negotiations on their demands put forward by the representatives of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) under the auspices of the Nigerian Medical Association.In view of this development, you are hereby directed to replace all the Doctors that have withdrawn their services, with others from the pool of applicants for the training programs in the various disciplines in order not to create ominous gap in training with attendant disruption of health care delivery in your facility.Meanwhile, the Ministry is working with the panel on the review of the Residency Training Program in Nigeria, led by Professor Wole Atoyebi, the Registrar of the National Postgraduate Medical College, to fast-track the development of a comprehensive blueprint for postgraduate training of doctors in the country.Please, ensure immediate compliance.NARD President, Dr Muhammad Askira, had recently explained that after critical analysis of issues affecting NARD at an extra-ordinary National Executive Council, (NEC), meeting, the NEC observed that there were some processes still on-going in resolving the impasse between government and the doctors, and that the efforts so far made by government had not yet met the doctors demands.NARD president stated that there were still some issues yet to be attended to by government, adding that, they include resident doctors who work in states of the country that were yet to be paid their salaries; skipping and all accrued arrears for doctors yet to be implemented in most hospitals in the country; unpaid December salaries of doctors in some federal hospitals, and, house officers entry steps have not been effected. The Nigerian Senate, today, deliberated on the alleged forgery of their standing order for which Senate president Bukola Saraki and his de... The Nigerian Senate, today, deliberated on the alleged forgery of their standing order for which Senate president Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekwermadu, are to be arraigned for next week Monday June 27th.The senate has resolved to mandate their judiciary committee to summon the Attorney General of the Federation, Malima Abubakar to appear before it.Speaking during their deliberation, Senator Dino Melaye, representing Kogi west senatorial district at the National Assembly throwed jab at President Muhamamdu Buhari led federal government over misplaced priority.Melaye, accused the Executive of chasing rats when the economy is gradually falling into a recession.See tweets: President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday commended the outgoing Inspector General of Police, IGP Solomon Arase for a job well done. President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday commended the outgoing Inspector General of Police, IGP Solomon Arase for a job well done.The President hosted Service Chiefs and the outgoing Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase to a Ramadan breaking of fast dinner at the presidential villa, Abuja.This information is contained in the official Twitter account of the President named;@NGRPresident. It stated that, This evening I broke the fast with the security chiefs (Military, Intelligence service and Police).It also provided an opportunity for me to host outgoing Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase to dinner.The president thanked the outgoing IGP for a job well done. Arase, who was appointed IG by former President Goodluck Jonathan in April 2015, will attain the mandatory retirement age of 60 on June 21.He has served 35 years in the Nigeria Police Force. The breaking of fast with the service chiefs and IG Solomon Arase was the first official assignment of President Buhari, after his resumption of work on Monday.President Buhari returned to Abuja on Sunday after his short vacation in London. President Mohammadu Buhari on Tuesday appointed Assistant Inspector General (AIG), Ibrahim Idris as the new Inspector General of Police, I... President Mohammadu Buhari on Tuesday appointed Assistant Inspector General (AIG), Ibrahim Idris as the new Inspector General of Police, IGP to replace retired Solomon Arase.A statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina said Idris would remain in acting capacity until confirmed by the Police Service Commission.The statement also gave a brief profile of the new helmsman as follows: The Acting Inspector-General, who hails from Kutigi, Lavun in Niger State, was born on 15th of January 1959. Idris enlisted into the Nigerian Police Force in 1984, after graduating from the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria with a Bachelors degree in Agriculture.He also holds a degree in Law from the University of Maiduguri. Aggrieved people protesting the exclusion of Bayelsa State from the ambassadorial list sent to the Senate last week for screening and conf... Aggrieved people protesting the exclusion of Bayelsa State from the ambassadorial list sent to the Senate last week for screening and confirmation by President Muhammadu Buhari defied heavy downpour in Abuja on Tuesday to table their case to the National Assembly.The protesters, under the aegis of Concerned Bayelsa Indigenes, whose action at the National Assembly gate, temporarily halted vehicular movement for some minutes, said the non inclusion of any indigene of the state in the list was an injustice that must be addressed immediately.The group accused President Muhammadu Buhari of deliberately sidelining Bayelsa State in major appointments, one of which it mentioned as recent appointments of permanent secretaries.Coordinator of the group,Bodi Arerebo told newsmen during the protest that the presidents action was unfair to the state he said campaigned vigorously for his victory at the 2015 presidential poll, against its indigene, Goodluck Jonathan, who held sway at the time as president.He said it was improper for the state, which had contributed to the growth of the economy to be excluded from such a list. Arerebo, an All Progressives Congress, APC, Chieftain in Bayelsa, said many Bayelsa people voted for President Buhari, adding that their exclusion from appointments was discriminating.He said: While we appreciate his effort at cleaning up Ogoni Land, the president should do more by giving us what is due us whenever the need arises. Permanent secretaries were appointed from each state of the federation, Bayelsa was excluded, against the state is excluded from the current list of career ambassadorial nominees.While some states are represented with two or three candidates, Bayelsa has none. He should please include Bayelsa people in the scheme of things in the country. The President of the Senate is kindly requested to appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari to consider Bayelsa people, he said.Mr Arerebo warned that if nothing was done to consider the request of the group by the National Assembly, the group would proceed to the Bayelsa State House of Assembly for another protest with a view to laying the people demand before the state legislature.He called on the National Assembly not to carry out the screening exercise until their demands were met just as he appealed to the president to do the needful by including persons from the state in his list of ambassadors.Arerebo, who decried some policies of his party, asked the President to do everything within his power to ameliorate the sufferings of Nigerians. Senior lawyers Tuesday disagreed on whether it was legal for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to freeze Ekiti State G... Senior lawyers Tuesday disagreed on whether it was legal for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to freeze Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayoses account.They agreed that immunity does not stop a governor from being investigated, but there was no consensus on whether a governors account can be frozen.Those who spoke on the issue include former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) presidents Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) and Dr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN); Chief Emeka Ngige (SAN), George Oguntade (SAN), Jibrin Okutepa (SAN) and constitutional lawyer Ike Ofuokwu.Olanipekun and Agbakoba said only a court could decide whether the account of someone with immunity can be frozen.According to Olanipekun, the Supreme Court case of Fawehinmi v IGP (2002), which held that a sitting governor can be investigated while in office, might not be a direct authority to settle the question.He said: A case is only authority for what it decides. The present position is dicey and fluid. To my mind, any sitting governor whos shown to have attracted illicit funds to his personal account can and should be investigated. But the cardinal question is: can his account be frozen without him knowing why it has been frozen by any agent or agency of government?I rather think otherwise, as freezing of account presupposes that an application has been made to and granted by the court to so do.In addition , an enrolled copy of the order should be served on him , giving and specifying reasons for the freezing , so as to enable him challenge the order if he so wishes. All these conditions precedent have to be complied with as we operate a constitutional democracy rooted in the rule of law.On the flip side, it can also be argued that if a sitting governor can only be investigated for the time being as the constitution clothes him with immunity from any civil or criminal proceedings, is freezing of his account on the order of court not another way of subjecting him to criminal prosecution, contrary to the clear imperatives of the constitution?This is because there cant be a freezing action without a prior court order; and for any freezing application to be filed in court, the name of the sitting governor has to stated as the defendant/ accused.He cautioned lawyers and commentators against jumping into conclusion on any issue without weighing the implications of what we say or sell to the public.For Agbakoba, while immunity does not stop criminal investigation against a sitting governor, he does not think EFCC was right to freeze Fayoses account.It is doubtful, however, if freezing account is within the scope of investigation. I think not. I think it is a case to be tested in the courts, Agbakoba said.Ngige, however, believes EFCC did not err. The EFCC has the power to freeze the account of any person suspected to be involved in the commission of a crime. This power is not restricted to accounts of any person enjoying immunity be him a Governor or President.The immunity offered by section 308 of the Constitution is limited to arrest and prosecution. It does not cover investigation of crime. Interim freezing of a bank account involved in suspicious activity like money laundering is neither illegal nor unlawful.Freezing of account is part of investigation and therefore no law has been violated more so when the huge sums of money found in the instant account is alleged to have come from the State treasury. EFCC should get to the root of the matter and charge those without immunity if there is a prima facie case disclosed, Ngige said.Oguntade also backed EFCC, saying the commission was right to freeze the account. He said Section 34 (1) of the EFCC Act empowers the commission to freeze such an account if satisfied that the money in the account of a person is made through the commission of an offence.On the issue of whether the bank account of a sitting governor can be frozen given the provisions of section 308 of the 1999 Constitution [as amended], the answer is clearly in the affirmative.That a person protected under section 308 of the 1999 Constitution, going by its provisions, can be investigated by the police for an alleged crime or offence is, in my view, beyond dispute.The Supreme Court further held that criminal investigation is totally different from criminal proceedings in respect of which a Governor enjoyed immunity under section 308 of the Constitution.So, whilst a criminal charge cannot be preferred against a sitting governor, there is nothing that prevents the EFCC from investigating a sitting Governor and to freeze his account in the course of doing so upon obtaining the requisite court order, Oguntade said.Okutepa said a governor can be investigated and his account frozen, adding that there is nothing illegal and unconstitutional about it if the condition precedent is followed.Ofuokwu said: If it is in a bid to trace stolen funds, I am of the firm opinion that the EFCC can freeze the account where the stolen funds are traced to. The constitution did not confer immunity from investigation. Hence, I respectfully submit that immunity from prosecution does not confer on anybody whatsoever immunity from investigation. Senate President Bukola Saraki and his Deputy Ike Ekweremadu were told yesterday to face their trial for alleged forgery of the 2005 Se... Senate President Bukola Saraki and his Deputy Ike Ekweremadu were told yesterday to face their trial for alleged forgery of the 2005 Senate Rules. All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun said the party had nothing to do with the matter.Odigie-Oyegun said the party had no business interfering with judicial matters, pointing out that it will, however, find out the truth of the matter.It was learnt yesterday that the planned trial may not start today because the accused could not be served the court papers.Some senior officials of the Federal Ministry of Justice in Abuja said that the arraignment had been scheduled for today.But it was gathered at Court 32, High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Jabi, Abuja, where the case has been assigned, that the charge had not been served on all the defendants as required by law.Court officials said a date will be fixed for arraignment as soon as service is effected on the defendants.The office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) filed a two-count charge on June 10 at the High Court of FCTs Registry in which Saraki and others are charged with alleged forgery and conspiracy.Also named in the charge are the immediate past Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa and Clerk of the Senate Mr. Ben Efeturi.Odigie-Oyegun urged the media to investigate if the Senate Rules were actually tampered with.He said: At this stage l dont think there is anything to say. In fact, everything is still a guess work? Nobody has said yes or they have been arrested or asked to make statement or whatever.As a party, we do not think it is the partys business to interfere in judicial matters of that nature. We will just wait and see. We are even making investigations to be sure that is the situation.Reminded that the allegation could affect the relationship among the party, the Presidency and the Senate, Odigie-Oyegun said: No, no, no. I dont know, this is the kind of problem that the press always causes. You are now taking the sensational aspect. You are forgetting the nitty gritty?. Did what they say happen really happened? That is what you should look at.Take the two copies (the new copy and the old copy) of the Senate rules and see if there is a difference. If there is a difference, at what former meeting was it approved and adopted? You should start from this so that when you are commenting, it would not be sensational; it will be based on facts and reality.We have to change the way we do things in this country; we have to start telling people what is right and what is wrong and to choose what is right as against what is wrong.This is where l expect you to start. Dont start making it party verses x-issue. The point would be: was an offence committed? establish that first and then you can move on. An exclusive investigative report has surfaced about the identity of the 'Aisha Buhari' mentioned in the Williams Jefferson US bri... Credit: TheCable An exclusive investigative report has surfaced about the identity of the 'Aisha Buhari' mentioned in the Williams Jefferson US bribery scandal. Was it President Buhari's wife?TheCable has the following information the share on the issue:Ayodele Fayose, governor of Ekiti state, has made a grave allegation against President Muhammadu Buhari, saying his wife, Aisha Buhari, was involved in the Halliburton Scandal.Is it true?Fayose alleged that this Aisha Buhari was responsible for transferring $170,000 to an account linked to Williams Jefferson, the prime culprit in the bribery scandal.In a government sentencing memorandum issued by the Alexandria division of the United States district court for the eastern district of Virginia in 2008, the US justice department confirmed the transaction.Government Exhibits 36-87 (6/26/02 $170,000 wire transfer from account in Nigeria in the name of Aisha Buhari to an account in the name of The ANJ Group, LLC, identifying William Jefferson as Beneficiary), the memo said.A story by New York Times in 2007, detailing the track of this Aisha Buhari, did not say she was the presidents wife, but that shed claimed to be his daughter.Joshua Assiba, an African migrant who knew the Aisha in question, said she was a very affluent woman who spent thousands of dollars shopping at a pharmacy in the US.Assiba, who was a security guard at the time, said he struck up a conversation with Aisha and subsequently became friends, adding that she told him that her father was the former military ruler of Nigeria, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, and that her American friends included politicians like Mr. Jefferson of Louisiana.The international passport of the said Aisha, obtained by TheCable, also shows she is not the same as Aisha the presidents wife.The faces are clearly not alike.But her claims that she is the presidents daughter would look credible to anyone.According to the passport numbered A034120637, Aisha is surnamed Buhari, and has a given name Mohammadu, not Muhammadu as the president spells his name, and was born in Daura on August 4, 1975 four years younger than the presidents wife, who was born in February, 1971.The passport was issued by the Nigerian embassy in Washington DC on January 19, 2012 and neither the presidents wife nor his daughter ever lived in the US, and could not reasonably have travelled to the US to obtain a Nigerian passport.BORN IN DAURA? IS THAT IT?The president was born in Daura, Katsina state, so was this Aisha, according to the information page on the passport. This shows another disparity, in that the presidents wife was born in Adamawa, not Duara. But with Buhari from Daura, a link could still be suspected.However, Nuhu Ribadu, pioneer chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), had said in 2007 that the Aisha Buhari involved in the scam was in no way related to the retired general as she claimed.Ribadu added that he was uncertain if her true name is Aisha Mohammadu Buhari, and that Buhari already said he had no ties to her.I dont have any relationship with that Aisha Buhari. I dont have any daughter called Aisha Buhari living outside this country. She is not my daughter, New York Times quoted the president as saying.Buharis fifth daughter, Aisha, was born in 1990 and named after her mother, who is Buharis second wife.Buharis first wife, the late Safinatu, had four daughters: Zulaihat, Fatima, Hadiza, and Safinatu. They divorced in 1988.Aisha also had four daughters: Aisha, Halima, Zarah and Amina.President Buhari had through Femi Adesina, his special adviser on media and publicity, said the president would not probe beyond his predecessor, effectively cutting out the Halliburton scam.It would be a distraction for the president to begin digging into all former administrations but for a proper take-off of President Muhammadu Buharis government, there is the need to look into the immediate past government, Adesina said.In the light of recurring revelations about the high and mighty, and an attempt to tarnish the presidents image that one of his daughters or relatives was involved in the scandal, Nigerians are calling for a probe of one of the most notorious bribery scandals in Nigerias history.Should Buhari revisit the Halliburton scam? Former Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, has introduced his successor, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to State House correspondents. Former Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, has introduced his successor, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to State House correspondents.Arase spoke shortly after he led Idris to meet President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.He said Idris appointment would be in acting capacity until he is confirmed by the Council of State.Idris on his part promised to build on the legacy left behind by Arase. The gunman who slaughtered 49 people at a gay nightclub in Florida threatened to blow up a car rigged with bombs and to strap hostages int... The gunman who slaughtered 49 people at a gay nightclub in Florida threatened to blow up a car rigged with bombs and to strap hostages into explosive vests, according to partial transcripts of 911 calls he made released on Monday.You people are gonna get it, and Im gonna ignite it if they try to do anything stupid, Omar Mateen said during one of the calls made from the Pulse nightclub in downtown Orlando, according to the transcript released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.No explosive vests or bombs were found in the nightclub or the suspects car, however, the FBI said.Mateen, a 29-year-old security guard, paused several times during the three-hour siege at the club to speak by phone with emergency dispatchers and police negotiators, as well as to post Internet messages pledging allegiance to Islamist militant groups.While the killer made these murderous statements, he did so in a chilling, calm and deliberate manner, said Ron Hopper, a FBI assistant special agent in charge.Mateen told an emergency dispatcher he was wearing an explosive vest like the kind they used in France, apparently referring to the deadly assault in Paris last November by Islamic militants, according to the transcript.As patrons fled the club, they told police outside that the shooter said he was going to put four vests with bombs on victims within 15 minutes, the FBI said in its statement.Mateen, a New York-born U.S. citizen and Florida resident of Afghan descent, who has been described by U.S. officials as self-radicalized in his extremist sympathies.The partial transcripts did not include a pledge of loyalty that authorities say Mateen made to Islamic States leader. Hopper told a news conference near the nightclub that only partial transcripts were released so as not to propagate violent rhetoric.U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan accused the Obama administration of censoring references to the Islamic State militant group and called for the full transcripts to be released.ISLAMIC SOLDIERMateen identified himself as an Islamic soldier, according to the FBI, and he told a negotiator to tell the United States to stop bombing Syria and Iraq.The Joint Terrorism Taskforce has conducted more than 500 interviews about the massacre, Hopper said, and has processed 600 pieces of evidence.Orlando Police Chief John Mina said the initial engagement by authorities caused the gunman to retreat and barricade himself in a bathroom with hostages. He said officers were inside the club saving victims during the three-hour standoff.I am very confident that they saved many, many, many lives that night, Mina said, rejecting any criticism that police had failed to act quickly enough to end the siege.Those killings are on the suspect and on the suspect alone, he said. It was a very difficult decision but it was the right decision and I stand by it.Authorities have said preliminary evidence indicates Mateen was a mentally disturbed individual who acted alone and without direction from outside networks.The massacre at Pulse, which also left 53 people wounded, led to national mourning and soul-searching over easy access to firearms and the vulnerability to hate crimes of people in the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.The killings also triggered an effort to break a long-standing stalemate in Congress over gun control.The Senate was set to vote on Monday on four competing measures two from Democrats and two from Republicans to expand background checks on gun buyers and curb gun sales for people on terrorism watch lists. A lawsuit involving a California womans charge that Donald Trump raped her when she was an underage teen have resurfaced, this time in ... A lawsuit involving a California womans charge that Donald Trump raped her when she was an underage teen have resurfaced, this time in a Manhattan Federal Court with Trump, denouncing the allegations as categorically untrue and politically motivated''.The lawsuit was first dismissed by a Los Angeles court, but now the case has been revisited with some previous charges dropped and a new lawyer now in charge of the case.Gone from the new lawsuit is an allegation that Trump threw money at the plaintiff for an abortion when she expressed fear about getting pregnant after being raped. Gone, too, is the allegation that Trump called co-defendant and accused pedophile and sex party host Jeffrey Epstein a Jew bastard, and her request for $100 million in damages.But the complaints core allegations remain unchanged, that Trump and Epstein sexually assaulted an underage girl at a series of Manhattan sex parties Epstein hosted in 1994.Immediately following this rape, Defendant Trump threatened me that, were I ever to reveal any of the details of Defendant Trumps sexual and physical abuse of me, my family and I would be physically harmed if not killed, the plaintiff said in an affidavit.Trump's organization through it's vice president Alan Garten, has dismissed the lawsuit and claims saying the allegations were categorically untrue, completely fabricated and politically motivated.The lawsuit says the woman remains traumatized by the abuse. She says that since Trump launched his campaign and received mass media coverage, she has been subjected to daily painful reminders of the horrific acts. HACKENSACK -- Charges of manslaughter and strict liability in a drug-induced death were dismissed by a judge Monday in the case of a Paterson man accused of selling heroin to an Allendale man who died of an overdose, according to an account in The Record. Kaleik Easton, right, and Timothy Volpe were charged in the drug-overdose death of Brendan Cole. The most serious charges were dismissed Monday against Easton. As reported by NJ Advance Media, Kaleik Easton, 21, and Timothy Volpe, 22, also of Paterson were accused of the two major charges after police found Brendan Cole's lifeless body in his Allendale bedroom on Jan. 4, 2014. An autopsy confirmed that Cole died of a heroin overdose. In Superior Court in Hackensack on Monday, Judge Christopher Kazlau dismissed the charges against Easton, The Record reported. Kazlau said "extremely exculpatory" evidence obtained in a search of Cole's bedroom six days after his death was not handed over for two years and that it "strictly negates" drug-induced death and manslaughter charges. During that search, police found six bags of heroin that were stamped "Take Over," The Record said. Ruling on a motion filed by Easton's defense attorney, Gayle Hargrove, Kazlau said none of the heroin recovered from Volpe, who was in a car with Easton and was carrying the heroin, was stamped "Take Over," and that "establishes an alternative source of narcotics," the newspaper reported. Volpe pleaded guilty in December and must serve 10 years in prison, The Record said. Easton, meanwhile, still faces drug distribution charges, the newspaper said. As previously mentioned in a report by NJ Advance Media, strict liability for a drug-induced death, in the past, was a charge that was rarely used by police and prosecutors. However, as the heroin epidemic has raged across New Jersey, law enforcement authorities in recent years have been encouraging police and prosecutors to make full use of the law. "Under the law, the defendant does not have to be a drug kingpin. You have to look at the whole case," Elie Honig, director of the state Attorney General's Division of Criminal Justice, said in an interview last year with NJ Advance Media. A directive issued by the division in 2014 said "it is no longer a defense that the drug user contributed to his or her own death by ingesting the substance" and the law applies "to every person along the drug distribution chain." "It's one of many options we have," Honig said. The law imposes penalties of up to 20 years in prison. Ben Horowitz may be reached at bhorowitz@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @HorowitzBen. Find NJ.com on Facebook. BRIDGETON -- In the wake of another death at Cumberland County Jail - the third in the last year and a half -- two advocacy groups are looking closely at jail conditions. In the letters, the organizations raise questions about what led to the most recent death at the Cumberland County Jail and asks for an investigation into alleged misconduct by corrections officers. They ask for better screenings for inmates brought into the jail and better care for the inmates once housed there. The Cumberland County Jail, in Bridgeton. (Times file photo) The People's Organization for Progress and the American Friends Service Committee Prison Watch Program sent them to Cumberland County Jail Warden Bob Balicki, Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae and the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice -- as well as various lawmakers -- this month. The letters ask about the June 3 death of Jon Watson, 43, of Bridgeton, and the current condition of another inmate. Jean Ross of People's Organization for Progress received word from current inmates at Cumberland County Jail about the two cases, compiled the information into the letters and sent them out. The information came from inmates she has worked with in the past during her last 14 years or pro bono work "What I wanted to do was convey that information to the warden because sometimes people at the top do know what is happening but sometimes they don't," Ross said. Webb-McRae confirmed she received the letters but declined to comment on them. Balicki also received the letters and, while he states he cannot comment on specifics due to an open investigation and also due to some of the information being protected, he denies any abuse or improper action done by staff. Jon Watson (submitted photo) "While I appreciate some of their suggestions, I have found, mixed in with some reckless unsubstantiated allegations, it appears obvious the intent is to make Cumberland County Jail, myself and my staff look corrupt and incompetent with little or no real facts." The letters mention the death of Watson, who was found unresponsive in his jail cell on June 3 and was later pronounced dead. According to the information given to organizations, Watson was in jail on a minor, possibly drug-related charge and was a heroin addict. Watson allegedly spoke about suicide a week before he died -- complaining to staff that he was hearing voices. The letter also alleges that corrections officers taunted Watson and accused him of faking an episode where he was found passed out. At one point, he was allegedly placed in chair restraints and was targeted by other prisoners for abuse. Inmates housed near Watson are also distraught from the death but no counseling has been done, the letter states. The letters also detail the case of a 25-year-old man who allegedly suffers from epilepsy and mental illness. The groups are concerned that this inmate is at risk of self-harm or harm from others. "There's a culture of violence, a lack of an empathetic ability," Bonnie Kerness of American Friends Service Committee said about how society treats inmates. "There's a culture that doesn't value other human beings. A culture that doesn't see people in prison as human and a lot of these folks are pretrial. Some of them are immigrants. Some of them have sentences up to a year. But if you're in a county jail they generally haven't been charged with alarming crimes, yet the treatment is torture." In its letter to the state Division of Criminal Justice, the groups mention the desire for jails to have zero tolerance laws for abuse like the ones that exist for psychiatric hospitals. Kerness also hopes for a better way for inmates who suffer from mental health issues to receive help. The two inmates mentioned in the letters are examples of that need. "They both have obvious mental health issues and maybe, in all fairness to the officers, they are not equipped, jails are not equipped, to handle severe mental health issues in prisoners," she said. According to Balicki, the jail strives to prevent suicides at all times and strives to be transparent. Balicki also points out that the jail has reduced overcrowding, has a robust GED program, and has drug and alcohol programs for inmates. "The American Friends Service Committee may have lofty intentions, but they should do their homework before they make accusations," Balicki said. "Perhaps they'll join me in lobbying for change that will keep homeless and mentally ill people out of jail. Better yet, help stop the flood of opiate drugs ruining the lives of people who previously were law abiding citizens. At least properly identify the problems and not just point fingers." Watson's family is asking for an independent investigation into Watson's death. According to the family, they were arranging for his release when he was found unresponsive in his jail cell and later died. The case is being investigated by the Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office. It is the third case of someone being found unresponsive in the jail in the past year and a half. Alissa Allen, 24, of West Main Street, in Millville, was found dead in her cell on March 23, 2015. She was arrested in Millville the previous day for possession of drug paraphernalia and not wearing a seatbelt. Her bail was set at $728. Another inmate, Robert Lewis, hanged himself on Oct. 29, 2015, in the showers using a bed sheet. He was arrested earlier that week for robbery and held on $100,000 bail. Don E. Woods may be reached at dwoods@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @donewoods1. Find NJ.com on Facebook. HILLSBOROUGH -- In a proposal that would drastically overhaul New Jersey's school funding system, Gov. Chris Christie on Tuesday outlined a plan which would give every school district the exact same amount of state aid per student. Christie, in a speech at Hillsborough High School, introduced the "Fairness Formula," which would provide $6,599 per student for each district, a proposal he said would significantly reduce aid to urban districts while lowering property taxes in many suburban towns. The plan, which Christie is proposing as an amendment to the state constitution, would give 75 percent of school districts an increase in state aid, allowing them to ease the property tax burden on local residents, he said. But it would also deal a major blow to districts with the highest percentage of students from low-income families, primarily urban districts that Christie criticized for high spending and low graduation rates. "It is time to change the failed school funding formula and replace it with one that will force the end of these two crises -- the property tax scandal and the disgrace of failed urban education," Christie said. New Jersey schools are funded through a combination of state, federal and local dollars. The state currently gives about $9.1 billion in direct support to its school districts using a weighted formula that provides more per-pupil funding for special education students, students from low-income families and those who are learning English as their second language. Of that $9.1 billion, about $5.1 billion goes to 31 districts, while the other $4 billion goes to the remaining 546 districts, Christie said. Christie's proposal would dramatcially reallocate that money, giving every district the same per-pupil aid and eliminating the extra funding for certain students, with the exception of money for special education students. The reallocation will help reduce New Jersey's highest-in-the-nation property taxes while ending the overabundance of funding to urban districts with low graduation rates, Christie said. "We have two separate, but completely intertwined crises in New Jersey that must be dealt with," Christie said. "They must be dealt with honestly and directly." The proposal was criticized by Democratic lawmakers, the state's largest teachers union and the Education Law Center, which has waged a series of legal battles with the state over funding for urban districts. "The Governor's proposal is completely contrary to the long held consensus in New Jersey that funding should be based on the unique needs of students," said David Sciarra, executive director of the Education Law Center. "If this plan were implemented it would devastate our schools by removing an unprecedented level of educational resources." Impact on schools The history behind how New Jersey pays for public education is a tortured and litigious one, dating back to 1976, when the state Supreme Court closed down the schools until the Legislature passed an income tax to fund a constitutionally mandated school aid formula. Analysis by NJ Advance Media shows Christie's proposal to change the latest school funding formula would have a major impact on urban districts. Camden, for example, currently receives more than $30,000 per pupil in state aid. Under Christie's proposal, the district would see that aid cut by more than 78 percent. Under the $6,599 per pupil flat aid rate, 37 districts would see their aid cut by more than 50 percent. Wendell Steinhauer, president of the New Jersey Education Association, called Christie's proposal "despicable." "Gov. Christie's proposal would result in a huge step backward to the days when poor families in economically challenged communities were left to fend for themselves," Steinhauer said. John Abeigon president of the Newark Teachers Union, also condemned the proposal. "Equal across-the-board school funding hasn't worked in the past and won't work in the future, because not all things are equal," he said. Christie, however, argued that pouring more money into urban schools hasn't worked. Among the 31 school districts that receive more than half of the state's aid, 27 have graduation rates below the state's 90 percent graduation rate, including Camden (63 percent), Asbury Park (66 percent), New Brunswick (68 percent), Trenton (68 percent) and Newark (69 percent). Meanwhile, those cities spend a smaller portion of local taxes on schools than most other municipalities, he said. "That is an unacceptable, immoral waste of the hard-earned money of the people of New Jersey," the governor said. In reallocating state aid, Christie would create a windfall for many suburban districts. About 45 percent of school districts in the state would see their state aid increase by 100 percent or more, according to NJ Advance Media's analysis, which could lead to significant reductions in property tax bills. Fair Lawn would see an 815 percent increase in state aid and an average drop of more than $2,200 per household in property taxes, Christie said. Teaneck would get 389 percent more in state aid and an average drop in property taxes of nearly $1,600, he said. School districts that would receive more funding under Christie's plan would be required to use nearly all of it for property tax relief, Christie said. The governor said he hopes his proposal can take effect in time for the 2018-19 school year. "This would be the most important thing I've done," Christie said. "That would be the biggest achievement of the administration, no doubt." Will it pass? Christie is asking state lawmakers to put his plan before voters on the fall 2017 ballot, an election that will decide the next governor. Residents would have to decide whether to amend the state Constitution to implement Christie's funding system. Assembly Minority Leader Jon Bramnick (R-Union) praised the proposal and said he will sponsor it in the state Legislature. "Nothing is more fair than treating students equally no matter where they live," Bramnick said. But the plan was immediately blasted by Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson), who called it "unconstitutional and harmful to our most vulnerable children." State Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) and Sen. Teresa Ruiz (D-Essex), the chair of the Senate Education Committee, issued a joint statement calling the proposal a direct attack on the core principals of equality. "This plan is unfair, it is unjust and it is blatantly unconstitutional," the lawmakers said. "It is a maneuver that discriminates against the most vulnerable students and would systematically deny children an equal opportunity to achieve the American Dream." Christie, however, said he does not think the plan will hurt urban students. Many of those students currently attend districts that are "on autopilot" and need to downsize and make adjustments, he said. "They get a big check from the state every year, they are not making any changes in the way they educate children and they are not showing any increase in success," Christie said. Those districts should learn from charter schools in their community with higher academic performance, Christie said. Christie plans to hold town hall meetings across the state to generate voter support for the proposal, he said. NOTE: The search tool may take a minute to load. Stephen Stirling contributed to this report. Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on twitter at @realAdamClark. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Hilary Clinton campaign officials have reportedly reached out to Lin-Manuel Miranda, the Tony Award-winning writer and star of the juggernaut Broadway musical "Hamilton," to perform at the 2016 Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, according to a story on Politico. "It's part of an ambitious plan to generate excitement and boost television viewership for the party convention after what Democrats expect to be a four-day reality show at the Republican convention in Cleveland," Politico reported. Although the Politico report does not name any other celebs, it says that the Clinton team is reaching out to a number of other "young pop artists" to perform or appear at the convention. The Clinton family's fondness for "Hamilton" has already been well-documented. Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton were early adopters of the hit show, having attended during its off-Broadway run at the Public Theater. Other Democratic bigwigs who are fans of Miranda's hip-hop re-telling of American history include President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama (who declared it "the best piece of art in any form that I have ever seen in my life") and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who attended the Broadway show in April. So, should "Hamilton" fans get ready for a prime time performance of "My Shot"? Not so fast, says Miranda's father, Luis Miranda, Jr. He told Politico, "There is no truth to these rumors." The younger Miranda is scheduled to be in London to film a Disney remake of "Mary Poppins" the week of the Democratic National Convention. (The star has announced that his final "Hamilton" performance will be July 9, the same day co-stars Phillipa Soo and Leslie Odom, Jr. will depart the show.) But, says Politico, the Clinton campaign's attempts to secure acts like Miranda is a sign that her she is seeking to engage core Democratic groups, like young, black and Latino voters. The Democratic National Convention is set to take place July 25 - 28. Sydney Shaw may be reached at sshaw@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SydneyLShaw. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Screen Shot 2016-06-21 at 10.30.29 AM.png Jamuga Wemusa, 53, of Newark, and Ruben Tursi, 44, of Elizabeth. (Courtesy Montclair Police) BLOOMFIELD -- Two men already facing robbery, weapons, and assault charges for an alleged armed robbery in Montclair are now facing charges stemming from similar incidents in at least one other New Jersey town. Bloomfield police announced Tuesday that Jamuga Wemusa, 53, of Newark, and Ruben Tursi, 44, of Elizabeth, were arrested in connection with the June 13 robbery of an Enrite gas station on Bloomfield Avenue. According to police, the two men are accused of holding an employee at gunpoint and stealing $400, then fleeing in a dark car. The victim was able to see the license plate number of the car, and gave it to investigators, police said. With help from investigators in Elizabeth who were looking into a similar crime, Bloomfield authorities arrested Tursi on June 14, police said. Wemusa was arrested on June 17, police said. Both were charged with robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery and remanded to the Essex County jail on $100,000 bail, police said. The announcement comes after police in Montclair charged the duo in connection with a June 11 robbery there in which the two are accused of grabbing a gas station attendant by the throat, pointing a gun at his neck, and stealing $1,000 from him, authorities said. According to Bloomfield police, Wemusa and Tursi are also being investigated by police in Elizabeth, Roselle Park, and Union for similar robberies in those towns. Bloomfield Police Director Sam DeMaio commended the work of multiple cooperating police forces in the investigations. "Our collaborative efforts with out municipal partners in law enforcement enhance our ability to rapidly close investigations of criminal activity," he said in a statement. Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Don't look at the flecks of grey in his mustache and razor-thin sideburns. Ignore the hair that has thinned on top of his head. And if you don't mind, excuse the old-school wood paneling and the water splotches on the drop ceiling at the Wright Cut Beauty & Barber Salon on Clinton Avenue. These undeniable clues make it clear that Curtis Wright Jr. has been cutting hair in Newark for a long time. Try 57 years at three barbershops in the city's North and South wards, including this one. MORE: Recent Barry Carter columns "I'm just happy I'm in good health and that I can still do it,'' he said. But the best reminder of his longevity is a subtle telltale sign next to his barber chair. The floor tile is so worn that the wood beneath it is exposed. It's a small spot, but big enough to notice that Wright, 78, has walked a path into the lives of customers over three generations. Unless you look down, it's hard to believe that could be done in soft-soled shoes, but then again, remarkably, Wright has because he's rarely missed a day of work since he started cutting hair. His ironman tally stacks up this way - 36 years at the Wright Cut shop that he's owned since 1980 in the South Ward. Now, let's rewind 14 years before that - to his second barbershop, which he opened in 1966 down the street from where he is currently located. Then go on back another seven years to 1959. He left the Army as its barber, doing buzz cuts, to begin trimming hair at his first barbershop job, working for a Newark couple who owned the business in the North Ward. Wright's unbending, workhorse ethic hasn't changed no matter where he's hung his clippers. By 6:30 a.m. or shortly thereafter, he's at work, having made the 24-mile drive from his home in Edison. "I feel like I owe the customer,'' Wright said. He's a man of few words, a study in consistency. There's no need for him to say a lot to back up his gold-seal standard. The customers attest to that, bringing their sons, grandsons, nephews and cousins. Some of them, such as the Rev. Arthur Jackson, have been with Wright since he started. Talk about loyal. Jackson, who drives to the shop from Piscataway, said Wright keeps him looking young at 89 years old, and he doesn't have to worry about his wife fussing about him getting a bad haircut. "He's one of a few good men - like the Marines,'' Jackson said. The ladies don't complain about his beauty skills, either. That includes Alma Wright, his wife of 53 years. He does her hair, too. Perms and curls. Wash and set. Trimming the ends. "I just go with whatever he goes with,'' she said. For the men, it could be skintight fades and Caesar cuts, or a shave with the straight razor he uses for beards, mustaches and hairlines covered in lather. None of it is a problem at the Wright Cut. Customers come early and often, Tuesdays through Saturdays, since most of his business is walk-ins. As a younger man, Wright had Sunday hours after church, for customers who were sick and couldn't make it to the shop. "He would go to the hospital or to their home,'' his wife said. "He felt he needed to do something for the community.'' Wright never really thought about doing anything else once he found his niche. He's always at work, even sometimes on his off days, even during snowstorms when no one made it to the shop. He's met many people along the way. Former Newark mayors Sharpe James and Kenneth Gibson are regulars. Former Newark police directors come often. Retired and current police officers show up, too, for a cut or to bring Wright a cup of coffee and the newspaper. The Wright Cut is a mature shop, one with that lived-in look. There are magazines to read and mail stacked in a third barber chair. Pictures of customers from years gone by surround his mirror. Tony Woodson, a retired East Orange deputy police chief, and his grandson, A.J., are smiling in one of the pictures, taken during a promotion ceremony. The boy was 8 years old; now, he's 16. "You couldn't have picked a better man to write about,'' the older Woodson said. There's a sense of family and tradition here. Decorum is the order of the day. Forget about wearing sagging pants, cursing or behaving less than respectfully. "Mr. Wright don't play that,'' said Larry Walden, a retired Newark cop. "There's no acting a fool. Young men come here and get an education.'' They always learn something from the elder gentlemen, taking with them values of hard work from a generation that migrated north in the 1950s. Deshone White of Newark is 40 - and hasn't missed a nugget of information since high school. "If you're going through something, Mr. Wright knows what to say,'' White said. "You always leave here with something.'' MORE CARTER: Newark scoutmaster is 95 and leaves a trail of memories Chalk that up to his perception and an intangible quality that O. Henry McKenzie has noticed over the 35 years that he's occupied Wright's barber chair. "He understands people,'' said McKenzie, an 87-year-old retired Navy Seal who lives in Newark. "He knows how to listen, then ask questions.'' Wright has gone through life the right way since he left Lynchburg, S.C., a tiny town where he was raised. He's accomplished what he wanted to do - to be a successful businessman. He's trained beauticians and barbers, many who have come and gone over the years. What we have here is the career of a man that should be framed with his best set of cutting shears. Oh, and before I forget. Remember that worn-out spot on the floor? Wright has done that twice. Should he patch it up one day, I'm sure he won't have a problem wearing it down again. Barry Carter: (973) 836-4925 or bcarter@starledger.com or nj.com/carter or follow him on Twitter @BarryCarterSL -- A 32-year-old man was charged with a shooting that left one person wounded in the city, authorities said Tuesday. Officers with the police division's Fugitive Apprehension Team arrested Quennel Jordan without incident early Monday at a residence on Shepard Avenue, according to Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose. Jordan, a city resident, was charged with aggravated assault, possession of a gun and possession of a gun for unlawful purposes in connection with the April 14 shooting near Washington and West Kinney streets, Ambrose said in a statement. Detectives with Newark's Cease Fire Shooting Response Team identified Jordan as the gunman after an "extensive investigation," the director added. Police said the investigation was ongoing and anyone with information was asked to contact the city 24-hour Crime Stoppers' tip line at 877-NWK-TIPS (877-695-8477) or NWK-GUNS (877-695-4867). Anonymous tips would be kept confidential and could lead to a reward, according to officials. Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook. JERSEY CITY -- Mayor Steve Fulop reiterated at a public meeting last night that a recent uptick in shootings in the city is not random and most of the victims are targeted. During a West Side public safety meeting last night, Fulop said police have a "tremendous" amount of information about the individuals committing crimes, but the city faces challenges when it investigates. In the first 15 days of June, at least 10 people were shot in 12 different incidents across the city. Police, however, struggle when no one comes forward to provide information and tips on crime, he added. "The biggest challenges that we have, I'm sure you see it in The Jersey Journal, is that often (victims and witnesses) don't want to cooperate in the most violent shootings and the most violent incidents," Fulop told dozens of people inside the St. Aloysius gym last night. "That's a challenge for us." He said roughly 25 to 30 people are "responsible for almost every single shooting in the city." Public Safety Director James Shea said in November 35 to 40 people were responsible for the city's gun violence. "We know who they are, but ultimately we can't just go arrest them for the sake of arresting them. You need to have a very tight case otherwise they do get out of those cases," Fulop said Fulop and Shea have made similar remarks in past public meetings in which they've described the obstacles police face investigating crimes. Fulop said the city additionally faces challenges when victims show up at Jersey City Medical Center with gunshot wounds and refuse to provide any information about their injuries. When asked by The Jersey Journal if saying these shootings are targeted is supposed to make residents feel more comfortable, Fulop said, "I don't know. "I just let people know that some of this stuff is targeted," he said. During the meeting, Fulop referenced a Jersey Journal story that he said inaccurately reported a June 7 daylight shooting in which a man -- believed to be an unintended target -- was grazed by a bullet. However, when The Jersey Journal asked Fulop about the shooting following the meeting, he replied that he doesn't "speak about specific incidents." A Las Vegas police officer leads Michael Steven Sandford out of the theater where authorities say he tried to take an officer's gun to shoot Donald Trump at a rally Saturday night. Feds say Sandford told them he lived in Hoboken. Local police are trying to confirm that a 19-year-old who authorities say tried to assassinate in Las Vegas on Saturday had been living in Hoboken for the past year and a half. "We've been looking into it," said Hoboken Police Chief Kenneth Ferrante. According to a federal criminal complaint filed Monday by the United States Attorney for Nevada, the suspect, Michael Steven Sandford, told a Secret Service investigator he had driven his BMW cross-country from his home in Hoboken with the intent of killing the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. Sanford is charged with attempting to commit "an act of violence on restricted grounds," the complaint states. The complaint said Sandford told the investigator he had been in the United States for a year and half, and had lived in Hoboken. The complaint also said Sandford was in possession of a driver's license from the United Kingdom. It said he had shown the license to the operators of a Las Vegas shooting range where he said he had gone to shoot a gun for the first time, in order to learn how to use one. "Sandford lived in Hoboken, NJ, upon coming to the U.S. and subsequently traveled to the Ontario/San Bernadino, California area via his personal car (a black 2007 BMW 328i)," the complaint stated. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department issued a press release on Saturday stating that Sandford approached one of its uniformed officers inside the Mystere Theater at the Treasure Island Hotel and Casino, and after first telling the officer he wanted Trump's autograph, then tried to take the officer's service weapon. "Sandford began a conversation with the officer under the pretense that he was seeking an autograph," a news release from the department stated. "During the conversation, Sandford attempted to disarm the officer. The officers assigned to the event were able to quickly take Sandford into custody with little further disruption at the venue." The criminal complaint filed Monday said Sandford told the Secret Service he was no less determined to kill Trump even after his arrest. "Sanford stated that if he were on the street tomorrow he would try this again," the complaint stated. A spokeswoman for the the Secret Service issued a statement Monday saying additional charges were pending and the investigation by her agency was continuing. "As this is an ongoing investigation, we cannot provide further details at this time," the statement read. Back in Hoboken, Chief Ferrante said his officers had not been able to confirm whether Sandford had driven out west from his home there, whether Sandford actually lived in the city, or what Sandford may have been doing in Hoboken while living there. Ferrante said the department had no record of any interaction with the young man, as a suspect in a crime, a victim, a witness or for any other reason. He said a survey of the department's 147 officers failed to illicit any recollection of the young man. "We haven't had any dealings with him," Ferrate said. NOTE: Ferrante innitally stated that his department had not been contacted by other law enforcement agencies about the case. However, the chief said he later learned that the Secret Service had called over the weekend. Sandford (PDF)
Sandford (Text) Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveStrunsky. Find NJ.com on Facebook. JERSEY CITY -- A jury began deliberating this morning in the trial of a 31-year-old man charged with murdering and decapitating two men in 2013. Yusuf Ibrahim is accused of shooting the two men in the chest on Feb. 5 after an argument that took place inside one of the victim's Mercedes Benz. Officials say Ibrahim hacked off the men's heads and hands, and buried their remains in a shallow grave in Buena Vista Township. After about an hour of deliberating, the jury sent a note to Hudson County Superior Court Judge Mitzy Galis-Menendez asking for a copy of the autopsy reports, a picture of Ibrahim's injuries, and ballistic evidence collected from the car. Galis-Menendez told the jury the autopsy results and picture of Ibrahim's injuries were not entered in as evidence and could not be given to them. She suggested the jury try to recall the information presented to the best of their ability. Ibrahim previously admitted to police that he killed the two men, and argued in court last week that he shot Hanny F. Tawadros, 25, and Amgad A. Konds, 27, out of self defense. While testifying on his own behalf, Ibrahim described himself as a "local celebrity" who loved women and weed. Earlier this month, the jury listened to Ibrahim's confession he made to police where he said "I smashed their teeth out with a wrench so you couldn't identify them by their teeth." He said he used scissors and a hack saw to cut off their hands and heads. The jury will deliberate through lunch today. IMG_0385 Mayor Steve Fulop and Schools Superintendent Marcia V. Lyles did not want to comment today on a new plan from Gov. Chris Christie that would lead to steep cuts in state aid to the city's school district. Terrence T. McDonald | The Jersey Journal (Jersey Journal file photo) JERSEY CITY -- A new plan proposed today by Gov. Chris Christie that would lead to steep cuts in state funding to Jersey City's public-school district was met with silence from the mayor and schools chief today. Mayor Steve Fulop, a Democrat who hasn't been shy about going after the Republican governor in the past, said outside his City Hall office this afternoon that he couldn't comment on Christie's plan because he hadn't read it. The Jersey Journal forwarded a copy of the proposal to his spokeswoman two hours before. Schools Superintendent Marcia V. Lyles declined through her spokeswoman to comment. The 28,000-student district is partially run by the state. After declining to comment, Fulop forwarded to this reporter an emailed statement from the Education Law Center that called Christie's plan "unconstitutional" and alleged it would "devastate" New Jersey schools. The ELC's 1981 lawsuit against the state led to increased state aid to urban school districts after the controversial Abbott v. Burke decision. Christie's plan, which would need approval from the Democratic-led Legislature and would have to survive a likely legal challenge, would radically alter the statewide school funding formula, implementing a blanket state aid figure of $6,599-per pupil in every school district. The state currently distributes about $9.1 billion in state aid based on a formula that provides more funding to special education students, students from low-income families and students who learn English as a second language. The formula leads to more funding to urban districts and less to suburban towns. Jersey City received $18,491 per pupil from the state last year. Secaucus, by comparison, received $2,133 per pupil in state aid. In a statement today, Christie called the current funding formula "unaffordable and broken." Vidya Gangadin, the Jersey City school board president, wasn't as quiet as Fulop and Lyles. In a statement, Gangadin said the governor's plan would lead to fewer teachers, guidance counselors, librarians and educational programs. Gangadin defended the current formula providing more aid to districts like Jersey City. "Socioeconomic disparities in New Jersey are not illusions. They are very real," she said. "While we would agree that the solution is more than money we must express concern against a devastating funding formula that results in draconian cuts and cripples the progress we have made." Gangadin also noted that the Jersey City school district has been under state control since 1989. Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. xschool34 School 34 on Kennedy Boulevard in Jersey City. (Terrence T. McDonald/Journal Photo) A new School 20 is scheduled to open in September in Jersey City and Assemblywoman Angela McKnight wanted it named for President Obama. However, school officials decided to name it instead in honor of the late renowned poet and memoirist Maya Angelou. So now, McKnight is pushing for School 34, located in the Greenville section of Jersey City and about a half-mile away from School 20, in honor of Obama. School 34's demographics are about the same as School 20: 61 percent of its students are black and 89 percent are economically disadvantaged. McKnight says "President Obama is a great role model for all children, an inspiration for all.'' Yesterday's results: Hunterdon County Polytech announces that students in the Class of 2016 have been offered scholarships totaling more than $1.7 million. Many graduating seniors will be moving on to attend four-year colleges and universities to continue studying in the same field they focused on while at Polytech. Shannon Tyms, a student of Polytech's nursing program, earned enough scholarship money to cover her first year of tuition at Cedarvile University in Ohio, where she will continue to study nursing. "The entire Polytech community is exceptionally proud of everything our seniors have achieved this year, and the amount of scholarships they have received is reflective of their hard work and dedication throughout the school year," said Dan Kerr, Principal of Polytech. In addition to the scholarship money the seniors have received, Polytech's student body earned 1,024 college credits during the 2015-16 school year. These credits have a value of $370,688 at Rutgers University, and $147,456 at Raritan Valley Community College and are representative of the money Polytech can help students save when it comes time for college. While many students are looking to continue on with their educations, others have plans to enlist in the military or immediately begin working in their fields. "The fact that our seniors have such varied plans is indicative of the fact that Polytech can prepare students for a variety of options following their graduations," said Principal Kerr. A number of students also capitalized on the opportunity to apply college credits earned through Polytech. Elizabeth Cudworth--a student in the Career Prep program--will be studying social work at Raritan Valley Community College, where she has already earned 15 credits. In addition, students in the animal technologies program took advantage of the articulation agreement Polytech holds with Delaware Valley University. Both Colgan Webb and Alyssa Schwartz will be attending the school, and two other students in the program were also accepted. Polytech wishes the best of luck to all graduating seniors. For more information regarding Polytech's programs and opportunities for earning college credit while in high school, visit www.hcpolytech.org or contact Dan Sexton at 908-788-1119, ext. 2024. This item was submitted by Dan Sexton. LEBANON TWP. -- An elderly Lebanon Township man was sentenced Friday to two years' probation and time served on a charge of lewdness. Hunterdon County Prosecutor Anthony P. Kearns III announced on Tuesday the sentencing of Meroslow Dudiak, 87, who pleaded guilty to the lewdness charge earlier this spring. He was sentenced by Hunterdon County Superior Court Judge Angela Borkowski. Violation of parole would subject Dudiak to the maximum sentence permitted by law. Fourth-degree crimes carry a potential penalty of up to 18 months in jail. Dudiak was arrested on Jan. 22, 2016, and charged with criminal sexual contact, a third-degree crime, and lewdness, a fourth-degree crime, after he allegedly exposed himself and made sexual contact with a victim while residing in the township. Dudiak pleaded guilty to one count of lewdness on March 14. The charges resulted from a joint investigation by the Prosecutor's Office and the Lebanon Township Police Department. In 1992, Dudiak pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter in the 1990 death of his wife, according to New Jersey Advance Media archives. According to reporting at the time, Dudiak, 63 at the time, admitted to strangling his wife of 30 years, Valerie, to death on Oct. 2, 1990, at their home on Mount Bethel Road in Mansfield Township. He was sentenced to eight years in state prison. Sallie Graziano may be reached at sgraziano@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SallieGraziano. Find NJ.com on Facebook. LAUREL & SAGE 33 Walnut St. Montclair (973) 783-1133 laurelandsage.com 1/2 THE VIBE: Unassuming and unpretentious space, yet bright and inviting BYOB. STANDOUT DISHES: Carrot orange ginger soup, mussels, sea bass, scallops, airline chicken breast The dynamic photographs on the walls, taken by a Pulitzer winner and a photojournalist who chronicled Justin Beiber, will not be the first thing you notice at Laurel & Sage. The lobster dumplings are that good. As is the carrot orange ginger soup. And the airline chicken. And the profiteroles. This spring, Laurel & Sage celebrated its first anniversary in Montclair. The restaurant has been so well-received that you may find it difficult to get a weekend reservation. The concept is fine dining disguised as casual, West Coast meets East Coast, with vibrant results, in a tiny BYOB on Walnut Street. You may notice all the accoutrements of fine dining -- the gracious service, the real silver, the amuse-bouche and the warm, homemade popovers that accompany each dinner. But it doesn't register, because you're wearing jeans, and the space is breezy, open, minimally adorned. You can stretch, laugh out loud. And you may be enjoying yourself too much to be able to directly pinpoint the reason why this place is so distinct from so many other Jersey restaurants. That is, until you talk to the chef. Yes, Shawn Paul Dalziel is most definitely intense. "We're really cooking here," he says, as he ticks off the list of handmade sauces that are always simmering on the stove: the lamb shank sauce, the mushroom stock, the consomme, the duck sauce, the shrimp stock, the chicken broth. Yet, the West Coast attitude is right there. Dalziel was born in Malibu, Calif. He worked as a child in his father's Hollywood restaurant, Two Dollar Bills, an anti-establishment spot at which Sam Kinison used to hang. He trained with West Coast guru Michael Mina, whose goal, as chef, is to make food come alive. Dalziel talks like an expert surfer, laid-back but confident -- with more patience and optimism than his Jersey counterparts. Yes, he is stunned by the prohibitive price of a liquor license in this state, but is grateful that New Jerseyans embrace the BYOB concept. Yes, Walnut Street is a little off the beaten path in Montclair, but it allows him a more reasonable schedule than most chefs. Plus, he's surprised how far people in this state are willing to drive for dinner. He is eager to please. "We're still big 'yes' people," he'll say. Thus, he welcomes those who bring along a list of ingredients they cannot eat. "It's okay," says Dalziel. "I tell my servers, it's okay." Most times, in the kitchen, it's easy enough to eliminate ingredients, to simplify. Just saute the salmon, steam the cauliflower. No worries. He is not, as a Jersey chef might, aggressively trying to get you to like him. The result is, without realizing, you're smitten. The globally inspired menu at Laurel & Sage, which is named for Dalziel's daughters, is seasonal, tightly focused and more than vibrant. Pops of flavor come from unusual sources. Blackberries, for example. Or lingonberries. Or red pepper marmalade. The must-have dish is the sea bass ($39), plump, sweet and divine, lacquered in a ginger-soy glaze. The sea bass would be perfect without a single accompaniment, pure and genuine. But Dalziel adds one ostentatious layer after another, and this dish ends up being a scandalous seduction, as giddy and flirtatious as a flapper after her first shot of bourbon. There is the mushroom consomme, which is dark and mysterious but also strong and bright, an astonishment in its own right. Then, a smattering of lobster dumplings, because why not? The dumplings are made even more rich with mascarpone, and are little pockets of decadence. This dish, and each element of it, will be your food memory. The carrot orange ginger soup ($13) also seduces, rich and bright and flavorful. It's an abundance of ginger that gives this soup heat -- and voila, somehow the carrots are sexy. Mussels ($16) are sexy to begin with, plump and sweet, but Dalziel adds a warm coconut milk sauce, accented by kefir and apple and Chablis, and now he's just not playing fair. Diver scallops ($17), which can also be ordered as an entree, are fat and darkly seared in a cast-iron skillet, as if they were little steaks. And guess what? The scallops can handle it. They are accompanied by a rich and creamy side of kabocha squash gnocchi and chestnut crema, which sounds overwhelming, but remarkably is not. Note to other Jersey chefs: Scallops are stronger than they seem. Buttery and crisp, the outsized crab cake ($17) is gorgeously displayed, its frothy tartar sauce, which is spiked with cornichons and peppercorns, is splayed across the plate like a sea creature. For dinner, braised short ribs ($35) are less about being rustic and more about savoir faire. These short ribs are made with pomegranate and molasses; the dish is prepared like a jelly roll, then spread open on the plate. Airline chicken breast ($26), so named because the first joint of the wing is still attached, is milky, sweet and stuffed with a mild homemade sausage. Long Island duck ($36) is also seared in a cast-iron skillet -- for 12 minutes, Dalziel is certain to tell you -- to be sure all the fat is rendered. The sauce is a bone sauce fortified with Madeira. The duck is served with foie gras. Extravagant, right? Then, for fun, a bowl of crisp fries, made of root vegetables. The profiteroles ($9) are the must-have dessert. They're not made in advance, which means the pastry is not soggy, and the ice cream is handmade (plus lingonberries). Beignets ($9) are fresh and warm, and arrive with several seductive sauces. The chocolate tart ($9) is a well-loved option, but richly chocolate. Those photographs? Dalziel's poker friends are photographers. Robert Caplin, who has worked for The New York Times and who put together an illustrated biography of Justin Beiber, took that shot of the boy in Cuba jumping into the water. And Vincent Laforet, who has taken photos for Apple and Vanity Fair, has won a Pulitzer. If you don't notice the photos, no worries. You'll be back. MORE FROM INSIDE JERSEY MAGAZINE Follow Inside Jersey on Twitter. Find Inside Jersey on Facebook and Google+ IMG_1655.JPG A memorial to Jessica Prusik in John A. Roebling Memorial Park on Wed. Oct. 7, 2015. (Kevin Shea | For NJ.com) ( ) HAMILTON -- A Hamilton man has been indicted on charges he killed a 38-year-old woman and dumped her body in a park in October, authorities said Tuesday. Tyron D. Lindsay, 38, of Hamilton, has been indicted on one count of first-degree murder in the death of Jessica Prusik after she was found strangled in a park in October. (file photos) A grand jury indicted Tyron D. Lindsay, 38, last week on one count of first-degree murder in the death of Jessica Prusik, acting Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo Onofri said. Lindsay has remained in jail on $1 million bail since his arrest Oct. 7. Prusik's body was discovered a day earlier in a weeded area in Roebling Park off of Sewell Street, authorities said. An autopsy determined she was strangled. Authorities had said that Lindsay was the last known person to be with Prusik on Oct. 5. Detectives were also able to place them together in a black 1992 Ford F150 extended cab, which was later found by police in Bristol, Pennsylvania. Video surveillance showed the truck on Oct. 6 heading toward Roebling Park and when Lindsay was arrested Oct. 7 on unrelated warrants, he had Prusik's bank cards on him, authorities said. Lindsay had been released from state prison in April 2015 after serving terms for a 2004 robbery conviction, records showed. Prusik, who attended Hamilton's Nottingham High School during the same time as Lindsay, was a married mother of two children and stepmother to five. She had recently started her own house-cleaning business. Cristina Rojas may be reached at crojas@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @CristinaRojasTT. Find NJ.com on Facebook. SOUTH BRUNSWICK -- A crash involving a box truck and a tractor-trailer on the New Jersey Turnpike Monday night has left a 50-year-old man dead, according to police. At around 6:30 p.m., a 2000 Isuzu box truck and a 2005 International tractor-trailer were traveling northbound on the turnpike near mile marker 88 when the two vehicles collided, causing both to cross the roadway, according to according to Sgt. Jeff Flynn of the New Jersey State Police. The tractor-trailer was left jack-knifed on an exit ramp with the box truck overturned in a grassy area to the right of the ramp. The 52-year-old driver of the box truck, Segundo Tenemea, of Belleville, was pronounced dead at the scene, Flynn said. The driver of the tractor-trailer was identified as Robert Griffin, 50, of North Carolina, who sustained injuries that were not life threatening. He was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Medical Center in New Brunswick for precautionary measures. No one else was injured in the incident, police said. The crash caused lane closures for about four hours. Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find the Find NJ.com on Facebook. Storm Prep for Irene The old Highlands Municipal Building was badly damaged by Hurricane Sandy. Two borough officials fell through the ceiling Tuesday morning after going there to retrieve records. (File photo by Russ DeSantis | For The Star-Ledger) HIGHLANDS -- Two borough officials were hospitalized Tuesday morning after falling 20 feet from the attic of the Sandy-ravaged old municipal building. Borough Clerk Carolyn Cummins and Debby Dailey, the deputy borough clerk, went to the old municipal building on 171 Bay Avenue to retrieve records that were stored there, said Borough Administrator Brian Geoghegan. The now vacant building was badly damaged by Hurricane Sandy but some miscellaneous equipment and old records are kept there, Geoghegan said. He said Cummins and Dailey were in the attic of the building around 10:20 a.m. when they fell through the ceiling approximately 20 feet to the concrete floor. They were rushed to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune. Geoghegan did not know their condition as of Tuesday afternoon. No additional information was available. In a post on Facebook, Highlands Mayor Frank Nolan urged residents to keep Cummins and Dailey in their prayers. Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Those rallying around the Second Amendment seem to ignore the Fourth WASHINGTON (AP) The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol has issued a subpoena to Donald Trump. The nine-member panel sent a letter to the former president's lawyers on Friday, demanding his testimony under oath by mid-November and outlining a series of corresponding documents. The decision by lawmakers to exercise their subpoena power comes a week after the committee made its final case against the former president, who they say is the "central cause" of the multi-part effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election. It remains unclear how Trump and his legal team will respond to the subpoena, if at all. Welcome to nonleaguedaily.coms news provision, your go-to source for all non league updates, rumours, interviews, and much more besides. Founded by a team with a genuine passion for the world of non league football, nonleaguedaily.com understands exactly what supporters of the so-called lower leagues are looking for. You want the high-quality reporting, in-depth analysis, and match reporting that matches that is more commonly found in the journalism for the top flights, but with the focus firmly fixed on the national leagues. We understand that your passion, interest, and dedication is constant, and we believe you need a news service that matches that commitment with its own dedication and thoroughness so thats what you can expect from our site. The latest non league news, as and when it happens Conventionally, non league news has always travelled fairly slowly, especially when compared to the instantaneous, constant breaking news cycles found in the upper leagues. Tales are told on terraces, rumours passed between pub patrons and circled between supporters at the latest game, often forced to remain somewhat local initially before word eventually spreads to other locales. For us, this slow spread may be fairly organic in nature, but it simply isnt compatible with the modern football environment. Its also not conducive to the current fast-paced, always-available media landscape, nor the way that people tend to consume news nowadays. Thats why we have put together a non league news source that fans can turn to for the latest updates, as and when they happen, and as and when you want to read them. Non-league news now is the only acceptable speed at Betting.co.uk. We update our non-league football news coverage constantly, bringing you all the latest developments and seeking to spread the word as quickly and accurately as possible. So if youre wondering whats happening both with your local team and with the lower leagues as a whole, you can visit us for non league news now, and be confident the stories you find are completely up to date. News reported by passionate fans Our efforts to bring you the very best non league football news are undeniably a professional concern, and one that we take seriously. We are if youll excuse the uncharacteristic tooting of our own horns good at what we do, and we know that the efforts we make in this regard are one of the reasons our site has enjoyed such success thus far. However, everyone who writes for us also shares our readers enthusiasm for non league football. Were not just churning out content in the hopes of cashing in on a professional dream; were here because we want to be, and will always be dedicated and committed to non league football as an entity and thriving in the experience of being able to talk about our favourite subject whenever we can. We create non-league news now that is written by genuine fans and enthusiasts, for fans. We know what you want to know and what matters most to an ardent non league supporter, and we always ensure that focusing on these elements is our guiding principle as we seek to solidify our status as an online non league paper fans can always rely on. When compiling non league news, we think with the mind of a fan first and foremost. We cover the angles and stories that we find compelling and that we know our fellow non league enthusiasts also care about. News doesnt have to be dry and formulaic, in our opinion. When its written by people who are genuinely as fascinated by the stories they are reporting on as their readership will be, we believe news can be interesting, compelling, and even have a sense of personality and humour. News content written with passion and expertise We believe that thanks to our dedication, insightfulness, and commitment to our subject matter of non league today, we are offering the best of both worlds to those searching for an online non league paper. We give you the professional approach we feel is appropriate for news about one of the most intriguing aspects of UK football; an aspect that we genuinely feel does not receive the interest and plaudits that it should be generating. Nevertheless, we dont let that professionalism take over everything we do: we remain committed fans, nurturing our own personal interest in non league football and ensuring every word we compose is infused with a sense of passion and dedication that enhances the posts we create. Its therefore obvious that our non-league content today isnt ever going to be dry, basic, or put together by a tired staff writer who has never heard of any team below the Championship before they rush off to the pub for the evening. Our writers are genuine experts: were covering non league football because we want to, because we believe in it, and because its where our strengths lie. The result is informed content that capitalises on our deep knowledge of the history, as well as the present-day realities, of non league football in the UK. Beyond news: the nonleaguedaily.com interview series One of our goals with nonleaguedaily.com is to not just dryly report the news from an outsiders perspective, effectively regurgitating press releases that are devoid of genuinely illuminating information. We also go right to the source of the stories: the managers and club insiders who have direct experience, and often influence, on the sport and how it is managed. We regularly conduct interviews as part of our news provision, asking the questions that are on everyones lips and providing the best possible view into the non league world. We have reporters pitchside at matches, microphone to hand and plentiful questions ready to be asked. The end result for you, the reader, is the kind of information and close-up looks into the non league world that just cant be found anywhere else. As our commitment to providing interesting interviews amply demonstrates, we want to be involved in breaking the stories that everyone then talks about, rather than following along and focusing solely on what everyone already knows. If youre looking for leading content that you cant find anywhere else, and that goes right to the centre of the non league world, then you can turn to nonleaguedaily.com for all the benefits of a conventional non league paper, but in electronic, easily-accessed form. A host of other content to enjoy alongside the non league today Our focus on providing non league news will always be maintained: we consider this aspect the most important of what we do, and it will always be the recipient of our time, dedication, and interest. Well be here, a consistent and trustworthy news portal, for as long as non league football news exists. With that said, when you have read up on the latest goings-on, were here with further content for you to enjoy. Naturally, given our partnership with leading brand Betting.co.uk, we provide guidelines for those interested in the world of sports betting. Well help you find the best UK bookmaker with our plentiful coverage of existing brands; ideal if youre looking to put your newfound knowledge, courtesy of us, about non league to use and place a few bets. Furthermore, we also provide highlights of all the latest UK betting offers, so you can ensure youre achieving the best value with all the latest betting deals whenever youre betting on the latest non league matches. Youll find all of this coverage is as consistent and reliable as our non league news provision, Non league features and deep dives Returning to the world of non league football, we also provide a range of feature content that goes deeper and further into the non league world than ever before. Less instantaneously topical but still hugely relevant to the modern game, our features are the dream deep dives that we feel non league fans deserve. Were always striving to do better, offer more, and ensure that non league fans can enjoy the same wealth of content as followers of the top tiers, so you can expect top-flight content with the same commitment and dedication as found throughout the upper echelons of the sport. So whether youre looking to find the most recent non league football news, seeking a new bookmaker for your non league bets, or hoping to delve deep into a niche non league-related topic, nonleaguedaily.com is always going to be worth a visit. Return to nonleaguedaily.com for all your non league news needs Weve told you what you can expect from nonleaguedaily.coms news; now we need to put our confidence where our promises are, make sure we deliver on those promises, and establish trust as an online non league paper you can trust. We look forward to welcoming you back to our news section and showcasing the best we have to offer, from exciting new non league interviews to cutting-edge news to transfer speculation. If you want to truly have your finger on the non league pulse, then nonleaguedaily.com is always going to be here for you. Lets get one thing straight from the start: Chris Chapman is not the director of the Oregon State University marching band. But its an easy mistake to make: Chapman directs enough bands that it could be tough for outsiders to keep straight. Specifically, the OSU professor and director of bands is the director of the OSU wind ensemble, the Springfield-based British brass band the Oregon Brass Society and Portland Wind Symphony, a semi-professional wind band. When the groups are not on break (the OSU ensemble is on break over the summer, and the Portland symphony rehearses the six weeks before a concert and then takes a break), Chapman has brass band rehearsals every other Sunday, Portland Wind Symphony rehearsals every Monday, and rehearsals with the OSU wind ensemble Tuesdays and Thursdays. Combine those three pieces, and I feel fulfilled, he said. Chapman said he likes working with the brass band and wind symphony because it gives him a chance to work with different repertoires and musicians are his colleagues instead of his students. I love my job and I wouldnt trade it for the world, but the chance to work with people my own age is really rewarding, he said. Chapman said the groups performance schedule occasionally has him hurrying down I-5 from Portland to Eugene for concerts on the same day. Of course, Chapman also teaches advanced conducting classes and does private lessons with music graduate students. However, he said his work with the musicians is rewarding enough that hed want to keep doing it if it werent his job. The administrative part is the job, he said. Thats why they pay me. He said people outside of music may not understand just how much the conductors are communicating as they direct: its more than just waving around your arms. Its all psychology. The way we stand, the way we move, the way we look and gesture, he said. He said teaching how the music is meant to be played is also a major part of conducting. And his goal in conducting is to play the music in a way that communicates what the composers wanted to convey. Sometimes they want to tell a story, he said, sometimes they want to convey an emotion or something less tangible than that. The answer always begins with what the composer wanted, he said. Although the OSU Wind Ensemble is on break over the summer, Chapmans not really getting much of a break: hes working in the office everyday, conducting at the Northwest Band Camp this week, running the music departments booths at START sessions for incoming freshmen over the summer and still working with the two adult bands. And of course, I was called for jury duty in July, he said. SWEET HOME Staff from the Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District responded to a call at 9:39 a.m. Monday that a pole barn was on fire at 27722 Riggs Hill Road on the east side of town. The property is owned by Joyce Marvin. Although the wood-framed metal shop was only about 15 feet away, firefighters kept flames away from the home, which was not damaged. According to Lt. Josh Bondesen, the contents of the shop were destroyed, including an older motor home, a ski boat and a small pickup truck. Sweet Home fire sent two tenders, two engines, a medic unit and command rig. The Lebanon Fire District sent an engine and a tender and put a medic unit on standby at Santiam Terrace. Brownsville Fire District also provided a tender. No one was injured and the amount of the loss was unknown, as is the origin of the fire. According to the Linn County Assessors Office, the 960-square-foot shop was constructed in 1998 and is valued at about $7,100. Bondesen said a large fir tree between the shop and the house may have helped keep the fire from spreading between the two units. Sea Eagles outside back Matthew Wright has been charged with a grade two careless high tackle, the only player to attract the attention of the NRL match review committee from Monday night's Titans-Sea Eagles clash at Cbus Super Stadium. With a previous good record, Wright can escape suspension for his 79th minute shot on Gold Coast fullback Will Zillman with an early guilty plea. A 58-year-old Albany man who is awaiting a lung transplant took a turn for the worse Friday, according to his daughter-in-law Cassidy Stone. Mike Stone has ICF idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis which seriously damages and scars lung tissue. His mother, Rita Stone, of Salem, died of the disease at age 58. There is no cure and most people live only three to five years after diagnosis. Stones family and friends have begun raising $150,000 to defray costs associated with a lung donor as he waits to get on a recipient list. Friday, Stone was transferred to Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Corvallis by Albany medics. He was admitted into the Intensive Care Unit because he could not get enough oxygen into his system. Saturday evening, Stone was transported to the Corvallis airport by the Corvallis Fire Department, where they met an Angels Medflight. Stone and his wife, Tammy, were flown to Stanford Medical Center in Palo Alto, California. Stones son, Casey, is a firefighter/paramedic with the Corvallis Fire Department and was able to prepare his father for transport and to brief the flight medics about his fathers condition. Mike is currently at Stanford in the ICU undergoing tests and meeting with doctors, his daughter-in-law said Monday. Stanford performs about 50 lung transplants a year. Stone said the family needs another $25,000 to reach their $150,000 goal and get Stone on the recipient waiting list. Stones wife, Tammy, said her husband is a prime candidate for a transplant because he is in good health and physical condition, except for his lungs. He is an outdoorsman who enjoys camping, fishing and hunting and, until recent months, worked out regularly at a local gym. We appreciate all the community support through all the donations, shares, and prayers, Stone said. We will continue the fundraisers we have planned throughout the summer to help out with other expenses such as housing, medication expenses for after the transplant (if or when he receives one), and other expenses. Since Tammy won't be working, since she is down there with him, she will not have an income. Donations should be directed to Fight for Mike Stone at any Oregon State Federal Credit Union. A YouCaring page has been established for the family at http://bit.ly/1UyKyrH. Day two of the 9th Annual Diversity Career Fair and Business Symposium will focus on a career fair for job seekers. The career fair will be open to the public from noon to 4 p.m. on June 23 at the Radisson in Merrillville. NWI SHRM, the Society for Human Resource Management of NWI, will lead sessions for job seekers. The sessions will focus on resume critiquing and interviewing skills. We will have free workshops for those who want to review their resume, said Cyndi Harbin, the workforce readiness chair for NWI SHRM. Job seekers will also have the opportunity to talk with career advisers who will be in attendance. For those who want to brush up on their interviewing skills, we will have a workshop set up to review interviewing skills, how to participate in an interview, and what type of questions to expect from potential employers. When it comes to resume reviewing, Harbin offers several suggestions for those who want a second pair of eyes to review their presentation. A resume should be a concise snapshot, she said. Its a one- to two-page statement on why the employer should hire you. Harbin added that job seekers should have multiple copies of their resume, each one modified to match the particular employer. Job seekers should always have multiple versions of their resume, she advised. It should contain keywords that will attract the attention of that particular employer. When it comes to interviewing skills, Harbin believes a relaxed, confident demeanor is paramount. An interview is a conversation, she said. Its important to be prepared, and its equally important to be calm and confident. This is your opportunity to expand on the snapshot of your resume. NWI SHRM will also review the top questions asked by interviewers to help job seekers prepare. Mock interviews are important, Harbin said. Practice makes perfect. Sponsors of this years career fair are a whos who of local business: NIPSCO, BP, Work One, The Center of Workforce Innovations, HealthLinc, Tradewinds and NWI SHRM. Additional sponsors and vendors, just to name a few, include Centier Bank, Strack & Van Til, Horizon Bank, Community Healthcare Systems, McDonalds, JMJ Talent Solutions, City of Valparaiso, Blue Chip Casino, Lake County Library and many more. Please visit nwi.com/diversity for a complete list of participating companies. All of the vendors listed will have booths where job seekers may submit resumes and discuss career openings with the respective companies. Many local businesses are excited to participate in the career fair, said Roxanne Olejnik, Times classified manager. The career fair continues to expand and provide additional employment opportunities for our diverse region. Several of the companies listed will also participate in the first day of the Symposium, where they will share the diversity programs their company has implemented. Speakers from NIPSCO, the City of Gary, HealthLinc, McDonald's and Urban League, will discuss their own journeys to scale the career ladder. Northwest Indiana has embraced the efforts to recognize our diverse workforce, Olejnik said. The annual career fair is a great starting point for both employers and potential employees. A Democratic Party candidate whos looking to return to her former seat in the state Legislature accused Indianapolis of ignoring the Regions transportation needs by letting the demolished Cline Avenue Bridge remain down for up to a decade. United Bridge Partners, a partnership of companies and investors that includes the Figg Bridge Group, recently started construction on an operations and maintenance building that will serve the new $150 million toll bridge, which would charge an estimated toll of $2 or $2.50 to cross. Work on the 6,235-square-foot bridge may not be completed until 2019, a decade after the Indiana Department of Transportation shut it down for safety reasons. Mara Candelaria Reardon, who is running for the District 12 General Assembly seat she lost in the 2014 election, issued a statement saying the Region was being neglected by the capital. I applaud the city of East Chicago for moving forward with the project as best as they could while being ignored by our Republican, not so super, majority in the House, that has chosen in the last three budget cycles to ignore Northwest Indiana and their transportation needs, impeding commerce and stunting access to vital job markets for almost a decade, Reardon said. She went on to blast the states unwillingness to fund or rebuild the bridge, leaving it to a private company that will make a profit by charging tolls. The empty promises of one governor and the blatant disregard by our current governor have brought us to where we are today, mortgaging our assets and passing the buck to the locals, the private sector and the people who will now have to pay a toll to get to their jobs, she said. Cline Avenue is a state highway that runs between Griffith and the Chicago Skyway in Illinois. After trucks hauled countless steel coils over it, the bridge over the Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal was closed because of structural deficiencies in 2009. It has remained closed since then despite promises from then Gov. Mitch Daniels that it would be swiftly replaced. Commuters and semitrailer drivers have since had to find other ways to get to ArcelorMittal Indiana Harbor, the largest steelmaking complex in North American, and the BP Whiting Refinery, the largest refinery in the Midwest. Chicago residents havent been able to take Cline Avenue the fastest route to the Ameristar Casino in East Chicago or the Majestic Star Casino in Gary. The Indiana Court of Appeals has upheld last year's child molesting convictions and 48-year prison sentence of Hebron resident Larry Shawn Martin. The court threw out Martin's claims there was insufficient evidence to support his convictions. Martin, 42, argued in his appeal the young victim "presented inconsistent testimony at trial and testimony that was inherently improbable." The victim, who was 13 when the abuse took place between October 2012 and February 2013, testified Martin had sex with her nearly daily and sometimes more than once a day. She said her feelings grew stronger for Martin even after he first forced her to have sex with him and then threatened to hurt her and her family if she told anyone of the encounters. The appellate court acknowledged the girl's testimony concerning the dates when Martin first and last had sex with her was unclear, but found her claims to be credible. "Martin's arguments are an invitation to reweigh the evidence and judge the credibility of the witness, which we cannot do," the court wrote. Martin also argued that Porter Superior Court Judge Roger Bradford abused his discretion with the 48-year sentence by not considering factors in Martin's favor. The court disagreed with this claim and Martin's challenge to the length of the sentence. "The trial court's sentence was entirely within the range allowed by statute," the court wrote. The court weighed the nature of the offense, which involved Martin having sex with the 13-year-old girl "too many times to count" within the span of approximately three months. He also threatened to hurt her and her family if she told anyone about the encounters, manipulated her into thinking they had a "boyfriend/girlfriend" relationship and continued contacting her despite a no-contact order, the court wrote. While Martin will be eligible to complete his sentence in half the time with good behavior and participation in various prison programs, he will not begin the term until at least May 2017 when he is done serving time for a probation violation from an earlier offense, according to defense attorney Clay Patton. MARKHAM A Calumet City man was sentenced Tuesday to two consecutive natural life sentences for the 2009 shooting deaths of two men outside a bar, according to the Cook County States Attorney Anita Alvarezs office. Jeremy Rodriguez, 29, was previously convicted by jury on two counts of first-degree murder for fatally shooting Michael Johnson, 24, and Edward White, 22, both of Chicago, according to a news release. He appeared at a hearing Tuesday at the 6th District Cook County Courthouse in Markham before Judge Frank Zelezinski. Rodriguez was part of a group on May 20, 2009, exiting a Calumet City bar in the 400 block of Torrence Avenue when Rodriguez began talking aggressively, according to the news release. Johnson, the lounge manager, asked that the group leave the area. Rodriguez then pulled out a handgun and shot Johnson in the chest and then fired the gun again, striking White in the back. Rodriguez fled the scene but was arrested a short time later. A LaPorte area man held an intruder at gunpoint for several minutes before the intruder took off running. Eric Rose, 22, of Michigan City, was arrested soon afterward after police found him about a quarter-mile away trying to hide in a pasture. Rose was being held without bond until a decision was made on a request to charge him with residential entry, police said Monday. Police said Rose entered a home about 7 a.m. Saturday on Forrester Road west of LaPorte through a back door and made his way to an attached garage where Kent Cleveland, 43, grabbed a loaded rifle from his work bench. "I told him to get out, and I followed him out with my rifle," Cleveland said. Cleveland said he held him face down to the ground but just before officers showed up the intruder got up and took off running. The man never made any threats or demands claiming he simply walked into the wrong house, he said. "I was thinking of my family's safety when somebody I don't know walks into my house," said Cleveland, whose wife was sleeping in an upstairs bedroom. Police said Rose also is a suspect in a burglary on nearby Small Road just prior to the failed burglary attempt. EAST CHICAGO One Lake County police officer was injured in a pursuit Friday that started in East Chicago and traveled into Gary, an official said. The chase was initiated by East Chicago police, and Sheriff's Department officers provided assistance, sheriff's spokesman Mark Back said. Back said the officer's injuries were minor. Two Lake County police cars also were damaged during the pursuit. Back deferred to East Chicago police for questions about the reason for the chase, its path and whether any arrests were made. East Chicago police Lt. Marguerite Wilder said Tuesday afternoon she had not yet seen a report about the pursuit and did not have any information. Sheriff's police became involved in the chase about 5:55 p.m. Friday in the area of Fourth Avenue and McKinley Street. Later, a sheriff's officer was driving south on Grant Street when the suspect, who was driving a white Ford van north, struck the officer's squad, Back said. The collision caused damage to the entire driver's side of the squad. Another Lake County squad was damaged when the suspect's vehicle got a flat tire, causing debris to fly up and crack the squad's windshield, Back said. LAKE STATION A Merrillville man was charged Monday in connection with a shooting last weekend at Columbus Park, police said. Lake Station police took Ronald E. Shackelford, 20, into custody Monday night and seized a gun believed to be used in the shooting, Capt. Brian Williams said. Shackelford is facing felony counts of aggravated battery, battery by means of a deadly weapon, battery resulting in serious bodily injury and criminal recklessness, according to Lake Criminal Court records. A second person taken into custody after the shooting was released without charges, Williams said. Police responded about 3 p.m. Saturday to the park in the 4700 block of Liverpool Road. Shackelford was involved in an argument between two groups of people at the park. According to the affidavit, witnesses saw Shackelford reach into the driver's side of a silver Pontiac and retrieve a gun. He was then heard asking, "Who wants to die first," according to the affidavit. One person reported backing away with his arms in the air when Shackelford shot at another man, according to court records. The man was wounded in the abdomen. His wound was not life-threatening, police said. CROWN POINT Irma Melendez explained to the court Tuesday how her family was left with a sense of emptiness when her husband of 32 years was gunned down nearly six years ago in East Chicago. She then spoke directly to the man sitting in the courtroom who admitted to his role in her husband's slaying. "Please, Jeremy," Melendez said. "I do forgive you." Jeremy Brazill, 25, let out a loud wail as he sat next to his defense attorney. He apologized to the family, saying he was young and wasn't thinking that early morning of July 14, 2010. "I didn't want this to happen," Brazill said through sobs and cries. "I'm sorry." Lake Criminal Judge Diane Boswell sentenced Brazill on Tuesday to 25 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and attempted robbery. She cited Brazill's age, lack of criminal history and mental health problems as she handed down the sentence. Jose Melendez, 52, of East Chicago, died after he was shot while Brazill and Terrance Kevin Strong tried to rob him of his van, according to court records. Melendez drove off and crashed into another car near 150th and Tod Avenue in East Chicago. About 40 minutes later, Brazill admitted that he shot to death Cordell Allen, 22, in the 4800 block of Northcote Avenue in East Chicago. Brazill testified against Strong who stood trial twice with the first ending in a mistrial. Strong was cleared of charges in Melendez's homicide during the second trial. Jurors were unable to reach a verdict in the charge related to Allen's homicide. Earlier this month, the Lake County prosecutor's office dismissed the murder charge Strong faced just before he was scheduled to stand trial for a third time. Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Judith Massa said the men planned to use Melendez's van to commit burglaries. Brazill at the time had ties to the Gangsters Disciple gang. Brazill, who has addresses listed in Dolton and East Chicago, has no prior misdemeanor or felony convictions. Defense attorney Linda Kollintzas said Brazill had been waiting for the opportunity to face the Melendez family for a long time. Wearing a Lake County Jail uniform, Brazill faced the Melendez family, who was sitting next to his mother in the gallery. He told them he felt their pain when he saw them in court throughout the years. "I didn't want your father to get hurt," he said. Brazill said he wanted the families to know the truth about what happened so they could find some sense of peace. He wished Allen's family was present Tuesday. "I'm not a killer," he said. "That was the first time I killed anyone. Will you forgive me?" Irma Melendez's daughter, Natalie Dominguez, nodded as Brazill spoke. Dominguez told the court she understood people make mistakes, but she also couldn't make new memories with her father. She urged Brazill to turn to God. "Do good with your life," she said. "If you have children, love them. They'll love you just as much as I loved my dad. You can do it." Dominguez was one of Jose Melendez's four children. Irma Melendez recalled family cookouts and fishing trips with her husband. He liked Thanksgiving so much that he would spend the day making turkey noises as he helped prepare the meal, Melendez said. "I can no longer have that," she said. Mary Brazill dabbed her eyes with tissue as she apologized to the Melendez family. She said her son has mental health problems, which he is being treated for at the jail. "I'm asking for mercy," she said. "He did something wrong and he needs to pay for it. He wasn't raised like this." Linn Countys unemployment rate continued to decline and hit 5.5 percent in May, the lowest local mark since Oregon began keeping county-by-county data in 1990. This was the fourth month in a row with record low unemployment in Linn County. Good news there. For the better part of five years, the economy was pretty much stuck in neutral, said Patrick OConnor, regional economist with the Oregon Employment Department. Across the Willamette River in Benton County, the rate rose slightly from 3.4 percent to 3.6 percent though that remains the lowest current mark in the state. Overall, from the employment numbers, we saw a fairly normal month in Benton County. Two-tenths of a percentage point isnt huge. Its certainly a lower rate than its been in some time, OConnor said. Oregons statewide unemployment rate remained at 4.5 percent last month, the lowest rate since the state began keeping records in 1976. During the last few months, the national economy has stalled somewhat, causing economists concern, OConnor said. But Oregon continues to see some healthy growth, and locally, weve seen some growth continue, he added. Linn County Linn County had a 5.7 percent unemployment rate for April. The county now has 120 more jobs than its pre-recession peak in February 2008, and the area finally got above 2008 figure just last month. Unemployment has decreased this last year at the same time as the civilian labor force has grown by nearly 1,500 workers. Over the past year, Linn County has 1,790 workers for a 4.2 percent increase. That outpaces both the states job growth of 3.5 percent and the national rate of 1.7 percent. To see that its up above 4 percent for annual growth, thats awfully fast, OConnor said. Linn Countys private sector added 1,650 jobs since May 2015, a 4.8 percent jump, while the public sector added 140 jobs for a 1.8 percent increase. The fastest growing private-sector industries over the past year in Linn County were professional and business services, up 350 jobs or 11.4 percent, leisure and hospitality, up 340 jobs or 10 percent, and construction, up 170 jobs or 6.7 percent. Benton County Though Benton Countys rate climbed, the news was mostly positive again in May. Starting in February, the county has had a lower unemployment rate since anytime before 2000. In May, the county has 2,640 more jobs than its pre-recession employment peak in November 2007, and there also are 1,400 more people in the labor force compared to just a month ago. Benton Countys employment has grown by 810 jobs over the last year, a 1.9 percent increase. While Benton Countys private sector added 350 jobs for a 1.4 percent increase during the last year, the public sector saw an additional 460 jobs for a 3.1 percent jump. The fastest growing private-sector industries in Benton County were mining, logging and construction, up 60 jobs, or 5.2 percent, and health care and social assistance, up 240 jobs, or 4.1 percent. CROWN POINT The mother of an 18-year-old who was shot to death last year sat in the witness box Monday with a framed photo of her son. Quiana Felders stared directly at James Adams as she told him about the anger and bitterness she has felt since her son, Anfernee Jones, was gunned down Oct. 31, 2015. You took my sons life over a car, she said. Something you can get back. Can I get my son back? No. A Lake County jury in April found Adams, 52, of Gary, guilty of reckless homicide, a Level 5 felony. He was acquitted of a murder charge he had faced. Mondays hearing was the beginning of a two-part sentencing in front of Lake Criminal Judge Samuel Cappas. Last Halloween, Adams was inside the Discount Liquors Store when he saw Anfernee Jones get in his car. He had left the 1995 maroon Cadillac unlocked with the keys in the ignition. Adams was seen on surveillance video leaving the store and firing into the vehicle. Jones drove off and crashed into an abandoned garage near 15th Avenue and Roosevelt Street. Jones, 18, of Gary, was declared dead at the scene. Felders questioned why her son had to die over a materialistic object. You didnt have to take my childs life, Felders said. You shot my child four times. Four times. She pointed out how his insurance would have probably taken care of the car. Felders said she would have made her son repay Adams for the car even if that meant having him do manual labor for Adams. You didnt give my son his chance to right his wrong, she said. Felders mentioned that Adams previously lost a son and wondered if the shooting happened because Adams never learned who killed his son. A woman seated in the gallery called Adams a coward during the hearing. She left the courtroom after Cappas warned the gallery to not make any outbursts. Jones father, Joel Jones, told Cappas the intentions of what happened were important to take into consideration. Jones at one point paused as he became emotional. To me, it was clear that my son didnt have a gun, he said. Recalling the evidence presented at trial, Jones said his sons arm was up as if he was trying to block the gunshots coming through the car. I want closure, Jones said. Defense attorney Scott King asked for the sentencing hearing to be continued to allow Adams to be evaluated for community corrections. He said Adams had not been evaluated as of Monday because of a miscommunication. The hearing is expected to continue July 13. GARY A woman with a gunshot wound to her hand showed up at a fire station, left as firefighters called police and then turned up two hours later at a local hospital, officials said. The woman walked into Gary Fire Station 4 at 330 W. 25th Ave. about 2:15 p.m. Monday and told firefighters she had a graze wound to her hand and bullet fragments in her hand. As firefighters called police to the scene, the woman left the fire station, police Lt. Dawn Westerfield said. Police were dispatched at 4:12 p.m. to Methodist Hospitals Northlake Campus after the woman showed up there for treatment. The woman refused to make a police report, so Westerfield had no information about the woman's age or extent of her injuries. WASHINGTON Elizabeth Holzhall Richard, a former Hammond resident, is scheduled to be sworn in today as the new U.S. ambassador to Lebanon. Richard served most recently as deputy assistant secretary and the coordinator for foreign assistance to the Near East in the State Departments Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs. In that role, Richard oversaw a foreign assistance budget of more than $7 billion. Richard, 56, said she was thrilled when she was told she would be named to the post in Lebanon. She called it both a huge honor and a huge responsibility. Ive been doing this for 30 years now, so Im absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to serve with the folks that Ill be working with and try to be able to make a little bit of a positive contribution, Richard said. For three decades, Richard has served as a foreign service officer in some of the governments most challenging posts, including Afghanistan, Pakistan and Yemen. A graduate of the National War College in Washington, D.C., and the NATO Defense College in Rome, she has undergraduate and law degrees from Southern Methodist University. Her father, Vern Holzhall, retired as president of Mercantile National Bank of Indiana. Her mother, Mary, was a travel agent. Both still live in the area and Richard visits Northwest Indiana often. Her parents, siblings and other relatives, including her late husbands family, were expected to attend todays swearing-in ceremonies. Born in Palos Heights, Illinois, Richards family moved to Hammond when she was 5 and she lived there until leaving for college. She graduated from Elizabeth Seton High School, later Seton Academy, in South Holland. When I think of America ... I think about the place where I grew up, she said Friday. Richard was just a young teen when she began working at Haneys Pharmacy in Hammond. The Regions work ethic was one of the things she remembers most about the area where she was raised and something she took with her through her career. Everybody worked hard and it was just a good, honest working class type of area and thats always stuck with me. Another thing that has stuck with her as shes traveled throughout the world is that we cant lose sight of the importance of community, because thats the real bedrock at the end of the day of every society around the world. In that regard, Richard considers herself lucky to have come from a place that was a really strong community. Her father, she noted, was banker who felt strongly about the need to invest in the community. In recalling how she became involved in foreign service, Richard said she was always interested in international travel and was lucky to have parents who took the family overseas when she was young. She also had an uncle who was a Jesuit priest who went to Italy when she was young and aunts and uncles who were teachers. She said she was constantly exposed to the fact that theres a wider world out there. When attending law school, Richard said she took some international law classes and one of her teachers suggested she take the foreign service officer test. Richard said she wasnt really exposed to the fact that there was this line of work out there prior to that time and now urges young people to consider such a career. The government is seeking people from a wide variety of backgrounds and parts of the country to serve. If you want to work in foreign affairs and make something happen in the world, this is a fantastic career, she said. Visit https://careers.state.gov/ for more information. Richard, 56, said she is looking forward to the challenge of making something positive happen when it comes to her new post in Lebanon. She points out the Middle East countries of Syria, Iraq, Libya and Yemen are currently in active conflict. We dont need another one to trip into crisis and hot conflict, she said. So Im really looking forward to the opportunity to continue to try to make sure that doesnt happen. In explaining why Americans should care about what happens in Lebanon, Richard notes the country is one of the key countries in that region of the world. Stability in Lebanon, she said, is going to contribute to stability in the region. Stability in the Middle East is really important to our national security and one more unstable partner in that region, one more country that trips into active conflict, is not good for anyone in the world. In addition, Richard said, the Lebanese people are an incredibly productive, educated, sophisticated group as people familiar with them from the U.S. and elsewhere know. They are extremely good business people, she said, and Lebanon is one of the real banking centers of the Middle East. You have a lot of Lebanese Americans who are incredibly productive members of society so it is important to us to keep Lebanon stable and keep them in a position to continue to produce people like that, she said. INDIANAPOLIS A former Cedar Lake town employee who was discharged for releasing public records in response to a citizen's informal request is entitled to receive unemployment benefits, the Indiana Court of Appeals has ruled. In its 3-0 decision, the appeals court determined that Cedar Lake did not have just cause to terminate the employment of administrative assistant and special events coordinator Nicole Hoekstra for violating a town policy prohibiting "disclosure of confidential town information to outsiders without proper authorization." According to court records, Hoekstra emailed the minutes of a public meeting concerning an engineering project to Eric Wolverton, one of the engineers working on the project, after Wolverton was unable to attend the meeting and requested the minutes. Cedar Lake acknowledged to the court that the minutes are a public record, but insisted that Hoekstra should have required Wolverton file an official Access to Public Records request prior to receiving the documents. Indiana's Access to Public Records Act does not prohibit government employees from responding to informal requests for public information. In fact, it declares that releasing public records is "an integral part of the routine duties of public officials and employees, whose duty it is to provide the information." The appellate panel incorporated the findings of a Department of Workforce Development administrative law judge into its ruling to conclude that Cedar Lake had no policy in force prohibiting employees from providing public information to the public. Moreover, the court found, the town failed to use its progressive employee disciplinary procedure prior to discharging Hoekstra, and didn't even inform Hoekstra that her work, which had earned her two promotions in three years, was considered unsatisfactory. The court said, as a result, Hoekstra was not properly terminated for cause and is entitled to receive unemployment compensation. Cedar Lake still can ask the Indiana Supreme Court to review the appellate decision. LAKE STATION Charges could be filed this week in connection with a shooting that wounded a man last weekend at Columbus Park, police said. Lake Station police took one person in for questioning, but another the person suspected of pulling the trigger remained at large Monday, Capt. Brian Williams said. Lake Station police planned to meet Monday afternoon with Lake County prosecutors to discuss charges, he said. Police responded about 3 p.m. Saturday to the park in the 4700 block of Liverpool Road. A dispute between two groups of people at the park ended with an adult male being shot, according to a news release. The man underwent surgery and was in stable condition, Williams said Sunday. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Williams or Lake Station police Detective Sgt. Glenn Gulley at (219) 962-1186. Merrillville police reported Monday they are investigating a death they deem suspicious, according to a news release from the department. Police were called to Methodist Hospitals Southlake Campus in Merrillville to investigate a death that occurred in the 7600 block of Chase Street. The Lake County coroner and the Lake County Crime Lab are assisting Merrillville detectives in the investigation, the release states. Police said in the release there is no danger to the community regarding this case. Police said there is no more information available at this time. Merrillville police said Tuesday they were continuing to investigate the suspicious death of a fetus a day earlier. Injuries and manner of death were pending further investigation as of Tuesday, Lake County Coroner Merrilee Frey said. The fetus was believed to be approximately 18 weeks gestational age, she said. Police were dispatched to Methodist Hospitals Southlake Campus on Monday to investigate a death that occurred in the 7600 block of Chase Street, police said. Detective Cmdr. Jeff Rice said Merrillville police hope to present their case as soon as possible to the Lake County prosecutor's office for consideration of charges. Police don't believe the case presents a danger to the community. The Lake County coroner's office and Lake County Sheriff's Department Crime Scene Investigation Unit are assisting in the investigation. When Jessica Cardenas was a student at Portage High School, her heart was set on majoring in criminal justice. She graduated in 2009, and thought she would take a semester off before concentrating on her studies. "My friend told me I should go straight to school," Cardenas said. "I went with her and registered for four classes that first semester. I'm really glad that I did it. "It has taken me a little longer to finish up my degree. I started off taking a lot of classes in criminal justice, but I took a biology class and I really liked it," Cardenas said. Cardenas, 25, of Portage, changed her major to nursing. "I really liked the idea of being a nurse and how the body works so I decided to go into nursing instead of criminal justice," she said. Cardenas said she is the kind of person who has always pushed herself to do better, and knows that earning a college degree means she is working smarter. "If I didn't go to college, I didn't know what would happen or where I would work. I kept pushing myself, knowing that my parents and my family would be so proud of me," Cardenas said. She is the oldest of her siblings. She has one brother and two sisters, and is the first person to graduate college in her family. Cardenas said nursing school is difficult. She said there were times when she would stress out, thinking maybe this wasn't the right move for her. "There were times that I was so stressed I didn't sleep well or eat well. There were times when I was very discouraged, but I'd say to myself I can't give up," she said. "I really wanted to be a nurse. I'm glad I got through it." Linda R. Delunas, a professor and director of the School of Nursing at IU Northwest, said the nursing program is competitive with about two applicants for each spot. "Students have to be concerned about grades from the time they are admitted to the university and take their first class," she said. "Once admitted to nursing, it is a very rigorous curriculum, not to mention the clinical hours that are required. Students are sometimes surprised they have received high grades in sciences such as chemistry and biology, but then struggle a little when it comes to nursing. "Students are required to take all that previously acquired knowledge (chemistry, biology, psychology) and apply it to solving real-world patient problems. That is the thing in nursing students have to learn to apply knowledge to real problems, not just memorize facts. However, once students graduate, the profession of nursing offers myriad career opportunities in a wide variety of settings," she said. Delunas said most students are employed within six months. She said many graduates go on to graduate school and become nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists or clinical nurse specialists. While being busy at school, Cardenas also held a job as a pharmacy tech at Fagen Pharmacy in Hobart. She said her work there really helped her. She said she took several exams that had medication on them, and she would remember her job, and what she had learned about medication and the side effects. With her state board exams behind her and having successfully passes all tests, Cardenas graduated in December 2015 from Indiana University Northwest. She landed a job at St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart, and started work June 13. Between the time she graduated and beginning her new job, Cardenas did take a break. She went to Mexico and spent time with her grandparents. "The Career Services Department at IUN really helped me to find a job. They helped me with my resume and helped me practice for the interviews," Cardenas said. "I had offers from two hospitals. I chose the one closest to my house." MICHIGAN CITY A crop duster ran out of fuel midflight Tuesday morning, but the pilot safely landed the small engine plane in a Michigan City soybean field. Emergency crews from Springfield Township responded just before noon to the 3500 block of West LaPorte County Road 800 North on a report of a plane down, but quickly returned upon learning it was a safe landing and both the pilot and plane were without a scratch. The pilot, Ray Cottingham with Agriflite Services out of Wakarusa, Indiana, said he was at an altitude of 1,000 feet when his engine died from running out of fuel. He used his skills to glide the plane down to a smooth landing. "It's just like a normal landing. You just don't have an engine," Cottingham said. Neil Straub, a licensed pilot from LaPorte, said a plane with its engine stalled will glide for a certain distance, but it's especially critical to be calm and have a safe landing spot nearby. A plane in such a situation can also be maneuvered to avoid power lines and trees as long as it's not steered too sharply or the plane will lose air speed too quickly and begin to plummet. "That's about all you can do. Just pick the best spot and put it in the best you can and hope for the best," said Straub, who several years ago himself safely executed a crash landing. LaPorte County Police Capt. Mike Kellems said he took the pilot for a bite to eat then returned him to the aircraft an hour later to wait for a crew to arrive with fuel. Cottingham, who said he would take off from the field, did not want to reveal how he ran out of gas. "I'm ready to get back to work," he said. COLUMBUS, Ohio Hillary Clinton said Tuesday that Donald Trump would send the U.S. economy back into recession, warning his reckless approach would hurt workers still trying to recover from the 2008 economic turbulence. Clintons address in Ohio, one of the most important battleground states, sought to define Trump as little more than a con man, whose ignorance and ego would tank the global economy, bankrupt Americans and risk the countrys future. Every day we see how reckless and careless Trump is. Hes proud of it, the Democratic presidential candidate said. Well, thats his choice. Except when hes asking to be our president. Then its our choice. The speech was similar to one earlier this month in San Diego in which Clinton tried to undercut the Republican candidates foreign policy credentials. This time, at an alternative high school in Columbus, she questioned whether Trump has the temperament to guide the economy and repeatedly pointed to his business record as evidence of how he would treat small businesses and working families. Just like he shouldnt have his finger on the button, he shouldnt have his hands on our economy, Clinton said. Her speech included stinging one-liners, including a takedown of Trumps best-selling books. Hes written a lot of books about business. But they all seem to end at Chapter 11, she said, in an allusion to the U.S. bankruptcy code. Trump responded on Twitter as Clinton delivered her address, writing in one tweet: How can Hillary run the economy when she cant even send emails without putting entire nation at risk? He appeared to be referring to Clinton blending her personal and official emails on a homebrew server in her house, while she was secretary of state. The businessman later appeared to embrace one of Clintons attack lines, writing: I am the king of debt. That has been great for me as a businessman, but is bad for the country. I made a fortune off of debt, will fix U.S. Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus said Clinton was the last person qualified to talk about improving the economy, pointing to eight years of disastrous Obama policies. Clinton used Trumps own statements to undercut his economic credentials, citing remarks he made that that U.S. could sell off assets, default on its debt and that wages are too high. She also repeated a comment he made that pregnant employees are an inconvenience. Clinton said financial markets often rise and fall on comments by presidential candidates. Suggesting the United States could default on its debt could cause a global panic, she added. She also seized on a report Monday by Moodys Analytics which found Trumps plans would lead to a lengthy recession, costing nearly 3.5 million American jobs. The analysis by Moodys Mark Zandi, a Clinton donor and former economic adviser to Republican Sen. John McCains 2008 campaign, predicted Trumps approach would swell the federal debt as the U.S. economy becomes more isolated by less trade and cross-border immigration. Trump has pointed to trade as a major difference with Clinton, saying last week that her support of past trade deals, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement, has cost the country millions of jobs. He also has assailed her promotion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal as Obamas secretary of state as a sell-out of U.S. workers. Clinton announced her opposition to the TPP last October, saying it failed to meet her test of providing good jobs, raising wages and protecting national security. Brushing it aside, Clinton said there was a difference between getting tough on trade and recklessly starting trade wars. She noted that many of Trumps products are made in countries like China, Mexico, Turkey, India and Slovenia. Bolstered by more than $40 million in television advertising, Clinton and her Democratic allies are trying to use this period before next months Democratic National Convention to disqualify Trump among moderate voters on the economy and prevent him from successfully wooing working-class voters in battleground states like Ohio, Wisconsin and Michigan. Fundraising reports filed Monday showed Clinton with a big advantage, starting the month with $42 million in the bank compared with Trumps $1.3 million. LYONS Forrest Frost, 29, of Lyons, was arrested about 1 a.m. Monday, after an incident Sunday evening that included a high-speed chase and gunshots, according to the Marion County Sheriffs Office. About 7:15 p.m. Sunday, Marion County deputies were dispatched to a call about theft from a vehicle at North Fork Park, 24450 North Fork Road S.E. The victims of the theft were alerted by their car alarm and were able to see the suspect and his vehicle as it left the area. Deputies said the victims began to chase the suspect who was described as driving recklessly down the North Fork Road toward Lyons. At one point during the chase it is believed the suspect fired multiple rounds from his vehicle at the victim's vehicle. After being shot at the victims stopped chasing the suspect. The victims were not injured and their vehicle was not struck by any of the rounds fired. A short time later, a Linn County deputy located the suspect vehicle in the Lyons area and again the suspect fled. The Linn County deputy pursued the vehicle back up the North Fork Road. The chase continued until deputies from the Marion County Sheriff's Office and troopers with the Oregon State Police deployed spike strips, which disabled the vehicle. Once the suspect realized he could not drive any farther he stopped his Ford Explorer on the Pioneer Road Bridge and leapt an estimated 30 feet into the Santiam River, where he floated downstream. Several hundred yards down river the suspect swam to shore and fled on foot. K9 teams from Marion County Sheriff's Office and the Salem Police Department tracked the suspect to a heavily wooded area, where he was believed to be hiding. Due to the heavily wooded and steep terrain, the Sheriff's Office SWAT Team was called in to search the area. Frost surrendered about 1 a.m. Frost is currently lodged in the Marion County Jail for the crimes of first-degree attempted assault; unlawful entry into a motor vehicle; second-degree theft; first-degree robbery; unlawful use of a weapon, attempting to elude the police and menacing. The firefighter training academy planned for Valparaiso is a welcome development. The academy, expected to serve 2,000 firefighters in five counties, is being planned for Montdale Industrial Park, across U.S. 30 from the Porter County Municipal Airport. Valparaiso Fire Chief Chad Dutz said his department has been trying to create an academy like this for about eight years. The academy would include a three-story, 40-foot-tall burn tower on the five-acre site. A current building at the site would be used for classrooms. The site would also have vehicles, a railroad car and other objects that would be useful for training purposes. Firefighters often respond to accident scenes and medical emergencies as well as working fires. Stewart McMillan, president and CEO of Task Force Tips, created the foundation that is setting up the training center. His company is located in the same industrial park. McMillans company manufactures equipment for firefighters. The company was created by McMillans father, a firefighter who sketched out a design for a better nozzle on a napkin and founded Task Force Tips to produce it. McMillan said the academy is safer than using dilapidated buildings for training. Burning down derelict buildings doesnt provide the same quality of training as a burn tower where conditions can be controlled more easily. Adding to the importance of a training center is the fact that there are fewer fires now than there once was. Fewer fires translate into less experience for firefighters. About 80 percent of fire departments in Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Jasper and Newton counties use volunteers who pay for their own training. The proposed facility in Valparaiso would be free for them. Celina Weatherwax, of Weatherwax Strategies, is leading the project. She said the academy will serve five counties for generations to come. Our commitment to this project demonstrates our desire to ensure that our region continues to have the finest public safety professionals anywhere, she said. McMillan said hed like to have the tower constructed as soon as possible. The plans are currently going through a permitting process, including FAA approval of a building that height near the airport. We hope the necessary approvals are granted. This academy promises to become an asset to the Region. After Orlando, the left calls for prohibitions on military type weapons. No mention of immigration screening or border security. OK, great. Ban these weapons and see if mass attacks using everything including military weapons stop. I doubt it. The border is wide open, and if carloads of drugs make it across, who believes military weapons won't. Especially after a black market makes them fantastically profitable. Prohibition didn't work in the 1920s. In fact, it led to the biggest growth of organized crime ever. How is it we can use the military to enforce borders halfway around the world but not here? Leon Gamino, Hammond According to a radical Muslim cleric who has spoken several times in Sanford, Florida, "death is the sentence" for gays ... "let's get rid of them now." (It's posted on YouTube). A shocking, but not surprising, attitude, considering that homosexuality is punishable by death in 10 Muslim countries. But Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are determined to portray the horrendous massacre at the Orlando gay bar as a generic "hate" issue and gun-control problem, despite the killer's last-minute pledge of allegiance to ISIS. Americans must realize that Obama's denial of reality and feeble leadership are placing all of us especially the LGBT community in grave danger. Say what you will about Donald Trump, but he has pledged to secure our borders, ramp up security and destroy ISIS. Unlike Obama, he understands that the most important constitutional duty of the federal government is to protect its citizens. Larry Rapchak, Whiting INDIANAPOLIS FBI agents arrested an 18-year-old from suburban Indianapolis as he tried to board a bus to New York and join the Islamic State terror group overseas, federal authorities said Tuesday. Akram Musleh of Brownsburg was arrested without incident, FBI spokeswoman Special Agent Wendy Osborne said. Musleh was in the custody of federal marshals at an undisclosed location, spokesman Tim Horty of the U.S. Attorney's office said. Musleh made an initial appearance Tuesday in U.S. District Court to hear a charge of providing material support to the Islamic State read to him, Horty said. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine if convicted, prosecutors said. Musleh has a detention hearing scheduled for Monday. FBI agents apprehended Musleh at a Greyhound bus terminal in Indianapolis while he tried to board a bus to New York, where he was to fly to Morocco and on to territory controlled by the Islamic State, prosecutors said. A criminal complaint alleges Musleh intended to provide material support to the terror group also known as ISIL by joining it. On May 2, Musleh read an article about more than 8,000 potential terrorist targets in Indiana and then days later searched online for information about pressure cookers, which the court documents said could possibly be used to make an explosive device, FBI Special Agent Michele Denise Holley said in a 30-page criminal complaint. He also searched for information on dynamite, flash powder and other explosive materials, it said. Tuesday's bid was not Musleh's first attempt to travel to the Middle East. He made five different reservations last year to travel to Iraq or to Turkey, allegedly as an attempt to reach territory controlled by Islamic State fighters, the complaint said. According to the complaint, Musleh's travel plans last year included trying to fly from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport to Iraq and booking three separate one-way tickets from Chicago to Turkey. Last June, customs officials stopped him in Chicago and said he could not take a flight to Turkey because his travel documents were not in order. Law enforcement made contact with Musleh and Brownsburg High School officials in 2013. The FBI identified him as someone who posted several videos featuring an al-Qaeda leader online, the complaint noted. Federal agents and school officials "took steps to dissuade Musleh from engaging in radical extremism," it said. But nine months later, Musleh bought an Islamic State flag online and later photographed himself with it, the complaint said. "The radicalization of American citizens by terrorist organizations like ISIL is a threat to our safety here and abroad," said U.S. Attorney Josh Minkler said in a statement. "I am committed to using the full authority of the United States Attorney's Office to identify, investigate and prosecute those that materially support terrorism." Musleh's attorney, federal community defender Michael Donahoe, said he had no comment on the case. Three NYPD commanders were among five people arrested Monday morning in a federal corruption investigation. The top cops are accused of taking bribes the first time the ongoing investigation has reached into the upper ranks of the NYPD. Criminal Justice reporter Dean Meminger has the story. Family and friends of NYPD Deputy Inspector James Grant shouted their support after Grant was arrested. Also busted by the FBI was Deputy Chief Michael Harrington. Both were charged with accepting more than $100,000 in gifts and bribes from two businessmen, and helping them in return. The gifts included hotels in Rome for Grant, and in Chicago for Harrington, a Super Bowl trip to Las Vegas on a private jet for Grant, over $75,000 in private security for Harrington, and some $12,000 in contract work for Grant, according to Preet Bharara, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Bharara also said the gifts also included expensive dinners, sporting event tickets and even an allegation of toys for one of officers children. It's also alleged that on that trip to Vegas, Grant was given the services of a prostitute. At the center of this case, there are two men who have raised money for Mayor de Blasio: Jeremy Reichberg, who is described as a liaison between the Hasidic community and NYPD, and Jonah Rechnitz, who was already arrested and is cooperating with the Feds. "What did Reichberg and the cooperating witness get in return for their bribes?, Bharara asked. They got in affect a private police force for themselves and their friends. Effectively, they got cops on call." The two NYPD commanders allegedly intervened to help the businessmen resolve disputes with rivals and settle traffic tickets. They also allegedly provided police escorts with lights and sirens, even once closing a lane of the Lincoln Tunnel. In a related case, Sergeant David Villanueva and Officer Richard Ochetal were charged with providing or expediting scores of gun permits for a price. Diego Rodriguez, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBIs New York Field described the charges, saying the two enabled the worst among us, including convicted felons and individuals with domestic violence complaints, to obtain gun permits. The charges represent an expansion of a corruption investigation that began in 2013 and has snared nearly a dozen police officials. "What we are not seeing here is a malaise where corruption is ignored or passively covered up," said NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton. However, defense attorneys say this case is an exaggeration and their clients are innocent. "He has been an exception police officer his entire career. What has been alleged against him doesn't do justice of what he has done for our city," said John Meringolo a lawyer involved in the case. The US attorney would not say this case is over, leaving the door open for future arrests of cops. A 16-year-old accused of jumping a subway turnstile Monday night is back in police custody after giving officers the slip in Brooklyn. Police say Rhamar Perkins escaped from the NYPD Transit Bureau in Crown Heights through an unlocked back door. It happened shortly before 10 p.m. He turned himself in to police in East New York a few hours later. Perkins is now charged with escape and theft of service. New York is one step closer to becoming the first city in the nation to offer free menstrual products in public schools, homeless shelters and jails. The City Council voted to support the measure. In public schools, tampons and pads would be made available free of charge through the nurse's office. The bill also requires schools with grades 6 through 12 to install free dispensers in girls' bathrooms. Lawmakers also approved legislation that would create gender-neutral, single-occupancy bathrooms. This comes weeks after the city launched a new ad campaign reminding transgender New Yorkers of their rights to use the restroom that matches their gender identity. Council members also postponed a 5-cent fee on plastic bags at grocery and retail stores. All the measures still need the mayor's signature. In what is New Yorks most competitive Congressional race, seven democratic candidates vying to replace Congressman Charles Rangel came out swinging during a live debate on NY1 Monday night. Our Bobby Cuza has a recap. It was a feisty debate from the start, with two of the leading Democratic candidates going after each other for their attendance records in Albany. "I have shown up, unlike some of the other folks that may have been in Albany, that have not shown up, that have bad voting records," said Assemblyman Keith Wright. "We did pass ethics reforms, very late at night," shot back Senator Adriano Espaillat. "And party boss Keith Wright was not there to cast that vote." While Espaillat and Wright traded barbs early, others candidates sought to lump both state lawmakers together, tying them to Albany corruption and dysfunction. "Funny thing to hear these two talk about money and reforming the money process when they're both in the pockets of every landlord and every slumlord in this congressional district," said former City Councilman and Assemblyman Adam Clayton Powell IV. "Senator Espaillat can say that, on the last day, in the middle of the night that they passed legislation but nobody knows, because there were no hearings, no public events," said candidate Michael Gallagher. "They want to come up here tonight when they are running for Congress, like the first time they have these great ideas," said Clyde Williams, a former advisor to President Bill Clinton. "If that such great ideas they should have introduced them, and made sure they got passed." Before a sometimes raucous crowd, the Democratic candidates tackled topics from gentrification to racial politics. "The past elections have been run on race and ethnicity," said Suzan Johnson Cook. "And I think it takes a woman to be a bridge builder." Wright had to defend his record as Assembly housing chair and Espaillat mixed it up with Assemblyman Guillermo Linares for his support of a Pathmark supermarket. "The property was sold under the dark of night to a developer," Espaillat said. "Go and ask the people in East Harlem and Central Harlem, that had a place to go buy vegetables, where can they go now," Linares said. During a lightning round, most candidates said marijuana should be legalized, and Rikers Island closed as for a political role model, only Wright pointed to current Congressman Charles Rangel, who's retiring after a 46-year career and has endorsed Wright. Mondays debate Hostos Community College, co-sponsored by City & State magazine and the Latino Leadership Institute, comes barely a week before voters go the polls next Tuesday, June 28 in whats expected to be an extremely low-turnout Congressional primary. Dear Diary: It was time to renew my membership in the Jewish Museum, so I went to the web page and began filling out the form. Almost immediately I was flummoxed by the title field. Not content with Mr., Ms., Dr. or even Hon., the museum offers members no less than 59 different titles, including Captain and Lt. Col. (but oddly not Gen. or Sgt.). Cantor and rabbi are perhaps de rigueur, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that sister was offered as well, implying some ecumenism among the members of womens religious orders. Health care professionals, covered from head to toe, can choose D.D.S. or D.P.M. Academics can select from professor, dean and (I suppose) president; that title will, of course, be convenient for heads of state. Lesser political and diplomatic figures can pick from ambassador, assemblyman, consul, senator and so forth. Most surprising was the emphasis on nobility (and I dont mean Streisand). Lady, sir and count are among the choices, although, strangely, not her royal highness or excellency. And so after only a moments hesitation, I ennobled myself. Sure enough, a museum mailing arrived this very day, addressed to Baron Daniel Akst. CAMBRIDGE, England As I listen to the stormy debates here in the run-up to Thursdays vote on whether Britain should exit the European Union, my thoughts keep drifting to my friend Jo Cox, a member of Parliament assassinated last week. Jo was a leader who fought for genocide victims in Darfur, for survivors of human trafficking, for womens health, for Syrian refugees and, yes, for remaining in the European Union. She was also a proud mom of two small children: When she was pregnant, she used to sign her emails Jo (and very large bump). Jos dedication to the voiceless may have cost her her life. At least one witness said that the man who stabbed and shot Jo shouted Britain first! and when he was asked to say his name at a court hearing he responded, My name is death to traitors, freedom for Britain. Yet from awful events bittersweet progress can emerge. In five days, a fund in Jo Coxs memory has raised more than 1.3 million pounds (about $2 million) for causes she supported. Likewise, perhaps revulsion at the murder will leave voters wary of the xenophobic tone of some of the Leave campaigners in the Brexit referendum. Greenleaf, a sudsy family saga with Oprah Winfrey as both an executive producer and a cast member, exposes sinful deeds in a Memphis megachurch. Person of Interest ends with a war of artificial intelligence. And undertake some extreme adventures from the safety of your couch. Whats on TV GREENLEAF 10 p.m. on OWN. Following the mysterious demise of her sister, Grace Greenleaf (Merle Dandridge), a preacher turned journalist, returns home after 20 years and to the Memphis megachurch of her father (Keith David), where at least seven deadly sins run rampant. Promise me youre not here to sow discord in the fields of my peace, her mother, Lady Mae (Lynn Whitfield), snarls. Well, duh. Oprah Winfrey, an executive producer of this soapy new series from Craig Wright (FXs Tyrant), plays Graces favorite aunt, Mavis, out to expose misdeeds like sexual abuse and a corporate jet thats funded by parishioners like the Powerball winners who donate $250,000 to the Lord instead of giving into temptation. Fly commercial? Never again, thank you, Jesus, Mae says. Amen. The conversation centered on a Modern Love column written by Mr. Barry in 2009, one that explored the death of his daughters fish outwardly an odd choice for a column about love. (Mr. Barrys column was one of the first to be recorded as a podcast when The New York Times partnered with WBUR in early 2016.) Listen to the podcast in full to find out how Mr. Jones selects and edits his columns, how Mr. Barrys fish story came to life and how Ms. Alpert transformed Mr. Barrys 1,500-word essay and the many others into a moving audio experience. Times Insider Events brings live programming to Times Insiders and their guests. If you are not a Times Insider but would like to receive invitations to Times Insider Events, you can subscribe here. 10:50 p.m.: The pop music reporter Joe Coscarelli is on the job, sending background notes on T.I. no luck with any official statements but Ill keep an eye. in the meantime, heres some background let me know if you need anything or have questions. 11:24 p.m.: The first version of the story posts online: 3 People Shot During Concert at Irving Plaza, Police Say, the headline reads. Audible Profanity? 11:30 p.m.: Did you hear that? Rochelle Oliver, a web producer, listens repeatedly to a Twitter feed with Ms. Peir to determine whether there is audible profanity. Can The Times post tweets that contain audible profanity? The editors discuss the issue; opting to sidestep the question, they decide to proceed with a clip that contains a rush of muffled, discordant sounds. Profanity? Maybe, maybe not. D.O.A. 12:08 a.m. Police scanner report: U/D NY| Manhattan| *Multiple Shooting*| 13th Pct| 17 Irving Pl| 35 y/o/m has been pronounced DOA at the Hospital. | BNN | BNNDESK/nyl021/ny81/nyc337/nyhz8/nc424/ny260 | #991141 The story draws readers all night through Twitter and Facebook. A late update on the shooting posts online, complete with witness accounts from Ms. Garcia and Mr. Surico, and basic information on T.I. supplied by Mr. Coscarelli. In the years after the Sept. 11 attack, as redevelopment officials bickered about and dithered over the future of the World Trade Center site in Lower Manhattan, thousands of pilgrims came to ground zero from all over the world. They found nothing. No memorial. No commemoration. No exhibition. Little signage and less interpretation. Just impenetrable construction barriers, crowded sidewalks, hawkers selling lurid photo books and Harry John Roland, a self-appointed guide whose cry was: History, dont let it be a mystery! The 9/11 Tribute Center stepped into this void. The private, nonprofit, ad hoc center was founded in part by Lee Ielpi, a retired firefighter whose son, Jonathan Lee Ielpi, also a firefighter, was killed in the attack. The center opened in 2006 on a shoestring budget in a former delicatessen at 120 Liberty Street, opposite ground zero. George E. Pataki, who was then the governor of New York, said the 9/11 Tribute Center would offer an interim destination until the real museum opened. In a blow to Mayor Bill de Blasio, a state court on Monday halted his plan to give certain homeowners a $183 credit on their water and sewer bill. Justice Carol R. Edmead of State Supreme Court in Manhattan ruled that the actions of the water board in authorizing the one-time payment along with a general rate increase was an abuse of discretion and exceeded the boards authority. Mr. de Blasio heralded the water bill credit in an April news conference and has since promoted the measure as an action his administration was taking to help New York homeowners. The administration argued that the credit, which was to apply only to one- to three-family homes, was made possible by the citys decision to no longer request a rental payment from the water board, an independent public benefit corporation, leaving it with a surplus. For years, rosewood gavel in hand, she presided over the sale of hundreds of millions of dollars worth of treasures teasing, cajoling, seducing and ever so genteelly shaming in the unimpeachable diction of her native England: Ill wait, she might tell a recalcitrant bidder in her foremost schoolmarm tones. Dont look at him. Look at me. (She used the same tone, to immediate effect, to silence ambient conversation in New York restaurants whenever it annoyed her. It often did.) Ms. Kelly was, by her own account, very good at her job. I think, she told The New York Times in 1980, I have the ability to make people feel they couldnt possibly live without the item being auctioned. But as the years progressed, she grew discontented. For one thing, she later said, she felt a spiritual void, and auctioneering no longer felt correct. For another, the outspoken, bohemian Ms. Kelly had never quite fit in at the august, venerable Sothebys. She could talk a blue streak (a fine attribute for an auctioneer) but could also sport a gleeful pink streak in her hair (less so). For part of her time there, as she wrote in a self-published spiritual memoir, In the Footsteps of the Camel (2010), she was also in the grip of alcoholism. James B. Vogts, a lawyer for Remington Arms Company, the maker of the gun used in Newtown, argued that that case was not the place to debate gun laws. Mr. Vogts pointed out that the weapons used by Adam Lanza, 20, in the attack on the school were both legally bought by his mother, Nancy Lanza. He and the lawyers for the other defendants said that the plaintiffs had not met the burden of showing their clients had been negligent and that as a result the case should not be allowed to proceed. They said the question of whether civilians should be allowed to buy and own assault weapons ought to be decided by lawmakers, not the courts. Judge Barbara N. Bellis of Superior Court asked the lawyers to clarify their argument, wondering why the same rules applied to cigarette manufacturers should not apply to gun makers. Cigarettes are legal, but society has changed regarding how safe they may or may not be, Judge Bellis said. Why does that same concept not apply to AR-15? Mr. Vogts said that while societal norms might change, at the time the weapon was sold to Ms. Lanza, there was a considered judgment that such weapons could be lawfully owned in Connecticut. If the case is allowed to proceed, he said, were going to have piecemeal regulation in this country by juries. There is a serious separation of powers issue at play here, he added, and it needs to be recognized. FOR nearly 10 years, Marcus lived in a tiny cell in Sing Sing prison. His wife and children were eager for him to return to their home in public housing in Harlem. After he completed his sentence for attempted armed robbery and possession of stolen property, his parole board said he was ready to rejoin society. But the citys public housing authority disagreed: Because Marcus a pseudonym had a criminal record, he was ineligible to live with his family. Nationwide, more than 600,000 people return from prison each year and try to rebuild their lives. The only viable option for many of them is public housing. But local housing authorities across the country write their own rules. And they routinely bar applicants with criminal convictions and often people with mere arrest records. That means these policies can affect the nearly one in three Americans who have some kind of criminal record. Some people are excluded by federal law, specifically certain sex offenders and people who have been convicted of making methamphetamine in public housing. Otherwise, administrators from the nations 3,300 public housing authorities, which serve 1.2 million households, are supposed to balance family unity against a persons potential risk to society as they consider applications. But far too often, they divide families without cause. A single arrest in the past five years, for instance, can jeopardize a familys application to public housing in parts of Maine, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Oklahoma and California. In St. Louis, anyone who has used, sold or made drugs in the past decade is barred from public housing. The Fourth Amendment protects people from unreasonable searches and seizures by the government or thats how it works in theory, anyway. In practice, though, court decisions over several decades have created so many exceptions to this constitutional principle as to render it effectively meaningless in many real-world situations. On Monday, the Supreme Court further weakened the Fourth Amendment by making it even easier for law enforcement to evade its requirement that stops be based on reasonable suspicion. The justices ruled 5 to 3 that a police officers illegal stop of a man on the street did not prevent evidence obtained from a search connected to that stop to be used against him. The case, Utah v. Strieff, started when the police in Salt Lake City got an anonymous tip of drug activity at a house. An officer monitoring the house became suspicious at the number of people he saw entering and leaving. When one of those people, Edward Strieff, left to walk to a nearby convenience store, the officer stopped him and asked for his identification. A routine check revealed that Mr. Strieff had an outstanding small traffic warrant. The officer arrested him based on that earlier warrant, searched him and found drugs in his pockets. Its been a rough stretch lately for Oregon businesses in the halls of the state Capitol. Consider the mandates that have come down from Salem over just the past couple of years: Last year, the state required paid sick leave at all but the very smallest businesses. This years legislative session approved an increase in the states minimum wage, which begins to roll out next month. And were on the verge of a donnybrook over a proposed gross-receipts tax on certain Oregon businesses; the tax, in theory, could raise $3 billion a year, but early studies suggest that it will cost you hundreds of dollars as businesses pass along to customers tax increases they cant afford to absorb. How could things get worse for Oregon businesses? The 2017 legislative session may have an answer: Work is continuing on proposals mandating so-called predictive scheduling rules. These rules aim to provide employees with greater certainty about their shifts theyre expected to work and can be helpful to single parents or people with second jobs, Certainly, smart employers will do whatever they can to ensure some measure of schedule stability both for their benefit and for their workers. The 2015 regular legislative session spent some time working on a predictive scheduling proposal, House Bill 3377, which eventually died in committee. Among other provisions, that bill penalized businesses that made changes in work schedules less than three weeks in advance. For example: If an employer had to change a work schedule with less than three weeks notice, the employer would have been obligated to pay an employee for one additional hour in addition to the time actually worked. If an employer had to change a shift with less than 24 hours notice, the business would have to pay an additional four hours in addition to the time actually worked. In addition to its punitive nature, the bill certainly would have created a paperwork nightmare and added untold layers of difficulty to the already challenging work of scheduling employees. Although the bill died in committee, that wasnt necessarily because of its merits: Rather, legislators decided to put the idea of predictive scheduling on hold until 2017 as part of a compromise to push the sick-leave bill through the session. In the meantime, a group of legislators convened a work group on schedules that work and invited a number of business groups to join the panel. The work group met for the first time last month. And, then, as a recent story in The Oregonian reported, many of the business organizations dismayed by what they witnessed at the work group dropped out. In a letter they sent to the leaders of the group, Sen. Michael Dembrow of Portland and Rep. Paul Holvey of Eugene, they explained the reasons for their withdrawal. The letter speaks volumes about the relationship between state government and Oregon businesses these days. It was clear from the first work group discussion that this group will not provide a constructive forum to discuss whether a statewide mandated scheduling law is right for Oregon, the letter said. Advocates preferred broad generalized attacks on Oregon employers, rather than a reasonable discussion based on facts The letter also listed the variety of mandates with which the state government recently has saddled businesses and concludes: Oregons employers simply cant afford any more one-size fits all costly mandates, it said. The business groups said theyd work to extend the moratorium on predictive scheduling. And thats exactly what the Legislature should do in its 2017 session: continue the moratorium or, even better, kill the idea entirely. (mm) A lot of these people feel like theyre losing out, and what Trump performs on an everyday basis is winning, said John Murphy, an associate professor of communication at the University of Illinois. The insults, I think, are part of winning: I can say these awful things and somehow get away with it. What Donald Trump does on Twitter, on cable news and at his rallies is not roast humor, but it serves a similar purpose: bringing the audience over to his side by taunting everyone else. Lisa Lampanelli, the Queen of Mean herself, has roasted Mr. Trump twice, and appeared on Season 5 of Celebrity Apprentice. Now, she likes to say that he stole his comments about Mexican immigrants from her own act. Ms. Lampanelli said he was a good sport during his 2011 Comedy Central roast, but may not have fully processed the jokes being made at his expense. I have the impression he didnt even hear half the jokes we said about him. He just knew he should laugh, she said. If his name was on it, he was happy. It was kind of a Charlie Brown teacher all the time, like, Womp, womp, womp, womp, Donald Trump. And then he would laugh. Mr. Trumps sense of humor is about as sharp as a soup spoon. But for his fans, thats part of the appeal. I think people confuse being blunt and forceful as the truth, Mr. Kondabolu said. People assume that if someone says something with confidence and makes you laugh and is saying something that might be in your head, that its the truth. The same politically incorrect style that has earned Mr. Trump a cadre of loyal fans has also alienated much of the nonwhite male population. A recent ABC News/Washington Post poll found that 94 percent of African-Americans dislike the presumptive Republican nominee, along with 89 percent of Hispanics and 77 percent of women of all races. One wouldnt normally imagine Jenny Holzer hanging around Ibiza but the prolific, text-based artist made multiple trips there in the late 90s, during and after installing a show in the Guggenheim Bilbao. I fixed on the island although or because I was post-disco by the time I arrived, she tells T in an email. I studied stone cliffs, watchtowers and surf pebbles. I saw smiley nude and half-naked old people, babies and hotties. There was much to love. She returned the following year after showing light projections on the Spanish Steps in Rome. Referring to herself, she says: That time, this nerd looked at sea-cut rocks with holes, and caves. Last year, the art collector Guy Laliberte asked her to fill up his Lune Rouge and Art Projects Ibiza spaces, in collaboration with Spruth Magers, and to create a site-specific commission. I was game, Holzer says. Musicians, writers and artists have touched down or wintered here because they found the island hospitable, or that corny word, magical. Living was cheap, easy. And musicians, writers, artists come from Ibiza. The islands pirate past, and the Carthaginian, Roman, Vandal, Moorish and Norwegian conquerors, to name a few, are fodder. She also mentions the local contemporary art museum (with Phoenician objects!) and, of course, Lalibertes contributions, as draws to the island. For ARE YOU ALIVE?, opening today, Holzer brought along some old friends her signature Truisms and her LED scrolls (albeit with fresh phrases) and fabricated a series of aphorism-etched footstools and benches. However, the highlights have to be the carefully chosen cliffs, boulders and bedrocks that became canvases for engraving. Situated about 15 miles from Lalibertes outposts, some of the rocks are in the sightline of the small, uninhabited isle Es Vedra, reportedly the third-most magnetic place on Earth after the North Pole and the Bermuda Triangle, and shrouded in legend. Its said to be the home of the Sirens, a protrusion from Atlantis, the material of pyramids and certainly the location of multiple U.F.O. sightings, Holzer shares. As such, much writing on the outdoor piece is by those who perfected absurdity, namely Apollinaire and Baroness Elsa von Freytag-Loringhoven. She also selected lines of poetry in French, Spanish, Portuguese and English. SAN FRANCISCO After months of delays, Apple is likely to open its first retail stores in India, a fast-growing market for smartphones where the American technology giant has little presence. New rules issued by the Indian government on Monday exempt foreign-owned companies that want to open stores selling a single brand of products from requirements that 30 percent of the content of those products come from India. The exemption, which lasts three years, can be extended to eight years in the case of companies selling cutting edge items, such as Apples iPhones and Macs. Apple, which makes virtually all of its devices in China, lobbied for months for the loosening, and Timothy D. Cook, the companys chief executive, discussed it with government officials during his first visit to India last month. An Apple spokesman declined to comment on the issue on Monday. The company has not yet received any formal response from the Indian government on its application to open stores. A traditionally reliable indicator, lurking in a recent opinion poll, suggests Britain will vote on Thursday to remain in the European Union. The main question that polling firms typically ask respondents in any contest is how they intend to vote. In the case of the referendum on Brexit, as a possible British exit from the E.U. is known, the polls straightforwardly ask people if they want to remain in the union or leave. After a string of polls showing a sizable lead for leave, polls released in the last few days effectively show a tie, or a small lead for remaining. This shift away from leave prompted a rally in global markets on Monday. But one of those polls, conducted by Survation, also asked voters which side they expected to win. Asking people to predict a result of an election has, over time, provided more accurate forecasts than asking people their voting intentions, according to a study by Justin Wolfers, a University of Michigan economist and an Upshot contributor, and David Rothschild, of the Microsoft Research and Statistics Center. When Survation asked, Regardless of how you plan to vote, what do you think the result will be? just shy of 40 percent of people said the remain camp would win. Only 26 percent said that leave would prevail. His fate is now in the hands of Judge Williams. The death of Mr. Gray, 25, set off violent protest, looting and arson here and put the city at the center of the national debate over race, policing and the use of force. The citys top prosecutor, Marilyn J. Mosby, charged six officers with Mr. Grays arrest and death, and she reserved the steepest charge second-degree depraved heart murder for Officer Goodson. He faces six other charges, three of which are counts of manslaughter. The first trial, of Officer William G. Porter, ended with a hung jury in December. The second trial, of Officer Edward M. Nero, ended in an acquittal in May. Mr. Gray was arrested on April 12, 2015, after fleeing officers in the Sandtown neighborhood. He was eventually loaded, shackled and handcuffed, onto the floor of Officer Goodsons police wagon, which made several stops before it arrived at the Western District police station, where Mr. Gray was found unresponsive. His neck was broken and his spinal cord compressed; he died a week later. Prosecutors introduced the rough ride theory during their opening statements, but it ran into hurdles when one of their witnesses said he had not seen the van make abrupt starts, stops or turns in his review of the evidence. Another witness, a policing expert, said he could not say whether a rough ride had occurred. In delivering her closing argument, a prosecutor, Jan Bledsoe, argued that Mr. Gray was injured between the second and fourth of six stops. She focused on what she said was Officer Goodsons duty to place a seatbelt on Mr. Gray and to seek medical attention after he asked for it at the vans fourth stop. Officer Goodson never calls for a medic. He never takes Freddie Gray to the hospital, Ms. Bledsoe said. But she did not use the term rough ride, and Mr. Fraling argued in his closing argument that prosecutors had tried to reshuffle their case when the evidence did not cut their way. Officer Goodson was justified in not putting a seatbelt on Mr. Gray because he had been combative, Mr. Fraling said, although Judge Williams questioned whether the officer had a duty to reassess such a characterization over the course of the ride. SOUTH Georgia: No Charges in Death in Rolled-Up Gym Mat The Justice Department said Monday that there was not enough evidence to support federal criminal charges in the case of a teenager found dead inside a rolled-up gym mat at a Georgia high school. Federal officials reviewed the 2013 death of Kendrick Johnson, 17, of Valdosta. The local and state authorities had ruled that the death was an accident, concluding that Mr. Johnson had been unable to breathe after getting stuck upside down in the middle of the rolled-up mat while reaching for a gym shoe. But his parents insisted that someone must have killed their son, and they pushed to reopen the investigation. They got a judges order to exhume the body so a second autopsy could be performed. The private pathologist hired by the family reported finding hemorrhaging beneath the skin of Mr. Johnsons jaw and neck and concluded that he had suffered a fatal blow near his carotid artery that appeared to be nonaccidental. The Justice Department said an independent federal investigation had found insufficient evidence to support federal criminal charges. (AP) MIDWEST Illinois: Hastert Will Begin Prison Term This Week Former Speaker J. Dennis Hastert will report to a federal prison in Minnesota this week to begin a 15-month sentence in his hush-money case, his lawyer said. Mr. Hastert, who served in the House as a Republican from Illinois, has a Wednesday afternoon deadline to report to the Rochester Federal Medical Center. Judge Thomas M. Durkin said at Mr. Hasterts April sentencing in Federal District Court in Chicago that the facility would be a good fit, in part because it specializes in health care and is near Mayo Clinic. Mr. Hastert, 74, is diabetic and had a stroke last year. (AP) WASHINGTON Outsider Is Chosen to Lead the U.S. Border Patrol A veteran of the F.B.I. has been named to head the United States Border Patrol, an agency traditionally led by agents who rise through the ranks. The new chief, Mark Morgan, briefly led the internal affairs department at Customs and Border Protection, the Border Patrols parent agency. He will oversee about 20,000 agents who patrol the nations land borders with Canada and Mexico and its maritime boundaries. R. Gil Kerlikowske, the Customs and Border Protection commissioner, told staff of the appointment in a memo on Monday. In 2014, Mr. Kerlikowske tapped Mr. Morgan to help review complaints of excessive force and misconduct by Customs and Border Protection employees. Mr. Morgan replaces Michael Fisher, who retired last year. The National Border Patrol Council, which represents 18,000 agents, said it was disappointed the commissioner passed over several highly qualified internal candidates. (AP) Here are the highlights of Hillary Clinton's speech. Hillary Clinton plans to pummel Donald J. Trumps economic proposals on Tuesday, portraying Mr. Trump as an uncaring and unscrupulous businessman whose reckless policies would lead to a new financial crisis and a surge in unemployment. Appearing in Columbus, Ohio, Mrs. Clinton, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, will argue that Mr. Trumps proposals to increase tariffs on imported goods, cut taxes for the wealthiest Americans and try to get creditors to accept less than full payment on the national debt would lead to a financial meltdown worse than that of 2008, her aides said in interviews. Her campaign manager, Robby Mook, told Sirius XM radio on Monday that Mr. Trumps proposals would send us into an economic ice age. Mrs. Clinton will also tear into Mr. Trumps private-sector record, part of an effort by her campaign and Democratic allies to turn Mr. Trumps business reputation against him and persuade voters that he has trampled over working people at every stage of his career. Its like, every time we come together for something like this, there is someone new we are introduced to for the first time, and we know the road thats ahead of them, said Ms. Smegielski over a basket of chicken nuggets. A tattoo honoring her mother is on her right arm. She looked at Mr. Goddard, to her right; both work for Everytown for Gun Safety, an advocacy organization backed by Michael R. Bloomberg, the former New York mayor. Just like you were there for me three years ago, she told him. And now, Im somebodys Colin. Mrs. Maisch had cut short a family reunion in St. Louis to be here for the vote. In 2013, when the Senate voted against gun safety measures that President Obama pushed for after the Sandy Hook shooting, she stood up in the Senate gallery, looked down at the lawmakers and shouted, Shame on you! She was escorted out by the police and detained for two hours. On Monday, she wore an orange button that read Survivor and a collection of colored plastic wristbands, each one representing a shooting victim. One was for a congressional candidate from Wisconsin whose mother killed herself. One was for Jordan Davis, a 17-year-old student shot in Florida, by someone who complained about his loud music. One was for Dawn Hochsprung, Ms. Smegielskis mother. The revisions spill out in dizzying, not to say implausible, succession: He never spoke to Mr. Zarutsky about Mr. Filin. He denied that he admitted as much in court. Ms. Vorontsova was not his girlfriend. He even raises doubts that there was any acid attack since Mr. Filin has little noticeable scaring and can drive, despite the seeming lack of an iris in one eye that he keeps hidden behind sunglasses. That story is entirely invented by enemies, he said. The whole story is about a battle for power; something done from fear that I had uncovered their illegal activities. My mistake was making a public statement about this. He does not want to dissect the details, preferring to concentrate on his hopes to return to the stage, preferably at the Bolshoi. There was no barre behind bars, but he tried to stay in shape. His first cell was so constricted that he was limited to a few calisthenics like leg lifts and situps, he said. He did not go outside for an entire year. For the rest of the time things were better. He had a narrow space of about 10 square meters (about 108 square feet) where he could run back and forth. Pirouettes were out of the question. Instead he pumped iron. Being a ballet star did not earn him distinct treatment from the guards or fellow inmates. Mr. Dmitrichenko said he was locked up with a varied cast of characters including businessmen, actors and even a circus performer. He started to rehearse again almost as soon as he was released. The first 30 minutes felt a little odd, he said, but then the training that started when he was 6 (he is the son of two dancers) kicked in and everything felt normal. Many were indentured servants. Others were roguish highwaymen, mean vagrants, Irish rebels, known whores and an assortment of convicts shipped to the colonies for grand larceny or other property crimes. Others were simply lazy idlers, in the lingo of the time. They would rather drink rum than clear an acre of pine trees. America did not develop a House of Lords, yet we imported the rigging of the British class system, Ms. Isenberg argues. This was hardly a land of equal opportunity. Brutal labor awaited most migrants. There was little social mobility. Puritan religious faith did not displace class hierarchy, either; the early generations of New Englanders did nothing to diminish, let alone condemn, the routine reliance on servants or slaves, she observes. Land was the principal source of wealth, and those without any had little chance to escape servitude. It was the stigma of landlessness that would leave its mark on white trash from this day forward. From this beginning, Ms. Isenberg moves confidently forward, through, for example, the class issues that undergirded the Civil War and the popular eugenics movement, favored by Theodore Roosevelt, that marked many as targets for sterilization. Slavery and racism are hardly discounted in this book, but she maintains her focus on poor whites. She singles out North Carolina as what we might call the first white trash colony. It was swampy and, thanks to its shoal-filled shoreline, lacked a major port. It had no real planter class. Its citizens were viewed as sluggards, cowardly Blockheads in the words of one early writer. Another referred to the state as the lawless sinke of America. Ms. Isenberg moves through the Great Depression, pausing to admire James Agees complex yet urgent nonfiction account of the lives of poor tenant farmers in Alabama, Let Us Now Praise Famous Men (1941). Elvis arrives. So does Lyndon B. Johnsons Great Society. Trailer parks, redolent of libertys dark side, come under her appraisal, as do movies like Deliverance. (She finds its redneck caricatures to be loathsome.) The careers of Dolly Parton, Jimmy Carter, Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker and Bill Clinton are analyzed. Mr. Clintons dalliance with Monica Lewinsky resulted in a spectacle that the author likens to a white trash outing on the grand national stage. Mr. Nguyen lives in Silver Lake, a largely Hispanic neighborhood here that has more recently become a hipster hangout. His living room is immaculate, devoid of all personal touches. In one corner are five coffee-table books. They all have Vietnam in the title. A war doesnt end simply because we say it does, and a war isnt simply the things that happen on the battlefield, he said. To me, war is a much more expansive beast. If The Sympathizer was born out of anger, it also grew out of other books. Writers draw inspiration from fellow artists all the time, but with Mr. Nguyen, the relationship is especially tight. Ralph Ellisons Invisible Man is evoked on the first page. (Mr. Nguyen and his partner, Lan Duong, named their first child Ellison.) The infamous liver scene in Philip Roths Portnoys Complaint is reprised, this time with squid. But Apocalypse Now is the most overt influence. The Sympathizer is a handsome tribute to one of Americas greatest living directors, or perhaps a punch in the face, or maybe both at once. I think if someone were to spend 50 or 60 pages putting me into a novel, I would be amused, Mr. Nguyen said. Francis Ford Coppola is a genius in the book. Even if he is flawed. Thats a polite way of putting it. At one point in the novel, the director apparently tries to kill the spy by setting a cemetery ablaze. It would be interesting to know Mr. Coppolas reaction to all this, but he did not respond to a request for an interview. That disappoints Mr. Nguyen a bit. Im not afraid of confrontation, he said. Mr. Nguyen first saw Mr. Coppolas film when he was around 10. He was a Vietnamese refugee who spoke fluent English, a bookworm curious about his roots, a war buff like so many boys. He watched the movie alone at home in San Jose on a newfangled VCR. Under the proposal, which would require the approval of the California Public Utilities Commission, the plants two reactors would be shut down in 2024 and 2025, when their operating licenses expire, as long as the State Lands Commission extends a permit set to expire in 2018 that grants access to the ocean for the cooling operation. Bullet Train to Nowhere : Construction of the California high-speed rail system, Americas most ambitious infrastructure project, Construction of the California high-speed rail system, Americas most ambitious infrastructure project, has become a multi-billion-dollar nightmare A Piece of Black History Destroyed: Lincoln Heights a historically Black community in a predominantly white, rural county in Northern California endured for decades. Lincoln Heights a historically Black community in a predominantly white, rural county in Northern California endured for decades. Then came the Mill fire Warehouse Moratorium: As warehouse construction balloons nationwide, residents in communities both rural and urban have pushed back. In Californias Inland Empire, As warehouse construction balloons nationwide, residents in communities both rural and urban have pushed back. In Californias Inland Empire, the anger has turned to widespread action The future of many of the countrys 99 nuclear reactors a majority of which are more than 30 years old is looking grim. The flood of cheap natural gas and slowing demand for electricity have driven down power prices, making it difficult for the aging plants to compete in wholesale markets. In recent years, several plants have shut down before their licenses expired, and more early closings are planned or threatened around the country. Outside of a few areas, there has been little recent appetite to replace the old-style plants, which can take decades to plan and license and are expensive to build. The Tennessee Valley Authority this month announced the start of power production at the second reactor of its Watts Bar plant, whose construction had been halted since 1985. In Georgia, Southern Company is building two new nuclear units. There is not much else in the pipeline. But nuclear plants provide nearly 60 percent of the countrys carbon dioxide-free power. So some state and federal officials and environmentalists have been scrambling to help save the plants to meet national goals to stem climate change. Some nuclear advocates were critical of the plan for Diablo Canyon and expressed skepticism that the utility could fill the gap without relying on fossil fuels. A rise in greenhouse gas emissions has tended to follow closings of nuclear plants, as they have most often been replaced by natural gas. That was the case in New England and California after Vermont Yankee and San Onofre shut down. TOKYO A former Google executive and Silicon Valley star was on course to be the next chief executive of SoftBank of Japan, one of the worlds most prominent technology conglomerates. Now he is leaving, in an abrupt shakeout that shows cracks in SoftBanks global ambitions. When the executive, Nikesh Arora, was poached two years ago from a coveted role as Googles head of business operations, the hire was widely considered a coup for SoftBank. Its billionaire founder and chief executive, Masayoshi Son, crowned Mr. Arora heir apparent. Mr. Arora was vaunted for his deal-making prowess and seen as an international executive who would help transform SoftBank with a flurry of investments. One of Mr. Sons most cherished ambitions was to turn SoftBank, a Japanese business with some notable overseas names like the American carrier Sprint, into a truly global enterprise. The honeymoon did not last. Investors have criticized Mr. Arora recently for his record of managing SoftBanks overseas deals. Investments in start-ups like DramaFever and Housing.com, these shareholders have said, appear to have soured as the companies have faltered. Is Europe finished? The latest polls and political prediction markets this week suggest that Britons will vote on Thursday to stay in the European Union. The Leave campaign, led by Boris Johnson, the former mayor of London who tried to whip up a surge of resentment against immigrants into a vote for Britain to leave the bloc, looks set to fail. But even if the pro-European Remain cause pulls out a victory, the popular hostility against the decades-long process of European integration evident not only in Britain but across the Continent underscores a defining weakness. Europe itself lacks a firm democratic foundation. Europes leaders face a clear-cut choice: For their integration agenda to succeed preserving the free movement of people within the bloc, forging ahead with the euro and the single market, keeping doors open to outsiders the E.U. must figure out how to overcome the narrow national interests and mistrust that tie it up in knots every time a collective response is needed. That will require democracy on a European scale. If Europes national governments remain unwilling to cede political power to regional institutions that have democratic legitimacy, the European Union will slide backward. In a statement, Barry H. Berke, a lawyer for Mr. Valvani, called his death a horrible tragedy that is difficult to comprehend. We hope for the sake of his family and his memory that it will not be forgotten that the charges against him were only unproven accusations and he had always maintained his innocence, Mr. Berke said. In addition to his wife, Mr. Valvani left behind two daughters. The death of Mr. Valvani is still being investigated, but another police official said that it appeared to be a suicide. It is not known whether other factors could have affected Mr. Valvanis state of mind. Suicides by people touched by white-collar criminal cases are rare. But there have been a few prominent examples in recent years. Mark Madoff, the older son of Bernard L. Madoff, hanged himself in his Manhattan apartment on the second anniversary of his fathers arrest on charges of running a Ponzi scheme. And J. Clifford Baxter, a former Enron executive, shot himself in the head in 2002 after he was subpoenaed by Congress to testify about the accounting scandal at the company. When youre dealing with my world, there is everything to lose, said Ira Lee Sorkin, a former lawyer for Mr. Madoff and a partner at Mintz & Gold, adding, Theres reputation, family, business you name it and some people just cant take the pressure. Jack Fuller, who joined the The Chicago Tribune as a 16-year-old copy boy, went on to win a Pulitzer Prize for editorial writing and ultimately presided over the Tribune Companys $8 billion acquisition of Times Mirror in 2000, died on Tuesday in Chicago. He was 69. The cause was lung cancer, his son, Timothy, said. Mr. Fuller had been The Tribunes editorial page editor, executive editor, publisher and chief executive. He was president of Tribune Publishing, the newspaper division of the Tribune Company, when he oversaw the purchase that brought The Los Angeles Times, Newsday, The Baltimore Sun, The Hartford Courant and other Times Mirror publications under the Tribune umbrella, in what was described as the largest acquisition in newspaper history. He retired and left the board in 2004 before the investor Sam Zell bought the company, took it private, imposed cost cuts and later filed for bankruptcy protection. Mr. Fuller was editorial page editor from 1981 to 1987. He won the Pulitzer Prize in 1986 for his commentary on constitutional and legal issues. How do I know if I got vouchers? Anyone who bought tickets using Ticketmasters website between Oct. 21, 1999, and Feb. 27, 2013, should have received between one and 17 vouchers. If youre logged in to your Ticketmaster account, you can check to see how many are available to you here. What are the vouchers worth? There are three types, each with a different value: A $2.25 discount on any ticket. A $5 discount toward UPS delivery. Two free tickets for general admission seating at venues owned or operated by Live Nation Entertainment, which owns Ticketmaster. Great! Which of my favorite bands are playing? You cant use the vouchers on just any Ticketmaster order. The company has selected specific events for which they qualify throughout the United States, which means the shows near you might be awfully limited. The company set up a webpage listing which events would be eligible, with more than 430 initially listed. Free tickets for Alabama Shakes, Weezer, Bob Dylan, Def Leppard, Snoop Dogg, Steely Dan and The Cure were briefly made available in the first batch of concerts. SAN TERENZIANO, Italy On a May afternoon, when the weather was unable to decide between sun and showers, the dedication of pork lovers here in this central Italian town was sorely tested. Again and again, rain arrived; the crowd scattered. But again and again, as the sun returned, they poured back into the town square, appetites renewed for more porchetta: the aromatic, ancient whole pig roast that a crowd of hundreds had gathered to celebrate. It was the last day of Porchettiamo, a new festival devoted to porchetta, and a few showers were not going to keep them from the rare opportunity to taste a dozen different kinds of this beloved dish. To make porchetta, a whole pig is deboned and gutted, then stuffed with garlic and herbs, and roasted in its skin until crunchy, juicy and insanely aromatic. (The head is left on, so when it is cooked, a whole porchetta looks like a pig in a brown sleeping bag.) It is served sliced and stuffed into crusty rolls or between slabs of focaccia; because it is boneless, every slice has spirals of tender meat, lush fat and crunchy cracklings. As at a whole-hog barbecue in the United States, the goal is a mix of all three in each bite. MILAN Fashion does and ever did thrive on cults of personality. Thats how it happens that legions of men around the world walk around with another mans name stitched into the bands of their underwear. Fashions current hero is Alessandro Michele, the multiple-beringed creative director of Gucci, who is winning hearts and minds not only among customers, but also among his fellow designers. His magpie tendencies and thrift-store eclecticism are apparently catching on, and if he has a takeaway from five days of Milan shows, it should be to be flattered, sincerely. One of Mr. Micheles tenets is individualism; the personality he offers his cultists isnt only his own, but a kaleidoscope of wacky plenty. Its a Free to Be You and Me spirit that informs everything from the way he puts together outfits (free to be, that is, as long as youre in Gucci) to the way he puts together a runway show. Daniel Markowski, a bug scientist in a cowboy hat, has a phone that will not stop ringing. Now that summer has arrived, and with it the mosquitoes that carry the Zika virus, the services of the Arkansas-based mosquito control contractor he works for, Vector Disease Control International, are in great demand. Its workers, the special forces of mosquito control, wield sprayers loaded with pesticide, mostly on behalf of local governments. Ive had people from literally all over the country calling, he said. What should we do? The federal government is trying to provide some answers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week released a 58-page blueprint for what to do if a homegrown case of Zika surfaces. The mosquito that carries the virus, the Aedes aegypti, is found mostly in the South and Southwest, and the C.D.C. says it is focusing much of its mosquito control effort on six states and one county most at risk: California, Texas, Florida, Hawaii, Arizona and Louisiana, and Los Angeles County. As far as anyone knows, the mosquito in this country has neither picked Zika up nor started to spread it. But that could happen anytime, experts warn, especially now that hundreds of Americans have been infected with the virus while abroad. (The virus can also be sexually transmitted; the C.D.C. is planning for that, too.) Three New York men were accused on Tuesday of selling over 100 illegal assault weapons from a shop near Rochester in what the authorities said was the largest gun seizure made by the state attorney generals office since the SAFE Act was passed by the State Legislature after the 2012 mass shooting at a Connecticut school. The owner of the gun shop, Kordell Jackson, 40, of West Henrietta, was arrested on charges including three counts of first-degree criminal sale of a firearm, the authorities said. Also arrested were two shop employees: Joshua Perkins, 28, of Irondequoit, and Ken Youngren, 30, who the authorities said was a part-time police officer in the villages of Andover and Belmont. They face charges similar to those brought against Mr. Jackson. When reached by phone on Tuesday before he was arrested, Mr. Youngren declined to comment. Attempts to reach Mr. Jackson and Mr. Perkins by phone were unsuccessful. The investigation began in 2014, when agents with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives noticed irregularities in the records of the store, Jackson Guns and Ammo in Henrietta, and alerted the State Police, according to a joint news release from the state attorney general and the State Police superintendent. To the Editor: Re The Broken Promise on Guantanamo (editorial, June 20): Of course President Obama should allow independent human rights monitors to document the treatment of Guantanamo prisoners. Beyond human rights conventions that call for such access is the right of Americans to know what tortures were inflicted in their name. The president should also release those detainees who have been cleared for release and send the remaining prisoners to the United States for trial. Indefinite detention, whether in Guantanamo or another prison, perpetuates injustice. Are budget-conscious legislators not concerned about costs? To maintain the current 80 prisoners at Guantanamo costs American taxpayers $454 million, or almost $5.7 million per detainee, per year. Its time to close Guantanamo. L. MICHAEL HAGER Eastham, Mass. The writer is co-founder and former director general of the International Development Law Organization. LONDON No one should be surprised that Britain could vote to leave the European Union on Thursday. For decades, British newspapers have offered their readers an endless stream of biased, misleading and downright fallacious stories about Brussels. And the journalist who helped set the tone long before he became the mayor of London or the face of the pro-Brexit campaign was Boris Johnson. I know this because I was appointed Brussels correspondent for The Times of London in 1999, a few years after Mr. Johnson reported from there for another London newspaper, The Telegraph. I had to live with the consequences. Mr. Johnson, fired from The Times in 1988 for fabricating a quotation, made his name in Brussels not with honest reporting but with extreme euroskepticism, tirelessly attacking, mocking and denigrating the European Union. He wrote about European Union plans to take over Europe, ban Britains favorite potato chips, standardize condom sizes and blow up its own asbestos-filled headquarters. These articles were undoubtedly colorful but they bore scant relation to the truth. Mr. Johnsons dispatches galvanized the rest of Britains highly competitive and partisan newspaper industry. They were far more fun than the usual dry, policy-driven Brussels fare. Editors at other newspapers, particularly but not exclusively the tabloids, started pressing their own correspondents to match Mr. Johnsons imaginative reports. Fashion companies are noticing. In April, J. Crew leased 60,000 square feet for its Madewell division, moving from the East Village. In January, Polo Ralph Lauren leased about 19,000 square feet to use as a photo studio for its products. And last August, Macys leased some 150,000 square feet, reclaiming a section that had once been the department stores fur vault, according to Newmark Grubb Knight Frank, the leasing agent for the Factory. Atlas Capital, which owns the Factory with Square Mile Capital Management and Invesco Real Estate, bought the deteriorating building in 2014, intending to renovate it and market it to tenants in the technology and creative industries that might be drawn to the rapidly changing neighborhood. Atlas is restoring the facade and mechanical systems, and adding a 4,000-square-foot lounge to the lobby, part of a $25 million investment. We turned away tenants that we didnt think were the right mix or right profile, said Brian S. Waterman, a vice chairman for Newmark Grubb Knight Frank. We were looking to create a Chelsea, meatpacking feel. One advantage for Long Island City is its proximity to Manhattan. With a dozen subway stations serving seven train lines, two Long Island Rail Road stations and access to the Queensboro Bridge and Queens-Midtown Tunnel, the trip can be as short as five minutes in places. But it feels far away. Much of the area lacks the shops, restaurants and bars that make a neighborhood an appealing place to work, or hang out afterward. So developers are trying to make warehouse lobbies feel like destinations. Consider the Falchi Building across the street from the Factory. In 2012, Jamestown Properties bought the building, at 33-00 47th Avenue. It was built in the early 1920s as a warehouse for the Gimbels department store. The building now has a bustling ground-floor marketplace with vendors like Doughnut Plant and Stolle Bakery, and seating for diners. Although its roster of longtime tenants includes jewelers like Tourneau, which has had repair shop there since 2006, other fashion companies have recently shown interest, said Haley L. Fisher, a director at Cushman and Wakefield, the leasing agent. In March, the Related Companies and GreenOak Real Estate bought two Long Island City warehouses: the Paragon Building and the Blanchard Building. A $30 million renovation of the Paragon, at 21-00 49th Avenue atop the Hunters Point subway station, updated the vacant office building with new windows, elevators and a penthouse with expansive city views. The Blanchard Building, at 21-09 Borden Avenue is also being renovated, a $15 million investment, with plans to add a beer hall. Perhaps as impressive as the outcome is the means by which the machines engineers arrived at the output. The United States does not allow the shipment of advanced semiconductors to China, because chips of that kind can be used in weapons design. So the winning team figured out how to string together over 40,000 Chinese-made chips, each with the processing power of a nice smartphone. That achievement also underlines some shortcomings in viewing this as a straightforward competition, however. The winning computer required as much power as would be needed for 15,000 American homes, and seemed to hit that power level by using relatively little memory. It is a fine machine, but it may not be a very practical machine. The real race now may be how quickly China can develop its own artificial intelligence industry, along with high-performance semiconductors. These could, if combined with the networking know-how shown by this machine, make a severely daunting computer. It is spending billions on that effort. Even more than for the bragging rights, supercomputers now matter for everything from weather forecasting to packaged-goods design. They are increasingly important for the great number of products and processes that are being developed using A.I. The United States lost the race to the top in supercomputers, but it still placed pretty well. It had 165 machines on the list, compared with 167 for China. Japan, which came in third, had 29 computers on the list. The United States had the largest number of supercomputers in the top 20. Fun Home, the poignant family drama that overcame enormous skepticism about its Broadway viability to win last years Tony Award for best new musical, will close in September, the shows producers said on Tuesday. The musical, a true story about a lesbian cartoonist trying to understand her fathers suicide, was the against-all-odds triumph that Broadway occasionally loves, recouping its capitalization and booking a national tour. But despite the awards and acclaim, it was unable to build the audience necessary for a multiyear run on Broadway; its weekly grosses, which topped out at $817,665 last July, had dropped to $313,556 last week. The show is scheduled to close on Sept. 10, at which point it will have played 26 preview and 582 regular performances. The tour begins in Cleveland in October, and at least one foreign production, starring Lea Salonga in the Philippines, has been licensed. Fun Home is an adaptation of a graphic memoir by Alison Bechdel, and in the musical, three actresses portray her: as a child, as a college student and as an adult cartoonist. Last year, the for-profit Corinthian Colleges chain collapsed under the weight of government investigations and allegations of fraud. Its demise left tens of thousands of Corinthian students with loans that will ultimately cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars to forgive. This week, the private accrediting group that allowed Corinthian to stay open for business will face its own existential threat, when federal regulators decide whether to shut it down. That decision will go a long way toward determining whether education companies will continue to have free rein to profit from government financial aid programs. Corinthians accreditor, the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS), has a lot to worry about. A recent Center for American Progress report on the accrediting group scrolls out a long list of incompetence and wrongdoing. Seventeen different colleges and corporate entities approved by the accrediting group to receive federal financial aid have been under government investigation over the last five years. Since 2013, those schools have received $5.7 billion in federal grants and student loans. The group is the accreditor for the currently collapsing ITT Educational Services and the accreditor for the Brown Mackie chain of for-profit colleges, which announced this month that it would close. The massacre in Orlando, Fla., has inspired tearful vigils and neighborly charity. But an act of giving announced on Monday by one Florida lawmaker has spurred denunciations. Greg Evers, a Republican state senator who is running for United States Congress, said he would hold a drawing whose prize would be an AR-15, a gun similar to the one used by Omar Mateen to kill 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando on June 12. Mr. Evers said that he was considering the giveaway since before the mass shooting, intending to burnish his pro-gun credentials in Floridas conservative western Panhandle, where he is running to fill the seat being vacated by Representative Jeff Miller. With the terrorist attacks that we have seen on our country, we are under a constant threat, and its not going away, Mr. Evers said on Tuesday. And we can no longer, I feel, count on our own government to protect us. Lawrence Montoya was 14 when he was questioned for nearly three hours at the Denver Police Headquarters as a suspect in the killing of a schoolteacher. There, detectives screamed at him, banged on the table and told him he would be going to prison for the rest of his life, a lawsuit says. Finally, Mr. Montoya, an eighth-grade student, confessed. That was in 2000. In 2014, he was released from prison after new DNA tests raised doubts about his involvement in the murder. Mr. Montoya, now 31, is suing the police and city of Denver for $30 million in damages over the coerced interrogation and false arrest, the lawsuit says. He basically grew up in prison for something that he didnt do, said Jane Fisher-Byrialsen, one of Mr. Montoyas lawyers. He has tried to get used to living in a world of internet and cellphones and stuff that he did not have access to before. FREDERICKSBURG, Va. Women in head scarves slid off their shoes, stacked them in neat rows next to the mosques entrance and squeezed together shoulder to shoulder in the small prayer space to listen to the imams sermon. It was a Friday Prayer like any other at the Islamic Center of Fredericksburg until the warning came from the imam. Less than a week after the Orlando, Fla., nightclub massacre by an American-born Muslim, and after Donald J. Trumps renewed call to bar Muslims from entering the United States, Imam Hilal Shah told his congregation to stay vigilant for violence against their families and community. Were fearful of a backlash, Imam Shah called out through the speakers as he mentioned other attacks by Muslim extremists in Paris and in San Bernardino, Calif. Anytime an event takes place such as what happened in France, such as what happened in San Bernardino, such as in Orlando, we as a Muslim community feel scared. The Islamic Center is no stranger to backlash. Home to one of the many growing American Muslim communities in Northern Virginia, the center has expanded beyond the capacity of its small building on Harrison Road. The center decided last year to move to a larger mosque, but three days after the Paris attacks in November, a group of Fredericksburg residents protested the construction plans at a public hearing. Donald J. Trumps recent rough patch has taken a toll on his standing in three crucial swing states, according to a new poll that shows voters in Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania viewing Hillary Clinton as being better prepared to be president. A survey from Quinnipiac University found Mrs. Clinton leading Mr. Trump by a margin of 47 percent to 39 percent in Florida, where they were essentially tied in May. Mrs. Clinton also erased Mr. Trumps narrow lead in Ohio, where the candidates are now deadlocked at 40 percent. In Pennsylvania, Mrs. Clinton leads by a single percentage point. The polls had margins of error of plus or minus three percentage points, rendering Ohio and Pennsylvania very much up for grabs a month before Republicans hold their nominating convention July 18-21 in Cleveland. Many leading Republicans have struggled to embrace Mr. Trump so far and there are signs that the discord is doing damage. Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac Poll, said that the lingering infighting within the Republican Party was hurting Mr. Trumps standing and that political parties usually show more loyalty toward their standard-bearers. COLUMBUS, Ohio Hillary Clinton pounded away on Tuesday at Donald J. Trumps business record and economic proposals, seeking to turn his claims of astounding financial success and genius against him and predicting a recession and global panic if he is elected president. In a stern but earnest-sounding 45-minute speech at an education center garage here, Mrs. Clinton took care to intermingle the policy proclamations of Mr. Trump and his professed image as a business success of the highest order. Donald Trump has said hes qualified to be president because of his business record, Mrs. Clinton said. A few days ago he said and I quote Im going to do for the country what I did for my business. So lets take a look. Though she leveled predictable blows against various Trump-branded products, noting that many items Trump ties, Trump steaks, Trump furniture were made outside the United States, Mrs. Clintons most pointed refrains sought to depict Mr. Trump, her presumptive Republican opponent, as an enemy to the very people he had claimed to champion in the primary. Washington, DC - 20 June 2016 // SOUNDBITE (English) Senator Harry Reid, Democrat Minority Leader: Senate Republicans should be embarrassed but of course theyre not. Theyre not embarrassed because the NRA is happy. 90 percent of Americans support expanding background checks. Its not 90 percent of Democrats, its 90 percent of the American people. Democrats, Republicans and Independents. And 85 percent of Americans want to close the terrorist gun loophole, Democrats, Republicans and Independents. But the NRA says no so Republicans do nothing. // SOUNDBITE (English) Senator Dianne Feinstein, Democrat, California: My own view, a very personal view is that were going into an election season. And Mr. and Mrs. America you have to stand up and you have to say Im going to vote only for people who will do something to close the terror gap, to keep guns out of the hands of people who are mentally incompetent, who are criminals and would use them illegally, maybe just maybe this next election can produce something. // SOUNDBITE (English) Senator Chris Murphy, Democrat, Connecticut Terrorists today are using assault weapons, rather than IEDs or airplanes to attack Americans. After September 11, we decided we werent going to allow terrorists to get a hold of airplanes in order to kill civilians. Well today theyve moved on to assault weapons. They specifically recruit lone wolf attackers to go to gun shows to buy assault weapons and we should take the same tact. So were not giving up. The American people arent giving up. Well watch how these negotiations play out over the next few days but I will tell you this: they are simply evidence of the fact that Republicans know that they are on the wrong side of the electorate. Democracy doesnt allow for this place to be this far out of step with 90 percent of Americans for very long. // SOUNDBITE (English) Senator Cory Booker, Democrat, New Jersey: And so for all those folks who say time and time again were at war with terror, what we have been doing by not closing this loophole is to aid and abet those people who seek to get weapons to kill us. So I will not stop fighting. I will stand with my colleagues here and we will continue this effort and its our hope that folks will start lifting their voice, that we wont wait until the next mass shooting that seems to happen every two months, there is enough blood, there is enough death, enough killing going on, we have all the evidence we need that we need to do more. Doing nothing is unacceptable. PARIS A former vice president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Jean-Pierre Bemba, was sentenced on Tuesday to 18 years in prison for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed by militiamen under his command during a four-month rampage of looting, rape and murder in the Central African Republic. The sentence, handed down by an international panel of judges in The Hague, is considered significant for a number of reasons. Notably, Mr. Bemba was convicted even though he was far away from the militia fighting under his orders and was not present during any of the war crimes; the court said he was culpable because of his command responsibility. He should have halted or prevented the crimes, the judges said. Mr. Bemba, who is now 53, was a businessman and scion of a prominent Congolese family before rising to the vice presidency successful, rich and believed to be untouchable. In 2002, he sent an expeditionary force of his political party, the Congolese Liberation Movement, into the Central African Republic to help put down a military coup there. Though Mr. Bemba rarely visited the troops, the judges at the International Criminal Court in The Hague found that he closely monitored their activities, and convicted him in March. BEIJING A court in eastern China has sided with the prosecutors suing a local environmental agency for failing to adequately punish an industrial polluter, according to the countrys top prosecuting agency. Last year, when the case was filed under a national pilot program, the agency, the Supreme Peoples Procuratorate, described it as Chinas first administrative public interest litigation case. Administrative law encompasses lawsuits filed against officials accused of not doing their job properly. Rampant environmental degradation and the corruption of local officials are of great concern to ordinary people across China. Many are aware that safeguards against pollution of the air, water and soil have been failing for decades, and that their health is suffering as a result. The pilot program was set up so that prosecutors could help ensure that local environmental protection bureaus aggressively punished polluters. HONG KONG A village official in southeastern China, whose detention over the weekend set off protests, admitted to taking bribes in a videotaped confession released on Tuesday. But the mans wife said she believed that the confession was forced, and it was unclear if its broadcast would have any effect in dispelling demonstrations in the fishing village of Wukan. Wukan, in Guangdong Province, became the focus of international attention five years ago when residents took to the streets to protest the sale of communal lands, temporarily forcing the local authorities out of the village of 15,000. After a compromise arranged by provincial officials, Wukan residents voted in new local leaders. Lin Zuluan, one of the protest organizers, was elected the Communist Party secretary for the village. Mr. Lin was detained late Friday on suspicion of receiving bribes and abuse of power. But some residents believed that he was being targeted because he planned to hold a public meeting on the unresolved issue of the land sales and to petition higher authorities for help solving the long-simmering issue. Thousands of people took to the streets on Sunday and Monday, waving Chinese flags and calling on the police to release Mr. Lin, who is in his early 70s. SEOUL, South Korea A tussle between the two Koreas over 12 waitresses from the North who defected to the South spilled into a courtroom in Seoul on Tuesday, where human rights lawyers accused the authorities in the South of unlawfully detaining them. The 12 women, together with their male manager, flew to Seoul, the South Korean capital, in April after deserting their North Korean government-run restaurant in the Chinese city of Ningbo. South Korea welcomed the women and described them as having defected of their own free will after growing fed up with their totalitarian government. North Korea immediately accused the Souths spy agency, the National Intelligence Service, of kidnapping the women. It has since arranged for their parents to give interviews with the Western news media, during which they have demanded that South Korea allow them to meet with their daughters to learn their true intentions. The South has dismissed the demands as propaganda. The inter-Korean standoff took an unexpected turn recently, when a South Korean human rights group, Lawyers for a Democratic Society, asked a court in Seoul to release the women from a tightly guarded government facility south of the city where they have been kept since their arrival, so they could speak for themselves. LONDON David Cameron, the British prime minister, has no one to blame but himself. In 2013, besieged by the increasingly assertive anti-European Union wing of his own Conservative Party, Mr. Cameron made a promise intended to keep a short-term peace among the Tories before the 2015 general election: If re-elected, he would hold an in-or-out referendum on continued British membership in the bloc. But what seemed then like a relatively low-risk ploy to deal with a short-term political problem has metastasized into an issue that could badly damage Britains economy, influence the countrys direction for generations and determine Mr. Camerons political fate. As the nation prepares to vote on Thursday, the betting markets are signaling that Britain will choose to remain in Europe, but polls suggest that the outcome is still too close to call. On Tuesday, speaking in front of No. 10 Downing Street, Mr. Cameron warned that a decision to leave would be an irreversible choice. Appealing to older voters, many of whom tend to favor leaving Europe, Mr. Cameron urged them to think about what they would bequeath to the next generation. Sweden, once one of the most welcoming countries for refugees, on Tuesday introduced tough new restrictions on asylum seekers, including rules that would limit the number of people granted permanent residency and make it more difficult for parents to reunite with their children. The government said the legislation, proposed by the Social Democrat minority government and enacted by a vote of 240 to 45, was necessary to prevent the country from becoming overstretched by the surge of migration to Europe that began last year. The country, which has a population of 9.5 million, took in 160,000 asylum seekers last year. The government said that under the new rules, individuals who want to bring over family members but do not apply to do so within three months of arriving in Sweden, would have to prove they can financially support them; current regulations require sponsors to demonstrate only that they can support themselves. Permanent residency for asylum-seekers under the age of 25 would be restricted to those who have completed high school and can support themselves. People who are formally granted refugee status would be able to bring over family members from abroad, but the legislation would circumscribe the family members who are eligible. CAIRO An Egyptian court on Tuesday nullified a government decision to transfer sovereignty of two strategic Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia, in a surprising setback for President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. The ruling surprised even some of Mr. Sisis critics, who did not expect the judiciary to go against the government. In April, Mr. Sisi transferred Tiran and Sanafir arid and uninhabited islands at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba to Saudi Arabia during a visit by the Saudi monarch, King Salman. Saudi Arabia had placed the islands under Egyptian control in 1950, amid fears that Israel might seize them, and Mr. Sisi portrayed their return as a correction of a historical quirk rather than as a sale. Saudi Arabia has been a major financial supporter of Mr. Sisis since, as military chief, he led the ouster of his Islamist predecessor, Mohamed Morsi, in 2013. Australia has spared Vietnamese lychee growers from traveling a long way to export their fruit to its market. When Vietnams lychee harvest comes in late May until the middle of July, farmers in Luc Ngan - a small town just north of Hanoi- must travel across the country to Ho Chi Minh City to get the tropical fruit irradiated for export to demanding markets such as Australia. However, Australias Department of Agriculture has recently approved imports of lychees that are treated at a new food irradiation facility in Hanoi. Consignments of Vietnamese lychees that are irradiated at the Hanoi Irradiation Center will then be permitted to be shipped by air or sea to Australia. Demanding fruit importers such as the U.S., Australia and Canada require fruit to be irradiated before they enter these countries. Lychee farmers and traders have tried to make their way into markets such as Japan, Australia and the U.S. hoping to find higher prices with more stable demand to end their reliance on China. Photo by Vu Minh Quan. The Hanoi Irradiation Center, where fruit is treated with high-energy ionizing radiation to eliminate bacteria, extend shelf life and kill invasive pests, is expected to boost the countrys fruit exports this year. Farmers now can save up to VND16 million ($700) per ton as they no longer have to travel nearly 2,000 kilometers from the north to the south for fruit irradiation treatment, said Hoang Trung, head of the Plant Protection Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The center is said to have the capacity of handling about 10 tons of fruit per day. The center will help farmers cut transportation costs and time, which in turn will increase the shelf life of the fruit, said managing director of the center Dang Quang Thieu. Last year, Vietnam exported its very first consignment of lychees to Australia and the U.S.. Even though the volume was small, just 35 tons combined, it was a significant step. Industry experts expect more exports of the fruit in the years to come if the country can meet stricter U.S. and Australian standards and quarantine regulations. Vietnam, already recognized as a major coffee and rice exporter in the international market, is now turning its attention to fruit and vegetables. For now, it is still a relatively minor player on the international stage, the eighth largest fruit exporter in Asia, behind leaders China, Thailand and India. The country's fruit exports grew rapidly to $1.85 billion last year from only $622 million in 2011, according to official figures from the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetables Association. The government is targeting a ten-fold increase over the coming years, with crops like longan, dragon fruit and lychee being given priority. Related news: Vietnam's lychee farmers still look to China as main export market Vietnamese lychee exports grounded by conflicting inspection regulations Vietnamese farmers lick their lips at rising lychee prices One Iraqi exile, pining for home, posted a comment on Mr. Sarrafs site: I have been out of Iraq for 13 years, and there is no Iraqi food or Iraqi kebab like Haji Hussein. Inshallah, I will come back one day to eat at Haji Hussein in Falluja and in Baghdad. In the kitchen, Mr. Husseins nephew, Marwan Mohammed, was working the grill. Now 26, he has been working in the family business since he was 8, washing the skewers. Mr. Mohammed said the secret to his kebab is fresh lamb, as opposed to low-quality imported meats that he said many Iraqi restaurants use. The family still raises its own sheep in a government-held area near Falluja, and usually serves the kebab on the same day the sheep is slaughtered, or the next day. We only feed them grass and special food, he said. We never let them go out in the open and eat garbage. The only other ingredient mixed with the minced lamb is onions. Sumac and a squeeze of lemon at the table add more flavor. Mr. Husseins fortune may now be in Baghdad, but his heart is in Falluja. His hometown, he said, is like a sacred place for me. He added, My heart beats faster when Falluja comes to my mind. He began to cry as he described what Falluja used to be. Simple people, he said. It was a tribal society. Weve never even had a hotel. There was hospitality for everyone. All homes were hotels for visitors. Recipes: Chicken-Thigh Kebabs | Adana Kebabs | Lamb and Fig Kebabs with Honey and Rosemary TEHRAN In comments suggesting that Iran was prepared to support an armed uprising in Bahrain, a senior Iranian commander has threatened the Sunni-led state of Bahrain for revoking the citizenship of a leading Shiite opposition cleric. In a statement on Monday, the commander, Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the high-profile leader of the elite Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, denounced the mistreatment of the cleric and threatened Bahrain with a bloody intifada. Bahrains leaders have accused the Quds Force of sending weapons to local insurgents, which Iran denies. But General Soleimanis explosive remarks suggested that Tehran was losing patience. Bahrains action against the cleric, Ayatollah Sheikh Isa Qassim, is a red line, and passing this red line will create flames of fire in Bahrain and the entire region, General Soleimani said. And the people will have no choice but armed resistance. JERUSALEM Israeli forces opened fire at a Palestinian car in the occupied West Bank early Tuesday, killing one Palestinian teenager and wounding four others, according to relatives and Palestinian officials. The teenagers appeared to be innocent bystanders who were hit while the military tried to halt Palestinians who were throwing stones and firebombs. The military said its soldiers had been pursuing several Palestinians who were trying to hit Israeli cars on Route 443, a highway that cuts through the West Bank as it connects Jerusalem with Israels densely populated coastal plain, injuring three civilians, including a pregnant woman. Palestinian officials identified the dead teenager as Mahmoud Rafat Badran, 15, from the village of Beit Ur al-Tahta, west of Ramallah, and said that two of his brothers, ages 16 and 17, were among those injured. Nearby forces acted in order to protect additional passing vehicles from immediate danger and fired toward suspects, the military said. From the initial inquiry, it appears that uninvolved bystanders were mistakenly hit during the pursuit. AMMAN, Jordan Jordan sealed its last entry points for Syrian refugees on Tuesday after a suicide bomber detonated a car bomb in a no-mans land on the border, killing four Jordanian soldiers, a police officer and a civil defense officer. The attack took place about 5:30 a.m. on the sand berm marking the frontier between the countries, near a refugee camp where an estimated 60,000 people have been living in harsh conditions. The Jordanian military said in a statement that the car carrying explosives had struck a military post in the buffer zone at the border after approaching from the refugee camp, and that Jordanian forces opened fire. The vehicle exploded, the statement said, killing the security personnel and wounding 14 others. The statement, released several hours later by the Jordanian Armed Forces, declared the northern and northeastern borders a military zone and warned that any movement of vehicles or individuals there without permission would be seen as a hostile act. In fashion there are mom jeans. So, too, there is a counterpart in beauty: mom hair. Youve likely seen it at suburban malls: the longer-in-back, slightlyshorter-in-front bob that should read sleek but is inescapably frumpy. And even the city-dwelling mom isnt immune. Perhaps she has added her own twists like blunt bangs or extra layering, but the do still falls short of flattering. I see it all the time, said Juan Carlos Maciques, a stylist at the Rita Hazan salon in Manhattan. The first thing new moms want to do is cut their hair off. Theyre feeling lousy about their bodies, and they just want to get some sense of self again. But, usually, to cut off your hair is a big mistake. It isnt simply want of a new look that spurs many new mothers to the salon. Rather, they are experiencing real physical changes that can be terrifying. Often the mom bob starts as a convenient solution to hair loss after pregnancy. As for the results? In the election of 2012, Barack Obama won the state of Pennsylvania with 52 percent of the vote. Democratic House candidates won 51 percent of the vote. But Democratic House candidates won only 28 percent of the states seats. In North Carolina, Democratic House candidates won 50.6 percent of the vote, but Republicans seized 9 of the 13 congressional seats. By 2014, they would have 10. The list goes on. Beyond the partisan distortion, this mutilation has had the secondary but no less cancerous effect of making congressional districts deeply homogeneous. The Republican-favored landscape has given rise to the phenomenon of disruptive primary challenges from within the Grand Old Party. With no reward for work conducted across the aisle, Congress has turned from a place of compromise to one of extremism, as representatives fight to protect their right flanks. Daley argues that this is the reason our legislative branch refuses to act on issues including gun control, climate change and college debt issues with broad national support, but ones that offer little reward for Republican representatives seeking to hold their own in a hostile, conservative environment back home. The book is disheartening and enraging in equal measure and also occasionally dull, as when the numerous stories of electoral manipulation seem to repeat themselves. But where should the reader channel his or her anger? Certainly the Republican Partys audacity is worthy of indignation, but its strategic expenditures and long-term focus are impressive, enviable even especially in comparison with the bumbling Democrats, who seem to have been blindsided by the G.O.P.s takeover. One Ohio-based election scholar says: Im not being partisan here. Im just making an observation that the Democrats have been dumb about all this for a long time. Daley would seem to agree and suggests that the left remains ill equipped to counterattack and ill disposed toward what would be better yet: to remove the drawing of congressional lines entirely from political hands and be done with the whole sordid mess. Instead, these distorted, Rorschachian districts are likely to continue to plague our democracy until the next census in 2020, and possibly for some time thereafter. While the work is extraordinarily timely and undeniably important, Daleys argument is perhaps a bit too zealous. No doubt this sinister practice has effectively destroyed congressional cooperation, but one has to wonder, especially this election year, whether Americas partisan divide really is simply the result of nefarious mapmaking. The rise of an angry, inchoate political force one that has not only bucked party orthodoxy but maintained widespread grass-roots support would seem to lend credence to the idea that progress on big-ticket issues relating to the environment and economy is not stalled just because of this miserable redistricting process, but indeed because of a growing and seemingly unbridgeable gulf between the haves and have-nots, urbanites and ruralists, insiders and outsiders. Then again, come Nov. 8, someone will be tasked with trying to put the country back together, and perhaps these warped districts are exactly the place to start. Conservatism comes in many varieties. Levin is not a libertarian, because he doesnt value personal freedom above all else. He is not a neoconservative, because he shows no interest in foreign policy and strongly objects to a powerful federal government, even if it is put to conservative ends. He is not a populist, because he wants ordinary people to revere authority figures, as long as they are local and not in government. Social issues seem to be closer to his heart than economic ones. His big idea is that during the first half of the 20th century, the United States created a set of large, powerful institutions that dominated national life, and then, in the second half of the century, the national culture moved away from these institutions and toward individualism. Levin understands this process as inherently neither liberal nor conservative and for all his stated anti-nostalgia, the picture he offers of contemporary America is not a happy one. By embracing a view of society as consisting only of individuals and a state, we have set loose a scourge of loneliness and isolation on the one hand and, on the other, a federal government that engages in more direct intervention . . . in the daily lives of Americans than it ever has in peacetime. The only workable solution is an ethic of subsidiarity, which decentralizes political power and elevates local middle institutions like churches and neighborhood organizations. Toward the end of The Fractured Republic, Levin calls on conservatives to enter into the details of public-policy debates, and not limit themselves to the level of abstraction. That is not a project he engages in here. He calls his book an essay, and its main strength and main weakness are the same: It fits a vast range of material under the roof of one fairly short volume, but at the price of speaking primarily in general assertions unsupported by evidence. Levin is a master of the old debaters trick of setting up and knocking down a straw man: He almost never quotes an actual person advocating for a return to the 1950s, but he consistently presents himself as a lonely voice with the courage to envision something different. (Another debaters trick, which follows from this one, is his tendency to label ideas he disagrees with as anachronistic, no longer plausible, stuck in the past and so on, rather than arguing against them on the merits.) Levin frequently maneuvers himself into range of specific policies on social programs, on economic regulation, on immigration and then leaves us to guess what hes actually for, as if he fears that by taking a position he would lose our attention or alienate potential converts. With this very broad style of argument, Levin runs the risk that what he says might not ring true, and this is especially a problem in his characterizations of liberalism, which is obviously not the world he inhabits. This shows up often in specific instances where he seems unaware of exactly what liberals have been up to. He refers to Lawrence Summers the former Treasury secretary whose candidacy for the chairmanship of the Federal Reserve was sunk by the Elizabeth Warren wing of the Democratic Party as a former official from the left. He says the term the establishment was borrowed . . . from the postwar radical counterculture, when in fact it was invented by the not-at-all-radical British journalist Henry Fairlie and popularized in the United States by the New Yorker writer Richard Rovere, a prominent defector from radicalism to mainstream liberalism. Levin doesnt mention liberal thinkers much at all, and so misses not just the nuances but the main outlines of their often ferocious debates during the period he covers. (Perhaps the most conspicuous absence is the Princeton historian Daniel T. Rodgers, whose Age of Fracture, published five years ago, covers much of the same ground as The Fractured Republic; Levin repeatedly uses Rodgerss title phrase in his book.) A few years ago, the Brooklyn Museum put on a Keith Haring exhibition, with a focus on his early career. There were videos of Haring at work, feverishly painting his way across an enormous scroll, and a room filled with drawings he illegally chalked in subway stations. But most stunning, at least to me, were Harings notebooks. They were displayed under clear cubes, their well-worn sheets pinned open for visitors to study. The notebooks were sublimely surreal, filled with dogs crawling beneath bulbous U.F.O.s and penises ejaculating alongside concave cylinders that looked like nuclear cooling towers. By the time I first encountered Harings work as a teenager, his artistic legacy had been reduced to catchy imagery of colorful, blocky bodies hugging and dancing on T-shirts. But the notebooks showed what nagged at the artist, what motivated him. I saw someone so suspicious of government surveillance that he often wrote in secret code, someone obsessed with the subversive power of gay sex and someone working to merge his skepticism of capitalism with a deep-rooted desire for fame and commercial appeal. I left with an urgent curiosity about what sort of artifacts we would display a few decades from now, for future generations to discover. Our contemporary analogues to the personal notebook now live on the web communal, crowdsourced and shared online in real time. Some of the most interesting and vital work I come across exists only in pixels. Tumblr, for example, contains endless warrens of critical theory about trans identity politics and expression, one of the few havens on the web where that sort of discourse exists. Many of the short videos on Vine feel as though they belong to an ever-evolving, completely new genre of modern folk art. Some of the most clever commentary on pop culture and politics is thriving deep in hashtags on Twitter. Social media is as essential to understanding the preoccupations and temperature of our time as Harings notebooks were for his. But preserving materials from the internet is much harder than sealing them under glass. Building an archive has always required asking a couple of simple but thorny questions: What will we save and how? Whose stories are the most important and why? In theory, the internet already functions as a kind of archive: Any document, video or photo can in principle remain there indefinitely, available to be viewed by anyone with a connection. But in reality, things disappear constantly. Search engines like Google continually trawl for pages to organize and index for retrieval, but they cant catch everything. And as the web evolves, it becomes harder to preserve. It is estimated that 75 percent of all websites are inactive, and domains are abandoned every day. Links can rot when sites disappear, images vanish when servers go offline and fluctuations in economic tides and social trends can wipe out entire ecosystems. (Look up a blog post from a decade ago and see how many of the images, media or links still work.) Tumblr and even Twitter may eventually end up ancient internet history because of their financial instability. Priebus was saying in effect that it would be possible to build a wall around Donald Trump and not have the G.O.P. pay for it. Trump did not define its values in the long term, even if he might temporarily defile them. Were the party of the open door, Priebus told me, as he often does. Not big, beautiful walls. For a while this spring, it seemed possible to contain the earthquake. Trump showed flickering signs of maturing as a candidate, and Republicans seemed willing to support the nominee, if not endorse him. The normalization of Donald Trump became a media watchword, the idea that his daily affronts could be integrated into the routine paces of a quadrennial exercise. Formerly hostile primary opponents like Marco Rubio, Lindsey Graham, Bobby Jindal and Rick Perry all at various points said they would support Trump or were at least no longer (in Rubios case) deriding him as a fraud, con man and lunatic or (in Grahams) a race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot or (in Jindals) a madman who must be stopped or (in Perrys) a barking carnival act. I imagined Trump laughing at how easy it was to get Republicans to submit to him after he had savaged so many of them during the primaries. Actually there was no need to imagine because Trump was doing exactly that. Ive never seen people able to pivot like politicians, he said at a rally in California in late May while boasting of his support from Perry. In an interview, I asked Trump if it was harder to flip politicians or the real estate people he has dealt with over the years. His smirk was audible over the phone. Well, Im not referring to any politicians in particular, but Ive said many times that businesspeople are much tougher, Trump said. Politicians tend to be much more deceptive and deceiving and more willing to break a deal. But they are not as tough. Priebus, meanwhile, kept working the phones, trying to coax anti-Trump Republicans back to the party line and persuade beg Trump to lay off the elected Republicans he kept dumping on. I have encouraged him to constantly offer grace to people that he doesnt think are deserving of grace, Priebus said. Trump, in turn, calls Priebus Mr. Switzerland and speaks well of him. Reince is a peacemaker, a very good person for getting people together, he said. Trump was calling me from his limo after a rally in Anaheim, Calif. He was in the midst of an intrapartisan grudge tour of the American West, during which he disparaged, among other Republicans, Jeb Bush, the South Carolina governor, Nikki Haley, and the New Mexico governor, Susana Martinez, who is one of the highest-profile Hispanic elected officials in the G.O.P. He also reiterated that Romney was a loser and a choker and for good measure boasted that I have a store thats worth more money than he is. Priebuss mother is Greek, which he says trains him for dealing with whatever the Greek word for mishegas is. Ever see My Big Fat Greek Wedding? he asked. Thats my family, thats my life. The arguing starts at 7:30 in the morning, everyones in each others business. It was good family chaos. I asked if what the G.O.P. was going through now was good family chaos. It depends how it turns out, he said. At this point in the pre-general-election calendar four and eight years ago, Romney and John McCain had built massive campaign operations and fund-raising networks that were orders of magnitude larger than Trumps. They had accumulated armies of elected officials promoting them and were diligently making peace with vanquished opponents and paying courtesy calls to party dignitaries and congressional leaders in the name of unity. The period between the end of the primaries and the start of the conventions is typically one of consolidation, good-will harvesting and turning full attention to the general-election opponent all of which Trump has succeeded in achieving the 180-degree opposite of. Trump would of course be the first to point out that both McCain and Romney lost and that he has been doubted at every step of his campaign. But the degree to which he seems unconcerned with his pariah status among name Republicans remains a key feature of his pursuit. To a comical extent, top Republicans willed themselves invisible when I reached out to them for this article, fearing, not incorrectly, that the conversation would turn to Trump. This included some of the most typically quotable Republicans, including former Trump challengers like Graham (Hes sorta had his fill talking about Trump, a spokesman emailed), Perry (Thanks for thinking of him) and Ted Cruz (Not great timing on our end); the previous nominee Mitt Romney (You are kind to think of me, he wrote); Trump stalwarts like Chris Christie (We are going to take a pass this time); Trump-averse Republican governors like Charlie Baker of Massachusetts (The governor wont be available); and senators like Mike Lee, of Utah (Senator Lee would love to talk to you about the state of the G.O.P. and conservatism in general. We are free anytime after Nov 8.). LOS ANGELES In theory, a new Ghostbusters movie sounded like a surefire success. A generation after Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson defended New York from paranormal terrors and a supersize marshmallow man in Ivan Reitmans 1984 comedy blockbuster (followed by a 1989 sequel), and after years of failed attempts at follow-ups and restarts, it seemed time for a new group of actors to handle the proton packs and the Ectomobile. And who better to take on this challenge than Kristen Wiig of Bridesmaids, and her Academy Award-nominated co-star, Melissa McCarthy, teamed up with Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon of Saturday Night Live? Then add the director Paul Feig, who has worked with Ms. McCarthy (on Bridesmaids, The Heat and Spy) and fought for greater female representation in Hollywood? But not everyone is excitedly anticipating this new Ghostbusters, which Sony Pictures will release on July 15. Almost from the moment that its leading women were announced in January 2015, it has been the subject of intense criticism from a subset of prospective moviegoers who, though they have not seen the film, say that it should not have been remade and that its female principal cast is a concession to political correctness. Online, YouTube users have given its trailers more than one million negative votes while clamoring in comments that women simply cannot be Ghostbusters. Even before he declared his presidential candidacy, Donald J. Trump posted an internet video in which he intoned: Now theyre making Ghostbusters with only women. Whats going on? While some of the Ghostbusters stars have pushed back, on social media, against sexist detractors and cries of Youre ruining my childhood!, others have refrained from weighing in. But this month, Ms. McCarthy, Ms. Wiig, Ms. Jones, Ms. McKinnon and Mr. Feig gathered here at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel to talk about the production and the timely if vehement argument they unexpectedly initiated. As a group, the actresses and their director were at times a goofy, giggling quintet, cracking wise and riffing on one anothers jokes. But they are also passionate advocates of their work and of one another, and keenly aware of what the debate around Ghostbusters really says about peoples feelings about gender, onscreen and off. These are edited excerpts from that conversation. For the cast members, was the original Ghostbusters an important film to you? After prolonged delays over the past several years, the Thai offshoot of fledgling Vietnamese low-cost carrier VietJet Air is finally ready to begin operations. Thai VietJet Air (TVJA) is set to make a formal announcement for the launch within the next two months with flights scheduled to start soon after, making TVJA the fifth major Thai-registered budget airline, said Nguyen Thi Thuy Binh, vice president of VietJet Aviation Joint Stock Company. She confirmed that TVJA was just waiting for the "right moment". TVJA will start scheduled flights by initially assuming the two routes currently controlled by its parent VietJet Air. The flights will be from Bangkok to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, with one to two flights per day and three to four flights per day, respectively. In association with VietJet Air, TVJA intends to expand its regular flights from Bangkok to Vietnams central city of Da Nang, the Central Highland city of Da Lat and the northern port city of Hai Phong later this year. The Bangkok Da Nang route will start with four flights per week before ramping up to a daily service, said Binh. The budget airline will operate regular flights to Phuket, Chiang Mai and Udon Thani to tap into Thailands domestic market potential, said the senior executive. VietJet Air is also working with tourism authorities in Thailand and Vietnam to boost the number of tourists traveling between the two countries by at least 10 percent over the next year, Binh added. VietJet Air, which has captured a 40 percent share of the Vietnamese market and will likely surpass the national flagship carrier Vietnam Airlines in 2016, is tapping into the market potential of Thailand. Photo from VietJet Air. "Three years of preparations have been quite good, allowing us to ensure that all of the crucial factors, including the airline's operating license, safety protocols and issues related to operational readiness, are set for a smooth take off," said Binh in an interview with the Bangkok Post. The budget carrier has complied with the regulations required by the Thai civil aviation authorities that place a cap of 49 percent on foreign ownership in Thai-registered airlines. The low cost airliner has been transporting passengers on chartered flights between Thailand and Vietnam for tour operators for the past year on two Airbus 180-seat A320s. VietJet Air, which has captured a 40 percent share of the Vietnamese market, will likely surpass the national flagship carrier Vietnam Airlines in 2016. Related news: > Thai VietJet Air set to take off after extended delay > Vietjet welcomes new jet as it aims for dominant position in Vietnam > VietJet and Boeing sign $11.3 billion airplane sales deal When Ronnia Cherry, 30, and Stefan Grant, 27, rented a house in Atlanta through Airbnb last year, they were caught off guard by police officers at their door, with guns drawn, responding to a neighbors report that they were thieves. We had to explain the owner gave us the security codes, said Ms. Cherry, who, like Mr. Grant, is among the rising tide of black travelers decrying racist experiences while using the home-sharing service, and giving birth to the social media campaign #AirbnbWhileBlack. The long-simmering issue was inflamed last month when an Airbnb host in North Carolina made hateful, racist posts in canceling a booking by a black guest. It is the latest in a series of stories, both anecdotal and academic, regarding bias in the home-sharing system. In May, Gregory Selden, a black Airbnb user, turned to Twitter to share his experience of being turned down by a Philadelphia host. He posted that he then made a fake profile as a white guy and was accepted immediately. He has since filed a lawsuit against Airbnb, saying that it violated his civil rights. More journalists have been killed in Iraq than in any other country. Iraq leads the list of 97 countries where journalists have been killed for doing their work. At least 149 local and 23 foreign journalists have been killed there.The Islamic State has been responsible for the deaths of at least 24 journalists since 2013, mostly in Iraq, but also in Syria, Turkey and France. The group began abducting journalists for ransom, and many were tortured before being killed.James Foley, who was abducted in 2012 and beheaded in August 2014, was the first American journalist to be killed by the Islamic State in Syria. The militants also claimed responsibility for the death of Ruqia Hassan, the first female journalist killed by the group. Price and quality are the two factors confronting Vietnam's livestock industry in the battle with foreign rivals under the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP), Doan Xuan Truc, vice chairman of the Animal Husbandry Association of Vietnam told the Vietnamese government portal on June 18. The vice chairman said that under the TPP, Vietnam will be able to reduce production costs in the livestock industry as import tariffs on animal feed, veterinary medicine and livestock will be cut. In addition, the industry will be able to access advanced methods. However, Vietnams livestock industry will also face challenges from prices and quality after the country joins the TPP. Truc said that prices of Vietnamese livestock products are 25 to 30 percent higher than other TPP members like the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand. One of the main reasons is that Vietnamese farmers often operate on a small scale, resulting in high production costs and low productivity. In addition, high interest bank loans and the lack of cooperation in the production chain also exacerbate the problem. Beside the problem of price, the quality of Vietnamese livestock products is not good enough to enter foreign markets or compete with foreign products once they access Vietnams market. The vice chairman said that many Vietnamese farmers and livestock farms are yet to comply with the Global GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) standard, the world's leading farm assurance program that provides strict rules for farmers to follow. Truc said that the industry needs to increase its restructuring efforts and choose suitable production methods for each type of animal. He also emphasized that farmers should focus on building production chains as this will cut production costs by up to 22 percent, reduce the risk of disease and make it easier for importers to trace the origin of products. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Finance are currently checking and eliminating fees and charges that are unreasonable or overlap in the livestock industry. Vietnam's national legislature intends to ratify the TPP at its first plenary session from July 20 to August 9. The deal will create a free-trade zone among 12 nations around the Pacific region that accounts for 40 percent of the worlds economic output. However, for the pact to take effect only if it is agreed on by half of the participating countries representing 85 percent of the trade zones gross domestic product. Therefore, if the U.S. doesn't approve the TPP, the trade accord wont come into effect. Related news: > Vietnam's textiles: Low productivity could eat up TPP benefits > Vietnam's textiles: Low productivity could eat up TPP benefits > Vietnam to shake up supporting industries to seize TPP opportunities Fruit sellers wait for customers at a floating market on Mekong river in Can Tho city, Vietnam April 2, 2016. Picture taken on April 2, 2016. Photo by Reuters/Kham The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers has just sent an urgent dispatch to the Prime Minister asking to inspect the sewage treatment system at the Lee&Man Paper Manufacturing Company's Vietnam branch. The association said the Lee&Man plant, which is located on the banks of the Hau River in the Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang, is about to go into operation, causing concerns among local people as well as seafood enterprises. The association claimed that paper producers mainly discharge sodium hydroxide, a hazardous substance that can kill marine life. Meanwhile, there are no modern waste water treatment centers in the region. On March 2015, the Lee&Man project was kicked off with plans to officially open in August this year. Upon completion, the plant could discharge 28,500 tons ofsodium hydroxide, commonly known as lye, per year. With this massive amount, the plant could kill the Hau River, the association said. It also added that if waste water discharged into the Hau River flows into the sea, the whole Mekong Delta region will be affected. In 2007, the association called on authorities to comment on licensing the Lee&Man plant. In response, on September 6, 2007, the Vietnam Administration of Forestries said that under the master plan to develop Vietnams paper industry until 2010 with a vision to 2020, there was no provision for a paper producing zone in the Mekong region. VnExpress tried to reach Lee&Man as well as the management board of Hau Giangs industrial zones, but they were unavailable for comment. Related news: > Dead fish found in second Thanh Hoa river; seafood processing plant suspected > Inspection results pending from Formosasteel plant SANTA ANA Two Anaheim men who prosecutors say dreamed of joining the Islamic State were convicted Tuesday of conspiring to aid the foreign terrorist group after the jury deliberated for just over an hour. As the verdicts were read, their family members sobbed. Nader Salem Elhuzayel gazed down at his folded hands and sucked on his upper lip, then mouthed, Dont cry, in the direction of his mother. Muhanad Badawi fidgeted in his seat and stroked his face. Elhuzayels and Badawis mothers quickly left the Santa Ana federal courthouse after the verdicts, unable to hold back tears. Outside the courtroom, prosecutors and federal investigators smiled and offered one another congratulations. These convictions are a message to those who aim to travel to take up arms with (the Islamic State) and to those who support them: The FBI and our partners are determined to thwart your efforts, said Deirdre Fike, assistant director in charge of the FBIs Los Angeles Field Office, in a statement. This is a reminder that our work is not done, and the public must remain steadfast and report suspicious behavior, whether that behavior is carried out in person or online, she said. During the two-week trial, attorneys for Elhuzayel and Badawi, both 25, did not dispute or try to soften the harsh, often violent and graphic rhetoric and images that the pair shared in numerous online postings and recorded conversations. Much of the material, which included what prosecutors described as cheerleading for Islamic State atrocities, was presented to the jury. Among the evidence against the men was a video, later deleted, that Badawi made of Elhuzayel pledging allegiance to the leader of Islamic State and announcing his plans to travel to Syria to become a fighter for the terrorist group. It isnt clear how the two ended up on the radar of federal agents. But based on courtroom testimony, a team of agents appeared to have conducted surveillance on Elhuzayel for at least a month before he was taken into custody on May 21, 2015, at a security counter at Los Angeles International Airport, where he was trying to board a flight bound for Israel with a layover in Turkey. Badawi was arrested that same day on his way to a college exam. Elhuzayel told federal agents that he was traveling to Tel Aviv to marry a Palestinian woman he had met online. Badawi also told investigators that he believed Elhuzayel was traveling to get married. Federal investigators were unconvinced, pointing to social media postings in which the pair discussed dying as martyrs. In the lead-up to the flight, Elhuzayel apparently tried to finance his efforts by running a bank-fraud scheme in which he would deposit stolen checks and then immediately withdraw cash from his accounts. Prosecutors say that as banks got wise to the fraud, they shut down the accounts, complicating Elhuzayels efforts to purchase a plane ticket. Badawi helped Elhuzayel out, using a debit card tied to his federal financial aid to buy the plane ticket online. A call went out from Baghdad, Assistant U.S. Attorney Deirdre Eliot told the jury during closing arguments on Monday, referring to a request for foreign fighters by Islamic State leadership. The defendants heard that call. Badawi facilitated; Elhuzayel was to join the fight. Attorneys for the two men both described their online talk as offensive but protected free speech. They also argued that Badawi and Elhuzayel had no training, did not speak Arabic and didnt appear to have any direct Islamic State contacts overseas. Otherwise, the defense attorneys were at odds during the trial. Pal Lengyel-Leahu, Elhuzayels attorney, argued that the Islamic State wasnt designated a terrorist organization at the time of his clients arrest. The attorney indicated after the verdict that he plans to bring that argument up again on appeal. A snap verdict means they really didnt grapple with the issues as we presented them, Lengyel-Leahu said of the jurors. Kate Corrigan, Badawis attorney, blamed her clients legal trouble on Elhuzayel, whom she described as a liar. This case, if nothing else, should be a clear signal for our young people not to communicate anything online they couldnt stand by in a courtroom, Corrigan added. If you cant deliver on what you say, dont say it. Never answered during the trial was why Elhuzayel, the son of Palestinian immigrants, and Badawi, who with his family fled from Sudan at age 16, turned to Islamic State rhetoric. The two met at Cypress College in 2012. They attended worship at the West Coast Islamic Society in Anaheim, although other members of the mosque said they didnt associate with others. They apparently spent countless hours online, discussing everything from current events to the pull between their traditional, conservative backgrounds and the lure of pretty girls and partying. One female juror was dismissed from Badawi and Elhuzayels trial after this months Orlando shooting, in which a man who pledged allegiance to Islamic State killed 49 people. The juror told the judge and the attorneys that she could no longer be fair toward the defendants. After the verdicts, U.S. District Judge David O. Carter, who presided over the trial, expressed concern for Badawis mental and physical well-being. In the lead-up to the trial, Badawi went on a hunger strike, his weight dropping from 140-plus pounds to little more than 100. Jail medical officials had to force-feed Badawi to get his weight back up. Please keep yourself healthy, Carter urged Badawi. Both Elhuzayel and Badawi were convicted of conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist group. Elhuzayel was also convicted of attempting to provide material support for a terrorist group and 26 counts of bank fraud. Badawi was convicted of aiding and abetting Elhuzayels attempt to support the Islamic State, as well as federal financial aid fraud. Badawi, who faces up to 35 years behind bars, is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 26. Elhuzayel, who could serve decades more in federal prison, is scheduled to be sentenced a week earlier. According to the House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security, since the Sept. 11 attacks there have been at least 50 arrests nationwide of individuals accused of joining or attempting to join the Islamic State. That includes Adam Dandach, an Orange resident who was arrested at John Wayne Airport in July 2014 while trying to board a flight to Turkey. Dandach has pleaded guilty to providing material support to Islamic State and awaits sentencing. Another Orange County man, Garden Grove resident Sinh Vinh Ngo Nguyen, admitted in 2013 to trying to help another terrorist organization, al-Qaida. Contact the writer: semery@ocregister.com SANTA ANA A judge on Monday denied a defense attorneys requests for additional secret notes kept by Orange County sheriffs deputies in the case of convicted killer Daniel Wozniak, paving the way for his sentencing on Sept. 23. Wozniak, a 31-year-old Costa Mesa community theater actor, was convicted in December of killing his friends, Samuel Herr, 26, and Juri Julie Kibuishi, 23, in a 2010 plot to steal Herrs savings. A jury recommended the death penalty for Wozniak, but his sentencing stalled after it was revealed that jailhouse deputies kept more than 1,100 pages of notes on jailhouse informants in a special handling log buried in a jail computer system. Authorities said the log, which covered September 2008 to January 2013, details other high-profile inmates and contains information that should have been turned over to Wozniaks attorney, Assistant Public Defender Scott Sanders. Sanders, who contends that authorities improperly used a jailhouse informant in Wozniaks case, says the pages of heavily redacted notes he had received from the Sheriffs Department are not sufficient. He had filed subpoenas requesting to see the log in its entirety and any additional notes kept by deputies who handled jailhouse informants. Sanders argued that the Sheriffs Department cannot be trusted after failing to disclose other jailhouse records, known as TREDs, in another capital murder case, and after keeping secret for years the special handling log. How many other items have we not seen? Sanders asked in court last week. In Mondays ruling, Orange County Superior Court Judge John Conley denied the defenses subpoenas for additional sheriffs notes and other information, stating that the requests were over broad and had little to do with Wozniaks case. Conley said the issue of jailhouse informants in the Wozniak case was a legal dead end, because the prosecution had agreed not to use any evidence related to informants long before the trial. And while the judge acknowledged that the Orange County Sheriffs Department has severe problems in retrieving documents, Conley said he found sheriffs officials to be credible when they testified about their efforts to recover information. Conley noted that the victims family members have waited six years and attended nearly 200 hearings as the case has dragged through the court system. This was a very strong case on guilt, the judge said. The jury deliberated for one hour and 19 minutes to return a death verdict, which is unusually short. The Wozniak case was not a close case. Sanders, in a statement, said the special handling logs show that law enforcement hid favorable evidence from Mr. Wozniak and countless other defendants for years, and that deputies committed perjury when testifying about what occurred. Judge Conley decided that even if this happened, the Sheriffs Department should not be forced to turn over additional evidence and that the government still deserves his faith that they will fairly seek our clients execution, he said. Existence of the records first became public in February, during an unrelated hearing, when a deputy produced personal notes he had taken while handling jailhouse informants. While Conley said he found no evidence of misconduct in the Wozniak case, he said the notes are relevant in the case of Seal Beach mass shooter Scott Dekraai another one of Sanders clients. In March 2015, Orange Count Superior Court Judge Thomas Goethals removed the Orange County District Attorneys Office from the Dekraai case and turned it over to the state Attorney Generals Office after finding that deputies either lied or willfully withheld the existence of a record-keeping system for tracking jail inmates. The notes appear to contradict testimony given by deputies during legal hearings in Dekraai, the Orange County District Attorneys Office said in a statement this month. A two-month sweep of suspected child predators wanted for everything from negotiating sex tourism on the internet to possessing and selling pornography netted 238 arrests across Southern California, including a Buddhist monk, authorities announced Monday. The sweep was part of a national effort called Operation Broken Heart, launched by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, a multi-agency effort. Operation Broken Heart was first conducted in 2014. The latest operation, which was conducted in April and May, included agents with federal Homeland Security Investigations and child exploitation units from Los Angeles, Long Beach, Orange County and Fontana. We get an average of 30 to 60 tips a month from various social media and email providers about persons who are exchanging child pornography or are looking for child sex, said investigator Sandy Longnecker of the Orange County Sheriffs Departments child exploitation task force. We arrested 13 people as part of this operation. Those arrested included a 26-year-old Buddhist monk from Riverside and an Australian man who came to Los Angeles specifically to buy a 6-year-old boy who was being sold on the internet, officials said during a news conference in Exposition Park. Nationwide, 61 task forces conducted similar operations between April and May. A total of 1,368 arrests were made across the country as part of Operation Broken Heart, officials said. The 238 suspects arrested in the region represented a slight decrease from the 275 who were taken into custody in 2014, when Operation Broken Heart first launched. But the numbers show the problem isnt going away, and those arrested this time were higher profile, said John Reynolds, special agent in charge in Los Angeles for Homeland Security Investigations. The perpetrators come from all walks of life, Reynolds added, and the common denominator is the internet. Those figures make clear the incidents of child sexual exploitation have reached staggering proportions, Reynolds said. Whats more, the stereotypes about the kinds of people who commit child sexual exploitation crime simply (do) not dovetail with reality. Perpetrators in these cases include entertainers, community leaders, white collar professionals, and members of the clergy. As an example, Reynolds noted that a monk from Laos living at a Riverside monastery was charged earlier this month with one count each of possession of child pornography and distribution of child pornography. Also earlier this month, Glee actor Mark Salling pleaded not guilty to two counts of receiving and possessing child pornography. His arrest was made last year at his home in Sunland by officers assigned to the L.A. Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task force. During the recent sweep, police reviewed almost 900 open investigations from across the Southern California region and served nearly 250 search warrants. In some cases, a mobile lab maintained by the LAPDs Internet Crimes Against Children unit would arrive on scene so that officers could examine computer hard drives on the spot to find out if suspects were in possession of child pornography. The mobile lab, which was on display during the news conference, is supplied with specialized equipment so that hard drives can be examined without destroying the original content, said LAPD Officer Brian Arnett, who is part of the unit. When suspects watch police remove hard drives, they will often start talking, Arnett explained. We have a 98 percent confession rate, Arnett said. Were usually able to make the arrest on scene. LAPD Deputy Chief Matt Blake said the announcement of the arrests was made because June is Internet Safety Month. During the summer, he noted, children spend more time on the internet, where they can become victims of sexual predators. For law enforcement to prevail, parents need to have honest talks with children about cyberspace, he emphasized. This is a time when we need to be ever more vigilant for our childrens safety, Blake said. Contact the writer: susan.abram@langnews.com WASHINGTON A moderate Republican senator sought broad bipartisan support Tuesday for a compromise to block gun purchases by some suspected terrorists, a day after the chamber split along party lines to derail far more sweeping proposals. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said he would allow a vote on the proposal by Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, but stopped short of endorsing the measure itself. The package seemed to face an uphill climb for the 60 votes it would need, due to the hurdles of election-year politics and opposition from the National Rifle Association and Gun Owners of America. Flanked by eight senators three Republicans, four Democrats and a Democratic-leaning independent Collins told reporters that mass shootings in Orlando, Fla., and San Bernardino were a call for compromise, a plea for bipartisan action. On Monday, the Senate rejected rival Democratic and Republican proposals for keeping guns from known and suspected terrorists. President Barack Obama criticized the stalemate Tuesday, tweeting: Gun violence requires more than moments of silence. It requires action. In failing that test, the Senate failed the American people. The governments overall terrorist watch list has 1 million people on it. Collins measure would let federal authorities bar gun sales to two narrower groups: the no-fly list with 81,000 people and the selectee list with 28,000 people. Selectees can fly after unusually intensive screening. All but a combined total of around 2,800 people on those lists are foreigners, who are mostly unable to purchase firearms in the U.S. Under Collins proposal, Americans denied guns could appeal their rejections to federal courts. The FBI would be notified if someone whos been on the broader terrorist watch list in the past five years buys a gun, but could not stop the purchase. SANTA ANA The fate of two Anaheim men accused of trying to aid the Islamic State is in the hands of jurors, who will begin deliberations Tuesday to determine whether the pair are would-be terrorists or young men who were all talk and no action. Attorneys for Nader Salem Elhuzayel and Muhanad Badawi, during closing arguments Monday at the federal courthouse in Santa Ana, urged jurors to look past graphic, often-violent and at times anti-American rhetoric and images espoused and shared by the two in numerous social media postings and recorded conversations. They want you to be afraid so your reason and your logic will no longer help you decide this case, Pal Lengyel-Leahu, Elhuzayels attorney, said of prosecutors during his closing argument to the jury. There are no pictures here, no evidence of something my client did. Federal prosecutors reiterated their case against Elhuzayel who they accuse of trying to travel oversees to join ISIS. And against Badawi who is suspected of aiding Elhuzayel and using federal financial aid to pay for his friends plane ticket. A call went out from Baghdad, Assistant U.S. Attorney Deirdre Eliot told the jury, referring to requests for foreign fighters by Islamic State leaders. The defendants heard that call. Badawi facilitated, Elhuzayel was to join the fight. Federal authorities monitored the two 25-year-olds alleged public and private backing of Islamic State before arresting Elhuzayel on May 21, 2015 at a security gate at Los Angeles International Airport, a plane ticket to Israel with a stopover in Turkey in his hands. Badawi was arrested a short time later on his way to a college exam. Federal investigators recorded a phone conversation in which Elhuzayel and Badawi discussed how, in the prosecutors words, it would be a blessing to fight for the cause of Allah, and to die on the battlefield. Badawi and Elhuzayels attorneys told the jury that neither man spoke Arabic, that they had no direct contacts oversees, that they didnt appear to have taken part in any weapons training, and that they didnt appear to have a plan to get from Turkey where Elhuzayels flight had a scheduled layover to Islamic State-controlled areas in Syria. I dont think these guys went to a gym, let alone a shooting range or a gun store, said Kate Corrigan, Badawis attorney. And they talk about getting martyrdom? Give me a break. These two? They are no holy warriors. They are a lot of talk. Corrigan said Badawi simply did a favor for a friend, allowing Elhuzayel to charge the plane tickets to a debit card tied to Badawis Pell Grant funds. Elhuzayel had told Badawi that he planned to travel to Tel Aviv to marry a Palestinian woman he met online, Corrigan added. Corrigan blamed Badawis legal predicament on Elhuzayel, who she repeatedly referred to as a gutless wonder. Lengyel-Leahu, Elhuzayels lawyer, displayed for the jury an outfit that his client had packed in his luggage as proof that he was planning to get married overseas, not join the Islamic State. I would suggest that a man who packs a two-piece suit to go to a wedding is going to a wedding, the attorney said. Those are not the clothes of the Mujahideen. Prosecutors denied that Elhuzayel and Badawi were targeted for their beliefs or political speech, noting that they were only arrested after Elhuzayel tried to board the airplane. This case is not about fear, its not about politics, Eliot said. Its about a fighter and his facilitator and their path to jihad. And here in America that is against the law. Contact the writer: semery@ocregister.com GENEVA Imagine the entire population of France uprooted from their homes, forced to flee danger, persecution or starvation. The U.N. refugee agency says more people than that 65 million were displaced worldwide at the end of last year, easily setting a new postwar record. And it warned that European and other rich nations can expect the flow to continue if root causes arent addressed. After a year when more than a million people arrived on European shores, UNHCR said Monday World Refugee Day that continued conflicts and persecution in places like Syria and Afghanistan fueled a nearly 10 percent increase in the total number of refugees and internally displaced people in 2015. I hope that the message carried by those forcibly displaced reaches the leaderships: We need action, political action, to stop conflicts, said Filippo Grandi, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. The message that they have carried is: If you dont solve problems, problems will come to you. The Geneva-based agencys latest Global Trends Report shows that for the first time since World War II, the 60 million mark was crossed. If these 65.3 million persons were a nation, they would make up the 21st largest in the world, the report said. In stark detail, UNHCR said that, on average, 24 people had been displaced every minute last year or 34,000 people a day up from six every minute in 2005. The total number of displaced people has roughly doubled since 1997, and risen by 50 percent since 2011 alone, when the Syria war began. About 11.5 million people from Syria have fled their homes: 6.6 million remaining within the war-ravaged country and 4.9 million moving abroad. At the end of last year, more than half of all refugees were from three countries: Syria, Afghanistan and Somalia. More than half of all displaced people were children, UNCHR said. Turkey was the top host country for the second year running, with 2.5 million refugees nearly all from neighboring Syria. Afghanistans neighbor Pakistan had 1.6 million, while Lebanon, next to Syria, hosted 1.1 million. The scale of this human suffering is almost unimaginable; the need for the world to respond is beyond question, said President Barack Obama, who plans to convene a summit on refugees in September when world leaders meet for the U.N. General Assembly. From the sea breeze-swept playground of McGaugh Elementary, children can glimpse enormous military ships hovering offshore. Its an awe-inspiring sight that Seal Beach residents have come to take for granted. Right in their picturesque backyard stretches the 5,200-acre Naval Weapons Station and its bustling wharf, where missiles, torpedoes and gun ammunition are loaded onto destroyers and assault ships. Since its last renovation in 1953, the World War II-era dock has remained frozen in time. A dilapidated, inoperable radar system now a home for birds is just one throwback that lends the setting a vintage feel. But that lack of change is about to change. In March, the Navy announced plans to remodel Anaheim Bay so it can accommodate more and bigger ships. The project will demand a herculean effort that involves scooping out tons of ocean floor and, possibly, adding a breakwater that could reconfigure the shape of waves. Historically, about 60 percent of the Navys fleet has traveled the Atlantic Ocean and 40 percent the Pacific but those numbers will flip. The Navy is aligning to a national strategy that places a higher premium on operations in the Pacific, said retired Navy Vice Admiral Peter Daly, CEO of the U.S. Naval Institute in Annapolis, Md. Thats a vast area of ocean 100 million square miles. Daly pointed out that a Navy presence does more than protect the country militarily. It also runs interference for cargo vessels coming and going in the Pacific Rims bustling byways. Ninety percent of our foreign trade comes by sea to us, most of it via the Pacific Ocean, he said. It is in the national interest to support thriving economic activity. WEIGHING OPTIONS The Navy has come up with three alternatives for the redesign, each with its own potential advantages and drawbacks. Environmental reviews and public comments will take at least three years, and the project itself another three years. On an April evening, about 100 locals showed up for an informational meeting at the Mary Wilson Library in Old Town. Construction and environmental engineers stood beside poster-size renderings of the three plans and answered questions, some of them freighted with worry. Ken Holst, who lives in neighboring Surfside, expressed concerns about Alternatives 2 and 3 both of which include a breakwater some 1,500 feet off the gated communitys beach. My son surfs and I like to body surf, Holst said. If theres a breakwater, we wont have waves. And what effect would a breakwater have on sea life? Alternative 1, apparently, would have little extra impact on the ocean. However, it allows pleasure boats to continue navigating Anaheim Bay arguably a security risk. Huntington Harbour, adjacent to Seal Beach, is separated from the coastline by Pacific Coast Highway. Since the harbors development in the 1960s, private boats have chugged past Navy ships to enter and leave their moorings. Thats a little too close for comfort, said Jazmin Atencia, a facility planner for the Navy, who chatted with attendees at the town meeting. Its a practice that today can seem quaint. Nobody was thinking about the types of terrorism we have to be prepared for now, said Gregg Smith, spokesman for the Naval Weapons Station. Alternatives 2 and 3 would solve that dilemma by steering private vessels away from the bay through a channel dug next to it. But that would require altering the environs. Jonathan Warren, meteorologist with forecaster website Surfline, described Surfside as a popular spot for local surfers in general not just residents. Thats because the nearer of two jetties forming triangular Anaheim Bay produces a unique wave, he said. Ironically, the shape of the wave is helped by man and now it could be ruined by man, Warren said. A breakwater also would compromise water quality, he said: It would slow down the in-and-out flow of water, trapping boat fuel and other pollutants. Chapman University biology professor William Wright, who specializes in marine invertebrates, questioned the feasibility of burrowing a channel. Channels along a wave-swept coast are always problematic, Wright said. A huge volume of water and sand go through there. Itd be hard to keep the channel free of sediment. My guess is that they would have to dredge it every year. If the three plans were up for a popular vote, both Wright and Warren would cast theirs for Alternative 1, hands down. But I do understand the Navys desire for more privacy, Warren said. The first option improves security to some degree, at least. While small boats could continue to access Anaheim Bay, a floating barrier would funnel them along the edge of the east jetty. Military and private boats interact around the world, including in San Diego, the Naval Institutes Daly said. Im quite confident in the Navys ability to defend its ports. That layered defense includes patrol boats, watch personnel and keep-out zones. Private boats cannot enter the bay during the half-hour it takes for ships to dock or depart. During a remodel, the ammunition pier primary weapons port for the Navys Pacific Fleet cannot simply shut down. So before work begins, a 1,100-foot-long dock must be built in a different location from the current, slightly smaller one which eventually will be demolished. Two rocky man-made peninsulas, called moles, separate the docking area from the rest of the bay. In all three alternatives, the western moles tip shaped like Italys boot would be lopped off to widen the turn-around basin for ships. Afterward, the ocean floor that had been underneath the boot would be dredged to level it out with the rest of the 40-foot-deep bay. UNTOUCHED REFUGE Whatever revisions await the Navy Weapons Station, its 900-acre national wildlife refuge will remain untouched. The wide-open space, which almost certainly would have been developed years ago if not for the Navys presence, harbors three endangered species the California clapper rail, California least tern and Beldings savannah sparrow as well as numerous great blue herons and other birds. More prime property, earmarked by the Navy for weapons storage and office buildings, occupies land between Seal Beach Boulevard and Bolsa Chica Road, from the 405 to the ocean. Its a buffer that helps keep us small, said Seal Beach City Councilwoman Ellery Deaton. We like it that way. Deaton said she wants to learn more about the ramifications of each alternative before expressing an opinion. As a town, Seal Beach proudly embraces its neighbor, she said. The Navy has been an excellent partner for our city, Deaton said. The feeling apparently is mutual. Seal Beach is considered a destination station, Smith said. Its an awesome, supportive community. A lot of people who come here do not want to leave. Contact the writer: sgoulding@ocregister.com SANTA ANA Three Santa Ana police officers charged with petty theft in connection with a pot shop raid that was recorded on video pleaded not guilty Monday. Brandon Matthew Sontag, Nicole Lynn Quijas and Jorge Arroyo are each charged with one misdemeanor count of petty theft. Sontag is also charged with one misdemeanor count of vandalism under $400, prosecutors said. The trio on Monday pleaded not guilty and are due back in court July 25 for a pretrial hearing, according to Orange County Superior Court records. If convicted, Arroyo and Quijas both face up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine, while Sontag faces one year and six months in jail and a $2,000 fine, according to the Orange County District Attorneys Office. On May 26, 2015, the three, along with other Santa Ana officers, were serving a search warrant at Sky High Holistic on 17th Street in Santa Ana. Video surveillance caught the officers allegedly stealing protein bars and cookies from the shops break room and sharing the goodies with other officers, prosecutors said. Sontag is accused of disabling surveillance cameras by smashing camera lenses. Before leaving the premises at the conclusion of the search warrant, Quijas and Arroyo are accused of taking extra cookies with them, the District Attorneys Office said in a statement. Contact the writer: kpuente@ocregister.com Re: Venezuela convulses from hunger [News, June 20]: The report on food riots in Venezuela made no mention that the cause is the socialist governments failed policies. I have yet to read anything positive about Donald Trump, while Hillary Clinton has little negative press. Are any news sources available other than the Associated Press and the Washington Post? Is there a Fox News wire service? Jim Sorensen Trabuco Canyon Terrorists motive clear I almost fell out of my chair reading Transcripts of calls to be released [News, June 20]. The U.S. attorney general believes its best to disregard what the terrorist says his motives were and tell the American people what the Obama administration believes his motives were. Theyve been lying to us for almost eight years. Why stop now? Ronald A Fante Garden Grove Once again, by withholding key information from the 9-1-1 calls about the religious nature of the Orlando terrorist massacre, the most nontransparent president ever distorts and hides the truth from the American people. He disarms all Americans and denies us our ability to defend ourselves against those who are at war with us. By disavowing the inherent religious basis for the attack, the president discourages Americans from recognizing, reporting on and properly reacting to this heinous threat. President Obama continues to abdicate his sworn duty to protect Americans because the true nature of our enemy does not comport with his naive and utopian worldview. His refusal to allow for the protection of the American people, one of his primary responsibilities, is unacceptable, unfathomable, indefensible, unforgivable and impeachable. Steve Shatynski Brea Hard to prove a negative Re: Background checks, watchlists ineffective [Opinion, June 19]: There is a problem with the logic John Lott follows in his argument that weapons bans do not stop terrorist attacks. The problem is that it is hard to prove a negative. In other words, how do we know that the weapons ban in France, for instance, did not stop other terrorist attacks? We cannot confirm that a ban on weapons prevents attacks but it is highly likely that they may. Sabina Dym Newport Beach Airbus, the maker of the sea patrol CASA plane which went missing on June 16, will cooperate with Vietnam to identify the reasons behind the incident, a Vietnamese national television VTV3 reported June 21. Vietnam has almost located the position of the black box recorder of the missing sea patrol CASA plane and will retrieve it on Wednesday. The black box, at about 60 meters deep, will be recovered by divers, robots and other special devices. Airbus will analyze the black box recorder and debris to find out what had caused the accident under the supervision of Vietnams Ministry of National Defense. The company will discuss the details of the crash with Vietnam as well as provide the country with human resources, equipment, technical and financial support. The information shared in the process will be kept confidential. A CASA plane of the Vietnam Coast Guard. Photo by People's Army Newspaper We are committed to doing our best to provide maximum technical support to Vietnam to identify the reasons of the accident as well as search for the missing military personnel, said Jean Michel Caldagues, Airbus vice president for Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos in an interview with VTV3. On June 14, the Su-30MK2 Vietnamese fighter jet crashed offshore the central province of Nghe An. The jet had two pilots on board, one of whom, Major Nguyen Huu Cuong, was rescued, but the other, Lieutenant Colonel Tran Quang Khai, 43, was found dead at sea and has been brought ashore. A CASA-212-40 with nine people on board went missing on June 16 while searching for the Su-30MK2. Related news: > Search for missing aircraft, pilots expanded to eight localities > Missing CASA search plane - What we know so far > China deploys 8 vessels, 2 helicopters to search for Vietnams missing plane Some say the man who captured the worlds imagination more than a half-century ago aboard a tiny bathyscaphe called Trieste symbolizes the last of the great explorers, those who risked it all to make discoveries where few dared go. But Don Walsh, now 84 and the aquanaut who was the first to plunge to the deepest point on the planet 35,798 feet below the ocean surface scoffs at such a notion. During a weekend gathering of the legendary Explorers Club at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, Walsh predicts the Age of Exploration will never end. He says that 80 percent of Earths ocean remains undocumented, that new discoveries are critical for the planets health, that wonder will never die. Curiosity is in our genes, Walsh says. And exploration is curiosity acted upon. Walsh also is as blunt as he is brave. He cautions that antiquated human beliefs can impede discovery. The oceanographer who spent 65 years studying the globes seas warns that several members of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee believe in creationism. We have to have a full-court press, Walsh declares, to advocate exploration. It is the first step toward scientific discovery. In a corner of the room, one of the explorers holds a small, portable oxygen tank. It is similar to ones carried by climbers of Everest, where the air is oxygen-starved. But this green tank isnt for show. Still, it captures the inspiration that permeates the atmosphere during any Explorers Club gathering. PERSEVERING FOR THE PLANET David Dolan, vice president of development for the Explorers Club, has helped build health clinics, orphanages and housing projects throughout the world. Two years ago, he was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis and recently moved from Orange County to San Diego where he awaits a lung transplant with determined optimism. Dolan, 60, gasps when he breathes and allows me to carry a box of books for him across the lawn at the Bowers. But Dolan has too much life to live, too much to do to stay quiet as we walk. He excitedly talks about recently getting married, his sons college major, Walshs arrival, seeing old friends, learning about new discoveries. In a confidential letter he made public for this column, he quotes poet Robert Frost: The woods are lovely, dark and deep / But I have promises to keep / And miles to go before I sleep. While I cannot go on some of my previous high-altitude climbs of mountains like Mt. Kilimanjaro, Dolan wrote, there are many other worlds to explore despite my disability. Still, the stark reality of losing a brother and father to lung disease hangs in the air. A lung transplant is no panacea as 50 percent of lung transplant patients die within three years, Dolan says. Thankfully, Ive always been a glass-half-full kinda guy. Dolan steps up to the podium, thin oxygen tubes firmly in nose. He neither seeks sympathy nor shies away from support. Friends and family applaud as Dolan introduces an explorer who has just arrived from the western coast of Australia after documenting a newly discovered fish, the Ruby Seadragon. In a moment that transports back to an earlier time, Greg Rouse unfolds a flag representing the Explorers Club. It has traveled the globe for more than 60 years. Thor Heyerdahl carried a similar flag on his Kon-Tiki expedition. James Cameron did the same several years ago when he repeated Walshs accomplishment of exploring the Mariana Trench. Rouses flag is a bit tattered. Its red symbols on a white background are a bit faded. But the mission of the Explorers Club remains clear to promote scientific exploration and field study. Club members firsts include Robert Peary at the North Pole, Charles Lindberghs solo flight across the Atlantic, Neil Armstrong on the moon. Rouses video of a red dragon-like fish on the ocean floor is less monumental than man stepping on the moon. But on a planet where most of us assume there are few if any secrets left, the discovery of the Ruby Seadragon is both incredible and encouraging. ALWAYS EXPLORE As with a surprising number of explorers, Walsh is self-effacing. In Chris Wrights book, No More Worlds to Conquer, the author asks what followed Trieste. Well, Walsh replies, a lot of people think Id died. At the Bowers, Walsh calls himself a lucky one-trick pony. He quips he made his mark at age 27 and has been riding his own coattails ever since. Of course, the reality is that Walsh dedicated his life to exploration, to providing hope, to encouraging others to follow a path of discovery. We need more missions to planet Earth, he says, if were going to prevail. Walsh describes a toddler who peers under furniture, around corners. Were all explorers in a sense. Keep your inner child close and, in spirit, join people like Armstrong, Heyerdahl, Peary. Contact the writer: dwhiting@ocregister.com LOS ANGELES The SUV that rolled down a driveway and killed Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin was being recalled because the gear shifters have confused drivers, causing the vehicles to roll away unexpectedly, government records show. Yelchin, 27, a rising actor best known for playing Chekov in the rebooted series, died Sunday after his 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee pinned him against a mailbox pillar and security fence at his home, Los Angeles police said. The 2015 model-year Grand Cherokees were part of a global recall of 1.1 million vehicles announced by automaker Fiat Chrysler in April, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration records show. The agency urged the recall because of complaints from drivers who had trouble telling if they had put the automatic transmissions in park. If they were not in park and a driver left the vehicle, it could roll away. Fiat Chrysler expected to send recall notification letters to owners on May 16, according to a memo to dealers, but its not known whether Yelchin received or saw his letter. The company was working on a fix and expected to have a final remedy in October or later, the letter said. Investigators were looking into the position of Yelchins gear shift at the time of the accident, Officer Jane Kim said. The actor had gotten out of the vehicle momentarily, but police didnt say why he was behind it when it started rolling. Fiat Chrysler said in a statement Monday that it was investigating and it was premature to speculate on the cause of the crash. It offered sympathies to Yelchins friends and family. As of April, the company had reports of 212 crashes, 41 injuries and 308 property damage claims potentially caused by the shifters, it said in documents filed with the government. The recalled vehicles, including nearly 812,000 in the U.S., have an electronic shift lever that toggles forward or backward to let the driver select the gear instead of moving along a track like a conventional shifter. A light shows which gear is selected, but to get from drive to park, drivers must push the lever forward three times. The recalled vehicles sound a chime and issue a dashboard warning if the drivers door is opened while they are not in park. But the push-button ignition wont shut off the engine if not in park, increasing the risk of the vehicles rolling away after drivers have gotten out. The Grand Cherokee gear shifters were changed in the 2016 model year so that it works like those in older cars. Coroners officials ruled Yelchins death an accident after an autopsy. The results of any toxicology tests would not be known for months, coroner spokesman Ed Winter said. Yelchins friends found him dead after he failed to show up for an audition early Sunday. His death tragically cut short the promising career of an actor whom audiences were still getting to know and who had great artistic ambition. Star Trek Beyond, the third film in the series, comes out in July. Director J.J. Abrams, who cast Yelchin in the franchise, wrote in a statement that he was brilliant kind funny as hell, and supremely talented. Jodie Foster, who co-starred with Yelchin in the 2011 film The Beaver, called the actor a rare and beautiful soul with his unstoppable passion for life. He was equal parts serious thinker and the most fun little brother you could ever dream of. Yelchin began acting as a child, taking small roles in independent films and various television shows, such as ER, The Practice, and Curb Your Enthusiasm before receiving his breakout big-screen role opposite Anthony Hopkins in 2001s Hearts in Atlantis. Yelchin, an only child, was born in Russia. His parents, who were professional figure skaters, moved the family to the United States when Yelchin was a baby. He briefly flirted with skating lessons, too, before discovering that he wasnt very skilled on the ice. That led him to acting class. I loved the improvisation part of it the most, because it was a lot like just playing around with stuff, Yelchin told The Associated Press in 2011. There was something about it that I just felt completely comfortable doing and happy doing. UNITED NATIONS Even though the explosive spread of the Zika virus has been met with a new level of international response, thanks to lessons learned from the Ebola crisis, experts warn they are only beginning to grasp the damage the mosquito-borne virus can do. Doctors speaking at a U.N. meeting on Global Health Crises said Monday that the Zika virus has already affected 60 countries on four continents, and a major outbreak on the Atlantic Ocean island nation of Cape Verde suggests the disease is now poised to enter continental Africa. Zika has already become epidemic in Latin America and the Caribbean. Although Zika was first identified in Uganda in 1947, researchers in 2012 discovered a second distinct Asian lineage of the virus which is the one that has been linked to neurological problems in Brazil and is the same strain that has been identified in Cape Verde, according to the World Health Organization. It is my analysis that were at the beginning of a really challenging new outbreak with probably substantial impacts that are not fully understood by the world as a whole, even by those who are experts in bio-medical research, said Dr. David Nabarro, a special adviser to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on health issues. Zika virus is spread mainly through the bite of a tropical mosquito, Aedes aegypti, and was first thought to cause only mild symptoms like a fever and rash, but it has recently been linked to severe birth defects including babies born with abnormally small heads and a rare neurological syndrome that can cause death or temporary paralysis. Dr. Bruce Aylward, the World Health Organizations emergency response chief, said that thanks in part to lessons learned from the Ebola crisis, a public health emergency was promptly declared in response to Zika and control measures were promptly put in place by U.N. agencies, non-governmental organizations and local governments. But, he said, mosquito control measures are proving grossly inadequate and a new vaccine is at least 36 months away. Aylward said until a vaccine is ready health authorities should concentrate their efforts on the most vulnerable. The focus is clear, put women at the center of the response and protect them and their children from Zika virus infection. Help these women avoid Zika infection, if possible, and help them manage the consequences if exposed, he explained. The minimalist lifestyle trend has been gaining popularity in the Western world for a while now, but were still far from the hardcore minimalism Zen-loving Japanese have adopted in their quest to achieve a stress-free life. Space has always been an issue in crowded Japanese cities, so from that point of view it makes sense that people try to keep their homes junk free, but some are taking minimalism to such an extreme that they are virtually living in empty houses surrounded by only the barest of necessities. For them, minimalism is not just about de-cluttering their living space, but also about evaluating what material possessions truly bring to their lives and focusing on the things that they consider important. To Japans hardcore minimalists, less is more in every sense that actually matters. Minimalism or minimarisuto is a popular concept in Japan these days, with thousands giving up their possessions with goal of leading happier lives, and thousands others at least interested in doing the same at one point. But as to what sparked the interest in this extremely frugal lifestyle, nobody knows for sure. Some claim it was inspired by American popular figures like Steve Jobs, while others say the idea is not foreign at all, but a natural progression from Zen Buddhism and its stripped-down perception of the world. There are also those who say this kind of lifestyle is simply practical in an earthquake-prone country like Japan, as having fewer stuff to fall on you is safer. One thing is for sure, though, Japanese minimarisuto is a hard concept to grasp in Western consumerist societies. Reuters recently investigated the extreme minimalism ternd in Japan, and sat down with some of its adopters. 36-year-old Fumio Sasaki lives in a one-room apartment in Tokyo and owns three shirts, four pairs of trousers, four pairs of socks and only a few other essential objects. Once a passionate collector of books, CDs and DVDs, Sasaski one day became tired of keeping up with his obsession and turned to minimalism. I kept thinking about what I did not own, what was missing, he said. So he spent the next year selling his material possessions or simply giving them away to friends. Spending less time on cleaning or shopping means I have more time to spend with friends, go out, or travel on my days off. I have become a lot more active. Apart from a table, a TV set and his laptop, Fumio Sasakis home is completely bare, and he admits that many of his friends compare it to an interrogation room. But to him, this is the best its ever looked. Katsuya Toyoda, an online publication editor and extreme minimalist, has one table and one futon in his 22 sq metre apartment. To him, the lifestyle change was all about dedicating more time to things he genuinely liked. Its not that I had more things than the average person, but that didnt mean that I valued or liked everything I owned, he said. I became a minimalist so I could let things I truly liked surface in my life. In the west, making a space complete means placing something there, 41-year-old Naoki Numahata, a freelance writer, told Reuters. But with tea ceremonies, or Zen, things are left incomplete on purpose to let the persons imagination make that space complete. There is a stereotype that the Japanese lifestyle in general is minimalist, but the truth is that here, like everywhere, there are a lot of people who like to surround themselves with stuff. After all, this is the birth place of many of the worlds most bizarre and useless inventions. This new hardcore minimalist trend is still viewed as somewhat of a curiosity in Japan, with many televisions showcasing the homes of minimalists on their shows precisely for their wow factor. Last year, Kotaku reported that on 2ch, Japans largest online forum, a lot of people viewed extreme minimalism as living in a prison and expressed concern about how growing up in such a frugal environment would affect young people. One last interesting thing worth pointing out about Japans extreme minimalists is that most of the photos Ive seen show that they have parted with many of the household amenities most of us couldnt dream of living without, but not their laptops and smartphones. This is the land of technology, after all. Photos: 2ch forum The OECD Observer online archive takes you on a journey through half a century of public policy and world progress. Since November 1962, the OECDs experts and leading guests offer insights on the questions facing our member countries with concise and authoritative analysis, and provide our audiences with an excellent opportunity to understand policy debates and consider solutions. Each edition of the OECD Observer reports on a core theme of the OECDs on-going work, from economics and society through governance, finance, and the environment, and articles are bolstered by tables and graphs. Descending on babes-in-arms, on shoppers, on everyone in sight. Kisses, handshakes. Television cameras, whirring press cameras, phone cameras, microphones. Descending on babes-in-arms, on shoppers, on everyone in sight. Kisses, handshakes. Television cameras, whirring press cameras, phone cameras, microphones. Home came the hero, Charles Flanagan, believed to be Portlaoises first ever full Government Minister. With him was his beaming pal, Taoiseach Enda Kenny. So exuberant was Joe Deegan, a nephew of Cllr James Deegan, that he predicted: We are going to turn this (Portlaoise) into a real blue town! Scene: Laois Shopping Centre. Date: last Thursday. Charles Flanagan had sped straight down from Dublin after receiving his seal of office as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. For him the long wait for promotion was over. His wife Mary welcomed him home with a kiss, as did County Council Cathaoirleach Mary Sweeney, her daughter Aoife and other ladies, including the great Jackie McCluskey from the nearby New Road. In the welcoming party, too, was Borris-in-Ossory woman Dympna Kennedy who revealed that she had won a tenner by predicting Charles elevation to ministerial status and Frances Fitzgeralds promotion to the Justice ministry. From Borris also came Tim Delaney, complete with Fine Gael badge and wheeled shopping bag, and he did the full tour with An Taoiseach and Charles, to the discomfort of some. I nearly broke my leg over that f...... thing, wailed one grimacing Councillor, pointing to the shopping bag and rubbing his shin. As was to be expected, Fine Gael Council candidates were there aplenty. Kathleen OBrien was particularly pleased that her beloved Portlaoise had at last got a Minister. John Finlay compared the ordeal of trying to get elected to that of studying for the Leaving Certificate. Present, too, were retiring Councillors James Deegan and John Bonham. The latter clicked away with his camera. Is he going into the blue movie business or what? quipped one onlooker. James Deegans charming grandchildren, Sandra Cunningham, aged two, and David Cunningham (four) were among the first to welcome Enda Kenny. Their parents are Gilian and Joe Cunningham. Their granny, Gilian Deegan, was also enjoying the occasion. As were John White, a legal partner of Charles Flanagan, and the ever youthful former TD and Senator, Charles McDonald. Another veteran Fine Gaeler in attendance was Mountmellick ex-Town Councillor Dave Conroy. My first election working for O J Flanagan, Charlies father, was in 1951, he recalled. He reminded us that the legendary Oliver had also served as a Minister--for Defence--and that he was Parliamentary Secretary to Agriculture Minister James Dillon in the 1950s. How would your father have reacted to your promotion? an interviewer asked Charles. He replied: He would have told me that I had been given a great opportunity and the unique privilege of serving at the cabinet table--and he would have told me to work diligently and work hard. Enda and Charles paused outside a pharmacy. A pep pill stop to keep them going? No, they were intent on meeting more people. They met Shopping Centre Manager Kevin Doyle and Adrian Meehan who complained about the household and water charges. They met Dr Eltayeb Elmnbarak Elkhabir who opposed gay marriage, spike-high Chris Ward, young Kathleen Maher from Mountain View and many others. Then Enda, perhaps tiring, sat down--on a sofa that he shared with Portlaoise men Pat Dunne, Frank Rice and Brian Conroy. Rested, he exited the Shopping Centre, climbed into his car and left the stage to our new Minister. Ah, the day that Charlie Flanagan was made a Minister. It will, perhaps, go down in folklore. The 6th class pupils of Scoil Bhride Edenderry received national recognition for their project which explored the issues facing children in the developing world. The Scoil Bhride Edenderry pupils with their teacher Richard Casey exhibited their project, Global Calls for Children, in Dublin Castle on the 14th of June. Over 1,000 primary schools throughout Ireland participated in the Our World Irish Aid Awards 2016 by creating projects about the lives of children in developing countries, and the progress achieved by Ireland and other countries in the global effort to fight poverty. The One World, One Future theme of the 2016 awards asked pupils to imagine how they would like their world to look in 2030, and to learn about the new United Nations Sustainable Development Goals which seek to address the root causes of poverty and environmental damage worldwide. Speaking at the National Finals, Minister of State for the Diaspora and Overseas Development Aid Joe McHugh T.D. said: I wholeheartedly congratulate Scoil Bhride Edenderry, and indeed all of the primary school pupils who took part in the Our World Irish Aid Awards 2016. These awards give pupils from all over Ireland a fantastic opportunity to gain insight into the lives of children in developing countries, and learn about the challenges they face every day. Its clear from all of the projects here today that pupils are care deeply about the issues of development and the need to ensure equality on our planet. It is encouraging to see such a high level of interest in global development among primary school pupils in Ireland, and this reflects the importance that teachers and parents place on ensuring that children in Ireland understand their role in making the world a fairer place. It is fantastic to see these young pupils embracing their roles as active global citizens, and working hard to highlight the Sustainable Development Goals and the work of Irish Aid in their schools and wider communities. These primary school pupils have an important role to play in the global effort to create a better fairer and more sustainable world over the next 15 years. The average rent for all dwellings in the private rented sector in Co. Offaly in Quarter 1, 2016, and which were registered with the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was 561. This was up 3 when compared to the average rent in Q4, 2015, when the amount was 558, and was up 26 when compared to a year earlier, in Q1, 2015. This data comes from the latest RTB Quarterly Rent Index which is compiled by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) for the Board. It is the most accurate and authoritative rent report of its kind on the private accommodation sector in Ireland. This is because it is based on the actual rents being paid, according to the RTBs records, as distinct from the asking or advertised rent. This latest RTB rent index shows that rents across the whole country continued to increase in Q1, 2016, when compared with Q 4, 2015, although the rate of growth slowed in most sectors in the first quarter. At a national level, monthly rent levels rose in Q1, 2016, up by 0.5%, when compared with Q4, 2015. This compared to a growth rate of 1.6% in Q4, 2015. Monthly rents for houses were marginally lower, by 0.3%, while rents for apartments were 1.8% higher than in Q4, 2015. Rents in Dublin grew by 0.2% in Q1, 2016 when compared with Q4, 2015. While rents for houses in Dublin increased by 0.6%, rents for Dublin apartments rose by 0.4%. For properties outside Dublin rents in Q1, 2016, when compared with Q4, 2015 were up by 0.9%. Rents for houses outside Dublin recorded a quarterly decline of 0.5%, while apartment rents outside Dublin increased by 4.2%. Commenting on the latest Rent Index findings, the Director of the RTB, Ms. Rosalind Carroll, said: The trend in recent indices has been upwards, and that growth continued in Q1, 2016 with rents nationally now 73 a month higher than the same period in 2015. However, it appears that the rate of growth is slowing, with rents increasing by 0.5% between Q4, 2015 and Q1, 2016, compared to 1.6% for the previous quarter. While it is too early to make any real deductions from this, this is the second quarter in succession that we have seen growth slow. Ms Carroll said the RTB now has a total of 324,000 tenancies registered, representing 172,000 landlords and 705,000 occupants. The ongoing increases in the level of rents across the country are being driven primarily by a lack of supply. The trend in new tenancy registrations also reflects this. Annual tenancy registrations peaked in 2013, with nearly 112,000 tenancies registered in that year, but that has dipped consecutively in 2014 and 2015, while our overall numbers of registered tenancies have increased. This suggests that tenants are staying longer in their properties. The RTB website www.rtb.ie also contains an Average Rent Dataset which enables people to check the average rent being paid for five different categories of dwelling types throughout the country, in both urban and rural areas. This means people can check what is the actual rent being paid for, say, a semi-detached house or a two-bed apartment in their neighbourhood, or in other parts of the country. All landlords are legally obliged to register tenancies with the RTB and the number of new registrations with the RTB in Q1, 2016, was 22,753. The PRTB Index is of assistance for a range of Government purposes, including housing policy generally, and informing the Department of Social Protections Rent Supplement scheme. It is also an important reference document in landlord/tenant disputes on rent. It was developed in consultation and co-operation with landlord representative groups such as the Irish Property Owners Association, irishlandlord.com, the Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers, the Society of Chartered Surveyors of Ireland, and tenant representative groups such as Threshold and USI (Union of Students in Ireland). Loading... OilVoice will be with you shortly... Cambodian Premier Hun Sen lashed out Monday at claims his government had bowed to Chinese pressure to help scupper a joint statement by Southeast Asian nations on the South China Sea (Vietnam's East Sea). In an angry speech Hun Sen also accused an international court of political bias as it prepares to rule on a sea dispute between the Philippines and China. The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration is widely expected to rule against Beijing when it delivers its verdict in the coming weeks. Last week a meeting of foreign ministers from China and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Kunming ended in chaos and renewed allegations of regional bullying by Beijing. The diplomatic fracas erupted when Malaysia released a joint statement from ASEAN members voicing "serious concerns" at land reclamation and other activities. The strongly-worded statement did not name China but clearly referred to its extensive island-building. But the statement was suddenly retracted for reasons that have yet to be fully explained. The incident was seen as another example of ASEAN's inability to present a united front to China as it ramps up its presence in the waterway. Several news outlets have quoted ASEAN diplomatic sources as saying that Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar, historically China's strongest regional allies, were instrumental in scuppering the consensus statement. Hun Sen described those claims as "unacceptable". "It is very unjust for Cambodia," he said, accusing unnamed countries of "using Cambodia to counter China." "They use us and curse us," he added. Hun Sen also hit out at the Hague-based arbitration court. "This is not about laws, it is totally about politics. I will not support any judgement by the court," he said, adding that the case was a "political conspiracy between some countries and the court." China claims nearly all of the South China Sea (Vietnam's East Sea) despite competing partial claims by ASEAN members the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei, as well as Taiwan. In 2012 ASEAN foreign ministers failed to release a joint statement for the first time at the end of their annual gathering, with the Philippines blaming event host Cambodia for blocking criticism of China. Related news: > China blamed for ASEAN U-turn on > Indonesia cites error as ASEAN meeting ends in confusion > ASEAN retracts "South China Sea" criticism: Malaysia Staff of the Center for Research and Conservation of wild animals takes care of the pandolins. Photo by VnExpress Police in Vietnam's northern province of Ninh Binh yesterday successfully foiled an attempt to smuggle a group of rare pangolins from Hue to the north where they were to be sold. Authorities arrested three perpetrators during the search, and resucued 22 Sunda pangolins. The pangolins will be handed to the Carnivore and Pangolin Conservation Program (CPCP). They are currently being looked after by staff at the Center for Research and Conservation of Wild Animals. According to the center, most of the pangolins are in a weak state due to being transported over a long period in tight bags without food or water. Some of them were force-fed corn meal and stone powder and are still unable to eat despite receiving care. The pangolins are being cared for at the quarantine zone and we have fed them ants, but only a third of them can eat at the moment. Half of them released yellow stools which is not normal, maybe because they were fed corn meal and stone powder to gain weight, said a representative of the CPCP, who also added that the center is working on research into treatment for the pangolins. The Sunda pangolin is a rare species considered critically endangered in Vietnams Red Book. Pangolins as a genus are among the most heavily poached and exploited protected animals in the world. Like other pangolin species, the Sunda pangolin is hunted for its meat and used in clothing and traditional medicine. > Australia blocks Vietnam slaughterhouses for animal cruelty > Police seize heap of animal claws; hints death of 34 tigers > Police open fire on animal trafficking truck > Police seize bear paws in northern Vietnam ATMs are handy but not always available. Photo by VnExpress/Hoang Ha Let's face it, any currency that involves multiple zeroes can be confusing, especially when the highest denomination note in your country is a 50 or a 100. Here we've put together a few useful tips for you to keep in mind when you're traveling in Vietnam. Know the exchange rate This is the most obvious point, but it is so often overlooked. The official currency in Vietnam is the dong. Here's a quick rule of thumb: $1 VND22,000. Where to exchange money The best place to exchange your currency is in banks, which are open from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. - 11.30 a.m. and 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. Some big branches are also open on Saturday morning. Youll be able to change foreign currencies and travelers checks in urban bank branches, but not always in smaller towns. E.g.: The government-run Vietcombank can exchange dong for the following currencies: - U.S., Australian, Canadian, Hong Kong and Singaporean Dollars - Euro - British Pound Sterling - Thai Baht - Japanese Yen It's probably the safest way to exchange money but some might not like the hassle that goes with it as you have to show your passport and fill out a form. Note that Vietnamese banks will not accept torn or damaged notes. If you deposit a damaged note, the bank will charge you 3-4 percent of the notes value, or more, depending on how badly damaged the note is. Alternatively, currency exchange booths that you can find at ports or tourist sites will do the job instantly, though they may charge quite high transaction fees so it might be best to avoid them unless you are in a hurry. In case you unfortunately lose or forget your passport, you might have to resort to gold shops. While the practice is technically illegal, it is an option when the banks are not available. How to obtain cash To obtain more cash you can always go to any ATM around Vietnam's major cities. However, it would be best if you know the rules of your bank and your card since some may charge a hefty fee for withdrawing money overseas. Most ATMs are connected to the Visa and Mastercard networks and can be used to get cash advances through your credit card. ATTENTION - there are two fees when you withdraw cash at an ATM: a currency exchange fee and the ATM fee. Most ATMs have a limit ranging from VND2,000,000 to VND5,000,000 for each withdrawal and a daily limit of VND20,000,000. ATMs will charge a fee per transaction. E.g.: Techcombank and Vietinbank charge VND66,000 while MB Bank (Military Bank) ATMs charge VND20,000. It's a good idea to ask for bank notes in smaller denominations as it can sometimes be hard to get a change from larger notes. Know the Vietnamese currency Lets get used to the money system in Vietnam. You can tell most of them apart by their color. There are paper notes with a value of 500; 1,000; 2,000; 5,000 and then plastic notes valued at 10,000; 20,000; 50,000; 100,000; 200,000 and 500,000 dong. Be mindful that the VND20,000 notes look only slightly different from the VND500,000 ones (different shade of blue) but the value is a big gap. VND20,000 note versus VND500,000. Photo by VnExpress/Ha Phuong Other tips Paying by credit card is not common practice in Vietnam. For tips, taxis and cafes, cash reigns. U.S. dollars are widely accepted by many shops, hotels and restaurants in touristy areas. The downside to using dollars is that the prices will be converted into dong at the vendor's chosen exchange rate, which is usually rounded up to benefit the vendor, making it more expensive. Make sure you exchange any leftover dongs before you leave because it's nigh on impossible to change the currency outside of Vietnam. Well, unless you want to keep the notes as a souvenir. Lastly, Vietnamese people are, on the whole, very decent and honest although there are of course a few exceptions. Keep your money in safe places. Don't take too much with you when traveling around. And those offers to change money on the street to get a better rate? Don't fall for them! Related news: > How to detect fake cops in Vietnam? Tips to help you avoid being robbed Indian Hill Elementary doesnt look much different now compared with the 1970s, when Ricardo Sanchez and his wife attended the South Omaha school. Today, their children attend the school, built in 1957. It still has the same yellow tiles that line the hallways, the same boilers that clank loudly and the same lack of central air conditioning. They didnt even have that when I came here, Sanchez said, pointing to the air conditioner units hanging out of classroom windows. We just cranked the window open and that was it. At a recent groundbreaking ceremony, Indian Hill students, parents, staff and a mariachi band celebrated the start of an $8.6 million renovation project, funded through the Omaha Public Schools $421 million bond program that voters approved in 2014. The school will get new carpeting and paint. The mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems will be upgraded. An auditorium, used sparingly, will be turned into classrooms. Weve kept our humor about this building, but we are ready for the renovations, said retiring Indian Hill Principal Sharon Royers. Construction crews this summer are front and center at schools across the metro area. Driven by recent bond issues in OPS, Westside and Elkhorn, theyre ripping out old pipes, gutting classrooms and pouring foundations for new elementary and middle schools. OPS is in the second year of its largest bond program, Elkhorn is in year two as well, and construction has started in Bennington, Gretna and Westside after voters approved bond measures in 2015. In OPS, 10 major projects began this summer. In coming months, Belle Ryan and Western Hills Elementary Schools will be torn down. Walls will go up inside open-concept schools like Lothrop Magnet Center and Sunny Slope Elementary. And a $34.6 million renovation and addition for 1960s-era Beveridge Middle School started last month. In the summer break, the least amount of disruption you can have on the learning process and the kiddos, the better, said Mark Sommer, the program manager for Jacobs, the firm overseeing OPSs bond work. The more space you can turn over to a contractor from a financial and an efficiency perspective, the better as well. Theres two big reasons right there to really hit the gas pedal on that summer window. Most of the large-scale OPS projects will continue through the school year, finishing up around the start of the 2017-18 school year. In Westside, Oakdale Elementary is being torn down and rebuilt, and an addition is being added to Westside Middle. Other buildings are getting safety upgrades. Gretna started building new elementary and middle schools north of 186th and Nebraska Highway 370. Bennington, where enrollment growth has reached double digits in recent years, started building a $29 million middle school and a $7.6 million auxiliary gym for Bennington Jr./Sr. High School in the fall. This spring, the district began work on a $1.4 million warehouse for buses and school supplies. Other districts, including Millard, Papillion-La Vista and Elkhorn, are wrapping up their bond-financed work or racing to complete new schools before students return in August. Rapidly growing Elkhorn has six projects underway. Contractors are putting the finishing touches on a 500-student addition to Elkhorn South High and the new Arbor View, the districts 10th elementary school. It opens in August. It comes down to the wire, said Ryan Lindquist, Elkhorns director of business support services. You find working with contractors and even sub-contractors, if they know its a school and they know kids need to be in there, they kind of put an extra hop in their step to get it done. OPS officials said it takes coordination with contractors, custodians and school principals to make sure construction crews are ready when school ends, or earlier. The district bid out nearly $120 million worth of work last spring to prepare for this summers construction. At Beveridge, crews got to work on asbestos abatement in one wing while classes wrapped up in May. The school will get a 20-classroom addition, which will include space for sixth-graders as well as art and global studies classes. The seventh- and eighth-grade school plans to add sixth grade, possibly in fall 2018. Beveridge also will get a huge face-lift, a new drop-off area, a black box theater, central air conditioning, and new windows, doors and a storm shelter. Construction will progress in phases. Sixteen classes will be held in portables. I cant wait to find out what this staff and these kids can do with a state-of-the-art facility, Principal Dave Lavender said at a groundbreaking ceremony last month. Beveridge seventh-grader Evelyn Hill said some students like the buildings older vibe but are excited to see a major makeover. I think the first day itll be like, Where am I going? she said. A lot of kids will be going to the office, asking, Wheres portable 5? But well adjust well. Eighth-grader Matthew Lemar ticked off the schools less-than-desirable features: the stuffy gym with no air conditioning, the water fountains that dont work, the outdated bathrooms and the noisy AC window units. When theyre on in the summer, you cant hear the teachers talk, he said. Theyre so bad. School officials said there are drawbacks to the crowded construction season, namely higher labor and material costs. Also going on: a major campus expansion at Metropolitan Community College, a $400 million Google project in Council Bluffs and the $323 million Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Gretna Superintendent Kevin Riley said the construction market has changed since 2010, the last time Gretna voters approved a bond measure. Then, nine contractors might have bid on a school project. Now the district is lucky to get five. A middle school gym remodel recently drew only two bidders. Skilled laborers, especially electricians, are also stretched thin, he said. Its what happens in a bustling construction economy, Riley said. And so were paying more for our projects. Contact the writer: 402-444-1210, erin.duffy@owh.com ********* Snapshot of bond-financed school construction projects: OPS $421 million bond passed in November 2014 $34.6 million, renovation and addition, Beveridge Middle $17.9 million, demolition and rebuilding, Belle Ryan Elementary $17.1 million, demolition and rebuilding, Western Hills Elementary $12.4 million, new gym, new front entrance and other upgrades, Northwest High Elkhorn $63.1 million bond passed in November 2014 $6.4 million, gym addition, Elkhorn Middle $6.7 million, 500-student addition, Elkhorn South High $10.4 million, construction of Arbor View Elementary, opening this fall Westside $79.9 million bond passed in May 2015 $14.5 million, demolition and rebuilding, Oakdale Elementary $16.7 million, addition, Westside Middle Gretna $57.4 million bond passed in May 2015 $34.6 million, new middle school $17 million, new elementary school Bennington $38.5 million bond passed in May 2015 $29 million, new middle school $7.6 million, auxiliary gym addition, Bennington Jr./Sr. High School $1.4 million, construction of district warehouse Millard $79.9 million bond passed in May 2013 $8.8 million, new entrance and lecture hall, Millard North High $1.6 million, renovation, Neihardt Elementary Papillion-La Vista $59.6 million bond passed in November 2012 $19.4 million, construction of Liberty Middle, opening this fall $6.1 million, renovation, LaVista Middle $4.9 million, renovation, Papillion Middle Indiana is about to create a government-sanctioned monopoly in the growing vaping industry. In addition to destroying competition and innovation, Indiana policymakers are harming the people they represent by substantially limiting consumer choice. Back in May 2015, Indiana Republican governor Mike Pence signed House Bill 1432. The main provisions in the bill, which goes into effect on July 1, stipulate that e-liquid companies must display warnings, list their ingredients, and use tamper-evident and child-proof packaging. These regulations seem reasonable, but the bill also requires e-liquid manufacturers to work with a security firm that must inspect their products before they can reach consumers. This is where big problems emerge. Approved manufacturing facilities must have third-party surveillance of their facility and remote storage of the video footage. This is an expensive requirement more suited for the manufacturing of select deadly pharmaceuticals. Approved security companies must also have an employee who holds all of the following: a rolling steel fire door technician certification, a locksmith certification, and an architectural hardware consultant certification. In addition, this employee must be working at the same security company for at least one yearwhich stops other security companies from hiring anyone in order to meet Indianas requirements. The only security company that meets all of these hurdles is Mulhaupts, based in Lafayette, Indiana. What a coincidence! It is almost as if the law was specifically written so that only one local firm could comply. All e-liquid companies that cannot reach an agreement with Mulhaupts will be banned from doing business in Indiana come July 1. The vapor industry is decentralized and is primarily comprised of small mom-and-pop producers that mix their own e-liquid. In Indiana alone there are about 200 e-liquid companies. In addition to the compliance costs of this law, Mulhaupts gets to charge a fee for its services that companies have no choice but to pay. Jacopo DAlessandris, president of the e-vapor company E-Alternative Solutions, told me, Maulhaupts is not contracting with any new companies. They have rejected E-Alternative Solutions and our Liquid Soul brands in addition to most nationally recognized and reputable liquid companies. They have instead chosen to contract with only six liquid manufacturers. Giving one company the government-granted power to determine which products can come to market is clearly an anti-competitive decision that will limit customer choice and the growth of small businesses. DAlessandris also told me, We have been engaged in an aggressive search for a company other than Mulhaupts that meets the stated qualifications and certifications laid out by Indiana. This list includes both regional surveillance companies as well as national firms. But all our requests were rejected due to the odd and previously unheard of combination of requirements. Though policymakers cannot seem to understand it, more options and increased innovation are unquestionably desirableespecially for the e-liquid industry. The British Royal College of Physicians finds that using vapor products such as e-liquid or e-cigarettes is at least 95 percent safer than using combustible cigarettes. Yet policymakers continually try to regulate the industry as if e-liquid and combustible cigarettes pose the same public health threats. If anything, vaping has the potential to improve health outcomes by making it easier for people to quit smoking. A few years ago, all that was available to smokers who wanted an effective alternative nicotine delivery system were nicotine patches, gum, and poorly designed e-cigarettes. Now, because the vapor industry was allowed to grow outside the heavy hand of government regulators, consumers can customize everything from their nicotine levels and wattage, to flavors and air flow. Quitting smoking is difficult, and every tool that innovators can provide should be welcomed as a harm reduction tool. The correct policy response is not to create artificial monopolies. On June 2, a Marion County, Indiana Superior Court judge ruled that the bills implementation date can stand without any changes to the law. E-liquid companies are now left with less than two weeks to hope for a federal ruling or injunction on another ongoing lawsuit over Indianas requirements. It is one matter to rule that regulations must ensure consumers know what is in e-liquid. It is another matter to use regulations to drive business to a favored company. That is the clear outcome of Indianas e-liquid bill. Consumers lose out, and the only winner is Mulhaupts. This article originally appeared on Forbes Jared Meyer is a fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research and the author of the new monograph Uber-Positive: Why Americans Love the Sharing Economy. Follow him on Twitter here. Interested in real economic insights? Want to stay ahead of the competition? Each weekday morning, E21 delivers a short email that includes E21 exclusive commentaries and the latest market news and updates from Washington. Sign up for the E21 Morning Ebrief. A brain tumor kept Walter A. Roberts at his La Vista home during the Honor Flight to the nations capital for Vietnam War veterans earlier this month, but he proudly wore his colors to the end. Roberts, 66, died nine days after about 500 other Nebraska Vietnam vets made a one-day visit to Washington, D.C., to see war memorials, a trip organized by the nonprofit Patriotic Productions of Omaha. His memorial service is at 6 p.m. today at Bethany Funeral Home Chapel, 82nd and Harrison Streets. He never said anything bad about Vietnam, said his wife, Eve Roberts. He was proud to be a veteran. Roberts left high school in Nashville, Tennessee, and joined the Army in 1967. He was assigned to a combat engineer battalion and arrived in South Vietnam in March 1968 the early weeks of the Tet Offensive, a campaign of surprise attacks by Viet Cong and North Vietnamese army troops. He suffered four bullet wounds in his legs, a bayonet injury in his left wrist and 168 pieces of shrapnel in his back. He was soaked three times with Agent Orange, the toxic defoliant that U.S. warplanes dropped as part of a campaign to kill jungle foliage that hid the enemy. Roberts received his Honor Flight shirt and cap early because of his deteriorating health. Eve Roberts said he proudly wore the cap around the house and the shirt to a granddaughters school show choir performance. Friends and family marked his birthday June 10 with a party, at which he celebrated with fried pickles from Old Chicago, homemade meatball casserole and two pieces of Dairy Queen birthday cake, his favorite dessert. It was his last meal. During the next few days he suffered seizures and a stroke. He died June 15. He was about at the end of his rope, his wife said. He was given six months to live at Thanksgiving. In addition to his wife, survivors include children Christal Roberts-Robinson, Kimberly Roberts-Thomas and Jeremy Roberts, all of Nashville, Monica Battreall of Bellevue, Elizabeth Zeller and Alex Zeller of Omaha, Timothy Jungquist of Pegram, Tennessee, and Julie Hultman of Wichita, Kansas; and 13 grandchildren. Contact the writer: 402-444-1127, david.hendee@owh.com Solar eclipse to be sighted in Bengaluru for 45 minutes: Report Siddaramaiah and Bipasha Basu perform Yoga in Bengaluru Bengaluru oi-Shalini Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Bollywood actress and fitness expert Bipasha Basu performed several yoga asanas at Kanteerva stadium in Bengaluru from 7am to 8.30 am on Tuesday (June 21) in order to celebrate International Yoga Day. A large number of people along with union minister Ananth Kumar also performed yoga on the ocassion. Siddaramaiah said: "I have been practising yoga for the past one year and have noticed a change." It may be noted that last year, Siddaramaiah along with Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty performed yoga on the same occasion. Siddaramaiah had then also promised to add yoga as compulsory extra curriculum activity in the state's schools and colleges, as yoga is a better way to relieve stresss and pressure. International Yoga Day was celebrated across the country with prime minister Narendra Modi leading the celebrations in Chandigarh while several ministers participated in other states. Addressing a gathering of yoga enthusiasts, the prime minister said a public movement should be started through yoga to address the problem of diabetes in our country. It was witnessed that several political parties united together in different states to celebrate International yoga day. OneIndia News Barack Obama's terror policy is misplaced, pitiful and far from reality Feature oi-Vicky By Vicky When Mateen Omar went on a killing spree, he did the ISIS a big favour. He called 911 and pledged his allegiance to Abu Bakr Al Bhagdadi, the chief of the ISIS. There is a complete call transcript of the conversation, but when the FBI released it at first the FBI had redacted the names of both Omar and the ISIS. The name of Mateen Omar read OM and there was no mention of the ISIS or its chief. There were two arguments put forth in this regard. Attorney General says Mateen investigation moving forward One Barack Obama, the President of the United States said one would accomplish nothing in naming the ISIS. Two, the argument by Ronald Hopper the FBI agent who said Omar was domestically radicalised and was not directed by any foreign group. Is US at war with the omitted? Omitting the names of the shooter, the ISIS and its chief according to the FBI was a necessary step. The FBI justified this step by saying that redacting is meant to not give credence to individuals who have done terrorist attacks in the past. We're not going to propagate their rhetoric, their violent rhetoric, and we see no value in putting those individuals' names back out there. We're trying to prevent future acts from happening, again and for cowards like this one, people like that influence them, so we are not going to continue to put their names out front. The omission of the names led to several jokes being made on the Obama administration. Some of the jokes are in war with the omitted? Obama's three step plan to defeat the omitted is omitted, omitted, omitted. Records: Orlando gunman talked about violence in 3rd grade The FBI however went to release underacted transcript of the call after it came under fire from Republican House leaders and news organisations. The FBI explained that it was doing so to provide the highest level of transparency. A bad argument While Obama argued that one would accomplish nothing in naming, he also must remember that he will gain nothing in omitting the names. The ISIS has spread like cancer across Europe and America and the problem lies in the already existing propaganda material which is all over the internet. The US is at war with the ISIS in Syria, but is that enough. The ISIS thrives on propaganda and ideology and merely killing battling them on ground in Syria will not help. The US needs to acknowledge that it is the ISIS school of thought which is the real problem. The outfit has captured the imagination of millions and has moved beyond Iraq and Syria. It has sold dreams of the Caliphate which has been their best marketing tool. What the US also fails to understand or prefers it that way is that the ISIS derives a lot of support from the Wahabis who are all over Saudi Arabia. It is this school of thought which helps further the ideology and in order to curb this the US needs to ensure that funding from Saudi Arabia is completely stopped. Additionally more needs to be done to erase content out of the internet. The internet has been the connect between the youth and the ideology of the ISIS. Denying or redacting does not help. The ISIS has a way of reaching its audience no matter how much one tries to conceal their activities. It is time to step up the heat and accept the fact that Islamic terrorism needs to be dealt in an extremely harsh manner. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, June 21, 2016, 12:00 [IST] Cornered by pro-India voice, China now backs Pak's entry in NSG Feature oi-Shubham Ghosh Finding it tough to stop India's growing acceptability as a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), China has now backed Pakistan's candidature for the body. The country's state media has said that if India is being considered for an exemption to join the NSG, Pakistan should also get a similar treatment. [What is NSG?] The Chinese media has also defended Pakistan's unimpressive proliferation record, saying it was carried out by the latter's nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan and not the government. It added that the Pakistani government had punished Khan by putting him under several years of house arrest because of his act. [Will India make the NSG by end of 2016?] From anti-India to pro-Pakistan Beijing's stance on the issue has now shifted from being anti-India to being pro-Pakistan. It has understood that with all other four permanent members of the Security Council expressing support for India to become a member of the NSG and also a number of members of the body throwing their weight behind New Delhi, it is becoming increasingly difficult for Beijing to resist the pressure. Hence, from "India shouldn't be allowed in the NSG" because of procedural reasons, the Chinese have now resorted to the strategy of backing Pakistan as a potential member of the NSG. "If India joins hands with Pakistan to seek NSG membership..." "China and other countries are opposed to NSG including India while excluding Pakistan, because it means solving India's problem but creating another bigger problem. If India joins hands with Pakistan to seek NSG membership, it seems more pragmatic than joining alone," said the article titled 'China no barrier to India joining NSG' on Tuesday. It added: "If India and Pakistan are allowed to join the NPT and adopt the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, it will tarnish the authority of both. How can nuclear weapons development in other countries such as North Korea, Iran and Israel be dealt with." A few days ago, the Chinese media had said that allowing India in NSG could impact the nuclear stability of South Asia. Now, Beijing has a clear shift in its stand. Although it has said that India's admission in the NSG is not on the agenda in the club's ongoing meeting in Seoul, but surely the Chinese are not in an assured state of mind. Mysuru is the next Yoga hub, but Bengaluru is not far behind either Feature oi-Pallavi Sengupta This International Yoga Day, Yogis would be happy to see their toil finally finding the light of the day. Half a decade ago, people were averse to the idea of Yoga and had little or no confidence of its healing powers. Things, however, have changed with time and so have ideas. People not only in India, but worldwide understand its importance now and how beneficial is it for the mind and the body. Nevertheless, it picked up as a trend in India last year when PM Narendra Modi himself led a team of Yoga practitioners at India Gate to promote the practice. However, there is a large pocket in the country that now understands what Yoga can do their psyche and health. Visit any Yoga Center and you would know what we mean. From software engineers to homemakers, everyone wants a break from everyday life and think about the self. "It is a practice that re-discovers the self. It calms the mind and keeps you fit," says Nayantara, a journalist by profession and a Yoga practitioner. [Read: In Pics: International Yoga Day Celebrations across India] "My job required me to be aggressive and that affected my family life too. I was restless, suspicious and irritated always, which led to familial discord. I could not take 'NO' for an answer and had difficulty in anger management. Yoga changed me," she further added. Nayantara is not the only beneficiery here. Satish, a software engineer, had issues with his weight and there was a lot of stress in office. Erratic working hours and frequent travelling took a toll on his health and he was diagnosed with blood sugar at the tender age of 24. "Hell broke loose when the doctor said that I have to reduce stress to keep it in control," he said. [Read: Interview: 'Proud to be one of the pioneers to introduce yoga in sports' ] "A friend advised me to join Yoga classes. I thought it was easier than exercising in the gym, less of sweat (he laughs). But I was proved wrong. Each of the asanas engaged the entire body, which means leaning the flabby areas. Moreover, I was explained that Yoga is not merely to reduce weight, since it is not directly connected to losing weight. It enhances the metabolism in such a way that it controls hunger, thus reducing food intake," he further added. Yoga and social service While physical benefits from the practice are innumerable, it also has a social contribution. Proves Chaitanya Wellness Studio in Kaggadaspura. Apart from organising several events across the month of JUne, the studio went a step ahead and performed Yoga with the physically disabled. Plantation programs formed other part of the schedule. [Read: Yoga no religious activity, a global mass movement: Modi] "Yoga teaches you to accept your being and bring happiness within. Once there is happiness and peace within, you would not hesitate to spread it around you. Community work is an integral part of Yoga. Unless you bring happiness to others, Yoga is incomplete," said Dr Prashant Tak, who heads the studio. His wife Shreya Tak is also a popular teacher here. Her perception of the practice is no different than her husband's. "My mind is at peace and Yoga has helped me retain that peace and apply that at home and work. I tell my students that the sense of wellbeing should come from within. And there is no better way to know yourself than Yoga. It brings determnation, patience, perseverence and peace." 108 sun salutations Sr Faculty member at Art of Living Yoga and Meditation Center- Yashoda Mayi says, "Yoga is ingrained in us since birth. Observe a child and you would know what it does is nothing but Mudra Pranayam. Today's daily life stress has only one remedy-Yoga. There are in all 700 Yoga postures and if you do even 10-15 of them everyday, your life will transform." Like many Yoga studios, the Art of Living is also organising 108 sun salutations today, which is conducted four times every year during season changes. This helps in regulating all the 6 chakras in the body and regulate the cycles of the body, increasing immunity. "Sun Salutation basically is a prayer to the Sun and complete submission to it and the universe. With every body movement, the breath is regulated and so is the mind. It engages the entire body," said Mayi. Speaking on the difficulty of integration of Yoga in everyday life, she said,"the main problem these days is we are forgetting our Gurukul tradition and integrating something that is not our's. Yoga requires persistence, but that is rare these days. People only come to Yoga for fast results for obesity. But Yoga is not just about losing weight, it is also about losing the ego and other vices that come in the way of our daily lives." Art of Living is organising 108 Suryanamaskara in the evening for working people today. And on Sunday, there will be a Satsang between 10 am to 5pm, which also includes talk about homeopathy. Yoga above religion Mayi had a very insightful thing to say when we asked about the interconnection between Yoga and religion. She said, "Yoga is beyond religion. Since when did a doctor start treating his/her patients according to religion? Yoga is a healer and it heals the body. Hindus, Christians, Jews, Muslims do not have different bodies. Why do you think it is getting popular worldwide. Yoga can unite nations and religion divides them. Which one will you choose?" She further added, "I have Muslim students too who are practicing even after their marriage. They have found help with the practice and see no religious barrier in it. I believe the problem lies with the community heads, who are half informed about this practice. They should first be taught what exactly Yoga is so that they can guide the mass." At the end of all the interviews, we realised that Yoga is truely beyond religion, caste or creed. Otherwise, how is it that this particular day is celebrated worldwide, united in a Yogic way? For the cause of life and love, this Bengal bride organises blood donation camp on her wedding day What is Bombay blood group and how it saved a Dhaka man Feature oi-Pallavi Sengupta Surprised? but this type of blood does exist. Rarest of the rare blood group, it is very crucial to understand this blood type. Here are the following things that one should know about this blood group. It is an extremely rare ABO group, which was found in a few people in Mumbai, which got it the name. This blood group is also found among the people in Caucasia and Japan. The H Antigen is absent. Therefore, the A, B, AB and O blood groups that are manifestations of the H are completely alien to the Bombay Blood type. This blood group was first discovered at Parel's KEM Hospital when a patient who had come for treatment started developing reaction to O blood. It is to be cautioned that people with this blood type should never be donated any other blood type. Recently, a man from Dhaka with this rare blood type met with an accident. The sole bread winner of the family, hospital authorities had difficulty saving him as they could not find his blood prototype. Mohammed Kamruzzaman had to undergo a life-saving surgery, but the only hinderance was his blood type. This is when four Mumbaikars stepped in. When the blood banks in Bangladesh failed to trace the blood group, India had less than 400 people with the known type of blood. Out of which, four were active traceable donors. S K Tuhinur Alam, one of Kamruzzaman's colleagues, reached Mumbai to collect the blood donated by Swapna Sawant, Krishnanand Kori, Mehul Bhelekar and Pravin Shinde. A thankful Alam narrated his ordeal in tracing the blood. He said, "We had given up hope. The bones of his left leg and hand are shattered. His pelvis is broken. Doctors told us only surgery could guarantee complete recovery. We searched up and down the city (Dhaka) and called up an uncountable number of hospitals and blood banks, but most had never heard of this blood group. The hospital found his sister had the same group, but was not fit to donate. Our employer, Arinoba Plastic Industries, facilitated this inter-country coordination after learning that Kamruzzaman was the family's main breadwinner and his ailing mother's treatment was dependent on his earnings. In a way, India is saving an entire family." However, Vinay Shetty of the NGO Think Foundation in Mumbai had an uphill task of approving the export of the blood. "We had to seek many permissions as export is permitted only under license. We got approvals from the State Blood Transfusion Council, Central Drugs Standard Control Organization, Directorate of Health Services and CISF that mans airport security," Shetty said. The blood units were transported in special plastic box with ice gel packs. Shetty said,"Blood has a long shelf life, of about six weeks. Temperature control is key." For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, June 21, 2016, 15:25 [IST] Will India benefit from Brexit? Here are the pros and cons Feature oi-Shubham Ghosh India has not revealed its official position on the UK's referendum to stay in or leave the European Union (EU) due to be held on June 23. While Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj said the matter was Britain's own, Union Minister for Science and Technology Harsh Vardhan said the agreements inked in trade and investment and science and technology between the two countries would go on as usual irrespective of a possible Brexit. [Explained: UK referendum 2016] Now, will India benefit if the UK pulls out of the EU or will it be otherwise? The opinion is divided. While some say the bilateral trade between India and UK will improve in the absence of EU rules, others feel apprehensive about the work and education visas and also the future of Indian companies in the UK. [Will UK teams' performance in Euro affect June 23 referendum?] Here, we list some pros and cons of a possible Brexit for India: Pros: In the absence of EU regulations, the UK will be free to do more business with India and reach out to its booming middle class. The mango export from India to the UK will find a boost since high resulatory laws of the EU will not be in effect anymore. In 2014, mango export from India faced an EU-led ban after flies were found in the consignments and the exporters of the fruit in India faced much losses till the ban was lifted in 2015. If the UK goes out of the EU, this challenge will persist no more. Strict EU immigration rules also take a toll on the massive curry industry in the UK as the caterers' bodies of the east fail to get qualified chefs. The Asian Catering Federation is experiencing this problem though it thinks leaving the EU is not a solution for that. A research by the State Bank of India says India's position will be stronger if Brexit indeed happens. Cons: The future of a strong diaspora of Indian-origin UK citizens and also that of those who visit the UK as students, professionals, tourists, businessmen or just plain relatives. Could there be a strict visa regime in the post-Brexit period? The phenomenal growth story of the Indian industries (800 of them and the largest in one European country) could be affected if Brexit happens. The Indian industries generate an impressive number of employment and those in sectors like technology, telecom, financial services and pharmaceuticals are growing at a big rate, as per India Tracker 2016. The likes of Bharti Airtel, HCL Technologies and Tata Group are doing exceedingly well in the UK. India Tracker suggests that a potential Brexit could be a "pressing concern". Will investment in the UK take a beating if Brexit happens? Restriction on immigration if Brexit happens could have a big impact on students and professionals who aim to travel to the UK. According to the UK Council for International Student Affairs, the number of Indian students studying in universities in UK have fallen from over 22,000 to 18,000-plus following the withdrawal of the post-study work visa and the situation could worsen if Brexit happens. Britain's treating overseas students as immigrants is something debated upon often and if more restrictions are imposed on entering that country, then it could influence the people-to-people contact, something which has continued between India and the UK over centuries. Chhath Puja fasting rules: What one must keep in mind during the 4-day festival 2 injured in firing in outer Delhi India oi-PTI New Delhi, June 21: Two persons, including a 12-year-old boy sustained bullet injuries when an unidentified duo allegedly opened fire at a crowd following a failed attempt to kill one of their rivals in outer Delhi's Vijay Vihar area on Tuesday,June 21. The injured persons, identified as Rakesh (29) and Vimal (12), were rushed to a hospital and they are stated to be out of danger, a senior police official said. The incident took place around 11:30 am when two persons on a motorbike went to Vijay Vihar locality to allegedly kill a cable operator. The bullet missed the target and by the time the duo tried to kick-start their motorbike again they were surrounded by a crowd, which had also called up police. The duo allegedly opened fire to disperse the crowd and fled. Soon it emerged that Vimal and Rakesh had sustained bullet injuries. A case of attempt to murder has been registered and efforts are on to nab the accused, the official said. PTI Actor Ramya likely to be inducted to Karnataka cabinet after Rahul Gandhi's direction India oi-Shreyas Bengaluru, June 21: Sources in the top rung of the Congress party tell OneIndia that a clear direction has been passed on to the state Congress by the Vice President, Rahul Gandhi to make Kannada actor, former M P from Mandya, Ramya as MLC thus facilitating her induction to the cabinet berth. "Rahul Gandhi has instructed the Chief Minister (CM) of Karnataka Siddaramaiah to elevate Ramya to the minister post." This move comes after actor-turned-politcian Ambareesh dropped from Karnataka cabinet, a strong representative of Mandya and Vokkaliga community, sources revealed. Political rumble between Ramya alias Divya Spandana and Ambareesh is a well know fact in Karnataka political circle. In 2014 general elections Ramya lost her Member of Parliament seat to JD(S)' CS Puttaraju. However Ramya suspects Ambareesh's clandestine play in her defeat by marginal 6000 votes. In a few occasions Ramya and Ambareesh did engage in mudslinging that grabbed headlines of vernacular dailies in the state. In political turn around, Ambareesh lost his minister post. Given the proximity of Ramya to Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, speculation is rife Ramya influenced ouster of Ambareesh. The tall Sandalwood actor has now sent out his resignation (not accepted yet) for MLA post in an act of threating the party. His resignation certainly has an impact on the Mandya belt of the party. For a cabinet post that is strategically kept vacant after appointment of 13 ministers to the state, Ramya's name is at the top. It is kept vacant after Ramya allegedly lobbied with the High Command for the same. However after Ambareesh thrown his resignation, the party may reconsider the decision as actor's long term disgruntlement is a curse to the party in a long run, sources said. But Ramya this time around is hell bent on achieving a coveted berth. After her loss in 2014, for over 2 years she was politically inactive in terms of position. Ramya's close acquaintance with Gandhi family has given the wings to her dreams. Ramya too served in Mandya and she hails from Vokkaliga community. Rahul, day before the cabinet reshuffle, has directed the CM to make Ramya MLC and then induct her to state cabinet, sources divulged. OneIndia News Jaitley statue at Kotla: Angry Bedi asks DDCA to remove his name from stands, quits membership PM Modi to attend first 'Arun Jaitley Memorial Lecture' in Delhi's Vigyan Bhavan today Reforms in India being done by conviction, not compulsion: PM Narendra Modi BJP leaders pay tribute to former minister Arun Jaitley on his third death anniversary Arun Jaitley releases Sikh warrior Banda Bahadur silver coin India oi-IANS By Ians English New Delhi, June 21: A commemorative silver coin to mark the 300th martyrdom day of Sikh military commander Banda Singh Bahadur was released here on Tuesday by union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. "The Khalsa history is of (the) brave (men)... it motivates people," the minister said while addressing a gathering after releasing the coin. Jaitley said the coin will help people remember Banda Bahadur and his sacrifice. The minister said it would be good if a documentary on the Sikh warrior's life was made since not all know the Sikh history. Jaitley recalled the battles fought by Banda Bahadur against the Mughal army and how he attained martyrdom 300 years ago. Banda Bahadur established his rule to protect honour and tradition of his people, by defeating Mughals in 1710. Later in 1716, at the age of 46 he was captured and executed by Mughals in Delhi. The release of the commemorative coin comes months ahead of the 2017 assembly elections in Punjab. A few weeks ago, the Arvind Kejriwal government in Delhi put out newspaper advertisements to announce renaming of the Barapulla flyover after Banda Singh Bahadur. IANS Talk to most anyone from Wisconsin and they will likely have very strong opinions about the states Republican governor, Scott Walker. This polarization is largely due to his signature Act 10 legislation, enacted during his first few months in office. Walkers conservative approach represented a major shock to the public systems infrastructure including the school systemthat was built on unionized labor. Facing a $137 million budget deficit his inaugural year, Walker proposed Act 10 as a means of scaling back the state governments spending. The fiscal portion of the legislation involved removing collective bargaining rights from most local and state officials and requiring them to contribute more to their pensions and health insurance. The act also forced unions to be recertified every year by a majority vote. Walker estimated that this would cut $30 million in spending during the first year, with potential long-term savings around $300 million. In response to Walkers proposal, thousands of angry union workers filled the state capitol building, spilling into the streets and demanding that their legislature kill the bill. Critics claimed that the public school system would face major issues as teacher/student ratios and teachers salaries would drop. Nonetheless, Walkers Act 10 proposal passed. Five years later, a new study from The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty provides evidence that justifies Governor Walkers actions. WILLs study, released on June 21, compares data from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and the Department of Education to see how the Act 10 legislation affected the state education system in areas such as the number of students per teacher, district expenditures on teacher compensation, and teacher demographics. To do this, Wisconsin was compared to bordering states such as Minnesota and Michigan to account for regional trends. The study shows that Act 10 has not resulted in a decline in educational resources. For example, one major charge against Walkers bill was that teachers would leave the workforce in droves. WILLs study shows that, in reality, over a period of eight years the number of teachers declined at a slower rate after the passage of Act 10, changing from a 1.4 percent decline during the four years preceding the legislation to a 1.2 percent decline for the following four years. Additionally, licensed teachers declined by 2.2 percent in the period prior to Act 10s passage and only 0.1 percent in the period after. It is obvious that Walkers bill did not cause more teachers to leave the workforce. Act 10 also barely changed teacher racial demographics. While there was a small 0.3 percent increase in the number of Hispanic teachers and a 0.3 percent decline in white teachers, only the former is statistically significant. Compared to neighboring states, Wisconsin has not changed significantly in terms of the student-teacher ratio. In light of teacher declines, this is explained by the decline in teachers roughly tracking with the decline in enrollment. The number of students relative to administrative support staff declined by approximately 120 students. This means that for every administrative support staff member such as a secretary, the number of students per staff member declined by 120. Also decreasing was the number of students for each district administrator relative to neighboring states, which is suggestive that growth in district administrators outpaced the growth in student population. Furthermore, while average salary and benefits were both lower within the state by at least a few thousand dollars, this was to be expected. Act 10s limitations on taxpayer-subsidized health insurance and pensions allowed districts to look for other plans rather than keeping the same high-cost system that existed. The study notes that Wisconsin still ranks in the top half of states in teacher pay. The report shows that district spending on base salaries for teachers declined relative to surrounding states. However, this does not account for changes in the way districts have chosen to pay teachers (merit-based pay and bonuses do not factor into these numbers). When looking at gross salaries, WILL finds no evidence indicating an overall state change in spending on Wisconsin teachers due to Act 10. While it was clear to all that Walkers 2011 cutbacks would save Wisconsin a large amount of money (the MacIver institute has estimated $5.24 billion over five years), critics of Act 10 were adamant that the bill would adversely affect the labor market for teachers. WILLs study shows that these claims were wrong. Teachers have not deserted their profession, changes in teacher experience and race have been miniscule, and gross teachers salaries relative to surrounding states were essentially unaffected by Act 10. Over five years, Governor Walkers legislation has cut Wisconsins budget deficit without adversely affecting teachers. Perhaps the next time Walker or another governor suggests union reforms, critics should avoid pushing scare tactics. Conner Dwinell is an E21 contributor. Interested in real economic insights? Want to stay ahead of the competition? Each weekday morning, E21 delivers a short email that includes E21 exclusive commentaries and the latest market news and updates from Washington. Sign up for the E21 Morning Ebrief. Solar eclipse to be sighted in Bengaluru for 45 minutes: Report Bluru: In gang rivalry, a rowdy sheeter shot dead at Shivajinagar India oi-Shreyas Bengaluru, June 22: Death blood has spilled in a gang war. A rowdy sheeter Parvez has been shot dead near HKP mosque at Shivajinagar. In a suspected gang rivalry, Shabeer has shot Parvez dead after Iftar party. Shivajinagar police told OneIndia that Shabeer too a rowdy sheeter. The firing occurred near HKP mosque and the reason for the incident was rivalry, suspect cops. A cop working at night shift said, Shabeer and Parvez had fight earlier which is the resultant of today's incident. Shabeer having the information of Pervez's arrival at Shivajinagar executed his vengeance. Parvez who suffered bullet injuries was taken to Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital but succumbed to injuries. "They are rivals and they had spat before the gruesome incident, police said. The Shivajinagar cops have rushed to the spot for the inspection at 10 AM. The police will file a case to investigate the matter the further. OneIndia News Consider paid if broken: Gujarat to not fine for traffic violation till Oct 27 Guj: Panel to decide fee on medical college management seats India oi-PTI Vadodara, Jun 21: The Gujarat government has appointed a 15-member committee headed by a retired High Court judge to decide the fee structure for filling up 25 per cent management quota seats in self-financed private medical colleges, a senior state minister said today. The committee will be headed by a retired judge of the Gujarat High Court, Health Minister Nitin Patel told PTI. "The decision has been taken after I met representatives of such colleges in Gandhinagar a few days back. I discussed a state government's Ordinance on abolishing 15 per cent NRI quota currently in place in such colleges," he said. According to the Minister, now the 15 per cent NRI quota is replaced by an increased 25 per cent management quota (which was earlier 10 per cent) "to ensure that Gujarat domicile students get maximum benefit". "Under the new rules of the management quota, applying students would be expected to have completed class 12 from a Gujarat school and (he/she) should have a domicile," he added. The colleges representatives said the government's move would cause colleges to incur losses. Patel further said this year 75 per cent seats will be filled by students taking the GujCET and the rest (25 per cent) by management quota students. PTI BSF to send 1,900 troops for advanced yoga training by Ramdev India oi-PTI New Delhi, June 21: Country's largest border guarding force BSF will soon send a 1,900 personnel-strong contingent to get "advanced" training in yoga exercises and skills by Ramdev at his facility in Haridwar. Border Security Force chief K K Sharma today said the force has decided to "intensify" yoga training to its troops and the aim is to have at least one trainer in this discipline in each platoon-level formation of the paramilitary force. A platoon, comprising about 35 personnel, is the smallest strength of an operational team in the force. The BSF Director General said yoga acts as a stress buster and it is important for his men and women as they are deployed in some of the most arduous and difficult areas as part of their duties in the border guarding and internal security domain. "We have included yoga as a way of life and more than 2,000 people have been trained in this skill in the force till now. We got them trained at the Morarji Desai institute in Gujarat and Patanjali Yogpeeth in Haridwar. "We now want to intensify this and hence we are sending 1,900 basic-trained personnel to Patanjali in Haridwar next month for learning advanced yoga skills. Ramdev will himself impart them the training," Sharma said during an event to award the forces' Yoga team that got the first prize for participating at an International Yoga Day (IYD) event here. The DG said yoga enhances the willpower and productivity of a person and hence it is much required for the 2.5 lakh personnel-strong paramilitary force. "There are no two opinions about yoga and that it gives both physical and mental stability and improves will power. We work in difficult and hard areas and hence stress is obvious. We can reduce and regulate that stress by doing yoga and be healthy," he said. PTI Home ministry formulates phone guidelines for officials News oi-Vicky By Vicky After cracking the whip and barring officials from taking files outside the home ministry, further norms have been put in place to make the North Block more secure. The North Block which houses the Union Home Ministry has faced several security related issues such as missing files and also phones of officials being hacked. During a probe it had been found that malware from Pakistan were being sent to the phones of the officials in a bid to steal sensitive information. It had been found that the malware were being sent through some mobile apps. The Home Ministry has now decided to strengthen security and has advised all officials not to connect their phones to their laptops. Malware on phones: During the probe it had been found that Pakistan based hackers were sending malware to phones of officials. Malware such as talking frog, top fun, vdjunky and mpjunkie had been sent to the phones. This called for a quick revamp of the phone policy. It has now been stated that officials shall not connect their phones to their laptops. They would not even be allowed to charge their phones on their laptops. While the new policy is now applicable only to those officials falling under the Home Ministry, it would soon be applicable in all other ministries as well. No files can go out: In addition to this the Home Ministry has barred officials from taking files outside the ministry. The IB in a detailed report stated that even the senior officials should be prevented from taking files outside. The IB says that officers in the rank of Joint Secretary and above too should not be permitted to take files outside the ministry. Once they take it out there is every chance of them photo copying it and sharing it. Within the ministry too the IB has said that the surveillance must be increased to prevent sensitive information from getting leaked. yers Following this report and a couple of embarrassing incidents, the government decided that the IB report will be implemented. While surveillance within the ministries has been increased, a thorough check of officials leaving the premises is also being conducted. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, June 21, 2016, 8:20 [IST] How ISI helped Pathankot handler slip out of Pakistan News oi-Vicky By Vicky Last week, Pakistan reported a handler in the Pathankot attack had escaped to Afghanistan. This handler who was on the phone line with the terrorists who attacked the Pathankot air base was crucial to the probe. When the Pakistan Joint Investigation Team had visited India, the NIA had said that they would want this man to be questioned as he is the most important link to the case. It has now been established by the Indian Intelligence agencies that the handler had left Pakistan with the help of the Pakistan's ISI. This is not a slip, it is deliberate, an official with the IB informed OneIndia. Deliberate- not a slip: We can say with confidence based on our own investigation that this handler was deliberately moved out of Pakistan. As long as he was in Pakistan, the pressure to at least question him was there. However now with the Pakistan media stating that this handler had fled to Afghanistan, Pakistan can always quote jurisdictional difficulties and avoid questioning him. This entire episode has however not come as a surprise to India. This is classic Pakistan which on one hand offers help and then backtracks. The entire drama has been staged to frustrate the probe, India says while it awaits a nod from Pakistan so that the NIA team could visit that country. Revealing to the Pakistan media that the man who gave instructions has fled is just one step taken by Pakistan to slow down the probe. Further stating that Masood Azhar had disowned him is a way of absolving the man's organisation of the charge. Frustrating the probe: There have been deliberations all along regarding this attack and also the investigations surrounding it. First and foremost, the Pakistan's JIT says that calls made from Pakistan alone cannot be a basis of proof. Pakistan has said anyone can make that call. The terrorists are said to have made a call to their handler in Pakistan. The Pakistan investigating agency feels that anyone can call a Jaish-e-Mohammad number and there is no evidence to show it was the terrorists who made that phone call. The JIT has already rejected the claim by the NIA that it was Nasir a terrorist who called his mother. How has the NIA ascertained that Nasir had indeed gone from Pakistan to India is another point that the JIT posed. Further the NIA had not told the JIT exactly from where the terrorists had entered is yet again another contention. Intelligence Bureau officials say that with Pakistan probing terror is more often than not a wasted exercise. They from day one had made up their mind to shoot down the investigations conducted in India point by point. It is clear that they are trying to shift the blame away from the Jaish-e-Mohammad and make it appear as though India had fabricated the entire case, the officer also noted. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, June 21, 2016, 8:44 [IST] India to become member of the SCO this week India oi-PTI New Delhi, June 21: India is set to become a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) along with Pakistan when the China-dominated security grouping meets for its summit in Uzbekistan capital Tashkent on June 23-24 which will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The SCO is increasingly seen as a counterweight to NATO and its membership will help India have a greater say in issues relating to security and defence besides combating terrorism. India, one of the largest energy consuming countries in the world, is expected to get greater access to major gas and oil exploration projects in Central Asia once it becomes a member of the SCO. Prime Minister Modi is likely to have a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on June 23 on the sidelines of the SCO summit during which he is expected to seek China's support for India's bid for membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, which Beijing is keen on blocking. The annual plenary session of the NSG will be held in South Korea capital Seoul on June 23 and 24 during which India's application for membership may come up for deliberation. The SCO had set the ball rolling to make India a member of the bloc during its summit in Ufa in July last year when administrative hurdles were cleared to grant membership to India, Pakistan and Iran. Pakistan to gain SCO membership next week, says foreign office India will complete the process of full membership of the SCO at the summit, sources said. SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the Presidents of Russia, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India, Iran and Pakistan were admitted as observers at the 2005 Astana Summit. The Tashkent SCO Summit in June 2010 had lifted the moratorium on new membership, paving the way for expansion of the grouping. India feels as SCO member, it will be able to play a major role in addressing the threat of terrorism in the region. India is also keen on deepening its security-related cooperation with the SCO and its Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS) which specifically deals with issues relating to security and defence. India has been an observer at the SCO since 2005 and has generally participated in the ministerial-level meetings of the grouping which focus mainly on security and economic cooperation in the Eurasian region. Russia has been favoring permanent SCO membership for India while China pushed for induction of Pakistan. PTI Two arrested for firing at a person in north Delhi Delhi LG approves Chhath ghats, warns CM against 'premature publicity' over it Chhath Puja fasting rules: What one must keep in mind during the 4-day festival Defence Ministry Recruitment Drive 2022: Check post, qualification and how to apply Last date to submit application for NMMSS extended International Yoga Day: AIIMS doctors perform Yoga India oi-IANS By Ians English New Delhi, June 21: Over 50 doctors of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here, including the premier institute's director M.C. Misra, on Tuesday performed Yoga to mark the second International Yoga Day. The Yoga event was held from 7-8 a.m. in the hospital premises. In Pics How the World Celebrated International Yoga Day "Yoga is a way of life and it should be part of every one's life. Yoga keeps several health complications away if done regularly with dedication," said Misra on the occasion. The participants also included many non-medical staff of AIIMS. To endorse Yoga in the medical sciences, Health Minister J.P. Nadda will on Wednesday inaugurate a new centre focused on the scientific evidence of the therapeutic benefits of Yoga. The centre is coming up in the Convergence Block of AIIMS. IANS rup/pgh/dg Bihar: Girls protest after being asked to remove Hijab during exam Bihar: When asked to take off hijab to check for bluetooth device, Muslim student leaves exam centre Central team roped in as dengue cases in Bihar rise to over 5000 Bihar's Gopalganj by-poll to see a tough fight between BJP and RJD International Yoga Day: No official event organised in Bihar India oi-PTI Patna, June 21: No official programme was organised by the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar on the occasion of International Yoga Day on Tuesday, even as Union Minister Ravishankar Prasad lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making yoga a "global event". Ravishankar Prasad, Giriraj Singh, Ramkripal Yadav were among the Union ministers who led thousands of people in observing the fitness regime in separate programmes in the state today. Yoga not Indian, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev tells UN Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the yoga session at Gandhi Maidan in the state capital, Prasad, the Union communications and IT minister said organising the ancient fitness regime on a mass scale fostered unity among the people. He also lauded the Prime Minister for making yoga a global event with hundreds of countries organising World Yoga Day celebrations. Union Minister of State for MSME Giriraj Singh joined the people in participating in a yoga session at a function in Kankerbagh locality in Patna, while his ministerial colleague Ramkripal Yadav did so at Muzaffarpur. Speaking to reporters, Giriraj Singh lashed out at Nitish Kumar government for opposing yoga on the ground that it was a publicity drive by the BJP and the NDA government at the Centre. "I can understand your (Nitish Kumar) annoyance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but not so with yoga," he said. Union minister of State for Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ramkripal Yadav, participated in a yoga session at Muzaffarpur. PTI Despite the SC bail, journalist Siddique Kappan to remain in jail Delhi: Bursting crackers on Diwali can land you in jail Jail inmates celebrate International Yoga Day in Thane India oi-PTI Thane, June 21: In tandem with celebrations across the country, nearly 700 prisoners of Thane Central Jail took part in a programme to mark the second International Yoga Day on Tuesday,June 21. The function, jointly organised by Yerwada Central Jail and Patanjali Yoga Samiti, was attended by Inspector General (Prison) B K Upadyaya and Jail Superintendent Hiralal Jadhav. Apart from inmates and senior officials, jail staffers also performed yoga. In Thane city, Mayor Sanjay More and district Collector Mahendra Kalyankar participated in a function held at Dadoji Konddev stadium early this morning. At Thane Mental hospital, around 100 patients along with the staffers and Superintendent Dr Rajendra Shirsat performed 'asanas'. Some of the patients narrated their experiences of performing yoga and attaining benefits from it. PTI Jews in Maharashtra to get minority status India oi-PTI Mumbai, Jun 21: Maharashtra government today approved a proposal to grant minority status to Jews in the state. The decision was taken at a meeting of the state Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. "Maharashtra Cabinet approves minority status to Jew community. This decision will benefit students from these communities to avail scholarships from the state government and setting up of educational institutions," Fadnavis said. The move, which was announced by then Maharashtra Minority Affairs Minister Eknath Khadse, is expected to make life easier for members of the community in the state. After being officially recognised as a minority community, the Jews would enjoy several privileges like other minority communities. It would become easier for them to register their marriages. They would also be able to set up their own educational institutes and practice and promote their culture. Jews have been a part of the Indian society for over 2,300 years now. According to 2001 Census, the number of Jews living in India was 4,650 with 2,466 of them residing in Maharashtra. However, Principal Secretary of Minority department, Jayashree Mukherjee said the state government has no official record of the number of people from the community in Maharashtra. Indian Jews approach government for minority status She also said that there will not be an additional burden on the state exchequer with their inclusion in minorities. "The Jews should have been given (minority status) long back, but somehow they weren't given. The government has no official records of the number of people in the community as their population is too less. But, according to them (community members), their population in the state is 2,466," she told PTI. When asked why the community was given the minority status now, she said, "They asked for it now so we gave it." "As far as financial aspects are concerned, their inclusion will not have any effect on the state exchequer and the burden will borne from the existing budget itself," Mukherjee said. The Jews of Manipur and Mizoram identify themselves as Beni Menashe. There are also some in Andhra Pradesh who call themselves Bene Ephraim Jews. India is one of the few countries in the world where Jews have never faced any harassment or persecution. PTI Woman, her two children mowed down by train; Suicide not ruled out Nine school children killed in Karnataka road accident India oi-IANS By Ians English Bengaluru, June 21: Nine school children travelling to school in Karnataka's Udupi district died after their van was hit by a private bus on Tuesday morning, police said. "Seventeen students were going to Don Bosco School on the outskirts of Gangolli (village in Udupi) when Vijaylakshmi Travels bus driven rashly and negligently struck the van, resulting in the death of the nine children," a local police official told IANS over phone from Udupi, nearly 400 km from here. The accident took place near Trasi village at around 8 a.m. when the bus ploughed into the van even as the latter's driver clearly indicated he was going to take a turn. The dead include three boys and six girls, aged between five to 15 and studying in classes one to 10. The van driver, a Don Bosco school teacher and the eight other students survived the collision with injuries. Police arrested the bus driver and seized the bus which plies locally between Gangolli and Kundapur. The bus driver was not in an inebriated condition, said the police official. IANS You don't talk to me: Sonia Gandhi told Smriti Irani in Parliament over 'rashtrapatni' row Smriti Irani leads Yoga Day celebrations in MP India oi-PTI Bhopal, June 21: The International Yoga Day has served as a bridge between ancient India and the modern world, Union Minister Smriti Irani today said as she lead hundreds of Yoga enthusiasts here. "Prachin Bharat aur aadhunik yug ke beech setu ka kaam karta hai Antarrashtriya Yog Diwas," (International Yoga Day acts as a bridge between ancient India and the modern world), she said at the Lal Parade Ground after leading a large number of participants. The HRD Minister was deputed to Bhopal to lead a programme on the International Yoga Day, being celebrated worldwide today. She also praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his efforts in this field. Irani congratulated the Madhya Pradesh government for successfully organising the event. State Home minister Babulal Gaur, who also took part in the exercise with a fractured leg, said he has been doing yoga and reciting Bhagwad Gita for long now and both are part of his daily routine. On the issue of opposition by a section of minority community on reciting the word "Om" while practising yoga, Gaur supported the views expressed by Baba Ramdev that those who are opposing it should pronounce "Aameen" while doing asans, which is beneficial to everyone from the health point of view. Union Steel and Mines Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Union Minister of State for Textiles Santosh Gangwar led participants at Yoga Day celebrations in Gwalior and Jabalpur divisional headquarters, respectively. The day was observed at all the district headquarters of the state. PTI Chhath Puja fasting rules: What one must keep in mind during the 4-day festival Trade unions slam govt's FDI policy initiatives India oi-PTI New Delhi, Jun 21: Trade unions such as All India Trade Union Congress Trade Union (AITUC) and RSS-backed Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh have slammed the government's move to open sectors like defence, retail and aviation to foreign investors. AITUC Secretariat today condemned the full open door FDI policy for defence, aviation and retail trade and six other sectors including pharmaceutical, the union said in a statement. "Liberal FDI in defence and aviation will put our national security in jeopardy whereas in retail it will harm the interest of millions of small and medium shopkeepers," it said. Liberalising foreign direct investment (FDI) in pharma will make health care costly. Further opening up of FDI is not going to add to growth of development and jobs as has been the experience with limited FDI, AITUC added. The union said it has called upon its affiliates to stage protest against anti-people and anti-national policy of the Narendra Modi government. Yesterday, BMS had opposed government's decision to relax FDI norms and demanded discussion on the issue with all the stakeholders. "It is not appropriate to open important sectors like defence and civil aviation for FDI ... BMS demands the government call a meeting of all stakeholders to discuss the FDI issue," BMS General Secretary Virjesh Upadhyay said in a statement. BMS said that after making a lot of efforts to boost FDI in the country, neither investments flow increased nor the employment. It alleged that foreign companies often grossly violate labour laws of the country. Government yesterday relaxed FDI norms in a host of sectors including civil aviation, single-brand retail, defence and pharma by permitting more investments under the automatic route. PTI Qutab Minar is 'Vishnu Stambh' build on a temple of Vishnu at the site: VHP leader VHP says Hindu population down in UP, to conduct survey India oi-Vicky New Delhi, June 21: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad would meet on June 23 at Patna to discuss the dwindling population of Hindus in Uttar Pradesh. The VHP would conduct a survey in Uttar Pradesh to identify areas in Uttar Pradesh where the population of Hindus have gone down. The three day meet which would commence from June 23 onwards will be held at Patna. The VHP decided to undertake this exercise after it had got reports from several areas in UP where the population of Hindus had gone down. The VHP says that Hindus in most of these areas were in majority 60 years back, but due to migration the population had gone down. The VHP's exercise would focus around studying the declining population and also the reasons behind the migration. The issue had gained steam after allegations were made about a large exodus of Hindus from Kairana in Uttar Pradesh. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, June 21, 2016, 9:51 [IST] Will India make it to the NSG by end of 2016? India oi-Vicky New Delhi, June 21: Will New Delhi succeed in becoming a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group by 2016. India does hope it could be part of the NSG by the end of the year and a primary reason for this is because it feels it is better to work with Barack Obama whose term ends in January 2017. However, the race to the NSG seems to be a difficult one for India and the latest is that China will not let this issue be taken up during the NSG's meeting in Seoul on June 24. While it is quite evident that China does not want to anger its all weather friend Pakistan, India however is avoiding any direct references to that. India has maintained that it has no opposition or views on other members joining. Why is the NSG entry so important? It was the 2008 civil nuclear deal with the US that paved the way for India's NSG bid. The same year India had got a one time waiver from the NSG to source power from non-fossil sources. However India needs more energy and as per the calculations it needs to source 40 per cent of power from non-fossil sources. With an entry into the NSG, India can continue to avail the best technology for nuclear energy without seeking waivers. India would also be in a stronger position to implement its plan of building reactors and selling it outside if it becomes part of the NSG. Once India is part of the NSG it would also have access to technology in the defence, space and nuclear sector. Further admission to the Missile Technology Control Regime would also pave the way for India to buy high end missile technology. A membership to the NSG would also help firms in India expand business. The nuclear industry in India would no longer have to work in isolation and will have to cater to international norms. This would mean a better market presence world wide. Why is India in a hurry? India feels that it is better to work this issue while Obama is still in office. It was Obama who had assured India of working on this issue. This is the reason why Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been making an all out push across the world. India has no idea of what the US stand would be if a Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump come to power. However how successful will India be is a difficult guess. Officials say it is bound to happen sooner or later. But to answer whether it would happen before the end of the year, is difficult to comment on the official also noted. For India China continues to be the stumbling block. India has toned down the narrative against China by not mentioning the South China sea in the recent joint statement made with the US. There have also not been any references made to the freedom of navigation on the South China sea. These are seen as attempts not to anger China so that it supports the NSG bid. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, June 21, 2016, 13:54 [IST] Gopuja at all Karnataka Temples today: Govt explains how it should be done Will Rebel Star Ambareesh be BJP's ticket to the Vokkaliga vote in Karnataka India oi-Vicky New Delhi, June 21: There is mayhem in the Karnataka Congress following the cabinet reshuffle. The Congress office situated on Queens Road witnessed day long protests. Rebel Star M H Ambareesh even tendered his resignation and many others are expected to follow suit. This crisis in the Karnataka Congress has raised some hope for both the BJP and the JD(S) who are burning the midnight oil to rope in the likes of Srinivas Prasad and Ambareesh. While the supporters of Srinivas Prasad who was dropped from the ministry have ruled out him quitting the party, there is not much clarity on what Ambareesh would do. The Vokkaliga vote: M H Ambareesh is a popular face of the Vokkaliga community. The BJP which relies heavily on the Lingayat votes is hoping to make inroads into the Vokkaliga community which has traditionally sided either with the Congress or the JD(S). The BJP is looking to make inroads in the Mandya, Mysururu and Chamrajnagar districts which have a dominant Vokkaliga vote. Following the reshuffle leaders of both the JD(S) and the BJP got in touch with Srinivas Prasad. The BJP is also likely to get in touch with Ambareesh. So far leaders of the JD(S) and BJP who have called up Prasad have only expressed sympathy with him. Yeddyurappa was one of the first to call Prasad. He told him that such things were part of public life and also added that he would meet with him soon in Bengaluru. The BJP feels that if these leaders join the party, it would strengthen their chances. The BJP already has put in place leaders to ensure that votes from the Lingayat and Nayaka community swing in their favour. While Yeddyurappa is a sure shot bet among the Lingayats, the Nayaka community votes would come through Sriramulu. OneIndia News Gap between rich and poor has widened, needs to be bridged: Gadkari Yoga should be adopted as a lifestyle: Nitin Gadkari India oi-PTI Nagpur, June 21: Yoga should be adopted as a lifestyle by people in the country which will help them to live without stress, Union Minister for Transport and Shipping Nitin Gadkari said on Tuesday. Gadkari led the people of Nagpur in practising 'asanas' as part of the International Yoga Day celebrations at Yeshwant Stadium here early this morning. He said yoga has many benefits as it keeps one healthy and disease free, provides inner peace and also helps develop the personality of an individual. In Pics How the World Celebrated International Yoga Day "Yoga is the best exercise to stay healthy and stay away from diseases, and indeed it should be adopted by the people as a lifestyle," Gadkari said addressing the yoga enthusiasts. The Yoga Day was organised by Nagpur Municipal Corporation, Janardan Swamy Yogabhayasi Mandal and other organisations in which lakhs of people, including children and and senior citizens, took part. District Guardian and state Energy Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, city Mayor Pravin Datke, legislators Milind Mane, Vikas Kumbhare and N G Ganar, Municipal Commissioner Shrawan Hardikar were present on the occasion. Siddaramaiah and Bipasha Basu perform Yoga in Bengaluru In Nagpur Central Prison, about 350 inmates, including undertrials have been practising yoga everyday. Around 136 prisoners who cleared exams on yoga were given a remittance of three months, jail superintendent Yogesh Desai told PTI, adding that two exams are conducted in May and October. The Central Railway also organised a yoga session on the occasion at their community hall at Ajni here in which Divisional Railway Manager, CR Nagpur, Brajesh Kumar Gupta, Additional DRM Dr Jaideep Gupta, all branch officers, members of scouts and guide and personnel of RPF took part, Central Railway PRO Pravin Patil said. PTI Nothing suspicious found, says Delhi Police after unattended item found in Rohini Car bomb attack on Jordan border troops kills 6, wounds 14 in Syria International oi-PTI Amman, June 21: A car bombing near a Jordanian army post on the sealed border with war-ravaged Syria killed six members of Jordan's security forces and wounded 14 today in what the military called a "cowardly terrorist attack." It was the deadliest attack along the border in recent memory and raised new questions about the pro-Western kingdom's ability to block spillovers from long-running conflicts next door. The explosion went off at about 5:30 am (local time) near a makeshift encampment for tens of thousands of Syrian refugees stranded in the remote desert area on the border, awaiting entry into Jordan. The military said in a statement that a "cowardly terrorist attack" targeted a military post serving Syrian refugees. The camp is known as Ruqban, the larger one of two that sprang up as growing numbers of Syrians fleeing fighting at home tried to get into Jordan. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for today's attack. The two camps are located along an earthen mound, or berm, that runs along the border in a remote desert area, a few miles from the point where Syria, Jordan and Iraq meet. The Jordanian military said those killed in today's attack included four border troops, a member of the civil defense and a public security officer. The statement said 14 were wounded, including nine public security officers. It was not immediately clear if the attack would disrupt daily deliveries of food, water and other essentials by international aid agencies to the refugees. With crowds at the berm swelling rapidly in recent weeks, the situation for refugees in the two encampments has become increasingly dire. Jordan only admits a limited number of refugees every day, citing the need for stringent security vetting. Jordanian officials have said they have evidence that activists of the extremist group Islamic State have infiltrated the two camps and are attempting to slip into Jordan, pretending to be refugees. Islamic State controls large areas in neighboring Syria and Iraq. Jordan has fortified border defenses, including with US-funded surveillance systems, to try to stop attackers and infiltrators. Jordan has also widened a crackdown on IS sympathizers at home, jailing hundreds in the past two years for promoting the group's ideas on social media. The kingdom is a member of the US-led international military coalition against IS. PTI Commit to unity regardless of ethnicity, faith, gender: Ban International oi-PTI United Nations, June 21: Underscoring yoga's message of promoting harmony, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon today asked citizens across nations to commit to unity regardless of ethnicity, faith, gender and sexual orientation. "On this International Day of Yoga, I urge everyone to embrace healthier choices and lifestyles and to commit to unity with our fellow human beings, regardless of ethnicity, faith, age, gender identity or sexual orientation." " Let us celebrate this Day and every day as members of one human family sharing one common, precious home," Ban said in his message for 2nd International Day of Yoga which is being commemorated across the world today. Ban called for equality among humans irrespective of their nationalities and sexual orientation assumes significance in the wake of the tragic shooting last week in Orlando in which 49 people were killed and over 50 injured when 29-year old Omar Mateen opened fire in a popular gay nightclub. The UN Chief's message for yoga day was read out by veteran Indian diplomat and currently his Special Advisor on Myanmar Vijay Nambiar during a special panel discussion organised here by India's Permanent Mission to the UN on the eve of yoga day. Ban said that the ancient physical, mental and spiritual practice of Yoga originated in India and is now practised in various forms around the world. "Yoga balances body and soul, physical health and mental well-being. It promotes harmony among people, and between ourselves and the natural world," he said, adding that the United Nations General Assembly had proclaimed June 21 as the International Day of Yoga in recognition of its "universal appeal". He noted the second observance of the International Day of Yoga highlights the important role healthy living plays in the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals, adopted last year by all 193 United Nations member states. Ban highlighted that as an exercise, yoga has multiple benefits and can help cultivate healthier lifestyles in current times when physical inactivity is linked with a number of non-communicable diseases, such as cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. "Practising yoga can also help raise awareness of our role as consumers of the planet's resources and as individuals with a duty to respect and live in peace with our neighbours. All these elements are essential to building a sustainable future of dignity and opportunity for all," he said. Meanwhile, renowned spiritual leader and Isha Foundation founder Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev said that yoga is India's gift to the world. "We must understand that yoga is not an Indian (thing). If you want to call yoga Indian, then you must call gravity European," Sadhguru said at a panel discussion organised here yesterday by India's Permanent Mission to the UN. PTI Donald Trump's slamming US armymen is quite a blunder International oi-Shubham Ghosh Washington, June 21: Presumptive Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has been heard time and again about the "greatness" of America and that he, if elected as the president of the country, would make the country so strong that no one would dare mess with it. [27% of US Army prefers Trump as President of US] It is usual for a right-wing individual speak about a strong military. But when the same man accused the American soldiers of stealing money in Iraq on the institution's 241st birthday last week, then the observers were baffled. It is quite unusual for an American presidential candidate speak in such terms about the country's military---which is both popular and powerful. "Iraq, crooked as hell. How about bringing baskets of money - millions and millions of dollars - and handing it out?," Trump said at a rally on June 14, adding: "I want to know who were the soldiers that had that job, because I think they're living very well right now, whoever they may be." The real-estate mogul who outraced everybody else in this year's primaries appeared to speak about several instances where members of the US military took the government money meant for reconstruction projects or took to theft and bribery. It is, however, not unknown a fact. A report by the Centre for Public Integrity published in 2015 said at least 115 enlisted personnel and military officers were convicted since 2005 of theft, bribery and contract-rigging crimes worth $52 million while carrying out their duties in Afghanistan and Iraq. Trump's campaign spokesperson Hope Hicks though tried to control the damage by saying the presidential candidate was referring to the Iraq soldiers, but reports pointed out that Trump had spoken on the same subject earlier as well. In September last year, trump had mentioned in a rally in New Hampshire about American soldiers "stealing" government money in Iraq and Afghanistan. "They didn't really want to fight for Iraq because Iraq is a corrupt government, you know. Remember when they were handing 50 million dollars of cash? Cash! They were going through Afghanistan paying off, I want to know who were the soldiers that are carrying cash of 50 million dollars? Cash! How stupid are we?," Trump said. "I wouldn't be surprised those soldiers, I wouldn't be surprised if the cash didn't get there, I have to be honest," he added. Trump said this while speaking about President Barack Obama's decision to withdraw from Iraq and the government-level corruption in Iraq. Former US soldier slams Trump over his remark Trump's latest dig at the US soldiers earned a severe wrath. Corbin Reiff, who served as a sergeant in the US Army between 2006-11 and was deployed in Iraq in 2009, reacted to Trump's speech in a series of tweets. I rarely discuss politics on this platform, but yesterday, the Republican nominee for President said something that compels me to speak out. Corbin Reiff (@CorbinReiff) June 15, 2016 I spent five years, from 2006-2011 as a Sergeant in the U.S. Army. Corbin Reiff (@CorbinReiff) June 15, 2016 When I deployed to Iraq in 2009 I was made Non Commissioned Officer in Charge of Foreign Claims for the entirety of Western Baghdad. Corbin Reiff (@CorbinReiff) June 15, 2016 My job for a whole year was to assess damage to Iraqi citizens property, and person and compensate them monetarily. Corbin Reiff (@CorbinReiff) June 15, 2016 My job for a whole year was to assess damage to Iraqi citizens property, and person and compensate them monetarily. Corbin Reiff (@CorbinReiff) June 15, 2016 I basically spent a year of my life in an aluminum trailer, away from my friends and family enduring mortar attacks nearly every night. Corbin Reiff (@CorbinReiff) June 15, 2016 In the course of my job, I was entrusted with a lot of taxpayer money, all in American cash. Corbin Reiff (@CorbinReiff) June 15, 2016 As a result, we instantly became a high value target for insurgents who wanted to relieve us of said cash at one of our weekly gatherings. Corbin Reiff (@CorbinReiff) June 15, 2016 Yesterday, @realDonaldTrump, a man who never served in any capacity said this about me and my brethren that served in Iraq. Corbin Reiff (@CorbinReiff) June 15, 2016 The idea that Trump would call out the integrity of those who answered the call of service and deployed to a war zone is repellant. Corbin Reiff (@CorbinReiff) June 15, 2016 For this reason, and many more, hes proven that hes someone with neither the temperament, nor the character, to be Commander in Chief. Corbin Reiff (@CorbinReiff) June 15, 2016 Dont believe him when he says hes for Veterans. It's lip service entirely. Corbin Reiff (@CorbinReiff) June 15, 2016 In one of them, Reiff, who was a Non Commissioned Officer in Charge of Foreign Claims for entire western Baghdad, said: "Yesterday, @realDonaldTrump, a man who never served in any capacity said this about me and my brethren that served in Iraq." After the women, it's the army For Trump, such an open criticism of his country's military which he himself had pledged to make stronger earlier shows he could have committed the biggest blunder in this election. The man has been criticised in the past for his misogynist remarks. And now, his speech against the US armymen could annoy another significant constituency. Oneindia News In May, backed by U.S-led coalition air strikes, Iraqi security forces, including the largely Shiite, Iraniansupported Popular Mobilization Forces, started to advance on Fallujah to free the city from ISIL occupation. Recently, the Iraqi government announced it detained a number of fighters during an investigation into possible human rights abuses against civilians fleeing the city. Rights monitors, including the UNs High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad al Hussein, said there have been credible reports of abuse of Iraqi Sunni men and boys, including torture and execution, as they escaped from Fallujah. Mr. Zeid called on the Iraqi government to show its commitment to protecting civilians by fully investigating reports that people who have suffered two and a half years of living hell under ISIL, and have faced enormous difficulties and dangers getting out of Fallujah alive, are now facing double jeopardy in the form of serious human rights violations after they have escaped. Those allegedly responsible for these violations must be brought to justice. State Department Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner said the United States is very concerned about reports that civilians in Fallujah and in the surrounding area have been subjected to torture, abuse and, in some cases, even murder: Prime Minister Abadi, though, has clearly laid out instructions to Iraqi forces and that includes the PMF, the Popular Mobilization Forces to protect civilians and respect humanitarian rights. And we support that message, we support that approach. Mr. Toner noted that some PMF leaders have also now publicly committed themselves to protecting civilians and to holding abusers accountable. In addition, he pointed to the positive development of the Abadi government announcing the investigation into the abuses and arresting possible perpetrators. As to the broader issue of a solution to sectarian tensions in Iraq, Deputy Spokesperson Toner said that ultimately [it] is for Iraqs political leadership to make the kinds of decisions that bring the country together and dont promote sectarianism We continue to support the government and certainly Prime Minister Abadis efforts in that direction. My life is 1%, dear death: The spooky diary of the accused in J&K DGPs killing 'Mississippi Burning' murder case closes after 52 years International oi-PTI Washington, Jun 20: The investigation into the infamous murder of three young activists which became known as the "Mississippi Burning" civil rights case has finally closed after 52 years, the US state's attorney general said. The three young men, two Jewish and one black, were executed in June 1964 in the midst of the "Freedom Summer" voter registration project. They had ventured south from New York to register African American voters. The brutal killings of James Chaney, 21, Andrew Goodman, 20, and Michael Schwerner, 24, rocked the nation and went on to inspire the Alan Parker film "Mississippi Burning" in 1988. "I am convinced that during the last 52 years, investigators have done everything possible under the law to find those responsible and hold them accountable," said Attorney General Jim Hood. "There is no likelihood of any additional convictions." At the time of the killings, the US Justice Department aware it had no chance of securing murder convictions faced with segregationist state authorities and all-white juries chose to prosecute the case under civil rights law. In 1967, eight suspects received prison sentences serving less than six years in prison for federal civil rights violations connected to the murders. Four decades on, in 2005, Hood and the county prosecutor won a manslaughter conviction against white supremacist Edgar Ray Killen, a former Ku Klux Klan (KKK) member who is currently serving a 60-year-prison sentence. The night the activists disappeared, on June 21, 1964, local police allegedly infiltrated by the KKK arrested them on false pretenses, releasing them late that evening. Shortly after the men left city limits, KKK members ambushed and shot them dead at point blank range. An FBI investigation uncovered their bodies 44 days later in an earthen dam on the secluded property of a Klansman. The active federal and state investigation closed after the Justice Department found that no viable prosecutions remained, closing a significant chapter in Mississippi's history, said Attorney General Hood. "Our state and our entire nation are a much better place because of the work of those three young men and others in 1964," he said. "We should all acknowledge that our diversity is this state's greatest asset." AFP Fact Check: Did Trump thank Musk for welcoming him back to Twitter Tycoon Trump's campaign faces cash crunch and is way behind Hillary International oi-Shubham Ghosh Washington, June 21: Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump had a meagre $1.3 million cash in his campaign account when June started, according to a campaign finance report filed on Monday (June 20). Complete list of US election schedule and results It is said that small sum is the result of the real-estate tycoon's poor fundraising from donors in the first month which raised just $3.1 million. The money places Trump way behind his opponent Hillary Clinton ($26.4 million) and also gives him a poor rank among all modern presidential candidates in terms of funds and campaign infrastructure. In 2012 when current President Barack Obama had locked horns with Republican Mitt Romney, the total efforts of the candidates, parties and super PACs of both the men were more than $1 billion each. Romney, the presumptive GOP nominee then, had raised $23.4 million, much more than the amount left with Trump this year. Moreover, when the super PACs are included, the difference between the funds of Trump and Clinto become mammoth. Clinton's super PAC raised an additional $12.4 million besides the Democratic national Committee's $12.3 million besides her own campaign's $26.4 million---making it $103. The combined money raised by Trump, his campaign and super PAC is just $21.7 million, five times less than that of Clinton's team. Trump's limited funds meant he spent just $6.7 million in the month of May, down from $9.4 million in the month before. Nearly $1 million was spent in purchasing hats and other campaign merchandise, while over $800,000 were spent on travel. The campaign spent just $150,000 on media buys. Meanwhile, Clinton's primary opponent Bernie Sanders, the senator from Vermont, raised $15.7 million in the month of May, despite his hopes of defeating Clinton for the Democratic nomination got reduced. He entered the month of June with $9.2 million. Oneindia News Chhath Puja fasting rules: What one must keep in mind during the 4-day festival Delhi Water tanker scam- Charges range from criminal conspiracy to breach of trust New Delhi oi-Vicky New Delhi, June 21: The Anti Corruption Bureau which registered an FIR in connection with the Rs 400 crore water tanker scam has invoked provisions which include criminal conspiracy and misuse of power. An FIR was registered by the ACB against Chief Minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal and his predecessor, Sheila Dikshit. While addressing the media, Mukesh Meena, the chief of the ACB had said that the FIR was registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act along with other sections. In the FIR, the ACB has also invoked Section 120B, 409 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 1(D) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. In 2012 the Delhi Jal Board with Sheila as the Chairperson had awarded tenders to hire 385 stainless steel water tankers from private companies. Last year the AAP government set up a fact finding committee and in its report a scam of Rs 400 crore had been alleged. The allegation against Kejriwal is that despite the findings no action had been taken and the contract had not been scrapped. The charges: The FIR has been registered under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code. The charges range from misuse of power to criminal conspiracy. The ACB is likely to call in Kejriwal and Sheila for questioning. Section 13 (1) (D) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988: This section deals with abuse or misuse of power. An offence can be made out if the person by corrupt or illegal means obtains anything for himself or another person. Further it also deals with a person in power abusing his position to obtain a valuable thing for either himself or another person. Section 120B of the Indian Penal Code: This section deals with the punishment for a criminal conspiracy. Depending on the nature of the offence, this section prescribes a punishment ranging from six months to a life term. Section 409 of the Indian Penal Code- Criminal breach of trust by public servant, or by banker, merchant or agent. Whoever, being in any manner entrusted with property, or with any dominion over property in his capacity of a public servant or in the way of his business as a banker, merchant, factor, broker, attorney or agent, commits criminal breach of trust in respect of that property, shall be punished with imprisonment for life or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine. OneIndia News From RSS to Swamy to crony capitalists: The entire system ousted Raghuram Rajan New Delhi oi-Shubham Ghosh New Delhi, June 21: RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan's announcing that he is not going to take up a second tenure has created quite a repercussion in India and abroad. But who was actually responsible to make Rajan take the decision that left many tasks unfulfilled? According to a report published in Anandabazaar Patrika, Rajan, whose first tenure is set to end in mid-September, could sense that the government was not keen to continue with him for another term. Beside BJP leader Subramanian Swamy who openly sought Rajan's disaster, the RSS considered the latter an "American agent" and did not want him to stay in India and threaten the 'nationalistic' scheme of things, said the report. [Modi needed to back Rajan, just like Nehru had done for Mahalanobis] Prime Minister Narendra Modi had never asked Rajan to retreat but a couple of things didn't assure the latter about his future as the RBI governor. First, Modi's remark that Rajan's reappointment shouldn't be of the media's interest gave the message that he did not give the latter a full backing and secondly, a news report that a panel was being made to decide on Rajan's successor also implied that Rajan could have just one term, said the ABP report. ['Raghuram Rajan was no Bollywood actor that he had to depend on PR'] Hence, Rajan took the step himself instead of being at the receiving end. According to the report, PM Modi and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley personally prefer Rajan but the Sangh Parivar's pressure was too much. But above everything, Rajan's free mind was perhaps not giving the political leadership the comfort of working with a loyal bureaucrat. On a number of occasions, Rajan had differences with opinion with Jaitley and the PMO over policy-making in financial matters and that might have gone against him at the end. The crony capitalists, too, were looking for his ouster. Rajan's departure, hence, doesn't have one particular reason or individual responsible for it. It was an entire system that made him take the exit route. Oneindia News Central team roped in as dengue cases in Bihar rise to over 5000 Bihar's Gopalganj by-poll to see a tough fight between BJP and RJD Alert Bihar chief secy foils bid to withdraw money from his bank account Interim bail plea of Bihar board scam accused, wife rejected Patna oi-IANS By Ians English Patna, June 21: A special vigilance court here on Tuesday, June 21 dismissed the interim bail pleas of Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) former chairman Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh and his wife Usha Sinha, police said. The court dismissed their pleas on the ground that granting them interim bail will hamper ongoing investigations by the Bihar Police SIT. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Monday arrested the couple from Varanasi in connection with the Class 12 toppers' scam. Earlier, the SIT brought the duo for presenting them in court amid tight security. Scores of people had gathered in the court premises to catch a glimpse of the couple, who had their faces covered. Last week, a Patna civil court issued an arrest warrant against Lalkeshwar Prasad, who until recently headed the BSEB which conducts the Class 10 and 12 examinations. Prasad went underground after resigning when the scam surfaced. A TV channel broadcast a sting in which two Class 12 toppers could not answer even elementary questions about the subjects they had 'topped' in. Usha Sinha, a former Janata Dal-United legislator in Bihar, was also missing since her name surfaced in the scam. So far, 10 persons have been arrested in the case. IANS Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed people of the nation on second International Yoga Day celebrations from Chandigarh today. Along with thousands of others he performed various postures of yoga. Over 30, 000 people, including 100 differently-abled children, participated in the event, which began at 6.30am. Community Its now easier than ever to connect and chat with others in your local area. You can connect with your community by asking general questions, give area updates and recommendations and even let your community know about local events that are taking place. 2008-2022 One News Page Ltd. All rights reserved. One News is a registered trademark of One News Page Ltd. Thirty-five years after first reports began to appear of a terrible new disease, known to us today as HIV/AIDS, the medical community has made tremendous progress in controlling the disease. Back in the 1980s, a diagnosis of HIV/AIDS was a death sentence: the life expectancy of an infected person was two years. Today, with proper treatment, patients live relatively normal lives. And yet, despite enormous advance in treatment, we have not yet been able to eliminate this scourge. What will it take? One of the greatest obstacles is that treatment is not reaching all populations equally. These are populations at greatest risk, yet they are left behind, pushed further into the shadows in the global HIV/AIDS response, said U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and U.S. Special Representative for Global Health Diplomacy, Deborah Birx. These are the key populations defined by UNAIDS as gay men and other men who have sex with men, transgender persons, sex workers, people who inject drugs, and prisoners. Speaking at United Nations High-Level Meeting on Ending AIDS, Ambassador Birx said that For these key populations, we must translate words of concern into immediate actions to ensure that specific barriers are addressed. That is why the United States government, through the Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, has allocated $100 million to create a Key Populations Investment Fund. It will help to expand access to proven HIV prevention and treatment services for key populations. Among the issues the new fund will address are the lack of acceptance of human rights of all persons; monitoring and mitigation of stigma and discrimination; access to quality services for key populations; collection of data by subgroups of key populations; and improving the capacity of key populations-led, community-based organizations who advocate for changes in policies, and also directly implement services. It is unacceptable that key populations still face stigma, discrimination, and violence, which impede their ability to access quality HIV services. PEPFAR stands firmly and unequivocally with and for key populations, said Ambassador Birx, and we are deeply committed to protecting and promoting their health and human rights. Clash 21 Jun 2022 How the German three-piece found themselves once more... To echo an old joke from *Withnail & I* *Moderat* kind of.. CBSN New York's Christina Fan reports from Jersey City, where crews have been working around the clock to try to keep up with the.. CBS 2 New York 01 Feb 2021 Mid-Day 22 Jun 2022 The `Highway` took to her Instagram and shared a cute video featuring her furry friend Edward, wishing her fans on the Yoga day AFP English 30 Sep 2022 Jordanian Mohammad Nsour gave up a career in medicine to pursue his dream of becoming a star bodybuilder. At 26, he is one step.. Wells Journal 26 Oct 2022 A man in his 30s is reported to have 'rolled around on the floor' and caused a public nuisance in the early hours on October 25 FT.com 18 Oct 2022 The unravelling of the finance company backed by SoftBank and advised by former UK prime minister David Cameron Our website uses cookies to improve your experience. Learn more Komfie Manalo, Opalesque Asia: Hedge funds were down last week with the Lyxor Hedge Fund Index falling -0.8% as of June 14 (-3.2% YTD). However, cautious positioning and strategy diversification limited the losses compared to markets. The MSCI World was down -0.92% during the same period (+0.08% YTD). CTAs were supported by the decline of sovereign 10-year yields on both sides of the Atlantic. Overall, their stances on Japan, both on equities (short) and FX (long), paid off. They were also the best performing strategy of the month, up +3%, making up for most of their recent losses. Event driven funds posted slight losses. Merger returns offset part of the Special Situations drawdown. Macro managers, which were overall positioned on Europe and Japan, took a hit. De-risking accelerates ahead of Brexit poll Lyxor Asset Management said in its Weekly Briefing that market stress materially rose last week. De-risking ahead of the British referendum accelerated as polls and bookmakers depicted an increasingly uncertain outcome. Jean-Baptiste Berthon, senior strategist at Lyxor AM commented, "The UK wildcard was not the only factor at play. The early-June U.S. payroll numbers shook confidence that the Fed would be able to move before the summer. It was confirmed by last weeks FOMC which was unequivocally dovish. Six members now envisage only one rate hike this year. Further, the median dots for 2017 and 2018 as well as the terminal rate were revi...................... To view our full article Click here Benedicte Gravrand, Opalesque London for New Managers: Mid-cap stocks specialist Vikram Kumar, 35, is to separate from his firm, London-headquartered TT International, and take with him the fund he started there three years ago and its investment team. The independent structure is to be launched on 1 January 2017. A TT spokesman told Opalesque the TT Long-Short Focus Funds strategy is European long/short equity, focused on mid-caps ($1-10bn). It applies fundamental, bottom up research and invests in a concentrated manner. It currently has $496m in assets under management. The estimated month to date return for May is +2.33% net, with a year to date return of -2.78% net. Comparatively, the Eurekahedge long short equity hedge fund index returned 0.80% in May and -0.66% YTD. The fund's cumulative performance from its July 2013 inception is +34.26%. Last year, Kumar, a former batsman at Cambridge University, stuck by his investments even though the fund had lost money in 2014, reported Daily News. His then $420m fund bounced back to return about 27%. It was the fifth best performer in Bloombergs global ranking of the top 25 hedge funds with between $250m and $1bn in assets. Apparently, his bets on Dutch navigation software maker TomTom and Spanish ...................... To view our full article Click here Benedicte Gravrand, Opalesque London: A hedge fund manager connected with an insider trading case has apparently committed suicide. Sanjay Valvani, 44, a hedge fund manager at New York-based Visium Asset Management, was found dead in an apparent suicide on 21 June in his Brooklyn residence, Reuters reported. The police recovered a knife and a suicide note. Valvani, who had been with the firm since it was founded in 2005, ran a share of its flagship fund, the Visium Balanced Fund. He was arrested on 15 June and then released on a $5m bond. Federal investigators suspected that Valvani was paying a former Food and Drug Administration (FDA) official to tap a colleague who still worked there for an inside line on generic drug approval, according to Chicago Tribune. While the former FDA official, Gordon Johnston, pleaded guilty on 13 June, Valvani denied the allegations. When Visium Asset Management, an equity-focused alternative investment firm with $7bn in assets, became the target of the insider trading investigation, investigators also found some ma...................... To view our full article Click here Gerhard_Schroeder_9 (Image by Radio_TV_IBS_Liberty) Details DMCA Gerhard Schroeder, the former chancellor of Germany (before Merkel), earned his first gold star in my book when he strongly opposed Bush 2's 2003 invasion of Iraq, standing up to most German politicians, even in his own party, who were anxious to fall in line despite the questionable grounds for war, which subsequently proved to be lies. He deserves a second star now for supporting Foreign Minister Steinmeier's opposition to NATO "saber-rattling" in Eastern Europe and to the EU's continuing economic sanctions against Russia. The participation of German troops in the current NATO maneuvers in Poland is a mistake, Schroeder said in an interview with the Sueddeutsche Zeitung this weekend, a summary of which is posted on Schroeder's website. "The anxiety of the Eastern European states is historically understandable, but their sovereignty and security is guaranteed by their membership in NATO, and the idea that anyone in the Russian leadership might be contemplating intervention in the NATO countries has nothing to do with reality." As for the economic sanctions against Russia, Schroeder says Steinmeier's (and SPD leader and Economics Minister Sigmar Gabriel's) call for cutting back the sanctions is "correct and should be supported." Current official German policy does not (yet?) reflect these eminently reasonable opinions, as there is opposition to them not only from Chancellor Merkel's CDU but even within the SPD (Social Democrats, the party of Schroeder, Steinmeier, and Gabriel). But even the New York Times reports (passing on the Reuters article -- hopefully also in the NYT print editions?) that "cracks" are appearing in the European consensus on Russia, due mainly to "Russia-friendly members of her own government" and "skeptical EU states like Slovakia, Hungary and Italy." Reuters quotes Ulrich Speck, a senior fellow at the Transatlantic Academy in Washington: "People are tired of confrontation with Russia. They don't like the tensions and they see that Ukraine is not delivering enough on the reform front." The recent economic forum in St. Petersburg was attended by top-level European and American CEOs (against the explicit recommendation of the US government), and it has been clear for some time that the sanctions are hurting the German and European economies at least as much as Russia's. Noah Barkin, the author of the Reuters articles, opines that "Gabriel is the presumptive challenger to Merkel in next year's election and is scrambling for issues that can lift the struggling SPD in the polls and differentiate them from the chancellor's conservatives." Gabriel is going to meet with Putin next week and has even changed his mind about a possible coalition with the Left Party as well as with the (Greens) in next year's federal election. An SPD-Green-Left coalition would be the best way for Germany to grow more backbone in opposing Washington's reckless and domineering policies. Dads and their little girls -- it's often a special relationship. And even when you're the President of the United States, you want those special "dad" moments when your little girl passes milestones in her life. That's what Barack Obama was on Friday, June 10 -- just a dad attending his daughter Malia's high school graduation from the Sidwell Friends School in D.C. Asked to Speak The school had asked Obama if he would like to speak at the graduation. For a man who can produce a fast and informative speech, even on short notice, or sound like a well-rehearsed orator when giving interviews, this was not a hard decision. As Obama told Ellen DeGeneres when he appeared on her show, "I'm going to be sitting there with dark glasses, sobbing "She's one of my best friends. And it's going to be hard for me not to have her around all the time. But she's ready to go. You can tell. She's just a really smart, capable person and she's ready to make her own way." And just as he said, he showed up with his dark glasses (the event was held outside), stood and clapped when Malia received her diploma, and presented his first daughter with a bouquet of white roses afterward. 8 Years is A Lot of Growth and Change Malia was only 10 years old when she moved into the White House. At 17, she has gone from an elementary school kid through the awkward middle school years, and is now a high school graduate. While the Obama's have tried to keep life as "normal" as possible for their girls (Sasha is 15), nothing can be normal when you're part of the First Family of the U.S., especially when you have to spend your teenage years there. Lowering the Spotlight While the Obamas tried to keep the girls out of the spotlight as much as possible, there is no way around the Secret Service protection, the flashing camera bulbs, and political enemies looking for anything to criticize. And Obama haters did try their very best. Sometimes, shallow haters would comment on the girls' attire -- the skirts were too short, or too much "arm" was showing. They even tried to criticize the amount of money that was obviously being spent on their clothing. Imagine their dismay to discover that Malia wore a $48 dollar dress to meet the President of Cuba during the family's spring break trip to Latin America. Malia's Plans First daughter has been accepted to Harvard University but will not be attending until 2017. She plans to take a gap year, a common thing in Europe and just beginning to catch on here in the U.S. Her plans for the year have not been revealed, but according to Obama, as a guest on the Jimmy Fallon show recently, "I think Malia is very eager to get out of here," It's possible that her plans may include work in the film making industry. She has already completed two internships with television stations. Obama's to Stick Around Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Brock Allen Turner (Image by permanently scatterbrained) Details DMCA It should be crystal clear that the criminal justice, police, and prison systems in the USA need to be completely overhauled in every way. With more incarcerated persons than any nation on earth, we can no longer call ourselves the 'land of the free' without some serious and drastic changes. From the disastrous 'War on Drugs,' to militarized police, to overzealous prosecutors, to misogyny resulting in hundreds of thousands of untested rape tests, there are so many problems that it is hard to know where to begin. However, the Stanford rape case and 6 month sentence imposed upon the rapist has brought the issue of sentencing reform into clear focus. Most Americans are already aware that enormous disparities in sentencing exist as a result of racial bias. This fact has been brought to the attention of the public previously in the case of the 'affluenza' teen who initially escaped a long sentence after killing 4 people by driving while intoxicated, among many other past examples. Recent progress has been made when Congress acted to remove sentencing disparities caused by mandatory minimum sentencing for possession of crack cocaine. But the Stanford rape case has made it perfectly clear now that racial bias exists in sentencing to such a degree that it undermines public confidence in the system. Justice, in the form of the sentencing of convicted criminals, is administered unequally, with harsher sentences for the poor people of color than for wealthy whites. This is now obvious to everyone, and no rational examination of the facts can lead to any other conclusion. We need to take action to correct this injustice rather than stop pretending that it does not exist. There is no way to guarantee the elimination of racial bias in sentencing, unless race is eliminated from the equation altogether. So, sentencing needs to be separated from all other criminal justice functions. After a verdict, all sentencing should be moved to a panel of independent judges, who are not given any information that might identify the race of the convicted person. In fact, the panel must only be provided with the age and sex (gender) of the individual. The panel should be blind to all information that might inject bias into the equation, such as the convicted person's name, address, etc. This is the only way to completely and permanently remove racial bias from the sentencing process. I am deeply disturbed by the militarization of police in the USA, the increased violence and police killings of unarmed persons, the abuse, torture, and murder of Americans in custody (whether convicted or not), and the way we completely refuse to honor the humanity of the incarcerated, leaving prisoners vulnerable to physical violence including rape by other prisoners and even by prison employees. In my opinion, the entire system needs to be completely reformed from the bottom up and replaced with a more humane and effective way to encourage rehabilitation, especially regarding petty crimes and victimless crimes that should not result in incarceration at all. Instead of continuing to allow this behemoth to escape our attention because the problems are so vast and enormous, this is a very simple step we can take immediately to ensure that the disparity in sentencing caused by racial bias is removed ince and for all. The US Supreme Court's majority opinion in Utah v. Strieff, issued on June 20, is the latest in a long line of rulings expanding the powers of police at the expense of everyone else. Such expansions represent a clear and present danger to the public ... and when resistance to the abuses they encourage explodes into open violence, as it surely will sooner or later, to police themselves. Edward Strieff was detained in what the state of Utah's attorneys openly admit was an illegal stop -- a stop completely absent probable cause to believe that he had committed a crime -- by Salt Lake City detective Douglas Fackrell. But the illegal stop and an illegal demand for identification enabled Fackrell to discover an outstanding traffic warrant. That discovery, the court holds, was an "attenuating" event which made Fackrell's subsequent search of Strieff (and use of the drugs discovered on Strieff's person in that search as evidence against him) perfectly legal. In the opening to her dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor explains the ruling's essential evil. "This case allows the police to stop you on the street, demand your identification, and check it for outstanding traffic warrants -- even if you are doing nothing wrong," writes Sotomayor. "If the officer discovers a warrant for a fine you forgot to pay, courts will now excuse his illegal stop and will admit into evidence anything he happens to find by searching you after arresting you on the warrant." My late friend Aaron Russo (you may remember him as the award-winning producer of such motion pictures as "The Rose" and "Trading Places") defined a police state in terms of fear. You know you're living in a police state, Aaron said, if merely noticing a patrol car behind you in traffic makes you nervous. I suspect the street sign marking that point is likewise in the rearview mirror for most of us. "No-knock" raids, "Terry stop" aka "stop and frisk" policies, and numerous violent police assaults and even murders caught on camera but often committed with impunity, make those fears eminently reasonable. This ruling can only add to the power of those fears and to the number of Americans living daily with them. "Those who make peaceful revolution impossible," said President John F. Kennedy, "will make violent revolution inevitable." With its ruling in Utah v. Strieff, the US Supreme Court continues a long and sorry record of answering to Kennedy's description. Reprinted from Consortium News A danger in today's Western journalism is that the people in charge of the mainstream media are either neocon ideologues or craven careerists who will accept any official attack on geopolitical "enemies" without checking out the facts, such as with the Iraq War's WMD myth or the curious case of Sergei Magnitsky. Magnitsky's 2009 death in a Russian jail became a Western cause celebre with the accountant for hedge-fund executive William Browder hailed as a martyr in the cause of whistleblowing against a profoundly corrupt Russian government. After Magnitsky's death from a heart attack, Browder claimed his "lawyer" had been tortured and murdered to cover up official complicity in a $230 million tax-fraud scheme involving companies ostensibly under Browder's control. The Magnitsky narrative has now become so engrained in Western geopolitical mythology that the storyline apparently can no longer be questioned or challenged, which brings us to the current controversy about a new documentary that turns the case upside-down and again reveals the superficiality, bias and hypocrisy of the West's politicians and news media. Because of Browder's wealth and political influence, he succeeded in getting the European Parliament and the U.S. Congress to buy into his narrative and move to punish the presumed villains in the tax fraud and in Magnitsky's death. The U.S.-enacted Magnitsky Act in 2012 was an opening salvo in what has become a new Cold War between Washington and Moscow. The West's reaction has been to block the public airing of the documentary -- to any significant audience -- while simultaneously branding it Russian "agit-prop," the attack line used by The Washington Post in a Monday editorial . In other words, the treatment of the film is reminiscent of a totalitarian society where the public only hears about dissent when the Official Organs of the State denounce some almost unknown person. In this case, the Post's editorial writers under the direction of neocon editor Fred Hiatt note the film's showing in a rented room at Washington's Newseum and then seek to discredit the filmmaker, Andrei Nekrasov, without addressing his avalanche of documented examples of Browder's misrepresenting both big and small facts in the case. Instead, the Post accuses Nekrasov of using "facts highly selectively" and insinuates that he is merely a pawn in the Kremlin's "campaign to discredit Mr. Browder and the Magnitsky Act." The Post concludes smugly: "The film won't grab a wide audience, but it offers yet another example of the Kremlin's increasingly sophisticated efforts to spread its illiberal values and mind-set abroad. In the European Parliament and on French and German television networks, showings were put off recently after questions were raised about the accuracy of the film, including by Magnitsky's family. We don't worry that Mr. Nekrasov's film was screened here, in an open society. But it is important that such slick spin be fully exposed for its twisted story and sly deceptions." Watching the Film After reading the Post's editorial, I managed to get a password for viewing the documentary, "The Magnitsky Act. Behind the Scenes," on the Internet and I was struck by how thoroughly dishonest and "highly selective" the Post's editors had been in their attack on the film. It was during the docu-drama's production that Nekrasov begins to detect inconsistencies and contradictions in Browder's storyline, including how a woman executive in one of Browder's shell companies alerted police to the tax-fraud scam, not Magnitsky, and that Magnitsky as an accountant in the business was called in for questioning by police. In other words, Magnitsky comes across as a criminal suspect, not a noble whistleblower. For instance, the Post writes, "The film is a piece of agitprop that mixes fact and fiction to blame Magnitsky for the fraud and absolve Russians of blame for his death." While it is correct that Nekrasov "mixes fact and fiction," that is because the documentary is, in part, the story of his planned docu-drama which was intended to embrace and dramatize Browder's narrative. Nekrasov begins the project as Browder's friend and ally. As the documentary proceeds, Nekrasov struggles with the dilemma as his scripted docu-drama portraying Magnitsky as a martyr falls apart. When Nekrasov's questions become more pointed, his friendship with Browder also painfully unravels. One of the powerful aspects of the film is that it shows Browder grow petulant and evasive as his well-received narrative begins to come undone, both in interviews with Nekrasov and in a videotaped deposition from a related civil case. Key points of the deception are revealed not by Kremlin officials but by Magnitsky's supporters who challenge pieces of Browder's embroidered story, such as elevating Magnitsky from an accountant to a "lawyer." Progressive Content Not Found Sometimes, authors delete their progressive content after publishing. To see if the progressive content was renamed or re-published, please click here. Tampere, Finland, goes viral in Russia www.visittampere.ru http://tampereallbrightmagazine.fi/news/tampere-goes-viral-in-russia The Government of Moscow mixed up Moscow with Tampere, the third largest city in Finland. Thanks to the mistake, Tampere went viral on Twitter and other social media, as well as grabbed a solid portion of attention in the leading online newspapers in Russia.What happened?On June 13, the official Twitter account of the Government of Moscow tweeted: "Its impossible not to love this city! #Moscow" There would be nothing special about the tweet if the attached picture was not one of Tampere.The first to notice this awkward mix up was a parliamentarian Evgeny Budnik. He wrote on his Twitter: "We guessed that the mayor loved another city, not the one he governs. Well, at least now we know, what city"Shortly after that, dozens of Twitter users noted in comments that a nigh view over Tammerkoski is not from Moscow. Pleasantly, quite many recognized the view being from Tampere, or leastwise Finland:"This is a Finnish city of Tampere.""Moscow is dreaming of being Tampere.""Moscow is governed by the Finns and they are being nostalgic and homesick."The picture with the original text went viral and collected thousands of likes and reposts. For example, a post about the issue made by a popular VKontakte-page Lentach gathered around 8000 likes.Next morning Moscow tried to ride out of this delicate situation with a new tweet: "Hey all the attentive friends! Now we can be sure that you are not so easily misled, and youll always recognize you beloved city out of a thousand!"However, the new message triggered a big wave of jokes about other cities that are impossible to love. Social media users started posting photos of European capitals and attractive resorts tagging them as Russian provincial towns."Its impossible not to love this city! #Rostov"Soon, the phrase exceeded the bounds of the city topic and was adopted to various contexts."Its impossible not to love this president #Putin"More than 10 online media in Russia reported on the case, including Meduza, Moskovskij Komsomolets (MK), Gazeta.ru. Meduzas article was shared about 700 times solely on Facebook. The official Twitter account of the Moscow Government counts up to 200,000 followers.The Government of Moscow, however, made the buzz work to its benefit and turned the meme phrase into a new slogan for their city.Tampere Region answered the tweet: Greetings from Tampere, Moscow! We love you too.#TampereAllBright #FinlandTampere Region Economic Agency Tredea aims to make Tampere, Finland, known all over the world as the best place to do business, work, study, live and visit.Tampere Region Economic Development Agency TredeaJuhlatalonkatu 533100 TampereFinlandCommunications Manager Olga Javitsolga.javits@tredea.fi+358 40 865 0243 Public Policies For UFB Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies & Forecasts http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/735530 http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/pressreleases http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ "The Report Global Rubber Gloves Market Report: 2016 Edition provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"DescriptionRubber gloves are common household items that offer many uses. They are inexpensive to purchase and are used for personal care, cleaning, pets, first aid and more. Rubber gloves are made of various types of rubber and are used for several purposes. Rubber gloves cover a wide range of applications from medical gloves to utility gloves. They are also used in food service industry. Many countries have implemented laws regarding the compulsory usage of gloves. Therefore, rubber gloves are being increasingly used in both professional as well as household chores.The Global Rubber Gloves Market faces limited competition with small number of producers. The industry leaders dominate the rubber gloves market through their economies of scale, wide distribution of networks and efficiency along with product modernism. Although the industry has maintained its growth momentum, the major bottlenecks includes underutilization resulting from overcapacity, hike in natural gas tariffs, entry barriers and sudden exchange rate fluctuations.The factors driving growth of the market includes increasing incidences of pandemics and viral outbreaks, improving revenue from weakening of Malaysian Ringgit, low raw material and manufacturing costs, growth of electronic manufacturing market, rising healthcare expenditure and ageing population. Some of the noteworthy trends and developments of this industry includes ongoing demand shift from latex to nitrile gloves, improving product mix of companies, rising demand from emerging economies, tightening of healthcare regulations and shifting bargaining power to customers.The report Global Rubber Gloves Market analyzes the development of this market, with focus on Malaysias rubber gloves industry. The major trends, growth drivers as well as issues being faced by the industry are discussed in detail in this report. The four major players in the industry, Top Glove, Kossan, Supermax and Hartalega, are being profiled along with their key financials and strategies for growth. The report contains a comprehensive analysis of the global rubber gloves industry along with the study of regional markets.Download Detail Report With Complete TOC at:By combining SPSS Inc.s data integration and analysis capabilities with our relevant findings, we have predicted the future growth of the industry. We employed various significant variables that have an impact on this industry and created regression models with SPSS Base to determine the future direction of the industry. Before deploying the regression model, the relationship between several independent or predictor variables and the dependent variable was analyzed using standard SPSS output, including charts, tables and tests.Table of Content1. Introduction1.1 Types of Rubber Gloves1.2 Gloves Applications1.3 Gloves Supply Chain2. Rubber Market Analysis2.1 Global Rubber Market2.1.1 Global Rubber Production Volume2.1.2 Global Rubber Production Volume by Type2.1.3 Global Rubber Consumption Volume2.1.4 Global Rubber Consumption Volume by Type2.1.5 Global Natural Rubber Consumption by Region2.1.6 Global Synthetic Rubber Consumption by Region2.2 Malaysias Rubber Market Analysis2.2.1 Malaysias Rubber Consumption Volume by Type2.2.2 Malaysias Rubber Consumption by Product2.2.3 Malaysias Natural Rubber Production & Consumption2.2.4 Malaysias Natural Rubber Export by Country3. Rubber Gloves Market Analysis3.1 Global Rubber Gloves Market3.1.1 Global Rubber Gloves Market by Value3.1.2 Global Demand for Rubber Gloves3.1.3 Global Per Capita Rubber Glove Consumption by Country3.1.4 Global Rubber Glove Consumption by Region3.1.5 Global Rubber Gloves Supply by Region3.2 Malaysias Rubber Glove Market3.2.1 Malaysias Rubber Glove Production Volume3.2.2 Malaysias Rubber Glove Export by Value3.2.3 Malaysias Rubber Gloves Export by Volume3.2.4 Malaysias Rubber Gloves Export Volume Share by Type3.2.5 Malaysias Rubber Gloves Export Volume by Type3.2.6 Malaysias Rubber Gloves Export Volume by Country3.3 The U.S. Market3.3.1 The U.S. Rubber Gloves Supplier by CountryBrowse all latest Press Releases of Market Research Reportsat:About usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports.MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients.We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated researchreports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and typesof companies spanning across various industries.ContactMr. Nachiket90 Sate Street,Suite 700 Albany,NY 12207 USATel: +1-518-621-2074Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz Asset Castle Investments Follows Googles Street View Plans In India Very Closely Asset Castle Investments Closely Follows Google?s Street View Plans In India Googles plans to introduce its popular Street View service in India have hit a roadblock after the interior ministry Friday said it had rejected an application from the tech giant, although the government could yet approve it.The company applied several months ago to bring in the street-mapping feature showing 360-degree panoramic images of streets, monuments, mountains and rivers, a service it first introduced in the US in 2007.An interior ministry spokesman told AFP that Googles proposal had been rejected but added that a final decision would likely be taken later in the year.We have rejected the plan by Google to expand its maps feature, the spokesman said.The final decision would come hopefully sometime this year, he said without elaborating further.A Google spokesman told AFP the government had not indicated to us that the application has been rejected.Since its launch in 2007, Google Street View has captured some of the worlds most far-flung and scenic destinations, including the Amazon rainforest, Antarctica and Canadas Arctic tundra.Street View is currently available in India at some tourist attractions, including the Taj Mahal in Agra and Delhis Qutub Minar monument.The Hindu newspaper said permission for the feature was denied after the Indian defence ministry raised red flags.The defence ministry said it was not possible to monitor the service once it was launched and it would be detrimental to national security, the paper quoted a senior government official as saying.Some reports have suggested the delay is due to a controversial draft law, the Geospatial Information Regulation Bill, which proposes imposing strict new rules on the publication of maps.Maps are a highly sensitive issue in India, which has long running border disputes with several of its neighbours, most famously over the divided Himalayan region of Kashmir.India is a vast yet challenging market for Google, with only a quarter of its 1.2 billion citizens online.Last year, Googles Indian-born chief executive Sundar Pichai visited the country and outlined plans to bring hundreds of millions of Indians online.If Google are allowed to make Street View for India it will be another country to add to Street View, very shortly Google Street View will be completed globally as long as no more roadblocks are put in thier way stated tech analyst Joan Dias for Asset Castle Investments.Asset Castle Investments is a private, leading global alternative asset manager with approximately $87 billion of assets under management ("AUM") and approximately 800 employees.We seek to deliver attractive performance to our investor base across our investment groups and strategies, including tradable credit (long-only and alternative credit), direct lending, private equity and real estate (debt and equity). The firm is headquartered in Hong Kong.6th Floor, Suite 5609, Cheung Kong Centre,2 Queens Road, Central Hong Kong NTTF | Corporate Training - Learning never ends NTTF is working with a few private and government institutions in setting up "Skill Development Centres", providing various vocational training courses, for the benefit of rural youth; thereby serving society in bringing up or rehabilitating children from rural and lower-class families. Such programs will be a good solution for any company or institution looking to meet its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) objectives.Leveraging its many training centres across India, NTTF also conducts customised short-term and long-term "Corporate Training" programs for the employees of companies in the automotive and non-automotive verticals. For the past five decades of service, NTTF has gained strength in training manpower in soft-skills, functional skills and technical skills as defined by the industries. NTTF runs programs for companies such as MRF, Nokia, Maruti Suzuki, Welspun, and Suzlon, to name a few.NTTF - an educational foundation established in the year 1963 - is the living symbol of Indo-Swiss co-operation; aimed at promoting purposeful Technical Education for the youth of India.Post Box No. 5857, #23/24, II Phase Peenya Industrial Area Bangalore 560058 Automotive Sensors Market : Global Industry Outlook, Market size and Forecast 2016-2022_Brisk Insights http://www.briskinsights.com/report/automotive-sensors-market http://www.pdfdevices.com/global-synthetic-paper-devices-market-is-expected-to-grow-at-the-cagr-of-8-during-2015-2022-brisk-insights/ http://www.briskinsights.com/ According to a recently published report, the Global Automotive Sensors Market expected to grow at the CAGR of 9.1% during 2015-2022 and it estimated to be $36.25 billion by 2022. The global automotive sensors market is segmented on the basis of product, industry applications and geography. The report on Global Automotive Sensors Market Forecast 2015-2022 provides detailed overview and predictive analysis of the market.The global automotive sensors market is expected to grow exponentially due to various factors such as increasing demand of vehicles especially motor cars around the world. The increasing demand for hybrid and electric vehicles with growing consumer demand for fuel-efficiency and comfort, in addition to factors such as strengthening government rules for vehicle safety is driving the market for automotive sensors worldwide.The shift towards self-driving cars could significantly boost the automotive sensor market as more intelligent data processing devices are required to make autonomous decisions which leads to development of automotive sensors market.Browse Here For Full Report with TOC @Due to advancement in automobile technology, vehicles are increasingly being equipped with numerous sensing devices that provide information on different parameters ensuring comfort, safety, and security.The automotive sensors are one of the fastest growing sectors in automotive industry with growth rate in near double digit; especially in OEM (original equipment manufacturing). Europe (European Union) is presently the leading market of automobile sensors, due to the exponential growth in the logistics industry, with increasing information about safety, and setup of Low Emission Zones (LEZs) in European Union. These factors are fueling the demand for HEVs which is also boosting demand of automotive sensors in this region. Companies based in Europe and US (For example: Bosch, Emerson Electric) have spent significant revenue on R&D for new development of new products for automobiles makers.The leading players with significant hold over the Global Automotive sensors market include players such as: Bosch, Denso Corporation, Sensata, Freescale Semiconductor, Agilent Technologies, Ford Corporation, Honeywell, Johnson Controls, Emerson Electric, General Electric, AMETEK Inc Honeywell, Analog Devices, and Delphi Automotive. The Bosch and Denso Corporation currently dominates the overall Automotive sensor market with share of over 24% in 2015.Scope of the report:Global automotive sensors market by types 20152022 ($ billion)Pressure SensorTemperature SensorGas SensorMotion SensorMEMS SensorNOX sensorsSpeed SensorsInertial SensorsMagneticOthersGlobal automotive sensors market by application 2015-2022 ($ billion)Powertrain marketBody Electronics OthersVehicle Security systemSafety and ControlsTelematicsChassisOtherGlobal automotive sensors market regional outlook 2015-2022 ($ billion)North AmericaEuropeAsia-PacificMiddle East & AfricaCentral & South AmericaCompetitive LandscapeBosch,Denso Corporation,Sensata,Freescale Semiconductor,Agilent Technologies,Ford Corporation,General Electric,AMETEK Inc Honeywell,Analog Devices,Delphi AutomotiveAshcroft HoldingsAutoliv Inc.Banner EngineeringCherry CorporationMiranda Technologies, Inc.Eaton CorporationEmersonGoodrich CorporationJohnson ControlsHoneywellBlog:Contact Us :Jennifer SmithOffice 1094109 Vernon HouseFriar LaneNottinghamNG1 6DQPhone : +448081890034 (UK)Website :About Us :Brisk Insights is a global market research firm. Our insightful analysis is focused on developed and emerging markets. We identify trends and forecast markets with a view to aid businesses identify market opportunities optimize strategies.Working in a highly dynamic and multi-dimensional business makes decision making complex. Effective business decisions are a result of the synthesis of market information. Our Research and data analysis is an efficient and cost-effective way of providing robust market analysis and can yield highly valuable intelligence relating to consumers, competitors and markets.Office 1094109 Vernon HouseFriar LaneNottingham Hematological Disorder Drugs And Diagnostics Market : Global Industry Analysis, Market Size and Forecast 2022_Brisk Insights http://www.briskinsights.com/report/hematological-disorder-drugs-and-diagnostics-market http://www.pdfdevices.com/global-hematological-disorder-drugs-and-diagnostics-market-is-expected-to-grow-at-the-cagr-of-5-6-during-2015-2022-brisk-insights/ http://www.briskinsights.com/ According to a recently published report, the global Hematological Disorder Drugs And Diagnostics Market for hematological disorder is expected to grow at the CAGR 5.6% during 2015-2022. The segmentation of global hematological disorder drugs and diagnostics market is based on product, end-users and geography. The report on global hematological disorder drugs and diagnostics market forecast 2015-2022 (product, end-users and geography) provides detailed overview and predictive analysis of the market.Browse Here For Full Report with ToC:The growth and demand of the global hematological disorder drugs and diagnostics market is very high in developed and developing countries. In recent time, major drivers that accelerate the global hematological disorder drug and diagnostics market are increasing. The frequent occurrence of blood related disorders, growing acceptance of automated hematology devices, and increasing expenditure in R&D in the pharmaceutical sector are some of the major key drivers of the market. According to the data collected by Lymphoma and Leukemia Society (LLS), around 10% of US population was diagnosed with blood related disorders like myeloma, leukemia and lymphoma. Moreover, as per the data stated by the National Hemophilia Foundation, there are around 400,000 cases of hemophilia globally. It has been estimated that the geriatric population aged over 65 will cross over the 80 million mark by the year 2050, which will be a major driver for this market in near future. Development of Point of Care (POC) diagnostics, cohesive use of cytometry techniques and analyzers etc. are the major opportunities in global hematological disorders drugs and diagnostic market. POC diagnostics remains major field of interest among laboratories and a significant growth area for this market. POC techniques can be used in the absence of specialized personnel, in extreme field conditions or even at the bedside with no or limited infrastructure; and also, without specialized maintenance services. Though POC techniques is not a solution for all diagnostic needs, it is still a major opportunity in this market. However, involvement of government and stringent regulations; lesser adoption in developing economies; and, high cost of hematology diagnostics devices are major restraints hampering the potential of global hematological disorders drugs and diagnostics market.Scope of the report1. Global Hematological Disorder Drugs and Diagnostics Market by Product 2012- 2022 ($ billion)1.1. Analyzers1.2. Reagents2. Global Hematological Disorder Drugs and Diagnostics Market by End-users 2012- 2022 ($ billion)2.1. Academic and research institutes2.2. Hospitals2.3. Clinical Laboratories3. Global Hematological Disorder Drugs and Diagnostics Market Regional Outlook 2012-2022 ($ billion)3.1. North America3.2. Europe3.3. Asia Pacific3.4. Middle East & Africa3.5. Central & South America4. Company profiles4.1. Abbot Laboratories4.2. Amgen4.3. Beckman Coulter4.4. Biogen Idec4.5. Biorad Laboratories4.6. Bristol-Myers Squibb4.7. Eli Lilly And Company4.8. Hemocue Ab4.9. Horbia4.10. Mindray Medical International4.11. Nihon Kohden4.12. Pfizer4.13. Roche Diagnostics A/S4.14. Siemens Ag4.15. SysmexBlog :Contact Us :Jennifer SmithOffice 1094109 Vernon HouseFriar LaneNottinghamNG1 6DQUnited KingdomPhone : +448081890034 (UK)Email : sales@briskinsights.comWebsite :About Us :Brisk Insights is a global market research firm. Our insightful analysis is focused on developed and emerging markets. We identify trends and forecast markets with a view to aid businesses identify market opportunities optimize strategies.Working in a highly dynamic and multi-dimensional business makes decision making complex. Effective business decisions are a result of the synthesis of market information. Our Research and data analysis is an efficient and cost-effective way of providing robust market analysis and can yield highly valuable intelligence relating to consumers, competitors and markets.Office 1094109 Vernon HouseFriar LaneNottingham Global Adalimumab Market 2015 - 2020 http://www.syndicatemarketresearch.com/market-analysis/adalimumab-market-global-industry-analysis-size-share-growth.html http://goo.gl/WuzSm8 http://goo.gl/iN9K7T http://www.syndicatemarketresearch.com Adalimumab is a biologic TNF inhibiting anti-inflammatory medication which is a patented medicine of Abbott Biotechnology Ltd. Jochen G. Salfeld et al invented the product and trade names for the product are Exemptia and Humira. Humira stands for "human monoclonal antibody in rheumatoid arthritis". Humira targets and acts as building block for TNF-alpha production, and lowering inflammation. TNF blockers with HUMIRA, has adverse affects on the immune system which is a serious side effect of this medicine. Adalimumab is prescribed for Crohns disease, Rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis and psoriasis disorders. PsA leads to excess production of definite proteins, and people with PsA, TNF causes swelling in joints.Browse Full Report @Increasing number of female populace is becoming susceptible to arthritis due to loss of body calcium. Rising occurrence of arthritis is a main driver for the growth of the adalimumab market. Enhanced analysis rate along with the introduction of proficient biologic drugs are also some of the major factors to support the market growth. Additional, growing deskbound routine is boosting the prevalence of arthritis commonness. On the other side, high price and low openness are the foremost factor restricting the escalation of the global adalimumab market.The report covers forecast and analysis for the adalimumab market on a global and regional level. The study provides significant data of 2014 along with estimated from 2014 to 2020 based on revenue (USD Million). The report also offers detailed competitive landscape of the global adalimumab market. It includes company market share analysis, product portfolio of the major industry participants. The report provides detailed segmentation of the biomarker technologies market based on application segment and region.The global adalimumab market is segmented on basis of applications and regions. The application part is diverged into, psoriasis, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease and others.Get Free Request Sample @Geographically, adalimumab market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa, further bifurcation of region on the country level, which include U.S., Canada, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, China, India, Australia, New Zealand and of Asia Pacific. Currently, North America and Europe are dominating the global adalimumab market. Factors such as controlled authoritarian structure, sophisticated healthcare infrastructure are pouring the adalimumab market in North America and Europe market. Asia Pacific adalimumab market is predicted for significant growth in future, rapidly rising healthcare, increasing disposable income and supportive government initiatives to reinforce healthcare division in various countries are escalating the adalimumab market in Asia Pacific. High geriatric population in the economies such as India and China is projected to stimulate the demand for arthritis curing drugs.Adalimumab commonly utilized in developed countries as compared to other and hence market is impacted by the existence of regional playersAmgen, Mylan N.V., Pfizer, AbbVie, Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, Mylan N.V. and Novartis AG comprise some of the players in adalimumab market.Get Illustrative Sample before buying:The report segments the adalimumab market into:Adalimumab Market: Application Segment Analysis Psoriasis Ulcerative colitis Rheumatoid arthritis Crohn's disease OthersAdalimumab Market: Regional Segment Analysis North Americao U.S. Europeo UKo Franceo Germany Asia Pacifico Chinao Japano India Latin Americao Brazil Middle East & AfricaSyndicate Market Research provides a range of marketing and business research solutions designed for our clients specific needs based on our expert resources. The business scopes of Syndicate Market Research cover more than 30 industries includsing energy, new materials, transportation, daily consumer goods, chemicals, etc. We provide our clients with one-stop solution for all the research requirements.Contact US3422 SW 15 Street, Suit #8138,Deerfield Beach,Florida 33442,USATel: +1-386-310-3803GMT Tel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No.1-855-465-4651Email: sales@syndicatemarketresearch.comWeb: Josoft Technologies - Top Business Process Outsourcing Service Company in Lucknow, India http://www.josoftech.com Josoft Technologies, India:Now you can consult with some top outsourcing companies in India for your business requirement. These business process outsourcing or BPO companies can provide you several business prospects, and they can handle your workflow according to your requirements. Mainly business outsourcing company offers data management and conversion, customer care, inbound and outbound call centers, website development and maintenance and digital marketing services.If you want to make your own departments for your customer feedback and satisfaction then you need to appoint some employees as customer care executives, and they need to manage your customer support desk twenty four hours. For this segment, you need to spend huge recurrent costs, but now you can reduce this expenditure by hiring a business outsourcing company. They can serve inbound call center and they always deal with your product selling, customer support, help desk, technical support and inventory management. Along with that, these top outsourcing companies in India can also help you to mange your international customers and they can manage your outbound call center services.Business process outsourcing company can reduce your business expenditure: You need to launch your own website and maintain it in a proper way. Now you can reduce your website maintenance cost by appointing the most trusted BPO Company. They can design your website and maintain your site with SEO tools. This search engine optimization can increase your online visibility, and these top business outsourcing companies in India can also generate your digital and internet marketing strategy, along with effective social media campaigns. Lead generation plays a vital role for your company because it provides you the most potential customers which can increase your company revenue. Business outsourcing company can collect customer database through social media networking, advertisement services and referral campaigns. 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They are already situated in all major locations and they can easily manage your workflow by their expert professionals.Contact:E-mail us at: info@josoftech.comCall or reach us at: +91-9026209005Website:You need to design several departments for your business and now you can outsource your workflow to some BPO, and they can incorporate with your company reputation and they can provide you competitive solutions for your business also.1-B Nanak Arcade 85-A Hind NagarL.D.A Colony, Opposite Shivalik School,Lucknow - 226012Call Us: +91 9026209005Mail Us: info@josoftech.com Cygnet Infotech announced the launch of Cygneto- Apps: ordering solutions for field sales ordering, web ordering, mobile ordering & print commerce www.cygneto-apps.com https://twitter.com/Cygneto_Apps Ahmedabad-May, 6th 2016- Cygnet Infotech, a leading global provider of IT solutions announced the launch of Cygneto-apps for Ordering in the first week of MayCygneto Solutions specializes in creating applications and solutions that would solve problems related to ordering across businesses. They further strive to craft unique tailor made solutions for individual businesses by offering customizations in ordering through website, mobile, field sales and print media.Being the brainchild of Cygnet Infotech, Cygneto-apps already has a strong and steady background in creating business applications that would benefit businesses greatly in boosting their sales, profitability and ease of doing the business online. Cygnet Infotech provides holistic business solutions starting right from application development and enterprise content management to software product development.With more than 300+ clients and still growing, the company also backs the Cygneto-Apps for ordering, which is a venture to offer high-end ordering apps for client businesses so that buyers get a proper, navigable and well defined mobile, web ordering solution.Cygneto specializes in offering technology Solutions across the globe and they deliver a strategic blend of mobile ordering solutions, website building solution, field sales management apps and QR code based mobile apps to give businesses an end to end blend of solution package.These apps come with a myriad of facilities that create a perfect balance for both the buyer and seller. All the solutions are custom build.Bringing in web ordering solution, the company aspires to give their clients an ease of going online and selling through their own website as well as mobile app. These apps are designed aesthetically to be used across different industries. These solutions come with various facilities and admin dashboard features. The company also offers hosting & maintenance with other support activities.The company specializes in making industry specific applications that makes ordering easy even for the B2B sales executives. The Cygneto Field Sales management app make things a lot easier for the field sales teams that can operate without pen and paper and still function smoothly even when on the move. This is a unique app that lets the team members record their visits and details about the meetings and appointments so that they don't miss out on anything and the admin person can track individual employee functioning sitting in office.In the realm of Print Solutions, the company enables clients with QR code technology that helps the customers to re order the product just by scanning through the QR code. The merchants need to print their product catalog along with QR codes for each of the product. The app can be of great use for advertisers, they can publish their catalogue along with their advertisement.Learn More about Cygneto at:Follow us at:Cygneto is a venture of Cygnet Infotech, a CMMi Level 3 IT services company based in USA, South Africa, Australia & India.It is a result of Cygnets years of experience in website, mobile application development domain that they have come up with this affordable and less time consuming application development platform.Cygnet Infotech is an IT Services company, empowering businesses by delivering diverse and holistic solutions forging long-lasting, win-win relationships.Our motto IT is About You is more than just a tag line it is the very heart of Cygnet. We always ensure the continued success of our clients and employees by placing problem solving ahead of anything else and walking the extra mile when needed.16-Swastik society, Nr. AMCO Bank, Stadium Circle, Navrangpura,Ahmedabad;Phone: +91-7967124000 Global Wood Activated Carbon Market to Reach US$456.0 mn by 2024 owing to Environmental Regulations on Mercury Emissions http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=4011 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ http://globalresearchanalysis.blogspot.in/ Transparency Market Research has published a new report on the global wood activated carbon market. As per the report, the global wood activated carbon market is predicted to progress from US$206.5 mn in 2015 to US$456.0 mn by 2024. Factors such as technological advancements and environmental regulations on mercury emissions are expected to benefit the global market for wood activated carbon. The report, titled Wood Activated Carbon Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016 - 2024, states that the global market is expected to expand at a 9.20% CAGR from 2016 to 2024.Wood pellets, wood chips, and sawdust are some of the materials used to manufacture wood activated carbon. Commercially, wood activated carbon is available in granulated and powdered forms. Wood activated carbon is primarily employed in numerous end-user industries such as power generation, water treatment, and food and beverages as an adsorbent for liquid phase and gas phase.Download And Get FREE Sample PDF File Of Wood Activated Carbon :Although the instability of supply of raw materials is expected to hamper the growth of the global wood activated carbon market, the technological breakthroughs are anticipated to create more growth opportunities in the near future. The global wood activated carbon market is segmented on the basis of region and application. Based on application, the global wood activated carbon market is divided into North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East and Africa. Currently, Asia Pacific leads the global wood activated carbon market; North America being the second largest market. The increasing use of carbon in the water treatment industry is expected to propel the Asia Pacific wood activated carbon market.Going forward, the North America wood activated carbon market is expected to be the fastest-growing region. In terms of demand, the Middle East and Africa region is estimated to grow significantly in the next few years. However, due to increasing saturation of end-user industries, the Europe wood activated carbon market is expected to experience slow growth throughout the forecast period.Some of the prominent companies operating in the global wood activated carbon market are Cabot Corporation, Carbo Tech AC GmbH, CECA SA, Fujian Zhixing Activated Carbon Co, Ltd., Kuraray Chemical Corporation Ltd., Oxbow Activated Carbon LLC, Calgon Carbon Corporation, Carbon Activated Corporation, Donau Chemie AG, Ingevity Corporation, Osaka Gas Chemicals Co. Ltd., and Zhejiang Xingda Activated Carbon Co., Ltd.By application, the global wood activated carbon market is classified into gas adsorption, removal of impurities, decolorization, and others. Wood activated carbon is primarily used to remove various impurities from liquid streams and gas. The gas adsorption segment is expected to grow significantly in the years to come owing to advantages such as better adsorption rate, high porous structure, and large surface area. In 2015, in terms of volume, the global wood activated carbon market was dominated by the removal of impurities segment. This segment accounted for more than 30% of the global wood activated carbon market in 2015.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactMr. Sudip. STransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:Visit Blog : Global Smart Water Management Market to Reach US$15.2 bn Due to Increasing Need to Reduce Water Loss http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=1196 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/smart-water-management.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com A market study on the global smart water management market has been recently published by Transparency Market Research, estimating the market to attain an expected value of US$15,232.6 mn by the end of 2019, rising at an impressive CAGR of 17.70% during the period from 2013 to 2019.The research report, titled Smart Water Management Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2013 - 2019, states that the worldwide market for smart water management valued at US$4,813.3 mn in 2012.According to the study, the aging water infrastructure, together with the inadequate water management in urban areas as well as the need to decrease non-revenue water (NRW), is fueling the demand for smart water management. The implementation of various government rules and policies across the world pertaining to the deployment of smart water technologies is likely to propel the market in coming years.Avail a Sample Research Study on Smart Water Management MarketThe report analyzes the global market for smart water management on the basis of its components, technologies employed, and its regional distribution. Solutions, services, and hardware are the key components of the global smart water management market. The hardware segment leads the overall market at present. In 2012, it accounted for 40.1% of the global market for smart water management. Analysts at TMR project it to retain its position throughout the forecast period.On the other hand, the solutions segment is expected to register the fastest growth rate over the forecast period. The rising demand for technically advanced software such as Hymer (Orbicon), ReadCenter Analytics+ and ReadCenter AnalyticsPro, Intelligent Operations Center software, and various others are likely to propel the smart water management solution market in the near future, says the report.Fixed and cellular meter read technologies are the key technology segment of the global smart water management market, states the study.As per the report, the global smart water management market is distributed among Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World. North America has acquired the leadership among all these regional markets. In 2012, it held 47.5% of the overall smart water management market in terms of revenue. Market experts anticipate it to maintain its dominance through the reports forecast period. They also project Asia Pacific market to rise at the fastest CAGR of 23.70% during the forecast period on account of uneven rainfall as well as the rise in global warming.Browse Market Research report atThe report states that the global market for smart water management is extremely fragmented in nature. IBM Corp., ABB Ltd., Arad Metering Technologies, Schneider Electric SA, Itron Inc., Evoqua Water Technologies, Honeywell International Inc., General Electric Co., Emerson Electric Corp., ET Water Systems LLC, Sensus USA Inc., i2O Water Ltd., and TaKaDu Ltd. are the key participants in this market.The global smart water management market is segmented into:By ComponentHardwareAMRAMIOthersSolutionsServicesBy Meter Read TechnologyFixed TechnologyCellular TechnologyBy RegionNorth AmericaEuropeAsia PacificRest of the WorldTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Mr.Sudip S90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Silicone Fluids Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2024 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=12365 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ http://globalresearchanalysis.blogspot.in/ Global Silicone Fluids Market: DescriptionSilicone fluids are colorless and transparent liquids. These liquids exhibit high resistance to heat and cold. Silicone fluids are also moisture resistant. Over a wide temperature range, silicone fluids exhibit very low change in viscosity. Additionally silicone fluids are noted for various other characteristics like mold releasability, lubricity and defoaming properties. Silicone fluids can withstand low temperatures and maintain flow ability even at -65C. Moreover, silicone fluids have few or no adverse effects on metals and other materials. Silicone fluids are almost completely inactive show no effects on alkali solutions at room temperatures. These fluids have considerably lower surface tension as compared to water and common synthetic oils. Silicone fluids have strong and more stable bonds; hence, they are more resistant to harsh environmental processing and operating conditions. These fluids are non-toxic and inert and also permeable to gas and water vapor.Silicone fluids have a wide range of industrial applications, which include power transmission, medical support cushions, lubricants; silicone aerosol sprays, damping fluids, additives for automotive polishes and dressings, heat transfer fluids, high temperature oil baths and water repellent treatment of textiles and powders. A few silicone fluids like simethicone are anti-foaming agents owing to their low surface tension. These fluids are primarily used in industrial applications such as distillation or fermentation in order to get rid of excess foam. Silicone fluids were also used in the automobile fan clutch assemblies before electric cooling fans replaced them. Silicone fluids also find medical applications wherein the fluid is added to the consumer product to control flatus. These fluids are also used as a substitute for vitreous fluids to treat difficult cases of retinal detachment such as proliferative vitroratinopathy, large retinal tears and penetrating ocular trauma.Download Free exclusive Sample of this report :Global Silicone Fluids Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe silicone market is expected to grow at healthy rate in the near future due to its widespread application base. These fluids are expected to be the leading type of silicone product in the market. Growth of the silicone fluids market is expected to be propelled further due to its extensive use in laboratories and numerous opportunities in the medical field. The demand is likely to further increase owing to the use of liquid silicone rubber in electronics and in machinery due to the ease in its manufacturing process, flexibility and its high ability to form precision parts. Owing to its use in high growth applications such as solar cells and light emitting diodes, a wide range of opportunities are available for the silicone gels market in the near future. Additionally silicone gels are also used as the basis for breast implant products and these fluids are anticipated to continually gain market share at the expense of their saline filled substitutes.Global Silicone Fluids Market: Geographical DynamicsIndia and China are expected to be the fastest growing markets for silicone fluids in the future. Technological developments in the U.S. and continued innovation are expected to increase the demand for these fluids in the U.S. and in Europe. However, owing to the market maturity of silicone fluids in the North American and European regions, the opportunities for the fluid will be limited and instead the focus of the market growth is likely to shift to Asia Pacific and RoW.The main companies that manufacture silicone fluids include Dow Corning Corporation, Gelest Incorporated, Quantum Silicones, KCC Corporation, Clariant International limited, Caledonia Investments and Saint Gobain among other companies.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactMr. Sudip. STransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:Visit Blog : Para Nitrophenol Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2024 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=12362 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ http://globalresearchanalysis.blogspot.in/ Global Para Nitrophenol Market: DescriptionPara Nitrophenol also known as 4- nitrophenol or p- nitrophenol or 4- hydroxynitrobenzene is primarily a phenolic compound, which has a nitro group placed at the position opposite to hydroxyl group. The compound is a colorless or light yellow solid having no odor. P- nitrophenol is stable at room temperature; however, it turns a reddish color when exposed to direct sunlight. When reacted with other phenolic substances, p- nitrophenol turns a bright yellow color. Owing to this property, p- nitrophenol is used as a pH indicator in various chemical reactions. On acute exposure to this compound, reactions like cyanosis, nausea, drowsiness and headaches are caused in humans. In addition, if the compound encounters skin for prolonged periods of time, allergic reactions may occur.Para nitrophenol is employed in the production of insecticides, fungicides, dyes etc In addition, p-nitrophenol is used in the manufacturing of various drugs and in the darkening of leather. Para nitrophenol is an organophosphorous insecticide and is used on specific crops including cotton, corn, wheat, soybeans and rice. Para nitrophenol is used to a wide extent in the manufacture of specifically methyl parathion and ethyl parathion insecticides. Additionally, the synthesis of paracetamol is done with the help of p- nitrophenol.Interpret a Competitive outlook Analysis Report with free PDF Brochure :Global Para Nitrophenol Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe rising demand for pesticides and insecticides is the main driver for the p-nitrophenol market. Pesticides are needed globally in order to tackle the mosquito problem and the fruit fly problem that affects agricultural practice, among others. Agriculture is the main end-user industry driving this market. Recent studies have proved that if not used with caution it can cause serious health issues to human population and animals as well. P- nitrophenol itself is less toxic but when inhaled or ingested causes irritation to eyes and drowsiness, nausea and cyanosis. When exposed to the chemical for too long cancer risk could increase. Most countries have not banned the use of this insecticide, but have put forward regulations for the safe usage of the product in the public environment so as not to cause any inconvenience to people. Para nitrophenol does not cause any major harmful effects to the environment and is decomposed relatively easily as compared to other insecticides and pesticides. Bioaccumulation of this compound rarely occurs. At the same time, the U.S. and the EU have encouraged cautious use of pesticides, insecticides and drugs that have p- nitrophenol as one of their main ingredients.Global Para Nitrophenol Market: Geographical DynamicsThe key market segments include Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, and Rest of the World. Asia Pacific has the highest demand for p- nitrophenol especially countries like India and China owing to their booming agricultural sector. The U.S., being one of the biggest manufacturers of P- nitrophenol, has huge demand for the chemical. P- nitrophenol was off the market in Europe for a while owing to its ill effects but has been recently reintroduced into the European market by public demand. Due to its pesticidal and insecticidal properties, most countries have stringent regulations about its use in areas that are heavily populated, but it can be used with extreme caution to get rid of pest infestation.A few of the companies that manufacture p- nitrophenol include Dow AgroSciences India Pvt. Ltd., Paramount Pesticides Ltd. Suven Life Sciences, Ashu Organics Pvt. Ltd. and Hema Pharmaceuticals Private Limited among others.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactMr. Sudip. STransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:Visit Blog : Professional legal advice convenience goes Online! Your Legal Helping Hand www.higrit.com Yes, Its a bitter fact you might need a lawyer for legal advice or to represent you in court of law. This unpleasant situation as agonising as it might be gets enhanced to a more agonising situation when it comes to finding the correct professional help. Traditionally we all ask friends and family for legal reference. To keep private matters discrete, we search the web. But does it give the satisfaction of having found the right legal help, in this highly confusing and complex legal industry?As a consumer you need a variety of information to confidently choose the right lawyer including a better understanding of how the lawyer will approach the case and anticipated costs in addition to the lawyers experience and reviews.With this in mind HiGrit is designed to give consumers information and guidance to choose the right attorney. HiGrit is a platform, to organise and simplify legal search service; created with a mission to improve and modernise consumer's access to legal assistance and also ensuring registered lawyers get wider audience as prospective clients.There is very little guidance available for most consumers of legal services, and HiGrit seeks to fill that gap by obtaining information about lawyers and presenting it in a way that consumers can readily understand and use. says Manish SinghCo-Founder HiGrit and graduate from IIT Kharagpur and HEC, Paris. He adds, Apart from legal advice we also have services for start-ups and existing businesses varying from Tax registrations, Trademark & Copyright , Filing Returns and other mandatory compliances.HiGrit clients enjoy the following benefits of the site- Highly Experienced Lawyers: Vetted, Rated & Reviewed Available On-Demand: As per Requirement to save Time & Money Private & Secure: Confidential consultations and legal advice Research Legal Advice: Read articles, Q&A by lawyers on legal topicsHiGrits variety of services includes-HiGrits Free Q&A forum, user can post query and get their legal questions answered for FREE by more than 100 participating lawyers to make a more confident legal decision. Users can also find answers to previously asked questions in HiGrits Q&A.HiGrits Call an Expert Now is for instant on-demand legal consultations. Users start with entering their location and post legal issue/problem, to receive an immediate legal advice phone call, without any of the real-world hassles of talking to secretary, scheduling or driving to law office.HiGrit Start & Manage business Services allows individuals and business to select a legal service customize as per requirements & budget and receive personalized packaged service. Packages include convenient, one-stop services for Startups, Government & Tax registrations, Trademark & Copyright and other mandatory compliances.HiGrits Book an Appointment, user can search local lawyers and book a consultation. HiGrit allows users to intelligently search an expanding database of local lawyers and seamlessly schedule in-person or phone call consultations.Lawyers too are encouraged to register with HiGrit to increase their online visibility, along with HiGrit features like FREE Listing, direct access to Wider Audience, Verified Reviews by clients, Personal Profile, Guaranteed Payments and Easy Dashboard.HiGrit believes in becoming an efficient tool, understanding users needs and connecting them with lawyer with right legal advice. With HiGrit, businesses and individuals can efficiently access and manage quality and licensed lawyer/CA/CS service, round the clock.Need legal help? Not complicated anymore! Log on toTeamCo-foundersManish Singh: Manish has worked with Amazon at the Europe Headquarters, Luxembourg. He is an IIT Kharagpur graduate and HEC, Paris Master in Management year 1.Ashish Singh: With 5 years work experience in Business Intelligence from US, Ashish is Masters in Information Systems from Illinois State University. Established High Pressure Die Casting factory in Pune 2014.AshishMahajan: Product development, Lawyer relation officer. Owner of Osvin Web Solutions Pvt Ltd, a successful IT venture and a real estate developer.Survesh Sharma: Chief Technical officer. Owner of Osvin Web Solutions Pvt Ltd, a successful IT venture.About HiGritHiGrit.com is a platform, to organize and simplify legal search service; created with a mission to improve and modernize consumer's access to legal assistance and also ensuring registered lawyers get wider audience as prospective clients.HiGrit believes in becoming an efficient tool, understanding users needs and connecting them with lawyer with right legal advice. With HiGrit, businesses and individuals can efficiently access and manage quality and licensed lawyer/CA/CS service, round the clockHigritMoti Bagh, New Delhi, 110021Email: contact@higrit.comphone: 980246432 Oman National Cert, NTRA Egypt and Nispana join hands Eng. Bader Al Salehi, Director General of Oman National CERT and the head of ITU-ARCC and Mr. Narendra Kumar, MD, Nispana Global organizations continue to grapple with cybersecurity challenges. With the convergence of Internet-connected things, there will be newer risks and consequences arising out of seamless connectivity around us. Since the launch of ITU- Arab regional cyber security center (ITU- ARCC) in March 2013, it played a major role in raising and enhancing cyber security capabilitiesto be align with main aim of creating a safer & cooperative cybersecurity environment for the Arab region.For over two years Nispana, a business intelligence company, has been consistently working towards increasing awareness on the criticality of information security, along with Information Technology Authority (ITA) represented by Oman National CERT (OCERT)Today, the two global entities have inked the partnership that will create, develop and manage the fifth Annual of Regional Cyber Security Summit, taking place in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt from 30 October to 1 November 2016, in collaboration with the National Telecom regulatory Authority (NTRA) in Egypt.The partnership was signed today in Muscat, between Eng. Bader Al Salehi, Director General of Oman National CERT and the head of ITU-ARCC and Mr. Narendra Kumar, Managing Director of Nispana Innovative Platforms.These days, the significant number of cyber-attacks require boundless efforts to enhance cyber security posture. Eng. Badar Al Salehi OCERT DG & Head of ITU-ARCCThis high-level 3-day summit focuses on the collaboration of 22 Arab countries and the neighboring North African states to fight cybercrime and promote a safe internet environment for their internet users. The premium 3 day summit will also host and engage the most promising and emerging global firms across healthcare, energy& Utilities, Defence& Aviation, Hospitality, Media, Governments Authorities, Financial Institutions and Manufacturing sectors. These participating entities will be provided with unmatched exposure to the regional and global cyber security experts. This summit is an annual gathering organized by ITU - Arab Regional Cybersecurity Center (ITU-ARCC). This summit will be formulated around the key pillars of ITU which includes Capacity building, international & regional cooperation, Technical and legal measures capabilities and organizational structure.Enterprises, Authorities and nations across the region are withholding critical post breach information which is a disturbing trend and also preventing us from combating cybercrime effectively as mentioned by Soumeelee Bose -Program DirectorThe ITU Arab Regional Cyber Security Center is proud to announce this Summit which is co-organized by the Information Technology Authority through Oman National CERT (OCERT) and Nispana Innovative Platforms. The Regional Cyber security Summit in 2016 will extensively focus on future expected threats and measures, also aiming at global collaboration of public, private and academic sectors. This summit will attract over 300 plus CISOs senior ICT and cyber security officials from the MENA region to discuss find strategic directions and plans to tackle emerging threats to the global and regional information security sector.OCERT was officially launched in April 2010 to analyse risks and security threats that may be present in cyberspace and communicates this information to users of Internet services and technical information outlets, whether they are public or private institutions, or individuals. This added sense of security will also help to build trust when using government eServices. With the current emphasis on expanding and positioning the Official eGovernment Services Portal as the point of contact using government electronic services, enabling users to feel confident interacting with these services is crucial.Nispana Innovative Platforms Pvt. Ltd., a global provider of the finest business intelligence solutions today provides business leaders around the world with real time competitive B2B platforms. Working towards providing a multi-dimensional business catalyst, focusing on re-education, networking and most importantly deal making opportunities for all attendees is what we strive towards. Complimentary to the product offerings we also are your compliance and accreditation specialists.Oman National CERT Contact :Mrs. Aziza Al Rashdi, Director of Cybersecurity Professional Servicesaziza.alrashdi@ita.gov.omMs. Soumeelee BoseProgram Directors.bose@nispana.comNispana Innovative PlatformsSivanik , #270 , 2nd Floor , 14th Cross ,Indiranagar 2nd StageBangalore, Karnataka560 038 , India+91 80 4933 1000+91 7760 480 524 Advantages of Composites Over Traditional Materials Help Global Composite LPG Cylinders Industry Expand Market Research Hub http://www.marketresearchhub.com/report/global-composite-lpg-cylinders-industry-2016-trends-and-forecast-report-report.html http://www.marketresearchhub.com/enquiry.php?type=enquiry&repid=716266 http://www.marketresearchhub.com/ Albany, New York, June 21, 2016: Considering the recent developments in the global composite LPG cylinders industry, Market Research Hub has announced the addition of a new research report on the same subject. The report, titled Global Composite LPG Cylinders Industry 2016, Trends and Forecast Report, provides a detailed analysis of the topic through its 158 pages. It studies the nature of investments allocated to this industry over the forecast period and the regulatory framework that will largely decide its trajectory. Furthermore, the research analysts have also analyzed the changing perspectives on environmental conservation across the globe and their impact on this market in the given forecast period.Composite LPG cylinders have been developed to resolve the issues of conventional cylinders. These cylinders have been designed using composite and polymeric materials to deliver solutions of utmost safety. Composite LPG cylinders are considered to be the innovative solutions to the containment of gas in the near future by research analysts. These cylinders are used by household users, various industrial verticals, and by recreational centers.Browse Full Report with TOC @Researchers concur on some of the advantages of global composite LPG cylinders such as reduction in weight, improved endurance to fatigue, lowered manufacturing costs, and a unique ability to manipulate fabrication of the casing due to polymer composites. Above all these, composite LPG cylinders assure safety to handlers due to their durable structures. Composite LPG cylinders have the capability of weathering a wide range of climatic conditions and thus have gained a fair share of popularity in all the regions of the world.The research report segments the overall market in terms of geography into regions such as Asia, North America, and Europe. This segmentation allows the users to understand the dynamics defining the supply and sales of composite LPG cylinders in these regions for the next few years.Composite LPG cylinders are also gaining popularity as they are comparatively lightweight, which makes them easier to handle, thereby reducing the risk of injury. Furthermore, these cylinders do not need an additional expense for refurbishment as compared to traditional cylinders that have to be maintained to prevent rusting, over a period of time. The translucent materials also allow users to see the amount of gas that is used, which has eliminated the chances of inaccurate guesswork in using a gas cylinder.Request for Sample Report with TOC in a PDF Format:The research report about the global composite LPG cylinders industry market profiles some of the top players in the market to explain the competitive landscape of the overall market. The report also assesses the investments made by these players to up their research and development activities in a bid to gain a competitive edge. Given this stiff vendor landscape, the researchers have made incisive comments on the financial overview, investment outlook, business and marketing strategies, and overall expansion plan of these operating players in the global composite LPG cylinders industry in the coming few years.Market Research Hub (MRH) is a next-generation reseller of research reports and analysis. MRHs expansive collection of market research reports has been carefully curated to help key personnel and decision makers across industry verticals to clearly visualize their operating environment and take strategic steps.MRH functions as an integrated platform for the following products and services: Objective and sound market forecasts, qualitative and quantitative analysis, incisive insight into defining industry trends, and market share estimates. Our reputation lies in delivering value and world-class capabilities to our clients.90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United StatesToll Free : 866-997-4948 (US-Canada)Tel : +1-518-621-2074Email : sales@marketresearchhub.comWebsite : Dr. Hahn receives German Brand Award 2016 Klaus Weiss, Head of Marketing & PR, German Brand Award 2016 ceremony of 16 June 2016 Door hinge specialist Dr. Hahn was awarded the winner signet in the Industry Excellence in Branding: Building & Elements category at the German Brand Award 2016! The new award was given to the hinge manufacturer for successful brand leadership, demonstrating homogeneity in appearance.Visible brand successOver the course of several years, the medium-size company has created a consistent presence which represents a characteristic brand identity, from its hinges right up to its corporate communication. The logo subheading Hinges. Made in Germany has managed to connect the world-renowned sign of quality Made in Germany to the manufacturers hinge portfolio.Dr. Hahns unique selling point, a range profundity unparalleled in the industry, has been illustrated by the claim The perfect solution for any situation.Hahnfunction - a sign of qualityIn addition, company founder Dr. Walter Hahn established the seal of quality hahnfunction, which is the defining sign of quality for Dr. Hahn products and services: hahnfunction marks the sum of services at every clients disposal at any time. Dr. Walter Hahn. The constant pursuit of innovation and its large variety of services have made Dr. Hahn into one of the leading hinge manufacturers and have continuously strengthened the Dr. Hahn brand.The homogeneity in appearance is now paying off in form of the winner signet Industry Excellence in Branding: Building & Elements at the German Brand Award 2016.Dr. Hahn has played a leading role in development of hinges for metal and plastic doors for more than 50 years. The company was founded by Dr. Walter Hahn who first specialized in the forming of thermoplastic materials. Later on, production was expanded to include components for hinges as well as complete hinges for todays competition, until the company developed its own programme of screw-on hinges. Asia and North America are some of our most important sales markets in addition to Central and Eastern Europe. Export makes up approximately 65 % of sales.Dr. Hahn GmbH & Co. KGKlaus WeissPostfach 400 10941189 MonchengladbachTel.: ++49 (0)21 66/95 44 28Fax: ++49 (0)21 66/95 45 79E-mail: klaus.weiss@dr-hahn.de The launching ceremony of the worlds largest nuclear icebreaker took place at the Baltijskiy Zavod in Saint-Petersburg On the 16th of June 2016 the Baltijskiy Zavod Sudostroenie (shipbuilding) (part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation) has launched the pilot nuclear icebreaker Arktika (Project 22220), which is built to the order of ROSATOM.The ceremony was attended by Chairwoman of the Council of Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Valentina Matvienko; Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of Russia in North-West District Vladimir Bulavin; Governor of Murmansk Region Marina Kovtun; CEO of ROSATOM Sergey Kirienko; General Director of FSUE Atomflot Vyacheslav Ruksha; and others.In the presence of several thousands of spectators, Valentina Matvienko smashed the traditional bottle of champagne on the board, launching the largest and most powerful nuclear icebreaker in the world. Today, the nuclear industry of Russia has the important day. The worlds largest and most powerful nuclear icebreaker Arktika has left the slipway. For many polar explorers, it is the meaning of life to develop the Arctic. I am certain the icebreaker Arktika will give the new impetus to the development of the Arctic, she said in her welcoming speech.In his welcoming speech, Sergey Kirienko noted: The todays event is an enormous victory in all senses! Large work has been done; there are no analogues of the icebreaker such as the Arktika in the world. Thanks to the team of the Baltijskiy Zavod, everything has been done on schedule and the Arktika will come on-stream. This icebreaker is most up-to-date by its parameters; all technical capabilities which have never been used on other vessels are implemented here. The icebreaker Arktika means real new opportunities for our country!The first series-made icebreaker is already on the slipway and in September this year the keel of the second series icebreaker will be laid, General Director of FSUE Atomflot Vyacheslav Ruksha said. We are facing the task of commissioning the pilot nuclear icebreaker Arktika by the end of December 2017. This is due date laid down in the contract terms. We hope our partners will be reliable and fulfill their obligations, he said.The universal nuclear icebreaker of Project 22220 is on, FSUE Atomflots major task will be the support of all-year-round navigation along the entire Northern Sea Route: delivery of hydrocarbons to the Pacific Asia markets.For information:The pilot nuclear icebreaker of Project 22220 is built to the class of the Russian Marine Register of Shipping (RS) at the Baltijskiy Zavod Sudostroenie by order of ROSATOM (the keel was laid on November 5, 2013). It will be the largest and most powerful nuclear icebreaker in the world. The icebreaker is designed for independent steering of ships (including large tonnage ones) and leading caravans in the West Arctic all-year-round. The double-draft design of the ship makes possible to use her both in the Arctic and in estuaries of the Polar rivers (in particular, in shallow water of the Yenissei River (Dudinka) and the Gulf of Ob). The icebreaker can be also used for towing ships and other vessels in the ice and open water, rendering assistance to ships, and carrying out rescue operations in the ice and open water. The maximum thickness of solid even fast ice the icebreaker can overcome is 2.9 meters.Private institution of Atomic Energy Power Corporation has been established for the development and management of regional representative offices of Rosatom all over the world. The main objectives of the company are supporting of the Rosatom divisions activity at the foreign markets, searching for new business opportunities, promotion of production and services of the Russian nuclear industry enterprises at the global market, assistance in creating effective business alliances, marketing and PR support of Rosatom enterprises; performing other functions in the sphere of international business by order of Rosatom and its divisions.One Raffles Place, Tower 2, #1961; Singapore Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients Market worth 205.51 Billion USD by 2020 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/API-Market-263.html http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=263 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalyst.asp?id=263 The report "Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients Market by type (Innovative, Generic), Type of Synthesis (Synthetic, Biotech), Type of Manufacturer (Captive, Merchant), Therapy (Oncology, diabetes, Orthopedic, CNS, Nephrology, Ophthalmology) - Global Forecast to 2020", The global Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients market is expected to reach USD 205.51 Billion by 2020 from USD 150 Billion in 2015, at a CAGR of 6.5% during the forecast period.Browse 121 market data tables and 56 figures spread through 206 pages and in-depth TOC on Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients MarketEarly buyers will receive 10% customization on this report.The report segments the APIs market based on types, type of manufacturer, type of synthesis, therapeutic area and regions. On the basis of type, the market is segmented into innovative and generic APIs. The innovative APIs segment is expected to account for the largest share of APIs market, by type, in 2015.Among the type of manufacturer, the merchant APIs segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Complexity and high expenses associated with in-house manufacturing of APIs as well as the increased competition from emerging contract manufacturers are propelling the growth of this segment.Read More | Get PDF Brochure@Increasing global incidence of lifestyle and age-related diseases as well as cancer, technological advances in APIs manufacturing, increased awareness among people for better personal healthcare, government initiatives to increase availability and accessibility for better healthcare, and development of biologics and high potency APIs are propelling the growth of APIs market. On the other hand, the, stringent regulatory requirements and global economic recession may restrict market growth.On the basis of region, the APIs market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia, and the Rest of the World (RoW). North America is expected to account for the largest share of this market in 2015 and will continue to dominate the market during the forecast period. The Asian market is poised to grow at the highest CAGR, mainly due to low labor and manufacturing costs, increasing disposable income, increasing population with lifestyle and age related diseases and governmental emphasis on healthcare reforms.Talk To Our Research Analyst@The APIs market is highly fragmented and competitive, with several big as well as emerging market players. Key market players include Teva Pharmaceuticals limited (Israel), Sun Pharmaceuticals Industries Limited (India), Dr. Reddys Laboratories Ltd. (India), Aurobindo (India), Novartis International AG (Switzerland), Boehringer Ingelheim (Germany), Albemarle Corporation (U.S.), Sigma-Aldrich (U.S.), Mylan (U.K.), Allergan plc.(Ireland),About MarketsandMarkets:MarketsandMarkets is the worlds No. 2 firm in terms of annually published premium market research reports. Serving 1700 global fortune enterprises with more than 1200 premium studies in a year, M&M is catering to a multitude of clients across 8 different industrial verticals. We specialize in consulting assignments and business research across high growth markets, cutting edge technologies and newer applications. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors.M&Ms flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. The new included chapters on Methodology and Benchmarking presented with high quality analytical infographics in our reports gives complete visibility of how the numbers have been arrived and defend the accuracy of the numbers.We at MarketsandMarkets are inspired to help our clients grow by providing apt business insight with our huge market intelligence repository.Contact:Mr. RohanUnit No. 802, 8th Floor,Tower - 7, Magarpatta City SEZ,Hadapsar, Pune 411013,Maharashtra, India.Tel: +1-888-6006-441. Performance Testing Services India Performance Testing Services India http://www.sumasoft.com/qa-and-testing-services/performance-testing-services-india/?utm_source=PressRelease&utm_medium=Post&utm_campaign=PerformanceTestingServices Texas (USA), Canada (Toronto) & India (Business Network) : Suma Soft specializes in delivering efficient Performance Testing Services in India that solve performance defects and are designed to meet demands at any stage of the software development life cycle. Our testing team helps clients determine how a system performs in terms of responsiveness and stability of an application under particular load. By conducting extensive research, our experienced testers develop testing frameworks to accelerate your business process and optimize testing.1. End-To-End Performance Testing:Making use of all leading commercial, licensed and open source performance engineering tools; we provide end-to-end performance testing of software. This helps you detect, determine and verify the speed, stability and reliability of the system.2. Application Performance Measurement:Being the top performance testing company in Maharashtra, Suma Soft conducts load testing, stress testing, soak testing and volume testing at different levels of application for analyzing the capacity of the system and servers response time.3. Testing At The Development Stage:Softwares performance issues are usually difficult to identify before an application is launched. However, when tested after launch, it involves costly remedial work. We, at Suma Soft test new systems in the development stage and render corrective measures.The highly customized performance test of Suma Soft helps businesses quickly verify the performance prior to implementation. Our skilled performance testing resources understand systems, networks and software architecture. We perform several performance testing to break bottlenecks and work directly with the developers to help them analyze systems. Find more here-Suma Soft specializes in delivering efficient performance testing services in India that solve performance defects and are designed to meet demands at any stage of the software development life cycle.Suma Soft Private Limited, SumaCenter, 2nd Floor, Opposite Himali Society. Erandawane, Pune, Maharashtra 411004 Understanding P272 Regulations http://www.teamenergy.com P272 is a regulatory change which alters the way business energy use is metered and billed. TEAM's Bureau Manager, Scott Tomsett, explains more...All electricity suppliers have a P272 regulatory obligation directed by Ofgem to change the way customers with Profile Classes of 05 to 08 meters are billed. These changes must be made by April 2017.What is the P272 Regulation?In summary, P272 requires all Non-Half Hourly (NHH) Profile Class 05-08 meters to go through a Change of Measurement Class (CoMC) to Half Hourly (HH) Settlement. In the majority of cases this upgrade can be done remotely and you should not need a change of meter.The changes will ensure that costs get reconciled accurately between customers and suppliers and between suppliers and generators this process is known as the 'settlement'.Your meter Profile Class can be found from the MPAN number on your electricity bill. It's the first two digits after the 'S' in the top row of the boxes.Around 160,000 sites in profile classes 05-08 are affected by the changes. P272 will provide all of them with more accurate billing and energy consumption data. Current energy costs are based on how much you use but not when you use it P272 aims to change that. The HH data will be used to calculate to the penny how much it costs to supply you with the energy you use at the time you use it.The cost of using electricity at certain times of day (typically between 4pm and 7pm on weekdays), is likely to be much higher while costs at other times may be slightly lower. This presents some opportunities for businesses to assess their energy consumption profiles to see whether demand can be moved from peak periods to cheaper times of the day.What will the P272 changes mean to you?Rather than paying for NHH standard profile rates, HH system charges are usually applied according to the time of day that energy is used. For some businesses, it may mean that energy costs are reduced. But for others with high consumption at the most expensive times of day, energy costs could rise substantially.Moving to the HH market means you will need to appoint a Meter Operator (MOP) and Data Collector (DC) to maintain and read your meter. If you do not select your preferred provider in time, your supplier will appoint its default agents but they could prove to be more expensive.Moving to HH Settlement means that Network Charges i.e. Distribution Use of System (DUoS) and Transmission Use of System (TNUoS), could appear on your bills, allowing greater transparency in the validation process.The real added bonus is that P272 provides you, not only with accurate billing, but also with a huge amount of insight into how, when and where you use energy every half-an-hour of each day.Shopping around for a MOP and DC can help save significant amounts a year for every site that meets the P272 criteria.How can TEAM help? Contact us to find out more.David Park, Environmental Manager for ScotRail, said:"We have 22 meters that meet the P272 criteria. We are currently going through the process of getting them upgraded. We've appointed our own Data Collector and Meter Operator because it worked out much cheaper. I would urge businesses to shop around for a DC and MOP because using agents from your supplier could end up costing more."About the AuthorScott Tomsett is the Bureau Services manager at TEAM. Scott has worked in the utilities industry since 1998 and joined TEAM in 2009. As the Bureau Service Manager Scott has a wealth of information to help TEAM customers save money with TEAMs Outsourced Bill Validation Service.Find out more atTEAM (Energy Auditing Agency Ltd.)34 The ForumRockingham Drive, Linford WoodMilton Keynes, MK14 6LYUnited Kingdom Global Smart Card Market 2016 Industry Research, Demand, Supply, Trends, Growth & Analysis http://goo.gl/pSXVQs https://goo.gl/02vjYt A market study based on the "Smart Card market" across the globe, recently added to the repository of QY Market research, is titled Global Smart Card Market 2016. The research report analyzes the historical as well as present performance of the global Smart Card market, and makes predictions on the future status of Smart Card market on the basis of this analysis.The report studies the market for Smart Card across the globe taking the existing industry chain, the import and export statistics in Smart Card market & dynamics of demand and supply of Smart Card into consideration.Get Free Sample Copy of Report Here :The ' Smart Card 'research study covers each and every aspect of the Smart Card market globally, which starts from the definition of the Smart Card market and develops towards Smart Card market segmentations. Further, every segment of the Smart Card market is classified and analyzed on the basis of product types, application, and the end-use industries of the Smart Card market. The geographical segmentation of the Smart Card market has also been covered at length in this report.The competitive landscape of the global market for Smart Card is determined by evaluating the various market participants, production capacity, Smart Card market's production chain, and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the Smart Card market worldwide.Visit My LinkedIn Profile :The global Smart Card market 2016 is also analyzed on the basis of product pricing, Smart Card production volume, data regarding demand and Smart Card supply, and the revenue garnered by the product. Various methodical tools such as investment returns, feasibility, and market attractiveness analysis has been used in the research to present a comprehensive study of the market for Smart Card across the globe.About Us:QY Market Research is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations.Contact Us:Joel JohnDeerfield Beach, Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803Web: QY Market ResearchEmail: sales@qymarketresearch.com Saudi Privatization Summit 2016 Unlocking the hidden potential of Saudi Arabia, a pathway to achieve Saudi Vision 2030 www.nispana.com/sps The current oil catastrophe and economic stress is compelling Saudi Arabia to transform and is set to create the World's biggest and Middle Easts strongest Sovereign Wealth Fund by welcoming International investments and privatizing state-owned companies. The Kingdom envisions to increase non-oil revenue to USD 120 Billion per year, by 2020 and a six-fold growth to USD 266 Billion per year by 2030.Diversifying traditionally-oil based economies and reducing the reliance on oil has become a key issue in the Middle East. Independence from Oil revenues, Saudi Arabias latest announcements, including a share-sale in the worlds biggest oil company, is fast tracking the process of private sector participation. Private wealth in the Middle East has been estimated at $1.5 trillion. The Kingdoms economic diversification and transformation is encouraging a progressive political environment, more liberal immigration policy and a robust economy. Radical reforms in the Middle East are in search for more fair economic opportunities. The Saudi Vision 2030, a challenging move, aiming to substitute nationalization with a liberal economic and social approach is presenting a favorable opportunity for companies globally to invest reliable long term capitals in a wide range of sectors like education, healthcare, energy, utilities, culture & tourism, aviation, and hospitality etc. Middle East's investment needs are high and its shortage of foreign capital has created a demanding situation. Privatization in Saudi Arabia has reciprocated some intriguing forecasts. SAR 41 Billion Public & Private partnership investments in the Healthcare sector, 11 Airports to be privatized, increasing Umrah performers and visitors to 30 million, reducing unemployment to 7.6% from the present 11%, adding womens participation in the workforce to 30% from the present 22%, mining sector to opportune more than 90,000 jobs, 295 hospitals to be privatized with value of health services provided exceeding SAR 12 Trillion, 75 star hotels to open in Saudi Arabia by 2020, construction sector has projects worth 442 Billion in pipeline followed by transport with USD 228 Billion and Power with USD 170 Billion. Boosting the countrys economy, creating jobs for the youth populations of Saudi which is supporting the Kingdoms Nationalization drive, building competitiveness, women empowerment, improve quality of services, building promising economic sectors, fostering transparency and transfer of knowledge & technology into the Kingdom without compromising the sustainable success.Nispana Innovative Platforms has established the demand to garner champions with competent know-how to host the inaugural Saudi Privatization Summit which is aligned to Saudi Arabias Vision 2030, by congregating national & international experts and stakeholders from this sector to discuss the opportunities and challenges in privatization. This Summit will be a perfect gateway to reach C-level executives like Chief Investment Officers (CIOs), Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), Chief Financial Officer (CFOs), Chairmen, Managing Directors, Presidents and Vice Presidents, to collaborate and evaluate the development of relevant legislations and issues affecting privatization framework.Nispana Innovative Platforms Pvt. Ltd., a global provider of the finest business intelligence solutions today provides business leaders around the world with real time competitive B2B platforms. Working towards providing a multi-dimensional business catalyst, focusing on re-education, networking and most importantly deal making opportunities for all attendees is what we strive towards. Complimentary to the product offerings we also are your compliance and accreditation specialists.Media Contact Details:-Arnab DasManager- Marketing and CommunicationsNispana Innovative Platforms#270 , Sivanik , 2nd Floor , 14th Cross ,Indiranagar 2nd StageBangalore, Karnataka560 038 , India+91 80 4933 1000Email arnab.das@nispana.comWebsite . . . Boron Minerals and Boron Chemicals Market: Size, Share, Development, Growth and Demand Forecast to 2016 - 2026 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/11074 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Boron Minerals and Boron Chemicals Market: IntroductionBoron is an indispensable element, mostly found in soil, water and rocks across the globe. The average soil boron concentration is in the range of 10 to 20 ppm, however most of the areas across the globe is boron deficient. High concentration of boron in soil has found in western part of the U.S. and area in between Mediterranean to Kazakhstan. The average sew water boron concentration is ranges from 0.5 to 9.0 ppm, while fresh water has very low boron concentration. Highly concentrated and economically feasible boron sources are generally found in the in arid areas with a history of volcanism or hydrothermal activities such as Turkey and United States. Open-pit mining method is used to mine large deposits of high grade beds of crude borax at the Kramer deposit in California and the Kirka deposit in Ankara, Turkey.Boron minerals concentrates and chemicals are commercially produced and consumed worldwide. Borax pentahydrate, Borax (tincal), Colemanite, Ulexite, Boric Acid and Anhydrous borax are the important boron minerals and chemicals which widely used by chemical industry to manufacture variety of products such as detergents and laundry bleaches, glass, adhesives, agrochemicals and fire retardants among others. Boron is an essential element for plants, which help the transfer of sugar from leaves to reproductive system, and enable pollination and seed development. Boron minerals has found great application in manufacturing variety of glass such as borosilicate glass, insulation fiberglass, textile fiberglass, enamels and glazes. Borosilicate glass has more thermal shock resistance due to the presence of boron trioxide which lowers the expansion coefficient. In fiberglass, boric acid offers desirable quality drawing and improves its mechanical and chemical properties such as strength and durability. Boron is also used to treat wood, in order to protect it against delay by white/brown rots. Boron exhibits excellent metal oxide stabilizing ability and used in welding rods and fluxes. Boric acid, borates and tetraborates are widely used by pharmaceuticals industries to manufacture personal care products such as bath products, oral hygiene products and talc.Boron Minerals and Boron Chemicals Market: Market DynamicsGlass and ceramic and chemicals are two industries which accounts for major consumption of boron minerals and its compounds. Recovering construction industry especially after financial downturn in North America and Western Europe is expected to drive demand for boron composite fiberglass. Agriculture is an essential need of a community and agriculture industry is expected to grow linear with growth in population. Growing demand for reinforced materials especially in Asia Pacific will drive the consumption of boron compounds. Value added application of boron compounds in alloy and metal industry is expected to drive overall consumption of boron minerals and its compounds at steady rate. However growing regulations over use of boron in personal care products may restrain the consumption of boron and its compounds.Boron Minerals and Boron Chemicals Market: SegmentationOn basis of product types, global boron minerals and boron chemicals market can be segmented as follow as;Boron MineralsBoron ChemicalsBulk VolumeBoric AcidOthers BoratesSmall VolumeElemental BoronBoron HalidesBoron CarbideBoridesOthersOn basis of application, global boron minerals and boron chemicals market can be segmented as follow as;Glass and CeramicsInsulation FiberglassTextile FiberglassGlassEnamels and GlazesDetergents and BleachesAlloy and MetalsFire RetardantsAgrochemicalsAdhesiveOther ChemicalsOn basis of geographies, global boron minerals and boron chemicals market can be segmented as follow as;North AmericaLatin AmericaWestern EuropeEastern EuropeAsia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ)JapanMiddle East and Africa (MEA)Request to view TOC:Boron Minerals and Boron Chemicals Market: Regional OutlookAfter economic down turn in Europe and North America, construction industry is recovering slowly and it is expected that boron minerals and boron chemicals market will grow with a growth of construction industry in this region. However consumption of boron minerals and boron chemicals in APAC has been significantly increased in last five years and it is expected that it will grow linearly, owing to infrastructure development in India and China. Turkey and U.S. are collectively accounted for the largest production of boron and its compounds and global boron minerals and boron chemicals market is dominated by this geographies. Growing end-use industries such as automobile, electronics, chemicals and construction in APAC will drive the consumption of fiberglass significantly.Boron Minerals and Boron Chemicals Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players in the global boron minerals and boron chemicals market are as follow as;Eti MadenRio Tinto GroupAmerican Borate CompanyBoron Specialist LLCGremont Chemicals Co. Ltd.Searles Valley Minerals Inc.Orocobre LimitedRose Mill Co.The Chemical CompanyMitsui Chemicals, Inc.The research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to categories such as market segments and geographies.The report covers exhaustive analysis on:Market SegmentsMarket DynamicsMarket SizeSupply & DemandCurrent Trends/Issues/ChallengesCompetition & Companies involvedValue ChainRegional analysis includes:North AmericaLatin AmericaAsia PacificJapanWestern EuropeEastern EuropeMiddle East & AfricaThe report is a compilation of first-hand information, qualitative and quantitative assessment by industry analysts, inputs from industry experts, and industry participants across the value chain. The report provides an in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macroeconomic indicators and governing factors, along with market attractiveness within the segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various market factors on market segments and various geographies.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.ContactPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th FloorNew York City, NY 10007USUSA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Asset Castle Investments Follows India Closely As It Announces Sweeping Foreign Investment Reforms Asset Castle Investments Closely follows India As It Announces Sweeping Foreign Investment Reforms This week on Monday India announced a sweeping relaxation of foreign direct investment rules in civil aviation, defence and a string of other sectors as part of efforts to open up the economy.The government freed up nine areas of the economy, including allowing foreign companies to wholly own local airlines as it looks to spur investment in the worlds second most populous country.Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that the radical changes would make India the most open economy in the world for FDI and were aimed at generating jobs for the countrys tens of millions of young people.Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the changes were focused on making it easier for overseas companies to manufacture in India, notorious for its red tape and labyrinthine regulations.Under the changes, companies like Apple could move closer to opening stores in India after the government eased regulations on local sourcing.Overseas companies will in future be allowed to own local airlines outright, compared to a previous 49 percent cap, with government approval.Investment in building and modernizing airports around the country will also be eased.The cap on investment in defence was raised to 100 percent from 49 percent, subject to government approval in cases which give India access to modern technology.The Changes come after popular central bank governor Raghuram Rajan announced at the weekend that he would not seek a second term from September.Rajan is credited with helping to reform and revive the economy and his announcement raised concerns among analysts about governments commitment to reform.Modi stormed to power in 2014, promising an overhaul of the faltering economy. Shortly after taking the reins his government raised forein investment caps in the defence and insurance sectors and for some railway projects.Growth is now chugging along at 7.9 percent, the fastest of any major economy.But the government has been criticized for failing to implement major reforms to boost investment and help create jobs.The announcement came after Modi chaired a meeting of his top officials Monday, looking to increase foreign investment from the 55.46 billion dollars reached last financial year.Apple last month hit a roadblock in its plans after the government ruled it must buy at least 30 percent of its parts locally if it wants to open stores in India.Single-brand foreign retailers can now operate stores for three years before having to comply with local sourcing rules and for five years if they can prove their products are cutting edge or state-of-the-art.The changes to defence come after Modi vowed to end Indias status as the worlds number one defence importer. He wants 70 percent of hardware to be manufactured domestically by the turn of the decade.Indias aviation sector has undergone rapid transformation since a liberalisation drive began in 2003, but most people still travel the vast country by rail and road.The government wants India to become the worlds third largest civil aviation market by 2022.With these new relaxed reforms India will continue to grow their economy and the increasing foreign investment will make their economy solid for the future stated investment analyst Ben Groves for Asset Castle Investments.Asset Castle Investments is a private, leading global alternative asset manager with approximately $87 billion of assets under management ("AUM") and approximately 800 employees.We seek to deliver attractive performance to our investor base across our investment groups and strategies, including tradable credit (long-only and alternative credit), direct lending, private equity and real estate (debt and equity). The firm is headquartered in Hong Kong.6th Floor, Suite 5609, Cheung Kong Centre,2 Queens Road, Central Hong Kong Huaptec Launched New HiBoost Booster Line with LCD Display HiBoost cell phone signal booster This summer Huaptec Co. Ltd., the global provider of mobile signal enhancement solutions, excited the market with an innovative product. Its a cell phone signal booster equipped with real-time LCD display. The device is aimed to resolve poor signal reception in homes and offices of common mobile phone users in a new easy way. In addition to LCD the booster comes with smart software in the heart of the system able to self-adjust best performance even when signal conditions are most complicated.LCD display doesnt serve just to make the gadget look stylish and modern. According to the producer, it performs a few exact functions. Firstly, the display shows three main system parameters frequency, gain and output power to let the user be always aware of the boosters current working state. If the system supports two or even more frequency bands at a time, abovementioned parameters will be displayed for each band by turn.Secondly, LCD screen makes troubleshooting a breeze. Previously the user could only settle for one alarm LED that gave no hint at the problem. Now If some malfunction occurs, Hiboost will display one of two abbreviations ALC or ISO. The user manual gives a thorough explanation what each of them means and how to fix it.Finally, display is a great assistant in installation procedure. Signal strength inside a house, office or any other badly covered area directly depends on correct installation of each of the system parts. And topmost of them all is outdoor antenna. LCD display helps to select best position for its mounting. All a user should do is to connect the antennas cable to the booster, then to power supply and check output power value shown on the screen. The point where highest rated value is displayed is most suitable for outdoor antenna mounting.Self-adaptive software in HiBoost LCD repeater is called AGC or automatic gain control. Its an intelligent function that automatically sets system parameters necessary for your particular area. AGC measures outdoor signal strength from the nearest mobile network station and regulates amplification power inside clients area basing on this value. Moreover, AGC function protects from radiation and interference with cell tower, as mobile network operators and the booster performs.HiBoost LCD repeaters are also introduced in non-standard model selection. Customers of mobile signal solutions are accustomed to double and triple band models that support two and three frequency bands respectively. Huaptec came up to the market with quint band models able to improve 2G, 3G and 4G networks of all major mobile operators worldwide at a time.Inesa Brown, Huaptec EU Office Director, shares her thoughts about a new LCD HiBoost product: Were constantly improving our solutions. Huaptec R&D Department is an unflagging fountain of talent, energy and enthusiasm that is generating and implementing new ideas non-stop. This year we managed to bring to a bright end the development that captured our minds long time ago a booster with LCD display. And now Im proud to announce loudly that LCD HiBoost product is the future of mobile signal enhancement industry. Its a new way to improve cellular signal anywhere from a small home or office up to a large-scale project. No complexity or uncertainty in device maintenance anymore, just have a look at the booster display and it will tell you more than 10 technical assistants.Huaptec is one of the first mobile signal booster manufacturers that worked out boosters with LCD screen. The company takes the leading position at the global market of cellular signal enhancement solutions for about 4 last years. Huaptec bases in Shenzhen, China and has regional offices in the USA, Germany and India. The booster manufacturer specializes both in home/office signal solutions for personal use and industrial repeater equipment for mobile network operators and system integrators.Huaptec Telecom GmbHBenno-Strau-Street 7 90763Furth Germany4420 3239 5808Inesa BrownSales Directorinfo@huaptec.eu Miracles Past And Present - Author Donna Louis Gives Readers A New Perspective On Miracles Christian author Donna Louis http://www.miraclebook.net A recent story on CBS News told the tale of Stan Larkin, who lived for 555 days without a heart, waiting for a transplant. He was near death when the doctors implanted an artificial device that kept him alive 555 days before he received his transplant. This story captured the hearts and minds of Americans and was detailed not only on CBS News' but also Fox news, Forbes - in fact nearly every news organization.In another miraculous story, a 37 year old Portuguese woman, declared brain dead after suffering a hemorrhage, gave birth to a healthy child. The baby was delivered via Caesarean section after 32 weeks in his mother's womb. Doctors kept the mother on life support to allow the baby time to develop more fully. The story ran on Fox, Pravda, Medical Daily and many other. Mirror.co.uk referred to the child as a "miracle baby".The dictionary defines a miracle as an extraordinary event in the physical world. When we think of miracles, those of us in Western countries often think of walking on water and raising people from the dead. But perhaps a miracle does not have to involve a supernatural being or power who directly causes these things to happen through supernatural means. Perhaps that Power works in physical reality through the minds and the hands of mankind. This begs the question: Are these modern day stories miracles? Certainly they are, if we believe God works through man in the world.Donna Louis' new book, 'Miracles of Direction, Miracles of Conquest, Miracles of Provision and Miracles of Purpose' explores biblical miracles that took place while Jesus was here on earth. She then references with miracles that take place on a daily basis in the modern world. She separates these miracles into four categories and presents insightful example of each type, taken directly from the Bible.Louis knows her subject well, as she has personally experienced three miracles. As the result of those life-altering experiences, she began an in-depth study of some of Christianity's most well-documented miracles. In her book, she attempts to expand upon and explain both the purpose and the direction of those miracles."God is the Author and Finisher of our fate," Louis stated. "God can create life through a dead organ the same way he can continue life through an artificial device. God is the be all and end all that is why he is named Jehovah Jireh which means the Lord our Provider."Donna Louis was chosen as a winner in the 2015 '50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading' awards contest. 'Miracles' has also received rave reviews from readers. One review called it "amazing, uplifting and inspirational". Another stated, "I was profoundly impressed by the writing."Donna Louis is available for media interviews and can be reached using the information below or by email at donnalouisgodsmessenger@aol.com. 'Miracles of Direction, Miracles of Conquest, Miracles of Provision and Miracles of Purpose' is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Xulon Press. More information is available at her website.Donna Louis is happily married to her husband of 30 years Patrick Louis and currently resides in Florida. She lives to accomplish the task that God created her for and on a daily basis to follow Proverbs 3:5-6. "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."PO Box 1613Shallotte, NC 28459 El Comidista recalled the UK ambassador for consultations over the issue of the paella sandwich and other atrocities committed by the British against Spanish cuisine. The diplomat convinced us to sign a peace treaty in exchange for a great recipe for roast chicken. Our classic Spanish dishes are the victims of horrible crimes in many countries, but if any one nation stands out for its pure savagery, that is the United Kingdom. Chefs, food brands and supermarket chains all over Perfidious Albion have cheerfully come up with monstrosities like the paella sandwich, patatas bravas soup and the chorizo waffle. And what has Spain done about it? Nothing. So many displays of patriotism, so much hoopla over Gibraltar, yet none of our authorities have raised their voice against these sizable offenses. Faced with this government apathy, El Comidista decided to recall the British ambassador for consultations over these atrocious crimes by his fellow Brits, with complete disregard for the fact that he might have some minor issues to contend with at the moment, such as oh, say, Brexit. Simon Manley attempted to justify these outrages, but since his explanations were not very convincing, he played another card: getting to our hearts through our stomachs. And it worked. He showed us how to prepare a fantastic Sunday roast in fact, it was so good that it made us forget all about Gordon Ramsays paella with sherry wine and hot chili peppers. Its all there in the video above: take a look and you will see that the British are not as stuck up as you thought, and their cuisine is not as terrible as you thought, either. English version and subtitles by Susana Urra. RENO Carole Evans of Elko has won the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners Wayne E. Kirch Conservation award. Evans commitment to Nevadas wildlife resources will be recognized during the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners meeting this week in Elko. Evans, a fisheries biologist who retired last month from the Bureau of Land Management, was nominated for the award by Connie Lee, also of Elko and an NDOW employee. In 2015 Evans had a very impressive record of time and commitment to Nevadas wildlife, the nomination stated. She spearheaded cooperative grazing management and watershed restoration efforts in the Maggie Creek Basin and Susie Creek watersheds to recover habitat for the federally threatened Lahontan cutthroat trout. Her quiet style, realism and perseverance forged invaluable relationships and helped bring millions of dollars in funds, and in-kind contributions to help recover the species to a part of its native range, stated NDOW. In 2015 Evans worked on numerous projects including Susie Creek, South Fork Canyon, Tuscaroras Boulder Valley and others. Her outside the box thinking and unconventional methods and efforts to garner cooperation from all stakeholders resulted in on-the-ground results for the benefit of all wildlife. As an advocate for riparian and upland habitat restoration, her work with multiple partners has resulted in managed grazing, increased water storage and better habitat conditions in both the Susie Creek and Maggie Creek areas. Evans said 2015 saw the culmination of many years of work come together to keep fish alive. While Evans favorite animal is the sandhill crane, her emphasis on collaboration and partnership has resulted in tremendous benefit for a myriad of species. Evans said while it has certainly been challenging to balance a heavy workload and working with partners from the private and public sectors, it has been very rewarding as well. The Wayne E. Kirch Conservation Award is given annually to recipients who have demonstrated significant results toward conservation, management or enhancement of wildlife. It is named in memory of Wayne E. Kirch, who served on the Fish and Game Commission for more than 25 years, the longest tenure on the board since its inception in 1877. Kirch, of Las Vegas, died in 1989. The state wildlife board is scheduled to meet Friday and Saturday at Great Basin College in Room 130. ELKO Elko Police officers apprehended an escapee from the Humboldt Conservation Camp in Winnemucca late Monday night. Around 10:48 p.m., police responded to a report of an injured person underneath the Fifth Street Bridge, near the river. They determined it was James Westbrook Jr., 23, of Elko. Officers had prior knowledge that Westbrook had been reported as an escapee from the custody of the Nevada Department of Corrections, said Lt. Ty Trouten. Westbrook reportedly told police he had illegally boarded a freight train in Winnemucca, which was headed east toward Elko, where his father lives. When the train arrived in Elko and neared the Fifth Street Bridge, Westbrook jumped from the moving train car and landed in the nearby rocks near the edge of the river, said Trouten, explaining Westbrook sustained injuries from his landing. Westbrook was treated at Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital before being returned to the Department of Corrections. The agency reported Westbrook and fellow inmate Nicco Donavan Way, 25, walked away from the minimum-security facility over the weekend, according to the Associated Press. Way was found earlier Monday in Reno, said officials. Westbrook was convicted in September 2015 of burglary and drug charges and sentenced in Elko District Court to 16 to 72 months. This conviction was in relation to a June 2014 burglary, where Westbrook stole approximately $13,000 from Joes Roadside Market on Fifth Street. Westbrook fled to Reno after initial contact with police, according to Free Press files. The Elko County District Attorneys Office charged Westbrook with burglary and grand larceny valued at $3,500 or greater in August 2014. Westbrook also had an alternative charge of grand larceny valued between $650 and $3,500. He was arrested in Humboldt County in November 2014. ELKO -- An Elko man accused of assault, battery and burglary changes pleaded not guilty during his arraignment Monday in Department I of Elko District Court. Sean M. Dean, 49, will go to trial for six days in August. His defense attorney is David Loreman. Dean faces seven charges: battery with the use of a deadly weapon resulting in substantial bodily harm; battery with a deadly weapon; assault with a deadly weapon; possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of a felony offense; burglary with the use of a firearm; burglary; and being a habitual criminal. Originally, the trial was thought to only need four days. However, Elko District Judge Nancy Porter said count four charging possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of a felony offense had to be bifurcated -- a judges ability to divide a trial into two parts for various reasons. Dean cannot own a firearm because of his 2014 conviction of battery by means of strangulation, according to the criminal information filed in April. Dean has been convicted of six felony crimes between 1986 and 2014 -- including robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, mayhem and the unlawful taking of a motor vehicle -- in the states of Nevada and California. The alleged crime the above charges pertain to occurred Nov. 12, 2015, when Dean reportedly struck Christina Hodges in the head and or face with a handgun or another hard object, thus causing prolonged physical pain and or impairment of bodily function, and or permanent disfigurement in the forms of a scar (s) to her face and or head. Count three of assault with a deadly weapon alleges Dean drew, held, showed and or pointed a handgun at Hodges while acting in an aggressive manner and threatening her. Both burglary charges state Dean entered a structure on South Fifth Street to supposedly commit grand or petit larceny and had the intent to batter or assault Christina Hodges and or Kyle Olsen. Count five alleged Dean had possession of a firearm or deadly weapon while committing a crime at any time before or after leaving the residence. Dean will appear Tuesday in Department II of Elko District Court in another case connected to a December arrest charging attempted murder. ELKO -- A man claiming to have been stabbed at the Jerritt Canyon mine has been taken to a hospital in Boise for treatment. Acting Undersheriff Kevin McKinney said deputies found the man after he had been without any medical attention for a few days and was still wandering around the area of the incident. Last night deputies got sent up to the Jerritt Canyon mine. The initial report was that he had been stabbed multiple times by some unknown males, McKinney said. Further investigation showed that he was an employee at the Jerritt Canyon mine and that those injuries were probably self-inflicted, he added. According to Jerritt Canyon, the man was a temporary employee of Small Mine Development, a contractor at the mine. McKinney said detectives in Boise are following up on the case and he is awaiting further details before he writes his own police report. Most of the wounds are superficial, he said. He lost quite a bit of blood initially, but when he got up to the hospital they were able to stabilize him and it sounds like hes in fairly good condition now. The headline for this article has been corrected to indicate the man was employed by Small Mine Development, not Jerritt Canyon Gold. Halfway into its 50 years of operation, the Chippewa Nature Center needed a new executive director. The Midland-based headhunting firm hired by CNCs board of directors quickly identified Dick Touvell who was in Atlanta, Ga. working for the Natural Science for Youth Foundation. He had also worked as an executive director of three nature centers in Pennsylvania. Why wouldnt I come to Midland! said Touvell as he reflected on what has now been a 26-year career of connecting people to nature through CNCs environmental education programs. He plans to retire at the end of 2016. I was very fortunate, 26 years ago, to come to an established organization. It had trails and a staff and a membership. It even had an endowment, Touvell said. What he found upon his arrival in Midland was that a small group of people had been the drivers to create CNC since the 1950s. They were first members of the Midland Nature Club, and they had a passion for hiking, birding, nature, just everything nature, Touvell said. They unselfishly volunteered their time, and they inspired other folks to provide financial support in particular, Dorothy Dow Arbury and The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation. I was fortunate in those early years to work with many of those founding individuals like Eugene Kenaga and Howard Garrett. From their passion and vision came this wonderful organization. Over its 50 years, CNC has had 103 board members. Touvell personally has known 90 of them. Thats indicative of how important making personal connections and building relationships have always been to Touvell. He has often been seen walking the borders of CNC properties, checking in with neighbors about any issues. Or at CNCs popular Maple Syrup Days or Fall Harvest Festivals, his favorite role is parking lot duty so he can greet visitors and see the anticipation on their faces as they arrive and the exuberance when they leave. I love seeing what impact nature-based experience has on people, Touvell said. A person gets fascinated in birding, comes to a workshop, then forms his own group to bird with. Or you come kayak on the river with us, and then you buy your own kayak. We have numerous people who have gone to Nature Day Camp, and that influences their career choice. We find parents and grandparents scheduling their vacation around when they can get their kids into Nature Day Camp. That says a lot about the quality of the programming. Imagine the thousands of field trips in 50 years that have influenced kids to think about the natural world. And how many of us started a family tradition by bringing everyone to Fall Harvest Festival and Maple Syrup Day, Touvell said. His daughter Betsy Boerma remembers going to Fall Harvest Festival as a child, and she enrolled her daughter, Kaylei, in the Nature Preschool onsite at CNC when Kaylei was 4 years old. Nature Preschool has had a tremendous impact on our community, Touvell said. Not only have we touched the three- and four-year-olds, but we have touched their whole family as they get involved in other CNC activities, too. I saw it firsthand the way my own grandchild (Kaylei) monopolized dinnertime conversations with her experiences. She loved bugs, spiders and ants. She would come home and turn over logs and rocks in the backyard looking for them and would tell us all about what that cicada noise was. In 2007, 30 children were enrolled in Nature Preschool. This September 2016, there are 140 children enrolled. As Touvell wanders around the nature center facility, he admitted that he cant help eavesdropping on visitors as they step up to the naturalist station staffed by CNC nature experts. Sometimes they want to brag about the bald eagle they saw. But many people want to ask the naturalist a question, like was that frog eggs or toad eggs that I saw? Touvell said. As he retires later this year, Touvell said that he will continue to remain in awe of the great staff that CNC has always been able to put together. Those people, past and present, have such passion. That has to be a part of this whole story of 50 years. In 1970, Fel Burnett was the first paid naturalist. A lot of our current programs were started way back then by that early staff. Weve tweaked them, but theyve endured. The staff and also the board of directors have been our ambassadors in the community. They have raised money, created policies and procedures. Our staff members have become the go-to people in the whole region on matters related to nature and the environment, Touvell said. And theyve all stayed true to the mission statement which hasnt changed much through 50 yearswhich is to connect people to nature through educational, recreational and cultural experiences. About 10 years ago, we added the tagline of Venture Out. That venturing out has been enhanced by three initiatives which have helped CNC raise its visibility within the broader region. In 2001, CNC purchased a fleet of kayaks and canoes, and naturalists started taking groups on interpretive paddles on the local rivers and on field trips to other points in the state. In 2006, CNC purchased two Voyageur canoes which further broadened programming. The second initiative, the Chippewa Trail, was completed in 2005 and provided a paved biking and walking trail of 3 1/2 miles to connect CNC to downtown Midland. And in 2012, CNC and eight other local organizations, installed a universal access boat ramp on the Chippewa River and two other sites to make the river more accessible for boaters. I really do feel good that I have been a part of this organization for more than 25 years, Touvell said. We all feel that we have had a positive impact on many individuals and families. I truly do look forward to seeing CNC continue to have an impact. I bet thats going to be done in creative ways that havent even been thought of yet. Dick and his wife Jeannie intend to stay in Midland. They will dedicate more time to their two daughters and six grandchildren. And I am going to immerse myself in Spanish, Touvell said. I have made so many attempts. And I have always been fascinated with the Lewis and Clark expedition. I know people who have followed along the expedition route. I may do parts of that. I have hiked parts of the Appalachian Trail, and Id like to do more parts of it. And when Touvell needs to just sit and reflect, he can always go back to visit the big red oak tree at CNC by the Sugar House. Its his favorite spot on the CNC property. It was 187 years old when I came 26 years ago. Its seen the passage of a lot of time and a lot of events. I feel a sense of peace there and it connects me to the past and the future. An open house for Touvell will take place from 4-6 p.m. on Dec. 15 at CNC. Everyone in the community is welcome to stop by and say farewell to him as he retires. Chippewa Nature Center will showcase its commitment to connecting people with nature at a 50th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday. Free activities will take place throughout the day. CNC is located at 400 S. Badour Rd. in Midland. For more information visit www.chippewanaturecenter.org. DETROIT (AP) A man who didn't report his grandmother's death to the Social Security Administration was sentenced to probation Monday for collecting $122,000 in illegal benefits, another light punishment for a crime that rarely results in prison time in eastern Michigan. Prosecutors sought at least 10 months of confinement for Akili Owens, prison or otherwise. U.S. District Judge Victoria Roberts acknowledged the significance of the crime but said prison is more appropriate for people who are a threat to public safety, not a Social Security fraudster. "We don't have any bloody body in the street. ... But we have a victim," said Roberts, who said the government too often is seen as an "easy target" for fraud. Owens, a 40-year-old trucker, apologized and said he would repay the money. Besides probation, he was ordered to work at a church kitchen in Grand Rapids. Owens' grandmother died in 2004, but the government wasn't notified and Social Security payments continued to flow for a decade. He got access to the money, roughly $12,000 a year, by forging her signature on checks. "It was government money and he knew it again and again and again," Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Particka said. In a court filing, Particka called it an "affront against every hardworking individual who pays into the system in hopes that it will still be there to support them in their retirement." Since the summer of 2013, at least 10 people in eastern Michigan have been sentenced for stealing benefits after a relative died. Only one was sent to prison. The cases added up to the loss of more than $1.5 million for Social Security. Other cases are pending, including the theft of $308,000 by a woman whose mother died in 1998. Sandra Sarnowski will be sentenced on Sept. 13. Since last fall, Social Security's inspector general has closed more than 280 investigations nationwide, either through a conviction or other action. The government learns about the deaths of Social Security recipients through families, funeral homes and state reporting systems. Investigators also look at Medicare data. It's a suspicious sign if benefits are being paid to an elderly person who lately hasn't used Medicare. "We take it very seriously," said Tracy Lynge, who until recently was chief spokeswoman at the agency's Office of Inspector General. In eastern Michigan, federal prosecutors often seek some type of custodial sentence, even house arrest, but confinement is rare. U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade said a prison sentence can sway others who might be considering the same financial crime. But Miriam Siefer, head of the federal public defender's office in Detroit, said a greater deterrent might be the loss of the criminal's own Social Security benefits. "Lenient sentences show reasonable minds can disagree," McQuade said of judges. Faye Estes was placed on probation in December for taking $121,000 after her mother's death. "I honestly was hoping I would die before anyone found out about it," the 68-year-old told investigators. Terence Moore was inducted into the Armys National Reserve Officers Training Corps Hall of Fame in a ceremony at Fort Knox, Ky. on June 10. The 326 inductees in the inaugural class were selected from the more than 600,000 men and women who have been commissioned second lieutenants through ROTC in the past 100 years. Of the 326 inductees in this inaugural class, 156 were generals and included Gen. Colin Powell and Gen. George C. Marshall. A hospital is a place of healing and recovery. It is a sanctuary where medical treatment can be found and provided for the sick or injured. Thanks to Pacific Angel 16-2, the quality care found within a hospital is now being given to the people of Kampot Province, Cambodia. Medical professionals from multiple nations and agencies across the globe have come together in a multilateral effort to promote interoperability with partner nations while delivering humanitarian aid to people of Kampot. The Royal Cambodian Armed Forces work alongside their U.S., Thai, Vietnamese, and Australian counterparts to provide care during Pacific Angel 16-2, a humanitarian assistance/civil-military operation mission that not only involves militaries from five different nations, but non-governmental organizations such as Project Hope and East Meets West are also lending aid. The majority of the medical supplies were purchased in Thailand and Vietnam, flown in to Cambodia, and then bussed to a local school grounds where the Pacific Angel medical team was able to set up their first site during the humanitarian mission. Teams of medical professionals set up centers for pediatrics, physical therapy, pharmacy, optometry, dentistry and general/preventative health. Each center is manned with medics and doctors working with each other and their translators. Obviously the language barrier is difficult to overcome at times, especially when youre working in a professional setting prescribing treatment, said U.S. Navy Lt. Matthew Kanter, a dentist deployed from U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. Everyone has been patient. The people are very warm and welcoming here in Cambodia. Kanter said working alongside the dentists from the Royal Cambodian Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force has opened his eyes to different ways to treat his patients, making the partnership exchange mutually beneficial. Even though we are in one specified field, its amazing how other people will approach things both differently and similarly, he continued. Royal Cambodian Armed Forces Brigadier Gen. Candara Vuth, deputy director of the health department within the Ministry of National Defense, said, We are happy to work together with the U.S. and the other nations to bring aid to the people of Cambodia. According to Vuth, some of the people that live far from the province are very poor and sometimes they cant go to the hospital in the province. So they rely on natural remedies like some of the trees that grow around Cambodia. Being out in the field, you miss some of things you use when you are practicing medicine at home, explained RAAF Flight Lt. Rowan McCarthy, Pacific Angel 16-2 general health medical officer. We cant order a blood test or conduct x-rays. We dont know much about the back history of these patients. According to McCarthy, its normal to see a 60 to 70-year-old patient back home with a medical history. Here they may have never seen a doctor before, he continued. So going without that makes it more of a challenge but interesting as well. With that knowledge in mind, care providers like McCarthy overcome these challenges by focus on the quality of care and attention to detail they gave to each and every patient. Its always good to find out how similar some people are, said McCarthy. Even though there are different languages and training backgrounds, everyone is pretty similar in our working toward a common goal. I think it has been really good stepping back to clinically focused medicine doing physical exams to figure out what is going on has allowed us to overcome some of the challenges weve had. continued McCarthy. Most patients had their major concerns addressed and were impressed with the level of care provided by the teams of medical providers. Sok Moeun, a Pacific Angel 16-2 dental patient, said that she was really happy with the care provided because she was able obtain the service at no cost, and check on her dental health at the same time. I am thankful for the multi-national team that was able to bring healthcare to my village, she said. Through Pacific Angel 16-2, medical providers from both Cambodia and other nations benefit by training and forging bonds and partnerships with each other. This humanitarian mission will help prepare us in the future for relief operations here, or anywhere in the region, Kanter said. It helps to know the type of people youre working with, who youre going to be operating with. If you know what to expect going into a situation it can help you prepare. Pacific Angel 16-2 allows multiple nations to work together so that in the event there was a natural disaster in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region, the regions militaries are prepared to work together to address humanitarian crises. ELKO Team Toyota was the first of about 120 antique cars to arrive in Elko on Monday for an overnight stay during The Great Race. X Games athlete Jamie Bestwick was driving a 1970 Toyota Corolla and his co-driver for the day was Olympic snowboarder Elena Hight. I was just hangin, Hight said about the drive. I was making up songs. It was really mellow, very slow and I helped keep Jamie awake. Paul Czaplicki, brand manager for Toyota, said the company is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Corolla and had the first-generation car sitting next to a 2016 version on Moren Way. The Great Race is kind of fun because it goes across America, but it involves all these cars which are 1972 and older, and what a great opportunity to take out one of our original cars, a first generation Corolla," he said. "This particular car was made in 1970, so its not quite 50 but were celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Corolla and this is the first generation model. They changed it the year after this one. Elko Convention and Visitors Authority Executive Director Don Newman said The Great Race last passed through Elko in 2004. He said the ECVA contacted the organization to be an overnight sponsor this year. As they were working on the route we had the opportunity to shift the route and have them come to Elko, Newman said. He said the event coming to Elko means about 140 hotel rooms will be filled in town. Its also a great opportunity for people to see vintage cars, Newman said. The Great Race is a competitive, controlled-speed endurance rally on public highways, according to its website. It is a test of each teams ability to follow instructions and endure a 2,000-plus mile cross-country trip for eight to 10 hours a day for nine days. The race began June 14 in San Rafael, California. Day 2 of the race stopped in Reno. Then the teams traveled the "Loneliest Road in America, Highway 50, to Austin for lunch and then eventually took State Route 278, the Eureka-Carlin Highway, to Elko. Hight lives in South Lake Tahoe and said she has driven parts of Highway 50. It was fun, Hight said. It was so cool to see the generations of people just loving old cars and keeping the dream alive. Laurence Foster was the navigator for the trip. Czaplicki said it wasnt intentional but both Foster and Bestwick are both English. The two Englishmen will be driving the Japanese car across America. If you think of it that way, its a great example of how the world has changed from when we first launched (the Corolla), Czaplicki said. Back when we started bringing these cars in they were only made in Japan. Now, of course we have 14 production plants in North America. Foster said the drive across the Nevada was beautiful. He said the drive was interesting because they arent given instructions until about a half hour before they start to drive each day. Im not sure actually how we got from Austin to Elko, Foster said. They dont tell you the names of places youre going through. Bestwick said the straight roads seemed to be the hardest because of the monotony of the drive. I had a very good crew, he said. We nearly aced for the second day in a row. Were hunting for the exclusive ace. We made a couple of rookie mistakes, but we are rookies after all. He said the older car is kind of noisy. I love taking the corners at the designated speed, because this thing will hold a corner. Its like a little rally car, Bestwick said about driving the antique. Each day, each team receives instructions that indicate every turn, speed change, stop and start about 220 to 250 instructions per day. The course has four to seven checkpoints recording the exact time each team passes and the objective is to hit each point at the correct time. Every second early or late is a penalty point. GPS and computer are not allowed and odometers are taped over. The course avoids timed segments on interstates and opts for scenic local, county or state highways whenever possible. Vehicles from 1972 and older are eligible, but the older the vehicle the bigger the percentage deduction the team receives. Anyone who wants to follow Team Toyota during the race can watch its video each day at racer.com/greatrace. The cars were leaving Elko Tuesday morning and will continue on to West Wendover for lunch and then stop in Evanston, Wyoming. The race ends in Moline, Illinois. Civil Engineers from the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, Royal Australian Air Force and the U.S. Armed Forces worked together to repair schools and health centers in Kampot Province, Cambodia, during Pacific Angel 16-2, a multilateral humanitarian assistance/civil military mission. The engineers gave children a better learning environment and provided medical professionals a more functional facility to treat patients. Repairing the buildings is a collaborative effort, said U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Kevin Schumacher, Pacific Angel 16-2 Engineering lead planner. We are able to learn a lot from the Cambodians and our multinational partners. Schumacher explained that during Pacific Angel 16-2, teams of engineers are working on four different sites simultaneously while working in sync with their international counterparts. At one of the sites, engineers work together to repair a health center that supports more than 7,000 people in the region. Royal Cambodian Air Force Lt. Keo Narith, Royal Cambodian Armed Forces engineer planner, worked alongside U.S. and Australian engineers to repair the roof, ceiling and electrical wiring inside the building. We are working together with the Air Force to plan and repair the construction of this health center, Narith said. We work closely together, and we have two different teams working on the building. The electrical group and the construction group. The health center director, Dr. Virak Ton, was thankful for the support from the multinational contingent of engineers. The building is old, said Ton. The engineers are doing us a great service. The rooms they are working on will allow us to house patients that need to stay here. This will allow us to provide better care and more comfort to our patients. While repairing the health center, Cambodian, U.S. and Australian engineers took the opportunity to know each other better. We are very happy to be a part of the engineering effort here providing humanitarian support to our community, Narith said. By working together we are building up our relationships and partnership. Im excited to see the results of our teamwork. The closing ceremony for Pacific Angel 16-2 will be held on the school grounds of one of Wat Steung Primary School one of the four schools repaired and repainted by the Pacific Angel engineer team. I look forward to seeing our teams hard work, Schumacher said. This has been a joint effort from everybody. From the contractors to the locals, to the school administrators from our U.S. troops, both Army and Air Force, and to our Cambodian partners. I think its a great team effort and I look forward to seeing the finished product. Not only are the engineers excited to see the results of their eight-day operation but the school faculty and students already notice the changes happening to their school. The teachers are loving the new building and are motivated to teach the children, said Som Setha, Wat Steung Primary School Director. The kids looked happy when they saw the new building, and the children are excited to learn more in class. I am very happy that we were supported. Thank you to the U.S. and Cambodian armed forces for being able to improve this building. Pacific Angel is designed to promote interoperability with the U.S. and partner nations, while providing needed services to people throughout the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. The mission being conducted in Kampot Province includes general health, dental, optometry, pediatrics, physical therapy and engineering programs as well as various subject-matter expert exchanges. Uttered proudly in unison after a briefing before an air-to-air fight, Have at you! inspired by the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, signifies being the enemy squadron who will defend its battlefield, regardless of the cost. Pilots from the 18th Aggressor Squadron take the role of Red Air during large scale exercises and train Blue Air pilots during RED FLAG-Alaska. Using a red star, overlaid by a target on the sleeves of their green flight suits and red flags with a hammer and sickle, theyre marked throughout the mission as experts in enemy tactics. Our call in life is to know, teach and replicate the enemy and be the best bad guys in the business so joint and coalition forces can learn to survive, said Lt. Col. Julio Rodriguez, the new 18th AGRS commander. Our job is to know the enemy, how they fight and how they think, bringing that into the air, teaching blue forces to stay alive and win the fight. During RF-A and other exercises around the U.S. Pacific Air Forces area of operations, these seasoned pilots use their expertise to train thousands of U.S Air Force, joint and coalition partners each year. From the youngest lieutenant, the captain flight lead or the mission planner coming into the combat air forces we want them to know, even though they are highly trained, they still have to look out for the unknown we provide that unknown, he said. The training the Aggressors provide during RF-A integrates various forces into joint, coalition and multilateral units, training from simulated forward operating bases. The Republic of Singapore Air Force and Japan Air Self-Defense Force participated in RF-A 16-2. An outside perspective Its a great experience to participate in such a large-scale exercise, said RSAF Lt. Cedric Goh, a 425th Fighter Squadron F-16 Viper pilot, who has flown as a fighter pilot for two years. Goh emphasized the unique training opportunities placed him in a near-real combat situation and that learning to fight in and out while staying alive and covering his wingman was the number one goal. Planning how to deconflict the threat means less work in the air to get the job done. Goh said. When things happen differently than what was planned, we work as a team to adjust and bring the dynamic scenario back in our favor. When he sees the 18th AGRS logo, Goh said he thinks of one thing, That red star means threat; time to bring the fight to them and kill that enemy. Participation in RF-A and working with the 18th AGRS signifies continued commitment to peace, stability and alignment within the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. Although we are currently at peace as a country, we are learning to work with coalition countries to blend tactics together in case there is a threat that needs to be addressed in the future, Goh said. Valuable training space RF-A keeps fighters in the air through 10 simulated combat sorties flying within the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex that includes one conventional bombing range and two tactical bombing ranges containing 510 different types of targets and 45 threat simulators in a more than 67,000 square mile airspace; training space roughly the size of Missouri. That large space forces pilots to figure out the logistical problem of working in such a large scale similar to an entire theater of operations, Rodriguez said. The multiple uses the JPARC provides is imperative to the success of our training. Speed, altitude and terrain are some of the unfamiliar characteristics pilots may not encounter while training in other airspace. We can go faster here than any blue force is ever trained, up into almost Mach 2.0 to show them what its like if the enemy were to do that, which is one of their tactics, Rodriguez added. Sustaining a history RED FLAG-Alaska has helped train more than 150,000 aircrew members for combat in the past 40 years. Between 1965 and 1973, during the Vietnam War, the Air Force lost a fighter pilot for every two enemy aircraft shot down in Southeast Asia, compared to a 10:1 ratio, up to 25:1 at times, during the Korean War. A group of officers who some called the Iron Majors, but most referred to as the Fighter Mafia, built what became known as the Red Baron Reports. The reports, presented by Maj. Richard Moody Suter, found a trend of inexperience that led to the loss of aircraft and crew members, particularly in the pilots first 10 sorties. Our goal is to dominate the skies, said Rodriguez. Statistics prove that if you can survive those first 10 sorties, you will most likely [survive] in the long term. If you can do that in a training environment it is much more beneficial. Yes they might die in the exercise, but we would rather have them die in simulation where we can debrief later rather than explode into chunks of metal. After a RED FLAG these pilots have those 10 sorties under their belt and they are no doubt the ones who will be able to go out and accomplish a mission. He said RF-A exercises are very conventionally minded, but the opportunity gives pilots the ability to think outside the box. They get to think creatively, be the problem solvers and carry the training over into not just large force scenarios but todays fight where its very dynamic and things are constantly changing. Rodriguez related it to his experience flying combat sorties over Iraq in the surge of 2007 and 2008. There were a lot of moving parts where we had to think on the fly to best support the ground forces utilizing skills I had learned in large-scale exercise like RED FLAG, he said. Those lessons transferred seamlessly into the asymmetric war. The Best of the Best Aggressors come from multiple fighter pilot roles in the U.S. Air Force and have had the experience sitting in the Blue Air ejection seat. The average Aggressor pilot has at least 1,000 fighter hours behind the stick and hundreds of hours of study to culminate that experience into becoming one thing You have to be bad; being an Aggressor is a different mindset, he said. You have to leave the blue we have flown for years. You have be an Aggressor first and an F-16 pilot second. We have to be professional with our knowledge and honest with our capabilities, Rodriguez said. There is a large amount of studying mixed with knowledge from intelligence professionals from across the United States, who provide us with the data on enemy engineering and tactics. We as the operators have to formulate that into what the enemy actually does and work that into realistic training. The most challenging part of living the Aggressor life is the high demand for their capabilities. Rather than Blue Air using internal assets to train, they call on the Aggressors from Eielson and Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, to travel around the world to support exercises other than their home flags. They divide their limited assets into the most valuable training, like RF-A, without burning out personnel who fly and maintain the jets. However, along with the tempo, there is a reward that comes with the constant hard work. I love being part of the advisory air with the big red star on the back of my helmet, flying a sortie and being able to walk up to the Blue Air after and tell them, You did a great job today. You survived. You knew the threat, understood the threat and accomplished the mission, said Rodriguez. That success, being the best support possible and seeing the outcome, is the my reward. If you know the enemy and know yourself, you are going to win. The phrase, So Others May Live to Return with Honor expresses the overarching goal of those serving in the rescue community and it connects a myriad of career fields dedicated to fulfilling that mission. RED FLAG-Alaska 16-2 provided an opportunity to connect survival, evasion, resistance and escape specialists, rescue squadron personnel, combat search and rescue assets, and an A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot during an isolated personnel scenario June 14. This training gives A-10 pilots a chance to experience what an isolated person feels on the ground, said Master Sgt. Kurtis Douge, the 353rd Combat Training Squadron personnel recovery division superintendent. It makes them more effective as a pilot in their personnel recovery mission. Multiple pieces must come together to build and execute an effective rescue scenario, which is why this becomes the personnel recovery divisions primary mission during RED FLAG-Alaska exercises. First, we are tasked with building ISOPREPs, or isolated personnel reports, processing, and conducting all the behind-the-scenes coordination required, Douge explained. Our primary role is to be observer-controllers and make sure pilots are safe and scenarios are completed, but we also provide orientation training for the 18th Aggressor Squadron and training for personnel at high-risk for capture. In addition to ensuring safety and mission completion, SERE specialists evaluate pilots to make sure they remembered their SERE training, which is conducted every three years for Air Force pilots. The Army, Navy, and Marine Corps only get SERE training during their initial qualifications and then they are considered good to go, said Douge. For the Air Force, our pilots receive continuation training at the base level. During the June 14 scenario, Capt. Keli Kaaekuahiwi, an A-10 pilot assigned to the 354th Fighter Squadron out of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, participated as the isolated personnel in need of recovery from enemy territory. In the Grizzly Training Area portion of the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex, Kaaekuahiwi explained to Douge how he would survive the initial shock and potential injuries incurred from ejecting into an unfriendly area, and then demonstrated his ability to survive off the land with the gear in his possession and evade enemy forces searching for him. The scenario included multiple A-10s taking out enemy threats such as surface-to-air missile sites and providing close-air support for the HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter crew and pararescuemen who deployed to recover Kaaekuahiwi. The final piece of the 353rd CTS personnel recovery divisions role during RED FLAG-Alaska exercises is to gather lessons learned from SERE specialists and the pilots involved in rescue scenarios during the outbrief. The biggest lessons learned would be to always have a plan after you hit the ground; know that if its a high-threat environment what your immediate actions are, explained Kaaekuahiwi. Are you going to be able to dig through your equipment to grab specific items or are you going to hit the ground with only what youre wearing. Think through what youd do with the minimal equipment to survive and evade in the specific theater that you're in. Lessons learned from pilots like Kaaekuahiwi help the personnel recovery division to effectively teach multi-service pilots how to conduct effective personnel recovery missions and safely bring their people home. At the end of the day, we want our people to come home safe, said Douge. This is why we exist; we do what we do so that others may live to return with honor. Pacific Angel 16-2 Concludes with Closing Ceremony By Capt. Susan Harrington U.S. Pacific Air Forces KAMPOT PROVINCE, Cambodia -- Pacific Angel 16-2 to Kampot Province, Cambodia, came to an official end June 20 during a closing ceremony at Wat Seung Primary School, one of the sites renovated by multinational civil engineers during the humanitarian mission. The joint and combined humanitarian assistance/civil military operation mission, led by the U.S. Air Force, is designed to build partner capacity through health services outreach, engineering civic projects and subject matter exchanges. The ceremony featured the U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia, a flag officer from the United States, and provincial officials. Pacific Angel events are a cornerstone of Pacific Air Forces relief efforts, said Maj. Gen. Michael Compton, Air National Guard Assistant to the Commander, Pacific Air Forces. Not only does Pacific Angel allow us to help people in need, but it also helps us improve our interoperability with like-minded military and civilian medical and engineering professionals in Cambodia and with our multinational partners in the region. Throughout the course of the week doctors, dentists, and pharmacists from the U.S., Cambodia, Australia, Vietnam and Thai militaries and two non-governmental organizations, along with 65 volunteers from the provincial hospital and local villages, saw more than 3,400 patients at two different sites. Together they provided general health, dental, optometry, pediatrics, and physical therapy services. Multinational civil engineers spent approximately 2,100 man-hours working on restoration projects for four local schools and two medical facilities, impacting the lives of more than 1,000 individuals daily. These projects are a visible expression of the United States commitment to the Asia-Pacific and demonstrate our continuing resolve to support international humanitarian assistance and disaster response efforts in this region, said Compton. Likewise, this event highlights the importance the United States places on its growing relationship with Cambodia. In addition to the humanitarian assistance operations, seven subject matter expert exchanges between the five militaries created a venue for doctors, nurses, health officers, security personnel and engineers to discuss disaster relief preparedness and operations and go through basic life saving skills training, furthering their capacity to respond to a natural disaster event in the region. Pacific Angel demonstrates very clearly what capable militaries can offer to the societies that they serve, said William Heidt, the U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia. They can provide a trained and capable force, ready to provide basic humanitarian services wherever needed, particularly in cases of emergencies or natural disasters. They can provide training that gives people skills in useful fields like health care and engineering, and they can be a platform for regional and international cooperation among partner countries and their militaries. During his speech the Ambassador emphasized dual purpose and benefit of the Pacific Angel mission, both enhancing participating nations humanitarian assistance and disaster relief capabilities, but at the same time providing needed humanitarian aid. Thanks to training conducted during Pacific Angel, the Cambodian and international team members here today are ready to establish operations wherever the next emergency strikes, said Ambassador Heidt. This event prepared all of our countries for more unified international responses to disaster and humanitarian crises. We are also proud that while doing so we were able to provide valuable health services to the citizens of Cambodia and Kampot. Events and engagements such as Pacific Angel are critical to advancing each militarys ability to operate together while preserving peace and stability in the region. Through the good achievements of the mission, I strongly appreciate the collaboration created between the U.S. Air Force and the [Cambodian] Ministry of Defense, as well as authorities in the provincial level, district level and commune level who have tried their best in contribute in a humanitarian way for the people of Cambodia, said Chan Chesda, Kampot Provincial Governor. Following the ceremony, city and provincial officials joined the Ambassador and military representatives for a ribbon cutting to officially dedicate all projects to the citizens of Kampot Province. I call for all civics, teachers, students, and local authorities to take care of the construction and equipment that the humanitarian team has provided Kampot Province, said Chesda. All of these activities, such as the presence U.S. Air Force, show improving relationships. It shows the world that Cambodia is happy to welcome the participation of humanitarian teamwork, non-governmental organizations, associations and other countries to develop the country in a sustainable manner. Officially in its ninth year, Pacific Angel supports U.S. Pacific Command's capacity-building efforts by partnering with other governments, non-governmental agencies and multilateral militaries in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. Since 2007, U.S. military members, together with host nation military and civilian personnel throughout the region, have improved the lives of tens of thousands of people. Units from the Navy's Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, Commander Task Force (CTF) 70, and the Air Force's 18th Wing participated in a joint air defense exercise, June 20.The hypothetical scenario helped improve interoperability between the Navy and Air Force. The evolution was created to defend a damaged unit from potential threats and further damage."The aircrew was focused on working together for this event," said Capt. John Enfield, commanding officer of CVW 5. "We were able to strengthen our interoperability with the Air Force and continue to refine procedures for joint operations in the Western Pacific."The event was focused on establishing communications and exchanging tactical data with the participating aircraft and ships.The ships and aircraft were required to meet certain communication standards in order to continue sharing information throughout the evolution."Chancellorsville acted as the CTF 70 Air Defense commander for this event," said Capt. Curt Renshaw, commanding officer of guided-missile cruiser USS Chancellorsville (CG 62). "It was our job to ensure all incoming threats were engaged by the aircraft and handled so that there was no chance of further engagement."Renshaw said the Navy units conduct various air defense-focused trainings, but conducting this joint training exercise in a real-world environment gave the units a different perspective on how to work together."These exercises allow us to learn to work together as a team," said Lt. David Ash, a pilot from Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 115. "Through joint exercises, we are able to standardize the way we fight in order operate more effectively as a combined force."Throughout the exercise, each unit was responsible for its own part of the larger joint effort, strengthening the interoperability and experience between military units.The continued joint evolutions build the ties between the different military branches to improve their ability to support security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific.For more information, visit http://www.navy.mil/ http://www.facebook.com/usnavy/ , or http://www.twitter.com/usnavy/ For more news from Commander Task Force 70, visit http://www.navy.mil/local/ctf70/ ELKO Local authorities were contacted Friday night by Jerritt Canyon Gold employees after they found a worker suffering from stab wounds. The Elko County Sheriffs Department confirmed Monday the wounds were self-inflicted. According to Jerritt Canyon Gold, the man was employed by contractor Small Mine Development. The individual admitted to cutting himself, said acting Undersheriff Kevin McKinney. He said the wounds are consistent with the admission. Information provided to the Elko County Sheriffs Office states the man clocked into work on Thursday and did not clock out. The man was found Friday night by mine employees, who called local authorities. McKinney did not have a specific location of where the incident took place. Initial reports were conflicting as they stated the man had been stabbed multiple times by unknown male suspects. Upon further investigation, the victim proved to be an employee at the mine site. He received medical treatment in Boise, and Elko County Sheriff's Department detectives followed up on the case. Boise Police Department aided in this investigation. The Mine Safety and Health Administration has not been informed of this incident, according to Amanda McClure of the Office of Public Affairs for the Department of Labor. This article has been corrected to indicate the subject was an employee of SMD, not Jerritt Canyon Gold. NORMAL A slice of Asia is coming to uptown Normal. From traditional features including Shinto shrines and bamboo forests to modern developments including bento cuisine, karaoke and photo booths, Japanese culture in many forms will be on display this summer at the Children's Discovery Museum, 101 E. Beaufort St. "All age groups will find something of value," said Exhibits Manager Brad Stefl of "Hello from Japan!," which opens Friday night. "Parents and older kids will appreciate the history and information about different aspects of Japanese culture, and the younger kids will enjoy the bright colors and all the activities. ... It's a good balance." The museum will celebrate opening night with a special event 6 to 9 p.m. including sushi tasting, Japanese-style drumming from Chicago-based Rhythm Revolution, a Japanese harpist and mascot-inspired face painting from local artist Mickey Lower, also known as "The Zoo Lady." No tickets are required, but Stefl said the museum is taking advance registration online, by phone and in person. Admission for Friday night will be $4 for members and $11 for non-members. After opening, the exhibit will be open whenever the museum is open through Sept. 11. Summer hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday; and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free for children 2 years old or younger and $7 for everyone else. The museum will host the exhibit free of charge thanks to the Freeman Foundation, a Hawaii-based organization that paid five American museums to create exhibits on Asian culture that are touring the United States through 2018. "Hello from Japan!" was made by the Childrens Museum of Manhattan. CDM also received a $15,000 grant from Freeman and a $4,000 grant from the Illinois Prairie Community Foundation, which will help pay for shipping the exhibit and associated activities. Members of the local Japanese community will host weekly activities such as calligraphy, kirigami paper cutting, kite-making, origami and windsock-making. The museum will host "Asahikawa Days" Aug. 26 and 27 in partnership with the Bloomington-Normal Asahikawa Sister City Committee. The committee, which has been organizing cultural exchanges between the communities for 54 years, will "have some activities specifically focused on our sister city, said Committee Chair Harriett Steinbach. As soon as we heard about (the exhibit), we were excited and supportive," Steinbach said. "Were always excited about promotion and facilitation of understanding the culture of Japan in Bloomington-Normal, and a were excited the museum is doing that. ... A lot of youth are going to see it, and we have a potential to have a great benefit. Staff will also host a final blowout when the exhibit closes. "We'll have a kendo demonstration, which is the Japanese name for swordfighting," Stefl said. "Every (activity) we have left, we'll bring out, and it'll be the last opportunity for everybody to experience the exhibit one last time before we pack it up and ship it on down the road." Stefl said he hopes the exhibit and associated events will appeal to long-time museum patrons we did not open a new gallery this year, so this is a nice way to have something new for our long-term visitors, he said and newcomers alike. Any time that we can get an exhibit that really opens things up from a cultural perspective, thats something wre interested in. ... Hopefully kids are going to leave here with a better understanding of Japanese culture, how it affects American culture and how American culture has influenced Japanese culture, Stefl said. "And its just going to be a ton of fun." STREATOR With a state finding that Streator Elementary School District 44 is in financial difficulty, the district is having a public hearing at 5 p.m. Tuesday on the possibility of moving to a four-day school week. The district has been on the state's financial watch list, the lowest of four rankings for financial strength, along with 31 other districts. The financial difficulty certification approved by the Illinois State Board of Education on Thursday means the district has 45 days to submit a three-year deficit reduction plan to the state board for approval. District Superintendent Matt Wilkinson said the board directed him to explore the possibility of a four-day school week as part of a deficit reduction plan. The board also has discussed closing one of the district's schools. Currently, the 1,850-student district has one pre-kindergarten to fourth grade attendance center, two K-4 schools and Northlawn Junior High School, which serves students in fifth through eighth grades. Once the deficit reduction plan is approved by the state board, the district will have to follow it closely or the state board can rescind its approval and appoint a financial oversight panel to handle the district's finances. Because it has been designated as being in financial difficulty, the district cannot go into further debt without state approval. Wilkinson said the district was certified as having financial difficulty after a second year of negative fund balances. At this point, the district will end this fiscal year June 30 with an operating deficit of about $1 million, he said. We're hoping to get a fourth categorical payment from the state, Wilkinson said. It's very hard to predict when or if they'll do that. One reason for the district's financial trouble is the state has been providing a pro-rated, reduced amount of general state aid, which Wilkinson said has cost the district $4 million over the last seven years. We're very heavily dependent on state aid, said Wilkinson, describing it as our bread and butter. More than 70 percent of the district's students come from low-income families. But according to a staff report to the State Board of Education, another reason for the deficit spending is the amount of money the district pays for employee health insurance. The public hearing on a shorter school week will take place in the district's administration building, 1520 N. Bloomington St., Streator. There will be a sign-up sheet at the hearing for anyone wishing to make a statement or submit written comments, Wilkinson said. The district would need a waiver to move to a four-day school week. The deadline to submit an application for such a waiver is Aug. 12, according to Wilkinson. It would be for the 2017-18 school year, he said. In March, district voters rejected a proposal to increase the education fund tax rate from $1.32 per $100 assessed valuation to a maximum of $2.07 per $100 assessed valuation. After the tax hike was rejected, the school board approved cuts to teaching and support staff. The district closed a school in 2013 and has made previous spending cuts. ELKO -- Authorities confirmed the man found Friday night at Jerritt Canyon Gold LLCs mine suffered from self-inflicted stab wounds. The unidentified individual admitted to this act, said acting Undersheriff Kevin McKinney, explaining the man first admitted this to the doctors attending him. McKinney said the wounds are consistent with the admission. Information provided to the Elko County Sheriffs Office states the man clocked into work on Thursday and did not clock out. The man was found by mine site employees, who called local authorities. McKinney did not have a specific location of where the incident took place. According to Free Press files, initial reports proved to be conflicting as they stated the man had been stabbed multiple times by unknown male suspects. Upon further investigation, the victim proved to be an employee of Jerritt Canyon. It was believed the wounds were self-inflicted and appeared to be superficial. He received medical treatment in Boise, Idaho, and local detectives were following up on the case there. The Mine Safety and Health Administration has not been informed of this incident, according to Amanda McClure of the Office of Public Affairs for the Department of Labor. Marianne Kobak McKown contributed reporting to this article. NORMAL A McLean County family will get a new home near Illinois State University thanks to Habitat for Humanity of McLean County, ISU students and the town of Normal. The Normal City Council approved, on Monday, spending $40,000-$25,000 in federal community development block grant money and $15,000 from its general fund to buy property at 222 Keiser Ave. in Normal. The land will be donated to Habitat, and its ISU chapter will build a new home there in 2017. Similar arrangements have produced several Habitat homes on Vernon Avenue, and two more such projects are in progress at 1001 Franklin Ave. "It's not a regular program, but several opportunities have arisen," said Town Planner Mercy Davison of the homes. The Keiser Avenue property will be purchased from Ron and Mollie Morehead. The town planned to use CBDG funds for the full amount, but "the Moreheads requested permission to demolish the house in advance of the CDBG funds being available in order to take advantage of a favorable bid from their contractor," according to a memo from Inspections Director Greg Troemel. "The property was selected based on the age of the structure, at least 80 years old; the size of the structure, approximately 850 square feet; and the generally poor and obsolete condition," Troemel said in the memo. "(Officials) also considered the history of neighbor concerns about the property and the positive impact redevelopment... would have on the surrounding single-family neighborhood, which is generally populated by well-maintained, modest homes." In other business, the council heard a presentation from Communications Manager Heather Wagner and Harriett Steinbach, coordinator of leadership and community connections with ISU, on both organizations' participation in the 2016 International Town and Gown Association Conference this month at Loyola University in Chicago. Both summarized presentations they gave at the conference that demonstrate the town and university have an unusually strong partnership. CLINTON The primary provider of outpatient mental health services in DeWitt County will begin shutting down July 1, a casualty of the state budget impasse, the agency executive director said Monday. The board of the DeWitt County Human Resource Center (HRC) voted to cease providing services after June 30, Executive Director Lynn Scoville said. But HRC is working with other Central Illinois health providers to determine whether they can assume responsibility for HRC programs. "Our goal right now is to make sure our clients are taken care of," Scoville said. Then she paused to cry. "And to make sure they are taken care of in our community. That's our goal." She declined to name the other agencies because negotiations are ongoing. "It truly is heartbreaking the way the State of Illinois has set its priorities," Scoville said. "I don't care what side of the aisle you're on." "The mental health board is saddened by the news of HRC discontinuing client services as of June 30," said Sharon Mills, administrator of the DeWitt County 708 Community Mental Health Board. "There is no other agency in DeWitt County providing the array of services they do." "We are working with HRC to see what we can do to help reach out to other providers," Mills said. HRC serves about 500 people in DeWitt County. Services include outpatient mental health therapy and counseling, case management to assist clients to live independently, 24/7 crisis intervention for people experiencing a psychiatric emergency, psychiatric services, mental health and substance abuse early intervention and developmental training/day programming for people with developmental disabilities. Some people with developmental disabilities work in HRC's Encore Thrift Store. HRC also owns and provides staff for Kleemann Village apartments for low-income adults with mental illnesses but the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development provides funding. About 65 percent of HRC money comes from the state and federal governments, 20 percent from local property tax money and the remaining 15 percent from thrift shop operations and other HRC income. But, since June 30, 2015, because there is no state budget, HRC has received no state grant money. HRC has gotten through the year by moving money from programs that made money to programs that don't make money, by getting money in advance from the Mental Health Board, by reducing numbers of employees from 30 to 18, and by getting a line of credit from a bank. But the line of credit is not being extended and "there is no (state) budget, no plan and no stopgap in place," Scoville said. Gov. Bruce Rauner has declined to sign the stopgap approved by the General Assembly. "We are out of money," Scoville said, estimating that HRC is owed $150,000 by the state. The thrift shop will remain open until all merchandise is sold. Kleemann will remain open because it's HUD-funded, but "the question is, who will provide support to clients?" NORMAL Gov. Bruce Rauner's handpicked comptroller was surprisingly nonpartisan in a Tuesday address imploring state leaders to pass a budget. Leslie Munger, who Rauner appointed shortly after taking office in 2015, mentioned neither the Republican governor nor Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan while pleading for "Springfield" to get a budget in place before Illinois' new fiscal year begins July 1. "It's unconscionable, it's irresponsible and it's actually unconstitutional," said Munger of the state's now-yearlong budget impasse, spurred by policy conflicts between Rauner and Madigan. "The state has a moral and legal obligation to clean up the mess it has made by not passing a (2016) budget." Munger spoke briefly during a stop at Illinois State University. She also visited Rockford and Peoria on Tuesday. Munger warned that while payments ordered by courts and state statutes will continue after July 1, several special spending bills passed by the state legislature in the last year will lapse, including $13.7 billion for K-12 schools; $5.4 billion in federal money including assistance for low-income residents; $3.1 billion in state services; and $600 million for higher education. She also emphasized that vendors that usually would be paid by the state could sue for lost revenue, resulting in state legal fees passed onto taxpayers. "Schools across our state face the real prospect of not opening," she said. "In the absence of (a full budget), we need a standalone bill to fund education." Rauner has called publicly for the General Assembly to pass a stopgap budget, but members have refused. Rauner has refused to sign a full budget until legislators pass budgetary reforms that he claims will make Illinois more economically competitive, but Democratic leaders contend will hurt the middle class. Nevada voters should now brace against millions of dollars from out-of-state Big Marijuana interests supporting Question 2 on the November ballot, the legalization of recreational marijuana. Voters need to realize that by voting yes on Question 2, they will be adopting all provisions of a 13-page initiative written by large corporate marijuana interests. Nevadans need to know what it is not. This initiative isnt a Nevada-based libertarian effort to decriminalize or legalize marijuana. Rather, the initiative is a special interest business plan crafted by and for large marijuana industry donors. It qualified for the ballot as a result of pot promoters paying $660,000 to mercenary signature gatherers. Passage will give monopoly powers to existing medical marijuana retailers and liquor wholesalers, while criminalizing Nevada citizens growing marijuana within 25 miles of the proponents pot shops. Big Marijuana wants to buy through an initiative that which they could not achieve in the scrutiny and compromise required by the legislative process. In reality, this initiative is phony legalization. Big Marijuana seeks to repeat in Nevada what worked for them in Colorado in 2012. There, they financially overwhelmed opponents by 5 to 1, spending $3.4 million (90 percent from outside Colorado) in passing special interest legalization. This enormous pro-pot advertising advantage overcame opposition from most all public officials across the political spectrum from Democrats like Colorado Governor Hickenlooper and Denver Mayor Hancock, to Republicans like Attorney General Suthers and Tea Party favorite, Congressman Buck. The two leading newspapers in Colorado, the liberal Denver Post and the conservative Colorado Springs Gazette, opposed legalization, as did the Colorado Education Association and the Greater Denver Chamber of Commerce. Nevada voters beware: Big Marijuana will be repeating their same discredited Colorado advertising falsehoods. Their spinners in Colorado peddled the tale that too much tax money, cop time and space are wasted on incarcerating marijuana users. Maybe that was true three decades ago, but today its a myth. According to the Bureau of Justice statistics only 0.7 percent of all state inmates are behind bars for simple marijuana possession. A second spin in Colorado was the false claim that the marijuana black market would disappear with legalization. According to Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman, the criminals are still selling on the black market We have plenty of cartel activity in Colorado (and) plenty of illegal activity that has not decreased at all. In fact, organized crime has come to Colorado to grow marijuana since legalization. Finally, a false promise made in Colorado is repeated in Nevada that marijuana tax money will go to education. As Colorado Weed Czar Andrew Freedman observed, the tax dollars brought in largely go to the cost of regulating the industry. Its a big red herring, says Freedman. Dont get fooled, Nevadans Vote No on Question 2. Xia Min Joins Fisher International as Senior Consultant in Asia June 20, 2016 - Fisher International announced that Xia Min has joined the company as Senior Consultant in Asia. Ms. Min, who previously served as a management consultant at Poyry, will be responsible for providing Leveraged Consulting services to Fisher's client base in Asia. Min joins Fisher's consulting team in Guangzhou and Shanghai. Xia Min's consulting background combined with her knowledge of pulp and paper business operations in Asia dovetails nicely with our clients' needs to add a layer of strategy consulting to the business intelligence resources we provide, said Stanley Okoro, General Manager at Fisher International. Min earned her MBA from Thailand's Asia Institute of Technology, School of Management and has over ten years of paper industry experience with a focus on Asia Pacific strategy development in packaging, tissue and market pulp. Fisher International supports the pulp and paper industry with business intelligence and management consulting services. To learn more, please visit: www.fisheri.com. SOURCE: Fisher International WASHINGTON The highly secretive arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture known as Wildlife Services killed more than 3.2 million animals during fiscal year 2015, according to new data released by the agency. The total number of wolves, coyotes, bears, mountain lions, beavers, foxes, eagles and other animals killed largely at the behest of the livestock industry and other agribusinesses represents a half-million-animal increase over the 2.7 million animals the agency killed in 2014. Despite increasing calls for reform a century after the federal wildlife-killing program began in 1915, the latest kill report indicates that the programs reckless slaughter continues, including 385 gray wolves, 68,905 coyotes (plus an unknown number of pups in 492 destroyed dens), 480 black bears, 284 mountain lions, 731 bobcats, 492 river otters (all but 83 killed unintentionally), 3,437 foxes, two bald eagles and 21,559 beavers. The program also killed 20,777 prairie dogs outright, plus an unknown number killed in more than 59,000 burrows that were destroyed or fumigated. Despite mounting public outcry and calls from Congress to reform these barbaric, outdated tactics, Wildlife Services continues its slaughter of Americas wildlife with no public oversight, said Michael Robinson of the Center for Biological Diversity. Theres simply no scientific basis for continuing to shoot, poison and strangle millions of animals every year a cruel practice that not only fails to effectively manage targeted wildlife but poses an ongoing threat to other animals, including pets. Agency insiders have revealed that the agency kills many more animals than it reports. The data show that the Department of Agriculture boosted its killing program despite a growing public outcry and calls for reform by scientists, elected officials and nongovernmental organizations. The Department of Agriculture should get out of the wildlife-slaughter business, said Robinson. Wolves, bears and other carnivores help keep the natural balance of their ecosystems. Our government kills off the predators, such as coyotes, and then kills off their prey like prairie dogs in an absurd, pointless cycle of violence. PPC Brings Together Canadian Folding Carton Manufacturers June 21, 2016 (Press Release) - With the latest meeting of the Paperboard Packaging Council's (PPC) Canadian Committee during PPC's recent Spring Conference in Miami, the association has deepened its efforts to address Canadian-specific manufacturing and regulatory issues, build relevant programing, and increase Canadian membership. Comprised of a number of Canada-based folding carton manufacturers, PPC's Canadian Committee was formed in November 2014 in order to promote the Canadian folding carton market by engaging members in topics around legislation, sustainability, best practices, and industry data. The committee's most recent meeting focused on Canadian-specific additions to PPC's industry exclusive folding carton data reporting. In 2015, with the help of the committee, PPC included a Canadian folding carton market forecast for the first time in its Trends Report, which is prepared by RISI. The 2016 Trends Report will feature a significantly expanded Canadian forecast. PPC also offers a Canadian Wage Survey, which allows participants to benchmark compensation levels against other Canadian converters, and the Canadian Market Flash report, which gives participants a snapshot of the state of the Canadian economy. PPC's Canadian committee has provided a platform for me to discuss key issues with other converters in similar situations, said Charles Parlagreco, chair of PPC's Canadian Committee and president of Ontario-based Astro Box. As a part of this group, we are contributing to and gaining value from this vital resource to all Canadian folding carton manufacturers. In addition to discussing data reporting, the Canadian Committee has also delved into regional and legislative issues such as changes in British Columbia's extended producer responsibility laws. The committee aims to form strategic alliances with other industry associations and organizations, and also works to build Canadian membership in PPC so as to add new perspectives and resources that will maximize value for all. The Canadian committee is just one example of PPC's many special interest groups, said Ben Markens, PPC president. While PPC represents the North American folding carton industry as a whole, we are also dedicated to meeting the diverse needs of our membership. Now in its 87th year, PPC is the leading industry association serving suppliers and converters of all forms of paperboard packaging. To learn more, please visit: paperbox.org. SOURCE: Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC) Port Hawkesbury Paper to Take Week of Downtime June 21, 2016 According to a report in the Vancouver, BC (Canada) online newspaper, The Province, Port Hawkesbury Paper in Nova Scotia will take about a week of market-related downtime. Marc Dube, development manager for the paper mill, said more than half of the mill's 330 employees will be affected by layoffs next week and that some of the unionized and non-unionized employees will take vacation during the shutdown. Dube explained that poor market conditions for printing and writing-grade paper has led to the week-long shutdown. Dube says he's not sure if more layoffs are in store, but company officials remain confident heading into the busier fall months and workers could be called back if the company gets an order. About Port Hawkesbury Paper In 2012, the mill at Port Hawkesbury was purchased by Stern Partners and reopened as Port Hawkesbury Paper. The SC machine (PM2) is capable of producing 400,000 tons of SCA++, SCA+, SCA and SCB papers for use in retail inserts, magazines and catalogs and represents about 20% of the North American capacity for SC (supercalendered) paper. In addition to PM2, the mill has three thermomechanical pulp (TMP) lines capable of producing 650,000 air-dried metric tons of fiber annually. This amount accounts for 90% of the mill's total fiber requirement. SOURCE: The Province Colorado school districts are seeking to secure at least $4 million in funding to boost school safety. The plan is to spend for push button door locks in each classroom to comply with fire code requirements as well as keep the students safe during emergencies. The Denver Post reports that a $572 million bond election is scheduled in November and school district officials are planning to push their request to earmark at least $4 million for the door lock upgrade. Initially, the purpose for this is to comply with the directive of the Colorado Division of Fire and Prevention Control. It requires all schools to have classroom locks from the inside and old locks should be out by Jan. 1, 2018, per the state code. School Safety: Door Locks Upgrade Create Barrier From Threats However, school officials say that this request is actually more about improving the security measures in the schools following the spate of mass shootings in the country. Currently, classrooms have outdated lock systems that require a teacher or someone assigned to find the keys and lock the doors from the hall outside. The new push button system will have anyone easily locking the doors from the inside so that it creates a barrier from any threats during emergency situations. Colorado school district officials recognize that while the budget could be spent for teachers who can impact the kids' education, the reality is that school safety is a pressing problem and a proactive stance is needed. Kids feeling safe in school also affects their learning. "Our parents and our teachers and our students demand safe schools," said John McDonald via Denver Post. Why are Colorado school districts going to spend millions on door locks? https://t.co/5LNQZOypkH by @ehernandez pic.twitter.com/L5bDtskgbt The Denver Post (@denverpost) June 20, 2016 School Safety: Push-Button Door Locks Could Be Misused Daily Camera reports that door locks have become an important security issue for school officials after a shooter struck the University of California Los Angeles (UCAL) campus just this June. It turns out that the classrooms at the prestigious university are actually without any locks. It's the same case for the 2007 school shooting at the Virginia Tech University. But some believe that that schools should instead spend on training employees to handle emergency situations than upgrading door locks. At high schools and universities, this security measure could be misused for assault or rape. What's your say in this matter? Are upgrades in door locks the answer to school safety? Sound off in the comments! Steps to create the first Zika virus vaccine are underway and the initial phase of human testing has received an approval from the U.S. Food and Drug administration (FDA) to proceed. Drug company Inovio Pharmaceuticals is behind the trial along with South Korean medical company GeneOne Life Science. The human testing is expected to start in the next few weeks. The Zika virus vaccine, called the GLS-5700 for now, will be tested among 40 humans, who have volunteered for the trial and who are deemed healthy and without any virus infections or complications. If the trial is a success it will move on to the next phase, which will see the Zika virus vaccine being tested on actual patients with Zika infection. If this turn out to be good as well, a larger test will be done next, per CNN. Zika Virus Vaccine Showed Positive Results In Animal Testing Inovio Pharmaceuticals, through its president and CEO Dr. J. Joseph Kim, stated that results for the first human Zika virus vaccine trial will be expected to come out "later this year," per its press release. The company has been working with GeneOne Life Science in conducting Zika virus vaccine tests in mice and monkeys before seeking to do human tests. The vaccine showed that the previous test subjects presented strong immunities against Zika infection, per NBC News. Experimental vaccine for Zika virus gets OK for human trials from U.S. health officials. https://t.co/xK1WbngaGf The Associated Press (@AP) June 20, 2016 More Zika Virus Vaccine Underway For Other Companies Since the Zika outbreak, drug companies have been racing to develop a Zika virus vaccine. Inovio Pharmaceuticals and GeneOne Life Science first agreed to work together nine months ago while doing a teleconference. However, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases is also currently testing its own Zika virus vaccine in animals and may soon follow with human tests as well, per Stat News. The rush to produce a viable Zika virus vaccine is much needed as Zika cases continue to rise and has already affected 61 countries around the world, especially in the Latin American regions. Zika virus is carried by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito and its infection has been proven to affect pregnant women and their babies, resulting in birth defects. Canada is now one of the countries which allows physician assisted death. The law was eventually approved after the Canadian lawmakers were able to pass the legislation in having the physician assisted death legalized. The bill was introduced in April, wherein it was mentioned that the physician assisted dying has specific grounds to distinguish it from suicide. According to NPR, there are specific grounds when it comes to allowing the individual to apply for a physician assisted death. The bill was introduced on April 14, 2016, and is now being finalized. It was mentioned that the patient who would appeal for a physician assisted death should be over 18 years or older. The patient should also be eligible for any government funded health care, which is one of the top requirements for the physician assisted death. Senate votes to reject Sen. Joyals amend. to Sen. Harders motion: 28 yeas, 42 nays, 3 abstentions #SenCA #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/1HEVxKLNgw Senate of Canada (@SenateCA) June 17, 2016 Not only should the person be 18 years old or older, but he/she needs to be mentally stable as well. The patient should have an incurable disease, and should have a "reasonable foreseeable" natural death. The patient who is under an advised state of an irreversible condition which bought him/her to intolerable suffering is also eligible to make an appeal for a physician assisted death. According to CBC, the c-14: Medical Assistance in Dying is officially approved after the having a thorough run in regards to the qualification. The approval of the bill however is still being questioned as the eligibility sparked concerns. It was mentioned that if the qualifications would be expanded, there are tendencies wherein the individual suffering from PTSD, trauma due to sexual harassment and a spinal cord injury can also make an appeal for the physician assisted death. Canada is only one out of more than five countries that allow a physician assisted death, which include the Netherlands, Belgium, France and the United States. In her book, The Moral Case For Abortion, Ann Furedi argues abortions should be made as widely available as contraception and claims the method is just another means of birth control. Also, there is no moral difference between decisions on a termination and whether to get married or divorced. Ann Furedi is the head of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, the country's biggest abortion clinic chain. She says there is nothing morally wrong with destroying a fetus reasoning that although abortion is considered an act of killing and admits that it is killing "a being that has no sense of life or death", reports Express. The call for abortion on demand comes with the rise in the number of women seeking an abortion in England and Wales. There has been a decline in pregnancies among young women but an increase in older women having abortions with a partner already married. The number rose from 48 percent in 2005 to 70 percent in 2015. About 54 percent of women choosing abortion were already mothers. Since 1990, legal abortion is allowed until 24 weeks of pregnancy. After then an abortion can only be carried out if the pregnancy is life-threatening or in cases of severe fetal abnormality. But Mrs. Ferudi's call for abortion is without time limits, as per Daily Mail. The Royal College of Midwives was criticized carrying out an illegal abortion without consulting its members on the issue last month. Under the 1967 Abortion Act, abortion is legal if two doctors agree if a woman's pregnancy endangers her health or her existing children. 'The Moral Case For Abortion' book will be published next month and comes after the Department of Health statistics revealed abortion rates have increased among women over their 30s in the past decade. Mrs. Furedi is a former Marxist and magazine journalist; and in the 90s, she became an abortion campaigner. She has been BPAS chief executive since 2003, which carries out about one in three abortions in England and Wales. A Colorado mother had to pry open the jaws of a mountain lion that was attacking her five-year-old son and now the boy is said to be doing better after the attack. NPR reported that the incident took place on Friday evening and she had to reach into the animal's mouth to grab the head of her son from the animal's jaws. The child was playing outside of their home with his brother and the mother heard screaming. Pitkin County police released a statement confirming the reports and said that the mother rushed outside and found the mountain lion on top of her son. The woman charged at the animal and yanked away one of its paws. She then discovered then that whole head of her son was in the animal's mouth. The woman was able to remove her son physically from the mountain lion after prying its jaws open. Deputy Michael Buglione had nothing but high praises for the mother noting that she is a hero. The names of the people involved have not been released but it has been reported that the child sustained injuries to his face, head, and neck during the attack. The boy has been listed under fair condition days after the incident. He has been transferred from Aspen to a hospital in Denver. The mother was also injured when she tried to save her son. She had minor injuries to her hands and legs. Law enforcement officials responded to the 911 call of the mother. They were able to find the mountain lion in the front yard of the family and the animal was killed. The mountain lion was said to be about two years old and a male. Buglione added, "It wasn't a big cat. Had it been a 110-pound lion - which I've seen around here - this would have been a much different story." A second big cat was tracked by dogs and was killed a day after. Earlier, two more lions were seen near the area before the incident took place. The family also issued a statement thanking the people for their concern and assured that their son is doing better. The family also thanked the people for respecting their privacy. Around 4,500 mountain lions live in Colorado. The incident took place weeks after the incident where a silverback gorilla was shot dead in a zoo after a four-year-old boy fell into the enclosure. It also comes days after a two-year-old boy was snatched by an alligator in Universal resorts in Orlando, Florida. The legal drama "Suits" season 6 is conveying many unpredictable outcomes. It has been established that since Mike is in jail, love would last for him and Rachel, but the possibility of a fake love arises. Moreover, hints of the series nearing its end surmount as well. "Suits" season 6 is set to return with many mysteries, broken hearts and probable demise. The captivating ending of the previous season has resulted into a lot of queries regarding the characters' future and how thier lives intertwine. Meanwhile, actor Patrick J. Adams, the man behind the character of Mike Ross in "Suits," has disclosed the finale ending for season 5, according to Movie News Guide. The plot of which is not the one that was previously planned which could imply that the said ending could probably occur in season 6 as well. It could either be that Ross and Zane's relationship would ultimately meet its demise in the forthcoming "Suits" season 6. Looking back, the original script meant for Ross and Zane to marry but that plot line did not go forward. The ending was just too much, as others perceived it to be, so the need to modify had to be done. We're 4 weeks away from the #Suits Season 6 Premiere! Catch up now with the Season 5 DVD: https://t.co/2Hw4Y8u26a pic.twitter.com/5mR5gXKfjO Suits (@Suits_USA) June 15, 2016 It is believed that love would not remain for the two of them as plotlines for "Suits" season 6 encourages a possibility of Rachel finding another man in her life. Many are made to think that the series might be nearing its end however, Aaron Korsh, the showrunner of "Suits", debunked the rumors. The apprehensions are understandable, given the fact that the renewal if the series has not been confirmed to give way for Season 7, reports Master Herald. Check out this interview with @halfadams for the inside scoop on Mike in Season 6: https://t.co/omTPEJIoyG pic.twitter.com/gfUWXDa8es Suits (@Suits_USA) June 14, 2016 The rumors should still be taken with a grain of salt as no confirmations on whether "Suits" season 6 would be the finale season of legal drama series. It also remained unsettled on whether love would prevail for Mike and Rachel in the next season. The #Suits are back. Season 6 starts next month on Universal. pic.twitter.com/FTpyjOTL0R Foxtel (@Foxtel) June 16, 2016 For the fans and followers of the epic series, "Suits" season 6 is slated for release on July 13 to be aired on the USA Network. When "The Walking Dead Season 7" premieres Negan, played by "Grey's Anatomy" actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan, would have gotten Lucille to give Michonne, played by Danai Gurira, the death blow. That said Rick Grimes, played by "Love Actually" actor Andrew Lincoln, and Negan who are already natural enemies will have more motive to fight it out in "The Walking Dead Season 7." This would be so if the death scene shot for Michonne for "The Walking Dead Season 7" premiere turns out to be the bloody farewell that makes the final cut. Carl Grimes (Chandler Riggs), attempting a solo attack on The Saviours would have more gravitas given "The Walking Dead Season 6" depicting Carl Grimes and Michonne cementing their closeness as Vanity Fair reports. Granted that would have been the scene Negan and Carl Grimes get close in "The Walking Dead" series. However, the conflict in Carl Grimes from Negan killing Michonne would have lent stronger "The Walking Dead" dysfunction to the connection. Jeffrey Dean Morgan made good on getting Negan and Lucille to shake things up, with "The Walking Dead" Season 7 premiere one of the most analyzed openings for the AMC series. According to The Hollywood Reporter, "The Walking Dead" Season 7 filming now even have to dodge fan drones to be able to maintain the S7 premiere suspense. "The Walking Dead" viewers are invested on the characters and fear finding that Negan eliminated a fan favorite. The Hollywood Reporter cites Sonequa Martin-Green, who plays Sasha, saying that as an aftermath of Lucille's killing spree by Negan, "The Walking Dead" Season 7 cast have to cover up with costumes and hoods from location to location. To date, reports say producers and directors have planted "The Walking Dead" Season 7 red herrings in abundance with Michonne, Glen Rhee (Steven Yeun), Eugene (Josh McDermitt), Maggie Green (Lauren Cohan), Sasha, Arron (Ross Marquand), Rosita (Christian Serratos) and Abraham (Michael Cudlitz) having shot their death scenes with Negan and Lucille. Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus), Carl and even Rick Grimes were also filmed getting smashed up with Lucille by a gleeful Negan for "The Walking Dead" Season 7 premiere. The last is unnecessary since no one would really believe "The Walking Dead" would continue without the angsty Rick Grimes for whom Negan will provide the essential Season 7 conflict. In the meantime, viewers will have more to anticipate after "The Walking Dead" Season 7 premiere suspense clears up. The Hollywood Reporter cites executive producers Scott Gimple and Greg Nicotero in the tease that Shiva, beloved pet tiger to The Kingdom leader Ezekiel, could be joining "The Walking Dead" mayhem. "The Walking Dead" fans can reconnect with Jeffrey Dean Morgan's Negan, Lucille and the Alexandria gang on October 9 on AMC. "The Walking Dead" Season 7 premiere will reveal if Negan smashed happy-ever-after for Michonne and Rick Grimes. A drug used to treat osteoporosis could help doctors prevent breast cancer in women. The drug Denosumab, which was approved by Medsafe, will do this by targeting dangerous and faulty genes that carry cancer. New Zealand PhD researcher Emma Nolan and her colleagues in Australia conducted the recent study, NZ Herald reported. The drug could be used as an alternative to the surgery that women who carry faulty BRCA genes undertake. Women's lifetime risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer is increased if she carries harmful mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2, which can be inherited, according to the National Cancer Institute. Women who have these BRCA1 gene mutations have a 55 to 65 percent risk of developing breast cancer, while those with faulty BRCA2 genes are 45 percent more likely to have breast cancer. The BRCA1 gene's main purpose is to help repair damaged DNA. But the genes can be dangerous to a person if it mutates, increasing cancer risk. Cancer 'Precursor' Cells By using breast tissue samples from women with faulty BRCA1 genes, Nolan and her colleagues found cancer "precursor" cells that carry a marker protein called Rank, which is targeted by the Denosumab drug. These precursor cells are vulnerable from cancer. Through laboratory trials, the researchers found that Denosumab can effectively prevent cancer cell growth in the breast tissue delaying the development of cancerous tumors. Doctors are hopeful that they are on the gateway towards the "holy grail" of cancer treatment. Denosumab is currently being marketed as Prolia and Xgeva and is also used to treat breast cancer that has spread to the bone. Spotting Early Signs Of Breast Cancer Breast cancer is the most common illness among women, according to the World Health Organization. More than 508,000 females died from breast cancer around the globe in 2011, but genetic mutations only account for a small percentage of cases. Early detection is the most important factor in treating the disease. Some of the early symptoms of breast cancer are changes in the nipple's shape, intermittent breast pain and nipple discharge that is either clear, red, yellow or brown, Healthline listed. There are also unexplained redness, swelling, rashes, skin irritation on the breast, as well as a swelling or lump around the collarbone or under the arm. It's not surprising by now that smoking can exacerbate several cancer types including breast cancer. Moreover, patients who are undergoing a specific drug treatment for breast cancer are in danger of the disease's recurrence if they smoke cigarettes often. A drug treatment that contains aromatase inhibitors doesn't have successful results in curing breast cancer if a woman smokes habitually, Irish Health reported. President Barack Obama's achievements have made a resounding impact on the African-American community. A new report found that many black babies are being given African-American-sounding names since Obama was elected to the presidency in 2008. The study, which was conducted by two Texas A&M University professors, was published in the journal Ethnic and Racial Studies. According to researchers Tracy N. Anderson-Clark and Raymond J. Green, names indicate "culture, family, heritage and tradition" as well as the perception of people and groups about themselves. This notion is called collective self-esteem. Basking In Obama's Reflected Glory The study stated that the election of an African-American to the highest political seat in the country has elevated how African-Americans view themselves. Because of this, African-American parents choose to give ethnic names to their babies to demonstrate their desire to bask in the reflected glory of the president. Obama himself is named after his Kenyan father. The study noted that African-American parents are leaning away from European-sounding names. Even educated blacks are choosing ethnic-sounding names for their kids, a trend that was previously common among poor blacks. It is a good thing that more African-American people are proud of their culture and heritage, but the study's authors think parents should be more cautious about the names they pick for their babies. Ethnic-sounding names can influence how a child is treated by other people. They added that it's all about preventing prejudice and discrimination that can result from something as simple as a name, Science Daily reported. African-American Men With Historically Black Names Have Longer Lifespans A separate study found that African-American men with historically black names such as Abraham, Booker, Elijah, Isaac and Moses live a year longer. Those who have modern-day black names like Jamal, Rasheed and Hakim tend to have shorter lifespans than the previous group, according to the Jacksonville Free Press. Lisa Cook, associate professor of economics at Michigan State University and James Madison College, said that modern black names can "act as a burden" and leads to discrimination in jobs and schools, the news outlet further reported. Past studies found that the U.S. associates distinctive black modern names with racial discrimination, while in the United Kingdom it correlates with class discrimination. Meanwhile, blacks who have historic and Old Testament-sounding names tend to demonstrate empowerment. African-American men with names like that tend to have respected standings in academics as well as in their communities, families and churches. This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact the Parsons Sun office at (620) 421-2000 if you have any questions In February 2015 Patently Apple posted a report titled "Korea's FTC has created a Task Force to Determine Whether Apple and Google are Damaging the Korean Market." This was the year of Apple's iPhone-6 mania, the year that they introduced their first phablet that was taking significant market share away from Korean locals such as Samsung, LG and Pantech. If you beat Korean OEM's, you're evidently "damaging" the Korean market. Then in 2016 we posted a report titled "Apple Completes their Work with Korea's Fair Trade Commission to revise their 'Unfair' Service Agreements." Just as we thought all was settled and bam, Korea's Fair Trade Commission announced that they're set to open yet another probe against Apple, just as the company is preparing for the launch of their iPhone 7 this September. According to the Korean press, "The nation's antitrust watchdog is investigating Apple Korea over the terms of its marketing contracts with local mobile carriers, sources said Tuesday. It is the latest in a series of probes into the iPhone maker's allegedly unfair corporate activities here. Sources said Apple Korea has pressed carriers into buying a minimum volume of promotional iPhones and sharing the burden of repair costs. The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) is investigating mobile carriers over the exact terms of their contracts with Apple, and Apple Korea will also be looked into soon. In April, the FTC ordered the rectification of 20 unfair provisions in contracts with its certified repair service partners. The contracts included stipulations that the repair firms could not file lawsuits against Apple Korea within a year after any dispute. The repair service partners had little choice but to agree to such terms, due to the market power of Apple's popular iPhone series. Apple Korea complied and changed the contracts. Last year, the FTC ordered Apple to allow customers refunds for repair services. Expectations are that the FTC may fine Apple Korea and urge the U.S. technology giant to revise its contracts with mobile carriers if any similar unfair terms are found. Apple Korea may have taken advantage of the competitive landscape among the nation's three mobile carriers, each vying for subscribers for the popular iPhones, said the source. In Korea, mobile carriers offer few subsidies for iPhones. This is a stark contrast with popular Android handsets from manufacturers such as Samsung or LG. As Apple does not allow mobile carriers to offer subsidies for iPhones, they may have been forced to pay for Apple Korea's marketing activities. In recent years, Apple has been mired in similar controversies in other countries. In 2013, Taiwan's antitrust authority fined Apple $666,000 over illegally interfering with iPhone pricing. This April, French authorities sued Apple for $55 million for abusing its market status in France, citing unfair clauses in its contracts with mobile carriers there." In the early years of the iPhone, carriers around the world were falling over themselves to make a deal with Apple. With Steve Jobs gone and the iPhone losing share every year, carriers are now emboldened to request government probes into Apple's standard contracts with little fear of reprisal. This is one of those cases where market share volume matters. As it's declined for the iPhone, carriers are open to pushing back with Apple with a little help from local governments. About Making Comments on our Site: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments. In July 2015 Patently Apple posted a report titled Apple Remains the Number One Target of Patent Trolls in 2015. The statistics showed that Apple, Actavis and Amazon were the most frequently sued, with Apple facing 25 patent suits in the first half of 2015 while Actavis and Amazon each faced 21 suits. Today there was a ruling from the US Supreme Court that will make life a little harder for patent trolls. According to the Wall Street Journal, "The Supreme Court on Monday blessed new government procedures for challenging patents, a win for companies that argued the fledgling process was a better, more cost-effective way to weed weak patents out of the system. The ruling is a blow for companies that favor strong patent protections, such as those in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry. It is a boost for technology companies like Alphabet's Google and Apple that have taken advantage of new procedures at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to challenge the validity of patents they believed made weak claims to new innovations. The case focused on Patent Office regulations that implemented part of a 2011 congressional overhaul of the nation's patent system. Many supporters of the law argued there were too many questionable patents in the U.S. and it was too slow and expensive to challenge them in court. The 2011 law created quicker and cheaper procedures for contesting patents in front of the Patent Office instead of in front of a federal judge. But some argued the procedures overcompensated and made patents too vulnerable. That is because the Patent Office adopted challenger-friendly legal standards that were different than those used in courts. The Supreme Court acknowledged the Patent Office rules depart from those used in court, but said the agency had taken a reasonable approach. Justice Stephen Breyer, writing the court's opinion, said the Patent Office approach "helps to protect the public" by preventing individuals and companies from claiming overly broad patents that "might discourage the use of the invention by a member of the public." According to recent government data, trials completed so far in front of a Patent Office board have resulted in the cancellation of some or all of a patent more than 80% of the time. Board proceedings have been a favored venue for tech companies, particularly those that are targets of lawsuits from patent assertion businesses. Those businessesdescribed as patent trolls by criticsdon't make products but have patent portfolios from which they seek to profit from licensing fees and litigation. For more on this, read the full Wall Street Journal report here. About Comments: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit comments. Dear Rothoof, I see youve been reassigned to another human. Officially speaking, Im looking forward to your new attempts at tempting (no pun there, Rothoof, do contain yourself), and I admire the bureaucratic process that brought you back into active service. I must say, however, I am a little bemused as to why Our Father Below saw it fit to pull you up from the re-education chambers so soon after your last debacle. I dont bring it up to hurt you (Hell knows, theres enough of that in the battle against the Enemy). I only wish to motivate you. I dont need to remind you, of course, that my reputation is roped to your own (you and I rebelled against The Enemy as a pair, remember?) and that I have suffered three examinations over your ineptitude. So lets go over it once more, shall we? You had a human in your care, a real nugget of possibility. Grubtongue himself, with all his veteran experience in childhood-education, could hardly have provided a meal more instantly microwaveable. She had a high rank in a cartel, distributing (admittedly crude and distasteful) narcotics to the poor in accordance with our General American Campaign. She kept a new lover every month, and indulged her taste for debauchery with satisfying combination of frequency and a gradual decline in those repulsive side-effects of pleasure, joy, and affection. She even killed a man. The only reason you were granted such an idiot-proof opportunity was a silly ordeal involving a late-life baptism, demanded by her grandmother, that put your humans original guardian into the Burn Unit (our Research Department is still looking into how Our Enemy, with his shameless, opportunistic fascination with the material world, managed to weaponize the humans water). So why, Rothoof, is such easy prey now ridiculously exalted, full of enough vinegar to laugh at us, peacefully conversing with the man she murdered in the kingdom of Our Enemy? Stupidity, Rothoof. Your sublime stupidity is the efficient cause of the whiny, self-indulgent cheers of the Enemy horde. You grew so intoxicated by your subjects evil actions that you neglected to pay close attention to the unique savor of her guilt. Its true, of course, that guilt can be weaponized. The Manual recommends repressed guilt, self-indulgent guilt, crippling guilt, and resentful guilt as effective means of keeping humans away from any accurate picture of Our Enemy who, degrading his own spiritual nature, forgives these worms any sin, any time they apologize, and at any stage in their life. But your humans guilt was neither repressed, indulged, nor aestheticized. It was simply the felt awareness that she was living a life beneath the life she ought to live. She held held it frankly and candidly. She was forever reminding herself that she knew each of her sins was wrong. It became of point of pride, really, that whatever she did, she at the very least had no illusions. After every explosion of violence, even as she listened to her family justify themselves with stock phrases like they were asking for it, and it was us or them, she would sing a little song to herself this is wrong, this is wrong, this is wrong. After every illicit sexual act, she would allow the immense distance between her attempts at communion and those that really attain unity to fill her attention and again, that horrible song. Oh, how easy it would have been to pry her guilt from her! You could have infected her with a disdain for her grandmother, who already annoyed her, and then, by simple transference, have her think of the moral code that so haunted her as coming from Grandmother. Voila! Now her guilt is no kind of insight into the moral universe its merely the thin, warbling voice of a dying old woman. Never mind whether her grandmothers insights were genuine or not. Humans are notoriously bad a distinguishing the source of a moral statement from the question of whether the statement is true. I once had a man advocate the torture of enemy combatants simply because he had heard the contrary position, that one ought not torture, from an annoying leftist politician. It suffices to give genuine guilt some alternative explanation: if not a grandmother then a morbid disposition, an excessive Catholicism, old movies, bad novels, an evolutionary trait, some quirk of psychology, anything besides the plain voice of conscience your subject took it for. But by letting her hang on to such a guilt, you let her feed a lion. By letting her maintain the awareness of the contradiction between the facts of her life and the way her life ought to have been lived, you kept its cage unlocked. By failing to see that as sin grew dry and stale, the moral ideals she kept preserved would grow all the more tempting you might as well have baited it with a raw steak. Well, the Lion devoured you in the end. Good riddance, Id say, if not for our devoted and respectful business relationship, of course. As you begin again, demoted and humiliated, do try to remember the directive of Our Father Below: What profits it a Spirit to tempt a human into a thousand evil acts if their basic moral beliefs do not change, and conversion stands, as it were, like a battering ram at their door? To safeguard those evil actions, to assure their habitual performance, and to keep the door firmly barred against Enemy invasion, one must silence the song no matter how deep it sings that this is wrong. One must supplement every immoral, selfish action with a gradual shift of moral code, so that the ideals and beliefs of the human no longer threaten evil actions with conversion, but actually come to confirm and justify them. Ill send more on this. In the meantime, keep your horns down, and dont let on that we are acquaintances. Your incompetency brings us all down. Affectionately, Crookedhart Hey Dear Readers, its not-demon me, Marc. Im trying to motivate myself to write for you. So Im hereby making a rule. If I get any donation, no matter how small, I will regard it as a challenge, and post again within the next 33 hours. Follow my Facebook page to see if someone has already challenged me to post! says Pope Francis. Hes perfectly right of course. When the pope speaks from his years of experience as a pastor about such matters, he tends to be met by laptop theoreticians who much prefer diagrams about retributive justice derived from years of reading abstractions in manuals somewhere. It reminds me of a conversation I once had with Jimmy Akin in which we were noodling the arguments made by various zealots for rationalizing the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Jimmy, being the eminently fair-minded man he is was trying to give the devil his due and come up with some kind of way in which such acts of mass murder might conceivably be morally justified (cities filled with nothing but enemy soldiers, etc.) Finally, I remarked on the weirdness of our conversation, Sure. In a *perfect* world, we could incinerate 200,000 people without sin. But we are talking about this fallen and imperfect world. Arguments for the death penalty have that same surreal quality. Sure, in perfect world we could gas, hang, electrocute, and shoot people without sin. But in this fallen world, what we are really talking about is a) killing innocent to the tune of about 4% of our victims and b) inspiring in death penalty fans a raging and deadly vengefulness that is poison to their souls. Here is what all that abstract stuff about retributive justice comes down to in the lived experience of death penalty zealots: Bundy photos: AP Photo/Mark Foley The Pope is right. Abolish the death penalty. Any list that includes Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Communist China, and North Korea is not a list the United States wants to be on. Be more prolife, not less. And, by the way, my cousin came within a whisker of being one of Bundys victims, so this is not an abstraction for me. I just learned that one of my fellow travelers on the great way, a Zen priest is going to be ordained into the independent sacramental tradition. It is important to add, without renouncing his Buddhist vows. I am endlessly fascinated by the Buddhist Christian encounter. And, actually, I find enormous value in the dialogue, and more in those places of conflict, and most of all in those attempts at fusion. Most of these will fail. Maybe all of them. And yet I feel something rich within that strange and mysterious place. And compelling. This meeting has been going on for a while now. I was a little disappointed when I figured out Thomas Mertons The Wisdom of the Desert was carefully selected to emphasize those areas of possible compatibility with Zen Buddhism. Reading more comprehensive collections such as Benedicta Wards magisterial Apophthegmata Patrum, the Sayings of the Desert Fathers, or even Helen Waddells more introductory The Desert Fathers, reveals a fascinating, wildly diverse, and even compelling version of an ascetic Christianity. And, yes, within that wildness there are moments that look quite Zen. For instance, in Father Mertons version. Some elders once came to Abbot Anthony, and there was with them also Abbot Joseph. Wishing to test them, Abbot Anthony brought the conversation around to the Holy Scriptures. And he began from the youngest to ask them the meaning of this or that text. Each one replied as best he could, but Abbot Anthony said to them: You have not got it yet. After them all he asked Abbot Joseph: What about you? What do you say this text means? Abbot Joseph replied: I know not! Then Abbot Anthony said: Truly Abbot Joseph alone has found the way, for he replies that he knows not. In addition to the questions of curation, I am also aware of the dangers of seeking meaning for ones own spiritual way in the utterances of someone on another way. But, my goodness, sometimes. Sometimes. When asked what is Zen, the Korean Zen master Seung Sahn said, Only dont know. This is the great secret of Zen spirituality. And, frankly, the secret gateway for us all. And so we find this message collected as case twenty in the Book of Serenity. Dizang asked Fayen, Where are you going? Fayen replied, I am wandering about aimlessly. Dizang asked, So, what do you think of this wandering about? Fayan said, I dont know. Dizang replied, Not knowing is most intimate. It doesnt really matter for our purposes who the players in this story are, although I find it interesting that theyre real historical people. Still, we can, and I believe it very helpful, to think of them as the part of our minds that believes it is in control and the part that knows better. How are you doing? I can ask myself. Oh, wandering about, I might reply. Particularly, right now. Interestingly, some versions of the text say wandering about on pilgrimage. Others, however, say wandering about aimlessly. These days, wrapped in not knowing, I prefer the second. Then pushed to respond to how I feel about this, I really, really understand that line I dont know. And, Christians get it. (Yes, not all Christians. The same can be said about many Buddhists) We got it in that saying from the Desert Fathers. Heres another Christian text that points in this direction, as well. The more common version for the title is the Cloud of Unknowing. It could just as easily, just as accurately be titled the Cloud of Not Knowing. Not knowing. Only dont know. The cloud of unknowing. In my own experience, it means that while I like to plan and analyze, sometimes, sometimes in the most important places, I have to surrender my dreams of control, and let what is, be. For me it means shifting a bit, and letting my body guide me, rather more than my head. Right now, living within the bow, within the not knowing, I discover things. Like in that place where Christianity and Buddhism meet. Uncomfortable. Powerful. A field of dreams. My dreams hint at things, and I need to notice. My bodys aches and joys tell me things, and I need to notice. Chance encounters and fragments of conversation take on new and luminescent qualities, and I need to notice. Here the water bubbling up out of the well reveals itself, flowing freely, informing, nurturing, opening new ways. Its something glorious, as well, of course, as unsettling, and occasionally even frightening. Not knowing. Only dont know. That cloud of unknowing. This not knowing is most intimate. Beyond East and West. Found both in East and West. It reveals who I really am, it loosens my sense of boundaries, shakes off stories of control and certainty, and, and in all that; reveals a wide and wild world as my true home. In the case of Utah v. Strieff, the Supreme Court in a 5-3 decision, found that if an officer illegally stops an individual and then after the stop discovers an arrest warrant, any evidence from the stop may be used in court. The only restriction is when an officer engages in flagrant police misconduct, which the decision declines to define. This means that police now can stop anyone on at anytime, without any probable cause. In addition, this ruling nullifies any fruit of the poisonous tree . Dissenting from the position was Justice Sotomayor, with Justices Ginsburg and Kagan concurring in part. They start their three part dissent with this: The Court today holds that the discovery of a warrant for an unpaid parking ticket will forgive a police officers violation of your Fourth Amendment rights. Do not be soothed by the opinions technical language: This case allows the police to stop you on the street, demand your identification, and check it for outstanding traffic warrantseven if you are doing nothing wrong. If the officer discovers a warrant for a fine you forgot to pay, courts will now excuse his illegal stop and will admit into evidence anything he happens to find by searching you after arresting you on the warrant. Because the Fourth Amendment should prohibit, not permit, such misconduct, I dissent. However, Justice Sotomayor added a fourth part in which she alone dissented. We here at R3 print it in full here along with the embedded links of the law cases. Dissent of Justice Sonia Sotomayor: Part 4 Writing only for myself, and drawing on my professional experiences, I would add that unlawful stops have severe consequences much greater than the inconvenience suggested by the name. This Court has given officers an array of instruments to probe and examine you. When we condone officers use of these devices without adequate cause, we give them reason to target pedestrians in an arbitrary manner. We also risk treating members of our communities as second-class citizens. Although many Americans have been stopped for speeding or jaywalking, few may realize how degrading a stop can be when the officer is looking for more. This Court has allowed an officer to stop you for whatever reason he wantsso long as he can point to a pretextual justification after the fact. Whren v. United States, 517 U. S. 806, 813 (1996). That justification must provide specific reasons why the officer suspected you were breaking the law, Terry, 392 U. S., at 21, but it may factor in your ethnicity, United States v. Brignoni-Ponce, 422 U. S. 873, 886887 (1975), where you live, Adams v. Williams, 407 U. S. 143, 147 (1972), what you were wearing, United States v. Sokolow, 490 U. S. 1, 45 (1989), and how you behaved, Illinois v. Wardlow, 528 U. S. 119, 124125 (2000). The officer does not even need to know which law you might have broken so long as he can later point to any possible infractioneven one that is minor, unrelated, or ambiguous. Devenpeck v. Alford, 543 U. S. 146, 154155 (2004); Heien v. North Carolina, 574 U. S. ___ (2014). The indignity of the stop is not limited to an officer telling you that you look like a criminal. The officer may next ask for your consent to inspect your bag or purse without telling you that you can decline. See Florida v. Bostick, 501 U. S. 429, 438 (1991). Regardless of your answer, he may order you to stand helpless, perhaps facing a wall with [your] hands raised. Terry, 392 U. S., at 17. If the officer thinks you might be dangerous, he may then frisk you for weapons. This involves more than just a pat down. As onlookers pass by, the officer may feel with sensitive fingers every portion of [your] body. A thorough search [may] be made of [your] arms and armpits, waistline and back, the groin and area about the testicles, and entire surface of the legs down to the feet. Id., at 17, n. 13. The officers control over you does not end with the stop. If the officer chooses, he may handcuff you and take you to jail for doing nothing more than speeding, jaywalking, or driving [your] pickup truck . . . with [your] 3-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter . . . without [your] seatbelt fastened. Atwater v. Lago Vista, 532 U. S. 318, 323324 (2001). At the jail, he can fingerprint you, swab DNA from the inside of your mouth, and force you to shower with a delousing agent while you lift [your] tongue, hold out [your] arms, turn around, and lift [your] genitals. Florence v. Board of Chosen Freeholders of County of Burlington, 566 U. S. ___, ______ (2012) (slip op., at 23); Maryland v. King, 569 U. S. ___, ___ (2013) (slip op., at 28). Even if you are innocent, you will now join the 65 million Americans with an arrest record and experience the civil death of discrimination by employers, landlords, and whoever else conducts a background check. Chin, The New Civil Death, 160 U. Pa. L. Rev. 1789, 1805 (2012); see J. Jacobs, The Eternal Criminal Record 3351 (2015); Young & Petersilia, Keeping Track, 129 Harv. L. Rev. 1318, 13411357 (2016). And, of course, if you fail to pay bail or appear for court, a judge will issue a warrant to render you arrestable on sight in the future. A. Goffman, On the Run 196 (2014). This case involves a suspicionless stop, one in which the officer initiated this chain of events without justification. As the Justice Department notes, supra, at 8, many innocent people are subjected to the humiliations of these unconstitutional searches. The white defendant in this case shows that anyones dignity can be violated in this manner. See M. Gottschalk, Caught 119138 (2015). But it is no secret that people of color are disproportionate victims of this type of scrutiny. See M. Alexander, The New Jim Crow 95136 (2010). For generations, black and brown parents have given their children the talk instructing them never to run down the street; always keep your hands where they can be seen; do not even think of talking back to a strangerall out of fear of how an officer with a gun will react to them. See, e.g., W. E. B. Du Bois, The Souls of Black Folk (1903); J. Baldwin, The Fire Next Time (1963); T. Coates, Between the World and Me (2015). By legitimizing the conduct that produces this double consciousness, this case tells everyone, white and black, guilty and innocent, that an officer can verify your legal status at any time. It says that your body is subject to invasion while courts excuse the violation of your rights. It implies that you are not a citizen of a democracy but the subject of a carceral state, just waiting to be cataloged. We must not pretend that the countless people who are routinely targeted by police are isolated. They are the canaries in the coal mine whose deaths, civil and literal, warn us that no one can breathe in this atmosphere. See L. Guinier & G. Torres, The Miners Canary 274283 (2002). They are the ones who recognize that unlawful police stops corrode all our civil liberties and threaten all our lives. Until their voices matter too, our justice system will continue to be anything but. * * * I dissent. Donate to the Work of R3 Patna: After several days in hiding, the alleged mastermind in the 'ToppersGate' Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh and his wife and co-conspirator Usha Singh finally got in the police dragnet when authorities in Varanasi on Monday morning arrested them from a house in Ravindra Puri. Singh, the Chairperson of the Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) who went underground shortly after the money for merit list scandal broke out in Bihar nearly two weeks ago, was apprehended from a home in Varanasi and taken to a local police station for interrogation. Patna Superintendent of Police (SSP) Manu Maharaj, confirming the arrest of the absconding husband-wife duo, said that they were hiding at the house of one of their friends in Varanasi for about a week before changing their location to avoid arrest. "The friend was identified as one Prabhat Jaiswal who has also been taking into custody for sheltering the fugitives," the SSP said. Police in Patna had earlier taken out arrest warrants against Singh and his wife, a Janata Dal U leader and former MLC, for running the 'cash for top place in the merit list' scam with the help of Bachcha Rai, the owner/Principal of Vishun Roy College in Hajipur, and other BSEB officials. Rai was arrested last week after police recovered a large sum of cash, gold jewelries, and several incriminating documents proving his culpability in the crime. Biden Slams Trump's Anti-Muslim Stands, Embrace Of Putin 06/21/16 Source: RFE/RL U.S. Vice President Joe Biden warned that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's anti-Muslim policies could backfire and hurt the United States. "Some of the rhetoric I'm hearing sounds designed to radicalize all 1.4 billion" Muslims around the world, Biden said on June 20 at the Center for New American Security, a Washington think tank. by Iranian cartoonist Jamal Rahmati On June 19, Trump went beyond his previous calls for temporarily banning Muslim immigration by suggesting the United States should consider profiling Muslims already in the country. "Wielding the politics of fear and intolerance, like proposals to ban Muslims from entering the United States or slandering entire religious communities as complicit in terrorism, calls into question America's status as the greatest democracy in the history of the world," Biden said. Biden also questioned Trump's willingness to engage Russian President Vladimir Putin "at a time of renewed Russian aggression," which he said "could call into question America's long-standing commitment to Europe." And he said Trump's plan to build a wall on the Mexican border would only foment hatred in Latin America. "If we build walls and disrespect our closest neighbors, we will quickly see...a return of anti-Americanism and a corrosive rift throughout our hemisphere," he said. Based on reporting by Reuters and AP Copyright (c) 2016 RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org New Report: Inside the Women's Ward: Mistreatment of Women Political Prisoners at Iran's Evin Prison 06/21/16 Source: International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran Lack of Medical Care, Denied Family Visitation, Substandard Food, among Conditions in Ward Read the full report here (PDF, HTML) June 20, 2016-Political prisoners held in the Womens Ward at Irans Evin Prison are routinely denied medical care and hospitalization, face severely restricted or denied visitation rights even with their young children, are deprived of regular telephone contact with their families, and are not provided adequate nutrition, according to a report released today by the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran. These conditions, detailed in accounts by current and former inmates of the Ward, violate Irans State Prison Procedures and its international obligations regarding prisoner treatment. The Campaign calls on the Iranian Judiciary, which has authority over Irans prisons, to immediately review these inmates cases and address the unlawful conditions in the Ward. These women, who have done nothing more than peacefully express views or beliefs that the Government of Iran disagrees with, never should have been imprisoned to begin with, said Hadi Ghaemi, executive director of the Campaign, and now they also suffer inhumane conditions that leave these women with permanently broken health. There are known to be at least 25 inmates at Evins Womens Ward at present-all prosecuted without due process and convicted in sham trials for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression and belief. Key Findings: The prison infirmary is without medical specialists and frequently dispenses the wrong medication. Transfers to hospital for urgently needed treatment are routinely delayed or denied. Prison rations do not provide an adequate diet, forcing prisoners to buy substandard and expensive food at the prison store. Visits with family-even between inmates who are mothers and their young children-are severely restricted and sometimes denied. No telephones are provided in the Ward. At times during the winter inmates have been deprived of heat. Prisoners are repetitively strip-searched and handled abusively by female guards. These women have been put behind bars for sentences ranging from one to twenty years for crimes such as protesting the death penalty, speaking out for womens rights, posting criticism of government policy on social media, believing in the Bahai faith, and defending other political prisoners. Because they are political prisoners, they endure harsher conditions than other prisoners: they are not provided telephone privileges to call family which prisoners in other wards are provided, visits-even between inmates and their young children-are frequently restricted or, as punishment, denied, and they are routinely refused furlough, the temporary leave afforded to most inmates in Iran. Excerpts from the prisoners accounts from Inside the Womens Ward: Sanitary and health conditions are a disaster. The infirmary has dispensed wrong medications with total impunity. The process for transferring patients to outside medical facilities can take nine months to a year, depending on how critical their condition is. Even then the officials often break their promises.... Theres no telephone there. Mothers are always very worried. When we were in prison we were very careful not to organize any group protests that would affect the mothers because they were the first ones to get punished by cutting visits with their kids. It was a cruel way of silencing the Womens Ward. Its been about a year now that red meat and dairy products have been eliminated from prison rations. We had an electric heater that had been purchased with money collected from the prisoners themselves. You couldnt survive Evin Prisons winter without them. This year, the authorities have given those heaters to the guards and the prisoners are shivering from the cold. The report presents extensive excerpts from Irans State Prison Procedures, showing these conditions violate Irans own laws. According to the prisoner testimony contained in the report, the inmates repeatedly reported the conditions in the Ward to Irans Judiciary, but the Judiciary, headed by by Sadegh Amoli Larijani, has taken no action. Since 2005, no United Nations or other international monitoring body has been allowed to visit the Womens Ward at Evin Prison-or indeed any ward at Evin Prison. Inside the Womens Ward reveals the cruel and unlawful deprivations these brave women suffer because peaceful dissent is treated as a crime in Iran, said Ghaemi. Apple CEO Tim Cook. GABRIELLE LURIE (AFP) Apple, one of the worlds three biggest companies by share price, is also well known for taking advantage of every law in the book to reduce its tax burden. The Cupertino-based company already faces investigations from the authorities in the United States, Italy and the United Kingdom, as well as the European Commission. Now, the Spanish Tax Agency is looking into its affairs in Spain. Specifically, the Tax Agency has opened an investigation into the corporate tax, VAT and income tax paid between 2009 and 2012 by Apple Marketing Iberia, a company that describes itself in its annual report as providing sales support, marketing, research and development of related companies. The investigation does not mean that there is necessarily any wrongdoing. The European Commission opened an investigation in 2014 into Apples tax strategies Apple Marketing Iberias task is to take a commission on the sales made by other companies in the group within Spain, which for the present means just one company, Apple Distribution International. Up until four years ago, this commission was known to be 1%, but after EL PAIS published an article mentioning this figure, the company no longer provides details in its annual report. Assuming the figure has remained the same, sales from Ireland would have risen to more than $2.7 billion. Nevertheless, the company reported a $4.1 million profit, a 41% increase on the previous year. The Spanish affiliate, one of two that Apple has in Spain, last year paid $3.2 million in corporate tax. Apple Marketing Iberia channeled all its profits into voluntary reserves. It increased its turnover by 38.9% during the last financial year, from 19.8 million to 27.6 million. Sign up for our newsletter EL PAIS English Edition has launched a weekly newsletter. Sign up today to receive a selection of our best stories in your inbox every Saturday morning. For full details about how to subscribe, click here. Apple and other large multinationals, many of them also in the technology sector, have created complex structures to transfer profits to countries with lower tax rates, such as Ireland and the Netherlands. The company is also able to further reduce the tax it pays in Ireland, for example. Apple has a second Spanish subsidiary, Apple Retail, which manages its network of retail outlets, the Apple Stores. Apple Ireland bills Apple Spain for products sold in Spain at high prices so as to keep its profits in Ireland, where taxes are half those in Spain. But now the US Congress and the European Commission are turning their sights on Apple and other global corporations over these legal, but questionable, practices. The European Commission opened an investigation in 2014 into Apples tax strategies that could lead to an $8 billion bill for unpaid back taxes. English version by Nick Lyne. New Rules at Rajaee Shahr Prison Target Iranian Political Prisoners for Harsh Treatment 06/21/16 Source: International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran Harsher rules have been imposed upon political prisoners at Rajaee Shahr Prison, already know for its grim conditions, according to relatives who have visited the facility in recent days. Political prisoners at Rajaee Shahr Prison (also known as Gohardasht) located in Karaj, east of Tehran, are now being forced to wear plastic slippers instead of shoes during visitation sessions, their visitors are being subjected to more aggressive body searches, and they are being transferred between wards more frequently as a form of punishment. Rajaee Shahr is one of Irans most notorious prisons. Most of its inmates are considered dangerous criminals, but Ward 12 holds more than 60 political prisoners who have been tried and convicted by Irans Revolutionary Courts in prosecutions completely lacking in due process. The cells have no ventilation, Mohammad Seifzadeh, a prominent human rights lawyer who was released from Rajaee Shahr prison after serving a five-year sentence, told the Campaign in April 2016. Seifzadeh said the prison was extremely overcrowded and that the clinic did not have medicines to treat anything worse than a cold, adding that bad nutrition and lack of vitamins [also] weakened the prisoners. Previously only the prisons regular inmates, considered hardened criminals, were forced to wear plastic slippers, but now the facilitys political prisoners-already singled out for harsh treatment-are being subjected to the same rules. Rejai Shahr Prison ( View Larger Map ) Political prisoners protested against the compulsory slippers rule on June 8, 2016 by showing up barefoot to meet their visitors, a family member told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran. [The authorities] started this new game at Rajaee Shahr about two weeks ago, said the source. The prisoners came to the visitation area an hour later than usual. We were very worried until we realized that there was an argument over the new compulsory slippers rule and the prisoners were not giving in. Eventually [the prisoners] came to us with their shoes on as usual. But this week we waited from 8:00 to 10:30 a.m. [in the visitation area], continued the source. The atmosphere was very bad and tense. Nobody gave us any information. The families were worried. Finally we saw all the political prisoners coming in [to meet us] barefoot. Before the sudden change of rules, political prisoners were allowed to meet visitors in their personal clothes and shoes. Article 90 of Irans State Prisons Organizations regulations states that prison uniforms are not compulsory unless the Prisons Organization decides otherwise. The source added that officials at Rajaee Shahr prison claimed that the new order requiring political prisoners to wear slippers during visitations came directly from the Prisons Organization, allegedly to prevent inmates from smuggling contraband in their shoes. They say no one can wear shoes during meetings with visitors because they want to stop mobile phones and drugs from entering the prison. They are even checking visitors very carefully these days with metal detectors and electronic devices, a relative of one of the prisoners told the Campaign. There are also lots of guards watching [the visitation] area and there are double-glass screens completely separating prisoners and visitors. Its hard enough to see each other under these circumstances, let alone handing over everything we have in case it could be contraband! said the source. Iran Warns Bahrain Over Top Shi'ite Cleric 06/21/16 Source: RFE/RL A senior Iranian military figure has warned Bahrain's government of armed struggle after the Sunni-ruled kingdom's most prominent Shi'ite cleric was stripped of his citizenship. Bahraini protesters hold up posters of Shi'ite cleric Ayatollah Isa Qassem during an antigovernment demonstration in 2013. Bahraini protesters hold up posters of Shi'ite cleric Ayatollah Isa Qassem during an antigovernment demonstration in 2013. In a June 20 statement, Bahrain's Interior Ministry accused Ayatollah Isa Qassem of using his position to "serve foreign interests" -- an apparent reference to Shi'ite Iran -- and promote "sectarianism and violence." After the decision was announced, reports say thousands of Qassem's supporters gathered outside his house in the village of Diraz to show their support for the cleric, who has backed protests led by Bahrain's Shi'ite majority for greater civil and political rights. In a statement carried by Iran's semiofficial Fars news agency, the commander of the country's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Qasem Soleimani, warned Bahrain's government that it faces "dire repercussions" for its action against Qassem. Soleimani said the response may include "armed resistance" and the "overthrow"of the ruling dynasty. Major General Qasem Soleimani, Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force Commander Major General Qasem Soleimani, Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force Commander In a statement published by the Tasnim news agency, Iran's Foreign Ministry urged the Bahraini government "not to burn all the bridges that connect the government to the people" and "to hold serious national talks to end the current crisis." Meanwhile, Lebanon's Shi'ite militant group Hizballah warned that the move against the cleric would have "grave consequences" and called on Bahrainis to "express their indignation." U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby said the United States was "alarmed" by Bahrain's decision to revoke Qassem's citizenship, saying it is "unaware of any credible evidence to support this action." Bahrain hosts the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet. Based on reporting by Fars, Reuters, and AP Copyright (c) 2016 RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org Iranian female karate fighter earns second spot at WKF Karate 1 rankings 06/21/16 Source: Press TV Iranian karate fighter Hamideh Abbasali has been placed second in the latest edition of the World Karate Federation (WKF) Karate 1 rankings. Hamideh Abbasali Hamideh Abbasali According to the rankings released by the largest international governing body of karate with over 130 member states, the 26-year-old Iranian sportswoman racked up 980 points to stand behind a representative from Switzerland. Zabihollah Poursheib, Iran's male karate fighter, claimed the third place with 840 points. On January 24, Abbasali clinched a bronze medal in the 20th edition of the Open de Paris - Karate Premier League in France. She received a bye in the first round of women's kumite over 68-kilogram contests at the Pierre de Coubertin Stadium in Paris. The Iranian athlete emerged victorious with a result of 2-0 in her first contest against the host nation's Sofia Kloucha. Abbasali then took down her Ecuadorian opponent Valeria Echever 4-0 in her march to the final competition, before losing to French athlete Anne Laure Florentin and settling for the third-place fight. The Iranian sportswoman defeated Italian and Danish rivals in the next bouts, and won the bronze medal for Iran. The 20th edition of the Open de Paris - Karate Premier League opened in the French capital on January 22, and finished on January 24. There are many variables to consider when you're selecting a web hosting service. For example, there are features that appeal to a general customer base (such as pricing and storage), as well as features that are more business focused (such as e-commerce and server location). SiteGround addresses all of these issues, and does so well. It offers a decent number of hosting types, lots of performance-enhancing tools, and excellent customer service at a reasonable price. Although SiteGround lacks VPS, dedicated, and Windows servers, it's a quality web hosting service for both individuals and small businesses. Shared Web Hosting If you're interested in low-cost web hosting, shared hosting is the tier you want to investigate. With shared hosting, several websites bunk together on a single server, thus lowering the overall cost. That said, the multiple sites literally share the server's computing power, which means your site's performance could be negatively impacted if another bunk-mate has a huge traffic surge from a Reddit hit. SiteGround, like a few other web hosts, lets you choose which data center you want to host your website: United States (Chicago), Europe (Amsterdam, Milan, Germany), Asia-Pacific (Singapore), United Kingdom (London), and Australia (Sydney). If you are concerned about data privacy or retention laws, you can choose a European data center. If many of your users are based in Asia, you can choose to use an Asia-Pacific data center. Or you can just default to a US server. I can't imagine a lot of businesses will need this feature, but it's a surprisingly advanced option for such a newbie-focused provider. Each SiteGround plan has a relatively high monthly price, but you can drive the cost down using introductory deals and annual sign-ups. Here's how they look. The StartUp plan (starting at $14.99 per month) includes one website, 10GB of storage, network traffic suitable for roughly 10,000 visitors a month, a one-year free Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificate, daily data backups, unlimited email, and support for CloudFlare (more on this later) and managed WordPress. The GrowBig plan (starting at $24.99 per month) builds upon the base plan. It has everything included in that tier, plus support for unlimited websites, unlimited databases, 20GB of storage, site staging, and network traffic suitable for approximately 25,000 visits a month. The GoGeek plan (starting at $39.99 per month) plan is intended for still-larger sites. It takes GrowBig to the next level by including 40GB of storage, network traffic "suitable" for approximately 100,000 visits a month, priority support, white-label support, and a Git repository. Note that SiteGround discounts StartUp, GrowBig, and GoGeek to $6.99 per month, $9.99 per month, and $14.99 per month, respectively, for people signing up for new annual plans. In addition, SiteGround states that it can handle more visitors than the listed limits, but only as one-time occurrences (such as when your blog lands a Reddit hit) per month. I give props to SiteGround for its limitation transparency; most web hosts, even the ones that boast "unlimited" visitors and/or data, have some traffic restrictions buried in their terms of service. SiteGround has solid shared hosting plans, but they aren't as robust as HostGators' offerings. The Editors' Choice for shared web services matches SiteGround's specs, plus has the option for users to select a Windows-based server (SiteGround only offers Linux-based shared servers). Companies that are deeply invested in Microsoft's web ecosystem will find HostGator's Windows servers attractive. Cloud, not VPS SiteGround no longer has VPS hosting, but boasts cloud hosting. The Linux-based platform, which draws resources from multiple servers, is designed to auto-scale with traffic surges, so that your site won't go down due to a lack of power. The four Cloud Hosting plans start at $80 per month for 4GB of RAM, 40GB of storage, and 5TB of monthly data transfers, and max out at $240 per month for 10GB of RAM, 120GB of storage, and 5TB of monthly data transfers. There's lots of room for growth. You can also customize your Cloud Hosting plan should you need more power. They also include a free, one-year SSL certificate. SiteGround's cloud hosting plans, as well as its shared GrowBog and GoGeek packages, have a cool Collaborator feature that lets users who don't need access to a site's management tools (think freelancers) to upload and create content. Still, DreamHost remains our co-Editors' choice for cloud hosting service, along with the enterprise-friendly 1&1 Ionos . DreamHost's Linux-or-Windows-based packages start at $4.50 per month (for 512MB of RAM, 100GB of storage, and unlimited monthly data transfers) and top out at $48 per month (for four CPU cores, 8GB of RAM, 100GB of storage, and unlimited monthly data transfers). Ionos, on the other hand, has prorated plans, custom hosting packages, and big specs for big businesses. If you're in the hunt for traditional VPS hosting, check out Hostwinds, the category's Editors' Choice, which offers a fine virtual private server package. No Dedicated Web Hosting SiteGround also lacks a dedicated hosting tier. If you're looking for take hosting type, we suggest taking a look at AccuWeb, PCMag's Editors' Choice for dedicated web hosting. It not only has a choice of Linux and Windows operating systems, but also tops out at 512GB of RAM, 2TB of storage, and 20TB of monthly data transfers. WordPress Web Hosting Like many of its competitors, SiteGround offers WordPress hosting. In fact, SiteGround oversees your installation with optimized managed WordPress hosting, a service that grants your website enhanced security, automated daily backups, page caching, staging, and automatic content management system updates. It also offers one-click installation and a free account transfer. SiteGround no longer offers a free domain name, but it offers substantial discounts for registration. The plans are similar to the company's shared hosting plans in regards to price. Your options are to sign up for one-, two-, or three-year contracts. SiteGround's base WordPress tier, StartUp ($9.95 per month), offers a skimpy 10GB of storage, a mere 10,000 monthly visitors, and the ability to host just one WordPress site. GrowBig ($14.95 per month) ups the storage to 20GB and monthly visitors to 25,000, while letting you host unlimited WordPress sites. The top-level plan, GoGeek ($29.95 per month), builds upon GrowBig with its 30GB of storage and 100,000 monthly visitors. All plans come with unlimited email and monthly data transfers. SiteGround also offers numerous free WordPress themes. SiteGround includes many useful in-house tools for building your WordPress site: WP Migrator, SG Optimizer, and SuperCacher. On the other hand, A2(Opens in a new window), the Linux-based PCMag Editors' Choice for WordPress hosting, has no such visitor caps. Each of its plans, starting with the $7.99 per month Lite plan, includes unlimited storage and monthly data transfers. The top-tier Managed plan ($75.48 per month) adds site staging so you can experiment with site changes before they go live, unlimited websites, and unlimited databases. Siteground offers a handful of WordPress plug-ins that improve the site-creation experience. WP Starter walks you through curated themes and the most common site features. It's designed so you can choose exactly what you need and launch your website more quickly. WP Migrator, the company's migration tool, helps transfer data from an old site to your new Siteground-powered site. And SG Optimizer, which works in addition with SuperCacher, enhances your site's performance by optimizing CSS, images, javascript, and other web hosting tech. Once you're logged into SiteGround's WordPress setup, you can create posts, pages, and galleries as you would with any other self-hosted WordPress site. If you want to set up a non-managed WordPress site, you can do that, too. I clicked on the WordPress icon in the advanced control panel to go to the WordPress page in Softaculous, SiteGround's third-party application library. It launched a wizard that walked me through the installation. SiteGround also let me enable the Clef plug-in, which gives users the ability to log in to WordPress with their phones instead of a username and password. I am surprised and pleased to see these advanced features here. Revamped Reseller Web Hosting SiteGround no longer offers standalone reseller hosting packages. Instead, the company lets GoGeek and Cloud hosting subscribers give clients access to their site management tools using the Client white-label option. In addition, Cloud plans let users create custom hosting packages for each client depending on the needed resources. The reseller handles the hosting support and billing, and charges clients. If you're looking for more a more robust reseller offering, Hostwinds goes the extra mile with more generous specs in a variety of server categories. As a result, Hostwinds is the Editors' Choice for reseller hosting. Setting Up a Website SiteGround leverages Weebly as its website builder of choice. It's a good move, as Weebly let me make attractive web pages without sacrificing much of my time. Weebly made it simple to add text, images, and video to my test pages. For more information on this simple site builder, please read our Weebly review. SiteGround also offers WordPress Starter, an easy-to-use content management system that has a curated selection of free themes and plug-ins. It's designed to get your personal or business website online as quickly as possible. E-Commerce and SSL Instead of using Weebly, I could have also set up my site from the get-go with e-commerce software, such as PrestaShop, CS-Cart, or Magento. The control panel has the icons for these platforms under AutoInstallers, making them easy to find. You can also go to Softaculous and pick one of the 30 available options, including Zen Cart, ShoWare, OpenCart, and Axis, to name a few. I used Magento to create an attractive store using its drag-and-drop store builder. If you only need a shopping cart, that's no problem, or if you want to focus only on invoicing and billing, there is an app for that, too. If you plan to sell products online, you'll want a secure socket-layer (SSL) certificate. The web host includes them for free in all plans above the shared StartUp tier. Siteground also offers Wildcard, a premium SSL certificate that secures your top-level domain, as well as an unlimited number of subdomains. Wildcard is bundled as a free, one-year bonus feature when you sign up for the GrowBig or GoGeek packages. Otherwise, it's $60 per year. Security Features SiteGround offers several security options, including the SG Site Scanner to let you know if your site is under attack, antispam tools SpamAssassin and SpamExperts, hotlink protection, and IP address blocklists. It scans all the links on your homepage to make sure that they're clean. SiteGround also offers an interesting feature called Leech Protect, which lets administrators prevent users from giving out or publicly posting their passwords to portions of the site. I also like the fact SiteGround integrates with the CloudFlare content delivery network (CDN) service for better performance and security. While any site owner can easily sign up with CloudFlare, the integration (available for free!) means more people who had no idea this was an option are now able to benefit. Another helpful tool is SiteCheck. This automatic software scanning tool checks your website to see if there is any malware in the code or on the site. Running it periodically is a good idea, since the last thing you want to see in your email inbox are messages from irate users saying that visiting your website infected their computers. SiteGround also has free daily backups to safeguard your data. Excellent Uptime Website uptime is one of the most important aspects of a hosting service. If your site is down, clients or customers will be unable to find you or access your products or services. For this testing, I use a website monitoring tool to track my test sites' uptime over a two-week period. Every 15 minutes, the tool pings my website and sends me an alert if it is unable to contact the site for at least one minute. The data revealed that SiteGround is stable; our test site didn't go down once during the two-week observation period. Customer Service SiteGround says its main focus is on customer service, and it shows in the service's many wizards, knowledgebase articles, and tutorials. Customer support is available through a ticket-based system, live chat, and 24/7 telephone support. I tested SiteGround's online chat and am amazed at how quickly someone came to my aid. I was connected to a chat representative in a few seconds. I asked about the differences between SiteGround's cloud hosting and dedicated hosting, and received a prompt and clear response. I also called the phone number on a weekday morning to ask a representative about how to import my WordPress.com setup into SiteGround. The representative patiently and successfully walked me through the process. SiteGround lets users cancel within 30 days of when their credit card was charged. It's tolerable, but I prefer DreamHost's lengthy, 97-day money-back guarantee. 5 Things You Need to Know About Web Hosting 5 Things You Need to Know About Web Hosting For Beginners, Businesses, and Beginner Businesses SiteGround is clearly positioning itself as a hosting provider for newbies, and especially small business newbies. SiteGround's servicesfrom its features to support resourcesare designed for the mom-and-pop stores, sole proprietors, and independent businesses that don't have a lot of design time or advanced web skills. Furthermore, if you aren't expecting a flood of users to your site each day, you don't really care about unlimited storage or unlimited monthly data transfers, so SiteGround's limitations in those regards might not bother you. Additionally, SiteGround's surprising number of security features also indicates that it has small businesses in mind. Small businesses are highly vulnerable to website attacks, and chances are they are not going to invest in a site scanner to look for malware or a cloud provider to protect them from a denial-of-service attack. The fact that SiteGround does it for them makes it a solid friend for small businesses just starting out. Still, if you need greater storage and bandwidth allotments, or high-powered VPS or dedicated hosting, consider moving to Editors' Choices Dreamhost, HostGator, Hostwinds, or Liquid Web for more advanced features and beefed-up storage. For more on getting started online, read our tips on how to create a website. You might also want to check out our story on how to register a domain name for your website. SiteGround Web Hosting 3.5 (Opens in a new window) Check Price (Opens in a new window) Pros Good uptime in testing Monthly and annual hosting plans Free SSL certificate with all plans Many useful free services included Lets customers choose server locations Excellent customer service View More Cons Lacks dedicated, VPS, and Windows server options Relatively low storage The Bottom Line SiteGround offers strong uptime and customer support, though you'll need to look elsewhere for dedicated, VPS, or Windows servers. Congress should block proposed changes to rules governing U.S. law enforcement investigations that could give law enforcement agencies new authority to hack thousands of computers, several tech and advocacy groups said. Congress should stop the proposed changes, approved by the Supreme Court in April, that would allow judges to issue warrants for hacking and surveillance in cases where investigators dont know the target computers location, a coalition of 50 tech trade groups, digital rights groups, and tech companies said in a letter sent Tuesday to congressional leaders. The proposed rule, which would allow judges to issue warrants outside their jurisdictions, would threaten the civil liberties of everyday Internet users, the coalition said in its letter. The new rule would invite law enforcement to seek warrants authorizing them to hack thousands of computers at once. In addition, the rule change could hurt network security efforts, the groups said. Increased government hacking will likely have unintended consequences that cause serious damage to computer security and negatively impact innocent users, their letter said. The Supreme Court approved changes to Rule 41 of the Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure, which, in most cases, now prohibits federal judges from issuing a search warrant outside their jurisdictions. The changes go into effect on Dec. 1 unless Congress moves to reverse them. The coalition called on Congress to pass the Stop Mass Hacking Act, a pair of bills introduced last month to roll back the proposed changes to Rule 41. Representatives of the FBI and the Department of Justice didnt immediately comment on the coalition letter. Among the organizations signing the letter were trade groups the Computer and Communications Industry Association and the Internet Association; digital rights groups the American Civil Liberties Union, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and Fight for the Future; and tech companies Google, PayPal, SpiderOak, and Evernote. The Federal Aviation Administration has published long-awaited rules that loosen restrictions on commercial use of drones but dont go as far as allowing drone delivery services like those proposed by Amazon. The rules, scheduled to take effect in late August, replace temporary restrictions that have required thousands of companies to apply for special permission to use drones as part of their job. Many of the rules are similar to the temporary restrictions including the requirement that drones be kept within line of sight of the operator at all times. That means automated delivery services like Amazons Prime Air will be unable to operate. Amazon did not immediately reply to a request for comment, but the company has been outspoken in the past about moving its drone research and development overseas if the FAA didnt allow operations. The line of sight requirement will also affect other promising potential applications of drones, such as inspection flights along power lines, gas pipelines and railway lines to check for problems or obstacles. Something else new: Currently, drones are restricted to daytime use but the new rules extend to twilight if the drone has anticollision lights. Other provisions remain the same: drones cannot operate over people not associated with the flight; must yield to other aircraft; and cannot fly above 400 feet. They also spell out where the drone can fly. Operations are allowed within most airspace with air traffic control clearance, but never around major airports. To operate a drone for commercial use, the FAA will require some knowledge of the rules of the sky, either through a remote pilot certificate, which is a new certification the agency is preparing, or a student private pilots license. In contrast, hobbyists can fly drones without either of the two licenses. The rules help commercial operators in one important way: for most commercial use, operators no longer have to go through a legal procedure to obtain FAA permission for operations. While its exciting that commercial drones are finally legal, the FAA missed an opportunity to remove many unnecessary restrictions on the use of this promising technology, said Eli Dourado, director of the Technology Policy Program at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Dourado noted that the rules no longer prohibit drones carrying external loads, so limited delivery service could be attempted. But the line-of-sight requirement severely limits this. To truly tap the full potential of this technology, more restrictions will need to be lifted, he said. Momentum seems to be building toward California joining the short list of states in which the recreational use of marijuana is legal. More residents and powerful groups are voicing support for a planned ballot measure to legalize the possession, cultivation and sale of marijuana by people 21 and up, and allow the state to regulate and tax marijuana commerce. Are you more in favor of it than you used to be? Are you more against it? Have your feelings one way or the other gotten more intense? A poll by the Public Policy Institute of California in May found 60 percent of likely voters answering yes when asked if they generally think the use of marijuana should be legal. Support has risen 5 percentage points since PPIC asked the same question in March 2015, and 11 percentage points since May 2010. Over the weekend, in Long Beach, the California Democratic Partys executive board voted to support the pot-legalization measure that has qualified for the Nov. 8 ballot. Last week, the American Civil Liberties Union of California also endorsed legalization, calling for voters to end this chapter of the failed war on drugs. More California cities are weighing ordinance changes in anticipation of legalization. Are you happy about these trends? Email your thoughts to letters@pressenterprise.com. Please include your full name and city or community of residence. If you prefer, share your views in the comments section that accompanies this article online. Inland public employees arent just earning a paycheck, but collecting hefty compensation packages that often dwarf their base salaries, an open-records advocacy group announced Tuesday, June 21. A survey of 45 cities in Riverside and San Bernardino counties shows the average full-time city worker received $127,730 in pay and benefits last year, according to data released by Transparent California, which has ties to a conservative think tank. The group says that, in 2015, the five highest-compensated Inland city workers were: Fontana City Manager Ken Hunt ($453,620); Riverside Assistant Police Chief Christopher Vicino ($433,316); Palm Springs City Manager David Ready ($421,222); Ontario City Manager Al Boling ($419,640); and former Hemet City Manager Wally Hill ($414,163). Inland union officials called the data skewed. Any so-called report that lumps in the salary of the county chief executive officer with the salary of the average hospital nurse should not be taken seriously, Esmie Grubbs, Service Employees International Union local 721 Inland region director, said in a statement. Its like deriving the average McDonalds worker salary by including the CEOs millions right along with the workers who make under $15 per hour! The Inland numbers are part of Transparent Californias data release for 379 cities and 42 counties statewide on its website. The group is affiliated with the Nevada Policy Research Institute, a free market think tank. Robert Fellner, Transparent Californias research director, said the group is not against public employees but has been critical of unions that force workers to join them. Transparent California defines compensation as total wages, plus the employer cost of retirement and health benefits. It includes many forms of pay, including overtime, holidays, longevity, bonuses, clothing, car allowances and cashing in unused vacation or sick pay. Vicino, who was also the citys highest-compensated employee in 2014, said its difficult to say if the numbers are accurate because he hasnt seen the data. He declined further comment. Riverside City Councilman Mike Soubirous, a retired California Highway Patrol officer, said seeing the figures on Vicino concerns me greatly. Id like to know why hes making more than our police chief, Soubirous said. At $263,116, Chief Sergio Diazs annual salary is higher than Vicinos $232,682, but Diazs total pay and benefits is less at $393,323, the data show. Vicinos compensation includes about $10,000 in medical and dental benefits that he didnt receive that the city incorrectly reported to the state, city spokesman Phil Pitchford said. Vicino also cashed out a little more than $26,000 in vacation time in 2015, saving the city money because hes receiving the money at a lower pay rate than he would likely get in the future, Pitchford said. These types of surveys sometimes include things the employee will never see and it gets rolled over to new employees, Soubirous said. Hill, who was fired from his Hemet job in March 2015 after 16 months, said his pay and benefits were in line with other city managers in Riverside County and that a one-year severance package equal to his $233,000 annual salary was appropriate. He said he was fired not for cause because he was caught in the middle of a dispute over whether the city should contract fire services to Riverside County. I dont think it was generous or excessive, Hill said of his compensation. Hemet City Councilwoman Linda Krupa said the council made a mistake with Hills contract and learned a lesson. She said City Manager Alex Meyerhoff, who started in January, receives a lower annual salary $200,000 and would get a smaller severance package if he departs. All of our employees have taken hits, Krupa said. Its only fair we bring down the compensation for the city manager at the same time, and we did. Fontana Mayor Acquanetta Warren said City Manager Ken Hunt is doing a phenomenal job and his compensation is appropriate. Hunt, city manager since 1999, runs a city with a $250 million annual budget and more than 600 full-time employees and 300 to 400 part-time workers. Ontario Mayor Paul Leon said Boling does a spectacular job leading the equivalent of a half-billion dollar corporation. In 2015, Corona and Rialto were among the top five Inland cities with the highest average compensation package for full-time employees. Corona was first, at $164,714, while Rialto came in third, at $149,953. Two Ontario fire employees Engineer Mark Zinda and firefighter Ronald Spellman received total compensation more than quadruple their salaries. Zinda collected $395,989 in pay and benefits while Spellman received $334,789. Corona City Manager Darrell Talbert didnt return a call or email, and Councilwoman Karen Spiegel declined comment. Boling said the two Ontario firefighters responded to several major wildfires last year throughout the state and are on the front line for 24 hours during their deployment. These guys went out and put their lives on the line for people, Leon said. For county workers, the average 2015 compensation package for full-time employees was $87,791 in Riverside County and $93,408 in San Bernardino County. The three highest-compensated county workers were former Riverside County medical director Jerry Dennis ($809,415); former Riverside County assistant sheriff Lee Wagner ($691,489); and San Bernardino County Chief Executive Officer Greg Devereaux ($549,803). Dennis and Wagners 2015 compensation was roughly double what they received the previous year, mostly due to cashing in unused leave when they retired, Fellner said. Devereauxs combined salary and benefits were higher than any county CEO in Southern California in 2015. San Bernardino County spokesman David Wert said Devereaux received an involuntary $60,000 cash-out last year in accrued vacation time that exceeded the maximum allowed under county ordinance. Historically, San Bernardino County executives have always had lower base salaries and higher benefits packages than their counterparts in other counties, Wert said. San Bernardino County Supervisor Robert Lovingood said Tuesday that he was not on the board in 2010 when Devereaux negotiated his employment contract with the board, but noted it was at a time when the county was steeped in public corruption investigations and was seeking an experienced administrator to clean things up and reverse that trajectory. Contact the writer: 951-368-9292 or swall@pressenterprise.com